The court heard Matthew Samuel put on a balaclava and turned up at the school attended by his ex’s children

An obsessed stalker bombarded an ex partner with messages, calls and social media posts and told her: “You are mine. You will always be mine.”

Matthew Samuel also turned up at the school the woman’s children attend wearing a balaclava and pretended to be his victim’s cousin in order to call the police about her.

The offending began shortly after the 35-year-old was released from prison having served a sentence for stalking the same woman and making her life a “misery”.

Swansea Crown Court heard Samuel has a history of stalking and harassing former partners. In sending him back to prison, a judge called the defendant “an extremely jealous, very immature man who simply needs to grow up” and who poses a risk to women. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here

Sian Cutter, prosecuting, told the court that Samuel and the complainant had been in a relationship for around six months before it ended due to the defendant’s jealousy, and said in October 2024 the defendant was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stalking the woman and was also made subject to a restraining order.

The court heard Samuel was released in March 2025 and “almost immediately” made contact with the woman again – despite the terms of the order – although his ex accepted that she initially did not object to the contact and that on occasions she was the one who contacted the defendant.

The prosecutor said the woman later made it clear to Samuel that she wanted nothing more to do with him, and the defendant responded by bombarding her with messages and calls from withheld numbers, ringing his ex as many as 75 times in a single day.

The court heard Samuel also started messaging his victim on Facebook, created a number of TikTok accounts in different names in order to follow her and message her, called the police pretending to be the woman’s cousin in order to report concerns for her welfare, and turned up at the school her children attended wearing a balaclava.

The prosecutor said during the course of the stalking Samuel made a number of threats towards the woman including telling her he was going to throw a brick through her window and was going to murder her. In one message he told his ex: “You are mine. You will always be mine”.

The court heard that matters were reported to the police in October and the defendant was arrested and questioned, answering “no comment” to all questions asked in interview. Samuel was released on bail on condition that he not contact his ex, but he continued his unwanted communications regardless.

The prosecutor said when the woman changed her phone, the defendant found out what the new number was and continued to call and text from withheld numbers. She said in one of the calls the defendant made to his ex, he told her “there was nothing she could say or do to make him leave her alone”.

The contact continued until Samuel was arrested again in January this year. He again answered “no comment” to all questions asked in interview.

In an impact statement which was read to the court by the prosecution barrister, the victim said she now struggles to sleep, feels she is always being “watched” when she leaves the house but does not feel safe at home, and is on antidepressant medication. She said she had been left feeling “frightened and powerless”.

Matthew Samuel, formerly of Vicarage Road, Morriston, Swansea, but now of no fixed abode, had previously pleaded guilty to stalking involving serious alarm or distress, and to breach of a restraining order when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

He has 31 previous convictions for 52 offences including stalking, harassment, and breach of restraining orders in relation to two different previous partners. Samuel threatened to pour petrol through the letterbox of one of his ex-partners and to “chop her up and burn her alive”, and he poured petrol over the driveway of a second former-partner and set it alight.

In October 2024 Samuel was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stalking the same victim as the current offending. On that occasion the court heard the defendant had made his ex’s life “a misery” with a campaign of unwanted and threatening calls, texts, and visits to her home.

He bombarded his victim with up to 93 calls a day, threatened to turn up at her children’s play centre and stab himself in front of everyone there, and told her he would “make sure she loses everything” by spreading rumours that she was ill-treating her kids.

David Singh, for Samuel, said pre-sentence and psychiatric reports before the court detailed the defendant’s “difficult background” and the impact that had on his ability to form appropriate relationships.

He said while those matters in no way justified his client’s “inexcusable behaviour” they did provide a context for what happened, though he added it had to be accepted that Samuel had exacerbated the situation through his use of drink and drugs.

The barrister said his client has two young children and realises that he has to grow up otherwise he is going to miss out on meaningful contact with them.

Judge Paul Thomas KC said after being released from prison – and in the face of a restraining order – the defendant bombarded his victim with calls, texts, and social media postings, made a series of threats against her, and had turned up at her children’s school.

The judge told Samuel: “You are an extremely jealous, very immature man who simply needs to grow up. Above that, I think you are potentially a risk to any woman who you are in a relationship with. The court has a duty to protect women. The only way it can do that is to keep you out of the way.”

With a one-quarter discount for his guilty pleas Samuel was sentenced to three years in prison comprising three years for stalking and two years and three months for breach of restraining order to run concurrently. The defendant will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

The court heard the existing restraining order the defendant is subject to will remain in place to 2029.

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A court has heard how Samuel Field became ‘paranoid’ and accused Martin Glynn, 93, of an “imagined conspiracy”

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A 40-year-old man who tortured an elderly pensioner over a period of 24 hours is facing jail time for his murder.

Samuel Field launched a harrowing attack on his so-called friend in September 2024. Martin Glynn, who was 93 years old when he was assaulted, was punched, kicked, stamped on and strangled in the vicious attack that lasted hours at Field’s Desborough home, Northamptonshire Police said.

Tragically, Mr Glynn never regained the ability to walk after the horrific assault and passed away three months after on Boxing Day.

A court also heard ‘paranoid’ cannabis user Field made several voice recordings about a conspiracy during the vicious assault, reports the Daily Star.

On Wednesday, police announced that a jury at Northampton Crown Court took less than four hours to find Field guilty of murdering the elderly man after an 11-day trial.

In the prosecution’s opening statement last month, Adrian Langdale KC informed the court how Mr Glynn was fit and healthy enough to undertake a journey of over two hours, utilising multiple buses, to the defendant’s home in Gold Street, from his own home in Northampton, on September 19.

Mr Langdale had told the jury that Field was “effectively torturing” his friend of nearly 20 years while experiencing paranoia induced by cannabis.

The prosecutor stated that by 4.22pm that afternoon, Mr Glynn was “sprawled helplessly on the living-room floor” and the attacks continued as Field interrogated Mr Glynn about an “imagined conspiracy”.

In recordings made by Field, the court heard him discuss a conspiracy that “everyone is in for him” and accused Mr Glynn of giving a key to his home to an Irish traveller.

Mr Langdale had stated that Field was “effectively torturing and interrogating” as he attempted to coerce Mr Glynn into confessing, only calling an ambulance approximately 28 hours after the assault commenced.

Field, previously of Gold Street, Desborough, is set to be sentenced on May 29.

Following the verdict, deputy senior investigating officer Detective Sergeant Megan Scotney, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: “Samuel Field described Mr Glynn as his best friend of almost two decades.

“Only Field knows why he attacked Mr Glynn that day, but I am pleased the jury has seen him for what he truly is – a dangerous, violent man.”

A Dutch couple who died from hantavirus after sailing on a doomed cruise ship are reportedly believed to have caught the illness while birdwatching.

Argentine officials revealed their government’s leading theory is that the two MV Hondius passengers carried the rat-virus on board after birdwatching in the city of Ushuaia, Associated Press reports.

The pair, both 69, visited a landfill site during the trip and may have been exposed to rodents carrying the deadly infection.

They then boarded the cruise ship on April 1 2026 and the husband developed flu-like symptoms five days later.

He died on April 11 and his body went ashore at Saint Helena on April 24 alongside his wife. She then fell ill and died in Johannesburg on April 26.

The family of the couple at the centre of the outbreak said: ‘We cannot yet comprehend that we have to miss them. We want to bring them home in peace and remember them.’

The WHO has also said it has been tracing people on the woman’s flight between the Saint Helena and Johannesburg. ‘Contact tracing for passengers on the flight has been initiated,’ WHO said in a statement.

There had been 82 passengers and six crew onboard the April 25 flight, South African-based carrier Airlink told AFP.

Argentine authorities have said Ushuaia and surrounding Tierra del Fuego province had never recorded a hantavirus case.

A German national also died on the ship on May 2 and it’s unclear if they were infected.

More cases of hantavirus have now emerged on board the luxury cruise liner as it travelled towards Cape Verde.

Five people are confirmed to have caught the virus, with three more suspected to be infected.

A British national is intensive care in South Africa after he was evacuated from the ship at the end of April.

Swiss authorities have also confirmed a case of hantavirus from a passenger on the first leg of the trip, who presented to hospital in Zurich after receiving an email about the outbreak.

Three individuals, including the British ship doctor, were medically evacuated from the cruise ship on Wednesday.

Two are in a serious condition and are confirmed to have the virus, while a third is asymptomatic but was a close contact of the German national who died on May 2.

Hantavirus is typically only spread by exposure to rodent urine, feces or saliva, but the World Health Organisation believes that human-to-human transmission took place on MV Hondius.

What is hantavirus?

Hantaviruses are a family of rodent-bourne viruses, with each strain tied to a specific host species.

It’s spread when people come into contact with infected droppings, saliva, urine or nesting materials, but is extremely rare, and rarely passed from person to person.

If caught, hantavirus can lead to two main illnesses, one of which affects the lungs (Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome or HPS) and the other which affects the kidneys (Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome or HFRS).

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The incubation period for this illness is generally two to four weeks, according to the government, but can range from as little as two days to as long as eight weeks.

What are the symptoms?

Early symptoms of hantavirus are similar to the flu, and include headaches, dizziness, chills as well as abdominal problems like diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea.

If it progresses into Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, patients can experience headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal problems like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

If you develop Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, initial symptoms will include intense headaches, back and abdominal pain, fever or chills, nausea, and blurred vision.

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If the disease progresses, later symptoms include low blood pressure, acute shock (lack of blood flow), internal bleeding, and acute kidney failure, according to the CDC.

Hantavirus can be fatal, so it’s important to keep an eye on symptoms if you believe you’ve been exposed. There is currently no cure for the disease.

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The evacuation means the ship can now continue on its three-day journey to the Canary Islands after Spanish authorities gave permission for the boat to dock.

Around 150 guests and crew – including 23 British nationals – initially remained on the liner after the rat-related virus outbreak took hold.

According to WHO, the outbreak continues to pose a low risk to public health.

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, added that the risk of hantavirus spreading from the outbreak is ‘essentially zero’.

This is because the Andes virus – the variant which is understood to have caused the outbreak – is ‘known very rarely to spread between people with close contact’.

‘It means it is very easy to isolate people who are unwell and to follow quarantine and so on to avoid spread to other people,’ he added.

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The A19 northbound is shut between Testo’s roundabout (A184 Newcastle Road) and Lindisfarne roundabout (A194 Leam Lane), near Boldon Colliery.

National Highways said the closure followed a collision, with congestion building for around two miles on the approach.

The #A19 northbound has been closed following a collision between the #Testo‘s Interchange and #Lindisfarne Interchange.

Delays up to 20mins on approach, 2 miles of congestion. pic.twitter.com/kB9aROs9w8

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— National Highways: North-East (@HighwaysNEAST) May 6, 2026

Delays of up to 20 minutes are being reported.

Traffic is also backing up on surrounding roads, with Boldon Colliery and West Boldon seeing heavy congestion.

According to the AA:

• Delays of around 12 minutes are reported on the A19 northbound, with average speeds of just 5mph
• The A184 eastbound is seeing delays of at least 10 minutes between Laverick Lane and Abingdon Way
• Westbound delays of around six minutes are reported between Testo’s and White Mare Pool

Diversions are in place while the road remains closed.

There is no indication yet of when the A19 will reopen.

Drivers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys.

Northumbria Police and the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) have been contacted over the incident.

Graham Norton’s new ITV game show The Neighbourhood has reportedly been moved from its primetime slot

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Graham Norton’s ITV show The Neighbourhood has reportedly been moved from its prime-time slot less than a fortnight after its launch.

The television presenter fronts the broadcaster’s new game show format, which sees six real-life families move into a purpose-built street and battle for a £250,000 prize.

The programme launched between the two halves of the I’m A Celebrity…South Africa finale on April 24, and has since aired at 9pm on Thursdays and Fridays. However, listings reveal that the programme will now be broadcast at 10.45pm, stripping it of the prominent slot it was initially given, according to the Mirror.

This Thursday, viewers tuning in at 9pm will instead find a repeat of Davina McCall’s Long Lost Family, while an episode of Beat The Chasers: Celebrity Special, first shown in 2021, will be transmitted on Friday.

The Mirror quoted an ITV spokesperson stating: “The full box set of The Neighbourhood is now available to stream on ITVX. Additionally, the show will continue to air in an evening slot on ITV.”

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Sources have reportedly claimed that whilst the broadcaster pulled out all the stops to make the programme into a hit, it just hasn’t worked out that way.

A source told The Sun: “They threw everything at The Neighbourhood to make it a big success, but it’s ended up a bit of a damp squib.”

The six families participating are The Bradons, The Kandolas and Samra, The Lozman-Sturrocks, The Pescuds, The Scouse Haus and The Uni Boys. Challenges test every resident as they seek to eliminate one another while avoiding becoming unpopular enough to face eviction themselves.

Speaking about his first impression upon seeing the completed set, Graham remarked: “Arriving in Derbyshire and seeing the set, I’d seen pictures but I didn’t quite understand the scale of it. It really is like being on a movie set, except it’s 360 – everywhere you look, it’s real.

“The art department did an extraordinary job of building up that town square where we do the removals, the pub, the café, the interiors of the houses. It really took my breath away!

“It made it even more exciting. I thought – this is serious! We’re making a big show. Then add on top of that, what Derbyshire does when the drone goes up and we see the Neighbourhood and the nature and the rest of it, it’s so beautiful, those big driving shots. It’s just gorgeous.”

ITV has been approached for comment.

The Neighbourhood airs on ITV.

Arsenal secured their place in the Champions League final after beating Atletico Madrid, but one player could face a UEFA ban after an altercation with Marc Pubill following the final whistle

Gabriel Jesus could still face punishment for appearing to strike Atletico Madrid defender Marc Pubill following Arsenal’s victory over the Spanish side, potentially jeopardising his chances of featuring in the Champions League final.

Video footage from the Emirates Stadium surfaced showing Pubill seemingly attempting to disrupt the Gunners’ post-match celebrations, which Jesus took exception to. The Brazilian was then seen apparently slapping Pubill across the face.

Atletico’s Pubill had already shoved a celebrating Viktor Gyokeres from behind. The Swedish striker had been linking arms with Cristhian Mosquera and Jesus, who responded angrily.

The footage shows Mosquera trying to usher Pubill away, but Jesus’ response appeared more forceful as he seemed to make contact with the opposition player. Myles Lewis-Skelly and Declan Rice ultimately defused the situation and directed Pubill towards the tunnel.

It is understood UEFA are presently examining the official reports from the semi-final encounter, and after that, any incidents flagged will trigger proceedings and could lead to disciplinary measures.

READ MORE: Arsenal’s Champions League win was FIXED says Madrid mayor in bizarre corruption rantREAD MORE: Thierry Henry opens up on private Bukayo Saka injury talks before Arsenal Champions League win

UEFA’s Disciplinary Panel will reach their conclusions based on a post-match report compiled by a Match Delegate.

Jesus remained on the bench throughout an evening that witnessed several heated exchanges. Diego Simeone had a tense confrontation with Arsenal transfer chief Andrea Berta, who previously worked with him in the Spanish capital.

Jesus has played a limited role in the Champions League this season, mainly being introduced from the substitutes’ bench by Mikel Arteta. The former Manchester City striker has appeared in every knockout round but now faces an anxious wait to discover whether he’ll be eligible for the final in Budapest.

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Arsenal will head to the Puskas Arena to face either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain once the Premier League season concludes. The Gunners have just over three weeks to complete their domestic fixtures before their focus shifts entirely to the European showpiece.

The heated post-match confrontation on Tuesday didn’t dampen the mood for long as Arsenal’s players threw themselves into ecstatic celebrations with their fans in north London.

Speaking on Amazon Prime, match-winner Bukayo Saka said: “Hey, you’re taking me away from the celebrations man! It’s so beautiful.

“What it means to us, what it means to the fans. We’re all so happy.

“This game is a high-pressure game, and it means a lot to both sides. We managed to manage [the game] well and take ourselves to the final, so we’re happy.”

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Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Atidel Boutara Cook was convicted of criminal damage and assault after destroying her neighbour’s wisteria plant and hitting her with a crutch

A woman sentenced for destroying her neighbour’s wisteria and attacking her with a crutch breached a newly issued restraining order before even exiting the courtroom. A judge issued the warning to Atidel Boutara Cook following her conviction for criminal damage and assault.

The charges stem from a December 17 incident involving her upstairs neighbour of 20 years, Pei Wong. Highbury Magistrates’ Court was previously told that Boutara Cook destroyed Wong’s flowering plant and, when confronted, called her neighbour a “f****** bitch.”

During the altercation, Boutara Cook reportedly used her crutch to strike the victim once on the forehead and twice on the chest. Despite the sentencing and the imposition of a restraining order, the defendant reportedly violated the terms of the court’s protection order while still on the premises.

Ms Wong and her husband Louis Scott own the freehold of the Victorian house in Stanhope Gardens, Tottenham, north London, and live upstairs while Boutara Cook lives in the ground floor flat, the trial had heard.

Boutara Cook has continued to “interfere” with the property including with “ongoing banging at night” that has impacted Ms Wong’s sleep, the victim said in her impact statement summarised by the prosecution on Wednesday.

Ms Wong said she feels trapped in her home, intimidated, anxious and emotionally exhausted, and CCTV has been installed.

District Judge Denis Brennan told Boutara Cook that she has made the lives of Ms Wong, her husband – and potentially their children – a “misery”.

He ordered her to pay them £500 and issued a five-year restraining order banning her from contacting them.

Judge Brennan asked Boutara Cook, who was self-represented, if she understood the penalty.

She replied “absolutely, yep” before peering above the public gallery and making a kiss towards the couple, asking: “Happy?”

As she walked towards the courtroom door, she called out to them: “I will send it to you in one go, so you can go on holiday.”

The judge interjected: “I warn you Ms Boutara Cook that that is immediately a breach of the restraining order.”

He said it will be decided later if police get involved.

Mr Scott spotted Boutara Cook cutting down the wisteria and pulling out other plants as he returned home from work on the evening of December 17.

She told Mr Scott “f*** you, nasty people” when he approached, said prosecutor Mr Groves, who would not give his first name to reporters.

The architect couple rarely interacted with Boutara Cook but asked her to stop, the court heard previously.

Ms Wong filmed the confrontation and it showed the defendant standing outside the front door holding large garden shears.

Her husband could be heard saying: “This is really horrible, you doing this.”

The phone was dropped and screaming and shouting can be heard in the background, including repeated swearing.

Mr Scott told the trial: “When she noticed my wife was filming her, she seemed to rather lose control of herself, started screaming abuse and waving her arms, she grabbed my wife’s phone.

“She also then came up to my wife and struck her a number of times with her crutch.”

Boutara Cook was also given a 12-month community order with 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

The restraining order makes it illegal for her to contact the couple directly or indirectly, including through their children.

An exemption is in place if the couple contact her about building issues or she speaks to them through a solicitor.

Judge Brennan said: “Living in accommodation, whether it’s in London or anywhere, should be something that gives people safety, gives them a sense of wellbeing and a sense of which they can lead a happy and ordered life.

“Your behaviour prior to and on December 17 – and if I understand matters correctly, since December 17 – has meant the lives of Mr Scott and Ms Wong, and I infer, their children, a life of misery.

“That is not fair that is not appropriate.”

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Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain meet in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final this evening. Here’s everything you need to know about TV channel, live stream and kick-off time

Bayern Munich face Paris Saint-Germain this evening in what promises to be one of the most thrilling Champions League semi-final second legs in recent memory.

Last week’s opening encounter ended 5-4 in PSG’s favour and has already been hailed as one of the finest matches in the competition’s storied history.

Tonight’s clash will showcase some exceptional attacking talent. Will Ousmane Dembélé and Desiré Doué propel PSG into a second consecutive final as they aim to defend their title? Or will Harry Kane extend his remarkable goalscoring campaign by netting his 55th goal (or perhaps more) of the season to guide the German powerhouses into their first final since 2020?

Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s eagerly awaited fixture:

Where is the match taking place?

Allianz Arena, Munich.

What time does it kick off?

The match is scheduled to start at 8pm.

How can I watch the game on television or stream it online?

RTÉ 2 and TNT Sports will broadcast the match live, with streaming available via the RTÉ Player and on HBO Max (UK) and Now TV (Ireland).

Who will face the winners in the final?

Arsenal have already secured their spot in the 30 May showpiece following a 1-0 victory over Atlético Madrid on Tuesday night.

Betting odds (To go through)

Bayern – 4/5

PSG – Evens

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Jamie Carragher believes a ‘little tactical shift’ has breathed new life into Arsenal after they took control of the Premier League title race and reached the Champions League final.

Mikel Arteta’s side were the best team in Europe during the first-half of the season but have been stumbling towards the finish line in recent weeks.

Arsenal fell short in both domestic cup competitions and then suffered what at the time felt like a costly defeat to title rivals Manchester City.

But the Gunners have responded brilliantly to that setback, winning back-to-back Premier League games and overcoming Atletico Madrid to reach the Champions League final.

While Arsenal looked back on track, Man City slipped up in the title race on Monday night as they were held to a 3-3 draw by Everton, leaving Pep Guardiola’s team five points behind the league leaders.

Recent results mean Arsenal are on course to lift the Premier League trophy for the first time since 2004 and are one game away from their maiden Champions League trophy.

Carragher, who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, says Arteta’s side were ‘definitely wobbling’ but have improved since ‘fantastic’ Declan Rice adopted a deeper role.

‘I thought Declan Rice was fantastic and the best player in both legs,’ Carragher said on CBS Sports after Arsenal knocked out Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.

‘Even though Arsenal find themselves where they are in the Champions League and the Premier League because of what they’ve done over nine or ten months, they were definitely wobbling.

‘In the last week they’ve sorted themselves out and I think the decision to move Declan Rice a little bit deeper has had a huge influence.

‘I thought he was really good out in Madrid and got the Man of the Match award in the second leg as well. In-between that Arsenal beat Fulham and it was the first time we’ve really seen them look at ease and play free.

‘It had probably been a few months since we’ve seen that, maybe since they beat Tottenham 4-1 in the north London derby.

‘I think that little tactical shift with Declan Rice has had a huge impact and they are now two games away from winning the Premier League and Champions League double.

‘They have the Champions League final, obviously, but if they beat West Ham at the weekend they will win the Premier League, it would be all over.

‘So that’s how close they are but you’ve still got to get across the line and get there – but it does look a different team than we saw even just a couple of weeks ago.’

Bukayo Saka’s first-half goal settled Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against Atletico after a 1-1 draw in Madrid in the first leg.

The Gunners will face French champions PSG or German champions Bayern Munich in the Champions League final on May 30.

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The lorry park was created without planning permission and handed an Enforcement Notice from the council

An inspector has ruled a lorry park must be restored to its original condition after being created without permission. The land lies north west of Thrapston Road just outside of Brington and was handed an enforcement notice last year demanding the lorries and vehicles be removed.

Huntingdonshire District Council gave the occupiers six months from September 2025 to restore the land to its condition before the “unauthorised storage use took place”.

Marshall Ndhlovu, of Elmarsh Logistics Ltd, appealed the Enforcement Notice – arguing the site “provides essential operational space” for the small-scale logistics business, “supporting local employment and efficient movement of goods”.

He said “most of the site is fenced off from public view”, and was tarred in the 1990s and hasn’t been used as agricultural land “for over 30 years”.

Mr Ndholvu said it was “factually impossible and unreasonable” to require them to restore the land to agricultural use “where the land has been hardstanding for decades”. He also requested 12 to 18 months to move the fleet instead of six, “due to contractual obligations and site alternatives”.

He said the company had been searching for alternative land since the notice, but it “has proved difficult to secure an alternative arrangement given the operational pressures of vacating the land”. The council said the storage use “fails to recognise the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside” and there’s not enough evidence to justify it “functions well and adds to the overall quality of the area”.

Though accepting there “may have been some lorries kept on this land” while the A14 dual carriageway was built, planning permission was never granted for a change of use from agricultural land. They said there was enough time given, as the landowners “have known since 2018 that this land required planning permission to be used for the current purposes”.

An application was refused in 2021 to use the land for parking and no appeal was launched.

M Savage, from the Planning Inspectorate, visited on February 4 and saw a “significant number of different vehicles” including HGVs, vans and cars and “other items, such as tyres and machinery”.

They agreed with the council that the land was used for ‘storage’ not ‘parking’ as vehicles would have to be moved “to enable other vehicles to leave the site”.

A nearby resident wrote to support the appeal, claiming that the site has been “hard-surfaced since the 1990s” and was “used as a dumping site for rubbish, attracting vermin” until the current owner took over.

The inspector accepted there was evidence it was “historically used for the storage of vehicles and equipment” while the dual carriageway was constructed, but said it is “unlikely it would be possible to resume using it in this way, given the construction of that part of the A14 has long since been carried out”.

They also said six months was a “reasonable period of time” and the appeal was dismissed.