Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue Team (SRMRT) were called out after the animal fell around 6.5 metres down a narrow, winding pit on Friday (May 8).

In an online post, the team said: “Yesterday’s rescue was certainly a different one for the team…”

Rescuers attempting to save the dog (Image: Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue Team)

The dog is believed to have slipped through several tight gaps during the fall, which may have reduced the impact but left her trapped deep underground.

SRMRT added: “Somehow, gravity had carried her through several extremely tight gaps, which likely helped break the fall, but also left her trapped deep underground.”

Mountain rescue crews (Image: Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue Team)

A major rescue effort was launched, involving mountain rescue volunteers, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, North Yorkshire Police and Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association.

Emergency services at the scene (Image: Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue Team)

The team described it as “an outstanding six-hour-long joint effort” involving multiple emergency services.

After hours of careful planning and teamwork, a cave rescuer was able to squeeze through the tight underground system to reach the dog.

SRMRT said: “After careful assessment and a lot of teamwork, cave rescuer Lucy managed to squeeze down through the tight system to reach the dog and bring her safely back out.”

The dog was then safely brought back to the surface, bringing the challenging rescue to a happy ending.

The team added it was “a technical, challenging and very muddy rescue”, thanking all agencies involved for their support.

If you’ve seen forecasts of snow next week flash up on your social media feed over the last few days, you may be thinking that winter is about to return.

While snow is not expected over the vast majority of the UK, it is true that rather cool conditions for May are set to dominate.

With high pressure centred to the west of the UK, winds will mainly come from that chillier northerly direction. During the second half of the week our air will have originated from around the Arctic Circle in northern Scandinavia.

Daytime temperatures for most will be much colder than normal at 9-14 Celsius (48-57F) in many areas.

Areas of low pressure crossing southwards across the country will bring a greater likelihood of rain and, like last week, some snow in Shetland and the Scottish mountains cannot be ruled out.

As well as snow, last week also brought the UK its coldest May conditions for nearly 30 years. Tomintoul in Moray, Scotland recorded a low of -6.8C (20F) on the night of the 5/6 May. This was the lowest temperature recorded in May since 1997 when the same temperature was reported at Leadhills, Lanarkshire.

Further night frosts are expected in places during the week ahead.

MOVA Studios is set to welcome its first visitors during an open day on Saturday (May 16).  

The business will offer Reformer Pilates, Mat Pilates and Yoga, alongside a Run Club, in classes which will begin on Monday (May 18) at Hargrave House, in Boroughbridge Road, Acomb.

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It was founded by York-based Pilates instructor Ruby McTough, who will bring her years of experience in the mind-body exercise to sessions at the studio.

The studio will offer Reformer Pilates, Mat Pilates, Yoga and a Run Club (Image: MOVA Studios)

She explained: “How you feel in your body and how you feel in your life are the same thing.

“What you put into yourself, you carry back out into your day. What you put into your community, you feel inside the studio.

“We want MOVA to live in both places, and to live there with our members.”

Aside from the sessions, MOVA has been building links with independent York businesses ahead of its opening.

“What you put into yourself, you carry back out into your day” (Image: MOVA Studios)

Partners include York Gin, York Distillery, Wardrobe Angel, Bothy Botanical, Avorium and Brancusi, with MOVA members able to receive small benefits at each business.

Ruby said the partnerships were about strengthening connections rather than offering discounts.

She said: “Community doesn’t end at our front door. York is full of people putting their whole hearts into what they make.

“We want our members to know them, and we want them to know us. That’s how a studio becomes part of a place, instead of just a place inside it.”

Tom at Avorium said that York is “at its best” when independent businesses look out for one another.

He added: “That’s exactly the spirit we feel from MOVA. We’re proud to be one of their first Local Love partners.”

MOVA is offering a Founders Membership for first-time visitors (Image: MOVA Studios)

A Founders Membership is now available for those who want to join the studio from the outset.

Ruby said: “We’re starting with the people who choose to start with us.

“Whatever MOVA becomes, the founding members are part of how it got there. That story doesn’t get written twice.”

First-time visitors can try MOVA with a £35 introductory three-class pass.

For more on this, please see here.  

Officers from Cleveland Police were called to Quenby Road in Billingham at around 10pm on Friday (May 8), following reports of an assault.

A man, aged 39, sustained an injury to his ear during the incident.

Cleveland Police have said that they are now looking for ‘several men armed with knives’ after launching an investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector John Bonner said: “Shortly before 10pm on Friday, May 8, police were called to Quenby Road in Billingham following reports of an assault involving several men armed with knives.

“One man, aged 39, sustained an injury to his ear.

“Enquiries are progressing, and anyone who has information or footage that could assist with enquiries is asked to call 101 quoting reference number 087533.”

A warning has been issued to dog owners who may be walking their pets

A dog has died after it “ingested cannabis” at a Cambridgeshire town park. Soham Town Council have confirmed that three dogs have reportedly “ingested cannabis” after being walked at Drayton Meadows in Soham.

According to the council, as a result, one of the dogs has died. A spokesperson for Soham Town Council said: “We have found that cannabis gummies are being left behind which is a serious concern for young children as they resemble real sweets like Haribo. Please be vigilant if you are there with your children or dogs.”

At least one of the cases has been confirmed to be Cannabis by a vet.

The council has advised dog owners to make sure that dogs are on leads to avoid them “running into any overgrown areas where things may have been thrown”.

The police and local youth services are aware, and the council are hoping to patrol the area if volunteers are available. In a statement by Soham Town Council, a spokesperson added: “We are unable to close the area completely as it would still be accessible by climbing over the gate, so would likely not act as a deterrent for those hanging around there.”

“As the National Party of Wales, the party’s aims shall be: to secure independence for Wales in Europe.”

Since its founding in 1925, independence has remained a core principle of Plaid Cymru – the above quote even forms the second line of its constitution. For the first time, Plaid secured the most seats in the next Welsh parliament as Labour lost control of the Senedd for the first time since devolution in 1999, with even first minister Eluned Morgan a casualty of Labour’s catastrophic losses. Yet in a change of tone from previous decades, Plaid’s leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has not led with an independence campaign, and more talk of a referendum has come from his political rivals, who have tried to warn voters that the party will introduce it through the “back door” once in power.

At Plaid’s annual conference in Newport in February, the topic was not raised once in ap Iorwerth’s speech, nor was it mentioned at the manifesto launch in Wrexham. At the last Senedd elections in 2021, the party promised to hold a referendum if it won a majority – a pledge that was quietly dropped from this year’s campaign.

Yet for the first time in history, Westminster is faced with the prospect of having a nationalist party running each of the devolved nations, all pushing for greater powers – so what are Plaid Cymru’s plans for independence?

Professor Laura McAllister, of the Wales Governance Centre, said: “Given that independence is the primary aim of Plaid Cymru, it is inconceivable that the party internally has not considered a longer-term strategy for advancing that goal. Having said that, the party leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has been categorical that the first term of a Plaid-led government would not be focused on independence.”

Instead, ap Iorwerth has prioritised the cost of living crisis; the state of the NHS, which has failed to meet targets to cut waiting lists; housing and a better deal for Wales under the current constitution. Their next steps do include a national commission, which would cost half a million pounds of the annual £27bn Welsh budget, which it says would “lay the foundation” for any future independence plans.

Recent polls have not shown much support for Welsh independence, with only 32 per cent in favour and 52 per cent against. While he remains a personal believer in the cause, ap Iorwerth admitted during his campaign: “I do not think now is the time to have that referendum, because the people of Wales are not telling us that it’s that time.” However, Prof McAllister noted that this tactic “is very much out of the SNP playbook from 2007”, and that polling support for independence is similar to the position in Scotland two years before the 2014 referendum that rejected independence.

With Labour suffering a humiliating defeat on Thursday, slipping to third place in its former red heartlands, Plaid Cymru had pinned the election as a “two-horse race” between itself and Reform UK, which is staunchly opposed to further devolved powers.

Many have viewed it as an election between those who view themselves as more Welsh-aligned, and others who view themselves as more British – with Nigel Farage even describing the Welsh language as “foreign”.

“In terms of voters motivated against independence, at present I think those will already be captured by Reform UK,” Prof McAllister said. “It’s harder to predict in the future as we do not know what a Plaid-led government might do and when. But were independence to become a defining issue in Welsh politics, as it is in Scottish politics, then I think we would see a fundamental realignment that cuts across left-right lines.”

Without a clear contender, ready to go, the prospect of forcing Starmer to lay out a timetable now for leaving No 10 would, these allies say, look crackers to already-fed-up voters. They feel it would send the message: “Dear country, we can’t make a decision, so we want a bit more time ’til we do.”

All of the results have now been announced

Results came in thick and fast across Cambridgeshire today (May 8) for this year’s local elections. All the results have now been declared, with two seats in Huntingdonshire being the last to be announced.

Cambridgeshire County Council had its elections last year so only residents with a lower tier council election voted yesterday. Across the country different councils hold their elections in different stages. Some have a third of councillor wards up for election, others have them all up and others have had no elections at all.

For South Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire, all wards have been up for election. Cambridge City Council had a third of seats up for election. East Cambridgeshire District Council and Fenland District Council do not have elections this year.

Take a look below to see the results across all of the council which held elections.

In Peterborough, the following parties were elected with Independents having overall control of the council.

• Independent – one elected – a loss of five
• Conservative – six elected – a gain of three
• Labour – two elected – a loss of three
• Lib Dem – three elected – no change
• Greens – two elected – a gain of one
• Reform UK – four elected – a gain of four

In Huntingdonshire, nobody managed to get a majority.

• Conservative – 15 elected
• Greens – two elected
• Independent – four elected
• Labour – one elected
• Liberal Democrats – 20 elected
• Reform UK – 10 elected

In Cambridge, only a third of seats were up for election, but still no parrt managed to achieve overall control. A total of 15 seats were up for election.

• Labour – four elected
• Liberal Democrats – four elected
• Greens – seven elected

In South Cambridgeshire, the Liberal Democrats secured a huge majority, winning 43 out of 45 seats.

Liberal Democrats – 43 elected

Conservative – two elected

To see the full results when they come in look at the widget below and enter your council’s name to see the latest.

Keep an eye on our live blog for the latest updates

Legacy Live 2026 promises a full day of entertainment at Chester-le-Street Town FC on Saturday, May 30, with all profits going to Melanoma-Me, a skin cancer awareness and support charity based in Washington.

The festival will feature a mix of tribute acts, live music, children’s activities, trade stalls and a fully licensed bar, making it one of the North East’s major summer events.

Legacy Live (Image: Supplied)

A spokesman for the event said: “Legacy Live is set to be one of the North East’s biggest feel-good music events of the summer.

“Whether you’re coming for the music, the atmosphere, the family fun or just an unforgettable day out with friends, Legacy Live has something for everyone.”

The line-up includes tributes to P!NK, Fleetwood Mac, Sam Fender and Arctic Monkeys, plus BOYZLIVE performing boyband hits.

Legacy Live (Image: Supplied)

Attendees can also enjoy a special appearance from Dene Michael, the former lead singer of Black Lace.

Family-friendly entertainment will be on offer throughout the day, alongside a selection of food vendors and market stalls.

The event aims to raise funds and awareness for Melanoma-Me, which provides vital support services for individuals affected by skin cancer.

Legacy Live featuring tribute acts, family entertainment and community activities (Image: Supplied)

Tickets for Legacy Live 2026 are available at legacylive26.eventbrite.co.uk.

Organisers remind attendees that the event is held outdoors and no food or drink may be brought in.

Chairs and blankets are allowed.

There is no on-site parking, and visitors are advised to plan their travel in advance.

Legacy Live featuring tribute acts, family entertainment and community activities (Image: Supplied)

Legacy Live (Image: Supplied)

Legacy Live featuring tribute acts, family entertainment and community activities will take place at Chester-le-Street Town FC (Image: Supplied)

Digital techniques like projection mapping, holograms and interactive performance now define the Eurovision contest’s production values. But this year’s UK act Look Mum No Computer has a more retro approach to technology.

A musician and YouTuber, Look Mum No Computer builds experimental synths from vintage equipment, sometimes even parts from toys and games consoles. His past projects include synths built into Sega Megadrives and Gibson Les Paul guitars, an orchestra of Star Wars robots, and his most popular YouTube video, a Furby orchestra.

Working for the past two years on our book Designing Eurovision: Performance Scenography on an International Stage, we have had the opportunity to track the history of Eurovision design and its current innovations.

Eurovision’s rules on musical performance and on-stage instruments would not always have accommodated an act like Look Mum No Computer, who tours with his own modular synth. In its early days in the late 1950s and 60s, all entries had to be performed by a live concert orchestra – limiting how far composers could follow transatlantic rock’n’roll trends.

The contest’s rules are determined by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which has overseen the annual contest for its member broadcasters since 1956. In 1973, the EBU began allowing prerecorded backing tracks, but insisted all instruments had to appear on stage. This rule allowed bands, like Yugoslavia’s Korni Grupa in 1974, to perform with their guitars and drums or to combine these with orchestral accompaniment like ABBA’s winning 1974 performance.

Electronic dance music was not such an easy fit when it started appearing in the 1990s. In 1996, the requirement for all instruments to be on camera meant Gina G’s UK entry Ooh Aah, Just A Little Bit had to bring PCs on stage.

Phasing out live orchestras altogether after 1998 upset some fans but modernised Eurovision’s sound. This move gave contest producers more space to employ new digital stage technologies, including video walls and LED floors. These made the broadcast more spectacular but dramatically increased its costs and environmental impact. It also caused issues of competitiveness since better-funded nations could invest in high-end digital staging with international creative teams, while those with lower budgets must be much more resourceful to be competitive.

Well before this transformation into a mega-event, however, musical instruments that were likely new to many Eurovision audiences were made focal points in how performances were staged. Switzerland’s 1976 entry by acoustic folk band Peter, Sue and Marc featured a clown playing a barrel organ. The Guadeloupian steel drums on Joëlle Ursull’s 1990 French entry White And Black Blues anticipated the staging of many percussion-driven pop acts that used traditional ethnic instruments in the 2000s.

Since on-stage instruments are played to prerecorded tracks and not wired for sound, Eurovision performances can feel different for instrumentalists than vocalists, who must always sing live – one rule that has endured throughout Eurovision’s history. All backing vocals also had to be live until 2021, when the EBU first allowed recorded backing during COVID.

Instruments on stage today are part of a much more complex scenography, harnessing the latest in lighting and digital design. The Norwegian folk metal band Gåte in 2024 presented a full digital spectacle, including video wall effects of crashing waves, dramatic lighting, and camera angle switches synced to their drum blasts. It also included the physical feat of guitarist Magnus Børmark throwing his instrument two metres into the air.

Eurovision’s “liveness” as a broadcast depends on complex technical programming and weeks of rehearsal to ensure every version of a contest performance is consistent, and meets competition rules. Asking how Look Mum No Computer’s work might translate to the Eurovision stage underlines how the contest’s relationships between musical instruments and digital design can make us reflect on what makes performances live and how technology has helped to visualise sound.