Peter Tutton, director of policy, research and public affairs, StepChange Debt Charity, said: “Whilst the Consumer Credit Act contains important and much needed consumer protections, new steps to move communication requirements into FCA rules allow flexibility and a ‘test and learn’ approach that will offer better outcomes to consumers and reduce harm around debt.”

They said the council told them it is not policy to inform families if a grave has been damaged.

A Belfast family was left upset and distressed after a loved ones grave was damaged at Roselawn Cemetery during the opening of another.

On Saturday, the son of the late Irene and Robert Cowan visited his parents’ grave at the cemetery only to find that it had been damaged and left in a state of disrepair when a grave next to it was being opened.

The family say they received no contact from Belfast City Council to tell them what had happened to the grave which was damaged on the Monday prior.

The Cowan family said that they attend the grave every week and the damage to it has caused them a lot of upset and distress. They said the council told them it is not policy to inform families if a grave has been damaged.

Alongside Irene and Robert Cowan, the grave also has the remains of baby Abigail Evangeline Magill who was born sleeping in 2010.

The granddaughter of the couple, said to Belfast Live: “In my family’s eyes this is an act of criminal damage and it has caused so much distress. This is the final resting place of our loved ones and it feels like they have showed very little respect to their grave and to us as a family.

“This grave is attended weekly, very well kept and like many families our grief and loss is still very raw. We tend that plot with pride and passion for our loved ones and through our actions continue to show them the same dignity in passing as they would have been afforded in life. Belfast City Council certainly did not afford them the same courtesy.

“While we appreciate that the damage was caused while opening the grave beside ours, the level of destruction suggests that very little care or attention was taken.”

She continued: “My father went to the maintenance office on Saturday morning to report his findings, and he was given very little reassurance or explanation. The BCC member of staff informed my Dad that the ground on that section of the cemetery was bad ground and these things happen.

“He went on to suggest to my Dad that perhaps he should remove the detached marble before it was further damaged or stolen. This offered very little comfort or reassurance and added insult to an already distressing situation.”

The council has since apoligised to the family for the damage that has been caused and reportedly told them the grave will be repaired in the coming weeks. However, they hope that by raising awareness of the issue it can help change council policy so that families are informed of any damage to their loved ones graves.

A Belfast City Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the damage caused to a grave at Roselawn Cemetery and we understand this is a difficult and sensitive issue.

“We are currently assessing the situation and officers from Bereavement Services will engage with the family directly.”

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“My grandad died after his dementia became so severe that he didn’t know who he was. It feels right to do this in his honour.”

An inspirational cancer patient has donated part of his brain to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease.

Aidan McAllister, 28, underwent the ground-breaking operation as a live donor in a world-first dementia experiment carried out at the Department of Clinical Neurosciences in Edinburgh in January.

The healthcare worker, from Fife, was given undergoing treatment for a terminal Grade 4 Astrocytoma brain tumour when he agreed to allow medics to extract samples of his brain tissue in the hope his donation could help people suffering from crippling neurological diseases.

It comes after scientists discovered they can learn more about Alzheimer’s by keeping living human brain tissue – removed during routine neurosurgery – alive for study in the laboratory.

Speaking to the Record, Aidan said: “Being diagnosed with terminal cancer is terrifying and it takes time to sink in.

“I had to accept that getting married and having children are milestones that will never happen for me.

“So when doctors told me I could donate part of my brain to help other people, the answer I gave was the quickest yes.

“I had a chance to could change someone’s life, even is mine is being cut short.

“This will be my legacy.”

By donating his brain tissue, Aidan is also honouring the memory of his grandad Thomas McAllister, who died from Vascular dementia in July 2020 at the age of 86.

Aidan told the Record: “I was really close with my grandad and his dementia became so severe that he didn’t know who he was or who members of his family were.

“But the disease didn’t just steal his memory.

“He had been a really fit and healthy man who played football, cycled and spent a lot of time in his garden.

“Then, towards the end of his life, he lost his mobility and his appetite.

“I ended up being his chaperone and even had to hoist him into bed and help him shower and dress.

“It’s a brutal disease that really changes a person. You lose them long before they die and the family are left to pick up the pieces.

“So if donating part of my brain can help people like my grandad, then that’s another reason I would have wanted to do this.

“It feels right to have done it in his honour.”

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Aidan was given his devastating cancer diagnosis in November 2024 after suffer a series of seizures.

An MRI revealed a low grade tumour which grew to Stage 4 fatal disease within months.

Tragically, Aidan was given just two to five years to live.

He explained that while he has come to terms with his own illness, losing his mum to cancer four years ago also played a huge part in his decision to take part in the pioneering research.

He continued: “My mum was 51 when she died.

“She donated some of her tissue for research in the US before she passed away and now I am going through a similar process to what she did.

“I know that my cancer is going to ruin my life and that it is a ticking time bomb.

“So it’s hard to put into words how satisfying it feels to be helping others at this time.

“Now I’m now considering donating my body to medical science.”

Pioneering research has enabled scientists studying Alzheimer’s to learn, for the first time, how a toxic form of a protein linked to disease can attach to and damage the connections between brain cells.

The team who operated on Aidan hope his donation will help identify medications with the greatest potential to prevent the loss of synapses—the vital connections that allow messages to flow between brain cells and support healthy brain function.

Neurosurgeon Paul Brennan said: “Research of this type has been underway for some time, but this collaboration allows us to study living human brain tissue in a way that hasn’t routinely been possible before.”

Race Against Dementia Fellow Dr Claire Durrant added: “We believe this research could accelerate the journey from lab findings to patient treatments, bringing us one step closer to a world free from the heartbreak of dementia.”

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Cleaning an oven can be a nightmare, but one professional cleaner has shared it is easy to get rid of burned stains if you use two simple items that can easily be found at the supermarket.

Ovens are typically amongst the most challenging appliances to clean in any household, as grease from food splatters and subsequently becomes baked onto the surface each time the oven is switched on. What many people fail to realise is that grease stains undergo a chemical transformation when subjected to heat, developing into a burnt, thick and extremely adhesive substance.

Grease takes on an almost varnish-like quality, rendering it impossible to tackle with water-based products, leaving many people spending hours scrubbing with harsh chemical cleaners that can irritate the eyes. Fortunately, there is a natural yet remarkably effective method of eliminating grease stains without the need to spend a fortune or waste countless hours scouring your oven.

Jules Gordon, a professional cleaner and founder of Eco Cleaning Fairies, has revealed you can deep clean an oven “with a little bit of washing up liquid and a little shake of soda crystals.”

Washing-up liquid is specifically formulated to tackle stubborn food stains on crockery and contains surfactants that work to lift grease from surfaces by reducing their stickiness.

Soda crystals are strongly alkaline, enabling them to break down the fats and oils contained within grease, which rapidly softens stains, making them considerably simpler to remove.

What makes these cleaning products particularly impressive is their ability to dissolve food stains within an oven, allowing you to simply wipe them away without enduring a lengthy and laborious cleaning session.

Combining soda crystals with washing-up liquid makes oven cleaning far less daunting, allowing you to tackle even stubborn stains in roughly 30 minutes.

Soda crystals are typically available in the cleaning or laundry section of most supermarkets, though they may also be labelled as washing soda or sodium carbonate.

How to clean your oven

Start by filling a basin with hot water, adding a squirt of washing-up liquid and some soda crystals. Take out any trays or grills from the oven. Place smaller trays or grills in the basin to soak for 15 to 20 minutes.

For larger trays and grills, sprinkle soda crystals over them, dip a scourer in soapy water and give them a gentle scrub. Then, place them inside a clean rubbish bag and leave them to soak for approximately 20 minutes.

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While it may seem unusual, rubbish bags trap moisture, preventing the soda crystal solution from drying out and helping to break down any built-up grime.

In the meantime, fill a bucket with washing-up liquid, soda crystals and hot water. Dip a cloth into the solution and use it to wipe down the oven interior.

Start at the top of the oven and work downwards. Then, use a scourer to tackle any greasy marks, which should lift away with minimal effort.

Rinse the oven with clean water and ensure it’s completely dry before switching it back on.

Buff the oven door with a dry cloth, though some people prefer using crumpled newspaper, a traditional method for achieving a streak-free shine on glass.

Take out the trays and grills from either the basin or rubbish bags. Scrub them using a scourer, and removing any marks will be considerably simpler.

Your oven will now be gleaming and entirely free from stains, meaning you’ll never need to delay cleaning it again.

The damage follows another incident in Thornton le Dale four days earlier, with police believing more households may have been affected and urging victims to come forward.

A recent appeal was issued regarding damage caused to residential property in Thornton le Dale on May 9.

Since then damage to another residential property has come to light occurring on May 5 at around 5pm. On this occasion a window was smashed.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “The damage to properties in Thornton Dale involves one address having its door kicked and another having a window smashed.

“Enquires lead us to believe the window was smashed with an upright vacuum cleaner.

“Given this unusual choice of implement we are appealing to the public to see if they recall any persons seen carrying a vacuum down Maltongate around the time the damage occurred.

“Do you have CCTV or ring doorbell cameras that may have captured this unusual sight?

Are you missing a vacuum cleaner from a skip or bin for example?

The spokesperson added: “Officers are conducting enquiries around CCTV to identify any possible suspects.

“The local Neighbourhood Policing Team continues to conduct patrols in the area. We would encourage anyone with concerns – or with information about either incident – to speak to officers or call 101.

“Please contact the officer in the case PC1864 on email: Fiona.Wilding@northyorkshire.police.uk if you have any information that could help our investigation regarding the damage specific to 05 May 2026.

“Please quote reference 1226084664 when passing on information.”

“If you have a been a victim of recent damage in the village and have not yet reported this please contact the force control room to log a new report on telephone 101 or via the online reporting form.”

A heatwave in the UK is defined by the Met Office as at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures exceeding a county-specific threshold, reflecting unusually hot weather for the time of year.

The heatwave threshold temperature varies across the UK. In Greater London it is 28 Celsius whereas in Northern Ireland it is 25 Celsius.

It is possible that a few places could meet the heatwave definition during Friday, Saturday and Sunday. At the moment, counties like Herefordshire and Worcestershire look most likely.

But a lot depends on whether showers develop over the bank holiday weekend.

Matt Storey is supporting the Federation’s Protect The Protectors: Stop Racism Against Police initiative, as the number of hate crimes against Cleveland Police officers rises.

There were 78 recorded instances of hate crimes against Cleveland Police officers in 2024-25, an increase from 49 the previous year.

One of the campaign’s goals is for forces to gather specific data on racially motivated abuse of officers.

Mr Storey said he found the scale of the figures “really worrying,” noting a general increase in racism and racial abuse in society.

He said: “Unfortunately, people feel more emboldened to speak and act in ways that are deeply offensive.

“It shows how anyone, no matter who you are, even if you are a police officer, can still be a victim of racism in your daily life and work.”

Mr Storey, who also chairs the local Strategic Hate Crime Partnership, emphasised the importance of tackling racism.

He said: “I’m very supportive of the North East Anti-Racism Coalition, which is doing a lot of work around community cohesion and tackling racism in the North East.

“So when [Cleveland Police Federation Chair] Lauren suggested supporting this campaign, I thought it really does fit with what we’re trying to do here in Cleveland to make it a welcoming place for everyone, from every background.”

The Federation has reported instances of officers not reporting racist incidents due to not wanting to create more work for their colleagues and believing nothing would come of it.

Mr Storey acknowledged the difficulty in coming forward as a victim of hate crime, pledging to address any barriers to reporting.

He said: “It’s understandable that some people are reticent to come forward, but I would always say to them: if we don’t report these things, then we don’t know the full scale of the issues.

“But it isn’t always easy to come forward when you’ve been a victim of hate crime, so if there are barriers or things that need fixing to make that easier and make people feel more comfortable, then that’s part of my job and the Chief’s job to make sure that we get those things done.”

The campaign aims to have racist abuse against police officers recorded as a separate recordable offence, rather than under the broader category of hate crime.

Mr Storey hopes to influence this change and push the Home Office on the issue.

He also urged the courts to take hate crime and racist abuse seriously, expressing disappointment with some of the sentences given for hate crime.

He said: “I definitely think that the punishment should be as harsh as it can possibly be – if people are being targeted because of their race, it makes that crime that much more offensive and that much more serious.

“We need to make sure that we’re discouraging and deterring people from thinking it’s acceptable to behave in that way in society, and that we don’t normalise some of these behaviours.

“The best way to do that is to make sure that we come down as hard as we can on people who think it’s acceptable to target someone because of their race.”

Mr Storey plans to discuss with the local Crown Prosecution Service about following Humberside Police’s lead, where if an officer reports a racially motivated crime against them and no action is taken, the CPS will automatically review it.

He assured Cleveland Police officers that his door was always open to discuss their experiences of racist abuse.

He said: “While I’m not responsible for the operational side, and I wouldn’t ever want to encroach on what the Chief Constable does, I’m here to support people in whatever way I can.

“I have regular meetings with the local welfare support teams here at Cleveland Police, and I’ve got a good relationship with the Federation, so I’m more than happy to talk to officers or support officers in any way that I can, to help them if they are suffering from racial abuse.”

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Two teenage shooters opened fire at a San Diego mosque on Monday and killed three men — then killed themselves a few blocks away — in an attack police are investigating as a hate crime.

There was no specific threat made against the Islamic Center of San Diego but authorities found evidence that the suspects engaged in “generalized hate rhetoric,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said. He declined to give more details, but said the “circumstances that led up to this” would come out in the days ahead.

Before the attack, officers were already looking for one of the teenagers since his mother called police concerned that her son was suicidal and had run away, Wahl said. There were weapons missing from the home and the mother’s vehicle was gone, he added.

The search took on even more urgency as police learned that he was dressed in camouflage and with an acquaintance — details that were unexpected for someone about to die by suicide, he said.

Police began using whatever technology they could to find the 17- and 18-year-old, including automated license plate readers. The department dispatched authorities to a mall near where the car had been tracked by police, and officers alerted a school where at least one of the suspects had been a student, Wahl said.

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As officers continued interviewing the mother about places the teens might be, they got reports of a shooting at the mosque.

Among those killed was a mosque security guard, who police believe “played a pivotal role” in keeping the attack from being “much worse,” Wahl said.

“It’s fair to say his actions were heroic,” the chief said at a later news conference. “Undoubtedly he saved lives today.”

A family friend identified the guard as Amin Abdullah, a well-known face at the mosque who had been working there for more than a decade.

“He wanted to defend the innocent so he decided to become a security guard,” said Shaykh Uthman Ibn Farooq, who had spoken with Abdullah’s son. The family could not immediately be reached for comment.

The center is the largest mosque in San Diego County and includes the Al Rashid School, which offers courses in Arabic language, Islamic studies and the Quran for students ages 5 and up, according to its website.

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Anthony Brennan was hauled into court for defrauding old soldier Bill Mackie, 72 – and this was his message to his victim even after admitting his guilt

Unrepentant serial fantasist and fraudster Anthony Brennan yesterday gave a defiant one finger salute to a blind ex-serviceman he’d duped into undertaking a bizarre “diplomatic mission” to Tanzania.

The notorious Walter Mitty made his getaway from his latest court shame – with his mum in the driving seat.

Brennan had been politely approached outside Kilmarnock Sheriff Court by blind veteran Bill Mackie, a victim whose only plea was for the return of the cherished Army medals Brennan had taken from him.

But even after admitting in court to fraudulently obtaining the pensioner’s service medals as part of the bogus mission to Africa in 2023, the only salute Brennan, 31, could offer the proud old soldier was the one-fingered one.

Bill , 72, said: “I went up to speak to him outside court and he came out with some rubbish about having sent the medals. Of course, everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie.

“I was quite polite with him and really just wanted to know if I’d get them back.

“But the next thing I knew he’d jumped into the car with his getaway driver – his mum – and drove away. He rolled down the window and gave me the one finger salute, so it doesn’t exactly paint him as being full of remorse.”

The Daily Record has told of the many crazy deceptions the deluded Walter Mitty- formerly known as Tony Adams – has concocted in recent years, which have ended up in people being scammed, humiliated and out of pocket.

Bill, from Linburn, East Lothian, unwittingly became the key figure in the centre of the latest fantasy, finding himself sent on a “wild goose chase” diplomatic mission for talks that had never been arranged with the Tanzanian foreign minister.

The pensioner had been duped in to believing Brennan was a world leading human rights advocate and a high ranking Interpol officer.

By the time Bill realised the “mission” was a pipe dream, he’d sent his medals, including one marking tours of duty in Northern Ireland, to the con artist, never to be seen again.

The fraud led to another conviction from the fraudster from Ardrossan, Ayrshire, leading to him being ordered yesterday to pay Bill £397 compensation and face a community payback order plus supervision for 12 months.

Brennan won the trust of Bill after the pair both signed up to join the obscure International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) charity.

The smooth talker had boasted of fabulous wealth and owning a private jet. The IHRC duly made him their UK Commissioner. He quickly appointed Bill as his deputy.

A bizarre plot the unfolded, which led to Bill and wife Heather, 67, buying plane tickets and turning up for a non-existent meeting with the Tanzanian foreign minister in 2023.

Bill was stunned and humiliated when the politician was not available – and had never heard of any meeting.

He was so furious at the wasted 9,000 mile round trip that he reported Brennan to the police. He told officers that it was only after reading stories about Brennan in the Daily Record that he knew he’d been deceived.

Prior to sentencing yesterday Brennan admitted a charge that, whilst volunteering for the International Human Rights Commission, he pretended to Bill that he had bought him gifts and diplomatic identification.

Brennan persuaded Bill to send him £326.49 and medals valued at €912 – by fraud.

During the trip to Tanzania, Bill and wife Heather were also emailed fake invitations for the Coronation of King Charles, as the fantasist’s manipulative imagination ran out of control.

After the sentencing Bill said: “I am happy that this case has concluded because it dragged on for ages.

“I’m angry that I was taken in but I had no idea of who this man was until I was in Tanzania awaiting a meeting with the country’s foreign minister and was told that no meeting had been arranged.

“When that lie was exposed all the others fell into place and I realised that Tony was just a wild fantasist.

“He’s caused me a lot of distress and he stole my medals, which I will never get back.

He added: “I’d like to think that he will learn from this latest court appearance but fear he won’t be able to stop himself from doing similar stuff to other unsuspecting victims.”

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The court heard that Brennan is a full time student and with income from benefits of £1100 a month.

His lawyer, Scott Agnew, said Brennan has suffered from for anxiety, depression and dissociative personality disorder.

He said: “This is an unusual set of circumstances, I think that Mr Brennan has acknowledged the motivations of being purely financial in his conduct.

“Previous assessments of Mr Brennan have confirmed a level of psychological disturbance, as the author of the report has put it, which presents as grandiose and is suggestive of narcissistic characteristics.”

It was suggested that Brennan’s “fantastic stories” arose from those key issues.

Trusting Bill had been fed lies that his new pal had a St George’s Cross and an OBE. Brennan has also made up fake degrees and claimed to be a fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts.

Bill earlier told the Record: “I was amazed at all his achievements as he was still in his 20s. He appointed me as the IHRC deputy UK commissioner. He also produced an Interpol badge and told me he was empowered to make me an honorary officer .”

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The Daily Record has repeatedly exposed other outlandish situations that Brennan has constructed, usually with victims left shell-shocked. out of pocket or angry.

In 2018 we exposed him for running a fake ambulance service that literally chased genuine NHS ambulances around. He then failed to pay wages to young recruits.

In 2022 Adams received a community payback order and 18 months supervision after impersonating a Celtic scout and telling coaches of young boys he could sign them for the club. Adams fabricated his own club ID.

And we also exposed him for stealing the identity of a world famous scientist after realising they shared the same name.

Most shockingly, in 2022 was jailed for impersonating a surgeon at Crosshouse Hospital and distressing the dead man’s family with his lies.

He callously said he’d heard the last words of a motorbike accident victim and was even asked to tale on an important role at the funeral.

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