Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the BRC, the leading trade association for retailers, said: “Rather than introduce 1970s-style price controls and trying to force retailers to sell goods at a loss, the Government must focus on how it will reduce the public policy costs which are pushing up food prices in the first place.”

Adriano d’Orso, 16, said “dad, help me” before he died after eating ice cream in Casoria, Naples but the tragic teenager was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services

A teenage lad pleaded with his father to “help” him moments before his death after consuming ice cream. Adriano d’Orso spoke his heartbreaking final words following a visit to his go-to ice cream shop in Casoria, Naples, Italy.

The 16 year old, who suffered from a milk protein allergy, had gone to his regular ice cream parlour close to home. He always made certain to choose varieties free from the sugar naturally found in milk.

After finishing a cone, the youngster became ill and passed away shortly thereafter. Mates brought him back to his father’s residence, where he is reported to have said to his dad Mauro through the intercom: “Dad, help me, I’m not feeling well, I’m fainting.”

His father attempted to rescue his son by giving him cortisone, an injection that can ease allergic reactions, but tragically it was too late.

Staff at the ice cream establishment were allegedly all aware of his milk protein allergy, while the Carabinieri (the Italian national police) have collected samples of the ice cream varieties the boy had consumed for testing. They are examining the incident under the supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office of Naples North, reports the Irish Mirror.

By the time he reached his father’s home, his state was already dire and paramedics could only confirm his death at the location. A post-mortem examination will establish the cause of death.

Lawyer Francesco Petruzzi, representing Adriano’s mother throughout the investigation, stated: “These tests and the autopsy will be crucial to understanding what happened and determining any liability.

“We have no hypotheses until we receive answers from the investigations ordered by the judiciary. Then, we will act accordingly.”

Casoria, situated within the broader Naples metropolitan region, is home to 73,000 residents.

The town’s Mayor, Raffaele Bene, remarked: “There is news a community never wants to hear, especially when it concerns a young man. Adriano’s sudden death leaves an enormous pain that pervades the entire city and deeply affects each of us.

“My personal embrace and that of all Casoria go to his family, his friends, his classmates, and all those who loved him.

“No words can truly ease such great suffering, but it is the duty of a community, to gather together with respect, silence and humanity around those who are experiencing such a tragic moment. Casoria mourns its son today, and it does so with a heart full of sadness.”

Adriano frequented the establishment regularly. The post-mortem examination seeks to establish whether he succumbed to a fatal allergic response or if another factor was responsible.

There are growing concerns about dangerous parking in residential streets during York City FC and York Knights games at the LNER Community Stadium, Liberal Democrat ward councillors said.

Huntington and New Earswick’s Liberal Democrat Cllr Keith Orrell said concerns included parked cars blocking emergency services vehicles and called on York Council to begin consulting residents on possible solutions.

Council Labour transport spokesperson Cllr Kate Ravilious said they and the stadium’s management team were mulling introducing residential parking (ResPark) permits amid growing pressure following the teams’ successes.

It comes after the Minstermen secured their re-entry into the national football league in April.

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The promotion is expected to increase matchday attendance at the 8,500-capacity LNER Community Stadium, with Labour York Outer MP Luke Charters saying it is too small for the team’s ambitions.

It also follows York Knights’ promotion to the rugby league Super League this year.

Pictures from Liberal Democrat ward councillors showed several cars parked in Ferguson Way, Huntington and other streets.

They said they had since begun surveying residents about parking issues to gather views about potential solutions including matchday-only restrictions and improved public transport links.

They added shuttle bus services were discussed before the stadium opened but the fall in public transport use during the coronavirus pandemic meant passenger numbers did not get high enough.

Cars parked on a street in Huntington, York, on a matchday at the LNER Community Stadium (Image: York Liberal Democrats)

Cllr Orrell said it was great that the teams had achieved promotion but it was time to consult residents with differing views street-by-street before the start of the football season.

The ward councillor said: “I’ve walked around on match days and seen that most supporters park responsibly but I’ve been concerned that emergency vehicles would have great difficulty on some streets, this has been reported to the council and North Yorkshire Police.”

Liberal Democrat Cllr Carol Runciman said the situation had changed completely since the stadium opened in 2021 with thousands more fans attending games.

Cllr Runciman said: “The original intention was for dedicated bus services from across the city so supporters would not need to drive, the council and stadium operators must now revisit those plans urgently.”

Cllr Chris Cullwick, a Liberal Democrat who also represents the ward, said future measures should reflect the wishes of individual streets.

The ward councillor said: “Residents deserve to feel safe and listened to in their own streets.

“The council must now stop delaying and start a proper consultation process before next season begins.”

Labour Transport Executive Member Cllr Ravilious said residents in the area had been consulted on a ResPark scheme in 2022 but rejected it.

She added individual streets opting in and out of permits costing £115-a-year for the first car at standard rates was not a solution and they needed to be implemented neighbourhood-wide.

Cllr Ravilious said: “We understand and sympathise with the frustration of local residents experiencing parking issues on their streets.

“A ResPark scheme is the best tool for addressing parking problems and providing residents with appropriate parking protections.

“Since 2022, the council has responded to ward councillors’ and residents’ emails about parking issues in the area to explain the available options.

“Many communities across York suffer similar parking pressures and have requested ResPark schemes and have a long waiting list which we are working through as fast as possible.

“We recognise that the success of both York City FC and York Knights has added to parking pressures in the area and we’re now working with the stadium management team to revisit a ResPark scheme for the area.”

A married police officer has been sacked after he groped a female colleague’s bottom at a work Christmas party.

Pc Kevin Beedel, who claimed he was “just being friendly”, repeatedly touched her despite being warned to stop, a misconduct hearing was told.

The female officer, named only as Pc A, did not report the incident because she thought it would be “brushed under the carpet” and could damage her career.

She described a “laddish culture” in their Metropolitan Police team, with sexual innuendos made about female officers.

A damning 2023 review by Baroness Louise Casey found the force was institutionally misogynistic.

Scotland Yard has vowed to kick wrongdoers out of the force.

Pc A told the misconduct panel that she was standing at a casino table with Pc Beedel during a 2018 team Christmas party at a venue in Hertfordshire, when she “felt a hand on her left bottom cheek”.

She was “shocked” and when she turned, saw he had his hand on her bottom.

She told him: “Don’t do that”, to which Pc Beedel replied: “I’m just being friendly”, the panel heard.

The officer removed his hand several times from her bottom but he kept putting it back there.

She was shocked because Pc Beedel had just married, the panel heard.

She later shuffled around the casino table to try to get away from him.

Pc A described seeing a group of her male colleagues behind her at the bar. One of the group had his phone out and they were laughing.

When she approached them to ask what they were doing, they tried to hide the phone from her, the panel heard.

The officer was “very upset” that her team had not intervened.

“The fact that no one did anything was an added layer of upset and surprise for her,” the panel said.

Pc Beedel denied sexually assaulting Pc A, saying he was “100 per cent sure of this because it is something that he would never do”.

He told the panel he respected her as an officer and had no romantic interest in her, claiming witnesses “may have seen things from the wrong angle and from a distance, especially in a dimly lit and large venue”.

Pc A said she did not report the incident at the time because “there was a laddish culture on the team” and she feared being ostracised.

“Whilst the Metropolitan Police was a large organisation, anything that happened to a police officer followed them around,” the panel heard.

“If she reported it, she felt that it would get brushed under the carpet, and she didn’t want it to affect her career.”

The panel also heard that before the incident, Pc Beedel liked old photos of Pc A on Instagram, including pictures of her in bikinis, which she found “sinister”.

The panel found the allegations proven, and concluded that Pc Beedel harassed and caused distress and embarrassment to Pc A.

The touching “was not horseplay, and was done in pursuit of sexual gratification”, it added.

Pc Beedel’s actions breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour and he was dismissed from the force.

Services could be severely delayed by up to 60 minutes or cancelled

There are currently long delays on trainlines running through Cambridgeshire after a person was struck by a train today (Wednesday, May 20). The incident happened between Hitchin and Welwyn Garden City causing all lines between Peterborough and London to be closed.

Emergency services are currently at the scene. Multiple services are being affected by the incident including Thameslink trains between Cambridge and Brighton and between Peterborough and Horsham.

Great Northern services running from Kings Lynn to London Kings Cross have also been disrupted. Trains may be cancelled, revised or severely delayed by up to 60 minutes.

People travelling in the area are likely to need an alternative route and should leave at least an hour longer to complete their journey. People are being advised to check routes before travelling.

If you already have a ticket for Great Northern or Thameslink services, they can be used at no extra cost on the following services:

• Alternative Thameslink services between all stations
• Alternative Great Northern services between all stations
• CrossCountry services between Cambridge and Peterborough via Ely
• Greater Anglia services between Ely, Cambridge and London
• London Underground between all London terminals

Disruption is expected until 2.30pm.

A spokesperson for National Rail said: “A person has been hit by a train between Hitchin and Welwyn Garden City. Whilst the emergency services carry out their work, all lines between Peterborough / Royston and London are closed.

“Trains between Peterborough / Royston and London may be cancelled, severely delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised. Major disruption is expected until 14:30.”

The Reform UK councillor was found guilty of making a false statement about a Conservative candidate

A councillor has been forced out of the council after being convicted of breaking electoral law, sparking a by-election. Andy Osborn was chairman of the North East Cambridgeshire Reform Party when he made a social media post about a Conservative candidate in April 2025.

He was convicted of making or publishing a false statement under the Representation of the People Act 1983 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in April of this year. The court heard that Osborn wrote on Facebook: “Samantha Hoy worked in the care industry but allegedly was sacked for fraud no wonder Wisbech is in such a state. Reform UK will fix it.”

Cllr Hoy works in the care industry and has never been sacked or faced fraud allegations. She told a meeting of Cambridgeshire County Council that speaking as a witness in court was “a daunting experience”.

She said: “I don’t want to pretend that what happened to me was the worst thing in the world because actually people every day go through far worse things than what happened to me. But I also don’t want us to just quietly accept that abuse in public life is okay.”

The county council said that Osborn failed to launch an appeal before the deadline, despite telling them he would on “two separate occasions”. Voters in his former ward of Roman Bank and Peckover will head to the polls to elect a replacement on Thursday, June 25, 2026.

Candidates must hand in their nomination papers to the offices of Fenland District Council at Fenland Hall during normal office hours before 4pm on Friday, May 29.

Applications to register to vote must reach the electoral office by midnight on Tuesday, June 9, and can be made online.

Radio Caroline made a major blunder when it accidentally broadcast the King had died

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A UK radio station has apologised for ‘any distress called’ to its listeners after playing a broadcast declaring King Charles III had died.

Radio Caroline, which operates across the Midlands and South England, made the huge blunder today (Tuesday, May 20), with listeners apparently in shock by the sudden news.

The usual broadcast came to an abrupt end before the hosts announced normal programming had been suspended due to the death of the monarch. The station then played God Save the King, according to a listener.

The broadcast then ceased for around 15 minutes before the station made an on-air apology, reports The Mirror.

The mistake was blamed on a “computer error”, as Station Manager Peter Moore issued a statement of apology, while explaining what caused the incorrect broadcast.

In a statement posted to the radio station’s Facebook page, Moore wrote: “Due to a computer error at our main studio the Death of a Monarch procedure, which all UK stations hold in readiness while hoping not to require, was accidentally activated on Tuesday afternoon (19 May), mistakenly announcing that HRH the King had passed away.

“Radio Caroline then fell silent as would be required, which alerted us to restore programming and issue an on-air apology. Caroline has been pleased to broadcast Her Majesty the Queen’s, and now the King’s, Christmas Message and we hope to do so for many years to come. We apologise to HM the King and to our listeners for any distress caused.”

Listeners flocked to the comments of the post to share their relief that the news wasn’t true, while others expressed their sympathy for the radio hosts that announced the false obituary.

One person commented: “On the plus side, at least you know the procedure for this is working and in place!”, while another added: “I bet this made a few people stop in their tracks! It did give me a bit of a shock, but these mistakes can happen and I was glad to find out it wasn’t true.”

King Charles is alive and well, as he and Queen Camilla touched down in Northern Ireland yesterday ahead of a three-day trip. Charles and Camilla had a lively start to his visit after arriving on Tuesday, as they were greeted with music, singing, dancing – and a taoscán of Titanic – in the capital, Belfast.

They joined organisers and performers to mark Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann – the world ’s largest festival of traditional Irish music, song and dance – which is coming to the city this August for the first time.

Charles and Camilla were greeted by more than two hundred performers at Thompson Dock, where the Titanic was last on dry land in 1911 before its fateful maiden voyage. As a drummer played, Charles, 77, couldn’t resist tapping his feet and getting involved, moving rhythmically to the sounds of the musician.

The King was hugged warmly around the waist by Tendai Nyamayaro, 38, originally from Zimbabwe who has been living in Belfast for two and a half years, with the laughing monarch slapping his back and returning the gesture.

Mr Nyamayaro said afterwards: “The King’s got rhythm! He did have some rhythm! What a beautiful thing to have happened. Showing up to celebrate our different cultures here in Belfast. It’s a wonderful place, the people are lovely, so friendly and welcoming. There’s a real energy here. It was so beautiful.”

After, the King and Queen moved to the nearby Titanic Distillers, a distinctive distillery housed within the restored Edwardian pumphouse that once served the adjoining dry dock, famed for holding the RMS Titanic. After meeting distillery staff the couple were taken on a tour of their stunning copper stills before trying their hand at trying two different types of whiskey.

Camilla raised her eyebrows dramatically but taking a sip, she knocked the brew back, rolling her eyes in mock surprise. “Delicious. But quite strong! It’s nice and warming,” she said. “It’s very strong,” she warned her husband, who leaned over to pick up a glass.

An independent group will today bid to take over Oldham Council two weeks after the elections left the council in turmoil.

Coun Kamran Ghafoor, who leads the third biggest group on council, is promising the borough ‘a fresh start’ and ‘full accountability’ – but may not have the numbers to succeed.

Ahead of a crucial meeting today (May 20,) only Coun Ghafoor, the leader of the Oldham Group, is pushing to lead the council after both Labour and Reform ruled out forming an administration. The political stalemate following elections earlier this month has led to criticism from the public and even talk of an outside intervention to sort things out.

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Three nominations have also been put forward for Mayor, but it is not certain this position will be filled today, as planned.

Yesterday (May 19,) Coun Ghafoor said: “Oldham residents voted for change. They voted for a Council that gets the basics right, respects every ward, listens to councillors, and stops hiding behind spin while services decline.

“The proposed Alliance is not about one party, one community, one religion or one individual. It is about bringing together councillors from different political groups and backgrounds to deliver a fresh start for the whole borough.

“For too long, Oldham has been run in a way where decisions are made behind closed doors, ward councillors are bypassed, scrutiny is weakened, and residents are left in the dark. That must now change.”

The LDRS has been told the Oldham Group is also being supported by the borough’s Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, and some independents. The alliance commits to fair funding across the borough, more scrutiny and transparency, a review of council finances, and full cooperation with the national inquiry into child sexual exploitation.

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The HS2 project has come under fire after new estimates revised the costs up by billions, while the opening of the route has been delayed.

The troubled HS2 has raised concerns that Britain is becoming a laughing stock after years of delays and ballooning costs, while passengers wait for rail improvements.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said yesterday that the project, which she inherited from the previous government, would be finished sometime between 2036 and 2039, while the initial estimated opening had been 2033.

Meanwhile, trains from Euston to Birmingham Curzon Street might not be running until 2043.

The estimated HS2 cost

HS2 Ltd, the government-owned company building the railway, estimated in June last year that the project would cost between £54 billion and £66 billion.

But the latest figures have put this between £87.7 billion and £102.7 billion in 2025 prices.

The Transport Secretary has previously confirmed that the cancelled northern legs will not be reinstated because ‘we can’t afford [it].’

Speaking in the Commons yesterday, she also levelled questions about scrapping the project altogether, saying that a cancellation would now cost nearly as much as completing it, and leave the UK dotted with abandoned relics.

Last year, she launched an investigation into the project as part of the HS2 ‘reset,’ with HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Wild and chair Mike Brown tasked to comb through the spending and contracts, which was described as ‘like changing the engine of the aeroplane mid-flight.’

Following the review, the HS2 organisation has been trimmed down, leading to the removal of 300 back-office roles, while supply chain contracts are being reassessed in a bid to cut any hidden costs.

The HS2 route: Where will it stop?

HS2 will run from Euston through Old Oak Common in west London to West Midlands.

New stations will be built in Solihull, near Birmingham International Airport, and at Birmingham Curzon Street.

HS2 was meant to run to Manchester and Leeds, but in 2023 the Conservative government axed the northern leg due to spiralling costs, much to the the dismay of Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham who called the move ‘profoundly depressing.’

For years, uncertainty surrounded the extension of HS2 from Old Oak Common to Euston.

But in October 2024, the extension was confirmed in the autumn budget, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves committing money for the Euston tunnelling works.

Plans are also being drawn up for the future of the Euston station complex, suggesting that the high-speed trains would be based in a separate station but with a link to the existing station and national rail services.

When will HS2 open?

The first phase was initially due to launch by the end of 2026, but the estimate was pushed back several times.

Now the new target opening date is between May 2036 and October 2039.

HS2’s Wild said he is confident that ‘these bookends of time and cost are robust.’

When did HS2 construction start?

The HS2 was given the green light in 2012, but construction did not begin until 2020.

HS2 has purchased more than 1,000 homes, farms and land along the route to make way for the tracks.

Residents living next to one of the construction sites told Metro previously that they were surprised at the speed at which the steel frames just yards from their homes were put up.

The National Audit Office warned in 2016 that the project was at risk of delays and exceeding its budget.

But former Prime Minister Boris Johnson recommitted to the project in 2020 following another review.

How much will HS2 tickets cost?

The ticket costs could change by the time the HS2 opens, but they are expected to be pricier than a standard rail fare.

HS2 tickets could cost up to 30% more than standard rail travel, previous estimates show, but there are no official figures yet.

The higher cost is likely to absorb some of the construction costs and factor in faster journey times.

Inflation at the time of opening will also affect prices and whether the HS2 accepts railcards and other discounts.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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The plans include a time capsule ceremony with local primary school pupils, the launch of a ‘blether bench’ to encourage visitors to share their memories and an event with Go Radio presenter Gina McKie, who’ll be giving away 50 Gift Cards, worth £2,000.

The Centre, Livingston has unveiled plans to mark its 50th anniversary this year.

The plans include a time capsule ceremony with local primary school pupils, the launch of a ‘blether bench’ to encourage visitors to share their memories and an event with Go Radio presenter Gina McKie, who’ll be giving away 50 Gift Cards, worth £2,000.

The time capsule ceremony follows a project which the shopping centre has been working on with P7 pupils in nine local primary schools who were invited to create a contribution that reflects their experiences of life today and their sense of community and hopes for the future.

Formats include artwork, books and letters, which will be lowered into the ground at a private event attended by pupil representatives from each school and the management team, who will be adding a staff photobook and shopping centre map.

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To encourage people to take some time out and enjoy a chat or reminisce about years gone by, a ‘blether bench’ will be located next to Primark with a QR code which links to The Centre, Livingston website to find out more about the 50th anniversary and how to share their stories.

Additionally, the ‘Through the Ages’ timeline, which was installed in 2023 to showcase the history of the shopping centre, will also be refreshed and updated, and three scale models will be on display for shoppers to get an insight into how it’s evolved over the years.

The ’50 for 50’ event, hosted by Go Radio presenter Gina McKie, will take place on Saturday, May 30, from 1pm to 4pm, next to Pandora, where she’ll be giving shoppers the chance to take part in a Plinko competition to be in with a chance of winning a shopping centre Gift Card, with denominations ranging from £10 to £500.

There will also be free face painting on the day, located next to Build-A-Bear.

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Donations are optional for The Centre, Livingston charity partner, Firefly Arts, who will be hosting a pop-up in the shopping centre on Sunday, May 31, and June 14, with mini workshops to help raise awareness of the work they do with young people to help build confidence and life skills through the arts.

The shopping centre, which has a wide mix of over 150 stores and restaurants spanning over 1m sq. ft and welcomes 15.4m visitors a year, has seen many changes over the past five decades, dating back to the opening of Woolco in 1976, when it was known as Almondvale Shopping Centre.

These include a refurbishment project in 1988 and two extensions, one in 1995 and the other in 2008, when the M&S flagship store opened and the shopping centre was rebranded as The Centre, Livingston.

Since acquiring the shopping centre in 2024, the owners, LCP UK, part of M Core, one of Europe’s leading privately owned commercial property development and management companies, has continued to make ongoing improvements, including the investment of £5m in new flooring, lighting and energy-efficient roofing.

This has resulted in the arrival of many global brands, including Wingstop, Starbucks, Sostrene Grene, MINISO, Flying Tiger and the opening of Hollywood Bowl later this year.

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Patrick Robbertze, Centre Director at The Centre, Livingston, said: “This year is a very exciting time for The Centre, Livingston as we celebrate 50 years of being at the heart of the community and also branch into the leisure sector with the opening of Hollywood Bowl, which is a great way to mark our special milestone.

“We have lots of exciting plans to celebrate the occasion, including our time capsule ceremony with local primary schools, the launch of our ‘blether bench’ to encourage people to share their memories with us and our Gift Card giveaway event, which will give us the opportunity to thank our visitors for being part of our incredible journey over the past five decades.”

Simon Eatough, Director at LCP UK, part of M Core and Asset Manager of The Centre, Livingston, added: “Celebrating 50 years in the community is such a major milestone for us, especially as it ties in perfectly with our move into the leisure sector with the opening of Hollywood Bowl.

“Our aim is to focus on attracting more global brands through continued investment, with major announcements coming soon.”

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