Around 10 caravans have set up on the overspill car park behind Howe Bridge Leisure Centre car park in South Atherton.

Caravans and trucks are visible on the field, as well as several cars.

The group have not parked their caravans on the main car park itself, confining themselves to the field overspill behind it, which is usually closed off by a gate.

(Image: Dan Dougherty)

Travellers have rights, as do the owners of land where unauthorised encampments take place.

They are protected from discrimination under the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Human Rights Act 1998, alongside all ethnic groups with distinct cultures, languages or values.

Now that they are there, he procedure is the council will come to conduct a welfare check on the group.

They will also ask them to move on from the premises.

The council have legal powers to deal with encampments if the group do not move when requested to do so, but the process can take up to a week.

Writing about the world’s biggest pop icons is often a double-edged sword. On the plus side, authors know the public is always hungry for more (just see the volume of unofficial Taylor Swift biographies released in recent years). But minus side, they need to find a new angle to avoid treading over old ground.

In Tonight the Music Seems So Loud: The meaning of George Michael – its title a lyric from Michael’s 1984 smash hit Careless Whisper – Sathnam Sanghera nails his colours to the mast in the first few pages. “George Michael does not get the acknowledgement he deserves,” he asserts. He notes that while there are “countless books out there which seriously analyse the music and lyrics of The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Prince and Taylor Swift, when it comes to Michael, very few go “beyond the soap opera” of his life. And, that the “obsession with his biography continues to blind people to his talent today”.

It’s a persuasive argument, and upon finishing the introduction I felt compelled to take a deeper dive into Michael’s back catalogue. Prior to this, I’d only been a casual listener, appreciating his vocal chops and enjoying the singles when they came on the radio or TV. But, as with all the most talented artists, I find that the gold lies in the albums.

As Sanghera points out, many of his songs were “written, produced, arranged and performed” by Michael, who demonstrates an extraordinary range and depth of artistry and innovation across his studio output. To me, at least, this is revelatory information.

I don’t imagine I’m alone. I surmise this is largely due to how Michael has been presented to us through the mass media over the years, with British tabloids often ignoring his status as bona fide auteur and instead labelling him simply as “The Wham! singer”, “Last Christmas singer” or “popstar”. Perhaps such labels have occurred simply because it’s easier than writing singer/ songwriter/ producer/ arranger/ multi-instrumentalist. Or perhaps, as Sanghera says, it’s because of the “endless salacious headlines”. But, whatever the reason, Michael’s talents have certainly been undersold.

The music v the man

Now suitably appreciative of the need to take George Michael and his music seriously, I return to the book, eager to educate myself beyond the simple “soap opera” information Sanghera rightly rails against.

I read about Michael’s Greek Cypriot heritage. I read about the cultural impact that Wham! gigs had on China in the early 80s. I read about his sexuality, charity work, political activism, relationship with fame and his drug addictions. Occasionally, most notably in the chapter “Genius Naïf” (referencing Michael’s musical naivety), I read about his songs and the creative processes behind them.

Upon finishing the book, I couldn’t help but feel that Sanghera’s intention to focus on the music rather than the man was somewhat at odds with what was actually delivered. Of its 263 pages, only 40 are spent analysing music, lyrics and creative processes. This means 85% of the book is dedicated to precisely what it was supposed to be avoiding: “the biography that continues to blind people to his talent.”

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The personal touch

If we approach the book as a straight-forward biography rather than the musical analysis it’s presented as, then it’s a fine, detailed, intelligent work. It also strikes a fine balance between the integrity of biographical writing and the readability of narrative non-fiction.

Adding a welcome personal touch, Sanghera begins and ends the book by reflecting on his own relationship with George Michael’s and Wham!’s music, while also threading short anecdotal sections throughout. Although it could be thought that such subjectivity would isolate most readers from the narrative, it has the opposite effect. I felt I inhabited Sanghera’s emotional connection to the music as if it were my own experience, allowing for a more immersive and meaningful read. It’s also effective in showing how the terrain of a lifelong fanship like Sanghera’s isn’t always easily navigated, and how our attitudes toward even our most beloved artists can change significantly over time.

It’s tough for a writer to be critical about an artist who played such an important role in their musical and personal development. Doing so can even feel like an attack on the self. But Sanghera never shies away from censuring Michael when he deems it necessary. Among the praise, he approaches without bias what he sees as Michael’s perfectionism, laziness and “control freakery” – with this last enough to warrant an entire chapter on the subject.

Tonight the Music Seems So Loud is well worth the time for both existing George Michael fans and those yet to be converted. Just don’t expect detailed analysis of the music.

This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something, The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

Changes in circumstances which must be reported to the DWP or it could impact your Universal Credit entitlement or payments and in some cases, even lead to Universal Credit penalties or a court appearance

The most recent data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reveals that by the end of February, approximately 8.3 million people both in and out of employment across Scotland, England and Wales were receiving financial assistance through Universal Credit.

The means-tested benefit is typically paid on a monthly basis, though fortnightly payments are available to some claimants living in Scotland. Despite this, a significant number of Universal Credit recipients may be unaware of certain changes in their circumstances that must be declared to the DWP, as failure to do so could affect their entitlement or payments and, in some instances, result in a penalty fine or even a court appearance.

There are nearly 20 changes that need to be reported, including getting a new mobile number or email address, switching to a different bank account, moving address and your rent going up or down.

DWP guidance on GOV.UK warns: “You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.”

Change of circumstances you need to report to DWP

DWP guidance on GOV.UK states you need to report changes in your circumstances so that you keep getting the right amount each month, reports the Daily Record. It adds you need to report changes “as soon as they happen” because any delay “may mean you receive too much money and will have to make a repayment”.

DWP warns: “Changes in your circumstances can affect how much you’re paid for your whole assessment period – not just from the date you report them.”

Changes can include:

• Finding a job
• Finishing a job
• Having a child
• Moving in with your partner
• Starting to care for a child
• Starting to care for a disabled person
• Your child stopping or restarting education or training, if they’re aged 16 to 19
• Changing your mobile number
• Changing your email address
• Moving to a new address
• Going outside Great Britain for any length of time, if you live there
• Going outside Northern Ireland for any length of time, if you live there
• Changing your bank details
• Your rent going up or down
• Changes to your health condition
• Becoming too ill to work or meet your work coach
• Changes to your earnings (only if you’re self-employed)
• Changes to your savings, investments and how much money you have
• Changes to your immigration status, if you’re not a British citizen

How to report a change

The DWP advises claimants to report any change in circumstances by logging into their Universal Credit online account.

If you get a job or increase the hours you work

Use a benefits calculator or speak with your work coach to find out how securing employment or a rise in your earnings could affect your Universal Credit claim.

In most cases, your employer will report your earnings on your behalf. You will generally only need to report monthly earnings if you are self-employed.

If you have been paid too much by DWP

You may be required to repay the money if you:

• Did not report a change straight away
• Gave wrong information
• Were overpaid by mistake

Comprehensive details regarding benefit overpayments are available on GOV.UK here.

Channel 5 drama The Fortune follows a woman who’s left a huge sum by someone she doesn’t know

The Fortune viewers were left baffled as the psychological drama continued on Channel 5, with several questioning the plot.

The series centres on waitress Amanda Blakefield (played by Poldark’s Eleanor Tomlinson) whose world is turned upside down when she learns she stands to inherit a vast estate from a complete stranger.

Amanda clashes with the rich man’s family, including son Anthony, who is played by All Creatures Great and Small star Callum Woodhouse, and also has trouble with her own husband Jimmy (Harry Potter star Matthew Lewis), who is receiving suspicious phone calls.

In the first episode of the series, Amanda ends up trapped in a car with a man named Boots who gives her a sinister warning. She gets away and races home, but in the second episode decides to return to the area and sneak into his creepy cottage in the middle of the night – alone – to investigate.

Viewers were left scratching their heads over the decision, with one calling it “daft” and another noting that she was “messing with fire”.

“Who goes wandering at night and enters the house of someone who had threatened her?” one person asked on X, as someone else said: “He has already threatened her, so she goes to see him on her own at night.”

“She was (scared) last night in the taxi and here she is alone wandering around his house in the dark,” someone else posted on the platform, which was formerly Twitter.

“Now she’s being daft again,” said someone else.

“Typical TV drama derangement syndrome. Do they: (a) consult a solicitor? (b) report threats & kidnapping to the police? No! It’s always (c) do it yourself and barge in uninvited to dangerous situations without telling anyone else.”

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“Don’t think I’d want to be wandering around there at the dead of night,” admitted one viewer, as another posted: “Amanda’s messing with fire.”

However, others were gripped by the tense mystery, with one saying the episode “went with a bang” and another calling it “interesting”. “I enjoyed it,” said one, adding: “Good cast.”

Another person gave it a thumbs up, and someone else said: “Episode 2 so far is much better than the ludicrous episode 1.”

The Fortune is airing on Channel 5.

How long does it take you to fall asleep? Five minutes, half an hour, maybe even an hour?

Most of us need around 10 to 20 minutes to drift off, but then there are some lucky sleepers who seem to be snoring the moment their head hits the pillow.

If this is you, you might consider yourself a ‘good sleeper’. While your partner lies next to you tossing and turning, you’re already in the land of nod.

But while it might seem like a great talent to have, we’ve got some bad news for you: falling asleep almost immediately isn’t the super power you think it is.

In fact, some sleep coaches on TikTok have gone as far as to label this habit an ‘ominous sign’.

Why is falling asleep too quickly a bad thing?

Omar El-Gohary, superintendent pharmacist at IQ Doctor, tells Metro that while you might think falling asleep quickly is a sign of good sleep health, it can sometimes mean the opposite.

He shares: ‘Although it may seem ideal, consistently drifting off within just a few minutes can be a sign that your body is carrying a significant sleep debt and is struggling to stay awake.’

Omar confirms that a ‘healthy adult will typically take somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes to fall asleep.’

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So, he adds, ‘if you’re regularly falling asleep almost instantly, it may suggest you’re not getting enough quality sleep, even if you’re spending enough hours in bed.’

Your body may be chronically deprived of rest, meaning it craves sleep so intensely that it almost forces you into unconsciousness the second you stop moving, slow down, and calm your nervous system.

What constitutes as ‘quality sleep’?

‘Quality sleep’ refers to an individual’s self-satisfaction with every aspect of the sleeping experience.

Most adults tend to need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. But even if you think you’re getting ‘enough’ sleep, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting the highest quality.

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The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) has come up with four unique elements to determine whether or not someone has had a high quality sleep:

Sleep Efficiency – the ratio of time asleep to time lying in bed

Sleep Latency – how long it takes you to fall asleep

Awakenings – the number of awakenings you have during the night

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Wake After Sleep Onset –  the amount of time you are awake after first falling asleep

According to the NSF, the most accurate way to measure all four elements of your sleep quality is by combining tools such as wearable technology, devices connected to or placed near the bed, and technology that uses wireless signals to monitor sleep through sound, radar, and environmental information.

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Falling asleep quickly can be linked with sleep disorders

In some cases, the pharmacist continues, falling asleep within minutes can be linked with underlying sleep disorders.

Essentially, you fall asleep fast because the sleep you do get isn’t good enough, meaning you’re more tired than you think.

One potential disorder is obstructive sleep apnoea – which can disrupt sleep quality without a person even realising.

A very common disorder, it’s when your breathing stops and starts while you sleep – triggering gasping, choking, or chortling noises, waking up repeatedly, and extremely loud snoring.

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It can incredibly hard to tell you have obstructive sleep apnoea on your own, so if you’ve been struggling with sleep quality, it’s worth asking someone to stay with you while you sleep so they can check for the symptoms.

Omar also mentions restless legs syndrome – a form of insomnia that disrupts sleep throughout the night. And, he adds that in rarer cases, conditions such as narcolepsy can all leave people feeling excessively sleepy and cause them to drift off unusually fast when given the chance to sleep.

Narcolepsy is when the brain struggles to regulate sleep-wake cycles. This tends to present itself as extreme daytime sleepiness followed by falling asleep at any time, anywhere. What it is an incurable condition, lifestyle changes and certain medication can alleviate symptoms.

It might not be shocking to some, but the combination of ‘long working hours, late-night screen use, stress and irregular sleep schedules can all contribute to chronic sleep deprivation

So, by the time you lie down in bed at night, your body is desperate for rest. ‘As a result’, Omar notes, ‘falling asleep straight away can be a sign that your body is running on empty rather than operating optimally.’

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Of course, occasionally falling asleep very quickly after a really busy day isn’t usually a cause for concern.

However, Omar explains that if it’s happening night after night and you’re also experiencing symptoms such as ‘daytime fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, headaches, memory issues or needing excessive caffeine to function’, it’s worth speaking to a healthcare professional.

‘Sleep should leave you feeling refreshed, alert and energised the next day, not constantly trying to catch up.’

MORE: The lesser-known health reasons a doctor can refuse you for Mounjaro or Wegovy

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MORE: Dead butt syndrome is the ‘amnesia-like’ glute problem sweeping the UK

MORE: How often people fart – and why it changes as you get older

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David Bullock, 59, was brought to justice decades after abusing his victim, who was attending ice skating lessons

A paedophile sexually assaulted a teenage girl at an ice skating rink where she attended lessons. She reported the assaults to the police decades later and brought her abuser to justice.

David Bullock, now 59, was in his 20s when he carried out repeated indecent assaults against his victim, who was under 16-years-old. The victim attended the National Ice Rink in Cardiff for dance ice skating lessons, in which the defendant assisted as he was “training for the Olympics”.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday heard Bullock would pat and rub the victim’s leg, patted her stomach and touched her bottom. Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter

The victim later told police she “blocked out” what was happening but thought to herself “this is not right”.

The defendant’s behaviour escalated to the point he was putting his hand inside the victim’s skirt. On one occasion he put his hands in the victim’s underwear and touched her vagina. He also cupped her breasts.

The victim later refused to attend the ice rink and told her mother what was happening, but the matter was not reported to the police as she was told it was “her words against Bullock’s”

In 2025, the victim reported the abuse to the police and Bullock was arrested.

He answered no comment in his police interview but did not confirm whether he attended Cardiff Ice Rink.

Bullock, of Downsview, Highworth, Swindon, later pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecent assault.

Prosecutor Martha Smith-Higgins said the defendant was convicted of possessing more than 18,000 indecent images of children after travelling to Amsterdam over a period of years to buy child abuse material and possessing images on a computer disk.

He was also found in possession of children’s clothing and underwear, which he admitted masturbating with.

In 2019, he was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment and an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the gross indecency and indecent assault of a child under 14-years-old.

In mitigation, Neil Evans said his client suffered with mental health issues as well as physical difficulties.

Sentencing, Recorder Greg Bull KC said: “A probation officer is of the view you are a danger to children. You have no proper insight into your offending, even now years later.”

Bullock was sentenced to a total of 24 months imprisonment. The defendant was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order and sex offender notification requirements for 10 years.

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Police cars and ambulances descended on the primary school after reports of a ‘medical incident’

Nine people were taken to hospital after emergency services were called to a primary school in Nottinghamshire on Wednesday (June 3). Police cars and ambulances descended on Jesse Gray Primary School in West Bridgford after receiving a call at around 2.17pm.

Full details surrounding nature of the incident has not been confirmed, however a police spokesperson confirmed it is not being treated as a crime. A medical emergency was reported.

Police and a local councillor initially reported two pupils had been taken to hospital, however East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) has now confirmed nine patients were transported to the Queen’s Medical Centre, NottinghamshireLive reports.

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“The caller reported a medical emergency. We sent a number of resources including paramedics in ambulance cars, crewed ambulances and our hazardous area response team,” a spokesperson said. “A responder from the air ambulance was also in attendance. Nine patients were transported to Queen’s Medical Centre.”

Councillor Jonathan Wheeler, who represents West Bridgford South at the county council, said he had been contacted by residents who were ‘concerned’ after spotting a large number of ambulances outside the school.

“I have spoken with the school and they have a couple of pupils who have gone to hospital for precautionary checks, the parents are aware and I won’t say more for their privacy,” he said. “Given the nature of messages sent and rumours out there the school are happy for me to post this update. Thank you.”

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — For the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks, Game 1 of the NBA Finals might feel like old times.

It’s the Knicks’ ninth time in the title series, and the eighth time they’ve played Game 1 on the road. It’s the Spurs’ seventh time in the title series, and the sixth time they’ve played Game 1 at home.

Granted, a good amount of time has passed for both teams since they’ve been on this stage: The Knicks haven’t played in the finals since losing to the Spurs in 1999, and the Spurs haven’t been there since beating the Miami Heat in 2014.

“I think we’re just locked in and focused on the task at hand,” Knicks forward Josh Hart said. “Then we can look back when everything is all said and done and really embrace this process and this run. It’s an honor, but can’t focus too much on the outside world and the run so far.”

The run the Knicks are on coming into this series is without compare: 11 straight wins by a total of 262 points, the most lopsided 11-game run — regular season or playoffs — in NBA history.

The Spurs have a different kind of streak going into Wednesday night. They’ve never lost Game 1 of the NBA Finals, going 6-0 in openers when they make the title round.

Most players on both teams are making their finals debuts in this series. Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox said it’s still going to be important for his team to remember how they got to the finals in the first place.

“This is a hard thing to do. It’s hard to get back to these places,” Fox said. “Don’t change anything that we’re doing. There’s a reason that we’re in the finals. There’s a reason that we won (62) games. There’s a reason we didn’t lose three games in a row the whole year. So, we don’t want to get to this place and then start changing the way we play.”

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

John Robert Mitchell, from Catterick Garrison, died after the collision on the A6136 Catterick Road near the junction with Colburn Lane on June 11, 2025.

Emergency services, including paramedics and the air ambulance, attended the scene, but Mr Mitchell died while being transported to hospital.

John Robert Mitchell (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE)

A subsequent inquest opening heard that he suffered lower neck injuries. The hearing was adjourned pending the outcome of the police investigation.

North Yorkshire Police said on Wednesday (June 3) that an extensive investigation into the fatal collision has now been completed.

A force spokesperson said: “An extensive collision investigation has been completed into the tragic death of Mr Mitchell.

“It concluded that no further action will be taken against the two men who were in the military truck. They have been released without charge.

Floral tributes left at the scene of the fatal crash (Image: Stuart Boulton)

“All parties have been updated, and the matter has been passed to the Coroner.”

The driver and passenger of the military truck had previously been assisting officers with their enquiries.

The case will now return to the Coroner, who will determine the next steps and consider the circumstances surrounding Mr Mitchell’s death.

Following the collision, Mr Mitchell’s family paid tribute to him as a “much-loved husband, brother, uncle and godfather” who would be “sadly missed”.

Floral tributes left near the scene described him as a “pillar of the community”, with one mourner writing that “his love for life was contagious, and his kindness touched so many.”

In what researchers are calling a “major breakthrough”, a team, led by Prof Takashi Tsuji, say they have managed to recreate the full cycle of hair growth in mice – meaning hair could grow, fall out and grow back again naturally. While transplanted hair can already grow, recreating follicles that can behave like the natural hair inside the body – repeatedly growing, shedding and regrowing over time – has proved far more difficult.