Metro is at Liverpool Street station, where things appears to be calm before storm ahead of rush hour.

TfL staff, who declined to give their names, said the first strike day has not been ‘too bad’ with crowds.

‘It’s a little bit busier, but not too bad. But the peak is still to come,’ they said.

Ashley, 34, who was waiting for her cousin at the station’s Elizabeth line entrance, had travelled from Durham for the launch of an LGBTQ+ magazine and to see a comedian.

She only heard about the strike on her way in on the train.

She said: ‘I was a little bit stressed about it, but it has been completely fine, absolutely no disruption.

‘I took the Tube from King’s Cross to Moorgate and walked from there in the rain. We are staying in Hackney but haven’t planned yet how we will travel there.

‘I’m travelling again on Thursday so will see how it is.’

The 2026 event will see the historic cycle of medieval plays performed across the city centre, blending centuries-old tradition with a contemporary festival celebrating art, community and storytelling.

The York Mystery Plays, a sequence of 48 plays charting Christian history from creation to the Last Judgment, date back more than 600 years and remain one of the world’s best-known surviving cycle play traditions.

This year’s performances will take place on Sunday, June 28 and Sunday, July 5, with additional evening events on June 30 and July 1.

Many famous actors have taken part in the plays over the years, including York-born actress Judi Dench, as well as actors Joseph O’Connor, Christopher Timothy, Simon Ward, Victor Banerjee and Robson Green.

The young Judi Dench, in the role of the Virgin Mary, watches over the baby Jesus in the 1957 Mystery Plays Image: Newsquest

True to their medieval roots, the plays will be staged on moving pageant wagons as they travel through central locations including Refectory Gardens, Deangate, King’s Square and St Sampson’s Square, before concluding in Dean’s Park.

Audiences will be able to watch much of the action for free at the first three locations, while tickets will be available for the performances in Dean’s Park.

Organisers say the 2026 programme will be “more than a theatrical event”, forming the centrepiece of a wider festival beginning on June 22.

Festival highlights will include an exhibition at the Bar Convent exploring the role of women in the Mystery Plays, a city-wide art and poetry programme, a sound and memory exhibition, guided walks and a series of talks, films and audio experiences.

Schools and community groups from across York will also play a key role in the celebrations.

York Mystery Plays in Shambles Market. Photo by Catherine Jane of Press Camera Club

New for 2026 will be Twilight Lantern Shows in Shambles Market on June 30 and July 1, transforming the space into an immersive evening experience using light, sound and performance.

Artistic director Alan Heaven said the plays continue to resonate with modern audiences.

“The York Mystery Plays are among the great works of medieval drama – epic, funny, moving and visually extraordinary,” he said.

“They tell stories that have connected communities for centuries, and performing them in the streets of York creates a truly unique experience.”

Preparation for the event will formally begin on Sunday, June 7 with the traditional Presentation of the Billets.

Flashback to 2014 and The Presentation of the Billets in York.

The ceremony, which dates back to medieval times, sees representatives of York’s guilds and companies symbolically instructed to stage the plays.

Roger Lee, chair of York Festival Trust, said the event remains at the heart of the city’s identity.

“The York Mystery Plays are part of the city’s soul,” he said.

“In 2026, we are bringing them back in a way that feels both ancient and entirely new – a journey through story, place and shared experience.

“This is York at its most imaginative and most alive.”

The modern revival of the wagon plays began in 1998 and has grown into one of the region’s largest volunteer-led arts events, involving hundreds of performers and community participants.

Full details of timings, locations and festival events are now available, with organisers urging early booking for ticketed performances.

Find out more at: www.yorkmysteryplays.co.uk

His body was found a week after authorities called off the search, when he had been missing for an entire month – but he was only supposed to be gone for three days

Grant Gardner was an experienced hiker and he was looking forward to his three-day solo adventure, walking and climbing through the Bighorn National Forest.

But what started out as a stunning hike for the married father-of-two ended in a living nightmare for his family when he vanished without trace.

Grant had set off on his three-day hike on July 20, 2025, in Wyoming with the hopes of reaching the peak in Bighorn National Forest. He aimed to take on the hike in the northern part of the state, where he would reach an elevation of over 13,000 feet.

The day he set off was the last time anyone spoke to the 38-year-old and when he didn’t return three-days later it would be more than a month until anyone knew what had happened.

The authorities had to stop their search as his “most optimistic survival odds have run out”, and it wasn’t until a month after his disappearance his body was uncovered.

The last anyone had ever heard from Gardner was when he texted his loving wife around 7pm on July 29. His text told her that he had reached the summit and that the climb had been ‘more taxing than he had expected’ and that he was feeling ‘fatigued’.

Three days later, after not hearing from him since, the sheriff’s office was notified Gardner had not yet returned home, and it was then that the search operation began.

It was no small feat, as the search pulled resources from six counties, including both the Wyoming Army National Guard and the U.S. Forest Service, as well as dog trackers, drones and even private pilots, all searching the area in the hopes of finding Mr Gardner.

Sheriff Ken Blackburn of Big Horn County released a statement on August 5 that explained why the summit Gardner had taken on was “concerning”. This was “due to the lack of visible trails through cliffs, timberline, boulder fields, and other hazards that had to be navigated after dark before reaching clear trails and safe terrain.”

20 days later, and their search was still unsuccessful, forcing the authorities to make the “heartbreaking and difficult decision” to call off the search. The choice was not made lightly, and done so in consultation with his family members, who were still holding onto hope.

The sheriff said on August 20: “In consultation with family members, I have made the heartbreaking and difficult decision to suspend active search and rescue operations for Mr Gardner. Our teams have exhausted all resources and personnel over the last 20 days.

“With weather conditions and other factors updated in our search models, we have to face the reality that the most optimistic survival odds have run out.”

Six days later, members of the professional climbing team from North Carolina descended upon the mountain and saw a backpack hidden beneath a ledge.

The following day, on August 27, Gardner’s body was recovered and transferred to the Big Horn County Coroner’s Office, where his death was investigated.

It was believed that the experienced hiker had “succumbed to a tragic accident” on his solo journey to the summit. While finding his body didn’t serve the outcome they had all hoped for, it certainly provided some peace and closure for his family and his wife, who was left with his parting words.

The artwork, by County Durham artist John Cutting, will be displayed during Bishop Middleham’s first Flower and Craft Festival, taking place at the Grade I listed St Michael’s Church, which dates back to the 12th century.

The festival will run from June 12 to 14 and will also feature three additional works by Mr Cutting.

Rev Rachel Wilson, curate at St Michael’s, said: “This festival brings together nearly a thousand years of history with contemporary creativity.

Acclaimed local artist John Cutting joins Chelsea Gold Medal winning florist Val Guest, pictured, to transform historic 12th-century St Michael’s Church in Bishop Middleham (Image: Supplied)

“From John Cutting’s newly commissioned sculpture to the floral displays and community exhibits, it is a celebration of the remarkable talent we have in Bishop Middleham and beyond.

“We hope visitors will discover something unexpected and inspiring.”

Mr Cutting is known for transforming salvaged metal, wood, and stone into contemporary sculptures.

Acclaimed local artist John Cutting joins Chelsea Gold Medal winning florist Val Guest, pictured, to transform historic 12th-century St Michael’s Church in Bishop Middleham (Image: Supplied)

His work has been exhibited across the UK and is held in both public and private collections.

More than 20 floral displays will be featured at the festival, coordinated by Chelsea Flower Show gold medal winner Val Guest, whose recent work includes installations at Westminster Abbey.

The event will also showcase photography, painting, sewing, handicrafts, and poetry created by villagers, schools, and community groups.

Refreshments will be available throughout the weekend.

The festival will open on Friday, June 12 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, with admission priced at £5, including cheese and nibbles.

It will continue on Saturday, June 13 from 10.30am to 3.30pm with £1 entry, and conclude on Sunday, June 14 from 2pm to 4pm, also for £1.

A service of Songs of Praise will take place at 4pm on the final day.

Some people believe the loyalty card encouraged more people into their business, while others feel it didn’t make a difference

Shop and restaurant staff have shared mixed reviews over a loyalty card, introduced by a council to encourage more people to shop local. Throughout April and May, Huntingdonshire District Council launched the ‘Shop, Drink and Dine’ card, with the aim to boost footfall in St Ives.

The town-wide scheme involved independent shops, restaurants and places to drink. Shop owners and staff have shared mixed reviews over the loyalty card, with some saying it was a positive thing, while others feel it didn’t make a difference.

Victoria Giles, owner of Adorn, said it was a “really good idea”. “It’s all helping each other out,” said Victoria.

She added: “It was only £5. It was enticing to customers and to get people into shops.” Victoria saw more customers come into her shop.

She said: “I had a few customers come in and stamped a few cards. It was only ever going to be a good thing at the end of the day. I think anything active to get people into a shop and shop local is good.”

Cyril Bray, manager at The Tellers Table also thought the loyalty card was a positive thing for the town. He said: “It’s supporting local businesses.

“It encourages people as well to come and see us. There are lots of local people that come in and are happy we are here, the card was just an extra encouragement for them. We had a few people come in. I think it was word of mouth after that. Anything to encourage people to use local businesses is always a plus.”

Other businesses found the card didn’t do as well as they thought. A worker at Townrow, who wished to remain anonymous, said it “didn’t make off as good as we thought”.

She added: “We only had a few customers. I thought it was going to be good, as you only needed to spend £5. But we only stamped a few people.”

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Luke Carton, bar manager at The Taproom, had “mixed” feelings towards the card. He said: “We did one before [set up by the Oliver Cromwell pub] and that did really well. This one was more broad which made it more difficult. Our regulars kept using it so that worked well, but it was too broad.”

Sharon, who wished for her surname to not be included, works at Cadge. She said the men’s clothes shop got a “few people in”, but believes the card was better catered for local places to eat. Sharon added: “I think the problem was getting it out there. We didn’t have too many, but I hope it did well for others. I think it did better for eating places as there is a lot in St Ives.”

Finally Amy Seymour-Shove, who works at The Whisky Cafe, found it positive to encourage more people to shop and eat locally. She said: “It felt like it got people to think of more shops. It encouraged a few people in, but not as many as we thought. I feel it could have been done better, but I don’t think a lot of people really knew about it.”

Executive Councillor for Economy, Regeneration and Housing, Councillor Brett Mickelburgh said: “The St Ives Shop and Dine Local loyalty card pilot was launched with UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) funding to increase footfall and support businesses in the town centre.

“The scheme was developed following a two-month engagement period with local businesses and was open to businesses that reside in the town centre. More than 400 loyalty cards were used during the campaign, with 75 completed entries submitted, representing a minimum of £3,750 spent with participating businesses. The scheme was promoted extensively through a dedicated webpage, social media, stakeholder networks, digital advertising and in-store marketing materials provided to participating businesses.”

The pair, who got engaged in March 2021, married in a “secret” ceremony at their local registry office before holding a larger white wedding just two days later.

Bailey, known for her role as Caz Hammond in Coronation Street, shared the news on Instagram on June 2.

The actress posted photos of the newlywed couple outside the registry office, reflecting on their understated first ceremony.

Coronation Street star marries pop star

She said: “It was more special than I ever imagined it could be.

“It felt so intimate, as we were so focused on each other and no one else.

“We got the giggles, we both shed a tear and we were brimming with emotions.”

Only Bailey’s sister and her spouse were present as witnesses.

Following the ceremony, the couple went to a “beautiful restaurant” to talk about their main wedding plans.

Bailey said: “And how incredibly lucky we are to feel so much love for each other after so many years together.

“We also laughed about the fact that we could actually have a conversation without being interrupted every 7 seconds by our kids! It felt all the more special because we don’t get any date nights together at the moment!”

Bailey and Everest, a member of the vocal group The Overtones, share two children, Ilaria and Noemie.

She explained that while their main wedding venue was fully licensed, they chose to do the legal part separately.

Bailey said: “I didn’t want an ‘Officiant’ that we didn’t know conducting our wedding and tapping his watch every three seconds and not being patient with our two year old!”

“2 year olds are a law unto themselves and I really wanted to create a relaxed and chill environment, to cater for any ‘surprises’ she might throw our way – Which worked perfectly. And did come in handy!”

The couple asked a long-time friend and celebrant of 27 years to conduct their main ceremony, making the day feel more personal.

Bailey said she had worried that marrying at the registry office first might “take something away” from their bigger celebration.

She said: “What it did do, was give us an extra reason to celebrate.

“An opportunity to make more of this incredible occasion that can often be over too quickly.

“And it also meant we had a bit of a practice.

“We weren’t prepared for how special this intimate setting would feel.”

She also shared that she wore the same shoes for both ceremonies.

A separate post showed images from their “big white wedding,” where Bailey revealed she had tried on 37 dresses before finding the right one.

She said: “Literally one of the best days of our lives! But there’s been so much going on… out there and in here.

“Been so busy x

“Still playing ‘newlyweds’ over here.

“We’re so happy to finally be married!”

Festival season is upon us and fans are still frantically trying to get tickets for the likes of Isle of Wight, BST Hyde Park and more.

However, there’s one festival that boasts a legendary lineup that nobody seems to be talking about.

HeritageLive Festival at Sandringham just revealed that Christina Aguilera will be performing for a one-off UK gig this summer.

She’s joining a truly insane headliner run of Eric Clapton, Ricky Martin, Lionel Richie and the one and only, Janet Jackson.

The global icons will descend on the Sandrimham Estate in Norfolk this August, for five nights of unforgettable music.

Giles Cooper of HeritageLive Festival shared: ‘We’re delighted to have Christina Aguilera completing our 2026 line-up’

Praising the Fighter singer, he continued: ‘There aren’t many artists who have had the kind of career Christina has. For more than 25 years she’s continued to reinvent herself while remaining one of the most recognisable and respected voices in music.

‘Her catalogue speaks for itself, and her live performances continue to showcase the extraordinary talent and stage presence that have defined her career.’

‘To welcome an artist of her stature to Sandringham is a real moment for us, and we can’t wait to see her take to the stage this summer alongside some incredible special guests.’

Of course, it’s not just the headliners performing, with Craig David and Blue performing with Christina on August 21.

Elsewhere across the month, Sugababes, Olly Alexander, Ronnie Wood, and Soul II Soul are also performing.

Giles added: ‘With five incredible nights of live music ahead, 2026 is shaping up to be our biggest year yet!’

He’s not wrong about this being the Estate’s biggest year yet, having gone a little under the radar until now.

Last year saw Mariah Carey, Stereophonics, Michael Buble and the Pet Shop Boys headlining, while 2024 had Suede, Madness, and Elbow.

There are further gigs at other Estates, such as Audley End in Essex and the Englefield Estate in Reading, too, which also have some great names performing.

You can register for pre-sale access now, with tickets up for grabs on Monday, June 8 and Tuesday June 9.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

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In 2018, when he was just 3 years old, Ederson Galicia Alva was taken from his mother’s arms at the U.S.-Mexico border under the first Trump administration’s family separation policy and kept apart from her in a government facility for months. They were finally reunited after lawyers intervened. Then, in June of last year, he and his mother were separated a second time and ultimately sent back to Guatemala, despite legal protections meant to keep them and families like theirs together.

After nearly a year in the indigenous highlands of Guatemala, Ederson’s family was finally allowed to return to Florida last week, following a federal judge’s order that the government had acted illegally.

Now, eight years since President Donald Trump’s forcible border separations triggered global outrage and came to an official halt, an Associated Press investigation has found that the government has re-separated dozens of children from their families, despite a landmark legal settlement meant to keep them together. Some of their parents have been locked in immigration detention facilities for months, and others deported back to their home countries after being taken from their families once again. In some cases, immigration officials conducting interior sweeps deported people despite discovering they were legally off limits for removal, according to emails obtained by AP.

Here are highlights from the AP’s reporting:

Separations under Trump’s second term

Trump’s second administration has vowed to deport more than 1 million people per year. Federal agents have been plucking people from their communities so swiftly that, according to the Brookings Institution, now the parents of tens of thousands of children have been detained.

Family separations often look different from Trump’s first term. In 2018, Ederson and other children at the border were forcibly taken from their parents, who were jailed separately and charged criminally with illegal entry. Then, the government was unable to reunite them for months because adults and children’s information was kept in different computer systems. A judge barred the government from separating families at the border at the border and ordered the government to bring the families back together after the ACLU filed a class action lawsuit. Later, a court settlement banned most family separations to deter immigration until December 2031.

Today, if parents are arrested or deported under the president’s push for mass deportations, they are being made to choose whether to leave their children behind in the United States.

What does the government say?

“DHS complies with all court orders, even as radical NGOs shop for the most favorable forum and activist judges seek to thwart our operations,” acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, said in response to AP requests for comment about the government’s policies toward separated families.

Government attorneys have argued in recent court filings that there are no legal restrictions on “the government’s statutory authority to execute orders of removal.” Bis said enforcing immigration law was “not optional,” and that “every removal of an illegal alien helps restore order and reinforce the rule of law.”

Ederson’s family recently was allowed to return, but their status is still on shaky ground.

In late 2017, immigration officials began forcibly separating parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border, under a policy championed by Stephen Miller, Trump’s then-senior policy advisor and now White House deputy chief of staff. ACLU filed a class action lawsuit in February 2018 to halt the practice called Ms. L v. U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, on behalf of a Congolese mother the Trump administration separated from her 7-year-old daughter. It wasn’t until thousands of families were torn apart that a judge ordered the government to end separations, saying it caused “lasting, excruciating harm.” According to ACLU’s most recent accounting, the number of separated parents and children, and their impacted family members covered by the settlement is far greater than previously reported— over 11,800 — and because the government deported so many people before the practice was banned, the full scope may never be known. The ACLU also provided AP with new data surrounding Ms. L class members who have been detained and deported during the second Trump administration.

Under a 2023 settlement agreement, Ms. L class members — including separated parents, children and other close relatives — got special legal protections, pathways toward asylum and access to attorneys, work permits and support services. And for eight years, advocates and attorneys tried to help the families reunite and recover, and offered them everything from job placement to psychological counseling, benefits meant “to prevent any ongoing harm caused by the initial separation,” according to the settlement.

As deportations have risen in the last year and a half, attorneys say many separated families have become more fearful about filling out government paperwork and don’t know they can apply for asylum, a key settlement benefit that expires in December. The administration also hasn’t said if it will extend a current, trimmed-back legal services contract for families that ends in August. Another deadline is looming as well: thousands of separated families need to request for any pending removal orders to be cancelled by December, or lose their ability to stay in the U.S. legally.

Each morning since Alva López was deported back to Guatemala last June, she has checked her phone for word of when her family could return. Money started drying up. The children began forgetting their English slang. Briseidy, now 14, worried she would drift away from her American friends. Finally, two weeks ago, there was news: the government would bring her family back to Florida on an American Airlines flight, under a judge’s order.

At the end of May, passports and travel documents in hand, the family flew to Miami. Ederson said it felt like a miracle. But soon after landing, immigration officials began questioning Alva López, taking her photo and fingerprints once again and picking apart her documents. Their stay in the U.S. may be short. An immigration official granted her just two weeks’ humanitarian parole.

The government declined to comment specifically on Alva López’s case.

“I still haven’t told the children” about the two weeks’ parole, Alva López said on her first day back in her old West Palm Beach neighborhood. “They’re going to worry that the same thing will happen again.”

—-

Burke reported from San Francisco. Pérez reported from San Martín Cuchumatán, Guatemala. AP photographer Rebecca Blackwell in Miami contributed reporting.

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Contact AP’s global investigative team at [email protected] or https://www.ap.org/tips/

The Halliwell chippy, which is approaching its 100th year in business, reopened in April following the death of long-serving owner David Sumner and quickly attracted huge crowds of customers eager to see the beloved shop return.

Now the new owners say winning the award would be a fitting tribute to the man many knew as Bolton’s “Master of Fish and Chips”.

Best chippy

David Sumner, who died in June 2025 aged 76, ran the chippy for decades and helped establish it as one of Bolton’s best-known fish and chip shops.

Alongside his wife Linda, he built a loyal customer base spanning generations.

(Image: Martini Archive)

When the business reopened under Andrew Crawford, Ebony Day and Minesh Patel on April 20, hundreds of people queued down the street after two days of free food were announced to mark the occasion.

At peak times, customers reported waiting more than two hours as word spread across Halliwell and on social media that the popular chippy was back.

(Image: NQ)

Co-owner Minesh Patel said the Best Chippy Award nomination was recognition of both the team’s hard work and the legacy left behind by David and Linda.

He said: “The chip shop is running well.

“This award for Best Chippy would give our team such appreciation for the hard work and all the innovative techniques used to create amazing food.

“If we won, it would give us a token of appreciation from the customers as feedback for the amazing food which has been subsidised for children and the elderly who have come back repeatedly giving us praise for the high-quality fresh ingredients used daily, the amazing gravy, price and portion sizes.

“Most of all, it would honour the Master of Fish n Chips in Bolton, the late Mr Dave Sumner and his wife Linda who provided us with all the ingredients and the innovative techniques to produce magical food for a huge customer base.

“Hopefully we as a community can win this award for the world-renowned Bennetts Lane Chippy.”

The new owners have worked to preserve the character of the business, choosing not to replace the original signage and retaining the shop’s traditional appearance.

Fresh fish is delivered daily, while the team says maintaining quality and affordability remains a key priority.

Fresh fish and chips (Image: NQ)

Fish and chips with a side are available all day for £7, while a pensioners’ deal offering fish, chips and a side costs £5.50.

A family deal feeding three people is priced at £17.50, and award-winning Yorkshire pies are set to be added to the menu in the near future.

As Bennetts Lane Chippy closes in on a century of serving the community, the owners hope local residents will help write the next chapter in its history by backing the shop in this year’s Best Chippy Award.

Readers can cast their vote by picking up a copy of today’s Bolton News.