The event is part of the Darlington Annual Dance Festival, which returns in 2026 with a packed afternoon of celebration, creativity, and movement.

The festival will take place on June 20, from midday to 2pm in Market Square, and will include the highly anticipated Mass Dance 2026.

Joanne Scott, chair of the Darlington Dance Festival Association (DDFA), said: “Together Through Time celebrates the generations who have supported and enjoyed our event over the years.

The Darlington Dance Festival Association (DDFA), supported by the Darlington Council events team, has announced the return of its Annual Dance Festival and Mass Dance 2026 (Image: Supplied)

“Through music and dance from different eras, we aim to showcase the connections that unite our community and demonstrate how dance brings people of all ages together.”

More than 700 dancers from 20 local dance schools, primary schools, and community groups will perform in the Mass Dance, which starts at 1pm.

The Darlington Dance Festival Association (DDFA), supported by the Darlington Council events team, has announced the return of its Annual Dance Festival and Mass Dance 2026 (Image: Supplied)

This year’s theme, ‘Together Through Time,’ focuses on the ability of dance to connect people across generations.

The choreography for the Mass Dance has been created by artists Darrien Wright and Debbie Harbin, and is designed to bring the theme to life through movement and music that spans the decades.

In addition to the main performance, the festival will offer a full programme of entertainment and activities throughout the afternoon.

The Darlington Dance Festival Association (DDFA), supported by the Darlington Council events team, has announced the return of its Annual Dance Festival and Mass Dance 2026 (Image: Supplied)

Interactive workshops led by Urban Kaos will give visitors a chance to join in the fun, while a range of family-friendly attractions will keep audiences of all ages entertained.

These will include a retro sweet stall, fidget spinner stall, glitter face painting, DJ entertainment, and more.

Members of the public are invited to take part in the Mass Dance, whether or not they have previous dance experience.

An open rehearsal will be held at 6.30pm on Tuesday, June 9 at Centre Stage on Eastmount Road.

Anyone interested in joining the performance is welcome to attend.

The Darlington Annual Dance Festival remains one of the borough’s most popular community events, attracting dancers, families, residents, and visitors from across the region.

The event is made possible thanks to the support of its sponsors: Darlington Borough Council, Darlington Round Table, Eastbourne Community Hub, and CDB Productions.

Their contributions help ensure the festival remains free and accessible to everyone.

The Darlington Dance Festival Association said it looks forward to welcoming the public for another joyful day in the town centre.

Beyond the headline performance, the event is designed to be an inclusive celebration of what dance can offer—whether through watching, learning, or taking part.

The Market Square will be transformed into a vibrant stage and gathering place, filled with music, movement, and a sense of shared purpose.

Children, parents, grandparents, and friends can all find something to enjoy, whether they’re cheering on a loved one or joining in a workshop themselves.

The festival also hopes to inspire the next generation of dancers by giving young people the opportunity to perform in front of a large audience and experience the thrill of group performance.

For more information about the event or to get involved, contact the Darlington Dance Festival Association.

The Darlington Annual Dance Festival & Mass Dance 2026 – Together Through Time – will take place on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from midday until 2pm in Market Square, with a mass dance performance at 1pm.

A public rehearsal will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 6.30pm at Centre Stage in Eastmount Road, Darlington, and admission to both the festival and rehearsal is free.

What would you recommend installing to make your home more sustainable?

Helen, North West

Insulation. It doesn’t matter what the insulation is. You can put it in the most disgusting petrochemical insulation ever invented but it will probably pay for itself within ten days.

What was the first thing you did to redesign your first property?

Mary-Grace, East of England

The first house I lived in was a two-up, two-down, so we couldn’t do much with it and we didn’t have any money. So I remember it had an Artex ceiling in the kitchen, which was foul. And so rather than try and rip it off, the builder said it was easy to batten over it and stick another ceiling underneath it. To this day, it probably still has two ceilings.

Then we put trendy cork tiling down, and I tiled over the kitchen worktop with some ceramic tiles. It was more of a rehash and resurfacing of the building. All the old stuff was still underneath, including that really tacky 70s kitchen.

Is there any retro style that you’d like to see make a comeback?

Mark, London

I’d really like to see modernism come back. Brutalism, is an evolution of that same idea. I’m all for a bit of rigour and architecture and design that reflects the time we’re in.

Am I interested in seeing new fourteenth-century plague pit architecture and design? No. Not really. Do I want to see the eighteenth-century – a century of cholera and bad dentistry – in my interiors? No. I want to feel that I’m living in the modern age. I want to feel that I’m living in a sustainable 21st-century world.

What are the biggest changes you’ve noticed over the years running the show?

Peter, London

Architecture is so slow that by the time you’ve been through planning and got the thing built, whatever you thought might have been fashionable then is now not. So forget it.

What I’ve noticed over the past 25 years, as we came into this century, is a change from a point where we were almost trying to reproduce and regurgitate the twentieth century, in the early years, trying to figure out what this new language would be in building and design.

What has happened is that we’ve started revisiting the buildings of the 1970s. I see that emerging more and more with soft forms, curves and arches and use of softer materials. We’re seeing more organic forms with sustainability, with highly insulated buildings, a huge amount of timber, a huge amount of engineered timber, glulam beams, Parallam beams, all kinds of structural timber that’s replacing steel and concrete, as well as straightforward walls.

And I think that’s devoutly to be wished. It feels to me as though our language for this century is going to be a far more sensitive one, a far less material-intensive one, one that is more sustainable and more gentle and a little bit more rounded.

Why are modern houses low quality?

Norman, Wales

Modern houses are really low quality in the UK because we have a delivery system based on the principle of delivering very large profits to shareholders. It’s almost the only country in Europe where volume housing places profits above quality.

It stems from ideas grown in the 1980s in politics about ownership and treating our homes as assets, as investments for shareholders and as well as for homeowners, as opposed to treating housing as a social good, a foundation of civilisation.

The UN describes housing as a basic human right, not a commodity. So I think the problem in the UK is treating our housing essentially as commoditised objects, which we buy and sell and make money on and therefore build as cheaply as possible.

It’s a complicated landscape and it’s not easy to fix at all. But if you look at other European models, they’re far more diverse. There’s much more choice of tenure, of typology, of mixing the social and the private, of model and architectural style, of greater choice of builder. You can, if you’re living in Austria, choose probably from three important, good local builders in the town where you live, and you’ll be building a house probably made out of the forest that’s over there on the mountain.

Who has been most influential in your career?

Sheila, South East

There have been so many kind and helpful people. None of us get through life by ourselves. None of us get through life by rushing or hurrying or trying to be too independent. I think actually relying on great people and taking advice and support from them is one thing I’ve learned reluctantly over my life.

I say reluctantly because when I was much younger, I was independent and determined. I thought I could do everything. I soon realised you just don’t and can’t.

The incident happened on Southmoor Road at around 9.55am on Friday, June 5.

A white Ford Ka was travelling along the road when the driver is believed to have suffered a suspected medical episode and crashed into a vehicle in the opposite lane.

The driver of the Ford, aged in her 50s, was taken to hospital where she remains in life-threatening condition.

Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) is investigating the incident and has appealed for information.

A spokesperson said: “This includes anyone who saw the vehicle driving before the collision, witnessed the incident itself, or has dashcam footage of the incident.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact the SCIU on 0161 856 4741 or use GMP’s Live Chat service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 925 of 05/06/2026.

MADRID (AP) — Pope Leo XIV’s trip to Spain will bring the American pontiff to a traditional center of European Christianity, where the Catholic Church has a complex legacy and the Socialist-led government is in the midst of a political crisis.

Leo’s weeklong visit begins Saturday in Madrid, where upon landing he was greeted by the country’s Catholic monarchs, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. His first day ends with a prayer vigil with young people, many of whom will be witnessing their first pope on Spanish soil.

In a sign that the clergy sexual abuse crisis continues to overshadow papal trips, the Vatican confirmed late Friday that Leo would meet with survivors during his visit. The Spanish Catholic hierarchy is belatedly reckoning with decades of abuse and cover-up in the once-staunchly Catholic country.

The visit, the first by a pope in 15 years, signals Leo is returning papal attention to Europe and its Christian roots. Pope Francis largely stayed away from the traditional centers of European Christianity in favor of smaller Catholic communities farther away.

But with the Spain trip — and a day trip to Monaco in March, a quick stop in San Marino in August and a four-day visit to France planned for September — Leo is seemingly keen to bring his message of peace, unity and human dignity to a continent in the throes of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the fallout from the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and anxiety over artificial intelligence.

Leo acknowledged Saturday as he headed to Spain that he’s competing with another VIP in Madrid this weekend.

Puerto Rican sensation Bad Bunny is performing two shows of his 10-concert Spanish tour this weekend in the Spanish capital.

“When confronted with the question ‘Do I go see Bad Bunny or do I go to see the pope?’ I think many will go to see Bad Bunny,” Leo said. But he said he believed others would go to see him.

But Leo will find a legislature that is highly polarized, with the ruling Socialist party hammered by a series of corruption scandals. Conservative parties including the Popular Party and far-right Vox have called for Sánchez to step down before elections in 2027, and have roundly criticized his government’s migration policies.

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Despite some expected protests of Leo’s visit — the trip is costing some 15 million euros ($17.2 million) — his speech to Parliament in particular is something of a milestone for Spain’s Catholic Church. Shaped by the anticlerical violence of the country’s 1936-1939 civil war, more recently, it has dealt with a credibility crisis over revelations of decades of clergy abuse and cover-up.

While much of Europe has secularized in recent decades, Spain stands out after it underwent a religious crisis following the 1975 death of Gen. Francisco Franco. A staunch Catholic, Franco viewed his reign as something of a religious crusade against the anticlerical anarchist, leftist and secular tendencies in Spain.

As Spain transitioned to a democracy, the percentage of Spaniards who declared themselves Catholics fell from 90% in the 1970s to just 55% in 2025, according to polling data collected by Spain’s state opinion agency. Of that group only 19% say they regularly attend Mass.

And yet there are signs of renewed interest in all forms of spirituality, Christian and otherwise, especially among young Spaniards, said sociologist Narciso Michavila Núñez, president of the GAD3 consulting firm that polls young people about their faith, among other things.

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In recent surveys, he said, pollsters are registering newfound interest in faith among Gen Z Spaniards. Michavila and others cite the popularity of Spanish pop star Rosalía’s new hit album “Lux,” which is overtly spiritual.

“The truth from a common view is not that God is in fashion. What is new in this moment, in this visit of the pope, is that God in the Spanish society is not a tattoo anymore,” he said.

A Mass at Sagrada Familia and migration message

After Madrid, the other highlights of the trip include Leo’s visit midweek to Barcelona, where he will celebrate Mass in the Sagrada Familia basilica on the centenary of the death of its famed architect, Antoni Gaudí. While Catalonia’s beloved native son is on the path to possible sainthood, no announcements on his canonization are expected during the trip, Bruni said.

During the June 10 Mass, Leo will inaugurate the soaring central spire of the basilica, the Tower of Jesus Christ, which when it was moved into place earlier this year made Sagrada Familia the tallest church in the world.

Leo will also fulfill a wish of Francis by ending his visit with a two-day stop in the Canary Islands, the Spanish archipelago that is closer to Africa than the Iberian peninsula and a key destination for migrants leaving West Africa.

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Leo will meet with migrants and the humanitarian organizations providing care for them. He is expected to toss a wreath of flowers into the sea, in memory of migrants killed during the treacherous Atlantic crossing. He’ll do so from the port in Las Palmas that in 2020 earned the nickname the “Dock of Shame” because thousands of migrants were forced to sleep in the open for weeks on end during a spike in arrivals.

Francis had made reaching out to migrants and refugees a hallmark of his papacy and Leo has followed suit by demanding dignified treatment of migrants, especially in his native United States.

“For those of us who are immigrants and find ourselves in this situation of having family far away, someone like the Pope — who is an important figure for the entire world — coming here is truly something that makes me say ‘wow,’” said Constantina Nchama, an immigrant from Equatorial Guinea in Madrid days before Leo’s visit.

“It’s something that happens once in a lifetime,” she said. “I’m very, very excited about that, truly.”

Spain’s Socialist-led government has bucked a general trend in Europe and the U.S. by announcing it will grant legal status to potentially hundreds of thousands of immigrants living and working in the country without authorization. Sánchez has highlighted the benefits of legal migration to the country’s economy with an aging workforce and low birthrate.

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Dale Carlyle, 33, of Fifth Avenue, Tang Hall, pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman in Chester-le-Street, County Durham.

Newton Aycliffe magistrates gave him a 12-month community order with 15 days’ rehabilitative activities. He was made subject to a five-year restraining order aimed at protecting the woman from him and ordered to pay £300 prosecution costs.

Romeo Ngjela, 57, of Kexby Avenue, off Green Dyke Avenue, York, was convicted in his absence of jumping a red light and using a car without insurance in Oadby, Leicester.  He was banned from driving for 12 months at Loughborough Magistrates Court, fined £660 and ordered to pay a £264 statutory surcharge and £120 prosecution costs.

Two defendants were sentenced by Harrogate magistrates.

Abdulhafiz Abdu, 24, of Peterhill Drive, Clifton, was convicted in his absence of driving on Queen’s Staith without insurance and without a licence and driving a car without a valid MOT certificate. He was fined £660, ordered to pay £120 prosecution costs and banned from driving for six months.

Magdeline Mukoyi, 49, of Eastfield Walk, Tadcaster, was banned from driving for six months after she pleaded guilty to driving without a licence.  She was fined £40 and ordered to pay a £16 statutory surcharge.

Donald Trump has said he is “moving fast” on Iran and claimed its military is “totally destroyed”.

In a preview clip of a NBC interview, the US president also claimed he knows “exactly” how many missiles Iran has left, but refused to give a figure.

“I’m moving very fast, I’m into three months,” he said. “Vietnam lasted 19 years, I’m into my third month. We have totally destroyed their military.”

He added Iran has “maybe 21 or 22 per cent” of their missiles left, saying it is “a lot of missiles, but not what it was when we first attacked”.

It comes after the US military said it downed six Iranian ballistic missiles launched towards its Gulf allies, while a seventh missile failed to reach its target.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted a US airbase in Kuwait and the US Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain, according to Iranian state media.

The attack came on Friday just hours after the US military also shot down four Iranian attack drones headed towards the Strait of Hormuz, with US Central Command saying they “posed an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic”.

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Trump says he is ‘moving fast’ on Iran but declines to say how many missiles are elft

Donald Trump has said he is “moving fast” on Iran and claimed its military is “totally destroyed” – but declined to say how many missiles he believes Tehran has.

In a preview clip of an NBC interview, the US president claimed he knows “exactly” how many missiles Iran has left, but refused to give a figure.

“I’m moving very fast, I’m into three months,” he said. “Vietnam lasted 19 years, I’m into my third month. We have totally destroyed their military.”

He added Iran has “maybe 21 or 22 per cent” of their missiles left, saying it is “a lot of missiles, but not what it was when we first attacked”.

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When asked to give a ballpark figure, he declines.

Nicole Wootton-Cane6 June 2026 11:31

Russia’s Sechin accuses US companies of benefitting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz

Rosneft Chief Executive Igor Sechin has said US energy companies are benefitting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and accused Washington of trying to change the fundamental contours of the global energy markets to suit US interests.

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Iran blockaded the Strait, the main route for about a fifth of world oil supplies and other vital goods including fertilisers, after the United States and ⁠Israel attacked Iran and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah ​Ali ⁠Khamenei in February. The US has blockaded Iranian ports.

The closues of the Strait has rattled global markets, sending oil prices to multi-year highs, stoking global inflation and undermining ⁠economic growth world-wide.

Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Mr Sechin, a long-standing ally ​of ⁠President Vladimir Putin, also said that the ‌OPEC+ group of leading oil producers has lost some of its potential with the withdrawal of the United Arab Emirates from the alliance.

“The closure of the Strait of Hormuz ‌is an attempt to reshape global energy market regulations to ‌benefit the United States. The measures taken to block the strait were aimed at Iran, but backfired on the entire world. The strategic risks were underestimated,” Mr Sechin said.

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“The main beneficiaries, of course, were American companies, who gained non-competitive ⁠advantages and the ability to secure high-cost supplies,” he added.

He warned that following Strait of Hormuz closure, other major global routes, such as Malacca, Bad El Mandeb and Gibraltar straits could also be under the risk of disruption.

Nicole Wootton-Cane6 June 2026 11:00

Watch: US forces down Iranian missiles targeting Kuwait and Bahrain

Nicole Wootton-Cane6 June 2026 10:30

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Iran World Cup players get US visas

Iran’s World Cup soccer players have received visas to enter the United ⁠States, a US official said days before their first match, but Iranian media said on Saturday that some administrative staff had not gotten their visas.

The White House official told Reuters on Friday, 10 days before Iran plays in Los Angeles, that the players had received their visas, after Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, said on Thursday that they had not received them.

A spokesman for Iran’s ⁠World Cup federation could not immediately be reached for comment.

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Nicole Wootton-Cane6 June 2026 10:00

Recap: US forces seize sanctioned supertanker in high-seas operation

US forces intercepted the sanctioned stateless oil tanker Davina overnight on Thursday in the Indian Ocean, the military’s Indo-Pacific Command announced on Friday.

It comes as part of Washington’s blockade on Iran’s sea trade, after Tehran fired on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and follows multiple US interdictions of commercial and oil tankers in the region recently.

“We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate,” the Indo-Pacific Command wrote in an X post.

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Nicole Wootton-Cane6 June 2026 09:30

In focus: How Iran’s ‘bazaar style’ negotiation tactic is stalling deal discussions to its benefit

Negotiations between the US and Iran over an end to the war on the country have been languishing in a stalemate for weeks as both sides remain intransigent about key issues including nuclear development and the situation in Lebanon.

The US is insistent that Tehran surrender its right to ever develop highly enriched uranium and appears to have been manoeuvring to install a government more sympathetic to Western interests.

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Meanwhile, Iran has said that it will never agree to a deal that does not ensure the sovereignty of Lebanon and its borders from Israel – with Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon continuing – and has insisted on its ability to hold on to some nuclear development capabilities.

This has likely not been helped by Iran’s particular “bazaar style” negotiation strategy, which aims to wear down its opponents.

Nicole Wootton-Cane6 June 2026 09:00

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Iran’s foreign minister hits back at Lebanon ‘bargaining chip’ claims

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has hit back at Lebanon’s president’s claims his country is being used as a “bargaining chip” in Tehran’s negotiations with Washington.

In a post on X, Mr Araghchi wrote the countries would have had a deal “long ago” had Lebanon been a bargaining chip for Iran.

“Save Lebanon from your real foe, Mr. President,” he added.

Nicole Wootton-Cane6 June 2026 08:30

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Several Lebanese soldiers killed in Israeli strike in southern Lebanon

Several Lebanese soldiers, including an officer, ⁠were killed in an Israeli ⁠strike ​targeting ⁠their military vehicle on ⁠the ​Khardali-Nabatieh road ⁠in ‌south Lebanon, the Lebanese army ‌said on ‌Saturday.

The Lebanese army ⁠has historically avoided involvement in confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel and ‌has ​not engaged Israel ‌in ⁠the current ⁠conflict.

It comes as fighting continues between Hezbollah and Israel in the south of the country.

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Nicole Wootton-Cane6 June 2026 08:00

Everything you need to know this morning

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know after the US said it downed six ballistic missiles aimed at Gulf states:

• The US military says it has downed six Iranian ballistic missiles launched towards its Gulf allies, while a seventh missile failed to reach its target

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• Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had targeted US bases and assets in Kuwait and Bahrain

• US forces later struck Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island along the strait “to defend against further attacks”

• No injuries have currently been reported

Nicole Wootton-Cane6 June 2026 07:30

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Watch: Trump says he does not need deal with Iran to get enriched uranium

Rachel Dobkin6 June 2026 07:00

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage

A woman is in a critical condition after suffering a suspected medical episode at the wheel prior to a crash in Wythenshawe.

Southmoor Road, between Floatshall Road and Royal Oak Road, was shut at around 10am on Friday (June 5) following the incident.

The driver of a white Ford Ka suffered a suspected medical episode at the wheel before hitting a vehicle in the opposite lane.

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An air ambulance was seen landing near the scene. The driver of the Ford, a woman in her 50s, was taken to hospital and remains in a life-threatening condition.

The force’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit is now appealing for anyone who saw the vehicle before the collision, witnessed the incident or caught it on dashcam footage to come forward.

In a full statement, the force said: “Our Serious Collision Investigation Unit are appealing for information following a collision yesterday (Friday 5 June 2026) on Southmoor Road, Wythenshawe at around 9:55am.

“One vehicle, a white Ford Ka, was seen driving along the road when the driver suffered a suspected medical episode and collided with a vehicle in the opposite lane.

“The driver of the Ford, aged in her 50s, was taken to hospital where she remains in life-threatening condition.

“Officers from the SCIU continue their investigation and are asking for anyone with information to please come forward.

“This includes anyone who saw the vehicle driving before the collision, witnessed the incident itself, or has dashcam footage of the incident.

“You can contact the SCIU directly on 0161 856 4741, contact the police on our Live Chat service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 925 of 05/06/2026.

“Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”

Across the UK thousands of dogs are searching for their forever homes after experiencing difficult starts in life.

Animal rescue centres and dedicated foster carers work tirelessly throughout the year to provide vulnerable dogs with the warmth, safety, and care they need, helping to prevent animals from ending up on the streets or facing euthanasia. While their efforts transform countless lives their ultimate goal is to find each dog a loving family where they can enjoy a happy and secure future.

Every rescue dog has its own story, personality, and challenges but each also offers the opportunity to welcome a loyal and rewarding companion into your home.

To help these deserving dogs find their perfect match rescue organisations have shared the stories of some of the pets currently waiting for adoption. You can find them all here

The works include repairs to the roof, replacing and restoring window glazing and frames, enhancing the metal work and the installation of LED lighting.

Moorgarth Retail Ltd have argued that the restoration work is needed and could work in conjunction with wider efforts to regenerate the town.

A design and access statement said: “Bolton Market Hall is Grade II listed because of its architectural and historic significance, particularly as a fine early example of Victorian civic market building.

“Its architectural interest lies primarily in the innovative use of cast iron and glass, which was impressive in the mid-nineteenth century.

A range of refurbishments have been approved (Image: Wardell Armstrong)

“The iron columns, roof trusses, and open hall layout of the internal structure also reflect early industrial engineering techniques, placing it firmly in the period of rapid industrial growth in which Bolton played a pivotal role.

“Bolton Market Hall has historic interest as an example of how municipal authorities invested in public infrastructure during the Industrial Revolution.

“It reflects Bolton’s growth as a major mill town, where markets were central to urban life and the local economy.

“Purpose-built covered markets like this were symbols of civic pride and modernity at the time, and it has long been a focal point of Bolton town centre, contributing to the character and identity of the area. Its survival, largely intact and unaltered, adds to its heritage value.”

The refurbishment plans were received and validated by Bolton Council on Friday February 13 this year.

A letter of objection was received raising concerns about the works being carried out during nighttime hours, but council officers said this was not a material planning issue.

The council’s heritage officer was consulted on the plans and said there were no objections to the proposed refurbishment.

A report said: “The works to this Grade II listed building amount to more than just repairs but on the whole they are very welcomed.

“The works would have a neutral to positive impact.”

Bolton Council announced on Tuesday June 2 that the plans had been approved.

Rylan Clark often invites his mother Linda on to his BBC Radio 2 show, but on one appearance she begged her son to “stop” as he told his listeners an “embarrassing” anecdote

Radio presenter Rylan Clark is renowned for having an extremely close relationship with his mum Linda. But she recently begged him to “stop” after he exposed an “embarrassing” moment live on air.

Rylan often invites his mum to appear on his BBC Radio 2 show on Saturdays. On one such occasion Rylan told a hilarious anecdote about the events leading up to a family wedding.

Linda was attending their cousin Christopher’s nuptials and had a very specific request for her son on the day of the wedding. Rylan shared the request with his Radio 2 listeners, causing Linda to beg him to “stop” before he shared the “embarrassing” moment.

As Rylan started to share the story, Linda said: “No, stop it’s embarrassing.” Rylan disagreed, saying: “It’s not embarrassing, I think it’s quite fun.”

He continued: “I want to prelude this with ‘we’re very normal’. This is the world my mum lives in. So she’s going to a wedding yesterday, our cousin Christopher, congratulations to the pair of them.

“And she goes: ‘Are you near a Chanel?’ And I go: ‘I’m at the flat at the minute, what’s wrong?’ ‘You can’t pop in there and pick me up a gold bag?’ I said: ‘Sorry?’ And she went: ‘Yeah, like a little one you bought me last year.’ And I say: ‘The black one that you never use?’ And I say: ‘Sorry, mum do you know how much a Chanel bag costs?’”

Linda then begged her son not to finish the story, saying: “Please don’t tell everyone.”

But Rylan wouldn’t be stopped, as he added: “I think you’re under the impression they just dish them out on the street.” He couldn’t resist ending the anecdote with a joke, quipping that Linda is “letting this Radio 2 and Gogglebox thing go to your head”.

Rylan shot to fame on the X Factor in 2012, when he came fifth. He has since gone on to star on a number of television programmes, including Celebrity Big Brother which he won the following year.

Alongside his BBC Radio 2 show, his other credits include This Morning, Eurovision, the rebooted Supermarket Sweep and Strictly Come Dancing’s spin off It Takes Two.

Rylan has often spoken of his extremely close relationship with his mother, and this was perhaps illustrated by another anecdote on his radio show.

Kicking off the segment, the presenter said: “It’s time to catch up with the woman who pretty much woke me up this morning.

“I was already awake, but what I mean by woke me up is came through my front door like a bulldozer screaming that your car weren’t working.”

Catch Rylan and his mum Linda on Celebrity Gogglebox tonight (Saturday, June 6) from 12.05am to 1.05am on Channel 4.