“To be targeted in this manner is disappointing.”

Sectarian graffiti was daubed on the gates of a Co Antrim GAA club overnight in an incident being treated as a hate crime by police.

The graffiti appeared at Rasharkin GAA in the early hours of Sunday morning, June 7, and read ‘GSTK’, which is believed to mean ‘God save the King.’ Another piece of writing reads ‘REM1690’, an apparent reference to the Battle of the Boyne.

Posting a statement on social media, Rasharkin GAA expressed its disappointment at the incident. A spokesperson for the club said: “St Mary’s Rasharkin GAC is aware of graffiti sprayed onto the club gates overnight.

“To be targeted in this manner is disappointing. Sectarian graffiti is wrong in any setting and should be condemned. Our club is proud to provide an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds to enjoy Gaelic Games in the village.

“It is particularly disappointing that this incident comes during a weekend where hundreds of our young people have been busy enjoying our games.”

Local Sinn Féin councillor, Leanne Peacock, said the incident was carried out by “faceless thugs,” describing the incident as a “digusting sectarian attack.”

Police confirmed they are treating the incident as a sectarian hate crime. A PSNI spokesperson said: “We are treating this as a hate crime and enquiries are ongoing.

“We are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time and has any information, including CCTV or other footage that could assist with the investigation, to contact police on the 101 number, quoting reference 613 07/06/2026.”

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Sear, who is the resident baker on the ITV show, told fans on Instagram that her father had “unexpectedly” passed away.

Sharing a tribute to her dad, the This Morning star said, “Sad news… this week we lost my wonderful dad, George, unexpectedly.

“I can’t believe it. The original BanterSaurusRex.

“Dad was a brilliant engineer and had such a sense of humour, loved music, he was generous and such a character!!

“He’s always been there for us and especially for me.

“By my side from helping me every day when I had baby George and couldn’t cope, to helping in my bakery every day.

“We were there for each other constantly everyday whether it was on FaceTime (thankfully he was good with his iPad!)

“Or me doing his weekly Ocado, even though he could do it himself.

“He liked to do it together just to talk. Even though he would drive me nuts sometimes.

“I could tell he was fully aware of what was in stock and would get me to check on FaceTime together!”

This Morning star shares heartbreak as dad suddenly dies

The baker is married to Simon Sear and is the mother of actor George Sear, known for his roles on CBBC and Disney Channel.

The pair also have two daughters with actress Ruby and artist Lydia.

Ending her tribute to her late dad, Sear wrote, “I will miss him terribly, I can’t believe it.

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“He was absolutely devoted to our kids, George, Lydia and Ruby. I am sure our brother Phillip will be saving you a bar stool in heaven, Dad, squashy bondger! Xxx”

Friends of the This Morning star shared their thoughts in the comments, as Loose Women host Ruth Langsford said, “I’m so sorry for your loss, Juliet…your Dad was obviously a wonderful man.”

Dermot O’Leary wrote, “So sorry for your loss, Juliet.”

AN episode of a TV show will shine a light on a project helping families with the cost-of-living crisis.

Peter and Noni Farrelly will feature in Channel 4’s popular show, Narrow Escapes, about life on Britain’s waterways.

The pair, who live in a narrowboat, are co-founders of Growbaby, an international charity providing free, high-quality clothing for babies and young children.

In the episode, which will be featured in the new series of Narrow Escapes currently running on Channel 4, viewers will see how the charity operates at its project in Kirkcaldy, Scotland.

Collection of Growbaby clothes in York. Photo supplied

At Growbaby’s sister organisation in York, volunteers say the need for free clothing for younger children is greater than ever, adding that people from all over the city are welcome to use the service, run out of the York Vineyard Church in Fawcett Street, near the Barbican Centre.

Heather Pearce is one of a team of volunteers with Growbaby York.

She told The Press: “We aim to provide a welcoming, accepting space for people in our community who are in need of clothes for children aged 0–5 years.

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“Growbaby York is not just about providing baby clothes for those who need them, but also about providing a place of community. A place where parents, carers and grandparents can come and browse the clothes, feel connected with their community, build relationships and experience a sense of belonging.”

Growbaby York – providing quality clothing for free to under fives. Photo supplied

Timna Bennett, of the York Vineyard Church, added: “At the heart of Growbaby York is a simple aim: that no child would go without. The initiative does this by providing good-quality new and pre-loved clothing for under-5s completely free of charge to families across York, regardless of income, background or faith.”

Since launching around four years ago, the project has gradually gained momentum.

Earlier this year, Growbaby York moved into a new shop-style space within the York Vineyard Church.

Timna said as families continued to face rising living costs, the team recognised that the challenges of raising young children were often not only financial.

Caring for babies and toddlers could be an isolating experience, and Growbaby York sought to provide both practical support and meaningful connection, she said.

“By making the service available to everyone, regardless of circumstances, the project hopes to remove any stigma around asking for help and accessing support,” she said.

“Volunteers carefully ensure that all clothing is in excellent condition, reflecting their belief that every family should be treated with dignity and understand their worth.”

York Vineyard Church in Fawcett Street

Growbaby York currently opens on the second and fourth Friday of each month from 10am until 12pm at York Vineyard Church on Fawcett Street (YO10 4AH). No referral is required.

The project is part of the wider Growbaby International network, founded in 2003 by Peter and Noni.

It began with a vision to support local families in need, regardless of income, faith or background.

Today, there are more than 40 Growbaby initiatives serving communities across the UK and beyond.

Watch Narrow Escapes on Channel 4 and on catch-up – www.channel4.com/programmes/narrow-escapes

Manchester City players Erling Haaland and Rodri are both subjects of reported transfer interest from Real Madrid this summer

Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme has lost the election to Florentino Perez despite promising to sign Erling Haaland, meaning the Spanish club are unlikely to continue their hostile approach for the striker.

Riquelme said during his campaign that Haaland “has a release clause and would like to join Real Madrid”, but Manchester City called the claim “untrue” and said they are “considering legal action”. The player’s father, Alf-Inge, and his agent, Rafaela Pimenta, also released a joint statement saying it is “not true”.

The businessman also claimed to have spoken with Rodri‘s agent, Pablo Barquero, about a move. Riquelme said: “If I’m president, he will play for Madrid, I will do everything possible.”

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Perez, however, remains in power after winning 64.8% of the popular vote compared to his opponent’s 35.2%. He has promised to make a club-record offer of at least £130million for a player on Tuesday, but that is understood to be Michael Olise, rather than Haaland or Rodri.

City strongly responded to the speculation about their striker’s future. Their statement says: “The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue.

“There is no chance of this happening, and there is no contractual clause to enable it. We are considering legal action for the use of our player image in this context.”

Haaland Snr and Pimenta also clarified the situation, saying: “All very entertaining but NOT true. We wish all the best for both candidates in the Real Madrid elections.”

There was little response from City or his agent to the claims about Rodri. However, these comments came days after the player said he would not be focusing on his future until after the World Cup.

He said after joining up with the Spain national team: “I understand there might be some noise, but for me, I’m obviously going to focus on the World Cup. I’m not going to dedicate my time to that, and then after the World Cup, let’s see.”

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Rodri will be in the final year of his City contract by then. The club have made their midfielder multiple offers of an extension, but he has yet to agree to a new deal, despite internal confidence that Rodri will remain.

Perez reportedly admires the player, but when asked about those claims in March, he said: “I don’t know – they don’t talk to me directly. They’d talk to my agent.”

Despite previously playing for Atletico Madrid, Rodri did not rule out representing their rivals. He said: “There have been many players who’ve gone down that path. Not immediately, but over time. For me, you can’t turn down the best clubs in the world.”

Rory McIlroy took home double what Shane Lowry earned

Rory McIlroy collected twice the prize money of his close friend Shane Lowry despite finishing in a tie for 12th at the rain-affected Memorial Tournament.

Tommy Fleetwood surrendered a one-shot advantage to finish fourth in Ohio, as JT Poston claimed the title. The third round at Muirfield Village was forced to spill over into Sunday morning, yet Poston’s four-shot lead quickly disappeared as Fleetwood’s eagle at the 15th hole propelled the Englishman into the leading position heading into the closing stages.

However, a dropped shot two holes later proved damaging, and Fleetwood could only watch on as Poston and Ryan Gerard finished two strokes clear on 12 under par, before Poston maintained his nerve to prevail after two play-off holes.

The early focus in Ohio had been squarely on Masters champion McIlroy and world number one Scottie Scheffler, who was attempting to match Tiger Woods’ impressive feat of winning this prestigious tournament three times in succession.

Ultimately, both McIlroy and Scheffler had to settle for a share of 12th place, finishing on four under after carding final rounds of 68 and 71 respectively. Both collected cheques worth over £301,000 – double what Lowry earned for finishing in a tie for 22nd, reports the Irish Mirror.

Saturday’s action was halted with Poston and Gerard level on nine under at the sixth green, though Poston increased his total to 12 under once the third round concluded on Sunday morning. Gerard sat four shots adrift, while Sam Burns occupied third place on seven under, with Fleetwood and American Wyndham Clark completing the top five on six under.

McIlroy had come out of the gates firing with three consecutive birdies in his final round, yet trouble lay ahead as Poston held his nerve until a dramatic back nine ensued. A birdie from Burns at the ninth and a bogey from Poston cranked up the pressure, and soon enough a four-way tie at the summit emerged before Fleetwood’s eagle at the 15th.

The lead proved short-lived as Clark drew level with Fleetwood on 11 under, before a bogey from the Englishman saw him post a 68 to finish on 10 under.

Gerard moved clear on his own with a stunning 37-foot putt, but Poston kept his cool on the 18th with a birdie to force a play-off.

The 482-yard par-four 18th hole was selected for the play-off and while both players made par at the first attempt, Gerard took five shots on the second occasion, allowing Poston to clinch his first victory of 2026.

Memorial Tournament prize money

Winner: J.T. Poston $4 million

2. Ryan Gerard $2.2 million

3. Wyndham Clark $1.4 million

T4. Tommy Fleetwood $920,000

T4. Sam Burns $920,000

T6. Alex Fitzpatrick $730,000

T6. Kristoffer Reitan $730,000

8. Eric Cole $646,000

9. Alex Noren $600,000

T10. Si Woo Kim $535,000

T10. Maverick McNealy $535,000

T12. Adam Scott $401,800

T12. Rory McIlroy $401,800

T12. Justin Rose $401,800

T12. Scottie Scheffler $401,800

T12. J.J. Spaun $401,800

T17. Patrick Cantlay $319,000

T17. Harris English $319,000

T19. Aaron Rai $269,333.34

T19. Justin Thomas $269,333.34

T19. Keegan Bradley $269,333.34

T22. Bud Cauley $200,200

T22. Matt Kuchar $200,200

T22. Russell Henley $200,200

T22. Shane Lowry $200,200

T22. Kurt Kitayama $200,200

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A diver who filmed an incredibly rare encounter with a Great White shark in the Mediterranean Sea in May has described the moment as “pretty special”.

“The shark was pretty close to us […] And in fact my fingers were trembling when I was trying to get the camera operating,” volunteer diver Derk Remmers told the BBC.

It is thought overfishing has contributed to driving the species to near extinction in the Mediterranean.

Scientists say people should not be concerned as the shark, believed to be an adult male, was spotted many miles offshore between Tunisia and Sicily.

Conservationists said they hoped the sighting may encourage governments to create marine protected areas in Mediterranean waters.

Divers working for the NGO Healthy Seas captured the footage whilst diving to highlight the problem of so-called “ghost fishing nets”.

The family have lived in Britain since 2022 but must leave after changes to the visa rules.

A mum has begged the Home Office not to tear her family apart after she and her three children were given just a fortnight to leave the UK.

Teaching assistant Chamila Dilrakshi and her kids face being deported to Sri Lanka, even though her husband is allowed to stay. The family has lived in the UK since 2022, but changes to visa rules that came into effect under the Tories mean they are set to be removed from the country, reports the Mirror.

Chamila, 45, was horrified to be told the family must leave despite coming to the UK legally four years ago. She said: “It’s a shocking moment. My children have got their friends and they got all the relationships here. It’s a big stressful moment for them. I feel like it’s now my children’s home is the UK because we never been to Sri Lanka after we arrived in 2022.”

And she continued: “My husband can work here and stay here, it’s only me and my children has to leave. So how can I separate my children from their father?

“It will cause harm for their mental well-being. We are legal migrants, we did everything in a correct way.” Chamila urged the Home Office to consider the contribution she and her family has made to the community before removing them.

Their local MP, Lib Dem Victoria Collins, explained how her office had been flooded with messages of support for Chamila and husband Rasika Samarasinghe, 46.

She said: “The community have absolutely rallied around. We talk about the need to have an immigration system that’s fair, that supports our nation. This is absolutely not what this system needs to be.

“I have never been so angry.” And Ms Collins, MP for Harpenden and Berkhamsted, continued: “The Home Secretary has to review how this has become a hostile environment which is pushing away people who are helping our elderly, who are helping our kids.

“We have three wonderful children who are now thriving in this community. This is not the immigration system that is supporting our country, and it’s certainly not supporting our communities either.”

The family moved to the UK when Rasika came to study a Master’s at Northumbria University. He has since started a job as a care worker at a home near their home in Hertfordshire and was granted a visa in March this year after finding a care home to sponsor his stay, but has since found out his family does not have permission to remain.

Rasika was permitted to bring his family to the UK, but a visa crackdown to drive down net migration has seen stricter rules put in place around dependents.

The family is appealing the decision. Until March 2024, people with care worker visas were allowed to bring their partners and children to the UK, but dependents were barred from obtaining visas by the Tories before the general election.

One message, said: “Chamila is a hard working, kind, caring person – exactly the type of person we need to be attracting to work with our young children in schools.

“I cannot understand why a family that came to the UK legally, applying correctly in advance of arriving here, following all the rules on renewing their visa when necessary, working hard, being law abiding and contributing towards the UK economy are being treated so appallingly.”

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Migrant support groups have voiced anger over visa changes affecting care workers. Fizza Qureshi, the chief executive of Migrants’ Rights Network, last week told The Guardian: “Migrant care workers continually bear the brunt of this government’s disdain for migrants. Nobody should be forced into a decision to either leave their livelihood or be separated from their families. The government really needs to grow a heart and treat migrant workers who are the foundations of our health and care systems, with more respect.”

The Home Office said it cannot comment on individual cases. But a spokesman said: “We will always welcome those who contribute to this country and wish to build a better life here. But we must restore order and control to our borders.

“We have set out plans for the biggest legal migration reforms in a generation, addressing the challenges caused by unprecedented levels of migration under the previous government.

“It is a privilege not a right to settle in the UK and it must be earned, rewarding contribution and those who play by the rules.”

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The summer window is fast approaching as Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham all attempt to get some significant early deals over the line before the World Cup. Arsenal are said to have agreed a deal for Leicester wonderkid Jeremy Monga, while PSG’s Emmanuel Mbemba is believed to favour a move to the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners continue to be linked with the likes of Morgan Rogers, Julian Alvarez, Eli Junior Kroupi and Morgan Gibbs-White, though Dani Olmo looks to be remaining at Barcelona.

Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly poised to announce a ban on social media for under-16s within the next 10 days as the children’s tsar called for an extension to cover teenagers up to 18 years old.

The prime minister is said to be preparing to unveil plans to restrict children’s online activity to protect them from harmful content, following a nationwide consultation that closed last month.

London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has already thrown his weight behind the proposal, saying tech firms must prove their services are safe for children or face a ban on being available to under-16s.

Ministers have been mulling evidence from Australia, which imposed a blanket ban in December. The Sun on Sunday reported the UK clampdown will exclude a number of apps.

Asked about the reports on Monday, skills minister Baroness Jacqui Smith said the government is considering evidence from its consultation and will bring forward proposals before summer recess.

But the minister did not confirm a full ban would be implemented, and told Sky News: “This isn’t as clear cut as some people like to think it is, which is exactly why the government has taken the approach it’s taken.”

“We need to pick here is what is going to be most effective for protecting young people from the bad sides of social media, which I think all of us accept are there.

“That might mean going further than, for example, the social media ban in Australia went on certain functionalities. It might mean saying that there are certain things which should definitely be banned. There’s consideration about what age any ban would happen at.”

It comes as the children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza proposed any ban should cover 16- and 17-year-olds, who she said should not have “lesser protection”.

“We need action to address technology companies’ unfettered access to children, often through features designed in ways that increase harm,” Dame Rachel told The Telegraph.

Sir Keir is to announce the plans in a speech ahead of the Makerfield by-election on 18 June, when Labour leadership rival Andy Burnham will learn whether his path has been cleared to return to Westminster and challenge the prime minister. Downing Street declined to comment.