By Jeremy Armstrong in Kansas City

Two of England’s most loyal fans have offered a US ‘survival’ guide for our supporters. Andy Milne, 63, and Garford Beck, 64, have attended 20 World Cups between them. Andy, of Northwich, Cheshire, became so famous after being spotted in the England crowd at Qatar with a replica of the Jules Rimet trophy that he was nicknamed ‘That World Cup Guy’.

He has just released a book of the same name based on his travels to nine previous tournaments. Garford, 64, of London, also at his 10th World Cup, will feature in ITV adverts seen by millions during commercial breaks of their coverage. This follows the Mirror’s report on his incredible exploits following England around the world.

Andy first travelled to Spain for the 1982 World Cup – and kept going even after all his belongings were stolen. He said: “In the early days I had to save money. For Germany in 2006, I had a mattress in the back of the car and I used to sleep in that. I would drive to a campsite to wash my clothes there and have a shower every morning because it was very hot.

“I didn’t take a sleeping bag, I just had a thick double duvet. Later on, I would travel with a tent.” Andy, who put his second £350,000 home on the market to fund his trip to the US, added: “If I couldn’t camp then I would use an Airbnb with mates.”

Garford, a civil servant, still has an England ticket from 1973 autographed by Alan Ball and memorabilia from a lifetime of following England. He said: “My first game was against England in 1972 with my dad and looking back it was the beginning of the end for Sir Alf Ramsey.

“That shows how long I have been a fan! Nowadays I would advise fans to keep in touch on social media, team up with people on the road where and look at cheap modes of transport and accommodation. On the first night in Samara, Russia, at the 2018 World Cup, we ended up in a school dorm. Then FIFA laid on a free train.

“In America, I am going to take a Greyhound bus from Dallas to Boston which will take 40 hours. It is £135 with three changes but it will be a real experience and give me time to think and see parts of America that I would never have seen otherwise.

“You leave at 3.15am which may not be very comfortable, but I am going to Nashville and New York before Boston, and through Memphis, Jackson, Knoxville, and Charlottesville. That is what you will remember: the places and the people.”

A licensing application has been submitted to Hartlepool Borough Council for the fast food restaurant at The Lanyard near Hartlepool Marina.

Submitted by Alderforce North Limited, it seeks to secure the site permission to serve “late night refreshment”, which is needed to offer hot food and hot drinks between 11pm and 5am, until 2am each day.

Currently the eatery closes at 11pm – meaning no licence is needed for its operation.

The proposals describe the site as a “quick service restaurant with dining in, takeaway, drive-through and delivery facilities” and state it will now look to open from 9am until 2pm seven days a week.

Its current operating hours, for both the eat-in restaurant and the drive-through, are 10.30am until 11pm each day, while it offers delivery via various online apps and websites until 10.45pm.

The application outlines how various measures will be in place to ensure no issues arise at the site and licensing objectives are complied with.

This includes CCTV being operational at all times, providing litter bins which are emptied at regular intervals and ensuring facilities are designed “to prevent the transmission of audible noise or perceptible vibration”.

The application adds the provision of late night refreshment at the fast food restaurant would take place both indoors and outdoors.

Any objections to the application must be made in writing to: The Licensing Team, Hartlepool Borough Council, Civic Centre, Victoria Road, Hartlepool, TS24 8AY or via email to  licensing@hartlepool.gov.uk.

This must be done no later than June 24, 2026.

The man required hospital treatment after he was bitten by a large, brown mastiff-type dog in Doncaster Road, Selby at approximately 8.55am on Sunday (June 7).

North Yorkshire Police said the animal was one of a pair of dogs walked by a man aged around 40, who was wearing a black sweatshirt and black trousers.

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The man, who is also said to have had a black terrier dog with him, denied that any attack had taken place and possibly left along Green Lane.

A force spokesperson said: “Police would like to speak with the owner of the dogs.”

Officers are keen to hear from anyone who saw anything at the time, has home cameras in the area, or was driving in the area with an active dashcam.

If you have any further information to help police with their investigation, please email mark.burrows@northyorkshire.police.uk.    

Alternatively, you can call North Yorkshire Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.

Please quote reference 12260105057 when passing on information.

​Louise and Adrian Wilson, who run award-winning Wilsons Food Hall in Seamer, plan to turn the Newby and Scalby Community Hall into Wilsons Food & Community Hall, a go-to destination for all ages, backgrounds and abilities.

​Local residents have said that the “loss of this hall would be a major blow to the community” and the proposed sale has been raised with the Charity Commission by a member of Scarborough Town Council.

​This week, the trustees of Newby and Scalby Community Hall Trust announced the successful bid, following an informal tender, for the Community Hall building, which they said would secure the future of the Trust and create new opportunities to support the local community.

​The building was listed for £300,000 on Rightmove, and while the Trust has said that any money generated will remain within the Trust and will be “managed responsibly and transparently”, residents have claimed they were not consulted about the proposed sale.

(Image: Pic supplied)

​The plans have sparked a row in the community and an ‘urgent’ meeting, attended by more than 100 residents,  was held on Thursday, June 11.

Local resident Fiona Mullane, who attended the “very fruitful meeting”, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “Things seem to be moving rather too quickly, but the trustees seem eager to pursue this, even though they know the local strength of feeling.”

She added: “We need to save the hall, and to pursue a sale is fundamentally wrong.”

​Mr Wilson said: “We are delighted to have successfully won the bid and tender to purchase the Newby and Scalby Community Hall (subject to contract).

​“The trust has been very clear in their requirements to make sure that the village hall continues to be a go-to community destination fit for the future, accommodating as many community-based activities as possible.”

​The 4,000 sq ft hall was previously run by Scarborough Borough Council before ownership was transferred to the trust.

​Chris Clark, an elected member of Scarborough Town Council, has urged the Charity Commission to investigate the sale and to review concerns about potential conflict of interest and whether best value was obtained.

​Cllr Clark said: “In conjunction with this plan, the trustees have started a new charity, too recent to have released a financial update, that, amongst other things, intends to ‘Make Grants To Organisations’.

​“The result would seem to be that the hall will be lost to the Newby and Scalby Community, and no one has any idea of who would be the recipients of these grants.”

​He added that there had been “little communication with community stakeholders” and asked the regulator whether it had received “any complaints or opened any case relating to this charity?”.

​New members of the Newby and Scalby Community Hall Trust said that they when they joined in 2024, they inherited “a number of significant challenges, including property registration matters, increasing compliance obligations and the need for further investment in the ageing building”.

​In a statement issued on Tuesday, the trust added: “Following a detailed review of the charity’s position and after taking professional advice, the trustees concluded that selling the hall building was the most responsible way to protect the charity’s assets and ensure its long-term future.”

​Louise Wilson said: “We’re passionate about creating strong community spaces that people can feel proud of.

(Image: Pic supplied)

​”Wilsons Food Hall is highly valued by local residents – and we want to replicate that in Scalby.

​“Our vision is to expand even further our involvement within the community, and learn from all the engaging and supporting activities and projects already implemented within the Seamer village and its surroundings.

​“The hall will continue to serve as a base for local clubs while also hosting food-related events, community meals, educational workshops and social gatherings.

​”And we want to improve and upgrade the facilities of the hall to provide showering and washing facilities for local sports clubs, such as the Scalby tennis and bowls clubs, giving them a provision similar to that of a clubhouse.”

​

It comes as statistics highlight the issue, with 31,558 domestic abuse incidents recorded by police in Northern Ireland

A “leading voice” in research into ending violence against women and girls has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

Ulster University academic Dr Susan Lagdon was singled out for her “exceptional contribution to advancing understanding and prevention of gender-based violence in Northern Ireland”.

It comes as statistics highlight the issue, with 31,558 domestic abuse incidents recorded by police in Northern Ireland in the year to March 31 2026, an increase of 6.1% on the previous year.

Seven women were killed in domestic homicides during the same period.

Dr Lagdon’s work, which includes a particular expertise in coercive control, is credited with having played a transformative role in shaping regional responses, influencing policy development, and elevating public awareness of gender-based violence.

Her Every Voice Matters: Violence Against Women in Northern Ireland report, commissioned by The Executive Office, draws on the lived experiences of more than 540 women to explore the prevalence and impact of under-reporting of violence.

She built on that work by developing the Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (HSKT) Coercive Control public awareness campaign, with support and collaboration from colleagues at the university and from The Executive Office.

It is accompanied by in-person training and a HSKT toolkit for professionals, and has been described as having strengthened public understanding of coercive control while enhancing the capacity of organisations and practitioners to respond effectively.

Dr Lagdon said it is a “tremendous honour to receive this recognition and to see the work acknowledged in such a meaningful way”.

“Violence against women and girls remains one of the most pressing challenges facing our society, impacting individuals, families, and wider communities,” she said.

“The progress we have made has only been possible through the dedication of so many people.

“Research, collaboration, and strong partnerships have been at the heart of our efforts to drive change and make a difference.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together and deeply grateful for the support, commitment, and shared purpose that have made this work and recognition possible.”

Professor Paul Bartholomew, vice-chancellor of Ulster University, hailed the recognition as “richly deserved”.

“Her pioneering research and steadfast commitment to tackling gender-based violence have already made a real and lasting difference across Northern Ireland,” he said.

“Through her work she is ensuring that evidence informs action, and she is giving a voice to those who need support in order to live safe and fulfilling lives.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

‘I love being part of such a helpful, professional, hard-working and happy team at UTV’

One of the longest-serving newscasters in the UK has said she feels “privileged” to have been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours.

UTV newsreader Rose Neill, 68, paid tribute to her “professional, hard-working and happy” colleagues as she was made an MBE for her services to broadcasting and to charity.

Neill is a veteran of broadcasting, being a presence on TV screens across Northern Ireland for more than four decades.

She began her career in 1977 as a children’s television presenter on UTV, and later moved to a role as a newscaster.

In 1985 she became an anchor for BBC Northern Ireland, going on to be one of its longest-serving newsreaders in her tenure that lasted until 2008.

In 2014 Neill joined Paul Clark in presenting UTV Live, describing the network then as her “television home”.

The broadcaster is also the honorary vice-patron of Cancer Focus Northern Ireland and the chairwoman of the Riding for the Disabled Association in Northern Ireland.

Neill said she was “genuinely surprised and grateful” to have been included in the recognition.

“I have learned so much from some wonderful colleagues in television news over 49 years at both UTV and the BBC,” she said.

“I have also been inspired by lots of genuine people in various charitable organisations over the years.

“I love being part of such a helpful, professional, hard-working and happy team at UTV.

“Collectively, they deserve a great deal of credit themselves.

“My sons and sister and my dear friends have supported me during my career.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The crash was reported on the M6 close to junction 30 with the M61 near Preston on the evening of Friday June 12.

Members of the public reported passing what appeared to be the scene of the accident at just after 7pm that evening.

Travel service Inrix said: “Slow traffic and three lanes closed due to accident on the M6 Northbound at J30 M61.”

Emergency services were on the scene (Image: Public)

Images from the scene appear to show emergency services including police traffic officers attending the motorway.

They appear to show a badly damaged car that seems to have crashed into the central reservation of the motorway.

A car was reportedly badly damaged (Image: Public)

Members of the public have been advised to always take care when using busy motorways.

Anyone with any further information or concerns can call police on 101 or 999 in the event of an emergency.

Stacey Williams appeared at Greenock Sheriff Court charged with a hate crime.

A woman has appeared in court charged with a hate crime after a protest outside a hotel in Greenock that has been used to house asylum seekers.

Stacey Williams, 32, appeared at a private hearing at Greenock Sheriff Court on Friday accused of an offence under the Hate Crime and Public Order Act.

She was committed for further examination and was granted bail, and will appear again at a later date. She did not submit a plea.

Police previously said two other people were arrested and issued with fixed-penalty notices for anti-social behaviour during the protest, which took place in the Inverclyde town on Wednesday. The force said three officers sustained minor injuries after items were thrown at them and two police vehicles were damaged.

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Anti-immigration demonstrations have been held in several places across Scotland this week after Monday’s stabbing in north Belfast. The protest in Greenock is understood to have taken place outside the Holiday Inn Express hotel, which has been used to house asylum seekers.

Police Scotland Chief Superintendent Rhona Fraser said on Thursday: “We understand the concerns people have about their communities and will always balance the right to freedom of expression with the need to tackle crime without fear or favour.

“Officers were attacked and police vehicles were damaged. I strongly condemn that violence and there is no place for it in Scotland.”

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Police Scotland said officers continue to be in local areas and are engaged with communities to show support and listen to concerns.

The incident comes following this week’s protests in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ayr, after a stabbing attack on Monday night in North Belfast.

Stephen Ogilvie, who has links to Scotland, is currently in hospital with serious injuries following a horrific knife attack on Belfast’s Kinnaird Avenue. The 44-year-old remains in a serious condition in hospital and is being treated for severe injuries, including the loss of one of his eyes.

Hadi Alodid, 30, has since appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court charged with attempted murder. Alodid, a Sudanese national, was also charged over threats to kill an NHS radiographer and possession of a knife.

He has been remanded in custody after making no reply to charges put to him. Angry protests have spawned across the UK following the horror ordeal.

On Tuesday, police disclosed further details regarding Alodid’s immigration status and his journey to the UK. He crossed into Northern Ireland via the Irish border in February 2023, having flown into Dublin from Paris.

Upon arrival, the suspect lodged an asylum claim and was subsequently granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028 in September 2023. Three men, aged 31, 18 and 18 were arrested and charged in connection with various offences in Glasgow during the recent action.

Two officers were injured and three members of the public were injured, all in Glasgow.

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Merthyr Tydfil is currently on track with its target of bringing 7% of empty properties back into use each year

A Welsh council is on track to meet its target for bringing empty properties back into use.

Merthyr Tydfil council has a target in its Empty Property Strategy 2022–2026 to bring 7% of empty properties back into use each year with a specific target being to bring 200 back into use by the end of the period covered by the strategy.

Figures in a report to the council’s Thriving scrutiny committee show that in 2022-23 there were 582 long-term empty properties in Merthyr Tydfil of which 41 (7.04%) were brought back into use.

In 2023-24 there were 529 long-term empty properties in Merthyr Tydfil of which 39 (7.37%) were brought back into use.

In 2024-25 there were 539 long-term empty properties in Merthyr Tydfil of which 43 (8%) were brought back into use.

And in 2025-26 there were 479 long-term empty properties in Merthyr Tydfil of which 47 (9.8%) were brought back into use.

The report says performance has met or exceeded the 7% annual aim in each year of the strategy to date and that overall delivery remains consistent with achieving the 200 property target by the end of the strategy period.

In 2025-26 the council used 46 interventions which helped bring properties back into use including 25 related to financial assistance (grants), 15 interventions involving advice and guidance, two involving enforcement action, two related to leasing schemes, and two direct interventions through council tax.

The National Empty Property Grant Scheme is administered by Rhondda Cynon Taf on behalf of participating local authorities including Merthyr Tydfil.

The scheme launched in 2023–24 with a maximum grant value of £25,000.

Under the original design of the scheme the council contributed a 10% match-funding element.

But the Welsh Government has confirmed that, for applications approved after April 1, 2026, local authorities will no longer be required to provide the 10% match-funding element (except for applications approved before that date). Stay informed on everything Merthyr Tydfil by signing up to our newsletter here.

The Welsh Government has also confirmed an extension of the National Empty Homes Grants scheme until September 2026.

In Merthyr Tydfil 10 grants were approved in 2025-26 and 12 grants were completed.

So far, since 2023-24, Merthyr has paid out ££522,863.60 in grant funding on 22 completed applications.

The total amount of 10% match funding paid into the scheme by the council so far is £52,286.36

The current number of applications approved before April 1, 2026, which are awaiting completion is 13.

The maximum match funding contribution for Merthyr Tydfil council is £32,500.

When it comes to enforcement activity around complaints in 2025-26 there were 27 complaints received about empty properties.

There were 17 site visits, 11 notices served, the number of works in default was six, and the number of complaints referred from environmental health to planning was three.