The historic route, first opened to passenger steam trains in 1876, will be celebrated with a series of special journeys operated by heritage rail operator, The Railway Touring Company.

The Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle & Carlisle Line. (Image: The Railway Touring Company)

Its popular summer service, The Waverley, will run on four dates – July 19, August 9 and 23, and September 13 – departing from York as well as Leeds, Keighley and Skipton. Booking is required.

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The trips will see passengers travel the full length of the iconic line behind a steam locomotive, with the outward and return journeys both steam-hauled. Travellers will also have time to explore Carlisle, including its castle and cathedral, before returning.

The Settle & Carlisle Railway is widely regarded as one of the UK’s most scenic routes, taking in landmarks such as Ribblehead Viaduct, Blea Moor Tunnel and views of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, as well as steep climbs to Ais Gill and Dent.

The Railway Touring Company has run the service each summer since 2010, bringing thousands of passengers to the route.

York dates for Settle & Carlisle railway 150th steam trains have been revealed. (Image: The Railway Touring Company)

Kelly Osborne, managing director of the company, said: The Settle & Carlisle Railway is an experience on many people’s bucket list.

“Taking the journey by steam is the icing on the cake with passengers young and old never failing to be excited by the combination of a magnificent steam locomotive and this dramatic route.”

This year’s trains are expected to be hauled by Battle of Britain Class locomotive No. 34067 Tangmere, built in 1947.

Alongside the excursions, organisations including the Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company and the Settle Carlisle Railway Trust are planning additional events to mark the anniversary.

More information and booking details are available at railwaytouring.net.

She has a hit on her hands with her memoir Feeling Fabulous and is poised to follow it up in the future.

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Ruth Langsford is set to put pen to paper again with more writing about her life – once her divorce is settled.

The TV host released hardback Feeling Fabulous in February and it was an instant bestseller. It is thought publishers are keen for a follow up and would also welcome an extra chapter for the paperback version of the book in the future.

In an interview with OK! Magazine, Ruth was asked about a follow up and said “Watch this space”. She added: “Writing is something that I hadn’t really considered as part of my career plan but I really enjoyed the process of talking through the topics that we’d cover, of re-reading the chapters and tweaking parts.

“Reading the audio book was a little strange, reading your own words out loud. I found parts of that very emotional but overall I loved the whole experience and it’s definitely something I would consider doing more of. There are a few ideas I’m thinking about so as I say watch this space.”

Feeling Fabulous got to number two in the Sunday Times Bestseller list and stayed in the top 10 for four weeks. Ruth, 66, is still having to deal with ongoing issues around her divorce with Eamonn Holmes, which looks set to go to court at the end of the year to agree the financial terms.

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In Feeling Fabulous, Ruth told of the impact her split from Eamonn had on her. Over the last two years she has needed good friends to wipe away tears and advice from a therapist massively helped her move on too.

A court date has been set for November which will hopefully draw a line under their split, which happened over two years ago.

But before that, Ruth has plans to have some fun in the sun with pals. She told OK! : “I’ve planned a girls trip at the end of the summer – we’re not sure where we’re going yet but it will include sun, some good books, good food and a glass of wine or three!”

Ruth is also busy with TV work on ITV ‘s Loose Women and the QVC channel where she helps sell her own clothes range. Ex-husband Eamonn has been off work from GB News for more than two months now after suffering a stroke.

As well as her love life, Ruth also discussed other elements of her life in the book including appearing on Strictly Come Dancing, her friendships formed on Loose Women and movingly how she has coped with her parents both getting dementia and the death of her beloved sister Julia to suicide.

* The full interview with Ruth is in the latest issue of OK! Magazine, out now.

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Greg Weirs, 39, from Durham, lives with sleep apnoea and fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes widespread pain and fatigue, and had spent years trying different medications with little relief and frequent side effects.

He said: “I was getting sporadic pains, stinging, burning, like a poker’s getting stuck in me – that could be in my feet, hands, legs, or head.

“I never felt like I’d had a rested night.”

Mr Weirs said the pain and exhaustion often left him unable to function or enjoy life.

He said: “For a good few years, I’ve been going through every medication possible – they didn’t work, I just felt more groggy than anything.

“It would just wipe me out, and I’d be asleep all the time, not really living.”

After finding some relief from illicit cannabis gummies, Mr Weirs researched legal options and discovered a medical cannabis clinic, through social media.

He decided to try it despite actually disliking cannabis.

He said: “I absolutely hate cannabis, I don’t like the taste, I don’t like anything about it, but it works.”

Greg Weirs from Durham (Image: Releaf)

Following an online consultation with the clinic, Releaf, he was prescribed medical cannabis in oil and flower form, which he uses with a vaporiser, the legal method of administration in the UK as smoking medical cannabis remains illegal.

The results, he said, were immediate.

He said: “I’ve done things that I’ve not done in forever.

“The last couple of days, I’ve been decorating the kitchen and I haven’t had one bit of pain.”

Mr Weirs has since stopped using other medications entirely.

Now, he is sharing his experience to encourage others with similar conditions to consider medical cannabis as an option.

He said: “Just go for it.

“You can be on strong medication for the whole of your life and be no further forward, where at least with cannabis oils and stuff like that, flower, it takes the inflammation down as well.”

If there is a stage that is too big for Erling Haaland, we’re yet to find it.

A hat-trick on his Champions League debut for RB Salzburg, a hat-trick on his Bundesliga debut for Dortmund, a double on his Premier League debut for Manchester City, and now two goals on his World Cup finals debut, inspiring Norway to a 4-1 win over Iraq.

The 2026 World Cup might be six days in, but it felt as if it really began on Tuesday, with Kylian Mbappe inspiring France to a 3-1 victory over Senegal with two superb goals which made him Les Bleus’ all-time leading scorer.

Little over an hour later, Haaland strode out for his first World Cup appearance and picked up the gauntlet thrown by Mbappe, nearly 18 months his senior, with a display full of desire, as well as the goals we have come to expect.

Norway manager Stale Solbakken said afterwards: “You can see he lived up to the occasion – it wasn’t too big for him.

“I had a good feeling before the game, the last training session was very good. I had a feeling he would do it for us today.”

Iraq head coach Graham Arnold added: “He’s just an amazing number nine. We dealt with him quite well for a lot of the game [but] at the end of the day he’s a top striker.

“Norway could shock a lot of people with the team they have. They could go a very long way.”

Arnold spoke to Haaland after the final whistle and revealed: “I just said to him: ‘You’re one of the best number nines I’ve ever seen.’ He’s so strong, so quick and he’s just lethal.”

Zakaria’s father was killed by terrorist group Al-Shabaab in Somalia

A young man who fled the Islamic terrorist organisation Al-Shabaab found himself running from his home in fear in Belfast following racist attacks and disorder in the city.

Zakaria arrived in Belfast in January after his mum helped him flee Somalia after their family had been targeted by the terror organisation. They killed his father and had also kidnapped and attacked him for a relationship he had with a woman.

Last Wednesday the young man was part of a group of migrants who had to leave their home for the safety of a community centre after his house was included on a list of properties circulated online as part of a “hit list”. While there he met with Rory Doherty of Voicing the Void with the pair speaking about the difficulties Zakaria had faced and how he hoped to find peace in Belfast a few days later.

Rory said: “Zakaria told me how he was feeling and about everything that had happened over the previous few days. He wanted people to understand the human impact of what is happening. He wanted people to see beyond the headlines.

“He told me how he fled Somalia after being targeted by Al-Shabaab. His father was killed by the same terrorist organisation. He was kidnapped, beaten and threatened because of a relationship with the woman he loved. His mother sold everything she owned to help him escape.

“In January this year, he arrived in Belfast hoping to find safety and peace. Yet only a few months later, he found himself leaving his home once again because he feared for his safety.

“What struck me most was not his anger. It was his compassion. He told me he doesn’t want to generalise the people here based on a small number of people and that he came here to contribute to Northern Ireland, work, pay tax and be part of the community in any way that he can.

“This week, while a small minority attempted to spread fear and division, I witnessed something far more powerful. I witnessed neighbours helping neighbours.

I witnessed people from different backgrounds, organisations and communities working together to protect one another. I witnessed volunteers making food, sharing tea and coffee, coordinating safety, offering reassurance and reminding people that they were not alone.

“There is no denying that many people feel left behind. Too many communities continue to experience poverty, inequality, poor housing, limited opportunities and a sense that nobody is listening. These frustrations are real and deserve to be heard.

“But violence and intimidation are not the answer.”

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Concerns were reported after the inspection about leadership, governance and risk management within the emergency department at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd

A Welsh emergency department has been told by inspectors that significant improvements are needed after issues with leadership, overcrowding, and the safety and experience of patients waiting for care. An unannounced inspection of at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, in Denbighshire, took place in May 2026.

As a result of of the inspection, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) designated the Emergency Department as a service requiring significant improvement (SRSI).

HIW is the independent regulator of healthcare and the inspectorate for NHS services in Wales. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.

Concerns were reported after the inspection about leadership, governance and risk management within the Emergency Department at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.

The department was previously subject to SRSI arrangements between May 2022 and August 2024. This latest designation indicates that the improvements made during that period have not been sustained.

However, the regulator says patients who need urgent or emergency care should continue to attend the department.

They say improvements are needed to support consistently safe and well‑managed care, underpinned by effective leadership and oversight.

HIW say clear and urgent improvement, supported by stronger oversight, with enhanced monitoring and follow‑up to track progress is needed.

The regulator says that while they know there is significant demand on the service, the decision is based on whether systems, accountability and oversight are sufficiently robust to manage those pressures safely and reduce the risk of variation in care.

The regulator is now working with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and says that will continue until it is satisfied that the necessary improvements have been made.

The full inspection report, setting out detailed findings, will be published in September 2026.

Chief executive of Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, Alun Jones, said: “We have designated the Emergency Department at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd as a Service Requiring Significant Improvement following concerns about leadership, governance and the management of risk.

“This designation means we expect clear and urgent improvement, supported by stronger oversight and accountability.

“While we recognise the pressures facing emergency departments, services must have effective arrangements in place to manage those pressures safely. We will continue to monitor progress closely and will report our full findings in September.”

The health board’s chief executive Carol Shillabeer said: “Following an unannounced inspection by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales in May 2026, the Emergency Department at Glan Clwyd Hospital will be designated as a Service Requiring Significant Improvement. The decision reflects serious concerns and we fully accept the findings.

“The issues relate to leadership and culture, patient safety, overcrowding and the safety and experience of patients waiting for care. We are sorry that, in some areas, the standard of care has not been where it needs to be for our patients.

“We know this will be concerning for the people we serve and for our staff, who are working under sustained pressure, and we want to reassure them that immediate action is underway.