Millions of Brits are being warned to prepare for a spell of dangerously hot weather worse than the May heatwave, with government health alerts coming into force this evening and lasting until Monday

Brits are staring down the barrel of a dangerously hot spell due to start in the next few hours and last into next week, the UK government has warned.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber health alerts for heat as Met Office forecasters warned of a heatwave more severe than the one in May. Millions living in London, the south-east, south-west and east of England fall under the health alerts, which come into force on Thursday afternoon until 8pm on Tuesday June 23.

The amber alert means “significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures including a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. There may also be impacts on younger age groups,” the agency warned.

Among other risks, the warning said the heat could also impact “the ability of the workforce to deliver services” in the affected areas as temperatures are likely to rise into the mid 30s. The east and west midlands are also subject to yellow health alerts for heat meaning they may also see impacts on services as a result of the roasting temperatures.

The government warnings come as forecasters have warned of an incoming high pressure system that will leave much of the country “feeling increasingly hot with temperatures well above the June average.” Temperatures are expected to reach the high 20s Celsius quite widely, with the potential for 32°C to be reached in the south of England on Sunday and potentially 34°C or higher on Monday, the Met Office has said. Conditions will remain noticeably humid as the heat increases with an increased risk of thunderstorms.

Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said: “It’s a bit different to the last heatwave, because last time the humidity wasn’t as high, whereas this time the humidity is quite a bit higher. It’s just going to make it feel that bit muggier and that bit more humid during the day and overnight as well, so it just means it’s going to be more uncomfortable, the heat itself.”

She added: “Because the humidity is so high, there’s a chance that this could potentially spark off some thunderstorms. It’s always tricky with thunderstorms, because they could pop up pretty much anywhere, particularly across central, southern, south-east parts of England.

“But wherever they do hit, it’s probably going to be quite an intense, heavy downpour for a time with some rumbles of thunder, some sparks of lightning, but exactly where they’ll be is a tricky one to forecast at the moment.” While it is not yet known when the heat will subside, it is likely to be prolonged over the weekend and for at least the first part of next week, Ms Criswick said.

A record-breaking heatwave last month saw May 26 become the hottest May day on record for both England and Wales, with 35.1C recorded at Kew Gardens and 32.9C at Cardiff Bute Park. According to the forecaster, a heatwave is defined as three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold.

Advertisement

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) heat health alerts also warn of the danger of water‑related incidents, including risks from cold‑water shock and drowning.

During the previous record-breaking heatwave , from May 24 to 31, the UK saw a horrifying death toll of 19 children and adults killed in water related incidents during one week. In response the Mirror launched our ‘Save Lives for Sam’ campaign to stop the “catastrophic” deaths of 33 children who drown in England every year – “the equivalent of a classroom of children lost”.

Bereaved families, Olympic legends and safety organisations have joined together to call on the Government to take five key steps to save young lives across the country.

Advertisement

People heading to the coast in the coming days should be mindful that sea-surface temperatures are not as high as they would be in mid-summer, the Met Office warned. Samantha Hughes is the National Water Safety Partner at the RNLI. She said: “With warmer weather approaching, it’s important to remember that the water is still cold. Entering it unexpectedly can lead to cold water shock, causing a sudden increase in breathing and heart rate, which may trigger panic.

“If you find yourself struggling in the water, remember to Float to Live: tilt your head back so your ears are submerged, relax and control your breathing. You may need to gently use your hands to help you stay afloat, and it’s ok if your legs sink—everyone floats differently.

“Where possible, always choose a lifeguarded beach, and swim between the red and yellow flags. In a coastal emergency remember to call 999 for the coastguard.”

At ten years old, some children may still struggle to tie their shoelaces or use a knife and fork properly. Yet under the law of England and Wales, a child of this age is old enough to be held criminally responsible for their actions. This is the age at which, in the eyes of the justice system, childhood effectively ends. But there could soon be a chance to bring this law into line with that of other comparable nations.

The current age of criminal responsibility sits in stark contrast with other legal protections we afford to children. Prime minister Keir Starmer’s announcement of a planned social media ban for under-16s from spring 2027 is a potent example of this.

À lire aussi :
UK under-16 social media ban: what parents need to know

Under-18s in England and Wales cannot purchase vape products or alcohol. They cannot marry or vote, and they must be 17 to drive. Society has constructed these protections on sound developmental logic: children are not yet adults and the law should reflect that.

The recently published youth justice white paper, which sets out the government’s strategy on young people in the criminal justice system, stated that the government will assess the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales. But it has made no firm commitment to raise it.

England and Wales have the lowest age of criminal responsibility in Europe, alongside Switzerland. In the Republic of Ireland children can be held criminally liable from 12, while in Croatia it is 14, along with Germany, Italy and Spain. In Denmark, Norway and Sweden it is 15, and it is 16 in Portugal.

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has long called for an absolute minimum age of 14, and Scotland raised its age of criminal responsibility from eight to 12 in 2021. Northern Ireland is facing renewed calls to raise the age to 16 following a previous consultation on raising the age from ten in in 2022.

Politicians have dismissed calls for reform by claiming there is no public appetite for change. But leading justice figures have since come out in support of the proposed amendment to the crime and policing bill, due to come into force on June 29 2026. This would raise the criminal age of responsibility to 14.

Raising it to at least 14 appears to have widespread support among the UK public. Crucially, this was consistent across the political spectrum – suggesting it is seen as a question of basic child protection.

What neuroscience tells us

Knowledge of adolescent brain development has advanced considerably in recent decades. A substantial body of research demonstrates that children have developmentally immature brains. Experts can also say with confidence that the brain does not reach full maturation until after the age of 30.

The adolescent brain is characterised by heightened impulsivity, reduced capacity to consider consequences, and heightened emotional reactivity. These traits are neurologically normal, not moral failings. But the intersection of childhood, responsibility and serious violence exposes the deep complexities within youth justice.

Taking victims’ experiences seriously and questioning a system that criminalises children at a younger age than most comparable democracies are not competing goals. A mature justice system can – and must – do both.

But by and large, children who end up in England and Wales’s youth justice system are not budding criminals. Around 66% of children in custody have experience of the care system, and 80% have special educational needs or disabilities.

Around half come from racial minority backgrounds, and research shows that racial disparities begin early – with school exclusions and at the point where decisions are made about whether to divert children away from the justice system. The vast majority of children who have come into contact with the justice system have been excluded from school.

These are children who have been let down by services such as education, healthcare and social care. And any racial disparities they might face compound every stage of this process.

À lire aussi :
Black detainees twice as likely as white detainees to be strip-searched in police custody – new study

Young offender institutions have been condemned as sites of institutionalised abuse. Children can be held in isolation for 22 hours a day, while educational provision is inadequate and rehabilitative support is minimal.

As researchers focused on children and young people at the Institute for Children’s Futures at Manchester Metropolitan University, we bring together legal expertise and criminological insight in the study of children, society and the law. We argue that England and Wales must raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12 as a minimum, with a serious ambition to reach 14 in line with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child recommendations from 2023.

This means diverting children away from criminal justice processes and towards the health, education and social support they need. Raising the age of criminal responsibility is not only better for children – it produces better outcomes for victims and society too, with evidence showing that diversion from the formal justice system reduces reoffending far more effectively than early criminalisation.

This is not because children should face no consequences for harmful behaviour – they should. But the system as it currently exists does not rehabilitate, it harms. And no child, whatever they have done, deserves to be processed through a machine that was never designed with their wellbeing in mind.

There could also be impacts on younger age groups

A heat health alert has been upgraded for Cambridgeshire, with temperatures expected to reach up to 28C this week. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber heat health alert for the East of England.

This will begin at around 12pm on June 18. Cambridgeshire isn’t the only area impacted – surrounding areas such as Essex and Norfolk also have a heat health alert in place.

It will last for about five days until 8pm on June 23, which is next Tuesday. UKHSA says there could be a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. There may also be impacts on younger age groups.

The Met Office says of this time period: “Mostly fine with some sunshine. Turning very warm or locally hot, and feeling humid. Winds remain light and variable. Maximum temperature 30c.

“Changeable on Saturday with some spells and showers moving erratically eastwards. Perhaps drier with warm sunny spells Sunday and Monday with temperatures climbing.”

There has been an update on Marcus Rashford’s future at Manchester United following his loan at Barcelona

Manchester United are reportedly prepared to turn down any loan offers for Marcus Rashford from Barcelona this summer. United have made their feelings clear about the England international’s future as the summer transfer window rolls on.

Rashford spent last season on loan at Barcelona, scoring 14 goals and providing 14 assists across 49 appearances across all competitions.

The 28-year-old made it clear last season that he wanted to sign for Barcelona on a permanent deal, but the Spanish giants opted against activating the £26million option to buy in the original loan move, which expired earlier this week.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Rashford is now with the England squad for this summer’s World Cup in North America, and there continues to be fresh updates about the forward’s future.

According to a report in ESPN, United are not willing to let Rashford join Barcelona on another loan deal, but are instead focusing on securing a permanent move this summer.

The report goes on to claim that United have “invited” agents to approach the club with realistic options of where Rashford could join on a permanent basis this summer.

United would have been delighted to see Rashford star for England in their 4-2 victory over Croatia in the World Cup on Wednesday night.

Rashford was not named in the starting line-up by Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel, but made an impact from the bench and scored England’s final goal in Dallas to help secure the victory.

Tuchel praised Rashford’s performance against Croatia and explained why he has been impressed with the United star in training before and during the World Cup.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

“He [Rashford] struggled for us to be decisive when he started, but he was always trying and got a bit unlucky for a long time,” Tuchel told reporters after England’s victory over Croatia.

“We just had a talk (on Tuesday) where I told him that I’m very, very impressed with his last 16 days – how he was in camp, how he pushes on the field.

“He is totally invested in every meeting. He is very, very fast in translating a meeting onto the pitch, what we want tactically.

“He pushes on a very respectful level with Anthony Gordon on the position, so at the moment he’s in a very good place.

“I was so happy that he was the one to unlock this long spell, where he was not decisive for us from within the game, and hopefully he can keep this up.”

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

Advertisement

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Motoring experts at Dick Lovett have raised concerns about “quishing” scams targeting drivers.

It comes just after a year, Bolton Council issued a similar warning to drivers to be vigilant after fake QR codes have been found on pay and display machines around Bolton town centre.

The warning follows new research showing 42% of drivers would scan a QR code to pay for parking without checking if it was genuine, while 19% said they had already been scammed while trying to park.

Alex Lee, motoring expert at Dick Lovett, said: “Quishing is a term used to describe fraud using fake QR codes.

You need to renew your licence when you turn 70. Do it online now – it’s easy, quick and secure.https://t.co/TtY1B5iGCW#DVLADigital pic.twitter.com/mPTgHIGqFJ

— Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (@DVLAgovuk) June 17, 2026

“It’s one of the most commonly used types of fraud for tricking motorists into making parking payments or sharing personal information.

“It is usually carried out by placing fake QR code stickers over legitimate ones on parking machines or signage.

“When scanned, drivers are directed to convincing-looking websites that mimic genuine parking payment services.

“You’ll be asked to give up personal information and payment details, which are then taken by the scammers.”

The survey found 62% of drivers aged 25 to 34 said they would scan a parking QR code without question.

Dick Lovett also found frustration with digital parking systems.

Almost three in five drivers (58%) said they had experienced problems with parking apps.

Two-thirds (67%) said they would prefer to pay at a machine rather than using an app.

DVSA on driving lessons

From May 12, only learner drivers will be able to book or change a car driving test, while from June 9, location limitations will apply when moving a booked test.

This follows DVSA’s announcement that from March 31, the number of changes a learner driver is allowed to make to a car driving test booking will be cut to 2 (reduced from 6).

Roads and Buses Minister, Simon Lightwood, said: “Learning to drive is hard enough without an unfair booking system.

“Learners deserve clear, honest access to tests – not being ripped off by third party sites. These changes put learners back in control, stop the system being gamed, and help make sure tests go to those who really need them.

“I welcome DVSA’s action to make things fairer and support learners on their journey to becoming safe, confident drivers.”

Recommended reading:

DVSA dates for UK driving test changes coming in 2026

DVLA warning to drivers over 70 who risk losing licence

Struggles to keep on top of car admin costing some drivers more, survey finds

Beverley Warmington, DVSA’s new chief executive, added: “We have listened to learners, driving instructors and voices from across the driver training industry on how to make the booking rules fairer.

“Our priority is to stop learners being exploited by third parties and put them in control of booking their driving test.

“The changes announced today will help us achieve that goal and build on the more than 149,000 additional tests delivered between April 2025 and February 2026.”

What’s the worst thing about driving? Let us know in the comments

England face Ghana in their second group game on 23 June at 21:00 BST.

Bayern Munich’s Kane gave England the lead with a retaken penalty early in the first half, before scoring a powerful header to restore his side’s lead three minutes before the break.

“I’m absolutely delighted that Kane equalled my record,” Lineker continued. “His all-round game is, for me, what separates him from all the others.”

Kane’s standout performance comes after Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria, Kylian Mbappe opened his account for France with two goals in the win over Senegal and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland also scored a brace in Norway’s victory against Iran.

Lineker’s co-host Alan Shearer, who scored 30 goals for England including two at the 1998 World Cup, said: “Harry Kane has seen Messi, Mbappe and Haaland all come on straight away and get the goals.

“It’s only a matter of time before he breaks your record.”

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, who was left out of England boss Thomas Tuchel’s squad for this summer’s tournament, said Kane is not just the Three Lions’ best player, he’s “one of the best players in the world”.

He added: “You can’t speak highly enough of him. On the pitch, he’s unbelievable, but, off the pitch, he’s a massive leader.”

Faciility at The Time Capsule will remain open following extensive public engagement and reflection on the strong community feedback.

People power has won the day after North Lanarkshire Council confirmed plans to replace the popular ice rink at The Time Capsule have been shelved.

Lanarkshire Live reported earlier this year on how a meeting of the local authority’s communities committee was due to take place to deliberate the plans, which could’ve seen the Coatbridge rink replaced by a play and fitness area.

Shortly afterwards, the council said a decision on the ice rink’s future wouldn’t be made at the April meeting, despite local authority officers putting forward proposals for changes to the facility.

A report presented to councillors outlined options to transform the ice rink into an active dedicated play area, alongside the introduction of padel courts and personal fitness areas.

The paper prepared for councillors suggested the move could increase visitor numbers and generate higher revenue, helping to secure the long-term viability of the site.

But now, following public outcry that included an online petition which has gathered nearly 15,000 signatures, council leader Jim Logue has confirmed it won’t proceed with the proposals following extensive public engagement and reflection on the strong community feedback.

Mr Logue said: “At the communities committee on April 27, the Labour administration instructed that a community-based consultation would be undertaken to collate the views of all interested parties.

“This has now taken place and concluded that 78 per cent of respondents indicated that they wished the ice rink to be retained.

“As such, I can advise that at the council meeting on June 25, the administration will respect these views and not proceed with the recommendations to close the rink.

“However, I would also highlight that this decision poses a number of challenges.

“Currently the public usage in the Time Capsule has decreased considerably by 16 per cent over a two-year period.

“Disappointingly, the consultation also highlighted that 57 per cent of those interviewed stated that they currently do not and would not use the ice rink.

“Faced with the current financial reality facing North Lanarkshire Council and the current operational deficit accrued from providing the Ice Rink facility, I believe the time is now right for the council to meet with all parties interested in future ice skating and ice hockey provision.

“To this end, I will meet club representatives and senior council officers to initiate discussions which will, hopefully, lead to constructive and sustainable options going forward.”

Before Mr Logue’s announcement, North Lanarkshire SNP councillors said they would submit an amendment at next week’s full council meeting to reject the proposed closure of the ice rink – and protect the facility for local families, clubs and young people.

Councillor Adam Smith, North Lanarkshire SNP communities spokesperson, said: “The public have spoken, the clubs have spoken, and the message could not be clearer – North Lanarkshire wants the Time Capsule ice rink saved.

“Despite very limited advertisement, and despite residents being asked to respond to an extremely long consultation document, more than a thousand people still took the time to make their views known. That shows the strength of feeling in the community.

“The council’s own engagement shows overwhelming support for keeping the ice rink.

“It also shows the devastating impact closure would have on local clubs, young people and families who rely on this facility.

“Labour now have a simple choice. They can listen to the public, listen to the clubs, and back the SNP amendment to save the ice rink – or they can force through a closure that local people have clearly rejected.”

Councillor Fergus MacGregor, SNP councillor for Coatbridge South, the ward which includes The Time Capsule, added: “The Time Capsule is not just another council facility. It is part of Coatbridge, it is part of North Lanarkshire, and generations of families have used and valued it.

“As a local councillor for the ward, I know how strongly people feel about this.

“The council’s own engagement confirms what local residents and clubs have been saying from the start – people do not want the ice rink closed.”

*Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.

New research from Lloyds Bank suggests that car owners who miss key deadlines for MOT, tax, or insurance renewals could face fines or higher costs—yet one in five are letting these dates slip.

42% of those surveyed said they find car admin difficult, rising to more than half, 59% of 25 to 34-year-olds.

Among those who have missed these tasks, more than one in 10 said they went on to face higher costs or fees as a result.

Warning as drivers face penalties for forgetting key dates

Nick Williams, managing director of transport at Lloyds, said: “Juggling multiple apps, deadlines, and rising costs means things can slip through the cracks for people trying to stay on top of their car admin.”

To support its customers, Lloyds has launched a new “manage your car” feature in its mobile app, offering reminders for MOTs, servicing, and insurance all in one place.

The goal is to help drivers stay organised and avoid unnecessary penalties.

The bank said the app features are available to all Lloyds customers, regardless of who provides their car finance.

Lloyds commissioned YouGov to carry out the survey, which was carried out in May among more than 2,000 people across the UK.

Other apps to help people keep on top of car admin are also available.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said the myRAC app has four million users, adding: “You don’t need to be a member of the RAC to download it.”

UK drivers warned of £1,000 fines for using navigation apps

Drivers are being warned not to enter destinations into navigation apps while behind the wheel.

Motoring experts have stressed that using mobile devices in this way can result in fines, penalty points, or even prosecution.

Graham Conway, managing director at Select Car Leasing, said: “Navigation apps are incredibly useful, but this case is a reminder that even just typing in an address into your map app while behind a wheel can still be treated as a serious driving offence.

Recommended Reading

“A lot of motorists may think there is a difference between texting someone and quickly changing a route or entering a postcode, but if you are holding and interacting with your phone while driving, you are putting yourself at risk.

“The same applies when you are stationary in traffic.

“You are still in control of the vehicle, and traffic can start moving again at any moment.

“That short distraction could be enough for police to decide that you are not properly in control.”

Have you ever missed a key date for your car payment? Let us know in the comments how you handled it.

“Visiting Comanche Crossing on Juneteenth felt like freedom,” my father said as we pulled into Booker T. Washington Park, the site near what used to be known as the historic Comanche Crossing on Lake Mexia in Texas. “Listen, Bobby, this place would be full of Black folks cooking, dancing, and playing music. It was a big festival with fireworks and a party.”

It had been more than six decades since my father had visited the park in the summer of 1965. But he sounded like a little kid again as he breathlessly recounted all the food: “We would have barbecue ribs, chicken, brisket, blood sausage, raccoon, armadillo, fried chicken, potato salad, beans and yellow meat watermelon, and we had to have that Big Red Soda – you know it was created in Waco, right? – banana pudding, peach cobbler, pecan pie, white coconut cake, German chocolate cake, berry cobblers, pies and homemade ice cream.”

Long before Juneteenth became a national holiday in 2021 and Texas commemorated it as a state holiday in 1980, the park was where generations of my family would join thousands of Black Texans every June to celebrate June 19, 1865.

That was the day Union troops informed enslaved Africans in Texas that they were free, two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation and six months before the ratification of the 13th Amendment, which officially abolished slavery in the U.S.

Comanche Crossing lies less than 3 miles north of the site where the region’s enslaved people first learned of their freedom, and it’s where they decided to celebrate with a feast from their harvest.

Yet the story of Black Texans – and how they shepherded the traditions of Juneteenth celebrations through food for over a century – is a central part of this history that receives scant attention.

I’m a native Black Texan, so Juneteenth is personal. And I thought I fully understood its significance while I devoured smoked pork ribs, summer sausage and brisket, year after year, at my paternal grandmother’s house in my hometown of Fort Worth.

But now, as a scholar of Black food culture, I see these celebrations differently. The mouthwatering spreads that were laid out each year did more than nourish Black Texans. They celebrated the way food was wielded as a tool of resistance and a symbol of freedom during and after slavery.

The freedom feast

As we continued walking through Comanche Crossing, I asked my father what he remembered about preparing food for Juneteenth.

By summer 1965, he recalled, they were living in Fort Worth but traveled back to his hometown of Waco the night before Juneteenth to help his family cook for their annual Comanche Crossing trip. He recalled that the cooking lasted all night, with the meat smoked to perfection over the pit, while other family members, including my grandmother, assembled dishes for the next day, using mostly fresh ingredients and farm-raised livestock. The food was packed up on the morning of June 19, and then the whole family headed for Comanche Crossing.

“And that’s when we would really have a time,” he said.

As my father excitedly described all the food and its preparation, I thought of culinary historian Jessica B. Harris, who, in her 2011 book, “High on the Hog, wrote, “The backbone of Juneteenth festivities has always been the table.”

Each family that came to Comanche Crossing prepared their own unique dishes for the Juneteenth spread.

“You can’t pinpoint how each family would prepare the foods,” my father said, “but you know you would see smoked meat for sure because that was our main tradition.”

For my family, smoked meat and potato salad were nonnegotiable.

The smoked meat echoes the ritual of hog killing that has long been part of the rural Black experience. The practice was one of the few moments when enslaved people exercised a measure of control over their food. Potato salad symbolized the abundance of the harvest of the land, putting on full display the agricultural knowledge and labor of the enslaved.

After emancipation, these traditions symbolized more than just celebration for Black Texans. They reflected what I called “emancipatory food power” in my first book, “Food Power Politics” – the ability of Black communities to use food as a resource for survival, self-determination and freedom.

A portal into the past

When we approached the large, elevated dance pavilion, the park’s largest structure, my father remarked, “It seemed much bigger to me as a kid.”

He wasn’t wrong. The current structure isn’t the original, which was destroyed by a fire in the 1990s. But for my father, it nonetheless conjured memories of him and his cousins “running around it and watching the adults dance and just be free.”

He said it reminded him “of that Sugar Shack picture.” He was referring to the iconic 1970s painting by Black artist Ernie Barnes depicting a group of exhilarated Black men and women enthusiastically dancing, arms and legs splayed every which way, to live music at a juke joint – a type of informal gathering place that emerged in rural Black communities in the American South after emancipation.

I watched as my father walked under the pavilion and around the park and thought about his recollections: a portal into those earlier Juneteenth celebrations in Texas, when those who attended were just one or two generations removed from enslavement. It was a brief glimpse into how deeply they treasured that day.

Black Texan and historian Amilcar Shabazz picks up on that thread in his 2004 book, “Advancing Democracy”:

A homecoming 60 years in the making

As my father and I walked back to the car to get back on the road, I could tell that he could have stayed there, reminiscing, for hours.

He kept glancing around, as if his cousins, aunts, uncles, mother, grandmother and great-grandparents were right there with him in spirit, in their own little corner of Comanche Crossing, passing around dishes, filling plates and toasting to freedom.

But once we were in the car, his tone changed. He began talking about the 1981 tragedy at the park, which rocked the Mexia community to the core. Three Black boys, known as the “Comanche Three,” were being transported by three police officers across Lake Mexia in a small aluminum boat. Some type of accident occurred on the water, and all three boys drowned. The three police officers survived. To this day, the circumstances of what happened that night remain unclear.

While the tragedy disrupted the future of Juneteenth celebrations in Comanche Crossing, the events continued, though the number of visitors declined dramatically. But it didn’t erase the past from the minds of Black Texans like my father.

Clearly, the smell of barbecue, the sound of music and the love of community and family lingered in him.

In many ways, returning to Comanche Crossing after more than 60 years was a homecoming for my father. It was one for me, too. Through his memories, I came to see myself in the Juneteenth story – both personally and intellectually.

“I’m glad that I got the chance to see this place again in my lifetime,” my father said, holding back tears as Comanche Crossing disappeared in the rearview mirror.

The vote was taken by Knaresborough Town Council after a debate in which members claimed the unitary authority was guilty of “systemic neglect and central apathy” over its handling of services in the town.

Councillors raised various issues at the meeting on Monday, ranging from the management of historic sites to the maintenance of a public paddling pool and grass cutting.

The issues included:

• Maintenance and investment at local sites such as Knaresborough House and Knaresborough Castle
• Infrastructure problems including concerns over Viaduct Terrace and the condition of historic cobbled streets
• The closure of the town’s paddling pool and the condition of public toilets at Waterside
• Traffic congestion and parking issues on the High Street, alongside concerns over signage and tourism support

The motion was tabled by Councillor Matt Walker and seconded by Councillor Hannah Gostlow, both Liberal Democrats.

It was backed by all but one councillor in the chamber.

Cllr Walker said the vote sent an “incredibly powerful message” to the council’s headquarters in Northallerton.

“Knaresborough is standing together, and we have had enough,” he added.

Knaresborough Castle: Photo: David Dixon/Geograph Britain and Ireland. Licensed for use under Creative Commons.

“We were promised that local government reorganisation would improve services. Instead, it has lived up to none of its promises. North Yorkshire Council simply doesn’t work.

“The influx of messages I received from residents ahead of this vote proves this isn’t just a political issue —it’s a community-wide crisis.”

Cllr Gostlow said the town council wanted to hold talks with North Yorkshire Council over a devolution deal to take responsibility for the services and property it runs in the town.

She added: ​“When councillors, across parties, unite behind a common position, it reflects widespread concern about the current situation.

“We want to see constructive discussions begin on a local devolution deal that would enable Knaresborough Town Council to take on greater responsibility for local assets and services, with the resources needed to deliver for residents.

“We believe local decisions are often best made by those who know the town and its needs most closely.”

The town council said it would now formally submit the declaration of no confidence to the leadership of North Yorkshire Council, alongside a demand for an immediate capital investment package and the commencement of local devolution talks.

In response, the leader of the Conservative-controlled authority, Councillor Car Les, said: “I can confirm we have received this from Knaresborough Town Council and while disappointed to receive it, we will be very willing to have a meeting with them at the earliest opportunity to discuss this.”