England will face Panama at the World Cup on Saturday with the aim of topping Group L, but the Three Lions are set to be without Reece James, who’s picked up a hamstring injury

John Stones has been touted as an option to replace Reece James for England’s clash with Panama on Saturday. Chelsea captain James has suffered a hamstring injury and there are concerns that he’ll also miss the Three Lions’ first knockout match next week.

More immediately, however, Thomas Tuchel must select another right-back in his XI to face Panama in New Jersey. James, 26, played every minute of England’s first two games, with Djed Spence and Nico O’Reilly sharing the left-back role.

Being right-footed, Spence is the leading candidate to replace James, while Jarell Quansah can also play at full-back. But former England defender Danny Mills has put Stones’ name forward.

The 32-year-old has plenty of experience on the right-hand side of defence, despite predominately being a centre-back. Stones started there as England beat Croatia before dropping to the bench against Ghana.

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“I’d be tempted to play John Stones there if he’s fit,” Mills told Sky Sports. “John Stones has played there before but when I look at all the options – going forward, defensively, who’s good on the ball – he’s probably your best option, as a footballer, playing at right-back.

“And that’s a bit of a fish out of water, it’s not his natural position; [he’s] not blessed with pace, he’s done it for (Manchester) City on occasions. But that’s where we’re looking at. I think he’s a better option defensively than Djed Spence would be.”

Mills, however, can’t fathom why Tuchel didn’t call up a right-back when Tino Livramento suffered an injury during England’s pre-tournament camp, instead selecting Trevoh Chalobah. “I don’t understand the defensive selection especially once Livramento was out of the squad. I don’t get calling up Chalobah in the slightest,” Mills admitted.

How should England line up against Panama? Let us know your XI in the comments section.

“John Stones could play right-back and fill in. Kyle Walker could fill in as a deputy. He played 36 games in the Premier League last season. We now don’t have a recognised right-back in the squad.

“You’re putting square pegs into round holes going into the biggest tournament that you could potentially win after what England have done previously. It just looks unbalanced.

“When you’re up against the likes of (Kylian) Mbappe, (Lamine) Yamal, whoever else might be in those positions. You’re going to be facing the very best. If you don’t have natural players in those positions, it makes it very difficult.”

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The nation was marking Armed Forces Day on Saturday

The Defence Secretary, Dan Jarvis MP, has spoken out to back Andy Burnham, saying the new Makerfield MP would make an ‘excellent’ Prime Minister.

Mr Jarvis, as a row over the publication of the Government’s defence spending plan continues, said Mr Burnham ‘understands the importance of national security and making sure that we’ve got the right amount of resource to invest in our armed forces’.

He said he was ‘very supportive’ of the former mayor of Greater Manchester, but decisions on Cabinet posts would be a matter for him.

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Asked whether he backed Mr Burnham and would serve in a potential Burnham government, the Defence Secretary told the Press Association: “I’m very supportive of Andy Burnham, who I’ve known for many years and who I supported previously.

“I think he’ll be an excellent Prime Minister, but ultimately it’ll be for him to appoint his cabinet.”

Former Sheffield City mayor Mr Jarvis, speaking on Armed Forces Day on Saturday, said there was a ‘balance’ that needed to be struck over the defence investment plan (Dip).

Asked how much more was needed, he said: “There will always be a strong case, not least given the circumstances that we’re operating in, to spend more on defence, but people will understand that there has to be a balance that is struck, and I have to work very closely with colleagues in the Treasury.

“It’s my job to secure the best deal for defence.”

He added defence should be the UK’s ‘number one spending priority’.

On defence resources, Mr Jarvis said: “That is a process that is absolutely under way, but it is on the back of a commitment already to historic levels of defence funding.

“Yes, we want to do more, and the Dip will deliver that, and, yes, we want to go further, the other side of the Dip.

“That is well understood by Andy Burnham. It’s well understood by the current Prime Minister. It’s my job to deliver for defence and that’s what I’m working hard to do.”

Click here for the latest on Greater Manchester’s politics in our newsletter

Mr Jarvis said “real progress” had been made on the defence investment plan in the last week, but indicated he still needed to “satisfy myself that I’ve got the right level of resource”.

“I’ve been working very hard since I was appointed to satisfy myself that we’ve got the right resource and the right mix of capabilities,” he said, asked whether it was ready.

“The Prime Minister has been clear that we will publish the defence investment plan before the Nato summit. That’s what we’re going to do. I have a responsibility to make sure I get it right and that is what I’m working to achieve.”

“I pay tribute to my predecessor, he did a great job for defence, but the responsibility is now mine to deliver that plan, and what I need to do is satisfy myself that I’ve got the right level of resource and the right mix of capabilities. That is a process across Government. We’ve made real progress with it over the last week or so. I’m determined to get that right and I’m determined to do it before the Nato summit.”

The incident has led to Guisborough Road, between Marton Moor Road and The Crescent in Nunthorpe, to become completely blocked off, and trains, which are scheduled to come through, are at a standstill.

Road maps, run by AA, have reported that there is “queueing traffic due to a railroad crossing failure on Guisborough Road, both ways between Marton Moor Road and The Crescent.”

It’s understood that trains towards Middlesbrough are also impacted at this time.

This incident comes amid train services between Middlesbrough and Redcar Central/Saltburn are currently unable to run after a burst water main caused flooding on the railway.

All lines between Middlesbrough and Redcar Central are blocked, meaning trains are either being cancelled or revised so they do not operate through the affected section.

Disruption is expected to continue until at least 7pm tonight (June 27).

Buses from Middlesbrough to Saltburn are scheduled at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm and 10pm.

Services from Saltburn to Middlesbrough are scheduled at 10.05am, 11.05am, 12.05pm, 4.05pm, 5.05pm, 6.05pm and 10.05pm.

This article will be updated.

Tommy Fury’s family are said to be feeling left out after he welcomed his second child with partner Molly-Mae Hague.

Love Island star Molly-Mae, 27, welcomed baby Midas earlier this month – her second child with boxer Tommy, also 27.

Molly-Mae’s been enjoying her second time around as the mother of an infant, recently revealing that they’d named Midas after the 2011 Hugh Jackman film Real Steel.

However, not everyone is feeling so happy… with rumours of a growing rift with Tommy’s family, some of whom are said to be feeling neglected.

According toThe Sun, who spoke to a source from Molly-Mae’s camp, members of the extended family had expected to see more of the little one than they have so far.

‘There is ongoing grumbling and remarks over family expectations and how much time – or lack of it – Tommy’s family get to spend with the children,’ an insider claimed.

A source told The Sun: ‘Some family members on the Fury side feel they have not been able to spend as much time with baby Midas as they would have liked.’

Acknowledging that the infant’s arrival had ‘done little to ease some long-running difference,’ they added that there have ‘always been difficulties blending their worlds and their wider families.’

The insider continued: ‘There is ongoing grumbling and remarks over family expectations and how much time – or lack of it – Tommy’s family get to spend with the children.

‘They had hoped to be a much bigger part of the children’s lives, but, in their eyes, that hasn’t happened as much as they would like, and there’s some hurt behind the scenes.’

However, the tabloid’s source denied that Molly-Mae was ‘excluding’ anyone, adding that ‘she loves them and wants them to feel they are always welcome at her home.’

According to the insider, recent comments from Molly-Mae about not wanting any more children had also ‘gone down really badly’ and become a ‘real talking point’ for Tommy’s family, which has its proud roots in the Irish Traveller community.

Earlier this month, Molly Mae revealed that she was ‘ready to stop at two’ children after welcoming baby Midas.

Speaking on a recent vlog, Molly said: ’I’m 99.99 per cent sure I only want to have two children.

‘So, as much as I want to give Bambi a sister… I also feel like I’m ready to stop at two.’

A source told The Sun at the time: ‘Within the Travelling community, having a big family with lots of children is the norm.

‘Tommy’s relatives have been hopeful that he and Molly will have more children after getting back on track.’

Molly and Tommy welcomed their first child, three-year-old Bambi Fury, in January 2023 – before announcing their shock split a year and a half later.

However, by May 2025, the pair were back together, having seemingly worked out their differences.

In February this year, Molly announced that she was pregnant with her second child, captioning a post of her growing baby bump: ‘soon to be four.’

Earlier this month, Molly-Mae revealed how difficult she’d found the birth of her first child, revealing her fears that ‘life was over’ for her.

‘The BEST part for me about doing this second time around is knowing wholeheartedly that every hard day, stage and chapter with your child is honestly just a phase,’ she wrote in an Instagram Story.

In the accompanying picture, she lovingly cradled son, Midas, in her arms.

‘No difficult day with your baby lasts forever, and no tricky chapter stays the same. The comfort I’ve taken in that this time around has made me feel so different.

‘With Bambi, I used to sit staring out of the window while breastfeeding, thinking my life was over (as dramatic as it sounds).

‘I thought I’d never sleep again, never get a moment to myself and never really be able to cope. I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel because I hadn’t reached it yet.’

She went on to acknowledge that she’d learned how quickly life would pass with Midas adding: ‘I’ll blink and I won’t have a tiny newborn anymore, and if anything, that’s the part that makes me sad.

‘The peace I’ve felt this second time round, simply from knowing it’s all going to be okay, has honestly changed everything.’

Metro has reached out to Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae’s representatives for comment.

MORE: Venezuela Fury’s husband makes awkward blunder with Molly-Mae Hague’s baby

MORE: John Fury calls out ‘worm’ former world champion in wild shirtless rant

MORE: Tommy Fury reveals newborn son’s wild name on boxing shorts after Molly-Mae’s warning

The British sitcom has been hailed by fans as “legitimately funny” and “refreshing” and all three series are available to binge

A British sitcom called “legitimately funny” by fans is your latest binge-watch.

Here We Go, created and penned by Tom Basden for the BBC, chronicles the (mis)fortunes of the Jessop family and all three series are now availabe to stream.

Starring Basden alongside Gavin & Stacey’s Amanda Steadman, Sex Education’s Jim Howick, Katherine Parkinson and Tori Allen-Martin, the pilot episode, titled Pandemonium, aired in December 2020, with the first full series following in 2022.

Since then, two further series have landed, and a fourth was commissioned last October.

Set in the town of Bedford and shot from the perspective of the handheld camera belonging to teenage son Sam, with flashbacks to calmer times, the chaotic and unconventional Jessop family’s trials and tribulations are portrayed in a gritty, unfiltered fashion, reports Wales Online.

Viewers can now binge all three series on BBC iPlayer, and those discovering it for the first time are seemingly in for quite a treat.

Audiences have wasted no time in heaping praise on the comedy, with one IMDb user writing: “Best comedy I’ve seen on the BBC for a while, and appealed to all ages in our family, plus had a good amount of laugh out loud moments.”

Another remarked: “I have only just discovered this show. Binge watched the latest series because I found it so funny.”

A third enthused: “Absolutely brilliant! Each character plays their role so perfectly and the way the episodes are made is such a great concept.”

A fourth described it as “legitimately funny and full of cringey British humour” while another devotee found it “such a refreshinhg comedy”.

Meanwhile, reports emerged earlier this year suggesting Here We Go could be receiving a US remake featuring a Hollywood cast.

The programme has successfully captured the attention of comedy legend Amy Poehler, renowned for Parks and Recreation, Saturday Night Live and her podcast Good Hang, whose production company Paper Kite is developing an American version, according to the Radio Times.

That said, American producers haven’t always achieved success when reimagining British sitcoms for audiences across the Atlantic, with Welcome to Flatch (adapted from This Country) and Call Me Kat (adapted from Miranda) proving recent disappointments.

In contrast, blockbuster successes such as The Office and, more latterly, Ghosts demonstrate that it is entirely possible to nail the execution.

Here We Go is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer

“The happiest, most loving, sweetest child in the world.”

The six-year-old girl who died in a tragic crash last weekend was “an angel walking on earth”, her funeral has heard.

Kourtney McCormick died “in the arms of her loving mummy and daddy” after she was hit by a van in the Springfarm Heights area of Newry on Sunday, June 21. Her death has led to an outpouring of grief in the local community and across Northern Ireland.

Mourners at her funeral on June 27 in St Brigid’s Church followed the family’s request of wearing bright colours in Kourtney’s memory, with a sea of pink, red, and white visible in the pews of the packed church.

Born on May 22, 2020, Kourtney was described by the priest as being the “youngest child in a loving family.” She died one month after celebrating her sixth birthday.

At the beginning of the funeral service, Kourtney’s siblings brought items she loved to the altar in her memory. They brought up her housecoat, which they said she would have never taken off; her school folder, for her love of attending St Patrick’s Primary and Nursery School; a flower lei to mark her love for the movie Moana; her teddy, and a toy dog to remember her love of animals.

Paying tribute, the priest said: “Kourtney had a wonderful life, which was albeit too short. Loving and caring Kourtney gave so much to her family and many friends.

“She loved school, and was annoyed when she was kept off for whatever reason. She made many friends there and was loved by the entire school community.

“She would come to mass with her family in this church on Saturdays, where she would love to run up and down the middle aisle.

“She would frequently say ‘I love you, you are my hero’ to family and friends – she would tell her mum and dad at least once a day.

“Her older sister, Jasmine, would bring Kourtney to McDonald’s for a treat and joke asking if she had money to pay, when Kourtney would say ‘it was your idea.’

“She loved getting her hair done, music, singing, and dancing. There was no end to the magic Kourtney brought to her family, siblings, and extended family. She was the centre of attention but would never leave anyone out.

“Blake, her special little friend who was one year younger, would join the family for dinner some evenings as they wouldn’t want to be apart. They were very close, good friends.

“Kourtney was an angel walking on earth, who will be remembered for her warm heart and presence.”

Following the communion, Kourtney’s siblings took to the altar to pay tribute. Her older sister, Jasmine, said “there are no words that come close to describe how perfect, happy, and loved our Kourtney was.”

She added: “The happiest, most loving, sweetest child in the world. My wee sister, the baby of the house, my baby.

“Our little sweetheart changed the lives of every single person no matter whether they knew her for her entire life, or if they had only walked past her once.

“Kourtney was the person who brightened any room she walked into, constantly had a smile on her face and so much happiness in her eyes, a child who enjoyed absolutely everything and loved absolutely everyone.

“Alongside being so loving, Kourtney was a true character who always acted herself and never changed for anyone. A child who loved the spotlight and being the centre of attention, but also made sure to put those around her first.

“Our baby was so full of life. She adored singing and dancing, would have sat for hours with some pencils and a piece of paper, drawing and colouring in, and had so much love for animals.

“She was so curious and loved God, forever enjoyed getting to watch movies and playing with her toys and friends and family, and most of all, she strived to make people laugh and just enjoyed being a child.

“Our princess was filled with innocence and warmth, a bright child with an unimaginably strong presence and personality, and most definitely what should have been an amazing future.

“She will never have been able to understand how much I or anyone else loved her, but I know that anyone who knows me knew how much I loved her.

“Not only did she love me and everybody else, she adored her mummy and daddy. Never let mummy run past her without giving her a hug and a kiss and telling daddy every single day, ‘daddy, I love you, you’re my hero.’ She truly did have them wrapped around her little finger.”

Jasmine added: “Life can be so cruel, and I know nobody will be able to understand why this happened to our baby who was so completely undeserving of this tragedy.

“To quote your favourite movie, Moana, there is nowhere you could go that I won’t be with you, and I know that you’ll always be with me, even though I can’t see you. You will never leave the side of our mummy and daddy, our brothers and sisters, Katie, Shane, Mya, Zac, and Georgia.

“We will meet again, and I’ll get to see that cheeky little smile in your eyes that were always filled with joy. Forever 6, my baby, stolen from us far too soon.

“But if love could have saved you, you would have lived forever. Squeezy hugs hopes forever, my girl, until I see you again.”

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WASHINGTON (AP) — You’ve likely heard it since childhood: Don’t scratch that bug bite or rash, you’ll make it worse. But why would something that feels so good be bad?

A lot of things can cause itchiness, sometimes serious diseases. Whatever the cause, doctors have long warned that scratching too much can damage the skin. Now researchers better understand why even a mildly annoying itch could put you on an itch-and-scratch cycle if you give in.

How did they find out? In part by putting tiny “cones of shame” onto mice to uncover what happens on a cellular level when an itch gets scratched — or left alone.

They also gained insight into why a good scratch at least at first brings a sigh of relief. After all, not just people and other mammals scratch, even fish do. The commonality suggests there must be some evolutionary reason and the mouse experiment hints at a little germ protection — but still not a reason to scratch.

Expect a more swollen, itchier spot if you can’t ignore that bug bite

Dr. Daniel Kaplan, a University of Pittsburgh dermatologist whose lab studies immune reactions in skin, was exploring a run-of-the-mill type of itch called allergic contact dermatitis, caused by irritants such as poison ivy or nickel in jewelry.

Kaplan’s research team put a rash-inducing irritant on the ears of mice. Normal mice scratched and inflammatory immune cells rushed to the site, increasing swelling. The rash was much milder in mice bred with defective itch-sensing nerve cells. But was the difference really the scratching?

Normal mice put into collars like those veterinary “cones of shame” so they itched but couldn’t scratch gave the answer: They, too, had much less swelling and fewer inflammatory cells.

Kaplan said that evidence matches people’s everyday experiences that scratching really can make things worse.

Ignore a mosquito bite and the itch is “gone in five or 10 minutes for most people,” he said. “But if you start scratching it, it’s your friend for a week,” getting itchier and more inflamed.

The immune system’s first responders can help — and hurt

To understand what was happening in the skin, Kaplan’s team took a deeper look at mast cells, among the immune system’s first responders. When called into action, they release compounds that can help fight germs or toxins — or, through a compound called histamine, trigger itchy allergic reactions.

Scientists have long known that allergens can activate mast cells. But other signals can summon mast cells, too, including pain. And when we scratch, “we tend to scratch until it starts to hurt,” Kaplan noted.

Pain-sensing nerve cells release a chemical messenger called substance P. In findings published last year, Kaplan’s team reported that substance P can activate mast cells through a different molecular pathway than allergens do — a double whammy that explains why scratching further inflames itchy rashes or bites.

Then why does a little scratching feel good?

If we experience pain like touching a hot stove, we’ll learn not to do that again. Yet relief from a good scratch, in evolutionary terms, is positive feedback. Why?

One long-held theory is that it may help creatures slough off parasites like fleas or mites. But Kaplan also was intrigued by other labs’ findings that mast cells could fend off a common type of skin bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus. So his team infected mice and then repeated the cone-of-shame itch experiment. Sure enough, those that scratched had lower levels of that germ on their ears, maybe because of the extra inflammation or some other mast cell-related compound.

But that’s not enough of an upside to change the health advice.

“Ultimately, scratching is deleterious,” Kaplan stressed. “You should avoid scratching,” he said, although acknowledging that it’s “easier said than done.”

Here’s how to handle a minor itch

What fights an itch depends on its cause and there’s a need for better treatments. For now, antihistamines and certain other drugs for hives can tamp down some itchiness triggered by mast cells. Drug companies are experimenting with other approaches called MRGPRX2 blockers that target the pathway Kaplan’s team linked to scratching. Kaplan hopes better understanding of that pathway eventually could help skin diseases such as chronic eczema.

For the summer itchiness of bug bites, poison ivy and other types of contact dermatitis, dermatologists recommend anti-itch balms such as hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion or oatmeal baths.

Another trick from Kaplan: Menthol-containing creams can temporarily fool the skin into sensing cold instead of itch, just long enough that “if you don’t scratch, then you break that itch-scratch cycle,” he said. “It’s like a cheat code.”

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Swimmers looking to cool off in the heatwave are having police called on them for aggravating wildlife at Hampstead Heath.

More than a dozen swimmers were found on Friday in the nature pond, cooling off among the swans.

They had seemingly ignored the barbed wire and glaring signage erected by the City of London Corporation.

Hampstead Heath Constabulary and ParkGuard battled to bring them back to the land, but many Londoners are desperate to cool off as the city’s lack of free blue spaces mean many resort to breaking the rules.

Before Covid-19, the Hampstead Heath ponds used to be free with no booking required.

Lidos have also become oversubscribed, leaving little option for people desperate to escape the heat.

And those in poorer areas suffer the most in heatwaves, as their access to green and blue space is limited.

On Collingwood Estate in Sutton, south London, residents say they are ‘cooking’ and suffering heat exhaustion with temperatures reaching 30C by 4am, they told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The Mayor of London announced he will improve access to these spaces in his ‘Heat Ready London’ plan.

Sir Sadiq told Metro: ‘It is not just an issue of the environment, but of social justice. In the 2022 heatwave, we saw 400 premature deaths, 4,000 going to A&E, extreme challenges to our public transport and big pressure of the fire service.’

But it is not just during the heatwave. Over New Years, watching fireworks at iconic spots became ticketed and commercialised.

It was only 12 years ago in 2014 when London’s New Year’s Eve firework display became ticketed for the first time.

And popular free viewing spots such have started to be closed off to the public.

Primrose Hill, Parliament Hill, St James Park, Greenwich park and Vauxhall Bridge all close before the main event begins.

The City of London Corporation told The Standard: ‘As well as our own Constabulary, we’ve put additional security and patrols in place across the Heath, particularly around the Lido and Model Boating Pond.

‘Entering any other water body is extremely dangerous and risks both lives and wildlife.

‘We want all visitors to enjoy their time on the Heath, and we’re asking everyone to behave responsibly, and respect the space and those who care for it.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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