The bar will be closed on Tuesday as a mark of respect

A Belfast bar has paid tribute to their beloved colleague Raven Adams who was killed in a collision in North Belfast.

The Thirsty Goat expressed its sadness following the death of the 24-year-old this week. They said her “kindness, laughter, dedication and warm smile left a lasting mark on everyone who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside her”.

Raven, who is originally from the Tipperary area, died after she and a man were struck by a car in the York Street area at around 2.40 am on Thursday.

The bar issued a statement on social media saying: “Today, our hearts are with two members of The Thirsty Goat family. We are deeply saddened by the passing of our much-loved colleague, Raven Adams. Her kindness, laughter, dedication and warm smile left a lasting mark on everyone who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside her. She will be greatly missed and we will cherish the memories shared together.

“At this incredibly difficult time, we extend our deepest condolences to Raven’s family, friends and loved ones. May she rest in peace. We also want to send all our love, prayers and strength to our colleague Ethan, who remains in hospital following this terrible accident. Ethan, we’re all thinking of you and praying for your recovery.

“The Thirsty Goat will be closed on Tuesday as a mark of respect while family, friends and colleagues gather to celebrate the life of Raven. “

Raven’s funeral is due to take place on Tuesday, July 21, at 11.30am at Dardistown Crematorium in Dublin.

A tribute on RIP.ie said: “Raven, aged 24yrs, will be very sadly missed and remembered with love by her dad Adam, mum Kelsie, brothers and sisters Callum, Jade, Chandi, Julianna and Aaron, grandparents Mike and Jane Gill, step-mum Lucy, extended family relatives, by all her dear friends and work colleagues in both Dundalk and Belfast, and by all who knew and loved her.

“Reposing at Shevlin’s Funeral Home, Barrack Street, Dundalk (A91 Y3CX) on Monday afternoon from 4pm to 8pm.

“Removal on Tuesday morning 21st July, at 10.30am to Dardistown Crematorium, Dublin (K67 HP26), for a celebration of life service at 11.30am.”

A Gofundme page has been set up by Ethan Dornan in order to help Raven’s family in the wake of her death. It has raised over £5,000 in 14 hours.

It said: “On july 16th Raven Adams was the pedestrian in a hit and run incident while walking home from her work in belfast. This money will help relieve her family of the costs of the service as this is not cheap.”

If you would like to support the appeal to help Raven’s family with funeral costs you can do so via this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/raven-adams?

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Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which Mr Burnham has promised to honour, said the party would not issue new North Sea licences

Andy Burnham has been urged to stick to Labour’s manifesto and block further drilling in the North Sea amid reports he is considering backing new oil and gas projects.

Allies of the new Labour leader have said he intends to make a “dynamic” start to his premiership on Monday, when he formally takes over from Sir Keir Starmer.

In a speech in Downing Street, he is expected to set out plans to provide “breathing space” on the cost of living and bring economic growth to every part of the UK, but details of his plans remain unclear.

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Media reports have suggested that could involve approving new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, with Mr Burnham said to be “open-minded” about such a move in the future.

But Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which Mr Burnham has promised to honour, said the party would not issue new North Sea licences, arguing they would “not take a penny off bills” or improve energy security while accelerating climate change.

Senior Green Party figures on Saturday urged the incoming prime minister not to break “one of Labour’s flagship manifesto commitments”.

Green MP Adrian Ramsay said: “Andy Burnham says he takes the climate and nature crises seriously, but words are no substitute for action.

“With heatwaves causing deaths, wildfires and extreme weather across the country, approving new oil and gas drilling is exactly the wrong response and will do nothing to bring down energy bills.”

The past week has seen a significant lobbying effort in favour of new licences, with energy industry leaders and trade union bosses publishing an open letter to Labour MPs calling for them to back North Sea oil and gas.

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They argued this would reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports from “volatile regions” that involved higher emissions, making it a “more responsible choice for the climate”.

Enrique Cornejo, of industry association Offshore Energies UK, said: “While we use oil and gas, it is common sense that we prioritise our own production, our own jobs, value in our economy, delivered with lower emissions than imports.”

Opponents of further drilling say the global oil market means extra production in the North Sea would make no difference to energy bills, while being more expensive to extract.

There is also no guarantee that additional North Sea oil will be used in the UK, which exports most of the oil it already produces.

Amy Cameron, programme director at Greenpeace UK, said allowing new drilling would be “a massive own goal” while the UK was “literally on fire”.

She said: “The science is crystal clear: our only fighting chance at a future with bearable temperatures and a thriving green economy depends on rapidly phasing out fossil fuels.

“Turning our backs on that to squeeze out the last few drops from a dying oilfield – which will not lower our bills, create many new jobs or secure our energy supply – would be sheer folly.”

Arguments over North Sea oil have proved a flashpoint throughout Sir Keir’s premiership, with Conservative backing for more drilling helping the party win its first parliamentary by-election in Scotland for almost 50 years last month.

Support for new drilling could also complicate Mr Burnham’s choice of chancellor, a decision he said on Friday he had not yet made.

One of the leading candidates is thought to be Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, who has been a strong supporter of Labour’s manifesto commitment on the North Sea, while reports suggest Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood may be in line for the crucial role instead.

Meanwhile, Kemi Badenoch has criticised Mr Burnham for not setting out his plans before Monday, describing his comments so far as “airy-fairy stuff”.

The Conservative leader told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg she thought Mr Burnham was “a people pleaser” rather than someone who would make “tough decisions”.

Mr Burnham has pledged to reach out to other parties and end a culture of political “point scoring” at Westminster.

But Mrs Badenoch said she would “score as many points as possible if it means the right thing for the country”.

She added: “What I’m not going to do is give Andy Burnham a blank cheque. This is a man who doesn’t want scrutiny, he doesn’t want anyone asking him tough questions, he just wants to be a people pleaser.”

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called to Ormrod Street, in Bolton town centre, at about 8am on Friday (July 17).

The force confirmed to the Bolton News that the incident was connected to Hargreaves House, at the road’s junction with Great Moor Street, near the Morrisons supermarket.

The body of a man, aged 75, was found at the address, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A murder investigation was launched before a woman, aged 49, was arrested on suspicion of murder.

She remains in custody for questioning.

Follow our live blog of this incident here.

Crime scene investigators could be seen in the area when the Bolton News attended the scene on Saturday morning (July 18).

Sections of Hargreaves House had been cordoned off, with several police cars in attendance and police tape covering the entrance to the bin storage.

Formal identification of the victim is yet to take place, but GMP said the man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported at this time.

In a statement, Detective Inspector Louise Kelly said: “I would like to express my deepest condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones as they navigate through this loss.

“They will continue to be supported by our specialist officers during this difficult time.

“It is our priority to obtain some answers regarding the full circumstances of this tragic incident, and we are appealing for information from the public to help us progress our investigation.”

If anyone has any information, CCTV footage, or mobile phone footage that may relate to the force’s investigation, you can provide it via the Major Incident Public Portal.

You can also contact police via 101 or the GMP Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 744 of 17/07/26.

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Tyler Morton passed away just weeks after starting to complain about earache

An artist who thought they were suffering from a simple earache died just weeks later after a nightmare diagnosis. In January, 21-year-old Bedford artist Tyler Morton began complaining of a simple, seemingly harmless earache.

Within days, however, the mild discomfort spiralled into something far more alarming. The left side of his face went completely numb, and he suddenly struggled to walk. When doctors first evaluated Tyler, they suspected a routine ear infection and sent him home with antibiotics.

Unfortunately, the medication did nothing to halt his rapidly declining health. Tyler soon began vomiting and lost motor control over the entire left side of his body. His 19-year-old sister, Ella, a mechanic who lived with Tyler and their grandmother, rushed him back to the hospital for further treatment.

A trip to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge followed, where Tyler was diagnosed with grade 4 glioblastoma, an incredibly aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer. Because the disease had taken hold so rapidly, medical staff delivered the devastating news that Tyler was too weak to undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy. His body simply could not cope.

On March 25 – just four weeks after his very first symptoms appeared – Tyler passed away at home. “Three weeks earlier, he was walking and talking, and now he couldn’t do anything himself. He was just a body at that point,” said Ella.

Ella was shocked to discover how severely brain tumours affect patients and how little help is available compared to other forms of cancer.

Ella said: “Everything happened so quickly and he deteriorated so fast.

“Tyler was an amazing older brother. He was funny and kind – the sort of brother I went to for anything. We both lived with our nan and we were inseparable. I was distraught nothing could be done for him.

“I knew you could get cancer everywhere in the body, but I didn’t realise how badly it affects you if it’s in the brain. There are very limited treatment options compared to other cancers.

“I was so angry and upset that we hadn’t found out he had a brain tumour sooner. I definitely think a lot more could have been done for him.”

To honour her brother’s memory, Ella joined forces with the charity Brain Tumour Research during Glioblastoma Awareness Week. She completed the “200k in May Your Way” challenge, raising more than £1,300 to help fund the search for a cure.

According to Brain Tumour Research, glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype, is the most common type of high-grade primary brain tumour in adults, with around 3,200 people diagnosed each year in the UK. It belongs to the glioma family – tumours that arise from glial cells, which support and protect nerve cells in the brain.

Unlike some other gliomas, glioblastomas – formerly known as glioblastoma multiforme or GBM – are highly aggressive, rapidly growing tumours that infiltrate surrounding brain tissue, making them especially challenging to treat. They also have a high likelihood of recurrence following treatment.

All glioblastomas are classified as grade 4 tumours under the World Health Organization (WHO) grading system. They are characterised as ‘IDH-wildtype’, meaning they lack mutations (changes in the DNA) in the IDH1 or IDH2 genes. This form is typically associated with more aggressive tumour behaviour and a poorer prognosis compared to gliomas that carry these mutations, such as astrocytoma, IDH-mutant, and oligodendroglioma, IDH-mutant.

The standard treatment for glioblastoma typically involves surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible, followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy to help slow the growth of any remaining cancer cells. The specific treatment plan depends on factors such its location within the brain and the overall health of the patient.

There’s one common mistake with outdoor clothes drying to avoid this summer

Britons making the most of the summer sunshine are being urged to exercise extra caution when hanging their laundry outdoors. Drying washing in the fresh air can help reduce energy bills, maintain cooler indoor temperatures and leave clothes with a fresher scent.

It can also prove gentler on fabrics compared to tumble drying, helping garments remain in better condition for longer. Nevertheless, there is a widespread mistake that many people make when hanging up their washing, according to specialists at Brabantia, who warn that your most cherished items of clothing could be damaged.

Speaking to Ideal Homes about the issue with clothes pegs, the expert warned: “While a laundry staple, clothes pegs can sometimes leave pressure marks or small creases on clothing, especially when they are clipped too tightly or left on the line for too long.”

As pegs grip clothing in a single concentrated spot, they can exert unnecessary strain on the material. Over time, this may result in persistent creases or indentations, shiny patches, distorted shoulders and necklines, and even colour fading.

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How to protect your clothes

According to fashion specialists at Superdry, to help safeguard delicate items, it is advisable to abandon clothes pegs entirely. However, avoid leaving laundry unattended outdoors during windy conditions, as garments can easily be swept away.

They recommend using an indoor drying rack and transporting it outside. They noted: “This helps extend the lifespan of your clothing by minimising wear and tear caused by heat exposure.

“Sunlight offers natural antimicrobial properties and acts as a gentle whitening agent for fabrics. Take caution when using clothes pegs, as they can leave unsightly and potentially permanent pressure marks on delicate fabrics.”

They added: “Additionally, you can enhance the whitening effect further by lightly spritzing clothes with white vinegar before hanging them outdoors, helping the sun to keep your whites looking fresh.

“However, some fabrics will become stiff if dried in this way, especially those made from natural fibres like cotton. To avoid this, try partly drying outside and finish off with a few minutes in the tumble dryer.”

It’s also worth gently reshaping garments to smooth out any creases before hanging them out or placing them on a drying rack — a simple step that can also significantly reduce the amount of ironing required.

How to hang your clothes outside

To keep ironing to a minimum, give clothes a good shake before hanging them out and avoid cramming too many items together, according to The English Home. Spread everything out, unbutton shirts, unzip jackets and unroll sleeves to encourage even drying and fewer creases.

Hang tops from the bottom hem and trousers from the waistband to prevent any unwanted stretching. Delicate knitwear should always be dried flat, as hanging wet jumpers can cause them to lose their shape.

For shirts, drying them neatly on hangers works particularly well, or if you still prefer to use clothes pegs, clipping shirts by the bottom edge can help minimise wrinkles and make putting them away far more straightforward.

Declan Rice was at the heart of a chaotic World Cup bronze medal match against France, but a clip of him after the game has offered an insight into his mentality

Declan Rice was spotted with a face like thunder after England’s bonkers 6-4 victory over France in the World Cup bronze medal match. Rice, who captained the national team with Harry Kane on the bench, got the third place match rolling with a fine goal after three minutes against Les Bleus.

It proved to be the starting gun of an extraordinary clash against Didier Deschamps’ side which saw England go 4-0 up, then get pegged back to 4-3 after half time. The Three Lions did manage to get over the line in Miami, to ensure this tournament was the country’s best performance at a World Cup since 1966.

However, that was little consolation to Rice, who still appeared to be simultaneously weighed down by the disappointment of Wednesday night’s defeat to Argentina and the frustration of almost throwing the match away.

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At full time, Rice slumped to the ground and had the look of a man who was still seething with the defeat to Argentina. He was also seen walking around the pitch in Miami with the same expression on his face.

It demonstrated his mentality as he was evidently furious with the way England almost lost the match. After Rice’s fine goal within the first three minutes, Ezri Konsa headed in the Arsenal’s man’s corner to double the lead.

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After the hydration brake, Bukayo Saka scored a quick-fire brace to hand the Three Lions a monumental 4-0 lead. Deschamps made four changes at half time and was immediately paid back by Kylian Mbappe scoring within three minutes of the second half.

England’s lead was then sliced in half by Bradley Barcola, one of Dechamps’ substitutions, finding the net just six minutes later. The blue shirts began to overwhelm those in white, and on 66 minutes, Mbappe added his second with a great strike to make it 4-3.

Elliot Anderson and Jude Bellingham’s introduction led to England getting back control of the ball and the bronze medal match was seemingly sealed when Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, after the excellent Djed Spence was brought down in the box.

However, the Three Lions were breached again by Ousmane Dembele in the 96th minute, who found the net after so many of his team-mates missed excellent chances.

As English fears of losing another lead began to linger, Bellingham completed an immense counter-attack by essentially dribbling through the whole French team before placing the ball in the corner.

Mixed emotions were definitely the theme of the result and while the match will live long in the memory, it will surely not banish the pain of the loss to Argentina.

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Bonnie Tyler will be laid to rest in her hometown in Wales next month, after the singer tragically died at the age of 75.

The Total Eclipse Of The Heart hitmaker, whose real name is Gaynor Hopkins, passed away on July 8, just months after she was placed in an induced coma following emergency intestinal surgery.

Bonnie had passed away in hospital in Portugal, close to where she lived with her husband Robert Sullivan, but it’s now been revealed her funeral will take place on August 17th.

On Friday, an announcement was made by William Pressdee Funeralcare on behalf of Bonnie’s family, which shared plans for a ‘celebration of life’ in the singer’s honour.

They shared that prior to a private family service, a memorial procession will take place on August 15th, with fans invited to line the streets and pay their respects.

The statement read: ‘Resting at William Pressdee Funeralcare, Mumbles until she returns to her home, Fernhill, on Saturday 15th August at 3.30pm – those who wish to pay their respects are invited to line Newton Road, Mumbles from 3.15pm.’

Referring to Bonnie by her birth name, the statement continued: ‘A Celebration of Gaynor’s life will be held at Swansea Minster (St. Mary’s Church) on Monday 17th August at 12noon. 

‘Gaynor will then return to her ”hometown”, and travel through Skewen at approximately 1.20pm en route to a private family service of committal and farewell.’

Bonnie’s family have also invited fans to donate to two charities that Bonnie was a patron of, instead of sending flowers.

The charities are the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales, and Cerebral Palsy Cymru, with the funeral home adding: ‘Her legacy lives on in the timeless songs that made her a legend.’

Bonnie’s death was announced in a statement by her ‘heartbroken’ family and team on her website on July 9, which said she died in hospital in Portugal.

The performer was best known for her hits Total Eclipse Of The Heart and Holding Out For A Hero, and she had planned a new European tour which had been due to start later this year.

The statement said: ‘Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for.’

Bonnie was first admitted to hospital in May because of complications caused by a burst appendix and perforated intestine that required urgent surgery.

The Total Eclipse Of The Heart hitmaker passed away on July 8, just months after she was placed in an induced coma following emergency intestinal surgery

A spokesperson for the singer confirmed at the time: ‘Bonnie has been put into an induced coma by her doctors to aid her recovery. We know that you all wish her well and ask for privacy at this difficult time please. 

‘We will issue a further statement when we are able to.’

Bonnie’s last public performance was in March, when she performed at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London. She was due to perform at the Sunshine Festival in Worcester this summer, along with a number of European dates, and was also booked to perform at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena on December 17. 

It was first reported that Bonnie had started feeling unwell in May. She had been bedridden for two days at her Algarve home before her worried husband, Robert Sullivan, took her to a local private hospital, from which she was transferred to Faro.

When her health woes first emerged, her spokesperson said: ‘We are very sorry to announce that Bonnie has been admitted to hospital in Faro, Portugal, where she has a home, for emergency intestinal surgery.

‘The surgery went well and she is now recuperating.

‘We know that all of her family, friends and fans will be concerned about this news and will be wishing her well for a full and swift recovery.’

She was said to have been ‘stable’ in an intermediate care unit at Faro Hospital before an apparent worsening of her health led to her being transferred to intensive care.

On June 15, the singer’s team said she had woken up from a medically-induced coma after suffering a cardiac arrest in Portugal a month previously.

They said at the time: ‘Bonnie is no longer in a coma, but remains seriously ill. Although her condition is improving, the recovery process is slow.’

Sources said she had been maintaining her professional activity in the run-up to being taken to hospital, despite complaining of persistent pain for several weeks.

Bonnie was also being treated for a ruptured appendix, which is a severe medical emergency requiring immediate surgical intervention and antibiotics to a prevent fatal infection.

When an infected appendix ruptures, it creates a hole and causes fecal matter and bacteria to leak into the abdominal cavity.