“We were promised watering, and I’m not sure that has been done so I am a little annoyed about that. I know the forecast has not been kind, but few people complain about too much rain.

“The conditions suit some horses, but for the big favourites we would like it softer.”

Jon Pullin, clerk of the course at Cheltenham Racecourse, said they had watered the majority of the ground on Wednesday evening.

Pullin told BBC Sport: “After racing concluded on Wednesday, selective watering took place on the majority of the new course to maintain the going description of Good, Good to Soft in places.

“Our focus is on producing safe jumping ground for all our participants and that has been provided today.”

Two horses died on the opening two days of the 2026 Festival – Hansard on Tuesday, then HMS Seahorse on Wednesday – but all came home safe on Thursday.

Mullins is the most successful trainer in the history of Cheltenham, having saddled 118 winners. Regarded as the most prominent trainer in Ireland, he has also trained the last two winners of the Grand National.

Five Mullins-trained horses won on the opening two days of the Festival, but none on day three.

The 69-year-old said he had concerns about the ground from early on Thursday, with his fears confirmed as the day continued.

Mullins added: “I talked with JP [McManus, Fact To File’s owner], and said, these horses are too difficult to acquire.

“We waited all day for rain that was half-promised, so we made the decision not to run.”

Fact To File was the only horse Mullins withdrew on Thursday, with another 15 of his trainees running.

Shortly before Fact To File’s withdrawal, racing fans saw 40-1 shot White Noise win the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and the Stayers’ Hurdle was taken by Home By The Lee, another long-priced victor at 33-1.

Mullins himself directly suffered at the hands of an outsider in the final race of the day, as his Road To Home was beaten by a nose by 22-1 shot Ask Brewster in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap.

Heavy rain had been forecast at Cheltenham on Thursday morning, but while there was some wind and rain it was less than expected and the going was good for the Ryanair Chase.

It was eventually won by Heart Wood, which beat Jonbon – the new favourite following the absence of Fact Or File – by several lengths.

Ethan Ives-Griffiths was subjected to weeks of abuse at the hands of Michael Ives and his wife Kerry Ives before his death

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The Court of Appeal has rejected a bid to increase the sentences of a couple who were jailed for life for murdering their two-year-old grandson. Ethan Ives-Griffiths was subjected to weeks of abuse at the hands of Michael Ives, 48, and his wife Kerry Ives, 47.

The toddler was extremely dehydrated and severely underweight with visible marks and bruises when he collapsed with a catastrophic head injury at his grandparents’ home in Flintshire in August 2021.

In October last year the couple were jailed for life at Mold Crown Court. Michael Ives was sentenced to a minimum of 23 years imprisonment and Kerry Ives for a minimum of 17 years. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here

On Thursday Bill Emlyn Jones KC, for the Solicitor General, asked the Court of Appeal in London to increase the sentences, saying they were “unduly lenient”.

But Lord Justice Popplewell, Mr Justice Sweeting and Judge Penelope Moreland ruled that the sentences were appropriate and should not be increased.

Reading the judgment, Lord Justice Popplewell said Ethan was a “brave” and “resilient” boy with a “strong character” and that his grandparents “did not like him standing up for himself”.

Setting out some of the facts of the offending, he added that CCTV showed Michael Ives carrying his grandson by the top of his arm and appearing to punch him after putting him into a car seat.

Other footage showed the boy in the back garden “walking with a peculiar, wide stance and an uncertain gait”, which could be linked to the early effects of brain injuries caused by previous blows to his head, the judge said. To humiliate Ethan, Michael would make him stand with his hands on his head, he added.

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Ethan had been placed on the child protection register, requiring him to be seen every 10 days, but when his mother last saw her social worker, on August 5, she spoke to him on the doorstep and told him Ethan was having a nap.

Lord Justice Popplewell continued: “On behalf of the Solicitor General, Mr Jones contends that for Michael and Kerry the minimum terms of 23 years and 17 years, respectively, were unduly lenient.

“He says that when sentencing for the murder the judge could not divorce the aggravating factors of the murder from the factors of what had gone before.”

The judge added: “In Michael’s case we are not persuaded that the sentence was unduly lenient.” He also said that it was clear that the sentencing judge, Mr Justice Griffiths, had the overall position “clearly” in mind.

The judge said that the panel was also “unpersuaded” in Kerry’s case that the minimum term was unduly lenient. “The judge was very well placed to assess her culpability and personal mitigation,” Lord Justice Popplewell said.

Ethan’s mother, Shannon Ives, 28, of Rhes-y-Cae, near Holywell, who had been staying with her son at her parents’ home, was found guilty of causing or allowing his death and of child cruelty, and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Gordon Cole KC, for the mother, appealed against her sentence, telling the court the jail term was “too long” and that the judge had not fully taken into account her personal mitigation.

Lord Justice Popplewell said the judges had given careful consideration to his arguments but were unpersuaded that they justified “interfering with the sentence”.

A single London borough has had 80 cases of a ‘fast-spreading’ measles outbreak in less than three months.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that notoriously causes a red rash behind the ears or hairline that quickly spreads downward.

At least 235 cases of measles have been confirmed in the UK since January, according to UK Health Security Agency data released today.

Of them, 107 occurred in the past four weeks.

The agency says 80 laboratory-confirmed cases of the disease were in Enfield, north London, and 15 in the neighbouring borough of Harringey.

What to know about measles

Measles spreads when infected people cough or sneeze, spewing viral droplets that float in the air for hours and wriggle on surfaces.

It’s six times more transmissible than Covid-19, making it difficult to contain.

The virus, also called rubeola, can be spread days before symptoms even begin.

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Symptoms start around a week after someone gets in contact with the virus, such as a runny nose or a cough.

Within days, measles’s more infamous symptoms, like red or brown blotches and white spots in the mouth, called Koplik spots, emerge.

There’s no specific treatment for measles, other than remedies in hospital, like IV drips and painkillers, to make recovery easier. A vaccine remains the best way to prevent infection.

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Precise numbers for other London regions are unclear, as figures are only published for boroughs that have seen 10 more cases.

More than one in three of the infections have been in children aged between one and four, who are particularly vulnerable to measles.

The disease, while mild to most, can lead to pneumonia, which is the leading cause of death from measles among children.

In rare cases, the infection can cause brain swelling, leaving youngsters with damaged hearing or intellectual disabilities.

Enfield Council has told parents and guardians that their children could be excluded from school if they are not vaccinated for measles.

Seven schools in Enfield and Harringey have seen measles outbreaks, with some children requiring hospital treatment, the BBC reported last month.

Most were not immunised against the virus.

While measles outbreaks do happen, the speed of the infections has taken local healthcare workers aback.

Health experts say that 95% of people need to be vaccinated to curb the spread, with current vaccination rates well below that at 91.9%.

Protection is gained from the two-shot Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (MMRV) vaccine, given to children when they are 12 months old.

Together, the doses are about 97% effective at preventing an infection.

Enfield has the lowest uptake in the UK, which has alarmed people like Dr Jo Sauvage, the chief medical officer of the North Central London ICB, which organises healthcare for north London boroughs.

‘As the cases overall rise, it’s really distressing to see the numbers of children who are seriously ill also increase, with more children requiring hospital care,’ Dr Sauvage tells Metro.

Dr Yimmy Chow, UKHSA’s London region deputy director, says that children and adults who become infected with measles can suffer ‘needlessly’ in hospital.

Both Dr Sauvage and Dr Chow say there’s a simple thing people can do, however. Get vaccinated.

‘Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known, and it will find those who are unvaccinated. Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide vital protection,’ Dr Chow says.

‘If your child has missed any vaccinations, or you are unsure whether they are up to date, please contact your GP surgery as soon as possible — it is never too late to catch up.’

The World Health Organisation declared the UK is no longer considered to have eliminated measles last month.

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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The man is facing two years in prison for allegedly taking the prohibited footage.

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A traveller who allegedly filmed Iranian missiles in Dubai could face prison time for the footage.

The 60-year-old man, from London, stands as one of dozens of people accused of breaching strict laws in the United Arab Emirates against creating or uploading social media posts relating to conflict.

The legal advocacy group, Detained in Dubai, reports there are 21 people accused of the crime, reports The Mirror.

The Londoner was arrested in Dubai on Monday this week. It is reported he has deleted the footage from his phone immediately when asked by the authorities, and claimed to have had no knowledge of committing any offence.

Radha Stirling, director of the London-based Detained in Dubai organisation, said: “Amongst those charged is a British man who says he deleted the video immediately when asked and meant no harm, but is still among those facing charges.

“The official allegation relates to: ‘broadcasting, publishing, republishing or circulating rumours or provocative propaganda that could disturb public security.’

“Under UAE cybercrime laws, one post can lead to many arrests. Anyone who shares, reposts or comments on the same content can face the same charges. and be named on the same charge sheet.

“The charges are vague and broad but serious nonetheless. Those charged could face lengthy prison sentences.

“Residents could also be detained under national security laws, held indefinitely, denied access to their embassy and be subjected to human rights abuses. In times of tension, extreme caution is advised.”

Prosecutors in the UAE had warned last week over the risks of sharing “rumours” about incidents in the UAE amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.

A social media post from UAE Public Prosecution said: “Any person who shares or reposts content from unknown sources shall be subject to legal accountability in accordance with the applicable legislation, even if they are not the original creator of such content.

“Be aware and informed… Information is a responsibility, and spreading rumours is a crime.”

It comes as Iranian drones have continued to strike Dubai in the past 24 hours despite Tehran issuing an ‘apology’ to its Gulf neighbours for the war.

Two drones launched from Iran fell near Dubai International Airport yesterday, leaving four people injured. And authorities rushed Dubai Creek Harbour area late last night after another drone struck a high-rise building, sparking a fire on several floors. Photographs taken this morning showed windows blown out and smoke damage on a section of the building’s facade.

The Dubai Media Office said multiple emergency teams responded to the incident in the waterfront district, with residents evacuated as a precaution.

Donald Trump says he is no longer that interested in a Nobel Prize, despite openly campaigning for one throughout much of his second term.

The president is also unsure how the ongoing Iran war will impact his future chances of getting one.

Speaking with the Washington Examiner, Trump said he had “no idea” if the Iran conflict would “get him over the finish line” with the Nobel committee.

“I don’t know,” he added. “I’m not interested in it.”

The U.S. is already facing heavy scrutiny over its conduct in the two-week conflict.

A Pentagon probe reportedly has reached preliminary findings that a U.S. missile struck an Iranian elementary school, killing around 175 people, mostly children.

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The president has said he’s unaware of those alleged findings and that the incident is under investigation.

Elsewhere in the interview, President Trump said the subject hasn’t come up with foreign leaders he’s interacted with about the ongoing conflict, which has killed seven U.S. troops and an estimated 1,348 people in Iran.

“No, I don’t talk about the Nobel Prize,” Trump said.

The comments would come as a surprise to the Donald Trump of a few months ago, who regularly spoke about how he deserved the high diplomatic honor.

Throughout 2025, the president claimed he had stopped at least eight wars since taking office, though an Independent fact-check underscored how many of these claims were inaccurate, exaggerated, or premature.

open image in gallery

That didn’t stop nations and institutions seeking favor with Trump from playing into the president’s well-known interest in a Nobel Prize, which reportedly is fueled in part by his anger that President Barack Obama won one first.

In January, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado symbolically gave her Nobel Prize to Trump during a White House meeting, though the prize organizers say she remains the sole holder of that year’s honor.

The prior month, the international soccer organizing body FIFA gave Trump a newly created peace prize, which it announced weeks after Trump was snubbed for a Nobel and came as FIFA prepares to host the World Cup in North America in 2026.

Whatever Trump’s present interest in the Nobel is, there are few doubts that his administration has scrambled global relations with an oftentimes aggressive and unilateral approach.

The administration has tariffed enemies and allies, kidnapped the leader of Venezuela, launched a soft war on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, assassinated the leader of Iran, and threatened the military takeover of Greenland, despite it being a NATO ally.

It has also failed to definitively end crises that the president confidently claimed he would solve, such as the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Gaza wars.

A mobile repair expert from Vodafone has warned that poorly aligned wireless charging could be the culprit behind declining battery health, as uneven contact forces the device to work harder, generating heat and accelerating long-term battery degradation.

James Todd, national repairs manager at Fonehouse, said: “Modern phones have large camera bumps.

“When they sit unevenly on a wireless charger, the phone isn’t making optimal contact, so it has to work harder to charge.”

The risks of using illegal ‘dodgy’ Fire Sticks

Vodafone has teamed up with Fonehouse to offer same-day, in-store repairs in as little as two hours through its Fix & Go service, available in 18 Vodafone stores.

Mr Todd explained that although wireless charging is often seen as a convenient option, improper alignment between the phone and the charging coil can lead to excessive heat generation.

He said: “Wireless charging is often seen as a convenient hands-off option.

“But if the phone isn’t properly aligned, it can actually be worse for your battery than a cable.”

This misalignment causes the device to draw more power, creating heat that gradually reduces battery capacity.

Mr Todd said: “Over time, that heat reduces the battery’s capacity.

“It’s not something you notice straight away, but after a year or two, people wonder why their phone won’t last the day.”

The problem is especially common in vehicles, where phones are often left loosely on wireless charging pads while running navigation, music, and other apps.

To prevent battery damage, Mr Todd recommends using properly aligned wireless chargers, such as magnetic systems, or simply switching to a good-quality charging cable.

He said: “If you’re using wireless charging, alignment is everything.

“That’s why magnetic systems work so well, because they make sure the connection is optimal and reduce heat.”

Signs of battery deterioration include faster-than-normal battery drain, devices heating up during charging, sudden percentage drops, and unexpected shutdowns.

Should you charge your phone overnight?

Mr Todd said: “By the time people come into a repair shop, the damage has usually been building for months.”

He said that small adjustments to charging habits can significantly extend battery life and prevent unnecessary repair costs.

He said: “Take a second to make sure your phone is sitting flat and properly lined up.

“It’s one of the easiest ways to protect your battery and one of the mistakes we see most often.”

Beyond battery issues, another frequent problem is debris in the charging port.

Mr Todd said: “Every day you plug in your phone to charge, debris gets pushed further and further down into the port until the cable can’t properly connect.”

He said that a quick, professional cleaning can often resolve the issue without the need for expensive repairs.

The Fix & Go service covers a range of common smartphone problems, with repair prices starting at £49 for a camera fix, £39 for charging issues, £49 for battery replacements, £69 for rear cover repairs, and £79 for screen repairs.

The service is available for devices on any network, including those out of warranty, and supports Samsung, Apple, and Google handsets.

The man has been missing since Thursday, March 5.

The police are appealing for information to help find a man who has been missing for a week. Christopher, 68, has been missing since Thursday, March 5.

Christopher was last seen in the area of Wellingborough at around 2pm. He has been described as around 6ft, bald, with a beard, and wearing glasses.

He was seen wearing a khaki green jacket, blue jeans, and a white hat with Forces PIN badges on. It is believed that Christopher may have left Wellingborough town. He has links to Peterborough.

If you have seen Christopher or have any information about where he might be, you can report it through the Northamptonshire Police website. You should quote the missing person reference number MPW1/741/26.

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The court heard Noel Crowley’s wife of seven decades, Anne, slept each night with the hat he was wearing when he was knocked down

A much-loved family man and community stalwart was killed by a drug-driver as he walked to church, a court has heard.

Former Neath Port Talbot Council leader Noel Crowley was hit as he crossed the road by Zack Mason, an unaccompanied learner driver who was over the legal cannabis limit for driving. The 86-year-old was rushed to hospital but could not be saved.

A judge at Swansea Crown Court described Mr Crowley as a “much loved and much respected” man who was “know by many, and held in high esteem by all”.

Hannah George, prosecuting, told the court that the fatal incident happened in Port Talbot at around 5.30pm on December 7 last year.

She said Mason, who was aged 20 at the time and driving his mother’s Skoda Fabia car, pulled out of the car park of Blanco’s hotel and drove some 25 metres along Water Street before striking Mr Crowley as he was crossing the road.

Members of the public rushed to assist the injured man before he was rushed to University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff with severe head injuries. He died three days later.

Meanwhile, Mason had been arrested at the scene, and the court heard that a subsequent blood test showed he had 2.3mg of cannabis in 100ml of blood, the legal limit being two. For the latest court stories sign up to our crime newsletter

In his police interview, Mason said a fellow motorist had “flashed” him out of the car park and that his attention had been drawn to the other driver as he thanked him. He told officers he had last consumed cannabis two days before the incident.

In a family statement read to the court, Mr Crowley was described as a man of “fairness and compassion” and great generosity, and as a champion of social equality.

Mr Crowley – who was awarded CBE, Deputy Lieutenant, Order of St John, Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice, and Freeman of the Borough – was described as “the man who kept our world turning” who is “missed in every tiny detail of the day”.

The court heard Mr Crowley’s wife of seven decades, Anne, slept each night with the hat he was wearing when he was knocked down.

Zack Mason, now aged 22, of Lorraine Close, Sandfields, Port Talbot, had previously pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the legal limit of a specified drug, and to causing death while driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

The court heard he gained a provisional driving licence in April, 2021, but the following year it was revoked after he was caught driving without insurance.

David Singh, for Mason, said the defendant took full responsibility for his actions and acknowledged the devastation he had caused to Mr Crowley’s family.

He said his client had desisted from the use of cannabis since the day of the incident and that was a situation he would endeavour to maintain.

The barrister said it was not a case, for example, where the defendant had been speeding or been using his mobile phone, but said Mason had “clearly not been concentrating” resulting in “devastating consequences”.

Judge Huw Rees said the deceased was a “much loved loved and much respected” man who was “know by many, and held in high esteem by all”. He said no sentence a court could impose could mark the value of a life lost, and nor was it intended to.

With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas Mason was sentenced to four years in prison. He will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

The defendant was banned from driving for a total of seven years and must pass an extended test before he can get a licence.

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The champion trainer withdrew the odds-on favourite Fact To File from the Ryanair Chase after deeming the ground was unsuitable for the Irish Gold Cup winner

Willie Mullins pulled out one of this year’s Cheltenham Festival ‘bankers’ on Thursday, unhappy with the state of the going at the track. The JP McManus-owned Fact To File is one of the best chasers in training, who captured the Ryanair Chase in 2025 and was under consideration for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after recording an impressive victory in the Irish Gold Cup.

In the end connections opted to defend the Ryanair crown but had hoped for much softer going than the official description of good (good to soft in places). As the racing moved to the New Course after a dry first two days, track officials carried out selective watering with 3-5mm applied. Another 2-3mm was forecast during the afternoon.

Connections warned they were worried about conditions for Fact To File through the day but waited until four races had been run before making their final decision.

READ MORE: Cheltenham Festival punter rocks bookies by turning £40 into near £60,000 windfallREAD MORE: Cheltenham Festival jockeys put spat to bed in new TV interview after racism allegation

Mullins explained: “We walked the track this morning, JP walked the track this morning, I happened to walk it. Coming across the track from exercising horses and I thought wow this ground is going to be too good for Bambino Fever and sure enough in the first race she wasn’t able to act on it.

“We waited and waited all day for rain that was promised and it hasn’t come so we made the decision not to run. These horses are too hard to find, too hard to get. We would like to have soft in the description of the ground.”

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He went on: “Good ground is not good enough for the type of individual we are buying and trying to race and have the top horses at the best festival. If the ground is going to be like this we are not going to bring them.

“We were promised watering and I not sure the watering we were promised has been done so, I’m a little bit annoyed about that, when I thought there was going to be more watering done and it hasn’t been done. I know the weather forecast hasn’t been kind but very few people complain about too much rain.

“This isn’t good for the type of horses we’re bringing over here. I know it suits some horses but for the majority of the good big national hunt horses we would like it a little softer.”

McManus was fully behind his trainer. “I have to say, I’m very strong on it. I walk the course every day – I just always felt it needed more water,” he said. “That’s how I felt. Particularly at the top of the course there, it’s very beaten up from the previous runs. You’ve a crossover there and you’re only as strong as the weakest link in a course.

“It doesn’t matter if 80 per cent or 90 per cent of it is right, if 10 per cent of it isn’t right, that’s good enough for me. I was very happy when Willie agreed to take him out and I was very happy that he did that. We were worried all week about it.

“I think, going forward, they’ll have to pay more attention to parts of the track. You’re talking about winter-time horses in the first half of March – you’re not talking about racing in October or November here. Everybody has a different view but, for me, I think they could have done more.“Certain horses, it suits, but Fact To File is a real old-style chaser and, if you want to have him next year, you take a risk taking your chance today.”

In Fact To File’s absence Jonbon carried the McManus hopes of another success. While he maintained his brilliant record of never finishing out of the first two places, he was well beaten by the Henry de Bromhead-trained Heart Wood, ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe.

Michael O’Gara is survived by his wife and four daughters

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A father-of-four tragically passed weeks after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. Called ‘one in a million’, Michael O’Gara was on holiday in the Maldives with his family in January when he started to be sick and have headaches.

At first his loved ones thought it was a bug, until they received the shocking news it was a stage four cancerous brain tumour. A fundraiser was launched by his Middlesbrough family to pay for specialised treatment, including an operation, to give the 48-year-old the best chance of recovery.

Within a few days the total reached and more than £45,000 TeesideLive reports. But, sadly Michael’s condition deteriorated rapidly and he sadly passed away on March 9 surrounded by his devastated family.

He ran RAMP UK, a rope access company on Teesside, and was affectionately known as ‘Mousey’. Floods of heartfelt tributes have been left on social media for him. One said: “He was one in a million R.I.P Mousey.”‘

Another added: “RIP Mousey – one of Boro’s finest thinking of the family.” One person said: “No words. Rest in peace Mousey. What a legend,” and another added: “Special guy, world won’t be the same without Mousey.”

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Step-daughter, Millie Young, 22, previously explained how the family was on holiday when Mousey became ill. Once they got home he was becoming increasingly unwell with headaches and started to drag his leg.

Wife Emma, 42, took him to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough where they got the heart-breaking news of the tumour. As well as leaving Emma and Millie, Mousey also leaves the rest of his heartbroken family including, step-daughter Alice, 20, and daughters, Lacey, 12 and eight-year-old Sally.

In an update on the fundraising page the family thanked everyone from ‘the bottom of our hearts’ saying: “Your kindness and support during this time has meant more to our family than we can ever truly put into words.”

It added that money from the fund-raiser would be used “to give Mousey the most beautiful and loving send-off he truly deserves.”

The family added: “Thank you again to everyone who has shown Mousey so much love, kindness and support. It truly means the world to us during this incredibly difficult time.”

A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, March 25, in St Bede’s Chapel, Teesside Crematorium at 1pm and the family has requested everyone wear traditional funeral attire along with a splash of the colour purple.

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