The Little Hulton actor’s first major role came in the early 1990s, with his breakout performance in Let Him Have It.

He followed this up with the popular BBC drama Our Friends in the North, starring alongside Daniel Craig, Gina McKee, and Mark Strong.

The 62-year-old has also featured in multiple films, including Shallow Grave, 28 Days Later and Thor: The Dark World.

But Chris is perhaps best known and beloved by fans across the world for his iconic turn as the Doctor in the BBC’s Doctor Who.

Playing the ninth incarnation of the Time Lord, he helped relaunch the sci-fi series in 2005 after ‘the wilderness years’.

Christopher Eccleston. (Image: Jeff Moore / PA)

Bringing a modernised show which had new generations hiding behind the sofa, Chris starred opposite Billie Piper, who played companion, Rose Tyler.

Hopping in the Tardis and fast-forwarding to the present, he was at the Oxford Literary Festival last weekend.

Sitting down opposite fellow actor Paterson Joseph, the pair discussed their lives and careers at Oxford University’s Sheldonian Theatre.

The 61-year-old, who has been the Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University for more than three years, is known for his roles in Wonka, Peep Show and Julius Caesar.

Both actors have written books, with I Love the Bones of You by Chris, and Mr Joseph’s award-winning The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho.

Following their conversation and some questions from the crowd, the pair departed the historic venue to rapturous applause.

Paterson Joseph and Christopher Eccleston at the Sheldonian Theatre. (Image: Newsquest)

Speaking to our sister title, The Oxford Mail, he said: “Give it to Billie! Yeah, why not? Why not.”

 While appearing at the Fan Expo convention in 2022, he had said: “I was saying to somebody today in the green room that Russell T Davies is coming back, right, and who’s going to be his Doctor?

 “I think it should be Billie Piper, actually. Catherine Tate’s great, but I think there’s your Doctor.

 “And I’d like to see you all struggle with it. ‘How can she be the Doctor when she was an assistant?!’

 “I like the idea of it blowing fuses in the canon, or whatever it’s called.”

Christopher Eccleston. (Image: PA)

Then last year, Ncuti’s Fifteenth Doctor regenerated into an incarnation played by Ms Piper, realising Chris’ own idea. 

When asked if he really was a Time Lord after making the correct prediction, the actor laughed and joked: “Exactly, I’m a prophet!” 

He made his comments at the Oxford Literary Festival last weekend.

Christopher Eccleston and Oxford Mail reporter Ed Burnett. (Image: Newsquest)

 Christopher said:  “The irony of Oxford and Cambridge, of course, is that all these working-class men made this beauty, and a lot of them dreamt to be scholars themselves.”

 Speaking about appearing at Oxford Literary Festival 2026, Chris added: “My dad would be very proud that I’ve been asked to speak at a literary festival because my family were all voracious readers.

 “Books are the gateway, that’s what I’d say to any young person – if you’re in trouble, and you don’t know anything, it will be in a book.

 “So if I can support a literary festival, I’ll be there.”

Christopher Eccleston. (Image: PA)

 Having already penned his autobiographical book about his relationship with his father, Ronnie, Chris revealed that he’s keen to write again. 

“Yes, I would like to write, but I think writing certainly within my industry is the hardest thing to do,” he said. 

“I think it’s the most ignored and the most malign, and that’s deeply ironic because they’re the most important people in our industry, writers. 

“So yes, I’d very much like to write again, but I don’t seem to have the discipline, especially with being alone with your thoughts for so long. 

“Most of the writers I know working in television and film are lunatics because as soon as there’s a wrap party or a drink, they’re there because they spend so much time alone. 

“But I should try more, and I really admire what Paterson’s done.”

Christopher Eccleston. (Image: PA)

In recent months, he has fronted a high‑profile campaign calling for a ban on gambling advertising, working with the Coalition to End Gambling Ads. 

A short film titled Stacking the Deck is available to watch on YouTube, and Chris spoofs the style of glossy betting commercials. 

Criticising gambling ads, he has urged the government to curb promotions which are helping to destroy lives.

 “We’ve addressed the advertising of alcohol, and we’ve addressed the advertising of tobacco, but we are not accepting that gambling is an addiction,” said Chris. 

“It’s a disease. These gambling companies are making absolute fortunes, and they’ve got the government in their pocket. 

“The government needs to clean that up, and I think the public would respect whichever government was in power if they said we’re going to take a lot of your money off you. 

“People are committing suicide. I’ve interviewed a woman who lost her husband, and her two children have lost their father because of his addiction, which destroyed the family’s finances. 

“It’s being encouraged as you only need to have a mobile phone and you’re targeted. So it’s a moral question for me. 

“Children are seeing these things. When you’re watching Premier League football, there are constant advertisements by people who should know better. 

“It’s going in subliminally, and it’s rooting. It’s a huge addiction. So we start with the same strictures applied to the advertising of alcohol and tobacco.”

Billie Piper and Christopher Eccleston as Rose Tyler and the Doctor. (Image: BBC / PA)

Moving on to music, Chris is known to be a big fan of The Smiths from his native Manchester, but the actor opened up on what else he likes to listen to.

 “I like Black Grape, Happy Mondays, Joy Division, New Order, but really I’m a soul boy. 

“The Smiths are an outlier for me. I was born in 1964, and I heard all the great Motown stacks, all of funk, hearing black American music made me realise that America is a country built on racial discrimination. 

”It made me look at America in a very different way. It was really important in my education about racism, and also, you could dance to it. 

“Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Curtis Mayfield, Betty Wright, people like that. 

“At the same time, I was listening to all the Jamaican reggae and ska, but it’s that interesting thing that white guys of my generation, even the skinheads, were listening to black music. 

“That’s what music’s supposed to do, to bring people together. So yeah, I’m a soul boy.”

You can catch Chris next in the new psychological thriller miniseries Unchosen, which premieres on Netflix on Tuesday, April 21.

The fan favourite finds himself in more danger

Emmerdale star Isabel Hodgins reacted to the news that Cain Dingle will be “left for dead” in upcoming episodes.

Actress Isabel Hodgins may have made her temporary exit from the ITV soap earlier this year, but she’s still keeping up to date with the latest drama in the Dales amid her absence.

She left her role as Victoria Sugden as she went on maternity leave to welcome her first child, daughter Georgie, with husband Adam Whitehead whom she said “I do” to last year.

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Over recent episodes, Cain Dingle has been struggling since Moira was imprisoned for the deaths of druglord Celia Daniels and slave Anya. Their bodies were discovered after Celia and Ray’s drug and modern slavery empire was finally exposed.

Cain has been desperate to get an innocent Moira back home, especially after receiving his troubling prostate cancer diagnosis. Unfortunately, things are set to get worse for the Dales legend before they get better.

Taking to her Instagram story, Isabel shared a snap of the front page of a magazine which read: “Moira and Cain reunited – then tragedy strikes… Left for dead!”. She added: “He better not be!!!!”

It comes as next week, Cain is rocked when Moira reveals her murder charges are likely to be dropped, but she still faces complicity in modern slavery and also needs an MRI at the hospital; he is unable to tell her about his upcoming surgery fearing it’s too much for her to handle.

However, Liam comes up with a plan and Cain secretly meets Moira in a hospital changing room, orchestrated by Liam. They become intimate, and Cain confides his fear about his operation, which Moira reassures him they will face together.

Happy, Cain later gives Kyle car keys for his newly running car before heading off to the hospital. While on the phone with Moira, telling her he thinks everything will be okay, Cain is hit by a car.

Frantic Kyle finds Cain’s unconscious, bleeding body. Still on the call, stressed Moira tries to figure out what’s going on. With the Dingle family already at breaking point, there seems to be more drama unfolding for the family.

Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and is also available to stream on ITVX.

Manchester City and Liverpool kicked off this weekend’s FA Cup quarter-final fixtures, but there was a surprise guest in the stands of the Etihad Stadium

Considering he referred to Manchester City as “noisy neighbours” many would have been surprised to see Sir Alex Ferguson in the stands. The iconic former Manchester United manager was watched the Cityzens’ FA Cup quarter-final clash against Liverpool.

It’s understood Ferguson took himself to watch the game as he had a hankering for some live football this Easter weekend. With United not in the FA Cup and not playing at Old Trafford until the home clash against Leeds United on April 13, this was the best game Ferguson could see this weekend.

However, considering both sides were two of his biggest rivals, Ferguson would have sternly been a neutral on the blue side of Manchester.

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Before the match, he was spotted being escorted into the Etihad Stadium. He had a large smile on his face as he briefly interacted with fans, who would have been rather surprised to see him walking into the ground.

Cheekily, he wore a suit complete with a claret tie, which glowed red at certain angles. Ferguson was not the only multiple Premier League winning manager in the stands.

Pep Guardiola had to watch the game from above as a result of a touch-line ban. He was handed a two-match suspension after accumulating six yellow cards in domestic competitions this season.

He went through all of the emotions in the first half. Guardiola lost his temper completely when City were not given a penalty after Dominik Szoboszlai appeared to bring down Bernardo Silva.

He would have been a happier man when he went into his box seat to get some beverages and food by the time the first half finished. City got a penalty in the 39th minute after Virgil van Dijk scythed down Nico O’Reilly in the penalty area.

Erling Haaland made no mistake from the penalty area, before flicking a fine header into the far corner, finishing off a free-flowing team move involving Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo.

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It was the perfect finish to the half for Guardiola’s side, who struggled to handle the Merseysiders in the opening 45 minutes. Hugo Ekitike fired a good chance over the bar, while Abdukodir Khusanov did well to get the slightest of touches on the ball, moments before Mohamed Salah shot from close range.

Before the international break, City wrapped up their first trophy of the campaign by beating Arsenal 2-0 in the League Cup final. While they are trailing the Gunners by nine points in the Premier League, a third FA Cup triumph would go some way to easing any title race disappointment.

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Gardeners will be relieved to hear that there is less chores to do in the garden this spring as they are being asked to stop mowing lawns and leave weeds alone to help their local wildlife.

Gardeners are being urged to down their trowels and hold off on mowing this spring, as dandelions serve as a vital lifeline for one of Britain’s most vulnerable species. April is notoriously one of the most challenging months for bees, as they are only just emerging from winter and urgently need to begin foraging to rebuild their colonies.

Unfortunately, relatively few flowers are in bloom across the UK at this time of year, and those that are often too immature to supply bees with the pollen they desperately require. Helen Keating, a botanist with the Woodland Trust, is calling on gardeners to reconsider their spring tidying habits, as weeds represent one of the few reliable food sources bees can depend upon during the early spring months.

She said: “Lawn weeds such as dandelions are excellent bee plants, providing vital pollen early in the season. White clover attracts masses of honeybees, while the longer tongued bumblebees prefer red clover.

“If you can’t bear to let your lawn grow, consider leaving a patch that’s less frequently mown to give them a chance to flower.”

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While an overgrown, weed-filled garden may be an unwelcome sight, the consequences of bees failing to find sufficient nectar at this time of year could prove catastrophic for our ecosystems.

Queen bees face a very real risk of starvation in early spring without adequate food sources, meaning countless colonies may never get the chance to establish themselves.

Any established hive colonies will be depleted of energy and experiencing significant stress, meaning they’ll produce considerably weaker bees later in the year, reports the Express.

Britain’s bee population is already declining at an alarming rate, with two species having already become extinct, so simply maintaining a slightly untidy garden now can genuinely benefit your local wildlife.

Flowers, fruit and vegetable plants depend heavily on pollination, and without it their growth capacity will decline dramatically, which not only damages gardens but on a broader scale makes farming increasingly challenging.

Fewer plants growing will trigger a domino effect on wildlife such as birds and other insects, who’ll also struggle to locate food and become more vulnerable to extinction.

Mowing less frequently, tolerating a few weeds or even allowing a small section of your lawn to grow wild is amongst the simplest ways to help your local bee population flourish in spring.

Dandelions, particularly, are brilliant for bees as they’re protein-rich, so simply leaving them undisturbed is an effortless method to support wildlife.

It’ll also prove enormously beneficial to cultivate wildflowers in your garden at this time of year, and there are specific crops that’ll also reach maturity now for bees to pollinate, such as apple and wild cherry trees.

If you absolutely must tackle weeds, then it’s strongly advised to avoid chemical solutions as they’ll kill bees, and there are natural methods to eliminate dandelions that won’t harm any wildlife.

Four alpacas have died after being mauled to death by two dogs at a farm in Cambridgeshire.

Two other alpacas were left with facial injuries requiring veterinary care after two dogs attacked livestock at a farm in Wisbech St Mary.

Pictures of the injured alpacas show bloodied noses and part of their fur missing from their face.

The Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) were called to reports of two dogs attacking livestock at 6.30am on March 24.

Officers seized the dogs involved in the attack, and an investigation remains ongoing.

The team said the recent dog attack on livestock marks the latest in a worrying string of incidents.

Sergeant Tom Nuttall, from the RCAT, said: ‘This was an extremely distressing incident for all involved, and I would like to thank the victim and the dog owner for continuing to be cooperative with our investigation.

‘Livestock worrying is a criminal offence under UK law. Following the introduction of the Dogs Protection of Livestock Amendment Act 2025 last month, llamas and alpacas are now included in the definition of livestock.’

He also issued a reminder to all dog owners to ‘ensure their animals are kept secure and on a lead in the rural areas of our county in a bid to keep all animals safe’.

The attack comes less than a month after the UK government made it law that police can now detain any dogs that could attack cattle, sheep and other livestock.

The advice from RCAT for dog owners also include observing local signage and seasonal rules, prevent pets from escaping by checking fences and gates are secure, and be extra vigilant and aware of surroundings.

The team added ‘only allow dogs off lead in areas free of livestock’ and urged owners to call 101 immediately if their dog is involved in an incident.

Their advice for farmers and landowners include installing clear signage reminfing walkers of the legal requirement, position troughs away from public paths and consider deterrents like electric fencing.

Officers also suggest farmers and landowners can install CCTV to record evidence or take photographs of injuries and cover carcasses to retain DNA evidence.

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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Permits that have been bought will be refunded by the council

Parking enforcement in part of Cambridge has been partially scaled back due to unclear signs. Cambridgeshire County Council said on-street checks have identified issues with “the clarity and placement” of some signs relating to the Milton Road Resident Parking Scheme.

It means that drivers have been left confused over which parking restrictions apply and where. The scheme’s original design had aimed to reduce the number of signs, particularly along longer stretches of road with multiple marked bays. But the authority said that a marked bay without any required upright signage could be interpreted by drivers as unrestricted parking. On‑street checks have confirmed that this approach has led to a lack of clarity in some areas, they added.

The parking scheme applies to around 27 roads in the Milton area of Cambridge. It involves people purchasing permits that cost between £35 and £105 per year in order to park in that part of the city.

A notice on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website said: “The County Council is carrying out a detailed ground survey to identify where additional signage is required and where changes to existing signage are needed to improve clarity and legal compliance. This may include installing new signs, as well as moving, replacing, removing or updating existing signs to ensure correct spacing and that the correct restrictions are clearly displayed. This work will ensure the scheme is clear, consistent and fully enforceable. At this stage, the Council is not able to provide a definitive timeline for completion.

“While this work is being completed, the scheme cannot be fully enforced in all areas. During this period, enforcement will be limited to double yellow lines and single yellow lines during their signed hours of operation.”

The review and signage improvement works are expected to take ‘several months’, the council added. All Milton Road parking permits already purchased, including resident, temporary resident, tradesperson and visitor permits, will be refunded. Any new permit applications received before the work is completed will not be processed.

Milton Road Permits (visitor, resident or tradesperson) bought on or after February 2, 2026 will be refunded fully by the end of April. Resident permits bought before this date (for the previous Ascham scheme) will be refunded pro-rata from when the scheme merged on February 2.

Once the scheme meets all legal requirements, residents will be invited to apply for permits again. The six‑month post‑implementation review of the scheme will begin once it is fully operational.

A powerful 5.8 magnitude earthquake in northern Afghanistan has claimed the lives of at least eight members of a refugee family on the outskirts of Kabul. The victims, who had recently returned from neighbouring Iran, were killed when the tremor struck on Friday night.

A three-year-old boy, the sole survivor, sustained injuries and is currently receiving hospital treatment in the capital. Mohibullah Niazi, a neighbour who assisted in the rescue efforts, confirmed the family’s tragic fate.

Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, confirmed on Saturday that the overall death toll from the quake had risen to 12, with an additional four people injured. However, the Afghanistan Disaster Management Authority reported a lower figure, stating nine fatalities. The reason for the differing casualty figures was not immediately apparent.

Mr Fitrat also detailed the destruction, noting that five homes were completely destroyed and 33 others significantly damaged, impacting 40 families across the provinces of Kabul, Panjshir, Logar, Nangarhar, Laghman, and Nuristan.

The family near Kabul were among the millions of Afghan refugees who have recently returned from Iran and Pakistan, after both countries launched crackdowns in 2023 on foreigners – particularly Afghans – living in their countries.

They had arrived 15 days ago and were living in a tent on land next to Mr Niazi’s home.

The family head, Najibullah, who was about 50 years old, “had no other shelter”, Mr Niazi said.

“He was a very poor person.”

The family had set their tent up next to a wall separating the plot of land from Mr Niazi’s home, which stood on higher ground, in the village of Ittefaq on the eastern outskirts of the Afghan capital.

Heavy rains over the past several days, which have led to deadly floods in many parts of Afghanistan, had left the ground sodden and soft.

When the earthquake struck, the wall collapsed on the family.

“My daughter shouted to me that a wall had fallen on them. The whole family ran, but there were so many big rocks,” Mr Niazi recounted as he stood at the scene.

“We tried our best.”

On Saturday morning, piles of bricks and mud were all that were left, along with blankets, cooking utensils and other personal belongings salvaged from the rubble and set into a pile.

“For about three minutes, I could hear the voices of these people,” Mr Niazi said.

“But we couldn’t do anything. There were two or three of us, but this was not the work of three people.”

Neighbours soon rushed to help, digging through the mud and rubble with spades and their hands.

They alerted the local Taliban police checkpoint, which sent rescuers and ambulances.

The young boy, Aarash, was pulled out alive but injured, and rushed to hospital.

Health Ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman, who visited the boy on Saturday, said he was being treated for a severe head injury.

For the rest of the family – the father and mother, four daughters aged between 12 and 23, and two sons – it was too late.

The rescuers could only recover their bodies.

Mr Niazi said he had hosted the family in his own home one night.

On Friday, just half an hour before the earthquake struck, he had renewed the offer, telling the family they could spend the night in his own guest room to shelter from the cold and rain.

“But they did not come with me,” he said.

Friday night’s quake had an epicentre in the Hindu Kush mountain range, about 150 kilometres (90 miles) east of the northern city of Kunduz, according to the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre and the US Geological Survey.

The area is roughly 290 kilometres (180 miles) north east of Kabul.

Afghanistan lies in a highly seismically active part of the world, and quakes have caused thousands of deaths in recent years.

Last August, a 6.0 earthquake that struck a remote, mountainous part of eastern Afghanistan killed more than 2,200 people.

Most casualties were in Kunar province, where people typically live in wood and mud-brick houses along steep valleys.

In November, a 6.3 earthquake struck Samangan province in northern Afghanistan, killing at least 27 people and injuring more than 950.

It also damaged historical sites, including Afghanistan’s famed Blue Mosque in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, and the Bagh-e-Jahan Nama Palace in Khulm.

On October 7 2023, a 6.3 quake followed by strong aftershocks in western Afghanistan killed thousands of people.

The forecaster has warned of “disruptive and potentially damaging winds” from 7pm on Saturday (April 4) evening to 3am in the early hours of Sunday.

Initially, the region was placed under a yellow alert but the Met Office now says flying debris could cause a danger to life, power cuts may occur and buildings may be damaged.

The amber weather warning covering the North East. (Image: MET OFFICE)

Gusts of 60-70mph are expected widely, while gusts of 90mph are possible in Scotland.

The forecaster added: “A spell of very strong southwesterly, then westerly winds is expected across north Wales, northern England and southern Scotland on Saturday evening and overnight before easing early on Sunday.

“Gusts of 60-70 mph are possible widely with some coastal or exposed locations seeing gusts of around 80 mph.”

Motorists are advised to drive slower in the blustery conditions, people have been urged to stay indoors and those living along the coast are warned to stay away from large waves.

Included in the amber warning is:

• Darlington
• Durham
• Gateshead
• Hartlepool
• Middlesbrough
• Newcastle upon Tyne
• North Tyneside
• Northumberland
• Redcar and Cleveland
• South Tyneside
• Stockton-on-Tees
• Sunderland

⚠️⚠️ Amber weather warning issued ⚠️⚠️#StormDave brings strong winds across northern England, southern Scotland and northwest Wales

Saturday 19:00 – Sunday 03:00

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Latest info 👉 https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs

Stay #WeatherAware ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/SFNZe404xo

— Met Office (@metoffice) April 4, 2026

When will Storm Dave hit the North East?

According to WX Maps, strong winds are expected to hit the region at about 6pm on Saturday.

Met Office deputy chief forecaster, Tom Crabtree, said: “Storm Dave will form and rapidly deepen on Saturday as it approaches the UK from the west.

“By Saturday afternoon winds will strengthen significantly, with gusts of 60-70mph expected at times across parts of Scotland with the potential for gusts of 80-90mph in exposed coastal locations in Scotland.

“Gusts of 50-60mph are likely more widely in northern Britain.

“As well as strong winds, Storm Dave will also bring heavy snowfall over the hills in northern Scotland where up to 10-20cm of snow could accumulate.

“Along with the strong winds this will lead to blizzard conditions.

“Elsewhere there will be heavy spells of rain as the system moves through eastwards across the UK.

“With Storm Dave a few days away, people should prepare their property for the strong winds and keep updated with the latest weather forecast as the weather warnings are likely to be updated.”

Cambridge, with it’s perfect blend of historic charm and picturesque scenery, is a popular destination for day trippers and people looking for a staycation

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A Cambridge local has described how they would spend their perfect 24 hours in the city, but not everyone agrees. The city of Cambridge welcomes a huge 8.1 million people each year, with is being a destination popular with day trippers and people looking for a staycation.

Cambridge is the perfect blend of historic charm, academic excellence, and picturesque scenery. Many visitors head to the city to explore the medieval architecture, world-class museums and the vibrant culture of a compact, bike-friendly city.

When it comes to figuring out where to go when you’re visiting a new city, the best thing to do is ask people who have lived in the area for a long time.

This is where social media sites such as Reddit can be very useful, as within a matter of minutes you can be connected with millions of people across the world.

One Reddit user asked explained in the R/Cambridge that their parents were coming to visit her in the UK, and they would be going on a day trip to Cambridge.

She said: “Hi all, My parents coming to visit me from abroad and we will be going to Cambridge for a day. We will go see and explore the main bits, but wondering if there is hidden gem, or some quirky pub? Thank you all”

One local described their idea of a perfect 24 hours in Cambridge to the Reddit user.

The local said: “Walk along Orchard Street (which looks like a row of country cottages in the heart of the city) from Christ’s Pieces, then have a meal and a drink in The Free Press pub.

“If you’re coming by train, walk past the taxis, through the car park and find either the Devonshire Arms, Kingston Arms, The Petersfield, or Scott’s All Day.

“And do try to spot as many Dinky Doors as you can, if only the one in Cambridge’s Downing Street and the one at the base of Reality Checkpoint.

“Try to see the very Cambridge rus-in-urb Cambridge Cows on the commons close to the city centre. Being young neutered males, they’re docile.”

Many people replied to say they thought the list was great, but added in a few extra places that they thought would complete the day.

One person said: “I’d also add King Street for a pub crawl aka King Street Run. Go visit The Handsome Prince, which, while not a pub, is the only taproom of local craft brewers Baron Brewery.

“And there’s a lovely little Korean spot next door. And a lovely (sweet) pie shop The Cherry Pit a few doors down. Personally, Scott’s All Day is kinda average to me, I’d go to other restaurants and bars if I were making my way to Mill Road.”

A second said: “I’d do punting as the view esp around Kings is very nice. Pickerel is a nice pub with a bit of a quirky feel.”

A third advised: “If you happen to be walking past Lloyd’s Bank in Sidney Street while it’s open, it’s worth a look inside as there are some beautiful tiles and a very grand Victorian interior.”

Storm Dave is bringing fierce winds, rain and snow to the UK over the Easter weekend, and the Met Office has now been forced to issue an amber weather warning

The Met Office has issued a rarely-seen amber weather warning for Storm Dave, due to come into force within hours.

The amber wind warning lasts from 7pm until 3am on Sunday and covers North Wales, northern England and parts of southern Scotland. It comes alongside yellow wind warnings and one yellow snow warning, impacting northern Scotland.

The new amber warning says there is a “good chance of power cuts” in the impacted areas as wind speeds could reach 80mph. There is also a “danger to life” from flying debris and large waves.

The Met Office has urged people to prepare for power cuts. “Consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items,” it states.

READ MORE: Met Office issues new Storm Dave snow warning for 13 hours as UK faces 12 inchesREAD MORE: Met Office predicts 23C hottest day of year after Storm Dave – warmer than Ibiza

People are told to “stay indoors as much as possible” and secure loose items around their home. The warning says: “In advance of high winds, check for loose items outside your home and secure them. Items include; bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.”

Areas covered by Met Office’s amber wind warning:

North East England

• Darlington
• Durham
• Gateshead
• Hartlepool
• Middlesbrough
• Newcastle upon Tyne
• North Tyneside
• Northumberland
• Redcar and Cleveland
• South Tyneside
• Stockton-on-Tees
• Sunderland

North West England

• Blackburn with Darwen
• Blackpool
• Cumbria
• Lancashire
• Merseyside

SW Scotland, Lothian Borders

• Dumfries and Galloway
• Scottish Borders

Wales

• Conwy
• Gwynedd
• Isle of Anglesey

Yorkshire & Humber

• North Yorkshire
• West Yorkshire
• York

READ MORE: British Gas urges UK households to buy food for three days and sleeping bags

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Chris Bulmer said: “Storm Dave will bring a period of very strong winds, with the strongest gusts most likely in the amber warning area. People should be prepared for impacts with disruption to travel likely and possible power cuts.”

“Wind speeds will peak at different times as the deep area of low pressure moves across the north of the UK, with peak gusts in Northern Ireland expected earlier on Saturday afternoon before spreading more widely across the north of the UK.”

Met Office advice for power cuts

• If electricity is crucial for any medical equipment you have, please contact your DNO at any time as they may be able to put you on their Priority Register (see below) for assistance during any power outage
• Make sure you have multiple torches along with extra batteries
• Make sure you keep your mobile phone charged so you can make calls in case of an emergency
• Keep fridges and freezers closed, with a blanket over as they will stay cold for many hours
• Keep important documents safe and handy
• Look out for elderly neighbours and ensure they are prepared for a possible power cut
• Switch off appliances – turn off items such as irons, ovens, electric fires and fryers as they could pose a hazard if the power comes back on when you are not there
• For people using a digital landline who don’t have a mobile phone, or who live in an area with poor/no mobile signal, speak to your communications provider about additional support they can offer you in advance