Before they head to north London, those present in east London will remember this experience for a long time.

Leeds sold out their entire 9,000 allocation, taking up all the space behind one of the goals and contributing to a fantastic atmosphere.

For most of the game, the Whites looked in complete control. Japan’s Ao Tanaka gave them a first-half lead, with England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin doubling their advantage with a 75th-minute penalty that looked to have killed the game off.

But in the 11 minutes of injury time, Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi scored to take the tie into extra-time.

Taty Castellanos and Pablo both had goals ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee (VAR) in a breathless extra-time period, where Leeds also had two shots cleared off the line.

There was added drama as Areola suffered a leg injury at the end of injury time, meaning Herrick – who was on loan at fifth-tier Boreham Wood as recently as January – was handed a first Hammers appearance in the 120th minute and just before the shootout.

He saved from Piroe, but Perri ensured he would be the goalkeeping hero with his two saves.

“This is the magic of the cup, anything can happen and today was a crazy and memorable game. Happy that we won the match and we are into the semi-finals now,” said Perri.

“For this fanbase it shows the magic of them, the love they have for this team. It is a pleasure to play for this team.”

The crash involving a grey BMW occurred shortly before 1am.

A young man has died following a one vehicle road traffic collision in Co Antrim on Easter Sunday.

The crash occurred on the Castlecat Road, Dervock, in the early hours of this morning, Sunday, April 5.

Police received a report of a collision involving a grey BMW shortly before 1am.

READ MORE: North Belfast assault leaves young man with possible life-changing injuryREAD MORE: Teen charged to court after Belfast football match disorder

Officers attended alongside emergency partners, and the male driver, who was aged 20 and from the Crossgar area of Co Down, was taken to hospital for treatment for his injuries, where he sadly passed away.The Castlecat Road, which was closed overnight as detectives conducted enquiries, has now reopened to motorists.A PSNI spokesperson said: “Our enquiries are continuing, and we would appeal to anyone who witnessed the collision, or who may have digital footage which could assist with our investigation, to contact the Collision Investigation Unit on 101, quoting reference number 76 of 05/04/26.”

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Mohammed Bilal feels there has been a rise in shoplifting at his store in Bathgate over the past few years.

A shop owner claims to have lost thousands of pounds following repeated instances of shoplifting and vandalism. Mohammed Bilal, 39, has said the Londis Store he runs in Bathgate has been targeted by youngsters and even local ‘professionals’.

Staff have constantly challenged people who attempt to shoplift from the store but the perpetrators have resorted to smashing the front door and windows of the South Bridge business. Initially, Mohammed complained to Police Scotland every time something happened in the store – but has given up as he feels action is never taken.

Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Mohammed shared a number of videos which have laid bare the grim volume of shoplifting incidents the store has to contend with. He claims his business loses £50 a day as a result of the incidents.

In one clip, a shop worker is seen wrestling a wine bottle from a potential shoplifter before it smashes on the floor. Another clip shows a woman placing an item inside her jacket while a third also appears to show a different woman putting two wine bottles in a bag.

Mohammed said: “It happens so often, they also come and break our door and our windows. I would say it is every other day someone is shoplifting.

“We have had people who work in the community in their 40s that have been caught red handed. We tell them we have caught them on CCTV.

“The shop at one stage was being smashed up every two or three days. It is costing us hundreds to fix.

“With shoplifting as well, I would say it is costing £50 a day and it is killing us. We are into thousands of pounds lost as it all adds up.

“I don’t think anyone is taking it seriously. It gets reported all the time but what is the point?

“It feels like when you phone the police it is as if you are bothering them. So I just stopped reporting it. All the shop owners face this. It is happening all the time.”

Police Scotland was contacted for a comment by our sister title.

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Heart Failure Warriors co-founder and chairman Nicole McKelvie was diagnosed with heart failure three years ago, after initially believing she had asthma

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A motorcycle run is set to take place later this month to help shine a light on a ‘misunderstood condition’.

The event, organised by County Down Marshalls, is set to raise awareness and funds for support group Heart Failure Warriors. It was co-founded by Nicole McKelvie who was diagnosed with heart failure three years ago, after initially believing she had asthma.

Nicole, who is also chairman of the group, said they hope the event will not only raise funds, but also shine a light on a condition that is often misunderstood..

She said: “The event will spread awareness about heart failure and what it is, because a lot of people don’t quite realise what heart failure means. There are so many people out there who are misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.”

According to the British Heart Foundation, more one million people in the UK have heart failure, with cases expected to double by 2040.

She added: “We currently have 11 groups across five trusts. We don’t turn anyone away who has a heart condition, everyone is welcome.

“It all started back in 2023 when a group of patients and families came together to start a support group in Northern Ireland to help people who have had heart failure or people who are waiting for heart transplants.

“We hold educational nights where nurses and cardiologists talk to patients, as well as COR and defibrillator training for family and friends. The group also promotes activities such as gardening and healthy living classes. It is a great place for people to feel like they are not alone.”

The motorcycle run will take off from Ballygowan, Co Down, on Sunday, April 12, and partcipants will travel a route around the county before finishing at Cloud 9 restaurant, beside the Ulster Flying Club in Newtownards. Entry costs £10 per bike.

Aidan Flanagan, 67, from Downpatrick said he loves motorcycles and appreciated the support the group has provided him since he suffered from heart failure at the age of 46.

A fan of motorcycles, he suggested organising the run as a way to bring people together, raise funds and encourage conversations in the community.

Aidan said being part of the group has helped him come to terms with his condition and given him the confidence to ask for help when needed.

For more information on the group and the ride, visit here.

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Temperatures are set to rise after Easter Monday as warmer air comes from Europe.

Storm Dave swept in on Saturday and a yellow wind warning covering Northern Ireland was in place until 3am on Easter Sunday.

While Storm Dave may have put a dampener on many people’s Easter Bank Holiday plans, there is some hope on the horizon, with forecasters saying a surge in temperatures is coming next week.

Temperatures are set to rise after Easter Monday as warmer air comes from Europe.

READ MORE: Easter holiday activities for kids at Belfast leisure centres this AprilREAD MORE: Easter 2026 supermarket opening hours for ASDA, Tesco and M&S stores across Northern Ireland

Greg Dewhurst, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “On Tuesday, warmer air moves in across England and Wales from the near continent through Tuesday and into Wednesday.

“We will see temperatures rising to the low 20s, with highs around 20C or 21C on Tuesday, and possibly 23C or 24C come Wednesday.

“The sunniest skies on Wednesday may be limited to south-east England, where 23 and 24 is most likely.”

He added that mid-20s temperatures are normal for April as the sun starts getting stronger.

Here’s what to expect on the weather front for the coming days in Northern Ireland:

Monday:

A mainly dry day, bright with some hazy sunny intervals but in general a lot of cloud, perhaps a spot or two of rain. Freshening southerly wind. Maximum temperature 11 °C.

Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday:

Bright dry and quite warm for much of Tuesday, cloudier later with showery rain. Chance of patchy or rain or showers on Wednesday. Sunshine and showers on Thursday.

UK long range weather forecast: Friday 10 April – Sunday 19 April

Changeable with Atlantic frontal systems moving across the UK at times. These will bring spells of unsettled weather, with showers or longer spells of rain and a risk of strong winds. The wettest conditions will probably be in the northwest of the UK, with a risk of snow on high ground in the north.

Drier and brighter interludes with lighter winds will develop between frontal systems. Temperatures are expected to be close to average overall, perhaps with some colder spells in the north and warmer conditions in the south at times.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Walker Smith, 54, was fired after confronting a shoplifter stealing luxury Easter eggs, despite working there for 17 years.

A Waitrose employee has been dismissed after attempting to prevent a shoplifter from making off with a haul of premium Easter eggs. Walker Smith worked for Waitrose for 17 years before losing his job.

The 54-year-old said he was “crying inside” when management escorted him out, as the supermarket had become like family to him. Bosses hinted there could be additional details to the incident, though stated they were unable to “discuss an individual case”, reports the Mirror.

Mr Smith worked as a shop assistant at a Waitrose store in Clapham Junction, south London. He was going about his normal duties when a customer alerted him that somebody had loaded a bag with eggs.

Standard procedure dictates staff should avoid confronting shoplifters, and instead escalate the matter to senior colleagues. However, having witnessed countless thefts over the years, Mr Smith decided to intervene, he explained.

He challenged the thief and grabbed their bag. There was apparently a short scuffle, before the bag tore and multiple Lindt Gold Bunny Easter eggs tumbled onto the ground.

The shoplifter bolted towards the exit, but Mr Smith picked up a fragment of broken Easter egg and “threw it out of frustration” towards some trolleys – and not at the thief – he claimed. He received a telling-off from his manager at the time, but several weeks later, he was summoned to a meeting with store managers.

Mr Smith said he made a final appeal for leniency, but was eventually informed he was being dismissed. He told the Guardian: “I tried to stay strong and I didn’t say a word but inside I was crying.

“They led me out the back door by the bins. I just felt demoralised.

“Waitrose is like my family. My friends are there. I was there for 17 years, I must have been doing something right.

“I’m not a bad or violent or aggressive person. I just got frustrated seeing this day in and day out and not seeing Waitrose do much about it.”

Mr Smith subsequently thanked those who had shown him support on his personal Facebook page. He said his immediate focus is now securing fresh employment.

He wrote: “Thank you everyone for getting in touch with kind messages and support, I really appreciate it. I didn’t think it would blow up like this but now it has my priority is getting a job.

“I’m based in Clapham Junction so if you or anyone you know is looking for a reliable, conscientious employee please reach out. I was at Waitrose for 17 years so warehousing, customer service – except dealing with shoplifters(!), or similar would be amazing.”

Waitrose, meanwhile, stated that staff safety remains paramount, which is precisely why it maintains specific procedures for handling shoplifters. Workers had previously sustained injuries when challenging thieves, and the company would never wish to place employees in danger.

A Waitrose spokesperson said: “The safety and security of our Partners and customers couldn’t be more important to us, and we have policies in place to protect both. We’ve had incidents where our Partners have been hospitalised when challenging shoplifters.

“Luckily, they have always recovered, but that might not always be the case. There is a serious danger to life in tackling shoplifters.

“We refuse to put anyone’s life at risk and that’s why we have policies in place that are very clearly understood and must be strictly followed. As a responsible employer, we never want to be in a position where we are notifying families of a tragedy because someone tried to stop a theft.

“Nothing we sell is worth risking lives for. The reporting on this does not cover the full facts of the situation. While we would never be able to discuss an individual case, we can assure you the correct process is being followed, which includes a standard appeals procedure.

“We have campaigned for some time for more to be done to protect shop workers from offenders, including retail crime being made into a specific stand alone offence.”

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“Founders I admire – such as Pip Murray of Pip & Nut, Amelia Christie-Miller of Bold Bean and Imme Ermgassen of Botivo have done the same, building loyal audiences who feel invested in their journey. Naturally, your brand will evolve as you scale, but if you build that community foundation early, it only strengthens as the business grows.”

BBC One viewers were left stunned by the wildlife documentary as Sir David approaches his 100th birthday.

BBC One audiences welcomed back Sir David Attenborough this evening, as the broadcaster premiered Secret Garden.

The five-part series explores the drama unfolding within the concealed wild realm of remarkable gardens.

Tonight’s opening episode focused on an Oxfordshire garden, attached to a thousand-year-old mill house.

Proprietors Henry and Sara have been compelled to allow much of the land surrounding their distinctive home to flourish naturally, as it borders a tributary of the River Thames.

Due to their methodology, the garden supports a diverse range of wildlife, including otters, kingfishers, and mallards, reports the Mirror.

Yet, their garden also confronts the threat of flooding, leaving a kingfisher fighting to survive and protect his family, nesting mere metres above the river’s edge.

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Meanwhile, a timid bank vole is captured on camera avoiding the hazards of robotic lawnmowers and garden snakes, while Doris the duck attempts to keep her nine ducklings alive.

The BBC revealed: “Through the eyes of Henry and Sara, beautiful cinematography and immersive storytelling, this episode reveals the astonishing resilience of Britain’s garden wildlife in the face of unpredictable change. It is a celebration of how leaving nature to its own devices can turn an ordinary patch of land into a hugely rich and highly rewarding wildlife refuge. “

Viewers were left stunned by the first episode and praised Sir David’s return.

“Absolutely fabulous filming on # BBC1 Sir David Attenborough’s Secret Garden. Amazing Spring river scenes with Doris the Mallard and her river neighbours. Spellbinding!” one person wrote.

“Perfect Sunday viewing,” another said, as a third commented: “What a wonderful programme for a Spring Easter Sunday evening.”

Another echoed: “Such amazing photography as well as #DavidAttenborough narration – food for the soul for a Sunday evening.”

Someone else said: “#SecretGarden on @BBC1 is incredible.”

Another person wrote: “Watching the new David Attenborough documentary #secretgarden, hard to believe he’s 100 next month.”

“The camera quality on this is AMAZING,” another hailed.

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Several others praised the location, with one writing: “Wish I could live somewhere so beautiful and surrounded by nature.”

Someone else said, “I’m so envious, a dream property for sure,” as another wrote, “What a fantastic house and garden on #SecretGarden.”

Ahead of the series airing, producer Bill Markham spoke about how much it meant to have Sir David, who is approaching his 100th birthday, narrate Secret Garden.

He said: “As Sir David Attenborough approaches his 100th birthday, having him narrate the series feels both momentous and deeply fitting.

“The first question anyone asks when you’re making a wildlife programme is whether he’s involved – and for good reason.

“Over the past seventy years, he has come to define the genre. For many of us, his films were the spark that set us on this path, so working on Secret Garden at this moment feels particularly special. His involvement has had a profound effect on the production.

“As a team, we’ve undoubtedly raised our standards, mindful that every frame and every line of script would be subject to his careful attention. That knowledge alone has sharpened our focus and ambition.”

Secret Garden continues next Sunday at 6pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

Daniel Farke says Leeds are ‘for sure’ the ‘underdogs’ in their FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea, but his side will be ‘greedy’ for victory when they take to the field at Wembley later this month.

Leeds secured their spot in the last four of the cup for the first time in 39 years thanks to a dramatic penalty shootout win over West Ham at the London Stadium.

It was a pulsating contest in the capital, with Farke’s men seemingly cruising after Calvert-Lewin had doubled the visitors’ lead from the spot following Ao Tanaka’s opener.

But there was an almighty momentum shift as Mateus Fernandes reduced the deficit in the third minute of stoppage time after scores of Hammers supporters had already left the stadium in frustration.

Axel Disasi equalised just moments later to put West Ham firmly in the ascendancy heading into extra-time, only for Leeds to prevail on penalties after the two teams could not be separated.

Lucas Perri was the hero for Leeds, making two big saves in a nerve-shredding shootout, to help send his team just two wins away from the famous trophy.

A day earlier, Chelsea ensured they advanced through with an emphatic 7-0 thrashing of League One outfit Port Vale at Stamford Bridge.

In this year’s other semi-final, Manchester City will lock horns with Southampton, who stunned Premier League leaders Arsenal to seal their spot at Wembley.

‘We will be the underdog, that’s for sure,’ Farke told BBC Sport when asked for his reaction to the draw shortly after Leeds’ dramatic victory over West Ham.

‘It’s a big name and a side full of top players. For that we are the underdog but we have written history.

‘Nobody expected us to go though to the semi-final. And of course we are greedy to go to the next step.

‘My focus now is on the Premier League. We are on such a good path and want to make sure we can celebrate there.’

Speaking to TNT Sports, Calvert-Lewin said he and the rest of Leeds’ squad would be ready and prepared for a ‘difficult’ test against Chelsea under the Wembley arch.

‘It’s always going to be a difficult match against Chelsea,’ the Leeds and England striker said.

‘They’re a good side, but it’s the FA Cup, we’re going to Wembley. Excited.

‘I’ve never had the opportunity to play at Wembley for at club level before, so for me it was a big chance today.

‘When it went to 2-2, I thought maybe it’s not meant to be, but thankfully, we stuck in there and got the win.’

When will the FA Cup semi-finals and final be played?

The two semi-final ties will take place on Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26 at Wembley.

The two winning teams will return to the stadium for this year’s final on May 16.

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Asked what Leeds manager had Farke told the squad before extra-time, Calvert-Lewin explained: ‘I think they started overloading out wide and it was the basics of football, defending crosses and stopping crosses, which we didn’t do very well.

‘And you’ve got to be prepared for them to come forward and get themselves back in the game, and I think we just let ourselves down with that.

‘They had momentum and we managed to hold out and win on penalties.

‘I had a good feeling, particularly before I came on, that there was going to be chances to make an impact. And when you’re on the pitch and they’ve got the ball and I’m up front in position, all I’m thinking about is I hope they don’t score.

‘I wasn’t really thinking about the neutral. I was focused on scoring and stopping them from scoring.’

On his spot-kick to make it 2-0 against the Irons, Calvert-Lewin said: ‘Just basics, I did what I always do.

‘It’s no secret that I missed my last one against [Crystal] Palace away, so it was a big moment for me to make sure I put it away properly. And I’ve been practicing in training just drilling it.

‘When you miss one you want to go through your processes again and I have a process and I knew where I was going this time and put it away.’

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The family of a man who died from meningitis last month are speaking out to raise awareness of the importance of ‘listening to your body’.

The man in his 50s, from Co Antrim, passed away at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital just over four days after collapsing in his home after complaining of an upset stomach.

After seeing the increased media coverage surrounding meningitis after the outbreak in England, his family, who wish to remain anonymous, reached out to Belfast Live to bravely share their story.

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They wish to make the public aware that deaths have occurred in Northern Ireland as a result of illness and to keep a vigilant eye on those reporting to be sick – even if they aren’t showing all of the symptoms being shared in the news.

His sister said: “I had got a phone call from my sister-in-law to say that my brother had collapsed and she didn’t know what was wrong with him – paramedics were there, Air Ambulance was on its way and when I got there, what I had witnessed was just absolutely awful.

“My brother was just lying on the floor and he was unresponsive. He had no power down one side of his body and he was rushed to the Royal Hospital.

“My sister-in-law said the only thing that she knew he had felt unwell with was the day before, he said he had a bit of an upset stomach and was tired.”

He was rushed to A&E, where it was believed at first that he was suffering from a stroke due to the weakness on one side of his body.

“They put him into the stroke ward but he detoriated and they told us at that time that there was a chance he would have to go into the ICU. He had got another CT scan and discovered early the next day that it was Meningitis,” his sister explained.

His niece added that doctors were aware that he had inflammation on the brain after the two CT scans came back inconclusive for a stroke.

She said: “They were able to tell us he had a serious infection and suspected it might be Encephalitis or Sepsis so they were going to run more blood cultures and submit him for another scan.

“The following day, he had another MRI scan and they were able to tell us at that point it was meningitis and his brain was severely damaged by that point with inflammation.”

Doctors informed the family that he had both bacterial and viral meningitis and was put on a ventilator, where they were told he was in “an extremely serious condition”.

Getting emotional, his sister said: “Nothing prepares you for being told that about your brother and to be told he very likely would not be making it and had to make the decision two days later to let him go.”

His niece said that the family decided they wanted to speak out to help others, as her uncle did not have the major symptoms being shared in the news in the wake of the meningitis outbreak.

They want other families to hopefully avoid the heartbreak and devastation they have faced since his death in February by listening to their bodies and getting themselves checked when something just doesn’t feel right.

“As a family, we are finding it even more distressing because meningitis has been in the news so much recently and we know what we have been through. It is not always obvious symptoms,” his sister added.

It was over 24-hours after he was admitted to the Royal before he was formally diagnosed with meningitis.

“It was so distressing watching him and not knowing what was wrong.”

His niece continued: “He was still conscious until a point because we knew he could hear us because he would squeeze my hand when I would ask him something and when we first went in, I had grabbed his hand and said ‘it’s ok we are here’ and a wee tear fell down the side of his cheek.

“It was just so awful to see him like that and him being aware we were there and there was just nothing we could do.

“To the most stoic of persons who would go ‘oh I’m just a bit run down’, if its the most usual of symptoms that seem to appear that goes beyond the usual cold or flu feeling, go get it checked out.”

The family are encouraging the public to get behind the campaign to get the meningitis vaccine as it reduces the chances of anyone having to go through what they have and having to say goodbye to a loved one so suddenly.

They hope that in sharing the circumstances of his death, people will be more aware that it is not just an illness that affects children and young people.

“For him to get this so out of the blue was really quite hard for us all to wrap our heads around,” his sister added.

The family have also highlighted the struggle to find information and figures on others who have died in Northern Ireland from meningitis and that data on recent deaths, such as their brother, or recent cases detected are not readily published.

His sister stressed: “This is happening in Northern Ireland and not just across the water so please be aware.”

Despite the heartbreak his family have been experiencing since his death last month, they also wanted to take time to thank the staff at the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Northern Ireland Air Ambulance and the paramedics.

They said: “The RICU were utterly amazing, they were so so good to him. Even the aftercare they’ve provided – they’ve been in touch with my brother’s wife.

“In spite of what we’ve been through, we feel passionately geared to raise meningitis awareness and do anything to make the vaccine more readily available to the public.”

Information on meningitis can be found at www.pha.site/meningitis-nidirect

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