The man killed at a Christian festival in West Sussex on Friday has been named by his church as Robert Guanco, 41.

He was a pastor at Jesus the Living Water Church in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

Six other people were injured at the event by a falling sign at the Big Church Festival, near Steyning, four of whom were taken to hospital for treatment.

In a statement, his church said: “Pastor Robert was a faithful servant of God, a loving husband to Isay, a devoted and caring father to Ellie, and a blessing to so many people whose lives he touched. His life, his faith, his love, and his service to God will never be forgotten.”

On a fundraising page for the pastor’s family, pastor Norman Ponce from Jesus the Living Water Worldwide Church, said Guanco was a “faithful servant of God”.

“What was meant to be a time of worship, fellowship, and celebration became an unimaginable tragedy,” he added.

Ponce said Guanco was a “beloved son, cherished brother, loving husband” and “great father”.

“He was also a good friend, mentor, and a blessing to so many people whose lives he touched,” Ponce said.

“His life reflected humility, faith, love, compassion, and service.

“Through his ministry, kindness, prayers, and encouragement, he touched many lives.”

The Big Church Festival, which describes itself as the UK’s biggest Christian festival, was founded in 2009.

The event at Wiston Park began on Friday and was due to continue until Sunday, but a decision was made by organisers to cancel the remainder of the event after the incident.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said she was “sad and shocked” to hear about the fatal incident.

Dame Sarah Mullally said: “I pray for his family, friends and loved ones as they grieve. I pray for those receiving treatment, and the healthcare workers looking after them.

“And I pray too for the other festival goers, staff and event organisers as they come to terms with these tragic events.”

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Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham remain active as the summer window heats up ahead of its closure in a few days time. The Premier League champions are set to discover if their pursuit of Julian Alvarez has been successful amid reports of Atletico Madrid setting a deadline to bring the saga to an end. Habeeb Ogunneye and Andria Bartishvili are poised to follow James Scanlon and Igor Tyjon in becoming Arsenal players, while Gabriel Martinelli should complete his move to Al-Hilal.

United host Ipswich Town at Old Trafford in eight-and-a-half hours, but before then, there is plenty of transfer news to cover ahead of deadline day on September 1.

Much of the speculation surrounds outgoings rather than incomings at this stage, with James Scanlon already joining Arsenal and multiple players due to exit over the next few days. Habeeb Ogunneye has already announced his own departure and is expected to join his former academy team-mate at the Premier League champions.

Joshua Zirkzee and Toby Collyer are also due to secure exits. Amad and Marcus Rashford are also reportedly the subject of interest.

By KATHERINE LAWTON, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: 09:46 BST, 30 August 2026 | Updated: 09:53 BST, 30 August 2026

A ‘devoted’ father and pastor was killed when a sign fell on him during high winds at a Christian music festival. 

Robert Guanco, 41, died when the huge wooden archway gave way at the Big Church Festival, held on the Wiston Estate near Steyning in West Sussex, on Friday. 

Another six people were injured with four rushed to hospital for treatment. 

Mr Guanco, from Eastbourne, East Sussex, was Pastor at Jesus the Living Water Church in his local area. 

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The church said in a statement: ‘Pastor Robert was a faithful servant of God, a loving husband to Isay, a devoted and caring father to Ellie, and a blessing to so many people whose lives he touched.

‘His life, his faith, his love, and his service to God will never be forgotten.’

Police are now examining whether or not the structure was properly secured before it collapsed. 

Fred Abbott, from Morden, south London, was sat just yards away with his young family when a ‘strong gust of wind’ toppled the sign. The father of four then rushed over to help save those crushed underneath.

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Robert Guanco, 41, died when a huge wooden archway gave way at the Big Church Festival in West Sussex on Friday 

A sign that read ‘Everything’s Unmissable’ fell at the Big Church Festival on Friday

Fred Abbott, from Morden, south London, was sat metres away with his young family when a ‘strong gust of wind’ is believed to have toppled the sign

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An aerial view of campers at the festival, which was due to be attended by around 40,000 people 

‘We were by Tom’s Stage in the Field of Fun, about 20 metres away from where this massive wooden sign was,’ Mr Abbott said. 

‘We heard this massive crack and bang, and me and my friend ran over. There were around 30 to 50 people, including me and my friend, picking up this sign. It read: “Everything’s Unmissable”.’

Still ‘shaken’ from the incident, the project manager added: ‘There were five people on the floor and not moving.

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‘I had to walk away because there was a man on the floor and he was bleeding from his head and from his mouth.’

Emergency services were called to Big Church Festival at around 3.38pm on Friday.

Detective Chief Superintendent Richard McDonagh, of Sussex Police, previously said: ‘This is a tragic incident and our thoughts go out to the man’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.

‘I recognise the immense distress this will have caused people at the festival, and we are working with a number of partners as we seek to establish exactly what happened.

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‘We’re urging anyone with information to come forward.’

The incident happened on Saturday afternoon when a train hit a van.

British Transport Police said the man was pronounced dead at the scene and two train passengers were treated for minor injuries.

MORE: Man dead after train strikes van in Burscough

In an update this morning, rail operator Northern said: “Due to emergency services dealing with an incident between Wigan Wallgate and Southport the line is blocked

“Services running to and from these stations will be delayed or cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.”

Emergency services at the scene on Saturday (Image: Phil Taylor)

A spokesperson for the British Transport Police said: “We were called to a level crossing in Burscough, West Lancashire following reports at 3.18pm today (29 August) that a train had struck a van. Paramedics and the fire service also attended.

“One person was in the van and sadly a man was pronounced dead at the scene. Two people who were passengers on the train received treatment for minor injuries. The incident is not being treated as suspicious.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of what happened, any witnesses who haven’t already spoken to police are asked to text BTP on 61016 quoting the reference 373 of 29 August.”

The train operator has shared a list of alternative routes passengers can take at no further cost until the disruption is resolved.

Bee Network buses between Wigan and Appley Bridge on the 635 bus. Merseyrail services between Southport and Liverpool Central. Merseyrail services between Ormskirk and Liverpool Central and Merseyrail services between Headbolt Lane and Liverpool Central.

A heroic teacher saved the lives of more than 1,600 children in the Nepal floods after their school was washed away by a landslide. 

Rajendra Dawadi, the principal of Tribhuvan Trishuli secondary school in the Trishuli valley of north-central Nepal, received a phone call from his friend on Wednesday morning telling him the village five miles upstream had been taken by the river. 

Nine hundred children had already arrived at the school, while 700 more were on their way on foot and by bus. 

He was then warned by a parent that the water was rising fast towards the school, which stood 200ft above the river. 

It came amid devastating landslides and flash floods which struck Nepal on Wednesday, leaving 734 people dead and 2,498 missing. Authorities warned of possible fresh flooding today and urged residents in affected districts to remain on high alert. 

Two teenagers, a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy, are among 33 British nationals believed to be unaccounted for. 

Knowing his school was in trouble, Mr Dawadi, 47, quickly began calling the drivers of the buses on their way – managing to get through to all but one – and ordered them to turn back. 

An aerial view of the destruction along the Trishuli River corridor. The school is circled in red

What the school used to look like, before it was completely destroyed in the Nepal floods 

The water had already started entering the school grounds when he spotted the last bus, which he told to turn around. ‘It got to the other side just as the bridge collapsed,’ he told The Times. 

He then turned his focus to the children inside the school, who had realised they were in danger. 

‘One girl had a panic attack, so we put her on the back of a motorbike. The rest I sent uphill on foot, then followed,’ the teacher said. 

The terrified children ran up the hill, where they took shelter under a bodhi tree. 

Mr Dawadi’s quick thinking saved 1,643 children and all but one member of staff. 

Santos Pariyar, 32, a social history teacher who was new at the school, had come in early that day to teach extra classes and was washed away by the floods. 

The chunk of ice and rock understood to have snapped off and triggered the flash floods was estimated by Daniel Shugar – a geomorphologist at the University of Calgary – to have had an area of nearly 50 acres. 

It plunged 1,200 metres down the north face of Langtang Lirung peak into the upper gorge of the Lhende Khola river, near Tibet’s border with Nepal.    

Authorities in Nepal warned of possible fresh flooding today after water levels rose in the Bhotekoshi River.

Flood warning notices were sent to people’s phones this morning as rescue crews worked to clear a major highway connecting Kathmandu to one of the areas worst hit by Wednesday’s catastrophic floods.

In the town of Galchhi, a group of residents sought higher ground on a nearby bridge and watched as the river swept through. 

The combined toll in Nepal and Tibet rose to 750 people dead and more than 3,000 missing after the latest updates today. 

Nepal’s disaster agency said the death toll had climbed to 734 with 2,498 people missing, while Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing, including more than 100 Nepalis and people from over 12 countries.

The latest warnings came after Chinese authorities informed their Nepalese counterparts of increased water flow upstream. 

But residents of the flood-hit villages said they were struggling to make sense of near-constant alarms they have received since the initial floods.

Resident Govind Shreshta said: ‘Sometimes they say a flood is coming, then we have to run again to higher ground, even at night. There is also rain.

‘It’s really difficult for me. I have a 72-year-old father and 70-year-old mom. I must carry them and I am exhausted.’ 

Damaged homes in Trishuli Bazar following the flash flood, in Nuwakot district, Nepal 

Mr Dawadi is pictured, right, outside the school before tragedy struck 

Devi Ghat town was torn to shreds by the floods, with livestock left rotting on top of the mud

Devi Ghat was devastated by the floods which killed hundreds of people and left thousands missing

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Dramatic footage showed the moment hikers witnessed a giant glacier collapse in the Himalayas

The video, filmed by a Chinese tour guide in Tibet, shows huge chunks of ice breaking away from a ridge on Langtang Lirung peak, on the Nepali side of the border

Large concrete and smaller suspension bridges were destroyed, leaving communities on the other side of the river with less easy access.

Prithvi Highway is a crucial supply route for food, fuel and other goods entering Kathmandu from other parts of the country. 

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today that his country will send a specialized disaster search-and-rescue team to Nepal to assist with relief efforts and help evacuate Malaysians affected by the disaster. Malaysia has also pledged $1million in financial aid to Nepal. 

Last night, dramatic footage showed the moment hikers witnessed the giant glacier collapse in the Himalayas, triggering the catastrophic flash floods and mudslides. 

The video, filmed by a Chinese tour guide in Tibet, shows huge chunks of ice breaking away from a ridge on Langtang Lirung peak, on the Nepali side of the border.

Hikers reported hearing a huge crack before ice, rock and debris plunged into the valley below, sending an enormous cloud of dust billowing into the air.

The glacier collapse triggered a landslide which formed a lake in the valley below, before a torrent of water and debris surged through the mountain river system towards the Gyirong border crossing.

A second video shows debris racing down the mountainside immediately in the aftermath of the collapse, marking the beginning of the disaster that would devastate communities downstream.

Kent Jones’s carefully wrought film Late Fame offers a wry eulogy for vanished bohemia and a deft meditation on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous dictum that “there are no second acts in American lives”.

Almost half a century ago, Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe) was a minor figure on the New York poetry scene. But as Ed himself acknowledges: “I had my moment. It passed.”

The decades since the publication of his solitary volume of verse, Way Past Go, have passed in utter obscurity. So returning home one wintry evening, Ed is surprised to be met by Myers (Edmund Donovan, enjoyably vampiric), a twentysomething stranger who hails him as a forgotten literary genius and an avatar of “Old Downtown” New York.

Myers introduces himself as the leader of a small group of nostalgic aesthetes who have rediscovered and taken inspiration from Ed’s slender, long out-of-print volume of Beat-ish verses. Sceptical yet flattered, Ed lets Myers prevail upon him to meet his band of self-styled analogue contrarians (snottily deprecating the digital influencers huddled over their smartphones at the next table).

His new pals press Ed to compose a new poem – his first in decades – as the star turn in an absurd faux-New Wave “happening” whose planning gives the film its light narrative framework. With his library of taped poets – T.S. Eliot, Wallace Stevens, Gary Snyder – for company, Ed doggedly pursues inspiration through the chilly Manhattan streets (atmospherically filmed by Wyatt Garfield).

Passing the designer boutiques and high-end restaurants of 21st-century SoHo, he seems a man out of time – a distant cousin perhaps of the night crawler Dafoe played in Paul Schrader’s Light Sleeper (1992). Even his booklined one-bedroom Lower East Side walkup feels like a holdover from a bygone era of affordable rents in cold-water apartments.

But that Patti Smith past is a distant country, and so it seems is Ed’s creative spark. The suggestive phrase “seasons collide” offers the germ of an idea, but his yellow legal pad remains obstinately blank. Come the big night, Ed can only offer to read a 45-year-old poem from Way Past Go – though as he points out to the disappointed Myers, as far as the audience is concerned it could just as well be brand new.

Long-vanished counterculture

Ed is in every scene of the film, so inevitably much depends on Willem Dafoe’s performance – which happily is ideally cast and perfectly judged. Initially it feels a stretch that Dafoe’s edgy, charismatic screen persona could be submerged in the unremarkable routines of Ed’s life – his daily grind as a postal worker, toasted tuna sandwiches, rounds of pool at the local bar with his small coterie of blue-collar male friends.

But it’s precisely by playing off these expectations – and perhaps our awareness of his own long career as a fixture on the real downtown scene (a founder member of the avant garde Wooster Group theatre company) – that Dafoe comes to embody Ed’s distant boho past, his workaday present, and his unsuspected hunger for something more, all so credibly.

Another actor might also have had us worrying for Ed’s wellbeing or that this vulnerable older man might be exploited, knowingly or otherwise, by his callow new pals. But Dafoe’s feral mien, however subdued here, reassures us he’s no patsy. Ed sees as clearly as we do that these self-styled artistes are quintessential poseurs, rich kids lightly slumming on daddy’s dime in retro coffeehouses and loft apartments accessorised with $1,200 first editions of Naked Lunch.

None of them gives the slightest indication of any talent, or for that matter the application to pursue their chosen craft. (If they were for real, they’d be in Bushwick or Hoboken, not rubbing shoulders with the hedge fund managers in SoHo.)

They’re simply tripping on secondhand memories of a long-vanished counterculture to which Ed gives them vicarious access – even as he freely admits his acquaintance with legends like Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso was fleeting at best. For Ed, being part of an artistic coterie – however ersatz – after all this time is like whistling a half-forgotten tune, the pleasurable twitch of a phantom limb.

If anyone threatens to unmoor Ed it’s Grace (Greta Lee), the only woman in Myers’s band. Older than the others – though still many years Ed’s junior – she’s the group’s self-styled muse, channelling Louise Brooks, Marlene Dietrich and Audrey Hepburn in equal measure.

Ed gladly lets Grace – who’s motivated perhaps by an awareness that her own persona is precariously fabricated – seduce him into embracing his improbable shot at late-in-life celebrity, lubricated if needs be by the occasional fib. Ed even takes a meeting with a vapid literary agent to discuss the publication of his (non-existent) memoir. It’s in these passages of the film, as Ed testily rejects his decidedly unliterary working-class buddies, that we fear he may really be losing his compass. But will he fall for this chance of late-blooming fame?

Ultimately, Late Fame might be seen as a reflection on the profound unknowability of people. Myers’s real motivations and ambitions remain strangely opaque. Grace’s siren persona belies a much sadder reality.

Ed himself is estranged from his siblings, for reasons we never learn, and when he finally reads his (excellent) old poem publicly, it hints at a lost romance that may – or may not – have shaped the rest of his life. We can’t know, but Kent Jones has fashioned a film that invites us, engagingly and tenderly, to wonder.

Hail, frequent lightning, and strong winds have been forecast by the Met Office

The Met Office has issued yet another yellow weather warning for Wales as the end of the summer holidays comes to a very wet and stormy end.

The thunderstorm warning, covering the whole of the country on Sunday, is the latest in a series of weather warnings issued by forecasters which have disrupted the August bank holiday weekend for many.

Some local events organised for the last bank holiday of what has been a very dry and warm summer were cancelled on Saturday due to the severe weather with flash flooding seen in parts of Bridgend.

The latest warning covers the whole of the country from midday on Sunday until 11.59pm with the Met Office warning the public to expect heavy and thundery showers, frequent lightning, and gusty winds.

The weather agency said: “Showers, heavy and thundery, will reach southwest England and Wales later Sunday morning before spreading and developing more widely during the afternoon.

“Whilst some areas will miss the heaviest showers, where they do occur 10-15mm of rain is possible in less than an hour, with 30-40mm possible over several hours, these larger totals most likely for parts of north and northwest England and southwest Scotland.

“Hail, frequent lightning and, in southern parts of England and Wales, wind gusts of 35-45mph will be additional hazards.

“Heaviest showers and thunderstorms will become more isolated later in the evening.”

Forecasters warn driving conditions are likely to be affected by the poor weather with journeys expected to take longer due to spray, standing water, and potentially hail.

There could also be delays to train services.

Flooding of homes and businesses is also possible and there could be a damage to buildings due to lightning strikes..

People could also experience power cuts. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The heavy and thundery showers will continue through the evening before slowly easing overnight with clear spells developing.

Monday looks set to be the nicest day of the bank holiday weekend. You can see the full bank holiday forecast on weather maps here.

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Apple pie is a classic dessert that is perfect for sharing with family and friends and only requires five ingredients

Apple pie remains a timeless classic, featuring soft apples baked under a golden pastry topping, typically with sugar and comforting spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. It’s strongly linked with both British and American cuisine.

Nevertheless, versions of apple-filled pastries have been savoured throughout Europe for generations. A quality apple pie typically contains firm and somewhat sharp apples.

Bramley apples prove particularly favoured across the UK.

Apple pie is frequently accompanied by a substantial portion of smooth custard, fresh cream or a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

This recipe originates from JAZZ Apples, who have positioned the fruit at the heart of this delightful pudding.

What’s more, you’ll only require five ingredients to prepare the dish, with a shortcut technique to help achieve a golden topping.

Simply follow nine simple steps to create the dessert, ideal for enjoying with family and friends.

How to make a delicious apple pie

Ingredients

• Five to six apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
• Two teaspoons of ground ginger
• One tablespoon of ground cinnamon
• Three tablespoons of light brown sugar
• 1 x 320g pack ready-rolled sweet shortcrust pastry

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/Gas Mark 5.

2. In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples with the ginger, cinnamon and brown sugar, tossing until evenly coated.

3. Lightly grease a 20-25cm pie dish or tart tin and line with the shortcrust pastry, trimming any excess.

4. Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans, dried chickpeas or dried lentils.

Blind bake for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and baking beans.

5. Spoon the spiced apple mixture into the pastry case.

6. Finish with your chosen pastry topping – whether that’s a traditional lattice pattern, a complete pastry covering or decorative cut-outs.

If opting for a complete lid, make several small cuts in the surface to let steam escape.

7. Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry turns golden brown and the apples become tender.

8. For an optional shiny appearance, glaze the warm pastry with a touch of warmed apricot jam immediately after removing from the oven.

9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving alongside cream, custard, yoghurt or vanilla ice cream.

The branch will open later this year

A new specialist coffee shop is set to open in a Cambridgeshire town following requests from locals. Alistaire Ryan and Dan Heath will be opening the new Roost Coffee House branch at Scampers Natural Pet Store in Soham this year.

The business, which launched its first branch in Fordham late last year, has seen great success since its opening. The owners of Roost Coffee House have been friends since they met at secondary school. The idea for the business came about when the pair decided that “Fordham really did need a specialist coffee shop” as well as a “space for the community”.

Following the success of the business’s first branch, the pair decided to embark on an expansion. According to co-owner Mr Heath, 36, a location in Soham had been highly requested by locals, with the location being in the “pipeline for quite a while”. He said that “before we even launched, we had people email asking us to open up a branch in Soham”.

Scampers is on the Northfield Business Park, just off the A142 bypass. Talking about its location, Mr Heath said: “Soham is somewhere that we looked at as a really good opportunity for us firstly because of the size of it. It has a population of nearly 13,500 people and we felt the demographic of people there really fitted our brand at Roost.”

He said that it has ended up being “the perfect location” to enable their expansion. He said the pair are “very happy to say that we cater to all, whether that’s kids all the way up to senior citizens”. Mr Heath said the “inclusivity is what we pride ourselves on”.

Since the public launch, the 36-year-old co-owner said the reaction has been “amazing”. The coffee offered at the business is locally roasted in Littleport and he said the quality of their food is “fantastic”.

The new site is four times larger than the Roost store in Fordham, meaning more tables, space and opportunities for the business. As part of the expansion, Roost Coffee House will be offering breakfast and lunch menus alongside its well-approved cakes, bakes, pastries, milkshakes, and of course, coffees.

Describing what he feels makes Roost Coffee House so special, Mr Heath said: “Roost is warm, welcoming, inclusive and we cover something for everybody whether that’s drinks, food and atmosphere, it’s a place for all and we’re really excited to take our brand into a new place, new town and hopefully continue to grow.”

Roost Coffee House will open its store in winter 2026 but an official opening date is yet to be confirmed. Scampers Natural Pet Store offers everything from natural pet foods, treats, toys, grooming and an in-house veterinarian. Being pet lovers themselves, the owners will be making the café dog-friendly.

The operating branch in Fordham has built a strong reputation, with an almost perfect rating of 4.9 stars out of five on Google. One customer described it as a “cosy” place that serves “smooth, aromatic” coffee and bakes which are a “constant temptation”.