The festival is now into its third day, with stalls filling Bolton town centre despite some less-than-perfect weather over the bank holiday weekend.

Among the traders tempting visitors with something sweet are The Curious Confectioners, who have been selling homemade chunky stuffed cookies and cookie pies.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

Despite the weather, they said they had enjoyed a successful few days.

One of the team members said: “We’ve had a really good couple of days, to be honest.

“We’ve got nothing to compare it to really based on other years because it’s our first year here, but it’s been really good, despite the weather.”

Among the bestsellers have been the Ferrero Rocher cookie pie and Lotus stuffed cookies.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

The Finest Fudge Co has also returned to Bolton for what stallholders Mariah and Kitty said it was their fourth year at the festival.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

The Clitheroe-based business has been selling a wide selection of fudge, with one unexpected flavour proving particularly popular on Friday.

Mariah said: “For us, on Friday, it was actually the Turkish delight in rum and raisin, which is so weird for us.”

Another regular favourite is the Cinderella, a Nutella and white chocolate fudge containing a Kinder Bueno.

Mariah said the weather had not stopped visitors from supporting the stall.

She said: “It’s been good, considering we’ve not been blessed with the best [weather].

“We’ve still had a really lovely time. I think because we’ve done it for a few years now, people know us.”

Asked why they continue to return to Bolton Food and Drink Festival, she added: “It’s local, people have learned our brand and it’s a really nice place to come out.

“The people are really lovely.”

Those after something savoury have also had plenty to choose from, including authentic Italian street food serving freshly made arancini.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

Freshly cooked in front of you, they were a popular choice with queues forming.

Another eye-catching addition to the festival is Dantez Lemonade, which is serving homemade, slightly sparkling artisan lemonade from a converted old milk wagon.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

The idea for the drink came from Danny and Teresa, who also own a churros stand, after experimenting with a lemon dipping sauce for their churros.

The concept eventually developed into a lemonade, which is carbonated and served ice cold using a machine that super-cools the drink.

Paul, who was working on the stall alongside Louise, said trade had been good over the first few days of the festival.

He said: “It’s been good. We launched the brand, Dantez, at Bolton Food Festival last year.”

The lemonade itself has been traded at the festival for four years, with the Dantez brand officially launching in Bolton last year.

Bolton Food and Drink Festival continues throughout the bank holiday weekend, with its final day taking place on Monday, August 31.

Shocking figures from the RSPCA reveal animal beatings across the country have risen by 90 per cent

The number of animal being beaten in Cambridgeshire has risen by over 60 per cent in five years. Shocking figures revealed by the RSPCA show that animal beatings reported to the charity from across the country have risen by 90 per cent since 2021.

This is equivalent to one incident reported every 15 minutes. In Cambridgeshire, the number of beatings last year stood at 276. This is a 61 per cent rise since 2021, when 171 incidents were reported to the RSPCA.

Dogs and cats are the most common animals to be attacked, but other animals are victims too. RSPCA superintendent Jo Hirst said: “It’s incredibly distressing to see such a massive rise in reports of intentional beatings with one report coming to our cruelty line every 15 minutes.

“These are often upsetting cases where animals, usually pet cats and dogs, have experienced deliberate and horrific violence – leaving animals with not only physical injuries but mental scars as well.

“The reasons why an individual acts in this way can be down to a multitude of factors – if they are struggling with behavioural problems or their mental health, they may have violent tendencies generally, or sometimes pets are used as part of coercive control, or simply the perpetrator has a complete lack of empathy for animals.”

The RSPCA has praised the public for their help in trying to tackle cruelty – whether that’s through donations or helping to report incidents.

Jo added: “To help rescue animals from these situations we rely on the public to be our eyes and ears and report any concerns about animal abuse to us and we are grateful that so many people do and are more aware of the problem.

“We’re also finding that CCTV footage, doorbell cameras and smartphones are providing a view into society that we never had before, meaning that animal beatings are more likely to be caught on camera in supermarket car parks, on streets, in lifts, and even behind closed doors in the home.

“This could also account for the rise that we are seeing as they are more likely to be caught on camera, uploaded to social media or reported to us.”

By JADA BAS, REPORTER

Published: 23:39 BST, 30 August 2026 | Updated: 23:39 BST, 30 August 2026

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER

Published: 22:14 BST, 30 August 2026 | Updated: 23:59 BST, 30 August 2026

US forces made their first strikes at Iran in over a month Sunday, firing at two rocket launchers on the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran responding by attacking American forces in Jordan. 

Forces with the Revolutionary Guard Corps were seen preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the strait, Central Command spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins confirmed to The Daily Mail.   

‘US forces are monitoring the area closely and remain prepared to protect the free flow of commerce through this essential waterway,’ Hawkins said.    

The US military last week completed clearing sea mines from the strait´s international shipping routes, he added. Iranian news outlets reported sounds of explosions near Larak Island on the strait.

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Shortly following the report of the US strikes, Fox News reported that Iranian forces were attacking American troops stationed in Jordan.

Almost all of the incoming missiles have been intercepted and there have been no significant impacts.  

The Guard in a statement carried by Iran’s state broadcaster noted ‘the martyrdom and injury of several of our fighters and compatriots.’

The statement said the attack will ‘result in punishment of the aggressor.’

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US forces made their first strikes at Iran in over a month Sunday, firing at two rocket launches on the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump’s War in Iran passes the six month mark

Semiofficial news outlets in Iran reported sounds of explosions near Larak island on the strait

The fighting comes just days after the Trump administration said it would turn its focus to increasing economic pressure – rather than military action – to try to end its war with Iran. 

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The shifting strategy centers on threats to punish any country or entity that continues to conduct business with Tehran.

The turn to using sanctions as the cudgel of choice comes as the administration weighs diminished munitions stockpiles after months of war, sparking concerns that the prolonged conflict could undermine U.S. military readiness in other parts of the globe.

As the conflict grinds on, Trump´s talk of finding a quick end to the war also appears to be fading. 

He stressed last week that he´s ‘not in a hurry’ to get Iran back to the negotiating table, and he continues making the case that the Islamic Republic´s leadership is on the ropes.

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Trump has consistently emphasized that the U.S. and Israel campaign has been devastating for Iran´s navy and air force. Iranian officials have said the country has suffered $270 billion in direct and indirect damage. 

Israeli military strikes in the first weeks of the war wiped out much of the theocratic government´s leadership structure.

But Iran has found leverage through its own strikes in the critical Strait of Hormuz where relatively few vessels carrying oil and liquefied natural gas are risking passage. 

Sailors conduct night flight operations aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) as the ship sails in regional waters supporting operations in the Middle East

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Forces with the Revolutionary Guard Corps were seen preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the strait

Iran still has enough drones and missiles to fire at vessels transiting the vital energy waterway, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil normally flows, effectively controlling much of the traffic in the strait.

Trump has repeatedly declared that the ‘Strait of Hormuz is open,’ saying 24 vessels passed through last week. But that´s a fraction of the roughly 130 vessels that passed through the vital waterway daily before the war began.

Earlier on Sunday, a multinational coalition overseen by the U.S. Navy said commercial traffic through the strait remained at ‘reduced levels.’ 

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And a monitoring agency run by the British military said an unknown projectile struck a tanker ship on Saturday north of Khasab, Oman, in the strait.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization said the ship had been moving inbound and no casualties or environmental impact had been reported. 

It cited unspecified military authorities. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The street was once home to the popular Greek restaurant, The Gardenia

Cambridge has lots of streets and areas that are worth the visit. There is the Market Place where the historical market is held, and then there is the Backs with the beautiful King’s College chapel and River Cam.

However, there is one street that once wasn’t even a street. Rose Crescent in Cambridge used to be part of a tavern.

The street was originally the yard of the Rose Inn and was known as Waterloo Place in 1818. The pub was a favourite spot for Samuel Pepys, who was known for writing first-person accounts of the Great Fire of London, the Plague and the Second Dutch War.

The pub was also used as the headquarters for the County Club, which invited people from any walk of life to dine together.

The pub yard underwent a transformation and by 1825, it became Rose Crescent. While it may not seem obvious today that Rose Crescent was once the yard of a tavern, it’s still well-visited.

It’s often very busy on weekends as it’s home to restaurants such as Franco Manca and McDonald’s. Greek restaurant, The Gardenia used to be on this street until it shut down in 2025. There are also some famous brands along the street such as Le Creuset and Jo Malone.

One of Rose Crescent’s most popular shops that’s visited by hundreds of people is the Harry Potter experience store. Filled with fantasy-themed merchandise, this is the perfect place for any Potter fan to visit.

To visit an important part of Cambridge’s history, Rose Crescent is an interesting place to visit.

Scottie Scheffler won the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup for the second time in three years, surpassing Tiger Woods for most PGA Tour career earnings with a total of $130m

Scottie Scheffler put any debate about the season’s standout performer to rest on Sunday, overcoming a three-shot deficit with a 4-under 66 to clinch the Tour Championship, secure a second FedEx Cup title and surpass Tiger Woods as the highest career earner in PGA Tour history.

Scheffler announced his charge with a 5-iron to within 2 inches of the cup on the 211-yard second hole. He drew level with Viktor Hovland courtesy of a 25-foot birdie on the fourth hole, moved ahead for the first time on the 13th and held firm to triumph at East Lake.

It was Scheffler’s third victory of the year – two of which came in the last three weeks during the PGA Tour’s postseason – matching Chris Gotterup, Matt Fitzpatrick and U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark for the most titles in 2026. He claimed his maiden FedEx Cup two years ago.

The Jack Nicklaus Award for PGA Tour player of the year is decided by a players’ vote. Scheffler has scooped the honour for the past four consecutive years – a fifth would see him equal Woods’ record for the most successive awards.

Topping the career earnings list was always a matter of when, not if. The $40 million purse at the Tour Championship now counts as official money, with Scheffler’s $10 million share pushing his career total to $130,390,661.

Woods, who never competed for a purse exceeding $10 million during his dominant years between 1997 and 2008, had held the career money record for nearly 26 years.

It offered a measure of redemption for Scheffler, who had previously lost in a playoff to Hovland at the Travelers Championship, one of five runner-up finishes he endured this year.

Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, couldn’t build on his brilliant 63 on Saturday and put himself out of contention with a nightmare start on Sunday which included bogeys on the first, fourth and fifth holes.

The Masters champion fought back and ended up under-par for his round with a closing birdie, to shoot a 69 and finish in a seven-way tie for fourth place, five shots behind Scheffler.

McIlroy pocketed $1,695,000 for his efforts in East Lake and will be back in action in a fortnight when he plays in the Amgem Irish Open at Doonbeg, Co Clare.

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Taking advantage of today’s bank holiday, crowds once again filled Le Mans Crescent for the third evening of the annual festival.

It was touch and go around 7pm, when the heavens opened, together with lightning and thunder.

The music on the main stage had to be shut down for a while, only to return shortly after to cheers from the crowd, many of whom were under umbrellas and ponchos.

Liberty X backstage at Bolton Food and Drink Festival 2026 (Image: Bolton News)

Ahead of their performance, Liberty X told the Bolton News that they were “very excited” about the show.

Kelli Young added: “We’re gutted we weren’t here earlier for all the food, I have to say — very envious. We’ve been given some bits and bobs to try, so that’s exciting.”

Commenting on what it means to be performing 25 years on from their Popstars breakthrough, Michelle Heaton said: “I think it’s a combination of being really flattered to have people still coming out to see us, and also feeling really old.

“When we look out at the crowd now, especially I’ve noticed the last few months when we’ve been doing gigs, is that they really are reciprocating all the song lyrics and the music and the dance routines.

“And I don’t think it’s just people our age — it’s the younger generation as well. So they’ve introduced them to our music, and that’s amazing.”

Liberty X at Bolton Food and Drink Festival 2026 (Image: Bolton News)

It was particularly special for Jessica Taylor to be performing in Bolton.

She said: “It’s amazing to be here on the 21st anniversary. We’re so chuffed.

“My mum is actually Bolton born and bred, so it’s nice for me to be here and do a show she’s come to watch. It’s lovely.

“Our message to the people of Bolton generally: thank you for your support for the last 25 years. The fact that we’re still able to come here and do shows like this is a treat.”

Liberty X hit the stage at 9.15pm, playing a selection of their biggest hits from the early 2000s – an era which seems like yesterday to some of the audience members, who were singing along word-by-word.

While food and drink is the main focus of the annual four-day festival, the event also offers a cracking line-up of entertainment, with live music across two stages and other activities throughout the weekend.

The previous night’s headliners, 70s soul icons The Real Thing, went down a storm, with people dancing in every corner of Le Mans Crescent.

Other highlights from the weekend have included the impressive line-up of top chefs, including James Martin and Marco Pierre White.

Elsewhere, the festival featured hundreds of independent food and drink traders, selling everything from pasties to paella.

Liberty X formed in 2001, after losing out to Hearsay members on the reality TV singing contest Popstars.

Throughout the early 2000s, the band had a number of hit singles, including ‘Just A Little’, which reached the top of the UK charts in 2002 and won the BRIT Award for Best British Single.

Liberty X transported crowds back to the noughties with their set (Image: Bolton News)

Having first started out as a five-piece band, Liberty X now consists of three original members Michelle Heaton, Jessica Taylor and Kelli Young.

The trio reformed Liberty X in 2017 and have been playing events and festivals all over the country ever since.

The final day of Bolton Food and Drink Festival is Monday, August 31.

Rio Ferdinand has encouraged Manchester United to find an ‘understudy’ rather than a replacement for Luke Shaw before the summer transfer deadline.

Shaw and the rest of Michael Carrick’s squad came in for heavy criticism after falling to a 2-0 defeat to newly promoted Hull City in their Premier League opener last weekend.

The 31-year-old left-back also endured a difficult start against Ipswich as he was beaten all ends up by Abdul Fatawu on the wing for Leif Davis’ strike in the 29th minute on Sunday afternoon.

However, Bruno Fernandes inspired a spirited fightback with a stunning hat-trick to ensure the Red Devils came away from Old Trafford with a 5-2 victory – the club’s first win of the campaign.

Carrick decided to take Shaw off for Noussair Mazraoui with 17 minutes remaining of normal time, one of five changes made by the United head coach in a breathless second half at the Theatre of Dreams.

After the game, Rio Ferdinand launched an impassioned defence of Shaw on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel, claiming the England full-back had been one of United’s most ‘consistent’ performances over the last 12 months.

According to Ferdinand, United should be looking for left-back to ‘bed in over time’ rather than someone to force Shaw – the club’s longest serving player – from the side.

The legendary ex-United and England defender said: ‘In a couple of my WhatsApp chats, some United fans were saying, “Luke Shaw, get rid!”… Luke Shaw, over the last year, has been one of our most consistent performers and you’re sitting there saying, “He should be there”, or, “He should be somewhere else”… no!

‘Go and get a left-back that we want to actually bed in over time to be a replacement for someone like Luke Shaw.

‘You think you’re going to go in the market and find someone? It’s like £60m we’d have to pay. We ain’t got that!

‘We haven’t got the budget after paying the amount of money that we have to reinforce the midfield.’

Ferdinand argued that one ‘below-par’ game was not enough for fans to start calling for Shaw’s head.

He added: Listen, Luke Shaw has had better games, yes, but is he one where we’re looking to improve that area immediately? No, no. We need back-up in that area now with the thought of long-term.

‘Let’s not get carried away. There’s too many people getting carried away and have personal vendettas against people to try and make people think he’s not good enough.

‘Just look at the last year’s performance. He was one of our top four or five performing players consistency-wise, 100 per cent. One below-par game today doesn’t change things for me.

‘The only thing I would say is in the left-back area, yes, we haven’t got that understudy there where you’re thinking that’s a ready-made replacement looking to come in. We haven’t got that guy right now.’

United have been linked with a host of left-backs across the summer, including Newcastle and England star Lewis Hall.

However, Newcastle have reportedly ruled out a move for Hall and the Red Devils are fast running out of time to strengthen the position.

‘The club don’t think Harry Amass is that guy it seems because he doesn’t seem to be close to it at the moment,’ Ferdinand went on.

‘That’s the way it is, whether we believe Harry Amass is good enough or not.

‘It seems the club doesn’t feel like that so I don’t look it at like: replace Luke Shaw. I look at it like: let’s find someone who could be a replacement in time, over time, because I still think he [Shaw] is good enough to play.

‘It’s just the volume of games we’re going to have this season, he isn’t going to be able to play all of those games.’

After the club’s nightmare start at Hull, Ferdinand was pleased to see Fernandes and Co turn it around with an ‘entertaining’ display against another of the Premier League’s new boys.

‘It was nice to watch after an uncomfortable first half,’ the six-time Premier League winner said of United’s showing against Ipswich.

‘We’d given up too many chances, they should have probably gone in ahead at half-time.

‘I will say the first half was nervy but this game is about entertainment and you’ve got to embrace that.

‘We’re nit-picking, we’re overcritical. Sometimes it’s about entertainment. Do you want to pay for your ticket to sit and watch the game live or on your sofa and be entertained?

‘Manchester United today have entertained us so you know what? I’m satisfied after the first half.’

United will look to pick up where they left off when they return to action away to David Moyes’ Everton in a week’s time.

Sunday’s result saw the Red Devils finish the weekend in tenth place in the Premier League table.

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A MAN from West Yorkshire last seen in the Ryedale area of North Yorkshire has gone missing, prompting an urgent appeal from police.

The man has recently been staying in Scrayingham, a village a few miles north-east of Stamford Bridge and was last seen in Welham Road, Norton at 8.25am on Friday, August 28.

North Yorkshire Police describe him as white, around 6 feet tall, of medium build, with green eyes, short light brown hair, and a well-kept short beard.

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He was last seen wearing a black hoodie, grey trousers, black shoes, and carrying a black backpack.

A police spokesperson said: “Any immediate sightings of the man should be reported by dialling 999 so we can quickly ensure he is safe.”

Other information can be reported by calling 101 and quoting reference number 12260168826.

Former Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim is keen to be reunited with Leny Yoro at his new club AC Milan, according to reports in Italy.

Yoro has struggled to live up to expectations since joining United from Lille in a £52million deal as a teenager two years ago.

In that time, the 20-year-old defender has made 67 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils, chipping in with one goal and three assists.

A serious ankle injury badly hampered Yoro’s progress in his debut season at Old Trafford and the Frenchman has been in and out of United’s starting XI ever since.

Yoro was an unused substitute in United’s shock 2-0 defeat to newly promoted Hull City last weekend and he started on the bench again versus Ipswich – before coming on for Diogo Dalot at right-back in the 73rd minute.

Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez appear to have nailed down their places as United’s first-choice centre-back partnership in Michael Carrick’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, raising questions over Yoro’s future at the Theatre of Dreams.

According to Italian publication Tuttosport, AC Milan are monitoring the situation and could make a surprise move before the summer transfer window slams shut on Tuesday.

Milan have turned their attentions to strengthening their defence after wrapping up an agreement with Nottingham Forest for England Under-21 attacker Omari Hutchinson.

The Rossoneri have also captured Goncalo Ramos, Mario Gila, Sankhoun Diawara and Diego Moreira in a €150million (£128m) spending spree this summer.

It’s claimed Amorim sat down in a hotel to discuss transfer targets with with Milan directors Hendrik Almstadt and Bobby Gardiner for nearly five hours on Saturday, where he was assured that further signings were being explored.

The Serie A giants remain in the hunt for an attacking midfielder, a central defender and a left-back, and the report claims super-agent Jorge Mendes could ‘play a role’ in any negotiations.

Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde has been identified as a target at full-back, while United centre-half Yoro is mentioned as another player ‘in the mix’ and attracting strong interest.

Signed when Erik ten Haag was at the helm at Old Trafford, Yoro still has three years remaining on his current contract in the north west.

Yoro has given no indication of wanting to depart United and it would likely require an astronomical fee to convince the Red Devils to part with the young centre-back before the transfer deadline.

Before the season got underway, Yoro spoke of his excitement about playing in the Champions League and testing himself against the finest attacking players in Europe.

‘All the players in the world want to play in this competition,’ he told the club’s official website.

‘I did the Conference League, Europa League, and now I’m going to play in the Champions League. So yeah, I think the step is very good.

‘It’s a competition with the best players in the world.

‘You play different types of strikers, different types of opponents, and it’s never easy. So you have to be ready, and yeah, I can’t wait to play against these types of players.’

He added: ‘The other lads have spoken about when you train with the Champions League ball and hear the music of the Champions League, it’s just a different atmosphere from the league,” Yoro said.

‘We play against different clubs from all over the world, so [they have spoken to me] about the atmosphere and the magic of this competition.

‘Most of them have played in this competition, and everyone says it’s just magic to play.’

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