An MS has demanded action saying pupils and parents deserve better as ‘significant concerns’ raised in troubled Flintshire

An entire education authority has been placed into the highest level of Estyn monitoring after a dire report from inspectors. Since the last inspection in 2022 the majority of secondary schools in Flintshire have been placed in Estyn follow-up and almost half the authority’s schools are in deficit or close to deficit, the watchdog said.

MS demands action saying pupils and parents deserve better as education service put into highest level of Estyn monitoring

Inspectors detailed failings in safeguarding and leadership. School deficits are now so bad that the situation now threatens the authority’s financial sustainability as a whole, inspectors warn.

The authority’s approach to this “has had limited impact in preventing schools from moving into deficit or supporting them to recover,” the report warns. On top of this, over the last four years 10 of Flintshire’s 11 secondary schools have been inspected, with two being put into special measures, two judged to need significant improvement and two needing Estyn reviews. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here

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Leadership and self evaluation are also not working as well as they should, Estyn added as it labelled Flintshire LEA as “causing significant concern”. There are only two outcomes of for a local education authority Estyn inspection – not in follow up, or causing significant concern, the watchdog confirmed.

On deficits, the report does not give a figure but warns: “The authority views the financial viability of schools as its highest corporate risk. With almost half of schools in deficit and many others close to that position, this issue has the potential to affect the authority’s overall financial sustainability.

“Although addressing this is a priority, the authority’s approach has had limited impact in preventing schools from moving into deficit or supporting them to recover. This heightens the significance of this issue.

Nigel Williams MS, Reform Party member of the Senedd for Fflint Wrecsam, demanded “urgent action”. He said that “complete transparency, and root-and-branch accountability” was needed following Estyn’s “damning assessment” of Flintshire’s education services.

Mr Williams, who grew up locally and is a former pupil of Flint High School, which was recently placed into special measures. The other secondary in special measures is St David’s High in Saltney.

“This is not just an administrative failure; it is a systemic betrayal of pupils, parents, and hardworking teachers across Flintshire,” Mr Williams said.

“As someone who grew up in Flintshire and went to Flint High School, seeing our schools in this state is deeply personal.

“This is not an isolated problem. When six out of 10 inspected secondary schools require formal follow-up, the rot runs straight to the core of the local authority. For years, councils and the Welsh Government have hidden behind glossy self-evaluations and endless committees while standards fell, school deficits mounted, and neurodiverse children were left without timely support.

“Reform’s stance is straightforward: public services must deliver real results, not warm words and bureaucratic excuses. Parents deserve to know their children are safe, teachers deserve the leadership and backing to maintain discipline, and pupils deserve a quality education. We will not let this report be swept under the carpet.”

Mr Williams said he will be raising the findings in the Senedd. He has also written to Flintshire’s Chief Executive Neal Cockerton demanding a timetable for action to improve education in the county and for Flintshire High specifically.

On a more positive note Estyn’s report also says: “Flintshire’s education services are led by committed senior officers who have maintained a strong focus on supporting schools and vulnerable learners during a period of considerable financial and organisational pressure.”.

Schools and partners value officers’ accessibility, professionalism and willingness to work constructively with them. The authority has also made “purposeful changes” to strengthen its work in recent years, including establishing its own school improvement service, expanding specialist provision and developing wider approaches to inclusion and belonging.

“These developments are beginning to improve aspects of provision and support. The new school improvement service is strengthening relationships with schools and provides regular advice and challenge,” the report adds.

Inspectors detail how the authority also has a strong commitment to inclusion. Specialist and outreach services provide valued support for pupils with additional learning needs, including many neurodivergent learners, although provision for neuro divergent Welsh speaking pupils needs improvement.

There is also a broad range of work to support learners affected by poverty, including early years, youth, family engagement and community-based provision, but measures to support attainment of less well off children need strengthening.

Responding to the inspection report Flintshire County Council Chief Executive Neal Cockerton said: “The Estyn report on the council’s education service specifically makes five recommendations, acknowledges the pressurised environment the service is working in and the steps being taken to continue to deliver high quality education services to our schools.

“The five recommendations set out in the report by Estyn have already started to be built upon and the areas strengthened. I, and officers in the service, take seriously the matters raised in the report and are fully committed to taking action to address them as we work closely with Estyn.

“Staff within both services have and continue to work incredibly hard and this has been noted within both reports. I take this opportunity to thank them for the work they continue to carry out with our children and young people.”

Councillor Dave Hughes, Council Leader, said: “While the report identifies areas where we need to improve, it also recognises the many strengths within the service which give us a solid foundation on which to build.

“We are committed to learning from these findings and driving forward the changes needed.”

The council said it will draw up an action plan setting out how it will address inspector’s recommendations. Estyn will monitor progress during regular follow-up visits.

The five recommendations Estyn makes are:

• Address the safeguarding concerns identified during the inspection at both corporate and service level
• Strengthen strategic planning to address risks posed by school deficits and improve the financial sustainability of schools
• Improve effectiveness of scrutiny so that elected members focus consistently on strategic risks, learner outcomes and the long-term improvement of education services
• Strengthen strategic leadership and improve the quality and consistency of self evaluation and improvement planning
• Strengthen collaborative working across portfolio and service areas to ensure more effective support and challenge for schools

A child who snores loudly every night might seem like a funny sight. But if that snoring accompanies repeated narrowing or blockage of the airway, the effects can reach far beyond a noisy night.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is often associated with adults who snore and struggle to stay awake during the day. Children can develop it too. Its prevalence is difficult to pin down: a 2024 systematic review of 30 studies found that recent estimates in preschool children ranged from 12.8% to 20.4%, but definitions and testing methods varied considerably. Only two population studies used a full overnight sleep study, so the true figure remains uncertain.

In children, habitual loud snoring is an important warning sign. Parents may also notice mouth breathing, restless sleep, pauses followed by gasps or snorts, or the chest and abdomen working hard to draw breath. Not every child who snores has sleep apnoea, however, and symptoms alone cannot confirm it.

Daytime symptoms

The daytime signs can be less obvious. Rather than appearing sleepy, some children become irritable or unusually active, struggle to concentrate or develop behavioural and learning difficulties. These problems can resemble or worsen symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The conditions can also occur together, so this should not be treated as a simple either-or diagnosis.

During sleep, the muscles that help keep the upper airway open relax. In obstructive sleep apnoea, the passage behind the nose and mouth repeatedly narrows or closes. The child then has to work harder to breathe. These episodes can lower blood oxygen and briefly disturb sleep, even when the child does not appear to wake fully.

Repeatedly disrupted sleep is associated with poorer behaviour, learning and quality of life. Research also links childhood sleep apnoea with changes in blood-pressure control and metabolism, including how the body regulates blood sugar, although the severity of these effects varies between children.

In younger children, enlarged tonsils and adenoids are a leading cause. The tonsils sit at the back of the throat; the adenoids are similar tissue behind the nose. Because a child’s airway is narrow, enlarged tissue can leave too little room for air to pass comfortably.

Obesity, differences in the shape of the skull or jaw and allergic rhinitis, which is inflammation inside the nose caused by an allergy, are also associated with greater risk. Research has additionally found associations with asthma and premature birth. Children with some genetic conditions, particularly Down syndrome, have a much higher prevalence. Globally, obesity among five to 19-year-olds rose from about 2% in 1990 to about 8% in 2022, according to a large analysis of population studies.

Air pollution may contribute too, but the evidence requires caution. Observational studies have linked exposure to fine airborne particles with habitual loud snoring and other breathing problems during sleep. Such studies cannot establish that pollution causes obstructive sleep apnoea.

A child who regularly snores loudly, has pauses or gasps, breathes through their mouth or seems to struggle for breath during sleep should be assessed by a doctor. A GP may refer the child to a paediatrician, sleep service or ear, nose and throat specialist.

The reference test is polysomnography, usually called an overnight sleep study. Sensors record brain activity, airflow, breathing effort, heart rate and blood oxygen, allowing clinicians to see whether breathing is repeatedly obstructed and how severely sleep is affected.

A short video of the child sleeping may also help. Preliminary research on smartphone recordings suggests that they could help clinicians screen and prioritise children, although they cannot diagnose sleep apnoea or replace a sleep study.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause and severity. When enlarged tonsils and adenoids are obstructing the airway, removing them is often the first treatment offered. In a randomised trial involving 464 children, surgery improved symptoms, behaviour, quality of life and sleep-study findings compared with watchful waiting. It did not produce a significantly greater improvement on the trial’s main objective test of attention and the mental skills used to plan and control behaviour.

An operation does not always resolve the condition. Up to 40% of children may have persistent sleep apnoea after surgery, with higher rates among those with obesity, severe disease or other medical conditions.

For mild cases, a clinician may recommend monitoring or treating nasal inflammation. Anti-inflammatory steroid nasal sprays may help selected children, but the evidence is mixed. Mouth and facial muscle exercises are sometimes considered, although the supporting studies are small and inconsistent. Evidence for orthodontic devices in children also remains limited.

If surgery is unsuitable or sleep apnoea persists, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can hold the airway open by delivering gently pressurised air through a mask during sleep.

Some mild cases resolve as children grow, but others persist or worsen. Follow-up is therefore important. Routine child health checks should include a question recommended in paediatric guidance: “Does your child snore?”

Obstructive sleep apnoea is treatable but easy to miss. When a child is restless, unusually active or struggling to concentrate, asking what happens after bedtime may reveal an important part of the picture.

Former NFL star Alphonso Smith Jr. has reportedly died by suicide at the age of 40.

The former Detroit Lions cornerback passed away at a housing community in Florida on Wednesday, according to TMZ. 

A chilling final Facebook post that appeared on Smith Jr.’s account earlier in the day referenced ‘demons’ and concluded by saying: ‘THIS IS IT!’

‘I tried everything in my power to fight the demons behind the ones that someone put into ME!’ he wrote.

‘To my family, BABY, my MOM, my siblings, things happened to your boy, your brother while I was little that an older lady did onto me,’ he wrote. ‘As a result guys, I did the same onto others!’

Smith did not go into further detail about what happened to him or what he did to others, but did describe himself as someone who ‘needed help & did not get it.’

A chilling Facebook post appeared on Smith Jr.’s account on Wednesday referencing ‘demons’

Smith Jr. played college football at Wake Forest before being drafted by the Denver Broncos

He went on to blast himself as a ‘coward’ while apologizing to his children, parents, and friends. 

‘I am the WORST & I pray my soul rest in heaven for my heart is pure, but my BRAIN & experience is MESSED UP,’ he added. 

A Florida native, Smith Jr. played college football at Wake Forest from 2004 to 2008 before being selected by the Denver Broncos with the 37th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

During his college career at Wake Forest, Smith amassed 188 total tackles over four seasons to go with 21 total interceptions. 

The Broncos traded him to the Lions in 2010 and he went on to play three seasons in Detroit before his NFL career ended after the 2012 season.

In total, Smith Jr. played in 42 NFL games and recorded 88 tackles and eight interceptions. 

His death comes just over a month after Super Bowl champion Jordan Devey also died by suicide at the age of 38.

Devey’s wife, Lindsey, shared the news in an emotional Instagram tribute posted on what would have been the couple’s 15th wedding anniversary.

Former NFL star and Super Bowl champion Jordan Devey has died by suicide at 38 in July

‘We have filled the walls of our homes and hearts with countless memories, joys, struggles, and triumphs,’ Lindsey wrote alongside photos of the couple.

‘We brought 4 beautiful children into this world that have your eyes, freckles, and compassion. You were our hero and our hearts ache in your absence. We love you. We miss you. And as you said in your last words to me, “we’ll talk soon.”‘

A GoFundMe campaign launched on behalf of the family confirmed Devey died by suicide, leaving behind his wife and four young children.

‘Tragically, Jordan took his own life, leaving his family to navigate an incredibly difficult and heartbreaking time,’ the page reads.

‘As they face overwhelming emotional and financial challenges, including mounting medical expenses, the community is coming together to support Lindsey and their children.’

Devey, who went undrafted out of Memphis in 2013, spent eight seasons in the NFL, playing for the Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills before retiring in 2021. 

Over the course of his professional career, he appeared in 44 regular-season games and made 21 starts across stints with the Patriots, 49ers, Chiefs and Raiders.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org. 

Thursday’s Inbox is not convinced about the changes in Tomb Raider: Legacy Of Atlantis, as a reader hopes for more Commodore retro compilations.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

The next big thing
I hate to be a typical gamer and immediately start asking about the next thing but now that we’ve had the Netflix show do you think we’ll get a Trailer 3 for GTA 6? Whatever you want to call the Netflix thing it definitely wasn’t a trailer, which means the last one we got was a year ago.

We’ve still got over two months until the game’s out, so surely that’s not going to be it in terms of trailers and footage? If this was any other company I’d definitely expect a second proper trailer and maybe even a Netflix follow-up.

But because this is Rockstar Games I really don’t know. It’s not that I’m not already sold on the game but I just like the hype and excitement of it all. Ignore everything else and you’ve got to admit those trailers so far are really well made mini-movies.
Wonader

GC: There’s no way to know for sure, but a third trailer is very likely. We’d be surprised if there was another one like the Netflix show though.

Accidental troll
I don’t think Nintendo is trolling anyone on purpose but their priorities since the very start of the Switch 2 has been absolutely bizarre to me. Eight-player Mario Kart 8 is great and all but, like you said, was that really the most important thing they had to be working on right now?

I mean seriously, DLC for a nine year old (older if you count the Wii U version) Switch 1 game, while you completely ignore making any for the brand new sequel that everyone complains hasn’t got enough combat.

I take it back. They are trolling fans. I can believe they don’t realise they are but the end result is the same, whether they meant to or not.
Trepsils

Too new
I’m not sure I like the idea of the Tomb Raider remake adding all these new features and options that the original didn’t have. Surely the point of doing a remake is that you want to recreate the original game but with modern graphics? I suppose you could argue that you should also add modern gameplay techniques as well, but only to a degree. Adding crafting, especially, is not something I enjoy in most games and I don’t see why it needs to be in a Tomb Raider game.

It all depends on the way it’s handled but the fact that we’ve had two previews now and still nobody’s been allowed to play it is getting me very suspicious. That usually means only one thing. I’m beginning to think that maybe Crystal Dynamics has been working on Tomb Raider for too long and it needs a fresh pair of eyes on it.
Darcy

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

DualSense nonsense
Does anyone else think that the touchpad on the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller is underused?

Apparently Astro Bot made use of the feature but mostly, in the games that I’ve played, the touchpad has served as a big button. You could generate a breeze with the touchpad in Animal Well, but that breeze did nothing much for me personally. I can’t help but think that this widespread touchpad neglect is a missed opportunity.

I detest graffiti in real life, so I’m not going to suggest that the touchpad could be used to put illegal scrawl onto walls in Grand Theft Auto 6, but what about an art creation mission, or the player could use the touchpad to forge signatures? Jason and Lucia could visit a graphologist, and by using their actual handwriting a player could receive interesting feedback on their personality. Maybe the touchpad isn’t that sensitive. I’ve never tried to write on it. No game has ever asked me to.

Mostly, in games, the touchpad just seems to sit there, ready, waiting and capable but broadly ignored. Since every PlayStation 5 owner has access to the feature this situation seems like a waste.
Michael Veal

GC: You’re not wrong but it’s the lack of motion controls that frustrates us. It’s maddening that Onimusha: Way Of The Sword doesn’t use them, as it would work perfectly for the bow.

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Commodore Breed
Great to hear about the return of Alien Breed, even if being 35 years old is a bit depressing for those of us that remember it. I never played any of the 3D games, or Tower Assault, so I’m looking forward to experiencing those, even if the graphics look really rough.

I’m also very excited at the idea of Commodore releasing a bunch of these sort of compilations, especially if they include similar behind the scenes stuff. My picks for next would be Speedball (or just Bitmap Brothers in general), Sensible Software, Worms, and X-COM. But I’d get anything they put out, if they’re decent ports.
Columbo

Identifying Platinum
On the theme of PlatinumGames, it will be interesting to see where they go from here, especially since, unless I’m mistaken, none of their critically acclaimed titles – aside perhaps from the first Bayonetta instalment, which has appeared on various formats – have been commercial successes.

Handling big outsourced projects like Ninja Gaiden 4 and Metal Gear Rising might have sounded exciting on paper but in reality it put them in an impossible position, between a rock and a hard place. Without full reins, they were unable exploit these projects to make them truly their own and yet by taking the games in a new direction they deviated from the formula that made the originals hits with fans.

It’s a studio whose wild creativity would have been ripe for success and thrived in the 90s and 00s when production costs were smaller and the market more forgiving to new ideas. I’d love to see a sequel to Vanquish and Sega team up to give them opportunities to revive some of their older franchises.
Sam

GC: In theory you’re right but we had a reader only the other day complaining, understandably, that Ninja Gaiden 4 is nothing like the other games; Metal Gear Rising is the most Platinum thing ever.

I am not Turok
I’ll be honest, that new Turok game looks rubbish. All these years later and they still can’t just make a normal sequel to the first two games. They were great but everything else has barely had any connection to them.

I don’t mean the story, because who cares about that with Turok, but it just being a fun first person shooter, with a lot of exploration and dinosaurs. This new game doesn’t seem to be anything like that.
Tim Rogers

Disc philosophy
Sony’s argument that nobody really owns a digital game because there is supposedly only ‘one copy’ got me thinking…

Think of it like a human being: the body is the physical vessel – the ‘meat suit’ – while the soul is what makes you you.

A physical game disc is the meat suit. The game itself – its code, world, story, and possibilities – is the soul.

But then there’s the player. The person interacting with that game influences what actually happens within it: the choices they make, where they go, how they play, what they build, win, lose or discover – almost God-like. And there are potentially infinite variations of that experience.

So millions of identical discs can contain the same underlying game, yet no two playthroughs necessarily have to be identical.

The physical vessel isn’t what makes the game the game – and removing that vessel shouldn’t magically turn something you bought into something you can never own.

Digital shouldn’t mean: ‘You paid for it, but it’s still ours.’
Scott Jenkins

Inbox also-rans
If anyone reading is 40+ like myself, get a PlayStation Classic and install Pro Evolution Soccer 2. I brought mine into work and demolished all of the 20+ year olds. Talk about a boost to the ego. Seems to be an issue with no sticks that throws them off.
Bobwallett

GC: That’s a modded PlayStation Classic, presumably.

Sounds about right for Sony that the one thing that would actually make people want to pay for a PS5 Pro comes out and they don’t have enough to sell them. They’re going to kick themselves later, because that’s only going to happen once.
Liger

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The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

MORE: Games Inbox: Has Sony lost the trust of PS5 gamers?

MORE: Games Inbox: Are retro video games becoming more popular?

MORE: Games Inbox: Does GTA 6 have the best video game graphics ever?

Von der Leyen was clear in her statement that the Leipzig attack had involved “military-grade material carried out by Russian operatives on European Union soil”.

“We will not tolerate it,” she said. “We have to step up and that means being ready to respond to Russia’s recklessness faster and better.”

While she was meeting Rutte in Brussels, EU foreign ministers had gathered at Wicklow in Ireland, where France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said action could be taken on a European level against Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of ships carrying oil and other cargo aimed at avoiding EU sanctions.

Barrot and fellow ministers from Belgium and the Netherlands said they had summoned Russian ambassadors in protest at the attack.

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said it was obvious that Russia saw no political cost in its hybrid operations against European allies.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said they were working on how to tighten enforcement of existing sanctions, and added there was broad support for an EU visa entry ban on Russian ex-combatants as well as stricter visa limits on Russian tourists.

Several EU countries, including Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain, are pushing for more than €193bn (£165bn) in frozen Russian assets to be used to help Ukraine. The idea was first planned at the end of 2025, and rejected by Belgium where the money is held. However, Belgium’s position is unchanged because it fears being held financially liable by the courts.

The Leipzig attack was part of a broader pattern of increasingly dangerous incidents, including drones and interference with critical infrastructure, von der Leyen said.

Mark Rutte added there had been increased risk to Europeans from drones and missiles crossing into countries on the Alliance’s eastern flank, and there had been more “malign activities targeting our territory directly, whether it is fires set in factories producing defence equipment for Ukraine or indeed the Russian hybrid attack in Leipzig”.

Their reunion sparked a frenzy not seen in British music for decades, as millions of fans scrambled for tickets to see Oasis back on stage together. 

But now, with the Gallagher brothers having proved they can survive a tour without the infamous feuding which once tore the band apart, they are ready to do it all over again. 

The Daily Mail can reveal that Oasis are just days away from announcing a second tour following the extraordinary success of their sell-out comeback shows. 

Liam and Noel Gallagher are expected to begin teasing the news tomorrow, before formally unveiling the new dates next week.

And it will offer fresh hope to the legions of fans who missed out during the extraordinary rush for tickets when the brothers first announced their reunion.

A source told the Daily Mail: ‘The new tour has been in the making for some time and now they’re ready to get going with it.

‘Unlike last time there’s not such a panic about whether Liam and Noel will get on, there isn’t the drama around it. It’s just a case of them looking forward to getting on stage.

‘Oasis-mania is coming back!’

Liam and Noel Gallagher are expected to begin teasing the news tomorrow, before formally unveiling the new dates next week

The announcement will mark the next chapter in one of the most remarkable comebacks in British music history, after the warring brothers stunned fans by putting aside years of bitter animosity to reunite.

Oasis had not performed together since their acrimonious split in 2009, when Noel walked out of the band following a backstage row with his younger brother at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.

So when they finally announced their comeback in August 2024, demand was extraordinary.

The original run of 14 shows in Britain and Ireland was repeatedly extended as millions of fans attempted to secure tickets, with extra dates added amid what the band described as ‘phenomenal’ demand.

The scramble was not without controversy, however.

Fans complained of spending hours in online queues before discovering that some standing tickets which had initially been available for £148.50 were later being sold for £355.20.

The fiasco ultimately prompted an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority, which later raised concerns over the way Ticketmaster had sold tickets for the tour.

But any rows over the sale were soon eclipsed by the extraordinary reception which greeted Noel and Liam when they finally walked on stage together at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in July last year.

It was the first Oasis concert in almost 16 years and began a globe-spanning run which took the band from Cardiff to their Manchester heartland, Wembley Stadium, Edinburgh and Dublin before heading across North America, Asia, Australia and South America.

Every date listed on the band’s official UK Live ’25 schedule sold out, including five nights at Manchester’s Heaton Park and seven at Wembley.

Liam and Noel’s tumultuous relationship famously saw Oasis break up 17 years ago as a result of backstage bust-ups, walk-outs and numerous booze-fuelled arguments

The news of a new tour comes after Oasis released the official trailer for their hotly-anticipated Disney documentary Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger. 

Set to be released in cinemas worldwide on September 11, the film charts Liam and Noel Gallagher’s triumphant reunion tour, Oasis Live ‘25, one of the most anticipated rock n roll comebacks of our time.

From the creator of Peaky Blinders Steven Knight, advance tickets for the documentary are now available to buy on Fandango.

As the trailer follows the build-up from the idea to reunite to the band taking to the stage, Noel admits: ‘I just don’t see myself on stage with Liam.

‘I don’t really want to go back with the tension, will it fall apart again?’

As moments from the historic tour play out, he adds: ‘The songs are one thing, but I’d forgotten what he [Liam] means to people.

‘I certainly wasn’t prepared for the intense outpouring… a sense of what it meant to people.’

Later in the trailer, as the brothers walked on stage hand in hand, Liam adds: ‘We have got a chance to change the narrative of the band.’

The documentary features Liam and Noel’s first joint interview in over 20 years and is also set for release on Hulu and Disney+ in the U.S. later this year.  

Liam and Noel’s tumultuous relationship famously saw Oasis break up 17 years ago as a result of backstage bust-ups, walk-outs and numerous booze-fuelled arguments.

After working through countless bickers since they shot to stardom in the 1990s, fans were left devastated when a dressing room feud in Paris tore the band apart in 2009.

Noel issued a statement at the time, saying: ‘It’s with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight.

‘People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.’

In another statement a few days later, titled Tales From The Middle Of Nowhere, Noel added: ‘I feel you have the right to know that the level of verbal and violent intimidation towards me, my family, friends and comrades has become intolerable.

‘And the lack of support and understanding from my management and band mates has left me with no other option than to get me cape and seek pastures new.’

In the years that have followed, a feud and bitter fighting has ensued with the brothers trading insults back and forth in interviews and on social media.

Yet the story of Britain’s most famous condiment actually begins more than 300 years ago in the heart of Durham City.

Long before mustard became linked with Norfolk, Durham entrepreneur Mrs Clements is believed to have turned mustard seeds into the fiery powder still found on British tables today.

According to local histories, Mrs Clements made her breakthrough around 1720.

Mustard had been eaten in England for centuries, but it was usually made by crushing the seeds into a coarse paste.

Mrs Clements found that grinding the seeds into a fine powder, like flour, produced a much stronger flavour.

The pungent, versatile product soon became famous far beyond County Durham.

Her invention became hugely popular and was soon known as ‘Durham Mustard’.

At a time when opportunities for female entrepreneurs were limited, Mrs Clements travelled around the country taking orders and building a successful business.

The mustard’s fame eventually reached the royal court.

Historical accounts suggest King George I became a customer, helping spread Durham Mustard among fashionable society.

For decades, Durham was famous for its mustard trade.

An old local saying summed up the city’s attractions as “wood, water and pleasant walks, law, gospel, old maids and mustard.”

The precise location of Mrs Clements’ original mustard operation has been debated by historians, but it is believed to have been centred around Saddler Street.

Today, Vennels Café celebrates that connection from one of Durham’s historic alleyways.

The café occupies part of a centuries-old building and tells visitors the story of Durham mustard.

Vennels says part of the original property was linked to Mrs Clements’ business, so it calls itself the birthplace of modern English mustard.

For years, Durham’s role in the story of English mustard was largely forgotten.

Recent work by local historians and tourism organisations has revived interest in the story.

A closer look at Durham Mustard.

In 2024, a new Durham Mustard brand was launched, inspired by historic recipes and Mrs Clements’ pioneering work.

More than three centuries later, visitors can still walk Durham’s cobbled streets where the story began.

Durham may no longer be Britain’s mustard capital, but its claim to have created the nation’s favourite fiery condiment remains a source of local pride.

A pretty market town, just an hour from Cambridge and 20 minutes from Peterborough, has narrow streets with stable doors and independent shops in honey-hued cottages

It’s easy to feel as though you’ve stepped into another era when wandering past the honey-coloured cottages and through narrow lanes lined with traditional store facades of a charming town near Cambridgeshire.

Nestled along the River Nene, just an hour from Cambridge and a few miles from Peterborough with a PE8 postcode, is the historic market town of Oundle. Many might know it for having the third-largest boarding school in England, after Eton College and Millfield School, but what really sets the town apart is its idyllic scenery, which has even drawn attention from film productions.

There are quaint, narrow streets lined with a vast collection of well-preserved Georgian manors, Grade II listed cottages and old stable doors that once welcomed horse-drawn carriages. Amongst its beautiful honey-stone architecture are independent retailers whose shopfronts are frozen in time, with traditional signs hung above their sash windows and arched entrances with elegant pillars.

Some notable highlights include the children’s store Bumble and Twig, The Rounded House, which sells an array of elegant gifts and homeware, Milestones Florist Ltd, Stu Pots for every type of kitchen supply, and the jewellery shop Harpurs Of Oundle. It’s an elegant scene of boutiques to explore along its old-fashioned streets that remain wonderfully quiet, even on the weekend.

Locally referred to as a ‘posh area of Northamptonshire’, Oundle is home to several charity shops where it’s not uncommon to uncover a designer or vintage piece of clothing at a bargain price. There’s even an Oxfam shop dedicated to selling second-hand books and music, which is packed from floor to ceiling.

Adding to its quintessential scenes are the handful of cosy coffee shops, from The Lemon Tree, The Coffee Tavern, and The Greedy Piglet, that serve up a hearty full English breakfast and their renowned ‘Piggy’ milkshakes, sure to be loved by kids or those with a sweet tooth.

Additionally, there’s a selection of pubs in the town, including the retro Rose & Crown and the traditional The Ship Inn, as well as restaurants such as Mediterranean, Dexters, and Italian Salerno’s.

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One local favourite, just outside the town centre, is the waterside restaurant Tap and Kitchen, serving a selection of locally crafted beers and a tasty menu, either in its trendy restaurant or on its terrace overlooking the river. It’s fittingly located next door to Nene Valley Brewery, where visitors can pick up their favourite beers, sours or stouts, all locally made.

It’s hard not to notice the presence of the prestigious Oundle School when exploring the town, with its buildings dotted around the compact town, and it undoubtedly played a part in putting Oundle on the map. That, alongside its use as a filming location for the hit Netflix series The Crown, with its picturesque and frozen-in-time setting, making it easy to depict the 1990s and bygone years.

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The changes should make the bus network ‘simpler to operate and explain’

A number of bus services in Peterborough are due to change following a review. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) carried out a review of bus services across the county to ensure the bus network was affordable, sustainable, evidence-led and better aligned to passenger need.

In Peterborough, the proposed changes include merging services 60 and 61, and introducing different timetables for services 60, 61, 62 and 63. They also include retaining the current loop around Werrington as part of the 62 service, helping residents to continue accessing Werrington centre.

Service 60 runs between Peterborough Queensgate Bus Station and Orton Northgate, while 61 runs between Queensgate and Newark Sainsbury’s, 62 runs between Queensgate and Maxey, and 63 runs between Queensgate and Parnwell.

A report to go before the CPCA transport committee on September 9 stated: “There would be no significant change to overall service levels [in Peterborough], but the network should be simpler to operate and explain.”

The revised proposals were developed in response to a six-week public consultation that received 1,182 responses.

Residents emphasised the need for reliability, punctuality, frequency, operating hours, access to rail and healthcare, the need for clear information, affordability and integrated ticketing, and the importance of services that were usable for work, education, healthcare, shopping and leisure.

If approved at next week’s meeting, the changes could be introduced from February 2027, with further changes planned for August 2027.

CPCA Mayor Paul Bristow said: “Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their views as part of our Bus Network Review. Listening to residents is incredibly important, because you are the people who use these services and understand what works well and where improvements are needed.”

Service changes elsewhere

Fenland – Services 46, 50, 56 and Tiger 7 would be redesigned to create a clearer local network, including improved March–Wisbech links, better weekend provision and revised connections through Chatteris.

St Ives, Earith, Somersham and Ramsey – The 301 would be improved to provide a simpler, more frequent core service, with Tiger 12 withdrawn alongside replacement links and implementation planning.

St Neots, Godmanchester, the Hemingfords and St Ives – Service 65 would be revised to serve St Neots Rail Station and extend from the Offords to Godmanchester, the Hemingfords and St Ives.

Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire – Services including 8, 26, 27, 27A, 27H, 75, T2, T4 and T5 would be revised to improve reliability, provide more regular Cambridge links and support evening, weekend and peak-time travel.

East Cambridgeshire and Suffolk links – Several existing low-frequency services around Haverhill and Newmarket would be replaced by simpler services, including new 119, 120 and 121 routes.

Kemi Badenoch piled pressure on Andy Burnham over defence last night as she pledged to slash welfare to fund military spending.

In a major intervention, the Conservative leader set out plans to raise defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP by the end of the decade – a commitment the Prime Minister has failed to match.

The Conservative leader outlined a £10billion package of savings to fund the investment, which is seen as vital to keeping Britain safe.

Chancellor John Healey resigned from his previous job as defence secretary in June over Sir Keir Starmer‘s refusal to commit to the 3 per cent target, saying it was the minimum needed to keep Britain safe. 

But neither he nor Mr Burnham are now willing to say whether they will find the money to boost Britain’s cash-strapped Armed Forces.

The Prime Minister ducked the issue again yesterday, despite fresh threats from Russia and pressure from his own MPs.

Mrs Badenoch said: ‘The first duty of every Government is defence and the Conservatives will always put our defence first. 

‘That’s why we are setting out our plans to reach three per cent on defence spending by the end of this Parliament through further cuts to welfare and restoring the two-child benefit cap.

The Prime Minister ducked the question on Britain’s cash-strapped Armed Forces again yesterday, despite fresh threats from Russia and pressure from his own MPs

‘John Healey resigned from Keir Starmer’s government saying Labour were not keeping our country safe. Now he is the Chancellor he should adopt our plans and make sure our Armed Forces have the funding they need.’

Mrs Badenoch’s move heaps pressure on the PM and Mr Healey to find the funds to accelerate defence spending at a time of rising international threat.

Mr Burnham was savaged over the issue by a senior MP on his own side yesterday.

Tan Dhesi, Labour chairman of the cross-party Commons defence committee, accused him of ‘kicking the can down the road’ by deferring a decision on the issue until next year’s comprehensive spending review.

In a bruising intervention, Mr Dhesi also warned that Mr Burnham’s trademark optimistic bluster would not be enough to keep Britain safe. He told the PM it was ‘imperative that we invest in our Armed Forces in the here and now’.

He added: ‘Defence is definitely one area where vibes alone just will not be enough. Rather than kicking the can down the road… will the Prime Minister urgently commit to charting a pathway to reaching three per cent of GDP being spent on defence by 2030?’

Mr Burnham appeared thrown by the hostility of the question and he told Mr Dhesi: ‘I have made that commitment, I have made it very clearly.’ 

But Downing Street later confirmed that he is only committed to a much looser target of 3.5 per cent by 2035. Vladimir Putin has lashed out at the West as his forces struggle in Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin has lashed out at the West as his forces struggle in Ukraine (file image)

In recent days, Russia has threatened the UK with ‘catastrophic consequences’ over its support for Ukraine. Germany revealed this week that Russia was responsible for a failed drone attack on Leipzig airport. 

CIA chief John Ratcliffe is reported to have travelled to Moscow last week to warn Mr Putin against attacking a Nato country.

In his June resignation letter, Mr Healey revealed UK spy agencies believe Russia could attack a Nato country by 2030.

But Britain has slid down the Nato spending league table in recent years, despite the growing threats. 

Under Labour’s plans, spending will nudge up from 2.6 per cent next year to 2.7 per cent by the end of the decade. In contrast, Germany expects to spend 3.5 per cent by 2030 while Poland is already spending 4.7 per cent.

Mrs Badenoch’s plans would involve slashing billions of pounds from the bloated benefits budget. 

This will include at least £4billion a year through reforms to housing benefit. Restoring the two-child benefit cap, which Labour axed this year, would raise £3.1billion. £1billion would be saved by ending VAT exemptions for Motability vehicles.

The rest of the £10billion would be funded by scrapping Labour’s Chagos Islands giveaway and by diverting money from new windfarms and civil research and development.

Defence now looks set to be one of the biggest early tests of Mr Burnham’s administration. 

Mr Healey quit in June after the then chancellor Rachel Reeves refused to agree a timetable for hitting the 3 per cent spending target. But since being appointed her successor in July he has refused to commit to finding the cash.

Mr Burnham yesterday told MPs: ‘The very reason I appointed this Chancellor to his position is because of his strong commitment to the defence of our country. We will fully fund the defence investment plan.’ 

But Mrs Badenoch urged him to move faster and ‘get serious about defending our nation’.