An eleven-year-old boy was the victim of a sectarian assault in North Belfast last week, with his mum saying the investigation is “not being taken seriously” by the PSNI.

The young boy was assaulted at around 9pm on Wednesday, September 2 in the Queen Victoria Gardens area by a group of children aged between 12 and 16 – who shouted sectarian abuse at him.

The following morning, mum Catherine McCotter, from the Skegoneill area, reported to the incident to police, but said she did not hear from officers until that evening, when the same group of youths came to her street and began to shout abuse at her and her child.

Later that night, she received a call from a police officer, dismissing the incident as “just a fight.” The concerned mum said they no longer feel safe in the mixed area, after living on their street for nine years, and her son feels unable to leave the house.

Speaking to Belfast Live, Catherine said: “My son and another wee boy were fighting around in Queen Victoria Gardens but a group of youths from Tiger’s Bay had come into the area. They all turned on Kevin and called him sectarian names, like ‘dirty taig’, and Kevin came around to me saying there was a big crowd of them. We walked away, but we were still getting abuse.

“My child was so upset, but I waited until Thursday morning and rang police to say this needed to be sorted, there was too big of a crowd against just one child. There was no police response.

“On Thursday night, the crowd then came into our street, and again shouted sectarian abuse, more or less trying to intimidate me and my son. It was only then that police responded.

“It took them until 7pm on Thursday night for them to come, and even then when they came into my home, the incident I reported hadn’t been read through or anything, they were reading it while sitting on my sofa.

“The crowd informed me they recorded the fight between the two kids, so I told police and said it was being shared around.

“I haven’t had word back from police about the video, or whether the crowd are being investigated. Last night [September 6], the whole crowd were back up at the top of Queen Victoria Gardens again. There have been no increased police patrols, there’s nothing, there’s no police to be seen to be looking out for any community resolution.”

Catherine said she believes her family has been let down by the PSNI, and has reported their response to the Police Ombudsman for investigation. She is calling for increased police patrols in the area, and for further support for her son.

In response, police said they deal with a “considerable number of calls for assistance on a daily basis” in the North Belfast area, and “all information given is considered when prioritising calls.”

“The police said it was just a fight. If it was just a fight, why were these kids able to come in and intimidate me in my street? My child can’t walk in this area on his own,” she said.

“I don’t feel safe, and it’s even worse now as the police have let me down. If they came out on Thursday morning, I wouldn’t have been dealing with the crowd in my street on Thursday night, that’s the way I see it. And it feels like to me the whole incident has just been blown off as it was just a fight.

“If it was just a fight, why are the kids bringing sectarianism into it? We respect the area. My kids don’t wear their Celtic or Cliftonville kits out there because we are in a mixed area.”

Catherine said the incident has left her young son shaken, and unable to do the things he would normally enjoy in the local area for fear of running into the group.

She said: “Kevin would usually go to the library down at the Grove, or around to Peas Park as he’s an outdoorsy child. But he can’t do that now on his own for the fear of meeting some of these kids again and getting a beating.

“I would have thought there would have been a police patrol car around the area, especially at the weekend. But there has been nothing.

“I told police my child was left suicidal by this whole incident as he knows he can’t walk around the area and he is being tortured. He didn’t want to go to school in case the video was circulating around.

“Where is the reassurance my child can walk down the street and nobody is going to touch him? Where’s the reassurance that these kids’ parents know what they’re doing in this area? There’s no reassurance of that whatsoever.

“I’m living in a mixed area and the police response and the way they’ve handled this has installed more fear in me. I feel even more intimidated.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police in north Belfast deal with a considerable number of calls for assistance on a daily basis. All information given by the reporting person is considered when prioritising calls and those where there is an immediate risk to life or property are given precedence. As this matter has now been referred to the Police Ombudsman, we are unable to comment further on this matter.”

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

It is two decades since Facebook introduced the News Feed – letting loose a world in which algorithms would shape ever more of our lives.

In 2006, Facebook was facing something of a crisis. Its internal data suggested that for the first time since its launch two years earlier (as TheFacebook), the company had stopped growing. People weren’t joining, and existing users weren’t spending more time on the site.

The solution co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and colleagues came up with, the News Feed, meant individual users’ homepages would be automatically updated with information tailored to them – in particular, new posts their Facebook friends had added.

Up to then, users had to actively check their friends’ profiles to see what they were up to. Now, this information would automatically be sent to your homepage. With it, a new world of algorithmic interaction was born.

It might seem quaint now, but for many Facebook users at the time, these changes felt like a violation of their privacy and trust. If you were to change your relationship status from “in a relationship” to “it’s complicated”, for example, this could now be broadcast to all of your online friends.

The News Feed caused the first major protest against Facebook. Tens of thousands of users joined a group calling for the return of the original system. A spontaneous protest emerged outside Facebook’s office in the city of Palo Alto, California. For the first time, the company felt it had to hire security guards.

Zuckerberg issued a sort-of-apology, but he didn’t back down. What he and other Facebook engineers could see was that, rather than pushing people away from the site, the News Feed was driving more engagement – leading users to spend more and more time on the platform.

A revolution in media consumption

Twenty years later, we can understand this development as one of the most significant socio-technical changes of the entire digital revolution. It ushered in an age where algorithmic systems structured how people interacted, consumed news and conducted political activity.

Crucially, to enable this new “content pushing” approach, Facebook engineers had to build a new digital architecture that moved the site away from being a static social network, into an algorithmic system built around the extraction and analysis of user data.

Under this new system, in the words of researchers Christina Alaiamo and Jannis Kallinikos, Facebook users could be “computed on the basis of discrete and countable activities”, turning them into “identifiable, knowable and actionable objects”.

Facebook had thus shifted from a site primarily enabling social interaction to one concerned with the production and commercialisation of knowledge. With increasing accuracy, it understood what type of content kept users on the site longer – and what type of information could influence people’s behaviour outside and beyond the site.

Facebook could now continuously optimise the level of social interactions using its algorithmic ranking system, Edge Rank. With a tweak, it could switch from prioritising messages from close friends to content that generated greater interaction, or outrage.

This took power away from users towards the corporation, and raised concerns that users were spending more time on the site than they seemed to want to. (Eventually, this would lead to a “major overhaul” of the News Feed in 2018, with Facebook promising to re-prioritise “meaningful social interactions” over “relevant content”.)

But above all, Facebook’s innovation in 2006 enabled it to capture huge amounts of user data that would, over the next two decades, enable it to expand globally at an astonishing rate – and generate vast amounts of revenue in the process.

A very different algorithmic age

Twenty years on, Facebook’s parent company Meta and other big tech platforms face challenges far more powerful than spontaneous protests on the streets of Palo Alto. Across the world, there is sustained activity from democratic institutions and states to contain the power and perceived harm of the algorithmic systems that emerged from 2006.

In Australia, use of social media platforms by under-16s is banned, and this is potentially spreading to the UK. Meanwhile, courts in the US have forced Meta to restrict the amount of access that children have to their products. While less than 1% of Facebook’s revenue comes from teens, the precedents set by these legal cases appear significant.

However, we also live in a very different algorithmic age than the one heralded by the launch of the News Feed 20 years ago. While Meta continues to derive most of its revenue from its social network platforms, which also include Instagram and WhatsApp, recent investments and prospective AI product launches suggest its leadership believe future revenue streams will largely be tied to developments in machine learning, large language models and “superintelligence”.

The question is: will governments and other institutions react more quickly to the concerns raised by this new era of AI development than they did to the emergence of algorithms two decades ago? On past evidence, this looks unlikely.

Angela Rayner today halted Labour‘s shake-up of councils, plunging the Government’s controversial reorganisation of local authorities into fresh chaos.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said it had withdrawn decisions to streamline councils across a swathe of areas as it announced a review of plans.

It follows ‘updated and privileged’ legal advice and the review will allow ministers to ‘ensure the process is robust and aligns with the new Government’s plans to rewire the state’, the department said.

At least eight councils have launched legal challenges or were considering doing so over decisions announced while Keir Starmer was prime minister.

MHCLG said decisions on the reorganisation of councils in Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk have been withdrawn in light of new legal advice.

Plans for 14 other areas, which were only announced in July by Ms Rayner’s predecessor Steve Reed amid accusations of Labour ‘gerrymandering’ – along with Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and West Sussex – will also be reviewed and paused while this is carried out, the department added.

Ms Rayner said the review of existing plans was requested by the new PM Andy Burnham

MHCLG confirmed that local elections in May next year will go ahead on existing council boundaries.

Reorganisation in Surrey will not be affected by the review and the two new unitary authorities – East and West Surrey – will be created in April next year. 

Labour is bidding to abolish the two-tier system of local authorities, in which areas are controlled both by county councils, and district, borough or city councils – in favour of new unitary authorities.

In July, on the last sitting day in the House of Commons before Sir Keir quit as PM, the Government announced the latest changes that would have seen 134 councils streamlined into 38 unitary authorities across 14 areas.

But the Tories said the new council boundaries were ‘clearly gerrymandered’ as they accused Labour of redrawing the electoral map in its own favour.

Ms Rayner, who returned to her role as Communities Secretary when Andy Burnham replaced Sir Keir in July, told MPs in the House of Commons on Monday that the review of existing plans had been requested by the new PM.

She said: ‘As we are now more determined than ever to devolve power closer to the people we represent, it’s only right that as a new Secretary of State I make sure that everything we do is working towards that plan to change Britain, without delay.

‘The Prime Minister told the House last week, he was “prepared to look at local government reorganisation” and he asked me as his Communities Secretary to ‘do that’.

Ms Rayner added: ‘I understand that feelings run high and people naturally have strong views but in different directions.

‘In that context, in light of legal advice, I want to satisfy myself firstly that the right process is in place, that it is robust, and of course complies with the law.

‘And secondly, I want to fully test whether our proposals for local government reorganisation meet the priorities of the new administration and the new Prime Minister and any additional considerations.

‘With those two considerations in mind, I have decided to withdraw the decisions made in March this year for Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk and – where necessary – their neighbouring unitary authorities.

‘I have also decided to conduct a full review of the local government reorganisation programme, including the decisions that were announced in July of this year for a further 14 areas – and those two areas where decisions have not yet been taken – and asked that reorganisation activity be paused.’

Ms Rayner continued: ‘I do not take this lightly. I recognise the huge amount of work that has already gone into progressing reorganisation in each of these areas, and I am very grateful for it.’

She later admitted it was ‘disappointing’ she had had to deliver her statement to MPs.

David Simmonds, the Conservatives’ local government spokesman, on Monday demanded Ms Rayner offer an apology for Labour’s ‘betrayal of local democracy’.

He said: ‘I appreciate she has returned to this role after others have been stewarding it, but will she apologise to all of those councillors, all of those local government officials, all of those political candidates and activists, all of those businesses that have engaged in good faith with this Government’s process.

‘All of whom have been shamefully let down by this betrayal of local democracy.’

James Cleverly, the Tories’ former shadow communities secretary who is now running for London mayor, branded the Government’s now-paused plans as ‘gross gerrymandering and political opportunism’, as well as ‘gross incompetence and stupidity’.

‘She has only just returned… so it can’t really be her fault. So who screwed up? Who is it that has wasted the time, effort and money of people in Essex and other parts of the country?,’ the Braintree MP asked Ms Rayner.

Reform UK-led Kent County Council is set to consider a judicial review at a meeting on Tuesday after it did not receive a response from the Government to a letter setting out concerns.

The party also leads county councils in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, which all launched legal challenges to reorganisation. 

Reform leader Nigel Farage said: ‘Reform UK not only argued that this Government’s plans for local government reorganisation were an unmitigated disaster, but we once again put our money where our mouth is.

‘Earlier this year we took on the Government and forced them to give the vote back to millions of people after Labour tried to cancel democracy.

‘Now, thanks to our judicial reviews in affected Reform-led councils, the Government has backed down on their plans yet again.

‘Only Reform had the backbone to stand up to these reckless plans. This is yet another embarrassing defeat for Labour. Only Reform backs real democracy.’

Mr Simmonds said: ‘This is yet another total humiliation for this Labour Government, who have once again been exposed breaking the law in an attempt to force their top-down programme of local government reorganisation on communities.

‘Ministers are only backing off because they have been found out in the face of relentless Conservative opposition to their gerrymandering.

‘Their behaviour shows that Burnham and Rayner’s promise to empower local communities is completely hollow: their intention was always to dictate downwards.

‘Labour should come clean and put all non-privileged documentation about this process in the public domain. The public have a right to know the truth.’

Sean Matthews, chair-elect of the County Councils Network, said: ‘Since the reorganisation programme was announced, the County Councils Network (CCN) has been clear that it would support reorganisation where it generated significant savings, protected local services, preserved local identity and provided a strong impetus for economic growth.

‘Many of our members had serious concerns and felt the decisions taken over the last six months would not deliver any of these aims – with the previous Starmer government shifting substantially from its own criteria to create new authorities covering populations of 500,000 or more.

‘Others were concerned how decisions were made, the robustness of the process and the underpinning evidence.

‘The CCN called on the new administration in government to take ownership of the programme – reviewing the decisions made and only proceeding with proposals that can deliver sustainable councils and protect services.

‘We are pleased they have taken ours, and our councils’ concerns on board by announcing a pause and review of the programme today.’

Zoe Franklin, the Liberal Democrats’ local government spokesman, said: ‘This is an embarrassing and chaotic climbdown, which has resulted in already cash-strapped councils wasting huge sums on plans the Government told them were legally watertight.

‘Many local authorities, on the front line of delivering vital services such as adult social care and SEND support, were relying on this reorganisation to survive financially.

‘Many are now left with nothing, potentially putting essential services and vulnerable people at risk.

‘This episode has caused serious democratic harm, and Angela Rayner must urgently explain what comes next for communities left in limbo.’

Unison said pausing the planned overhaul of local government leaves employees in ‘even greater limbo’.

Mike Short, the trade union’s head of local government, said: ‘There have been question marks over this process from the outset.

‘This pause prolongs the uncertainty felt by local government employees. Their jobs, futures and the services they deliver are in even greater limbo.

‘Staff should always be at the heart of a reorganisation of this scale. Stronger authorities are only made possible by a skilled, experienced and motivated workforce.

‘The review’s full impact on workers won’t become clear until the results are published, but every effort must be made in the meantime not to cause them further distress.’

If your holiday isn’t complete without the perfect photo, these stunning destinations are hailed as Instagram-worthy- and the best part is they’re all accessible via direct flights from Teesside International Airport.

From colourful Mediterranean streets to iconic European waterfronts, there are plenty of picture-perfect spots waiting to fill up your camera roll this year.

Whether you’re chasing sunsets, historic architecture or postcard-worthy views, here are six incredible locations that should be on every travel lover’s list.

Paleokastritsa, Corfu

The picturesque spot is worth a visit (Image: TripAdvisor)

Located on Corfu, Paleokastritsa is known for crystal-clear waters, dramatic cliffs and lush green surroundings.

Viewpoints overlooking the bays provide striking backdrops for photographs, with scenery that looks almost too good to be real.

Palma Cathedral, Palma de Mallorca

Palma de Mallorca Cathedral La Seu, Spain (Image: Teesside International Airport)

In Palma de Mallorca, the majestic Palma Cathedral dominates the city skyline.

One of the most Instagrammable views is from Parc de la Mar, where reflective waters frame the Gothic landmark, particularly around sunrise or sunset.

Santa Cruz neighbourhood stairs, Alicante

Alicante city panoramic aerial view with seaside, harbour and houses. Spanish city with beautiful beach. Travel and holidays concepts with a popular European summer destination. (Image: WILLIAM PERUGINI)

Alicante’s Santa Cruz neighbourhood is home to colourful, decorated staircases lined with brightly painted flower pots.

The cheerful setting has become one of the city’s most photographed attractions.

Gibralfaro Castle, Malaga

Malaga, Spain. Cityscape Topped View Of Malaga. Plaza De Toros De Ronda Bullring In Malaga, Spain. (Image: Ryhor Bruyeu (Grisha Bruev / Grigory Bruev))

Perched above Malaga, Gibralfaro Castle offers sweeping views across the city, harbour and coastline.

The historic fortress provides a spectacular backdrop for holiday photographs overlooking the Costa del Sol.

Sunset in Ria Formosa, Faro

(Image: Teesside International Airport)

The Ria Formosa lagoon in Faro offers a memorable setting as the sun sets.

The protected natural park can become awash with orange, pink and purple shades, creating an attractive scene for photographers.

Damrak canal houses, Amsterdam

Houses in Amsterdam (Image: Teesside International Airport)

Amsterdam’s Damrak canal houses are among Europe’s most recognisable sights.

The colourful buildings reflected in the water create a classic Dutch postcard scene and a popular social media image.

So, which destination is making it onto your camera roll first?

There are many different ways to bank on casinos these days, but many players still prefer the traditional method of bank transfers.

Bank transfer casinos are simply casinos that allow deposits and withdrawals directly from or to a player’s bank account.

Alongside debit cards, this is one of the most popular casino payment methods, and it is known for security and reliability while also providing flexibility for players wishing to deposit large amounts of money.

To that end, we’ve provided a guide to these casinos, offering information on the process of making deposits and some additional insight into the top UK casinos that accept bank transfers.

Below, we’ve provided some detail on the leading casinos with bank transfer facilities, including key information on the brands and their welcome offers.

1. LeoVegas

LeoVegas is one of the most highly-rated casinos in the business and their bank transfer process is very straightforward.

Users can deposit a minimum of £10 using this method, while it suits high-rollers too with a maximum deposit of £10,000.

These deposits are instant, making it perfect for players to deposit and start wagering.

Withdrawals also start as low as £10, with a maximum withdrawal of £35,000. Withdrawal process times can take up to 3-5 days, although this is standard across the industry.

LeoVegas doesn’t have a huge array of payment options, but the best alternative to bank transfers is probably PayPal.

2. BetMGM

BetMGM is a formidable name in the gambling industry and they permit customers to use bank transfers.

They allow both deposits and withdrawals via bank transfer, offering users secure and quick access to their funds.

BetMGM bank transfer deposits also start as low as £10 and permit users to deposit up to £10,000 at one time.

Deposits are instant using BetMGM. Withdrawals may take up to 3-5 days to process, but it allows users to withdraw as little as £10 and as much as £35,000, making it one of the best bank transfer casinos in the business.

We would like to see BetMGM introduce more payment options as there’s not a huge variety outside of bank transfers, with Google Pay the pick of the alternative options.

3. Bet365 Casino

Bet365 is considered one of the highest payout casinos and they offer various methods for bank transfers, including instant and wire transfers.

Wire transfers can take more time to process for deposits (between two and 10 days) while they also require a minimum £100 deposit, which ranges all the way up to £100,000 for a maximum deposit.

Withdrawals are straightforward, taking between 1 to 4 hours to process with a minimum withdrawal of £5 and max of £100,000.

Deposits made using Trustly or Pay By Bank App only require a £5 deposit, but the max deposit are limited to £25,000 and £5,000, respectively.

4. Coral

Coral have a proud reputation in the UK gambling industry and offer bank transfers for both deposits and withdrawals.

Customers can deposit as little as £5 with bank transfers, although they are capped at a maximum of £2,000, which may not suit some high-rollers.

Withdrawals can also be as low as £5 on Coral Casino, but again are capped at the maximum level at £2,000.

Deposits are instant using Instant Bank Transfers, while withdrawals can take between two and four days to process.

Given some of the limitations of using bank transfers on Coral, users may wish to Visa or Mastercard, which Coral have identified as their most popular options on site.

5. MrQ:

MrQ is one of the most popular casinos in the UK and is one of the top casinos that accept bank transfer deposits.

It offers a wide range of deposit and withdrawal options, but still ensures that it offers bank transfers as a payment method.

The minimum deposit and withdrawal options are £10 each, while there are no limits on maximum amounts for either option.

Deposits made are instant, while withdrawals can take as little as 40 minutes, but may take up to three days depending on your bank.

MrQ is a casino that accepts Apple Pay, but other than that their alternative payment options are pretty standard.

The process may involve longer waiting times compared to other methods – it can take up to 10 days to process depending on the casino.

Security: Bank transfers use high levels of encryption and banking protocols to ensure secure transactions for deposits and withdrawals.

No Third-Party Accounts: Players don’t need additional accounts, apps, or wallets to complete transactions.

High Rollers: Suitable for large deposits or withdrawals, as it often has higher limits than other payment methods.

Fees: There are very rarely fees attached to payments via bank transfers with casinos online.

Acceptance: Works with a wide variety of casinos, particularly leading brands.

Longer Processing Times: Deposits and withdrawals may take several days to complete. Instant bank transfers remove this from the equation. Look out for this option, but withdrawals can still take a few days even on new casino sites with the latest technology.

Less Convenient: Requires customers to enter bank details, whereas other options such as Apple Pay and PayPal are quicker and can place deposits with FaceID or a touch of a button.

Privacy: Bank transfers are tied directly to your personal banking information.

Bank transfers are ideal for players who value reliability and security over speed, but many modern forms of banking are catching up with the traditional method:

Remember that gambling sites are only a form of entertainment, not a way to make money. Never wager more than you can afford to lose, and take steps to remain in control of your budget.

If necessary, you can make use of responsible gambling tools offered by casinos, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs.

These tools will also be available on regulated poker sites and bingo sites and any other gambling platform.

Be careful not to get too carried away by free spins offers as they typically require a deposit to secure the bonus.

Should you wish to seek help for gambling-related issues, there are several charities, organisations and healthcare providers who offer support and information:

We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

In search of Liam and Noel Gallagher, What’s On Editor Jenna Campbell headed to the Venice Film Festival

There’s a brief moment on Saturday morning where I feel like I’m in some sort of dream. I’m on the public water bus – the Vaporetto – between the centre of Venice and Lido, an 11km-long barrier island that sits just off sure from the historic centre.

It’s early, about 6:30am, and the streets of Venice are still airing. Commuters are on their way to work, tourists are consulting upside-down paper maps, and I’m crossing the water to attend the 83rd Annual Venice Film Festival.

I’ve somehow swapped the streets of Manchester City Centre, for the sun-soaked Lido boardwalk, and I’m heading down to grab my accreditation for the prestigious film festival and see one of the year’s most anticipated films.

Click here for the latest on Manchester’s food & drink scene, gigs and more in our CityLife newsletter

“Don’t Look Back In Anger” charts Liam and Noel Gallagher’s epic reunion tour, Oasis Live ‘25, one of the most anticipated rock ‘n’ roll comebacks in many decades. The film, created by Steven Knight of Peaky Blinders’ fame, is an unapologetically uplifting account of the biggest musical event of 2025, capturing the experience and emotions of the band and their fans across the world.

Spanning two hours of rehearsal, backstage, and onstage footage, as well as the first joint interviews with Noel and Liam in over 20 years, the film explores the profound emotional impact of this global cultural moment and what the band’s music means to audiences and generations worldwide.

It’s a backstage pass and the viewer’s seat at the table, detailing the highs and lows of the reconciliation, and the tour itself, with both Liam and Noel extremely candid in their reflections. I was lucky enough to attend the first official screening of the film and attend the world premier of the film in Venice on Saturday night.

The Venice Film Festival is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, widely considered second only to Cannes. Its often agreed that festivals like Venice serve as the main launchpad for important Oscar contenders.

Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars have attended this year including George and Amal Clooney, Orlando Bloom, Michael Fassbender, Robert Pattinson, Amanda Seyfried, Kiefer Sutherland, Laura Dern, Kate and Rooney Mara, and many more.

Two see two lads born and raised in Burnage on the red carpet was also a pinch me kind of moment. But on Saturday night, both Liam and Noel Gallagher, along with the film’s creator Steven Knight, and directors, Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace walked the red carpet and attended the screening.

Here, I take a look back at a whirlwind 48 hours in Venice, from catching water taxis to and from Lido, and trying to catch a glimpse of Liam and Noel to what it’s like in and around one of the world’s most prestigious festivals.

While many will associate Venice with landmarks like the Piazza San Marco, St Mark’s Basilica, and Doge’s Palace, or know it for its famed gondolas traversing narrow canals, as well as glassmaking, opera and fresh seafood and cicchetti, the focus during the film festival is all on Lido.

The barrier island, which is about a 20-minuite ferry or vaporetto ride from the main sights, was once a military outpost in the 12th century, but transformed into a seaside resort, and was a favourite of European aristocrats by the end of the 19th century.

It also served as the real-life inspiration and primary setting for Thomas Mann’s novella Death in Venice and Luchino Visconti’s 1971 film adaptation. Since 2014 alone, the festival has hosted four best picture winners – Birdman, Spotlight, The Shape of Water and Nomadland.

Once I arrived onto Lido, I got myself down to the main festival area, which spans a number of important buildings including the Palazzo del Cinema where the festival director’s office sits and the red carpet can be found; the Sala Darsena, where we watched the first Oasis documentary screening with press and industry; and Palazzo del Casino, which features press areas, the photo call room for Hollywood stars and the room where film conferences are held for the movies being show.

Just down the road is the only five-star hotel on the island, Hotel Excelsior, which dates back to 1908. While there are other luxury hotels on different island that offer more privacy, this is the spot that you’ll see fans, TV crews and photographers camped outside as they desperately try and catch a glimpse of some of the world’s biggest movie stars and celebrities.

It’s where I found myself coming back to several times over the two days after hearing that it was here that George and Amal Clooney were spotted getting off a private water taxi at the hotel’s docking area. Many stars arrive to the festival, including press conferences and premieres here.

On the Friday, I knew Liam and Noel may have arrived, and later saw they were photographed at the airport, but I kept a close eye on the docking area from the balcony area above and found myself transfixed by the comings and goings. Celebrities and influencers arrived – admittedly there was a fair few that I did not recognise, as a flicker of lightbulbs went off and the celeb’s own teams grabbed social media footage of them.

That afternoon I acquainted myself with the surroundings, where to find the press materials, where to drop my work bag and laptop before the viewing tomorrow, and generally soaked up the atmosphere at the festival. I also saw people putting up parasols in front of the red carpet so they could have the best spot in the house for when stars walked down the carpet for that night’s premiere.

Saturday, up bright and early and whizzing across the Venetian Lagoon and walking across to Sala Darsena for the early Oasis film screening which was for press and industry. Afterwards, and after traipsing around in the 30C heat looking for somewhere to work, I headed up to the press room and was able to get a seat and get my head down to write up my review ahead of the official world premiere at 9:30pm that night.

Unlike festivals like Cannes, many screenings at the Venice Film Festival are open to the general public without requiring industry accreditation. This meant that when I stepped out from the dark press room into the blistering sun late afternoon the area around the Palazzo del Cinema was packed. The area in front of the red carpet when fans can queue was heaving, though I did manage to speak to two Italians who had struck up a friendship when they visited Manchester last year to see Oasis at Heaton Park.

While the earlier screening was smart/casual the premiere requires you dust off your gladrags. In theory this sounds great, but when every street around the festival is packed, and all the bars and cafes are fully booked, finding somewhere to get changed is slightly trickier.

I managed to talk myself into a beach bar and escaped to a rather sandy toilet to swap dresses and pop on some heels, while a colleague was forced to get changed behind an industrial sized bin. This is the less glamorous side of covering major events and festivals.

We then dashed inside the building where the Oasis film was being shown. The red carpet extends into here which means, with a ticket (as we did), you can grab a decent spot to view the film stars. After waiting for almost an hour, and with the room becoming busier and hotter, Liam and Noel paraded down the carpet, stopping to sign posters, football shirts and memorabilia.

Finally, after searching for two days, I had found Liam and Noel Gallagher, and felt like a little bit of Manchester was in the room. We then headed up to the cinema, where Liam and Noel took to their seats as members of the press and some public cheered them on – Oasis mania at Venice was reaching it’s peak.

The film, and its Manchester stars, received a eight-minute standing ovation as the formerly estranged brothers held hands and raised them triumphantly into the air. Noel even looked to be wiping tears away as Liam gleefully hyped up the crowd who were cheering them on.

Fans were clamouring to get an autograph, and Liam even broke with the festival’s traditions by obliging them. There was even a Manchester City flag, which one fan flew over the balcony of the prestigious movie theatre. During the film there was lots of clapping and cheering, and the audience even sang along to some of the songs, while many had tears in their eyes reliving one of the most memorable summers in decades.

Wandering back to the docking area for boats back to the centre of Venice, slightly delirious from a full-on day working the Venice Film Festival, the sense of occasion wasn’t lost on me. Above all though, the chance to see a major film like this, and to witness Manchester represented loud and proud on one of the world’s most prestigious red carpets was really a dream come true.

The crash, believed to have involved one vehicle hit a tree, was reported on Radcliffe Road at around 10.53pm.

Police said at the time that four people were injured, some of them with life-threatening injuries, and confirmed on Sunday afternoon that the incident is now fatal following the death of one of the people in the car, believed to be aged 19.

Police said that a Toyota Yaris travelling east along the road where it appeared to have lost control and crashed into a tree at the side of the road.

Jayden Truman, of Radcliffe Road, said: “I was asleep when it all happened, there was police and three or four ambulances, a couple of people from the fire service.

“I was asleep, but my mate had seen it about midnight.”

Another witness, working nearby, said: “All we have seen is police cars in the area, it was at about 11 we noticed.”

A witness said: “We saw the incident; there were a lot of emergency services at about 11.30am, there was just a lot of chaos, but it is a shame.”

Although the cause of the incident is subject to an investigation and is not known at this stage, the incident has raised fresh concerns about the route.

Residents voiced concerns about the road, including the speed of some cars they’ve witnessed travelling on the road.

Mr Truman added: “About two or three weeks ago another crash happened.

“I would say people speed up and down here all the time; I would say get traffic lights installed.”

One resident added: “On this road, they fly up and down there”

As reported, police are still appealing for witnesses following the crash.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson previously said: “Sadly, this is now confirmed a fatal collision so if anyone has any information, please come forward.

“This includes anyone who witnessed the incident, or has CCTV, dashcam, doorbell or mobile phone footage from the area.”

A retired British pensioner has revealed how he was left destitute in Thailand after falling victim to a romance scam. 

Former UN flight operator Simon Charles Hill, 68, from Luton, retired to Bangkok 11 years ago, where he lived comfortably on his state pension.

But after splitting from his Thai wife, the Brit expat lived alone – before being targeted online by ruthless cyber predators posing as a besotted American woman called Emily Smith.

The fictitious woman, seen in pictures posing in sports wear, claimed to be waiting for $3million (£2million) in inheritance.

But she needed to pay fees to claim the cash, she claimed, which Mr Hill willingly stumped up.

Having apparently believed the story, Mr Hill started transferring his pension – around £500 a month – as soon as it reached his bank account. He then drained his own savings before running out of cash.

Months after the scam began, Mr Hill was kicked out of his apartment after he found himself unable to pay his rent. 

He was unable to buy food and was eventually found sleeping in the lobby by concerned locals.

The fictitious woman, seen in pictures posing in sports wear, claimed to be waiting for $3million (£2million) in inheritance

Mr Hill thought he was speaking to a woman called Emily Smith before he realised he was the victim of ruthless cyber predators

Advertisement

It is suspected that the scammers used artificial intelligence to create the image of the woman Mr Hill thought he was speaking to, or an identity was used falsely.

A local charity, the Bangkok Community Help Foundation (BCHF), helped Mr Hill – who had illegally overstayed his visa, and was therefore in the country illegally – avoid spending weeks in prison and paid for his flight back to the UK, where he is now recovering.

Recounting how the con began, Mr Hill said: ‘I took to talking with a lady on social media. There was a girl called Emily Smith.

‘She reached out to me on Facebook. And her texts were very warm and inviting, and she sounded like a three-dimensional kind of girl, although I didn’t know whether she existed or not.’

He continued: ‘She introduced me to her lawyer, who was disposing of her property and assets, a total of three million US dollars to be paid directly into my bank account.

‘The sale of the house and the transfer of the funds to my account incurred a fee. And it was assured to me that I would receive the bank transfer once I had paid these fees.

‘I was able to sustain myself for a while, but it wasn’t going to last. And that’s when it dawned on me that I was actually homeless.’

Mr Hill told the Daily Mail he made seven or eight transfers, over a period of just under five months. 

The desperate pensioner eventually spent several nights sleeping in the lobby of a hotel in the Surawong area of Bangkok as his money ran out and he had nowhere else to go.

The BCHF said Mr Hill was ‘very frail and weak’ when he was found on July 9.

The Brit said he had been advised by the embassy that he could be sent to immigration detention.

But Friso Poldervaart, 34, a Dutch national and co-founder of BCHF, believed there was another option for the frail and elderly retiree.

Mr Hill transferred his entire pension – around £500 a month – as soon as it reached his bank account. He then drained his own savings before running out of cash

Months after the scam began, Mr Hill was kicked out of his apartment and unable to buy food when he was found sleeping in the lobby by concerned locals

A local charity, the Bangkok Community Help Foundation (BCHF), helped Mr Hill – who had illegally overstayed his visa – avoid spending weeks in prison and paid for his flight back to the UK, where he is now recovering

Friso and the team decided to take Mr Hill to the organisation’s ‘Centre of Dreams’ shelter instead, where he was given time and space to recover.

Looking back on the day he first met Friso, Mr Hill said he believed he had reached rock bottom until he was rescued by the ‘knight in shining armour’.

The grateful expat said: ‘At the time, I thought there was nothing. I thought that I would be out on the street. And then you appeared, rather like a knight in shining armour, and said that I would be going with you, in fact.

‘I was not going to the immigration detention centre, as prescribed by the British Embassy, I believe, which I find astonishing, frankly.’

The pensioner said he was initially nervous when he arrived at the shelter, but the care he received soon made him feel safe.

‘When I first came here, I was a little bit pensive, thinking, okay, but my stay here has been memorable. I mean, for the right reasons.

‘To be honest with you, the care and warmth I’ve been shown here has been a lesson to me. Ever since I began staying here, I knew I was safe.’

Speaking to others at the centre who had experienced homelessness, Mr Hill said he had feared ending up on the streets himself.

He said: ‘The conditions on the street are absolutely horrendous. I was extremely worried I was going to end up there, but it never happened, thank God.

‘It would be the care and the friendship that I’ve received from the centre and from its staff, as well as you, which have been pretty much unforgettable, and has always helped me to sleep well at night, or sleep reasonably well.’

Mr Hill stayed at the Centre of Dreams as the organisation worked for nearly two months to repatriate him to the UK.

They organised fundraising and made the logistical arrangements to ensure he could finally return to his home country.

Mr Hill is now safely back in the UK, where he is staying in a homeless shelter in London while waiting to enter assisted living.

However, Friso said the money he lost is unlikely to ever be recovered.

The Dutch philanthropist said: ‘He told me, “Finally, I had someone who cared for me.” He admitted that he sometimes suspected he was being scammed, but he did not want to believe it because the relationship made him feel cared for in a way he had not experienced for many years.

‘He lost […] essentially his entire pension. Every month when his pension arrived, he would send almost all of it to the scammer. He then could not pay his rent, electricity or buy food, and was eventually evicted from his condo.’

Friso added that romance scammers often target elderly and vulnerable people who have nobody, building an emotional attachment before draining their life savings.

The suspects were reportedly traced to Nigeria, while Mr Hill’s money had been sent to a Thai mule account – bank accounts used by criminals to collect or launder money obtained through illegal activities such as fraud, scams, and other cybercrimes.

Friso said: ‘We reported the scam to the Yan Nawa District Police. The police took the report and the information about the Thai mule account was passed to the bank, but there was no wider investigation that we are aware of.

‘Unfortunately, I don’t have much hope that Mr Hill will get his money back.’

Acting Police Major Loetchai Phiwlongchai, an investigation officer at Yannawa Police Station, said Mr Hill had filed an official report against the scammers in July.

He said: ‘The complainant has officially filed a report with police, and we have received and recorded the complaint as evidence. The matter will now be handled in accordance with the complainant’s legal rights.’

The community-led scheme at Millennium Green would create a hard-surfaced facility suitable for bikes, scooters and skateboards, which supporters hope will become one of the best pump tracks in North Yorkshire.

A design statement submitted with the planning application reveals the track would be around 110m to 120m long.

Straights would be at least two metres wide.

The clockwise circuit would feature a range of banked corners, known as berms, and rollers, with lower and more gradual features designed to allow less experienced users to build up their skills safely.

Tabletop jumps and more challenging features would provide progression for experienced riders, while the design includes a dedicated hard-standing collection area which would double as the start and finish point and provide somewhere for riders to rest and watch others.

Designers say shallow slopes and access paths have deliberately been included to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment and reduce the risk of falls.

Line markings and directional arrows would also be painted onto the asphalt to show riders the direction of travel, priorities and lanes during busy periods.

The project originated with local volunteers and has been developed with Pateley Bridge Town Council and North Yorkshire Sport.

The scheme is supported by York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith and has received funding from York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and Sport England’s Movement Fund, with the town council also contributing.

A preferred contractor has already been selected following a tender process, although construction remains dependent on the scheme progressing through planning and other outstanding requirements.

A planning application for the new track has been submitted to North Yorkshire Council.

A vehicle was disovered on the grass with extensive front damage, while a nearby streetlight had also been knocked over.

A man in his 30s has been arrested following a road traffic collision in Derry on Monday morning.