Fenland District Council has called for answers after it was revealed that ‘vital services’ could be cut from Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn

A district council has invited health chiefs to face questions over fears vital services could be cut from the nearest hospital to many towns and villages.

Residents in Wisbech and parts of Fenland may have to travel to Peterborough after the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn suggested it could shut its A&E, intensive care and maternity units.

Cllr Samantha Hoy said that region already suffers from health inequalities where residents are unhealthier and die sooner than the national average. The Conservative councillor told a meeting of Fenland District Council that it is “vital” they have “good access” to healthcare – but services at North Cambs Hospital and Doddington Hospital are already facing cuts.

Cllr Hoy, of Wisbech South, said it was “unclear” what services were being cut and called for the chief executive of the relevant NHS trusts to answer questions from the council’s overview and scrutiny panel.

She said: “There’s a lack of transparency, there’s a lack of answers – but residents are telling us that they’re having appointments changed and moved to different areas. It’s not an easy journey to Peterborough in the best of times, and so we absolutely cannot lose this service. I think it is vital for so many residents.”

Cllr Maureen Davis, of Doddington and Wimblington, said: “We need to be absolutely clear – we cannot, and we must not stand by while vital health services are gradually taken away from our communities.”

The Conservative councillor said that closing more services will force residents to travel “further and further for treatment” and rural communities “should not be treated as an afterthought”.

She said: “In an emergency, every minute counts – a longer journey is not merely inconvenient, it can have life-changing or potentially fatal consequences.”

Conservative councillor Andrew Woollard said that, as chair of the overview and scrutiny panel, he would be happy to invite health chiefs to face questions, but added they have “no statutory power to insist” they come.

Summing up, Cllr Hoy said: “We’re one of the richest countries in the world, we have one of the highest tax rates in the world and NHS funding accounts for 11 per cent of GDP – which is higher than average in developed countries – and we have hospitals that are falling apart. There is something really wrong in this country and there is something really wrong with our health system.”

The council passed the motion to formally invite health chiefs to answer questions on the potential cuts to services at North Cambs Hospital, Doddington Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

They will also write to the leader of Norfolk County Council to ask what action they have taken on the matter to date.

Most of the front pages highlight the finding of an inquiry that some of the babies killed by the former nurse Lucy Letby could have been saved if consultants and hospital management had acted after concerns were first raised.

The Daily Mirror, external describes the report as “damning”. The Daily Express, external says cot cameras will now be used to protect babies in neonatal units.

The Daily Telegraph, external leads with government proposals to give mayors the power to oversee water companies in England and Wales, in line with Andy Burnham’s plans to increase state control of utilities.

The paper says there’ll be nine new regional bodies tasked with setting company objectives, and holding bosses to account over bills, shortages and sewage discharges.

The Times, external reports that the government is considering sending military support to Saudi Arabia to counter attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

A defence source says a small team of military advisers was sent to Riyadh this week in response to a Saudi request.

The Guardian, external says the Telegraph and Reform UK are facing accusations of undermining journalism and eroding trust, after Nigel Farage’s party gave the newspaper stories that were about to be broken by other outlets.

The Telegraph published the details of two £36m donations to Reform shortly after The Sunday Times approached the party for a comment about the story. Neither Reform nor the Telegraph has commented.

“Russian spies recruiting UK teenagers” is the front page headline in the i Paper., external The paper say analysis by the think-tank The Institute for Strategic Dialogue has found that Moscow is recruiting young British people willing to carry out acts of violence.

They are approached in online groups and offered money, guns and training on making explosives and poisons. The i Paper says at least two attacks have already taken place in connection with one of the groups.

The Daily Mail, external says several copies of a new book by Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer, have been stolen from a lorry in the Netherlands.

The paper describes the book as explosive and says theories about who broke into the lorry range from a gang of opportunistic thieves to a misguided but highly informed supporter of the Royal Family.

Dear Coleen

My partner and I are both in our 50s and I moved in with her last year. We’re both divorced and have grown-up children from our marriages, which is one of the many things we have in common.

I’m finding it a challenge to live with her sons, who are 26 and 29, and still at home. Before I moved in, she told me they had plans to move out with their girlfriends and were saving up, but it’s been nearly a year and neither of them is showing any inclination to get off their bums and start their lives.

It drives me crazy because they’re both so lazy and let my partner do everything for them, but it’s difficult for me to wade in because they’re grown men. Whenever I tentatively bring up the subject of her doing too much for them and ask when they’re moving out, she gets really defensive.

Luckily, I have work to distract me and see my own kids (who are teenagers) most weekends – even they think it’s weird. I love my partner, but I’m not sure how much longer I can endure this situation.

Coleen says

I understand your frustration. Blending families is hard – I’ve been there – and it takes time and patience, however old the kids are.

Your partner is always going to defend her sons, and it probably doesn’t feel weird to her because it’s how it’s always been. I have older kids in their 20s and 30s and they’ve all moved back in with me at different points.

I think it’s become more common with the cost of living and young people being priced out of the housing market. None of that helps you but what might is a different approach.

Maybe the angle to take with your partner is she should encourage her boys to become more independent and self-sufficient, so they’re ready to move out. Try to help her see that doing everything for them isn’t going to prepare them for life.

Plus, when they do move in with their girlfriends, they need to pull their weight. They need to know how to budget, pay bills, cook meals and contribute to the household.

And, in fact, you might find that if she does stop doing everything for them, they might feel more encouraged to speed up their plans! Help her to see that it’s good to allow them to grow and do things for themselves so, when they do leave, they know what they’re doing. Good luck.

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Amanda Seyfried and husband Thomas Sadoski have split after nine years of marriage. 

Seyfried, 40, and Sadoski, 50, revealed they have been separated ‘for a while’ as they confirmed their split in a joint statement to PEOPLE on Tuesday. 

‘We have been separated for a while, and it’s proven to be the right move for us and our family unit. We’ve got each other forever—and it’s GOOD,’ they said in their statement. 

The Mamma Mia! star shares two children with the actor: daughter Nina, nine, and son Thomas, five. 

The pair were last pictured together at an event on January 9, when Sadoski joined the actress at a party celebrating her Golden Globe nomination for The Testament of Ann Lee at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Seyfried and Sadoski’s representatives for comment. 

The pair were last pictured together at an event at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on January 9 (pictured) 

Seyfried proved things were still amicable between the pair as she shared a snap of her estranged husband to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday. 

The photo saw him sitting at a table with a bearded dragon perched on his shoulder. ‘@thomassadoski is a #reptiledad,’ she wrote on the snap. 

The actress went on to share a poignant quote about living fully, forgiving others and keeping your heart open.

‘Defend you heart, do whatever it takes to keep it open despite what it has been through. Forgive, not just others, but yourself, as well,’ part of the quote read. ‘Yes yes yes,’ Seyfried wrote underneath.

She also posted a cryptic quote which read: ‘There’s really not a difficult thing unless you decide it’s a difficult thing. Otherwise, it’s just the next thing you’re figuring out.’ 

It’s unclear exactly how long the pair have been separated, but during their last public appearance in January, they appeared close as they posed for photos together. 

In January, Seyfried told Vogue that Sadoski ‘sacrifices a lot for me’ amid her busy career. 

‘He also knows that, in this moment, the opportunities I’m being afforded are insane,’ she added. 

The duo met in 2015 while starring together in the off-Broadway play The Way We Get By. 

The duo revealed they have been separated ‘for a while’ as they confirmed their split in a joint statement to PEOPLE on Tuesday; Seen in 2022

The pair said the separation has ‘proven to be the right move for us and our family unit’ in their statement, adding, ‘We’ve got each other forever—and it’s GOOD’; Pictured in 2023

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Seyfried proved things were still amicable between the pair as she shared a snap of her estranged husband to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday 

The actress followed up with a poignant quote about living life to the fullest, letting go of resentment and keeping your heart open

Seyfried previously shared that they were both in ‘bad relationships’ when they first met. 

The two crossed paths again while filming The Last Word, where they played love interests. Just months later, they were dating in real life. 

They tied the knot during a private ceremony in California back in March 2017, just days before the birth of their daughter. 

Recounting her wedding day, she told Net-A-Porter’s digital magazine PorterEdit in 2018: ‘We got married in Topanga, March last year. Just the two of us. And afterwards, I was like, “Can we just go to Cheebo?” It was awesome.’

For Seyfried, it wasn’t at all a difficult decision to eschew the glitz and glamour of an extravagant wedding – the kind embraced by so many of her contemporaries in Hollywood – as she’s used to playing dress-up so frequently in film.

‘I get married all the time,’ she said. ‘I was in a wedding dress last week! I also go to premieres where people take my picture. I just don’t care about all that stuff.’

The star, who was nine months pregnant at the time she tied the knot, had very practical reasons for wanting to get married ahead of giving birth. 

She explained: ‘I really wanted to have rings on in the hospital, you know? And what if something goes wrong, and he’s not legally my husband?’ 

The Mamma Mia! actress shares two children with Sadoski: daughter Nina, nine, and son Thomas, five

Throughout their marriage, Seyfried and Sadoski kept their family life mostly out of the spotlight, embracing a quiet life on their farm in upstate New York

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In January, Seyfried told Vogue that Sadoski ‘sacrifices a lot for me’ amid her busy career; The two seen in 2018

Seyfried, who has previously dated her Mamma Mia! co-star Dominic Cooper and actor Justin Long, also revealed that she was impressed when she first met Sadoski, because they were both in ‘bad relationships’ but he didn’t flirt with her.

She said of the timing of their first meeting: ‘We were both in bad relationships…[Thomas] never flirted, never disrespected his wife. That was another reason why I thought, later on, that I could marry him.’

And once Sadoski ended his eight-year marriage to casting director Kimberly Hope, Seyfried shared that it made things ‘healthy’ and ‘freeing’ when they started dating in early 2016.

‘It was amazing,’ she said. ‘It felt healthy and freeing and clean. We can tell the story without any guilt.’

At the time Seyfried also admitted that her husband’s age is exactly what drew her to him, telling PorterEdit: ‘I told my husband: “If you were any younger, I wouldn’t have married you.”‘

Sadoski also spoke about their wedding and his ‘love’ and ‘respect’ for Seyfried while appearing on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2017.

‘We eloped. We just took off into the country with an officiant and, just the two of us, and we did our thing,’ he said.

‘Listen, she’s the person that I love, admire, respect most in the world,’ he added.

He added that the ceremony ‘was beautiful. It was everything that it should be.’

The duo met in 2015 while starring together in the off-Broadway play The Way We Get By. They tied the knot during a private ceremony in California back in March 2017; Seen in 2015

He also said that the two wrote their own vows. ‘It was just the two of us talking to each other. Then we went out to dinner. We had a great day. It was perfect.’

Throughout their marriage, Seyfried and Sadoski kept their family life mostly out of the spotlight, embracing a quiet life on their farm in upstate New York.

Seyfried has occasionally given fans glimpses into their private life via her social media, sharing photos of their farm and animals.

The actress was recently pictured attending the premiere of her latest film, The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd, solo at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13. 

The movie follows a teacher in an abusive relationship who ‘takes a job at a maximum security prison, where she falls for a charismatic inmate.’ 

She also has four upcoming projects in the works, including Octet, a musical drama directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. 

The scheme applies to baby losses before the end of week 24 of pregnancy, or before week 28 for losses before 1992.

A Stormont minister says nearly 8,000 Baby Loss Certificates have been issued to parents in Northern Ireland in the first four months of the scheme.

The Baby Loss Certificate scheme officially launched in June and is designed as an act of recognition for parents who lose a baby in early pregnancy. The scheme applies to baby losses before the end of week 24 of pregnancy, or before week 28 for losses before 1992.

Some 1,800 applications were made for baby-loss certificates within the first 24 hours of the initiative’s launch. At the time, Sands NI, a charity that supports those who experience pregnancy or baby loss, welcomed the move as “wonderful news.”

Since launching three months ago, the scheme has issued nearly 8,000 certificates, it has emerged.

Finance Minister John O’Dowd says this demonstrates just how important this recognition is for parents and families who have experienced the heartbreak of losing a baby.

Mr O’Dowd said: “We have heard the impact of the certificates from bereaved parents, the comfort they feel in seeing their baby’s name formally recognised, and what it means to have something tangible that acknowledges their child and their place within the family.

“Some have described the certificate as providing enduring recognition that their babies remain an important and treasured part of their family story. Others have talked about how the certificates have provided acknowledgement not just from government but from society more broadly. This has helped grieving families feel supported and seen as they navigate an exceptionally difficult loss.

“Whilst no certificate could ease or diminish the grief that parents who have experienced the loss of their baby carry, the recognition of that loss is making a meaningful difference. This has been made possible thanks to the parents, advocates, and organisations who bravely shared their stories and campaigned for this scheme.”

Baby Loss Certificates are now available to anyone who has experienced a loss prior to the end of the 24th week of pregnancy. Parents who wish to apply for a Baby Loss Certificate can do so on the nidirect website here.

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

Three people were killed after an NBC news helicopter crashed between two buildings near the scene of a deadly bus collision in Los Angeles.

The aircraft came down in a parking lot between two warehouses at the intersection of Northoff Street and DeSoto Avenue in Chatsworth just before 7pm on Tuesday, near where an SUV crashed into a bus earlier in the night. 

Two people had been killed in the bus crash, while six others were left injured.

The chopper appears to have landed on top of two shipping containers and several vehicles that were parked in the area.

The helicopter crash caused a massive blaze, with the Los Angeles Fire Department saying the flames threatened four vehicles nearby.

When firefighters finished extinguishing the fire, they were seen erecting a canopy over at least one body.

Authorities have since determined that three people were killed at the scene, including the two people onboard the helicopter and a pedestrian on the ground, while another was transported to a local hospital in unknown condition.

The impact sparked a massive blaze and killed the two people onboard as well as one person on the ground

A helicopter has crashed near the scene of a bus collision in Los Angeles, sparking a massive blaze that threatened four vehicles nearby

Four vehicles and two storage containers were also damaged in the blaze, the Fire Department confirmed. 

Following the crash, a longtime NBC 4 Los Angeles anchor confirmed that the chopper was a ‘television news helicopter,’ noting: ‘We are not in contact with our television news helicopter.’

‘We have lost contact with our people,’ Colleen Williams said through tears. 

She later confirmed that the news helicopter was from NBC Los Angeles, before the news station took a break to process the information.  

LA Fire Department Captain Branden Silverman had earlier told reporters on the scene that the helicopter is ‘pretty well destroyed.’

The crash came as local media outlets rushed to get aerial footage of the fatal bus crash, showing people running away from the scene as police cruisers sped toward the fiery explosion.

The helicopter came down near the intersection of Northoff Street and DeSoto Avenue in Chatsworth just before 7pm on Tuesday 

The news helicopter was apparently reporting on a fatal Metro bus crash nearby

It appeared the bus was crossing the intersection at around 5pm when the SUV T-boned it, sending both vehicles onto the curb, ABC 7 reports. 

Authorities are now looking into the possibility that one of the vehicles ran a red light.

Three people were killed at the scene, while others were rushed to local hospitals. The extent of the victims’ injuries remains unclear.

One of those killed was reportedly ejected from the bus, while the others were said to have been onboard the city bus. 

An LA Urban Search and Rescue Team was also seen extricating multiple people from the bus, with at least one person found stuck underneath the vehicle, KTLA reports.  

She was eventually freed and quickly loaded into an ambulance in unknown condition with what crews on the scene described as ‘crushing’ injuries.’ 

A Los Angeles firefighter is pictured responding to the scene of the helicopter crash

Firefighters are pictured responding to the helicopter crash on Tuesday evening 

Four vehicles and two storage containers were damaged in the blaze 

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Soon after the bus crash, images emerged showing the front half of the Ford SUV embedded in the side of the Metro bus.

When the vehicle was then removed, a gaping hole was visible in the bus’s side, according to the Los Angeles Times.

At the height of the response, there were 56 Fire Department personnel on scene, spokesperson Jennifer Middleton told the LA Times.

The intersection where the two fatal crashes occurred will now be closed for ‘quite some time,’ she noted. 

In a brief statement, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she is ‘absolutely devastated by the loss of life in Chatsworth tonight.

‘My heart is with the families and loved ones of those we lost in the tragic bus collision and helicopter crash,’ she posted on social media. ‘My heart is with the families and loved ones of those we lost in the tragic bus collision and helicopter crash.

‘I’m grateful to the city teams who responded so quickly,’ she added, as she urged the public to ‘please stay clear of the are as public safety officials remain on scene.’ 

Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the helicopter crash. 

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

The actress and presenter opened up about the experience while discussing new TV drama Forever Home.

Parts of the Channel 5 show were filmed in Consett , just a few miles from Ebchester, where Denise spent her teenage years.

Welch told TV Guide she suffered a detached retina shortly before filming and feared she would have to quit the project.

She called her agent “in floods of tears”, convinced she would lose the job.

The production team rearranged the filming schedule while she recovered from surgery, allowing her to stay in the cast.

The 68-year-old plays Moira Crottie in the six-part adaptation of Graham Norton’s novel.

(Image: Helen Williams)

The role comes at a significant point in Welch’s career after she recently announced she was leaving Loose Women following nearly 25 years on the ITV daytime programme to focus on acting once again .

Forever Home is one of her first major projects since the decision.

Will Nicholson (series Producer), Graham Norton, and Kirstie Macdonald (Creative Director) on the set of Forever Home (Image: Supplied)

North East connections

The drama also has a strong North East connection for Welch- although born in Tynemouth in 1958, she moved to Ebchester with her family when she was 13 .

At nearby Blackfyne Grammar School in Consett, she discovered the passion for acting that shaped her life.

Welch has described her County Durham school years as transformative.

She discovered acting at 14 after being cast in a school production of Finian’s Rainbow, then followed a teacher’s advice to apply to London’s Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts instead of pursuing teacher training.

@channel5 They all want the house. They don’t want its secrets. 👀 🏡 Forever Home, based on Graham Norton’s bestselling novel, is full of twists you won’t see coming. Forever Home. Coming Soon. Watch | Stream on 5 #foreeverhome #grahamnorton #book #booktok #newseries #trailer ♬ original sound – Channel 5

After graduating in 1979, Welch began her career at Newcastle’s Live Theatre before landing TV roles in Byker Grove, Spender, Soldier Soldier, Coronation Street and Waterloo Road.

She later became a household name on Loose Women and has spoken openly about depression and addiction.

Her sons have followed her into showbusiness, with Matty Healy fronting The 1975 and Louis Healy building a career as an actor.

Forever Home premiered on Channel 5 this week, with episodes airing Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week and next.

Manchester United are back in action at Old Trafford tonight as they take on Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup third round

Manchester United return to action in the Carabao Cup as they face Brighton & Hove Albion. The Reds are looking to bounce back after a disappointing derby day defeat to Manchester City on Sunday. Michael Carrick’s group of players to select from could be exactly the same for the clash with Fabian Hurzeler’s side.

Luke Shaw is the most likely to return, with Carrick set to observe the full-back before making his decision. Amad has been ruled out and Matthijs de Ligt is also expected to miss the game as he recovers from a long-term back injury.

Carlos Baleba is not fit enough to face his old club, but should make his debut after the international break. With rotation possible, Carrick could give chances to some young players, including JJ Gabriel, Tynan Thompson and Harry Amass.

With this in mind, our United writers have picked their teams for the game.

Tyrone Marshall

There will be changes for this game but perhaps not to the extent that Carrick would have been planning for a month ago. The pressure is building and he needs a result, so the chances of youngsters playing are reduced.

But in a way, this game means far less than Fulham on Sunday and that trip is a must-win, so it’s worth ringing the changes here. That means a debut for Darlow, Yoro and Heaven at the back and I would start Amass as well so that Mazraoui can play at right-back.

Santos needs to come back in for a start and Mount is due one as well. They combined to good effect in the summer in midfield. I think Fernandes is in need of a rest and would actually start Cunha as the No. 10.

That allows Sesko to lead the line and I’d go with youth on the wings, with Lacey and Thompson starting. There will be experience on the bench to come on if needed.

Steven Railston

Carrick will rotate for this game, but he will be aware that he needs a win after the Manchester derby defeat. The Premier League is the priority, but a bad start could threaten to turn into a disastrous one if United crash out of the Carabao Cup at the first hurdle for a second successive season.

Brighton have won four times at Old Trafford from their previous five visits and deserve respect, so I’d pick a reasonably strong team, with Lammens, Maguire, Fernandes, Mbeumo and Rashford keeping their places after last weekend’s game.

Sesko must start this game and maintain his place against Fulham on Sunday afternoon.

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Jack Flintham

Carrick needs to skirt the line between rotation and competing to win tonight. I would give Darlow a run out. He is a stronger keeper than Altay Bayindir was last season, and deserves an opportunity to gain some minutes.

I would also take another look at Yoro in the centre-back role alongside Martinez, while Mazraoui replaces Dalot at right-back. Shaw could be fit for tonight but United may as well give him a few extra days to get over this niggle.

Santos did well in pre-season and deserves a run-out before Baleba returns. Lacey would be my sole academy player in the starting line-up. He has a point to prove after his red card against the Seagulls last season.

Roughly two hours before a helicopter crash-landed in the San Fernando Valley of northern Los Angeles, an SUV collided with the side of a Metro bus, resulting in “numerous injured patients”, as per the Los Angeles Fire Department.

As per an LAFD press release: “Firefighters are extricating the trapped patients and assessing all passengers on the bus.”

Crews added that one person was found dead on the bus. Another person was killed after they were ejected from the bus during the crash. Six others have been rushed to nearby hospitals, fire crews confirmed, with two of those now in a critical condition. At least one person was trapped inside the wreckage, with crews working to rescue that person.

Aerial footage showed that the SUV appears to have almost completely driven through the bus during the crash, which took place at the intersection of Nordhoff and De Soto Avenue.

As emergency crews continued working at the scene of the fatal bus crash, a helicopter then went down nearby, resulting in one death after the aircraft burst into flames.