She has been putting on a show for fans outside her hotel ever since she kicked off her comeback show in Paris.

And Celine Dion, 58, was a bundle of energy on Friday night as she danced barefoot on a car before lying down on the bonnet.

In her most animated greeting yet, Celine greeted crowds of her adoring fans and took a bow on the front of the vehicle.

She cut a casually cool figure in a khaki green bomber jacket and black trousers, while styling her tresses in a low bun. 

Celine ditched her footwear to climb onto the car so she could wave to fans in the distance. 

The singer is in the French capital for a five-week residency – her first run of concerts since she was forced to cancel the remainder of her Courage world tour in 2023. 

Celine took a rest on the bonnet of a car after her show

Last weekend, she shared that she has decided to make her devastating health battle ‘my reason for living’, as she delivered an emotional speech during the opening night of her Paris residency.

The singer revealed in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, or SPS, which causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms.

At its worst, the debilitating condition left her unable to walk properly or use her singing voice as she once had.

After delivering her first song of the show, On ne change pas (We don’t change), she said: ‘I had promised myself not to cry. Here we are… I’m standing on stage in this city that I love so much, thanks to your support and your love.

‘I have to admit, though, that the road was rocky. The journey was longer than expected, with unplanned stops along the way.

‘But I hung in there. A faint ray of light in the distance, deep in the mountains. I believed in it. And here it is. The sun – the sun is here. The sun, right in front of me.’ 

She continued: ‘I made a promise to be back on stage. So here I am, singing for you and singing for me, singing live! Thank you so very much for your support, your patience and if I may say so, I am everything I am because you loved me,’ she then said in English.

Speaking of the uphill battle she waged with her health, she said: ‘By living with it day in and day out, I’ve come to terms with it. And I’ve decided to make it my reason for living.’

In her most animated greeting yet, Celine greeted crowds of her adoring fans and took a bow on the front of the vehicle

She cut a casually cool figure in a khaki green bomber jacket and black trousers, while styling her tresses in a low bun

Celine ditched her footwear to climb onto the car so she could wave to fans in the distance

Advertisement

The singer is in the French capital for a five-week residency – her first run of concerts since she was forced to cancel the remainder of her Courage world tour in 2023

The singer revealed in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, or SPS, which causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms

At its worst, the debilitating condition left her unable to walk properly or use her singing voice as she once had

Celine’s intense rehabilitation programme has seen her try out new medication, physical therapy, vocal therapy and immunotherapy

Advertisement

She continued: ‘But look around here – all around you, right here in this room – we don’t know what the person next to us is going through. 

‘There are people going through hardships, grief and sorrow. There are people radiating energy and joy. So let’s take that energy and share it. That’s what music is for. Tonight, we’ll sing, we’ll dance and we’ll celebrate.’

Celine’s intense rehabilitation programme has seen her try out new medication, physical therapy, vocal therapy and immunotherapy. 

In order to ensure she’s physically able to perform, Celine has been working on her strength with 90-minute Pilates sessions three times a week as well as twice-weekly ballet and barre classes.

Her home gym is also decked out with weights, a treadmill and a reformer machine, with Celine revealing her flexibility has increased since she started her new exercise regime.

Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar about her new regime, she described it as falling and getting back up repeatedly, adding that she was proud of herself for achieving something that her body wasn’t ‘born to do’.

‘It is a progressive condition,’ she noted. ‘I don’t like to say ‘disease.’ Disease makes you go like this,’ she said, scrunching her nose and saying, ”Kevin, you’re such a disease.”

Celine laid bare the brutality of the condition in her 2024 documentary, I Am: Celine Dion. 

Yet in recent days she has looked in high spirits while out greeting fans in Paris ahead of her shows. 

The residency will see her take to the stage for 16 shows in autumn 2026 and 10 additional dates in May 2027.

Wayne and Coleen Rooney have revealed they have been open with their older children about their father’s previous headline-making scandals.

The couple, both 40, who are set to give fans an insight into their family life in a new fly-on-the-wall Disney+ show, shared how open they have been with their sons.

They are parents to Kai, 16, Klay, 13, Kit, 10, and Cass, eight, who they say they have been ‘straight up with’, if they ever have any difficult questions.

The biggest scandal to hit the couple was during Coleen’s first pregnancy, when escort Jennifer Thompson alleged that she had a relationship with Wayne.

It was subsequently reported that Wayne also paid for a threesome involving Thompson and another escort, Helen Wood.

In 2017, Wayne was caught up in another scandal when he was arrested for drink-driving after leaving a nightclub with Laura Simpson and being found driving her car. Simpson said they had kissed and cuddled but denied that they had sex.

They are parents to Kai, 16, Klay, 13, Kit, 10, and Cass, eight, who they say they have been ‘straight up with’, if they ever have any difficult questions

While they may be awkward conversations to have, Wayne and Coleen have chosen to address past events that are out in the public domain.

Wayne told The Guardian: ‘We’ve spoken to our kids about lots of things, because there have been things in the newspaper that I’ve done that they’re going to see.’

Coleen added: ‘If our kids ask us questions we’re straight with them. Obviously not when they were little, but as they’ve been growing up we’ve dealt with things and said “This is wrong, you should never do this, but things do happen”.

Coleen recently spoke about how she believes some couples give up on their relationships too easily as she weighed in on the cheating scandals that have dogged her marriage.

She discussed how they managed to weather several media storms after Wayne’s infidelities were made public.

Coleen admitted she believes people can be too quick to call it quits, whereas she and Wayne have taken the time to work out their issues.

As well as their commitment to working on their marriage, the mother of four said that there is still an undeniable connection and love between them.

She told OK! magazine: ‘The main thing is love has always been there. People are too quick to give up on working at things, too vocal in the moment and saying “right that’s enough.” What we’ve done is actually talked and tried to work things out. 

Coleen has said she thinks some couples give up on their relationships too easily as she weighed in on the cheating scandals that have dogged her marriage

‘We still love each other, we’ve still got a connection, we’ve still got feelings. We’ve done well, I think. And the biggest thing we’ve done well is actually dealing with our relationship with the world looking in on us. People have been so vocal about our marriage and we’ve dealt with it behind closed doors.’

But rather than professing they finally have the secret to the perfect relationship, Wayne admitted that he is sure they will face other hurdles in the future.

He said: ‘Are we going to have tough moments in the future? Of course, every married couple has that. But I think most importantly when you sit down and look back, we’ve had great moments and we’ve still got so much of our life to live together with our children, hopefully with their children, and us as grandparents as well.’

Wayne has been candid about his infidelity and has previously told how before they married he visited brothels as a teenager and paid for sex and described his behaviour at the time as foolish and immature.

But with Wayne’s indiscretions firmly in the past, the family are looking forward to the future and the release of their £10million fly-on-the-wall documentary.

The 10-part series is set to air on September 24, with cameras invited inside their £20million super-mansion in Cheshire.

The Real Rooneys will follow Wayne as he steps away from football management and swaps the touchline for school runs, while Coleen capitalises on the success of her I’m A Celebrity stint. 

Their four sons: Kai, 16, Kit, 10, Klay, 13, and Cass, eight, also star 

The teaser started with Wayne joking: ‘This is my series,’ to which Coleen hit back: ‘Are you glad that I let you come on?’

Keeping up the banter, Wayne replied: ‘Oh, here we go. Get over it!’

As their four boys piled onto the sofa, the WAG added: ‘It’s hectic, it’s mad. Not much peace and quiet around here.

‘No one knows the real Rooneys’. 

A synopsis for the show reads: ‘With unprecedented access, we follow the family through the highs and lows of married life, raising four lively boys, and supporting eldest son Kai as he pursues his own footballing dream. 

‘Along the way come surprising personal revelations, career-defining moments, lavish celebrations and unforgettable family holidays. From their Cheshire home to the beaches of Barbados and the snowy Alps, this is Britain’s most famous and private family as never seen before: warm, funny and authentic.’ 

Kai is eligible for a professional contract at Manchester United next season after earning his first scholarship. 

Earlier in March, the Man United starlet signed with super agent Triple S Sports as he took a huge step forward in his youth career.

Disney+ and Amazon had a bidding war for months to have the rights for the show, with Disney+ winning the race with the massive £10million fee. 

Sources close to the project say Coleen will be paid £5million with the remainder going to production company Lorton Entertainment, which made her previous show, Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story. 

The show will follow Wayne as he steps away from football management and swaps the touchline for school runs, while Coleen captilises on the success of her I’m A Celebrity stint

The Real Rooneys premieres on September 24, exclusively on Disney+

One insider said: ‘It has taken months of bidding against one another. The money has gone up and up and has got to £10 million, which is way higher than was first imagined, but Coleen is very much in demand.

‘Both streamers were aware of the viewing public’s appetite for the inside track on footballers’ home lives.

‘The Beckhams documentary was the most-watched show on Netflix in the UK last year, and has racked up more than 200 million hours of viewing time globally.

‘Coleen is loved by the British public, especially since she played a blinder on I’m A Celeb. It wasn’t surprising that Disney and Amazon wanted it and went head to head.

‘It will make for compulsive viewing. It won’t just feature Coleen but Wayne and their children, too.

‘It might be expensive, but the view is that it will be worth every penny.’

Coleen’s success stands in stark contrast to a similar project involving her arch foe, fellow WAG Rebekah Vardy.

Coleen defeated Rebekah, wife of former Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, in her ‘Wagatha Christie’ libel trial in 2022, leaving Rebekah with a £3million legal bill.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal Rebekah has been quietly filming a pilot for a reality show with Freeview channel, W.

However, industry sources say TV executives ‘were not exactly enthralled’ by the results.

Two teenagers who stabbed a 17-year-old boy to death outside McDonald’s have been jailed.

Yeray Sanchez Morales was sitting outside the restaurant with a friend on Old Kent Road, south-east London, at just before 11pm on August 27 last year when he was attacked.

The teen, who wanted to become a PE teacher, was stabbed and hit with a bottle in front of a crowd of youths.

He suffered nine wounds to his neck and chest and died in hospital a week later.

The Met Police said his killers boasted of the crime by posting photos of their bloodied hands and knives on social media.

Detectives also pieced together CCTV images to track their movements and match their clothing to determine who struck the fatal blows.

Yeray’s friend, who survived the attack, said they did not know why they had been targeted.

On Friday, four men and three boys were convicted on a range offences in relation to the circumstances surrounding Yeray’s death.

Christhofer Jesus Vasquez, 18, of Enfield, north London, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to four years in jail.

He had pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article in January and was jailed for one year for that offence, to run concurrently with the first sentence.

Andres Tapia Londono, 18, of Haringey, north London, was convicted of manslaughter and handed a four-year jail sentence.

Isaac Ros Ramirez, 18, of Hackney, east London, and Juan Betancourt Hoyos, 21, of Mount Pleasant Road, Haringey, were convicted of violent disorder and given a community order.

A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of violent disorder and sentenced to 16 months in jail.

A second 16-year-old boy was convicted of violent disorder and given a 12-month youth rehabilitation order.

A third 16-year-old boy, who had pleaded guilty to violent disorder, intent to do grievous bodily harm and possession of a bladed article in relation to a second victim in February was given a community order.

Yeray’s mother Elena Morales said her son ‘loved to dance and sing’ and dreamt of becoming a PE teacher.

She said: ‘Yeray was only 17 years old when his life was stolen. He was a sensitive, happy, polite and generous young man, always ready to help anyone who needed it.

‘He had a special way of connecting with others and a kindness that shone through everything he did.

‘He loved to dance and sing. He had just finished the first year of a sport science course and he dreamt of becoming a PE teacher.

‘Yeray had his whole life ahead. He was in love and full of dreams and projects.’

She added: ‘His death has left a wound so deep that it can never heal.

‘The sadness and pain have scarred our family and his friends forever.

‘His absence is felt every day. Every birthday, every family occasion reminds us that Yeray should be there with us.

‘As a mother, I have no words to describe the pain that crushes my soul.’

After Yeray’s death, detectives reached out to the teenagers who had witnessed the attack and, through appeals, obtained mobile phone footage of the night.

They tracked the individuals on the footage and local CCTV, and found them on social media where ‘images of bloodied hands and knives’ had been shared.

One of the 16-year-olds was found to have booked a taxi to take him away from the scene shortly after Yeray was attacked.

A specialist forensic team was able to further link the group to the crime as one individual was identified through DNA left on the rim of a bottle he had used to attack Yeray.

Detective Sergeant Debbie Barge, who led the investigation, said: ‘Yeray was just a teenager with his whole life ahead of him.

‘This was cruelly cut in an act of violence that deeply shocked the whole community.

‘The majority of the teenagers present were horrified by what they witnessed – we would like to thank them for working closely with us to bring those responsible for justice.

‘Detectives worked quickly to track down the suspects, proving their roles in and surrounding Yeray’s death.

‘Our thoughts remain with his family and hope these convictions can bring them some degree of peace.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Children in balaclavas filmed stealing from shops while ‘smiling’ parents wait outside

MORE: Stolen bus ploughs into cars after driver ‘attacked and dragged out’

MORE: Man hid dad’s body in wardrobe for more than a year to keep claiming his pension

There was a sense that this was coming. Cardiff City had spent the opening weeks of the season dominating possession, creating chances and then finding increasingly inventive ways of not winning football matches.

Today, finally, it all came together.

Jack Moylan struck twice as Cardiff City secured their first Championship victory of the season with a 3-1 win over Charlton Athletic at Cardiff City Stadium, bringing an emphatic end to their seven-game wait for three points.

Brian Barry-Murphy’s side had been crying out for the sort of clinical edge that had eluded them in recent weeks and they found it almost immediately.

Moylan opened the scoring after just eight minutes, producing another reminder of the attacking quality he possesses since his summer move from Lincoln City. The Irishman had already scored against Sheffield United earlier this season, but this was a far more significant contribution.

Cardiff’s pressure continued and Yousef Salech doubled their advantage midway through the first half, giving the Bluebirds a two-goal cushion and, crucially, taking one of the chances they had been creating with regularity.

Charlton, who arrived in the Welsh capital having gone four games without a win and without scoring in their previous three Championship matches, gave themselves hope when Tyreece Campbell pulled one back before the interval.

For once, though, there was no late collapse.

Instead, Cardiff went back on the front foot after the break and Moylan produced the moment of the afternoon just after the hour mark.

The midfielder cut inside before unleashing a superb right-footed strike into the roof of the net, leaving Arthur Okonkwo with no chance and restoring Cardiff’s two-goal advantage. Sky Sports described it as a brilliant strike as Moylan completed his double.

From there, Cardiff managed the game and saw out the victory they had been craving.

It was a result that mattered for more than just the three points. After defeats to QPR, Portsmouth and Bolton had left Barry-Murphy’s side under increasing pressure, Cardiff finally had something tangible to show for the encouraging passages of play that had characterised much of their start to life back in the Championship.

They had scored seven goals across their opening seven league games. Against Charlton, they scored three in one afternoon.

Moylan was the difference-maker, but this was ultimately a collective response from a Cardiff side who had spent the opening month of the season being told they needed to turn performances into results.

This time, they did exactly that.

Proud Dundonian

“Dundee is my heart and my soul,” Marra told reporters shortly after he was announced as the party’s leader. “It’s where my politics comes from in the first instance, it’s the people and place I understand most in my life.”

Working with Andy Burnham

“I’m looking forward to welcoming Andy Burnham to Scotland time and again over the coming year,” Marra said today. “It’s important he builds his relationship with Scotland over the coming months, but our relationship is critical to making sure we deliver results in the general election, when it comes. I will always put Scotland first, and that’s what I will be putting to him.”

North Sea oil and gas

“We need to make sure we are building an agenda that makes Scotland stronger – and that does include issues on energy policy, which I’ve been very clear about for a long period of time. We need to have a more rational policy decision, that delivers for the Scottish economy and Scottish jobs.”

Asked if he supported the proposed Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas developments, Marra added: “I want them to be approved, I do.”

Scottish independence

“The people of Scotland do not want a referendum right now. And I say that not just on the basis of all the opinion polls – which are absolutely clear that’s the case – but also the conversations I’ve been having right across the country. I’ve been campaigning across Scotland without stop for the last 10 months now, and it’s clear to me that’s the case.

“We’ll continue to make the case for a stronger Scotland in a changing UK. I’m not in this for the status quo. I’m in this to achieve a stronger Scotland.”

Labour’s path to power

“I’ve always had a long-term frustration that the Labour party ends up in every Holyrood election thinking that we can form a government by some kind of narrow path. If you can’t win seats everywhere in Scotland, you cannot form a government. So it’s a long-term frustration of mine, that we ended up back in that position in May, trying to follow a narrow path.”

“We’re not big enough to have factions. As Scotland’s challenges have got bigger, the Labour party has got smaller. We need to regain momentum, scale, size and ambitions for the country.”

Swinney’s plans to reform the public sector

Asked if he would oppose compulsory redundancies in the Scottish public sector, as the SNP Government tries to plug a £5 billion blackhole in its finances, Marra said: “Yes, I will.

“But it’s difficult for me to see how the Scottish Government gets to, to where they say they are going to get to, without taking those kinds of actions. I am against it. But it is a signal of the catastrophic mess the SNP has made on the public finances. I have been talking about this for years, the situation where we are headed to. They are not getting a grip on the public finances. All the independent forecasters are warning it could be even worse, because they have no taken action. We are coming up a real crunch.”

The US and Denmark have announced a deal on Greenland’s security, resolving a diplomatic dispute sparked by President Donald Trump’s threats to seize it by force.

Trump said the agreement would grant the US “permanent control over security, and all other needs” in the semi-autonomous Danish territory.

The leaders of Denmark and Greenland welcomed the deal to “strengthen security” in the region, which they said was expected to be signed next week, but did not outline its contents.

The announcement comes after months of threats by Trump to “take” Greenland over national security concerns, citing its strategic location for defence purposes and its mineral wealth.

No text of the agreement has been released. Trump said the deal came with “no cost to the United States” and would grant it the ability “to do what is necessary” to “secure and defend the security of Greenland”, in a post on Truth Social.

He said it included a rule that no US adversary could maintain a military presence in Greenland or “make sensitive investments in Greenland, without our express written approval”.

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she was “pleased that there is a prospect of a good agreement” for all three parties, which was expected to be signed at the UN General Assembly next week.

The deal “strengthens our common security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic area” while also recognising “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination”, she said in a joint statement with Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

The agreement would still need to go through “the necessary parliamentary procedures to enter into force” once signed, the statement noted.

Nielsen said it was “gratifying that we are about to enter into an agreement that ensures and strengthens the security of Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark, the United States and the Western alliance”.

“The agreement recognises Greenland’s interests and our place in international co-operation. It is for the benefit of us all,” he said.

A Nato spokesperson said the military alliance welcomed the deal, which would “help advance security, stability and cooperation in this vital region”.

By SAM LAWLEY, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 12:36 BST, 19 September 2026 | Updated: 14:15 BST, 19 September 2026

This is the moment a man jumps on a primary school worker’s motorbike and grabs her hips in front of his laughing pals.

Ellie, who would not give her surname, was left horrified when an ‘inappropriate’ man ran into the road in Manchester city centre and hopped onto her motorcycle without her consent.

The 32-year-old uploaded a video of the incident online and received a wave of support from social media users who branded the man ‘vile’.

Footage – captured on her friend Charlotte’s bike helmet camera on September 12 – shows Ellie waiting in traffic on Oldham Street on her bright green Kawasaki ER-6F bike.

Advertisement

Dressed in all black with a black helmet, the biker revs her vehicle as she gets ready to start moving again.

Then, from nowhere, and in front of crowds of passersby, a man dressed in blue jeans and a grey jacket dashes from the pavement to the middle of the road and mounts the bike behind Ellie.

Steadying himself, he then grabs the stunned biker’s hips, as screams of surprise ring out among the bystanders.  

Ellie then shouts and gives the man a slap across the face with her right hand, holding out her palm afterwards incredulously.

Advertisement

This is the moment a man jumps on a primary school worker’s motorbike and grabs her hips in front of his laughing pals – before she slaps him and he hops off the bike

Ellie, pictured, who would not give her surname, was left horrified when an ‘inappropriate’ man ran into the road in Manchester and mounted her motorcycle without her consent

He then grabs his ear in apparent pain before jogging back towards a bar where his friends are waiting for him and laughing.

Advertisement

The biker fires a sharp glance at the gaggle of men and shakes her head in reaction to the unpleasant incident.

While waiting at the next set of lights, Ellie tells her friend, ‘I am shaking,’ before the pair mock the man’s pained reaction to the slap.

The primary school employee has claimed her ‘survival instincts’ kicked in once the man was on her bike.

‘Never would have happened if I was with some of the guys,’ Ellie, from Salford, said.

Advertisement

‘A man jumping onto a woman’s bike without consent is weird.

‘I was so focused on not dropping the bike I genuinely didn’t even process how inappropriate the whole thing was until afterwards.

‘Gave him a good whack though, so at least the survival instincts kicked in.’

Ellie shared the outrageous footage online, where the clip racked up over 387,000 likes. 

Advertisement

She captioned it: ‘Someone come get their grandad. He’s out here touching women and bikes.’

In response, one person wrote: ‘He wouldn’t do that to a man.’

The footage begins with Ellie sat on her bike solo hile she waits for the lights to change

But the footage – captured on her friend Charlotte’s bike helmet camera on September 12 – shows Ellie waiting in traffic before the man comes out of nowhere and climbs on to the green bike

Advertisement

Undeterred, Ellie gives him a slap without even getting off the seat of her ride

He puts his hand to his face, showing off the full efect of her slap, before ismonting in front of his laughing friends

Ellie and her bike in happier times. ‘A man jumping onto a woman’s bike without consent is weird,’ she said

Another viewer added: ‘Drunken over 40s men are so embarrassing. You didn’t hit him hard enough.’

Advertisement

A third commenter said: ‘Getting assaulted in broad daylight. Unfortunately not an uncommon experience for us women.’

Another wrote: ‘The way his friends are all laughing in the background too. It’s vile what men will do to women just to impress other men.’

And one social media user added: ‘This is disgusting oh my God, where do these men get the audacity?’

* Do you know the identity of the man? E-mail sam.lawley@dailymail.co.uk 

Advertisement

Swansea City defender Stephen Welsh says his first senior Scotland call-up is a “dream come true” after being selected by new boss Sébastien Pocognoli.

The 25-year-old received the news on Sunday afternoon after making an impressive start to life at Swansea following his summer move from Celtic.

Welsh will now join up with Scotland ahead of their Nations League campaign, which begins against Slovenia on September 26.

“I received the call on Sunday afternoon and I was delighted to get the call. I’m just really looking forward to meeting up with the squad,” Welsh said.

“During the call he (Pocognoli) just explained that he thinks I’ll be able to fit into his system, the way he wants to play football and the way he sees his team playing.

“It’s a dream come true for any young Scottish footballer to get the call-up to your national team. It’s certainly one of the biggest achievements you can have.”

Welsh could come up against Swansea team-mate Zan Vipotnik when Scotland face Slovenia in their opening fixture.

The defender has played a key role in Swansea’s strong start to the Championship season and says he has quickly settled into his new surroundings.

He believes the team’s defensive work has been a major factor in their impressive start.

“I think the clean sheets speak for themselves. The way we’ve been playing and the way the squad is off the pitch as well, during training, around the building, that goes onto the pitch,” he added.

“I think you can see how close we are as a team.”

The 2026 BMW PGA Championship is underway at Wentworth – here are the latest headlines from the world of golf including a major update on Rory McIlroy

The BMW PGA Championship is into its crucial weekend stages, with Wentworth once again providing the backdrop for one of the biggest events on the DP World Tour calendar. With a host of the world’s leading players battling it out, there is plenty at stake as the season edges towards its conclusion.

As ever, the action has not been short of talking points, with events on and off the course adding an extra layer of intrigue to proceedings in Surrey. One of the tournament’s biggest names has seen his hopes take an unexpected turn, while another has been given fresh reason to believe he can make an impact on the Race to Dubai standings.

There has also been plenty of respect between two familiar rivals, despite their history of fierce competition over the years. With the third round now underway, here is the latest from Wentworth as the BMW PGA Championship takes centre stage.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page

Patrick Reed withdraws

Patrick Reed was forced to pull out midway through the second round of the BMW PGA Championship. The former Masters champion had made an encouraging start and was sitting inside the top 10 before his afternoon took a dramatic turn.

Reed ran into trouble on the ninth hole before attempting a difficult shot close to a tree root. After playing the awkward shot, he appeared to be struggling with his wrist and was eventually taken away from the course by cart.

The withdrawal represents a major setback for Reed’s ambitions on the DP World Tour. He arrived at Wentworth leading the Race to Dubai standings, narrowly ahead of Rory McIlroy, and had been hoping to strengthen his position with another strong showing.

Instead, his early exit gives McIlroy a valuable opening in the battle for the season-ending prize.

Rory McIlroy speaks out

McIlroy was asked about Reed’s withdrawal and his own position in the Race to Dubai battle, making it clear that his motivation to win remains unchanged regardless of who stands in his way.

The Northern Irishman also acknowledged the competitive history between the pair and paid tribute to Reed’s performances since leaving LIV Golf. With Reed unable to add to his points tally at Wentworth, McIlroy now has a chance to make significant ground this weekend.

McIlroy began the third round on eight under, four shots behind leader Ryan Gerard, and knows a strong finish could considerably reduce the gap between himself and Reed with only a few weeks of the season remaining.

Speaking about his long-running rivalry with Reed, McIlroy said: “Obviously Patrick and I have had quite the battles over years, whether it be Ryder Cup, final round in a major,” he said.

“Dubai Desert Classic a few years ago. He’s a great competitor and he’s played great all year. I respect him for how he’s went about it, and coming through here, he’s put his head down and done the work, and it’s actually been really good to see.

“Unfortunately he’s pulled out this week, which gives me an opportunity to try to claw back some ground that I lost last week in Ireland. This weekend is a big weekend for me to pick up a few points and make the race even tighter going into these last few weeks.”

A local claimed the development ‘blocks pedestrian access to key local facilities’

A company has been given the go-ahead to build new homes near a hospital. Palace Green Homes sought permission from East Cambridgeshire District Council to build 13 new homes on land south of The Princess of Wales Hospital in Ely.

Of the 13 new homes, eight will be houses and five will be apartments. The site forms a parcel of land, formerly within the hospital curtilage and provided staff and visitor parking. The Ely hospital is now undergoing extensive changes including a new multi-storey car park near the entrance. The homes will be built just a 30-minute walk away from the city centre.

The apartment building will be 2.5 storeys high, according to planning documents. The apartment building will provide two one-bedroom apartments and three two-bedroom apartments. The houses will be four two-bedroom and four three-bedroom. It is proposed that four homes will be offered as affordable housing.

The now approved development will deliver two parking spaces for each house and one parking space for one-bedroom flats. A planning document says: “The site is in a sustainable location with good access to the city centre and within an area of existing housing.”

Since the application’s submission, the proposals have faced local backlash. One local raised fears of “apparent blocking” of resident and staff pedestrian and cycle access to the hospital, GP surgery and bus stop. They said that new housing “would prevent” the hospital from expanding further.

“The local area needs more local NHS services, not fewer”, the objector said.

A similar concern was raised by another person who said the development would block pedestrian access to key local facilities, adding “no new paths or alternative routes are indicated in the plans, potentially hindering movement for hospital staff and local residents in the area”.

The objection added: “Residential development conflicts with the operational needs of the hospital, potentially causing disturbances. Insufficient provision for parking and turning could lead to congestion on already busy access roads. Lack of pedestrian footways or cycle paths exacerbates safety concerns, especially with additional traffic from new housing.”

Meanwhile, another objection said access to the site would be “wholly inadequate”. They added: “Many objectors to this application have made the undeniable point that so much new housing development in north Ely is either planned or in course of construction that there can be no case for need and/or benefit of a further 13 dwellings in this location.”

A neighbour lodged an objection with the district council about the narrow, single-track Redman Close road that experiences “regular congestion during school and community hours”. The objection says: “The increase in traffic from both construction and permanent residents will pose serious safety concerns, particularly for the many school-aged children who live and play here.

“I have small children myself, and they often access the field across from our property; the proposed increase in traffic represents a clear hazard.”