Long-distance train operator CrossCountry has welcomed passengers onboard its first refurbished Voyager train – the first in a £75 million investment programme to modernise the fleet.

The first refurbished unit ran between Birmingham and Newcastle, while the new‑look trains will appear on routes serving York as the roll‑out continues over the next two years.

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After running to Birmingham New Street, the service will be open to passengers travelling on the 14:28 from Birmingham to Newcastle and the 18:33 from Newcastle to Birmingham.

Alongside the improvements to its Voyager fleet, CrossCountry’s Class 170 Turbostar fleet is continuing another refresh.

Several new-look trains are now serving routes between Birmingham, Leicester and Stansted Airport, and Cardiff, Birmingham and Nottingham.

The relaunch marks a major milestone in the programme, and the upgraded trains are now entering service every few weeks.

The upgrade programme includes new seating with more legroom, improved storage, power at every seat, refurbished toilets, new carpets and artwork, LED lighting and enhanced CCTV and passenger‑counting systems.

CrossCountry’s managing director, Shiona Rolfe, said the Voyager fleet had been “a backbone of Britain’s long‑distance rail network for more than two decades”.

“Giving them this new lease of life will ensure they deliver a complete transformation in journey experience for our passengers,” she said.

The Voyagers were first introduced in 2000 and helped double passenger numbers on the network during the following decade. The new programme aims to extend their lifespan while raising standards for comfort and accessibility.

The newly-refurbished Voyager train will enter normal passenger service on CrossCountry’s long-distance routes from Birmingham towards Manchester, Bristol and the South West, Reading and Bournemouth, and Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland.

The council tax will be the same as it was in 2013 and 2014

A council is freezing its council tax for a 13th year in a row. It’s getting to the time of year where councils discuss council tax rates for the upcoming financial year.

East Cambridgeshire District Council has announced it is freezing its council tax in 2026/27, which will be for the 13th year running. For residents, this means council tax they pay will remain at £142.14 for an average band D property, the same as it was in 2013/14.

Leader of the council, Councillor Anna Bailey said: “We put our success down to an innovative and prudent approach to financing. We run a tight ship at the district council.

“Working with our subsidiary companies – East Cambs Street Scene and East Cambs Trading company – we are able to provide internal borrowing for schemes such as the leisure centre, waste and recycling services and affordable housing.

“This means we are able to avoid external borrowing costs which afflict many other councils.” The council tax has been frozen because the council’s budget is balanced.

As well as the freeze, the council’s budget takes into account an allocation of £50,000. This is set aside as match funding to support parish councils for neighbourhood plans, as agreed at full council in October 2025.

Cllr Bailey added: “This balanced budget places us in an enviable position of our peers, allowing us to continue to provide high quality services to our residents. But significant change is coming, which in future is likely to impact how much residents pay for their council tax.

“Under local government reorganisation existing district and county councils are being replaced with simpler and more efficient unitary authorities. Four proposals have been put forward to national government by different councils across the region.

“In East Cambridgeshire, the district council, together with Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire councils, is supporting option B, which would see East Cambridgeshire become part of a new unitary council with Huntingdonshire, Fenland and Peterborough.

“I encourage you to find out more on the council website and have your say by completing the government’s consultation which runs until March 26. A final decision will be made by the central government this summer, with the new councils running from April 2028. Whatever option it chooses, we’ll ensure we continue to stand up for residents and deliver excellent services.”

Police say they believe as much as £836 worth of skincare products was taken from the branch of Boots at Trinity Street retail park in the town centre.

Officers have now released an image of two people, a man and a woman, that they want to speak to in connection with their investigation.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “We are appealing for information following reports of a theft from Boots on Trinity Street in Bolton.

These two were caught on CCTV (Image: GMP)

“The incident occurred on Friday 13 February at around 3pm.

“It is believed that approximately £826 worth of skincare products were taken from the store.

“Officers would like to speak with these people as they believe they may be able to help with their enquiries.”

The image shared by police appears to show a man and a woman inside the branch of Boots, both with faces uncovered and wearing mostly dark coloured clothing.

Anyone with any further information about the suspected theft can call police on 101 quoting log 1763 of 14/02/26.

Alternatively, members of the public can call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The store has been a mainstay of Swansea city centre for decades, but M&S has confirmed it will close later this year with 92 jobs now at risk

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People have been horrified to hear Swansea is set to lose one of its best known stores after M&S confirmed it will close its Oxford Street branch next year.

The Marks and Spencer store, a long standing fixture in the heart of the city centre, has struggled financially and will shut following what the company has described as sustained underperformance. Around 92 staff were told of the decision on Tuesday, February 24.

A consultation is now underway to explore possible roles at other M&S locations, with no confirmation yet on redundancies. The exact closing date has not been set but is expected in 2026. Ensure our latest news and sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

Richard Owen, M&S regional manager, said changing shopping habits and a nationwide store rotation programme were behind the move.

He added that the building faced operational challenges requiring significant investment and that the business needed to focus on long term growth. While acknowledging the store’s decades long presence in Swansea, he said it was no longer viable in its current form.

M&S has not ruled out opening a new full line store elsewhere in the city and said it would continue serving customers through nearby branches and online while it searched for a suitable site. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here

Swansea Council described the news as extremely disappointing for staff and shoppers. A spokesperson said the authority had spent years trying to keep M&S in its current location and would continue working to secure a new site in the city centre.

It stressed that the decision formed part of M&S’s wider national strategy, which had seen around 90 historic stores close, and was not a reflection on Swansea as a retail destination.

The closure is likely to reignite concerns about the health of Swansea’s high street, given the size and prominence of the M&S site in the city’s main shopping area.

Commenter Wjohnthomas1 said: “This is the final demise of Swansea City Centre – Debenhams gone, Mark & Spencer going. Swansea used to be the place to go shopping, not any more, it has to be Cardiff from now on.”

Jazza replied: “Retailers, like any business, have to look hard at the numbers. Rising operating costs, including recent tax increases, inevitably shape long term decisions, not just for this year but years ahead. M&S is a major company and will have analysed the data carefully. If clothing and homeware were underperforming while groceries were stronger in Neath, the decision speaks for itself. From a business perspective, it is simply following demand.”

Jonah17 thought: “This is sad news and will affect footfall in Swansea city centre. However, not really unexpected as the majority of shoppers, of a certain age, are now not travelling into Swansea to shop.”

Micky5 suggested: “The retail section has been looking run down in this store for years. The food hall is always busy so maybe M and S should consider opening a larger more upscale version of this somewhere in the city?”

Kiribati replied: “Sad to see it go. M&S and Next seem to have a preference for relocating to out-of-town retail parks these days where they can provide customers with large free parking areas and have longer opening hours. Next has taken the prime spot at Morfa Park. M&S had a clothes store in Fforestfach, but it closed. So the chances of M & S opening a full store again in Swansea are very slim.”

Swanseye commented: “What Swansea needs is more shops, not the loss of another flagship store. There seems to be more focus on student flats than on attracting shoppers back into the city centre, and it is starting to feel increasingly empty. We have a fantastic foreshore and a historic market that sits at the heart of the community, but if we continue to lose long established stores, we risk hollowing out the city altogether.”

Toast77 wrote: “This is a disgraceful decision by M&S. For many of us it is the go to store, and Swansea city centre is unique. It is not ringed by retail parks and industrial estates but by homes. People, including a large student population, live nearby and walk or cycle in, which is the greenest way to shop. As Wales’ second largest city, Swansea deserves better. M&S should reverse this and keep a full range store in the city centre, not move to a retail park.

“M&S claim the store has underperformed, but a glance at the women’s section recently might explain why. It was dominated by dull beiges, greys and winter whites. A year ago my husband tried to buy a suit there and was told none were in stock. It feels as though the store has been allowed to decline to justify this strategy. This store is worth fighting for. I hope Rob and the council do everything possible to secure another city centre site for M&S.”

Mumblesman agreed: “Perhaps if M&S had invested a little in its Swansea store in recent years making it rather more appealing to the everyday shopper, more customers might have passed through its doors. As it is, it’s looked and felt like a bit of an afterthought to be Mark’s main offering. Dowdy at best, third rate at worst.”

Can Swansea afford to lose another major name from Oxford Street? Have your say in our comments section.

Hannah Kennedy, 25, from Gilsland, in Northumberland, decided to raise funds for the (GNAAS) by running the Great North Run and organising a breakfast event in her community.

Her support was sparked by two separate emergencies at her family’s remote farm, located near Hadrian’s Wall, where the air ambulance played a crucial role.

Her father, Leslie Kennedy, 75, was seriously injured in February 2023 when a trailer attached to a quad bike slid down a hill and trapped his leg.

The helicopter on scene in Gilsland Feb 2023 (Image: GNAAS)

He said: “I knew my son, who works with us, would be here soon and he eventually came.

“They got the trailer off me and it was obvious that my leg was in a position that it shouldn’t be.

“When he assessed the situation, he said they would need to request the air ambulance because they couldn’t get a land vehicle to me.

“The next thing I knew I was waking up in a helicopter and being taken to the RVI.

“I cannot praise the NHS, the paramedics, the air ambulance, and mountain rescue enough.”

Hannah Kennedy at the Great North Run 2025 (Image: GNAAS)

A paramedic attended the scene after emergency services were called, and Hannah helped transport her father using another quad bike.

Two GNAAS paramedics and a doctor arrived and found Mr Kennedy had suffered an open tibia and fibula fracture.

They gave him advanced pain relief and realigned his leg, which was positioned at a 180-degree angle.

With help from the local mountain rescue team, Mr Kennedy was carried to the helicopter and flown to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle in around 15 minutes.

He underwent surgery to insert a 30-centimetre steel plate and four screws, and later received 30 stitches.

After ten days in hospital and further treatment for an infection, his leg has since healed.

The family’s connection to GNAAS goes back even further.

Hannah’s brother John, now 28, was also airlifted to hospital when he was younger following a serious quad bike incident that left him unconscious and with a damaged kidney.

Inspired by these experiences and others within her community, Hannah decided to raise funds for the service.

In addition to running the Great North Run, she organised a bucket collection at a local show and helped set up a breakfast brunch, with proceeds split between GNAAS and a ward at the RVI.

She said: “From 10 in the morning until two in the afternoon the big breakfast event was full non-stop.

“There were parents, friends, and people I didn’t even know, all coming together to enjoy a cooked breakfast.

“Gilsland and the surrounding areas are such a strong community, and we were overwhelmed by the amount of people that turned up and gave donations, as well as those who couldn’t make it but still donated.”

The event was supported by local businesses, members of the public, and the Kennedy and Main families, who donated food, time, and even the venue.

She said: “The support we received from our family and local businesses was unreal and it was a lovely thing to be a part of.

“GNAAS are heroes and we think everyone who gave money to our event are also heroes.”

Mr Kennedy agreed, and praised the wider public for their support.

He said: “The public deserve huge praise for supporting services like GNAAS and the RVI.”

Hannah and her father have since visited the GNAAS base in Langwathby, where they presented a cheque and met members of the critical care team.

She said: “We see the air ambulance all the time responding to farmers and walkers and understand how much of a difference they make in rural communities like ours.

“It was nice to meet the crew and see the helicopter and know that this money is going to such an amazing service.”

GNAAS have launched an appeal called Operation SOS: Secure Our Service and need to raise £2.5 million to secure the deposit for a third new helicopter. Find out more on their website.

The animal welfare charity has shared advice for people looking to encourage feathered visitors to their garden

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For homeowners preparing their gardens ahead of spring, few sights are more rewarding than seeing wildlife return. People eager to attract birds to their properties might be interested in an RSPCA-approved tip.

The animal welfare organisation suggests that installing nesting sites in your garden is an excellent way to encourage visitors. Taking to Facebook, the RSPCA offered guidance for anyone wanting to transform their outdoor space into a haven for birds. The post said: “Want to give your garden visitors a place to nest and rest?

“Habitat loss means fewer natural nesting spots, but a bird box in your garden can be a fabulous way to welcome feathered friends. Sizes determine which birds you attract, and placement is key!”

On the RSPCA website, the charity explained that different birds favour different-sized nesting holes. The advice read: “Which birds will use which type of box? That depends on the type of box and the size of the nesting hole”. As a rule:

• A 25mm hole attracts smaller birds like blue tits and coal tits.
• A 32mm hole attracts birds like great tits and sparrows.
• A 45mm hole attracts bigger birds such as starlings and woodpeckers.
• Open-fronted boxes attract robins, wrens and pied wagtails.
• Specially shaped boxes attract swifts, swallows and house martins.

The RSPCA said to check there’s a suitable spot in the garden before installing a box, reports the Daily Record. The charity explained: “Protect birds from predators as well as sunlight, strong winds and driving rain – find a sheltered spot facing north or east.

“Fix to a tree or the wall of your home – make sure there are bushes, trees or climbing plants nearby to provide cover. Keep boxes away from cats and dogs by putting them two to four metres off the ground.

“Open-fronted nest boxes need to be lower – around 1.5m. Hide them in vegetation like hedges, shrubs or thick creepers, to keep them safer from predators. For woodpeckers, a box in a tree, three to five metres high, is ideal. Make sure there’s a clear flight path to all nest boxes (except open-fronted ones).”

The RSPCA said it’s best to put up a box in autumn or early winter. By doing this, a bird may roost in the box during the colder months and return there in the spring. Spring gardening fans looking to upgrade their gardens ahead of the warmer weather might like to take this opportunity to make their garden bird-friendly.

For homeowners looking for another way to help, the RSPCA also shares instructions for families looking to make their own eco bird feeder, which helps birds year-round. Homeowners can attract birds such as robins, finches, tits, and house sparrows by providing fruit and seeds.

Two teenage boys died following a devastating car and lorry collision in Co Donegal, with the third victim in a serious condition

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Two teenage boys have tragically died following a horrific road collision, whilst a third remains in a serious condition in hospital.

The crash, which involved a car and a lorry, took place in the St Johnston area of Co Donegal at around 11.15pm on Tuesday (February 24). Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene immediately.

One casualty was pronounced dead at the location, with his body later transported to the mortuary at Letterkenny University Hospital. The second casualty was initially taken to Altnagelvin Hospital, where he sadly died shortly after arrival.

The driver was also conveyed to Altnagelvin Hospital for treatment of serious injuries before being moved to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. The lorry driver is understood to have escaped injury, reports the Irish Mirror, reports Belfast Live.

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Gardaí have confirmed the R236 road remained closed as of Wednesday morning, with a technical examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators due to take place.

In a formal statement, the force said: “Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision to come forward.

“Road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area between 10.45pm and 11.45pm on Tuesday 24th February 2026 are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Letterkenny Garda Station on (074) 9167100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.”

I looked for shoes that were safe, easy to clean and comfortable to walk or garden in.

I walked a mile in every pair of shoes I tested, from clogs to small wellies, using them on my regular dog walk. The route includes grass, mud, a gravel path, steps and pavements. I wore lighter clogs in warmer weather and more enclosed shoes when it was cooler. Back home, I headed to the allotment for a bit of weeding and light digging.

Next, I cleaned the shoes using a hose and scrubbing brush. Some pairs were not designed for muddy grounds, so I rubbed them in some dirt first to test how easy they were to clean without also needing to wash my feet.

I wanted each pair to perform for its intended purpose, or prove itself a good all-rounder. As with the best pair of gardening gloves, fit matters. I asked two friends to try them on: one with narrow feet and one with wider feet. This helped me judge how they perform across different foot shapes.

Although I tested women’s gardening shoes, most are unisex. You will find links for both men’s and women’s versions throughout the guide.

Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended

Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best gardening product. No manufacturer ever sees Telegraph Recommended reviews before publication and we don’t accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles.

All opinions are based on independent expert opinion and our hands-on testing. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more.

Perry Groves believes the emergence of Max Dowman will prompt the departures of several big-name Arsenal players in the summer transfer window.

The intense competition for places in Arsenal’s midfield and forward line has already prompted Mikel Arteta to sanction Ethan Nwaneri’s loan to Marseille.

Captain Martin Odegaard’s place in the team is far from secure give his questionable form allied to Eberechi Eze’s brace in last weekend’s north London derby.

Dowman, meanwhile, became the youngest player in the club’s history earlier this season when he made his debut against Leeds United but an ankle injury has ruled the teenager out of action for the past few months.

Whether the 16-year-old, who returned to training earlier this month, will play a part in the run-in remains to be seen but Groves is confident his undeniable talent will eventually force other players out of the club.

‘The thing is though, you won’t have to fit them all in,’ Groves told talkSPORT when contemplating the selection headaches Mikel Arteta is facing on a weekly basis.

‘Because there will be a few that will be gone at the end of the season.

‘The squad is that strong, and there will be new faces that come in, so there will be a few that will be surplus to requirements.’

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Groves continued: ‘They all want to go and play.

‘Like you mentioned, Nwaneri, if you’re talking about the inside where he wants to play…

‘You’ve got Eze, Odegaard, then Max Dowman who is unbelievable, trust me.

‘So then Nwaneri quite rightly will be thinking, ‘I want to go and play.”

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Viktor Gyokeres, meanwhile, believes Arsenal’s statement derby win against Tottenham was the ‘perfect response’ to silence the club’s critics.

Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze both scored twice to secure a 4-1 triumph over Spurs just four days after Arsenal were rocked by a 2-2 draw at Wolves.

The dropped points at Molineux led to questions about Arsenal’s title mentality. However, their performance against Tottenham – which took them five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League – went some way to silencing the doubters.

And Gyokeres, who extended his league tally to the season for 10, said: ‘It’s always going to be difficult when you get a result like we had at Wolves, but it’s how you handle that, and how you respond to it, and today we showed that it in a good way.

‘To get this result and this performance, it was the perfect way to respond. So, it’s a good sign.

‘The thing is, that we have to keep showing it in the next game and the game after that.

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‘There’s a lot of games to go. But if we perform like this, it’s going to be good, for sure.’

MORE: Didi Hamann names the team that will deny Arsenal the Champions League

MORE: Man Utd flop ready to return and fight summer signing for his place

MORE: Chelsea told they sold ‘amazing’ and ‘brilliant’ player for just £7m

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