The nationwide celebration of reading marked a day off from typical school uniforms, with children donning costumes of their favourite literary characters instead.

The day witnessed classic and contemporary characters making an appearance.

See some of the amazing costumes readers of The Northern Echo sent in today:

Reggie age 8 as the boy from the Polar Express. (Image: UGC)

Archie Elstob, 7, Billionaire Boy. (Image: UGC)

Ridley Watson, 1. (Image: UGC)

Jessielee, 20 months, Hermione Granger. (Image: UGC)

Reggie, 3, BFG. (Image: UGC)

Jessielee, 20 months, Hermione Granger. (Image: UGC)

Jacob, 3, from Darlington, Iron Man. (Image: UGC)

Koby, 3, from Durham, The Hulk. (Image: UGC)

Emmeline Pankhurst and Jane Austen. (Image: UGC)

Arabella, 10 and Bertie 6, Sophie from BFG and Batman. (Image: UGC)

Theo, 5, The Highway Rat. (Image: UGC)

Matilda, 8, The Cat in the Hat. (Image: UGC)

Thomas, 5, Stickman. (Image: UGC)

Isla-Mae Webb, 6, Miss Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. (Image: UGC)

Archie, 1, The Tiger that came for Tea. (Image: UGC)

Rose and Ivy from Aycliffe as Paddington and his Marmalade. (Image: UGC)

Phoebe, 4, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Golden Ticket. (Image: UGC)

Aaliyah, 9, The Cat in the Hat. (Image: UGC)

Lydia, 9, from Hurworth, Miss Trunchbull. (Image: UGC)

Violet, 4, Betty O’Barley from The Scarecrow’s Wedding. (Image: UGC)

Bobby, 2. (Image: UGC)

Delilah, 10 and Ralph, 5, Stickman and Triceratops follows its herd. (Image: UGC)

Alexia, 6 and Jadon, 4, The Rainbow Fish and ‘That’s not my…’ (Image: UGC)

Freya, 2, Witch from Room on the Broom. (Image: UGC)

Sid Rees, 6, Willy Wonka. (Image: UGC)

Toby, 10, from Darlington, The Boy in the Dress. (Image: UGC)

Maddie, 7, Cinderella. (Image: UGC)

Amber, 5, from Darlington, Alice in Wonderland. (Image: UGC)

Niamh, 7, Hermione Granger. (Image: UGC)

Presten, 10 and Lenny, 5. (Image: UGC)

Saskia as Isadora Moon. (Image: UGC)

Honey, 3, Angelina Ballerina. (Image: UGC)

Tommy-George Milburn, 3, Jake from The Tweenies. (Image: UGC)

Bonnie, 4 and Rosie 2, Flopsy and Elmer. (Image: UGC)

Tommy, 8, from Darlington, Peter Pan’s Shadow. (Image: UGC)

Lincoln, 10, Logan, 8, Lukas, 6 from Darlington as Where’s Wally? (Image: UGC)

Aria, 4, Skylar, 2, and Thea, 9. (Image: UGC)

Violet, 10, The Lorax. (Image: UGC)

Oliver, 10, Harry Potter. (Image: UGC)

Ariya, 6, The Day the Crayons Quit. (Image: UGC)

Arthur, 5, The Gruffalo. (Image: UGC)

Arthur, 3, The Elves and the Shoemaker. (Image: UGC)

Elsie, 9, Gangsta Granny. (Image: UGC)

Pippa Joy, 7, James and the Giant Peach. (Image: UGC)

Maya, 4, Norman the Slug with the Silly Shell. (Image: UGC)

A student dazzling as a character from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” carried a handmade, oversized Wonka Golden Ticket in one of the pictures.

The BFG’s Sophie made an appearance too, complete with a jar of “dreams” and the book itself.

A young Batman added a superhero flair to the event, while Stick Man, fashioned from cardboard with a leaf-top, stood tall.

The humorous side of the day was represented by a pupil mimicking the notable “Gangsta Granny” from David Walliams’ book.

The portrayal involved a complete transformation with a floral skirt, headscarf, curlers, and ceremoniously tugging a shopping trolley.

Other classic fairy tales had their moment as well.

A child appeared as an elf from “The Elves and the Shoemaker,” wearing a green tunic and pointy hat, proudly brandishing both a real shoe and the book.

World Book Day, celebrated in March, aims to encourage children to develop a love for reading.

The aim is to make reading enjoyable, accessible, and relevant for all, helping every child find a character or story they’ll adore.

A Belfast man allegedly launched a flying kick on his girlfriend and threatened to chop her up, the High Court heard on Thursday.

Prosecutors claimed Jamie Riddell carried out the attack last month during an argument at his home in the north of the city. The 35-year-old, of Albertville Drive, was refused bail on disputed charges of common assault, threats to kill and breaching a restraining order.

The court heard the woman told police that Riddell became violent after a row broke out on February 6.

“During this the defendant fly-kicked the injured party to the chest and punched her twice to the head,” Crown counsel Charlene Dempsey said.

“The injured party further alleged that during this argument the defendant made a threat to tie her to a chair and chop her up, which caused her fear.”

Riddell was also said to have constantly asked the woman for money.

On the day of the alleged attack she withdrew £330 from her bank and gave it to him due to the continuous requests, according to the prosecution.

In police interviews Riddell denied the offences, claiming instead that he left the flat after the woman charged at him with a pair of scissors. His barrister described the pair as having an on-off relationship where she stayed at his house during periods of homelessness.

“He denies the offences and stated the complainant called the police to make these allegations because he would not give her money for drugs,” the lawyer submitted.

Denying bail, His Honour Judge Gordon Kerr KC ruled that Riddell must remain in custody.

He said: “I consider there is a genuine risk of re-offending in relation to the same complainant.”

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The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed the changes

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced that disability benefits, including Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance, will rise by 3.8 per cent for the 2026/27 financial year. The revised weekly payment rates will take effect from April 6, 2026.

PIP is presently valued at between £29.20 and £187.45 per week, with payments typically made every four weeks, resulting in awards ranging from £116.80 to £749.80.

A 3.8 per cent increase will see payments climb to between £30.30 and £194.60, equating to £121.20 and £778.40 per four-week payment period, reports the Daily Record.

PIP payment rates 2026/27

PIP comprises two components – daily living and mobility. From Monday, April 6, PIP will be paid at the following weekly amounts.

Daily Living component

• Enhanced: £114.60 (from £110.40)
• Standard: £76.70 (from £73.90)

Mobility component

• Enhanced: £80.00 (from £77.05)
• Standard: £30.30 (from £29.20)

PIP payment combinations 2026/27

People receiving PIP may be awarded the lower rate of one or both elements, the higher rate of one or both elements, or a combination of the lower or higher rates of each component.

The DWP will send letters to all claimants before April outlining their updated payment rates. There are eight potential awards, which are listed below.

Single component award only

You may be awarded the lower or higher daily living or mobility component:

• Standard daily living only – £76.70 per week, £306.80 per pay period
• Enhanced daily living only – £114.60 per week, £458.40 per pay period
• Standard mobility only – £30.30 per week, £121.20 per pay period
• Enhanced mobility only – £80.00 per week, £320.00 per pay period

Lower rate for daily living and mobility

If you are on the lower rates of both components, your new payments are forecast to be:

• Standard daily living and standard mobility – £107 per week, £428 per pay period

Higher rate for daily living and mobility

If you are on the higher rates of both components, your new payments are forecast to be:

• Enhanced daily living and enhanced mobility – £194.60 per week, £778.40 per pay period

Lower rate of one component and higher rate of the other

If you are on the lower rate of one component and the higher rate of the other, your new payments are forecast to be:

• Standard daily living and enhanced mobility – £156.70 per week, £626.80 per pay period
• Enhanced daily living and standard mobility – £144.90 per week, £579.60 per pay period

Remember, PIP and all disability benefits are tax-free and do not affect the benefit cap.

Kayleigh Mckenna flew to Turkey for a nose job to fix her deviated septum

A mum is warning people not to get surgery in Turkey. It comes after a ‘botched’ £4,500 op left her with a ‘piggified’ nose that she said doesn’t work.

Kayleigh Mckenna flew to Turkey for a nose job to fix her deviated septum which she was ‘massively insecure’ about and a breast reduction because it was ‘massively cheaper’ than in the UK. The 35 year old says she came across a clinic online and ‘thought she’d done all the right research’.

However, the surgery in October 2024, which was meant to last around seven hours, allegedly took ten and she left ‘screaming in pain’ afterwards, before she said she developed blood circulation issues in her breasts. Days later, she says her left nostril was ‘completely blocked up’ and she says the surgeon had to remove a blood clot and take out her splints a day earlier than planned.

After returning home, she says she was ‘devastated’ when doctors took blood tests and a scan revealed that her septum was still deviated. The mum of three said she was forced to visit a UK clinic in December 2024 to get her stitches removed as they were causing sinus infections.

However, more than a year on, she says she’s been left feeling ‘piggified’ with a ‘collapsed and wonky’ nostril that is ‘non-functional’ and says she is forced to buy nasal spray every week just to be able to breathe.

Jessica shared photos of what she says happened to her. One shows Jessica illustrating how she says she has to pull her nostril to the side as it is ‘the only way she can breathe properly’.

Now she says she has to decide whether to fork out £9,000 for a private op or risk minor surgery on the NHS that might not help. Jessica says she ‘regrets’ the op and warns others against getting procedures done abroad.

Jessica, a maternity healthcare support worker who lives in Swindon, Wiltshire, said: “I’m absolutely devastated and traumatised. They’ve completely botched my nose and it’s now non-functional.

“I wanted the septum corrected but I also wanted the look to be different. It’s something I’ve never liked. I’ve been massively insecure about it and I thought it’d be a nice confidence boost. I was due to get it fixed in the UK but obviously the wait list was quite long. At the same time I went to Turkey I had a breast reduction as I thought I’d just kill two birds with one stone.

“It was massively cheaper than the UK. I thought I’d done all the right research. I checked the surgeon out and looked at reviews. Nothing could change my mind so I booked and paid the deposit.”

Jessica said she booked the procedures over WhatsApp and was told she would be able to return home after six days.

However, after arriving in Turkey, she said the consultant said she needed to stay for an extra day but she couldn’t change her flights. After the surgery, she says she developed blood circulation issues in her right breast and says the surgeon was forced to remove a blood clot in her left nostril, which she says was preventing her from breathing.

Jessica said: “When I got into the operating room it was so scary. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done. My husband was in the hotel room waiting for me the whole time. He actually thought I’d died or something.

“When I came out of theatre eventually I was screaming in pain. Every time I tried to move my leg it was causing me intense pain. I was so worried. One of my hands swelled up and I felt really dizzy and that the room was spinning and I was hallucinating.

“[A couple of days later] all I remember saying to [the surgeon] was ‘I can’t breathe out of my nose’. It felt worse and completely blocked up on one side. He got the blood clot out of the nostril and because he knew I was flying home a day earlier he had to take the splints out a day early.

“Really that should’ve probably been left in another day. When he pulled the splints out of each nostril I remember his assistant said to him ‘too soon’. From then I still had a plaster on my nose and I was still struggling with the breathing side of things more.”

After flying back home she said she went to hospital days later where she says she was given blood thinners. She says a scan found that her nose was still deviated. Despite messaging the Turkish aftercare team to complain she claims she was just told to wear nasal retainers while it healed.

She says she was forced to visit a UK clinic in December to have stitches in her nostril and breasts removed after she kept getting sinus infections. She says ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeons have now declared her nose as ‘non-functional’ and she says she is forced to buy nasal spray every week to be able to breathe.

Jessica said: “Now we’re a year and a bit on and I’ve been seen by ENT here a couple of times now and they’ve said my nose is non-functional and basically collapsed inside. I regret having surgery. It’s affecting my mental health and confidence when I look in the mirror. When I first had it done I was crying every single day.

“It feels like they’ve just done a quick fix. It feels like they haven’t touched the inner part where it was deviated. They’ve just done something to the end of it and made it go up slightly and sort of piggified, which has not done anything to the function of it and if anything made it worse.

“It looks collapsed and completely different to the other one. My nose in pictures looks slightly wonky. To breathe properly I have to pull my nostril to one side and I can breathe better.

“I’m having to buy nasal spray every week, which is a cost I shouldn’t have to do. Sometimes my nose can be continuously dripping or it’s completely blocked up so I can’t breathe.

“I still have to sleep with the plastic retainers every night and if I don’t sleep with them in the left nostril sticks to my nose so it completely shuts. I could stop breathing in my sleep. In the mornings when I wake up my nose is blocked but nothing can come out. I have to try to blow it.

“Where the left side is slightly smaller in the nose it’s very hard getting anything up there to clean my nose out which is why I have to use the spray.”

Jessica claims the Turkish clinic is refusing to send her medical records over and despite them offering to do another surgery she vows to never go back. Now she urges people to ‘pay that extra’ for plastic surgery to avoid getting it done abroad.

Jessica said: “It makes me feel like I’d never go to Turkey again. I messaged the clinic saying I’m not happy and I will be taking this further. I’ve got a right to my medical records form when the surgery was done and they’re now ignoring me.

“I said ‘I don’t want to come back, I’ve lost complete trust in you guys and there’s no way I’d come back’. Even if I did, I certainly shouldn’t have to pay for anything.

“If you want something done, pay that extra and get it done in your own country.”

A dog behaviour specialist reveals five key signs that your dog adores you.

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Your dog might not be able to talk, but it can still show you that it loves you by simple body language. And one canine behaviour expert has identified the telltale indicators that your dog adores you.

“A dog’s ‘love’ stems from trust, which can be built through the giving of affection and lures such as food and toys, including exercise and play, which can provide an important mental and physical outlet,” Adem Fehmi, a dog behaviour specialist at Barking Heads, explained.

“This is why a dog will often seem to have a greater attachment to their main care givers over others.

“This makes sense as these ‘lures’ fulfil their needs as social mammals and many breeds and types of dog have been bred in this modern day to provide us with companionship.”

Seeking your company

According to him, the primary indicator to watch for is whether they actively seek your company.

This behaviour manifests in various ways, such as welcoming you at the front door, seeking you out when you’re in another room or curling up beside you on the sofa during the evening. However, a desire to remain close isn’t invariably positive, with Adem cautioning: “If you feel like your dog has become your shadow, this may not be love but in fact a sign that your dog is experiencing anxiety and you should look to seek behavioural advice to help them become a more confident individual.”

Relaxing with you

A second indication your dog loves you is their willingness to relax comfortably in your space.

Adem noted: “A happy and content dog will be able to fully relax in your presence.

“You may also see them relaxing in more vulnerable positions such as laying on their side or even on their back with their feet in the air. This is a sign that they trust you, which is a key component of love.”

Body language

Another behaviour worth observing is whether your dog exhibits relaxed body language.

This includes tail wagging and a gentle facial expression.

Pressing into you

Similarly, if they press into you during petting, this can be interpreted as another demonstration of affection from your dog.

“Whilst some dogs might not like being touched so much, many will lean back into you when being stroked if they are enjoying the experience and, particularly, if they have a strong bond with you,” Adem explained.

Initiating play

The final indicator to watch for is their enthusiasm for walks or playtime with you, potentially even initiating games themselves.

Adem added: “A dog that is happy to engage with you is a dog who feels secure when you are around.

“Furthermore, instigating play is a way to gain your affection and attention, which can be a key indicator that your dog values your presence.”

His life was saved thanks to the incredible instincts of his golden retriever barking to wake up his wife who performed CPR and phoned the emergency services

A Co Fermanagh runner who had a cardiac arrest and lived to tell the tale thanks to his hero dog has been honoured in a very special way.

As previously reported by Belfast Live, Adam Cooke had a cardiac arrest in March 2024 while asleep in bed but thanks to the incredible instincts of his golden retriever Polly, barking to wake up Adam’s wife Hannah, who performed CPR and phoned the emergency services, his life was saved.

Adam, 39 and from Ballinamallard, a draughtsman for a steel company and keen runner, described that “normal” Monday in March when he went to work and when he came home, went for his “usual” evening run.

READ MORE: ‘My heart attack was a real shock after being fit and healthy all my life’READ MORE: ‘My heart transplant has been an amazing gift of life’

He recalled: “Hannah and I put our son Alfie, who was one at the time, to bed and then went to bed ourselves around 9.30pm. The next thing I remember was six days later, waking up in the cardiac ward in hospital.”

Hannah, 33, was awoken around 12.45am by their dog Polly’s barking, which was unusual during the night, so she checked the time on her phone.

She said: “Polly would bark the odd time if she hears anything as she sleeps in the kitchen which is directly below our bedroom. She’s very in tune with Adam, and when she barks I usually turn to Adam to tell him. That’s when I suddenly realised he was breathing very noisily.

“When I heard the noise Adam was making I sat bolt upright in bed as I previously worked as a carer and it hit me that it was the same noise I’ve heard when people are taking their final breaths.”

Hannah rang the emergency services and they advised her to pull Adam off the bed and onto the floor immediately and start CPR.

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She continued: “Adam is so much bigger than I am so I really don’t know how I got the strength but I managed to roll him off the bed and the call handler talked me through CPR. He was amazing at keeping me focused on what I had to do, as I was completely terrified.

“When I was giving Adam CPR, I could tell his whole body was fighting to come back. Sometimes he would open his eyes and I was shouting, this isn’t your time to go. I knew he was meant to stay alive, it was fate.”

After around seven minutes, the ambulance, community responder and two paramedics all arrived together and ran straight in to take over from Hannah who said: “I collapsed outside the room in complete shock and a neighbour ran in and helped me.

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“The paramedics continued CPR and used a defibrillator to shock Adam back to life. My memory was they kept saying he was back and then they lost him again.”

The paramedics shocked Adam seven times in total between his house and the hospital before they could get his heart rate normalised.

Adam was taken to ICU in the local hospital and Hannah mentions the “indescribable relief” that she and family members felt when the doctor told them Adam had survived.

Hannah said: “Polly alerted me, possibly within seconds of Adam’s cardiac arrest, she was the first responder. Because of her, I was able to start CPR almost immediately. The paramedics and first responders were amazing, they arrived so quickly and took action immediately.”

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Adam said: “I have always been very fit, running was a very important part of my life for over 20 years, and I took part in countless races from 5k distances up to multiple marathons. I was a member of Enniskillen Running Club and Omagh Harriers, I ran four or five times a week and did a bit of gym work.

“My resting heart rate was usually around 38 – in the hospital after my cardiac arrest they said I had a heart rate of an Olympic athlete, and this worked in my favour for recovery.”

He continued: “I remember going for the run on the Monday evening before my cardiac arrest and my next memory is almost a week later on the Sunday. I woke up in the hospital and the medical staff were all amazing at explaining everything but it felt very surreal.”

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Adam was in hospital for three and a half weeks for monitoring and testing before an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) was fitted and he was discharged.

He has since received a number of genetic tests and screening tests at Belfast City Hospital where he has been given a diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and will continue to have regular check-ups.

DCM is a disease of your heart muscle which enlarges your heart’s main pumping chamber (left ventricle), causing your heart’s muscle wall to stretch and become thin (dilate). This makes it harder for your heart to pump blood out of your heart and around your body.

In Northern Ireland, there are more than 1,400 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year. Adam is one of the fewer than one in ten people who survive and now an iconic British Heart Foundation (BHF) red bench has been unveiled near Enniskillen Castle, to recognise him.

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Adam said: “I’m delighted that my bench has been placed in such a popular setting where many families visit regularly, as it is important to me that the bench is there for the community to use.

“Having a bench in my name means a lot to me as it’s a reminder of how precious life is and how grateful I am for the care I’ve received to give me a second chance at life as well as the importance of the research work that BHF does.”

To mark 65 years since BHF began, the charity is unveiling 65 red benches across the UK in tribute to those living with cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks.

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Behind every bench is a powerful real-life story of someone living with a cardiovascular condition – and thanks to research, they can survive to enjoy life with their loved ones.

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