The airline will resume a limited number of commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi on Friday, March 6, as tensions in the Middle East enter their seventh day

Etihad Airways is set to restart a limited selection of commercial services to and from Abu Dhabi. Amongst the routes being reinstated are London and New York.

The carrier confirmed the flights will recommence on Friday, March 6, as Middle Eastern tensions reach their seventh day.

Airspace across the Middle East has been closed and flight operations thrown into chaos following coordinated strikes by Israel and the United States on multiple strategic sites in Iran on Saturday, February 28. Iran has retaliated with assaults on various countries throughout the region, sparking widespread alarm, reports the Manchester Evening News..

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Passengers and the general public have been advised against travelling to the airport unless they have received direct contact from Etihad or possess a confirmed reservation on one of these reinstated services.

Etihad Airways stated that passengers holding existing bookings will be accommodated at the earliest opportunity on these flights.

“The decision has been taken in coordination with relevant authorities following extensive safety and security assessments. Etihad continues to monitor the situation closely and will only operate flights once all safety criteria are met,” the airline wrote in a post on.

All remaining scheduled commercial operations to and from Abu Dhabi stay suspended and passengers will receive direct notification from Etihad confirming their flight status and outlining available alternatives. Visitors have been urged to keep their contact information current and check their inbox regularly for the latest developments.

“Safety remains our absolute priority, and services will operate only once all safety criteria are met,” the statement read.

The most recent information can be found here.

Bolton’s Makers Market was first held last year on October 12 and quickly proved a hit, with some stalls almost selling out of products.

It will be returning to Newport Street this Sunday (March 8) with a packed line-up of artisan makers, street food traders and creatives from across the region.

Bolton Makers Market will return this weekend (Image: Bolton Makers Market)

Live music will take place throughout the day, performed by local musician Chris Tavener.

Families will be warmly welcomed with a free children’s crafting station hosted by Rabbits Small, giving kids the chance to get creative while their parents explore the stalls.

Visitors will be able to enjoy a range of food from gourmet grilled cheese toasties from Absolute Meltdown to pies from Chris.cheshirepie and scotch eggs from Mr Murray’s Scotch Eggs.

Bolton Makers Market will return this weekend (Image: Bolton Makers Market)

There will also be authentic curries, samosas and bhajis from The Curry Man, Asian snacks from THE KASHMIRI GUYS and cuisine from Persian Food and Dessert.

Sweet treats will be in abundance too, with cookies and brownies from Baked by Nicola, banana bread from Sheila’s Sweet Slice, cinnamon rolls and cake slices from Syllasweet Cakery Ltd, plus honey and beeswax products from Bright Meadows Honey.

Cheese lovers can stock up with Kick Ass Cheese and Bogarts Cheese, alongside pour-over sauces from Sizzlers – Prime Meats and handcrafted rum from The Salford Rum Company.

Bolton Makers Market will return this weekend (Image: Bolton Makers Market)

 Creative shoppers can browse handmade jewellery from Grace Alexandra Jewellery, Breaking Hearts Jewels and Summerday, crochet accessories from Ortensia Atelier, folklore-inspired art from Northern Folklore Archive, resin creations from Sheryl Toomey-Brown and beautifully crafted wooden pieces from Kazbahcollective.

You’ll also find 3D printed designs from 3d Foundry and Filament forge.uk, laser-cut gifts from Droylsden Laser, original books from crime fiction author James Ellson, handmade craft kits from The Happy Harbour, and much more.

Bolton’s Makers Market will be at Newport Street this Sunday (March 8) from 11am to 4pm.

It’s been nearly 13 years since fans first met Tommy Shelby, the Peaky Blinders’ ruthless and violent but menacingly charming gang leader who has been cemented as a fan favourite TV icon thanks to Cillian Murphy’s nuanced performance.

Tommy is back in new Netflix film The Immortal Man to sort out the reckless younger generation of Peaky Blinders, now led by his illegitimate son Duke (Barry Keoghan) during World War Two.

A true anti-hero who audiences have watched maim others with his razor-brimmed flat cap as well as torture and murder victims – and even betray his family – over the course of six seasons, Tommy was last seen on horseback riding off to an ambiguous future as the TV series wrapped in 2022 (1934 on screen).

But despite the acts of brutality and bloodshed that Tommy has continuously been part of – and often instigated – fans still love the supremely complicated character.

Ahead of his much-anticipated return to the role, I ask the man himself, Oppenheimer Oscar-winner Murphy, as I sit down with him and new Peaky co-star Tim Roth, why that might be.

The 49-year-old star initially suggests he’s unsure what myriad reasons make up ‘the whole’ of Tommy’s attraction to folks before giving most credit to long-form television.

‘It allows you to really explore all the light and shade, all the different complexities that characters can have,’ he says.

‘And despite the fact that this is gangster and stylised and genre and heightened, there’s a great deal of humanity in it. Like, if the character gets injured, he stays injured. There’re consequences from the violence. Steve has woven in politics; characters die and it’s heartbreaking.

‘And I think if you spend that length of time with a character, you will begin to invest in them in an emotional, kind of intimate way, which you don’t always get with films – you get it in a different way. But with long form telly, it’s unusual, and there’s an ownership that the audience has which is kind of interesting.’

This is gangster and stylised but there’s a great deal of humanity in it

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‘You can put a character under a microscope and spend time with their weaknesses,’ adds Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs actor Roth. ‘You can do a whole episode on one aspect of a character and investigate it, whereas you don’t necessarily have the time to do that cinematically.’

Unsurprisingly, Murphy hasn’t credited any of Tommy’s popularity to his own performance, which has helped the show break through to enjoy remarkable success on a global scale  

‘It’s very humbling when it does, but I do think that’s the fans doing,’ is all he’ll modestly say on that point.

How Peaky Blinders and Cillian Murphy made Birmingham cool again

The Cork-born star has also been responsible for performing some major PR on Birmingham’s behalf in recent years, mastering the Brum burr of Shelby – who lives in Small Heath – with quiet flair.

Locals have been ‘very kind’ in their feedback on his efforts over the years, Murphy acknowledges.

‘Originally when we started doing it, I would leave voice messages on [series creator] Steve Knight’s phone because he’s a true-blue Brummie, and he would let me know if I was getting close.’

However, the 28 Days Later actor made the decision from the start ‘to not lean into it’.

‘There’s always been this kind of comedic version of the Brummies,’ Murphy explains, with Roth supplying Auf Wiedersehen, Pet as a prime example.

‘[So I wanted to] avoid all of that and to make him cool and mysterious, just like Birmingham has all of that – it’s totally there – but it took Steve to show the world.’ (Roth rests some responsibility on Solihull-raised comedian Joe Lycett too, whom he ‘loves’.)

Spending so long with Tommy – and returning to him over the years – has also taught Murphy ‘discipline’, he says.

I wanted to avoid the comedic version of the Brummies

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‘We shot the TV show at a very, very fast pace, shooting six hours in the same amount of time you shoot a feature film. And we always had real cinematic ambition for the show, and the production values we always wanted to keep extremely high – and I think we managed to maintain that.’

‘I don’t really go into parts looking to learn stuff – obviously it happens as you play them,’ he continues, ‘but I can just say that I’m immensely grateful for it.’

‘To be given that level of quality of writing for that length of time, and for the story to have gotten richer and deeper, more satisfying for us, and for the fans that have been so loyal and stayed with the show.

‘It’s been a huge part of my life,’ he adds.

Introducing Tommy Shelby’s new enemy, Tim Roth’s Nazi ally Beckett

Oscar nominee Roth, who starred last year in Sottish samurai Western Tornado and has also appeared in Planet of the Apes and The Incredible Hulk, plays Tommy’s new adversary Beckett, a Nazi-sympathiser who is ready to help win the war for Germany.

Beckett, a chillingly casual yet ruthless antagonist and another fascist for the Peaky Blinders to tackle, is ‘a lovely fellow’, quips Roth.

The Cockney character was initially written ‘very differently’ though, with Roth suggesting an overhaul.

‘He was from a different class and [had a] kind of aristocratic vibe to him, a militaristic vibe, and I just thought it’d be nice to play him like a geography teacher,’ he explains. ‘I think that brought a possible element of the fatherly masquerade to it, which maybe slightly became a reality for the character somehow.’

Beckett ends up working with Duke in the hopes of using the gang’s well-established criminal links to aid in his mission for the Nazis.

For 64-year-old Roth, the wartime setting resonates due to the experiences of his father, who was 17 around then – and he relished the cinematic ambition and schedule of The Immortal Man.

‘You really felt when you when you were there, it’s almost payback for the loyalty of the fans and the enjoyment that they have. It’s quite an extraordinary place to be,’ he adds.

[Tommy and Beckett] are equals and opposite sides of the coin

Beckett is perhaps Tommy’s most challenging opponent to date, and the pair share similarities in their measured yet violet approach.

‘They kind of circle around each other, and the two times they encounter each other is very explosive and visceral, but there’s not that much interaction – and yet each has a huge influence on the other,’ shares Murphy.

‘I think initially Beckett would have liked to have done business with Tommy. He ends up with Tommy’s son, and he has to kind of recalibrate in terms of how he’s going to get this thing done. But I do think they feel like sort of equals and opposite sides of the coin.’

This allows Tommy the chance to shine more, I suggest, the harder his adversary is to overcome.

‘That’s in the writing too,’ points out Roth. ‘You need to create a big enough mountain for these guys to climb over, to conquer. And I think [Knight] did such a good job in writing that.’

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is in UK and US cinemas from today. It streams exclusively on Netflix from March 20.

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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.”

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

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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