The Maltby Cricket Club, in Stockton, is celebrating eight decades since its post-war reformation in 1946.

As part of the celebrations Middlesbrough and a Darlington double promotion footballer Gary Gill, owner of the Chadwick’s Inn Maltby restaurant, met Sir Geoffrey alongside Maltby Cricket Club Chairman Chris Francis.

In a show of support, Sir Geoffrey has signed a number of club shirts that will be auctioned to raise funds during the anniversary celebrations.

Sir Geoffrey said: “It was lovely to meet Gary and Chris and it is clear they both have a great passion for cricket and for Maltby Cricket Club.

“As President of Scarborough Cricket Club, I see first-hand the pressures many local clubs are under and the challenges they face in maintaining facilities, attracting volunteers and encouraging the next generation to become involved in the game.

“Times are tough for many local cricket clubs and I sincerely wish Maltby Cricket Club every success in the world.

“Reaching an 80th anniversary is a fantastic achievement and a wonderful milestone for everyone connected with the club.

“It is a time to reflect on the club’s proud history, celebrate the people who have helped build it and bring the community together to help secure its future.

“Let’s hope the people of Maltby get down to the ground this summer and support the club.

“Community backing is vital and I wish everyone associated with the club all the very best for the future.

“It’s fantastic that Gary Gill is supporting the club and hopefully more will follow.”

Mr Gill said: “Maltby Cricket Club has been a huge part of the local community for generations and everyone connected with Chadwick’s is proud to support the club as it celebrates this wonderful 80th anniversary.

“We were honoured that Sir Geoffrey took the time to meet us and pass on his good wishes.

“He remains one of the biggest names the game has ever produced and his support means a great deal to everybody connected with the club.

“The shirts he signed will help us raise valuable funds and hopefully encourage even more people to get behind the club.

“Local cricket clubs are at the heart of their communities and it is important that we all do our bit to support them.

“We would love to see as many people as possible come along to the celebrations, enjoy the cricket and help ensure the club continues to flourish for many years to come.”

The club, which competes in the North Yorkshire & South Durham Cricket League, says the anniversary is as much about the future as it is the past.

Chairman Chris Francis said: “Having someone of Sir Geoffrey’s stature supporting our 80th anniversary celebrations means a great deal to everyone connected with the club.

“We are extremely grateful for his kind and supportive words and generosity in signing the shirts, which will help us raise important funds and raise awareness for us.

“Gary instigated our meet with Sir Geoffrey and for that we are very grateful.

“This anniversary is a celebration of the club’s proud heritage, but it is also about ensuring Maltby Cricket Club continues to thrive for future generations.

“We hope the local community will join us in marking this special occasion and supporting the club throughout the season.”

The club was reformed in 1946, making 2026 its 80th year since the post-war era.

The signed shirts will be auctioned as part of Maltby Cricket Club’s anniversary events, with proceeds helping to support the club.

For half a century, millions of workers have repeated a task across the deserts in northern China: inserting forearm-length sticks into shifting sand, first in a row, then in an intersecting line, gradually forming a grid. Then saplings are planted at the center of each small square.

The technique, known as “straw checkerboards,” is a simple yet widely used method to stabilize sand dunes against the wind and help plants take root by using water supplied through an irrigation system.

The widespread lattice it created across the sand has become the iconic image of China’s decades-long campaign against the spreading of desert conditions, known as the Three-North Protective Forest Program or the Green Great Wall.

The generations of work have yielded measurable progress, but scientists caution that preserving the gains will require decades of continued effort.

For a long time, drought, overgrazing and farming removed vegetation, harmed the soil and made areas vulnerable to wind and sandstorms. That kind of degradation of the land over time is known as desertification. The area of desertified land in northern China peaked in 2000, and it has been reduced by over 1,000 square kilometers (400 square miles) each year since then, according to data published by state media.

The Chinese government said the initiative launched in 1978 has played a crucial role in transforming vast regions covering nearly half of China from “the desertification advancing and people retreating” to “greenery advancing and the desertification retreating.” Forests planted by the program now cover a cumulative 500,000 square kilometers (200,000 square miles) .

“The broad significance of the Three-North Program is not only the scale of restoration, but the long-term political commitment behind it,” said Barron Joseph Orr, chief scientist for the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification. In a response to The Associated Press, he wrote that reversing desertification is possible when it becomes part of long-term development strategies.

Elsewhere, efforts to combat desertification have included a project launched in Africa in 2007 to plant trees across a number of countries to hold back the Sahara Desert.

Measuring the success of the Green Great Wall

The progress is the result of the efforts of frontline sand-control workers, along with top-level planning and substantial state investment, said Zhu Jiaojun, a scientist at the Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, who has long been dedicated to the construction and management of the program. He added that increased rainfall in recent years in some areas has made vegetation restoration easier.

“The achievement of desertification combat is due to people’s hard work and a bit of luck with climate,” he said.

According to long-term monitoring data by Zhu’s team, China’s desertified land has shrunk by around 10% overall since 2000, and areas of severely or extremely desertified land have decreased by more than 40%. Forest cover in the program area has risen from around 5% in 1978 to 14% in 2022.

In a recent government-organized media tour to a corner of Kubuqi Desert, about 800 kilometers (500 miles) to the west of Beijing, 60-year-old Yin Yuzhen recounted her early days of being a sand-control worker as “very lonely.” Working alongside her husband near her hometown in the neighboring Mu Us desert, she said that it felt delightful to encounter any other creature.

“Even the passing of a bird across the sky made me happy,” she said.

Four decades ago, she recalled, the sand often blew so thick that it made it hard to see a short distance.

“But now we can see the sun. We can see the green in the distance. We can see the road,” said Yin.

She and her husband now work from dawn to noon every day, attending to trees and fixing or replacing checkerboards. They are joined by their children and sometimes local volunteers.

Zhu, the scientist, estimated that over 300 million rural laborers have been involved in the program, mostly on a paid, part-time basis.

Sustaining both land and livelihood

Orr said restored ecosystems in drylands can become increasingly self-sustaining over time, but they still require careful management and long-term monitoring, with success depending on factors such as water availability and soil health.

The environmental advocacy group Green Camel Bell in Gansu province works to explain desertification and its risks to farmers and herders, plant trees with them in dryland areas, and help restore and sustain vegetation.

“Efforts to combat desertification and restore forests should be linked to local livelihoods, so communities do not see economic development and ecological protection as an either-or choice,” said its founder Zhao Zhong.

Orr agreed that restoration efforts have a much greater chance of succeeding if they’re structured to help communities benefit economically.

Zhu said that a key question for the project is how conservation can be sustained if the scale of human intervention and investment is reduced.

“This is what we are very concerned with and this is also the biggest challenge,” he said.

Yin hopes the younger generation will continue her work.

“We need to teach young people to love this Earth. If we love it with all our hearts, nature will love us in return,” she said.

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Video producer Olivia Zhang contributed to this story.

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CCTV footage shows a man loading ‘some kind of wooden stick’ into a car on the morning before Miss Widdecombe was murdered

A man was seen loading a “wooden stick” into a car outside a home reportedly linked to the suspect arrested for the murder of Ann Widdecombe, it has been reported. The former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokesperson was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor at about 11.40am on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries.

On Sunday, there was a substantial police presence at a house in Byrley Road in the Kimberworth Park area of Rotherham – more than 200 miles from the former minister’s home in Devon.

It comes after Devon and Cornwall Police said a 28-year-old white British man had been arrested on suspicion of murder in the South Yorkshire town on Saturday evening.

CCTV footage seen by The Telegraph appears to show a man leaving an address linked to the suspect at around 7am on Wednesday – the day Miss Widdecombe is believed to have been attacked.

The man is said to have been seen putting “some kind of wooden stick” into the passenger side of a red car before driving off, the newspaper reported.

Neighbours in Byrley Road told the Press Association police arrived at the terraced property just before the kick-off of the England World Cup match on Saturday night.

A number of units arrived and officers took a red car from the driveway at about 3am.

On Sunday evening, a South Yorkshire Police Tactical Support Group van was parked outside the house with at least two other marked vehicles, and forensics officers in white overalls were going in and out of the property.

One neighbour said: “It all happened just before the match. When we came home from watching it there were just two plain police cars there but everyone says there were loads more here before that.”

A woman said: “Nothing happens on this street. We’ve been here 12 years and nothing has ever happened.”

Asked about the man who lives in the house, she said the rest of the family moved out some time ago.

She said: “He’s been living there on his own. We’ve never even seen him. We don’t really know him. I don’t think anybody knows him. It’s so strange.”

Miss Widdecombe, who was 78, was first elected a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987, and went on to serve as an MEP for the Brexit Party and then a spokeswoman for Reform UK.

She also found fame outside politics after starring in Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.

On Sunday, Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “At this point, there is still no information to suggest that this is a terrorism-related incident and at this point we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this murder.

“At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that it was politically motivated.”

He said detectives “remain open-minded about the potential motive” and stressed there is not believed to be any threat to the wider public.

He added: “We are aware of online and public speculation, particularly with regards to motive.

“Again, I urge people not to share or engage with that speculation – it’s unhelpful, it doesn’t aid our investigation, and particularly, it’s distressing to the family and friends of Miss Widdecombe.”

READ MORE: Ann Widdecombe police rule out political motive as they question man

READ MORE: SNP’s £825k ‘bailout’ of Yes Scotland at end of 2014 referendum questioned

Chief Constable James Vaughan, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said the force has “mounted an extraordinary response to a horrific murder of a very prominent public figure”.

“The operation has been running at a lightning pace for 48 hours,” he added.

“I am really pleased that we have a suspect firmly in custody and that will undergo some further work from us today.

“Well done to all – this is clearly British policing at its very best.”

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It has a mix of character cottages, modern family homes and more

Cambridgeshire has no shortage of towns and villages offering commuters the opportunity to live in affordable, rural-locations while being within easy reach of major employment hubs. Doddington is an attractive option for commuters seeking the tranquility of village life while having easy access towards Ely, Peterborough, Huntingdon and Cambridge.

Around half way between Chatteris and March, the village is home to more than 2500 residents, according to the 2021 census. A third of residents leave the village each day for work.

Steve Bowles, director of estate agents Next Level Property says: “Doddington ticks every single box” with “very few” people choosing to ever leave the village once moving there.

“Unlike many villages that have become little more than commuter locations, Doddington still feels like a proper village. People know their neighbours. Local events are well supported…while sports clubs, community groups and local organisations ensure there’s always something happening,” he adds.

Alongside its community spirit, Mr Bowles also says the variety of housing is one of the village’s biggest strengths. Its character cottages, modern family homes, rural homes with generous gardens and bungalows means there is something for buyers at every stage of life.

Despite its rural setting, it doesn’t compromise on convenience. It offers a GP surgery and minor injuries unit, a primary school, a choice of pubs and restaurants, and ample green space.

The village also boasts a wealth of local history with landmarks including St Mary’s Church and its Victorian Clock tower, giving the village character and identity.

Surrounded by the Fenland landscape, residents can enjoy open skies, sunsets, peaceful country walks and wildlife, while remaining well connected to some of the region’s largest towns and cities.

According to sales data over the past 12 months provided by Next Level Property, the average house price in Doddington is £285,000.

Andrew Castle and Tim Henman commentated on the Wimbledon men’s singles final together before paying emotional tributes to each other after the match’s conclusion

Tim Henman paid a heartfelt tribute to Andrew Castle following his final Wimbledon commentary for the BBC.

Castle, who has served as the corporation’s lead television commentator at the Championships for the past 23 years, is departing after this summer’s tournament. The announcement came ahead of play getting underway at the All England Club, with Castle discussing the change in an interview with The Times before the BBC later confirmed the news with an official statement.

Before bidding farewell to his viewers, Castle received a warm send-off from his long-time colleague, Henman, in an emotional live exchange on BBC One.

The four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist said: “Andrew, I’ve got to head up to the studio now, but I want to take the opportunity to thank you so much for sharing the commentary box with you for so many years.

“You’ve been an absolute star, you’ve taught me so much, and I’ll miss you a lot, but what a great way to finish off.”

Castle responded by saying: “I knew you when you were an annoying 14-year-old, and I’ve known you that whole time. Thanks for your company, and you, Andre.”

Andre Agassi and Henman joined Castle in the commentary box for the men’s singles final, in which Jannik Sinner successfully defended his title, defeating French Open champion Alexander Zverev 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Castle continued: “Tim, all the best, and take care. See you, mate. I shall never forget Tim Henman shooting up in 2013 when Andy Murray won and elbowing me right in the head on match point because he was so excited.”

He signed off by saying: “What a pleasure and a privilege it has been to watch him [Sinner] and [Carlos] Alcaraz and [Roger] Federer and [Novak] Djokovic and [Rafael] Nadal, and Andy Murray perhaps in particular, over the years. Take care and thank you.”

Earlier in the broadcast, Castle sent a parting shot to the BBC as he claimed he’d been ‘booted’ out of his role. He said: “Yes, I am a bit sad about it, of course. I have fabulous memories, even working with John (Lloyd). And John is finishing as well, we’re being put out to grass, I mean, that’s it. Booted.”

Lloyd responded warmly: “I’ve had a good run. We were talking about it earlier. I started when there was still black-and-white TV, so it’s been a while.

“You didn’t start that young, you’re much younger than me, and you were great to work with, and I loved every minute of it.”

Castle brought proceedings to a close with: “Well, I did too. My kids were eight and 10 when I did my first Wimbledon final, and they’re now married. One has children, and there’s one expecting on the way, so don’t tell me there’s nothing to do.”

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

The southbound carriageway was affected between junctions 4 (Walkden) and 2 (Kearsley), with all traffic temporarily held and delays reaching up to 40 minutes.

All lanes have now reopened, and police have issued an update.

Greater Manchester Police said: “The incident was a two vehicle road traffic collision.

“We were called at around 1:45pm. Three people being treated for injuries but not deemed life changing or threatening. No arrests at this time”

The incident was first reported just at around 1:45pm, and emergency services attended the scene.

Three people were treated for injuries, but nothing was considered life changing or life threatening.

Lanes two and three reopened by around 2:52pm, with delays at this point expected to be around 40 minutes above normal with three miles of congestion.

National Highways confirmed at 3:55pm that all lanes had reopened, though there were still 20 minute delays for drivers and two miles of congestion.

Luckily for those living in York, there are so many beaches that are easy to reach from the city to have a cooling dip in the sea.

If you are looking for somewhere family-friendly or want a quieter beach to relax on, there are plenty of options to suit each person’s needs.

Here are five beaches you should visit along the Yorkshire coast this summer.

These five beaches would be great for a family day trip. (Image: Tripadvisor)

What beaches can I easily reach from York?

Mappleton Beach

Mappleton Beach can be found three miles south of the popular seaside resort of Hornsea.

This means you won’t find the usual attractions in the area, so it offers a quieter alternative for dog walking and relaxing.

The Old Post Office Tea Rooms can be found a short walk away from the beach and serves savoury dishes as well as cakes and coffees for your trip.

Mappleton Beach also has a free car park.

Whitby West Cliff Beach

Whitby West Cliff Beach is mostly sandy with a few rocks and is also known as Whitby Sands Beach.

The beach is only a few minutes’ walk away from the town centre, making it easy to pop into the shops and restaurants nearby.

You can hire one of the colourful beach huts to call home for the day, as well as deckchairs and windbreaks.

There are paid car parks at the West Cliff and Pavilion Top.

Sandsend Beach

Sandsend beach is close to Whitby and is a great place for children to explore with plenty of rock pools around and fossil hunting.

The Hart Inn is the village’s local pub where you can enjoy a drink or meal in the beer garden.

Visitors of the beach on Tripadvisor have said it’s a “lovely” and “clean” beach with lots of “little cafes and kiosks for snacks and ice creams”.

You can park in the Sandsend car park that is at the north end of the beach.

Scarborough beach

Scarborough is a hugely popular seaside resort and might be the perfect option for those with children.

You can easily fill a day here in the amusement parks, walking along the Victorian promenade with an ice cream or splashing in the sea.

Reviewers on Tripadvisor have said the beach is a “beautiful oasis.”

During the busy periods, there is a park and ride service available to get into Scarborough.

Fraisthorpe Beach

Fraisthorpe Beach is another sandy area on the Yorkshire coast that is a calmer alternative to many busy seaside resorts.

At low tide, the beach goes on for miles making it perfect for beach games and long walks.

There is a privately owned car park that you can pay to use.

There is a café close to the entrance of the car park that sells refreshments and snacks, as well as toilets.

Will you be visiting any of these beaches throughout the summer? Let us know in the comments.

The MenB vaccine was added to the UK NHS childhood immunisation programme for babies born on or after 1 July 2015. All babies are now offered it.

But it means teenagers and young adults over the age of 11 have not received this jab.

Young babies are vaccinated because they are more likely to get invasive infections more often than other age groups, and their bodies are less likely to be able to fight them off.

However, research suggests the MenB vaccine doesn’t necessarily prevent transmission of the infection from person to person, doesn’t target all the different B bacteria strains and doesn’t provide long-term protection.

UK vaccine experts have therefore concluded that it isn’t cost effective to offer the MenB vaccine to all adolescents.

But they do want everyone who is eligible to come forward and get the vaccine because it can prevent serious illness.

Around 10,000 people in the Kent region will have already received jabs, as part of the response to the March outbreak.

New RSPCA figures have revealed an increase in animal cruelty reports in the county

New figures have revealed that animal cruelty is on the rise in Cambridgeshire, according to the RSPCA. Cambridgeshire saw a 17 per cent increase in the number of cruelty reports over the summer months last year.

According to the RSPCA figures, 81 reports of deliberate harm to animals were reported in the county last summer, up from 69 the previous year. This forms part of a wider trend nationally, with a 64 per cent increase in just five years.

RSPCA Superintendent Jo Hirst said: “It’s incredibly alarming that we are seeing year after year of rising reports of cruelty. The summer months are our busiest times of year and our frontline rescue teams, specialist vets, behaviourists, rehabilitation and rehoming teams, will be working tirelessly to help as many animals as possible.”

Nationally, the RSPCA received 6,322 cruelty calls to their emergency line last year which is one call every 10 minutes when the line is open in June, July and August. In comparison, the charity took 3,852 calls for the same period in 2021 – showing a “massive” 64% increase in just five years.

In one Cambridgeshire cruelty case, a kitten suffered horrific deliberate injuries which resulted in several injuries including fractures, bruising to the head and tail and the perpetrator admitted causing the injuries by inflicting trauma.

The kitten died, and a RSPCA investigation led to the prosecution of a man, resulting in a lifetime ban on keeping animals and a suspended prison sentence for the offence.

RSPCA has launched a ‘Cruelty Hurts, Love Rescues’ campaign to raise awareness in response to the “shocking” figures. It has also raised concerns about a potential further increase in cruelty during the World Cup.

Research has shown domestic abuse incidents spike during football tournaments, and reportedly, pets can also suffer from this crime, although not a direct cause.

In one case, a kitten named Chester was left “close to death” after he was subjected to a series of attacks by a man while his partner was at work.

The woman returned from work and found her three-month-old kitten hiding and terrified with a visible eye injury and in obvious pain. She rushed him to a vet and it was found Chester had a swollen jaw, neurological issues and an injured leg.

The vet became suspicious and alerted RSPCA, who took Chester away for safety reasons.

After realising her kitten had been a victim of violence, the woman reached out to her mum, police and RSPCA for help. She left the relationship and her partner later pleaded guilty to multiple animal welfare offences.

Chester was fostered by the charity where he made a full recovery and has since been reunited with his owner in a new home.