The fire at Dovestone began on Saturday (July 11), and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) has been working round the clock to contain the spread since then.

The Oldham Times visited the site this morning (July 16), where smoke was still coming from the moorland, with patches spread across several spaces.

The moors near Dovestone Reservoir have been on fire for several days (Image: NQ)

All entrances to Dovestone were cordoned off by the police and several walkers were turned away during the time an Oldham Times reporter was in attendance.

One man, who was trying to access the reservoir, said: “It’s just awful.

“I didn’t realise that the whole reservoir was closed, and I come here all the time, so it’s disappointing to get here and find it closed.

Smoke coming from moorland near Dovestone (Image: NQ)

“It’s the wildlife I really fear for, so many animals live on these moors, from farm animals to wild ones like hares and deer.

“I can’t bear to think how many of them have lost their home, or worse, died.”

@theoldhamtimes Dovestone is burning for a fifth day today after a fire began on July 11. A 20-year- old woman has been charged with aggravated arson and other offences in relation to the fire. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Sevice has said that the fire remains a ‘complex and active’ incident. #dovestone #dovestonefire ♬ original sound – The Oldham Times

Dave Bell, who owns The Old Cobblers in Greenfield, which is down the road from Dovestone, said: “It’s kind of annoyingly inevitable.

“I think that something more severe needs to be done to stop it, because it does happen, and, you know, if there’s no rain, it’s going to happen.

“It’s always something that sets it off, at least once a year.

A sign showing the risk of moorland fires near the incident (Image: NQ)

“So I don’t really know what the answer is, but maybe stronger restrictions regarding who goes there, what they take up there, whether there needs to be security, whether we need to think about permits for the people that go there, so that they know who they are, because it is obviously a massive problem.

“I think if you asked the fire brigade, they’d say there’s a huge problem.”

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a 20-year-old woman had been charged with aggravated arson in relation to the fire.

The moors near Dovestone Reservoir have been on fire for several days (Image: NQ)

Shania Care-Slede, of Market Street in Hyde, appeared before Manchester Magistrates Court on July 14, where the case was referred to the Crown Court.

She will appear before Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on August 18, when she will be asked to enter a plea to the charges.

She was also charged with being reckless as to whether life was endangered and dangerous driving.

Hovingham Village Market is launching its Young Enterprise Award to support young local entrepreneurs.

Successful applicants will be charged super-low rents for the first six months and given access to hands-on training and mentoring.

The scheme is linked to the National Market Traders Federation Young Traders Markets Campaign.

Young traders at Hovingham Village Market will also be encouraged to enter the

annual Young Trader Market competition, with the chance to become regional and

maybe even UK champions.

The Young Entrepreneurship Review published by the Princes Trust (now the Kings Trust) in 2021 found that while 53 per cent of 18 to 30-year olds in this country dream of setting up their own business, only eight per cent are actually self-employed.

The report identified three key barriers to young people realising their entrepreneurial ambitions – access to finance and support, confidence and expectation and access to networks.

Murray Stewart, Vice Chair of Hovingham Village Market said their aim was to encourage and support a new generation of local entrepreneurs – the traders

of tomorrow.

“Our Young Enterprise Award aims to reduce all three barriers, by providing financial support, practical guidance to build skills, and mentoring from more experienced traders.

“We know there are many young people out there with great business ideas. But it’s hard to get a toehold; set-up costs can be high, and the red tape can feel daunting.

“Our new scheme aims to take the pressure off, by giving young entrepreneurs a low-cost, low-risk route in.”

Rob Thompson, Hovingham Market Advisor said running a successful business was not just about money, it’s also about having

“Launching a new retail business is more than just a great product. It’s about

understanding your target market and communicating your offer with confidence and wit. It’s about selling yourself.

“As well as supporting young entrepreneurs, the scheme will benefit Hovingham Village Market in many ways, including recruiting new traders, attracting new customers and – last but not least – bringing in fresh ideas, products and ways of thinking.”

National Market Traders Federation CEO Joe Harrison said: “Markets are the ideal platform to test, develop and grow a new business to whatever ends the young traders’ aspirations and ultimate goals for their business are.

“Whether that be continuing on a market, moving into bricks and mortar retailing or wholesaling and manufacturing at a much greater level.”

The scheme is open to all young people aged 16-30, at July 1,2026, who live within 30 miles of Hovingham village (YO62 4LF).

It’s aimed at applicants who are actively involved in managing their stall, making key decisions on what to sell and how. are The market is also looking for new traders who will add to our existing rich mix of stalls. They may be making or growing their own product, or selling unusual items sourced from elsewhere.

They are especially interested in environmentally conscious products and in traders who are passionate about what they sell. In keeping with the Hovingham Village Market ethos, all products should be good quality and distinctive.

The chosen young traders will be asked to pay just £30 to attend their first three

markets – that’s a saving of £40 on the normal three-market price.

For markets four to six, they will pay £45; a further saving of £25. Where necessary, the market will also fund any Public Liability Insurance required for the first six months of trading.

After six months, they may choose to stay on as a regular trader, as part of the Hovingham Village Market ‘family’.

As well as financial support, the market will also provide practical guidance, drawing on its team’s many years’ experience, and one-on-one advice from other market traders.

A fuller description of the scheme can be found on the Hovingham Village

Market website, https://hovingham-market.org.uk/ or requested via email from Meg Abdy, themarket@hovingham.org.uk

The Cardiff centre has impressed for Wales U20s this summer and is set to hit the heights

In Welsh rugby, there are prospects and there are players spoken about in different terms altogether. Steffan Emanuel belongs firmly in the latter category.

For the last few years the Cardiff centre has been viewed as one of the country’s outstanding young talents, a player widely expected to graduate to the highest level.

The 20-year-old is already firmly on Steve Tandy’s radar, featuring on the national side’s succession plan, and a senior Wales debut appears a matter of when, not if.

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Before departing for the World Rugby U20 Championship in Georgia, Emanuel spent time with the senior Wales squad during one of Tandy’s alignment camps, another sign of the regard in which he is held.

“It was an unbelievable experience and to start dripping in with those senior members has been invaluable,” he said. “To see how they operate it has been invaluable.

“A lot of it was meetings around how Steve wants the team to operate and why we do what we do. It was over two days and that was the first day. The boys did the bronco but I had the bronco calf so I managed to get out of that!

“There was a lot of skills work on the second day. There was a lot of implementing what Steve wants more than anything.”

Only a few years ago, Emanuel was an admirer of many of the players who now share a training field with him.

The transition from prospect to genuine contender has been swift, and it will not be long before he is challenging for a place in the senior Wales squad.

“Yes, it was surreal playing and training with those boys,” he said. “I’m really lucky to do that at Cardiff as well. If you’d told me even last year I’d be training with Leigh Halfpenny, I’d laugh in your face.

“To get those experiences to train with Joe Hawkins, Eddie James and Ben Thomas – just to name a few – and to see how they operate is inspiring. Hopefully I’m lucky enough to be in their shoes in a few years time.”

Emanuel has yet again been one of Wales U20s’ standout players this summer. The co-captain is a triple threat player with a terrific skillset who makes good decisions under pressure and can read the game extremely well.

He is in a backline which includes a number of Cardiff academy players, including scrum-half Sion Davies, centre Osian Darwin-Lewis and wings Rhys Cummings and Tom Bowen.

The future looks extremely bright for Cardiff and it would be a surprise if Emanuel was not a permanent fixture in Corniel van Zyl’s side next season.

“I think the catchment area of Cardiff is massive,” he said. “Just to be in with those type of guys is unbelievable. To come through with essentially your best mates you can’t buy that really.

“All of us will try to keep our head down, train as hard as we can and hopefully we will be regular starters for the senior Cardiff team.”

He also believes Wales Under-20 fly-half Carwyn Leggatt-Jones has the talent to reach the very top and hopes they will one day line up together for the senior national side.

“He’s a class player and a class boy,” he said. “Sometimes you think why has he done that but he’s excellent.

“For a young boy he’s got so much confidence and he’s got a high ceiling. He’s so good to play with and who knows in a few years we can continue that partnership.”

Wales U20s face Scotland in the fifth-placed play-off tomorrow following their dramatic victory over Australia.

Should they win it will be their highest placed finish since 2013 and Emanuel insists they are determined to come out on top.

“It would be massive for us,” he said “We spoke about it in the week that it would be the first time since 2013. The country hasn’t done it for that long so if we can be the first crop to do it since then it would be massive.

“Not just for us but for those at home. I think it would give the nation a bit of a boost as well. They’ve grown massively over the last 12-18 months as well so it is going to be one hell of a challenge.

“They’ve also picked up some great scalps as well. It is going to be a tough game and hopefully we can end our campaign on a high.

“We play them throughout the season and we know each other inside out. It’s a mindset at the end of the day and whoever wants to win it more will be winners.”

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Fires in the past burned more frequently in western Canada, but recent years have seen that trend migrate eastward, with large fires now burning in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic provinces, Prof Chasmer said, leading to more noticeable smoke in densely populated cities like Toronto and New York.

She added that this has strained firefighting efforts in Canada, whose primary focus is to ensure the flames don’t spread to nearby towns. Putting out the fires completely is “very difficult”, Prof Chasmer noted, due to their scope and intensity.

Responding to the criticism from US lawmakers, Carney said on Thursday that both countries have a responsibility to fight climate change.

He added his government is “in close communication” with provinces and local communities and is prepared to help.

Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford dismissed criticism of his government’s handling of the fires, noting that over 150 fire crews are on the ground battling the blaze.

“We will spend whatever it takes,” Ford said.

In addition to the hazardous smoke, the wildfires in northern Ontario have forced hundreds from local First Nations communities to evacuate, with videos showing some fleeing the remote area by boat.

Homes and buildings in the area have also been damaged extensively by the flames, said Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige in a statement.

A dramatic video on Wednesday showed a freight train in Ontario, Canada surrounded by wildfire flames, as workers requested an emergency rescue.

Canadian National Rail said in a statement that the workers who were trapped outside Armstrong were all safely rescued, and that operations have been temporarily suspended in the region.

The care home has had several monitoring inspections since a full inspection in February 2026 which found it to be ‘inadequate’

A child harmed herself at a care home where Ofsted continues to raise concerns. The watchdog carried out its latest monitoring visit at Clare Lodge care home in Lincoln Road, Glinton, on May 27.

The care home, which is overseen by Peterborough City Council, has continued to be monitored by Ofsted after it was rated inadequate at a full inspection in February.

During the monitoring visit, inspectors recognised that the home generally provides a “suitable environment for the secure care of vulnerable children”. It noted that some areas require “immediate attention”.

The report outlines an incident where a child was able to use a “fitting” at the home to harm themselves and Ofsted was notified. During the May inspection, inspectors identified “the same fitting had not been repaired effectively and remained a risk to children”.

The report added: “A child’s bedroom had the same failure that had not been identified or addressed. This bedroom was not occupied at the time, but senior staff could not tell inspectors if this failure had been evident before a child recently moved out of this room.”

Items and other fittings with a “potential risk to children” were also discovered by inspectors, which were immediately raised with staff. Inspectors were told that regular security and safety checks are carried out by staff, but these have “failed to identify and address these matters”, the report highlighted.

The report added: “Some areas were unkempt and not kept a good enough standard for the children. For example, the entrance corridor to the music room was dirty with cobwebs on the walls. An outside play area used regularly by children had a number of weeds growing that appeared to have been there for some time.

“Two mirrors, one in a lounge and one in a child’s bedroom, had graffiti left from a child who has moved out of the home. This lack of care of the environment impacts on children’s perceptions of how they are valued and on their life at the home.”

A spokesperson for Peterborough City Council said: “We acknowledge the findings of Ofsted’s latest monitoring visit at Clare Lodge. The latest monitoring visit reflects the progress being made in some important areas, but we are not complacent and fully recognise that further work is needed to deliver the consistently high standards our children and families deserve.

“We accept the findings and remain focused on strengthening practice, improving consistency and ensuring children receive the right help and protection at the right time.”

Clare Lodge cares for up to 16 girls between 10 and 17 years old. At the time of the May inspection, four children were living at the care home.

The six-time major champion endured a frustrating start to his round at Royal Birkdale due to some costly missed putts.

Rory McIlroy had commentators in awe as he drove a par four measuring over 400 yards in the opening round of the Open Championship.

The six-time major champion endured a frustrating start to his round at Royal Birkdale due to some costly missed putts.

After three opening pars, McIlroy bogeyed the par three fourth hole and missed a short putt on the par three seventh hole.

McIlroy looked set to pick up a shot on the eighth hole after a sublime second shot, only to miss a birdie putt from inside four feet.

The 2014 Open Champion then stepped onto the 415-yard par four ninth hole cutting a frustrated figure.

While the rest of the field were playing the hole as a two-shotter, McIlroy had other ideas, taking his driver out of the bag to cheers from the fans surrounding the tee box.

McIlroy then proceeded to unleash a monstrous drive that ended up rolling all the way onto the green.

It set up a two-putt birdie for McIlroy to make the turn in 35 strokes at one-over-par, which, at the time of writing, is six shots behind American Jackson Suber.

The new Sainsbury’s Local opened in Terminal 3 Arrivals on today (July 16), making Manchester the third UK airport to have a Sainsbury’s store after Edinburgh and London Luton.

The convenience store is expected to create 24 jobs and will stock a range of everyday essentials, including meal deals, snacks, drinks, groceries and household items for passengers and airport staff.

Inside the new store (Image: Manchester Airport)

Customers will also be able to collect online orders from Argos and Habitat at the store, giving travellers the option to pick up purchases before departing or after returning from a trip.

The opening comes as Manchester Airport continues a major transformation of Terminal 3.

The terminal has expanded following the closure of Terminal 1 earlier this year, with part of the former terminal incorporated into T3.

A new 400-seat sports bar has already opened in the departure lounge, while Italian restaurant Terracotta is due to open later this year.

(Image: Manchester Airport)

Richard Jackson, Retail Director at Manchester Airport, said: “It’s wonderful to see such an iconic name joining the line-up of places to eat, drink and shop in Terminal 3.

“We know when passengers arrive back into the country after a trip abroad, they value the convenience of being able to pick up the essentials they need to restock their fridges or kitchen cupboards right here.

“This is a great addition to our retail options in T3 Arrivals and I’m sure it’ll prove very popular.

“The added bonus of being able to collect your Argos or Habitat orders from this store means you can order something while on holiday and pick it up as soon as you arrive back at the airport – or order essentials for your trip and pick them up before you check in for your flight.”

David Pilbeam, Sainsbury’s Director of Acquisitions, Capital Projects and Engineering, said the company was pleased to expand its presence in UK transport hubs.

He said: “We’re delighted to have opened our brand-new Sainsbury’s Local in Manchester Airport today, where we’re excited to play a key role in the ongoing regeneration of Terminal 3.

“We’re passionate about bringing more delicious Sainsbury’s food to more customers in more locations throughout the UK.

“Part of this includes our continued expansion into key transport hubs like UK train stations and, more recently, airports.

“I’m looking forward to seeing our third airport store build on the success of our first two as we bring some of the best of Sainsbury’s convenience offer to the busy passengers and colleagues in Manchester Airport, 24 hours a day.”

A mother has been found guilty of killing her baby daughter due to heat from a hairdryer.

Courtney Gartshore, 28, denied culpable homicide of her three-month-old daughter Dahlia-Rose who was in her care in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, in September 2023.

The jury took just over an hour to return a guilty verdict on the seventh day of the trial.

Gartshore, who sobbed as she was led to the cells, will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on 14 August.

She was found guilty of of culpably and recklessly causing Dahlia-Rose to be subjected to heat from the appliance while the child was in her sole care.

The charge stated that Dahlia-Rose’s injuries were so severe that she died as a result.

It was claimed Gartshore had consumed alcohol beforehand.

Other charges she had originally faced were dropped by the Crown.

Kirkham Henry Performing Arts, based in Malton, is hosting Showcase ’26, as part of the first Ryedale Gateway Festival.

Held at Norton College, the event will include musical theatre, jazz, tap, contemporary, ballet, and commercial dance, performed by the centre’s youth choirs and ballet company.

Director Angela Kirkham said: “Since 1989, Kirkham Henry Performing Arts has been dedicated to providing outstanding dance and performing arts training in a nurturing, inclusive environment.

“Whether your ambition is a career in the performing arts or simply to dance for the joy of it, the choice is yours. Every student receives the same exceptional tuition, expert guidance and encouragement to become the very best version of themselves.

“We are incredibly proud that ever so many of our students have progressed into professional careers in dance, musical theatre and the performing arts. They achieved their dreams because they were given the opportunity, the choice and the highest standard of training from experienced, passionate teachers.

At Kirkham Henry, success isn’t measured only by the professional stage. It’s measured by confidence gained, friendships made, skills developed and a lifelong love of dance.

“We welcome Tiny Tots, children, teenagers and adults of all abilities. Whether you’re taking your very first dance class or working towards professional aspirations, there’s a place for you at Kirkham Henry.

“Come along to Showcase ‘26 and see for yourself.”

Showcase ’26 is at Norton College on Saturday, July 18 at 7pm and Sunday, July 19 at 2.30 and 6pm.

For tickets go to https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/115580

Rather than spaceships or race cars the latest Lego set for adults is the biggest entry yet in their Art Masterpiece line, featuring the work of Gustav Klimt.

The modern popularity of Lego is not due to it just appealing to kids or even to adults obsessed with pop culture franchises like Star Wars and Harry Potter. In recent years it’s been because Lego make sets based on all kinds of things, from the Botanicals range to footballers.

One of their more unexpected themes has been recreations of famous art, including iconic works such as Keith Haring’s Dancing Figures, the Mona Lisa, Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers, and Claude Monet’s Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies.

All of the sets are made using ordinary Lego pieces and that means they all have a 3D effect too, where the image sticks some way out from the (brick-built) canvas. It feels like it shouldn’t work but they all look surprisingly good and this new one, featuring Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss, might be the best yet.

The Kiss, originally called The Lovers, is an oil-on-canvas painting with gold leaf, silver, and platinum that was painted sometime around 1907, by Austrian Symbolist Gustav Klimt.

It features a man and a woman (possibly Orpheus and Eurydice from Greek myth) embracing, while wearing expensive-looking robes inspired by the Art Nouveau movement.

The painting is one of the most famous of the 20th century and really not the sort of thing you’d expect to see made out of Lego, especially not with all the gold and other precious metals.

As a result, it’s the biggest Art set so far and made up of 4,000 individual pieces. Inevitably, it’s the most expensive too, at £269.99, but it is kind of shocking how realistic it looks – especially from a distance.

Look closer and you can see how the effect was pulled off, with things like gold coloured coiled whips used for some of the circular shapes and a complex mix of rectangles and very small squares and quarter-circles.

The set was created in conjunction with the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, where the original painting is permanently displayed, and there’s a special podcast featuring the Lego designer and museum curator Stephanie Auer that will be available from August 1 on Lego.com, Spotify, and YouTube.

The set (#31221) will be released on August 4, via the Lego website and retail stores, but if you’re a Lego Insider (which requires only a free sign-up) you can get it from August 1.

The complete model measures 60cm by 54cm when finished and is 4cm deep. Like most of the Art Masterpiece range you can also hang it from the wall, like a regular painting, via a special Lego piece on the back.

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