Two marine volunteers were among three people killed after a rescue boat capsized while attempting to help a yacht in distress off the east coast of Australia.

Emergency services were called at 6.15pm local time on Monday after a member of the public reported that a yacht was struggling near a breakwater in Ballina, a popular coastal town in northern New South Wales.

Marine Rescue NSW dispatched a team of six volunteers who rushed to help the yacht when their rescue vessel “capsized while crossing the Ballina bar in heavy conditions”, state police said on Tuesday. A Breakwater or breakwall is a wooden or stone wall that extends from the shore into the sea and is built in order to protect a harbour or beach from the force of the waves.

“At this time, three people are confirmed deceased, while four made it to shore,” the police added. The search was called off early on Tuesday after everyone was accounted for.

The rescuers, aged 78 and 62, died, while the body of a third man, aged in his mid-50s, was found on the sand nearby. He was not wearing a life jacket at the time and was yet to be identified, the authorities added.

“It has been a terrible night for Marine Rescue NSW and our focus right now is supporting the families of those affected and our volunteers,” a spokesperson for the volunteer organisation said on Tuesday. The Ballina bar is a notoriously hazardous entrance to the Richmond River in northern New South Wales, Australia.

Superintendent Joe McNulty said the volunteers had set out on a “fit for purpose” Ballina 30 rescue vessel, which was “specifically designed within NSW for our conditions”.

He said the capsized vessel was very well-built and locally procured and that rescuers undertake a lot of training in doing bar crossings.

The crew left the Ballina breakwater in “very severe conditions”, he added. The crew punched “into a 2.5m swell coming in from the east coast,” he said.

Superintendent McNulty said: “It heightened the wave height at the Ballina bar, creating a wave that was difficult to navigate. That vessel capsized, and as a result of that capsize, some of the Marine Rescue crew were trapped in the hull.

“We need to remember and reflect on the heroic actions of this crew overnight.

“These people do a fantastic job – volunteering in the community and putting their life at risk to go and save another vessel that was stricken and in danger,” he said.

The yacht in distress had hit a breakwall and broken apart before sinking, police said.

Authorities said divers may return to the scene on Thursday to recover evidence as police investigate how the yacht came to be so close to the breakwall.

Margie Fitzgerald, a local resident in Ballina, told 9News that the tragedy would be felt across the close-knit town.

“It affects the community when something like that happens, especially when a rescuer is lost and those people risk their lives to go and help other people in difficulty.”

Marine Rescue NSW commissioner Todd Andrews said the deaths were a reminder of the risks faced by volunteers. “These two men were serving their local community and have made the ultimate sacrifice to help others,” he said.

NSW premier Chris Minns paid tribute to the volunteers and thanked them for their service.

“Emergency service workers do an incredible job to keep us safe in difficult circumstances,” he told reporters.

“I want to pay tribute to their heroism, their sense of courage, their public mindedness, and let them know that the people of NSW are in their corner today.”

The crash happened near Terminal 2 around 3am, with emergency services cordoning off an area until just before 6am.

Diversions were put in place for airport passengers.

A spokesman for GMP Manchester Airport said: “Following a police pursuit, a road traffic collision occurred close to Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport.

“The driver of the vehicle has been taken to hospital with serious injuries.”

Due to the location of the collision, disruption was expected for airport passengers, with the upper forecourt of terminal 2 closed for nearly three hours. Instead motorists were redirected to the lower forecourt.

All roads have now reopened.

A spokesman for the airport thanked people for their patience as emergency services were on scene.

Brimming with independent shops, cobbled lanes, timber-framed buildings and a 900-year-old outdoor market, this UK city offers the perfect day trip or weekend break from Cambridge

A brief train ride from Cambridge transported me to a stunning city that has frequently been overlooked, yet it deserves serious consideration for your next day out or weekend getaway.

Just an hour by train from Cambridge and merely a 30-minute drive from the scenic Norfolk coastline, lies the charming city of Norwich. I spent the day exploring the historic location, dubbed the ‘City of Stories’, characterised by its meandering cobbled alleyways, medieval structures, timber-framed buildings, 900-year-old open-air market, and a flourishing independent scene of around 500 businesses.

However, despite its excellent transport connections and distinctive attractions, residents claim the city is ‘forgotten about’ and ‘people miss it’, an observation often linked to its location in East Anglia. “We are a bit out on a limb, and we do get bypassed a lot. People skip it because when people go north to south, they just go straight up and straight down, ” Karen Williams, proprietor of For the Love of Norfolk, explained to me.

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Leanne Fridd, who runs the independent children’s bookshop, Bookbugs and Dragon Tales, shared this sentiment: “We do get forgotten about because of our location.” She added: “It’s not on the way to anything”.

Following my own visit to the historic city, which was recently crowned the best place to live in the UK for 2026 by the Sunday Times, I was immediately struck by the wealth of attractions on offer and the remarkable ease of access. A brief train journey and a 15-minute stroll into the centre transported me to the heart of a city overflowing with character and charm, evoking the feeling of stepping into a storybook.

I discovered that its most striking feature was Norwich Lanes, a maze of twisting alleyways, courtyards, and cobbled streets, lined with over 300 independent shops, traditional tearooms, inviting bookshops, restaurants, pubs, and bars. The predominantly pedestrian-friendly quarter also houses an independent cinema, galleries, a community theatre, music venues, and two museums, reports MyLondon.

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Another exceptional aspect of this underappreciated city is the renowned outdoor market, bustling with independent food vendors and shops across approximately 200 colourful stalls. As one of the oldest and largest covered open-air markets in the country, it showcases an impressive selection of cuisines from across the globe, and by lunchtime is buzzing with locals.

However, a trip to Norwich wouldn’t be complete without discovering the enchanting setting of Elm Hill, with its stone-paved streets and magnificent medieval buildings. Beyond this, I admired the Norman 12th-century castle, the two impressive cathedrals, and the vibrant street art that decorates the city, confirming that it genuinely deserves its title as the ‘City of Stories’.

While residents feel somewhat overlooked and slightly removed from the mainstream, they couldn’t be prouder to call the city home, which topped The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2026 guide. And it appears, they didn’t need an accoldate to confirm that.

“When we were named as the best place to live in the UK, I would say most people in Norfolk went ‘well yeah’. We already know it,” Leanne said. “There are so many independent businesses in Norwich that it creates more of a community feel. So I do think that’s a large part of it.”

She added: “It wasn’t cool growing up, but it’s become cool and actually, I’m incredibly proud of Norwich and being part of it because I think we have this real rebel spirit. But no one’s in a rush – it’s the Norfolk way”.

Karen, whose shop operates within the 900-year-old Norwich market, also remarked: “We’re so close to the coast, and we’ve got the Broads National Park, so within a matter of minutes, you can be out in nature. Norwich itself is quite compact, so we’ve got everything here, but it’s all actually within a 10-minute walk, and it’s so historical as well.”

Whether you fancy a day exploring a medieval city rich in heritage, perusing its abundance of independent retailers or sampling delights from its thriving outdoor market, I couldn’t recommend a visit to Norwich more highly. With the coastline just a short distance away, it could prove the ideal weekend getaway, combining fresh sea air with a city break all rolled into one.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

Could you have forgotten Rivals since we last visited the copulating county of Rutshire? The Disney Plus show is quick to remind us of its rhythms as we roll into season two.

Back is the lust and those lavish parties. Both factor in our first set piece, at a pool party with identical twins who, rumour has it, are only dissimilar inside their pants.

Because Rivals would never leave us in doubt over such matters, the pair soon get their kit off and whirlybird into the pool. (The difference is, indeed, evident).

‘We had to call it silly willies,’ producer Alexander Lamb tells Metro, articulating the nickname with a cheeky chappie trill.

Showrunner Dominic Treadwell-Collins describes it as a ‘silly fun reminder early on’.

‘This is Jilly Cooper. It’s Rivals and look: willies.’

Writing the second season, particularly its first episode, they were conscious of not falling prey to ‘second album syndrome’ and copying their first dazzling effort.

Having watched the first three episodes, there’s a confidence there. ‘We have a swagger. We know what we’re doing. We know the audience are with us. So we can go in some new places,’ says Treadwell-Collins.

There’s license to be ‘dafter’ (see, helicoptering penises plunging into pool), but also ‘darker and sadder’ (much of which involves a stellar Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton). 

We all want to make this even better and bigger than season one, in Jilly Cooper’s memory

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When any of the cast or creatives speak to me of the late Dame Jilly Cooper, it is with awe that they got to spend time with her. The 88-year-old died after a fall at her home, when production was two-thirds of the way through shooting.

‘She gave notes on everything,’ recalls Treadwell-Collins of her input. Her assistant would ring him up and announce, ‘You’ve got a call from the Dame’. 

She had sway, too. A collection of season one scenes in which Taggie was more ‘active’ were culled after Cooper pointed out that wasn’t really who the character was. ‘Her instincts were always right,’ he says.

Their recollections of the author’s set visits sound magnetic: ‘bright blue eyes’, ‘so full of admiration’, but also ‘so naughty’.

A tribute at the close of episode one trumpets a sensational picture: Cooper reclining on a chaise longe, hair buffeted into the stratosphere, wearing a pair of fishnets and little else. There’s no doubt this is the woman who wrote Rivals.

The cast was in full attendance at Cooper’s January memorial service. Alex Hassell and Bella Maclein – who play Rupert and Taggie – read an excerpt from Rivals (the New Year’s Eve party scene). 

‘It was really beautiful to get to be part of the tribute and to be the physical manifestation of these characters that she cared so much about and invested in so much, and so many people have invested in,’ says Hassell, who seems in awe of the event. Queen Camilla was in attendance, and Joanna Lumley also gave a reading.

‘There was a lot of joy in that room, in the celebration, and then ultimately, a lot of champagne, ‘ he says, which Maclean notes Cooper would have ‘loved’.

‘We all want to make this even better and bigger than season one, in her memory,’ says show director Elliot Hegarty. ‘To make sure her legacy is fit and strong and moving forward to – fingers crossed – season three.’

The team have the rights to Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles series, of which there are eleven (!) books. Seasons one and two are so far only one of them.

Treadwell-Collins compares Cooper’s novels to Game of Thrones or the MCU, even if it took a couple of decades for commissioners to see his vision for adapting them.

‘And some of the people that I pitched it to pretend they don’t remember,’ he says, conspiratorially. ‘They go, “Well done, Dominic, so great. It was always such a good idea.” I’m like, you didn’t…’

Treadwell-Collins has had the last laugh. ‘I’ve always known. They’re such good books, in the way that people keep adapting Dickens and Austen.

‘These books were sitting there with these amazing characters and this social satire pulling apart Britishness. But also this pining, yearning love story between Rupert and Taggie that keeps you turning the page.’

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Not to mention those silly willies.

Rivals returns for season 2 on Disney Plus on May 15.

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At least 21 people have been killed and 61 injured by an explosion at a fireworks factory in central China.

More than 500 rescuers have been dispatched to the scene after the huge explosion, which occurred at a facility in the city of Changsha in Hunan province on Monday afternoon, according to the state-run newspaper China Daily.

The explosion occurred at 4.40pm on Monday, and the force of the blast shattered windows and damaged houses over a wide area near the factory.

Those living nearby were evacuated due to an ongoing risk of further explosions from two black powder warehouses at the site, a Xinhua report said.

Aerial footage broadcast on Tuesday by Chinese state TV showed white plumes of smoke still billowing from parts of the site, operated by the Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co.

The cause of the blast has not yet been confirmed, but officials have taken “control measures” against those in charge of the company, without specifying what that means.

Emergency crews were spraying water on the site to reduce the chance of further accidents and the risk of harm to rescuers, officials said.

The rescue teams have also deployed three robots to help with the search and rescue operation.

Chinese president Xi Jinping issued a statement directing “all-out efforts” to search for and rescue the missing and injured.

He also called on authorities to swiftly investigate the cause of the blast and pursue serious accountability measures.

The president also instructed ​authorities to bolster efforts for effective risk screening and hazard control in key industries and the strengthening of public safety management.

Changsha city is a hub for fireworks manufacturing.

Last year, China exported $1.14bn worth of fireworks, more than two-thirds of global sales, data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity shows.

But accidents related to the storage and manufacture of fireworks are relatively frequent. In February alone, China reported two deadly explosions at fireworks shops around the Lunar New Year period.

The beach is known for being one of the best spots to see seals along the Norfolk coast.

A beach easy to get to from Cambridgeshire has been announced as one of the best in Europe. The Trip Advisor awards for 2026 have been released and cover a range of categories including the best beaches across the world.

Horsey Gap on the Norfolk coast has been named one of the best beaches to visit in Europe. While there are many popular seaside towns to visit with lots of attractions for children, if you are looking for a quieter beach to relax on this summer, you might want to try Horsey Gap instead.

The ‘unspoilt’ beach goes on for miles with lots of sandy dunes to explore on a walk. The beach is good for paddling in the shallow waters and sunbathing.

Horsey Gap is probably best known for being a great place to spot grey seals. Throughout the winter, Horsey Gap sees thousands of seal pups being born on the beach with lots of people visiting the area to watch them for afar.

Even though pupping season ends around February, if you visit the beach throughout the spring, you might still be able to see some of the baby seals, as they like to stay in the area to shed and renew their coats. During these times, you can find seal wardens to help visitors and tell them about the wildlife.

Horsey Gap is also popular with those looking for a long and peaceful coastal walk. You can stroll for miles along the beach either towards Waxham and Sea Palling in the north or to Winterton-on-Sea in the south.

If you need a place to pick up something to eat for your trip, you could pop into Poppylands 1940s tearoom, where you can enjoy cream teas and light lunches surrounded by 1940s memorabilia. You could also visit the National Trust’s Horsey Windpump tearoom while visiting the historic site.

Horsey Gap is around a two hours drive away from Cambridge via the A11. A car park can be found right next to the beach, which costs £4 for a stay of up to two hours, £6.20 for up to four hours, and £8.50 for all day.

While John Higgins reached the last four in Sheffield and the final of the Masters this term, O’Sullivan’s win at Alexandra Palace in January 2024 was the most recent occasion that a member of the sport’s fabled ‘Class of 92’ won a Triple Crown event.

“There is a finite amount of time that a player can perform at the optimum level,” said Ferguson.

“There is now a lot more talent chasing them and a lot more talent that’s capable of winning. We’ve seen a big shift in the younger players. What we’re seeing now is multiple players that can actually beat the ‘Class of 92’ and go all the way.”

Liu echoed those comments, adding: “He’s almost 30 years younger than those guys so I think we’re definitely witnessing a change of era.

“A lot of players have already predicted Zhao will be the one who is in the dominant position in the next 10 years or so, but if Wu continues to grow in the next two or three years, he can up there together with Zhao.”

However, it should be noted that English duo Mark Selby and Kyren Wilson, between them, hold five world titles and have won five tournaments this season, including the two other Triple Crown events – the UK Championship and the Masters.

Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City will keep fighting Arsenal for the Premier League after dropping points at Everton but admits the title is no longer in their own hands.

Man City were hoping to reduce Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League to three points when they visited the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday night.

Guardiola’s side blew the title race wide open by beating Arsenal last month but the Gunners responded with wins over Newcastle United and Fulham.

Trailing Arsenal by six points but boasting two games in hand, the title was still effectively in Manchester City’s hands but that required an away win at Everton on Monday.

City led through Jeremy Doku’s brilliant strike on the stroke of half-time but Everton mounted a stunning comeback, going 3-1 up through a Thierno Barry brace and a Jake O’Brien header.

It was then Man City’s turn to produce a brilliant comeback, with the visitors scoring two late goals through Erling Haaland and Doku to avoid defeat.

The 3-3 draw means Arsenal boast a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League ahead of their final three league games against West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace.

Assessing the title race after Manchester City’s draw at Everton, Guardiola said: ‘We take the point and until it’s over, we’re going to continue.

‘It’s better than a loss. We played to win. It just shows what the team are. We tried and we have done it. It’s not in our hands. Before it was in our hands. Now, no.

‘We have to do it in our four games that we have in the Premier League. It will be quite similar against Brentford. We will see what happens.’

Discussing the game more generally, Guardiola said: ‘Everton away is always difficult and I give credit to them for their composure and aggression.

‘Second half, they made a step up. We didn’t have as much control and we gave away the goal. After that they come back and make a proper English game, so aggressive in the duels.

‘But in general we made a really good performance. It’s not easy because they play so well defensively, with 10 players there and the fast transitions.’

Man City hero Doku added: ‘It feels painful now. There is still a lot of games to go.

‘We lost two points today. We will keep on fighting – we owe it to ourselves and to our fans.’

Manchester City will look to boost their fading title hopes on Saturday when they welcome in-form Brentford to the Etihad Stadium.

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In a statement, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service confirmed it received a 999 call at 12:51 on Monday, May 4 following reports of an incident involving an electric scooter in the vicinity of Dunluce Road, Portrush.

A spokesperson added: “NIAS dispatched an Emergency Crew to the incident. Ambulance Control also tasked the Charity Air Ambulance, with HEMS crew on board, to attend.

“Following assessment and initial treatment at the scene, one patient was taken by Air Ambulance to the Royal Victoria Hospital.”

The 45-year-old mum was told she needed caffeine to beat the crippling effects

A mum who experienced severe headaches that progressed to vomiting and being “housebound for nine weeks” was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition affecting five in every 100,000 people annually that forced her to consume three coffees, a caffeine tablet and a Coke Zero every day to manage her symptoms.

Sapna Bidwall, 45, an accountant living in Milton Keynes, was diagnosed in January 2024 with Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension (SIH), a type of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, where there is a small hole in the outer membrane that causes the brain to sag downwards, according to The Brain Charity.

As a result, Sapna started experiencing headaches from the age of 42 in July 2023 that her doctor prescribed physiotherapy for, but her symptoms escalated to migraines, as well as frequent vomiting, nausea, and loss of appetite that led to hospitalisation on December 29. Sapna underwent a series of scans and she was diagnosed with SIH before she was told she could manage her symptoms by consuming caffeine. This can help constrict blood vessels and increase CSF production, according to complex spinal surgeon Gordan Grahovac.

In March 2025, aged 44, Sapna decided to have a thoracic laminoplasty procedure to seal the leak, which is when she found out the hole was 10mm wide. In the aftermath of this three-hour surgery, Sapna said she is 98% recovered and has returned to normal life, including no longer being “caffeine dependent”.

Sapna told PA Real Life: “People really don’t understand what a CSF leak is and patients are ignored. “I know so many people who have been told they’ve just got migraines, when it goes deeper. I feel really sad about that because it’s a condition that people are just so unaware about,” she added.

Sapna said her symptoms came on without warning in July 2023 while on a family holiday in Croatia with her husband, Palvinder, and her daughter, Diya, 13. She said she assumed it was “just dehydration”, but she felt “really sick” the next day with nausea and ended up vomiting.

Trying to persist with the holiday, Sapna attempted a 45-minute hike that she “really struggled” with so she “went to lie down” and that is when she noticed her symptoms were much better. She didn’t realise it at the time, but CSF leak symptoms are usually “remarkably worse when standing or sitting upright and lessen or disappear when lying flat”, according to The Brain Charity.

The headaches persisted after Sapna returned to the UK so she went to her GP, who referred her to a physiotherapist. The sessions “weren’t really helping” and at this stage, Sapna believed her condition might be menopausal or from using her phone before bed.

Sapna went on two more holidays – Tanzania in October 2023 and the Turks and Caicos Islands in December – where she noticed her symptoms would worsen. During the latter, she said: “I think it was day two when I went on the water slides there and then I woke up the next day and I felt my head was blasting.

“It was really quite bad and intense and that’s when I thought there must be something seriously wrong. Luckily, because I was lying down a lot, I managed to get back to the UK, but I wasn’t feeling right.”

By December 29 – just days after returning from holiday – she was still “really struggling” so she went to her GP and said: “My head is bursting and there’s definitely something wrong. I feel there’s a tumor.”

Sapna’s GP advised her to go to A&E, where she said she was admitted and had a CT scan and two MRIs over the course of a week. On January 2, 2024, Sapna was told that she had “brain sag” and received her diagnosis of spontaneous intracranial hypotension, which she was advised could be helped with rest and caffeine.

Sapna thought to herself at the time: “What sort of condition encourages you to have Coke?” She added that she “never used to drink a lot of coffee” then, so she decided to take that up.

“I started realising, if I’m having caffeine towards the end of the day, around six o’clock, I’m not waking up with a headache,” Sapna said. “So I started making all these adjustments to make myself better.” Sapna was also encouraged to stay at home for at least nine weeks to see if her condition improved, which she described as “like being in prison”.

During this time, Sapna looked up her SIH diagnosis online and found a Facebook group for people with CSF leaks, where she began “asking so many questions” for support. It was through this group that she decided to see a private consultant neuroradiologist named Lalani Carlton Jones in March 2024.

After two myelograms – an imaging test that uses contrast dye to identify where in the spine the leak originates from – Dr Carlton Jones referred Sapna to consultant neurosurgeon Dr Grahovac. In June 2024, Dr Grahovac looked at Sapna’s tests and said her leak was “really small” and that it “might self-heal” so he recommended just monitoring it.

Three months later, a follow-up MRI revealed it was still leaking, so Sapna had to decide if she wanted to go through with spinal surgery. Sapna said: “It was now a year after my headaches started and I was still suffering.

“If I didn’t have caffeine, my life was just not possible. I was caffeine-dependent.”

So Sapna took some time to weigh up the risks of the thoracic laminoplasty surgery and decided to go ahead with it in March 2025. Sapna said she “wasn’t nervous on the day” because she felt “110% confident” in Dr Grahovac.

After the three-hour successful surgery, Sapna said she found out her leak was 10mm but that she was a “functional leaker”, meaning she was “still able to do so much” compared to other people she has spoken to via her Facebook support group.

The next day after her surgery, Sapna woke up and was surprised to not have a headache, especially because she had not had any caffeine. My whole journey after surgery has been brilliant,” Sapna said. “I have never, ever woken up with a headache.”

As for her caffeine intake, she said: “I’m not caffeine dependent anymore, but I’ve now got a taste of coffee, so I do like having one every now and then.”

Sapna added: “I can say all the positive words in the dictionary to express my gratitude to Dr Carlton Jones and Dr Grahovac. I know I’ve got life because of them and I have a second chance. It’s like I’ve won a lottery.”