She might be a finalist for next month’s Miss Great Britain Belfast 2026 competition but her story isn’t about pageantry

Lucy Watson is a determined young woman on an important mission.

She might be a finalist for next month’s Miss Great Britain Belfast 2026 competition but her story isn’t about pageantry – it’s about power, pain, and how she is using her platform to confront a crisis happening in our own communities.

The Media and Broadcasting student at Queen’s University Belfast is using her voice to help tackle the violence faced by many young women here.

READ MORE: Call for tougher firearm checks to tackle violence against women in NIREAD MORE: Pictured: The 30 women killed in Northern Ireland since 2020

As a young woman growing up in Northern Ireland, the 20-year-old has experienced firsthand the realities many statistics attempt to capture.

Violence against women and girls has been brought to the fore in Northern Ireland as the number of women killed here since 2020 has now reached 30. That number includes a pregnant mum-of-two in Lucy’s own hometown of Donaghadee.

Sarah Montgomery, 27, was found dead inside a house in the Elmfield Walk area of the Co Down town on Saturday, June 28 2025.

For Lucy, an aspiring journalist, the issue of violence against women and girls had been a “passion” of hers for some time having faced grief, depression, bullying, and a toxic relationship as a teenager.

She told Belfast Live: “That relationship, in particular, showed me how easily control, fear, and emotional harm can take hold — and how difficult it can be to recognise and leave. Finding the strength to walk away was not easy, but it changed my life. It is why I now speak not just with passion, but with lived experience.

“Across Northern Ireland, the scale of violence against women is deeply concerning. Studies suggest that up to 98% of women will experience some form of violence or abuse in their lifetime — whether physical, emotional, or sexual.

“In addition, domestic abuse incidents remain consistently high, with police responding to thousands of calls each year. These are not just numbers; they reflect the lived reality of women in our communities — our friends, classmates, colleagues, and neighbours.

“For a long time, I felt silenced by my experiences. Then I made a decision: I would turn my voice into something stronger than what tried to break me.”

She added: “30 women have been killed since 2020 and I’ve seen this even in my hometown, Donaghadee with the murder of Sarah Montgomery, so it’s something that’s affected me and my community personally.

“We need to erase the sort of taboo of talking about it. We need to let girls and women know that what happened to them isn’t normal. They are normal people and they are extraordinary people to be able to wake up and carry on their life even after what’s happened to them.”

As part of her degree, Lucy worked on an assignment on drink spiking which included an interview with Justice Minister Naomi Long, another experience which fuelled her desire to tackle relationship violence.

She has also created an Instagram page @but_shesaid in a bid to encourage others to speak out.

“Today, I use my platform to speak out about violence against women and girls across Northern Ireland. I have interviewed political leaders, including Naomi Long, produced academic research on issues such as spiking and gender-based violence, and built an online advocacy space focused on women’s safety and empowerment,” Lucy explained.

“I don’t describe myself as a victim of my circumstance, I would describe myself as a victor of my circumstance.

“I’m in the very fortunate position that I’ve been able to come out the other side of what happened to me, a very strong and independent woman, but this isn’t the reality for a lot of other women.

“They’re killed or they have mental health effects. I’m so lucky and I know I am but I want other women and girls to be able to look at me and see that there is hope I can shoot for the stars, I can achieve my dreams.

“In my initial sort of circle, I would be quite open about what happened to me if I’m asked, but I think people are usually quite shocked that I’d been through something like that because I come off as bubbly, confident and loud.

“I’m very much not someone to stand for injustice – if I see something going on that’s not right, I’m the first person to be over there and say ‘stop that, snap out of it’.”

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As a finalist for Miss GB Belfast, victory in the contest at The Merchant Hotel on June 7 will be about much more than the title to Lucy: “If crowned Miss Great Britain Belfast, I won’t just be wearing a sash — I’ll be using it to amplify a conversation that urgently needs to be louder.

“My goal is to ensure that women feel seen, heard, and supported — and that conversations around abuse, particularly toxic relationships, are no longer hidden in silence.

“I’m also pushing for a Women’s Safety Minister in Stormont and I’d go and bang on those doors to say why it is so important.”

Video: Justin Kernoghan

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York singer songwriter Alistair Griffin’s Ignite Concerts is staging a concert on Yorkshire Day, Saturday, August 1 in York Minster which will see top vocalists perform classic ABBA hits including Dancing Queen, Super Trouper, Fernando, Mamma Mia, Waterloo, and The Winner Takes It All.

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The performance will be hosted by Alistair and feature live string accompaniment from Ebor.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing the music of ABBA to York Minster,” said Alistair.

“These songs are loved across generations and deserve a setting as special as this.

“With outstanding vocalists, beautiful live strings, and the incredible atmosphere of the Minster, it promises to be a really memorable evening.”

Alistair Griffin’s Ignite Concerts is set to stage a night of ABBA music in York Minster on Yorkshire Day (Image: Supplied)

He described York Minster as “such a special venue” for concerts, noting the positive feedback from audiences.

He said: “York Minster has become such a special venue for our concerts, and audiences always tell us how magical it feels to hear live music in that setting.

“We can’t wait to welcome people for what should be a fantastic night.”

Alistair on stage at a previous performance (Image: Marek Strods)

The event follows a series of successful concerts by Ignite Concerts at York Minster and other venues across the region.

Back in 2022 Alistair, who shot to fame on the BBC talent show Fame Academy in 2002, scored a number 5 hit with a track co-penned with his former mentor, BeeGee Robin Gibb.

Tickets are available now through Ignite Concerts’ website at igniteconcertsyork.com/events/the-music-of-abba-at-york-minster.

The comedian had to be ushered off stage just 45 minutes into his show at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham on the evening of Friday May 1 after a “potentially suspicious bag” was found.

A full evacuation took place and West Midlands Police has confirmed that a 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a bomb hoax.

The Utilita Arena has now confirmed that tonight’s Peter Kay show at the same venue will go ahead as planned.

The venue had to be evacuated (Image: Social Media)

A statement said: “Following the precautionary evacuation of Utilita Arena Birmingham during Peter Kay’s performance last night, Friday May 1, we can confirm that tonight’s Peter Kay event, Saturday May 2, will go ahead as planned.

“Following an extensive search by West Midlands Police, no items of a suspicious nature were found, and the building was determined to be safe.

Officers outside the venue (Image: Steve Aspinall/PA Wire)

“West Midlands Police are satisfied with the security measures in place.

“We would like to thank the attendees of yesterday’s Peter Kay event for their cooperation, which secured a swift and safe evacuation.

“Ticket holders for yesterday’s Peter Kay performance will be contacted with the next steps from their original point of purchase.”

The venue was packed last night (Image: Steve Aspinall/PA Wire)

Witnesses said two members of staff came onto the stage about 45 minutes into the performance, whispered into the Bolton born comedian’s ear, and then escorted him off.

In an update on Saturday morning, a West Midlands Police spokesperson said: “Following searches of the Utilita Arena last night, no items of a suspicious nature were found.

Police were called (Image: Steve Aspinall/PA Wire)

“A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a bomb hoax offence and remains in custody this morning as our inquiries continue.

“We’re grateful to everyone for their co-operation and understanding. As always our priority is the safety of the public.”

Steve Aspinall, who was at the gig with his wife, told the Press Association: “Two guys came on, one with a mic and headphones, one guy whispered to Peter Kay and then he and Peter Kay shot off down the side.”

He said the audience was told to look for security guards and listen out for any announcements.

“To be honest, I thought it was part of the show at first,” Mr Aspinall, who lives in Bideford, Devon, said.

“It was a strange atmosphere, eerie, just confused really (about) what was happening.

“But it was alright and everyone was calm and left quite quickly with no panic.”

Lando Norris eased to victory in the Miami Grand Prix sprint to claim his first win of the season.

The world champion started from pole and was never under threat as he took the chequered flag almost four seconds ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who started second, again paid the price for a poor start to cross the line in fourth, before he was hit by a five-second penalty for track limits to finish sixth. The Italian’s early lead in the standings was therefore cut to seven points by finishing two places behind Mercedes team-mate George Russell.

Norris is now 42 points adrift of leader Antonelli. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton enjoyed a ding-dong battle, with the Dutchman coming out on top as they finished sixth and seventh, Verstappen promoted one place by Antonelli’s penalty.

Here are the standings after the sprint.

Driver standings after Miami GP sprint

1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 75 points

2. George Russell (Mercedes) – 68 points

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 55 points

4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 43 points

5. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 33 points

6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) -28 points

7. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 17 points

8. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 16 points

9. Max Verstappen Red Bull) – 16 points

10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 10 points

11. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – 4 points

12. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 4 points

13. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 2 points

14. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) – 2 points

15. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 1 point

16. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 1 point

17. Alex Albon (Williams) – 0 points

18. Sergio Perez (Cadillac) – 0 points

19. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) – 0 points

20. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) – 0 points

21. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 0 points

22. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 0 points

Constructor standings after Miami GP sprint

1. Mercedes – 143 points

2. Ferrari – 98 points

3. McLaren – 61 points

4. Red Bull – 20 points

5. Haas – 18 points

6. Alpine – 17 points

7. Racing Bulls – 14 points

8. Audi – 2 points

9. Williams – 2 points

10. Cadillac – 0 points

11. Aston Martin – 0 points

What is the 2026 race calendar?

ROUND 4 – MIAMI (sprint weekend)

Miami International Autodrome, Hard Rock Stadium – 1-3 May

ROUND 5 – CANADA (sprint weekend)

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal – 22-24 May

ROUND 6 – MONACO

Circuit de Monaco – 5-7 June

ROUND 7- SPAIN (Barcelona)

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – 12-14 June

ROUND 8 – AUSTRIA

Red Bull Ring, Spielberg – 26-28 June

ROUND 9 – GREAT BRITAIN (sprint weekend)

Silverstone Circuit – 3-5 July

ROUND 10 – BELGIUM

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps – 17-19 July

ROUND 11 – HUNGARY

Hungaroring, Budapest – 24-26 July

ROUND 12 – NETHERLANDS (sprint weekend)

Circuit Zandvoort – 21-23 August

ROUND 13 – ITALY

Monza Circuit – 4-6 September

ROUND 14 – SPAIN (Madrid)

Circuito de Madring – 11-13 September

ROUND 15 – AZERBAIJAN

Baku City Circuit – 25-27 September

ROUND 16 – SINGAPORE (sprint weekend)

Marina Bay Street Circuit – 9-11 October

ROUND 17 – UNITED STATES

Circuit of the Americas, Austin – 23-25 October

ROUND 18 – MEXICO

Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City – 30 October-1 November

ROUND 19 – BRAZIL

Interlagos Circuit, Sao Paulo – 6-8 November

ROUND 20 – LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas Street Circuit – 19-21 November

ROUND 21 – QATAR

Lusail International Circuit – 27-29 November

ROUND 22 – ABU DHABI

Yas Marina Circuit – 4-6 December

Not only was the pub popular during World War Two, it has also earned a strong reputation in recent times

A long-lived tradition for many people has been to enjoy a drink at the end of a long day at work. The Plough in the pretty village of Duxford frequently hosted airmen from the nearby Duxford airfield during their breaks between flying Spitfires and Hurricanes in World War Two.

Duxford Airfield was built during World War One. A key role of its airmen in World War Two included fighting off Luftwaffe attacks on London during the Battle of Britain.

The airfield has since been transformed into Imperial War Museum Duxford, housing extensive collections of aircraft, military vehicles, and hundreds of personal stories of lives impacted by conflict. Visitors at the museum can learn about the aircraft used during wars and watch incredible air shows.

The museum is also only around five minutes away from the pub by car. A visit around the museum followed by a dinner at The Plough sounds like a lovely day to spend steeped in history.

The pub dates back to 1851, so has been frequented by locals and visitors for more than 150 years. Nowadays, the team prides itself on serving homemade pub food and a choice of roast dinners on Sundays. Traditional pub grub including the classic battered cod and chips as well as pie of the day are among the options.

Pub entertainment and games are also on offer such as darts, crib, cards, pool, and dominos so guests can indulge in some light-hearted competition with their loved ones.

It seems that this pub wasn’t only popular in war times, but it has also earned a strong reputation amongst guests more recently. One guest wrote on Google: “Dropped in after a visit to the IWM, they were very welcoming and friendly. Lots of choice of beers. The food choice was very good, from light bites, rotisserie chicken to pie specials. The portions were huge and absolutely delicious.”

Another wrote: “Wow. If this was our local we’d be here twice a week. Alas we only popped by after visiting IWM for a pint and rotisserie chicken. Super large delicious portions even in the sides, good prices, and craft beers on tap. It’s a must after IWM!”

Angry locals are meeting at the local pub this week to voice their concerns

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Residents in a quiet village in rural Wales are angry over plans for a helicopter hangar and two helipads, according to a local councillor.

Wales Air Ambulance Charitable Trust has submitted a planning application to Denbighshire County Council for the creation of a helicopter hangar, staff facilities, offices, two helipads and parking at the site beside the village of Rhuallt south of Prestatyn.

The trust is also seeking permission for new access from the B5429 to the site west of the quiet village.

The trust has said the proximity of the site, which is near the A55, is vital to improving response times. It said no adverse noise impact is expected and air ambulances in the UK “routinely operate alongside key road infrastructure without issue”.

But local councillor Alastair Edwards, of Tremeirchion, Cwm, and Waen Community Council, predicts a significant pushback from residents.

Annoyed residents will gather at the White House pub and restaurant in the village on Wednesday evening, May 6, to voice their concerns about the proposed development. Cllr Edwards said those worries relate primarily to noise and safety for road users on the neighbouring A55.

He said residents fear the location raises serious concerns – particularly its proximity to homes, businesses, and the A55. “It’s right next to ten homes – within 160 metres of the properties – and the noise is going to be horrendous,” he said.

“There will be two helicopters stationed there, a fleet of emergency vehicles coming and going, housing for pilots, restrooms, and a car park. It is a massive development for that site.”

Concerns are also being raised about the potential knock-on effect for drivers on the nearby expressway. “They want it there because they say it needs to be close to the A55, but my other major concern is the rubber-necking effect,” Cllr Edwards said.

“Helicopters have to take off into the wind; if they are taking off right as drivers are coming down the A55 – which is already a blackspot – it’s going to have a massive impact on road safety.

“It is a terrible idea. We are not against the amazing work the air ambulance does. It is just the site selection.”

Cllr Edwards said the impact on nearby residents and businesses could be severe. “The noise impact will be devastating for local residents, especially for those ten houses and the businesses within a few metres of the field,” he said.

“For example, the White House holds weddings; a project like this will have a massive impact on local businesses like theirs.”

He also pointed to what he described as a nearby alternative site. “The reason I am opposing this location is that there is already a valid alternative site in Rhuddlan on Rhuddlan Road, where the police helipad is currently disused and being used only for storage and as a dog facility,” he added.

“People are angry. Residents are upset that this development will ruin their quality of life. This is an area of outstanding natural beauty full of agricultural land and they are planning to build right on top of it.”

A spokesman for the Wales Air Ambulance Charitable Trust responded: “Following seven weeks of community engagement, including a 28-day pre-application consultation, we have submitted a comprehensive, fully evidenced planning application to Denbighshire County Council.

“The application is supported by an independent specialist acoustic assessment which concludes that significant noise effects are unlikely and that no adverse noise impact is expected.

“As a service that operates by road and by air, a more central location next to the A55 is vital to improving our response capability – and will help us save more lives.

“We are consulting with the highways authority in relation to this. Air ambulance operations across the UK routinely operate alongside key road infrastructure without issue.”

Cardiff signed off their League One campaign with a performance full of attacking intent but riddled with defensive lapses in a 5-4 defeat at Mansfield Town.

Going forward there were flashes of quality, particularly from Tanner and Kellyman, but the backline was repeatedly exposed.

It made for an entertaining spectacle, but one that underlined clear areas for improvement ahead of next season.

Harry Tyrer 6

Made several excellent saves, including an early point-blank stop and multiple interventions to keep the score respectable, though left exposed too often. Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community.

Ronan Kpakio 5

Struggled defensively and was beaten too easily at times, but did at least get forward and grabbed a late goal.

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Will Fish 5

Made some important defensive contributions but couldn’t cope with Mansfield’s pace in behind.

Dylan Lawlor 4

A difficult afternoon, with his misplaced pass leading directly to a goal and some issues dealing with runners on the counter.

Joel Bagan 4

Endured a tough outing defensively and was partly at fault in the build-up to Mansfield’s second.

Joel Colwill 4

Outmuscled for the opening goal and found it hard going physically, though he showed glimpses in possession.

David Turnbull 4

Exposed in that No.6 role on the counter-attack and couldn’t impose himself consistently.

Rubin Colwill 5

Showed intent with his shooting and link play, but lacked end product before being substituted.

Ollie Tanner 7

A bright spark for Cardiff, hitting the bar twice and constantly threatening with direct running and creativity. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.

Yousef Salech 5

Worked hard and linked play well, providing a useful focal point without getting on the scoresheet or impacting play too much.

Chris Willock 5

Lively in spells and unlucky with an early effort, but faded as the game wore on.

Subs

Omari Kellyman (Joel Colwill 57) 7 (star man) – Added energy and quality, scoring twice and making a real impact in his last game.

Alex Robertson (Turnbull 57) 6 – Helped Cardiff move the ball better and delivered some useful set-pieces.

Isaak Davies (Willock 57) 7 – Took his goal well and offered a more direct attacking threat.

Noah Williams (Bagan 70) 6 – A steady debut in difficult circumstances.

Paul Moreno (R. Colwill 88) N/A – Late cameo for the 16-year-old on his debut.

—

*Sign up to our daily Bluebirds newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here. Cardiff City correspondent Glen Williams is also on social media. He can be found on his X account here, on Instagram, on TikTok and on Facebook.

This pretty 16th-century pub offers a variety of traditional classics

It is one of those rare weekends many of us particularly look forward to, a little extra time to rest, recharge, and enjoy some quality time with the people we love. This bank holiday weekend is looking like we could have the weather on our side with temperatures reaching 21C in parts of Cambridgeshire at times.

What better way to spend a day basking in the warmth than at a pub with a crisp drink in hand and a plate of food? The Black Bull in Brampton sits in a pretty village just two miles from Huntingdon and boasts one of the biggest beer gardens in Cambridgeshire.

One of the perks of this 16th-century pub is having all the traditional classics to choose from such as The Bull’s mac ‘n’ cheese, Black Bull’s homemade cottage pie, and a variety of different burger options. Breakfast is served from 9am at the weekends and there is also a roast dinner on a Sunday.

The glowing reviews on Tripadvisor speak for itself. The pub is described as having a “huge beer garden” with “fantastically friendly staff”.

One guest captioned their review as “out of this world food” and continued to say that they “were truly blown away”. The review added: “The food was delicious – such great quality and great value for money! I had the burger and can truly say it was probably the best I’ve ever eaten!”

Another wrote: “This is our local. We go here quite a bit and it never disappoints. Food is always lovely (chilli beef is one of my favourite things in the world). Always good in the summer with the bouncy castle, BBQ and outside bar.”

It’s an end of an era in WWE as The New Day are done.

Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods are calling time on two glittering careers with the wrestling giant after 20 and 16 years respectively.

This includes 12 years as a team, coming together as a featured act for WWE Raw in 2014.

According to Fightful Select and Bodyslam’s Cory Hays, the duo have parted ways with WWE by ‘mutual consent.’

Meanwhile, MFT members Tonga Loa and JC Matteo are also set to leave as main roster releases continue.

These departures come after a raft of post-WrestleMania cuts, including the likes of Kairi Sane, the entirety of the Wyatt Sicks group, and more.

As New Day, Kofi and Xavier (and Big E) have won more WWE tag titles than any duo in history, with 13.

The pair’s seven SmackDown reigns is also a WWE record – as is their 483-day stint as Raw champs.

Kofi is also a former WWE Champion after beating Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35 in 2019.

Celebrating ten years of their partnership in 2024, Kofi reflected on the success of The New Dayin an exclusive chat with Metro.co.uk.

‘It’s wild to see how far we’ve come, even from the people rejecting us,’ he said.

‘When you think about it, we came out and just told everyone to be the best version of themselves, that you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it,’ he recalled.

‘People booed us out of the building and told us that we suck! What is going on in this jaded world that we live in where you tell people to be the best that they can be, and they say, “Nah, we don’t want to hear that, man, you guys suck!”‘

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