The York Health and Arts Mela will be held in Museum Gardens on Sunday, May 17, from 10am to 5pm.

It will be the third Mela to be held in York following successful festivals in 2023 and 2025 which attracted thousands of people to the city.

Mela festivals began in South India – the word means ‘gathering’ in Hindi – but have become common in major cities across the UK.

In York, the free-to-attend festival will combine health, wellbeing, arts and culture.

The day will begin with a group Bollywood dance designed to get people of all ages moving, followed by a varied programme of activities.

Live performances throughout the day will feature Ebor Morris Dancers, Richard Shephard’s School Choir, Miz Deeba and the East Asian Ensemble, alongside a range of other local artists and community groups. Free henna, face painting and arts and crafts will also be available for children.

Around 25 organisations from the NHS, wellbeing sector and arts community will be on site offering information and advice about services available in York.

Organisers said visitors may even spot special guests such as Plucky the Chicken and Spider-Man who will be making appearances during the day.

A wide variety of food stalls will also offer cuisine from around the world, including Indian, Afro-Caribbean and Afghan dishes, alongside traditional favourites such as fish and chips, pizzas and sweet treats.

For more information, visit the Mela’s Instagram and Facebook pages.

The government has published its proposals for education reform in England, which have been delayed since autumn 2025 and include significant changes to how the special educational needs and disabilities (Send) system operates. Further measures are aimed at improving teacher recruitment, student achievement and belonging at school. Our panel of education experts are scrutinising the plans, which have been anxiously anticipated by many teachers and parents.

A fundamental shift in SEND support

Paty Paliokosta, Associate Professor of Special and Inclusive Education, Kingston University

The government is proposing a gradual but fundamental shift in how the system uses education, health and care plans (EHCPs). EHCPs will remain, but far fewer children are expected to receive them. The first children with an existing EHCP to move to the new system would be pupils at the end of primary, secondary and post-16 in the academic year 2029-2030.

Instead, most support is intended to take place through a strengthened universal offer (support available to all children) and several layers of extra provision, only one of which will include an EHCP. The aim is to reduce the pressures that have made EHCPs the perceived, default route for help and promote a universally inclusive approach. This will succeed if the new layers are credible, consistent and properly resourced.

The introduction of nationally defined specialist provision packages marks a major change. These will determine the support available to children with the most complex needs and will form the basis of future EHCPs. Alongside this, individual support plans will outline day‑to‑day provision for all children receiving extra help, co‑produced with families.

In principle, this could create a more coherent system, based on inclusive values, which is very welcome. In practice, this needs to reflect on capacity. Schools cannot deliver more without the time, training and specialist expertise that have been in chronic short supply.

The proposal to reassess children’s entitlements to support at ages 11 and 16 is especially significant. These are critical transition points already associated with anxiety, academic pressure and identity changes.

Unless reassessment is handled with sensitivity – and backed by genuine specialist involvement – it risks introducing uncertainty precisely when stability is most needed. For many families, reassessment may feel like a potential removal of support, despite this not being the intention.

The open government consultation on the proposals is therefore crucial. It must test not only the design of these reforms but their real‑world viability. If the new layers of support do not arrive before EHCP access is tightened, families will simply experience another cycle of promises unsupported by provision. The system cannot afford another misfire.

Ending the postcode lottery

Jonathan Glazzard, Rosalind Hollis Professor of Education for Social Justice, University of Hull

The government hopes to end the postcode lottery of support and restore families’ confidence in the special educational needs and disabilities system. New national inclusion standards will set out the support that should be available in every mainstream setting. Statutory individual support plans will include key information about the child’s needs and the day-to-day provision in place to address these for all pupils with Send.

All staff will benefit from national Send training, supported by record investment of over £200 million. £1.6 billion will enable schools, colleges and early years settings to deliver an improved inclusion offer. In addition, £3.7 billion will be invested to make buildings more accessible, create more special school places and develop inclusion bases in mainstream schools.

£1.8 billion will be allocated to fund an “experts at hand” service to improve access to speech and language therapists, educational psychologists and occupational therapists in mainstream schools.

In total the government plans to invest £7 billion more on Send, and core funding for schools and Send is expected to increase annually.

There is much to consider but on the surface the investment and vision look promising. There is a clear commitment to inclusive mainstream education, a determination to improve outcomes for children with Send and a desire to “call time” on a broken Send system.

More support for the youngest children

Cate Carroll, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences and Professor of Education and Pedagogy, Liverpool Hope University

Today’s policy announcements recognise the critical period of early years education. The investment of over £200 million in the Best Start Family Hub network, meaning that hubs will have dedicated expertise in Send and a staff member to act as an outreach and support person, is welcome. It begins to rebuild the local hubs formerly known as Sure Start, which made a real difference to children’s lives.

The policy focuses on families as the primary educators of children – they are placed at the centre of the child’s home and school experience. This is important because parents know their children and are the best advocates for their needs.

Sometimes, though, ensuring a fair partnership in the conversation between parents and professionals can be difficult. Parents are experts about their children, while professionals bring expertise aligned with their profession and training.

The funding targeted towards early identification of children who have special educational needs and disabilities is also vital. International research backs early intervention as key to ensuring that children’s learning and development needs are appropriately identified. More often that not, this is identified in nurseries, so it is critical that this funding captures this phase of education in addition to schools.

This comes with the challenge of training staff working with children in the early years foundation stage so they are appropriately qualified to identify additional needs. By the time children start school, sometimes the interventions are too late to enable them to achieve and thrive.

Closing the attainment gap

Stephen Gorard, Professor of Education and Public Policy, Durham University

The government is pledging to halve the poverty attainment gap during its term. The attainment gap is the difference in scores between disadvantaged pupils and the rest, at key stage two (age 11) or key stage four (age 16).

This is both commendable and feasible. However, the government also plans to change the current definition of temporary disadvantage (ever eligible for free school meals in the past six years) to one based on low income over a sustained period of time.

Using the depth and duration and poverty is an improvement to the current situation that I have been advocating for many years. Using household income could also be an improvement on the binary threshold indicator of free school meals.

However, it is not then clear what the halving of the gap refers to. The gap as it stands does not use income but free school meals, so the pledge has not been meaningfully defined.

It is also not clear that the data available on household income is yet good enough quality to sustain real-life policy. The data is better for those families currently claiming benefits, but inaccurate for many others. Using the current data might simply disguise that the binary threshold is still being used.

More reactions to follow.

“The black market for medication sits outside of regulation and has no oversight, making it extremely dangerous. Products could contain the wrong active ingredients, different dosages to what’s advertised or best for you, or inactive substances meaning they won’t work or treat your underlying illness.

The Mirror’s Julia Banim visited the Woking branch of Pizza Express, best known as the alibi of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. And while the birthday parties are indeed continuing, it’s unlikely the former prince will be welcomed back for a slice anytime soon

The whole nation watched in awe as the King’s brother was arrested last week, but one humble British town was rocked by Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s fall from grace long before he was hurled into custody.

From the outside, this chain restaurant on an ordinary street looks like any other branch of Pizza Express. But this is The Pizza Express. The one that launched a thousand memes after unexpectedly providing an alibi for the former prince.

I am, of course, at Pizza Express Woking, the infamous venue of a birthday party allegedly attended by Princess Beatrice on March 10, 2001. Andrew says he took his eldest daughter to the bash, the same day Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffe claimed she first met and had sex with the then-duke.

The late whistleblower alleged they danced together at London’s Tramp nightclub before having sex at Ghislaine Maxwell’s mews house, but Andrew insists he was at the pizza parlour with his daughter. He has vehemently and consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with paedophile Epstein.

Andrew, 66, notoriously brought up this humdrum location during his 2019 ‘car crash’ interview with Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis, who pressed him on how he could remember such a mundane event from so long ago. With a slight smug smile, Andrew, then known as Prince Andrew, replied, “Because going to Pizza Express in Woking is an unusual thing for me to do, a very unusual thing to do.” One source claims Beatrice has “absolutely no recall whatsoever” of that specific birthday party in northwest Surrey, or of her dad picking her up.

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This turned out to be one of the most memorable parts of the ex-prince’s toe-curling interview, which continues to linger in the public consciousness. Behind the scenes, it’s been reported that Beatrice was ‘blindsided’ by Andrew’s decision to use her as an alibi, with reports that the furious princess had a heated discussion with him after the interview.

Now, following Andrew’s recent arrest and release, on suspicion of the unrelated offence of misconduct in public office, so-called diners have flooded the branch’s Google reviews page with jokey reflections of their visit. Referencing Andrew’s recent brush with the law, one reviewer deadpans, “Not really a review, but was just wondering, do you deliver to prison? Asking for a friend who loves your establishment. Thanks.”

With a note to Andrew’s apparent medical condition, which allegedly prevents him from sweating, another quipped, “I’ve never been, but my friend Andrew absolutely loves this establishment. Profuse sweating is an issue for him, but thanks to your world-class air conditioning, he didn’t sweat at all.”

As the former prince grapples with the ongoing police probe, I went for dinner at the infamous branch to see how staff are faring – and if locals ever believed the royal who claimed he couldn’t sweat…

For me, a visit to Pizza Express is nothing unusual. But a visit to the Woking branch most certainly is. It’s shortly after 6 pm on a slightly blustery Sunday evening that I arrive at the venue, and the air rings with clinking cutlery and upbeat pop music. The place is bustling, and it’s clear the restaurant’s reputation hasn’t suffered for being so closely tied to the most shocking royal scandal in living memory.

I’m left wondering whether this odd connection has actually been good for business. After all, is there a better-known branch anywhere on the British Isles? They do say any publicity is good publicity, and for local woman Karen Weir, the spotlight that the drama has shone on the town has been a welcome one. Karen told the Mirror: “I’ve lived in Woking a long time and it’s good to see Woking mentioned! But it doesn’t really bother me. I don’t see it as a negative.”

Not all locals are all too sure, however. After spending a few hours in the town centre, I become used to the familiar eye roll at the very mention of Andrew’s name, and the frustration that attention isn’t being paid to more pressing matters, such as rows of forlorn shuttered shops not far from that distinctive blue welcome to Woking sign.

For others in the area, the very notion that the Queen’s son was at Pizza Express on the night in question is nothing short of ridiculous. Pouring scorn on this narrative, Barbara was even more blunt, telling the Mirror: “I’m not embarrassed by it because I don’t believe it. I just don’t know why he’d do that, it’s ridiculous, because if he’d have been in there, Woking’s the sort of place where everyone knows what everyone’s doing. If he’d been in there, it would have been swamped. And people would have known about it straight away. There’s no way. There’s no way that man was in there that night. Absolutely no way.”

Over at Pizza Express, staff are busy but friendly, and quickly clean me up a cosy corner table. Admittedly, I do feel a little conspicuous. I’m the only solo diner amid a sea of family tables, many with young children. But if staff have been briefed on how to deal with curious members of the public, then there’s no sign of it as they politely take my order. The very picture of serene professionalism, despite the gossipy questions they’ve surely had to deal with from friends and family.

Perhaps, like other locals, they’ve learned to deal with the spot’s notoriety with a typically British dry sense of humour. I catch one woman’s eye as we’re taking photographs outside, and we immediately share a knowing smirk. Those in the area are no strangers to reporters milling around this very average-looking street. Finding humour in the ridiculousness of the saga, Craig, who is originally from Zimbabwe, told us: “Everyone around just thinks it’s a bit of a joke. They’re just keeping with the banter and making lighthearted jokes about it.”

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Another local woman, Emma, sums up the mixed bag of feelings in the area well, telling us: “I think it’s a lie for one thing. It’s kind of a funny association, because why pick here? I don’t think it’s tarnished the town in any way. It’s just infamously put us on the map, and if you’ve looked at the reviews from Pizza Express after it, they were all hilarious, saying, ‘yep, it’s a good place for an alibi’, things like that! So it’s kind of, you know, British self-deprecating humour came through. But I would rather he didn’t associate with the town. What’s come out and what he’s allegedly done.”

As I pour myself a solitary Diet Coke, a Happy Birthday chorus erupts from one of the packed tables, a strange echo from Princess Beatrice’s friend’s apparent bash all those years ago. It’s the first of multiple Happy Birthdays this evening. This is a spacious branch, with ambient lighting that gives it a relaxed, slightly upmarket feel.

It’s well situated, right in the heart of Woking, and it’s easy to see why this might be a popular choice for gatherings. The food is also good. Pizza Express has long been a high street favourite of mine, long before it hit the headlines, and the Funghi di Bosco, Romano style, of course, is well-cooked and piping hot. I also can’t resist the light, refreshing lemon-and-raspberry cheesecake with the gelato.

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As the night wears on, the families are joined by couples, old and young, some collecting boxes to take home with them. There’s certainly no signs of this being a slightly macabre royal landmark, up there with the Tower of London or the burial vaults of St George’s Chapel.

I’m enjoying my meal so much that it’s easy to forget the troubling reasons that have brought me here this chilly evening. Indeed, it’s other, more positive aspects of Woking life are celebrated here, including a framed quote from iconic singer-songwriter and Woking native Paul Weller, which reads, “I’d like to think I’ve left something in the world. Without in any way trying to be morbid, but life is very short, and I’d like to think I’d leave some body of work that would inspire other musicians long after I’ve gone”.

There’s also a quote from Weller’s band, The Jam, “Better stop dreaming of the quiet life, ‘cos it’s the one we’ll never know.” This quote feel eerily poignant given last week’s extraordinary developments for the fallen prince, who was pictured leaving the police station after 11 hours of custody slumped in the back of a Range Rover, looking particularly shell-shocked.

It’s clear that there’s a certain plucky pride to Woking, the setting of HG Wells’ War of the Worlds, and a hugely influential hub of Mod culture. More than just a handy London commuter town, this spirited town and its residents have plenty to say about that 2001 visit from a largely unwelcome out-of-towner. While it may rankle and bemuse locals in equal measure, it appears as though the unsavoury Pizza Express Andrew connection is here to stay.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

READ MORE: ‘I worked for Queen Elizabeth – Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor moment made my skin crawl’

Proposals for 132 High Street North, Langley Moor, were put forward by Dash Ltd and involve converting an existing two-bedroom terraced house into two separate one-bedroom flats.

An upper floor extension has also been approved by Durham County Council, which greenlit the plans on February 23.

Dash Ltd, a charity that has been providing supported accommodation to homeless individuals in Durham since 1957, purchased the property in April 1996.

Originally constructed as two separate flats, approved plans aim to return the property to its initial layout.

Alterations include reconstructing an original ground floor wall and adding a new matching front door for the first floor flat.

Two parking spaces will be available, while the existing garage will be put to use for secure cycle and bin storage.

This is why Brits are being urged to start incorporating this one simple habit into their every day routine to help them save more.

Starling Bank has revealed that checking your bank balance daily is linked to better financial outcomes.

Research found that the 43% of us who check our balance daily save more frequently than the majority who don’t.

Adopting this simple daily money habit could help your savings – and it’s free (Image: NQ)

It was also revealed that daily checkers in the UK save more money, more frequently, and stick to their financial resolutions for longer. 

They are also said to be more confident about their finances and have firmer plans on how they’ll save and spend.

Vicky Reynal, a financial psychotherapist, said that by making checking your bank account balance every day a habit, it removes the emotional energy of the process.

Vicky said: “Habits are powerful because they operate beneath the level of willpower. 

“Once something becomes a habit, you don’t have to summon the emotional energy to do it each time. 

“This is especially true when it comes to money.”

Becca Stroud, a personal finance expert at Starling bank said we should be checking our bank account balance daily, just like we aim to get 10,000 steps in a day.

Becca said: “We’re told to walk 10,000 steps, get eight hours sleep and eat five portions of veg a day, now we want to get Britain checking their bank balance once a day.

“This daily habit can help keep us financially fit and ensure we get the most from our money.

“Our findings reveal a big financial gap between those who regularly check their balance and those who don’t. 

“It could be that the simple habit of engaging with your bank balance means you’re more likely to engage with your wider financial goals too.

51% of people don’t check their balance daily because they prefer to keep a mental budget instead, Stirling research revealed.

A third of non-daily checkers say their bank accounts automate their bills for them and 14% say it doesn’t occur to them to check

Alongside this 7% said financial anxiety is a factor which causes them not to check their account daily.

Becca said: “Money is a highly emotional subject, and your bank can provide support if you’re feeling anxiety about your balance.

“But our research suggests that many people aren’t checking their balance frequently because they don’t think to do so – despite the benefits it could bring to their wider financial health.”

After the critical success of his vampire horror Sinners, Ryan Coogler is turning his attention to the long-awaited X Files reboot.

Originally from creator Chris Carter, the hit 90s drama starring Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny ran for nine seasons until 2002 before briefly returning in 2016 for two seasons.

The eerie series follows two FBI agents, Mulder and Scully, assigned to the newly-opened X-Files division where they investigate unsolved paranormal cases.

It has long held its own in the TV Hall of Fame as an enduring, endlessly rewatchable sci-fi horror classic, dubbed by many as one of the ‘best TV shows of all time’ and the recipient of 16 Emmy awards during its run.

Now, eight years after the short-lived reboot, the series is being brought back to life with an entirely fresh creative vision from Bafta-winning and Oscar-nominated director Ryan.

Deadline has confirmed the highly-anticipated reboot (three-years in the making) has landed a home with Hulu and has already brought on board a showrunner, Jennifer Yale, as well as one of the leads.

That’s right, Till star Danielle Deadwyler will play one of the two lead FBI agents who will be investigating creepy cold cases alongside her polar opposite partner.

Chris will also return as an executive producer, while Ryan will write and direct the pilot episode.

There’s not much known about what to expect from this new iteration, although the Black Panther filmmaker has previously confirmed he’s been in talks with the ‘great Gillian Anderson’.

Speaking on the Last Podcast on the Left last April he said ‘she’s incredible. Fingers crossed.’ Exactly how she might be involved, however, remains to be seen.

The Sex Education star later praised the idea of the reboot, calling Ryan ‘a bit of a genius’, although caveated: ‘Whether I am involved in it is a whole other thing.

‘I’m not saying no. I think he’s really cool and I think if he did it, it would probably be done incredibly well. And maybe I’ll pop in for a little something something.’

And if you thought Sinners had got your heart pounding with its supernatural horror, then you have plenty to look forward to.

As Ryan continued on the podcast: ‘I’ve been excited about that for a long time, and I’m fired up to get back to it. Some of those episodes, if we do our jobs right, will be really f***ing scary.

‘We’re gonna try to make something really great, bro, and really be something for the real X Files fans, and maybe find some new ones.’

Chris has been coy about the reboot process, simply calling it a ‘diverse reboot’, quipping that Ryan had his ‘work cut out for him’ and acknowledging in the modern era we’re ‘steeped in conspiracies’.

The industry legend will be helming this reboot after a hugely successful year which has included his movie landing a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations and securing his first Bafta award for best original screenplay.

Beyond a greenlight, there’s no word yet on when the reboot will launch so eager fans will have a little while longer to wait before they can dig their teeth into this timely re-imagining.

But there’s no time like the present to prepare for its return and, handily, all 11 seasons of the show are available to stream right now on Disney Plus.

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Thomas Robertson called the cops “rats” and “scumbags” as he was taken away from Peden Street, Harthill.

A man threatened to “rip off” police officers’ faces when they arrested him for breaching a court order by pestering his dad in the dead of night.

Thomas Robertson called the cops “rats” and “scumbags” as he was taken away from Peden Street, Harthill.

Robertson, 25, of Main Street, Salsburgh, was jailed for six months at Hamilton Sheriff Court this week.

He admitted breaching bail conditions and acting in a threatening or abusive manner on July 27 and 28, 2024.

Robertson was also accused of a life-threatening attack on his dad, Thomas senior, at his home in Peden Street six weeks earlier.

It was alleged that he punched the then 57-year-old, causing him to fall, then stamped on his head, causing him to lose consciousness.

However, Robertson had his not guilty plea to that charge accepted.

The court heard he was given bail in relation to the alleged attack on condition that he stayed out of Harthill and didn’t contact his dad.

Mr Robertson senior was asleep when his son arrived about 11pm on July 27 and started kicking the front door and banging on a window while shouting ‘Dad!’.

READ MORE: Man jailed after robbing taxi driver at knifepoint

He went away but returned two hours later and again kicked the door, pleading to be let in.

His dad called the police and when officers arrived they found a heavily-intoxicated Robertson hiding among wheelie bins.

When arrested he shouted ‘I’ll rip the face off you. I’ll take the face off every one of you’.

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READ MORE: Domestic abuser is back in prison after “blatant” breach of court order

PARIS (AP) — France’s spat with the U.S. ambassador to Paris took another turn Tuesday with the French foreign minister saying the top U.S. diplomat in France must respond to a summons and won’t have access to French government officials until he complies.

French authorities had summoned Ambassador Charles Kushner — the father of U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner — for a meeting on Monday evening over comments from the Trump administration that France objected to. French diplomats said Kushner did not show up.

Speaking Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described the failure to attend the meeting as “a surprise” that flew in the face of diplomatic protocol and will dent Charles Kushner’s ability to serve as an ambassador.

“It will, naturally, affect his capacity to exercise his mission in our country,” Barrot said, speaking to public broadcaster France Info.

He said that Kushner “is bringing difficulties on himself. Because for an ambassador to be able to do his job he needs access to members of the government. That’s the basics.”

“When these explanations have taken place, then the U.S. ambassador in France will, naturally, regain access to members of the French government,” the minister said.

The U.S. Embassy did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment on Monday and a follow-up request on Tuesday morning also got no immediate reply.

France’s foreign ministry had summoned Kushner over Trump administration tweets relating to the beating death in France of a far-right activist, Quentin Deranque. The 23-year-old student, described as a fervent nationalist, was beaten by a group of people earlier this month in the city of Lyon, in fighting that erupted between far-left and far-right activists. He later died of brain injuries.

In a post last week on X, the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau said “violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety.”

The U.S. Embassy in Paris posted the same statement, in French.

Barrot said France needs to discuss the comments with Kushner.

“We must have an explanation with him,” Barrot said. “We don’t accept that foreign countries can come and interfere, invite themselves, into the national political debate.”

A new car and engine partnership with Honda that struggles for reliability and performance and has Alonso as one of the drivers. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it is.

In 2015, Alonso joined McLaren from Ferrari wooed by the promise of Honda’s potential. That potential was eventually realised – but not until 2020-21, by which time Honda and McLaren had long since split and Honda had joined forces with Red Bull.

Alonso’s career, meanwhile, became a kind of living purgatory. One of the greatest drivers the sport has ever known reduced to fighting for scraps, making up his own targets for motivation, rather than what he should have been gunning for – wins and titles in F1.

He last won a race in May 2013, and he is now 44. But his performances have continued on a high level, and the respect he has from his peers on the grid is higher than ever. For his talent, and his ability to keep up his motivation in the face of everything.

The Newey-Honda-Aston Martin combination on paper promised Alonso something positive, a last hope of a return to success with which to bring his storied career to a close. Either this year, when his current contract runs out, or perhaps after one more, if glory seemed tangible.

Instead, he has found himself transported back in time 10 years.

Alonso has waited an entire career to work with Newey, the excellence of whose cars – and some terrible luck – have denied the Spaniard at least two further world titles that he should have won.

Alonso won’t doubt Newey can sort this out. Who would? But after his experiences with Honda last time, can he really convince himself it can turn this around in the limited time he surely still has available?

In public, Alonso is staying hopeful, just as he did with McLaren and Honda, bar one or two public slips when it all got too much.

“Everything can be fixed, for sure,” he says. “Short and medium term. I don’t think there is anything that is impossible to fix.

“We will try to fix everything we can before Australia and after that we try to fix as many things as possible in the first couple of races. Because [otherwise] it’s too late in the championship. But no, I’m optimistic. I think there is a solution in place.”

Alonso’s partner Melissa Jimenez is expecting their first child in late March.

The emergence of the unfolding catastrophe that is Aston Martin-Honda is so recent he has not yet been asked about his thoughts on his future. But he will already be considering what to do.

Does he roll the dice one last time, try to summon the energy and commitment to go again after what will doubtless be a very trying year? Or call it quits?