Dr Thomas O’Neill, 37, preyed on the child, who he met through his work, between November 2019 and May 2020.
A paediatric doctor has been struck off after he was convicted of sending indecent images to a child he met through work.
Advertisement
Dr Thomas O’Neill, 37, has been stripped of his license to practice after he was found guilty of indecent communications with a 15-year-old boy at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in February last year.
O’Neill, who worked in the A&E department at Edinburgh Sick Kids Hospital, preyed on the child between November 2019 and May 2020.
Court papers state O’Neill, who was 31-years-old at the time, coerced the boy into looking at images of his penis. He repeatedly contacted the child on Whatsapp, Snapchat, and over the phone for the purposes of sexual gratification.
Depraved O’Neill avoided a custodial sentence was slapped with a community payback order with 18 months supervision when sentenced in March 2025. He was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements.
Advertisement
O’Neill, of Edinburgh, was hauled before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) earlier this week. Disturbing details of his predatory actions were laid bare during the hearing, which was held on Thursday.
It heard how the doctor met the child when he was just 14 via a colleague. While driving a car in November 2019, with the child as a passenger, predatory O’Neill asked the boy about his masturbation habits.
Months later, he began messaging the child inappropriately on WhatsApp before going on to send the him pictures of his penis on Snapchat. The tribunal heard that O’Neill then told the child he was buying sex toys.
Advertisement
Thereafter, he turned up at his house to give the minor a silicone device. The boy blocked O’Neill, however, he attempted contact again by repeatedly approaching him on other platforms using both male and female usernames.
The pervert masked himself under another male name and messaged the victim, asking if he was gay. The creep then sent the minor a picture of a penis and asked the young boy if he recognised his genitals.
The watchdog hearing ruled that in light of his offences, the doctor’s fitness to practise is impaired. O’Neill was struck off the medical register and banned from working in the profession indefinitely.
Advertisement
Giving his conclusion, MPTS tribunal chair Lee Davies said: “Dr O’Neill’s actions of sending explicit images and messages to a child undermines patients’ and the public’s trust and confidence in the medical profession and inevitably brings the profession as a whole into disrepute.
“His actions fall far short of proper professional standards and conduct for medical practitioners and his lack of insight into the seriousness of his behaviour and the potential impact this could have had on patients, colleagues and the wider profession, coupled with his failure to remediate were all matters the tribunal weighed in the balance when making its decision.
“The Tribunal concluded that the interests of Dr O’Neill are outweighed by the need to protect the public, including the need to maintain the reputation of the profession as a whole. The Tribunal therefore determined that Dr O’Neill’s name be erased from the medical register.”
O’Neill graduated from the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex in 2013.
He joined the General Medical Council registry the following year. As well as his role at Edinburgh Sick Kids Hospital, O’Neill was employed as a research fellow at Edinburgh University.
In videos shared on YouTube, he was seen providing support to LGBT staff. Edinburgh University removed all clips associated with O’Neill from its platforms after being approached by the Record.
The university declined to comment. The Record understands O’Neill is no longer employed by NHS Lothian.
Advertisement
Tom Power, Director of People and Culture, NHS Lothian, said: “While we do not comment on individual members of staff or former staff, we expect all our staff to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and patient care, and take necessary and appropriate steps where this is not the case.”
Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.
Trainspotting smashed the box office 30 years ago with it’s realistic depiction of drug abuse in Scotland (Picture: Shutterstock)
Fuelled by a blistering soundtrack and a dark sense of humour, when Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting landed in cinemas on February 23, 1996, it was a box office hit like no other.
Based on Irvine Welsh’s book of the same name, the film followed Ewan McGregor’s self-assured addict Renton and friends, as they drifted through drink, drugs and petty crime, making various attempts to escape the clutch heroin had on them.
The stark scenes ripped up Edinburgh’s postcard image of cobbled streets and culture to reveal a city scarred by poverty, decay, and a heroin epidemic spiralling out of control.
The release of the film coincided with the earliest published drug death figures – 244 that year – and three decades on, that bleak reality lingers, with Scotland continuing to wear the grim crown of Europe’s drug death capital.
Advertisement
It’s a title the country has held, unbroken, for the past seven years.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking Newsalerts the moment it happens.
Advertisement
The stark scenes ripped up Edinburgh’s postcard image of cobbled streets and culture (Picture: Shutterstock)
According to research, there were 19.1 drug misuse deaths per 100,000 people in 2024 – nearly four times as high as in 2000. The latest figures, from policing sources, showed 308 suspected drug deaths between January and March 2025, while police officers in Scotland now routinely carry Naloxone, a drug that can quickly reverse the effects of an overdose, saving lives.
So why has so little changed in three decades?
Thomas Delaney, who runs YouthWISE and speaks across the country about drug harm, tells Metro: ‘Inequality is a primary driver of drug abuse. If you grow up in poverty, you’re 18 times more likely to use substances.
‘Scotland was historically an industrial powerhouse and then all the industry left [in the 1970s and 80s], leaving behind inequality, as seen in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation which ranks income, employment, health, education, skills, training and housing.
‘People still think Edinburgh doesn’t have a drug problem,’ he adds, ‘but it is just as bad as in Glasgow, which is three times the size. Edinburgh just masks poverty and inequality because it also has so much wealth.’
Advertisement
Thomas, who lives between Glasgow and Barnsley, has his own experiences of drug use, having spent 15 years as a functioning addict.
He started using cocaine at 17 to numb childhood trauma before immersing himself in the party scene, where drugs became a way to belong and escape. In his twenties, ketamine became a daily dependency, even as Thomas held down a respectable job.
‘For the majority of my addiction, I was walking around in fancy suits, meeting very important people and securing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of business a year,’ he recalls.
Thomas Delaney, a former functioning addict now runs YouthWISE to educate people about drug harm (Picture: Supplied)
By 2018, his health collapsed, ketamine had destroyed his bladder and Thomas was ordering drugs from his hospital bed. Even rehab wasn’t the safety net he expected.
‘I’d been to some of the worst drug dens ever and had never seen heroin – I was there for three days and I saw people using it,’ he remembers.
Advertisement
While rehab was a battle Thomas has now been clean for eight years – although many of his peers from that time have since died. He now studies addiction as part of a Master’s in community learning and development.
‘The Scottish National Records and other figures show that the people dying are an aging population that have been long-term dependent, and there are tons of reasons for that – homelessness, punitive measures and the stigma attached to being a drug addict,’adds Thomas.
Trainspotting follows Ewan McGregor’s self-assured addict Renton, as he and his friends drift through drink, drugs and petty crime (Picture: Shutterstock)
Addiction specialist and psychiatrist Dr Peter McCann, who is Medical Director at Castle Craig rehab clinic in Edinburgh, tells Metro that the ‘depressing’ statistics show just how much the system is failing in Scotland. ‘We’re still worryingly behind where we need to be on reducing deaths,’ he says.
One problem is the over-reliance on methadone, ‘a treatment with known overdose risks,’ says Dr McCann. In the movie, methadone is depicted as something the system pushes to manage addicts rather than to truly help them heal.
‘If somebody wants to be on methadone, there’s pressure on us to allow that, even if we know as a clinician that it’s a lot more dangerous than buprenorphine,’ he explains. (Buprenorphine, widely used in the US and Europe as a heroin substitute, is 10 times safer in terms of overdose risk but less common in Scotland.)
Advertisement
Like Thomas, Dr McCann believes treating addiction requires addressing broader inequality. While working with NHS patients in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, he saw addiction intertwined with a plethora of other social problems.
‘We had GP practices with lots of different teams working in one place, which is a good model for people needing treatment,’ he explains. ‘But it was really telling how severe and complicated the really unwell patients were.
‘They didn’t just have an addiction problem, they had housing issues, mental health issues, bipolar disorder, PTSD… there were people who had been attacked from involvement in drug dealing and or there was a lot of cuckooing.
Advertisement
Dr Peter McCann says the ‘depressing’ statistics show just how much the system is failing in Scotland (Picture: Kenneth Martin)
‘Gangs would come from down south, take over someone’s home, weasel their way in by offering them drugs and before you know it, people have been subjected ot violence and sexual trauma.’
Fiona Spargo-Mabbs has spent more than a decade working to reduce drug harm after her 16-year-old son Dan died in 2014 after taking a single ecstasy pill. Believing education could have saved him, she set up the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation eight days after his death.
The DSM Foundation delivers training across the UK, including Scotland, for young people on how risk-taking and impulsive behaviour are linked to brain development – and how to make safe choices about drugs and alcohol.
16-year-old Dan died in 2014 after taking a single ecstasy pill (Picture: DSMF)
‘Drug death in Scotland is just heartbreaking, and it’s still off the scale compared to everywhere else. We want to support young people to make safer choices.
‘The diversity of drugs is much greater now,’ Fiona explains to Metro. ‘We are dealing with ketamine overtaking cocaine and MDMA and are seeing THC vapes, and spice, which is a whole other risk. Drug use is changing all the time, so educators are constantly evolving their understanding to stay ahead of the curve.’
At festivals, testing has revealed MDMA doses two to three times stronger than the harmful threshold, she adds. The dose that killed Dan – a talented and popular year 12 kid who ran errands for elderly people on his paper round – was twelve times stronger than what has caused deaths in the past.
Advertisement
Experts say that the diversity of drugs is much greater now (Picture: Getty Images)
‘We didn’t realise somebody like Dan could be so close to something that had quite so much risk. If something like this could happen to someone like my son, then it could be anyone,’ warns Fiona.
‘If Dan had had a better understanding of what those risks were, I feel sure that he would have been able to manage that decision more safely and come home.’
‘You can get a bag of pills or crystals of ket for a fiver. You can order a bag of drugs, easier than you can order pizza, on Snapchat or WhatsApp,’ he says.
You can order a bag of drugs, easier than you can order pizza says recovering alcoholic and recovery coach, Rod Anderson (Picture: Caroline Robson)
Rod, a recovering alcoholic, lost everything to his addiction; his marriage, sons, job and health, before getting sober 12 years ago after frequent attempts. He has since rebuilt his life and relationships, but knows how hard it is to escape addiction.
‘You don’t just wake up one morning think – I’ll have a bottle of vodka for breakfast. You can’t stop at that point, because the withdrawal process is so unpleasant,’ he tells Metro.
Advertisement
‘Everything else in your life at that point becomes irrelevant – relationships, jobs, money. It’s a horrible, horrible place to be, and that’s why a lot of people don’t come back from it, because they die, or they kill themselves, or they end up in jail.’
And jails, he argues, are no safe haven.
‘Drugs are just as easy or even easier to get hold of inside than they are in the community.’
Rod also points out that 70% of drug deaths in Scotland now involve poly-drug use, including alcohol. ‘The drug scene has changed dramatically since the heroin of the Trainspotting generation. Fast forward to now, a lot of those people are dead.
Advertisement
‘People are still using heroin with a whole load of other things, like crack cocaine and synthetic opioids, and that’s dangerous – like Russian roulette. You don’t know what’s going to be in this next hit.
‘What we are looking at now is a much more dangerous environment than 30 years ago.’
Sunbridge Childcare will provide care to two children aged between six and 17 years old at the property in The Paddock, Toronto.
The planning application was supported by Councillor Cathy Hunt, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for children and young people’s services, who said it will provide “much-needed” accommodation and it aligns with the council’s care emergency pledge.
But a local petition signed by 200 people objected to the children’s home conversion. Residents warned that the area is a quiet family village with many elderly people and children, and is not suitable for a children’s home.
Advertisement
Those concerns were supported by county councillor Tom Redmond, Reform member for Bishop Auckland, who said the number of responses showed how strongly residents felt about the suitability of the location.
He told the committee: “Residents are not against supporting vulnerable children; their concern is the steady change within their community and the feeling that the area is carrying more than its fair share of supporting institutional abuse.”
Joy Allen, Durham’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said the county has “reached saturation point” and cannot continually place children in accommodation that isn’t appropriate to their needs.
But staff at Sunbridge insisted its latest facility is the “right environment for children to settle and succeed”.
Advertisement
The committee was told that the day-to-day operation of the home is closely aligned with that of a family house.
Nick Astaire, from Sunbridge, said: “We believe strongly in community and being good neighbours. We are not absentee operators; we are locally engaged, accountable, and visible. Our homes operate as closely to traditional family homes as possible.
“We are not a drain on the police and have had zero callouts in the last 12 months.”
Approving the scheme, Councillor Michael Stead, Liberal Demcorat member for Aycliffe North and Middridge, said: “In my experience, in my ward, there’s been next to no issues when we’ve had approvals like this, especially with professional companies.
Advertisement
“This property ticks every single box. The applicants aren’t being overly zealous with the number of children they want to put in there.”
Also backing the proposal, Reform’s Jill Campbell added: “There is a need for residential provision with places like this. I don’t feel this is a case where there are sufficient reasons to say no. It looks like a good proposal.”
Westhoughton restaurant Mangrove, located on 1 Manchester Road, received a rating of one out of five, meaning major improvement is necessary, following an inspection by Bolton Council on January 8, 2026.
The rating applies to both the restaurant and its takeaway service.
Inspectors found that hygiene standards required improvement, structural conditions needed improvement, and confidence in management was rated as “major improvement necessary”.
Advertisement
Owner and manager Abdul Atique said: “I’m very shocked with how low it is.
“When it comes to management, we weren’t even allowed to speak.
“I’m the owner and manager and I wasn’t allowed to speak.”
He attributed some of the issues identified during the inspection to bin collection problems over the festive period.
Advertisement
Mr Atique said: “It was just after Christmas and there was a major issue with bins not being collected by Bolton Council.
“Bin bags were piling up in the garden, that was the major issue.”
The food hygiene rating scheme, while legally enforced in Wales and Northern Ireland, is voluntary for display in England.
Ratings reflect hygiene standards observed during the inspection and cover food handling, cleanliness of facilities, and management of food safety.
Advertisement
Officers evaluate three key areas: how food is handled and stored, the condition and cleanliness of the premises, and the effectiveness of food safety management systems.
Businesses with low ratings are required to make urgent improvements, and food safety officers can use enforcement powers or provide guidance as appropriate.
Despite the concerns raised, Mr Atique expressed confidence in his management and staff.
He said: “I’m confident with the management and confident in what I’m doing.
Advertisement
“I’ve done this for a while.
“We’ve always had full staff and good ratings.”
He explained that some staff were nervous during the inspection.
Mr Atique said: “The chefs got a bit panicky and didn’t give correct answers.
Advertisement
“They were hesitant over what to say and got nervous.”
He has already paid more than £200 for a re-inspection.
He said: “I know I am not 100 per cent innocent, there are requirements that need to be improved.
“But we’re trying to keep on top of things, and I think a one is harsh.”
Advertisement
Mr Atique also suggested that the ratings may not always reflect the full picture.
He said: “I’ve noticed several other eateries near me are a three that should be four or five, I think they’re being harsher.”
He added that achieving the highest ratings can be challenging.
Mr Atique said: “Five and four are very hard to get.
Advertisement
“A little fault and it’s a four, you’ve got to be perfect.”
The Food Standards Agency states that the scheme helps customers make informed choices about where to eat or buy food based on hygiene standards.
Despite the low rating, Mangrove was shortlisted for The Bolton News Curry House Awards 2024.
The restaurant currently holds a 4.3 rating on TripAdvisor.
As we age, it can be tempting to blame the changes our body experiences just on getting older.
In fact, according to new research from VIsta Health, 65% of midlifers turn to Google instead of a clinician. Not ideal.
Dr Reem Hasan, NHS GP and Chief Medical Officer at Vista Health says: “As an NHS GP, I regularly see midlifers delay seeking help because they don’t want to ‘make a fuss’ or assume symptoms are just part of getting older. But your body is very good at sending early warning signals, and listening to them really matters.
“That’s why I urge people not to dismiss symptoms that feel new, persistent or unusual.”
Advertisement
Five symptoms you should see your GP about if you’re over 40
Ongoing tiredness or exhaustion:
Dr Hasan says: “Feeling permanently drained is not normal ageing. If fatigue lasts more than a few weeks, it could be linked to conditions such as iron deficiency, thyroid disease, sleep apnoea, depression, long-term inflammation, or occasionally more serious illness.
“Persistent fatigue beyond a few weeks always deserves proper assessment.”
Advertisement
Unexplained weight loss:
“Losing weight without trying should never be ignored,” Warns Dr Hasan.
“Possible causes include overactive thyroid, diabetes, digestive disorders, infection or cancer. If you lose more than 5% of your body weight over 6-12 months without explanation, book a GP appointment.”
Persistent or new pain
Advertisement
Ongoing pain, particularly in the chest, abdomen, back or bones is not something to “push through”.
“While many causes are benign, persistent pain can signal heart disease, gallbladder problems, arthritis, fractures or, in some cases, cancer. If pain lasts longer than three weeks without a clear cause, get it checked”, says Dr Hasan.
Changes in bowel or bladder habits:
New constipation, diarrhoea, (i.e. a new persistent change in your bowel habit), blood in your stool, increased urinary frequency or difficulty passing urine should always be assessed.
Advertisement
“These can be caused by benign conditions e.g. haemorrhoids or infections, but they can also indicate bowel disease, prostate problems or cancer.”
Memory problems:
Occasional forgetfulness can be normal, but worsening memory, confusion or changes in thinking that interfere with daily life are not. Causes range from stress and poor sleep to vitamin deficiencies, thyroid disease, infections or neurological conditions. Early assessment helps guide investigation, management and reassurance.
If you are concerned about your health, contact your GP for assessment.
Some ran towards the borders; others, to the enlistment offices. “I froze, trying to master my fear,” says Oleh, a publishing graduate and former NGO worker. “I am not a military man, I have never seen myself like that, and I did not understand how ordinary people could stand in the way of such a powerful enemy like Russia.”
First appointed as captain in 2023, the Aghyaran native has led Tyrone out in Croke Park for back-to-back intermediate final appearances and lifted the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup last summer following their win over Laois
She might be in her fourth season in the role, but Aghyaran St Davog’s star Aoibhinn McHugh has insisted it remains a massive honour to be captain of the Tyrone ladies football team.
Advertisement
First appointed to the position in 2023, McHugh led the Red Hands out in Croke Park for back-to-back final appearances in the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate football championship in the two years that followed her debut campaign as skipper.
She was also captain of Tyrone when they competed in a Lidl National Football League Division 2 decider at GAA HQ on April 7, 2024.
This year now sees Tyrone returning to the second-tier of the NFL and team leader McHugh has featured in all three of their league games to date against Monaghan, Westmeath and Donegal.
“It’s definitely still a huge honour. I don’t think it loses that part of it. Every year when management selects me again, it’s a bit of a confidence boost. You’re honoured, but at the same time I think we’ve had a similar sort of team now for the past couple of years and we have other leaders. We’re probably settled as well, which is good,” McHugh acknowledged.
Advertisement
While Kildare and Leitrim got the better of them in league and championship showpieces respectively in the same venue during a hectic 2024, August 3 of last year proved to be a much more satisfactory outing in Croke Park for McHugh and Tyrone.
Despite coming under pressure from their Midlands counterparts throughout the course of the action, the Ulster outfit registered a 2-16 to 1-13 victory over Laois in an entertaining TG4 All-Ireland intermediate football championship final.
Playing alongside Slaine McCarroll in midfield, McHugh contributed a late point as Tyrone made amends for an agonising one-point reversal to the aforementioned Leitrim in the previous year’s decider. As captain of the team, she was the first player to climb the steps of the Hogan Stand to receive the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup from LGFA President Trina Murray.
“It’s obviously a massive honour to be the captain, but in particular last year winning an All-Ireland, and being lucky enough to be the captain, was obviously huge. It was a big day for all the families and clubs involved,” McHugh recalled of that 2025 final.
Advertisement
“I think for us, we’re probably just now trying to look towards this year and build on last year. We’ve a lot of work to do this year and a lot of tough opponents coming. That’s probably our focus now.
“We have kept nearly all the girls from last year, which is massive. It sort of means that we hopefully can use last year as a momentum and benefit. I think winning probably brought a lot of the girls closer as well. Thank God we’ve kept most of our players.”
Given she was part of the panel when Tyrone won their previous All-Ireland intermediate crown in 2018, McHugh is acutely aware of the challenges that come with making the step up to the senior grade.
The Red Hand certainly made a strong impression upon their return to the Brendan Martin Cup in 2019, making the quarter-final stage of the All-Ireland SFC after recording an excellent group phase triumph over provincial rivals Donegal at TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar.
Advertisement
Tyrone subsequently went on to enjoy two more campaigns in the senior championship, before being relegated to the All-Ireland IFC for the 2022 season.
It hasn’t been an easy road back to the top grade, but McHugh and her inter-county colleagues are eager to embrace all that Ulster and All-Ireland senior football has to offer them later on this summer.
“It’s where every team wants to be. You want to be playing at the top level. It has been a while since we’ve played in the senior championship. We’re delighted to be back and credit to the girls for all the work that has been put in there and the management over the last couple of years. To get us to win an All-Ireland and get us there this year.
“We’re delighted to be in the senior Ulster championship. We’re delighted to be going to play Donegal and Armagh, so we’re looking forward to it. We’ll look forward to playing in it, but our focus now is on the league and then we’ll look to the championship during the summer.”
Advertisement
While being the newly-promoted side in the senior championship can be daunting, Tyrone won’t necessarily be stepping into the unknown this year. The county featured in Division 1 of the Lidl NFL in 2025 and all seven teams they faced will be competing for the Brendan Martin Cup this summer.
Additionally, Tyrone are one of four senior outfits in this season’s NFL Division 2. They have already faced one of this cohort in Donegal – they lost 3-9 to 1-8 against the O’Donnell women in Aghyaran on February 8 – and are now set to lock horns with another in Mayo at O’Neills Healy Park in Omagh tomorrow afternoon at 2pm.
A meeting with Tipperary (All-Ireland SFC quarter-finalists in 2025) will also follow in the seventh and final round of the league on Sunday, March 29 and McHugh is hopeful that facing so many top-tier counties between this year and last year will stand them in good stead for what is to come in the championship.
Before then Tyrone will be aiming for a repeat of their promotion charge from 2024, but McHugh stressed that tough battles lie in wait for the Red Hand in Division 2.
Advertisement
“Hopefully that will stand to us [facing senior teams in the league]. We had the exposure to it last year in Division One of the league, which was good. Then this year Tipperary, Donegal and Mayo are the three senior teams. Hopefully that will stand to us and we’ll be ready. Knowing what to expect going into the senior championship,” McHugh added.
“Division Two is a tough division. There’s no easy game there. Hopefully it will stand to us. Hopefully we can use all these challenges. I think as well in the league, you can have some tough away games. They’re hard to get through, but hopefully the experience throughout the league will help us.”
The Legend Of Zelda is older than many of its fans (Nintendo)
As The Legend Of Zelda celebrates four decades of thwarting the forces of evil a reader looks back at his time with the games and hopes for another 40 years of Hyrulean entertainment.
If this gets shown on Saturday it will be the 40th anniversary of The Legend Of Zelda – my favourite video game series of all-time. I wasn’t old enough to play the original when it first came out, and apparently it took nearly two extra years to get released in the UK anyway, but ever since A Link To The Past on the SNES I’ve loved the games.
People often comment on how there aren’t many Zelda clones and I think that speaks to how magical and unique they are. You don’t put together a Zelda game in a few months, like you would a racing game or shooter, these aren’t simulations, these are interactive fantasies like no other.
I guess I must’ve played A Link To The Past around about 1993, so that game has been with me for a long time. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve replayed it and yet I never get bored with its perfect mix of puzzle and exploration and how it manages to have so many memorable characters, despite the simple storytelling and a main character that doesn’t speak.
Advertisement
I think it’s because the other games have kept this same formula over the years that they’ve remained so high quality and popular. A lot of them are very different, especially Breath Of The Wild and Tears Of The Kingdom, but it’s still the exploration, the freedom, and the charm that’s the most important thing. It doesn’t matter what the game’s gimmick is or what the story is, what’s important is how it leaves you to live your own adventure as Link.
Writing this down I realise that it’s not just the games I remember but what I was doing at the time. A Link To The Past was a Christmas present and I remember unwrapping it. Ocarina Of Time I was older and I remember a friend mocking me because the N64 was for ‘kids’ and then having to admit that, actually, Zelda was really good.
Expert, exclusive gaming analysis
Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.
Advertisement
By the time of The Wind Waker I had a girlfriend and she actually liked the game, which made me realise games weren’t just for loveless nerds. For Twilight Princess I remember I was only a few months into my first decent job and by the time I was playing Skyward Sword I was married!
So Zelda really is something that’s followed me through for my whole life, so it’s great that all the memories are happy. Breath Of The Wild was a bit garbled though, because we had our first kid at the time, but they were already interested in watching Tears Of The Kingdom (they really like the horses).
Advertisement
I don’t know anymore than anyone else where the series is going in the future, but it’s never let me down before so I will absolutely be there to experience it. Especially as it’s one of the few games my wife likes to watch and even my daughter seems interested in.
Much as I love them, that’s not something I can say about other favourites like Resident Evil and Elden Ring, so I think there’s a lot to be said about a set of games that are not only very highly quality but can be appreciated by just about anyone, no matter what they think about video games in general.
So I just want to thank Shigeru Miyamoto, Eiji Aonuma, Koji Kondo, and everyone else that has helped to make the series what it is and who gave me, and millions of other fans, so many happy memories. I’m sure Zelda will be around in another 40 years and with a bit of luck so will I, so I can get to appreciate the continued evolution of the best video game franchise in the world!
By reader Rhion
Advertisement
A Link To The Past is a true classic (Nintendo)
The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.
Zelensky says Russia wants to ‘replace me’ with quick vote
Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russia is pushing for swift presidential elections in Ukraine because the Kremlin wants to remove him from power.
“Let’s be honest – the Russians just want to replace me,” he told AFP. “No one wants elections during a war. Everyone is afraid of its destructive effect.”
(AFP via Getty Images)
Under martial law, elections are suspended in Ukraine. Zelensky has consistently ruled out holding polls while martial law remains in place, saying that millions of Ukrainians are displaced abroad or living under Russian occupation, and that many towns continue to face bombardment.
Advertisement
As negotiations over territory continue, Kyiv is facing pressure from both US and Russia to consider a ballot as part of a peace deal.
Shahana Yasmin21 February 2026 05:30
Putin signs law allowing security service power to disconnect internet
Russian president Vladimir Putin has signed legislation allowing Russia’s federal security service (FSB) to order telecommunications providers to disconnect specific individuals from mobile and internet services.
Advertisement
The amendments to Russia’s communications law require operators to comply with FSB requests and protect them from liability for carrying them out, state news agency Tass reported.
The powers also apply in territories under Russian control, including occupied areas of Ukraine.
The measure was approved on Tuesday by the State Duma, or the lower house of Russia’s parliament.
Shahana Yasmin21 February 2026 05:15
Advertisement
Russia recruits over 1,000 Kenyans to fight in Putin’s war in Ukraine, intelligence report says
A new Kenyan intelligence report says that 1,000 Kenyans were recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine after being misled with false promises of jobs in Russia before being sent to the front lines.
The report was presented to parliament on Wednesday by parliamentary leader Kimani Ichung’wah, who accused Russian embassy officials of colluding with work recruitment agencies to dupe Kenyans into believing they would be given skilled jobs in Russia. He said the Russian embassy officials issued them tourist visas.
Shahana Yasmin21 February 2026 05:00
Advertisement
Zelensky urges allies to deploy near frontline
Volodymyr Zelensky has urged European partners that any foreign contingent deployed to Ukraine should be stationed closer to the frontline rather than deep within the country.
“We would like to see the contingent closer to the front line. Of course, no one wants to stand on the first line, and of course, Ukrainians would like our partners to stand with us on the front line,” he told AFP.
Shahana Yasmin21 February 2026 04:45
Advertisement
Hungary to block €90bn loan to Ukraine unless oil transit through Russian pipeline resumes
Hungary will block a €90bn European Union loan for Ukraine until oil transit to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline resumes, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Friday.
The pipeline carries oil from the eastern part of European Russia to points in Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Germany.
“By blocking oil transit to Hungary through the Druzhba pipeline, Ukraine violates the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, breaching its commitments to the European Union. We will not give in to this blackmail,” Szijjarto said on X on Friday.
Advertisement
Maira Butt21 February 2026 04:30
Zelensky: Security guarantees must come before any deal
Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine will not agree to territorial concessions without firm security guarantees, as talks over a possible demilitarised zone in Donbas continue.
Speaking last week, Zelensky said Kyiv wanted guarantees in place before committing to elections or any withdrawal of forces from the region.
Advertisement
“I would very much like us to sign security guarantees first and then sign other documents,” he said. “This is not even a matter of fairness, but a matter of trust.”
He added that Ukrainians must “know, not just believe, but know, that in the future Russian aggression will be impossible”.
The latest round of US-mediated talks on 17-18 February ended without a breakthrough on territorial issues.
Shahana Yasmin21 February 2026 04:15
Advertisement
Ukraine is boycotting Paralympic opening ceremony
Ukrainian competitors will boycott the Milano Cortina Paralympics opening ceremony on March 6 in Verona, their committee said on Friday, due to the authorisation of some Russian and Belarusian athletes with their national flags.
The International Paralympic Committee’s allocation of 10 combined slots to Russian and Belarusian athletes has created a political storm over the upcoming Games given the bitterness over the four-year-old invasion of Ukraine.
The Czech Paralympic Committee said it would also boycott the opening ceremony in solidarity with Ukraine, and some Polish officials will also stay away.
Advertisement
Russia, which has been excluded from much international competition due to the war, says it is wrong to mix sport and politics and that targeting disabled athletes is offensive.
(Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Maira Butt21 February 2026 04:00
Ukraine rejects demilitarised Donbas proposal
Ukrainianofficials have rejected a proposal discussed in recent US-mediated talks to establish a demilitarised zone in eastern Ukraine governed by a joint civilian administration.
According to The New York Times, officials discussed forming a demilitarised zone “controlled by neither army” during the talks in Geneva on 17-18 February.
Advertisement
Russia has demanded that Ukraine hand over the remaining territory it has failed to capture in Donetsk Oblast – a strip roughly 80 km long, and sits between the frontline and the regional administrative border.
Kyiv has refused unilateral withdrawal, arguing that ceding land would embolden Moscow.
The latest round of talks ended without a breakthrough on territorial issues.
Shahana Yasmin21 February 2026 03:45
Advertisement
European states launch low-cost drone defence plan
Britain, France, Poland, Germany and Italy have launched a joint programme to develop low-cost air defence systems and autonomous drones using Ukrainian battlefield expertise.
The E5 initiative will fund joint production and procurement under a scheme titled Low-Cost Effectors and Autonomous Platforms (LEAP), according to Poland’s defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, reported AP.
“The UK and our E5 partners are stepping up – investing together in the next generation of air defence and autonomous systems to strengthen Nato’s shield,” said Luke Pollard, Britain’s minister for defence readiness and industry, adding that the challenge lay in ensuring “cost of the threats with the cost of defense” were matched.
Advertisement
(L-R) Italy’s undersecretary for defence Isabela Rauti, France’s defence minister Catherine Vautrin, Poland’s deputy prime minister and minister of defence Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, German defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Britain’s minister for defence procurement and industry Luke Pollard in a press conference in Krakow, Poland (AFP via Getty Images)
This follows incidents in which drones entered European airspace, including Poland in September 2025, that prompted costly Nato jet deployments.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Europe’s security was “more uncertain than it has been in decades”.
Shahana Yasmin21 February 2026 03:30
Zelensky: no progress on land issue in talks with Russia
The military track in Ukraine-Russia talks is constructive, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday, but there is no positive movement on the territorial issue.
Advertisement
Ukraine expects the next round of talks to be held later this month, he told reporters in a Whatsapp group.
Kyiv also hopes for details on the next prisoner of war swap with Russia to be agreed in the coming days, he added.
Ryan Garcia will return to the ring when he takes on WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in a world championship bout on Saturday
Tom Sunderland Sports Writer
05:30, 21 Feb 2026
Former WBC interim lightweight champion Ryan Garcia will end his nine-month ring absence when he faces Mario Barrios on Saturday. The duo will go to war for Barrios’ WBC welterweight title as ‘El Azteca’ looks to keep his hands on the crown.
Garcia, 27, hasn’t fought since he suffered a unanimous-decision defeat to Rolly Romero in May 2025. ‘King’ missed his chance at the WBA welterweight belt but will look to make up for that shortcoming when he fights in Las Vegas for the first time in nearly three years this weekend.
Advertisement
The 24-2 (1NC) fighter has become a fervent topic of discussion in boxing circles over recent years. Once one of the greatest prospects in American boxing, Garcia has since seen his personal life take over following a rollercoaster period in his career.
That extends to the Californian’s relationship and family drama, which has also fallen under the public microscope. Here, Mirror Fighting breaks down some of Garcia’s greatest accomplishments and personal strife ahead of his bout against 29-2-2 Barrios.
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings
What is Ryan Garcia’s net worth?
As a former star of the amateur scene, Garcia built up a lot of interest in his name by the time he turned pro at the age of 17. It was shortly after his 18th birthday that the sensation signed with Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, at which point a star was truly born.
That early investment in exposure has paid dividends over the years. By the time he beat Luke Campbell via TKO in January 2021, the prospect (who moved to a 21-0 record at the time) was already a considerable draw and fighting at some of the biggest venues in the United States.
Garcia’s fight earnings increased significantly following that win, and the fighter has claimed he earned around £20million (pre-tax) for his seventh-round stoppage loss to Gervonta Davis in 2023. Almost exactly one year later, he himself alleged he made roughly £35m for his WBC super lightweight bout against Devin Haney, originally a decision win that was later overturned following a failed drug test.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Those account for the most lucrative highlights of Garcia’s in-ring career and make up the majority of his supposed £35m net worth. At least if Garcia’s own claims regarding his fight earnings – made up of guaranteed earnings, pay-per-view bonuses and his personal bets – are accurate.
Advertisement
In addition to his fight earnings, King Ryan boasts a wealth of endorsement deals and sponsorships with major brands. He became the first boxer to sign an agreement with energy drink giant Gatorade in 2021, as well as advertising companies like Dior and GymShark over the years.
Garcia is also partnered with clothing company YoungLA and regularly sports their products in fight week. The boxer, who has 12.5m followers on Instagram, is very active in the live stream sector and regularly collaborates with major content creators, though it’s unclear how much the pugilist profits from this side of the business.
Watch Barrios vs Garcia live on DAZN
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Mario Barrios and Ryan Garcia will face off in Las Vegas on February 21 as the headline of The Ring: High Stakes card. Fans can order the fight on DAZN PPV for £24.99 or watch it free with a DAZN Ultimate plan.
Who is Ryan Garcia’s wife?
Garcia’s topsy-turvy relationship with Andrea Celina has been the basis for much of his exposure in the media. It’s understood the pair started dating in 2019 and had their first child, daughter Bela, the following year, before welcoming a son, Henry, in December 2023.
Celina is a social media influencer in her own right and boasts 230,000 followers on Instagram. She regularly advertises clothing and make-up brands via her account, though the mother-of-two’s earnings are unclear.
However, TMZ reported in August 2025 that Garcia had requested a Los Angeles Court put a hold on his divorce proceedings with Celina. The pair reconciled that summer and were seen publicly together, suggesting their relationship was back on.
Garcia also has another daughter, Riley, from a previous relationship with ex-girlfriend Catherine Gamez. The American has regularly posted tributes to his children in the past and frequently cites them as his inspiration.
It’s believed his tumultuous relationship with Celina is still alive and well today. The pair celebrated his 27th birthday together last year, but they largely keep their affairs private.
Saturday’s showdown with Barrios will mark the first time in earnest that Garcia has fought for another fighter’s world title. The WBA welterweight crown was vacant when he took on Romero last year, while the WBC lightweight belt was taken off the table for his clash against Haney after Garcia missed weight.
After officially winning just one of his last four bouts, this could present a major crossroads for King. Win, and he’s back in the mix as one of the elite fighters in his weight class; lose, and he risks putting his future title prospects in doubt.
Advertisement
Barrios, 30, has successfully defended his title on two occasions to date. However, he did so under controversial circumstances given he drew against both Abel Ramos and Manny Pacquiao in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
He previously held the WBA super lightweight title and defended it once before losing to Davis via TKO, just like Garcia. And the DAZN PPV has an added bit of spice considering Garcia’s former trainer, Joe Goossen, is now part of Barrios’ camp.
‘They look really nice on my fence in the garden. Very bright too’
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Advertisement
With the nights slowly but surely getting that little bit lighter and spring creeping over the horizon, many outdoors fans are itching to get outside and tend to gardens that have been neglected over winter. And one addition that can create a stunning atmosphere as dusk arrives over the warmer months is outdoor solar lights.
There’s actually a way that shoppers can effectively pick some up for free right now in a cashback deal. It comes via money-saving website, TopCashback, where new members who sign up here get a £15 cashback bonus when spending £15 at a participating retailer.
That means that the Globe 10 LED Outdoor Solar String Lights – usually £15 at Dunelm – can basically be acquired for free by new sign-ups to the service. New TopCashback members and both new and existing Dunelm customers get the lights for free after cashback.
The lights feature 10 LED bulbs that are suitable for outdoor use and are powered by sunlight. The one review left on the Dunelm website to date gave five stars, saying: “Pretty lights, they look really nice on my fence in the garden. Very bright too.”
Advertisement
As far as drawbacks are concerned, one thing worth pointing it is that at 3.6m they aren’t particularly long, so some people may want lights that cover a much greater area. One such example is the 23M/75FT Solar Festoon Lights, priced at £27.99 on Amazon.
Shopping writer Eve Rowlands bought a very similar product that is no longer sold on Amazon, reports the Express. Speaking about them, she said: “Having had my own set-up for the past year, I can attest to their durability – they’ve withstood gusty storms, scorching heatwaves and icy nights, and they’re still in top-notch condition.”
Advertisement
She added: “The festoon lights come with 30 (+3 extra) bulbs and extend to 23 metres, making them perfect for adorning a large outdoor space. Made from sturdy shatterproof LED plastic bulbs, these string lights add a delightful touch to your seating area and emit just the right amount of light for those warm summer evenings.”
For those keen to brighten up their borders, some stake lights that push into the ground might be a better bet. Argos sells a pack of six Stainless Steel Solar Stake Lights for £20. They’re capable of lasting for six hours on a full charge, though it should be noted that eight hours of full sunlight is needed for that to happen.
How to get the Dunelm lights for less via TopCashback
