MINISO launched its latest store at 40 Coney Street, York, drawing crowds from 10am ahead of a 12pm opening.

The global lifestyle and pop culture retailer, founded in China in 2013, is known for its affordable, design-led products and fun, family-friendly shopping experience.

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It sells homeware, beauty items, stationery, toys, and licensed merchandise featuring characters from Hello Kitty, Disney, Pokémon, and Star Wars.

The store is located in the former Luxe Company premises.

Employees Cailan Hobson, Emmie Rudland and Quinn Holmes joined colleagues in last-minute preparations ahead of the 12pm opening today. 12 staff will be employed in all at the store in Coney Street (Image: Kevin Glenton)

A MINISO spokesperson said the lucky first 200 customers through the doors spending £5 or more would be offered a free goody-bag worth £25.

The grand opening will also feature a display of balloon modelling and visit from PenPen, the company mascot.

Vivian Leadley, who lives near Acomb, queued outside the store with her daughters and grandchildren.

She said: “I’m sure I’ll be spending over a fiver with these three (her grandchildren) to qualify for the goody-bag.”

Vivian Leadley, with her daughter Bethany Richardson and grandchildren Lilly, Meila and Charlie were amongst the first in the queues forming outside MINISO in Coney Street (Image: Kevin Glenton)

The shop is filled with colourful collectables and lifestyle products.

It features cuddly versions of PenPen, one of the brand’s best-selling items, along with its popular blind boxes, “a mystery collectible that keeps the excitement alive until the very moment you open it”.

Nicholas Wallis, franchise area manager, said the new store will employ 12 members of staff and took around four months to prepare.

MINISO opened its new store in Coney Street, York at 12pm today (Friday, August 28) (Image: Kevin Glenton)

He said the team were excited to be bringing their particular brand of pop culture to the city.

The store will open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, and 10 to 5.30pm on Sundays.

Miniso has been present in the UK for six years and is focusing on refreshing some of its outlets in 2026.

The retailer aims to create a “fun, family-friendly destination that blends value with entertainment.”

Since launching in 2013, Miniso has grown to more than 6,000 stores globally.

The Girls Aloud legend, 43, has returned as Nivea’s brand ambassador to help launch their new eye serum

This is not a drill! Cheryl is back – and could there be a huge TV comeback on the horizon?

The Girls Aloud legend, 43, has returned as Nivea’s brand ambassador to help launch their new eye serum. It comes after Cheryl withdrew from the spotlight two years ago following the death of ex Liam Payne, the father of her nine-year-old son Bear.

Following her son’s birth in 2017, she decided to focus on Bear rather than her music and TV career. She briefly returned to the stage in 2024 for the Girls Aloud reunion tour and paid tribute to late bandmate Sarah Harding.

In a set of stunning new photos, Cheryl glows as she shows off her figure in a sensual, sleek teal blue maxi dress. Placing a manicured hand on her thigh, the singer sits on a white boulder as she gazes into the camera. In another teaser, she gave a glimpse of her cheeky trademark wink.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Cheryl is set to make a huge comeback after reportedly landing a role on The Voice UK.

The Fight For This Love singer is said to be joining pal will.i.am when filming kicks off in the next few weeks, while Stacey Solomon and Alesha Dixon have been tapped to host.

“Every year producers ask Cheryl to go on the show, and it’s a polite ‘no’ as the timing has never quite been right,” a source claimed.

“This year it’s different. She feels ready to re-enter the spotlight and talks are now in the final stages.

“Things could come crashing down but with three weeks to go until filming kicks off, the production team is working on the assumption she will be doing it.

They added to the Sun : “It helps that long-term friend Will.i.am will be beside her on the panel.”

If Cheryl does join the show, it will mark her return to ITV following her exit from the X Factor in 2015. She first joined the show in 2008, replacing Sharon Osbourne – and quickly became a fan favourite.

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In 2011, she briefly switched to the US version of the show but left after just a few weeks of filming. Four years later, she made a bombshell return to the UK series, where she remained for two years.

The show, in which the coaches famously turn around their chairs if they want to pick a singer for their team, has been on ITV since it switched channels from BBC One in 2016.

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Birmingham city council is planning to remove British and St George’s flags from lampposts ‘to protect public safety’. 

The council – run by a coalition of the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and independents – launched legal action to ban the flags yesterday. 

If granted an injunction, anyone who erects flags such as the Union Jack near roads without Birmingham Council’s permission could face an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison.

It follows a nationwide debate over whether British and St George’s flags should be allowed, with some viewing them as a sign of patriotism while others deem them a display of nationalism aimed at intimidating ethnic minorities. 

A campaign called Raise The Colours resulted in thousands of St George’s crosses being put on lampposts, roundabouts and homes across the UK. 

It was sparked by local disputes in Birmingham after councils took down the flags from public lampposts. 

Birmingham city council yesterday said it was pursuing legal action to stop people raising the flags, after staff tasked with removing them faced harassment and intimidation. 

Jane Baston, a Green councillor and Birmingham’s cabinet member for equalities, communities and social justice, said: ‘The council is taking a lawful, proportionate and evidence-led approach to unauthorised attachments on the highway.

Birmingham city council first sparked outrage in August last year by ordering the removal of British flags from lampposts 

‘This includes pursuing injunctive action based on the evidence gathered to date. Our priority is to protect public safety, staff and contractor welfare, community cohesion and the responsible use of public funds.

‘We ask residents and community groups to support this approach and to ensure any displays are placed only where permission exists.’

The council’s application named Ryan Bridge, co-founder of Operation Raise the Colours, as well as seven others and ‘persons unknown’. 

Last month, Oxfordshire council became the first local authority to gain legal authority to end flag flying from public infrastructure. 

Maintenance staff at Oxfordshire County Council were told to wear face coverings and check their vehicles for trackers when removing the flags after a colleague’s home address was published by campaigners. 

The local authority, which was previously run by the Liberal Democrats but now has no overall control, had brought legal action to stop people raising flags near highways, which it said involved safety risks concerning trespassing and obstruction. 

While some politicians decried the removals, others claimed the increased number being flown was a result of xenophobia or racism.

Oxfordshire County Council said flags had been placed on or near public roads without permission for months, despite a formal legal notice in March and pre-action legal letters sent to individuals in May.

Birmingham city council said it was pursuing legal action to stop people raising the flags, after staff tasked with removing them faced harassment and intimidation

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Birmingham city council first sparked outrage in August last year by ordering the removal of British flags from lampposts – while being ‘too scared’ to take down Palestine flags without police protection. 

At the time, they claimed the flags put the lives of pedestrians and motorists ‘at risk’ despite being as much as 25ft off the ground. 

The flags had been strung up by a small, organised group of residents to ‘show Birmingham and the rest of the country how proud we are of our history, freedoms and achievements’. 

In a statement published yesterday, Raise The Colours said: ‘We have become aware of a Birmingham city council post referring to a High Court injunction application concerning unauthorised highway attachments, including flags, banners and signage. 

‘We were not in dialogue with Birmingham city council prior to this. We only became aware after members of the public alerted us to the Council’s Facebook post and after the matter was mentioned on TalkTV.

‘We believe public funds would be better spent on core services such as refuse collections, safer streets and supporting local communities. 

‘We are seeking clarity and will respond through a proper legal process if required. 

‘We ask everyone not to speculate and to allow the facts to be established through proper channels. We will update people when we are able to do so.’  

Pot 1 involves some of Europe’s biggest names, even if they aren’t at the level of years gone by with all three Premier League sides finding themselves in Pot 3.

Pot 1: Bayer Leverkusen, Benfica, Juventus, AC Milan, Lyon, AZ Alkmaar, Olympiakos, Real Sociedad, Marseille

Pot 2: Ferencvaros, Viktoria Plzen, Union Saint-Gilloise, Dinamo Zagreb, Red Bull Salzburg, Celtic, Sparta Prague, Rennes, Anderlecht

Pot 3: Sturm Graz, Lech Poznan, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Sunderland, Celje, Jagiellonia Bialystok, Omonia, Celta Vigo

Pot 4: Hoffenheim, Besiktas, Torreense, Hapoel Be’er Sheva, NEC Nijmegen, OFI Crete, Lillestrom, Aarat-Armenia, Levski Sofia

By ISABELLA MACHIN, REPORTER and ELIANA SILVER, SENIOR FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Updated: 11:25 BST, 28 August 2026

Nepali authorities have said a dammed lake over the border in Tibet has broken its banks, two days after a flash flood swept through Nepal’s Rasuwa region on Wednesday.

Nepal is facing what officials have described as ‘devastation beyond imagination’ after a ‘tsunami from the sky’ battered the area following a glacier collapse.

The rushing waters, reportedly reaching up to 650ft high, have left more than 1,500 people missing and at least 538 dead. 

This includes 33 missing British nationals, with a 13-year-old schoolgirl from Surrey among those feared missing.

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Mass helicopter rescue operations were stopped on Friday morning, according to Reuters, and locals were forced to rush up a hill to reach higher ground after waters overflowed the dammed lake. 

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has since reported rescue operations on the Tibet side of the border are ‘continuing as normal’. 

Narendra Pariyar, the most senior bureaucrat of the district, previously said the level of water the river is ‘rising’.

The lake is located approximately 10km (six miles) from Gyirong port, the border crossing with Nepal that was engulfed by mud and floodwater, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

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Nepali and Chinese authorities urged people in potentially affected areas to move to safer ground. 

China‘s Ministry of Water Resources said on Thursday that the lake held around two million cubic meters (70 million cubic feet) of water and was expected to receive another three million cubic meters (106 million cubic feet) over the next three days.

Dammed lake BREAKS ITS BANKS, sparking fears of second tsunami

Nepali authorities have said a dammed lake over the border in Tibet has broken its banks, two days after a flash flood hit the region.

Helicopter rescue operations have now been stopped, according to Reuters, and locals have been witnessed rushing up a hill to reach higher ground.

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‘Information has been received that a water dam has burst again on the Tibetan side,’ police said in a statement.

‘All security personnel, rescue workers, and the general public deployed in rescue and relief operations are requested to remain alert and immediately move to a safe location/report the incident.’

Narendra Pariyar, the most senior bureaucrat of the district, said on Friday: ‘We can see that the level of water in the river is rising,’ he said, adding that it is unclear how high the water level is at present.

Earlier this morning, rescue operations in the area were suspended after the lake began to overflow.

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Nepali and Chinese authorities had warned of further flooding from the lake that formed upstream after Wednesday’s disaster and was already overflowing.

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PICTURED: Stranded children rescued by a rescue helicopter in Nuwakot

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Breaking:Death toll rises to 538

Nepalese authorities have now confirmed that 538 people died due to Wednesday’s flash floods.

This is an update from the previous death toll of 489 given a few hours ago.

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WATCH: Video believed to show moment landslide strikes in Nepal

A video has emerged believed to show the moment a massive landslide plummeted into Nepal, causing a devastating flood to sweep through Nepal’s Rasuwa region.

The footage is believed to have been captured by a tourist flying a drone over the landscape

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Nepal declines foreign ‘search-and-rescue’ assistance

Nepal declined foreign assistance for search-and-rescue operations, its foreign ministry said.

This follows the offer of help from several countries, including the UK.

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Saying Nepal was managing the rescue efforts, a spokesman added: ‘The offer for help is natural. Our security agencies are doing the search and rescue operation. For now we don’t require such help.’

It comes as hundreds of foreign nationals are still missing.

The Kathmandu Post reported that India, China, the United States, Britain, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had asked the government to allow their search-and-rescue teams to assist in the operation.

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Rasuwa only accessible by helicopter after becoming ‘totally disconnected’

Nepal’s Rasuwa district has become ‘physically totally disconnected’ after flooding swept through and destroyed the region, according to authorities.

‘We have not been able to get there, it takes time for us to assess the scale of the damage,’ Bikram Timilsina, the country’s information minister, told the BBC.

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‘Only by helicopter have we been able to rescue people.’

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Red Cross: ‘Risk’ of second tsunami is high

A Red Cross official in Nepal has warned of a second tsunami, saying: ‘We are very concerned about risk of secondary flood’.

‘We believe that at least 93,000 people have been affected and are in great need,’ they added.

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Missing family of four from Surrey were ‘in Nepal for pilgrimage to celebrate son’s A-levels’

The missing family of four from Cobham, Surrey, were reportedly on a pilgrimage in Nepal after they landed from the UK on Tuesday.

It is understood the trip came after their son ‘got amazing grades at A levels’ and their daughter celebrated her 13th birthday.

A neighbour told The Times: ‘The son got amazing grades at A levels so as part of that they wanted to pay their homage to God.

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‘As a family they were always on the go and the husband was always travelling around the world to places as far away as Australia.’

The family visited India every year for a family holiday, it was reported, but this year chose to visit Nepal to go on a pilgrimage.

The mother and daughter is believed to have British citizenship while the father and son have Irish citizenship.

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Rescue operations resume in Nepal

Search and rescue operations have resumed in Nepal after they were halted over fears of second tsunami, an army spokesman said.

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Authorities ‘struggle to store and identify’ bodies of victims

Nepal’s authorities said they are faced with a growing challenge to identify the bodies of victims taken downstream by the floods – and then house them.

Some bodies were found more than 320km (200 miles) away from their homes, local outlet The Kathmandu Post reported.

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Meanwhile, bodies are being sent to neighbouring districts as morgues in Nuwakot, Dhading and Nawalparasi are running out of space.

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China offers aid as President Xi Jinping sends condolences to Nepal

Chinese President Xi Jinping offered Beijing’s help in Nepal’s rescue operations on Friday, state media said, after deadly flooding at their shared border.

‘China is willing to actively assist Nepal in its rescue efforts and provide support and aid to the best of its ability,’ President Xi said in a condolence message to Nepal’s president, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The Chinese embassy in Nepal has also deployed a team to assist with rescue efforts, according to Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming.

‘China stands firmly with Nepal at this difficult time,’ Mr Zhang told Nepal’s state-run NTV World. ‘We have been working closely with the Nepali side and supporting each other in responding to the disaster’.

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Breaking:Five killed and 558 missing in Tibet

Five people have died in Tibet due to flash floods and landslides on Wednesday.

Chinese state media said 558 people are currently missing in the region.

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Andy Burnham has vowed to “put the cowboys out of business” as he announced a crackdown on rogue builders accused of leaving households facing shoddy work, unfinished projects and hefty losses.

The Prime Minister said families would have new ways to find trusted tradespeople and protect their money from unscrupulous operators.

The move comes after Citizens Advice revealed that home renovations were among its biggest sources of complaints, with more than one in four adults reporting problems with their most recent project.

Complaints include poor-quality work and builders disappearing before jobs are finished.

From September, businesses will be able to sign up to a Government-backed approved code showing they meet standards covering customer service, transparency and dispute resolution.

A new payment system launching next week will also allow customers to link payments to project milestones, meaning money can be released as work is completed rather than handing over large sums upfront.

Burnham said: “Cowboy builders don’t just rip people off. They leave families with months of stress, the disruption of unfinished work, and that horrible feeling of being taken advantage of. Not only that, but they give the vast majority of decent, hardworking tradespeople a bad name.”

He added: “So we’re putting the cowboys out of business. These changes mean you’ll now have the option to make sure your money is held safely and released bit by bit as the work gets done.”

The Prime Minister said the measures were part of his Government’s series of “everyday fixes” aimed at tackling problems facing households.

He said: “It’s the latest in our series of everyday fixes to give people room to breathe and make Britain fairer. We’ve taken on subscription traps, fake discounts, and now we’re coming for the cowboy builders. Enough is enough.”

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the changes would “protect consumers, support reputable traders” and help prevent home improvements from “turning into a nightmare”.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds (Image: Yui Mok)

Bailiffs face tougher rules

The Government also announced tougher regulation of private bailiffs in England and Wales amid concerns about people in debt being subjected to intimidating tactics.

The reforms will introduce mandatory independent oversight, with bailiffs required to be accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board – or work for an accredited firm – to obtain the certificate needed to operate.

Ministers said the changes were designed to improve professional standards and prevent enforcement agents from pressuring people into repayment arrangements they cannot afford.

Courts minister Sarah Sackman said: “Bailiffs have an important job to do, but with that responsibility must come high standards. When someone is already struggling with debt, the last thing they should face is intimidating behaviour, unfair treatment or being pushed into excessive repayment arrangements they cannot afford.”

She added: “That’s why we’re strengthening the rules. All private bailiffs will have to meet proper, professional standards and will be subject to independent oversight – giving people greater protection and somewhere to turn when things go wrong.”

The Government will also examine whether the wider consumer protection system could be made easier to navigate, including how Citizens Advice and Trading Standards work with regulators, enforcement bodies and redress schemes.

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But the plans have faced criticism from opposition parties.

Andrew Griffith, shadow business and trade secretary, said: “We all want to see action to stop rogue traders, but this announcement looks like the sort of government initiative that risks the unintended consequence of piling more paperwork onto the majority of businesses who already do the right thing.”

He said ministers should instead “beef up” law enforcement and introduce tougher sentences for those who defraud customers.

Karen Cassidy and her husband George Gale were due to fly out to Malaga at 7:10 am on August 14 but slept through their alarms.

Not wanting the setback to ruin her holiday, the 36-year-old got ‘straight on the internet’ and booked a new flight to Malaga for that afternoon.

Not wanting the setback to ruin her holiday, the 36-year-old got ‘straight on the internet’ and booked a new flight to Malaga for that afternoon (Image: Kennedy News and Media)

But after finally arriving at the hotel at midnight, the ‘exhausted’ event planning business owner claims she was left ‘in tears’ to discover her entire £1,100 all-inclusive package holiday had been cancelled without her knowing.

After being on the phone with Jet2 and ‘crying for 20 minutes’ Karen says she was told there was ‘absolutely nothing they can do’ and had to pay another 350 euros to stay the night in the hotel.

The mum-of-three claims that the pair ended up paying over £1,500 for alternative accommodation and travel – meaning what was supposed to be a £1,114 holiday ballooned to more than £2,600.

Sharing her experience on TikTok, Karen wants to raise awareness so that other people don’t make the same mistake she did.

Jet2holidays said they were sorry to hear about Karen and George’s experience but pointed out their terms and conditions state that if customers miss their outbound flight, their travel arrangements, including accommodation and inbound flight where applicable, will be cancelled.

Karen said: “The baby had kept me up so I don’t think I ended up going to sleep until 2:00am then we were supposed to get up at 4:00am but just slept through our alarms.

“My thinking was, ‘right, get straight on the internet and see if there are any other flights going today’

“Our new flight was around 4:00pm then we were delayed for over an hour so by the time we got to the hotel it was midnight.

“Obviously they were like ‘we can’t find your booking.’ Then they explained ‘actually there is a booking but it’s a past booking.’

“Jet2 had cancelled our entire holiday at 3pm.

“After everything I felt we had gone through, I was just shocked.

“This cannot be happening to us. I was distraught, I had been crying for 20 minutes.”

As it was midnight, Karen claims she didn’t have the ‘luxury’ of shopping around so had to pay 350 euros for the night in the hotel.

Arriving at their room, Karen says it was the ‘icing on the cake’ when she pulled back the curtain and the view was of a ‘fenced wall’.

They were so unhappy with it that they felt compelled to find a different hotel after that, costing another £350.

Karen said: “I was exhausted and just in tears.

“They [Jet2] came back to me and said ‘there’s absolutely nothing they can do, they have a no-show policy, because it’s been cancelled, they can’t go back on that.’

“At this time, midnight, we don’t have that luxury option of going to shop around.

“Our view was just like a back fenced wall and a part of the street, it was the final icing on the cake.

“I had to pay another £350 to stay in another hotel in another area plus we had to book our flight home.

“It was not a great time.

“This was only Friday to Monday, this wasn’t a week or anything like that, this was a couple of days.

“It was really sad. We just felt like a number. I just wanted to cry and continue to cry and not stop.”

Karen now wants to spread the word of this to others as she claims the policy is ‘unclear’.

Karen said: “There was nothing that set off alarm bells in me [in the policy]. I think it’s genuinely really unclear.

“Imagine I was here with my kids and the situation I could have been left in.

“Through loads of rubbish comments from people calling me an idiot or people saying ‘what grown up can miss a flight’, there’s hundreds of people that don’t know.

“If I could save one person, I’m happy.

“I just wanted to help someone else because I just thought I could have been here with my kids.

“I’d spent every penny making sure that the kids had a great summer and then I was like let me take two minutes out for myself, I felt like I was being punished.”

Sharing her experience to TikTok, Karen received a mix of opinions on the incident.

One commenter said: “I never even knew this could happen thanks for spreading awareness. I hope you still have good time on your holiday.”

A second said: “Jet2 need to review their policy.”

Another said: “Sorry this happened to you. Stressful, disappointing and expensive. I really hope you can get some time for yourselves.”

However one said: “So if you had called the company the rest of your holiday would have been saved?”

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Jet2holidays pointed out that their terms and conditions explain that if customers do not present themselves for their outbound flight, their travel arrangements, including accommodation and their inbound flight where applicable, will be cancelled.

A spokesperson for Jet2holidays said: “We’re sorry to hear about Ms Cassidy and Mr Gale’s experience and we understand how disappointing it must have been to arrive in Malaga and find that their holiday arrangements had been cancelled.

“Unfortunately, as the customers did not travel on their booked outbound flight or let us know that they planned to make their own way to Malaga, their remaining holiday arrangements were cancelled in line with the terms and conditions of their booking.

“When they got in touch with us after arriving in resort, our team offered to try to help and support them.”

Have you ever had a holiday cancelled? Let us know in the comments.

Tickets go on sale next week

Take That has been confirmed as the latest headliner to join the 2027 line-up for iconic Belfast music festival Belsonic.

Back in Ormeau Park after a huge gig in 2024, the iconic boyband will take to the South Belfast stage on June 30, 2026.

Tickets go on sale from Ticketmaster next Friday (September 4) at 10am and the Take That website.

They join Irish bands Amble and Kingfishr on the Belsonic 2027 line-up announced so far.

The Belfast show was announced in the first wave of international dates for the Dreamers Tour, which will see them perform throughout summer 2027.

A spokesperson said: “Also revealed today was the title of the band’s highly anticipated new record; Dreamers, Take That’s 10th studio album, is due for release later this year, with more details to be unveiled soon.

“The band also teased a new single, Feel My Love, released next Friday (4th September). The new track features Irish-American singer songwriter Michael Patrick Kelly who is a chart-topping, arena artist whose latest album topped the charts in Germany and Switzerland.

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“The new single, alongside previous tracks You’re A Superstar and Sweet July, offers a taste of what fans can expect from this next chapter in Take That’s journey.”

This new tour marks the band’s biggest European run in years, with 24 shows in 24 cities across 14 countries, with more shows to be announced in the coming weeks.

Consisting of festival and outdoor shows, the band will perform music from Dreamers, as well as classic hits from their back catalogue, in shows which are guaranteed to entertain audiences of all ages.

Tickets go on sale next Friday at 10am from Ticketmaster

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What’s On newsletter.

As rescue efforts continue, details of the missing are slowly emerging.

Fishtail Tours and Travels confirmed Leena Bector, from Slough, was among 27 travellers linked to the tour company who remain unaccounted for.

Her husband, Bhupesh Bector, told The Times: “I know that she’s in Nepal for sure, so even if they find her today or tomorrow, I need to be there.”

Essex nurse Rajendra Pudasaini said his relatives were “swept away” by the floods.

“My wife’s auntie and uncle, and their granddaughter and her husband are missing, and my godson as well,” he told PA Media.

“They’re gone. The speed the water came, they couldn’t be saved, they were just swept away.”

Sarada Simkhada, a senior nurse at Darent Valley Hospital in Kent, is also among the missing, according to a local councillor.

The Times said Simkhada was “following in the footsteps of thousands of Hindus this month in making the spiritual journey to Mount Kailash”.

Tatajana Phillips, from Folkestone in Kent, told the BBC she has not been able to contact her sister who was near the Nepal-Tibet border when devastating flash flooding hit.

She said the last known location of her sister Julija Jakovicka was in the border area an hour before the flash floods struck.

“Then there is no more news,” she told the BBC.

Phillips said her sister, a mother-of-two living in Germany, was in the country for a yoga and meditation retreat.

“We are terribly worried,” added Phillips’ husband Ben. “We just know where they were and that’s really tough.”