Born in Leicestershire and educated at Stamford School, Smith represented his home county and Oxford University before joining Warwickshire.

He captained the Bears from 1957 to 1967 and scored 39,832 first-class runs in 637 matches during his county career, the 18th-highest total of all time.

Smith still holds the Warwickshire record for most runs in a single season after scoring 2,417 runs in 1959 and was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1960.

He remained involved with cricket after his retirement as a player, as chairman of Warwickshire and also as an ICC match referee, officiating in four Tests and 17 ODIs.

A dual international, Smith played rugby union for Oxford University and Leicester and won a cap for England against Wales in January 1956.

The industrial action, called by the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, is related to a dispute over plans to introduce a voluntary four-day working week, which would condense Tube drivers’ weekly hours.

The RMT union has called the plan “fake” and said it raised “serious concerns from our members about shift length and resulting fatigue impacting safety”.

RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said union members had “approached negotiations with Transport for London (TfL) in good faith” but “TfL seem unwilling to make any concessions”.

Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, defended the proposal, saying it would allow drivers an extra day off and bring the Underground “in line with the working patterns of other train operating companies”.

“The changes would be voluntary,” she said. “There would be no reduction in contractual hours and those who wish to continue a five-day working week pattern would be able to do so.”

Mr Kennedy KC is now asking about the hospital attendance on May 25, 2023, when Preston was ‘floppy’ with ‘possible seizure activity’.

Medical notes said Preston had shortness of breath, increased work of breathing, was floppy, unresponsive and had a nosebleed, the jury is told. Shaking limbs and stiffness were also noted.

Preston was treated with seizure medication, the jury is told.

Two days afterwards, Mr Varley messaged a group chat with Preston’s former foster parents, saying the baby had been really poorly with a nosebleed and had a seizure in hospital, the court hears. He reported a chest X-ray came back with a bad infection, and blood tests showed low sodium.

Mr Kennedy asks Dr Gifford to confirm that low sodium is found in febrile seizures. Dr Gifford confirms when small children have a temperature spike it can cause this type of seizure.

This is not epilepsy – it only occurs when children have a fever, she says. A third of children will only have one febrile seizure, but others will go on to have further episodes, Dr Gifford adds.

The seizure is not a response to the fever, but parents are encouraged to undress the child to their nappy and give paracetamol to bring the child’s temperature down, she adds.

They are believed to have died while exploring a cave around 160ft underwater in Vaavu Atoll, according to Italy’s Foreign Ministry

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The remains of four Italian divers who vanished during a scuba-diving incident in the Maldives have been discovered.

Giorgia Sommacal, Monica Montefalcone, Gianluca Benedetti, Muriel Oddenino and Federico Gualtieri are thought to have perished while investigating a cave approximately 160ft beneath the surface in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, as stated by Italy’s Foreign Ministry. The permitted recreational diving depth in the Maldives stands at 98ft.

Recovery operations recommenced on Monday having been halted following the tragic death of a local military diver, Mohamed Mahudhee, during a perilous mission attempting to locate them.

The tragedy is understood to be the most devastating single diving catastrophe in the Indian Ocean nation’s history. Four of the Italian divers belonged to a University of Genoa expedition, comprising ecology professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter and two research colleagues.

Mr Benedetti’s body, a boat operations manager and diving instructor, was discovered earlier beyond the cave entrance, reports the Mirror.

Three Finnish divers touched down in the Maldives on Sunday to devise a fresh approach for retrieving the bodies of the remaining four divers, who were thought to be trapped within the cave network. Italy’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday that all four bodies had subsequently been located.

Maldives presidential spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef stated the search had been paused after Mr Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defence Force, succumbed to decompression sickness following his transfer to a hospital in the capital on Saturday.

Mr Shareef revealed that the Finnish divers, experts in deep-water and cave exploration, had teamed up with the Maldives coastguard to devise a fresh search strategy. Challenging weather conditions had consistently disrupted rescue attempts.

Previous search parties had successfully located and flagged the cave system entrance where the Italians vanished. The circumstances surrounding their deaths are still being examined.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed his sympathies: “These days of grief for Italy are compounded by the news that one of your brave soldiers… died while attempting to dive to reach the bodies of our fellow Italians.

“This tragedy unites Italy and the Maldives in grief and respect for the victims,” he added.

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Bhekisani Matabiswana launched the attack on Luke Harden at a working men’s club in Lancaster

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A man has been sentenced to life after he was found guilty of savagely beating a male model to death. The incident happened in Stacksteads, Lancashire, where Bhekisani Matabiswana, 27, attacked Luke Harden, 37, at a working men’s club last year.

On October 31, Luke, represented by Nemesis Model Agency in Manchester, and others were booked to DJ at a Halloween fancy dress party. Matabiswana, who attended the same event with his friends, launched a ‘frenzied and cowardly attack’ on Luke as he lay defenceless on the ground shortly after both men had left the venue.

His killer then attempted to portray himself as a Good Samaritan who had simply tried to help after ‘coming across an injured stranger on the ground’, Manchester Evening News reports. Luke died as a result of blunt force trauma to head and neck following an assault.

Matabiswana, of St James Street, Bacup, was found guilty of murder after the judge accepted a majority verdict. He was sentenced at the same court today to a life sentence with a minimum of 16 years and six months in jail.

Luke’s girlfriend said: “You have ruined not only Luke’s life but mine too. He was the light in this world taken far too soon and I will forever miss him.

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“He will always be my boy and I’ll love him forever.”

As Matabiswana was jailed for life for murder, he was told the minimum term he must serve before he can apply for release is 16 years and six months. Due to time spent on remand in custody, this will be reduced to 15 years and 353 days.

Judge Robert Altham told Matabiswana that Luke’s life was ‘full of promise and hope and you brought that life to an end’ during sentencing

He adds: “His sister was told what had occurred by the very person who killed him.”

During the trial, the jury had been shown footage at the working men’s club which showed Matabiswana shaking hands with Luke. Matabiswana had taken ketamine and cannabinoids.

The judge says: “I cannot be sure, having seen Luke’s conduct and him tripping over that sign, that he didn’t try to engage in some unwanted conversation with you or Miss Chadwick. I can’t rule out the possibility of him reaching for one or either of you.

“However I am sure that your account is wholly untrue. I do not accept that he repeatedly punched you.

“I am satisfied that in anger at his unwanted approach you lost your temper. You took him to the ground, he was defenceless, you stamped hard on his face, causing injuries to the back of his head as you stamped him into the pavement.

“You broke his nose and fractured his upper jaw in two places.”

The Judge added: “I cannot be sure that you intended to kill however you intended to cause serious bodily harm. Natalie Chadwick screamed in terror at what you had done.

“You had left Luke. A hurried plan was then formed. You returned and falsely said you had found him on the ground. That was a wicked lie.

“You weren’t concerned about Luke; only yourselves. You rifled through Luke’s pockets and found his phone and called the last dialled number. There is no good explanation for your failure to call the emergency services save that you feared detection.

“When paramedics arrived you lied. You were arrested at the scene and later released. You attempted to flee and made arrangements to get a flight to South Africa.

“You gave a wholly untrue account to your mother and girlfriend. You were arrested at the departure gate. I reject your account that you intended to return.”

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Strikes planned for tomorrow and Thursday by London Underground drivers have been called off, the RMT union has confirmed.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union had announced its members will walk out for 24 hours from midday on Tuesday 19 May, and again on Thursday 21 May.

A union spokesperson said: “At the 11th hour the employer has shifted its position allowing us to further explore our members concerns around the imposition of new rosters, fatigue and safety issues.

“The dispute is not over and more strike action will follow if we fail to make sufficient progress.”

More to follow…

The students’ union said the application was submitted in March and recommended for approval last week.

The University of York’s Restore Britain society said it is “thrilled” to have been recommended for ratification, adding that it has “big plans” for the future.

It follows around 70 students protesting on the university’s campus after Restore Britain applied for the society.

Restore Britain was first launched as a political pressure group in June 2025 by Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe who was previously a member of Reform UK.

Its website lists policies including reversing mass immigration and abolishing the asylum system, banning the burqa and niqab, promoting Christian heritage in schools and launching an inquiry into Covid vaccines.

Anti-extremist group Hope Not Hate has raised concerns about the party’s rhetoric, including Mr Lowe referring to migrants at the party’s launch event and saying millions would have to go.

The group has also pointed to comments from the party’s Campaign Director Charlie Downes who said Britain was made up of people defined by an indigenous ancestry and Christian heritage.

Explaining its reasoning for approving the Restore Britain society, a spokesperson for the University of York students’ union said it has a “duty to uphold legislation on freedom of speech”.

“We are legally required to consider all society applications on the same basis, regardless of their politics,” they said in a statement.

“Refusing to ratify a society purely because of its lawful views would expose York SU to serious legal risk.”

The students’ union spokesperson said ratifying the society is “not an endorsement” of Restore Britain, adding: “It does not mean the SU supports Restore Britain’s views. It does not mean your offices support them.

“It means we are legally bound to apply the same process to every group that meets our requirements.”

The University of York’s Green society said it was “disappointed but unsurprised” by the decision.

“Students deserve to feel safe on campus and this should take priority,” a Green society spokesperson said.

 A University of York Restore Britain society spokesperson said: “We at UOY Restore Britain Society are absolutely thrilled to announce our official ratification.

 “We’ve got big plans for the future. We’d like to thank the SU for having the strength of will and professional integrity in making this decision in the midst of a hostile campus.”

Three cars were torched on the driveway of a home on Kenwood Crescent, in Ingleby Barwick, at around 12.15am on Sunday (May 17).

Footage of the incident posted online shows the moment several figures surround the driveway before a flash of white light can be seen as a car erupts into flames. 

Now, new pictures have revealed the devastating aftermath outside of the home, where the remains of the burnt-out three vehicles lay. 

The aftermath of a ‘petrol bomb’ attack on an Ingleby Barwick home (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

One of the cars is missing all of its windows, and front bumper, while the fire has stripped the paintwork off all three. 

The aftermath of a ‘petrol bomb’ attack on an Ingleby Barwick home (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Cleveland Police has launched an investigation into the incident, saying enquiries are continuing in a statement issued earlier today. 

Cleveland Fire Brigade confirmed that it was called to the scene at 12.17am.

A spokesperson said: “Two fire appliances attended from Thornaby.

The aftermath of a ‘petrol bomb’ attack on an Ingleby Barwick home (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“Three cars were on fire. Two cars had 100% of the passenger compartment and engine compartment destroyed by the fire.

“One car had 50% of the passenger compartment and engine compartment destroyed by the fire. Two hose reel jets, two breathing apparatus and thermal imaging camera were used.

 “The stop call was received at 12.46am.”

A spokesperson said: “At 12.15am on Sunday, May 17, police were called to Kenwood Crescent in Ingleby Barwick following reports of criminal damage. 

“It involved a house believed to have been petrol bombed and three cars well alight. 

“A scene was put in place and enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information or footage is asked to call Cleveland Police on 101 quoting reference number 093259.”