On a crucial night for women’s boxing, Caroline Dubois signalled her arrival as the boxer to beat in the lightweight division, adding rival Terri Harper’s WBO title to her WBC strap.

The unification fight on Sunday took a while to catch fire before Dubois began to outwork her opponent, taking a wide unanimous decision 98–91, 97-92, 98-91 on the judges’ scorecards.

Following a staccato start to proceedings, Dubois turned the screw, limiting her domestic rival’s effectiveness throughout the contest. Harper showed bravery after suffering a cut above the left eye from an accidental clash of heads, but Dubois’s quality quickly shone through.

The duo had been swapping barbs for months leading up to the contest at the Olympia in London, adding a bit of spice to the affair. Although Dubois stated there was no bad blood following the fight, her words were pointed towards her opponent’s cautious approach. In the ring she claimed: “I started very well, Terri was very negative – we knew she would be. It was a bit tricky to get her.”

Dubois, who improved to 13-0-1 as a pro, went on to state that she had merely been promoting the fight with her comments in recent months. “It was never personal for me,” she said. “It was always personal for Terri. I’m a fighter and an entertainer. I talk the talk to be entertaining, this is why this fight was the most talked about, the most exciting. I know Terri Harper fans will be upset by the decision, but I’m an entertainer and this is what I do.”

After mainly bubbling away on the undercards of Boxxer shows since turning pro in 2022, Dubois was truly stepping into the limelight for the first time: top billing paired with her toughest challenge yet.

It had been 10 months since Harper’s last fight, a headlining homecoming in Doncaster, where the Yorkshirewoman made the first defence of her WBO lightweight title in protracted fashion against an underwhelming Natalie Zimmerman.

Harper entered the ring on Sunday having competed for world titles at four different weights ranging 24lb, from super-featherweight to super-welterweight. In contrast, Dubois had fought as a lightweight since she first reached prominence as an amateur, with all 13 of her professional bouts fought between 134 and 138lb.

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The increased quality level of opponent already posed enough questions for Dubois; the bout was super-charged by the animosity and rivalry that had festered between the two lightweight title holders. Tensions heightened at the weigh-ins, Harper shoving her dance partner as they posed for photos. The three-division champion had felt overlooked by Dubois, who claimed that Harper had not achieved anything in boxing.

Inside the ring, Dubois showed far more respect. Both fighters were standoffish in a cagey opening round, the duo gauging each other’s range and gameplan.

An animated Shane McGuigan dished out advice in the Dubois corner between rounds, leading to his charge throwing more jabs in the second. Harper was by no means a passenger in the opening rounds, gambling on the odd hook here and there, but the older fighter was certainly more cautious than her counterpart in the first three rounds of the contest.

While still selective with their shots, both fighters showed more ambition in the fourth stanza. Dubois adopted a stooping approach with her hooks, finding success by stepping out before flying back in to harass Harper. Into the fifth, Harper maintained constant head movement that negated Dubois’s crosses and hooks, but the 29-year-old threw little of note in terms of return fire.

But Harper could not evade everything Dubois was producing; towards the end of the sixth, “Sweet Caroline” was allowed to land too many straights on Harper’s temple, the WBO champion dropping against the ropes and onto the canvas. Dubois roared in the face of Harper as she returned to her feet, further highlighting the dislike between the pair.

Dubois continued to goad her rival at the start of the seventh, leading to a second talking to from referee Victor Loughlin. By now Dubois knew she had the measure of Harper, throwing away caution as she stalked Harper from one set of the ropes to another. Harper’s face was starting to show wear from Dubois’ work, blood pouring from her brow and down her eyes.

Now knowing she needed a stoppage in the final round, Harper finally opened up. A nice combination started from a body shot before Harper released left hook after left hook, leaving Dubois slightly startled. The slow start was fully consigned to the history books as the final minute descended into a slugfest; Harper looking for a winner, Dubois hunting for a statement stoppage.

Neither could land a finishing blow, sending the contest to the judges’ scorecards. Assisted by the sixth-round knockdown, Dubois claimed both belts with a wide unanimous decision.

Attention now turns to the remaining two belts at 135lb, split between IBF champion Elif Nur Turhan and WBA title holder Stephanie Han.

When asked if she planned to sit down with Most Valuable Promotion’s (MVP) co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian soon, Dubois replied: “One hundred per cent – that’s the plan. Only big fights from here on out. Women’s boxing has always been on the backburner of boxing, and today, we put it on the forefront, so thank you to everyone who turned up, everyone who fought on the card.”

Dubois’s ascent to headliner status marked MVP’s debut in the UK, with the promoters pledging two shows a year on these shores. MVP applied the same formula at the Olympia they have found works stateside: stacking cards full of woman’s world-title fights.

For example, highly-rated prospect Emma Dolan was handed the opportunity to make the step up from British level to challenge Irma Garcia for the IBF super flyweight strap. But, despite being favourite for the fight, the jump proved too much for the Briton – knocked down twice in the second round and once more in the third, by which point her corner had seen enough, the towel was chucked in.

Chantelle Cameron was another star turn, the former undisputed super-lightweight champion taking a wide unanimous decision over Austrian Michaela Kotaskova for the vacant WBO super welterweight strap.

But the highlight of the undercard might have been Ellie Scotney’s win, as she became Britain’s youngest undisputed champion in the four-belt era following a gruelling performance against Mayelli Flores.

Ultimately Scotney’s precision and shot-selection was valued by the judges over Flores’s consistent volume of punches. Catford-raised Scotney had set the tone inside the Olympia, heightening the atmosphere for the main event.

Kaitlyn Spearman spent a week with a headache that wouldn’t go away, then she woke up with a rash – she shared her story from her hospital bed to warn others how quickly symptoms can come on

Kaitlyn Spearman went to hospital after having a headache for most of a week – then she woke up with a rash

A brave mum has spoken from her hospital bed about her shock meningitis diagnosis.

Kaitlyn Spearman, 27, described how her terrifying ordeal started when she had a headache for a week.

Then, on Thursday night last week, the mum-of-three had a bath and took a nap, when she awoke she found she had suddenly become covered in a purple rash.

Terrified Kaitlyn showed husband Andrew and then rang 999 and was told to get to hospital where doctors told shocked Kaitlyn she had meningitis B, Chronicle Live reports.

Now the Tyneside mum remains in hospital, in a serious condition while she battles the disease – while medics have no idea where she picked up the potentially lethal infection. Kaitlyn’s family – including her children – have all been given preventative antibiotics.

Speaking on Easter Sunday Kaitlyn said her blood test results had improved throughout the day – she also remains in serious ill health. “On Monday last week I had a headache,” the care home worker said.

“I just couldn’t get rid of it. I’d tried all sorts – painkillers, hot towels. To be frank, I thought it was most likely some sort of hormonal headache.

“But it wouldn’t go away. I started to think about what if it was to do with my brain. I remember starting to think that maybe I had a brain bleed. To be 27 and have had a headache for a week – that’s not normal.

“On Thursday I had a bath, then had a nap. When I woke up, I had a purple rash, head to toe. I rang for an ambulance and they said straight away that I needed to be in a hospital. I came in then they did my bloods. Then I was told – ‘you’ve got something called meningitis B’.”

Kaitlyn, who is mum to Noah-James, 7, Hunter-John, 5, and Luke-Alexander, nine months, spoke of how she had heard about the recent outbreak of meningitis in Kent, but not paid too much attention because, with a small baby, she had not done significant travelling for months.

“They said I might have seen there had been an outbreak in Kent. But I have never really been travelling. I have not long had a baby. The only places I have really been are church, school, home.

“They don’t know how I had caught it. The hospital have said that for this, they’re classing me as ‘patient zero’. Now every single one of my family members – including my children and husband – have had to get antibiotics. I have had contact from the Department of Health.”

The mum has previously suffered devastating loss – daughter Holly-Mae died of sepsis a few years ago, she said – and said she wants to ensure people in the Tyneside area are aware of the symptoms of meningitis.

She added: “The main reason I wanted to speak out is to get the story out there. It’s something that can happen in this area. I hadn’t thought much about it [the Kent outbreak]. To be honest I don’t socialise that much. So for me to catch this now, it’s worrying – we can’t work it out.

“Now it depends on how my body will react to the antibiotics, particularly as I also have sepsis. My body could fight it, or it might not. This morning, my blood results were pretty poor still – but in the afternoon it was better.

“It’s something that you need to catch as early as possible. In my case, it’s not ideal that it was only caught when I had the rash. But you just think the headache could be anything – to do with the early mornings for the school run, even. You just push it to one side.”

Kaitlyn is hoping her condition continues to improve – and crucially that the preventative treatment prevents her loved ones also falling ill. The local health protection team, part of the UK Health Security Agency, have been in touch with her, and are involved in managing the case.

She added: “I am fighting for my life to get home to my children.”

While the recent outbreak in Kent made headlines for the number of people involved, Dr Gayle Dolan, a health protection consultant at the UKHSA said there are more than 350 cases a year in the UK, and we should expect them to occur frequently.

“It is also why it is important that everyone remains aware of the signs and symptoms of the infection and seeks rapid medical attention if they are concerned,” she added.

Key signs and symptoms include a high temperature (fever), being sick, a headache, a rash that does not fade when pressed and a stiff neck. These symptoms can begin suddenly – others include fits, an aversion to bright light, confusion or delirium or severe sleepiness.

The UKHSA said: “Call 999 immediately or go to your nearest A&E if you think you or someone in your care could have meningitis, septicaemia or sepsis. Trust your instincts and do not wait for all symptoms or for a rash to develop. People with meningitis, septicaemia or sepsis can become seriously unwell very quickly.”

Before they head to north London, those present in east London will remember this experience for a long time.

Leeds sold out their entire 9,000 allocation, taking up all the space behind one of the goals and contributing to a fantastic atmosphere.

For most of the game, the Whites looked in complete control. Japan’s Ao Tanaka gave them a first-half lead, with England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin doubling their advantage with a 75th-minute penalty that looked to have killed the game off.

But in the 11 minutes of injury time, Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi scored to take the tie into extra-time.

Taty Castellanos and Pablo both had goals ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee (VAR) in a breathless extra-time period, where Leeds also had two shots cleared off the line.

There was added drama as Areola suffered a leg injury at the end of injury time, meaning Herrick – who was on loan at fifth-tier Boreham Wood as recently as January – was handed a first Hammers appearance in the 120th minute and just before the shootout.

He saved from Piroe, but Perri ensured he would be the goalkeeping hero with his two saves.

“This is the magic of the cup, anything can happen and today was a crazy and memorable game. Happy that we won the match and we are into the semi-finals now,” said Perri.

“For this fanbase it shows the magic of them, the love they have for this team. It is a pleasure to play for this team.”

The crash involving a grey BMW occurred shortly before 1am.

A young man has died following a one vehicle road traffic collision in Co Antrim on Easter Sunday.

The crash occurred on the Castlecat Road, Dervock, in the early hours of this morning, Sunday, April 5.

Police received a report of a collision involving a grey BMW shortly before 1am.

READ MORE: North Belfast assault leaves young man with possible life-changing injuryREAD MORE: Teen charged to court after Belfast football match disorder

Officers attended alongside emergency partners, and the male driver, who was aged 20 and from the Crossgar area of Co Down, was taken to hospital for treatment for his injuries, where he sadly passed away.The Castlecat Road, which was closed overnight as detectives conducted enquiries, has now reopened to motorists.A PSNI spokesperson said: “Our enquiries are continuing, and we would appeal to anyone who witnessed the collision, or who may have digital footage which could assist with our investigation, to contact the Collision Investigation Unit on 101, quoting reference number 76 of 05/04/26.”

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Mohammed Bilal feels there has been a rise in shoplifting at his store in Bathgate over the past few years.

A shop owner claims to have lost thousands of pounds following repeated instances of shoplifting and vandalism. Mohammed Bilal, 39, has said the Londis Store he runs in Bathgate has been targeted by youngsters and even local ‘professionals’.

Staff have constantly challenged people who attempt to shoplift from the store but the perpetrators have resorted to smashing the front door and windows of the South Bridge business. Initially, Mohammed complained to Police Scotland every time something happened in the store – but has given up as he feels action is never taken.

Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Mohammed shared a number of videos which have laid bare the grim volume of shoplifting incidents the store has to contend with. He claims his business loses £50 a day as a result of the incidents.

In one clip, a shop worker is seen wrestling a wine bottle from a potential shoplifter before it smashes on the floor. Another clip shows a woman placing an item inside her jacket while a third also appears to show a different woman putting two wine bottles in a bag.

Mohammed said: “It happens so often, they also come and break our door and our windows. I would say it is every other day someone is shoplifting.

“We have had people who work in the community in their 40s that have been caught red handed. We tell them we have caught them on CCTV.

“The shop at one stage was being smashed up every two or three days. It is costing us hundreds to fix.

“With shoplifting as well, I would say it is costing £50 a day and it is killing us. We are into thousands of pounds lost as it all adds up.

“I don’t think anyone is taking it seriously. It gets reported all the time but what is the point?

“It feels like when you phone the police it is as if you are bothering them. So I just stopped reporting it. All the shop owners face this. It is happening all the time.”

Police Scotland was contacted for a comment by our sister title.

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Heart Failure Warriors co-founder and chairman Nicole McKelvie was diagnosed with heart failure three years ago, after initially believing she had asthma

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A motorcycle run is set to take place later this month to help shine a light on a ‘misunderstood condition’.

The event, organised by County Down Marshalls, is set to raise awareness and funds for support group Heart Failure Warriors. It was co-founded by Nicole McKelvie who was diagnosed with heart failure three years ago, after initially believing she had asthma.

Nicole, who is also chairman of the group, said they hope the event will not only raise funds, but also shine a light on a condition that is often misunderstood..

She said: “The event will spread awareness about heart failure and what it is, because a lot of people don’t quite realise what heart failure means. There are so many people out there who are misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.”

According to the British Heart Foundation, more one million people in the UK have heart failure, with cases expected to double by 2040.

She added: “We currently have 11 groups across five trusts. We don’t turn anyone away who has a heart condition, everyone is welcome.

“It all started back in 2023 when a group of patients and families came together to start a support group in Northern Ireland to help people who have had heart failure or people who are waiting for heart transplants.

“We hold educational nights where nurses and cardiologists talk to patients, as well as COR and defibrillator training for family and friends. The group also promotes activities such as gardening and healthy living classes. It is a great place for people to feel like they are not alone.”

The motorcycle run will take off from Ballygowan, Co Down, on Sunday, April 12, and partcipants will travel a route around the county before finishing at Cloud 9 restaurant, beside the Ulster Flying Club in Newtownards. Entry costs £10 per bike.

Aidan Flanagan, 67, from Downpatrick said he loves motorcycles and appreciated the support the group has provided him since he suffered from heart failure at the age of 46.

A fan of motorcycles, he suggested organising the run as a way to bring people together, raise funds and encourage conversations in the community.

Aidan said being part of the group has helped him come to terms with his condition and given him the confidence to ask for help when needed.

For more information on the group and the ride, visit here.

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Temperatures are set to rise after Easter Monday as warmer air comes from Europe.

Storm Dave swept in on Saturday and a yellow wind warning covering Northern Ireland was in place until 3am on Easter Sunday.

While Storm Dave may have put a dampener on many people’s Easter Bank Holiday plans, there is some hope on the horizon, with forecasters saying a surge in temperatures is coming next week.

Temperatures are set to rise after Easter Monday as warmer air comes from Europe.

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Greg Dewhurst, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “On Tuesday, warmer air moves in across England and Wales from the near continent through Tuesday and into Wednesday.

“We will see temperatures rising to the low 20s, with highs around 20C or 21C on Tuesday, and possibly 23C or 24C come Wednesday.

“The sunniest skies on Wednesday may be limited to south-east England, where 23 and 24 is most likely.”

He added that mid-20s temperatures are normal for April as the sun starts getting stronger.

Here’s what to expect on the weather front for the coming days in Northern Ireland:

Monday:

A mainly dry day, bright with some hazy sunny intervals but in general a lot of cloud, perhaps a spot or two of rain. Freshening southerly wind. Maximum temperature 11 °C.

Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday:

Bright dry and quite warm for much of Tuesday, cloudier later with showery rain. Chance of patchy or rain or showers on Wednesday. Sunshine and showers on Thursday.

UK long range weather forecast: Friday 10 April – Sunday 19 April

Changeable with Atlantic frontal systems moving across the UK at times. These will bring spells of unsettled weather, with showers or longer spells of rain and a risk of strong winds. The wettest conditions will probably be in the northwest of the UK, with a risk of snow on high ground in the north.

Drier and brighter interludes with lighter winds will develop between frontal systems. Temperatures are expected to be close to average overall, perhaps with some colder spells in the north and warmer conditions in the south at times.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Walker Smith, 54, was fired after confronting a shoplifter stealing luxury Easter eggs, despite working there for 17 years.

A Waitrose employee has been dismissed after attempting to prevent a shoplifter from making off with a haul of premium Easter eggs. Walker Smith worked for Waitrose for 17 years before losing his job.

The 54-year-old said he was “crying inside” when management escorted him out, as the supermarket had become like family to him. Bosses hinted there could be additional details to the incident, though stated they were unable to “discuss an individual case”, reports the Mirror.

Mr Smith worked as a shop assistant at a Waitrose store in Clapham Junction, south London. He was going about his normal duties when a customer alerted him that somebody had loaded a bag with eggs.

Standard procedure dictates staff should avoid confronting shoplifters, and instead escalate the matter to senior colleagues. However, having witnessed countless thefts over the years, Mr Smith decided to intervene, he explained.

He challenged the thief and grabbed their bag. There was apparently a short scuffle, before the bag tore and multiple Lindt Gold Bunny Easter eggs tumbled onto the ground.

The shoplifter bolted towards the exit, but Mr Smith picked up a fragment of broken Easter egg and “threw it out of frustration” towards some trolleys – and not at the thief – he claimed. He received a telling-off from his manager at the time, but several weeks later, he was summoned to a meeting with store managers.

Mr Smith said he made a final appeal for leniency, but was eventually informed he was being dismissed. He told the Guardian: “I tried to stay strong and I didn’t say a word but inside I was crying.

“They led me out the back door by the bins. I just felt demoralised.

“Waitrose is like my family. My friends are there. I was there for 17 years, I must have been doing something right.

“I’m not a bad or violent or aggressive person. I just got frustrated seeing this day in and day out and not seeing Waitrose do much about it.”

Mr Smith subsequently thanked those who had shown him support on his personal Facebook page. He said his immediate focus is now securing fresh employment.

He wrote: “Thank you everyone for getting in touch with kind messages and support, I really appreciate it. I didn’t think it would blow up like this but now it has my priority is getting a job.

“I’m based in Clapham Junction so if you or anyone you know is looking for a reliable, conscientious employee please reach out. I was at Waitrose for 17 years so warehousing, customer service – except dealing with shoplifters(!), or similar would be amazing.”

Waitrose, meanwhile, stated that staff safety remains paramount, which is precisely why it maintains specific procedures for handling shoplifters. Workers had previously sustained injuries when challenging thieves, and the company would never wish to place employees in danger.

A Waitrose spokesperson said: “The safety and security of our Partners and customers couldn’t be more important to us, and we have policies in place to protect both. We’ve had incidents where our Partners have been hospitalised when challenging shoplifters.

“Luckily, they have always recovered, but that might not always be the case. There is a serious danger to life in tackling shoplifters.

“We refuse to put anyone’s life at risk and that’s why we have policies in place that are very clearly understood and must be strictly followed. As a responsible employer, we never want to be in a position where we are notifying families of a tragedy because someone tried to stop a theft.

“Nothing we sell is worth risking lives for. The reporting on this does not cover the full facts of the situation. While we would never be able to discuss an individual case, we can assure you the correct process is being followed, which includes a standard appeals procedure.

“We have campaigned for some time for more to be done to protect shop workers from offenders, including retail crime being made into a specific stand alone offence.”

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“Founders I admire – such as Pip Murray of Pip & Nut, Amelia Christie-Miller of Bold Bean and Imme Ermgassen of Botivo have done the same, building loyal audiences who feel invested in their journey. Naturally, your brand will evolve as you scale, but if you build that community foundation early, it only strengthens as the business grows.”

BBC One viewers were left stunned by the wildlife documentary as Sir David approaches his 100th birthday.

BBC One audiences welcomed back Sir David Attenborough this evening, as the broadcaster premiered Secret Garden.

The five-part series explores the drama unfolding within the concealed wild realm of remarkable gardens.

Tonight’s opening episode focused on an Oxfordshire garden, attached to a thousand-year-old mill house.

Proprietors Henry and Sara have been compelled to allow much of the land surrounding their distinctive home to flourish naturally, as it borders a tributary of the River Thames.

Due to their methodology, the garden supports a diverse range of wildlife, including otters, kingfishers, and mallards, reports the Mirror.

Yet, their garden also confronts the threat of flooding, leaving a kingfisher fighting to survive and protect his family, nesting mere metres above the river’s edge.

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Meanwhile, a timid bank vole is captured on camera avoiding the hazards of robotic lawnmowers and garden snakes, while Doris the duck attempts to keep her nine ducklings alive.

The BBC revealed: “Through the eyes of Henry and Sara, beautiful cinematography and immersive storytelling, this episode reveals the astonishing resilience of Britain’s garden wildlife in the face of unpredictable change. It is a celebration of how leaving nature to its own devices can turn an ordinary patch of land into a hugely rich and highly rewarding wildlife refuge. “

Viewers were left stunned by the first episode and praised Sir David’s return.

“Absolutely fabulous filming on # BBC1 Sir David Attenborough’s Secret Garden. Amazing Spring river scenes with Doris the Mallard and her river neighbours. Spellbinding!” one person wrote.

“Perfect Sunday viewing,” another said, as a third commented: “What a wonderful programme for a Spring Easter Sunday evening.”

Another echoed: “Such amazing photography as well as #DavidAttenborough narration – food for the soul for a Sunday evening.”

Someone else said: “#SecretGarden on @BBC1 is incredible.”

Another person wrote: “Watching the new David Attenborough documentary #secretgarden, hard to believe he’s 100 next month.”

“The camera quality on this is AMAZING,” another hailed.

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Several others praised the location, with one writing: “Wish I could live somewhere so beautiful and surrounded by nature.”

Someone else said, “I’m so envious, a dream property for sure,” as another wrote, “What a fantastic house and garden on #SecretGarden.”

Ahead of the series airing, producer Bill Markham spoke about how much it meant to have Sir David, who is approaching his 100th birthday, narrate Secret Garden.

He said: “As Sir David Attenborough approaches his 100th birthday, having him narrate the series feels both momentous and deeply fitting.

“The first question anyone asks when you’re making a wildlife programme is whether he’s involved – and for good reason.

“Over the past seventy years, he has come to define the genre. For many of us, his films were the spark that set us on this path, so working on Secret Garden at this moment feels particularly special. His involvement has had a profound effect on the production.

“As a team, we’ve undoubtedly raised our standards, mindful that every frame and every line of script would be subject to his careful attention. That knowledge alone has sharpened our focus and ambition.”

Secret Garden continues next Sunday at 6pm on BBC One and iPlayer.