By GETHIN HICKS, REPORTER

Updated: 18:55 BST, 4 July 2026

In many cultures, the placenta is more than tissue left over after birth. It may be understood as spiritually linked to the baby, treated as a companion or sibling, and buried to protect the child or connect them to family and land.

Yet in many maternity settings, what happens to the placenta after birth may receive little discussion unless a woman already knows she can ask to take it home.

For my doctoral research on migrant Nigerian mothers’ experiences of antenatal care in the UK, one mother described wanting to keep her placenta for burial after birth.

This was something she had done after the births of her other children. But while navigating maternity care in a new country, other questions took priority, and she did not feel able to raise it with her midwife.

Her placenta was disposed of with no discussion. She later said: “They are supposed to ask me about these things, if they had asked I would have explained.” She felt a sense of loss and grieved for the placenta.

Her experience shows why placenta disposal should be discussed during pregnancy, rather than left until after birth.

Special meaning

The placenta is a temporary organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy. It links to the baby through the umbilical cord and supports pregnancy by transferring nutrients, oxygen and hormones, while removing waste products such as carbon dioxide.

During pregnancy, the placenta is treated as vital. It is monitored because it helps sustain the baby. But after birth, it can quickly become treated as a disposal issue rather than something a woman may have feelings, beliefs or plans about.

A review of placenta disposal practices among indigenous groups globally found that rituals surrounding the placenta often carry special meaning for women and families. In Niger, for example, the placenta has been described as a “travelling companion” that accompanies the baby from one world to the next.

In many cultures, the placenta is buried. The burial site may be chosen carefully, sometimes in the family home or on ancestral land. The ritual may be linked to the baby’s protection, the mother’s future fertility or the child’s long-term wellbeing.

Some people consume the placenta after birth, for example in capsules or smoothies, in the belief that it may support energy, mood, milk supply or postnatal recovery. If a woman is considering eating the placenta, she can be given evidence-based information about infection risks.

In UK maternity care, practice varies. Some NHS organisations provide patient information explaining that women may be able to take the placenta home, provided safety requirements are met. Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, for example, tells patients that the placenta may be stored for 48 hours in case testing is needed, then either disposed of by the hospital or taken home. The trust explains that, if the placenta is disposed of by the hospital, it will be treated as clinical waste and incinerated.

Other NHS guidance gives practical advice on taking a placenta home, including safe storage, burial on private land and avoiding public spaces. These details are important because a placenta can deteriorate quickly after birth and may carry infection risks. If there has been an infection, or if the mother is carrying a blood-borne virus, the hospital may need to retain the placenta for safe disposal.

There are also clinical reasons why a placenta may need to be examined or tested, for example after pregnancy complications, suspected infection, preterm birth or foetal growth restriction.

These clinical needs are important – but they do not remove the need for respectful discussion with the mother.

The problem is that women may not know they have options unless someone tells them. In my study on migrant Nigerian mothers’ experiences of antenatal care, mothers described how cultural practices were often not discussed during routine care. Some women concealed cultural practices because they were unsure how they would be received. Others were focused on understanding a new healthcare system and did not feel confident raising issues that were important to them.

Respectful discussion

During pregnancy, midwives could ask: “Have you thought about what you would like to happen to your placenta after birth?” This discussion could sit naturally within the birth plan, alongside conversations about how the placenta will be delivered after birth. Birth plans already include preferences about labour, pain relief, feeding and immediate care after birth. Adding placenta disposal would be a small change with practical and cultural benefits.

It would also support safer care. If women tell their midwife in advance that they want to take the placenta home, staff can explain when this is possible, when it may not be possible, and how to store, transport or bury it safely. If a placenta needs to be retained for clinical testing, that can be explained clearly.

Good placenta etiquette is simple: ask, explain the clinical and safety issues, and respect the woman’s choice wherever possible.

For some families, the placenta is part of the story of birth. Treating it as an afterthought can cause avoidable distress.

The placenta receives close medical attention throughout pregnancy because it sustains the baby. After birth, it deserves careful handling too.

The former NatWest building in Farnworth has recently been under inspection by Bolton Council as it has breached planning rules.

A group erected the structure with no application, the council said.

Cllr Sue Howarth, from Farnworth North, has spoken out on the aesthetics and situation with the former NatWest building on High Street.

She said: “This is an attractive building, and many residents of Farnworth want to have their say if an owner applies to make changes to the building.

(Image: Bolton Council)

“The entrance door area on Market Street has an attractive light yellow stone surround of pillars either side and a large attractive stone crest above the door.

“There is historical design heritage that continues as the facade sweeps around a whole length into Church Street.

“Residents are worried the facade is being damaged by the metal structure.

“Currently the erection of extension and installation of steel shutters to the front of the property elevation is being investigated as a planning enforcement item at the planning authority.

“Should any other changes to the building be noticed or suspected, these also will be able to be added to the investigation of the planning control of the building.”  

(Image: Paul Sanders)

It follows a previous planning application to build a House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) on the site that was rejected.

The NatWest bank building at Market Street, Farnworth, has been vacant since the branch closed in May 2025.

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “The property is not listed and not in a Conservation Area.

“The development of a front extension requires planning permission and there is currently no planning application in place for this.

“Planning Enforcement has opened an investigation into the matter.”

Soho Square is set to see some incredible speeches and performances from across the trans and non-binary community.

A dedicated trans-led stage has been curated by Mzz Kimberley.

Performers include Brandy x Temptation, Curvy Black Witch, Custodians, Dr Helen Webberley, Ebony Rose / Para Pride, Frigid Presents Mother, ISH99NI, Lexi & Aisha, M.E.N Live, Marty Davies, Nathan Ethan, Panty Soaker Sound System, Tabs from Butch, Please!, Taman, DJ Tasty Tim, Telisa TK, The New Cross Dresser, Trans Legal Clinic, Women of Colour in the Global Women Strike.

Second Twenty20 international, Emirates Old Trafford

India 190-7 (20 overs): Kishan 49 (40), Sharma 43 (24), Iyer 37 (22); Curran 3-33

England 191-6 (19 overs): Bethell 76* (46), Brook 39 (15), Banton 39 (32), Arshdeep 3-40

England won by four wickets, lead five-match series 1-0

Scorecard

Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became the youngest man to play for India in England’s thrilling four-wicket win in the second T20 at Old Trafford.

At 15 years and 99 days old, the opener broke the record set by the great Sachin Tendulkar when he played a Test against Pakistan aged 16 years and 205 days in 1989.

Although Sooryavanshi sparkled for 14 off 10 balls in India’s 190-7, it was England’s own protege, Jacob Bethell, who led them to victory with an over to spare.

Bethell crunched a breathtaking unbeaten 76 from 46 balls to give the home side a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Sooryavanshi’s inclusion sent a frisson of excitement around Old Trafford, giving a boisterous and partisan crowd further reason to make noise.

And the left-hander gave a brief glimpse of the thrilling strokeplay that has enthralled the cricketing world.

From the fourth delivery he faced, and first from England fast bowler Jofra Archer, Sooryavanshi audaciously whipped over his shoulder for six. In the next over, Josh Tongue was larruped over cow corner for six.

In the fifth over, Sooryavanshi looked primed to attack the off-spin of Will Jacks, only to run past a flatter one and be stumped.

Ishan Kishan made 49, Abhishek Sharma 43 and Shreyas Iyer 37, but India were stifled by tight bowling from Jacks and Sam Curran, the latter claiming 3-33. The tourists took 23 off the last seven balls, yet their total felt no better than par.

From 1-2 after the first over, England were kickstarted by captain Harry Brook’s 39 from 15 balls, followed by a stand of 67 between Bethell and Tom Banton.

England needed 49 off the final four, when Bethell climbed into the leg-spin of Ravi Bishnoi, hammering three sixes for a total of 29 off the 17th over.

And Archer calmly clipped the winning runs from the final ball of the 19th over to put England ahead going into the third match of the series at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.

Sir David Beckham has shared a heartfelt tribute to wife Lady Victoria Beckham to mark their 27th wedding anniversary, calling their family his ‘proudest achievement’

Sir David Beckham has declared his family his “proudest achievement” as he celebrated his wedding anniversary with Lady Victoria Beckham. The retired football legend, 51, posted a collection of pictures alongside Lady Beckham spanning the years, including snaps from their wedding day and his 50th birthday bash last year.

He wrote: “29 years together, 27 years married & you have given me everything I could ever wish for…our proudest achievement will always be our family. I love you & Happy Anniversary @victoriabeckham.”

Responding to the heartfelt post, his wife commented: “Happy anniversary. I love you so much.” Victoria also took to social media herself, sharing a recent snap of her husband beaming as she planted a kiss on his cheek.

She wrote, referring to Brooklyn, 27, Romeo, 23, Cruz, 21, and Harper, 14: “After 27 years of marriage, four amazing children and countless matching outfits, you’re still my *everything*. Happy anniversary!! I love you so much.”

The couple were flooded with well-wishes from their celebrity circle, with Gordon Ramsay among those commenting: “Happy Anniversary sending lots of love.”

Close friend Eva Longoria – godmother to two of their children – added: “Happy anniversary to you guys! ! ,”. The Beckhams first met in 1997 at a charity football match, got engaged the following year, and tied the knot in 1999.

The pair are proud parents to four children – sons Brooklyn, 27, Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 21, and daughter Harper, 14. Over the past year, however, the couple have endured a very public falling out with their eldest son, who in January posted a statement on social media accusing his parents of attempting to “control” him and also “ruin his relationship” with wife Nicola Peltz, 31.

He further claimed that his family had “disrespected” his wife. Despite the Beckhams making several attempts to publicly extend an olive branch to their son, predominantly via social media, he has continued to ignore their gestures.

In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Lady Beckham broke her silence on the rift, stating that she and Sir David “love our children so much” and have “always tried to be the best parents”.

Just a few weeks ago, Brooklyn and his wife marked their engagement anniversary with heartfelt tributes to one another. Re-posting a photo from her husband’s birthday celebrations in March, the American actress wrote: “I can’t believe we got engaged 6 years ago today. I feel like I’ve known you my whole life, you’re my best friend and my forever love wrapped in one.

“I love you with my whole heart. you’re the kindest man I’ve ever met and I’m so happy I get to do life with you. Thank you for being the magical you.”

Sharing his own post, Beckham wrote: “6 years ago I asked my best friend to marry me x You are my girl, my beautiful wife, and my whole heart. Every day with you feels like the best adventure, and I still can’t believe I get to do life with you.

“You make everything brighter, funnier, sweeter, and more magical just by being you. I can’t wait to keep laughing, dreaming, and staying young with you forever. I love you more than words, Nicola xx.”

The pair became engaged roughly eight months after they’re thought to have begun their relationship, with Beckham announcing the proposal in July 2020 via an Instagram post.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

Luxury bath, body, and home brand Rituals has delayed the opening of its new store at Middlebrook Retail Park after previously announcing it would welcome customers on Saturday, July 4.

Instead, signs outside the new boutique now state it will open on Wednesday, July 8.

Opening soon, on July 8. (Image: NQ)

The retailer had announced a range of opening day offers, including complimentary goodie bags for the first 50 customers to make a purchase.

Annemarie Forsyth, managing director of Rituals Cosmetics (UK and Ireland), previously said: “We look forward to welcoming the Bolton community into our new space.

“Our aim is to bring moments of calm and connection into everyday life.

“Thoughtfully curated, our bath, body, and home collections are crafted to support wellbeing and encourage mindful living, even during the busiest days.”

The new shop will be near the Hollywood Bowl. (Image: NQ)

The standalone store spans 170 square metres and will stock the company’s full range of bath, body, and home products.

The opening follows the launch of a Rituals store at The Rock shopping centre in Bury earlier this year.

Before the planned opening, the company had advertised a number of jobs for the new shop, including management, supervisor, and sales advisor roles.

The Bolton News has contacted Rituals for comment on the revised opening date.

PARIS (AP) — Swimming in the Seine is settling into a new Paris summer ritual as the city on Saturday opened three supervised bathing sites for the second year in a row.

The free swimming areas near City Hall, the Eiffel Tower and in eastern Paris will remain open through the summer, depending on water quality and weather conditions. They are placed under strict lifeguards’ watch and authorities conduct daily water quality testing.

Visitors described swimming in the heart of the French capital as an unforgettable experience.

“It’s amazing to be swimming in the Seine while looking at the Eiffel Tower,” said Stewart Talbot, a tourist from Melbourne, Australia, visiting Paris for a week. “Maybe it’s not as good as the sea in Australia, but it’s better than our rivers.”

Some Parisians also have added swimming in the Seine to their bucket list.

“It’s great because it’s such a mix of people,” Hermine Jegou, 19, said. “I love that everyone can get into the water — grandmothers, children — it’s just really nice.”

Her sister, Joanne Jegou, 21, said she’d do it again. “It’s such a cool experience, especially being out in the sun and cooling off.”

The Seine was a venue for some swimming and triathlon competition during the Paris 2024 Olympics, which accelerated a multibillion-euro cleanup of the river through major sewer upgrades, new rainwater storage infrastructure and other projects designed to reduce pollution.

However, last summer, several swimming days were canceled due to heavy rain, which increases pollution upstream.

At the Grenelle site near the Eiffel Tower, officials prepared for large crowds escaping hot weather in the coming days.

“The maximum capacity here is 200 people,” said Clémence Donazzan, deputy manager of the Grenelle site. There’s a waiting system at the entrance and they will monitor the number of swimmers in real time, “so everyone will eventually have access, even if there’s a short wait.”

Before 2024, swimming in the Seine had been banned for about a century because of poor water quality. Public swimming has been available for years in a canal in northeastern Paris during summer.

A three-year-old boy allegedly thrown into a crocodile enclosure at a zoo in Cambridgeshire last month has now had five surgeries and faces at least two more

A three year old lad allegedly hurled into a crocodile pen at a zoo last month has undergone five operations and requires two additional procedures, his distraught family have revealed.

The youngster fell 15ft before being attacked by a crocodile at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on June 18.

The child, whose identity remains undisclosed, was pulled to safety before being transported to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, in a critical state. While now stable, he confronts an extensive recovery journey.

Through a statement shared alongside a GoFundMe campaign established for them, his grief-stricken family disclosed they have been “living at the hospital” for the previous fortnight where their son has endured five surgical procedures. He necessitates a minimum of two further operations, including nerve reconstruction in his arm, according to the statement.

It read: “We are extremely grateful for everyone’s generosity. We could never thank you enough for the support you have given our family in this horrible time.”, reports the Mirror.

“We have been living at the hospital for 2 weeks now and our son has undergone 5 surgeries. At this moment in time we know that our son is to undergo at least two more surgeries, one of those surgeries being a nerve reconstruction in his arm.

“These last two weeks have been a very uncertain and unsettling time. This uncertainty remains as we still don’t know the extent of his feeling, movement and function in both of his arms, wrists and hands.

“This will only be identified after casts and bandages are able to be removed and he can begin his rehabilitation journey. His rehabilitation journey is uncertain but we do know that it won’t be a short process.”

The youngster is reported to have plummeted onto a concrete pathway, sustaining a fractured arm and pelvis, before landing in the water. It is thought he was subsequently attacked by either a saltwater or Nile crocodile in an incident the zoo’s proprietors have described as “one of the most distressing” in their history.

Cambridgeshire Police confirmed the boy “was pulled out by staff from the zoo”, with co-owner Tracey Johnson reportedly leaping into the enclosure to rescue the child.

Officers arrested a 30 year old man from Norfolk on suspicion of attempted murder shortly after the harrowing incident, though he was subsequently released on bail after being “assessed as being not fit for interview”. The man is believed to have learning difficulties and had been visiting with carers.

Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo proprietors Andy and Tracey Johnson broke their silence on the terrifying ordeal this week, expressing their gratitude to staff, emergency services and courageous bystanders for their prompt actions in saving the boy.

“Everyone who was on site that day acted with incredible speed and determination. Within minutes of the first radio call, the child had been rescued from the enclosure and was receiving first aid,” they said in a statement. “The emergency services arrived very quickly, supported by the MAGPAS Air Ambulance, and we cannot thank them enough for their professionalism, compassion and dedication in such difficult circumstances.”

The Johnsons continued: “We are immensely proud of our own staff, who responded without hesitation and did everything they could to help and support the child until the emergency services took over.

“The kindness we have received from our local community and from people across the country has been overwhelming. Every message of support, every kind word and every expression of concern has meant a great deal to our family and our team during an incredibly difficult time.

“Thank you for standing with us. Above all, our thoughts remain with the young boy and his family. We continue to hope and pray for his speedy recovery and ask that they are given the privacy, compassion and support they need at this time.”

Cambridgeshire Police were alerted to the incident at the zoo at 1.24pm on June 18. Contributions to the GoFundMe appeal, which has amassed over £25,000 at the time of publication, can be made here.

11-year-old Mason Keilhauer was knocked down in March this year

A family fun day in memory of a Belfast schoolboy who died earlier this year has raised vital funds for the youth club he loved.

Mason Keilhauer was knocked down on the Shankill Road, close to the junction with Dover Street, on March 7 and later passed away in hospital.

The 11-year-old’s death sent shockwaves through the local community and he is remembered as a “precious son” and “loving brother”.

In order to create a legacy in his name, Mason’s mother Michele vowed to do all she could to help kids in the local community and keep them away from anti-social behaviour.

His family have been fundraising for Townsend Street Social Outreach, where Mason attended the youth club run by Ruth Petticrew and hosted a family fun day and BBQ at Townsend Street on Saturday.

Chatting to Belfast Live at the event, Michele spoke about how important the Townsend Street Social Outreach is to the community while unveiling a new mural dedicated to her son.

She said: “Ruth is severely underfunded and needs funding to try and keep the kids off the street and for the kids to have somewhere to go – somewhere to drop in if they’re needing someone to talk to.

“We need funding to get her building up and running and to have it open longer, maybe open during the day so kids can drop in and the community can drop in.

“Our plan is to maybe get like some mum and tots and stuff organised, stuff for pensioners – so she needs bigger funding from the community and other people.”

Over 70 children enjoyed face painting, bouncy castles, ice cream and more at the family fun day on Saturday, continuing to create positive memories for local kids as part of Mason’s legacy.

“It’s just good to have somewhere for them to go and have a bit of fun and just be kids,” Michele added.

“Mason went to Ruth’s as well and he just loved being out and about – he loved his friends and it’s just something I feel I want to do to help other children in his memory.”

VIDEO JUSTIN KERNOGHAN

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