Following Alex Scott’s corner from the left, Evanilson’s header appeared to be going wide, only for Colombia international Lerma – who spent five seasons as a Bournemouth player – to inadvertently nod the ball over his own goal-line, despite the best efforts of Eagles goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
The West Ham forward is expected to leave east London following the Hammers’ relegation to the Championship. While the club are believed to value Bowen at around £50million, reports suggest an offer closer to £40m could be enough to strike a deal.
Bowen has been one of the brightest sparks in the Premier League this season, notching 11 goals and 12 assists in all competitions. His form has naturally attracted significant interest, with Chelsea now reportedly considering a swoop for the 29-year-old.
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But United can offer Bowen something the Blues can’t: his preferred squad number.
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The England international has worn the No. 20 shirt for most of his career, including the last six seasons at the London Stadium. Conveniently for United, the number became available after Diogo Dalot switched to the No. 2 shirt ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Chelsea, meanwhile, currently have Joao Pedro occupying the No. 20 shirt at Stamford Bridge. Although the Brazilian has been linked with a blockbuster switch to Barcelona this summer, Chelsea are said to be not considering a sale after his impressive debut season in west London.
According to Metro, Chelsea have been monitoring Bowen for some time as they look to add greater experience and versatility to their attacking options. New manager Xabi Alonso is also understood to be a long-time admirer of the West Ham man, having spoke glowingly about him during his time in charge of Bayer Leverkusen.
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“He’s one of the top players for sure, not just in terms of goals, but energy as well,” Alonso told TNT Sports in 2024. “He’s a real threat in their transitions in the last third – he has a great foot, so that’s why he’s one of the top players in the English squad.”
That said, Bowen’s strong connection with the West Ham fanbase could make a move across London to Chelsea more difficult to sell than a switch to Old Trafford. United can also offer Champions League football next season after Michael Carrick’s side secured a third-place finish in the Premier League – ending the campaign 19 points ahead of Chelsea.
For now, though, Bowen is keeping his cards close to his chest. Following West Ham’s relegation, he issued an emotional apology to supporters on social media.
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“It’s hard to post something like this when all you’re feeling is embarrassment and pain,” Bowen shared on Instagram. “I could write loads trying to explain where it all went wrong this season, but honestly what you deserve from me is an apology.
“Winning that trophy in Prague was the best night of my career. Sunday was the worst. We just weren’t good enough. Simple as that. And that’s why the season ended the way it did.”
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
The warning comes from publican Andrew Hields, who runs three Yorkshire Dales venues – including the UK’s highest pub, the Tan Hill Inn near Richmond.
Mr Hields also runs the Green Dragon Inn at Hadraw and the Station Inn at Ribblehead.
Pubs with stunning views, large beer gardens and strong community ties could soon face higher tax bills under new HMRC guidance.
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Mr Hields said: “At best they lose money for four months, break even for four months and usually only make money for four months – the latter becoming more difficult due to recent Government decisions.”
He argued the tax fails to consider the seasonal nature of such businesses and places further strain on an already struggling hospitality sector.
He said: “Most ‘nice pubs’ are rural which means they already have higher costs and often have less access to a local workforce, so have to pay more to get staff, more on service and increased marketing costs to create awareness and appeal.”
Mr Hields questioned how HMRC would define what qualifies as a ‘nice pub,’ whether by architecture, the street it’s on, or its history.
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He also noted additional costs for rural pubs, such as higher insurance due to remoteness from emergency services and increased overheads like those faced by the off-grid Tan Hill Inn, which relies on generators for electricity.
He said: “We are also a lifeline for other businesses in the area we operate, from tradespeople to local producers.
“Nice in this context seems to defined by what something looks like or its setting – not taking into account the challenges and expenses these particular businesses are facing.
“Also who visits a pub that is not nice? All pubs are arguably nice or people wouldn’t go to them.
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“This is an absolutely nonsensical, badly thought out scheme which will ruin lots of businesses and communities.
“The Government need to seriously reconsider before making this move, along with other recent decisions which are having a detrimental effect on the hospitality industry.”
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Today, the Prime minister says he “felt sick” as he watched the body cam footage of a student who was handcuffed as he lay dying.
The 18-year-old Southampton student Henry Nowak was handcuffed after Vickrum Digwa, 23, lied to police at the scene of the 2025 stabbing, claiming he had been the victim of a racist attack. Shabana Mahmood described the murder as an “an act of pure evil” and described bodycam footage of officers handcuffing Nowak as “disturbing and tragic”.
Adam and Joe are joined by BBC News’ special correspondent Lucy Manning to go through the details of this case.
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And, Peter Murrell, the estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon, had the details of his embezzlement laid out in court. Murrell pleaded guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party over a 12-year period to buy a string of goods including soaps, a motorhome and… mug warmers? Adam and James discuss.
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Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Anna Harris and Gabriel Purcell-Davis. The social producer was Jem Westgate. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
If you’re struggling to get a soft and fluffy texture on your scrambled eggs, chefs say there’s one common fridge ingredient you should be adding for the best results
Eggs are a breakfast staple, with everyone having their own preferred method of preparation. Scrambled eggs remain a perennial favourite, and both professional chefs and home cooks have developed their own techniques for perfecting them.
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However, if you’re finding it difficult to achieve a soft, fluffy texture with your scrambled eggs, chefs have revealed there’s one ingredient you should incorporate before cooking in the pan. Christina Manian, a registered dietitian and writer, explored whether dairy products have a place in scrambled eggs.
Writing for Simply Recipes, she said: “One classic add-in is milk, which got me wondering if the dairy actually belongs in scrambled eggs. So, I asked four chefs with plenty of scrambled egg experience under their belts, and they all said the same thing.”
The chefs unanimously agreed that incorporating milk can significantly enhance the texture of homemade scrambled eggs. The quantity of milk, however, can differ according to individual taste.
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Michelle Doll Olson, head chef at HelloFresh US, explained that it’s the water content within the milk that transforms the flavour and consistency.
She said: “When you whisk a splash of milk into your raw mixture, you’re introducing moisture. As the eggs hit the hot pan, that liquid evaporates, creating steam that pushes against the egg proteins. This results in a fluffier scramble.”
Home cooks should ensure they don’t add excessive milk to avoid the scrambled eggs becoming watery. Nelson Serrano-Bahri, chef and director of innovation at the American Egg Board, suggests incorporating one tablespoon of milk for every two eggs.
Combine the milk and eggs in a bowl, whisk thoroughly, then transfer the mixture to a pan. Any variety of milk will do, though a higher-fat option will produce a more indulgent texture.
Some culinary experts even go as far as adding a dash of cream. Gordon Ramsay, for instance, incorporates crème fraîche into his scrambled eggs.
Achieving that perfectly fluffy consistency isn’t solely down to adding milk, however — mastering the cooking technique is equally crucial. Serrano-Bahri advises cooking the eggs over a low to medium-low heat, with patience being the key throughout the entire process.
He explained: “Cook the eggs gently over low to medium-low heat, stir them slowly, and pull them from the pan just before they look fully set. Eggs continue cooking from residual heat, so that helps keep the final scramble soft and tender.”
Services were disrupted throughout Tuesday until the strike ended just before midnight, with no trains on some lines and delays or part suspensions on others, after Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) Union members walked out over plans for a 35-hour, four-day week for drivers.
For captive animals, engaging in natural behaviour is a pillar of the animal welfare framework. But when it comes to sex, one important behaviour has
been largely ignored, and sometimes even punished: masturbation.
Solo sex is surprisingly common across the animal kingdom. It is well documented in primates. Tortoises are surprisingly vocal during their solo lovemaking endeavours, if not very graceful. Camels masturbate by rubbing their penises in the sand and porcupines make inventive use of all sorts of objects.
Our new study could change how other scientists view masturbation in birds and improve their welfare.
Masturbation also seems to be common in birds. A quick internet search brings up an abundance of video clips on social media and dedicated posts on bird-keeping forums, largely from worried or bemused hobbyist bird keepers.
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It has often been treated as an abnormal problem behaviour in captive birds (particularly parrots). Folklore husbandry has assumed it is the undesirable outcome of stress, bad health or poor environment. Bird keepers often therefore discourage masturbation via punishment or veterinary interventions such as diet or care changes and, sometimes, even drugs and surgery. Despite the welfare implications, masturbation in birds had been largely unexplored by the scientific community.
We set out to change that, by investigating the distribution and evolutionary history of masturbation in birds for the first time. We studied 120 species of bird across 22 major groups, gathering data from the scattered scientific literature, online reports and community forums, and surveys of bird experts.
There’s no need to shame parrots for solo sex. Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock
Our study found that masturbation is widespread across birds with a strong evolutionary history, meaning that it’s an ancient trait probably similar in closely related species. Although we found more records of masturbation in male birds, it occurs in both sexes and across all age groups.
Solo sex also seems to be linked to species that mate with multiple partners, supporting the idea that it might help to increase reproductive success when there is a high degree of competition over fertilisation. For instance, in males it may flush out old sperm to leave newer (better condition) sperm for mating. In females it may increase sexual arousal to help with sneak mating with males other than their partner.
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Wild behaviour
Crucially, we discovered that masturbation is actually less common in captivity than the wild, and more common in birds reared by their own parents than by humans.
What this tells us is that masturbation in birds is neither an unnatural
behaviour, nor a consequence of captivity. Given this finding, it is important
that birds are not prevented from masturbation. Of course, as with any behaviour, there may be extreme cases where chronic masturbation could indicate underlying health or husbandry issues.
Avian self-pleasure is usually a rather inelegant affair, in which a bird rubs their cloaca (a shared orifice for both excretion and reproduction) against an object, like a branch, twig or toy. This is often accompanied by a lot of flapping and self-satisfied vocalisation.
One potential reason for the lack of scientific studies exploring avian masturbation may be because the cloaca is thought to have fewer nerve clusters, and therefore lower sensitivity, than our own genitals.
Clearly however, birds are getting some satisfaction from masturbation, so perhaps there is more to a bird’s sensations during sex than has previously been recognised. Further exploration of this could have important implications for both welfare and captive breeding programmes. While sexual pleasure may not be exactly the same experience as for mammals, it is wildly premature to dismiss the idea that birds also feel pleasure.
The Bee Network put a message out on social media stating that due to a police incident all tram service has been cancelled between Bury and Whitefield.
There is, however, bus services operating in the area.
The Bee Network said: “Due to a police incident, there are no services operating between Bury and Whitefield.
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“There is ticket acceptance in place on the following bus services: 17, 41, 52, 53, 90, 95, 97, 98, 99, 112, 117, 118, 119, 135, 156, 163 and 524.
“Simply show the driver your Metrolink ticket or pass when boarding.
“To continue your journey by bus, please visit our journey planner
“Please select ‘options’ and check only the bus icon is highlighted. This feature is also available on the Bee Network app where you can also find bus tracking information.”
The UK could see a warmer-than-average summer with the potential for more heatwaves, according to latest forecasts.
The Met Office released its three-month summer outlook on 1 June – the first day of meteorological summer – citing higher-than-normal chances of hotter weather during the month.
And for the whole summer – which runs through to the end of August – the outlook suggests “an increased chance of heatwaves and heat-related impacts”.
It comes after a late spring heatwave saw temperature records shattered across the UK.
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A new all-time May record of 35.1C was set in Kew Gardens, London, replacing the previous record of 32.8C from 1944.
Yellow and amber heat health alerts were also issued for the first time this year.
Now, long-range forecasts from the Met Office and MeteoGroup – the latter being providers of BBC Weather data – suggest the summer ahead will bring the risk of additional heatwaves.
A “few notable high temperature spikes” are also possible according to MeteoGroup.
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They also go on to say that “above-average temperatures” are expected for each of the months of June, July and August, and “significant bursts” of heat are expected in the UK, and across Europe.
But, according to the Met Office, the higher than average temperatures forecast comes as having a hotter summer is now twice as likely than the reference averaging period of 1991-2020, consistent with our warming climate.
The warrant was carried out in partnership with Manchester City Council Trading Standards, Licensing and Anti-Social Behaviour teams, with support from Greater Manchester Police’s Specialist Operations Branch, including the Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) and Specialist Dog Unit.
Following the execution of a warrant at a business on Tib Street, one man, aged 56, was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, possession of an offensive weapon, and possession with intent to supply Class C drugs.
At a separate address in North Manchester, a second man, aged 23, was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs and possession of an offensive weapon.
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A third man, aged 23, was also later arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs.
Enquiries remain ongoing, and the three men have been released on bail.
A closure notice for the business for an initial 48-hour period has been secured, with an application for a Closure Order to be heard at the Magistrates’ Court.
The action follows concerns raised by residents and businesses across Piccadilly Gardens and the Northern Quarter, particularly in relation to drug dealing, drug misuse, and associated anti-social behaviour.
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Officers say they have been working closely with partners to gather intelligence and take targeted enforcement action.
Inspector Kam Hare, from the City Centre NeighbourhoodPolicingTeam, said: “We have listened carefully to the concerns raised by residents and businesses across the Northern Quarter, who have been reporting various typed of anti-social and drug criminality.
“Acting on that information and intelligence, officers executed a warrant yesterday, targeting those believed to be linked to criminal activity in the area.
“This action demonstrates our commitment to tackling the issues that matter most to our communities, disrupting criminal networks and improving safety in the city centre.
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“We will continue to work closely with local partners, residents, and businesses to ensure Manchester City Centre remains a safe and welcoming place for all.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Greater Manchester Police or report anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Here’s what the stars have in store for your day (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
The Capricorn Moon links with Venus in Cancer, giving the day a sense of balance and equilibrium. Make sure you extend this security to your relationships.
Cancer, Leo and Virgo, friends and family may need you to find some common ground today. You can take some time out, but don’t be totally absent.
Don’t up the pressure. The cosmos primes you for positive interactions, if you do your own work too.
Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Wednesday June 3, 2026.
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Aries
March 21 to April 20
Today’s Moon-Venus face-off could find you discouraged if you can’t get enough done. Be good to yourself at work by taking breaks and eating properly. Also, look to leave your home organised so you don’t feel bad about returning to an untidy scene. Want to be more productive? Write a to-do list and think of ways you can weave acts of self-care into the day.
Wondering or worrying about someone who is going on a long trip, or taking on a challenge? It’s natural to feel like this, but being overly concerned could leave them a tad deflated. A thoughtful conversation could help reshape your perspective and allow them room to get on with their plans. Looking for a restorative? A get-together with friends could perk you up.
Feel in need of a little retail therapy? With Venus in your money zone, shopping could feel rewarding if you invest wisely rather than spend wildly. The Moon in Capricorn encourages you to keep an eye on your outgoings, but not to the extent that you feel deprived. Do something nice for yourself, even if it’s only a small treat. It can be a real boost.
The Capricorn Moon opposes Venus in your sign, so relationships may seem like a finely balanced scale. You can feel pulled between meeting your needs and those of someone close to you. Don’t go too far either way, as caring for others doesn’t mean forgetting about yourself. Equally, focusing on you doesn’t exclude true connection. Find the middle path and relax.
There’s a lot to gain by taking time out of your daily routine to explore your spiritual side. Sometimes the best ideas come when you’re doing nothing but meditating and relaxing. If you’ve felt jaded by daily tasks, today’s Moon-Venus tie encourages you to see nurturing and rest as an investment. It could open a space for wonderful ideas to emerge.
Tempted to ignore your social group and do your own thing? You might feel guilty for letting some friends down, especially if they’re looking forward to you all going out together. Consider a compromise or maybe find a way to do both. You could feel deeply inspired by your inner muse; if so, note those ideas down and return to them later.
Cosmic messages for Cosmic messages for Virgo today
Libra
September 24 to October 23
Your ability to make others feel at ease and your warm, engaging way with people in authority can work to your advantage now. It’s a good time to socialise with those in your professional sphere. Yet responsibilities at home could clash with duties at work, so make informed decisions. Your natural diplomacy will smooth over possible tensions.
Beliefs could be at the heart of an unsatisfactory conversation. You’ll be ready to compromise and find a way around a thorny subject, but someone may want to stick to their principles. Don’t bend yourself into a pretzel, as your views count too. Having an honest discussion makes it easier to embrace other ideas and see things from a new perspective.
You may question what you truly need versus what you feel obliged to buy. The Moon in Capricorn opposes Venus in Cancer, so a desire to take the easiest route around finances can be tempting. It’s best to do some in-depth research. Need to pare back spending? Go for treats that you know you will enjoy, without spending so much that you’ll regret it.
You’ll want to focus on your own path, but you may need to address other people’s issues first. No matter how keen you are to complete something, you’ll likely have to sit down with someone and talk to them. You’ll also need to tap into your sensitive side to offer the right words or wise advice. Then you can get back to tackling practical plans and tasks.
You may feel productive on the surface but be aware that something deeper is asking for attention or care. Don’t brush this aside; rest and reflection can aid progress rather than disrupt it. Small, thoughtful changes to your routine can ease buried tension, which can be key to feeling happier and more relaxed all around. A little self-care works wonders now.
A firmer boundary can help you enjoy a leisurely space. You may have a new romance on the go, be about to initiate one, or want to get out the art or craft equipment or a musical instrument, as you’ll be keen to make something beautiful. Such ideas can conflict with a group activity you’re supposed to support but would honestly rather avoid.
Your daily Metro.co.uk horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.
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