An urgent recall has been issued

A Disney purse sold by Primark is being urgently recalled – as it poses a ‘serious chemical risk’. An urgent recall has been issued for the Disney 101 Dalmatians Zip Purse as it does not meet the requirements of the Reach Enforcement Regulations 2008 or the General Product Safety Regulations 2005.

It was found that the purse presents a serious chemical risk because it contains levels of phthalates above permitted levels. Phthalates are chemical compounds that are used to help make plastic softer and more flexible.

However, phthalates may harm the health of children by potentially causing damage to the reproductive system. In light of this, the purse has been recalled by Primark.

Anyone who bought the product is advised to stop using it immediately and keep it away from children. Shoppers who bought the purse can return it to Primark for a full refund.

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The purse, with the product code 2595301, was sold in UK Primark stores between March 2026 and June 2026. A Primark spokesperson said: “We are recalling our product 101 Dalmatians Faux Leather Coin Purse (Kimball no. 2595301) due to a safety issue.

“This was sold in Primark stores in the UK between March 2026 and June 2026. We have learned the product does not meet our usual high safety standards. The product has been found to contain phthalates above permitted levels, and this may cause harm to health and the environment.

“Please stop using the product immediately. Please return the product to any of our Primark stores. It’s not necessary to show proof of purchase. The returned product will be fully refunded. For more information, please email help.uk@help.primark.com.”

An Office for Product Safety & Standards spokesperson said: “The product presents a serious chemical risk because it contains phthalates above permitted levels. Phthalates may harm the health of children, possibly causing damage to the reproductive system.

“The product doesn’t meet the requirements of the REACH Enforcement Regulations 2008 or the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. The product has been recalled from end users by Primark. Owners should stop using the product immediately and keep it away from children. For more information, please contact help.uk@help.primark.com.”

Around 400 vehicles are due to take to York Racecourse for the York Historic Vehicle Group’s annual event from 10am on Sunday (September 13).

David Walker, who helps organise the event, said there will also be lorries, buses and motorcycles on show.

He said 17 different car clubs will turn out at the racecourse for the event’s 48th year on Sunday.

There will also be food and drinks for sale.

“The forecast looks promising so I expect we will get a lot of late entries and all of them will help to increase the donations that we make to the various charities we support each year,” David said.

Entry is £5 for adults, £4 for OAPs and children under 16 go free.

The event comes after more than 400 classic vehicles turned out for last year’s rally at York Racecourse.

Last year’s event raised thousands of pounds for local charities.

Steven Gerrard did not hide his delight at Arsenal’s failure to land one of their key targets in this summer’s transfer window.

Arsenal, who won their first league title since 2004 last season, bolstered their squad over the summer with the impressive signings of Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa and Christos Tzolis.

However, the Gunners did not have it all their own way in the transfer market, failing to land several top targets in their pursuit of a marquee attacking signing.

The Gunners explored a blockbuster move for Vinicius Junior, who rejected their interest to instead sign a new contract at Real Madrid, while Morgan Rogers opted to move to Chelsea instead of the champions.

Arsenal were also keen to sign Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, who went public with his desire to join Barcelona this summer.

And even when Atletico made it clear they would not sanction a sale to Barca, Alvarez never appeared keen on a move to Arsenal, an outcome which pleased former Liverpool captain Gerrard.

Speaking on TNT Sports about the saga, he said: ‘I understand his point of view, but Atletico Madrid don’t want to strengthen a rival and be a feeder club to the teams you can compete domestically with and in the Champions League, so you can understand it from a club point of view as well.

‘I’m just glad he didn’t go to Arsenal, I’ll just leave that one there!’

Fellow former Liverpool player Steve McManaman went further, insisting there was never any chance that Alvarez would have signed for the Gunners this summer.

‘He was never going to go, as if he wants to go to Arsenal,’ McManaman said. ‘He wanted to go to Barcelona; he came out and said that, but they’re not going to strengthen a rival.

‘Atletico Madrid paid £82million to Manchester City, he’s still got four years left on his contract. Let’s be honest, he’s got a cheek saying I want to leave and go to Barcelona when they are, apart from Real Madrid, your closest rivals.

‘So it was imperative that Atletico Madrid stood their ground and said no but he has to prove it to the fans and his teammates that he’s fully invested back in the team.’

Alvarez failed to get on the scoresheet at Anfield as his Atletico side lost 2-1 to Liverpool, but Gerrard remains confident that the Argentine can quickly win the Atletico fanbase back over again.

‘I think he’s got the manager’s trust and the manager’s backing and a goal and a good performance can obviously change a lot of things,’ Gerrard added.

‘But it will still be in the back of his head that maybe the chance of his dream move is gone and could be gone forever.

‘But he’s a top player, very exciting, very clever and it’s no shock that he’s wanted around the world. He’s a goalscorer, he’s inventive; I love watching him.’

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The court heard the 62-year-old spat on staff threw a bin, made lewd remarks, threatened female workers and took his clothes off

A 28-month sentence was today imposed upon a man who assaulted nursing staff whilst an inpatient in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital.

Gerard Kane was told he will serve half the term in prison followed by a 14-month period on licence when he is released from custody.

With an address as HMP Maghaberry, the 62-year old was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court for a total of six offences.

The court heard that on October 3 last year, police were called to the RVH by nursing staff due to the behaviour of Kane, who was an inpatient on a ward.

A member of staff reported that Kane has picked up a bin and tried to throw it at her. She said Kane then walked towards her with intent and she believed he was going to assault her.

After she moved out of his way and began walking to the nurse’s station, Kane followed her and made sexual gestures at her whilst glaring at her.

Another nurse reported to police that Kane threw a chair and when she approached him and told him not to throw things, he came towards her quickly and raised his hands.

In fear, she backed away but Kane grabbed her right wrist with his left right hand. She managed to disengage and walked away but a short time later the nurse heard the crash of a bin in Kane’s room, which had been thrown.

Following this, Kane approached the nurse’s station where he removed his top and threw it at her before putting his finger up and drawing it across his throat.

He then walked back into his room but again returned to the station, walked past the same nurse and gestured to her in a sexual manner.

Another member of staff observed Kane punching a wall beside his room and kicking fire door and a notice board and fire door.

She also reported seeing Kane lifting a chair and bin throwing the items which put her in fear.

One of the nurses also told police that around a week and a half before this, Kane’s behaviour was problematic.

She said Kane has tried to touch her bottom and breasts, that she told him to stop and that she had to move his hands away from her.

On this occasion Kane took off all this clothes, mimicked sexual gestures and made reference to his penis.

In addition, he ran after her and spat on the back of her head.

Kane was arrested on October 3 and when asked about the sexual assault, he said “I might have done it a couple of days ago, I definitely did nothing today.”

At the time of his offending, Kane was subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) which he breached.

He subsequently admitted a charge of breaching the SOPO as well as three counts of common assault and a count of sexual assault.

Kane also pleaded guilty to attempting to cause damage to a notice board and fire door belonging to the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Defence barrister Alan Blackburn spoke of a “very significant break” in his client’s offending between 2016 and 2024.

The barrister added that following Kane’s actions in 2024, his client “lost his liberty” and has been in custody since last October.

Other submissions made on Kane’s behalf pointed out his pleas to the offences spared the victims coming to court and giving evidence.

Noting Kane has 57 previous convictions, Judge Gordon Kerr said the offences occurred in a hospital “where the victims were engaged in caring for the public, including the defendant.”

The Judge also noted that the victims were anxious and uncomfortable as a result of Kane’s behaviour in their place of work.

Saying the custody threshold was “clearly passed”, Judge Kerr imposed the 28-month sentence.

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There will be a number of shake ups to services across the county

Changes to bus services across Cambridgeshire have been outlined with alterations to 31 services listed. A report outlined a number of changes to the public transport system, with some stops dropped off routes, timetables altered and other services added.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority’s transport committee met on Wednesday (September 9) to note changes to bus services. The committee was given a report titled “Bus Services Reimagined” detailing the proposed final changes across the region. They did not have the final say on the plans, but were instead asked to vote on whether to recommend their approval to the combined authority’s board.

Cllr Lorna Dupré, representing Cambridgeshire County Council, said she was “grateful for the honesty in the title” as “for too many communities it means the replacement of bus services with imaginary ones”. The Liberal Democrat councillor said that cuts to services were made necessary by the mayor’s decision not to increase the mayoral precept and divert funds “to subsidise car parking”.

Paul Bristow was elected mayor of the combined authority in 2025 under the pledge not to increase the mayoral precept and avoid significant borrowing during his term. A report on bus franchising, which was approved under the previous mayor, warned earlier this year that Cambridgeshire bus services could be cut by more than a third in the next decade without additional funding.

The Conservative mayor also promised to introduce free parking at council-owned car parks, with £1.5m allocated in his budget over two years to bring the policy to Peterborough and Huntingdonshire. Cllr Dupré said if residents aren’t sure if the bus they want to take will still be running in six months, they will “stop even considering public transport as an option”.

She highlighted “losses for people” in the report – noting the 65 service will no longer stop in Buckden to bring residents to their GP. She said the Tiger On Demand service, which can be booked to stop at specific bus stops, is being used to “fill in gaps”.

Labour councillor Angus Ellis, representing Peterborough City Council, said: “This should be bus services reduced, rather than reimagined”. Cllr Tim Bick, representing Cambridge City Council, said the combined authority needs to work harder at encouraging bus usage before axing services for low use if they are “serious about reimagining bus services”.

The Liberal Democrat councillor noted the T2 and T3 buses, designed to link the peripheries of Cambridge without going through the centre, both of which will be replaced. He said: “We’re going to have to try harder to change behaviour in order to get the usage for a service like that.

“If we want to do bigger things – we need to stick with change and support it.”

If approved by the combined authority’s board, in February 2027 the first stage of changes would be made to bus services. In Fenland, services 56 and T7 will be redesigned to “keep important links” with the report stating links between March and Wisbech “would improve” with earlier and later journeys and better weekend provision.

Timetables for the services 46 and 50 could change, including connections through Chatteris and revised times for Wisbech villages. In Huntingdonshire, the T12 would be withdrawn with improvements made to the 301 service between St Ives, Earith and Somersham.

The 65 service would no longer stop at Buckden and would serve St Neots Rail Station, extending from the Offords to Godmanchester, the Hemingfords and St Ives. In Cambridge, the 8 to Hilton would extend to St Ives and combine with the 69 to “offer more links to communities”.

The T4 between Addenbrooke’s and Newmarket would see a timetable and route change in Cambridge and Little Wilbraham to “improve punctuality”.

The next stage would happen in August 2027, with several existing services in South and East Cambridgeshire serving Haverhill and the Newmarket area replaced with new services 119, 120 and 121 to make the network simpler. The 26 towards Royston would be increased to an hourly service, no longer serving Foxton, and extending to Guilden Morden every two hours.

In South Cambridgeshire, new 27, 27A and 27H services would be introduced to replace parts of the services 7A, 17, 114 and T3. The 75 would be improved to provide hourly links to Cambridge and the T5 would have reliability and coordination improvements, including new evening journeys.

The T2 service will be replaced by a new route from Cambridge North to Darwin Green, Eddington and the east of Cambridge city centre. In Peterborough, services 60 and 61 would be merged and there would be “minor changes” to the timetables of services 62 and 63.

By KIRSTEN MURRAY, SENIOR SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER

Published: 23:01 BST, 9 September 2026 | Updated: 04:18 BST, 10 September 2026

An application to convert the former Vahe Bar, on the ground floor of 31-33 Goodramgate, into a shop and its first floor into two flats has been refused.

Plans from Vahe Nesserian stated the conversion would significantly improve the first floor of the building, which is thought to date to the 15th century, and not cause unacceptable harm.

But City of York Council planning officers ruled the works would harm the Grade II-listed designated heritage asset and there was not enough information about fire separation.

The decision comes after plans for the works were lodged in January.

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They included two two-bedroom flats on the first floor, along with the shop on the ground floor.

The building was originally a home and went on to be altered in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

It was home to a number of shops in the 2000s before its conversion to a venue trading as Kokos International Bar was approved in 2006.

The venue rebranded as Vahe Bar in 2012.

31-33 Goodramgate (Image: Vahe Nersessian)

Plans stated the building was of special architectural interest in York’s historic conservation area.

The plans stated: “The building exhibits a strong capacity for change, given its history of alterations and the presence of incongruous additions.

“This underscores the need for sensitive intervention, allowing modern requirements to be accommodated without compromising heritage significance.”

But planning officers stated the works would result in the erosion of the historic circulation through the building and the addition of a modern ‘mini-bridge’.

Officers said: “Insufficient information has been submitted to establish that fire separation can be achieved without harm to the exposed historic ceiling structure, while the proposed external extract grille would detract from the appearance of the listed building.

“The identified harm has not been clearly or convincingly justified and no public benefits have been identified that would outweigh the harm.”

Gary Siders Senior, 73, is unable to stand trial die to his declining mental health as three other adults facing charges have pleaded not guilty

A man whose 16 grandchildren were found living in a ‘house of horrors’ in Ohio has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial on Wednesday.

The children were discovered living in squalid conditions at a rural southern Ohio home in June.

Gary Siders Senior, 73, appeared in court in a wheelchair with his attorney Dorian Baum telling the judge his mental health has been declining for years and is “not restorable.”

Baum said: “It’s not really a surprise to any of us that he’s not been found competent at this point. He doesn’t fully understand or appreciate what’s going on.”

Siders was charged with 16 counts of child endangerment related to the children, who were rescued on June 30 from the home in Hamden about 80 miles (129 kilometers) south of Columbus.

Siders’ wife, Christina Siders; son Gary Siders Jr, and daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Siders, the children’s mother, have pleaded not guilty.

Police found that the children were confined to mainly one small room under deplorable conditions.

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They ranged from 18 months to 18 years, with some unable to speak and described as ‘feral’.

The children weren’t enrolled in school, the family moved around over the past two decades, and neighbours said they’d never spotted the kids.

The eldest child was born in May 2008, two months after Gary Siders Jr., then 18, and Elizabeth, then 15, crossed into West Virginia to marry at the Mason County Courthouse with her parents’ consent, according to court records.

Documents show that Elizabeth has been pregnant most years since then.

At the time of their discovery police said that the children were ‘kept in worse conditions than livestock’.

All of them were cramped inside a ruined three-and-a-half square metre property that was covered in human waste.

Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson described the shocking conditions as ‘pure evil’.

“Rape myths cause real harm. They prevent people from coming forward, they allow perpetrators to escape justice, and they undermine our entire criminal justice system.”

Organisations offering support to survivors of sexual violence in Northern Ireland are taking part in a campaign challenging misconceptions about rape.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said she believed the campaign would help raise awareness around the realities of sexual violence.

The Department of Justice is launching the second phase of the Rape Myths = Real Harm campaign.

Support organisations have said that misconceptions about sexual violence can make survivors doubt their own experience or feel afraid about reporting.

The minister said the campaign would tackle misconceptions around the offence of rape including the way a survivor is dressed, their age or sexuality, whether they have consented to sexual activity previously and whether the attack is reported straight away.

Videos featuring representatives from organisations such as Nexus and Women’s Aid will be published across the department’s social media channels.

This phase builds on the first phase of the campaign, launched in March, which saw 12 graphics challenging commonly held myths about sexual offending shared across social media.

The 2019 Gillen Review into the law and procedures in serious sexual offences in Northern Ireland dedicated a chapter to the impact rape myths can have both on society and on jury verdicts in serious sexual offence trials.

Karen Devlin, from Women’s Aid, features in one of the videos in the campaign.

She said: “Rape myths are assumptions made in society that inform attitudes and behaviours and how we treat the subject of rape and sexual assault, how we treat the victims and the dismissive attitudes towards victims and how we deal with perpetrators.

“There are a number of myths in society, the most common one being that you are most likely to be raped by a stranger.

“It is one of those things we are trying to shift culturally. It is going to take time to do so but we are starting to see that change.

“More people are coming forward and reporting what has been happening.

“Unfortunately, rape and sexual assault are shrouded with secrecy.”

She added: “It can be a case of why didn’t you report it earlier or why didn’t you say something at the time or what were you wearing when it happened, were you drinking alcohol.

“Things like that are victim-blaming language and it really takes away the onus on the perpetrator.

“That is why it is important we challenge those myths wherever we can to break down those barriers so victims and survivors can get the help they need and perpetrators can be held accountable.”

Joanne Barnes, chief executive of Nexus, said: “Myths about sexual violence can cause real harm to survivors – making them doubt their own experiences or feel afraid to come forward.

“At Nexus NI, we see this every day in our work supporting individuals with lived experience.

“This campaign is an important step in challenging those myths and helping people understand what consent really means.

“We’re proud to support this second phase which seeks to ensure a better understanding of sexual offences across our society.”

Ms Long said the campaign “confronts the myths” that surround rape and sexual violence.

She said: “The way a person is dressed, their age or sexuality, whether they have consented to sexual activity previously, perhaps a victim doesn’t report an attack straight away; these are just some of the myths this campaign is seeking to address.

“I am pleased that organisations – those working every day with victims, survivors and communities, have lent their voices to the campaign. These organisations see first-hand the real harm that rape myths cause — the shame, the self-blame, the silence.

“Their voices carry enormous weight, and I am grateful to each of them for their commitment to this campaign.

“Rape myths cause real harm. They prevent people from coming forward, they allow perpetrators to escape justice, and they undermine our entire criminal justice system.

“Together, we can shatter them.”

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

A homeowner stumbled upon the largest hoard of Viking Age silver ever found in Denmark while doing gardening work to remove “stubborn grass” in his backyard.

The treasure, weighing about 18.5kg, was discovered in the northern region of Rebild. It’s almost three times bigger than the largest Viking Age silver hoard unearthed in the country previously.

Archaeologists who inspected the hoard said the treasure was placed in a clay vessel and buried sometime in the 10th century.

It consisted of almost 700 objects, including silver bars, bracelets, 50 coins, and a small Thor‘s hammer artefact that likely served as a lucky charm.

“It should’ve just been a few hours of hard gardening work removing stubborn grass, stones and gravel for a new tiled terrace, but it turned out to be the biggest surprise of my life,” said the homeowner, who asked to remain anonymous.

“After half an hour of digging, my grip hit something that made a strange sound. At first I thought it was old iron, or fence wire and some potsherds, but when I started digging with my hands, I was able to fish one metal object after another out of the ground.”

Nearly 320 of the more than 700 objects were found whole in their original clay vessel, while the rest were scattered as fragments in the soil around it.

“This is a find of great importance for our understanding of the Viking Age in Denmark,” archaeologist Torben Sarauw from the Museums of North Jutland said. “Not just because of its size but also because the treasure clearly shows how silver functioned as wealth and a means of payment in the Viking Age. It’s like finding a safe from the Viking Age.”

One of the silver bars is engraved with runes that can be read as “hutu”. Researchers suspect it may be a name, an ownership symbol, or some other significant form of marking.

The hoard is also peculiar as it is dominated by bars, jewellery and silver clips, with coins only making up a very small part of the total weight, unlike previously discovered Viking treasure in Denmark.

“When we analyse the weight of the silver objects, the treasure reveals information about the economic practices of the Viking Age,” Dr Sarauw said.

“The treasure does not only consist of beautiful objects. Most of them are part of a structured value system by weight.”

During the Viking Age, scrap silver, bars and jewellery were used as means of payment, with the weight of the silver being the decisive measure. People often cut silver into smaller pieces or melted it down.

Archaeologists could see signs of this practice in the Rebild hoard as well where a large number of silver bars, bracelets, and scraps were found grouped around specific weight groups.

The hoard contained Arab dirhams as well as Anglo-Saxon coins, pointing to Denmark’s connection with large parts of Europe and areas far to the east during the Viking Age.

Two of the Anglo-Saxon silver pennies were minted under King Edward the Elder, who reigned from 899 to 924, providing an important dating point for the hoard.

“That’s what is fascinating about the find,” Dr Sarauw noted. “The silver was hidden in Rebild, but it points to a much larger world.”

“The new silver treasure shows that the Rebild area wasn’t a peripheral region,” the archaeologist said, “but part of the large economic and cultural connections that linked Scandinavia with the areas around the Baltic Sea and the Islamic world to the east, as well as with the North Sea area, England and western Europe to the west.”