Cáoileánn Conway describes living with constant rumination, fear and exhaustion from over-thinking – planning for worstcase scenarios before they happened, managing panic before simple interactions, and feeling drained by the constant anxiety

When Cáoileánn Conway picked up her phone and called Lifeline in the early hours of the morning, she didn’t know what to say – she just knew she couldn’t cope.

For a long time when growing up Caoileann, who is now a performance dietitian and social media personality, didn’t have the language to explain how she was feeling.

“When I was younger, mental health just wasn’t really a thing,” she says. “It wasn’t something we were even aware of or spoke about.”

At the time, Cáoileánn was 19 and struggling silently through her first year of university. What had started as feelings of anxiety in her teens had intensified, turning everyday interactions into overwhelming challenges.

“I would describe it as starting with anxiety and then moving more into a combination with depression, where I would feel numb but constantly worried at the same time,” she explains. “With anxiety you’re constantly worrying, constantly thinking ahead about all the worst possible scenarios – how am I going to get through today?”

She describes living with constant rumination, fear and exhaustion from over-thinking – planning for worstcase scenarios before they happened, managing panic before simple interactions, and feeling drained by the constant anxiety.

“I’d get into the car at the end of the day by myself and just feel absolutely exhausted. It was affecting absolutely everything – I didn’t want to go to uni, see friends, go to football training. I didn’t want to socialise much because I was trying to be a different person for each situation, but I didn’t even know who I actually was. It’s really exhausting when you’re constantly just troubleshooting. Which is probably hard to believe considering what I do for work now.

“I just wanted the thoughts to stop. I wasn’t suicidal, and I’m always really clear about that, as I’m so aware people go through much worse. I just knew I couldn’t keep living like this every day.”

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For years, Cáoileánn tried to manage these feelings largely on her own, but the night she called Lifeline was a turning point.

“It must have been about half twelve or one in the morning and I was scrolling through social media,” she recalls. “I was sitting in the middle of my bed, I couldn’t breathe and my thoughts were spiralling. I had never had a panic attack before and I didn’t know what to do. I just typed ‘Lifeline’ into Google and rang the number.”

Lifeline – available on 0808 808 8000 – is Northern Ireland’s crisis response helpline. Trained counsellors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, offering free, confidential support to anyone in Northern Ireland feeling overwhelmed, distressed or unable to cope. Lifeline counsellors are experienced in working with suicide, self- harm, abuse, trauma, depression, anxiety and many other issues.

Cáoileánn remembers the moment the call connected: “This man answered. He had a really deep voice, and he was just so kind. He didn’t push me to explain anything. He just helped me breathe. He told me that in that moment, I was safe. That nothing was going to harm me right now. All I had to do was stay on the phone.”

For Cáoileánn, that reassurance made all the difference.

“When he asked what was wrong, I just kept saying ‘I don’t know how to make the thoughts stop.’ And that’s when he started giving me direction. For the first time, I felt like – oh my God – there are things I can do. There are solutions here.

“That was my catalyst to start getting more professional help. If I hadn’t got that help at that time, I would be a completely different person today.”

Kathy Owens from the Public Health Agency, who commissions the Lifeline service, says: “When someone phones Lifeline, they speak directly to a trained counsellor who introduces themselves and creates a calm, supportive space. Many callers don’t know exactly why they’ve called – and that’s okay.

“Lifeline uses a compassionate approach aimed at providing support and finding positive solutions, helping callers make sense of what they’re feeling and identify next steps.

“Cáoileánn’s experience highlights the power of just lifting the phone and starting a conversation, and shows that talking really helps.”

For Cáoileánn, support continued beyond the initial call. Where appropriate, Lifeline can provide follow-up calls or short-term crisis counselling, or helps connect people to other services that may further support their needs.

Cáoileánn was offered a sixweek counselling programme.

“Those six weeks were the start of everything,” she says. “It helped me realise I didn’t have to feel like that forever. That was the start.”

Now, Cáoileánn uses her platform ‘Be a Better You’ to talk not only about nutrition, but also openly about mental health. She believes mental wellbeing needs to be treated with the same care and consistency as physical health.

“I can teach you everything about nutrition, but if your mental health isn’t there, you will struggle to act on it. I always say mental health is like a muscle. The way I train five or six days a week physically, I have to do the same for my mental health. And if I stop, I could easily slip back into old ways.”

Her message to others is direct and grounded in experience.

“There’s absolutely nothing to lose, because what you’ve been doing hasn’t worked,” she says. “Unless I called Lifeline that time, I would never have known there were solutions.”

Lifeline is available 24/7, free of charge on 0808 808 8000, for anyone in Northern Ireland who needs support. Talking really helps. For more information on Lifeline visit www.lifelinehelpline.info.

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The reviewer raved that the food was ‘exceptional’

A Cambridge city restaurant has been described as serving “one of the most flavoursome meals” by a TikTok influencer. Little Petra, a traditional Jordanian restaurant in the Heart of Cambridge, has been highly commended by popular food reviewer, Alex Green.

Alex Green, a food influencer with more than 920,000 followers on TikTok, recently visited Little Petra on Hills Road. In the caption of his review, Alex wrote: “Trying an award winning Jordanian restaurant for the first time in Cambridge.” He said that he wanted to find out “is Jordanian food incredible or is it forgettable?”

The restaurant’s journey began in a small restaurant on Mill Road in Cambridge in April 2019, serving “wholesome traditional Jordanian meals”, according to the Little Petra website. In February 2023, the restaurant relocated to Hills Road, a larger space, so the team could increase the menu and cater for private functions.

The menu offers a range of options including a Jordanian moussaka, green beans and lamb, and a lamb shank. Alex ordered the marinated chicken from the menu which comes with rice and salad alongside mixed nuts and pomegranate. This costs £18.90, according to the menu.

To drink, Alex delved into a fresh orange juice which is priced at £5.95 and a traditional Bedouin tea for £5. When taste-testing the refreshments, he said that the orange juice was “so incredibly fresh and refreshing” and how the flavours of spices really come through when sipping the tea.

When Alex took his first bite into the meal, his eyes lit up as he said the flavours were “exceptional”. He added: “There is so much going on in my mouth”.

He continued: “The marinated chicken is unbelievable. The herbs, the spices, everything mixed together with that mixed nut on top. The flavours, I can’t even explain it. They are just tremendous.”

Mid-meal, the iconic food influencer said how this was “probably one of the most flavoursome meals I’ve ever had”. He ended the review by saying he “absolutely loves” trying new cuisines as “you never know what you can find”.

The Jordanian establishment has also received plenty of glowing reviews elsewhere. One customer wrote: “Wow, what a gem! The food was absolutely delicious, the portions were generous, and the service was warm.

“We especially loved the hummus with chicken and lamb — it was so good, we finished the entire plate even though the portion was huge for us!”

Another Google reviewer said: “Wow – what an amazing experience! We saw this restaurant recommended on a food website for where to eat in Cambridge and we are so so glad that we gave it a go. You can tell it’s well loved by the locals because it was completely full on a Wednesday night!”

It comes after reports suggested the royal sisters were likely to skip the wedding amid ongoing family scandals

The nation has been left stunned after Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie made a surprise appearance at Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling’s royal wedding this afternoon, June 6. The York sisters looked elegant as they made their way into the church alongside their husbands, where they were greeted at the entrance by Mike and Zara Tindall.

Their attendance has come as a shock, given earlier reports suggesting that while both sisters had received invitations, they were unlikely to show up. It had been widely suggested that the pair were keen not to cast a shadow over the special day amid the ongoing controversies surrounding the York family -particularly following the publication of the royal properties investigation earlier this week.

The damning document revealed that Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 36, pay no rent on their royal residences, with the bill instead being picked up by their uncle, the King – a revelation that has prompted considerable public backlash.

Their unexpected appearance also follows months of controversy surrounding their father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and their mother, Sarah Ferguson and their friendship with late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Those scandals have resulted in their divorced parents losing both their royal titles and their Royal Lodge residences, despite Andrew consistently denying any wrongdoing and accusations, the Express reports.

Whether Beatrice and Eugenie remain on speaking terms with their parents – who were notably absent from today’s guest list – remains unclear.

Despite appearing visibly nervous, both sisters seemed genuinely pleased to be part of the happy family celebrations, with Beatrice seen holding hands with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Eugenie, who is heavily pregnant with her third child, also looked radiant in her navy blue dress.

The sisters are understood to share a close bond with their cousin Peter, who would undoubtedly have been keen for them to be there.

It comes after their father Andrew, was spotted on Thursday, June 4, driving his Land Rover near his home of Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate where he was photographed with a big purple mark around is eye.

The bruise is thought to be the result of a “non-serious medical condition”. The former Duke of York was reportedly inside a car with another man and a dog, in one of his few public sightings since a recent security incident at the Sandringham estate.

The situation is said to have taken place while Andrew was walking the late Queen’s corgis, which now remain in his care, when a stranger approached him near the estate shortly after 7.30pm on Wednesday, May 6, prompting alarm.

He is now expected to give evidence in court in July as part of proceedings against a man accused of threatening him close to his home on the Sandringham Estate. The defendant, Alex Jenkinson, 39, of no fixed address, faces two counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Patrick Godfrey, the actor known for The Bill, Doctor Who and Ever After: A Cinderella Story, has died peacefully at home aged 93, surrounded by his family

The Bill and Doctor Who star Patrick Godfrey has passed away aged 93.

The performer – whose credits also include Ever After: A Cinderella Story alongside Drew Barrymore – died peacefully earlier this week. News of the actor’s death at home was confirmed by his representation, reports the Mirror.

Markham Froggatt and Irwin, his talent agency, released a statement saying: “It is with great sadness that we can confirm Patrick Godfrey passed away last night. He died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Paddy was an exceptionally talented actor and a remarkable individual, and we will miss him greatly.”

A cause of death is yet to be revealed. Patrick is survived by his wife Amanda Walker, an actress known for her roles in 28 Weeks Later and Room With A View as well as appearances in TV staples like Heartbeat and Casualty.

They tied the knot in 1960 and went on to have children Kate, who is Head of Voice at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Richard.

Born in Finsbury in 1933, Patrick rose to fame in the 1970s after making his debut in the film Miss Julie and went on to appear in a string of British classics including Clockwise, A Room With A View and Heat and Dust, both of which also featured his wife.

During his career, Richard shared the screen with acting icons like John Cleese, Dame Judi Dench and the late Maggie Smith amongst a host of others.

Residents were sharply critical of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to France on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary of the D-Day landings during WWII.

“He has very warlike remarks, and it seems to us that he does not exactly share our values ​​of democracy and freedom,” Sylvie Lamy Thepaut, a member of the local Langrune en Commun association, told the outlet BFM TV in French, The Daily Beast reports.

“What’s happening with the Trump administration isn’t business as usual. The fact that Pete Hegseth is challenging all the international organizations that emerged from the Second World War isn’t business as usual,” Chantal Richard, another member of the group, told the station, The Daily Beast reports. “The words must be spoken, he must be called out for who he is, for the values ​​he represents: colonial, warmongering, racist, far-right values. Silence seems to us to be the worst thing we can do on these issues.”

Prior to Hegseth’s visit, the group put out a statement, originally in French, slamming Hegseth’s “anti-European remarks.”

The Independent has contacted the Pentagon for comment.

Langrune-sur-Mer deputy mayor François-Xavier Palao told FranceInfo he hoped villagers could perhaps “set political considerations aside” around Hegseth’s visit and focus on those who fought and died during the war.

“It is not that we particularly like the man, but this is first and foremost a commemoration for the veterans,” he reportedly said.

Others reportedly complained about heightened security protocols that accompanied the U.S. official’s visit.

During his Normandy speech, Hegseth compared immigration to an “invasion” arriving on the shores of Europe.

“Sadly, today, different European beaches are stormed by different, dangerous ideologies,” he said. “Beaches in Spain, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria, boats and men arrive.”

He also seemed to suggest U.S. allies were no longer doing enough to preserve global security.

“Each nation pulled its weight; each nation bled,” he said of WWII by comparison. “America will lead — and we must — but capable allies must be right there with us, shoulder to shoulder, in the breach, when it matters.”

“We forgot that freedom is not free,” he added. “We forgot that peace is not wished into being. It is bought with purpose, with honor and with strength. The men who landed on these beaches knew this; the question we ask ourselves is, do we?”

The Trump administration has been sharply critical of U.S. allies in NATO, alleging they don’t spend enough on Europe’s continental defense and that they let American forces down by largely declining to assist in the U.S. war against Iran.

It is Northern Ireland’s first remote control construction café, complete with traybakes, specialty coffee and a sandbox

Something new for Belfast is currently under construction in the east of the city.

After struggling to find rainy-day activities to enjoy with his daughter, estate agent Josh Fuller decided he wanted to open a space that would appeal to both children and adults alike.

Joining forces with his friend Dan Ennis, who owns his own landscaping business, the pair are preparing to open Sandpit Coffee, Northern Ireland’s first remote control construction café.

Located on the Woodstock Road in East Belfast, it is a digger-themed cafe with an indoor sandbox and remote-controlled construction vehicles that customers can operate while enjoying coffee, traybakes and light bites.

With plans to open early this summer, Dan and Josh invited Belfast Live down to dig around the new coffee shop and hear more about what customers can expect from this interactive new venue.

Josh said: “I came up with this idea about a year and a half ago, when my daughter really needed something to do and there was a lack of interactive things – so this came to mind, diggers, coffee and me and Dan are both very passionate about coffee.

“It seemed like the perfect idea. There is also a place which has recently started doing it in Indonesia and Dubai, and I saw they were successful, so I thought, ‘ok maybe that idea isn’t so crazy, let’s do it.”

With Dan knowing not only how to run a business but also his way around a digger as a landscaper, Josh approached him with the Sandpit Coffee concept, and the idea started to become a reality.

Dan explained: “This is something totally new to both of us. I own a landscape business, and he does property, so it’s our first time running any kind of business like this.

“It’ll be very new to us both, but we’re hoping that both our qualities in each different area will be able to get us going well.

“We’re preparing to open around the beginning of June. We’ve taken our time to do things slowly because we want to be done right.”

“When we combine our drive, we’re pretty unstoppable,” Josh added.

The duo want the cafe to be not only a place where parents can take their kids for a nice day out, but where everyone can enjoy the unique interactive experience while drinking good coffee, eating tasty traybakes and having even better craic.

Dan continued: “It’s even great for like a date idea – taking her partner out, for something to do that’s different.

“I feel like in Northern Ireland you’re stuck, there’s not that much to do, and it’s not like the weather’s ever great, so it’s something to do while you’re out having a bite to eat or a cup of coffee.”

Sessions for the RC diggers and trucks can be booked online or when visiting. The Sandpit Coffee team hope that, when things take off, they will be able to expand to offer party options, corporate away-day sessions, and create an entirely unique offering for Belfast.

Designed by parents, Sandpit Coffee has a space to leave prams, construction-themed books and toys for the little ones who are just too small to play in the sandbox while still having a stylish and cool feel for a well-deserved coffee date.

“Our hope is to bring something new and fun, because on rainy days, and especially Sundays, I think there’s really a lack of things to do,” Josh added.

“People love going out for a coffee and tea and tray bakes, and combining them both [the sandbox concept] is quite satisfying.

“We hope to bring something to the Woodstock Road because it’s a very busy area and it’s very up and coming, especially the Cregagh Road – there’s lots of new coffee shops, so we can hopefully all bounce off each other and have a good experience.”

Dan concluded: “It’s just really exciting for us both to be trying something totally new, giving it a shot and see how we get on with it. Hopefully it turns out well.”

You can find out more about Sandpit Coffee and keep updated on when it opens here

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The company received reports from customers who claimed they experienced adverse reactions after using the products, with symptoms including skin irritation, eye irritation and infections.

Parents are being urged to check their homes after a popular range of baby wipes was recalled over fears they could cause serious and potentially life-threatening infections.

Target has voluntarily recalled several Up & Up baby wipe products after testing found traces of bacteria that may pose a health risk, particularly to newborns, infants and young children.

The recall affects both Up & Up Fragrance-Free Baby Wipes and Up & Up Fresh Cucumber Scented Baby Wipes sold in stores across the US and online.

According to a notice issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 5, the products were pulled from shelves following customer complaints and testing that identified contamination with bacteria.

Customers reported symptoms including skin irritation, eye irritation and infections after using the wipes. Some also noticed discoloration in the products.

The FDA warned that use of wipes contaminated with Burkholderia cepacia complex and Burkholderia gladioi could lead to serious illness.

“Use of products contaminated with Burkholderia cepacia complex and Burkholderia gladioi may result in serious and life-threatening infections,” the agency said.

The warning is particularly concerning because the wipes are primarily used on babies and young children, whose immune systems are still developing.

Health officials said there is an increased risk for immunocompromised people, including infants, with infections potentially spreading into the bloodstream and causing severe conditions such as sepsis or pneumonia.

Target and manufacturer Sapro Temizlik Urunleri received reports from customers who claimed they experienced adverse reactions after using the products. The incidents remain under investigation.

In a statement, the FDA said: “These reports remain under investigation. Target is coordinating with the manufacturer and continues to investigate this matter.”

Anyone who has purchased the recalled wipes is being told to stop using them immediately and return them to any Target store for a full refund.

Customers with questions can contact Target Guest Relations on 1-800-440-0680.

Recalled Up & Up baby wipes

• Up & Up Fragrance-Free Baby Wipes
• 20-count pack – UPC: 085239265956
• 72-count pack – UPC: 085239265949
• 216-count pack – UPC: 085239265963
• 800-count pack – UPC: 085239266137
• 1200-count pack – UPC: 085239266090
• Up & Up Fresh Cucumber Scented Baby Wipes
• 72-count pack – UPC: 085239265970
• 216-count pack – UPC: 085239265994
• 800-count pack – UPC: 085239265987

Parents who have any of the affected products are advised to stop using them immediately and seek medical advice if a child experiences irritation or signs of infection after use.

Moore fled the incident on foot before leaving the county

An attacker who repeatedly stabbed a man after kicking a woman in the face has been jailed, despite attempting to evade police by fleeing the area and dyeing his hair.

Joshua Moore, 21, assaulted a woman known to him as they walked down a communal staircase at a property in Sturminster Newton on September 30, last year, leaving her with significant bruising around her eye.

When a man in his 30s confronted Moore over the attack, the confrontation escalated and Moore stabbed him several times with a four‑inch lock knife, according to SomersetLive.

The victim was taken to hospital with wounds to his body and arm, while Moore fled on foot. Officers searched the area but he had already disappeared.

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Moore was found at a hotel in Petersfield, Hampshire on Thursday, October 2. Dorset Police said he had dyed his blond hair jet-black to try to hide his identity.

Moore, from Weymouth, was arrested and charged by officers and later found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and assault by beating at trial and was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday (June 5)

Detective Constable Emma Oram, of Dorset County CID, said: “This was a violent assault with a knife and, while it left the victim with significant injuries, the consequences could have been far worse and even fatal.

“We are committed to raising awareness of the dangers of knife crime and taking robust action against anyone responsible for offences of this nature.

“Thanks to our comprehensive investigation, we were able to track down the defendant when he had left the county and ensure he was held to account for his crimes.”

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The application, submitted for Cherry Tree Way, sought confirmation that the construction of a single-storey outbuilding would be lawful under permitted development rights.

The proposed structure will measure 10 metres wide, five metres deep and have a maximum height of 2.5 metres.

Planning officers assessed the proposal under Schedule 2, Part 1, Class E of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

Their report concluded that the development complies with all relevant limitations, including height restrictions, site coverage requirements and its position within the property’s curtilage.

The council confirmed that permitted development rights had not been removed from the property through planning conditions or an Article 4 Direction, allowing the proposal to be considered under the permitted development framework.

A decision notice issued on June 1 stated that the outbuilding “would have been lawful” and therefore qualifies for a Certificate of Lawfulness under Section 192 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

The development must be carried out in accordance with the approved plans submitted as part of the application.