The Chorley Old Road Methodist Hall and Sunday School, dating back to 1892, forms part of a retrospective planning application submitted on April 9, 2026.

The building, rub by charity organisation Qasr-e-Sajjad AS, has been operating as a community centre and madrassah since November 4, 2024.

The Grade II listed former Methodist hall in Bolton (Image: Bolton Council)

The application was submitted by Shabaz Hussain on behalf of Qasr-e-Sajjad AS, with the scheme prepared by RA Design & Project Management Ltd.

The centre is intended to serve the Shia Muslim community, described as a “relatively small and underrepresented group in Bolton.”

Chorley Old Road Methodist Hall, which could be formally approved as a Shia community centre and prayer room. (Image: Bolton Council)

The charity aims to advance the Islamic faith, promote mutual understanding between different faiths, and provide a base for worship, religious education, and cultural activities for the Shi’ite community in Bolton and Manchester.

The planning documents state the site would not be used for congregational Friday prayers but will function as a community facility with an ancillary prayer room.

Madrassah classes for up to 50 children are expected to run between 5pm and 7pm on weekdays.

The building is intended to serve Bolton’s Shia Muslim community as a centre for worship and education. (Image: Bolton Council)

The proposed opening hours are listed as 9am to 11pm, Monday to Sunday.

The plans indicate only minor internal changes, including the removal of a small internal wall in the ladies’ area to create a larger hall.

No significant external changes are planned, although the proposal seeks to retain a flagpole at the front of the site.

A heritage statement concluded the reuse would not harm the character or significance of the listed building, arguing the new use aligns with its historic role as a religious and community space.

Bolton Council will now review the application.

Married at First Sight Australia’s annual couples retreat was far from relaxing as Bec Zacharia ended up upsetting Rachel Gilmore by sharing intimate details with the group

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Bec Zacharia has apologised to Rachel Gilmore for the “vulgar” comment she made during the Married at First Sight Australia couples retreat.

Jaws were left on the floor when Bec took it upon herself to share with the group that Rachel and her husband Steven Danyluk had progressed in their intimacy after recent struggles to connect in the bedroom.

Some of the group already knew of their progress but were shocked when Bec announced it to everyone else.

It has since been revealed that an unaired conversation between Bec and Steven happened before her “disrespectful” speech.

Although there is now more context to the situation, Bec has apologised for how the evening unfolded and the decisions she made.

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Appearing on the After The Dinner Party show together, Rachel, Steven, and Bec all spoke about the eventful trip with all the brides and grooms.

Rachel admitted she would have “squashed” it earlier with Bec if she had known about the conversation between Bec and Steven prior to her speech.

She explained: “Genuinely, like, it kind of gives context because then I would have gone out of my way then to approach Bec and like, ‘I get why you’ve said it now’, I could have squashed it. I was overreacting.”

Bec interrupted and disagreed saying: “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, you’re not overreacting, because what you feel is what you feel and you are allowed to feel what you feel.

“What I said was completely politically incorrect. I have the most vulgar sense of humour.”

Bec added that she wouldn’t allow Rachel to “blame” herself for the situation as she was the one who made the comment.

In the unaired conversation, Steven can been seen sitting and chatting with Bec and Alissa Fay.

Before Bec says to him, “I’m so glad you got…stuck a finger in babes…” Steven questioned her, saying: “How do you know it’s even one finger?”

Bec immediately responded, “I guessing it’s two”, before adding that she was “so happy” for the couple.

After watching the conversation unfold, Rachel admitted at the time she thought Steve had “supported” her. However, he essentially created an environment in which jokes could be openly made.

She told Mamamia: “In private, Steven was telling me how crude Bec is and how she was ‘bang out of line’… Well, you said it too, sweetie. He never owned it. He let Bec take the fall.”

In the same interview she said that while Bec apologised, she didn’t believe she was “sorry for the impact” of her comment.

Rachel said: “She was sorry for the intent — the joke — but she wasn’t sorry for the impact. The impact was that I felt humiliated and shamed.

“A joke at my expense — especially one that is extremely sexual and puts my body on display — is not okay.”

Married at First Sight Australia airs Monday to Thursday on E4 at 7.30pm

The figures, released by Darlington Borough Council through a freedom of information request, reveal that only three fixed penalty notices were issued in 2025, all by the council’s dedicated dog warden. Civic enforcement officers issued none.

A concerned Darlington resident told The Northern Echo: “We’ve lived in the area for almost five years now and have two dogs, and over the last year or so I have noticed an increase in dog fouling on the streets in our area.

“It is more noticeable on the footpaths than it is down Cemetery Lane or Stanhope Park for example – particularly on Abbey Road – where there are multiple public bins for people to dispose of the mess.

“There are a few occasions where there have been full poo bags left on walls of residential properties by parents on the school run – again despite there being bins on Abbey Road.”

The data also showed that 188 stray dogs were found in 2025, with 40 of them unchipped.

College ward representative Cllr Matthew Snedker said he “absolutely understands” the anger of residents who do not see poo being picked up.

Cllr Matthew Snedker with a dog poo bin. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“This is a huge issue, it is unacceptable for people not to pick up after their dogs,” he said

“I have been out with the dog warden and when people see them out and about, they pick up the mess, or are warned.”

He explained that issuing fines is challenging, unless there is direct evidence.

Cllr Snedker said: “I speak with the dog warden and council officers regularly, they are doing a difficult job.”

Darlington Borough Council said the problem, while caused by a minority, affects the whole community.

A spokesperson said: “We know that the vast majority of pet owners are responsible and the actions of a few inconsiderate people can cause misery.

“We take dog fouling very seriously.

“In order to issue a fixed penalty notice, we have to catch a dog owner failing to pick up after their pet.

“We therefore rely on information from the public so we can build up a picture of when and where it is happening to catch people in the act.”

One of the I’m A Celebrity… South Africa stars will be leaving camp ‘for good’ as the eliminations are set to begin

Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly have confirmed one of the I’m A Celebrity… South Africa stars will be leaving camp ‘for good’ as the eliminations are set to begin.

The second series of the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here spin-off got underway last week with the hosts welcoming back 12 former campmates as they agreed to return for more Bushtucker Trials in a bid to be crowned a “legend” of the ITV reality show.

This week, Harry Redknapp and Jimmy Bullard finally joined their ten campmates – including Adam Thomas, Sir Mo Farah, Gemma Collins and David Haye – for the remainder of the series.

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But unlike the Australian main series which is broadcast live each night with an 11-hour time difference, the South African series was pre-recorded last year, thought to be in September.

That means that instead of the public voting to eliminate the celebrities, the campmates themselves will choose who to bid farewell to after various tough challenges are completed. But in a twist to the first series of I’m A Celeb South Africa, there will be a live final on April 24 where viewers will get to choose their winner.

And after fans recently started to question when the eliminations would begin, it was at the end of Tuesday (April 14) night’s episode that Ant and Dec announced that the next edition of the programme would see the first exit from camp.

“It is time for the first celebrity to leave the camp for good,” the hosts informed the campmates during a teaser for that is to come in Wednesday’s (April 15) episode, whilst it was also revealed that Scarlett Moffatt and Gemma Collins will face the next Bushtucker Trial.

As a new week got underway in South Africa, the campmates were surprised as they were joined by two new celebrities. Heading to the trial clearing, The Royal Express arrived at the platform, with the campmates eager to see which new faces will be joining them.

It was then revealed that Harry Redknapp and Jimmy Bullard were entering the camp. Taking their place on the thrones, the pair were introduced as the Lion King (Harry) and the Rhino King (Jimmy), with them taking it in turns to create their new teams.

With the new teams chosen, it was up to Adam and Craig Charles to fight for glory on behalf of Jimmy, as Ashley Roberts and David worked hard for Harry. As the stars were tied to bungee ropes, they dug through mud to find golden nuggets.

It was then revealed that Adam and Craig had collected more than their opposition, and therefore won. Upon returning back to their respective camps, tensions ran high as the Rhinos cheered loudly as they celebrated. With only a tall screen separating them, the Lion camp couldn’t hide their disappointment.

The East West Railway Company has released an updated proposal for a new rail line connecting Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge

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Cambridgeshire Live readers have voiced their opinions on proposals for a new rail line in the county, with many sharing strong views. Comments centred on whether the route is necessary, how it will be operated, and whether it is suited to future travel needs.

East West Railway Company (EWR Co) has released an updated proposal for a new railway line in Cambridgeshire. The new route would connect Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford, and Cambridge, with up to five trains per hour planned.

The revised proposals now factor in the new Universal Resort near Bedford and the heightened passenger demand anticipated as a result of the development. A station at Stewartby has been earmarked to serve the theme park.

Some readers questioned whether the demand exists to justify the line. Camssurvivor writes: “Five trains an hour? Brilliant. Over the past 60 years, freight transport on the railways has fallen by 63 per cent. If you look at cross-country passenger trains, there aren’t many passengers on them. Only the London commuter lines are busy.”

Alydavid comments: “We wait at our local level crossing every day, watching empty trains hurtle by. The actual plan is to build many more houses and further strain the overstretched poor infrastructure.”

Marlesherbes feels: “EWR has but a single problem. The Unions; there are still no trains between Bedford & Oxford as the unions refuse to allow trains unless there’s both a driver and a guard, the latter to operate the doors, which are automatic anyway!”

Creda1 adds: “Perhaps closer to Cambridge City centre would be a good idea and not nearly 2 miles out.”

Feelgood66 comments: “So five trains an hour plus the trains from Kings Cross coming in from Royston direction, plus the trains coming up from Stansted direction. All funnelling into Shelford. Wouldn’t want to live near that junction, it’s bad enough living next to the Kings Cross line as I do, right next to the area the lines will meet near Harston.”

Drdpy says: “With small trains running four times an hour, that is 231,840 people a week. The population of Cambridge is 157,697, and Oxford is about 165,000. Is it possible that there are insufficient trains running between the two cities? Is there sufficient parking for cars and bicycles if everyone in the city actually used the train? Is that why the new stations, South Cambridge and the proposed East Cambridge, have no car parks?

“There is no available land on which to build mass transport. That is why the newly proposed busway from Cambourne to Cambridge through Coton Orchard is stopping a mile outside the city. The University does not agree that the city needs better transport and has stopped development for decades. The new stations will have bike racks, but not enough for the number of passengers proposed. The city will need new pedestrian ways to cope with the numbers.”

Is there a need for this route? Comment below or HERE to join in the conversation.

Two AA-owned driving schools have been ordered by the UK competition watchdog to refund more than 80,000 customers and have been fined £4.2 million over drip-pricing.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the AA Driving School and BSM Driving School did not include a mandatory £3 booking fee in upfront prices.

This is an illegal practice known as drip-pricing.

The amount repaid to individuals will vary depending on how many lesson packages they bought, with the average being about £9.

This will total more than £760,000.

The refunds and fine combined will almost be £5 million.

This is the first financial penalty the CMA has imposed for breach of consumer law since it was handed new enforcement powers.

CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said: “If a fee is mandatory, the law is clear: it must be included in the price from the very start – not added at checkout – so consumers always know what they need to pay.

“At a time when people are watching every pound, dripped fees can tip the balance. And when it comes to something as important – and costly – as learning to drive, people deserve clarity.

“With our new powers, it will never pay to break the law or treat consumers unfairly. Where the rules are ignored, we’ll step in to put things right.”

A spokesperson for AA driving schools said: “Although the £3 booking fee was made clear to customers prior to their purchase, we acknowledge it should have also been displayed at the start of the online booking journey.

“Having listened to the regulator, we made immediate changes to our website to make the £3 booking fee more prominent.

“We are now refunding all relevant customers. Whilst we are disappointed with the outcome of the investigation, we have fully co-operated with the CMA throughout and would emphasise that protecting consumer rights has been central to our business for more than 120 years.”

Affected customers do not need to take any action, the CMA said.

The AA Driving School or BSM Driving School will write to them stating that the money will be automatically refunded onto the card they used to pay for their lessons.

If that is not possible, they will be sent a cheque.

In 2023, the Department for Business and Trade found nearly half of online businesses used dripped fees, with consumers spending up to £3.5 billion per year as a result.

From 6 April, payments increased to £27.05 a week for the eldest or only child and £17.90 a week for each additional child, giving families up to £1,406 a year for their first child.

HM Revenue and Customs has confirmed that more than 6.9 million families receiving Child Benefit are now being paid at the new higher rates. Most payments arrive in bank accounts on a Monday or Tuesday.

With payments typically made every four weeks, many parents should now start to notice the increase in their latest or upcoming payment, depending on their payment cycle.

However, officials are warning that thousands of families could still be missing out entirely. Latest figures show only 72% of parents claim Child Benefit within their baby’s first year.

Because claims can only be backdated for three months, delaying an application could mean losing out on hundreds of pounds.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s chief customer officer, said: “Looking after a child can be expensive, especially a newborn. It takes a few minutes to claim Child Benefit via the app and doing so as soon as you can after your baby is born will ensure you don’t miss out on vital financial support.”

Earning over £60k? 💷

Check if you need to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

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✅ Use the new digital service to pay through your salary if you’re not in Self Assessment. 
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— HM Revenue & Customs (@HMRCgovuk) April 12, 2026

Parents are being urged to check their bank accounts now to make sure they are receiving the correct amount, and to act quickly if they have not yet made a claim.

Most applications are now completed online or through the HMRC app, with around 85% of claims submitted digitally.

Experts at Money and Pensions Service also recommend checking eligibility using online tools, as some families may not realise they qualify.

Anna Sharkey from the Money and Pensions Service, said: “Use MoneyHelper’s free Benefits Calculator if you think you, or someone you know, might be eligible for Child Benefit. The calculator will show you all the benefits you’re eligible for.

“Other MoneyHelper tools for new parents include the Baby Cost Calculator to help you budget when having a baby, and the Baby Money Timeline which gives you key dates to help you plan your finances.

“Visit MoneyHelper.org.uk for free and impartial money guidance for everyday money management.”

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Payments are made directly into bank accounts and can be managed or updated easily.

Parents should also be aware of the High Income Child Benefit Charge if one partner earns over £60,000, although claiming can still protect National Insurance credits even if payments are repaid.

Officials say families who previously opted out can quickly restart payments, ensuring they benefit from the higher rates now in place.

Owner Anna Redfern said that she made the tough decision to close the cinema as the ‘conditions to sustain’ an independent business are ‘becoming impossible’

Another business in Swansea has announced that they will be closing their doors later this year. In the last couple of months, the news broke that locations like Marks and Spencer, Turtle Bay and Gin and Juice would all be shutting down.

The indie film house, Cinema & Co. will be joining that list following an announcement on Facebook on Monday, April 13. Owner Anna Redfern said she made the tough decision to close the cinema, live venue and gallery space based in the centre of Swansea as the “conditions to sustain” an independent business are “becoming impossible”.

Ms Redfern said: “‘Every story has an ending. After 10 years I’ve made the decision not to renew the lease at Cinema & Co. This hasn’t been an easy decision but it’s been a necessary one.

“I’ve spent years trying to run this space in a way that felt right— not just financially but ethically and personally too. And the truth is that’s becoming harder and harder to do.

“Running an independent space today means wearing every hat, holding everything together, and constantly fighting to keep something special alive. And over time that takes its toll. Not just on the business but on the person behind it.”

She said sustaining a small independent business is now becoming “impossible”. “I know we’re not the only ones. You’re seeing it everywhere,” she added.

“Independent spaces are disappearing — not because people don’t care but because the conditions to sustain them are becoming impossible. So this is me choosing to end it on my terms rather than lose what made it what it was.

“We’ve got a few months left. If Cinema & Co has ever meant something to you come and be part of it while you still can. Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here

Many locals flooded the comments with support for the business and their disappointment over the news that they would be closing later this year.

One person said: “It’s gonna be quite weird not to see Cinema & Co on Swansea central high street, will definitely miss this venue.”

Another added: “What a shame, you are an inspiration to many – best of luck in whatever is next.”

However, others believe that closure of the establishment was inevitable following financial difficulties in the wake of their legal dispute over breaching coronavirus regulations during the pandemic.

One person said: “She made a few decisions that in the end put people off going there.”

Ms Redfern received fines amounting to £15,000 in December 2021 after admitting to violating Covid public health regulations. She was additionally ordered to pay £8,940 in prosecution costs, while the company itself was handed a £5,000 fine.

She also received a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to contempt of court for opening the cinema despite a court order, though in an unusual development she was later permitted to vacate that plea – effectively withdrawing it – and the matter was dropped.

In an interview which was published in 2022, Ms Redfern stated that given the opportunity to turn back the clock, she would make the same decision again.

She said: “I was sick of pretending to comply through fear of losing my livelihood which I guess is quite ironic because it looks like that is going to happen anyway.

“I stood in my truth and it was a matter of principle. We’ve got to be vocal because we are having our freedoms and our rights stripped away from us.”

Phoebe-Rose Douglas, 10 weeks old, died after cardiac arrest with tests showing exposure to cocaine, heroin and cannabis – her parents have since admitted child cruelty

A baby who died after being exposed to heroin and cocaine was discovered to have dirt beneath her fingernails and armpits after being rushed to hospital.

Nurses raised concerns about Phoebe-Rose Douglas’ ‘unkempt and smelly’ condition following her arrival at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, an inquest has heard.

Paramedics had been called to an address on Meaford Drive, Blurton, following reports the 10-week-old was in cardiac arrest on the morning of October 25 2019. She was transferred to the hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit, but died four days later on October 29, reports Stoke on Trent Live.

A urine sample taken on October 29 revealed a level of cocaine, the inquest heard. Tests conducted on hair samples showed she had been exposed to cocaine, heroin and cannabis.

Parents Rachel Bourne and John Douglas both admitted child cruelty at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court in 2024. Bourne was jailed for 31 months and Douglas given a 10-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years.

An inquest into Phoebe-Rose’s death is now being held this week at Swann House, Stoke.

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The inquest heard Phoebe-Rose was born in Halifax in August 2019, where her father lived. She returned to Stoke-on-Trent a month later with her mother.

The inquest heard that Phoebe-Rose’s parents were both drug users. Several referrals had previously been made to social services before her birth, owing to concerns raised about the family, including one in July 2019 relating to their living conditions. They were subsequently evicted from the property, where drug paraphernalia was later discovered.

Phoebe-Rose missed her first round of routine immunisations and a standard developmental check with a GP, which would ordinarily take place at six to eight weeks of age.

Phoebe-Rose’s mother woke at around 5am on 25 October, picked her up, and discovered she was unresponsive. West Midlands Ambulance Service was immediately called.

The inquest heard that Phoebe-Rose was resuscitated, however scans carried out at hospital revealed she had sustained severe brain damage due to oxygen deprivation, and on 29 October the decision was taken to withdraw life support.

Paediatrician Dr Deborah Stalker told the inquest that hospital discharge notes from Phoebe-Rose’s birth showed no signs of neonatal abstinence syndrome – withdrawal symptoms that newborn babies may experience if they have been exposed to opiates while still in the womb.

“But she was a bit of a struggle to feed, reading between the lines of notes”, Dr Stalker added. “There was also evidence that feeding bottles were not sterilised prior to use – that had been observed in hospital.” When Phoebe-Rose was admitted to hospital in October 2019, “she was unkempt and she was unclean”, Dr Stalker told the inquest.

She went on to say: “She was smelly and she had dirty fingernails and feet and creases under arms and neck.”

Dr Roger Malcolmson, a consultant paediatric and perinatal pathologist, was involved in post-mortem examinations conducted following Phoebe-Rose’s death. He described her to the inquest as “relatively small”.

“There was no evidence of external injuries of any significance that would suggest a pattern of physical abuse”, he said.

“Her brain was swollen, which correlates with injury to brain cells and hypoxia (reduced oxygen to the brain). There was no obvious underlying cause. I think the biggest risk factor for this death we can identify from the history is maternal drug use and smoking.”

The inquest continues.

1. Create a 10-15 minute buffer zone

2. Start the day with a warm shower or saline spray

3. Keep breakfast simple

4. Take a calmer approach to rushed mornings

When to keep your child off school