Hundreds of passengers were left stranded after Bristol Airport was forced to close when thunderstorms knocked out communications with air traffic control.

The airport suspended all arrivals and departures on Monday night after an electrical storm damaged both its ground radar and communication systems.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Bristol Airport said: “Following the earlier electrical storm, Bristol Airport remains closed to arriving and departing aircraft whilst engineers investigate a fault with Air Traffic Control systems. Customers should contact their airline with any specific flight queries.”

The closure led to the cancellation and delay of dozens of flights, disrupting travel plans for passengers heading to destinations across the UK and Europe.

Engineers worked overnight to restore the affected systems and flights resumed on Wednesday morning. However, disruption continued, with some services delayed and a number of flights originally scheduled to depart on Tuesday rescheduled for later on Wednesday.

Passengers have been advised to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport.

The pact leaves it to Iran and Oman, in conjunction with other Gulf states, to “define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz”, although it states this must be “in line with the applicable international law”, which upholds freedom of navigation.

England will be confirmed as group winners if they triumph in their first-ever competitive meeting with Ghana and Panama do not beat Croatia in Toronto later on. The Black Stars also made a winning start in Group L, with Caleb Yirenkyi’s goal securing a dramatic last-gasp victory over Panama. The 2010 quarter-finalists are out to cause a major upset tonight, led by Manchester City star Antoine Semenyo and now coached by ex-Manchester United assistant Carlos Queiroz.

Anne Diamond told TRIC Award attendees that her co-star Eamonn Holmes is ‘not very well’

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Anne Diamond has provided fans with an update on Eamonn Holmes’ health following his absence from this year’s TRIC Awards. Speaking from the stage at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, she informed attendees about the presenter’s situation.

She told the audience: “There are a couple of people who would love to be here but can’t. Eamonn Holmes is not very well at the moment but he is doing well, he is recovering and we hope he will be back with us very soon.”

GB News secured the Award for Best News Programme for the fourth year running. Last year, Belfast-born Eamonn collected the accolade for Best News.

However, as he proudly accepted the trophy on behalf of GB News Breakfast, he faced jeering from sections of the audience.

Having used a wheelchair ramp to reach the stage, Eamonn thanked the production crew and viewers. Yet, the occasion was tarnished by audible jeers from certain attendees after GB News Breakfast’s victory was announced, reports the Mirror.

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Despite the divided response, the Northern Irish broadcaster delivered a heartfelt tribute to fellow presenter Charli Peters, who had previously claimed the News Presenter award for his investigative reporting on grooming gangs across the UK.

He also honoured a colleague, though the conclusion of his address became uncomfortable when an audience member shouted for Eamonn to ‘get off’. Although it remained unclear whether Eamonn caught the heckling, he wrapped up his speech on a positive note, saying: “For the thousands of people who voted, that is brilliant for us so we say thank you, thank you, thank you, to anyone who did bother to vote.”

His most recent absence comes as the GB News host, 66, continues to grapple with health challenges which have confined him to a wheelchair. In April, Eamonn experienced a stroke, though he reassured supporters at the time that he was alright.

Back in 2016, Eamonn also went under the knife for both hips to ease persistent hip, leg, and back discomfort. However, while recuperating, he tumbled down the stairs at his residence and broke his shoulder.

He subsequently developed a debilitating viral infection. At the time, he linked it to pressure from a tax row with HMRC.

The infection triggered a severe rash across his face and posed a risk to his vision. In May 2022, he experienced serious spinal complications that resulted in bladder and bowel difficulties and a nine-day stint in hospital.

Then in November 2022, he took another fall at his Surrey property, fracturing his shoulder once more, necessitating further surgery. He remains committed to pursuing different treatments, including spinal injections and weighing up stem cell replacement therapy, as part of his continuous battle to restore mobility.

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More than 300 schools across England and Wales are planning to be either partially or fully closed on Tuesday and later this week because of the weather.

Others are also closing early on Wednesday and Thursday to protect children from the heat, with some pupils being told they can wear PE kit rather than full school uniforms for those days.

The Department for Education does not itself “normally advise schools to close” and instead issues guidance on how best to manage high temperatures.

There will also be travel disruption for those travelling by car, rail and air, the Met Office warned.

On the National Rail network, passengers have been urged against undertaking non-essential travel and to make sure they are carrying water.

GTR – the UK’s largest train operator – said it will suspend the Gatwick Express from early afternoon on Wednesday and Thursday. The airport will still have services via Thameslink and Southern trains.

The operator will also implement safety speed restrictions across the next two days, with fewer trains on Thameslink, Great Northern and Southern lines.

GTR passengers can get refunds for tickets they have bought for Tuesday and the next couple of days if they will no longer be travelling.

Avanti West Coast also said it would run fewer train services between Tuesday and Thursday, while Chiltern Railways has reduced its services by more than half over those three days.

National Rail explained that heat can cause a number of issues including overhead lines expanding and rails buckling.

The RAC said it is anticipating breakdown assistance will “increase significantly as temperatures peak”, adding that it was already dealing with 10% more breakdowns than usual for this time of year.

Meanwhile, ceremonial guard changes in London and Windsor have been cancelled on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in a bid to reduce risks for the military personnel, horses and the public.

Less severe amber weather warnings are in place until Thursday for parts of south and central England and parts of Wales.

Tuesday’s hot and humid weather was prefaced by thunderstorms in the early hours, with some 29,000 lightning strikes recorded in the south, the Met Office said.

The storms caused flash flooding and travel disruption across parts of England, with the London Fire Brigade reporting that it responded to 400 calls overnight.

Emergency services said two house fires in London and one in Bristol were believed to have been caused by lightning strikes.

There were also power outages in south-west England, with hundreds of homes briefly without electricity on Monday evening, according to the National Grid.

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She was seen writhing on the ground, desperately trying to kick off her trousers

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A woman is in hospital fighting for her life, after her clothing appeared to catch fire in a busy street.

Emergency services in Edinburgh were alerted to the incident outside flats in the St Leonards area on Monday at around 12.10pm.

The woman suffered serious injuries and was rushed in an ambulance to hospital where she remains in a critical condition.

Footage seen by the Daily Record, but too distressing to publish, shows the woman writhing on the ground and desperately trying to kick off her trousers as flames envelope the bottom half of her body.

Bystanders, including two Royal Mail workers, try to extinguish the fire by striking her with clothing and a blanket, reports the Daily Record.

A woman appears in the frame and races towards them and throws water at the flames but it makes little difference.

The clip ends with the woman lying on the pavement as the locals continue to try and put the fire out.

Firefighters arrived at the scene and confirmed that they extinguished the flames before leaving the area with police.

It remains unclear how the fire started but police say there are no suspcious circumstances.

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A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 12.10pm on Monday, 22 June, 2026, police were called to a report of a seriously injured woman outside flats on St Leonards Street, Edinburgh.

“The woman was taken by ambulance to hospital where medical staff describe her condition as critical. There do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances. Enquiries are ongoing.”

A spokesperson for the SFRS said: “We received reports of a fire at Carnegie Court Corner on Bowmont Place at 12.10pm on Monday June 22.

“Two appliances were mobilised and extinguished the fire. The incident was left with Police Scotland.”

From hot towel shaves to threading and waxing, Jason Webb offers both traditional and modern barbering from Evolution Grooming on Longfield Road.

The business first began on North Road in 2016 but outgrew its original home and decided to move to its current site after three years.

The dad-of-one, who has lived in Darlington all of his life, had a number of jobs before getting into the trade, working at Fenwicks Family Butchers and running the restaurant at the Hall Garth Hotel before qualifying in 2014. 

And now, the 40-year-old and his team at Evolution Grooming are hoping to scoop the top spot of the Echo’s Best Barber Shop competition for 2026. 

The Northern Echo Best Barber Shop 2026 (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

“It is always quite massive for us [to be nominated for an award] because there is so much competition”, Jason told the Echo. 

“It is just nice for all of us, it is not just me, it is the team that is with us. It is nice that our hard work is recognised.”

It comes as Evolution Grooming prepares to celebrate its tenth birthday in July: “We try to offer as much as we can.

“I found that when I started, people were coming for hair cuts and going elsewhere for other things. We now do everything from waxing to hot towels.” 

Jason admitted that competition for barber shops in the town is growing, but that customers keep coming back: “We have managed to keep a steady loyal client base. 

“Things changed after Covid – we were walk-ins only before. Our clients preferred [booking] so we stuck to appointments.” 

Jason also works with Darlington College to help deliver training to students – and gets students in for work experience whenever he can. 

Evolution Grooming is one of ten named in our competition this year, with others including J. Maddison Barbers, on West Auckland Road, and LJ Barbers, on Duke Street.

You can read the full shortlist here: Northern Echo’s Best Barber Shop 2026 finalists revealed

To vote for Evolution Grooming, simply complete the form your The Northern Echo newspaper and return it to: The Northern Echo Best Barber Shop 2026, LOCALiQ House, 1 Dalston Road, Carlisle, CA2 5NP. 

Voting will close on Wednesday, July 8.  

The Prime Minister met the frontrunner to replace him in No 10 for the first time since the former Greater Manchester Mayor’s by-election victory for an hour-long “off-site” discussion, as first reported by The Times.

Mr Burnham will also start receiving Government briefings to prepare for power after Sir Keir authorised Civil Service access talks to begin for “prospective candidates” for the Labour leadership.

The Prime Minister told his Cabinet he wanted an “orderly transition” and insisted he would try to make the process “as easy as possible” for his successor at a weekly meeting on Tuesday morning.

Downing Street said no “major” new policy decisions or spending pledges would be made in the coming weeks, adding that Sir Keir would agree priorities with Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo in the coming days.

But the defence investment plan (Dip), which has been delayed for months amid wrangling within Government over its funding, is one loose end he intends to tie up before leaving office.

His plans to publish the document before the Nato summit on July 7 have the potential to cause friction after The Times reported allies of Mr Burnham believe the decision should fall to the next leader.

An ally of former defence secretary John Healey, who quit over the Dip earlier this month, also warned against publishing a “half-baked” plan before the new prime minister was installed.

“We know this Dip settlement falls well short, and an incoming PM will still have to meet the same requirements.

“So clearly there is a strong argument against publishing a half-baked Dip now,” they said.

Asked whether Sir Keir was concerned about the work of Government grinding to a halt during the transition process, his official spokesman said the “normal business of Government continues”.

The former Greater Manchester mayor will begin to set out his policy platform, pledging economic growth and a commitment to Labour’s existing fiscal rules in a speech next week.

Many see him as a prime minister-in-waiting following his Makerfield by-election win and his main rival, former health secretary Wes Streeting, backing him to succeed Sir Keir, who announced his resignation on Monday.

The prospect of a potential leadership bid by Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones also appeared to be receding on Tuesday as sources close to the minister said he was highly unlikely to stand.

Mr Jones, a key Starmer ally, is said to want assurances about Mr Burnham’s economic policy amid concerns among some about potential unease in the markets, but allies said he was not minded to run against him.

Elsewhere, former armed forces minister and Royal Marines officer Al Carns told journalists at the Foreign Press Association in London that he had not ruled out standing in a potential contest.

He said Mr Burnham would “listen” to the Parliamentary Labour Party and “he’ll take advice on policy ideas, and hopefully he’ll be able to drive them forward at a pace and with the boldness and courageousness that is required to keep that social cohesion and make us successful in the 2029 general election”.

But he added: “A vision without a plan is a dream and if you don’t have it, it can turn into a nightmare pretty quickly.”

Asked whether he would launch his own leadership bid, Mr Carns said: “A decision is often based on multiple factors.

“I just need to see and buy into that vision and that policy and then we’ll see where we go from there.”

Burnham backer Nick Thomas-Symonds suggested a contest would not be in the best interests of the country.

The Cabinet Office minister told Sky News: “I just think we have to weigh up what is in the best interests of the country.

“I am of the view that it needs to be a swift transition, but of course I understand colleagues have difficult decisions to make.”

The new Makerfield MP, who only returned to the Commons on Monday, could be in Downing Street within weeks if a challenger does not emerge.

Talks are also said to be taking place about who will sit in his Cabinet, with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood both tipped as potential candidates to replace Rachel Reeves as Chancellor.

But Mr Burnham’s allies said no jobs had been given and no deals had been made as of Monday evening.

The Chancellor’s successor would be bound by the rules she set, which aim to restrict borrowing and pay for day-to-day spending out of tax revenues by the end of the decade.

Mr Burnham knows he has to reassure the City about his economic plans, having previously caused alarm by saying “we’ve got to get beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets”.

If he is the only candidate to receive the support needed to stand in the contest for the vacant Labour leadership, he could become prime minister as early as July 17.

Sir Keir said he would ask Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) to set out a timetable that would see a new leader in place by the time Parliament returns from its summer recess on September 1 if there is a contest.

But Mr Burnham could be the only candidate when nominations close on July 16.

Potential candidates have until then to amass the support of at least 81 Labour MPs.