Otto Sparkes has been given just over a year to live

A four-month-old baby boy has been given 13 months to live after being diagnosed with a rare and incurable condition.

Otto Sparkes, now four months old, has been diagnosed with Krabbe leukodystrophy – a rare inherited condition that damages the nervous system and affects around one in 100,000 people worldwide.

Parents Ella Burton, 27, and Keiron Sparkes, 30, noticed their son was jolting from birth, but early genetic tests came back clear. At two months old, his symptoms worsened and he was constantly crying, struggling to feed and vomiting, before eventually the infant stopped smiling.

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Doctors initially put his symptoms down to regular reflux and colic until he underwent a lumbar puncture and extensive blood testing which led to his diagnosis. The heartbroken parents have now been told he has over a year to live.

Otto is currently the only known case of Krabbe leukodystrophy in the UK. The fatal disease strips the protective coating off the nerves, causing the brain to lose its ability to communicate with the body, leading to progressive muscle stiffness, loss of motor skills, and sensory problems.

Ella, from Hull, said: “I knew there was a problem from birth. Everybody passed it off as colic and reflux as he was really unsettled all the time.

“He was crying 90 per cent of the day, even would during his sleep. It’s all he’s done. Doctors thought it was a cow’s milk allergy as he was vomiting a lot. Doctors had him try seven different types of milk.

“But then he started to have these jolting, jerking episodes in his sleep – I was told it was a startled baby reflex. Then after three months he stopped smiling.

“I said I was concerned but they said it was normal startle reflex, then he started becoming more and more stiff, with his limbs locked out and weren’t moving, and he wasn’t playing with toys – that’s when I knew something really wasn’t right.”

Ella, who works in the discharge sector of Yorkshire Ambulance, and Keiron, a finishing operative, knew something wasn’t right immediately after birth despite the pregnancy being unproblematic.

Otto was tested for Down syndrome after being delivered by c-section but genetic testing came back clear. From the first days and weeks of his life, Otto also had a curved posture and his thumbs were fixed into his palms.

Ella, said: “He stopped smiling in March, and didn’t for a month straight. He smiled once in Leeds and I thought he must be getting better but he’s not done so since, for another month now.

“The thumbs fixated into the palm is specific to the disease, and I noticed that at four months. It was a big red flag for the doctors.”

When they were referred to Hull Royal Hospital and Leeds Neurology, Ella and Kieron were given the devastating news that their son’s rare disease had no cure.

“It’s heart-breaking,” Ella said. “Not the words you ever want to hear that the doctors cannot do anything, no treatment, just awful. The doctor came in on her day off because she didn’t want us to wait any longer.

“I thought it’d be something common and manageable, like cerebral palsy or MS, but it’s incurable, fatal. I just remember the room spinning. Everything went really muffled, I just felt ill. We were in bits, on the floor, crying. We’re a bit numb now, have good and bad days.”

Ella added: “I’d have loved for them to pick it up earlier but it’s so rare, so we can appreciate they’re not going to know. He only got diagnosed through the blood database. It’s shocking.

“Otto means the absolute world to us, he’s our rainbow baby which is even worse. He almost fixed my life. I got so much better in terms of mental health, we were so happy and it was everything we’d always wanted.

“We were expecting a normal life. To come to terms with the fact you’ll never hear him speak, achieve his goals is just dreadful.”

Ella said she reached out to Alex TLC – a Krabbe disease charity – and was told Otto is currently the only existing case in the country.

The condition occurs when both parents carry a certain gene, meaning there is a 25 per cent chance that if Ella and Keiron were to conceive again a baby could have Krabbe disease. They are exploring the idea of IVF treatments as a means of finding a “silver lining”.

It can be spotted in pregnancy to give mothers the option to terminate or begin stem cell treatment in the baby’s first four weeks, which can prolong life.

Now the family has launched a JustGiving page to fund trips to make the most of Otto’s life before he regresses too much as a result of the highly aggressive disease. Otto will soon lose his vision and hearing, while Ella said he has already begun struggling to feed.

The disease is said to have three stages, with Otto at stage two, meaning loss of mobility, motor control, loss of learnt skills and continual absence of smiling are all imminent. The disease eventually becomes fatal when respiratory function deteriorates.

Ella and Keiron want to take him to the beach and to Disneyland in America, rather than “just sitting and waiting for the inevitable to happen”.

Their friends and family are also raising money with charity rugby game and a 215-mile run. You can donate the family’s fundraiser here.

According to Krabbe UK, some of the symptoms that may occur include:

• Feeding difficulties
• Irritability
• Stiffness of limbs
• Clenched fists
• Fever & seizures

Announcing its decision to postpone the talk, the British Museum said: “In recent days, we were informed that a significant proportion of registered attendees were individuals intending to deliberately disrupt the event, preventing others from participating in good faith and undermining the purpose of the programme.”

Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.   

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke, who led the investigation, said: “Our thoughts remain with Mark’s family and friends. Mark, who was local to Camden, lost his life in tragic circumstances – though no outcome will ever be enough, we hope today’s conviction offers his loved ones some closure.

On Wednesday night and into the early hours of Thursday , many were woken up to the sound of thunder and a flashes of lightning.

Jordan Lawson, who took the photographs, sent them from the BL4 area. The BL4 area covers Bolton, Farnworth, and Kearsley.

(Image: Jordan Lawson)

He said: “I was up late last night taking them before I went to bed, I was already awake.

“I saw a flash and thought, ‘what’s going on?’ And I thought just to try it.

“It’s the first time I’ve tried taking pictures of lightning. A lot of people just get the clouds, and the pylon adds a bit of depth to the picture and makes it different.

“I was sitting there for about an hour as well.”

(Image: Jordan Lawson)

It follows a national heatwave, which raised temperatures in Bolton up to 31C being the highest. On Tuesday, it was hotter than in Barcelona.

Other sounds of thunder were heard both during the night at 2.00 am , and at roughly 6.45am.

The thunderstorm was even the sound that woke up many residents, not just across Bolton, but also across Greater Manchester.

Thunderstorms frequently follow heatwaves, because the intense heat and humidity build up big amounts of atmospheric energy and moisture.

Father of two Daniel Ingham crashed on the first lap of the third qualifying session on Wednesday, at the Doran’s Bend section of the course on the Isle of Man

Isle of Man TT Race organisers have confirmed that a 33-year-old rider has been killed after an accident during qualifying.

Father of two Daniel Ingham crashed on the first lap of the third qualifying session on Wednesday, at the Doran’s Bend section of the course on the Isle of Man.

Ingham was a vastly experienced rider and made his debut at the legendary road races on the Isle of Man in 2016 in the Manx Grand Prix. The Leicestershire man won the 2024 Senior Manx Grand Prix.

In a statement, organisers said: “The Isle of Man TT Races pass on their deepest sympathy to his wife, Helayna, and his son Joey and daughter Phoebe, as well as his family and friends.”

Ingham’s brother Jamie shared his touching tribute on social media. He wrote: “You are going to be truly missed Daniel Ingham I couldn’t have asked for a better brother you achieved so much in a sport you lived and breathed day in day out all the hard work to get to the top achiveing your dream of winning that seniour manx gp. I love you so much. I’m going to miss you #35″

The RST motorsport clothing company shared their tribute, saying: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Daniel Ingham, a hugely respected rider and valued member of the RST family.

“Daniel was not only an incredibly talented racer, but also a genuine character who earned the respect of everyone around him through his passion, determination, and love for the sport. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Daniel’s family, friends, team, and all who knew him during this incredibly difficult time.”

The news comes after a number of serious accidents on the course on the Isle of Man this week during practice and qualifying, in warm and dry conditions.

In the pre-TT Cassic race on Sunday, 68-year-old Alan Oversby lost his life in an accident.

A day later, eight spectators and a rider were taken to hospital after a serious accident.

A qualifying session was red flagged after a crash on the Parliament Square section of the Mountain circuit around 1.30pm on Monday. All racing was then suspended for the day by the clerk of the course.

On Tuesday, there was a red flag incident in the sidecar qualifying session, which left Maria Costello and her passenger Shaun Parker injured.

After another sidecar accident on Wednesday, all sidecar racing has been suspended for the remainder of the 2026 Isle of Man event.

“Following an incident involving a Sidecar team during the third Qualifying Session of the 2026 Isle of Man TT Races, the Race Organisation initiated an immediate technical and operational review to assess the circumstances surrounding the incident and the continued participation of the Sidecar class at the event,” said organisers.

“Following that review, in conjunction with the Event Promoter, a decision has been taken to suspend the Sidecar class for the remainder of the 2026 Isle of Man TT Races.

“This precautionary measure has been implemented in the interests of competitor and spectator safety and reflects the Race Organisation’s commitment to reviewing all aspects of event safety and operational delivery whenever an incident occurs.”

The first week of the legendary Isle of Man TT meet is dedicated to practice and qualifying, with the racing programme scheduled to start on Saturday, May 30.

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As negotiations to end the Iran war continued on May 25, Donald Trump made a series of phone calls in which he pressed key leaders from the Middle East to join the Abraham accords. Announced in 2020, these accords established diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab states, beginning with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain.

The US president reiterated his proposal in a social media post later that day: “After all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these countries, at a minimum, simultaneously, sign the Abraham accords.”

Trump’s post suggested that Iran could also join the accords. This really would be something, given that one motivation for signing the accords was to push back against Iranian influence in the region. Sadly for Trump, this is wishful thinking at best.

Few Middle Eastern leaders can agree to Trump’s proposal. In comments published by Politico on May 26, one unnamed former US diplomat described Trump’s comments as a “poison pill”. They added he had created new “conditions for peace that neither Iran nor the states in question will accept”.

In advocating this approach, Trump misreads the vitriol held by many across the Middle East – and beyond – about Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon. The official death toll in Gaza, where Israel has fought a military campaign since 2023, stands at over 70,000 people. A further 170,000 people have been injured amid what many are calling a “genocide”.

In southern Lebanon, Israel has used ground troops and a relentless campaign of air attacks since the beginning of the Iran war in what appears to be an attempt to secure a “buffer zone” against attacks from Hezbollah. More than 3,200 people there have been killed so far, with a further 7,500 injured and millions forced from their homes. This is despite the signing of a ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese government in April.

Opposing Trump’s proposal

The destruction of Gaza angered Bahrain and the UAE, with Manama recalling its ambassador to Israel shortly after the start of the war. But neither country withdrew from the Abraham accords. Instead, trade and security collaboration continued with both taking the stance that working more closely with Israel would be in the best interests of their states.

Yet Bahrain and the UAE are outliers in the Middle East. Other countries are far less willing, or able, to normalise with Israel. When US officials visited Saudi Arabia in 2024, four years after the signing of the accords, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is said to have told them he feared being killed if he normalised relations with Israel.

Though many have argued the Saudi Kingdom was close to normalising relations with Israel before the war in Gaza, this has been largely rejected by Saudi officials. And since the outbreak of the Gaza war, bin Salman and other Saudi officials have repeatedly stressed that normalisation of diplomatic relations with Israel will not happen without irrevocable steps being taken towards Palestinian statehood.

Meanwhile, tensions between Israel and Turkey have been brewing for some time. In February, the former Israeli prime minister, Naftali Bennett, declared that Turkey was “the next Iran”. More recently, on May 20, Israel’s minister of culture and sports, Miki Zohar, declared that Turkey should be treated as “an enemy state”.

And in Qatar, state officials remain furious with Israel for launching strikes on Doha in 2025 in an attempt to kill key Hamas figures who were based there. Qatar said it had been hosting Hamas figures as part of broader mediation efforts requested by the US and Israel.

The strikes led to a now infamous photo released by the White House of Trump overseeing the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, while he called Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to apologise.

The idea of Iran becoming a signatory of the Abraham accords in the immediate aftermath of a devastating war is also fanciful. Tensions between Israel and Iran can be traced back to 1979, when a revolution toppled the Iranian monarchy and led to the establishment of an Islamic republic.

Iran’s new leadership immediately provided support to the Palestinian cause and, in later years, to Hezbollah and other militias across the Middle East. In response, Israel has carried out military strikes on targets across Iran, assassinated key nuclear scientists and more. To suggest disregarding almost half a century of history with little to no efforts at reconciliation is farcical.

Why, then, has Trump suggested such a move? Perhaps it speaks to a need to assuage domestic constituencies within the US, or those in Israel, pushing for wider normalisation between Tel Aviv and the Arab and Muslim worlds.

A second reading is that it is an attempt to prevent diplomatic progress on resolving tensions with Iran by putting an insurmountable obstacle in the way in the form of the demand for normalisation with Israel, perhaps reflecting the plurality of positions on the war found in Washington.

A third view is that this is a move aimed at diminishing the scale of destruction and human suffering that has been wrought on Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon, in the hope that a form of transactional politics – driven by trade and security – will prove sufficient. But, as Trump will find out, this is a longshot.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Our recent proposals mean teacher pay would rise by almost 17 per cent across this parliament, equating to a significant real terms increase over the five years. Despite deeply challenging choices about public spending, mainstream school funding will rise again next year, reaching almost £51 billion, to help every child to achieve and thrive.”

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TALA has launched a new swimwear collection in collaboration with May Ridts, which is perfectly timed with the UK’s heatwave – and the upcoming summer months. 

TALA, which is the brainchild of multi-hyphenate Grace Beverley, launched its latest swimwear drop back in April, and it has already received rave reviews from customers because of how flattering the garments are.

Though I’m not surprised because I am obsessed with several TALA pieces I own, including the leggings. 

The swim collection includes two-toned bikinis, multi-way designs, as well as figure-hugging swimsuits, specifically the Contrast Underwired Swimsuit, which has been hailed ‘a free boob job’, as well as beach cover-ups.

Safe to say your holiday wardrobe is covered. 

Speaking about the collaboration, May shares: ‘The whole collection just feels like the perfect holiday wardrobe. Everything works so effortlessly together, and you can style it in so many different ways. I played around with a few looks during our campaign shoot, so there’s lots of inspiration there for summer!

‘With TALA, it never feels like I have to squeeze myself into something or be a ‘version’ of me that fits a campaign. I get to just exist as I am, and that’s rare in this industry. As someone who hasn’t always felt represented in this space, working with a brand that doesn’t just say they’re inclusive, but actually makes you feel included… that means everything to me.’

Whether you want to mix and match your swim sets, cover-ups, or opt for complete matching co-ords, there is something to suit everyone’s style and body shape. Here is what we’re packing for our summer vacays…

Shop our top TALA swim picks:

Contrast Underwired Swimsuit

My favourite from the collection, hands down.

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This underwired swimsuit has been designed to sculpt the body, lift the bust, and accentuate the wearer’s body so you feel confident, comfortable, supported and protected when slipping into your swimwear on holiday.

It features a Brazilian style bottom, scoop neck, underwired bust and adjustable straps, as well as a low back with a cross bar fastening for support and security.

Plus, it is supportive for those with bigger busts too.

Buy Now FOR £69

Beach Knit Maxi Skirt

If you are looking for a lightweight beach cover-up to take you from breakfast to the pool and a pit stop at the beach club, this maxi skirt is a must.

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The thigh-high slit is ultra flattering, and the fabric offers a semi-sheer finish. 

Buy Now FOR £55

Beach Knit Asymmetric Top

If you don’t know by now, I’m a fan of co-ords, so of course I need the matching Asymmetric Knit Top to wear with the matching skirt. 

Buy Now FOR £42

Soft Linen Drawstring Trouser

No holiday, or summer wardrobe for that matter, is complete without a pair of trusty linen trousers.

Grace showcased these linen trousers on her Instagram account, and proved how much stretch these trousers have.

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They are buttery soft, versatile, and a must have in anyone’s wardrobe. 

Buy Now FOR £55

Soft Linen Top

If you want to swap out the go-to linen shirt to achieve an elevated summer look, you can’t go wrong with this asymmetric Soft Linen Top.

The bias cut, complete with the dropped shoulder and cinched waist, are all elements that make for an ultra flattering design perfect for day and night. 

Buy Now FOR £49

Contrast Underwired Bikini Top

If you prefer a two piece set, rather than a swimsuit, Tala has you covered. The Underwired Bikini Top does exactly what it says on the tin.

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It features underwire to support and lift your bust, as well as adjustable back fastening and straps for the perfect fit.

Buy Now FOR £42

Contrast Mid Rise Bikini Bottom

Tala offers Mid Rise Bikini Bottoms with a Brazilian cut, or thong bikini bottoms, so you can mix and match the styles to your preference.

Buy Now FOR £38

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GameCentral gets a first look at this year’s Call Of Duty, which boasts a new Korean setting, DMZ, and some notable changes to multiplayer. 

After last year’s Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 fell short both critically and commercially, against Battlefield 6, Activision’s juggernaut shooter has never looked more vulnerable. EA might not have another Battlefield planned for this year, but there’s a prevailing sense that a once unshakeable franchise has been knocked onto the backfoot. 

This is where Call Of Duty’s next entry awkwardly and –  because of the yearly development cycles – unintentionally sits. Activision has now revealed it is, as the leaks already suggested, a sequel to 2023’s Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. A follow-up to one of the worst received entries in series history is an unfortunate choice for a franchise which is coming off such a notable blow, but Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is insisting it will shake things up for the better.

In terms of the campaign, the most promising change is the Korean setting. The story hinges around a war between North and South Korea, which threatens to destabilise the entire world. In the preview, Activision provided a rundown of every level in the campaign, and you’re oscillating between two factions: a blended squad of Korean and US soldiers you follow in missions set in Korea; and the globe-trotting escapades of franchise regular Captain Price, who is dealing with the wider conflict and going rogue across Paris, Mumbai, New York, and other locales. 

Because of the country’s mandatory military service, the Korean soldiers you play as aren’t trained military experts but regular people who are naïve to the dangers ahead of them – which is something Call Of Duty hasn’t really explored since it drifted away from the Second World War and leaned into superhero-like machismo. 

We’ll have to wait to see how the full game shakes out, but we were disappointed that the exploits of the Korean squad wasn’t the entire focus of the campaign. Instead they share headline billing with Captain Price, who, while a notable character for those invested in Call Of Duty lore (and the connective tissue to Modern Warfare 3), is a far less interesting prospect in comparison.

On the multiplayer side, there are changes too – although the majority of them might only register with hardcore players. Developer Infinity Ward is promising more fluidity than ever, thanks to slicker transitions between sliding, mantling, and climbing. The omni-movement of recent titles has been expanded as well, allowing you to shoot while hanging off ledges, shimmy around corners, and launch into a super slide directly onto your back via a quick double tap.  

Additionally, Infinity Ward is emphasising realism and precision through what it calls ‘Ballistic Authority’. This is a catch-all term to encompass improved gun animations, enhanced player visibility and, perhaps most importantly for a select few, the removal of weapon bloom; where, when firing from the hip, shots would randomly veer away from the centre of the crosshair to incentivise down the sights aiming. Now, the small element of inaccurate randomness has been removed – a move which, while sound in theory, could make aiming down the sights far less useful.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 might be gunning for the competitive hardcore crowd with these alterations, but there are some welcome improvements to streamline parts of the experience too. There’s a new ‘Gunny’ system in the Gunsmith which allows you to quickly assemble gun builds based on pre-selected criteria, while there’s greater flexibility in applying different loadouts to different operators. 

Infinity Ward is promising over 12 multiplayer modes at launch, including three new ones titled Inflation, Hijack, and Counter Attack, and 12 brand new multiplayer maps. The most interesting of these is Killblock, which appears to be some kind of procedurally generated map split across different environmental slabs, which are randomly assembled into over 500 combinations each time you jump in.

The third pillar to Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is DMZ, an extraction mode which returns following its beta iteration in 2022’s Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The franchise has been experimenting with extraction modes for some time, as seen in last year’s Endgame mode in Black Ops 7, but we’ll have to wait and see how different this will be.

Perhaps most notably beyond the game itself, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will be the first game in the series to arrive on the Nintendo Switch 2, and simultaneously with the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC versions on October 23, 2026.

We didn’t see any footage from the Switch 2 version, so it remains to be seen if it will retain Call Of Duty’s all-important 60fps frame rate, but no doubt compromises will need to be made somewhere.

Overall, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 doesn’t appear to be a drastic reinvention, but it feels like it’s trying something slightly different at least, which is perhaps the best you can ask for when a series is stuck in a yearly development rotation and Activision won’t be able to properly respond to recent criticism for a few years yet.

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