Researchers have welcomed a new antimalarial compound as “an exciting step forward” in the global fight against the disease.

Discovered by a team at the University of Dundee, the molecule has the potential to streamline dosing schedules for both prevention and treatment.

Malaria is a severe mosquito-borne illness that mostly affects people living in tropical countries.

Global statistics from 2024 show an estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths, with numbers escalating partly due to increasing resistance to current drugs.

The compound, called cabamiquine, is described as a “novel drug-like molecule” that can be administered in a single dose.

Early-stage trial results showed that when combined with the existing drug pyronaridine, the treatment proved effective and demonstrated a favourable safety profile in adults and teenagers.

The findings support further testing of the combined therapy in larger trials and among paediatric patients.

Dr Beatriz Baragana, a member of the Dundee University team that discovered cabamiquine, said: “This is an exciting step forward for a compound which has great potential to simplify dosing regimens for malaria, a disease which causes hundreds of thousands of deaths every year.

“All of the initial work that ultimately resulted in the discovery of cabamiquine was performed here in Dundee, with support and funding from Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV).

“We are delighted to see how the compound, when administered with pyronaridine, is progressing into a potential malaria medicine, giving hope to the millions of people affected by malaria every year.”

Professor Ian Gilbert is head of the University of Dundee’s drug discovery unit, which spearheaded the breakthrough.

The division collaborates with scientific partners to turn biological research into candidate drugs addressing unmet medical needs.

Prof Gilbert said: “The benefits of this compound are not only that it looks to be effective, with a good benefit/risk profile, but it can also be delivered in a single dose, which is an important factor when you are treating a disease that occurs commonly in areas where consistent delivery of healthcare can be challenging.”

Following scientific and financial support from MMV, the organisation now plans to progress cabamiquine-pyronaridine into further development.

Paul Willis, vice president of drug discovery and preclinical safety at MMV, said: “Novel treatment and prevention regimens are urgently needed with simplified dosing to enable effective case management and to support long-term malaria control and elimination goals.”

The study’s findings were published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Conducted by pharmaceutical firm Merck as part of the PAMAfrica consortium, the trial was co-funded by the EDCTP2 Programme, with support from the European Union and the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency.

By CLAIRE FARAGHER and DOMINIC CONNOLLY

Published: 22:43 BST, 16 August 2026 | Updated: 00:09 BST, 17 August 2026

Officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Motorcycle Unit were called to Darcy Lever after receiving complaints about bikes being ridden in an antisocial manner.

When officers tracked down one of the riders, the situation quickly went from bad to worse for the bike owner.

Checks revealed the newly purchased motorbike was being ridden without insurance and without a registration plate on display, leaving officers with little choice but to seize it at the roadside.

The rider was reported for the offences, while the bike was taken away and could now end up back at auction.

A spokesman for GMP Traffic said: “GMP Motorcycle Unit left Stretford a report of bikes causing a nuisance in Bolton brought them to Darcy Lever.
“This rider was gently persuaded off his bike which was uninsured and no plate displayed.
“Just purchased, now seized. So back to auction.”

British sprinter Amy Hunt was delighted to have succeeded beyond her wildest dreams after becoming the first athlete to win four gold medals at a single European Championships.

The 24-year-old world silver 200m medallist sealed her unprecedented quadruple in the inaugural mixed 4x100m relay final in front of a sold-out crowd at the Alexander Stadium to conclude a six-medal super Sunday in Birmingham.

Dina Asher-Smith also moved to the outright top of the European Athletics Championships all-time list with her 11th medal, and silver for Matt Hudson-Smith in the men’s 4x400m relay, bringing the hometown hero to nine, made him the outright most-decorated man in the history of the European Championships, and there was also gold for Georgia Hunter Bell in the 1500m final.

“Oh my gosh, (I feel) just sensational!” said Hunt. “I think it surpassed my expectations for myself at this champs, not in terms of just the golds, but how I’ve handled myself, how I’ve handled all the pressure, the attention, the recovery, the discipline of it all.

“Not getting too caught up in the highs and staying kind of true to myself, keeping humble and keeping my foot on the gas the whole way through the week. Seven races in seven days is no easy feat.”

Jeremiah Azu, Asher-Smith, Zharnel Hughes and Hunt beat Germany and Spain in 39.97s.

Asher-Smith joined Polish sprinter Irena Szewinska on 10 European medals with women’s 4×100 relay triumph on Saturday after also collecting 200m bronze earlier in the week, although she already had two more golds to her name.

With Sunday’s addition, the British record-holder is now up to eight European golds, and is the lone athlete with 11 medals overall.

“It hasn’t sunk in at all,” she said, when asked about her achievement. “At this point in my career, I’m just having fun. I’m just seeing what can be maxed out because I’m fortunate enough to stand on the line, and I don’t really have much to prove. I’d like an Olympic gold, but that’s kind of the only thing that’s on my bucket list.

“Being able to kind of come here and just kind of have fun and do some more events is a privilege. It’s definitely a privilege.”

The mixed 4×100 relay made its European Championships debut in Birmingham, opening the possibility for the ambitious Hunt to set her sights on four titles on home soil after clinching a sprint double, then women’s 4x100m gold.

Hunt and Asher-Smith confirmed that they were not unduly affected by security measures at the venue on Saturday night, when it was previously understood that all of the teams in that evening session’s two relays were unable to leave on time due to security measures as a result of a police incident.

The women’s 4x400m relay quartet of Yemi Mary-John, Lina Nielsen, Nicole Yeargin and Emily Newnham struck silver, while their men’s counterparts, Hudson-Smith, Toby Harries, Ben Jeffries and Dobson finished three one hundredths of a second behind Italy in the competition’s closing race.

Jazmin Sawyers also snatched silver in the long jump, and Abbie Donnelly became the first British woman to win a marathon medal at the European Championships, with bronze.

Melsonby, near Richmond, sits around a mile from the A1(M) and A66, and is a small rural village surrounded by North Yorkshire countryside.

But its combination of quiet lanes, historic buildings, and open landscape has helped put Melsonby on the map for reasons stretching from Hollywood filmmaking to an extraordinary Iron Age discovery.

The village was among the locations used during the production of 28 Years Later in 2024.

Melsonby in North Yorkshire (Image: GOOGLE)

Directed by Danny Boyle, the film made extensive use of real landscapes across northern England to create a Britain transformed after decades of infection and abandonment.

Locations across the North East and northern countryside were selected to provide the isolated and overgrown landscapes needed for the film.

Yet the village’s real history is arguably every bit as remarkable as its appearance on screen.

Melsonby is a compact community close to Richmond, with traditional homes, surrounding farmland, and St James’ Church at its heart.

The church is a Grade II*-listed building and forms one of the most prominent historic landmarks in the village.

But the discovery which transformed Melsonby’s archaeological importance came much more recently.

In 2021, metal detectorist Peter Heads discovered a collection of ancient objects buried in a field near the village.

Realising the potential importance of the find, experts were brought in and Durham University archaeologists excavated the site in 2022 with support from Historic England and advice from the British Museum.

What emerged became known as the Melsonby Hoard.

More than 800 objects dating back roughly 2,000 years were discovered, making it one of the largest and most significant Iron Age finds unearthed in Britain.

The collection includes parts of wagons and chariots, elaborate horse harnesses, bridle bits, ceremonial spears, and the remains of a large cauldron.

Twenty-eight iron tyres provide evidence that both two-wheeled chariots and four-wheeled wagons were being used.

Some of the horse equipment was decorated with coloured glass and Mediterranean coral, suggesting the people who owned the objects were connected to networks stretching well beyond northern Britain.

Researchers believe the extraordinary collection belonged to people of considerable wealth and status.

Many of the objects appear to have been deliberately burnt or broken before being buried.

Archaeologists believe that destruction may itself have been a powerful symbolic act, demonstrating the wealth and position of those involved.

The discovery has challenged older assumptions that Iron Age elites in northern Britain were less wealthy or influential than those living farther south.

It also places Melsonby close to the heart of a landscape once associated with the Brigantes, the powerful Iron Age people who controlled much of northern England around the time of the Roman conquest.

Today, objects from the hoard have gone on display at the Yorkshire Museum, bringing national attention to a village that many motorists may otherwise pass without noticing.

For residents, however, Melsonby remains a small and close-knit North Yorkshire community.

Melsonby lies little more than a mile from the A1(M) and close to the A66, placing two of the North’s major roads almost on its doorstep.

That means thousands of motorists pass nearby while travelling between Darlington, Scotch Corner, Richmond, and North Yorkshire.

Yet leave the main roads and Melsonby quickly feels removed from them.

The result is a village with two very different claims to fame.

Its countryside became part of the world of one of Britain’s best-known modern horror franchises, while beneath nearby fields lay evidence of extraordinary wealth and power more than 2,000 years earlier.

Farm Gate Farm Shop and Free Range Butchery, near the A1(M) and A19, holds a 4.9-star rating on Google from dozens of reviews.

Visitors regularly praise the shop for its selection of locally sourced produce, including free-range meat, British cheeses, bread, milk, and other Yorkshire products.

One recent customer described the farm shop as “superb” and said its range included cheeses that could be difficult to find elsewhere.

They said: “The meat is free range and you know what you get is quality.

“A wide selection of different cheeses, some of which are difficult to find elsewhere.

“Steve and all the team are so welcoming and accommodating to our requests.

“Well worth a detour if you are visiting the area.”

Farm Gate Farm Shop and Free Range Butchery (Image: GOOGLE)

Another visitor praised the knowledgeable staff after picking up cheese and steaks, describing it as a “great little farm shop”.

The business has also won fans for its focus on local and organic food.

One customer said: “Fresh, organic and tasty food.

“And they have the nicest staff!

“Locally sourced produce.”

Another called Farm Gate an “absolutely fantastic local artisan and organic shop”, praising its selection of organic flour, British cheeses, free-range meat, and locally produced drinks.

They added that the staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly cared about the products they sold.

The welcoming atmosphere is another recurring feature in reviews.

One customer who visited with her sister and young son said staff even showed the youngster the lambs during their trip.

She wrote: “Well, what can I say other than ‘amazing’.

“The staff were exceptionally welcoming and helpful.”

For some customers, an unexpected first visit has turned the shop into a regular destination.

One reviewer said: “What a find this little place was.

“Having happened upon it by chance a few months ago, it is now one of our go-to places to find the very best authentic locally produced food.”

Another customer said they had been shopping there for more than a year and praised its granola, coffee, cheese, bread, flour, and meat, as well as a Christmas chicken they described as “gorgeous”.

Its approach to animal welfare and sustainability has also been highlighted by visitors.

One reviewer described the farm shop as a “gem” and said a lamb joint bought there at Easter had been “unsurpassed in flavour and tenderness”.

Long-standing customers have also praised the family-run business.

One reviewer said they had been using Farm Gate Farm Shop for more than ten years, while another said they had received weekly milk and butter deliveries for eight years without being let down.

The latter wrote: “Reliable, consistent, and genuinely helpful whenever you get in touch.

“The kind of local business that does everything right.”

Other products mentioned by visitors include locally produced milk, bacon and pancetta cured by the business, seasonal venison, and a selection of Yorkshire goods.

One reviewer said they had followed signs from the Malton road to reach the shop and found the journey worthwhile.

Another customer, who discovered it while on holiday, said they planned to return despite living around 50 minutes away.

They said they had been particularly impressed by the farm shop’s own meat and its extensive cheese selection.

John Whitehurst, Chief Executive Officer of Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR), which operates Southern Railway, said: “It has been an incredibly difficult time for our customers and colleagues, and our thoughts remain with everyone affected by this, particularly the family and friends of those who have been injured.

Some animals are at greater risk than others

A stark warning is being issued to pet owners after a cat brought into the charity’s care required surgery to have both ears removed due to severe sun damage. Buddy, an eight-year-old Domestic Shorthair, was taken in by Battersea’s Old Windsor Cattery after being discovered as a stray.

The charity’s clinical team swiftly identified lesions on both of his ears – one of which was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer triggered by UV damage. Battersea’s clinical team also discovered pre-cancerous cells on Buddy’s other ear and were sadly left with no choice but to remove both ears to safeguard his future health.

Cats with white or light-coloured fur, such as Buddy, are especially susceptible to sunburn and sun damage, particularly on exposed areas like their ears and nose. While fur offers some degree of protection, areas with less coverage can be especially vulnerable to harmful UV rays.

Hazel Adams, cattery team leader at Battersea Old Windsor, said: “Buddy’s story is a serious reminder of just how devastating sun damage can be to our pets. Providing plenty of shade and water, keeping cats indoors during the hottest parts of the day, and using animal-friendly sun cream are a few simple ways owners can reduce the risks and help their pets stay safe in the heat.

“Despite everything he has been through, Buddy has proven to be a gentle and affectionate companion. He has adapted remarkably well to life without his ears and while his hearing has been affected, it hasn’t stopped him from living life to the fullest. He is now ready to find a loving home that understands his unique needs.”

The summer of 2026 is firmly on course to become the hottest on record in the UK. Battersea is calling on owners of lighter-coloured cats to take additional precautions in the sunshine, reports Wales Online.

Animal-friendly sun cream can be applied to areas such as the tips of the ears and nose, while treats and gentle strokes can help cats develop a positive association with the process. Battersea advises using a titanium dioxide-based sun cream and steering clear of products containing zinc oxide. Owners should always consult their vet if they are uncertain which sun protection product to use.

If you are keen to give Buddy his second chance, please visit: https://www.battersea.org.uk/rehoming. For further guidance on keeping your pets safe in the heat,click here.

Beadlam Grange Farmshop & Bistro, near Helmsley, currently holds a 4.4-star rating on Google from more than 850 reviews, as well as a 4.1 rating on Tripadvisor from more than 500 reviews.

The farm shop combines a traditional food hall and butcher’s counter with a bistro serving breakfasts, lunches, cakes and hot drinks.

Visitors can buy a range of Yorkshire produce, including fresh meat, cheese, bread, cakes, fruit and vegetables, preserves and other locally sourced goods.

Its meat counter is a particular feature, selling home-grown beef alongside lamb, pork, local free-range poultry, sausages, burgers, bacon and gammon.

Beadlam Grange Farmshop & Bistro, near Helmsley (Image: TRIPADVISOR)

The deli also stocks a wide range of Yorkshire cheeses, cooked meats, pâtés, pies, quiches and pastries.

Recent visitors have praised both the shop and its food.

One Tripadvisor reviewer who stopped for breakfast while travelling home from a family break said they had driven past Beadlam Grange many times without realising it was there.

They wrote: “We’ve been past plenty of times but didn’t realise it was here.

“Hiding in plain sight.

“No complaints with any of the six meals.

“Piping hot, good ingredients and served in a timely manner.”

Another recent visitor said they had enjoyed “the most wonderful breakfast” and particularly praised the poached eggs.

They added: “Will certainly call in again.”

Another customer simply said: “Loved my breakfast, thank you.”

The farm shop itself has also attracted strong reviews.

One recent Google reviewer described it as a “lovely place for coffee and cake” and added that the farm shop was “very good as well”.

Another regular customer said: “Excellent food and drinks.

“Staff are very friendly.

“Farm shop is fantastic.

“Highly recommended.”

The butcher’s counter is another draw for customers, with one reviewer praising the quality of its beef.

They wrote: “Great products.

“The Limousin beef just melts in your mouth.

“Friendly service, thoroughly enjoyed.”

Beadlam Grange also sells ready-to-heat meals and other products which have proved useful for visitors staying in holiday accommodation nearby.

One Tripadvisor reviewer, who visited the shop while staying in the area, said: “We loved the selection and variety of the items, especially the ready-to-heat meals as we were staying at a vacation property nearby.”

They also praised the gift shop inside.

Families are catered for with a children’s play area, while the business offers outdoor seating during warmer weather.

One visitor who attended a family baby shower said the food had been “delicious”, with plenty of choice and friendly staff.

They added: “My daughter loved the little play area they had.

“Would highly recommend.”