Ainsley has come to Leyland and Preston as part of his tour around Morrisons stores across Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Lancashire.

It’s not just for the love of butter pies, but instead because he’ll be meeting shoppers, sharing recipe inspiration and surprising customers with prizes.

Ainsley Foods Company is also to donate £3,000 worth of food in each of the three regions.

We spoke to him at the Morrisons at Preston Docks.

(Image: NQ)

Ainsley said: “The people have been amazing.

“You know, I turned up here, there’s a queue of people.

“Some of them are wearing T-shirts and a few of them over there saying, ‘give your meat a good old rub,’ what does it mean?”

“I said, as long as you’re serving it with a side of couscous, there’s nothing to worry about.

(Image: NQ)

“It’s been an absolute joy, you know, people have come up and said they’ve been watching me since Ready, Steady, Cook days and still watching now.”

Ainsley is one of Britain’s best-known culinary personalities, having entertained audiences for more than three decades with his energetic style.

Born in London in 1957, he trained as a chef before working in some of the capital’s leading kitchens and later becoming head chef at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

He added, on his trip around Lancashire: “Everybody knows it’s about getting out there and promoting what you’ve got in the supermarkets, my soups and my couscous.

“But ultimately, I think it’s about meeting people.

(Image: NQ)

“All my life, even before I was on television, it’s all about connecting with people. I think because my dad was in show business, it made a big, big difference because he used to connect with people and I used to see that energy.

“And I think as youngsters, we look at our parents, don’t we? And we kind of pick up different things from them.

“I think I definitely picked up that from my dad, and so it’s great.”

Harriott rose to national fame through popular BBC programmes including Ready Steady Cook and Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook.

He has also fronted numerous travel and cookery series and has written bestselling cookbooks, selling more than two million copies worldwide.

(Image: NQ)

In 2020, he was awarded an MBE for services to broadcasting and the culinary arts, recognising his contribution to food television and British culture.

He’s even been all over the North West, on occasions coming to Bolton Food and Drink Festival.

Speaking about Bolton’s festival, he said: “I used to love it.

“I should have done it this year, actually, but the dates didn’t work out.

“When they invited me back to go and do the Bolton Food and Drink Festival, it was wonderful.

“Last time we were down there, it was like that magnificent by the town hall.”

Today, he remains a popular figure on television and at food festivals across the country, where his live demonstrations continue to draw large crowds.

To sum it up, Ainsley said: “Is Preston and Lancashire the favourite place? It certainly is today.”

New access to the site could also be created via a major A-road

A large renewable energy plant could be built on the edge of a Cambridgeshire village. Pretoria Energy is proposing to build an agricultural by-product anaerobic digestion (AD) plant on land west of Snoots Bridge, Cambridge Road in Stretham.

The plant is proposed to take up around 22.7 hectares of land which is currently used as arable land. If approved, the site will be used to “produce biogas from the anaerobic digesters” and “produce renewable energy”.

The planning documents said: The proposed energy plant would provide a source of energy for use by the applicant, businesses within the vicinity, and National Grid network.

“The applicant envisages the feedstock for this particular AD plant could be from a mixture of chicken/poultry litter, straw and liquid food blend. The liquid food blend is envisaged to be a mixture of commercial food waste, rejected agricultural food (not fit for animal/human consumption) and waste from processing agricultural food (e.g liquid/solid waste from washing of carrots/peas).”

The main intake and output building for the plan is proposed to stretch over 6,000sqm. This is proposed to be connected to two separator buildings. On site, there will also be 12 digestor tanks, six post-digester tanks, two offices, a vehicle maintenance workshop and more.

The applicants acknowledge that the development will “constitute a degree of change in relation to the character of the site and its immediate setting”. However, it says any “adverse affects” that could arise from the plans will be localised and confined to the site.

New access to the site could also be created along the busy A10 road. The existing road to the site is accessed through an informal farm track with a small junction to Old Cambridge Road from the A10.

The plans propose a new access point further north of the existing entrance via the A10 to “be more suited for plant traffic”. The working day on the site is proposed to be 8am until 6pm daily.

The site is expected to generate 170 HGV vehicle movements over the course of a working day. An additional 40 vehicle movements are proposed to be generated by staff per day.

The applicant said this would result in an increase of 19 vehicle movements in the morning and evening during peak hours. The documents said: “The proposal is not expected to engender a perceptible negative impact upon the local highway network and therefore the proposals should not be refused on transport or highway grounds.”

Pretoria runs other plants in Cambridgeshire, including one in Chittering. This new plant would support the current site in Chittering to “support the UK’s drive to achieve net zero greenhouse emissions”.

By CAITLIN LENG

Published: 01:27 BST, 22 August 2026 | Updated: 01:35 BST, 22 August 2026

Two fishermen have been rescued after being adrift in the Pacific clinging to a cool box for five days without food or water.  

Daniel Guerrero Martinez, 53, and Jose Luis Portela Villegas, 32, were recovered by Mexican Navy personnel on August 19 in waters off the municipality of Tonala, Chiapas, after disappearing on a fishing trip days earlier. 

The men, who embarked on the fishing trip from a small town close to Guatemala, ran into trouble after their boat – the Camaronera – sank and they became stranded in the Pacific waters.

The pair, whose last radio contact was recorded on August 14, were able to survive after climbing into a cool box that was onboard their boat, where they took refuge. 

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After the men failed to return from their trip, a fishing cooperative sent out a distress call saying it had lost contact with them and alerted Mexico‘s Navy. 

A search operation was subsequently launched involving naval surface units and aircraft operating under a coordinated system using a ship, an interceptor boat and an aircraft, enabling rescuers to extend their search mission across the Pacific. 

Boats were also dispatched to replicate the journey the men took in the hopes they could be traced. 

Following days of searching, they were located approximately 130 nautical miles, or 240.76kilometres, from the coast of Chiapas. 

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Two fishermen adrift in the Pacific without food and water for five days have been rescued following an extensive search operation

Daniel Guerrero Martinez and Jose Luis Portela Villegas were recovered by Mexican Navy personnel after disappearing on a fishing trip

The men were able to survive after climbing into a cool box that was onboard their boat, where they took refuge

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Naval medical personnel assessed both men before they were transported by helicopter to hospital, where they were treated for severe dehydration

Both men were later reunited with their families in Paredon, a coastal village in Chiapas, Mexico

A Mexican Navy ocean patrol vessel travelled to the area and carried out the rescue, bringing both fishermen aboard. 

Footage of the rescue shows the fishermen in open water, leaning against the sides of the blue cool box as they remain afloat. 

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Naval medical personnel assessed both men before they were transported by helicopter to hospital, where they were treated for severe dehydration. 

The pair were later reunited with their families in Paredon, a coastal village in Chiapas, Mexico.

Judith Torres Vera, Chiapas Fisheries and Aquaculture Secretary, confirmed the news of the men’s safe return to land to waiting relatives.

‘We have just been informed that Daniel and José Luis have appeared,’ she said, adding: ‘We are very happy that our colleagues have appeared.’

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An investigation into the incident has since been launched, with authorities claiming bad weather and windy conditions caused the boat to drift out to sea.

A statement released by Mexico’s Navy said: ‘Two fishermen who remained adrift on a cooler for five days were located and rescued by naval personnel more than 240 kilometres from the coast of Chiapas.’

It added the coordinated deployment ‘made it possible to expand the search, locate them, bring them to safety and reunite them with their families.’

Saja El-Khawas, the six-year-old daughter of a Palestinian refugee, has died in hospital, following the deaths of her parents and older sister

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A young girl pulled from the sea in West Sussex in an incident that claimed the lives of three of her family members, has now also died.

Saja El-Khawas, six, died on Friday after the deaths of Sara El-Khawas, 14, and her parents Hassan El-Khawas, 55, and Zeina Alayn, 37, in Shoreham-by-Sea on Tuesday afternoon.

Saja had been in hospital in a critical condition since the incident.

Her identity and death were confirmed in a legal notice from solicitors acting on behalf of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, as well as the Palestinian Forum in Britain.

The Palestinian embassy said Mr El-Khawas was a Palestinian refugee from the Rashidieh Camp in Lebanon.

Rashidieh Camp is on the Mediterranean coast in southern Lebanon and is one of the most populous Palestinian refugee camps in the country.

The older part of the camp was built by the French government in 1936 to accommodate Armenian refugees who fled to Lebanon, while the newer part was built by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in 1963 for Palestine refugees, according to the agency.

It is believed the family travelled from their home in London to visit Shoreham and entered the water from the beach near Shoreham Fort at around 2pm before they got into difficulty.

On Wednesday, Sussex Police said their investigation remains open, but after a review of CCTV footage and initial witness accounts, it is currently thought the deaths were a tragic accident, with no third-party involvement.

Chief Superintendent James Collis said: “The events of Tuesday afternoon are a heartbreaking tragedy which has devastated a family and their friends and had a profound impact on the Shoreham community.”

Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls posted a tribute to Year 8 student Sara following the “tragic incident” during the summer holidays on its website on Thursday.

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The school, in the London borough of Ealing, said: “Sara was a sweet girl, well-liked by staff and students and she will be greatly missed.

“Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with her family, friends, and all those affected.

“This news will be deeply upsetting for many students, families and staff.”

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In a statement on Facebook, the Palestinian embassy said it was “closely monitoring the incident”.

Adnan Hmidan, chairman of the Palestinian Forum in Britain, paid tribute to the family, although his spelling of their name differed from that used by Sussex Police.

He said: “The Palestinian, Arab and wider community in Britain, along with the many friends and supporters of our community, have been deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic incident involving the Khawwas family during a day trip off the coast of Sussex.”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned of the dangers of open water swimming after the incident, which he described as “a terrible family tragedy”.

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The family are believed to have entered the water from the south of the 19th century Shoreham Fort, on the west side of the harbour arm.

Video footage showed a number of emergency services searching an area of water near to an arm of the harbour where the River Adur meets the sea.

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The popular fixture, organised by Darlington and District Motor Club, is expected to attract competitors from a range of championships ensuring plenty of variety for fans heading to the North Yorkshire circuit.

Among the classes in action will be the Northern Saloon and Sports Car Championship, which is set to bring a large and competitive grid to Croft.

(Image: Stuart Boulton)

Drivers will contest two races across the weekend as they continue their campaigns in one of the region’s best-supported racing series.

Another championship returning to the track is the Focus Cup, with drivers piloting Ford-Focus models in a pair of closely fought races.

The one-make series is known for producing tight racing and plenty of overtaking opportunities, making it a favourite among spectators.

Visitors will also see competitors travel south from Scotland for a number of races over the two days.

(Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Legends cars, classic sports cars and historic saloons are all set to feature on the timetable, offering a mix of modern and historic machinery.

One of the biggest attractions of the weekend will be the return of sidecar racing.

Crews from British championship competition will tackle the full Croft circuit, providing fans with some of the most dramatic and spectacular racing of the meeting as drivers and passengers work together around the challenging layout.

The weekend will conclude with the battle of Britain trophy race on Sunday afternoon, bringing together competitors from different categories for a special end-of-event contest.

(Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Track activity begins on Saturday morning with practice and qualifying sessions before racing gets underway later in the day.

Sunday’s programme is devoted entirely to racing.

With free parking, free entry for accompanied children aged 15 and under and a  packed schedule on both days, the event is set to offer a family-friendly weekend of motorsport in North Yorkshire.

There is currently no ETA of when the closure will reopen, according to a National Highways update.

Posting on X, it said: “Currently, all traffic is being diverted off at J18 with this closure remaining in place. There is no eta for reopening with the plan of resurfacing tonight. This is all to be confirmed.

“At the moment, there aren’t any new updates to share regarding this closure. Please keep an eye on our social media channels, as we’ll continue to share any updates there as soon as they become available.”

By CHRISTIAN CALGIE, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT-AT-LARGE

Published: 00:40 BST, 22 August 2026 | Updated: 00:49 BST, 22 August 2026

Bridget Phillipson was branded ‘stupid’ by a top Conservative yesterday amid a furious racism row.

The former education secretary claimed racism and sexism have become ‘normal’ in Britain thanks to social media.

The minister for women and equalities pointed to Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick and Tory Nick Timothy as proof of this, accusing them of making ‘racist’ remarks in recent years.

Last October Mr Jenrick complained he ‘didn’t see another white face’ during a visit to an area of Birmingham, while Mr Timothy said that a mass Muslim prayer session in Trafalgar Square was an ‘act of domination and division’.

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Ms Phillipson told The Guardian: ‘Apparently I’m calling him names when I say that’s racist.

‘I think it is fundamentally racist because I don’t think he would say that about any other group.’

She added: ‘I find it shocking that we hear that from Opposition spokespeople, in a way that I think even five, ten years ago they would have had a second thought about that. It’s become normal.’

But Mr Timothy, Kemi Badenoch’s justice spokesman, branded the Cabinet minister ‘stupid’.

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Bridget Phillipson was branded ‘stupid’ by a top Conservative yesterday amid a furious racism row

He said: ‘If Phillipson can identify the racial groups to whom I was racist, she can call me racist. If she can’t, she’ll go on sounding stupid. And I’ll go on saying mass Muslim prayer in public spaces is an act of domination.’

He later told the Daily Mail that Ms Phillipson’s comments serve as a further warning about Labour’s proposals to introduce a new official definition of ‘Islamophobia‘.

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It will not be set in law, but free speech campaigners have warned it will lead to a clampdown on freedom of expression.

Mr Timothy said Ms Phillipson had ‘unwittingly demonstrated exactly what we have warned about since Labour first promised an “Islamophobia” definition’.

He added: ‘There is a world of difference between racial identity and religious beliefs.

‘You can’t help being the race you are, but you choose the beliefs you hold. And religious beliefs – like any other ideas – should be scrutinised and challenged and satirised freely.

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‘If she can identify the racial groups to whom I have been racist, she is entitled to call me a racist.

‘If she can’t, and just shouts ‘racist’ at political opponents instead of debating them, she is not only proving the limitations of her own mind [but] is proving beyond doubt that this “Islamophobia” definition is wrong, dangerous and must be scrapped.’

Kemi Badenoch’s justice spokesman Nick Timothy (pictured in January this year) said Ms Phillipson had ‘unwittingly demonstrated exactly what we have warned about since Labour first promised an “Islamophobia” definition’

Mr Timothy added: ‘I will go on saying exactly what I think – and so should everyone else.’

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Ms Phillipson, who was demoted from her previous role as education secretary in new Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s reshuffle, added that she is worried ‘about our sons and what they’re being exposed to, especially online and the extent to which we have this whole industry that’s been built up on exploiting grievance’.

She added: ‘Things that not very long ago felt totally unacceptable are becoming normal.

‘And I think we’re seeing that in terms of attitudes towards women, and I think we see that in terms of attitudes around racism.’

A huge police cordon is in place in Edgware Road, north-west London, with the Tube station on the street closed as emergency services deal with a serious incident.

Videos shared on social media show multiple police vehicles and other emergency crews outside the underground station, while part of the street has been closed off.

Transport for London (TfL) says on its website: “This station is closed while police respond to an incident. Tickets are being accepted on London Buses.”

Closures are in place on multiple roads, including Marylebone Flyover, Marylebone Road and Edgware Road.

The incident began around 7pm, on Radcliffe Road, just under Darcy Lever Viaduct, with police, fire services, and ambulances in attendance.

The incident had been cleared by around 8:15pm, with one man being taken to hospital via ambulance.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “Just after 7pm this evening  (Friday 21st August), three fire engines from Eccles and Farnworth fire station were called to reports of a person on a former railway bridge near Radcliffe Road, Bolton.

 “Crews arrived quickly at the scene. Firefighters worked with colleagues from Greater Manchester Police and North West Ambulance service to guide the person to safety.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

 “Firefighters were in attendance for around forty minutes.”

A section of Radcliffe Road was cordoned off for the duration of the incident, preventing drivers from getting through.

Drivers could go no further than Woodside Place, essentially blocking access to Raikes Road for eastbound travellers.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

Drivers travelling west down Radcliffe Road were prevented from travelling further than the railway viaduct.

Greater Manchester Police have also been contacted for comment.

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