ASK Italian say their new spring menu “introduce fresh, bold new plates that are perfect for feasting” and inspired by the Italian way of life, so Social News Assistant Editor Samantha Bartlett put their claims to the test

With the cost of living crisis continuing to rumble on in the UK, most Brits want to make sure they choose the right restaurant when heading for a meal out these days. If we’re going to spend our money on dining out, we want to ensure it’s worth the cash.

That’s why I headed down to test out ASK Italian’s new spring menu. ASK Italian say their new offerings “introduce fresh, bold new plates that are perfect for feasting” and inspired by the Italian way of life. New additions include the arrival of the Truffle Honey Prosciutto Pizza A Mano. The drinks menu also now features playful cocktails, including the Pepperoni Negroni, Hot Honey Margarita and Cherry Limoncello Meringue Cocktail.

Diners can enjoy three sides for £12 too, to make the most of the new menu. For a limited time only, you can also enjoy a free Spritz of your choice each time you dine this May, simply by downloading and signing up to the ASK Perks Rewards App.

With the new menu in hand, I decided to choose the Bruschetta Pizzetta to start. This is stone-baked Wildfarmed dough baked with pomodoro sauce, topped with slow-roasted tomatoes, baby plum tomatoes, rocket, ricotta salata and balsamic glaze.

I love bruschetta and I love pizza, so I thought I would enjoy this – and I did. The slow-roasted tomatoes were fresh and delicate and combined perfectly with the balsamic glaze. I also added a bit of chilli oil on top to give it an extra kick.

While we were waiting for the starter, the manager also brought some of the new Crispy Pepperoni nibbles to try. I wasn’t sure about these at first, however they seriously are addictive and I found myself enjoying them more and more as I couldn’t stop eating them.

I tried the Pollo Roquito pizza as a main, which is topped with roast chicken breast, Roquito pepper pearls and balsamic red onions. This comes on a tomato and mozzarella base and baked in the oven, then topped with Fior di Latte mozzarella, crispy prosciutto and rocket.

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Considering the pizza is topped with a lot of my favourite things, I didn’t think they’d be able to go wrong. And luckily they didn’t as there was a good amount of topping on the pizza and the dough was light and airy.

You could also tell that good quality ingredients were used and that each component complimented the other.

We also tried the Sea Bass alla Mediterranea as a main, which is oven-baked Sea Bass topped with slow-roasted tomatoes, black olives and capers. This is served on a bed of roasted potatoes, mushrooms and spinach with a buttery white wine sauce.

The sea bass was perfectly cooked, and the buttery white wine sauce tied everything together beautifully. There was also a great contrast between the rich sauce and the salty punch of the capers and olives. Meanwhile, the bed of roasted potatoes and mushrooms absorbed the wine sauce perfectly.

As mentioned above, you can currently get three sides for £12, so we went for the Bolognese Bites, Hot Honey Luganica Sausages and the Seasoned Roast Potatoes.

I have to say, out of the three, the sausages were my favourite. These come with a smoked chilli jelly, which was such a tasty addition, that I kept going back for more.

The roast potatoes were also perfectly seasoned and crisps, and the Bolognese Bites were a surprising hit too. These are crispy bites filled with bolognese and pasta served with a spicy tomato dip. They definitely reminded me of Arancini balls, and whilst I must admit I’d still order Arancini over the Bolognese Bites if they were on the menu, they definitely were still tasty.

For dessert, we went for the new Chocostachio Bomb. This is a velvety chocolate and pistachio mousse, encased in a golden blowtorched Italian meringue.

The dessert, which is the restaurant’s “take on a baked Alaska”, definitely caught me surprise by how light it was.

I had expected it to be a bit rich and sickly, however it was subtle enough that you could definitely enjoy a whole bowl (despite the fact we shared it).

I was also expecting the meringue to be hard, however was surprised to find it was smooth and silky.

For drinks, I went for the Hugo Spritz, which is elderflower, Prosecco, soda and mint. This had just the right amount of sweetness and went down so quickly that I fear you could drink several down straight away if they were put in front of you.

I also tried the Hot Honey version of the Margarita Italiana and I think I made the mistake of drinking it right after my dessert, making it seem extra sharp. However, once I’d got used to it, I really enjoyed it. I have to say, I’ve never really had a spicy margarita so it was something completely different for me but I enjoyed the warmth of chilli, which perfectly balanced the sweet limoncello.

Other cocktails that look fun include the Candy Cloud Bramble, which comes with a pink candy floss cloud and the new Cherry Limoncello Meringue. I was going to try the latter, however after my feast of starter, main and sides and a dessert, I didn’t think I could handle anymore.

My dining partner stuck to mocktails instead, so she tried the Peach Bubble Tea, which is iced tea shaken with peach and passion fruit puree, with strawberry flavoured popping boba. The pea tea is very understated, but you understand why when you get the sweetness of the bubbles. It’s a lovely, fruity flavour those and not too sickly.

She also tried the Crodino mocktail, which is pretty much a non-alcoholic version of an Aperol Spritz. It seems like my dining partner thought it was ‘apple’ and had never heard of Aperol, so it wasn’t her cup of tea, but this is great for any Aperol lovers out there who want to stay away from alcohol.

Overall, I really enjoyed the new menu and they have some really innovative and fresh options to try for spring and into summer.

The three sides for £12 really stood out as a great deal and they have some amazing cocktails and mocktails on offer if you’re just going for drinks and desserts.

There is a lot of competition when it comes to Italian food, but ASK are definitely up there amongst the High Street brands when it comes to their top quality pizza and pasta dishes.

The service was also lovely too, and the staff couldn’t do more to accommodate us.

I definitely will be visiting with friends again soon!

Peter Phillips, 47, died from a single shot at about 11pm on Saturday, May 23, on Ayton Crescent.

Cleveland Police confirmed today (Thursday, May 28) that four women – aged 58, 50, 36, 32 – and a 55-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. They have all been bailed pending further enquiries.

It comes after three people were charged with murder. Tony Gaffney, 39, of Ambrose Road in Middlesbrough, Jonathon Spencer, 39, of Normanby Road in Middlesbrough, and Annaliese McQuilling, 38, of Ayton Crescent are all due to appear at Teesside Crown Court on Friday (May 29).

A 29-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman previously arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender were also bailed.

It takes the total number of arrests to ten.

Senior Investigating Officer, David Glass, said: “We are still keen to hear from anyone with information or relevant dash cam or CCTV footage, particularly between 7pm on Saturday, May 23 to 1am on Sunday, May 24, of two males riding a motorbike in the Bankfields Road, Eston and Grangetown areas.

Floral tributes on Ayton Crescent, Eston (Image: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo)

Mr Phillips’ family paid tribute to him as the “heart and soul” of their family.

They said: “Peter had a big family who all loved him, he was the heart and soul of our family. We are devastated at his loss and feel we have been robbed of him.

“We would appreciate privacy to grieve and come to terms with what has happened.”

Emergency services were called to Ayton Crescent on Saturday, where Peter was pronounced dead at the scene.

Floral tributes were left at the scene. One of the tributes read: “You will always be with me,” while another added: “I will love you forever.”

Police cordons were erected on Ayton Crescent, Mansfield Road, and an alleyway between both roads, but have since been removed.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101, quoting reference number 098497 or report anonymously via Crimestoppers..

“Now is not the time to scale back public engagement. Now is the time to strengthen it.”

A NI council is to lobby a Stormont minister to restart funding organ donation campaigns as the 3rd anniversary of Daithi’s Law sees the young boy moved to an “urgent donor list”.

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council approved a motion this week calling on Health Minister Mike Nesbitt (UUP) to U-turn on his decision to pause public campaigns within his department.

The council’s HQ at Lagan Valley Island will now also be lit up in the colours of Daithi’s Law campaign next week to support organ donations.

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Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Daithi’s father Mairtin Mac Gabhann said: “I’m delighted that the motion passed in Lisburn and Castlereagh, Daithi is ‘buzzing’.

“I would just like to stress the importance of having the conversation with family around organ donation as it could save a life, this campaign is bigger than politics.”

Daithi’s Law, introduced on 1 June 2023, changed Northern Ireland’s organ donation to an ‘opt out’ model whereby adults are considered potential organ donors unless they choose not to be.

However, in 2024 a planned burst of public awareness campaigns was cancelled by Minister Nesbitt due to budget pressures within his department.

Bringing forward the motion, Lisburn North Sinn Fein councillor Declan Lynch said: “I am deeply concerned by the decision to pause funding for public information and awareness campaigns around organ donation by the Health Minister.

“Now is not the time to scale back public engagement. Now is the time to strengthen it.

“This is something that means an awful lot to me.

“I’ve known Mairtin, Daithi’s father for many many years and have known Daithi and been involved in various different aspects of the campaign.

“I have seen first hand the strength and determination of their family to ensure Daithi and others like him are given the best possible chance of receiving a new heart.

“Daithi has been a fighter from birth and is still fighting at nine years of age.

“Daithi is now over 2,900 days on the waiting list for a new heart and has recently been moved on to the urgent donor list.

“He’s still fighting, he’s still smiling.”

According to the NHS website, one organ donor can save or transform up to nine lives, but only 1% of deaths result in a chance of organ donation.

Dáithí’s parents, Máirtín Mac Gabhann and Seph along with their wider families

have campaigned for years when their son Dáithí was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome with his chance of long-term survival requiring a vital heart transplant.

The motion in Lagan Valley has also highlighted another campaign to support organ donations.

Fionntan Mac Garvey an engineering student at Queen’s University Belfast was involved in an assault outside a bar on Finaghy Road North in the early hours of December 27, 2021 and later died in hospital in January 2022.

A simple conversation with his father while filling out his driving licence forms meant that he was able to save two people’s lives through the donation of his kidneys.

Councillor Lynch added: “I also want to use this opportunity to highlight the ‘We Are Donors Fionntan’ campaign set up by the family and friends of young Gael Fionntan Mac Garvey (18) who died in 2022.

“This is a student led campaign set up to ensure awareness around organ donation continues and Fionntan’s legacy lives on.

“I want to urge the Health Minister to reverse this decision and reinstate funding for these vital campaigns immediately.

“We need to use every method possible to continue to raise awareness and speak about organ donation and that is why it is of utmost importance for the health minister to reverse his decision to suspend funding.”

The LDRS contacted the Department of Health for comment.

The Minister has previously supported organ donation as a”lifesaving gift” stating , “it is essential that we do everything we can to encourage and facilitate it”.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The new PNP consultation function enables members of the public to have their say by providing feedback on individual public notices, which can be accessed by local authorities through a bespoke PNP account dashboard, designed to boost the consultation process.

The dashboard will also give the local authorities and other businesses the means to add data – maps, images, and other information which may be useful to the public – to consultations, strengthening the process still further.

Conducted over the past 18 months by Reach plc, the development was funded by a six-figure grant from the Google News Initiative and continuing support from local publishers.

A fully searchable archive of all the public notices on the PNP has also been created.

Newsquest chief executive Henry Faure Walker said: “We are pleased that the recent Local Media Action Plan from the government explicitly referenced the PNP as a key platform for communities to access public notices, leveraging local publishers’ huge audiences.

“With new funding from the Google News Initiative, we have worked hard over the past 18 months to develop new services for the PNP, which will deepen public engagement with the notices and make consultation easier for local authorities and other organisations.

“All this work depends upon a strong statutory link between public notices and local news media environments.

“It is vital that this link is maintained and strengthened going forward, for the benefit of local communities.”

To promote the new PNP consultation and archive services to local communities, a major advertising campaign funded by local publishers launches today in local news titles across the UK.

Hayley Cochrane, Director of News Partnerships for Google UK and Northern Europe, said: “We are very pleased to support the development of new features for the PNP, which will strengthen local democratic engagement.

“PNP is a fantastic example of innovation from the local news sector, which is finding new ways to serve audiences with local news and information.

“The Google News Initiative is very pleased to support this important work.”

The PNP is an online database for all public notices which appear in printed local newspapers. It harnesses local news media’s massive online audiences – 42 million people every month in print and digital – to deepen engagement with public notices.

News Media Association chief executive Theo Bamber said: “Local news media serve communities by protecting the public’s right to know.

“These titles ensure that vital information about local decisions remains transparent, visible, and open to scrutiny by professional journalists and the public alike.

“The new features on the PNP make the workings of local government more accessible than ever, upholding critical elements of the UK’s social and democratic fabric at a time when this kind of transparency is under threat.”

The number of PNP registered users – who have signed up for alerts about particular types of planning notices, notices relating to a specific geographic area, or to search the site directly – has nearly doubled over the past year and now stands at 43,000.

In addition to creating the PNP, the local news media sector has also boosted public notices by adopting new guidelines to better publicise public notices, including regular editorial coverage in print and digital, and clear signposting in paper.

The ‘War Games: Operation Overlord’ event will take place at the Green Howards Museum in Richmond, using three gaming tables to recreate key battles.

The first table will focus on the 6th Battalion of the Green Howards, highlighting their role in the landings on Gold Beach and the subsequent advance to the village of Crepon.

The first table will focus on the 6th Battalion of the Green Howards, highlighting their role in the landings on Gold Beach (Image: The Green Howards Museum)

The second and third tables will delve into action around the Fleury Battery in Ver-sur-Mer, where CSM Stan Hollis earned the only Victoria Cross awarded for the Normandy landings.

These tables will offer a detailed look at Hollis’s capture of the pillboxes supporting the bunker, and a ‘what if’ scenario imagining the outcome had Hollis not intervened.

Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in the games, taking on various roles and experiencing the challenges faced by soldiers like Hollis.

The second and third tables will delve into action around the Fleury Battery in Ver-sur-Mer (Image: The Green Howards Museum)

The event will take place on Saturday, June 6, from 10am to 4pm.

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Tickets cost £10 per person and include museum entry, which is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4.30pm.

The museum recommends booking in advance, though attendees can also pay on the day.

For more information, visit greenhowards.org.uk or contact the museum on 01748 826561.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said Wednesday he wants the state to impose a 100 percent tax on any resident who receives monetary relief through the Justice Department’s $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund.”

Newsom, a Democrat who has fervently pushed back against President Donald Trump’s policies, told reporters he was thinking of ideas to combat the $1.776 billion fund that would allow anyone who believes they have been wrongly prosecuted to request taxpayer money.

“Anyone from California that receives any of those funds, we want to tax 100 percent of those proceeds and that’s an action the state of California can take,” Newsom said during a press conference.

Newsom indicated the new tax would be implemented either through the state legislature or as a ballot measure, saying it would need “your support.”

It’s the latest effort by Trump’s opponents to push back against the unusual multi-billion-dollar fund that emerged as a settlement from a lawsuit between Trump, his adult sons, and his business and the IRS. The DOJ has sought to justify the fund by insisting the Trumps would not be eligible for a portion of it and that it’s open to anyone.

But lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have denounced the so-called “slush fund,” believing it would allow people such as the January 6, 2021, rioters to seek taxpayer compensation despite having once attacked the Capitol.

Newsom’s suggested tax is just the latest effort from lawmakers to oppose the fund. In New York, Democratic state assemblyman Alex Bores suggested imposing a 100 percent tax on any New Yorker who collects money from the fund.

More follows…

Abusali Rahman, 35, a British national of Bangladeshi ethnicity from Salford, appeared in Bolton Crown Court today (May 28) via video link from custody.

He admitted to various charges against pupils at seven schools across Bolton, Bury and Salford.

The court heard Rahman published an image of a child’s face transposed onto an adult on X.

Rahman also published an obscene article of a female in school uniform next to two males on the social media platform with the caption read: “I must have been a good girl to get two BBCs”, the court heard.

Rahman’s defence barrister, Emma Kehoe, told the court: “He knows that this is a prison sentence, but he was going through a mental health crisis at the time of these offences.”

She asked for a psychiatric report ahead of his sentencing.

A sentencing date has been set for Tuesday, September 1, and Rahman will remain in custody until then.

At the hearing, Rahman pleaded guilty to the following 21 offences: 

• 12 counts of taking an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child (images obtained by upskirting)
• 4 counts of publishing an obscene article (AI-generated sexualised images)
• 3 counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child (making AI-generated images)
• 1 count of distributing an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child (sharing an upskirting image with another user)
• 1 count of operating equipment beneath the clothing of another without consent (the act of upskirting)

Detective Sergeant Simon France, of GMP, addressed the media outside Bolton Crown Court where he said the force’s online child abuse investigation team first received reports about suspected of offending in March 2025.

He said: “Reports like this will cause understandable concern and anxiety in our school communities.

Detective Sergeant Simon France addressed media outside of Bolton Crown Court (Image: NQ)

“However, throughout the investigation, the safeguarding teams have been at the forefront of carrying out enquiries and our decision-making.

“Protecting children remains our highest priority.

“All parents and guardians of those affected and their schools have been made aware of the investigation, and support will remain available from the police and our partner agencies.

“Without these crimes being reported in the first place and support from parents and guardians, we may never have reached this point.

“As this is still a live investigation, I would urge people to refrain from online speculation.

“We have had contact with all schools we know Rahman has worked in in the North West since he became a qualified teacher in 2023.

“As it stands, no further alleged criminal offences have been identified at this time.

“However, if you have any further information, please contact Greater Manchester Police or Crimestoppers, quoting Operation Pomerie.”

Thirteen girls have been identified, who were aged between 13 and 16 at the time of the alleged offending, at seven high schools in Bury, Bolton and Salford.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) say four girls from two high schools have not yet been identified, and officers are continuing to work directly with those schools. 

The offences are alleged to have taken place between December 2023 and June 2025, and the upskirting charges relate to alleged offending in schools. 

All affected schools and the parents of the 13 identified girls have been informed.

GMP say all necessary safeguarding personnel have been made aware of the investigation, and of the specialist support that they and their partners are offering them throughout this case.

Officers say that if you, as a parent, have not been personally informed, your child has not been identified as a potential victim in this case.

If GMP receive further information relevant to the investigation, then they will sensitively and directly approach impacted schools, like they have done so far, to ensure that parents are informed.

GMP have been in contact with all schools that Mr Rahman has worked at as part of their enquiries.

He has not worked in schools since he was arrested in June 2025 after a concern was raised by a parent about an image of their child in a school uniform being circulated by a social media account.

The discovery of further images prompted an upskirting investigation by the force’s Online Child Abuse Investigation Team (OCAIT).

GMP say a significant amount of specialist and sensitive work has since gone into trying to identify girls on those images. 

Mr Rahman was charged and appeared at Wigan Magistrates’ Court in April 2026.

He has since been remanded in custody and will appear at Bolton Crown Court on Thursday, May 28. 

By law, alleged victims of sexual offences have a lifelong right to anonymity.

The force asks that people respect their privacy and protect the integrity of the case by not speculating or commenting on this case in-person or online.

Anyone who wants to report an offence or has any information on this investigation should contact operation.messina@gmp.police.uk or call 101 quoting Operation Pomerie.

You can also pass details anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Support available

If you or someone you know has been raped or sexually assaulted, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police or a support agency so you can get the help and support available.

Saint Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Manchester, provides a comprehensive and coordinated response to men, women and children who live or have been sexually assaulted within Greater Manchester. They offer forensic medical examinations, practical and emotional support, as well as a counselling service for all ages. Services are available on a 24-hour basis and can be accessed by calling 0161 276 6515.

Greater Manchester Rape Crisis is a confidential information, support and counselling service run by women for women over 18 who have been raped or sexually abused at any time in their lives. Call on 0161 273 4500 or email help@manchesterrapecrisis.co.uk

We Are Survivors provides specialist trauma-informed support to male victims in Greater Manchester who have experienced sexual abuse, rape, or sexual exploitation. Call 0161 236 2182.

There are two doubles wildcards available for the tournament at Queen’s, and one is reserved for a team which includes a former world number one, a Grand Slam champion of the past 10 years or a current top-30 player.

WIlliams has never liked the word retirement, preferring instead to say she was “evolving away” from tennis in 2022.

She lost to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 US Open, in what the world thought would be her final match.

Williams had reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open earlier that year, and won her last Grand Slam singles title in Melbourne in 2017 at the age of 35.

The Lawn Tennis Association has consistently prioritised British players when determining who should receive wildcards at domestic grass court events.

All four available for the singles draw are very likely to go to British players, but the LTA are likely to feel differently about the doubles given the “exceptional circumstances” of a potential Williams return.

“Never say never, and not wanting to speak of any one individual player, but you will have seen over recent years that those wildcard opportunities are afforded to British players – that is absolutely my fundamental personal belief and philosophy,” LTA chief executive Scott Lloyd said at a briefing for journalists in April.

“There might be exceptional circumstances which might influence a unique wildcard, but otherwise those playing opportunities we want to afford to British players.”

The organisation’s performance director Michael Bourne also hinted commercial opportunities could be a factor.

“It’s also really important to remember that we in the performance team understand that players have to earn that right,” Bourne said.

“We don’t take them for granted. If we didn’t think we had a depth of player where it was right for them to take those opportunities, and there was something else that was good for the business, we would hold our hands up.”

North Yorkshire Police were called to the violent incident, which involved at least two individuals, at around 7pm on Wednesday (May 27) in Fairfax Avenue, Harrogate.

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A force spokesperson confirmed: “One person has been arrested following the incident and the investigation is still ongoing.

“We’re particularly appealing for witnesses to the incident or any CCTV footage showing the incident, or the events leading up to it.

“Please email ben.wheatley@northyorkshire.police.uk if you have any information that could help our investigation.

“Alternatively, you can call North Yorkshire Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.

“Please quote reference 12260097125 when passing on information.”

Fire crews rushed to Talbot Road in the early hours of Thursday morning (May 28).

No injuries have been reported. Engineers from Electricty North West are on the scene, along with GMP officers and firefighters.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “Just after 12.35am this morning (28 May), a number of fire crews from Moss Side, Ashton and Manchester Central attended an incident involving a collapsed building on Talbot Road in Old Trafford.