Often the best days at the seaside are the simplest ones. You don’t need an endless supply of attractions for a great day at the coast, sometimes the best memories are made when you gather the family up in the car, pack a picnic and head to the closest beach you can find.

For many in Greater Manchester North Wales is the first port of call if you’re planning a coastal day out. Rhyl is one of the first seaside towns you come across as you head west, but it’s often dismissed by visitors in favour of larger destinations like Llandudno or the scenic beaches of Anglesey.

Rhyl isn’t the fanciest of seaside resorts; you won’t find grand Victorian piers, an endless supply of chippies or rollercoasters and rides here. But you will find a large sandy beach, picturesque dunes and a smattering of attractions the whole family will love. It also happens to be easily reached from Greater Manchester, with a drive taking around 90 minutes, perfect for a day trip.

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In fact, the town has undergone a transformation in recent years. Major sea defence works have taken place while the promenade has been raised and widened. The SC2 water park reopened and the town’s Queen’s Market also opened to customers, featuring a range of independent food outlets, local traders and pop-up events.

An £11million revamp of the promenade road and town centre is also in the works, aimed at regenerating the town with funding secured from the Local Regeneration Fund, North Wales Live reports.

So it’s an exciting time for the coastal town. Developments aside, its impressive beach is one of the main attractions for visitors.

The main beach extends for almost two miles from the Clwyd Estuary to Splash Point so there’s plenty of room for everyone. It is tidal so keep your eyes on the tide times.

Backing the beach is a large promenade, offering the perfect place for a seaside stroll overlooking the water. Along the promenade you’ll find various cafes and attractions, including crazy golf, a small family funfair and arcades.

At the western end of the beach is SC2, an adventure play centre with an indoor waterpark, outdoor splash park and soft play areas. It’s ideal for families and kids will love to cool off in the water outside. Prices start from £11.50 for adults for one hour, and £9 for children aged three to fifteen. Children under three start from £4.95, while children under one from £1.95.

One of Rhyl’s oldest and most popular attractions is the miniature railway which first opened in May 1911. It holds the title of Britain’s oldest miniature railway and takes passengers on a mile-long journey around the Marine Lake. The station is home to a small museum with hands-on exhibits for younger kids.

Train fares are £4 per adult and £3 for children aged two to fourteen, while kids under two can travel free. Marine Lake is a popular spot for crabbing, so remember to bring a bucket with you.

If you cross the River Clwyd to Kinmel Bay you’ll come across Horton’s Nose Nature Reserve and the Kinmel Dunes Local Nature Reserve. Both areas offer a tranquil place for a stroll with gorgeous views out to sea.

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The horticulturist and broadcaster is known for his work on Gardeners’ World and has offered advice on countless gardening topics.

In a recent video posted on the Gardeners’ World Instagram account, he discussed a recent phenomenon people might have noticed in their gardens and allotments.

This relates to apple trees dropping their fruit far earlier than expected.

Monty Don has shared that this isn’t something to be worried about, as it’s related to the prolonged dry weather that the UK has experienced.

Monty Don explains why apples are falling off fruit tree branches

The 71-year-old explained that some apples falling from trees is in direct response to drought as it’s seeking to protect itself.

He said: “If you find your apple trees are dropping apples left, right and centre, don’t worry, it’s a result of the drought, but the tree is looking after itself.

“All these apples, which are covering the ground, are no windfalls that have dropped because they’re ripe.

“These are apples that are half ripe that the trees have jettisoned.

“The tree is running out of water.

“The fruit are taking up a huge amount of that water.

“In order to save some fruit they have dropped apples.

“Now, it might seem like a disaster, but actually it means that the tree is responding to drought and handling it.”

Gardeners relieved to hear explanation about falling apples

Many gardeners said they felt reassured by Monty Don’s explanation.

One person commented: “Thank you, I was so worring [sic], not only my apple trees, also the big pear tree, fifty of them every day on the ground.”

Another wrote: “Glad to know Monty, my apple tree that I usually get loads from dropped all their apples and I have one left.”

A third said simply: “How clever is the apple tree.”

However, not everyone agreed that the situation was harmless.

One person commented: “I disagree @gardenersworldtv it is a disaster we should worry.

“Our native trees in particular can’t bounce back from drought for ever.

“This is happening across the country.

“Where trees can be watered in our gardens (by hand) they can’t in the countryside so every crab apple and hawthorn just as an example are completely reliant on what falls from the sky.

“We should all be very concerned.”

Another added: “Well, it is a disaster because yields are hugely down, due to severe drought… our food security has been impacted by the extreme weather this year.

“Yes, the tree is responding to drought, but because it is very stressed.

“Trees may be lost, especially young, dwarf or potted trees are at risk of dying.”

Have you noticed apples falling off trees in recent weeks? Let us know in the comments.

Sou Sreynich dreams of becoming a teacher. But she knows she’s far behind.

The 13-year-old first entered a classroom at 10, an age when most Cambodian children already have been in school for years. Her mother waited until she was old enough to swim, fearing the boat to school could capsize — a decision familiar to many parents on Cambodia’s Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.

Now, the price of gasoline has spiked because of the Iran war, an additional burden. Unlike outright school closures during Covid-19, the Iran war’s impact on education is less visible.

But it is falling first and hardest on the poorest families. Soaring fuel prices are making it more expensive for children and teachers to get to school, and for governments to fund education as national budgets come under strain.

On the lake, getting anywhere has always meant navigating the water. Climate change is making it harder, with increasingly unpredictable floods and droughts. Teachers at her school say 10 students have drowned over the years.

If the war continues, it could push up to 23.4 million more children like Sreynich into poverty by the end of the year, according to a recent United Nations Children’s Fund report. About 80% of those children would be in Africa and Asia.

Most mornings, a gas-powered boat chugs through Kampong Prahok, steered by students often no older than those climbing aboard. They pull up alongside floating homes, as peers in crisp uniforms clamber aboard, careful to keep their backpacks dry.

Like most on Tonle Sap, Sreynich’s family relies on fishing to survive. They earn some money picking chili peppers and gutting fish for others. Rising fuel prices because of the Iran war mean the family can’t afford to travel to deeper waters where fish are more plentiful.

When money is tight, Sreynich skips a day or two of school to work alongside her parents. She dreads every absence. “I want to complete my studies,” she said.

Vulnerable children most at risk

For families already living on the edge, the war’s ripple effects are forcing difficult choices: whether to pay for food, fuel, rent and electricity, or keep every child in school.

“The Iran war is likely going to force millions of children out of school and could force millions of children to make the decision not to enroll in the first place,” said Sabrina Hervey of the Qatar-based Education Above All Foundation.

Some children in Southeast Asia are dropping out of school to work.

Ly, 16, and her sister Nhi, 13, two of nine children from a fishing family on Vietnam’s rocky northern coast, have long drifted in and out of school as the family struggled to make ends meet.

They are identified by their first names only because of Vietnamese laws protecting vulnerable minors.

Their father lost his fishing job after the war pushed diesel prices so high that boat owners could not afford to go out to sea. Already burdened by debt, the family was surviving on his odd jobs. It wasn’t enough to keep all nine children fed and in school.

The girls dropped out of school and moved to Vietnam’s capital Hanoi to work long hours in a restaurant, where they were exposed to sharp tools, hot surfaces and heavy lifting.

For 13-year-old Nhi it was also illegal because of child labor laws.

In April, the Hanoi-based nonprofit Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation intervened and the two returned to school.

The war’s impact has unfolded slowly but is devastating, said Michael Brosowski with the foundation.

When families reach a financial breaking point, they tend to go into triage — keeping some children enrolled while pulling others out to work, he said. The children not in school are far more vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking and homelessness.

“It’s the tipping point for a lot of families,” Brosowski said.

Higher fuel prices are driving up costs of nearly every part of education, from getting students and teachers to school to stocking classrooms with pencils and chalk. It’s more expensive for teachers and aid workers to reach remote communities. Governments are also grappling with rising food and energy bills, leaving less money for education.

In Cambodia, everything already costs more on Tonle Sap since supplies have to be brought in by boat.

“Even the electricity to run this lab is 10-times higher,” said Samphors Vorn of the nonprofit Aide et Action, which supports the school.

Iran war disrupts education worldwide

Developing countries reliant on imported energy have been the most exposed to disruptions from the war. Rising fertilizer costs and falling remittances also are straining these smaller economies.

The war is threatening years of progress in education and poverty reduction in Bangladesh, whose economy already was under strain.

Pressure on the government’s finances, driven by rising costs for fuel and subsidies, could leave it with less money to spend on health care and education, warned a report by the U.N. Development Programme.

In some South Asian nations, girls are likely to be affected more because families tend to prioritize sons, said Arshad Malik of the nonprofit Save the Children International. Economic hardships could mean more girls dropping out of school and an increase in child marriages, he said.

South Asia accounts for 45% of the world’s child brides, the highest share of any region, according to UNICEF.

More than 466 million children worldwide receive at least one meal a day at school, according to the U.N. World Food Programme. These meals help keep children in school, improve their ability to learn and concentrate, and support healthy brain development.

Such programs also could come under pressure as the conflict disrupts fertilizer shipments and raises transport costs, especially in countries in West and Central Africa that rely heavily on imported food, said Hervey, with Education Above All.

Across northern Nigeria, it is becoming more common for children to relapse into malnutrition, according to local health and aid workers.

“I’m really afraid to see what’s going to happen,” Hervey said.

The Pawground, on Portrack Lane in Stockton, has become a hit with pet owners thanks to its obstacle-filled soft play packed with slides, nets, wobble bridges and climbing equipment created especially for canine visitors.

The venue combines an indoor soft play area with an outdoor playground, giving dogs plenty of opportunities to run, climb and explore in a secure environment.

Even more pet owners are jumping on the soft play train after TikTok influencer @newgirlintoon shared her experience with the Pawground last month.

Each 56-minute session gives owners exclusive use of the space, allowing dogs to play without interruptions from unfamiliar pets – making it perfect for those with dogs that aren’t too keen on socialising.

The soft play has proved so popular that bookings are snapped up months in advance, with facilities currently fully booked until February 2027.

Owners can bring up to three dogs as part of the standard £25 booking fee, with additional dogs welcome for extra – making it a popular option for friends looking to arrange playdates with their pets.

The fully enclosed play area means dogs can roam freely while owners relax, and every visit ends with a complimentary pup cup as a reward for all that exercise.

The Pawground, Stockton (Image: The Pawground)

In the heart of Stockton, the Pawground is one of several attractions getting attention from dog lovers across the North East that are eager to find new ways to keep their pets active and entertained.

The Pawground is open on weekends between 9.00am and 5.00pm, with online booking essential due to the high demand.

For owners looking to make a full day of it, dog-friendly restaurant Chadwick & Co, located inside Barker and Stonehouse at Teesside Park, is just a short drive away.

With its combination of private play sessions, colourful obstacles and secure surroundings, The Pawground has become one of the more unusual attractions for dog owners and their pets in the region.

To find out more about the venue, visit: The Pawground Ltd.

From “pregnant” alien babies to renting from Xtra-Vision

The 1990s and 2000s have made something of a comeback in recent years, with fashion and music trends from each decade finding their way back into the spotlight. For many tweens and teens, this is the first time they’ve seen chokers, platform shoes and wide-leg jeans become fashionable. For older generations, it’s all a bit of déjà vu.

But no matter which bits of the era get recycled, there are some things today’s young people will simply never experience. For better or worse, they’ll never know a world without modern technology and the internet, whereas 90s and 00s kids watched phones evolve from wired landlines to touch-screen handhelds in the space of just ten years.

If you grew up around the turn of the century, you belong to a generation that’s seen the best and worst of both worlds. Here are a few things you might remember from growing up in millennium Northern Ireland.

Alien babies and the rumours that surrounded them

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It’s hard to explain to anyone who wasn’t a kid in the 2000s just how much of a hold these smelly, gooey aul things that came in an egg had on us. But the rumours about how they could get pregnant/give birth, eat their babies, open their eyes or even die had us all wanting one for ourselves to see what they could really do.

The concept of a ‘family computer’

Those who were lucky enough to have a computer at home were not lucky enough to have it all to themselves, as it was always placed in a living space, accessible to all the family. Whenever you were allowed on it, time was of the essence – and there was always a chance your sibling would ruin whatever masterpiece you created on Microsoft Paint the next time they got their hands on the mouse.

Renting from Xtra-Vision

Long before the days of on-demand TV and streaming services, there was movie renting. Initially home to VHS tapes that may or may not have needed rewinding before you could watch the film, and later offering the far more convenient DVDs, Xtra-Vision was the place to go to sort out your weekend movie marathon.

Buying a lava lamp in Select

Few kids’ rooms were without a lava lamp in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s. Many kids who grew up in Northern Ireland got theirs from a dark wee shop called Select next to the Black Taxi rank on King Street.

Silicone wristbands

How this fad began, we’ll never know, but it became so widespread that there wasn’t a till to be seen without them. Even charities got in on the action.

Speed-weaving Scoubidous

Of all the fads to come and go throughout our childhood, “Scoubis” were possibly the most inescapable. These plastic strings came in all sorts of colours and glitters to be twisted into bracelets and keychains or other shapes.

Being gifted a Scoubi creation became the highest honour a primary school girl could receive from another. The elite weavers among us even took requests on occasion.

Visiting Dreamworld

This bad-boy was located where McDonald’s now sits on Boucher Road in Belfast and was very well-named as it was a haven for kids in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s. Remember the swinging Fredo ship or the iconic PlayStation area?

Cereal box ‘The Simpsons’ fridge magnets

ever did a child beg their mum not to buy the supermarket’s own brand cereal as much as the time Kellogg’s boxes included a collectible ‘the Simpsons’ fridge magnet. In every box, there’d be one magnet of one family member sitting on their signature couch – the goal was to collect all five to complete the scene.

Beyblade battles

Fidget spinners had nothing on the world’s coolest spinning top toy, Beyblade. 2000s kids can still remember the zzzzzzt! noise they made when launched into battle.

The spinning clown at Barry’s

Barry’s Amusements in Portrush has been revamped with a new name and new ownership. Yet nothing will erase from memory the nightmare fuel that was this bloody clown looping around on his trapeze.

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Greater Manchester Police said emergency services responded to an incident at a property on Reservoir Street in Salford over the course of two days.

Footage, released by the force, shows its Tactical Aid Unit officers gently resting a ladder against the roof of a back porch, with an officer then grabbing the man while he was sleeping.

A struggle then ensues and the man is pulled down the ladder, with his trousers appearing to fall down, before being arrested by officers in the garden of the property.

Two police officers suffered minor injuries during the incident.

Greater Manchester Police said the arrest attempt was tasked by another force for the man who was wanted on recall to prison for other matters.

The force said a 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing public nuisance, criminal damage, public order offences, burglary and assaulting two police officers.

He remains in police custody.

Detective Chief Inspector Helen Bagnall, of Salford district, said: “During two days of disruption to the local community, we worked continuously with our partners to bring this matter to a safe conclusion.

“This was an extensive use of vital policing resources and clearly demonstrates the dangers our officers face on a daily basis in order to protect the people of Greater Manchester.

“Two of our officers suffered minor injuries during this incident.

“I would like to reiterate my thanks to the people of Salford for their patience and understanding whilst emergency service personnel dealt with this incident.

“Some properties have been damaged as a result of this man’s actions. We will work with partners to ensure affected residents will be supported going forward.”

Actress Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36, her representative told several US news outlets.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement.

The details surrounding her death were not immediately available.

Panettiere was known for her breakout role in the hit TV series Heroes, and later went on to star in Nashville, along with films including Remember the Titans and Raising Helen.

Her father Skip Panettiere has asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss”, in a statement issued through her representative.

Beginning her career as a child actor, Panettiere was just four years old when she was cast on the popular US soap opera One Life to Live.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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Several fire appliances, including an aerial platform were mobilised to Marsden Road earlier this afternoon.

The incident happened at around 4pm with around half-a-dozen fire engines on the scene, given the nature of the building.

Fire engines attended Marsden House on Sunday afternoon (Image: Phil Taylor)

However the incident was scaled down, leaving only two engines on the scene before the incident was deemed safe and closed, residents were allowed back within the hour.

The incident happened on the ground floor business.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said a fire alarm was set off by smoke from cooking food in a business on the ground floor of the building.

Firefighters remained at the scene to perform checks and make sure the building was safe.

Marsden House has a number of food businesses on the ground floor, with apartments making up the remaining floors.

Elaine Paige has admitted she was addicted to ‘dreadful’ sleeping pills during her years on the stage and lived on them for years.

The English singer and actress, 78, said that after a show she would feel ‘wired’ until the early hours of the morning and was left struggling to sleep.

She has confessed she relied on the sleeping tablets to help her get some rest and she only managed to kick the habit during the pandemic.

Speaking to The Sunday Times magazine about the bad habit, she said: ‘I go to sleep but seem to wake up after four hours. For many years in the theatre I lived on sleeping pills, otherwise you’re wired until 2am after a show. 

‘I called it my Judy Garland syndrome. They’re dreadful things to become addicted to, which I was. But since the pandemic I’ve managed to get off them and will not take one again. 

‘I say to myself that even if I don’t sleep well, I’ll be fine the next day. I’m not ready to take afternoon naps yet.’

These days, Elaine has moved away from performing on stage and has spent the past 21 years presenting Elaine Paige on Sunday on BBC Radio 2.

However, it does hark back to her thespian days as she talks about musical theatre, plays records and interviews people from the industry.

Elaine also just released her new album, Miscellaneous Paige, in July.

She told the publication she hadn’t performed since the first COVID lockdown and missed both the community and the creative side of performing.

In June 2025, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to music and charity. This year, she received a Special Award at the Olivier Awards recognising her contribution to theatre.

When she was 29 in 1978, Elaine was cast as the original West End Eva Perón in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Evita. 

The role transformed her from an experienced supporting performer into a major musical-theatre star.

Other memorable roles include Grizabella in Cats, Florence Vassy in Chess and Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. 

Other memorable roles include Grizabella in Cats (pictured in 1981), Florence Vassy in Chess and Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard.

Despite her huge career success, Elaine previously revealed her height is her biggest insecurity because she feels her 4ft 11in stature has often caused her to be ‘overlooked’.

The West End star admitted she is ‘terribly shy’ and self-conscious about her height, and said it is something she has suffered from since she was a young girl.

She revealed that she feels her diminutive frame has caused her to be constantly ‘overlooked’ in the acting business.

Speaking in an interview with this week’s Radio Times, she said: ‘I’m not even five foot tall and I felt – and still do on some occasions – that no one takes any notice of you because you’re living life down here and a lot of the time ‘down here’ you get overlooked, literally.

‘This is all part and parcel of this insecurity, if you like, and terrible shyness because you’re not the same as everybody else and I was patronised a lot as a young girl.’ 

Elaine can trace the insecurity back to her childhood when her dream of becoming a professional tennis player was ‘crushed’ by her headmistress who told her: ‘But Elaine, dear, you can’t even see over the net.’

In June 2025, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to music and charitY

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‘I’ve never forgotten it because in one sentence that woman devastated my dream. I was absolutely crushed,’ she said. 

However, she believes playing the role of Evita in the West End show ‘saved’ her as Eva Perón was only five foot five herself. 

She reminisced on the opening night of Evita in 1978 when she received a nine-minute standing ovation, a life-changing moment which she says she remembers ‘so clearly’.

‘I did cry because it was completely and utterly overwhelming and I knew at that moment that my life had changed for ever, which it did,’ she said.

Elaine won the Laurence Olivier Award for Performance of the Year for the role and it elevated her to stardom.