Zion Baptist Church in Cambridge hosted a Doctor Who service with a Tardis replica and Blue Peter star Peter Purves

A Doctor Who-loving vicar has conducted a church service featuring a Tardis – with an iconic sci-fi legend in attendance.

Zion Baptist Church, in Cambridge, received the replica police box modelled on the one from the BBC programme, with actor Peter Purves performing the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The 87-year-old is renowned for portraying Steven Taylor, a companion of the First Doctor played by William Hartnell, before later becoming a Blue Peter presenter.

Devoted fan Reverend Jason de-Vaux said there weren’t many churches that could claim to house the legendary box.

Rev de-Vaux, 57, said: “It is amazing to be able to pick on your favourite sci-fi show and bring it within your own faith context. There are interesting parallels with the Christian faith and the show. Jesus died and he rose again. When Jesus rises again, his followers did not recognise him. Doctor Who regenerates and his companions don’t recognise him.

“The world needs a saviour in Jesus Christ and Doctor Who is looked upon as a saviour of the planet.”

Rev de-Vaux had originally given some advice to the owner of the then run-down Tardis who wished to restore the replica. However, the previous owner offered de-Vaux the Tardis free of charge from its location in Suffolk. It was transported to Zion Baptist Church, constructed in 1837, where it underwent restoration.

The reverend, who has served at Zion Baptist Church for four years, said: “When it was being placed over the wall into the courtyard, we must have had 100 students from the university shouting, ‘It’s the Tardis!’

“It was like Beatlemania. Everyone was stopping to take pictures. They thought we were filming for a Christmas special.”

Reverend de-Vaux has followed the programme since Jon Pertwee’s era in the 1970s, when he was four years old.

He said: “I remember watching the last series of Pertwee in black and white. Then he regenerated and my grandparents had a colour TV. He was a different person – because it was then Tom Baker. Four-year-old me was really upset.”

Zion Baptist Church hosted their own Doctor Who service on Sunday (April 12), attended by Peter Purves and numerous devotees of the programme, with some dressed as their favourite Doctors.

Rev de-Vaux said: “We can use the cultural phenomenon of Doctor Who with the Christian faith. We had good proof of that when we had 75 people sitting in our church for the service. It’s a parallel that can be used to bring hope into the world we currently live in.”

The reverend noted that Peter Purves was “very gracious” at the occasion, which featured cake cutting and a Dalek.

He added: “We’ve been asked to do some filming throughout the summer with the Tardis and we’re open to anyone who wants to throw a Doctor Who Party.

“The local bookies had me down for 1000/1 to be the new Doctor. I wouldn’t turn the part down but we all look forward to who it’s going to be.”

Some of the Ashes criticism centered around the squad’s relationship with alcohol after their mid-series trip to Noosa.

It also emerged after the Ashes that white-ball captain Harry Brook had an altercation with a nightclub bouncer during a trip to New Zealand last year.

Stokes said some criticism was “harsh and unneeded”, but “a lot of it was warranted”.

“A lot of it was almost put forward in a way that was a bit extreme, but when you look at it deep deep deep you agree with some of it,” he said.

“We have got ourselves to blame for a lot of it.

“If you can’t take that and aren’t willing to understand that and listen to a little bit of it, then we wouldn’t see any progression.”

Stokes, McCullum and managing director Rob Key kept their jobs following an ECB review into the Ashes.

Stokes, who turns 35 on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand on 4 June, said he did not consider standing down or retiring.

“I actually went the other way,” he said.

“It completely and utterly consumed me. I feel like I would be able to switch off for half an hour and then would get my iPad out and start making notes.

“If I got back and shut myself away, didn’t pay any interest and say ‘we will see what happens – I will let other people make decisions’, I think that is me subconsciously saying I don’t want this.

“How I was proved I am proper in this still.”

York councillors approved an application from Pivovar to open its new Mittel River Terrace in the empty Guildhall Restaurant unit, off Lendal.

Jamie Hawksworth, Pivovar’s director, told councillors they wanted to foster a continental atmosphere with customers sitting for drinks and food, not standing shoulder-to-shoulder.

Representatives of three neighbouring businesses said they were worried about noise from the venue’s outdoor terrace, with one saying they had taken a shorter lease as a result.

The application, which Pivovar made through Leeds Tap Ltd, was approved following a City of York Council licensing hearing on Monday, April 13.

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Pivovar runs the Elvington Brewery where it produces its Mittel pilsner and lager and it also operates 14 bars and restaurants nationally, including four in York.

It is set to see the empty two-storey building completed in 2022 as part of the £20 million Guildhall refurbishment brought into use for the first time in four years.

Pivovar’s plans include installing a copper brewhouse specially-made in the Czech Republic which will produce a range of lagers that will be served there.

There are also plans to serve food including oysters, rotisserie chicken and pork sourced from local suppliers.

Monday’s meeting heard emphasis would be placed on the venue’s food offer with around £250,000 spent on its kitchen alone, but people would be able to come only for drinks.

The outside of the Guildhall Restaurant, off Lendal, in York (Image: LDRS)

A minimum of 60 people will be seated on the lower floor of the building with 20 on the upper floor.

The lower terrace would have seating for at least 20 people with 40 seated on the outdoor area above when weather permits and standing drinking is not permitted.

No speakers or TVs will be allowed outside.

The venue will operate from 8am to midnight daily, with drinks served from 10am to 11.30pm daily.

But five comments were lodged raising concerns about the plans, including four from neighbouring businesses who work in offices in the Guildhall complex.

Claire Bennett, of the York Science Park, said they always understood that a restaurant would move into the unit but uncertainty remained over how it would affect them.

Julian Richards, of Archaeology Data Services, said his firm was set to move into offices at the Guildhall in June but they had taken a shorter one-year lease because of the venue.

Mr Richards, whose firm’s offices would face onto the terrace, said: “The nightmare scenario is stag and hen dos leaning against our office window and making our business untenable.”

Monday’s meeting heard most customers were expected to come outside of working hours.

Mr Hawksworth told the meeting: “We want to create an atmosphere, we don’t operate shoulder-to-shoulder.

“Out customers are attracted more to seating and we want to take a continental approach, people will want to stay if they’re comfortable.

“The reality is that there’s 52 weeks in a year and only a few of them are sunny, so while it’s nice to offer the outdoor terraces we’ll only be doing that when we can.”

Emily Atack’s model and tattoo artist ex-boyfriend, Charlie Edwards, was found dead in his tattoo studio in March, an inquest into his death has uncovered.

Emily Atack‘s ex boyfriend Charlie Edwards was found dead in a tattoo studio on March 24, an inquest has heard.

The former partner of the Rivals actress was found at the shop on Wilton Road, Humberston. An inquest into his death was formally opened at Grimsby Town Hall today. Jane Eatock, the Assistant Coroner for Greater Lincolnshire, said the self-employed tattoo artist was discovered at a studio but the cause of death was ‘yet to be determined’. She opened and adjourned the inquest to a date in September later this year.

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Emily previously paid tribute to Charlie in March with a heartfelt post on social media in which she described him as “funny, smart, talented and caring.” Alongside an image of the star with her ex, Emily shared: “This is devastating to write. Charlie you were my friend. You were always there for me. You dropped everything so many times to come and be with me.

“We talked for hours on end on the phone about absolutely everything. We helped each other. You were funny, so smart, so talented and caring. I can only hope and pray that you have found some peace.”

She added that she had a beautiful soul as she paid her respects to his family: “My heart breaks for your family who will forever be so proud of you. Beautiful boy, beautiful soul. I’m so so sorry. Rest in peace Charlie.”

Emily and Charlie are said to have dated for three months in 2021, and were snapped kissing by paps during this period. Their relationship was reported to have ended due to her busy schedule.

At the time, a source told The Sun: “She was really into Charlie, who is obviously very handsome, and there was a good spark there, but it’s definitely over.”

The comic actress went on to begin a relationship with Alistair Garner, and the pair now share a son named Barney who was born in 2024. The couple announced their engagement in 2025, and are expected to tie the knot in Spain this summer.

Announcing the news on social media, Emily shared a picture of herself wearing the sparkling ring with a lyric by The Cure as the caption, she wrote: “It’s Friday, I’m in love,” with three diamond ring emojis.

This summer, Emily is set top appear in the popular Disney TV series, Rivals season two as Sarah Stratton, a mistress turned newly-wed and host of a 1980s daytime TV show.

The star initially came to fame in 2008 after starring in the comedy show, The Inbetweeners, as popular school girl Charlotte Hinchcliffe. She went on to become a series regular on Celebrity Juice, and appeared on Dancing on Ice in 2010 and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2018.

That Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in more than three decades sounded like a chink of light the world has been hoping for, ever since Donald Trump threw a grenade into one of the most volatile regions in the world.

A lot was riding on the meeting.

Iran has made it clear that if Israel continues bombing Lebanon, including its chief ally, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, it will not reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz or adhere to a truce with the US brokered by Pakistan.

Israel, which has vowed to occupy swathes of Lebanese sovereign territory, has said it will not stop pounding Lebanon until it has destroyed and disarmed Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump has waded in on Iran’s ongoing blockade of the Strait – vowing that Iranian ships, and those leaving Iranian ports, would be “eliminated”, piling on even more pressure.

And so this week’s talks between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to Washington, hosted by US secretary of state Marco Rubio, were supposed to be key to breaking the deadlock. And the key to halting the complete derailment of a peace process that collapsed last weekend without consensus.

But these Washington talks appear little more than lip service to the idea of Lebanon’s inclusion in a broader peace deal, to fudge a way to the next round of Iran talks.

The fear is that a devastating war between Israel and Lebanon is inevitable, and the impact of that will push the world back to the brink.

For six weeks, since the US and Israel began bombing Iran, and Iran retaliated, the world has been staring down the barrel of destruction.

In the ensuing, metastasising conflict, a dozen countries have been drawn into its theatre. More than 5,000 people have been killed and over a million displaced. Iran’s closure of one of the world’s most significant waterways, the Strait of Hormuz, has caused the worst disruptions to global energy supplies in history, triggering a cascade of consequences, including a burgeoning global food crisis.

And so a last-ditch hope to salvage the Pakistan brokered truce was invested in direct talks between Israeli and Lebanese representatives in Washington.

But despite the US State Department’s vague statement that the two sides had held “productive discussions”, there is no indication that anything concrete has been achieved.

And how could there be, with all the key actors locked in a zero sum game?

Every way you try to force the pieces of this apocalyptic puzzle together, they do not fit.

Benjamin Netanyahu, who has conducted personal tours around Israeli-occupied southern Lebanon, has made it clear that unless Hezbollah is disarmed, Israel will not halt its strikes.

These daily bombardments have targeted Hezbollah positions but have also pounded densely populated civilian areas. That has killed more than 2000 people, among them children, medics and journalists.

Israel has vowed to hold territory up to the Litani River in the south, amounting to around 10 per cent of Lebanon’s landmass.

Given Israel’s expanding “buffer zones” in the region, including razing and occupying areas of Gaza, fears of formal annexation in the occupied West Bank, and an ongoing presence in southern Syria, there are growing concerns that Netanyahu’s true objective is the expansion of Israel’s borders.

The Israeli prime minister is also facing a difficult re-election campaign in the coming months. More war in Lebanon remains popular in Israel: a poll by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem this week suggested that two thirds of the population oppose a ceasefire with Iran and do not believe Lebanon should be included in it regardless.

Hezbollah, for its part, has made clear it will not adhere to any ceasefire with Israel until Israeli forces withdraw, regardless of what representatives of the Lebanese government may agree. It continues to pound areas of Israel back.

And so the nightmare deepens.

Before Hezbollah entered this war in March – rocketing Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader – there had been a ceasefire agreement following the last conflict with its neighbour in 2024. That included efforts to gradually disarm the group under the supervision of the Lebanese government.

The Lebanese government, which includes members affiliated with Hezbollah’s political wing and the country’s military, have little control over Hezbollah’s armed faction. Hezbollah, a Shia movement designated by many countries including the UK, is considered one of the most heavily armed non-state actors in the world, with tens of thousands of battle-hardened fighters and an arsenal of rockets and missiles that rivals some countries.

Despite this, the Lebanese government had been gaining momentum. Lebanon has been battered by prolonged internal and external conflict, as well as an unprecedented financial collapse in recent years. But its new technocratic government had, until early 2026, been gradually rebuilding domestic and international credibility, says Paul Salem, former head of the Middle East Institute.

“The Army had deployed south of the Litani, and disarmed maybe 75 to 80 per cent of Hezbollah in the south,” he told Chatham House.

That progress has now been undone, he added.

Hezbollah is now once again fully engaged in conflict and is again positioning itself as Lebanon’s sole resistance against the existential threat from Israel.

The pressure from Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon has even raised spectre of civil war in Lebanon. There are many that are furious Hezbollah unilaterally re-entered their country into this devastating conflict with Israel, over the killing of a foreign leader.

And this is only a small part of a much wider theatre of war, which has already destroyed so many lives.

There remain impossibly hard divisions between Iran’s vision of the future and Donald Trump’s, including who will control the Strait of Hormuz and the future of Iran’s nuclear programme.

How to bridge these fundamentally different visions of the future is a Herculean task.

And so much is at stake for all of us.

Harome – two miles from Helmsley on the edge of the North York Moors and about 24 miles north-east of York – is home to little more than 260 people unlike the 439-strong population numbered in the 1881 census.

Despite its modest size, Harome was ranked as one of the ‘poshest’ villages in the UK by The Times, alongside the likes of Castle Combe and Alderley Edge, and much of its modern-day fame can be traced to the village’s thatched Grade II-listed fine-dining restaurant, The Star Inn, which pulls in diners from far and wide.

The Star at Harome. supplied

But for all its charm, attractive stone cottages, rare thatched roofs and a duck pond, one thing continues to trip visitors up: how on earth do you pronounce it?

So how do you say Harome?

At first glance, Harome looks like it should rhyme with “home” which is how many first-timers attempt it. Others try variations such as “Ha-rome-y”.

Locals, guides and tourism businesses, however, tend to agree on something closer to “HAR-um” or “HAIR-um”, softening the “o” and almost swallowing the “e” . Even online pronunciation sites offer a confusing range of options and no firm consensus, perhaps reflecting that the village name has shifted over the centuries.

Harome under a blanket of snow, captured by Sharon Strickland. (Image: Sharon Strickland)

Its spelling has certainly wandered. Until the nineteenth century the village was known as Harum, later Harom, before settling on today’s Harome.

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What is Harome known for?

Harome has a long history stretching back to a mention in the Domesday Book of 1086, and its name is thought to derive from Old English, meaning a pile or heap of stones.

Unlike many villages reshaped by commuting, Harome has long been rooted in farmland, with agriculture and related trades providing employment for generations.

For centuries it was part of the parish of Helmsley, and its landscape has changed shape over the centuries as farms grew larger – though some 17th century timber properties survived and are listed..

Chief among them is The Star Inn – a thatched, low-beamed building is thought to have been the first dwelling in “Harum”, and has put Harome on the modern map with its pull as a destination restaurant with rooms.

Owned by chef Andrew Pern since 1996, The Star Inn has earned national acclaim for its seasonal, produce‑led menus and boasts an impressive list of accolades – including a coveted Michelin star.

The Star Inn at Harome after the fire. Image: Staff

In November 2021, the village watched in shock as the pub was devastated by a £2 million fire after its thatched roof caught alight. The blaze forced The Star Inn to close for a year, before it reopened in November 2022.

Completing Harome’s storybook setting is the Grade II-listed parish church of St Saviour, dating from 1862. Built under the patronage of the Feversham Estate, the church’s architect was Charles Barry Jr, whose father designed the Houses of Parliament.

Small it may be, but Harome’s name, heritage and resilience ensure it leaves a lasting impression – however you choose to pronounce it.

One was compared to the breathtaking bays found in the Indian Ocean.

Two Scottish beaches have been included on a new list of British bays that are “so idyllic they look like they belong on the Med”. One was noted for “the kind of white sand usually reserved for tropical climes”, while the other was compared to coastal hotspots situated in the Indian Ocean.

On Tuesday, April 14, The Independent shared a roundup of 10 beaches across the UK that “look like they’re abroad”. The two beaches in Scotland that are included on the list are Achmelvich Beach in the Scottish Highlands and Luskentyre Sands in the Outer Hebrides.

Achmelvich Beach is located a few miles northwest of Lochinver and approximately 40 miles north of Ullapool. It is situated along the famous North Coast 500 scenic driving route, and is a popular stopping place amongst tourists who are taking on the road trip.

The bay is famous for its crystal-clear water and white sandy shores, as well as its breathtaking views. The area also offers easy access to a wealth of nearby walking trails and climbs such as the iconic Suilven mountain, which makes it a popular destination amongst hiking enthusiasts.

Additionally, Achmelvich is a hotpot for wildlife spotters as species such as black and red-throated divers and great-northern divers call it home. There are also regular sightings of porpoises, dolphins, and even minke whales in the stunning waters off the coastline.

The Independent praised Achmelvich Beach for its wildlife and white sands, and compared it to beaches found in tropical countries. The bay was also noted for its water sports opportunities, with visitors able to take part in pursuits such as windsurfing and water skiing.

The newspaper wrote: “Located in the north-west of Scotland, Achmelvich Beach offers the kind of white sand usually reserved for tropical climes—but is just three miles away from Lochinver.

“The beach is a great place for wildlife spotting, with a range of birds, porpoises, dolphins and even minke whales sometimes visible from the shore. It’s also popular for those enamoured of water sports such as fishing, windsurfing, kayaking and water skiing.”

Meanwhile, Luskentyre Sands is situated along the west coast of Harris in the Outer Hebrides and can be accessed from the A859 via a minor road. Set against the backdrop of Harris’ dramatic mountains, the beach offers jaw-dropping vistas in every direction.

Luskentyre has won numerous awards throughout the years, and is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Scotland – and the world. It offers incredible views out towards the island of Taransay—best known as the setting of the iconic 2000s reality television series Castaway.

Like Achmelvich, Luskentyre is renowned for its wildlife and there are many species that can be found on the beach and the surrounding area. These include common scoters, velvet scoters, eider ducks, wigeons, long-tailed ducks, red-breasted mergansers, and great northern divers.

Luskentyre was likened by The Independent to beaches found in the Indian Ocean, and was praised by the newspaper for being a top destination in both sunny and wet weather. It was also noted for its remote location, though was described as being “worth the extra effort”.

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“Luskentyre isn’t as easy to reach as some beaches in this list, but it’s more than worth the extra effort to get there. With golden sand and almost incredibly blue water, this is a UK beach where the scenery and geography lend themselves equally to sunny relaxation days or stormy hiking ones.

“That said, visit on a warm summer’s day if you want to try and convince yourself that you’re somewhere in the Indian Ocean rather than in Scotland (but best to pack a waterproof, just in case).”

The full list of the 10 UK beaches that “look like they’re abroad” can be found on The Independent website.

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If you live with a pet, you might feel like you can almost read each other’s minds.

You might even have experienced your pet responding to your emotional state. Animals seem to have impressive skills at detecting our state of health too.

However, new research suggests that many dog owners are not skilled in recognising pain in their pets as they might like to think. This could have significant consequences for the behaviour, health and welfare of our pets.

As a migraineur, I am amazed at how my dogs cope with me when a migraine hits. They seem to recognise the pain, distress and incapcacity that comes along with a migraine and respond with more gentle interactions than usual. I hope that when the situation is reversed and they are unwell or in pain, that I too can recognise it.

So, how can you recognise if your pet is in pain and what should you do if you think they are?

Signs of pain

It is easy to assume that an animal in pain will make some noise about it and show obvious physical signs. This might be the case if they are in acute pain as the result of severe injury for example. However, animals often disguise pain as a survival mechanism, and many signs of pain show only as subtle changes in behaviour.

Humans do seem to be able to recognise basic animal emotional states such as anger, fear or joy, through facial and body expressions. But we are less good at linking these cues to more complex emotional states including pain, anxiety and frustration.

The recently published study assessed how good people are at recognising signs of pain in dogs. This was carried out via an online questionnaire completed by 530 dog-owners and 117 non-owners. Participants were given a list of 17 types of dog behaviour. The study participants were asked to rank how likely they thought these behaviour types were to indicate pain, based on their prior knowledge and experience. In reality, all 17 types of behaviour listed suggest a dog is in pain.

The signs of pain provided included obvious behavioural changes such as hesitant paw lifting, reduced play behaviour and changes in personality. Participants were good at recognising these prominent behaviour changes were linked with pain. However, they didn’t realise more subtle indicators such as yawning, lip and nose licking and changes in facial expressions including looking away and increased blinking. These are all warnings that a dog may be suffering.

Notably, participants without dogs were actually more likely to recognise that freezing or turning the head or body away are associated with pain than dog owners. This suggests that dog owners may become complacent in their observations of their dog’s behaviour.

The link between pain and behaviour

The study participants were also asked to assess the potential relevance of pain in three written canine behaviour cases. The participants were not told this, but two were suffering from painful conditions, one outwardly obvious, and one more subtle. The third case was not linked to a painful condition.

Dog owners noted that pain was likely in the case with obvious signs of movement problems – hopping and lifting of legs. This was higher for dog owners than non-owners. In the case where pain signs were more subtle (night restlessness and “shadowing” family members), there was no difference in the ability of dog-owners and non-owners to identify the behaviour as signs of pain.

However, the dog owners with previous experience of pets with a painful condition seemed to be better at recognising signs of suffering. This applied to overt changes in movement as well as body language. This suggests that prior experience can be valuable in developing skills when its comes to pet behaviour.

What is interesting from this study is that there were some discrete differences between dog-owners and non-owners in recognising signs of pain. However, owning a dog was no guarantee that someone would be better able to identify subtle pain indicators.

Previous studies have shown animal species may show pain in different ways. For example rabbits often freeze, which might be considered a fearful response. Facial grimace scales are also increasingly being used to assess pain for a range of species including cats and horses. These assessment tools track minute muscular movements in the face such as tightening eyes.

What should you do if you think your pet is in pain?

Recognising signs of pain in your pet is critical so you can respond quickly. This may also help reduce the risk of dog bites which are often linked to the dog struggling with chronic pain.

Pain can lead to increased noise reactivity too, where dogs flinch or bark loudly in response to sudden, unusual or loud noises.

If you suspect your pet might be in pain because of a sudden change in their behaviour or movement, seek veterinary advice. Soreness can manifest outwardly such as lameness, lethargy or a lack of desire to exercise or play, but it can be easy to miss more subtle signs such as altered blinking, momentary pauses or freezing.

Research indicates that dog owners should be alert to altered sleep patterns, restlessness, clinginess and unusual licking or chewing their body. Even changes in a dog’s ear position, coat quality, texture, or how their coat lies on their skin can indicate underlying discomfort. Reluctance to being touched in specific areas of a dog’s body might also be a sign of discomfort that needs veterinary investigation.

So if you think your dog needs training or a session with a behaviourist because of a gradual or sudden alternation in their behaviour, it’s worth ruling out whether your pooch is acting strangely because they’re in pain first.

Speaking about Reform’s adverts – one of which Mr Sarwar claimed had questioned his loyalty to Scotland, while another showed a small boat and claimed Glasgow had been “overrun” by migrants – the Scottish Labour leader insisted these showed Reform were “not people I would want to work with, be in cahoots with, do a deal with”.