Emergency services were called to Ellesmere Street overnight from Friday into Saturday.

At 1.30am today, a Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson said there was a fire in an abandoned building, believed to be the former King Street School.

Then at 9am this morning, a Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said Ellesmere Street is closed along with King Street, between Spinning Jenny Way and St Helens Road.

There are not believed to be any injuries as a result of the incident according to the emergency services.

A police spokesperson said: “The emergency services will continue to be in the area for the foreseeable.”

Steve Tandy is the man attempting to mould something out of the mess.

The 46-year-old, who represented Neath and Ospreys – the tradition most under threat as the Welsh Rugby Union streamline their regional system – became Wales head coach in September.

His reputation was built on forging suffocating defences for teams to build from. Scotland and the British and Irish Lions have both benefited.

Leicester have too. Tandy came in for a short stint while Wigglesworth was coaching there.

“He seemed like a really good bloke and very switched on for what he did,” said Wigglesworth.

“I’ve always been really impressed with the teams he’s been involved in. All the coaches who have worked with him as well, speak highly of him – he’s a good coach.”

England have predicted that, as such, Tandy will attempt to level the pitch by taking to the skies.

Head coach Steve Borthwick suggested as many as 50 contestable kicks could be coming the way of his back three.

A lot of them would need to fall Wales’ way for the visitors to emerge victorious on Saturday, though.

If they do, it would rank as arguably the biggest shock in the fixture’s 145-year history.

If, more feasibly, England – with title aspirations – inflict another thrashing, those nip-tuck, nose-to-nose inferno finishes of years gone by would seem even more distant.

Damage limitation instead of dreams of victory occupy the minds of most Wales fans.

George says he has no fears over the long-term competitiveness of the rivalry.

“I don’t think it’ll be a problem,” he said.

“I think Wales are going to be a good team moving forward. I think they’re going to be a good team on Saturday.”

Good enough? By the high standards set by this match in the past? That still seems some way off.

LYING awake at night, as her then-husband and teenage boys slept, April Balascio racked her brain for missing remnants of her childhood.

Images swirled – of missing people, dead bodies and quick getaways at 12am.

Teacher April, then living in Ohio, USA, was trying to piece together her fragmented past. But it was tricky. Her dad, Edward Edwards ensured they were always on the move.

By 18, she’d been to 17 schools and lived in states including Wisconsin, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Colorado, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“I remember Dad regularly waking me in the middle of the night and saying ‘we’re going now’,” says April, now 56. “But it wasn’t unusual. We never stayed too long in one place, constantly moving to where the work was.”

Ten Most Wanted

Edwards also did some motivational speaking about “choosing the right path” having once been on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list for a string of petrol station robberies in the 1960s, for which he had served a prison sentence.

SO EVIL

Dad’s girlfriend was serial killer Joanna Dennehy, she taught me POLE DANCE at 13

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SICK STRIKE

How Hammer Killer lured me into twisted world while drawing up ‘paedo’ hit list

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As an adult April became incredibly uneasy about her childhood. “Dad was very hot and cold,” she says. “On special occasions like Christmas, he would go all out decorating and was giddy with excitement watching us kids rip open the gifts he had picked. Other days, he had a raging temper which he would take out on us.

“We would leave places so suddenly, me, my mum, him and my four siblings all crushed in the vehicle. I remember setting up in various places such as farmhouses, tents, mobile homes and once a barn.

“But what really stuck with me was, seemingly, wherever we went there were missing people cases.”

But she couldn’t remember exactly where they’d stayed. So, for 18 months in 2009, having left home, married and had children, she would wake and try desperately to recall the locations. Until one day – a match.

“I typed in ‘Cold Case, 1980, Waterford, Wisconsin’,” she says. “And there it was.”

Researching online, she found articles on “The Sweetheart Murders”, the name given to a cold case involving couple Kelly Drew and Timothy Hack, both 19, who vanished in August 1980.

“I read about how they had been celebrating a friend’s wedding reception at a venue called Concord House before vanishing,” says April. “Then I felt a jolt of recognition because I knew that place… we camped nearby, and Dad had worked there as a caretaker.

“I recalled him, like everyone in the town, tuning into the nightly news for updates on the missing couple.

“‘I bet they find those kids in a field,’ he had said over and over again. We left town not long afterwards and moved hundreds of miles away. But as I read on, I was horrified to discover their bodies had been located in a field more than two months after they had disappeared.”

‘I bet they find those kids in a field’

The news articles reported Tim had been stabbed. Kelly had been bound, strangled and possibly raped.

April continues: “Police never found the killer, and all the leads dried up. But thinking back, I recalled Dad coming home with a busted nose around the same time. He told me he had injured himself hunting, but even as a kid I remembered thinking it was odd.”

April called the old article’s hotline number, not expecting anyone to answer – but police did… and they were interested.

“I told the police everything I knew,” she says. “I wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do, or if I had sent them on a wild goose chase. I wondered, ‘Am I a horrible person doing this to my Dad?’”

About a month later, the police went to visit Edwards, who agreed to a DNA sample – and it was a match.

“I felt sick,” says April. “I couldn’t believe my Dad had killed that couple. Soon afterwards, he was arrested, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and was handed a double life sentence. I didn’t speak to him again.”

However, in April 2010, he went on to admit to the murders of couple Billy Lavaco, 21, and Judy Straub, 18, in 1977 in Ohio.

They were found in a park, shot at point blank range in the back of the neck.

Sickest confession of all

“Then came the most chilling confession of them all – Dad had killed my brother’s friend, ‘Dannie Boy’,” says April. “After I had left home, my parents had taken in Dannie and encouraged him to join the Army. He admired Dad so much he even took our surname. But in 1996, shortly after Dad signed up Dannie for the maximum military life insurance of $382,412, he had been found dead by a gunshot wound, aged 24.”

In March 2011, having admitted five murders and hinted at more, Edward Edwards, then 76, from Kentucky, appeared in court and was sentenced to death.

“I wanted him jailed so he would suffer,” says April. “What he did was awful. I knew he was a volatile man, but he was also charismatic and could be charming.

“I imagine that’s how he got away with being a secret serial killer.”

In April 2011, while on death row, he died of diabetes. “I felt relief that our family was spared the media circus, but the weight of Dad’s actions hung over me like a dark cloud,” says April. “Not wanting to burden my family with the agony I felt, I would muffle my screams in the shower with a washcloth.”

In 2019, she created a podcast, The Clearing, detailing the journey to discovering the truth about her father.

Meeting a victim’s family

“In the final episode, I arranged to speak with Tim Hack’s parents, Dave and Judy,” she says. “They shared sweet stories of their son growing up, and their heartache of losing him before his life had truly begun. I was so sorry, but they said I wasn’t to blame.”

In January, she released a book, Raised By A Serial Killer, and dedicated it to Dave and Judy.

“For a long time, I shied away from the parts of myself that reminded me of my father, including my own temper,” she says. “But I’ve learned I don’t have to be a product of my environment, that I can choose my own path – such as by helping people instead of hurting them.

“I may never know why my father did what he did, but I know I’ll do everything I can to leave the world a better place than I found it.”

Fire crews and police remain on the scene this morning

Emergency services remain on the scene after a huge fire broke out in Leigh overnight.

The blaze broke out at a ‘derelict building’ on Ellesmere Street at around 10.50pm on Friday evening (February 6). Six fire engines were called out, as well as an aerial unit.

Police officers and paramedics were also called. Pictures and video clips from the scene showed huge flames engulfing the entire building as thick, black smoke billowed into the sky.

Follow our live blog HERE for updates on the fire

The church-style building where the blaze broke out is believed to the former King Street School. A spokesperson for the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said no injuries were reported in the fire.

Local residents were advised to keep their windows and shut are the fire took hold of the building in the early hours. Crews remain on the scene this morning dampening down hotspots.

A number of road closures are in place, including on King Street and on Ellesmere Street.Emergency services are expected to remain on the scene ‘for the foreseeable’, a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said.

A GMFRS spokesperson said in a statement: “At around 10.50pm on Friday 6 February, six fire engines from across Greater Manchester and an aerial appliance attended a fire involving a derelict church on Ellesmere Street, Leigh. Crews arrived quickly and used five jets and two turntable ladders to bring the fire under control.

“Greater Manchester Police managed cordons around the area and evacuated nearby residents. North West Ambulance Service also attended in a supportive capacity. Firefighters remain on scene this morning.”

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A GMP spokesperson said: “#UPDATE | Officers are currently supporting partners following reports of a fire at a church on Wilds Passage, Leigh. There are no reported injuries.

“Emergency services will continue to be in the area for the foreseeable. A number of road closures are in place including King Street from the junctions of Spinning Jenny Way/ Twist Lane to the end of the road bridge over the canal where King Street merges to St Helens Road.

“Ellesmere Street at the junction of Spinning Jenny Way is also closed off. Please be mindful of these and avoid the area where possible. Thank you for your patience whilst emergency services deal with the incident.”

A BOEING 727 that had no clearance to fly mysteriously took off into the night – leaving behind no wreckage, no signal and no answers.

Just before sunset, the ageing jet lifted off from Quatro de Fevereiro Airport in Luanda, Angola with an American engineer and a private pilot on board.

One of the most fascinating things about the NFL, American football played at its highest level, is how important situations are.

Not just moments on the field, like figuring out whether a team is going to run or pass on 3rd & 3 with 1:20 left on the clock, but in the franchises themselves, where a good structure and strong roster can elevate even average players to greatness (paging Nick Foles) while the opposite is also true for even the best players, like Dan Marino, who many believe to be the best quarterback to ever play the game, though he couldn’t win a Super Bowl due to his teammates’ failings.

It is the idea of situations, and being put in a good situation, which really shapes this Super Bowl on Sunday.

Sam Darnold will quarterback the favourites on Sunday night, the Seattle Seahawks, knowing a win at Levi’s Stadium would complete the most unlikely and topsy-turvy career path before he even turns 29.

Darnold was the boy phenom in California, where he grew up. Once he had chosen to go to the University of Southern California, historically the biggest football school west of Texas, the chatter was already starting about which NFL team he would end up with. Tipped as the number one pick in the draft years before he was even eligible, there was talk of teams willing to “Scam for Sam” – lose games at the end of the season to tank their season and be in position to draft Darnold first overall and turn around their franchise.

In the end, Darnold would end up being the third pick in the draft and going to the ever-dysfunctional New York Jets. Wracked by incompetence, the franchise put Darnold behind a holey offensive line, surrounded him with uninspiring talent and he was coached by a succession of playcallers who failed him.

Eventually, after three unhappy years, Darnold was traded to Carolina.

With the equally miserable Panthers, a similar story unfolded. Eventually, Darnold was released to become a free agent, having never been surrounded by anything remotely resembling competence. His confidence was shot, his career was presumed dead, and the Californian was left to look for a backup job wherever it would take him, but for the first time in his career, he had agency. He had a choice.

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Darnold wanted nothing more than to work with an exceptional coach and offensive talent. Kyle Shanahan, arguably the greatest playcaller of his generation, offered him a job as San Francisco’s backup and he jumped at the chance. While Darnold sat behind starter Brock Purdy all season, it was his first opportunity to take stock and to learn. For the first time in his career, he was developing.

When the Minnesota Vikings offered Darnold the chance to compete for a job with rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy under another brilliant playcaller in Kevin O’Connell, Darnold wisely said yes. McCarthy’s injury thrust Darnold into the starter role, and four months later, he had become the first-ever quarterback to win 14 games in their first season with a new team.

What Minnesota presented Darnold with was a great situation. A coach who knew how to get the best out of him, who could scheme up plays that emphasised his strengths but hid his deficiencies, a defensive unit that was stocked with talent, led by another brilliant coach in Brian Flores, and then the best wide receiver in the league, Justin Jefferson, to throw the ball to.

It’s funny how much easier the game gets when you have those things.

Grant Udinski coached Darnold in Carolina and Minnesota, and credits Darnold for his resilience and never-ending positivity in the face of such struggle.

“He had been through a lot, especially in such a short time frame; he had so many experiences that he wasn’t supported the way he should have been,” Udinski said.

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“It’s not like he lacked confidence. I just don’t think he felt the same support or ability to fully be himself that maybe, if he was empowered as a quarterback and a great teammate, he would have felt.”

His season with the Vikings made Darnold an in-demand free agent, and last year he signed a three-year, $100m contract with Seattle. Last month, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to record 14 wins in his first season with two different teams in back-to-back seasons.

For his opposite number, Drake Maye, the path has been a lot more straightforward. A starter for his local college, the University of North Carolina, Maye’s rocket arm and prototypical build had scouts salivating, but in a team bereft of talent that wasn’t competing for honours, there was still doubt.

Even after being selected third overall by the New England Patriots, things weren’t going to be easy. First-time head coach Jerod Mayo struggled, the team went 4-13 and owner Robert Kraft fired Mayo in what he called “an untenable situation.”

New executives and a new head coach, Pats legend Mike Vrabel, who won the NFL Coach of the Year at this week’s annual awards, surrounded Maye with talent. They tweaked the playbook to make the most out of his athleticism and they took advantage of one of the league’s easiest schedules to win 14 games and go from being one of the worst teams in the AFC to the very best.

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“From day one, I feel like the guys have really taken what Coach Vrabel has wanted to do with us and have just really applied it to their lives in every single way,” Maye said yesterday.

“Whether it’s on the field, off the field, getting treatment, doing little things, making great decisions off the field. I think the biggest thing is just – Coach Vrabel always says he treats us how we treat the team. I think that’s how guys have taken this year, and I think it’s just rallying together and wanting to play for each other.”

According to the pre-season odds from the bookmakers, this is the most unlikely Super Bowl in more than 50 years. A Seattle team that bet on a first-round bust to be the final piece of their jigsaw came through one of the most difficult divisions in football to win the NFC. The Patriots drafted a raw talent and improved the situation around him enough to not just compete, but blow away the competition.

“What a journey,” Maye said about Darnold this week.

“What a career he’s had, just to battle the life of the NFL, and knowing that his first opportunity, obviously, he got put in a scenario where they decided to move on.

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“And from there, he’s made ’em pay ever since. He’s battled not playing for years, and being the backup to getting his chance, and just making the most of it. It’s been awesome to see.”

The lesson from this Super Bowl, whoever wins, is that team results and individual struggles do not define a player. In this sport, in this league, the situation that you find yourself in goes a long way to defining how well you can perform. Maye knows that may befall him one day. It is not lost on either of these young men.

And now these two young quarterbacks are both playing in their first Super Bowl, where one of them will write their name into history and both of them will be forever remembered for their part in two memorable turnarounds.

Now that’s a good situation to be in.

I assess ski socks, quite simply, by trialling them on the slopes. I’m a ski equipment expert, and I tested the men’s models, while my friend, ski coach and freeride athlete, Ffion Townsend, assessed women’s ski socks. However, many of the models featured are unisex or available in men’s and women’s versions.

There’s a range of socks available for skiing and snowboarding, so we’ve tried a large assortment and whittled that longlist down to bring you this winter’s top picks. We’ve skied in dozens of pairs, spoken with shop staff and chatted with consumers, as well as getting advice from some of the best boot fitters out there. In some cases, we’ve tested the same socks (or socks made by the same brands) for several years, or even decades.

Our reviews factor in fit, comfort, warmth, suitability for high-performance skiing and budget. We’ve also considered the materials used, and how well these control odours, temperature and moisture levels inside your boots.

Norwegian ski jumpers have said their sport does not need “that kind of attention” after it was reported that male athletes were injecting their penises in a bid to improve sporting performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.

In January, German newspaper Bild, external reported that jumpers were injecting their penises with hyaluronic acid before being measured for their suits.

Hyaluronic acid, which is not banned in sport, can be used to increase penis circumference by one or two centimetres.

This would increase the surface area of their suits during competition, which, according to FIS, the international ski and snowboard federation, could increase their flight in the air.

However, some Norwegian ski jumpers have reacted to the reports with scepticism.

“I do not think we need that kind of attention, and on the women’s side we are quite calm about the subject,” Norway women’s coach Christian Meyer said.

“I have not seen anything like it, so I am also wondering whether it is true. I actually do not believe it.”

It looks like something out of a fairytale and attracts weekly visits from a celebrity

It’s easy to see why this market town was named the best place to live in the UK. It’s got cobbled streets, Tudor buildings, colourful timber-framed houses, a bustling market square and a range of independent businesses. I visited after several days of rain but the sun appeared just as I arrived. I walked through the town chatting with locals enjoying the sunshine in the market square, exploring independent shops and admiring the timber-framed houses.

Just a half hour’s drive from Cambridge, this historic Essex town was named the best place to live in the UK by The Sunday Times in March 2025, topping a shortlist of 72 locations. Judges considered schools, transport, broadband speeds, mobile signals, access to green spaces, and the quality of the high street.

In stark contrast to so many dwindling high streets found across the country, the town appears to be thriving with its bustling twice-weekly markets and a town centre that is estimated to be home to over 200 independent shops, cafés and restaurants. In 2024, the high street was also named among Britain’s top 32 by experts from Cheffins estate agents.

The town hosts its market on Tuesdays and Saturdays, a tradition dating back to 1141, and it’s a favourite spot for celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and his son River, with the celebrity chef having spoken in the past of visiting every Saturday. The TV star spoke highly of the community spirit and variety of produce at Saffron Walden Market, which was voted Best Small Outdoor Market in 2018.

He previously said: “I’m so lucky to have one of the best markets right on my doorstep. Saffron Walden is an absolute treasure trove of artisan suppliers, from Dan at Crystal Waters fishmongers to Saffron Wholefoods making incredible ingredients.

“Going every Saturday morning is the highlight of mine and River’s week – he loves it even more than me! We look at what’s in season, what looks good and what’s crying out to be cooked up! It’s a great way to connect with the local community and support the best of the best. I couldn’t love my local market more, make sure you go out and support yours.”

Felicity Norton, who has lived in Saffron Walden for more than 35 years, said the town’s charm has never faded. She said: “I’ve always loved Saffron Walden. It’s changed over the years, but it’s still a lovely, quiet little town.”

The town’s sense of place is rooted in both its history and stunning surroundings, from the grand stateliness of Audley End House and Gardens to peaceful walks through Bridge End Garden, a beautiful restored Victorian garden.

The market town’s roots stretch back to at least the Neolithic period, evolving through a Romano-British settlement and an Anglo-Saxon community before expanding under the Normans into a thriving medieval market centre, later gaining wealth and its distinctive name from the flourishing saffron industry of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Despite challenges facing high streets nationwide, Saffron Walden continues to attract a mix of independent retailers alongside well-known names such as Holland & Barrett. While some much-loved businesses and banks have closed over time, the town has welcomed a wave of new ventures bringing fresh energy.

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Locals highlighted beloved stores including Between the Lines, Harts Bookshop, Talents gift shop and a number of independent clothing boutiques. Organic coffee shops like Esquires and Chater’s, a bakery, restaurant and cafe which even has its own on-site distillery, are among the places to stop and linger.

We were told by many local business owners that Chater’s must not be missed and that Oliver often goes there. It is known for its bold, seasonal cooking using the best local ingredients.

Among Ms Norton’s favourite spots is Neon Leo, described as “such a fun shop – they sell really different things in there”. Neon Leo is a rental and pre-loved fashion store founded by best friends Mandy Weetch and Abigail North in 2023. Located on Market Row, the shop is truly a world of its own, filled with colour, laughter and positivity. When entering the store, customers are greeted with a beautiful selection of clothing, sequins, glitter balls and art. Ms Weetch told the Express: “Saffron Walden’s got a huge amount of independent businesses.”

Ms North added: “The community is really active. People want to be part of it, whether you’re a business owner or a customer. We’ve never experienced that anywhere else.”

The pair said the town’s collaborative atmosphere sets it apart, with independent shops actively supporting one another and they also highlighted how Oliver comes every weekend to support local traders. Neon Leo hosts events emphasising confidence and self-expression through fashion, a movement they’ve dubbed “fashionism,” celebrating the power of women dressing how they want and defying outdated style rules, whether through small accessories or statement pieces. “Ultimately, you should wear what you want, wear what you love,” Ms Weetch said.

Burtons Butchers is also beloved by local residents. The longstanding family-run shop serves premium meat products to customers, restaurants, hotels, and catering companies across East Anglia.

Since 2010, more than 1,000 butchers have closed across the UK, and the number of butchers in the UK has generally been shrinking in recent years, according to data sources such as Statista. The town also has a fishmongers, a beautiful independent bookshop and a library.

Burtons Butchers was established in 1984 and serves a range of meats including venison sausages and local pork, beef and chicken sausages.

Andrew Northrop, manager of Burtons Butchers, said on market days there’s a great bustle, a “great energy” and “enthusiasm” from people for their town. “People like to see it do well and wish to support,” he added. Jamie Oliver often buys meat from the butchers and comes in with his family. They are proud to be his supplier and enjoy seeing him and having a chat.

Mr Norhtrop added: “You have to enjoy what you do, and when you’re passionate about it and enthusiastic people respond to that, and enjoy coming in here and the experience of coming in.”

Combining strong transport links to London and Cambridge, centuries of history and a high street that continues to defy the odds, Saffron Walden’s top ranking makes perfect sense.

The girl’s mother was sentenced for turning a blind eye to what was happening in the family home for years.

Three generations of a family have been jailed for sexually abusing a young girl in her own home that started when she was just six years old. Her father, grandfather and two brothers were convicted of the horrific offences at Hove Crown Court.

The girl’s mother has also been locked up after the court heard she battered her daughter, locked her in a cupboard and taped her mouth up after she spoke out about the abuse. The girl’s sister was also physically abused by the family.

Now a teenager, the victim said she remembered being attacked from the age of six, including being repeatedly raped by her father and two brothers and sexually assaulted by her grandfather. The Mirror reports that she was burnt with cigarettes, beaten with a horse whip and spat on, the court heard.

She also had any money given to her on special occasions snatched by her mother. The horrific catalogue of abuse was revealed when the youngster was age 12 and told her teacher about what was happening to her and she was too afraid to go home.

She told police: “I told how my parents keep abusing me and they’ve been doing it for years. Then I started explaining all the sexual stuff.”

The family members cannot be named due to legal reasons. The father, 43, was convicted of five counts of rape of a child under 13; one count of sexual assault by penetration of a child under 13; three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13; one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and three counts of cruelty to a person under 16.

The mother, also 43, was found guilty of four counts of cruelty to a person under 16; two counts of false imprisonment and one count of perverting the course of justice.

The grandfather, 70, was convicted of one count of sexual assault by penetration of a child under 13 and two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13. The older brother, 23, was found guilty of four counts of rape of a child under 13; one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The younger brother, 20, was convicted of four counts of rape of a child under 13; two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13; one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

They have been jailed for a combined total of more than 100 years.

Detective Superintendent Andrew Harbour previously said: “This has been a complex investigation that has had a profound impact on the two victims. Our priority continues to be ensuring their welfare and safeguarding in this highly traumatic and distressing case.

“We have worked alongside partner agencies to ensure the ongoing safeguarding of the young victims. Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for Sussex Police. We encourage all victims of rape and serious sexual offences to report their experience to us.

“Our officers have been determined to get justice in this case, and we are pleased with the guilty verdicts returned by the jury. We urge the public not to speculate about the case online as this may jeopardise the victims’ legal right to anonymity.”