Cllr Chadwick, who represented Westhoughton, died this morning, leaving his fellow councillors “shocked and saddened”.

Leading the tributes to the passionate champion of Bolton and dedicated advocate for his ward was Bolton Council leader Cllr Akhtar Zaman.

He said: “Everyone at Bolton Council is deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of David Chadwick, Deputy Mayor of Bolton.

“A Bolton lad through-and-through, David dedicated his life to serving the community he was so proud to call home.

“He served as a Westhoughton Town Councillor, as a ward councillor for Westhoughton South, as Cabinet Member for Transport, as Chair of the Licensing Committee, as a school governor and in countless other roles.

“One of his proudest moments was his inauguration as Mayor of Bolton for 2025/26, a role he performed with typical dedication, warmth, and good humour.

“Our thoughts are with his wife Valerie, his children Matthew and Victoria, and his grandchildren.

“The town hall flag will be flying at half-mast as a mark of respect.”

A mother who struggled to fit on the rides at Disneyland Paris due to her size has returned to the theme park two years later after losing nearly six stone.

Poppie Chapman, 33, from Suffolk, said she felt mortified when she had trouble fastening safety bars on some rides during what should have been a dream family getaway in 2024.

The mother-of-two, who weighed 14st 1Ib at the time, was left miserable at what is often described as ‘the happiest place on earth’ as she felt unfit and her body ached while walking around the 140-acre site.

When she returned to the UK, Poppie decided to join Slimming World in a desperate bid to lose weight. Now, two years on, she has lost a remarkable 5st 9Ibs through making healthier lifestyle choices.

Poppie said: ‘I’d dreamed about taking my kids to Disneyland Paris, so when my eight-year-old daughter Aurora’s dance school organised a trip there, I jumped at the chance.

‘I soon realised that my weight was holding me back – not just confidence wise, but physically too.

‘I found myself breathing in to get some of the safety bars to fit – and then spent the duration of the ride with them digging into my stomach.

‘I just felt so sad – it was the trip of a lifetime but instead of making happy memories with my daughter, all I could think about was how low I felt.’

Poppie Chapman, 33, said she felt mortified when she struggled to fasten safety bars on some rides during what should have been a dream family getaway in 2024. Now, she has returned to the same Disneyland resort to finally enjoy the dream holiday she wanted 

Poppie has lost a remarkable 5st 9Ibs through making healthier lifestyle choice and described comparing the images of her side-by-side was ‘surreal’

Advertisement

Poppie explained that while pregnant with her now five-year-old son Litt she suffered from gestational diabetes which saw her forced to use crutches to walk.

‘I remember wishing I could be a fun and active mum who set a good example to her kids – but I just felt so far away from that person,’ she said.

Now, Poppie, who weighs 8st 4Ibs, has returned to the same Disneyland resort to finally enjoy the dream holiday she wanted as well as all the rides on offer.

‘This year, when the information for the dance trip came around, I was over the moon at the thought of going back,’ she said. 

‘Instead of worrying about my health or what I looked like, I was planning cute matching outfits with my daughter and felt genuinely excited about making new memories to replace the painful ones I experienced in 2024.

‘We raced around the park going on as many rides as possible, all the safety bars closed easily, and I was racking up 20k steps a day without even thinking about it.

‘It was such a change to how I felt two years ago. Instead of feeling low and self-conscious I was finally able to enjoy the true magic of Disney.’

Poppie added that comparing the images of her side-by-side was ‘surreal’ and that she could never have imagined she would have felt this ‘happy or confident’ after losing the weight.

The mother-of-two, who weighed 14st 1Ib at the time, was left miserable at what is often described as ‘the happiest place on earth’

Poppie said that losing the weight finally enabled her to ‘enjoy the true magic of Disney’. She added: ‘Instead of worrying about my health or what I looked like, I was planning cute matching outfits with my daughter and felt genuinely excited’

Poppie pictured before her weight loss. ‘I remember wishing I could be a fun and active mum who set a good example to her kids – but I just felt so far away from that person,’ she said

Poppie, of Suffolk, said: ‘I’d dreamed about taking my kids to Disneyland Paris, so when my eight-year-old daughter Aurora’s dance school organised a trip there, I jumped at the chance’. Pictured: Poppie and Aurora at Disneyland after Poppie’s weight loss

Advertisement

She explained that while she was fearful of ‘judgement’, joining Slimming World provided her with a ‘group of people  who wrapped around me like a safety net’.

‘The support from the consultant and the rest of the group is everything,’ she said. 

‘You’re surrounded by people who get it, people who cheer for you, cry with you and lift you up when you can’t lift yourself.

‘That support kept me going on the days I wanted to give up.’

And while Poppie was fearful of the changes in her food, the reality has been quite the opposite – as she now enjoys ‘real food’ and ‘proper family meals’ that allow her to stay on target. 

‘I don’t feel like I’m missing out. My fajita bowl is a family favourite – even the kids ask for it,’ she said. 

‘We cook from scratch, and all sit down together. Life feels easier because I’m more prepared and not wondering what we will have for dinner at the last minute.’

Lisa Nandy has vowed to strengthen the law on “doxxing” after lifeboat volunteers involved in migrant crossing rescues had their personal details published online.

The culture secretary said she would “tighten up the law” to make doxxing, which involves leaking people’s home addresses, a criminal offence.

Currently, she said this kind of behaviour is only illegal if it is done with clear intent to cause fear, harm and distress.

Nandy convened a meeting with social media firms on Tuesday afternoon to discuss such abuse, but she called social media company X a “disgrace” for failing to turn up.

Last week, the chief executive of the RNLI – the Royal National Lifeboat Institute – condemned online and physical abuse volunteers for the charity had received over English Channel migrant crossings.

That followed protests after 120 people landed on Portsmouth’s shores from France with the RNLI’s assistance.

Nandy told BBC Breakfast she was “appalled” that the likes of RNLI volunteers, police officers, social workers and journalists were “being doxxed online” – having their names, photos and addresses published.

In her meeting with social media companies, she said she found “wildly varying standards” from them on doxxing material.

TikTok told her it would automatically remove such posts while Facebook and Instagram owner Meta said it would not, she said.

“And frankly, X didn’t even bother to turn up yesterday which shows real contempt for people’s safety and security and their obligations to society,” she added.

She said the government “will not hesitate to take action” to make clear that “where people’s addresses are being published online, that is an offence and action has to be taken swiftly”.

BBC Verify found viral social media posts about those involved in migrant crossing operations, some of which wrongly identified RNLI crew members and called for their families to be tracked down.

The RNLI has said only 109 of its 9,058 lifeboat launches last year were for people “in distress in the Channel” – 1.2% of its total rescue work.

The charity’s chief executive added around 95% of small boats were intercepted by the UK Border Force.

Nandy has also taken aim at “incredibly slow” progress with enforcement of the Online Safety Act, the government’s flagship law to tackle online abuse, as she called for regulator Ofcom to move faster.

Describing the “major challenges” with enforcing the Act, she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme two penalties had so far been issued to companies but no fines had yet been paid.

At least 20 people have been killed, including five children, and dozens are missing after a war-damaged building collapsed in the Gaza Strip, according to local rescue teams.

Video footage shows the search for bodies and survivors continuing in the rubble of the multi-storey building in the Tal al-Hawa area of Gaza City, its floors sandwiched together.

Locals said 10 families had been living in the apartments despite warnings that they were unsafe.

Members of the Hamas-run Civil Defence rescue service said they had initially been working with “empty hands” due to tight Israeli restrictions on equipment allowed into Gaza. However, they have since been able to borrow some heavy machinery.

On Tuesday, Israeli air strikes in Gaza killed at least five Palestinians, including two children and a Hamas commander, according to health officials and Hamas sources.

The Israeli military said it killed a Hamas commander in southern Gaza and another fighter in the north. In both cases, a child was also reportedly killed.

Separately, the British charity Medical Aid for Palestinians said that a patient was killed by an Israeli drone at a health centre it supports in Jabalia in northern Gaza.

North Yorkshire Council’s annual review of its library service reveals 1,909,289 visits were recorded during 2025/26, with the authority saying usage has been on an upward trend in recent years as libraries increasingly operate as community hubs.

The increase comes despite an overall five per cent fall in book issues compared with the previous year.

The council said the reduction reflected a national trend, although physical borrowing was also under-recorded during the first two quarters of the year following the introduction of a new library management system.

Digital borrowing continued to grow, with eBook and eAudio issues increasing by 11 per cent and eMagazine and eNewspaper issues rising by 16 per cent.

Councillor Simon Myers, executive member for culture, arts and housing, said it was really encouraging to see an increased use of the county’s Libraries which he said was a testament to the hard work of the librarians and volunteers.

He added: “It is particularly gratifying to see an increase in young users and in membership, year on year. Our libraries really are at the heart of our communities, and I hope that in this National Year of Reading more people will take up this wonderful, free, resource.

“I think Billy Connolly’s recollection of the life-altering power of books rings as true today as it did in my own, painfully shy, youth.

“Billy said ‘when I was an unhappy little boy, going to the library changed my life. It may even have saved it. Amazing as it sounds, literature can do that for you’.”

The annual review also claims North Yorkshire is providing its library service more cheaply than comparable rural councils.

According to the latest data covering 2024/25, the service costs £7.55 per head — the lowest among the rural authorities used for comparison.

Despite the lower expenditure, North Yorkshire recorded the third-highest number of book issues and fourth-highest number of library visits among the comparable authorities.

However, the figures also highlight the significant contribution made by unpaid volunteers to running the service.

North Yorkshire has a network of 42 libraries, including a mobile library, with 31 branches run in partnership with community organisations.

During 2025/26, volunteers contributed 147,924 hours to the service, carrying out roles ranging from helping to run community libraries and hosting children’s story sessions to providing digital support.

The council says its volunteer numbers are the highest among the authorities included in its comparison.

Libraries are also increasingly being used for services beyond borrowing books.

During the year there were 22,353 assisted digital sessions, while residents spent more than 101,000 hours using library computers. More than 2,500 people were helped to access Household Support Fund assistance.

Meanwhile, the relaunched mobile library has also seen increased demand, with visits between January and March 2026 38 per cent higher than during the same period a year earlier.

While the star said he was “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine” and that the “suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy”, he also attempted to explain his decision to keep political issues at arm’s length.

“I am not complicit,” he wrote. “I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care.

“Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way.”

He continued: “There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics – my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds.

“Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes.

“However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: Peace.

“I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change. There are different approaches to being an advocate for change.”

Sheeran added that, “as with all my support acts”, Macklemore had been allowed to choose his own setlist.

If the statement was meant to placate his fans and other artists on the line-up, it has seemingly had the opposite effect.

Writing on Instagram, Lukas Graham said: “We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them.”

Rowe, who opened on the Australian leg of the tour earlier this year and resumed as a support act for the US in June, said he did not “take the decision [to quit] lightly”, adding: “Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life, I could never thank him enough for this.”

In their post, Beoga said: “As musicians, playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams but to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine is simply not an option for us.”

The Senedd group will meet immediately following the shock news of leader Dan Thomas’ departure from the role

Reform UK will on Wednesday begin the process of appointing a new leader after Dan Thomas stood down after being arrested by police.

Mr Thomas resigned on Tuesday after it emerged he had been arrested on suspicion of assault and coercive/controlling control.

Reform UK’s chief whip, Llyr Powell MS, admitted it had been a “challenging” day.

He was asked on BBC Radio Wales on Wednesday if Mr Thomas should remain in the Senedd. He said the investigation was ongoing and added: “I don’t want to presume anything”.

He said it was right for Mr Thomas, and his family’s wellbeing, he would stand down. He denied Mr Thomas’ presence in the Senedd would be a “distraction”.

“We’ll wait for whatever judgement comes,” he said. “In this country we have due process.” For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here

Reform UK’s Welsh Senedd group was set to meet on Wednesday morning with Helen Jenner, the deputy leader, as interim leader.

The group has a constitution, Mr Powell said, which determines the process of how a new leader will be selected.

The rules will be set there but he said if only one candidate puts their name forward there will be no contest. If there is more than one then there will be a vote of Reform UK Senedd members.

He said he expects the process to be concluded by the end of September.

Mr Powell said he expected there would be some people who would put their names forward on Wednesday.

But who could be in the running?

Llŷr Powell

A stalwart in Nigel Farage’s political journey in Wales Mr Powell refused to rule himself in our out of the race when he was asked on Wednesday morning.

He said he hadn’t had time to consider it.

He stood in the crucial Caerphilly by-election last October and lost but was elected to the Senedd in May. Since becoming chief whip he has been a key player in setting up the group as well as coaching staff and determining policy.

In terms of experience he is one of those who has been close to Nigel Farage, and key players in Reform’s Millbank HQ, and knows how the Senedd works.

Laura Anne Jones

Ambitious, certainly, and the most experienced Senedd politician in the group having served in the National Assembly, as was, from 2003 until 2007 and then again for the last six years. As a Welsh Conservative Laura Anne Jones was elected as a regional member in South Wales East for the second time in 2020. In 2025 she revealed a shock defection to Reform UK and was unveiled by Nigel Farage at the Royal Welsh Show and was elected to represent the party in Sir Fynwy Torfaen in May 2026.

James Evans

Another Conservative who defected to join the group James Evans’ journey into Reform wasn’t straightforward. However he is one of those sat on the front row of the group in the Senedd chamber alongside the other obvious frontrunners.

He holds the key health brief for the party and is clearly ambitious.

He has hinted he won’t stand again in 2030 as he wants to have a life away from politics and start a family so would such a high-profile role be a step too far?

Speaking to the BBC in July Mr Evans said “as things stand today I won’t be standing in 2030”.

He said it was going to be “a long goodbye” and “a lovely four years for me to go”.

“I’m a big believer that some people can go on in politics too long. It was always my intention to only stand two terms.

“I’ve got a wife… I’d like to start a family,” he said. “We’re seen as a bit of public commodity that can be attacked and then, obviously, that spills into our family life, and I don’t want to be bringing up children in that environment.”

Helen Jenner

The current deputy leader, and now interim, Ms Jenner is a former teacher who represents Bangor Conwy Mon. Thrust into the hotseat when Dan Thomas missed First Minister’s Questions on Tuesday she held her own against Rhun ap Iorwerth.

A Welsh speaker, she has experience from outside of politics she can bring to the table.

Jason O’Connell

One of the core members of Reform UK in Wales Jason O’Connell’s name was touted during the last leadership contest as he is seen as a safe pair of hands by those in power in the party.

He did a lot of media work before the election and he’s been given the economy and transport brief under Dan Thomas.

Sunday June 21 2020

3.34am: Noah is seen on CCTV leaving his home on Fitzroy Avenue off the Ormeau Road in south Belfast, turning towards the direction of Queen’s University before returning at 4.08am, barefoot and without his headphones. This footage was first made public in October 2025 as part of an inquest appeal for information.

5.40pm: After a day at home, Noah sets out by bike, wearing a cycling helmet and a backpack, to meet friends in the Cavehill area in the north of the city.

5.41pm: Noah’s friend sends him a message via Instagram telling him the planned trip had been cancelled. He is not thought to have received it as he did not have internet access on his phone outside his home wi-fi.

5.42pm: Noah is captured on CCTV passing Daryl Paul outside Queen’s Quarter housing building.

5.57pm: Noah is seen cycling along North Queen Street.

5.59pm: Noah is seen falling from his bike at bottom of North Queen Street.

6.01pm: Noah is seen cycling past the Grove Wellbeing Centre.

6.02pm-6.05pm: A number of sightings of Noah are reported on Northwood Crescent and Northwood Road, and CCTV footage from a property shows him cycling naked on his bike. The last sighting was of Noah going between two homes towards waste ground where the storm drain was located.

6.50pm: A picture of a hand is taken on Noah’s phone. His phone is later found by a member of the public who hands it into the police.

9.44pm: Noah’s mother Fiona reports him missing to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The police response is described as starting during the phone call which ended at 10.10pm with Noah assessed as being of “medium risk”.

– Monday June 22 2020

Search efforts involving police continue overnight with the police air support unit focused on the Cavehill area, and the Community Rescue Service (CRS) are mobilised.

– Wednesday June 24 2020

Police hold a press conference making an appeal for information to help find Noah, highlighting he had potentially suffered a head injury following the witness report that he had fallen from his bike.

As public interest grew in the case huge crowds turned out to try and help with the search for Noah across areas of north Belfast. Police hail a breakthrough after a member of the public handed in Noah’s backpack and his laptop computer.

Meanwhile the PSNI Hazardous Awareness Search (HES) team start searching the storm drain using camera equipment. They report their work being hampered by a “hostile” crowd which had gathered at Linear Park.

– Thursday June 25 2020

The PSNI’s Search and Rescue team divers take over exploring the storm drain tunnels amid continuing search efforts.

– Saturday June 27 2020

9.45am: Police find Noah’s body in the storm drain underneath a Translink depot, more than 600 metres downstream from where he had last been seen in the area of a culvert inlet behind houses at Northwood Road.

Cheryl belted out hits with The Voice co-star Kelly Rowland as they enjoyed a wild night out at a gay bar in Manchester on Tuesday.

The Girls Aloud singer, 43, and Destiny’s Child star, 45, got their groove on at Via in the world-famous Canal Street.

In clips shared on social media, the pair were seen singing and dancing to Cheryl’s hit Fight For This Love and Kelly’s 2010 tune Commander.

Cheryl looked glamorous in a fluorescent pink and green blazer with towering fuchsia high-heels, while accessorising with a statement ‘Love’ necklace.

Meanwhile, Kelly let her hair down as she stunned in a plunging PVC jumpsuit on the dancefloor.

In more clips as the night went on, Cheryl was later seen belting out her songs while putting on an animated display.

The Girls Aloud singer, 43, and Destiny’s Child star, 45, got their groove on at Via in the world-famous Canal Street

Cheryl and Kelly are currently in Manchester filming the new series of The Voice UK.

It was confirmed Cheryl would be joining the show as a judge amid fury over Tom Jones’s axing. 

Cheryl was pictured arriving at the studio in Salford last week to film The Voice’s blind auditions alongside fellow new coach Aitch. 

It has also been confirmed that Stacey Solomon and Alesha Dixon are set to replace Emma Willis as hosts on The Voice UK, after she landed the coveted role as a presenter on Strictly Come Dancing.

This new series of The Voice has been marred in controversy, after it emerged that Tom would not be returning as a coach on the show.

Tom has since insisted it wasn’t his decision to leave and said ITV ‘fired’ him ‘because of a financial difficulty with insurance’.

In a statement confirming the lineup, ITV bosses thanked Tom for his work on the show, saying: ‘ITV would like to thank the irreplaceable Sir Tom Jones for all his years on The Voice UK, and the countless incredible and unforgettable moments he gave the show.

‘He has brought joy to audiences, and to every singer who performed for him and with him.’

In clips shared on social media, the pair were seen singing and dancing to Kelly’s 2010 hit Commander

Cheryl looked glamorous in a fluorescent pink and green blazer with towering fuchsia high-heels, while accessorising with a statement ‘Love’ necklace

In more clips as the night went on, Cheryl was later seen belting out her hit Fight For This Love

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Kelly let her hair down as she stunned in a plunging PVC jumpsuit on the dancefloor

Fellow coach will.i.am, who will remain on the show alongside Kelly Rowland, has vented his fury over Tom’s being dropped from the show, with sources claiming he’s made his feelings known backstage.

Sources have revealed that despite Cheryl and Aitch being welcomed as new additions to the lineup, any excitement on set has been replaced by awkwardness over the row.

A source said that while they normally kick filming off with welcome drinks in a swanky five-star hotel, this year things are different.

‘It’s seriously awkward as will.i.am is furious with how producers have handled things and is making his feelings known behind the scenes.’

They told The Sun: ‘It’s pretty uncomfortable for Cheryl, who is close with Will and has looked up to Kelly all her career.

‘This is her big TV comeback and right now ITV are letting her be the fall guy for taking Sir Tom’s seat. None of this is her fault, it’s been handled atrociously by the bosses.’

The Daily Mail has contacted will.i.am and ITV representatives for comment.

On Tuesday, Tom insisted he ‘did not want to leave The Voice’ in a furious statement hitting out at ITV.

Taking to Instagram, he wrote: ‘To be clear, I did not want to leave The Voice as I love the show and really appreciate the audience. ITV made this decision — obviously a while ago, and I was told just recently.

‘The reason given is because of a financial difficulty with insurance. They now say in the press they wanted to ‘refresh’ the show, and with a new coaching line-up there wouldn’t be a chair for me.’

This new series of The Voice has been mired in controversy, after it emerged that Tom Jones would not be returning. The music legend has insisted it wasn’t his decision to leave

Advertisement

He added that ITV had offered him ‘a much-reduced role where I would make an appearance but without being actually involved from the start, and I’m not thrilled about that.

‘So the only thing I know right now, is that there’s never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who’s still pretty good at his job.’

When contacted by the Daily Mail, an ITV spokesman said: ‘We have loved working with Sir Tom Jones over the past nine years on The Voice UK.

‘While he will no longer be a full-time coach on series 15, we continue to talk to Sir Tom and his team about his involvement in the next series.’

Girls Aloud star and former X Factor judge Cheryl has not been on primetime TV in six years, with her last TV outing seeing her as a dance captain on BBC’s The Greatest Dancer in 2020.

Delays are building on the M56 motorway amid reports of a crash.

All traffic has been stopped on the eastbound side of the motorway this morning (Wednesday, September 16). Traffic is stopped from junction seven for Bowdon to junction six for Hale.

Motorway cameras show queues building up to the incident. In a post on X at 9.50am, National Highways said: “Traffic has been stopped on the M56 eastbound between J7 and J6 due to a multi-vehicle collision. @manairport.

Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter

“Emergency services are en route. There are currently delays of 25 minutes on the approach.”

Follow our live blog below for the latest updates.