England’s players have further T20 camps over the coming weeks, as well as their fitness testing which Edwards introduced after taking over last year – a topic much discussed after criticism during last year’s Ashes but former captain Edwards believes has now been put to bed by improvements.
Around those camps, Bell, whose Hampshire side play Essex on Saturday, and England’s other players, will be made available for the early rounds of the domestic 50-over competition which begins this weekend.
After that they have only six T20s, three against New Zealand and three against India, before their T20 World Cup campaign begins against Sri Lanka on 12 June.
It is nine years since England’s 50-over World Cup victory in 2017, which stands as their last trophy win – a point not lost on Bell.
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“We haven’t won anything in a while and that is not a nice place to be as a team,” she says. “Everyone is motivated to turn it around.”
England’s men are going through their own identity issues following this winter’s Ashes defeat, something the women’s side experienced to a lesser extent after their 16-0 loss in Australia last winter.
Bell was speaking at St Albans Cricket Club as part of the England and Wales Cricket Club’s Get Set Weekend, where volunteers across the country get their club’s ready for the new season.
It will be from clubs like this where the support Bell hopes can make the difference will come.
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“There’s obviously three really big countries – India who are in a great place at the moment, Australia who are really dominant and I guess we have got the home advantage, so who knows,” Bell says.
RAINELLE, W.Va. (AP) — Every month, Rebecca Michalski takes a deep breath before opening her electric bill. She lives on a fixed income, and heating her small house this winter has been staggering: Her February charge was $940.08 — more than her check.
It makes no sense. She turns the lights off during the day and only burns one lamp with an energy-efficient bulb in the living room at night, but she keeps falling further behind on payments. In desperation, she took out a loan after getting a cut-off notice during an extended arctic blast that kept the state’s heaters cranking when temperatures regularly dipped below zero.
“Every time you see that power bill, you’re just sick,” Michalski said, rifling through a stack of statements totaling thousands of dollars. “I already know before I open it. I just dread seeing how much.”
She’s taken to social media, demanding answers alongside thousands of other West Virginians who have been posting screenshots of their monthly charges. They are angry and perplexed over soaring utility costs that are surpassing rents and mortgages in one of the most energy-rich, yet poorest, corners of America, where some families have been forced to choose between paying for food or heat.
“And if it doesn’t work out, you’ll say, ‘Oh well, I voted for him, I still got them down a lot,’” he said. “You will never have had energy so low as you will under a certain gentleman known as Donald J. Trump.”
It hasn’t worked out.
Instead, electricity increased 4.8% in February nationwide and piped natural gas prices rose 10.9%, both compared with a year earlier, according to the Labor Department’s Consumer Price Index. That surpassed inflation even before the attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel sent energy costs ballooning.
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It’s becoming an increasingly aggravating issue for some voters. Rising electricity bills emerged as a campaign issue in recent elections, including during gubernatorial races won by Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia. Cost concerns are expected to surface during midterms this fall, and an analysis by the nonprofit PowerLines found residents are not likely to get a break any time soon because new gas and electricity rate hike requests could affect more than 80 million Americans. An AP-NORC poll conducted in March also found 35% of U.S. adults were “extremely” or “very” concerned about being able to afford electricity in the next few months.
Rebecca Michalski pauses as she talks about electric bills she cannot pay while sitting next to her Chihuahua, Enos, at her home in Rainelle, W.Va., Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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Rebecca Michalski pauses as she talks about electric bills she cannot pay while sitting next to her Chihuahua, Enos, at her home in Rainelle, W.Va., Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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“It’s breaking me. And there’s nothing that can be done for it, unless the president does something,” Michalski said about her skyrocketing power bills, adding she no longer supports Trump. “And I don’t see him doing it. He’s had plenty of time.”
Increased demand, extreme weather and events, upgrading and maintaining aging infrastructure and rising natural gas prices are pushing electricity bills higher. Rising energy costs — including gas pump sticker shock now topping an average $4 per gallon nationally — could further be exacerbated by the war in Iran along with the Trump administration’s push to export higher volumes of liquefied natural gas — which, in turn, depletes domestic supply. Ratepayers are also wary as more power-gobbling data centers for artificial intelligence and cloud computing are being built or warmly embraced by politicians in places like West Virginia — where residents deep in Trump country have gone from having the cheapest electricity rate nationwide in 2005, to experiencing one of the fastest increases in the country, far outpacing the national average, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
All in a place where people are living atop vast deposits of coal, oil and gas.
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King Coal
Coal remains king here, but it wears a pricey crown. The state is an outlier nationwide because of its stubborn resistance to adopting cleaner, cheaper sources of energy, such as nuclear power, natural gas — even though it’s one of the nation’s top producers — and renewables like wind and solar. Instead, West Virginia clings to aging coal-fired electric plants more than anywhere else in the country — about 87% of all production. Its supermajority Republican-led government — there are only 11 Democrats in the House and Senate — has doubled down on this reliance, blaming past Democratic administrations for a war on coal fueled by increased federal regulations and restrictions, while Trump poses for photo ops with coal miners at the White House and regularly touts “beautiful, clean coal.”
“Lowering electricity prices is a top priority for President Trump,” said White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers, blaming former President Joe Biden for the problem. “He is aggressively unleashing reliable energy sources like coal and natural gas.”
Trump has forced unprofitable coal-powered plants to remain open, rolled back pollution standards for them and provided hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to improve them. He’s also streamlined permitting and regulations to push for mining expansion when coal mines have been shutting down in the state, including several operations this year that eliminated more than 700 jobs.
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American Electric Power’s John Amos coal-fired power plant in Winfield, W.Va., stands across the Kanawha River, March 22, 2026. (AP Video/Carolyn Kaster)
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“If you’re not 100% in on coal, then you’re a traitor. … It’s like a measure of patriotism,” said Jamie Van Nostrand, policy director at the nonprofit Future of Heat Initiative and a former West Virginia University professor who wrote a book about the state’s reliance on coal energy. “I think if you went to the average West Virginian and said, ‘Yeah, we understand you want to support the coal industry, but do you want to support it to the extent that you’re OK paying twice as much as you should be for electricity?’”
The state’s average household electricity rate per kilowatt-hour has surged 73%, natural gas has increased 51% per 1,000 cubic feet and water has risen 45% per 1,000 gallons from 2015 to 2025, according to West Virginia’s Public Service Commission, a three-member panel. It includes a former power company lobbyist and the former head of the state coal association — appointed by the governor and charged with approving rate hikes.
Even though monthly bills remain higher in other states, salaries in West Virginia have simply not kept pace — it’s the only place in the country where the median inflation-adjusted household income was lower in 2023 than it was in 1970, according to the Urban Institute. That means residents are seeing larger chunks of their paychecks going to utilities compared to people in other places.
Michalski, who’s disabled and uses a walker to get around, said she tries not to run anything in her house that can suck electricity, including her air conditioning in summer. But she simply can’t turn off the heater. During the past year, her statements totaled over $5,000. She asked family for help paying the bill this winter, but said she’s now out of options.
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She knows what’s next.
“They come and cut off your power. Then you’re sitting in the dark. And I see that happening,” she said. “And I think for a lot of other people, it’s gonna happen too.”
“It only makes the rich richer”
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Ed Tierney, left, and David Horne, struggle to load an overloaded pallet onto a truck at they close up one of two JCD Bargain and Trade stores, to consolidate with the other location, in Ravenswood, W.Va., Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Ed Tierney, left, and David Horne, struggle to load an overloaded pallet onto a truck at they close up one of two JCD Bargain and Trade stores, to consolidate with the other location, in Ravenswood, W.Va., Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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Isolated by its beautiful, rugged mountains, West Virginia sits entirely within Appalachia and has long been listed at the bottom of a laundry list of failings, including poor health and a lack of education. Many residents from rural areas have lived on the same land for generations, watching a cycle of outside companies profit from extracting the state’s resources — from timber to coal and oil and gas — only to pollute and abandon communities afterward. Its people are known for being fiercely independent and proud despite their hardships, including a lack of clean drinking water that has persisted for decades in some areas, forcing residents in the southern coal fields to ferry jugs to and from roadside springs or abandoned mines while spending up to $250 a month for bottled water to cook with and drink. They also pay for public water piped into their homes that often runs black, yellow and brown.
Some, including those living in scenic areas where tourism is a major revenue driver, are protesting Big Tech companies rushing to build enormous data centers, fearing they could lead to the next cycle of outsiders taking advantage of the state’s resources. They have been loud over a lack of public input and transparency around plans to build the complexes, questioning noise pollution, huge water consumption and the effect on ratepayers’ electricity prices.
“We just roll back regulations and we keep being promised that deregulating and privatizing our systems is gonna fix everything, and it never does,” said Caitlin Ware, a pastor who advocates for clean water in southern West Virginia — her thoughts briefly interrupted as the electricity abruptly went off in her Sandyville United Methodist Church. “It only makes the rich richer, and it only puts us in a worse situation.”
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In February, Gov. Patrick Morrisey proudly announced plans to build a data center on nearly 550 acres in Berkeley County.
“This $4 billion investment is a historic win that proves West Virginia can compete at the highest level for the global tech economy,” he said in a statement. It did not explain where the water or electricity would come from to run the 600 megawatt, 1.9 million square foot facility.
Morrisey’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Skyrocketing electricity costs and the growth of data centers, which can use enough power to run 100,000 homes, faced voter backlash in Georgia last fall where Democrats ousted two Republicans on the state’s utility regulatory commission for the first time in nearly two decades. Trump recently tried to ease Americans’ concerns by announcing a “ratepayer protection” pledge at the White House with Big Tech companies promising to bear the cost and produce their own energy, though it’s not clear how that would be enforced.
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The reasons behind nationwide utility price hikes are complex and vary among regions. They include adding new transmission, distribution lines and power poles; increased brutal high and low temperatures; extreme weather events such as hurricanes and wildfires; and volatility in fuel costs such as surging gas prices during the war in Ukraine.
These all play a huge role in rising bills that have left some 80 million Americans struggling to pay their monthly gas and electric bills, said Charles Hua, founder of consumer advocacy organization PowerLines that found investor-owned gas and electric utility companies asked for nearly $31 billion in increases last year nationwide, double the amount requested a year earlier. He said utility costs have become the new affordability issue akin to soaring egg prices that previously enraged consumers, making it a possible player in this fall’s elections to control Congress.
“Electric bills have gone up 40% over the last five years,” he said. “This is likely to continue to rise. This is definitely something that the Trump administration and President Trump are very concerned about.”
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Ashley Nicole Dixon looks through her truck for electric bills outside one of her homes in Danese, W.Va., Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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Ashley Nicole Dixon looks through her truck for electric bills outside one of her homes in Danese, W.Va., Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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In West Virginia, all 55 counties voted for Trump in 2024. But it was a Democratic stronghold for decades prior to the switch when coal mines were the lifeblood, and unions were virtually unbreakable. The state has struggled immensely under both parties: It has experienced a major brain drain, a devastating opioid epidemic, a growing elderly population and its coveted coal industry jobs have dried up with nothing to replace them. That leaves people who work minimum wage jobs, those on fixed incomes and even college-educated middle-class families with two paychecks being pushed to the breaking point with affordability issues, including rising car insurance, grocery bills, health care and housing.
Ashley Nicole Dixon of Danese works as a manager at a Dollar General store and has a teenage daughter at home and another in college. She flipped through bills on her phone totaling more than $5,000 charged last year for electricity in her house that’s just over 1,000 square feet, even though her air conditioner didn’t work last summer. She voted for Trump, but said she’s done with him because he and other Republican politicians in West Virginia’s Capitol aren’t looking out for her interests.
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“I love West Virginia because it’s beautiful. But anymore, it’s just a sham from the local government all the way up to Charleston,” she said, adding she believes the state’s Public Service Commission should be elected, and Trump should send her a check since he promised to cut electricity bills in half.
“I have no choice. It has to be paid,” she said. “And that’s what makes me sick because now I’m going to have to go … take more money out of my savings account just to keep the lights on.”
“Why is this so high?”
The coldest winter months were the hardest. Some people confined themselves to one room with small space heaters or used generators when they got behind on their electricity bills and were disconnected. Others were forced to choose between food, medicine and warmth, with some turning their thermostats down to 60 degrees and bundling up or coming out of retirement to take part-time jobs.
For some, the spiral began in November when their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits were put on hold due to the federal government shutdown. United Way’s Central West Virginia helpline saw more than a 1,300% increase during that time, and calls for help paying utilities were second only to housing last year.
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Retired railroad worker and Army veteran Charles “Duke” Hodge watches old Westerns with Sophie, one of his two Yorkies, in his home at the Olde Oak RV Park and Campground where he lives and works in West Columbia, W.Va., Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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Retired railroad worker and Army veteran Charles “Duke” Hodge watches old Westerns with Sophie, one of his two Yorkies, in his home at the Olde Oak RV Park and Campground where he lives and works in West Columbia, W.Va., Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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More than one in three West Virginia households is considered energy burdened, spending more than 6% of their income on electricity and other fuel costs. Of those, about 20% are low-income residents who shoulder some of the highest energy costs in the state.
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Last year, Trump fired the staff of a federal program that assists millions of low-income Americans with heating bills in the winter and proposed eliminating all of its funding in his budget — a move repeated this year. Congress allocated money for it, but billions of dollars were delayed due to the shutdown. However, many West Virginians falling behind on bills are not eligible to apply because they make just a little too much money.
Jennifer Brown of Kingwood lands in that category. She’s employed at West Virginia’s federally funded Head Start program for low-income children and her husband is a postal worker. They have four kids and during the winter months, their combined utilities can climb to $1,000 a month, eclipsing their $798 mortgage. They were on a payment plan for their gas this winter after receiving a shut-off notice, and she said they were still paying off a water bill from their previous home.
“Every month we get our utility bills, I’m so angry. I’m like, ‘Why is this so high?’” she said, adding it’s not unusual to pay $200 to $300 for electricity and the same for water, sewage and garbage combined every month. “And we can’t figure it out. Nothing seems to be wrong … and we’re not wasteful.”
Bills introduced that would have temporarily frozen electricity rates in West Virginia or helped those who are most vulnerable went nowhere this year in the state legislature even though increased energy costs are often passed on to ratepayers. The Public Service Commission has approved a flurry of rate hikes in recent years as private utilities grapple with maintaining profits while improving infrastructure in a mountainous, sparsely populated state.
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The town of Ravenswood, W. Va. (AP Video/Jesse Wardarski)
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It’s been a particularly tough burden for some small businesses to carry. In the western town of Ravenswood, just across the river from Ohio, some shop owners were forced to shut down this winter because they couldn’t pay their electric bills.
Heather Santee said the power at her bakery was abruptly terminated just ahead of Valentine’s Day. She was behind on her bill, but said she would have been able to pay the necessary chunk of the $4,000 she owed if she could have stayed open long enough to fulfill the holiday orders. Instead, the shut-off forced her out, leaving the tenants living in apartments upstairs without heat too.
“Once I started getting those high electric bills in the winter, I was like, ‘This will be what closes me down,’” she said, adding the bakery was her dream and the loss has her thinking maybe it would be better to just leave the state altogether. “West Virginia is holding back a lot of people because they are allowing these bills to be so high.”
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She’s not alone. Just a couple blocks down the street, Anthony Crihfield Jones packed up his overstock retail shop, JCD Bargain and Trade, moving inventory to another warehouse because he can no longer afford to pay thousands of dollars in electricity charges for his home and businesses.
Anthony Crihfield Jones wipes tears outside his JCD Bargain and Trade store near Ripley, W.Va., Friday, March 13, 2026, as he closed his other nearby location to consolidate his businesses under one roof due to high electric bills. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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Anthony Crihfield Jones wipes tears outside his JCD Bargain and Trade store near Ripley, W.Va., Friday, March 13, 2026, as he closed his other nearby location to consolidate his businesses under one roof due to high electric bills. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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Even though he still supports Trump, after leaving the Democrats to vote Republican, he’s becoming increasingly concerned that neither party cares about struggling people in America.
“All I heard was … ‘Drill, baby, drill,’” he said, repeating Trump’s popular catch phrase to encourage domestic energy production. “OK. Well, they’re drillin’. Why’s my bill the same?”
Crucially, this version of the show is pre-recorded (aside from the final, which will be filmed live in London), meaning the format of the episodes differs from the traditional series.
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Not only is there no public voting, but the decision on how each episode will end is entirely in the hands of the producers, which has caused rumblings of discontent among fans.
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The first night ended with the tease of the GC’s highly anticipated arrival, and the second concluded halfway through the eating trial before Gemma and Craig were challenged with downing thirty shots of bull’s blood.
Now, the latest entry has followed the same pattern, wrapping up during a trial where Seann Walsh and Sinitta were wearing perspex helmets with snakes in them.
Sinitta and Seann Walsh were left writhing in horror at the end of the episode (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
Before we could find out if their respective teams had done enough for them to escape with the win, the credits started rolling.
Now fans are sharing their frustration at the annoying habit, with fears the trend will continue for the whole season.
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‘Are we heading for another infuriating cliffhanger finish?’ educational_two1168 wrote on Reddit.
‘These cliffhangers aren’t a good decision, does anyone really care what camp gets dinner?’ moonserin reflected.
‘If they keep ending the show on a trial cliffhanger I am going to riot in the streets. There’s actually nothing more annoying…’ DaMoonMoonMore echoed.
The night before had ended before the eating trial was over (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
‘Utterly unnecessary cliffhanger. Fellas we’re watching the show RIGHT NOW stop worrying about getting an extra 30 seconds of trial at the start of every show it’s gonna just p**s the people actually watching off,’ LiamJonsano warned.
‘It’s one thing to cliffhanger and it’s another to end the episode really early just to cliffhanger. That’s not gonna make people watch, that’s gonna put people off.
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‘Why watch the trial when you can watch the first 5 minutes and see the conclusion?’ stormflier agreed.
‘Another cliffhanger, oh how original,’ thothYnwa shared.
It’s even risking losing viewers, as Charles Love wrote: ‘Won’t be watching tomorrow, as someone previously said, it’s not a soap! Should be a proper episode without the unnecessary cliffhanger.’
For those keen to immerse themselves in the live format of the show, there is an opportunity to attend the final in person as advertised on the free ticket website Applause Store.
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The final, at least, will be live (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
‘You are invited to join Ant and Dec as the celebrities gather for one last night to find out who will be crowned the ‘I’m a Celebrity Legend’ 2026!’ the advertisement states.
‘All the finalists will be in the studio, and the atmosphere promises to be truly electric as the result is revealed live on ITV1.’
The rest of the show, filmed last year, is set in the world-renowned Kruger National Park.
I’m A Celebrity South Africa returns tonight at 9pm on ITV1.
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If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
The UK has issued a stark warning to Vladimir Putin after Russian attack and spy submarines were found operating in the North Atlantic.
Defence secretary John Healey revealed UK and allies monitored the vessels for a month before they retreated.
Speaking from Downing Street on Thursday, he said that in the past few weeks, while many eyes were trained on the Middle East crisis, the UK, in partnership with Norway and other allies, responded to “increased Russian activity” in the Atlantic north of the UK.
Addressing the Russian president directly, Mr Healey said: “We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.”
Black Sea fleet frigate Admiral Grigorovich is said to have accompanied a pair of shadow fleet ships on Wednesday, which were followed by a British naval vessel.
According to the newspaper, the vessel observed the flotilla off England’s south coast while RFA Tideforce, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker, was in their wake.
It comes after the prime minister last month said that the Navy will intercept Russia’s shadow fleet. The armed forces and British law enforcement are now able to board and halt sanctioned vessels that are passing through UK waters.
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Sir Keir’s announcement came in conjunction with European allies in an attempt to cut off funding for Moscow’s war with Ukraine,
It is understood that Russia’s shadow fleet consists of approximately 700 vessels, carrying around 40 per cent of all Russian oil exports. The UK has sanctioned 544 Russian shadow fleet vessels to date.
They illicitly ship oil and other goods out of Russia by flying the flags of other countries, with the aim of evading sanctions imposed by the West since the invasion of Ukraine began.
The foreign secretary said on Thursday that the government has given permission for action to be taken against the Russian shadow fleet but would not comment on the details of military operations.
Those genocidal remarks sparked widespread horror.
The government did not respond to the shocking remarks at the time and a subsequent ceasefire deal luckily meant Trump did not escalate any further tensions with Iran.
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But on Thursday, foreign secretary Yvette Cooper suggested Trump had gone too far.
She told Sky News: “We take a different view from the US on issues, and it is possible for us to be strong, close partners on a whole range of issues, but also to take different decisions on issues.
“I think that the rhetoric that we’ve seen used, I think, has been completely wrong. I think that sort of escalatory rhetoric can have escalatory consequences.”
She also called for a clear line to be drawn between the Iranian regime and the general population.
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She said: “More significantly, we should always distinguish between this malign Iranian regime that we have seen threaten its neighbours over a long time, and the people of Iran, many of whom have been brutally repressed by this Iranian regime.”
The cabinet minister hit out at Israel’s strikes against Lebanon too, which took place after the ceasefire deal was agreed.
She split with the US by saying Britain wants the ceasefire extended to cover Lebanon.
“We’ve seen the mass displacement of civilians in Lebanon with significant humanitarian consequences,” she said.
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“This escalation in damaging, it’s wrong… we want the ceasefire extended to cover Lebanon.”
Meanwhile, US vice-president JD Vance insisted it was a “misunderstanding” and that Lebanon had never been part of the US-Israel agreement with Iran.
Cooper’s words come amid a widening gulf between the UK and the US over the Iran war.
Trump has frequently lambasted Britain for not joining in with his offensive, even comparing UK prime minister Keir Starmer to Neville Chamberlain who championed the Nazi appeasement policy before World War 2.
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The PM hit back on Wednesday, by suggesting the Iran conflict broke international law and was started with no plan on how to end it.
Starmer said: “I’ve acted as you would expect of a British prime minister, which is by being absolutely focused on what is our national interest, and that’s why I’ve applied my principles and my values throughout.
“And my principles and values made sure that our decisions were that we wouldn’t get involved in the action without a lawful basis, without a viable, thought-through plan.”
Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
As part of the campaign, donations of £25 or more will be rewarded with a limited-edition pin badge featuring exclusive artwork of Bridge 42.
The bridge is the vital structure that allows trains to run from Grosmont to Whitby, without which the NYMR cannot operate its full heritage route from Pickering to Whitby.
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway has launched a fundraising campaign to help save Bridge 42 (Image: Supplied)
Laura Strangeway, CEO at the NYMR, said: “Bridge 42 is absolutely essential to the future of the railway.
“This campaign is an affordable way for people to feel part of saving something that really matters.
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“Every donation takes us one step closer to the full repair of the bridge, and we’re hugely grateful to everyone who chooses to support us.
“We are so thankful to David for getting in touch and volunteering his time and expertise to help save Bridge 42, without which we cannot run to Grosmont and Whitby.
“It’s great to be working with a Yorkshire artist and for our supporters to be able to purchase these stunning limited-edition prints and be part of our story to save Bridge 42.”
Repairs to Bridge 42 are estimated to cost around £800,000.
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A total of £215,000 has already been raised, but further support is needed to reach the fundraising goal.
Leeds-based printmaker David Cockayne has also donated his skills to the campaign.
His linocut artwork, which focuses on industrial heritage, architecture, and the relationship between built environments and landscape, will be featured in limited-edition prints.
These will soon be available for purchase in shops along the NYMR line and online.
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After seeing news of the fundraiser, Mr Cockayne got in touch to offer his services to raise funds.
Following detailed inspections, it was determined that temporary propping is necessary to guarantee safety and operational reliability.
This measure will allow trains to continue crossing Bridge 42 throughout the 2026 season.
During this time, NYMR will finalise a full repair programme, scheduled for implementation over the winter of 2026/27.
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To support the campaign or learn more, visit nymr.co.uk/bridge42.
A total of 13 people were arrested after the protests
Protests at an RAF base near Cambridgeshire saw 13 people arrested. A protest took place outside RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk on Tuesday (April 7).
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Suffolk Police were called to the protest at around 6am on Tuesday with reports of protestors “locking on”, meaning they attached themselves to people or objects. Officers arrested 13 people for locking on, as well as attempted locking on, obstruction, causing a public nuisance, and one possession of a class B drug.
Seven people have since been charged, with five granted police bail and one released under investigation. The following people have been charged:
Virginia Herbert, 78, of Cholsey, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, charged with attempted locking on;
Marie Walsh, 69, of Warner Crescent, Didcot, Oxfordshire, charged with locking on;
Eris H’Aitch, 51, of Shipden Avenue, Cromer, Norfolk, charged with locking on;
Mohammed Patel, 76, of Linnyshaw Close, Bolton, Greater Manchester, charged with locking on;
Rajal Naidu, 75, of Gosford Street, Birmingham, charged with obstructing entrance to the base;
David Thorpe, 60, of Barnbrook Road, Sarisbury Green, Southampton, charged with locking on;
Ammaarah Sidat, 24, of Alexandra Close, Clayton le Moors, Accrington, Lancashire, charged with locking on.
All seven people facing charges will appear at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on June 12.
“Unfortunately, the mortgage mayhem caused by the unrest in the Middle East led to a flurry of rate hikes by lenders throughout March. Lenders also pulled deals from sale, some temporarily, but it led to an overall reduction of 17% in product choice within the space of a month.”
The comfortable Skechers women’s sandals have been reduced from £54 to £37 as the nation prepares for warmer weather
Emily Sleight Affiliate Content Editor
10:44, 09 Apr 2026
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
A comfortable pair of sandals is a must-have addition to your spring and summer wardrobe, and Amazon has currently reduced the price on a popular Skechers style. The Skechers Women’s Go Walk Flex Sandal Sublime, originally retailing at £54, has been discounted to £37.05, in the taupe textile and navy textile colourways. The level of comfort they offer has been likened to “wearing slippers” and they are available in sizes 2 to 10, with many sizes coming with a wide-fit option.
It sounds like a good deal to us, especially as the summer will be with us soon and comfortable sandals are essential for warmer weather and holidays, especially when heading to the beach or exploring a new city. Please be aware that pricing varies across different colours and sizes, and is subject to change.
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One holidaymaker was particularly delighted with her Skechers sandals, saying: “I’ve now been to Greece for a week, worn them every day, including a 10-mile hike in 35°C, absolutely magnificent, rubbed nowhere, not a blister to be seen.”
“Ridiculously comfy. So chuffed.”
The complete product description states: “Skechers Women’s GO WALK Flex sandals are lightweight, breathable, and highly cushioned walking shoes designed for maximum comfort and convenience. Key features include breathable mesh uppers, responsive ULTRA GO cushioning, Flex Pillars for stability, and many models feature Hands Free Slip-ins technology with a supportive Heel Pillow.”
Shop the Skechers Women’s Go Walk Flex Sandal Sublime
The Skechers sandals come in taupe, black, sage, navy, light blue and mauve. They range from size 2 up to 10 and most sizes are available as a wide fit.
Features of the sandals include:
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River sandal design with adjustable ankle strap
Flexible traction outsole
Lightweight, responsive ultra go cushioning
Contoured goga mat (responsive cushioning) comfort footbed
It is worth mentioning that a number of reviewers on Amazon advised potential buyers to size down to find the perfect fit.
Returning to the Skechers sandals reviews, one customer commented: “Really comfortable, perfect for long summer walks. The range of sizes meant I could find the perfect fit. Great quality too.”
A second customer wrote: “This is my second pair of these sandals, they are so comfortable to walk in and they’re very light. Straps are easy to adjust, they look good on (go well with jeans) and they give me good arch support.”
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A third enthusiast commented: “Items arrived promptly, my wife loves them. Roll on summer.”
A fourth buyer remarked: “Very comfortable. Like wearing slippers.”
However, it’s worth noting that several customers reported sizing concerns. One review highlighted this issue, stating: “Bought my usual size five but they were enormous.
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“More like a size six. Definitely need to downsize. Returned and received a refund.”
The ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran is in a tough spot (Pictures: Getty/Reuters/AP)
The US and Iran both claimed victory after reaching a fragile ceasefire, even as more drones and missiles hit Iran and Gulf Arab countries yesterday.
The US president said he would suspend his threats to end an ‘entire civilisation’ if Iran agreed to reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz waterway, and a tentative ceasefire was then reached.
Yet, the agreement is already hitting roadblocks. Iran appears to have closed the Strait of Hormuz, after US leaders claimed it had been reopened as part of the ceasefire.
Key issues for both nations remain unresolved, including the scope of the truce, Iran’s rights to nuclear enrichment and ballistic missiles, as well as access to the Strait of Hormuz.
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Dr Katayoun Shahandeh, of SOAS, University of London, told Metro the ceasefire is more fragile than it is secure.
‘It may hold in the very short term because all sides have reasons to pause, but it is not yet a stable settlement,’ she said.
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Why did Israel attack Lebanon, and is it a breach of the ceasefire?
182 people were killed yesterday in Lebanon by Israeli strikes (Picture: AFP)
The elephant in the room is the continued Israeli strikes into Lebanon.
Israel has intensified attacks in Lebanon, killing at least 182 people in the highest single-day death toll in the Israel-Hezbollah war, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
‘There seem to be conflicting messages over whether Lebanon is covered, which is exactly the kind of ambiguity that can unravel a deal fast. There is also a growing divergence between U.S. and Israeli objectives,’ Dr Shahandeh said.
Washington has declared the ceasefire as a ‘victory’, Dr Shahandeh said, but Israel’s current posture points towards a continued military campaign, rather than a diplomatic resolution.
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‘There is a real fear that this is not peace so much as a pause, as it is a chance for Washington and its allies to regroup and, if talks fail, strike harder. That may not be the stated intention, but it is one plausible reading of a ceasefire whose terms remain contested and whose basic points of agreement still seem very far apart,’ she said.
‘Already, it does not look as though all sides are fully adhering to it.’
What happens if the ceasefire conditions are broken?
Only two vessels have travelled through the Strait (Picture: Getty)
If the ceasefire is broken, Trump would have a few options – but would likely begin with escalation in strikes and potentially putting US troops on the ground in Iran.
‘Trump has said U.S. military ships and aircraft will remain around Iran and that if Tehran does not comply, the “shootin’ starts” again,’ Dr Shahandeh explained.
‘The most likely U.S. response would be renewed strikes, more coercive pressure over Hormuz, and an attempt to force Iran into harsher terms from a position of overwhelming military superiority. But that would deepen the bind he is already in: walking away risks looking weak, while escalating further risks a more unpopular and expensive war.’
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Dr Bamo Nouri, senior lecturer in International Relations at the University of West London, told Metro: ‘If it breaks, Trump has already signalled a return to coercive escalation – maintaining US forces in the region, increasing military pressure, and potentially authorising further strikes to restore deterrence.
Iran’s options if the ceasefire is broken are different. Despite sustaining heavy damage, the country has retained power over the Strait of Hormuz and could easily resume missile and drone attacks and pressure on global shipping.
Israeli strikes have continued to pummel Lebanon and raised questions of if Israel violated the truce (Picture: Reuters)
As for Israel, the option is to continue its air strikes in both Iran and Lebanon if it believes the ceasefire to be broken.
‘Israel, for its part, is likely to be the least patient actor, having already signalled readiness to resume high-intensity operations if it judges the ceasefire to be constraining its strategic objectives,’ Dr Nouri said.
Despite agreeing to suspend its bombing campaign in Iran, the US and Israel differ on their positions as to whether the ceasefire stretches to Lebanon, where Israel argues it is striking Iranian-backed Hezbollah groups.
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‘Israel agreed to suspend its bombing campaign on Iran, but that U.S. and Israeli positions differ sharply from Iran’s (and Pakistan who brokered the deal) over whether Lebanon is part of the ceasefire framework.
‘That means Israel could become the most immediate trigger for collapse if it continues treating other theatres as separate while Iran treats them as linked,’ Dr Shahandeh said.
What happens next?
The most likely U.S. response to breaking the ceasefire would be renewed strikes (Picture: Getty)
It’s hard to say. Iran, Israel and the United States are not operating from a shared understanding of what’s been agreed in the ceasefire agreement.
Dr Nouri explained: ‘The US frames it around limiting Iran’s nuclear activity and securing maritime stability in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran insists on its enrichment rights and links the deal to broader regional conditions, including Israeli operations in Lebanon.’
In order for the ceasefire to hold, the three countries must quickly clarify terms to stop any misunderstandings.
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‘Without a quickly accepted framework, this ceasefire becomes a short-lived bargaining interval rather than a stable resolution, with all sides already preparing for renewed escalation,’ Dr Nouri said.
Dr Shahandeh believes three things need to happen for the ceasefire to hold.
‘The parties need clear written terms, not just public declarations: what is covered geographically, what counts as a violation, and who verifies compliance,’ she said.
‘Second, there has to be a practical de-escalation mechanism around Hormuz, because Reuters reports there is still little sign that the Strait is operating normally, and Iran is still asserting control there.
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‘Third, the ceasefire must become a political process, not just a pause in bombing. The ceasefire can hold, but only as a bridge to a more detailed agreement. If it remains vague, it is unlikely to last.’
Thousands of people in north-east Glasgow are expected to hear loud sirens on Thursday morning as part of a routine test carried out by a nearby gas works site
10:17, 09 Apr 2026Updated 10:24, 09 Apr 2026
Thousands of Scots have been warned that they may hear sirens blaring today.
Residents living in north-east Glasgow are likely to hear the loud alarms as part of a routine test at a nearby gas works site. The alarm will sound at 10am on Thursday morning and is expected to last for an hour.
SGN, a gas network company, said it will carry out the test at its liquefied natural gas (LNG) site on Blochairn Road in Provan. During the test, “warning” and “all-clear” sirens will be activated several times, the firm said.
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SGN spokesperson Dan Brown said: “We carry out these tests every six months because the safety of the Provan community is really important to us.
“While the test scheduled at 10am on Thursday 9 April is routine and nothing to be concerned about, it’s important nearby residents and businesses are familiar with the sound of the siren and know what they need to do in case a real incident ever takes place.”
The firm carries out the exercise every six months and notifies residents and businesses in advance. The test is required under the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations 2015.
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