“I just hope that the folks up on the hill will provide the finances to push this forward”
An integrated Lisburn school is set for a major redevelopment with a “doorway to the community” pledged at its new facilities.
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Forthill College will now undergo construction of a new post-primary and primary school as well as a nursery unit with sustainable travel as a key element of the designs.
Agent for the applicant, Chris Byrson said: “Traffic around schools is just one of those things. This proposal will look to encourage more pedestrian use and traffic safety.
“It will encourage sustainable travel with 116 bicycle spaces as well as a dedicated drop off point for parents. Continuing education during the demolition and construction periods will be quite a challenge.
“It will be a matter of managing the accommodation of pupils around that time.
“There is some room to play with. This is a working document, so we might have to shift a few things around.”
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School principal Colin Millar added: “When I was first interviewed for a teaching position at the school 10 years ago, the principal at the time talked about the plans to build the new school.
“I would, however, hesitate to say we can expand the school capacity as the numbers would be capped.
“There is very limited space on site, but the provision of education will have better quality surroundings and the community will also benefit from its use, which at the moment we cannot offer. The new school will provide a doorway to the community.”
A council officer alluded to the current school having been built in the “1960s” with the plans providing a new “21st century building” as well a new playing pitches to be accessed by the local community for sports activities.
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Lisburn North UUP councillor Nicholas Trimble said: “I have no hesitation in voting for this. I will though have to go home and tell my wife our old school’s days are numbered.”
Lisburn North SDLP councillor Pat Catney added: “It has been a long time of over 10 years for this school to be built.
“The people of Lisburn North have a serious need for a school they are entitled to and to be brought up to modern standards as at the moment it is cramped.”
Downshire West Alliance Alderman Owen Gawith said: “I absolutely couldn’t find any cons with this application, but plenty of pros.”
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Downshire West UUP councillor Alan Martin added: “This will be good for the city of Lisburn. I just hope that the folks up on the hill (Stormont) will provide the finances to push this forward.”
The change means certain models of the company’s Kindles will no longer be able to purchase, borrow, or download new content from the store.
The affected devices were introduced between the years of 2007 and 2012, with the move coming due to technology advancing since then.
Amazon has said it is offering affected customers money off select new Kindle devices as well as store credit after purchasing a newer model.
Amazon ending support for old Kindle devices in coming weeks
There are 13 affected Kindle devices in total that support is ending for, all of which were introduced between 2007 and 2012, and have been supported since.
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Affected customers received an email from Amazon if they are affected, with a promotional code to switch to newer models and next steps.
The full list of models affected is:
Kindle 1st Generation (2007)
Kindle 2nd Generation (2009)
Kindle DX and DX Graphite (2009 and 2010)
Kindle Keyboard (2010)
Kindle 4 (2011)
Kindle Touch (2011)
Kindle 5 (2012)
Kindle Paperwhite 1st Generation (2012)
Kindle Fire 1st Gen (2011)
Kindle Fire 2nd Gen (2012)
Kindle Fire HD 7 (2012)
Kindle Fire HD 8.9 (2012)
Kindles remain popular with customers who enjoy reading e-books (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
For Kindle Fire tablets, only Kindle purchasing and downloading is affected, with other Amazon services on Fire tablets remaining fully functional.
Customers’ accounts and Kindle Library remain fully accessible, and they can continue reading previously downloaded books on these devices and can access their entire Kindle library on Kindle for Web, the free Kindle app for Android, iOS, Mac, and PC, or on newer devices.
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An Amazon spokesperson told Newsquest: “Starting May, 20, 2026, customers using Kindle and Kindle Fire devices released in 2012 and earlier will no longer be able to purchase, borrow, or download new content via the Kindle Store.
“These models have been supported for at least 14 years—some as long as 18 years—but technology has come a long way in that time, and these devices will no longer be supported moving forward.
“We are notifying those still actively using them and offering promotions to help with the transition to newer devices.
“Their accounts and Kindle Library also remain fully accessible through the free Kindle app and Kindle for Web.”
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What to do if you have an old Kindle as support for devices ends
Customers can use Amazon’s recycling program if they no longer want to hold onto an affected device.
Amazon recommends that to dispose of electrical or electronic equipment, you donate the unwanted item to a charitable organisation, if it still works, or recycle it.
More information can be found online on how to do this.
Amazon is also offering a promotional code for 20% off select new Kindle devices as well as a £15 eBook credit that will be automatically added to your account after purchasing a new device.
This is valid through to June 20, 2026 (terms and conditions apply).
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Amazon said its newer Kindle devices bring improvements in screen quality, performance and accessibility, and customers will have access to their complete Kindle library and the Kindle Store.
You can also continue to read all your books on our free Kindle apps (Android, iOS, Mac, and PC) and Kindle for Web.
For any questions or assistance, visit the help page.
Launched just over six years ago, it was designed to give hands-free voice control over Fire TV-compatible streaming devices, such as Fire Sticks and Echo smart speakers.
Recommended reading:
It was to aid customers who may have older TVs and soundbars by allowing them to control them with their voice.
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However, due to newer HDMI-CEC technology and the further evolution of Amazon’s Fire TV product lineup, the need for the product has dwindled.
Do you still use any of the old Kindle models that are affected by the change? Let us know in the comments.
Among those, awareness group Holocaust Awareness Ireland, said on social media that the host showed “a singular lack of empathy when speaking about Jews” and asked if he had been “corrupted” by what it described as “the RTE hive mind where the narrative around the issue of Israel and Jews is disturbingly unbalanced.”
Kirsteen Maclean was spotted putting stolen drugs in a plastic bag while colleagues were locking up the Elgin store.
14:55, 04 May 2026Updated 14:57, 04 May 2026
A pharmacy worker has been sacked after she was caught stealing opioids valued at less than £6.
Kirsteen Maclean was nabbed after a colleague saw her putting the drugs into a plastic bag as workers at Boots’ Elgin branch were locking up for the night.
The 33-year-old was witnessed scrunching up a carrier bag in her hand as the store was closing.
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The thief then claimed she needed to nip back inside to get ‘documents and notebooks’.
However, CCTV captured her stealing a box of dihydrocodeine from a drug dispensary and hiding them in the bag, reports the Press and Journal.
It later emerged the drugs were worth just £5.75.
Maclean, who was suspended after Boots bosses reviewed the footage, admitted the theft at Elgin Sheriff Court and blamed a “dependency” on prescription drugs.
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Defence solicitor Megan Lee told the court her client had “lost her career and reputation” and was “deeply ashamed” of her actions after spending years studying for a career in the field.
Sheriff Pasportnikov said Maclean had thrown years of work “out the window” for her drug addiction.
It’s fair to say that nights out in Bolton were once legendary, with iconic clubs, bars and scenes that live long in the memory.
Nights out in Bolton (Image: NQ)
This week, we’re continuing that trip down memory lane with more archive photographs — this time shining a spotlight on The Ritz nightclub during the 1990s, alongside images capturing revellers braving winter nights out, whatever the weather.
Jason Donovan at Ritzy’s nightclub in 1989 (Image: NQ)
The Ritzy was part of a clubbing culture which has all but died in Greater Manchester’s towns and cities. With stricter licensing laws in play until the late 90s all pubs closed at 11pm with clubs such as Ritzy then becoming the ‘only show in town’ for those wanting to carry on the party or go dancing.
Nights out in Bolton (Image: NQ)
It was once well known to a generation of clubbers for its sticky carpets, round the block queues and massive dancefloor.
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Neighbours star Jason Donovan, who the month before, had topped the charts with his first number one single Too Many Broken Hearts performed live at Ritzy’s nightclub in 1989.
The event was a complete sell-out with hundreds of fans left disappointed they could not get their hands on a ticket.
Sir David Attenborough attended Clare College at the University of Cambridge
Laura Harding, PA and Hunni Haynes Trainee multimedia reporter
13:30, 04 May 2026
National treasure Sir David Attenborough is approaching his 100th birthday this week. The UK’s favourite wildlife narrator has had a lifetime of success in educating millions worldwide about the natural world.
Sir David Attenborough has inspired generations to learn more about the world, bringing adventure and wonder, dinosaurs and polar bears, into the homes of millions of television viewers. The renowned naturalist, who will turn 100 years old on Friday, May 8, has brought ground-breaking programmes to the world such as Planet Earth and Blue Planet.
Sir David was born on May 8, 1926, and his interest in nature started as a child when he collected fossils. He went on to gain a Natural Sciences degree from Clare College in Cambridge, after attending Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester.
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The legend even had a building in Cambridge named after him: the David Attenborough building. The building lies in the centre of the city and was opened in 2015. Although Sir David has travelled across the globe during his career, we in Cambridge still pride ourselves on his time in the city.
He served in the Royal Navy from 1947 to 1949 before joining the BBC but was initially discouraged from appearing on screen because his bosses reportedly thought his teeth were too big. Despite their dental misgivings, his reputation was cemented when his Zoo Quest series was launched in 1954.
Sir David has proven to be as brave and imaginative as he is warm and conscientious over the years. It is estimated that 500 million people worldwide watched his incredibly successful 13-part series, Life On Earth, which was regarded as the most ambitious series ever produced by the BBC Natural History Unit.
Five years later came the sequel, The Living Planet, in 1984 followed by the final part of this trilogy, The Trials Of Life. In 2001 he narrated The Blue Planet, followed by The Life of Mammals in 2002.
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Life in the Undergrowth came in 2005, followed by the ground-breaking Planet Earth in 2006. It was the most expensive nature documentary series ever commissioned by the BBC, and the first to be filmed in high definition.
In 2019, Sir David made his first major series for Netflix, Our Planet, which explored Earth’s habitats, biodiversity, and the impact of climate change on all living creatures. Sir David writes his own scripts and won a major literary prize for his book The Life Of Birds before the series even screened.
Even as he approaches his 100th birthday, he is a regular fixture on television. Sir David, a trustee of the British Museum, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and president of the Royal Society for Nature Conservation, was knighted in 1985.
Emergency services were called to Whitson Road in Edinburgh on Monday morning.
A fire has ripped through a top-floor flat in Edinburgh.
The alarm was raised at a block of flats on Whitson Road in the Balgreen area of the capital after a fire broke out at around 10.45am on Monday, May 4.
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A major response saw three fire crews, police and teams from the Scottish Ambulance Service drafted in. Residents were evacuated and the residential street has been locked down.
Images taken at the scene show a top-floor window at the property charred black with soot. Fire hoses can be seen lying around the garden as fire fighters continue to tackle the blaze.
One person has been transferred into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service. Their injuries are unknown.
A fire response has since been scaled back after crews brought the flames under control.
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A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 10.46am on Monday, 4 May, to reports of a dwelling fire on Whitson Road, Edinburgh.
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“Operations Control mobilised three fire appliances and a number of specialist resources to extinguish a fire affecting a top floor flat.
“One casualty has been taken into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service.
“Two appliances remain at the scene.”
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Emergency services are in attendance following a fire at a block of flats in the Whitson Road area of Edinburgh, which was reported around 10.45am on Monday, May 4.
“Whitson Road and the surrounding access roads are currently closed.
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“Members of the public are asked to avoid the area at this time.”
The Scottish Ambulance Service was contacted for comment.
Emergency services were called to the alley next to the Post Office on Percy Park Road, in Tynemouth, North Tyneside at around 8am today (May 4).
The area was cordoned off as police, crime scene investigators and paramedics attended the scene.
Police have confirmed the man’s death is believed to be not suspicious and enquiries are underway to formally identify the person and notify their next of kin.
Pictures from the scene show a cordon erected, with police wearing blue gloves while carrying out enquires at the scene.
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Police at the scene of a body in the upmarket village of Tynemouth. (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)
Crime scene investigators were also spotted earlier this morning.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 8.05am today (May 4), we received a report of concern for a person on Percy Park Road in Tynemouth.
“Emergency services attended the scene where the body of a man was sadly located.
“A police presence is currently in the area and enquiries are underway to formally identify the person and notify their next of kin.
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“There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the man’s death, and a report will be prepared for the coroner in due course.”
A spokesperson for the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) added: “We were called to an incident on Percy Park Road, Tynemouth shortly before 8am on May 4. We dispatched a double crewed ambulance to the scene.”
Christine McGuinness is a ‘five star lesbian’ after her split with Paddy McGuinness (Picture: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
Christine McGuinness has had a transformative few years since her split from TV icon Paddy McGuinness, now describing herself as a ‘five-star lesbian’.
The couple split in 2022 after 11 years of marriage (Picture: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)
Who is Christine McGuinness dating?
Christine was most recently spotted with former Strictly Come Dancing star Nicola, with the pair inseparable at the LGBTQ+ event.
According to the Daily Mail, the pair ‘looked like they were a couple’ but neither have confirmed the romance so far.
Nicola split from her partner of seven years, Ella Baig, last year, and the pair share a son, Taylor Nate, who was born by IVF in July 2022.
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In an interview with The Sun, the boxer admitted that her girlfriend’s career as an OnlyFans model ‘had an impact on our relationship’.
Nicola Adams is rumoured to be dating Christine now (Picture: Hoda Davaine/Getty Images for Emirates)
She said as much as she respected what Ella did, she couldn’t deny the effect it had on them.
Nicola made history in 2012 by winning the first-ever Olympic Women’s Boxing Gold Medal, earning herself an OBE.
Since then, she’s appeared in several TV shows such as Gladiators, Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Gogglebox.
A close friend of Nicola’s also told the Daily Mail: ‘Nicola and Christine will make a good match as they’re both getting over long-term relationships and have children.’
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Who has Christine McGuinness dated before?
When Paddy and Christine first split, she was spotted with Chelcee Grimes,33, while on vacation together and seemingly dating.
The two women never confirmed rumours they were dating but things appeared to have fizzled out by summer 2024.
Chelcee debuted a new partner in July that year with the caption ‘private but not secret’, in a suspected dig at Christine.
According to The Mirror, the singer also replied to a fan about the split in a now-deleted comment, reading: ’No. I had enough of being a secret after nearly 2 years.’
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Christine didn’t comment on the post but has since said she lives a ‘double life’ when it comes to dating.
After the split, Chelcee Grimes said she didn’t want to be a secret for two years (Picture: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
She told the It Started With A Kiss podcast: ‘My family, my kids, my home is up there and then I come to London… I can work, have fun… and I don’t need to worry about everything.
‘Eventually it gets to the point where… my woman’s going, “When am I going to meet the kids?”’ she said, adding that she’s always upfront about her boundaries.
In 2024, the MailOnline reported that Christine had gone on a getaway with rapper Roxxxan, 33, but it was unknown if they were romantically linked.
Christine has not gone official with any of her rumoured partners, likely as part of her efforts to keep her dating life far from her home life.
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She did share on the It Started With A Kiss podcast: ‘I’ve never gone too serious with anybody in the industry, it’s always been more of a fun fling type thing.
‘I’ve spent time with a lot of women in sport. I’ve spent time with women in music. I’ve spent time with actresses.’
What happened between Christine and Paddy McGuinness?
In 2022, Christine and Paddy announced they had ended their 11-year marriage after enduring a ‘very difficult time’.
The pair had initially met in 2007 after a mutual friend introduced them, and they instantly hit it off.
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The exes still live together with their three children (Picture: Instagram)
‘We spoke about this after we separated – what are we comfortable with, how much did we want to share – because neither of us wants to wake up and find the other on the front page of a newspaper,’ she told the Daily Mail.
‘But it’s been three years now, I don’t need to know what he’s doing and he doesn’t need to know about me. It just stays outside the home.’
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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.
Paddy McGuinness was back in his hometown and enjoyed a health breakfast at Regent Park Golf Club and Centre, which has undergone a huge investment.
And according to staff, Paddy, who is a keen golfer, said he will be back.
The Radio 2 presenter visited the club with some pals, all of whom, apart from Paddy, ordered a delicious large full English.
Saying ‘he is the boring one’ – he ordered the club’s Greek yoghurt pot, topped with all the good stuff, followed by smashed avocado on sourdough toast with poached eggs and cup of herbal tea.
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And staff said that the clubhouse was nice and he ‘must come for lunch’ and the affable local lad posed for photos .
No 19 serves up homecooked cuisine and an extensive array of drinks.
Paddy McGuinness at Regent Park Golf Club and Cnetre
Dishes include breakfast staples, light bites and pizzas, through to hearty mains, Sunday lunches, sweet treats and a selection of specials.
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Posting the picture of him on social media, the club posted: “We recently had the pleasure of welcoming one of Bolton’s finest to one of Bolton’s finest.
“Always great to see local legends stopping by – the kettle was on and the welcome was warm as ever
“Hope to see you again soon, Paddy!”
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Last year the officially opened the latest part of its multi-million pound development plan – a sumptuous event venue called The Lodge.
This latest addition to Regent Park Golf Club in Lostock meant a £600,000 investment and is already proving a popular draw, catering for a variety of celebrations.
In 2023 the club marked the opening of a new restaurant there two years ago.
Paddy’s often posts about playing the sport on his Instagram page.
Steve Davis is coming to the Kirk Theatre in Pickering for an evening of stories, insights, and entertainment.
A six-time World Champion and one of the most iconic figures in the history of the sport, Steve Davis dominated snooker during its golden era and remains a hugely respected and popular personality today.
A spokesperson for the Kirk Theatre said: “In this engaging live event, he’ll share fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from his career, reflect on the highs and challenges of life at the top, and offer his unique perspective on how the game has evolved over the years.
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“Known for his humour and relaxed, down-to-earth style, Steve brings warmth and wit to the stage, making this much more than a sporting talk — it’s an evening of great storytelling and entertainment. There will even be opportunities for audience questions, making the experience even more personal and memorable.
“Whether you’re a lifelong snooker fan or simply enjoy an evening of conversation with a true sporting great, this is a rare chance to see one of the game’s legends up close in the intimate setting of the Kirk Theatre.
“An evening of stories, laughter, and unforgettable moments with a true icon of British sport.”
An Evening with Steve Davis is at the Kirk Theatre in Pickering on Friday, November 27.
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For more information and tickets go to https://kirktheatre.littleboxoffice.com/events/162723
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