Permission is being sought from Middlesbrough Council so that the prospective shop can sell booze for consumption off of the premises between 7am and 11pm daily.

The German discount supermarket has been hoping to build a store in Linthorpe for several years, but has faced setbacks after a planning refusal, inspectorate dismissal and committee deferral. Its application for the site on the corner of Green Lane and Roman Road is likely to appear in front of the planning committee again in the next few months, potentially as soon as Thursday, July 2.

The company is in the process of trying to secure a similar premises licence for a potential store in the south of the town, on the site of the former Marton Hotel & Country Club, located on Stokesley Road, which is also yet to gain planning permission, but is likely to receive a decision from Middlesbrough ’s planning committee before the end of the year.

CGI of Lidl’s latest proposal for Green Lane, Linthorpe.

The premises licence application for the Green Lane location was made on Thursday, June 11, and any representations must be made to the council’s licensing department by Thursday, July 9. If the authority grants permission, the licence will run for 16 hours each day, seven days a week – although the store likely wouldn’t be open for such lengthy periods, with the two current stores in Middlesbrough operating from 8am to 10pm, Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sundays.

Documents state steps will be taken to promote four licensing objectives, which are:

• prevention of crime and disorder,
• public safety,
• prevention of public nuisance,
• protection of children from harm.

The application form discusses how staff will be trained “regarding appropriate precautions” to prevent the sale of alcohol to children under the age of 18, as well as the signs and symptoms of drunk persons and the “refusal of sale due to intoxication”. Staff are also to be trained so that they can recognise “proxy purchases”.

If an employee suspects a customer to be under the age of 25, a street drinker, or attempting a proxy purchase, they will “immediately” call the duty manager, who will then decide if the sale should be allowed.

In some parts of England, a female same-sex couple may have to spend up to £25,000 of their own money on fertility treatment before the NHS will help them have a baby. A heterosexual couple may also face restrictions, but they can usually meet the NHS requirement to show that they have struggled to conceive without paying for repeated clinical procedures.

The gap even has a nickname: the “gay tax”.

In vitro fertilisation, or IVF, involves fertilising an egg with sperm in a laboratory before transferring an embryo to the womb. Before the NHS will fund IVF for two women, some local NHS bodies require them to pay privately for repeated rounds of artificial insemination. This involves placing sperm into the reproductive system to increase the chance of pregnancy. In intrauterine insemination, or IUI, sperm is placed directly into the womb.

The aim is to show that the couple has not been able to conceive. Heterosexual couples are usually expected to show that they have tried unsuccessfully for a baby for two years, alongside meeting other eligibility criteria. They are rarely asked to pay for repeated clinical procedures to prove it.

The decision is made locally by integrated care boards, or ICBs: the NHS bodies that decide which treatments will be funded in their areas. A 2023 investigation by the BBC found that only four offer fertility treatment to same-sex couples who have not already paid privately for artificial insemination. Government guidance updated in 2025 states that some ICBs may require female same-sex couples to fund up to 12 rounds of artificial insemination privately before entering the NHS pathway.

Earlier figures from the UK’s fertility regulator illustrate the gap. In 2018, the NHS funded 39% of IVF cycles for heterosexual couples, compared with 14% for women in same-sex relationships.

Beyond the bill

The money, though, is only the part you can see.

We conducted 36 interviews with 54 people, including LGBTQ+ people who had used UK fertility clinics and professionals working in fertility care, to understand how LGBTQ+ patients navigate services that place additional barriers in their way. What stood out was the amount of hidden work they take on simply to be treated fairly. It is work that heterosexual couples are rarely asked to do.

Some of it is physical. Because there is, as one woman put it, “no NHS tick box for same-sex couples”, many arrive at a private clinic without the basic tests that a GP, or family doctor, would normally arrange. One couple had their tests done on the NHS, only for the clinic to reject the results and make them pay to repeat everything.

For transgender patients, the bodily toll can be greater still. One transgender woman wanted to store sperm before continuing her transition but was refused funded treatment because of her weight. She paid privately and temporarily stopped taking the hormones used as part of her transition. She described this as going back to “living as a man” for several months before facing the procedure in what she called “the strangest room I’ve been in in my life”.

‘Relentlessly delightful’

Then there is the emotional work. Fertility care can be saturated with forced cheerfulness: positivity planners, gratitude journals and promises that it will all be fine. Patients learn to play along.

One gay father pursuing surrogacy, having a child with the help of a woman who carries the pregnancy, described the pressure to seem “relentlessly delightful”. He felt he had to prove that he was warm and “parently” at all times. It took energy to put on this front and energy to resist it. One woman who went through seven rounds of IVF wanted honesty about her chances, rather than false hope that made each disappointment land harder.

Much of the work is also mental: a steady stream of high-stakes decisions. Whose egg should be used? Who will carry the pregnancy? Which donor should they choose? Which clinic?

One woman and her wife spent weeks choosing a sperm donor, only to be told afterwards that the clinic would not allow them to use him. The decision, and the cost, began again.

Choosing the clinic itself also carries risk. One transgender man and his partner carefully selected two local options, then encountered such ignorance and prejudice that they ended up travelling 230 miles to a clinic that was, in his words, “basically designed for queer people”. All the effort they had already put in was wasted. They had to start again.

A 2024 audit of fertility clinics across the UK found widespread gaps in clinical knowledge and cultural understanding, despite efforts to improve LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Their own experts

When clinics offer little guidance, patients become their own experts. They teach themselves through online groups, peer networks and, in one case, “hundreds of voice notes” from other queer women explaining how treatment actually works. As one woman said of learning about her options this way: “that’s the only way we knew what to do”.

This self-teaching can be powerful. One gay man researched his surrogate’s failed cycle, realised that the clinic’s reasoning was flawed, pushed for a different approach and achieved the pregnancy he had been told was unlikely.

But becoming your own expert depends on having the time and confidence to challenge a doctor. Those without that head start are left further behind. The current system tends to reward people who are already advantaged.

These problems are not confined to Britain. The UK case is revealing because LGBTQ+ people can legally access fertility treatment, yet the system still places additional barriers in their way. The obstacles are embedded in the daily running of clinics built around a heterosexual couple with a fertility problem.

The result is a hidden second shift. One couple’s path through the clinic is smoothed and paved. Another couple, hoping for the same outcome, has to lay every slab themselves and pay for the privilege.

No trains are running between Monument and both South Shields and South Hylton, due to cable theft.

A Metro service (Image: LDR)

The suspension affects all Metro services south of the Tyne and is expected to remain in place for the “foreseeable future” while engineers work to get the line back in operation.

Shortly after 6.30am, Metro operator Nexus said: “We have a service suspension between Monument and South Shields/South Hylton due to a cable theft.

“Ticket acceptance has been arranged on Go North East and Stagecoach services in the affected areas. Thank you for your continued patience during this time.”

Metro tickets are being accepted on several local bus services while the suspension remains in place.

Service remains suspended between Monument and South Shields and Monument and South Hylton. Details of ticket acceptance can be found here: https://t.co/8vXFV1LKWF pic.twitter.com/6HQoJlPjmi

— Tyne and Wear Metro (@My_Metro) June 18, 2026

Passengers can use all Go North East services between Monument and South Shields, the 56 between Newcastle and Sunderland, the service nine between Jarrow and Sunderland, the 24 between South Shields and Sunderland, and the four between Heworth and Concord.

Stagecoach services accepting Metro tickets include the X24 between Newcastle and Sunderland, the E2 between South Shields and Sunderland, the 18 between South Shields and Brockley Whins, and all Stagecoach services between Sunderland and South Hylton.

Tickets can also be used on Northern Rail services between Newcastle, Heworth and Sunderland.

Nexus has urged passengers to allow extra time for their journeys while the disruption continues. The operator’s live travel page and social media pages are also providing Metro service updates.

Further updates are expected as engineers work to restore services.

In Toy Story 5, Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the gang are up against a new challenge: Bonnie’s tablet. Even Rex the toy dinosaur is worried about going extinct again.

The storyline reflects a broader shift in childhood. Traditional toys increasingly share space with digital devices as part of children’s everyday play experiences.

There is substantial evidence showing a decline in traditional free play and an increase in digital play among children around Bonnie’s age (eight to ten years). Research has suggested that children in this age group spend an average of four hours per day on screens. This has approximately doubled compared to previous studies from 2009 to 2010, which mainly focused on traditional TV and video viewing for children of similar ages.

Play is essential in early childhood. It promotes cognitive, emotional and physical growth. Through play, children have opportunities to develop language and self-regulation skills.

It is important to recognise that digital play is still a form of play. While defining play can be challenging, it is often described in terms of how and why someone engages in an activity to have fun rather than solely by the activity itself.

Some experts argue that play is defined more by a child’s motivation and mental attitude than by the specific activity taking place. This means that using a tablet or smartphone can still be considered play, depending on how children interact with it.

Different – but still play

In 2002, play theorist Bob Hughes developed a framework categorising 16 distinct forms of play. These ranged from imaginative and socio-dramatic play, where children create stories and act out roles, to creative play, exploratory play and rough-and-tumble play.

More recently, other scholars have examined the place of digital play within this framework. The findings suggest that all forms of play, except two previously defined types – “recapitulative play” (play that involves re-enacting aspects of human history, such as building dens or making camps) and “rough and tumble” – can be adapted to the digital context. The authors contend that it is not necessarily the type of play that changes when screens are introduced, but rather the nature of the play experience itself.

Another study compared tablet play with traditional toy play by observing 98 different activities, both digital and non-digital. The authors concluded that tablet play was more likely to involve exploration, problem solving and skill acquisition. Traditional play involved more imagination and fantasy-based activities. Both forms of play may be important for development.

Play focused on exploration and problem solving (epistemic play) can support learning and skill acquisition. Imaginative (ludic) play can help children develop flexibility in their thinking, understanding of symbols and emotional processing. Rather than one form of play being better than the other, research suggests that different play experiences may provide different developmental opportunities.

A recent study randomly assigned children to play with either dolls or a tablet featuring open-ended creative games. The results indicated that children who played with dolls exhibited greater social understanding compared to those who interacted with tablets. This suggests that traditional imaginative play may provide opportunities for children to practise empathy and perspective taking.

À lire aussi :
Dolls beat screens for building children’s social skills, study finds

Research has also raised questions about whether digital play may displace other forms of play. A large study found that greater screen time in young children was associated with less playtime with peers. This, in turn, was linked to developmental outcomes, including motor, communication, social and cognitive skills.

At the same time, research suggests that some forms of interactive digital play may support aspects of language development, executive function, memory and problem solving. Educational games and apps can provide opportunities for exploration and learning, particularly when children are actively engaged and supported by adults. The benefits of digital technologies often depend on factors such as the content being used, the child’s age and whether parents are involved in the activity.

Not all screen time is equal

These findings highlight why, in our research, we are moving beyond simple measures of screen time. A child passively watching videos for long periods is having a very different experience from a child creating digital artwork, solving puzzles, exploring an educational app or video-calling family members. Understanding how children engage with screens may be just as important as assessing how long they spend using them.

Setting time limits and designating screen-free periods can provide children with a better balance between free play and digital play. However, it is important to note that the decline in play is not solely due to children’s choices.

For instance, fewer opportunities for free play – child-led play that is unstructured and directed by children’s own interests and imagination – may contribute to this shift. Limits on children’s free play are often linked to concerns about neighbourhood safety. It is important to recognise that children have not lost their ability to engage in free play and, if given the opportunity, will do so.

À lire aussi :
How to give children the freedom to play all across the city – not just in playgrounds

While Toy Story 5 may treat the tablet as the antagonist, the truth is more complicated. The use of electronic devices is a regular part of growing up now, and some forms of digital play can actually build useful skills. At the same time, traditional imaginative play continues to provide significant opportunities for social and emotional development.

The challenge may not be about choosing between toys and tablets. Instead, it may be about ensuring children have opportunities to experience a wide range of play experiences.

Preston was born on June 16, 2022. He went into foster care five days after his birth.

The tot was the son of notorious convicted murderer Sarah Davey, who brutally tortured and killed a pensioner in Failsworth in Oldham in 1998. Ms Davey was 14 when she was jailed for the ‘unspeakably wicked’ murder.

The identity of Preston’s mother was never revealed to the jury. She has since been in and out of prison.

In April 2023, Jamie Varley, a former secondary school head of year, and his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, adopted Preston when he was nine-months-old.

In the next four months up until his murder, Preston was used as a ‘plaything’ being routinely physically and emotionally abused, sexually assaulted and had indecent photos and videos taken of him.

He was killed when he was aged just 13-months-old. Varley claiming he had accidentally drowned in a bath at their Blackpool home on July, 27 2023.

But a post-mortem examination identified more than 40 injuries on his body, as well as internal injuries indicating sexual abuse. His cause of death was established as acute upper airway obstruction, suggesting something had been inserted into his mouth blocking his airway.

He had been admitted to hospital three times in the months before his death and a social services investigation is under way.

Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at the Wealth Club, said: “The digital signing of the interim agreement between the US and Iran, ahead of an official ceremony on Friday, is exerting a fresh downward force on (oil) prices, as new supplies are expected to hit the market just as demand has been weakened by rationing and energy-efficiency measures.”

Hollyoaks star Malique Thompson-Dwyer has shared a very honest post about his mental health.

The actor, who is 28, is best known for playing Prince McQueen in the Channel 4 soap.

Malique, who has also appeared in I’m A Celebrity and Celebs Go Dating, often shares pictures on his Instagram that give followers a small insight into the life he lives when he isn’t filming as Prince.

Recently, he took to his social media page to post an update on his life and how he’s been feeling.

The images Malique shared feature him out and about, on the Hollyoaks set, and with some of his loved ones. In the caption, the star admits that the last two years of his life ‘haven’t been easy’.

‘Life lately’, he begins.

‘Life is one big learning curve, full of lessons that shape into who you’re meant to be. The last two years haven’t been easy. Feelings of depression, body dysmorphia, anxiety, days where I couldn’t see a way forward. But God had a plan bigger than my pain’.

‘Here I am. Still standing’.

Malique added: ‘My faith in Jesus Christ, the gym, work, family, and learning to believe in myself again. Consistency and prayer changed everything. Praise the Lord.’

Offering some words of advice to anyone else in a similar position to him, Malique said: ‘Life is you vs. you. Get out of your own way. Buy the clothes. Book the flight. Learn to love yourself.

‘Nothing is impossible. I’m living proof.

‘If you’re in a dark place right now, it doesn’t have to be the end of your story.’

Don’t miss a Soaps scoop! Add us as a Preferred Source

As a loyal Metro Soaps reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories. We have all the latest soaps news, spoilers, videos, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.

Advertisement

Click the button below and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.

Add us as a Preferred Source

Malique has played the role of Prince in Hollyoaks on and off since 2016.

Advertisement

The character is the son of Goldie McQueen and Shane Sweeney and has endured a great deal of drama while living in the Hollyoaks village.

Prince returned to our screens in September 2021, and was accompanied by his fiancée Olivia Bradshaw.

Not keen on Prince’s new partner, Goldie was left devastated when the couple revealed their plans to move to New Zealand so Olivia could begin a teaching job. Goldie purposefully ruined Olivia’s job application, leaving her and Prince forced to stay in England.

Olivia and Prince began working at Hollyoaks High School, but Prince got fired after vodka bottles hidden by John Paul McQueen were found by students DeMarcus and Leah.

Most recently, Prince attempted to connect with Vicky Grant, but she made it clear that she wanted Prince to stop using steroids before their romance could continue.

Advertisement

MORE: New romance for Jodie in Coronation Street – and it’s someone we know and love

MORE: Sarah is in for a big shock in Emmerdale as a familiar face enters her life

MORE: Shona McGarty appears to confirm romance with EastEnders co-star

Comments


Add as preferred source

The Soaps Newsletter – Weekly

Sign up for exclusive spoilers and interviews, handpicked by our Soaps Editor.

Advertisement

Ukraine hit a Moscow oil refinery for a second time in a week and disrupted commercial flights at Moscow airports in one of its biggest drone attacks since Russia’s invasion more than four years ago, Russian officials said Thursday.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that its air defenses overnight shot down 555 Ukrainian drones over multiple regions, with almost 200 intercepted as they were approaching the Russian capital.

Several drones hit the Moscow Oil Refinery on the southeastern outskirts of the city, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

The Russian Transport Ministry said that flights from four Moscow airports were halted.

The attack came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had held “an important coordination call” with U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron that may “bring about significant change.”

Zelenskyy said Wednesday his country had won key pledges of further support from world leaders attending the G7 summit in France.

″These last few days were very important for Ukraine because it is the reunification of the G7 around Ukraine,″ Macron told reporters as he and Trump left the Palace of Versailles near Paris.

″And now we will continue to advance to help Ukraine to resist″ and to build up its ″capacity to defend itself and capacity to counterattack,” Macron said.

The attack comes as President Vladimir Putin is in Kazan, 700 kilometers (430 miles) east of Moscow, hosting leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as Russia seeks to bolster business and other ties.

The two-day meeting is set to consider ways to expand Russia’s “strategic partnership” with ASEAN nations that include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor and Vietnam, according to Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov.

Niger has been fighting a militant Islamist insurgency for a decade and in January suspected jihadists launched an attack on the same airport. Like its neighbours, Burkina Faso and Mali, Niger is run by a military junta that came to power in part because of the failure to deal with the violence.

BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that America’s allies in Europe must take the lead on the defense of their own continent and help turn NATO into “a read hard-line military alliance.”

At a meeting of NATO defense ministers, Hegseth called for a reboot of the 32-nation organization to turn it into a “NATO 3.0” capable of deterring any threat.

His remarks came a few weeks after the United States told its allies that it would no longer supply certain warships and aircraft if one of them comes under attack. European allies and Canada are trying to work out how to plug the gaps.

“NATO 3.0 is post-Cold War recognition that (NATO) needs to go back to a real hard-line military alliance that has real military capabilities capable of deterring right here on the continent and taking the lead for the conventional defense of Europe,” Hegseth said.

As part of that, he told reporters, the United States would be investing $1.5 trillion in its own defense in 2027, sending “a message to the world” that America is building an “arsenal of freedom.”

Hegseth said that this arsenal “first and foremost protects America and American interests but also backstops the strength of NATO and our allies.”

He said he would tell U.S. allies they “have to be willing to stand up and do something in a strong way about” the defense of their own continent.

NATO’s supreme allied commander, an American, is working on backup plans to defend Europe after the U.S. signaled on June 3 that it would no longer supply an aircraft carrier and support ships, aerial refueling planes and dozens of fighter jets, among other military assets, in a crisis.

The Trump administration insists that it needs to be able to plan for two simultaneous conflicts and wants more military resources at hand should a conflict break out with China in the Indo-Pacific region.

Under NATO’s collective security guarantee – Article 5 of its founding treaty – the 32 allies pledge that an attack on one of them will be considered an attack on all. It does not oblige them to provide military support, although many likely would.

In essence, the United States is scaling back how it might help should an ally trigger Article 5. The U.S. has by far NATO’s biggest armed forces. It does not intend to withdraw its nuclear weapons in Europe, which are key to NATO’s deterrence.