Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said officers were called to Breightmet at around 1.30pm on Friday (April 3) to reports of a young boy believed to be suffering a medical episode.

Emergency services rushed to Lenham Gardens and the boy was transferred to a hospital.

However, police have confirmed that the child died shortly after arriving at hospital.

GMP has added that there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances, with enquiries ongoing.

A spokesperson for GMP said: “At around 1.30pm yesterday, officers responded to reports of a four-year-old boy suffering from a suspected medical episode in the Breightmet area of Bolton.

“Emergency services immediately responded and despite their best efforts, the child sadly died shortly after in hospital.

“There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances and enquiries are currently taking place.”

Police were called to Lenham Gardens, Breightmet, at around 1.30pm to reports of the young child believed to be suffering a medical episode.

The boy was rushed to hospital, however police confirmed he died shortly after.

The boy suffered a medical episode in the early afternoon on Good Friday (Image: Newsquest)

Now, people in the community around Lenham Gardens have described their shock and sadness following the incident.

One person, who did not wish to be named, said emergency services arrived at the scene after 1pm and they were there for “about half an hour”.

He said: “I know the dad but I didn’t know the boy. It’s really, really sad.”

John Grimes, 47, described seeing the emergency services arriving and lots of commotion.

The incident was described as “really sad” by one resident (Image: Newsquest)

He said: “I saw the air ambulance landing in the field behind the estate, and there were people stood around – some were filming.

“The boy wasn’t breathing and ended up going in the road ambulance and that was the last I heard about it.”

Another resident, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s really shocking and such a sad thing for the family.”

Greater Manchester Police said that there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances, with enquiries ongoing.

The community around Lenham Gardens has been left shocked by the incident (Image: Newsquest)

A statement from the force said: “At around 1.30pm yesterday, officers responded to reports of a four-year-old boy suffering from a suspected medical episode in the Breightmet area of Bolton.

“Emergency services immediately responded and despite their best efforts, the child sadly died shortly after in hospital.

“There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances and enquiries are currently taking place.”

With lodge and apartment accommodation, a big indoor subtropical-style pool and a wide range of paid activities, from cycling and climbing to watersports and spa treatments.

But now, things are set to change.

The company previously offered a crèche service for kids between three months and three years, for up to three hours.

The price was around £30 a session.

However, it has confirmed that this will no longer be offered at any of its five UK resorts by the end of next month.

Customers with upcoming bookings have discovered they can no longer book their kids in if their holiday is after the end of May, and the option has been removed across all of Center Parcs’ UK sites.

For many, it opened up the opportunity for parents to enjoy quality time together, or for grandparents to be let off the childcare hook.

A spokesperson for Center Parcs told Metro: “We’re always looking to review and evolve the guest experience. We have made the decision to remove the crèche activity from our breaks, to reflect guest feedback and limited demand for this particular activity.

“Crèche sessions are one of more than 20 activities available within our Activity Den and our other activities will continue to run as normal.”

What is a crèche service?

A crèche service is short‑term childcare where young children are looked after while their parents or carers do something else nearby (for example, working, studying, using a gym, attending an event or shopping).

It’s usually:

• Occasional and short‑duration – children are typically there for a couple of hours rather than full days, and it’s not necessarily the same children every day.
• Linked to a venue or activity – often attached to leisure centres, colleges, workplaces, conferences, weddings or community events so adults can take part while children are safely supervised.
• Supervised play, not full nursery education – staff provide a safe space, toys and activities, and meet basic care needs (nappies, drinks, comforting), but it’s generally more about short‑term care than structured early‑years education.

Depending on how long children stay, their ages, and whether parents remain on site, crèche services may need to be registered and inspected under local childcare regulations (for example by Ofsted or equivalent bodies).

Flying debris possibly leading to ‘injuries or danger to life’

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Power cuts warnings have been issued tonight as the Met Office say Storm Dave will “continue to deepen”, bringing heavy snow and gale-force winds to northern parts of the country. An amber weather warning for wind has been issued for parts of northern England, Scotland and Wales on Saturday evening, the Met Office added as it warned of flying debris possibly leading to “injuries or danger to life”.

The Met Office’s forecast said: “Storm Dave will continue to deepen as it moves north-eastwards. Heavy rain and snow will also bring some disruption.”

Gusts of wind of up to 66mph have been recorded in Capel Curig, north Wales, according to the forecaster. Meanwhile, the Energy Networks Association (ENA) – which represents electricity network operators – has warned of potential power cuts and issued safety advice following the weather warnings.

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It said in a statement on Saturday: “The storm has the potential to affect local power infrastructure, increasing the risk of a power cut and fallen power lines. Network operators are increasing staffing for operational teams, and moving spare equipment to where the weather is expected to be most disruptive, so it’s ready to use if needed.”

The ENA shared advice for how to prepare for the severe weather, including to keep a torch ready and to boil water and keep it in a Thermos in case the power goes out.

The statement added: “You can call 105 for free in England, Scotland and Wales to report power cuts and receive updates. Remember, during power cuts, modern internet-powered landlines and mobile masts might not work.

“If you see damaged power lines or lines brought down over the coming days, stay well clear and call 105 for free to report it, or dial 999 if there’s an immediate danger to life. Make sure your neighbours are okay, especially if they’re elderly or vulnerable.”

Parts of Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, north Wales and Scotland are covered by the amber warning, which comes into effect at 7pm on Saturday and is due to remain in place until 3am on Sunday. Up to 30 centimetres of snow could fall, as the Met Office has issued a yellow severe weather warning in Scotland for heavy snow and blizzards causing some travel and power disruption.

Greg Dewhurst, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “There is cold air across Scotland at the moment and, as the rain pushes across this afternoon, it is going to turn to snow. We’ll see heavy snow forming across parts of the Highlands as we go through the rest of the afternoon into the evening time and early hours, as much as 20 to 30 centimetres could fall over the higher ground, and five to 10 centimetres over lower ground.”

Those driving in the areas covered by the weather warning have been urged to check their journeys before setting off. Network Rail Scotland said the worst affected lines would be on the Ayrshire coast, the East Coast Main Line and in the north-east.

Proposals were initially submitted last year by Sunderland City Council to its own planning department for the land at Sheepfolds Industrial Estate, which is earmarked for major transformation under regeneration plans.

In August, SAFC owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus confirmed the club was lodging a formal objection to the original plans, which he said could have “catastrophic operational consequences” for the club and the Stadium of Light.

The ground was built with scope to extend the stadium to a potential 63,000 capacity by extending the top tier around the entire bowl and the club has already submitted a pre-application notification for re-development and extension of the South Stand.

Stadium Of Light Credit: LDRS

Hundreds of objections were also lodged by residents over the application.

However, in February, the club and council confirmed a new and adapted plan for 450 homes had been submitted, which alleviated the previous concerns thanks to the inclusion of a larger “buffer zone” around the stadium.

A statement from SAFC said they “look forward to seeing the proposals progress through the planning process”.

At the latest meeting of the city council’s economic prosperity scrutiny committee, an update was given on when a decision will be made on the proposals.

Neil Guthrie, council director of development and property, said the application, which includes outline permission for a site masterplan featuring 450 homes, is “due to be determined by the planning committee on the 23rd of April”.

CGI image showing how the new residential community at Sheepfolds could look Credit CREO / SCC

The proposals also include consent for a programme of site remediation work.

He added that, subject to the outline consent being granted, a more detailed reserved matters application to allow construction of phase one of the residential development, which would provide more than 100 homes, is expected to be submitted in May.

This would be delivered by Vistry Group and would be on land immediately to the south of the Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy.

Meanwhile in the south east corner of the Sheepfolds site the council is developing proposals for a new mobility hub featuring car parking, EV charging, cycle storage and other services.

Mr Guthrie added designs are being finalised and a planning application for that is again due to be submitted in May.

If you can’t get enough of BBC hit The Capture, starring Holliday Grainger, then we’ve got just the series for you to binge in the meantime. 

Season 3 of the high-intensity drama hit our screens last month – but with episodes dropping weekly, you might be left with a thriller-shaped hole in your life the other six nights of the week. 

Fear not, for we have you covered! 

Homeland is on Channel 4’s free streaming service and shares some key elements with The Capture, making it a must-watch for fans of the BBC thriller. 

In a thread on Reddit, 10thisisathr0waway10 agreed that the shows are ‘very similar’. 

Both series explore themes of surveillance, technology, and conspiracy, and like with Rachel Carey (Holliday) in The Capture, Homeland has a strong female investigator at its core. 

Carrie Mathison, played by Claire Danes, is a determined CIA officer whose instincts propel forward key investigations throughout the eight seasons. 

Series one sees Mathison become suspicious that Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), a US Marine who has returned home after seven years missing in action, has been radicalised by terrorist group al-Qaeda and poses a threat to the country’s security. 

It premiered in 2011 and was a huge hit with audiences. 

Season one boasts a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, with rave review from viewers like Pham L who said: ‘The plot is gripping and the acting is excellent. Not a single moment feels overdramatic. 

‘It’s probably the best show I’ve watched in the past five years, especially if you’re interested in the complexities of US-Middle East relations in today’s world.’ 

Roberto D said that the show was his ‘favourite series of all time’. They went on: ‘There’s something truly special about it – a depth, an energy, a tension that never fades, even after eight seasons.’ 

Matt S agreed: ‘This show is one of the best ever! It never gets boring and I’ve lost so much sleep because of it.’ 

The series ran until 2020, until it eventually concluded for good.  

Aside from Damian and Claire, you might also recognise actors like Timothée Chalamet, Mandy Patinkin and David Harewood, to name a few. 

Homeland is available to stream on Channel 4.

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Durham Police say the major A-road will be inaccessible to high-sided vehicles at 7pm and all other vehicles at 9pm between Bowes and Brough tonight (Saturday, April 4) due to the storm.

The Met Office has warned of “disruptive and potentially damaging winds” that could reach 60mph from 7pm on Saturday evening to 3am in the early hours of Sunday.

The amber weather warning covering the North East. (Image: MET OFFICE)

An amber weather warning is also in place and extends across the region as the storm is set to hit the North East from 6pm.

A police spokesperson said: “The A66 Trans-Pennine between Bowes and Brough will be closed both ways from 9pm this evening (April 4) owing to Storm Dave – this is due to the high wind gusts – it will likely close to high sided vehicles sooner due to the same.

“It is worth checking ahead of any scheduled journeys as Storm Dave is likely to cause transport related issues over the next couple of days.”

Initially, the region was placed under a yellow alert but the Met Office now says flying debris could cause a danger to life, power cuts may occur and buildings may be damaged.

Motorists have been advised to drive slower in the blustery conditions, people have been urged to stay indoors and those living along the coast are warned to stay away from large waves.

Met Office deputy chief forecaster, Tom Crabtree, added: “Storm Dave will form and rapidly deepen on Saturday as it approaches the UK from the west.

“By Saturday afternoon winds will strengthen significantly, with gusts of 60-70mph expected at times across parts of Scotland with the potential for gusts of 80-90mph in exposed coastal locations in Scotland.

“Gusts of 50-60mph are likely more widely in northern Britain.

“As well as strong winds, Storm Dave will also bring heavy snowfall over the hills in northern Scotland where up to 10-20cm of snow could accumulate.

“Along with the strong winds this will lead to blizzard conditions.

“Elsewhere there will be heavy spells of rain as the system moves through eastwards across the UK.”

Celtic are five points behind both Rangers and Hearts

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John Hartson has taken aim at the Celtic squad for their inconsistent performances, claiming they only raise their game when it suits them.

The former Parkhead striker believes experienced winger James Forrest deserves a place in the starting eleven as the title race intensifies.

Following a disappointing 2-0 loss at Dundee United prior to the international break, Martin O’Neill’s men now trail both Rangers and Hearts by five points.

Hartson – who netted 109 times in 201 appearances for the Hoops between 2001 and 2006 – has slammed the present squad for being ‘beat up’ during matches, reports the Daily Record.

On the Let Me be Frank Podcast with former Celtic forward Frank McAvennie, when questioned about what alterations he’d implement, Hartson responded: “I would be playing James Forrest. I know he’s f****** 57 years of age. I would play him.

“He’s the only one, for me, who is direct and looks to take players on. Tounekti does it on the other side. Tounekti has shown signs that he can produce things.

“But like I said. You have to do it, week in and week out, especially with the resurgence of Hearts. It’s a difficult place to go, at the best of times. It can be hostile there. Derek McInnes is doing a great job.”

“I thought Hearts would fall away. Halfway through the season, I thought Celtic would do what they normally do. They would come on strong. Momentum, and everything else.”

“But you can’t be willy nilly. You can’t just turn it on when you want to turn it on. Larsson did it week in, week out. Year in and year out, and so did all the other players.”

“We lost the odd game. Of course, we lost the odd game. Good teams lose football matches. It happens. But you can’t be at Celtic and play in second gear. You have to be at it every single week.”

“The man who is in charge now, Martin O’Neill, made sure that was the case. You have to play every single week.”

“I just look at the players, and they just trudge off, and they have been beat up. They don’t compete. They pull out of headers. Pull out of tackles. That’s not Celtic players you have seen in the past.”

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One firm, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), produces more than 90% of the world’s most advanced semiconductor chips. These chips are essential for smartphones, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and cutting-edge military systems.

Taiwan’s dominance of advanced chips acts as a chokepoint for the global economy. Days or weeks without their manufacturing would affect the supply and price of numerous products around the world. This is comparable to how the current disruption to shipping in the Persian Gulf due to the Iran war is affecting oil-dependent markets globally.

Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturing supremacy has transformed the island nation into what I have described in my research as a “niche superpower”. It wields outsized global influence by commanding a strategically indispensable industry.

Taiwan did not stumble into this position. In the 1970s, Taiwanese technocrats recognised that the nation could not immediately compete at the world’s electronics frontier. One of them was Kwoh-Ting Li, then minister of economic affairs, who is often referred to as the “father of Taiwan’s economic miracle”.

At that time, Taiwan lacked the financial capital and technological skills to compete with industry leaders such as Japan and the US. So rather than trying to dominate the entire semiconductor industry from design through to production, Taiwanese policymakers focused on building capabilities in precision manufacturing. This is the most operationally demanding part of the semiconductor value chain.

Established in 1973 by the Taiwanese government, the Industrial Technology Research Institute carefully acquired semiconductor process technology through licensing agreements with the now defunct US firm Radio Corporation of America (RCA). It then trained a generation of Taiwanese engineers.

The pivotal moment came in 1987, when Morris Chang established TSMC. Chang, a US-trained engineer who had spent decades at American semiconductor multinational Texas Instruments, devised what is now known as the “pure-play foundry” model.

Rather than designing and manufacturing its own branded chips, this meant that TSMC would manufacture chips for other firms. This strategic choice was transformative because it reassured American and European semiconductor companies that TSMC would not compete with them. It allowed major tech firms such as Qualcomm and later Nvidia to outsource chip production to Taiwan without fear of intellectual property leakage or strategic rivalry.

The Taiwanese semiconductor industry grew within the Hsinchu Science Park, a major industrial cluster south of the Taiwanese capital of Taipei. By the early 1990s, Hsinchu Park hosted more than 140 chip manufacturing firms and employed around 30,000 workers. The strength of the cluster attracted legions of Taiwanese engineers back from the US, helping Taiwan become the global leader in the production of advanced semiconductors.

The ‘silicon shield’

Taiwan’s semiconductor dominance has played an overt role in protecting the island from its existential threat – a Chinese invasion. This phenomenon was explicitly named in 2021 in an article published in Foreign Affairs magazine, where the former Taiwanese president, Tsai Ing-wen, argued that Taiwan’s semiconductor industry acts as a “silicon shield”.

The dependence of the global economy on Taiwanese-made advanced chips, she argued, means the disruption caused by a Chinese invasion would trigger catastrophic global economic consequences. Taiwan’s allies would thus be compelled to come to its defence.

In recent years, Taiwan’s silicon shield has come under threat. Following the start of US export restrictions on advanced chipmaking equipment to China in 2020, Beijing has accelerated its efforts to build indigenous capacity in chip manufacturing. It has significantly increased investment in its semiconductor industry.

Semiconductors were the underperformer in the Made in China 2025 strategy, through which Chinese leadership aimed to transform their nation into a high-tech manufacturing superpower. China fell short of its goals for the localisation of semiconductor production and global market share, missing targets by the 2025 deadline.

However, Chinese chip manufacturers like HiSilicon and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation have been gaining momentum. A proposal by 13 Chinese chip industry executives in March outlined aims to increase self-sufficiency to 80% by 2030. China’s semiconductor self-sufficiency is currently around 33%.

At the same time, Washington is pushing to bring semiconductor manufacturing back onshore. Biden-era initiatives such as the Chips and Science Act offered incentives for TSMC’s sprawling manufacturing facility in Arizona, which opened in 2022 as part of US efforts to boost domestic chip production.

These incentives for TSMC included up to US$6.6 billion (£5 billion) in direct investment and significant tax credits. TSMC committed an initial US$65 billion to the plan, with the Trump administration announcing in March 2025 that the company would boost its US investment by a further US$100 billion.

Elon Musk also recently announced plans for advanced chip facilities in Texas for his two companies, Tesla and SpaceX. In light of Musk’s concerns that companies like TSMC are not producing the volume of chips his companies need, the so-called “Terafab” venture aims to consolidate every stage of the semiconductor production process under one roof and is expected to cost in the range of US$25 billion. Other companies investing in chip fabrication in the US include Micron, Texas Instruments and Intel.

Despite US and Chinese efforts, replicating Taiwan’s manufacturing ecosystem is difficult. It requires not only capital and equipment, but also knowledge that has been accumulated over decades as well as dense supplier networks and an unparalleled engineering workforce.

TSMC has struggled to hire talent in Arizona, and has resorted to flying thousands of workers in from Taiwan in a bid to improve the skills of locals. And while TSMC is now producing semiconductors at the cutting edge of 2-nanometre scale, the Chinese self-sufficiency goals aim to have “entirely domestically produced equipment” for the less sophisticated 7-nanometre and 14-nanometre generations of chips.

The difference between 2nm and 7nm chips is significant – a 45% increase in performance while using 75% less power. The narrower chips are used for advanced processes such as cutting-edge AI, while the wider ones are used in a broader range of electronics, like smartphones, desktop processors and automobiles.

Taiwan’s semiconductor story is ultimately one of strategic foresight. By choosing manufacturing over design, embedding itself within US-led technological networks and cultivating world-class process expertise, Taiwan transformed structural vulnerability into structural power.

Through its semiconductor dominance, Taiwan stands out as the quintessential niche superpower. But history shows that superpower status, including in niches, is never permanent. The technological frontier moves, rivals learn and allies hedge.

For Taiwan, remaining indispensable to the global economy will require not only staying ahead technologically. It will also require carefully orchestrating the political, financial and human capital foundations that made its silicon shield possible in the first place.