Fast fashion is inexpensive, so when clothes become worn or damaged, replacing them often seems easier than repairing them.

Clothes are often worn just seven to ten times before they are thrown away. And 92 million tonnes of textile waste is burnt or ends up in landfill every year.

Repairing clothes can be one of the most significant ways to reduce their environmental impact. Extending a garment’s life by just nine more months can reduce its carbon, water and waste footprints by up to 20%.

But people can be put off repairing their clothes due to cost, lack of sewing skills, equipment and time.

Historically, repair has been associated with wartime necessity and domestic drudgery – such as darning socks. Wearing repaired clothing has historically been viewed as a sign of financial hardship, so people tried to make their repairs as invisible as possible to avoid stigma.

Increased uptake in repair is still often linked to economic pressures, but public attitudes to repair are changing.

Today, we are not just embracing hidden repairs – some people are actively showing them off through visible mending.

Visible mending involves repairing worn patches, tears and holes in clothes using techniques and materials that are deliberately noticeable – such as colourful stitching, embroidery and decorative patches – so that the repair is highlighted rather than hidden.

Visible repair has been linked to the centuries-old Japanese repair technique kintsugi – where broken pottery is fixed using a lacquered resin and decorated with gold. This emphasises damage as an important part of an object’s history. It has inspired the non-commercial fashion brand, Golden Joinery, to invite people to visibly mend holes and rips in their clothing with golden thread.

Visible mending has also been inspired by sashiko, a 400-year-old Japanese folk embroidery. Its repeated running stitches were traditionally used to strengthen work clothing but are now used to add decorative geometric patterns to clothing and home textiles repairs. This adds beauty to something damaged.

Although visible mending was once seen as a quiet, grassroots resistance movement to fast fashion, its popularity is growing rapidly.

Alongside a host of books published on the topic, the movement has grown quickly on social media with users tagging and showing off their repairs. The hashtag #VisibleMending has more than 56 million views on TikTok.

Plus, clothing haul videos, in which people show off their latest fast-fashion purchases, are being contested by mended haul videos where clothing repairs are shown off instead.

Embracing visible repair

Some retailers are also promoting visible repair.

Second Cashmere, a sustainable cashmere brand in Glasgow, sells recycled cashmere and restored knitwear to give clothes headed to landfill a second life. They help customers extend the lives of their cashmere by selling mending kits and provide a repair service where customers can have their items repaired invisibly or visibly.

The outdoor clothing brand Patagonia also offers a product repair service.

Patagonia inspires their customers to adopt a DIY approach to their own repairs at home – offering repair kits, replacement trims, spare parts plus repair guides and video tutorials. Their worn wear programme encourages customers to embrace the marks of repair as an important part of a garment’s story. Customers are invited to show off their patched up and repaired items with pride.

Researchers have argued that brand repair initiatives such as these are beneficial because they can turn passive consumers into active participants in the life of their products. Plus they can reduce replacement rates and increase consumer confidence in the brand’s support for sustainability.

Decorative stitching is often seen as a symbolic demonstration of sustainability values and resistance to disposable fast fashion. It’s also an expression of personal character and creativity. Visible repair demonstrates how repair is shifting from a cultural stigma that must be hidden to something that’s celebrated.

Funeral details for former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe are still being finalised, as Buckfast Abbey confirmed it is working closely with her family on arrangements

Funeral arrangements for former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe are still being finalised following her passing in July. Her death has become a matter of national significance, given her prominent political legacy and the harrowing circumstances surrounding it.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court was told last week that Widdecombe died after being struck 21 times on the head with a hammer. A provisional cause of death was recorded as a “blunt force injury to the head”, the court was informed.

Joshua Kerry, from Rotherham, was detained on suspicion of murder on July 11. He was subsequently re-arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, though no charge relating to this offence has been brought against him.

A provisional trial date has been set for June 8, 2027, reports Chronicle Live.

Widdecombe’s family has pressed ahead with funeral preparations, working closely with Buckfast Abbey, where she was a devoted regular worshipper. Fr Abbot and the Monastic Community of Buckfast have issued a statement confirming they “continue to hold Ann Widdecombe, her family and loved ones in our prayers during this difficult time”

Following her death, Buckfast Abbey, nestled on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, released a statement in which Fr Abbot and the Monastic Community expressed they were “deeply saddened to hear of the death of Ann Widdecombe in such tragic and disturbing circumstances”. Ann was a regular fixture at the Abbey Church, faithfully attending Sunday Solemn Mass alongside Holy Week and Easter celebrations.

The statement went on: “Many in our worshipping community knew her as a kind and warm character. She will be missed and fondly remembered.

“Ann was a woman of profound faith, a faith which found expression in the public forum of politics. Ann was unafraid to express her unwavering convictions, formed through her Roman Catholic faith.

“She had a sharp intellect and was a dedicated public servant. Fr Abbot and the Monastic Community extend their heartfelt condolences to her family and friends.”

In a communiqué released on Sunday, 26th July, Fr Abbot confirmed the church was liaising “closely with the family regarding funeral arrangements” and would share further details “in due course, when appropriate”.

Fr Abbot and the Monastic Community expressed that they were “grateful for the many messages of sympathy and support that have been received.”

Buckfast Abbey houses a community of Roman Catholic Benedictine monks who follow the ancient Rule of St Benedict. The location holds considerable historical significance, with the original abbey established in 1018 AD by King Cnut.

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There’s a LOT more lightning than I realised

Is it dangerous?

By BETHAN EDWARDS, SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER

Published: 10:11 BST, 27 July 2026 | Updated: 10:32 BST, 27 July 2026

BBC Radio 1 star Gemma Cairney revealed she has given birth to her second child as she shared sweet photos to Instagram on Sunday. 

The presenter, 41, and her partner Cameron McAllister – who first became parents in August 2024 – welcomed the newest addition to their family last week.

Gemma beamed as she cuddled her newborn – whose identity has not been publicly revealed – and a funny picture of Cameron dressed in scrubs in the hospital.

She wrote: ‘Had another baby this week with the most beautiful goober of a man that I ever was to meet after travelling the world to find him. LOVE YOU @cameronmac815 and this miracle family.

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‘*Posted from a sofa of in the haze of restful ecstasy and a multitude of painkillers* (sic)’

Gemma’s celebrity pals including Davina McCall, Fearne Cotton and Paloma Faith showed the couple with congratulatory messages.     

BBC Radio 1 star Gemma Cairney revealed she has given birth to her second child as she shared sweet photos to Instagram on Sunday

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Gemma beamed as she cuddled her newborn – whose identity has not been publicly revealed – and a funny picture of Cameron dressed in scrubs in the hospital

In April, Gemma announced she was pregnant with her second child by posting a sweet shot of the blossoming bump to her Instagram account.

Gemma’s photo showed her sunbathing with her blouse lifted to show off the bump, with the caption: ‘Together we sunbathe ‘n dream (sic)’.

The presenter announced she had welcomed her first child in August 2024 as she took to Instagram to share a snap of herself and Cameron cradling their new arrival.

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Captioning her sweet post, Gemma revealed that their baby was born two weeks ago before gushing that she’d ‘never felt love like this’.

She penned: ‘TWO WEEKS of the best madness, blessings, bliss, breathes, prayers, tears & momentous delirium.

‘I can’t offer enough thanks to our friends / kin, midwives, soothsayers, staunch support!’

She continued: ‘Never ever felt love like this. We are a fresh fam of 3, yipeeeeeeeee.’

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Gemma has been keeping her followers updated with her pregnancy in recent months on Instagram.

Two months prior, the glowing mother-to-be cradled her bump while posing in a glam black dress.

Speaking about her changing body, she wrote in the caption: ‘Our bodies are outstanding ya know, I’m rollin’ in awe of mine and yours.’

While in May, she shared a snap of her silhouette against a window as she looked down at her growing stomach.

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Geamma’s celebrity pals including Davina McCall, Fearne Cotton and Paloma Faith showed the couple with congratulatory messages

Gemma announced she is expecting her second child in April

Speaking about her changing body, she wrote in the caption: ‘Our bodies are outstanding ya know, I’m rollin’ in awe of mine and yours.’

She penned: ‘What an extraordinary time. Making, growing, connecting.’

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Gemma met partner Cameron in Malawi, where Cameron, who owns an independent coffee project, sources his beans from smallholder farmers.

Gemma kickstarted her career on Kiss FM and Channel 4 Radio before moving over to the BBC, going on to join Radio 1Xtra in 2008.

The broadcaster has also hosted Glastonbury over the years and even had her own weekday afternoon show back in 2011. 

The Birmingham-born presenter, who is now based in Scotland, has also hosted radio documentaries and also launched a successful production company 

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DETROIT (AP) — Traffic is set to start flowing Monday across a new bridge over the Detroit River that will serve as a critical route for trade, jobs and tourism between Canada and the U.S.

Last week, Canada celebrated the Gordie Howe International Bridge with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Windsor, Ontario, to mark the completion of the multibillion-dollar, multiyear project.

U.S. and Michigan representatives were uninvited from Friday’s gathering after President Donald Trump suddenly announced 50% tariffs on Canadian goods entering America.

The bridge is named for Howe, a Canadian icon known as “Mr. Hockey” who wore No. 9 while playing on the other side of the Detroit River for the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. He died in 2016.

More than 70% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S., making America its largest trade partner, and Detroit is the No. 1 port for truck traffic on the U.S.-Canada border, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

For nearly a century, the privately-owned Ambassador Bridge has been the only route for large commercial trucks moving between the U.S. and Canada at Detroit. Businesses say the new six-lane span will be faster and less expensive.

The span is 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) long and rises 151 feet (46 meters) above the river at its highest point. Pedestrians and bicyclists carrying proper identification will be able to cross it for free in a few weeks.

Construction on the new bridge began in 2018 but took years, partly because of a global slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canada paid to build the bridge at an estimated cost of $6.4 billion. A recent agreement says Canada will share some toll revenue with the U.S. government for 15 years.

Trump praised his administration for that deal in a social media post while the Ontario event was in progress. “We changed the terms,” he said.

Michigan will also get a share, but not until Canada’s costs are recovered, likely decades from now.

Ant McPartlin washed all the awkwardness of his massage encounter away as he was spotted enjoying a dip in the sea during a beach day in Portugal

Ant McPartlin is clearly making the most of his trip to Portugal as he unveiled his honed new physique while enjoying a dip in the sea.

The 50-year-old jetted on a much-needed holiday with wife Anne-Marie Corbett and pals before preparations get underway for the upcoming series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here in Australia.

In new pictures, he was seen showing off his collection of tattoos while having a swim – opting for a pair of striped blue trunks and chunky black sunglasses.

One snap showed the dad-of-one laughing as he stood in the water, while another saw him vaping and chatting to a friend, before leaving the beach with a trolley.

Despite taking some time off, it wasn’t a complete holiday for the ITV host as he found time to record his Belta Box podcast with best pal Declan Donnelly – where he confessed to having a very embarrassing situation during the trip.

Speaking to his co-host in the latest episode, which was filmed remotely while they were both away, Ant revealed that his masseuse walked in on him completely naked before a relaxing message, making things extremely awkward.

Unpacking the scene, he explained that he went to a “really good” Thai massage parlour with his wife, following a recommendation – but they were given a warning over stripping off.

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“A friend of ours said, ‘Be careful, when you go there, they come in really quickly’,” he recalled. “So I go in and I’m getting changed. The middle door slides open. My wife’s in this one, I’m in this one. She quickly whips the dress off, pops the paper knickers on, jumps on the bed.

“I take my clothes off, I struggle to kind of get all the buttons done on my shirt.”

Attempting to speed things up, he pulled his shirt over his head instead of unbuttoning it, and then removed his pants.

“So I’m leaning over the bed to get the paper knickers and inadvertently flick the paper knickers off the bed to the other side of the bed. And I’m naked and everything’s hanging out,” he continued, recalling his struggle with the disposable underwear.

“They land on the ground. I’m standing like this to put my leg in, my leg’s up. As I’m doing that, the door opens and [the masseuse] comes in. She can see everything and we just stare at each other for a bit too long. I went ‘not yet!’”

While he did eventually return to the parlour, he confessed that the pair “couldn’t look each other in the eye” after the excruciating moment…

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The families of the two people have been informed and a report is being prepared for the coroner

Two people have died after being pulled from the sea at a beach in Cornwall after a late night emergency on Sunday. A man and a woman were pronounced dead at the scene on Fistral Beach at around 9.45pm on Sunday, July 26.

Emergency services including the ambulance service and police were called to the scene after the coastguard recovered the two bodies from the sea after being called around 9.30pm. The families of the two people have been informed and a report is being prepared for the coroner.

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Coastguard Rescue Teams from Newquay, Padstow and St Agnes, lifeboats from Newquay RNLI and an HM Coastguard helicopter were sent to the scene.

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: “Police were called by the South Western Ambulance Service at around 9.45pm on Sunday 26 July following reports that two people had been recovered from the water at Fistral Beach, Newquay.

“Emergency services attended and a cordon was put in place, which has since been removed.

“Sadly, a man and a woman were pronounced deceased at the scene. Their families have been informed, and our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult time.”

A spokesperson for the coastguard said: “HM Coastguard has been responding to an incident in the South Fistral area, Newquay, overnight.

“First informed at around 9.30pm (26 July), Coastguard Rescue Teams from Newquay, Padstow and St Agnes, lifeboats from Newquay RNLI and an HM Coastguard helicopter were sent to the scene, alongside other emergency services.”

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