It’s the perfect day out to keep the kids entertained during half term

Half term is in full swing and parents will be planning or looking for things to keep the kids entertained with. While it’s over halfway through the week already, there is still plenty on offer in Cambridgeshire for families to enjoy a day out.

At the popular Nene Valley Railway in Wansford, a friendly face is making his return to the railway. This is, of course, Thomas.

Although it’s the home of Thomas, the beloved children’s book and TV character only appears at Nene Valley three times a year. He makes one of his appearances this Friday (May 29).

Due to the hot weather expected for Friday, Thomas will be helped by his friend the Teddy Bear Diesel engine. Visitors will be able to enjoy a ride on Thomas, as well as other family fun at Nene Valley.

Thomas is due to depart Nene Valley at midday. He will then arrive back to the station at around 3.30pm.

As well as a ride on the special train, visitors will be able to meet train drivers Frankie and Royce, enjoy party games on the platform, and watch Thomas take on water at Wansford.

There will also be a Thomas buffet, cars serving light snacks, and miniature railway rides on the day. People will also get access to the playground at Wansford.

Tickets are still available to buy online at the time of writing. For adults it costs £23 and £20 for children aged three to 15 years old. It costs £10 for toddlers aged one to two, and babies are free.

It also costs £20 for a carer and £2 for dogs. To find out more about the event, visit the Nene Valley website.

Coronation Street fans have spotted a major clue about Gary Windass and Sarah Platt’s mystery plot on the ITV soap, convinced a behind-the-scenes snap reveals the truth

A Coronation Street twist could be on the cards for Sarah Platt and Gary Windass after all.

As the characters continued to hide something this week, a social media post has left fans wondering if an affair is about to be confirmed. In a recent episode set on the night Theo Silverton was killed, Sarah was attacked and left for dead.

Sarah has no idea Jodie Ramsey was behind the attack, while she has been struggling with her mental health since the assault. While some have put this down to her traumatic ordeal, other fans are convinced there’s more going on.

This is because Gary is also up to something, clearly hiding things from his partner Maria Connor. With Gary and Sarah having secret chats and both of them being very protective of each other amid recent drama, it seems they are both hiding something that is yet to be revealed.

Many fans have predicted an affair twist, believing Sarah and Gary slept together that night. Others have questioned if it’s a mental health storyline for Sarah or a head injury that has not been detected.

With the latest theory doing the rounds being that Sarah is pregnant, a new behind-the-scenes snap on Instagram by a Corrie director has sparked further speculation. One viewer noted the snaps, shared by TV director Dom Stephenson, could have a hidden clue in them.

The pics are of a dinner party or a dinner, with candles, food and at least two people. The location is not clear, nor is the people in the shot.

But after Maria actress Samia Longchambon recently posted a snap of herself in a pink dress, one viewer speculated this was the outfit worn by one of the people in the blurred out BTS picture. Director Dom had shared the snaps on his Instagram Story, with the word “spoiler” covering up things to stop spoilers being revealed.

That said, a viewer predicted Maria was in this shot, and immediately questioned, given it seems to be a big episode due to the hype around it, whether this could be the moment Gary is rumbled. The scene being filmed is shown on a camera monitor.

Text reads, on a Instagram story that is no longer available but was screen grabbed by a viewer: “Edit locked on a very special block! Proud of what we’ve achieved and excited for everyone to see what we’ve cooked up. This is about the only spoiler free shot I could find.”

There was also a rather cryptic side-eye emoji. This all alludes to it being a big episode or block for the soap, with things needing to be kept under wraps.

Someone shared another post from earlier in May to their story, saying: “What a block! Thanks to our brilliant director.” Coronation Street shared Dom’s latest post to their own story, teasing the big block to fans.

So is this seemingly huge episode about to reveal what Gary has been hiding from Maria? Fans think so, with a viewer predicting that Gary and Sarah are having an affair, and Maria could find this out.

One fan posted: “Defo the affair reveal between Gary and Sarah. That’s Maria on the right as well.” A fan replied to this saying: “Good detective skills wonder who she is with?”

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Professor Sir Mike Richards, chairman of the UKNSC, told a briefing: “We absolutely recognise the strong support for prostate cancer screening amongst a large number of people, but also the very real harm that can be caused by the disease, which patients and indeed their families, experience.

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Uber passengers will be able to hit the record button on journeys to capture audio after a new feature to tackle safety concerns was added.  

The company has become synonymous with ride-hailing in the UK. Uber is thought to have more than 100,000 drivers on its platform and millions of riders.  

In a bid to make the interactions safer for passengers and drivers, Uber announced its latest features today, including the voice recording option and verification for customers.  

How does it work?  

Uber said the tool will give riders and drivers ‘extra peace of mind.’  

The record option will be available on the app either before or during a trip, with a button to start recording appearing on the screen.  

The audio will be encrypted and stored on the customer’s phone.  

But the audio won’t be sent to Uber automatically – they can only access it if it is uploaded through the app as part of a safety record.  

The audio will be deleted after two weeks if no safety report is lodged.  

Meanwhile, Uber drivers will receive a notification if the audio record is activated before the journey.  

They will then have the option to cancel the booking without a penalty.  

The audio recording option will go live today for most of the UK, while London will follow later.

If the passenger activates the audio recording during the ride, the driver won’t be notified to avoid escalating any potential safety situation, Metro understands.

If the recording is submitted to Uber with a safety report, the driver will be notified.

What other Uber features are new?  

From next week, passengers can get verified on the app, which will be visible to drivers.  

Those customers who have had their details cross-checked by uploading a picture of their ID and a selfie, or verified details with a third-party database, will have a verified badge on their profile.  

This option is set to be rolled out from June.

Kola Olalekan, an Uber driver and the branch secretary of the GMB union, said seeing a verified badge on a profile would make him much more likely to accept a booking because of ‘extra confidence’ it gives.  

Andrew Brem, the general manager of Uber UK, said: ‘We are always investing in new ways to make journeys even safer. 

‘These new safety features provide both riders and drivers with extra peace of mind. 

‘Riders can record the audio of their journeys securely, and drivers can feel more confident about who is getting in their car.’ 

Drivers and safety campaigners welcomed the safety changes.  

Lucy Duckworth, from the Survivors Trust representing rape and sexual abuse victims, said the two new features are a step towards giving riders and drivers more confidence about journeys.

She said: ‘We have to create a safety-first culture as a society, where people respect each other and unsafe behaviour is challenged.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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The 2026 Fifa World Cup is the biggest ever edition of the world’s most watched sporting tournament. The 48 teams taking part in Canada, the US and Mexico may find their toughest opponent is the extreme heat.

Very hot temperatures are expected across many of the states including Texas, California and Florida where World Cup games are being held this summer, with wildfire risks being highlighted in some states. The tournament kicks off on June 11.

The problems heat causes during matches were visible during the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup, played in the same summer months and across many of the same North American venues. Players and managers repeatedly referenced the stifling weather conditions.

Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovač said after a match in Cincinnati he was “sweating like I’ve just come out of a sauna”. Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández described conditions as “very dangerous”, adding that “everything becomes very slow”. Juventus manager Igor Tudor revealed that ten players asked to be substituted during a match against Real Madrid in Miami, where temperatures reached 30°C, with 70% humidity.

North America’s last World Cup (USA 1994) also produced memorable scenes relating to heat. German striker Jürgen Klinsmann recalled: “I played in Dallas at 120 degrees [49°C ] I was dying” in a match against South Korea. Meanwhile, Republic of Ireland manager Jack Charlton was reprimanded by Fifa officials for throwing water bottles onto the pitch to help his dehydrated players during a game in Orlando.

Extreme heat is not just uncomfortable – it threatens both health and performance. Football already has documented cases of heat-related fatigue, collapses and hospitalisations, including Guatemalan referee Humberto Panjoj collapsing during a 2024 Copa América match in Kansas City.

Heat also changes the game itself. Studies show players cover less distance, perform fewer high-intensity sprints and get tired more quickly in extreme conditions. Tired players are more prone to mistakes and injuries, while hotter matches have been linked to more penalty shootouts, as exhausted teams struggle to break each other down in extra time.

Scientists commonly use Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WGBT) to assess heat stress. Unlike air temperature alone, WBGT combines temperature, humidity, solar radiation and wind, making it a better indicator of how dangerous conditions feel to the human body.

Several football governing bodies – including the global players’ union Fifpro – consider a WBGT above 28°C to be a threshold where matches should potentially be delayed or postponed.

20-year average levels of extreme heat in 16 venue cities

Possible solutions?

A study I led in 2025 found that 14 of the 16 upcoming World Cup host cities are likely to exceed the extreme 28°C WBGT threshold if conditions this summer are typical. Most of the danger falls during mid-afternoon, and Fifa has clearly tried to reduce some of the risk through scheduling. Compared with the Club World Cup, matches in the hottest cities and non-air-conditioned stadiums have largely been shifted away from the most dangerous hours of the day.

That will help – but it will not eliminate the problem.

Some high-risk fixtures remain. Late afternoon (5pm) and early evening (6pm) matches in Miami and Kansas City carry a greater than 30% risk of WBGTs exceeding 28°C if summer temperatures are typical, rising above 50% if conditions are hotter than average. The final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey kicks off at 3pm, when the probability of extreme heat is about 30% in a typical summer and 55% in a hot one.

Those estimates may even turn out to be conservative. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense globally. The 2021 western North America heatwave shattered records by more than 4°C in some locations. A similarly extreme event during the World Cup could push lower-risk cities such as Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver into dangerous territory, while prolonging extreme evening heat in more vulnerable venues such as Miami, Kansas City and Philadelphia.

And even air-conditioned stadiums do not remove the wider public-health risk.

In the hottest cities such as Dallas and Houston, indoor venues may protect players and match officials during the game itself. But tens of thousands of spectators will still spend hours travelling, queueing and celebrating in dangerous outdoor heat. Many fans are older, less physically fit than elite athletes, dehydrated from alcohol consumption, or arriving from cooler climates with little acclimatisation.

The risk therefore extends well beyond the pitch.

Yet Fifa’s current heat policy remains limited. All matches will have three-minute hydration breaks midway through each half, but the threshold for stronger action remains exceedingly high. Current Fifa guidance only mandates additional precautions at a WBGT of 32°C.

That figure has alarmed scientists and medical experts who have sent an open letter urging Fifa to strengthen its heat protections before the tournament begins. Their recommendations include doubling the time for cooling breaks to six minutes, lowering the WBGT threshold for intervention and introducing clearer rules for delaying or postponing matches in dangerous conditions.

It is possible matches could be delayed or postponed if WBGTs exceed 32°C. This would be a decision for Fifa – and is something they have never done before. It is worth noting that the 32°C threshold is also considerably above levels many experts consider dangerous.

It’s likely that more World Cups will be played outside the traditional summer months in future. This was the case for the Qatar World Cup in 2022, moving from June/July to November/December and is almost certain to be the case for the 2034 tournament in Saudi Arabia.

The 2026 World Cup may ultimately become a defining test for how global sport adapts in a warming world. Scheduling matches outside the hottest hours is a sensible start. But as temperatures continue to rise, timing alone may no longer be enough.

The rivalry, described as “farm wars” by Digital Spy, will focus on power struggles and land ownership, returning the show to its rural roots with a fresh twist.

Producer Laura Shaw said in an exclusive chat with Inside Soap: “Emmerdale has always been built on a hierarchy.”

Emmerdale fans to expect family rivalries over power struggles and land ownership

She added: “Robert is that tenant farmer who is still owned by the Tates up on the hill, looking down on him.

“The Dingles own their farm and the Sugdens own theirs, but the Tates owning all the land around is going to be important.”

Laura continued: “We’re going for a Yellowstone vibe, which will bring us lots of story in the future.”

The storyline has already seen major changes at Butlers Farm, where Moira Dingle made a deal to sell her share to the Tates while on remand for crimes she didn’t commit – human trafficking and double murder.

Butlers Farm has since been rebranded as Emmerdale Farm and is now run by Robert and Aaron Dingle as tenant farmers.

Emmerdale’s most emotional exits

Moira made the difficult decision out of concern for her unwell husband, Cain, who was struggling to manage while she wasn’t there.

She has since been released due to the case falling apart.

At Wishing Well Cottage, Cain and Sam Dingle plan to start their own Dingle Farm.

Natalie J Robb, who plays Moira, welcomed the change of direction, according to Digital Spy.

Ms Robb recently said: “It’s nice to be back after Moira’s time in prison.”

She added: “Obviously it’s going to be a big change being at the Dingles’ rather than Butlers Farm – it’s new stories.

“What’s lovely is that Moira is not in debt anymore, so she can start from scratch.

“It’s quite nice that it’s not always about money.

“Presumably she’ll be building it all up again, but that comes a bit later on.”

Tate and Sugden families to expand with two new Emmerdale arrivals

The news of the rivalries comes after Emmerdale bosses confirmed two new arrivals would be joining existing families.

The Tates and the Sugdens will welcome a new member each but it has not yet been decided who the new characters will be.

Emmerdale also intends to restore the prominence of the Sugdens, one of the show’s original families.

Fans can hear more from producer Laura Shaw in the latest issue of Inside Soap magazine, which is out now.

Which family is your favourite, the Tates, Dingles, or Sugdens? Tell us in the comments below.

At least 13 people were killed in central China‘s Henan province early on Thursday after an overcrowded minibus crashed into the back ​of a large ​truck.

The collision took place at ​2.40am local time on a section of the ‌G40 ⁠highway running from Shanghai to Xian in Shaanxi province, China’s ministry of public security said in a statement.

The minibus was approved to carry nine passengers but had 16 people on board at the time of the crash, the statement said. The passenger bus ⁠rear-ended ​a semi-trailer ​truck travelling ahead of it.

Following the incident, the ministry said it dispatched a working team to Nanyang to guide the investigation. The ministry said it “attached great importance” to the incident, “immediately dispatching a working group to Nanyang led by a traffic management bureau official to direct investigation and handling work”.

Deadly crashes are common in China, mostly due to poor safety standards and reckless driving.

In November last year, China witnessed its deadliest rail accident in more than a decade when a train ran into a group of railway workers, killing 11.

At least one person died and four others sustained injuries when a driver allegedly drove into a crowd in Chongqing in June that year.

There’s nothing worse than boiling an egg only for it to crack, but there is an easy way to prevent it.

Boiled eggs make an excellent breakfast, lunch or snack, particularly during this time of year. They’re a perfect addition to summer salads, making them an ideal accompaniment to evening meals.

Despite their versatility, boiled eggs can be surprisingly tricky to master. The duration you cook your boiled egg is crucial to achieving the desired outcome.

You can achieve runny yolks that are perfect for dipping toast soldiers, almost-set eggs for a sticky yolk, jammy ones ideal for scotch eggs, and a classic boiled egg that is mashable yet not dry.

There are only minutes separating the different varieties, so careful attention when cooking is essential. However, an often-overlooked step when preparing boiled eggs comes with the preparation.

Eggs can crack while boiling, causing the egg whites to leak into the pan. Water can even seep into the egg and significantly affect the flavour.

Fortunately, there’s a straightforward way to prevent eggs from cracking, and that’s ensuring they reach room temperature before cooking.

BBC Good Food explained: “Make sure your eggs aren’t fridge-cold – eggs at room temperature will have less of a shock when put into hot water and will therefore be less likely to crack.

“You can also use an egg pricker or pin to make a very small hole in each egg before boiling, which will reduce the chance of it cracking in the heat. Slowly lower the eggs into the water using a spoon – don’t just drop them.”

How to boil an egg so it doesn’t crack

Fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Allow your eggs to come to room temperature if they have been kept in the fridge. If using, make a small hole in the egg using an egg pricker.

Carefully lower the eggs into the water using a spoon.

Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and set your timer according to your desired outcome.

Cooking times for a large egg

Five minutes: just-set (not solid) white and runny yolk that’s ideal for dipping

Six minutes: liquid yolk and a slightly wobbly white

Seven minutes: almost set for a sticky yolk

Eight minutes: softly set and jammy to make scotch eggs

10 minutes: a classic hard-boiled egg that’s mashable, but not dry