The outline plan proposes building the 80 new homes on land off Arthur Lane in Harwood that had previously been used for grazing.
But 218 letters of objection from people living nearby have been sent to Bolton Council ahead of a vote on the scheme by the planning committee.
A council report said: “The site is located north of Arthur Lane on the eastern edge of Harwood, which is itself on the northeastern urban edge of the Bolton urban area.
“The site covers approximately 2.47 hectares of land across two agricultural fields for grazing purposes and the terrain of the site is generally flat with a gentle slope down from west to east.
“The site has limited intrinsic habitat or landscape value and is also private land that is fenced and walled on all sides, which limits any existing recreation value.”
It added: “The site is enclosed on all sides by strong and defensible boundaries including Harwood Golf Club car park to the north, Arthur Lane to the south, existing detached properties on Roading Brook Road and the golf club access road to the east, and existing residential development to the west.
“The east, west and north boundaries also include significant existing hedgerows and tree screening, combined with sections of post and wire fencing, with a dry-stone wall and timber fence along the southern boundary.”
The report said that the are could be considered “grey belt” land and that the proposed housing scheme “would not fundamentally undermine” the purposes of other green belt land in Bolton.
Council officers have recommended that the outline plans be approved, subject to conditions.
But Bradshaw’s Cllr Jackie Schofield has asked for the proposal to be heard at a full planning committee meeting.
Letters of objection have raised concerns about the loss of green belt land, the development being out of character with the area, the pressure on existing facilities and many others.
The planning committee is expected to vote on the outline plans at a town hall meeting on Thursday March 26.
Tyson Fury marked his return to the heavyweight mix with a composed points win over Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, before immediately turning ringside to call out long-time rival Anthony Joshua.
The 37-year-old Briton – back after 15 months out – was not at his sharpest and it was far from vintage Fury, but he had enough ring IQ and technical control to outbox Makhmudov across 12 largely one-sided rounds.
Fury had to be watchful at times as Makhmudov did land occasional overhand rights, but the Russian was largely one-dimensional as Fury took a wide decision with scorecards of 120-108, 120-108 and 119-109.
After the fight, Fury crossed the ring to speak with long-time rival Joshua, who was talking to him from the other side of the apron, with organisers indicating the long-mooted showdown will be next.
“Let’s give the fight fans what they want. Do not run from me this time. Ten years in the making. Let’s dance,” Fury said.
Joshua declined to commit, sitting back in his chair before calmly replying: “I punched you up when we were kids and I’ll punch you up again.
“You aren’t going to tell me what to do, I’ve been chasing you for 10 years. I’m the boss, you work for me. I’m the landlord. You work for me.”
A bout that should have happened in both men’s primes, it now lingers as boxing’s great what-if – but it appears it may finally be made a reality.
In his first fight since successive defeats to unified champion Oleksandr Usyk, Fury moves to 35 wins, two losses and one draw. For Makhmudov, 36, it is a third defeat in 24 fights.
More than 50 firefighters are battling a large blaze close to a popular NI farm shop this evening.
Emergency services were called to a large fire at a number of sheds on the Crossnamuckley road, outside Newtownards, understood to be close to Corries farm shop.
People have been asked to avoid the area as firefighters work to bring the blaze under control.
A NIFRS spokesman said: “A large fire is on-going at a number of sheds on the Crossnamuckley road, Newtownards. The initial call was received at 7:15pm on the 11th April 2026.
“We currently have eight fire appliances, an aerial appliance, a water tanker and a Command Support Unit with 54 Firefighters in attendance.
“We request people to avoid the area to allow firefighting operations to continue. The incident is on-going.”
Follow our blog below for live updates as they happen.
The Met Office has forecast a high chance of light rain over the next several hours in the Newtownards area which should help firefighting conditions.Precipitation chances of 80% are forecast into the early period of tomorrow.
Rob Currell
Here are some images of the fire tonight.
It is understood a fire has broken out at Corrie’s Farm Shop on the Crossnamuckley Road
Rob Currell
It is understood the fire is located at Corrie’s Meats, Crossnamuckley Road, Newtownards.Here is a map of the immediate area:
A map of the fire’s location(Image: Google Maps)
Rob Currell
A spokesman from the Northern Ireland Fire Service said:
“A large fire is on-going at a number of sheds on the Crossnamuckley road, Newtownards. The initial call was received at 7:15pm on the 11th April 2026. We currently have eight fire appliances, an aerial appliance, a water tanker and a Command Support Unit with 54 Firefighters in attendance. We request people to avoid the area to allow firefighting operations to continue. The incident is on-going.”
Rob Currell
Thanks for joining our blog coverage this evening. Follow along to remain aprised of updates as they happen.
Rob Currell
Tyson Fury has set up a mega fight against Anthony Joshua with his comeback win against Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday night.
The 37-year-old delivered a dominant display in his return against Makhmudov but was unable to knock the huge Russian heavyweight to the canvas and won via unanimous decision.
Fury had been retired for 16 months and had not fought since his rematch defeat against Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024 before stepping back in the ring with Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Gypsy King wore sky blue shorts with ‘RIP Ricky’ embroidered on the beltline in a tribute to Ricky Hatton, who died last September, and delivered several neat combinations to Makhmudov, who soaked up a significant amount of punishment and caught his opponent with the occasional swinging shot
Fury’s victory now puts him in pole position to fight Joshua later this year in what will be one of the biggest fights in the history of British boxing.
Joshua knocked out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in December but his career was thrown in doubt after he was involved in a car crash in Nigeria later that month which saw him lose two close friends and members of his team.
The 36-year-old, who has also lost twice to Usyk in his career, was sat ringside to watch Fury’s return and made it clear that a fight between the pair is finally on the cards.
‘I’ve got my eyes on the prize, 100 per cent, you know what I’m here for,’ Joshua said when interviewed by Netflix during Fury’s fight.
‘It’s been a long time, he’s been out of the ring for a long time, this is his welcome back.
‘We’ll be in the deep end very soon.’
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April marks National Pet Month and as the weather is starting to improve, you and your furry friend might be more eager to get out on long walks. If you are looking for somewhere to escape to from Cambridgeshire, the coast is a popular place to walk dogs.
Many beaches will soon be implementing restrictions which stop dogs from going on the beach during peak season, so April is a good time for a day trip to the coast. Trainline has put together a list of the best beaches to visit across the UK before restrictions come in for the summer.
Trainline recommends Cromer beach as one of the places you could visit with your family and dog for a daytrip or long weekend. Trainline said: “With its wide sandy shoreline and traditional seaside charm, Cromer is a great spot for a dog-friendly day by the coast. Outside of seasonal restrictions, dogs can enjoy running on the beach, while owners can take in the Victorian pier, promenade walks and local seafood (including the town’s famous crab).”
Cromer beach is described as having “amazing stretches of beautiful sand”, which is ideal for children to play on as well as for dogs to run free. One of the main attractions in the town is the pier, which is home to the Pavilion Theatre, and features a dog friendly bar.
If you want to enjoy the beach away from the larger crowds of families, you can walk either towards the east or west away from the pier to enjoy the quieter spots of the coast. You can follow the path from the gangway, which will take you through Happy Valley and towards the cliffs to the lighthouse.
While spending some time on the beach, you might need some food to keep you going through the day. Dogs might not be allowed in the award-winning restaurant, No1 Cromer, but the popular spot has a takeaway menu with plenty of classic options that you can enjoy on the beach with your pet.
Cromer Station is around a five to 10 minute walk way from the beach and town centre. From Cambridge, you can take a train to Ely, switch at Ely to get to Norwich, and then change at Norwich to get to Cromer.
Cromer beach allows dogs to be on the beach from October through to the end of April. Dogs are welcome in the town and can walk along the promenade during the summer, as long as they are kept on their leads.
After a hiatus of nearly four years, here’s a recap of what unfolded during the second season of Euphoria before the new episodes arrive.In the forthcoming third season, which launches on HBO Max on April 13, cast members Zendaya, 29, Jacob Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney reprise the roles that propelled them to the forefront of Hollywood.
Time has moved on since their school days, but Rue Bennett (Zendaya) appears to be deeply embroiled in a dangerous drugs and crime scene. Meanwhile, Cassie Howard (Sweeney) is producing online adult content in the run-up to her wedding to fiancé Nate Jacobs (Elordi).
The childhood friends will now grapple with the unforgiving realities of adult life. The second season kicked off with a new school term. Following her split from Jules (Hunter Schafer), Rue suffers a severe relapse as she battles to get back on the road to sobriety.
Cassie and Nate are conducting a clandestine romance behind Maddie’s (Alexa Demie) back, while Lexi (Maude Apatow) is busy penning her school play. As well as introducing new faces, including Chloe Cherry as Faye, this also marked the final season featuring Barbie Ferreira as Kate, the late Angus Cloud as the warm-hearted Fez, and his sidekick Ashtray (Javon Walton) on the HBO series, reports the Mirror US.
Nothing would ever be the same for these characters before the school year drew to a close. Here’s what unfolded during the second season of Euphoria.
While Nate is secretly conducting an affair with Cassie, he remains at loggerheads with his father, Cal Jacobs (the late Eric Dane). Following a cathartic and drink-fuelled binge, Cal walks out on his suburban life and family. Nate exacts his revenge on his father by handing over video footage of Cal’s sexual encounter with an underage Jules to the police.
After enduring one of her withdrawal episodes, Rue exposes to Maddie and the others that Cassie has been carrying on an affair with Nate. Nate finds himself fixated on Cassie due to her habit of dressing like Maddie. Cassie persists with her sexually-charged relationship with Nate, even after it destroys her friendship with Maddie.
During the finale, Fez is preparing to head out for his date with Lexi and attend her school play. Tragically, a SWAT team descends on his home, stopping him from leaving. The SWAT team disregards Fez’s warnings and cuts down Ashtray in a hail of gunfire. Fez is taken into custody as he gazes upon Ashtray’s lifeless body.
Having got sober, Rue relapses and embarks on a perilous downward spiral, turning her back on Jules. Rue encounters the ruthless queenpin Laurie (Martha Kelly). Having pledged a substantial sum in return, Rue ends up consuming and losing $10,000 worth of drugs supplied by Laurie.
And somewhere along the way, Kate, who had little involvement in the second season, splits up with Ethan (Austin Abrams).
The final two episodes centre on Lexi’s school production, entitled Our Life. Despite Lexi revealing personal details, Maddie is genuinely touched by the play, particularly as she has the most memorable encounter. Nate realises the play is ridiculing him through one of its characters and ends his relationship with Cassie.
Things continue to spiral for Cassie. She suddenly screams, nearly derailing her sister’s performance. Lexi portrayed Cassie’s sexual fantasy at a carousel. Maddie intervenes just in time and delivers a much-needed confrontation. Cassie’s reckoning with Maddie is far from over, even following her split from Nate.
Lexi’s production also resonates deeply with Rue, though she recognises there is no happy ending awaiting her. The second series concludes on a cliffhanger, as Rue has no means of repaying Laurie, who has vowed to abduct and traffic her.
Euphoria season 3 will be premiering on Sky Atlantic, NOW and HBO Max on April 13
Cambridgeshire Live readers have shared their thoughts about the replanting of thousands of trees along the A14 and the road’s day-to-day operation. Several comments centred on traffic flow and safety concerns, while others questioned National Highways’ strategy and the timing and maintenance of the new planting.
Thousands of trees are set to be replanted along the A14, as an MP described the condition of the road as a “real mess”. In 2021, a council report revealed that nearly one million trees had died after being planted on the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon.
National Highways acknowledged a “high failure rate” in 2023 and shared its intention to replant 160,000 new trees by March 2024. During a parliamentary debate on March 26, 2026, Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty described the road as a “real mess”.
He added: “The land has simply not been maintained after the environmental land-management schemes were put in place, so it is reassuring to hear that the trees will be replaced.” Simon Lightwood, MP for Wakefield and Rothwell, also described it as an “absolute scandal” that approximately “90% of trees died at that particular scheme”.
National Highways has acknowledged once more that it has “not been good enough”, and confirmed plans to replant 50,000 trees. A spokesperson said: “The A14 scheme delivered major economic, safety and environmental benefits, but we recognise that our performance on tree planting has not been good enough.
“After identifying losses caused by several factors, including rootstock selection, weather conditions, soil nutrient levels and aftercare, we have launched a 50,000 tree trial to test new measures and inform our future planting regime for all our schemes.”
Opinions remain divided on whether the route has proved beneficial. One reader, Weneedqueenmeghan comments: “The whole road has been a disaster, nothing but crashes and jams all day. Solved nothing.”
Whynot2 disagrees: “Traffic moves along quickly and smoothly, better than the old part of the A14, yes, there are RTCs, but there were on the old road. Or do you want the original routes going through populated areas?”
Freddly comments: “Typical of the contemptuous approach National Highways takes towards mitigation measures, which it is the first to trumpet in glossy websites when it is trying to ensure its schemes remain in the government’s Roads Programme. National Highways is a gravy train. Big salaries, big pensions for second-rate work.”
Polishedhelmet writes: “Great to see National Highways are taking responsibility and fully committing to replacing all their dead trees. I’d hate to think they were taking liberties by merely ‘planning a trial’ to replace only a fraction of them.”
Over on our Facebook page, David B comments: “What happened to the other 50,000? The contractor’s inability to manage them means they should replace all of them. It should have been in the contract that they have to maintain them & regularly water them for at least 12 months.
“Also, why are they planting them now rather than in their winter dormant period. They would have stood a better chance of being planted in a wet winter. Now we will be coming into a possible dry spell (the ground is already very dry) they will need significantly amount of watering & feed.”
Peter Palmer writes: “The most important thing is to plant them at the correct time of year.”
Are National Highways doing enough by replanting these trees? Comment below or HERE to join in the debate.
Hello and welcome to our coverage of this Premier League match between Liverpool and Fulham at Anfield.
Liverpool’s disastrous season has plummeted to new lows in recent games. Last weekend, Arne’s Slot men were demolished 4-0 by a rampant Manchester City side in the FA Cup. This heavy defeat led parts of the away support to chant Xabi Alonso’s name, with the Liverpool legend and former Real Madrid manager fully available this summer.
The midweek Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain was also a sobering experience as the reigning European champions cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Liverpool in the French capital.
Truthfully, PSG ripped their opponents apart, and Liverpool were lucky to escape the Parc des Princes with just a two-goal deficit. The visitors failed to register a shot on target and painfully lacked confidence, attacking verve and defensive stability.
However, Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group believe that Slot deserves to stay in charge despite this chaotic campaign. In the Premier League, Liverpool sit fifth, just a point ahead of sixth-place Chelsea, who play Man City on Sunday.
More worryingly for Liverpool, they’re only seven points ahead of Newcastle United, who lie in 13th. If consistency doesn’t improve, Liverpool could miss out on European football altogether, an unthinkable scenario for the club which strolled to Premier League glory last season. Three successive defeats in all competitions have heaped a tremendous amount of pressure on Slot and his players ahead of this game.
There was real frustration from Fulham fans as their side crashed out of the FA Cup fifth round, after losing at home to Championship Southampton with a rotated line-up at the start of March. Without the worry of relegation, there were fears that the season could fizzle out, but Fulham are just five points adrift of Liverpool.
European football is a realistic possibility, and could be the added motivation to keep Marco Silva at the club. The 48-year-old is out of contract in the summer and hasn’t committed to a new deal at Craven Cottage.
Fulham arrive at Anfield with all the pressure on Slot’s underperforming Liverpool side, who play the second leg of their Champions League tie against PSG next week.
This is Fulham’s first match back after the recent international break, so they’ll be full of energy and ready to inflict more misery on Liverpool.
Kick-off is at 20:00, with lineups on the way shortly.
Tyson Fury showed his class ahead of his fight with Arslanbek Makhmudov with a tribute to the late Ricky Hatton. The cameras panned to the former heavyweight champion of the world in the dressing room as he got his gloves wrapped by SugarHill Steward during the middle of Conor Benn’s fight with Regis Prograis.
It offered a sneak glimpse of Fury’s attire for the fight against Makhmudov, with ‘RIP Ricky’ written on the top of his shorts, which were also in the colours of Manchester City.
Fury will also wear light blue gloves with a message for his close friend, who sadly passed away in September last year.
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The gloves, which were shared on social media ahead of the fight, had ‘There’s only one Ricky Hatton‘ written on them, paying further tribute to one of Manchester’s greatest ever fighters.
Fans on social media heaped praise on Fury for the classy gesture. One said: “Absolute class from the Gypsy King honouring Ricky like this is proper respect. Can’t wait to see those boots in the ring tomorrow!”
Another said: “Tyson Fury this is a class act.”
Fury walked to the ring with Blue Moon playing, honouring Hatton, who was a close friend throughout his life, with the pair spending a lot of time together both in and out of the ring.
Explaining to Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, Paris Fury explained that Hatton’s death had hit Tyson hard. She said: “He [Tyson] has had troubles in the past, and he did go through a low point when, RIP Ricky Hatton, he heard about it, and it put him in a slump for three or four days.
“It was a bad place for him for a moment, but he’s come round. It just opened his eyes to awareness about what can happen at home and you should always talk to people. Seek help, seek advice. He was speaking to me about how he felt because it was such a tragedy.
“He had such a young family and he was so loved by a lot of people and it did affect Tyson because he had a personal relationship with Ricky. Especially in the boxing with training, inside and outside. With their inside jokes, they both really got along. Because they’re both Manchester lads I think.”
Fury returns to the ring tonight to take on Russian heavyweight Makhmudov, with talk of a superfight against Anthony Joshua on the horizon if he defeats the 36-year-old.
Speaking ahead of Fury’s fight with Makhmudov, Turki Al-Sheikh said: ” You know what is amazing now. The British fans. This is what gives us the motivation to do more and more. Today we have a big surprise, I hope we’ll announce the biggest fight in the history of England.
“We need to kidnap Eddie Hearn to announce the biggest fight. We have five or six big announcements with Netflix next year.”
Israel has issued a diplomatic reprimand to Spain’s most senior diplomat in Tel Aviv following the detonation of a giant effigy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a Spanish town this week.
The seven-metre (23-foot) figure, packed with 14 kilograms (31 lb) of gunpowder, was part of a decades-old ceremony held on 5 April in El Burgo, a small town near the southern city of Malaga.
Mayor Maria Dolores Narvaez told local television that the annual event has previously featured effigies of figures such as Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry condemned the incident, stating on X: “The appalling antisemitic hatred on display here is a direct result of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government’s systemic incitement.” The statement included a video clip of the event.
In response, a Spanish Foreign Ministry source asserted: “The Spanish government is committed to fighting against antisemitism and any form of hate or discrimination. As such we totally reject any insidious allegation which suggests the contrary.”
The incident further escalates a long-running diplomatic dispute between Spain and Israel, which began over the Gaza conflict.
Spain has been an outspoken critic of US and Israeli military campaigns in the region, despite warnings from the US regarding uncooperative Nato allies. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar previously labelled a Spanish ban on aircraft and ships carrying weapons to Israel as antisemitic.
Conversely, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares accused Israel of violating international law and a two-week ceasefire following a wave of airstrikes across Lebanon this week.
Mr Netanyahu countered on Wednesday that Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire and that Israel’s military would continue to strike Hezbollah.
Mr Sanchez, a prominent opponent of the Iran conflict, has closed Spanish airspace to any aircraft involved in what he has described as a reckless and illegal confrontation.
Nigel Farage has said he is ‘not worried’ after police announced it was reviewing a complaint over his party’s prize draw.
Under a competition launched by Reform UK, one lucky winner as well as their entire street had their energy bills covered by the party.
On Thursday, Mr Farage shared a video of himself and his treasury spokesperson Robert Jenrick turning up at the home of ‘June from Wigan’, presenting her with a bouquet of flowers and a giant cheque for £1,758.
Voters could enter the draw by filling out a questionnaire on their voting habits, including which party they had voted for at the last election and who they intended to support now.
However campaign groups have expressed concerns that the giveaway may breach Electoral Commission guidance as acts that ‘incentivise voter behaviour’ can amount to ‘treating’ or ‘bribery’ which are considered a form of corruption.
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Unveiling the ‘Nigel Cut My Bills’ promotion, Mr Jenrick promised voters if they ‘give us your details’, Mr Farage would appear at their home and foot their energy bills for a year.
However it emerged that June and her husband Ray Dibble were both no strangers to Reform and Mr Farage.
The couple had appeared at a campaign event for the party’s predecessor, the Brexit Party in 2019 and were described as ‘staunch members’ by Reform’s Wigan branch.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed on Saturday that it was now reviewing a complaint about the draw.
It is as of yet unclear what offence is being looked into but the matter has not yet progressed to a full investigation.
Asked by reporters whether the giveaway could have broken election rules, Mr Farage insisted he wasn’t worried.
Reform said that the competition had been approved by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
But the Open Rights Group said the promotion risked turning democracy into a ‘data harvesting exercise’, adding that the party was not telling entrants what their responses would be used for.
Its legal and policy officer, Mariano delli Santi, said: ‘Reform are asking the public to hand over sensitive data about their voting habits without being transparent about how it will be used.
‘This is a clear breach of transparency obligations under UK data protection law. Nothing in their privacy policy suggests they are not acting unlawfully in many other way.
‘Aside from the potential breach of data protection law, offering financial incentives in exchange for people’s political views risks turning democratic participation into a data-harvesting exercise.’
In a statement, the ICO said that it had spoken to Reform about the competition and ‘improving transparency’ in the way they handle personal information.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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