For three days the Wearside skyline was soundtracked by chart-toppers with barely a cloud daring to gatecrash the party, as festival ponchos were put aside for sunglasses and SPF.

More than 100,000 people swept passed the park over the weekend from far and wide – some travelling from as far afield as Southampton,

It was the first time the festival had been to Sunderland in 21 years, when Gwen Stefani headlined in 2005.

On Friday, legendary DJ Fatboy Slim brought the festival’s first full day to an end with a set of the pounding dance anthems which made him a household name. It topped off the Big Weekend’s first-ever dedicated dance music day.

Saturday brought about more big-name artists from the world of pop.

(Image: NNP)

Zara Larsson closed Saturday with a blitz of big choruses and fun dance routines that have come to symbolise her resurgence in recent years, partly down to viral trends on TikTok.

She played the last Big Weekend in the North East when she joined the likes of Miley Cyrus and Billie Eilish on the billing.

(Image: PA)

Ellie Goulding’s set earlier in the day was another nostalgia-filled journey on a day which felt like it may well have been 2016 all over again.

Louis Tomlinson added to that feeling with a rendition of One Direction hit ‘History’.

(Image: NNP)

(Image: NNP)

Olivia Dean brought the Big Weekend to a soulful close as Sunday’s headliner with her sunset set wrapping up three days of pop and sunshine.

(Image: JOSHUA NICHOL)

(Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

(Image: NNP)

Bucket hats, denim shorts and football shirts were the uniform of choice, with grass banks doubling as sun loungers between sets as fans stretched out to the sound of new discoveries on the smaller stages.

(Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

(Image: NNP)

That’s one way to keep cool

Paddling pools are a staple of British summer time, but one Wythenshawe dad has taken it to the extreme with a massive pool right in his back garden – complete with a waterslide.

40-year-old Liam Tandy has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok for the clips, which show his son flying down the slide and splash land in the pool – right on his back patio in Benchill.

Liam said he has had the pool since 2024 – and only half-jokingly puts the decision down to having ADHD. “That’s just how I am, once I get an idea in my head, I just have to have it,” he told the M.E.N.

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Returning from a summer holiday, Liam found that he didn’t want to leave the poolside fun behind. “I had just moved into a new house and it was my first time having a garden,” he said.

“I thought, I want my own pool at home. I started looking online before the holiday even ended.”

He ‘levelled’ most of his back garden to install the 12ft by 24ft pool, which cost about £1,000, and added a former playground slide which he sourced on eBay.

A mechanic by trade, he also erected a platform over the garage roof, which he attached the slide to. “I don’t see it as unsafe, I’ve made it easy to get up there and put netting around the sides,” he said.

“I’ve spoken to my neighbours and they don’t have an issue with it. As long as my kids are happy, I’m happy.”

The pool has its own filter and Liam uses chlorine to treat the water. “Let’s not talk about costs…” he says of his water bill.

Things ‘went a bit mad’ when another TikTok user posted a video of the pool. “She was staying in an AirBnB round the corner and took a video from her window,” he said. “It had been a bit of a secret until then.

“Now it’s gone viral I am expecting a visit from the council. But it’s a temporary structure and I can have it down in an hour.”

With the arrival of the year’s first proper heatwave and the beginning of May half time, Liam’s kids and their friends are flocking round to swim in the pool. “I kind of live through my children, I have three and I know how fast it goes,” he said.

“They’re only young once and once they’re grown up you don’t get that time back. And the love and support and positivity I have had has been absolutely amazing.

“It is nice to get credit as a dad cause I don’t think we get credit or appreciated very often. I go above and beyond for my kids.”

North Yorkshire Police said the black Cube Stereo mountain bike was taken from the banks of Rawcliffe Lake in the early evening of last Sunday (May 17).

The bike is “distinctive looking” and has red bar grips fitted, the force said.

Officers are urging anyone with footage of the bike being taken or who has seen it for sale to contact North Yorkshire Police.

Anyone with information is asked to email Ben.Robinson-Brockhill@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101 and ask for PC Ben Robinson-Brockhill.

Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Quote reference number 12260089677 when giving information to the police or to Crimestoppers.

The Sun’s square to the mystic North Node heightens sensitivity but provides a guiding light. Tune into how the comsos advises you today.

Taurus, Aquarius and Pisces, this placement gets you in the perfect zone for self-discovery. You are at tune and at peace with yourself.

Harmony is on the cards, so use this oppirtunity to build relationships. Enjoy the peace offered by the day ahead.

Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Monday May 25, 2026.

Like checking your horoscope every morning? You can now sign up to our free daily newsletter to get a personalised reading for your star sign delivered straight to your inbox.

To order your unique personal horoscope based on your time, date and place of birth, visit patrickarundell.com.

Aries

March 21 to April 20

As the week begins, the Moon moves into a harmonising part of your chart, perfect for early-day connections. Exchanges can flow more smoothly, but your intuition will still be calling out to you. So even in the bubbliest of exchanges, let your inner voice nudge in the right direction. Not all that sparkles contains celestial gold, however charming someone might be.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aries

Taurus

April 21 to May 21

Over the last eighteen months, the powerful North Node has been gently guiding your future direction and the company you keep. You have become more aware not just of who you like, but also of how their energy affects you and whether each person is uplifting. This process may get a reality check today, but one that can be in your best interests, Taurus.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Taurus

Gemini

May 22 to June 21

Your personal identity is undergoing a major cosmic rebirth. So, these can be very exciting times for Geminis, especially if you’re a free spirit or a natural bohemian. If you’re a Twin who exists in a more conventional situation or work feels staid, this may now hit home. This can also be the case if you are used to expressing your personal talents in your free time.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Gemini

Cancer

June 22 to July 23

The Sun’s square to the mystic North Node highlights finding a way through the day, when your sensitivities can be amplified. And your ruler, the Moon’s journey into your most emotional sector, accents this too. Something you strongly believe in may not be what you want to discuss, but circumstances may demand that you do so and stand up for yourself, Cancer.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Cancer

Leo

July 24 to August 23

There has been so much excitement in the last month, and in particular, the last few days. With sparkling friendships and future possibilities shining brightly, today gives you a chance to ask yourself some probing questions about what this all means. Someone you know well and trust can be the perfect sounding board. Look to get their perspective – don’t be too proud to ask.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Leo

Virgo

August 24 to September 23

Your star is most certainly in the ascendancy, but how will this impact your relationships? If you have the chance to take on a more senior role, are retraining or pivoting to do something different, the support of others could be important. Equally, being mindful of their needs and feelings will be key. Working together will increase your chances of success.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Virgo

Libra

September 24 to October 23

The Moon returns to your sign today, Libra, helping your natural equilibrium. The Sun, however, forges a testing link with the North Node. Your desire to expand your boundaries can be strong. The unstinting discipline and sacrifice you have shown over the last few years does need a counterpoint, and greater freedom can likely be it. Just ask yourself, is it doable?

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Libra

Scorpio

October 24 to November 22

The Moon moves through a more introspective sector for you the next two days, Scorpio. And a complex interplay between the Sun and the North Node may find you deep in thought. Actually, this can be the perfect moment to untangle a complex issue. Although you have a natural talent for teasing out deeper strands, today it’s also about feeling them, Scorpio.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Scorpio

Sagittarius

November 23 to December 21

Strict Saturn moved through the tender Pisces between much of 2023 to early 2026 and taught you some tough lessons, be it around home, family, your inner emotional world, or where to live. Today, with the instinctive North Node in the same sector as Saturn was, and angling to the Sun, however much you’re drawn to someone, do be guided by what you learned then.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Sagittarius

Capricorn

December 22 to January 21

There can be a tension between thinking about what you need to do today and feeling what the right thing to do is. Your attention span may also be lower than usual, so the key is to take on one task at a time and not give yourself too much to get through. By not overthinking things, you can just go with the flow and perhaps get more done than in the process.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Capricorn

Aquarius

January 22 to February 19

There is such a fabulous amount of bright and effervescent energy supporting you now, Aquarius. Do seize the moment. Not all of your ideas or moves will necessarily convert into something more tangible, or even work financially, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have value. Ironically, if you’re minded to be speculative, listen to your hunches.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aquarius

Pisces

February 20 to March 20

With the Sun, Mercury, and Uranus all in the zone of feelings in your chart, but in the logical Gemini, it will be important not to be too detached about family or home changes that are in play. The powerful North Node – with you until late July – can help you to decipher these paradoxes, but also ensure that within your close connections, you do feel heard and seen.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Pisces

Your daily Metro.co.uk horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.

Check out the tarot horoscope reading for the month of May here.

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MORE: What does the week have in store? Your tarot horoscope reading for May 25 to May 31

MORE: Daily horoscope May 24, 2026: Today’s predictions for your star sign

MORE: The relationship red flag your star sign always ignores — and the reality check you need most

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman in her 30s was found dead at a property in St Helens

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A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of a woman in St Helens.

North West Ambulance Service alerted police at approximately 2.55am on Sunday, May 24 after a woman in her 30s was found dead at a property on Brook Cottage Close.

A 63-year-old man was detained at the scene on suspicion of murder and has since been taken to a police station for questioning. Investigations are continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and to formally identify the deceased woman.

The case is currently being treated as unexpected while these enquiries are under way.

Residents of Brook Cottage Close revealed they had heard arguing in the early hours and awoke to find police present on the street, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Merseyside Police has urged anyone with information to get in touch via @MerPolCC or by calling 101, quoting reference 26000410495.

Reports can also be submitted through their website. Alternatively, members of the public can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website.

The leaders of Reform UK and Restore Britain have clashed ahead of the pivotal by-election that could return Labour’s Andy Burnham to Parliament

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Nigel Farage has criticised tech billionaire Elon Musk over his support for Restore Britain, warning he could “split the right” in the upcoming Makerfield by-election.

The SpaceX and Tesla boss posted a series of messages backing Restore Britain on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Labour’s Andy Burnham hopes to use the Makerfield contest to return to Westminster, which could potentially see the Mayor of Greater Manchester potentially launch a bid to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.

Click here for our dedicated Makerfield by-election newsletter with exclusive interviews and analysis

Reform’s UK Robert Kenyon came second in the seat in 2024 and an opinion poll suggested Mr Burnham has a lead of just three percentage points over him.

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But with Restore Britain’s candidate picking up support, Mr Farage said Mr Burnham would be “delighted” by Mr Musk’s intervention.

Speaking to the Telegraph, the Reform UK leader said: “Elon Musk has decided he will try to split the right of British politics as best he can.

“This is supporting a party that’s one man with a social media account. Quite what he’s trying to achieve, I have no idea.”

The Survation study in Makerfield had a sample size of just 504 respondents of whom 369 said they were likely to vote but is the first survey of the constituency since the by-election was called and the pollster said it should be treated as an “indicative early look”.

It put Mr Burnham on 43%, Mr Kenyon on 40% with Restore Britain’s Rebecca Shepherd on 7%.

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Responding, Restore Britain UK leader Rupert Lowe, a former Reform UK MP, said: “Farage has just gone to the media to attack Restore Britain, again.

“He says that Elon Musk is supporting a party ‘that’s one man with a social media account’.

“This is where Farage is so very wrong.”

He said there were “millions of Brits who are with us” and “Farage can arrogantly insult me over and over, but he has never been more wrong”.

Mr Lowe, who has a long-running feud with Mr Farage said: “This party isn’t about me, it never has been.

“It is about our members, our people, our home. Not me. Them.

“That is something he will never understand, and ultimately it’s why he will lose.”

On Sunday, Mr Musk reposted a message from Mr Lowe with the comment “Restore Britain”.

He also posted “Restore Britain” in response to an interview by Reform’s Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick.

Perhaps more significant than beating him in a straight fight in the sprint was the robust (but fair) way he defended the lead from Antonelli, who ended up finishing third in the final reckoning. Antonelli was not happy, said as much on the radio repeatedly before being publicly told to stop moaning about it by his race engineer first and then by team principal Toto Wolff.

It is unlikely there will be any lasting bad blood in this race, but you never know. I doubt it will be the last time the pair clash and have a disagreement. In any case, it is a good thing for the neutral that Russell has stiff competition. Long may it continue, hopefully in the form of Mercedes being challenged by McLaren and Ferrari.

Anyway the race starts at 9pm BST and we will be here for all of the build-up, live updates and reactions from what could be another intriguing race. 

Parts of Wales are set to see highs of 31C on Bank Holiday Monday

Temperatures across Wales soared on Sunday (May 24) as the UK basked in conditions more commonly associated with the Mediterranean. However, forecasters warn it’s going to get even hotter on Bank Holiday Monday.

Cardiff and Llysdinam recorded the highest temperatures in Wales at 27.5C on Sunday, while Usk closely followed on 27.0C as the country enjoyed one of the hottest May weekends in recent memory. Even the coolest parts of Wales remained exceptionally warm for late May, with Aberdaron reaching 19.2C, Valley 18.8C and Aberporth 17.8C overnight.

Forecasters say the heat is still building, with temperatures expected to peak on Monday when parts of south and mid Wales could hit 31C.

Cardiff, Newport, Abergavenny and Hay-on-Wye are all forecast to experience the highest temperatures in the country outside of southern England, while much of the rest of Wales is expected to remain in the mid to high twenties. Coastal areas including Pembroke and St Davids are likely to be slightly cooler at around 26C thanks to sea breezes.

The Met Office has described the conditions as “historic”, warning that temperatures will near 35C in England which is exceptionally rare for May in the UK. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here

A Met Office spokesperson said: “We rarely see temperatures above 35C, even in the summer months, so to see temperatures getting close to 35 in May is pretty historic.”

Saturday had already marked the hottest day of the year so far after temperatures reached 30.5C in Kent – the first time the UK has passed 30C this year and the first occurrence of such heat in May since 2012.

The Met Office confirmed heatwave conditions have officially been met in eight parts of England, including Heathrow in Greater London, Benson in Oxfordshire, Brooms Barn in Suffolk, High Beech in Essex, Kew Gardens in London, Northolt in London, Santon Downham in Suffolk and Writtle in Essex.

Santon Downham became the first location to meet the official heatwave threshold at around 11.30am on Sunday after recording temperatures above 27C for three consecutive days. Heathrow followed shortly afterwards at around 11.50am after exceeding its 28C threshold for a third consecutive day.

Forecasters also warned overnight temperatures may stay above 20C in some areas, creating uncomfortable sleeping conditions and potentially setting further records.

The Met Office said: “For many areas, this will feel more like mid-summer than late May, with temperatures rising well above average and the potential for some notably high values as the weekend progresses.

“The bank holiday Monday is expected to bring the peak of the heat. Temperatures may reach around 33C across parts of southern and central England, with the potential to challenge or exceed existing late-May records.”

An amber heat-health alert has also been issued for the East of England amid concerns over pressure on health and social care services. Officials warned indoor temperatures, including in hospitals, may rise above recommended safety thresholds.

Many made the most of the good weather today, as thousands of people across Wales headed to beaches, parks and beauty spots to enjoy the sunshine, prompting South Wales Police to issue safety advice to parents. This came after a noticeable increase in reports involving missing children. Officers confirmed all children involved were later safely reunited with their families.

Police are urging parents to take precautions in busy public places by taking an up-to-date photo of their children before leaving home, placing contact details in their pockets or writing a phone number on their arm, and establishing a clear meeting point upon arrival.

Officers are also encouraging parents to teach children to “stop and wait” if they become separated rather than continuing to wander, while reminding them to seek help only from uniformed staff, police officers or families with children nearby.

South Wales Police further urged the public to contact officers immediately if a child goes missing, especially in crowded locations such as beaches and parks where officers and PCSOs are often nearby.

Police were called to Swanholme Lake on Sunday after reports a boy had entered the water

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The body of a 15-year-old boy has been found after he got into trouble in a lake in Lincoln on Sunday.

Emergency services were called to Swanholme Lakes at 2.30pm after reports that Declan Sawyer had entered the water and was missing.

Lincolnshire Police said in a statement on Sunday evening: “We can update that our dive team have sadly found a body in the water at Swanholme Lakes, Lincoln.

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“With agreement from the family we can share that the boy who died is 15-year-old Declan Sawyer.

“Our thoughts are with his family and we send our condolences at this incredibly difficult time.

“This is such a sad incident that will no doubt also affect many of Declan’s friends and the local community as well.”

Officers had scoured the lakes for the boy with the help of their underwater search team.

“As we are starting half-term week, we ask our community to make sure that anyone affected is looked after and that people are encouraged to seek help and support where they need it,” a force spokesperson said.

Lincolnshire Police asked people not to speculate or share information that had not come from an official source.

Raducanu losing to Sierra was not a surprise in itself, even though the Briton is ranked 29 places higher in the world.

Since Indian Wells in early March, Raducanu has only played one match – and that only came last week in a straight-set defeat by France’s Diane Parry in Strasbourg.

The post-viral issues have continued to have lingering effects and she was struggling with a cough in Paris.

A healthy Sierra, on other hand, has plenty of matches in her legs and more rhythm in her racquet.

The difference was clear in a woeful first set from Raducanu.

The 23-year-old’s tactic of aggressively hitting early in the rallies, and a reluctance to patiently wait for chances to attack, underlined her keenness to swarm her opponent.

Her lack of court time, plus the 30C heat in Paris, meant it made sense for Raducanu to try to end the points quickly.

However, her timing was well out and led to a high volume of unforced errors.

“I felt like the conditions were extremely lively, and I felt like I wasn’t able to kind of trust my shots in that and didn’t feel like I had control over the ball,” Raducanu said.

“It was a really difficult set-up for me to step into, having not had many matches.

“I think probably just a bit light on matches, a bit light on confidence coming into the tournament.”

Sierra was always going to provide a tricky test, especially at this early stage of Raducanu’s latest comeback.

Having started playing on the red dirt aged three, 21-year-old Sierra demonstrated her ability by recently pushing reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff in Rome.