What sports shoes do you recommend?

Robert, South West

The sports shoes that I’m currently wearing are from Puma. They’re very comfortable and have support. I actually wear a basketball shoe at the minute to have more support up the ankle.

A lot of the girls wear Asics as well, which I know is the netball shoe. I’ve worn Puma for the last four years, so I would recommend them.

But honestly, whatever works best for you, you have to try them out. Whatever is best for your instep and whatever is comfiest. And if you need more ankle support, you can put some ankle braces on.

How has playing for Manchester Thunder helped you develop as a player?

Jason, London

Manchester has massively helped me develop as a player. I’ve been playing here since 2012. As a young girl, it created me as a person, to be honest with you. It’s such a family environment that I think a lot of my values come from this club. So my family values, being connected, creating energy – all those things come rooted from this club, which is incredible.

I think whatever step you are in your career, whether you’re a young athlete or senior, they help you develop. Even now I’m 31, they’re still helping me learn new things on the court. The coaches are incredible, and I’m constantly learning and being inspired by them every single week.

Do players retire from elite netball quite young?

Helen, South West

I think it depends on the athlete. Some can retire at 40, and that’s because their bodies are so conditioned, and they might not have had any major injuries in their career. They’re able to continue to push themselves all the way until 40.

But I’d say the average is probably mid-30s. Now the Super League has become professional, the younger athletes are getting better training from a younger age. We want to keep pushing ourselves to play as long as possible.

How can netball get more coverage when women’s football is constantly pushed?

Sarah, South West

I think netball needs to have more sponsors to get more media coverage. Bigger sponsors.

Players need to put their personalities more out there on social media, so brands will want to work with us. Everyone’s got amazing personalities in netball. They [brands] should want to be a part of the netball players’ stories and the netball teams.

But it’s about getting as much exposure as possible, and making sure that everyone is going on YouTube or BBC, so more people are able to learn about the sport.

I loved netball at school. How do I get involved now in my 60s?

Sue, Yorkshire

Netball is for everyone. I personally love going to walking netball sessions and taking them through classes. You can go to the England Netball website and find out where you can play locally.

There’s also Back to Netball, depending on your ability and what you want to get out of it. Personally, I think walking netball is so much fun. The women who are in those sessions are a huge laugh, and I know when I retire, I’m going to be joining a group, for sure.

Apart from netball, what other hobbies do you have? How do they help you relieve the pressure of competition?

George, London

I feel like over the past few years I’ve really got into some new hobbies. I love reading. I love fantasy reading, like Throne of Glass. I love BookTok, so I’ve really got into that.

I’m also very crafty. I like making things – I’ve made little crochet bees for all the girls, and I like drawing, and painting occasionally – just wholesome activities to take me away from netball life. As soon as I zone in on an activity, I’m locked in and I have to complete it.

By ELIZABETH HAIGH, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER and SHANNON MCGUIGAN, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 16:43 BST, 24 July 2026 | Updated: 17:14 BST, 24 July 2026

Five police officers have been injured after a number had to be recovered had to be recovered from the River Thames when their boat hit Westminster Bridge. 

Emergency services rushed to the incident on the River Thames after the patrol boat crashed in central London at around 3.45pm today. 

RNLI responders could be seen treating casualties at the scene. The Metropolitan Police do not believe any members of the public were injured or involved. 

The cause of the incident has yet to be confirmed as the force has said their ‘priority is the wellbeing of the officers involved’. 

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The Metropolitan Police’s Marine Policing Unit (MPU) is not routinely armed, but they do work with armed officers from the Specialist Firearms Command (SCO19).

The two units work alongside each other to handle high-risk security, counter-terrorism, and armed response operations on the Thames.  

A large number of officers, fire crews and ambulances are on the scene, with an air ambulance and police helicopter spotted circling above.

Entrances three and four to Westminster Underground station have been shut, Transport for London confirmed, and traffic in the area is at a standstill.

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A police boat carrying armed officers has crashed near Westminster Bridge, with casualties being treated at the scene

A police cordon is in place at Westminster Bridge, with a large emergency service presence

Police cars and a fire engine are seen parked on Westminster Bridge on Friday afternoon

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The Port of London Authority earlier confirmed the incident at Westminster Bridge involved a police vessel.

A Met spokesperson: ‘At around 3.45pm on Friday July 24 a boat from the Met’s Marine Policing Unit struck Westminster Bridge.

‘A number of officers entered the water but were recovered.

‘Additional officers responded alongside the London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade.

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‘We understand five officers were injured and are receiving treatment. We await an update on the extent of their injuries.

‘At this stage, we don’t believe any members of the public were involved or injured.

‘The circumstances of the incident will be thoroughly reviewed, but at this stage our priority is the wellbeing of the officers involved.’

A Port of London Authority spokesperson said: ‘We are aware of an incident involving a police vessel at Westminster Bridge.

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‘We are supporting the response by providing river traffic management assistance where needed and are working closely with the Metropolitan Police, HM Coastguard and partner agencies to manage the situation.’

The Daily Mail has approached London Ambulance Service for comment.

This is a breaking news story and is being updated. 

Castle Howard’s dedicated Jellycat shop in its Stable Courtyard, featuring the summer collection of the playful and highly collectable soft toys only runs for another month.

Located in Castle Howard’s free-to-enter Stable Courtyard, the shop is open until Monday, August 31.

Adam Barber, head of retail at Castle Howard, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to host a Jellycat shop.

“Their jolly ranges make for beautiful gifts and souvenirs from a day out exploring the House and Gardens.

“We’re excited to continue to surprise visitors with top-quality shopping experiences in the Stable Courtyard, which permanently houses our Farm Shop and Gift Shop, and Garden Centre nearby.

“We hope Jellycat fans old and new will pay us a visit and add something lovely to their collection.”

The shop features popular Jellycat characters along with some items that were sold out on the official Jellycat website at the time of release.

Opening hours may vary and are available at www.castlehoward.co.uk.

“And obviously, the steps that have been taken by President Trump to apply tariffs on other areas of activity are not helpful for our economy, but on the issue of Scotch whisky, I’m glad that we were successful in persuading President Trump to remove the tariffs because they were resulting in a loss of jobs and opportunity here in Scotland.”

Two girls, aged 14 and 12, targeted a woman riding her bike on the cycle path beneath Melrosegate at around 2pm on Saturday (July 11).

The youths were caught throwing sticks at the woman from the bridge and when challenged by the victim, they were reported to have laughed at her, making her feel “intimidated”.

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The York woman said she could have suffered a serious head injury had she not been wearing a cycle helmet.

But she said that when she stopped to tell the girls how dangerous their actions had been, they just laughed.

And when she said she was going to call the police, they responded: “Go ahead, they won’t come and they won’t do anything.

“We can do whatever we want to do, they won’t stop us.”

The woman, who does not want to be identified, said she riding to an appointment and felt something heavy falling on her head.  

She said: “I felt very confused and pressed on my brakes.

“My first thought was that a branch had fallen off a tree as I saw it lying on the ground; I thought I was just slightly unlucky.

“However, I suddenly remembered reading on Facebook about a female cyclist being targeted under a bridge and went back to look up.

“Two girls were sitting on the bridge.

“I noticed that they had more sticks and branches with them. I cycled on to the other side of the bridge and started to call the police.

“The police were on the phone with me for 17 minutes and told me to share my location as they were going to dispatch a local unit.

“They told me there had been three reports of teenage girls throwing things.

“They asked me to describe what happened and what the girls looked like.

“In the meantime, I kept warning passers-by, especially cyclists.”

The woman said she was called back by another police officer, who asked whether she wanted to press a criminal charge.

“He mentioned that because the offenders were underage, even if that happened, the law was lenient on them. He said they were well known to police and repeat incidents had been reported already.”

She said she told him she didn’t want to press a criminal charge in this case because of the stress involved, having had a very bad experience in the past with another force when she was a victim of a more serious crime and had spent hours reliving the nightmare with various officers, but nothing had come of it.

“He then asked me what did I want them to do?”

I said in a bit of disbelief: “Stop them! They could hurt someone seriously next, as if I wasn’t wearing a helmet, I would’ve been hurt.

“He reassured me that a unit was in the area and told me I could go home.”

She said that from looking on Facebook, it was clear that multiple people had been targeted and the situation had escalated quickly, “starting with water and flour, even moving through tampons, and now sticks and branches”.

The woman added: “My confidence has really dropped down and I don’t think I’ll venture out like that again.

“I’m planning to talk to the councillors for the area and York Cycling Campaign to escalate this.”

Speaking about this, a North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “Officers attended and the located the girls who are aged 14 and 12.

“They challenged them about their behaviour and explained the potential consequences of their actions.

“If you are a witness or a victim of this type of behaviour, please do not hesitate to report it on 101 or 999 if an emergency response is required.”

And off-road bikers are being warned their bikes will be seized if they are being ridden illegally or they are causing a nuisance.

Operation Hurricane is currently underway in Bolton with more than half-a-dozen bikes seized so far.

Six were confiscated in the space of just one day.

Greater Manchester Police’s specialist motorcycle unit has been on the road to identify those responsible for using bikes anti-socially and to commit crime.

One bike was seized after the rider failed to stop for police on Chorley New Road.

A spokesman for Bolton GMP said: ” The rider abandoned the bike and ran off.”

Officers are calling on members of the public to get in touch with information as part of the crackdown.

The spokesman added: “If you know who is riding an off-road bike illegally, where bikes are being stored, or have information about riders causing anti-social behaviour, please report it to us. Even small pieces of information can help us build intelligence and take action.

You can report it to us by: Calling our non-emergency number 101 or using live chat via our website or you can contact CrimeStoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”

The Ebola outbreak in Congo has claimed over 1,000 lives, reaching this tragic milestone at an unprecedented pace, nearly three times faster than the devastating 2014-2016 epidemic, which was previously considered the worst on record.

Official figures from Congo’s Ministry of Health confirm 2,536 cases and 1,033 fatalities as of Tuesday, since the outbreak was declared on 15 May.

The previous major outbreak, which recorded more than 28,000 cases and 11,000 deaths, took eight months to reach 1,000 fatalities from its first recorded case. In stark contrast, the current crisis has reached this grim total in just over two months, making it the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak ever.

The ongoing outbreak has also recorded 2,500 cases almost three times quicker than that of 2014-2016.

Different viruses are behind the two outbreaks

According to the World Health Organization, Ebola is caused by a group of viruses, of which three are known to cause large outbreaks: Ebola virus, Sudan virus and Bundibugyo virus.

This year’s outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo virus, a rare variant which has no approved vaccines or treatments.

Meanwhile, the Ebola virus, which is the most common out of the three, induced the 2014-2016 outbreak, considered the deadliest in Congo’s history.

The current outbreak is mostly confined to Congo

The Bundibugyo outbreak is largely restricted to Congo except for a few countries, including Uganda. And in Congo, it’s limited to five provinces in the eastern region, which is close to the border with Uganda.

The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak had spread widely in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and spilled over into nearby nations. A small number of cases were also reported in the United States and Europe, linked to West Africa.

The case fatality rate of the two outbreaks

This year’s outbreak has so far had a case fatality rate of 40%, and officials blame most of the deaths on patients reporting symptoms late.

The 2014-2016 outbreak, however, had a fatality rate of 66%, overwhelming health systems across multiple countries.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the Ebola virus is the deadliest of the viruses known to have caused large Ebola outbreaks and up to 90% of cases caused by it are fatal if they receive no treatment.

Officials say the peak of the current outbreak could still be ahead because the patient zero has not been confirmed and the majority of new cases are coming from outside the contacts being monitored, as well as delays in identifying the variant behind the virus when cases started being reported.

The 2014-2016 outbreak lasted about three years. The first case was recorded in December 2013, but it was not until March 2014 that the outbreak was detected and officially declared in June 2016.

San Francisco‘s Californios has achieved a historic milestone, securing a coveted third Michelin star after an eight-year pursuit.

This makes chef and co-owner Val Cantú’s establishment the first Mexican restaurant anywhere in the world to reach such an esteemed culinary height, a recognition that has brought a palpable sense of pride to his 40-person team.

“It’s been just really rewarding to see the team kind of like, carry a little bit more confidence in their step,” Cantú told The Associated Press. “Maybe I’ve got some new confidence too.”

This latest accolade culminates a remarkable journey for Californios, which earned its first star upon opening in 2015, followed by a second in 2018. Cantú, accompanied by his wife Carolyn, formally received the third star and a crisp white Michelin chef’s jacket at a June ceremony in San Diego.

Beyond the restaurant itself, this achievement serves as a powerful validation for the concept of elevated Mexican cuisine, both within Mexico and across its global diaspora. Mexican American restaurants, much like fine dining Chinese establishments, have frequently faced undue criticism for daring to charge premium prices or offer tasting menus – a scrutiny rarely applied to their French or Japanese counterparts with similar offerings.

Shoot for the Michelin stars

The Michelin Guide, started in 1889 by French brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin, created a star-ranking system in the 1920s. Today, the guide has ratings for over 40,000 restaurants. To evaluate a restaurant, Michelin sends undercover inspectors posing as regular diners. The inspectors said Californios ascended the ranks because it has never been “afraid to cross borders” on the plate, according to Michelin’s website.

From the first bite, Californios patrons experience the Texas-born Cantú’s blend of Mexican culture with California ingredients. He starts a meal with a sope, a small hand-formed masa cake made with white corn and beans from a farm in nearby Santa Rosa. Then, with a spatula, caviar made in partnership with a Sacramento sturgeon farm is carefully placed on top.

“It’s just really, really delicious and kind of feels like a warm hug,” Cantú said. “It feels comforting.”

Michelin inspectors agreed.

Californios deserved a three-star promotion, one of five inspectors said on Michelin’s website, for dishes consistently “executed with such precision, refinement and clarity without losing the Mexican identity — things like kombu or the matsukasa yaki fish taco.”

Sometimes Cantú and his team would try to guess if a diner could be an inspector. That turned out to be a good reminder that “every guest gets the same quality of presentation and hospitality,” the chef said.

Mexican food’s growing recognition comes as immigration enforcement gets harsher

In the past few years, Michelin has starred a number of Mexican restaurants including a 10-by-10 foot (3-by-3 meter) taco stand in Mexico City. The growing recognition comes at a precarious time for immigration enforcement policies and the treatment of immigrants — even those in the U.S. legally.

Not someone who seeks to inject politics into food, Cantú could not ignore constant headlines about federal immigration operations — some of which have resulted in deaths including a Mexican man in Houston and a Colombian man in Maine earlier this month. Immigrants are “the backbone of all these dish pits and kitchens,” Cantú said. He has shown support through gestures. In March, he collaborated on an “anti-ICE” fundraising dinner.

“The culinary world is like a huge supporter of immigrants and the need for immigrants and the need to treat people with respect,” Cantú said. “It’s hard for me to say much more.”

Being in a blue state, Cantú is certain most of Californios’ diners share that sentiment.

Gustavo Arellano, a food writer and journalist who’s also Mexican American, believes the cuisine’s popularity really helps humanize the immigration debate.

“You see this especially like in small Southern towns where the rhetoric is ‘I’m against illegal immigrants. I don’t want too many Mexicans,’” Arellano said. “But, then they look at the Mexican restaurant in town and they’re like ‘Well, not them.’”

Californios shows Mexican food is just as worthy of fine dining

Growing up, Cantú watched his father and uncle in Texas run a Mexican restaurant and tortillería. As a chef working at high-end establishments in Austin and San Francisco, he found himself asking, “Why is no one doing Mexican cuisine and treating it with like extreme care?”

Inspired by the Bay Area, he settled on the name Californios. It’s a nod to descendants of Spanish and Mexican settlers who settled in the 1700s and 1800s in what would become California.

Californios started with a $57 four-course tasting menu. The pushback was immediate.

“There was a ton of like, ‘This is not Mexican cuisine,’” Cantú said. “Even from our families, you know, trying to explain a contemporary cuisine to a lot of people is totally foreign because people kind of think that cuisine exists in a cookbook and that it doesn’t change.”

Californios is at the forefront of what some call “alta California” cuisine, where the children of Mexican immigrants or immigrants themselves use classical chef training with Mexican flavors. The term refers to the former Spanish province north of Baja California; Arellano describes it as an “ideology” that originated in California and has spread across the U.S.

Raised flavor profiles and prices ultimately raise skepticism. Arellano argues people think this way partly because they’re trying to keep Mexican food in a box.

“There’s always going to be a knee-jerk reaction,” Arellano said. “It goes to this myth that Mexican food should be cheap because Mexicans, all of us are supposedly working class that cannot afford higher-end stuff. That’s classist.”

Cantú plans to keep bringing attention to his Mexican-California brand of fine dining. A cookbook is in the works.

“Mexican cuisine is one of the most diverse and complex cuisines in the world,” Cantú said, “and there’s countless Mexican immigrants in the United States and Latin immigrants who have their own ideas and concepts of what things can be.”