Every year, pupils at Cundall Manor School, near Easingwold, climb into handmade go-karts and race downhill in front of hundreds of cheering spectators in one of the school’s most eagerly anticipated traditions.

Recommended reading:

Cundall Manor School’s annual go-kart race (Image: Supplied)

Despite entries from comic book and cartoon heroes, this year, the fastest time of the day belonged to two boys racing in a bathtub on wheels, delighting the crowd as they sped across the finish line.

Everyone from Mario to Batman got involved in Cundall Manor School’s annual go-kart race (Image: Supplied)

The head teacher at Cundall Manor School Simon Weale said at a time when childhood is often accused of becoming overprotected and overly supervised, they are embracing risk — and teaching resilience because of it.

“The annual race, held on the steep hill outside the school, is far more than a spectacle,” he said.

“Behind the excitement lies a deliberate lesson in courage, problem-solving and character-building.

“Pupils spend weeks designing and constructing their own karts (a collaboration between pupil and parent) before taking on the challenge of racing them in front of parents, teachers and classmates.

“There are bumps, wobbles and the potential of a crash landing, but staff believe that element of genuine risk is precisely what makes the experience so valuable.

“In an age where many children are increasingly shielded from failure, discomfort or uncertainty, the event offers something rare: the chance to confront fear head-on and emerge stronger for it.”

Mario heading down hill in the race (Image: Supplied)

A school spokesperson went on to say: “Children need opportunities to test themselves.

“The go-kart race teaches resilience in the truest sense. Things could go wrong. Wheels could fall off. Nerves kick in. But the pupils adapt, persevere and keep going.

“To stand at the top of that hill, in front of a crowd, and launch yourself downhill in something you built yourself takes real courage.”

The school says the race has become symbolic of a wider educational philosophy gaining attention across the country: that resilience cannot simply be taught in the classroom, but must be experienced through challenge, responsibility and managed risk.

Cundall Manor School’s annual go-kart race (Image: Supplied)

“The message resonates at a time when the role of schools is rapidly changing. With artificial intelligence expected to transform the future workplace, educators are increasingly questioning which human skills will matter most in the decades ahead,” said the spokesperson.

“Recent studies suggest that as many as 65 per cent of children entering primary school today will eventually work in jobs that do not yet exist. At the same time, employers consistently rank resilience, adaptability, teamwork, creativity and communication among the most valuable future skills — qualities far harder to automate than technical knowledge alone.

“Experiences such as a downhill go-kart race are being viewed not as old-fashioned traditions, but as increasingly relevant preparation for modern life.”

The school believes the annual downhill dash serves as a reminder that sometimes the best lessons come with scraped knees, racing hearts and the bravery to let go of the brakes.

Cundall Manor School’s annual go-kart race getting underway (Image: Supplied)

Arsenal go in search of a historic double on Saturday when they take on Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest (5pm, TNT Sports and HBO Max).

They have already secured the Premier League title, and now Mikel Arteta’s side could win this competition for the first time, if they can overcome the reigning champions.

The Gunners have been favourites to lift the trophy since they finished top of the league table with eight wins from eight, but something has shifted and the French side are now preferred by betting sites.

Being the underdogs won’t bother Arsenal though, in fact, it takes the pressure off a side who only secured their first league title in 22 years with one game to go, despite being top since 4 October.

PSG also finished top of their respective league, finishing six points clear of Lens to secure their fifth successive title and they have been in excellent form of late, barring defeat last time out against city rivals Paris FC.

While Arsenal have somewhat limped over the line with five of their last six wins being by a single goal, PSG have scored 18 in their last eight games, and their front line has been in excellent form all season.

Between them, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele, Vitinha and Desire Doue have scored 28 goals in the competition, which is only one less than the whole Arsenal team.

In total, PSG have scored 44 goals in their 16 Champions League games, the most in the competition, just ahead of Bayern Munich, while Arsenal have managed just 29 from their 14 appearances, the same as Newcastle.

In stark contrast, though, Arsenal have only conceded six goals, while Saturday’s opponents conceded 22, which is among the highest in the competition.

This will be just the 10th meeting between the two sides, but it is a repeat of last year’s semi-final when Luis Enrique’s side won 3-1 on aggregate.

They won 1-0 at Arsenal courtesy of a fourth-minute strike from Ousmane Dembele before goals from Fabian Ruiz, Achraf Hakimi in Paris secured their place in the final. Bukayo Saka did pull a late goal back, but it made no difference to the outcome.

We all know what happened next, as PSG lifted the trophy for the first time with a 5-0 thrashing of Inter in the final.

This is just Arsenal’s second appearance in the final, their only other one coming exactly 20 years ago when they faced Barcelona in the Stade de France.

Defender Sol Campbell gave the Gunners the lead in the first half but two goals in four second-half minutes turned the tie on its head. Samuel Eto’o equalised for the Spanish giants before Juliano Belletti scored the winner 10 minutes from time.

As good as Arsenal’s defence have been this season, they are yet to face a side with the attacking quality of PSG. As we saw against Liverpool, Bayern, Bayer Leverkusen, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, PSG are unplayable on their day.

The Gunners have also reached the final without playing any of Europe’s elite, and while that was pure chance, it could prove detrimental against a side looking to be the first French side to retain the trophy.

PSG are odds-on with football betting sites to lift the trophy, but the better option may be to back them to get the job done in 90 minutes.

PSG vs Arsenal prediction 1: PSG to win – 13/10 BetVictor

If Arsenal are to win this one, they are going to have to keep Khvicha Kvaratskhelia quiet, because he has been instrumental to their success this season.

The Georgian already has 10 goals and six assists in 15 appearances in the competition and 23 goals for club and country this season.

Seven of his goals have come in the knock-out stages of the Champions League and he seems to like playing against English sides with three against Chelsea and another against Liverpool. He also scored against Aston Villa last season and was on target in the final.

He’s 5/2 to score anytime on some betting apps or you can get 7/1 on him scoring first, as he has done seven times already this season.

PSG vs Arsenal prediction 2: Kvaratskhelia to score or assist – 23/20 BetMGM

PSG: Achraf Hakimi is a doubt for the final with a thigh injury suffered in the semi-final first leg against Bayern. He is back in full training, so he could take a place on the bench.

Arsenal: Noni Madueke and Jurrien Timber are both doubts for the game, but Ben White is definitely out with a knee injury.

PSG: Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, João Neves; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia

Arsenal: Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard

There’s a host of Champions League offers available for Sunday’s final, but the pick of the bunch might be from Coral, who are offering odds of 50/1 on both teams to score.

The offer is only open to new customers who sign up using the link above and then make a first deposit of at least £10 using an eligible payment method.

The next step is to wager a maximum of £1 on both teams to score in the PSG vs Arsenal match market at the standard odds.

If both teams find the net, Coral will pay out in cash on the £1 bet and credit bettors with 10 x £5 free bet tokens to equal a payout at 50/1.

The free bets are valid for four days and can be used on any sport on the Coral sportsbook, excluding virtual sports.

If you are having a bet on the Champions League final, don’t forget to stay in control of your time and budget on gambling sites. The same applies whether you’re using betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium.

Even the most knowledgeable punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses.

It’s particularly important not to get carried away by any free bets or casino bonuses you might receive, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution.

You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs.

You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:

We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Mourinho was seen speaking with Vinicius after he walked off the pitch following the interaction with Prestianni.

But it was Mourinho’s post-match comments that were the most shocking.

While publicly backing his player Prestianni, Mourinho suggested Vinicius had incited tensions through his celebration in front of the home support.

“You score a goal from another world, why celebrate like that?” Mourinho said.

“The same thing always happens in so many stadiums. In how many states has this happened? In how many stadiums? How many? How many?

“He’s an out of this world player, I love him. Vinicius tells me one thing and Prestianni tells me another. I want to be balanced.”

The remarks sparked widespread criticism, with many accusing Mourinho of shifting attention away from the racism allegations and placing responsibility on the victim instead.

In addition to expressing his belief that Vinicius had been disrespectful with his goal celebration, he pointed to the club’s legendary striker Eusebio as proof that Benfica are not a racist club.

Asked if he felt Vinicius incited the crowd, Mourinho said: “Yes. I believe so.

“It should be the crazy moment of the game, an amazing goal. Unfortunately [he was] not just happy to score that astonishing goal. When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way.”

He added: “When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person in the history of this club [Eusebio] was black.

“This club, the last thing that it is, is racist. They [Vinicius and Prestianni] told me different things. But I don’t believe in one or another. I want to be an independent.”

The Dig is a 2021 Netflix period drama starring Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan, based on John Preston’s novel about the true story of the Sutton Hoo excavation

A gripping period drama starring some of Britain’s most celebrated actors is garnering extensive praise for its powerfully moving narrative, breathtaking visual style, and exceptional acting.

Directed by Simon Stone, with the screenplay crafted by Moira Buffini and John Preston, this 2021 film is based on Preston’s own novel bearing the identical title.

Upon its 2007 publication, The Dig received acclaim as “a brilliantly realized account of the most famous archaeological dig in Britain in modern times”. Preston, formerly a television critic, is the nephew of one of the actual participants in the excavation.

The Dig revisits the remarkable events surrounding the Sutton Hoo Excavation of 1939, which took place in Suffolk, England.

Headlined by Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan in the lead parts, the pair are supported by a superb supporting cast including Lily James, Johnny Flynn, Ben Chaplin, Ken Stott, Archie Barnes, and Monica Dolan.

The Dig received a limited cinema release from 14 January 2021, before arriving on Netflix on 29 January that same year. During its debut weekend alone, this ‘engrossing’ period drama soared to become the third-most streamed title on the service, attracting rave reviews from viewers and critics alike.

It also secured five BAFTA nominations, including Outstanding British Film. The film’s official synopsis states: “An excavator and his team discover a wooden ship from the Dark Ages while digging up a burial ground on a woman’s estate.”

The Dig has earned an impressive 88% critics’ approval rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.

One reviewer said: “It’s really something when a film is not too concerned with the aesthetic but will find the beauty in discovery of one’s own. The Dig is a good picture, wonderfully acted (Ralph Fiennes is tremendous here), and an engrossing reimagining.”

Another added: “Don’t be fooled by the digging and the dirt, this Netflix feature is one of those rare hidden gems just waiting to be unearthed. Quintessentially English, full of charm and tenacity Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan put in star performances.”

A third wrote: “A rich array of subdued performances and exceptional handheld cinematography grace a delicately woven British period piece. A finely observed film made up of small, touching moments, The Dig is testament to the virtues of understated acting.”

While one critic said: “It’s remarkably moving. By Jupiter, I even cried by the end.”

Audiences were equally enthusiastic about the film, with one overwhelmed viewer writing: ” It is astonishing to me how much I enjoyed this movie. I typically dislike period pieces…especially British period pieces…but here we are. This exudes so much subtle emotion, atmosphere, and significance that I was pretty taken aback by how big this relatively small story feels.

“The juxtaposition between the marvel of their discovery and the horror of the inevitable war is very felt and the absolutely brilliant acting in The Dig breathes real life into every moment. I wouldn’t say this bowled me over with its story as it’s really quite simple, but it’s the pure humanity it was able to quietly pour over me that left me thoroughly impressed. Banger of a movie.”

Another thoroughly impressed viewer wrote: “I found the story moving and consequential. The acting was superb. Mulligen, Fiennes and James were outstanding. If you have visited the British Museum this movie/story will resonate and leave you searching for more details. It was an inspiring story.”

Meanwhile, a further fan said: “This isn’t my type of film usually, but I found it to be enchanting and captivating. Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes are excellent, as is the young lad . A window on a dangerous time but also captures the charm of England back then , when everyone had manners and everything was done with TLC.”

The Dig is currently available to stream on Netflix.

At least 19 departures have been affected at major UK airports including London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester and Edinburgh

Advertisement

Major airports throughout the UK have been hit by flight disruptions and travellers heading to popular destinations should prepare for potential knock-on effects.

Services have been impacted at key hubs including London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester and Edinburgh airports, with at least 19 departures affected across these hubs.

The disruption is not confined to one region or carrier – it stretches across multiple international networks covering Europe and North America, according to Travel and Tour World.

Services to Malaga, Barcelona, Geneva, Milan, Stockholm, New York and Washington are among those hit by the chaos.

London Heathrow Airport has borne the brunt of the disruptions, with both short-haul and long-haul services impacted, including:

• American Airlines AAL731 to Charlotte/Douglas International
• American Airlines AAL173 to Raleigh-Durham International
• JetBlue JBU2220 to John F Kennedy International
• Aer Lingus EIN177 to Dublin
• British Airways BAW770 to Stockholm-Arlanda
• British Airways BAW584 to Milan Malpensa
• British Airways BAW574 to Milan Linate
• British Airways BAW752 to Geneva
• British Airways BAW480 to Barcelona
• British Airways BAW426 to Malaga
• British Airways BAW1318 to Aberdeen
• British Airways BAW418 to Luxembourg

Gatwick and Manchester airports experienced less severe disruption:

• Norse Atlantic Airways NSZ4452 to Stockholm-Arlanda (from Gatwick)
• SAS SAS2548 to Stockholm-Arlanda (from Manchester)

Edinburgh Airport has seen problems primarily on its transatlantic routes to the US, though some European services have also been hit:

• SAS SAS2546 to Stockholm-Arlanda
• JetBlue JBU72 to John F Kennedy International
• United Airlines UAL979 to Washington Dulles International
• United Airlines UAL3906 to Washington Dulles International
• British Airways BAW1463 to London Heathrow

The knock-on effect of one delayed or cancelled flight can ripple through the entire network, given how interconnected the aviation industry is.

Passengers are urged to monitor updates from both their departure and arrival airports, and stay informed through their airline’s official channels.

In 2011, PSG were a paradox: a major European capital with a vast talent pool, yet a club lacking structure, prestige and stability.

They had no stars, no sustainable model and no clear footballing philosophy.

Despite having had big names like Ronaldinho, Pauleta, Ludovic Giuly and Claude Makelele in the first decade of the 21st Century, PSG needed to be seen in the eyes of the football world as relevant and credible before they could even dream of competing with Europe’s elite.

The ultras were banned after violence ended in the death of a fan, leaving the Parc des Princes without its most passionate supporters for the first five years of the new era. They only came back in 2016 when Al-Khelaifi decided the majority could not be held responsible for the actions of a few.

The early years of QSI were defined by aggressive spending. Critics labelled it the ‘bling‑bling era’ but internally it was seen as the quickest way to get to the top.

As is the case with Newcastle and Manchester City, PSG have had to answer questions about the source of their funding and their owners have been accused of ‘sportswashing’, which is when nations invest in sports to help clean up their tarnished reputations.

Signing global superstars – Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi – helped force PSG into the global conversation.

This phase brought domestic dominance and deep Champions League runs. But it also created internal tensions. Stars dictated dressing‑room dynamics, influenced tactical decisions and sometimes overshadowed the collective with inane disputes over things like training schedules or even who should take penalties.

The 18-year-old Mbappe and his family told club representatives he would join PSG instead of Real Madrid only if he was guaranteed to play every game – and Neymar had it written into his contract that he had the power to decide not to travel to some games.

When basketball legend Kobe Bryant visited the old training ground, Neymar and Mbappe wanted to break with the schedule prepared by then head coach Unai Emery.

He had them resting. They wanted to train with a sometimes-missing enthusiasm to impress Kobe. That battle was won by Emery – but those clashes left scars.

This era built PSG’s global brand but it also exposed the limitations of a star‑centric model.

It would be negligent to write about Arsenal beating a direct opponent without mentioning their most effective tool this season.

PSG have only conceded 29 goals in the league this season but six of them have come from non-penalty set-pieces. The size of their squad makes this an obvious area of weakness.

Thomas Frank’s Spurs lost to PSG in the Champions League earlier this season but managed to score three goals, one coming from a corner. They also lost on penalties against them in the Uefa Super Cup in August, scoring both goals in a 2-2 draw from crossed free kicks.

Under Frank, Spurs adopted various Arteta-isms including making set-plays one of their main methods of breaking teams down.

For all three set-piece goals, Spurs targeted the back post before heading the ball back across goal, either for a teammate or directly to goal.

PSG appear uncomfortable dealing with crosses that float over their heads as they track back and the header back in the other direction goes against the direction they are moving in, giving the attacking side, who know where the ball will go, an advantage.

Arsenal are even better placed for that, so if they are able to get up the pitch in the first place, forcing corner kicks or winning free-kicks will produce good looks at goal.

While there is little that can be done about potential moments of brilliance, there are at least signs of hope that Arsenal can hurt the defending champions.

That’s the message from Peter Darrant, CEO of OUT North East, following Sunderland City Council’s decision to stop flying the Pride flag at City Hall.

The move was confirmed in a social media post from Reform UK Sunderland, which announced that the St George’s flag will now be flown outside City Hall 365 days a year.

(Image: Reform UK Sunderland)

Cllr Ciera Hudspith, portfolio holder for culture, tourism and heritage, said: “Any flag flown outside a governing body should represent our nation and our country as a whole, not a sectional interest.

“Time and time again on the doorstep, residents told us they were confused as to why England’s flag was not flying outside City Hall all year round.”

She added that only national and civic flags will be flown at City Hall, meaning the exclusion of the Pride flag.

Mr Darrant said: “We are very disappointed to have seen posts on social media from a Reform UK-run council in the North East that they are banning the Pride flag from council buildings.

“We believe this is the wrong decision.

Peter Darrant, CEO of OUT North East (Image: OUT North East)

“While Pride was born from protest and the fight for the right to exist openly and equally, the Pride flag today is also a symbol of community, inclusion and belonging.

“For many LGBTQ+ people, seeing it displayed publicly is a sign that they are welcome, valued and supported.

“Removing the Pride flag from public buildings risks sending the opposite message at a time when visibility and solidarity still matter deeply to many people.”

He also warned that the decision could harm the city’s reputation with external stakeholders.

He said: “Decisions like this also risk sending the wrong message to investors, partners, organisations and visitors who increasingly expect places to demonstrate that they are modern, inclusive and welcoming communities.”

Mr Darrant added: “It will leave potential investors wondering, ‘is this actually a modern city we want to invest in?’.

“We’ll still argue the case that it is.”

A panel of the three Wetherby Leeds City Councillors, the Mayor and a North Yorkshire councillor spoke at the meeting hosted by the community group Better Wetherby.

The meeting at Wetherby Methodist Church was attended by around 200 people, who heard that whilst Wetherby has confirmed housing needs met until 2042, the North Yorkshire side of town is vulnerable to massive development.

This is because the sections to the north of Wetherby are affected by North Yorkshire’s target of 4,300 homes a year and that county is not set to adopt a new Local Plan until 2029.

RECOMMENDED READING:
Gladman Developments consults over 593 homes Wetherby scheme

Green Party Councillor Penny Stables, one of three councillors who spoke at the event, said:“We are in a situation where Westminster is imposing huge housing targets, while at the same time there are already large numbers of approved developments being held as land banks by developers seeking to maximise profit.

A roundtable discussion on the issue (Image: Pic supplied)

“It was a really positive meeting convened by Better Wetherby, and encouraging to see different political parties working together on such an important issue for our area. Greens, Conservatives and Labour are all in agreement on this. We now need the support  of the Mayors of both the West and North Yorkshire Combined Authorities.”

Cllr Allan Lamb (Conservative), who organised the meeting, presented a developer map which he said suggested that up to 5,000 homes could potentially be built through a patchwork of smaller developments around the area in what they’re calling the “Wetherby Urban Expansion”. 

Cllr Lamb told the Press afterwards that the housing proposals stem from central government trebling North Yorkshire’s housing targets.

The Wetherby Urban Expansion (Image: Pic supplied)

North Yorkshire also hasn’t been given enough time by central government to develop and adopt its Local Plan.

Cllr Lamb continued: “They (developers) are using this as a way to get housing sites in places they would not otherwise get them. It won’t mean homes being built faster, they will just be built on more sites.

“Democracy is also being taken away as sites over 150 homes that are going to be refused will go to the Secretary of State for determination.”

Cllr Lamb added he was encouraging people to write to the Mayors of West and North Yorkshire and the leader of Leeds City Council on the issue.

He added: “Wetherby is doing it’s bit already.”

Thursday’s meeting also saw Wetherby Mayor Connor Mulhall highlight concerns that, if all proposed developments were approved, the area could face an additional 30,000–40,000 car journeys per day.

He warned that Wetherby’s historic infrastructure and narrow road network were not designed to cope with that level of traffic.

Better Wetherby also announced that it is commissioning a highways report to examine the transport infrastructure improvements needed to support both current and future demand in the area.

How do you feel about this and other housing plans in the area? Do we need this number of homes. Have your say and continue the conversation in the comments below.

Early dabbawalas transported lunchboxes on bicycles and marked them with coloured threads so they could be sorted and returned accurately. Over time, those markings were replaced with a unique alphanumeric code system, while deliveries came to rely on bicycles, motorbikes and Mumbai’s suburban train network.