The fire service was called to the M6 southbound, between junctions 28 and 27, at around 10pm.
Firefighters used a variety of equipment to rescue a person who was trapped in the vehicle. The casualty was treated by the ambulance service.
Fire crews remained on site for around an hour.
Advertisement
A spokesperson for the fire service said: “At 22:03 on February 20th, 2026, two fire engines from Bamber Bridge and Leyland attended a road traffic collision on the M6 southbound between Junctions 28 and 27.
“Firefighters used cutting and spreading equipment to rescue one person trapped in a vehicle. The casualty was treated on-site by the North West Ambulance Service. Crews remained at the scene for around one hour.”
Lancashire Police has been approached for comment.
The village was once lost in time before it saw its rich mining history bought to life once again
Emilia Randall GAU Writer
06:00, 22 Feb 2026
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Nestled between the Irish Sea and the Eifl mountains at the very edge of civilisation, this small village was once frozen in time before its prosperous mining heritage was brought back to life.
The quarry – Nant Gwrtheyrn – began operations in 1861, next to Porth y Nant, which has become a cherished language centre at the forefront of campaigns to revitalise the Welsh language.
Advertisement
As an isolated village, residents’ lives centred around extracting and transporting Nant Gwrtheyrn stone used for road surfacing – dispatching materials predominantly via the Irish Sea, which resulted in limited interaction with the wider world, according to Nant Gwrtheyrn.
Wales is renowned for its stunning mountains, picturesque coastline and rich Celtic history. Sykes cottages have a wide and varied collection of cottages, houses and apartments to rent across the country. Prices start from £35 per night.
Advertisement
After demand declined in the early stages of World War Two, the quarry shut down, leaving the local population devastated. The worldwide conflict meant operations came to a standstill, reports Wales Online.
The locals left and their properties deteriorated. Apart from a brief spell when a handful of outsiders attempted to revive the village in the 1860s, the settlement remained abandoned.
You can step back in time to when quarry labourers inhabited the local dwellings by exploring the quarryman’s cottage. This property and its entire contents have been recreated to demonstrate how a quarryman and his family would have existed in 1910.
Later, the location received an injection of funding that would construct a new school – which was eventually taken over by a local trust, spearheaded by Dr Carl Clowes, who established it to create a Welsh language centre.
Advertisement
Tre’r Ceiri.
Close by stands Tre’r Ceiri – among Wales’ most striking ancient monuments.
Initially documented by renowned ‘Tours of Wales’ writer Thomas Pennant, this represents some of the earliest archaeological proof of life in the Iron Age hillforts scattered across the hills above Nant Gwrtheyrn.
Both Tre’r Ceiri and Yr Eifl were occupied between 150 BC and 400 AD – little is understood about them apart from their significant reliance on local iron which was traded and distributed.
Advertisement
Debs wrote on Trip Advisor: “What a fabulously tranquil place. We spent several hours here, walking and enjoying the peace and quiet. Found the history of Nant Gwrtheryn fascinating.
“We sampled the tasty cakes in the cafe. Would highly recommend a visit. We will most certainly return.”
One reviewer said: “What a beautiful place. The Welsh Language Centre. The story behind the revival of this village is inspirational. The vision on a local doctor and the surrounding communities is worthy of a Hollywood film.
Advertisement
“The views are breathtaking and the road down is incredibly steep but worth it.
“We had breakfast in the cafe. Highly recommended good quality produce and full flavoured coffee. Another great plus was the indoor seating where we could have food with our dog.
“The lady who greeted us was so welcoming and friendly too. Just a beautiful place great walks too.”
‘I love it! Recommend to anyone! It looks even better in real life’
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Advertisement
Try to spruce up any room and there’s always one thing that simply must be taken into account – lighting. Gone are the days of just sticking the ‘big light’ on and being done with it, as the room’s occupants squinting their way through the evening.
And I have to say, since getting my own house and filling it with other forms of lighting like table lamps, wall lamps and TV back lighting, I hardly ever reach for the light switch anymore. That subtle lighting creates such a calming and relaxing vibe to a room on an evening.
But, of course, they have to look good, a requirement you don’t have to look far to find these days. I’m often trawling through the pages of retailers with snazzy homeware like Dunelm and M&S, but this Titan Gold Domed Table Lamp, £39 at Dusk, really caught my eye.
READ MORE:
Advertisement
It boasts a striking blend between classic and modern, while the gold colour gives off a touch of luxury. It’s the sort of lamp that will look beautiful on a desk or bedside table and give the whole room a lift.
Buyers who’ve purchased the lamp so far have been very impressed, with the product averaging 4.94 stars out of 5 from almost 50 reviews. One said: “This lamp is simply gorgeous and well worth the price.” Another continued: “Keen to receive this floor lamp. It’s very subtle and chic. Super slim and neat glistening away. With adequate light in the evening.”
Buy the Titan Gold Domed Table Lamp
The lamp is said to bring ‘warmth and elegance to any room’
A third went on: “It’s absolutely beautiful! Fits perfectly to my whole room filled with Dusk furniture! I love it! Recommend to anyone! It looks even better in real life!”
Advertisement
Meanwhile, a fourth added: “I absolutely love this mushroom lamp. It has made a stylish addition to my office space. Lovely quality and a decent size. Would definitely recommend.” Of the 48 reviews left to date, 45 have awarded the full five stars.
Three reviewers deducted a star, with one explaining “the shade doesn’t quite cover the base of the light bulb”. Another four star review said: “Looks stylish and works with my new furniture from Dusk but one came dinted. They gave me a discount which was easier than sending back and waiting for another but it’s annoying that it’s not perfect.”
The other thing to note is that it’s not the cheapest option out there, and a lightbulb isn’t included. Amazon, for instance, has a number of budget-friendly lamps, such as this one priced at £13.97. Those looking for a pair of matching lamps can also make a small saving by purchasing a two-pack for £27.48.
Advertisement
Elsewhere, Dunelm is another solid bet for lighting, with its plug-in wall lights offering a modern twist for those who might lack table space for a more traditional light. Products like the Churchgate Harby Plug In Wall Light (£40) can be wall-mounted, while the wires are designed in such a way that they look natural and aesthetically pleasing.
The front page of the Sunday Express leads with the shadow foreign secretary, Dame Priti Patel, flying to Washington as part of what the paper calls her “mission to save Chagos”. It says that if she succeeds in brokering a U-turn on the current deal to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, which Trump has said he opposes, it could cause “fresh humiliation” for Sir Keir Starmer. The government has said previously that the Chagos Islands deal is “crucial to the security” of the UK and allies.
Manchester United aim to maintain their strong form as they head to Everton in the Premier League on Monday night with Michael Carrick at the helm
Michael Carrick will look to stretch his unbeaten streak in his second stint as Manchester United boss to six matches when his side take on Everton. The new manager’s team make the trip to Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday.
Recent speculation suggests that Rashford could complete a permanent switch to Barcelona in the summer but a fresh complication may emerge. The Manchester Evening News provides you with the latest from Old Trafford.
Since completing his loan transfer to Barcelona in the summer, Rashford has been the focus of considerable transfer speculation. The £26million purchase clause included in his deal could result in him remaining at the Camp Nou on a permanent basis.
Adding to the uncertainty, Spanish publication Sport has introduced another potential complication. They claim that Lyon’s Malick Fofana, another winger target, could jeopardise Rashford’s transfer.
Advertisement
The report indicates that Fofana, like Rashford, carries a £26m price tag. The Belgian 20-year-old is returning from a long-term injury, and if he performs well, the outlet suggests he could potentially disrupt Rashford’s move, even though the Englishman is currently preferred over him.
Mason Mount nearing return
Another English player’s future has been under discussion, with Mason Mount nearing his comeback. The 27-year-old sustained an injury during training earlier this month.
The United star has been out of action since before the 3-2 win over Fulham, but ahead of Monday’s match against Everton, Carrick has provided a positive update.
He said: “Mason’s getting closer. I think we’re going to be patient as well, and we have been patient with him, so we don’t want to push anything.
“He’s an important part of the group, Mason, and we want him back and fit and he’ll have a big impact for us. So, he’s getting closer, which is good for us.”
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings
Get ready for a new week (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
The tail end of February brings us into a Mercury Retrograde, which is not the demon that folk paint it out to be — especially as this one is in lovely Pisces.
See this three-week phase more as a time to do less, think more, and recoup your energy ready for the launch phase of spring!
Winter is almost over. What outside, external, world-facing ambitions, energy or activity do you most want to tap into and pursue?
Time to plan and prepare. Make this Spring season amazing by getting your priorities and hopes lined up now, so you can research and schedule accordingly.
Advertisement
So… let’s use the tarot to ask what you can be getting ready for spring right now.
Looking for deeper insight? My new Everything Covered reading has all the answers. Or, come join my magical, mystical tarot club, free for a whole month when you sign up using this link.
Aries
March 21 to April 20
Dream big, Aries (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Aries for this week: The Sun
Meaning: Spring starts at the same time as your own sign’s season, so it’s like a double whammy of good vibes, positive energy and action. The Sun blesses this season even more with love, joy, travel, success, and opportunity. The preparation you can do now is to imagine what you’d be doing if failure wasn’t an option. What makes you feel most excited? What would you love to spend your time on this Earth pursuing?
Advertisement
This is what you should plan to do this spring — seriously, the sky’s the limit. Write that business plan, invite your object of affection on a wild weekend, book a trip or holiday that makes you feel adventurous, apply for the promotion. Do it all!
Everything happens for a reason (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Taurus for this week: Five of Cups
Meaning: The key to the best ever spring that you can plan for now is to simply have no regrets. That is going to be your mantra. Imagine that it is now winter again, what memories of this season would you love to have made, places visited, spring-like activities tried, new food eaten, relatives visited etc?
Advertisement
Let this stance of ‘no regrets’ inform your priority to-do list and use this week to research and plan how you can land it over from March to June. This might be shaping up to be your best ever season, you know!
Soak in the joys of spring (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Gemini for this week: Three of Cups
Meaning: As spring approaches, the sap rises, flowers unfurl, things heat up in all manner of ways. This applies to your nature too. You are a part of nature! So feel the warmth, light and fertile energies swirling through the air embrace you and lift your spirits. Focus on receiving the energy coming through and letting it change your mood, outlook and appetites.
Advertisement
Hibernation is over. Winter habits are over. Time to refresh, renew and revive your spring-like personality and true nature. Time to get outside, start sniffing the air, taking walks, looking with curiosity at what’s going on that you can get involved with!
Hibernation time is over (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Cancer for this week: Three of Coins
Meaning: You do have a tendency to go into total hibernation during winter, and folk wonder if you’ve dropped off the face of the Earth. But you are missed. Your presence is powerful and when it’s removed, people notice. So, as Spring starts to come around, start thinking about your social life, family outings, networking and general human interaction once more!
Advertisement
What events are coming up, who have you not seen in ages, what trips or new places are there waiting for your attention, what professional relationships need some attention? Make a list, make a plan, start in advance now and get a head start.
Spring is pregnant with possibility for you, Leo (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Leo for this week: The Empress
Meaning: This is the card of love, passion, nurturing, mothering and fertility and this suggests your spring is going to be very loving and fertile in new additions to your life. Abundance, blossoming, creation, and growth. So… get your magic wand of manifesting polished and poised.
Advertisement
Where are you going to point it? What do you want create and make? What new things do you want to be birthed into your realm? Make a wish list. This powerful Empress energy is there to help you get what you desire and deserve. Know what you truly want, from the heart, and use that to guide your spring preparations and priorities. Also, look out for Taurus and Libra.
Making lists is a beloved Virgo pastime (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Virgo for this week: King of Coins
Meaning: A new season is like you getting a new notepad or blank sheet of paper, on which you can project and plan a whole new era! Bliss. Vision boarding is what is needed right now. Create your ideal vision of where you want to be in terms of health, wealth, work and home this spring.
Advertisement
What jobs need doing, what outcomes are you looking for, what investments might be worth exploring, what career ideas are you brewing, what health and wellbeing goals do you have in mind? Get it all down on paper this week and take charge of making it into a you Spring Schedule 2026!
Meaning: Use your closest relationships – family, romantic and otherwise – to plan your upcoming spring season. What do you want to do with those you love and like? Get together with these folk this week and have a pre-season planning get-together. What films, outings, events, trips, gatherings, new places, foods, shows, classes or reunions might you all want to undertake, share and arrange?
Advertisement
Use this relationship-focused approach as the underpinning of your season ahead and you will feel loved, supported and valued. Getting together with people is your favourite thing. So, make it a real priority this season.
A solid foundation makes all the difference (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Scorpio for this week: Two of Swords
Meaning: Spring is always a busy time when everyone comes up for air, breaks out the hibernation cycle, and new invites, news and opportunities flourish. So get ready to be a lot busier real soon, Scorpio! As such, take a step back this week and look at the bigger picture of your year. What decisions are awaiting your attention that will shape your plans and priorities?
Advertisement
This card suggests there are at least two decisions you need to face into, process, research and decide, and this is the week to do it. Get all the info you can, discuss it, kick it around, sleep on each option and then make your move. Doing all of this now will help you come springtime when you’ve overwhelmed with new offers and ideas. You are creating a firm foundation from which to grow.
Time for a pre-spring clean (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Sagittarius for this week: Knight of Coins
Meaning: You love spring. You love the return of the light and warmth, the energising vitality of the sun’s rays, and the sense of new possibilities ahead. So, this is a good week to get all those outstanding jobs, tasks and chores done that you’d rather have out of your hair by the time the season starts and you want to be ‘out out’.
Advertisement
Work hard, make a strong to-do list and set to work, use your Jupiter powers of luck and fortune to get ahead and take a few chances. Invest your time and energy in things which need doing, so that you have more time and energy later when the ‘art of the possible’ in is play.
What do you wish for? (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Capricorn for this week: Nine of Cups
Meaning: Springtime livens your spirits and makes you feel optimistic about life. And so it should, because the Nine of Cups suggests you have a magical season of wishes granted and dreams coming true awaiting you.
Advertisement
Use this week to consider your greatest wishes right now. Let your imagination roam, spend time walking and daydreaming, fantasise and invent ideals, scenarios, and outcomes that make you feel proud, strong and excited. And use these visions as the raw clay to mould your plan of attack for the coming season. Whatever you wish for is possible this spring, don’t waste this hopeful energy by second guessing or undermining yourself.
Get ready for a springtime burst of excitement (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Aquarius for this week: Ten of Wands
Meaning: The Ten of Wands wants you to eek the very last drops of hibernation restoration and rejuvenation energy out of this tail end of winter. Rest up. Do little. Heal and process and reflect and take in good stimulus physically and mentally.
Advertisement
Spring will be busy, active, demanding, fun and lively. A great time. Expect several months of high energy and new news. For now, recharge your batteries so you have even more juice when the time comes and you need that vitality and stamina. This is worthwhile rest.
The ice is beginning to thaw (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Pisces for this week: The World
Meaning: The World is a card of completion and achievement, a recognition that you have ‘done’ winter and are oh so ready for spring. For you, it will mean new challenges and ambitions to pursue, new travel and location plans or moves, and a fresh sense of where you’re heading — and why. A renewal of purpose.
Advertisement
For now, enjoy this tail end of winter, celebrate the season’s achievements and successes, reflect on what you’ve done and learned, measure your progress against your goals, and start to notice what things or areas of your life might also be coming to a conclusion, along with the season. It’s time to let go, and then go again!
Kerry King has been reading, teaching and creating tarot for 30 years. Join her magical, exclusive Tarot Club for forecasts, predictions, lessons and readings straight to your inbox. Enjoy one month free for all Metro readers (no lock-in or commitment) over on Patreon.
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.
Research suggests that this spice may assist in reducing cholesterol levels and blood pressure
A tasty spice costing just 6p a serving might help reduce your chances of developing certain severe health conditions. Research suggests that coriander seeds may assist in reducing cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
A study, featured in the Journal of Environmental Biology in 2008, involved giving coriander seeds to laboratory rats. The findings revealed that rodents consuming the seeds showed reduced levels of “bad” cholesterol, termed low-density lipoprotein, whilst displaying elevated levels of “good” cholesterol – high-density lipoprotein.
The research noted: “The level of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol decreased while that of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased in the experimental group compared to the control group.”
Advertisement
Additionally, research published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2009 found that the seeds – or fruit – of the herb could effectively reduce blood pressure – or hypertension.
The study states: “These results indicate that coriander fruit exhibits gut stimulatory, inhibitory and hypotensive effects mediating possibly through cholinergic, Ca(2+) antagonist and the combination of these mechanisms respectively.
“Diuretic activity adds value to its use in hypertension.” Generally speaking, a normal total cholesterol reading in the blood should be five or less millimoles per litre (mmol/l). More precisely, a normal high-density lipoprotein level should be one or more mmol/l.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, your low-density lipoprotein should measure four or less mmol/l. To determine whether your cholesterol levels are elevated, your GP will need to carry out a blood test.
If you have concerns about your blood pressure, you should monitor it using a home testing kit or request that a pharmacist or doctor takes your reading.
Coriander seeds can be used in cooking whole or you can buy them ground as a powder form. The plant of the coriander is also popularly used as a herb.
At the time of reporting, you could buy 36g of ground coriander from Sainsbury’s and Tesco for £1.10, working out as just 6p per 6g serving.
When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine surpassed 1,418 days last month, it officially exceeded a historic milestone — the same span of time it took Moscow to defeat Nazi Germany in World War II.
And unlike the Red Army that pushed all the way to Berlin eight decades ago in what it called the Great Patriotic War, Russia‘s 4-year-old, all-out invasion of its neighbor is still struggling to fully capture Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland.
After Moscow failed to seize the capital of Kyiv and install a puppet government in February 2022, the conflict turned into trench warfare with tremendous cost. By some estimates, nearly 2 million soldiers are dead, wounded or missing on both sides in Europe’s most devastating conflict since World War II.
Russia has occupied about 20% of Ukrainian territory since illegally annexing Crimea in 2014, but its gains after the Feb. 24, 2022, invasion have been slow. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte this month likened Moscow’s advance to “the speed of a garden snail.”
Advertisement
Russian troops have moved only about 50 kilometers (about 30 miles) into the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine in the past two years in a grinding battle for control of a few strongholds.
Despite the slow pace and high cost, President Vladimir Putin has maintained his maximalist demands in U.S.-mediated peace talks, saying Kyiv must pull its forces from the four Ukrainian regions that Moscow illegally annexed but never fully captured. He has repeatedly brandished his nuclear arsenal to prevent the West from boosting military support for Kyiv.
A war of attrition
Initially involving quick movements of large numbers of troops and tanks in Russia’s opening blitz and Ukraine’s counteroffensive in fall 2022, the fighting morphed into bloody positional warfare along the 1,200-kilometer (750-mile) front line.
Advertisement
The Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated Russian military casualties at 1.2 million, including 325,000 killed. It put Ukrainian troop casualties at up to 600,000, including up to 140,000 killed.
“Russia has suffered the highest casualty rate of any major power in any war since World War II, and its military has performed poorly, with historically slow rates of advance and little new territory to show for its efforts over the last two years,” it said, noting Russian troops were advancing an average of 70 meters (76 1/2 yards) a day in two years to capture the transport hub of Pokrovsk.
For the first time in military history, drones are playing a decisive role, making it effectively impossible for either side to covertly mass significant numbers of troops.
Since early in the conflict, Ukraine has relied on drones to offset Moscow’s edge in firepower and stem its advances, but Russia has drastically expanded drone operations and introduced longer-range optical fiber-tethered drones to avoid electronic jamming. They widened the kill zone to 50 kilometers (about 30 miles) from the front, leaving the terrain tangled in strands of filament.
Advertisement
The mixture of high-tech drones and World War I-style trench fighting has seen small groups of infantry — often just two or three soldiers — try to infiltrate enemy positions into towns flattened by Russian heavy artillery and glide bombs. Ferrying supplies and evacuating the wounded is a major challenge as drones target supply routes.
Long-range attacks
Ukrainian officials described this winter as the most challenging of the war. Russia exponentially increased its strikes on the country’s energy system, causing blackouts in Kyiv where power supplies to many were cut to a few hours a day amid bitter cold.
Russia also has increasingly targeted power lines aiming to halt energy transfers and split Ukraine’s power grid into isolated islands, increasing pressure on the grid.
Advertisement
Ukraine retaliated with long-range drone attacks on oil refineries and other energy facilities deep inside Russia, aiming to drain Moscow’s export revenues.
Its drones and missiles sank several Russian warships in the Black Sea, forcing Moscow to redeploy its fleet from Russia-occupied Crimea to Novorossiysk. And in an audacious attack code-named “Spiderweb,” Ukraine used drones from trucks to hit several air bases hosting long-range bombers across Russia in June, a humiliating blow to the Kremlin.
US pressure, conflicting demands
U.S. President Donald Trump, who once promised to end the war in a day, has pushed to end the fighting, but mediation efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands.
Advertisement
Putin wants Ukraine to pull its troops from the part of the Donetsk region it still controls, abandon its bid to join NATO, curb its military and grant official status to the Russian language, among other demands Ukraine has rejected.
Russia left the door open to Kyiv’s prospective European Union membership, but it firmly ruled out any European peacekeepers deployed to Ukraine as part of a settlement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants a ceasefire along the existing line of contact, but Putin rules out a truce, demanding a comprehensive peace agreement.
“The territorial issue is important to the Kremlin, but the war has a more ambitious goal: to create a Ukraine that would be entirely within Russia’s sphere of influence and not perceived by Moscow as ‘anti-Russia,’” observed Tatiana Stanovaya of Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.
Advertisement
Ukraine and its allies accuse Putin of dragging out talks while he seizes more territory. The Kremlin accuses Kyiv and its European supporters of trying to undermine a tentative agreement reached by Trump and Putin at their Alaska summit.
While sticking to their positions, Putin and Zelenskyy have praised U.S. mediation and tried to curry favor with Trump.
After a disastrous White House meeting a year ago, Zelenskyy has adopted a more practical negotiating stance, emphasizing Ukraine’s goodwill.
After Trump called for a presidential election in Ukraine, Zelenskyy signaled readiness for it even though it’s banned under martial law. The election could be coupled with a referendum on a peace deal, he said, but insisted the vote was only possible once a ceasefire is established and Ukraine gets security guarantees from the U.S. and other allies.
Advertisement
Elusive settlement
Zelenskyy said the White House has set a June deadline for the war’s end and will likely pressure both sides to meet it. But even as Trump appears eager for a peace deal before the U.S. midterm elections, challenges remain.
With Putin insisting on Ukraine’s pullback from Donetsk and Zelenskyy ruling it out, a quick deal appears unlikely. Zelenskyy also expressed skepticism about a compromise U.S. proposal to turn the eastern region into a free economic zone.
The Kremlin expects its attacks eventually will force Kyiv to accept Moscow’s terms. Ukraine hopes it can hold on until Trump loses patience and increases sanctions on Russia, forcing Putin to halt his aggression. But Trump often appears to be losing patience with Zelenskyy instead.
Advertisement
The war and Western sanctions have increasingly strained Russia’s economy. Growth has slowed to a near halt, due to persistent inflation and labor shortages. The latest U.S. sanctions on Russian oil exports have added to the strain.
But even with the economic challenges, Russia’s defense plants have increased weapons output and its government has shielded key social groups like soldiers and industrial workers from hardship.
“Its economy is poorer, less efficient and less promising than it might otherwise have been,” wrote Richard Connolly of the Royal United Services Institute. “But it remains capable of sustaining the war. Its elites are more dependent on the regime, not less. Its political system is insulated from the transmission of economic discontent into pressure for regime change.”
Six DWP benefits could make you eligible for free NHS dental treatment, including Universal Credit and Pension Credit
Lauren Haughey Lifestyle and Money Reporter
03:00, 21 Feb 2026
A visit to the dentist seldom features at the top of anyone’s list of preferred activities. And with routine check-ups generally setting you back £27.40, it’s hardly surprising that many individuals skip them altogether.
However, you may be interested to discover that certain individuals throughout England might be eligible for complimentary dental appointments and treatment via the NHS. This especially helps those within a particular age range and anyone in receipt of several key benefits administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Advertisement
We’ve looked into who is eligible for this and what steps you need to take. If you’ve previously paid for NHS dental treatment but subsequently discover you’re entitled to free care, you could also be due a refund, reports the Mirror.
Who’s entitled to free NHS dental appointments in England?
The NHS confirms there are five groups of individuals who automatically qualify for free NHS dental care. These specifically include the following:
You’ve had a stillbirth in the past 12 months
You’re getting treatment in an NHS hospital from a hospital dentist (but you may still need to pay for dentures or bridges)
You receive War Pension Scheme payments, or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments and the treatment is for your accepted disability
You’re aged under 18, or under 19 and in full-time education
You’re pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months
Additionally, you may be eligible if either you or your partner is in receipt of one of six specific benefits. Dependants under the age of 20 could also qualify, provided you’re claiming:
Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
Pension Credit Guarantee Credit with Savings Credit
Universal Credit – but only if your income is below a certain amount
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Keep in mind that these rules relate solely to NHS dental treatments. Should you choose private treatment, you’ll be responsible for the costs yourself.
Generally, you’ll also need to provide evidence of your eligibility for free NHS care, though this may differ depending on your exemption category.
Examples of documentation accepted by the NHS include: Nevertheless, official NHS guidance states: “If you receive War Pension Scheme or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments and get free dental treatment, you’ll usually need to pay for it yourself first and claim the money back from Veterans UK.”
Advertisement
How do I verify my eligibility?
If you believe you may be entitled to free NHS dental treatment, visit the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) website to find out. The platform offers a free eligibility checker, which typically takes approximately three minutes to complete.
Should you qualify, it will guide you through the next steps required to access support. Those who suspect they have been incorrectly charged for NHS dental appointments may be entitled to a refund.
What’s the NHS Low Income Scheme about?
Even if free dental care is unavailable to you, financial assistance may still be accessible through the NHS Low Income Scheme. This programme extends beyond dentistry, encompassing other essential costs such as prescriptions, eye examinations, wigs, and travel expenses relating to medical treatment.
The amount you are able to claim depends primarily upon your weekly income, savings, and essential outgoings at the time of your application. Online applications are limited to those with capital or savings under £6,000, and you must also satisfy at least one of the following criteria: The NHSBSA also offers the following guidance: “If the amount you have left is low, you may be able to get help through the NHS Low Income Scheme. Any help you’re entitled to is also available to your partner, if you have one.
Advertisement
“If you have already paid for treatment, you can apply for a refund at the same time as you apply for the scheme. We will normally assess your application within 18 working days from the date we get your form.”
For further details on the assistance on offer, visit the NHSBSA website.
City may not have the machine-like fluency and relentless winning style of the Guardiola teams that won four straight Premier League titles, but those memories can still kick in for plenty who will play their part in coming weeks.
One of the newer faces is giant Italian keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, a Champions League winner with Paris St-Germain last season, who is now chasing new honours and horizons with Manchester City.
In some respects he is a flawed keeper, especially under crosses, but has that uncanny, priceless habit of making stunning match-winning saves that makes up for other failings.
He did it with an astonishing stoppage time save from Alexis Mac Allister in a City win at Liverpool that may yet be regarded as the pivotal moment in their season, and he did it again here.
Advertisement
As the final seconds ticked on with Newcastle pressing for a point, Donnarumma employed that giant wingspan to stretch away low to his right to turn away Harvey Barnes’ goal-bound shot.
Seconds later, the final whistle went and Etihad Stadium was awash with celebration.
Time will tell just how important those saves – those wins – will be, but City are now in a position from which they have flourished before.
Win all their games. Win the Premier League.
Advertisement
Now the scenery shifts to north London – along with the pressure – as Arsenal face that dangerous trip to Spurs.
Their first fight in Sheffield had Warrington comfortably in control until a decisive Wood punch in the seventh round ended the contest.
The rivalry had only deepened since, reflected in the charged atmosphere of the sell-out 8,000-capacity arena as the football-loving fighters entered to songs of their respective clubs.
Warrington walked out to the Leeds United anthem Marching On Together, which segued into his trademark Kaiser Chiefs’ I Predict a Riot, but the travelling noise was outdone by the home crowd when Wood – wearing sunglasses and soaking in the moment – emerged to Nottingham Forest’s Mull of Kintyre.
Wood edged a scrappy first round. Warrington responded with a sharp right hook and straight right in the second.
Advertisement
The home crowd sang “Leigh Wood is one of our own”, as their man settled into a southpaw rhythm, slowing the pace and picking shots from range.
He landed a crisp combination in the fifth before Warrington drew blood from Wood’s nose with a single right.
Both men had lost to Anthony Cacace since their first fight, raising the stakes for what felt like a last roll of the dice. Yet it was Warrington who looked the more faded former champion.
“Give them something to sing about,” urged his father and trainer Sean O’Hagan, predicting Wood would tire.
Advertisement
Instead, the bout drifted. Wood, hands low, invited pressure but Warrington could not capitalise. The lull in action seeped into the stands.
By the championship rounds, Warrington appeared to need a knockdown, but there was little sign of one coming.
By the final bell, the tension had evaporated and the outcome felt inevitable.