There have been multiple burglaries and attempted break-ins at post offices across South Cambridgeshire

A series of post office break-ins have taken place across South Cambridgeshire over the bank holiday weekend. Cambridgeshire Police are now asking for anyone with information concerning any of the burglaries or attempted break-ins to come forward.

Thieves took cash from the Linton Post Office on the High Street on Friday, May 1, at around 3.50am. Cash was also stolen from Burwell Post Office, in The Causeway, on Saturday, May 2, at around 3.25am.

Tobacco was stolen from Barton Post Office, in Comberton Road, on Sunday, May 3, at around 5.45am. An attempted break-in was reported at Stow-cum-Quy Post Office in Albert Road, on Thursday, April 30, at around 3.05am.

Cambridgeshire Police are carrying out enquiries into the incidents including looking at CCTV, forensic opportunities, and increasing patrols. The police are asking for anyone who may have seen any suspicious behaviour around the stores and any vehicles driving or parked nearby at unusual times to come forward.

Anyone with information should report it online on the Cambridgeshire Police website or call 101, quoting the relevant reference number: Stow-cum-Quy 35/32266/26, Burwell 35/32694/26, Barton 35/32873/26, Linton 35/32361/26.

You can also report anything anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800555111.

Detective Sergeant Jonathan Lockwood, from the Southern Acquisitive Crime Team, said: “We recognise how upsetting and disruptive these incidents are for the post office owners, staff and the wider community who rely on these vital local services. We want to reassure people that we are taking these offences seriously and are actively working to identify those responsible.

“We’re asking anyone who noticed anything unusual over the bank holiday weekend to please get in touch. Information from the public can be crucial in helping us progress our enquiries.”

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Chelsea forward Jesse Derry says his debut was a “dream come true” despite being taken to hospital after suffering a head injury.

The 18-year-old was making his first start for Chelsea against Nottingham Forest on Monday, and clashed heads with opponent Zach Abbott in the 45th minute.

He received oxygen on the pitch before being taken off the field on a stretcher after a lengthy stoppage.

The club then confirmed that he was “conscious, talking and undergoing precautionary checks” in hospital.

He has now been released, but the club will continue to monitor him.

“A dream come true to start at Stamford Bridge for my Premier League debut,” Derry wrote on social media.

“I’d like to thank all the Chelsea medical staff, everyone at St Mary’s Hospital, my teammates, and all the fans for their great support. I can’t wait to be back playing in front of everyone very soon.”

Derry, the son of former Leeds and Crystal Palace midfielder Shaun Derry, was making his first start for Chelsea having made two appearances off the bench in the FA Cup.

He was replaced by Liam Delap as a concussion substitute.

Premier League teams are permitted to make one concussion replacement per match, which does not count towards their usual substitution limits.

Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White and Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez were also involved in a nasty collision in the second half, but Forest confirmed that their midfielder was not substituted for concussion.

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The completion of a project to install giant concrete bridge beams took place over the bank holiday weekend (May 2-3) on part of the York Central site, forming the backbone of a new pedestrian and cycle crossing over the railway at Water End.

Infrastructure contractor Sisk carried out the work over two weekends where beams, each measuring 86 metres long and weighing up to 130 tonnes, were lifted into place across the East Coast Main Line by a 1,250-tonne specialist crawler crane.

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Alan Rodger, managing director at Sisk Infrastructure, said: “This is major milestone for our York Central project team.

“It required meticulous engineering and planning, which included temporary works and digital construction, right through to our supply chain partners, client, Network Rail and other key stakeholders.

“Together, we’ve delivered a complex piece of engineering with precision and collaboration over a stretch of the busiest rail network in the UK.

We’re excited to carry this momentum into the summer months as we move into the next phase of this transformative development.”

Steel beams being lifted into position over East Coast mainline railway at York Central (Image: Chris Winter / SISK)

Sisk said it led the operation on behalf of the York Central partnership —comprising Homes England, Network Rail, City of York Council and the National Railway Museum— and added it also relied on precise weather and railway access conditions.

The new bridge will connect the new Park Street access road to Water End, forming a key part of the final phase of infrastructure works for the wider York Central site.

Steel beams being lifted into position over East Coast mainline railway at York Central (Image: Chris Winter / SISK)

Councillor Claire Douglas, leader of City of York Council, said: “Seeing the York Central site evolve over recent months and start to be used by our residents has been amazing.

“Preparing for the bridge lift has been a huge partnership effort and is a significant engineering feat. I want to thank everyone who has been involved.

“While there is still more work to do before the bridge opens this was a major step forward for the York Central project which in time will transform our city, deliver new homes, high quality jobs and amazing public spaces for the people of York.”

The 76-metre-long, 7.5-metre-wide bridge is expected to open in 2027 following completion of the new junction and remaining infrastructure.

Noa-Lynn van Leuven has revealed that her recent ban from the Women’s Series in darts has triggered painful childhood memories, though she remains resolute, declaring she is “not done” with the sport.

The history-making player is now ineligible to compete following rule changes implemented by the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) last month, which prohibit transgender women from participating in women’s events.

The governing body’s decision came after a review of its policy in 2025, which included a report from academic developmental biologist Dr Emma Hilton.

Her findings concluded that “multiple, small-magnitude sex differences accumulate to generate male advantage over females in darts”.

Van Leuven, 29, from the Netherlands, described the news as having “changed everything” for her, a decision she learned about via email just a day before it was made public.

“It brings up childhood memories of people not accepting me for who I am or what I am,” she said.

“It happened in middle school. It happened at kindergarten. It happened. And it’s just something that keeps coming back.”

She added: “It’s been a rough couple of weeks. I’m not going to tell you it wasn’t, but I guess every year has been like this. Every year something happens, and every time I crawl out of the big hole I get pushed in, I keep coming back.”

Van Leuven said: “This one really sucks. And I truly still don’t get it. I just don’t believe darts really is a ‘gender-affected sport’ as they call it, especially with the points that they’re coming up with. It feels like the decision is influenced by gender-critical perspectives, which I strongly disagree with.”

She challenged the notion of a physical advantage, arguing: “If you’re a biological male, you should have advantages in being taller, having longer arms, whatever. But take a look at who has been taking every title in this game? Phil Taylor, (Luke) Littler now. Neither of them is above 180cm.

“So, I just don’t get it. It changed everything for me, and I found out about it without any real warning, which made it even harder to process.”

Her argument was given more fuel by Beau Greaves’ recent victory in a Pro Tour event in Milton Keynes, making her the first woman to secure a PDC Tour ranking title.

Van Leuven, however, was keen not to politicise Greaves’ success, insisting her contemporary deserved to celebrate her “amazing” achievement.

Van Leuven herself has competed alongside Greaves on the Women’s Series since 2022, a path that led her to become the first trans player to qualify for the World Championship and Grand Slam of Darts.

Without a main PDC Tour card, Van Leuven’s competitive options are now limited to second-tier Challenge Tour events or World Darts Federation competitions. The PDC, which organises the tournaments, is bound by the DRA’s rules and has offered Van Leuven counselling in the wake of the policy change.

Looking ahead, Van Leuven remains determined. “I just want to try to enjoy the game again,” she said. “I just want to improve myself this year and maybe hope I get a Tour card for next year.

“Hopefully, I can still find enough opportunities to do that. I’m not done with this game, but it still hurts, and all my goals for this whole year, they’re gone, and there’s not a lot of time left to get new big goals.”

Van Leuven views the decision as symptomatic of broader issues facing the trans community.

“I’m not sure if it would actually help to fight it,” she commented. “You’ve got the court ruling on trans women not being women in the UK. If you take a look at America, trans rights are kind of gone everywhere, and it’s only getting worse and worse. It’s not easy to fight this at this moment.

“It’s not only happening in sports, but also take women’s restrooms. I don’t know any trans woman who actually transitioned just to go to the women’s room. They just want to be themselves. They just want to live their own lives. They’re not scary, they’re not angry human beings.

“I hear a lot of people talking really bad about trans people, like they’re not even human beings, like they’re some sort of object. But yeah, we’re human beings. We also have feelings.”

When contacted, DRA reiterated that its decision was made after extensive legal advice and was not taken lightly.

EcoJet Airlines, which aimed to be the world’s first electric airline, has collapsed last year following a reported failed bid to raise £20 million.

Dozens of flights have been axed after liquidators were appointed to a doomed Scottish based airline.

EcoJet Airlines, which aimed to be the world’s first electric airline, collapsed last year following a reported failed bid to raise £20 million.

Provisional liquidators were appointed in February – and, as reported by The Herald, Opus Restructuring has now been appointed as the formal liquidators for the firm.

The update was announced in the Gazette government records, with Paul Dounis and Mark Harper from the firm appointed to wind up the company.

Opus restructuring said the owners of EcoJet are funding the process in order to aid employees.

A spokesperson said: “EcoJet was a start-up business and has no material assets. The members have elected to fund the liquidation process to ensure that the company’s employees receive their full statutory entitlements.”

EcoJet had planned flights from Edinburgh to Southampton and wanted to launch other journeys across Europe, but the schedule was never launched amid the collapse.

The travel firm was launched in Edinburgh back in 2023 by entrepreneur Dale Vince. Mr Vince, who is also the founder of green energy firm Ecotricity, said he has “paused investment into EcoJet”.

He said: “We remain committed to electrifying all forms of transport – aviation is the last frontier and the hardest.

“It’s taking longer than we hoped, to get the technology and regulatory pieces of the puzzle in alignment, and so we’re pausing work at this time.”

Mr Vince added: “This is a vital frontier in the move to net zero, green living, whatever you choose to call it – and it’s absolutely doable. It’s a matter of when not if.”

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The BAFTA-nominated hidden gem has been deemed ‘stranger than fiction’ by viewers

Documentary enthusiasts are being encouraged to watch a “stranger than fiction” film that frequently flies under the radar.

Three Identical Strangers emerged as one of the most recommended titles after a Redditor sought “blow your socks off” documentaries that weren’t widely recognised.

The BAFTA-nominated film, running just over 90 minutes, chronicles the remarkable story of triplets – Bobby Shafran, Eddy Galland and David Kellman – who were separated at birth. Unaware they were triplets, they had no knowledge of one another’s existence, reports the Mirror.

Through an extraordinary coincidence, the three crossed paths as young adults during the 1980s, entirely by chance. Their astonishing story propelled them to fame, leading them to share a home, appear in films and launch their own business.

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However, as they delved into their history, they uncovered a disturbing truth that would alter their lives irrevocably.

“I’m looking for documentaries and I love all types except for murder mystery because they’re typically all the same,” the initial Reddit post stated. “Could you guys suggest a few documentaries that completely caught you by surprise and you always recommend it to people because of that?”

Responding to the recommendation of Three Identical Strangers, one viewer commented: “I remember this documentary. It made me so angry. But, producers did a great job telling the story.

“Yess this is one I would typically scroll past but wow it was definitely one of the best,” confessed one viewer who decided to give it a chance. Another fan remarked that the narrative presented in the film “felt impossible.”

While no longer streaming on Netflix, the film – characterised by many as ‘dark’ – is currently accessible on YouTube, Apple TV, and Prime Video for a modest charge. With an impressive 96 per cent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and 88 per cent from audiences, the general consensus suggests it’s a worthwhile viewing experience for documentary enthusiasts.

“Starting as a fascinating curiosity, the movie takes a dramatic and breath-taking turn to expose a much more unsettling story. Really great documentary,” another viewer commented, awarding it five stars.

“Classic case of reality being far stranger than fiction. Watch this and you’ll be rewarded (if that’s the proper way of putting it) with a story so wild you’d think it’s made up. Yet this is a documentary,” remarked yet another impressed viewer.

Three Identical Strangers is currently available to watch on YouTube, Apple TV and Prime Video for an additional fee.

The Pemberton Masonic hall in Wigan has hosted numerous events and celebrations over the years

A special school is to be created at a Masonic hall in Wigan after it closes its doors for the final time later this month. Wigan council has agreed the use of Masonic hall on Chapel Street in Pemberton as a school.

The two-storey hall has been used over the years to host events and celebrations, including wedding receptions, christenings, charity functions and sports club dinners.

Applicant Northridge Education Group, which is based in Bamber Bridge, describes itself as ‘a multi-service care provider’ across Lancashire and the North West.

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Its website states that in 2027, it intends to open two specialist SEND schools in Wigan and Chorley to ‘cater to young people with a range of special educational needs and disabilities, providing the specialist support that mainstream settings often can’t’.

In March, Wigan council decided that using the building as a school would not constitute a material change of use as both the existing lawful use of the site as a community hall and the proposed use as a school fall within the same category.

Earlier this year Wigan and Leigh Masonic group said that the Pemberton Masonic Hall would be closing at the end of May. Orrell lodge, who were based at the hall, will move to their new home at Hindley Masonic Hall.

In the past week, a planning application was lodged by Northridge for alterations to the building including installing exterior cladding and additional windows and doors.

The application states that alterations are also sought ‘to parking layout following creation of playing field and sensory garden and erection of 2.45 metre high mesh and timber boundary fencing’.

The planning statement describes minor changes to the layout of the site. It said: “There are no major changes. Existing site entrances will be used for drop off only and the rear for staff only access.

“The spaces within the site and surrounding the building will retain the hard-standing as well as introducing grass for a more pleasant site atmosphere.”

Northridge said the Pemberton site would be its ‘first specialist school, designed from the ground up to provide outstanding SEND education with fully integrated clinical and therapeutic services’.

It added: “Set in the heart of Wigan, this school will offer a nurturing, purpose-built environment for young people who need a different approach to education.”

Prior to being sold, the building was marketed by estate agents Fazakerley Sharpe with a price tag of £650,000. Planners at Wigan council will consider the building alteration plans in the coming weeks.

Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana reports a fantastic first few weeks at its new Harrogate restaurant.

The venue in the former Banyan Bar and Restaurant says it has welcomed more than 7,000 diners since the opening on Saturday April 11.

The opening was boosted by a 3,000 free pizza giveaway and a charity night in aid of the  Harrogate Homeless Project, which raised £1,678.

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Rudy’s Pizza opens in Harrogate town centre on Saturday

The pizzeria in John Street offers 120 covers inside the restaurant and 35 covers outside.

The restaurant interior (Image: Pic supplied)

Since launching in 2015, Rudy’s has grown from one base in Manchester to 37 pizzerias nationwide, including York.

A warm welcome at Rudy’s (Image: Pic supplied)

Rudy’s Pizza managing director Neal Bates of Rudy’s Pizza, said: “The reception we’ve received in Harrogate has been fantastic. We are ideally located in the heart of the town’s food and drink scene and already feel very at home.

“From our charity event to meeting literally thousands of locals through our Pizza on Us offer, we’re thrilled to be a part of the Harrogate community and look forward to experiencing more of  the town’s unique culture as we head into a summer of fantastic festivals and events.”

Online reviews back up the company’s praise of the opening weeks of trading.

TripAdvisor awards Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana – Harrogate 4.9 stars out of five, based on 96 reviews, ranking it14th out of 297 restaurants in Harrogate.

Outside the Harrogate restaurant (Image: Pic supplied)

The latest review gave five stars and described their visit as a “fantastic experience.”

It continued: “First time here, fantastic experience – the food was fabulous and came in good time, our server Jimmy was very cordial and friendly. 10/10 would definitely come again.”

Google also awards the Harrogate restaurant 4.9 stars out of five, based on 44 reviews.

Its latest review also gave five stars and said: “Great food and atmosphere. Jimmy our server was fantastic.”

It’s pizza time (Image: Pic supplied)

Rudy’s opened in York in July 2024 in High Ousegate.

TripAdvisor currently gives it 4.6 stars, based on 199 reviews, ranking it 128th out of 786 York Restaurants. Google awards 4.5 stars, based on 450 reviews.

For more information and bookings visit: https://www.rudyspizza.co.uk/location/harrogate/