Ashley Cain is ‘not proud of’ his sexist and misogynistic tweets, which resulted in the BBC sacking him last week.

The 35-year-old came under fire for historic tweets where he reportedly used offensive, sexist and misogynistic language about women.

After this, the BBC said that it has ‘no plans’ to broadcast the second series of Into the Danger Zone and there are ‘no future projects’ with Cain in the pipeline.

He has now spoken out in a post addressed to his ‘community’ on Instagram, saying he takes accountability for what was said.

‘I don’t deny it. I don’t excuse it. and I certainly don’t condone it,’ the Ex on the Beach star began the message.

Cain continued: ‘The truth is that these comments were made over a decade ago by a younger version of myself who still had a lot of growing up to do. I cannot change the past, and truthfully, I have never tried to hide from it.

‘I have always believed that accountability matters. We should all take responsibility for our actions, good or bad. But I also believe in growth, in learning from our mistakes, and in proving through our actions that the person we once were does not have to be the person we remain.’

In a series of posts dating back several years, which were uncovered by The Guardian, Cain suggested blurring the lines of consent during sex.

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He allegedly tweeted ‘jokes’ on numerous occasions about hitting and slapping women, with one being 2015 Love Island contestant Jessica Hayes.

It was also revealed that concerns were raised about his conduct when he was picked to host Sin City: The Real Las Vegas.

Cain went on to say that during that time in his life he felt ‘lost, frustrated and unsure of where my life was heading’ after his football career ended over an injury.

He explained that reality TV had given him a ‘second chance’ but left him navigating a world of fame that he ‘didn’t know’.

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‘One in which I was rewarded for developing a provocative personality,’ Cain wrote. ‘None of that excuses the things I said, but it is part of the truth of where I was and who I was becoming.’

Reflecting on his development since then, he listed the ‘incredible women’ in his life, including his mum, nan, auntie, and sister.

‘They taught me compassion, resilience, and respect long before I truly understood the valune of those things,’ he penned. ‘Looking back now, I can see many moments in my younger years where I lacked maturity, perspective and understanding.

‘Like many young men, I had lessons to learn, and life made sure I learned them.’

He went on to discuss how the death of his daughter had changed him ‘forever’, sharing that he had dedicated his life to honour her ‘legacy’.

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Azaylia was just eight months old when she died in 2021 after being diagnosed with a ‘rare and aggressive’ form of leukaemia.

He and her mum, Safiyya, had planned to take their little girl to Singapore for treatment after their fundraising page hit the £1million mark but were then told she only had days left to live.

Cain said during this time, the family experienced ‘mocking’ and death threats from strangers, which sometimes felt ‘unbearable’.

He reiterated that he had grown from this, ‘not because he is special’ but because he ‘chose better’ and had let go of the anger.

Wrapping the length statement, Cain said: ‘I cannot change the past. None of us can.

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‘But every day I wake up, I can choose the man I want to be, and I can choose the impact I want to have on those around me. That is what I have tried to do for many years now, and it is what I will continue to do moving forward.’

The post was flooded with messages of support for Cain, including from Safiyya, although the pair have split.

Cain’s X account, from which the sexist comments originated, now seems to have been deactivated.

Previously, the BBC said the comments were ‘unacceptable’ and removed him from presenting duties.

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Resigning as UK prime minster and leader of the Labour party, Keir Starmer said he accepted, “with good grace”, that the party does not think he is best placed to lead them into the next general election.

Following the election of Andy Burnham in Makerfield, it’s also clear who most Labour MPs want to replace him. It’s now more than possible that “King of the North” could be invited by the real king (Charles) to form a new government within weeks.

This momentous situation begs two questions: what is Andy Burnham actually about in terms of plans, priorities and personality? And, what are the main challenges that may well trip him up?

There are two distinct levels to Project Andy: Manchesterism and Burnhamism. The former encompasses his policy vision, revolving around the notion of “business friendly socialism” and place-based politics. Manchester’s integrated Bee Network of integrated public transport has been held up as an example of the city’s positive and optimistic political economy under Burnham’s leadership.

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Andy Burnham: what has made the king of the north so popular?

On a national level, this Manchesterism approach looks like emphasising devolution of power to the English regions and a rejection of neoliberalism. It would be replaced by a new model of public governance in which communities up and down the UK have more control over the basic essentials of life: housing, utilities, transport and education.

A second policy dimension revolves around shifting to a preventative mindset. From health to housing, the role of the government cannot and should not be to keep spending more and more. But instead, to invest in tackling the root causes of key societal challenges. Build more social housing, invest in early interventions around physical and mental health, don’t deify university education and dare to innovate.

A third (and possibly defining) aspect is Burnham’s focus on tackling social inequality. This was evident in his response to Tony Blair’s recent “playing with fire” essay-cum-intervention. Burnham’s powerful rebuttal: “If you are not rooting your analysis in the fact that people are unable to live and that things that were taken for granted are no longer affordable, then you are not understanding what’s going on.”

It’s this ground-level understanding of real people, living real lives well away from the internalised gossip and gaming of Whitehall and Westminster, that Burnham now seeks to bring to national politics. It’s also why his recent success in the Makerfield byelection suggests he can draw traditional Labour voters back from the false promises and pitfalls of Reform.

Manchesterism v Burnhamism

At a deeper level, it is possible to separate the policy aims of Manchesterism from a political project that is potentially far more interesting. What has been overlooked in the excitement of recent weeks is that Burnhamism is not actually about the Labour party or the next general election.

Burnhamism represents a political ideology founded on the need to fundamentally change British constitutional government. There has been no attempt to hide this level of mega-political ambition. Burnham made it explicit in his recent electoral success: “If you can build a new politics, you can actually bring through big changes … Westminster is not working. I am calling for a completely different way of doing things, for a completely different political culture”.

Burnhamism represents a complete rejection of the traditionally centralised, elitist, two-party, Whitehall-knows-best Westminster model. It seeks to shift towards a power-sharing model that can accommodate long-term strategic policy-making.

Far-reaching devolution is part of this. And it is promoted alongside the need for electoral reform, in the form of proportional representation (which is itself attracting increasing public support).

Manchesterism and Burnhamism are clearly interwoven. Tackling entrenched socioeconomic inequalities will itself demand a redistribution of power that the current system was historically designed to sustain.

And then, of course, Burnhamism has a very specific performative dimension. There’s a certain folksy “local lad” hero element that feeds off the music and brashness of Manchester. The casual clothes carefully selected to represent not a traditional politician, but a popular (not populist) “bloke” operating outside the mainstream (tie-wearing) bubble. If Manchester wasn’t so far from Westminster, you could almost imagine him turning up on a Vespa or vintage Lambretta.

Burnham’s biggest challenge

It’s common in politics that the biggest obstacles are also the biggest opportunities. This is certainly true for Burnham as he vies to become the next prime minister. Other leadership contenders may emerge, the machinery of government certainly needs more than a little administrative tinkering if it is to deliver a radical agenda, and Nigel Farage and Reform remain a potent political foe.

And yet, his biggest challenge is more basic: forging a clear connection with the British public. If Starmer failed to do this, it was because he was too miserable early on and could never articulate a clear story about what he was doing as prime minister or why. U-turns and self-inflicted wounds only added to a generalised sense of governing incompetence that proved impossible to shake off.

The opportunity and the challenge for Burnham revolves around the need to craft a clear and careful message of hope and optimism about what he wants to do and why. But he must do so without over-inflating the public’s expectations – or failure becomes, to some extent, inevitable.

Thousands of excited fans have now arrived in Florida ahead of our final Group C match against Brazil at the Hard Rock Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Tartan Army invasion of Miami is in full swing as supporters soak up the atmosphere in one of America’s most iconic cities. Thousands of excited fans have now arrived in Florida ahead of our final Group C match against Brazil at the Hard Rock Stadium on Wednesday night.

A draw against the Samba superstars would all-but guarantee qualification through a group at a major tournament for the very first time, while even a loss might be enough if results in other groups go our way.

With temperatures in the sunshine state rarely dropping below the mid-30s this week, the conditions are going to be tough for our national heroes. But optimistic fans who have travelled out here still believe we have enough to do it.

Lisa Gardener – who is over here with her husband Scott, 53, son Fraser, 17, and daughter Heather, 21 – is just one of those many hopeful supporters, and the family are considering staying out in North America if we do get through.

The 52-year-old said: “It’s really exciting to be here. It feels like much more of the world is in Miami compared to Boston, where it was predominantly Scotland fans.

“It was magnificent over there – the people were amazing. But here, there’s people from everywhere. And you’re seeing everyone get excited about their games, which is just fantastic.

“It’s fantastic to see all the Scotland fans arriving. It makes you so proud that so many people have come over to be part of it and brought their families as well.

“We’ve been in the Tartan Army for many years. My husband went to France in 1998, as a single man, and told me that one day it would be great fun if we could do it together.

“But we didn’t imagine it would be 28 years before we did it together – and we’ve brought our children with us as well. The whole thing is just like a dream just now.”

Scotland fans have indeed been joined in Miami by football supporters from all over the world. And as Harrison Wells, a 24-year-old from Greenock, and Ewan McBeath, a 24-year-old Newmachar, in Aberdeenshire, sipped on Sex on the Beach cocktails they were soon joined by Colombians, desperate to get pictures of the pair in their kilts.

The duo are currently living in Perth, Australia, and Ewan said: “We’re having an amazing time – we’re a bit f***ing hot, but it’s been fantastic! Boston was amazing, they ran out of drink and we had to resort to bottles in the end – but it’s so far so good here.

“Our hotel is in south beach so we plan to just chill out on the beach and drink a few sangrias before the game. To be out here and beating Brazil, the whole place would just go mental. I think we can get a result, Morocco are a better side.”

Harrison added: “We flew out on the 10th but we’ve come from Australia so it took us about 30 hours to get here – but it’s been worth every single second.

“I don’t think anything will be able to compare to Boston but we will just have to wait and see. We’re going to have some booze and enjoy the beach – you can’t go wrong. I honestly think we can beat Brazil but I’ll take a point.”

Supporters have been enjoying the South Beach area where Scots have been joined by thousands of Brazil fans. Others have been taking in the stunning sights at the Bayside area, near the fan zone, as they cooled down by grabbing a beer near one of the many huge fans.

Aidan McKenna, a 32-year-old engineer from Wishaw, Des McKenna, 52, retired and Ian Lochart, a 57-year-old delivery driver were enjoying cooling off when the Record headed over to them.

Aidan said: “Other than the heat – the trip has been amazing. We had a week in New York then came here. It’s already been incredible. We have been down at South Beach and there was loads of Scotland fans and Brazil fans down there, it’s been brilliant.

“We’re still trying to get tickets but if not we will watch the game down here and just soak up the atmosphere. We are going to the Marlins game for the baseball and take in the Brazil game, then maybe head down to Muscle Beach too!”

There has been more of a family atmosphere in Miami compared with the wild scenes witnessed across Boston over the last week and a half. Richard Cook, a 54-year-old who works in sports management, is over from Glasgow with his wife Elaine, 55, who works at Glasgow University, and their kids Myles, 16, and Oscar, 12.

Richard said: “Miami is such an epic place. The environment is just fantastic. Full of people in good spirits. We were enjoying watching the match on Sunday night with the Cape Verde fans. Everything has just been fantastic.

“Colombia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Argentina, all in there, all supporting the underdog. It’s such a nice atmosphere. We are meeting up with some friends tomorrow and we plan to go to the baseball too.

“We came out specifically for this match. When I met Elaine our first match we went to together was Scotland versus Brazil, the opening match of France 98.”

Elaine added: “Now we are married and we have two kids, so we thought we had to be here now it’s gone full circle. We just want a different result now!”

Meanwhile Jane Jackson, a 47-year-old executive assistant from West Lothian, has been loving her time in Miami with her husband Neil, 49, and their kids Daisy, 17 and Neil, 49.

Jane said: “We’re having a fabulous time. The weather is great, we’ve been enjoying checking out the fan zone. We’re really happy.

“We’ve been round the Wynwood art district which was fantastic. We’ve cooled down in the pool. We’ve got friends coming out to meet us too – it’s been a lot of fun.

“We’re just seeing more and more Scotland fans arriving by the minute. We met a few at the hotel and I’m sure there will be more and more each day, it’s really exciting.”

Daisy said: “It’s been really good – the atmosphere has been really good, but it’s really hot here! We’ve got our fans though so we’re getting by with those.

“We’re going to watch the game in the fan zone here – unless the ticket prices go down. I’m confident we are going to get a win and get out this group. I’m predicting a 2-0 win!”

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On the gloriously sunny morning of July 5 2024, Keir Starmer walked into Downing Steet as prime minister for the first time, having won a stonking 174-strong majority in the general election the day before. On a similarly warm morning a little less than two years later, he has been forced to stand outside Number 10 and announce his resignation. How did it come to this?

The resignation speech, marked with pathos and dignity, was particularly surprising because, as the prime minister made clear, he had built up a substantial record, doing the kind of things Labour leaders are meant to do.

The minimum wage has increased, employment rights for workers have been enhanced, waiting lists in the NHS have come down, half a million children are being lifted out of poverty, and the economy has grown in difficult times (albeit at sluggish rate). On the controversial issue of immigration, the numbers have come down.

For his supporters, Starmer is an unshowy but decent man approaching his job with proper seriousness and with a feeling for the national interest. Yet on the doorstep, MPs found that the response to Starmer was often one of visceral hatred. His polling numbers plummeted, amid complaints that his promise to deliver “change” in 2024 had not materialised.

Prime ministers in the past have often endured periods of unpopularity. In 1980-81, Margaret Thatcher was deeply unpopular and yet went on to win two further general elections. Yet this moment feels different – which explains why Starmer felt he had to go.

Despite its huge majority, the government was never that popular. It won because of the huge unpopularity of the Conservatives in office, especially after the debacles of the Boris Johnson and Liz Truss premierships. Starmer’s victory came off the back of a remarkably slim vote share of 33.7% in an election with a near-historically low turnout.

‘No such thing as Starmerism’

The new government appeared rudderless because it never established a compelling vision for the country. The prime minister is on record as saying: “There is no such thing as Starmerism and there never will be!”

Starmer’s approach was serious but technocratic, showing no interest in ideas or principles. This left it looking out of touch when confronted by populist movements of the right (Nigel Farage’s Reform UK) and the left (Zack Polanski’s Greens), who established a strong emotional connection with voters. Starmer has offered a centrist government at a time when the energy in politics is flowing away from the centre.

The government ran into trouble right from the start. It allowed itself to be defined by the decision to cut winter fuel payments for all but the poorest pensioners. This showed a complete lack of awareness of the politics of this move, which landed badly with voters.

Not long after this, it attempted to slash the spiralling welfare bill. On both issues it was forced into humiliating U-turns, which became the signature of the government. If this were not bad enough, the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington proved catastrophic once the revelations from the Jeffrey Epstein files were made public. Starmer, who had attempted to build a reputation for honesty and integrity, looked incompetent.

But the big issue for voters was the cost of living, even though the government had tried to combat in-work poverty through the minimum wage and employment rights. The reality for many voters though was that nothing much had changed and people felt they were still living in an age of austerity.

This partly explained the local election results in England in May 2026 when Labour won only 17% of the vote, while Reform UK achieved 26%. Labour lost the Senedd in Wales for the first time, to Plaid Cymru. Welsh Labour came third, and leader Eluned Morgan lost her seat.

The prospect of a Reform government was the threat that alarmed Labour MPs and pulled the rug from under Starmer. Andy Burnham’s victory in Makerfield (where Reform had won most of the council seats in May) suggested that he could bring voters back to the party.

Labour governments also suffer the polarising effects of a predominantly right-wing British media landscape. This often feeds on a sense of grievance and alienation, promoting resentment against immigrants and an “out-of-touch” elite. It appeared that Starmer wanted people to see issues in a complex and nuanced way in order that thoughtful solutions would emerge.

But that world may now be ceasing to exist. Voters increasingly want to see politics make an immediate difference. Many seem not to have heard of the work done on employment and health, among other matters. Some think that crime and immigration are going up, whereas the reverse is true. Starmer’s technocratic approach was always going to struggle in an age of populism.

How will historians view Starmer? A lot depends on what comes next. Should Labour renew itself in government (which is never an easy thing to do) then he will be seen as someone who remade Labour as a governing party and grappled with complex problems at home and abroad. He has fared better on the international stage than at home. Globally, he has maintained support for Ukraine, recognised a Palestinian state and kept the UK out of Trump’s war in Iran.

Should Reform UK win the next general election, Starmer will be seen as having ushered in a Farage government. His resignation speech revealed him as an honest leader who attempted to serve his country with seriousness and a desire to enhance the common good. Starmer has always been clear that it would take ten years to turn Britain round. His tragedy is that he got only two.

As Coronation Street revealed it was Sarah who killed Theo on Monday, actress Tina O’Brien addressed whether she could be leaving the ITV soap and her reaction to the twist

Coronation Street’s Sarah Platt has been exposed as Theo Silverton’s killer.

Now, actress Tina O’Brien, who has played the character since 1999, has addressed whether she’s about to bow out for good. Flashbacks during Monday’s episode confirmed what really happened to Theo, and who was to blame.

We saw Sarah accidentally killing Theo after he turned sinister. As he threatened her, she shoved him before hitting him over the head with a metal pole, leading to him plummeting off the scaffolding.

In the fallout, Sarah will be desperate to cover her tracks. But will she be caught out, and could it lead to a prison stint, or possibly a permanent exit from the ITV soap after after nearly 30 years in the role?

Tina shared: “It’s not just about her now, it’s about her family and her son, and there are times when she can’t cope with the pressure and you think she’s just going to hand herself in. And then she thinks about her son growing up without a mum, if she’s convicted and can’t prove she acted in self defence.

“And because of those things, she’s so desperate to do whatever it takes to be part of her family’s life.” It was her ex Gary that she frantically called for help, with him now keeping her secret.

With Gary’s rivalry with Sarah’s partner Kit Green now at boiling point, Tina explained why Sarah told Gary and not detective Kit. She said: “I think she absolutely went into panic mode, shocked, stunned and numb. She obviously didn’t know what to do, she didn’t know how to react and in that moment she thought, I can’t call Kit because of his job in the police.

“And so in that moment, she thought who can I call and it was Gary. There’s a lot of guilt there and I think also, selfishly, she feels like she’s ruined her chance with Kit, because if he knows what she’s done, he might not want her anymore and she so wanted him to be her future.”

This isn’t the first time Sarah has been caught up in a murder plot. Fans will recall that back in 2015, Sarah’s sister-in-law Kylie Platt murdered Sarah’s love interest Callum Logan. Callum had tried to attack Sarah, leading to Kylie killing him with a wrench.

Sarah and Kylie, with the help of Sarah’s brother David Platt, covered up the crime, and buried the body under their house. Sarah’s mental health spiralled in the fallout, and she was admitted to a psychiatric unit for treatment.

With Sarah caught up in another murder, Tina said this time her character could face prison. She teased: “If she’d have called the police straight away and explained what happened, she would have been in a much better situation, because it was clearly not pre-meditated, it was a situation where she felt she had no other choice.

“But to cover it up, to actively cover something up, she knows that she crossed a line that she can’t come back from.” She added on exit fears: “I genuinely didn’t worry, at the end of the day this job is incredible, but to be an actor is not necessarily a job for life. So, I just was really excited to be given the honour of being the murderer, and then hopefully, however it plays out, I’ll enjoy Sarah’s arc.”

So does this hint that Sarah will stick around? After keeping quiet for months, Tina shared: “I’ve literally been a big bag of nerves. It’s been so difficult, I told my mum and I just recently told my daughter Scarlett and my son Beau. You’re seeing all the chat on social media, everyone’s saying I think this, and I think that.

“Actually filming these scenes the weeks after have been the hardest thing I’ve ever filmed because I felt like my face looked guilty constantly and I thought everyone’s going to know it’s me instantly.”

It came as no surprise to Tina though that Sarah killed Theo. She explained: “I completely understand how it happened, why it happened. For me to get into her character and her head, I feel like in that moment, she didn’t feel like she had any other choice.”

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok, Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.

Starting later this year, the airline will begin flights to Reykjavik and Kittilä, marking its latest network expansion from Liverpool.

Flights to Reykjavik will launch on November 2 and operate twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays.

Kittilä, located in Finnish Lapland, will be served from November 25 on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

“We are delighted to welcome more fantastic easyJet routes to Liverpool John Lennon Airport,” said Paul Winfield, aviation director at Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

“Reykjavik and Kittilä are exciting additions, offering strong appeal for winter travel and festive getaways.

“easyJet’s continued growth here at the North West’s Faster, Easier, Friendlier Airport demonstrates the strength of the Liverpool market, and we anticipate these new services will be very popular with travellers across the region.”

Reykjavik offers travellers access to Iceland’s dramatic volcanic scenery, geothermal lagoons, waterfalls, and one of the world’s best vantage points for viewing the Northern Lights.

Kittilä, in the heart of Lapland, promises a classic winter wonderland with snow-covered landscapes, husky sledding, snowmobiling, skiing, and opportunities to meet Father Christmas.

“We’re excited to be adding these winter destinations to our growing network from Liverpool,” said Kevin Doyle, UK country manager at easyJet.

“Customers now have the opportunity to explore Iceland and Lapland, and we look forward to welcoming them on board these new routes.

“Our short-haul network from Liverpool offers unrivalled choice for those planning their holidays, making it easy to book and fly.”

easyJet’s network from Liverpool now offers 41 routes to 18 countries.

Over the past year, the airline has steadily grown its Liverpool presence, adding new routes and increasing fleet capacity.

This summer, easyJet will base a ninth aircraft at the airport, further expanding options for travellers across Europe and North Africa.

Comcast’s Xfinity services have suffered an outage, leaving thousands of users offline.

Xfinity delivers cable TV, internet, phone and wireless services to Comcast customers.

The outage was reported by users on Downdetector Monday afternoon. Just before 4:30 p.m. ET, 25,993 users had reported that Xfinity was down.

Most users, 80 percent, reported an issue with their TV, while 10 percent reported internet problems and 8 percent experienced issues with streaming services.

Xfinity users across the country reported issues, including in California, Colorado, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Connecticut and Vermont.

Some users have said they were struggling to connect with support teams for help.

“No TV in Castle Rock, Colorado. Unable to reach support via app, phone, or text,” one customer wrote on Downdetector.

Another customer said, “Can’t even reach them on the phone. TV down, Internet works. Monmouth Beach, NJ.”

“Down in Aiken SC. No cable TV, but internet is still up. Customer service number is down as well,” a third wrote.

The Independent has reached out to Comcast for comment.

Just hours earlier, thousands of users on X were reporting problems accessing the social media platform.

At around 10 a.m. ET, 28,699 users reported an issue on Downdetector. The outage appeared to subside within the hour.

Flights have faced major disruption today

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Thunderstorms have caused major disruption at Bristol Airport. The adverse weather conditions have also reportedly caused a fire after the home was ‘hit by a lightening strike.’

The house roof has been engulfed in a raging fire which has been captured on video in Emerson’s Green on Monday evening (June 22).

A witness said the fire brigade arrived quickly and reported everyone got out safely.

Videos from the scene show a fierce fire in the roof with smoke billowing into the sky. Firefighters can been seen attempting to put out the flames with a hose, reports BristolLive.

This comes as planes have been grounded at Bristol Airport amid an extreme thunderstorm warning.

There is disruption at the airport as planes are currently unable to fly, according to travel monitoring service Inrix. Passengers are advised to check before they travel following the update posted at 6.53pm.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning due to last until 9pm tonight as the forecast indicates frequent lighting strikes and heavy rain in the impacted regions. Lightning has already been seen this evening over Bristol.

It has been reported that 850 passengers (5 flights) are being diverted from Bristol to Gatwick airport, EasyJet are reportedly providing coaches back to Bristol.

Traffic monitoring system Inrix said: “Disruption at Bristol Airport as flights are currently grounded due to flash thunderstorms.Passengers should check before they travel.”

A spokesperson for The Met Office said: “An area of thunderstorms moving east across the area will bring a spell of frequent lightning, gusty winds, torrential rain, and a few places, hail.

“The storms will be moving quickly reducing the potential for widespread large amounts of rain, but there is a few places could see 20-25 mm of rainfall in a short period in the most active storms, which could bring some brief flooding.

“The majority of impacts are likely to come from other hazards however, such as lightning striking buildings and causing power cuts, difficult driving conditions in heavy rain, and some localised damage to vulnerable structures by strong wind gusts or hail.”

The proposal, put forward by Taylor Wimpey, includes the demolition of Pilkington Fold Farm and would see residential development on a 16.53-hectare site currently used for agriculture and grazing.

Plans were first outlined in May when the developer set out its plans for potential housing development on the land.

Now, in a new update, the developer has been told that a screening opinion from the council will be required to determine whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is needed as part of the planning process.

The scheme would likely be brought forward as an outline application, meaning the principle of the development would be considered in the first instance.

Full details, known as reserved matters, would follow in a separate application if approved.

The site is described as a logical and “grey belt” location by Taylor Wimpey’s planning consultants, Lichfields.

The site is described in planning documents as “a suitable and logical grey belt site” on the edge of existing residential neighbourhoods.

Grey belt is a term coined by the Labour Government for traditionally green belt land, but which could be utilised for housing or economic development.

Pilkington Fold Farm, which sits at the centre of the site, would be demolished to make way for the new homes.

The farm dates back to the 18th century and is included on Bury Council’s draft local list.

However, planning documents state that the original buildings were demolished in the 20th century, and the farm now consists primarily of modern cattle sheds and stabling.

Taylor Wimpey said that in acknowledgement of the site’s historic background, the development would include “a deliberately informal, farmstead-inspired layout” and plans to build homes in “an ad hoc manner that broadly reflects the historic footprints of the former farmhouse, yard and associated outbuildings”.

The application states the development would include a village green, play space and public open space, along with measures to improve pedestrian access and integrate existing public footpaths.

Access to the site would be via Starling Road, with existing rights of way to be retained and incorporated into the masterplan.

The site is bordered by residential areas to the east and south, with open land to the west, and sits approximately 2.7km from Bury town centre.

It does not fall within a conservation area or sensitive environmental zone, though non-statutory ecological sites are located nearby.

The land is classed as Grade 4 (Poor Quality) agricultural land, with existing surface water flood areas to be addressed through sustainable drainage systems.

The proposed homes would be no higher than three storeys, and additional landscaping would be provided to screen the development from neighbouring properties.

Surveys are planned to assess potential impacts on bats, badgers, amphibians and barn owls.

Taylor Wimpey stated that a “full pack of supporting planning material will accompany the application.”

The company emphasises in its submission that “it is considered that the proposed development will not give rise to significant environmental effects which would require EIA”, but recognises that the final decision rests with the council.

The authority will make a decision at a later date.

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.