Bray in County Wicklow is home to the famous Harbour Bar – the pub once voted the world’s best by Lonely Planet – and the Northern Irish Traveller went to find out if it still lives up to the hype

A content creator explored a beautiful coastal town less than 40 minutes from Dublin, before sampling a pint of Guinness in a venue once crowned the world’s finest pub.

Bray in County Wicklow boasts a seafront promenade and a stunning coastal cliff walk, offering some of Ireland’s most breathtaking vistas.

Dubbed the Gateway to the Garden of Ireland, the town earned recognition in 2023 when Time Out listed it among the globe’s “underrated travel destinations”.

Mark Rowan, a YouTuber also recognised as Stumpy or the Northern Ireland Traveller, set out to experience it firsthand.

Addressing his audience, he remarked: “Hello everyone, what’s the craic? So, today I’m in the beautiful little town of Bray in County Wicklow, Ireland. And today I’m here to do a pub crawl and see if I can find myself a good pint of Guinness.”

The popular excursion spot sits just 20km south of Dublin, and one particular establishment caught Stumpy’s attention.

He noted: “There’s a bar down there called the Harbour Bar. So I’ll have to try a pint of Guinness in there. It’s actually voted Ireland’s best bar I think. So that’ll be interesting to see how good the Guinness is.”

Prior to visiting that establishment, he sampled beverages at six other Bray watering holes, with his opening venue proving particularly noteworthy.

His initial destination was The Boomerang Bar, where a pint of Guinness set him back €6.60 (approx £5.72). Stumpy observed that the head contained not a single bubble after being served. Taking his first sip of the day, he declared: “Really really really off to a good start, a really really nice pint. If every pint is like this today, I am going to be a happy boy, that is nice.”

Sandy, who alongside her husband has run the establishment for almost three decades, confidently told Stumpy: “We have the reputation, and I am boasting, and I am saying it now, we have the best pint of Guinness in Bray, and ask any of our customers. That’s why our WiFi code (bestpintinbray) because people say it to us all the time. So I challenge you to find a nicer pint anywhere else.”

Stumpy took up the gauntlet but appeared charmed by the local pub where regulars all seemed acquainted with one another.

One willing participant spoke to the camera, introducing himself as a neighbourhood personality: “My name is Johnny, Johnny Choo Choo they call me. That’s me name because I worked on the train, and everyone’s welcome in Bray because we just do our own thing, we have a drink and we enjoy ourselves.”

Upon departing, Stumpy praised it as a “great pub” filled with exceptionally welcoming patrons, expressing his considerable admiration.

While wandering through the streets, he once more commented on how the residents of Bray were “super super friendly” and noted the town’s remarkable cleanliness.

He was also captivated by the “unbelievable scenery” before finally arriving at Harbour Bar.

A notice welcomed him proclaiming “Guinness is good for you” and Stumpy mentioned how numerous individuals had suggested he visit.

In 2010, this distinctive coastal establishment earned recognition from the Lonely Planet Guide as the globe’s finest pub, with the publication noting: “This bar has an amazingly diverse crowd and a unique look.”

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The guide continued: “The bar is littered with original antiques and interesting bric-a-brac, accumulated over 80 years, by three generations of the O’Toole family. The Harbour Bar offers a truly authentic Irish pub experience as an antidote to the sterile atmosphere of some modern pubs.”

Over the decades, the venue has welcomed numerous celebrity patrons, with Colin Farrell, Brendon Gleeson, Bono and Cillian Murphy amongst its notable visitors.

During his visit to the establishment, Stump was accompanied by content creator Wendall, who shared his verdict on the €6.80 Guinness.

Wendall commented: “Look, in Ireland, Guinness is good in nine out of 10 pubs for an Englishman. Yeah, it’s not the best pint I’ve had in Ireland, but you know, for a seaside town, it’s belting. I would give it a seven out of 10.”

While Stumpy acknowledged it wasn’t his finest Guinness of the day — possibly referencing The Boomerang Bar — he maintained it remained a “great pint”.

Wendall further observed: “With all due respect to Dublin, I’d rather hang out by the seaside here and have a €6.70 pint than be in Dublin and pay €7.50. It’s nice, clean fresh air, clean streets. No grief.”

Having departed the snug watering hole, Stumpy, whose full video is available to watch here, remarked: “This place was voted by Lonely Planet the best pub in the world. It’s a great pub but it’s definitely not the best pub in the world.”

Wendall concurred, though offered a measured counterpoint: “It’s subjective, every man’s idea of a great pub is different.”

Nigel Farage’s party has withdrawn its support for David Robert Prior, who is standing in the Saltwell ward, in Gateshead, at the upcoming local elections.

Mr Prior, whose expulsion was first reported by Jewish News, will still appear on ballot papers at the election on May 7.

His name reportedly appeared in a list of members of the far-right BNP that was previously published by WikiLeaks, a copy of which has been seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The news comes just days after Mr Farage was in the North East, during which he addressed party members at an event in Sunniside following visits to high streets in Gateshead and South Shields.

When approached for comment by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Prior said: “It was 20 years ago and I am not that person any more, I am devastated to tell you the truth. I’m just devastated that something that happened 20 years ago…I don’t know what to say.” 

A Reform UK spokesperson said : “Mr Prior has been expelled from Reform UK after failing to declare his former membership of a proscribed organisation. Reform UK has withdrawn our support for his candidacy.”

Reform UK later clarified to the BBC it has proscribed the BNP itself on a list of organisations of which past or present membership is “incompatible” with membership of the party. 

The BNP is not a proscribed organisation or banned under UK law.

Mark Ferguson, the Labour MP for Gateshead Central and Whickham, said he was “sickened” by the revelation that a Reform candidate was a former BNP member.

He said: “That vile, racist and anti-Semitic party was rejected in Gateshead before, and its poison has no place in our politics now.

“Saltwell is a strong, diverse community where people of different faiths and backgrounds live side by side. Reform UK must now confirm whether any of their other candidates in Gateshead have links to the BNP – or any other extremist groups – as former members, supporters or sympathisers.

“There are decent candidates from different parties standing in these elections. I am sure they will be as shocked and disgusted as I am by what has been revealed.”

Gateshead Council’s opposition Lib Dem leader, Coun Ron Beadle, added: “The national Reform party have done the right thing by expelling this man but Gateshead Reform looks like a party that is out of control.”

All 66 council seats in Gateshead are up for grabs at the election on May 7, in a race which could radically alter the political face of the area.

He warned people often end up paying a lot more than they need to

Martin Lewis has issued a warning to bank account holders about a principle to keep in mind. He shared the advice on his BBC podcast, outlining some key figures that you may want to note down.

The financial expert offered guidance about overdrafts that can affect your bank account, as you could rack up a big bill. He urged listeners to make clearing any outstanding overdraft balance their top priority.

Mr Lewis said: “Overdrafts almost invariably are the worst form of borrowing, but people don’t feel like they are borrowing.” He warned that many people make a costly error by failing to grasp the figures involved. He pointed out that a typical credit card rate with a high street bank stands at 24.9 per cent, while a typical overdraft with a major provider sits at 40 per cent.

The consumer champion explained: “There are many people out there who are overdrawn at 40 per cent interest and then are using the money from their overdraft, at 40 per cent interest, to pay off their credit card at 24.9 per cent interest, which is actually cheaper. You’d be better just to pay the minimum on the credit card and try and reduce your overdraft.

“It is an absolute must remember that overdrafts, ever since the regulator changed the way that overdrafts operate, from going from a fee and completely bastardised the market, just in my view, just at the start of the pandemic.” The Financial Conduct Authority introduced new regulations from April 2020 requiring that banks could only charge customers an annual interest rate on their overdraft.

Make it your priority

The regulator also banned banks from applying any fees or charges. Mr Lewis said: “Overdrafts with pretty much all high street banks are locked in at 39.9 per cent, way more than a high street credit card.

“Clearing your overdraft if you have one, unless you happen to have one of the few that is in a buffer zone or at zero per cent, is normally your financial priority over clearing credit cards. Treat your overdraft like a debt.”

Mr Lewis provided an illustration of how you might structure repaying the debt, by pledging to clear £100 of the overdraft each month. So if you’re overdrawn by £600, you could aim to reduce this to £500 by the beginning of next month.

Really dangerous

He said: “It’s very difficult to think of it conceptually with an overdraft, which is why it’s really dangerous that it’s at 40 per cent.” Some lenders provide a buffer and won’t charge interest up to a certain threshold if you dip into your overdraft.

For instance, Nationwide Building Society doesn’t charge FlexPlus, FlexDirect or FlexAccount customers any interest on the first £50. But you will pay 39.9 per cent variable on sums exceeding this.

Likewise with First Direct’s 1st Account, you receive a £250 buffer but then face 39.9 per cent interest on any overdraft beyond this amount.

Alan Shearer has revealed his predictions for this weekend’s Premier League and the two FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley.

Wednesday saw a change at the top of the league table, as Manchester City followed up their win against Arsenal with a narrow victory over Burnley to leapfrog their rivals with five games to go.

But with Pep Guardiola’s side in FA Cup action against Southampton, Arsenal can temporarily move back into first with a victory against Newcastle United at the Emirates on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Tottenham face a must-win visit to Wolves as they look to get their first win under Roberto De Zerbi to kickstart their bid to avoid relegation.

And on Sunday, Callum McFarlane is back in the Chelsea hotseat and hoping to guide the Blues to the FA Cup final with victory against Leeds United just four days after the sacking of Liam Rosenior.

As ever, England legend and Betfair ambassador Alan Shearer has revealed his predictions to Metro ahead of this latest weekend of Premier League and FA Cup action.

Premier League

Sunderland vs Nottm Forest

The Stadium of Light is a tough place to go. You know how physical Sunderland will be and once the crowd gets behind them it will be a tough game. But with the form Forest are in and Morgan Gibbs-White full of belief, I am going to go for a draw. It will be a good point for Forest.

I think Gibbs-White is staking a claim for the World Cup. If he gets amongst the goals in a few more games between now and the end of the season, that is a big call for Thomas Tuchel, to shout out how great a form he’s in.

Alan’s Prediction: Draw

Fulham vs Aston Villa

This is a tough one to call. We don’t know what’s happening with Marco Silva in terms of what he’s doing. They’ve had a reasonable season Fulham but have got some good players in their team.

However, Villa and the way they are going, I am going to go for an away win. I think Villa will do it with Ollie Watkins finding his goals again, Morgan Rogers the same.

Alan’s Prediction: Aston Villa Win

Liverpool vs Crystal Palace

Liverpool scraped a win against Fulham at Anfield recently, they scraped a win and found a way against their rivals Everton in the derby pretty much in the same way, and I think they will have too much for Palace. Home win.

It is a great opportunity for Palace to win a European competition. Winning the FA Cup last year, it would be great again winning a trophy in Europe again, so my guess is all their eyes will be on Europe and not on the Premier League

Alan’s Prediction: Liverpool Win

West Ham vs Everton

Everton are a really good side, especially away from home, they’ve got a good record. It is a tough one for West Ham, who are desperate to win. They will be at home, but I am not sure they will have enough to win it, so I am going to say a draw.

A win this weekend would put Everton back on track for Europe. I thought they were a tad unlucky against Liverpool last week, but I will stick with a draw here.

Alan’s Prediction: Draw

Wolves vs Tottenham

It is an absolute must win for Spurs. I do believe with the belief they might have picked up last weekend, whether it was from their performance or West Ham not winning at Palace. I think that will give them great encouragement. Had it been the other way, then I think they would be doomed. I think if they lose this weekend then they will go down.

Considering Wolves are already down, I am going to tip Spurs to win for the first time in a long time.

Alan’s Prediction: Tottenham Win

Arsenal vs Newcastle United

As much as I hope I’m wrong and I really hope I’m wrong, I see Arsenal bouncing back and winning this. I have no confidence in the form Newcastle are in. They need to come out and they need to improve. If they get beat, they have to go down fighting, and I didn’t see that last weekend against Bournemouth.

That was the hard thing to take from the defeat. When the managers under pressure and the players are having to prove a point, at least you need show some effort. That was the thing that hurt last weekend, the players have to come out with a response and fight for everything.

If they get beat, so be it, but they’ve got to do it with spirit. But I think Arsenal will bounce back with a home win, as much as it pains me to say it, but I hope I’m wrong.

Alan’s Prediction: Arsenal Win

Manchster United vs Brentford

Man United dug out a great result last weekend, with that one bit of quality in the game when Bruno Fernandes went down to that right-hand-side and pulls it back to Cunha. That was enough to get three points against a woeful Chelsea side.

I think they will have enough to beat Brentford at home, so I’m going to say a Man United home win. Bruno is a quality player. Where would Man United be without him? He has been the one consistent player there for so long now.

Alan’s Prediction: Man Utd Win

FA Cup Semi-Finals

Manchester City vs Southampton

Southampton will make it tough. Pep will change it round and give a game to three or four of his players who haven’t started on a regular basis.

I watched Southampton in midweek, and obviously did the game against Arsenal at their place and they were really impressive then. They didn’t win the game in midweek against Bristol City but went behind twice and came back for a draw.

They are 20 games unbeaten; they will make it really difficult, but it would take a brave man to predict anything other than a Man City win.

Alan’s Prediction: Man City Win

Chelsea vs Leeds United

For Calum McFarlane, I know he worked with Rosenior as part of his team; but he did the Man City game before Rosenior was appointed and there was a big improvement in that game, when he took over.

There will likely be an improvement from Chelsea under the interim manager, but there is huge pressure on those players to perform. Leeds are pretty much guaranteed Premier League football next year, so there is not as much pressure on them. For that reason, I am going to go for a Leeds win.

It will be a brilliant atmosphere. The pressure is huge on Chelsea, not so much on Leeds, so it could be a good day out for the Leeds fans.

Alan’s Prediction: Leeds Win

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It’s the inaugural Best Retailer of the Year competition and nominations are now open for you to name your favourite.

The Press has launched the Best Independent Retailer of the Year competition (Image: Newsquest)

From little fashion boutiques to quaint delis and niche shops, the competition will highlight the best spots in the city.

 The top 10 retailers will be featured in individual articles online and in print before readers can cast their vote to crown this year’s winner.

Nominations will close on Sunday (April 26), with the top 10 announced shortly after.

The link to vote is here.

DJ and presenter Sara Cox has celebrated landing her ‘dream job’ hosting the Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 – replacing Scott Mills – with a special brunch alongside her closest pals.

Cox, 51, was announced in the job on Thursday and will launch her first breakfast edition later this year.

She is the successor to Mills, 53, who was abruptly fired from the national broadcaster in March following allegations over his ‘personal conduct’.

Taking to Instagram on Friday morning, Cox shared a sweet picture of her and two friends toasting her new role with something sparkling, over a tasty spread.

‘Pre-breakfast show announcement booze-free bubbles with the greatest 2 wing women I could wish for. Always there to cheer me on or pick me up & dust me down,’ she wrote in the caption.

‘Thank you for decades of friendship, love, support & lols @melanierockcliffe & @megancarveruk ♥️’

‘So pleased for you Sara – well deserved 🫶🏼’ responded presenter Nicki Chapman in the comments, where Julia Bradbury added: ‘Congrats! Don’t envy you the early starts 😂 🙌🏽🙌🏽 so happy for you.’

‘How could it be anyone else 🙌 really going to miss you on teatime though… can’t you do both?’ asked someone else, while fellow fan Ann Brine added: ‘Will miss you on teatime but know you are going to be the best start to my day – you’re a ray of sunshine!’

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On the announcement of her moving up to breakfast time, Cox said: ‘There are not enough adjectives to really sum up how I’m feeling about being trusted with such an iconic show but let’s start with ecstatic, honoured and incredibly chuffed.

‘It’s been a dream to host the Breakfast Show since I joined Radio 2 and it feels like a bit of a full circle for me.’

She also gave a shout-out to ‘success coach’ Michael Heppell, after he celebrated her new role and said that he was ‘very proud’; they started working together in 2011.

‘My whole mindset and confidence changed when I met you @michaelheppell thank you [sic],’ she wrote across his post, sharing it to her Stories.

Addressing the news live on air during her Radio 2 weekday Teatime show last night, she added: ‘Takes quite a lot to make me speechless, but when I got asked to host the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, I was momentarily lost for words. Maybe that’s why they asked me, was it just to shut me up! But I mean, it’s always been my dream to do Breakfast, my energy has very much been waiting in the wings. “Hi, I am waiting in the wings gal! Can I have Breakfast please?!”’

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Cox insisted that she ‘wouldn’t swap the last seven years of Teatime because I’ve had an absolute blast’.

‘It has been the most golden seven years of my entire 30-year career, and I’ve learnt so much from you because you’re the most hilarious, brilliant listeners and I beg you – please come to Breakfast with me. Please I will send you all £5 and a clipper card.’

She also addressed requests that she spread herself over both Breakfast and Teatime, saying that she was ‘not allowed’.

‘So I am going to be moved to Brekkie at some point, and someone excellent, someone annoyingly brilliant will be taking over this slot and I’ll be fuming! But until then it’s me and you for Teatime.’

When will Sara Cox start on Radio 2’s Breakfast Show?

As with the presenter’s vague comments herself about moving to the Breakfast Show ‘at some point’, no firm date has yet been revealed publicly.

During the announcement, the BBC merely confirmed she would start ‘this summer’.

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In the interim, Gary Davies has been covering the slot – including from the time Mills was pulled off air after his March 24 show until his sacking was announced on March 30 – alongside fellow DJ OJ Borg.

Cox is continuing with Teatime for now while her replacement is confirmed, with her Radio 2 colleague Rylan Clark currently the bookies’ favourite for the job.

What other presenting roles has Sara Cox done?

Sara Cox started her broadcasting career on TV in 1996, presenting The Girlie Show on Channel 4, and later had stints on Channel 5 entertainment show Exclusive and Channel 4’s Born Sloppy.

She then scored a presenting role on MTV as the host of the late-night music show MTV Hot, before starting a presenting role with Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast, which she appeared on from 1998 – 2000 as the ‘on the bed interviewer’ talking to stars including Robbie Williams and Leonardo DiCaprio.

In 1999, she moved to the BBC, co-presenting a lunchtime Saturday show with Emma B and then fronting the Radio 1 Breakfast show the following year, taking over from Zoe Ball, until December 2003.

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The next year she moved to the afternoon ‘drivetime’ slot and presented a range of shows across the Beeb, before joining Radio 2 in 2011, launching her Sounds of the 80s programme two years later.

She has hosted BBC Radio 2’s drivetime/teatime show from Monday to Friday since 2019, replacing Simon Mayo, and also stood in for the Breakfast Show last year.

Cox also remains a TV regular, having hosted The Great Pottery Show Down and appeared on episodes of The Great Celebrity Bake Off and Britain’s Top Takeaways.

She also participated in charity events with the BBC, including taking part in a non-stop 24-hour 80s Dance Challenge in 2017 for Comic Relief, where she raised £1.2million, and raising more than £9.5m for her 135-mile marathon last year in aid of Children in Need.

The star has also replaced Scott Mills in his role helming the BBC’s Eurovision Song Contest coverage, after commentating on the Eurovision semi-finals on Radio 2 last year.

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Did Sara Cox used to be a model?

Yes, before her broadcast career began, Cox started out as a professional model.

She left school shortly after completing her A-levels to give international modelling a go, heading out to South Korea.

However, being so far away from home saw her turn to comfort food – and a brutal dismissal.

‘I was homesick, so I ate all these foods, and the modelling agent said: “You got too fat, you’ve got to home!”,’ she told ITV’s Lorraine Kelly in 2019.

Cox also appeared in the music video for Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s 1993 single Everyday and on a controversial poster for the 1995 video game WipEout, covered in blood.

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Shortly afterwards she began her broadcasting career, and the rest is history.

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ŠIAULIAI AIR BASE, Lithuania (AP) — When NATO’s call came, the French fighter pilots scrambled with practiced urgency, already suited up to shorten their response times.

They dashed in vans to hangars where their prepped and armed Rafale jets awaited, clambered into the cockpits and fired up the engines, which puffed and screamed.

Within minutes of takeoff from the Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania, they were over the Baltic Sea, first intercepting a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft and then tailing supersonic Russian bombers and their fighter escorts that neared the airspace of multiple NATO countries.

In a conflict situation, things could quickly get heated. But for the moment, with Russia and the military alliance at odds over Ukraine but not at war, pilots on both sides just watched and filmed each other — keeping their distance like wary tomcats with claws unsheathed, their missiles visible but not used.

One of the points of the posturing — in aerial ballets that take place away from public gaze hundreds of times a year — is to try to ensure that the frostiness between NATO and the Kremlin over Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine doesn’t tilt into open hostility.

Commanders and pilots flying NATO air-policing missions on the eastern flank of the 32-nation military alliance say that their goal is to deter, not provoke. They believe their presence is reassuring for Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — that border Russia and its ally Belarus but don’t themselves have airpower to fight off any Russian attack, if it ever came to that.

“It’s a game of cat and mouse, or rather cat and cat,” said Lt. Col. Alexandre, commander of a French air force wing of four Rafales that is sharing the Lithuanian base with another fighter detachment from Romania. Citing security concerns, the French military withheld the commander’s surname.

“We watch each other, scrutinize each other and try to make sure that it doesn’t go any further,” he said.

Alliance members take turns policing Baltic skies around the clock, seven days a week. The French inherited the building that now serves as their temporary headquarters from a Spanish detachment. They will hand it over to Italian replacements in August. Successive teams leave plaques and badges on a wall that records their passage.

NATO scrambles jets to identify and possibly take other action when Russian planes fly in Baltic airspace without switched-on transponders and without filing flight plans or communicating by radio with air traffic controllers.

“There are plenty of times in which, on purpose or not, they’re not really respecting the ICAO — the International Civil Aviation Organization — rules, regarding flight plans and behavior,” said Col. Mihaita Marin, commanding the Romanian detachment of six F-16s.

“So obviously we are forced to take off and just make sure that they are who they say they are and their intention is peaceful,” he said.

The arrival of spring, bringing better flying conditions, means French and Romanian flyers have been busy since they deployed at the start of April on four-month NATO rotations.

Marin said interceptions “are getting close to daily” and “that will definitely increase as the weather is getting better.”

French aircrews — watched by an Associated Press journalist who was reporting at the airbase — had their busiest day so far on Monday.

Scrambled under NATO command, French Rafales met and observed a pair of Russian Tu-22M3 bombers carrying supersonic, anti-ship missiles from their bellies that Russia has also used in Ukraine, repurposing them to attack ground targets, and which can be equipped to carry a nuclear warhead.

The strategic bombers’ more than four-hour flight from an airbase near St. Petersburg, escorted by Su-30 and Su-35 fighters, remained in international airspace but took them past the coasts of NATO countries Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, doubling back when they approached Denmark.

The French detachment said the Russian planes didn’t have switched-on transponders, file flight plans or enter into radio contact. Fighter jets from Sweden, Finland, Poland, Denmark and Romania also went airborne to keep watch, according to the French. NATO didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The French commander, Lt. Col. Alexandre, said it isn’t clear why Russian pilots behave in ways that could endanger other users of Baltic airspace.

“We don’t know if it’s lack of professionalism or just a means for them to test us,” he said.

“But what is sure is that we need to go every time,” he added. “We cannot say, ‘OK, that’s usual, this time we will just let them pass.’”

It comes just over a month after the author, 65, announced she had been diagnosed with breast cancer

Best-selling novelist Jane Fallon has said her second breast cancer surgery “went well” and she is “looking forward to getting back to normal”.

It comes just over a month after the author, 65, announced she had been diagnosed with breast cancer following a routine mammogram.

The author has written 14 books, including Got You Back, Queen Bee and Welcome To The Neighbourhood. Her debut novel, Getting Rid Of Matthew, is being adapted for a comedy-romance film starring Wild Child actress Emma Roberts, Legally Blonde’s Luke Wilson and The Hangover’s Heather Graham.

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In a post on Instagram on Thursday, Jane – who is the long-term partner of comedian Ricky Gervais – said: “So, my second surgery went well. They got the clear margin they need on the original excision, which is great. They did hit a new little patch of precancerous cells on the other side of the new bit they took out but, thankfully, everyone agrees more surgery would be overkill.

“A huge (percent) of pre cancer doesn’t develop into cancer. I saw the oncologist today and we’ve agreed the risks of radiation outweigh the benefits in my case. Which leaves Tamoxifen (or similar) or wait and see (my preferred option).

“I’m very nervous about going the drug route, because I know the side effects can be hideous, but I’m taking all the info on board & luckily there’s no pressure to make a quick decision.”

It was in March that Jane disclosed her diagnosis, despite having no symptoms. In an online update to her followers at the time, she wrote: “So… I thought I should post something as I’ve had a few people notice I’ve been a bit quiet on here lately. About a month ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer – very early stage thankfully and the prognosis is excellent.

“I had a routine mammogram a week before Christmas. I had no symptoms but the brilliant radiographer spotted something iffy and sent me for further tests and eventually a biopsy. Since then I’ve had more mammograms, more biopsies and an MRI so they can pinpoint the problem area precisely. It’s been a lot, I’m not going to lie. But, my surgery is scheduled for the week after next and I just want to get it over with now.

“I’m getting incredible care and all will be fine but I’m not engaging with much beyond audiobooks and jigsaws tbh. Dr Eric on duty. Nurse Pickle wondering when lunch is.”

Jane has been in a relationship with Ricky since 1982. In addition to her successful writing career, she has also worked as a television producer, including on EastEnders, Teachers and This Life among other programmes.

That record high in points being scored has come despite teams keeping the ball in hand less.

Over the past five years, the ball has been kicked more than ever in the Women’s Six Nations, with a steady and consistent rise from an average of 26.1 kicks per game in 2021 to 44.7 in 2025.

The number of kick metres has doubled.

“I certainly was blessed with England when I came in, because I had so many really technically good players, who could kick the ball really well – Emily Scarratt, Katy Daley-Mclean and a number of other players – and that fit perfectly with how we wanted to play,” Middleton told BBC Sport.

“Other teams didn’t have that for a long time.

“The whole staffing group level has risen significantly across all the nations, with an increase in coaching standards and a tactical awareness of playing a territory-based game, rather than a possession-based game.

“Over the last four or five years certainly, a lot of teams have probably shaped their key players to fit that.

“You look at Dannah O’Brien – she’s got a fantastic kicking game and Ireland built all their game around her, kick-chasing from inside their own half.

“Wales with Lleucu George and Keira Bevan – they play a very kick-dominated game.

“During my time with England, France became a team that kicked more than we did.

“Two things have changed – the game understanding and the technical ability of players to be able to play that way.”

The US and Iran’s rival blockades of the Strait of Hormuz have become a “test of wills”, says BBC’s Chief International correspondent Lyse Doucet.

Earlier this month, US forces announced they would intercept or turn back vessels travelling to or from Iran’s coast.

Iran calls the blockade “piracy”, and its top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has said reopening the strait is “not possible” while the US maintains its naval blockade.

Lyse Doucet is reporting from Tehran on condition that none of her material is used on the BBC’s Persian Service. These restrictions apply to all international media organisations operating in Iran.