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The group appears to have been based on Sunnyside Park, off Chelsea Street in Great Lever since around last Wednesday, August 19.

People living in the area say they have become concerned about how the Travellers appear to have entered illegally and about the length of time they have been there.

A resident said: “I think they arrived possibly Wednesday last week, I’ve tried to get hold of the council and the police but I’ve not had any response.”

She added: “They’ve literally trashed the place, they’ve left rubbish around the place, they’ve been litter.

A group of caravans and cars have been seen (Image: Public)

“If it was Moss Bank Park or Leverhulme Park they’d have acted about it a bit quicker than this!”

Images from the scene show a cluster of caravans and cars parked on the green space area on Sunnyside Park.

Sunnyside Park is a popular green space for families with young children and has recently been at the centre of plans for a new “community shop”.

This came after plans were approved back in April this year to turn the abandoned Sunnyside Community Centre into a new shop and café.

Earlier in August, Bolton Council announced that the community shop would be opening with the support of the authority itself and of bakery chain Warburton’s in September.

The shop will aim to offer vegetables and bread for only 20p and will also be the site of a new community café.

But the presence of the Traveller group over the last few days has alarmed residents about the safety of their children on the park.

Cllr Mohammed Ayub, of Great Lever, said: “Obviously we’ll go through the correct legal process to deal with this.

“I think it’s a shame these people have chosen this site where we are developing the Sunnyside Community Shop.

“We’ve working together very closely to open the shop on September 16 so we need to make sure the site is cleaned out.”

Bolton Council have said that they are aware about the Traveller group on Sunnyside Park and are taking the appropriate legal steps to move them on.

A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the situation and will be going through the appropriate legal process.”

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There is something slightly ridiculous about using a kitchen blender to make graphene. This is, after all, the “wonder material” associated with futuristic technologies. You might reasonably expect its production to involve equally futuristic equipment. Often, it does.

Producing graphene in liquid form can rely on purified graphite (better known to many as the “lead” in pencils), specialist solvents or additives, ultrapure water and carefully controlled processing. Our latest research asked what happens if you try to make it using things you’d find in your household.

Could you start with graphite found in electronic waste, use old newspaper to help hold it in a liquid, mix everything in ordinary tap water and still end up with useful graphene?

Graphene is many times stronger than steel, yet it weighs less than paper or aluminium. It is also an exceptional conductor of electricity. Since its discovery just over 20 years ago, it has found uses in power banks and batteries, in medical sensors and even to make stronger concrete. Many other practical applications beckon for this incredible material.

Inside phones, laptops and other electronic devices are thin sheets of graphite used to spread heat away from components so they don’t overheat. When a device reaches the end of its life, that graphite generally follows suit and ends up as electronic waste. Chemically, however, it’s still graphite and has the potential to become its wondrous cousin, graphene.

The scale of the electronic waste problem is enormous. Around 62 million tonnes were generated worldwide in 2022, yet only 22.3% was documented as being properly collected and recycled. Valuable metals understandably attract much of the attention, but electronics also contain less glamorous materials that could have another life.

Could these graphite heat spreaders be one of them? Graphite is essentially a large number of sheets of the element carbon stacked on top of one another, like a deck of cards. These sheets are generally one atom thick. Each individual sheet of carbon is graphene.

The challenge is separating those sheets without destroying them. We used an Irish-pioneered process called liquid-phase exfoliation. We put graphite into a liquid and applied enough energy to break the stacked layers apart.

From this liquid form, the graphene can be turned into coatings, ink, membranes and composites with many potential applications.

Low-tech solution

Instead of a fancy processor, we used a simple kitchen blender, while a kitchen sieve removed lumps that hadn’t been properly broken down. Making graphene, however, is only half the problem. Once separated, the sheets have an
annoying habit of sticking back together again.

Researchers normally prevent this using carefully chosen solvents or stabilising chemicals. But we wondered whether untreated tap water and waste newspaper could do part of that job instead.

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Newspaper is rich in cellulose, the structural material found in plant fibre. We washed and softened old newspaper in tap water and blended it into a fibre-rich liquid. When graphite was processed in this mixture, the newspaper-derived material acted as a temporary barrier between the newly separated graphene sheets.

It wasn’t perfect, but that was never really the point. Without the newspaper-derived material, the processed material settled out of the water
within minutes. With it, the solution remained usable for several hours and could be mixed again with a simple shake. The result was still graphene.

Of course, a black liquid from a blender isn’t proof of that. We still needed sophisticated laboratory equipment at Dublin City University to confirm what we’d made. But almost none of that sophistication was needed to actually produce it – and that’s perhaps the more interesting part of the story.

Making graphene easily

In previous work, we showed that graphene could be made using pencil lead, tap water, soap, kitchen appliances and even coffee filters. That work asked whether nanoscience really has to begin in an expensive specialist laboratory. Here, we went a step further: could the ingredients themselves come from waste?

In a well-equipped university, it’s easy to take specialist chemicals, purified water and expensive equipment for granted. But research groups in lower-income countries can face tighter budgets, difficult supply chains and long waits for specialist materials. Schools and citizen-science projects face an even bigger barrier: simply getting started can be expensive.

Our approach turns that problem around. Rather than asking how sophisticated graphene production can become, we asked how much sophistication we could remove before it stopped working. The ingredients aren’t exotic: newspaper, tap water and graphite already sit inside most homes.

For most of our experiments, we used a commercial version of the graphite heat-spreading material because a single phone contains very little of it. But we also took apart a discarded smartphone and recovered some of its graphite. There wasn’t enough for the full study, but there was enough to show that material taken directly from real electronic waste could also be broken down into much thinner carbon sheets.

That opens up a different way of thinking about where research can happen. A school, community laboratory or small research group could potentially carry out the processing locally, then work with a university or shared facility when advanced measurements are needed. Expensive equipment becomes something used to verify the result, rather than the price of admission to the experiment.

So the point isn’t that we’ve found the world’s best way to make graphene. We certainly haven’t. A discarded phone, yesterday’s newspaper, tap water and a blender won’t replace a graphene factory. But they might make graphene research a little less exclusive, while giving two ordinary waste streams a chance at a second life.

There’s a nice irony in that. We needed sophisticated scientific equipment to prove that we’d made graphene, but actually making it was the accessible bit.

Giovanni Pernice packed on the PDA with his swimsuit-clad girlfriend Bianca Guaccero in Portofino on Monday – after revealing his Strictly axe left him suicidal.

The dancer, 35, and Bianca, 45, are enjoying a trip to Italy together ahead of the release of Giovanni’s explosive new memoir Gio: Taking the Lead which details his feelings around his exit from the show.

Giovanni was axed from the series after actress Amanda Abbington accused him of subjecting her to ‘vile abuse’ during rehearsals, prompting an enquiry from the broadcaster.

Following an investigation by the BBC, Giovanni was cleared of the most serious accusations made against him and the broadcaster issued a formal apology to Amanda. 

Now his new memoir reveals all in his own words, including how he felt suicidal in the aftermath. You can read his account HERE. 

As the couple relaxed by the pool, Giovanni showed off his shirtless physique in a pair of Gucci swimming shorts, while Italian actress, singer and television presenter Bianca wowed in an orange swimsuit.

The dancer, 35, and Bianca, 44, are enjoying a trip to Italy together ahead of the release of Giovanni’s explosive new memoir Gio: Taking the Lead which details his feelings around his exit from the show

The pair met in late 2024 when they were paired as dance partners on Ballando con le Stelle, the Italian version of Strictly. Their professional partnership led to a romantic relationship and they won the competition together. 

Earlier this month it was revealed that Amanda has received a ‘substantial’ payout from the BBC after she made a legal complaint about her ill-fated stint on the show. 

The actress, 52, made a shock exit from the show just weeks into the competition in 2023 and later accused Giovanni of subjecting her to ‘vile abuse’.

She has now reportedly been given a five-figure out-of-court settlement and a contribution to her legal fees from BBC Studios. 

The settlement has reportedly been made in a bid to prevent a lengthy court battle and allowing Amanda – who was subsequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – to put her ordeal behind her.

A source told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: ‘Amanda’s friends and family are all relieved for her that this ordeal is finally over. It’s been a long, hard journey, but now she can close this chapter and move on with her life.

‘The fact the BBC have compensated Amanda as well as previously publicly apologising really proves that they are taking responsibility for the bullying she suffered on set.

‘She hopes that this case will give others strength and encourage people to speak up.’

The Daily Mail contacted representatives for Amanda for comment. BBC representatives declined to comment when approached. 

Following an investigation by the BBC, Giovanni was cleared of the most serious accusations made against him and the broadcaster issued a formal apology to Amanda.

Giovanni was axed from the show after actress Amanda Abbington accused him of subjecting her to ‘vile abuse’ during rehearsals, prompting an enquiry from the broadcaster

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Following an investigation by the BBC, Giovanni was cleared of the most serious accusations made against him and the broadcaster issued a formal apology to Amanda

As the couple relaxed by the pool, Giovanni showed off his shirtless physique in a pair of Gucci swimming shorts

They cosied up in the pool as they both topped up their tans 

Meanwhile Italian actress, singer and television presenter Bianca wowed in an orange swimsuit by the pool

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The pair met in late 2024 when they were paired as dance partners on Ballando con le Stelle, the Italian version of Strictly

Their professional partnership led to a romantic relationship and they won the competition together

Earlier this month it was revealed that Amanda has received a ‘substantial’ payout from the BBC after she made a legal complaint about her ill-fated stint on the show

Giovanni has moved on from the Strictly drama and is now in a relationship with Bianca

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Giovanni looked happy and relaxed during the holiday

They relaxed on the sun loungers and topped up their tans 

The couple were seen flaunting their sensational figures by swimming and sunbathing by the pool

Giovanni is gearing up for his upcoming 2027 UK tour titled Unstoppable

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They were spotted enjoying a holiday in Portofino ahead of the upcoming Italian version of Dancing With The Stars in October

The pair were spending some quality time together on the holiday

The loved-up pair couldn’t keep their hands off each other

Bianca showed off her incredible figure in a burnt orange swimsuit 

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Bianca put her arm around her partner on the sun loungers 

They relaxed and enjoyed a coffee on the sun loungers 

They were seen enjoying their romantic trip away together 

They packed on the PDA in the pool

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Bianca was showing off her incredible figure 

The pair chatted away on their loungers 

The pair were enjoying a loved-up holiday together 

The report found that some of the language used by Giovanni towards Amanda could be ‘belittling’ and agreed with the Mr Selfridge actress that his feedback was, at times, ‘overly negative’ and that he had used profanity during rehearsals.

The report noted after reviewing several hours of rehearsal footage as part of an official investigation that there were two moments of ‘inappropriate behaviour of sexual banter in the workplace’, which were found to simply have been ‘made and received as jokes’ between the pair.

The Sherlock actress previously admitted she was ‘relieved’ when a cancer scare led to her quitting the competition.

She told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: ‘By my final week, on the Thursday morning, I was in the shower and I found two lumps. I’d got the all-clear after a mammogram a couple of months before.

‘I went in for rehearsals to do the cha-cha-cha and just couldn’t concentrate. Giovanni said, ‘There’s no point teaching you this because it’s not going in. You can’t get it. We’ll be lucky if we get through because you’re useless’.

‘He refused to even look at me so I went to the toilet, came back and said, ‘I’m going to go to the hospital now because I found two lumps in my breast this morning’.

‘Then he was great. He said, ‘Well, let me know how it goes. It was the catalyst I’d been sort of waiting for, which is terrible. But that’s what I was thinking, that it was a healthier option than being in that room.

‘I’ve championed breast cancer charities but there was a part of me that was like, ‘OK, I have to deal with this now instead. Phew.”

Are you a Gavin & Stacey superfan desperately looking for another fix of the hit show since the series came to an end in 2024? Look no further. 

The exact house in Barry, Wales, previously the home to Uncle Bryn (played by Rob Brydon) is now available to book on Airbnb.

Decked out exactly as it appeared in Bryn’s ‘bachelor paradise’ during episode three of series three, guests can stay in one of the most iconic homes on British television.

Fans can relish countless Gavin & Stacey features throughout the property, including the words ‘Tell me tomorrow, I’ll wait by the window for you’, across the living room wall, in reference to the show’s theme tune. 

There are framed photos of iconic characters like Stacey and Gavin Shipman, and a foot spa just like Uncle Bryn’s.

In the kitchen, guests will spot Smithy’s (played by James Corden) famous Indian takeaway order on the wall.

Inside, fans will notice nods to the popular show throughout, including in the kitchen where Smithy’s Indian takeaway order is framed on the wall

A Subbuteo table, pictured, adds a nostalgic touch in reference to the stag do episode

A scene from Gavin & Stacey inside Uncle Bryn’s house

For breakfast, Gwen West’s omelette recipe is ready to go – the character, played by Melanie Walters, was known for making the dish frequently on the show. 

Photographs of famous scenes filmed in the kitchen are also hung on the walls. 

Guests can even try out Uncle Bryn’s home gym, decorated just how it appeared in the popular series. 

A Subbuteo table adds another nostalgic touch in reference to the stag do episode.

The exterior is in the same shade of red with white accents.

Beyond the Gavin & Stacey immersive experience inside the house, guests can explore Barry’s seafront, beaches and filming locations. 

The accommodation sleeps up to six guests across two bedrooms. Two nights in September for three guests are priced at around £455.

Airbnb host Jaxx Nelson and her partner Tom snapped up the property as soon as they saw it listed for sale.

Ms Nelson said: ‘We spotted online that the house was up for sale and honestly weren’t sure we’d even get a viewing – it’s such a well-known property. But we did, and I think we were among the first through the door. 

‘Talking afterwards, we thought how much we’d love to stay ourselves for an ‘Uncle Bryn experience’ of sorts – and then figured, if we’d love it, there must be other fans who would too. 

‘So we put an offer in that same day and were slightly stunned when it got accepted. Beyond excited, obviously!’

In the living room, photographs of characters are framed and there’s a foot spa that’s just like Uncle Bryn’s 

Guests can even try out Uncle Bryn’s home gym, pictured

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The house boasts two bedrooms and sleeps up to six people 

The pair transformed it into how fans would remember it from the series.

She added: ‘We’re recreating Uncle Bryn’s house as fans will remember it from ‘Bryn’s Bachelor Paradise’ – Series 3, Episode 3, when the boys stay over. 

‘Gym and all, plus loads of little touches you’ll recognise from the show. We’ve even hidden a few Easter eggs that only the true superfans will spot. We can’t wait to welcome guests through the door!’ 

Lisa Marçais, general manager UKI, Northern Europe & MEA at Airbnb, said: ‘Airbnb is home to truly unique stays that let guests step into places with a story, and it doesn’t get much more iconic than Uncle Bryn’s house. 

‘We’re delighted that Gavin & Stacey fans can now experience a little piece of TV history for themselves, while exploring Barry and the nearby locations that provided the backdrop to the much-loved series.’ 

Prices correct as of August 24, 2026. 

A woman shared her experience of being asked to swap seats on a business class flight so a couple’s son could sit near them, and she couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw him

A woman was left utterly bewildered when a couple asked her to swap seats on a flight so their son could sit beside them. Most people would feel slightly guilty if they refused, especially as passengers under a certain age aren’t allowed to travel alone, but when she saw him, she was left wondering why they’d even made the request in the first place.

Upon boarding the aircraft, she observed a couple in a heated discussion with cabin crew regarding their seating arrangements, clearly dissatisfied with where they’d been placed. The uncomfortable situation escalated when the male passenger approached the woman, insisting he’d been separated from his son on the flight.

As they were supposedly travelling as a pair, he enquired whether she’d be prepared to exchange seats to help them out.

She recounted: “The man from the couple immediately cornered me, standing over me, and I felt my heart drop. He said that he and his son are sitting separately, and if I would be willing to switch seats.

“I asked him if it was just him and his son, and he said yes. He lied. His wife was clearly with them – I overheard their conversation as I walked by. He then casually mentioned that the son is in the very back of the cabin.”

Refusing to bow to the pressure, the passenger stood her ground. She recalled: “I looked him right in the eye and told him I would rather not, and turned around to settle in.”

Ultimately, the woman who declined the seat exchange was left stunned when she clocked the son, who wound up seated directly in front of her. She reckoned he was approximately 20 years old, not a toddler as she may have initially assumed.

She raged: “The entitlement! They just wanted to sit together and pawn off the s*** seat to someone else.”

The woman also pointed out that they were on a business class flight, so there was actually no such thing as “sitting together,” just near each other.

Do you have to swap plane seats to accommodate families?

Airlines try to seat children with an accompanying adult, especially for younger children, but policies vary by airline and by aircraft/load factors.

If a family is split up, cabin crew may ask other passengers to move so a child can sit with a parent/guardian. You can say no to this, but it may feel awkward.

It’s also worth noting that you may be required to change seats for safety or operational reasons, such as weight-and-balance considerations or exit-row rules.

That’s not the same as “you must move because a family wants to sit together,” but it can look similar in the moment.

If you are feeling pressured to move on a flight against your will, speak to the cabin crew for advice. Crew will often seek volunteers and may offer solutions, such as moving the family to other available seats.

“Got an old pair of Crocs lying around? Why not trade them in for something back.”

A planning application has been lodged for the refitting of an existing retail unit to house footwear brand Crocs in The Boulevard.

The management team at the shopping complex have embarked on a quirky advertising campaign to promote the arrival of Crocs to the site.

They posted to potential future customers on their Facebook page last Thursday, saying: “Got an old pair of Crocs lying around? Why not trade them in for something back.

“Until August 31, bring your old Crocs to The Boulevard and we’ll use them to help decorate our Crocs archway. In return, you’ll receive an exclusive discount on your next pair when the brand-new Crocs store opens right here at The Boulevard. It’s time to give your old Crocs a new purpose.”

The plans include the installation of a new dividing wall, electrical systems, flooring and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system. The planning application was lodged on July 31 by Silvaman Group Ltd, Tipton.

The planning application is at the consultation stage, and DfI Roads Craigavon Office have been asked to have their say on the plans. They have not responded yet.

The footwear giant is being described as follows on their website: “Crocs, Inc. is a world leader in innovative casual footwear for women, men, and children, combining comfort and style.

“The company’s brands include Crocs and HEYDUDE, and its products are sold in more than 85 countries.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

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Hayeden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, became emotional as she spoke about her daughter’s passing, aged 36

Hayden Panettiere’s mother has said she saw her daughter “going downhill” after she became a star on the TV series Heroes, as she spoke following her tragic, sudden death.

The actress, who also starred in Nashville and the Scream franchise, died aged 36 at her home in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 16.

Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, became emotional as she spoke about her daughter’s passing on Good Morning America, saying she is “still not grasping this is real”. She then got up from her chair and said she “needed a minute” before continuing with the interview.

Vogel said her relationship with Panettiere, who would have celebrated her 37th birthday last Friday (August 21), changed after she found fame on Heroes.

She said: “I would say Hayden had a very happy life up until she got Heroes at 16. Here she was, the star of a major TV series, but I would say, at about 17, I started seeing her going downhill.

“As she got older, it wasn’t my voice anymore. I wasn’t in charge of her choices. I tried to give her the best advice I could. But again, any young person, teen, they want to be liberated and I get that.”

In her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, Panettiere claimed that, at 19, she told Vogel that she no longer wanted her to manage her career and Vogel replied: “You owe me.” But Vogel, a former actress who had Panettiere with her ex-husband Alan Lee ‘Skip’ Panettiere, denied this, saying: “I know I didn’t say what she said I said.”

Panettiere was the mother of an 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, with former boxer Wladimir Klitschko, who received full custody of her. Vogel said: “The situation with Hayden and Vlad and their daughter, that was a very difficult period for her. Vlad had taken over custody for safety, in my opinion. She just couldn’t keep those demons away.”

Vogel also responded to criticism from people, including CBS Mornings host Gayle King, who felt she was focusing too much on her daughter’s struggles in the wake of her death. She said: “I would say to the haters out there, you don’t have a right to tell me how I mourn the loss of my second child. That’s my domain.”

Police in Greenville said Panettiere was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest, with “no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances”.

Vogel and Skip were also parents to a son, Jansen, who died aged 28 in 2023 from aortic valve complications arising from an enlarged heart.

Asked about losing both of her children, Vogel said: “I think you just have to find that inner strength. I have been knocked down throughout my life and I’m not complaining because I have the strength to get back up. It’s not if we fall, it’s how we get back up, that defines who we are.”