The delay in dispatching an ambulance “materially contributed to the premature death” of a Belfast man, an inquest has heard.

Lee Gannon died on February 15, 2022, after his family made four emergency calls for an ambulance after he experienced breathing difficulties at his home in West Belfast.

Despite making numerous emergency calls, the 25-year-old’s condition was not deemed a Category 1 emergency and he did not reach hospital for almost four hours after the initial 999 call.

Delivering her findings at Belfast Laganside Court on September 23, Coroner Maria Dougan said the initial 999 call made by the family shortly after midnight on February 15, 2022, should have been registered as Category 1, but was not, instead being listed as a Category 2.

Category 1 calls are given to immediately life-threatening emergencies, requiring a target response time of eight minutes. Category 2 calls are for serious but not immediately life-threatening emergencies, with a target response time of 18 minutes.

On further emergency calls, Lee’s family described his deteriorating condition, including shortness of breath, hallucinations, and rolling eyes. The coroner said there were two further missed opportunities to re-triage the case by ambulance operators.

It was only after the fourth emergency call that Lee was re-triaged as Category 1, but the coroner said by the time paramedics arrived at 3:43am, it was too late.

Coroner Dougan said: “I find the incorrect categorisation of the initial call and further failures to re-triage resulted in a substantial delay in ambulance attendance and transfer to hospital.

“That delay deprived the deceased of timely and appropriate assessment and treatment at the Royal Victoria Hospital for pneumonia and sepsis and materially contributed to his premature death.”

Coroner Dougan said this is not the first inquest in recent years where delays in ambulance emergency response times and delays in handing patients over to Emergency Departments featured.

She said: “The evidence before me demonstrated the significant effect which prolonged hospital handover delays can have upon the availability of ambulance resources to respond to patients in the community.”

The coroner said this inquest has highlighted the “critical importance” of accurate call categorisation, especially where information is provided concerning breathing difficulties and deteriorating conditions.

“It has also demonstrated the importance of recognising deterioration during repeat calls and ensuring that updated clinical information is appropriately considered and acted upon,” she added.

The coroner highlighted that the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service was open throughout the inquest, accepting fault and sharing their commitment to learning from Lee’s death.

She acknowledged that since 2022, work had been undertaken in relation to dispatcher training and guidance, and the provision of additional clinical support within the control room.

During evidence given during the inquest by his family, Lee was described as “kind, humorous, much-loved”, as well as a “mummy’s boy” and “beautiful soul.”

Following the conclusion of the inquest in September 2025, Lee’s mum, Anne, passed away. Closing the inquest, Coroner Dougan said: “Throughout these proceedings, her devotion to her son was unmistakable.

“It was of great sadness she did not hear the delivery of these findings, and I wish to put on record my sincere condolences to the wider Gannon family on the loss of Anne and Lee.”

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The 41-year-old legend starts against Wales and is not ready to retire despite facing criticism back home

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed he considered retiring from international football after the World Cup before deciding to continue his Portugal career – and will start against Wales on Thursday.

The 41-year-old will win his 234th cap when Portugal take on Wales in Lisbon, with head coach Jorge Jesus confirming the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star will be named in the starting XI.

But Ronaldo has admitted he seriously considered walking away from international football after the World Cup before deciding he still had something to offer his country.

And he took aim at some Portuguese television channels, claiming they have been desperate to see the end of his international career and have “tried to kill” him with their criticism.

McDonald’s is planning a major menu overhaul as it spends $8.5 billion over the next decade to modernize its global network of restaurants.

With fast-food customer traffic flat across major markets including the U.S., McDonald’s Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski told investors at the company’s Chicago headquarters that future growth depends on grabbing market share from competitors and raising store-level productivity. To achieve this, the fast-food giant plans to improve kitchen operations and automate administrative tasks like shift scheduling and inventory management.

“The winners will be the companies that create more demand and deliver it more efficiently,” Kempczinski said.

McDonald’s shares fell 5% during afternoon trading on Wednesday, marking their largest single-day percentage drop in six years, as investors reacted to the eye-popping cost of updating 46,000 global stores.

On the product front, McDonald’s stated that hand-breaded chicken—currently being tested across 10,000 restaurants in Asia and a small group of outlets near Chicago—has lifted both overall sales and consumer quality ratings. Major competitors like Chick-fil-A and KFC already feature hand-breaded chicken. The company plans to expand these tests to additional U.S. and Irish markets next year.

McDonald’s also plans to roll out grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps across the U.S. and other international markets, while experimenting with items such as egg bites and bowls to cater to consumers seeking higher protein content and varied portion options.

Skye Anderson, the president of McDonald’s USA, noted that roughly 30 million Americans now use GLP-1 weight loss medications and are seeking smaller, protein-dense options as a result. However, internal research indicates that 60 million Americans are actively looking to add more protein to their daily diet.

“This is an opportunity. We need to keep giving them more reasons to make McDonald’s their first choice,” Anderson said at McDonald’s investor day.

McDonald’s said the restaurant modernizations will feature dedicated lockers for delivery orders, enlarged play areas, updated kitchen layouts, and visible coffee preparation stations to elevate quality perceptions. Scales designed to ensure order accuracy—already deployed at 10,000 locations worldwide—will be installed in 20,000 stores by 2028, according to the company.

The business is rolling out its ArchIQ platform, developed alongside Google, which utilizes artificial intelligence to boost order accuracy while automating routine tasks like inventory tracking and shift scheduling. Meanwhile, Archy, the company’s AI-powered drive-thru ordering system, can now process orders in both English and Spanish with a 90% accuracy rate.

Archy could eventually save at least 50 labor hours per week in a typical McDonald’s restaurant, Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden stated. However, he noted that the strategy is not intended to trim total staffing levels, but rather to allow workers to focus on hospitality or labor-intensive tasks such as hand-breading chicken.

Kempczinski noted that customer feedback regarding Archy during initial trials has been positive because it helps ensure orders are accurate.

“It’s not AI is bad or AI is good. We try to be really thoughtful about how we use it,” he said.

McDonald’s is also launching new employee training programs focused on hospitality and food quality, according to Tiffanie Boyd, McDonald’s chief people officer. The experiential training will show workers what a perfectly prepared Big Mac tastes like and encourage friendlier customer interactions.

At the same time, McDonald’s remains focused on value offerings. Kempczinski noted that low-income consumers, defined as U.S. households earning $45,000 or less, continue to visit fast-food outlets, though less frequently than before. While bundled offerings like the $5 meal deal have proven effective, the chain is exploring ways to offer entry-level prices on a core menu of items in the U.S., similar to structures used in European and other international markets.

“This is the environment that we’re in right now. You have to be on your game and deliver that value,” Kempczinski said. “The pressure around cost of living isn’t going away.”

U.S. franchisees typically spend up to $450,000 every 10 years on required store remodels. Under the company’s new blueprint, franchisees will have to spend an additional $800,000 over time, though McDonald’s will cover a portion of that expense through capital support and rent relief.

Borden explained that capital investments will be introduced gradually when individual franchisees and markets are ready for them. Once completed, operational efficiency gains will deliver roughly $100,000 in additional annual cash flow benefits to the average U.S. restaurant, a portion of which can be reinvested into operations, Borden said.

“We’d love to see it going into hospitality to elevate the experience with our customers,” Borden said.

The mother and her three children who died in a house fire in Bootle have been pictured for the first time.

Elisha Brabin and three of her four children are understood to have been found dead in a bedroom at their home in Stone Square during the early hours of Tuesday.

Six fire engines and eight firefighters rushed to the scene at around 3.45am with the house already ‘well alight’. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said when crew members arrived the blaze was spreading rapidly. 

Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rushed inside, where they found Elisha Brabin, 36, Leo Brabin, 16, Ellis Brabin, 8, and Prudence Brabin, 7, ‘showing no signs of life’ in an upstairs bedroom. Police later confirmed they had died. 

A heroic man who was said to have smashed the home’s windows in a desperate bid to save those trapped inside has been named locally as Kane Stephenson, the children’s father, who has also been pictured.

He was found outside the property suffering with serious burns and immediately taken into the care of the North West Ambulance Service. Another of the couple’s four children is understood to have been staying elsewhere on the night of the fire. 

Flowers, teddy bears, photographs and cards were pictured at the scene today as locals began paying tribute.  

Candles had been placed on the pavement, along with pink and blue star-shaped balloons. Soft toys, including Minecraft and Star Wars characters, were also laid.

Lisha Brabin and her partner Kane, from Bootle, are pictured. Lisha died in a devastating house fire during the early hours of Tuesday, while Kane suffered serious burns

Ellis Brabin, 8. Flowers, teddy bears, photographs and cards were pictured at the scene today as locals began paying tribute

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One card read: ‘God bless you all. Heartbroken to hear about the devastating fire.’

Another said: ‘Sleep tight. Forever in our hearts.’

A tribute from the family released today read: ‘Our whole family is devastated by the loss of Elisha, Leo, Ellis and Prudence.

‘Elisha was our beloved daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunty, niece and cousin. She was a devoted and loving mother who lived for her children. They were her whole world, and she meant everything to us.

‘Our beautiful babies, Leo, Ellis and Prudence, were loved beyond measure and brought so much joy, happiness and love to our family. They filled our lives with laughter and precious memories that we will cherish forever.

‘The tragic loss of Elisha and our three precious children has left us heartbroken. They have all been taken from us far too soon. The loss we are experiencing is unimaginable, and the impact on our family will be felt forever.

‘As we try to come to terms with this devastating tragedy, we kindly ask that our family’s privacy is respected whilst we grieve and support one another through this incredibly difficult time. We would like to thank everyone for their kindness, support and understanding.’

A GoFundMe started by those who knew Lisha has already raised more than £5,000.  

Neighbours on Marsh Avenue and King Avenue gathered on the street to show their support, with one bursting into tears as she recalled what happened.  

The woman said: ‘I heard a commotion and went outside. I heard screaming, the lady was shouting.’ 

One of those who left tributes at the scene was ex-nursery school teacher Kerry Collins, who had once looked after two of the children.

‘They were lovely kids,’ she said. ‘They were really playful and the headteacher really adored them. She’ll be devastated.’

Another neighbour said he was woken by his daughter before running to the scene with his step ladder to help.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and Merseyside Police confirmed Tuesday that they are carrying out a joint investigation to understand how the fire started. 

A family tribute today said: ‘Our beautiful babies, Leo (above), Ellis and Prudence, were loved beyond measure and brought so much joy, happiness and love to our family’

Prudence dressed up as a pirate 

Firefighters rushed to the scene at around 3.45am with the home already ‘well alight’ 

A police cordon remained in place hours after the fire as forensic teams and detectives began their probe. 

The fire service said crews would maintain a visible presence in the community in the coming days following the tragedy. 

Sefton Council leader Marion Atkinson expressed condolences on behalf of the local authority.

She said: ‘This is a truly devastating incident that I know will have shocked and saddened people across our communities.

‘Our thoughts are with the family, their friends, neighbours and everyone affected by this heartbreaking tragedy. No words can ease the pain of such an unimaginable loss.’

Chief Fire Officer Nick Searle said firefighters had been confronted with a rapidly developing fire when they arrived at the scene.

Speaking from the scene, he added: ‘Firstly, our thoughts are with everyone who’s been affected by the tragic incident this morning.

‘After a 999 call to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service fire control room at 3.30am this morning, crews from surrounding stations were informed and mobilised to the scene with the first fire engine arriving at 3.45am.

‘The initial fire crews arrived to find the semi-detached house well alight. Crews were wearing breathing apparatus, entered the building to search the property for occupants. 

‘Six fire engines were in attendance at the height of the incident. On arrival of the fire crews, a casualty was already outside of the property, and was taken into the care of North West Ambulance Service and subsequently transferred to hospital.

Forensic investigators are pictured outside the home on Tuesday afternoon

Firefighters were seen damping down the area in the hours after the blaze

‘During the course of the search of the property, firefighters discovered four casualties, showing no signs of life, and it’s now been confirmed that all four have tragically lost their lives.

‘There will now be a full joint investigation with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and Merseyside Police into the cause of the fire.

‘Our thoughts remain with the loved ones of those lost, and fire crews will maintain a visible and reassuring presence in the community over the coming days.’

MFRS Area Manager Kevin Longshaw said the tragedy had left firefighters and emergency service colleagues ‘devastated’.

He said: ‘This is a devastating incident, and our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives and been injured.

‘We will work closely with relevant colleagues to ascertain the cause of the fire, but in the immediate term, we again extend our sincere condolences to those affected by this tragic incident.’

In a statement, the airline said: “A technical issue was detected shortly after take-off on IndiGo flight 6E 04 operating from London to New Delhi on 22 September. Following standard operating procedures, the pilots decided to turn back and landed the aircraft safely at London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft is currently undergoing maintenance checks and will resume operations after securing all necessary clearances.”

By SABRINA PENTY, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: 08:40 BST, 23 September 2026 | Updated: 20:18 BST, 23 September 2026

Below you’ll find the winning numbers from tonight’s £4.3m Lotto draw below. The jackpot for tonight’s Thunderball draw was £500,000.

The winning National Lottery Lotto numbers are drawn at 8pm while the National Lottery Thunderball numbers are drawn shortly after. We’ll have those results live below.

The biggest ever Lotto winner was created in April 2016 when an anonymous player banked £35m. In January 2016 two ticket-holders walked away with £33m each. Before that a main Lotto game jackpot of £42,008,610, was drawn in January 1996 and split between three anonymous winners with each being awarded £14,002,870. A single ticket won £26.4m on the New Year’s Eve lotto in 2016.

The UK National Lottery was first drawn on November 19, 1994. Half of all money spent by players goes to the prize fund with 28% to good causes, 12% to the Government as duty, 5% to retailers, and 5% which has operated the lottery throughout its history.

The results:

Our Justin got the Belfast street-style social media treatment when he was beckoned over to try one of these Mexican culinary bad boys

I got shouted at by some people in a van last week, and it rarely is a positive thing, but this time it was.

The guys from Taquitos were set up over by the big fish at the Lagan and I was walking by after work at the Waterfront Hall. They called me over to try a taco out.

I will say that they caught me at a great time because I was hungry and I have always meant to try Taquitos because I do work in town.

The menu here is simple but does have quite a few options to customise it the way you like it. You can choose from chicken adobo, Mexican chorizo, fish, mixed meat, beef and vegan/ veggie option. From there you can choose them on a soft taco, burrito and a rice bowl.

I asked them what the bestseller was because I’m not a fussy eater, and I really wanted to try what they thought was best. I was glad when I was handed a taco because I’ve heard they were fantastic.

I got the chicken adobo, which had a seasoned chicken, topped with adobo mayo, pickled onion, shredded lettuce and topped with a grated cheese.

This was a little spicy, but it was balanced out well with the mayo and cheese. I also love to see a soft taco on the menu because, in my opinion, it trumps the hard shell taco all day long.

The adobo mayo was the star of the show for me and I have thought about it since. They do sell jars of it so I might have to buy it the next time I head along.

While this is a food van, it does feel like more than this because of the idyllic setting beside one of our most iconic landmarks and along the river, with plenty of seating around to sit and eat.

I had this around lunch time, and it was the perfect amount for lunch, so if you work in Belfast City Centre, this is a great lunch option.

Typically, we pay for all of the meals we review, but full disclosure on this one, the guys here insisted I try this taco free of charge, and there was no requirement to post anything, but I just wanted to share my experience with you.

However, this would have cost £12 as the soft taco and £13 as the burrito or rice bowl. This is a little on the expensive side for a casual everyday lunch, but it is a treat that is worth splurging on once in a while.

It is also worth being mindful of their opening days, which are currently Wednesday to Saturday, but with the nature of being a food truck, I’d keep an eye on their socials for any updates they have.

All in all, Taquitos has stood the test of time over at City Quays for good reason because they’re offering some of the best tacos in the city in a really approachable way. To top it all off, the guys here were really good craic and up for a chat about the food, so I will definitely be heading back to try out the rice bowls very soon.

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Police say they are treating all three offences “extremely seriously”

A village store has become the third to be burgled in as many days in Cambridgeshire. Two men dressed in all black are reported to have smashed through the front door of Bridge End Stores in High Street, Earith at around 3.15am this morning (September 23).

The men left around four minutes later in a small black hatchback car, taking with them a bag of cigarettes and vapes. No arrests have been made but police say an investigation is ongoing.

It follows two burglaries which happened at village shops in Willingham in the early hours of Monday and Tuesday (September 21 and 22). In one instance, the suspect left empty-handed whilst in the second incident, two men made off with a bag full of cigarettes.

Whilst police have made no indication that these incidents are linked, they say that they are treating them “extremely seriously”.

Detective Sergeant James Rabbett, from the Southern Acquisitive Crime Team, said: “We understand this latest incident will add to concerns within our communities, particularly following the recent burglaries in Bluntisham and Willingham.

“We want to reassure residents and businesses that these offences are being treated extremely seriously and officers are carrying out extensive enquiries to identify those responsible.

“We are keen to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time, saw a small black hatchback, or anyone who has dashcam, CCTV or doorbell footage that may assist our investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cambridgeshire Police online, quoting reference 35/73768/26.. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or on their website.

The family of a mother and three children who died in a house fire have said they are experiencing an “unimaginable” loss.

Elisha Brabin, 36, and her children, Leo, 16, Ellis, 8, and Prudence, 7, died after a blaze “spread rapidly” inside a house on Stone Square in Bootle, Merseyside, in the early hours of Tuesday.

Paying tribute, their relatives said they had been left “heartbroken” and the loss would be “felt forever”.

The statement added that “Elisha was a devoted and loving mother” and “our beautiful babies, Leo, Ellis and Prudence, were loved beyond measure”.

The family said they were “devastated by the loss of Elisha, Leo, Ellis and Prudence”.

“Elisha was our beloved daughter, wife, mother, sister, auntie, niece and cousin,” they said.

“She was a devoted and loving mother who lived for her children. They were her whole world, and she meant everything to us.”