Cody Gakpo’s stunning girlfriend Noa van der Bij has her own huge following on social media where she posts about her life of luxury

Liverpool star Cody Gakpo will have the backing of his stunning girlfriend Noa van der Bij when the Reds face Manchester United on Sunday. Arne Slot’s side head to Old Trafford with the winger expected to feature in the starting line-up as Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike remain unavailable through injury.

While it has been a difficult campaign for the 26-year-old, who has managed just eight goals this term, Noa’s potential attendance could provide a boost in a fixture where he’s found the net four times.

The Dutch pair are believed to have been an item since at least December 2020, during Gakpo’s spell at PSV Eindhoven, with their relationship seeing them relocate to Merseyside following his £45million transfer in 2022.

Understood to be employed by Cachet Models as a booker, the blonde beauty also boasts a considerable social media presence with more than 50,000 followers on Instagram, where she regularly shares glimpses of her luxurious holidays.

She has soaked up the sun in destinations including Saint Tropez, Monaco, Ibiza and Curacao, with numerous posts featuring her son, Samuël Seth Gakpo, whom the couple welcomed in May 2024.

READ MORE: Mohamed Salah injury update as Liverpool confirm if he’ll play for club againREAD MORE: Liverpool’s Milos Kerkez makes extraordinary Andy Robertson claim ahead of Anfield exit

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In Noa’s most recent picture-perfect carousel from last month, she documented a private jet journey with Gakpo and their son, as well as a pilates class with several friends.

Among those showering her posts with heart emojis are the likes of Saffie Khan, partner of Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, and Marina Reijnders, wife of Manchester City star Tijani Reijnders.

Ahead of Sunday’s mouth-watering encounter, Gakpo’s finest moment in a fixture against Manchester United arrived during Liverpool’s stunning 7-0 demolition at Anfield in 2023, when he netted twice.

He achieved this with Noa watching from the stands, revelling in his breath-taking display. Gakpo’s double against the Red Devils came just over a year after joining Liverpool, who edged out United to land his signature in the January transfer window of 2022.

The 13-time Premier League champions – who were managed at the time by Erik ten Hag – reportedly held talks with Gakpo’s representatives during that winter window in a bid to secure the Dutchman’s services.

Yet it was Jurgen Klopp who ultimately triumphed in his pursuit of Gakpo, who has since gone on to claim every domestic honour at Liverpool with Noa at his side. He will be desperate for history to repeat itself on Sunday – only this time at Old Trafford.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

For the second year in a row, Manchester City have frozen season ticket prices. They have also frozen matchday prices, having reduced them last year. And, as important, the club have made significant moves to improve the ticket transfer policy that has been one of the main frustrations turning off supporters since August.

To say the fans are seeing some of the best football of their lives in a Pep Guardiola era filled with trophies, last season saw a deterioration in the relationship with the club. There were visible protests inside the stadium where thousands took part before official fan board City Matters vehemently rejected a proposed rise to force a club U-turn.

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said afterwards that what had happened was ‘not okay’ and there was the same feeling from supporters. Lee Broadstock was one of the City Matters reps last year that went on strike in protest at the club not engaging on ticket prices, and as he took up chair of the group for this season he was determined for nobody to go down the same route this time.

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Ticket prices are generally the yardstick by which City Matters are judged by the majority of fans, who are not in on the minutes of the meetings held throughout the season on various issues. For the first big meeting with the club over tickets in January, the ten members of the group came prepared.

A document detailing the cost of living in Manchester, demographic detail and other factors in support of a price freeze was sent to club executives a week before the meeting, printed out for everyone in the room, and then discussed line by line over two hours.

There was a positive and confident mood from the group leaving that meeting, but it began to waver as silence followed. Fan group 1894 sent a visible message on a number of matchdays for the club not to price out the next generation of fans and The Citizens Trust launched as an independent body to protest the interest of Blues, but announcements from rival Premier League clubs did little to inspire confidence.

“We started conversations with the club back in January about season ticket prices for next season. And whilst that’s good from the point of view of the club are thinking early to start that process, so many things can happen after January,” explained Kevin Parker, one of the reps and head of the official supporters’ club.

“Are the team doing well or are they not doing well? How many games have we played? Does that impact on the revenues stream for the club? So starting early is good but then we’re also probably thinking from a City Matters point of view that everybody else in football is announcing a price increase. We’re part of the Football Supporters Federation and all the clubs are coming in with 3 per cent, 4 per cent, 5 per cent – whatever it is.”

Then came the next meeting with City Matters in March, and to the confusion of everyone in the group ticket prices were not one of the talking points. All the work that had gone into the paper that had been presented in January was not mentioned, and when the response finally came in an extraordinary meeting the proposals hadn’t been recognised.

“We had a full group meeting and it wasn’t discussed. And It’s like, well, what are you doing? By that point in March, it was like, if I had this for two months as a club, what would it be?” said Broadstock. “And that’s when we went and said we need an extraordinary meeting. We need this moving along. One of the final points on the ticketing paper was we want a clear timeline going forward.

“But when we did end up meeting with the club, they did put a proposal that we weren’t happy with, and a number of issues that we put to them that they were not going to change. We really laid it on the line. I think the club were a bit taken back with how heavy we were in terms of, this is not what we asked for, not what we wanted. Why is it eight weeks to get to this point?”

It was a feisty meeting, where City Matters made clear the choices that the club had: ignore the recommendations and be called out publicly for that, or show that they could commit to something that Premier League rivals were not. The fact that the rise would only have brought the club around £300,000 in additional revenue was also pointed out, with personal stories given of people who may walk away just so City could raise what would amount to the tiniest of fractions of their official revenue.

The mood after that was far less positive, but at least the group felt they had said everything they wanted to. And on the club’s side was outgoing COO Roel De Vries, who had listened to reason last year and is regarded as a pragmatic negotiator even if he can say things that sound out of touch with matchgoing fans.

In the end, it was not just De Vries but the City chairman himself who also got involved in ultimately deciding that the trust of fans and goodwill they would earn from freezing tickets was more important than the revenue they would make. Not that City Matters had any sense of that when they sat down for the initial meeting.

“Danny Wilson, [head of supporter experience at City], started with a list of reasons of what the club consider when they think what they do about ticket prices or season tickets or matchday,” said Parker. “And I think a few of us are probably thinking ‘you’ve gone the wrong way haven’t you?’

“And then Dan came out with a list of no season ticket prices, no match day increases, a reduced category D price for midweek games. Then we went into the ticket transfer policy where they’ve increased the number of people you can have on your friends and family. And you can transfer it to another season ticket holder which you couldn’t do before. I think we were all a little bit gobsmacked to be honest with you how far the club had gone.

“The only thing that we had to talk about after that to be fair was certain processes in terms of ticketing and season tickets and seat moves and renewals. The hard debate had been done and it was quite a relaxed meeting.

“I remember right at the start of this I was saying to City, don’t increase the prices and get out there and be the first to not. Obviously the club have a process that they have to follow, but I’m thinking that we can lead. In a strange way, the way that it’s happened, it’s been a bigger impact because other clubs probably still would have done what they’re going to do. They’ve done it and we could have been influenced.

“It’s probably fair to say that we at City Matters probably thought, because there are so many clubs who have announced that City are just going to go for an increase. And we will have our say, but they’ll still do it. The fact that they haven’t, I think it’s an even bigger plus.”

City Matters took the acclaim for their hard word, the club basked in a positive light, and lines were drawn for the next battles that are coming. What happens with the extended North Stand and the 115 verdict – if it ever drops – are the big items on the horizon but already there have been concerns on away ticket allocation and the 10-game personal attendance policy have been flagged.

“There’s improvements that can always be made,” said Broadstock. “But I think City Matters has been around eight years now. And it just feels like now we’re starting to really find our feet and find our teeth.”

Manchester United are set to take on fellow top four contenders and bitter rivals Liverpool

The biggest Premier League fixture of the weekend is undoubtedly Manchester United’s clash with Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

Having been defeated 2-1 in October’s Anfield fixture, when Ruben Amorim was still in charge, Arne Slot will hope to fare better against Michael Carrick in the opposition dugout this time around. Both clubs have experienced their fair share of pain and misery at points this season, yet they are on course to secure vital Champions League qualification spots.

The afternoon encounter at Old Trafford is expected to bring fireworks, as is often the case when the two biggest clubs in England face off. But several pundits appeared to agree on one particular outcome when predicting the match result.

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Jamie Carragher – 1-1 Draw

Despite his affiliation with Liverpool, Jamie Carragher isn’t backing his former club to come away from Old Trafford with more than a point. He was brutally honest about how disappointing Arne Slot’s men have been recently.

He said: “Man United versus Liverpool – I’m not confident. I’m not. I don’t think United are playing well, to be fair. I think Liverpool are getting results without playing well. I’m not convinced by them at all, to be honest, at the minute. I can’t see Liverpool winning it.

“I’m going to go for a 1-1 draw. I think these teams will probably finish third and fourth in the Premier League but I don’t think either of them are a really good team, to be honest.”

Alan Shearer – Draw

Alan Shearer believes there will be nothing to separate the two rivals at Old Trafford on Sunday, believing their relatively safe positions in the top five suggests they will both be happy to walk away with a draw.

The Newcastle legend wrote in his column for The Metro: “It’s not the Liverpool or Man United we know at all from how they have played this season. I don’t think it’ll be a classic.

“I think because of where both teams are mentally and physically, and also in terms of where they are in the league. I don’t think a draw would be a bad result for both of them.”

Harry Redknapp – 3-2 United win

Speaking to BetVictor, Harry Redknapp has predicted a five-goal thriller. The former Tottenham manager thinks United will come away with a narrow win due to the talent of their in-form captain, Bruno Fernandes, who could make history on the big occasion by breaking the assists record.

Redknapp said: “The big one. United weren’t at their best against Brentford but they got the job done and that’s all that matters at this stage. Michael Carrick’s done a terrific job here, you couldn’t have asked for much from him.

“That’s now three wins in a row for Liverpool as they end the season in some decent form. I still wouldn’t say they’ve been unbelievable but a Champions League finish is essential for them, and it looks like they’ll get it.

“I don’t really trust either of these sides at the back right now, so I think we’ll see goals. I’m picking United, 3-2! All eyes are on Bruno Fernandes as he hunts down that Premier League assist record. It would be typical of him to do something special in this game.”

Paul Merson – 2-2 Draw

Paul Merson is another pundit who has opted to sit on the fence on this occasion. Unlike Shearer, however, the Sky Sports pundit thinks both teams will try to go for the win, resulting in a gripping affair.

Merson told Sportskeeda: “Unlike previous years, this isn’t the biggest game in English football anymore! It’s still massive for both teams though. If Liverpool lose and Brighton beat Newcastle, there will only be five points separating the Reds and the Seagulls in sixth.

“When you look at Liverpool’s fixtures after this game as well, they are not absolute give-me contests. Chelsea at Anfield, Aston Villa away and Brentford again at home is a tricky run.

“Manchester United were poor against Leeds and I don’t think they were great in the wins over Chelsea and Brentford either. Liverpool can cause them problems and I expect there will be goals in this game.

“Alexander Isak scoring for Liverpool last weekend will be a huge boost for his confidence. It has been a long hard season for him, starting with him refusing to play and then the injury after the move to Liverpool. That goal would have meant a lot to him.

“Bruno Fernandes has also played extremely well this season. But when it comes to the Player of the Year award, we must not ignore the fact that he only plays once a week.”

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Ian Isherwood appeared before Liverpool Crown Court on Monday via video link from HMP Liverpool.

The court heard that the 43-year-old was investigated by police back in 2023, when officers uncovered hundreds of indecent images of children on his mobile phone.

This included 52 category A images – the most severe form of abuse involving child rape – as well as 72 category B and 323 in category C.

It was also found that Isherwood had made bank transfers to an account associated with distributing indecent images of children, although these images were not recovered.

Prosecting, Mark Roberts told the court that while examining his device officers found a file saved on his phone which contained an indecent image of a child.

This was a picture Isherwood had taken himself of a young girl, who was under the age of 13 when the photograph was taken.

Officers managed to locate the child in Warrington, who then informed them that Isherwood had sexually abused her.

The Isherwood had engaged in sexual activity with the young girl by touching her genitals orally, masturbating in front of her and encouraging her to perform a sex act on him.

Isherwood, of Shipton Street in Bolton but formerly of Warrington, was interviewed by police where he either made no comment or responded with a prepared statement denying the offences.

Isherwood was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

His denials continued to court, where he continued to plead not guilty to the sexual offences against the young child and forced her to endure a trial.

Isherwood’s brave victim gave evidence in court, and Isherwood was later found guilty by a jury.

At his sentencing, the court heard an impact statement written by the victim which was read on her behalf by Mr Roberts.

This statement noted how the abuse and the trial had led the young girl to suffer with severe anxiety and stress.

Defending, Martyn Walsh told the court that Isherwood had become ‘desensitised to pornography’ after being introduced to it at a young age.

Mr Walsh also noted that the 43-year-old ‘needs help’ and that his risk can be managed upon his eventual release from prison.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Gary Woodhall noted how Isherwood has an ‘entrenched attraction to children’ and that he poses a high risk of sexual offending in the future.

Isherwood was sentenced to a total of 12 years immediate imprisonment, where he will have to face a parole board to assess his level of risk before he is released, and must then serve an extra three years on licence.

He must abide by a sexual harm prevention order and remain on the sex offenders register ‘until further order’.

A restraining order was also put in place to protect his victim for the next 18 years.

Rock, folk and roots, blues, jazz and country are among the diverse music on offer at the Milton Rooms in Malton in the next few weeks.

The Steelers bring the music of Steely Dan, Honey & The Bear are on their 2026 Album Tour, The Lightning Threads are at Ryedale Blues Club and Country Bound are, well, bringing all the country music hits.

Add to that, in June, Alchemy Live recreate great live performances from Dire Straits, and Zoe Gilby brings her unique jazz vocal talent.

Away from music, a gripping and chilling Evening with Jack The Ripper attempts to unmask the real identity of the Victorian London murderer who preyed on the most vulnerable members of society.

And don’t forget the summer edition of Daytime on the Dancefloor, back by popular demand after the February show sold out. Tickets are selling fast!

New events are being added to the Milton Rooms programme all the time, so head over to www.themiltonrooms.com to see what’s coming up and to book tickets.

May

Saturday, May 9: The Steelers – A tribute to Steely Dan. A rare chance to hear the music of the US band Steely Dan played live. The Steelers, a nine-piece band comprising musicians from around the UK, will perform a selection of timeless classics from such iconic albums as Pretzel Logic, The Royal Scam, AJA and Goucho. Co-founded by Walter Becker and Donald Fagan in 1972, Steely Dan produced some of the greatest music of the 21st century. 8pm. Tickets £18.

Thursday, May 14: An Evening with Jack the Ripper. Whitechapel 1888. Between August and November a series of women are brutally murdered. The identity of the killer remains a mystery. It’s the greatest unsolved case in criminal history. Generating argument, debate and a host of different theories. ‘An Evening with Jack the Ripper’ will delve into the sordid realms of Victorian London in an attempt to finally unmask the man who preyed upon the most vulnerable members of society. 7.30pm. Tickets £15.

Saturday, May 16: Honey & The Bear – 2026 Album Tour. Honey & The Bear have been a tour de force on the UK festival circuit in recent years. The British folk and roots duo bring folklore to life with delicately interweaving vocal harmonies inside a dynamic world of songwriting. With a diverse range of sounds and textures, and rhythms that flow from the fast and furious to gentle ballads, their live performances are spirited and enthralling. 8pm. Tickets £15.

Thursday, May 28: Ryedale Blues Club – The Lightning Threads. The Lightning Threads are a blues-rock power trio hailing from Sheffield, influenced by the great rock musicians of another time. They are often compared to The Black Keys, Gary Clark Jr, Cream and The Doors. Since forming 2019, they have headlined legendary venues such as The Leadmill and The Greystones, Sheffield, as well as unforgettable festival appearances in front of thousands at Witney Music Festival (supporting Bez, Happy Mondays) Bunkerfest (supporting Beans on Toast) and DN One Live (supporting Sandi Thom). 8pm. Tickets £10.

Saturday, May 30: Country Bound. Country Bound perform fun, upbeat country hits that are sure to have everybody up on their feet dancing the night away. Their set is made up of modern and classic country songs as well as some classic floor fillers reimagined in a country music style, so there is something for everyone. Over two hours of live music and dancing. Fronted by singer Micki Consiglio, Country Bound comprises fantastic musicians who have been performing in the industry for many years and have now come together to create an incredible line-up. 8pm. Tickets £25.

June

Friday, June 5: Alchemy Live. Alchemy Live were formed in 2020 by lifelong Dire Straits fans Martin Ledger and Neil Scott. Their first show was scheduled in York for Friday, May 13 2022 (what could possibly go wrong)? Much to the band’s surprise, their inaugural show quickly sold out, further sell out shows followed around Yorkshire during the year and in January 2023 the band made their move into theatre shows. Every song choice is taken from a specific, classic live performance in Dire Straits’ history, for example the show’s opening song Money For Nothing is taken from their legendary performance at Live Aid in 1985 and played note for note. 8pm. Tickets £25.

Saturday, June 6: Daytime on the Dancefloor – Summer Edition. Back by popular demand after a sell-out February show. Experience the Daytime on the Dancefloor event days that are sweeping the nation. Live dancers, DJs and headline act International Electric Disco DJ Danny Dizco. All the hits back-to-back from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, hands-in-the-air-classics, singalong anthems, feelgood vibes and not-stop party sounds. 4pm. Tickets £15.

Sunday, June 7: The Zoe Gilby Quartet. Zoe Gilby is a UK-based jazz vocalist and songwriter who tours internationally and throughout the UK, performing her original compositions, written with double bassist husband Andy Champion. Zoe is a creative, compelling songwriter and performer, establishing critical acclaim with her adventurous approach and influences from jazz and contemporary composers from Kate Bush to Thelonious Monk. 7.30pm. Tickets £16.

Friday, June 19: Rust For Glory – Neil Young Tribute. Rust For Glory, the UK’s premier Neil Young tribute band, have been faithfully capturing his spirit and sound since 2011. With a dynamic range that spans haunting acoustic ballads to full-throttle electric rockers, Rust For Glory deliver powerful and authentic performances that celebrate every era of Young’s storied career. Frontman Alex has also kept the Neil Young flame burning online with Streamin’ Out, a weekly YouTube show where he plays an hour of Neil Young classics live on guitar, piano and banjo. The channel boasts more than 5,500 subscribers and nearly 750,000 total views. 8pm. Tickets £15.

Monday, June 22: Kemps Presents – An Evening with Olly Smith ‘Wine, Mystery & Conversation’. A lively and entertaining evening with the UK’s best loved wine expert Olly Smith (BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen) in conversation with Alex from Derventio Wines. Olly will be discussing his sparkling debut novel, Death by Noir – a warm, witty, cosy crime set in the Sussex wine world. Blending storytelling, humour and a passion for wine, this special event invites you into Olly’s world for an evening of conversation, followed by an audience Q&A and book signing. 7.30pm. Ticket & complimentary drink £15; with book £32.

Thursday, June 25: Ryedale Blues Club – Moorlands Blues Band. The Moorlands Blues Band is a powerhouse blues ensemble founded by seasoned musicians Giuseppe Vitale and Rod Mackay. The extraordinary Owen Houlston joins on voice and guitar. Together, they bring a wealth of experience from stages across the UK and Europe, delivering a blues experience that’s as authentic as it is electrifying. With soulful depth and high-energy performances, The Moorlands Blues Band lights up the stage with everything from raw Old Delta Blues to the swing of Jump Blues and the gritty soul of Chicago Blues. 8pm. Tickets £10.

Ryanair has a strict policy when it comes to hand luggage

Some Ryanair passengers might not realise they’re entitled to bring extra hand luggage at no additional cost. The budget airline, renowned for its stripped-back service model, typically levies charges for extra services.

Standard passengers are restricted to one small personal item that must fit beneath the seat ahead of them. Larger carry-on items or checked baggage come with additional charges. However, those travelling with young children may be permitted to bring extra items aboard.

According to Ryanair’s website, passengers travelling with infants receive no standard cabin allowance. Nevertheless, they’re permitted to bring a 5kg baby bag plus two pieces of baby equipment free of charge.

Ryanair explained: “We know that travelling with an infant can be stressful, so we allow you to carry 2 items of baby equipment free of charge per child, to make your journey as seamless as possible. There is no cabin bag allowance for an infant (aged 8 days to 23 months inclusive). However, we allow a baby bag up to 5kg (dimensions: 45x35x20cms) for babies travelling on an adult’s lap.”

Passengers can also purchase ‘Priority & 2 Cabin Bags’, which permits them to carry both a small personal item and a 10kg bag (55x40x20cm) onboard for overhead locker storage. This option also grants priority boarding privileges.

Additional options include checked luggage of varying weights, with prices dependent on size.

Only a handful of players have represented both Manchester United and Liverpool, with even fewer of those playing during the Premier League era

There aren’t many players who have turned out for both Manchester United and Liverpool. However, one man who did spend time with the fierce rivals – who meet this weekend – is Michael Owen.

England international striker Owen began his career at Liverpool and would later win the Premier League with United. However, the Merseyside club still mean more to him.

The 46-year-old’s decision to move to Old Trafford didn’t exactly endear him to supporters of his boyhood club. Nevertheless, he still has plenty of admirers at Anfield after more than a century of Premier League goals for the team.

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That’s not to say there weren’t some eye-catching moments for Owen in a United shirt. He scored in the 2010 League Cup final when Sir Alex Ferguson’s side beat Aston Villa at Wembley and also grabbed a memorable hat-trick against Wolfsburg in the Champions League.

“Well, I’m absolutely fine at both. I’m respected at Man United; the derby winner, Champions League hat-trick, goal in a cup final,” Owen told the Daily Mail in 2021. “It’s not like I’m one of their own, we know that, but there’s mutual respect and good memories.

“But when I go through the doors at Liverpool, it’s in my heart. I hated going back as a player. It felt like I was punching my brother. Being booed, I felt sick. My parents were shot to bits.

“It rarely happens now, the odd voice might shout, ‘You Manc’, but I can put it in a box. It doesn’t stop me thinking I would love to have the legacy of Carra (Jamie Carragher) or Stevie (Steven Gerrard).

“They won the Champions League the season I left. I wanted my mates to win, absolutely, but part of me was gutted, “God, that could have been me”. I have to accept that. It was my decision to leave.”

Owen played several games against United during his Liverpool spell. He scored in a 1-1 draw when he was still a teenager and also bagged a brace in a 3-1 Anfield win in 2001.

That 2001/02 season ended with Liverpool pipping United to second place in the league, though both were behind Arsenal. It’s a similar story this year, with neither side in title contention, though Michael Carrick’s men are on track to finish above their rivals.

Just three points separate the two sides going into Sunday’s clash. That means a win for Arne Slot’s reigning champions will be enough for them to leapfrog their rivals and move into third.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

The BBC joined Canada’s military rangers on the final leg of a 5,200km (3,200 miles) Arctic patrol, where they shared the survival skills needed to endure freezing temperatures, navigate remote tundra and camp in conditions as cold as -60C (-76F).

But how did the journalists on the trail, Nadine Yousif and Eloise Alanna, get the story to begin with?

Video by Eloise Alanna

Watch the report about surviving in the Arctic here

Read the story about the Canadian Rangers here

The large volume has been bought at auction by the Friends of the Durham Light Infantry who this week presented it to The Story, the county’s new history centre in Durham City.

A ledger bought by DLI Friends is handed over to The Story, Durham Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT (Image: Sarah Caldecott)

But discovering the full story of the ledger and its names is only just beginning. “We haven’t researched the men yet – it will keep us going for the rest of our lives,” said Sid Patterson, the Friend who did the bidding at auction, “but a lot of them won’t survive.”

A ledger bought by DLI Friends is handed over to The Story, Durham Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT (Image: Sarah Caldecott)

The story began on June 15, 1915, when Zeppelin L10  flew over the North East coast at Blyth in Northumberland at around 11.25pm, and headed south. Zeppelins were a new enemy weapon, first being seen over East Anglia in January 1915 and this was one of the first raids on the North East.

A First World War Zeppelin (Image: Televisual)

The North East, though, was vulnerable with its major industries, vital for the war effort, lined along rivers leading to the sea, and Kapitänleutnant Klaus Hirsch was targeting those along the Tyne.

He dropped his first bombs at about 11.40pm on Wallsend, damaging an engineering works. Then he hit Hebburn Colliery, before approaching the Jarrow shipyards.

A warning of the aerial raid had not reached the yards and, in the black night, all their lights were still burning. Hirsch could hardly believe his luck.

A ledger bought by DLI Friends is handed over to The Story, Durham Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT (Image: Sarah Caldecott)

Palmer’s shipyard bore the brunt of his attack. Seven high explosive and five incendiary bombs hit the Engine Construction Department, killing 17 and injuring 72, starting fires and doing considerable damage.

L10 then followed the river east, hitting a chemical works and killing a policeman before dropping its final four bombs on South Shields. It eluded a couple of British planes by climbing too high for them and it passed out over the sea at 11.52pm.

As well as causing death and devastation to the civilian population, the airship looks to have acted as a recruiting sergeant for the British army.

A poster explaining the Derby Scheme in December 1915. A few months later, conscription had to be introduced (Image: Chris Lloyd)

Men were desperately needed. In the summer of 1915, the Earl of Derby was appointed as Director General of Recruiting, and his “Derby Scheme” started in November, whereby “tactful and influential” canvassers visited eligible men, aged 18 to 41, at home in a bid to persuade them to make a public declaration of whether they would enlist immediately or as soon as they were called.

If they agreed to make the declaration, they had to do so within 48 hours by attending a recruiting office and “attesting” – signing up to serve for the duration of the war. Men who attested were given a grey armband with a red crown on it, a bonus of 2s 6d, and then returned to their workplace until they were called up.

It looks like a recruiting office was set up in Palmer’s shipyard, presumably to capitalise on the feelings engendered by the Zeppelin raid, and the ledger lists all those who signed up between December 8 and 12 – more than 900 names spread across 23 pages.

The ledger bought by the Friends of the DLI (Image: unknown)

It gives their ages (nearly all are between 30 and 40), their addresses in the streets of Jarrow and their religions. Some have their chest sizes and the colour of their eyes recorded. All of their occupations are there – on one page alone there is a driller,  an anglesmith, a painter, a ship rivetter, a shipwright, an ironmoulderer, an engineering toolmaker, a caulker, a greaser, a joiner, a fitter, a rigger, four holderups, three labourers, two blastfurnanceman and two electric cranedrivers. These are all jobs from a shipyard (what would the holderups do?), although scattered among them on the same page are a butcher, a barman and a tripe preparer.

“It’s personally interesting for me because I was born near there – these lads lived just across the road from me in Jarrow and Hebburn,” says Sid Patterson. “Some joined the Northumberland Fusiliers on the other side of the river, others went into the Royal Navy but most of them go into the DLI.”

A ledger bought by DLI Friends is handed over to county archivist Carolyn Ball. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT (Image: Sarah Caldecott)

Their call-ups started coming through in January 1916, so the fear must be that the men listed on that page – from 5ft 3¾in tall electric cranedriver John Bell to 5ft 8½in barman John McDermott – were destined for the Battle of the Somme.

County archivist Carolyn Ball, who accepted the ledger on behalf of The Story, said: “We have a fantastic archive here but this is the only recruiting ledger that we know has survived locally because they were all supposed to be destroyed after the war, so that makes it very important.”

A ledger bought by DLI Friends is handed over to The Story, Durham Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT (Image: Sarah Caldecott)

How it survived is another part of its mysterious story, but it did, and it was spotted by a builder’s merchant in a car boot sale in Essex.

The ledger’s current owner, a builder’s merchant from Maldon in Essex, said he discovered it lying on the ground at a car boot sale.

“When I saw the word ‘military’ on the cover, I knew it was something special,” he said, and he quickly handed over the £20 asking price.

A ledger bought by DLI Friends is handed over to The Story, Durham Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT (Image: Sarah Caldecott)

From there, it wended its way to Hansons Auctioneers in Derby, where militaria expert Matt Crowson said: “There’s no doubt the Zeppelin raid would have brought home the seriousness of the war to the brave Jarrow workers, many of whom would have wanted retribution.

“Books like this are extremely rare, as records were supposed to have been destroyed after the war. How it came to light hundreds of miles away, we may never know.”

With auction fees, the Friends paid £1,300 for the volume.

“We wanted to save it and keep it in the county because otherwise it might never have been seen again,” said Sid, “and we wanted to make sure these men were not forgotten.”

• The ledger has been digitised and can be seen on the Friends’ website at dlifriends.com. On the last Thursday of every month, the Friends hold a drop-in session at The Story in Durham from 10am to 2pm where they help members of the public who would like to research a family member who once served with the Durham Light Infantry. All are welcome

A First World War Zeppelin (Image: Televisual)

• Zeppelin L10 dropped 2.5 tons of bombs on Tyneside that June night, and although Zeppelin attacks continued for another year with airships probing further and further inland, L10 didn’t prosper. On September 3, 1915, it was on patrol over the North Sea when it was struck by lightning and it crashed into the water. All 19 crew were killed.

The early May Bank Holiday 2026 is tomorrow, and UK retailer opening hours may vary

This weekend marks the early May Bank Holiday, so retailers across the UK may change their opening hours. Fortunately, the majority of shops remain open on the Bank Holiday itself, though many are running on slightly reduced schedules.

This applies to supermarkets as well. Shoppers are encouraged to check their nearest branch for precise opening times, as hours may vary by store and location.

Home Bargains

To find your nearest store’s opening times, make use of Home Bargains’ Store Locator. The retailer stated: “It’s got a full list of opening times for your local store, their facilities and contact details.”

Nevertheless, it appears the majority of its branches will be open on Monday, operating shorter hours from 8am to 6pm.

Weekend opening times remain unchanged: stores are open from 8am to 8pm on Saturday and 10:30am to 4:30pm on Sunday.

B&M

B&M branches are open on Bank Holiday Monday, generally running on standard or marginally reduced hours.

While most stores are open, customers are advised to consult the B&M store finder for their specific branch’s hours.

A number of stores listed on B&M’s store finder indicate they will be operating during normal trading hours.

Next

Next also provides a store locator on its website, allowing customers to verify their local store’s opening hours.

Numerous locations are open on Monday with normal trading hours, though this may vary by branch and store type.

Customers are also welcome to browse only for the first 30 minutes on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

B&Q

B&Q outlets across the UK typically maintain standard opening times, usually 7am to 8pm throughout the early May Bank Holiday.

While most branches will be trading, it is strongly advised to verify your nearest store’s specific opening hours via the B&Q Store Finder tool.