He was arrested on suspicion of offences including aggravated burglary, robbery and criminal damage

A man has been arrested by police investigating two armed robberies in North Down.

The PSNI says it received a report at around 8pm on Wednesday, July 8, of two armed robberies in Bangor. They are reported to have happened in the Balloo Road area and in Bloomfield Road South.

Detective Sergeant Gray added: “A 43-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of offences including aggravated burglary, robbery and criminal damage.

“We are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time and noticed anything to make contact with us.

“We’re also keen to hear from anyone who might have CCTV, dash-cam or other footage of the area to contact police on 101, or via our witness appeal form at https://reporting.psni.police.uk/appeals, quoting reference number 1583 of 08/07/26.”

Alternatively, information can be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

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Consider this your PSA: synthetic material is your enemy in the heatwave.

While it’s fairly easy to avoid polyester and similar materials during the day, there’s one culprit that might stop you from staying cool during the heatwave: your pyjamas.

We all know the struggle of trying to catch Zs during the heatwave – let’s not even get into the ‘to fan or not to fan’ debate – but there are lots of things you can do to improve your sleep quality when it’s hot outside (and inside).

You might think sleeping naked is the solution, but it turns out we actually need fabric to wick moisture (ie. sweat) away from our skin in the night.

But not all pyjamas are made equal, according to Ellie Sheach, nightwear buyer at Pour Moi.

“During hot nights, it’s easier to feel sweatier than normal, and sleeping in synthetic materials can cause moisture to build up, which will only make this feel worse,” Sheach says.

“If you’re not ready to ditch the pyjamas entirely, the most important switch you can make to keep yourself cool is choosing nightwear made of cotton. It’s breathable, moisture-wicking and gentle on the skin. Basically, everything your synthetic fabrics aren’t when temperatures rise.”

If you’re ready to throw out everything you know in honour of a good night’s sleep, we’ve hand picked seven of the best cotton pyjamas to shop to stay cool during the heatwave.

On Tuesday, one day after his arrival in his home country, Harry made his way to Central London for an Invictus Games Foundation event at Chatham House. The event brought together members of the Invictus community, leading experts and policymakers, including UK minister for veterans and people Calvin Bailey, to discuss issues affecting wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans – all those eligible to take part in the paralympic-style games.

Inside the event, chair of the Invictus Games Foundation Lord Charles Allen, CBE, introduced Harry to the stage just moments after the verdict was delivered, as he thanked the audience for coming before joking that “this is one of the few rooms in the UK that has air conditioning!”

Harry said during his address: “Looking around this room, I see people representing different nations, different governments, different militaries, different organisations and different approaches to recovery. And that’s exactly as it should be.

“No two countries are the same. No two healthcare systems are the same. No two military cultures are the same. What brings us together is far more important than what sets us apart.

“Every one of us believes that those who have served their country – and in particular those whose lives have been changed by that service – deserve more than our gratitude. They deserve opportunity. The chance to redefine one’s Purpose and Identity. They deserve to truly feel our admiration and Respect. And they deserve every chance to build the life they choose beyond military service. That’s what the Invictus Community is all about.”

Harry concluded: “I hope you leave this conference with a deeper understanding of what the Invictus movement really is. Not simply a week of sport every few years, but a community united by one belief: that the unconquered human spirit exists in every nation and that our shared responsibility is to create the conditions in which it can flourish.”

A family is suing a daycare worker after their toddler sustained a brain injury from being dropped on the floor.

The 23-month-old tot was being looked after at membership-based fitness and hospitality centre, The Bay Club, in El Segundo, California.

He can be seen on CCTV footage approaching a member of staff, indicating he would like to be picked up, which she obliged and swung him into the air.

She then appeared to let go of his hands but failed to catch the child, named C.K. The pair tumbled to the floor, with the worker landing on top of him.

After moving to the side, she quickly comforts the little boy, who can be seen crying on the video as another staff member approaches them.

The family claim their son has been left with a severe brain injury and also accused the daycare of lying about the circumstances in which he was hurt.

‘The deception by the Bay Club of hiding this horrific incident from the parents is inexcusable,’ said the family’s attorney, Ryan Saba of Rosen Saba.

He continued: ‘The daycare facility should have the highest amount of care for the children, and if a child gets sick or injured, they should notify the parents with transparency and urgency.’

The toddler’s dad, Matthew Kittle, dropped him off at the centre around 8:30am on March 17, 2025, with the complaint alleging he planned to return two hours later.

In the complaint, where the Kittles are seeking an undisclosed amount for damages, they allege C.K. fell from an estimated height of 6ft.

Kittle was called to inform him of the fall, but claims he was told it was a normal fall and his son did not need to be collected early.

By 9.45am, they reportedly called him again and said C.K. needed to be picked up as he could not settle.

The lawsuit states: ‘The Bay Club gave Mr. Kittle the impression that C.K. only sustained a minor injury and that it was C.K. who was causing stress on the staff, which required a parent to retrieve the child.’

On arrival, Kittle saw the injuries were worse than reported but was apparently told the employee fell over while in a ‘squatting position’, so C.K. wasn’t far from the floor.

The toddler’s eye was allegedly swollen shut, with bruising on the right side of his face and swelling around his mouth. He was also said to be drowsy and irritable.

The lawsuit alleges a staff member told Kittle his son ‘wanted to go to sleep immediately after the fall and that the Bay Club’s employees had trouble keeping him awake.’

The family claims a doctor then diagnosed C.K. with concussion,  blunt head trauma and facial abrasion.

The Bay Club has said it is unable to comment on ongoing litigation.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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The property, located at 140 Atherton Road, Hindley, will be transformed into two two-bedroom flats and one three-bedroom flat.

Proposals submitted by Mr. Matt Mitchell aimed to utilise the unused two-storey corner-plot building at the junction of Atherton Road and Wenlock Street.

Standing currently empty, the building was previously granted approval for conversion into two flats on the first floor in 2020.

Then, in 2025, plans to turn the vacant building into four apartments were granted.

However, new plans were put forward for the whole property to become three multi-storey flats—each unit to spread across both ground and first floor.

The development promises a substantially renovated exterior, with the existing shopfront to be replaced with residential windows and doors.

New windows and doors at both ground and first floor levels are also part of the proposal.

Plans also include the transformation of the rear yard into a bin and cycle store, together with a small communal area for residents.

The building was previously in Class E use as a fresh fruit and vegetable shop.

The agent handling the application was Bill Schafer of Schafer Associates.

The Housing Enabling Team at Wigan Council responded positively to the proposal, noting that there is a growing demand for residential development within town centres.

While the plans do not reach the threshold that requires affordable housing provision, they offer a mix of housing types, conforming with the local policy directive.

The meeting national space standards, the flats are planned as 70.2sqm and 70.6sqm for the two-bedroom units, while the three-bedroom flat will be 94.9sqm.

The change of use is expected to reduce the number of vehicle movements compared to its current permitted Class E uses.

The Transport Policy Officers had no objections to the change of use considering the site stands in a highly sustainable location close to the town centre.

Despite the lack of designated in-curtilage parking, on-street options are believed to cover all requirements.

For more notices affecting YOUR area, visit our Public Notice Portal: https://publicnoticeportal.uk/leigh-journal

It’s been over six months since Pluribus came out, and it’s still living rent-free in my mind. So why isn’t it for everybody else?

When the post-apocalyptic Apple TV Plus show from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan first landed, it seemed to make a sizeable splash.

Bells clanged for the streaming network’s ‘most watched show’ in its history (360 million minutes viewed post-finale), beating the streamer’s megahit Severance to the top spot (even if this is still comparatively lower than other streaming service numbers).

That’s not its only accolade. It boasts a 99% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score based on a whopping 184 reviews, and lead star Rhea Seehorn has deservedly scooped up a Golden Globe and Critics Choice award.

Now the star, 54, is celebrating an Emmy nomination alongside a total of 18 for the dystopian series where her moody and cynical character, Carol, is left unmoored when the rest of the world is swept up by a virus which makes them all perpetually happy.

You may think that, given all the show has going for it, I wouldn’t be able to move for praise for the actress, discourse about the show and recommendations from friends.

After all, this is what has happened to other major Apple hits like Severance, which burst into the mainstream with a bang, so even people who hadn’t seen the series could recognise Britt Lower as Helly from a mile away. Britt notably went on to win the Emmy that Rhea is now up for.

Seriously, I must have watched that scene of Adam Scott running through the corridors in Severance’s season two opener more times than I’ve seen my parents this year.

The show remains a staple of TV-loving conversation and, when the series finale took place, there was endless chatter about theories, love triangles and the existential doom it posed.

All of this buzz was well-deserved, and it’s firmly earned its place in the zeitgeist. So, with similar levels of acclaim, I can’t understand why Pluribus hasn’t made the same leap.

Especially when it comes to lead star Rhea, who delivers one of the best performances on TV this year. Yet when I mention the show to friends and family, I normally encounter the glazed-over look of someone who has no idea what I’m talking about.

Best case, I hear an apathetic: ‘Oh yeah, I’ve heard of that show, not watched it’.

Even comparing it to the kind of cultural capital Breaking Bad has accrued, it’s crickets.

As for other major Emmy nominees this year, I’ve heard far more about The Pitt, stars like Matthew Rhys for his performance in The Beast in Me, Euphoria and its star-studded cast and viral shows like Ryan Murphy’s Love Story than I have about Pluribus. It’s not even a competition.

It’s clear Pluribus hasn’t been everyone’s cup of tea, plateauing at a 68% Rotten Tomatoes audience score, with the most common complaint accusing it of being ‘boring’ and too much of a ‘slow burn’ to get into.

I agree that the show does have a slower pace and takes its time building this new world Carol is plunged into, but I would argue that for those who stick with it, this makes it all the better.

As a character, Carol is far more than a grumpy writer who loathes her fanbase. She’d known love, desire and had found her slice of happiness before it was cruelly snatched away from her.

She is desperately human in all the worst ways and, unlike the hardy heroes of many other post-apocalyptic dramas, succumbs to her weaknesses.

Yes, Carol is utterly unlikeable, especially at the beginning, but that’s what makes the actor’s endearing portrayal all the more impressive.

Rhea does a masterful job of portraying the grief Carol goes through, both for humanity and for her own life, as well as her genuine panic at ‘well, what the hell do I do now?’

Not to mention the utterly compelling dynamic between Carol and the virus-infected Zosia (played by fellow Emmy-nominated Karolina Wydra), whose will-they-won’t-they romance raises a whole host of moral conundrums.

Yet, aside from a handful of fellow fans, I’ve been bereft of the juicy, widespread debates about the twists and turns of the plot, Rhea’s award-winning turn, and everyone’s theories about season two.

Instead, I’ve been surviving on fan edits on TikTok and the occasional viral tweet that might spark some chatter. This is a call to all those Apple TV viewers to come out of your shell. Don’t be shy!

I can only hope more people switch on before the second season arrives and Rhea has to win the Emmy to make it so, then so be it!

Pluribus is available to stream on Apple TV Plus now.

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Britain is facing the threat of fuel shortages this winter without the approval of the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, Labour has been warned.

Neil McCulloch, the boss of Adura – the company behind Jackdaw, said it was ‘hyper critical’ that the field 150 miles east of Aberdeen is given the go-ahead.

He said the UK had limited options in the event of a ‘gas supply emergency’ as he piled pressure on Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, to grant approval.

As part of his Net Zero agenda, Mr Miliband has banned new oil and gas exploration off Britain’s coastline.

But Andy Burnham, who is almost certain to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister on 20 July, has said he is ‘open-minded’ about ramping up drilling in the North Sea.

Mr McCulloch’s warning comes amid growing calls – including from Labour MPs and the party’s trade union backers – for Mr Miliband to soften his stance on fossil fuels.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said Mr Burnham faced a ‘choice’ when he becomes PM of either pushing for cheaper energy or allowing ‘Net Zero madness’ to ‘hold our country back’.

Industry regulator, the North Sea Transition Authority, is currently considering a revised application for Jackdaw, as well as the Rosebank field off Shetland.

As part of his Net Zero agenda, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has banned new oil and gas exploration off Britain’s coastline

Initial approval of both sites – which was given by the previous Tory government – was later withdrawn when a court ruled consent was granted unlawfully following a case brought by environmental campaigners.

This forced the owners to seek fresh permission to extract oil and gas from the fields, with a final decision set to fall to the Energy Secretary if the NSTA gives its approval.

Mr Miliband, who has been touted as Mr Burnham’s potential Chancellor, has repeatedly insisted that ramping up North Sea oil and gas production ‘won’t take a penny off’ domestic energy bills because fossil fuels are traded on international markets.

But Mr Miliband, who is bidding to decarbonise the UK’s electricity by 2030, is under increasing pressure to alter his position due to the impact of the Iran war on global energy prices.

Adura – a joint venture between Shell and Equinor – has been required to update its environmental impact assessment for Jackdaw, which was released on Wednesday as a public consultation was also launched.

Speaking to the BBC from the Jackdaw field, Mr McCulloch said the project was in its final stages and could meet 6 per cent of the UK’s gas needs from 1 October if given approval.

‘If I were the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, I’d be looking closely at where’s my next source of energy security, and you’re standing on it’, he said.

‘The wells are drilled, they’re hooked up. We’re just readying the systems. It will be ready for 1 October. Jackdaw will play a vital part of this winter’s gas supply.’

Mrs Badenoch said that opening Jackdaw was ‘common sense’, adding: ‘Britain needs cheap, abundant and reliable energy if we are going to grow.

‘Jackdaw alone could supply around 6 per cent of our gas needs this October.

‘Andy Burnham has a choice. Back British energy, British jobs and lower bills or let Labour’s Net Zero madness hold our country back.’

Whitehall sources dismissed claims that Britain faced the threat of fuel shortages this winter without the approval of the Jackdaw field.

They pointed to how the National Energy System Operator (NESO) said in a recent report that it expects to meet demand this winter.

‘Our current view is that the electricity system will remain secure and reliable through winter 2026/27,’ NESO said in its ‘Winter Watch’.

‘We expect a surplus of 5.5GW between 31 October 2026 and 31 March 2027, with an 8.8 per cent buffer over expected peak demand. 

‘The outlook is positive, but winter conditions can change. NESO will continue to monitor global gas markets, European electricity flows, weather conditions and periods where supply and demand may be more finely balanced, particularly in January.’

Neil Johnston, BBC Sport journalist

It’s going to require something extra special to stop this Les Bleus juggernaut from reaching a third straight World Cup final.

France have overcome a two-hour storm delay in Philadelphia, the loss of Deschamps for one match (he returned home for the funeral of his mother) and Paraguay’s ‘dark arts’ to reach the last eight.

They have been an absolute joy to watch, particularly against Sweden in the last 32 when they registered 25 attempts. The fear for their rivals is they still have another couple of gears we have not yet seen at this World Cup.

It’s not just Mbappe, Olise and Dembele – who have 20 goal involvements between them. Les Bleus have yet to fall behind.

They have conceded just twice in five games – when they were leading Senegal 3-0 and when they were 2-0 up against Norway, with Arsenal’s William Saliba and Olise’s Bayern Munich team-mate Dayot Upamecano marshalling the defence.

Who can stop France? They will meet Spain or Belgium in the semi-final if they get past Morocco. Spain, who have yet to concede, will be a huge test.

Les Bleus were frustrated by Paraguay before finding a way to win – and I suspect Deschamps’ side will have too much firepower for Spain, while their strength in depth from the bench is eye-watering.