The names of those to play both cricket and football for England conjures up the feeling of a very different era: cigarette cards, blazers and the faint whiff of Brylcreem.

Sporting greats of a bygone time such as Denis Compton, CB Fry and Tip Foster are among the 12 men to do it.

Arthur Milton was the last man when he played the first of six Tests in 1958 – seven years after he won his solitary England football cap against Austria.

Another on the verge of joining that pantheon is of a more recent vintage in the form of goalkeeper Nigel Martyn.

Well, kind of…

Martyn, capped 23 times by the Three Lions in football, has forced his way into the reckoning for the England Over-60s cricket team after returning to a sport he has always loved.

He might be a little greyer at the temples but the prospect of becoming a dual international this summer has nevertheless stirred something in him.

“It’s pretty special,” Martyn told BBC Sport.

“Obviously as a professional goalkeeper I wasn’t allowed to play cricket in the summer, as it would threaten breaking fingers and things like that.

“I retired with a stress fracture on my ankle so I didn’t think I was able to play cricket again. But I got the all-clear to do it in about 2011 so I started playing again.”

Martyn got his professional football break for Bristol Rovers in 1987 after being recommended to their then manager Gerry Francis by the club’s tea lady Vi Harris.

The Cornishman later played for Crystal Palace, Leeds and Everton, making 666 league appearances before he retired in 2006.

Martyn still plays club cricket and is currently with Scarcroft CC, just outside Leeds.

A few years ago he helped Knaresborough CC reach the North Yorkshire Premier Division alongside fellow ex-England goalie Paul Robinson.

St Austell-born Martyn’s road to the international fold came off the back of county age-group matches for Cornwall – which necessitate a 800-mile round trip for matches from his Yorkshire home.

“My good friend Sean Hooper, who was the captain of Cornwall Over-50s, spoke to me about six years ago asking if fancied playing for Cornwall,” he said.

“We last played when we were together with Cornwall Schools Under-15s. From there Cornwall recommended me to England.

“It’s a long trip but being able to go home and see family more often was always the added bonus with it as well.”

If approved, the shop will stock food and household items

A former chapel could be converted to make way for a village’s first shop. Baston Shop Ltd has submitted plans to Peterborough City Council to convert the former Ailsworth Chapel in Main Street into a community shop.

Ailsworth and neighbouring village Castor currently do not have a shop. The most recent shop the villages had was The Paper Shop, which closed in May 2025.

The chapel has not been used since 2022. If approved, the shop will “offer a range of food, household items and other necessities, along with a post office and laundry services”.

The shop could employ three part-time staff members. It is expected to open Mondays to Saturdays between 7am and 8pm. The applicant also seeks to build a manager’s flat at the back of the property.

The applicant added: “The vacant chapel will provide an excellent location for a community shop as it is centrally sited in Ailsworth and also offers ease of access for Castor residents.”

A planning policy referred to by the applicant said a village shop should “help achieve a more suitable rural community”. The applicant said this is “undoubtedly” the case as “private vehicle usage to access similar services would be greatly reduced by providing village shop facilities in the centre of Ailsworth”. A local survey conducted showed that residents were “overwhelmingly in support” of a new shop.

A previous application was submitted for the site to be used as home. However, the plans received objections due to concerns about parking and effects on the local area and were dismissed.

No parking is proposed on the site, and on-street parking is most likely to be used for the shop. At a pre-application stage, concerns were raised about where the bins would be located.

However, the applicant has proposed for these to be moved to the side of the building to “reduce any dominant effect on the attractive front elevation”. The applicant said the plans secure the “long-term use and revitalisation of a value community asset”.

Lisa Marshall, 34, was left devastated, when her husband Alan went to work one day, and never came home.

A mum who missed her husband’s last call before he took his own life age 37 was left unable to work and forced to go on Universal Credit.

Lisa Marshall, 34, was left devastated, when her husband Alan went to work one day, and never came home. The dentist, from Glasgow, had tried to call her but she had missed it as her son was using her phone to play Roblox.

He had no history of mental illness, and left her with no note. Lisa, who is also a dentist, but hasn’t been able to work since Alan’s death after being diagnosed with Complex PTSD, struggled with raising three small children, Henry, nine, Matthew, seven, and Sofia, four, whilst coping with her grief.

The family were even left on Universal Credit for three months – after Alan’s accounts were frozen. She said she is worried her children will think they weren’t good enough for him to stay, and is raising awareness of the fact, that suicide can affect anyone.

She said: “Alan had no mental health issues, he’d never been to the doctors, or spoken to me about any struggles. We were just a normal family; there were no warning signs at all.

“It could happen to anybody. I missed a call from him an hour before it happened, but I hadn’t thought much of it at the time. “Nothing can prepare you for it. When the police came to my door, I was trying to put the kids to bed and they were all clinging to me. “It was horrendous, I don’t think you ever get over that.

“The police asked lots of questions about our marriage, they said usually these things happen because of debt, or a breakup, or not getting access to kids, but there was nothing like that. There wasn’t even a note.

“I felt like my life was over, but I still had three kids to look after, they gave me strength every day. My children keep asking me why he did it, I don’t want them to think they weren’t good enough for him to stay.”

Lisa and Alan met in a nightclub in Glasgow in 2011, before falling in love and getting married in 2016. They welcomed three children together, and were a happy loving family, leading normal, busy lives.

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Alan had no mental health issues, that Lisa was aware of, and had never opened up to her, about any sort of struggle, during their relationship.

“He had a huge passion for Glasgow Rangers, and we spent lots of time going to see them all over the world”, she said. One morning in March 2023, Alan went to his job as a dentist as normal, and Lisa chatted to him throughout the day over text.

“I had a chest infection at the time, and I often wonder, if I’d been 100% myself, would I have noticed something was up?”, she said. “I’d felt anxious a few days before, and I wonder if it was my body telling me something bad was going to happen.”

During the evening, Lisa got a call from Alan, but she missed it as her son was using the phone to play Roblox. An hour later, there was a knock at the door, but as it was the time Alan usually came home from work, she assumed it was him.

However, when she opened the door, two police officers were standing outside, and informed her that they had found Alan’s car, a body, and his wallet. Devastated, Lisa told her children that their dad had had an accident, and the next morning, did the school run as normal.

“Parents were absolutely shocked to see me out and about as normal”, she said. The police launched an investigation, and asked Alan had any issues such as debt, but Lisa could think of nothing.

As the children were settled in school, she chose to stay in the local area, meaning she has to walk past the location where her husband ended his life, every day. Following her husband’s death, Lisa struggled with grieving whilst still having to take care of her three kids but said the routine of having to take them to school every day, helped her to be able to get through each day.

“They were the only reason I got up and brushed my teeth every day, without them I would have just stayed in bed”, she said. “They were so anxious, I didn’t want this to damage their childhood.”

Two years after Alan’s death, Lisa decided to tell her oldest two children, that he had taken his own life. “I felt that at eight and six, they would be able to understand it a bit, and I felt so much better for telling them the truth“, she said.

After revealing the truth to her sons, Lisa said it was like they were going through the loss again, and they kept questioning why he had done it. Following Alan’s death, Lisa was diagnosed with complex PTSD, leaving her unable to go back to work, and as her husband’s bank accounts were frozen after he passed away, she had to go on Universal Credit.

“I never thought I’d be on benefits, but they really helped me for the first few months after he died,” she said. She also had to get close family members to help pay her mortgage, and although she now receives Alan’s pension, and had a life insurance payout, finances are a huge worry for herself and many widows.

She said: “The life insurance payout took over a year, but I know for some widows, it can take three or four years, or they don’t get anything at all. I get messages from widows everyday, who have had to sell their house, or move back in with their parents. “

Lisa is urging people to make sure they have policies such as life insurance and Death in Service in place, to help with the financial burden, should anything happen to their spouse. “Make sure you have financial security, because the financial burden of being widowed adds a whole other layer of stress”, she said.

Lisa is currently campaigning to have the government’s bereavement support payment extended beyond 18 months. You can sign her petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/752501 She is now preparing to return to work, to show that it is possible to get back on your feet again.

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Police say that one driver has been ‘reported’ for suspected driving offences.

The smash happened just before 3pm on Sunday with emergency services called to the road in Halliwell.

A Peugeot, a Mercedes and a BMW were involved in the crash.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

The crash, at the junction of Elgin Street and Wordsworth Street, left one vehicle on its roof.

The crash caused significant disruption, with the road closed for several hours.

Passers-by rushed to help those in the car as police and ambulances arrived.

Police taped off the scene.

Crash in Halliwell (Image: PHIL TAYLOR)

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that three people, including two children, suffered minor injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.

A spokesperson for the force said: “At around 2.45pm yesterday (10 May 2026), officers responded to reports of a collision involving three cars on Halliwell Road, Bolton.

“Three people – including two children – received minor injuries, not believed to be life-threatening or changing.

“A driver of one of the vehicles has been reported for driving without due care and attention.”

Images from the scene showed a grey Peugeot overturned in the road, with a BMW and Mercedes also sustaining heavy damage.

Debris from the vehicles, along with personal items, could be seen scattered across the carriageway.

Paramedics from North West Ambulance Service attended alongside police officers, while recovery teams worked to clear the vehicles.

Motorists were urged to avoid the area while the road remained closed, with drivers advised to seek alternative routes.

Jordan Linden has told his lawyers to appeal his conviction and sentence.

A disgraced former SNP council leader who was jailed for sexually assaulting young men has launched a bid to clear his name.

Jordan Linden, 30, was convicted of the attacks as well as directing unwanted sexual communications towards seven teenagers. He was sentenced to 18 months behind bars at Falkirk Sheriff Court last week.

It has now emerged that he has told his lawyers to appeal his conviction and sentence. Linden, who was once leader of North Lanarkshire Council, sent youngsters sexual communication which included photos of him in a bath and shots of his genitalia.

The offences took place over a 10-year period from 2011 until 2021. He repeatedly denied any wrongdoing but was convicted by jurors following a seven-day trial in March.

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Linden, who also chaired the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP), had denied all the charges against him and claimed that they either did not take place or were consensual.

His lawyer, David Moggach KC, said Linden has been ‘bullied’ in his teenage years because of his sexuality and suffered ‘social isolation’ as a result. He added that Linden was now aware that his behaviour ‘simply was unacceptable and he overstepped certain boundaries’.

Sheriff Christopher Shead ruled that there was no alternative to a prison sentence and placed Linden on the sex offenders’ register. Linden blew a kiss to his dad as he was led away to the cells and was later seen in handcuffs being loaded into a prison custody van.

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Shamed Linden became a councillor for the SNP in 2017 and rose to become council leader in North Lanarkshire in 2022. He resigned from the post a few weeks later following the allegations and was arrested in 2024.

The court heard from an SNP party official who said Linden locked him in a bathroom and tried to get him to urinate while he watched. The man, who was 18 at the time, said the incident took place after a Dundee Pride parade when Linden was very drunk and being ‘very handsy’ with people.

Another man, who joined the SYP at the same time as Linden as a teenager, said Linden’s touching, on the face or the cheek or the neck, was ‘relentless’.

First Minister John Swinney said he was ‘very sorry’ to anyone who suffered because of Linden. Swinney ordered an independent review of the SNP’s complaints process after some witnesses claimed complaints about Linden were ignored by the party.

The Appeal Court in Edinburgh confirmed that an ‘intention to appeal’ had been lodged for Linden.

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Formerly known as Saravana Bhavan, this South Indian vegetarian institution can be found in various locations across the city, and across the globe. They have a site in Leicester Square, Wembley and Southall to name a few, and they offer a wide variety of dosa on their menu. Prices start at £6.95 for dosa, and they all come served with sambar, coconut chutney and spicy red chutney. Highlights include the paper roast dosa and the chef’s special aloo masala cheese dosa.

Under Flick’s management Raphinha, despite a season interrupted with injuries, has developed into a more consistent and influential attacker.

Flick has increased the Brazilian’s attacking responsibility and refined his role, encouraging quicker decision-making in transition and a more direct style of play that suits his strengths.

Pedri has remained a central figure in midfield, thriving in a system built around quick progression.

Robert Lewandowski, meanwhile, has rediscovered his sharpness within Flick’s system. With better service and more structured attacking patterns around him, the veteran Poland striker, 37, once again looks decisive. His future at the club is still unknown with his contract expiring in June.

Eric Garcia has emerged as one of the season’s most valuable tactical players, filling multiple positions seamlessly, while Gerard Martin has exceeded expectations after being placed into a key defensive role.

Even in defeat, Barcelona consistently responded. Following losses to Girona and Real Madrid in October, they immediately launched long winning streaks in the league, rather than allowing setbacks to spiral.

Flick has also shown a strong willingness to rotate and trust squad players, which has helped Barcelona maintain intensity and consistency across a demanding season. Marcus Rashford has been one of those players.

Although he has not been a guaranteed starter, Flick has regularly used him off the bench in key moments and statistics show he ranks among the best forwards at the top-three Spanish clubs – Barca, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid – if you measure goals and assists per minute across La Liga this season.

Rashford scored the most important goal of his Barcelona career on Sunday, a phenomenal free-kick that opened the score in El Clasico.

It was a fitting moment for the 28-year-old, who could be signed by the Catalan club on a permanent basis for 35m euros (£30m) – although whether they turn Rashford’s loan into a permanent signing remains to be seen.

Flick has also been praised for showing care for his players.

The manager granted Ronald Araujo a leave of absence in December to prioritise his mental health, describing it as a private situation. Flick did not share further details about the situation and asked the media to respect the defender’s privacy.

Richmond Castle, one of England’s most complete Norman fortresses, announced on social media on Monday (May 11) that it will be shut for the day.

The historic site said: “We’ve had to unexpectedly close Richmond Castle at short notice today.

“If you have a booking for when we’re closed, we will automatically cancel any bookings and make any necessary refunds within 10 working days.”

It is currently unclear for the reason behind the closure, but organisers have confirmed the castle will reopen as normal tomorrow.

The post added: “We always do everything we can to avoid unexpected closures like this, and we’re really sorry to disappoint you.

“We will reopen tomorrow as normal on Tuesday, May 12.

“Thank you for understanding.”

The Norman stronghold stands above the River Swale in the heart of Richmond and was built from the 1070s by Alan Rufus to secure his new lands after the Norman Conquest.

The castle features a 12th-century keep and served as a detention centre for conscientious objectors during the First World War.

English Heritage describes it as the best-preserved early-Norman castle in England.

The BBC’s Will Grant has been taking a look around the base camps that England and defending champions Argentina will call home during the FIFA World Cup.

England will be based at Swope Soccer Village, while Argentina will train at the Sporting KC Training Center, both located in Kansas City.

The Netherlands and Algeria have also chosen to stay in the area.

The training sites will serve as hubs for match preparation, including practice sessions, player workouts, team meetings and day-to-day staff operations.

Video produced by Blanca Estrada