Jake Rothwell, 36, is remembered by his two children Theo and Lucia, partner Beccy and close family.

He was known for his “warmth, humour, and social nature”, as well as his love for Bolton Wanderers.

To celebrate his life, best friend Luke Robinson shared a heartfelt appeal, calling on the Bolton Wanderers community to pay tribute.

He said: “My best friend Jake Rothwell died suddenly at the tender age of 36, leaving behind his son, daughter, mother, siblings, partner and countless friends and acquaintances.

“He was very popular in the Farnworth community as he was naturally gifted at social connections.

“It’s a real tough pill to swallow for us all, but there has been an influx of support from so many people and that is very humbling for those closest to him.”

“Almost three years ago to the day of his passing, we went to Wembley together to watch the Whites lift a trophy and had the best day.

“Jake loved the Whites and loved the matches we attended together.”

As a tribute, Luke invited fans to mark the 36th minute of the home game against Stockport County on Monday, April 6, with applause in Jake’s honour.

Bolton Wanderers are scheduled to play County at 3pm today at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

“This would be a real comforting moment for his family in attendance, who are very much in their raw stages of grief, and what better way to uplift them than community spirit.

“There is absolutely no pressure for anyone to join in, but if you all could find the time for his family in attendance it would mean the world.”

The message drew hundreds of reactions online, including comments from Stockport fans expressing condolences and setting aside sporting rivalries to support the family.

At this afternoon’s match, rapturous applause filled the stadium as fans clapped in the April sunshine in tribute to Jake.

A GoFundMe page, set up by Rebecca Wheeler, has already raised nearly £6,000 to help the family give Jake “the send-off he deserves”.

The family said: “It is with great sadness that we are announcing our Jake passed away unexpectedly and we, his family, are absolutely devastated.

“He has left behind two beautiful children, Theo and Lucia, his partner Beccy, Lyla, his Mum Gaynor, his brother and sister Jordan and Katie, and his niece and nephew Mason and Reya, not to mention countless friends and extended family members.

“As many of you know, he was the life and soul of any room he walked into.

“He loved to laugh and sing and dance and we will be honouring that on the day we say goodbye for the last time.”

A memorial will be held at Lavender Road Cricket Club on Saturday, April 11.

It will begin from 1pm, with a balloon release at 2pm.

Attendees are encouraged to wear blue and white, bring their own balloons, and participate in a Grand National sweepstake and football card games, with all proceeds going to the GoFundMe.

To contribute to the GoFundMe, visit: https://gofund.me/5b2f8d805

And readers of The Northern Echo snapped their own brilliant photos of the event.

Hundreds of people lined the streets to see the record-breaking 1,264 bikers rev into Darlington, with riders dressed as Captain America, the Easter Bunny and Minions.

Bikers arrived at Darlington Memorial Hospital after setting off from Durham Tesco at Dragonsville at 10am.

The convoy took a break at the hospital to hand out Easter eggs to children, with some even getting to sit on bikes.

They set off again at 12pm, headed for University Hospital of North Durham to hand out more Easter eggs.

Organiser Graeme Mills said: “It was our biggest year ever, with 1,264 bikes. It has gone fantastic, that’s the only word I can say.

“I think this has been the biggest year for public support along the route. It makes it a spectacular event, and I am really pleased the public turned out to support in some not so good weather conditions too.”

Here are some brilliant photos from our readers.

Durham Easter Egg Run 2026 (Image: ANDREW ROSE)

Durham Easter Egg Run 2026 (Image: ANDREW ROSE)

Durham Easter Egg Run 2026 (Image: ANDREW ROSE)

A Storm Trooper in Ferryhill for the Durham Easter Egg Run 2026 (Image: DAVY BREWSTER)

Durham Easter Egg Run 2026 (Image: GARY DINSLEY)

Durham Easter Egg Run 2026 (Image: ANDREW THISTLETHWAITE)

And a £500 grant from Broadacres’ Community Development Fund will help the Thirsk and Sowerby Festival mark its first decade in style.

“A lot of families are struggling financially so we want to put on a day where all the attractions are for free or at minimal cost so everyone can enjoy them,” said Ben Smith, Chair of the organising committee.

“The grant from Broadacres will help us to do that by covering the cost of various acts and prizes so everyone can enjoy an affordable day out.”

Ben was recruited as a 13-year-old schoolboy to be part of the planning for the first ever festival and now, ten years later, he’ll be overseeing the whole event as Chair.

“We have grown from an event that attracted 300 people to a soapbox derby and couple of food vans to one with up to 5,000 visitors, 75 stalls and event stage,” said Ben.

“In that time we have remained true to our original roots and this year will be the same, we want to provide an affordable day for local families to enjoy and also for local businesses to promote their services.”

The 2026 festival takes place on The Flatts on Sunday, August 2 and features a wide range of acts, including magician, owl display, bouncy castle, obstacle course, children’s soft play area and the ever popular soapbox derby.

New this year will be a community bus service to collect and return people from neighbouring villages.

The Broadacres Community Development Fund supports local organisations, groups, and projects in areas where Broadacres has homes.

All grants are approved by the Association’s own residents. Application are closed for the 2025/26 financial year but visit the Broadacres website for future funding opportunities – www.broadacres.org.uk

Temperatures are set to surge as high as 24C in London later this week, making the capital hotter than Barcelona, according to the Met Office.

The blustery conditions of Storm Dave are forecast to be replaced by sunshine and warm weather with temperatures set to reach 24C in London and 20C in Manchester on Wednesday.

Highs of 24C would be enough to surpass the hottest day of the year so far, which was 20.9C in Gogerddan near Aberystwyth on 18 March.

It will also mean many parts of the UK will be hotter than Barcelona which is set to reach 19C on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Tuesday will also be sunny in the UK with temperatures reaching 20C in London and 19C in Glasgow.

However the warm weather is not set to last as the Met Office has forecast temperatures to only reach 14C in London on Thursday, with most of the UK seeing the mercury drop below 10C.

It comes after Storm Dave brought snow and strong winds over Easter weekend, causing travel chaos and leaving homes without power as it swept across northern parts of the UK.

Gusts reached 93mph at Capel Curig in North Wales, while winds of 75mph were recorded at Emley Moor in West Yorkshire and St Bees Head in Cumbria, and one of 73mph was recorded at Buchan in Aberdeenshire, the Met Office said.

Some properties in Scotland were left without power following the high winds overnight. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) fault response teams were out on the network working to reconnect the small number of customers affected, mainly in Skye, Caithness and coastal parts of Aberdeenshire.

Met Office weather forecast

Today:

A chilly, but bright start. Plenty of sunny spells through the day, though cloudier skies at times in the west. A few splashes of rain are possible for Northern Ireland and northwest Scotland. Breezy in the west. Feeling warmer for many.

Tonight:

A fine evening, though turning chilly again under the clear spells overnight, with a patchy frost in the east. A few showers are still possible in the far northwest.

Tuesday:

Most places dry with sunny spells. Cloud and outbreaks of rain moving across Northern Ireland and western Scotland during the afternoon. Breezy in the west. Feeling warm in the sunshine.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

Mostly dry on Wednesday, with spells of warm sunshine. Turning fresher for all from Thursday, with showers or longer spells of rain. Potentially very windy in the northwest come Friday.

The expert said we don’t “talk about it enough”

A doctor has shared a lesser-known symptom that can appear when driving and affects “lots of women”. According to the expert, this can occur during perimenopause or menopause.

Menopause is a natural stage in life that usually affects women between the ages of 45 and 55. It occurs when hormone levels in the body lower to a point where periods stop.

As a result of these changes, the body can experience a range of symptoms that can impact both your physical and mental health. Many of us are aware of some of the more common side effects, such as hot flushes, mood swings, and brain fog.

But Doctor Amir Khan, who is best known for his appearances on ITV, explained a potential symptom you may not have heard of. Speaking in a video posted to his Instagram page, Dr Amir warned that you may start to feel more anxious when in a car.

He said: “Earlier today I was told by my sister, I was just chatting to her while I was driving, and she told me that she’s suddenly become really anxious when she gets into cars. Either when she’s driving or when she’s a passenger in the car, and that’s when it’s worse, actually, when her husband or her kids are driving her somewhere.

“And she said she has to like hold on really tight and she comments on their driving and it’s not like her, it’s not like her at all. She actually used to be a bit of a girl racer, I remember when she was younger she was racing up and down the streets of Bradford.”

Dr Amir explained that his is actually “really common”. However, we don’t “talk about it enough”.

He continued: “Anyway, I told her driving anxiety is really common around the perimenopause and menopause. Really common, and actually we don’t talk about it enough. And I think her hearing that and normalising it really helped her.”

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Dr Amir detailed why this can occur. “Because when oestrogen levels drop, remember chemicals in your brain are linked to oestrogen, so when oestrogen levels drop and progesterone levels drop as well, serotonin, your happy brain chemical goes down.

“GABA, that’s the big one, GABA, which is your calming brain cushion is taken away. And suddenly things that didn’t feel like a threat before suddenly feel really threatening and your brain goes into fight or flight mode.

“So that’s what’s happening to her and that’s what happens to lots of women during the peri and menopause and they don’t even know why. So that kind of driving anxiety is linked to low oestrogen, progesterone causing low serotonin, and GABA in your brain and it’s completely normal.”

Dr Amir shared some things that could help with this symptom. “So knowing that might help, HRT [hormone replacement therapy] might help, cognitive behavioural therapy might help, breathing exercises, grounding exercises can help as well but just knowing you’re not alone,” he said.

Other symptoms

As listed by the NHS website, “common” symptoms of perimenopause and menopause can include:

• Changes to your mood, like low mood, anxiety, mood swings and low self-esteem
• Problems with memory or concentration (brain fog)
• Hot flushes, when you have sudden feelings of hot or cold in your face, neck and chest which can make you dizzy
• Difficulty sleeping, which may be a result of night sweats and make you feel tired and irritable during the day
• Palpitations, when your heartbeats suddenly become more noticeable
• Headaches and migraines that are worse than usual
• Muscle aches and joint pains
• Changed body shape and weight gain
• Skin changes including dry and itchy skin
• Reduced sex drive
• Vaginal dryness and pain, itching or discomfort during sex
• Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Sensitive teeth, painful gums or other mouth problems

Symptoms can last for months or years. The NHS says you should see a GP or nurse if you think you have perimenopause or menopause symptoms.

The ski resort of Riksgränsen is the most northerly in the world, sitting way into the Arctic Circle. It is treated to regularly displays of the Northern Lights and delivers midnight skiing at middsummer

If you think that you’ve missed your chance to go skiing in Europe this year, then you’d be wrong.

There is a resort where the slopes remain open not just through April and into May, but in the high summer days of June.

Riksgränsen, a small ski resort in Arctic Sweden, is the most northerly in the world. It’s 94 miles further up the road from the famous ICEHOTEL, which has melted away into the river by this time of the year.

By June 21, the snow farmers of Riksgränsen have been hard at work for weeks, making sure there’s enough coverage on the 909m tall mountain for the Midsommar downhill jamboree. They’ve dug, they’ve blanketed and they’ve cornered off sections of the mountain.

The reward is three hours of skiing, unlike anything you’ll find elsewhere in the world. From 10pm to 1am, T-shirt-clad skiers whizz down Riksgränsen’s 21km of pistes, basking in the strange phenomenon of bright sun and blue skies throughout the night. At 68.4266°N, the sun won’t disappear again for another month.

When I visited the Swedish resort, it wasn’t nighttime and the sun was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a heavy cloud hung over the mountain, the wind whipping my face as I sat shivering on the ski lift. Skiing in Sweden in March hits a little differently.

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Unlike the Alpine ski season, where the temperature hangs around the 0 °C mark and there’s a 10 euro hot chocolate to warm your cockles at the bottom of every piste, Sweden’s resorts get really, really cold. -20C cold. Cold enough that after a few trips down Riksgränsen’s jump-littered slopes, you need to retreat to one of two food huts for a finger-thawing plate of meatballs or a veggie hot dog loaded with crispy onions.

The resort also stands out from others I’ve been to in terms of vibe. Gone are the Dior all-in-one après-skiers of the French Alps, replaced with gnarly 20-something youth hostellers who all seem to know how to backflip.

Riksgränsen is known as a paradise of off-piste skiing, and it does not disappoint. Either side of every piste is acres of mazy terrain, perfect for exploring and throwing yourself down. The resort also specialises in heli-skiing and snowmobile tours. You can even book yourself a caving tour at the nearby Kåppasjåkkagrottan, the largest cave in Sweden.

Riksgränsen translates as national border. Its area extends into Norway, meaning when you ski down the “Gränsleden” (border run), you swing into a different country at every corner.

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This boundary-hopping continues with the Arctic ski pass required to access Riksgränsen’s slopes. Starting from about £140, it also gets you onto the lifts of Björkliden, Fjällby and Narvikfjellet.

The two other resorts offer very different skiing experiences.

Björkliden is perfect for families, with a gentle mountain criss-crossed with runs through the pine trees ideally suited to beginners. Hotell Fjället sits metres from its bottom ski lift and is an excellent place to stay. Comfy, staffed by friendly ski enthusiasts from across Sweden, and boasting a dramatic view of Lapporten from its breakfast room. The U-shaped valley is known as ‘the gateway of Lapland’ and for providing a framing of the Northern Lights, which I was lucky enough to witness twice during a three-day trip. The 11-year solar cycle recently peaked, meaning the Arctic was doused in glorious streaks of green on a near-nightly basis.

A little further north is Narvik, where the mountains are higher and the slopes more intense. The resort is currently undergoing a major upgrade ahead of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championship arriving in 2029.

The warming effect of the Gulf Stream means the port does not freeze. The view along the deep blue Ofotfjorden that treats skiers as they descend down the biggest drop in northern Europe is simply breathtaking.

Book it

The Arctic ski pass costs from £140

Chalets at Björkliden’s Hotell Fjället cost from £166 a night.

Flights to Kiruna (a short train ride away from Björkliden, Fjällby and Narvikfjellet) cost from £96 in June.

They are now further than any human has ever been

The Artemis II crew has broken the record for the furthest distance humans have ever been.

Nasa’s Artemis II astronauts have set a new record for the furthest distance humans have travelled from Earth

The record was previously set by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970 – the crew travelled 248,655 miles from Earth. Artemis II will beat this record by about 4,102 miles, reaching a maximum distance of 252,757 miles, the BBC reports.

On breaking the Apollo 13 record, one of the Artemis astronauts said: “We surpass the furthest distance humans have ever travelled from planet earth. We do so in honouring the extraordinary efforts and feats of our predecessors in human space exploration.

“We will continue our journey even further into space before Mother Earth succeeds in pulling us back to everything we hold dear.”

He challenges this generation and the next “to make sure this record is not long-lived”.

Allclear Demolition are several months into the phased pulling-down of a 1960s office block in Rougier Street on a plot which had been planned as a ‘Roman Quarter’ for the city centre.

As reported by The Press, the land is being prepared for a 140-bedroom hotel to be run by Evans Dakota Hotels.

Recommended reading:

REFUSED: Plans for huge Roman Quarter development rejected

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Receivers called in at Rougier House Developments of York

During the planning application process, government statutory advisor Historic England told City of York Council there could be damage caused to nationally significant Roman remains by elements of the demolition process.

Allclear Demolition are clearing vacant 1960s block to make way for a Dakota Hotel (Image: Allclear Demolition)

At the time, agents for the applicant said investigations into the concrete frame of the existing structure, latterly known as Northern House would not be up to modern loading standards.

A spokesperson for Leeds-based Allclear Demolition said: “Throughout 2024 and 2025 major borehole surveys and trial trenching was conducted within the existing building to model the complex layers of deposits beneath the site.

“Reports confirmed the site contained ‘nationally significant’ archaeology remains extending up to ten metres below ground level.

“Based upon these findings planning officials have recommended a strict “written scheme of investigation” and a permanent archaeological watching brief during all future groundworks.”

Allclear Demolition are clearing vacant 1960s block to make way for a Dakota Hotel (Image: Allclear Demolition)

Techniques employed for the use of construction piles for the new building are said to only affect 3.2 per cent of the deposits, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added: “In November 2025, following several months of planning and temporary works designing, Allclear Demolition were appointed as the preferred demolition partner, working alongside GMI Construction as main contractors and commenced their carefully designed, meticulous ‘top down’ demolition method for this building.

“Considering the neighbouring buildings and concerns raised from an archaeological, environmental and busy city centre perspective. Allclear Demolition are working closely with York City Council throughout this scheme, monitoring all demolition activity, with various noise and vibration monitoring equipment across the footprint of the site.

“To date, no Archaeological artefacts have been uncovered by our team, but this could change over the coming months as they reach ground level.”

Allclear Demolition are clearing vacant 1960s block to make way for a Dakota Hotel (Image: Allclear Demolition)

Allclear director Joshua Dean said: ““We’re proud to be part of the Northern House demolition scheme, marking an important step in the area’s transformation.

“While it’s always significant to see longstanding structures come down, we recognise the opportunities this project creates for future development and community growth.

“Our team is committed to delivering this phase safely, responsibly, and with respect for the site’s history as we help pave the way for what comes next.”

The Lloyd Mullaney previously left the ITV jungle after just four days

Former Coronation Street star Craig Charles has revealed why he couldn’t watch I’m A Celebrity after his brother’s death.

Known for playing Lloyd Mullaney on the ITV soap from 2005 until 2015, as well as starring in Red Dwarf as Dave Lister, the actor and DJ appeared on the Ant and Dec reality series back in 2014. However, he only stayed in the Australian jungle for four days.

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Craig had to go back home to the UK after he was informed that his brother Dean had suffered a fatal heart attack. Dean was just 52-years-old when he lost his life.

However, Craig is now taking part in I’m A Celebrity All Stars. Serving as an All Stars version of the series, he’s taking part with the likes of his former Coronation Street colleague Beverley Callard, TOWIE’s Gemma Collins and football legend Harry Redknapp.

Viewers on Monday night (April 6), saw Craig and Gemma introduced as the season’s first late entries. Speaking to ITV, Craig reflected on how Dean’s passing affected how he viewed the programme.

“The death of my brother, Dean, changed my life the last time I was on I’m A Celebrity… I was 50 at the time, my brother was 52, I had been in Corrie for ten years and I came in to do the jungle, then Dean passed away.

“It made me re-evaluate things. I just thought if that had happened to me, would I be happy with what I’d achieved? I came up with the answer and it was ‘no’. I had been in Corrie for ten years and I felt in a rut.

“I was really enjoying my time in the Australian jungle and it got sadly cut short. I knew I wanted to have some new adventures after that. “But since I left, there have been years of ‘What ifs?’ It’s nice to put that to bed,” he said.

Craig continued: “At first, I’m A Celebrity… felt bittersweet after I’d left,” he admits. “And in the first few years I couldn’t watch the show. It made me sad and it opened a world of loss.

“Every year it came around, I would feel a sense of loss and a feeling of what might have been – both for my brother and for me. He was only 52 and he would have been 63 now, which is no age.

“But that feeling has decreased over the years, and the last few years I have been able to watch it again without feeling the pain and the grief. And so, when this came round, it was at the right time. I feel strong and confident enough to face it again and have a laugh!”

Asked if Dean were still alive today, would he like to make him proud by going into the jungle again, Craig noted that his brother did get to see him in the jungle before he died.

“I found out when I got back for the funeral that after the first episode, he turned to his wife and said: ‘he is going to win that’. But sadly, Dean never woke up and so hopefully I will make him proud,” she stated.

ITV doctor has shared a lesser-known menopause symptom that can occur when driving

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A GP has revealed a little-known symptom that can emerge while driving and impacts “lots of women”. The expert says this can happen during perimenopause or menopause.

Menopause is a natural phase of life that typically affects women aged between 45 and 55. It happens when hormone levels in the body drop to a level where periods cease.

Because of these hormonal shifts, the body can go through a variety of symptoms that can affect both physical and mental wellbeing. Most people are familiar with some of the more widespread effects, including hot flushes, mood swings, and brain fog.

However, Doctor Amir Khan, who is widely recognised for his appearances on ITV, highlighted a possible symptom you might not be aware of. In a video shared on his Instagram page, Dr Amir cautioned that women may begin to feel more anxious when in a vehicle.

He said: “Earlier today I was told by my sister, I was just chatting to her while I was driving, and she told me that she’s suddenly become really anxious when she gets into cars. Either when she’s driving or when she’s a passenger in the car, and that’s when it’s worse actually, when her husband or her kids are driving her somewhere.

“And she said she has to like hold on really tight and she comments on their driving and it’s not like her, it’s not like her at all. She actually used to be a bit of a girl racer, I remember when she was younger she was racing up and down the streets of Bradford.”

Dr Amir noted that this is actually “really common”, yet it’s not something people “talk about it enough”. He went on to say: “Anyway, I told her driving anxiety is really common around the perimenopause and menopause. Really common, and actually we don’t talk about it enough. And I think her hearing that and normalising it really helped her.”

Dr Amir went on to outline why this phenomenon can happen. “Because when oestrogen levels drop, remember chemicals in your brain are linked to oestrogen, so when oestrogen levels drop and progesterone levels drop as well, serotonin, your happy brain chemical goes down.

“GABA, that’s the big one, GABA, which is your calming brain cushion is taken away. And suddenly things that didn’t feel like a threat before suddenly feel really threatening and your brain goes into fight or flight mode.

“So that’s what’s happening to her and that’s what happens to lots of women during the peri and menopause and they don’t even know why. So that kind of driving anxiety is linked to low oestrogen, progesterone causing low serotonin, and GABA in your brain and it’s completely normal.”

Dr Amir outlined several approaches that might ease this symptom. He said: “So knowing that might help, HRT [hormone replacement therapy] might help, cognitive behavioural therapy might help, breathing exercises, grounding exercises can help as well but just knowing you’re not alone.”

Other symptoms

As listed by the NHS website, “common” symptoms of perimenopause and menopause can include:

• Changes to your mood, like low mood, anxiety, mood swings and low self-esteem
• Problems with memory or concentration (brain fog)
• Hot flushes, when you have sudden feelings of hot or cold in your face, neck and chest which can make you dizzy
• Difficulty sleeping, which may be a result of night sweats and make you feel tired and irritable during the day
• Palpitations, when your heartbeats suddenly become more noticeable
• Headaches and migraines that are worse than usual
• Muscle aches and joint pains
• Changed body shape and weight gain
• Skin changes including dry and itchy skin
• Reduced sex drive
• Vaginal dryness and pain, itching or discomfort during sex
• Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Sensitive teeth, painful gums or other mouth problems

Symptoms can last for months or years. The NHS says you should see a GP or nurse if you think you have perimenopause or menopause symptoms.