The extreme weather sparked road closures and train disruptions early this morning – but the forecast is now expected to clear throughout the day.
The weather warnings have been lifted as Storm Dave eases on Easter Sunday, the Met Office have announced.
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The extreme weather sparked road closures and train disruptions early this morning – but the forecast is now expected to clear throughout the day.
An amber wind warning covering southern Scotland was lifted at 3am, while yellow warnings across the rest of the country was lifted later in the morning.
The Met Office’s forecast for Easter Sunday said: “Storm Dave will clear northeast on Sunday morning, leaving sunshine and widespread showers across the UK.
“Northern areas will see the heaviest, blustery showers and feel cold, while temperatures elsewhere stay closer to average for early April.”
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Before the severe amber weather warning was lifted, the Met Office had forecast “severe gales” across central and northern areas of the country overnight into Sunday.
In the early hours of Sunday, Traffic Scotland warned that several major bridges had restrictions in place due to strong winds, including the Queensferry Crossing on the M90, which connects Edinburgh with Fife and the nearby Forth Road Bridge on the A9000.
ScotRail confirmed emergency speed restrictions would be implemented across parts of its network, resulting in longer travel times.
As of 7am on Sunday, 12 flood warnings and eight flood alerts did, however, remain in place.
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The Energy Networks Association (ENA) – which represents electricity network operators – warned of potential power cuts and issued safety advice following the weather warnings.
It said in a statement on Saturday: “The storm has the potential to affect local power infrastructure, increasing the risk of a power cut and fallen power lines.
“Network operators are increasing staffing for operational teams, and moving spare equipment to where the weather is expected to be most disruptive, so it’s ready to use if needed.”
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Raval Indian Brasserie & Bar, located near the Tyne Bridge in Gateshead, has built a reputation as one of the region’s leading fine-dining destinations.
Sir Ian McKellen (Image: RAVAL)
In recent years, that reputation has travelled far beyond the North East, attracting a steady stream of A-list visitors.
Among the most notable names to dine at Raval is legendary actor Sir Ian McKellen.
The star of The Lord of the Rings and X-Men chose the restaurant during a visit to the region, a moment manager Nas Islam described as a particular honour.
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Claire King from Emmerdale (Image: RAVAL)
“It was a real privilege to welcome Sir Ian McKellen,” he said.
“For someone of his stature to choose to dine with us speaks volumes about the standards we aim to maintain every single day.”
The glittering guest list does not stop there.
Tony Hadley (Image: RAVAL)
Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole has been spotted enjoying the restaurant’s refined dishes, while acclaimed classical pianist Martin James Bartlett visited ahead of a performance at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, just a short distance away.
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Raval has also struck a chord with pop royalty.
Brendan Cole (Image: RAVAL)
Boyzlife duo Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden praised the food during a recent visit, and 1980s music icon Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet fame described his experience as “first-class”.
Television favourites have likewise been drawn through its doors.
Toadie from Neighbours (Image: RAVAL)
Emmerdale star Claire King, a long-standing fan favourite, and Ryan Moloney, known to millions as Jarrod “Toadie” Rebecchi in Neighbours, have both sampled the restaurant’s signature blend of authentic Indian flavours and contemporary presentation.
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Raval’s rise as a celebrity hotspot comes as little surprise given its growing list of accolades.
The restaurant was named Best Indian Fine Dining Restaurant outside London at the 2024 Asian Curry Awards and currently sits at the top of the British Indian Good Food Guide’s national rankings.
Known for its elegant setting and carefully curated menu, Raval has carved out a distinctive niche in the UK’s competitive fine-dining scene.
It is hard to believe that Easter is behind us and we are a third of the way through 2026.
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If you are the type to keep on top of your Bank Holidays to maximise your annual leave, you may be wondering when our next day off falls.
It is hard to beat a nice little long weekend so we have rounded up the remaining Bank Holidays in Northern Ireland for the rest of the year.
Whether you are looking to get a holiday booked or like to organise your nights out around a Bank Holiday weekend, there are six Bank Holidays left this year to work with.
Here is the list of the remaining Bank Holidays in Northern Ireland for 2026:
The C2K school system, provided by Capita, is used as a curriculum support and the Education Authority had apologised to those preparing for exams over the Easter break
20:43, 05 Apr 2026Updated 20:44, 05 Apr 2026
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The Education Authority is making “good progress” to restore access to a school IT system following a cyberattack.
The C2K school system, provided by Capita, is used as a curriculum support and the Education Authority had apologised to those preparing for exams over the Easter break.
In a statement on Sunday, the Education Authority (EA) said: “We are continuing to make good progress to restore access to the C2K system following the recent cyber attack.
“Our teams have been working hard through the weekend to restore access to the system safely and securely, starting with post primary schools.”
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It added: “This work will continue over the coming days, as we move to stand the system back up in all schools as soon as possible.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
The EA said the investigation is at an early stage and it “cannot yet be confirmed if any personal data has been affected”.
It said it would continue to provide updates on its social media channels and website.
Seven-time winners City, 4-0 victors over Liverpool, will be bidding for a place in the final for the fourth successive season having lost to Manchester United and Crystal Palace respectively following their last win in 2023, while the Saints will be looking to rekindle memories of their 1976 success.
The West Yorkshire club led 2-0 at the London Stadium, but saw the hosts score twice in added time to take it to an extra 30 minutes, only for the visitors to eventually triumph 4-3 on penalties and claim a place in the last four for the first time since 1987.
Chelsea, 7-0 victors over League One Port Vale, famously provided the opposition for Leeds in the 1970 final, which went to a replay eventually won by the Londoners, one of eight occasions on which they have won the FA Cup.
Chelsea and Leeds memorably contested the 1970 FA Cup final (Getty Images)
The ties will be played on Saturday 25 April 25 and Sunday 26 April at Wembley.
Rats carry lots of diseases and they can leave a mess behind so you might want someone else to help you with your rodent problem.
Let’s take a look at what you need to do and who you should call if you spot rats in your home or garden.
Who should you call if you find rats in your home or garden?
To report a pest problem, the government website encourages you to get in touch with your council to see if they provide pest control services to get rid of rats.
You can ask for help when it comes to removing rats from your home or garden (Image: Getty)
You can enter your postcode and the website will match the postcode to a council and direct you to their website for more information.
The website explains: “They are trained in rat control and will have access to a range of professional use rodenticides and tools, which are not available to the public.
“Knowing how much, where, and when to deploy products is where professionals are able to take control of situations efficiently. There’s also a growing issue with resistance, due to incorrect choice of rodenticide or widespread use by members of the public.
“Professional pest controllers will take an integrated pest management (IPM) approach to tackling your infestation.
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“A pest professional will have access to monitoring equipment, which they will use to confirm entry points into your property, the size of the infestation and to track the rat to its harbourage (nest).
“They can then recommend a proofing strategy and decide on the best course of action in terms of control; this could be traps, rodenticides or a combination of both.
“You should always expect to receive a full, written report from a professional pest technician.”
Recommended reading:
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You can find a pest management company using the BPCA website. You’ll need to enter your postcode and state whether your property is commercial or residential and the service you’d like.
Then, companies that are BPCA members and located in your area will be listed with contact details.
The BPCA says all of its members have the correct insurance and use trained and qualified technicians.
They all have to be audited to the British Standard in pest management EN 16636 and follow BPCA’s Codes of Best Practice.
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Have you spotted rats in your house or garden? Let us know in the comments below.
Days after HBO released the trailer for the forthcoming series adapted from J.K. Rowling’s beloved books, comedian Kam Patterson appeared Saturday on “Weekend Update” as Professor Severus Snape — a character previously played by the late white actor Alan Rickman, but now being portrayed by Black actor Paapa Essiedu.
After “Weekend Update” host Colin Jost introduced Snape, Patterson joked that the franchise’s titular character was “racist as hell.”
“We got this new kid. His name is Harry Potter, and he’s racist as hell,” Snape said. “Harry Potter — or, the Proud Boy Who Lived — spent the whole year telling everybody that the school’s only Black teacher was secretly evil.”
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Jost replied, referring to the plot of the first book in the series: “I think he’s just worried because he knows someone’s trying to steal the Sorcerer’s Stone.”
Kam Patterson played Professor Snape on a Weekend Update segment on ‘Saturday Night Live’ (NBC)
Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape in ‘Harry Potter’ (HBO)
Snape responded, “So somebody stole something, and the number one suspect is Black Snape?”
As the audience laughed, Snape joked that he was used to other characters jumping to conclusions with racist undertones.
“It happens all the time,” he said. “I showed up at Hogwarts, and on the first day they looked at me and said, ‘You’re the professor of the Dark Arts.’ I never even studied that! I majored in African Muggle Studies.”
“The whole wizarding world is racist,” Snape continued before joking about how Rowling’s books included a Black character named Kingsley Shacklebolt, which he said was “a name I’m guessing they got out of the Wu-Tang name generator.”
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“Everyone’s in these dignified robes. They dressed him up like he was selling cocoa butter incense out of a barbershop,” he said about the character’s portrayal in the original movies.
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Jost joked, “Well, for the very first time, I’m starting to think J.K. Rowling might be problematic.”
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Snape went on to say, “The whole wizarding world is messed up. We have magic, we have wands that can do anything, and people in my world still have slaves,” referring to the house elves in the series.
Patterson’s appearance concluded with Snape’s message to Harry Potter, referencing another plotline: “Your mama was thick as hell, dog. I miss her so much.”
Paapa Essiedu (left) is playing Professor Snape, who was previously played by Alan Rickman (right) (Getty Images / Warner Bros Pictures)
Essiedu’s casting has raised eyebrows, especially after the release of the first trailer, partly due to Snape being a figure that Harry mistrusts due to his own assumptions. However, the casting also sparked a wave of racist backlash against the actor over the fact that Snape was written as white.
“I’ve been told, ‘Quit or I’ll murder you,’” Essiedu told The Times. “The reality is that if I look at Instagram I will see somebody saying, ‘I’m going to come to your house and kill you.”
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He said, “Many people put their lives on the line in their work. I’m playing a wizard in Harry Potter. And I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally.”
Dressed in a pastel pink corset complete with bunny ears and a bow tie from Ann Summers, Helen’s cheeky Easter outfit quickly caught the attention of fans.
One wrote: “You look so beautiful Helen, wishing you and your family a lovely Easter.”
Another added: “Wow, that’s an Easter bunny.”
Helen Flanagan in her Easter finery (Image: Instagram/HelenFlanagan)
The 35-year-old regularly teams up with the high-street lingerie retailer for seasonal collaborations.
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It comes after a whirlwind few months for the mum-of-three, who swapped the stage in Bolton for the drama of reality TV.
In February, the former Westholme School pupil took to the stage at the Octagon Theatre, starring in The Memory of Water.
Playing Catherine in the emotional yet witty production, Helen showcased a different side to her talents in front of a home crowd, with the show proving a hit among theatre-goers.
But there’s been no rest. Just weeks later, she was back in front of the cameras — this time appearing on Celebrity Ex on the Beach.
Filmed in a luxury villa, the Paramount+ show sees a group of famous faces navigating explosive relationships, shock arrivals and plenty of jaw-dropping moments.
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Helen has long-standing links to Lancashire and Bolton, and fans will no doubt be enjoying seeing her back in the spotlight — whether on stage, on screen, or lighting up social media.
In a recent interview, she said: “I know who I am. And I think my children will always have respect for me, because all they see is their mum working hard to provide for them.”
She added: “In ten years’ time, I think I will have a lovely husband; a man who will be my best friend. By the time I am 45, I think my life will be peaceful and that I will be really, really happy…”
Our thoughts are with those who have lost a loved one
Announcing the passing of a loved one in local news media is a long standing tradition and we are proud of the trust placed in us to make these important announcements. Every notice published to our newspaper and news site also appears on funeral-notices.co.uk – the UK’s number one site for death notices and memoriams.
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Every notice remains online forever providing friends and families with a lifelong tribute to their loved one, a safe place online to share memories, add tributes, photographs and make donations in memory.
Each week we pay tribute to the loved ones remembered in our area with a funeral notice and online tribute page. To read the latest announcements and add tributes to those from our area who have passed away, or to create a funeral notice yourself, click here. Alternatively, you can create a notice by calling 01482 908084.
Here are a selection of notices published earlier this week.
(Jan) (Née Dawson) of Cambridge, passed away at her home on Saturday 7th March 2026. Loving wife of Ian, much loved mum of Rachel and Lorraine and adored nana, who will be sadly missed by all her family and friends. Funeral service at Histon Baptist Church on Monday 20th April at 1.00 pm followed by private burial at Fulbourn Cemetery. Family flowers only please, but if desired, donations, made payable to Addenbrookes Charitable Trust (for the Breast Unit) may be left at the service or sent c/o R. J. Pepper & Son Family Funeral Directors 1, Telegraph Street, Cottenham, Cambridge, CB24 8QU Tel: 01954 251919
Passed away peacefully on Saturday 14th March 2026, aged 76 years. He will be sadly missed by all his family and friends. A funeral service will take place at Cam Valley Crematorium, on Monday 20th April, at 10.30am. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, may be made in memory of Malcolm to Macmillan Cancer Support via his ‘In-Memory’ page www.peasgoodandskeates.co.uk or sent c/o Peasgood & Skeates, Shire Hill, Saffron Walden, CB11 3AQ.
Of Cambridge. Passed away on Thursday 19th March 2026 at Arthur Rank Hospice, aged 52 years. Dearly loved Mother to Jake, Tom, Alfie and Mollie (and Oscar the dog). Treasured Sister to Matthew and Ben. Sara shall be deeply missed by all. Funeral service to be held on Friday 10th April 2026 at Cambridge City Crematorium, West Chapel at 10:15am. Donations, if desired, to the benefit of Arthur Rank Hospice Charity may be made online via Sara’s personal InMemory page at www.peasgoodandskeates.co.uk All other enquiries to 617 Newmarket Road Cambridge CB5 8PA Tel: 01223 415255
Sadly passed away peacefully on 20th March 2026, aged 75 years. She will be greatly missed. Funeral service to take place at Cambridge City Crematorium on Friday 17th April at 1:30pm. No flowers please. Donations in memory of Judy will be gratefully received for Arthur Rank Hospice Charity and can be made by visiting her In Memory Page at www.peasgoodandskeates.co.uk or sent c/o Peasgood and Skeates, 45 Moorfield Road, Duxford CB22 4PP.
Died peacefully at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, Lynne (formerly of Borrowdale, Cambridge) aged 78 years. The dearly loved mum of Nick, Nadine, Nathan and Laurence and granny of Daphne and Zachary. Funeral details to follow. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Woodland Wishes funeral services, 4 High Street, Fulbourn, Cambridge CB21 5DH 01223 880002
Ken, beloved husband, father, son and brother died suddenly and unexpectedly on 2nd March 2026. The Thanksgiving memorial service will take place on Tuesday 31st March at 2.30pm, Victoria Methodist Church BS8 1NU, following a family cremation at noon at Canford. Formerly of Mill Hill and Muswell Hill London, Ken followed his wife, Pearl’s church ministry which took them to Cambridge, St Ives, Kenton, Sunbury and Lambeth, finally Downend, Bristol and retirement in Shirehampton. Ken died at 66, a few months after stopping work in late 2025. He was an admired and diligent colleague in many fields, especially social work, advice work, volunteer coordinating and working wiith both adults with learning difficulties and the elderly. He was bookish and his last job was with Bristol Home Library Service. Ken was an especially gifted storyteller and Methodist preacher. He was also an enthusiast for history and tour guiding. Noteably Ken had been Mr Brunel for a season and acted as a guide on the Bath buses a few seasons running. Tributes and donations here please: https://kennethgrahamluxon.muchloved.com/ or to ‘All we Can’ and ‘Hope and Play’
Sadly passed away on 10th February 2026, aged 61 years. Much loved son, brother, uncle and cousin. He will be greatly missed. Funeral service to take place at St. Felix Catholic Church, Felixstowe on Friday 17th April at 11am. Family flowers only please. Donations in memory of Sean may be made to Diabetes UK online at seanmunnelly.muchloved.com or sent c/o David Button Independent Funeral Directors, The Old Bank, 225 High Street, Walton, Felixstowe IP11 9DT.
Died on 19th March 2026 aged 92 years. Funeral Service to take place at St Peter’s Church, Duxford on Tuesday 14th April 2026 at 2.00pm. All enquiries to Peasgood & Skeates, Tel: 01223 833463.
(Mitchell) Wife of the late Professor Alan A Wells, died peacefully on 18th March 2026 at The Grange, Littleport. Late of Grove House, Mepal. Deeply missed by her children, Nick, Nigel, Sophie, Robin and Adrian, and their partners, grandchildren and great grandchildren. The funeral will be held in St Mary’s Church Mepal, CB6 2AJ on 22nd April 2026 at 3pm, followed by private cremation for family only. Family flowers only please. Donations if desired, for Great Ormond Street Hospital, may be given at the service or online donations can be made via RJ Pepper, Funeral Directors, 14 Prickwillow Road, Ely, CB7 4QT. Any enquiries to RJ Pepper, tel: 01353 665300.
Sadly passed away at Littleport Grange on Tuesday March 24th 2026 aged 96 years. Husband to the late Daphne and Father to Katharine, Sheila and Leslie, father in law to Paul and Ben and a dear grandfather and great grandfather Funeral service at Fenland Crematorium, March on Thursday April 16th at 2-30pm. Family flowers only, donations if desired will be gratefully received for the British Heart Foundation at the service or c/o A.G. Carter Funeral Director, 6 Froize End, Haddenham, Cambs, CB6 3UQ.
To add your own tributes to the loved ones from our area, or to publish a notice for your loved one, visit funeral-notices.co.uk
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Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those we have lost.
The FA Cup semi-final draw has been set, with Chelsea and Manchester City learning who they will face at Wembley Stadium as they look to secure their place in the final for the first time since 2022.
The Blues are yet to face top-flight opposition in this year’s campaign, easing past Charlton Athletic, Hull City, Wrexham and Port Vale to reach the semi-final stage.
And they will face their toughest opponent of the tournament so far with a final berth on the line, hosting Leeds United at Stamford Bridge.
It is a tie steeped in history, dating back to an acrimonious final in 1970 settled in a replay by a famous goal from David Webb.
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West Ham rallied late as they faced Leeds in the quarter-final, scoring twice in injury-time to force an extra half-hour. An injury to Alphonse Areola then saw 20-year-old senior debutant thrown into the tie between the sticks for the shootout, and, while he saved from Joel Piroe, he could not keep the Irons in the tie.
Southampton are now the lowest-ranked side left in the competition and the only non-Premier League contender. They stunned Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal 2-1 on Saturday to keep their campaign alive, quashing the Gunners’ treble dreams in the process.
The Saints will now bid to become the first finalist from outside the top flight since Cardiff City in 2008, but must get the better of Man City if they are to do so.
Semi-final ties will be played the weekend of April 25-26.
‘I spend my days walking the streets I love, telling the story of the city that shaped me. What started as an idea during a run has now become my career’
19:21, 05 Apr 2026Updated 19:23, 05 Apr 2026
Corey’s Journey from Amazon Warehouse Shifts to Belfast Dander Tours
Meet Corey McConkey, a 25-year-old entrepreneur who swapped a warehouse job to follow his dream: running one of Belfast’s top-rated walking tours.
Just a few months ago, Corey was working as an Amazon packer, feeling stuck and unfulfilled. Then he decided to take a leap and build something of his own.
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Spotting an opportunity in the city’s growing tourism sector, Corey launched a walking tour – Belfast Dander Tours – from scratch, listing it on GetYourGuide, promoting it with QR-code flyers, and building momentum through grassroots outreach.
Today he runs one of the city’s highest rated tours and has turned his passion for local history into a profitable full-time business. And he hasn’t looked back especially since he can now earn more in a single tour than he once made in a week.
Corey credits his brother with giving him the nudge towards his career change, telling Belfast Live: “One day my brother was doing a run at City Hall. He ran past and saw a huge group of people. He got a listen in, found out it was a tour group and he came home and he said, ‘Corey, I think you’d be great at that You love history, you’re very good at communicating and also you’re a Belfast local too’ which I think adds the experience to people want to do tours with local people.
“I laughed at first and thought it sounded ridiculous but the idea stuck. I love talking, I love communicating. I got the idea to just try and do it. At the time I was working in an Amazon warehouse and feeling miserable. I’m naturally sociable – I like people, conversations and the back-and-forth. But in the warehouse, there was none of that; it was just noise, repetition and long shifts.
“I began researching walking tours in Belfast and many of them focused heavily on The Troubles. Don’t get me wrong – that history is important. It shaped this place. But it’s not the whole story.
“I’m a local man and felt I’d be able to give a good experience. So one day I just pulled the van over and texted my boss, saying this will be the last shift I ever do at Amazon.”
Corey says his tour is all about craic and culture: “We’re not just going to talk about dates, facts and figures, we’re going to walk around the city centre, you’re going to learn about the culture but also you’re going to have the craic.
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“Belfast is a very young city in terms of tourism. For a long time there wouldn’t have been tourists in Belfast, the hop-on, hop-off buses would have had maybe one or two people at most. There was no such thing as a tour guide, there was no such thing as tourism.
“I’ve tried to make my tour unique in that I’ve tried to combine all of Belfast’s history in the walking tour from its industrial beginnings from the linen to shipbuilding to World War II to The Troubles.
“Instead of joining an established operator, I listed my experience directly on GetYourGuide and launched my own walking tour. I printed simple flyers with QR codes linking to my page and walked into hotels around the city, asking if they’d leave them at reception.
“I’ll never forget the first big group that I got I remember when 19 people in a French school group booked in so in just a few hours, I’d earned more than I would in a full week at Amazon. That was the moment it all felt real: this wasn’t just a side hustle – it could actually work. I initially thought it would just be a stepping stone to the next job, but then I realised, ‘Wow, people really enjoy this’.”
And Corey says he’s only just getting started: “I want to develop new themed tours, expand what I offer and build ‘Dander’ into a recognisable Belfast brand. Tourism here is still growing, and I see huge potential in that. Belfast keeps changing – and I want my business to grow alongside it.
“It’s great when you wake up and you see a load of bookings from all different people, you know it’s gonna be a good day, you have a nice walk around the city centre. I remember that saying ‘if you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life’. I just thought that was a phrase and I really do feel it now to be honest – it’s awesome.
“Now, I spend my days walking the streets I love, telling the story of the city that shaped me. I turned a throwaway comment from my brother into a sustainable business. What started as an idea during a run has now become my career.”
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You can find out more about Belfast Dander Tours here.
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