One resident believes “bigger cafés are taking over” from independent brands

People have said they find it ‘disappointing’ that some shops have ‘disappeared’ from their Cambridgeshire town’s high street. Over the years, many shops have disappeared from town and city high streets, leaving shoppers sad when some of their favourite brands leave.

This is the feeling for some residents in St Ives. Jackie Smith said St Ives is a “very safe” and “lovely” town, but said that more shops and cafés are leaving the high street.

She said: “The bigger cafés are taking over from the smaller people. We used to have one café down the road that has gone now.

“There’s a big Caffe Nero, but also a Costa opposite. Younger people can afford to go somewhere like Costa now. You couldn’t do that in my day!”

Derek Green said he finds it ‘disappointing’ that more shops are leaving the high street. He added: “That’s the only thing disappointing about St Ives. We used to have a lot more independents, like cafés and shops, but the bigger brands are taking over.”

His thoughts were echoed by another long-term resident, who wished to remain anonymous. They said the “high street is not what it used to be”.

They added: “We used to have a lot more shops than we do now, I mean you can see from how some are left empty. I guess it’s the same everywhere, but it’s a shame to see shops disappearing from the high street.”

Not only do people think there could be more in the high street, but they also think there could be more to the town’s market. Sara Jarlett, who runs a pick and mix stall in the market every Monday and Friday, thinks the market could be bigger.

She added: “Apparently years ago, the market used to be all the way down to the other side of the crossing. It’s a lot smaller now.” Sara thinks more stalls could be on offer at the market. She said: “You could get other stalls here like bric and brac.”

As well as improving the high street, some locals believe there is a problem with traffic in the town. Amelia Phillips said: “The traffic sometimes heading to Cambridge at commuting times is bad.”

Another woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said traffic in the centre has “become a problem”. She added: “There are a lot more cars on the road compared to when I moved here a long time ago. But, I guess that is the same everywhere else.”

Humberside Police said it happened in Kilham Lane, Kilham at around 7.30pm on Saturday, February 7.

A force spokesperson said a blue-coloured Ford S-Max, mounted a grass verge at the junction with Burton Lane in the village and hit a tree, after travelling south-west along Killham Lane.

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The spokesperson added: “Emergency services were deployed however an occupant of the car, a 31-year-old man, sustained fatal injuries and sadly died at the scene.

“His family have been informed and are being supported by specialist trained officers at this difficult time.

“A 34-year-old woman who was also in the vehicle was taken to hospital for treatment to injuries that are not thought to be life threatening.

“Extensive enquiries have been carried out over the course of the last week to establish the full circumstances around the collision, and we are now appealing to anyone who was in the area of Bridlington between the hours of 6pm and 7pm and may have seen or had some kind of interaction with the blue Ford S-Max prior to the collision.”

Humberside Police issued an image of the Ford S-Max as part of its appeal for witnesses and information.

The spokesperson said: “If you have any information, no matter how small, including dashcam footage, please contact us on our non-emergency number 101, quoting log 376 of 7 February 2026.”

He admitted he wants the iconic 90s pop group to extend their two-night farewell at the Emirates Stadium in London in June into a full tour

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Boyzone star Keith Duffy has admitted he wants the iconic 90s pop group to extend their two-night farewell into a tour.

The Irish heartthrobs will play their biggest headline shows ever in June at the Emirates Stadium in London over back-to-back nights having already sold out their initial gig and adding an extra date.

It was initially billed as their final ever performance – called One For The Road – to please their fanbase and the clamour for a comeback after the massive success of their three-part Sky Documentary No Matter What last year.

READ MORE: Ronan Keating says Boyzone tour would be ‘incredibly unhealthy’READ MORE: Ronan Keating’s Wild Atlantic: Boyzone singer set to explore Derry in new travel series

Keith, 51, will take a break from a UK-wide tour with his spin-off act Boyzlife – a duo with ex-Westlife singer Brian McFadden – to reunite with Ronan Keating, Shane Lynch and Mikey Graham for Boyzone’s final hurrah.

It will be their first performance together since a five-night run at the London Palladium in 2019. And Keith revealed: “It’s going to be over like that (clicks fingers). So we need to make sure we do enjoy it.

“Now it’s two nights now, we’re doing Friday and Saturday now, the Saturday is sold out. Both of them will be sold by then. But we’re going through all the usual rehearsals spaces, music, choreography, dancing – we’re going through the whole f***ing two, three-week rehearsal to do two nights – and then it’s done.

“That’s the thing about it. We’re going to be trained and tested. It’s a shame just to do two nights, we should do a whole f***ing tour.”

According to the Official Charts, Boyzone have racked up 18 UK Top 10 hits with six of them number ones, alongside five albums also topping the charts. Looking back on his breakthrough as a pop star with the band, Keith admitted it was a baptism of fire when they first found fame.

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He explained: “The promotional stuff was crazy. You’d be up at half five in the morning and you’d be still going at half 11 that night and it’s tiresome and there’s five guys in the back of a van going around Amsterdam, going around Dusseldorf, going around wherever and that’s when the s*** happens.

“That’s when you’re getting tired and grumpy and somebody’s annoying you and you’re crapping off at each other and then you’re just about to break up because it’s all just a f***ing pressure cooker of s***. And then you go on tour and you go out on stage and then you realise: ‘This is what it’s all about.’”

Keith’s other project Boyzlife kicked off their 2026 tour in Guilford this week and it will run until November with a break between for the Boyzone spectacular – but Keith said he only agreed to it as long as “Brian’s a part of it, absolutely”.

He said it hasn’t been decided yet whether Brian will be a support act for Boyzone or join the quartet for songs in a cameo appearance on the stage but insisted “they’ll definitely be something”.

The duo, who are both Manchester United fans and firm friends for decades now, will also use the stage to plug the second half of their own tour.

Keith added: “This is only the first half of our tour. We’ve 30 dates and we do Thursday to Sunday for eight weeks and then we have our festivals and our corporate gigs, our charity events, whatever the f***’s going on – but we have 30 more dates in October and November. So those dates are on sale now.

“So we’ll use the Boyzone show in June, put them up on the big screen, get him out on stage, do a couple of songs and sell them out.”

When the Boyzone show was first announced in September last year, singer Ronan Keating made it clear he felt it was a one off gig.

“We’re not making new music, it’s not a reunion,” Keating told BBC Breakfast. “There’s plenty of bands out there doing that.

“Everybody has been part of Boyzone’s journey, this story they’ve shared, they’ve cried with us, they’ve laughed with us through the documentary.

“And now, to get to Emirates together, all of us, and say our final farewell the way we want to do it, will be pretty powerful.”

However the huge demand for tickets means they are already extending the comeback to two nights.

*Boylife are on tour across the UK until November – visit www.boyzlife.co.uk for details.

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The disease is extremely infectious

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is alerting the public about when medical help should be sought after 96 new cases of a Victorian-era illness have been confirmed in England.

The latest figures reveal nearly 100 laboratory-confirmed cases were documented over a span of less than five weeks (from January to 2 February). UKHSA said on X, formerly Twitter: “A blotchy, sometimes raised, rash is one of the signs of measles. It’s not usually itchy, and it can look different on different skin tones. If you think you or your child has measles, contact your GP practice urgently or call NHS 111.”

Measles is extremely infectious, with a single person capable of passing it on to 15 other unvaccinated individuals on average. Measles generally begins with symptoms resembling a common cold, developing into a rash after several days and occasionally tiny spots inside the mouth.

Initial symptoms include fever, nasal congestion or runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and red, sore, watery eyes. The rash usually starts on the face and behind the ears, before spreading throughout the body.

Spots can combine to create blotchy patches and aren’t normally itchy. On white skin, the rash looks brown or red, though it may be harder to spot on darker skin tones.

NHS guidance adds that if you’ve received both doses of the MMR vaccine or have had measles before, it’s extremely unlikely you’ll catch the disease. People are advised to ring 111 or arrange an urgent GP appointment if they suspect they or their child may have measles, if their child is under one year old and has been in contact with someone with measles, or if they’ve been near someone with measles and are pregnant or have a weakened immune system.

Urgent medical advice should also be sought if:

• you or your child have a high temperature that hasn’t reduced after taking paracetamol or ibuprofen
• you or your child are experiencing breathing difficulties – you may feel more breathless than usual
• your baby or young child isn’t feeding well, or is consuming fewer feeds or fluids than normal
• you or your child are urinating less frequently (or your baby has fewer wet nappies)
• you or your child feel extremely unwell, or you’re concerned something is seriously wrong

Anyone diagnosed with measles should refrain from attending work, school or nursery for at least four days from when the rash first appears, and should avoid close contact with babies and anyone who is pregnant or has a compromised immune system.

Rory McIlroy said he felt ‘pretty encouraged’ by his efforts

Rory McIlroy took home a cheque for over a quarter of a million after a strong finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am on Sunday.

The Holywood man recorded his best score of the week with a blemish-free 64 to finish in a four-way tie for 14th place, pocketing £251,234 for his efforts.

McIlroy felt ‘pretty encouraged’ by his efforts at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am, which was won by Collin Morikawa, and his focus now switches to The Genesis Invitational later this week.

“That’s all I felt like I needed to tidy up, because the good stuff in there is really, really good,” he said. “Struck my irons well, drove it well for the most part. There was a couple of destructive tee shots yesterday [third round], but everything feels in pretty good shape.

“I wish I could have those four holes back this week. I played 68 really good ones and even you turn those three doubles into bogeys and that triple into a bogey, that’s five shots and all of a sudden you’re looking at a lead.

“All in all, some really good stuff this week and pretty encouraged going into next week for sure.”

McIlroy’s close pal Shane Lowry finished one shot ahead of him in a six-way tie for eighth place, earning £377,546 for doing so.

Meanwhile, world number one Scottie Scheffler fell just short in a thrilling final round, settling for his 18th consecutive top-10 finish.

The four-time major champion started the day trailing by eight strokes. Despite recording the first three-eagle round of his PGA Tour career and carding a 63, it wasn’t quite enough to clinch the win.

His impressive 20-under total was still two shots shy of Morikawa, who birdied the final hole for a 67. This last-minute surge allowed Morikawa to narrowly beat out Min Woo Lee, whose 65 put him in late contention, and Austria’s Sepp Straka (68) by a single stroke, securing his first victory in over two years.

Scheffler had an impressive start, seven under through seven holes and only two behind, but his momentum faltered at the eighth with the first of three bogeys. Despite consecutive birdies at the 10th and 11th holes, he couldn’t regain his earlier pace.

However, the American golfer can take solace in his consistent performance, having finished fourth or better in his last seven PGA Tour starts. This is a feat only matched twice in the past 40 years, both times by the legendary Tiger Woods.

“I had to do something special today to give myself a chance, I felt I needed to get to 21 or 22 under and played more aggressive than I normally do,” Scheffler admitted.

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Owen Hargreaves praised two of Mikel Arteta’s summer signings and backed Arsenal for a sensational season after the FA Cup win over Wigan Athletic. 

The Gunners booked their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup and kept their unlikely quadruple dreams alive with a 4-0 victory over League One side Wigan. 

Arteta’s side scored four goals in the first half an hour with Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus getting on the scoresheet. 

While Wigan limited the damage from then on, it was nevertheless a dominant and impressive performance from an Arsenal side still challenging for all four trophies. 

The Gunners are top of the Premier League with 12 games to go, safely through to the knockout stages of the Champions League and already in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.

‘Arsenal could win four trophies,’ Hargreaves said on TNT Sports. ‘They have built a brilliant team, so they have the depth and they have the squad.

‘They have an opportunity to create something special. Credit to Wigan in the second half as they defended better, but Arsenal just have too much firepower.

‘They are the favourites in the Premier League, they were the best team in the Champions League [league phase].

‘They have an opportunity to create something really special, but these last two or three months are decisive and they need to find a way to get over the line.

‘They could win four. It would be a big ask. If they win two, they will be happy. But I think Mikel Arteta will be really proud of where the team is at now, they just need to finish the job.’

Hargreaves reserved special praise for two of Arteta’s summer signing, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.

£67.5m signing Eze responded well from the blow to being subbed off at half-time in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brentford last week.

The England international was described as a ‘passenger’ by Peter Crouch after that game but was ‘the best player on the pitch’ against Wigan, according to Hagreaves.

‘I thought today he was incredibly sharp,’ Hargreaves said of the former Crystal Palace star. ‘Everything was quick, everything was precise.

‘There is no denying he is a really special player. Obviously, it’s difficult in a team like Arsenal, when they have so many top players and he’s finding his way in the team.

‘But today he was the best player on the pitch. Everything he did was exceptional.’

Arsenal legend Martin Keown also praised Eze after agreeing with his half-time substituion against Brentford.

‘I’m a big fan and you need these players – look at the injuries [Martin] Odegaard has had,’ Keown said. ‘But Eze has got to do more of this.

‘I think he’s a player who needs to be nearer to the goal. These are assists he’s getting, so get him higher up the pitch if you can. Look at this for a repertoire of passes that he has. He has everything in the locker.

‘He was more dynamic today, more confident. He’s at a big club now. When he was at Palace, he really made his mark there.

‘He scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final for Palace. Those big moments now need to come in an Arsenal shirt.’

On Eze’s Arsenal career to date, Keown added: ‘He’s finding his feet. He’s come in a bit late to an Arsenal situation.

‘When he was playing for Palace, I don’t think the defensive side of the game was top of the list.

‘Something happened in the Aston Villa game [a 2-1 defeat in December] where he switched off for a moment, and it was like, “You need to learn, need to defend a little bit more because it’s all there when you get the ball.”

‘But I’d like to see him a little bit further up the pitch because he’s got immense ability in front of goal. He’s got electricity in his feet. He can really hit a ball and score goals.

‘He scored in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of this competition last year for Palace. We need to see that in an Arsenal shirt.

‘He’s going to play an important part. If Arsenal are going to win the four trophies they are in the running for, he’s still an important player for the rest of the season.’

Eze’s Arsenal teammate Madueke also impressed Hargreaves in the emphatic FA Cup win over League One strugglers Wigan.

Eyebrows were raised when Arsenal agreed to pay £50m for the Chelsea winger last summer but Hargreaves is a fan.

‘Noni Madueke is a great player – he is a smart player, and he is a goalscorer,’ said the former Manchester United and Bayern Munich midfielder.

‘Again, today, his awareness of when to link play short and when to play in behind was terrific.’

Arsenal return to Premier League action on Wednesday night against basement boys Wolves before a north London derby against Tottenham at the weekend.

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Eberechi Eze shone in Arsenal’s win over Wigan in the FA Cup on Sunday and Mikel Arteta wants to see more of the same from him against tougher competition.

The Gunners strolled to a 4-0 win over the League One side at the Emirates to book their spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

They were four goals to the good after just 27 minutes thanks to strikes from Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and an own goal from Jack Hunt.

Eze was behind the first two goals from Madueke and Martinelli, providing two brilliant, line-breaking assists from deep.

It has been a difficult time for the England international, who has struggled for form and to hold down a place in the Arsenal starting XI.

The 27-year-old did start against Brentford in the Premier League at the weekend but was dragged off at half-time and Arteta suggested he was seeing much more of what he wants from him on Sunday.

Eze has not scored since his hat-trick against Spurs in November, but asked if his impressive showing against Wigan could be a confidence boost for him, Arteta said: ‘Yes, some superb goals and his intentions, I think the risk that he took in the final third, the amount of shots that he tried to take as well, I think that’s really positive.

‘That’s what I want from him.’

The manager added: ‘Those players need those moments and especially when we talk about the creative players, they need to feel that they are producing those moments and I’m very happy with that.

‘I’m very happy with Gabi [Martinelli] as well, the run that he made, the timing of that and then the finish in action, really, really positive. So it’s good for the mood, for the confidence, it’s a really good thing.’

Before the game Arteta had been asked if Sunday was a chance for Eze to show what he can do in an Arsenal starting XI, with the Spaniard telling TNT Sports: ‘To all of them. I think it’s not about individuals, every players is going to have better and worse games and today is a new one, a new challenge and we have to be really ready against this side.’

Amid Eze’s struggles to find his best form at Arsenal, there had been suggestion that he was finding it difficult to express himself in Arteta’s fairly rigid system, but the boss is suggesting that he wants his man to show off his creative flair.

Madueke was certainly impressed with his teammate’s showing, saying: ‘Yeah, he was unbelievable today.

‘He pulled all the strings from the middle and had a hand in all the goals so I’m really pleased for him.’

Arsenal will discover who they face in the last 16 of the FA Cup when the draw is made on Monday evening, but whoever it is, the tie will add to their hectic schedule.

The Gunners are leading the Premier League title race, still in the Champions League and FA Cup and have a date with Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final next month.

They are back in action on Wednesday night as they go to Wolves in the Premier League, looking to extend their lead at the top to seven points.

Martin Odegaard missed the clash with Wigan on Sunday through injury and Arteta expects Eze to be heavily involved in the games to come.

‘Yes, he’s already playing a big role,’ he said of the summer signing from Crystal Palace. ‘He’s played a lot of games for us and he will continue to do that.’

On Odegaard’s fitness, he added: ‘Martin we’ll have to wait and see. He picked that knock on the action when we conceded the goal [vs Brentford] and he wasn’t fit for today.’

MORE: Owen Hargreaves tells Mikel Arteta he has ‘really special player’ at Arsenal

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“We continue to need as much support as possible”

The girlfriend of a young man who is fighting for his life in Thailand after a scooter accident has shared a ‘remarkable’ update on his condition as she continues to plead for help.

Zak Forsyth was riding a scooter in the Southeast Asian country when it collided with a car earlier this month, his girlfriend Amy Elkin said. The driver took him to hospital, but the 21-year-old suffered serious and potentially life-changing injuries including two blots and a bleed on the brain.

Zak, from Huyton in Merseyside, is now in a coma in intensive care. He did not have medical or travel insurance, so all hospital and treatment costs must be covered by his family.

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Amy said Zak was sober at the time of the incident. She flew to Thailand last week to be by his side.

Amy has now shared an update on his condition via a fundraising page, the Liverpool Echo reports. She said: “Zak’s progress has been remarkable, especially considering how close we came to losing him.”

Amy described how medication has ‘successfully reduced the swelling on his brain slightly’, with other medication turning blood clots Zak had developed to fluid. Amy described this as a ‘positive development’ in the update.

She said: “Although Zak still has a long road to recovery ahead, he continues to make progress each day. I have never been prouder of someone in my life.

“While this update is positive, the hospital has made it clear that his condition could still change, depending on how his brain responds and heals. As expected, Zak is in significant pain and is receiving very strong medication to manage this.”

Amy described Zak’s injuries, saying his face was ‘severely damaged’ with multiple facial bones broken. She said he has since undergone a full facial reconstruction to repair his eye sockets, cheekbones, jaw and nose.

Amy added that metal plates have been inserted, and that Zak’s jaw has been wired shut to allow healing. She described Zak’s facial injuries as being ‘on a positive path to recovery’.

She added that Zak has undergone a tracheotomy and is now breathing independently, having earlier been placed on a ventilator, she said: “Many people have also asked about medical bills. Unfortunately, medical care abroad begins charging the moment you enter the hospital and continues until discharge.

“Costs increase daily simply for being admitted, in addition to charges for medication, surgery, ICU care, scans, blood transfusions, and all other treatments. Nothing is provided free of charge. We have also had to travel across the world to be by Zak’s side.

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“We are struggling with the ongoing medical costs, especially as every bill is marked as an estimate, meaning there is no fixed or final price.”

Amy added: “We continue to need as much support as possible to help Zak regain strength before we can bring him home to Liverpool. We would be extremely grateful if people could continue sharing the JustGiving page, as we do not know what tomorrow may bring.

“If Zak’s condition worsens and surgery becomes necessary, the hospital will demand immediate payment before proceeding. This has been one of the most distressing experiences for our family, with staff standing in his ICU room with a card machine.”

She previously told how police arrived at her home to inform the family of the accident after the British Embassy identified Zak. Anyone wishing to donate to the fundraiser can do so here.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was the UK’s trade envoy between 2001 and 2011, during which time it is alleged the former royal shared confidential information with Jeffery Epstein

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A former business secretary has called for a probe into possible corruption during Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s time as trade envoy for the United Kingdom.

Sir Vince Cable served as the United Kingdom‘s secretary of state for business and trade between 2010 and 2015. He told the BBC: “We need a police or DPP (director of public prosecutions) check on whether criminal corruption took place and a government investigation into how this was allowed to happen.”

The call for an investigation comes after documents released by the United States Department of Justice appeared to show the former prince sharing confidential reports with disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein during his role as the UK’s trade envoy.

Andrew served as trade envoy between 2001 and 2011.

The UK government guidance states that the role of a trade envoy carries a duty of confidentiality regarding sensitive information and the duty of confidentiality continues to apply after the expiry of their term of office.

Thames Valley Police have said they held discussions with specialists from the Crown Prosecution Service about the allegations.

The force said that while it cannot provide timescales over when a decision as to whether a criminal investigation will be opened, it can assure that it is making progress as quickly as possible.

The former duke made the visits to three Asian countries in his capacity as trade envoy in late 2010, which involved conducting meetings and trade talks.

An email dated November 2010 was forwarded by the former duke five minutes after being sent by his then-special advisor, Amir Patel.

Andrew told BBC’s Newsnight in 2019 that he had cut contact with the late Epstein in December 2010.

In February 2011, Andrew told Epstein he had visited a private equity firm and “thought of you” as the financier, who was reportedly “looking for somewhere for money to go”.

Andrew features several times in the US Department of Justice’s documents relating to Epstein. Appearing or being named in the files does not imply wrongdoing.

Andrew has continually and strenuously denied any wrongdoing.