The RSPCA has suggested that a feline resident could offer “comfort and stability” at a northern government office, much like Larry the Cat at Downing Street.

Animal centres across Greater Manchester are already preparing potential candidates, in the hope of taking on the coveted title of Chief Mouser.

The campaign follows Andy Burnham’s suggestion that a northern headquarters for the UK government could be established in Manchester.

Disco Stu (Image: RSPCA)

Karen Colman, RSPCA superintendent for the North, said: “A new home, whether it is a private residence or a new seat of government, isn’t complete without a companion.

“Just as Larry has become a reassuring fixture amidst political turbulence, we believe a rescue cat could bring comfort, stability, and a much-needed paw of support to a new No 10 North.”

The RSPCA has highlighted several feline candidates, each with a story and a set of endearing credentials.

Freya, one of the cats shortlisted for the role, was rescued from a multi-cat household where she suffered malnutrition and lost her kittens.

Comic Book Guy (Image: RSPCA)

After gaining 25 per cent of her body weight in four weeks, Freya is now thriving and lives at the RSPCA Manchester and Salford Adoption Centre.

Two inseparable cats, Pie and Chips, are also in the running.

Described as the “perfect combo meal,” the pair are currently being cared for at RSPCA Hollingworth Lake Animal Centre and are seeking a quieter home where they can shine.

Patch (Image: RSPCA)

Patch, a seven-year-old cat rescued in December 2025, arrived virtually bald due to a flea infestation but has since made a full recovery.

Curious and full of personality, Patch loves to be involved in everything happening around her.

The shortlist also includes Cowboy, a 10-year-old who loves chin scratches and insists on drinking water from the tap, as well as Disco Stu and Comic Book Guy, who came into RSPCA care together after their previous owner could no longer look after them.

Pie and Chips (Image: RSPCA)

Tom, a young cat currently at RSPCA Altrincham Branch, is known for his playful obsession with hunting fluffy pompoms and his occasional attempts at playing fetch.

Despite the light-hearted campaign, the RSPCA is facing serious challenges.

Ms Colman said: “We need special people to open their hearts and homes to change these animals’ lives forever.

Tom (Image: RSPCA)

“RSPCA branches and centres find homes for almost 47 cats a day – two every hour – but rescued animals have been coming in at a quicker rate than they are adopted.

“Rising reports of cruelty and neglect, as well as increasing reports of large-scale cases involving tens, dozens or hundreds of animals have pushed us to crisis point.”

Cowboy (Image: RSPCA)

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The charity has also revealed plans for a state-of-the-art centre in the North West.

The proposed facility in Lowton, at Mossley Hall Farm, would combine veterinary care, rehabilitation, and rehoming services on a single site and is expected to create up to 150 jobs.

Those interested in adopting can visit rspca.org.uk/findapet to view all available rescue animals.

An autopsy revealed the twin girls died of dehydration and were underweight

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A mother and father have been charged after two 15-month-old twin girls were found dead in their bed while another child is in critical condition in hospital.

At around 1pm on Monday (June 29), emergency services scrambled to Beuvrages, near Valenciennes (Nord), in north France, to reports the two girls were unresponsive.

The mother and father, who live in social housing at the Société immobilière du Grand Hainaut (SIGH), had reportedly made the call that they found the girls unresponsive. An autopsy, performed on Tuesday (June 30), confirmed the girls died of dehydration and were also underweight, reports The Daily Star.

Their four other children in the house, aged three, four, five and six, were also found to be suffering from dehydration. According to RTL, one of the siblings has been airlifted from the home and remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The parents reportedly found the twins dead in bed and were allegedly in a state of rigor mortis, sources in France have claimed.

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Valenciennes prosecutor’s office said the parents were formally charged and remain in custody. The siblings of the deceased twins have all been taken into care by Child Welfare Services.

According to LeParisien, the prosecutor’s office stated that the family “was not under the supervision of a juvenile court judge” and no report had been filed.

The parents reportedly told police that they had put the girls to bed on Sunday evening (June 28) at around 7pm. They were next found dead 18-hours later.

According to the mayor of Beuvrages, the family had recently moved in about two months ago.

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Gilfoyle spent 17 years in prison following the death of his wife

A new true crime documentary will explore the story of Eddie Gilfoyle, who was jailed for killing his pregnant wife Paula.

Gilfoyle’s story features in the third episode of the new Channel 4 series The Accused: Beyond Reasonable Doubt. It will air on Thursday night (July 2) at 10pm.

The new series tells the stories of people fighting convictions that they believe are a miscarriage of justice. After years in prison they attempt to overturn their guilty verdict. Episode one examined Jason Moore, who was sent to prison in 2013 for the murder of his ‘close friend’ Robert Darby.

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Last week’s second episode was centred around Stacey Hyde, who was jailed for killing her best friend’s boyfriend when she was a teenager. The series has been praised for how it examines the impact on those who maintain their innocence.

Eddie and Paula Gilfoyle appeared the perfect couple, having recently tied the knot and were expecting their first child together in June 1992. Appearing as a happy couple, tragedy soon struck.

Paula, who was eight and a half months pregnant, was found hanged in the garage of their home in Upton, Wirral. She was just 32 years old at the time of her death.

While all the evidence pointed towards a tragic act of suicide, Gilfoyle was arrested just four days later. He was soon charged with his wife’s murder.

Police had found a handwritten note at the scene, pointing to Paula’s death being deliberate on her part. However, prosecutors said at former Army medic Gilfoyle’s trial that he had forced his wife to write the suicide note. The jury was also told that he convinced her to put a noose around her neck and climb a ladder.

Despite protesting his innocence and denying the allegations, Gilfoyle was found guilty of murder and handed a life sentence. He spent 17 years behind bars.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which investigates possible miscarriages of justice, inherited an application for review of the conviction after an expert prosecution witness changed their view about the likely cause of death. While the CCRC referred the conviction to the Court of Appeal in March 1999, the court upheld the case in December of the following year.

With Gilfoyle and his legal team making repeated efforts for the case to be examined, the CCRC declined to refer his case back to the Court of Appeal. Complaints issued by Gilfoyle about the case include claims that investigating officers walked through the crime scene, the destruction of evidence and a lack of proper investigation.

While he was eventually released on license 17 years after his wife’s death, Gilfoyle is still fighting to clear his name. The new episode of The Accused will see him talking about his version of what happened and why he kept fighting for nearly two decades in prison.

Also appearing in the documentary are legal experts and psychologists, who will examine whether Gilfoyle has any other way to clear his name. Gilfoyle’s case has previously been explored in a BBC Panorama special.

The Department for Work and Pensions has introduced new Eligibility Verification powers allowing banks to flag accounts of Universal Credit, Pension Credit and ESA claimants where savings exceed £16,000 or there are signs of extended time spent abroad. Banks cannot share transaction data or special category information, and no automatic benefit decisions will be made on the data alone.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released guidance outlining what banks and financial institutions may be required to monitor under new benefit Eligibility Verification powers.

The new framework forms part of the UK Government’s broader offensive against fraud and error within the welfare system, and will initially cover those claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Under the Eligibility Verification Measure (EVM), banks may be obliged to scrutinise accounts receiving certain DWP benefits and identify instances where accounts meet specific “eligibility indicators” tied to benefit regulations.

The DWP stated the checks are intended to help detect incorrect payments arising from fraud, claimant error or official error, while also preventing claimants from accumulating substantial overpayments that subsequently need to be recovered.

According to the new Code of Practice on Eligibility Verification Notices, banks could be required to flag accounts where savings surpass benefit thresholds, reports the Daily Record.

For Universal Credit, this could encompass accounts holding more than £16,000, which represents the upper capital limit for the benefit.

The guidance further states that the DWP may request information relating to signs that a claimant has spent more time overseas than benefit rules ordinarily permit.

Nevertheless, the DWP confirmed there are stringent legal restrictions governing what banks are permitted to share. The Code stipulates that financial institutions are forbidden from disclosing transaction details, which means the DWP is unable to access information about individuals’ purchases, shopping habits or personal spending patterns.

Banks are equally barred from sharing “special category data”, encompassing details relating to political opinions, religious beliefs, ethnicity or health information.

The guidance states: “DWP is prohibited by law from sharing personal data with financial institutions under this power, and from requesting transaction information and special category data.”

What banks cannot share

The document further clarifies that the DWP is not permitted to request that banks search for named benefit claimants.

The code repeatedly emphasises that strict limitations govern the information banks are able to provide.

DWP said financial institutions are prohibited by law from sharing:

• Transaction histories
• Spending information
• Financial statements
• Special category data such as political opinions, religion or ethnicity

Rather, financial institutions would apply eligibility criteria across their own systems and only return limited information where accounts match the indicators set out in an Eligibility Verification Notice (EVN).

The information that may be passed on to the DWP encompasses account details, names and dates of birth linked to accounts, and details demonstrating how an account satisfied the eligibility indicator.

This could include confirmation that savings surpassed a certain threshold or evidence that an account had been regularly used outside the UK.

The DWP stressed that information returned by banks does not automatically mean somebody has done anything wrong. The Code states: “No decisions about benefit entitlement will be made automatically on this information alone.”

Instead, the DWP must cross-reference the information with existing evidence held on a claim before determining whether further investigation is warranted.

The guidance further confirms that a “Test and Learn” rollout phase will take place, initially involving a limited number of financial institutions prior to any broader expansion.

Throughout this period, the DWP has stated it will evaluate the system’s effectiveness, the reliability of the data, and whether the safeguards are functioning as intended before proceeding with wider implementation.

The DWP estimates benefit fraud and error resulted in £9.6 billion of overpayments during the 2025/26 financial year.

Pitbull will be headlining Blackweir Live in Cardiff on Saturday, July 4

Global superstar Pitbull will be the latest artist to headline Blackweir Live in Cardiff this weekend. He will be following in the footsteps of The Cure, Teddy Swims and Lewis Capaldi who have performed at Blackweir Fields this summer gig season.

The Grammy Award-winning rapper, singer, songwriter and actor will bring his legendary party atmosphere to the Welsh capital on Saturday, July 4. Pitbull aka Mr Worldwide, whose concerts are renowned for thousands of fans donning suits and bald caps, will be headlining the expansive venue as part of his I’m Back! Tour.

Last year, fans sparked a viral sensation during his high-energy European tour, with tens of thousands wearing bald caps and dubbing themselves “The Bald E’s” in tribute to his trademark look and larger-than-life persona, and we can expect the same this Saturday in the Welsh capital. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here

With the I’m Back! Tour, Pitbull promises to continue embracing this phenomenon, bringing his unstoppable party energy to the streets of Wales with anthems including Fireball, Hotel Room Service, Give Me Everything, Timber and Don’t Stop The Party,

Boasting an even grander stage, jaw-dropping visuals, explosive pyrotechnics, and a catalogue of hits that have amassed billions of streams alongside hundreds of gold and platinum certifications, Pitbull will take to the stage accompanied by his band, The Agents, and dancers, The Most Bad Ones.

When the gig was announced, Nick Saunders, founder of DEPOT Live said: “Pitbull presents the ultimate party so where better to bring that than Cardiff.

“This will be an unmissable night filled with hit after hit and with the phenomena created around his shows earlier this year, we expect to see a lot of bald caps in honour of Mr Worldwide.”

Here is everything you need to know about Pitbull’s Blackweir Live gig. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here

When is Pitbull performing at Blackweir Live 2026?

Pitbull will be taking to the stage on Saturday, July 4, at Blackweir Fields.

Line-up for Pitbull at Blackweir Live.

Pitbull will be accompanied by Lil Jon, who will serve as his support act for the performance.

Lil Jon is American rapper and record producer who is best known for his distinct voice on tracks like Yeah! with Usher and Ludacris.

He does however feature on several songs with Pitbull including, Damn I Love Miami, Culo, Jumpin, Krazy and Satalanaaa to name a few. Perhaps Welsh audiences can expect Pitbull to bring out his special guest for a couple of songs.

Event timings for Pitbull at Blackweir Live.

Gates will open at 5pm. Organisers are encouraging attendees to arrive early in order to avoid lengthy queues.

Blackweir Live are yet to announce what the event timings for Pitbull, but we will update this when they have been announced.

Set list for Pitbull at Blackweir Live.

There is no confirmed setlist for Pitbull but based on his performance at 3Arena in Stockholm, Sweden on Thursday, June 23 we are anticipating something along these lines.

1. Don’t Stop the Party
2. Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor)
3. Hotel Room Service
4. International Love
5. Rain Over Me
6. I Feel Good
7. Suave
8. Echa pa’lla (manos pa’rriba)
9. Bon, Bon
10. The Anthem
11. Shake
12. Culo
13. I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)
14. On the Floor
15. I Like It
16. DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love
17. Feel This Moment
18. Gasolina
19. JUMPIN
20. Damn I Love Miami
21. Timber
22. Time of Our Lives
23. Fireball
24. Give Me Everything

Banned items for Pitbull at Blackweir Live

• Chairs, portable seating, foldable furniture, and inflatables are not permitted at any Blackweir 2026 concerts, including in The Garden area.
• No rucksacks or backpacks larger than A4 size are permitted. Bag searches will be in operation at all entry points.
• You are not permitted to bring food or drink into the venue. But. if you have a medical condition or specific dietary requirement (e.g. allergies, coeliac, diabetes), contact organisers in advance to request permission to bring food or drink for personal consumption. Supporting documentation, such as a doctor’s letter or confirmation from the NHS app, may be required and should be shown to security on entry, along with a confirmation email, once approved. Please keep any permitted food or drink with you at all times.
• Dogs are not permitted on site, except for assistance dogs.
• Bags larger than an A4 piece of paper are not permitted. All bags are subject to a search so please avoid bringing one where you can, to speed up entry to the festival.

Food and drink

A wide variety of food and drink stalls will be available throughout the Castle grounds. Please note that no outside food or drink may be brought into the venue.

Free water refill stations are provided on site. Each attendee may bring two sealed water bottles (maximum 500ml), along with two empty reusable water bottles.

Those with a medical condition may bring diet-specific food and drink, provided they have a doctor’s note.

All food outlets and bars operate on a cashless basis, so please ensure you have an alternative means of payment.

How to access Blackweir Live

Entry to the Blackweir Live site is via North Road into the park, then follow the signage for your entrance, including the accessible entrance.

Here is a map that has been provided by Blackweir Live:

Road closures for Pitbull at Blackweir Live

The roads listed below will be shut between 4pm and midnight to accommodate these events.

The following roads will be closed between 4pm until midnight to facilitate these events.

• Castle Street throughout its length, from the junction with Westgate Street
• Duke Street and Kingsway in their entirety
• North Road from the junction with Colum Road down to Boulevard De Nantes; and Boulevard De Nantes to the junction with Park Place. (Buses will be granted access via Park Place / Boulevard De Nantes and onto The Friary to gain access to Greyfairs Road).
• Cowbridge Road East from Cathedral Road through to the junction with Westgate Street with access to Westgate Street being permitted.

Access to part of the Civic Centre will be managed throughout the day from 7am.

Affected roads include:

• King Edward VII Avenue
• Museum Avenue
• City Hall Road
• College Road
• Gorsedd Gardens Road.

The right-hand turn from Colum Road into Corbett Road will also be suspended during the road closure period to allow and manage access for residents and businesses off Corbett Road.

Where to park

There is no on-site parking at Blackweir Live, though a number of public car parks are available throughout the city.

Parking is available at the Civic Centre and Sophia Gardens.

To reach the Civic Centre, exit at Junction 32 of the M4, head south along the A470 towards the city centre and follow the signs for the Civic Centre.

For Sophia Gardens parking, exit at Junction 32 off the M4.

City centre car parks including St David’s Shopping Centre, John Lewis, Capitol Shopping Centre, and NCP (Adam Street, Dumfries Place and Greyfriars Road) will also be open to those arriving by car.

Buses

Local bus services will be diverted while the city centre road closures are in place. Please visit the relevant bus operator’s website for more information about your specific bus routes.

National Express coaches will depart as normal from Sophia Gardens.

Can you still get tickets to Pitbull?

Tickets are available via Ticketmaster starting from £108.15, with the option to purchase the additional Garden upgrade for £57.75 each (not including ticket).

You can find more information and buy tickets from Ticketmaster here.

Ticket info

All Blackweir tickets operate on mobile entry – meaning your phone serves as your ticket, so you should download your tickets before heading to the festival site.

Follow the steps below before departing for the event to ensure your tickets can be scanned for entry, irrespective of the signal strength at the venue.

1. Download or update the latest version of the Ticketmaster app on your phone.

2. Locate your order in My Events.

3. Access your tickets by tapping View Barcode.

Once you have viewed your tickets in the Ticketmaster App, your ticket is automatically saved. Please make sure you do not log out of the app.

Screenshots of your barcodes will not gain you entry.

Sir Mark Jones is stepping down as chairman of Historic Environment Scotland (HES) just nine months into a four-year tenure.

The chairman of Scotland’s scandal-hit heritage body has resigned less than a year into the role. Sir Mark Jones is stepping down as chairman of Historic Environment Scotland (HES) just nine months into a four-year tenure.

The quango, responsible for hundreds of historic properties, including Edinburgh Castle, has been rocked by a series of controversies in recent years.

Last year, it was reported a senior leader at the organisation was sanctioned for allegedly “twerking” in front of actor Martin Compston. The Press Association asked the actor about the incident at the time but he refused to be drawn.

The body also faced allegations of corruption and an internal racism row. Meanwhile, a report by the auditor general in 2025 found it had “unacceptable weaknesses” in leadership.

It said HES lacked “sufficiently robust policies” in place to mitigate the risk of fraud. The controversies led to both its chairman and chief executive being replaced in 2025.

The public body is looking for a new chair again after announcing Sir Mark was stepping down.

HES said: “Sir Mark Jones remains chair of Historic Environment Scotland and will continue in the role until a successor is appointed to ensure a smooth handover. We are grateful for Sir Mark’s leadership and commitment to HES during a challenging period for the organisation.”

Responding to Audit Scotland’s report last year, Sir Mark had said he accepted the “serious governance issues and cultural problems identified”.

He spoke about the “impact of recent leadership instability” – with the report claiming it is “unacceptable” that the organisation operated without an accountable officer for almost six months, between May 2 and October 20 last year, when chief executive Katerina Brown returned to work.

Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservative culture spokesman, said: “The chairman’s premature resignation is further evidence of the SNP’s chronic mismanagement of this toxic quango.

“Historic Environment Scotland has spent years mired in scandal and crisis while the former culture secretary, Angus Robertson, was asleep at the wheel, failing to engage with the board and misleading parliament about his supervision of the organisation.

“Now the man brought in by the SNP to sort out the bullying and grotesque misuse of funds has thrown in the towel after barely a year in the post.

“Sir Mark Jones has a distinguished record but he has clearly not received the support from ministers that the SNP government promised.

“HES receives more than £70million worth of taxpayers’ money every year, so nationalist ministers must sort out this mess immediately.”

Culture Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “The Scottish Government is grateful to Sir Mark for his service. During a period of significant scrutiny and change, he has provided strong leadership. We appreciate his commitment and the valuable contribution he has made.”

Another child has been airlifted to hospital from the home and remains in critical condition

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Horror has unfolded at a commune where two twin infant girls were discovered dead and their four siblings found suffering from dehydration.

Police have charged the parents of the 15-month-old twin girls after emergency services were called to Beuvrages, near Valenciennes (Nord), France, at around 1pm on Monday (June 29) where the girls were found dead in their bed. It is reported the twins were already in a state of rigor mortis when paramedics arrived.

An autopsy on Tuesday has revealed the twin sisters died of dehydration and were also underweight at the time of their death, reports The Daily Star. Their four siblings who also lived in the house, aged three, four, five and six, were also found to be suffering from dehydration.

According to RTL, one of the siblings is currently in a critical condition in hospital after being airlifted from the home.

It is reported the mother and father, who live in social housing at the Société immobilière du Grand Hainaut (SIGH), had made the call to emergency services after reportedly finding the twins dead in bed.

Valenciennes prosecutor’s office said the parents were formally charged and remain in custody. The siblings of the deceased twins have all been taken into care by Child Welfare Services.

According to LeParisien, the prosecutor’s office stated that the family “was not under the supervision of a juvenile court judge” and no report had been filed.

The parents reportedly told police that they had put the girls to bed on Sunday evening (June 28) at around 7pm. They were next found dead 18-hours later.

According to the mayor of Beuvrages, the family had recently moved in about two months ago.

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Andre Onana has agreed a loan move back to Trabzonspor after it was made clear he had no future at Man Utd this season.

Andre Onana’s season-long loan to Trabzonspor will be announced within the next 24 hours, after he signed the paperwork to complete the deal on Thursday afternoon.

Manchester United and Trabzonspor agreed a deal for Onana’s return to the Turkish Super Lig side last week and that move is now set to be finalised after Onana returned from a holiday around a friend’s wedding.

United could receive a fee of up to €1.5million (£1.28m) from the Turkish outfit for Onana, but all of that depends on certain bonuses being met, such as Trabzonspor winning the domestic league or qualifying for the Champions League.

They will also cover the majority of Onana’s wages, and United are hopeful that if some of those clauses are met, the deal will eventually result in full wage coverage for the season.

The deal is a straight loan and doesn’t include an option or obligation to buy, so Onana will return to Old Trafford next summer with one year remaining on his contract after his £47million move from Inter Milan in 2023.

The 30-year-old enjoyed a successful loan spell at Trabzonspor last season, which ended with victory in the domestic cup and qualification for the Europa League, but he wanted to return to United and fight for his place in the team this season.

But Onana’s camp were told by United that he wouldn’t be able to dislodge No. 1 goalkeeper Senne Lammens and there was a view he wouldn’t be the right as a No.2 and was on too much money to fill that role.

If Onana wasn’t given the option to stay in Manchester, his priority was then to return to a club that welcomed him with open arms last season and where he enjoyed some success.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

The popular container-style leisure hubs, which have sites in Newcastle, Sunderland, Seaburn, and Durham, say they will screen Sunday night’s fixtures and remain open into the early hours of Monday morning to accommodate supporters eager to watch England’s knockout tie, which kicks off at 1 am.

In a message to customers, Stack promised two back-to-back matches shown live on big screens with full commentary and what it describes as its “unbeatable atmosphere.”

The evening will begin with Brazil v Norway at 9pm on Sunday, before DJs take over to build anticipation ahead of England’s crucial clash with Mexico in the early hours.

(Image: Supplied)

Organisers have confirmed all venues will stay open until 3 am, with free entry and no ticket required, as long as capacity allows.

Stack has become a fixture of the North East’s social scene in recent years, blending street food, bars, and live entertainment in repurposed shipping container complexes.

(Image: STACK)

Its Newcastle site, in the shadow of St James’ Park, is among the most prominent, while Stack Seaburn offers a seafront setting.

The venues have previously drawn large crowds for major sporting events, and operators are expecting another busy turnout as England’s World Cup campaign reaches the knockout stages.

With kick-off falling in the early hours, fans face a choice between an unusually late night or an equally early start to the working week – but Stack is betting that the occasion will be enough to keep supporters out well past midnight.