The group are believed to have arrived and set up an encampment on the New House Farm playing field opposite St Osmunds Primary School near Blenheim Road in Breightmet last week.

They have since moved on before court summons could be served requiring them to do so, but to residents’ dismay appear to have left mess and disruption in their wake.

Cllr Sean Fielding, of Breightmet, said: “When the Travellers arrived last Friday the council immediately started the legal process required to move them on.

Concerns have been raised about the condition the area was left in (Image: Public)

“In the end they left before the court summons could be served but sadly, they’ve left a mess in the area.

“I have spoken with environment and greenspace today to arrange for the area to be cleaned up.”

The group remained camped around the playing fields for around a week, with cars and caravan parked around the area.

They were still in place as of Tuesday June 9 this week, but Bolton Council said that a court summons requiring them to move would be served on or before this Friday.

The group has since moved on (Image: Public)

When The Bolton News approached people at the site last week, a woman said: “We’re just here for a few days.

“We won’t be here for long, and we’re not here to cause any trouble.”

There have been a number of Traveller camps in and around Bolton recently, including one on a leisure centre in Atherton and a car park in Westhoughton as well as New Bury in Farnworth.

The Travellers arrived last week on the playing fields in Breightmet (Image: Public)

Travellers also set up on land in Harwood, where a clean-up operation took place after they left what was described by locals as a disgusting mess.

The Travellers on playing fields in Breightmet moved as the council was ready take legal proceedings to remove them from the land, where neighbours had complained of anti-social issues.

Sir David Attenborough is Britain’s most beloved broadcaster at the remarkable age of 100

Sir David Attenborough has dedicated a number of decades to the natural world, and remains one of Britain’s most beloved and instantly recognisable broadcasters at the extraordinary age of 100.

While countless fans are in awe of his energy, passion and keen mind, a glimpse into his morning habits has generated significant curiosity.

The presenter, known for Planet Earth and Life on Earth, was snapped visiting a bed and breakfast in Kelletville, Pennsylvania, more than a decade ago.

The owner of the establishment, who posts on Reddit under the handle @WhaddaYaKnowJoe, later shared the photo online and recounted the details of the encounter, while also revealing what the presenter chose to eat during his stay.

It seems Sir David has a fondness for a spinach and onion omelette. While there’s nothing to suggest this is part of his daily regime, the meal is rich in nutrients that experts have linked to healthy ageing and cognitive sharpness.

Eggs are widely regarded as one of the most nutritionally dense breakfast choices available. According to the NHS, they are an excellent source of protein, while also providing essential vitamins and minerals, including B12.

They are also particularly rich in choline, a nutrient that plays a critical role in supporting both brain function and the nervous system. The spinach included in the omelette may also provide additional benefits.

Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health notes that it is rich in folate, vitamin K and antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage.

Studies have suggested that leafy green vegetables could play a role in maintaining cognitive health as we age. Research published by scientists at Rush University Medical Center found that people who ate one serving of leafy green vegetables each day displayed slower cognitive decline compared with those who rarely consumed them.

Onions also supply nutrients including vitamin C alongside a range of plant compounds. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, vegetables remain an essential source of fibre and micronutrients within a well-balanced diet.

The combination of eggs and vegetables also provides a protein-rich breakfast, which can help keep individuals feeling fuller for longer periods. The NHS recommends consuming a balanced diet that incorporates ample vegetables and protein sources to support overall wellbeing.

Naturally, no single food is solely accountable for longevity or good cognitive health. Factors such as genetics, physical activity, sleep quality and general lifestyle all play a considerable role.

Nevertheless, if the breakfast spotted in the Reddit post is anything to go by, Sir David’s choice of morning meal includes a number of ingredients that nutrition experts regularly associate with a healthy brain and successful ageing.

With Nintendo’s Switch 2 remake of The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time due out this year, a reader suggests it may steal the game of the year accolade from GTA 6.

In the long history of video game teases I don’t think there’s ever been anything as extreme as The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake reveal. I do think it was a mistake to show so little, but what’s done is done. Although I don’t quite understand why Nintendo had a knee jerk reaction to the Star Fox leak, by announcing it in the middle of the night, but just went ahead with Zelda as if the leaks hadn’t happened.

Still, it happened and we know it’s real, and that’s great. And we did get to see a tiny bit of what the graphics will look like, and they were quite the surprise. They looked very high-tech and realistic. There was a bit of a cartoonish element, but I thought they’d try and make it look like the concept art, but they don’t seem to be doing that at all.

If that’s what the whole game looks like then we are looking at a best case scenario, where the remake ends up being the best-looking game on Switch 2 and also quite a different experience (the Great Deku Tree seems like it’s been redesigned, judging by the intro). It’s going to be massive and it’s also going to go head-to-head with GTA 6.

Nintendo didn’t give a release date for the remake but considering that, and the fact they showed so little, it’s obviously not going to be out any time soon. They’ll need to have another Direct first, probably dedicated to it, and that’s going to make it an autumn release – which is what everyone thought, with it being their big Christmas game.

What it also does is put it close to the November 19 release date of GTA 6 and, knowing Nintendo, they’re not going to care about that at all. Even ignoring the fact that they never seem to care what other companies are doing, GTA 6 isn’t on the Switch 2 and it’s nothing like Zelda. So there really isn’t much conflict. A lot of people will like both, but they aren’t really competing with each other.

I full expect Nintendo to make Zelda the closest big game release to GTA 6. They just won’t care. They want that prime Christmas release slot and they won’t let even GTA get in their way.

But I don’t think that’s going to be the only way that Zelda with be trying to steal GTA 6’s spotlight. Both games will be up for awards and while I’m sure GTA 6 will be very good, Ocarina Of Time is still regarded as one of the best games of all time. So a modern update, that also changes quite a bit of it up, should be just as much of a contender as GTA 6.

You could argue that GTA 6 deserves it more because it’s a new game and not a remake but how different is it really going to be to the others? I bet all the delays have a lot more to do with this Roblox style creator content stuff than it does with some amazing gameplay innovation they’ve come up with. You can already see from the trailers that it’s just the same old thing, even if the graphics are great.

I do think a lot of award shows will be biased towards it just because it’s popular, like when Titanic won all those Oscars, despite being a mediocre film that just happened to sell really well. I’m not saying GTA 6 will be mediocre but there’s no existing GTA game that’s anywhere near as good as Ocarina Of Time, and I doubt that’s ever going to change.

So GTA 6 is not the shoe-in for game of the year a lot of people probably thought. It’s definitely still the favourite, I agree, because it’s got that not-remake advantage, but if Ocarina Of Time is the maximum effort we all hope it will be then I can definitely see it becoming GOTY, if not GOAT.

By reader Onibee

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.

Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

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EXCLUSIVE: Jenny Young said the political climate has not improved for women a decade after Cox’s brutal murder.

A Scottish Labour rising star has spoken out about the misogynistic abuse she has faced after only a few months in front line politics.

MSP Jenny Young lifted the lid on the sexism she has already experienced nearly ten years after the murder of party MP Jo Cox.

The 30 year old said she feared the hostile environment had not improved for women in politics in the decade since Cox’s death.

Cox, who was 41 at the time, was gunned down and stabbed to death by white supremacist Thomas Mair days before the Brexit referendum in 2016.

The mother-of-two’s brutal murder led to a national debate about the divisions in society and the danger posed to politicians.

Young, who was elected for the first time in May, is staging a debate next week to mark Cox’s death and celebrate her life.

Speaking to the Record, she said: “In some ways it’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years already. I think it was just such a shocking event.

“I remember being totally stunned by it and being in total disbelief.

“It felt like it was important to not let that anniversary go by, but also to acknowledge Jo and the work she did with Oxfam, the work she’d done as a member of Parliament and with the Labour Women’s Network.”

The Central Scotland and Lothians West MSP said the divisions may be even worse now than they were then.

“As a country, we are angrier and unhappier than we were ten years ago, and we weren’t best pleased ten years ago, because folk voted for Brexit.”

Asked whether it has got any better for women in politics, she said: “I don’t think it’s got better. I think we would like to think that as a society we’re progressing, we’re moving forward and people are becoming more enlightened, but I don’t really think that’s the case at all.”

The former teacher, who grew up in Linlithgow, said of the people who have directed abuse at her during her short time in front line politics:

“They didn’t like me because I was a Labour candidate, or a Unionist or whatever, but it didn’t take long for the language to become very gendered as well. So I wasn’t just a unionist, I was a unionist cow.

“They would comment on my appearance. They would call me a bitch.”

Young said she would not feel comfortable campaigning on her own in broad daylight and tries not to look at social media replies:

“I post things, but I generally don’t look at the comments because they’re just so overwhelmingly negative.”

In apportioning blame, she names social media platforms for spreading hate, irresponsible media and right wing politicians:

“There’s a horrible breeding ground for all of those kind of worst impulses on social media. So I think the social media giants certainly haven’t helped.

“But the leadership, or the lack of leadership, that we’ve had for politicians in the last 10 years, has given that kind of rhetoric a voice in our country.”

She said the previous Conservative Government has to take responsibility for the divisions in society:

“I would lay a fair amount at the feet of Boris Johnson. I think some of the language he used and the way in which he behaved laid some of the groundwork for what Reform are now taking to its end stages.

“I don’t think the Tories could just say, ‘Oh, my goodness, we’re all to a man, reasonable people and where has this come from with these right wing people in the Reform Party?’.

“Because first of all, a lot of the people in Reform were until about a year ago members of the Conservative Party. But also what kind of language and culture was the Conservative government and the Conservative Party allowing to propagate?”

Young insists, despite the challenges faced by women, politics is a force for good.

“If I thought there was absolutely no hope, I would be going back to teaching.

“I still believe you can make a difference in politics and there are positive things.”

It comes after Labour MP Jess Phillips paid tribute to Cox at Westminster ahead of the anniversary of her death.

Phillips said she often thinks “what would Jo do now? What would Jo say in this circumstance?”.

She added: “I can think of no better person who could be here right now in the politics that we face today than Jo.

“There’s been a lot of talk recently about the boys club in politics, and we’ve seen a little bit behind some curtains, and what she definitely was trying to do was make a girls club.

“She would try and make sure that you were introduced to the right people in things that you were interested in, that she’d heard you talking about. If she had a connection, she wanted you to have it.

“But the greatest connection that Jo gave me was to invite me into her family.”

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A man who opened fire in the West Texas city of Midland in an attack Friday morning that left one person dead and 10 injured had shot at a police officer just days earlier during a chase, authorities said.

The suspect, 45-year-old Victor Mata Villarreal, already was being sought by authorities when he began firing at police and bystanders in Midland on Friday before barricading himself in an abandoned veterinary clinic, where he was eventually found dead, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Police have provided limited details about how the shooting unfolded. Police arrived in the area after receiving reports of an active shooter, and Mata Villarreal started firing at officers, said Midland Police Chief Greg Snow. Several officers were pinned down behind their patrol cars and had to be rescued by an armored vehicle, Snow said, but no officers were shot.

Police then got everyone out of the area. “We moved to deny more targets for this active shooter,” Snow said.

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The city with about 140,000 residents sits in the heart of the state’s oil and gas region and was near the site of a deadly shooting rampage in 2019.

In that shooting, a gunman who had been fired from his oil services job killed seven people and wounded two dozen others while firing at random as he drove around the Odessa and Midland areas. The two cities are more than 300 miles (482 kilometers) west of Dallas.

___

Associated Press reporters Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia and Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas, contributed.

CAIRO (AP) — Iranians are living between confusion and exhaustion as the country and its economy are squeezed between war and multiplying crises at home.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he called off fresh strikes on Iran as he claimed a deal to end the war was imminent. Back-and-forth strikes earlier this week pushed a shaky ceasefire to the edge of collapse, which, if it happens, would inflict more havoc on Iran’s battered economy.

Strikes on steel and petrochemical industries and energy infrastructure earlier in the war have spurred a wave of business closures and job losses in Iran, where people now struggle to afford groceries in the face of triple-digit food inflation.

Many Iranians are desperate for peace

Along with the cratering economy, the specter of war has left many people desperate for an end to the turmoil and deeply anxious about the future. Huraz Ahmadi, a 19-year-old street vendor in the capital of Tehran, said he feared renewed fighting.

“I don’t think they will reach an agreement, given the way things are going. But I hope they make a deal. An agreement is much better than war,” Ahmadi said. “In wars, innocent and good people die. I personally lost a relative.”

In the past year, Iranians have faced two wars – first Israel’s 12-day war in 2025 against Iran followed by a joint assault with the U.S. that began on Feb. 28. Both attacks were launched in the middle of talks about Iran’s nuclear program.

Fresh U.S. strikes on Monday sowed confusion in Iran’s capital following growing optimism that Tehran and Washington were nearing a deal. One Tehran resident in his late 20s said the echo of explosions and air defenses in the capital triggered “maybe a half hour of panic.” Long lines formed at gas stations, but people returned within hours to “living normally,” he said.

“War is also becoming normal. And that is very upsetting,” the resident said, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of security fears.

“Everybody is stressed out for a thousand reasons,” he added. “Our lives are constantly in this political game where we can’t plan anything or know what’s going to happen.”

A country ‘tired of instability’

A critical demand in talks for Iranian negotiators is that the U.S. deliver some kind of sanctions or economic relief, besides lifting a naval blockade that has throttled Iran’s oil exports as well as imports of raw materials and other goods.

Many business owners are struggling to survive, a member of a council representing Iranian industrialists said.

“The main concern of many industrialists and entrepreneurs is the survival of their businesses and production. The concern is about the disruption of the supply chain of raw materials, parts and machinery due to the cruel U.S. blockade,” Mehdi Bostanchi said.

Iran’s rial currency has also lost over half its value in the past year. Exchange rates have crashed to around 1.8 million rials to the dollar, compared with 41,600 rials 10 years ago.

Economic woes stoke unrest and fear

The deepening economic problems have stoked unrest in Iran. In January, security forces shot thousands of anti-government protesters in the streets. Arrests of protesters and those expressing support for them has continued through the war.

Alongside fear of their own leaders, Iranians who oppose the government also fear a return to open war, said a social media influencer and therapist who lives in central Tehran and has participated in past anti-government protests.

“The war isn’t anything but destruction for us. And in reality, the attacks that happened killed a number of ordinary people and destroyed a number of homes and residential buildings,” she said, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution.

Residents contacted by The Associated Press also expressed worries that renewed conflict would lead Iranian authorities to cut internet service again. Repeated blackouts since the January protests have crippled what was a strong digital economy and stoked job losses. A partial restoration has seen a limited uptick in connectivity.

Next steps are unclear

A few hours after threatening to launch further attacks, Trump posted on social media that significant points in the negotiations “have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved.” But a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baghaei, said in a live phone call on state television that mediators were active and nothing had been finalized to end the conflict.

Iran’s ability to withstand U.S.-Israeli assaults and to close the globally strategic Strait of Hormuz has also rallied the Islamic Republic’s hard-liner base. Authorities have organized nightly rallies in past weeks as they try to project popular support for a tough stance in U.S. talks.

Hamid Reza Bani Ebrahimi, a 47-year-old merchant, said he opposed any agreement that would limit what he sees as Iran’s right to enrich uranium and develop nuclear technology. Israel and the U.S. have repeatedly struck sites and figures linked with the country’s atomic program.

“Our scientists worked so hard to acquire this technology, and then they came and martyred them,” Bani Ebrahimi said.

Abdullah Hosseini, a 45-year-old university professor in Tehran, said Iranian strikes on Gulf states and Jordan this past week were part of an effort to deter further attacks.

“I don’t like war. I am extremely worried about people and children being killed,” Hosseini said. “But sometimes war is necessary, and now is the time for Iran to stand against its enemy.”

But Tehran-based analyst Rahman Ghahremanpour said the back-and-forth strikes this week had deepened concerns in Iran that the conflict “could turn into a crisis without end and in reality make running the country more difficult” in the face of economic pressures.

“Both America and Iran are looking for a way out of this situation with honor and claiming victory so they can strengthen their own domestic situation,” he said.

Arup’s review into hikes at Bishopthorpe Road, Heworth, Micklegate in 2025 found while due process was technically followed, the way they were enacted did not follow best practice.

Cllr Kate Ravilious, City of York Council’s Labour transport spokesperson, said they welcomed the findings which acknowledged the challenge of tackling congestion and they valued the review’s recommendations.

But opposition Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Cllr Stephen Fenton said the findings were a damning verdict on the administration’s disastrous handling of the hikes.

It comes as the independent review’s findings are set to be discussed by councillors on Tuesday, June 16.

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Their publication follows a consultation which ran from December to February after the review was triggered by petitions lodged under the Traffic Management Act 2004’s Right to Challenge Parking Policies.

That followed hikes in 2025 which set parking charges at £4.85-an-hour for the first two from Sunday to Thursday and at £5.30-an-hour on Fridays, Saturdays and during events.

It saw charges at Bishopthorpe Road’s car park rise from 80p-an-hour and increases there and to on-street charges in Micklegate were later lowered following a backlash.

The ruling Labour group said at the time the increases were needed to tackle congestion but residents, traders and opposition councillors said they would harm local businesses.

Arup’s review received 1,016 responses across the four areas surveyed, including from 107 business owners and 909 residents and visitors.

Bishopthorpe Road car park (Image: Bishopthorpe Road Traders’ Association)

More than half, 56 per cent, of businesses who responded reported fewer customers and lower spending, while 15 per cent said there was no change.

More than four fifths, 81 per cent, of the residents and visitors who took part in the consultation drove to the destination under review.

Residents and visitors said they were using car parks less often, shortening their stays, leaving their vehicles elsewhere or travelling to different places.

Cheaper parking, improved public transport and walking, wheeling and cycling links were among suggested responses businesses, residents and visitors said the council could consider following the hikes.

Six businesses and 57 residents and visitors said they supported the increase in charges.

Consultants Arup said the hikes had broadly been in line with other similar places in the UK and the council had to balance competing priorities including dealing with congestion.

But they added the handling of the increases fed into local concerns which ultimately led to the review.

Arup’s recommendations following the review included looking free half-hour parking and other options to support short stays and promoting alternatives to driving.

They also called for more transparency and consultation on any future parking hikes, saying the latter had been absent at the time.

The review cost £120,000 to run, £30,000 across each of the four areas surveyed.

Council city development lead Garry Taylor said councillors would have the opportunity to discuss the findings alongside data for transport and the local economy at Tuesday’s Place Scrutiny Committee.

Opposition Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Cllr Fenton said residents, traders and community groups had been telling them the hikes had hurt shops and made it harder to support local businesses.

He said: “Labour repeatedly dismissed those concerns, but this independent report shows they were right.

“Perhaps most tellingly, the report contains no evidence that the parking charge increases have achieved the modal shift Labour claimed they would deliver.”

Opposition economy spokesperson Cllr Ashley Mason said the Liberal Democrats called for spending £300,000 on introducing lower charges for half-hour stays but Labour chose not to support it.

Cllr Ravilious said the administration was seeking to balance survey respondents’ views with others including the quarter of residents who do not have a car.

She added the Liberal Democrats were unwilling to tackle the difficult issues caused by congestion.

Cllr Ravilious said: “The £300,000 investment the Liberal Democrats propose is populist cloud cuckoo economics.

“It wouldn’t be enough to freeze parking charges at last year’s prices, let alone reduce them.

“We value the recommendations that have emerged from the independent consultants but do not want to pre-empt the discussion and any proposals that will come from next week’s Scrutiny Committee meeting.”

The government has confirmed that roughly 15 million people — half of the entire workforce — are set to benefit from the Employment Rights Act 2025

Major reforms affecting all workers have now taken effect – with the Government confirming that approximately 15 million people, representing half of the entire workforce, stand to benefit. Seven crucial measures within the Employment Rights Act are now legally enforceable and will have implications for anyone feeling unwell before going into work.

One notable new change will affect anybody who calls in sick. Further employment law updates include ‘day one’ rights for parental and bereavement leave, as well as an end to exploitative fire and rehire practices.

Officials say the reforms will eradicate insecure work, unfair pay and poor working conditions, putting more money in workers’ pockets and raising living standards. These include extending sick pay to up to 1.3 million of the lowest-paid employees.

In a recent parliamentary question, Labour’s Dr Beccy Cooper asked Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden: “What assessment they have made of the adequacy of Statutory Sick Pay in meeting essential living costs for low-income workers.”

In response, Dame Diana Johnson, Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions, highlighted the new laws which are now in force. She said: “Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is designed to provide a minimum level of support and financial security for employees when they are unable to work due to sickness whilst also balancing the cost to employers.”, reports the Mirror.

“The government has made key changes to SSP, which came into force last month. Through the Employment Rights Act, we have removed the Lower Earnings Limit for SSP. Previously, employees had to earn at least £125 per week to be eligible to receive SSP from their employer. The removal of the Lower Earnings Limit has meant this threshold no longer applies.

“This means up to 1.3 million more employees will be covered, supporting low-income workers and those who work for more than one employer. We have also removed the waiting period, so people can access sick pay from their first day of sickness absence.

“These changes will mean that employees receive around an extra £400 million a year in sick pay.”

The changes include:

• Statutory sick pay is paid from the first day of absence, instead of the fourth day. The lower earnings limit has also been removed.
• Parental leave is more readily available – including paternity leave and ordinary parental leave, or unpaid parental leave, which became a day one right, and bereaved partner’s paternity leave.
• Disclosure of sexual harassment has become a ‘qualifying disclosure’, giving protections from dismissal and detriment.
• Fines for employers who do not consult in collective redundancy situations have doubled to 180 days’ pay for each employee affected.
• Trade unions can use a simplified statutory recognition process to gain the right to negotiate with employers over pay and conditions.
• Employers must keep records of annual leave and holiday pay.

At Work and Pensions questions following the introduction of the plans, Labour MP Yuan Yang put it to Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden: “What assessment he has made of the adequacy of rates of statutory sick pay.”

For further details on rule changes, click here. Mr McFadden outlined the changes: “I believe my hon. Friend will welcome the changes the Government have made to statutory sick pay, which came into force earlier this month. For the first time ever, we have removed the lower earnings limit for statutory sick pay, as well as the waiting period so that people can access sick pay as soon as they need it. These changes will mean that up to 1.3 million more people will be covered, helping the low paid and those who work for more than one employer in particular.”

Ms Yang emphasised a crucial element was the immediate payments: “I am indeed very proud of this Labour Government’s historic Employment Rights Act 2025, which, from this month, means that workers will get statutory sick pay from the first day they are ill, rather than having to wait till the fourth. Too many people in Reading-even those working in health and care settings-are working through their illnesses; this measure will protect them, their clients and patients and improve the productivity of their workplaces.

“While the ERA is an important step forward, does the Secretary of State accept that the current flat rate of statutory sick pay-at four fifths of average earnings-remains a barrier to those on low incomes, and thus remains a barrier to tackling illness in the workplace?” Mr McFadden added: “I believe that removing the three-day limit and giving access to statutory sick pay from day one, as well as making it available to those who work for multiple employers, should decrease the pressure on workers to have to work through illness.

“My hon. Friend will be aware that the “Keep Britain Working” review led by Charlie Mayfield also aims to work with employers to help keep people in jobs while they cope with some of the long-term sickness issues that can develop as workers get older.”

The TUC has stated that the new Act will bring significant advantages for the nation, including enhanced health, wellbeing and job satisfaction, together with reduced workplace disputes, resulting in higher economic output and employment rates.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “The Employment Rights Act will deliver vital common sense reforms for millions of people across the country, including sick pay for all workers from day one, banning exploitative zero hours contracts and protecting workers from harassment.

“Too often in this debate the facts are ignored, but stronger rights at work are good for workers and employers – driving up labour market participation, improving health, raising productivity and boosting demand.

“The Employment Rights Act will deliver an estimated £10 billion boost to the economy – gains that far outstrip any costs. Britain will now be brought into line with other countries where workers already have better protections and, crucially, the legislation will give working people the higher living standards and secure incomes that are needed to build a decent life.

“Good employers will also welcome these changes: the Act protects them from competitors whose business models are built on low-paid, insecure employment.”

Research suggests that new sick pay entitlements are set to carry the greatest significance for both employees and businesses alike.

Fred Jerrome, Head of Workplace Policy at Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service), cautioned that employers could face considerable financial penalties. He said: “6 April marked more than the new tax year – it saw the roll out of the first major employment law changes in the Employment Rights Act 2025.

“But bringing new laws into force is just the first step. At Acas, we’re working on how these reforms can be successful in practice. As well as training managers and communicating with staff about individual rights, Acas encourages employers to take a proactive approach to dealings with trade unions. Our collective conciliation service is on hand to assist with emerging disputes. It will be employers and unions who are ready to work well together who see the most benefits from the changes in April and beyond.”

A study commissioned by conciliation service Acas examining the Employment Rights Act’s reforms revealed that new protections against unfair dismissal were also recognised as significantly impactful.

Firms identified new paternity leave entitlements as their third most pressing concern, while workers attached greater significance to the revised flexible working provisions. Acas stated the research would enable it to target support for employees and employers where it is most required.

Niall Mackenzie, Acas chief executive, said: “The Employment Rights Act is a major shake-up in employment law and will impact businesses and workers across the country.

“It’s crucial that both employers and employees get to grips with the new rules, and Acas remains best placed as independent experts helping everyone at work throughout this period of change.

“Acas will be working with employers, workers and their representatives on the implementation of the Employment Rights Act and we will be updating our advice and training.”

Among the most recognisable names is broadcaster Stephen Watson, who receives an MBE for services to broadcasting, kidney transplant awareness and fundraising in Northern Ireland

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Northern Ireland’s King’s Birthday Honours list is led by several well-known figures from broadcasting, business and public life, including BBC presenter Stephen Watson and Belfast Harbour chief executive Joseph O’Neill, alongside a wide range of recipients recognised for contributions to healthcare, education, business and community relations.

Among the most recognisable names is broadcaster Stephen Watson, who receives an MBE for services to broadcasting, kidney transplant awareness and fundraising in Northern Ireland. Also honoured are Belfast Harbour chief executive Joseph O’Neill, awarded a CBE for services to business and the Belfast community, and former Crown Solicitor for Northern Ireland Jennifer Bell, who receives a Companion of the Order of the Bath for services to the administration of justice.

The honours also recognise a number of prominent Northern Ireland business leaders, including Henderson Group executives Geoffrey Agnew and Martin Agnew, hospitality entrepreneur Trevor Annon of Mount Charles, and heritage advocate Mukesh Sharma. In sport, golf administrator Ian Bamford and disability football champion Alan Crooks are among those honoured.

Across the six counties, recipients are recognised for work spanning healthcare, agriculture, education, broadcasting, peacebuilding, entrepreneurship and charity, reflecting Northern Ireland’s strong tradition of civic leadership and community service.

Belfast

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Ian Bamford. For services to Amateur Golf. (Belfast, Belfast)
• Dr Susan Lagdon. Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Ulster University. For services to Ending Violence Against Women and Girls. (Belfast, Belfast)

County Antrim

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

• Professor Ian Stuart Young. Consultant Chemical Pathologist, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department of Health. For services to Health Services Research and Development and to Health Education. (Newtownabbey, County Antrim)

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

• Paul Finnegan. Chief Executive, Lighthouse. For services to Charity. ( Lisburn, County Antrim)
• Dr Helen Kirkpatrick MBE. Lately Chair QUBIS Board, Queen’s University Belfast. For services to Economic Development and Innovation. (Crumlin, County Antrim)
• Mukesh Sharma MBE DL. Deputy Chair and Trustee, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Chair, Northern Ireland Committee, National Lottery Heritage Fund. For services to Heritage. (Newtownabbey, County Antrim)

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Geoffrey William Agnew. Joint Executive Group Chair, Henderson Group. For services to Business and to the community in Northern Ireland. (Lisburn, County Antrim)
• Trevor Annon. Managing Director and Chair, Mount Charles. For services to Business, to Sport and to Charity in Northern Ireland. (Lisburn, County Antrim)
• Brian Duff. Lately Principal, Carnmoney Primary School, Newtownabbey. For services to Education in Newtownabbey. (Carrickfergus, County Antrim)
• David Francis Heggarty. Principal, Cregagh Primary School and Deaf Unit. For services to Education in Northern Ireland. (Islandmagee, County Antrim)
• Gordon John Kane. Curriculum Area Manager, Advanced Technologies, Northern Regional College. For services to Further and Higher Education in Northern Ireland. (Islandmagee, County Antrim)
• Dr Michael McBrien. Consultant Anaesthetist, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. For Voluntary Service. ( Templepatrick, County Antrim)
• David Andrew Radcliffe. For services to Education and to the community in Coleraine, County Londonderry. (Ballymoney, County Antrim)
• Frederick Michael Stewart. For services to Military History in Northern Ireland. (Larne, County Antrim)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

• Valerie Alexander. For services to Disadvantaged Young People in India. ( Ballymena, County Antrim)
• Roger Frederick Bell. For services to Local Cricket. (Carrickfergus, County Antrim)
• Robert Edward Cullinan. For services to Community Relations and to Brazilian JuJitsu. (Newtownabbey, County Antrim)
• Tanya Evelyn Mary Hughes. For services to the community of Ballybeen, Belfast. (Newtownabbey, County Antrim)
• Angela Jane Manson. For services to Youth Musical Theatre. (Lisburn, County Antrim)
• Gregory Walter Thompson McKinley. Operations Director, The Gallaher Trust. For services to the Economy in Northern Ireland. (Ballymena, County Antrim)
• Samuel Todd. Service Delivery Manager, Bus Service Operations, Translink. For services to Public Transport. (Ballyclare, County Antrim)
• Ruth Verner. For services to the community in County Antrim. (Antrim, County Antrim)

County Armagh

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Wesley David Aston. Lately Chief Executive, Ulster Farmers’ Union. For services to Agriculture. (Armagh, County Armagh)
• Pauline Frances Bothwell. Charity Secretary, Crossfire Trust. For services to the People of South Armagh. (Downpatrick, County Armagh)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

• Campbell Best. For services to the community in Portadown, County Armagh. (Portadown, County Armagh)
• Maxine Chambers. Senior Youth Support Worker, Goal Line Youth Trust and Co-Founder, Bluebell Trust. For services to Young People in Portadown, County Armagh. (Craigavon, County Armagh)
• Patricia Feeney. Leader, Caledon Playgroup. For services to Young Children in Northern Ireland. (Milford, County Armagh)

County Down

Companions of the Order of the Bath (CB)

• Jennifer Agnes Bell. Lately Crown Solicitor for Northern Ireland. For services to the Administration of Justice. ( Bangor, County Down)

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

• Joseph O’Neill. Chief Executive Officer, Belfast Harbour. For services to Business and to the community in Belfast. ( Newtownards, County Down)

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

• Arlene Kee MBE. Director Youth Service, Education Authority. For services to Young People. (Newtownards, County Down)
• Paul Joseph McBride. For services to Education. (Belfast, County Down)
• Eileen Murphy. Chief Executive, Women’s Aid Armagh-Down. For services to Charity. (Newry, County Down)

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Martin John Agnew. Joint Executive Group Chair, Henderson Group. For services to Business and to the community in Northern Ireland. (Hillsborough, County Down)
• Dr Rosemary Elizabeth Agnew. Lately Director of Agricultural Policy, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. For services to Agriculture. (Dromore, County Down)
• Professor John Stanley Alan Anderson. For voluntary services to Education and to the community in Northern Ireland. (Newtownards, County Down)
• Thomas Malcolm Calvert. Senior Professional Technical Officer, Rivers Directorate, Department for Infrastructure, Northern Ireland Civil Service. For services to Flood Risk Management and Digital Transformation. (Belfast, County Down)
• Alan William Crooks. Disability Manager, Irish Football Association. For services to Disability Football. (Newtownards, County Down)
• Ivor William McKee Dunne. Prison Officer, Northern Ireland Prison Service. For services to Criminal Justice and the Rehabilitation of Offenders in Northern Ireland. (Lisburn, County Down)”
• Maurice Henry Geddis. Co-Founder and Co-Chair, Avondale Foods Ltd and ENE Ltd. For services to Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Northern Ireland. (Dromore, County Down)
• Richard Lyttle. For services to the Horse Racing Industry. (Ballynahinch, County Down)
• Agnes Jane McCullough. For services to the Art of Lacemaking and Needlecraft in Northern Ireland. (Bangor, County Down)
• Paul Robert Millar. For services to Architecture and the Arts in Northern Ireland. (Belfast, County Down)
• Rose Neill. For services to Broadcasting and to Charity. (Newtownards, County Down)
• Brian O’Hagan. For services to Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland. (Newry, County Down)
• Martin Howard Pitt. Chair, Radius Housing Association. For services to Social Housing. ( Holywood, County Down)
• Evelyn Elizabeth Jean Smyth. Medicines Management Specialist Nurse, Southern Health & Social Care Trust. For services to Health and Social Care. (Banbridge, County Down)
• Brenda Lydia Tighe. Chair, Northern Ireland Counselling Forum. For services to Counselling in Northern Ireland. (Newtownards, County Down)
• Claire Vincent. Deputy Director Marine and Fisheries Division, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. For services to Marine Science and to Women in Science. (Bangor, County Down)
• Brian Walsh. For services to Cricket. (Belfast, County Down)
• Stephen Watson. Broadcaster. For services to Broadcasting and to Kidney Transplant Awareness and to Fundraising in Northern Ireland. (Belfast, County Down)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

• Janet Beck. Sign Language Interpreter. For services to Interpreting and to the Deaf Community. (Holywood, County Down)
• Dr Nichola Booth. For services to the Autistic Community and their Families in Northern Ireland. (Bangor, County Down)
• David Coffey (Desmond Coffey). For Charitable Service. (Newtownards, County Down)
• Claire Margaret Anne Flowers. Chief Executive Officer, Girlguiding Ulster. For services to Girls and Young Women. (Bangor, County Down)
• Dr Stephen Jess. Lately Senior Scientific Officer, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute. For services to Agriculture in Northern Ireland. (Bangor, County Down)
• Henrietta June Kirk. For services to the community in Groomsport, County Down. (Bangor, County Down)
• Clare McCawley. Victorian Garden Manager, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust. For services to Health and Social Care and to the Community and Voluntary Sector. (Castlewellan, County Down)
• Peter Scobie. Head Chef, Queen’s University Belfast. For services to Higher Education. (Newtownards, County Down)
• David Thomas Crowe Workman. For services to Rugby and to Community Relations in Ballynahinch. (Ballynahinch, County Down)

County Fermanagh

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

• The Very Reverend Dean Kenneth Robert James Hall. For services to Reconciliation and Peace Building in Enniskillen and County Fermanagh. (Enniskillen, County Fermanagh)
• The Right Reverend Monsignor Peter O’Reilly. For services to Reconciliation and Peace Building in Enniskillen and County Fermanagh. (Enniskillen, County Fermanagh)

County Derry

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

• John Paul Harkin. Director and Founder, Alchemy Technology Services. For services to Economic Development and to Entrepreneurship. (Coleraine, County Londonderry)

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• George Alexander Fleming. Chair, Fleming Agri Products. For services to Business, to Employment and to Apprenticeships. (Londonderry, County Londonderry)
• Ian William John Glendinning. Managing Director, Irish Grouse Conservation Trust. For services to Country Sports and to Conservation. (Magherafelt, County Londonderry)
• William Robert Lyon Moore DL. For services to the Agriculture Sector in Northern Ireland. (Derry, County Londonderry)
• Dr Patricia Podmore. Consultant, Western Health Trust. For services to Dermatology in the Northwest of Northern Ireland. (Londonderry, County Londonderry)
• Sarah Marina Sweeney. For services to Counselling and Psychotherapy, to Community Education and to Peace Building through Restorative Dialogue. (Londonderry, County Londonderry)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

• Lloyd Wallace Magee. For services to the community in County Londonderry. (Londonderry, County Londonderry)
• Audrey Moore. Chair, Friends of Rossmar School. For voluntary services to Special Education. (Limavady, County Londonderry)
• David Stewart Smallwoods. For services to Local Football. (Londonderry, County Londonderry)
• Jennifer Elizabeth Smyth. For services to Disability Sport. (Londonderry, County Londonderry)

County Tyrone

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Kathleen Elizabeth Courtenay. Lately Head of Children and Disability Services, Southern Health & Social Care Trust. For services to People with Disabilities. ( Dungannon, County Tyrone)
• John Irwin Dickey Johnston JP. For services to Local History in Northern Ireland and the Adjoining Border Counties. (Clogher, County Tyrone)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

• Erica Sarah Maxwell. For services to the Economy and to the community in Northern Ireland. (Dunganon, County Tyrone)
• Joyce Montgomery. For services to the community in County Tyrone. (Dungannon, County Tyrone)
• Maurice Neely. For services to Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland. (Strabane, County Tyrone)

The now Sir Kevin has raised more than £11 million through endurance challenges, having been inspired by his friend and Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow’s battle against the muscle wasting condition.

Kevin Sinfield crosses the finish line at York Minster in December 2023 (Image: PA/Danny Lawson)

His honour comes days after he announced his final ‘7 in 7’ challenge – in which he will try to complete an ultra-marathon every day for seven days – which will call at York in September.

It will be the third of Sir Kevin’s challenges to feature York, with hundreds of people turning out to greet the athlete after crossing finish lines at the Minster in November 2022 and December 2023.

Sir Kevin, 45, embarked on his first fundraising quest in 2020, running seven consecutive marathons with the initial intention of raising £777,777, inspired by Burrow’s famous shirt number.

His further gruelling challenges took the figure raised into eight figures, and contributed to the opening of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in November 2025, just over a year after Burrow’s death aged 41.

Kevin Sinfield with his former teammate Rob Burrow who died in 2024 aged 41 (Image: Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

Sir Kevin praised the MND community after he was knighted and vowed to use his status as rugby league’s second ever knight to step up his inspirational battle to aid further research into MND.

“My playing career was everything I could ever have dreamed of as a young man but the last seven years have given me so much inspiration,” he said.

“The MND community are the very best of us and it has been my privilege to support them and put their battle on the stage it needs.”

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Sir Kevin showed his support for the family of Paul Bradley, 35, of Holgate, whose death from the disease in March left his loved ones with no income but a mortgage and bills to pay after he died.

The athlete wrote to Paul’s widow, Emma, saying the family had his “full support whenever you need it”, and that he would send them “something meaningful” to auction off to contribute to a fundraiser for them.

Paul and Emma Bradley. A fundraiser has been launched to raise money for Paul’s family after his death aged 35 from motor neurone disease (Image: Supplied)

Lindsey Burrow, widow of Rob, welcomed Sir Kevin being knighted.

“On behalf of the whole Burrow family, I would like to congratulate Kevin on his knighthood, we are all delighted for him and I can not think of a more deserving recipient,” she said.

“Kevin did so much for Rob but also the whole MND community with raising awareness and funds to support families and aid research.

“I know he has said he is dedicated to supporting the MND community for however long it takes to find a cure and that means so much to so many people to have a champion like Kevin in their corner.

“As Rob used to say, everyone should have a friend like Kevin and so many people will be pleased to see him get this recognition.”

Calls for Sir Kevin to be knighted in recognition of his fundraising exploits had grown in recent years. He was made an MBE in 2014 for services to rugby league, an OBE in June 2021 and a CBE in the 2024 New Year honours.