Bolton Council Trading Standards officer and Greater Manchester Police officers took action against Tia’s Wines, on Blackburn Road, Astley Bridge.
It was served with a Closure Order at Manchester Magistrates’ Court last Friday (September 4) in relation to the sale of nitrous oxide, illicit tobacco and illegal vapes.
The order means the premises must remain closed for a period of three months.
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Cllr Robert Morrisey, Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, said:
“Illegal tobacco, illicit vaping products and nitrous oxide pose significant risks to residents and can contribute to wider criminal activity.
“This successful closure order demonstrates the strong partnership between Bolton Council and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in tackling businesses that break the law and undermine responsible local traders.
“We will continue to take robust action against premises involved in the sale of illegal goods and activities that negatively impact our communities.”
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Closure orders are used to protect local communities from premises linked to criminality and anti-social behaviour.
Sergeant Zach Keneally from the Bolton District of GMP, said: “The closure of Tia’s Wines demonstrates our commitment to responding to concerns raised by the local community and tackling activity that has a negative impact on our neighbourhoods.
“Working closely with Bolton Council and our partner agencies, we gathered evidence that supported this application and are pleased that the court granted the closure order.
“The sale of nitrous oxide and other activity linked to anti-social behaviour can cause significant harm to communities.
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“We will continue to take action against businesses and individuals who contribute to crime, disorder, or public nuisance and we encourage residents to keep reporting concerns to us.”
Tia’s Wines is not the only Bolton store which was recently investigated for selling illegal goods.
It’s the latest shop to be served with such an order.
Two were ordered to close last month after being accused of being involved in the sale of “illicit tobacco, illegal vapes and nitrous oxide”.
He told reporters at the company’s headquarters: “You might find some people will choose not to fly with Ryanair – but you know they’ll be overrun with the people abandoning Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, BA, and others desperate to get to Ryanair’s low fares because they can’t afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe.”
Manchester United have made a change at the academy level that could benefit JJ Gabriel and the club’s other top prospects
JJ Gabriel has received a boost to his hopes of making his competitive Manchester United debut due to a change made during Michael Carrick’s tenure. The 15-year-old is one of several academy prospects with hopes of breaking into Carrick’s team this season.
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Teenage sensation Gabriel captured attention with his eye-catching U18 performances last term, scoring 26 goals in 29 games. He has since stepped up to the U21s, scoring twice and recording two assists across his two appearances.
Many academy players are hoping to catch the United manager’s eye, given that he attends United’s U21 and U18 games. A crucial rule change should create a smoother transition to the first team for the club’s rising stars.
United’s academy players have now been aided in their efforts to make a first-team impact by U21 boss Adam Lawrence switching from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 system. Under Carrick, the new policy of mirroring the senior side’s formation should ensure that the club’s youngsters, including Gabriel, have a better understanding of their roles when they move up to the senior side.
The Daily Mail reports that the formation change allows Gabriel to learn Bruno Fernandes’ No.10 position. Meanwhile, the U21s have copied Carrick’s deployment of Matheus Cunha as a false nine by playing Amir Ibragimov up front.
The report adds that the decisions to send Chido Obi out on loan and allow Louie Bradbury to join Stoke City could hint at a long-term strategy involving false nines. A move away from orthodox strikers may also give Gabriel another opportunity to force his way into the United team, given his prolific form as an academy player.
Carrick watched Gabriel make his United U21s debut last month. The 15-year-old got on the scoresheet and assisted two in a 5-0 win over Ipswich Town, earning praise from the first team boss.
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“I thought the boys played ever so well, actually,” Carrick said after the game. “Really good team, really strong team that we had, and you could see that the quality. I really enjoyed the game. Really pleased with the boys, the way they went about it. The quality, the attitude, everything about the game was really good. So, really encouraged by that.
“JJ is one of the boys. He’s obviously got a really big talent. He’s trained with us quite a bit. He’s getting experience all the time. He’s physically adapting to each step that he makes, and just continuing his development.”
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While intrigue continues to surround Gabriel, United star Bryan Mbeumo has said the teenager could be suited to a different position. The forward previously suggested that the attacking midfielder would potentially flourish as a winger for the Reds.
“He’s actually kind of a winger, he’s a dribbler and even in front of the box, I still think he’s good, honestly,” Mbeumo told Zack En Roue Libre in March. “He’s strong, the little guy is strong. Yeah, he’s strong, he’s really something, frankly… I think he’s 15.
“You feel that he’s bound to be a little kid but he trains quite a bit with us and actually you see, you can feel that the little guy has something special.”
Benbow described the scene on the ridge as “full winter conditions”.
He said he was told by Long’s family that he had been walking in the Lake and Peak District but this was his first time in Eryri.
While the pair had spiked footwear they did not have crampons nor ice axes, Benbow said.
He said there was signage at various parts of the mountain range warning that certain routes require experienced climbers with Crib Goch described as an “extreme scramble”.
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Benbow said at the time he was first alerted there was not enough information about the location and nature of the call to deploy immediately.
Det Con James Lloyd from North Wales Police’s professional standards department told the hearing that although attempts were made by the control room to make further contact with the 999 caller “the incident wasn’t escalated as it should have been”.
He said there had been “learning” for staff and the force to pass on similar calls to mountain rescuers sooner for them to assess.
Long’s father, questioning Lloyd via videolink, described the situation as “incompetence”.
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Lloyd said he found the force did not contribute to the deaths of the two men.
Assistant coroner for North West Wales Sarah Riley said both men died of multiple traumatic injuries.
Police were called to the post office on Stockton High Street at around 2.20pm on Wednesday (September 9).
A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
No injuries were reported.
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A spokesperson for Cleveland Police said: “At 2.20pm on Wednesday, September 9, police were called to Stockton High Street following reports of a robbery involving a man with a knife.
“There were no injuries reported.
“A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and is currently in police custody.”
Sir Billy sadly passed away last month at 92-years-old, just weeks after the death of his wife, Lady Joan. The funeral service will be held at The Brick Community Stadium – the home of Wigan Warriors – at 12.30 pm on Thursday. Entry to the stadium is controlled by pre-allocated passes.
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Before the service, a funeral cortege will pass through Wigan, starting at 11.20am at the Bold Hotel in Wigan. Wigan Warriors said at the request of the Boston family, anyone in attendance is encouraged to wear traditional funeral attire, but items of cherry red like scarves, ties and headwear can be worn.
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Rugby league star Billy Boston being Knighted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace in 2025(Image: Getty Images)
The club said: “We kindly ask that all attendees respect the privacy of the family and the occasion by refraining from taking videos and photographs of the funeral service. At the end of the funeral service, we ask that fans remain in their seats whilst the funeral procession leaves the stadium.
“The service will be conducted by Fr Paul Grady and Sue Gibbons Funeral Service with music performed by Lauren Waterworth. Wigan Warriors’ first team will also be in attendance to give Sir Billy a guard of honour as he makes his final journey.”
Last year, Sir Billy made more history when he became the first rugby league player to be knighted after he was honoured by King Charles at Buckingham Palace.
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The funeral service for Sir Billy Boston is to take place in Wigan, Greater Manchester, today(Image: PA)
Following the news of his death, Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, led the tributes for Sir Billy. Mr Burnham, an avid follower of the sport, said he was “heartbroken” to learn of Sir Billy’s death, just four days after the funeral of his wife, Lady Joan.
“Heartbroken to hear my friend Sir Billy Boston has died,” Burnham wrote on X. “Billy was one of the greatest rugby league players of all time but also one of the kindest and most down-to-earth people you could ever wish to meet. He always had time for people and gave so much to back to his adopted home, Wigan.
“I will miss him greatly and am thinking today of Billy’s family, still grieving the recent loss of his beloved wife Joan. A giant of a man in every way. Thank you, Billy, and rest in peace.”
Secretary of state for the treasury, Scott Bessent, recently declared that the US is readying a comprehensive package of sanctions targeting Iran that in size and scale amounted to an “economic D-day”. Although a problematic analogy that does disservice to the memory of those Allied soldiers who landed in Normandy, Bessent’s choice of words does at least make clear that the events of June 6 1944 continue to have purchase in contemporary culture.
For the makers of Pressure, this is no doubt reassuring. Directed by Anthony Maras and cowritten with David Haig, the film revisits the well-known story of D-day but with a novel focus: the meteorologists who helped the generals make the decision on when exactly to land. It is beautifully shot and often engaging but flawed in key details and loses its way towards the end.
Pressure is an adaptation of Haig’s successful 2014 play of the same name. At its centre is the story of Group Captain James Stagg (Andrew Scott). Stagg was the RAF meteorologist responsible for the weather reports that helped the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser), prepare for the invasion of France.
Eisenhower’s plan had several specific requirements deemed essential to success. These included a full moon, a low (but rising) tide, and calm seas. Accurate weather reports were an operational necessity. This was especially the case given the famously turbulent nature of the waters between Britain and France.
The trailer for Pressure.
The film is at its best when it sticks closely to what had previously made the play such a success – the often tense interactions between humans dealing with enormous pressure. From the stately grounds of the Allied headquarters (Southwick House near Portsmouth), we see Stagg argue with his American subordinate Colonel Krick (Chris Messina) over the science of forecasting.
Stagg believes in using accurate real-time data from measuring stations far and wide. Krick believes that future weather cycles can be best predicted by looking at what similar pressure systems have done in previous years. On their dispute hangs the likelihood of a successful landing and also, therefore, ultimate victory in the war (or so we are told).
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As the narrative builds to its expected crescendo (the invasion), we also see Stagg navigate the challenge of dealing directly with the intimidating figure of General Eisenhower. And in the background throughout is another significant pressure, one that the taciturn Stagg largely keeps to himself: the uncertainty regarding the whereabouts of his pregnant wife. He has lost contact with her following a German bombing raid on her hospital.
Alliance politics
The film offers two overall takeaways. First, that science is a complex and sometimes contested business. Eisenhower wants absolute certainty; Stagg can only offer the data together with his interpretation based on years of hard-won expertise. As he tussles with “Ike” – as Eisenhower was known – we are also given a welcome lesson in the importance of speaking truth to power, regardless of the pressure that results.
The second takeaway is that the success of the operation was at root the work of an alliance of Britons and Americans who worked together towards a common goal. As such, while we see plenty of disagreements and rivalries – Damien Lewis as a self-obsessed General Montgomery is particularly good – the Allies ultimately rally for what Eisenhower famously called the “great crusade”. Given today’s tensions in the transatlantic relationship this, too, is very welcome.
Brendan Fraser as General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Studiocanal
For all its qualities, though, and for all Andrew Scott’s skill in his portrayal of Stagg, the film does have some flaws.
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Like several other historically focused productions, Pressure overplays the extent to which it is delivering an “untold” story. After all, it is based on a successful play, while the contributions of Stagg to pre-D-day planning also received attention in both The Longest Day (1962) and, more recently, Ike: Countdown to D-Day (2004). Stagg himself also authored a 1971 account of his D-day role. The story of D-day’s meteorologists might not be widely known; but that’s not the same as saying it is “untold”.
There are also some problems with Fraser’s portrayal of Eisenhower. He successfully captures Ike’s famously short temper as well as the extent to which he almost drove himself to breaking point in the days before the invasion. We’re also given a tantalising glimpse of his close and complicated relationship with Kaye Summersby, his indispensable driver, assistant and confidante (brilliantly played by Kerry Condon).
But we see relatively little of those other qualities which made Eisenhower so well-suited to the job he’d been given. Ike was an instinctive diplomat who successfully managed a transatlantic command team that included a good quota of egos and primadonnas. Unfortunately, though, this does not really come through, and we’re often left with the sense that he brought to the role little more than a capacity to glare, shout, smoke and drink.
Pressure’s final scenes call to mind the 1998 film Private Ryan. Studiocanal
Perhaps the film’s biggest flaw, however, is in its final scenes which drift into what almost becomes a homage to Saving Private Ryan (1998). In doing so, Pressure loses sight of where its real contribution to the cinematic history of D-day lies. Not in revisiting the heroism of those brave souls who landed in the first waves, but in telling the story of those who worked steadfastly behind the scenes to give them the best chance possible of success.
The latest in a long line of D-day focused productions, Pressure is an engaging film that shines a welcome light on an important aspect of the Allied landings. But Maras would have done well to keep the focus throughout on the fallible humans working behind the scenes in England to meet the epic challenges that accompanied an epic operation.
Norway’s Harald V was laid to rest yesterday after a memorial service that evoked profound displays of raw and unfiltered emotion from typically stoic royals.
Harald was Europe’s oldest reigning sovereign after Queen Elizabeth II, ruling over Norway for over 35 years until he sadly passed away on August 28 at the age of 89.
His state funeral was held at Oslo Cathedral on Wednesday as an extraordinary contingent of royals from around the world gathered in the Norwegian capital to pay their respects to the ‘grandfather of the nation’.
Senior members of 11 royal households – including Spain, Denmark, Japan and Jordan – were among the list of VIP guests at yesterday’s historic service that included a procession from the Royal Palace to the Chapel, gun salutes and speeches.
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In the end, however, it will be remembered for the quiet gestures of love, the fervent outpouring of grief from otherwise reserved kings and queens and a touching display of solidarity with Norway’s new King Haakon VIII and Queen Sonja.
While Denmark’s King Frederik welled up and was visibly emotional during the poignant service for his beloved ‘Uncle Harald’, the Princess Royal won praise from fans after they noticed the tender moment she shared with Harald’s 89-year-old widow Sonja.
Norway’s new Queen Mette-Marit wiping away her tears as the late Norwegian monarch was laid to rest
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The typically reserved Princess Anne held both of her hands as she appeared to console Haakon’s grieving mother with kind words and reassuring smiles
The heir to the Norwegian throne, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra shared a heartfelt moment with her younger brother, Prince Sverre Magnus during the funeral
There was not a dry eye in Oslo Cathedral – from King Frederik X of Denmark to Norway’s new Queen Mette-Marit and her heartbroken mother-in-law, Sonja, who was married to Harald for almost 58 years.
The Danish royal house was among the first to send their condolences after Harald passed away peacefully at Rikshospitalet on August 28.
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In an open letter to Haakon VIII, King Frederik and Queen Mary remembered his ‘unwavering calm’ and ‘dry humour’ while reflecting on the close bonds between their families.
‘Your father meant a great deal to my mother (Queen Margrethe) and both of us,’ the royal couple wrote. ‘He was an extraordinary man, with a twinkle in his eye and a big heart.
‘For 35 years, King Harald was a strong unifying figure for the Norwegian people. He joined duty and responsibility with presence and compassion. He was cherished like few others, and he will be missed by many.’
During Harald’s funeral, ‘you could see the pain’ in Frederik’s eyes as he mourned the late monarch, fans wrote on X.
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At one point, the 53-year-old sovereign reached for Mary’s hand as they bowed their heads when Harald’s coffin was brought into the Cathedral.
Queen Sonja was visibly moved when Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre paid tribute to the ‘love’ they shared in his speech.
‘Queen Sonja, working by his side, played an inextricable part in King Harald’s service to the nation – her tireless efforts to promote culture, to celebrate nature – and her desire to experience far-flung places it is hard to imagine anyone could live,’ he continued.
Harald’s widow Queen Sonja tenderly plaed a rose on his coffin during the service
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Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden was among the speakers at the royal state funeral
Norway’s Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra was poised and graceful as she joined her family in bidding farewell to her grandfather yesterday. She is seen here with her brother, Prince Sverre Magnus
Norway’s Queen Mette-Marit captured in a sombre moment with her daughter, Ingrid Alexandra
Sverre Magnus looked emotional as he left his grandfather’s funeral service
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Princess Ingrid Alexandra could repeatedly be seen thanking Prince William, who attended the funeral without the Princess of Wales, and Princess Anne during a brief exchange before they departed the Royal Palace
Norwegians watching the funeral reportedly began to ‘openly weep’ when the cameras cut to Queen Sonja crying softly during the prime minister’s address.
‘I am in Norway right now, and this was the moment when the Norwegians in the room I was watching the funeral started to openly weep. They loved King Harald, but they mourn and feel with (and love) Queen Sonja,’ one X user reported.
Norway’s Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra was poised and graceful as she joined her family in bidding farewell to her grandfather yesterday.
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In one video posted on X, the heir to the Norwegian throne could be seen comforting her younger brother, Prince Sverre Magnus, when he became overwhelmed by emotion.
The daughter of Haakon and Mette-Marit placed a reassuring hand on Sverre Magnus’s shoulder when she noticed tears in his eyes before he returned her loving gesture with a small smile.
Fans praised ‘the sweet princess’, with one person writing: ‘The Norwegian people have won my respect due to this kindness.’
It wasn’t just Ingrid Alexandra’s compassion that impressed royal watchers when footage of Princess Anne greeting the Norwegian family after the funeral was shared online.
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While the Prince of Wales officially represented King Charles III at Harald’s funeral, Princess Anne attended the event in a personal capacity as King Haakon VIII’s godmother.
The Scandinavian kings, Haakon, Frederik and Carl XVI Gustaf, honoured Harald
Mette-Marit with Haakon, who placed a reassuring hand on his mother Sonja’s back
Queen Sonja reacting to the outpouring of love for her late husband as she stepped out onto the balcony of the Royal Palace
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Prince William greeting Norway’s heir, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra
While Denmark’s Queen Mary tightly held her aunt Sonja’s hand, the King’s sister made time to express her support for Haakon, who ascended the throne after his father’s death.
Following the birth of Haakon on July 20, 1973, Princess Anne was named as one of his godparents, along with his late grandfather, Olav V, Harald’s sister, Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner, Sweden’s Carl XVI Gustaf, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe and Prince Carl Bernadotte.
Reuniting with her godson, Anne warmly hugged Haakon VIII after Harald V was laid to rest at Akershus Fortress, as their conversation brought a smile to the new King’s face despite the sombre occasion.
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When Anne noticed Queen Sonja standing by herself, she politely excused herself as William stepped forward to warmly greet Haakon in their first meeting since he became King of Norway.
After executing a perfect curtsy before Sonja, the typically reserved Anne held both of her hands as she appeared to console Haakon’s grieving mother with kind words and reassuring smiles.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra could repeatedly be seen thanking Prince William, who attended the funeral without the Princess of Wales, and Princess Anne during a brief exchange before they departed the Royal Palace.
The funeral also highlighted the strong bond between Norway and the Netherlands’ future queens – Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia and Ingrid Alexandra – when the ‘royal besties’ reunited yesterday
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Catharina-Amalia, the 22-year-old heir to the Dutch throne, gave her friend a hug as she joined her parents – the Netherlands’ King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima – for the funeral.
It was previously reported that Catharina-Amalia, Ingrid Alexandra and Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth have a WhatsApp group chat.
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In June last year, the Princess of Orange also told journalist Wim Dehandschutter via Australia Women’s Weekly: ‘We stay in contact with each other because we are all living a very specific life and we don’t need much explanation to understand each other.’
She added: ‘It’s a good thing that I can chat with Elisabeth and Ingrid Alexandra about very simple things in our life which are difficult, different for us, friendships, privacy, social media. We discuss how we handle it.’
The late King Harald V was mourned on Wednesday by his 89-year-old widow, Queen Sonja, and son King Haakon with his wife, Queen Mette-Marit. He died due to a rare blood condition known as haemolytic anaemia.
They were joined by other royals from around the world, including King Felipe of Spain, Queen Rania of Jordan and Princess Charlene of Monaco.
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The coffin was taken from the palace to the cathedral in a procession of senior Norwegian royals including King Haakon, foreign guests and representatives from Norway’s and other parliaments.
King Haakon walked behind the coffin, draped with the red Norwegian royal standard, alongside his eldest child Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, now heir to the throne, his son Prince Sverre Magnus and his sister Princess Martha Louise.
The King’s stepson Marius Borg Hoiby, who is currently serving a four-year prison sentence under house arrest at his parents’ Skaugum Estate while he appeals his conviction for two counts of rape, was also in attendance.
He previously joined his relatives to carry the coffin of late King Harald from the Royal Palace to the palace chapel last week while temporarily released, sparking fierce backlash from royal fans.
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The Bishop of Oslo Sunniva Gylver looked somewhat stern as she greeted Hoiby on the steps of the cathedral ahead of the service.
His mother Queen Mette-Marit and Harald’s widow Queen Sonja followed the coffin in a car.
Capturing the perfect wedding picture can be extremely anxiety-inducing for couples (Picture: Getty Images)
The pressure to get the perfect wedding photo is something every couple can relate to. And in recent years, one pose in particular has become popular.
After saying ‘I do’, the bride and groom walk back down the aisle, before executing the ‘kiss and dip’.
Traditional, elegant, and classic, it certainly gets a round of applause.
But some couples aren’t convinced, calling the pose ‘unnatural’. One bride even said she was ‘very scared’ that her husband would drop her.
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Not a cute start to wedded bliss.
But now, perhaps in part as a response to this terror, a new pose is emerging: the hand kiss. Here’s everything you need to know…
The iconic moment between the couple has been captured onscreen in a number of dramatised productions over the years (Picture: Shutterstock)
The Carolyn Bessette ‘hand kiss’ pose
Millions of women consider Calvin Klein’s Carolyn Bessette a style icon. From her capsule wardrobe to her effortlessly glossy hair, her style remains as influential as ever.
Unsurprisingly, her fashion legacy has extended beyond her wardrobe, with her wedding to John F Kennedy Jr becoming a blueprint for prospective brides.
One of the most iconic images of Carolyn and John was taken as they walked down the aisle after their ceremony, when John paused to kiss her hand as she smiled.
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Aptly dubbed the ‘hand kiss’ pose by brides online, this simple yet chic gesture is now cropping up at more and more weddings.
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Given the sheer popularity of the recent anthology TV series Love Story, which captured the couples’ romance and untimely deaths, it’s unsurprising Carolyn and John’s wedding is at the forefront of so many people’s minds.
‘I think as social media is at the forefront of brides minds now that they want to curate that moment and that photo.
‘It’s a very timeless pose. I also think it showcases both partners nicely – nobody is bent down dipping, it’s just two people standing together’.
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Brides online also like the simplicity of this alternative.
@H&N shared on TikTok that she personally found this pose ‘so much less pressure than the dip’ while @caty added ‘I didn’t previously know this was an option – I love it!’.
Lindsay Sawyer, 30, who is set to be wed this year, tells Metro she’ll be recreating the ‘hand kiss’ pose.
‘I’m deep in #weddingtok (with just two months until my own), and it came up as an idea,’ she shares.
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Given the immense ‘pressure’ the kiss and dip pose can put on couples, this is a much simpler alternative (Picture: Getty Images)
‘I think the dip and kiss is a nice idea but the thought of trying to orchestrate that, with everyone looking at you, makes me come up in hives.
‘And trying to get my fiancé to ‘practice’ is just never going to happen.
‘So, the hand kiss seemed like an easier option for us to still get a nice moment, without all the palaver of setting something up’.
Like so many couples ahead of their wedding day, Lindsay is understandably nervous about getting the ‘perfect shot’.
‘You get told by everyone “you’ll be looking at these photographs for 40 years”, so the pressure for the photos to last over several decades, where trends and themes are likely to change drastically, is a lot,’ she explains.
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In her eyes, the ‘perfect shot’ will probably be the one her and her fiancé are least expecting: ‘I hope we’re able to capture a quiet, sweet moment when it’s just us two amidst all the chaos of the day’.
That being said, she emphasises that ‘it doesn’t hurt to have a few ideas of what you like’.
Georgie’s advice? Have an engagement photoshoot.
‘It might seem like that won’t be helpful, but have some photos to look back at – see which poses you like, which facial expressions you look good with!
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‘Sometimes you can also overthink the photos and you spend the day worrying about that, rather than just enjoying yourself!’
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk
Gardeners may find that their roses are affected by black spot, a fungal disease that can be a major detriment to your flowers’ health and longevity
With autumn drawing ever closer, and many flowers preparing to cease blooming, keeping on top of garden maintenance has never been more crucial. Gardeners may well find themselves confronted with a number of unwelcome and unsightly problems affecting their plants and flowers.
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Gardening expert and TikTok creator Michael Griffiths has issued a warning to gardeners about a plant disease that could be wreaking havoc on their plants, with September being the ideal time to address the problem. In a recent video, Michael outlined a series of gardening tasks that fellow green-fingered enthusiasts should be carrying out this month, ranging from lawn preparation to tackling unsightly fungal diseases.
One such concern is black spot, a fungal disease that can pose a serious threat to the health and lifespan of your flowers.
In the video, he said: “Check roses for black spot and remove anything that’s affected.”
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What is rose black spot?
For those unfamiliar with the condition, rose black spot is a fungal disease in which affected blooms develop purple and black spots on their leaves, ultimately causing them to drop prematurely.
According to the Royal Horticultural Society, where leaves are infected, the markings will typically appear in spring, persisting over time and potentially causing significant damage to plants.
In addition to the purple and black spots, further symptoms of the disease include yellowing of leaf tissue, leaf drop, and small, black, scabby lesions that may emerge on young stems. There is also the possibility of finding signs of powdery mildew.
How to eliminate rose black spot
Michael’s removal technique is remarkably straightforward to implement. If the disease is confined to a single area, such as the foliage, all that is required is to pinch off any leaves showing signs of black spot.
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If you prefer not to use your hands to remove the diseased leaves, you can employ a pair of secateurs instead. Secateurs must then be cleaned thoroughly to minimise any risk of transmitting the disease.
If you notice any affected leaves on the ground, collect them. In an earlier video on the subject, Michael said: “You can pull (the leaves) in the opposite direction to the growth to easily remove them by hand.”
Everything that you collect or remove must be destroyed; do not add it to your compost heap. To minimise the chances of your roses developing black spot again, follow these steps: Prune at the appropriate time, in an open bowl configuration to an outward-facing bud to lessen the likelihood of mould, mildew and black spot establishing themselves.
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Water thoroughly so the plant does not become stressed. Apply mulch to approximately three inches depth, retaining moisture and inhibiting weeds.
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If the disease is especially severe, you may discover that flowers and plants will shed all of their foliage. Nevertheless, if you have observed that the black spot has spread throughout the plant, you may need to take more drastic measures to maintain the health of the roses.
Gardening expert Ish recommended using a bicarbonate of soda solution to tackle fungal disease. In a spray bottle, combine one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda with 500ml of water.
Mix the solution thoroughly and apply a light mist to any plants suffering from powdery mildew or fungal infections on a weekly basis.
Gently spray the plant every week or so, and the solution should eliminate the black spot. This mixture creates a natural antifungal spray capable of targeting mould, black spot, and powdery mildew.
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A small dash of washing-up liquid can also be added to the spray. This helps the solution adhere to the plants’ leaves more effectively.
As an antifungal agent, bicarbonate of soda alters the pH level on the leaf’s surface, rendering it less acidic and less hospitable to black spot fungus. The washing-up liquid assists the solution in spreading and sticking to the leaves, ensuring greater coverage across their surface.
Kelly Granado, whose parents died in Venezuela's June 24 earthquakes, poses for photos at her restaurant in downtown Los Angeles, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
2026-09-09T12:14:16Z
LOS ANGELES (AP) — After her parents went missing under the rubble of their Venezuela apartment building, Kelly Granado Montano spent her days here “lost, worried, on the phone,” her body in one country, her mind in another.
“The desperation, the pain, and the anguish grew — from not knowing” their fate, she said.
She was among the more than one million Venezuelans living in the United States who watched one of the worst disasters to hit the South American country unfold from afar.
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The powerful back-to-back earthquakes that struck north-central Venezuela on June 24 killed more than 6,500 people, left an untold number missing and damaged thousands of buildings.
As the news overtook social media feeds and family WhatsApp chats, survivor’s guilt, anger toward Venezuelan authorities and a devastating feeling of powerlessness overcame many in the diaspora, a group whose numbers doubled to 1.2 million between 2019 to 2024, as people sought relief primarily from economic hardship.
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More than two months later, some Venezuelans in the U.S. still navigate the earthquakes’ aftermath — confronting loss and leading recovery efforts — against a backdrop of deepening uncertainty in both countries, largely tied to White House policies.
Some immigrants feel a responsibility to keep shining light on Venezuela’s ongoing needs and unique challenges. “People think we are fine, but we are not,” said Dariela Merchan, an emergency room nurse in Austin, Texas.
Four Venezuelans living in the U.S. shared how they experienced the last two months, and what their futures might hold. This story is a collaboration with Caplin News in Miami and Phoenix-based Conecta Arizona.
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A restaurant owner searched for her parents from Los Angeles
Granado Montano called her parents over and over the evening of June 24, but there was no answer.
Marina, 66, and Jesús, 80, had last been seen in the underground parking of the building where they kept a beach apartment, about to leave from a family vacation. The 10-story building in the coastal state of La Guaira had completely collapsed.
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Granado Montano, 43, last saw her parents 11 years ago. Unable to leave the U.S., and with so little help from Venezuelan authorities, looking for her parents alongside relatives and volunteers on the ground became “an odyssey.”
She fundraised for the search efforts and pleaded on social media for more help to reach their building, one of 190 that completely collapsed. A group searching for their loved ones spent thousands hiring a machine to move debris, to little avail. Progress began when someone donated an excavator and a drone operator helped locate missing remains.
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In the midst of everything, Granado Montano turned her Los Angeles restaurant, Full Arepas, into a relief hub, filling shipping containers with donations to be sent to Venezuela. “Knowing we are helping people who are going through something similar … it brings me a little relief,” she said.
And so 57 days passed, until the afternoon of Aug. 19. Granado Montano was at work when a cousin sent her a video of her parents’ van, covered in rubble.
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Inside, volunteers found her mother and father; her cousin and her 9-year-old daughter; her daughter’s friend; her cousin’s boyfriend and his 13-year-old son. Her father had his seat belt on.
Learning they’d been found was “bittersweet,” she said. Her family had been recovered, but “it wasn’t the way we had wanted – alive.”
She processes one day at a time – keeping busy at the restaurant and establishing a foundation to continue helping Venezuelans. Unable to attend the memorial for her parents in Venezuela, Granado Montano and her sister held their own service at a Los Angeles church.
“They were together for 45 years and into eternity,” said Granado Montano. “Because they were found just as I had hoped they would be. Together.”
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An Austin, Texas nurse ships medical supplies between shifts
Dariela Merchan longed to put her medical skills to use on the ground. But an expired Venezuelan passport prevented the emergency room nurse from returning to the country she first left 14 years, a common issue after Venezuelan consulates in the U.S. shuttered years ago.
With her father and sister safe in Venezuela, her concern shifted to overwhelmed and underresourced medical workers, and the patients who badly needed their help. The healthcare system was already so weakened before the earthquakes that medications were scarce and a hospital’s electricity and water could go out at any time.
“They’re trying to survive and trying to work with what they have,” said Merchan, 28. She asked doctor friends in Venezuela what they needed. They told her, “Literally anything.”
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A prolific content producer on TikTok whose nursing-related videos sometimes yield millions of views, Merchan called on her network there. She connected healthcare workers with platforms where they could volunteer free telehealth sessions for those affected. A single TikTok post garnered 500 signups, she said.
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When Merchan called on brands to contribute, a medical apparel company mailed her 200 sets of new scrubs. Wary of theft by officials or others, she resolved to ship the scrubs door-to-door to a health nonprofit working in the hard-hit state of La Guaira. She crowdfunded part of the $1,200 shipping fee, covering the rest herself.
Between night shifts, Merchan packs more donated supplies for shipment, including packets of electrolyte powder for first responders. She tucks in handwritten notes thanking the health workers, reminding them they’re not alone. “We’re watching and we’re with you,” she wants them to know, “from all over the world.”
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A South Florida student grieves relatives while contemplating an uncertain future
One week after his aunt Yolanda died under the rubble of her apartment building, Alejandro Marquina discovered an Instagram message from her, congratulating him on a recent work accomplishment.
He hadn’t seen it and never replied.
The unanswered message is a painful reminder of his grief after the earthquakes killed five of Marquina’s family members in his home state of La Guaira.
“I felt like a really bad person,” said Marquina, 22. “She was really proud of me. And now, she’s gone.”
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In the weeks after the earthquakes, recurring nightmares plagued Marquina. He rarely left his house, racked with survivor’s guilt. The Florida International University senior struggled to attend classes and stopped driving – afraid something bad would happen. Going out with friends or his girlfriend sometimes triggered panic attacks.
“I was just feeling like, I’m here having fun, but my family is dying,” he said. “Many people in Venezuela, not even just my family, they’re fighting for their lives.”
Marquina, his parents and sister moved to South Florida in 2015 as his family fled oppression and sought better opportunities outside Venezuela. They landed in Doral, a city in Miami-Dade County with such a large Venezuelan population its nickname became “ Doralzuela.”
Now the faraway tragedy weighs on Marquina as he confronts uncertainties over his future and that of many others as the Trump administration tightens immigration and citizenship policies.
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Marquina enrolled in therapy after the earthquakes, which he said helped him begin working through what happened. But it was sending aid that kept him moving forward.
The journalism major used his social media skills to raise awareness. He’s collected $2,000 so far for earthquake survivors, including his own displaced family members.
“I needed to do something,” he said. “I couldn’t just stay in my house.”
From Tucson, Arizona, she watched a second disaster impact her family
Diana Ramos had trouble reaching her parents and grandmother at first, but they were ok, save some minor damage and shattered sentimental dishware.
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Overwhelmed by the flood of GoFundMe campaigns and volunteer drives, Ramos, 27, reflected on how to make a difference from Tucson, Arizona, where she first arrived as a recruited college athlete.
Some of her fondest memories of childhood in Guatire, a city 45 minutes east of Caracas, were from school. She messaged one of her teachers and learned her elementary school was shut down after being badly damaged. Ramos raised $4,000 from friends and family to help repair the building.
But weeks later came a new blow: Another huge earthquake in Colombia, home to 2.8 million Venezuelans, including her sister Duneida. Both of her sister’s workplaces in the hard-hit city of Cali were damaged, one totally destroyed, wiping out part of her income. For a while, Ramos heard less from her sister, who was overwhelmed and upset.
“It just feels like I have my heart in two parts of two different countries,” said Ramos. “So that’s just been sad.”
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Ramos wonders how much more her people can take after two decades of political turmoil and economic crisis. “All these things are accumulating without anything being solved,” she said.
The recent deal that gives the U.S. access to roughly a fifth of Venezuela’s oil reserves — which some tout as an economic lifeline, while others criticize it as an affront to Venezuelan sovereignty — didn’t change Ramos’ outlook.
She’s moving forward, clutching to her routine in Tucson and the hope of seeing her family again soon. “The earthquakes put into perspective how life can go within a second.”
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This story is supported by the AP Fund for Journalism and is a collaboration with Caplin News in Miami and Conecta Arizona in Phoenix.
Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
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