I DISCOVERED Lothersdale whilst working in nearby Earby. It is a lovely, forgotten dale with an excellent short walk climbing to the trig point of Pinhaw Beacon. The views are wide ranging, interesting in particular north towards the 3 Peaks.

Lothersdale is a long, deep valley with the central village towards the eastern end. Whether you enter from the east or the west, head for the Hare and Hounds inn.

Park near the pub and head west for 100 metres until a signpost directs you left, uphill and on to the Pennine Way.

The Pennine Way leads all the way to the summit of Pinhaw Beacon and is therefore well signposted and generally easy to follow. The path climbs steeply out of Lothersdale.

After passing through a gate turn left (still uphill) and keep close to the fence/wall. The path at this stage is faint or non-existent on the ground so stick close to the fence, which turns in to a wall. After crossing a small stream there is a stile leading left, cross the field and emerge at a lane.

Cross the lane and carry on up the farm track initially. Past the farm the track becomes more of a path, crosses a stile and then take a sharp left alongside the boundary. Over another stile and the scenery takes an immediate turn for the better (at least in my opinion). This is open moorland, the path is good (paved in places due to being on the Pennine Way) and after continuing west for half a mile leads to the smart trig of Pinhaw Beacon. The views from here are excellent.

To the north are the Yorkshire Dales, on a good day all 3 Peaks can be seen, turning to the west the Forest of Bowland is in the foreground with the sea a distance beyond (on a clear day).

More walks:

Before you reach the trig take a few minutes to try and locate a small gravestone and inscription where Robert Wilson, a brave local man, died in 1805. Robert and his two companions had been sent up to the Beacon to watch for a warning from the nearby beacon at Colne for a sign of the invasion of Napoleon. On one cold winter day Robert set out to get supplies but never returned. His body was found within 200 metres of the hut and there lies a small stone to signify where he met his end.

Pinhaw Beacon

From the summit follow the Pennine Way for a further 250 metres south west before taking the south path from the corner of a wall. Leave the Pennine Way which heads north. Follow the wall for a few meters, bear left and head for a stile out of the moors and back in to farmland.

Drop steeply towards Calf Head Farm and then follow the lane east and then steeply downhill which brings you out near Knott Barn. A footpath skirts the cluster of buildings next to a stream (on its east bank) before opening out on to a series of fields). Continue down through the fields before a slight detour to the east brings you to a bridge and the welcoming sign of the Hare and Hounds pub.

On the final few hundred metres of the descent Lothersdale, the full dale, is spread out impressively in front of you.

Fact file:

Lothersdale map

Distance: Roughly four miles.

Height to Climb: 195m (645 feet)

Start: SD 960461. There is roadside parking near the pub.

Difficulty: Medium. The walk is short but the first mile is steep. The return through the fields needs some careful map work as the paths barely exist on the ground. Where the path is intermittent look for stiles/gates which mark the way.

Refreshments: The Hare and Hounds in Lothersdale is very good.

Be Prepared: The route description and sketch map only provide a guide to the walk. You must take out and be able to read a map (O/S Explorer OL21) and in cloudy/misty conditions a compass. You must also wear the correct clothing and footwear for the outdoors. Whilst every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers head out at their own risk.

The police drama is set in Northern Ireland and is getting its own feature-length special later this year.

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Back in 2021, the BBC launched a brand-new drama based in Northern Ireland.

Hope Street is a beloved crime series which is set in the fictional coastal town of Port Devine. It centres on the local police force and the personal lives of its officers.

It boasts a cast including Kerri Quinn, Niamh McGrady, Niall Wright, Aaron McCusker, Des McAleer, Ciarán McMenamin and Finnian Garbutt, who sadly died this year.

The programme is currently in its 5th series, which premiered towards the end of last year.

It has recently been revealed that a feature-length special of the much-loved police drama is in the pipeline, with fresh faces set to join the ensemble, reports the Irish Mirror.

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Comedians Paddy Raff and Tim McGarry will make their Hope Street debuts alongside actress Letitia Hector.

While it will screen in cinemas throughout Northern Ireland in September this year, it will subsequently be released across the rest of the UK in October.

Mary McKeagney, Commissioning Editor, BBC Northern Ireland, said: “We hope this feature-length film will provide the perfect opportunity to tie up some loose ends for fans.

“And with some new characters thrown into the mix, I’m sure there will be plenty of drama in Port Devine! It is a bit of a thank you to all our audiences for engaging so enthusiastically with the series.

“Thanks, too, to the cast and crew, past and present, for bringing us such joy across all five series so far, and to Northern Ireland Screen for their continued support, and to the people of Donaghadee for having us.”

Since the programme debuted in 2021, viewers have expressed their opinions on the Irish drama.

One viewer remarked: “Excellent. At last I have found a program to watch on BBC that’s made it worth paying for the TV license. Every episode so far has made me smile. Nice that each episode has a self-contained story. Donaghadee is indeed a lovely seaside town and a great setting.”

Another person observed: “Binged it and loved it! I also don’t understand the negative reviews. I love this series, having binge-watched it over 2 days. It’s a feel-good, family drama that has the ambience of other BBC dramas, such as The Good Karma Hospital and Death in Paradise, All Creatures Great and Small, etc.”

While a third noted: “Perfect light entertainment. If you’re looking for a serious police drama, this is not for you. But if you want something easy to watch with a fun vibe and a great cast of characters, then this is absolute perfection.”

Hope Street is available to stream on BritBox and BBC One Northern Ireland

Victoria Smith, 50, was last seen at about 4pm  yesterday, Friday, July 24, near Northallerton.

She may be in the Osmotherley and Ellerbeck area, near the A19.

Victoria is white, of medium build, with brown shoulder-length hair. She was wearing a light-coloured T-shirt, jean shorts, and grey shoes, possibly with a grey hoodie.

Officers are extremely concerned for her welfare and the police helicopter has been involved in the search for her.

Anyone with information should call North Yorkshire Police on 101 or 999 for immediate sightings, quoting reference number NYP-24072026-0584.

BuzzBallz was founded by teacher Merrilee Kick, but was bought by the Sazerac Company, whose CEO is Jake Wenz, in 2024.

BuzzBallz’s UK’s mission statement, which was deleted after the BBC contacted the company about this story, said it “loves our planet as much as we love a good cocktail” and partnered with TerraCycle to ensure its packaging gets recycled.

However, TerraCycle, which involves consumers collecting packaging and sending it to be recycled, only runs the BuzzBallz scheme in the United States.

BuzzBallz’s UK FAQs, now also deleted, stated: “Yes, our packaging is recyclable. Please recycle your empties where local facilities allow.”

But no local facilities anywhere in the UK allow BuzzBallz to be recycled, said Adam Herriott, the head of packaging at WRAP.

“They’re a mix of two very recyclable materials that put together makes an unrecyclable format.

“No local authorities will accept these at the kerbside.

“If they end up at a sorting facility, they could end up contaminating the plastic stream because of the metals in there and that could be very problematic for plastics recyclers that get into the machinery.”

But why should people care if their drink packaging is not recyclable?

A Cambridgeshire council has agreed to fund free parking at four city centre car parks from August 3, but some people are not convinced it will make a big difference

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Readers of Cambridgeshire Live have expressed divided opinions on proposals to introduce free parking in a city centre after 3pm. While many have welcomed support for town centres, others have raised questions about how beneficial the timing would be for workers, and whether the policy ought to prioritise cars at all.

The introduction of complimentary parking in Peterborough city centre is set to start next month after funding for the scheme was approved. Peterborough City Council’s cabinet met on Tuesday (July 21), with members voting to provide free parking at four council-run car parks across the city.

Funding for the scheme has been provided by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA). The first day of free parking at four council-operated car parks will be Monday, August 3.

These four locations will be: Bishops Road; Car Haven; Riverside; Pleasure Fair Meadow. Parking at the above locations will be free after 3pm from Monday to Friday.

Some feel the offer should go considerably further. One commenter, Rhodabike, describes it as “A good start, but rather a minimal gesture.

“If they really want to support businesses and improve the economy, extend the free parking to 24-7. Make access to the city more affordable and convenient, and more people will visit, which is supposedly the idea.”

Freddly believes: “There is no such thing as ‘free’ parking; people who aren’t willing to pay for the space their car takes up are spongers.”

Over on our Facebook page, Pauline C comments: “So those that work early and park, does that mean they only pay till 3pm and after that it’s free for them? No help there for the majority of workers!?”

Alison O L asks: “Could Cambridge have some, please? Might get more people to the shops in the city.”

Paul L says: “So the car parks will be empty until 3pm.”

Edward J questions: “Why can’t we have free bus fares and funding for more cycling infrastructure instead of encouraging people to drive?”

Simon W says: “That’s great. I’m sure the people of Cambridge love the idea of subsidising other people’s parking through their Council Tax, given how reasonably priced it is to actually park in and around Cambridge itself. Crack on.”

Andy F writes: “Because we are losing our high street shops, all parking should be free.”

Gemma B feels: “People who work should get free parking on the days they are at work.”

Do you believe that this will help the high street? Comment below or HERE to join in the conversation.

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The skincare world never stands still. From viral TikTok trends to weekly launches, knowing what actually works for your skin, rather than everyone else’s, can feel like an impossible task.

The challenge becomes even greater as our skin changes over time. Whether you’re noticing more fine lines, loss of firmness, increased dryness, or the hormonal shift that comes with menopause, sourcing products that genuinely address your concerns means a frustrating cycle of trial and error.

Well, let us introduce you to a brand that aims to cut through the noise and provide you with a specially curated skincare routine to target your own concerns and worries.

That’s exactly where Renew + Me comes in.

Renew + Me – Advanced Renewal Skincare

Renew + Me is a personalised skincare service designed to take the guesswork out of finding products that actually work.

After completing a quick online consultation, dermatologists create a prescription tailored to your individual skin concerns, whether that’s fine lines, dryness, loss of firmness or menopausal skin changes.

Better still, your treatment can be reviewed and adjusted over time, so your routine evolves alongside your skin.

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Buy Now from £xx (save 75% off first month with code SKINGLOWMO)

Designed for women aged 35 and over, the personalised skincare service takes the guesswork out of your routine by creating a dermatologist-designed prescription tailored specifically to your skin concerns. 

Even better? New customers can currently snap up a huge 75% off their first month using the code SKINGLOWMO.

Getting started couldn’t be easier. Simply complete a quick online consultation by answering questions about your skin, lifestyle, and concerns, and a team of dermatologists will hand-select a treatment plan that’s unique to you. The aim? Healthier, plumper and more radiant-looking skin in as little as 12 weeks.

Unlike buying countless products that end up gathering dust in the bathroom, your skincare will evolve with you. The prescription can be reviewed and adjusted every month as your skin changes, ensuring that your routine continues to deliver results for you.

Created by the team behind the hugely popular Skin + Me service, Renew + Me costs just £6.99 for your first month, before rolling to £29.99 per month thereafter. 

When you consider what most of us spend hopping between trending serums, miracle creams and overnight fixes, it could actually work out to be the more affordable option. Plus, there’s no long-term commitment, so you can cancel whenever you like.

If you’re a new UK customer aged 18 or over, you can also take advantage of an exclusive 75% discount by using the code SKINGLOWMO before October 31, 2026 at 11.59pm.

One of the standout products subscribers receive is the brands rich night cream that packs the skin with a boost of hydration to restore and replenish collagen, targeting visible signs of ageing.

It is specially formulated with retinoids that are 20x stronger than standard retinol, so your skin will be treated with the best ingredients to achieve maximum results in as little as 12 weeks.

So if you’ve been thinking about refreshing your skincare routine, especially if menopausal skin or visible signs of ageing have left you wondering where to start, then don’t skip on Renew + Me.

And with 75% off your first month, there’s never been a better (or more affordable) time to see whether a personalised routine is the upgrade your complexion has been waiting for.

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MORE: From Love Island to beauty ambassador –Olivia Attwood’s full-circle moment with Tatti Lashes

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Larsa Pippen was brutally roasted by her Instagram followers this week after she posted a heavily edited image of herself.

The 52-year-old Real Housewives of Miami star – who recently helped cops catch a gang – took to the platform on Thursday to upload a snapshot posing in a navy blue mini dress on a balcony.

Her face was noticeably shaped with a chiseled jaw and her lips looking much smaller.

Fans wasted no time calling out the digital blunder, with multiple people naming her use of AI.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Pippen for comment but has not yet received a response. 

In the comments, one person wrote, ‘What in the AI is going on here?’ while another quipped, ‘That’s LarsaGPT.’ 

The 52-year-old Real Housewives of Miami star took to the platform on Thursday to upload a snapshot posing in a navy blue mini dress on a balcony

Another one of Pippen’s 5.4 million followers wrote in the comments: ‘Larsa no… come on! I love you but this has to stop.’ 

Multiple comments had iterations of ‘girl, bye,’ and others asked, ‘girl, who is this?’

Someone else joked, ‘Is this the humiliation ritual part?’

‘Even you don’t believe that,’ said another commenter while another dropped a crying laughing emoji and said, ‘That’s not even you.’ 

‘Girl, if you don’t give AI a break and let the rest of us get some time,’ yet another unimpressed social media user teased.

A top-liked comment begged to know: ‘Has anyone seen Larsa? Who is this?’

‘That filter is working overtime honey. Not hating but damn,’ one person added.

‘LarsAI Pippen,’ another follower added to the merciless thread of over 300 comments.

Fans wasted no time calling out the digital blunder, with multiple people naming her use of AI. ‘What in the AI is going on here?’ asked one person

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Another person quipped, ‘That’s LarsaGPT’

‘Even you don’t believe that,’ said another commenter while another dropped a crying laughing emoji and said, ‘That’s not even you’

‘Girl, if you don’t give AI a break and let the rest of us get some time,’ yet another unimpressed social media user teased

This past January Kardashian set the record straight on her friendship with Pippen; the former friends pictured in August 2018

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The reality television star was formerly married to NBA star Scottie Pippen, 60.

The star and her ex, who famously played for the Chicago Bulls, share sons Scotty Pippen Jr, 25, Preston Pippen, 24, Justin Pippen, 21, and daughter Sophia Pippen, 17.

In January, Kardashian set the record straight on her friendship with Pippen.

The TV star–turned–mogul sat down with sister Khloe Kardashian for a two-part episode of her Khloe In Wonder Land podcast, during which she revealed where she currently stands with Pippen.

‘I love Larsa. I love her kids,’ she told Khloe. 

She said of the end of their relationship, ‘That was a transition when I think she was going through a divorce and [ex-husband] Kanye [West] and I were having some issues.’

Kim acknowledged that she and Pippen ‘distanced ourselves for a little bit,’ as Khloe added that ‘it just fizzled.’

‘And she moved to Miami,’ the Good American founder noted, with her sister agreeing, ‘Yeah, she moved to Miami, but like, I love her.’

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“Our welfare bill is too high. It’s now over £10 billion a year for people in Northern Ireland,” the Minister said.

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has claimed his department’s crackdown on benefit fraud has reduced losses by more than £60 million over the past year, while calling on Sinn Féin to back proposals he says could deliver £100 million to Northern Ireland over the next five years.

Speaking to Belfast Live, the DUP minister said estimated losses to benefit fraud have fallen from around £230 million to £170 million annually, which he attributed to a combination of increased enforcement, greater public awareness and additional investigative work carried out by his department.

Mr Lyons also defended his controversial decision to reintroduce the publication of the names of people convicted of benefit fraud, insisting it had formed part of a wider strategy to deter offending and encourage members of the public to report suspected fraud.

“Unfortunately, benefit fraud has a huge impact in Northern Ireland. The year before last, it was £230 million a year that we lost to fraud alone. Think of how that could be spent on public services in Northern Ireland because of the action that we’ve taken, that has now reduced by £60 million, so that’s welcome,” he said.

“It’s great that that has happened, but there’s more work to do. But I think it’s really sensible that we take this approach, where we say, this shouldn’t happen and there will be consequences for those who are committing this fraud, because ultimately, we’re talking about public money.

“Money that is raised through taxes by people who go out and work hard every day, and so it’s right that we make the best use of public money and that it should only go to those who need it.

“That’s why I’ve put a focus on tackling benefit fraud, and that’s why we’re in this position now, where there has been that reduction by over £60 million.”

Asked whether the publication of convicted benefit fraudsters’ names had contributed to the reduction, the minister said it had played an important role but stressed there was no single measure responsible for the improvement.

He said the increase in public reporting, alongside enhanced investigative work by departmental staff, had all contributed to the decline in fraud rates, which he said had fallen from 2.5 per cent to 1.7 per cent.

Mr Lyons said the reduction should be welcomed, given the scale of welfare spending in Northern Ireland, but insisted there remained significant work to do.

He said: “I think it has, first and foremost, because it’s been part of a wider campaign that I have been working on to ensure that we deal with this issue. It’s only one part of it, however, I think one of the reasons why we’ve been so successful is that we’ve raised awareness of this as an issue, the public are more aware.

“And the public being more aware helps to hopefully crack down on those and prevent those from taking part in fraud, but also encourages the public to report those who have been taking part in what are essentially criminal activities. So, I’m not going to attribute it to one piece; it’s a collective effort that has been going on.

“So yes, we named and shamed people. We brought it up the agenda. As a result, we got more people reporting incidences of benefit fraud, as well as the resource that we have put in to increase the number of checks that we do and to make sure that a good comparison is done between what people’s circumstances actually are and what they’re purporting them to be.

“So, as I’ve always said, there’s no silver bullet in any of this, but it’s the work that we have done collectively across all of these areas and the hard work of staff within the department as well, and it has made a material change. We’ve gone from fraud of about 2.5 per cent down to 1.7 per cent.

“That’s welcomed, that should be welcomed by people, because of the huge amounts of money that we spend on welfare in Northern Ireland. It equates to a significant sum of money, but going from 233 to £170 million a year is good progress, but there’s more to do. 170 million pounds. Think of what we could spend that on. It’s really important that we actually get that money back that we save.”

The Communities Minister also revealed he wants to introduce additional anti-fraud measures, but argued progress has been hampered by the absence of a funding agreement with the Treasury.

He claimed that while Westminster provides money intended to tackle benefit fraud, it is not ring-fenced once it reaches the Executive, meaning resources are often directed elsewhere.

Mr Lyons also criticised Sinn Féin, claiming the party has yet to approve an Executive paper he submitted more than a year ago that would allow Northern Ireland to retain a proportion of savings generated through anti-fraud work.

He said: “I do want to introduce further measures, and the Treasury sends us money every year to tackle this, but through our system, that money doesn’t come specifically ring-fenced, so what the executive has done has spent it on other things, and that’s why for a while we were starting to fall back there and we weren’t in a position where we could spend it.

“So if I had that additional resource, we could train more staff. There’s some incredible work that is going on. I’ve been behind the scenes, behind multiple layers of security, and I’ve seen those investigators at work.

“It is really, really intricate work that they do, really good work that they do. I want to see more of them because of the money that we invest; we can get the savings back, and we can save the taxpayer money.

“Unfortunately, that money is all retained by the Treasury at Westminster at this moment in time. I wanted to have an agreement in place with the Treasury so that we could move forward on that. I had a paper with the executive which would mean for every £1 that is saved, Northern Ireland gets to keep 50 per cent.

“And that equates to millions of pounds. In fact, it would be a saving of around £100 million for Northern Ireland alone over the next 5 years if we had that agreement in place and we invested in that way. I’ve had that paper at the Executive since May 2025.

“Sinn Féin have not agreed to my proposal that’s on the table, and I’m hoping that they will now see the benefits that we could have been reaping from this, and they will change their mind and get on board with us because I want to save that money because it’s the right thing for us to do. Morally it’s the right thing to do, but I also want to get the financial saving so that we can take that 100 million pounds over the next 5 years and put it into the things that will actually make a difference in Northern Ireland.”

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Looking ahead, Mr Lyons said he hopes to work with the new Prime Minister and Treasury ministers to maximise the financial return Northern Ireland receives from tackling fraud.

The minister also broadened the discussion to the overall welfare budget, arguing that reducing long-term economic inactivity would not only lower public spending but also improve health and well-being outcomes for those currently out of work.

He said Northern Ireland’s welfare bill now exceeds £10 billion annually and described its continued growth as “not sustainable”.

“I want to see that agreement in place first and foremost. And then I also want to make sure that we maximise that as much as possible because the money is there. The money is being spent. 170 million was spent this year, but it was spent giving money to those who deliberately misrepresented their circumstances and got money that they didn’t deserve.

“So I want to invest as much as we can so that we can keep as much of that money as we can and ensure that it goes on the things that will actually make a difference and help even further, so help reduce the rate of economic inactivity and bring the benefit bill down even more, because that’s a huge problem we have at the minute.

“I get criticised whenever I say this, but I’m gonna say it again, our welfare bill is too high. It’s now over £10 billion a year for people in Northern Ireland. Some of that is for people who desperately need it.

“Some of it is for our pensioners who have earned it through the work and the contributions that they have made. But there are huge numbers of economically inactive people who could be in work and want to be in work in many cases as well.”

He added: “I think the problem that we have in Northern Ireland is that we have politicians who trip over themselves to appear compassionate, but the problem is they’re not prepared to actually grasp the nettle, which is taking the time and the money to help people get well and get back into, to work, rather than paying people to stay sick, to stay sick or stay where they are right now.

“That’s a different approach that I’m trying to take. To this, and it will help society overall, but importantly, if we really want to be compassionate and we want to help people who are in this situation, we need to make them well and get them back into work.”

On working with Westminster, Mr Lyons said greater cooperation could help reduce welfare dependency while freeing up funding for public services.

“I’ve been working alongside the former Labour minister Alan Milburn to ensure that we can do just that. We’ve got our transformation funding in place, and what we’re trying to do is tackle those long-term issues and do what we can to get people back into work,” he said.

“So, the return that you can get on your money is incredible. For every person that you can take off welfare and get into work, you can save between £15,000 and 20,000 a year. That’s the money that you save on no longer paying benefits and the money then that the Treasury gets in, that will come from tax and national insurance contributions.

“We need to do something about that, and I would appeal to the Westminster government and indeed to those politicians in Stormont who think that the most compassionate thing that we can do is just keep the welfare bill increasing more and more. Let’s ask the question: where does that money come from? It comes from those that are working and it’s not sustainable. This is real politics. These are real pressing issues, and I hope that the Westminster government will recognise that under the leadership of the new Prime Minister.”

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