Tracy Ostle, chair of the Foss Fairy Trail, a free trail for families along the banks of the River Foss across from Huntington Road, said she reported at least two people sleeping rough in a tent on the path to the council’s Navigators on May 19.

However, she said no one replied to her email – and the tent remained next to the river on Monday (June 29).

Tracy Ostle maintaining the Foss Fairy Trail (Image: Dylan Connell)

City of York Council said its teams visited the site several times over the last two months.

A team also attended on Monday to clear the site and found that the rough sleepers were no longer staying in the tent, the council said.

The council’s assistant director of housing, Katherine Proctor, said the local authority’s Housing Navigators work with rough sleepers in York “but our offer of help is not always accepted”.

She said the council teams “always act on all reports” about rough sleepers, and offer help ranging from helping someone returning home or into a hostel and support where necessary.

But Ms Ostle questioned the support that the rough sleepers at the Foss Fairy Trail had received, adding that the lack of communication from the council had left her concerned for their welfare.

Ms Ostle also said delays in officers attending the trail meant she had to spend two hours cleaning the site.

Items left by rough sleepers on the Foss Fairy Trail in York (Image: Supplied)

She said two mattresses and mess – including human waste – had been left at the site, describing it as a “mini-Glastonbury”.

The chair of the trail, who maintains the site alongside her full-time job, said the mess had resulted in people avoiding the area.

But Ms Ostle said she was ultimately concerned for the welfare of the rough sleepers, adding: “It’s just shocking.”

Mattresses left by rough sleepers on the Foss Fairy Trail in York (Image: Supplied)

She felt the rough sleepers would have been seen sooner by the Salvation Army, which previously supported York’s rough sleepers’ early intervention programme through the charity’s £95,000-a-year contract with City of York Council.

Ms Ostle added that Charlie Malarkey, who ran the Salvation Army’s York Early Intervention and Prevention Team before the council moved the service in house in 2023, had been to check on the rough sleepers on the Foss Fairy Trail – even though it is no longer his job.

She claimed the Salvation Army would have ensured the rough sleepers were supported quicker.

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Recalling previous cases with rough sleepers on the Foss Fairy Trail while the Salvation Army carried out the service, Ms Ostle said: “I’d email Charlie Malarkey and he’d be down there first thing – 4am/5am.

“He knew what had to be done and would do whatever he could to find them somewhere. They would be gone the next day.”

Major Andrew Vertigan, from the York Salvation Army, said: “Salvation Army continues to work with rough sleepers across the city, as a voluntary provider of social care but no longer receives funding to do so from City of York Council.”

Mr Vertigan said he has been “surprised by the number of requests and inquiries his team receives”, adding: “We seek to respond and support as best we can with limited resources.”

‘We always act on all reports,’ says council boss

Ms Proctor said City of York Council’s Housing Navigators “work with everyone sleeping rough in the city, including those in the centre and the outlying areas, but our offer of help is not always accepted”. “We offer and give help discreetly, while honouring our duty to protect individuals’ privacy.

“This could range from helping someone to return home or, where appropriate, into a hostel and support. Depending on a person’s circumstances, we cannot always offer a place at a hostel. When in our hostels, everyone must follow a clear set of rules to keep residents and staff safe. If this is breached, we will take action.

“All support is tailored to each person’s needs. It is provided sensitively to maintain a dialogue and encourage the offer of help to be taken up. We work with people to discuss options at times that best suit them.

“When a rough sleeper location is vacated and waste is left behind, our Neighbourhood Enforcement Officers will investigate and clean the site. Any waste left in public spaces should be reported via (www.york.gov.uk/ReportFlyTipping, email ycc@york.gov.uk and will be removed as soon as possible.

“We welcome alerts about people sleeping outdoors and we always act on all reports. This includes help to manage during periods of extreme heat or cold.”

Two masked daredevils who climbed to the top of the Empire State Building with a protest banner – before one dropped to a knee for a dramatic proposal – are now facing multiple charges. 

Angela Nikolau, 33, and Vanya Beerkus, 32, were taken into custody following their sky-high stunt on Wednesday afternoon.

The Russian couple were hit with a slew of charges including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, violation of a local law, criminal tampering, disorderly conduct, and possession of burglar’s tools, ABC News reported.

The thrill seekers were escorted out of an New York Police Department precinct in Midtown on Wednesday night. 

Beerkus was seen with a stoic expression, dressed in black and handcuffed, as two police officers walked him out of the building and into a white van. 

Nikolau followed behind with a smirk, also clad in black, as two officers guided her to the same white vehicle. 

The 33-year-old had a cheeky grin on her face as she sat seen sitting inside the white van.

Nikolau and Beerkus are being transported to Manhattan Criminal Court where they will face a judge for arraignment. 

Ivan Beerkus is transported in handcuffs in New York. He was taken into police custody after unfurling a pro-peace banner on top of the Empire State Building

Angela Nikolau is transported in New York after she climbed to the top of the massive building before getting engaged to Beerkus

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The pair scaled the spire of the New York City landmark, which reaches a staggering 1,454 feet. 

As they clung on, the daredevils flew a banner which read: ‘When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.’

The message appeared to be a modified quote from British politician William Gladstone, and is often misattributed to the rock star Jimi Hendrix. 

After flying the banner at around noon, the climbers began to descend just after 12.30pm, before reaching a lower platform where Beerkus dropped down to one knee and proposed.

Nikolau appeared to say ‘yes’ to the astonishing proposal, as a helicopter circling the building captured the couple embracing and they removed their masks to share a kiss.

The influencer posted a video of herself atop the Empire State Building at around midday.

The stunt couple, who are known for climbing skyscrapers, starred in the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story.

Nikolau has posted herself scaling tall buildings and performing hair-raising acts while donning a black cat-face covering.

Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau attend Netflix’s Skywalkers: A Love Story Tribeca Film Festival Premiere

A daredevil influencer, Angela Nikolau, posts videos of herself scaling tall buildings while donning a black cat-face covering. She is often filming with musician Vanya Beerkus 

After they began their descent at around 12.30pm, Beerkus proposed to Nikolau on a lower deck of the spire, and she appeared to say yes as the pair embraced and shared a kiss

Nikolau posted a series of photos of the pair atop the Empire State Building, including a snap of the proposal and her flashy diamond ring

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Tourists and onlookers gazed up in astonishment at the scene unfolding above them, as the Empire State Building’s observation deck was quickly cleared

Nikolau shared a video of herself on top of the Empire State Building at around midday

The New York City Police Department was at the scene and the couple were arrested at around 1pm

She is often videoed and pictured atop the terrifyingly tall buildings with musician Beerkus.

Nikolau posted a series of photos of the couple shortly after the stunt, including a snap of the proposal and of her flashy new diamond ring.

The New York City Police Department was at the scene and the pair were taken into custody at around 1pm.

Tourists and onlookers gazed up in astonishment at what was unfolding above them as the Empire State Building’s observation deck was quickly cleared.

Witness Julie Morris told CBS: ‘We were right at the top. I could see two people open the gates – the mesh gates – and they went up to the top.

‘I just assumed they were allowed up there.’

On the street below the iconic building, police had taped off the area and closed the street.

This is a breaking news story. 

Moses Martin is entering the family business. 

The 20-year-old son of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin appears set on pursuing a public life in the entertainment industry, making his modeling debut on Tuesday.

Martin, who is a junior at Brown University, showed off his good looks in the new ‘Escape to the Countryside’ campaign from British luxury brand, Burberry, captured by lensman Chris Rhodes.

In one shot, the nepo baby toted the $2,095 ‘Check Backpack’ featuring the iconic plaid print from the fashion house established in 1856 by Thomas Burberry.

In another image, the youngster appeared to be ready for tennis in a $395 ‘Cotton Polo Shirt’ in denim blue while seated behind the $2,650 ‘Check Holdall’ bag.

Martin is following in the footsteps of his big sister, Apple, who has modeled for brands like Chloé, Self-Portrait and GapStudio.

The 22-year-old Vanderbilt University grad is set to make her big-screen acting debut in Nancy Meyers’ 2027 semi-autobiographical movie about filmmakers for Warner Bros. alongside Penélope Cruz, Kieran Culkin, Jude Law and Owen Wilson.

In one shot, the 20-year-old nepo baby toted the $2,095 ‘Check Backpack’ featuring the iconic plaid print from the fashion house established in 1856 by Thomas Burberry

Apple was previously criticized for her off-pitch singing with LA duo Jade Street at Cannery Hall in Nashville on October 17. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Paltrow’s publicist for comment about her son’s move into modeling, but didn’t immediately hear back. 

In April, Paltrow gushed that that her boy was ‘the definition of a gentleman – kind, intelligent, thoughtful and soulful. It’s beyond words how incredible you are.’

The 53-year-old Oscar winner is also a bona fide nepo baby – having had a leg up in the industry thanks to her actress mother Blythe Danner, showrunner father Bruce Paltrow and filmmaker godfather Steven Spielberg.

Martin was sporting the $595 ‘Check Collar Cotton Polo Shirt’ over the $595 ‘Long-Sleeve Cotton Top’ with blue jeans

In another shot, the Brown University junior appeared to be ready for tennis in a $395 ‘Cotton Polo Shirt’ in denim blue while seated behind the $2,650 ‘Check Holdall’ bag

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Paltrow ‘consciously uncoupled’ from the 49-year-old British rocker in 2013 following a decade of marriage, and married 9-1-1 co-creator Brad Falchuk in 2018. 

Last month, the half-Jewish empty nester received substantial backlash for starring in a commercial for 51 Park, a luxury real estate development in Israel, amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

And in May, Paltrow raised eyebrows when she laid off around 20 employees at her lifestyle company Goop in favor of adopting automated, AI-driven workflows.

The Manhattan-born musician’s gig in front of the camera came after his older sister Apple Martin modeled for brands like Chloé (pictured), Self-Portrait and GapStudio

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The 22-year-old Vanderbilt University grad is set to make her big-screen acting debut in Nancy Meyers’ 2027 semi-autobiographical movie about filmmakers for Warner Bros. (pictured last Saturday)

In April, Paltrow gushed that Martin was ‘the definition of a gentleman – kind, intelligent, thoughtful and soulful. It’s beyond words how incredible you are’ 

Paltrow ‘consciously uncoupled’ from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin (R) in 2013 following a decade of marriage, and married 9-1-1 co-creator Brad Falchuk in 2018

The Influenced actress will next executive produce and star in producer Stacey Sher and playwright Heidi Schreck’s adaptation of Belle Burden’s new bestseller Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage, which will stream on Netflix.

The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle is recruiting across its visitor experience and catering teams, with new opportunities for welcome staff and café workers as the museum goes through a period of change, investment and transformation.

Do you have what it takes to join the team?

Welcome Team Assistant (zero hours)

Zero-hours Welcome Team Assistant roles are available on a permanent basis, paid at £12.71 per hour.

The posts sit at the heart of the visitor experience, with successful candidates becoming part of the team that greets visitors, supports ticketing and retail, and helps deliver the museum’s wider offer.

The listing says: “The visitor is central to our offer at The Bowes Museum, to succeed in this role you will be enthusiastic, motivated, able to work on your own initiative and collaborate with others.

“You will be comfortable working with others in a customer-facing sales environment, delivering the highest standards of customer service and care. You will be an effective communicator and demonstrate flexibility in this varied role.”

Some weekend and Bank Holiday working will be required, as well as some evening work for events and exhibition previews.

The closing date is ongoing, with interviews arranged over the phone.

The Silver Swan at Bowes Museum (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Catering Assistant

The museum is also recruiting a zero-hours Catering Assistant on a permanent contract, paid at £12.71 per hour.

Working as part of the catering team, the successful candidate will support a thoughtful, high-quality food and drink offer that provides an exceptional visitor experience.

The listing says: “Food is an important part of how visitors experience The Bowes Museum and its historic setting.

“We are looking for a Catering Assistant to join our Catering Team, supporting the delivery of a thoughtful, high-quality food and drink offer that provides an exceptional visitor experience at the museum.”

To succeed in the role, applicants will need to be enthusiastic, self-motivated and passionate about delivering excellent visitor experiences.

The museum is seeking someone confident, friendly and approachable, with a genuine interest in engaging with people.

The closing date is ongoing, with interviews arranged over the phone.

More information on these roles and details of how to apply can be found at thebowesmuseum.org.uk/jobs-and-volunteering/.

Museums are supposed to be havens for the collective cultural and scientific heritage of the planet, but specimens sometimes go missing.

Happily, they can also be rediscovered, as a new study shows, with the vertebrae of the legendary predatory shark known to the world under its old name of Megalodon (now properly Otodus megalodon) turning up on a museum shelf decades after they were seemingly lost.

The new paper takes another look at the size and growth of this giant shark that lived between 15 and 3.5 million years ago. The study confirms previous estimates that these animals might have been longer than 24 metres. To put that in context, even the most unnaturally exaggerated sharks in the Jaws franchise topped out at 10.5 metres. These were seriously big fish.

The work is based on an analysis of several 11-million-year-old vertebrae from one animal, found in Denmark. Apart from the jaws and teeth, shark skeletons are mostly cartilage, so vertebrae are rare and important. Compared to a tooth, they give a much better indication of the size of the owner and here these are the largest known of any O megalodon (23cm in diameter).

These important specimens were thought to have been destroyed in a move from the Geological Museum of Copenhagen (now part of the Natural History Museum of Denmark) to the Museum of Southern Jutland in 1989. The scientific records of them were limited to old photos and descriptions. A couple of these vertebrae have now turned up, having apparently sat on a shelf unrecognised for decades. This allowed for the new study, which also estimated that a newborn O megalodon might be 3.6 metres long and live for nearly a century.

How can museums and palaeontologists lose valuable fossils?

All manner of unlikely and unfortunate actions can lead to the loss of fossils from museums.

Most obviously this can happen during times of conflict. The second world war saw the loss of dinosaur fossils on both sides of the conflict. The original specimens of the sail-backed dinosaur Spinosaurus were destroyed in Munich by an allied bombing raid in 1944. Earlier, a number of specimens, including parts of the early dinosaur Thecodontosaurus, were destroyed in Bristol after an Axis raid in 1940.

These were not even the first losses from enemy action in international wars. In 1916, the Canadian ship SS Mount Temple was sunk by a German ship. Although it was mostly carrying wheat, it also had a cargo of dinosaur fossils from Alberta that were being moved to the UK. The cargo lists are vague so we don’t even know what dinosaurs were on board.

Indirect action could be problematic too. In 1941, the Chinese attempted to move as many as 40 specimens of “Peking man” (Homo erectus), the first of our relatives to have human-like proportions, to the US to try to save valuable early hominid fossils from the invading Japanese forces. They never arrived, and might have been lost at sea after the ship they were on was sunk. Although it’s possible they never even made it on board the vessel.

Things can also be simply lost or fall apart. An apparent giant sauropod dinosaur similar to Diplodocus was named by the US palaeontolgist Ed Cope in 1877 as Amphicoelias fragillimus. He described it from a single, incomplete, fragile, but giant, vertebra.

Cope gave differing measurements of the vertebra at various times, making it unclear quite how large it actually was. When he died, his collection was sold to the American Museum of Natural History, but they were never able to find this specimen. Given how fragile it was, it may simply have disintegrated on the shelf and been overlooked or thrown away.

Museums are not immune to losses either. If you have an enormous number of specimens (the Natural History Museum in London has an estimated 80 million objects in its collection), it is inevitable that one or two may simply get lost.

I’ve been an eyewitness to lost specimens turning up in a museum when a colleague spotted a dinosaur skull and pterosaur skeleton sitting on the wrong shelf like misplaced library books. Then there’s the more nefarious activities – I’ve heard of researchers deliberately moving specimens to make them hard to find so other researchers cannot examine them, and occasionally things are stolen from collections.

On top of this, natural disasters and accidents can wipe out history. The Fukushima earthquake and tsunami of 2011 in Japan caused major damage to the nearby Iwaki museum with damage to some of the fossils in their collections. And in 2018, one wing of the Nation Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro burned down with the loss of many fossil specimens that were on display.

For all the examples raised here, museums are inherently safe places for specimens. There are millions and millions of fossils that have been held in institutions around the world for decades and even centuries. It is inevitable that accidents will happen, and that bad actors will cause occasional losses. Fortunately, at least on occasion these do reappear and give us some exciting new research opportunities.

Paul Sneddon has played a huge part in the Edinburgh comedy scene.

Tributes have poured in following the death of much-loved Scots comedian Paul Sneddon, 70.

The Edinburgh performer, best known for his comedy characters Vladimir McTavish and Bob Doolally, has been remembered as a “kind”, “generous” and hugely talented figure who was at the heart of Scotland’s comedy scene for decades.

The Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh announced the devastating news on Wednesday, describing Paul as a “vital part” of the venue since it first opened.

In a heartfelt tribute shared on social media, the club said: “It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Paul Sneddon, known to so many as Vladimir McTavish and Bob Doolally.

“Paul has been a vital part of The Stand since we began and a much treasured and loved part of the comedy scene for many years. He was as known for his kindness, encouragement and generosity as he was for his immense talent.

“He made every green room brighter, every line-up funnier and the world a nicer place to live in. We are broken at the loss of our dear friend.”

The club said its thoughts were with Paul’s wife Christine, daughters Julia and Rosie, and his many friends and fans.

Paul had been due to perform his latest Edinburgh Fringe show, 2026 and the S**t Hits the Fan for Vladimir McTavish , in August.

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Fans and fellow comedians quickly paid tribute online, with one writing: “This is dreadful news. What an absolutely lovely, hilariously funny, kind man.

“He made my life about a billion times more fun by hosting the comedy course with John, which got me into stand-up. He radiated such enormous warmth and encouragement. A huge miss.”

Another said: “So sad to hear this awful news. Paul was such a lovely guy as well as being a wonderful performer and comedian. He will be sorely missed.”

A third added: “That is such sad and shocking news, won’t be the same without him. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Comedy night Laugh It Off at The Railway also paid tribute, saying: “Devastated to hear the news today that Paul Sneddon AKA Vladimir McTavish / Bob Doolally has very sadly passed away.

“Paul was a great comedian, a great guy and a keen supporter of Laugh It Off. He’s given me nothing but positive encouragement as a fledgling stand-up. I was speaking to him only a couple of days ago about gigs at the Fringe. He’ll be greatly missed.”

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Liquor is just one thing that helped fuel revolutionary America 250 years ago. People joining the UK events say they’ve enjoyed learning about the extent of the cultural crossover – not just because the US’s big birthday is a milestone that resonates globally, but because it’s also taught them things about their own part of the world.

Back in the City of London, participants on Mark Grant’s tour say the deep-dive into American history has also had the effect of showing them a side of their city they never knew.

“It took me to a few alleys I’d never been to,” says Peter Tidmarsh, a local. “I’m just amazed.”

Not for nothing has Grant been a contestant 13 times on the BBC’s Mastermind game show, thanks in part to his prolific knowledge of the UK capital. Blue plaques, historic pubs, and even the site of an church that was moved brick-by-brick to Missouri – all these sites feature on his tour.

For Grant, the Square Mile is its own character in the American story, and it offers an illuminating window into how a young US might have looked at a turning point in history. “The cities [in the UK and the US] would have been the same, and so this is kind of the foundation of it all,” he reckons.

An Australian by birth, Grant acknowledges that he’s neutral on the question of which side was responsible for the infamous 18th Century breakup. Britons on the tour, meanwhile, insist they’re not taking sides either – they’ve just come along to learn something.

“Well, there’s some regret,” jokes Tim Parry from Essex. “But I think I think we got over it.”

“I think 250 years is long enough,” adds Tidmarsh.

The cathedral roof needs replacement roof tiles amongst the repairs

Funding is being sought for “vital” roof repairs at a Cambridgeshire cathedral to prevent “massive problems in the future”. Peterborough Cathedral has been a centrepiece in the city for over 900 years.

Since the building is so cold, parts of it have started to deteriorate and become affected by the weather. Cathedral staff have identified problems, with water from rain seeping into parts of the roof.

As a result, the cathedral is applying for a fund from Historic England for £230,000. If granted, this will be used to replace roof tiles, replace gutters, and re-lead some parts of the roof.

Jack Pishorn, COO of Peterborough Cathedral, said the roof repairs are “vital”. He added: “We’ve identified a pot of £230,000 from Historic England to do some vital repairs – it’s all very unglamorous stuff.

“It’s to stop water from entering the building and stop things deteriorating.” Jack added that it was “no secret” that the cathedral was running at a deficit, after only last year it launched an appeal to raise £300,000 to keep open seven days a week.

Jack added: “The big focus for my team is to look at how we can generate income and control our expenditure to ensure we can have a sustainable future. But of course, while you’re working in a deficit, you stop spending money on repairs or maintenance.

“That’s something that’s happened over many, many years. So, of course, we have to find that money because the problem is going to get progressively worse year after year.”

The Very Revd Chris Dalliston, Dean of Peterborough Cathedral, said that without the repairs being done in a “timely fashion” they will build up to “massive problems”. The Dean added: “This space is for everyone. We want to maintain it as a great asset for the city spiritually and culturally.”

The cathedral has submitted an expression of interest for the Places of Worship Renewal Fund with Historic England. The Places of Worship Renewal Fund is a new £92 million national programme.

It helps listed places of worship across England to carry out urgent repairs and remain safe and open. It replaces the previous VAT relief scheme with capital grants.

One minute, Senegal were cruising into the last 16 of the World Cup.

The next, they were left wondering how another dream had slipped through their grasp.

Manager Pape Thiaw’s side led 2018 semi-finalists Belgium 2-0 with only four minutes left of normal time, after goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr.

But after outplaying their opponents, they somehow “found a way to lose the game”, as ex-Republic of Ireland skipper Roy Keane put it on ITV.

Romelu Lukaku’s 86th-minute goal sparked hope for Belgium and three minutes later, captain Youri Tielemans headed in an equaliser from Leandro Trossard’s cross – the pair were earlier seen having a heated argument – to force extra time.

Then came the controversial penalty, awarded for Lamine Camara’s challenge on Tielemans following a video assistant referee (VAR) review, and converted by the skipper himself 125 minutes in.

It condemned Senegal to further agony, having already endured the pain of being stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title earlier this year.

“Football is just crazy. I couldn’t call any of this game,” former England striker Dion Dublin told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Late drama, controversy, history and heartbreak – this last-32 tie had everything and here, BBC Sport attempts to make sense of it all.