Residents of several Be One Homes properties in Westhoughton were issued with the eviction notices several weeks ago after the property owner notified the organisation of their intention to sell.

But many residents say they were not given adequate information on how to find alternative accommodation, nor information on why they were being evicted, with some afraid they may become homeless.

Resident Ross Cruickshanks said: “It started in March – we got given a section 21 notice and were given until May 10 to leave.

The affected properties at 32 – 46 New Drake Green (Image: Ross Cruickshanks)

“It was very unexpected – we received very little information from Be One Homes.”

Ross said that Be One Homes told him they would sort out new accommodation for him, though he says he is ‘still waiting’ for this.

“I reached out to them a few times after it happened,” Ross said.

“I made phone calls, sent emails, and rang up the office directly – I left a message but never got a call back.

“I always paid my rent, and I never did any damage to the place – it’s a kick in the teeth.”

The property is managed by Be One Homes but owned privately – the issue came about when the current owner informed Be One Homes they would like to sell.

Residents say they were not made aware that this was the reason for their eviction notices, however.

The residents were issued with section 21 ‘no-fault’ notices, meaning they could be evicted despite not having fallen behind on rent or caused damage.

After Westhoughton councillor John McHugh, (pictured) got involved, Be One Homes issued an apology, and have been contacting residents to help them find alternative accommodation.

Be One Homes have offered an apology and are rectifying the issue (Image: Martini)

Cllr McHugh said: “It’s had a good ending now, and Be One Homes have contacted the affected residents to help.

“Be One are contacting the residents to offer support and guidance, and some residents have already been offered new accommodation.

“They have admitted they could have done better.”

Be One Homes have now begun calling affected residents to help them find new accommodation, and have apologised for the lack of communication with residents.

A spokesperson for Be One Homes said: “We’re aware of concerns raised about households in Westhoughton who recently received formal notices linked to some of our tenancies, and we understand the worry this caused.

“The tenancies affected involve homes that we lease and manage on behalf of private owners. Because we don’t own these homes, what we can do and be responsible for is limited, which is why these tenancies are coming to an end.

Noel Sharpe (CEO of Be One Homes) (Image: Be One Homes)

“Our absolute priority is that everyone affected transitions to a safe, suitable place to live. We’re working directly with each household to do this where possible.

“For some customers, we have already secured a new home that better meets their needs and represents an improvement on their current home.

“We recognise that our initial communication didn’t do enough to explain this context or the support available, and we’re sorry for the uncertainty this created.

“We’ve reflected on this and have adjusted our approach, so conversations now are clearer and more personal.”

Wu Yize has revealed that Ronnie O’Sullivan text him with some advice at a crucial moment in the World Snooker Championship final, helping turn the tide in his favour.

The 22-year-old beat Shaun Murphy 18-17 in one of the great Crucible finals, the first deciding frame contest in a showpiece since 2002.

It was the climax of a brilliant tournament, which saw Wu down Lei Peifan, Mark Selby, Hossein Vafaei and Mark Allen, with his semi-final win over the Northern Irishman also coming in a deciding frame.

Wu produced relentlessly attacking snooker throughout the event, sinking long pots and making big breaks from unlikely positions.

However, there was a period in the final that got very sticky for him as Murphy moved into the ascendency on Monday afternoon.

The Chinese star started the last day of the event 10-7 ahead after looking excellent on Sunday night, but he wobbled in the third session and the Magician won five frames on the spin.

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With the Englishman firmly in charge, there looked every chance Murphy could win all eight frames in the session but Wu managed to stop the rot and win the final three, with two half-centuries.

It was an impressive way to bounce back and the champion has revealed that the Rocket played a part in the recovery which proved key over the piece.

‘At that time my goal was to extend the lead. I wasn’t playing really that bad, but I wasn’t focussed to do what I do best,’ Wu told the Snooker Club podcast. ‘I went out to try to give myself some time to cool down.

‘Ronnie texted me telling me to stay focussed. To be calm and also to try to play to my own strengths. I was really happy I was able to do that.’

The seven-time world champion has been something of a mentor for Wu over the last season, working on the practice table with him ahead of his maiden ranking success at the International Championship in November.

O’Sullivan predicted that Wu would become world champion and world number one in the near future, with the first of those achievements already ticked off.

‘He’s been helping me so much,’ said Wu of the Rocket. ‘He taught me how to handle the situation during the match, how to handle different situations on the table.

‘It’s definitely experience I’ve learned from him, I benefit from the time I spent with him a lot.’

Speaking in February at the World Grand Prix, O’Sullivan said of Wu: ‘If I like them I pass knowledge on. If I don’t they don’t get two minutes of my time. I choose the ones I feel a bit of a connection to.

‘I think Wu Yize is gong to be world number one, I’d give him three years, definitely going to be world champion very, very soon, phenomenal player.’

He added: ‘I practiced with him for two or three days in Hong Kong not long ago and it’s not until you practice with someone that you can really appreciate how good they are. After day two I was like, this kid is really special.

‘I’d just love to go and see him fulfil his potential as a professional. He’s only 22. I expect him to do a lot of great things in snooker.’

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The Edinburgh-based company ceased operations following the voluntary liquidation.

The formal appointment of Opus Restructuring to EcoJet follows the allocation of interim liquidators earlier this year. 

The company planned flights from Edinburgh to Southampton with mainland Europe and longer flights also proposed, but the schedule was not launched.

It comes amid separate pressures for the aviation industry with US carrier Spirit going bust after more than three decades in operation.

A notice in the Gazette government public record on May 1 states that “joint liquidators have been appointed” to EcoJet.

Paul Dounis and Mark Harper, of Opus Restructuring, were appointed after earlier being allocated as interim liquidators.

Opus said: “EcoJet was a start-up business and has no material assets.

“The members have elected to fund the liquidation process to ensure that the company’s employees receive their full statutory entitlements.”

EcoJet was founded by Dale Vince, who is also behind green energy firm Ecotricity.

The company ceased trading after liquidators were appointed. (Image: EcoJet)

Mr Vince said earlier that backers remain committed “to electrifying all forms of transport, adding: “Aviation is the last frontier and the hardest.”

He said then: “It’s taking longer than we hoped, to get the technology and regulatory pieces of the puzzle in alignment, and so we’re pausing work at this time.

“This is a vital frontier in the move to net zero, green living, whatever you choose to call it – and it’s absolutely doable. It’s a matter of when not if.”

Ecotricity said of the airline on its website at the time of the launch: “The move marks the beginning of an aviation revolution by making net-zero, emission-free air travel possible for the first time.”

It added: “EcoJet’s fleet will comprise conventional planes retrofitted with hydrogen-electric powertrains.

“Once converted, the aircraft will operate with the same power output as before, but with a 100% reduction in CO2 emissions.

“The decision to repurpose old planes rather than build new models from scratch will save 90,000 tonnes of carbon per year.”

Coronation Street actress Sally Lindsay stars in new Channel 5 drama Number One Fan – inside her marriage to rock star husband and their family life with twin boys

Sally Lindsay is back on our screens in Channel 5’s Number One Fan – but what do we know about her husband?

The actress rose to prominence playing Shelley Unwin on ITV’s Coronation Street – making her first appearance in 2001. It’s fair to say she was involved in several major storylines throughout her time on the soap.

Having departed in 2006, Sally has remained very much in demand. She has featured in the likes of Scott and Bailey, Still Open All Hours and The Madame Blanc Mysteries. Sally is also starring in the new Channel 5 drama Number One Fan, alongside fellow soap star Jill Halfpenny.

Away from the television sets, Sally is happily married to husband Steve White, the former drummer of The Style Council and Paul Weller Band.

The couple first crossed paths in 2004 at a gig in Manchester where Steve was performing. She recalled to The Times: “When I met Steve, I was done with relationships. Half the blokes I met just wanted to be with a bird off the telly, and the other half were terrified of me.”, reports the Mirror.

She went on to describe how the first time she laid eyes on Steve, he was playing the drums on stage, “all passion and energy”, with Sally portraying him as a “real gentleman, with this gorgeous beaming smile”.

The couple swiftly began dating and tied the knot in a star-studded ceremony in 2013, attended by well-known friends including Gok Wan, Alan Carr, Suranne Jones, and Denise Welch. Sally and Steve are also proud parents to twin boys, Louie and Victor, born in 2010.

In a candid interview with Prima magazine, Sally previously offered a glimpse into her marriage: “Steve and I have been together 20 years and married for 10. Working away a lot is what keeps the spark in our marriage – I genuinely believe that. We always have loads to talk about.”

She went on to extol her husband’s contribution to her professional life: “Steve is the head of music on my shows. He’ll ask me what I want, and I’ll come up with the most obscure, ridiculous references, but he’ll know what I mean because he’s my husband.”

Sally was effusive in her admiration for Steve, saying, “He has a vast musical knowledge. He’s a brilliant man; he’s lovely, and he’s sexy, and he’s funny – and a rock star, which helps! He’s also the best dad.”

Sally also disclosed in a previous interview that she had no desire for children until she met Steve. She told The Mirror in November 2019 that she had been so consumed by her career before they met that the idea had never crossed her mind.

The actress said, “I thought it was made up, you know, that urge that you desperately want to procreate. I couldn’t believe it when it happened to me.

“I’ve got loads of extremely successful single women mates with massively full lives, and I thought that would have been me. It’s because of Steve that we have Victor and Louie. They’re brilliant, hilarious and cheeky, and they’ve changed my life. I would die for those boys.”

Two marine volunteers were among three people killed after a rescue boat capsized while attempting to help a yacht in distress off the east coast of Australia.

Emergency services were called at 6.15pm local time on Monday after a member of the public reported that a yacht was struggling near a breakwater in Ballina, a popular coastal town in northern New South Wales.

Marine Rescue NSW dispatched a team of six volunteers who rushed to help the yacht when their rescue vessel “capsized while crossing the Ballina bar in heavy conditions”, state police said on Tuesday. A Breakwater or breakwall is a wooden or stone wall that extends from the shore into the sea and is built in order to protect a harbour or beach from the force of the waves.

“At this time, three people are confirmed deceased, while four made it to shore,” the police added. The search was called off early on Tuesday after everyone was accounted for.

The rescuers, aged 78 and 62, died, while the body of a third man, aged in his mid-50s, was found on the sand nearby. He was not wearing a life jacket at the time and was yet to be identified, the authorities added.

“It has been a terrible night for Marine Rescue NSW and our focus right now is supporting the families of those affected and our volunteers,” a spokesperson for the volunteer organisation said on Tuesday. The Ballina bar is a notoriously hazardous entrance to the Richmond River in northern New South Wales, Australia.

Superintendent Joe McNulty said the volunteers had set out on a “fit for purpose” Ballina 30 rescue vessel, which was “specifically designed within NSW for our conditions”.

He said the capsized vessel was very well-built and locally procured and that rescuers undertake a lot of training in doing bar crossings.

The crew left the Ballina breakwater in “very severe conditions”, he added. The crew punched “into a 2.5m swell coming in from the east coast,” he said.

Superintendent McNulty said: “It heightened the wave height at the Ballina bar, creating a wave that was difficult to navigate. That vessel capsized, and as a result of that capsize, some of the Marine Rescue crew were trapped in the hull.

“We need to remember and reflect on the heroic actions of this crew overnight.

“These people do a fantastic job – volunteering in the community and putting their life at risk to go and save another vessel that was stricken and in danger,” he said.

The yacht in distress had hit a breakwall and broken apart before sinking, police said.

Authorities said divers may return to the scene on Thursday to recover evidence as police investigate how the yacht came to be so close to the breakwall.

Margie Fitzgerald, a local resident in Ballina, told 9News that the tragedy would be felt across the close-knit town.

“It affects the community when something like that happens, especially when a rescuer is lost and those people risk their lives to go and help other people in difficulty.”

Marine Rescue NSW commissioner Todd Andrews said the deaths were a reminder of the risks faced by volunteers. “These two men were serving their local community and have made the ultimate sacrifice to help others,” he said.

NSW premier Chris Minns paid tribute to the volunteers and thanked them for their service.

“Emergency service workers do an incredible job to keep us safe in difficult circumstances,” he told reporters.

“I want to pay tribute to their heroism, their sense of courage, their public mindedness, and let them know that the people of NSW are in their corner today.”

The crash happened near Terminal 2 around 3am, with emergency services cordoning off an area until just before 6am.

Diversions were put in place for airport passengers.

A spokesman for GMP Manchester Airport said: “Following a police pursuit, a road traffic collision occurred close to Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport.

“The driver of the vehicle has been taken to hospital with serious injuries.”

Due to the location of the collision, disruption was expected for airport passengers, with the upper forecourt of terminal 2 closed for nearly three hours. Instead motorists were redirected to the lower forecourt.

All roads have now reopened.

A spokesman for the airport thanked people for their patience as emergency services were on scene.

Brimming with independent shops, cobbled lanes, timber-framed buildings and a 900-year-old outdoor market, this UK city offers the perfect day trip or weekend break from Cambridge

A brief train ride from Cambridge transported me to a stunning city that has frequently been overlooked, yet it deserves serious consideration for your next day out or weekend getaway.

Just an hour by train from Cambridge and merely a 30-minute drive from the scenic Norfolk coastline, lies the charming city of Norwich. I spent the day exploring the historic location, dubbed the ‘City of Stories’, characterised by its meandering cobbled alleyways, medieval structures, timber-framed buildings, 900-year-old open-air market, and a flourishing independent scene of around 500 businesses.

However, despite its excellent transport connections and distinctive attractions, residents claim the city is ‘forgotten about’ and ‘people miss it’, an observation often linked to its location in East Anglia. “We are a bit out on a limb, and we do get bypassed a lot. People skip it because when people go north to south, they just go straight up and straight down, ” Karen Williams, proprietor of For the Love of Norfolk, explained to me.

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Leanne Fridd, who runs the independent children’s bookshop, Bookbugs and Dragon Tales, shared this sentiment: “We do get forgotten about because of our location.” She added: “It’s not on the way to anything”.

Following my own visit to the historic city, which was recently crowned the best place to live in the UK for 2026 by the Sunday Times, I was immediately struck by the wealth of attractions on offer and the remarkable ease of access. A brief train journey and a 15-minute stroll into the centre transported me to the heart of a city overflowing with character and charm, evoking the feeling of stepping into a storybook.

I discovered that its most striking feature was Norwich Lanes, a maze of twisting alleyways, courtyards, and cobbled streets, lined with over 300 independent shops, traditional tearooms, inviting bookshops, restaurants, pubs, and bars. The predominantly pedestrian-friendly quarter also houses an independent cinema, galleries, a community theatre, music venues, and two museums, reports MyLondon.

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Another exceptional aspect of this underappreciated city is the renowned outdoor market, bustling with independent food vendors and shops across approximately 200 colourful stalls. As one of the oldest and largest covered open-air markets in the country, it showcases an impressive selection of cuisines from across the globe, and by lunchtime is buzzing with locals.

However, a trip to Norwich wouldn’t be complete without discovering the enchanting setting of Elm Hill, with its stone-paved streets and magnificent medieval buildings. Beyond this, I admired the Norman 12th-century castle, the two impressive cathedrals, and the vibrant street art that decorates the city, confirming that it genuinely deserves its title as the ‘City of Stories’.

While residents feel somewhat overlooked and slightly removed from the mainstream, they couldn’t be prouder to call the city home, which topped The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2026 guide. And it appears, they didn’t need an accoldate to confirm that.

“When we were named as the best place to live in the UK, I would say most people in Norfolk went ‘well yeah’. We already know it,” Leanne said. “There are so many independent businesses in Norwich that it creates more of a community feel. So I do think that’s a large part of it.”

She added: “It wasn’t cool growing up, but it’s become cool and actually, I’m incredibly proud of Norwich and being part of it because I think we have this real rebel spirit. But no one’s in a rush – it’s the Norfolk way”.

Karen, whose shop operates within the 900-year-old Norwich market, also remarked: “We’re so close to the coast, and we’ve got the Broads National Park, so within a matter of minutes, you can be out in nature. Norwich itself is quite compact, so we’ve got everything here, but it’s all actually within a 10-minute walk, and it’s so historical as well.”

Whether you fancy a day exploring a medieval city rich in heritage, perusing its abundance of independent retailers or sampling delights from its thriving outdoor market, I couldn’t recommend a visit to Norwich more highly. With the coastline just a short distance away, it could prove the ideal weekend getaway, combining fresh sea air with a city break all rolled into one.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

Could you have forgotten Rivals since we last visited the copulating county of Rutshire? The Disney Plus show is quick to remind us of its rhythms as we roll into season two.

Back is the lust and those lavish parties. Both factor in our first set piece, at a pool party with identical twins who, rumour has it, are only dissimilar inside their pants.

Because Rivals would never leave us in doubt over such matters, the pair soon get their kit off and whirlybird into the pool. (The difference is, indeed, evident).

‘We had to call it silly willies,’ producer Alexander Lamb tells Metro, articulating the nickname with a cheeky chappie trill.

Showrunner Dominic Treadwell-Collins describes it as a ‘silly fun reminder early on’.

‘This is Jilly Cooper. It’s Rivals and look: willies.’

Writing the second season, particularly its first episode, they were conscious of not falling prey to ‘second album syndrome’ and copying their first dazzling effort.

Having watched the first three episodes, there’s a confidence there. ‘We have a swagger. We know what we’re doing. We know the audience are with us. So we can go in some new places,’ says Treadwell-Collins.

There’s license to be ‘dafter’ (see, helicoptering penises plunging into pool), but also ‘darker and sadder’ (much of which involves a stellar Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton). 

We all want to make this even better and bigger than season one, in Jilly Cooper’s memory

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When any of the cast or creatives speak to me of the late Dame Jilly Cooper, it is with awe that they got to spend time with her. The 88-year-old died after a fall at her home, when production was two-thirds of the way through shooting.

‘She gave notes on everything,’ recalls Treadwell-Collins of her input. Her assistant would ring him up and announce, ‘You’ve got a call from the Dame’. 

She had sway, too. A collection of season one scenes in which Taggie was more ‘active’ were culled after Cooper pointed out that wasn’t really who the character was. ‘Her instincts were always right,’ he says.

Their recollections of the author’s set visits sound magnetic: ‘bright blue eyes’, ‘so full of admiration’, but also ‘so naughty’.

A tribute at the close of episode one trumpets a sensational picture: Cooper reclining on a chaise longe, hair buffeted into the stratosphere, wearing a pair of fishnets and little else. There’s no doubt this is the woman who wrote Rivals.

The cast was in full attendance at Cooper’s January memorial service. Alex Hassell and Bella Maclein – who play Rupert and Taggie – read an excerpt from Rivals (the New Year’s Eve party scene). 

‘It was really beautiful to get to be part of the tribute and to be the physical manifestation of these characters that she cared so much about and invested in so much, and so many people have invested in,’ says Hassell, who seems in awe of the event. Queen Camilla was in attendance, and Joanna Lumley also gave a reading.

‘There was a lot of joy in that room, in the celebration, and then ultimately, a lot of champagne, ‘ he says, which Maclean notes Cooper would have ‘loved’.

‘We all want to make this even better and bigger than season one, in her memory,’ says show director Elliot Hegarty. ‘To make sure her legacy is fit and strong and moving forward to – fingers crossed – season three.’

The team have the rights to Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles series, of which there are eleven (!) books. Seasons one and two are so far only one of them.

Treadwell-Collins compares Cooper’s novels to Game of Thrones or the MCU, even if it took a couple of decades for commissioners to see his vision for adapting them.

‘And some of the people that I pitched it to pretend they don’t remember,’ he says, conspiratorially. ‘They go, “Well done, Dominic, so great. It was always such a good idea.” I’m like, you didn’t…’

Treadwell-Collins has had the last laugh. ‘I’ve always known. They’re such good books, in the way that people keep adapting Dickens and Austen.

‘These books were sitting there with these amazing characters and this social satire pulling apart Britishness. But also this pining, yearning love story between Rupert and Taggie that keeps you turning the page.’

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Not to mention those silly willies.

Rivals returns for season 2 on Disney Plus on May 15.

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If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

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