Residents have voiced fears about overtourism in the picture-perfect village.

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The “Venice of the Cotswolds” is now pushing for a ban on coaches in the village centre amid concerns about “Disneyfication” and overtourism fears. Approximately 100 residents in Bourton-on-the-Water expressed their concerns about overtourism at a meeting before Shire Hall and District chiefs in November.

This week, the Parish Council voted to request an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO) to restrict coach access into Station Road from the Fosseway, Rissington Road and the Steeps. The motion represents a significant step in Bourton’s continuing efforts to tackle longstanding resident concerns regarding the impact of substantial volumes of coach traffic on key routes through the village.

District Councillor Jon Wareing (LD, Bourton Village), who has campaigned on the issue in recent years, urged parish councillors to support the proposal to ask Gloucestershire County Council for the ETRO, reports Gloucestershire Live.

“This is not a new position,” he said. “The Parish Council previously supported similar measures in 2024, reflecting sustained public concern about congestion, safety and quality of life impacts linked to unrestricted coach access through the village centre.”

He added that the situation has now changed, with clearer understanding that enforcement is achievable, including through Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology.

This is viewed as removing one of the historic barriers to progressing traffic restrictions. Cllr Wareing stated that all parties must begin collaborating to identify a viable long-term solution comparable to those implemented in locations such as Clovelly, St Ives, York, Bath, Oxford and Cambridge.

He emphasised that the decision ought to be viewed as an initial step towards addressing the broader systemic issue of the substantial number of visitors arriving by vehicle in Bourton annually.

“It’s not just coaches – it’s cars as well,” he said. “People often refer to Bourton as the Venice of the Cotswolds.

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“Venice is widely seen as unsustainable because visitor numbers overwhelm a small, fragile historic city – pushing out residents, damaging heritage and infrastructure, and putting pressure on the environment, retail and public services.

“The same risks exist here. We could become Venice in the Cotswolds in terms of the impact on our heritage village.

“We need to reverse the ‘Disneyfication’ of Bourton and develop a regenerative approach, where tourism is managed deliberately to support local life rather than displace it.”

County Councillor Paul Hodgkinson (LD, Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach) said he understood residents’ frustration with certain coaches failing to use the designated drop-off and pick-up point in Meadow Way.

He confirmed that Shire Hall is assessing the effectiveness of the interim measure, which was devised to divert coach traffic away from the village centre. “We are reviewing the effectiveness of that this week and will do so again in May. It’s really important that all coaches use the point legally,” he said.

“I am committed to making sure residents are safe and that coaches cause the minimum disruption, whilst helping local businesses to be successful.

“At the County Council we will definitely take this request seriously and I’ll be talking to council officers about how it could work.”

Martin Odegaard has revealed he is in for anxious few days before he can determine the extent of the knee injury he suffered against Brentford.

The Arsenal skipper had missed the wins over Chelsea, in the Carabao Cup, and Sunderland but made his return as a second half substitute at the Gtech Stadium.

Odegaard, who replaced the struggling Eberechi Eze at the interval, turned the game in Arsenal’s favour and the league leaders looked to be on the way to a vital three points before being pegged back by Keane Lewis-Potter’s equaliser.

The Norway international was hurt attempting to block the Brentford forward from getting to the ball first and although he was able to complete the game, Odegaard looked far from comfortable and was seen limping through the mixed zone after the game.

Mikel Arteta’s side are back in action this afternoon against Wigan in the FA Cup and look certain to be without their skipper.

With Mikel Merino out the season, Ethan Nwaneri on loan and the aforementioned Eze in the doldrums, Arsenal can ill-afford to be without Odegaard for any length of time.

Wrting in Sunday’s matchday programme,Odegaard clarified the situation and said: ‘I picked up a bit of an injury when they (Brentford) scored their goal, but hopefully it’s not too bad.

‘We’ll see how it goes in the build-up to today’s game and over the next few days.

‘I tried to clear the ball as it came down, but instead kicked into the player a bit, and ended up over-stretching my leg, which pinched the knee.

‘I was able to carry on, but on Friday morning it was very sore, so I was worried of course, but thankfully it looks like it’s not too bad.’

Despite their recent wobble in the Premier League, where they have won just two of their last six games, Arsenal are still challenging on four fronts this season and a plumb FA Cup home tie against League One opposition could represent the chance to rebuild some confidence.

Odegaard said: ‘Today it’s a change of focus in the FA Cup, which is a big target for us.

‘This group of players hasn’t had a run in this competition, and it’s definitely something we want to do.

‘We know we can do better in this competition.

‘In recent years, we’ve gone out quite early, so that’s something we want to make better and it’s another competition we want to go all the way in.’

MORE: Arsenal vs Wigan: Predicted FA Cup lineup today and confirmed team news

MORE: Alan Shearer says Arsenal were ‘better’ without Mikel Arteta’s £67.5m signing

MORE: Man Utd urged to hire Champions League manager to catch Arsenal and Man City

NHS Fife bosses confirmed Dr Beth Upton had ‘left the organisation’ after Sandie won a legal action over her suspension amid a row changing room row with the transidentified male doctor.

The trans medic at the centre of the Sandie Peggie employment tribunal has left the NHS.

NHS Fife bosses today confirmed Dr Beth Upton had “left the organisation” after Sandie won a legal action against the health board over her suspension amid a changing room row with the transidentified male doctor.

Sandie, 56, has vowed to fight on after she launched an appeal against the judgement in her case, which was issued in December.

A spokesperson for NHS Fife confirmed 30-year-old Upton’s departure.

A statement said: “NHS Fife can confirm that Dr Beth Upton left the organisation at the end of 2025.

“As this is a personal employment matter, we will be making no further comment.”

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Sandie complained about sharing a female changing room with the doctor, who was born male but now identifies as a woman.

She launched the legal action against her employers in 2024 after she was suspended following the row over the use of a female changing room at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

The legal process cost the taxpayer £400,000 and a long-awaited judgement found Sandie, from Glenrothes, had been unlawfully harassed by health bosses over the matter.

But it dismissed her other claims, including victimisation and discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.

The judgement was mired in controversy after it was found to have “misquoted” earlier rulings.

Announcing her decision to appeal against the ruling, mum-of-two Sandie said: “I’m not a campaigner – and I had never heard of the phrase ‘gender critical’ when I raised complaints over two years ago about the decision to allow men into female-only changing rooms.

“I just knew instinctively that it wasn’t right that women were expected to undress in front of men in private spaces, and I still believe this to be the case.

“While I am delighted the tribunal was critical of Fife Health Board, and found they had harassed me, their judgement, I believe, falls short and that is why I certainly won’t be giving up this legal fight anytime soon.”

Margaret Gribbon, Sandie’s solicitor, claimed some of the findings in the employment tribunal’s judgement are “problematic”.

The Employment Tribunal service was forced to issue an amended version of its 300-page judgement, amid claims it had included a “made-up quote”.

The document included a reference to a line supposedly from a leading gender campaigner’s separate tribunal from 2021.

Judge Kemp, who earns £167,167 a year, was facing questions over how the false quote was included in the final judgement.

Maya Forstater, who leads the sex-based rights organisation Sex Matters, said: “There is a partial quote from the Supreme Court’s judgement in the For Women Scotland case that has been edited so that its meaning is completely reversed. Mistakes like this severely undermine people’s confidence in the legal process.”

When John Swinney was asked whether he still had faith in the tribunal’s judgement, The First Minister said: “The conduct of an employment tribunal is a completely independent process to government.”

NHS Fife said it was “aware that the tribunal has now updated the judgement”.

Michael Foran, an associate professor of law at Oxford University, claimed Sandie’s legal team could overturn the tribunal’s interpretation of the Supreme Court ruling.

While Harry Potter author JK Rowling tweeted about the error, saying: “Judge Kemp and the Judicial Office need to explain exactly how this bogus quote made its way into the ruling.

“Misrepresentations of the Forstater ruling are commonplace in the trans activist community but for this to turn up in a court ruling is shocking.”

Lats month, NHS Fife was accused of secrecy over the scandal after it blocked dozens of freedom of information requests.

The board refused to proactively release information about the case – including how much it cost taxpayers to fight it.

NHS Fife blocked 43 FoI requests as of November last year. A probe by the Scottish Information Commissioner remains ongoing.

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser claimed NHS Fife had an “addiction to secrecy”.

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The new poll find support for Sarwar, but Scottish Labour is still languishing in the polls.

Scots have swung behind Anas Sarwar over his decision to call for Keir Starmer to quit as Prime Minister. A new poll has found a majority believing the Scottish Labour leader made the right move in demanding the PM’s resignation.

But his decision has not shifted support for his struggling party, with Labour still in third place for the Holyrood election. Sarwar stunned observers on Monday after he staged an unscheduled press conference urging Starmer to go.

He claimed the PM had made too many mistakes and called for new leadership in Downing Street. But his stance divided his party as Scottish Labour MPs lined up to support Starmer.

A new Norstat poll of 1,001 people, conducted after Sarwar’s press conference, found 52 per cent backing the Glasgow MSP against 26 per cent who took the opposite view. Starmer’s approval rating is now minus 47 in Scotland and just 15 per cent of voters believe he is doing a good job. A little over 40 per cent of Scots believe he should resign immediately.

However, the polling on the Holyrood election continues to be grim for Sarwar. The snapshot found 17 per cent of Scottish voters planning to back Labour with their constituency vote and regional ballot.

The party is trailing the SNP by a double-digit margin and is just behind Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. If replicated on May 7th, such a result would be the worst ever performance by Scottish Labour at a Holyrood election.

READ MORE: MP mocks Anas Sarwar’s ‘Brooklyn Beckham’ moment in explosive Labour meeting

OPINION

Paul Hutcheon

The poll put the SNP on 35 per cent in the constituency vote and 30 per cent in the regional list.

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK are on 19 per cent in both the constituency vote and regional list.

A seat projection gives the SNP 60 seats, five short of the majority that first minister John Swinney says is needed for indyref2.

Reform would return 22 MSPs on these numbers, while Labour would have just 16 MSPs – a historic low.

Fifteen per cent of those polled said Sarwar’s quit call made them more likely to back Scottish Labour, with almost six in ten saying it will make no difference.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “This poll demonstrates that Anas Sarwar was right to be honest with Scots and they have responded positively to that.

“His only interest is in the future of Scotland and the next election is about who runs Scotland, our NHS, schools and public services.

But Professor Sir John Curtice, the UK’s top pollster, said the intervention on Starmer “may have even made things worse”.

He said: “Crucially, for the first time, slightly more (33 per cent) of those who voted Labour in 2024 now believe Sarwar is doing a bad job as Labour’s Scottish leader than feel he is doing a good one (30 per cent).

“Sarwar’s attempt on Monday to escape seemingly inevitable defeat in May has, it seems, left him, if anything, in an even weaker position to turn things around.”

Sarwar said on Friday he felt “liberated” after calling on the Prime Minister to resign.

He told the Sunday Mail the turning point was frustration at getting grilled by journalists on the Peter Mandelson row minutes after holding the SNP government to account on an NHS scandal.

Pakistan’s captain has said he will leave it up to India’s players to decide if they shake hands with his team before and after their T20 World Cup match.

It comes amid political and military tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours who were on the brink of all-out war in May 2025.

Sunday’s cricket match in Colombo, Sri Lanka, will be the first time the teams have met since an acrimonious clash last September at the Asia Cup tournament in the United Arab Emirates, won by India.

On that occasion, players refused to shake hands.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said: “The game should be played in real spirit, the way it has been played since it started.

“The rest is up to them (India), what they want to do.”

He added: We are here to play cricket. We will play good cricket. We will take all those calls tomorrow. We will see tomorrow (Sunday).”

Heightened tensions mean the two sides have not played a bilateral series in years.

Last May, the two nations clashed in the worst fighting in decades after a terror attack in India-administered Kashmir killed 26 civilians, mostly Hindu tourists.

Days of missile strikes between the countries followed, until a ceasefire was brokered by the US administration.

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India and Pakistan T20 match to go ahead as boycott ends

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Pakistan’s government threatened to boycott Sunday’s match after Bangladesh were kicked out of the World Cup for refusing to play matches in India, citing security concerns.

It was only after intense discussions with the International Cricket Council that Pakistan finally agreed.

India have not travelled to Pakistan since 2008 and Pakistan visited India for the 50-over World Cup in 2023 but have since played ICC tournaments at neutral venues.

India has defeated Pakistan 12 times in the 16 T20 games they have played.

“We don’t have a good record against them in World Cups,” Agha added.

“But whenever you come to play a new match, it’s a new day and you have to play good cricket to win.

“You can’t change history. You can learn from it.”

“I think what has kind of misled children is the belief that if you are not a typical girl, if you like playing with trucks, or boys who like dressing up or that you have same-sex attraction that means that you’re trans and actually it’s not like that but those are all normal variations,” she said.

Jamie Carragher will appear at a boxing event featuring former footballers fighting

Jamie Carragher will feature at a charity boxing evening headlined by former footballers – but the Liverpool icon won’t be stepping into the ring. Organised by ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Graham Stack, the 44-year-old’s Pro Project Promotions is staging ‘A Night to Remember II’ following the triumph of the first event.

The original edition last October 2025 – which featured the likes of David Bentley, Jody Morris and Leroy Lita battling it out – generated an impressive £127,500 for various UK charities. Stack has now revealed plans to host the second instalment on April 17 this year at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool.

Beyond the vital fundraising for charities nationwide, the events aim to highlight the challenges former footballers face after hanging up their boots – from maintaining physical fitness to protecting mental health.

Offering the retired athletes a chance to support those in need, Stack emphasised: “The drive to make a difference doesn’t end when the game does.” The 10 former professional footballers competing in the boxing ring will be watched by the likes of Tony Bellew and Natasha Jonas.

The occasion will be packed with Merseyside legends including Carragher – who has previously trained in boxing gyms – serving as an ambassador and participating in a football Q&A alongside Everton favourite Francis Jeffers.

READ MORE: Liverpool boss stunned Trent Alexander-Arnold before Real Madrid switch – ‘Is this a joke?’READ MORE: Jamie Carragher pays Pep Guardiola ultimate compliment amid Man City boss’s ‘last dance’

Two-weight world champion Jonas will be there to coach the former footballers alongside the celebrated Smith Brothers as they gear up for three rounds of combat in the boxing ring.

The planned fights feature former Stoke and Wolves forward Chris Iwelumo going head-to-head with Swansea City favourite Lee Trundle. The Scottish striker’s ex-Wolves colleague Carl Ikeme is lined up against Bristol City legend and Liverpool-born Bradley Orr.

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Championship legend Ross McCormack is also swapping his football boots for boxing gloves when he faces former Leeds and Sheffield United defender Matthew Kilgallon – a self-confessed boxing enthusiast.

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Additional participants include the likes of ex-Stoke City player Carl Dickinson and former Wigan and Wolves wide man Adam Hammill. The April fixture is generating money for two Merseyside-based charities: Children’s Charity Merseyside and Autism Merseyside with the ambition of exceeding £120,000 on the evening.

Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

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Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.

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The park has different areas to explore and loads of activities on offer.

The February half-term is quickly approaching, so you might be looking for things to do with the whole family. To keep your children occupied over the week, Cambridgeshire has plenty of activities you might want to get involved in.

If you are in Peterborough or fancy a trip to the city, the popular Nene Park is worth a visit. Nene Park has multiple areas to explore as well as a range of outdoor and indoor activities to do over the half-term.

Ferry Meadows has three play areas for children to let off some steam, including the Otter Play area, which features sandpits, water, and rocks for younger children. The Badger Play area features bird-nest turrets, climbing trunks, and a tube slide, while the newest play area, Fox Play, is home to 13 pieces of play equipment, including two zip wires, tyre swings, and a seesaw.

From Saturday, February 14, to Sunday, February 22, the park has a few free and cheap events happening each day, including offering 30% off pedalo hire with the code FEBHALFTERM if you want to take to the water. You can also follow one of the two Holiday Trails in either Ferry Meadows or Thorpe Meadows by picking up a trail sheet for just £1.

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If the weather takes a turn, you could take a trip to the Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre for its free craft event in celebration of the Chinese New Year, where you can make your own cardboard horse. The Ferry Meadows Railway will also be running every day, weather permitting, to take you around the park so you can take in the great views of the lakes.

There are also a couple of events happening on specific days, so it might be worth planning ahead to avoid missing out. You can get involved in a free bird feeder workshop at the Den on Tuesday, February 17, where you will be able to make your own natural bird feeder to take home.

There is also a free drop-in session at the Den on Thursday, February 19, where children can learn about the Romans of Ferry Meadows. You will be able to handle real artefacts and make a Roman craft to take home.

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If your children are feeling a bit more adventurous, the popular climbing wall will also be returning with sessions ideal for children aged four and over and for adults. This activity will be available on both Tuesday, February 17, and Thursday, February 19.

After enjoying the activities on offer, you might need a bite to eat. You can find three cafés in Nene Park, two in Ferry Meadows and one in Thorpe Meadows, where you can pick up a hot drink, snack, or hot meal to keep you going through your visit.

Nene Park is located off Nene Parkway. Each area has a different car park, so it is worth checking out the Nene Park website to see the opening times for each.

The letter, signed by relatives of 27 patients who have died or suffered infections, says more reassurances are needed around the safety of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH

Families of those affected by infections linked to a flagship hospital in Glasgow have written to John Swinney, saying the facility is still not safe.

The letter, signed by relatives of 27 patients who have died or suffered infections, says more reassurances are needed around the safety of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH). An inquiry is examining the hospital due to patient deaths and infections linked to contaminated water and ventilation systems.

The Crown Office is also examining the deaths of seven patients at the hospital, examining possible links to the hospital environment. The letter to the First Minister, signed by 91 people, was first reported in the Mail On Sunday.

It said: “We believe it is right that you hear our position, in our words, direct from the people who have lost their children, their soul mates and those whose lives have been forever changed… While our journeys started at different times, we share one common aim – no family should ever again go through what we have.”

When the issue was raised at First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, Mr Swinney said the water and ventilation system management at the hospital has seen significant improvements, describing it as “exceeding standard guidance”. However the letter from the families says more clarity is needed on what standards the hospital is complying with, claiming the current ventilation system poses a risk to immunocompromised patients.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman told the newspaper the public inquiry was established “so that families and patients can get the truth that they deserve”.

She added: “The First Minister thanks the families for their letter, and recognises their dedication to engaging with the inquiry, despite the pain and distress this will inevitably be causing.”

The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board has denied facing political pressure to open the hospital early.

During FMQs on Thursday, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar accused the Government of ignoring a report about the safety of the children’s hospital at the QEUH campus before it opened. Mr Swinney accused his opponent of playing politics with the issue and urged him to “respect” Lord Brodie’s ongoing Scottish Hospitals Inquiry.

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