The patient will now have to undergo fresh surgery in one of a growing number of “never events” recorded in part of Wales

Concerns have been raised over patient safety within a Welsh health board after a surgeon mistakenly removed the healthy section of a cancer patient’s bowel instead of the tumour.

The dangerous blunder is one of a growing number of “never events” recorded within Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. Never events are defined as errors so serious and preventable that there is never a reason for them happening.

Internal quality and safety reports show the north Wales health board has recorded an increasing number of never events in recent years, with a notable spike in 2025/26.

However papers being discussed by the board’s governing body warn of a “rising frequency and recurrence of never events, with limited time between occurrences, indicating potential systemic control weaknesses”.

The annual figures show:

• 2022/23 – 5 never events
• 2023/24 – 6 never events
• 2024/25 – 5 never events
• 2025/26 – 10 never events
• 2026/27 – 1 never events so far

The board papers show that during the rolling period between April 2025 and March 2026 where 10 never events recorded, there was median gap of just 44 days between incidents.

Of those incidents, five involved wrong-site procedures; two involved incorrect implants; two involved retained objects, and one involved medicine being administered by the incorrect route

The report also noted that many of the wrong-site procedures occurred outside formal operating theatre environments. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here

One of the most serious incidents involved a patient at Bangor’s Ysbyty Gwynedd, who had been scheduled to have part of their bowel removed after it was found positive for cancer. Before the surgery, doctors had marked the area of the tumour with a tattoo inside the bowel to guide surgeons during the procedure.

However, during the operation, the surgeon could not locate either the tumour or the expected tattoo in the area. A second tattoo was then identified a few centimetres away and was mistakenly assumed to be the correct surgical marker.

As a result, the surgeon carried out an extended right hemicolectomy instead of the left-sided surgery that should have taken place – leading to the removal of a healthy section of bowel instead of the cancerous tissue.

Following this, the patient has undergone further investigations and is being prepared for additional surgery, with the incident formally classified as a wrong-site surgery never event.

In a separate never event, the document also reported that a similar mistake happened when a patient was referred to a dermatology one-stop clinic through the Urgent Suspected Cancer pathway at Wrexham’s Maelor Hospital.

The patient initially underwent cryotherapy treatment, which uses extreme cold to freeze and destroy targeted abnormal tissues. They were later listed for a minor operative procedure that afternoon as part of the clinic’s one-stop treatment pathway.

However, after the surgery, the patient informed nursing staff that the wrong area appeared to have been treated. This led to an immediate review by the operating clinician and the patient had to undergo further surgery later that same day to correct the mistake.

An investigation remains ongoing, but early findings suggest the incident arose from a combination of human error, failure to follow existing procedures, and the absence of a tailored protocol for that type of clinic arrangement.

In response, the health board said a new protocol for one-stop dermatology surgery clinics is being developed for use both internally and with partner organisations.

Despite improvements in some areas, Betsi Cadwaladr remains under significant scrutiny following years of concerns. The health board – which is the largest in Wales – has faced repeated interventions by the Welsh Government over the past decade.

The north Wales health board was first placed into special measures in 2015 because of serious concerns about leadership, patient care and service performance.

It was then downgraded to targeted intervention in November 2020 after some improvements were made, but returned to special measures in February 2023 due to ongoing concerns including A&E performance, cancer waiting times and financial pressures.

The latest report acknowledged “areas of strong assurance”, particularly around investigation timeliness, complaints management, clinical effectiveness and mortality improvement.

However, it warned that recurring never events, infection prevention challenges and ongoing external scrutiny remain “significant risks requiring continued Board oversight”.

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Formula 1 heads to Montreal next for the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend – and the third sprint race of the 2026 season.

Kimi Antonelli continued his impressive start to the campaign with his third consecutive victory last time out in Miami. The Italian 19-year-old now has a 20-point lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell, who is eyeing a return to form at a track he won at last year.

McLaren took a big step in Miami, with reigning world champion Lando Norris finishing second and teammate Oscar Piastri in third, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen qualified on the front row in an improved car.

It was a trickier weekend for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc punished with post-race penalties and Lewis Hamilton only finishing sixth. Hamilton is a seven-time winner around the Montreal street circuit and won his first-ever F1 race here back in 2007.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Canadian Grand Prix.

When is the Canadian Grand Prix?

All times BST

Sunday 24 May

How can I watch it online and on TV?

The Canadian Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. Sky’s coverage of Sunday’s race starts at 7:30pm (BST).

Sky Sports subscribers can watch all the action in Montreal on the Sky Go app. If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

In the United States, every practice, qualifying and race session will be streamed on Apple TV this year. You can stream Apple TV for FREE, with Apple TV’s seven-day free trial.

If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the Canadian Grand Prix then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help.

Driver standings ahead of Canadian GP

1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 106 points

2. George Russell (Mercedes) – 88 points

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 63 points

4. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 58 points

5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 54 points

6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 48 points

7. Max Verstappen Red Bull) – 28 points

8. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 17 points

9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 16 points

10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 10 points

11. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 7 points

12. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – 5 points

13. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 4 points

14. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 4 points

15. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) – 2 points

16. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 1 point

17. Alex Albon (Williams) – 1 point

18. Sergio Perez (Cadillac) – 0 points

19. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) – 0 points

20. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) – 0 points

21. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 0 points

22. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 0 points

Constructor standings ahead of Canadian GP

1. Mercedes – 194 points

2. Ferrari – 117 points

3. McLaren – 106 points

4. Red Bull – 32 points

5. Alpine – 23 points

6. Haas – 18 points

7. Racing Bulls – 15 points

8. Williams – 5 points

9. Audi – 2 points

10. Cadillac – 0 points

11. Aston Martin – 0 points

What is the 2026 race calendar?

ROUND 5 – CANADA (sprint weekend)

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal – 22-24 May

ROUND 6 – MONACO

Circuit de Monaco – 5-7 June

ROUND 7- SPAIN (Barcelona)

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – 12-14 June

ROUND 8 – AUSTRIA

Red Bull Ring, Spielberg – 26-28 June

ROUND 9 – GREAT BRITAIN (sprint weekend)

Silverstone Circuit – 3-5 July

ROUND 10 – BELGIUM

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps – 17-19 July

ROUND 11 – HUNGARY

Hungaroring, Budapest – 24-26 July

ROUND 12 – NETHERLANDS (sprint weekend)

Circuit Zandvoort – 21-23 August

ROUND 13 – ITALY

Monza Circuit – 4-6 September

ROUND 14 – SPAIN (Madrid)

Circuito de Madring – 11-13 September

ROUND 15 – AZERBAIJAN

Baku City Circuit – 25-27 September

ROUND 16 – SINGAPORE (sprint weekend)

Marina Bay Street Circuit – 9-11 October

ROUND 17 – UNITED STATES

Circuit of the Americas, Austin – 23-25 October

ROUND 18 – MEXICO

Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City – 30 October-1 November

ROUND 19 – BRAZIL

Interlagos Circuit, Sao Paulo – 6-8 November

ROUND 20 – LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas Street Circuit – 19-21 November

ROUND 21 – QATAR

Lusail International Circuit – 27-29 November

ROUND 22 – ABU DHABI

Yas Marina Circuit – 4-6 December

LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 24: Tottenham Hotspur fans celebrate after the team secured safety from relegation during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

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The borough’s primary schools have once again led the region in the Walk to School Outreach (WTSO) programme, according to the latest end-of-year report.

The scheme encourages pupils and families to walk, wheel or use other forms of active travel for the school run.

Thousands of pupils from 19 primary schools across Bolton have taken part in the WOW – Walk to School programme, recording their journeys and helping to improve air quality, reduce congestion, and support healthier lifestyles.

Nadeem Ayub, Bolton Council’s executive cabinet member for highways, said: “It’s fantastic news that Bolton has retained first place across Greater Manchester.

“Our schools, pupils and families have shown real commitment to choosing active and sustainable ways to travel, and this success reflects their hard work as well as the strength of our partnerships with schools and Living Streets.

“Bolton Council will continue to work with schools and partners to build on this success, helping even more children and families to make active travel part of everyday life.”

The programme is delivered nationally by the charity Living Streets, with funding from Active Travel England.

In addition to encouraging physical activity, the scheme supports wider benefits such as cleaner air, safer streets, and lifelong healthy habits.

The report, which covers the period from April 2025 to March 2026, highlights Bolton’s strong performance and engagement.

De Zerbi added: “Next season we have to build a top, top, top team. We don’t have to change too many players in our squad, but we have to bring in some first level players.”

He had been out on the pitch before the match, whipping up the Spurs fans.

He was then involved in a heated, angry verbal exchange with Everton substitute Seamus Coleman, celebrating wildly with supporters when Joao Palhinha scored the vital goal – after which he was rugby-tackled by Spurs substitute keeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Spurs were hampered this season by serious injuries to key creators James Maddison, who appeared as a substitute here, and Dejan Kulusevski, but this cannot excuse what has been served up.

Captain Cristian Romero thought better of missing this final game.

Rehabilitating after a knee injury, he had been expected to stay in Argentina to watch boyhood club Belgrano play River Plate in the Argentina Primera Division Apertura final on Sunday.

Will he be at Spurs next season? Will De Zerbi convince Romero’s central defensive partner Micky van de Ven to stay at the club?

Van de Ven was looking forward as he said: “I’m really confident. With the right people now here – the right manager – I’m confident. Finishing 17th two years in a row is unacceptable for us.”

Spurs have no time to waste in their quest to avoid a repeat.

De Zerbi, who took acclaim at the final whistle, said: “I’m very happy and elated for the performance of my players. They showed they are good people and top players. We played maybe the best game in my time here.

“We played against an Everton side who had a coach in David Moyes that maybe wanted to help keep West Ham up, but I’m sorry, he couldn’t do that.”

The Spurs team coach was greeted by thousands of fans lining the streets before the game.

“They were fantastic. We had to fight on the pitch to make them happy and proud of us,” De Zerbi said. “We need to show more of this spirit in the future.”

As the Spurs supporters poured into their favourite watering holes and haunts around the stadium, the inquisition, and plotting for the future, should have already begun inside.

Glory, Glory Tottenham Hotspur? Not this season. No glory here.

‘Lovely fit, pretty style and great for packing to take on holiday due to the fabric’

With wedding season upon us, plenty of shoppers will be looking for the perfect dress for toasting the happy couple – but ideally one that can be worn again for other occasions. Luckily Roman has a beautiful floral dress in the sale, and it looks ideal for weddings, holidays, and other special summer days.

Inspired by the French screen icon Brigitte Bardot, the Roman Mint Floral Bardot Midi Dress has been reduced to £50 in the sale which is good news. Even better news is that readers can get an additional 25% off with the discount code AFRPLC25Q226, taking the price down to £37.50.

The dress is available in sizes 12, 16, 18 and 20, and while sizes 10 and 14 have sold out, the brand’s similar Floral Print Bardot Midi Dress is available in sizes 10 to 20, priced at £45 for those using the discount code AFRPLC25Q226. Either dress could be perfect for those looking for a floaty, feminine dress with elegant chiffon fabric and a flattering silhouette that’s smart enough for a wedding, but versatile enough for evenings on holiday.

If this dress isn’t calling out to shoppers, at M&S there is an elegant take on the Bardot dress with the Textured Bardot Shirred Midi Skater Dress in pink. Priced at £69, despite being a new arrival, it has sold out in size 20 although is available in sizes 6 to 18.

ASOS has a floral yellow Bardot ruffle maxi dress available for £60. It is only available in sizes 4 to 14, sizes 16 and 18 having sold out. One buyer wore it to a wedding and described it as “flattering around the stomach”.

Roman Mint Floral Bardot Midi Dress

£65

£37.50

Roman

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The Roman Mint Floral Bardot Midi Dress is currently on sale with the discount code AFRPLC25Q226

However, the Roman dress has plenty of glowing reviews from shoppers. One buyer said she bought it to wear to “a beach wedding in Cyprus” and another said that it was “very fresh looking, feminine dress with a different colour”.

Another said: “Beautiful dress, I’m size 10, 5ft 8 and it fit perfectly, bought to wear as a wedding guest.”

A third added: “Fits like a glove, I am 5’3″ and the length is perfect for me. Bought it for a special occasion, well made and excellent quality. Definitely recommend it.”

“Light and floaty summer dress. Absolutely love this dress,” said another.

“I’ve bought a few to choose from for a wedding. This might not make the cut for that but love it all the same. Very floaty and stylish.”

Another review said: “Lovely fit, pretty style. Great for packing to take on holiday due to fabric.”

It has been given a 4.7-star rating with a couple of buyers saying that they needed to make adjustments, one finding that the shoulder straps were too long.

The Roman Mint Floral Bardot Midi Dress is available from Roman.

West Ham were always up against it going in Sunday’s final game against Leeds in which they needed to win and hope Everton won at Tottenham if they were to stay up.

Consequently there was an air of acceptance of their fate among the fans in the hours before kick-off, as they instead opted to enjoy the blistering heat rather than mull over a campaign of disappointment.

But the frustrations came after West Ham took the lead against Leeds midway through the second half, as fans directed angry chants towards chairman Sullivan, who many blame for West Ham‘s current plight.

In terms of where West Ham find themselves now, though, he can call on positive experiences when it comes to plotting an immediate top-flight return.

He did it twice during his time at Birmingham, in 2007 and 2009, and again with West Ham in 2012.

On the first two occasions, at St Andrew’s, Sullivan was rewarded for sticking with the managers who presided over relegation – Steve Bruce and Alex McLeish. At West Ham, he brought in Sam Allardyce, who guided the club back to the Premier League via the play-offs.

This is a different West Ham, though. Sullivan no longer has his long-time business partner David Gold, who died in January 2023. Gold’s daughter Vanessa owns 25.1% of the club, US businessman Tripp Smith has an 8% stake, while Royal Mail owner Daniel Kretinsky is in the process of matching Sullivan’s 38.8% by buying some of Gold’s. Sullivan’s long-time and trusted vice-chair Karren Brady quit in April. Karim Virani has taken over as chief executive.

There are financial concerns. West Ham recorded a loss of £104m in their latest accounts to 31 May 2025 and are heading for another hefty loss this year, according to sources.

This is a problem, but not as big a problem now the English Football League has announced the implementation of Squad Cost Rules for the 2026-27 season. The finer details are still to be published, but essentially clubs will be allowed to spend 85% of their income – and West Ham‘s income will far exceed any Championship rivals, and possibly any Championship club ever.

Nevertheless, football finance blogger Swiss Ramble estimated West Ham‘s squad cost ratio for 2024-25 to be 90% and the club made it clear what relegation would mean in the latest accounts.

“The Group’s principal business risk remains that of the men’s football club being relegated with the serious financial consequences which follow,” it read.

“[In the event of relegation] more significant mitigating actions would be required such as further player disposals to generate transfer fee income and wage savings.”

Club sources estimate overall revenue will fall by between 50% and 60%. Revenue in West Ham‘s most recent accounts was £227.6m, down from £269.7m the year before.

Shaun Trundle, 58, says the issue has been happening for years on Carlton Street, with drivers ignoring signs and travelling against the flow of traffic.

Mr Trundle, from Breightmet, said he has reported the issue several times and claims it often happens at night.

He said: “Surely a little kid running out in a back street and gets hit, whose fault is it going to be?

“It’s what keeps people’s insurance sky high, cause you never know what’s going to happen.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s serious.”

Mr Trundle, who works as a lorry driver, said he has seen people travelling the wrong way along the street on numerous occasions.

A car parked in the direction opposite to the one-way street direction (Image: Shaun Trundle)

He also claimed some motorists ignore warning signs and continue driving through the area despite restrictions being in place.

Mr Trundle added: “They ignore the signs and say they didn’t know about it. They don’t give a monkey’s.

“It’s been going on for years in Bolton, and you mostly see it at night.”

Bolton Council said hundreds of penalty notices had already been issued at the location over the past year.

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “In the past 12 months, 330 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) have been issued at this location, and regular patrols are made by officers in line with council policy.

“In regard to CCTV, this cannot be used for enforcement on double yellow lines.

“However, the council has recently gained authority to use cameras to enforce certain moving traffic offences, and this includes one-way streets.

“We can consider this location for future enforcement.

“We remind all road users of their responsibility to drive with due care and attention, within the relevant speed limit and to park where permitted.”