Already facing queues at the busy roundabout, full closure could mean further delays

Drivers will face delays in Oldham as a dual carriageway near the town centre shuts. The closure will be in place until September.

Oldham council has issued a reminder to drivers as the Manchester Street Viaduct, a flyover next to Oldham town centre, will close for refurbishment. This is part of £6.5m works which started on May 18 and are due to finish in December 2026.

The A62 will be closed completely in both northbound and southbound directions from July 19 to September 3. The project is being funded through a mix of Oldham Council as well as Department for Transport funding.

The viaduct was built in the 1970s and ‘is now in a poor and deteriorating condition due to its age’. Oldham Council said: “It is in need of repair and improvement to extend its lifespan, to keep Oldham Way open and maintain the resilience and efficiency of the existing highway network.

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“Since being built no maintenance works to halt deterioration have been undertaken. The planned works will ensure the structure remains in service for years to come.

“The planned maintenance works includes waterproofing, expansion joint replacement, concrete repairs, parapet refurbishment and resurfacing.”

The viaduct is located above the A62 Oldham Way/Manchester Street roundabout and carried high volumes of traffic from Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, and other parts of the borough.

Works are currently taking place with the carriageway cut down to one lane. Drivers have face delays already due to the works and with both lanes due to close, this could get worse.

The local authority said it was ‘working with our project team to ensure that works are phased in such a way to minimise disruption to local businesses and residents over this period’.

However drivers going south are being told to leave the A62 at the Manchester Street roundabout exit slip road, go around the roundabout and rejoin the A62 at the next slip road. Those going north are being told to do the same in the opposite direction.

The council added: “Most of the work will be carried out using lane closures to help keep disruption to a minimum. However, some full closures of the viaduct will also be needed so that important concrete repairs can be carried out to key parts of the structure.”

Explaining the need for the project, the local authority said: “Typically, highway structures have a design life of up to 120 years. To achieve the design life maintenance interventions are required as materials and components deteriorate over time.

“Manchester Street Viaduct was constructed in the late 1970s. To date, no maintenance works to halt deterioration have been undertaken.

“As such, Oldham Council are undertaking planned maintenance of the viaduct and ensuring the structure remains in service for years to come.

“The planned maintenance works includes waterproofing, expansion joint replacement, concrete repairs, parapet refurbishment and resurfacing.”

By JOANNA CRAWLEY, DEPUTY SHOWBIZ EDITOR (NEWS)

Published: 09:35 BST, 17 July 2026 | Updated: 09:51 BST, 17 July 2026

James Corden and his wife Julia Carey have been enjoying some time together in their old home city of Los Angeles, heading out for a romantic dinner date this week.

The couple were spotted strolling to celebrity-favorite pasta restaurant Funke in Beverly Hills.

The TV star, 47, looked dapper in a black shirt and jeans whilst his wife of 14 years looked chic in a white coord set and sandals.

The couple used to live just five miles from Beverly Hills in a vast family home in the exclusive Brentwood Park neighbourhood.

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They sold the seven-bedroom estate in 2023 for $17.1 million after James quit his US series The Late, Late Show to relocate back home to the UK.

Lately though the star has been back Stateside, returning to US broadcasting to host the World Cup after show for Fox, with ex-England captain Rio Ferdinand and comedian Ian Karmel, formerly co-head writer on The Late Late Show.

James Corden and his wife Julia Carey have been enjoying some time together in their old home city of Los Angeles, heading out for a romantic dinner date this week

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‘Soccer is a massive part of my life,’ he explained when his new venture was announced. ‘In the eight and a half years that I lived in Los Angeles, I would go and watch Galaxy games with Zlatan Ibrahimović when he was playing, and I saw the rise of LA.’

‘It really feels like now is an incredible time for North America to be hosting this tournament and we’re going to really try and have some fun.’

James and Julia, who married in 2012, share three children, Max, 13, Carey, 10, and Charlotte, seven, and he has admitted it has been ‘hard’ on his family to split their time between their home in the UK and US for James’ work since their relocation.

The actor was also working in the US last autumn, starring in the Broadway musical Art.  

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He explained to People.com back then how his family had been flying back and forth.

‘It’s hard, but very lucky we were here for the whole time of rehearsals and they’ll be back out for a couple of weeks in October,’ he said. ‘I get to go home, actually, this weekend because I had something I was already booked to do before this arrived, so … it’s okay, we’re getting through it.’

James quit his job hosting The Late Late Show after eight years to spend more time with his family.

It aired its last episode in April 2023, and James subsequently moved back to London with Julia and their three children.

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The couple were spotted strolling to celebrity-favorite pasta restaurant Funke in Beverly Hills three years after relocating from LA to the UK 

Explaining his decision to Extra, he said: ‘My kids are getting older, their grandparents are getting older, and it perhaps just felt like the right time for us as a family to be freer in our decisions.’

Speaking to Drew Barrymore about his exit, James admitted: ‘Look it’s not easy in any way to walk away from something that is so, I mean, I’ll never work in a better environment than the one I work in now.

‘Nothing about leaving the show was to do with not enjoying it. I love it. But the truth is it became a very easy decision because I always knew it was an adventure and I never, ever considered it to be the final destination.

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‘But I will know, at my core, that the best thing for me and the best thing for us as a family is to put down some roots in London, and it feels absolutely right in every single way.’

Olive Farrow was tragically killed after being hit by a car in Nottinghamshire on Sunday

The family of a four year old girl who tragically died after being struck by a vehicle have described her as a “cheeky, funny and sassy little girl” who was excitedly looking forward to beginning primary school.

Emergency services were called to Nottingham Road in Gotham at 2.28pm on Sunday after reports that Olive Farrow had been involved in a collision, according to Nottinghamshire Police.

The force confirmed that the youngster sadly died in hospital shortly afterwards. A 59-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has subsequently been released on bail, reports the Daily Star.

In a moving tribute issued by the police on Friday, Olive’s family stated: “Olive was a cheeky, funny and sassy little girl, who may have been tiny in size, but she certainly made up for it with her big personality.

“Not a day went by without Olive singing and dancing her way round the house and spreading her affection; always kissing and cuddling and going out of her way to be kind to everyone.”

“Olive’s memory will live on with all the colourful paintings we have around the house. Quite often she would take herself off and come back with a beautiful work of art as she was so creative.”

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They added that she was “inseparable” from her two brothers Teddy and Sonny, whom she “looked up to with so much love”.

Her family continued: “Olive was due to join Sonny at primary school, having had her taster sessions. She was so excited to be joining her brother there.

“No words can express the loss and pain felt across the family and all that knew Olive, we are utterly devastated to think we can no longer hold her in our arms.

“We would like to thank the community for coming together to support us through this difficult time. It has helped greatly to see the outpouring of love with the messages and flowers laid on Nottingham Road.”

The family has organised a vigil at St Lawrence’s Church in Gotham on Friday for friends, relatives and members of the local community, and have requested that media representatives do not attend.

Sergeant Paul Clark, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This is a deeply tragic incident, and our thoughts continue to be with Olive’s loved ones at this unimaginably difficult time.

“The circumstances of her death are being investigated, and we would ask people not to speculate on social media. I would also ask the privacy of the family is respected as they come to terms with what has happened, including at today’s vigil.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the police quoting incident 424 of July 12.

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An 11-year-old who died after a collision with a lorry was “a bright light” in the lives of his family and friends, his grieving mother says.

George Dennis was seriously injured in the incident on Ongar’s Epping Road on 10 July, about 4.20pm.

He was rushed to hospital but later died.

Essex Police said that the driver of the lorry was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

The 48-year-old man, from Derbyshire, has been bailed until mid-September while officers continue their investigation.

George’s mother Emma has now paid tribute to him in a statement released through police.

Her son “had his whole life ahead of him”, she wrote.

“George was a bright light in our lives.

“He had the kindest heart, a cheeky smile, and a personality that was truly one of a kind.

“He was full of life, always making people laugh, and brought so much happiness to everyone who knew him.

“He leaves behind a special group of friends whose lives have been changed forever.

“They have lost not just a classmate, but a loyal friend, teammate, and someone who made every day brighter, even though they all supported different teams.”

She said her son was about to leave primary school and was “so excited for the next chapter of his life”.

She added: “George was absolutely football mad and a devoted Tottenham Hotspur supporter.

“Football was his passion, and it brought him so much joy and happiness.

“Always so passionate, shouting at the telly watching every game when his beloved Spurs scored.

“A noise I will miss for a lifetime.”

She said that George had been “loved beyond words by his whole family”.

Police are appealing for witnesses and anyone driving in the vicinity at the time who may have captured footage on dashcam to contact them, quoting incident 1045 of 10 July.

Information can be reported on the force’s website, through the live chat service or by calling 101.

Man Utd announced the signing of Belgium international Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa earlier this week.

Youri Tielemans has revealed Jonny Evans played a small role in his transfer to Manchester United. On Tuesday, United announced the signing of Tielemans for £35million from Aston Villa.

Villa did not want to lose Tielemans this summer, but he expressed a desire to move to Manchester. He signed a five-year contract and will join up with the squad for pre-season after enjoying a post-World Cup break.

Tielemans arrives with bags of Premier League experience, having previously played for Leicester City before his stint with Villa.

Evans played alongside Tielemans at the King Power Stadium. The pair both started in Leicester’s 2021 FA Cup final win over Chelsea, when Tielemans scored from distance to secure a 1-0 victory.

Northern Irishman Evans returned to United on a free transfer when his Leicester contract expired. He retired from playing last summer and now works as a first-team coach on Michael Carrick’s backroom staff.

Tielemans also played with Harry Maguire at Leicester, but it was Evans who played a small role in his transfer.

“I haven’t spoken to Harry yet, but yeah, Jonny, he’s been a big influence,” Tielemans told United’s in-house media. “He spoke with the manager about me, my character, and my personality. I’ve always kept in touch with Jonny. He’s such a great guy.”

Tielemans discussed his move in more detail, adding: “I’m very happy, very excited to start, meet the teammates, and be on the pitch together.

“I’m looking forward to working with the manager. As a midfielder, he can give me a lot of tips, and I can learn from him. So I’m really looking forward to learning and, obviously, linking up with my teammates.

“The second part of last season, they went on a really good run of wins with this manager, and the players have always been the same, big quality inside the team, smart signings last season.

“To play with them is going to be really good. I’m ready to push on, I’m ready to make the next step in my career, and that’s why this is the perfect club for me. And I feel like the club is ambitious in that as well. They want to win and be really good on the pitch. That’s why I chose to come here.”

Speaking about Old Trafford, he added: “I’m yet to experience it as a home player, but as an away player, it’s a tough ground to come to. You can feel the atmosphere straight away once you come into the stadium; the history is there. To play for the home team is going to be nice.”

Tielemans captained Belgium at the World Cup this summer. He started every match at the tournament, scoring twice, until he missed his nation’s quarter-final clash with Spain after picking up a knock in the pre-game warm-up.

The 29-year-old also stepped up to wear the armband in his final season at Leicester.

Flat owners are facing a service charge tipping point that could render their homes unsellable and unmortgageable.

In recent years, service charges have risen sharply while the price of flats has fallen. 

Now, mortgage brokers say they are seeing increasing numbers of people having their mortgage applications rejected due to this disconnect. 

Some banks have tightened their rules and now won’t offer mortgages on flats where the annual service charge exceeds 1 per cent of the property’s value. 

This is because a high service charge could have an impact on how easily a lender could sell the property were it to be repossessed. 

In 2025, some 37 per cent of flats had an annual service charge exceeding 1 per cent, according to property firm Hamptons, up from 28 per cent a decade earlier. 

It means a mortgage application on a flat valued at £300,000 with an annual service charge of £4,000 could be refused by some lenders.

While some lenders may refuse the mortgage outright, many will make a call based on the opinion of their surveyor or valuer. 

William Coe of mortgage broker Cleerly says: ‘We are seeing an increase in mortgage applications stalling or failing purely due to spiralling service charges.

‘When a flat’s service charge approaches or hits that 1 per cent mark, many mainstream lenders will indeed defer to the surveyor. 

‘If the surveyor decides the fee is onerous or completely out of step with the local market, the property is flagged as unsuitable security, and the mortgage is declined flat out.’

Rising service charges and falling flat prices

Rising service charges combined with falling or flatlining values is a dangerous combination. 

Across England and Wales, flat values have risen 16 per cent on average over the last 10 years, according to Land Registry data. But in London, where flats make up more than half of the housing stock, the average price of a flat hasn’t moved in the last decade.

William Coe of mortgage broker Cleerly

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Meanwhile, the average service charge has risen 55.6 per cent over the last decade, according to Hamptons. 

This is Money readers have reported hikes of 50 per cent or more within the last five years alone.

The average leaseholder’s service charge bill now ranges from £1,525 a year for the cheapest 10 per cent of buildings to £8,680 for the top 10 per cent, according to the latest research by the Property Institute.

Last year, the average flat had an annual service charge equal to 0.9 per cent of its value, according to Hamptons – perilously close to the 1 per cent that some lenders are using as their line in the sand. 

Mortgage broker Aaron Strutt of Trinity Financial says: ‘If we have not already hit the tipping point then we are pretty close. 

‘People are worried about buying flats at the moment because of the fees and ongoing unknown costs.’

Recent analysis for This is Money by analytics firm PropertyData found some areas where service charges are way out of kilter with flat prices.

In the BD1 postcode in Bradford city centre, service charges averaged £2,023 while the average asking price for these properties was £68,050. It means the typical service charge equates to 3.13 per cent of the asking price.

The same could be seen in L2, in Liverpool’s city centre. Service charges there were £2,910 per year when the average asking price was £122,374. That means the service charge is 2.58 per cent of the asking price.

Valuations a ‘frequent hurdle’ 

When buying with a mortgage, the lender will always commission an independent valuation of the property.

Many buyers will view it as a formality, but just as a lender can decide not to lend to a certain individual, so too can it decide not to lend on a particular property.

The valuer or surveyor may also value the property at less than the sales price agreed, which means the buyer cannot proceed unless they cover the shortfall.

At a time when flat prices are falling in many areas, valuers are becoming nervous about flats because they can ultimately be sued by lenders if they get it badly wrong. 

Coe says: ‘We have seen a noticeable uptick in surveyors down-valuing flats against the agreed purchase price compared to this time last year.

‘Where we used to see occasional pushback, it is now a frequent hurdle with surveyors regularly cutting valuations by between 5 and 10 per cent of the agreed purchase price.’

Not all lenders have a hard cap 

If a flat does have a service charge of 1 per cent or more, the lender will need to make a call on whether to hand the buyer a mortgage. 

For some it will be a simple decision, as certain lenders have explicit, hard caps written into their lending criteria.

Lender Gen H states annual service charges must not exceed 1 per cent of the property’s purchase price or valuation, while others like MPowered Mortgages cap the combined service charge and ground rent at 1.5 per cent.

High Street lenders can be more flexible in some instances. 

Steph Lyke, partner at SAS Daniels

Coe says: ‘Lenders like Santander or Barclays don’t necessarily apply a blunt percentage cap (like 1 per cent) to the property value. 

‘Instead, they treat the service charge strictly as a monthly financial commitment—exactly like a student loan or car finance.’ 

The reason the charge is so high will often be investigated. 

Steph Lyke, a partner in the residential property team at law firm SAS Daniels, says: ‘The breakdown of the service charges will need to be investigated, it could well be that the costs relate to a one off major works project, which generally the valuer would accept this as it is an indication of good property management. 

‘If the costs are unproportionate and due to poor management, or includes high management fees, then the lender will likely decline.’

Lenders may also instruct the surveyor to assess the service charge against the local market.

For example, a £4,000 annual service charge on a £300,000 flat which is 1.3 per cent of the home’s value might be rejected in a regional town where standard fees are £1,200. 

However, that same fee might be passed by a surveyor in London or Cambridge if the block includes a concierge, lifts, and complex building systems, as it reflects the ‘market norm’ for the area. 

Why lenders are wary of rising service charges

Lenders like certainty. A monthly loan or credit card repayment is a fixed, known commitment over a set period, making it straightforward to model in an affordability calculator.

The inherent danger with service charges is the total lack of control over future costs. 

Cleery’s Coe says: ‘A managing agent or freeholder can hike fees dramatically with very little recourse for the leaseholder.

‘For a lender’s risk committee, that word ‘could’ is a major red flag. 

‘If a bank has to take back a property, their primary objective is to recover their funds quickly through a swift resale. If the service charge has spiralled to a point where the next buyer cannot secure a mortgage on it, the property becomes illiquid.’

Rising service charges are also in some cases restricting how much buyers are able to borrow.

This is because they must be factored in to the borrower’s monthly outgoings when assessing affordability.  

Coe says: ‘Over the last two years, building insurance premiums, maintenance costs, and cladding-related expenses have driven service charges up significantly and it is no longer unusual to see modest two-bedroom flats with fees exceeding £3,500 per annum. 

‘When this is plugged into a lender’s affordability calculator, it eats into the applicant’s maximum borrowing capacity, turning a previously viable mortgage offer into a decline.

The ‘sudden and unexpected’ death of Jurassic Park star Sam Neill has been attributed to pneumonia – the lung disease that kills some 25,000 people in Britain every year.

The passing of the 78-year-old may come as somewhat of a surprise to fans, given that he announced his remission from blood cancer in April and was ‘cancer-free’ when he died, according to his agent.

But Neill is not the first noteworthy figure to fall victim to pneumonia over the past few years. 

It was named on the death certificate of both Val Kilmer and Diane Keaton last year, who died aged 65 and 79, respectively.

And in December, Ibiza-based lothario Wayne Lineker, 63 – brother of football pundit Gary – revealed that he too almost became a casualty of the disabling respiratory condition. He told fans that he had been hospitalised after a virus he picked up in Dubai left him fighting for his life in hospital, adding that his recovery could take months. 

Now, experts have told the Daily Mail that the condition is not just an affliction of the elderly; it was once coined the ‘old man’s friend’ in reference to the peaceful and painless death it offered.

In fact, many sufferers may have very few symptoms, meaning it goes undetected and untreated, potentially causing long-term lung damage.

Here, doctors reveal the need-to-know warning signs of the condition and whether you could be vulnerable. 

Diane Keaton, whose acting career spanned more than five decades, died from bacterial pneumonia at the age of 79 last October

According to Professor Paul Hunter, a virus expert at the University of East Anglia, pneumonia is an infection ‘in the deep part of the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer between your blood and the atmosphere’.  

There are two main types: viral pneumonia and bacterial pneumonia.

Viral pneumonia – caused by viruses such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Covid – is generally milder, although it can sometimes be severe.  

Meanwhile, bacterial pneumonia – when bacteria enter and infect the lungs – is often more serious and may require treatment.

Untreated bacterial infections like pneumococcal pneumonia ‘can have quite a high mortality rate’, Professor Hunter said.

In rarer cases, pneumonia can develop after food, drink or vomit enters the lungs instead of air. This is known as aspiration pneumonia. 

More people die from pneumonia in Britain than anywhere else in Europe, according to lung charity Asthma and Lung UK.

Meanwhile in the US there are around 42,000 deaths per year.

Those with weakened immune systems, such as patients undergoing cancer treatment, elderly people or babies, are more vulnerable to pneumonia, Professor Hunter says.

Not only are they more likely to contract an infection that triggers the condition, their body may struggle to stop it progressing and reaching the lungs.

However, pneumonia can affect anyone – and can be life-threatening at any age.

It is the leading cause of death among children under five, killing more than 700,000 children per year.

‘People can get pneumonia throughout their life. It’s more lethal at the extremes of age in the very young and the very old,’ he said.

‘Globally, deaths from chest infections, most of which are pneumonia, are one of the more common causes of deaths in children, and most of those are in low income countries.

‘But you can get pneumonia throughout life and you can actually die from it throughout life.’

Perhaps the most difficult-to-spot type of the disease is so-called silent pneumonia, sometimes called ‘walking’ pneumonia due to its low impact on patients’ daily lives. 

In other words, those with the condition can go to work, do exercise and generally go about their daily lives while experiencing little more than a mild cough.

But experts say if a cough or cold symptoms have continued for more than three weeks it’s important to seek medical help. 

While most healthy people will eventually clear silent pneumonia without treatment, those with respiratory conditions like asthma may struggle – and the longer the lung inflammation persists, the higher the risk of long-term damage.

Many with ‘walking’ pneumonia may also still be harbouring a contagious infection which can be easily passed on to vulnerable friends and family.

If a GP suspects pneumonia they may offer antibiotics or refer patients for scans of the lungs to confirm the diagnosis and assess potential damage. 

For more obvious cases, symptoms include a cough that produces mucus, shortness of breath, a high temperature, chest pain and body aches. 

Fatigue, loss of appetite and wheezing are also common.

Babies suffering the condition will make grunting noises when breathing, experts advise. Elderly people, meanwhile, may also become confused. 

Val Kilmer died from pneumonia aged 65 last April having previously suffered throat cancer

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Professor Hunter said the main symptoms to watch out for are ‘coughing and breathlessness’. 

It is possible to check if you’re likely to be suffering the illness by testing your blood oxygen levels, he adds – this indicates how efficiently oxygen is travelling from your lungs to your bloodstream. 

This is done using a tool called a pulse oximeter – a device which, when clipped to the end of a finger, shines light through the skin to measure oxygen in the blood.

Professor Hunter advises that these are available to buy from many high street pharmacies, and were made popular during the Covid lockdowns with thousands investing in them for peace of mind. 

Readings of around 92 per cent or lower should prompt people to seek medical attention, he warned.

Fortunately most people who develop pneumonia will not become seriously ill. And of those who do end up hospitalised, roughly 15 per cent die within a month of admission.

This figure rises to around 30 per cent if a patient is admitted to the intensive care unit.

People treated in hospital are usually given antibiotics, fluids and sometimes steroids to help fight the infection, as well as oxygen if they are struggling to breathe.

Professor Hunter says there are highly effective ways to protect yourself from pneumonia – for example, by staying up to date with pneumococcal, flu, RSV and Covid vaccines.

Stopping smoking can also dramatically reduce the risk.

Just 25 per cent of adults in the US have received the pneumococcal vaccine, while almost three quarters of Britons over 65 have taken the jab. 

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