Talkin’ Tables hosts weekly, free, hour-long sessions where members of the community can come together and chat.

Founder Marjorie Hayward launched the community project in July 2021, and there are now over 100 tables across the country.

With tables already bringing people together across Bolton, the two new tables are a welcome addition to the ever-growing movement.

Lynne told The Bolton News: “There is a new table starting at Westhoughton Library on March 13, under table leader Helen Peachey.

“Helen is one of our long-standing leaders, already running a table at St John’s Church and another one which will soon be moving to a café called Capri.

“So this will be her third table, but she’s hoping that, as the table gets established, someone will come forward to take over as leader.”

The launch event will from 2.15pm until 3.15pm, with tea and biscuits.

Each session is run by a Table Leader, who helps facilitate conversations and welcomes new members.

Lynne is always on the lookout for new leaders in Bolton who would be willing to support the weekly sessions.

“It’s not very difficult to find venues, but to find nice people who are willing to give up their time—that’s what we really need,” said Lynne.

Those interested in becoming a Table Leader should be “friendly and willing to talk to people who are on their own” and can reach out to Lynne at lynneccroston@gmail.com.

Lynne said the table has been made possible with support from Mabinuori Akpofure, service development officer of Bolton Library and Museum Services.

The second table will open on Friday, March 20, at Bolton Sea Cadets’ Castle Street venue, from 10.30am to 11.30am.

This will be the 25th table in Bolton, a milestone for the group.

“I’m really glad to have a table over there because we haven’t got one in that area,” said Lynne.

The leader of this table will be Carole Ogden, who already does extensive voluntary work.

Lynne is hoping the Mayor of Bolton, Cllr David Chadwick, will attend the launch meetings, as he has so often done at previous launches.

“There are still plenty of areas in Bolton where we’d like to set up tables,” said Lynne.

“We haven’t got anything in Breightmet or Little Lever yet, and we’d like to have somewhere that everybody could go.”

Lynne also highlighted the importance of setting up more tables at the weekend, as this can be a particularly lonely time for some people.

Currently, there are no tables on Saturdays, and Lynne said she is sure people would welcome a place for a “coffee and chat.”

To find your nearest Talkin’ Table, visit www.talkintables.co.uk.

If you would like to be a Table Leader in Bolton, email Lynne Croston at lynneccroston@gmail.com.

That’s because Albert’s Schloss, on Peter Street in Manchester, has transformed itself into its very own ski resort with its new Après-inspired menu – and they invited us down to give it a try.

We were greeted by two lovely members of staff who informed us that our table wasn’t yet ready, but we could wait in the bar area. With pleasure!

While we waited, we had a pint of Tank Pilsner each. If you haven’t had the pleasure of trying this before, allow us to give you an overview: the large copper tanks you’ll notice in the centre of the venue aren’t just there for decoration.

Oh no.

They serve up to 4,000 pints of ‘tankovna’ beer that’s known and loved by loyal drinkers for its light, fresh, buttery taste.

As we sipped away, we heard the words we’d been waiting for… “Your table is ready!”

We made our way to our table, which was atmospherically dressed with a candle, menus and surrounded by fellow hungry Mancunians. As you’ll read later, if you’re going to pay Albert’s a visit, then make sure you’ve burnt some calories earlier in the day…

But before we got onto our food, we noticed the dedicated ‘spezials’ Chalet Albert cocktail menu, and thought it appropriate to have the aptly-named Sex on a Snowdrift – St-Germain elderflower liquor, Hendrick’s gin, apple, mint, cucumber, lemon and black pepper. What’s not to like about that?

The Sex on a Snowdrift ‘Chalet Albert spezials’ cocktail. (Image: Newsquest)

Well… one particularly fussy member of the party was worried about the cucumber content of the cocktail. As someone who has to remove the “devil vegetable” from another well-known food franchise’s wrap of the day, to our surprise, the drink went down a treat.

We also tried out the Rhubarb and Elderflower Collins – offering a perfect blend of floral flavours ready to wash down the feast heading our way.

Our waitress, Mariam, was one of the standout parts of our experience. She, and all the other staff, went above and beyond to make our meal memorable – her wit and charm carried the entire evening, so thank you, Mariam.

Now, the Chalet Albert menu is described as a “decadent Cook Haus menu, designed for sharing”, with a celebration of everything schnitzel, spritz and ski season aprés, so please do forgive the sheer amount of food we’ve ordered…

We opted for the Alpine Krokettes and Twice Fried Chicken to start, which was given the Mariam stamp of approval, so we knew what was about to arrive was going to be good.

The Twice Fried Chicken starter, served with haus pickles and ranch dip (Image: Newsquest)

We weren’t wrong. The Krokettes were described by the resident fusspot as “delicious”. “I want more”, he begged.

The chicken was equally as moreish – juicy, sticky and flavourful, and paired with the gorgeous haus pickles. Everything you could want from a staple starter, done exceptionally well.

We were promptly served with our main course: Schweinshaxe (Schloss’ famous pork knuckle), alongside the Chalet Albert Cordon Bleu Schnitzel, Truffle and Parmesan Fries and Sformato (baked truffle mash).

A bird’s eye view of a rather large amount of food. (Image: Newsquest)

The Cordon Bleu Schnitzel. (Image: Newsquest)

The Schweinshaxe, Albert’s Schloss’s famous pork knuckle. (Image: Newsquest)

The Schweinshaxe is famous for a reason. Served in the middle of a magic red cabbage gravy moat, the knuckle is crisped to its max while the meat underneath remained succulent….and it’s also gluten-free! One note is that a steak knife would have been a helpful tool here to deal with the abundance of crispy pork crackling.

The Schnitzel was also perfectly fried and showed Albert’s at its best – chicken breast, Gruyère – a firm, Swiss Alpine cheese – Black Forest ham, wild mushroom and brandy sauce, and decadent truffle and parmesan fries.

The decadent Sformato – baked truffle cheese and belting Alpine cheese, ‘to share’. (Image: Newsquest)

The fries were so nice we accidentally ordered them twice, and the truffle mash (Sformato) was also delicious. The cheese was melted evenly, and it was the right amount, too – a fistful, or should we say a pork knuckleful, not a sprinkle.

You might think this was a truffle overload – but no, not at all, and that’s what this menu is all about.

At this point, we should probably address the portion sizes. We left Albert’s that day a lot heavier than we went in. Do be aware that the portions are incredibly generous. Not a complaint, just something to keep in mind when ordering.

Desserts? For that very reason, we simply didn’t have room – but we did make space for an Espresso Martini as we enjoyed the live music and Aprés ski party put on by Chalet Albert’s brilliant ‘in-haus’ entertainment.

We only had space for an espresso martini for dessert… (Image: Newsquest)

And if none of that food is for you, the Chalet Albert menu is also bursting with other Aprés-inspired treats – including the show-stopping Cheese Fondue.

Hold onto your skiis as we explain this one to you – it’s a sharing feast of melted Vacherin Fribourgeois, Gruyère and white cheddar, served with a side of haus pickles, sourdough and new potatoes. That’s shared dining at its cheesiest and most delicious.

The Baron Burger also boasts a juicy patty smothered in raclette cheese, crispy shallots and truffle mayo and is served with a rich boat of gravy for ultimate indulgence. That one’s being ordered next time we go…

Overall, our experience was very enjoyable. The service was fantastic, portions generous, and food incredibly tasty. It was on the expensive side – the whole order came to about £125 – but for what you got, it was a lot of bang for your buck.

But most importantly, the adventure evoked the same warm feeling you get when someone else is making a roast at the end of a bad week.

It’s still there until March 31, so if you’re looking for somewhere atmospheric to spend a cold, miserable winter evening, then we’d recommend you check out the Chalet Albert menu – fussy eaters, drinkers and non-drinkers alike.

‘His partner will have the pleasant duty of shopping for the couple’

An alleged serial thief accused of 30 separate raids on Tesco stores across Belfast is to be barred from all shopping centres in the city, a High Court judge has ordered.

Jackie Johnson, 43, has been charged with stealing more than £3,000 worth of chocolate, sweets, alcohol, food and other groceries as part of an eight-month spree.

Granting him bail under strict terms, Mr Justice McAlinden stressed that the commercial interests of retailers must be protected.

“He will be banned from entering any supermarket or shopping centre in the greater Belfast area,” the judge directed.

Johnston, of Parkend Street in the city, is charged with 30 counts of theft and a further attempted theft.

The alleged offences were committed on dates between January and September last year.

Prosecutors claimed Tesco’s security staff identified him while examining CCTV footage from various stores.

Johnston was captured repeatedly stealing items from branches at York Street, Antrim Road, Royal Avenue and Ballygomartin Road, according to the charges.

“This resulted in a total loss of £3,464.49 to Tesco,” Crown counsel disclosed.

Opposing bail, she said police believe there is a high risk that Johnston will carry on offending.

Defence barrister Sean Doherty argued his client should be released based on the time he has now spent in custody. He further contended: “£3,464 is not a trifling figure, but nor is it particularly significant to a company with the type of revenue Tesco has in any year.”

Following submissions, Mr Justice McAlinden acknowledged the scale of the alleged offending. He noted: “This man seems to have been engaged in a wholesale campaign to steal from Tesco.”

But he ruled that Johnston can be released on terms which also involve reporting to police three times a week.

The judge added: “His partner will have the pleasant duty of shopping for the couple.”

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Manchester United have two Nottingham Forest stars on their radar, but face serious challenges to get either deal done.

It is set to be a big summer at Old Trafford, with a huge decision to be made on their next permanent manager.

Michael Carrick is in interim charge and has been impressive, but will the former Red Devils midfielder be handed the chance to extend his stay, or will the club appoint a more experienced boss?

Either way, Manchester United will be active in the transfer market, specifically bringing in a new midfielder.

The club wanted to boost their options in that position last summer and their need will be even more pressing this year as Casemiro is leaving at the end of the season.

A number of players have been linked with a big move to Old Trafford, including the likes of Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.

Nottingham Forest and England star Elliot Anderson has also been touted as a possible Manchester United signing, while his teammate for club and country is also on their radar.

The Daily Mail reports that Morgan Gibbs-White has admirers at Old Trafford, in fact there is a ‘strong interest’ in the 26-year-old.

The six-cap England international has been integral for Nottingham Forest since joining from Wolves in 2022, making 154 appearances in all competitions and scoring 26 goals.

Tottenham made a move for him last summer, making a £60m bid, but Forest convinced the midfielder to sign a new deal at the City Ground, worth around £150,000-a-week.

Here lies the problem for Manchester United in possible moves for Gibbs-White and Anderson, as the hierarchy are keen not to hand out wages much above that level.

The likes of Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo all arrived last summer and are on similar wages, with the club shipping out numerous players who are paid more than that.

Casemiro is departing, as will Jadon Sancho on a free transfer, while Marcus Rashford is expected to be sold to Barcelona.

Another high earner, Bruno Fernandes, remains a vital player for the Red Devils, but his future is uncertain, with the possibility that the club would want to cash in if a big offer arrives, likely from Saudi Arabia.

Gibbs-White would be seen as a possible replacement for the captain, but they would be huge boots to fill given Fernandes has been the talisman throughout his time with Manchester United.

The issue with the new wage structure is that rivals are not so strict and Manchester City are reportedly also interested in both Anderson and Gibbs-White.

If it comes to a battle between the Manchester clubs for the Forest stars, City will likely be able to offer them better financial packages.

MORE: ‘Doesn’t suit him’ – Chelsea told to sell Enzo Maresca’s £30m signing

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Despite parts of England predicted to be hotter than Greece on Wednesday, maps show the heat will be shortlived and pin-point where the ‘Beast from the East’ will be felt

Winter may be coming to a close but heavy snow seems to be on the way with the ‘Beast from the East’ on the prowl from next week.

Officially, spring doesn’t start until March 20, but meteorological winter ends later this week – and while millions saw the sunshine return today, things are about to get cold again. Advanced weather forecasting maps predict a blizzard isn’t far away, and bringing snow to many areas as well as several major cities. Temperatures as low as -13C are forecast in a weather map from WXCharts, which predicts freezing temperatures are around the corner.

The weather models are turning icy and on Saturday March 7, purple patches shows the places in the firing line. It shows snow forming to the east of the UK, over the North Sea and continental Europe, before it moves over the country and brings flurries to several major cities.

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From 9am, the threat of snow is shown south of London, and in the north east, including Newcastle. In Ireland, Dublin is warned about the white stuff with parts of London and the south east seeing heavy rainfall. It won’t be long before the wet weather clears.

By midday, the maps show the snow is on the move with almost all of the north west of England is the firing line. Manchester is expected to see flurries and things are tracked to move southward with the west Midlands and parts of the west country also impacted. Accumulations aren’t expected to be greater than 1cm by this time.

But 9pm, the snow is expected to get heavier in the north west, with it being heaviest in Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent. It will hang around parts of the North East, with some sections of Yorkshire also forecast not to escape. The east coast is also expected to see some snow, with it stretching down as far as Norwich.

By midnight on Saturday, the blizard is bound for parts of London but it will be heaviest in the west and east Midlands. But according to the maps, many could be waking up to a blanket of snow.

The maps from 6am on Sunday March 8 show the so-called Beast from the East turn more fearsome, with the snow stretching for hundreds of miles from Scotland to the south coast of the UK. Heavy snow is expected to be falling right across England and Wales.

The BBC forecast for March 2 to 15 states: “Although confidence is even lower than usual for this period, there are some signs of high pressure building near the UK, leading to somewhat drier conditions, with precipitation amounts near or below average.

“However, the position of this potential high will have a notable influence on both precipitation and wind. It will most likely linger near the UK through the first week of March, bringing relatively dry conditions, along with a risk of frost and fog.

“Daytime temperatures should be at least near seasonal for most areas, and potentially above average, although some chillier conditions are possible across Scotland.

“There is a small chance that high pressure could develop at higher latitudes, which would bring a risk of a colder week, though strong cold anomalies would not be expected. Wintry showers would then become more likely.”

The Met Office expects the heaviest rainfall to come in the north-west at the start of March. It adds: “Winds will probably be strong at times, with a risk of gales. Temperatures are likely to be near to or slightly above average.”

It also says “changeable conditions” are likely in most places, coupled with some “drier and brighter interludes”.

The deaths of 72 tigers in two tourist parks in Thailand were caused by a virus that should not be a public health concern, officials have said.

The tigers died at parks in Mae Taeng and Mae Rim in Chiang Mai province in north Thailand between 8 to 18 February.

Their deaths had sparked fears of an outbreak of bird flu, amid a resurgence of the virus in Asia. Authorities say it was not responsible, and that the tigers were killed by a virus not known to affect humans.

On Friday, the Chiang Mai regional livestock office had said autopsies of the animals found genetic material of canine distemper virus, or CDV, and traces of bacterial infection.

But Visit Arsaithamkul, a veterinarian who took part in the tiger analysis, expressed concern that the origins of the infections remained unclear without further investigation.

In a Facebook post, he said that he suspected that as the two parks were located just 18 miles apart, the cause of infection could be food the tigers were fed that came from the same source.

He declined to elaborate when contacted by The Associated Press.

No-one has shown any symptoms so far, but authorities are continuing to monitor the health of people who had recently come into contact with the animals.

“There has not been an animal-to-human infection case,” public health minister Pattana Promphat said at a news conference at Government House in Bangkok.

Monthien Khanasawat, director-general of the Public Health Ministry’s Disease Control Department, said: “If we detect any sick persons, we will prepare for a nationwide monitoring measure.

“This will include contact tracing and treatment as necessary.”

Both parks, run under the name of Tiger Kingdom, remain closed. The operators did not immediately respond when contacted for comment.

Bird flu has been resurgent in parts of Asia in recent years, and Thai authorities have been on alert.

Thailand saw 17 deaths out of 25 infected patients from poultry-caused influenza between 2004 to 2007, according to the Public Health Ministry.

CDV, which is infectious to both dogs and felines, can cause stronger symptoms in cats and tigers and can be transmitted through bodily fluids and air.

Read more from Sky News:
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Thai authorities said that tigers in confined environments could be particularly vulnerable to the viral infection, especially when compounded by stress and inbreeding conditions.

The remains of the tigers were cremated and buried, officials said.

The carcasses were disinfected, photographed and discarded to prevent any further use, Livestock Development Department director-general Somchuan Rattanamangklanan said.

The first animal-to-human transmission of bird flu was discovered in Hong Kong in 1997 before a pandemic brokeout in Asia in 2003.

Mr Monthien urged Thais to be careful around their consumption of poultry after a man in a neighbouring country, which he didn’t name, was found infected with bird flu.

“It is with a very heavy heart that I have decided to close the business”

A popular patisserie and cafe has taken to social media to announce the sad news that it will close at the end of the month.

Chef Daniel Duckett announced on social media that after eight years, he would be closing Lazy Claire Pattisserie. He said, “it is time to bow out”, and that he would be shutting the doors of the East Belfast bakery.

Over the years, the classic French patisserie became famous for its incredible baked goods. Customers could get their hands on delicious eclairs, croissants and pain au chocolat.

It picked up a number of accolades over the 8 years and, most recently, was named runner-up in Northern Ireland’s very first best croissant competition.

Daniel, who is originally from Alabama, moved to Northern Ireland, became a chef, and later trained in Paris. He then returned to Belfast with the dream of setting up an authentic French patisserie in the city.

He has attributed the struggle to finding a chef to work with in the business. He stated that “this has been a challenge and it still remains the same challenge eight years in”.

He added that “it is with a very heavy heart that I decided to close the business”. He let his followers know that the business would close its doors “at the end of this month”.

Speaking to his followers, he said, “it’s really hard to say goodbye to our customers”. Adding that “I am really proud of what I’ve made” and “it is a legacy that I will never forget”.

He urged his regular customers to come into the store on the Castlereagh Road before it closes, on February 28, to “say goodbye”. Reassuring viewers, he said, “Keep an eye out. Who knows what will happen in the future”.

The video ends with Daniel saying, “one final thank you from the depths of my heart” and “it’s been a privilege to bring pastries to you”.

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A pregnant Co Armagh woman was killed in a “prolonged assault”, a murder trial has heard. Natalie McNally, 32, was killed at her home in Lurgan a week before Christmas in 2022.

Stephen McCullagh, 36, of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, has denied murdering his girlfriend, Miss McNally, who was 15 weeks pregnant with their child.

McCullagh sat in the dock at Belfast Crown Court between two prison guards on Tuesday during the second day of his trial.

Following a break for lunch, the state pathologist for Northern Ireland was called to give evidence.

Dr James Lyness confirmed he carried out a post-mortem on Ms McNally’s remains at the Northern Ireland Forensic Mortuary on December 21, 2022 and conducted a second examination the following day.

He told the jury of six men and six women that he believed Ms McNally was subjected to a “prolonged assault” and that it was “likely” the 15-week male foetus she was carrying “died as a result of the assault.”

When asked by Mr MacCreanor what he considered to be the cause of Ms McNally’s death, Dr Lyness replied: “The cause of death in this case was given as compression of neck, stab wounds of neck and blunt force trauma of head.”

The pathologist then gave a detailed forensic descriptions of the multiple injuries Ms McNally sustained which included three stab wounds to her neck as well as compression injuries to her neck “suggestive of having been caused by fingertips.”

He also outlined five lacerations to her head and said this blunt force trauma was likely to have been caused by a weapon.

Dr Lyness noted other areas of multiple bruising to her scalp and face caused as a “result of blunt blows such as punches.”

In addition, the medical witness spoke of other injuries to her wrists and forearm which he said “could have been caused by blunt blows including if she had raised her arms to protect herself.”

He added: “Additional bruises on the backs of the hand may have been caused if she had punched a hard surface but could also have been the result of blunt blows in an attempt to protect her body.”

When asked to summarise his findings, Dr Lyness said it was a “complex case” and that it was “difficult to be certain of the exact fatal sequence from the autopsy findings.

“Both the neck compression and the stab wounds to the neck could have caused her death on their own.”

Also citing the seriousness of the head wounds, Dr Lyness told the court, “it would seem reasonable to conclude that the compression of the neck, the stab wounds to the neck and the blunt force trauma to the head all contributed to the fatal outcome.”

Earlier on Tuesday, a police officer who attended the scene of Natalie McNally’s murder described how he saw a dog bowl filled with blood beside her head.

After being called to give evidence at Belfast Crown Court, the police officer confirmed he attended Ms McNally’s address on the evening of December 19, 2022.

He said that when he arrived at Silverwood Green, members from the Ambulance Service were at the scene along with other police officers.

Under questioning from Crown barrister Charles MacCreanor KC, the witness confirmed he then entered Ms McNally’s home.

The officer said he saw McCullagh in the hallway who was “very upset, he was crying.”

He said that after McCullagh was “led out” and taken to a police car by another officer, he walked up the stairs and observed Ms McNally’s feet at the top of the staircase.

When asked if he saw Ms McNally at the top of the stairs, the sergeant replied “I did” then said “she was lying on her back.”

He continued: “Her head was in the living room which was on the first floor. She was lying on her back with her feet protruding over the stairs.

“She was slightly raised on the left-hand side by a cushion, and her left arm was up against the wall.”

When the police officer was asked if blood was visible, he said: “Yes, there was blood visible around her neck. I noticed a puncture wound.

“There was bloo,d which was in a dog bowl. It looked almost like it had been used to collect the blood.”

Mr MacCreanor then asked the sergeant if he observed a small black-handled knife in the living room and he confirmed he saw this item lying on the floor “some distance away from the deceased’s head.”

He added that he also saw some blood “on the wall closest to the knife” then confirmed he “went no further than the top of the stairs” before exiting the property.

Mr MacCreanor then asked the witness if he was aware of the arrest of McCullagh at the scene at 11.40pm.

The sergeant confirmed this was the case and that McCullagh was taken into custody to Banbridge PSNI station.

The trial continues.

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The victim told police that she felt like a prisoner in her own home

A stalker who made a false 999 call saying his former partner had died has been jailed. David Williams, 48, began persistently messaging, texting, and calling the victim, as well as loitering outside her house in Peterborough, from August 12, 2025.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “They had been in a relationship which ended in June last year and the victim told officers Williams’ behaviour was frightening her and she felt like a prisoner in her own home.”

Williams was arrested and given bail conditions not to contact the victim or go near her house. However, officers were called to the victim’s address on August 29 after an argument between Williams and the victim was overheard.

Williams was removed by officers and the victim told them he had turned up at her house with letters and a necklace a few days before. He had also made a hoax call to 999 saying she had died, which led to paramedics attending her house.

Williams, of Lincoln Road, was arrested again on August 31 and called the force’s control room in September to say he had breached his bail conditions and texted the victim because she was ill. He also stalked her when she visited Peterborough City Hospital and made two hoax calls to police asking them to check on her welfare.

Williams, was jailed for 12 months having pleaded guilty to stalking and persistently making use of a public communication network to cause annoyance/inconvenience/anxiety on Wednesday, February 18, at Peterborough Crown Court . He was also handed a 10-year restraining order preventing him from contacting the victim.

DC Tisha Morris, who investigated, said: “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the prolonged distress caused by Williams’ actions. Stalking has a profound impact on victims, often leaving them feeling unsafe in their own daily lives.

“The victim showed great courage in reporting Williams to the police and I hope the sentence provides her with reassurance and makes clear that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated”