Get ready for a new week (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
The tail end of February brings us into a Mercury Retrograde, which is not the demon that folk paint it out to be — especially as this one is in lovely Pisces.
See this three-week phase more as a time to do less, think more, and recoup your energy ready for the launch phase of spring!
Winter is almost over. What outside, external, world-facing ambitions, energy or activity do you most want to tap into and pursue?
Time to plan and prepare. Make this Spring season amazing by getting your priorities and hopes lined up now, so you can research and schedule accordingly.
Advertisement
So… let’s use the tarot to ask what you can be getting ready for spring right now.
Looking for deeper insight? My new Everything Covered reading has all the answers. Or, come join my magical, mystical tarot club, free for a whole month when you sign up using this link.
Aries
March 21 to April 20
Dream big, Aries (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Aries for this week: The Sun
Meaning: Spring starts at the same time as your own sign’s season, so it’s like a double whammy of good vibes, positive energy and action. The Sun blesses this season even more with love, joy, travel, success, and opportunity. The preparation you can do now is to imagine what you’d be doing if failure wasn’t an option. What makes you feel most excited? What would you love to spend your time on this Earth pursuing?
Advertisement
This is what you should plan to do this spring — seriously, the sky’s the limit. Write that business plan, invite your object of affection on a wild weekend, book a trip or holiday that makes you feel adventurous, apply for the promotion. Do it all!
Everything happens for a reason (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Taurus for this week: Five of Cups
Meaning: The key to the best ever spring that you can plan for now is to simply have no regrets. That is going to be your mantra. Imagine that it is now winter again, what memories of this season would you love to have made, places visited, spring-like activities tried, new food eaten, relatives visited etc?
Advertisement
Let this stance of ‘no regrets’ inform your priority to-do list and use this week to research and plan how you can land it over from March to June. This might be shaping up to be your best ever season, you know!
Soak in the joys of spring (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Gemini for this week: Three of Cups
Meaning: As spring approaches, the sap rises, flowers unfurl, things heat up in all manner of ways. This applies to your nature too. You are a part of nature! So feel the warmth, light and fertile energies swirling through the air embrace you and lift your spirits. Focus on receiving the energy coming through and letting it change your mood, outlook and appetites.
Advertisement
Hibernation is over. Winter habits are over. Time to refresh, renew and revive your spring-like personality and true nature. Time to get outside, start sniffing the air, taking walks, looking with curiosity at what’s going on that you can get involved with!
Hibernation time is over (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Cancer for this week: Three of Coins
Meaning: You do have a tendency to go into total hibernation during winter, and folk wonder if you’ve dropped off the face of the Earth. But you are missed. Your presence is powerful and when it’s removed, people notice. So, as Spring starts to come around, start thinking about your social life, family outings, networking and general human interaction once more!
Advertisement
What events are coming up, who have you not seen in ages, what trips or new places are there waiting for your attention, what professional relationships need some attention? Make a list, make a plan, start in advance now and get a head start.
Spring is pregnant with possibility for you, Leo (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Leo for this week: The Empress
Meaning: This is the card of love, passion, nurturing, mothering and fertility and this suggests your spring is going to be very loving and fertile in new additions to your life. Abundance, blossoming, creation, and growth. So… get your magic wand of manifesting polished and poised.
Advertisement
Where are you going to point it? What do you want create and make? What new things do you want to be birthed into your realm? Make a wish list. This powerful Empress energy is there to help you get what you desire and deserve. Know what you truly want, from the heart, and use that to guide your spring preparations and priorities. Also, look out for Taurus and Libra.
Making lists is a beloved Virgo pastime (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Virgo for this week: King of Coins
Meaning: A new season is like you getting a new notepad or blank sheet of paper, on which you can project and plan a whole new era! Bliss. Vision boarding is what is needed right now. Create your ideal vision of where you want to be in terms of health, wealth, work and home this spring.
Advertisement
What jobs need doing, what outcomes are you looking for, what investments might be worth exploring, what career ideas are you brewing, what health and wellbeing goals do you have in mind? Get it all down on paper this week and take charge of making it into a you Spring Schedule 2026!
Meaning: Use your closest relationships – family, romantic and otherwise – to plan your upcoming spring season. What do you want to do with those you love and like? Get together with these folk this week and have a pre-season planning get-together. What films, outings, events, trips, gatherings, new places, foods, shows, classes or reunions might you all want to undertake, share and arrange?
Advertisement
Use this relationship-focused approach as the underpinning of your season ahead and you will feel loved, supported and valued. Getting together with people is your favourite thing. So, make it a real priority this season.
A solid foundation makes all the difference (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Scorpio for this week: Two of Swords
Meaning: Spring is always a busy time when everyone comes up for air, breaks out the hibernation cycle, and new invites, news and opportunities flourish. So get ready to be a lot busier real soon, Scorpio! As such, take a step back this week and look at the bigger picture of your year. What decisions are awaiting your attention that will shape your plans and priorities?
Advertisement
This card suggests there are at least two decisions you need to face into, process, research and decide, and this is the week to do it. Get all the info you can, discuss it, kick it around, sleep on each option and then make your move. Doing all of this now will help you come springtime when you’ve overwhelmed with new offers and ideas. You are creating a firm foundation from which to grow.
Time for a pre-spring clean (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Sagittarius for this week: Knight of Coins
Meaning: You love spring. You love the return of the light and warmth, the energising vitality of the sun’s rays, and the sense of new possibilities ahead. So, this is a good week to get all those outstanding jobs, tasks and chores done that you’d rather have out of your hair by the time the season starts and you want to be ‘out out’.
Advertisement
Work hard, make a strong to-do list and set to work, use your Jupiter powers of luck and fortune to get ahead and take a few chances. Invest your time and energy in things which need doing, so that you have more time and energy later when the ‘art of the possible’ in is play.
What do you wish for? (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Capricorn for this week: Nine of Cups
Meaning: Springtime livens your spirits and makes you feel optimistic about life. And so it should, because the Nine of Cups suggests you have a magical season of wishes granted and dreams coming true awaiting you.
Advertisement
Use this week to consider your greatest wishes right now. Let your imagination roam, spend time walking and daydreaming, fantasise and invent ideals, scenarios, and outcomes that make you feel proud, strong and excited. And use these visions as the raw clay to mould your plan of attack for the coming season. Whatever you wish for is possible this spring, don’t waste this hopeful energy by second guessing or undermining yourself.
Get ready for a springtime burst of excitement (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Aquarius for this week: Ten of Wands
Meaning: The Ten of Wands wants you to eek the very last drops of hibernation restoration and rejuvenation energy out of this tail end of winter. Rest up. Do little. Heal and process and reflect and take in good stimulus physically and mentally.
Advertisement
Spring will be busy, active, demanding, fun and lively. A great time. Expect several months of high energy and new news. For now, recharge your batteries so you have even more juice when the time comes and you need that vitality and stamina. This is worthwhile rest.
The ice is beginning to thaw (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot card for Pisces for this week: The World
Meaning: The World is a card of completion and achievement, a recognition that you have ‘done’ winter and are oh so ready for spring. For you, it will mean new challenges and ambitions to pursue, new travel and location plans or moves, and a fresh sense of where you’re heading — and why. A renewal of purpose.
Advertisement
For now, enjoy this tail end of winter, celebrate the season’s achievements and successes, reflect on what you’ve done and learned, measure your progress against your goals, and start to notice what things or areas of your life might also be coming to a conclusion, along with the season. It’s time to let go, and then go again!
Kerry King has been reading, teaching and creating tarot for 30 years. Join her magical, exclusive Tarot Club for forecasts, predictions, lessons and readings straight to your inbox. Enjoy one month free for all Metro readers (no lock-in or commitment) over on Patreon.
Your daily Metro.co.uk horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.
Firefighters were called at around 12.15am last night by a neighbour who reported smoke and an alarm sound coming from a house on Mere Avenue, Leigh.
They arrived at the scene at 12.30am with three fire engines from Leigh, Wigan and Atherton.
Once they were inside the property, they found that the top floor was smoke-logged and that a fire had broken out in the back bedroom.
Advertisement
Firefighters were on the scene for two hours.
No one was in the house at the time of the fire, the fire service has confirmed.
In light of the incident, a spokesperson for the fire service has stressed the importance of having working fire alarms in the home.
For more information on fire alarms and to check if you are eligible for a free Home Fire Safety Assessment, you can contact Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service online or on 0800 555 815. m
A full search was carried out but no-one was found, police said
10:58, 11 Apr 2026Updated 10:58, 11 Apr 2026
A huge emergency rescue response descended on Irlam Locks last night amid reports of a person in the water.
A large number of police, water rescue units and fire service vehicles were pictured on the scene off Cadishead Way just before midnight on Friday evening (April 10). A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police confirmed the force was called over reports of a person in the water.
Crews carried out a full search of the area into the early hours of this morning. However, no-one was found and the search was stood down.
Advertisement
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. And don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
In a statement, GMP said: “We were called to a report of a person in the water. Emergency services attended and carried out a full search, no one was found.”
A spokesperson for the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “Just before 12am last night (Friday 10 April), two fire engines from Stretford and Irlam fire station, along with the Water Incident Unit from Eccles and Technical Response Unit from Ashton, attended an incident near Forebay Drive, Irlam.
Advertisement
“Firefighters were in attendance for around an hour.”
Emergency services were called to Chesser Avenue in the capital after the alarm was raised at around 12.20am on Saturday.
A man has been rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries after being knocked down in Edinburgh.
Advertisement
Emergency services were called to Chesser Avenue in the capital after the alarm was raised at around 12.20am on Saturday, April 11. Officers from Police Scotland were responding to reports of a crash involving a blue MG HS and a 49-year-old male pedestrian.
Ambulance crews attended and he was taken to hospital having sustained life-threatening injuries. The 35-year-old female driver of the car was not injured.
A picture shared by Edinburgh Live showed the road closed off as officers launched an investigation at the scene.
A number of police cars could be seen in attendance with uniformed cops standing guard. Detectives are now appealing for information.
Advertisement
Sergeant Fraser Mitchell said: “Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and I am appealing for anyone with information to get in touch.
“I would ask anyone who was in the area around the time of the collision to contact us, especially those who may have dash cam footage that could assist with our enquiries.
“Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 0074 of April 11, 2026.”
Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.
With the top two set to meet at the Etihad Stadium next weekend, this is a must-win fixture for Mikel Arteta’s side as they bid to prove they can cope under pressure. Eberechi Eze has handed Arsenal a surprise fitness boost by returning earlier than expected from injury, but it remains to be seen if Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard and Piero Hincapie will feature.
“If the Executive continues to prioritise rigid carbon accounting over road safety, economic connectivity, and the financial stability of households, they won’t just miss their climate targets, they’ll miss the point of government entirely.”
10:19, 11 Apr 2026
Advertisement
There is a fine line between visionary leadership and blind dogma. If you want to see what happens when a government tumbles headfirst over that line, look no further than the current state of Northern Ireland’s infrastructure.
On Tuesday, the DUP will bring a motion to the Assembly floor that sets out how our region’s legally binding climate targets have become an impenetrable barrier to basic regional prosperity.
For years, we were told the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 was a “landmark” victory for the environment. But in 2026, the reality on the ground, or more accurately, the potholes in the ground, tells a different story. What was billed as a green revolution has instead become, as Doug Beattie has aptly described, a “contagion of caution” that has paralysed our road network and created a zero-sum war for every penny in the public purse.
The most glaring casualty is the A5 Western Transport Corridor. A £1.7 billion project designed to save lives and connect the west has been quashed by the High Court because the Department for Infrastructure couldn’t reconcile a massive road scheme with a yet-to-be-finalised Climate Action Plan.
Advertisement
This isn’t just about one road. The A5 ruling has set a far-reaching precedent. Any project that generates emissions is now a sitting duck for judicial review. We’ve seen the £36 million A4 Enniskillen Southern Bypass, a vital project for Fermanagh, stalled indefinitely because the Minister is “mindful” of the legal risks. This hesitation cost the taxpayer £6.6 million in surrendered funding this year alone. While the lawyers argue, the costs of civil engineering continue to skyrocket, leaving the ratepayer to pick up an even bigger bill whenever, if ever, the diggers return.
Perhaps the most perverse outcome of the 2022 Act is the 10 per cent mandatory spend on “active travel”. On paper, spending £85 million a year on walking and cycling sounds lovely. In reality, it has forced the DfI into what can only be described as creative accounting, raising concerns from the Audit Office.
The Department has been caught reclassifying £37 million of general repairs as “active travel” just to hit a statutory quota. Meanwhile, the actual structural maintenance budget is a heavily depressed £68 million, which is well short of what is needed to keep the lights on and the tarmac smooth. We are being forced into a binary choice between asking if we want aspirational cycle lanes or roads that don’t destroy our suspension.
Then there is the draft Climate Action Plan 2023-2027. It is a document built on “speculative accounting” and “unquantified” proposals. It asks our farmers to adopt targets that are, frankly, unworkable, based on what critics have described as failed models from the Republic of Ireland.
Advertisement
For those in social housing, the “Just Transition” plan pushes for heat pumps that, without a complete retrofit, are more expensive to run than gas or oil. Because there is no grant support for these retrofits, housing associations are forced to take out commercial loans, the interest on which could be paid for by the region’s most vulnerable tenants through higher rents.
The DUP motion calls for a rigorous cost-benefit analysis, and frankly, we cannot continue to govern by aspiration while ignoring the macroeconomic reality of a cost-of-living crisis.
Northern Ireland needs to decarbonise, but it shouldn’t have to go bankrupt to do it. If the Executive continues to prioritise rigid carbon accounting over road safety, economic connectivity, and the financial stability of households, they won’t just miss their climate targets, they’ll miss the point of government entirely.
Grand National 2026: Who is the favourite to win at Aintree and what price are they? | Wales Online
Need to know
The Grand National is set to take place at Aintree on Saturday
I Am Maximus won the Grand National in 2024(Image: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
Everything you need to know about the favourite to win the Grand National
I Am Maximus tops odds: The 2024 champion is a current 13/2 favourite at the time of writing. The Willie Mullins-trained horse is widely considered the most accomplished contender, having also been runner-up last year.
Panic Attack leading contender: Panic Attack is the second favourite to win at odds of 8/1. She previously won the Coral Gold Cup and can make history as the first mare to triumph at the Grand National since Nickel Coin 9n 1951.
Grangeclare West chances:Another member of the Mullins stable, Grangeclare West is priced at 17/2, following a third-place finish in 2025. Jockey Patrick Mullins will hope to guide the horse to victory.
Jagwar in contention: The seven-year-old is a newcomer at Aintree but is valued at 10/1. Impressive performances at Cheltenham have led to considerable movement in the betting markets.
Johnnywho in the top five: Carrying the same odds as Jagwar, Johnnywho completes the top five contenders. He recently won the Ultima Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and trainer Jonjo O’Neill is confident of the horse’s staying power.
Nick Rockett a non-runner: The reigning Grand National champion was withdrawn from the marquee race earlier this week. A self-certificate citing coughing means Nick Rockett will not have an opportunity to retain the title.
Major withdrawal: Pied Piper had been the first reserve but was also ruled out because of mobility issues. It means Imperial Saint is a late addition to the 34 runners at Aintree.
How to watch on TV: Terrestrial viewers in the UK can watch live on ITV1 and stream it via ITVX, with the main event scheduled for 4pm. For those wanting comprehensive coverage of every race, Racing TV offers an uninterrupted subscription service starting from the first race at 12:45 pm.
Radio Coverage: For those wanting audio commentary, the BBC will be live at the Grand National starting shortly before the off. This service is ideal for listeners on the go and is accessible via DAB radio or the BBC Sounds app.
Paul Barry, experienced community pharmacist and NHS business partner for Well Pharmacy, is urging the nation to be aware of the 12 signs and symptoms of a new strain known as Cicada.
He said: “The new Cicada variant has now been identified in the UK and is expected to become the dominant strain.
“This deceptive new strain can trick the immune system into not recognising that it is Covid and can allow for the Cicada variant to quickly spread across the UK.
Advertisement
How to tell if you have a cold, the flu or COVID-19
“Young children are prone to picking up infections and could be particularly exposed to this variant given they will have unlikely had a Covid vaccination.
“I would urge everyone to consider a Spring vaccine, given it will be almost five years since they have had a Covid vaccine. While the vaccine is not altered to target the new variant, it still offers the best form of protection against the virus.”
Pharmacists are bracing for a rush of patients wanting Spring vaccinations after the recent Meningitis outbreak exposed the dangers of being unvaccinated against serious disease.
The genetic modifications of the new variant mean that the body may not recognise the virus, allowing it to spread quicker.
Advertisement
Cicada was first identified in Africa before making its way across the globe and as of February 2026, it was in 23 countries including the Netherlands.
In the UK, overall Covid cases remain low with 491 reported cases for the week up until March 25, with 27 covid-related deaths up to March 20.
While there is no current evidence to suggest that Cicada poses a greater risk than other strains of Covid, patients should be cautious that vaccines might prove less effective against this variant.
Paul wants to remind patients of the usual symptoms of Covid-19 including a cough, fever or chills.
Advertisement
Other severe symptoms can include sore throat, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, loss of smell or taste and gastrointestinal issues.
While symptoms can vary with rest, it is also important to remain hydrated, drinking plenty of water and ensuring that the medicine cabinet is appropriately stocked up with over-the-counter medications including paracetamol.
Other patients can present asymptomatically, meaning that they won’t feel unwell, but they can still spread the virus.
The NHS has a list of Covid symptoms available to be viewed on their website which suggests testing for Covid-19 if the following are present;
Advertisement
A high temperature or shivering
A new continuous cough
A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
Shortness of breath
Exhaustion or fatigue
An aching body
A headache
A sore throat
Blocked or runny nose
Loss of appetite
Nausea or being sick
Diarrhoea
Last year, the Nimbus and Stratus variants of Covid left patients feeling as though they had swallowed razor blades due to the pain felt when swallowing.
Paul warns Brits to be cautious especially as the new Covid variant spreads and believes that anyone who might be under the weather and believes they have Covid should follow NHS advice.
Paul, from Well Pharmacy, said: “If you have Covid, you should stay indoors and rest, avoiding contact with other people and wait until you feel better or do not have a high temperature.
“Younger people who have tested positive for Covid seem to be infectious for less time than adults, and so usually within three days it is possible that they may be testing negative.
“If you’re over 18 and have tested positive then it is recommended that you wait five days to have contact with anyone as this is usually when most over 18’s begin to test negative for Covid.
Advertisement
“Patients who believe they might be vulnerable for Covid should book in for a Spring vaccine to ensure peace of mind as well as protection against the most severe effects of the virus.
“It’s important that everyone does their part, if you are testing positive for Covid then please do follow the NHS guidelines and don’t go to crowded places.”
A woman who swapped her home in Buckden, Cambridgeshire for a new life in the south of France has admitted that the life of an expat can be a lonely one
Quite a few of us fantasise about upping sticks and moving to a picturesque part of Europe to enjoy the sunshine and the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. But alongside the complexities of European bureaucracy – and the sheer expense – there is one other drawback that many people overlook.
Advertisement
Debbie Dawtrey, who moved from Buckden in Cambridgeshire to south-western France in 2023, says that one of the most significant problems she’s encountered is social isolation.
Debbie, 64, opened a small hotel in the Charente, based in the picturesque village of Confolens, and says while she’s kept very busy during the holiday season, the winter months can be a very lonely time.
She told The Times: “I didn’t know anyone in the area and while the summers are busy with guests, contacts are transient and the winters are especially hard as people hunker down and close the shutters.”
Debbie, who is single, says that she’s found a way of rebuilding her social life by organising a regular supper club for other expats: “Every month we’d take turns in hosting a dinner and had lots of fun,” she says, “it helped broaden our social circle.”
Advertisement
Debbie adds that it’s all too easy to become isolated when you move far away from family and friends, and advises “you have to really make an effort to put yourself out there”.
Even if you’ve made an effort to pick up the local language, the ability to strike up a casual conversation can be much more difficult compared to meeting people in the UK.
While some people might hang out in a local bar, or even join a health club, they’re easier to find in larger towns and cities. Starting a new life in the French countryside – or even in a rural community in the UK, can represent quite a challenge.
Advertisement
Even if they are operating on quite a large budget, expats can find themselves longing for the life they left behind. Earlier this year, Kate Ferdinand opened up about her homesickness after she and her football star husband Rio relocated to Dubai.
Speaking on her ‘Blended’ podcast in February, Kate broke down in tears and admitted she was missing her loved ones back home. Kate and Rio moved to the UAE last August and while her husband is “loving” his new life out there, things aren’t quite as rosy for Kate.
“I am enjoying it, but I miss home quite a lot,” she admitted. “I can’t talk about it because I get upset. I feel like we’ve opened our eyes to a different world. But I love London. I do feel happy in Dubai, but I’m just missing a part of me.”
Advertisement
A friend of the couple told The Mirror that the move to Dubai hasn’t worked out the way Kate had hoped, and she finds the glittering Middle-eastern city itself “soulless.” They revealed: “She’s struggling. She’s really missing home. She’s not enjoying it. And even though she’s got the kids and she’s got Rio there, she’s homesick. She can’t stop it and it’s very difficult. It’s just not home.”
Kate is also missing her stepchildren. While Rio’s daughter Tia, 14, made the move to the UAE with them, his eldest sons Lorenz, 19, Tate, 17, remained in the UK to focus on their budding football careers – a move which has caused further anguish for Kate.
Speaking on her podcast, she confessed, “I miss the big boys a lot and I’m struggling with that. I know this decision is right for my younger children and as a family we are settled there, but the boys are following their football careers. So they’re doing what they want to do, otherwise they’d be with us.”
Advertisement
She added: “But it’s very hard because we’ve been through so much as a family and we’ve always been together and that’s a huge adjustment.”
The village is made up of pretty houses and cottages as well as lots of local amenities
A look around Duxford, 10 miles south of Cambridge
Locals have praised a “hidden secret” village in Cambridgeshire for its “really cute community” and for being in an ideal location to spot planes flying from the garden.
Home to over 2000 people, the village of Duxford is made up of pretty houses and cottages. It is a village widely known for its Imperial War Museum and their historic air shows. Situated around 10 miles south of Cambridge, Duxford has a shop, a community centre with a park and a café, and two pubs called The Plough and John Barleycorn. The village also has a charming café called Four Duxford.
As part of our Exploring Cambridgeshire series, we visited the village and spoke to people about what it is like to live here.
Caroline and Meredith Lloyd-Evans moved to the village five years ago from Cambridge. Meredith said Duxford is a “hidden secret” where he can see planes flying and “doing acrobats” from his garden. The couple say they enjoy seeing the planes because of “the history”.
Advertisement
Meredith highlighted the sereneness of the village and how “it’s one of the few places I’ve been where you can walk back from the nearest station”, which is Whittlesford Parkway. The railway station is around a 25 minute walk from Duxford or five minutes away by car.
He likes that Duxford is filled with “old buildings” that feels like “old England”. Caroline said she is actually “such a ‘townie” but finds that “villages are coping better post pandemic”. She added that “most towns end up with tattoo shops, fudge shops, and coffee shops” but she has “more or less” all the amenities she needs in Duxford.
Advertisement
Caroline continued: “What you still have in villages is community pride and character.”
Meredith explained that during his first day in Duxford, he noticed “one very big difference from Cambridge”. He said: “People stopped and said ‘hello’ and ‘good morning’.”
Gentiana Restelica runs the local café, Four Duxford. She “loves” the village for its “really cute community” that makes her feel as though she has “a big family”. Gentiana has been at the café for around eight months and initially expected Duxford to be “gridlocked” during air shows, however she said “it felt really controlled” and “well organised”.
The 33-year-old highlighted another “really fun” event where “hundreds of people come down”. Duxford Soapbox Derby is an annual charity racing event featuring homemade, gravity-powered vehicles racing through the village streets. Gentiana explained that there are adult and child races and each of the go-karts has a unique design.
Jenny Mustoe, has lived in Duxford for 44 years. She highlighted how the locals are all “friendly” and the transport options “work well”. Duxford has a bus station which takes you into Cambridge city or alternative routes such as Saffron Walden. Jenny said that she “wouldn’t want to live in a town” and she has all the amenities she needs.
Andrew Baker, 52, grew up in Duxford and said “it’s a beautiful village” and reminisced on how he used to go to the village green with friends when he was a child. His favourite feature of the village is the two pubs alongside the community hub which Andrew believes is “a fantastic addition” and says it is “always busy” and “very vibrant”.
Plenty has happened since that career-best night for ‘The Destroyer’, who shocked the world of boxing in February by splitting from long-time promoters Matchroom and Eddie Hearn to sign a lucrative deal with Zuffa, the new promotional company founded by UFC CEO Dana White and Chairman of the Saudi Arabian General Entertainment Authority, Turki Al-Sheikh.
It’s a one-fight deal rumoured to be worth a cool $15million, causing plenty of fallout and only heightening the tensions between Hearn and White.
Despite stating after his win over Eubank Jr – against whom he jumped up two divisions to middleweight for both fights – that he now wanted to return to his natural home of welterweight (147 pounds) to challenge for world titles, particularly the WBC belt which Ryan Garcia won from Mario Barrios earlier this year, Benn’s next outing is being fought at a catchweight of 150 pounds.
He is up against American southpaw Prograis, the 37-year-old former two-time super-lightweight world champion who has spent his whole career to date in the 140-pound ranks.
Advertisement
‘Rougarou’ last fought in August 2025, when he outlasted Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz in a thrilling 10-round contest in Chicago to bounce back from consecutive defeats by Devin Haney – in which he lost the WBC super-lightweight title – and England’s Jack Catterall, by whom he was outpointed in Manchester in October 2024.
Prograis had been scheduled to fight Oscar Duarte early last year, but was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder injury suffered in training. He has this week vehemently denied claims – including from the likes of Hearn – that he is injured heading into this showdown with Benn.
Benn vs Prograis fight date and venue
Benn vs Prograis takes place today, Saturday April 11, 2026 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.
Advertisement
Benn vs Prograis fight time and ring walks
The main card is expected to start at 7pm BST on Saturday evening, which is 2pm ET and 11am PT in the United States.
Fury and Makhmudov are likely to fight at around 10:30pm BST (5:30pm ET, 2:30pm PT), so we can estimate that Benn and Prograis will be in the ring at approximately 9:30pm BST (4:30pm ET, 1:30pm PT). As ever, those exact timings are subject to change.
How to watch Benn vs Prograis
Advertisement
TV channel and live stream: Saturday night’s event is being broadcast live on Netflix, available to access for subscribers at no extra cost. A Netflix subscription in the UK currently costs from £5.99 a month.
Live blog: Follow the whole card with Standard Sport’s live blog.
Benn vs Prograis undercard
Benn vs Prograis is the chief support act for Fury’s return against Makhmudov. There is plenty more to look forward to on a stacked bill, including Jeamie ‘TKV’ Tshikeva making the first defence of his British heavyweight title against Richard Riakporhe and Frazer Clarke looking to rebound from his loss to TKV against Justis Huni.
Advertisement
Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov
Conor Benn vs Regis Prograis
Jeamie ‘TKV’ Tshikeva vs Richard Riakporhe
Frazer Clarke vs Justis Huni
Advertisement
Felix Cash vs Liam O’Hare
Simon Zachenhuber vs Pawel August
Breyon Gorham vs Eduardo Costa
Mikie Tallon vs Leandro Blanc
Advertisement
Hector Lozano vs Sultan Almohammed
Francis Gorman vs Ryan Labourn
Benn vs Prograis prediction
This should be a comfortable night’s work for Benn as he looks to build on his significant momentum following that unforgettable win over an admittedly out-of-sorts and drained-looking Eubank Jr.
Advertisement
Though certainly not the big world title chance he would have dreamed of next, Prograis is a vastly experienced two-time former champion and widely respected name.
Regis Prograis lost to Jack Catterall on his last visit to the UK in October 2024
Getty Images
But at 37, Prograis’ best days are now firmly in the past and he has crucially never previously fought above super-lightweight.
Advertisement
The jump up to 150 feels like far too much to ask at this stage of his career and Benn, coming down from middleweight, will be expected to fully utilise his size and strength advantages from the outset.
A stoppage certainly wouldn’t be surprising, but we see Benn cruising to an emphatic points victory.
Benn to win by unanimous decision.
Benn vs Prograis weigh-in results
Advertisement
Benn tipped the scales on Friday at 149.5lbs, while Prograis weighed in at 148.1lbs.
Benn vs Prograis latest odds
Benn to win on points or by decision: 3/1
Benn to win by knockout, technical knockout or disqualification: 4/11
Advertisement
Prograis to win on points or by decision: 22/1
Prograis to win by knockout, technical knockout or disqualification: 12/1
You must be logged in to post a comment Login