The medical drama won’t air during its usual slot this weekend as it’s been replaced by another show.

Casualty enthusiasts face disappointment this weekend as the cherished BBC drama undergoes a scheduling shake-up.

Typically, devotees tune in on Saturday evenings, but this week there’ll be no episode on Saturday 16 May. The reason? The BBC is broadcasting the Eurovision Song Contest grand final instead.

The yearly musical extravaganza goes live at 8pm with Graham Norton providing his trademark commentary, while supporters rally behind the UK’s Look Mum No Computer in hopes of securing valuable points.

While Casualty devotees will miss out on an instalment due to the programming conflict, the wait won’t be lengthy – the show returns to its usual Saturday evening slot the following week (May 23).

Presently, the enduring series has launched its fresh ‘Lethal Legacy’ boxset, which delves deeply into Flynn Byron’s (Olly Rix) military past, reports Wales Online.

Meanwhile, potential complications loom for Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) following a near-catastrophic mistake in the latest instalment.

While the popular character has been relying on opioids to cope with intense physical discomfort, she mistakenly gave a patient an excessive dose of morphine.

Yet when Matty Linlaker (Aron Julius) discovered the error, he shouldered responsibility when his father, Dylan Keogh (William Beck), confronted him about the mishap.

Subsequently, when Matty invited Stevie for a meal, she turned him down, despite mutual romantic interest between them. Right from the opening episode, the duo shared a passionate kiss behind an ambulance while discussing the death of Kim Chang (Jasmine Bayes).

However, viewers were far from thrilled by the budding romance, swiftly flocking to social media to voice their opinions on the plotline.

One viewer commented: “Can the writers stop doing this to Stevie! Sorry, but not feeling it, plus this is going to completely screw up Dylan big time, especially as he opens up to Stevie.”

Another posted: “Honestly, the worst storyline they could’ve run with.” Someone else expressed: “I’m sorry, but I don’t see this ending very well!”

One fan exclaimed: “This was just awful. Why…. WHY?!” As another remarked: “NO STEVIE ANYONE BUT HIM.” Someone else shared: “Why are you pushing these two? Nobody likes them together.”

While one person wrote: “Definitely not liking this relationship, he should have said it was Stevie, which was likely down to the meds. If she doesn’t know, then she may make a similar mistake. I hope we aren’t going to see a pain med reliance/addiction storyline. Feel like that’s been done several times now.”

Casualty is available to watch on BBC iPlayer

Perched on a small hill 89 metres above the West Lancashire plain, four miles west of Wigan and roughly halfway between Liverpool and Preston, this ancient village has been going quietly about its business since the Normans recorded it in the Domesday Book.

Right now, it rewards a proper look.

It has a church with a monastic secret

The Parish Church of St Thomas the Martyr on School Lane is the kind of building that makes you stop and ask questions.

Roby Mill, Fifteens@The Fox (Image: David Dixon)

It began life not as a parish church at all, but as the church of a Benedictine priory, founded in 1319 by Sir Robert de Holland, secretary to the Earl of Lancaster, and dedicated to the martyred Archbishop of Canterbury.

The priory was the largest and last of four Benedictine monasteries founded in Lancashire.

When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, the priory was demolished but the church was spared, meaning that what you walk into today is essentially the nave of a medieval monastery, the aisles and nave originally serving as the chancel, housing the altar and choir.

It’s now a Grade I listed building. You don’t need to be religious to find that history quietly remarkable.

The village centre is a time warp in the best possible sense

Climb up from the station and into the old village, and the cobbled streets with steep gradients bring you to an abrupt halt.

This is not a village that has been spruced up for a lifestyle magazine. The stone terraces and old lanes sit under the shadow of the church tower in a way that has barely changed in outline for centuries.

It’s a proper Lancashire hilltop village, and it knows it.

The countryside around it is seriously underrated

Beacon Country Park sits just on the edge of the village, over 300 acres of rolling countryside spread across the slopes of Ashurst Beacon, with wildflower meadows, woodland and panoramic views across most of Lancashire to the west and the West Pennine Moors to the east.

It has held Green Flag status since 2007, and there’s a licensed café and bar on site.

For something quieter, Dean Wood is a semi-natural ancient woodland that follows the course of Dean Brook between Up Holland and Orrell, 77 acres of mature trees and seasonal flora managed by West Lancashire’s countryside rangers.

Abbey Lakes, on the village’s border with Orrell, is a wildlife haven named after the ruined abbey whose lakes once served the priory.

On the edge of the village, the derelict St Joseph’s College is hard to miss, a sprawling former Roman Catholic seminary that closed in the 1980s and has been empty ever since. Today, its towers and boarded‑up windows give the hillside a slightly gothic edge, a stark contrast to the neat stone cottages below.

The food and drink are better than you’d expect

The Fox at Roby Mill, a short walk from the village, is the standout option — an 18th-century country pub with exposed stone, wooden beams and real fires, serving a menu built around locally sourced produce.

It’s been rated the number one restaurant in Upholland on TripAdvisor for good reason.

If you’re after something a little grander, Holland Hall is a 17th-century Grade II listed manor house on Lafford Lane with a dog-friendly pub in its grounds that does Sunday roasts on the terrace looking out over the countryside.

It’s straightforward to reach

Upholland has its own railway station on the Kirkby–Wigan line, with direct services to Wigan Wallgate in around 14 minutes and connections toward Liverpool (via Kirkby, around 40–50 minutes).

If you’re driving, the village is just off the A577 between Skelmersdale and Wigan, with parking in the village centre.

And if you want more…

Beacon Country Park connects to a wider network of walks that take in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath. Cedar Farm at Mawdesley, a creative hub with independent shops, a café and regular events, is a 15-minute drive south. Rufford Old Hall is not much further.

Have you visited Up Holland? What would you recommend doing? Let us know in the comments…

Alex Harvey, a postgraduate history student at the University of York, will get the summer series of lectures at Malton Museum underway with ‘Yorkshire in the ‘Dark Ages’: What happened after the Romans left?’.

Alex, who specialises in Scandinavian York, has written for several academic journals and magazines, such as Early Medieval England, and is the author of Forgotten Vikings: New Approaches To The Viking Age.

In this lecture, Alex will explore the shadowy period between Roman Britain and the dawn of the Anglo-Saxons, which saw both change and continuity.

Although the Romans vacated, their architecture remained in York and Malton, repurposed or abandoned entirely, just as wholly new dynasties and kingdoms were formed from the ruins of the former empire.

Yorkshire is home to many post-Roman realms, and it is through archaeology, such as the many finds in Malton Museum, that we can reveal these hidden histories.

Alex’s most recent book is ‘Little Kingdoms: An A-Z of Early Medieval Britain,’ which is the basis of this lecture, reveals a complex landscape of diverse people, kingdoms, and stories in the ‘Dark Ages.’ It will be available to purchase on the night.

Through a desire to disseminate complex academic theory and writing, Alex continually seeks to make history more accessible, especially more obscure elements, and present his research in an entertaining and engaging manner. Commended for being an excellent speaker, it promises to be a fascinating lecture.

The lecture starts at 7pm on Thursday, May 21, in the Assembly Rooms, Yorkersgate, Malton with access through Malton Museum.

Doors open at 6.30 pm, and refreshments will be available.

Tickets are £10 per person and can be purchased through the Malton Museum website – https://www.maltonmuseum.co.uk/online-booking/

NEW YORK (AP) — Workers on New York’s Long Island Rail Road are on strike, union officials said early Saturday, paralyzing the busiest commuter rail system in North America.

Labor unions representing about half the system’s workers announced the walkout after negotiations with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority ended Friday without a new contract. The five unions, which represent about half the system’s 7,000 workers, including locomotive engineers, machinists and signalmen, weren’t legally allowed to go on strike until 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

Kevin Sexton of the National Vice President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said no new negotiations have been scheduled.

“We’re far apart at this point,” Sexton said. “We are truly sorry that we are in this situation.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul has urged LIRR riders to work from during the walkout as the MTA plans to provide free but limited shuttle buses during the work day rush hours geared toward essential workers.

In a statement she blamed the strike on union leadership.

“Commuters are dealing with unnecessary dysfunction and thousands of union LIRR workers are being forced to go without a paycheck because of decisions made by a small group of union leaders,” Hochul said. “I stand with LIRR riders and will fight to preserve the long term stability of the MTA.”

Dispute over wages

Both sides said the fight was over wage increases and health care premiums.

Details on exactly where each side stood late Friday weren’t released, but the union had gone into the talks demanding a total raise of 16% over four years, saying it was needed to help workers keep up with inflation.

The MTA has argued that the union’s initial demands would lead to fare increases. Lieber said that while the MTA had met the pay demands, it had asked for new hires to the LIRR to pay higher health care premiums to offset some costs. The union rejected that idea.

Commuters brace for the worst

Susanne Alberto, a personal trainer from Long Island, said she has already made plans with her Manhattan clients to hold virtual sessions in the event of a shutdown.

She said the union likely has the upper hand.

“The MTA is going to cave, and they know that,” Alberto said. “Why don’t they just do it now instead of waiting until virtually millions of people get inconvenienced?”

Udle, the electrician, said he will likely use his vacation days rather than navigate the “nightmare” of commuting into Manhattan if the rail service shuts down.

A union member, he sympathized with the unions’ affordability concerns, but he said he didn’t agree with their strong-arm tactics.

“I get it, the cost of living is going up and stuff like that,” Udle said while waiting at Penn Station for a train home. “But they shouldn’t hold everybody hostage to do it. There’s a better way. You’re affecting a lot of other people.”

A strike was temporarily averted in September when President Donald Trump’s administration agreed to help with negotiations. Those efforts ended without a deal, giving both sides 60 days — ending 12:01 a.m. Saturday — to again try to resolve their differences before the union is legally allowed to go on strike or the agency could lock out workers.

LIRR workers last went on strike in 1994, for about two days.

Workers on the commuter rail system connecting Manhattan to New Jersey, New Jersey Transit, went on strike last year. It lasted three days.

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The first reference to the rail system has been updated to correct to Long Island Rail Road, from Long Island Railroad.

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Follow Philip Marcelo at https://x.com/philmarcelo

The final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 takes place today in Vienna, Austria, as Ireland and RTÉ boycott the event over Israel’s inclusion

Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan has said the competition cannot portray itself as a “celebration of unity and peace” while the humanitarian crisis in Gaza “deepens”.

The grand finale of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is taking place today in Vienna, Austria.

Ireland and RTÉ have withdrawn from this year’s competition over its inclusion of Israel alongside Iceland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain.

Charlie, who secured victory for Ireland in 1994 performing alongside Paul Harrington, has aligned himself with ActionAid Ireland in condemning Eurovision and expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people.

He said: “Three years into genocide in Gaza and a 60- year-long illegal occupation of Palestine, Israel continues to compete in the Eurovision as if nothing is happening. The Eurovision Song Contest cannot continue to present itself as a celebration of unity, peace and shared European values while ignoring what is happening in Palestine,” reports the Irish Mirror.

“This is not business as usual. The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza deepens. Children have been killed. Families have been wiped out. Hospitals, schools, and refugee camps have been attacked. And Palestinians are being starved and displaced before the eyes of the world. Silence and inaction are complicity.” ActionAid Ireland has additionally urged the Government to demand accountability from Israel, press for EU action on Palestine, and swiftly enact the long-stalled Occupied Territories Bill, which would prohibit trade with illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.

Karol Balfe, CEO of ActionAid Ireland, stated: “The hypocrisy over Eurovision is staggering. Israel has killed over 72,000 Palestinians, destroyed the Gaza Strip, and controls almost every aspect of life in the West Bank. Yet Israel is still part of Eurovision, even though Russia was rightly excluded from Eurovision following its invasion of Ukraine. “

Charlie continued: “People across Ireland are horrified by what they are witnessing in Gaza and the West Bank. They do not want genocide normalised and ignored on the European stage. Palestinians are not forgotten, and people in Ireland will continue to stand in solidarity with them.”

Rather than viewing Eurovision, ActionAid is encouraging people to arrange alternative solidarity evenings.

Suggestions include karaoke sessions, community meet-ups, artistic and painting activities showcasing Palestinian music and heritage, with people encouraged to post these online using #MyEuroVisionIs.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

North Yorkshire Police say that five people have been arrested after reports of a disturbance in a Harrogate suburb yesterday (May 15).

It said that officers were called in the early hours of Friday morning after reports that people were making threats to the occupant of a property in Bilton.

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“Four suspects were arrested initially, with the fifth refusing to come out of a property and making threats. Police negotiators were called to the scene and at around 10.30am on 15 May, the fifth suspect was arrested and taken into custody,” said a spokesperson for the force.

All suspects were arrested on suspicion of affray – four men aged 39, 37, 30, and 20, and a woman aged 19 – and were in police custody yesterday evening,

Officers added that they believe the incident is targeted and there are no threats to the wider community.

Members of the public were warned that there would be an increased police presence as officers work at multiple linked locations in Bilton.

According to real-time data from Flightradar24.com there are a string of delayed flights.

Flights currently impacted by delays include those to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lanzarote, Faro, and beyond.

One flight, to Palma de Mallorca, has also been cancelled.

The full list of delayed flights (over 20 minutes) is as follows:

• Jet2 flight LS915 to Split, scheduled for 08:35, estimated departure 09:00 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Naljets flight APX823 to Isle of Man, scheduled for 09:00, estimated departure 09:25 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Etihad Airways flight EY78 to Abu Dhabi, scheduled for 09:20, estimated departure 09:40 with a delay of 20 minutes
• easyJet flight U27270 flight to Palma de Mallorca, scheduled for 09.25, cancelled
• Ryanair flight FR8155 to Faro, scheduled for 10:00, estimated departure 10:25 with a delay of 25 minutes
• easyJet flight U22129 to Pisa, scheduled for 10:05, estimated departure 11:01 with a delay of 56 minutes
• Turkish Airlines flight TK1994 to Istanbul, scheduled for 10:40, estimated departure 11:05 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Air France flight AF1669 to Paris CDG, scheduled for 10:55, estimated departure 11:20 with a delay of 25 minutes
• KLM flight KL1032 to Amsterdam, scheduled for 11:00, estimated departure 11:25 with a delay of 25 minutes
• TUI flight BY134 to Punta Cana, scheduled for 11:00, estimated departure 11:25 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Excellent Air flight to Lelystad, scheduled for 11:00, estimated departure 11:25 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Lufthansa flight LH943 to Frankfurt, scheduled for 11:10, estimated departure 11:35 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Loganair flight LM361 to Southampton, scheduled for 11:10, estimated departure 12:10 with a delay of 60 minutes
• Brussels Airlines flight SN2174 to Brussels, scheduled for 11:10, estimated departure 11:35 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR8358 to Budapest, scheduled for 11:15, estimated departure 11:40 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Virgin Atlantic flight to Edinburgh, scheduled for 11:45, estimated departure 12:10 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Pegasus flight PC1180 to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, scheduled for 11:55, estimated departure 12:20 with a delay of 25 minutes
• TUI flight BY154 to Cancun, scheduled for 12:00, estimated departure 17:46 with a delay of 346 minutes
• Virgin Atlantic flight VS73 to Orlando, scheduled for 12:10, estimated departure 12:35 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight to Birmingham, scheduled for 12:35, estimated departure 13:00 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR2898 to Venice, scheduled for 12:50, estimated departure 13:15 with a delay of 25 minutes
• IndiGo flight 6E34 to Delhi, scheduled for 12:55, estimated departure 13:20 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR3222 to Brussels (CRL), scheduled for 13:05, estimated departure 13:30 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight RK8624 to Tangier, scheduled for 13:05, estimated departure 13:30 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR3187 to Madrid, scheduled for 13:10, estimated departure 13:35 with a delay of 25 minutes
• ITA Airways flight U25419 to Milan Linate, scheduled for 13:20, estimated departure 13:45 with a delay of 25 minutes
• KLM flight KL1034 to Amsterdam, scheduled for 13:45, estimated departure 14:10 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS1727 to Antalya, scheduled for 13:45, estimated departure 14:10 with a delay of 25 minutes
• TUI flight BY2630 to Heraklion, scheduled for 13:50, estimated departure 14:15 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR5271 to Barcelona, scheduled for 14:15, estimated departure 14:40 with a delay of 25 minutes
• EgyptAir flight MS782 to Cairo, scheduled for 14:30, estimated departure 14:55 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR2252 to Lisbon, scheduled for 14:40, estimated departure 15:05 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR3805 to Fuerteventura, scheduled for 14:40, estimated departure 15:05 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR4052 to Faro, scheduled for 14:40, estimated departure 15:05 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Saudia flight SV124 to Jeddah, scheduled for 14:45, estimated departure 15:10 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR3724 to Paris Beauvais, scheduled for 14:50, estimated departure 15:15 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR7258 to Krakow, scheduled for 14:50, estimated departure 15:15 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR3445 to Palma, scheduled for 14:55, estimated departure 15:20 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS917 to Tenerife, scheduled for 14:55, estimated departure 15:20 with a delay of 25 minutes
• TUI flight BY2648 to Pafos, scheduled for 15:00, estimated departure 15:25 with a delay of 25 minutes
• TUI flight BY584 to Antalya, scheduled for 15:05, estimated departure 15:30 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Qatar Airways flight QR28 to Doha, scheduled for 15:30, estimated departure 15:55 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS943 to Larnaca, scheduled for 15:35, estimated departure 16:00 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Royal Jordanian flight RJ116 to Amman, scheduled for 15:35, estimated departure 16:00 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS921 to Dalaman, scheduled for 15:45, estimated departure 16:10 with a delay of 25 minutes
• TUI flight BY2680 to Kos, scheduled for 15:45, estimated departure 16:10 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS851 to Funchal, scheduled for 15:55, estimated departure 16:20 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS1067 to Jerez, scheduled for 15:55, estimated departure 16:20 with a delay of 25 minutes
• TUI flight BY212 to Dalaman, scheduled for 16:00, estimated departure 16:20 with a delay of 20 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS873 to Faro, scheduled for 16:05, estimated departure 16:30 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS907 to Heraklion, scheduled for 16:05, estimated departure 16:30 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS1041 to Rhodes, scheduled for 16:05, estimated departure 16:30 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS909 to Fuerteventura, scheduled for 16:20, estimated departure 16:45 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS931 to Malta, scheduled for 16:20, estimated departure 16:45 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS983 to Bodrum, scheduled for 16:25, estimated departure 16:50 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS995 to Gran Canaria, scheduled for 16:25, estimated departure 16:50 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS1007 to Antalya, scheduled for 16:30, estimated departure 16:55 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS869 to Palma, scheduled for 16:40, estimated departure 17:05 with a delay of 25 minutes
• British Airways flight BA1369 to London Heathrow, scheduled for 16:45, estimated departure 17:10 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS813 to Kos, scheduled for 16:45, estimated departure 17:10 with a delay of 25 minutes
• TUI flight BY2658 to Rhodes, scheduled for 16:50, estimated departure 17:15 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS805 to Izmir, scheduled for 16:55, estimated departure 17:20 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR6816 to Milan Malpensa, scheduled for 17:00, estimated departure 17:25 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Jet2 flight LS951 to Corfu, scheduled for 17:00, estimated departure 17:25 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight RK8292 to Tirana, scheduled for 17:15, estimated departure 17:40 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR6835 to Naples, scheduled for 18:05, estimated departure 18:30 with a delay of 25 minutes
• British Airways flight BA1371 to London Heathrow, scheduled for 18:10, estimated departure 18:35 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair (Lauda Europe) flight FR693 to Vienna, scheduled for 18:20, estimated departure 18:45 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR6596 to Barcelona, scheduled for 18:20, estimated departure 18:45 with a delay of 25 minutes
• SunExpress flight XQ595 to Antalya, scheduled for 18:25, estimated departure 18:50 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR6967 to Copenhagen, scheduled for 18:30, estimated departure 18:55 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR6838 to Prague, scheduled for 19:00, estimated departure 19:25 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight RK1900 to Dublin, scheduled for 19:00, estimated departure 19:25 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR1155 to Berlin, scheduled for 19:15, estimated departure 19:40 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR1593 to Cologne, scheduled for 19:20, estimated departure 19:45 with a delay of 25 minutes
• SunExpress flight XQ3505 to Dalaman, scheduled for 19:20, estimated departure 19:45 with a delay of 25 minutes
• Ryanair flight FR2131 to Lanzarote, scheduled for 19:30, estimated departure 19:55 with a delay of 25 minutes

The country’s in chaos, isn’t it? It’s just dreadful and Starmer is doing nothing,” says Joan Preston.

The 82-year-old had been a lifelong Labour voter until Sir Keir Starmer became its leader, when she abandoned it, believing it no longer to be the party of the working class. But a change could be about to win her back.

“I would go with Labour if Andy Burnham stood”, she tells The Independent in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Greater Manchester.

“We’d always voted Labour, all of our family. If he were still here, my Dad would be saying to me ‘what do you mean you’re not voting Labour? They’re for the people. They’re for the working people’. Well, Burnham’s for the working people.”

This market town, found four miles south of Wigan, was abruptly thrust into the limelight this week when its Labour MP, Josh Simons, announced he would stand down to make way for Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to attempt to return to parliament – a move widely expected to see him challenge Sir Keir for the Labour leadership, if he wins the Makerfield seat.

It comes as Sir Keir clings onto his premiership following Labour’s dismal local election results, which saw the party lose almost 1,500 councillors and relinquish control of councils across the country.

Those results were felt sharply in this former coal mining hotspot of the North West.

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK made huge gains across Labour’s historic northern heartlands in the local elections, including here, where it won 24 of the 25 seats available on Wigan Council.

Ten of those wards fall within the parliamentary constituency of Makerfield, either wholly or partly, and Reform candidates won every single one of them.

On the back of those stunning results, Mr Farage said that his party will “throw absolutely everything” at the forthcoming by-election, which will present a significant threat to Mr Burnham’s chances of success.

Historically one of Labour’s safest seats, Makerfield has been held by the party since its 1983 creation. At one point, it boasted a majority of more than 20,000 votes, but Mr Simons was elected with a much slimmer 5,000 majority at the last general election as Reform ate into Labour’s vote share.

But as Labour braces for a leadership race that could seal their fate at the next general election, the hope among the left of the party is that the popular Greater Manchester mayor is the best choice to stop the surge of Mr Farage, particularly in what were its most loyal regions.

If Mr Burnham is the man to beat Reform at a general election, he will have to prove it here first.

Ms Preston believes the mayor, whose 2024 re-election saw him win in every ward but one in Greater Manchester, certainly is the man to do it.

“I think he could beat Farage,” she says. “But more importantly, he could get rid of Starmer. I think he’d be a great prime minister.”

Like Mr Burnham, Ms Preston is originally from Merseyside and she believes that the mayor’s campaigning work with the Hillsborough families is evidence of how he stands up for working-class communities.

“I’m sure when he sees this mess that we’re in, he will help to change it around”, she adds.

Many of the people speaking to The Independent in Ashton believe Labour has not truly represented post-industrial areas like this for some time, but they say Mr Burnham would win back their vote.

There is no love lost here for Sir Keir, believed by voters to illustrate how the party is no longer for them.

“I’ve not voted Labour for a while because of Starmer, because of all the wrongdoings and because I don’t think they’re on our side anymore”, says retired support worker Shelley Briody, 68.

“It changed when Tony Blair got in and it was the beginning of the end of the Labour Party”, she adds.

But like Ms Preston, Ms Briody feels rejuvenated by the prospect of seeing Mr Burnham’s name on the ballot.

She says he is the only Labour politician who could win her back to the party.

“Who else would bring us over?” she asks. “Not [Peter] Mandelson and all them – get them gone. I think Burnham would be the only one.”

Ms Biody cites Mr Burnham’s desire to improve the north’s transport links as central to his appeal and proof of what he could provide the area as its MP.

As mayor, he is currently working on a project to construct a new station in the Golborne area of Wigan, which has been without railway links since the 1960s, something which Ms Briody believes is long overdue.

Asked if she feels Mr Burnham as Labour leader could reconnect the party with its roots, she says: “I hope so, because that’s what it needs.

“The fact that Reform has wiped 24 seats is unbelievable because Wigan’s notorious for being Labour.”

The view among backers of Mr Burnham, who was born on the outskirts of Liverpool, raised in nearby Culcheth, and represented Leigh in parliament from 2001 to 2017, is that he understands places such as Ashton in a way few of his colleagues do. They believe he can reconnect with its voters.

He won 66 per cent of the vote in Wigan at his last election and his personal popularity in England’s North West should not be underestimated.

But Reform’s local election performance underlines how close this race could be. It will test brand Burnham to its limits.

And not everyone is enamoured with the idea of the mayor standing in this seat, however.

“I feel like we’re being used to be honest”, says Gillian Smith, 71. “Since the election results came out last week, there’s been talk that Burnham is the one to get Starmer out.

“I thought: what poor constituency is going to have to suffer? Never ever thinking it’d be us in Makerfield.”

Ms Smith, a Conservative voter who switched her allegiances to Reform when it launched as the Brexit Party, has no interest in being part of the psychodrama of a Labour leadership race.

Instead, she will be voting for Reform because she says it represents “the old-fashioned values that we were brought up with”. She is furious with how the Labour government has treated pensioners, after controversial planned changes to winter fuel payments sparked a backlash and prompted one of many major U-turns for the party.

“I think Reform acknowledges that pensioners have been badly done by. I think that they’ll retain the triple lock on the pension, which is very important.”

Lifelong Labour voter Shah Khan, 80, is also suspicious of the Burnham campaign, believing the seat is “without a doubt” being used to facilitate the mayor’s career ambitions.

He attempted to stand in the Gorton and Denton by-election in February but was blocked by Labour’s top brass before the party finished in an embarrassing third behind the Greens and Reform. Mr Shah believes standing in this seat is a case of pure opportunism from Mr Burnham.

“I voted for Keir Starmer, for his Labour Party, and not for somebody outside whose main goal is to be the next prime minister”, he says.

“I think it is a betrayal of the people of Ashton.”

School governor Andy Connellan, 68, doesn’t see it that way. A swing voter, he would be happy to vote for Mr Burnham, believing he would represent the area well and that the country needs new leadership.

He says: “It’s not working for Starmer. But Burnham is plain-speaking, he seems to talk a lot of sense and get things done, he connects with a lot of people here.

“But there’s been such a large swing to Reform [at the locals]. Whether he can bring all those people out to vote for him, I don’t know.”

Kevan and Patricia Ball, both 82, will certainly be voting for Mr Burnham if he makes it onto the ballot. Neither of them have party allegiances but both would like the chance to vote for their mayor and return him to parliament.

“I admire him for the work he’s done for Greater Manchester as mayor”, Ms Ball says.

“Burnham understands the working class”, adds Mr Ball. “He was MP for Leigh, which is next door, and we have the same problems as Leigh.”

“I’m no fan of Keir Starmer at all. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. Burnham is a genuine guy.”

Whether their fellow voters share that view – and see Mr Burnham as a clean break from Sir Keir – will go a long way to determining whether the “King of the North” can win this seat.

The little village has plenty of facilities and is near the Wimpole Estate for family days out

Cambridgeshire has so many tiny villages and towns to explore or to move to if you are looking for somewhere quieter to raise a family. Bassingbourn can be found right on the Cambridgeshire border and is known for its “rural charm” and its nearby RAF base.

Bassingbourn is a popular village with families and professionals thanks to its great transport links with Royston Station being only a 12-minute drive away. The train line makes it easy to reach central London in only 50 minutes and Cambridge in 20 minutes.

The village has a range of its own facilities including a few different schools, a pharmacy, dental practice, and doctor’s surgery. There is also a convenience store with a post office where you can pick up some groceries and two different pubs, The Hoops and the Belle Freehouse.

The village is also close to a National Trust site that is popular with families thanks to the many attractions and acres of countryside to explore. The Wimpole Estate is known for its Home Farm where you can learn about sustainable farming practices while also watching the pigs, sheep, cows, and goats.

The estate has a playground for children to let off some steam and a kitchen garden with plenty of flowers and trees. After exploring the site, you can pop into the Old Rectory, the café overlooking the gardens where you can grab a coffee and a homemade cake.

The village is also close to RAF Bassingbourn, which was first opened in 1938 as a medium bomber base and was visited by many very important people such as Eisenhower and the King and Queen. The airfield was attacked on April 5 1940 when ten bombs were dropped on the base that damaged some buildings.

11 men were killed at RAF Bassingbourn in August 1940 after a single bomb hit a barrack block. Now known as Bassingbourn Barracks, the base is still active today and is used as a British Army training facility.

If you are interested in moving to the village, the average price of a property in Bassingbourn is around £421,083 according to Rightmove. This little terraced bungalow with two bedrooms last sold in July 2025 for £225,000 or if you were looking for something bigger, this four bedroom property sold in June 2025 for £420,000.

In another era, Calum McFarlane’s appearance at Wembley would be viewed as a vintage piece of FA Cup lore. Here he is on English football’s national day, with the chance to be the first English manager to win the competition since Harry Redknapp in 2008, and in just his sixth game as a coach.

Donning the suit for the final was an image that so many managers long dreamed of. Brian Clough famously only got to do it two years from retirement, and never won the FA Cup. A novice like McFarlane now stands 90 minutes from glory, with the challenge of having to out-coach a great like Pep Guardiola only adding to the story.

In previous decades, it would be one of those great FA Cup curios, like Sunderland’s Malcolm Crosby in 1992, or how West Brom’s 1968 victory was the only major success of Alan Ashman’s career.

Except, people don’t really look on FA Cup lore in that way any more, and McFarlane’s temporary elevation certainly isn’t really a quirk comparable to those or any in this great competition’s history.

It is instead very much a product of the distortions of the modern game, of which Chelsea’s ownership are one of the more extreme examples.

The questionable financial experiment has already resulted in one strange outcome, where the relationship with Kinetic has seen a coach like McFarlane elevated.

As regards what next, though, there’s a fair question over whether many will even care outside Chelsea and Manchester City.

This already felt like an FA Cup final that was struggling for a place in the news cycle. Even with these two clubs alone, there’s City involvement in an intense Premier League title race, the uncertainty over Guardiola’s future and Chelsea’s own search for a permanent coach – currently expected to be Xabi Alonso.

The question of whether Tottenham Hotspur will go down is meanwhile one of the biggest recent stories in football, as local rivals Arsenal look to stave off the immense pressure of that title race while also preparing for a Champions League final.

In the slightly longer term, there’s the most politicised World Cup in years, albeit one that England have a good chance of winning.

Even on the day, there’s the Scottish title race, as Hearts hope to win their first title in 66 years and end 41 years of Old Firm dominance.

That prospect alone offers such a contrast to this year’s FA Cup final, which gets its own special day in this packed schedule – the only English match taking place – out of a sense of history rather than present intrigue.

As Hearts toil for this rare moment of history, there hasn’t been an FA Cup final without City or Chelsea in a decade. Both have meanwhile rattled out trophies even in bad seasons over that time, as may well be the case this season.

Chelsea have endured mayhem and calamity but may well add this FA Cup to last season’s Europa Conference League and the Club World Cup.

Pep Guardiola could go two consecutive seasons without a league title for the first time in his career, or he could yet win another domestic treble.

Such opportunity merely reflects the financial size of these clubs, rather than anything about the cup.

The shame is that it has so quickly gone from one extreme to the other. Last season reminded everyone what the FA Cup is supposed to feel like, as it meant everything to Crystal Palace. Fans were openly weeping in the stands. Is anyone going to be weeping with joy at Wembley?

Even one of them against either Leeds United or Southampton would have offered something different, as well as the vintage possibility of an upset – a story.

A Leeds-Saints final would have been something else entirely, given both clubs would have been going for their first trophy in decades. There would have, yes, been a magic about it.

Except, this very week might have changed that. What might the build-up have been like had Southampton been in the final but also been embroiled in an alleged rule-breaking controversy?

Which of course raises a fairly weighty element around this final: only rarely acknowledged in all the broadcasting but always there.

If we’re long past the point where English football’s national day is any kind of barometer for the national game, this one does say something else about it.

It is a meeting between one club who have recently faced punishment for breaching Premier League rules in a wide-ranging case, against another club still awaiting the outcome of an even wider-ranging case, which amounts to the biggest ongoing controversy in the English game.

Manchester City, of course, insist on their innocence.

Chelsea’s new ownership admitted the club’s guilt from the Roman Abramovich era, in a concession many felt brought an unduly lenient punishment. The club are still the subject of a related investigation from the very organisers of this competition: the FA.

It is, put bluntly, a remarkable setting for this historic fixture. To go with how it’s private equity against state ownership, England’s showpiece is this year a showcase of many of its issues, even as regards regulation.

No matter the actual outcome of the City case, it remains humiliating for the game that it hasn’t been resolved. It fosters so much uncertainty and doubt.

And even if it won’t actually be mentioned all that much on Saturday, it’s hard not to feel it has played into an apathy about this final.

McFarlane will have one of the days of his life. The football traditionalist in Guardiola, meanwhile, does value his record in this competition – especially as City make history by becoming the first club to reach the final four years in a row.

The club can still win that domestic treble. Even two domestic cups would be a return that other clubs can only dream about, while potentially carrying a greater weight if this is to be Guardiola’s last season.

The widespread expectation that he will soon depart the club has started to change over the past two weeks. Guardiola clearly has a fine team again, and one that will tempt him to keep going.

They will be the clear favourites on Saturday, but that’s also where there’s genuine football intrigue.

Chelsea’s modern incarnation has made them one of those clubs that can suddenly raise that intrigue. McFarlane himself secured a 1-1 draw away to City in his very first game as a manager, back in January.

There’s even the subplot about this squad, and what it would say about them if they were to win a trophy after a season of so much controversy.

Will anyone really be talking about it, though? It would be just another trophy for these clubs, in a season of so many other stories.