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

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

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

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

Captain Cristian Romero thought better of missing this final game.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Roman Mint Floral Bardot Midi Dress

£65

£37.50

Roman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“We can consider this location for future enforcement.

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

Organised by group Chairman Marcus Pollard, the free event featured music, games, food, military displays, and fun for the whole family.

The Royal British Legion is a charity dedicated to providing financial, social, and emotional support to veterans and their families, as well as offering public representation.

(Image: Westhoughton Town Council)

Mayor of Westhoughton Councillor Sarita Chohan said: “What a wonderful and successful day celebrating the 105th Anniversary of the Westhoughton Royal British Legion held at Westhoughton Cricket Club.

“The event was organised by Chairman Marcus Pollard, supported by an army of dedicated volunteers working tirelessly behind the scenes to make the day such a success.

“Thank you also to Westhoughton Town Council for supporting this special celebration.

(Image: Westhoughton Town Council)

“It was lovely to welcome distinguished guests, including Deputy Lord Lieutenant Mr Philip Britton MBE, Mayor of Bolton Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, Mayor of Blackrod Cllr Richard Harrison and Mayoress Sarah Harrison.

“The community spirit was truly alive with fantastic entertainment, live music and people coming together in the glorious weather to celebrate this remarkable milestone.

“I was incredibly proud to be part of such a special occasion.

(Image: Westhoughton Town Council)

“God bless the Royal British Legion and the community of Westhoughton – lest we forget.”

The event featured several military displays for the public, such as army vehicles, costumes, rifles, and memorabilia.

One person even dressed as wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, complete with a cigar.

(Image: Westhoughton Town Council)

The Royal British Legion was set up in 1921 after a merger of four other organisations dedicated to helping WW1 veterans.

The group was granted a royal charter in 1925, which brought with it invaluable patronage from upper-class and aristocratic circles.

(Image: Westhoughton Town Council)

The RBL’s most well-known appeal is the Poppy Appeal, which takes place every year in the weeks leading up to Remembrance Sunday.

The Poppy is a registered trademark of the RBL, who use the funds to further their support work.

The final day of the Premier League season delivered twists and turns and now the qualification places for next season’s European competitions has been confirmed.

Premier League winners Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United had already sealed their places in next season’s Champions League, with Aston Villa’s victory in the Europa League final on Wednesday securing their qualification too.

Unai Emery’s side then defeated City on Pep Guardiola’s send-off match at the Etihad to finish fourth ahead of Liverpool, who themselves waved farewell to club legends Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson but were held to a 1-1 draw by Brentford.

Those results had huge implications for one club: with sixth-placed Bournemouth qualifying for the Europa League after the door to the Champions League was closed off to them. They will be joined in the Europa League by Sunderland, with Brighton going into the Conference League.

And there could be one more English team in next season’s European competitions to come: if Crystal Palace beat Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final on Wednesday, they will qualify for the league phase of the Europa League.

Champions League

Qualified: Arsenal (1st), Manchester City (2nd), Manchester United (3rd), Aston Villa (4th and Europa League winners), Liverpool (5th)

For six teams to qualify for the Champions League, Aston Villa had to win the Europa League AND finish fifth. Unai Emery’s team did the first part of that by beating Freiburg, but ensured they finished fourth by beating Manchester City. Ollie Watkins’ double spoiled Pep Guardiola’s send-off at the Etihad.

Last year’s champions Liverpool, meanwhile, had to settle for fifth after finishing their season with a 1-1 draw against Brentford at Anfield.

Europa League

Qualified: Bournemouth (6th), Sunderland (7th)

Two remarkable stories here: Bournemouth qualify for European football for the first time in their history, while Sunderland, promoted last season, return to Europe for the first time in 53 years.

Bournemouth sold up to £200m of first-team stars last summer, then lost Antoine Semenyo in January. But Andoni Iraola has managed a sensational job at the Cherries, who have been unbeaten in the Premier League since early January. Remarkably, he is now set to leave the club, so Bournemouth, as it stands, will be looking for a new manager for their European campaign.

And how about Sunderland? Down in League One as recently as 2021-22, the Black Cats finish a remarkable seventh in their first season back in the Premier League under Regis Le Bris. Starting the day in 10th, Sunderland jumped three places with a 2-1 win over Chelsea at the Stadium of Light, knocking the Blues out of the race for Europe in the process. Not since 1973-74 have Sunderland competed in Europe, where they entered the Cup Winners’ Cup.

Conference League

Qualified: Brighton (8th)

The Seagulls could have qualified for the Europa League with a win over Manchester United but record-breaking Bruno Fernandes inspired the visitors to a final-day win on the south coast. But Brighton will get a second taste of European football, having reached the last-16 of the Europa League in 2023-24. As Crystal Palace have proved this season, Brighton may start next season’s Conference League as the favourites to go all the way.

Elsewhere

Brentford finished with the same record as Brighton (W 14, D 11, L 13) but they missed out on goal difference (+6 to +3); a winner at Anfield would have moved the Bees above Sunderland. Chelsea’s defeat at Sunderland means Xabi Alonso will have no European football to contend with next season in his first campaign at Stamford Bridge. And, as outlined above, if Crystal Palace beat Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final on Wednesday, they will qualify for the league phase of the Europa League as well.

What does the fox say? That he wants to be the next MP of Makerfield in Manchester, apparently.

Animal rights campaigner Robert Pownall is hoping to beat Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham in the upcoming by-election.

The founder of Protect the Wild threw his hat into the ring on Thursday and plans to wear a giant, furry fox suit while out campaigning – and if and when he takes his seat in Parliament.

Writing on the newsletter service Substack, Ponwall admitted that his costume is a tad ‘terrifying looking’.

But he’s throwing the fox suit on for a simple reason: ‘Because I simply do not trust this government to deliver for animals.’

‘They’ve already u-turned on banning animal trophy imports, abandoned plans to ban foie gras imports and allowed two more years of badger culling despite manifesto promises suggesting the exact opposite.’

Pownall added that the government has launched a consultation to close loopholes in the Hunting Act.

Hunting is not illegal in England – shooting deer, rabbits and some other animals is allowed during hunting seasons – but fox hunting is banned.

But campaigners have long criticised the law for allowing trail hunting, where dogs follow a laid scent trail, usually of fox urine, instead of a fox.

Often, campaigners say, hunters claim they have left ‘scent trails’ and are merely following them through the woods with hounds.

Pownall said that despite pledges to remove this loophole, there is ‘no clarity’ on whether changes to the law will end hunting wild animals.

‘We cannot afford to sit back, hope for the best, and allow this issue to quietly fade away,’ he added.

‘This by-election provides a national platform to raise these concerns, to pressure the government to finally end hunting as quickly as possible, and to send that message directly to the man who could become the next Prime Minister.’

But ‘next Prime Minister’, Pownall means Burnham, who is hoping to fill the seat left by Labour MP Josh Simons, who stepped down earlier this month.

Burnham being elected as an MP is a key step in the long road to becoming prime minister, a role that Keir Starmer is facing calls to resign from after his party’s disastrous results in the local elections.

Pownall is no stranger to politics – or sweaty animal suits. He stood in the May Scottish parliament elections dressed as a giant gannet. 

He threw on the seabird suit to bring attention to the guga hunt, a centuries-old tradition in northern Scotland that sees thousands of gannets being killed for their meat.

The ceremony, which takes place every year on the remote rocky island of Sula Sgeir, is permitted by a little-known exemption in Scottish law.

Protect the Wild said in a blog post earlier this month: ‘Only a few months ago, it felt like hardly anyone knew that the Guga hunt was happening in Scotland.

‘But our election campaign has received widespread media coverage that has propelled it into the spotlight.’

After people flocked to the polls, however, Ponwall failed to win the Edinburgh Central seat.

He scored just 41 votes, losing to Green candidate Lorna Slater.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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What must Jarrod Bowen have been thinking when he stared, barely blinking, into the abyss in the tunnel before leading the home side out? He was told this week by Thomas Tuchel that he was a victim of his club’s situation, when the German explained why he’d missed out on England’s World Cup squad. As if that’s going to make him feel any better. This is Bowen’s club. But some things aren’t forever, as this east London afternoon cruelly reminded its hosts.

Beyond Paradise star Zahra Ahmadi has opened up about filming the BBC drama as she confirmed the show’s return for a fifth series

A star of Beyond Paradise has revealed what filming the hit series is really like.

The BBC crime drama’s fourth series recently concluded, marking the emotional exit of fan-favourite character Zoe Williams. Her farewell scene saw the residents of Shipton Abbott gather to bid her goodbye as she set off on her adventures.

Sally Bretton’s character Martha Lloyd presented Zoe with a compass during the poignant moment, telling her: “My dad gave me that compass when I went travelling so I didn’t get lost,” before adding: “It is for explorers – and that is what you are now.”

Meanwhile Zoe’s mother, Detective Sergeant Esther Williams, worriedly asked her daughter: “You are going to come home, aren’t you?”, to which Zoe sweetly replied: “Always.”

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Zahra Ahmadi, who portrays Esther, has since spoken candidly about her experience on the much-loved programme.

During a BBC interview, she confessed it was “just heaven” to shoot the fourth series amid the stunning backdrop of South West England, stating it was “difficult to put into words just how beautiful it is.”

Scenes were captured across Looe, Launceston, Saltash and Tavistock, with Looe serving as the stand-in for the fictional Devon settlement of Shipton Abbott, reports the Mirror.

The actress went on to say: “The colour of the water when I was in Cape Cornwall the other day, it’s crystal clear, it’s blue, especially now in spring when everything’s coming alive.

“The sheer number of greens that exist, the flowers are all in bloom, the birds are out – it is just heaven.”

Fortunately for devotees, a fifth series of the BBC drama has been greenlit. Kris Marshall, who plays Detective Humphrey Goodman, disclosed that filming would begin shortly – although it has subsequently transpired he revealed the information prematurely.

Speaking on BBC Sounds earlier this week, Zahra confessed: “I have been given permission to say that we have got a fifth series.

“And I have been given – in a very Head Girl way, as I’m called on set, a Head Girl – permission to say that.

“It has been said by a certain Kris Marshall but he was not allowed, and he was very undisciplined and blurted it out but you are getting the true exclusive.”

Beyond Paradise Seasons 1 to 4 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer. A release date for Series 5 is yet to be announced.