There will be live entertainment, farmyard animals, a flower show and lots of tasty food stalls

Belfast City Council has announced the return of its annual Spring Fair, with this year’s event set to transform the city into a whimsical ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ experience.

Malone House and Barnett Demesne will host the celebrations, featuring a range of activities inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Visitors can expect live music, entertainment, a Spring Flower Show, circus skills workshops opportunity to meet farmyard animals, and a variety of food and craft stalls.

Launching the event at Barnett Demesne, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly, describes it as a fantastic opportunity for families.

“Our annual free Spring Fair is always a highlight in Belfast’s event calendar, and this year’s Alice in Wonderland theme adds an extra layer of magic and imagination.

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“It’s a fantastic opportunity for families and friends to visit our beautiful Malone House, enjoy the gardens and experience everything from beautiful blooms to lively entertainment.”

The free family event will take place on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 April 2026, running from 1.30pm to 5.30pm each day.

There will be no parking available at the venue. A free park and ride service will operate from Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, Visitors can also travel via Translink Metro services from Donegall Square East, with routes 8A and 8B operating on Saturday and regular 8A services running on Sunday.

Organisers have confirmed that only assistance dogs will be permitted at the event.

Further details are available on the Belfast City Council website.

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

Earl’s Night and Day Café was launched by Jonny Eckersley and Andy Partington who took inspiration from food hotspots like Lisbon, Sydney and Antwerp.

They brought their flavours and laid-back vibes to Chorley Old Road in Heaton and have made waves since.

With the pair now planning to expand to a new location in Farnworth, we spoke with Jonny to find out why Earl’s has been such a hit.

Can you introduce yourself and Earl’s?

“I wouldn’t call us a pub – we’re a day and night café at the top of Bolton, we specialise in really, really big sandwiches, great coffee and beer.”

Earls is on the site of what was barber shop Common Barber and coffee shop Common & Coffee (Image: Newsquest)

How long have you been in hospitality?

“Earl’s is my first foray into hospitality as a business owner – I worked in hospitality a lot when I was younger and really enjoyed it.

“I have a close personal connection to the building Earl’s is in, my grandparents and my mum grew up around the corner on Moorside Avenue.

“When it was Coleman’s Bakery I used to go in with my grandad – that’s where the Earl’s orange came from.”

How long have you been running Earl’s?

“We opened on December 20, 2024 – about 18 months now, so we’re doing pretty well.

“There’s been lots of ups and downs – really good days, and really bad days as well, which I think any hospitality owner can attest to, but ultimately I love it and I love what I do.

“We love the community we’ve been building and the customers and the regulars who come into the business and keep it running really.”

Seating (Image: Newsquest)

Why did you decide to open it?

“Andy’s lived in Bolton his whole life – I’m from Bolton but I’ve lived in London and then Manchester city centre for about 15 years.

“We’ve seen lots of places come and go and we thought there needed to be somewhere a bit more neighbourhood focused.

“We wanted somewhere small and more intimate that first into the fabric of the community.

“It should be somewhere where you could come in on a Saturday dressed up with your friends or family, or come in with a colleague or just have a drink by yourself.”

Current draft selection:

• Earl’s Day and Night Lager
• Earl’s Nitro Stout
• Rivington Brewery Never Known Fog Like It
• Rivington Brewery Another Night in a Row
• Rivington Brewery Fall Out of the Sky

(Image: Supplied)

Do you serve food?

“We specialise in sandwiches and they come in two sizes, whole and half – whole is 12 inches or like a footlong you would get somewhere like Subway for £12.

“Then half is six inches – that’s £6 – and you can add chips for a meal deal for £2.

“We also have Philly Fridays where we make 20 Philly Cheesesteaks and pack those out with as much Philly cheese as we can.

“You can pre-order online, come in for takeaway or sit down and we’ll serve you.”

Do you host any regular events or clubs?

“We’re looking at doing that in the future, definitely – we’re open to people in the community reaching out to us and making suggestions.

“We’re really community driven and if anyone who’s reading this wants to make some suggestions, I’m all ears – you can send me a dm directly or message us on Instagram.

“We have a DJ on Fridays and Saturdays – we have a group of four or five, but we’re always looking for DJs so anyone who wants to DJ can message me.

“We’re always looking for local talent and would be regular, and paid, for someone who is interested in it.”

What’s the best part about running a bar?

“I would say the customers – there’s so many different people who I’ve met owning and operating Earl’s.

“They’ve maybe fallen pregnant and then the baby has been born, we’ve seen whole lives – there’s so many amazing things about it.

“Everybody who walks through has a smile on their face and that’s definitely the thing that keeps me going.”

What’s the worst part?

“Probably equipment or things breaking – there’s always a problem that needs your attention.

“But I’m a problem solver, so I like to fix things.”

Manchester City could be in for a hectic final few weeks of the season as they chase glory in the FA Cup and the Premier League

Manchester City might be out of Europe but the Blues could still face a fixture backlog in the coming weeks.

The Blues were knocked out of the Champions League last month by Real Madrid but still have plenty to play for domestically.

Pep Guardiola’s side won the Carabao Cup at Wembley and face an FA Cup quarter-final tie with Liverpool at the Etihad on Saturday.

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If City beat Arne Slot’s side then they will be back at Wembley again for a semi-final later this month and potentially a final in May. Such a scenario would see two Premier League games need to be moved and the Blues already need to find a new date for the trip to Crystal Palace, which was originally meant to be played on Carabao Cup final weekend.

That date is complicated by Palace still being in European action with the Eagles in the quarter-finals of the Conference League next week where they face Serie A side Fiorentina. Should Palace progress into the last four then that would further trim the options for slotting in the City fixture.

The Premier League this week confirmed that any games needing to be rearranged on FA Cup semi-final day would be played the week commencing April 20. Should City beat Liverpool, then they will face a last four clash on either Saturday, April 24 or Sunday, April 25. The trip to Burnley in the league would take place between Tuesday, April 21 and Thursday, April 23.

That means City’s game with Palace would need to move into May, with the two options being the week beginning May 11 and the week beginning May 18.

The FA Cup final takes place on Saturday, May 16 and should City reach the showpiece then the game away at Bournemouth in the Premier League scheduled for that weekend would also need to be moved.

That scenario would leave City facing a hectic schedule of nine games in just five weeks, starting with a huge Etihad showdown with Arsenal on Sunday, April 19 and running until the final day of the season on Sunday May 24.

A reader laments the death of mainstream TV coverage of video games and asks why shows like Videogame Nation and Cybernet were treated so badly.

It’s been near enough 10 years since the cancellation of Videogame Nation, the UK’s last original review-based television show about console gaming, back in the summer of 2016. Despite the popularity of gaming – retro gaming especially – being reflected on numerous YouTube channels and the like, and despite big companies such as Nintendo, Sega, and Konami releasing mini-consoles from yesteryear, mainstream television is still ignoring gaming for some bizarre and blinkered reason.

Now, before some people out there start rolling their eyes and muttering something about ‘not this old chestnut again’, yes, it is a real and continuing problem that television executives and producers demonstrably have towards anything that they essentially aren’t interested in. Or to be more precise, what their ill-informed market research tells them to not have an interest in.

Many gaming shows have been made over the last three decades, but nowhere near as many as other types of television shows, such as procedural investigatory police dramas, true life crime documentaries, hospital ward shows, lame unfunny middle class-centred comedies, and so-called reality shows that are nothing of the sort.

Why are some sections of the television owning British public constantly overlooked by TV producers and executives while these same individuals think nothing about filling the TV schedules morning, noon, and night with programmes about American muscle cars, flipping property, or eating in New York restaurants? How is any of this related to British audiences? No wonder people interested in gaming absconded to YouTube and online forums years ago.

Television producers and executive suits don’t really care. I have a feeling they always had a contemptuous attitude towards those interested in computer and video games all along, as can be seen in how they handled the very few shows that actually got on to our TV screens.

The over-touted GamesMaster was the one that started it all off for console television shows back in the 90s. Gaming shows that came after were almost without exception better though. Shows such as Bits (1999 to 2001), Thumb Bandits (2001 to 2002), and not forgetting my favourite Cybernet. That show was even my mum’s favourite gaming show, as it was full of driving games during the PlayStation era.

Cybernet. A show that comparatively few people actually saw (in Scotland anyway) due to the show being broadcast stupidly late through the night – usually after 3am, such is the contempt those in television decision-making departments had. That show was unprecedented though, in that it showed what we all wanted. Wall-to-wall games. No talking heads concerned about their career portfolios. Just a voiceover from the mysterious Lucy Longhurst.

Gaming shows weren’t just something relegated to the past as Go 8 Bit (or Dara O Briain’s Go 8 Bit for the pedantic out there) that ran on Freeview channel Dave could have ran for far longer than it did (2016 to 2018), as it was essentially based on the tried, tested, and market oversaturation panel show format. The one that the British public are constantly reminded that they like so much, due to the sheer number of shows subscribing to that format over the years.

It’s important to note that I am not some media degree-clutching middle class hipster type who’s a chum of anyone who worked on Videogame Nation, or any of the other shows mentioned here. I’m just like countless other viewers out there, that have inadvertently given up waiting for television executives and producers to come up with anything worth bothering about when their track record ranges from appalling to self-sabotaging.

It’s not even that I thought Videogame Nation was particularly brilliant or good even. It was all we the British public had in the way of gaming on TV at the time and now we haven’t even got that. How does mainstream television survive? I don’t know, as nothing the mainstream channels show is likely to be pulling in much cash in the way of any big companies advertisements, outside of the captured audiences of maybe Coronation Street.

People need to ask the question of what’s wrong with mainstream television channels and their constant absence of gaming shows. It would cost them next to nothing to do re-runs of old gaming shows such as GamesMaster, Bits, and Cybernet, even if it’s through the night, if needs be, as people search for this content on YouTube anyway. I suspect it never even crossed the minds of the majority of those working in TV land to do this, such is the level of their clueless detachment.

By reader R M

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.

Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

MORE: These are the changes a Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake has to make – Reader’s Feature

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Gogglebox star Sophie Sandiford shared a funny moment during brother Pete’s private ceremony

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Gogglebox’s Sophie Sandiford has offered a rare glimpse into her brother’s private wedding. The television star first appeared on the Channel 4 programme back in 2017 for series 10 alongside brother Pete Sandiford and they’ve since become firm favourites.

Over the years, the duo, who reside in Blackpool, have had fans in stitches thanks to their witty remarks and amusing reactions to the week’s top television programmes and films. Despite being in the public eye, Pete has remained fairly private about his family life but during Friday’s (April 3) episode, Sophie revealed a hilarious moment during her brother’s big day.

Pete announced that he and now wife Paige were engaged on Gogglebox back in February 2021, and two months later they confirmed that she was pregnant, reports the Mirror.

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However, they kept their big day incredibly low key, and it wasn’t made public until Pete shared the news in an interview back in September that year. While watching Channel 4’s hit dating programme Married At First Sight Australia, Sophie took the opportunity to discuss her speech during Pete’s private wedding.

She went on to say: “I loved your wedding speech, for the fact it was so it was me, you and Brian. Now, Brian was panicking because he thought he was gonna say ‘hello, my name’s Brain’.

Pete jumped in: “Well he’s dyslexic.” Sophie continued: “You haven’t written anything and I was that nervous that I just read off my phone at 2x speed.”

The pair burst into laughter as Pete joked: “Like an auctioneer there.” Mimicking her rapid delivery, Sophie said: “Hello, welcome to the wedding. Thank you everybody for coming.” Pete couldn’t resist teasing his sister as he added: “I’ve known Pete for 30 years. Thank you very much. The buffet is now open.”

Elsewhere during the programme, Pete was struggling to hold back tears as he revealed that he became emotional after dropping his children off at nursery.

Peter, who has two children, Jimmy and Eva, turned to his sister and explained: “Tell you what, it was an emotional roller coaster on Friday. So Paige went to me ‘will you drop Eva off at the nursery?’ I said ‘all right, f****** hell. Yeah.’” Sophie laughed as she said: “They’re your kids.”

In a touching moment, Pete confessed: “I dropped off at praise school and I just got in the car and I just started crying.”

“She’s getting so grown up now.” Struggling to compose himself he said: “I’m welling up now. She’s such a big girl and she just went straight in, not arsed. She didn’t get a s*** about me.”

Sophie quipped: “Now you’re by yourself having a cry in the car.” Pete added: “Have a little sob in the car park.”

Gogglebox airs on Friday at 9pm on Channel 4

The bins have been introduced as part of a nationwide effort to standardise waste collections across England, with each household now limited to a maximum of four bins.

Durham County Council will be introducing the new waste bins soon.

Every household will receive two new bins to put food waste in: an external caddy to be kept outside and another caddy for inside.

However, the new system has been met with concern from some residents who fear the bins will attract pests.

Ali Siddall said: “I found rats had gnawed through my mother in laws wheelie bin and were living inside.

“If they can get through a wheelie bin, this will be a piece of cake. No way am I using one of these rat attractors!”

Karen Robson shared similar concerns, saying: “No chance will I be keeping them inside, and a great rat attractor outside. Marvellous.”

Others raised worries about whether the bins could withstand weather conditions or animal interference.

Jennie Peters said: “I used to live in London up to five years ago and we had recycled food bins for several years.

“The foxes and corvids knew how to open the food bins, we had to place a brick on top to stop the bin being emptied all over our gardens and pavements.”

A rat. (Image: Jacob King)

Carol Albone worried “the food bins will be gone with the first strong winds.”

Angela Harrison questioned the usefulness of the scheme, saying: “Councils have to provide these bins by law but you do not have to use them.

“Mine will be pushed in the back of the garage out the way. I refuse to have an extra bin in my kitchen nor in my yard.”

Some residents also raised concerns about the capacity of the bins for larger households.

Stacey James said: “My kids would fill that caddy in two days. One day the love something the next they hate it.

“You get a large family and that caddy isn’t going to cut it.”

Despite the criticism, some residents welcomed the changes, noting the environmental benefits of composting food waste, which would otherwise end up in landfill.

Linda Thompson said: “All of these negative comments!

“I think it’s a good thing that food waste will be composted instead of being left to rot.

“Having it collected weekly instead of fortnightly should surely mean less trouble with rodents and smells?”

Under the new national rules, residents will have a maximum of four bins.

Dry recycling collections changed on March 31.

However, questions remain about collection logistics and whether residents will be provided with bin liners.

Others expressed confusion about the timetable for collections and what items belong in each bin.

Scottish travellers could save money and have more to spend abroad

If your summer getaway is still up in the air, there’s good news: there’s still a window to lock in some savings before you take off.

Advice from Which? suggests that timing could make a real difference to your travel costs. The consumer group advises that, if you’re planning to fly, choosing the right departure day is key.

Specifically, it is recommending travellers opt for a Saturday departure instead of the typical Friday option. The reason is that Friday is often on the more expensive side.

It explained: “Google Flights and Skyscanner will show you a graph of the cheapest days to fly during your chosen month. Fridays and Sundays are typically the most expensive; Tuesdays are typically the cheapest.

“Of course, Tuesdays aren’t convenient for many people, but you will probably save money on a weekend break if you fly out on a Saturday and come back on a Monday rather than going Friday to Sunday. You miss the same amount of time at work but save a fortune.”

Another tip to save some cash urges parents to “check school holiday dates and consider a different airport”.

It also highlights how school holiday schedules can vary widely depending on where you are in the country. London and the South East, for example, are often out of sync with the Midlands and northern England during half-term breaks.

Price differences between regions can mean cheaper travel if you’re open to leaving from or passing through another place, even if the trip takes longer.

The same applies in the summer, with school holiday dates differing between England and Scotland. This is another factor that can influence prices for those prepared to plan strategically.

With this in mind, it suggests: “It’s worth checking inset (teacher training) days at your children’s school. These are often on a Friday or Monday, tagged onto a school holiday, and it will usually be cheaper to fly out on one of these days.”

Scottish school term dates 2026

There are many councils throughout Scotland. To find yours and check holiday dates, you can check this information online through mygov.scot here.

Are you flying from Glasgow Airport?

If you are set to fly from Glasgow Airport, for example, people are being urged to check in online as soon as they can. You should also print your boarding pass before you go to the airport, it says.

If you’re travelling with just hand luggage, you can head straight through security and on to the duty-free area without stopping at check-in. Those with hold baggage, however, will need to go via the check-in desk first to drop off their bags before proceeding through the airport.

Glasgow Airport reminds passengers: “Even if your flight has a delay, you must still arrive at the airport and check-in at the original allocated time; unless your airline has contacted you directly stating otherwise.”

At least 60 people have been injured following a ‘structural collapse’ at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium in Lima, Peru, with hospitals on high alert

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At least 60 people have been injured following a ‘structural collapse’ at a football stadium in Peru.

Hospitals have been placed on high alert after the incident, which took place at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium.

The Estadio Alejandro Villanueva, more commonly known as Matute, is a football ground located in the Matute neighbourhood of the La Victoria district in Lima, Peru. It serves as the home ground of Club Alianza Lima.

Those injured are currently being assessed by medical personnel at the scene, according to officials.

In a statement posted on X, Peru’s Ministry of Health said: “The Ministry of Health (Minsa) reports that, following the report of a structural collapse at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium, in the La Victoria district, eight units were mobilised through the Mobile Emergency Medical Service (SAMU) to provide prehospital care to those affected, in coordination with the General Volunteer Fire Department of Peru.”

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“According to the preliminary report, 60 people have been recorded as injured, who are currently being evaluated and treated. Three of them have been transferred to the National Hospital Arzobispo Loayza.

“Additionally, an alert has been issued at the National Hospital Dos de Mayo and other hospitals in anticipation of the possible arrival of more injured individuals. The Health Emergency Operations Center (COES Salud) continues with permanent monitoring of the event and coordination of the health response.” It is understood that the incident took place during an Alianza Lima gathering ahead of a fixture against Universitario.

A tribute to Lawrence Dixon said: “To many he was more than a landlord, he was a friend, a storyteller, a familiar face behind the bar, and the person who made The Champ feel like home”

A popular Cambridge pub has closed after its landlord died on Thursday night (April 2). The Champion of the Thames has closed andlord Lawrence Dixon – who was the pub’s ‘heart and soul’ – died.

The pub has announced that it will not be reopening ‘as we know it’ in a statement on Friday (April 3). The statement said: “It is with deep sadness that we share the news that Lawrence Dixon passed away peacefully last night. For over 25 years, Lawrence was the heart and soul of The Champion of the Thames.

“To many he was more than a landlord, he was a friend, a storyteller, a familiar face behind the bar, and the person who made The Champ feel like home. The pub was never just a business to him; it was a community built on conversation, laughter, real ale, and genuine connection.”

The statement continued: “We know how much The Champ meant to so many people, and how many friendships, memories, and traditions were created within its walls under Lawrence’s care. He was immensely proud of the staff, the regulars, and everyone who walked through the door over the years.

“As a family, we kindly ask for privacy at this time as we come to terms with our loss. Sadly, this also means that The Champion of the Thames will not reopen under the Dixon family name, and The Champ as we know it will close its doors as of today.

“This is not a decision taken lightly, but one that reflects the end of an era that was so closely tied to Lawrence himself. We would like to thank every member of staff, every loyal regular, every visitor, and every friend who helped make The Champ what it became over the past quarter century.

“You were all part of Lawrence’s extended family, and your support meant the world to him. Lawrence is now at peace, and we take comfort in knowing how loved and respected he was by this community.”

In more recent years, the pub has been known by locals as a “traditional, no-nonsense watering hole”. It’s loved for its city location and weekly pub quizzes.

The pub has won many awards over the years. It is consistently listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. It was also the winner of the CAMRA Pub of the Year 2024 Cambridge City and District and Cambridgeshire.

A pre-kindergarten teacher’s aide in New Jersey has been arrested and charged over the sexual assault of “multiple” children over the course of more than a decade.

Shaun M. Stebbins, 43, was arrested Sunday and is facing a slew of charges including aggravated sexual assault of a victim under 13 and various crimes relating to child pornography, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.

The charges stem from reported incidents involving a number of victims between 2014 and 2025, though prosecutors said they were “deeply concerned” there may be more children impacted.

“We are issuing this press release to make the public aware of these heinous allegations,” Atlantic County Prosecutor William E. Reynolds said in a statement. “We are deeply concerned that there may be additional victims, particularly given the defendant’s access to children through his employment.

“As we have seen in other recent cases, individuals who prey on children often place themselves in positions of trust within schools, organizations, and youth programs to gain access to victims,” Reynolds added.

Stebbins has worked as an aide in a preschool class at Woodbine for several years, according to The New York Times. He was reportedly honored as one of the employees of the year, though all pictures of him appeared to have been deleted from the district’s social media pages as of Friday.

The claims against Stebbins first emerged two weeks ago when four students came forward and shared details of their alleged abuse with authorities, a relative of one of the victims told The NYT.

Reynolds said his office was putting out the information about the arrest of Stebbins “out of an abundance of caution… despite the holiday weekend and in advance of the scheduled detention hearing.”

Charges against Stebbins were brought following an investigation conducted by the Somers Point Police Department with assistance from the County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit.

The county prosecutor said the investigation revealed that over a period exceeding 10 years, Stebbins allegedly committed multiple sexual acts against multiple victims under the age of 13. He’s also accused of creating and possessing child sexual abuse material.

The unnamed victim’s relative told The NYT that Stebbins spent a lot of time online, including on livestreams, and claimed investigators had taken 15 hard drives and other devices from his home.

The Independent has contacted the Somers Point Police Department for further information as well as the Woodbine School District for comment.

Stebbins was arrested by the Somers Point Police Department and is currently being held in the Atlantic County Justice Facility. He is due to appear in court Monday morning.

In a message to parents, obtained by NBC Philadelphia, Superintendent Adrienne Breitinger said the district currently had no extra information to share.

“As you may be aware, an aide assigned to one of our classrooms was arrested last week,” the message read. “At this time, the District does not have any additional information beyond what has been reported in the media regarding the investigation.

“Upon being informed of the arrest, the District immediately requested a replacement aide. The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.”