Teacher and author Chloe Heuch made the surprising discovery while walking on Llanddona beach with her daughter

A volunteer collecting rubbish received quite a surprise after picking up a discarded coffee cup lid on an Anglesey beach. Upon flipping it over, she discovered it had been taken over by peculiar-looking creatures that appeared both bizarre and somewhat unsettling.

Gwynedd-based teacher and writer Chloe Heuch stumbled upon the find during a stroll along Llanddona beach with her daughter. Her initial assumption was that they were some form of sea slug. “The plastic lid was upside down in the wet sand – it looked as though it had been dropped,” she said. “I picked it up to put it in the bin not realising there were creatures inside.

“I was a bit surprised by their weirdness. My daughter touched one gently as she didn’t believe me they were alive, and it sort of shrank into itself a bit.” Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here.

Keen to learn more, Chloe posted a photograph on social media. An underwater photographer quickly provided an explanation, confirming they were sea squirts, specifically Ciona intestinalis, reports North Wales Live.

“Opportunistic colonisers of almost any surface that hasn’t got something else growing on it,” he said. “They’re much prettier when expanded and filter feeding. Totally harmless but can aggregate in huge quantities.” Its Latin name translates literally to “pillar of intestines”.

Growing to lengths of up to 20cm, its cylindrical form is a translucent yellow shade that reveals its internal organs.

These squirts – commonly known as vase tunicates – settle on virtually any surface, including not just bedrock and boulders but also metal and concrete, and even algae. They form dense colonies on floating objects such as boat hulls and aquaculture equipment, as well as man-made structures like pilings.

This makes them particularly prevalent in harbours and marinas. In the UK, where populations are especially abundant, they are classified as an invasive species.

Consequently, stringent regulations exist to control their spread. Commercial fishing vessels and shellfish harvesters must inspect hulls and sanitise equipment with bleach or vinegar. Bilge water must be disinfected or disposed of on land rather than at sea.

Chloe’s instinct was to discard the plastic lid she discovered. However, being unfamiliar with the species, she couldn’t bring herself to do so.

“I left it where it was, which I felt bad about, but I didn’t want to upset them,” she said. “They did seem very happy. There were a few of them in that tiny space!”

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So what do the British athletes put it down to? The answer is each other, their team camaraderie.

“We only get to slide down an ice track about 120-150 times a year. Each run is less than a minute, so you’re looking at less than two hours actually doing the sport every year,” Marcus Wyatt – who finished ninth in Cortina – told BBC Sport last year.

“But if you talk to other athletes, learn from their experiences and share what you’re doing, suddenly you’ve doubled, tripled, quadrupled your knowledge.

“In the last couple of years especially, me and Matt have bounced off each other, we’re sharing ideas.

“The day before a race, I might be struggling on a corner, so I ask Matt, what are you doing on corner four? He tells me, I try that, it works for me, and lo and behold when the race comes, I might beat him.

“That’s fine, because he knows that next week when he’s struggling somewhere else, I’ll help him out and he might beat me.

“It’s this team ethos, working together, to get the best out of everyone.”

Weston adds: “I think that’s why we’re so good.

“On the track, he’s the first person I want to beat, I’m the first person he wants to beat.

“But when we’re training, when we’re working stuff out, we work together so well, and I think that’s what separates us apart [from the rest].”

Damage was caused to the Church Lane section office, which was empty at the time, and several police vehicles this morning (Saturday, February 14).

The suspect is believed to have left the building wearing a police stab vest before being approached by officers around 8.30am.

Durham Police confirmed a man in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and assaulting two police officers.

The men were arrested across Wigan on Friday, February 13, just before Valentine’s Day, which police say can be a time of year when partners or exes reunite.

This comes just over a year after Domestic Abuse Protection Orders were introduced in Wigan in January 2025, with more than 120 such orders having been granted since then.

Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Bell, Wigan’s lead for safeguarding, said: “As we approach Valentine’s Day, we understand that this may be a time for partners or exes to reunite, and this can often lead to abuse.

“These arrests reinforce the message that GMP are committed to protecting victims and holding perpetrators to account.

The arrested were in connection with Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (Image: GMP)

“Breaches of protection orders and any reports of domestic abuse will always be taken seriously and we will take swift action to protect those at risk.

“Safeguarding the public and our communities remains a priority for GMP, and we will continue to manage these protection orders to ensure offenders continue to see justice.”

Officers say the protection orders have been instrumental in ensuring robust safeguarding of repeat victims, and breaking cycles of violence and abuse.

Police were out making arrests (Image: GMP)

A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of breach of his Domestic Abuse Protection Order.

Officers say they believe he had gone into a home from where he has restricted access as listed in his DAPO.

One man was also arrested on suspicion of breach of his non-molestation order, and another man was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, damage of property, and harassment.

All three suspects remain in custody for questioning.

One of the three men has since been charged with breach of his harassment order.

He was remanded in custody ahead of being brought before Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court.

A brief period of snow may bring icy conditions and some disruption to travel.

The Met Office has issued another new weather warning for snow and ice affecting parts of Northern Ireland this weekend.

The weather forecaster issued the yellow warning on Saturday morning, February 14, and advised that “a brief period of snow may bring icy conditions and some disruption to travel”.

It has been issued for four counties with the warning in place from 5pm until 10pm on Saturday, February 14. The warning is in place for counties Derry, Fermanagh and Tyrone.

READ MORE: Northern Ireland roads record 49,000 defects in last three months aloneREAD MORE: Northern Ireland has been relentlessly miserable this year and there’s no sign of it ending

A Met Office spokesperson added: “Rain spreading from the west is expected to turn to snow for a time Saturday evening across the west of Northern Ireland. Whilst accumulations at low levels are likely to be limited, 2-4 cm of snow could fall above 200 m, affecting the Glenshane Pass for a time. At low levels some brief icy patches are possible.

“Snow will turn back to rain at all levels later Saturday evening before clearing eastwards by the end of the day, with a rapid thaw of any lying snow.”

What should I expect?

• Some roads and railways likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services
• Perhaps some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths

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York residents have been warned to stay safe today and into tomorrow as high river levels mean that some areas of the city centre are at risk of becoming flooded.

The Environment Agency (EA) has issued the warning for riverside properties on the River Ouse from Lendal Bridge to Millennium Bridge following days of heavy rainfall.

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At the Viking Recorder measuring station at 10.45am on Saturday (February 14), the River Ouse was 3.23 metres and said to be steady, despite sitting above the normal range of 1.9 metres.

The highest recorded level here was 5.40 metres in November 2000.

A second amber flood alert has also been issued for riverside footpaths and low-lying land in York and to the south as far as Naburn Lock, including Kings Staith, Queens Staith, and South Esplanade.

“Flooding is possible today, Saturday 14th February 2026 and tomorrow, Sunday 15th February 2026. We are closely monitoring the situation, closing floodgates and operating the Foss Barrier. Take care and avoid walking, cycling or driving through flood water,” said a spokesperson for the Environment Agency.

King’s Staith on Saturday morning (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

Whilst river levels have been fluctuating between steady and falling, there is also a Met Office warning for snow and ice for most of North Yorkshire has been extended to 10am tomorrow (February 15) with snowfall currently expected from 4am to 9am.

This warning is not in place over York itself, however surrounding towns such as Tadcaster, Malton, and Pocklington are included within the yellow weather warning.

For advice on what to do if you find yourself caught in a flood, visit the Environment Agency website or contact Floodline via telephone: 0345 988 1188 or via text on 0345 602 6340

Both their previous matches got away from the British rink after the interval, but they maintained their momentum here.

Points were traded in the sixth and seventh ends before Morrison – growing in stature by the minute – delivered another two to move her side four clear going into the penultimate end.

Canada looked devoid of ideas. Homan, for whom Olympic gold has proved elusive throughout a stellar career, was floundering. One in the ninth left them needing a miracle but GB were not of a mind to let this one go.

The women will look to continue their unlikely revival on Sunday against another fancied rink, Sweden (13:05 GMT).

They have six more round-robin matches to play, with a total of five or six wins potentially enough to clinch a semi-final place.

And GB’s men are next on the ice, playing their fourth match of nine against Czech Republic at 13:05 GMT on Saturday.

Rosenior spoke with a fondness this week when asked about his ties to the club, where his late grandmother, Cath, was a season ticket-holder. Rosenior had sat her down in a Harvester restaurant to tell her he was first signing for Hull, and she is buried not far from the club’s training ground.

Matt Weston has won gold in the men’s singles skeleton competition, Team GB’s first medal at the Winter Olympics in Italy.

The 28-year-old, a world and European champion, had been the favourite for gold after leading at the halfway stage of the event on Thursday, with track records in the first two heats.

On Friday, the British athlete posted another track record on his third run – recording a 0.39-second advantage at the top of the leaderboard.

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A near faultless run in his final heat at the Milano Cortina Games saw him increase his margin of victory to 0.88 seconds, bringing the gold home with a fourth track record.

Germany’s Axel Jungk took his second successive Olympic ⁠silver, ​while Jungk’s compatriot and ⁠defending champion Christopher ⁠Grotheer picked up ​the bronze.

Marcus Wyatt, Team GB’s other medal hopeful, finished ninth on Friday.

In March 2025, Weston took his second world champion crown and last month he clinched his third successive overall World Cup title.

His Olympic win marks the first-ever gold in the men’s skeleton for Team GB.

Explainer: Who is Matt Weston?

Weston made his debut in skeleton in 2019, previously competing in taekwondo and securing several European and international honours.

He continued in that discipline until the age of 17, when he retired due to injury.

Speaking after his skeleton win, Weston said: “[It means] everything. It means a hell of a lot to me personally. I have worked so hard for this.

“Everyone back at home, my fiancee, my family, my friends, everyone that has sacrificed for me to be here. I have missed funerals, birthdays, everything for this moment and it feels amazing.”

Sir Keir Starmer celebrated the victory, with the prime minister saying in a post on X: “History-making. Congratulations Matt Weston!”

Team GB had won a medal in the skeleton at each of the Games since 2002 until 2018.

Lizzy Yarnold secured two golds, at Sochi in 2014 and PyeongChang in 2018, while Dom Parsons was Britain’s first male skeleton medallist since 1948 in South Korea, winning bronze in the men’s event, and Amy Williams won gold in 2010 in Vancouver.

Weston is the first individual male British competitor to win gold at a Winter Olympics since figure skater Robin Cousins in 1980.

His victory comes after Ukrainian competitor Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified 30 minutes before the start of the session on Thursday because he defied calls to not wear his “helmet of remembrance” depicting athletes killed since Russia’s invasion.

Sir Keir’s speech at the major security gathering followed an address by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who hit out at the mistakes of Western nations over the past 40 years, but sought to reconcile ties between the US and Europe after recent turmoil in the transatlantic relationship.