“Rest Easy Karen, gone to soon, thinking of all your family.”

A requiem mass will take place this Tuesday for a woman who passed away in Fuerteventura on January 19.

A post on Funeral Times said Karen Doran was the beloved partner of Aaron, much-loved daughter of Cecilia and the late Noel, and adored mother of Louise and Thomas. She was also a much-loved sister, grandmother, aunt and friend to many.

The post read that her death was: “Deeply regretted by her loving family circle.”

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Karen will be reposing at her home from Sunday afternoon, at the request of the family before she will leave her home at 2.30pm, to arrive at the Holy Cross Church for a 3pm Requiem Mass which will progress afterwards to Roselawn Crematorium for 5.20pm.

Tributes were made to Karen on facebook including one that read: “She will be forever missed by all who knew and loved her.”

Another commented: “I am in shock at your passing, the memories of me, you and Annmarie will live on in our hearts forever, a true friend.”

A third wrote: “Rest Easy Karen, gone to soon, thinking of all your family.”

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Disabled people are waiting over 100 days on average for DWP Access to Work applications to be processed, with delays affecting job security and causing some to have job offers withdrawn, according to a National Audit Office report

Disabled individuals have faced average waits exceeding 100 days for their applications seeking workplace support to be processed, a new report has revealed. A disability equality charity said the National Audit Office (NAO) public spending watchdog’s findings “lay bare the brutal reality for disabled people trying to get into and stay in work”.

The NAO report highlights significant “delays and backlogs” in handling applications to the Access to Work scheme, which was established in 1994 and covers England, Scotland and Wales. Those applying – who have physical or mental health conditions or disabilities – can request grants to cover practical workplace assistance, mental health management support, or funding for communication aids during job interviews.

Applications to the scheme have “increased significantly” in recent years, the NAO observed, with total submissions more than doubling from 76,100 in 2018/19 to 157,000 in 2024/25. Whilst the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ), which oversees and finances the scheme, acknowledged it lacks a definitive explanation for the surge in applications, it “believes the growth in demand is likely to have been driven by a rise in the identification of mental health conditions and neurodiversity across society”.

The report highlighted DWP data which showed a rise in the number of individuals with mental health or learning conditions applying for support under the scheme. This figure increased from 11,200 (30 percent of all customers receiving payments) in 2018/19 to 37,900 (51 percent) in 2024/25.

Additionally, the number of people with conditions categorised as “other”, believed by the department to include those with neurodivergent conditions, also saw an increase, reports Wales Online.

The average waiting time for processing an application escalated to 109 working days in November 2025, a significant jump from 66 working days in 2024/25 and 28 working days in 2021/22. This is far beyond the department’s target of 25 days.

The NAO stated that these delays had “a negative impact on individuals and employers”.

The report revealed: “Four of the organisations we consulted said that application delays and late payments have affected employees’ job security, and one noted that in some cases delays have resulted in people having job offers withdrawn. Late payments can also have an impact on employers. Three of the organisations we consulted commented that payment delays were leading to cashflow problems, noting that delays were particularly damaging for small businesses.”

The NAO reported that the DWP has received a “growing number of complaints” from customers, primarily concerning the time taken to process applications. The report highlighted that the department had increased its staff numbers working on the scheme in an effort to manage the rising number of cases and address the backlog, resulting in an increase in spending on staff administering the scheme from £12.6 million in 2021/22 to £24.4 million in 2024/25.

The NAO stated that the department “does not expect the backlog to fall significantly in the short term” and is “waiting for the outcome of the Government’s consultation on the future of the scheme before committing to plans for further improvements”. Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, commented: “The Access to Work scheme plays a valuable role in helping people with disabilities or long-term health conditions secure and sustain employment, and demand for the scheme has grown significantly.

“Maximising the value for money of the scheme will require government to improve how it administers the current system, to get on top of the backlogs and to properly assess the scheme’s impact.”

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, acknowledged that whilst the scheme “provides significant value for people with disabilities or physical or mental health conditions to secure or stay in work”, spikes in demand have resulted in “significant backlogs and delays in processing applications and payments, affecting both employees’ job security and employers’ cash-flow”.

He continued: “As DWP looks to secure the greatest value from the scheme, it must address identified data gaps, align guidance with the Government’s objectives to support case workers and carry out work to ensure productivity targets can be met.”

James Taylor, director of strategy at disability equality charity Scope, commented: “This report lays bare the brutal reality for disabled people trying to get into and stay in work. Disabled people face constant barriers, rejection and frustration, and Scope’s employment services have supported customers who’ve had to leave jobs altogether because Access to Work support didn’t arrive in time.

“Access to Work can be a lifeline that allows disabled people not just to work, but to thrive. But the Government must urgently get a grip on the backlogs and properly understand the scheme’s impact on disabled people, employers and the wider economy.”

Mark Gale, who serves as policy manager at Sense, the national disability charity, highlighted the scheme’s crucial role in helping to “break down the many barriers disabled people face getting a job and staying in employment, but sadly as this report shows Access to Work can be a barrier in itself if people do not get support in time”.

He added: “Reducing delays mustn’t come at the expense of some disabled people becoming ineligible to receive this funding. Instead, we want to see more investment into Access to Work, including better promotion of the scheme, so that every disabled person has a fair chance to stay in employment.”

A spokesperson from the DWP acknowledged the challenges ahead: “We are streamlining processes and increasing staffing to improve the customer experience, but we recognise the scheme we inherited is failing both employees and employers, and needs reform. That’s why we are looking carefully at this scheme and welcome the NAO’s recommendations.

“Through the keep Britain working review, we’re also working with employers to build a system that genuinely supports disabled people to access the opportunities that work provides.”

CCTV footage shows nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte playing while she’s watched by her killer moments before the fatal attack

Distressing footage captures the moment Deividas Skebas observed Lilia Valutyte playing with her hula hoop before fatally stabbing her.

The CCTV recording released by Lincolnshire Police shows Skebas, then aged 22, loitering at the end of the street whilst the nine year old played outside her mother’s embroidery shop in Boston. Skebas, previously of Alcorn Green, Boston, can be observed waiting at the top of the road for pedestrians to pass, before approaching Lilia at approximately 6.15pm on July 28, 2022.

A separate CCTV clip captures Skebas, dressed in a grey T-shirt and dark trousers, fleeing from the scene moments afterwards.

Additional footage shows Skebas walking around the vicinity nearly an hour prior to the attack, and he was also recorded on camera purchasing the knife he used to stab Lilia at a Wilko store two days beforehand, on July 26, 2022, reports Lincolnshire Live.

Two additional video clips, believed to be from police body worn cameras, capture armed officers surrounding Skebas at a property and subsequently arresting him on July 30, 2022. In the video recording, a voice can be heard informing Skebas that “you are under arrest on suspicion of murder”, to which he responded “yeah”.

Skebas, now 26, had a background of mental health difficulties, and, following his arrest, he was deemed unfit to stand trial.

He was held in a secure hospital, and, at a trial of fact in 2023, he was determined to have been responsible for Lilia’s killing.

Subsequently, in Spring 2025, he was re-assessed and deemed fit to plead and participate in a trial. After a fortnight-long trial at Lincoln Crown Court, Skebas was convicted of murder on Thursday, 5 February, with sentencing set to take place at a future date.

The crash between a Seat Leon and a Citroen Picasso happened on Wigan Road in the early hours of Sunday, January 11.

Police officers, trading standards and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service carried out two simultaneous raids in Ladybridge and the two centres in connection with the crash.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that four people had been arrested in the raids, carried out on Thursday, February 5.

Speaking on Thursday, Detective Inspector Andrew Page, of Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Our investigation into this tragic incident is progressing and has led to four arrests from two warrants in Bolton this morning.

“We have undertaken significant prevention activity across Bolton, with local PCSOs on the streets to reassure the community, and they are on hand to answer any queries members of the public may have.”

Three men and a woman were arrested (Image: GMP)

A 42-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of fraud offences.

A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, and an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking.

On Friday, February 6, the force confirmed that all four had been bailed.

Three men and a woman were arrested (Image: GMP)

The crash in January prompted an outpouring of shock across Bolton and beyond when the scale of the tragedy became clear.

Three young men were killed in the Seat, including driver Mohammed Jibrael Mukhtar, 18, and his two passengers, Mohammad-Danyaal Ashgar-Ali, 19, and Farhan Imtiyaz Patel, 18.

A fourth person, a passenger, was injured.

Raids were carried out in Ladybridge and the town centre (Image: GMP)

Taxi driver Masrob Ali, 54, from Blackburn, was killed in the Citroen Picasso while four of his passengers were badly injured.

They included married couple Tom and Georgina Daniels, and two of their close friends.

Officers confirmed earlier this week that one of the women who had suffered life-changing injuries is now in a stable condition.

Anyone with any further information, who witnessed the crash, or who has CCTV or dashcam footage, can call police on 0161 856 4741, quoting log number 111 of 11/01/2025. 

Alternatively, witnesses can call independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

More than 1.7 million people over State Pension age receive Attendance Allowance or Pension Age Disability Payment, with rates rising from April 2026

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More than 1.7 million individuals over State Pension age across Great Britain are currently receiving up to £1,362 each month through a combination of two separate payments provided by the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) and Social Security Scotland.

Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) are paid independently of the State Pension, but can offer additional financial assistance for older people with a disability, long-term illness, or physical or mental health condition.

Attendance Allowance and PADP are not means-tested and are currently valued at either £73.90 for the lower rate or £110.40 for the higher rate each week. As the benefit is typically paid every four weeks, this equates to either £295.60 or £441.60 every payment period.

Pensioners could supplement their current income by up to £5,740 to help with extra costs through either of the disability benefits. However, this is set to increase to £5,959 over the 2026/27 financial year.

Both DWP and Social Security Scotland have now published the proposed payment rates from April 6. The New and Basic State Pension will rise by 4.8 per cent while Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payments will increase by 3.8 per cent, reports the Daily Record.

The uprating will see the lower rate of both benefits rise from £73.90 per week to £76.70 and the higher rate will increase from £110.40 per week to £114.60. This amounts to either £306.80 or £458.40 every four-week payment period.

The full New State Pension is currently worth £230.25 per week and as the payment is typically made every four weeks this amounts to £921. Annual payments are worth £11,973 over the 2025/26 financial year. This will rise to £241.30 per week or £965.20 every four-week payment period in 2026/27.

Combined with the increased higher rate for Attendance Allowance or PADP (£458.40), someone receiving the full New State Pension could get £1,423 every month from April – though in separate payments. It’s important to note that not all of the 4.1 million people on the New State Pension receive the full amount as it is linked to National Insurance Contributions.

The full Basic State Pension is currently worth £176.45 per week, £705.80 every four-week payment period. Annual payments are worth £9,175.40 over the 2025/26 financial year. Payments will rise to £184.90 per week from April 6, some £739.65 every four-week pay period.

To check your own future State Pension payments, use the online forecasting tool on GOV.UK.

Pensioners with a Scottish postcode can no longer claim Attendance Allowance and need to apply for Pension Age Disability Payment from Social Security Scotland. The amount someone receives for Attendance Allowance or PADP depends on the level of care required.

The benefit is designed to help people of State Pension age with daily living costs as a result of their condition, which can also help them remain independent in their own home for longer. There is no mobility component attached to Attendance Allowance or PADP.

A driving instructor has shared essential roundabout tips to help nervous learner drivers overcome test anxiety and navigate safely, as he urges them to do 1 thing before entering a roundabout

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Mastering the skill of driving is an essential life ability, although it’s anything but straightforward with countless aspects to understand, including the different regulations that come with navigating roundabouts. While seasoned motorists might know how to tackle this without needing to think twice about it, it can frequently feel intimidating or anxiety-inducing for novice, inexperienced drivers. However, there are ways to make it easier.

Adem Veli of Passman Driving is a London-based driving instructor with more than 15 years of expertise, having taught throughout Chingford, Sidcup, and Bexley. He also runs a popular TikTok channel where he posts clips from his driving lessons for his 45,900 followers, as he’s frequently spotted discussing various motoring subjects with his pupils.

In one clip, Adem was captured teaching a woman called Mel, as he proceeded to ask her if there was anything she felt she required more practice on before her upcoming driving test.

“I’d say roundabouts,” Mel replied, explaining she didn’t yet feel confident driving through them.

When questioned about what precisely it was that Mel found unsettling about roundabouts, she explained trying to get out, as she often hesitates when driving, and feels bad when she misses a gap to get into the roundabout.

He then proceeded to reveal his top tip for any learner drivers about reducing their worries about driving through a roundabout. “You don’t just want to just jump out to see, obviously,” the teacher said.

“But sometimes, you might see another experienced driver just shoot out, like, don’t think you have to get out with them.”

Instead, you should ensure you secure a gap that you feel confident driving into before following the proper lanes for your chosen direction.

As they subsequently reached a roundabout, Mel reduced speed before halting prior to the roundabout to watch for any other vehicles approaching, before proceeding through it to turn right onto the following road.

Highway Code’s rules for driving through roundabouts

According to the Highway Code, if you’re approaching a roundabout, you should attempt to absorb all the information surrounding you, such as traffic signs, traffic lights and lane markings which guide you into the lane that will lead you to your selected direction.

Ensure you identify your lane as early as possible, and gradually and safely move over to the correct lane while also adapting your speed and position to match traffic conditions and other motorists around you.

When arriving at the roundabout, you should give priority to traffic approaching from your right, unless directed otherwise by signs, road markings or traffic lights. You should also verify whether road markings permit you to enter the roundabout without giving way.

If so, proceed, but still look to the right before joining. If you’re taking the first left at a roundabout, signal left and approach in the left-hand lane. Stay to the left on the roundabout whilst continuing to indicate left as you exit.

When taking an exit to the right or going full circle, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise, start indicating right and approach the right hand lane. Keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout. Signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want to show other drivers you’re crossing the lane to exit the roundabout.

When there are more than three lanes at the entrance to a roundabout, select the most suitable lane on approach and while navigating through it. Occasionally, road signs will guide you to the correct lane, though this isn’t always the situation.

A catastrophic helicopter crash on the set of The Twilight Zone movie resulted in the tragic deaths of actor Vic Morrow and two children during a scene directed by John Landis in 1982

A horrifying tragedy on a major Hollywood film set claimed the lives of two young children and left 1970s screen legend Vic Morrow decapitated.

The crew were filming The Twilight Zone, co-directed by cinema heavyweight Steven Spielberg – the creative force behind ET, Jaws, Jurassic Park and Gremlins.

The fatal catastrophe unfolded during a helicopter sequence at 2.20am, overseen by co-director John Landis, when seven-year-old Myca Dinh Le and six-year-old Renee Shin-Yi Chen perished alongside Vic Morrow, 53.

So what went wrong?

Morrow, portraying a character called Bill Connor, was supposed to rescue the two youngsters from an abandoned village across a waterway during a US military chase scene, with the aircraft hovering menacingly above, The New York Times reported.

The scene was being captured at Indian Dunes, California, when a planned pyrotechnic blast unexpectedly struck the helicopter’s rotor blades, causing it to plunge into the water.

The devastating impact resulted in the horrific beheadings of Morrow and Le, whilst young performer Chen was killed by the wreckage – the children’s parents witnessed the nightmarish events unfold on July 23, 1982.

Six people on board the helicopter during the disaster sustained minor wounds. Following the catastrophe, both civil and criminal proceedings were initiated against the production team responsible for the shoot, including director Landis.

Nevertheless, after a gruelling nine-month trial, Landis and four other defendants were cleared of involuntary manslaughter charges.

A group of 16 prominent filmmakers, including Francis Ford Coppola, Ron Howard, John Huston, George Lucas, Sidney Lumet and Billy Wilder, wrote a public letter expressing their support for Landis.

However, Spielberg refused to add his name to the list. In an April 1983 interview with the Los Angeles Times, he said: “No movie is worth dying for. I think people are standing up much more now than ever before to producers and directors who ask too much.

“If something isn’t safe, it’s the right and responsibility of every actor or crew member to yell ‘cut!’”.

The families of Le and Chen filed civil lawsuits and reached an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sum.

Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board released its findings in October 1984, determining the “probable cause of the accident was the detonation of debris-laden high-temperature special effects explosions too near a low-flying helicopter”.

This had led to “foreign object damage to one rotor blade and delamination due to heat to the other rotor blade, the separation of the helicopter’s tail rotor assembly, and the uncontrolled descent of the helicopter”.

The report continued: “The proximity of the helicopter (around 25 feet off the ground) to the special effects explosions was due to the failure to establish direct communications and coordination between the pilot, who was in command of the helicopter operation, and the film director, who was in charge of the filming operation.”

Moreover, investigators found that having the children present had violated child labour laws, which banned youngsters from working at such late hours, let alone being exposed to explosives or aircraft.

Shockingly, despite the fatal incident, production resumed, and the film remains available to view today. Twilight Zone: The Movie was released in cinemas in June 1983.

Koichi Nakano, associate professor of political science at Sophia University, says that despite initial grumbling when the snap election was announced, the LDP appears to be riding high on the prime minister’s popularity. A recent Asahi Shimbun survey suggests the party is on track to gain significantly more than the 233 seats needed for a majority in the 8 February lower house election.

IRELAND XV: Shane Daly (Cork Constitution FC/Munster); Joshua Kenny (Terenure College RFC/Leinster), James Hume (Instonians RFC/Ulster), Dan Kelly (Munster), Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster); Ciarán Frawley (UCD RFC/Leinster), Fintan Gunne (Terenure College RFC/Leinster); Billy Bohan (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Gus McCarthy (UCD RFC/Leinster), Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Charlie Irvine (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Fineen Wycherley (Young Munster RFC/Munster), Max Deegan (Lansdowne FC/Leinster) (capt), Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Brian Gleeson (Garryowen FC/Munster).

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen FC/Munster), Sam Crean (Ulster), Jack Aungier (Clontarf FC/Connacht), Harry Sheridan (Dublin University FC/Ulster), Paul Boyle (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht), Matthew Devine (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Cathal Forde (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Sean Jansen (Connacht).

ENGLAND ‘A’: Joe Carpenter (Sale Sharks); Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Luke Northmore (Harlequins), Orlando Bailey (Leicester Tigers), Ollie Hassell-Collins (Leicester Tigers); Billy Searle (Leicester Tigers), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears); Tarek Haffar (Leicester Tigers), Jamie Blamire (Leicester Tigers), George Kloska (Bristol Bears), Ben Bamber (Sale Sharks), Joe Batley (Bristol Bears), Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs) (capt), Jack Kenningham (Harlequins), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins).

Replacements: Kepueli Tuipulotu (Bath), Archie van der Flier (Leicester Tigers), Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester), Hugh Tizard (Saracens), Fitz Harding (Bristol Bears), Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks), Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester), George Hendy (Northampton Saints).