The pupil from Blackwood was on a school trip to the Dolygaer Outdoor Centre when he plunged from a zip wire

A 10-year-old boy is in hospital after falling more than 20ft from a zip wire at an activities centre in Merthyr Tydfil. The boy was on a school trip from Libanus Primary school in Blackwood to the Dolygaer Outdoor Centre when the incident occurred.

The outdoor adventure centre said they were committed to the highest standards of safety and would ensure they cooperated fully with any investigations.

After the child fell from the zip wire, on-site staff and a teacher immediately provided first aid. The pupil also received medical care from a mountain rescue professional before he was taken to the Prince Charles Hospital Children’s Unit in Merthyr Tydfil by paramedics.

A spokesperson for Dolygaer Outdoor Centre said: “An incident occurred involving a 10-year-old student from a visiting school.

“At approximately 8pm, the student was involved in a fall. On-site staff and a teacher responded immediately to provide first aid. Medical care was further supported by a Mountain Rescue professional.

“The student was transferred to the care of paramedics, and we understand he is now recovering in hospital.

“Our primary concern is the wellbeing of the student and their family, as well as the students and staff who witnessed this event. We are continuing to work closely with the school to provide necessary reassurance and support.

“Dolygaer remains committed to the highest standards of safety and will be cooperating fully with any further inquiries”. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Nicola Williams, Executive Head teacher of Libanus Primary School said, “We can confirm that a pupil from the school was involved in an accident at a local activity centre last week and the whole school community wishes him a full and speedy recovery.

“The safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff is paramount and we will be fully supporting the investigation into the cause of the incident.”

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At around 4pm today, Monday, May 18, Greater Manchester Police responded to reports of an aggressive male on Trinity Street.

Police arrived and found a man, 53, who matched the description. He was then detained and searched.

He was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and now awaits further questioning as he remains in custody.

A GMP statement said: “A short while ago, PC Sharples responded to reports of an aggressive male on Trinity Street, Bolton town centre.

“Upon arrival, a male matching the given description was detained and searched.

“The male, aged 53, has been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, and remains in custody for questioning.”

Tom Kane, the voice actor best known for lending his voice to the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series and The Powerpuff Girls, has died at the age of 64.

Kane died Monday, his talent agency, Galactic Productions, announced on Facebook. No other details about where and how he died were provided.

“From his unforgettable performances in Star Wars to countless animated series, documentaries, and games, Tom brought wisdom, strength, humor, and heart to every role he touched. His voice became part of our lives, our memories, and the stories we carry with us,” the post read.

“Though his voice may now be silent, the characters, stories, and love he gave to the world will live on forever,” it continued. “But beyond the incredible career was an extraordinary man. Tom was a devoted husband and father who, alongside his wife, built a loving family of nine children — three biological and six welcomed through adoption and fostering.”

Kane voiced Yoda, the narrator and Admiral Yularen in the seven-season animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which premiered in 2008 and aired its final season in 2020.

Beyond Clone Wars, his Star Wars work expanded into video games and movies, including the 2017 movie Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi.

Kane retired from voice acting in September 2021 after a debilitating stroke in 2020 left him largely unable to speak.

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New analysis by pension consultants LCP has found that only around 5.4% of Britain’s pensioners – roughly one in 18 – are likely to benefit from the scheme due to begin in 2027/28.

Perhaps most strikingly, no pensioner who reached state pension age before April 6, 2016 – those born before April 6 2016 – is expected to qualify, despite many having identical retirement incomes to those who will receive the tax break.

The findings raise fresh questions over the Government’s attempt to solve what experts say is an increasingly awkward political problem: the state pension rising above the frozen personal tax allowance.

Why pensioners could start paying tax on the state pension

Under the “triple lock”, the state pension rises each year by whichever is highest of inflation, average earnings growth or 2.5%.

At the same time, the personal allowance – currently £12,570 – remains frozen until 2030.

As a result, analysts expect the full new state pension to exceed the tax-free allowance from April 2027, meaning pensioners who rely solely on the state pension would begin receiving tax demands from HMRC.

LCP estimates those tax bills could rise rapidly:

• Around £88 in 2027/28
• Around £153 in 2028/29
• Around £220 in 2029/30

In last year’s Budget, the Government pledged to prevent these pensioners from paying tax through a special exemption.

But pensions experts say the proposal is far narrower than many retirees may realise.

Experts warn the “vast majority” will receive nothing

According to LCP’s deep-dive analysis of official pension data, the overwhelming majority of retirees will not qualify.

The consultancy estimates:

• Britain currently has around 13.2 million state pension recipients
• Around 7.7 million pensioners on the old state pension system will automatically miss out
• Of the roughly 5 million on the new state pension, most will also fail to qualify because they have additional income, protected payments or overseas residency

That leaves only around 700,000 pensioners potentially benefiting from the tax concession.

Former pensions minister and LCP partner Steve Webb said the policy creates major inequalities between pensioners on different systems.

“Two separate policies – triple lock uprating of the state pension and freezing of tax thresholds – will collide next year,” Webb said.

“From 2027 onwards, someone with just the new state pension and no other income will start getting annual tax bills from HMRC.”

He added: “The proposed solution is deeply flawed. It discriminates against those on the old state pension system, even if they have identical income to someone on the new system.”

Why nobody who retired before April 2016 will benefit

One of the biggest revelations in the report is that pensioners under the pre-2016 state pension system appear effectively excluded.

Under the Government’s proposal, the exemption only applies to pensioners whose sole income is the “basic state pension” with no additions or increments.

But the old basic state pension remains far below the tax threshold – currently around £9,614 a year – making it highly unlikely these pensioners would owe income tax anyway.

In reality, many retirees under the old system receive extra state pension income through SERPS or the State Second Pension.

However, that additional income automatically disqualifies them from the exemption.

Experts say this creates highly unusual situations where two pensioners with identical total retirement incomes are treated differently solely because their pension is structured differently.

For example:

• A pensioner receiving only the full new state pension could qualify for the tax write-off
• A pensioner receiving the same amount via the old basic pension plus SERPS would still face a tax bill

Webb said this amounted to “differential treatment” with no obvious justification.

Everyone eligible for the basic State Pension has now reached State Pension age. To get it you need to have enough National Insurance qualifying years.

You also need to be either a:

• man born before 6 April 1951
• woman born before 6 April 1953

If you were born on or after these dates, you’ll claim the new State Pension instead.

Small private pensions could trigger large tax penalties

Experts also warned the scheme creates sharp “cliff edges” that may punish pensioners with even tiny amounts of additional income.

Under the current proposal, receiving as little as £1 of taxable income outside the state pension could mean losing the entire tax exemption.

That could affect retirees with:

• Small workplace pensions
• Savings income
• Tiny annuities
• Automatic enrolment pension pots

Pensions tax specialists say some retirees could inadvertently trigger much larger tax bills simply by cashing in modest pension savings.

LCP pensions expert Alasdair Mayes said the plans risk adding complexity rather than simplifying the system.

“This is another example of a seemingly well-intentioned policy announcement adding complexity and unfairness in the tax system,” Mayes said.

“A simple and transparent tax system would be a benefit to all.”

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Experts warn future governments face growing costs

Analysts say the policy may also become increasingly expensive and politically difficult to reverse.

Because the state pension is expected to continue rising faster than the frozen tax threshold, the amount of tax being waived would increase every year.

By 2029/30, the Government could be writing off more than £200 annually for each qualifying pensioner.

Experts say the measure risks becoming politically entrenched in the same way as the triple lock itself.

Webb warned the policy currently looks like a temporary “sticking plaster” rather than a lasting solution.

“It may be reasonably easy to defend not collecting £88 in tax from relatively low-income pensioners in year one,” he said.

“But as the years go by the Government would be writing off hundreds of pounds per eligible pensioner per year, at a growing cost to taxpayers.”

Could increasing everyone’s Personal Allowance be a fairer alternative?

LCP’s report suggests ministers may eventually need to consider broader reforms.

One option would be a higher tax-free allowance specifically for pensioners, ensuring the full state pension always remains below the tax threshold.

But experts estimate that could cost more than £2 billion annually by the end of the decade because it would benefit millions of pensioners already paying tax.

Another possibility would be simply writing off very small HMRC bills for all pensioners regardless of pension type.

Analysts say this would remove some of the unfairness between old and new state pension systems – although it could still create cliff-edge problems.

For now, experts say the Government still faces major unanswered questions before the policy is implemented in April 2027.

And for millions of pensioners – especially anyone who retired before April 2016 – the promised tax break may never arrive at all.

ITVX fans looking for their next fix need look no further as a “truly fantastic series” is dropping on the platform in just days

A ‘masterpiece’ series with an 82% Rotten Tomatoes score is set to drop on ITVX in just days.

‘Unmissable’ 70s-set series, Daisy Jones & The Six, which fans binged ‘all at once’ during its release in 2023, is heading to the platform next month.

Daisy Jones & The Six is based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s 2019 novel of the same name and the show was developed by 500 Days of Summer writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber.

The series was inspired by the life and career of Fleetwood Mac and it stars Elvis Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keough and British actor Sam Claflin as leading stars Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne respectively.

Meanwhile, Camila Morrone stars as Camila Alvarez, Suki Waterhouse as Karen Sirko, Will Harrison as Graham Dunne, Josh Whitehouse as Eddie Roundtree, Sebastian Chacon as Warren Rojas, Nabiyah Be as Simone Jackson, Tom Wright as Teddy Price and Timothy Olyphant as Rod Reyes.

The show follows the 1970s rock band from their early days to becoming one of the most famous bands in the world. The series later explores the reason behind the band’s split at the height of their success.

The series received rave reviews during its release in 2023, scoring 82% on Rotten Tomatoes. One show watcher said at the time: “I laughed and I cried and laughed again, then cried again. The best final episode of a series I’ve ever seen.

“Daisy, The Six, I love them all. It’s rare for a show to feature such fully developed main and supporting characters. Daisy and The Six pulls this remarkable feat off with aplomb. Not only is this show a love affair with rock ‘n roll, it’s a love affair with love itself. The early years, the wild years, the final years and the yearning. It’s all there. I’m so glad I could binge it all at once, because I couldn’t bare to not be able to start and then finish this magnificent ode to life and love. Don’t miss it.”

Another viewer put: “Unmissable brilliance”, adding: “Do yourself a favour and watch this, end to end and don’t miss or skip anything because in the end, you’ll need to really have felt every jarring moment, if you want to really feel the end as you b****y well should.”

A different fan commented: “A captivating and nostalgic tribute to 70s rock ‘n’ roll” while another viewer added: “A Rock ‘n’ Roll Masterpiece That Will Leave You Breathless.”

Elsewhere, another show watcher said: “One of a kind, one of the top series I have ever watched. I just finished and I could go on again and again. From the first episode I could smell the potential of this show. Amazing how much you can get involved in the history of people and a band who never really existed.”

While another viewer put: “This show is unique, incredibly well-scripted and the acting in it is worth obsessing over. And if you, like me, love both 70s music and a good romance, I guarantee you’ll watch it back to back, which by the way Stevie Nicks herself did.

“The music is way too good compared to what you’d expect from an original soundtrack for a TV series. I’m pretty sure Daisy Jones & The Six will be my top artist for the year and it’s only January.”

Daisy Jones & the Six is available to watch on ITVX on Sunday 7 June.

James Goh, 23, a Queens’ College engineering student at Cambridge University, broke the Guinness World Record for the longest fidget spinner duration

A Cambridge University engineering student has broken the world record for the longest duration spinning a fidget spinner on one finger – clocking 30 minutes 34.54 seconds.

James Goh, 23, constructed his own fidget spinner to secure the Guinness World Records title, surpassing the previous record by nearly five minutes. He was at school when the popular children’s toys swept the globe in 2017.

“This has been a hobby of mine since I was a kid, so I’m delighted to get the record – although my finger did ache a little bit after holding it in the same position for so long,” he said. “I suppose in a way I’ve taken the fidget out of fidget spinning!”

His achievement is approximately 20 times longer than a standard spinner purchased from a shop. He established the record in Hong Kong, where he lives when not studying at university in Cambridge, on December, 16 2025. James said his fascination with gyroscopes started when he watched the spinning top in Christopher Nolan’s 2010 sci-fi film Inception.

As part of their degree programme, Cambridge engineering students examine the physics of gyroscopes, which are vital components used in everything from smartphones to spacecraft navigation systems. The Queens’ College student applied his learning, particularly in aerodynamics and tribology – the science of friction – to enhance his hobby.

“People do often ask me why I’m so interested in spinning tops and fidget spinners,” he said. “There’s definitely something hypnotic about them and their mechanical efficiency is pretty remarkable. I also think it’s got a lot to do with being competitive; it’s a very interesting optimisation problem because the goal keeps shifting.

“There are always new materials or techniques to use to tweak the design – there are always improvements that can be made.”

James – who is studying on the Manufacturing Engineering Tripos, an option available during the final two years of a Cambridge engineering degree – drew upon academic papers to guide his experiments and help determine the Guinness World Record-breaking formula.

He initially developed his formula for spinning tops, before applying it to engineer his “pulsar fidget spinner” and establish the new record.

“It involves a lot of data collection to come up with 3D models, which I then make in the workshop,” he said.

“Differential equations have helped me a lot to refine the formula, although there is no actual analytical solution, because technically it’s unsolvable. There’s no magical, optimal spinning time, but you can get close to it.”

The centre of James’s spinner is constructed from lightweight hollow aluminium, while tungsten – an exceptionally dense metal – is concentrated around the edges to store kinetic energy.

This means all the weight sits on the outside – generating a “high moment of inertia” – and enabling it to spin for an extended period. He said: “Designing a spinner is basically about three things: maximising the energy you start with, minimising the energy you end with and transitioning between those two states as slowly as possible, so you’re losing energy as slowly as possible. The tricky thing is that these factors are all in conflict with each other, and in a really complicated way.”

21st January – Katie meets Lee in Dubai, after talking on social media.

23rd January – The two get engaged in a proposal that is near identical to Lee’s proposal to ex Alana Percival.

25th January – Katie and Lee get married in a ceremony in Dubai. Her children were reportedly not aware that a wedding was taking place.

26th January – Katie leaves for the UK without Lee. He says he is meeting her in the UK to next day but does not go, leading to rumours he has a travel ban.

27th January – Lee’s ex Alana Percival warns Katie about him, saying he is a con man.

2nd February – Lee denies having a travel ban and says he will travel out of Dubai soon.

5th Februray – Katie returns to Dubai.

February-May – Katie keeps going back and forth between the UK and Dubai, while Lee does not travel.

12th May – Lee ‘misses’ his and Katie’s appearance on Good Morning Britain and later claims he is in Muscat airport but it seems like he’s in Dubai airport.

13th May – Katie says Lee is planning to fly out that day. She said he was “at the airport going through the border control to get his exit stamp”. Katie claims she made her last contact with Lee at 10.03pm

14th May onwards – Katie says she cannot get in touch with Lee and her and his family are worried.

17th May – It has been claimed an official missing person report has been filed. A source said: “Lee is officially a missing person now. Katie is in constant contact with his family and is desperately worried.”