Fans of The Wombles have been waiting years for a reboot of the programme

An iconic BBC children’s TV show is set to make a stunning return to screens 28 years after it last aired.

Recent years have seen many stations turning to the past in an attempt to find a new series which will captivate younger viewers. Earlier in the year, the BBC released the first season of Balamory in 21 years,

Originally airing from 2002 to 2005 on CBeebies, the series follows the lives of the residents living in a fictional small island community off the west coast of Scotland. The reboot was such a success that two new seasons have been announced.

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The past few years have also seen the likes of Wizards of Waverly Place, iCarly, The Fairly OddParents all brought back to life. However, a series from the 1970s is now being readjusted for modern eyes.

Based on the characters who were created by children’s author Elisabeth Beresford, The Wombles is a stop motion animated series which premiered in 1973. The goal of the show was to teach children about the importance of recycling and environmental issues.

The Wombles followed the adventures of a group of creatures that live underground, collecting and recycling human rubbish. Originally coming to an end in 1975, a generation was raised on repeat episodes.

The series first returned with a revival in 1997, which sadly only aired for two years. However, it did introduce three new Womble characters that were a hit with fans.

Fans have spent a long time waiting for new episodes, after a new series was announced back in 2013. Sadly, none of the episodes which were due to air on Channel 5 were released.

After years of waiting, The Wombles are coming back in a global revival which will blend original 1970s episodes with contemporary live-action and influencer-led shows. Rather than needing a TV station, the content will drop on YouTube.

Neil Blair, founding partner and agent at The Blair Partnership, which now manages The Wombles’ rights, said: “The Wombles is an iconic British brand with strong cultural appeal, distinctive characters with core values that translate and resonate globally.

“It is a rich content opportunity and, with rights now aligned plus a clear development pipeline in place, the property is ideally positioned for expansion across multiple platforms and categories.

“We see significant potential to build The Wombles into a multiplatform international franchise for a new generation of audiences.”

The new YouTube Channel will see beloved characters Orinoco, Wellington and Alderney all return. Digital animation will show them in a brand new light, they may even become the new Bluey!

The Blair Partnership are also developing audio productions featuring celebrity casts, new storybooks, expanded merchandise and an interactive digital game based on The Wombles.

Amber heat health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) with a potential heatwave set to develop this weekend.

The amber alerts cover the east, south-east and south-west of England as well as London, and are valid from 12:00 BST on Thursday until 20:00 on Tuesday.

Yellow alerts are valid across the Midlands during the same times.

Temperatures are set to climb above 30C (86F) during Friday and then again from Sunday – with the potential that some locations in the south and east of the UK may enter official heatwave conditions.

Amber heat health alerts are issued when high temperatures are likely to have a significant impact on health and social care services.

They suggest there is likely to be an increase in deaths, especially among those aged over 65 or with long-term health conditions.

Ivory Coast international Elye Wahi has been denied entry to Canada for his country’s World Cup group game against Germany on Saturday.

The Nice forward was reportedly, external arrested last month before the World Cup over alleged involvement in spot-fixing in Ligue 1.

Wahi, 23 – who started Sunday’s World Cup win over Ecuador – has been accused of deliberately earning a yellow card while playing for Nice against Metz in May.

Spot-fixing is the practice of deliberately affecting match incidents in a way that allows people to profit through betting markets.

A statement to the Athletic from the public prosecutor’s office in Marseille confirmed a 23-year-old football player, competing in France’s Ligue 1, was arrested, without naming Wahi.

On Wednesday, Ligue de Football (LFP) confirmed they had been alerted to “an unusually high volume of bets placed on a warning involving the player Elye Wahi”.

The Ivory Coast’s football federation (FIF) say they had not been told of any “judicial or administrative proceedings” against Wahi, but confirmed he had not been able to obtain authorisation to enter Canada.

“The Ivorian Football Federation has taken note of the various articles and information published on this Wednesday, June 17, 2026, concerning the Ivorian international Elye Wahi,” it said in a statement.

“To date, the FIF has not been officially notified of any judicial or administrative proceedings involving him.

“In this particularly delicate period, the FIF extends all its support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him. Elye Wahi remains an important element of the Ivory Coast national team.

“The FIF also informs that the player will not be able to join the delegation’s trip to Canada. Indeed, the necessary administrative authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage.

“Elye Wahi will therefore remain in the United States pending the team’s return.”

After facing Germany in Toronto, the Ivory Coast then play Curacao in Philadelphia next Thursday.

The statement from the Marseille public prosecutor’s office said the arrest was made “as part of an investigation opened by the Marseille public prosecutor’s office into allegations of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling of proceeds of crime and money laundering”.

The player was released after being interviewed in police custody and the investigations remain ongoing, officials added.

Wahi’s booking in the game was his fifth in the league so earned him a suspension for the first leg of Nice’s relegation play-off against Saint-Etienne on 26 May.

That game ended in a 0-0 draw but Wahi returned for the second leg in which he scored twice in a 4-1 victory to help Nice keep their place in the top flight.

BBC Sport has contacted Wahi’s representatives and Fifa for comment.

The LFP said: “At this stage, and given the ongoing investigation and the confidentiality requirements imposed by the police authorities, the LFP will not make any further comments and has not initiated disciplinary proceedings. However, it reserves the right to do so depending on the progress of the investigation.

“The LFP reiterates that it remains fully committed to ensuring the integrity of its competitions and that it will act with the utmost firmness against any behaviour that could compromise it.”

Wahi is the second World Cup player to be denied entry to Canada after Ghana’s Thomas Partey was refused a visa because of ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK.

Former Arsenal midfielder Partey pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022 and is scheduled to stand trial next year.

Partey wrongly told officials in Canada he had never been arrested or charged with a crime and missed Ghana’s World Cup win over Panama as a result.

The Ghanaian government sought permission for him to enter the country briefly to take part in the game but that appeal was rejected at a federal court in Ottawa.

Jamie Varley, 37, a former head of year at a high school, and his partner, ex-public schoolboy and sales manager John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, sexually assaulted and physically abused Preston Davey after adopting him aged nine months, before his murder following a sex assault by Varley four months later at their Blackpool home.

Varley’s sentence means he will never be released from prison, while McGowan-Fazakerley was also jailed for 25 years for allowing Preston’s death.

Both men were convicted by a jury on Monday, June 15, following an eight-week trial at Preston Crown Court, following Preston’s death on April 27, 2023.

Jamie Varley will never be released from prison (Image: Lancashire Police)

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Turner said Preston had faced “unremitting abuse” and neglect before being killed by Varley during a sex attack.

Turning to Varley, he said: “It was you who did this. You murdered him.

“A whole life order is a sentence of last resort for cases of the most extreme gravity.

“This is a case of the most extreme gravity. You must stay in prison for the rest of your life. You will never be eligible for parole.”

Varley, wearing a purple V-neck T-shirt, looked gaunt and sat with his hands folded on his lap, looking straight ahead and made no reaction when his sentence was read out.

Preston had been taken from his mother, Sarah Davey, now 42, by an emergency care order by Oldham Council and placed into foster care at five days old.

Preston Davey was murdered by Jamie Varley (Image: Police)

Ms Davey was herself jailed for murdering a frail pensioner when she was a 14-year-old, and has been in and out of prison since then.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Davey described the day Preston was taken from her as one of the worst of her life.

She said: “I had no choice in that decision.

“I tried to take some comfort in believing he would be safe, loved, and protected, and he was with his foster parents, Sandra and Paul (Cooper).

“I trusted them, they and the system trusted you, that trust was completely and unforgivably broken.

“I will never forgive you for what you did to my son and what you stopped him from becoming and achieving in his life.

“Every single day, I live with the unimaginable pain of wondering what he went through. Those thoughts do not leave me.

“They are with me when I wake up, and they haunt me when I try to sleep. The reality of how he suffered is something I will carry for the rest of my life.”

In his victim impact statement, Preston’s biological father, Gary Nolan, told of his grief at hearing the news of his son’s death.

“Hysterical and crying”, Mr Nolan was admitted to hospital for his own safety and still takes medication to help manage his anxiety and depression.

He said: “Preston was my first and only son. The fact that he has been taken away from me has stopped me from having a father-son relationship.

“I was looking forward to doing the simple things with him, playing football, teaching him how to ride a bike, having him ask me for help, seeing him learn to drive and of course celebrating his birthdays.

“This has deprived my three daughters and me of ever having these opportunities.”

Mr and Mrs Cooper, Preston’s foster parents, said his murder was the reason they decided not to retire from fostering as “we felt we had a duty to other children and could not sit back and enjoy ourselves knowing that other children were being abused, mistreated and could die”.

They said they had lost trust in the system and cannot express the pain they feel at Preston’s killing.

The trial heard Preston had been taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital three times in the months before his death and was seen by a “battery of professionals” during his life, including multiple social workers, health visitors and medics, and a social services investigation is underway.

York Jobcentre is organising the jobs fair on Tuesday July 14 from 10.30am to 1.30pm at Temple Hall, York St John University.

The jobcentre says the free event offers those looking for a job, apprentice options, or a change of career, a valuable chance to engage directly with a wide range of local employers and training providers. 

Attendees will be able to speak face-to-face with recruiters, learn about current vacancies, and gain insight into the skills and qualifications employers are looking for. Professional advisors will also be available throughout the event to provide free, impartial information, advice, and guidance. 

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The jobcentre is inviting employers to take part and still has exhibition space for them to take part.

Sarah Lyus, Recruitment Consultant, York Job Centre, said: “We have seen previous success with York Job Fairs in partnership with York Learning and look forward to this new venue where we can connect jobseekers with local employers, offer support for career advice and provide learning opportunities to further enhance career prospects for our Job seekers.”

Will Harris, Learning and Skills Development Manager & Digital Skills Curriculum Manager – York Learning, said: “It’s great to be working again with York Job Centre for another York Job Fair.

“At York Learning, our mission is to inspire people to learn, explore and achieve. We encourage everyone to come and visit us on the day — we’ll be happy to discuss your skills, offer employability support, and share information on the wide range of courses available and much more.”

The event comes as the latest claimant count figures for the region show and overall rise in the claimant count for 18-24s especially.

The latest claimant count figures (Image: Pic supplied)

In May, York had a claimant count of 2,535, which is a decrease of 35 or 1%. However, the number aged 18-24 was 565, an increase of 85 or 17% on a year ago.

Ryedale has a claimant count of 660, an increase of 85 or 15% on a year ago. Those aged 18-25 made up 90 of this, an increase of 25 or 38%.

However, in Selby, the claimant count for May was 1,150, an increase of ten or 1%. Those aged 18-24 made up 295 of this, a decrease of 58 or 2%.

Nationally, the overall UK unemployment rate fell unexpectedly from 5% to 4.9% in the three months to April.

How do you feel about these figures, especially how they are affecting the young? What can the government do to help? How much might it be to blame? And how do you feel about the widder economy? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Turkey’s Arda Guler has taken the most shots at the tournament so far, although the fact that his eight attempts amounted to just 0.26 xG in total shows how optimistic his shooting was against Australia.

While the Real Madrid youngster is obviously far more talented than the average player, the quality of shots he took means that historically a player would score once every 31 attempts.

South Korea’s Son Heung-min was the worst finisher in the opening round based on expected goals as he failed to score from six chances totalling 1.0 xG – a surprising fact given that the former Tottenham man was one of most ruthless finishers during his time in the Premier League.

24 players have a 100% shot conversion rate so far but only two have taken more than one shot – Sweden’s Yasin Ayari and New Zealand’s Elijah Just, who have both scored twice.

Seven players created five chances in their opening game but only Germany’s Joshua Kimmich saw his teammates take advantage as he claimed two assists in the 7-1 win against Curaçao.

An inquest has opened into the death of a man who crashed into a house earlier this year

An inquest has opened into the death of a 40-year-old man who crashed into a house in Cambridgeshire earlier this year. Richard Woollard, the driver of a blue Ford Mondeo, died after his car crashed into a house on Paston Ridings at around 6pm on May 17, 2026.

Richard died on May 23 at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, days after the crash. In a tribute, his family said: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our son, Richard. He will be profoundly missed by his family and friends. Please respect our privacy during this difficult time.”

The inquest into his death opened on Thursday, June 18, at Vantage House in Huntingdon by area coroner Caroline Jones. The hearing heard that Richard had been driving at “excess speed” when he “lost control” before crashing into the house.

Cambridgeshire Police confirmed a woman in her 70s, who was in the house at the time, also suffered serious injuries.

The deceased was formally identified as Richard at the mortuary on May 28, 2026. His provisional cause of death has been given as a hypoxic-ischemic injury caused by cardiac arrest.

The inquest has been adjourned until December 3, 2026, to be continued by senior coroner David Heming. Coroner Jones offered her condolences to the family and friends of Richard.

Wales take on the Barbarians at Allianz Stadium Twickenham next Saturday ahead of the Nations Championship.

Steve Tandy is expected to be without 15 of his squad because the game falls outside of World Rugby’s designated international window.

But even so the Wales coach should still be able to select a strong side. This is the matchday squad he is likely to select.

15. Blair Murray

Louis Rees-Zammit is unavailable for the Barbarians game so Tandy will have to look at alternative options, particularly with the Bristol man declaring he wants to remain a winger going forward.

Blair Murray was Tandy’s full-back during the autumn, although concerns surrounded his aerial ability.

Tom Rogers and Ellis Mee are other potential options but Tandy is likely to go with Murray’s attacking threat.

14. Mason Grady

The Cardiff wing is currently recovering from a fractured thumb but is expected to be fit by the time Wales face the Barbarians.

Grady is a very effective runner when put into space; his size, explosive power and space are potentially big assets to this Wales side.

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13. Eddie James

Many experts believe James’s best position is inside centre.

That might be the case in the long-run but Tandy might want to go for continuity this summer.

James is a very powerful ball carrier capable of making significant post-contact metres.

12. Joe Hawkins

Hawkins’ partnership with James improved as the Six Nations wore on. While Tandy could look at Bryn Bradley at some point, the Harlequins centre is unavailable against the Barbarians.

The Scarlets centre is a talented footballer with a physical presence, and his distribution is generally very good.

11. Josh Adams

The 31-year-old finished the season strongly for Cardiff and his experience will be important for Wales moving towards the Rugby World Cup.

Adams is strong both under the high-ball and in defence, while he is also a potent finisher.

10. Dan Edwards

The Ospreys outside-half finished the Six Nations with an outstanding individual performance in the victory over Italy at the Principality Stadium.

Edwards will relish the challenge the Barbarians will present and his attacking instincts should come to the fore.

9. Kieran Hardy

This is a good opportunity for the 30-year-old with Tomos Williams unavailable.

Tandy also has the option of Reuben Morgan-Williams and Ellis Bevan but based on recent selections Hardy is higher up the pecking order.

8. Aaron Wainwright

The 28-year-old was Wales’ best player during the Six Nations and elevated his game to a whole new level.

Wainwright is a dynamic ball carrier who is extremely physical and is also effective when put into space where his skillset comes to the fore.

7. Jac Morgan

Tandy will be delighted to see Morgan fit again after the 26-year-old missed the Six Nations due to dislocating his shoulder against Argentina last autumn.

Morgan is a world class player and one of the first names on Tandy’s team sheet.

His return creates intense competition for the number six shirt given how well certain players performed in his absence.

6. James Botham

Wales have some strong options at blindside flanker but Botham had a fine Six Nations campaign.

The 28-year-old has a huge engine and gets through a mountain of unseen work in defence while he also offers himself as a carrier.

5. Teddy Williams

The 25-year-old has not played since dislocating his foot against Connacht last October.

But he is expected to be fit by the time the Barbarians game comes around and this is the perfect opportunity for Tandy to give the Cardiff lock a run out.

Wales are also without Dafydd Jenkins, Freddie Thomas and potentially Adam Beard, as the Top 14 final is the same day as the Barbarians fixture.

4. Ben Carter

The Dragons lock stepped into Adam Beard’s shoes in Wales’ narrow defeat against Scotland and impressed.

Carter called the lineout during the Six Nations and is a workhorse who puts his body on the line.

It will be interesting to see how he kicks on this summer.

3. Dillon Lewis

The 30-year-old has not played for Wales since March 2024, so he will undoubtedly be chomping at the bit to represent his country again.

Lewis will arguably be Wales’ most important player this summer given the injuries at tighthead with Tomas Francis, Archie Griffin and Keiron Assiratti all unavailable.

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2. Dewi Lake (Captain)

The Gloucester-bound hooker missed the latter part of the Ospreys’ season after undergoing shoulder surgery, but he is expected to be fit this summer.

Lake was outstanding towards the back end of the Six Nations as Wales’ lineout improved dramatically while he also carried well.

1. Gareth Thomas

With Rhys Carré and Nicky Smith unavailable the Barbarians fixture could prove a good opportunity for Thomas.

The experienced Ospreys prop was a Wales regular up until recently and will want his shirt back.

Replacements

16. Evan Lloyd

If this were a Test match Ryan Elias would be on the bench but Tandy might want to use his bench to look at certain players.

Lloyd could thrive when the game is looser in the second-half.

17. Rhys Barratt

The 24-year-old has enjoyed a fine season with Cardiff and thoroughly deserves his place in the Wales squad.

Barratt offers a huge amount around the park.

18. Ben Warren

Wales have been hit by a plethora of injuries at tighthead but this could be the uncapped Warren’s breakthrough campaign.

19. Ryan Woodman

Wales are without three front-line locks against the Barbarians so Woodman may have to cover the second-row.

The former Wales U20s captain is a fine prospect who has gone well for the Dragons this season.

20. Taine Plumtree

The Scarlets man has his critics but when at his best he can be very effective.

Plumtree would thrive in a looser game against the Barbarians.

21. Reuben Morgan-Williams

The Ospreys scrum-half has had to bide his time with Wales and will be eager to make an impact.

22. Sam Costelow

The Scarlets playmaker has not played since injuring his shoulder against Scotland.

But at his best Costelow can be very effective and his battle with Dan Edwards for the number 10 shirt can only be a good thing moving forward.

23. Ellis Mee

The Scarlets man is strong under the high ball and a decent broken field runner who can cover wing and full-back.

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