“Local people know about this connection, but we’ve always looked upon it as Cheadle’s best kept secret.”

Head through the impressive stone gates of Abney Hall Park off Manchester Road in Cheadle and it feels like you’re escaping to another time. Meander through the woodland until the trees separate out and a sweeping view of the majestic hall comes into sight.

Now, a new information board has been added to this spectacular view, to allow visitors to learn about the fascinating role this hall played in the life of one of the world’s greatest authors – Agatha Christie. The board was unveiled this week by Agatha’s grandson Mathew Prichard, who has fond memories of playing in the hall as a child.

The world-famous crime writer’s older sister, Margaret ‘Madge’ Watts, lived in Cheadle for almost 50 years and Abney Hall was one of her homes in the village. It is said to be one of the main inspirations for the iconic ‘country house’ setting that features so prominently in Christie’s work and several of her books are dedicated to Abney Hall or members of her extended family in Cheadle.

Click here for the latest on Manchester’s food & drink scene, gigs and more in our CityLife newsletter

They include the 4.50 from Paddington which is said to be inspired by the layout of the grounds at Abney Hall; After the Funeral which Agatha dedicated to “good time at Abney” and The Body in the Library which Agatha dedicated to ‘Nan’ Watts who was a lifelong friend.

Agatha was said to have spent many joyful Christmases at the grand 19th century hall, an influence noted in Hercule Poirot’s Christmas and The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, in which Agatha gives a detailed dedication to ‘the Christmases of her youth’ at Abney Hall.

The Information Board about Christie is part of the new Cheadle Heritage Trail, a project by Cheadle Civic Society that has been supported by the Northern Trains Community Project Fund, Manchester Airport’s Community Trust Fund and Jonathan Alcock & Sons Ltd and is designed to bring the village’s history to life.

Each board highlights the story of a place, building or person that has contributed to Cheadle’s story – from historic landmarks to memorable characters.

It includes: Cheadle Green, James ‘Scotch Bob’ Telford, Cheadle Hall, Brooklyn Crescent Park, Cheadle Primary School and the Alcock Family. An information board is also planned for St Mary’s Church on Cheadle High Street.

The unveiling of the Information Board about Agatha Christie is also the latest part of a year-long programme of free events organised by Cheadle Civic Society to celebrate the village’s connection with ‘The Queen of Crime’.

The line-up has included book clubs inside Abney Hall, walking tours, crime writers panel discussions and creative activities for children at the local library – all of which have been free of charge.

In September, as part of the national Heritage Open Days festival, Cheadle Civic Society will also be organising free tours of Abney Hall for people to learn more about the building and its famous ‘Christie connection’.

Andrew Frazer, chair of Cheadle Civic Society, said: “Local people know about this connection, but we’ve always looked upon it as Cheadle’s best kept secret.

“But we felt it was important that Abney Hall in particular and that relationship with Agatha was put on the map. We thought we could apply for a blue plaque, but we do things slightly differently in Cheadle, we thought we’d get a full interpretation board and from that grew this idea, well why don’t we have a full heritage trail.

He added: “The creation of a Cheadle Heritage Trail has been a long-held ambition of the Society and the inclusion of Agatha Christie and her connection to the village was always going to be a highlight.

“To be able to welcome Mathew to the home of his grandmother’s sister to unveil the Information Board about her is a real thrill and we’re very grateful to The Christie Archive Trust for sharing images from their collection to use on the board.

“Likewise, we’d like to thank Manchester Airport, Northern Trains and the Alcock family for their support in helping to make this happen.”

Advertisement

Mathew, from Wales, was actually born in Greater Manchester back in 1943, when his heavily pregnant mother was visiting Abney Hall. He was born in neighbouring Gatley and proudly reveals he supports Manchester United!

He has fond memories of playing as a child along the long gallery at the back of the hall with his toy trains. Now 83, he says: “I used to be the chairman of the Agatha Christie Limited company and so I know from my days of doing that, days like this are mercifully quite frequent because people are still so keen to celebrate their links with Agatha Christie.”

Agatha died in 1976 aged 85, but remains the best-selling fiction author of all time. Among Agatha’s gifts to her grandson was giving him the rights to one of her most famous works, The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in theatre history.

He recalls of the gift: “I was 9 at the time, it didn’t strike chords of being remarkable at that time. I didn’t come across it properly for another 10 or 12 years.”

In 1995 he set up a charitable trust with the ongoing royalties from the play, which has raised millions of pounds for arts organisations across the UK. He said: “The idea is that it raises money for artistic events that owe in some way or another their existence to The Mousetrap’s longevity.”

Welcoming Mr Prichard to Abney Hall alongside Cheadle Civic Society this week was Demi Fletcher from Bruntwood, who has held the lease on the Hall since 1976. Bruntwood has been supporting Cheadle Civic Society with their events this year, providing access for the local community to explore Madge’s home of nearly 25 years.

Sharon Johnson, head of commercial at Bruntwood, said: “Abney Hall is an important part of Cheadle’s history and we’re delighted to support the Cheadle Civic Society in helping more people discover its connection to Agatha Christie. It’s been great to welcome Mathew Prichard to the Hall and to see the story of both the building and the local area brought to life through the Heritage Trail.” Carolyn Watson, Northern’s director of stakeholder and community engagement, said: “We proudly support the Cheadle Heritage Trail as it’s a brilliant project which allows people to immerse themselves in the village’s rich history. The new information boards look fantastic and I’m sure lots of people will enjoy learning all about the history of the buildings, locations and people – including Agatha Christie – that are part of Cheadle’s story.”

Helen McNabb, a trustee of the Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund, said: “We were thrilled to attend the opening of this important community asset, which we have partially funded. Manchester Airport’s Community Trust Fund aims to ensure that local communities share in the benefits of having a major international hub on their doorstep and invests more than £100,000 every year into community groups and not-for-profit projects.”

Cheadle Civic Society has plans to extend the Trail in the future, with a number of additional locations in the village already identified as suitable for their own Information Boards.

For more information about the Cheadle Heritage Trail and to download a free leaflet and map, visit: cheadlecivicsociety.uk/heritagetrail

Grammy-nominated star Teddy Swims is set to follow in the footsteps of The Cure this week as he takes to the stage at Blackweir Live tonight, Friday, 26 June. The singer is embarking on a string of outdoor concerts and festival appearances across the UK and Ireland throughout summer 2026, with a scheduled appearance at Cardiff’s Blackweir Fields among the highlights.

The American singer first came to prominence through his YouTube covers before going on to rack up a string of chart successes and sell-out international tours. Fans attending the concert can expect to hear hits like Lose Control, Guilty and The Door, as he will be joined on stage by his band Freak Freely, seamlessly fusing R&B, soul and pop.

Doors for the event will open at 5pm, as Teddy Swims will be joined by Jordan Rakei and Lauren Spencer Smith as his support acts for the gig. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here.

Having opened its doors last year, Blackweir has swiftly cemented its reputation as Cardiff’s foremost live music venue, born from a partnership between DEPOT Live and prominent UK promoters Cuffe and Taylor.

Nick Saunders, founder of DEPOT Live, said: “This is another huge headline show for Blackweir and Cardiff. Teddy Swims is an absolute vocal powerhouse who has enjoyed an incredible rise to success so we are thrilled to be adding him to our line up for 2026.

“What a glorious summer we are going to have in Cardiff!”.

We’ll be updating you throughout the day about everything you need to know in the lead up and during the gig. From road closures to weather changes, get the latest, here.

Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk says he will vacate all his belts but is not retiring.

The 39-year-old, who has an undefeated professional record of 25 wins, held the WBA ‘super’, WBC and IBF belts.

“This is a well-considered decision that I am confident will open new opportunities for me. This is not the end of the story. The continuation lies ahead,” he said on X.

He added in a video message: “I want to vacate all the belts that I currently hold to make them available for the guys next in line to fight for them.

“Friends, I’m leaving the belts but not the sport because I still have my last dance.”

More to follow.

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz used Pc Lydia Ward ‘as a punch bag’ in the brutal assault

A man who punched a female police officer 10 times in a brawl at an airport has now been jailed.

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, was found guilty of attacking armed police officer PC Ellie Cook and an unarmed officer PC Lydia Ward with his brother at Manchester Airport, on July 23, 2024.

The judge jailed Amaaz for three years and six months in court today. She showed no emotion as he learned his fate, reports the MEN.

The three Greater Manchester Police officers entered the Terminal 2 car park paystation area after reports that a male fitting Amaaz’s description had headbutted a member of the public at a Starbucks cafe in the airport minutes earlier.

The Crown said Amaaz resisted their attempts to take him outside and Amaad then intervened as both allegedly used a “high level of violence”.

Amaaz said he feared for his life as he said Pc Marsden pushed his head towards the ground with a hand over his neck.

Widely shared mobile phone footage of the incident sparked protests as it showed a young Asian male kicked in the face on the floor by a male police officer who then appeared to stamp towards his head.

Days later, a CCTV clip leaked to the media revealed that beforehand a number of punches were thrown towards the male firearms officer and his two female colleagues.

Reading a statement during his sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday (June 26), Sgt Ward said: “I look at myself now and I can see the difference in my face compared to how it was before this happened.

“You did that to me. You changed my face. This is something that really upsets me. Again, I’ll ask you; did I deserve this?

“What was it that I did that was so wrong you felt you needed to attack me?

“For a long time, I felt like everyone was looking at me. I was conscious of all the bruising on my face.

“Did people recognise me from the footage or were they thinking my partner had beaten me up? It was a horrible place to be in and for what?

“For doing my job. I had to stay off work for a month, a job that I loved.

“I was supposed to go on a holiday with my sister and friend the week after it happened, but we had to cancel. It was something I had been looking forward to for ages. You took that away from me.

“Since returning to work I am on high alert. Will something like this happen again? I get worried when I walk anywhere on my own.

“The saddest part is my distrust in men which has been caused by your actions. I know I shouldn’t feel like this, but I physically can’t help it. I’m scared.

Advertisement

“I fear for the women in your life. If you can do that to a female police officer, what are you capable of to the women you know?

“I want you to know I am not weak. No matter how this has affected me or impacted on my life I will not allow you to see me as weak.

“You used me as a punch bag, but I will get back up and I will show you how strong I am. You deserve no more of my time.”

READ MORE: Ex-Scots football star facing eviction from house over massive £152k debt that ‘isn’t his’

READ MORE: Amen Teklay murder accused ‘confessed to stabbing him through heart’, court told

Pc Cook told the judge in her statement that she’s decided to ‘give up being a firearms officer’ following the incident at the airport.

Her statement to the court read: “I don’t understand why you chose to do that. What did you get out of it apart from hurting us further? Do you even know?

“I’m so lucky to have the support of my family around me; my mum, dad and brother, but this has had such a detrimental effect on their lives, especially my mum. It pains me to see what she went through.

“She lost weight, she wasn’t sleeping, she was petrified someone would turn up at the address.

“She was a nervous wreck. I feel guilty that she felt that way, but it was you who did that to her, not me. You put us all in danger. It pains me to say this, but because of what you have done to me I have decided to give up being a firearms officer.

“I just can’t face it at the minute.

“This means my dream of becoming a close protection officer is on hold, and I may have to come to terms with the fact that it may not happen.

“I’m not sure I’ll ever be in the right space to return to firearms; despite the lengths I went to pass the training and the love I had for the role.

“You have ripped that from me. I hope the words I have read today stay with you for the rest of your life. I hope you have flashbacks of what I am saying the way I have flash backs of that day.

“I hope you never forget, because I know I won’t.”

Amaaz and his brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, both of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, were charged with assaulting Pc Zachary Marsden during the incident but juries at two trials failed to reach a verdict on the count.

Last month, a decision was made by the Crown Prosecution Service not to pursue a third trial.

The men claimed they acted in lawful self-defence, or defence of each other.

Nicholas Rossi, the American rapist who faked his death and fled to Scotland in a bid to escape justice, has died in a US hospital.

The Utah Department of Corrections (UDC) said the 38-year-old had been suffering from “chronic, degenerative conditions”.

It said Rossi died in a local hospital on Thursday after “he chose to remove himself from the care that was being provided”.

Rossi was found guilty of raping two women in Utah in 2008 after two separate trials in 2024.

A UDC spokesman said: “Rossi was pronounced dead at a local hospital on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 20:32.

“Rossi died from complications of an existing medical condition after choosing to discontinue medical treatment.

“This notification follows communication with Rossi’s family and his victims.”

A man who punched two female police officers at Manchester Airport as they tried to arrest him for headbutting a man in a Starbucks cafe has been jailed for three and a half years.

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, from Rochdale, was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court last year of assaulting PC Lydia Ward, PC Ellie Cook and a Starbucks customer at the airport in July 2024.

Sentencing had been delayed for a re-trial on additional charges that Amaaz had also assaulted a male police officer, but the jury again failed to reach a decision and he was cleared.

In a statement read to the court earlier Ward, whose nose was broken in the attack, said: “What you did was cowardly.”

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X, external to get the latest alerts.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is handing down major opinions at a rapid clip, but even with some of the biggest decisions yet to come there are signs of tension between the justices.

One highly unusual exchange for the restrained and traditional atmosphere came Thursday, as the members of the nation’s highest court took the bench as usual to read a short summary of their decisions. Those rulings included two major immigration wins for President Donald Trump.

After conservative Justice Samuel Alito finished his reading of the majority’s ruling limiting how people can seek asylum at the southern border, liberal Sonia Sotomayor spoke up to read from her scorching dissent.

She traced the difficult journey many asylum seekers face and outlined a painful chapter in the country’s history: When the U.S. and other countries turned back a ship full of Jewish refugees attempting to flee persecution in Nazi Germany in 1939. About 250 of those passengers later died in the Holocaust.

Sotomayor said the majority’s opinion would allow the Trump administration to block people from applying for asylum at the border, which would result in more deaths. The decision “regrettably and tragically extinguishes the light of the torch of the Statue of Liberty.”

Justice Brett Kavanaugh watched her intently as she spoke, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson looked straight ahead.

Majority opinions are always read from the bench and dissenters can speak up as well to underscore their objections, which typically happens in few cases every term. More rulings are expected on Monday.

Sotomayor’s spoken dissent, however, appeared to be a surprise for Alito. In a very rare move, he spoke off the cuff. He sounded annoyed, saying he did not know she was going to be speaking and would have added more detail to his summary if he’d been aware.

For the conservative majority, the case was about whether border officials can delay asylum seekers’ entry into the U.S. “until they can be processed in a safe and orderly way.”

Out loud, Alito defended his opinion by noting that the policy at the center of the case had been used under both the Obama and Trump administrations. “I won’t add anything more to that,” he said.

The exchange comes as the court prepares to release opinions next week on some of the biggest issues of the term, and Trump’s presidency so far. Those include his push to restrict birthright citizenship and expand the president’s power to fire board members at independent agencies.

It isn’t the first time unusual tensions have surfaced this term. Sotomayor issued a rare public apology in April to another justice, Brett Kavanaugh, for what she termed “hurtful comments.” She had said during a law school talk that a colleague “probably doesn’t really know any person who works by the hour.”

In another public appearance in March, Kavanaugh and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson sparred over the many emergency orders the court had issued allowing Trump to move ahead with key parts of his agenda.

Vanessa Stoltz, restaurant manager and head sommelier at Pine in Northumberland, has been ranked 22nd in the fourth edition of the Taylor’s Port UK Top 100 Sommeliers List, climbing from 26th the previous year.

The latest edition marks her third consecutive year on the list.

Ms Stoltz said: “To maintain your place in a list like this requires constant learning, keeping pace not just with wine, but across the full spectrum of drinks service, from beer and spirits to sake and no- and low-alcohol alternatives.

“It demands real passion and dedication, and I think people don’t always appreciate the effort that goes into it.

“That’s why recognition like this means so much.

“I’m proud to fly the flag for the Northeast and delighted that the Top 100 continues to shine a light on the role sommeliers play in delivering truly exceptional guest experiences.”

The Taylor’s Port UK Top 100 Sommeliers List was announced on Monday, June 22, at The Dorchester in London and recognises excellence in wine service across the UK.

READ MORE: Newton Aycliffe grandad had doctor’s appointment at roadside after bus no show
READ MORE: ‘Not a chip left’ Sell-out success for Darlington chippy as village favourite reopens
READ MORE: Dog walker’s shock at finding THREE pythons on walk in North Yorkshire village

Nominees are put forward by industry peers, fellow sommeliers, and diners, before being rigorously assessed by an expert panel that evaluates career achievements, education, experience, daily responsibilities, and competition performance.

Sian Byerley, operations director and co-owner of Pine, praised Ms Stoltz’s dedication, adding: “We couldn’t be prouder of Vanessa.

“To feature in the Top 100 for a third consecutive year and to have climbed from 45 on debut to 22 today is a remarkable journey, and one that reflects her thirst for knowledge and her unwavering commitment to her guests.”