The wait is almost over. Eighteen months after he was unveiled as England manager, Thomas Tuchel will lead the Three Lions into the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday, with the express goal of “putting a second star on the shirt”. For fans, the extreme psychological sport that is watching England in a major tournament begins.

Qualification was perfect – no draws, no defeats, no goals conceded – but some of England’s friendly performances have been uninspiring and even at this late stage, there remain some questions over exactly who makes up England’s best XI as they prepare to face Croatia in Dallas.

Jordan Pickford will, of course, start in goal and we have a fairly clear idea of the back four. Reece James and Nico O’Reilly will be the full-backs, and the centre-back pairing will be two of Marc Guehi, John Stones and Ezri Konsa.

BBC Sport reported this week that Tuchel is leaning towards Stones and Konsa, which perhaps points to the manager’s preference for height and physicality in a tournament where he has stressed the importance of set-pieces. Konsa has played regularly for England under Tuchel, while Stones is England’s most experienced tournament defender.

The full-backs will play an important role not just defensively but in the way England build up from the back. Both James and O’Reilly have played in midfield for Chelsea and Manchester City respectively this season and their ability and creativity on the ball – particularly James’s passing range – will add another element to the tenacity of Elliot Anderson and the drive of Declan Rice, England’s preferred pair in central midfield.

Jude Bellingham is most likely to start in the No 10 position. Morgan Rogers played a key role throughout qualifying and Tuchel took a hard line on Bellingham’s inclusion in the squad last autumn. But the Real Madrid midfielder is a leader for England, someone who can take the burden off Harry Kane both in terms of his attacking output, with his runs beyond the striker and by assuming responsibility on the field.

Bukayo Saka will start on the right side, although Tuchel has hinted that fitness issues may limit his minutes at the World Cup – Noni Madueke could turn out to be crucial. Madueke was excellent in England’s best game under Tuchel, the 5-0 thrashing of Serbia in qualifying, and it is possible that Madueke could even usurp Saka as England’s starting winger later in the tournament if he impresses from the bench and Saka struggles for sharpness.

Tuchel’s biggest decision is on the left wing, and a choice between Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford. It is a strange dynamic, given Gordon has just signed for Barcelona days before travelling out to the US for this World Cup. He is effectively replacing Rashford, who spent the season on loan at the Nou Camp but will not have his temporary stay made permanent. Rashford is expected to find another place to play rather than return to Manchester United, where relations broke down last season.

They are difficult to split. Rashford had an impressive season for Barcelona, scoring 14 goals and recording 14 assists in 49 appearances. Gordon’s numbers weren’t far behind, with 17 goals and five assists in 43 games for Newcastle.

Gordon played well against Costa Rica in a friendly last week to push his case, but Rashford might just have the edge, given his experience on this stage. He is the more natural striker, and ultimately England’s left winger will be required to make attacking runs in behind when Harry Kane drops deep to get involved in the play.

It could also make sense for Gordon to be the finisher, rather than the starter, given his penalty prowess. Rashford’s career penalty record is actually very good, but he hasn’t taken many in recent seasons and England might rather finish extra time with Gordon on the pitch.

Kane, of course, will lead the line. The England captain scored 61 goals for Bayern Munich this season, and provided seven assists, in an astonishing campaign.

Who are the most likely players to be used from the bench? Madueke and either Gordon or Rashford will regularly appear in the second half of games to inject fresh energy on the wings. One or both of Rogers and Eberechi Eze will come on, particularly if England are searching for a goal. Kobbie Mainoo may get some minutes in central midfield, and Tino Livramento is the frontrunner among the reserve full-backs.

Perhaps therein lies the logic of Tuchel’s squad selection. The omissions of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer raised eyebrows and felt like a waste of English talent, but the result a lack of star names left stewing on the bench. That might make Tuchel’s life a little easier over the coming weeks.

Roman and Iron Age people were the first to settle in the area now known as Cambourne

Roman pottery and items from the Iron Age have been found by archaeologists at a Cambridgeshire housing development. Excavations at Burghley Green and Chivers Rise in West Cambourne have uncovered signs of the area’s history.

Archaeologists found signs of a 24m circular enclosure which was probably used by people in the Iron Age to manage livestock. The findings also included evidence of everyday life, including pottery, animal bones, and burnt stones that suggest the area was used for cooking.

One of the discoveries was a prehistoric 3m log ladder found at the bottom of a deep well shaft, believed to be one of the longest of its kind found in the UK. The well was inside a large watering hole that had preserved the wood through waterlogging.

Other finds also suggest the presence of early Roman activity. A small section of the excavations uncovering more than 780 pieces of pottery from this time period.

The team from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit investigated a five-hectare area at West Cambourne, uncovering more than 150 archaeological features dating back approximately 2,000 years to the Iron Age and early Roman communities.

Dr Matthew Brudenell, director at the Cambridge Archaeological Unit, said: “Iron Age and Roman communities were the first to permanently settle the Cambourne landscape. The excavations are helping us to piece together the ways they used the land for agriculture and settlement.

“Watering holes would have been an important feature for sustaining livestock, and the well-preserved example we’ve uncovered has incredible potential to tell us more about how the land was managed. The Romans constructed an intricate network of fields for growing crops around the landscape, suggesting they were able to exploit the heavy but fertile clays of the Cambourne area in new and productive ways.”

Tom Wheeler, land director for Taylor Wimpey East Anglia, said: “When constructing new homes, it’s really important to try to establish what was there before. Often, this can be easy to see, but sometimes we need to work with an expert team of archaeologists to dig a little deeper.

“It’s been fascinating to learn what the team has uncovered in West Cambourne. While the Iron Age and Roman communities had long since disappeared from sight, this discovery means it can be recorded in history as an early example of settlement in West Cambourne.”

Scrambled eggs are a popular breakfast dish, but they can be hard to perfect

Scrambled eggs are a breakfast staple for countless people, with numerous recipes available online, yet they can prove tricky to perfect. They can transform from undercooked to overcooked within moments, becoming rubbery and bland. While many add milk to enhance their eggs’ flavour, one GoodFood chef has revealed a superior ingredient to use instead.

This recipe boasts 150 five-star ratings, with users praising the eggs’ deliciousness. User JudeMabe commented: “This recipe is perfect,” while user Nickd noted that the eggs were “creamier” than they’d ever imagined possible. The recipe notes explained: “Learn how to make scrambled eggs in a pan with this easy, foolproof recipe. This speedy breakfast is packed with protein and takes just 10 minutes.”

Ingredients:

• Two large free-range eggs
• Six tablespoons of single cream
• A knob of butter

Method:

Lightly whisk together two large eggs, six tablespoons of single cream, and a pinch of salt until the mixture reaches one consistency.

Heat a small non-stick frying pan for approximately a minute, then add a knob of butter and allow it to melt. Ensure the butter doesn’t brown, as this will discolour the eggs.

Pour in the egg mixture and leave it for 20 seconds before stirring with a wooden spoon. Lift the eggs and fold them over from the bottom of the pan.

Leave it for another 10 seconds, then stir and fold again.

Repeat this process until the eggs are softly set and slightly runny in places.

At this point, remove the pan from the heat and let the eggs finish cooking for a brief while.

This crucial step ensures the eggs do not become overcooked.

Give the pan one final stir with the wooden spoon and serve the “velvety” scrambled eggs immediately on toast.

Incorporating cream into scrambled eggs produces a richer, creamier and more tender result, as the additional fat lends a more indulgent consistency.

It can also help slow the cooking process, reducing the likelihood of the eggs turning dry and rubbery.

It is worth noting, however, that adding too much cream can dilute the egg flavour and leave the dish feeling overly heavy.

WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Myles Beardsley suffered devastating injuries after he was allegedly shot on April 4 while spending the night with a friend – he spent 38 days in intensive care

A 12-year-old boy has been left paralysed after he was allegedly shot during a sleepover at a friend’s house.

Myles Beardsley suffered devastating injuries after being shot on April 4 while spending the night with a friend. Mum Alora Beardsley said she and her husband Robert, 51, were at home watching Harry Potter when their lives changed forever ” later receiving a call to say there had been an accident.

“Myles had been asking all week if he could spend the night at his friend’s and we said we’d think about it,” Alora, 39, from Rochester, Washington, USA, told creatorzine.com.

Eventually the pair agreed he could go but she described the decision as “the biggest regret of my life.”

Doctors said Myles had four gunshot wounds entering his body and neck and leaving through his spine. Alora said: “I went to see him and there was blood everywhere but he was awake. I kissed my baby, told him he was safe, alive and I’m so sorry that it happened to him.”

Myles was transferred to another hospital that could deal with the severe trauma to his spine where he was rushed into a nine-hour surgery to stabilise his spine with rods and screws.

Alora said: “Before surgery, we kissed his face, told him we loved him and let him know we were there. We were terrified. Then they told us that he’d be paralysed from the neck down. It was devastating. We couldn’t believe what we were hearing.”

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When Myles woke, he was unable to speak so his dad developed a painstaking communication system where Robert recited the alphabet and Myles blinked when the correct letter was reached.

He later underwent another surgery after doctors discovered injuries to his trachea and esophagus.

The family spent weeks by his bedside waiting for his neck wounds to heal enough for a tracheotomy procedure After the procedure, his heart stopped. Thankfully, doctors were able to revive him immediately.

Alora said: “It was the worst experience ever. It’s been the worst time of our lives.”

After spending 38 days in intensive care, Myles was finally transferred to the rehabilitation floor, where he continues fighting to regain movement and independence. Throughout his recovery, Myles received visits from loved ones and his teacher.

Mum-of-three Alora said: “I think his most special visit was his favourite teacher. She brought an entire bag of handmade cards and letters from all his classmates and friends. Almost every single card states how school isn’t the same and they miss their class clown.

“They send such heartfelt letters that when I read them to Myles he cries happy tears and sad tears. Myles is loved by so many people. He is such a pure soul, he loves everyone, he goes out of his way to make you smile and he truly cares about everyone. If someone is sad, Myles is always there to cheer them up. He’s just that type of person and I’m so lucky to be his mom. He makes me so proud.”

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The investigation into the shooting is reportedly ongoing.

Alora said: “From our understanding, there was a gun in the house and one of the children got hold of it. It’s so very sad to know that my baby has lost so much because of that. It breaks my heart in ways I never knew existed. I wish I’d never let him go.”

The family is fundraising to help cover expenses while they remain in Seattle with Myles.

You can donate to the GoFundMe page by clicking here.

Ahead of the game, he told Press Association: “We’re here tonight for Scotland’s opening game of the World Cup, Scotland playing Haiti, and we’ve thrown open the doors of the Hydro to welcome Scots who have been unable to get to America, but want to come and celebrate and have a bit of a fun experience.”

The Bay Horse in Ravensworth, near Richmond, currently holds a perfect five-star rating on TripAdvisor from more than 300 reviews, making it one of the highest-rated pubs in North Yorkshire.

Nestled in the small village of Ravensworth, the pub has become a destination in its own right, attracting visitors from across the county and beyond thanks to its “acclaimed food”, “welcoming atmosphere”, and “reputation for exceptional service,” according to visitors.

The Bay Horse in Ravensworth, near Richmond (Image: TRIPADVISOR)

The family-owned business prides itself on serving locally sourced produce, including fresh fish from Hartlepool, locally reared meats and beers from nearby breweries.

While traditional pub favourites feature on the menu, many visitors say it is the seafood dishes that set the Bay Horse apart.

One recent diner described the restaurant as a “great find”, praising the scallops and monkfish and adding: “Both were amazing. Staff were friendly and helpful. Food was quick to arrive and everything piping hot.”

Another reviewer urged visitors to book early, writing: “Fish dishes are excellent, book early, it is very popular.”

The quality of the food is a recurring theme throughout hundreds of reviews.

One customer simply summed up their visit with: “In a word, wow.”

They praised the Sunday roast and singled out the bread and butter pudding with whisky glaze, describing it as being “from another planet”.

Others say the Sunday lunches are among the best they have experienced.

A visitor who regularly travels around the region, trying different roasts, wrote: “Bay Horse Ravensworth outshines them all. Both quality and quantity are on a different level.”

Beyond the food, reviewers frequently praise the atmosphere and hospitality.

One guest described the Bay Horse as “one of the best golden gems”, adding that both evening meals and Sunday lunches had been outstanding.

Another wrote: “A warm welcome, amazing food and attentive staff all made for a perfect evening.”

The pub’s reputation has become so strong that some diners travel significant distances specifically to eat there.

A seafood lover visiting from outside the area described the venue as having a “beautiful location, superb service and thoroughly enjoyable food”, while another called it a “must-visit” destination after being recommended the pub by friends.

The Bay Horse was also recognised in TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice awards, placing it among the platform’s highest-rated venues.

Located just a short drive from Richmond, the pub sits in the heart of the North Yorkshire countryside and has become a popular choice for celebrations, family gatherings and special occasions.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Nara Organics recalled its organic baby formula sold nationwide in Target stores and online Saturday after a multistate outbreak of infant botulism, federal authorities said.

Three babies between 2 and 5 months became ill in April and May in California, Pennsylvania and Washington after consuming Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Powdered infant formula, which is also sold on Nara.com, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.

They were hospitalized and treated with the FDA-approved treatment for infant botulism, the agency said.

Infant botulism is a rare but serious illness that occurs in babies under age 1, whose gut microbiomes are immature. It is caused when infants consume bacteria with spores that produce a toxin in the gut.

Symptoms include constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelids, weak muscle tone, difficulty swallowing and breathing problems, among others.

Babies who develop those symptoms need immediate medical attention. The sole treatment is BabyBIG, an IV medication made from blood plasma of people immunized against botulism.

Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula makes up less than 1% of all infant formula sold in the United States, and the outbreak does not create shortage concerns for parents and caregivers, the FDA said.

People who have the formula are urged to stop using it immediately, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said in a statement. The formula is manufactured in Europe but sold only in the U.S., it added.

The CDC recommended that anyone with an opened can take a picture, record the lot number and use-by date and watch their infants for symptoms.

“Label it ‘DO NOT USE’ and keep it stored in a safe place away from other items you feed your baby for at least a month,” the CDC said. “If no symptoms appear after a month, throw the leftover formula away.”

But the journey behind The Castle of Stories, released on June 4, began much closer to home.

Long before he became a bestselling novelist, journalist, broadcaster and MBE recipient, the Bury-born, Bolton-raised writer was a book-loving boy making regular trips to libraries across the town and dreaming of a future he could not quite see.

His mum was a passionate reader and rarely missed an opportunity to take him to local libraries.

From Tonge Moor and Harwood to Bolton Central Library, their shelves became the starting point for a lifelong love of stories.

Matt said: “I loved reading and I loved telling stories, but I didn’t know how to do it.

“I was from quite a working-class background. My mum and dad were both from council estates and we didn’t know anybody who earned a living from writing or creativity.”

Matt joined by husband Harry Glasstone, mum Lynda Cain and sister, Ruth Dunphy, receiving his MBE. (Image: Matt Cain)

Today, Matt is one of Britain’s best-known LGBTQ+ authors.

Yet as he celebrates the release of his latest novel and prepares to return to Bolton Library this weekend for a special talk, he still remembers a time when a career in books felt impossibly far away.

Matt Cain in Bolton Waterstones (Image: NQ)

After attending St Columba’s Primary School in Tonge Moor, St Gabriel’s CE High School in Bury and later Bury College, Matt gained a place at Cambridge University.

For the first time, he found himself surrounded by people whose families worked in publishing, television and the arts, opening his eyes to possibilities he had never encountered growing up.

“When I was at Cambridge, I met lots of people from different backgrounds, often people who had grown up with parents or relatives in the creative industries,” he said.

“I started to see that it was a possibility.”

Even then, finding a way into those industries proved anything but straightforward.

When he graduated, Matt wrote 211 letters applying for jobs across the creative industries – physical envelopes sent out in the hope that somebody, somewhere, might give him a chance.

Only one company replied.

“That was from a TV production company in Manchester,” he said.

And it was enough. The opportunity launched a career in television production and eventually journalism, where Matt built a reputation as an arts and culture specialist, later becoming Culture Editor at Channel 4 News and Editor-in-Chief of Attitude magazine.

Yet despite carving out a successful career in media, becoming a novelist proved even more difficult.

His debut novel, The Madonna of Bolton, was inspired by his own experiences growing up gay in the North West. But when he tried to get it published, he repeatedly encountered the same response.

“The Madonna of Bolton was rejected over 50 times,” he said.

“What I kept being told was, ‘it’s too gay for a mainstream audience. This is too niche. People won’t connect with it’.”

Having experienced homophobic bullying growing up, hearing that stories like his were not commercially viable, reopened old wounds.

He said: “It rips open those wounds again.

“From when I was growing up and had homophobic bullying and people didn’t like me because of who I was.

“But I never stopped believing in the book.”

Still, he refused to give up and that determination eventually paid off.

Released in 2018, The Madonna of Bolton was successfully crowdfunded and launched the writing career he had dreamed about since childhood.

Since then, Matt has built a devoted readership and become one of the country’s most recognisable LGBTQ+ authors.

His novel The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle became his biggest-selling book, and five years after publication, readers are still contacting him about it.

“I still get messages every day from readers about that book,” he said.

“A lot of women tell me it reminds them of their gay brother or gay uncle who’s not with us anymore.”

Despite its critics, Matt believes social media has played a major role in helping writers connect directly with audiences.

In fact, he believes his career may never have happened without it.

“I crowdfunded my first novel and a lot of that interest happened online,” he said.

“If it wasn’t for social media, I don’t think I’d actually have a career as a writer.”

His latest novel, The Castle of Stories, continues many of the themes that have run throughout his work: family, belonging, identity and the journey towards self-acceptance.

Matt and his husband Harry Glasstone, and dog, Teddy. (Image: The Author’s Lounge)

The story follows 45-year-old Adam, who unexpectedly inherits a farmhouse and castle in Tuscany from a relative he never knew existed.

Leaving Manchester behind, he moves to Italy with his boyfriend Theo and, unexpectedly, Theo’s children in tow.

As renovations begin, Adam uncovers long-buried secrets that force him to confront his past and rethink what family, belonging and queer joy can look like.

The inspiration came from Matt’s own life. His husband, Harry Glasstone, owns a centuries-old farmhouse in Tuscany where the couple regularly spend time with family.

Cain said: “It’s gorgeous and beautiful. It’s falling apart, but it’s so romantic.

“Some of the stones are a thousand years old.”

“When I’m there, I always think about people walking around a thousand years ago and thinking about their own dreams and dramas and passions,” he said.

Family holidays there involving relatives from Bolton and Bury helped shape much of the novel’s emotional heart.

“When I’m there, I always think about people walking around a thousand years ago and thinking about their own dreams and dramas and passions,” he said.

Yet despite the Tuscan setting, Matt insists the story remains rooted in the same themes that have always interested him.

“I always like to write about working-class northern characters,” he said.

“It’s about self-discovery and the journey towards self-love.

“It’s somebody going away thinking they’re escaping, but actually that escape brings them closer to who they really are.”

Alongside promoting the novel, Matt is now focusing on helping other writers find opportunities he once struggled to find.

This week, he opened submissions for Pansy Books, an independent publishing house dedicated to LGBTQ+ authors.

Created in response to what Matt sees as a continued lack of attention given to queer novels for mainstream audiences, Pansy aims to champion LGBTQ+ authors whose stories resonate far beyond a single community.

Husband and business partner! (Image: The Author’s Lounge)

Publishing, he says, can still feel like an exclusive world.

“I’d often be the only person in the conversation who hadn’t gone to a private school,” he said.

“The only person in the conversation with a regional accent.

“I always felt like an outsider.”

Now he hopes to make the path easier for others and his advice to aspiring writers is simple.

“Find out everything you can. Read. Show your work to people you trust. Listen to feedback.

“Don’t let anybody talk you out of it.

“Keep the faith and believe in yourself.”

On Sunday, June 14, Bolton Library will host the author and copies of the book will be available to purchase on the day, with Matt signing books for readers afterwards.

For the boy who once wandered the aisles of Bolton’s libraries wondering how writers became writers, it is a fitting full-circle moment.

There was a time when he could not see a route into the creative industries.

Today, his hope is that others might see that path a little more clearly than he did.

After all, as Matt Cain puts it: “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it.”

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Andy Burnham will almost certainly launch a campaign to replace Sir Keir Starmer, writes Sunday Mail Opinion.

If Andy Burnham wins the Makerfield by-election on Thursday it will have ­ramifications well beyond the north-west of England.

The Manchester mayor will almost certainly launch an immediate campaign to replace Sir Keir Starmer and could even sweep into Downing Street unopposed.

Former ministers Wes Streeting and Al Carns are desperate to challenge for the job and Starmer has vowed to fight to stay in post but it is far from clear any of them have the necessary support.

Starmer’s premiership has been an unmitigated disaster from the beginning.

He has never recovered from a botched attempt to cut the winter fuel allowance, the appointment of Peter Mandelson, and failing to fully condemn Israel’s slaughter of tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza.

But there is no guarantee that replacing the PM at this point will make things better – and a real risk they will get worse.

Just ask the Tories how replacing Boris Johnson with Liz Truss and then Rishi Sunak worked out.

Burnham is an astute political operator with bags of ministerial experience but without carrying the baggage of association with Starmer’s crumbling administration.

He is viewed as being on Labour’s soft left with notable success in sticking up for Manchester during the pandemic and delivering a publicly operated bus service.

There is a suspicion however that he is a political chameleon who may not have the backbone to see a programme of real reform through when the going gets tough.

He previously backed voting reform, abolition of the House of Lords, sweeping nationalisation of utilities and devolution across the UK with more mayoralties.

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From a Scottish perspective, John Swinney will be keen to know whether Burnham still believes – as he told the Sunday Mail in 2022 – that blocking indefinitely a second referendum is not credible.

At Westminster, there will be questions over how pushing power out of London – when many local authorities are controlled by Reform – will improve public services.

A drive to bring utilities back under public ownership is a long term plan which could be transformative but it is unlikely to result in tangible benefits in the short term.

Winning the top job could be the easy part for Burnham.

Convincing the country he is the man for the job and defeating the dark rise of the far right with a message of hope and optimism will be a far bigger challenge.

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