Clare Eaton, a 56-year-old fitness instructor and personal trainer from Nantwich, saw her Instagram following surge from around 160 to approximately 450,000 after posting a humorous spoof video involving actor Tom Hardy. Eaton creates content aimed at mid-life women, incorporating her experiences with the menopause and everyday life. Her online success has led to a book deal about happiness in mid-life and the menopause, with her book launch relocated to a school hall to accommodate high attendance.
Summary headline: Tom Hardy spoof video brings Nantwich fitness trainer a massive Instagram following
A break-in at Corsham Fire Station in Wiltshire resulted in the theft of thousands of pounds worth of lifesaving equipment and tools, leaving a fire engine out of action and unavailable for emergency responses.
Summary headline: Lifesaving equipment stolen from Corsham Fire Station
Trimdon Under-8s have surprised 11-year-old Jack from Shotton Colliery by featuring his charity logo, Jack's Stoma Journey, on their new football shirt strip. Jack, who had a colostomy bag fitted in 2022, continues to play football and fundraise, describing his stoma as a 'hidden superpower'.
Summary headline: Trimdon Under-8s football team honours 11-year-old stoma campaigner Jack with new shirt logo
A headstone has been installed at St Mary's Cemetery in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, for Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in the UK. Ellis was hanged in 1955 for the murder of her lover, David Blakely, and was previously in an unmarked grave after her remains were reburied in 1971. The new headstone was requested by her eldest grandson, Scott Walker, to mark what would have been her 100th birthday, following a campaign by her family that recently led to her being granted a posthumous conditional pardon in July 2026.
Summary headline: Headstone installed in Amersham for Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in the UK
A year after a devastating fire destroyed the Grade II-listed former Shotley Park Residential Care Home in Shotley Bridge, County Durham, Durham Police have closed their arson investigation due to evidential difficulties. The building, dating back to the 1800s and previously used as a Dr Barnardo's children's home, had been granted planning permission in 2024 to become a hotel before the blaze occurred on 5 October 2025.
Summary headline: No answers a year after fire at former Shotley Bridge stately home
An inquest into the deaths of four children and their mother in a 2017 Walkden arson attack has heard that Greater Manchester Police's safeguarding team did not review new intelligence regarding possible gang threats over the weekend before the fire because they did not work weekends at the time. Det Sgt Alison Barber stated that even if the reports had been reviewed, the risk to the family's lives would have been assessed as low, and nothing much would have changed.
Summary headline: Walkden fire inquest hears police safeguarding team did not review gang threat intelligence over weekend
A south London mother, Venesha Rose, is still waiting for repairs after the ceiling in her council house collapsed twice within eight months, injuring her and her nephew. Rose first reported leaks in 2024, and despite temporary accommodation and initial repairs, the underlying issues were not resolved, leading to a second collapse in August.
Summary headline: Lambeth mother's council home ceiling collapses twice in eight months
The UK government has announced a review of airport drop-off charges after an analysis revealed average prices at major airports have risen by a third since the summer of 2025. While motoring organisations like the RAC have welcomed the review and criticised the fees as a 'rip-off', industry representatives such as Airports UK defended the charges as a necessary part of private airport business models to manage traffic and encourage eco-friendly transport.
Summary headline: UK government to review airport drop-off charges following sharp price increases
Timothy Miller, 76, appeared at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court wearing a burqa to plead not guilty to a charge of wearing the Islamic religious garment to conceal his identity during a demonstration in Portsmouth. Miller lifted the veil to confirm his details and stated he was not guilty. The case has been adjourned for a trial on 16 February, and he was released on unconditional bail.
Summary headline: Protester wears burqa in court to deny concealing identity during Hampshire protest
A collector craze for Staffordshire-themed poppy badges, designed by retired firefighter Kelvin Chell, has raised more than £140,000 for the Royal British Legion over five years. The 19 bespoke designs feature local landmarks and symbols, attracting collectors and younger people across north Staffordshire who travel between venues to complete their sets.
A court has heard that former Peterborough City Council member Rylan Ray, who is on trial accused of 25 sexual offences against teenage boys, took a teenage boy to private parties attended by local politicians. Ipswich Crown Court was told by the complainant's mother that Ray took her son to events held at the home of a councillor named John Peach. Ray denies all charges, including one count of rape.
Nico de Carvalho Wilson, 24, has been extradited from Portugal to the UK and charged with the murder, manslaughter, and violent disorder relating to the death of 16-year-old Alexander John Soyoye in Moston, Manchester, in November 2020.
Summary headline: Man extradited and charged with the murder of John Soyoye in Manchester
Plans to form a new mayoral combined authority in the Thames Valley are stalling as some council leaders in Berkshire and Oxfordshire object to the inclusion of Swindon, arguing the geography is unsuitable and boundary changes would be required. While Swindon Borough Council leader Gary Sumner and Oxford City Council leader Susan Brown argue that Swindon is an economic powerhouse that could boost growth and help with housing targets, other leaders such as Oxfordshire County Council's Tim Bearder disagree. For a devolution plan to be submitted to the government, unanimous approval from all affected councils is required.
Summary headline: Plans for a Thames Valley combined authority are stalling over Swindon's inclusion
Buckinghamshire councillors have refused retrospective planning permission for a half-built travellers' site in Ashley Green, despite council officers advising approval. Construction began without consent in April 2026, leading to a stop notice and an injunction when work continued. Councillors rejected the application because work started without permission and due to safety concerns regarding children walking along a busy road to school.
Summary headline: Permission for half-built Buckinghamshire traveller site refused
Bosses across Devon and Cornwall report that a hot summer provided a much-needed boost and improved visitor spending for many attractions, helping offset rising running costs following a difficult few years. However, experiences varied significantly: outdoor theme parks benefited from new investments and good weather, while some indoor and rainy-day venues, such as Bodmin Jail, experienced a decline in visitor numbers as tourists opted for beaches.
Summary headline: Devon and Cornwall tourist attractions report mixed summer season due to hot weather
Delays in assessing children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Cambridgeshire cost mainstream schools an estimated £7.3m in a single year. Cambridgeshire County Council reported a backlog of about 1,800 children waiting for education, health and care plans (EHCPs), with less than one in 10 plans completed on time compared to a national average of 46%. Because backdated funding is not paid for late EHCPs, schools faced substantial financial pressure while supporting pupils without expected top-up funding.
Summary headline: EHCP delays meant Cambridgeshire schools missed out on support worth £7.3m
Gloucester's only residential tower block, Clapham Court on Alvin Street, is set to be demolished within six months and replaced with 34 new affordable homes. Gloucester City Homes (GCH) plans to begin construction within 12 months after receiving planning permission following an earlier refusal in 2024.
Summary headline: Clapham Court tower block in Gloucester to be demolished within six months
A team of UK specialists from the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) is travelling to Antarctica to protect Port Lockroy, a British science base facing structural deterioration from climate change. The eight-person team will spend five months installing support beams and monitoring the local gentoo penguin colony, while a separate field team will survey Wordie House.
A 17-year-old teenager from Essex diagnosed with Friedreich's ataxia has delivered an open letter to 10 Downing Street, urging the government to help make the life-extending drug Omaveloxolone available on the NHS. The medication, which costs around £1,000 a day privately, was approved by the UK's medicines regulator in April 2025, but NHS funding talks between NICE and pharmaceutical company Biogen stalled after Biogen withdrew its evidence submission. A petition supporting the cause has gathered 100,000 signatures, prompting consideration for a parliamentary debate.
Summary headline: Friedreich's ataxia teen urges action to make life-extending drug available on the NHS
The General Medical Council (GMC) has placed interim conditions on consultant gynaecologist Dr Ali Shokouh-Amiri after he admitted removing two women's ovaries without consent while working in Guernsey between 2016 and 2019. Although a 2025 tribunal found him guilty of misconduct but ruled his fitness to practise was not impaired, the GMC is challenging that decision in the British High Court and has restricted him from consulting female patients without a chaperone.
Summary headline: Doctor who removed ovaries without consent faces new practice restrictions
