DAILY EXPRESS

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MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026

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Tests and treatments that were 'unimaginable a decade ago' now within reach

'WE'RE ENTERING A GOLDEN ERA

FOR THE THOUSANDS of people living with dementia must be supported to take part in research during a "golden era" of breakthroughs, a leading charity urges today. Pioneering treatments and tests "unimaginable just a decade ago" are now within reach, according to

BY HANNA GEISSLER Health Editor

Alzheimer's Society. But experts warn that NHS patients risk falling behind as countries more involved in trials roll out innovations.

Dr Richard Oakley, charity associate director, said: "We are entering a golden era for dementia research. But the hard truth is that

TURN TO PAGE 4

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Daily Express Monday August 17, 2026

DAYS!

WEATHER FORECAST

Today's summary: Cloudy start, mild evening

North West: Cloudy with light drizzle early. Sunny spells and disrepsurs later. Breezy and mild. High 25C (68F).

Northern Ireland: Overcast with rain in the afternoon. Light showers later. Breezy winds, mild temperatures. High 15C (86F).

Wales: Cloudy with sunny spells later. Breezy with mild temperatures throughout. High 24C (75F).

Midlands: Overcast skies initially. Brightening later with a gentle breeze. Mild temperatures. High 24C (75F).

North East/Yorks: Cloudy with drizzle at times. Clearing later. Mild with gentle winds. High 25C (88F).

Scotland: Cloudy, with drizzle in the afternoon. Gentle winds, mild temperatures throughout. High 15C (84F).

East Anglia: Cloudy start with drizzle. Sun breaks later. Light winds, gradually cooling. High 22C (73F).

London/South East: Cloudy with sunny intervals. Breezy afternoon. Winds gentle, temperatures warm. High 26C (79F).

South: Cloudy with sunny spells later. Breezy, warm with a gentle southwesterly wind. High 25C (77F).

South West: Cloudy with occasional sun. Clearer later. Breezy with mild temperatures throughout. High 24C (75F).

Channel Isles: Cloudy with some sun. Fair later with brisk breezes. Mild throughout. High 23C (73F).

Sea: North Sea; Tyne. Irish Sea: Smooth or slight. Channel: Night.

UK OUTLOOK TOMORROW: Expect mostly cloudy skies with mild temperatures and light winds. Occasional sunny spells are possible, especially towards the afternoon.

SIX-DAY FORECAST Temperatures in Centigrade

	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
London	14 25	13 24	12 22	12 22	11 21	11 23
Belfast	12 18	11 17	9 17	9 16	9 17	10 18
Birmingham	12 22	10 21	9 19	9 19	8 19	8 21
Cardiff	12 21	10 21	10 21	10 21	10 21	10 22
Glasgow	12 17	11 17	10 17	9 16	10 17	10 18
Manchester	12 19	11 19	10 18	9 18	9 18	9 20
Newcastle	11 20	11 19	10 17	9 17	9 17	9 19
Norwich	13 23	11 22	12 20	10 20	10 20	10 21
Plymouth	14 24	13 22	12 22	12 21	11 21	11 22

24 hours to 24:30	0:30 PM	0:30 PM	TIME (MIN)
Aberdeen	2.1	0:30	13:15
Aberport	1.6	0:30	13:19
Ariswick	3.5	0:15	15:21
Belfast	2.8	0:15	13:18
Birmingham	1.2	0:30	12:23
Winsult	3.2	0:30	19:26
Bristol	3.6	0:30	14:26
Cardiff	3.9	0:30	14:26
Durham	4.3	0:20	21:26
Edinburgh	4.4	0:30	15:18

Britain yesterday: Moon, sun and tides

MiGON	rain 11:31am, wts 9:33pm
Stills	sun, smoke 4.4days, wts 4.1days
Manchester	rain 5.21am, wts 8:33pm
First Quarter
20 August

HIGH TIDE
London	Eye 3.41am, 5.10pm
Liverpool	3.39am, 5.10pm

Greenock	3.39am, 4.40pm
Stowe	3.40am, 5.10pm

Britain
Extremes:
24 hours
in from Saturday

Lighting-up times
Belfast	8.51am-9.05am
Birmingham	8.05am-9.05am
Bristol	8.05am-9.05am

Glasgow	8.48pm-5.54am
London	6.19pm-5.05am
Manchester	8.03pm-5.05am
Newcastle	6.35pm-4.45am

Today's Europe forecast
Amsterdam	Cloudy	21C/75F	Amsterdam
Brussels	Cloudy	22C/73F	Brussels
Dublin	Cloudy	23C/75F	Dublin
Frankfurt	Rain	24C/75F	Frankfurt
Geneva	Thunder	25C/75F	Geneva
Lidden	Sunny	26C/81F	Lidden
Madrid	Sunny	30C/100F	Madrid
Paris	Fair	25C/84F	Paris
Rome	Fair	25C/81F	Rome

Around the world yesterday

Amsterdam	Cloudy	23	73
Allianz	Sunny	30	86
Barcelona	Sunny	30	90
Berlin	Cloudy	19	86
Budapest	Sunny	20	91
Bratislava	Sunny	20	87
Cape Town	Fair	14	81
Casablanca	Fair	26	78
Cork	Sunny	31	88
Cutler	Cloudy	18	84
Dubrovnik	Sunny	26	80
Fars	Fair	19	79
Alverness	Sunny	24	80
Gibraltar	Cloudy	26	79
Guernsey	Fair	21	75

Hong Kong	Thrub	32	90
Istanbul	Fair	28	82
Jersey	Fair	24	79
Larnaca	Sunny	33	91
Los Angeles	Sunny	26	84
Los Angeles	Fair	24	75
Lucia	Sunny	40	104
Metapa	Fair	30	86
Malvica	Sunny	33	91
Malva	Sunny	30	90
Melbourne	Fair	13	55
Milan	Sunny	24	93
Mosque	Fair	21	75
Naroda	Cloudy	18	84
New Delhi	Fair	30	90

New York	Sunny	26	79
Niue	Sunny	30	86
Nicosia	Fair	24	92
Perth	Sunny	23	73
Prague	Rain	30	88
Singapore	Timber	25	88
Stockholm	Cloudy	17	63
Sydney	Fair	18	64
Sri Ann	Sunny	30	90
Seperity	Sunny	30	86
Toronto	Fair	25	75
York	Sunny	25	90
Venezuela	Sunny	23	88
Vienna	Sunny	33	91
Vienna	Fair	28	90

WEATHER SERVICE

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'PM must scrap tax

raid to regain the trust of farmers'

EXCLUSIVE

BY KATIE HARRIS

Senior Political Correspondent

ANDY Burnham has been warned to axe the inheritance tax raid on farmers if he wants to win back their trust.

The Prime Minister admitted over the weekend that Labour has a "long way to go to build back trust" with the sector.

His predecessor Keir Starmer faced months of furious protests over new IHT laws that came into effect in April.

The government had planned to slap an inheritance tax on farms worth over £1million, but raised the threshold to £2.5m in a partial U-turn.

But the Conservatives insisted the so-called family farm tax, which was announced by Rachel Reeves in her first Budget, should be ditched.

Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride said: "Andy Burnham has finally admitted what the Conservatives were saying.

"Starmer and Reeves destroyed trust and caused irreparable damage to our farming communities who are the backbone of our nation.

"To rebuild trust with farmers, they don't need warm words from the Prime Minister, they need him to scrap the family farm tax."

The Daily Express has campaigned against the policy with our Save Britain's Family Farms crusade.

Andrew Ward, an organiser of one of

the protests, insisted the changes should be reversed. The arable farmer from Lincolnshire said: "Definitely. They've watered it down a bit but it's still there and it's hanging over people.

"People will still have to sell land to pay for it. I would say it's the biggest thing that's causing the grief."

He also highlighted a series of other measures the government has brought in that are having an impact, including the employer national insurance hike and minimum wage increase.

On trusting Labour, Mr Ward said: "It won't happen overnight. It's action, not

words." The PM visited a family-run potato farm near Truro, Cornwall, on Saturday as he unveiled a £65m funding package for farmers hit by a summer of heatwaves. Ruined harvests could cause a rise food prices.

Mr Burnham said: "I realise we've got a long way to go to build back trust with the farming community.

"It's probably been the hardest summer for farming in a generation. I see food and farming as part of national resilience, national infrastructure.

"We need to guarantee our own food production going forward."

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OPINION 12 HEALTH 28-30 TV 33 LETTERS 38 STARS 40 SPORT 43 PLUS PUZZLES PULLOUT

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Daily Express Monday, August 17, 2026

3

Nigella bakes her debut

New judge will bring 'warmth, wit and passion' to TV favourite

CHANNEL 4 have promised Nigella Lawson will bring "warmth, wit and passion" to The Great British Bake Off as she is pictured with her co-stars for the first time.

The 66-year-old TV chef replaced Dame Prue Leith as a judge on the Channel 4 series after the 86-year-old said in January she was stepping down from the show she joined in 2017.

Excited

In a picture taken on the first day of filming in the Bake Off tent, Nigella is wearing a flattering black zipper dress next to presenters Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond, and fellow judge Paul Hollywood.

Filming is complete on the series, which will air next month. Channel 4 said fans "can expect to see Nigella bringing

BY MARK JEFFERIES

her trademark warmth, wit and passion for flavour to the tent".

When Nigella revealed she was joining, she told ITV's This Morning: "I am excited but take it very seriously.

"Bake Off is about the programme – which is an institution of national treasure status – and the bakers. I just want to be there and be a part of it."

Reports that Paul and Nigella were "not getting on too well" have been dismissed by a Channel 4 source, who said Nigella was more than holding her own with Paul, who has been on Bake Off since it began on the BBC in 2010.

Paul and Nigella have also agreed to promote the series together, which points to a solid working relationship.

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DIST

PLEA TO BOOST 'GOLDEN AGE'

COMMENT

LAURA

ROONEY

Head of Research Participation at Alzheimer's Society

DAY in and day out, I see the life-changing potential of dementia research, both for families living with dementia today and for future generations.

Research is helping us better understand the diseases that cause dementia, improve diagnosis, and develop new treatments that could slow, stop or even prevent its progression.

Yet one of the biggest challenges remains getting people diagnosed early enough to access support, treatment and research opportunities.

At any one time, one in three people with dementia in the UK do not have a formal diagnosis.

Without one, they can miss out on vital care as well as the chance to participate in research. At the same time, dementia trial participation remains far behind that of other conditions, such as cancer, despite dementia being the UK's biggest killer.

Before joining Alzheimer's Society, I worked as a cancer

'1 in 3 people with dementia do not have a formal diagnosis'

research nurse, where conversations about research were a routine part of care.

People were regularly offered opportunities to contribute to scientific advances that could benefit them and future generations. Dementia should be no different.

At the Alzheimer's Society UK Dementia Trials Network Research Nurse Programme, I see firsthand the difference research participation can make. Our dementia research nurses support people and families throughout the process, helping them understand what taking part involves and ensuring they can make informed choices.

But scientific breakthroughs cannot happen without participants. We need research opportunities to become a standard part of dementia care, and we need greater government commitment to improving diagnosis, expanding access to trials and investing in dementia research infrastructure across the UK.

We have the science to change the future of dementia.

Now we need the political will, and more people aware of how they can take part, to make that future a reality.

'Pioneering treatments within reach but hard truth is diagnosis delays are stalling progress'

FROM PAGE ONE

diagnosis delays are stalling progress in the fight against the UK's biggest killer.

"People are diagnosed too late and too often are not told what disease is causing their dementia – meaning they miss out on care, support and opportunities to take part in research."

Around one million people are living with dementia in the UK – and that figure is projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.

In recent years, the first medicines proven to slow Alzheimer's have been approved, and promising blood tests have been developed that could detect the disease earlier.

However, the UK's dementia research landscape lags at least 20 years behind progress made on cancer, the charity claims.

In the past five years, just 551 people have

been recruited into late-stage dementia trials in England, compared with more than 24,000 in cancer work.

Dr Oakley said a key first step is for ministers to set more ambitious targets, including a timeframe for anyone with suspected symptoms to receive a diagnosis or all-clear.

For more than a decade, the NHS target was for 66.7% of patients to have a diagnosis at some point. This was removed from operational planning guidance for 2025-26.

The government has committed to publishing a Modern Service

Framework for frailty and dementia this year as part of England's 10-year health plan. Dr Oakley said: "I don't know why we'd ever accept only two-thirds of people getting a diagnosis.

"You would not accept

Dr Richard Oakley wants targets for diagnoses

that for cancer – we'd be outraged. We actually have a 28-day target to receive a cancer diagnosis after meeting the GP, and I can see no reason why we shouldn't be that ambitious.

"A good first step, as part of our Modern Service Framework, would be agreeing on a target timeframe for diagnosis. Eighteen weeks sounds like a good starting point."

Toxic

More detailed tests are also said to be needed.

Only 2% of people diagnosed with dementia are told if they are positive for amyloid, a toxic protein associated with Alzheimer's and the target of recent drugs.

Dr Oakley said if patients are diagnosed they need to know their rights and be given chances to join trials: "It's not part of our culture yet, like it is in cancer where everyone knows it's their right to hear

about clinical trials and often people are asked if they're interested."

He went on: "We have seen a massive change in cancer from it being 'the big C' that no one discussed. The stigma barrier for dementia is hard and higher. People think dementia is still a natural part of ageing – it is not.

"The biggest killer in the country isn't even recognised as a disease by the vast majority. It is very difficult to beat something that people don't even know is a problem."

The total of UK-launched dementia trials had been declining for years but recently improved.

Dr Oakley praised the government's £50million investment in the Dementia Trials Network (UKDTN) in 2024.

It aimed to expand access to a larger, more diverse population and it has worked with Alzheimer's Society to embed research nurses at trial sites, supporting patients in their journey and removing barri-

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FOR RESEARCH INTO DEMENTIA

DKT

5

'It is the only way we are going to find treatments'

SUE NOAKES was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer's disease in September 2023 after the former counsellor noticed that she was forgetting clients' names and was struggling with spelling.

Her parents and brother had dementia diagnoses and she knew she had to act.

Sue, 67, of West Sussex, was told after visiting her GP and a private consultant.

She had heard about clinical trials while working for Alzheimer's Society and was determined to find a local study.

In late 2023, she was accepted on to a trial for denanemab – one of two drugs recently approved for use after being found to slow Alzheimer's. Sue said: "Taking part in a clinical trial is one of the best things I've ever done. I lost both of my parents to different types of dementia.

Hope

"So I know just how devastating this disease can be.

"I truly believe research is the only way we're going to find treatments for as many people as possible."

She added: "Even if these don't change my own future, or my brother's, knowing I've played a small part to help others gives me real hope."

Sue participated in the trial until last month, visiting a clinic monthly to receive an intravenous infusion.

She does not yet know if she was being given the active drug or a placebo and will find out once every trialist has finished their course of treatment.

Sue said taking part was not always easy "Not every visit made me feel like I was doing something positive rather than just waiting for dementia to take more away.

"The one thing that can stop dementia in its tracks is research, so I would encourage anyone who has the chance to take part to grab the opportunity with both hands."

Lags are caused by referrals being rejected

GPs' fear over cancer delays

BY STORM NEWTON

MORE than a quarter of patient referrals to hospitals are being rejected and returned to GPs, a poll has found.

There are concerns the process is creating unnecessary waits for people suspected to have cancer.

In the survey of 712 GPs by Pulse, doctors said 26% of attempted referrals came back as “advice and guidance” when it was not requested. A&G is designed for GPs to seek specialist advice before making a referral.

One London doctor said they feel the system is “getting more risky and unsafe” and another, in the North East, warned the back and forth was creating “increasing barriers to two-week-wait gastrointestinal referrals” for patients with suspected cancer symptoms.

And over a third of the bouncebacks medics received asked them to do work considered outside of their remit.

Dr Clare Bannon, GPs committee chairwoman at the British Medical Association, told Pulse: “Where a referral is requested, hospital trusts are contractually obliged to accept referrals from general practice, except in very limited circumstances. Referrals should not simply be rejected with requests for additional GP actions unless part of a locally agreed pathway.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said the system has supported millions of patients to get care in the right place without having to join elective waiting lists.

And it said it had recruited 2,000 extra GPs since July 2024.

A spokesman said: “This is helping more patients to receive timely and appropriate care in primary and community settings.”

ers to participation. But the UKDTN found eight in 10 people with dementia were not told about research opportunities by their clinician, and two-thirds did not know how to access such information.

Alzheimer's Society put £18.6m into dementia research in 2024-25.

It wants sustained government investment to build on UKDTN's foundation and to attract more pharmaceutical research.

Dr Oakley said: “If we do this right the UK could absolutely become the world’s leader in early-phase clinical trials, I have no doubt. We could also play a big role in late-stage trials where you need to recruit thousands of people, often multi-site, multi-country.”

Putting the UK at the forefront of research will ensure NHS patients are not left waiting years to access innovations available in places such as the US and Japan.

Dr Oakley said: “If we do not run the trials in the UK, we do not

understand how to administer [the drugs]. If we run the trials, we will see how hospitals diagnose, screen people in and out, and provide access to the care and support. We get the NHS and our systems ready to deliver these treatments.

“The government’s Modern Service Framework for dementia and frailty is a once-in-a-generation chance to speed up diagnosis and help more people benefit from research breakthroughs.

Theory

“We’ve seen with cancer what’s possible when research investment and participation are prioritised.

“People affected by dementia deserve that same ambition.”

The charity's call to action is supported by Stuart Jennings, whose late wife Carol played an invaluable role in Alzheimer's research in the late 1980s.

Her family displayed a strong

history of early-onset dementia and gave up many hours to participate in brain scans, blood tests and memory assessments.

The work led Prof Sir John Hanly to formulate “amyloid hypothesis” – the theory behind the first treatments shown to slow the disease.

Stuart, who is a vice-president of Alzheimer's

Society, said: “Carol spent much of her life supporting dementia research because she believed that every breakthrough starts with people who are willing to take part.

“The advances we’re seeing today show what research can achieve, but there’s still much more to do.” He continued: “If we’re to

continue that progress, we need more people to get involved in research. Every study, every trial and every volunteer helps researchers build a clearer picture of dementia – bringing us closer to better diagnosis, more effective treatments and ultimately a cure.”

Prof Catherine Mummery, the director of UKDTN and a neurology expert at University College London hospitals, said: “Every day I meet people living with dementia who ask what they can do to help beat it. Although there are a

growing number of trials in the UK, there are still too few and navigating the research system can be confusing. Many who are willing

and able simply do not get the opportunity.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said it was exploring options to reduce diagnostic waiting times and to provide the best care and support.

Transform

A spokesman added: “We are also prioritising investment in research, expanding participation in clinical trials and making the UK a world leader in developing and testing the next generation of dementia treatments. This is vital work, which will transform the way our country responds to dementia.

“We are grateful to all the charities, research partners and medical experts who are helping us to develop these plans.”

Further information and support can be found online at alzheimers.org.uk.

OPINION: PAGE 12

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6

DAYST

Water bills

'might go up in droughts'

BY KATIE HARRIS

WATER suppliers may be allowed to charge households more during periods of drought.

Regulators are considering letting firms impose surge pricing and to factor water scarcity into bills in an attempt to reduce consumption.

The plans, revealed as most of England is in drought after several heatwaves, would take effect in April if they are approved by Ofwat.

Water activist Feargal Sharkey has accused suppliers of "contempt".

The ex-Undertones singer told the Sunday Telegraph: "For 40 years these companies have had legal obligations to help consumers to reduce their demand, and they have failed."

He added: "Now they're going to penalise consumers for that failure. We've all been treated with contempt."

A government spokesman said: "Water companies are trialling new charging structures which must, as promised, make bills fairer."

Tories target travellers' illegal sites

BY KATIE HARRIS

THE Tories say they will crack down on illegal traveller sites after ditching human rights laws, if they win power.

Freedoms gained from leaving the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act would enable the party to end "two-tier treatment".

Police would be able to ban travellers from returning to the sites.

Sir James Cleverly, the Shadow Communities Secretary, said: "Illegal sites and unauthorised development of legal sites is having a major negative impact on the local population, and residents feel abandoned. Police and local councils need our backing to intervene and take robust action.

"We will end the soft-touch approach favoured by Labour and ensure everyone is treated equally."

The Tories would also make it an offence to trespass with a vehicle after being told to leave an encampment.

Benefits ban for foreign nationals under Reform

BY KATIE HARRIS

A REFORM UK government would ban foreign nationals from claiming almost all welfare.

The party's Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick will unveil a 50-page plan today to slash the benefits bill by £50billion a year.

Foreigners, including those with EU settled status, will no longer qualify for universal credit, housing benefit, pension credit, jobseeker's allowance, child benefit, free child care and disability benefit.

Reform would also abolish personal independence payments and the health element of universal credit for working-age adults.

Mr Jenrick will warn that unless savings are made, the welfare bill will "bankrupt Britain and send taxes even higher". He will accuse the Tories and Labour of being "two

PIP payments would also be axed in £50bn savings

sides of the same coin" when it comes to benefits. And the ex-Tory will insist "only Reform UK is truly on the side of hardworking Britain that holds our country together".

Mr Jenrick said: "Forcing British workers to pay for the benefits of foreigners is not just economically illiterate but plain immoral.

"People are more than happy to support their neighbours in hard times. But the British taxpayer cannot afford to subsidise everyone on the planet, especially those who have not paid in. The public have been crying out for this change for

decades. Unlike the two old parties, Reform will deliver a system that's fair for the British people."

It comes as welfare spending is forecast to reach an eye-watering £407bn by 2030.

Banning foreigners from claiming most benefits would save £21bn a year within five years, according to Reform. The party estimates taxpayers have shelled out £55bn on welfare for foreigners between April 2022 and February 2026.

There will be some exemptions, including the war widows pension and armed forces compensation.

The policy means the withdrawal agreement with Brussels would need to be renegotiated, as it requires the UK to pay benefits to EU nationals.

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately said: "British people want welfare spending under control, abuse stamped out – and dignity for people who are seriously disabled. Serious reforms which take hard work.

"Reform UK have spent months flip-flopping on the two-child cap and now they've rushed out a cobbled-together announcement which is already unravelling.

"Their proposals will drag Britain back into Brexit battles with no certainty or success."

Labour said: "Reform's £50bn claim is fantasy economics, built on stripping support from disabled people and shifting costs on to employers."

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THERE is a fundamental unfairness at the heart of our welfare system. Foreign nationals who have never paid a penny into it and have no real stake in this country are claiming government handouts, while hardworking British families are forced to tighten their belts.

That bill is completely out of control. Last year, 6.9 million people claimed disability benefits - 2.5 million more than 20 years ago. By 2031, it will hit £110billion a year, costing every family £3,600. Britain is being bled dry. Business as usual is unsustainable.

A large share of this money is going to foreign nationals. Under the Conservatives, the numbers spiralled from 900,000 non-British citizens on Universal Credit in 2022, rising to 1.3 million today.

To make matters worse, 12% of net social housing lets in 2024/25 went to foreign nationals instead of our own homeless and veterans.

We should not be piling more pressure on working people by rewarding those who have never contributed and do not even hold British citizenship. Not only is the

COMMENT

LEE ANDERSON

Reform UK's Chairman & Welfare Spokesman

economy buckling, we have created a culture of welfare over work that is damaging the country.

I know what poverty feels like. As a single parent for 17 years with two boys, I struggled to pay the gas and sold my car to make ends meet. But I was able to keep working and dig myself out through work, not welfare.

We will always protect the most vulnerable, and their entitlements will not be touched. Pensioners remain fully covered by our commitment to the triple lock.

Today's measures apply only to working-age claimants and migrants. Reform UK stands for alarm-clock Britain. We will stop working people seeing more of their wages taken to subsidise those who simply can't be bothered.

TO READ ALL THE BEST POLITICAL STORIES OF THE DAY GO TO EXPRESS.CO.UK/POLITICS

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7

Prof Arday died at his home

£100k for family of 'tragedy' professor

BY IZZIE ADDISON

MORE than £100,000 had been raised by last night for the grieving family of ex-Cambridge professor Jason Arday.

He had resigned as professor of sociology of education after claims of plagiarism, which he had denied, and was declared dead when paramedics were called to a home in Battersea, south-west London, on Friday.

Equality campaigner Sir Patrick Vernon set up a GoFundMe appeal, and paid tribute to the 'pioneering' academic.

He said: 'I was one of the people who publicly supported Jason during the recent controversy...I was deeply concerned about the nature and intensity of the attacks directed towards him.

Memorial

'My immediate concern is now for Jason's family.' Sir Patrick said the money raised would go towards 'funeral, memorial and associated family costs'.

Andy Burnham said the death of Prof Arday, 41, required a 'moment of reflection'. The PM added: 'It's a tragedy on so many levels, but particularly just for everybody who knew Jason, his family obviously, his friends.

'It's not a moment for any rushing to judgment. It's a moment for reflection, I would say, reflecting on how things came to this.

'A really sad, sad and sorry state of affairs and I think we all today think of Jason, his contribution and his family.'

Just before he died, Prof Arday had told Cambridge professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the Autism Research Centre, that he 'couldn't go on'.

THE parents of a woman killed in a hit-and-run have said they are 'absolutely devastated' that the monster who took their daughter from them could be released from prison early.

Abigail Eggleston, 22, was on a pedestrian crossing in Durham last October when she was hit by a car driven by Liam Bowes.

Bowes, who had drunk eight to 10 pints and driven through a red light, did not stop, leaving the law student for dead in the road.

Abi's parents, Mandy and Andy Eggleston, from Northamptonshire, received a letter from the Probation Service last week saying that Bowes's 12-year sentence falls within the government's early release scheme.

Mrs Eggleston, 57, has now urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to exclude Bowes from the scheme.

She said: 'We are absolutely devastated at the idea of him being freed. He was callous and uncaring. He's not a petty criminal. This is someone with no morals. He will carry on the way he was before. There will be another victim in time. He's shown no remorse for what he's done.'

Mr Eggleston, 52, said: 'The leniency of his sentence made us very

EXCLUSIVE

BY JON KING

angry. He may not even serve eight years. He killed our daughter.'

Abi's mother has sought help from the Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman.

Mrs Eggleston added: 'We're trying to raise awareness. It's just awful. We're trying to rise from the ashes, but we are now completely floored again.

'It's just reopened wounds for the victims. The government is not being sensitive to the victims' loved ones, friends and families, and how this affects them.

'It seems to me that the defendants are being given a reward while the victims are being penalised and traumatised by this.'

Mrs Eggleston, paying tribute to her daughter, said: 'She was so ambitious, a real go-getter. A ray of sunshine. She was so selfless. She was gorgeous.

'She had such high aspirations. She was going to conquer the world. She

was everything to us. He just left her in the road.'

Mr Eggleston, who has multiple sclerosis, feels he has reached the point where he does not know if he can go on. He added: 'When Abi was killed, it completely floored me.

'We slowly tried to pick ourselves up. If that is even possible.

'To find out that the person responsible could be let out early... how is this even possible? It's too much for anyone to bear.'

Bowes admitted causing death by dangerous driving, perverting the course of justice, driving without insurance and failing to stop after a collision. He was jailed for 12 years at Teesside crown court on March 2.

The Prime Minister is under mounting pressure to prevent serious offenders from being released early, including two of the killers of PC Andrew Harper, who died responding to reports of a burglary.

Mr Burnham has said he would not forgive himself if he did not try to

lessen the 'anguish' of PC Harper's family – but there are scores of families and victims facing the same uncertainty and pain.

Abi's parents said they identified with PC Harper's widow, Lissie, who is battling to ensure his killers do not walk free before their sentences are due to end.

Mrs Eggleston said: 'We acknowledge that it is not just Lissie or us affected. This affects so many people.

'We all need to stand up and have a voice about this because the idea is preposterous.'

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'We have always stated we wanted to go further, and we are fast-tracking a plan to keep more of the most dangerous offenders behind bars.

'We share the public's anger that these options are even being considered, after we inherited a prison system on the brink of collapse.

'We are fixing this by building 14,000 new prison places, expanding electronic tagging and investing in probation services at record levels.

'We are also exploring how we can go further, including faster deportation of foreign criminals.'

OPINION: PAGE 12

PM to tackle 'issues ignored by Westminster' on tour

ANDY Burnham kicks off the second week of his UK summer tour today, looking at issues 'ignored by Westminster for too long'.

These include ending rough sleeping and resolving the 'toxic dump fly-tipping and environmental vandalism scandal'.

The Prime Minister will also be at No 10 North during the week.

But it comes as he faces an ongoing row over the prison early release scheme and pressure over small-boat crossings, which have surged in recent weeks during favourable weather conditions.

The latest polling by Opinium suggests that his

BY KATIE HARRIS Senior Political Correspondent

popularity has taken a hit in the past week. Mr Burnham's net approval rating is down five points to fit in the survey of more than 2,000 people.

Meanwhile, Labour's bounce has paused with the party remaining on 27%.

Labour overtook Nigel Farage's Reform UK, which had led hundreds of consecutive opinion polls, after Sir Keir Starmer's exit and Mr Burnham, right, entering Downing Street.

A No 10 spokesperson said: 'The Prime Minister wants to bring back

hope that we can finally fix the difficult issues facing the country that have been ignored by Westminster for too long.

'This includes taking on issues that others have said are intractable, like ending rough sleeping and resolving the toxic dump fly-tipping and environmental vandalism scandal that is blighting communities across the UK.

'The coming week will see the Prime Minister take on some of these issues as he continues his tour around the UK, which will inform his upcoming 10-year plan to make Britain better off.'

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8 Daily Express Monday, August 17, 2026

DAYIST

Moscow ‘Amazon’ struck in huge Ukraine attack

Wildberries spent on the its Spanish yesterday

AT least 14 people were killed when Ukraine sent hundreds of drones into Russia yesterday in one of its largest aerial attacks of the four-year war.

Kyiv has ramped up its attacks on Russia this year, with missiles and waves of drones targeting military sites and energy infrastructure.

Ukraine has also hit Wildberries warehouses and caused billions of pounds of damage to the e-commerce giant known as “Russia’s Amazon”.

Mourners in a cemetery watched yesterday as a blaze sparked by the drone blitz tore through a Wildberries site in Koledino Industrial Park near Podolsk, 50 miles south of Moscow.

Russia’s defence ministry said it intercepted 822 Ukraine drones overnight – 600 unmanned craft had been heading to the capital, according to Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin.

Onslaught

An 83-year-old man died as a drone hit a home in the Moscow area, said regional governor Andrey Vorobyov.

Meanwhile five people were killed by a 150-drone assault on three towns in Russia’s south-west Rostov region, governor Yury Slyusar said. The attack damaged homes and a railway station, and started a forest fire.

The onslaught was a response to overnight Russian attacks on Ukraine in which a missile blitz on Kryvyi Rih killed two people and injured 14, said President Volodymyr Zelensky.

One person died in Sumy while a man and woman were killed in their home in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Other strikes started fires across Kyiv, leaving six people wounded.

Mr Zelensky said: “Wherever the

BY MATTHEW DOOLEY

Russians can reach with their ballistic missiles, they strike civilian infrastructure. Air raid alerts have continued in many regions – the Russians launched another wave of drones.”

Russia claimed it had struck a metallurgical plant in Kryvyi Rih plus military-industrial facilities in Kyiv, including a manufacturing site for Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missiles.

The home-produced weapons are increasingly vital to Ukraine’s long-range offensive operations against Russia – Mr Zelensky revealed Kyiv had used them to hit a rocket research and production centre in Samara, 560 miles from the Ukraine border.

Meanwhile, Romania’s defence ministry said yesterday that a Spanish F-18 fighter had shot down a drone that breached Romanian airspace.

The incursion into the Nato member’s territory was picked up at 4.44am, near the eastern city of Galati close to the Moldovan border.

Moldova is landlocked and sits between Ukraine and Romania.

The ministry said the Spanish jet was on air policing operations when it “made radar contact with the target and received engagement approval”.

Authorities did not reveal where the drone had come from.

Romanian pilots recently shot down three drones in three days amid Russian attacks on Ukraine. Romania has logged dozens of similar incidents since the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Its foreign minister Oana Toiu said that the Spanish deployment in Romania had been increased “to bolster [Nato’s] eastern flank”.

Tehran mocks Trump’s claim that Strait will be ‘American’

IRAN has mocked Donald Trump for “delusions” after he suggested that the key Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf could become a US territory.

Its deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the waterway flashpoint in the countries’ conflict “is Iranian and will remain Iranian”, adding it “will only be closed and opened under Iran’s command”.

He said Tehran would still block the Strait as long as the US did not accept “the reality of defeat” and stop its “delusions”.

A fifth of the world’s petrol supplies flowed through the Strait each day before the war. Mr Trump had said in

Trump’s strait talking

BY MATTHEW DOOLEY

New York: “Pretty soon, I will be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States.

“We have control over it. Nobody else. Our navy is unbelievable.”

A tanker owned by Abu Dhabi state oil and gas firm Adnoc was hit in the Strait on Friday – the week’s third such attack. There were no injuries reported. Meanwhile Iran has accused

Qatar of capturing three of its pilots whose planes were shot down in March.

Qatar denied the claims, saying that rescuers found the remains of one airman.

DEFENDING THE NATION: P14

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Olivia, nine, was shot dead

Murdered girl's mum in plea to youngsters

BY DAN WARBURTON

THE mother of a girl shot dead in her own home has pleaded with young people not to resort to using weapons.

Olivia-Pratt Korbel, nine, was murdered by Thomas Cashman as he fired at another drug dealer he had chased into her home, four years ago this week.

Olivia's mother, Cheryl, was wounded.

She said: "Hopefully, it makes people think twice before even picking a weapon up.

"Olivia should have turned 13 on June 13.

"Instead, we are left holding the milestones she never got to reach."

Cashman, 37, was jailed for a minimum of

Killer Thomas Cashman

42 years. It was one of three fatal Merseyside shootings in a week in 2022, with Ashley Dale, 28, and Sam Rimmer, 22, also gunned down.

On Christmas Eve that year, beautician Elle Edwards, 26, was killed when a gunman fired into a group of people outside a pub in Wirral.

The parents of the four gathered at Olivia's Tree in Dovecot, Liverpool, to launch the Dear Merseyside scheme in schools and youth organisations.

Julie Dale, the mother of Ashley, said: "People can say, 'Oh, we know how you're feeling'. Not until your child's been murdered. No one knows how you're feeling."

The families said: "We want young people to hear the human stories. We hope they see that every act of violence leaves families, friends and communities living with its consequences forever."

Man dies after German shepherd dog attacks him during 'altercation'

Murder suspect arrested as police appeal for witnesses

BY MATTHEW DOOLEY

A MAN who was bitten by a dog in an altercation has died, sparking a police murder investigation.

The 55-year-old was hurt during an incident on a disused railway line in Calder Grove, Wakefield, at around 1.30pm on Saturday.

He was taken to hospital in a critical condition but died shortly after 7pm.

West Yorkshire Police have appealed for two women, one of whom is called Sophie, who stopped to help the injured man to come forward.

The force said a 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and of being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control in a public place, causing injury. He remains in custody.

They added that a German shepherd dog believed to have been involved in the incident has been seized by officers.

Detective Chief Inspector Michael Cox, of the homicide and major inquiry team, said: "Sadly, a man has died and it is really important that we

Footpath is taped off where the alleged incident took place off Blacker Lane on Saturday

understand the circumstances of what has taken place.

"We know that two people, one named Sophie, stopped to assist the injured man and direct officers.

"We would urge these two women to come forward to help us with our ongoing inquiries into this tragic incident.

"The initial altercation has hap-

pened in an area used by walkers, and we are urging anyone who has potentially seen or heard any part of the exchange between these two men to please make contact."

Images from the scene showed several police vehicles in the area. Ambulances also attended.

A police spokesperson said: "An investigation has been launched into

the death of a man following an altercation in the Calder Grove area of Wakefield. The man's death is being investigated by the homicide and major inquiry team and detectives are making an appeal for any witnesses to come forward, particularly two people who stopped to assist the injured man.

"Police received calls from 1.36pm reporting an altercation had taken place a short time earlier on the old train line footpath off Blacker Lane, during which a man had been bitten by a dog. The 55-year-old man was taken to the hospital in a critical condition and died shortly after 7pm.

"A 55-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control in a public place causing injury and is currently in custody."

Anyone with information can contact police on westyorkshire.police.uk/livechat or by calling 101, quoting crime reference 13260465524.

Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers via 0800 555 111 or online.

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Alarm clocks outdated now

Tech takes place of books at university

BY AIMEE PREFONTAINE

LAPTOPS have replaced books, kettles and alarm clocks as the must-haves for students, a poll found.

Mobile phones, chargers and portable speakers are also seen as vital compared with the survival basics of those who attended university in the mid-90s.

While the average pupil 30 years ago would have taken up to 10 books for revision and notetaking, today's students only carry three as everything is used and stored on a laptop or tablet.

The poll was of 1,200 students past and present.

It found nine in 10 believe today's students rely more heavily on technology than those who studied three decades ago.

Survival

Only a quarter of Gen Z students, aged up to 29, write notes in a notebook, while 19% use a mix of digital and handwritten methods.

Some 43% of Gen Z students use only their laptop for notetaking.

Two-thirds admitted they could not finish their course without it, OnePoll.com found

Some 35% who attended university in the mid-90s wished they could have taken a laptop with them.

Two-thirds of parents believe technology can have a direct impact on kids' academic success.

Annika Bizon, for Samsung which commissioned the study alongside its Galaxy Book 6, said: "Thirty years ago, university survival meant a kettle and an alarm clock and something to take notes on. Parents are helping their teenagers be more equipped with the right technology."

Vicky: Filming Trigger Point is a daily workout

VICKY McClure says she has no need to shell out for a personal trainer as filming for Trigger Point is a workout in itself.

The Line of Duty star returns for the fourth series of the hit ITV bomb squad drama after the explosive events of last year's third run.

And asked if she hits the treadmill before shooting, she replied: "No, I don't! And I'm not going to lie about it because I don't.

"It's my gym! It's happening while I'm working, and it is it is long days, and it is physical, and it is a lot to take on.

"But, I know it might get said a lot, but I mean it, this was one of the best jobs.

"And you know as much as there's a lot of running, there's like running, and then it's like, 'OK, we're going to change lens'. I'm like, 'I'll see you in 20 minutes'.

"So I'll go and have a cup of tea and sit down and catch my breath and go again."

Trigger Point's fourth series kicks off with Vicky's troubled character Lana Washington on the front line with Counter Terrorism Command as London is hit by a wave of devastating bombings. It is shock-

BY MARK JEFFERIES

ing on screen and the 43-year-old actor admits her character keeps her on her toes.

She says: "I think it's a really great start, and it was the right place to start with Lana's personal situation.

"If you've been a fan of the show, you've got to deal with her, and she's got to put herself first eventually, for the job as well as for herself. You just cannot keep going. Especially with what's to come. So yeah, there's a lot going on.

"But I don't think anyone will ever know Lana inside out, bless her.

"There's a numbness to her because of the amount of tragedy

that she's faced. Whether it be close family or a stranger in, you know, a situation, she doesn't feel, and that must be such a disconcerting and scary place to be."

Vicky is joined on the show by returning cast members Eric Shango who plays Danny, Nabil Elouahabi who stars as Hass, Natalie Simpson who is DS Helen Morgan and Maanuv Thiara who plays DCI Batra.

And director Jennie Darnell, who also worked on Line of Duty, has brought in a raft of guest stars, including Julie Graham and Jonas Armstrong.

They hope to build on the success of the third series, which averaged seven million viewers. The main

problem the team had for the explosive opening episode was shooting in London and all its landmarks, which is not easy as its a city that is never quiet or empty.

Director Jennie said: "How do you track a device on a lorry through London in almost real time? We had to work through that.

"What makes it complex and difficult is if we were going to say it was set in London, we needed to be in London. So we needed to know those landmarks and know how we could use them, know which ones we could have access to using, and then piece that together from there."

The result is an extraordinarily tense and exciting opening episode, although Vicky and the team are at pains to keep all the details secret.

Writer Chris Brandon said: "This show thrives on its cliffhangers and its surprises, and there's plenty more to come."

Vicky added: "I wouldn't dream of sort of saying too much.

"I think if my family ask, yeah, they probably know a lot. So don't approach them!"

Trigger Point series four starts on ITV and ITVX on Sunday, August 30, at 9pm.

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DAILY EXPRESS

One Canada Square, London E14 5AP

Tel: 020 8612 7000 (outside UK: +44 20 8612 7000)

'Golden era' cures close but sabotaged by delays

BRITISH scientists, for decades world leaders on their fields, today issue a stark message in one of the gravest fights we face as a nation.

Those working round the clock to find ways to finally defeat dementia are confident of standing on the cusp of a "golden era" in breakthroughs. But with hope comes the reality that patients are being failed by sluggish progress in rolling out clinical trials and, ultimately, meaningful treatments.

Diagnosis rates for diseases like Alzheimer's – known as the long goodbye – are pitiful, which helps neither sufferers nor their families who are too often ill-prepared for the financial and emotional hit it brings.

Sadly, dementia is on the rise and many more people are needing, and will need, specialist care. In the majority of cases this will require selling their homes and cashing in life savings.

As strange as it might sound, a diagnosis brings relief and certainty. But rates vary significantly across the UK with one in three sufferers not receiving one at all.

Much of that is to do with the ill-equipped NHS and its capacity, or lack of it, to provide scans. Many who have dedicated their lives to dementia research say the brain-wasting disease has never been treated with the priority it deserves despite it being the UK's biggest killer and costing the economy £42billion a year. We hope that changes, not least because we have a Prime Minister who knows full well the heavy burden of responsibility it brings.

Andy Burnham's father is living with Alzheimer's. If anyone can push for a clear, long-term vision for dementia care encompassing diagnosis, treatment, care and support, it is him.

Devastating jails chaos

WITH each passing day the hurt being caused by Labour's misguided prisoner early release scheme intensifies.

Last year Liam Bowes, who had been drinking heavily and drove through a red light, hit and killed law student Abigail Eggleston before fleeing the scene.

The cowardly killer then spent several hours trying to cover his tracks, including setting fire to his car. He later pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice, driving without insurance and failing to stop after a collision. Bowes was jailed for 12 years.

Abigail's mum Mandy's trauma is now being compounded by the sickening prospect of him being one of 5,000 prisoners set free early by Labour. It is time to put an end to this grave injustice and scrap a scheme causing more distress to victims and their families.

Beans mean good times

WHILE it might be true that an onion can make people cry, there's never been a vegetable that can make us laugh.

The green stuff is good for us and healthy habits start young.

The veggies we eat in our 20s helps to shape well-being for the rest of our lives, a new study has shown.

Or, in other words, it's time to spill the beans: five-a-day can stop us all becoming couch potatoes.

DAIST

Wasteful, polluting water giants must be held accountable

RECENT events have offered a snapshot of everything: wrong with the way we manage water. Nearly three-quarters of England is in drought. Millions of us face restrictions on water use and rivers are perilously low.

Wales, too, faces a drought.

Amid all this, we learned that Thames Water awarded new finance chief Steve Buck a £1million signing-on payment.

You could hardly invent a better symbol of a broken system.

Thames Water is on the brink of financial collapse, with debt of nearly £20billion. Its rivers are drowning in sewage and the company loses 571 million litres of water every day.

Yet somehow it found £1million for its top accountant.

Frontline staff are working around the clock to hold this failing company together, while customers are being asked to pay more and use less water. It is indefensible.

Thames Water should be put into a Special Administration Regime and rebuilt to serve its customers and clean up our rivers, not reward failure.

But Thames Water is part of a much bigger failure.

A River Action investigation found 14,128 commercial abstraction licences in England and Wales, permitting for-profit businesses like golf courses and beverage makers to abstract water from rivers, lakes and aquifers.

Collectively, these licences permit the abstraction of over 43 trillion litres a year – enough to fill Lake Windermere more than 144 times.

YET millions of households are being told not to water their gardens, wash their cars or fill paddling pools. Of course, we should use water responsibly during a drought. But asking families to turn off hosepipes cannot substitute for a national water strat-

Clim 'welcome' for Thames Water finance chief Steve Buck

Amy Fairman

Guest columnist

egy when water companies in England lose nearly three billion litres of treated drinking water through leaks every day.

Britain is sleepwalking into a water crisis of its own making, driven not by a lack of water but a chronic lack of political will. And water security isn't just about how much we take. It is also about protecting rivers that sustain us from pollution.

More than one billion chickens are raised for meat and eggs in the UK each year, generating enormous quantities of manure.

In the River Wye catchment, with one of the largest concen-

trations of chickens in the country, excess phosphorus from poultry manure is a major contributor to nutrient pollution and algal blooms that have devastated the river.

For more than a year, River Action has pushed Nando's to publish the independent audit it says examined waste management in its chicken supply chain. Nando's says it supports assurances that manure from its supplier in the Wye catchment is being responsibly managed. Fine. Then publish it.

Let the public, scientists, campaigners and regulators scuti-

'UK has spent years taking water and healthy rivers for granted'

nise the evidence and reach their own conclusions.

This is bigger than one restaurant chain. Nando's sells some 30 million chickens a year. At that scale, responsibility cannot end at the factory farm. Major food companies have the power to demand high environmental standards in their supply chains.

That matters when the government is considering expanding poultry production.

More industrial-scale chicken farming without proper environmental safeguards risks placing greater pressure on our rivers. These crises cannot be treated separately.

Drought, abstraction, leaking pipes, sewage, agricultural pollution and the financial collapse of Thames Water are symptoms of the same failure: the UK has spent decades taking water and healthy rivers for granted.

E URGENTLY need a national water security plan that

puts essential public water supplies, sustainable food production and healthy rivers first.

The government must tackle leakage, reform abstraction, invest in resilient infrastructure and make polluting industries responsible for their impact.

Climate change means pressure on supplies will intensify. Difficult decisions about who gets water, and what rivers must endure, are coming. We need to prioritise essential public water supplies and food production.

But with increasing water scarcity, should we really grant licences to take water from our rivers and aquifers simply to bottle it and sell it back to us?

Do we plan now or stumble from drought to drought, asking households to use less while tolerating a system that wastes, pollutes and rewards failure? The UK isn't running out of water. We're running out of excuses for failing to protect it.

● Amy Fairman is River Action's head of campaigns

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DETCI

13

Anisiobi

THIS IS HOW I SEE IT

Adult Disney fans taking the Mickey

AM I the only person who finds adults going to Disneyland and Disney World without kids a bit weird? I just do not get it.

Why do they flock there to a children's theme park that was built for kids when they don't have kids with them? I'm not making any assumptions about their motives, I'm sure they're just full of nostalgia for classic childhood films and the whimsy of Disney, but you're an adult.

You really think spending hours queuing to see Mickey Mouse is a good holiday?

You have no business in a place made for kids when you are there without children of your own. Grow up!

Crying shame that standards changed

THIS will sound harsh, but I think we need to bring back healthy shaming. I'm not talking about public humiliation. I mean the sort of social pressure that stopped people taking the mickey.

Growing up on a council estate in the West Midlands were some of the happiest days of my life. We didn't have much money, but there was pride. Our parents got up, went to work and taught us that when school finished at age 16, you either got a job or carried on your education. You didn't just sign on and make excuses.

If someone's front garden looked like a jungle, the neighbours would soon have something to say.

If you behaved badly, word got back to your mum before you got home. Nobody wanted to be known as the family that couldn't be bothered.

Somewhere along the way we've confused standards with bullying. We've become so frightened of offending people that we've stopped expecting anything from them.

Sometimes a little bit of shame is exactly what a community needs.

Face facts! Masks are an antisocial menace

UNLESS you're riding a motorbike or bombing down a ski slope, I can't think of a single good reason to wear a balaclava in public. So why am I seeing them so flipping much? Walk through almost any town centre and you'll see groups of lads dressed head-to-toe in black tracksuits, their faces completely covered. It's 30C outside, but apparently they're worried about catching a chill. Give me a break!

Nobody's wearing a balaclava in a heatwave because they're cold. They're wearing it because they don't want to be recognized. While not everyone hiding their face is a crook, let's not pretend criminals don't benefit from anonymity.

I'm 6ft 2in, 18-stone and broad-shouldered, yet even I think twice when I walk past a group of masked lads loitering outside my local kebab shop.

If that's how I feel, imagine being an elderly pensioner or a woman walking alone.

We've somehow accepted that seeing masked people in streets is just part of modern Britain. It shouldn't be. Parliament needs a serious conversation about banning face coverings in public with sensible exemptions for medical reasons.

Before the usual suspects start hyperventilating, this isn't about criminalising streetwear fashion. It's about saying that in a civilised society, people should be identifiable in public.

We've done it before. In the early 2000s, shopping centres and schools clamped down on hoodies as they made antisocial behaviour harder to police. It sent a message that hiding identities wasn't something society encourages.

And don't tell me the answer is simply banning balaclavas either. The game's gone if that's the best we can come up with. Miscreants will just swap them for snoods, scarves or whatever. The issue isn't the item of clothing, it's the deliberate concealment of someone's face. There's another reason this matters too.

Human beings are wired to read faces. We judge trust, emotion and intent through a smile, a raised eyebrow or a worried expression. Strip that away and public spaces feel less safe.

The same principle inevitably raises questions about other face coverings, including the burqa and niqab. I know many people regard those garments as an expression of their faith, and I respect that they hold that belief.

But if the principle is that faces should be visible in shared public spaces, then it has to apply equally to everyone. The rule should be simple. If you're out in public, people should be able to see your face.

This right royal mess is a loss for every Briton

PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle are Mormite. We all know it. You either love them or you can't stand them, and very few people in Britain sit on the fence.

Whatever side you're on, though, I think it's genuinely sad that things have deteriorated so badly between them and the Royal Family.

Families fall out...it happens. But when your family is also one of Britain's most important institutions, everybody loses - including us citizens.

Before anyone accuses me of going soft on the Sussexes, hear me out.

Harry and Meghan brought something very different to the monarchy. Meghan wasn't born into the aristocracy, she was a successful, mixed-race American actress who built her own career long before meeting Harry.

Together they gave the royals a younger, more modern look and that was needed.

The polling reflected that too. While older generations have always been the monarchy's biggest supporters, Harry and Meghan tended to connect better with younger people who might otherwise have switched off from royal life altogether.

You might think they handled things terribly, and I'd be inclined to agree with you. You might, however, think the Palace treated them unfairly and pushed them out.

That's a debate that'll rumble on for years.

But imagine what could have been if they'd all found a way to make it work.

Instead of a united Royal Family with broad appeal across the generations, we've ended up with interviews, court cases, brothers estranged, books and bitterness.

MAKE OFF-THE-RAILS PASSENGERS LEARN UNDERGROUND ETIQUETTE

I'M on the London Underground almost every day, and one thing is becoming painfully obvious - travel etiquette is nonexistent nowadays.

First, unless a child genuinely needs a seat, they can stand. I'm sick of seeing parents on their feet

while little princes and princesses spread themselves across the seats. Then there's the people who charge on to the train before anyone's had a chance to get off. I watched one bloke do exactly that this week with his kids in tow. He barged straight on while

the rest of us were still trying to get off.

It's not difficult. Let people off. Then get on.

Whether on the Tube or anywhere else, these are tiny acts of courtesy, but they're what make society function.

EXPRESSO SEE HOST JJ ANISIOBI AND GUESTS IN NEW EPISODES MONDAY TO FRIDAY ON THE EXPRESS YOUTUBE CHANNEL

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D4757

14 Daily Express Monday, August 17, 2026

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ON SALE FROM ALL GOOD BOOKSHOPS AND AMAZON

Departs Sep & Oct 2026

On this five-day getaway, we experience some of the island's best features, with excursions to the pretty seaside towns of Ramsey and Peel, as well as the magnificent Laxey Wheel, a grand feat of Victorian engineering, which is still in operation today. We also travel on the vintage Marx Electric Railway and the mountain-climbing Snaefell Mountain Railway, which takes us to the summit of the island's highest peak to enjoy the spectacular views.

So much included...

• Return coach travel & ferry crossings
• 4 nights at a selected hotel in Douglas, Isle of Man with dinner & breakfast
• After-dinner tea & coffee (Hydro Hotel only)
• Entertainment some evenings (Hydro Hotel only)
• Excursions to Laxey Wheel, Ramsey & Peel
• Heritage train journeys on the Marx Electric Railway & the Snaefell Mountain Railway

Departs Aug - Oct 2026

Mystical, captivating and beautiful, the Isle of Man is a unique destination peppered with enchanting stone churches, castles and forts, tangled trees and twisty trails, adding to the magical atmosphere of this sea-bound land. The Isle of Man also boasts several impressive heritage railways, offering nostalgic journeys for us to take in this dramatic Marx scenery, plus a traditional horse-drawn tramway along the seafront in Douglas.

So much included...

• Return coach travel
• 6 nights at the Hydro Hotel, Douglas with dinner & breakfast
• After-dinner tea & coffee
• Entertainment some evenings
• Excursions to Laxey Wheel, Ramsey, Peel, Castletown, Port Erin & Cregneash Folk Village
• Journey on the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway
• Heritage train journeys on the Marx Electric Railway, Snaefell Mountain Railway & Isle of Man Steam Railway

Call 03332 342 477 Visit justgoholidays.com/expc Quote EXPC

All coach package holidays are operated by and subject to Just Go! Holidays terms & conditions (available at justgoholidays.com). Your booking is protected by NCH and ABTOT. Prices are per person, based on 2 adults sharing and subject to availability. Pick-up & room supplements may apply. Prices correct at time of print, valid for 7 days.

PRESSURE is mounting on Donald Trump and the United States' continued ability to wage war in the Middle East, writes Conor Wilson. The US president thought military affairs were so easy. The Vietnam War draft dodger who recently posted an AI image of himself alongside Second World War Generals George Patton and Douglas MacArthur, began the year high on his own success.

The capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro coming months after a bombing raid on Iranian nuclear facilities that the administration claimed had been "obliterated", left him feeling like an all conquering military mastermind, but now the reality is starting to bite.

Six months into the Iran war, Trump is looking for a way out, by any means, as problems grow like weeds all around him.

Last week, I wrote how the US administration had voluntarily tied its arms behind its back by firing thousands of missiles with no plan on how to replace them and the implications that has for the war and the world at large.

This week, reports emerged of US sailors attempting to throw themselves off the side of US aircraft carriers in the Gulf as they crumble under the strain of a record-breaking prolonged deployment of more than 250 days with no end in sight.

USS Abraham Lincoln hasn't made a port call in 200 days, setting a record for consecutive days at sea.

So it's no wonder mental health episodes among crew, shortages of

Army veteran Ben Wallace was branded a 'traitor' by Zia Yusuf

'Six months into the Iran war and Trump is looking for a way out, by any means'

basic supplies, water contamination and plumbing issues have blighted the aircraft carrier.

Not only is the impact on the 5,000 sailors on board foreseeable, it strikes at the heart of the US administration's outlook on defence.

For all the bluster about "looking after American warfighters" blah blah blah, Trump, his defence secretary Pete Hegseth and the rest of the acolytes at the heart of the US government, increasingly see American troops as playthings whose primary existence is not to protect the US constitution but to further the ends of the wannabe strongman who is currently taking up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Trump might still believe that he is untouchable but the problems are mounting quickly and in such a way that even an accomplished fact denier like the 47th president of the United States will be unable to dismiss them as "fake news".

I WANT to speak up in support of Ben Wallace. Last week, the former Defence Secretary became embroiled in a public spat on X with Reform's self-styled "Shadow Home Secretary" Zia Yusuf.

Yusuf, who has been rejected as a parliamentary candidate by the party he thinks he will serve in government, branded Wallace a "traitor" over his time in government.

Wallace served as an officer in the Scots Guards and was commended for bravery on an operational tour of Northern Ireland. I have no love for Wallace's politics, but his service demands respect and stands to dispel any algorithm-pleasing attempt to brand him as a traitor. Yusuf would do well to detox from social media and heed his own advice about the need to tone down political rhetoric which he gave after the death of Ann Wildecombe.

FRIDAY marked five years since the start of Operation Pitting, the British Army mission to evacuate civilians and British nationals from Afghanistan. Landmarks of military operations can often be a good point upon which to look back, reflect and consider the lessons of the future.

The operation was a success among the gaping failures of UK foreign policy over a two-decade period. Serving in 16 Air Assault Brigade in the years leading up to the operation, I saw first hand the training that went in to ensure that the air assault task force were able to deploy at short notice, secure an airfield and extract personnel as swiftly as possible.

As we explore what a modern army of the 2030s looks like, we would do well to reflect on what qualities we want to endure among our service personnel. For all the talk of drones, AI and cyber, the qualities shown by those on Pitting - namely preparation, fitness, bravery, empathy and more - should not be forgotten in the makeup of a future force.

By Conor Wilson and James Knuckey

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DATS?

15

BY DAN WARBURTON

FOUR women allegedly trafficked by billionaire Harrods predator Mohamed Al Fayed have said they were let down by police.

The survivors accused officers of “failing in their legal duty” to identify them as victims of modern slavery.

It meant that instead of being referred to a national scheme, they had to make self-initiated referrals through an anti-slavery charity called NGO Unseen.

The women – confirmed as victims by a Home Office review – say the Met did not offer referrals to anyone who came forward about Al Fayed until last April.

It comes as the force faces intense scrutiny for the way it handled allegations about Al Fayed’s abuse.

Dozens of women came forward with allegations of sexual abuse and rape in the wake of a BBC documentary in 2024, the year after he died. Female Harrods employees made allegations to the police in 2008, 2015, 2018, 2021 and 2023, but Al Fayed was never arrested.

In June this year, the Independent Office for Police Conduct confirmed three victims had filed complaints about the Met’s handling of allegations between 2018 and 2024.

Now the force is facing further questions over its alleged failure to refer victims to a scheme known as the National Referral Mechanism, which offers support.

Predator

One woman, known as Isabella, worked in the chairman’s office at Harrods in 2001, where she was trafficked. She reported her experience to police in 2024 but was not referred.

Isabella said: “Survivors had to force the state to recognise trafficking in a case the Met now says had trafficking always at its heart. Referring suspected victims to the NRM is a statutory duty.

“That duty is triggered the moment trafficking is suspected, not when it’s proved. The legal duty is that it should be made promptly, and the threshold is reasonable grounds to suspect, no definitive proof needed.”

Al Fayed died in 2023 aged 94 and was exposed as a serial sexual predator the following year. More than 400 allegations have been made against him, dating between 1977 and 2014.

The Met is investigating at least 156 victims who contacted them directly, including 21 who came forward before Al Fayed’s death. Operation Cornpoppy was launched in November 2024 and is looking at people who may have facilitated or enabled Al Fayed’s crimes. Four women and three men have been questioned under caution.

It it understood the Met believes it was not

‘Al Fayed cops failed in duty to flag victims as trafficking cases’

Shared tycoon Mohamed Al Fayed Many survivors worked at Harrods

legally obliged to submit a referral for offences that occurred prior to the implementation of the NRM in April 2009 and the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

However, the Home Office views the dates of the alleged exploitation as irrelevant – it is only if the offences were reported before those dates that there is no legal duty.

Another victim, Margo, was a domestic worker for the Al Fayed family after the 2010 sale of Harrods. She reported her experience to the police in 2024 and the Met did not offer her a referral. Elizabeth, a Harrods employee, said identifying victims of human trafficking is essential, adding: “It’s a very simple, but very important thing that the police are supposed to do... and they’re not doing it.”

Justine worked at Harrods in the 90s, and was trafficked. She said the Met Police did not offer her a referral to the NRM when she reported her experience in 2018. She said: “The Met had a duty to refer all of us that have been reporting.”

A former anti-trafficking chief at the Met, Phil Brewer, said regardless of whether it was a legal obligation, the Met should have been referring these victims to the NRM. He added: “It just seems such a simple thing to do that would give the survivors reassurance.”

Eleanor Lyons, the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, said: “These victims should be offered support at any stage in their recovery journey.”

The Met Police has been contacted for comment. It said in June: “Specialist detectives continue to lead one of the Met’s largest and most complex investigations. The victims are at the heart of our investigation.”

Andy Day, the gold commander of Operation Cornpoppy, wrote to survivors on August 11: “Work continues in relation to potential referrals. The team will make contact where appropriate.”

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16

DAYST

Cop seizures of deadly e-bikes almost double

Crackdown on 'menace' machines

BY NEIL LANCEFIELD AND FLORA THOMPSON

POLICE seizures of e-bikes soared by 83% in a year as forces crack down on dangerous models.

Confiscations hit 7,049 in the 12 months to May 19, according to data obtained under freedom of information laws. That is up from 3,858 in the previous year.

The figures prompted police, politicians and charities to call for new legislation to clamp down on the dangerous vehicles which have caused deaths and serious injuries.

Sgt Stuart Ford, who leads the cycle team at City of London Police, described illegal e-bikes as "a menace". He said some are three times heavier than a conventional bike.

He added: "If that hit a small child, it can cause serious injuries. I would like to see specific laws around e-bikes brought in."

Labour MP Julie Minns, who has been campaigning for a ban on sales of illegal e-bikes and conversion kits, said they were the "perfect accessory to phone theft, mugging and drug dealing" as well as a danger to motorists and pedestrians.

She called on Andy Burnham's government to brand them "unsafe".

Fires

During a recent e-bike crackdown in Cardiff, police arrested four riders on suspicion of drug offences after a man in his 20s was found with 33 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin worth about £1,000.

Last month, the Met carried out an operation to catch illegal e-bike users in the West End, a hotspot for phone theft and other street crime.

Commander Neerav Patel said Londoners were "fed up with the criminal and antisocial use of e-bikes".

Under UK law, legal e-bikes cannot have a motor exceeding 250 watts and they must cut out at 15.5mph. But many seized e-bikes have been modified to travel much faster, with some exceeding 70mph.

Non-compliant machines are effectively electric mopeds or motorbikes, which must be registered, taxed and insured.

While major retailers sell thousands of legal e-bikes every year, many illegal machines are bought online. Kits which add an electronic motor to a bike are available for less than £300.

Illegal e-bikes are also often used for legitimate journeys such as food deliveries and commuting.

Pedestrian safety charity Living Streets warned "the rise in e-bike use must not come at the expense of people walking" while the Royal National Institute of Blind People said

SHOCK CATALOGUE OF DEATHS AND INJURIES

GREAT-grandmother Gloria Stephenson, 86, inset, was killed by an illegal e-bike on a zebra crossing in Sunderland on May 16 last year. The rider, Billy Stokoe, 18, who had been holding a mobile phone was jailed for six years.

Jim Blackwood, 91, below, died after being hit by an e-bike on the pavement outside his home in Rochester, Kent, on July 6, 2023.

Jason Parr, 61, died at the scene after the e-bike he was riding collided with two pedestrians on December 2 last year in Manchester.

A three-year-old boy was taken to hospital with head injuries after being involved in a hit-and-run with an e-bike in Borehamwood, Herts, on June 12.

A boy of 13 was arrested over a hit-and-run with a pregnant woman, who then prematurely gave birth in the hospital to a seriously ill baby after the crash in Poole, Dorset, on January 26.

A 10-year-old was seriously injured after being hit by an e-bike on a pavement in Grimsby on April 9. Humberside Police launched a probe to identify the rider.

A woman, 57, was taken to hospital in a serious condition after being involved in a hit-and-run crash with an e-bike on a zebra crossing in Liverpool on July 7. An 80-year-old man suffered potentially life-

changing injuries when he was hit by an e-bike while crossing a road in Bristol on June 10. A man in his 40s was arrested.

e-bikes were "silent vehicles" that present a danger. A record 432 e-bike fires were reported last year, with batteries igniting during charging.

The government said: "Illegal e-bikes that can reach dangerous speeds have no place on our roads and pavements, and the rise in seizures shows the scale of the problem police are dealing with.

"We have strengthened police powers, changing the law so that officers no longer need to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles where they are used anti-socially."

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DATS1

17

EXCLUSIVE

BY GILES SHELDRICK Chief Reporter

NHS staff risk losing their jobs and livelihoods fighting radical gender ideology, the boss of the equality watchdog has been told.

Mary-Ann Stephenson, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, heard how the health service was ignoring lawful same-sex policies and persecuting staff who challenged them.

Bethany Hutchinson, who took on County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust for allowing a male nurse to use a female changing room in accordance with its transitioning in the workplace policy, has pleaded with the regulator to ensure the law was upheld.

She said: "Our meeting with the EHRC was an important opportunity to explain what nurses and other healthcare professionals are experiencing on the ground.

"Nurses should not have to risk their careers simply by asking NHS employers to follow the law.

Dignity

"[This is to] protect the dignity, privacy and safety of patients and staff.

"The experiences of the Darlington nurses and others raise serious questions about how protected beliefs are treated within the health service.

"We will not stop pressing NHS trusts, regulators and national leaders to provide clear, lawful policies and meaningful accountability."

The EHRC was forced to update the existing code of practice – first published in 2011 – to reflect the definition of sex following the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers.

Issued on April 16 last year, the judgment provided an unequivocal answer to the definition of sex in law, stating biological sex is irrefutable in terms of the Equality Act, which provides legal workplace protection.

The code, which covers England, Scotland and Wales, confirms a service must be used on the basis of biological sex in order for it to be classed as single-sex.

But instead of providing clarity, the code has caused chaos and division

Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson

with a number of left-wing London councils vowing to resist.

Campaigners argue this demonstrates the public sector has been captured by a damaging ideology, with resistance to conforming to its legal

duties, leaving it open to a flood of legal challenges, with the bill picked up by taxpayers.

Guidance on the use of toilets and changing rooms as single-sex spaces came into force on August 5, almost 18 months after the Supreme Court ruling.

The new code is not legally binding but provides guidance about how to

comply with existing law. Ms Hutchison said: "As the EHRC's revised code of practice comes into effect, these questions cannot be ignored. Public bodies, NHS trusts and regulators must ensure that equality law protects everyone, including those whose beliefs are unpopular or contested.

"The experiences of the Darlington nurses demonstrate why transparency, accountability and equal treatment under the law remain so important."

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: "The law must be applied in practice, not merely acknowledged in principle.

"NHS trusts and regulators cannot dismiss legitimate concerns as isolated organisational failings while similar

policies remain in place across the country. We will continue pursuing every appropriate legal and regulatory avenue to ensure the Supreme Court's ruling is implemented and that professionals with Christian and gender-critical beliefs receive the protection guaranteed to them by the Equality Act."

Guidance

The NHS said: "The NHS will publish approved new guidance for the health service on single sex accommodation shortly. In the meantime, hospitals should be acting within the principles set out in the EHRC code to ensure all patients are cared for with dignity and respect."

Amanda gets settlement

ACTRESS Amanda Abbington has reached an out-of-court settlement with the BBC over bullying allegations she made about her time on Strictly.

The Sherlock star, 52, is said to have received a five-figure sum, reportedly paid by BBC Studios, meaning the funds did not come from the licence fee.

Amanda alleged her professional partner, Giovanni Pernice, had bullied and harassed her in 2023. Pernice rejected "any claim of threatening or abusive behaviour". After a review, the corporation upheld some but not all of the complaints.

The BBC declined to comment. Amanda's team has been contacted for comment.

'Trees adapt to droughts'

TREES may be more adaptable to droughts than previously believed, research suggests.

The discovery offers "unexpected hope" for the future amid global warming, say scientists.

Tropical forests absorb enormous amounts of carbon but ecologists fear increasingly severe droughts threaten their ability to survive. But the study showed many species can still thrive.

Professor Maria Uriarte, of Columbia University, New York, said: "Most tropical tree species can adjust their water transport systems to local conditions, suggesting they have greater capacity to cope with increasingly severe droughts than we previously recognised."

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

'Everyone has some level of natural ability as a coffee taster'

TASTE ACE: Ben loves his job

"I've almost certainly tasted 100 cups of coffee in a day," says Ben Forman, a sensory specialist for Nescafé coffee. "We only taste a spoonful at a time, and like wine tasting we don't swallow it, but it's still quite a lot of coffee in one day!"

Ben is based at Nestlé's Global Coffee Centre of Excellence at the company's Tutbury factory in Derbyshire, not far from where he grew up. Nescafé instant coffee has been made here since 1959, and today that comprises a huge range: classics such as Nescafé Original and Gold Blend, and newer products like Nescafé Azera and Dolce Gusto pods.

Nescafé's frothy coffee range, meanwhile, is made at the company's Dalston factory in Cumbria using coffee from Tutbury.

The numbers involved are staggering. Tutbury produces 170,000 jars of coffee every day, and is set to make a staggering 1.2 billion

coffee pods this year. What's more, the coffee that emerges from this green and pleasant part of England doesn't just fill supermarket shelves in the UK, but is exported to a mind-blowing 92 markets worldwide.

Like many Nestlé employees, Ben has been with the company a long time and worked his way up through the ranks. Starting out on the Dolce Gusto packing line fresh out of university in 2006, he says it's "serendipity" that he landed his dream role as a sensory specialist. "I didn't really know much

Tutbury produces 170,000 jars of coffee every day

about coffee tasting when I started," he admits, "so it was a bit of a baptism of fire."

Tasting is a vital part of Nescafé's production process, and takes place at every stage - starting with the raw product, known as "green coffee", which arrives at Tutbury every day by the truckful.

Before it can leave the factory, every product needs to pass a sensory panel made up of at least four people. Ben explains that while coffee tasting is "inherently subjective", part of his job is to "turn it into as much of a science as possible".

One way this is done is by

arranging coffee tastings so that they step up in intensity. "Robusta is one of our more intense coffees, so we work up to that one," Ben explains. "After that, we test anything with milk, because once you taste milk it sort of puts a blanket over everything and you struggle to pick out the nuances of coffee flavour."

Now, one of his favourite parts of the job is training other members of the Nescafé team to become coffee tasters

1.2bn

coffee pods will be made at Tutbury this year

Ben Forman landed his dream job as a sensory specialist for Nescafé. Now he trains his colleagues to become coffee experts too. Here he shares his insights

Exported to 92 markets worldwide

too. "Everyone has some level of natural ability, and with training and experience you can stretch it and improve - that's the message I try to give to people," he says.

In fact, all staff across the business are encouraged to get involved, from office-based managers to packers on the factory floor. "We want it to be a shared responsibility," Ben says. "We want everyone to understand how the coffee they're making tastes."

While Ben admits that he "felt a lot of imposter syndrome to start off with", six years in, he's proud of how far he's come.

"One of the most important things is learning to trust your instincts," he says. "When you're tasting coffee, first impressions count for a lot, so a big part of the process is becoming confident enough to go with your gut and not second-guess yourself."

Find out more about Nestlé in the UK at nestle.co.uk/britain

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DAYS!

19

Homes' price tags fell by 2%

Sellers slash £7,000 from typical home asking price

BY VICKY SHAW

THE average price tag on a home coming on the market dived by more than £7,000 this month, says a property website.

Rightmove has also downgraded its prices forecast for 2026, from a 2% increase to between no change and a 2% fall.

Average asking prices for newly listed homes fell by 2% (£7,360) month on month.

This is the biggest August drop since 2018 and above the 10-year average of 1.3% down.

The UK average asking price is £364,999 – 1% down on a year ago and the biggest annual drop since December 2023.

The total of available homes for sale is also at a 12-year high. This plus the traditionally quiet summer holiday period has led to lower price expectations among sellers – but there is an increasingly divided regional picture.

Reality

In the North West of England the average asking price is up 1.9% annually, but in London it has fallen by 3.1%.

Rightmove's Colleen Babcock said: "Many sellers are recognising the reality of the market and pricing much more competitively. Buyers have the widest choice of homes for sale at this time of year in more than a decade."

Although buying activity is some 10% down on last year, Rightmove said it had seen a "mini-bounce" in demand since Andy Burnham became PM.

But it added that the changing picture for mortgage rates plus geopolitical uncertainty and October's Budget have caused uncertainty.

Ms Babcock said: "The mini-Burnham bounce and some renewed general optimism have brought a degree of improvement to the market as a whole. Whether that develops into a more sustained recovery will likely depend on confidence."

EXCLUSIVE

BY PAUL JEEVES Crime Editor

BRITISH tourists are being fleeced by Mexican criminals forcing them into paying false airport taxes.

Fake officials exploit a real tourist departure tax to swindle travellers departing Cancun.

The gangs take advantage of confusion about three taxes needed for travel to the state of Quintana Roo, with the tourist tax and environmental tax generally paid locally.

Despite most major British package holiday firms incorporating the third departure tax into their fees, thieves are tricking thousands of people.

Around 500,000 Brits visit Mexico every year, with the vast majority landing directly at Cancun.

The scammers wear official-looking uniforms and have ID lanyards, iPads and mini card machines to accept instant payments.

They even operate from pop-up stands next to airline check-in desks.

Criminals mingle freely among legitimate airport staff and holiday firm reps and exploit the confusion surrounding this fee to aggressively trap unsuspecting tourists into paying.

But while the tentacles of major Mexican drug cartels spread in and around Cancun's highly lucrative economy, intelligence and government reports say the scam is a localised, white-collar operation.

It is run by greedy digital marketing businesses and predatory airport

David and Sarah White lost £94 to fraud

salespeople. Some brazenly rent space in the terminal as a legitimate business front to carry out the fraud.

David and Sarah White, from Glasgow, and their two children returned from a two-week holiday to the resort last month.

Despite being warned by fellow holidaymakers, they still fell foul and were swindled out of £94.

Engineer David, 47, and sales manager Sarah, 48, were flying back

LOW SCAM WORKS

THIRD-party workers wearing official-looking hops-visibility vests or uniforms stand near departure desks.

They aggressively claim you cannot board your flight without showing proof of payment, cornering tourists into paying.

The legal cost of Visittax is roughly $7.3 pence (approximately £14). But unauthorised airport scammers are charging up to £100 by sneaking in massive "processing" and "convenience" fees. For holidaymakers who Google "Pay Visittax" while at the airport, the top search results are highly deceptive rapport websites.

They mirror government designs, harvest standard data, overcharge, and frequently issue invalid QR codes that fail to scan at security checkpoints.

to Newcastle and had just dropped their bags at the TUI check-in desk when they were intercepted by nine well-dressed fake tax operatives.

They demanded to see the family's QR codes for their "departure tax," warning that airport security would deny them access to the departure gates without it.

Sarah said: "We told them we'd paid our tax. He went on to his iPad and pulled up an official looking document

that listed firms, with TUI highlighted, falsely stating the departure tax was not included in their package and had to be paid immediately.

"We are not easily fooled, but they were so convincing.

"When we questioned why other people were not stopped, we were told they were travelling internally, and we would not be allowed through security without a QR code proving the tax was paid."

Believing they had no other choice, the Whites paid the $133 fee for the four of them and were immediately emailed receipts and instructed to take screenshots of their QR codes to show at the security checkpoint.

Laughed

David said: "I was convinced that if we did not pay, we would be returned to security, and there was a real danger we could miss our flight."

When they presented the purchased QR codes to the actual airport security guard, he laughed while shaking his head and waving them through.

Sarah added: "We cannot understand how they were able to operate so freely inside the airport."

TUI said its website provides information to customers advising how to pay the tourist tax using only the official government Visittax website, and also the environmental tax at their hotel.

Cancun airport has been contacted for comment.

Four in 10 can't pack away money worries on holiday

MANY people look forward to their holidays as a chance to relax - but money worries bother some for several days or even the whole trip, a poll has found.

Some 27% of trippers who fret about funds while away said they manage to switch off straight away, said research for the thinkmoney app.

That rises to 38% by the end of the first day, but it takes up to three days for most holidaymakers (53%) with money worries to leave their concerns behind.

More than four in 10 (42%) said they take most of the break to switch off or never manage it at all. The

BY VICKY SHAW

research also found holidaymakers from the West Midlands are particularly unlikely to have shed money fears by the first day (66%) followed by those from the East Midlands and London (both 65%).

Nearly half (48%) of financially fearful trippers from Scotland said they take most of their holiday to switch off, or never manage it, followed by those travelling from Yorkshire and the Humber (47%).

More than 2,000 people were surveyed in June -

and more than 1,000 of them admitted that they suffer with money worries while on holiday.

Vix Leyton, a consumer expert at thinkmoney, said: "You can't put your money worries on airplane mode. For some people, the first few days of a holiday are still being spent mentally adding up what they've spent, checking whether there's enough left for the rest of the trip and thinking about the bills waiting."

She suggested setting a holiday budget, checking which household bills are due during the break and using banking apps to help prevent overspending.

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20

EXIST

EXCLUSIVE

By Richard Ashmore

THEY say three little words could help you find your way to someone's heart, but thanks to a "quintessentially British" idea they could also help you find a yurt in the remotest part of Mongolia – or save the life of someone you love. What3words is the incredibly simple, yet ingenious, idea of English entrepreneur Chris Sheldrick, and like many ideas born in these isles it's now been adopted all over the world.

Co-founder Chris, 45, wanted to find a solution to pinpointing an exact location that might not appear on a sat-nav, or near any postcode, landmark or geographic feature.

Which can be handy in many situations... like the wedding in a beautifully converted barn in the Shropshire countryside you're supposing to be attending until a postcode and GPS search leads you to a Lidl in Wales 40 minutes late for the ceremony.

For former band and live events organiser Chris, he just wanted to find a way to stop his acts forever getting lost on their way to venues. But what3words isn't just about helping guests and musicians to find rural weddings, it has also become the difference between life and death.

The phone app works by breaking the world down into trillions of three-metre-by-three-metre squares. Every square is then assigned its own unique combination of three words, making that small patch of the Earth instantly locatable.

Which has been a godsend to fire brigades racing to the sites of rapidly spreading wildfires in England this summer, including a blaze that has engulfed half of the 660-acre Holme Fen nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.

Peter Bromley, crew commander at Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service told the Express: "At Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service we encourage our communities to use what3words when reporting an incident, as the additional layer of accuracy helps us pinpoint exactly where to send help.

"This has been especially important during this exceptionally busy wildfire season, when getting crews to the right place in wide open spaces quickly, is critical to managing and resolving the reported incident. This gives the best possible service to the public, and allows our resources to be redeployable as quickly as possible once the incident is safely brought under control."

What3words can also be a saviour to victims of accidents and sudden health emergencies in hard to find locations. One three word combination – "anyway.lend.give" – saved the life of double cancer survivor Gary Mason.

HE WAS experiencing severe chest pains and his son Joe decided to drive him to Alexandra Hospital, in Redditch, West Mids. But when the pain became excruciating for Gary, Joe was forced to pull over and dialled 999 to get help as soon as possible for his father, who was suffering a major heart attack that left him just minutes to live.

The pair were on a relatively remote B road and the ambulance crew were struggling to find their exact location.

"Don't die on me will you dad," Joe said as he tried to desperately guide help their way.

Then he mentioned to the operator he had the what3words app on his phone. The tool is estimated to be used by around 85% of emergency service workers and once the paramedics had Joe's three words life-saving help

FIND AND

From locating wildfires and saving lives to delivering letters to Mongolian yurts, what3words is the location app that has revolutionised navigation across the globe... and it's a British invention

what3words Learn include Mongolia's Founder from, last, and cross丰田村 building wildfires in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, 1934

arrived seconds later. Gary needed emergency treatment at the scene and was rushed to a larger hospital for life-saving surgery. After his dad recovered, Joe told the Bromsgrove Standard the "app definitely saved my dad's life".

"When I downloaded it, I did so in case I was out meeting friends and they couldn't locate where I was – I never thought it would be crucial in a life and death situation like it was," he added.

For Chris, as the man who helped

come up with the idea behind the app, stories like those of Gary and Joe are very moving. He later shared an emotional hug with the father and son when they appeared on the BBC CrimeWatch Live show to recall the rescue.

Speaking at the time, Gary said he "could never show enough gratitude really" for the invention and the man behind it who saved his life.

"Those are very touching stories because in a way the thing that we created enabled these rescues to happen and lives to be saved," said Chris. "Because the emergency service real world what3words use is so frequent now, it's almost every day we get this feeling. The first emergency service use

was from Hertfordshire, I remember seeing it from the fire service because they had posted about it on Twitter that they had used it to find a fire. Hertfordshire is my home county so it kind of had a particular resonance for me.

"I also met a man who was hang-gliding in the Alps last year who ended up somehow crashing into a tree. Luckily still conscious, he managed to send the Swiss emergency services his what3words address and they rescued him."

But the reason for the "back-of-an-envelope" idea which went on to have this global appeal was not originally to help save people on B roads near Bromsgrove or from woods on the side of a mountain. Chris spent

'I downloaded the app to meet my friends... I never though it would save my dad's life'

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DICT

21

SEEK

Founders Jack Waley-Cohen, left, and Chris Dwiorick. Their app helped Joe Mason summon help for dad Gary, right.

years in his former life as an events organiser forever frustrated with bands getting lost. On one occasion an entire sound system arrived one-hour north of Rome when it should have been one-hour south and Chris jokingly recalls a keyboard player calling him to say "Chris, don't panic, but we may have just sound-checked at the wrong wedding".

Deciding to finally solve his geographical headache, Chris came up with the idea for a new way to locate places with his old school friend and mathematician Dr Mohan Ganesalingam. In 2013, with the help of fellow founder Jack Waley-Cohen, what3words the company was born.

Chris's personal favourite three-word

combination is index.home.raft – the location of the firm's first London office. He said: "The idea is such a bizarre sounding concept in so many sorts of ways, but also quite quintessentially British.

"I often think of it as something that could have been in an episode of Black Adder, it's like 'I have a cunning plan', as the characters often said."

Despite being "bizarre", what3words has now essentially conquered the globe and the app is used by the public, governments and emergency services in more than 190 countries and with word combinations written in over 60 languages.

It is even used to find locations in the ocean, though Chris stresses that the lower

user density on the high seas means that the words are often more complicated. "If you are clicking around our map in the Atlantic you will probably find something like trigonometry, pyrotechnics, dodecahodron, but at least you can say where you are," Chris said.

"Several embassies around the world even have a plaque of their what3words address on their front door, so even before people walk in, they are exposed to us."

The Foreign Office and their work promoting this British busi-

ness abroad comes in for particular praise from Chris who said: "If you take the quirkiness of our idea, and then you show up in some far corner of the globe, it matters a lot that our government is backing us to say we really believe that another government, whoever it is, should engage with us."

One distant place where the elegant word whereabouts solution has worked particularly well is Mongolia, a country which is more than six-and-a-half times bigger than the UK but has a population of just 3.5 million people.

Many of its inhabitants still live a nomadic life in the landlocked nation, meaning that the simple act of delivering a parcel to someone with no fixed address was proving a nightmare, until Chris met with Mongolian officials.

"I met a guy who was very influential in Mongolia, he loved the idea of what3words but had no immediate plan of what to do with it," explained Chris, whose favourite word reference tome of choice is the Oxford English Dictionary.

"Then he called me a few months later and said he had just bought a third of the Mongolian postal service and then encountered an issue... which is addresses are not really used in the country, not like they are in the UK... he asked me to come to Mongolia, and then could we make the system in the Mongolian language, which I didn't know a lot about."

NEVER shy of a challenge though, Chris and his team created a Mongolian version, making it unusually the 11th language to be rolled out despite a relatively limited number of speakers.

"QI, the BBC TV show, sent a test letter from Britain to Mongolia just with the person's name and the three words... and it arrived," said Chris proudly.

"The emergency services in Mongolia use it, the ministry of culture, everything basically, and there have been real-world calls through their equivalent of 999 where people can now explain where they are.

"Small country population wise, massive land space wise, and it's just caught on in a brilliant way.

"Airbnb had a user who was a member of the Reindeer Tribe, who are about 20 hours north of the capital, it's not easy to get to. They are nomadic, but you can find the location of their Airbnb with what3words...evaluate.video.nails."

Looking back at the creation of a business with a reach that famous Mongolian empire-builder Genghis Khan might be proud of, Chris admits he does sometimes have to "pinch myself".

"From my point of view, this is my life's work if you like. It all came about because of what I was doing in my previous life, which was music and getting lost doing that," Chris added. "I definitely pinch myself and think 'wow' how far it has come, and I enjoy growing it even further.

"I did think that it had this potential even when we first had the idea, which was a real kind of back-of-the-envelope concept that completely came out of a casual conversation.

"It wasn't like we were trying to hatch an idea for a business, it was just 'wouldn't it be great if we could reduce GPS coordinates' and boom we had the idea."

On the future for the company, Chris is open to any possibility.

He jokes: "We're very happy to go to the Moon, and if there are users there for sure we will come up with something when the time comes... it's not on the business Q2 (quarter two) roadmap for this year, but let's see."

'BBC sent a test letter to Mongolia with the person's name and the three words...and it arrived'

---

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Blood match help for new kidney ops

BY ELLA PICKOVER

THE NHS is to "double match" blood for kidney transplant patients so their donated organ is less likely to be rejected.

In addition to ensuring that blood is the same type, scientists will match white blood cells as closely as possible.

NHS Blood and Transplant said the move could prevent 100 kidney transplants from being rejected each year.

It is hoped the initiative will also cut the number of people waiting years for a transplant, with some queuing for decades.

Health officials are to roll out the programme for all kidney transplant patients after a successful pilot scheme.

Around two in every five kidney transplant patients need blood transfusions. Afterwards some patients will make antibodies, and if these are directed to the new kidney, this can raise the chances of rejection.

Dr Michelle Willicombe, of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "The roll-out is really positive news."

'Easier' way to prevent malaria toll

BY NICK FORBES

SCIENTISTS have hailed a new compound as "an exciting step forward" in the fight against malaria.

Researchers at the University of Dundee said it has the potential to simplify dosing plans for treating and preventing the illness.

The life-threatening disease can be spread by some types of mosquito and is mostly found in the tropics.

There were 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths from the disease worldwide in 2024 with the toll rising partly due to increasing resistance to medicines.

The new cabamiquine compound is a "novel drug-like molecule" that can be given in one dose.

A trial showed when given with antimalarial drug pyronaridine it was safe and effective in adults and adolescents, supporting larger trials and in children.

Dundee's Dr Beatriz Baragana said that the compound, discovered with support from the Medicines for Malaria Venture foundation, "has great potential".

It was just a miracle! Weight-loss drug has stopped my drinking

A WOMAN has revealed that taking a weight-loss pill stopped her cravings for alcohol - within a week.

Julie Lord, 56, said she had been drinking around a bottle of wine every day since retiring in 2017 and had struggled to cut back, despite her GP warning her she was drinking booze at harmful levels.

But after she began taking Wegovy to lose her menopause weight, Julie said her cravings for alcohol "completely disappeared", cutting her intake from a bottle a day to barely half a glass. Julie, a

BY AILSA MARSHALL

retired pharmaceutical worker from Leeds, said: "I could not believe it. It virtually stopped me from drinking within a week. It was a miracle.

"I literally just stopped. I can't explain it.

"I stopped craving it. I stopped wanting it. I stopped buying it. I just didn't feel the need any more.

"The first week I had a couple of glasses just because the bottle was open and I finished it. Then, I stopped buying wine. I realised I was drinking for the sake of it before. The cravings just all went.

Confident

"Before Wegovy, I'd be thinking about what I was doing later because it meant I could have a glass of wine. I drank because it was pleasurable.

"I still go to the same places. Instead of having two or three glasses of wine, I'll have a coffee."

Now, six weeks after coming off the medication, she said the cravings have returned, and she has gone back on Wegovy - not to lose weight, but to stop drinking.

A keen hiker who describes herself as "super healthy", Julie said giving up alcohol left her feeling better and more confident.

Keep your heart healthy with beans and broccoli

But benefits of veggies differ between men and women

Broccoli is better for women's health

BEANS are best for men while broccoli is better for women when it comes to heart health, a study says.

Researchers found that the vegetables people eat in their twenties can shape health and wellbeing for life.

And it turns out the benefits of eating particular veggies varies according to gender. This is particularly the case for protection against heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Lead researcher Neal McNamara, of Edith Cowan University (ECU), in Western Australia, said: "It's not just about piling on greens. We saw very clear sex-based differences. Beans for blokes and broccoli for women stood out as the real winners."

The study followed people for the first 37 years of their lives and found young men who ate more legumes - like beans, lentils and peas - were "significantly less likely" to show early warning signs of heart disease.

BY STEPHEN BEECH

This was the same for women who ate more cruciferous veg - including broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.

Professor Therese O'Sullivan, also from ECU, said: "Our findings suggest that men and women may process some nutrients and plant compounds from vegetables differently.

Nutrients

"For example, natural compounds found in legumes may affect testosterone more strongly, while compounds in cruciferous vegetables may have a greater effect on female hormones like oestrogen and progesterone."

She said adding just one serving a day of the right vegetables was linked to much lower health risks - even for people in their early 20s. The research team looked at early indicators of

chronic disease, including waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar - warning signs that often go unnoticed in young adults.

Prof O'Sullivan said: "These risk factors are appearing earlier than most people would expect.

"Nearly one in five participants already showed multiple risk factors, despite being young adults."

The team said the good news is that the most beneficial vegetables are affordable and already part of the diets of many people.

Senior research fellow Dr Lauren Blekkenhorst added: "These veggies can easily be thrown into a pasta, stir-fry, salad or a Sunday roast."

Experts said the findings, published in journal Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, warrant further long-term dietary trials.

OPINION: PAGE 12

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24

DAIST

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JUST follow the instructions from left to right, starting with the number given to reach an answer at the end of the row. Set your own 30-second challenge. For the very young or arithmetically rusty, you have 30

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Beginner	42	÷6	+19	50% OF THIS	-5	SQUARE IT	+13	2/7 OF THIS	-16
Intermediate	210	-173	×8	+48	75% OF THIS	-84	5/6 OF THIS	+75	80% OF THIS
Advanced	15	×13	+165	INCREASE BY 80%	+47	5/7 OF THIS	REVERSE THE DIGITS	-159	3/11 OF THIS

THE NATIONAL LOTTERY

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15				THUNDERBALL
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THUNDERBALL
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13
SET FOR LIFE
4	5 10 12 36 8

HEALTH LOTTERY

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16
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8 21 27 40 45 17

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A BIRD which was hit by a car is getting back on his feet again thanks to these specially built sandals.

The little whitethroat was found by a couple lying stunned in the road following a collision.

He was taken to nearby Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital, in Kilworth. Staff found his feet were curled up and unable to grip due to nerve or ligament damage.

To help him move, the medics decided to make him some tiny sandals of cardboard, cotton wool and surgical tape.

The bird is said to be making good progress and will be released back into the wild once he has recovered.

Amy Blower, an animal care team leader, said: "He was found last Saturday by some people who then

BY ED CHATTERTON

called us and brought him in. We have used this technique before with other baby birds, but it's usually when they have nutritional deficiencies.

"We put a little bit of cotton wool between the feet and the cardboard to add a bit of cushioning, and then used Micropore tape to secure them.

"It seems to be doing the trick, and he is making a good recovery.

"Other than the issue with his feet, he was uninjured, so we'll release him hopefully in a few days when he is better.

"It's unusual for us to get whitethroats as they are only around in the summer and migrate from Africa. They are also amber listed."

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DETST

25

George Muncey feeds strawberries in ice to a lemur at the zoo. Above, senior arborist Alasdair Nicol at work in the Heath's woodland

Heat alerts at parched park

HAMPSTEAD Heath park has been put on high alert after the recent extreme heat.

The London site's meadows are parched and its ancient trees are under "significant stress," staff told.

And lawyers at the Heath's Geolery Hill Park Zoo have put in place a range of measures to keep the animals cool, including feeding them ice cubes.

Teams from the City of London Corporation, which owns and manages Hampstead Heath, have called on

BY REBECCA SPEARE-COLE

visitors to avoid any activities that could increase the risk of harm to wildlife or other people as they work to protect the park.

Senior ecologist Adrian Brooker said: "Hot weather affects every part of the Heath's ecosystem, from water levels in ponds to the wildlife that depends on them. We want visitors to help by giving wildlife space and respecting natural habitats."

Penguin fossils show Antarctic's changing climate

BY STEPHEN BEECH

PENGUIN fossils are offering a further window into Antarctica's changing climate over millions of years.

Remains from Seymour Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula, have shown how ancient bird bones can act as a "chemical archive" of weather conditions.

Chinese palaeontologists used non-destructive X-ray mapping to examine the composition.

And their findings provide key new insights into how Antarctica shifted from being warm and humid to a cooler world.

Study leader Professor Quanguo Li said: "Penguins are among the most iconic animals of Antarctica and represent one of the most distinctive groups of birds, having completely lost the ability to fly and instead using their Ripper-like wings for swimming. Seymour Island preserves

The fossils. Inset, an emperor penguin

one of the world's richest and most stratigraphically continuous records of Eocene penguin fossils.

"These fossils span an interval of Antarctic climate evolution, from the relatively warm and humid conditions of the early Eocene to the cooler climate of the middle and late Eocene."

To study the rare fossils without damaging them, the research team used micro-X-ray fluorescence scanning

which revealed clear differences in the composition of bones from different geological periods. Older fossils dating back around 55 million years contained "significantly higher" levels of titanium, silicon and potassium.

The researchers, whose findings were published in Fossil Record, linked the chemical pat-

terns to intense land-based weathering and heavy runoff during an ancient warm period, while younger fossils from cooler periods showed much lower signals.

Prof Li, of Beijing's China University of Geosciences, said: "We believe fossils can provide an important complementary source of information for studying palaeo-environmental changes on the Antarctic Peninsula."

---

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BEAUTY

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Edited by ZDE CRIPPS

AMBER ALERT

The original Burberry Goddess is my all-time favourite fragrance. It's also the perfume I'm stopped and asked about more than any other, so when I heard there was a new Amber Vanilla version, £78 for 30ml, on the way, I began spritzing. This gourmand update keeps the signature vanilla at its heart but adds an opening of lavender and maple syrup, and heart notes of not one, but four vanilla extracts. To put it simply, it's delicious.

Bargain bliss

Who says expensive-smelling bodycare has to come with expensive price tags? Sephora Collection's latest range is full of purse-friendly finds, with everything from nourishing body butters to fragrance mists in scents that sound like they'd belong in a luxury boutique. My top two are the Vanilla and Almond Milk Whipped Body Butter, £14.99, which promises 24-hour hydration, and the spa-like Monoi and Bergamot Softening Body Wash, £9.99.

PURPLE REIGN

Move over butter yellow, it looks like lilac is about to have its moment. Prada Beauty has taken its signature Wisteria purple and turned it into a limited-edition make-up collection, featuring a shimmering lip balm, cream-to-powder blushes and a soft lilac eyeliner. I have a feeling the Wisteria Gleam lip balm will be the first to sell out, offering just a hint of iridescent colour. Prices range from £27 to £42.

FORMULA WON

I'm always intrigued when a high street brand takes on the luxury skincare market, especially when it comes to costly ingredients like peptides. M&S is the latest, with a complete relaunch of its Formula collection, fronted by Emma Willis. The hero Ultra Peptide Serum, £29, combines peptides with NAD+, which activates enzymes

Formula

involved in DNA repair, while the wider range includes everything from a peptide eye cream to targeted day, night and neck creams, with prices from £12.

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EXIST

Monday, August 17, 2026

27

28 Health 30 Dr Azeem Majeed 33 TV Guide 39 Your Letters 40 Horoscopes PLUS Puzzles

PLUMP IT UP

Flat hair doesn't stand much of a chance against Sam McKnight's newest styling launch. The celebrity hairstylist's Cool Girl Body Plumping & Volumising Cream, £29 at M&S, is designed to add root-to-tip fullness while keeping strands silky and protected from heat and humidity. Sam himself calls it a product he wishes he'd had in his toolkit 40 years ago when he was working with the likes of Princess Diana and Kate Moss.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

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20

Email your questions to yourhealth@express.co.uk

DAISY

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HEALTH WE WE WILL

Edited by MATT NIXSON AND HANNA GEISSLER

People are so cynical when it comes to chronic fatigue

It affects at least 400,000 Brits, but even medical professionals are still failing to treat the condition seriously, despite its severity.

BY JAN ROTHNEY

From short-term memory loss and failing concentration to extreme fatigue after minor exertion, muscle and joint pain, headaches and poor sleep, the physical symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are terrifying.

Yet too many people, including health professionals, are still sceptical about the existence of the condition – sometimes known as ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) – because there is no agreed cause for its cycle of sickness.

Yet for an estimated 400,000 Brits – some experts put the number of sufferers post-Covid as high as 1.2 million, with women significantly more likely to be diagnosed – it is a daily challenge to ordinary life.

The medical world including NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) treats it as an unexplained disease. However, many researchers are coming to the conclusion, as I have myself, that it's a functional neurological condition, created by some kind of mental and physical overload, where the body simply shuts down to survive.

Before I became ill, I was juggling a demanding job and working ridiculous hours, with a busy family life and ongoing stress in my marriage before a very difficult

divorce. Looking back, I can see how badly my body was struggling in the 10 years prior to crashing.

I became susceptible to colds, suffering post-viral fatigue after every episode, as well as gut problems and allergies. Products that had never previously caused any problems were suddenly causing severe allergic reactions, resulting in urticaria (hives and raised itchy red welts) and rashes.

I knew my body was reacting to living with chronic stress, but like many of us I felt I had no choice but to keep going, until one day, finally, my body literally shut down after that awful cold.

I'd been running around an adventure park with my daughter before seeing friends in the evening when I developed that cold. I went to sleep that night and didn't wake for nearly a month. I had to be lifted up to be given water by my two children and a neighbour who checked in on me.

After a month, I started to wake briefly and crawled to the toilet, only to fall asleep again. I was driven to visit my GP who told me I had "been through the mill" and my body needed time to recover but insisted that I would.

I clung to his words for dear life in my darkest moments when, still largely bedridden with physical symptoms, I

INSIGHT

Jan has learnt

to listen to

her body

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D657

Monday, August 17, 2026

29

despaired at ever getting well again. Everything was a challenge: standing up, walking, stairs, reading, sitting up, talking to people, literally any exertion.

And here is one of the biggest myths patients face – CFS is not tiredness, it is the system shutting down. I could be pottering around my house and then within moments, as if someone had flicked a switch, I would be asleep – at the bottom of the stairs, on the sofa, on the floor, anywhere.

SURVIVAL MODE

The sudden unpredictability was terrifying. I was fortunate to have lectured in health and social care and taught about psycho-neuroimmunological conditions when the brain, the autonomic nervous system, endocrine system and immune system are affected by chronic stress, overload and emotions, which then directly influence physical health.

So I instinctively knew that my body had shut down to protect me from further onslaught, putting me into survival mode.

I knew I had to retrain my brain to show it I was safe and the threat had passed. This was easier said than done because, aside from the debilitating symptoms, the threat of losing my income and home was incredibly stressful.

I had to focus on only the present moment, on any sign my body had energy and celebrate every tiny win – even though there were many setbacks and symptoms. Over time, I was able to slowly reintroduce trips outdoors, recalibrating my brain to the fact everything was safe.

Regardless I would often collapse in the house, the street or in the shops, I once fell asleep into a bowl of soup. Then, I would be back in bed again.

It took incredible resilience and faith to eventually rise above the illness and stay calm, no matter what the challenge. Gradually I did recover and returned to work but I didn't sufficiently change my lifestyle, so suffered a relapse.

This time, instead of seeing my GP, I was referred to CFS specialists who told me I had to accept I would never recover, to grieve for the person I had been and to embrace my new

limited life and identity. Their belief destroyed my spirit and disempowered me – I began to see every symptom and setback as evidence the experts must be right, causing me to spiral downwards even further.

However, despite such setbacks, I remained resilient and maintained the belief that I could recover. It became the biggest challenge of my

life, but I did get better. I had to learn to look after myself and have a nurturing, reasonable, enjoyable life.

I was 43 and living in Devon when I first became ill and had to have a year off work. I fell ill again for almost another year when I was 46 – losing my career and income as a consequence.

Now I am surrounded by people who nurture me and live a really active, full life, but I don't keep going under duress. Now I know to listen to my body, to stop, to relax, to set boundaries, and care less what others think or how they behave.

Until you have lived through it, it's almost impossible to understand just how devastating this illness can be but we can come through it, better than before.

Jan Rothney is the author of Breaking Free: A Guide to Recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long Covid Symptoms. A fully updated edition was published on July 9.

TOP RECOVERY TIPS

BE KIND TO YOUR BODY: Your body is doing its best to protect you when it gets signals of threat or demands being too great. Treat it with self-compassion, care and gratitude. Focus on what your body can do, not on what it can't do. DON'T OVERDO IT: Exertion has to be effortless and rewarding. Just a brief intervention, a single step, lifting your arms in bed, opening the front door or having a brief conversation, when able, can give a sense of self-agency and you will associate exertion with reward, not punishment, and wellbeing and safety.

START SLOWLY: Begin with somatic exercises such as breathing, meditation, yoga nidra. Focus on and celebrate every sign of progress, however small. A smile, a gesture of quiet pride and joy help reinforce positive messages that exertion is healthy, not a threat to be protected from.

DON'T UNDERESTIMATE EMOTIONAL STRESS: Emotions are normal but not always useful. Learning to observe symptoms and setbacks with emotional detachment and curiosity can be really helpful. They will pass.

NURTURE HEALTHY

EXPECTATIONS: Believe that you can correct this condition and be reassured there is no physical damage. Rather than accept living better in a limited way, expect to recover, as many others do.

FIND POSITIVE SUPPORT: Research suggests that positive social connections can play an important role in recovery, so connect with people and recovery support groups.

ADDRESS UNDERLYING FACTORS AND

NEURODIVERSITY: Adverse childhood experiences, trauma, chronic stress, repressed emotions or difficult life events may have contributed to an increased burden on the nervous system for some. Neurodiverse traits such as ADHD, autism or being a highly sensitive person (HSP) can also make life more demanding and increase stress. Seeking appropriate professional support and strategies can be an important step towards recovery.

HOLD ON TO HOPE: It's not about pretending everything is fine but, when we don't know for a fact we will recover, having hope, belief and faith can help.

'I remained resilient and maintained the belief that I could get better'

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For more see yourhealth@express.co.uk

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DR AZEEM MAJEED YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Some surprising perks of keeping your gut healthy

It's so much more than a digestive organ, and you soon feel the benefits from some simple changes

I am often asked what can be done to improve gut health. Many people think of the gut as just the part of the body that digests food. But it does much more than that. Your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, helps support your immune system, communicates with your brain and acts as a protective barrier against harmful germs and substances.

WHAT IS THE GUT MICROBIOME?

Inside your digestive system live bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms known as the gut microbiome. Although bacteria are often associated with disease, most of the bacteria that live in a healthy gut are either harmless or beneficial.

These microorganisms perform many important tasks. They help digest parts of our food that our bodies cannot break down on their own, especially certain types of dietary fibre. In doing so, they produce compounds that nourish the cells lining the bowel and contribute to good health.

A healthy and diverse microbiome is increasingly recognised as an important part of maintaining a healthy digestive system.

HOW THE GUT SUPPORTS HEALTH

The gut has several important functions beyond digestion. One of its most important roles is supporting the immune system.

Much of the body's immune tissue is in the gut, where it helps distinguish between harmless food, beneficial bacteria and potentially harmful microorganisms. This helps protect us against infection while preventing unnecessary immune reactions.

The gut also communicates continuously with the brain through nerves, hormones and chemical signals, known as the gut-brain axis.

Another important function of the gut is acting as a protective barrier. The lining of the

intestine allows nutrients and water into the bloodstream while preventing harmful bacteria and toxins from entering the body. Maintaining this barrier is essential for good health.

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR GUT HEALTH

Fortunately, many of the things that promote good gut health are the same habits that improve general health.

• Eat a varied, fibre-rich diet. Fibre is one of the most important nutrients for a healthy gut. Good sources include vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, wholegrain bread, oats, nuts and seeds. Eating a wide variety of plant-based foods helps support a diverse gut microbiome and also reduces the risk of constipation.

• Limit ultra-processed foods. Diets that contain large amounts of highly processed foods are often lower in fibre and higher in salt, sugar and unhealthy fats. Replacing these foods with more minimally processed alternatives such as fruit and vegetables will benefit both your gut and your general health.

• Stay well hydrated. Drinking enough water supports digestion and helps fibre work effectively, reducing constipation risks.

• Exercise regularly. Regular physical activity benefits the digestive system as well as the heart, lungs and muscles. It also helps maintain a healthy weight.

• Get enough sleep. Good-quality sleep supports many aspects of health, including the normal functioning of the immune system. Maintaining a regular sleep pattern is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

• Avoid unnecessary antibiotics.

Antibiotics are essential for treating bacterial infections but they can also disrupt the normal balance of bacteria in the gut. Only use them when they are genuinely needed and prescribed by a healthcare professional.

• Don't smoke and keep alcohol within recommended limits. Smoking and excessive

alcohol consumption lead to a wide range of health problems, including those affecting the digestive system. Avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol in moderation are important steps towards maintaining good gut health.

Some people choose to include fermented foods such as yogurt with live cultures or kefir in their diet.

These may benefit some people, but the evidence for their benefits is still evolving, and they should be seen as part of a healthy overall diet rather than a quick fix.

COMMON MYTHS

Interest in gut health has grown rapidly in recent years, and with it the number of products claiming to improve it.

Many supplements, probiotics and "detox" programmes promise dramatic benefits.

While some specialised treatments have an important role in specific medical conditions, there is currently little evidence that healthy people need expensive supplements or detox diets to maintain a healthy gut.

The strongest evidence supports simple lifestyle measures.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Your gut is much more than a digestive organ. It supports your immune system, communicates with your brain, helps protect your body from harmful microbes and allows you to obtain the nutrients you need from food. Looking after it does not require complicated diets or expensive supplements.

For most people, the best approach is simple: eat a varied diet rich in fibre, stay active, sleep well, drink enough water, avoid unnecessary antibiotics, limit ultra-processed foods and avoid smoking.

These everyday habits will not only support your gut but also contribute to better overall health throughout your life.

Dr Azeem has been a GP for more than 30 years and is also a professor of primary care and public health at Imperial College London's School of Public Health

DRUG-FREE HOPES ARE RISING FOR MEN

A NEW "drug-free alternative" to Viagra is set to launch across selected private clinics, offering fresh hope to millions of men affected by erectile dysfunction.

Called VerticaPro, it uses controlled radio frequency energy, similar to technology used in skin-tightening and wrinkle-reduction procedures, to help strengthen erectile tissue.

Unlike Viagra and other oral medications, which work by temporarily increasing blood flow, the new gadget is designed to

target the underlying health of erectile tissue itself.

The technology aims to improve the elasticity and function of the tissue, helping it trap and retain blood more effectively. Erectile dysfunction affects around one-in-five men in the UK, with millions experiencing problems that can impact confidence, relationships and wellbeing.

Despite being one of the most common male health issues, many men still delay seeking help because of embarrassment or

uncertainty about available treatments.

The new treatment is an enhanced clinical version of the Vertica device, which launched in 2023 for home-use and was described as a "potentially life-changing" option for men.

Unlike the home-use version, VerticaPro allows doctors to personalise treatment using adjustable settings, including different energy intensities, penetration depth controls and sensitivity modes. The treatment

is expected to cost around £2,000 for a 12-session course, or approximately £167 per session, with patients typically attending one to three sessions per week.

Professor David Ralph, Consultant Urologist and Andrologist at University College London Hospitals, said: "Erectile dysfunction remains something many find difficult to talk about, and this often delays them seeking help. Bringing Vertica into a supervised clinical environment helps address these barriers."

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TODAY'S TV ONES TO WATCH

by MIKE WARD TV critic

Pick of the day

MARTIN & ROMAN'S IRISH ROAD TRIP, C4, 8PM

MASTERMIND, BBC2, 7, 30PM, BBC4, 9PM

YES, once again we're being treated to two helpings of Mastermind.

At 9pm on BBC4 we have another from September 1977, when the mighty Magnus Magnusson was in the interrogator's chair. Specialist subjects that night included the life and works of PG Wodehouse, the life and works of John Buchan and the life and works of Vincent van Gogh. So, yes, quite life-and-worksy, all things considered.

Earlier, on BBC2, when genial current host Clive Myrie will be asking the questions, the subjects are Tintin, Paul Newman movies, Iron Maiden and the stuff they decorate the seats with on Tube trains. Yes, really.

FARE DODGERS: AT MAN WITH THE LAW, 5, 9PM

A WOMAN they nab tonight has travelled without a ticket more than once.

In fact, as investigator Maryla reveals, this lady has travelled without a ticket more than twice.

And, indeed more than thrice.

So, blimey, might she even have fare-dodged more than four times, possibly five? Absolutely!

Look, I'm happy to go on and on like this, upping the number until the final reveal makes your jaw hit the floor, but since her actual number of unpaid journeys is 360 – worth £2,520 – we could be here some time.

BEST DOC

BURIED WITH MICHAEL SHEEN BUCZ, 9PM

The actor looks at the work of Douglas Gowan, who researched the dangers of "forever chemicals" buried in Sheen's native South Wales in this two-part documentary.

THE FATHER (AND SON) OF ALL TOURS

THEY chose wisely, did Martin Kemp and his lad, when picking the theme for this travel series. Not because the myths and legends and doodah of Ireland are a surefire ratings winner, but because setting out together to explore all that stuff is proving a good way to bring out their contrasting personalities.

And contrasting personalities, remember, are what drive a show such as this: the kind in which a star and their grown-up kid – or some permutation along those lines – embark on a road trip, never quite sure what they'll encounter next, even though it was all set up for them months ago by the production team.

Martin, we're discovering, is the dreamer of the two, happy to soak up all the mystical bits

and bobs, the fairy tales and what-have-you. Roman is more sceptical, a chap who prefers facts to fantasy.

Given that Martin is 64 and Roman is 33, I'd have expected it to be the other way around – one the weary cynic, the other prepared to swallow any old nonsense, but no.

There's plenty of overlap, mind you; I wouldn't call them chalk and cheese. More like, er, I don't know, cheese and tofu.

Roman does open his mind to things – such as the "soundbath" they experience (they lie on the ground while a lady taps crystals and strokes a gong) plus the "vibe" he admits he feels on a visit to the Hellfire Club.

But he'll take some convincing when it comes to the fairies. The fairies, that is, whose permission had to be secured (this is true, I

swear) before a brewery could be built on the site of their "fairy fort".

We're learning other things, too, such as how surprisingly shy Martin is.

When Roman asks him to fetch a key to one of the places they've come to (somewhat weirdly, it's the key to a tomb), Martin looks genuinely reluctant to knock on the keyholder's door.

"He doesn't like meeting new people," Roman confides. "He doesn't really like making new friends."

Me, I find that revelation particularly touching, because I'm exactly the same.

If ever I spot Martin in the street, maybe I'll approach him and tell him.

I wonder which of us would hate that the most.

BEST QUIZ SHOW

CELEBRITY POPMASTER TV NIREL, 9PM

Ken Bruce returns with a new series of the music quiz show. This opener is a celebrity special, with Carol Decker, Dougie Vipond, Patsy Kensit, Kelle Bryan and Shaun Ryder.

BEST REALITY

CELEBRITY BURIED C4, 9PM

One team drops into the Morning Live studio, from which they have to stage an elaborate escape, while another pair take a pit stop at a show bar in Leeds.

Comedy-drama starring Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald and Ewan McGregor about the troubles faced by a colliery brass band following the closure of their mining pit.

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DEST

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TODAY'S PREVIOUS LAE ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE

FILM RATINGS

BRILLIANT VERY GOOD GOOD AVERAGE SAO

(R) REPEAT

ALL PROGRAMMES WE LISTED IN MEDIAN SQUARES TIME (EST).

BBC One

6.00am Breakfast News headlines. 9.30 Countryline Treasures (R) 10.30 Garden Rescue (R) 11.15 Homes Under the Hammer Featuring properties in Norwich, Cardiff and Dover. (R) 12.15pm Bargain Hunt The teams scour Ardingly antiques fair. 1.00 BBC News at One; Weather 2.00 Money for Nothing A large bookcase poses a huge challenge for carpenter Sam, screen printer Zoe completely overhauls a tired cabinet and Jacqui Joseph goes wild with patchwork. 2.45 Escape to the Country Alistair Appleton helps mum Sonya and her son William find an Aberdeenshire family home, with suitable land for horses. The tour concludes with a vast mystery house. 3.30 The Repair Shop Experts restore a book, a camping show and a flat cap. (R) 4.30 The Answer Run Quiz. 5.15 Pointless Quiz show. (R) 6.00 BBC News at Six; Weather 6.30 Regional News; Weather

BBC Two

6.45am Beechgrove Garden (R) 7.15 The Answer Run Quiz. (R) 8.00 Sign Zone: The Repair Shop Reviving a rocking horse. (R) 9.00 BBC News headlines. 1.00pm Richard Osman's House of Games Quiz show. (R) 1.30 The Finish Line Quiz. (R) 2.15 Do You Know Your Place? (R) 2.45 Animal Park Summer A lion needs surgery to amputate part of its tail. (R) 3.30 Serengeti II A devastating storm threatens the animals of the African savannah. (R) 4.30 Vintage Antiques Roadshow From Flemishaw Hall in Derbyshire. (R) 5.15 Flog It! From the National Maritime Museum. (R) 6.00 Richard Osman's House of Games With Edith Bowman, Rhys James, Anita Rani and Simon Renner. (R) 6.30 Bear Grylls: Wild Reckoning A couple whose marriage was pushed to the birks while the wife was going through the menopause try to reconnect through a challenges. (R)

ITV1

6.00am Good Morning Britain A lively mix of news, current affairs and lifestyle features. 10.00 This Morning Topical daily magazine, featuring a mix of celebrity chat, showbusiness news, advice and discussion. Including Local Weather. 1.30pm ITV News; Weather 1.55 Regional News; Weather 2.00 Dickinson's Real Deal The dealers den descends on Nottingham, where Henry Nicholls gets a grilling over a brooch collection and Fay Rutter sets her sights on a German camera. (R) 3.00 Deal or No Deal Stephen Mulkern hosts the game show as contestant Brian H tries to open the 22 red boxes in the right order. (R) 3.59 Regional Weather 4.00 Tipping Point Quiz show, hosted by Ben Shephard. (R) 5.00 The Chase Bradley Walsh presents as Sarah, Martyn, Hannah and Neil take part. (R) 6.00 Regional News; Weather 6.30 ITV Evening News; Weather

Channel 4

6.30am The King of Queens (R) 7.45 Everybody Loves Raymond Triple bill of the sitcom. (R) 9.10 Frasier Four episodes. (R) 11.10 Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA (R) 12.05pm Channel 4 News Summary Headlines. 12.10 Find It, Fix It, Flog It Henry and Simon meet a couple with a penchant for collectibles. (R) 1.10 The Great House Giveaway An accounts manager and a kitchen and bedroom litter transform a house. (R) 2.10 Countdown Words game. 3.00 A Place in the Sun A dream holiday home in or around Roquetas de Mar, Spain. (R) 4.00 The Great B&B Challenge Six couples compete to win a five-bedroom B&B. (R) 5.00 Chateau DIY Tim and Sasha attempt to transform a murky pond into a water feature. (R) 6.00 American Pickers Frank Fritz jumps for joy as he and Mike Wolfe pick a recently closed toy museum that is ready to sell its collection of treasures. (R)

5

6.00am Milkshaka! Children's TV. 9.15 Jeremy Vine Discussion. 11.30 Storm & Alexia Debate. 12.45pm 5 News at Lunchtime 12.50 Matt Albright Debate. 2.20 F&N! An Affair to Die For (2023, 12) A young woman's father becomes the obsession of her seductive room-mate, who will stop at nothing to possess him. Thriller, starring Ryan Francis. ★★★ 4.00 Castle Alexis and Castle's routine flight to London turns deadly when the plane's air marshall is found murdered. With the help of Beckett back on the ground, the don-race against time to find the killer before he carries out his fateful plan. (R) 4.55 Love Nature Sally checks on an urban badger setts. (R) 5.00 5 News with Dan Walker 6.00 Cyprus: Jewel of the Med A profile of the Mediterranean island, which enjoys 11 months of sunshine and attracts four million visitors a year. (R); 5 News Update

8.30pm, SCAM INTERCEPTORS: Alice, Riar and Harleen

9pm, ONLY CONNECT: Victoria Coren Mitchell

9pm, LONG LOST FAMILY: BORN...: Nicky and Davina

10pm, SECRET LIVES OF GYPSY WIVES: Trewley

9pm, FARE DODGERS: AT WAR WITH THE LAW: Matt

7

7.00 The One Show Roman Kemp and Lauren Laverne present the live magazine show. 7.30 EastEnders A situation escalates for Nicola and George, Avani attempts to play matchmaker, and Amy worries about recent events.

8

8.00 Child Maintenance: Parents Under Pressure – Panorama Krupa Padhy asks whether the child maintenance system is failing. 8.30 Scam Interceptors Ethical hacker, Jim Browning catches scammers at work. (R)

9

9.00 Death In Paradise A reggae rap artist is shot dead at a soundcheck for a concert. Things prove uncomfortable for Marion when he discovers a personal connection to the crime. Detective drama, starring Ralf Little. (R)

10

10.00 BBC News at Ten 10.30 Regional News; Weather 10.40 Have I Got News for You David Tennant hosts, with actor and comedian Miles Jupp and journalist Cathy Newman joining Paul Merton and Ian Hislop as they delve into news from May 2025. (R)

11

11.10 F&N! Mission: Impossible III 2008, 12 Former secret agent Ethan Hunt is called out of retirement when an ex-trainee is taken hostage by a ruthless arms dealer, but when the rescue operation goes wrong, the villain decides

12 MIDNIGHT

to target Hunt's fiancee. Action thriller sequel directed by JJ Abrams, starring Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michelle Monaghan and Ving Rhames. ★★★★

1.05am Weather for the Week Ahead 1.10-6.00am BBC News. Updates.

7.00 Global Eye Investigations from BBCs correspondents all over the world, revealing secrets and exposing crime, corruption and abuse. 7.30 Mastermind Subjects include the films of Paul Newman and Herge's Tintin books.

8.00 Only Connect Victoria Coren Mitchell hosts as Accrual World take on the Knitwits. 8.30 University Challenge Ahoi Rajan hosts another first-round match, with the University of Bath taking on City St George's, University of London.

9.00 Buried with Michael Sheen Part one of two. The Welsh actor teams up with journalists to investigate claims of conspiracy, compilosity and denial over allegations of toxic chemical contamination in south Wales.

10.00 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing Paul and Bob set off in a punt to fish for perch on a weir pool on the River Thames and later chat to Richard Herring, who talks about his battle with cancer. (R)

10.30 Newsnight; Weather 11.05 Disclosure: Welcome to Glasgow Myles Bonnar investigator, claims that parts of Scotland's biggest city have become no-go zones because of serious crime, homelessness and ambassador behaviour.

12.05am A House Through Time. Charting history through the successive inhabitants of an Edinburgh house. (R) 1.05 Sign Zone: Countryfile. Adam Henson meets young farmers in West Sussex. (R) 2.00 Sign Zone: Bergerse, Jersey-set crime drama. (R) 2.45-6.30am This is BBC Two

7.30 Fletchers' Family Farm Kelvin is on a mission to expand the cow herd and Marine prepares for lambing season. Milo, Kelvin and his dad start to work on an old vintage tractor. Last in series. (R)

8.00 Emmerdale Ruby orchestrates the theft of Jimmy's shipment. 8.30 Convection Street Sarah refuses to use her contacts to help a prisoner, Lily offers an olive branch to Lucy, and George punishes Christina.

9.00 Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace – What Happened Next Founding Susanne Barrow reveals life after meeting her half-brother Ian, while Tom Yeo discusses an unusual development after his appearance on the show.

10.00 ITV News at Ten; Weather 10.30 Regional News; Weather 10.45 Cold Case Forensics: In the Blood Forensic scientist Angela Gallop and her team reveal how clues in blood traces helped solve two crimes, including the high- profile killing of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor, which shocked the nation when he was stabbed to death in 2000. Last in series. (R) 11.40 The Assembly Celebrities are interviewed by neurodivergent individuals. (R)

12.05am Shop on TV 3.00 The Staircase. It is 2004 and Michael and his family struggle with the court's decision, while Jean and his producer Denis clash over whose side of the story they are telling. (R) 4.05 Unwind with ITV 5.10-6.00am Dickinson's Real Deal. The team visit Nottingham. (R)

7.00 Channel 4 News A round-up of all the latest headlines, in-depth interviews and analysis of political developments and current affairs. Plus, the day's leading sports stories and up-to-the- minute weather reports.

8.00 Martin & Roman's Irish Road Trip Martin and Roman Kemp explore Meath and Dublin, from the Boyne Valley tombs and the Hill of Tara to the Helfke Club ruins and Slane Castle, mixing myths, music and memories.

9.00 Celebrity Hunted Two celebrities on the run drop in at a show bar in Leeds. A social media post provokes the hunters to raid a retirement home and a couple of fugitives pop up live on the BBC. Continues tomorrow.

10.00 Secret Lives of Gypsy Wives The sisters and their families prepare for Christmas. Trewley's first rap song enjoys mixed success, while her plans to surprise her mum with a car misfire. Will taking her to speed dating go any better?

11.05 Surgery Secrets of the Super Rich Emma has a EX.XLV nano-fat treatment to rejuvenate her under-eye shadows and Cheshire-based beauty entrepreneur Katie opts for a mini facelift under local anaesthetic. (R)

12.05am Walter Presents: Everybody Lies. French crime drama. 1.00 Ramsay's Hotel Hell (R) 1.50 F&N! Blue Bayou (2021, 15) Drama, directed by and starring Justin Chon. ★★★★ 3.45 Levison Wood: Walking with Polar Bears (R) 4.40 Volynaka Omnibus (R) 5.50-6.30am Countdown (R)

7.00 Traffic Cops Officers are on the lookout for a suspected cloned car and four suspects make a run for it when it is spotted, with one recognised as someone who rammed a police car weeks before. (R); 5 News Update

8.00 Street Cops: Catching the Yoke A teen runs from PC Ellie on the high street, as police unwarts a nasty, studded baseball ball in the bushes. Northampton Street cops execute a warrant on a suspected drug dealer.

9.00 Fare Dodgers: At War with the Law in London, investigators hunt for a woman thought to owe more than £2,300 in unpaid fares, and attempt to stop her at Chadwell Heath station to ask her about 'short faring'.

10.00 Police Interceptors: Taking Down the Shoplifting Gangs Officers in Burnley go after suspects, including two brothers whose campaign of shoplifting is out of control, and police prepare a raid as part of Operation Even. (R)

11.05 Traffic Cops In Harrogate, a reckless motorcyclist with a long history of violence puts lives in danger as he desperately tries to outrun the cops, while a trap is set on the A1 by police targeting more country line drug dealers. (R)

12.05am Car Pound Cops (R) 1.00 Cruise TV with Lovel/Bookit (R) 2.00 GPs: Behind Closed Doors (R) 2.50 Castle (R) 3.45 Friends: double bill (R) 4.35 Cruising with Susan Calman (R) 5.25 Entertainment News on 5 6.35 Paw Patrol (R) 5.45-6.00am The Adventures of Paddington (R)

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EXIST

Monday, August 17, 2026

35

ITV2

REVIEW

6.00am Backyard Builds 6.30 Dress to impress 7.30 The Real Housewives of Potomac 8.20 The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills 9.15 The Only Way Is Essex 10.15 Dawson's Creek 11.10 Charmed 12.10pm Deal or No Deal 1.10 Supermarket Sweep 2.10 The Floor 3.10 The Only Way Is Essex 4.10 The Real Housewives of Potomac 5.00 The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

6.00 Celebrity Catchphrase With Charlie Hedges, Luke Kempner and Jeremy Vine.

7.00 The Floor The 49 remaining contestants fight for more squares.

8.00 The 1% Club Hosted by Lee Mack.

9.00 The Only Way Is Essex The group's holiday in Albania continues. Junaid proposes to, Joe—but will he say yes?

10.00 Family Guy Animated triple bill.

11.30 American Dad! Double bill.

12.35am Bob's Burgers 1.30 Plebs 1.55 Deep Fake Neighbour Vikas 2.20 Unwind with ITV 3.00-6.00am Teleshopping

U&Dave

REVIEW

6.00am Teleshopping 7.25 Top Gear 8.15 Border Force: America's Gatekeepers 10.20 Rick Stein's Cornwall 11.20 Yukon Gold 12.20pm Top Gear 2.20 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing 3.00 Guy Martin: Proper Jobs 4.00 Harry Bikers' Best of British 5.00 Rick Stein's Cornwall

6.00 Rick Stein's Cornwall Double bill.

7.05 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing Paul and Bob visit Wiltshire

7.40 Would I Lie to You? Panel show.

8.20 Would I Lie to You? The Unseen Bits Extra material from the panel show.

9.00 Have I Got a Bit More News for You 10.00 DI XL Sandi Tokevig hosts.

11.00 Taskmaster Mel Giedroyc's good nature is pushed to its limits.

12.00m't Mock the Week 12.40 Would I Lie to You?: Comedy panel show. 1.20 Would I Lie to You? The Unseen Bits 2.00 QI XL 3.00 Richard Osman's House of Games 3.30 Parks and Recreation 4.00-6.00am Teleshopping

E4

REVIEW

6.00am Hollyoaks 6.55 Rude(sin) Tube Shorts 7.00 Couples Come Dine with Me 8.00 Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA 10.00 America's Funniest Home Videos 11.00 Below Deck: Mediterranean 12.00noon The Simpsons: four episodes 2.00 Brooklyn Nine-Nine 3.00 Modern Family: four episodes 5.00 The Simpsons

6.30 Hollyoaks Double bill.

7.30 The Simpsons Lisa takes up hockey. 8.00 The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer Jam roly-poly.

9.00 Below Deck Down Under

10.00 Gogglebox Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars is appraised.

11.00 First Dates A Disney fan seeks a fresh start after losing her last partner due to a tragic accident.

12.05am Naked Attraction 1.10 Below Deck Down Under 2.10 Vanderpump Rules 3.00 Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA 3.55 The Simpsons 4.20 The Goldbergs 5.10-6.00am Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Variations & S4C

WALES As BBC1 except: 1.35-1.45pm BBC Wales Today; Weather 6.30-7.00 BBC Wales Today; Weather 9.00-10.00 Buried with Michael Sheen. The actor investigates allegations of toxic chemical contamination in south Wales. 10.30-10.45pm BBC Wales Today; Weather

WALES As BBC2 except: 9.00-10.00pm Death in Paradise. A reggae rap artist is shot dead at a soundcheck for a concert.

MERIDIAN As ITV1 except: 1.55-2.00pm ITV News Meridian; Weather 6.00-6.30 ITV News Meridian; Weather: The headlines. 10.30-10.45pm ITV News Meridian; Weather

CENTRAL As ITV1 except: 1.55-2.00pm ITV News Central; Weather 6.00-6.30 ITV News Central; Weather: Headline update. 10.30-10.45pm ITV News Central; Weather

ITV WALES As ITV1 except: 1.55-2.00pm ITV News Cymru Wales; Weather 6.00-6.30 ITV News Cymru Wales; Weather 10.30-10.45pm ITV News Cymru Wales; Weather

WEST As ITV1 except: 1.55-2.00pm ITV News West Country 6.00-6.30 ITV News West Country 10.30-10.45pm ITV News West Country

ITVQuiz

REVIEW

9.00am Deal or No Deal 10.00 Tipping Point 1.00pm Celebrity Catchphrase 2.00 Tenable 3.00 The Chase Celebrity Special 4.00 Holdscious 5.00 Deal or No Deal. Stephen Mulhern hosts.

6.00 Lingo Triple bill. With contestants from the West Midlands, Rickmansworth, London and Bradford; Peggy and Sarah complete against two sets of sisters - Ramla and Shalla, and Precious and Esther; Rebecca, Anne, Gareth, Frank, Rahul and Manny take part.

9.00 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Celebrity Special Jeremy Clarkson hosts a celebrity version of the big-prize quiz in which Stephen Fry and Jeanette Kwakye answer questions to win cash for their chosen charities.

10.00 Tipping Point Triple bill. Ben Shepherd hosts the quiz in which contestants drop tokens down chutes. 12.55am Tenable 1.50 Riddiculous 2.40 Unwind 3.00-6.00am Teleshopping

U&Drama

REVIEW

6.00am Teleshopping 7.20 The Bill 8.05 Doctors 9.20 Classic Hobby City 10.40 Casualty 11.40 The Bill 12.40pm Classic EastEnders 2.00 Classic Neighbours 3.00 Whitslable Plant 4.05 Lovejoy 5.20 As Time Goes By. The day of Lionel's book launch finally arrives

6.00 Last of the Summer Wine Triple bill.

8.00 The Brokenwood Mysteries Philip Henderson is found dead in his field following an altercation the previous day with his neighbour Doug Randall about his failed crop. Starring Neill Niss.

10.00 New Tricks The detectives reinvestigate the three-year-old case of a murdered fashion designer, and Gerry artists Emily's help to update his image.

11.20 Luther The maverick cop searches for a copycat killer murdering women in an echo of an unsolved case from the 1980s.

12.40am Lovejoy. Starring Ian McShane. 1.50 Sister Boniface Mysteries 2.50 Hotel Portofino 4.00-6.00am Teleshopping

More4

REVIEW

8.55am Find It, Fix It, Flog it 10.00 Four in a Bed: five episodes 12.40pm Come Dine with Me: five episodes 3.20 Four in a Bed: five episodes 5.50 Car S.O.S

6.50 Car S.O.S Fuzz Townshend and Tim Shaw secretly restore a classic 1965 Mercedes-Benz 230SL, which the owner had to abandon after a heart attack.

7.55 Grand Designs Stuart and Rosie Treasurer from the Wirral plan to transform a small bungalow from a 1960s dormer into a slick piece of architecture.

9.00 Celebrity PopMaster TV As a curtain-raiser to the new series, Ken Bruce invites music stars past and present Carol Decker, Dougie Vipond, Patsy Kenist, Kelle Bryan and Shaun Ryder to test their knowledge in the hope of winning the PopMaster gold disc.

10.00 24 Hours in A&E Double bill.

12.05am 999: On the Front Line 1.10 24 Hours in A&E, Double bill. 3.20-3.50am A Place in the Sun. Documentary series.

ANGUA As ITV1 except: 1.55-2.00pm ITV News Anglia; Weather: The day's headlines so far. 6.00-6.30 ITV News Anglia; Weather 10.30-10.45pm ITV News Anglia; Weather

WESTCOUNTRY As ITV1 except: 1.55-2.00pm ITV News West Country; Weather 6.00-6.30 ITV News West Country; Weather A launch up of the day's headlines. 10.30-10.45pm ITV News West Country; Weather

S4C 6.00am Cow 12.00noon Newyddion S4C a'r Tywydd 12.05pm Plasien Dreth 12.30 Hero 1.00 Stracon Ham Pam 2.00 Newyddion 2.05 Phythaen Ds 3.00 Newyddion 3.05 Mawig Fy Mywyd 4.00 Awr Fawr 5.00 Shersh 6.00 Arbroth Cymru: Sir Benfils: Stories behind place names along the Pembrokeshire coast. 6.30 Lown Morgan: Her 333 7.00 Hero 7.30 Newyddion 8.00 Sgwr's Dan y Llow: As evening falls over Ceredigion Bay, Elin Pilur settles in the garden of one Radio Cymru's much-loved radio personally and petrolhead — Geraint Lloyd. 8.25 Garddo a Mwy: Drying flowers 8.55 Newyddion 9.00-9.58 Cath Gwlad. The man behind one of Wales' best-known and successful businesses. 10.05 Y Deis 10.35-11.40pm Y Fets

BBC3

REVIEW

7.00pm The Catch Up Headlines.

7.05 Deadly 60 Double bill. The team tracks a lyrix cat; the capabilities of animals native to the UK.

8.00 The Great British Sewing Bee The sewers tackle the wide world of sport. They craft men's swimming shorts, outfits recycled from windsurf sails and personalised, made-to-measure bowling shirts.

9.00 Top Gear Jeremy. Richard and James put a trio of supercars, including McLaren's MP4-12C, through their pieces in Italy.

10.00 Silent Witness Double bill. Harry and Leo investigate a jockey's death; Nikki provides a breakthrough in the case.

12.00m't BBC1 Red Eye (2005, 12) Thriller, starring Rachel McAdams. 1.15 OnlyFans: Inside the Machine 2.15 My Insta Scammer Friend 3.00-4.00am Vigil

BBC4

REVIEW

7.00pm The Architecture the Railways Built Tim Dunn learns of Bristol's funicular railway.

7.40 The Flying Gardener in Norfolk.

7.55 The Art of Spain Spain's 20th-century artists. Last in series.

9.00 Mastermind The second heat of the 1977 series of the quiz.

9.30 Call My Bluff With Andre Previn, Tina Brown and Barbara Kellerman.

10.00 Art on the BBC: Michelangelo - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

11.00 Art & Design: The Journey - Arena George Melly examines Dadaism and surrealism.

11.25 Wainwright: The Man Who Loved the Lakes Profile of 'All-waited Alfred Wainwright

12.25am The Flying Gardener 12.40 The Art of Spain 1.40 Art & Design: The Journey - Arena 2.05-3.05am Art on the BBC: Michelangelo - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

GB News

REVIEW

6.00am Breakfast with Eamonn and Elin 9.30 Ontario's Newwroom 12.00noon Good Afternoon Britain 3.00 Martin Daubney. Discussion.

6.00 Dewbs & Co Michelle Dewberry delivers her take on the day's news.

7.00 GBN Tonight The issues that matter to Britain with big political interviews and debates.

8.00 Jacob Rees-Mogg's State Of The Nation Jacob Rees-Mogg presents his take on the day's stories.

9.00 Patrick Christys Tonight The latest typical discussion and debate.

11.00 Patrick Christys Tonight Late Edition Tomorrow's news, tonight. All the major stories making the front pages and full coverage of all the breaking news at home and abroad.

12.00m't The Late Show Live 3.00 Patrick Christys Tonight Reglay 5.00-6.00am Patrick Christys Tonight Late Edition

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Sport

SKY SPORTS MAIN EVENT

6.00am Sky Sports Cash Up 7.00 Sky Sports Breakfast 9.00 Good Morning Transfers 10.00 Sky Sports FC 12.00noon Transfer Sale 1.00 Lunchtime Live 2.00 The EFL Show 3.00 Sports Days, Live analysis and comments. 4.00 MCA Tennis The Cincinnati Open. Coverage of day five of the joint ATP 1000 and WTA 1000 event, a hard-court tournament at Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. 7.00 GCA EFL Cardiff City v Wrexham (kick-off 6.00pm). Coverage of the first match in the opening round of Championship fixtures, held at Cardiff City Stadium. This is the first league meeting between the Welsh male since both teams were in the third tier in the 2001/02 campaign. More recently, the sides faced each other in the fourth round of the EFL Cup last term. when Cardiff claimed a 2-1 win. 10.30 GCA Tennis The Cincinnati Open. Coverage of day five of the joint ATP 1000 and WTA 1000 event, a hard-court tournament at Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. 4.00-6.00am Sky Sports News. Headlines.

SKY SPORTS CHICKET

6.00am The Hundred Blessies 6.15 The Hundred Blessies 6.30 The Hundred Blessies 6.45 The Hundred Blessies 7.00 The Hundred 11.00 The Hundred Blessies 11.15 The Hundred Blessies 11.30 The Hundred 3.00pm The Hundred Blessies 3.15 The Hundred Blessies 3.30 The Hundred 7.30 The Hundred Blessies 7.45 The Hundred Blessies 8.00 The Hundred 11.30 The Hundred Blessies 11.45 The Hundred Blessies 12.00m15 One Day International Cricket 3.00 International 720 Cricket 5.30-6.00am Nepal Climbing Cricket's Mountain

SKY SPORTS FOOTBALL

6.00am EFL League One Goals 6.30 EFL League Two Goals 7.00 EFL Highlights 10.00 EFL League One Goals 10.30 EFL League Two Goals 11.00 EFL 1.00pm EFL Greatest Games 1.15 EFL Highlights 2.00 The EFL Show 3.00 EFL Highlights: sixteen episodes. 7.00 MCA EFL Cardiff City v Wrexham (kick-off 6.00pm). Action from Cardiff City Stadium. 10.30 EFL Highlights 10.45 EFL Highlights 11.00 EFL Cup Highlights 12.00m15 EFL 3.00 SPFL Highlights 3.30 EFL Greatest Games. 4.00 EFL Cup 3.00 Best Goals: EFL Cup 2021-22 5.30-6.00am EFL Trophy Football

SKY SPORTS GOLF

6.00am DP World Tour Golf 11.00 PGA Tour Golf 5.00pm Roots 6.00 HotelHammer Tour Golf Highlights 6.30 PGA Tour Golf 7.30 DP World Tour Golf 8.00 Legends Tour Golf. Action from the Staysure Pga Seniors Championship. 9.00 PGA Tour Golf. The FedEx St Jude Championship. Highlights of day four of the first event in the FedExCup Playoffs, held at TNT, Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. 10.00 Ladies European Tour Golf. Action from the PS London Championship. 11.00 PGA Tour Champions. The 2026 Portugal Invitational. 12.00m15 How the 2016 PGA Cup Was Won 2.00 PGA Tour Golf 8.00 DP World Tour Golf 5.00-6.00am Golf Academy

TNT SPORTS 1

1.30pm CPL Highlights 2.00 MLB Highlights 3.00 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship Highlights 4.00 MIB FIA Formula E World Championship Highlights 5.00 FA Community Shield. Ansenia Vabochester Girls. 6.30 MLB MLB Cincinnati Reds v St Louis. Animals Start time 6.00pm. Coverage of the National League Central match at Great American Ball Park, in what is the first of a double-heeled today for the male and the first of a five-game series, as they attempt to make up for an earlier series in May that saw two games rained off. 9.30 MLB Play of the White 10.00 European Rally Championship Highlights 10.30 CPL Highlights 11.00 Brocane China Open 1.00am Hard Knocks. Timing Camp with the Seattle Seahawks 2.00 Men's Cycling World Tour 3.00 Men's Cycling Pro Series 4.00 TNT Sports Cricket Reboot 4.15 Test Cricket Highlights 5.15-1.30pm LWK Test Cricket St Larnia v India.

TNT SPORTS 2

6.00am Men's Cycling Pro Series 7.00 Men's Cycling World Tour 8.00 Men's Cycling Pro Series 10.00 Tour de France Women 11.00 The Broadband 11.30 Robin Superkikes 1.00pm Men's Cycling Pro Series 2.00 Men's Cycling World Tour 3.00 Men's Cycling Pro Series 5.00 CPL Highlights 5.30 UEFA Champions League - Clavours. Action from the 1989/2000 season. 6.00 MLB Ultimate Road The Group B matches in the Super 9's of the Champions League, as four players compete for a place in Finals Night. 9.30 British Superkikes Highlights. Action from the seventh round of the season at Thurston Circuit in Hampshire. 10.30 UFC, Islam Mahrachev v Jan Machado Ussy. Action from the welterweight title bout at Winty Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, plus the extension 1.30am UFC. The Ultimate Fighter MMA fighters train and complete against each other for a contract with the UFC. 2.30 UFC Reloaded 5.00-6.00am Men's Cycling Pro Series. Action from stage 10.

Entertainment & Festival

ITV3

6.00am George and Richard 7.00 Classic Emmeriesale 6.05 Classic Coronation Street 8.45 Agatha Climbing Piano 11.35 Heartbeat 1.35pm Midcomer Murders 3.30 Classic Emmeriesale 4.40 Classic Coronation Street 8.50 Heartbeat 8.00 Midcomer Murders 10.00 Grandmaster 11.55 Trial & Panthunton 1.55am George and Richard 2.00-3.00am Unwind with ITV

ITV4

6.00am Magnum, 7F, 8.05 Ritzon of Sherwood 9.40 Boyz 10.10 The Professionals 11.20 Ritzon of Sherwood 12.30pm Magnum, 7F, 8.35 The Caselance of Sherlock Hunters 3.45 Boyz 4.50 The Professionals 5.00 Minuto 7.00 Formula E Highlights 8.00 The Motorbike Show 9.00 GCA Fodder 13 (1/5/5/5/5) Full based drama. *** 11.50 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 1.00am Lash 1.50 Motorsport UK 2.45-3.00am Unwind with ITV

ITV4

6.00am Bargain-Loving Stifts in the Sun 10.30 Nightmare Twenty, 5a.m. Loudlords 11.00 Traffic Corps 2.00pm Police Interceptors 5.00 Car Prized Cops 6.00 Home and Away 7.00 GIFs: Behind Closed Doors 8.00 Casualty 24/7: Every Second Courts 9.00 Ambulance: Code Find 10.00 A&E After Date 11.00 Civil: GIZ 12.00m 999: Killer on the Line 1.00 Cold Case Killers 1.55 Casualty 24/7: Every Second Courts 2.45 Skin A&E 3.30-4.00am Friends

REALTY

6.00am Fantasy Hitchhills The Sea 7.00 Cruise TV with LovelStock 8.00 Escape to the Country 9.00 Salvage Humans: The Restorers 12.00noon The Yorkshire Auction House 2.00 The Rieper Shop 3.00 Salvage Hunters 5.00 Who Do You Think You Are? 6.00 The Rieper Shop 7.00 The Yorkshire Auction House 8.00 Antiques Road Trip 9.00 The Rieper Shop 10.00 The Yorkshire Auction House 11.00 Help My House In Haunted 2.00am Neurocapping 4.00-6.00am Salvage Hunters

CREATIVE

9.00am Trucking Hall 10.20 Police Interceptors 11.20 Committee 12.25pm FEST The Big Guncover (1960/15) *** 2.10 FEST Lost for Gold (1949/95) *** 4.00 Highway Thru Hall 5.00 Motorway Cops: Catching Britain's Speeders 6.00 Police Interceptors 8.00 Motorway Cops: Catching Britain's Speeders 9.00 Police Interceptors 10.00 Highway Thru Hall 11.00 The X-Files: Drama 12.00m15 World's Deadliest Weather: Caught on Camera 1.00 Cultivate Truckers 2.00 Trucking Heavy 3.50-4.00am Entertainment News on 5

SKY ARTS

6.00am Musical Masterpieces 7.00 Battle of the Irish Dancers 8.00 Artist of the Year: Masterclass 9.00 Teen of the Unexpected 10.00 Alfred Hitchcock Presents 11.00 Discovery: Janet Liege 12.00noon The Art of Film with Ian Nathan 1.00 Tales of the Unexpected 2.00 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour 3.00 The Eighties 4.00 Discovery: Rod Stinger 5.00 Portrait Artist of the Year 2023

Live EFL Sky Sports Main Event, 7pm This weekend's Championship fixtures conclude with the Welsh derby between Cardiff and Wrexham. Can Learn Characters left? and the illustrants get one over on their rivals?

6.00 Tales of the Unexpected 7.00 Alfred Hitchcock Presents 8.00 Andre Reu: Shall We Dance? An open air concert in Maastricht by the violinist. 11.00 Academy of Ancient Music: Viwatts's Four Seasons 12.30am Notre-Dame: The Renaissance 2.05 National Theatre Live: Under Milk Wood 4.00 My Week with Margit-Henriking 5.00-6.00am The Art of Film with Ian Nathan

LE GOLD

7.10am Don't Wait Us 7.50 Dad 8.30 Only Fools and Horses 8.10 The Green Green Grass 9.00 Are You Being Served? 10.30 Last of the Summer Wine 11.30 Dad 12.30pm Only Fools and Horses 1.10 Keeping Up Appearances 1.50 Dad's Army 2.30 The Green Green Grass 3.10 Are You Being Served? 3.50 Dad 4.25 Dad's Army 5.00 Last of the Summer Wine 6.20 Keeping Up Appearances 7.00 Only Fools and Horses 7.40 Dad's Army 8.20 Are You Being Served? 9.00 Porridge 9.40 The Office 10.20 Not Going Out 11.00 Mrs Brown's Boys 12.20am Porridge 1.00 The Office 1.35 Not Going Out 2.25 Mrs Brown's Boys 3.30-4.00am The Green Green Grass

LYNCH

6.10am Abandoned Engineering 8.00 Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics 10.00 Secret Nazi Bases 11.00 The World of War 12.00noon Antiques Roadshow 2.00 Bangers & Cash 4.00 Secret Nazi Bases 5.00 The World of War 5.00 Antiques Roadshow 7.00 The Blue Planet 8.00 Great Steel Dishes 10.00 Bangers & Cash 12.00m15 Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics 1.00 Find It, Fix It, Flog It 2.00-3.00am Abandoned Engineering

LAALIBI

7.10am Murdoch Mysteries 9.00 Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators 10.00 The Mermaid 11.00 Hudson & Rex 12.00noon Body of Proof 1.00 Death in Paradise 2.00 Murdoch Mysteries 4.00 The Mermaid 5.00 Hudson & Rex 6.00 Body of Proof 7.00 Private Eyes 8.00 My Life Is Murder 9.00 Father Brown 10.00 Death in Paradise 11.00 Private Eyes 12.00m15 Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators 1.00 Father Brown 2.00-4.00am Murdoch Mysteries

NY

6.00am Mornings & Mornings 7.00 Mornings with Ridge and Frost 8.00 Stargate Gizi 1.10-20 Will & Grace

11.00 The Simpsons 12.00noon Africa's Hunters 1.00 Hawaii Five-0 3.00 S.W.A.T. 5.00 The Simpsons 6.00 Rob & Ronnesh vs Usain Bolt 7.00 The Simpsons 8.00 Agatha Rasan 10.00 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver 10.45 Frank Skinner: 30 Years of Dirt 11.45 Grimm 12.40am Evil 1.30 Road Wars 2.00 Dead Medicine 3.00 Hawaii Five-0 4.00-6.00am S.W.A.T.

RY ATLANTIC

6.00am Richard E. Grand's Hotel Secrets 8.00 Billions 10.15 House of the Dragon 12.30pm Homeless: Jim on the Street 2.30 Billions 4.40 The Book of Us 6.45 House of the Dragon 9.00 GCA Prized Young Young Woman (2020/15) Come tinkle, starring Carey McAlpin. *** 11.00 Possession 12.30am Dune: Prophecy 2.00 GCA Little Dirt 4.00-6.00am Urban Secrets

SKY WITNESS

6.00am Bondi Haunted 7.00 Winter Patrol 8.00 Send in the Dogs 9.00 The Force: Manchester 10.00 Motorway Patrol 10.30 Caught Red Handed 12.00noon Fifi 2.00 The Rookie 3.00 Live & Order: Criminal Intent 4.00 Nothing to Decline 8.00 Caught on Dashcam 9.00 Live & Order: Special Victims Unit 10.00 Live & Order: Criminal Intent 11.00 The Rookie 12.00m15 Fifi 2.00 Live & Order: Criminal Intent 3.00 Fifi: Most Wanted 4.00 Motorway Patrol 5.00-6.00am Border Security: Canada's Front Line

SKY COBESY

6.00am Will & Grace 8.00 Sport 9.10 10.00 The Comeback 11.20 Will & Grace 12.20pm The Fisherassat 1.45 The Comeback 3.00 Will & Grace 4.00 The Office Movers 5.00 Community 6.00 Will & Grace 7.00 The Office (US) 8.00 The Office Movers 9.00 Real Time with Bill Maher. The comedian and guests discuss the week's events. 10.10 Warrers Victims 11.10 The Fisherassat 12.30am The Office Movers 1.40 Community 2.40 The Comeback 4.00-5.00am Sort Of

DISCOVERY

6.00am How It's Made 7.00 The Aquarium 9.00 Gold Rush 11.00 Building Off the Grid 1.00pm Dr Jeff: Poppy Mountain 1st 3.00 How It's Made 5.00 Alesius: Homestead Rescue 7.00 Wheeler Dealers 8.00 Art: Anstead Master Mechanics: 8.00 Maine Cabin Masters 10.00 Building Off the Grid 11.00 Expedition 1: 12.00m15 Deadliest Catch 1.00 Maine Cabin Masters 2.00 Building Off the Grid 3.00 Gold Divers 4.00-5.00am Murphdowns: Mother Distiller

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

6.00am Air Crash Investigation 10.00 World's Greatest Town: Accuracy from Above 11.00 Car S.O.S 12.00noon Ultimate Airport Dubai 1.00 Air Crash Investigation 2.00 Nazi Megastructures 4.00 Mysteries of Ancient Medicine 5.00 Destructors Decoded 6.00 Planes that Changed History 7.00 Air Crash Investigation 8.00 Disaster Accuracy 9.00 Air Crash Investigation 10.00 Mutant Weather: Catastrophic wildfires. 11.00 Air Crash Investigation 12.00m15 Amsterdam Central 24/7: 1.00 Northwards Survived 2.00 Lords of War 2.30 Abandoned 3.20 Food Factory 4.10-5.00am When Sharks Attack

Radio

BBC RADIO 1

97.6-99.0MHz 6.55am Newsbeat 7.00 Radio 1 Breakfast with Oney James 11.00 Richie, Melvin and Charlie 12.45pm Newsbeat 1.00 Matt and Jerry 3.30 Newsbeat 3.33 Going Home with Vick, Kelle and James on Radio 1 5.45 Newsbeat 6.00 Radio 1's New Music Show with Jack Saunders 8.00 Radio 1's Future Artists with Sam Elen 10.00 Radio 1's Power Down Playlist with Sam Elen 11.00 Picks Show with Daniel P Carter 1.50-2.00am BBC Introducing Rock on Radio 1

BBC RADIO 2

99-01MHz 6.30am The Bank Cox Breakfast Show 8.30 Vernon Ray 12.00noon Jeremy Vive 2.00 Claps Amits 4.00 Joann Marford 7.00 From Nights on Radio 2 9.00 The Blues Show with the Black Knox 10.00 The Good Groove with Melvin Osborn 12.00m15 DJ Borg 2.30 One Hit Wonders with DJ Borg 3.00-4.00am Alternative Sounds of the 90s with Dermot O'Leary

BBC RADIO 3

90.2-92.4MHz 6.30am Breakfast 9.30 Expertise Classics 1.00pm Classical Live 4.00 Composer of the Week: Feels in Mendelssohn 5.00 In Tune 7.00 BBC Proms 2020 10.00 Sport Trucks 11.30 Trucks of Midnight 12.30-6.30am Through the Night

BBC RADIO 4

FM 92.4-94.0MHz 6.00am Today 9.00 The Great Crime Mystery 9.30 How Did We Get Here: No World Order 10.00 Woman's Hour

CHOICE

Prom Nights On Radio 2

Radio 2, 7pm

Cursed and presented by Stuart Mascone. this special concert at the Royal Albert Hall features new orchestral arrangements of Pimp Rock music by Emmeric, Lake & Palmer, Soft Machine, Genesis and Pink Floyd. There are other Proms concerts on at the same time over the next four nights.

11.00 Behind the Crime 11.45 Book of the Week: The Fire in the Mountain: Sicily, Elna and her People 12.00noon News 12.04 You and Yours 12.37 Weather 1.00 The World of One 1.45 Human Intelligence 2.00 The Archers 2.15 Honor 2.45 Coming Lines 3.00 Great Lives 3.30 You've Dead to Me 4.00 Pride Before the Fall 4.30 Soul Music 5.00 FM 5.57 Weather 6.00 News 9.30 Just a Minute 7.00 The Archers 7.15 Front Row 8.00 The Shining Room 8.00 2001 Inside Science 9.00 The Great Crime Mystery 9.30 How Did We Get Here: No World Order 10.00 The World Tonight 10.45 Book of the Bedtime: Mr Sidhu's Post Office 11.00 Intimacy 11.30 Poetry Please 12.00m15 News 12.30 Book of the Week: The Fire in the Mountain: Sicily, Elna and her People 12.40 Shipping Forecast 1.00 An BBC: World Service 5.00 News Summary 5.04 Pride Before the Fall 5.33 Weather 5.34 Shipping Forecast 5.43 Prayer for the Day 5.45-6.00am Farming Today

BBC RADIO 5 LIVE

693/909kHz 6.00am 5 Live Breakfast 9.00 News Ahmed 11.00 Emma Vardy 2.00pm Gordon Smart 4.00 5 Live Drive 7.00 5 Live Sport: The Mercury Night Club 8.00 5 Live Sport: 5 Live Cricket 10.00 Class Arom, in-depth interviews. 1.00am Orion: Adebayo 5.00-6.00am Wake Up to Money

BRANDSIDE VIX 2

FM: 94.6MHz 6.00am Radio Wales News Update 6.05 Wake Up with Radio Wales 6.31 Radio Wales Arts Show 7.00 Radio Wales Breakfast 8.00 Brinnewt Lowie 12.00noon The Phone in 2.00 Belinair, Alrigar 5.00 Radio Wales Drive 6.30 How Emily Goes 2in 7.00 Radio Wales Sport 10.15 Elen Sion 12.00m7 Police with Radio Wales 1.00-6.00am As Radio 5 Live

CLASSIC FT 1

100-102MHz 6.30am Classic FM Breakfast with Tim Lohonsa 9.00 The Classic FM Hall of Fame Hour with Tim Lohonsa 10.00 Alec Jones 1.00pm Anne-Mattele Minhal 4.00 Margherita, Oscar 7.00 Relaxing: Lovering with John Brunning 9.00 Classic FM's Composer Capsular with John Brunning 10.00 Capri, Gasson's 1.00am Bill Overton 4.00-6.30am Early Breakfast

ABSOLUTE RADIO

5.00-6.00am Simplicated: A mix of fine tunes. 10.00 Clare Sturgess 1.00pm Ben Coley 4.00 Humphries with: Bush & Ritchie 7.00 Danielle Perry, Music and chat. 10.00 Jay Lawrence 1.00-6.00am Dan Noble

Movies

FILM4

11.00am The Son of Inside Hood (1959/L) Adventure, starring June Laverick. *** 12.40pm The Comarcheros (1961/PC) Western, starring John Wayne. *** 2.50 Man in the Saddle (1961/L) Western, with Randolph Scott and Alexander Knox. *** 4.30 Granada (1962/PC) Romantic thriller, with Academy Hepburn and Cary Grant. *** 6.50 Fishmowin's Friends: One and All (2022/12) Comedy sequel, starring James Purdy and Sam Swansbury. *** 9.00 Brassed (1996/11) Drama, with Pete Postlethrate and Ewan McGregor. *** 11.10 Glass (2019/15) Thriller, starring James McAvry and James McAvry. *** 1.45-3.45am Cuban (May 2014/15) Comedy with Nala Frost and Chris O'Dowd. ***

SKY CINEMA PREMIERE

7.00am Eleanor the Great (2025/12) See 3.10am. *** 8.45 Harvest (2025/12) See 9.00pm. *** 11.00 Tom And Jerry: Forbidden Compass (2025/PS) Animated adventure, featuring the voices of Eric Bezos and Ben Deken. *** 12.45pm Mortal Kombat 8 (2026/15) See 0.00pm. *** 2.45 Signal One (2026/15) See 10.10pm. *** 4.25 Normal (2026/15) Action comedy, starring Bob Calandra and Harry Whittles. *** 6.00 Mortal Kombat 8 (2026/15) Fantasy Adventure, starring Karl Lister. *** 8.00 Harvest (2025/12) After every their son to Diegan, Ayron and William Shakespeare, graphic with grief. Period drama, starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley. *** 10.15 Signal One (2026/15) So I-1 thriller, with Isabelle Fuhrman and Dennis Quast. *** 12.00m's Primate (2025/16) Horror, starring Johnny Sequoia and Troy Kotsur. *** 1.30am Love Me (2024/16) Drama, starring Steven Yeun and Kristen Stewart. *** 1.15 Eleanor the Great (2025/12) Drama, with June Spitzing and Eric Kellerson. *** 5.00-6.45am Leaving Flower: The Day the Earth Blew Up (2024/PS) Animated adventure, with the voices of Eric Bezos. ***

SKY CINEMA DRAMA

5.35pm Joker: Folie a Deux (2024/15) Musical, starring Joaquin Perrone. *** 8.00 L'Tanya (2017/15) Biopic, starring Margot Wackle and Sebastian Dier. *** 10.15 Harvest (2025/12) Drama, starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley. *** 12.25am The Brutalist (2025/18) Drama, with Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones. *** 3.45 Quartet (2012/12) Comedy, starring Maggie Dillon and Billy Connolly. *** 5.25-7.10am Flashdance (1983/15) Drama, with Jennifer Bialla and Michael Nour. ***

SKY CINEMA FAMILY

6.00pm Scooby-Doo (2022/PS) Live Action comedy adventure, starring Sarah Michelle Geller and Matthew Gilbert. *** 7.30 Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2024/PS) Adventure sequel, with Sarah Michelle Geller and Matthew Gilbert. *** 9.00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014/12) Fantasy adventure, starring Megan Fox. *** 1.00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016/12) Action adventure sequel, starring Megan Fox. *** 12.45am The Karate Kid (2010/PC) Martial arts drama, starring Joann Smith. *** 3.05 Lemony Brickell's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004/PS) Comedy adventure, starring Jim Camp. *** 4.50-6.00am Book the Helgafrog 3 (2024/PS) Fantasy adventure, starring Ben Schowitz and Jim Camp. ***

TALKING PICTURES TV

5.00pm Doctor In Love (1960/PS) Medical comedy, starring Michael Craig. *** 7.00 The Footage Detectives Archive clips. 8.00 Magnet Detective drama series. 9.50 The Key (1958/12) Second World War complete drama, with William Holden. *** 12.25am Breathless (1960/12) Drama, starring Jean-Paul Belmonte. *** 2.15 The Killings at Outpost Zeta (1980/PC) So I-1 horror, starring Gordyn David. *** 4.25 The Veil Starring Boris Kaloff. 5.00-6.00am The Man from UNCLE

GREAT MYSTERY

6.00pm Stargeston Master Detective drama. 5.00 Murder, She Wrote Double bit. 7.30 Curdle American crime drama. 8.00 Unforgettable Poppy Montgomery stars. 9.00 In Plain Sight Men McCormick stars. 10.00 Morning Show Mystery Mortal Michigan (2016/PC) Crime drama, starring Holly Robinson Pheirs and Rick Fox. *** 11.00pm Picture Perfect Mysteries: Newlywed and Dead (2019/PS) Mystery, with Alexa Pershing and Carrie Pershing. *** 1.50am Wish You Were Dead (2017/PC) Thriller, starring Chris Ross. *** 3.20-6.00am The Bad Twin (2016/PC) Thriller, with Hauki Duf and Grace Van Zien. ***

---

EXPRESS TRAVEL Escorted Tour

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Pousadas of Portugal

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Savour the very best of Portugal, and stay in three historic, charming and unique Pousadas (specially created high-quality hotels that reflect Portugal's traditions and culture) along the way.

Enjoy luxurious accommodation in a trio of acclaimed Pousada hotels, each offering traditional hospitality in remarkable settings. Discover some of Portugal's most delightful locations as you travel through the heart of the country. Explore the colourful capital, Lisbon, elegant Estoril and glorious Sintra. Head north via hilltop Obidos and the university city of Coimbra, and experience the local culture of wine-producing Viseu and Porto, and on the banks of the 'golden' River Douro, on this wonderful Portuguese tour.

Your tour at a glance...

• Seven nights' bed and breakfast accommodation at the four-star Pousada de Queluz, Lisbon (3 nights), the four-star Pousada de Viseu (2), and the four-star Pousada Mosteiro de Amares (2)
• Experience chic Cascais and elegant Estoril
• Be beguiled by Porto, Portugal's historic second city

• Journey to medieval Obidos and to Coimbra, the 'Oxford' of Portugal

• See Aveiro's Venice-like lagoon and canals

• Tour of Regua and Guimaraes
• Return flights to Lisbon (returning from Porto)
• Comfortable, air-conditioned coach travel and transfers throughout
• Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager
• All mandatory local taxes and applicable fees

Call one of our friendly holiday planners on 0303 330 0898 Quoting EXC

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26 Email expressletters@express.co.uk

D4357

Letters

Edited by GREG MORGAN

The Daily Express, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AP

Email: expressletters@express.co.uk (include your full name, address and telephone number)

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Our Nigel is back and he's even more powerful now

THE people of Clacton showed exactly what they think of Nigel Farage, 22,239 votes and a 17% increase on his performance in 2024 ("Furious Farage declares victory but erupts at establishment: 'Am I angry? I'm very angry'", August 14).

The establishment wanted him to crash. This is about bringing down Reform UK and jumping on the bandwagon and taking full advantage of it.

The parliamentary standards committee could have decided on this in a morning before their recess, but no, they keep it going for months to try and discredit Nigel and Reform.

Sue Killick,

Chepstow, Mon

Burnham's set to trample over our prettiest villages

I'M NOT sure if Andy Burnham's threat to redistribute illegal migrants more equitably among better-off neighbourhoods is another example of socialist envy, ignorance, or a combination of both ("Anger over PM's plan to 'spread migrant misery'", August 13).

The Government isn't building new migrant centres; they are utilising MoD bases where they happen to be. It is just that the likes of Bicester, Barnham, Scampton, Wethersfield and Linton-on-Ouse – and potentially many more – are beautiful, quiet English villages about to be ruined.

Roy Daniels,

Kingsclere, Hants

Why don't Lefties open their doors to migrants?

THE middle classes have always been generous towards genuine asylum seekers, as seen in the response to those from Ukraine.

However, they also recognise that the hordes of fit young men crossing the Channel are not genuine. They are lured here by Labour's generous benefits and the knowledge the Left will rubber-stamp every asylum application.

The champagne socialists with placards welcoming migrants could step up, but they won't. A solution is possible, but it would require Labour to ditch its ideology.

Dr Peter Outen,

Brentwood, Essex

Labour's had some awful ideas but this is the worst

IF ANDY Burnham is concerned that locating illegal migrants in cheaper areas causes social unrest, his new plan will become even more provocative if he relocates them into small villages.

This must be one of the most politically inept decisions the Labour Party has ever made.

This outstrips even Keir Starmer's attack on pensioners.

Anthony Richardson,

Stirling

On-the-ball Badenoch will have feeble PM on toast

ALL we hear from Andy Burnham is that he will review, look into, and

LETTER OF THE DAY

Family can be proud of Professor Arday's achievements

Professor's passing is tragic news

IT WAS very sad to hear of the passing of Cambridge Professor Jason Arday amid questions of factual accuracy over his background ("Cambridge row academic Jason Arday found dead August 15).

There has been great media attention over such and, due to the current political climate in Britain debate over diversity quotas taking precedent over worthiness for a post.

Whatever the case with Professor Arday, he rose from disadvantage on his own effort to make a success of himself and to be a source of encouragement to others.

He leaves a wife and two children. They can be proud of what he achieved. Our thoughts and condolences are with them at this time.

Diane Silva,

Bournemouth, Dorset

listen to the people before deciding. He should already know what the electorate wants, as it is reported often enough.

What is he actually doing?

It is all talk and no action, and his stuttering is getting as bad as Keir Starmer's. Roll on PMQs when he has to face the ferocious Kemi Badenoch. I can't wait.

Anne Jones,

Stalybridge, Cheshire

Andy's old constituency is overrun with illegals

IN RESPONSE to Sue Hills ("Burnham's a village idiot on migrants", Letters, August 13), I think Andy Burnham would most certainly house asylum seekers in his hometown. I live in Leigh, his former constituency, and it has totally lost its identity as it has become overrun with migrants.

Will Yates,

Leigh, Lancs

Don't fight smugglers on beaches, try warehouses

STOPPING the small boats, or mega dinghies, should not start on French beaches but at the source of supply and storage in Europe ("PM: We'll have to change tactics on mega dinghies", August 12).

Maybe the focus should be on the

countries that manufacture and store these vessels.

Might I suggest our SAS be deployed as a matter of urgency? Smoke rising from the premises involved would act as a powerful deterrent to others trying to cash in on this vile exploitation.

Michael Phillips,

Solihull, W Mids

Match French facilities and watch invasion stop

IF THE French only provide space for a small tent and basic toilet facilities, why do we provide hotels and pocket money for migrants? No wonder there is such a pull factor to come here. If we only offered what they were leaving behind, they might not be so keen to come.

George Steele,

Rochdale, Lancs

Switched-on Esther is a bright spark on energy

ESTHER Krakue's article was refreshingly blunt on the naivety of our energy planners, and any experienced power industry engineer will fully endorse her observations ("Foreign powers keep our lights on as green grid is switched off", August 13).

While we cannot deny climate change, the required approach is

balance – not a dogmatic adherence to net zero. Wind and solar are useful weapons for our armoury, not replacements for fossil fuels.

As a retired power engineer, I can say nuclear provides the vital "spinning reserve" that solar and wind cannot. Coal may be dead, but gas and oil will be around for a very long time.

Michael Rich,

Southampton

This is the news, it's not a crime to criticise peers

CAN no one make a criticism of another any more? Jan Leeming is arguably more qualified than any other female news broadcaster of her generation and made what she believed to be legitimate personal comments about Charlene White ("Leeming gets 'vile abuse' after slating White", August 13).

Are we not allowed to criticise anyone who is from an ethnic background, only white people?

Those who have anonymously subjected Jan to vile abuse should be ashamed of themselves.

Maybe Charlene, who is one of my favourite television news presenters, might just consider whether Jan's comments do contain a little bit of merit.

Paul Elphick,

Troubridge, Wilts

THE WORD 'CELEBRITY' DOES A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING FOR BBC

THE BBC stretches the term "celebrity" beyond breaking point. Shows such as MasterChef and Mastermind produce a reaction of "Who?" and leave viewers scratching their heads to try and recall these people.

Strictly Come Dancing is exactly the same ("Strictly's new era...with

underwhelming celebs", August 13), but every year the nonentities perform and the show makes them into household names.

It is no surprise the 2026 crop is much the same and I have no doubt that they will all become just as popular.

Barrie Warren,

Bury, Lancs

TODAY: Monday August 17, 2026

ON THIS DAY

28 years ago (1998)

We revealed the 28 tragic victims of the terror car bomb in Omagh, Co Tyrone, including nine children and Avril Monaghan, 30, who was pregnant with twins.

The device exploded in the town centre on a busy Saturday afternoon and remains the deadliest single attack of the Troubles. It was carried out by the Real IRA, a breakaway group opposed to the Good Friday Agreement.

81 years ago (1945)

George Orwell's novella Animal Farm was first published. An allegorical story of the Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalin, it follows a group of animals who rebel against their human farmer to create a more equal society. They are betrayed by one of their leaders, a pig called Napoleon, who assumes all privileges for himself and the other pigs.

57 years ago (1969)

The Woodstock music festival continued for a third day in Bethel, New York.

Although it was officially due to end on August 17, performances continued for an extra day. The event was a critical success, but a financial disaster with the organisers ending up around £1million in debt.

BIRTHDAYS

Ex-footballer Thierry Henry is 49. He loves basketball. Mystic River star Sean Penn is 66. He made a documentary about the Ukraine war. Screenwriter Lisa McGee is 46. She is the creator of the hit sitcom Derry Girls. The Sixth Sense actor Donnie Wahlberg is 57. He's also a singer.

TODAY'S GIGGLE

I'd tell you a joke about kites but it would just sail over your head.

---

SUMMER.

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RUSSELL

GRANT

ARIES MARCH 21-APRIL 20

A lovely spark is stirring your love life and creative side, so stop overthinking and enjoy it. Say what you feel, especially to someone close, because warmth grows through honesty today. At home, harmony may require a bit of effort, but don't dodge it. Your instincts are sharp now. Trust them, and you'll feel more settled and connected.

For more call 0905 789 4171

(Blog/mini • network access charge)

GEMINI MAY 22-JUNE 21

The day has a bright, chatty charm about it, and you're right in your element. Ideas flow, people respond, and even romance could surprise you if you stay open. Still, some feelings may run deeper than expected, so don't laugh everything off. A conversation with a friend or loved one could reveal something important. Follow your curiosity and heart.

For more call 0905 789 4173

LEO JULY 24-AUG 23

You're sparkling today, and people will notice, so don't waste the chance by doubting yourself. Conversations go well, especially when you let your wit and warmth do the work. Creative ideas could lead somewhere useful. Just don't let one wobble of self-doubt spoil the whole thing. A bit of honest reflection will steady you and sharpen your bigger vision.

For more call 0905 789 4175

SAGITTARIUS NOV 23-DEC 21

You're craving inspiration, adventure, and people who actually get you, and today can provide all three. A friend, group, or shared interest could light a real spark. Romance may also surprise you, but don't race ahead and invent a whole future by teatime. Keep it real. Emotional clarity comes when you slow down enough to notice what you truly want.

For more call 0905 789 4179

TAURUS APRIL 21-MAY 21

There's a comforting, homely energy around you today, and it suits you beautifully. Work, chores, and personal needs can be balanced, but only if you stop trying to do everything at once. Relationships that feel stable and kind deserve your full attention. Your feelings are trying to show you something useful, so listen instead of leaving them aside.

For more call 0905 789 4172

CANCER JUNE 22-JULY 23

Home feels steadier now, and that gives you room to breathe. A small improvement to your space or a sensible purchase could lift your spirits far more than you expect. You're keen to appear confident, but don't let distractions throw you off. Loved ones need your warmth, not your worry. Stay grounded, speak kindly, and trust your instincts.

For more call 0905 789 4174

VIRGO AUG 24-SEPT 23

A flash of clarity arrives, and it's about time. You're seeing more clearly what matters in friendships, money, and personal values, so stop second-guessing yourself. A thoughtful conversation could help you sort out where your loyalties and resources belong. This is not the day for pretending. The choices you make now can lead to genuine peace and progress.

For more call 0905 789 4176

CAPRICORN DEC 22-JAN 20

You've got a quiet confidence about you today, and it's helping you see where you're headed. Career matters can improve, especially through a partnership or useful alliance, so don't isolate yourself. At home, emotions may rise, but that's not weakness; it's information. Balance your personal commitments with professional goals.

For more call 0905 789 4180

LIBRA SEPT 24-OCT 23

Your social life is humming, and the right conversation could open a useful door. Friends, groups, and community ties all have something to offer today, especially when it comes to work or future plans. Just don't drift into fantasy and call it strategy. Stay grounded. A practical step matters more than a pretty idea. Balance ambition with imagination.

For more call 0905 789 4177

AQUARIUS JAN 21-FEB 19

Relationships are flowing smoothly today, and that's a relief. Conversations bring warmth, understanding, and possibly a very useful insight about a partnership. Shared experiences, even something simple like a walk or a decent chat, can strengthen bonds now. Still, don't let daily pressures steal all your attention. Balance work with connection.

For more call 0905 789 4181

SCORPIO OCT 24-NOV 22

Your ambitions are very much alive. Work and long-term plans can move forward now, especially if you trust your instincts instead of waiting for perfect conditions. At the same time, deeper feelings require your attention. A quiet moment of self-reflection, or an honest chat with someone close, could bring exactly the clarity you need.

For more call 0905 789 4178

PISCES FEB 20-MARCH 20

There's a softer, steadier rhythm to the day, and you'd be wise to lean into it. Work and practical duties feel easier when you accept support. A creative block may just be asking you to go deeper, not give up. Meaningful conversations can bring real clarity now. Your intuition is guiding you towards better choices, stronger bonds and calmer waters.

For more call 0905 789 4182

Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company's network access charge - maximum of 5 minutes duration. You must be over 18 and have the bill paper's permission. Service provider Spoke. Helpline 0333 202 3390

NUTWOOD TALES

HUPERT AND THE AMORY SEA No.20

"This money that you say you're due - You've found some treasure, haven't you!"

Jem's sure he's right, but Jinks won't say. He simply turns and walks away.

"This money you say you've got coming to you - the windfall that will let you give up fishing - you've taken something precious from the sea, haven't you?" demands Jem. Jink's jaw drops in dismay but he soon recovers and gives Jem a defiant stare. "It ain't none of your business!" he blusters. "Nor anyone else in Cocklesands." With that he turns away sharply and scuttles up a flight of steps.

CRAVEN AND HOBBIES WILL BE USED.

FAITH, HOP & AND SUE WILL BE USED.

YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING

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so everything breaks down more quickly. The water-resistant design keeps rain out, and a fitted upper cover keeps pests where they belong. Adding material, turning the compost and lifting out the finished result are all easy thanks to the top cover and front door.

450-litre capacity

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Self-assembly required

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Enjoy clear, detailed sound from your television with the Philips SHD8850 Wireless Headphones. Designed for relaxed home listening, these wireless headphones connect easily to your TV and give you the freedom to move up to 30m away. The sound stays crisp and clear without interference, making every programme or film more enjoyable. The soft, breathable ear cushions and self-adjusting headband keep you comfortable, even during longer viewing sessions. With up

to 20 hours of battery life, you can watch or listen for hours without interruption. When you're finished, simply place the headphones on the charging dock and they'll be ready for next time.

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Enjoy soft, caring comfort with Hush Luxury 3-Ply Shea Butter Bathroom Tissue. This bulk pack of 72 rolls keeps your household well stocked while offering excellent everyday value at just 38p per roll. Each quilted 3-ply sheet is made with a touch of cotton for a soft, gentle feel, while providing the strength and absorbency needed for everyday use. Lightly scented with a soothing hint of shea butter,

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DACT

43

RACE CHILD CHALLENGE

GET ALL THE BREAKING SPORTS NEWS ONLINE express.co.uk/sport

RACE CHILD CHALLENGE

By Jon Lees

BOW ECHO'S owner was denied a contradiction victory in the 91st, Jacques Le Marois by another Francis-Henri Graftand star Rayil yesterday.

With the late Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum brilliant 2,000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes winner having to be retired during the week, it was left to Zeus Olympios to represent him in the Deauville Group 1 prize. Yet the Karl Burke-trained colt was kept waiting for his first top level success as he was beaten a neck by French 2,000 Guineas winner Rayil, who roared back to his best on his return to a mile. Irish 1,000

Deauville drama as classy

French miler sinks raiders

Guineas winner Precise, who went off 2-1 favourite under Ryan Moore, finished third.

Zeus Olympios, ridden by Clifford Lee, switched early to the middle of the track to join his main rivals and was prominent throughout only to be nailed near the time.

"He quickened twice there first time I thought we'd got it, then he got challenged and then he quickened again and I thought we'd got it, and so did

Cliff," said Burke, left. "The winner, fair play to him, has come and cut us down. Francis can do no wrong, can he?"

Graftand was clinching his sixth Group 1 prize of 2026 with Rayil, who was cut by Coral to 4-1 second favourite, behind Gstaad, for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October.

He said: "The Jacques Le Marois is a very famous race – probably the second most famous race in France after the Arc – so it's a wonderful race to win."

WINDSOR SKYSPORTSRACING

5.20

RACESAT-READY.COM APPRENTICE HCAP EX.297 (Class 5) TP 27yds TP declared ● SOUTH SHORE CEO (G&B) 6 (Level 5 0/2)

2 (4) 725278 RISS AND RUN (2) (G&B) 6 Cook & 2 (Height 1 1/2)

3 (6) 1400000 0/6 (B) (T) 4 (Level 5 9/2) ... 4 (Level 4 9/4) 4 (8) 14210 THORNARY PEARL (R) (B) (T) 8 (Urban Nichols) 8 9/12

6 (7) 464751 THE HARN GORB (3) (G&B) 4 (Level 5 1/4)

6 (10) 714812 SUNLIT SEA (R) (B, F) 2 (W Preycal) 3 9/6, 4 (Level 5) 7 (1) 725250 2/2 SMART (2/6) (B) 2 (Level 5 7/4) ... Author's Note 7/4 8 (2) 737503 BELLOR SPORT (R) (A) 4 (Level 3 9/4) ... 4 (Level 4 9/4) 9 (5) 462219 TRUST (2/6) (B) (T) 6 (Level 4 9/4) Charles Tuckett (T)

BLINEDES: No. 6 TONGUE STRAY: Nos. 2, 7 CHECK PIECES: Nos. 5, 7, 9P FORECAST: 9-4 (Level 3/4), 7-2 (Scale 3/4), 7-2/4 (Size 3/4), 7-2/4 (Size 3/4), 7-2/4 (Size 3/4), 7-2/4 (Size 3/4), 7-2/4 (Size 3/4), 7-2/4 (Size 3/4), 7-2/4 (Size 3/4), 7-2/4 (Size 3/4), 7-2/4 (Size 3/4), 7-2

5.55 THE MATCHBOOK MATCH 6 MAIDEN STKS 2YD (2) 4/20 (G) 4/12yds (T) 4/8YAM CABINET (Douglas 9/7) ... 8 Dawson 4/8YAM CABINET (D) Harry Charlton 9/7 ... 8 Edwards 4/8YAM CABINET (D) Harry Charlton 9/7 ... 8 Edwards 4/8YAM CABINET (D) Harry Charlton 9/7 ... 8 Edwards 4/8YAM CABINET (D) Harry Charlton 9/7 ... 8 Edwards 4/8YAM CABINET (D) Harry Charlton 9/7 ... 8 Edwards 4/8YAM CABINET (D) Harry Charlton 9/7 ... 8 Edwards 4/8YAM CABINET (D) Harry Charlton 9/7 ... 8 Edwards 4/8YAM CABINET (D) Harry Charlton 9/7 ... 8 Edwards 4/8YAM CABINET (D) Harry Charlton 9/7 ... 8 Edwards 4/8YAM CABINET (D) Harry Charlton 9/7 ... 8 Edwards 4/8YAM CABINET (D) Harry Charlton 9/7 ... 8 Edwards 4/8YAM

TRACK FACTS: 100000. Good to firm. TOP TRACK JOCKEY (2/20-2/6). Tom Wergaard 59% Strike rate. TOP TRACK TRAINER (2023-2/6). 6 Carroll 49% Strike rate. FIRST TIME: 1/2.0 Mays. Effort (check pieces). 1/2.0 Rightrend Rightrend (check pieces). 1/2.0 Rightrend (check pieces). REVIEW FAVORITED: 1/2.0 No. 6ed Rightrend. 1/2.0 Rightrend (check pieces). Call 0906 174 9398

THE SCOLT

5.20 South Shore 6.55 Manhasset 5.55 Millbank 7.25 SUNDIATA KEITA (loop) 6.25 Black Velvet Boy 7.55 Guineous Lad

6.25

MATCHBOOK.COM NURSERY 2YD (5) 6.5 (G) 4/5 5F 27yds (T) 6F FORECAST (1/2) (G) 2 (G) 1/2 ... Author's Note 04 MAGIC EFFORT (6/5) (B) 1/4 (National 4) 2 (Jamey 9/4)

T Wergaard (T) T. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F. F.

SP FORECAST: 6-4 Black Velvet Boy, 4 Mays Effort, 5 Paper View, 9-2 (In) (Level 1) (Portable 2) (In) 2 (Barrel) 2025: LJ Brother, 9-9; Trevor Mohan 4-1 (P Attheater), drawn (9), 9 ran.

6.55

MATCHBOOK LOVES RACING HANDICAP (5.65) (4) 6f 12yds (T) 6F FORECAST (4) (B) (T) (Level 1) (In) (Level 4) (In) (Level 5) RIGHTSIDE EIGHTRON (2/7) 4 (Level 4 9/6), 4 (Level 5) MAGIC EFFORT (2/5) (B) 4 (Level 5 9/2), 4 (Level 4) GREEN TIRE (R) (Level 1) (In) (Level 4) (In) (Level 5) NOCLEAR (2/6) (G) 1 (In) (Level 4 9/4), 4 (Level 5)

6-10: 723225 4/20(9/10) (B) (G&B) 4 (Level 5 9/4), ... Author's Note 06 7-12: 2000 6/5 TONGUE STRAY (10) (B) (R) 5 (Level 5 9/4), ... 2 (Level 4) 8-13: 8/1/2/7 ANASTRIAN BREAK (2) (G&B) 5 (Level 5 9/2), 5 (Level 4) BLINEDES: No. 6 TONGUE STRAY: Nos. 1, 3 CHECK PIECES: Nos. 2, 6 SP FORECAST: 6-4 Key Men (Slough, 1, 4) (R) (Level 1) (In) (Level 4) (In) (Level 5) 2025: LJ Brother, 9-9; Trevor Mohan 4-1 (P Attheater), drawn (9), 9 ran.

7.25

MATCHBOOK BETTING HANDICAP £3.768 (6) 6f 12yds (T2) 7 (1) 5/5/6 TEE PRICING (2/7) 4 (Level 2) 1 (Other Needless) 1/1 6f 2 (2) 207945 RIZON CITY (Breezes) 3 9/6 ... 4 (Level 4) 1/1 59 3 (3) 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521, 521,

7.55 MATCHBOOK HANDICAP £3.768 (6) 5n 3f 99yds (T)

7 (2) 8/5/7 TRILAN TRUTH (2/6) (G&B) (In) (Level 1) (In) (Level 5) 66 2 (2) 2/7/8/7 PEERALLIA (9/6) (Level 4 9/2), ... 2 (Level 4) 67 3 (3) 7/9/8/7 SALEM (2/8) (In) (Level 4 9/2), ... 2 (Level 4) 70 4 (3) 4/8/7/7 4/8 (Level 5) (In) (Level 4 9/2), ... 2 (Level 4) 71

5 (3) 2/8/7/7 4/8 (Level 5) (In) (Level 4 9/2), ... 2 (Level 4) 72 6 (3) 2/8/7/7 4/8 (Level 5) (In) (Level 4 9/2), ... 2 (Level 4) 73 7 (3) 2/8/7/7 4/8 (Level 5) (In) (Level 4 9/2), ... 2 (Level 4) 74

6 (3) 2/8/7/7 4/8 (Level 5) (In) (Level 4 9/2), ... 2 (Level 4) 75 8 (3) 6/7/7/7 4/8 (Level 5) (In) (Level 4 9/2), ... 2 (Level 4) 76 9 (3) 6/7/7/7 4/8 (Level 5) (In) (Level 4 9/2), ... 2 (Level 4) 77

9 (3) 6/7/7/7 4/8 (Level 5) (In) (Level 4 9/2), ... 2 (Level 4) 78 10 (3) 6/7/7/7 4/8 (Level 5) (In) (Level 4 9/2), ... 2 (Level 4) 79 11 (3) 6/7/7/7 4/8 (Level 5) (In) (Level 4 9/2), ... 2 (Level 4) 80

BLINEDES: No. 6 TONGUE STRAY: Nos. 1, 3 CHECK PIECES: Nos. 2, 6 SP FORECAST: 5 (Top) (G) 4/5 (G) 4/5 (Level 4) (In) (Level 4) (In) (Level 5) 2025: 6d Tim Beautiful 3-9-4, 2nd Mitchell 5-1 (B) (G) (Level 1) (In) (Level 4) (In) (Level 5)

HOOF PRINTS

ED BETHELLS is banking on a break in the weather enabling him to get Pabors back on track in the Sky Bet City Of York Stakes on Saturday. "The rain looks like it might be arriving early in the week," he said. "I'd love to get him out on the track, he needs a bit of juice in the ground. "He's been great since winning at Newcastle (in June), but he hasn't run since because of the ground. I just hope we get enough rain to run."

CURRASH: Good-good to firm in players

1.30—HONLIN MULF LJ 2 Rays, 10/1 (1) Roush 7/2 (1) 1m (1) 4th Westland 9/2 (1) 2nd of 1m (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1m (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1m (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1m (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1m (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1m (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1m (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1m (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1m (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1m (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1m (1) 1

2.40—CONVERT LINE 1A 2afting, 9/1 (2nd 1m) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1

3.20—CLEAN OUTSIDE 1B 2afting, 9/1 (2nd 1m) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1, 2nd (1) 1

3.55—CREMORON DATE 1B 2m 3m 4m 5m 6m 7m 8m 9m 10m 11m 12m 13m 14m 15m 16m 17m 18m 19m 20m 21m 22m 23m 24m 25m 26m 27m 28m 29m 30m 31m 32m 33m 34m 35m 36m 37m 38m 39m 40m 41m 42m 43m 44m 45m 46m 47m 48m 49m 50m 51m 52m 53m 54m 55m 56m 57m 58m 59m 60m 61m 62m 63m 64m 65m 66m 67m 68m 69m 70m 71m 72m 73m 74m 75m 76m 77m 78m 79m 80m 81m 82m 83m 84m 85m 86m 87m 88m 89m 90m 91m 92m 93m 94m 95m 96m 97m 98m 99m

4.25—A BUY AWARD GUIDE 1B 2B 3B 4B 5B 6B 7B 8B 9B 10B 11B 12B 13B 14B 15B 16B 17B 18B 19B 20B 21B 22B 23B 24B 25B 26B 27B 28B 29B 30B 31B 32B 33B 34B 35B 36B 37B 38B 39B 40B 41B 42B 43B 44B 45B 46B 47B 48B 49B 50B 51B 52B 53B 54B 55B 56B 57B 58B 59B 60B 61B 62B 63B 64B 65B 66B 67B 68B 69B 70B 71B 72B 73B 74B 75B 76B 77B 78B 79B 80B 81B 82B 83B 84B 85B 86B 87B 88B 89B 90B 91B 92B 93B 94B 95B 96B 97B 98B 99B

5.10—HONLIN MULF 1B 2B 3B 4B 5B 6B 7B 8B 9B 10B 11B 12B 13B 14B 15B 16B 17B 18B 19B 20B 21B 22B 23B 24B 25B 26B 27B 28B 29B 30B 31B 32B 33B 34B 35B 36B 37B 38B 39B 40B 41B 42B 43B 44B 45B 46B 47B 48B 49B 50B 51B 52B 53B 54B 55B 56B 57B 58B 59B 60B 61B 62B 63B 64B 65B 66B 67B 68B 69B 70B 71B 72B 73B 74B 75B 76B 77B 78B 79B 80B 81B 82B 83B 84B 85B 86B 87B 88B 89B 90B 91B 92B 93B 94B 95B 96B 97B 98B 99B

6.25—HAPPY HALL (Pablo Manuel, 4/1) 2nd 1m 1, 2nd 1m 1, 2nd 1m 1, 2nd 1m 1, 2nd 1m 1, 2nd 1m 1, 2nd 1m 1, 2nd 1m 1, 2nd 1m 1, 2nd 1m 1, 2nd 1m 1, 2nd 1m 1

(4) 1, 2nd 1m 1, 3rd 1m 1, 4th 1m 1, 5th 1m 1, 6th 1m 1, 7th 1m 1, 8th 1m 1, 9th 1m 1, 10th 1m 1, 11th 1m 1, 12th 1m 1, 13th 1m 1, 14th 1m 1, 15th 1m 1, 16th 1m 1, 17th 1m 1, 18th 1m 1, 19th 1m 1, 20th 1m 1, 21st 1m 1, 22nd 1m 1, 23rd 1m 1, 24th 1m 1, 25th 1m 1, 26th 1m 1, 27th 1m 1, 28th 1m 1, 29th 1m 1, 30th 1m 1, 31st 1m 1, 32nd 1m 1, 33rd 1m 1, 34th 1m 1, 35th 1m 1, 36th 1m 1, 37th 1m 1, 38th 1m 1, 39th 1m 1, 40th 1m 1, 41st 1m 1, 42nd 1m 1, 43rd 1m 1, 44th 1m 1, 45th 1m 1, 46th 1m 1, 47th 1m 1, 48th 1m 1, 49th 1m 1, 50th 1m 1, 51st 1m 1, 52nd 1m 1, 53rd 1m 1, 54th 1m 1, 55th 1m 1, 56th 1m 1, 57th 1m 1, 58th 1m 1, 59th 1m 1, 60th 1m 1, 61st 1m 1, 62nd 1m 1, 63rd 1m 1, 64th 1m 1, 65th 1m 1, 66th 1m 1, 67th 1m 1, 68th 1m 1, 69th 1m 1, 70th 1m 1, 71st 1m 1, 72nd 1m 1, 73rd 1m 1, 74th 1m 1, 75th 1m 1, 76th 1m 1, 77th 1m 1, 78th 1m 1, 79th 1m 1, 80th 1m 1, 81st 1m 1, 82nd 1m 1, 83rd 1m 1, 84th 1m 1, 85th 1m 1, 86th 1m 1, 87th 1m 1, 88th 1m 1, 89th 1m 1, 90th 1m 1, 91st 1m 1, 92nd 1m 1, 93rd 1m 1, 94th 1m 1, 95th 1m 1, 96th 1m 1, 97th 1m 1, 98th 1m 1, 99th 1m

Pianopoli: 4.2 (4.5) (3) (Race 11, 1, 1), 9/2 (3), 9/1, 9/1, 7/2 (6), 9/1, 8/1 (4), 9/1, 9/1, 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2/2 (3), 2

PONTEFRACT: Good to firm-good in players

3.45—VARTI JF 2495/1, 4/5 1m 1, 5 (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

4.70—LUNA COLLECTI 1B 2afting, 9/4 1m 1, 5 (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

4.40—HANDICA DEEER 1B 2afting, 9/4 1m 1, 5 (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

5.10—HIGH DESERT 1F 2afting, 4/4 1m 1, 5 (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

5.45—FLUORESCENCE (Dale 2m 2) 1m 1, 5 (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

6.10—LETAH FAMA (Lauren Young, 9/2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

6.45—THE GOOD BEDDIT (Joanne Moore, 10/1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

RESULTS
2,000.4d. Infection 2,000.4d. CSF 144/36, Analyzed 125/63, 50 Placopot 17/63 (Race 9/4, 5, 12), 1, 4; (10), 5, 10, 14 B. Burel, Tube 21/85, 9/4, 11/26, 13/25, exactly 19/25, Infection 225/69, CSF 135/22
4.70—LUNA COLLECTI 1B 2afting, 9/4 1m 1, 5 (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.40—HANDICA DEEER 1B 2afting, 9/4 1m 1, 5 (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.20—HIGH DESERT 1F 2afting, 4/4 1m 1, 5 (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.20—HIGH DESERT 1F 2afting, 4/4 1m 1, 5 (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.20—HIGH DESERT 1F 2afting, 4/4 1m 1, 5 (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

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44

RACING: REST OF TODAY'S CARDS

WOLVERHAMPTN ssd

THE SCOUT

5.00 3m Sassa 7.00 Style King 5.40 Pure Free Data 8.00 Water Megreper 6.00 Green Titan 8.50 Pure Moon 6.40 Green Street

5.10 CAYANI FILLIES' HANDICAP

E3.978 (C) 53 75' (Eagle) (10 declared)

2.00 1000 1000 SASSY (20) (C&J) (1) (Vastikan 4.5)

BLINKERS: No. 5 VISSOR: No. 1 TOMOIE STRAY: No. 2 CHICKY PIECES: Nos. 1, 2 VISSOR: Nos. 2, 6.

9. Factor: Redundation (70): Cattle Arrow (76): 56 Sassy

SP FORECAST: 9.0 So Sassy, 5 Cigarette, Amelia's Joy, 6 Bright-

Socks: 9.0 Pomerasei, 8 Redundation, 2400 Arrow, 10 Brown

CATERICK RTV

JACKPIT www.bityspoolsweeks.com

THE SCOUT

2.20 WARRIER 3.40 Night Sinking 2.40 Arrow 4.25 Style Dancer 2.35 Pure Dont Proud 4.40 Careless Magress

2.15 MANTEUR JOCKEY'S' HANDICAP

E3.974 (C) 53 90 #T (3yds) (7 declared)

2.15 MANTEUR JOCKEY'S' HANDICAP

E3.974 (C) 53 90 #T (3yds) (7 declared)

2.15 MANTEUR JOCKEY'S' HANDICAP E3.974 (C) 53 90 #T (3yds) (7 declared)

2.45 WEAK KODI NURSERY 2YO

E3.664 (6) 52 22 2Yyds (8)

2.45 WAKER'S PUP (40) (P) 2.5 Cooler 3 1.5 Joiner

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CRICKET: JAMIE'S JOURNEY

45

TRIED AND TESTED

Smith's blazing start has taken a hit but the keeper-batter is working to catch light again

BY DAVID CHARLESWORTH JAMIE SMITH believes a frustrating past few months with England could be the making of him.

A little over a year ago, Smith was averaging close to 60 after his first dozen Tests, while he equalled the record for the fastest wicketkeeper to 1,000 runs in just 21 innings.

But he endured a torturous Ashes, making just one fifty-plus score and his rank dismissal to Australia part-timer Marnus Labuschagne in Sydney attracted scathing criticism from several ex-England players.

Smith's average now sits just under 40 after 22 Tests, having made three half-centuries in his past 10 matches – although one of those was a 60 in his most recent innings, against New Zealand at Nottingham.

Still only 26, Smith, who missed one of the three Tests in the 2-1 loss by the Kiwis due to paternity leave, hopes his best days are ahead of him and he is in

upbeat mood ahead of the Pakistan series, which starts this week.

"I've obviously been slightly disappointed with how the last six to nine months have gone, they've been challenging, there's no doubt about that," said Smith. "But I think every player experiences that throughout their career and I feel like I will be better for these experiences."

"If I go back to Australia, I'll be in a better position to know the conditions and know what to expect and improve on that. Hopefully against Pakistan, I can play how I played in the last innings and have a bit more success there."

While his work behind the stumps is often scrutinised amid Surrey teammate Ben Foakes' continued omission, Smith thinks he has improved under the tutelage of trailblazing fielding coach Sarah Taylor

(below). His glovework has been put in the shade of late by Australia's Alex Carey and New Zealand's Tom Blundell, but Smith says he is putting in the hard yards behind the scenes to sharpen his skills.

He said: "I'm definitely enjoying working with Sarah, she's a fantastic coach and brings a lot of energy every day."

"We've had some good periods already in the short time she's worked with England.

"I've just worked on little bits, it's had varying degrees of success, it's more of a project."

"I feel like I've been keeping better but then you're obviously disappointed with a couple of mistakes you made that make it seem like you haven't been doing the work or the work isn't working. But I felt up until the point where you drop a couple of

balls, it was working quite nicely and the stuff we were doing will have benefits moving forward"

England's Test side begin the post-Bazball era at Headingley against Pakistan, starting on Wednesday.

But Smith, who has spent the past few weeks at the Utilita Bowl with Southern Brave in The Hundred, insisted he will always be grateful for former head coach Brendon McCullum's support in the past couple of years.

"When you're not keeping for your county, it can bring a fair amount of criticism but he instilled a lot of confidence in me to be one of the best in the world," said Smith.

"That definitely helped me, because keeping was one of the things I was most anxious about, having not done it for a long period of time in the lead-up to games and series – he gave me a lot more confidence to go out there and be as good as I can be."

SHANTO'S BIG BANG THEORY

CAPTAIN Najmul Hossain Shanto hailed Bangladesh's "biggest win" as they completed a stunning nine-wicket victory against

Australia in the first test in Darwin. It was Bangladesh's first triumph on Australian soil and only their second victory over Australia.

After making a vital half-century with the bat, Mehidy Hasan Miraz took 5-66 to as the hosts were bowled out for 2B4, leaving the

tourists with a chase of just 57 runs, which they knocked off in less than 15 overs to spark wild celebrations.

"This is the biggest win so far for Bangladesh in any format," said Shanto. "We will do something special in the future."

The victory was celebrated back home, too, with Shanto taking a congratulatory video call from Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the dressing room.

DARWIN REWARD Shanto celebrates

ROCKETS LAUNCHER

TRENT ROCKETS cruised to a maiden women's title with an eight-wicket win over Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred final.

England batter Jupin's Dunkley cracked 41 from 23 balls in pursuit of 92.

Sunrisers collapsed from 86-3 to 91 all out. Georgia Adams (above) was the pick of

the bowlers with 2-9, including top scorer Annabel Sutherland for 25.

Christianity stumped by Beth Mooney. Rockets finished top of the keeper phase with seven wins, and Dunkley helped turn that from into the title, smashley two sizes as they romped home with 46 balls to spare.

WAKE UP Fuming Powell

Collapse a concern for Powell

RUGBY LEAGUE

BY WILL JACKSON

WAKEFIELD boss Daryl Powell has asked a major question of his side after seeing them slip to a 46-16 loss to ST HELENS.

Wakefield were 16-12 up at half-time as they looked to keep their faint hopes of finishing inside Super League's top two alive.

But they conceded six tries in a second-half collapse and they need to find a response quickly as they bid to bounce back against Wigan on Friday.

Powell said: "It's easy when it's easy but when it's hard, what are we going to do about it?"

"Ultimately, the last 10 minutes was as bad as I've from the team since I've been here. I haven't seen us fold like we did."

"When you lose like this there's shots fired, the boys just have to cop it and move on. That's the nature of this job and if you get belted you have some questions to answer. How we respond is the key."

"We have to get to the bottom of it as much as we can and come out of the other side."

WIGAN moved level on points with table-toppers Leeds as they beat BRADFORD 34-6 at Odsal. Jake Wardle scored twice for Matt Peet's side as they make a last push for top spot, having won 12 on the bounce.

HUDDERSFIELD, on the other hand, moved off the foot of the table for the first time since May as they claimed their fourth win in a row, beating TOULOUSE 26-10. Sam Halsall scored twice for the Giants while Connor Wrench and Joe Greenwood also got over the line.

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46

ATHLETICS: EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

2057

HUNT AND ROMEL GIAVE

Amy anchors relay success to fulfil her dream of four golds

BY JAMES TONEY

AMY HUNT is officially a history-maker – and a record-breaker too.

Hunt joined forces with Jeremiah Azu, Dina Asher-Smith and Zharnel Hughes to score to mixed 4x100m gold in a new European record of 39.97secs.

By doing so she became the first athlete to win four golds at the same European Championships, after her success in the 100m, 200m and women's sprint relay.

Relay running is all about timing and trust, but the mixed event, which makes its Olympic debut at Los Angeles in 2028, presents a unique technical challenge.

Differences in speed, stride length and acceleration between male and female athletes make the changeovers particularly difficult to perfect. But despite limited practice time, Hunt

waited, heart in mouth, on the anchor leg and then powered down the home straight to hold off a fast-finishing Germany in a thriller.

"Four golds was the dream and perhaps dreams do come true," said Hunt. "I'll never forget this week and to finish it off with my best friends in the sport is so special. We'd not worked on these change-overs until about an hour ago and we were so smooth. I can't wait to see where we take this event. It was like queueing for a roller-coaster — you are just so nervous, but when you're done you want to do it all over again."

Hunt, 24, writes a new chapter in the sport and so does Asher-Smith (above). No athlete has ever won more

European Championship medals — 11 and counting, with eight gold. She is perhaps the best example of Seb Coels promise to 'Inspire a Generation' at the London 2012 Olympics, where she volunteered as a kit-bag carrier on Super Saturday.

Within a year, she had won the first of what is now 26 career championship medals.

"I hear the stats but they can go in one ear and out of the other," she said.

"Maybe it will sink in one day, perhaps in 10 years' time when I can look back and actually appreciate it.

"It's just an honour to be in the position to win these medals. It's a privilege to do this and be part of this team," Hunt's next challenge will

be to take her European domination and translate it onto the global stage. Her 200m world silver last year shows what is possible, but there are 13 faster athletes in the world this season over the distance and 24 in the 100m.

However, she has a world ranking that should secure an invite to the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest next month.

And that will be a gilt-edged chance to test where she stands ahead of next year's Worlds in Beijing and, beyond that, LA.

Georgia Hunter Bell (inset) then followed, cruising to 1,500 metres gold in 4mins 7.78secs, beating Klaudia Kazimierska of Poland and Portugal's Patricia Silva.

Britain's Jazmin Sawyers fell agonisingly short of the long jump title, her 6.99m was just one centimetre behind Italy's Larissa Iapichino.

STUCK Gold winner Glave

Athletes stranded

BY JAMES TONEY

SPRINT gold medallists Amy Hunt and Romeli Glave were not allowed to return to their hotels after armed police shot down the Alexander Stadium in a security scare.

Police closed streets and stopped buses, causing chaos for hundreds of athletes, fans, and officials.

Armed officers were spotted on the warm-up track while police were seen searching buses, with roads shut for 90 minutes on Saturday night.

West Midlands Police said a man in his 30s was arrested after officers spotted him acting suspiciously. He remains in custody for questioning.

Six scheduled medal ceremonies, including those for Britain's victorious sprint relay quartets, were postponed by 24 hours.

Fans admitted their frustration at the lack of information as they were prevented from returning to the city centre.

Organisers said that transport services had resumed in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The number of empty seats was criticised at the start of the championships, but the last four days of the event, staged in the UK for the first time, have been sold out. European Athletics was quick to ease safety fears for those with tickets yesterday.

"Fans can be reassured that it is safe to attend," read a statement. "Any issues have been resolved and everything possible has been done to guarantee the safety and smooth running of the competition."

ABBIE DAZE AFTER MAKING HISTORY

BY PAUL MARTIN

ABBIE DONNELLY hailed an "out-of-body experience" after becoming the first British woman to win a European Championship marathon medal – six weeks before finishing her PhD.

Donnelly, 59, mastered the undulating eight-lap route around Birmingham city centre to land a breakthrough bronze in 2hrs 27mins 33secs, which helped the host nation win team gold.

Finland's Alisa Vainio triumphed in style as she smashed the championship record in an impressive 2:22.3:6. "I can't

believe it," said Donnelly (left). "It was such an exciting race."

Her build-up was not ideal, as she realized on her way to the start that she was wearing shoes of two different sizes, requiring a hurried change. But performing in front of a home crowd proved crucial.

She said: "It got tough with about three laps to go because you know the hills by that point so you know exactly where the hard points are. It was a roller-coaster. [The crowd] got me to the end. I had a bit of an out-of-body

experience and was just being screamed at, which I love. They definitely got me through to the finish."

The Loughborough University history graduate is researching a PhD entitled 'Popular Imperialism in the Provinces, 1951-1964' across Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire.

"It's due in six weeks, so this event did not come at a well-timed place in the year," she said, smiling.

Natasha Wilson (above) finished fifth in 2:27.94, with Rose Harvey (4th: 2:32.34,

to secure the team's gold in the men's event). Mohamed Mohamed led the British team home in seventh with 2:09.43. In a race which was won by Germany's Amanai Petros, who also produced a championship record of 2:09.41.

● Novena is the Official Finance Partner of British Athletics and proud sponsor of the G.S.A.M. Athletics Team. From everyday goals to world-class dreams, Novena back in the matches of millions across the UK – from supporting British teamwives and teammates going to powerplay British Athletics on the global stage. Find out more at www.novena.co.uk

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FOOTBALL: PREMIER LEAGUE

Daily Express Monday, August 17, 2026 47

MAGIC JOHNSON

He was the Europa League hero for Spurs and lifted the Conference League with Crystal Palace. Now Brennan is after even more silverware with Everton

BY CHRIS BEESLEY BARELY four months after he joined Crystal Palace, Brennan Johnson was part of a squad lifting a European trophy.

But having cut short his spell at Selhurst Park, the flying Wales international winger is targeting an end to Everton's record-breaking silverware drought.

The Eagles had not won a major trophy until they overcame Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the 2025 FA Cup final.

However, under Oliver Glasner, they followed up that success by winning the UEFA Conference League – the competition David Moyes steered West Ham to victory in to end the 'trons' 43-year wait – defeating Bayo Vallecano 1-0 in Leipzig.

Johnson, who scored the winning goal for Tottenham 12 months earlier as they defeated Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao, remained on the bench for the Eagles as this time Jean-Philippe Mateta broke the

deadlock. But he still got his hands on another medal having featured in seven matches in their European campaign.

With Everton's longest-ever silverware drought now having extended into a 32nd year, Johnson is hoping that his Midas touch can rub off on his new team-mates.

Asked what success would look like for him on Merseyside, the 25-year-old

I'm really confident that this club can be successful. I want to be a part of that.

said: "Ultimately, trophies. The club is capable of it: the fanbase, the staff, the players, it's a massive club."

"I'm really kind of positive as well in my own play and I've been really fortunate to have some incredible moments in football already. I'm really confident that this club can be successful and I want to be part of that. I'm really hungry to be part of that."

"I think that's the overall objective for everyone at the club. I

think the fanbase deserves it. So, it's down to us as a club to try and deliver that."

Although Johnson failed to score in any of his 26 matches for Palace, he hit 18 goals for Tottenham as recently as 2024/25 and registered double figures in three seasons in a row for Lincoln on loan and then in back-to-back campaigns for Nottingham Forest.

Coming on as one of seven substitutes that were introduced in the 64th minute to make his debut in the 1-1 draw against Lille on Saturday, he had a couple of big opportunities to score and believe he can soon get back among the goals.

He said: "It was really promising. It was an incredible feeling to play in front of the fans, it's an amazing stadium and makes me excited to play more."

"It was obviously frustrating not to score, but it was a really good experience trying to see how the lads play. We've obviously got some really good players and hopefully I can get on the end of some chances."

Elvedi set for Leeds

LEEDS have agreed an EB.5million deal with Borussia Mönchengladbach for Switzerland defender Nico Elvedi.

The 29-year-old centre-back (inset) is scheduled to fly in for a medical today as Leeds close in on their fourth summer signing following the arrivals of Harry Wilson, Tarik Muharemovic and James Trafford.

Pending his medical, Elvedi's arrival will see Leeds defender Sebastiaan Bornauw head to Hamburg on loan with a view to a permanent move.

Elvedi would be reunited with Leeds boss Daniel Farke, who spent the 2022-23 season in charge of Mönchengladbach. Capped by Switzerland 73 times, Elvedi has spent the last 9 seasons at Gladbach, making more than 360 appearances in all competitions. He started in all six of Switzerland's World Cup matches.

RESULTS & FIXTURES

Community Shield ARIZONA (2)...1 WIN CITY (0)...0 Catafon 1 Hawcrt 29 Origanini 48 Att: SA,056

Sky Bet Championship BURKLEY (0)...2 WEST HAIN (1)...2 Flanning 83 (pen), 90 Kilman 101 Sommier 72

WATFORD (2)...2 SALTINSPTN (0)...1 Braas 12 Nalissada 29 Lach 59 Att: 19,542

Premier Sports Cup Second Round

HEARTS (1)...6 WIKKINESS (0)...2 Barrington 18 Mats 93 Miller 82 (pen), 90 Wilson 84 Bragg 69 Sussan 58 Barrage 56 Att: 15,327

HIBERNAN (1)...1 PASTICK (0)...0 Elding 12 BINGERS (2)...5 ST HARRER (1)...1 Nader 9 Ongganvi 18 Gardalme 52 Peresca 54 McCasaland 74 Mochie 30 Att: 34,387

STEMMORROW (0)...1 NOTHERWELL (0)...0 O'Reilly 114 Att: 1,943 AEF - Score after 90 mins (14)

CROCKET The Hundred Finals — (Lord's) Man: Trent Rockets v Manchester Super Giants Trent Rockets 104-8 (100 balls); N Lakameel 3-33; Manchester Super Giants 182-5 (98 balls); T Serfert 72; Manchester Super Giants win by 3 wickets. Women: Trent Rockets v Burnhams Leeds Burnhams Leeds 91 (91 balls); Trent Rockets 92-2 (54 balls). Trent Rockets win by 8 wickets.

One-Day Cup Semi-Finals—Leicestershire v Nottinghamshire (Grace Road); Leicestershire 303-7 (50.0 overs); H Shakin 104; Nottinghamshire 280 (49.0 overs). Leicestershire win by 22 runs. Middlesex v Durham (Radlett); Durham 254-7 (50.0 overs); W Rhodes 80; Middlesex 255-8 (48.4 overs); L Holman 83(no). Middlesex win by 2 wickets.

RUGBY LEAGUE Belfred Championship—Bailey 22 Hughley 28; Lancaster 44; Midlands Hurricanes 16; Halifax 10; Wishes 11; Oldham 34; London Broncos 24; Sheffield 28; Hunslet 26; Swinton 58; North Wales Crusaders 6; Whitehaven 60; Dewsbury 25; Wollington 20; Rochdale 22

TODAY'S DIARY

Sky Bet Championship Caddl v Wreham (Barr) (Live on Sky Sports Main Event)

A BRENN NEW START Johnson wants to be a winner at Everton, just like he kept at Palace and Sports

EF-C

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48

DETECT

FOOTBALL: PREMIER LEAGUE COUNTDOWN

JACQUET THE RIGHT FIT FOR IRAOLA'S MEN

JEREMY MALLIN JEREMY JACQUET scored on his debut in LIVERPOOL ended pre-season on a high with a 2-0 win over Cesc Fabregat' COMO at Andean.

The 2-year-old centre-back, signed from Rancho's February for £60m, turned home Cody Galipo's cross from Moto, made just before half-time.

Galipo and given Andoni Izaola's man the lead earlier in the half when he fired home from the corner of the six-yard box following a driving run and cross from Jeremia Fringong.

Jacquet was replaced minutes after his goal at the break by fellow new signing Ronald Amato, who has joined from Maradona on loan.

Alexander Isak almost gave Liverpool the lead after just eight minutes when he struck the foot of the pack, while Ryan Gravenberch also hit the woodwork late on.

Liverpool kick-off their Premier League campaign on Sunday at NEWCASTLE, who suffered a 3-2 penalty phant-out defeat in STRASBOURG in the First Match Cup at St James' Park yesterday after a 1-1 draw.

New Teen boss Matthias Jaissie looked forlorn after Jacob Ramsey gave away possession before deaslation.

Jassie has allowed to arrow home a second- hall equalizer.

Ramsey had already played a big part in Newcastle's opener when he crossed for William Onula to slide in and score on 10 minutes.

New signing Evan Jaeum did save spot- kicks from Giovanni Reyna and Matea Del Blanco, but that could not help Newcastle.

Alaija Benha and Bazoumana Toula both also made their debuts and the former missed the decisive spot-kick after both Onula and Ramsey had blazed their efforts over the bar.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST finished their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 win over BRIEF Red have Ruso Awoniyi a guard of honour ahead of his impending move to Coventry.

The Egyptian striker is poised to join Frank Lamgard's Sky Blues in a £17m deal.

Forest boss Oliver Glazer said: "He always gives 100 per cent for the badge and that's why he deserved such a farewell.

"You'll hire all the best at his next club, just not when they play against us."

New Zealand striker Chris Wood's penalty opened the scoring before Luca Netz added a second.

FROM TYBONE MARSHALL IN WROCLAW

HARRY MAGUIRE has revealed the Manchester United squad want Marcus Rashford to stay at the club after the forward made his return to the first-team fold over the past week.

Rashford's United career appeared over last summer when he was exiled by Ruben Amorim and until coming on for the final

30 minutes of the friendly with AC Milan here against his for- mer boss. he had not played for the club since December 2024.

He has spent the last 18 months on loan and Barcelona could have made his Nou Camp stay permanent, but when the Catalans turned down the chance to sign him for £26m, Rashford appeared destined to return to his boyhood club.

Michael Carrick has offered an olive branch this summer and Rashford returned to training in Ireland at the start of the week.

With two weeks of the win- dow to go, it remains possible the 28-year-old could leave the

He can improve us,

for sure Marcus still huge threat to have in your team.

Red Devils, but Maguire said the squad felt he had something to offer during what is going to be a much busier campaign.

"He can improve us, for sure," said the United defender. "You see when he comes on, he threatens the backline really well.

"He's a huge threat to have in your team, so we hope as players that he stays and he is a big asset to have.

"I've played with Marcus for numerous years and I know that playing against him, playing with him in training is going to help us." Rashford's

return will feel like a new signing in many ways and he had a new squad number in Wroclaw, wearing the No.9, although United were keen to stress that was only provisional.

Transfer business has slowed recently, but midfielders Andrey Santos, 22, and Youri Tiele- mans, 29, started together and Maguire has been delighted with the impression they have made in pre- season.

"They're going to

have a big impact because I think they're both at different ages," he added. "I think Andrey's obviously got loads to learn, he's got loads to improve and he's going to do that.

"Youri now is at an age where he should come straight into the team, he doesn't need

to adapt. It should help us out straight away and I'm sure he's expect- ing that from himself as well. So two great sign- ings and we're happy to have them."

United fin- ished off their pre-season campaign

with a 4-2 loss, bookending their summer with defeats, but they have had a lot of training time and have played six matches heading into the start of the competitive action.

It has been an unusual sum- mer for Maguire, who was a controversial omission from

Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad and instead enjoyed a break before spending a full pre- season with his club, and the centre-back is feeling good for it.

"It's been a really pleasing pre-season, no doubt about it," he said. "I think we've seen we've had lots of good performances.

"Individually I'm feeling in a good place going into the Premier League next week."

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49

Boos are a Bridge

too far for Enzo

BLUES MUST MOVE FERNANDEZ

OUT TO GIVE ALONSO A CLEAN SLATE FOR BIG PROJECT

COMMENT BY JAKE STOKES

ENZO FERNANDEZ's relationship with Chelsea fans may be damaged beyond repair - leaving Xabi Alonso facing a big problem not of his own making.

The Blues midfielder was booed on his return to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, stealing the limelight from new boss Alonso.

The Spaniard marked his debut in the home dugout with a 3-1 win against Real Sociedad.

After Fernandez's introduction in the second half, he was given the armband and resumed his responsibilities as vice-captain.

But as he stepped onto the field, he was met with a chorus of boos, before a section of Chelsea fans leapt to his defence and chanted his name.

Fernandez's appearance came just hours after Manchester City missed the unofficial deadline to sign him for £120 million.

But it looks like he has lost the unwavering support of a torn Chelsea fanbase.

The writing was on the wall at the end of the game when Fernandez, with only Romeo Lavia close by, led a solemn lap of honour, while the rest of the squad soaked up the applause in the distance.

The Argentina star was the first to head down the tunnel and

wasn't seen a g a i n . Although Fernandez, 25,

has been one of the few Chelsea players to regularly perform at the very highest level since arriving at Stamford Bridge for a then-British-record transfer fee of £106.8m in January 2023, it is time to move him on.

Alonso should not be expected to solve a problem that he did not create. Chelsea's sporting leadership team have turned over a new leaf this summer, and it would be a shame if they put their hard work to waste.

Until Fernandez leaves the Blues, Alonso will find himself treading on eggshells, whether it be navigating dressing room politics or finding words to justify the actions of others.

Fernandez certainly did not help his cause when his teammates paraded a 'Las Malvinas' banner following the semi-final win against England at the World Cup in the summer.

He first cast doubt on his future in March, when he refused to guarantee that he would still be at Chelsea the next season. Then, while

on international duty, he openly expressed his desire to live in Madrid one day.

He was subsequently given a two-match ban by Chelsea's hierarchy for his actions, but returned as captain with Reece James absent due to injury.

It is understood that, at the end of May, Fernandez informed senior officials at Chelsea of his intent to leave.

So, the Blues slapped a £120m price tag on his head, an offer which unofficially expired at 5pm on Friday.

Real Madrid had previously released a statement firmly denying they had made or would make any effort to sign him.

Fernandez, who has six years left on his contract with the Blues, has never publicly declared his intention to leave.

But there is no smoke without fire, and his agent, Javier Pastore, has been taming the flames.

Chelsea would be a much stronger outfit with Fernandez in the middle of the park, but his actions have left those higher up at Stamford Bridge with no choice but to cash in.

Alonso deserves the right to start his project from a clean slate.

And he cannot do that with Fernandez still around.

PROUD Co-owner Reynolds

Wrexham

ambition is Ry high

Cardiff v Wrexham KO 8pm, Sky Sports

BY PHIL BLANCHE and JASON MELLOR

HOLLYWOOD pair Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have reiterated their ambition for Wrexham to win the Championship - and complete their journey from National League to Premier League.

Wrexham kick off their Championship campaign with a Welsh derby at Cardiff tonight, having just missed out on a play-off spot last season by just two points.

Deadpool star Reynolds said he felt "obscene pride" at Wrexham's seventh-placed finish and co-owner Mac has underlined their determination to make the top flight after playing in the fifth tier of English football as recently as 2023.

"What we say [to players] is we want to win - and we want to win right now," said Mac to the Men in Blazers video podcast.

"We don't want to win at all or any cost. But believe us when we say, we want to win the Championship, go to the Premier League, become the best, because that is the entire endeavour of what football is about."

The actors celebrated their fifth anniversary as owners in February and the story has had a global audience due to the award-winning 'Welcome to Wrexham' docuseries.

Reynolds told the podcast: "The expectation was set so indelibly in that first press conference when you even say the words 'Premier League' and there's a wave of tittering laughter that extends up the stands, out the front door of the Racecourse Ground, across Wales, and eventually all of the UK.

"I think that in some ways [it] really worked in our favour."

Jack Moylan believes tonight is the biggest game he has ever played in.

Cardiff's summer signing from Lincoln cannot wait to get his first taste of the Championship and said: "I don't think there's been any other game that's been bigger for me."

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50

FOOTBALL: COMMUNITY SHIELD

A PEP IN STEP FOR GUNNERS

Maresca's City look a shadow of their best under former boss Guardiola as Arsenal and Arteta hand out a pre-season mauling

FROM JEREMY CROSS in Cardiff ARSENAL dished out a mauling to Enzo Maresca in his first test since replacing Pep Guardiola.

And a painful reminder to Manchester City of just how tough life is going to be without the Spanish genius.

These two teams were the best in the Premier League last season. But in one game in Cardiff's Principality Stadium, the bitter rivals looked poles apart. Arsenal ripped City to shreds

from start to finish, including an opening goal inside 23 seconds, on an afternoon Maresca will want to forget in a hurry.

But the pressure on the Italian to maintain the incredible standards his predecessor set, will never escape him.

As for Mikel Arteta, he waited three years to end his trophy drought, and has now pocketed two inside four months.

Riccardo Calafiori opened the scoring within half a minute – and Arsenal never looked back.

Kai Havertz doubled the lead before the impressive Martin Odegaard completed the rout in style. There was £125million worth of new talent on

show in the shape of Bruno Guimaraes, Christos Tzolis and Elliot Anderson, while Jack Grealish was named on the City bench.

There was no Rodri for City, with the Spanish World Cup winner still at the centre of a transfer saga with Barcelona.

And it took Maresca's men just 23 seconds to miss the glue Rodri provides and come unstuck.

Myles Lewis-Skelly turned past Phil Foden and slipped a sublime pass inside Ruben Dias for Calafiori to run onto and beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a neat finish.

Welcome to the new job, Enzo.

Arsenal looked pumped up, and moments later Odegaard charged

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FOOTBALL: COMMUNITY SHIELD

51

forward but somehow the move came to nothing, despite him having options left and right.

City looked disjointed and sluggish. It took them 20 minutes to show any signs of life, when Foden (circle) demanded a smart save from David Raya with a dipping strike.

Gabriel had to snuff out a dangerous run from Jeremy Doku minutes later. The Brazilian then puffed out his chest and pumped up the crowd.

It felt like this game meant more to Arsenal than City.

So it came as no surprise when Artetais men doubled their lead before half-time. Odegaard picked out Tzolis

at the back post and when he headed it back into the path of Havertz, the German managed to bundle his own beader past a flapping Donnarumma.

City had a mountain to climb.

Scoring one past this Arsenal defence looked beyond them, never mind three.

City created chances but failed to turn them into goals.

Erling Haaland should have beaten Raya but saw his shot well saved, before Ben White produced a stunning block to deflect Dokuis shot over the crossbar.

Calafiori should have made it 3-0 at

the opposite end but he volleyed over from close range, while Josko Gvardiol hacked a shot from Odegaard off his own line.

It got that desperate, Maresca sent on Grealish for the second half.

But the first action he saw was Odegaard putting Donnarumma on his backside in the process of making it 3-0 to pile more pain on City.

Maresca was taunted with chants of 'you're getting sacked in the morning.'

Just one of the past 15 winners of this silverware have gone on to become champions that season.

But on this evidence, Arsenal look more than capable of bucking the trend.

CHAMPS WON'T DROP GAARD

MARTIN GOEGAARD

helped Arsenal humiliate Manchester City - before warning that Mike Astedt's men are on a mission to win the kit.

Arsenal swept City aside 3-0 to lift the Community Shield in Cardiff, thanks to goals from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Odegaard.

The Norway star then told the rest of the Premier League how champions Arsenal are hungry to win as many trophies as possible.

Odegaard said: "We showed we're ready, serious and want to do it again.

"We want to attack it. When you get a taste of how nice it is, you want to do it again. We want to win everything."

Asteta labored said: "I'm extremely happy with the performance. We talked about the basics we have - and to show how much we want it.

"It's down to the preparation. I'm very impressed in the manner we played and

competed. There is more belief."

Elisa Maresca made the worst possible start to his mission of rendering Papi Guardiola at City, it was his joint heaviest defeat as a manager in England.

He said: "The big part of the game was the first goal we conceded. Then the second one made it difficult."

"I'm always concerned, even when we win games. We have a lot of things we need to do better. We will reach, analyze the game and start thinking about the next one.

"We can find many things after this kind of defeat. We were not switched on."

Captain Ruben Dias insisted there was a lot of work to do.

He said: "It's obviously not good enough. It is a final that we all wanted to win.

"If there is a lesson to be learnt, let it be this one.

"We need to keep on working, and there's going to be lots of challenges along the way."

Seb's the new man for Scots

SEBASTIEN POCOGNOLI has been confirmed as the new Scotland head coach.

The former Union Saint-Gilloise and Monaco head coach, 39, has signed an initial two-year contract to succeed Steve Clarke. The former Belgium international led Union to the 2024-25 Belgian title in his first season as a head coach.

Pocognoil (above) said: "When I first heard of the interest, I was immediately excited about the opportunity.

"Scotland's supporters are famous for their passion - most recently at the World Cup in the USA - and I have experienced it myself as a player for Belgium when we played Scotland in 2013. Along with my coaching staff, I will do everything I can to give them a team to be proud of."

CRISTIANO: JUST RON MORE YEAR

BY NATHAN RIDLEY

CRISTIANO RONALDO says that this season will "probably" be his last as a professional footballer.

Ronaldo, 41, only has one year left on his mega-money contract with Al-Nasor and has conceded previously that his prestigious career is almost at an end.

The Portugal captain (right) played at his sixth and final World Cup over the summer and has now revealed that he is likely to retire at the end of the season.

"This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy," he told Vogue Magazine. "I have my future all mapped out. I have so many things to keep me busy.

"Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one."

Bouaddi could fill Rodri gap

FROM BACK PAGE

contract and keen on a move to the Nou Camp. Barca will pay an initial £51.2m, with the rest due in performance-related add-ons.

Spain captain Rodri was also targeted by Real Madrid, but Barca have pulled off a huge coup.

A long-term injury to Frenkie de Jong heightened Barca's need for a central midfielder and City's hand was effectively forced by Rodri's lack of interest in extending his stay.

City are now looking to replace Rodri with 18-year-old Lille star Ayyoub Bouaddi (above).

The Morocco midfielder starred at the World Cup. Lille are reluctant to sell Bouaddi and want at least £85m.

Lille head coach Davide Ancelotti said: "There is interest from so many clubs. I hope that he is going to stay."

---

52

DAILY

express.co.uk/sport

FREE

INSIDE

FOOTBALL

PULLOUT

HUNT COMPLETES GOLDEN DREAM

AMY HUNT finished her breathtaking week as a record-breaker and a history-maker by becoming the first athlete to win four gold medals at one European Championships.

Dina Asher-Smith also claimed a record eighth European career gold alongside Hunt, Jeremiah Azu and Zharnel Hughes in the mixed 4x100m relay in a new European record of 39.97 seconds.

Georgia Hunter Bell followed with another gold for Great Britain in the 1.500m in Birmingham.

AMY BRINGS IT HOME: PAGE 46

RODE RISE

NOD DBA

Barca stump up £65m to win battle for City star

BY DARREN WELLS

BARCELONA have agreed to sign Rodri from Manchester City in a deal worth up to £65million.

The two clubs have been locked in negotiations over the Spain midfielder (left) since Barca made an opening bid of £38.6m 10 days ago.

City did not want to sell Rodri, but finally relented with the 30-year-old entering the final 12 months of his

TURN TO PAGE 51, COL 5

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express.co.uk

DAISY

Monday, August 17, 2026

9

Puzzles

SUDOKU

Fill the grid so that every column, row, and 3x3 square includes all of the digits from one to nine. Solutions tomorrow

EAST

	2	8			5			9
	4		9	2		5		3
9		6	7		3		2
	3		1					8
		9				6
5			8	6	7		9
	7		6		4	8		1
		3		7	1			6
4		1					5

MIDDLE

3				9
	1	9					6	7
					8	3		2
	4			5	9	7
7				1		5		9
	9	6	7	4			1
6		1	2		4
2	5					1
			5	8				4

MIDDLE

2				9
			6	7	2	9
						8	5
	5				7		6
1	6						4	3
	7		2				8
	1	9
		3	1	2	8
				3				4

Extra clues:

0901 322 5609

*Calls cost 75p plus your telephone company's network access charge.

Today's solution:

0907 181 2573

*Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company's network access charge.

QUICK CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Raincoat (10) 7 Rapid (5) 8 Own (7) 10 Weather (8) 11 Equitable (4) 13 Evil-doer (6) 15 Disallow (6) 17 Deserve (4) 18 Investigation (8) 21 Labour (7) 22 Italian city dweller (5) 23 Annoyance (10)

DOWN

1 Inscribe (5) 2 Tied up (8) 3 Fame (6) 4 Ascend (4) 5 Work (7) 6 Valuation (10) 9 Extending (10) 12 Practise (8) 14 Recount (7) 16 Pill (6) 19 Send (5) 20 Wan (4)

Solution tomorrow

Stuck on the puzzle? Call 0905 789 4188 to hear individual clues or the full solution

*Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company's network access charge. Service provider Spoke Ltd - Helpline 0333 202 3390

CROSS DOUBT

Target times: Average: 18 mins Good: 14 mins Excellent: 10 mins

Stuck? Call for a clue

0901 322 5601

Have your Target Time!

Today's solution

0901 322 5607

Both today's words in a moment!

Can you make two common five-letter words from the nine letters given, using each letter only once? You can - but only if one letter features in both words in the squares on the right. There's at least one way to do it, and you have to have the right letter at the crossover - but which one is it?

See if you can find the answer within our target time. If you need help, ring our clue-line below to find out the crossover letter. Solution tomorrow

A I N P S T T U Y

SMALL CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Pay back (9) 7 Choice (6) 9 Plant stalk (4) 10 Heavy sword (5) 12 Concept (4) 13 Scam coins (anag.) (9) 14 Greek god of war (4) 16 Shakespearean lover (5) 18 Tedious person (4) 19 Dodges (6) 20 Uncivilised (9)

DOWN

1 Herb (8) 2 News piece (4) 3 Imitates (6) 4 Dance similar to the samba (5,4) 5 Chest bone (3) 6 Tranquil (6)

8 Re-evaluate (8)

11 Outer atmosphere of the sun (6)

12 Line on a weather map (6)

15 Commotion (2-2)

17 Spoil (3)

Solution tomorrow

For today's solution call:

0907 181 2582

KAKURO

Fill each sequence of blank squares using the numbers 1-9. Each sequence - across and down - must total the number in the shaded box at the beginning or top of each line. A number may be repeated in each line but NOT in a sequence.

Solution tomorrow

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2

D4157

express.co.uk

Puzzles

BIG MONDAY CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Self-dubbed 'world's northernmost city', on the NW coast of the Norwegian Island of Kvalaya (10) 5 "Gainst knaves and men shut their gates" (Shakespeare Twelfth Night act 5, sc. 1) (7) 10 Sapindaceous Asian fruit tree related to the Iychne and longan; Nephelium lappaceum (8) 11 Uppermost of the cervical vertebra, articulating with the axis below and the skull above (5) 12 Original capital city of Malawi, replaced by Lilongwe in 1974 (5) 13 Latin legal term literally meaning 'it is not allowed' (3,5) 14 Early Roman god of the underworld, of Etruscan origin, commonly conflated with Dis and Pluto (5) 15 Military force of the Soviet Union from 1918 to 1946, founded by Leon Trotsky (3,4) 18 See 17 Down 20 Host country of the 2022 senior men's FIFA World Cup (5) 22 & 38 Across Pseudonym under which Agatha Christie wrote six romance novels between 1930 and 1956 (4,10) 23 Ancient port city of southern Lebanon home to legendary figures including Dido and Europa (4) 24 In cricket, a fielding position slightly forward of the batter on the leg side (3-2) 27 Word whose meaning encompasses other more specific terms ('flower' rather than 'rose', 'colour' rather than 'blue' etc.); also called superordinate (8) 29 Mexican migrant labourer, especially one admitted to the US between 1942 and 1964 to relieve labour shortages on farms and railways (7) 31 Geological formation of which Great Chagos Bank in the Indian Ocean is the world's largest example (5) 32 Dry white wine from France's Loire Valley exclusively made from Melon de Bourgogne grapes (8) 34 Attributed author of the Greek epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey, thought to have lived in the eighth century BC (5) 35 & 29 Down French aviator and aeronautical engineer who made the first flight across the English Channel on 25 July 1909 (5,7) 36 4,000-year-old Bronze Age timber circle discovered off the coast of Norfolk in 1998; also known as Holme I (8) 37 Chemical element 75, first discovered as nipponium by Japanese chemist Masataka Ogawa in 1908 (7) 38 See 22

DOWN

1 Extremely hot chilli pepper (Capsicum chinense) named after the capital of Cuba (8) 2 Hindu title (from Sanskrit, 'great soul') famously borne by Indian nationalist Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) (7) 3 Shipping forecast area south of Soie formerly until 2002) known as Finisterre (7) 4 Part of the body to which the adjective gastric refers (7) 6 Hero of the 2026 film Masters Of The Universe, played by Nicholas Galitzine (2-3) 7 Title character of the 1969 Mario Puzo novel The Godfather, depicted on screen by Marion Brando (1972) and Robert De Niro (1974) (4,8) 8 Common name for aventurine feldspar, valued for its red or golden shimmer (8) 9 Former province of NE South Africa (1910-1994) whose capital city was Pretoria (9) 16 Stormy strait lying between the southern tip of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula (5,7) 17 & 18 Across Eighth president of the United States (1837-1841), known as the 'Little Magician' (6,3,5) 19 The world's most expensive association footballer, transferred from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for £200 million in 2017 (6) 21 Home town of 'a rich man...named Joseph' who buried the crucified Jesus in his own tomb (Matthew 27:57) (9) 25 1668 comedy by Molière whose titular protagonist is the elderly skinflint Harpagon (3,5) 26 Common name for the white crystalline sedimentary mineral halite (4,4) 28 Smallest administrative division of France and various other European countries, typically governed by a mayor and a municipal council (7) 29 See 35 Across 30 Of or relating to the longest section of the large intestine (7) 33 German name for the Danube river (5)

NAME

ADDRESS

POSTCODE

STOP THE CLOCK

THE GREAT ALPHAPUZZLE™ TIME CHALLENGE

LAST WEEK'S SOLUTION Across: Slump, Diploma, Elect, Request, Ego, Zest, Chain, BLOKE, Scott, Allow, Diva, All, Outstay, Exude, License, Skein. Down: Sleazy, School, Utensil, Attic, Pate, Skeleton, Rock, Sway, Piquancy, Less, Ocean, Failure, Author, Cavern.

WIN £100

25

MINUTES

Can you beat today's time?

TACKLE the Alphapuzzle™ Challenge - and be in with a chance of a £100 cash prize. FIRST, call the number below and note today's CLUE LETTERS and your unique PIN NUMBER to set your personal stop-watch running. Then, use the clue letters to work out the word in the green squares. When you crack the mystery word, call again and enter your pin number to STOP THE CLOCK. Winner selected at random from all correct entrants who beat the 25-minute Target Time. Each grid number represents a different letter. All 26 letters of the alphabet are used.

Solution next Monday

0907 181 2908

YOUR PIN No.

*Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company's network access charge. Lines close 23:59 every Sunday.

£100 Winner (3 August):

B Wyatt, Warminster.

TO WIN £250 CASH!

read down the letters in the highlighted squares to reveal the mystery word.

TO ENTER CALL: 0904 161 1601

(£1.50 per call plus network extras)

Leave your answer and details, or text BIOXWORD followed by a space, your answer, name and address to 88833 (texts cost £1.50 plus your standard network rate) or just complete the crossword correctly and send it to: Daily Express, Prize Crossword (No 1166), PO Box 8694, Derby DE1 9TW Competition closes Friday, August 21, 2024 at 11:59pm. Winner picked at random from all entry routes after close date. NEED HELP? Call 0904 161 1602 for five extra clues! *Calls are £1.50 plus your telephone company's network access charge.

*SP: Spoke, 0333 202 3390.

For any postal enquiries, call this helpline.

BIG MONDAY CROSSWORD SOLUTION AND WINNER

Monday August 3

£250 WINNER:

L Heaton, Huddersfield..

---

express.co.uk

D057

Monday, August 17, 2026

ARROW-WORD

Arrow-words are like crosswords, but the clues are printed inside squares on the grid. Write your answers in the blank squares in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Solution tomorrow

WORDSEARCH

WORDS RELATED TO THE PARANORMAL

Find all the terms listed below in the grid.

Solution tomorrow

ACTIVITY ● AFTERLIFE ● DEJA VU ● DEMON ESP ● EVP ● EXORCISM ● GHOST ● HAUNTED MEDIUM ● OUIJA BOARD ● PHANTOM POLTERGEIST ● REINCARNATION ● SCEPTIC SHADOWS ● SPIRIT ● TELEPATHY

FRIDAY'S SOLUTIONS

THE ALPHABEATER

Black squares: 1, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 27, 29, 34, 36, 38, 40. Across: Thrown, Out, Waxed, Revolt, Make, Bonhomie, Daffodils, Unlocked, Exam, Queasy, Privy, Day, Mystic. Down: Misjudged, Revoked, Lumpy, Ado, Wolf, Knave, Ozone, Baton, Quay, Owl, Odium, Sextant, Trapezium.

THE ALPHAPUZZLE

Across: Orifice (cluel), Bend, Under, Dizier, Honey, Defy, Drudge, Daring, Muck, Wreak, Privacy, Helix, Doge, Oddness. Down: Jutted, Moped, Rude, Quacking, Furlough, Cudgel, Preyed, Marathon, Epidemic, Elms, Dirty, Galaxy.

TV CROSSWORD

Across: 5 Hill, 7 Martha, 8 Sadie, 11 Aspel, 12 Arrested, 13 A Bit, 15 Sale, 16 Chicago, 17 Hall, 18 Runnish, 21 Tree, 22 Alan. Down: 1 Days, 2 Chiles, 3 Carr, 4 Dexter, 5 Hamburg Days, 6 Lost, 9 Carla Lane, 10 Edith, 14 Locke, 17 Hart, 19 Of A, 20 Son.

TV show: Brothers

PUZZLES@REACHPLC.COM

ARROW-WORD

Across: Graham, Sari, Hook, Leah, Ski, Nail, Nude, Alb, Weep, Len, Seat, Potomac, Able, Steadily, Ida, Arab, Steam, Tess, Ale, Deluge, Spy, Smash, Tibias, Eta, Con, Epees, Staged, Net.

Down (left to right): Ego, Tit, Evict, Gasoline, The Deal, Boa, Hake, Up to, AAA, Using, Jar, And, Mad, Magma, Michael, Leased, Escalate, Lane, Byre, Sheen, Awl, ASAP, Tee, But, Ebbs, Yeast.

Shaded letters: Chess

WORDS

CRAMP

MUDDLESOME

Does Your Mother Know When All Is Said and Done Under Attack

CLOCK-WISE

Diva, Vain, Inca, Cash, Shwa, Wadi

QUIZ OF THE WEEK

1 Plimsoll, 2 Bird, 3 The Jungle Book, 4 Norfolk, 5 Newcastle United, 6 Boy, 7 Three, 8 Denmark, 9 Emmerdale, 10 Puppet On A String.

DITLOIDS

1 13 Witches in a Coven, 2 9 Skittles on a Bowling Alley, 3 8 Cities in Scotland, 4 15 Players in a Rugby Union Team, 5 21 Spots on a Dice, 6 5 Members of the Simpson Family

TRIVIA WORDSEARCH

1 Jack London, 2 Roman Holiday, 3 Berlin Game, 4 Paris Carver, 5 Stockholm, 6 Madrid, 7 Dubliners, 8 Amsterdam, 9 Athena, 10 Vienna

SUMTHING

5x2=10, 4x3=12, 9+5=14

SMALL CROSSWORD

Across: 1 Wallpaper, 7 Apse, 8 Write, 10 Alp, 11 Seated, 13 Tangerine, 14 Blasts, 16 Our, 18 Afire, 19 Tern, 20 Transient.

Down: 1 Waistcoat, 2 Appear, 3 Lent, 4 Art, 5 Pianist, 6 Represent, 8 Wheelie, 9 Sangria, 12 In turn, 15 Anti, 17 Urn.

CROSS DOUBT

Across: WEIRD Down: JUDGE

SUDOKU EASY

7	9	4	1	2	6	3	8	5
8	5	3	7	9	4	1	6	2
1	2	6	5	3	8	7	4	9
2	8	9	4	5	1	6	3	7
3	4	7	2	6	9	8	5	1
5	6	1	3	8	7	2	9	4
6	1	8	9	4	2	5	7	3
9	7	5	8	1	3	4	2	6
4	3	2	6	7	5	9	1	8

BATTLESHIPS

QUICK CROSSWORD

Across: 1 Tiff, 8 Exuberance, 9 Maternal, 10 Hook, 12 Punish, 14 Relent, 15 Bandit, 17 Perish, 18 Reel, 19 Ecstatic, 21 Pugnacious, 22 Oath. Down: 2 Immaculate, 3 Fete, 4 Quench, 5 Pedlar, 6 Bachelor, 7 Seek, 11 Omniscient, 13 Indolent, 16 Trench, 17 Pastor, 18 Ripe, 20 Also.

SUDOKU MEDIUM

1	2	7	9	5	4	3	8	6
8	3	9	2	1	6	7	4	5
6	4	5	3	7	8	1	9	2
9	1	2	4	6	3	8	5	7
7	8	4	1	9	5	6	2	3
5	6	3	7	8	2	4	1	9
4	7	8	5	3	9	2	6	1
3	9	6	8	2	1	5	7	4
2	5	1	6	4	7	9	3	8

KAKURO

6	5	8	9	5	3	1
1	2	3	4	3	1	2
5	1	5	9	7	5	5
3	6	4	2	1	5	5
5	7	9	8	6	2	5
5	9	8	5	5	1	5
2	1	4	2	8	3	1
1	3	5	1	9	4	3

SUDOKU DIFFICULT

9	6	2	7	4	5	1	3	8
4	1	5	2	8	3	6	9	7
8	3	7	1	9	6	4	2	5
6	8	4	3	7	2	9	5	1
7	2	9	5	1	4	8	6	3
1	5	3	8	6	9	7	4	2
5	4	1	6	3	7	2	8	9
3	7	6	9	2	8	5	1	4
2	9	8	4	5	1	3	7	6

KEIJO

4	3	1	2
2	1	3	4
3	2	4	1
1	4	2	3

TARGET

ORBICULAR arco bloc boric caribou carob carol caul clad club coal cobra coil coir cola coral corral crab crib curb curb curl ocular ORBICULAR rubric uracil

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4

DAISY

express.co.uk

Puzzles

CRUSADER PRIZE CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 A steep change in old money (6) 4 Mark has one - Tim returned weapon (8) 10 Sentry finding hooligan holding nothing, all right? (7) 11 Coming down from top of stairs (7) 12 Devil, after initial sun, gets a healthy colour (5) 13 Depict celebration as a game (9) 14 Decline of French peer group (12) 18 He chills a cocktail with swimmer - a weakness (8,4) 23 Enjoy a photograph immediately (4,1,4) 24 Made inquiries and reported satisfaction (5) 25 Unacceptable seizures of costumes (7) 26 Soldier-turned-aristocrat is contemptible (7) 27 Challenged man inside, becoming saddened (8) 28 Suspension of proceedings in alcove (6)

DOWN

1 Friend moved aside as defence (8) 2 Lack flavouring - Thor cooked interior (8) 3 Moving north - that is sharp (5) 5 Room next to first musician (7) 6 Shocking doctor points tours out (9) 7 Court case includes note from an indigenous group (6) 8 Entertain fellow with some beer (6) 9 Puts back gold in a daze (6) 15 Fruit in a recent mixture (9) 16 Rabble, first and last, prone to be trustworthy (8) 17 Delight as some wine holds conclusion back (8) 19 She ain't moving too quickly (2,5) 20 Vital review on a country (6) 21 Old man turned out to be a nut (6) 22 Small woman right next to sportsperson (6) 24 Writer goes to church to get money (5)

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

TO ENTER: Call 0904 161 3700 (calls cost £1.50 plus your telephone company's network access charge) and leave your answer and details, or text EXCRUS followed by a space, your answer, name and address details to 88833 (texts cost £1.50 plus your standard network rate). Lines close at midnight Saturday. Or send your grid containing the answer in the shaded squares by posting it to: Crusader Crossword, August 17, PO Box 8694, Derby DE1 9TW. Entries must be postmarked by August 18 at the latest. For any postal enquiries, call helpline number. SP: Spoke - 0333 202 3390.

An extra day is given for postal entries during bank holidays.

● One weekly winner will be the first random correct entry drawn from all entry routes after the closing date of midnight Saturday. Competition runs Sunday to Saturday. The Editor's decision is final.

NEED HELP? Call 0904 161 1609 for 5 extra clues! Calls cost £1.50 plus your telephone company's network access charge.

NAME

ADDRESS

POSTCODE

LAST THURSDAY'S SOLUTION

ACROSS: 1 Flash card, 6 Boss, 10 Resin, 11 Masterful, 12 Catalan, 13 Up-train, 14 Sandwich board, 17 Kitchen garden, 21 Reduced, 22 Greaser, 24 Brierroot, 25 Ibsen, 26 Ergo, 27 Step aside.

DOWN: 1 Forecast, 2 Aisait, 3 Handle with care, 4 Almanac, 5 Disturb, 7 Offhanded, 8 Saline, 9 Central America, 15 No kidding, 16 Entrance, 18 Hideous, 19 Nightie, 20 Treble, 23 Sushi.

Prizeword: Creator

TARGET

● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 2hf Century Dictionary (999 edition)

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here?

In making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. No plurals. Verb forms ending in 5 permitted.

TODAY'S TARGET

Good 19; very good 29; excellent 38 (or more). Solution tomorrow

Call 0907 181 2585

for today's Target solution

BATTLESHIPS

FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden in the grid. The numbers to the right of and below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or parts of ships. The ships do not touch each other, even diagonally. Some squares have been filled in to start you off.

Solution tomorrow

1 x Battleship

1 x Battleship

2 x Cruiser

2 x Cruiser

3 x Destroyer

3 x Destroyer

4 x Submarine

4 x Submarine

THE ALPHABEATER

TARGET

TIME:

6x 8pm/10pm

CAN you crack the Alphabeater? Each grid number represents a letter - or black square. As in Alphapuzzle, every letter of the alphabet is used. But you have to complete the grid tool Use the given letters and black squares below the grid to start. The grid is 'rotationally symmetrical' - in other words, it looks the same if you turn the page upside down.

Solution tomorrow

Extra letter clues

0907 181 2560

Overall (three minutes for each extra clue letter heard)

Full solution

0907 181 2558

*Calls cost 80p per minute plus

your telephone company's

network access charge.

A	40	6	27	15	19	16	17	4	35	36	29	21	12
B	12	16	38	4	36	30	2	12	27	14	39	9	10
C	31	14	17	9	19	38	37	3	21	2	36	19	30
D	3	7	40	33	18	24	14	5	5	17	19	33	4
E	7	15	17	6	23	26	16	40	17	22	34	2	3
F	13	14	22	23	2	16	21	9	32	13	17	40	18
G	21	19	19	29	19	30	31	18	10	26	35	21	37
H	36	28	21	12	34	21	17	5	22	39	1	37	26
I	1	29	11	13	21	2	33	2	32	21	23	14	20
J	19	39	14	6	5	27	15	11	1	5	13	5	28
K	22	33	40	28	16	18	27	26	34	27	33	5	14
L	33	8	17	20	14	1	18	28	38	33	3	14	18
M	30	10	38	29	20	27	17	25	25	9	14	20	1
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
W
X
Y
Z

● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues to your mobile, text DXBEAT to 64343. Texts cost £1 plus standard network rate.

WORD BUILDER

Answer the clues so that each word contains the same letters as the previous word, plus or minus one.

Solution tomorrow

1	☐	☐
2	☐	☐
3	☐	☐
4	☐	☐
5	☐	☐
6	☐	☐
7	☐	☐

1 Agent 2 Fruit 3 Jig 4 Proclaim 5 Dry out 6 Instrument 7 Average

THE ALPHAPUZZLE®

Alphapuzzle® tests logic and word power. Each grid number stands for a letter. Every letter of the alphabet is used. Use the given letter or letters - below the main grid - to start. Solution tomorrow

DIFICULTY: 6/10 TARGET: 27 mins; CLUB: Supporter (1) use to interviewee.

A	17		1		7				21		10		9
B	5	20	22	11	5	12		18	14	13	26	5	13
C	9		9		26		8		22		13		5
D	15	16	12	22	11	11	16		14	2	2	22	6
E	26		24		22		19		26		25		22
F	20	17	14	18		24	5	14	13	2
G	22		11		24		6		3		18		13
H				17	5	6	2	22		1	26	13	22
I	9		8		23		5		18		9		8
J	17	5	26	9	12		8	26	6	16	20	11	22
K	5		12		6		5		16		14		9
L	20	16	6	18	5	13		18	26	4	26	13	26
M	4		22		12				2		12		9
N
O	2	2	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	12	13
P	14	15	16		19	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26

EXTRA LETTER CLUES: 0907 181 2568*

Hear up to six Extra Letters, deduct two minutes for each clue letter heard. If you have an old newspaper and would like to hear six extra letters from the last seven days, call 0905 789 0020*

FULL SOLUTION: 0907 181 2568*

ACROSS ONLY: 0907 181 2561 / DOWN ONLY: 0907 181 2562

Alternatively, for six extra letter clues direct to your mobile, text DXALPHA to 64343. Texts cost £1 plus standard network rate.

Alphapuzzle® ©2026 Acorn Editorial Ltd. All words appear in Chambers Dictionary.

THE DAILY EXPRESS 30-SECOND CHALLENGE

TODAY'S ANSWERS: BEGINNER = 6; INTERMEDIATE = 176; ADVANCED = 105.

PENY MORE CROSSWORDS AND

GAMES AT EXPRESS.CO.UK/PUZZLES

ANY QUERIES? EMAIL US ON PUZZLES@BEACHPLC.COM

SP: Spoke - Helpline 0333 202 3390

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DKTST

1

BRITAIN

best pubs

By Keir Mudie

ARE THERE any sweeter words in the English language than "Anyone fancy a pint?" We think not. And if, like us, you love heading to the pub, this is the guide for you.

From the Highlands of Scotland to the very tip of Cornwall, we've put together a collection of some of Britain's best boozers, with the help of the National Pub and Bar Awards.

Head judge Tristan O'Hana said: "Pubs are absolutely essential.

"They are pillars of community; they are hubs, they are sanctuaries."

Our selection has everything, from backstreet boozers to long-standing locals and gastropubs.

And like any good British pub they've all got a bit of history, and the ones in here include tales of bears and Dick Turpin.

Somehow, a karaoke bar snuck in, but we aim to please everyone. The first round is on you...

---

2

DAY57

WE'RE KICKING off in the North of England where, since 2013, the Cricketers Arms in St Helens has been, ahem, knocking locals for six.

A proper community pub, offering more than a dozen cask ales, a long list of ciders in the summer, micro-brewery on site, entertainment and food.

Boarded up in 2013, and with no cask ales since the 1980s, it's now a firm favourite with locals and travelling ale fans alike.

Andy and Denise Evans rescued the pub, which became CAMRA's best in Britain just a few years later.

Out in the Cheshire countryside, the Church Inn at Mobberley also offers a cricket theme. Sitting on a leafy lane between Wilmslow and Knutsford, with a fire-lit bar, a cricket corner and a boot room where walkers can rock up muddy and order a pint.

The house ale is Mallory's Mobberley Best, named after George Mallory, who died on Everest in 1924, although his body wasn't found until 1999. Born in Mobberley, the son of the vicar, he's remembered in stained glass in the church across the lane and there's a dining room named after him.

Near derelict when Tim Bird and Mary McLaughlin rescued it in 2013, the 300-year-old inn now pulls people in for the award-winning food and the fireside as much as the beer.

Down in Newcastle, the Crown Posada on the Quayside is one of the city's oldest and most famous pubs.

A narrow, Grade-II listed building with three drinking areas, one behind the other, its Pre-Raphaelite-style stained glass may be the work of Edward Burne-Jones.

Legend has it a Spanish sea captain bought the place for his mistress, called Posada.

In Hawkshead, one of the Lake District's loveliest villages, you can drink in the King's Arms, which has stood on the square for 500 years.

Reopened in 2025 after a refurbishment, it still has a king carved into the bar, holding up the floor above, and log fires.

Its eight bedrooms are named after English kings.

The village sits between Windermere and Coniston, and the inn has been welcoming drinkers since Elizabethan times.

Out on the Lincolnshire fens, the Leagate Inn at Coningsby has been pouring pints since 1542, the oldest licensed pub in the county.

Oak beams, an inglenook fire, a priest's hole and a huddle of little rooms make it a place to lose an afternoon. Long ago a light was hung on its gable to guide travellers safely across the dark, treacherous fens. Now there is a pizza oven.

Northern stars

Be bowled over by boozers dating back years

THE CRICKETERS ARMS, ST HELENS

THE CHURCH INN, MOBBERLEY

THE BEVERLEY ARMS, BEVERLEY

THE FARMER'S ARMS, GREAT ECCLESTON

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PUB ROUND-UP

NORTH EAST ENGLAND

The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman's Rest, Slaggyford

A mid-19th century village inn, once the local rectory, in the Pennine hamlet of Slaggyford in the South Tyne valley near the Cumbrian border. It is a Michelin-listed, game-led gastropub where chef Connor Wilson sources everything within 50 miles and prepares the game birds on site.

Crown Posada, Newcastle

One of Newcastle's oldest and most famous pubs, a narrow, Grade-II listed building on the Quayside with three drinking areas.

The Victoria Inn, Durham

A family run, 1899 Grade-II listed pub near the cathedral. Rated by CAMRA as the best historic multi-room pub interior in the North East. Owner Michael Webster bought it off the brewery rather than let them modernise it. Only serves toasties.

Station House, Durham

A back-to-basics micropub tucked beneath the railway viaduct in Durham. Opened in 2015 it built a reputation for quality beer and cider. Drinks come straight from the cellar hatch.

NORTH WEST ENGLAND

Church Inn, Mobberley

A Grade-II listed 18th century country dining pub on the edge of the leafy Cheshire village of Mobberley, opposite the 12th century St Wilfrid's Church.

The King's Arms, Hawkshead

A 500-year-old inn on the village square in Hawkshead, between Windermere and Coniston, welcoming visitors since Elizabethan times.

Horse & Jockey, Chorlton

A landmark black-and-white pub overlooking Chorlton Green in south Manchester.

An inn since the late 18th century, its Tudor-style frontage was added in 1908.

In October 2025 the team behind Salford's Black Friar relaunched it in partnership with brewer Joseph Holt to be Chorlton's first gastropub.

Farmers Arms, Great Eccleston

A country pub in the market village of Great Eccleston in Fylde, set over two floors with five open fires and a sheltered courtyard.

Part of the Seafood Pub Company, it serves fresh fish alongside hearty meat dishes.

Cumberland Inn, Alston

A 19th century inn on Townfoot at the foot of Alston's steep Front Street, in England's highest market town. Owners Guy and Helen Harmer have run it since 2002, having previously run a pair of 70ft hotel narrowboats.

Cricketers Arms, St Helens

A family run community pub that was National Pub of the Year in 2017, with stone-baked pizzas, cheeseboards and live sport.

Andy and Denise Evans took it on in 2013 when it was boarded up, and in 2020 opened the on-site Howcat brewery.

YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER

Whitelock's Ale House, Leeds

Leeds' oldest pub, opened in 1715, hidden down Turk's Head Yard, a narrow alley off Briggate. Upgraded to Grade-II star listing in 2022, it keeps a Victorian interior of mirrors, tiling and a long marble and copper-topped bar. John Betjeman called it the very heart of Leeds.

The Beverley Arms, Beverley

A Georgian coaching inn in medieval Beverley, opposite St Mary's Church, now a 38-room hotel as well as a pub. Known as the Blue Bell before it was rebuilt in the 1790s and renamed the

Beverley Arms. It reputedly stabled the notorious highwayman Dick Turpin.

The Woolly Sheep Inn, Skipton

A Timothy Taylor's inn on Sheep Street, Skipton, the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, with 12 en-suite bedrooms. Run by the Keighley brewer, it carries the full range of Timothy Taylor's cask ales and took the Yorkshire and the Humber regional title at the 2026 awards.

The Three Tuns, Stainton

A family run village pub in tiny Stainton near Rotherham, an off-the-beaten-track local dating to the 1920s, with classic British pub fare at competitive prices and winner of the South Yorkshire county title.

The Laagate Inn, Coningsby

A 1542 fen guide house on the edge of Coningsby, said to be the oldest continually licensed premises in Lincolnshire, with oak beams, an inglenook fireplace and a priest hole.

The Beer Engine, Skipton

A micropub on Albert Street in Skipton, tucked between the town centre and the canal, run by directors Adam Davies and Steven Gregory. It has six hand pumps of changing cask ale.

BRITAIN'S BEST PUBS

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On Tap

form...

Smugglers, ghostly tales and bears behind the bar

IF YOU want proof a tiny pub can take on the whole country, start at the Tamworth Tap. In January it was named CAMRA's National Pub of the Year – having won in 2022 and 2023 as well.

The first three-time-winner, its Tudor building has a 16th century shop front and a courtyard terrace, beneath Tamworth's Norman castle. Home to the Tamworth Brewing Company, it keeps eight cask beers on and doubles as a social hub, hosting craft clubs, painting nights and even bat-watching evenings.

Owners George and Louise Greenaway have been given the Freedom of the borough for their work in the town.

In the East Midlands, two England cricketers, Stuart Broad and Harry Gurney, own the Tap & Run at Upper Broughton and the

Griffin at Swithland, and their England one-day-cap numbers are worked into the logos.

In June 2022, laundry caught fire in a tumble dryer and the blaze tore through the roof and first floor of the Tap & Run, leaving it in ruins.

More than a million pounds and a year later it reopened, in what undeterred Stuart and Harry called their “second innings”.

The Griffin came later, when brewery Everards put the Swithland pub up for sale after 20 years under the same licensees.

Harry, a Loughborough lad, was thrilled and honoured to take over the baton.

For sheer oddity, few pubs beat the Bear at Hodnet, a 16th century Shropshire coaching inn opposite the village church.

The pub's own history has rebellious monks hiding from church officials in the cellars below, and thrifty publicans running a tax-free smuggling route out of the

same tunnels. It also claims the ghost of Jasper Nielsen, a Scandinavian timber merchant who died of hypothermia in the late 1500s after a drink-fuelled row with the landlord.

Then there are the bears. In the mid-1970s the publican kept two of them, Madge and Bib, who were later rehomed at Newquay Zoo.

An earlier pair had arrived at the end of 1971, brought in by manager Gavin Sutherland to mingle with customers.

Bears in a pub would raise eyebrows now. Sutherland shrugged it off, saying they were “not really any more dangerous than dogs”.

In Northamptonshire, the

Tollemache Arms at Harrington was named the best pub in Britain at the Great British Pub Awards 2024. The thatched ironstone pub was once the Red Cow,

renamed in honour of the Hon Hugh Tollemache, rector here for 58 years. The pub's own account has him shutting the doors every Sunday to drive his parishioners into church instead.

During the war it filled up with American airmen from nearby Harrington Airfield, who pressed coins into the wooden beams for luck before flying out. Some of those coins remain to this day.

The Burnt Pig sits down a back street in Ilkeston – three small rooms with pump clips covering every inch of the ceiling.

Six cask ales change constantly, the pork scratchings are famous, and regulars turn up with allotment vegetables, eggs and pork pies for the bar.

It was named East Midlands Pub of the Year 2025 and went through to CAMRA's top 16, which is some haul for a hidden away micropub.

Simon Clarke, who opened it in 2015, said the name came after a drunken night out. Don't ask!

THE TOLLEMACH

THE BEAR INN, MOONET

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Daily Express Monday, August 17, 2026.

5

PUB ROUND-UP

EAST MIDLANDS

The Tickled Trout, Barlow

An independent village dining pub on the edge of the Peak District, owned by chef Chris Mapp, who trained under Marcus Wareing at Petrus, before buying his own run-down local. He was named Pub Restaurant Chef of the Year at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards in 2024. The menu pairs Derbyshire produce with day-boat fish fresh from Cornwall.

The Griffin Inn, Swithland

A country gastropub near Bradgate Park, named Leicestershire Pub of the Year three years running. Owned by former England cricketers Stuart Broad and Harry Gurney. (see main write up).

The Tollemache Arms, Harrington

A thatched ironstone pub run by Joe Buckley and Flo Pearce, known locally as the Tolly, and named overall winner at the Great British Pub Awards 2024.

The Tap & Run, Upper Broughton

A country gastropub in the Vale of Belvoir, the first pub opened by cricketers Broad and Gurney.

The Finch's Arms, Hambleton

A 17th century country inn tucked into the Hambleton Peninsula, which juts out into Rutland Water, with a terrace looking over the reservoir. It boasts beamed ceilings, log fires, 10 rooms and a menu built on seasonal produce.

Burnt Pig, Ilkeston

A back-street micropub extended over three rooms, with pump clips covering the ceiling, six changing cask ales and its famous pork scratchings.

WEST MIDLANDS

The Bull's Head, Craswall

A remote former drovers' inn on the foothills of the Black Mountains, six miles of single-track road from Hay-on-Wye, and one of the last unspoiled drovers' inns in England. It stayed in the same farming family for 125 years until 1998, closed in 2014, and was fought back open by the village in 2021. It is now Michelin-listed, with meat off the owners' own farm.

The Bear Inn, Hodnet

A former 16th century coaching inn opposite St Luke's church in the Shropshire village of Hodnet, now a smart gastropub with 12 rooms.

Fitzherbert Arms, Swynnerton

A village pub on Lord Stafford's estate, dating to around 1818 on the site of an old smithy, with an old forge as a fireplace and anvils holding up dining tables. It claims the biggest collection of port by the bottle of any pub in the UK. Its 10 rooms are named after fincas in Porto, and it shares owners with the Church Inn at Mobberley (see North section).

The Red Lion, Long Compton

A Grade II listed stone coaching inn dating from 1748, in a Cotswold village on the southern edge of Warwickshire, with an inglenook fireplace, log fires and seven rooms. The Rollright Stones stand on the hill above it, in a village long associated with tales of witchcraft.

The Old Wharf Inn, Stourbridge

A free house in independent hands since 2019, trading in the shell of a long-closed pub called the Moorings Tavern, and looking out over the Stourbridge canal basin and the Bonded Warehouse. It draws strong local support for its rotating real ales, with a garden over the water.

The Old Bush, Callow End

A family run village local at the foot of the Old Hills near the Malverns, run by Matt and Karen, with a campsite, glamping pods, farm shop and cafe attached. The garden has a play area, a flock of chickens and an aviary, and the pub stages a three-day blues festival every August.

Tamworth Tap, Tamworth

The West Midlands winner and overall National Pub of the Year 2025, an unprecedented third national title. (see main write up).

BRITAIN'S BEST PUBS

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DAY57

South Coast

THE GUNTON Arms, near Cromer, on the north Norfolk coast, sits at the end of a long drive through a thousand acres of deer park.

Hanging above the fire is the skull of a now extinct Irish elk. Beneath it steaks and chops are cooked on the open flame.

Venison comes from the estate and crab comes from Cromer, live miles away.

Overall winner of the National Pub and Bar Awards in June, it saw off a shortlist of 252.

Art dealer Ivor Braka bought the building in 2009 – then a country house hotel – reopening it as a pub two years later with Stuart and Simone Tattersall, from Mark Hix's kitchens in London.

You drink among Braka's art collection of Tracey Emins, Damien Hirsts and Paula Regos, with a Lucian Freud in the loos.

In the 1890s it was the second home to Gunton Hall and a regular guest was Lillie Langtry, mistress of the future Edward VII.

The Bell at Aldworth in Berkshire, a village on the Ridgeway, has no bar, but a glazed hatch, roughly the size of a phone box, with sliding partitions and ebony handpumps, fitted in 1902.

The tap room next to it is the reason CAMRA lists the interior as nationally important.

It has 'witch's marks' carved into a beam, a quarry-tiled floor, a one-handed clock and a shove ha'penny board sitting ready to play.

Most of the benches were made in the village carpenter's shop, which the pub's family, who have run it since the 1700s, also owned.

Beers now include one brewed in a garden shed by James Macaulay, son of landlord Hugh.

The Pelican in Gloucester is opposite the ruins of St Oswald's Priory, and claims its beams came from Sir Francis Drake's ship when he set sail around the world in 1577, but renamed the Golden Hind mid-voyage.

The pub has no kitchen, but there's a food wagon in the courtyard on Gloucester rugby days, or you can bring your own.

Rescued by Wye Valley Brewery in 2012, the bar carries up to ten cask ales and a dozen ciders.

The Lion at Ickleton opened in 1728 and Greene King put it on the market in 2023.

Ickelton's last pub, the villagers bought it, running a 10-week share offer and raising more than £440,000, with £100,000 more in grants.

Collecting the keys just before Christmas 2024, 120 of them spent six months refurbishing it.

Reopening in July last year, the first cork was popped by Betty Willmott, 93, who's lived on the same street as the pub her entire life.

Best landlords know there's a real art to running a pub

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PUB ROUND-UP

EAST OF ENGLAND

The Windmill, Chatham Green, Essex

A pub dating to the 1820s, built alongside a windmill that worked until 1904, when the last miller Henry Challis started selling beer instead. The sails are long gone but the roundhouse survives as a private dining room. Tom Clarke, who trained under Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir and was head chef at the Michelin-starred L'Ortoian, has run the pub since October 2022 with partner Nancy Witte, who he met there.

The Lion at Ickleton, Cambridgeshire The last remaining pub in the village, first opened in 1728 and when closure threatened was bought by the villagers. (see main write up).

The Gunton Arms, Norfolk

The overall National Pub and Bar of the Year for 2026, set in a deer park near Cromer and opened in 2011 by former art dealer Ivor Braka, with 16 bedrooms. (see main write up).

The Packhorse Inn, Moulton, Suffolk

Sited beside a 15th century packhorse bridge over the River Kennet, near Newmarket, when the Chestnut Group acquired it from Greene King in 2012 (the King's Head) it had an estimated 20 landlords in 25 years. Former banker Philip Turner reopened it as The Packhorse Inn in October 2013.

LONDON

The Star by Liverpool Street, City of London

Best pub in the City at the National Pub and Bar Awards 2026, its 10,000 square feet stretch over

two floors, with four bars, screens throughout and five themed karaoke rooms in a basement called Karaoke Heaven.

The Devonshire, Soho

A three-floor pub on Denman Street opened in November 2023 by publican Oisin Rogers, Flat Iron founder Charlie Carroll and former Fat Duck chef Ashley Palmer-Watts, on a site that's been an inn since 1793. Its reputation rests on Guinness, and Oisin reckons the bar pours around 17,000 pints a week, one week hitting 19,500. It retained the industry's Choice Award at the 2026 awards.

The White Cross, Richmond

A Young's pub on the Thames off Water Lane, known as the pub that floods. On the highest tides, roughly twice a month, the river comes up over the terrace and staff hand out wellies to anyone wanting to leave. Its website publishes live high tide times, so punters can time visits.

The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping

A pub's been on the site since around 1520. First called the Pelican and later the Devil's Tavern, it claims to be the oldest riverside pub on the Thames. Rebuilt after a fire and renamed in 1777 after a collier called the Prospect, built in Whitby and moored outside - thus the Yorkshire name. A noose hangs over the foreshore behind the pub, a nod to Execution Dock and to the Hanging Judge Jeffreys.

SOUTH EAST ENGLAND

Bell Inn, Aldworth, Berkshire

In the same family for around 250 years, with the only Grade-II listed pub interior in Berkshire and a name taken from the bells on the traditional landowners' coat of arms.

The Leicester Arms, Penshurst, Kent

A Grade-II listed creeper-clad inn opposite

the gates of Penshurst Place, named in honour of Robert Sidney, Viscount De L'Isle, when he was made Earl of Leicester in 1618. Brakspear spent more than £1.2m on refurbishment with operators Little and Large Pub Company. It now has 11-en-suite rooms and a rarely-seen shuffle board.

The Weldriggers Arms, Low Heath, West Sussex

A 300-year-old country inn on the edge of Petworth with an inglenook fireplace, picture windows over a coppice and the South Downs, and 14 bedrooms. It reopened in November 2025 after a refresh, and at the 2026 awards it took the Tyrrells Tyrrellbly Good Taste Award, the headline sponsor's own prize.

The Mason's Arms, Clanfield, Oxfordshire The South-East Pub and Bar of the Year for 2026, a stone-built Cotswold coaching inn with flagstone floors, lime plaster walls and a bar crafted from reclaimed church panels. It reverted to its original name in October

2024 - having been the Clanfield Tavern since the 1990s - after Sam and George Pearman's Country Creatures bought it from Marston's.

SOUTH WEST ENGLAND

The Seagate, Appledore, Devon

A 17th century inn facing the River Torridge, the only inn on Appledore's quayside, with 17 bedrooms across the pub and a converted sail loft. Landlady Ruthie serves Young's London Original alongside Old Appledore from Country Life Brewery. Pelican Inn,

Gloucester, Gloucestershire

A Grade-II listed alehouse dating from 1679 on St Mary's Street near the cathedral, with up to 10 cask ales and a dozen still ciders and no kitchen.

The Turk's Head, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly The most south-westerly pub in the UK and the only one on the island, a two-storey granite building occupying the former coastguard boathouse 50 metres from the quay on Porth Conger.

Its granite slipway is still used by visiting boats. Nautical paraphernalia pervades, and the house beer is Tribute sold as Turk's Ale - named after the Barbary corsairs who raided Scilly in the 16th century.

The Blue Anchor, Helston, Cornwall

A thatched granite brewpub at 50 Coinagehall Street with slate floors, two small bars, no jukebox and an indoor skittle alley with its own bar. It's the only pub in the UK to have brewed continuously since CAMRA was founded in 1971, when just four home-brew pubs remained.

Historic England reckons it's the oldest operating pub-brewery in the country. Spingo ales are brewed at the rear using water from the pub's own well.

BRITAIN'S BEST PUBS

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DAYS!

Dram packed

TUCKED down a cobbled close off the High Street in Dumfries, the Globe Inn has poured drinks since 1610 and keeps a deep whisky list. It is best enjoyed with an Annandale Distillery dram in the snug.

The favourite howff, or haunt, of Robert Burns, who drank, wrote and slept here through his years in the town, four centuries on it still feels made for settling in.

Upstairs, in the room where he stayed, Burns scratched five verses into the windowpanes with a diamond stylus. Two of the originals remain, alongside exact replicas of three that were sold off in the 19th century. A tour is available of the Burns rooms, but anyone sitting in his original seat is obliged to recite his poetry or buy the entire inn a drink.

Meanwhile, in Wales, climb the steep lane into the hills above Llanover in Monmouthshire and you reach the Goose and Cuckoo, a Grade-II listed cider house with a real fire and an old piano in the corner.

It was the only pub in Llanover to survive a cull of local inns by the teetotal Lady Llanover in the 19th century, spared because it sat just beyond her estate boundary.

The name, so the story goes, came from a pair who ran it. During a row, one called the other a "silly old goose". The other shot straight back with a "silly old cuckoo" and the pair of insults stuck for good.

Belfast's Crown Liquor Saloon started life as the Railway Tavern in 1826, acquiring its current look in 1885, when the owner turned Italian craftsmen, who had been working on the city's churches, loose on the pub instead.

The result is a Grade A listed gin palace with around 10 snugs, each fitted with a gun metal plate for striking matches and a bell push for summoning the next round. The red granite bar is laid out like an altar, with a heated footrest built in, and the gas lamps still work. Look up and the stained glass runs to fairies, pineapples and clowns.

By the 1970s it was heading for demolition. The National Trust bought it in 1978, after a campaign that included John Betjeman, and still owns it today, leasing it out to Nicholson's to run.

PUB ROUND-UP SCOTLAND

The Ferry Inn, Uig

A family run 19th century inn in the little fishing village of Uig on Skye's Trotternish Peninsula, looking out over the bay. Food is based on fresh seafood landed at Uig pier and served in an intimate five-table restaurant, with ales poured from the Isle of Skye Brewery in the same village.

Globe Inn, Dumfries

Tucked down a cobbled close off the High Street, this is the oldest pub in Dumfries, dating from 1610. It was Robert Burns's favourite boozer. (see main write up).

The Drymen Inn, Drymen

A family run village inn inside the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and the traditional first stop for walkers setting off on the West Highland Way. It runs regular live music at weekends.

WALES

The Goose and Cuckoo, Upper Llanover

A Grade-II listed time-warp of a country pub up a dead-end road in the Brecon Beacons, the only pub in Llanover to survive Lady Llanover's temperance purge of the late 19th century.

Rhos yr Hafod Inn, Llanon

The Wales CAMRA winner, family run for more than 10 years by publicans Angharad

Hywel and Paul Jacobs, with two bar areas, a function room, a large garden and constantly changing real ales from Welsh breweries. It took the Wales Pub of the Year title in 2025 and again in 2026.

Britannia Inn, Llanmadoc

A well-preserved old inn on the north-western tip of the Gower, and the last of four taverns the village once had, run by Martin and Lindsay for over 20 years, with an estuary-view garden and a menagerie of small animals for children.

Its lounge beams are reputed to have been salvaged from old ships.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Crown Liquor Saloon, Belfast

Grade A listed Victorian gin palace on Great Victoria Street, opened in 1826 as the Railway Tavern and remade in 1885 by Italian craftsmen brought over to work on the city's churches.

Dog and Duck Inn, Lisbellaw

A family run free house in the Fermanagh village of Lisbellaw, five miles outside Enniskillen, pouring from 14 guest taps. It shares its site with the Glenwinny distillery, which makes small-batch Irish whiskey, rum and brandy, and it has been named CAMRA's Northern Ireland Pub of the Year and Cider Pub of the Year in both 2024 and 2025.

BRITAIN'S BEST PUBS

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DRAFT

DAILY EXPRESS

fever itch2 express.co.uk/sport

ALL THE ACTION AND REACTIONS FROM THE EFL

SHOT DOWN IN FLEMMS

Clarets go double Dutch late on to stun promotion favourites

IT'S MURDER AT THE VICARAGE FOR SOUTHAMPTON - PAGES 4-5

Vertu?

THAT'S MORE LIKE IT Flaming celebrities at the International 4th State's Commando to the delight of the New Baby Night. For 1970s, the New Baby Night was a fictitious 2nd of the 4th senators.

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Fever Pitch

JOSH HAS BIG

IDEA TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS

BRISTOL CITY 0

MILLWALL 2

Championship

JOSH COBURN isn't guilty of telling tall stories when he insists he is finally heading in the right direction.

The 6ft 4in Millwall striker's clinical double sank 10-man Bristol City as Alex Neil's men hit the ground running in a bid to banish the bitter memories of last season's play-off heartache.

Coburn's second (above) came from a powerful header, with the 23-year-old admitting he has been honing that side of his game this summer to make the most of his height advantage over the majority of defenders.

The former Middlesbrough targetman (below) said: "The second goal is something I've been working on in pre-season, to be fair. I should score more headers, with my size, so I'm delighted with that one.

"When it was II v II I thought we were the better team, so after the red card we knew we needed to score and I was pleased how I got across the defender to get the first goal."

The Robins paid the price for midfielder Adam Randell's needless first-half sending off as Michael Skubala's side slumped to back-to-back home defeats at the outset of the new manager's reign.

However, Joe Williams insists they will soon bounce back from their opening-day misery.

The City midfielder said: "You have to be disappointed when you lose at home.

"The two goals were a little bit soft, but I thought there were good signs and there's definitely a lot more to come from us.

"We will go again next week and try to rectify our mistakes. I've been in this league long enough now to know it's very up and down. We want to get back to winning games and being hard to beat.

"We know we need to get results, but we have got some top characters here and we'll never give up.

"I've already seen enough to be really positive about the season."

HAVEN

GETS COURT OF 25

BURNLEY

WEST HAM

BY IAN PARKER

ZIAN FLEMMING struck twice late on as Burnley came back to deny West Ham in a battle between the freshly-relegated sides at Turf Moor.

West Ham – one of the favourites to make an immediate return to the Premier League – looked set for three points when Manor Solomon (left) rifled

home in the 72nd minute, doubling the lead given to them by Max Kilman 10 minutes in.

But Burnley kept scrapping and Flemming struck an 83rd-minute penalty before finding the net in stoppage time to give new boss Nicky Hayen (right with Flemming) a first league point on his 46th birthday, and prevent what would have been their first home Championship defeat since April 2023.

The Hammers may have lost Mateus Fernandes and

Crysencio Summerville for big transfer fees since the drop, but have crucially kept Jarrod Bowen, and this week broke the Championship transfer record with a £22m deal for Arne Engels to underline their promotion credentials.

It was too soon for former Celtic star Engels to be involved here, but for much of the afternoon Nuno Espirito Santois side looked to have the edge in quality against a Burnley side who too often made the wrong decision and wasted a

number of decent first-half opportunities.

There was less than a minute gone when Flemming flicked over from Jacob Bruun Laneris cross, but it was a false dawn for the hosts as West Ham scored from their first real chance.

Kilman took advantage of poor defending, easily peeling away from Aaron Ramsey to head in Bowen's free-kick for his first goal in 68 West Ham appearances.

With former manager David Moyes watching on, the visitors were bossing

JONES CELEBRATES HIS WIN DOUBLE

CHARLTON 2

DERBY 1

Championship

LLOYD JONES capped a memorable week by bagging a rare goal to celebrate his new Charlton contract in style.

The 30-year-old centre-back helped the Addicks get off to a winning start with his first appearance on the scoresheet

since November before Tyreece Campbell sealed a comeback win after Sammie Szmodics put Derby ahead.

Jones (right), who moved to The Valley on a free transfer from Cambridge three years ago, has been the club's player of the season in the last two campaigns.

He said: "It's been a great week. My new contract got

announced and then to score and come from behind to win, what a feeling - long may it continue. It was a brilliant comeback after going a goal down against a strong Derby team who were in the play-off picture last season.

"I've loved every minute since I've been here. I've had the best years of my career here and it feels like home to me." Craig

Forsyth insists Derby must quickly atone for a below-par display when they return to action at home to Cardiff on Saturday.

The veteran defender, who is in his 14th season with the Rams, said: "We wanted to get off to a good start and we haven't done that. It's now about putting it right on Saturday in front of our own fans."

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DAI'ST

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Fever Pitch

possession as a full away with plenty of bright end dominated the touches from Solomon - a atmosphere at Turf Moor, key piece of Leeds'

promotion campaign two years ago.

The Clarets had the momentum at the start of the second half, but Flemming had already wasted two excellent chances before he got above Konstantinos Marropanos to send Marcus Edwards' in-swinging cross onto the post.

The Dutchman's frustration then grew as another effort was cleared off the line by Ollie Scarles from Bruun Laneris corner.

West Ham's first shot of the second half did not

come until the 71st minute when Bowen's strike hit his own man, but Burnley never fully cleared it and Mohamadou Kante danced down the touchline before his cross was deflected for Solomon to lash home.

But Burnley got a lifeline when Scarles scythed down Edwards in the box and Flemming sent Mads Hermansen the wrong way, and two minutes into the seven added on, the ball broke to him following a scramble in the box and he picked out the bottom corner.

Nicky fears Dutch & go

© IAN PARKER

BURNLEY boss Nicky Hayen has urged Zian Flemming to stay at Turf Moor - but admitted transfer interest in the striker will only go up after his late heroics yesterday.

The Dutchman, the Clarets' top scorer last term, has been linked with Premier League clubs, but Hayen said it was "really important" to keep him.

"It didn't help that he scored two times today!" said Hayen. "I'm really pleased with his performance and also the way he scored the penalty, he scored the second goal. Of course, Zian is really important not only with his goals but also how he plays for us.

"But the way we play also suits him, but maybe it's the best choice for him to stay because he can be even more important than before.

"Maybe during the winter break, maybe it can change, but the way he feels I think he enjoys himself and that's the most important thing at the moment."

Last season West Ham dropped 20 points from winning positions on their way to relegation and it was a familiar sinking feeling in East Lancashire.

"It's disappointing," said manager Nuno Espirito Santo (inset). "We did a very good first half, not so good in the second half. After we scored the second we should have done better.

"When you are in front of the result in the last minutes of the game, it's a learning process that you have to do and fast. We cannot let these two points get away from us."

ACE REFUSES TO AUNE UP ON HANDBALL

NORTH EAST 1

WEST EAST 2

Championship

AUNE HEGGEBO defied illness to have a big hand in West Brom's controversial opening-day win.

Norwich were furious that the Norwegian's late strike was allowed to stand after his goal appeared to go in off his left arm from a Jimmy-Jay Morgan cross.

Heggebo (scoring above and celebrating below) would not be drawn on the details of only his second goal of the calendar year.

After marking his 50th Albion appearance by opening the scoring before Morgan doubled the lead, he said: "It's a great feeling to score and to top it off

with a win to reward a massive effort from the lads is excellent.

"It was touch and go whether I played, I'd been sick for a few days but thankfully I woke up with a good feeling on the day of the game.

"We showed a great mentality against a good side, so to get three points here with a really strong performance shows good character."

Norwich pulled one back late on through Mathias Kvistgaarden but it wasn't enough to prevent them from sliding to defeat.

Harry Darling insisted Albion's opener should not have stood and the Canaries defender said: "I don't want to say too much because I think I'll get in trouble.

"Everyone can see from the video and the pictures that the first one shouldn't have counted, so that's disappointing.

"We didn't want to start the season in that manner and it hurts because we definitely should have got something from the game.

"We've had a lot of chances and we need to put those away. Ultimately we conceded two poor goals - especially from myself for the second one - and the game ran away from us."

SWANS FOUR-CE TO BE RECKONED WITH SAYS IDAH

STOKE

SWANSEA

Championship

ADAM IDAH reckons

Swansea's impressive four-pronged forward line is ready to terrorise Championship defences.

The Republic of Ireland international came off the bench to grab the winner with

1

2

his first touch after new signing Joseph Opoku levelled as the Swans tasted opening-day victory for the first time in six years.

In demand striker Zan Vipotnik - a £15m target for Hull - lead up Opoku's debut league goal and with Ross Stewart recently joining from Southampton, boss Vítor Matos has an array of options

up front to help fire the Welsh club's promotion ambitions.

Idah (right) said: "Hopefully we can all make an impact.

"Whether you're starting or on the bench, everyone can make a difference.

"It's really important everyone understands that and that we stick together as

we try to get back to the Premier League.

"It was unbelievable to score. I struggled a bit last season with injuries but finished the end of the campaign well, so I want to continue doing that."

Stoke couldn't build on Eric Bocat's first goal for the

club as Mark Robins' men slumped to a sixth defeat in the last seven league games.

The French defender said: "It's not the best but it's just the first game of the season. We'll work hard to improve and to start winning games.

"We know we can't keep talking about 'its'. Last season we started really well, but it's a marathon not a sprint."

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4

Fever Pitch

CHAIR KEEN

TO SIT OUT SPOTLIGHT

PORTSMOUTH 1

QPR 3

Championship

QPR are sitting pretty thanks to Ilias Chair - but the two-goal hero insists it wasn't all about him.

Rangers' modest match-winner stole the show as Julien Stephan's men came from behind to post a morale-boosting opening day win.

Morocco midfielder Chair scored for the first time since November either side of Koki Saito putting QPR ahead.

But the 28-year-old (above) was keen to shun the limelight as he bids to make up for an injury- ravaged campaign last season, and he said: "I'm just trying to help the team.

"It's not about me, it's all about the team and I'm just trying to put my work in. I've scored today but I can't do that without the rest of the lads' hard work.

"Everyone worked super hard and put in a real shift, so it's a great start with a victory and I'm just glad to begin the season like this and it's now onto the next game.

"The fans were great - they took over this place and they were the only ones we heard. Hopefully we'll have incredible support like this for the rest of the season."

Pompey were unable to build on Terry Devlin's stunning opener, with Abu Kamara bizarrely admitting John Mousinho's men were undone by an impromptu drinks break midway through the first-half.

The 23-year-old summer signing from Hull said: "The first 25 minutes from us was really good.

"We were on top and didn't give them much at all. I'm not sure what happened after that water break, we looked disconnected. It's disappointing not to get anything from the game.

"We had good spells and despite the result, I'm only thinking good things about what we can do this season.

"I feel comfortable here and the support I get from the fans means I can thrive."

Dionisi gets it together

NEW Watford manager Alistair Dionisi hailed his side's strength of spirit in securing a 2-1 victory.

A determination to fight for every ball was evident throughout Watford's win over Southampton.

Dionisi (right) said: "There were a lot of positive moments, but at the end of the second half, it was difficult for us without the ball. I saw the players working together with and without the ball.

"One team, one mentality. It is important for every match, the same positive mentality. With the many very talented teams in this division, it won't be easy for us."

Dionisi admitted his first experience of a league match in England had lived up to his hopes.

He added: "The atmosphere was fantastic. I didn't know what it

would be like. I have only watched English football from Italy."

Southampton manager Yonda Eckert blamed both Watford goals on individual errors.

But he refused to be drawn on the hostile atmosphere, which will surely be replicated at other

Championship greases after the "Spygate" controversy that denied Southampton their play-off place.

Eckert said: "Two errors in possession cost us against a very good transition team.

"There is no doubt about the dedication of the players. The biggest we as close as they have ever been and completely united.

"Communications are going on between the club and the FA, but once you step onto the grass, it is what it is, all of that disappears."

CHICHI

ENEMY

BUZZING DALBY SAVOURS DREAM START

BOLTON 2

PRESTON 1

Championship

BOLTON'S Sam Dalby was happy to grab local bragging rights.

The majority of a first sell-out crowd for 15 years of more than 26,000 went home happy as early goals from Dalby and Thierry Gale laid the platform for promoted Wanderers to return

to the Championship in style. Last season's top scorer Dalby might enjoyed his first taste of life in the second tier.

And the striker said: "It's a good start to the season, both on a personal note and for the team as well. Playing in the Championship has been a dream of mine so to win, score and get three points, I'm buzzing. We just wanted to put on a performance

and to win for the fans. The support has been top, especially today and they deserved a display like that because we know a strong start to the season is important."

Jusef Erabi pulled one back late on for Preston before defender Liam Lindsay missed a golden chance to level late on.

After scoring in his first two games on loan from Belgian side

Genk, Sweden Under-21 forward Erabi said: "I'm really devastated that we couldn't get the win because that's the most important thing.

"It's really nice to be able to contribute to the team with goals and with every training session I feel more connected to the team. "It felt like a home game with the way the fans supported us."

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DAIST

5

Fever Pitch

Saints struggle to escape Spygate as Hornets swarm

WATFORD SOUTHAMPTON

2 1

SOUTHAMPTON discovered that the Championship will be an unforgiving arena this season.

It had been 96 days since they reached the play-off final in May, before then being expelled from a Wembley date with Hull.

And they were baited about 'Spygate' on their way to defeat in this first league fixture since the espionage in May.

Tonda Eckert's side had no answer to the home team's energy and tenacity in Hertfordshire.

Watford's summer signing Iker Bravo and teenage academy product Amin Nabizada gave new manager Alessio Dionisi a fine win while Southampton's players were heckled, both on the pitch and from the stands, for their actions at the end of last season (below, left).

The Watford goals both came from errant Southampton passes.

After 12 minutes, Jack Stephens' aimless kick was seized upon by Bravo, a summer arrival from Udinese.

The Spaniard, 21, did not hesitate, driving forward and stabbing the ball home.

The goal lifted the uncertainty that had enveloped Vicarage Road in the build-up to the new Championship season.

Australia winger Nestory Irankunda was sold to Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon 24 hours earlier, while last season's captain Imran Louza was left out of the squad by Dionisi after the mid-fielder again asked to leave the club. Bravois

positivity was adopted by his teammates, with Othmane Maamma sending in a shot was bundled behind by Daniel Peretz at his near post.

On the opposite wing, Watford youth product Nabizada seized on another wayward Southampton pass, this time by Ryan Manning, to speed away down the right.

It appeared as if the teenager had pushed the ball too far as he drove into the Southampton area, before he suddenly unleashed a low shot into the far bottom corner.

The first half was also notable for the five bookings in a feisty period which ended with the home supporters rising as one to give their new side a standing ovation as they left the pitch.

Dionisi's team continued to hurry their opponents in the second half, surrounding the player in possession at every possible moment.

They were brave, too, with Nabizada playing a clever reverse pass into the path of Omar Traore, whose shot was blocked by the legs of Peretz.

That stop proved pivotal when Southampton reduced their arrears. Cameron Bragg stabbed the ball through to Cyle Larin 10 yards from goal and the Canada forward slid the ball past Federico Ravaglia.

Within a minute the new Watford keeper was forced into a reaction save low down from Larin's sweeping volley.

Seconds later at the other end, it might have been 3-1 when the lively Bravo looked certain to score, only for Ran Manning to charge down his shot with a brilliant sliding challenge.

Southampton mounted a late siege to the Watford goal but Taylor Harwood Bellis wasted their clearest opening.

NEU SPIRIT PUTS BRUM ON RIGHT ROAD

SHEFFIELD UNITED 0

BIRMINGHAM 0

Championship

PHIL NEUMANN insists Birmingham's new-found street-fighting spirit will help them avoid the road to hell this season.

Chris Davies, Blues ground out a point at Bramall Lane as they bid to shake-off their

unwanted reputation as a soft touch away from Sir Andrew's.

City had the fourth-worst record on the road in the division last term, quoting them a shot at the play-offs but they looked a different proposition after refusing to be bullie.

Neumann (right) was immense at the heart of defence, and the German centre-back insisted

Birmingham have toughened up. After a first away clean sheet in the Championship since January, the 29-year-old siddl "We were much more physical and came away with a clean sheet so it's good progress, from last season.

"It was a tough fight and I thought we want the better team," Chris Wilder said his Blades were not good enough

on the ball to deserve all three points as he turns his attention to bolstering his round.

They have a bid in for Leicester defender Harry Souttar and are pondering a move for ex-United centre-back Anel Ahmedhodzif, who has been told he can leave Dutch side Feyenoord.

Boss Wilder said: "We need to bring in a bit more quality."

IT'S A SHEAR DELIGHT AS SONS SHINE

MIDDLESBROUGH

LINCOLN CITY

Championship

BY JASON MELLOR

WILL LANKSHEAR revealed how his proud parents were left with split loyalties by their goalscoring sons.

Lankshear (above) paid off another chunk of his initial £10million Middlesbrough transfer fee from Spurs by grabbing a clinical double to seal a dramatic come-from-behind win against Championship new boys Lincoln.

The 21-year-old was not the only one in his family on the scoresheet, as his big brother Alex found the net with a debut strike in Gateshead's 2-0 National League victory against Woking.

The brothers are sharing a pad in the North-East and, after adding to his Carabao Cup winner against Wrexham, Lankshear said: "I'm absolutely delighted for Alex. He's worked extremely hard, it's not been easy for him but he's got the mentality and as a family we absolutely believe in him and think the world of him.

"My mum watched my brother's match up at Gateshead and my dad was here to watch me. We're a football family, we dedicate our lives to it and he loves it as much as me.

"It's a massive relief for me to score in my first two games. Coming in for a fee, there's always going to be expectation but I work hard, listen to the manager and see where it takes me.

"I'm dying for that hat-trick ball but I'll take the two."

The Imps gave notice they might not be the whipping boys many expect them to be by pushing Boro all the way.

They were unable to hold on after being given an early lead by Adam Reach and the Boro academy product said: "I left Middlesbrough as a 23-year-old lad with only fond memories, so I would never celebrate scoring against them.

"Unfortunately the goal came in a defeat but I'll reflect on it as a lovely moment. We went toe-to-toe with a team who were moments away from the Premier League last season and there are so many positives to take."

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6

D8757

PowerPIECn2

LEAGUE ONE (w/3) 2

BARRIGLEY (2) 0

ATT: 51,963

Barracere: Rosemont, Mount Michaels 7/5, Sale, East, Ala (Hughes 4/5), McNamara, Leonard (Swan 8/5), Morris, Mela, Mien (Rick 7/5, Evans). Booked: 2nd Lt. 8/5, Maracur 7/5, Dill 4/5.

Bradford: Vantage, Old, Newport, Grant, Benda (Houghton 6/4), Thompson (McNamara 4/1), Whitney (Borton 4/5), Cordon (Sunderwood, Brown), Crown (Killingham 4/5). Booked: Francis 7/5, Marabouak 5/5. Bell: Ross Martin.

BLACKPINK (1) 1

Barrac 1/1

Blackpunk: Prescott-Harrel, Williams, Casey, Ashland 5, Conway, Charles City, Brown (Bengal 2/5), Booker, Maracur 6, Charlene 7/5, Anderson, Anderson (Mariner 5/5), Assault (Blackman 5/5). Booked: Sunderwood, Bengal 4/5.

Bryceview: Roscoe, Fisher (Grennan 7/5), Taylor, Cook, Harrop, Henderson, Screven, Grandjean, Murray (Boyd-Murray 4/5), Thomas (Goldsmith 4/5), Taylor (Rick 7/5). Booked: Henderson 2/5 (Bourdeney 3/5, Harrop 4/5). Bell: Schindman (Scotchfield).

GRAPHOBO (2) 2

Gillinging 54, Powell 5

Bradford: McCarran, Pennington, Baldwin, Gillinging, MacKville, Carranza, Conway (Carmwell 2/5), Taylor, Carranza (Wolley 5/5), Lane, Craddon 4/5, Barclay (Powell 7/5). Booked: Jackson 4/5, Carranza 4/5, Phillips 4/5.

Petersborough: Sars, Servetts, Douglas, O'Connor (Wick 4/5, Wills, Lancaster, Lamar, Hicks (E1), Williams (Bengal 2/5), Philip (Carrar (Carrar 5/5), Sherbrooke, Conway). Booked: Douglas 2/5, Wick 4/5, Scott (4/5), Douglas 3/5. Bell: Terry, Harrington.

BOSTON ALBUM (1) 1

Brier 7/5

Borton, Borden, Jones, Fletcher, Group, Tilt, Huffman, Evans, Conway, Clyde (1/5), Smith, Borden, McKinnon (Rice 7/5), Borden, Davenport, Marshall, James, White, Hancaster, Taylor 7/5, Ferguson, Frenstone, Thompson (Houghton 6/4), Roberts, Earley 7/5, Phillips, Kemp, Patterson (Megewick 5/5), Reid (Garderson 6/4), Bell: Ruffin (Clyde).

CARRIGNO (4) 0/3

Ruffs 1, Appen 3/4

Scott 1/2

Cambridge (Bill, Schillman 1/2), Ruffin, Perry, Howard, Bell, Hancaster, Bradshaw (Baker 4/5), Knight (Kibler 7/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5), Ruffin (Baker 4/5).

HUDDERSFIELD (2) 1

Gordon (Houghton 4, 5), Baldwin 7/5

Huddersfield: Vantage, Borden, Brown, Brown, Evans (Crow 5/5), Brown, Ford, Latham, Norman (Cowell 4/5), Murphy, Sandton (Fernandez (Wallace 4/4), Walcher (Waldone 4/5), Taylor (Ricefina 4/5). Scott (Bill 4/5), McKell, C. Booked: Sandton (Houghton 4/4).

AFL Westchester, Stirling, Slyndham, Seaview (Grosvenor 4/3), Johnson, Tobin, Nelson (Harrison 4/3), Smith (Hendrick 7/5), Key (Jones, Mawson 4/2), Snyder, Brown (Jones (Glenfray 4/2), Booked: Houghton 7/5, Borden 7/5. Bell: Jacob (Wiles).

	P	M	S	T	A	Ph
Huddersfield	1	1	0	0	3	0
Stockport (2)	1	1	0	0	3	1
Blackfield	1	1	0	0	2	0
Luton	1	1	0	0	4	3
Cambridge (3d)	1	1	0	0	3	2
Forty-First	1	1	0	0	2	1
Manufield	1	1	0	0	2	1
Bromley	1	1	0	0	1	0
MK Dams	1	0	1	0	2	2
Oxford (3d)	1	0	1	0	2	2
Leicester	1	0	1	0	1	1
Stevenage	1	0	1	0	1	1
Worcester	1	0	1	0	1	1
Blackpool	1	0	1	0	1	1
Burton Albion	1	0	1	0	1	1
Watts County	1	0	1	0	1	1
Reading	1	0	0	1	3	4
Wigan	1	0	1	1	2	3
Dorchester	1	0	0	1	1	2
Levine Grand	1	0	0	1	1	2
Barnsley	1	0	0	1	0	1
Plymouth	1	0	0	1	1	3
Peterborough	1	0	0	1	0	2
AFL Westchester	1	0	1	1	0	3

LETTER BOURK (1)

Bree 1

Letter-Brand: Boston, Stevens (Michael 5/5), Dams, Chertick, Davison, in Brown & Company, 5, Rayton, Alexander (Glenfray 4/4), Bree, Brown, in Williams, Dams, Bates. Booked: Hayden 5/5 (Bare 4/3).

Staff 1 Bell: Langley, Fannie, Shephard, Sandton (Cryden 4/5), Lee, Hancaster, Davenport, Clyde (Hendrick 7/4), Bates, McLean, Stalley, Clyde (Borden 4/5), J. L. (Bates). Booked: Swindell, St. (Hughes 4/4). Bell: Lee (Kibler).

MARSHIELD (2)

Mets 0

Mets 1

Marsfield: Roberts, Giddings, Babe-Tracy, Seaview, Beal (Howell 7/5), Bree, Russell (Beverly 4/4), Thompson, McLaughlin (Hughes 4/4), Bates, McLean (Bates 4/4), Tilt, Booked: Bader-Tracy 5/5, Thompson 5/5.

Maryshfield: Smith, Gordon (Islandon 7/5), Parry, Michaels, Davis, Davenport, Clyde (Hendrick 7/4), Fannie, Bailey, Andrieh (van Hekker 4/5), Roy. Booked: Gordon 5/5. Bell: Fannie (Milwaukee).

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Mott's County, Nicholas, Tazmulla, Gibbons, Nery, Noreau, Laman, Cynge, Leansport (Riderman 2/5), Evans (Boyd 4/7), Tewell (Hopson 4/7), Roberts (McKnight 4/7), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Gibbons, Nery, Sutton (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5), Borden (Clyde 4/5).

BROWN (1) 2 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5, Bower 1/5 Brock 1/5

STANDARD (1) 2 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5

Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5

Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5, Stanton 1/5 Stanton 1/5

JASSEAL (2) 1 Calafion 1 Kavett 2/8 Stropped 48

MAR CITY (1) 0 ATT: 58,056

Prawns' Park, White, McKenna, Gabriel Califion (Monsfield 2), Crampton (Rice 10), Leroy (Belle, Caldwell 1/7), Reddale Cuba (6), Elmgaard (Cly 4/4), Tufts, Kevett Gardiner (5), Tufts red sand (Airtly) (Hung Bertus, Cramon, Booked: Calafion 2/8 Stropped 48

Mar City, Burlington, McKeown, Red Browns, White, Leland, No. 1, Anderson (Lee), 1/5, Novick, (Garrard) 7/5, Terennys Fisher (Dorris 4/5), Ross (Howard 4/5) Haddell (Marmond 5/5), Slate red sand Bell, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5, 4/5

CHAMPIONSHIP

WHITES (1) 2

Brock 1/5, Cannon 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5

BRIK 1/5

Brock 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5

BRIK 1/5

Brock 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5

Brock 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5

Brock 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5

BRIK 1/5

Brock 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5

BRIK 1/5

Brock 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5

BRIK 1/5

Brock 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5

BRIK 1/5

BRIK 1/5[{"box_2d": [232, 681, 310, 687], "label": "text", "caption": "Brock 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5, Green 1/5,

---

DAYS 1

7

FeverPitch

OWL TOGETHER

Fans delighted as reborn Wednesday make winning start

HAPPY HENRIK

Boss Pedersen leads the celebrations after Wednesday's victory

LEYTON OREINT 1 SHEFF WED 2

BY STEVE JUDGE SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY are a club reconnected after a season of staring into the abyss.

Seconds after seeing his new-look side win their opening league game, Owls boss Henrik Pedersen turned to the stand behind him and punched the air in triumph.

The Dane's salute was aimed at American owners David Storch and his Arise Capital Partners colleagues Michael Storch and Tom Costin.

It had already been quite a Saturday for 73-year-old

Storch. He went on the radio and revealed he wants to sign boyhood Owls fan Jamie Vardy.

By 5pm, he looked like he had just left a Vardy party as he celebrated a third straight win under his stewardship by dancing in the stands in blue- tinted shades and hair.

"We're all together, it's good," said Pedersen, revealing the owners had been in the dressing room chatting with the players before and after the game.

He could just as easily have been speaking about the vibe at Hillsborough since Arise Capital Partners' £20million takeover ended Dejphon Chansiri's reign and the EFL waived a 15-point deduction.

"Hi-ho Sheffield Wednesday"

rechoed down Leyton High Road before kick- off as Wednesdayites embraced the silver lining from one of the darkest clouds in the club's history.

Mike O'Neill, 62, a fan for 56 years, said: "I never thought there would not be a Sheffield Wednesday. The fans would not allow that to happen. The boycotts showed that and I think that is what got Chansiri out."

More than 24,000 season tickets have been sold ahead of Thursday's expected sell- out against Bradford, while the away end at Orient sold out weeks ago. Tony Patak, who has followed Wednesday

since the early 1960s, said: "Hillsborough should be a for- tress with the fanbase, the season tickets sold. So if they're giving the fans a lot of running and passion and heart, I'm sure we'll do OK."

Pedersen is keen for his players to harness the fans' 'electric' support.

He told them: "Take this en- ergy, take all the energy, and open your heart and play foot- ball from your heart, and then give back again, because they will inspire you. I promise. But we also want to inspire them."

Wednesday have brought in 13 players over the summer - an impressive rebuild given a fixed £2m ceiling on transfer and loan fees.

Top of that list was Barry Bannan, back on a free after

five months at Millwall. The 37-year-old missed an open goal after rounding Orient keeper Nathan Baxter in a 10-minute passage just past the hour which could have seen Jamal Lowe score a hat- trick.

Lowe had to make do with netting the winner from the spot after being pulled back by James Morris. It was a spell that should give Wednesday fans real hope of a quick re- turn to the Championship.

The first half probably made them fear the worst after Joseph Oluwu cancelled out Callum Slattery's (celebrating, top) opener.

But the verdict from the travelling fans was clear at full-time as they sang: "Wednesday are back".

LEAGUE ONE ROUND-UP

Russell: We have loads to learn..

BY ANITA CHAMBERS RUSSELL MARTIN admitted LEICESTER have "loads of learning to do" after they started the season with a 1-1 draw at NOTTS COUNTY.

The Foxes, Premier League champions only a decade ago, went ahead through Jayden Joseph's second-half opener in their first match since relegation from the Championship but Conor Grant struck late on for County.

Boss Martin (top) said: "There's so much to work on and much to like as well. We've got loads of learning to do and we'll be better for that, much better in fact."

BROMLEY marked their first foray into the division with a 1-0 win at BARNSLEY courtesy of substitute Victor Adeboyejo's second-half strike.

Bromley manager Andy Woodman said: "Let's see where this adventure takes us."

Jack Diamond, Kyle Wootton and Ryan Glover scored as

STOCKPORT claimed a 3-1 victory at PLYMOUTH.

Argyle boss Tom Cleverley said: "It's a really painful defeat. Everyone's hurting inside that dressing room."

Jack Marriott's first-half hat-trick was in vain as READING squandered a 3-1 lead to lose 4-3 against LUTON, with Kasey Palmer bagging a brace and Gideon Kodua scoring the winner deep into injury time.

Hatters boss Jack Wilchere hailed the "character and resilience of this group" while opposite number Leam Richardson said: "It was sickening."

Ciaron Brown rescued a 2-2 draw for relegated OXFORD against promoted MK DONS. Derenisil Sanches Fernandes' double lifted 10-man

HUDDERSFIELD to a 3-0 win over AFC WIMBLEDON and Finley Munroe came off the bench to score to help BLACKPOOL hold WYCOMBE to a 1-1 draw.

Olly Sanderson's stoppage-time goal helped STEVENAGE claim a 1-1 draw at BURTON.

CAMBRIDGE edged out WIGAN 3-2, MANSFIELD defeated

DONCASTER 2-1 and BRADFORD swept to a 2-0 win over PETERBOROUGH.

McINNES IS OFF THE MARK

SCOTS ROUND-UP

DEREK McINNES got off the mark at last at Rangers with a 5-1 Premier Sports Cup last-16 win over St Mirren at Ibrox.

Failure to win any of his first four fixtures had the Gers boss (right) under pressure. But Ryan Naderi put the hosts ahead in the ninth minute.

Goals then came from Vanja

Dragojevic, David Gassama, James Penrice and Ross McCausland. Chris Mochrie scored for the Buddies. Gers meet Celtic in the quarter-finals.

Hearts overcame a second- half wobble to book their place in the last eight with a 6-2 home win over Inverness. Hibernian saw off Partick Thistle 1-0, while Stenhousemuir beat Motherwell 1-0.

ROBBIE KISS FOR ROVERS OWNER

NON LEAGUE ROUND-UP

ROBBIE SAVAGE couldn't resist planting a kiss on Dale Vince after FOREST GREEN kept up their 100 per cent start by coming from behind to win 2-1 at WORTHING.

Boss Savage is keen to repay the faith shown in him by the Rovers owner.

The Welshman said: "Dale's got his love back for the football club and that's what I want. I know how

much it means. It can be hard to enjoy it as a manager as you have so much responsibility.

"I've got an unbelievable relationship with Dale."

Newly-promoted HORNCHURCH are one of six clubs with a perfect record after a 2-1 win at BARROW.

Pre-season promotion favourites CARLISLE are without a win after needing an injury-time equaliser to draw 1-1 at 10-man YEOVIL. Boss Rob Elliot said: "I know how good this group can be."

---

8

DRAFT

Fever Pitch

BAYER: THE BACK TO WIN

Harry double hands York boss a boost

YORK CITY BRISTOL ROVERS 1

BY JASON MELLOR

NEW York City boss Scott Lindsey hopes his first win in charge will bring a change of tune from the club's jeering supporters after victory over Bristol Rovers.

Lindsey was booed in his first game in the dugout in the 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat to former club Crawley last week following the controversial summer sacking of National League title-winner Stuart Maynard.

But Harry Boyes enjoyed a league debut to remember for the Minstermen with goals either side of sub Alex Newby's strike to seal victory in York's first game at this level for 10 years – and turn the heat down on his new manager.

Head coach Lindsey said: "This result gives us a massive boost. We were outstanding

and it's great to give the fans something to sing about. We looked a really good side and it's a really decent marker of where we are."

York were helped by some Keystone Cops defending from Rovers, who surrendered the lead by shipping three goals in 20 madcap minutes after the break to hand their opponents three points on their big EFL comeback.

Boyes, a summer signing from Southend, said: "It's a dream debut. I gave away a penalty but felt I made up for it with the two goals. It was a fun game to play in and we deservedly got the three points.

"Coming here has hopefully elevated my game and I couldn't have asked for much more. If we play like this most weeks, I fancy us to win the league. The aim is to do that and people watching us today will think we're definitely going to be right up there."

Clinton Mola's opener and

Tommy Leigh's second-half penalty weren't enough to prevent a damaging defeat for Rovers, who failed to live up to their pre-season billing among the promotion favourites.

Furious Rovers boss Steve Evans will make his gaffe-prone troops sit through an uncomfortable video analysis session and won't pull any punches when it comes to calling out those to blame after watching his side run out of gas.

And full-back Macauley Southam-Hales admits it's back to the drawing board as he expects a gruelling week on the training ground in a bid to put things right before Saturday's Severnside derby against Newport.

Southam-Hales admitted: "It's not been a great weekend. We've got to look at ourselves and do better. We'll go through the goals and pick the bones out of them and get better.

"Ultimately, we've got a lot of work to do next week."

Mullins' mob put down a marker against Dale

BY LAURA STEVENSON

NEWPORT'S new boss Hayden Mullins believes his side produced a statement win by beating promoted ROCHDALE 3-0 at home on the opening day.

Goals from summer signings Kyle Cameron and Shaquille Gwengwe put County in control at half-time and Dale's fourth-tier return went from bad to worse.

Visiting defender Bryant Bilongo was shown a second

LEAGUE TWO ROUND-UP

yellow card midway through the second period and Yahya Bamba made it 3-0 in stoppage time.

Mullins (right) said: "We know we need to make our home form really positive and wanted to lay a marker down, and we did that."

Dale's new manager Ian Watson said: "If you're a soft team in League Two you'll get

eaten up." Relegated PORT VALE, sporting pop star Robbie Williams as their new shirt sponsor, were beaten 2-0 at OLDHAM thanks to Calum Kavanagh's second-half double.

Fellow relegated sides EXETER and ROTHERHAM also suffered defeats, losing 1-0 at GRIMSBY and 2-1 at CHELTENHAM respectively. NORTHAMPTON were held 0-0 in their first game back in the fourth tier at home

against SWINDON. WALSALL won 3-0 at GILLINGHAM with late goals from Isaac Moore, James Connolly and Aaron Pressley.

And there were home wins for TRANMERE, who defeated SHREWSBURY 2-0, and BARNET, who beat SALFORD 3-1.

FLEETWOOD and CREWE notched respective 1-0 away wins at CHESTERFIELD and CRAWLEY, while COLCHESTER drew 2-2 at ACCRINGTON STANLEY.

MINSTER MASH

Harry Boyes nets for City; Ollie Pearce (left) applauds home fans

THIS WEEK'S LIVE TV FOOTBALL

TODAY: Championship: Cardiff v Wrexham, 8pm, Sky Sports.

TOMORROW: EFL Trophy group stage: Leyton Orient v Wimbledon, 7pm, Northampton v Brighton U21, 7pm, Reading v Wycombe, 7pm, Stockport v Everton U21, 7pm, Wigan v Aston Villa U21, 7pm, Barnet v Arsenal U21, 7.45pm, Sky Sports+. Champions League play-offs: Fenerbahce v Lyon, 8pm, Amazon Prime. Levski Sofia v AEK Athens, 8pm, TNT Sports.

WEDNESDAY: EFL Trophy group stage: Mansfield v Manchester City U21, 7pm, Sky Sports. Champions League play-offs: Celtic v LASK, 8pm, Dinamo Zagreb v Viking FK, 8pm, NEC Nijmegen v Bodo/Glimt, 8pm, Slovan Bratislava v Celje, 8pm, Sky Sports.

THURSDAY: League One: Sheffield Wednesday v Bradford, 8pm, Sky Sports.

FRIDAY: Premier League: Arsenal v Coventry, 8pm,

Sky Sports.

SATURDAY: Premier League: Hull v Manchester United, 12.30pm, TNT Sports. Brentford v Tottenham, 5.30pm, Sky Sports. Championship: Lincoln v Portsmouth, 12.30pm, Sky Sports. Birmingham v Bristol City, 12.30pm, Millwall v

Norwich, 12.30pm. League One: Doncaster v

Barnsley, 12.30pm, Luton v Notts County, 12.30pm. League Two: Salford v Chesterfield, 12.30pm, Walsall v Grimsby,

12.30pm, Sky Sports+. SUNDAY: Championship: West Brom v Burnley, 12pm, Sky Sports.

Premier League: Brighton v Aston Villa, 2pm, Manchester City v Bournemouth, 2pm, Newcastle v Liverpool, 4.30pm, Sky Sports.