7 h. ago Stylish new homes in England for downsizers close to town – in pictures

Stylish new homes in England for downsizers close to town – in pictures  The Guardian

Politics

13 h. ago Man , 21, dies after tree falls on home while he slept as loved ones hope he is now at 'everlasting peace'

Noah Hall sadly died when a huge tree crashed through the roof above his bedroom where he was sleeping - his loved have now paid tribute saying he 'didn’t have a single evil bone in his body'

Events

27 h. ago The farm on the edge of Greater Manchester that's £5 for five people and has its own dessert parlour

There's a petting farm, adventure play and a gift shop and garden centre

Economics

28 h. ago Livingston revealed as biggest buyer of jigsaws according to charity research

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland announced today that its second-hand shop in The Centre sold an impressive 1890 jigsaws in just 12 months, helping to raise funds for its vital heart research.

Politics

52 h. ago Team behind popular Prestwich craft ale bar issues update on new location

The beer shop and bar has been trading from the Longfield centre in Prestwich since 2019

Politics

3 d. ago The mystery of the nameless girl found dead in a Spanish border town

On a summer morning in 1990, the body of a young woman appeared in a small town close to the frontier. For those who saw her, finding her identity became an obsession that would last 30 yearsNobody can recall who first phoned the police on the morning of 4 September 1990, but everyone remembers the girl. Her body, hanging from a pine tree on a steep slope above the Spanish frontier town of Portbou, was visible to anyone looking up from the beach or across from the opposite hillside. She was barefoot, with grey-blue eyes and thick chestnut-brown hair. She wore blue dungarees over a turquoise green shirt.Portbou, squeezed into a cauldron-like Mediterranean cove, had only 2,000 inhabitants but plenty of police officers. In these years before the Schengen agreement, guards were stationed on the French border but these officers were experts in immigration and smuggling, not violent deaths. Instead, Enrique Gómez, a 35-year-old investigator from the Guardia Civil police force was called i...

Events

8 d. ago Sadness as huge UK toy chain to close town centre shop in weeks

The Entertainer, which sells toys, puzzles and board games, has hung closing down sale posters in the window of its Barrow-in-Furness shop, which is set to shut for good on May 3

Politics

8 d. ago UK's biggest toy shop chain to shut high street store for good in just a few weeks

The UK's biggest toy store franchise is set to close the doors of one of its beloved high street shops forever – the cherished high street store has been described as an 'asset' to the local community

Politics

9 d. ago Iconic clothing shop in Merthyr town centre forced to close because of the costs it faced

Paula Owen said it had been a pleasure and the customers had been amazing

Economics

1 week ago ‘Indie brand’ bakery and coffee shop to open at new town centre neighbourhood

As well as a cafe, Cotton will also use the premises as a bakery to supply their Manchester outlets

Economics

1 week ago Pep Guardiola left to rue dropped points as Manchester derby ends in bore draw

Blunt and tame, this 196th ­Manchester derby was a curio that failed to ignite despite the cross-town rivalry. Towards the close, Joshua Zirkzee had the contest’s clearest opening: the No 11 swung a boot at Patrick Dorgu’s cross and connected cleanly but ­Ederson saved, cat-like, and ­Manchester City escaped; as they did, also, when a later penalty shout for Mateo ­Kovacic’s challenge on Casemiro was correctly waved away.So this finished as a non-event in the sun, with scant incident and only marginally more goalmouth action. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago I'm 'the most ticketed man in town' after being slapped with more than 300 parking fines and I haven't paid a single penny

Jeweller Richard Johnson, 77, said he had been dealt 'indescribable stress' by the endless slew of penalties while running his city centre shop for more than 40 years.

Politics

2 w. ago Dumfries and Galloway whisky firm lodges plans for new shop and visitor centre

Whiskybroker Ltd sources and supplies casks and bottles of whisky to people and businesses around the world.

Economics

2 w. ago Huge actor revealed as Labour’s choice to replace Sadiq Khan as Mayor

Huge actor revealed as Labour’s choice to replace Sadiq Khan as Mayor  Metro.co.uk

Politics

3 w. ago Advanced Emmerdale, Coronation Street and EastEnders spoilers: Sad goodbyes and huge return

Emmerdale, EastEnders and Coronation Street fans can expect big moments next month with advanced spoilers for April teasing discoveries, reconciliations and tension between characters

Politics

3 w. ago Welcome to Britain's kindest village: Volunteers run shop, library and post office, pub is locally

Residents of Trawden in Lancashire run their own community centre, pub, shop and post office and hold regular friendship meetings for the elderly in what must be Britain's kindest village.

Politics

3 w. ago ‘I was surprised how common it is’: the director of Sebastian on his controversial film about an author who enters sex work

In Sebastian, a writer sells his body to provide material for his debut novel, then doesn’t give the night job up. Mikko Mäkelä explains what inspired his film – and remembers his cinematic sexual awakeningGrowing up in a small Finnish town close to the Russian border, Mikko Mäkelä knew he was gay from the age of 11. “I think I was happy until then,” says the shy 36-year-old, whose slippery second film Sebastian is about to be released. Isolated he may have been, but at least the young Mäkelä had movies. Alone in his room, he watched queer gems such as Mysterious Skin, Presque Rien and Beautiful Thing, keeping the volume low in case his parents heard. Then a trip to the cinema to see Brokeback Mountain changed everything.“When I got home, they asked me, ‘Did you like that film?’ They had read about it and wanted to make sure I wasn’t like the characters. That was the night I ended up coming out to them.” He didn’t stay in Finland much longer, movingNottingham to attend university. “...

Culture

3 w. ago City centre shop slapped with fine as inspectors find 'active rat infestation'

During their probe, Environmental Health Officers discovered Castle Street Discount Stores was not maintained to an acceptable standard - and there was an active rat infestation

Politics

3 w. ago New Mumbles' sea defence scheme to provide huge boost for businesses

The new arrivals range from a health and fitness centre to a contemporary outdoor lifestyle shop to a travel agency

Politics

3 w. ago Time Travel is Dangerous review – likable mockumentary is Back to the Future meets Bargain Hunt

Real-life vintage shop owners Ruth Syratt and Megan Stevenson raid the past for sellable trinkets in this charmingly funny, quintessentially British comedyHere is a very silly and very likable British mockumentary, one that – like Ruth and Megan, the two real-life Muswell Hill vintage-shop mavens at its centre – lovingly mixes and matches multifarious styles. Director and co-writer Chris Reading adopts a little The Office deadpan, some Shaun of the Dead bathos, a heap of Terry Gilliam, and even shoplifts a shot from Wes Anderson. If the resulting low-budget assemblage still bears these nametags and has the odd stray thread showing, it also has a persistent charm of its own.The ChaChaCha vintage emporium (which really exists) is limping along until owners Ruth (Ruth Syratt) and Megan (Megan Stevenson) stumble on a time machine in the form of a souped-up bumper car – and thus an infinite supply of merchandise from whichever epoch they desire. It transpires the gizmo was invented by Ra...

Politics