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Tech

Skin cancer warning for outdoor workforce

by Brandon May 8, 2025
written by Brandon

A new campaign has been launched to reduce the increasing rates of skin cancer amongst outdoor workers in Devon and Cornwall.

NHS figures for 2024/25 show there were 5,728 diagnoses of the condition across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Nine out of 10 of these were non-melanoma but skin cancer still causes the deaths of around 92 people in the region every year, according to the Peninsula Cancer Alliance (PCA), which works to improve cancer outcomes in the region.

It said cancer was the leading cause of death in the South West and farmers and those working in the agriculture sector were at the highest risk of developing skin cancer.

Janet Sutton, 73, thought the scab on her forehead was an allergy

Janet Sutton, 73, farms rare breed animals at Land's End, Cornwall.

She had skin cancer removed from her forehead in December 2024.

"I stay in the shade, I don't like the heat. It was the last thing I thought I would ever get. I am a lot more careful now," Ms Sutton said.

The 73-year-old thought the scab on her forehead was an allergy. It was only when she went to see her GP about something else that the GP referred her for an appointment with dermatology.

She had the mark removed just weeks later.

"I don't hide the fact I have cancer. I find if I speak about mine, other people say, I had that. As farmers, we are very rarely in. You have to more careful."

John Sutton said he was being more careful to wear sunscreen and a hat following his wife's diagnosis.

Ms Sutton has previously had throat and breast cancer but she had been clear of cancer for five years before this recent diagnosis.

Her husband, John Sutton, 68 said: "I thought she had had enough cancers not to have anymore. I am more in the sun than she is.

"We thought the mark on her forehead was an allergy. It was getting bigger and bigger. But it was quickly sorted. They did take out a large patch of skin."

Mr Sutton said he was more careful to wear sunscreen and a hat following his wife's diagnosis.

'Significantly higher'

The new campaign will focus on raising awareness among those who work outside, with a particular emphasis on agriculture, farming, and coastal regions, where exposure to UV rays is highest, its organisers said.

NHS data shows diagnoses are significantly higher in coastal areas. Among men, it was highest in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly and Dorset.

Out of the 5,728 diagnoses in the Peninsula 2024/25, 1,950 were in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and 3,778 were in Devon (2024/25 based on the Cancer Outcomes and Services Dataset (COSD).

The PCA said teams would be attending farmers markets, cattle markets and agricultural shows until the autumn.

As part of the campaign, they will hand out reusable squeeze bottles with a carabiner to encourage the use of sunscreen.

A carabiner allows outdoor workers to clip on their shorts or trousers for ease of use and able to access while working.

May 8, 2025 0 comments
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Industry

Firefighters tackle large landfill blaze

by Danielle May 7, 2025
written by Danielle

More than 20 firefighters were called to tackle a large landfill site blaze.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to the site on Pools Road in Wilburton near Witchford at 17:58 BST on Thursday.

Crews from Ely, Chatteris, Cottenham and Soham, along with a water carrier from Ramsey, attended and worked throughout the night to extinguish the fire.

Fire inspections took place throughout Friday and an investigation into the cause is ongoing.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service
Nearby residents were urged to keep their windows and doors shut on Thursday night while the fire was ongoing
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service
A fire service investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing
May 7, 2025 0 comments
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Innovation

Striking poppy display to line city's famous pier

by Laura May 6, 2025
written by Laura

Thousands of knitted poppies are expected to turn a city's famous pier into a striking remembrance memorial.

The display will run the entire 1.33-mile (2.14km) length of Southend Pier in Essex from 5-16 November.

People have been invited to donate their creations by the end of September.

Labour city councillor Matt Dent said it would be a "truly memorable" commemoration.

The display would culminate with a "dramatic installation at the pier's selfie signpost", Southend-on-Sea City Council said.

Crafters of all skills were encouraged to get involved, with Dent hoping it would instil "a sense of civic pride".

He added: "As well as being a poignant tribute, I expect the display will give a welcome boost to tourism and visitor numbers on the pier during the quieter off-peak season."

May 6, 2025 0 comments
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Innovation

Council defends giving four litter fines in decade

by Brandon May 5, 2025
written by Brandon

Only four fines have been issued for littering by West Oxfordshire District Council in the past decade, figures obtained by the BBC have revealed.

A Freedom of Information request showed a total of 401 fixed penalty notices for the offence have been handed out by councils across Oxfordshire since 2015.

Oxford City Council gave the most at 204.

West Oxfordshire District Council said it took environmental offences "seriously" but argued fines can only be given when people are seen littering, which can "limit enforcement opportunities".

Thame Womble Tracy Adams goes litter picking at least five times a week

Liam Walker, a Conservative councillor on the council, said the low level of fines was "astonishing" but he was also shocked at the level of littering.

"It's not just about enforcement from the council… and government and police, it's all also about education – teaching people not to be throwing litter in this day and age," he said.

Councils were given powers to issue larger fines of up to £500 for littering in 2023.

Tracy Adams is part of the group Thame Wombles and does a litter pick most days, collecting as much as eight bags of rubbish at a time.

"To make an example of a few people, it just might stop others doing it," she said.

"[Littering is] just pure laziness from people."

Barbara Polonara from the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust says wildlife can easily become trapped in rubbish

The Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) warned that littering has a serious impact on nature.

Barbara Polonara, community wildlife officer, said small mammals like hedgehogs were at risk.

She said: "There's a huge issue where they get stuck in a lot of different litter, especially when they're looking for food, they can't free themselves and then they die."

When asked about the level of fines handed out, West Oxfordshire District Council said it did recognise the importance of keeping public spaces clean.

A spokesperson said: "Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for littering can only be issued when individuals are directly observed committing an offence, which can limit enforcement opportunities.

"In many cases, litter found in public areas does not include identifying information, making it difficult to take formal action."

X

May 5, 2025 0 comments
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Market

SFA bans trans women competing in women's football

by Caroline May 1, 2025
written by Caroline

The Scottish FA is updating its gender policy in order to ban transgender women competing in women's football, BBC Scotland has learned.

From next season, only those born biologically female will be allowed to take part in competitive matches in the women's game.

The current policy allows transgender women to compete in their affirmed gender category on a case-by-case basis, with testosterone levels also taken into account.

The new policy will apply to all competitive football in Scotland, including the grassroots game from under-13s and over.

However, it is understood there are currently no transgender women playing competitive football north of the border.

The revised policy was given the go-ahead at a recent board meeting but discussions aimed at updating the current guidelines had been ongoing for some time.

The final decision was taken after the recent Supreme Court ruling that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.

The SFA rule change will see the governing body bring football into line with other sports like rugby, swimming and athletics.

In England, the FA rules state that transgender women can compete in the women's game if they show low enough testosterone levels and they are assessed by a match observer.

There are 20 transgender women registered to play amateur football in England among the millions who play at that level.

May 1, 2025 0 comments
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Global Trade

Zia Yusuf returning to Reform UK two days after quitting

by Carter May 1, 2025
written by Carter

Zia Yusuf, who resigned as Reform UK chairman on Thursday, is to return to work for the party in a new role.

Yusuf will lead what the party calls its "Doge team" – which is modelled on the Department of Government Efficiency set up by US President Donald Trump.

Earlier this week, Yusuf quit the party, saying working to get it elected was no longer "a good use of my time", without expanding further.

On Saturday, Reform leader Nigel Farage told the BBC he was "delighted" Yusuf had returned to the party and that he will now take on a more public role for the party in a new role, appearing more frequently in the media.

He said: "Zia regrets what he said and did the other day. It was a combination of 11 months [of] hard work and exhaustion."

In a post on X, Yusuf said he had received a large number of messages urging him to reconsider leaving the party and explained why he quit two days ago.

"After 11 months of working as a volunteer to build a political party from scratch, with barely a single day off, my tweet was a decision born of exhaustion," he wrote.

Yusuf said he came into politics "out of belief that Nigel Farage was the man" to lead the country, adding "I believe in these things more than ever".

Before his resignation, Yusuf had criticised Sarah Pochin, who won last month's Runcorn and Helsby by-election for the party.

She urged Sir Keir Starmer to ban the burka "in the interests of public safety" during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.

Yusuf said it was "dumb for a party to ask the PM if they would do something the party itself wouldn't do". A burka ban is not Reform party policy.

Farage told the BBC that Yusuf, who is a Muslim, "gets even more racial abuse on X than ever" when Islam is discussed.

"In retrospect, he knows a lot of it is bots trying to damage Reform. It is not Reform members," he added.

"Yes, some of it is the alt-right, but there's a lot of bots. He regrets it and wants to continue working for us."

Speaking to BBC News on Saturday evening, Farage said Yusuf would have a "very clearly defined role", and that his previous workload was "way too much for anybody".

Asked whether Yusuf was burnt out, the Reform UK leader said that description would be accurate, adding: "I would credit much of the success we enjoyed on 1 May and since to his considerable efforts.

"Any discussion around Islam, terrorism, in this case the burka and he can't win.

"He is subjected to pretty vile abuse and… we're all human. He overreacted to it and he admits himself it was a mistake."

Other parties have criticised Reform over Yusuf's reappointment. Labour described it as "humiliating hokey-cokey" and the Liberal Democrats called it a game of "musical chairman".

But Farage rejected suggestions the episode showed the party was in disarray, saying "we will emerge from this much stronger".

Yusuf – a former banker who sold his tech company for more than £200m, and was previously a member of the Conservative Party – became Reform's chairman shortly after last year's general election and was seen as central to the party's operation.

The party's so-called Doge UK team, which was set up to identify spending cuts in councils the party now controls, was formally launched this week.

Further appointments by the party are also expected soon in what it described as an "expanded management structure".

A new party chairman is expected to be appointed next week and a deputy chairman will be hired too.

May 1, 2025 0 comments
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Economy

The noise battle at the heart of Real Madrid's stadium

by Madison April 30, 2025
written by Madison

Last year, tens of thousands of 'Swifties' – Taylor Swift fans – thronged Madrid to watch back-to-back concerts at the Spanish capital's famous Bernabéu stadium, home to Real Madrid, who won Europe's Champions League final less than 24 hours later, on 1 June.

The mega-concert was one of dozens of high-profile gigs staged at the newly renovated stadium in 2024 to boost the club's revenue.

But the project was short lived. In September all gigs were cancelled after residents living within earshot of the music filed a legal complaint over the noise.

Now, nine months later, Spanish pop singer Aitana is the latest artist to switch venues from the Bernabéu to the Metropolitano Stadium – home to rivals Atletico Madrid – as the court case rumbles on.

"In every concert it is exactly the same," says Enrique Martínez de Azagra, president of the neighbours' association. He and other locals say the sound from concerts like Taylor Swift's has become too much.

"It is impossible to suffer this kind of noise and it affects our health, it affects migraines, insomnia and heart attacks and it is a criminal offence in our laws," adds Enrique.

In Madrid, the noise levels measured by the neighbours exceeded 90 decibels regularly during the concerts.

Ian Marnane from the European Environment Agency says that in Europe any level of 55 decibels or above is considered to be harmful, and continued exposure can lead to increased blood pressure and cardiovascular disease such as strokes. There are also links between noise exposure and diabetes.

Enrique and his neighbours are suing Real Madrid over the noise levels from concerts

Enrique says there is a significant difference between the noise from the concerts compared with that from football matches. He and most of his neighbours have lived in the area for decades. Many of them are life-long Real Madrid supporters and are on committees that represent the interests of the club.

"Football is a sport that lasts two hours, more or less. The noise is normal. Only when there is a goal, the passion surges," says Enrique. The problem he sees with the concerts is that they spew continuously high levels of noise for long periods of hours at a time.

To reduce their exposure to these high levels of noise, Enrique and his neighbours took Real Madrid to court.

Sports journalist Felippo Maria Ricci believes they have a strong case.

"The Bernabéu is right in the heart of Madrid. The neighbours who live there have good positions and know the right people," says Felippo. "This battle for the concerts can be quite long but at the moment Real Madrid is losing this battle."

The neighbours say the city government is hesitant to resolve the issue as it benefits from the tourism and the money the concerts generate. According to local media reports, tourists coming for the Taylor Swift concerts alone spent about €25m (£21m; $28m).

Filippo says that the £1.1bn renovation to make the stadium multi-purpose was supposed to provide a huge financial boost to Real Madrid.

They also signed a contract with a US company selling the commercial rights to the stadium.

Protest banners are on display outside some apartment blocks near the stadium

"They spent a lot of money to develop a new system for the pitch, to take it off when they have the concerts," says Filippo. "Now all this new super system is quite useless, at the moment, all that money is gone."

Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons and AC/DC are among the acts playing at the rival Atlético stadium this summer.

Madrid City Council, the Mayor's office and Real Madrid have not responded to requests for comment by the BBC.

Real Madrid has previously said it is trying to sound proof the stadium. According to local reports the club hired a specialist company and windows were installed in the skywalk area.

When I put to the neighbours that Real Madrid is trying to soundproof the stadium, they chuckled. Enrique works as an engineer and thinks it is "quite impossible to soundproof the stadium".

While the Bernabéu's roof can close, the stadium is never completely closed, as there is an open gap between the roof and the facade all the way around the stadium.

The neighbours say they are not against all concerts.

"We've had concerts in the past, but once a year," says Pablo Baschwitz, a lawyer and one of the neighbours campaigning for change.

He recalls concerts with music legends such as Frank Sinatra and Julio Iglesias at the Bernabéu – but says having 20 concerts scheduled per year is just too much.

Neighbours Pablo and Luis, who live across from the stadium, measured noise levels that exceeded what is considered to be safe

From the roof terrace of one of the neighbours' flats the proximity to the stadium is plain to see.

They point to a health centre that they say struggles to accurately measure patients' blood pressure at times because the sound waves from the concerts disturb the readings in their machines.

Pablo says the concerts aren't the only problem – there are also rehearsals and sound checks during the day which disturb the local community, including schools.

Luis Jordana de Pozas lives right across from the stadium, and some of the noise measurements were taken on the outside and inside of his flat.

On his terrace overlooking the Bernabéu, he explains how newly added metal plates on the stadium's exterior have amplified the sound, and shows me recorded videos of the "unbearable" noise.

In Madrid, the facades of the houses around the stadium are lined with banners. Draped from their windows, balconies and terraces the neighbours put their protest posters on display, reading "conciertos no" (no concerts) and "ruído no" (no noise).

For now, while the case is in court, the music has stopped.

April 30, 2025 0 comments
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Global Trade

Surgeons help save sight of students shot in eyes

by Penelope April 30, 2025
written by Penelope

Surgeons from a specialist London eye hospital have helped save the sight of more than 20 Bangladeshi students who were wounded in last summer's protests in the country.

Mahi Muqit and Niaz Islam, consultant ophthalmologists at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, evaluated 150 patients aged 14 and 30 during their visit to Dhaka last month.

All patients had suffered bullet injuries to the eyes after taking part in protests organised by Students Against Discrimination in July 2024, with the majority receiving initial treatment last year.

Mr Muqit, a senior vitreoretinal consultant at Moorfields, said: "It was an honour to be invited to help these people, and an intense experience for all of us."

"It's such a privilege to be able to restore sight to people who have lived with sight loss for months," he added.

April 30, 2025 0 comments
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Business

Firefighters and member of public die in blaze at business park

by Andrea April 29, 2025
written by Andrea

People, including members of South Central Ambulance, have left floral tributes to those affected by the incident at nearby Bicester Fire Station.

Jamie Jessett, from the town, said he went to school with one of the firefighters who died, but declined to name them to the BBC.

He said the fire was "devastating", but also that it was "amazing" to see the community come together to pay their respects.

"That's what we need, especially at this moment in time," he added.

Floral tributes have been left at Bicester Fire Station

Calum Miller, MP for Bicester and Woodstock, travelled from London to the site, where he told the BBC: "I understand from the fire service that firstly they are making sure everything is secure, and then of course in the fullness of time there will be an investigation."

He added he was "devastated" and said his thoughts were with the families and friends of those who had died, and with the two firefighters in hospital.

"It's a terrible thing to have happened, and I know it's a tight-knit community who are already showing their support for those families," he said.

The MP said he was "in awe of the bravery of those who put themselves in the front line whenever there is danger".

"It's an incredible commitment, it's an incredible path of service, and it's just so tragic that two members of that community have lost their lives," he said.

PA Media
The cause of the fire is not yet known

Leader of Oxford City Council, Councillor Susan Brown described it as a "terrible reminder for us all that firefighters, as well as the other members of the emergency services, put themselves at risk on a daily basis, to protect us all. We owe them a deep debt of gratitude".

Oxford City Council has lowered the city flag, flying over Oxford Town Hall, to half-mast in tribute.

St Laurence's Church in Banbury Road, Caversfield, close to the site, said it had opened its doors "for anyone looking for a space for private prayer or for stillness and reflection" following the "tragic news".

A book of condolence has also been opened at the church, as well as at Garth House – Bicester Town Council's headquarters.

PA Media
Ten fire and rescue crews were called to tackle the blaze

April 29, 2025 0 comments
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Industry

Two men stabbed in street disturbance

by Paisley April 28, 2025
written by Paisley

Two men have been taken to hospital with stab wounds – one in a critical condition – after disorder broke out in a street.

Police were called to reports of people fighting with knives on Cobden Street, Salford, at about 02:45 BST, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

Three men, aged 27, 31 and 33, have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and remain in custody.

The force said it was an isolated incident with no wider threat to the community. A police cordon is in place while officers conduct inquiries.

The other man who was injured sustained minor injuries, GMP said.

April 28, 2025 0 comments
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