Tributes have been paid to a Haydock man who was found dead near a seaside resort hotel while on a weekend away with his girlfriend.
Ralph Leyland, 36, was found outside the Grand Hotel in Scarborough suffering from various injuries and later died.
Three men were later arrested in connection with the dad-of-one’s death but have since been released on police bail.
Mr Leyland, a residential care worker, was a popular figure in amateur rugby union circles and played for Ruskin Park for several years before an eye injury forced him to hang up his boots.
The former Haydock High pupil was also a keen cyclist.
A club spokesman said: “Ralph was an ever present personality in the late 90s, and part of the now legendary undefeated Terry Price third team, through to the mid 00s; unfortunately an eye injury and real life halted his first team rugby.
“Ralph was a consistent, passionate supporter of the club and attended many a game, went on many a tour and end of season presentation!
“Most recently, Ralph had dusted off his boots and played in several charity games.
“This basically summed him up!
“Ruskin Park was a massive part of his life and his memory will live on in every future game played, we will do you proud!”
Others took to social media to pay their own, personal tribute.
Mark Crellin wrote: “Ralph, you were more than a friend to me, you were like a brother. I will never forget you and I miss you every second of the day, you were the life and soul of the party, a funny, caring guy with a massive heart of gold.”
Simon Taylor Ralph added: “We were fortunate to become friends over 20 years ago and had some great times. I am still in deep shock and will miss you every day. You were like a little brother.”
Rachel Heyes said: “What a funny, lovely, likeable person; always a laugh to be had with Ralph.”
Geoff Parr added: “Spent a lot of time with Ralph and his family down at Ruskin as a kid and he was a wonderful lad.
“My thoughts are with his family and close friends. RIP Ralf. A true gent
Mr Leyland leaves his six-year-old son Charlie.
His funeral took place at St Helens Crematorium, while an inquest has been opened and adjourned in the North Yorkshire town.
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Tributes have been paid to a Haydock man who was found dead near a seaside resort hotel while on a weekend away with his girlfriend.


An exotic island lying in the glittering Arabian Sea, spotless white beaches and acres of lush coconut groves…
Sounds like the perfect place for a getaway, but gorgeous Lace Island is awash with dark secrets and lies that bind together two women from two generations, destined to meet on a dramatic and emotional collision course.
Make room in your holiday luggage this summer for Joanna Rees’ sizzling tale of romance, adventure, intrigue and betrayal inspired by a family holiday to Kerala, a state on India’s tropical Malabar Coast, famed for its stunning palm-lined beaches and abundant wildlife.
Brimming with glitz, glamour and some hard-hitting grit, The Girl from Lace Island sweeps readers away to some of the world’s most seductive locations whilst delivering a captivating story about two lives mysteriously linked to a faraway island.
In 1989, fun-loving fourteen-year-old Leila could not be happier. She has grown up on Lace Island, an exotic location which was inherited by her mother Bibi. Leila lives in the old plantation house with her mother and stepfather Chan, and spends her days in the company of local boy Rasa.
Near the beach are Bibi’s luxury bungalows where super-rich, and often famous, guests fly in to spend relaxing, private holidays away from intrusive camera lenses and where no behaviour or demand is deemed too outrageous.
But Leila’s idyllic life comes to an abrupt end when her mother is persuaded by one of her guests to send her daughter away for an education at a cold English boarding school. The teenager feels friendless, bullied and too foreign to ever fit in and soon she’s desperate to get back to her family and her beloved island.
But in her absence, Leila’s paradise has changed beyond all recognition and the life she once adored is now just a memory. Worse still, everyone and everything she loves is in terrible danger.
In 2016, Jess has spent her childhood in orphanages and lives in a depressing tower block in south London. She does kickboxing to channel her inner anger and dreams of far-off places, of white sandy beaches and warm tropical seas.
When Jess gets her longed-for job as airline cabin crew, all those dreams suddenly appear to be coming true, especially when she is swept off her feet by the handsome and charismatic millionaire Blaise who is a first class passenger on a long-haul flight to Miami.
But Jess has a troubled past, and her present is about to become complicated and dangerous when Blaise asks her to marry him.
These two women, both of their lives scarred by disaster and betrayal, will set out on a mission to discover the truth about Lace Island, but will their search for paradise be a price too high to pay?
Rees, a bestselling author who teaches creative writing in schools and libraries, works her trademark escapist magic in this addictive, fast-paced story which is perfectly formed and carefully crafted for sun loungers everywhere.
Sit back and enjoy…
(Pan, paperback, £7.99)

Book review: The Girl from Lace Island by Joanna Rees


An exotic island lying in the glittering Arabian Sea, spotless white beaches and acres of lush coconut groves…


Sobering political reality trumps blood-saturated fiction in the third instalment of James DeMonaco’s horror series, set in a dystopian America which has legalised murder for 12 hours every March to sate the population’s bloodlust and reduce crime levels for the rest of the year.
The original film, released in 2013, was a guilty pleasure fusing nail-biting tension with explosions of shocking violence.
A gruesome follow-up, The Purge Anarchy, fell short of expectations and now The Purge: Election Year polls a similarly lukewarm response by attempting to skewer the American political establishment.
Unfortunately, the real-life horror show of the 2016 race for the White House - a contest dripping with bile and intolerance - is far more disturbing than anything writer-director DeMonaco can conjure on screen for his beleaguered characters as they attempt to survive another night of wanton slaughter.
A potentially delicious subplot - the influx of murder tourists, who travel to America on Purge night to commit unspeakable crimes that are forbidden in their own countries - is undernourished and goes nowhere.
Eighteen years after her entire family was slaughtered on Purge night, Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) is poised to narrowly win the 2022 Presidential election by campaigning on a promise to end the annual cull.
Her rival, Minister Edwidge Owens (Kyle Secor), is a firm believer in the Purge and has the full backing of the New Founding Fathers (NFF), the shadowy political hierarchy led by Caleb Warrens (Raymond J Barry).
These men and women in tailored suits are distressed by the possibility of Roan winning over the electorate and they plot to eliminate her.
“We are going to use this year’s Purge to do some spring cleaning gentlemen!” snarls Warrens, who masterminds a scheme to undermine the security measures put in place by the Senator’s trusted bodyguard and protector, Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo).
Meanwhile, as the 7pm siren to signal the start of the Purge approaches, hard-working shop owner Joe Dickson (Mykelti Williamson) and his assistant Marcos (Joseph Julian Soria) have an ill-fated run-in with two thieving schoolgirls (Brittany Mirabile, Juani Feliz) that they might regret when the blood-letting begins in earnest.
The Purge: Election Year is one hack ‘n’ slash too far for DeMonaco’s neat premise.
Plotting is flimsy and characters are thinly sketched, so we don’t have a strong emotional attachment to them.
Williamson provides comic relief to dissipate tension, almost putting a bullet in the head of one friend, who creeps up on him.
“Good Lord! It’s Purge night. You don’t sneak up on black people!” he shrieks.
Fans of earlier films will get their kicks from the gory set pieces but the lack of new ideas and directorial verve is palpable.
It’s time for a complete reshuffle behind the cameras.
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Sobering political reality trumps blood-saturated fiction in the third instalment of James DeMonaco’s horror series, set in a dystopian America which has legalised murder for 12 hours every March to sate the population’s bloodlust and reduce crime levels for the rest of the year.


The Purge: Election Year - One hack ‘n’ slash too far


Millions of people are looking forward to the return of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing - especially actor Carley Stenson.
The star, who grew up in Billinge, will be supporting her fiance Danny Mac, who has been named as one of the competitors in this year’s show.
On social networking website Twitter, she posted: “Well looks like me and the mother in law will have to go shopping #Strictly any excuse eh!! #fashion #whattowear eek!!”
The couple have been dating for five years and announced their engagement earlier this year.
They have both starred in Channel Four soap Hollyoaks, with Danny playing Dodger Savage and Carley portraying Steph Cunningham.
Danny has already started preparing for the challenge.
He shared a photograph online showing him wearing a sequined top and tweeted: “It’s all kicking off & It’s safe to say i’m jumping in head, chest & sequins first! @bbcstrictly…”
He will strut his stuff in the popular dance competition alongside well-known faces including Olympic long jumper Greg Rutherford, actor Lesley Joseph, former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and singers Will Young and Anastacia.
The launch show will be on BBC1 on Saturday, September 3 when the 15 celebrity contestants will discover which professional dancer they will be paired with.
They will dance throughout the series for a panel of judges and members of the public can take part in a phone vote.
Carley was in Hollyoaks for 10 years before her character Steph Cunningham was killed off in a fire in 2010.
She has since had lead roles in West End musicals Legally Blonde, Shrek and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
This summer she starred in Some Girl(s) at the Park Theatre in London and in BBC1’s Holby City.
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Millions of people are looking forward to the return of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing - especially actor Carley Stenson.


Trapped in a marriage to an abusive, violent police officer, battered wife Joanna West has no one to turn to… until a stranger offering help walks into her life.
For the first time in years, Joanna and her young daughter have the chance to flee, but can you ever really escape from a brutal, vengeful husband?
Moved and inspired by the testaments of abused wives, former journalist Tamara Dietrich tackles the scourge of domestic violence head on in a highly original and powerfully imagined debut novel which melds menace with paranormal magic.
The Hummingbird’s Cage, a hard-hitting, page-turning thriller with an intriguingly soft middle, almost defies genre as Dietrich weaves seamlessly between gut-wrenching cruelty and spiritual sublimity in a tale of hope, despair and redemption.
Everyone in Wheeler, New Mexico, thinks that Joanna West leads the perfect life. She is married to Jim, the dashing deputy sheriff of McGill County, and has a beautiful seven-year-old daughter, Laurel.
But the truth is that Joanna is married to a monster who regularly beats her, subjects her to verbal and mental abuse and has isolated her from the people who live around her. Once upon a time she would have challenged him but now every time Joanna cries, ‘more of me washes away.’
Ten years ago, Joanna was swept off her feet by handsome Jim, her head turned by his uniform and ‘bad-boy grin’ but now she is trapped in a violent marriage and, with a young child to care for, escape seems impossible.
But then Bernadette, Jim’s feisty biker chick ex-girlfriend, turns up with an escape route. On the run, Joanna and Laurel stumble upon Morro, a charming and magical village that seems to exist out of time and place.
Farmer Olin Farnsworth and his wife Jessie offer her sanctuary and soon, between the comfort of her new home and blossoming friendships, Joanna’s soul begins to heal, easing the wounds of a decade of abuse.
But her past – and her husband – aren’t so easy to escape. Unwilling to live in fear any longer, Joanna must summon a strength she never knew she had to fight back and forge a new life for her daughter and herself....
Dietrich delivers a clever and compelling first novel, conjuring up a mysterious but idyllic town suspended somewhere between reality and fantasy, and juxtaposing this haven of peace with the terrifying threats that lie behind and beyond.
To read The Hummingbird’s Cage is to experience high emotion and high drama and to understand the visceral realities of domestic violence, but there is also the opportunity to marvel at the power of love and hope, and to rejoice at the human capacity to reach out and find redemption.
A heartbreaking tale written with insight, beauty and honesty…
(Orion, paperback, £7.99)

Book review: The Hummingbird’s Cage by Tamara Dietrich


Trapped in a marriage to an abusive, violent police officer, battered wife Joanna West has no one to turn to… until a stranger offering help walks into her life.


The RSPCA has been flooded with offers to adopt a pup dumped in a Leigh supermarket carpark.
Lilian, who is only a few weeks old, was found dehydrated in a cat carrier outside Tesco store earlier this month.
The charity has been nursing her back to health and she is currently with a foster carer.
The Evening Post has received a number of inquiries since the story appeared on our wigantoday site and the RSPCA said today: “We are grateful for the interest but Lilian is not quite well enough yet. We will ask for adoption offers when she is a little stronger.”
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The RSPCA has been flooded with offers to adopt a pup dumped in a Leigh supermarket carpark.


RSPCA says abandoned Lilian will be up for adoption - but not yet


Wigan’s MP Lisa Nandy has criticised the Tory government after the extent of potential cuts to the NHS were revealed.
Campaign group 38 Degrees has released the results of an investigation it conducted into what it calls “secret plans to change our NHS” by reviewing publicly available documents on sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) which have been produced for each area.
The group said its investigation shows a swathe of proposed changes to frontline services, including A&E closures and cuts to hospital beds.
It says that according to an STP about Greater Manchester, made public in 2015, the health authorities needs to make £2b of savings before 2021 and have been given “significant savings targets for frontline services”.
These include plans to centralise mental health, pathology and radiology but it is unclear whether any local services will close.
Earlier this year health leaders around the country were tasked with planning how they will deliver a “sustainable and transformed” health service to improve quality of care and NHS finances. But health experts have warned that this could lead to a “glut” of hospital services being shut down.
Ms Nandy said: “These plans would be a devastating blow to NHS services which are already feeling the strain from six years of mismanagement under the Tories.
“If the Government pushes ahead with these proposals to close hospital wards, reduce bed numbers and downgrade A&E services, it will be a betrayal of the British people.
“It proves once and for all that, despite all of their rhetoric, you simply cannot trust the Tories with the NHS.”
A NHS England spokesman told the BBC that it is not a secret that the NHS is looking to make major efficiencies and that the best way of doing so is for in consultation with local communities.
They also emphasised that the proposals are at a draft stage and no changes to the services people currently receive would be made without local engagement.
The report also suggests changes could be made to the care provided by GPs but Dr Tim Dalton, Local GP and Chair of NHS Wigan Borough CCG, said they have been working on making changes since 2013.
He said: “Currently, we have a lot of GP practices offering high quality care, but the system is unsustainable as there aren’t enough doctors and nurses. We are working with our practices to develop new ways of delivering traditional GP services.
“We are encouraging practices to work more closely together to make services more efficient and to enable them to offer more services.”
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Wigan’s MP Lisa Nandy has criticised the Tory government after the extent of potential cuts to the NHS were revealed.


Wigan borough’s constituency Labour parties will find out next month if they are facing boundary changes ahead of the 2020 general election.
Review proposals are set to be released in September but analysis of the likely impact has found a vast majority of Labour seats will be affected in some way.
This could mean up to 30 Labour seats disappearing altogether, according to a review by Tory peer Lord Hayward.
The changes, pushed through by former Prime Minister David Cameron, propose a cut the number of MPs by 50 to 600 to create seats with similar numbers of constituents.
More Labour seats are thought to be under threat with the review suggesting the party is currently over-represented.
This has led to claims of “gerrymandering” from those within Jeremy Corbyn’s party.
Previous boundary change proposals in 2010 would have seen the Leigh constituency carved up along with neighbouring Salford and Eccles.
Those plans were ditched but speculation remains that Leigh could be significantly impacted in the current plans.
Lord Hayward’s figures suggest that of the 50 seats that disappear, the Conservatives will lose between 10 to 15, which is 4.5 per cent of their total but Labour is on track to lose between 25 and 30, some 13 per cent of their current representation.
Some constituencies could turn from safe Labour seats to marginal ones, it adds.
The impact on Labour could be especially painful, as critics of Jeremy Corbyn face the prospect of reselection processes for the revised constituencies.
Labour’s work on the boundary review has been led by Dame Rosie Winterton, the chief whip, and her spokesman said the analysis was fresh evidence the policy was a “partisan” move to benefit the Tories.
The Opposition urged Prime Minister Theresa May to abandon the plan, arguing that the imminent loss of 73 MEPs as a result of Brexit would heap extra work on MPs.
Labour also highlighted the surge in numbers on the electoral roll as a result of the EU referendum, resulting in an extra two million registered voters who were not factored in to the boundary review.
A spokesperson for Dame Rosie said: “The Tories’ plan to arbitrarily reduce the number of elected Members of Parliament by 50 had always been under the guise of reducing the cost of politics, even whilst they continued to cram the Lords at taxpayers’ expense.
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Wigan borough’s constituency Labour parties will find out next month if they are facing boundary changes ahead of the 2020 general election.


Reading isn’t boring this summer with an exciting collection of children’s books to suit every age and every taste.
Age 10 plus:
Rose in the Blitz by Rebecca Stevens
London in the midst of the terrifying Blitz bombing raids must be an unimaginable place for a generation of children so removed from the war years.
But in a moving, atmospheric and heartbreaking story, set in the war-ravaged capital, acclaimed author Rebecca Stevens sweeps youngsters away to the sights, sounds and ever-present dangers of life in 1940s England.
Rose in the Blitz stars the same time-travelling teenager whose First World War adventures in Stevens’ novel Valentine Joe won the hearts and minds of readers and critics last year. In this engrossing sequel, inspired by the author’s own family history, Rose faces fresh perils and a desperate race against time to save a precious life.In present day London, it’s the night
before Rose’s mum re-marries. Rose can’t sleep for worrying and nor can her confused and elderly great-aunt Rosemary, known to one and all as Aunt Cosy. Rose sees the old lady leaving the house still in her dressing-gown and follows her through the darkness to the London Underground and on to an old, musty-smelling empty train.
Their train stops at her home station, Clapham South, but this isn’t the world as Rosie knows it, it’s the world as Aunty Cosy knew it… war-torn London in 1940, full of strangers and broken by the Blitz. Catapulted down Aunt Cosy’s memory lane and into the past, Rose witnesses a great romance and a heartfelt sacrifice, but a terrible tragedy is about to unfold… unless she can change what happens next.
Exciting, poignant, rich in colour and period detail, Rose in the Blitz combines a thrilling, fast-paced time-slip story with a thought-provoking exploration of family, the power of love and the importance of shared memories.
(Chicken House, paperback, £6.99)
Young Adult:
Eden Summer by Liz Flanagan
Prepare to shed tears as Liz Flanagan plays a blinder in this stunning debut novel set amidst the rolling hills and valleys of Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire.
Inspired by her own experiences of loss, Flanagan weaves a beautiful, heart-rending tale about a teenage girl whose friend goes missing, forcing her to look back over the events, secrets and traumas that have brought her to this hard place.
‘My mind will not accept the possibility that Eden could be dead, now or ever. The end. Nothing. No. My best friend is too alive. Too everything. She can’t just disappear… What the hell happens to me, without her?’
It starts like any other day for Goth girl Jess… get up, plaster on black eyeliner, cover up tattoos and head to school. But soon it’s clear this is going to be no ordinary day because Jess’s best friend, the beautiful, popular Eden, isn’t at school. Eden has gone missing.
Jess knows she has to do everything in her power to try to find Eden before the unthinkable happens. So she starts to retrace their steps, looking back over the summer she and Eden have just spent together. She starts to notice new things. She starts to question hidden truths and everything she thought Eden’s summer had been about...
The rugged, awe-inspiring countryside of West Yorkshire plays a starring role in this tense, highly-charged journey through adolescent friendship, loss, betrayal, bullying, tragedy and self-discovery.
A powerful, gripping debut from a talented new author…
(David Fickling Books, hardback, £10.99)
Age 10 plus:
Black Powder by Ally Sherrick
Guy Fawkes, a country awash with religious strife, a plot to assassinate King James I of England… no youngster will be able to resist this rip-roaring adventure, packed full of explosive action, real history, and barrels of gunpowder!
Debut author Ally Sherrick blends fact and fiction to brilliant effect in an enthralling tale which delivers an edge-of-the seat thriller as well as recreating real events leading up to the infamous 17th century Gunpowder Plot, still remembered every year on Bonfire Night.
It’s England in 1605 and 12-year-old Catholic boy Tom Garnett must use all his wits and his courage to save his father from hanging. He falls in with a mysterious stranger, known as the Falcon, who promises to help him in exchange for his service. But on the long journey to London, Tom discovers the Falcon’s true mission… a plot to blow up Parliament with barrels of black powder. Tom faces a terrible decision. Should he secure his father’s release, or stop the assassination of the king?
Sherrick’s exciting novel provides a fascinating English history lesson while exploring important themes like faith, family, loyalty and trust in times of persecution and suffering.
A brilliant adventure guaranteed to set alight young imaginations…
(Chicken House, paperback, £6.99)
Age 10 plus:
The Secret Cooking Club by Laurel Remington
What do you get when you mix three cups of friendship, a spoonful of toe-curling mum and a sprinkle of first love? A deliciously warm and appetising debut novel cooked up by lawyer-cum-author Laurel Remington!
Tickle your taste buds for the new TV series of The Great British Bake Off, starting on August 24, with a very modern and very satisfying tale of a one girl’s journey to find happiness.
Twelve-year-old Scarlett is the star and victim of her mum’s popular blog and as the butt of many school jokes, she is always eager to stay firmly out of the spotlight. But one evening, she finds a gorgeous kitchen in the house next door, left empty by an elderly neighbour who has had to go into hospital.
As Scarlett bakes behind the kitchen’s closed door, she starts to transform her life, discovering new friends and forming the Secret Cooking Club. But can she fix her family problems, seal her friendships and find the mysterious secret ingredient?
Brimming with warmth, humanity and the magic ingredient of love, this is a beautiful and sensitively written novel, perfect for aspiring young cooks and readers from the internet generation.
(Chicken House, paperback, £6.99)
Age 8 plus:
The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol
There’s magic aplenty in this sparkling novel featuring a trainee witch whose failed ‘spelling’ tests leave her lost for words… and without the bright silver star of a successful apprentice.
Packed with warmth and humanity, and starring a bewitching young witch called Arianwyn, James Nicol’s fantasy adventure is a joy to read and perfect for all Harry Potter fans.
When 15-year-old trainee witch Arianwyn fluffs her final assessment, she is awarded only the dull bronze disc of an apprentice… to the glee of her arch-rival Gimma. Informed by the Civil Witchcraft Authority that she has not yet reached the full maturity of her powers, Arianwyn is sent to protect the remote, dreary town of Lull. But her new life proves far from boring.
It turns out that Gimma is the pompous mayor’s favourite niece and, worse, she opens a magical rift in the nearby forest. As Arianwyn struggles with her spells and a mysterious darkness starts to cast a shadow, it’s soon clear there is much more than her pride at stake... it’s up to Arianwyn to save the town!
Nicol handles serious themes like low self-esteem and discovering self-belief with the lightest of touches in a clever, wise and timeless tale which speaks loudly to children of all ages.
(Chicken House, paperback, £6.99)
Age 7-11:
It’s Not Fine to Sit on a Porcupine by Neal Zetter
‘Here comes a man
With a pen in his hand
Rhythms and rhymes at his command
To build a sandcastle
You need sand
But who’d you need to write a poem?
Mister Poetry Man’
Enjoy the rhythm and the rhyme with ‘Mister Poetry Man’ Neal Zetter in this wacky, wonderful collection of funny, quirky poems.
London-based comedy performance poet Zetter is well known for using poetry writing and performance to develop literacy, confidence, self-expression, creativity and presentation skills in three to 103-year-olds, regularly entertaining audiences in schools, comedy clubs, theatres, pubs and music venues.
And he certainly works his rappy, happy poetic magic here with nearly fifty comical poems, all designed to be read aloud and shared, and brought to life by Rory Walker’s hilarious black and white cartoons.
Youngsters will be joining in to the mood music as they meet everything from robot teachers, aliens, shoelaces and orangutans to a bungee-jumping grandad, a killer dog, soap and even the zany letter Z.
Take pity on a bored superhero, take off with an angry shopping trolley, marvel at a mammoth on the underground and crack out laughing at the world’s worst toilet.
Perfect for entertaining school classes or to be enjoyed by all the family at home…
(Troika Books, paperback, £6.99)
Age 5 plus:
Furry Friends: Sophie’s Squeaky Surprise by Holly Webb
Young readers will be dancing for joy when they meet the cutest, cuddliest ballet dancer on the block… a tutu-wearing guinea pig!
Madcap little Josephine is the shining star of Furry Friends, a gorgeous, warm-hearted new series from the animal magician of children’s books, Holly Webb, and talented illustrator Clare Elsom.
Poor Sophie isn’t happy about moving to a strange new country and starting at a new school where she can’t seem to make any real friends. She’s lonely in Paris and missing her cat
Oscar who has been left behind with Grandma. But then she meets Josephine, a macaroon-eating, tutu-wearing guinea pig who lives with her furry friends and family underneath the city’s famous Sacré Coeur church.
Their existence is a big secret and one that Sophie must keep as she discovers that Josephine is the best friend she has been looking for. Soon Josephine is showing Sophie that living in a new place is exciting and being friends with a guinea pig is the best adventure of all.
Comical, reassuring and packed with high-energy fun and action, Sophie and Josephine’s extravagant exploits look set to run and run…
(Scholastic, paperback, £4.99)
Age 3 plus:
Bocchi & Pocchi’s Big Surprise by Noriko Matsubara
Bocchi and Pocchi, two close-knit sock friends, have become a shoo-in success for inventive picture book author and illustrator Noriko Matsubara.
This is the third outing for the woolly playmates whose footloose adventures were inspired by Matsubara’s childhood in Japan when she would sit and watch her grandmother darn socks and make up stories.
Here we find Bocchi and Pocchi more than a little surprised to find a caterpillar on their table one morning… and enjoying a cabbage for breakfast! They try to persuade Caterpillar that sandwiches or ice cream would be far tastier but he assures them he’s happy to eat cabbage for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Very soon the three of them are firm friends so when Caterpillar disappears one morning Bocchi and Pocchi are very worried. Grandma Mouse reassures them that all will be well and sure enough Caterpillar reappears with yet another surprise for his friends… he’s a butterfly!
Matsubara’s delightful story, packed with her colourful, eye-catching illustrations, includes a charming little musical sing-along celebration of Twirly Socks at the end of the book.
You can bet your boots that this lovable pair of socks will be back…
(Troika Books, paperback, £6.99)
Age 2 plus:
How to Find a Friend by Maria S. Costa
Friendship is all mapped out in this enchanting debut picture book story which shows two ways of looking at the world.
Little ones will delight in author and illustrator Maria S. Costa’s ingenious visual dual narrative which features two woodland animals looking for a new friend… in all the wrong places.
When Rabbit moves into his new burrow and Squirrel moves into her new treehouse, they would both love to bump into a friend. But will that ever happen when they are too busy to notice what is just above or beneath them? Are they destined to keep on missing each other by a whisker?
Children can follow Rabbit and Squirrel’s hit-and-miss search for friendship on a special story map at the front and back of the book and along the way enjoy all the excitement of those ‘it’s behind you’ pantomime moments as they head off on a comical crash course with the help of two little bugs.
Costa’s funny, tender story features her distinctive linocut illustrations which use a limited palette of bright Mediterranean colours and mix digital and traditional techniques.
Fun, friendship… and a first lesson in irony!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £6.99)
Age 2 plus:
The Way to Outer Space by Jay Eunji Lee
Young imaginations can take flight in this inspirational and creative picture book from author and illustrator Jay Eunji Lee.
Committed to producing books which include activities to inspire creative play, Lee’s quirky space travel extravaganza provides lots of ideas, illustrations and templates to build a model rocket, draw alien friends and make beautiful origami stars.
Feeling bored at home one evening, Em receives a mysterious parcel with instructions for building her very own space rocket. By harnessing the power of her imagination (and with the help of two loo rolls and some sticky-back plastic), she builds a magnificent rocket. After climbing aboard with her pet cat as her trusty sidekick, Em zooms off through the solar system to a mysterious faraway planet where the inhabitants desperately need her help to survive.
The Way to Outer Space, with its exciting story and simple craft activities, is the perfect way to inspire your child’s imagination and send their creative powers into orbit.
The sky’s the limit for your budding artists and aspiring little space travellers!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £6.99)
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Reading isn’t boring this summer with an exciting collection of children’s books to suit every age and every taste.


Book review: Wartime drama, a gunpowder plot and a trainee witch


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A teenaged boy hit by a car on the M6 yesterday is in a critical condition.
Police said the boy appeared to run onto the carriageway on the Southbound M6 at Charnock Richard services at 1.45pm, and was involved in a collision with a Jaguar XF.
Traffic backed up near the scene of the incident
He suffered serious injuries and was taken by air ambulance to Alder Hey Hospital where his condition is described as critical.
His family are being supported.
The motorway was closed for about four hours yesterday (Tuesday).
Sgt Lee Campbell, of the Road Policing Unit, said: “This was a serious collision which has left a boy with life threatening injuries. I would appeal for anyone who saw what happened, and who hasn’t already spoken to the police, to get in touch with us.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting log number 0776 of Tuesday, August 30th.
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A teenaged boy hit by a car on the M6 yesterday is in a critical condition.


Teenager fighting for life after M6 collision


The grieving parents of a domestic violence victim say they are expecting a call they dread “any day now”.
Trevor and Sheila Fairhurst are bracing themselves for news of killer Darren Pilkington’s parole hearing, which could see him back on the streets within weeks.
Carly Fairhurst
A decade ago Pilkington, who was then dating their 19-year-old daughter Carly, pushed her downstairs at a house they were minding and left her for dead.
The critically injured Hindley teenager was on a life support system for several days before losing her battle for life.
Pilkington, now, 33, became one of the first people in British legal history to admit to two separate cases of manslaughter. He was serving a jail term for his part in the death of Hindley man Paul Akister when he first became close to Carly.
He has already served many years over his original minimum tariff, and could in fact have already been released had there not been an incident at an open prison when he was not found to be in his cell.
He was thereafter returned to a higher category jail and the system decrees that he will not return to a lower category one before release.
Mr and Mrs Fairhurst have been waiting for months to discover when the all-important parole hearing will be, when a panel will decide whether he needs to stay behind bars longer or be released on licence.
Mr Fairhurst said: “It has been an anxious wait. It’s odd because no news is good news – the longer he stays behind bars the better. But we are also waiting for the news of the hearing and it can’t be long now.
“I imagine that during the summer break it is difficult to get everyone together for consultation on his fitness to be released. You need the prison governor, a senior probation official, a representative of the Secretary of State and police.
“He is past his tariff and, since that incident at the open prison, he seems to have played the system so he could well be released. It is a worry.”
If Pilkington is allowed out there will be very strict licence terms imposed. These are likely to include not entering Greater Manchester for at least 10 years. He will also be in a hostel where he will be tested for drugs and alcohol every evening and, of course, he must make no attempt to contact the Fairhursts.
Any breach of these conditions and he will find himself back behind bars.
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The grieving parents of a domestic violence victim say they are expecting a call they dread “any day now”.


Family’s dread over killer’s release bid


Householders are being asked what they think about Wigan Council.
A survey asking a range of questions about the local authority’s services is being sent out to 4,250 homes across the borough.
It is an important piece of research for the town hall and bosses say that the results will help to shape services in the future.
As part of The Deal, the council has committed to “listen, be open and honest”.
The Deal is now well known as the informal contract between the authority and residents and it includes a commitment for both sides to work together to make Wigan borough a better place.
The survey has been directly sent to a representative sample of residents to fill in.
Everyone who completes the survey will be entered into a draw to win an iPad.
The questions cover topics such as recycling, roads and anti-social behaviour.
The survey is being carried on the council’s behalf by independent research agency Ipsos MORI.
A similar survey was sent out to homes in 2014.
The results then found that most residents love living in the borough, with three quarters of them saying they were satisfied with where they live and 71 per cent saying they felt like they “belonged” to their neighbourhood.
Coun Terry Halliwell, cabinet member for service transformation at Wigan Council, said: “It’s really important residents tell us what they think about the services we provide.
“Their views will help us to make vital decisions in the future and will ensure we’re delivering the best service possible.”
The survey takes just 15 minutes to complete and should be returned by a deadline of October 21.
The 2014 headline results were as follows:
l 62 per cent of residents said they were satisfied with Wigan Council - a 21 per cent improvement on the survey carried out in 2008;
l 75 per cent of residents said they were satisfied with their local area; and
l 71 per cent feel they ‘belong’ to their neighbourhood.
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Householders are being asked what they think about Wigan Council.


Town hall consults residents on what they think of its services


Travis Burns will join the Wynnum Manly Seagulls next season.
Currently on loan at Leigh Centurions, the half back believes it is the right time to return home.
“It is the right time to move back home and take up a new challenge,” he said. “My wife and kids have followed me followed me around Australia and the UK for several years and now it’s time to put them first.
“I’d like to thank the Saints fans for their fantastic support – alongside Mike Rush and Eamonn McManus who have supported me and my family.
“Nothing was too much trouble for them and for that I am most appreciative.
“Naturally, it is a shame it didn’t work out at Saints but that is how rugby league goes sometimes and I am grateful for the opportunity.
“I’d like to wish the club all the best for the rest of this season and the future.”
Burns moved to Saints on a three-year contract from Hull KR for the 2015 season.
He played 34 times for the club, scoring 72 points.
Saints CEO Mike Rush added: “We’d like to wish Travis all the best for the rest of 2016 with the Centurions and with the Seagulls in 2017.
“He was a dedicated professional whose experience proved vital to the younger members in our squad.”
The Seagulls play in the Intrust Super Cup, a top level competition across Queensland.
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Travis Burns will join the Wynnum Manly Seagulls next season.


A talented teenager is another step closer to turning her dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer into reality.
Alice Dealing , 16, has secured a place to study dance at Ballet Theatre UK in Hinckley, Leicestershire.
She will begin a three-year course there next month studying a higher national diploma (HND) in professional dance.
Proud mum Sue Dealing said: “She is very excited and a little bit nervous for a new start with different people.”
Alice, from Orrell, will spend around 16 hours per week dancing while at the school.
Mrs Dealing said: “It’s a ballet school so she will spend most of her time ballet dancing.
“There’s ballet, contemporary, jazz and commercial dance, with ballet being the main one.
“They do anatomy and injury prevention and stuff like that.”
Alice is a former pupil of Orrell Holgate Primary School and has been dancing since the age of four, when she joined Miss Sutcliffe Academy Of Dance in Pemberton.
When she was 11 she joined Tring Park School For The Performing Arts in Hertfordshire, where she studied for three years, before spending two years at The Hammond School in Chester.
Mrs Dealing said: “She has lived away from home since she was 11 and to do that is quite an achievement. You don’t do that if it’s not something you don’t want to do. She’s very dedicated to it.”
Alice hopes her hard work and commitment will lead to her becoming a professional dancer once she has completed her studies.
She has already performed with the English National Ballet several times, including as Clara in a production of The Nutcracker at the Coliseum in London during Christmas 2013.
Alice has also attended summer schools run by The Royal Ballet and National Youth Ballet.
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A talented teenager is another step closer to turning her dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer into reality.


Alice is on her way to becoming a ballet star


Heavy metal group Metallica have announced they are releasing their first album in eight years.
The veteran US rockers, who have won multiple Grammys and sold tens of millions of records around the world, revealed details of Hardwired ... To Self-Destruct, the long-awaited follow-up to 2008’s Death Magnetic.
In a statement on their website, the group said their 11th studio album - which will contain two discs and nearly 80 minutes of music - was “a long time coming” and is set for release on November 18.
The music video for the album’s first track, Hardwired, was also posted on YouTube.
It is the longest period fans have had to wait for a new Metallica album since the group formed in 1981.
The band’s current line-up includes singer-guitarist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo.

Re-Enter sandman - Metallica return with new album


Heavy metal group Metallica have announced they are releasing their first album in eight years.


Based on an article in Rolling Stone magazine and a subsequent book, War Dogs heavily dramatizes the true story of two enterprising twentysomethings, who became multi-millionaires as arms dealers to the US military.
Director Todd Phillips, mastermind of The Hangover films, and co-writer Jason Smilovic don’t let the truth get in the way of spinning an entertaining yarn.
They embellish the jaw-dropping rags-to-riches narrative with a hare-brained chase through the notorious Triangle of Death to the south of Baghdad, and some fizzing one-liners, which are used as chapter headings to bookmark each stage of the journey.
Miles Teller and Jonah Hill, who garnered numerous awards for their eye-catching work in Whiplash and The Wolf Of Wall Street respectively, are an incendiary double-act.
They clamber over various obstacles thrown in their characters’ paths and brazenly wisecrack in the face of death.
Phillips’ film opens with TV news footage from the war in Iraq in 2008.
Miles Teller as David Packouz
“I see 17,000 dollars,” explains massage therapist David Packouz (Teller). “That’s what it costs to outfit an American soldier.”
Narrating his own extraordinary story, David introduces us to his wife Iz (Ana de Armas), with whom he hopes to raise a family by selling bed sheets to local care homes.
His get-rich-quick scheme flops and David is reluctant to tell his spouse that the boxes of bedding cluttering up their apartment are not their golden ticket to a brighter future.
At this low ebb, David meets his friend Efraim Diveroli (Hill), who has discovered a website which lists contracts that the US military needs to be fulfilled.
Jonah Hill as Efraim Diveroli
“When life kicked me, I stayed down. But Efraim? He kicked back,” gushes David, who agrees to become a partner in this shadowy yet highly lucrative business.
The buddies tender for a massive munitions contract with the help of infamous dealer Henry Girard (Bradley Cooper) and underbid by 53 million dollars.
David travels to Albania to fulfil the contract, aided by his driver Bashkim (JB Blanc), who knows which palms to grease.
When David questions the morality of the business, which he keeps secret from Iz, Efraim immediately hits back.
“This isn’t about being pro-war,” he counsels David. “It’s about being pro-money.”
Bolstered by strong performances from the two leads, War Dogs is an engrossing and frequently uproarious comedy of errors.
Phillips and Smilovic’s script short changes the supporting characters: Iz exists solely to prick David’s conscience with her fleeting words of wisdom.
However, they do they craft some big laughs like when the buddies visit a weapons expo in Las Vegas and David pithily describes the event as “Comic-Con with grenades”.
War - what is it good for?
It’s very good for lining the pockets of the greedy and the enterprising.
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Based on an article in Rolling Stone magazine and a subsequent book, War Dogs heavily dramatizes the true story of two enterprising twentysomethings, who became multi-millionaires as arms dealers to the US military.


War Dogs: An engrossing and frequently uproarious comedy of errors


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Can you get 10/10 in our retro games quiz?


Both of Wigan borough’s remaining police station front desks are under threat of closure.
The public counters at divisional HQ on Robin Park Road, Wigan, and Leigh Police Station on Chapel Street, appear on a list of force bases whose futures are in doubt because they are deemed to be under-used.
Leigh Police Station, Chapel Street
A consultation has been launched in which residents can air their views on the usefulness of such services these days.
There was a time when Wigan borough had a dozen front counters, with stations in every sizeable community. But back in the 1990s there was a major review of force building stock which decided that resources would be better spent on keeping front line staff on patrol rather than propping up ageing and under-used premises.
Many closed, and further counters have gone since under streamlining of services to the point that there are only two left.
Force chiefs today said that demand at a number of public inquiry counters is “low” and that 10 out of 22 in the force area - including Wigan and Leigh - are under review. But they stress that nothing has been decided and all options remain open.
The consultation runs until September 26 and will include a survey, public feedback sessions and meetings with partners and stakeholders across Greater Manchester. No date has been set for a verdict, a spokeswoman saying the decision-making process will be influenced greatly by the results of the consulatation.
The survey is available online and in some public inquiry counters with questions focusing on how often someone has contacted the force and the method through which they did so. It will also ask whether they have used social media or the force’s website to contact the force and how often they use public inquiry counters.
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said: “This is a really important step in making sure our services match the needs of the people that we serve.
“The views of people are an important part of developing services for the future and it’s absolutely crucial that we work with the people of Greater Manchester to provide contact methods that work best for them. It’s also important that our resources are appropriately allocated.”
To take part in the survey visit https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GMPconsultationsurvey.
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Both of Wigan borough’s remaining police station front desks are under threat of closure.


American rapper RZA elegantly sums up the fleeting nature of fame during his cameo appearance in Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone’s musical mockumentary.
“The higher you get, the harder you fall. Ask any coconut,” sermonizes the hip-hop superstar.
These words of wisdom are aimed at sweet, yet corruptible, Conner Friel (Andy Samberg), who sells out his childhood pals to land a solo record deal and secure his moment in the social media spotlight.
Part cautionary tale, part buddy comedy, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping gleefully lampoons music documentaries, including Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, by offering a fly-on-the-wall glimpse into the life of an icon as he prepares to launch his second album.
Schaffer and Taccone festoon their tongue-in-cheek expose with real-life music industry figures, plus colourful supporting performances including Justin Timberlake as a singing chef, who juliennes carrots with pride.
Thus Simon Cowell offers his glowing assessment of Conner - “I think he’s incredible. He’s the real deal!” - and the likes of Mariah Carey, Usher, Carrie Underwood and 50 Cent wax lyrical about his impact on their careers.
Andy Samberg as Conner4Real
For the first 40 minutes, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is hysterical, but then like the preened and polished subject, the film loses its way.
Conner and childhood buddies Lawrence Dunn (Schaffer) and Owen Bouchard (Taccone) achieved considerable success as the trio The Style Boyz.
However, it was clear to everyone in the cutthroat music business that Conner was the glittering star in the firmament.
He went solo and The Style Boyz disbanded.
Lawrence turned his back on celebrity to settle on a farm in Big Timber, Colorado, while Owen remained in the background as Conner’s DJ.
Following the rousing success of Conner’s debut LP entitled Thriller, Also, a documentary film crew shadows the pop icon in the days leading up to the release of the follow-up album, ConnQuest.
Flanked by an entourage including his manager Harry Duggins (Tim Meadows), acid-tongued publicist Paula Klein (Sarah Silverman) and “a guy who kicks him in the nuts so he remembers where he came from”, Conner feebly shoulders the mounting pressure flanked by actress girlfriend, Ashley Wednesday (Imogen Poots).
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is half of one of the best comedies of the year.
Opening scenes are a hoot.
“It’s like a tricycle. When you take away one of the wheels, what have you got?” scoffs Lawrence when someone suggests The Style Boyz could fracture.
Note-perfect music videos include Equal Rights featuring P!nk, which promotes same sex relationships, while Conner punctuates each line of the chorus with a defiant, “I’m not gay”.
Sadly, the filmmakers run out of ideas for a lacklustre second half and introduce outlandish new characters to sustain our interest.
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American rapper RZA elegantly sums up the fleeting nature of fame during his cameo appearance in Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone’s musical mockumentary.


Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping - Half of one of the best comedies of the year


A young man who was left for dead after a deliberate hit-and-run smash today said he could finally re-build his life after his ambushers were jailed.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that Owen Williams was lured into a potentially deadly trap by a Wigan girl he had met on Facebook.
Owen Williams
Abby Liptrot persuaded the 23-year-old sales executive into the middle of a road only for her friend Robert Taylor then to run him down in his car, inflicting terrible injuries.
Mr Williams, who is still suffering physical and mental repercussions from the crash, today said he felt justice had been done.
Six months later he is still attending hospital appointments and suffering mentally and physically.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that the 23-year-old had been in contact with Abbey-lee Liptrot by mobile phone and text messages during the course of the night and repeatedly invited her to a “lock-in” at his local pub.
The two of you made a deliberate decision to go to the location of Mr Williams even though he had made it clear that if you, Liptrot, was with male company that was likely to cause problems Judge Denis Watson QC
He told 18-year-old Liptrot, whom he had never met, that she could bring her female friend along but that no men were welcome.
She was in the front seat of a Ford Fiesta being driven around by Robert Taylor, whom she had also met via Facebook, and her friend was in the back seat, said Catherine Ellis, prosecuting.
While they were driving around in the early hours of February 2 this year, Liptrot and Mr Williams were in touch and it became apparent she was in the car with Mr Taylor and the two men argued over the phone and Mr Williams sent him an abusive text.
Shortly before 4am they arrived in Wargrave Road, Newton-le-Willows, by the Sunbeam pub and Liptrot sent him messages saying the car was outside and to walk towards it.
Robert Taylor
“The prosecution case is that he was brought into the roadway so that something could be done to him,” said Miss Ellis.
Once he was outside the Fiesta left its parked position and 20-year-old Taylor drove it, on his admission, at 30mph along the road, which had cars parked on both sides. “It struck Mr Williams and threw him in the air and left him with a number of serious injuries.”
He suffered four fractured ribs, a fractured and dislocated left shoulder, a small cut to his liver, bleeding in both sides of the chest and bruising to his right lung. He also suffered cuts to his forehead which have left him scarred.
The Fiesta sped off and Taylor considered torching it but instead decided to hide it and told his insurance company it had been vandalised. Taylor and Liptrot were arrested later that day and the car was recovered.
When interviewed they suggested the victim had dived in front of the vehicle. “The prosecution do not accept that account,” said Miss Ellis.
Mr Williams’s friend told how he had “no chance” of getting out of the way and text messages between the defendants showed “no remorse whatsoever”.
Taylor said he had just driven to the pub to see if “it was real” and to see what was going on but got bored and moved off.
Jailing Taylor for 32 months and Liptrot, for 22 weeks, Judge Denis Watson, QC said, “Neither of you showed any remorse at all.”
He told them: “The two of you made a deliberate decision to go to the location of Mr Williams even though he had made it clear that if you, Liptrot, was with male company that was likely to cause problems.”
Liptrot messaged him that she was not prepared to walk down the road and that she was with a woman friend Taylor Whalley. The clear impression of her messages was to persuade him out of the pub and once he came out Robert Taylor drove at speed and he was hit.
The victim’s life has been “turned upside down” and he is self-conscious of the scarring to his forehead, he said.
Taylor, of Bickershaw Lane, Abram, admitted dangerous driving causing serious injury and Liptrot, of Belvoir Street, Scholes, admitted dangerous driving.
Judge Watson told Taylor: “This was a very serious piece of driving indeed. You knew perfectly well that he was being effectively brought out that pub to facilitate your intention to drive with the purpose of scaring him or terrifying him and you caused those serious injuries.”
Taylor was banned from driving for four years four months and Liptrot for two years and are both banned from contacting Mr Williams for five years and an order was made depriving Taylor of his car.
Defence barrister Tom Watson described Liptrot, who was due to start a hair and beauty college course tomorrow, as an immature person and immature mother. She has a young child who she has access to twice a week, he said.
It had been claimed she had been “laughing and smirking” during her last court appearance but Mr Watson said it was naievety and stupidity on her part and the recognition of her behaviour that night was slowly dawning on her.
After the hearing, sales executive Mr Williams told the Wigan Evening Post: “I am happy because this draws a line under the whole affair. Abby had been boasting on social media that she wasn’t going to prison so justice has been done and both have restraining orders.
“It means I can get on with my life. The sentences are a massive relief.”
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A young man who was left for dead after a deliberate hit-and-run smash today said he could finally re-build his life after his ambushers were jailed.


Ambush victim’s terror as he was mown down and left for dead


It was the battle of the conservationists. In the red corner English Heritage proudly prepared its frontlines ready for the onslaught of the mighty National Trust limbering up in the purple corner.
So who would win this mighty fight? My two little soldiers , Ruaridh (9) and Flora (6) weighed up their options and after due consideration (as they tucked into an afternoon tea of scones and clotted cream), they declared it a draw.
English Heritage's majestic Homesteads Fort
They will no doubt make good politicians in the future, but for now they were concentrating on letting their young minds absorb as much culture and information as their mother (that’s me!) could persuade them to as we enjoyed a trip to see the historical gems on offer in the North East.
As parents we often find it hard to entertain the children during the long summer holidays, but these days there is so much to see and do, you just have to jump on board and have some fun.
And English Heritage and the National Trust have embraced this philosophy and these days their once stuffy (well that’s what we thought as children!) properties are now child friendly and laid out in such a way that the whole family really can have a good time together.
The North East of England has its fair share of places to visit and with such lovely rolling countryside and a short drive from Lancashire, it’s the perfect place to spend a few days exploring.
The National Trust's Wallington. Photo by John Millar
Ruaridh and Flora had enjoyed a taste of English Heritage’s Hadrian’s Wall trail last year and enjoyed it so much, they wanted to go back for more.
This time we headed for Homesteads Roman Fort, perched high on the hills above Haydon Bridge. The fort was built in Roman times as a blueprint for similar forts around the world so that everything would be set out in the same way at each site to make it easier for soldiers when they were sent around the world.
Homesteads is a fine example of a fort and after a short walk up the hill you find yourself in the visitor centre where an exhibition is dedicated to the fort and the items found over the years. Felix the soldier provides information for the youngsters on the same interpretation boards as the adults read. And its fascinating stuff, with Ruaridh and Flora’s minds in overdrive as they looked at the artefacts, such as tools and jewellery left by the soldiers and discovered by archaeologists over the years.
Outside you can look round the remains of the fort which sits proudly infront of Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We had great fun pretending we were standing in the soldiers’ barracks, commander’s living quarters and looking at the hospital and granaries.
From here we took a short hop to Birdoswald, neighbouring Cumbria’s Roman fort and also where the longest section of Hadrian’s Wall can be seen (or walked if you can persuade the children!).
A product of 1,800 years of occupation, this fort is different in that it stands just infront of a mock medieval farmhouse built in 1858. With stunning landscape surrounding it, it really is a lovely spot to visit.
After all that history, we were in need of some fun by the seaside (but with a spot of culture thrown in too) and so we headed to Tynemouth, a great wee spot with old-fashioned entertainment on offer. After a bracing walk on the beach we headed for the imposing priory and castle which dominates the town.
It was once the most fortified place in England and dates back 2,000 years. Its well spread out, so we all got to stretch our limbs as we headed back in history and took in all the fascinating parts from the beautiful and tranquil 13th century chapel to the restored gun battery and cannons. And some fantastic views of the North Sea to boot.
As with all the English Heritage sites over the summer, there are some great activities on offer from clash of the knights contests to kite flying.
And working just as hard as English Heritage to bring our history to life are the people working for The National Trust.
The North East has some great examples of this work and we headed for two of them. Our first stop was Seaton Delaval Hall at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland. This wonderful property was designed by architect Sir John Vanbrugh and home to the party loving Delaval family. It is of Georgian style, but with a mischievious past.
The Delaval’s were known for their high spirited and flamboyant lifestyle and everyone wanted to go to their parties. They loved to play pranks, some guests woke up to find their furniture stuck to the ceiling!
The hall has survived a fire and houses some lovely rooms and furniture for you to look round and the gardens are amazing, literally with a box hedge maze for the children to enjoy as you take in the gorgeous scents of the flowers.
From here we headed for our final stop of our adventure, Wallington, once home to the Trevelyan family.
Just outside Morpeth, this 13,000 acre estate is a joy to visit. Gifted to the National Trust by Sir Charles Philips Trevelyan, a controversial socialist MP, it is a wonderful place.
Another unconventional family, the Trevelyan’s home boasts huge pre-Raphaelite paintings telling the history of Northumberland and beautiful furniture and treasured collections in the rooms.
The house has a remarkable collection of dolls houses and some fabulous old children’s games to have a go at. Outside is a landscape of lawns, lakes, woodlands, parklands and farmland and a magical walled garden where you can relax and let your mind re-live all those adventures you have just enjoyed – long may English Heritage and The National Trust reign!
Fact file:
We are lucky in the Northern part of Great Britain to have so many national treasures on our doorstep. Throughout the summer both English Heritage and The National Trust have special events on to keep all the family entertained as you learn about the nation’s history.
For more information, log onto www.english-heritage.org.uk and www.nationaltrust.org.uk
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It was the battle of the conservationists. In the red corner English Heritage proudly prepared its frontlines ready for the onslaught of the mighty National Trust limbering up in the purple corner.


Do you think it’s okay to allow children to drink some alcohol at home?
A study has found that half of parents with children under the age of 14 allow them to drink alcohol at home.
And, perhaps more worryingly, one in ten respondents to the Churchill Home Insurance survey allow children between the ages of five and seven to drink alcohol.
While it is not illegal for a child between the age of five and 16 to drink alcohol on private premises, it flies in the face of advice from the Chief Medical Officer whose official advice warns: “Children and their parents or carers are advised that an alcohol-free childhood is the healthiest and best option. However, if children drink alcohol underage, it should not be until at least the age of 15 years.
“Parents and young people should be aware that drinking, even at age 15 or older, can be hazardous to health and that not drinking is the healthiest option for young people.”
The UK Chief Medical Officer highlights that “drinking, even at age 15 or older, can be hazardous to health and that not drinking is the healthiest option for young people.”


Do you think it’s okay to allow children to drink some alcohol at home?


It’s almost a year since eight-year-old Abbey Gleason disappeared in woodland one sunny, summer afternoon, and the police inquiry has gone cold.
Only one young woman can help to solve the mystery… but is she willing to use the psychic powers that she knows are destroying her own life?
Welcome to back to The Hollows, a sinister little town in New York State where strange things happen to unsuspecting visitors, where the line between reality and the paranormal becomes blurred, and where death and tragedy are only ever a heartbeat away.
It’s easy to see why American author Lisa Unger has become the thriller queen of psychological suspense. With more than 1.7 million books sold in more than thirty countries, and a string of atmospheric, high-tension stories brimming with menace, mystery and spine-tingling supernatural, there is so much to savour.
And Unger is on top form in Ink and Bone, delivering a clever, complex story, an intriguing new heroine with a troubled past and present, and an atmosphere brimming with tension.
Twenty-year-old Finley Montgomery has always been different. She sees the world differently and has never been able to control the sights and sounds that haunt her everyday life – not even the pain of a new tattoo or the roar of her motorcycle can drown out the chaos.
Finley, bone thin and addicted to ‘ink,’ did not grow up in The Hollows in upstate New York but the rather creepy little place still has its tendrils firmly wrapped around her head. Her grandmother Eloise is the town’s psychic and Finley, who has inherited her gifts, is moving into her house in the hope of making a fresh start.
Every day is a battle for Finley to stay in her own body and her own life because she is haunted by the souls of the dead and, recently, a mysterious ‘squeak-clink’ noise that constantly invades her days and nights.
When local private investigator Jones Cooper turns up at the house, he tells Finley he knows about her psychic talents and wants her help. Abbey Gleason has been missing since her parents rented a cabin in the nearby woods last summer and her mother is desperate to unearth the truth.
But time is running out and Finley must first come to terms with the powers that she fears are wrecking her life. Can she find answers before it’s too late?
Unger’s haunting new mystery, packed with gut-wrenching emotion and small town drama, is a gripping page-turner. Mesmerising storytelling skills combined with a breathless race-against-time plot and dark, seductive paranormal overtones make this a thrilling reading journey for fans both new and old.
(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £7.99)
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It’s almost a year since eight-year-old Abbey Gleason disappeared in woodland one sunny, summer afternoon, and the police inquiry has gone cold.


As the pound continues to go in the dollars favour 42% of Americans say they are more likely to visit the UK for a holiday, according to new data* from Hotels.com™.
London topped the list of destinations Americans would most like to visit (88%), with Cambridge (41%) and Liverpool (39%) closely vying for second place for statesiders looking for a cultural fix. The unexpected winner, however, was Grimsby with more respondents keen on visiting the northern fishing town than the majestic Snowdonia.
The Royal Family still has huge appeal for visitors from the States with Buckingham Palace the attraction they'd most like to visit (76%) with the home of the crown jewels (the Tower of London, 65%) and royal wedding venue, Westminster Abbey, (52%) also in the top five attractions. Finishing off the royal fever, Kate Middleton was the number one celebrity Americans would most like to meet, closely followed by Her Majesty the Queen. In a girl power worthy line up, the top five famous faces respondents would most like to meet were all women:
1.Kate Middleton (46%)
2.The Queen (45%)
3.JK Rowling (31%)
4.Adele (30%)
5.Kate Winslet (27%)
It seems Britain's culinary kudos isn't as poor as it once was with 68% of Americans keen to try the cornerstone British cuisine – the humble fish and chips. However, sweet treats rounded out the top five with apple crumble (44%), cream tea (43%) and a traditional afternoon tea (39%) just behind a full English (48%).
When quizzed on their perceptions of Britain as a nation many stereotypes rung true with a third of Americans believing Brits loved their pubs and that it always rains (only during a great British summer of course). Yet it seems Americans love our chit chat, as almost three quarters state their favourite thing about Brits is our accents and over a third love our sense of humour.
Simon Matthews, Senior PR Manager of Hotels.com Brand comments, “The fact that some Americans want to visit Grimsby on their next trip proves they must be really savvy about where to get the best British grub, as we all know Grimsby is famous for its Fish and Chips! The rising interest from our American cousins is likely more to do with the strong dollar than the draw of our culinary delights, however it would be a welcome boom for the UK travel industry.”
*2,000 adults from the U.S. were polled by One Poll, commissioned by Hotels.com in July 2016

Americans flock to the UK thanks to Kate Middleton and Fish & Chips


As the pound continues to go in the dollars favour 42% of Americans say they are more likely to visit the UK for a holiday, according to new data* from Hotels.com™.


A drunken yob drank 12 pints of beer and then smashed windows at the house of his partner’s former lover, a court heard.
Wigan and Leigh magistrates were told boozed-up Daniel Whittaker, from Hindley, went to the house of his girlfriend’s ex and put bricks through the living room window and the glass in the front door.
The spree of criminal damage, which happened on August 6 at around midnight, caused £900 in damage.
Prosecuting, Nicola Ormerod said the victim was alone at home when he found Whittaker at the front door asking to speak to a man called Mark.
The victim said he wasn’t in and Whittaker became agitated before launching his attack on the property when both the front door and the window the conservation had been conducted through remained shut.
Ms Ormerod said: “He then heard two loud bangs and the sound of smashing glass. He told police what had happened and looked out to see the man running off down the road. He came downstairs and found a brick through the front door and front living room window. Glass was everywhere in the property.”
Police attended and Whittaker, 30, was eventually arrested after the officers were called to a disturbance at his home in All Saints Grove.
A victim impact statement read to the court said the target of the attack suffered from paranoia and the incident had set his attempts to deal with the condition back.
The court also heard Whittaker claimed in interview that he had targeted the victim because of the way he had treated his partner while they were together. But Ms Ormerod said there was no evidence that the victim had ever been prosecuted for violence.
Whittaker, who was unrepresented in court, admitted he had drunk a lot of alcohol and expressed remorse for his actions. He said: “I was drunk and I’m sorry for what I’ve done. It will never happen again.”
Justices gave Whittaker a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £300 compensation as well as £85 in costs.
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A drunken yob drank 12 pints of beer and then smashed windows at the house of his partner’s former lover, a court heard.


It’s hard to believe it’s already four years since the triumph of the London Olympic Games but next week the 31st Olympiad will get under way in Rio de Janeiro.
Amid various controversies the Games still promise sun, sea and plenty of sporting spectacle as 10,500 athletes from 207 nations head to Brazil to compete across 28 sports. Among them will be dozens of British stars, including runner Mo Farah, heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill, boxer Nicola Adams and Tour de France winning cyclist Chris Froome.
Ahead of this year’s event get yourself limbered up with our fiendishly tricky quick on the Olympics past and present.
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It’s hard to believe it’s already four years since the triumph of the London Olympic Games but next week the 31st Olympiad will get under way in Rio de Janeiro.


Gold medal or DNF, how will you fare in our Olympic quiz?


Volunteers who keep a railway halt in immaculate shape hope they are on track for national honours.
The Friends of Hindley Station are in the running for two categories in the prize-giving run by the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP), with local groups working in partnership with them eligible for two more.
The group, whose spectacular floral displays have long drawn the admiration of passengers heading through the borough, are in the It’s Your Station category and could win an award for an afternoon tea and picnic they ran for the Queen’s birthday.
In addition, pupils from Hindley High School and local business Pye Studios are both in contention for separate awards for art projects they have done at the station.
The volunteers recently welcomed a judging delegation, including a green-fingered expert from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), to the station to look around the flowerbeds, art pieces and sculptures on the platforms and in the public buildings.
The group has previously entered the ACoRP awards and hopes to add to the prize it won in 2014 at the awards ceremony in Southport next month.
Friends secretary Sheila Davidson said: “We’ve been shortlisted in four categories this year.
“The high school is also up for its artwork and Pye Studios did some art on the Manchester-bound side and in the ticket hall.
“There are three boards which they put replaceable artwork on. They did a piece in tribute to the Somme and another one for the Queen’s birthday. The judges seemed suitably impressed.
“This is about more than just gardens, it’s being involved in the community.
“We’re pleased to be in for the awards although we didn’t set out to do competitions. One of the station managers put us in for the first one and it’s gone from there.
“We’ve had a lot of success.”
The group has also recently introduced a number of new features to the station including a train which was recycled from a primary school which did not want it any more and re-decorated with gold livery to mark Her Majesty’s birthday.
The ACoRP awards winners will be announced in Southport on September 29.
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Volunteers who keep a railway halt in immaculate shape hope they are on track for national honours.


Meet a witch on a dangerous mission, a fabulous fantasy queen and a cast of colourful picture book stars in a glittering array of new titles from Macmillan Children’s Books.
Age 9 plus:
Fire Witch by Matt Ralphs
English history, thrilling adventure and a bewitching heroine…
Matt Ralphs is back with Fire Witch, the red-hot sequel to Fire Girl, and our fiery, fearless witch Hazel must gather her wits and steel her nerves to join her enemies and try to save her mother.
Packed with intrigue, danger, nail-biting tension and flashes of rib-tickling humour, these page-turning stories featuring an extraordinary girl are addictive reading for young fans of fantasy, drama and… witches!
The Civil War in England is over, Oliver Cromwell rules the land and a new battle is raging… between the people and the witches. Twelve-year-old HazelHooper is no ordinary girl. She is a Fire Witch, she can wield and manipulate flame and she is getting stronger all the time. But she is also angry because her mother Hecate had to sacrifice herself to the demon world in order to stop a demonic invasion. Hazel must fight on alone and she is determined to get her back, whatever the cost.
Her only chance to find Hecate is to seek advice from brilliant demonologist Nicolas Murrell, the Order of Witch Hunters’ most prized prisoner, and the man who summoned the demon responsible for Hecate’s fate. With only Bramley, her grumpy dormouse familiar for company, Hazel must disguise herself as a boy and infiltrate the black heart of the Order of Witch Hunters to speak to Murrell before he is executed. But can he be trusted? Will Murrell reveal to his captors that their newest apprentice is actually… a witch?
Ralphs has always been fascinated by witches, ghosts and anything that sends a shiver down his spine and this magical series is the perfect creation of his high-flying, super scary imagination.
A world of supernatural in the midst of terrifying real history…
(Macmillan, paperback, £6.99)
Age 10 plus:
The Hunting of the Princes by Peter F. Hamilton
Also dabbling in the wondrous world of fantasy is Peter F.Hamilton, the UK’s bestselling adult science fiction author, who was inspired to write for a younger audience by his own two children.
The Hunting of the Princes is the second book in his original and gripping Queen of Dreams trilogy which began with The Secret Throne and has all the hallmarks of a memorable modern classic.
Sprinkled with atmospheric black and white illustrations by Rohan Eason, this gorgeous fantasy series is a vivid, magical adventure featuring amazing kingdoms, daring quests and deadly menace.
Taggie Paganuzzi has had a busy year in the beautiful old market town of Stamford in Lincolnshire. Her mum was a Third Realm sorceress and now Taggie has inherited her family’s magical powers. From finding out she is the queen-to-be of a magical realm to learning to use her magic skills and discovering that the King of Night wants her dead, there have been a lot of ‘firsts.’
Assassins have been targeting royal heirs throughout the magical realms and now someone has tried to kill Taggie whilst she was cycling back to her home. Everyone thinks the King of Night’s army, the Karrak invaders, are responsible and that war is inevitable. But Taggie has found out two very interesting facts. Firstly, that the Karraks come from a cold, dark universe and cannot abide warmth and light. And secondly, that there was once a gate to this universe, now lost in the mists of time. If Taggie and her friends can find the gate, perhaps they can also stop the war? But to do that, they need to find a Karrak willing to take their side…
Hamilton conjures up a thrilling alternative world in which good must overcome evil, children are pitted against powerful enemies and a fantastic cast of amazing animal characters add to all the fun and fantasy. Don’t miss it!
(Macmillan, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
Flying Lemurs by Zehra Hicks
This funny, reassuring story about overcoming fears and discovering hidden talents is the latest inspirational book from Macmillan’s new imprint for young children, Two Hoots.
A zingy, zany tale bursting with high-octane energy and an adorable cast of high-flying animals, this gorgeous circus-themed odyssey comes from talented author and illustrator Zehra Hicks whose speciality is telling stories through pictures.
Everyone in the lemur family is good at jumping, a talent which comes in handy as they are all circus performers. Mum is a brilliant trapeze artist, Dad’s trampoline routine is absolutely huge and Grandma’s speciality is being shot from a cannon.
Unfortunately little Lemur is not so good at jumping… in fact, he’s not even a fan of heights. He just can’t jump, no matter how hard he tries. But there are other things that Lemur is good at – throwing custard pies, skateboarding and playing the tambourine – so maybe with a bit of practice, he can become the best circus performer of them all!
Hicks ramps up the visual and verbal drama of this fun and warm-hearted story with her multi-textured illustrations, painted here by using bamboo and a bold palette of colours. Having fun, accepting life’s triumphs and disasters, and discovering the importance of family love all come under the spotlight in a sparkling and inspirational picture book.
(Two Hoots, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
More People to Love Me by Mo O’Hara and Ada Grey
Modern families come in all shapes and sizes… and sometimes they are extra super-sized!
Mo O’Hara, author of the popular My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish series, delivers the perfect picture book for the step family generation in this moving story about a little girl with so many branches to her family tree that she runs out of space to draw them all.
Asked by her teacher to draw her family tree, the little girl just doesn’t know where to start. She’s got her mum and dad, her sister Cee Cee, her stepdad David and her stepmum Sharon. And then there are her mum’s new baby twins, her step brother Michael and no one must forget about Happy the tortoise. But the tree is starting to get rather crowded because there are all the grandparents to fit in as well. There’s only one thing for it, the family tree is going to have to grow!O’Hara was inspired to write by her own children’s positive experiences of being part of an extended family and felt that this was
rarely depicted in picture books. The result is a warm and moving tale about one little girl and her family that keeps on growing.
The gentle, reassuring and playful story is complemented by Ada Grey’s charming illustrations, reinforcing the message that every family is different and the bigger the family, the more people there are to love… and to love you back!
(Macmillan, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
The Hippopandamouse by Jools Bentley
Nobody’s perfect… and sometimes being imperfectly different makes you special!
Author and illustrator Jools Bentley plays with traditional expectations in this cute and clever story about a little princess who falls for the only toy in the shop that doesn’t have a name.
Princess Flo has pocket money to spend so she heads off to Fluffley’s Fine Toys, the best toy shop in town. Everybody there has been working very hard to prepare for her visit – so hard, in fact, that one of the cuddly toys has ended up as a strange mix of a hippo, panda and mouse. The shop’s owner Miss Fluffey is eager to show Princess Flo the cuddly teddies, cute kittens and perky penguins, all perfect for a royal princess. But to everyone’s horror, Princess Flo spots the strange looking toy. The part hippo, part panda and part mouse is a total and utter mistake! But Flo loves this toy being different, seeing something unique and special in the strange animal. All he needs now is a name… Hippopandamouse!
Wise, witty and wonderfully warm-hearted, the tale of The Hippopandamouse is a beautiful, big-hearted story, gorgeously illustrated and simply perfect for little princesses everywhere.
(Macmillan, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
Prince Ribbit by Jonathan Emmett and Poly Bernatene
Hop, skip and jump into this brilliant new picture book from top team Jonathan Emmett and Poly Bernatene.
Well-loved fairy tale, The Frog Prince, gets a dashing, daring makeover as ever popular author Emmett and talented illustrator Bernatene put a devilishly clever twist in the not-so-handsome frog’s tail.
One day, Princess Martha and her sisters, Princess Lucinda and Princess Arabella, are listening to the story of The Frog Prince. Lucinda and Arabella love romantic tales and their happily-ever-after endings, but Martha isn’t so sure. She prefers facts to fairy tales, and likes real frogs more than enchanted ones, and besides, clever Martha knows that not everything written in books is true.
Unknown to the sisters, a clever little frog is listening to the story and it sparks a bright idea. If he can convince the gullible princesses that he is actually a prince, perhaps he could start getting some royal treatment of his own. So is Prince Ribbit really a handsome prince, or just a plain, ordinary frog?
There’s only one way to find out… pucker up princesses, it’s time for true love’s kiss!
Emmett works his own brand of fairy tale magic as he transforms a classic tale into a feast of smiles and smoochy surprises while Bernatene’s stunning and superbly detailed illustrations provide a feast of colour and fun.
A picture book that all the family can enjoy…
(Macmillan, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
Dear Zoo Drawing and Colouring Book by Rod Campbell
Rod Campbell, creator of the classic, much-loved Dear Zoo books, has been a trusted name in early learning for over 30 years and he’s back with this inspirational first drawing and colouring book.
Dear Zoo, an ingeniously simple, lift-the-flap book with touches of gentle humour, introduces pre-school children to the wonder and variety of wild animals, and now a new generation can join in all the fun and draw their very own zoo full of amazing creatures.
There are 32 pages of drawing, colouring and doodling featuring all the animals from the original story. At the top of each page, little ones are told what to draw and given a helping hand with many of the pictures already started.
Packed full of simple activities that are perfectly pitched for pre-schoolers, the book’s large, square, extra thick pages can be peeled off the pad, stuck to walls at home or even put in a frame if they are special mini-masterpieces.
Draw bananas for the naughty monkey, give the fierce lion big sharp teeth, design a bowl for a frisky puppy or give a camel a big smile. The Dear ZooDrawing and Colouring Book is the ideal first lesson for budding young artists and dedicated toddler doodlers.
(Macmillan, paperback, £5.99)

Book reviews: History, fantasy and animal magic with Macmillan


Meet a witch on a dangerous mission, a fabulous fantasy queen and a cast of colourful picture book stars in a glittering array of new titles from Macmillan Children’s Books.


A teenager has died after taking drugs at Leeds Festival.
West Yorkshire Police have confirmed that Lewis Haunch, 17, from Leigh, died shortly after midnight today.
He was taken to St James’ Hospital in Leeds by ambulance shortly after 4.45pm yesterday.
He was in a critical condition and given emergency treatment, but later died.
An investigation into his death is under way.
Two men, both aged 17, have been arrested in Greater Manchester on suspicion of drugs offences and remain in custody.
Leeds Festival’s police commander, Chief Superintendent Keith Gilert, said: “Our thoughts are naturally with the family of the young man at this time. They were made aware of the incident by officers as soon as possible and were assisted to attend the hospital as quickly as possible. We will continue to support them through this difficult time.
“We are currently investigating the death and how he obtained the substance he took. Two males, aged 17, have been arrested in the Greater Manchester area on suspicion of drugs offences and are currently in custody.
“At this time the indications are that the man consumed drugs immediately before he collapsed. A report will be sent to the coroner in due course.
“I would though like to take this opportunity to remind anyone attending the festival that there is no safe way to take drugs. Taking any illegal drug carries a risk to health and we would always advise people against it, but I would ask that people are particularly conscious of the risks following this young man’s death. In partnership with the organisers Festival Republic we will continue to take action against those who risk the lives of others by supplying drugs.”
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A teenager has died after taking drugs at Leeds Festival.


Teenager dies after taking drugs at festival