Latest news with #Stockport
The Sun
7 hours ago
- Climate
- The Sun
Nathan Aspinall makes major gaffe during 30C heatwave as he shares embarrassing picture after day of golf
DARTS star Nathan Aspinall was left red faced - literally - amid the ongoing heatwave. An amber heat health alert was issued for the whole of England as Brits are basking in temperatures as high as 33C . 2 2 Aspinall, 33, decided to enjoy the warm weather with a fan round of golf. The Asp took to the green amid high temperatures that reached 30C, but things didn't turn out as well as he hoped. The Stockport native shared a photo showing the toll the bright sun took on him. The thrower might be regretting his hat choice as it left him with a hilarious tan line on his head. Aspinall issued the following caption: "Next time it's 30 degrees, NAH don't wear a hat to play golf lol." Darts fans were left laughing their socks off as they stormed the comments' section. A third wrote: "Those ears will sting." This fan exclaimed: "Damn." And that one posted: "Should have worn a legionaries hat, neck and ears would've been protected."
The Guardian
7 hours ago
- The Guardian
‘It's life and death': parents of baby killed at nursery call for for mandatory CCTV
The weekend before Genevieve Meehan died was one of the best of her short life. The nine-month-old with the beaming smile and emerald eyes was leaping through her milestones: she had taken her first tentative steps, hands clasped to her mother's, and said her first word: 'Dadda'. She tried on sunglasses and a swimsuit for their first family holiday two months later. The following morning, Genevieve's mother, Katie Wheeler, took her to Tiny Toes nursery for only her second full day. Wheeler told staff that Gigi, as she was known, had been a bit 'snotty' but was otherwise fine. And with a goodbye, she said: 'I love you, sweetie.' Just over seven hours later, Genevieve was pronounced dead. In what was supposed to be the safest place in the world, she had been strapped face down to a beanbag for an hour and 37 minutes and her cries of distress ignored. She was eventually found lifeless and blue, having died of suffocation. Kate Roughley, the deputy manager of the nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, was last year found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for 14 years after a trial at Manchester crown court. But the fight for justice continues. In their first national newspaper interview, Genevieve's parents said they had been left distressed and shocked by what they had learned since – about the practices of that nursery but also wider 'systemic' safety lapses they believed risked further tragedies in early years settings across the country. John Meehan, Genevieve's father, said his daughter's killer would not have been convicted without CCTV footage, which they are now campaigning to be made mandatory in nurseries. Video played in court showed Roughley impatiently handling the baby girl before she died, muttering: 'Vile' and singing: 'Oh Genevieve. Genevieve go home, Genevieve go home, go home Genevieve,' as the she cried on the play mat. The CCTV also disproved the nursery worker's claim that she had checked on Genevieve every couple of minutes. And it later led to the conviction of one of Roughley's colleagues, Rebecca Gregory, for the 'deplorable' neglect of four other babies. An ongoing health and safety inquiry could result in further prosecutions. 'But for the CCTV, we would have had absolutely no way of knowing about the way Genevieve was placed on a beanbag, about the infrequency of the checks, or about the general conduct towards Genevieve on the day. We really only got an answer because of the CCTV,' said Meehan, 39. This week, Roksana Lecka, 22, was convicted of abusing 21 babies at a nursery in Twickenham, south-west London, after footage showed the worker pinching and scratching children and kicking one boy in the face. In that case, as Genevieve's, CCTV was essential to the prosecution. Meehan said: 'Many responsible nurseries are already using CCTV very effectively, so all we're saying is to make it so that all nurseries have it. It's good for the nursery, it's good for the parents, it's good for Ofsted.' Figures obtained by the BBC last year, and described by the couple as 'horrifying', show there were almost 20,000 reports of serious childcare incidents in England's nurseries in the five years to March 2024 – up 40% on the previous five-year period. The law firm Farleys Solicitors has said the number of legal claims involving injuries to children in nurseries had increased tenfold over the past decade. Wheeler, 40, said Ofsted should be given greater powers to undertake more frequent announced and unannounced inspections of nurseries. At present, the regulator is only obliged to inspect nurseries in England once every six years, compared with once every four academic years for schools. Tiny Toes nursery, where Genevieve was killed, was rated 'good' by Ofsted five years earlier but the trial heard evidence suggesting it was run 'shockingly'. On the day Genevieve died, Roughley was only one of two members of staff looking after 11 babies. The previous weekday there were 16 babies – far in excess of the one-to-three ratio for under-twos in England. 'I think the system definitely fails parents,' said Wheeler, who wants Ofsted to increase its number of unannounced inspections – which it only does currently when a specific concern has been raised – and review CCTV when it is available. 'You're never going to get a true snapshot of what a place is like and how safe it is unless you go out on a no-notice inspection and when you look at it regularly. A lot changes over six years. It's life and death – and it's not overstating it to say that.' Life without Genevieve is 'agonisingly painful,' Wheeler said, describing the nine-month-old who relished her world full of cuddles, singing, dancing, food, her favourite green toy tambourine and 'her everything': her big sister, who is now nine. The parents are planning to meet Labour's early education minister, Stephen Morgan, later this month to press for improved safety in nurseries, including CCTV, more Ofsted inspections and a new legal framework to ban unsafe sleep practices, supported by the Lullaby Trust. Failing to enact the changes, Meehan said, risked further tragedies: 'There could be more deaths. There is absolutely that risk.' The Department for Education said it was boosting safety in nurses with new measures from September strengthening whistleblowing and recruitment, but that it would closely monitor whether further changes were needed. It added: 'Genevieve's death was a tragedy and should never have happened. This government is committed to doing everything possible keep children safe, as part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.' Ofsted said it would be inappropriate to comment during ongoing investigations but that 'our thoughts remain with Genevieve's family and we are deeply sorry for their loss'.
Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Wrexham transfer target who turned down move admits 'I don't know why I did it'
A former Aston Villa trainee has opened up on how he rejected joining Wrexham in League Two in a move which actually turned out to be beneficial in the long run A former Aston Villa youth player has confessed that he rejected a move to Wrexham, although he can't quite remember why. Jamie Ward rose through the ranks at the Premier League club in the early 2000s before turning pro in 2005. Despite captaining Villa's reserves, the forward never made it onto the pitch for the first team and was loaned out to Stockport County in League Two in March of the following year. After being released by Villa in the summer of 2006, Ward's impressive performances in the fourth tier caught the eye of several clubs. This sparked a tug-of-war between Wrexham, Stockport and Torquay United for his signature. The former Northern Ireland international, who spent most of his career in the Championship with teams like Derby County and Nottingham Forest, took some time to weigh up his options. However, while Wrexham are now an appealing prospect under the stewardship of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, he decided against a move to north Wales at the time, choosing Torquay instead. During a recent appearance on the Undr The Cosh podcast, Ward hinted at some regret over his decision, admitting that he had been impressed by Wrexham's home ground. "After the Stockport loan, I was done at Villa," he said. "Getting in that environment and knowing that I was actually capable of playing league football at a young age was the kick up the backside I probably needed. "I had Stockport, Wrexham and Torquay after me, and I decided to go to Torquay. I was worried about Stockport struggling again, so that's why I didn't go there. I actually don't know why I didn't choose Wrexham, because the stadium was nice. "I think the thing that swung it for me at Torquay is that the manager was from Birmingham, so he knew how far I was away from home. He said to me, 'Listen, if you're ever struggling and you want to go home for a few days, all you have to do is tell me.' "That was a nice option to have where you can just get in the car, get up the road free and you're back with your family three hours later." Ward's stint at Torquay turned out to be brief due to an ownership change and the appointment of a new manager shortly after his arrival. He requested a transfer in December 2006 and subsequently moved to Chesterfield the next month. Despite some regrets about not choosing Wrexham, Ward's choice ultimately proved fortuitous. The 2006/07 season saw Wrexham face difficulties, with their form dipping and manager Denis Smith being dismissed in January 2007. Brian Carey, his successor, narrowly kept the club in League Two with a 3-1 home victory over Boston United on the final day of the season. However, their relief was short-lived as Wrexham fell out of the Football League in 2008 and spent 15 years in exile in non-league's top tier. Ward, on the other hand, enjoyed a more positive trajectory after his performances for Chesterfield caught the attention of Championship team Sheffield United. He later had stints with Derby and Forest before playing for several non-league sides in the twilight years of his career. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year.
Wales Online
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wrexham wanted to sign me but I turned down transfer – I don't know why I did it
Wrexham wanted to sign me but I turned down transfer – I don't know why I did it An ex-Aston Villa youngster has admitted that he turned down a move to Wrexham, but his decision may have actually been for the best in the long term, given how things panned out Former Northern Ireland international Jamie Ward has admitted he rejected Wrexham (Image: PA Wire ) A former Aston Villa youngster has admitted he turned down a move to Wrexham – but he now can't actually recall the reasons for his decision. Jamie Ward came up through the youth ranks of the Premier League club during the early 2000s before turning professional in 2005. Despite captaining Villa's reserves, the forward did not make a single first-team appearance for his boyhood team and was loaned out to League Two's Stockport County in March of the following year. Ward's performances in the fourth tier were impressive enough to attract the attention of several teams following his release by Villa in the summer of 2006. The decision sparked a battle between Wrexham, Stockport and Torquay United to secure his services. The ex-Northern Ireland international, who spent most of his career in the Championship with the likes of Derby County and Nottingham Forest, took some time to consider his options. However, while Wrexham are now a highly attractive prospect under the ownership of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, he decided a move to North Wales was not for him at the time, opting for Torquay instead. Ward showed signs of regret over the choice during a recent appearance on the Undr The Cosh podcast after admitting he'd been impressed by the Red Dragons' home stadium. "After the Stockport loan, I was done at Villa," he said. "Getting in that environment and knowing that I was actually capable of playing league football at a young age was the kick up the backside I probably needed. Article continues below Jamie Ward discussed his career, including his decision to reject Wrexham, on the Undr The Cosh podcast (Image: Undr The Cosh ) "I had Stockport, Wrexham and Torquay after me, and I decided to go to Torquay. I was worried about Stockport struggling again, so that's why I didn't go there. I actually don't know why I didn't choose Wrexham, because the stadium was nice. "I think the thing that swung it for me at Torquay is that the manager was from Birmingham, so he knew how far I was away from home. He said to me, 'Listen, if you're ever struggling and you want to go home for a few days, all you have to do is tell me.' "That was a nice option to have where you can just get in the car, get up the road free and you're back with your family three hours later." Ward's time at Torquay was short-lived following an ownership change and a new manager being brought in soon after he joined. He later put in a transfer request in December 2006, before moving to Chesterfield the following month. Watch Welcome to Wrexham season 4 on Disney+ This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more from £4.99 Disney+ Get Disney+ here Product Description Welcome to Wrexham is back on Disney+ for a fourth season. Fans can watch the series with a £4.99 monthly plan, or get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. Article continues below Despite voicing some remorse at not going to Wrexham, Ward's decision turned out to be for the best. The 2006/07 season was a tumultuous one for the Red Dragons as they struggled for form and manager Denis Smith was sacked in January 2007. His successor Brian Carey kept the club in League Two by the skin of their teeth with a 3-1 home win over Boston United on the final day of the season. However, their relief was only temporary as Wrexham dropped out of the Football League in 2008 and spent 15 years in exodus in non-league's top tier. Ward was to enjoy a more positive trajectory after his impressive performances for Chesterfield caught the eye of Championship outfit Sheffield United. He later spent time with Derby and Nottingham Forest and also had a short spell on loan at Cardiff City in 2018, before turning out for several non-league sides in the twilight of his career.
BBC News
13 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Stockport restaurant owner fined over mouse infestation
The owner of a dessert restaurant has been fined after a "serious" mouse infestation was discovered. Dessert Lounge on Castle Street in Edgeley, Stockport, was visited by inspectors who found droppings "immediately upon entry" in July Javed Shah admitted seven food hygiene offences at Tameside Magistrates' Court last month and was fined £500. He was also ordered to pay £7,000 in costs and a £1,400 victim surcharge. Inspectors found droppings throughout the restaurant including on food packaging, plastic cups and food preparation surfaces, Stockport Council said. A follow up inspection in March found the business had addressed the issues and awarded it a Food Hygiene Rating of 4. 'Appalling conditions' The council said Shah accepted "full responsibility" for the failings and told the court he was no longer involved in the business. Inspectors also found the restaurant had no effective pest control, food handlers had not been adequately trained or supervised and there were no accessible wash hand basins with hot and cold running water or hygienic hand-drying facilities. Coun Dan Oliver, cabinet member for communities, culture and public protection, said the "appalling conditions" found at the business represented "a serious failure to protect public health". This kind of negligence is completely unacceptable, and we will continue to take strong enforcement action against any business that puts customers at risk," he said. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
