Innovation

Visitors to a popular beach in north Wales will soon be charged up to £15 to park at its three nearby sites.

It comes as residents near Llanddwyn beach, also known as Newborough, in a nature reserve on Anglesey said their lives were in "lockdown" due to traffic problems and threatened to protest earlier this month.

From Friday 23 May, new parking charges and trial access restrictions will be introduced at the reserve, which gained fame from the TV series House of the Dragon.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said the changes aim to match other Anglesey beaches and reduce congestion while protecting wildlife.

If you are one of the increasing number of Brits who now tuck in to a portion of sushi for lunch rather than a traditional sandwich, spare a thought for Welsh seaweed.

Because if it were not for the algae known as laver growing on the north Welsh coastline, it is very likely the sushi industry as we know it today would not exist.

And it is all thanks to the remarkable work of a British scientist who began her studies over a century ago and is now revered as an almost goddess-like figure in Japan, a country she never set foot in.

Kathleen Drew was a woman very much in the vanguard of female education.

Born in Leigh, Greater Manchester, she was a hardworking young girl who won a scholarship to study botany at the University of Manchester, where she graduated with first class honours in 1922 and took a master's degree the following year.

She began work as a researcher at the university, where she specialised in coastal botany, and seaweeds in particular.

In 1925 she earned a two-year fellowship to study at the University of California, Berkeley, and saw places as far afield as Hawaii in the course of her research.

But it was to prove to be work done later in her life and much, much closer to home, during a trip to north Wales, that Kathleen would make her revolutionary discovery, which was to have such profound and positive consequences for Japanese coastal workers half a world away.

The remarkable thing about Kathleen was her devotion to her subject. She married a fellow academic in 1928, becoming Kathleen Drew-Baker and, in line with practices at the time, could no longer be employed by the university as a married woman.

But she retained an honorary position for the rest of her life, even though it meant working for free.

A University of Manchester spokesperson said: "Sadly, her work was all unpaid – she became a research fellow, and she worked mostly at home, as well as sometimes at the university.

"They lived on her husband's wage – she collected her specimens in old jam jars, and he helped her to build a tidal tank in her unfunded laboratory."

In 1949, Kathleen went on that fateful trip, which according to social anthropologist Kaori O'Connon, was to Rhosneigr, Anglesey, as documented in her book Seaweed: A Global History.

She went out onto the shore and gathered a handful of porphyra – the same seaweed used to make the Welsh delicacy laverbread – and took it back to her laboratory, where she put it into salt water and let it release spores and put the spores into another dish.

But the critical point was the she also placed some shell into the dish. The spores moved into the shell, from where they started covering the shell in a red substance.

This was the eureka moment for Kathleen, who realised that the red she could see was algae known as Conchocelis rosea. Scientists had always believed it to be a species in its own right – now she could clearly see that they were in fact one and the same organism, and that this was an intermediate phase of its development.

She published her findings in the respected journal Nature, just 100 lines of text. But they were to prove transformative once they were read by a fellow botanist in Japan.

A new guardianship initiative will aim to protect "every single inch" of the River Thames, according to a charity boss.

Friends of the Thames (FOTT) chief executive Laura Reineke said the new River Guardians initiative aimed to ensure that every patch of the river "from source to sea" is looked after by an individual, community or group.

The programme will launch on Thursday 22 May, and Ms Reineke said its ultimate aim was to get the river granted personhood status in law, giving it the same legal rights as a person – something that New Zealand recently did for its Mount Taranaki.

She said the initiative was about addressing the threats to the River Thames as well as reconnecting communities to it.

"We would like to be able to connect communities back to the river and we see this as a good way of doing that, as well as safeguarding all the biodiversity – that is declining at a rate of five times that of land based species," she said.

The initiative is a collaboration between FOTT and environmental barrister Paul Powlesland.

"He was already a guardian for his patch of the river that he lives on, and our aim is to fill all the gaps of the guardian system in the Thames so that every single inch of the Thames is protected," said Ms Reineke.

River guardians would be responsible for mapping the area, testing water quality, and tracking invasive species, as well as acting as a central point for coordinating other environmental work.

"Our eventual aim through this system would be to get the river a personhood in law, so she would have human rights the same as you or I," said Ms Reineke.

"That's what we feel we need to do in this country to reconnect people to the wildlife and the nature, so that they care for it and we can see a return of all the declining populations."

A woman has described the "chaotic" moment she was hit by a wave and lost her prosthetic leg during her first open-water swim.

Brenda Ogden, 68, joined the Flamborough Flippers for a swim at Bridlington on Sunday when her £2,000, custom-made titanium blade was lost in the sea.

"I was in the water when I was knocked backwards. I went one way, my leg went the other," she said. "It had gone, it had completely disappeared."

In the days since the incident, members of the 22-strong swimming group have been patrolling the beach in the hope of finding the leg.

Mrs Ogden, who is a keen runner, suffered multiple injuries in a car crash four years ago, when she lost her leg and broke her back.

She joined the swimming group as a way of challenging herself before she turns 70.

"I was really excited and got myself a good swimming costume. I met the ladies on the beach and we were having a nice time, but then I was hit by the wave," she said.

"After it happened I tried to swim a little bit, got on to the beach and sat there. I didn't know what to do because I couldn't get up."

Sara Miles, a member of the group who tried to help Mrs Ogden, said the sea was "a bit wavy" at the time.

"She was having a good time and she wanted a picture to prove she'd done it.

"She was on her way out and a wave just took her and knocked her over. That was when her leg fell off."

The group started a search of the beach and even enlisted a drone pilot to help, but the leg could not be found.

Two other members of the group, Deborah Richardson, 44, and Sue Tozer, 66, have been taking part in the searches.

"It will be in good condition as it is meant for the water," Ms Richardson said.

Ms Tozer, who encouraged Mrs Ogden to take part in the swim, said: "We're a friendly group and like anyone to join us and feel welcome.

"If anyone's dog comes running out with a blade, we need it back.

"Brenda wants her leg back."

Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Soundslatest episode of Look North here.

Concerns have been raised over plans to turn a former care home into sheltered accommodation.

New Walk CIC is turning the site on Burlam Road in Middlesbrough into supported housing for vulnerable individuals in the town.

Some residents said there had been a lack of consultation, while others have raised fears about possible crime or anti-social behaviour.

New Walk CIC said the site would have 24-hour staffing and it welcomed any constructive objections from residents, businesses and elected members.

Middlesbrough mayor Chris Cooke said that as the care home already had a level of planning permission, a new planning application was not required for the sheltered accommodation.

He said he found this "difficult", adding: "Regardless of the legalities around the planning requirements, it's up to the companies to make sure that they engage with the residents nearby and make sure that they do consultation openly."

Local resident, Thelma Clark, 57, said the lack of consultation was "outrageous" and that she worried site would impact local house prices.

Another, Eric Holland, 58, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was worried about an increase in burglaries in the area if the project went ahead.

Jane Jorgensen, 62, said: "We should know what's on our doorstep."

New Walk CIC said it had been working on the project since April 2023 and had been in extensive consultation with Middlesbrough Council over the plans.

The location of the project was changed in June 2024 after a previous site fell through.

"Support for the new location was secured from the local authority before proceeding," a spokesperson said.

They said each resident would have a support worker and that the site would help vulnerable individuals.

Middlesbrough Council said it was committed to helping homeless and vulnerable people and that there were was a need for more supported accommodation.

"We are working closely with the provider at the new facility, who are committed to ensuring its residents engage with the wider community in a positive way," they said.

A "career criminal" has been jailed for robbing two women.

Craig Cotton stole a handbag from the first woman in December after threatening her with a knife. The second woman was sprayed in the face with an aerosol can in January before her bag was stolen, Lancashire Police said.

Cotton admitted burglary, robbery and assault at a previous hearing at Preston Crown Court.

The 40-year-old, of Rolleston Road, Blackburn, was jailed for 10 years.

'So scared'

Cotton committed the first offence on 23 December when his victim went outside her flat for a cigarette at about 18:00 GMT, police said.

She noticed a man and woman walk past her before the man, later identified as Cotton, turned back and asked her for a lighter.

Cotton lit his cigarette, pulled out a knife and demanded her handbag before waving a knife at her and pulling at the bag.

The victim was "so scared" she was going to be hurt, she let go of the bag, police said.

Cotton approached the second victim in the Bank Top area of Blackburn at about 19:20 on 13 January and sprayed her in the face with an aerosol can.

Police said there was then "a struggle" and Cotton stole the women's handbag.

He was identified from CCTV and charged with robbery.

PC Karl Duckworth said: "Cotton is a career criminal who has no qualms about using violence and weapons to get what he wants.

"I welcome the sentence which gives the public some protection from Cotton's criminal behaviour."

BBC Sounds

Plans are being considered to create more resident parking zones (RPZ) to combat traffic and parking issues in Bristol.

If Bristol City Council introduced them, the zones in Bishopston, St Andrews, St Werburghs, Ashley Down, Totterdown, Windmill Hill and Bedminster, would become areas where only residents with a permit would be allowed to park.

During a meeting on Thursday, representatives raised concerns around costs and the size of the proposed and current zones while some said people were "chomping at the bit" for parking measures.

Committee chair Ed Plowden said the council would "probably not" be able to put forward a scheme that all councillors wanted, but would look at recommendations.

The Somerset flag has been flown in all corners of the world to celebrate Somerset Day.

Five BBC Radio Somerset presenters were challenged to fly the flag for Somerset in as many breath-taking locations, or as far away from the county, as possible.

Presenter Andy Bennett managed to get the flag showcased in Times Square in New York, as well on the windows of Dave's Coaches from TV show Gavin and Stacey. Meanwhile, Mel Everett flew in a hot air balloon with the flag.

Somerset Day is celebrated on 11 May and marks Alfred the Great's call to the people of Somerset to march against the invading Viking army. It is now a celebration of all that is "great" about Somerset.

Dave's Coaches, a fictitious company from the TV show Gavin and Stacey, drove the Somerset flag around Barry Island in South Wales.

Andy Bennett lit up Glastonbury Tor with an image of the flag.

Mel Everett flew the flag on top of Dunkery Beacon in Exmoor.

The Somerset Patriots Baseball Team in Somerset County, New Jersey, USA, wished a happy Somerset Day.

The flag was flown high into the sky on the Navy Wings aircraft.

Cider company Thatchers agreed to fly the Somerset flag on their lorries for the next year.

The flag was also displayed on the caves at Wookey Hole.

Mel Everett held the flag up while going down the Hangloose Eden Project zip wire.

Simon Parkin managed to get the flag to Hollywood and displayed it next to jazz musician Benny Goodman's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Mel Everett flew the flag up into the air on a hot air balloon.

Two women are still in hospital after a car smashed through the window of a Costa Coffee.

Three people were seriously injured when the vehicle crashed into the shop on Burford Road, Carterton, Oxfordshire, on Wednesday afternoon.

On Friday, Thames Valley Police said a 38-year-old man who was injured had since been discharged, but two other people – a 64-year-old woman from Headington and a 75-year-old woman from Carterton – remained in hospital.

No arrests have been made. Police previously said they did not believe the crash had been a deliberate act by the driver.

Det Con Darren Baker asked anyone who witnessed the crash or had dashcam footage on Burford Road at about 14:00 BST to come forward.

A Costa Coffee spokesperson previously said the company's thoughts were "with the individuals involved".

"We are supporting our team members at this time," they added.

"We are unable to comment further while the investigation is ongoing."

X

A mum is preparing to stage the last play her son watched before he was killed in a crash last year.

Cat Hunter, from Nantwich, Cheshire, set up Mokushla Theatre Company in memory of her son Luke, who died in a road accident on 14 July, aged 19.

She will stage murder mystery Room 13 and prequel The Hartley Wedding, both written by her, at Reaseheath Hall in Nantwich on 26 April.

Ms Hunter told BBC Radio Stoke the nerves were "starting to set in a little bit" but the team was "absolutely buzzing".

"Obviously for me personally it's going to be quite emotional but I'm going to try and put that aside to focus on entertaining people and having fun," she added.

Ms Hunter said she was having a mixture of good and bad days but was determined to drive the project forward rather than "dwell on all the miserable stuff".

She wrote Room 13 a number of years ago and it was staged by Alsager Community Theatre last year, which was the last time Mr Hunter watched a play.

Ms Hunter described her son, who worked as a chef, as a "loveable blonde bimbo", and said hundreds of people attended his funeral.

The project had been a positive distraction for her since his death, she said, and it helped to keep her brain active.

"I think any parent that's been through any loss is looking for something to fill the void," she added.

"It's a really, really good, fun way to fill those moments when you don't want to be thinking about things."

A second performance of both plays will also be held at the Civic in Alsager, Cheshire, on 10 May.