Cathedral city in West Yorkshire; a historic hub along the Calder
The Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs has confirmed its phased hearings, with London and several local areas including Oldham, Bradford and Keighley set to be investigated. Baroness Anne Longfield leads the probe, which will compel institutions to explain what they did to protect children and to review past safeguarding failures.
Northern leaders are steering a push for investment and culture to rejuvenate the region, with Andy Burnham’s influence and a revived civic approach guiding new projects like local food festivals and arts hubs. The pieces highlight Todmorden and Ouseburn as exemplars of a broader northern renaissance in outdoor spaces, culture and community cohesion.
Gen Z and millennials are embracing “soft hermitting” to cope with a busy social summer. A RiseGuide survey shows a third of young adults went days without human interaction; searches for “How to say no to plans” have doubled. Even stars like Harry Styles have taken quiet time after tours. Experts say the trend offers a way to protect mental space amid an overactive season.
The Guardian reports that Ray Exworth’s six-decade body of sculpture has been hidden in seven sheds on a Cornish smallholding. A new book, Ray’s Sheds, documents the unseen works and raises questions about public access to art.
Liberty Mitchell’s dangerous driving has cost two lives and left others with life‑changing injuries. The Court of Appeal has increased her sentence to nine years and three months after an Unduly Lenient Sentence referral by the Attorney General.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has made social care reform a priority, urging cross‑party collaboration and an independent review to shape a national care service, with faster timelines for reform and funding discussions.
A series of projects linking public greenspaces with community welfare are expanding across Britain and Europe. From Care Not Capital in the UK to Polish social forests and Tshwane’s climate-adaptive spaces, officials and organizers say investing in greenery is boosting biodiversity, health and resilience while underscoring funding fragilities for maintenance.
A wave of school mobile-phone policies is rolling out across Scotland and England. Pouches and locked cabinets are being introduced or trialed to keep devices out of classrooms, with phased rollouts, exemptions for medical needs, and ongoing testing of new systems. Some councils report delays in delivery and phased introductions through October.
Pooja Kanda and families affected by knife crime welcome the government’s expansion of knife-surrender bins and a mobile surrender van. Since July last year, more than 14,500 weapons have been handed in, with knife-enabled robberies and homicides showing declines. The scheme aims to remove dangerous weapons from streets, with new bins in Yorkshire and other areas.
Minnie Merriman has died after being found seriously injured at an Arbroath industrial estate. Her father, 35-year-old Christopher Rice, has been charged with her murder. NHS Tayside is investigating a potential data breach at Ninewells Hospital related to patient records access.
Multiple road-traffic deaths have led to court proceedings across Britain. In Wakefield, a driver was sentenced after stuffed toys obscured visibility in the fatal crash of John Nottingham. In Weston-super-Mare, a driver has been jailed for dangerous driving that killed Emily Jordan. In North Tyneside, Linda Hall pleaded guilty to causing Rita Grimshaw’s death in a busy car park. A separate case in Aberdeen involves Samantha Lee after a claw hammer attack.