Innovation

A 103-year-old church could be converted into 15 flats, if plans are approved by Calderdale Council.

Ebenezer Methodist Church, in St James Road, Halifax, has been vacant since about 2011 when it was used as a community hall.

New company Ossett 1 recently bought the property with a view to giving it a "new lease of life".

Although the church is not listed, the applicant said the aim was to keep many of its features when converting it into apartments.

"Many of the existing external features will be respected and retained," the applicant said.

"There is no heritage feature within the internal church building, so the change of use will not cause any harm to the heritage."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the chapel was built in 1922 and is described as an "imposing building in an elevated corner junction position between St James Road and Pellon Lane."

It was built by John William Standeven, in memory of his mother Charlotte.

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A teenage Muslim convert who posted Islamic State videos online because he "wanted to join the trend" has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

Leo Walby, 19, from Swanley, Kent, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey last month to six charges of disseminating a terrorist publication between 10 July and 20 August last year.

He also admitted to failing to comply with a notice issued under the Regulatory of Investigatory Powers Act by not providing a password to a cloud-based storage device.

Walby had posted the material on Telegram and on TikTok – where he had more than 1,500 followers and had accumulated more than 10,000 likes, the court heard.

One video included footage of IS fighters in combat scenes and a western soldier killed by an explosion, together with subtitles describing the benefits of martyrdom.

Another propaganda video showed a speaker in a chair describing executions and beheadings as being "normal".

He also posted a speech from Abdullah Yusuf Azaam who the court heard "is known as the father of global jihad" with links to Osama bin Laden.

Walby had also sought donations to support jihad and to send to camps where IS members were being held.

From 20 August the defendant had used the IS flag as his logo on the channel, the court heard.

'Sucked into extremism'

Walby was subject to a referral to the government's counter-terrorism Prevent programme in 2017 which was closed without any engagement with the family.

There was also some information to suggest Walby had a history of mild autism.

Prosecutor Frederick Hookway said that Walby had accepted putting the relevant posts on TikTok and Telegram.

"He had created these accounts because he saw others doing it, and wanted to join the trend."

In mitigation James Hasslacher said that Walby had converted to Islam in 2023 after a period of youth offending.

Walby had endured a "bad childhood" and "found succour in Islam and found himself descending into the madness of what he was posting," said Mr Hasslacher.

He "deeply regretted his actions," the court heard.

Sentencing Walby on Friday, Judge Anthony Leonard KC said his refusal to reveal his password to police showed a "complete disregard for the rule of law and causes me concern about what you did not want the police to find in your telephone".

He added the defendant's posts were "intelligently and carefully planned" after he was "sucked into extremism".

The judge said that Walby had used social media platforms to gain a wider audience and had continued to use them despite being banned.

Walby had also used pseudnoyms to disseminate a "significant amount" of terrorist publications, Judge Leonard said.

Walby was sentenced to three and a half years for the six dissemination charges with an extended licence period of 12 months.

He must serve a consecutive sentence of one year for failing to comply with a notice.

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Four former council-run leisure centres are said to become more family friendly and accessible, following a programme of investment.

Blaydon, Dunston, and Heworth leisure centres, along with Gateshead International Stadium, were recently taken over by charitable social enterprise group GLL.

It has now allocated £750,000 to replace health and fitness equipment in the gyms at the four centres with state-of-the-art machines.

It will also be working with the council to operate six community tennis courts, which the authority is currently refurbishing.

GLL said it was putting in place measures to ensure its facilities were inclusive and accessible to everyone, and there would be specially designed equipment to support those with disabilities.

A multi-sensory lighting system being introduced at Dunston Leisure Centre will cater to children with sensory processing needs.

The existing underused squash courts at that site will become a multi-functional space for community activities, health programmes and school holiday clubs.

Scott Holmes, from GLL, said: "Our overarching aim is to improve the health and happiness of communities by investing in facilities and encouraging participation in activities.

"We will continue to work in partnership with Gateshead Council to introduce additional community-led programmes."

The oldest bird watching hide at a nature reserve has been rebuilt to provide "stunning new views" of wildlife and improve accessibility.

The Lower Hide at RSPB Leighton Moss in Carnforth, Lancashire, has been transformed thanks to donations from two of the charity's life members and RSPB groups in Leeds, Liverpool, Macclesfield and York.

The conservation charity said it was a "particularly good spot" for catching glimpses of otters and a wide range of waterbirds such as egrets and ducks.

Jarrod Sneyd, of the RSPB, said: "The new hide will stand for many years to come and provide enjoyment in nature for a whole host of visitors to Leighton Moss."

Lower Hide is situated on the edge of the reedbed on the northern edge of the Leighton Moss nature reserve.

The new hide features larger windows to provide more expansive views of the Lower Pool and is a popular spot in spring to watch Marsh Harriers soaring above the reedbed as well as bitterns flying to their nearby nest with food for their chicks.

The RSPB said in spring and summer Ospreys could also be seen fishing in the pool, often retreating to a nearby tree to consume their catch.

'Special location'

There is a a large accessible ramp and veranda at the back to ensure visitors in mobility scooters and those with pushchairs are able to easily access the hide for the first time.

Mr Sneyd, senior site manager at Leighton Moss, described the lower hide as his favourite one, adding: "I was involved in building it in 1990 and I've spent many hours in it from being a young volunteer on the reserve and throughout my career with the RSPB.

"For me, experiencing nature is about immersion, absorbing sights, sounds, colours, smells and now with a more airy, light experience it is so nice to once again enjoy this special location."

A village pub near Chichester has caught fire for the second time in less than two months.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said five fire engines, one water carrier and one ladder platform responded to a blaze at the Gribble Inn pub in Oving on Friday.

They said the flames were put out just after 19:00 BST, but urged nearby residents to keep their windows and doors closed due to smoke.

Crews continue to remain at the site, the fire service added.

It comes after a fire at the pub, which has a thatched roof, at the end of February.

That blaze was likened to a "raging inferno" by Greg Hughes, a sous chef at the Gribble Inn.

Ten fire engines were deployed to the scene at that time, while the high street was temporarily closed.

As the refurbishment of the Welsh Parliament's debating chamber continues, the Senedd's ceremonial mace has been removed.

Work has begun on expanding the chamber ahead of an increase in the number of Members of the Senedd (MS) after the next election.

An extra 36 MSs will be elected in May 2026, bringing the total to 96.

The mace will be transferred to the old debating chamber in an adjoining building, where MSs will sit whilst the changes are made.

The mace sits in front of the Llywydd – the Presiding Officer – who is the Senedd's equivalent of the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Made from gold, silver and brass, it was presented to the Senedd by the Parliament of New South Wales in Australia to mark the opening of the Senedd building in 2006.

Following an election the mace is placed in its holder in the debating chamber to signify the official opening of the Senedd.

Why is it being moved?

The mace is being moved because MSs are having to vacate the debating chamber due to building work.

The chamber needs to be extended to make room for the additional 36 politicians that will be elected next May as the number of politicians in Cardiff Bay increases from 60 to 96.

A Senedd spokesman said £2.8m had been allocated to pay for the changes to the chamber.

For the next year or so, MSs will sit in the old debating chamber in the Tŷ Hywel office building behind the Senedd which is where the mace will be repositioned.

That's where Assembly Members – as they were then called – sat between 1999 and 2006.

Only six serving MSs were in Cardiff Bay for all or part of that period: the Llywydd Elin Jones from Plaid Cymru, Labour's Jane Hutt, Lynne Neagle and John Griffiths and Conservative MSs Mark Isherwood and Laura Anne Jones.

What other changes are happening?

As well as an increase in the number of MSs, the way politicians are elected to Cardiff Bay is also changing.

Wales is being split up into 16 constituencies and each one will be represented by six MSs, elected via proportional representation.

The changes are happening as a result of a deal between Labour and Plaid Cymru.

Supporters of the reforms say more MSs are needed to reflect the extra responsibilities the Senedd now has compared to when devolution began in 1999.

However, opponents – including the Conservatives – say the changes are a waste of taxpayers' money.

The Swiss ski resort of Zermatt was cut off and tourists and residents were told to stay indoors in the French resort of Tignes because of heavy snow in the Alps on Thursday.

Tignes Mayor Serge Revial said there was a high risk of avalanches and "we had to make a decision to protect people", after more than a metre of snow was dumped over the town.

Although snow is not uncommon in the Alps in April, the disruption left thousands of homes in the Savoie region of eastern France without power.

In neighbouring Switzerland, the Simplon Pass into Italy and the Great St Bernard Tunnel were closed to traffic, while two cantons were badly affected.

In Valais and Bernese Oberland, tourists heading for ski holidays were hit by the disruption.

Road and rail routes were cut off into the resort of Zermatt in the southern canton of Valais; power was cut throughout Thursday and mobile phone networks were badly disrupted.

Queues built up outside the only supermarket open in the town, according to Swiss media.

The Alertswiss app warned of the risk of avalanches and falling trees in Valais as well as major disruption to transport. Schools were closed for the day in the city of Sion.

People travelling to the area for Easter were advised to delay their trips until Saturday. Local police urged people to stay at home if possible.

South of Zermatt, power outages were reported in 37 of the 74 municipalities in the Aosta Valley in north-west Italy, and a bridge collapsed in Biella in nearby Piedmont.

The biggest problem in north-west Italy was heavy rain, as rivers burst their banks and a 92-year-old man was thought to have drowned because of flooding in his home at Monteu da Po near Turin.

A torrent of water cascaded through the streets of the village, in hills close to the River Po.

Red alerts were issued in several valleys, but the biggest concern was for the Po where river levels were expected to peak in the next 24 hours.

Meteorologists said in some areas more than 20cm of rain had fallen in 36 hours, and extreme peaks had been recorded of even higher levels.

"It's been raining non-stop for days, very, very hard, although it's stopped now," Manuela, a 33-year-old Turin resident, told the BBC.

"Two rivers, the Po and the Dora, near Turin have burst their banks. The city is fine but they had to shut several bars and restaurants by the river in Turin."

A police officer's failure to investigate a report of a man covered in blood was "inexplicable", a misconduct hearing has found.

The panel at Lincolnshire Police headquarters found that PC Gayle Newton, 50, had failed to be diligent in her duties, to prioritise the welfare of the victim – who was later found to have been stabbed – and to treat a member of the public with respect on 3 April 2023.

It amounted to gross misconduct and Ms Newton would have been dismissed had she not already resigned, the panel concluded.

Acting on Ms Newton's behalf, Det Con David Haddock, of the Police Federation, said she accepted "her inaction fell below the standards expected".

Ms Newton, who did not attend the hearing, was based at Gainsborough Police Station.

Liz Briggs, counsel for Lincolnshire Police, told the panel that, on the day of the incident, Ms Newton was at a Tesco superstore on Trinity Street when she was approached by a member of the public who reported seeing an injured man nearby.

The witness later said she had "never seen someone covered in so much blood" and "he looked close to death"

Ms Briggs said Ms Newton told the witness she "would sort it", but failed to take any further details, make notes or ask where the injured man was walking to.

The panel was told that Ms Newton drove for three minutes in a "cursory effort" to find him and failed to contact colleagues, before driving eight miles to Blyton. There was no explanation for this as she was not attending an incident.

Ms Briggs said Ms Newton "chose to sit out of the way so not to be involved in this investigation".

A short time later, East Midlands Ambulance Service notified police that the man had been taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries after being stabbed.

Ms Newton returned to her police station, but did not share her knowledge with colleagues.

In defence of the former officer, Det Con Haddock said: "Why she did this is a mystery.

"She has been unable to account [for] why she did what she did, partly due to her poor recollection of the day."

Ms Newton had served with Lincolnshire Police for 20 years, regretted her actions and was "sorry for the disrepute" she had brought upon the force and herself.

The hearing was told that the ex-officer had strained working relationships with colleagues, which caused her to feel "anxious".

'Protect life'

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Davison, who chaired the panel, described Ms Newton's failure to immediately respond to the witness report as "inexplicable".

There had been a risk to the victim and potentially to members of the public.

He said the public expected police officers "to act to protect life" and the panel was confident Ms Newton failed to act.

Ms Newton, who served her last day with the force on Tuesday, can appeal.

The force said no one was charged in connection with the stabbing and the victim made a full recovery.

Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds latest episode of Look North here.

John Watkeys used to love an evening cup of tea watching bats fly around his oak tree, but that part of his garden is now gone under one of the UK's most expensive and longest-running road projects.

As the Heads of the Valleys road officially opens on Thursday, there are no roadworks on it for the first time in 23 years after its £2bn upgrade to almost motorway standard.

But for people like John, who has neighboured the A465 for 65 years, he says the stress of fighting to keep his home intact has taken its toll.

First Minister Eluned Morgan has called the upgrade Wales' biggest project since devolution in 1999, giving valleys communities "the same opportunities" as other areas.

A woman who was unable to walk while struggling with chronic fatigue syndrome has said running the Manchester Marathon later will be a "victory lap" to celebrate how far she has come.

Kelsey Sheridan, 28, was diagnosed with the condition, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), in 2016.

She said while there was "no right way to manage" ME, she wanted to convey hope to others who were suffering.

The software engineer, from Middleton, Rochdale, described the 26.2 miles (42km) run on Sunday as a "kind of big 'in your face' to a lot of people".

"When I was undiagnosed there was no blood test that said anything was wrong with me," she said.

"A lot of people said, 'she's just lazy or skiving or not trying hard enough' or 'it's just pain, push through it' and I couldn't.

"No-one with chronic fatigue can. It doesn't work like that."

According to the NHS, myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a long-term condition that can affect different parts of the body with the most common symptom known to be extreme tiredness.

Ms Sheridan struggled with exhaustion and her symptoms continued to worsen until she eventually required a wheelchair.

She said there was not a simple explanation for her recovery, but she had been helped by her assistance dog Hamble, who was provided by Canine Partners in 2019.

"I was constantly in survival-mode and felt like I'd never be able to recover," she said.

"With Hamble's help, I was able to slowly rebuild my strength and mobility."

'Significant milestone'

In early 2024, the 28-year-old went for her first run and she has not looked back.

"I've gotten better somehow. I have friends, a huge support group of fellow sufferers and they all want to know what I did," she said.

"All I can say is that I did what I could. I have B12 jabs and that kind of helped.

"There's no 'I tried this medication and it worked'. There's no answers and it's tough knowing there's still no answers out there for them."

She added that the Manchester Marathon marked "a significant milestone" in her journey.

"Having full mobility is something I really took for granted before I lost my ability to walk, and it's something that I make a conscious effort to celebrate even on the bad days."