Innovation

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."

Improvement work on a key road in Birmingham could end up costing £7m more than its original budget, a report has revealed.

Birmingham City Council has been working on the A457 Dudley Road project since 2020 in a bid to improve journey times and enhance public transport services.

New bus lanes and upgraded facilities for pedestrians and cyclists are being provided, but "emerging pressures" have forced the council to request an extra £2.5m of funding.

It brings the total forecast cost to complete the whole project to about £39.6m.

It comes after the authority announced in February it was planning to cut about £148m of spending, while increasing council tax by 7.49% in the coming financial year.

The council's cabinet previously approved the £32.1m original budget for the project in 2022 and then a revised budget of £37.1m a year later "to account for inflationary pressures and design changes".

Government-appointed commissioners, sent to oversee the crisis-hit council's recovery, said it was "disappointing" scheme bosses were now seeking a further £2.5m of funding.

The project has been supported by the Government's Levelling Up Fund.

Commissioners proposed the £2.5m shortfall is met from bus lane enforcement net surplus income.

The council said the revised budget in 2023 was approved to "accommodate wider unforeseen economic inflationary pressures and rising base energy, material and labour costs".

It went on to say that existing issues will be exacerbated if all four phases of the project are not completed.

Four phases

• Phase one: completed in July 2022: improved junction access to the Galliard and Soho Wharf development
• Phase two: completed in late summer 2024: new cycle facilities, footways and "highway realignment" to incorporate bus lanes
• Phase three ongoing: construction focusing on Lee Bridge and Icknield Port Road junction
• Phase four: plans to provide the "missing link" to the segregated cycleway on the frontage of City Hospital to the Birmingham Treatment Centre.

Ahead of a meeting on 29 April, the council's cabinet has been recommended to approve the £2.5m to complete phase four.

Ceredigion Museum is set to close in order to conduct essential repair and maintenance works.

The local council said the Grade II listed building in Aberystwyth will be shut from 19 May and is expected to re-open in spring 2026.

The work will include a new roof, repairs to the suspended ceiling and replastering damaged walls.

Cllr Catrin M S Davies said the repairs are "vital" to ensure "future generations can enjoy" the museum.

After years of argument and dispute about the meaning of gender, the watchword of Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling has to be clarity.

Equality law has been made clear with the unambiguous statement that the term "woman" refers to a biological woman and does not include biological men who identify as women.

It is a "victory for common sense", according to the chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

Baroness Falkner added: "If a male is allowed to use a women-only service, it isn't any longer a single-sex space."

This is a world away from the carefully chosen language which has been used to navigate gender issues for much of the last decade.

The Equality Act, which protects people who have been through gender reassignment from harassment, discrimination and sex discrimination, is enforced by the EHRC.

It is now updating its statutory code of conduct to take account of the judgment, saying that, with this new framework, it should be in a better position to enforce the law where it finds breaches.

It was directly involved in the Supreme Court case because it said inconsistencies over whether the term sex included or excluded transgender people with gender recognition certificates (GRC) was making equality law unworkable.

The ruling removes any ambiguity. Now, a GRC will not change a person's legal sex for the purposes of the Equality Act.

What does the ruling mean in practice?

Public bodies – from the NHS and prisons to sports clubs and businesses – will already be reviewing their policies.

Women's toilets, changing rooms and other single sex spaces will be for biological women only.

In theory, that means a transgender man or woman should use facilities that correspond to their biological sex.

However, this is likely to present other difficulties as the person will be presenting as their gender identity to the outside world.

Baroness Falkner argues that transgender people should use "their power of advocacy" to persuade organisations to provide third spaces such as unisex toilets.

Cases such as that of the nurse, Sandie Peggie, who was suspended after refusing to share a changing room with a transgender doctor, are likely to be reviewed.

NHS Fife, the health board involved in the case, told the BBC that it noted the clarity provided by the ruling and would "carefully consider the judgment".

A new social group is tackling women's loneliness through friendships and fun activities.

Hull Girlies was launched only in January but already every event sells out within hours.

Mira Rumianceva was the brains behind the group.

"The feedback that I've had is incredible. Some of it has made me cry. It's so nice to know that these events are having such an impact on women," she said.

The girls have done activities ranging from jewellery-making and hiking to goat yoga and pole classes.

Mira, 26, said she was inspired to start the group after seeing a similar one on social media.

"I saw a girl's video on Instagram. I think she lived in Berlin and I remember thinking it'd be so nice if Hull had something like that," she said.

"From there it's just taken off. All the events sell out within a few hours of being posted."

'Just spending time with friends'

She added: "The demand is definitely growing, so I am trying to put on more events just to meet that demand."

Mira wants the group to be a "safe, welcoming and inclusive" space, and it seems to be working.

"I've had girls who wanted to book on to events but felt really anxious, and then afterwards they would message me to say that as soon as they've come in and started chatting with the girls, they felt so safe, comfortable and included, and not once did they feel lonely," she said.

"They just felt like they spent the night with their friends."

Shay Flora, 28, said Hull Girlies was a perfect fit for her busy work schedule.

"I go to work, I come home, I make my dinner, and then I'll do that through the week, and then I'll go down to Sheffield to see my boyfriend," she said.

"So the time for socialising with girls in Hull isn't that much if you're not sure where to look, but this has just been perfect on a weeknight after work."

Daisy Glover, 19, said the group had helped her find friends who shared her interests.

"I've met so many other women who enjoy the same sorts of things as me. I'm not a big drinker, so it's quite nice to meet people and do craft things," she said.

"I have ADHD so I find it hard to keep the same friends, so I think sometimes it's a lot easier to come to these sorts of things and see people who maybe you wouldn't speak to in a normal situation."

Daisy, who is a university student, said it could often be hard when "you haven't stayed friends with the same people through school or you've moved away".

She added that many girls struggled to socialise at university, so groups such as Hull Girlies could really help.

Many of the girls in the group are not originally from Hull and have found the events a great way to meet people in their new home.

Vera Lukashenko, 21, said attending the meet-ups had helped her social skills and allowed her to connect with someone from her home country.

"I'm an introvert so, for me, socialising sometimes can be difficult, so actually going out and speaking to different people has helped me to improve my network and my social skills," she said.

"I actually found a friend who speaks the same language as me. It's so good to have a group such as this, so you don't feel lonely."

The group's upcoming events include a Muay Thai class, speed friending, Pilates and a picnic.

Mira wants everyone to feel welcome.

"All women are welcome here – all ages and all backgrounds. This is a safe space for everyone," she said.

"Whether you're new to Hull or you just want to expand your social network, Hull Girlies is for you."

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

Two Conservative councillors in Derbyshire have quit the party to start their own group, claiming some of their former colleagues have "forgotten where they come from".

Councillors Gareth Gee and Nigel Edwards-Walker, Conservative members of Derbyshire Dales District Council, left the party to form Derbyshire First.

This leaves the Conservative group on the district council – which is controlled by a Liberal Democrat-led alliance – down to nine councillors, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

Councillor Sue Hobson, deputy leader of the Derbyshire Dales Conservative group, said it was a "shame" individuals elected two years ago "changed their political allegiance".

'The right time'

The councillors, who represent Bakewell and the Dovedale, Parwich and Brassington wards respectively, made the move following a stark local election campaign for the Conservatives.

Gee also stood in last week's Derbyshire County Council elections as a Conservative candidate in Matlock but was unsuccessful, with Liberal Democrat Sue Burfoot winning the seat.

Gee said: "This is not a decision I have made lightly but it is the right time for me at this part of my career. Politics needs to change and be more local."

He told the LDRS the core aim of the new Derbyshire First party was to campaign against new housing targets and to ensure districts and boroughs were not divided through local government reorganisation.

The council has had its housing targets increased from 216 per year to 580, under reforms announced by the government.

Hobson, former group leader and now deputy leader of the Derbyshire Dales Conservative group, said: "It is a shame that individuals who have been voted in by residents just two years ago have broken that trust and changed their political allegiance.

"Rest assured that Derbyshire Dales Conservatives will continue to work hard for their residents."

Edmunds-Walker was approached for comment.

A number of smart hubs which include access to defibrillators are set to be installed in and around a seaside town.

The Urban Innovation Company has submitted an application to Cornwall Council to site 14 of the hubs, which also offer the chance to make free phone calls, in and around Newquay.

The application is being supported by the town council and Newquay Business Improvement District, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Some residents posting in community groups on social media have expressed concerns about obstruction on the streets, increased digital advertising and light pollution.

'Not in keeping'

"They're totally unnecessary and will just add to the already overwhelming and messy/ugly street furniture in the town", one local resident said.

Commenting on the application on the council planning portal, another person said the digital signs were "not in keeping with the surroundings".

The respondent said this was particularly the case in terms of the one proposed for Headland Road, "as visitors to Newquay get their first glimpses of the view across the Fistral beach".

The smart hubs, produced by a company called Pulse, would include touchscreens providing free phone calls and free wi-fi.

They would also include along with a built-in defibrillator and access to emergency treatment in the event of a drug overdose, as well as an emergency safety button to support anyone who is vulnerable and a 999 emergency button.

A planning report said the proposals were supported by the Safer Cornwall Partnership, which recognised the hubs would deliver a range of benefits for residents, businesses and visitors to Cornwall.

The 14 proposed locations, which have been developed in collaboration with Newquay Town Council, Newquay BID, Devon and Cornwall Police and Cornwall Council, include Bank Street, Berry Road and Newquay Railway Station.