BBC News

In the Lancashire town of Longridge, Harriet Shorrock has taken on one of the most cherished jobs in the community — guiding children safely across the road on their way to school.

But she admits, she’s got some big boots to fill.

Harriet, a former dairy farmer and baker, is the new lollipop lady at Longridge Church of England Primary School, stepping into the high-visibility jacket once worn by Irene Reid — a local legend who retired earlier this year after more than 56 years on the job.

“I’ve got a lot of names to learn,” Harriet told BBC Radio Lancashire. “Irene knew everyone.”

Irene, who was awarded an MBE for her long-standing dedication to road safety, was a fixture on Berry Lane for decades, becoming as familiar to local families as the school bell itself. She even handed out dog treats to passing pups — a tradition Harriet is now continuing.

“On my first day, I was handed a bag of dog biscuits,” Harriet said. “You can see [the dogs] dragging their owners up Berry Lane.”

Harriet’s own son is a pupil at the school, and she said her motivation for taking the job was simple: she wanted to do something that helps the community.

She and Irene often joked that she’d one day take up the lollipop stick. Now, that joke has become reality — though Harriet’s not promising the same record-setting run.

“Everyone keeps asking me if I’m going to do the 50+ years, and I can guarantee you that I probably won’t!” she said, laughing.

As for managing a crowd of excited schoolchildren, Harriet said her farming background might help — sort of.

“Shepherding cows prepared me a bit,” she joked. “But the children can be less compliant!”

With a bright smile, a stash of biscuits, and the blessing of her beloved predecessor, Harriet is already winning over Longridge — one safe crossing at a time.

This Crossing Guard Stepped Into a Legendary Role — and is Bringing Dog Biscuits

At six secondary schools across England’s Heartwood Learning Trust, mornings start with an unusual ritual: students hand over their phones and lock them away for the day.

The policy, rolled out for 5,000 students aged 11 to 16, uses Yondr pouches — fabric sleeves that magnetically seal and can’t be opened without a special unlocking base. The goal is simple: get smartphones out of the classroom.

Since introducing the pouches, teachers say they’ve seen fewer disruptions, sharper focus, and even happier students.

“It’s given us an extra level of confidence that students aren't having their learning interrupted,” said Gillian Mills, headteacher at Vale of York Academy, one of the schools using the pouches. “We're not seeing phone confiscations now, which took up time, or the arguments about handing phones over — but also teachers are saying that they are able to teach.”

Students are scanned with metal detectors in the morning to ensure phones aren’t being smuggled in. Once cleared, their devices are placed in the pouches and kept in bags or lockers until the end of the day.

Despite the long queues this creates, some students say the difference is noticeable.

Charlie, a Year 10 student, said he’s now more “engaged” in lessons and answering more questions, instead of zoning out. His classmate Daniel admitted he used to check his phone throughout the day, even though it was meant to stay in his bag. That distraction is now gone.

Rosie, a first-year student, said teachers no longer have to “shout” at kids using their phones — a change that’s made classrooms feel less stressful.

The initiative has cost the trust £75,000 so far, with each Yondr pouch priced at £15. That price point puts them out of reach for many schools.

At Kettlethorpe High School in Wakefield, staff stick with a more traditional approach — phones must stay in bags, and if students break the rule, the devices are confiscated. Vice-principal Christian Bruce-Halliwell says it works well enough.

“Phone pouches are extremely costly. It's not as simple as saying we'll introduce this to solve this problem,” he said. “Schools will have to make some difficult financial trade-offs to purchase these phone pouches.”

Despite the cost, momentum for stronger smartphone policies in schools is growing. In February 2024, the Department for Education issued guidance allowing schools to prohibit phones during lesson time to improve behaviour. And a letter signed by 250 school leaders — organized by the group Generation Focus — has urged the government to go even further and implement a nationwide ban.

Clare Fernyhough, the group’s co-founder, sees the current situation as unsustainable. “They [pouches] may be a useful interim measure for getting phones out of schools and protecting the school day. But they do very little to preserve childhood beyond the school gate,” she said. “It shouldn't be up to teachers to change this societal norm.”

The statistics show just how embedded smartphones are in teenagers’ lives. According to Ofcom, 97% of 12-year-olds in the UK now own a smartphone. A recent BBC survey found that half of teens aged 13 to 18 feel anxious without their phones, and 74% say they wouldn’t trade them for a basic device.

But for now, at least in some schools, students are learning what it’s like to get through the day without their screens — and many are finding they don’t miss them as much as they thought.

These UK Schools Are Locking Up Students’ Phones — and Say Learning Has Improved

Deta Hedman finally got her fairytale ending.

After five decades of near misses, heartbreaks, and unmatched consistency in darts, the 66-year-old from Witham, Essex, was crowned world champion on Sunday at the 2025 WDF Women’s World Championship. She defeated top seed Lerena Rietbergen 4-1 in a comeback win that left her in tears.

“When [the dart] went in I just thought, ‘Thank God, finally I’ve done it,’” Hedman told BBC Essex. “Most people saw I started blubbering like a child. It was just the relief. I didn’t think it was ever going to come.”

Nicknamed the “Caribbean Queen,” Hedman was born in Jamaica and moved to England at the age of 13. Her career has spanned more than 50 years, and Sunday marked her 15th time playing at the Lakeside venue — the home of countless darts memories and, for Hedman, three painful final losses. Until now.

Rietbergen took the opening set and looked poised to spoil Hedman’s long-awaited breakthrough, but the veteran held her nerve and stormed back to take the next four sets, sealing victory with a shot that brought the crowd to its feet and Hedman to tears.

“To have won it, I can’t really describe it,” she said. “I think everyone just saw how [emotional] I looked. It will sink in in a few days’ time. I will let all the excitement settle down first.”

It’s been a standout year for Hedman, who also learned in June she would be appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her contributions to darts and charity.

“I can’t put into words right now how I feel,” she said after the final. “I’m grateful and privileged to still be at the oche doing what I love. Things are written, and if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. It’s funny how everything has just fallen into place.”

After a lifetime in the game, Hedman now has the one title that had always eluded her — and a place in darts history as a world champion at last.

At 66, She Just Won Her First World Darts Championship

Africa News

In a small studio tucked inside Bulgaria’s second-largest city, glass tubes become delicate works of art — and a source of purpose.

At this Plovdiv workshop, people with disabilities are trained in the centuries-old craft of glassblowing, producing shimmering ornaments that end up in homes across the country and beyond. It’s slow, intricate work. Each piece begins as a plain glass tube, heated over a burner, then blown, shaped, and turned by hand.

The workshop was founded in 2018 with a simple goal: give people with disabilities the opportunity to learn a skill and earn an income. For many, finding steady work had been a struggle. Here, they get both a paycheck and a routine — plus the pride of seeing something they’ve made take shape in fire and glass.

At the center of it all is Ivan Stanev, a veteran glassblower with nearly 50 years of experience. He mentors the team, passing on the kind of techniques that can’t be rushed.

Though the artisans work year-round, the holidays bring a spike in demand. Sales peak in the lead-up to Christmas, when glass ornaments — delicate, shiny, and sometimes whimsical — are especially popular.

Each piece is sold either online or through a small shop in Plovdiv. Buyers from across Bulgaria and abroad are drawn to their beauty, but also to the story behind them — handmade objects that carry not just craftsmanship, but care.

Bulgaria's Artisans with Disabilities Craft Delicate Glass Ornaments, Attracting Global Buyers

Science Daily

A Paleolithic stone tool discovered in Germany is changing what archaeologists thought they knew about early human use of color. Researchers from Aarhus University have identified traces of azurite — a bright blue mineral — on a 13,000-year-old artifact, marking the first time the pigment has been found in European Ice Age art.

“This challenges what we thought we knew about Paleolithic pigment use,” said Dr. Izzy Wisher, lead author of the study published in Antiquity.

Until now, almost all known Paleolithic artworks used red and black pigments, leading experts to assume that early artists either lacked access to other colors or didn’t value them. Blue, in particular, was thought to be absent from the palette of Ice Age Europe.

But the new evidence tells a different story.

The artifact, excavated at the Final Paleolithic site of Mühlheim-Dietesheim in western Germany, was originally believed to be a stone oil lamp. After detailed analysis using a range of geochemical techniques, researchers now believe it was likely used to prepare pigments — essentially a palette for grinding or mixing azurite.

“The presence of azurite shows that Paleolithic people had a deep knowledge of mineral pigments and could access a much broader color palette than we previously thought — and they may have been selective in the way they used certain colors,” Wisher said.

Azurite is a copper-based mineral known for its vivid blue hue. Unlike red ochre or charcoal — commonly found in prehistoric cave art — azurite doesn’t appear often in surviving artworks, likely because its uses were more ephemeral. Researchers suggest it may have been used for body decoration, textiles, or ritual purposes, which are far less likely to leave lasting archaeological evidence.

The finding has broad implications for how archaeologists interpret Paleolithic culture. It raises questions about identity, symbolism, and aesthetic choices made by early humans. If blue was used but rarely preserved, what other colors or materials might have vanished entirely from the record?

The project was a cross-disciplinary collaboration involving experts from Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and France. Scientists from Aarhus University’s Department of Geoscience — including Rasmus Andreasen, James Scott, and Christof Pearce — worked with Thomas Birch, who is affiliated with both Aarhus and the National Museum of Denmark.

The discovery adds a new layer to our understanding of Ice Age creativity and challenges long-standing assumptions about the visual world of early humans. It also invites a closer look at existing Paleolithic collections for subtle traces of colors that may have once been overlooked.

13,000-Year-Old Tool With Blue Pigment Forces Rethink of Ice Age Art

At 11 years old, Elodie Gray is riding her bike, playing with her dogs Coco and Bhodie, and enjoying the kind of childhood most kids take for granted. But behind her easy smile is a remarkable story of survival — and a powerful message about the importance of organ donation.

Elodie, from Kingswood in Bristol, underwent life-saving heart surgery as a baby after being diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that weakens the heart muscle. Ten years later, she’s one of the faces of the NHS’s Hope Takes Flight campaign, a nationwide push to encourage organ donation and highlight the lives it can save.

“Organ donation is a great thing,” Elodie said. “I wish more people could get fixed and enjoy life again.”

She’s now sharing her journey as one of many transplant recipients featured in the campaign, which also includes stories from donor families. For Elodie, the message is simple but powerful: “If I hadn't got my new heart, I wouldn't be able to tell you my story.”

Her father Colin, 52, says Elodie understands the gravity of her experience but lives with strength and joy. “She is very aware of what she has been through in her life so far but takes it in her stride,” he said. “Our differences in life can never be explained in words due to the severity of Elodie's journey — only to say we cherish every moment with her.”

The family is calling for more open conversations around organ donation, particularly within families. “We need to continue the discussion,” Colin said. “If everyone knew their loved ones’ wishes, it would save many more lives. Most of the waiting and deaths can be avoided.”

According to NHS Blood and Transplant, more than 8,000 people in the UK are currently waiting for an organ transplant — including 50 in Bristol alone. In the 2024/25 year, 463 people died while waiting, an 11% increase from the previous year.

The Hope Takes Flight campaign is urging people to register their organ donation preferences on the NHS Organ Donor Register, which can guide families during difficult decisions.

For Elodie, life after transplant means freedom. “My new heart means I can do things that other children do,” she said. And with that heart, she’s using her voice to help others.

“My New Heart Means I Can Do What Other Kids Do”: 11-Year-Old is Raising Awareness for Organ Donation

People

Nearly a year after losing her Malibu home in the Los Angeles wildfires, Ricki Lake received a piece of her past back in the most unexpected way — thanks to a stranger at a flea market.

On Sunday, December 7, artist Patty Scanlon was browsing the Pasadena Flea Market when she spotted a box of old photographs. A familiar face caught her eye. “I thought, wait a minute… that looks like Ricki Lake,” she said.

It was. For $20, Scanlon unknowingly purchased a stack of Lake’s personal photos — many of them of the former talk show host with her son, Milo, when he was just a baby.

“I’m still in disbelief,” Lake commented on Scanlon’s Instagram post, which showed several of the recovered photos. The next day, the two connected live on Instagram to talk about the “miracle” find — and to thank one another.

“This gives you hope for humanity,” Lake said during the emotional chat. “I’m so touched and I’m overwhelmed.”

Lake, 57, lost everything in the January fires that destroyed her Malibu home, including countless irreplaceable mementos and family photos. “The fact that I’m gonna get something back that I thought was lost forever makes me so happy,” she told Scanlon. “It means everything to me.”

Scanlon, who uses old photographs as reference material for her artwork, said she had no idea the box contained such meaningful items when she picked it up. But once she got home and recognized Lake’s face, she began trying to get in touch. Inside the pile was an envelope addressed to Lake’s old New York City residence, which helped confirm the photos’ origin.

Scanlon guessed they may have been sent to a friend years ago and ended up for sale by accident — maybe through an estate sale or house clean-out. Either way, she said, it felt like fate.

“I just can’t believe the magic that is my life,” Lake said. “It just feels like there’s somebody looking out for me, because this doesn’t make any sense.”

Many of the photos feature Milo, now 28, as a toddler. “Milo is gonna be so stoked to have all these,” Lake said, adding that she had been mourning the loss of childhood pictures of both her sons. She’s also mom to Owen, 24.

Scanlon said she was simply glad to help. “It was a miracle,” she said. “To find the photos, buy them, and actually get them back to you — it’s amazing.”

Lake called Scanlon an “angel” and said the discovery had brought warmth to what had otherwise been a painful year. “You made this year that’s been such a challenging and remarkable year… it feels so heartwarming. It’s just truly, truly heartwarming.”

The two plan to meet up when Lake returns to Los Angeles, with Lake promising to take Scanlon out to dinner as a thank-you. Scanlon, meanwhile, is planning to paint Lake, now inspired by the rediscovered images.

“It’s a full-circle moment,” Lake said, smiling through tears. “A real miracle.”

Stranger Discovers Ricki Lake's Lost Family Photos at Flea Market After L.A. Fires

Meet Brody, a six-year-old Pyrenean mountain dog with a heart as big as his stature. Weighing in at 66 kilograms and standing about 1.82 meters tall on his hind legs, he is an impressive sight. Currently residing with Animal Concern Cumbria, based in Egremont, this gentle giant is waiting for the perfect family to adopt him.

Lauren Pickthall, the animal rehoming manager at the charity, describes Brody as a "lovable giant" with a sweet and gentle demeanor. Despite his massive size, she says he has an endearing goofy side that adds to his charm. However, prospective adopters should be ready for Brody's substantial appetite; he consumes over a kilogram of food each day.

Pyrenean mountain dogs have historically worked as livestock guardians, protecting flocks from predators like wolves and bears. This background means Brody needs someone who understands the breed and has experience with livestock guardian dogs. "They have kind of behavioral characteristics that come along with being a working breed," Ms. Pickthall explained.

Adopting Brody will require some preparation beyond understanding his breed traits. He needs ample space to lounge around comfortably—Ms. Pickthall humorously notes that whoever takes him home will need "a very large sofa because he likes his comfort and he's not willing to share."

Animal Concern Cumbria expects to open applications for Brody within the week, hoping to find him a new home by the New Year. Interest in adopting him has already been high due to his unique characteristics and lovable personality.

Despite her fondness for Brody, Ms. Pickthall remains pragmatic about parting ways with him once he's adopted: "I never get sad," she said. "It's always exactly what we work for from the moment they come in, so it's always joyous when dogs leave us." It's clear that finding permanent homes for animals like Brody is what drives her work at the rescue charity.

As applications roll in soon, it seems likely that this charming Pyrenean mountain dog will soon find his forever home where he'll have all the love—and food—he needs.

Lovable Giant Dog Seeks Forever Home, Eats Over 1kg of Food Daily

ABC - Australia

When Daisy (Not her real name, to protect her identity) thought about joining the Women’s Empowerment Strength Training (WEST) Project, she wasn’t sure she belonged.

“I was so nervous. I was worried about having to tell my story,” she said.

But no one asked. And that, for her, was the turning point.

“I turned up and they welcomed me without question. It was such a relief.”

Now, every Tuesday at lunch, Daisy is one of about 20 women deadlifting in a Canberra gym — quietly, fiercely, and with the kind of joy that only comes from being among people who get it.

The WEST Project is a free, ten-week strength training program for women who’ve experienced domestic violence. It’s designed to help survivors rebuild confidence through powerlifting, without requiring them to rehash their trauma.

“We don't ask people to tell their story. If they identify, they are in,” said program coordinator and coach Johanna Tooby.

That simple rule removes a major barrier. Many survivors are asked to repeat their experiences over and over when seeking help — a retraumatising process that the WEST Project avoids altogether.

Daisy summed it up plainly: “No one is going to delve into things. They know we've all gone through s**t. We encourage each other but we don't need to talk about everything.”

The program grew out of research by University of Canberra lecturer Erin Kelly, who was exploring the role of strength training in trauma recovery.

Her interviews with female powerlifters revealed a pattern: many had past experiences of trauma, and many credited the sport with helping them heal.

“They became focused on capabilities rather than their appearance,” Kelly said. “Many described how the focus on physical strength and functionality — being able to lift heavier weights, move furniture independently, for example — nurtured a sense of empowerment that challenged traditional gender expectations.”

Now in its fourth year, the WEST Project runs during school terms to allow mothers and carers to attend. Some participants, like Danae, have been coming for over a year.

“‘Survivor’ is a useful term, but after a while you want to move on. You want to be someone else,” she said.

For Danae, dropping the barbell — literally — became a defining moment.

“One of the coaches said to me, when I was worried about lifting the weight, ‘Worry about the up, not the down.’ She told me to just drop it on the ground, I didn’t have to put it down quietly.”

That noise mattered.

“Many people who have been in a DV situation learn to be quiet, to not take up space,” she said. “Dropping the bar and making that noise goes against that. We know it's ok here to make noise.”

It’s a gym, but it’s also a sanctuary. Participants say they show up not just for the physical benefits, but for the friendships and support that come with them.

“I come before work and lift. It gives me strength to do my job,” Danae said. “The friendships are as important as the lifting. You can share your achievements. If you're training on your own you can't do that, you can't turn around and say, 'Hey, did you see that?'”

Kishwar, another participant, agreed.

“It's the camaraderie. Everyone understands the situation you've been in. They support you,” she said. “It’s added to my box of resilience tools.”

Coach Tammy, who guides the sessions, says the changes she’s seen in the women are impossible to ignore.

“What I’ve noticed is the resilience in the women. It’s grown over time.”

But keeping the project running isn’t guaranteed. It has funding through to the end of 2026, and both Kelly and Tooby are actively looking for ways to sustain and expand it.

“We know cost is a huge barrier for these women, so we try to make it as easy as possible to get to the classes,” Kelly said. “We work with the physios at the uni and we've had some of the dieticians come in and talk about healthy eating. This gives the women more support.”

For Daisy, the financial aspect is critical.

“If I had to pay I am not sure I would keep coming if things got tight. It would be one of the first things to go,” she said. “I’d see it as a luxury. It’s just for me. It’s not for my kids or anyone else.”

But she no longer doubts whether she belongs.

“People will tell me they do powerlifting and I can say, ‘Hey, I do powerlifting too!’” she said. “They give us a program to do at home during the breaks, but it's not the same as coming here and talking to everyone.

It’s giving me a place to just be me.”

Women Reclaim Strength and Resilience Through Groundbreaking Fitness Program

Twin brothers George and Stanley from York are on a mission this December — not for gifts or toys, but to spread kindness.

The nine-year-olds have launched their own Christmas campaign of good deeds, aiming to complete 12 acts of kindness throughout the month. So far, they’ve volunteered at a hospice, visited a care home, collected food for people experiencing homelessness, and delivered treats and supplies to a local dog shelter.

“We were watching television with Mum about volunteers and we thought how good it would be to do something like that,” Stanley said. “Just spread kindness at Christmas and help people who aren't as lucky as us.”

The idea quickly became a family project. Their mother, Sophie Agar, 43, said they all sat down together to brainstorm how the boys could help others in age-appropriate ways.

“So we came up with 12 acts of kindness,” she said. “They’ve already taken presents to a care home, collected food, and bought toys to donate to charity. I’m beyond proud, they’ve been amazing.”

The boys aren’t doing it for attention — they’re doing it for smiles.

“My favourite bit was seeing the smiles on the faces of the people in the home when they see they’ve got a present to open,” George said. “We also made Christmas decorations for people in the care home.”

Stanley added: “We bought chocolates and made cards and gave them to the people in the home too. It’s probably one of the highlights of my Christmas. Any bit of kindness helps — just for one person to get something at Christmas.”

George agreed, saying even small acts can make a big difference. “If you are not able to donate to charity, just show kindness, because it might inspire other people to be kind too — and then we could turn the world into a really nice place.”

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