Octavia Hughes was tokd she had a migraine (Paula Chappell/Cover Images)
A beloved mum and former stylist on The Voice went to the doctor three times in the days before her death, but was told she had a migraine and to go home.
Octavia Hughes died from a bleed on the brain after being rushed to hospital with stroke symptoms caused by a torn artery in her neck. The 38-year-old, known as ‘Tav’, leaves behind her eight-year-old daughter Dolly and a community of grieving family and friends.
Hospital bosses have offered their condolences to Octavia’s family and said they will “do all we can” to give them answers. Octavia, a fashion designer and owner of a popular second-hand clothing shop in Whitstable, had started getting headaches while walking at Manchester Fashion Week in early September.
She first sought medical help on September 14, when she went to her GP and was reportedly told she was having a migraine and sent home. The mum-of-one also called 111 before attending A&E at the QEQM Hospital in Margate the next day, and was told the same thing, according to friend Paula Chappell.
When her condition did not improve, she went back to A&E on September 17, but was again reportedly sent home. Her family say that the next morning, Octavia woke up with stroke symptoms and was rushed to Kent and Canterbury Hospital, where she had emergency surgery. It is understood that her stroke was caused by a torn artery in her neck.
Octavia then suffered a bleed on the brain and was transferred to King’s College Hospital in London where – despite medics’ best efforts – her family was told there was nothing they could do. Octavia’s organs were donated while she stayed on life support, and she died on September 23.
Paula said: “I think that’s what’s so horrific is that we should have never got to the point we did on Friday. By the time we got to that point, we were just on a downward spiral. She was never a complainer. She wasn’t one of those people who moan about not being well. She’d be a trooper.
“She was walking at Manchester Fashion Week the weekend before, even when the headaches had started to come on. She would never go to the GP, never complain and was definitely not someone that would go three times for no reason.”
Her sudden death has now left friends and family to care for Dolly. “They were little mini besties,” said Paula, who runs an art gallery and met Octavia eight years ago. She would feature on her socials all the time. We all adore our children, I know we do, but their bond was something I’ve never seen.
“We’ve got Dolly to look after and that’s the focus now, to try and make sure that we can get the funds so she can still do the things that Tav would have done with her. We just need to make sure there’s a small bit of financial security in the interim, whilst everything is going on, so we don’t always have to worry about finances as well.”
Paula set up a fundraiser which has already amassed more than £26,000 in donations. “I can’t believe it,” she said. “It shows us how much she was loved by people who didn’t even know her.”
Octavia studied fashion promotion at Southampton Solent University. Her first job after uni was as a stylist’s assistant on The Voice UK, before she worked for several years as a freelance TV stylist. She also ran a pub with her brother, styled e-commerce shoots and worked as an art director for major UK brands. She moved to Whitstable 10 years ago and had her daughter.
In 2019 she set up We Sell By the Sea, followed by Prelove and Reloved. This year, she opened No.86 as a home for her second-hand business in Whitstable High Street. “She’s the friend who knew everything about me,” said Paula. “She’s the one who knows my secrets, the one I would message a hundred times a day.
“She changed my life. I’m not by any means an introvert and I’m quite outgoing, but we danced and we laughed harder and louder together than I ever have with anyone.
“She was loved by everyone. It’s left a hole in all of our hearts, and we will miss her forever.”
A spokesperson for East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust, which runs the QEQM and Kent and Canterbury Hospital, said: “We offer our sincere condolences to Octavia’s family. We will do all we can to answer their questions and will also work with the coroner to understand the circumstances of Octavia’s death.”
City Section USC Hybrid 31, South LA College Prep 0
Southern Section Adelanto 19, Arroyo Valley 0 Agoura 42, Newbury Park 25 Burbank Burroughs 26, Temple City 7 Bonita 51, Claremont 0 California Military Institute 31, Desert Christian Academy 0 Camarillo 34, Royal 14 Castaic 38, Canyon Country Canyon 6 Cate 32, Bishop Diego 25 Channel Islands 12, Buena 6 Chino Hills 12, Rancho Cucamonga 6 Dos Pueblos 6, Ventura 0 Eastside 20, Palmdale 0 Eisenhower 31, Carter 6 Etiwanda 20, Upland 0 Grand Terrace 18, Bloomington 6 Highland 16, Lancaster 6 Hueneme 19, Fillmore 12 JSerra 34, Santa Margarita 20 Jurupa Valley 19, San Bernardino 0 Oaks Christian 24, Thousand Oaks 0 Oxnard 28, San Marcos 18 Oxford Academy 12, Norwalk 6 Mater Dei 23, Orange Lutheran 0 Mission Viejo 33, Dana Hills 0 Moorpark 24, Oak Park 6 Moreno Valley 27, Corona 7 Pacific 40, Rubidoux 0 Paloma Valley 32, Liberty 7 Quartz Hill 12, Antelope Valley 6 Ramona 7, Miller 0 Rancho Verde 19, Heritage 12 Redlands East Valley 39, Redlands 0 Redondo Uniom 46, Windward 6 Rialto 48, Fontana 0 Rim of the World 27, Colton 8 Riverside North 19, Hillcrest 13 Riverside Poly 33, Canyon Springs 6 Santa Barbara 13, Oxnard Pacifica 0 SEED: LA 25, Burbank Providence 20 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 49, Alemany 0 Simi Valley 26, Hart 12 St. Lucy’s 26, Los Osos 24 Summit 24, Jurupa Hills 18 Temecula Prep 27, Indio 0 Temescal Canyon 35, Tahquitz 7 Torrance 13, South Torrance 0 United Christian Academy 45, Calvary Baptist 0 Valencia 13, Saugus 0 Vista del Lago 19, Lakeside 6 Westlake 60, Calabasas 7 Westridge 12, Village Christian 6
MONDAY’S RESULTS
City Section Birmingham 16, Taft 7 Brio College Prep 46, Belmont 0 Camino Nuevo 19, Animo De La Hoya 0 Carson 49, Gardena 0 Eagle Rock 26, Lincoln 13 El Camino Real 34, Chatsworth 0 Fairfax 16, Los Angeles University 0 Foshay 46, Santee 0 GALA 6, Crenshaw 0 GALA 13, Dorsey 6 Garfield 32, Bell 12 Jefferson 21, Angelou 6 Los Angeles 6, West Adams 0 LACES 13, WISH Academy 8 Los Angeles Hamilton 15, Venice 6 Los Angeles Roosevelt 26, Legacy 6 Los Angeles Wilson 34, Los Angeles Marshall 0 Hawkins 30, Port of Los Angeles 13 Huntington Park 6, South East 0 Manual Arts 26, Diego Rivera 0 Marquez 7, Maywood Academy 6 Maywood CES 24, Elizabeth 12 Narbonne 13, King/Drew 12 Orthopaedic 20, Alliance Levine 8 Palisades 7, Westchester 0 Panorama 39, San Fernando 0 Port of Los Angeles 33, Dymally 0 San Pedro 12, Wilmington Banning 7 Sotomayor 32, Torres 0 Stern 14, Collins Family 12 View Park 13, Stella 6
Southern Section Alhambra 13, Mountain View 0 Anaheim 31, Orange 6 Anaheim Canyon 20, Esperanza 12 Aquinas 32, Woodcrest Christian 0 Arlington 18, Vista del lago 6 Baldwin Park 26, Azusa 19 Bishop Amat 42, St. Anthony 0 Bishop Montgomery 41, St. Bernard 6 Bolsa Grande 26, Western 25 Burbank Burroughs 32, Gabrielino 7 Camarillo 35, West Ranch 0 Cantwell-Sacred Heart 7, Ramona Convent 0 Canyon Springs 19, Hillcrest 0 Cerritos 25, Artesia 6 Chaffey 12, Ontario 0 Chaparral 32, Murrieta Valley 6 Chino 24, Montclair 0 Chino Hills 18, St. Lucy’s 6 Colony 18, San Dimas 12 Compton 32, Compton Early College 0 Corona 18, Norco 12 Corona Santiago 13, Compton Centennial 6 Costa Mesa 26, Buena Park 0 Covina 24, Hacienda Heights Wilson 6 Cypress 12, Crean Lutheran 6 Downey 28, Gahr 12 Edison 25, Los Alamitos 7 El Modena 27, El Dorado 12 El Monte 13, Arroyo 0 El Rancho 26, Bell Gardens 6 El Toro 28, Beckman 12 Estancia 39, Loara 13 Etiwanda 34, Rancho Cucamonga 6 Fullerton 7, Placentia Valencia 6 Garden Grove 20, Westminster 19 Garden Grove Santiago 12, Saddleback 6 Garey 26, Duarte 6 Glendora 19, Ayala 6 Glenn 21, Norwalk 19 Godinez 26, Ocean View 7 Great Oak 28, Temecula Valley 6 Harvard-Westlake 18, Brentwood 13 Heritage 13, Perris 12 Huntington Beach 40, Fountain Valley 18 Jurupa Valley 31, Entrepreneur 6 Laguna Beach 40, Irvine 6 Laguna Hills 28, Capistrano Valley Christian 19 La Habra 33, Garden Grove Pacifica 6 Lakewood 24, Mayfair 6 Lakewood St. Joseph 25, Gardena Serra 0 La Mirada 28, Santa Fe 24 La Puente 24, Pomona 18 La Serna 36, Bellflower 6 La Sierra 25, Norte Vista 0 Linfield Christian 45, Riverside Notre Dame 13 Loma Linda Academy d. CSDR, forfeit Long Beach Cabrillo 34, Compton Centennial 0 Long Beach Poly 32, Long Beach Jordan 6 Mater Dei 33, Yorba Linda 20 Millikan 28, Long Beach Wilson 6 Monrovia 35, Temple City 7 Montebello 33, Rosemead 0 Moreno Valley 14, Valley View 0 Murrieta Mesa 12, Vista Murrieta 6 Newport Harbor 54, Marina 0 Northview 21, Rowland 9 Nuview Bridge 32, Desert Christian Academy 6 Ontario Christian 47, Arrowhead Christian 6 Oxford Academy 27, Pioneer 0 Paloma Valley 57, Rancho Christian 6 Patriot 13, Miller 8 Ramona 21, La Sierra 12 Rancho Alamitos 26, Century 6 Rancho Verde 14, Liberty 10 Redlands Adventist Academy 40, Calvary Baptist 6 Riverside King 30, Eastvale Roosevelt 24 Riverside North 12, San Jacinto Valley Academy 6 Riverside Poly 20, Hemet 6 Rosary 13, Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 12 Sage Hill 22, Portola 18 San Gabriel 25, Keppel 0 San Marino 39, South Pasadena 0 Santa Ana Foothill 49, Brea Olinda 6 Santa Ana Valley 26, Magnolia 18 Santa Paula 14, St. Bonaventure 6 Schurr 8, South El Monte 6 Segerstrom 26, La Palma Kennedy 6 Sierra Canyon 61, Immaculate Heart 0 Sierra Vista 6, Nogales 0 Sonora 39, Sunny Hills 25 South Hills 33, Alta Loma 8 St. Monica 53, Sacred Heart of Jesus 0 St. Paul 59, Mary Star of the Sea 0 Temescal Canyon 27, Rialto 6 Tesoro 40, San Juan Hills 19 Tustin 18, Katella 12 Upland 12, Los Osos 0 Vasquez 14, Golden Valley 6 Warren 25, California 8 West Covina 25, Charter Oak 14 Western Christian 73, Legacy College Prep 0 Westminster La Quinta 32, Savanna 0 West Valley 18, Banning 13 Whittier 20, Whitney 7 Woodbridge 53, Irvine University 16 Workman 12, Edgewood 6
Intersectional Castaic 27, SOCES 0 Vistamar 12, St. Mary’s Academy 6
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is promising a major improvement to public services including social care, housing and energy. Al Jazeera’s Milena Veselinovic reports on what he’s proposing and what it could mean for the people of the UK.
RAILWAY workers are set to stage two 24-hour strikes this October in a row over doors.
The staff are making a stand against plans for driver-only operation on new services.
Staff at Chiltern Railways will walk out for two days this OctoberCredit: PA
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at Chiltern Railways will walk out on October 10 and October 17.
The union said its members voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over plans to introduce driver-only operation (DOO) on East West Rail services.
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The dispute centres on the first stage of the new railway, which will run between Oxford and Milton Keynes.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said the proposed operation represented a “significant risk” to safety and to existing train manager roles.
He said: “RMT will not accept the watering down of safety on the rail network.”
But Chiltern Railways has rejected the suggestion that the new services will compromise passenger safety.
Interim managing director Tony Baxter said: “We have run most of our trains with the driver in control of the doors for decades, safely and as approved by the independent rail regulator.
“It also means over 100 new permanent jobs at Chiltern, and no changes to the roles of existing colleagues.”
He added that the operator expected to run the “vast majority” of its services on both days, with the timetables for the strike dates confirmed shortly.
The operator also stressed that every East West Rail service will have two people on board.
This will include the driver and another member of staff responsible for looking after passengers, checking tickets and helping people who need assistance.
The company said it remains committed to working with the RMT to resolve the dispute.
PUBS, watersports, outdoor decks with hot tubs and saunas, who said holiday parks are just for kids?
And the even better part is going with a group of friends can mean the break is SO much cheaper than going with kids – some by as much as £887 and these are the best ones we’ve found.
Butlin’s Big Weekenders
Butlin’s has plenty of Big Weekenders for adults to let their hair downCredit: AlamyEnjoy all the activities and watch tribute acts take to the stageCredit: Alamy
Let’s start with the classic – a Butlin’s Big Weekender, they’re big, bold and made purely for adults.
You can forget the kids’s shows or character meet-and-greets and instead opt for bottomless brunches and pool parties.
Don’t miss Bingo Bango either. The adult twist on the game has competitors dancing to party anthems and competing in interactive games to win prizes like giant inflatable unicorns.
There are lots of themed weekenders too, with music ranging from the 60s up to the 2000s.
During October there are 14 Halloweenenders at all three locations (Minehead, Bognor Regis and Skegness) where the classic Big Weekender has a spooky twist.
There’s 80s thriller nights to 90s music-themed fright nights and – if you love all kinds of music – there’s the Replay Time Warp Terror which is a “monster mash-up of the 80s, 90s, 2000s.”
We all know Butlin’s for being cheap, cheerful and full of fun, but going as adults seriously has its perks.
Parkdean Lizard Point has caravan stays from £99Credit: Parkdean ResortsIt’s a great spot for exploring the beaches on the peninsula – like Kynance CoveCredit: Alamy
If a coastal break is on the cards, consider a Parkdean break to Lizard Point.
It has a large indoor and outdoor pool with adult-only swim sessions, so you won’t be splashed by kids all the time.
There’s also brunch club for holiday feasts and wine tasting.
Crafting is on the cards too from jewellery making to designing cards, creating mosaics, and sip and paint sessions.
During the evening, put your boots on for country and western evenings, go all Cluedo at murder mystery events, and get competitive during quiz nights or grab the mic at adult-karaoke.
For almost the same price, four adults could upgrade to a Gold Premium 3 Bedroom Caravan which is the best in the caravan range.
It has three bedrooms, dedicated parking and even bring a pet for £119 (between October 5-9).
Away Resorts, Tattershall Lakes
Head to Tattershall Lakes for watersports, zip wires and silent discosCredit: Tattershall LakesA group of mates can stay in the Shadow Wood Lodge for £21pppnCredit: Away Resorts
Tattershall Lakes is ideal for an action-packed holiday full of watersports, and no, it’s not all for kids.
The holiday park in Lincolnshire has a lakeside lido, paddleboarding, kayaking, an aqua park with a huge inflatable, pedalo hire and make sure to try out the jet skis too.
There’s a chance to get up high on the high-ropes course or the zip wire.
When it comes to entertainment, there are silent discos, karaoke and crowdeoke (where everyone sings so no one goes solo).
Guest acts take to the stage from tribute acts to DJs, there’s an outdoor cinema and a cash bingo that’s specifically for over 18s.
After all the activities, head to the spa which offers facials, pedicures, manicures and massages which start from £39.
Pop into the Tattershall Park Pub & Kitchen for a drink, or head to the rooftop Bar 49 for a classic cocktail.
Both stays include swimming pool access, access to activities, entry to arcade and entertainment venues, as well as access to restaurants and takeaways.
Center Parcs, Elveden Forest
Check out the huge water complex at the Elveden Forest Center ParksCredit: Center ParcsActivities aren’t just or kids – try out the new Treetop Glider attractionCredit: Center Parcs
Center Parcs has never been cheap – but there is a reason why it’s a top holiday park, and it costs much less to go during term-time, so grab your friends and head over.
And as an adult, there’s no reason to be bored because there are 132 activities.
For high-energy thrills, try out the treetop glider or get competitive with a game of sports like football, badminton, glow table tennis and golf (and crazy golf).
If you want to give karaoke a go, but want to avoid the crowds and just sing with your mates instead, book a SingPod which is a soundproof pod where you can pick your own tunes.
A lodge has three bedrooms, two with double beds, one twin – all of which have en-suites. The best part is that this Forest Lodge comes with its own sauna and hot tub.
Park Holidays, Sandhills
The Sandhills holiday park in Christchurch overlooks the beachCredit: Park Holidays It’s ideal for friends looking for a relaxing coastal breakCredit: Park Holidays
For a more sophisticated break, Sandhills in Christchurch is a great choice for those wanting to spend time quality together by the seaside.
Found in Dorset, Sandhills has direct access to Avon Beach which holds a Seaside Award (which is awarded to the best UK beaches for being clean, safe, and well-managed).
It also has a heated outdoor pool (open until October 31), as well as a gym fitted out with weights and elliptical machines.
During the evenings, head to the on-site bar and lounge which serves drinks and light snacks.
When there’s good weather, head outside to enjoy the sunshine on the terrace.
Nearby there’s more to explore like Chichester Watersports, Fruzey Gardens, Osborne House and the New Forest.
The Dylan Coastal Resort has lodges with built in hot tubsCredit: LandalThere are unmatched views over the Taf Estuary from the swimming poolCredit: TripAdvisor
The holiday lodges sit high on a hilltop looking out over the Taf Estuary which make for incredible views.
The lodges range from one to four person to six-person stays – and some have hot tubs too.
Below the holiday lodges is Milk Wood House where guests will find all the facilities including an infinity pool, outdoor spa area, and lots of therapy treatments.
It’s also where guests will find the bar and restaurant which can be enjoyed on one of the three terraces.
Nearby, try out watersports and bouldering at Wild Lakes or explore the National Botanical Garden and the beautiful fishing village of Tenby.
Included in the stay with the Carningli Lodge is a six-seater buggy to navigate the park – the lodge has an open-plan living and dining, a sunroom with a Juliet balcony.
Each double room includes an en-suite with roll-top bath and shower, and there’s a separate bathroom for the twin rooms.
A flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was unexpectedly diverted after a physical fight between the pilots, Israeli officials told local media.
The Flydubai plane – which took off from Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates early on Wednesday morning – signalled an emergency code two hours into the journey, flight tracking website Flightradar24 said.
Minutes later it switched to a code used to report a hijacking, but was later turned back to the general emergency signal, the website reported.
The incident was not believed to have been a hijacking, the Israeli prime minister’s office said.
Instead, the signal was thought to be issued following an altercation between the pilot and co-pilot, local media reported citing Israeli defence officials.
The plane – carrying around 150 people, most of whom are Israeli – was due to land at Ben-Gurion Airport but instead landed at Tabuk Airport in northeastern Saudi Arabia.
The Israeli air force dispatched fighter jets in response to the incident and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held urgent consultations on the incident.
The Targaryens are looking to conquer the summer box office.
“Game of Thrones: Aegon’s Conquest” will hit theaters June 1, 2029, according to Deadline. The movie, written by “House of Cards” showrunner Beau Willimon, will reportedly be directed by Owen Harris. Harris directed three episodes of the “Game of Thrones” spin-off “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.”
Additional details, including the movie’s story, have yet to be revealed. The title hints that the film will follow Aegon the Conqueror, who, along with his sister-wives Visenya and Rhaenys, invaded Westeros and conquered most of the Seven Kingdoms with the help of their dragons, Balerion, Vhagar and Meraxes.
Following his victory, King Aegon I became the first monarch to rule Westeros from the Iron Throne and the founder of the Targaryen dynasty. The conquest took place around 300 years before the events of “Game of Thrones” and is detailed in George R.R. Martin’s book “Fire & Blood.”
“Aegon’s Conquest” would mark the first time the original Aegon is depicted on screen, but the “Game of Thrones” franchise has featured multiple Aegon Targaryens over the years.
Aegon’s descendants revere the Conqueror so highly that he has numerous prominent namesakes. The Targaryen war of succession at the center of “Game of Thrones” prequel series “House of the Dragon” was sparked by the coronation of King Aegon II (portrayed by Tom Glynn-Carney), the younger half brother of the actual heir, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy). Rhaenyra also named one of her children Aegon.
Young Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), one of the central characters in “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” is eventually revealed to be the missing prince Aegon Targaryen. Even “Game of Thrones’” beloved Jon Snow (Kit Harrington), believed to be a bastard of House Stark, turned out to actually be a Targaryen named Aegon.
Sheedy played his part in the victory in Llanelli before being replaced in the second half by Jarrod Evans, who has returned to Cardiff from Harlequins this season.
With Ioan Lloyd, who is currently injured, also in the Cardiff ranks, head coach Corniel van Zyl has three Wales fly-halves to call on.
“All I can do as a player is try my best and perform the best I can,” said Sheedy.
“We all want to be number one, so how we go about that is going to be challenging because we’re all going to want to play.
“I’m sure it’ll be healthy competition.”
Cardiff return to the Arms Park to face Zebre on Friday night, where they lost only one home game last season.
“It does make a big difference,” said Sheedy.
“Hopefully we get a big crowd because I remember last season there were a lot of close games, and in the last 10 minutes, the crowd got us over the line.
“Corniel speaks a lot about making the Arms Park a fortress and we managed that last season.”
The medical condition of dozens of prisoners has deteriorated as inmates protest against suspension of amnesty law.
Published On 30 Sep 202630 Sep 2026
The medical condition of dozens of inmates on a hunger strike for more than two weeks inside Lebanon’s largest prison has become “dire”, according to a legal campaigner.
“About 400 prisoners are on a hunger strike for more than two weeks. Ambulances enter daily to take [dozens of] them away because their condition is dire,” Mohammed Sablouh, a Lebanese lawyer, told Al Jazeera.
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“The prisoners are refusing medication, food and water,” Sablouh, who is also the director of the Prisoners’ Rights Center at the Tripoli Bar Association, said on Wednesday.
The inmates at Roumieh prison went on a hunger strike on September 12 in protest against the suspension of a general amnesty law, which could have granted an immediate release or reduced their sentences.
Protests have also been staged in Lebanon’s second city of Tripoli against the suspension of the law, which has a provision to release inmates jailed for petty crimes.
Many of the prisoners on hunger strike were arrested for their solidarity with the Syrian revolution against President Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled in December 2024 after more than 10 years of bloody war.
The Free Patriotic Movement, one of the country’s largest parties, filed an appeal before the Constitutional Council over concerns that some of the inmates were charged with “terrorism”.
The Constitutional Council is expected to issue its verdict next month.
Overcrowded prisons
Lebanese prisons are notorious for being overcrowded and thousands of inmates spend years behind bars without trial. Lebanon’s current prison population stands at about 8,500, nearly double its capacity.
The law passed on August 12 aimed to address overcrowded prison conditions in the country.
“Prison overcrowding exceeds 330 percent of the facilities’ actual capacity,” Sablouh said.
“The situation in Lebanon’s prisons is truly tragic, it can no longer withstand any … shock or any overturning of the amnesty law.”
More than 40 prisoners died in 2025. “Some died due to medical neglect, others under torture. Some died by suicide due to prolonged trials and repeated postponements,” Sablouh said.
The Lebanese lawyer blamed judicial delays for the large number of inmates, many of them arrested for petty crimes.
He pointed out the failure of the judiciary “to adhere to Article 108 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which sets a limit for pre-trial detention: two months for misdemeanours, renewable for an equal period, and six months for felonies, renewable for an equal period [up to a maximum of one year].”
Brits looking for cheap Spain holidays where it’s still warm and sunny into late October may want to check out one particularly charming destination
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(Image: LightRocket via Getty Images)
Summer may officially be over, but there’s good news for those not quite ready to accept this fact, as Europe still offers a host of holiday options with hot and sunny weather.
In fact, there’s one Spanish destination that’s been tipped as one of the best holiday hotspots for October, thanks to its balmy temperatures, beautiful beaches and cheap flights.
Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands, still boasts daytime temperatures of 25-27C, with sea waters still warm enough for swimming if you fancy a beach day and a dip. (Just pack some light layers for the evenings when temperatures drop to about 18-19C). Temperatures stay warm well into the winter months – it’s why the Canaries are such popular destinations year-round.
As for Lanzarote, it offers a wide array of different stays from luxury resorts ideal for a romantic getaway, to family-friendly all-inclusive breaks with kids’ clubs, poolside entertainment and family-friendly rooms.
Playa de Papagayo is the highest-rated beach according to TripAdvisor, with holidaymakers praising the golden sands and turquoise waters, although be warned that you’ll need to face a slightly dusty and bumpy road to reach the beach, and cross over some sand dunes. In terms of popularity, Papagayo is closely followed by Playa Blanca, another shoreline made up of soft sands and azure waters with a nearby port and marina if you fancy a waterfront lunch.
As for getting there, when we took a look on Skyscanner, there were plenty of flight options from 12 UK airports with fares from under £30 each way, based on two adults travelling outside of the half term dates. For example we found one-way fares from £17 from Liverpool, £19 from London, £21 from Bristol and £24 from Manchester. (For a family of four travelling during half term, the cheapest flights appeared to be from Bristol with prices from £148pp each way).
Given the weather, cheap flight options and array of accommodation, it’s therefore no surprise that Lanzarote has been named one of Europe’s top 10 best holidays for October, in a recent study from the travel experts at Solmar Villas. The team ranked 105 holiday destinations looking at factors including weather and affordable flights, with Lanzarote coming out sixth in the overall rankings.
Cyprus was the top destination taking four spots in the top ten, while Greece had three destinations on the list and Spain two, followed by Malta – you can check out the full top 10 list below.
After a roasting hot summer during which a trip to the beach to escape the heat was top of everyone’s agenda, Rosaleen Fenton made an autumnal visit to one of the country’s most popular seaside towns
08:41, 30 Sep 2026Updated 08:54, 30 Sep 2026
Rosaleen whizzed down to St Ives on a GWR train
A summer trip to Cornwall can often feel like a battle against the crowds. With thousands of visitors packing into its narrow lanes, navigating St Ives during peak season can make you feel like you are trapped in an endless queue – albeit one with access to delicious Cornish pasties roughly every five feet.
But as the schools reopen their doors, the town quietens down and begins to feel like a place reclaimed by its residents. I had been told September is the best time to visit, so I gave it a go, my mum and I hopping on a Great Western Railway (GWR) train from London Paddington, hoping for a glorious, slightly calmer seaside weekend.
Our journey took on a mythical feeling as we headed further west. GWR has recently revived its Line to Legend Land storybook, a century-old set of promotional travel pamphlets and books that encourage passengers to explore the scenic regions by train. It is packed with South West folklore and retellings, and now a new tale by former Children’s Laureate Sir Michael Morpurgo.
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The railway has installed five life-sized statues of these legendary figures across the network. Stepping onto the platform at St Ives, you were greeted by the famous mermaid of Zennor – which celebrates the legend of a local chorister lured beneath the waves. Reading about a coastline teeming with mythical creatures while watching Carbis Bay slide past your window felt like the perfect way to leave a busy working week behind.
Our home for the weekend was Tregenna Castle Resort, perched high on a hill and offering one of the most breathtaking views in the West Country – and not one I tire of looking at.
These stone walls have seen a lot of history. Built in 1774 as a grand private home, it was later purchased by GWR as an exclusive hotel. Today, the 72-acre estate is a dream for holidaymakers. Situated amidst lush ground, it boasts indoor and outdoor pools, woodland walks, a nine-hole golf course, and courts for tennis, badminton and pickleball.
Then there is the food, which deserves its own spotlight. We dined at the Godrevy View Restaurant, named after the distant lighthouse said to have inspired Virginia Woolf. The ever-changing menu is far superior to standard hotel fare. We begin with a beautifully arranged, nicely seasoned tomato salad served with Thai basil whipped ricotta, watermelon, ponzu and chervil (£11). For main, an 8oz fillet steak is generous, served alongside fondant potatoes, carrot puree, asparagus and baby beets.
On Sunday, we enjoyed roast beef, cooked to perfection, with all the trimmings, including Yorkshire puddings hiding a decadent treat within – a small dollop of braised beef swimming in rich jus. My daily routine quickly settled into gluttony – a delicious fry-up for breakfast, a rich chocolate brownie for dessert – an extremely pleasant way to start and finish every day.
While the town, which has a stand-out independent shopping scene and was named the UK’s prettiest seaside town just this week, is calmer in September than the summer holiday months, the streets still felt substantially fuller than you’d expect from a place of 11,000 people. A great energy, but the bustling made me yearn to return to the sublime peace of Tregenna Castle, just 15-minutes away.
With our visit coming just days after Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was in favour of a ‘tourist tax’ for Cornwall, the topic of overtourism was top of my mind. It’s fair to say business owners in the area remain divided on the topic, but for me, the benefits are easy to see. St Ives records more than 220,000 overnight stays annually, meaning it could bring in over £1,000,000 a year – a lifeline for a town where social issues are pressing, despite its well-to-do reputation. There’s a foodbank here, and a lot of young people who can’t survive in a property market where 15% of homes are second ones.
Chatting with locals, many said they no longer live in St Ives itself, preferring nearby Penzance, where they have room to breathe, cheaper homes, and not every shop sells clotted cream fudge.
Yet as a visitor, I can see why those in the industry are wary of scaring anyone off. It’s clear how holidaymakers pour vital cash into the local economy through independent shops, galleries and restaurants. Last year Jon Hyatt, who chairs Visit Cornwall, said he was “against any charge that might put visitors off”.
It’d be a terrible shame if they were, given how much there is to enjoy, from frolicking in the waves of Porthmeor Beach and peering off the side of Smeaton’s Pier, to touring the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden.
Unsure of what to take on next, my travel companion tried using an AI bot to plan a fun day out for us. Unsurprisingly, technology failed us with the app repeatedly instructing us to catch a bus route that hasn’t existed for over two years. Abandoning our future robot overlords, we turned to a friendly member of hotel staff instead, who pointed us straight toward Tate St Ives – a far superior mode of recommendation.
Opened in 1992 on a cliff overlooking Porthmeor Beach, the displays change regularly. We caught an exhibition by Halima Cassell, whose intricate geometric sculptures play beautifully with light and shadow. Outside, it feels as if her artwork was continuing, a rainbow appearing over the beach, ending atop the RNLI flag.
Afterward, we walked a stretch of the South West Coast Path and enjoyed the brutally beautiful landscape, with the rhythm of the waves calming our frazzled nerves. As a special treat, we returned to London on GWR’s overnight Night Riviera Sleeper service.
I slept blissfully after a trip to the glorious buffet bar, where you can enjoy a free hot chocolate, before heading to slumber in a carriage. Getting onto the top bunk is no trouble, with a smart fold-away ladder showing how cleverly designed this small cabin is.
We arrived back in London just after 5am, though passengers can stay on board until closer to 7am. Breakfast is delivered (for me, a bacon roll) alongside piping hot coffee – which gives me the strength to start my day back in London, where I mourn the glorious coastline I left behind.
Book it
Tregenna Castle Resort, Treloyan Avnue, St Ives. Rooms and luxury self-catering lodges available. Visit tregenna-castle.co.uk
GWR operates regular services from London Paddington. To travel in a sleeper cabin on the Night Riviera, you need to purchase a regular train ticket, plus a supplement for the cabin. For the best deals, book up to three months in advance. Book at GWR.com.
Timed entry tickets to Tate St Ives on Porthmeor Beach cost £14 (£1.50 extra with a voluntary donation), though locals can get unlimited all-year entry for £10. Book in advance at tate.org.uk/visit/tate-st-ives.
US president’s comments came after he was asked why North Korea can have nuclear weapons when Iran cannot.
Published On 30 Sep 202630 Sep 2026
United States President Donald Trump has described North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as “a friend” and played down concerns about Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal, saying, “as long as I’m around, he’s going to be fine”.
Trump made the remarks in Washington, DC, on Tuesday after a reporter asked him why North Korea could have nuclear weapons but Iran could not.
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“That’s interesting. You know why? Because you had a different president, and they could have stopped him,” he said, referring to previous US administrations.
“He happens to be a friend of mine, Kim Jong Un, he’s a friend of mine. He likes Trump, doesn’t like a lot of other people. I’m about the only person in the entire world that he likes, and I like him,” he said.
He said North Korea’s nuclear capacity was “pretty large” but “not like us”.
“You know what, as long as I’m around, he’s going to be fine,” he added. “You know why? Because he respects me and he likes me.”
South Korea’s Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said last week that its northern neighbour possessed between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads. The figure is significantly higher than Trump’s recent assertion that Pyongyang has 57 nuclear weapons.
Trump is seeking to re-engage with Kim and secure a win on the international stage as the US and Israel’s war on Iran enters its eighth month.
The US president launched the war along with Israel on February 28, saying Iran could not have a nuclear weapon. Iran has denied seeking a weapon, noting it had signed an agreement with world powers in 2015 that curbed its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. But Trump abandoned the agreement during his first term in 2018.
The US-Israel war on Iran has disrupted global energy supplies, raised fuel costs and hurt Trump’s popularity ahead of the November midterm elections.
Trump held summits with North Korea’s Kim in 2018 and 2019, but diplomacy broke down over US demands that Pyongyang give up its nuclear weapons. Since then, Kim has expanded his arsenal of nuclear-capable missiles and strengthened his diplomatic footprint by aligning with Russia over its war in Ukraine and tightening relations with China.
Trump had earlier said he planned to hold in-person talks with Kim before the end of the year.
The true crime documentary will return to screens sooner than you think
Murder Scene: The Incident Room returns with a brand new series tonight(Image: Channel 5)
Channel 5’s gripping true crime series will return with new chilling episodes – and it’s coming sooner than you think.
First aired in 2023, Murder Scene: The Incident Room is a true crime series that explores real-life murder investigations across the UK, but with a twist. The investigations are told through the eyes of real detectives who worked on the cases.
The series, which has seen two seasons so far, plunges viewers into the centre of police investigations, revealing how officers gather evidence and make critical conditions. Channel 5 has teased: “Inside the nerve centre of murder inquiries, revealed through the detectives themselves.”
Featuring first hand accounts as well as heartbreaking interviews with family members of the victims, the series also shows real archive footage as well as using reconstruction sequences.
Murder Scene: The Incident Room will return to Channel 5 tonight (September 30) with yet another harrowing case. Airing at 8pm on Channel 5, the brand new episode will transport viewers back to a horrific event on Christmas Eve in 2022.
Taking viewers behind the scenes of a murder investigation, tonight’s episode will explore the heartbreaking murder of 26-year-old Elle Edwards, who was killed by a gunman armed with a submachine gun outside of a pub in Wirral, Merseyside.
After firing the weapon into a group of people on Christmas Eve, the gunman fled the scene as CCTV revealed this was not a random act, with detectives working around the clock for justice.
An official synopsis reads: “The Incident Room is the place where Britain’s toughest murder cases are cracked. Behind closed doors, detectives work against the clock, piecing together the clues, chasing down suspects, and searching for the breakthrough that will bring a killer to justice.”
About tonight’s episode, it continues: “Christmas Eve 2022: a packed pub, a burst of gunfire. Within seconds, six people are shot outside the Lighthouse Pub in Wallasey.
“Twenty-six-year-old Elle Edwards dies at the scene. A gunman armed with a military-grade machine gun has opened fire on innocent bystanders – and he’s still out there.
“CCTV reveals this was no random act. As pressure mounts, a crucial breakthrough changes the direction of the case, triggering a nationwide manhunt for a dangerous and desperate fugitive.
“This is the story of a community shattered, a family devastated, and the relentless pursuit of a killer who believed he could disappear into the night.”
New episodes will air every Wednesday on Channel 5, with the next instalment dropping on October 7 at its usual 8pm slot. Episodes can also be streamed on Channel 5 online. Previously praising the show, one person said episodes were “too good to miss” as another admitted it was a “must watch”.
Murder Scene: The Incident Room returns tonight at 8pm on Channel 5
The EU’s new Entry and Exit System (EES) requires most UK travellers to register their biometric data before entering the Schengen area
EES has led to queues and delays already this year(Image: Boarding1Now via Getty Images)
UK travellers heading to Europe are now subject to a new Entry/Exit System (EES), which was introduced earlier this year.
This means the majority of non-EU citizens will be required to register their biometric data at one of 29 participating countries, including a host of popular holiday destinations such as Spain and Greece. Some UK travellers will need to have their photograph taken and their fingerprints scanned before they can pass through into Europe’s Schengen area.
Countries that are part of the EES are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
As a result of the new system, travellers no longer need to have their passports stamped. Over the summer, the EES resulted in lengthy queues and significant delays at a number of airports.
Due to the disruption caused, Greece initially suspended EES checks for UK passport holders in April 2026, though this decision was subsequently reversed in order to comply with EU regulations. Earlier this month, however, Greece and eight other countries – France, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Malta, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Belgium – have indicated they require additional time before fully implementing the EES.
EU sources say the system is regarded as a success, with approximately 200m registrations and 70,000 people prevented from entering the Schengen area, up from 43,700 in June. These include individuals without visas, those who have exceeded their 180-day allowance, or Britons who have overstayed their 90-day allowance.
People who do not have to register on EES
Some travellers may not be required to register their biometric data on the new system. According to the EU website, you do not need to use the system if the following apply:.
You are a non-EU national who holds a residence card or permit and are immediately related to a non-EU national who can travel through Europe like an EU citizen.
People exempt from border checks due to certain privileges e.g. a head of state.
You are a non-EU national who holds a residence card and are immediately related to an EU national.
You hold a residence permit or long-stay visa.
You are a non-EU national travelling to Europe as part of an intra-corporate transfer for the purpose of research, studies, training, pupil exchange, voluntary services, educational projects, or au-pairing.
You are a national of Andorra, Monaco and San Marino and hold a passport issued by the Vatican City State or the Holy See.
You are a diplomat on a short stay (under certain conditions).
You are a national of a European country using EES, such as Cyprus and Ireland.
Fishlock, who has said this will be her last year playing club football, will be on duty with Reign when Wales go to Albania on Friday, 9 October and then again in the return leg in Llanelli four days later.
Should Wales overcome a side who are 36 places in the Fifa rankings – and one they beat twice in the group phase of World Cup qualifying – they will play either Norway or Romania in a two-legged play-off final in December.
Wilkinson has revealed that another recently retired former player, Kayleigh Barton, will be part of her staff for the Albania ties and then Fishlock will have a role should Wales reach the final.
Fishlock previously worked as a technical assistant for Wales’ opening game of this qualifying campaign, against the Czech Republic in March.
Wilkinson explained that Fishlock had been in touch before she named her semi-final squad on Tuesday, adding: “I didn’t appreciate her saying ‘call me up coach, I’m ready’, which I thought was mean, but [she was] a wonderful player and a great leader for us.
“If we are able to get past Albania, she’ll be coming in as a coach for us for the next round.”
The contest, which is in its 12th year, celebrates the resilience of the 2,200 brown bears that live in the preserve on the Alaska Peninsula.
Published On 30 Sep 202630 Sep 2026
After a week of fierce competition, Backpack emerged victorious as Fat Bear Week champion, the heftiest bear in Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve.
The nonprofit running the longstanding contest announced on Tuesday that the bear, known for his pacifist nature, was the winner with more than 100,000 votes, giving him a close win over Bear 910 with just over 50 percent of the poll.
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The contest, which is in its 12th year, celebrates the resilience of the 2,200 brown bears that live in the preserve on the Alaska Peninsula, which extends from the state’s southwest corner towards the Aleutian Islands. Fat Bear Week was started in 2014 as an interactive way to inform the public about brown bears, the coastal cousins of grizzlies.
Last year’s winner, Chunk — known officially as Bear 32 — clinched his victory at an estimated 1,200 pounds. He was handily defeated in the first round of competition this year by Bucky, who went on to lose a face-off against Backpack, known officially as Bear 89.
This September 9, 2026 photo provided by the National Park Service shows Bear 910 standing along the Brooks River in Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska [C. Loberg/National Park Service via AP]
The event this year featured 16 bears vying for the heavyweight title in a single-elimination, bracket-style tournament. All voting is done online, and the winner was declared on Tuesday evening after the final poll closed. The public could watch the bears on explore.org’s livestream cameras before deciding on their favourite.
“Fat bears are successful bears,” the nonprofit says on its website. These bears gorge themselves on the abundant salmon that return to the Brooks River starting in late June. It is there that they can stuff themselves to accumulate the fat reserves they will need to survive the winter. To be featured in the contest, the bears must frequent the area around the river.
Son of ex-champion
Backpack is the son of former Fat Bear Week champion Holly, who introduced him to the Brooks River when he was a first-year cub in 2006. His name was inspired by his habit of climbing onto his mother’s back when they swam the river. This year’s fans cheered on Backpack in the contest’s Instagram comments, noting his lineage and reputation as a gentle giant.
“Unlike many large adult male bears, Backpack hasn’t shown much aggression toward his competitors,” his contestant profile reads.
Backpack uses his “quiet strength” rather than brawling and is often seen in wildlife cameras sitting on a rock downstream, appearing to take in the scenery around him.
He defeated Bear 910, who is also the daughter of a former champion: 409 Beadnose.
Adult male brown bears typically weigh between 600 and 900 pounds (270-410kg) in midsummer. By the time they are ready to hibernate after feasting on migrating and spawning salmon, large males can weigh more than 1,000 pounds (454kg). Females are about one-third smaller. Bears may each eat as many as 30 fish a day this time of year, working hard to eat a year’s worth of food in about six months.
During winter hibernation, bears do not eat or drink and can lose one-third of their body weight.
Fat Bear Week’s contestants also included five bear families, in recognition of the record-high number of families and cubs at the river this summer. A mother must feed and protect her cubs while also eating enough calories to sustain herself through hibernation. Cubs often face the risk of attack from other bears due to territorialism or food scarcity.
Bear 132 and her three spring cubs advanced to the semifinals, but lost out to Bear 910.
She has become one of the largest and most experienced mother bears at Brooks River, according to her contestant profile. In mid-July, one of her cubs became separated from the family for several days, wandering the river corridor alone. The cub was reunited with the family a few days later.
Political strategist Celinda Lake says that young voters don’t usually cast their ballots in midterm elections, but they’re ‘very unhappy about the war’ and the rising cost of living in the US. Democrats see the youth vote as a key trigger to flip power in Congress.
The case against the woman who authorities allege fired multiple bullets at pop singer Rihanna’s Beverly Hills mansion can move forward, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Florida woman Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 36, was deemed mentally competent by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maria Cavalluzzi, meaning the criminal case can proceed after a competency evaluation delayed it for more than four months.
Case documents with Ortiz’s psychiatric evaluations were marked as confidential and sealed.
Officials allege that she put “numerous lives at risk” on March 8 when she drove a white Tesla to Rihanna’s neighborhood and fired about 20 rounds from an assault-style rifle. Rihanna, her partner A$AP Rocky and their three young children were home at the time.
Police discovered bullet holes or impacts on the exterior of the gate of Rihanna’s residence, a fence, the front windshield of an Airstream trailer, a patio area and on the exterior wall of a nursery room, according to a police document reviewed by City News Service.
At the time of the shooting, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were inside the trailer, and their kids were inside the nursery room, according to reporting by the Associated Press.
Ortiz is facing 14 felony counts, including one count of attempted murder, 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling, vehicle or other target, court records show.
Ortiz had several prior arrests in her home state, The Times has reported. She was involved in a bankruptcy case in 2013, arrested on suspicion of careless driving in 2021, and arrested in 2023 on suspicion of domestic violence and battery.
Though she had no known affiliation with Rihanna, Ortiz often posted on social media about celebrities. In February, she shared a meme alleging Rihanna had AIDS and tagged Rihanna in a post on Facebook telling her to “say something to me directly instead of sneaking around.”
Another hearing is set for Wednesday morning at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, court records show.
Energy market disruptions and regional uncertainty are pushing GCC countries to boost North Africa investments.
This article appears in the October issue of Global Finance Magazine.
In July, Qatar’s UCC Holding signed a $1 billion deal with Libya’s National Oil Corp. and the Libyan Investment Authority to increase output at the Ghadames Basin from 33,000 to 80,000 barrels a day.
A few weeks earlier, Oman’s OQEP signed a similar contract to explore investment opportunities in Libya, “so our production will not rely only on exports from the Strait [of Hormuz],” OQEP Board Chairman Ashraf Al Mamari told Arabian Gulf Business Insight in July. That same month, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah visited the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to encourage new partnerships.
Disruptions in energy markets at home are pushing Gulf countries to scale overseas investments and increase involvement in riskier destinations. With its large oil reserves, Libya is an attractive opportunity; but for years, it has been a headache for foreign investors. After Muammar Gaddafi’s fall in 2011, the country split between rival governments and became a playground for militias. Yet, despite instability, Gulf states—led by the UAE, and to a lesser extent Qatar—developed relationships with both capitals: Tripoli and Benghazi.
“Gulf states have been navigating this landscape for some time,” said Mohamed Dorda, head of business intelligence at Libya Desk, a consulting firm that advises businesses looking to enter Libya. “It’s really a matter of, first, having a foot in the door; and then, knowing where to put your feet. In Libya, they’ve been investing in the necessary political capital for quite some time now.”
Signs of Improvement
Today, the situation is showing signs of improvement. Both sides have taken steps toward greater stability, including the reunification of the central bank in 2023 and the approval of a common state budget in April of this year. Libyan authorities are now looking to reopen the energy sector to foreign investors. In February, the country resumed licensing for the first time since 2007, attracting oil majors like Italy’s Eni SpA, France’s TotalEnergies SE, Spain’s Repsol SA, and U.S.-based Chevron Corp.
The renewed interest extends beyond Libya. In recent months, the U.S. administration has stepped up engagement with North Africa, with Middle East adviser Massad Boulos visiting several countries. European nations, including Turkey, as well as China, are also moving to secure market shares.
“North Africa is becoming increasingly important in global trade because of its proximity to Europe and its capacity to help fill supply gaps created by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East,” Dorda said. “People see that Libya and Algeria are among the strongest candidates to help meet global energy needs, and that creates opportunities.”
Algeria has drawn around $9 billion in Gulf-backed projects over the past 18 months, led by Saudi Arabia’s Midad Energy’s $5.4 billion oil and gas deal in October 2025 and by Qatar’s $3.5 billion Baladna dairy venture, now in its second phase.
Algerian state-owned hydrocarbon company Sonatrach plans to increase production and drill 1,450 wells by 2030, but it needs foreign know-how and capital to modernize infrastructure. In April, Algiers opened a new licensing round for seven oil and gas blocks. Bids are underway, and contracts are expected to be signed in January.
Chloe Domat is a contributing writer based in France.
Despite being a lifelong Sunderland fan, Chandler admits basing his team on Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle – with entertainment even placed above winning.
“There was a standing joke in the team, two or three at the back? One time we chased a game with two at the back,” he says.
“The Premier League can be so boring; fans want to be entertained, that’s what we promised.”
Chandler was already a Whitley Bay hero when he was appointed manager by chairman Paul McIlduff, having scored the winner in the 2002 FA Vase final against Tiptree United at Villa Park.
After a slow start as the then-35-year-old with no prior managerial experience found his bearings, Chandler built a talented team which became the envy of non-league football nationwide.
“We played good football. We had pace on the wing, fantastic midfielders, and strikers who were deadly,” says McIlduff, who has been Whitley Bay chairman since 2001.
“When we brought them in, it was about fitting the psychology of the dressing room. No-one thought they were better than anyone else, they played for each other.”
A growing influence in the side was the ‘Whitley Bay Maradona’.
Paul Robinson came through Newcastle United’s academy before a career spent across various non-league clubs in the north-east – including Whitley Bay from 2007 to 2013.
Like several other players and staff, he worked with Chandler both in his day job at software company Sage and at Hillheads Park.
“He was my manager at work and football, I was sick of him,” he tells BBC Sport. “But it helped get time off for matches.”
And it meant he also had an understanding boss if his mind drifted at work.
“Zoning out happened regularly, picturing scoring and winning, what the opposition would be like – hoping they were rubbish so we could have an easy stroll,” he says.
Perhaps Robinson’s greatest Whitley Bay moment came in the 2010 FA Vase semi-final second leg, when his last-minute diving header in the driving rain secured a 6-5 aggregate victory over Barwell, sparking a pitch invasion.
“Everyone goes to the finals, you were there, you could enjoy it,” says Robinson, who is now academy head at South Shields.
“But the rounds before were the bigger games. At home, we would get 2,000 or 3,000 at every game. You felt like a real player. You associate those memories with 90s FA Cup you never think it will happen in non-league.”
Chandler played in a 2-0 win over Preston in round two as they reached the FA Cup third round for the first and only time in the 1989-90 season, and they also progressed to round two the following campaign.
Those seasons of success – made The Bay a feared side for non-league clubs across England, and meant they were ready for the big games in a way most amateur sides are not.
“One quarter-final against Biggleswade [in 2009], they turned up in suits and ties,” says Robinson. “We thought, this is their day out, their cup final. We won 5-2.
“By the end, teams were turning up afraid of us. We had it won beforehand.”
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced new measures to combat femicide and gender-based violence in the country. Since July, the bodies of at least 11 women have been found in an area east of Johannesburg prompting a nationwide outcry for action
