Walker

GERI Halliwell has jumped the final hurdle in a neighbour row – as her plans to build a £30k horse walker are finally approved.

The Spice Girls singer and her husband, ex-F1 boss Christian Horner, want to install the 77ft structure to train horses near their Oxfordshire home.

Geri, 53, and Christian, 52, own a horse racing company called OMBI, featuring stables for 14 horses and a full-time trainer.

But plans for the walker, essentially a circular cage that moves horses to improve their fitness, were met with fury by locals, with several objections registered with West Northamptonshire District Council.

Concerns over the height of the building, its visual impact, inadequate screening, and lighting have been raised by neighbours.

However, the council has now approved the application, provided the celebrity pair follow strict conditions.

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It said: “The building shall be used for private equestrian and land management uses only and no commercial use, including riding lessons, tuition, livery or competitions shall take place at any time.”

The authority added: “Whilst it is acknowledged that the walker incorporates a steep pitched roof for its size, the general design is functional in form.

“Giving regard to its siting, scale and rural-equestrian character, the design is considered appropriate for the open countryside location and would not harm the character of the area.”

Full details of lighting still need to be approved before it is built, but it is far enough away from neighbours not to cause issues, the council added.

And the couple have proposed to hide the training device with 12 newly-planted trees, which was deemed appropriate by planners.

But one neighbour, who objected to the horse walker plans, fumed the structure would be “extremely prominent” on the skyline.

He said: “Whilst we do not object to the principle of a horse walker… we object to the plans as currently presented.

“The proposed structure would be extremely visible from our property, other village properties, and from a public highway.

“In a rural conservation area this would be unacceptable as it would completely change the character of the area.”

The local also objected to the main property being “away from the main buildings when other infill sites are available”.

Another slammed the proposed lighting set-up and described the suggested screening as “totally inadequate.”

They said: “There is already significant lighting at the property. We would not want to see this area illuminated outside of normal working hours.

“Further lighting would be encroaching into an area which is currently unlit behind the existing barn.”

Writing on behalf of Geri and Christian, a planning agent pointed to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) codes.

He wrote: “It states that animals must be given freedom to exercise off the tether for a reasonable period at least once a day.

“The installation of the horse walker will ensure that this is possible and that they are exercised properly, regardless of weather conditions and other limiting factors.

“The proposed horse walker will provide the horses with a space to be suitably exercised off the tether.

“Once the new hedgerow matures it will be largely screened from all public and private views onto the farm.”

The scheme is the latest in a number of planning rows between the couple and their neighbours.

Geri and Christian were recently given approval to keep a pergola that had been built without planning permission.

Just last year, they were allowed to build a second pool on the grounds despite fears it would be a “blot on the landscape”.

And three years ago, they were also granted permission for a first floor extension, a replacement barn and a new greenhouse.

Geri’s representatives have been approached for comment.

Welsh actress Sian Reese-Williams, who played murder victim Gennie Walker on Emmerdale, has transformed her look for a new role in Channel 5’s Huw Edwards drama

Sian Reese-Williams became a household name on Emmerdale through her portrayal of Gennie Walker – but what has the actress been up to since?

The Welsh performer rose to prominence playing Gennie on the ITV soap, first appearing in 2008. Gennie arrived in the Dales as the adoptive daughter of Brenda Walker (Lesley Dunlop).

She quickly won over audiences and became a beloved character. Gennie featured in numerous major storylines – from multiple romantic disappointments to eventually finding happiness with Nikhil Sharma (Rik Makarem).

Tragically, in 2013, Gennie met her end when Cameron Murray (Dominic Power) killed her, whilst attempting to conceal the murder of Carl King (Tom Lister).

Following her departure from Emmerdale, Sian has maintained a strong television presence, with roles in productions including Netflix’s Requiem and Holby City. She also portrayed Sgt. Jane Cafferty in the BBC’s Line of Duty, reports the Daily Star.

Most recently this week, Sian featured in Channel 5’s drama Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards. The hard-hitting one-off programme stars Martin Clunes as disgraced BBC newsreader Huw and documents the circumstances surrounding the presenter’s conviction for making indecent images of children.

Huw pleaded guilty in 2024 to three counts of making indecent images of children and was given six months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with a requirement to complete a sex offender programme.

The one-off programme centres on Huw’s alleged interaction with a 17 year old who has the fictional name ‘Ryan’. Alongside Martin, Power also features Jason Hughes and Chanel Cresswell in the cast. Sian portrays Carys, the mother of ‘Ryan’ (Osian Morgan).

Beyond her acting career, Sian is also an accomplished potter. She wrote on X in 2024: “Hello. I make pottery now. I’ll be selling these from next Friday so if you fancy a one-off piece of loveliness to brighten your January, head over to my insta.”

Last year, Sian appeared on the Celebrity Side Hustles podcast, hosted by her former Emmerdale cast mates Roxy Shahidi and Matthew Wolfenden.

Discussing her choice to pursue pottery, Sian revealed: “As I was finishing series three of Hidden [a Welsh television drama that aired from 2018 to 2021], I knew it was going to be a real loss in my life.”

She continued: “Because A.) as an actor to have something that is even remotely constant is such a luxury and you just want to hold on to it and B.) I was proud of the show and loved it, and I’d had quite a rough few years, like life, it had been hard.”

Upon discovering a six-week pottery course in Cardiff, Sian attended the classes and became “completely obsessed” with the craft. “I just wanted something to have in the diary, because I hadn’t cracked that downtime thing,” she explained.

Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday at 8:00pm on ITV1 and ITVX

Chuck Norris, a former martial arts champion and 1980s action-film hero, has died at the age of 86, according to his family.

In a statement posted to Instagram on Friday, his family described Norris’s death as sudden.

“It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning,” the Norris family wrote.

“While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace.”

According to the publication Variety, Norris had been hospitalised in Hawaii since Thursday, though details were not disclosed.

Norris was the six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate Champion from 1968 to 1974. But he rose to wider fame in a series of action films, including 1985’s Code of Silence, 1984’s Missing in Action and 1986’s The Delta Force.

He further cemented his status as a household name when he starred from 1993 to 2001 in the popular TV series Walker, Texas Ranger, playing a principled lawman.

Norris’s tough-guy image made him an internet meme in his later years, though he received pushback for his far-right political views and embrace of conspiracy theories.

His family expressed gratitude to fans for their prayers during his hospitalisation.

“He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved,” the post read. “Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives.”

‘The ultimate tough guy’

Norris starred in more than two dozen films, often portraying stoic loners, soldiers, lawmen and all-American heroes who captured criminals and rescued hostages.

He made his film debut in 1973’s The Way of the Dragon, where he famously faced martial arts icon Bruce Lee in Rome’s Colosseum.

In 1985, Time magazine dubbed him “the ultimate tough guy” and “the undisputed superstar” of the B-movie action genre.

On screen, Norris was known for his signature roundhouse kicks, shrugging off gunfire and dispatching opponents with ease. His tough-guy persona made him a box-office draw and a television staple.

Decades later, he joined fellow action stars Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis in 2012’s The Expendables 2, helping defeat a villain played by Belgian fighter Jean-Claude Van Damme.

He also became an unlikely internet phenomenon. In 2005, “Chuck Norris Facts”, a series of satirical jokes about his strength and masculinity, went viral and inspired several books.

The “Facts” included jokes like “Chuck Norris has a mug of nails instead of coffee in the morning” and “Chuck Norris doesn’t do push-ups; he pushes the Earth down.”

‘Texas has lost a legend’

Carlos Ray Norris was born on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma, the oldest of three brothers. The family moved to California after his parents divorced.

He described himself as extremely quiet and introverted as a young man, which he attributed to his father’s alcoholism and the family’s poverty.

“In school I was shy and inhibited,” Norris wrote in his 2004 memoir, Against All Odds: My Story. “If the teacher asked me to recite something aloud in front ‌of the ⁠class, I would just shake my head no.”

According to Norris, he was also not a natural athlete growing up, and he credited his martial arts career to intense training.

After graduating from school, he enlisted in the US Air Force in 1958. While stationed in South Korea, he learned Tang Soo Do, a form of karate, and other martial arts.

The future film star started teaching martial arts in California after his discharge. Actor Steve McQueen, who was one of Norris’s students, eventually encouraged him to try acting.

Tributes poured in following news of his death, including from political figures who shared Norris’s far-right leanings.

“Texas ‌has lost a legend,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott wrote on X, referencing Norris’s work on Walker, Texas Ranger.

“He electrified generations of conservatives. Giving them a passion and voice to fight for the principles that make America the greatest nation on earth.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also paid tribute, calling Norris “a great friend of Israel and a close personal friend”.

High-profile stars and artists also mourned Norris’s passing, including several of Norris’s colleagues.

Stallone, for instance, wrote in a statement, “I had a great time working with Chuck. He was All American in every way. Great man and my condolences to his wonderful family.”

Author Stephen King, meanwhile, shared a memory of being thrilled — and scared — by Norris’s performance in the action-horror film Silent Rage.

“I thought he was great,” King said.