All news by author: PA

1079
Two people taken to hospital after Blackburn gas explosion as homes evacuated
A man was caught in the blast which saw a terraced home in Blackburn reduced to rubble with the walls and roof of the house coming down. It's been confirmed a second person was injured
912
Mum shot dead at home was 'trying to protect family from balaclava-clad gunman'
Lianne Gordon died after being shot in the head at her home in Hackney last week. The Old Bailey has now heard the mum was trying to protect her family at the time
1134
Double-killer bludgeoned his elderly neighbour to death with coffee table
Lawrence Bierton, 63, killed 73-year-old Pauline Quinn at her home in Rayton Spur, Worksop but denies murdering her on the grounds of diminished responsibility, a trial at Nottingham Crown Court heard
1005
Keira Walsh gives verdict on potential of fourth straight tournament
Keira Walsh has not had a summer off since 2020, playing at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, before European Championships and the World Cup finals in following summers
940
Woman has tucked into a Christmas dinner every day for the last 23 years
Jayne Winteringham, 68, a sales consultant from Bristol, has devoured more than 8,000 roast dinners since the year 2000
1204
Man who 'struggled to walk for 10 minutes' loses the weight of an entire person
A technical estimator, Alex Cook, 46, said his weight reached its peak after the first two Covid lockdowns and decided to make a change by joining the Man v Fat football programme
1244
Sir Alex Ferguson gave Emma Hayes advice as she let Mauricio Pochettino down
Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes has spoken to legendary Man United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and the men's club's coach Mauricio Pochettino about her impending exit
1161
FIFA favourites will host 2034 World Cup after only rival pulls out
Football Australia has opted against a bid to host the 2034 World Cup with FIFA's preferred choice, Saudi Arabia, now on course to stage the tournament unopposed
579
Irish celebrity acquitted on engaging in sexual activity with 16-year-old girl
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Friday
1324
MP tells of 'terrifying' moment she feared dying in childbirth in Commons speech
Tory MP Theo Clarke received a rare round of applause from the public gallery in the House of Commons from mothers and campaigners as she called on the Government to do more to help women who experience traumatic births
957
Teen threatened to cut off Aled Jones' head with a machete
Aled Jones and his son had gone out for a walk when they were 'spotted' by the youth who had seen a high-value watch on his arm in July last year
781
Princess Diana's black sheep jumper sold to mystery bidder for nearly £1 million
The red jumper which a newly-engaged Diana wore to a polo match in June 1981, was sold for a whopping £920,000 by Sotheby's in New York - the sweater was described as 'whimsical'
922
Met Office forecasts six days of sizzling 30C heat for first time in September
The UK could have a record-breaking six days of 30C heat for the first time in September, the Met Office has said, after the nation experienced its hottest day of 2023
1187
Police officer hit by a train while helping 'distressed' man on railway tracks
Nottinghamshire Police said officers were deployed to a residential area in Balderton, near Newark-on-Trent, just before 7pm on Thursday over concerns for a man’s safety
792
Brit surgeon shot in head 'after taking wrong turn' on holiday in South Africa
Kar Hao Teoh, who worked at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, was shot in the head during violent protests in South Africa after taking a wrong turn, an inquest has revealed
1192
Boy born without hand gets Ironman-style 'robot arm' as stranger pays full cost
The young lad had just begun fundraising for the prosthetic when his story caught the eye of a benevolent businessman who offered to cover the entire £13,000 cost
1161
Cyclist 'hit by speeding fire engine' in London as paramedics rush to scene
A cyclist was reportedly struck by a speeding fire engine in south London, according to eyewitness accounts. Paramedics were seen attending to the victim, believed to be a man in his 30s, who lay on the road with an oxygen mask covering his face.
501
Couple who met in departure lounge after their flight was delayed set to marry
The couple, who are set to tie the knot next month, owe their chance meeting to a travel hiccup that most holidaymakers would've been furious about
892
Strictly's John Whaite shares life-changing diagnosis after health struggles
John Whaite has said that his recent diagnosis doesn't excuse his behaviour but he now accepts the responsibility that now comes with learning to deal with it
1118
Morrisons bras and boxer shorts will start to carry cancer warnings
The innovative initiative at Morrisons will see advice labels sewn into the Nutmeg brand's boxer shorts and crop-top bras, providing guidance on what symptoms to look out for
790
BBC star 'deeply sorry' after claims he shared explicit pic of Stephen Bear
BBC presenter Stephen Nolan has issued a statement addressing allegations that he shared an explicit image of reality TV star Stephen Bear with his staff
945
NHS announces major change to booking GP appointments to end '8am scramble'
The NHS is making a number of significant changes to GP appointments in a bid to end the infamous '8am scramble', with the majority of surgeries set to transition by spring
796
Graham Linehan gig axed as venue unaware Father Ted creator was on the line-up
A comedy show that had planned to include Graham Linehan in its line-up has seen its entire gig scrapped, as the venue that was scheduled to host the comics issues a statement about the cancellation
1213
Kevin Spacey called 'slippery and snakey' as alleged victim recounts 'abuse'
Footage of the interview with the man - who cannot be named for legal reasons - was shown to jurors at Southwark Crown Court in which he said he was 'disgusted' with the alleged sexual assaults