Protests are being held in several regions to highlight the impact of the cost of living crisis on workers and their families. The People’s Assembly co-ordinated the demonstrations, supported by trade unions, in towns and cities around the UK. Placards held aloft in Parliament Square in central London read “tax …

Stuart Broad admits he is “gutted” to have been dropped by England and says the controversial decision has affected his sleep. Along with fellow veteran seamer James Anderson, Broad has been left out of the England squad for their upcoming Test series in the West Indies in a shake-up following …

POSTAL delays across Southend are being caused by “cost-cutting” rather than staff illness, it has been claimed. Homes with SS0, SS1, SS2, SS3, SS4 and SS9 postcodes have been suffering problems with mail deliveries for over a month, which Royal Mail bosses have blamed on a mixture of staff illnesses …

THE crew of the nation’s amphibious flagship proved themselves ‘masters of disaster’ after a wide-ranging weekend workout. Barrow-built assault ship HMS Albion joined forces with her Dutch counterpart HNLMS Karel Doorman to hone their skills in two key tasks: delivering humanitarian aid and support and a large-scale civilian evacuation. Victorian …

Hello, my name is Patrick,” says a man whose name is probably not Patrick. “I’m a representative of your energy provider and I’m in your local area. I wonder if I could take a few …” It’s tempting to stay on the line and hand over my bank details to …

Today’s papers mix coverage of Russia’s looming invasion of Ukraine with celebrity and royal gossip. The Observer carries mounting tensions between Russia and the US after a phone call was held between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden as western diplomats try to avert war in Ukraine. Tomorrow’s front page pic.twitter.com/uJlyGtQvYj …

Police have seized around 500 cannabis plants at an industrial estate in Royal Wootton Bassett after a tip-off caused by the telling smell. A 53-year-old man has been arrested. A police spokesman said: “We were called by a member of the public on Wednesday morning who expressed concerns about a …

THE mother of a baby who was raped by a “manipulative and conniving, predatory paedophile” has said he should have been jailed for life after he offended again within months of being released from prison. Former Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer Geoffrey Rooney was jailed for 14 years in 2015 …

Today’s papers mix coverage of Russia’s looming invasion of Ukraine with celebrity and royal gossip. The Observer carries mounting tensions between Russia and the US after a phone call was held between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden as western diplomats try to avert war in Ukraine. Tomorrow’s front page pic.twitter.com/uJlyGtQvYj …

A ‘SPECIAL’ band is joining two Britpop legends and a rave scene pioneer for a charity gig. Winsford three-piece Déjà Vega has been announced as an addition to the line-up for upcoming music event ‘Disco Down’. Already on the bill are Rick Witter and Paul Banks, of Shed Seven fame, and musician ‘A Guy Called …