Author: britishbulletin.com

Cheltenham Racecourse welcomed a record crowd of more than 44,000 as its New Year’s Day fixture sold out for the first time.The track’s seven-race card attracted a total attendance of 44,151, surpassing the previous best New Year’s Day crowd of 38,374 set in 2023.It is also higher than the 41,949 people the course attracted for the Wednesday of the Cheltenham Festival in 2025.The Cheltenham Festival is the only meeting where the track can reach maximum capacity as temporary structures are built to increase its facilities.The Relkeel Hurdle was the standout race on Thursday’s card, with favourite Kabral Du Mathan, ridden…

Nigel Farage has been warned of an “Establishment plot to destroy him” and stop Reform UK winning power by any means necessary.Mr Farage, whose party has topped opinion polls for almost a year, just days ago set his sights on the 2026 local elections – which he suggested could springboard Reform into power.”If we get this right on May 7 this year, we will go on and win that General Election,” he vowed.But now, speaking on The Spectator’s Quite Right! podcast, Brexit mastermind Dominic Cummings has issued the Reform boss a chilling warning: Whitehall will break the law to stop…

Wales prop Keiron Assiratti returned from a calf injury among five Cardiff changes to the side that narrowly beat the Dragons on Boxing Day.Fellow prop Danny Southworth, lock George Nott, number eight Alun Lawrence and scrum-half Johan Mulder also started.Stand-in Ospreys skipper Dewi Lake dropped to the replacement bench, with Parry and full-back Jack Walsh named as co-captains. Hardy, who was only the specialist number nine in the Ospreys squad with injuries to Reuben Morgan-Williams and Luke Davies, went close to the opening score, but lost the ball over the line before flanker Harri Deaves was also held up.Wales wing…

Julian O’NeillCrime and justice correspondent, News NIEugene Reavey is suing the Ministry of Defence and PSNI over alleged collusion in the murder of his three brothersFifty years after three of his brothers died as a result of a loyalist gun attack, Eugene Reavey had hoped to be able to close the book on their murders.”But the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) had other thoughts,” the 78-year-old said.Mr Reavey is suing both parties, but a postponement of the case has overshadowed the anniversary of the shootings this weekend.He has questioned whether he has the…

Before the start of the current season, the regulations on treatment of suspected head injuries was changed to read:”Where a player has a suspected head injury and the referee stops the game, the official will immediately signal for a doctor or physio to enter the pitch in order to promote player welfare. The player will need to leave the pitch for further assessment and remain on the touchline for a minimum 30 seconds after play has restarted.”At a pre-season briefing, Howard Webb, Chief Refereeing Officer for Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), stated that the rules were aimed both at…

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Philippa Roxby and Smitha MundasadHealth reportersGetty ImagesAll young children in the UK can now be offered protection against chickenpox for the first time on the NHS.The vaccine will be combined with the existing MMR jab, given at 12 and 18 months of age, which already helps protect against measles, mumps and rubella. Children up to the age of six can catch up on doses when invited.Experts say the new, combined vaccine called MMRV, where V stands for varicella – another name for chickenpox – is expected to reduce the many thousands of families affected by the infection each year and…

Pep Guardiola questioned whether it was only a two-horse Premier League title race, but his Manchester City side can ill-afford many slip-ups in their quest to hunt down leaders Arsenal.Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have struck the latest blow in this cat and mouse chase, four points clear at the summit following City’s frustrating goalless draw at Sunderland on Thursday night.City dropped points as the temperature at the Stadium of Light almost hit freezing on the first day of 2026.And Arsenal will need to maintain their cool if they are to claim their first top-flight crown in over two decades.City had 67%…

Sir Keir Starmer’s former strategy chief has blown the lid on a “weird obsession” plaguing Britain’s civil service.Paul Ovenden has launched a scathing attack on Whitehall, accusing civil servants of being consumed by “fringe” obsessions – leaving Sir Keir’s Government “emasculated” as result.The ex-No10 aide, writing in The Times in his first public remarks since leaving Downing Street in disgrace last year, has warned Labour has been taken captive by a “Stakeholder State” that has shifted “politics and power away from voters”.Mr Ovenden served as one of the Prime Minister’s longest-standing advisers during opposition and in government.He resigned after a…