Latest news with #Cannock
The Independent
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
M&S to open 12 new food halls across UK - including biggest store yet
Marks & Spencer has announced it will open 12 new food stores on former Homebase sites across England as the British high street retailer continues to recover from a cyber attack. The brand said it hoped to create over 550 new jobs in the move after the DIY company closed 33 of its stores in February. M&S plans to open ten food stores and two full line stores this year. It released the names of five locations so far, adding all store plans were subject to planning permission. The latest stores announced include two 18k square foot food halls in Abingdon and Cannock, expected to open in late 2025. In 2026, the company aims to open an 18k square foot food hall in Farnham, a 22k square foot food hall in Godalming - its largest standalone food store to date - and a 16k square foot food hall in Northampton. The brand promised that these new food stores would carry the full range of M&S Food products, including market-style fruit and vegetables, large bakeries with fresh coffee to go, as well as Click & Collect counters for orders from M&S's wider fashion, home and beauty range. M&S CEO Stuart Machin said: 'Investing in new and renewed stores is one of our key transformation priorities. Securing these highly desirable sites in priority locations will accelerate this strategy, drive further growth in our M&S food business and most importantly give our customers the best possible M&S shopping experience.' The brand said in a statement that the new stores marked 'a significant step forward in M&S's store rotation and renewal programme, focussed on having the right stores in the right place with the right space and is a key strand in the business's transformation as it reshapes for growth.' M&S aims to create '420 bigger, fresher Food stores and a more productive group of 180 Full Line stores' through its store rotation and renewal programme by 2027/28, in which the brand is upgrading its location for certain stores or renovating other outlets. Its renewed food stores aim to include larger car parks, a Coffee Bakery where customers can grab a hot drink while they shop along with a loaf of bread, as well as wider aisles and expanded frozen areas. Last year, M&S opened six food stores and two full line stores as well as renewing nine existing stores. These new food stores averaged 15k square feet. The brand's latest move to expand follows a recent cyber attack which costed it £300 million as M&S was forced to shut down its online shopping operations. The attack has left shelves empty in some stores and online orders unfulfilled as the retailer took systems offline after being targeted by hackers around the Easter weekend.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dad who experienced 'terrible back pain' died nine days after going to hospital
A dad-of-two who experienced 'terrible back pain' tragically died just nine days after going to the hospital. Kevin O'Mahoney, 54, passed away in May 2019, after an MRI scan revealed his cancer had returned. Kevin, from Cannock, who was a construction contractor, drummer and rock music enthusiast, was initially diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour in February 2018. READ MORE: Virus spreading through UK 'can be caught twice' according to UKHSA Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp, click the link to join Doctors found the tumour near his brain stem after he suffered a seizure. He underwent six-hour surgery at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham before going on to have intensive physiotherapy at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton. That was followed by a course of radiotherapy. However, 13 months after his initial diagnosis, Kevin began experiencing terrible back pain and an MRI scan revealed his tumour had returned in three places. His wife Annette said: "After seeing the consultant about starting further treatment, Kevin's health deteriorated in the flick of a switch. "He was talking gibberish and kept repeating himself. "He was vomiting, and on a high dose of painkillers." Sadly, nine days after going to the hospital, Kevin died on May 24, 2019, leaving behind his wife and their two daughters, Paige and Eve, who were 22 and 20, respectively. His tragic story has been shared as part of Brain Tumour Awareness Month. Kevin's heartbroken family have raised thousands of pounds to help find a cure for the devastating disease. They set up a fundraising group called In Kev's Memory, which to date has raised close to £23,000. Since losing Kevin, his brother Ges, brother-in-law Jim Cowdell, and friend Steve Evans have completed a number of fundraising challenges to mark the anniversaries of Kevin's death. Last year, they climbed Ben Nevis and walked the West Highland Way, raising more than £4,000. Ges said: "The government doesn't give enough money to research brain tumours and it doesn't recognise the terrible impact they have on families. "It's some comfort to think that the donations made in Kev's memory are helping to make a difference for people diagnosed with brain tumours in the future." On Thursday, March 6, Kevin's wife Annette, along with brother Ges, his brother's wife Annie, and Kevin's sisters Carol Lunn and Margaret Thacker, were invited to the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at The University of Plymouth to find how their fundraising has helped scientists to improve the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumours. They were given a tour of the labs, led by Professor Oliver Hanemann, chair of clinical neurobiology at the university, and spoke to scientists. The family members also placed eight tiles dedicated to Kevin on the centre's Wall of Hope, representative of the £2,740 it costs to sponsor each day of research. To find out more about the research, click here. Ges added: "Sadly, it's too late for Kev, but I hope the money raised in his memory is life-changing and brings the day closer when a cure is found and families don't have to go through what we have." Louise Aubrey, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, added: "We're really grateful to Kev's family for their support and generosity. "We hope that their visit to our Centre of Excellence at Plymouth offered a useful insight into all we're doing to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, find a cure. "Just under 13% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 54% across all cancers, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002. "This has to change."
The Independent
23-05-2025
- The Independent
Woman denies Christmas Day murder of father-of-six
A woman has appeared in court to deny murdering a 'well-loved' father-of-six on Christmas Day. Kirsty Carless, 33, appeared at Stafford Crown Court via video link from HMP Foston Hall in Derbyshire on Friday, where she pleaded not guilty to murdering Louis Price, 31. Staffordshire Police said they were called to a report of a man in cardiac arrest at a property on Elm Road in Norton Canes, near Cannock, at about 3.25am on December 25 last year and, despite medical efforts, Mr Price died a short time later. Carless, of Haling Way in Cannock, also denied three other charges: possessing a kitchen knife in a taxi on December 25 last year, intentionally strangling Mr Price on November 11 last year, and causing actual bodily harm to Mr Price on the same date. She spoke only to enter her pleas and confirm she could hear the court, and said 'thank you judge' at the end of the 15-minute hearing. Judge Kristina Montgomery KC said Carless would have to appear in person in front of the trial judge for a pre-trial hearing on July 11. The trial is expected to start on July 14 and last three weeks. In a statement released through Staffordshire Police, Mr Price's family described him as a 'well-known member of the community' who was 'well-loved' and always smiling. They said: 'He always had time for anyone and would help anyone he could. 'Louis was a devoted fisherman, he had a passion for fishing and regularly went away on trips with friends and family. 'He loved football, he played for a team and was a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa. 'As a family we are devastated at losing Louis. Life will never be the same without him, he leaves a huge hole in the lives of everyone who knew him. 'Christmas is a time we have always spent together as a family, to lose Louis at this time is even harder. 'Louis leaves behind his mum, dad, brother and sister, along with his six children. He has four daughters and two sons who he loved dearly. Louis had a big heart, he loved those closest to him.'
BBC News
23-05-2025
- BBC News
Kirsty Carless denies murdering dad of six on Christmas Day
A woman has denied murdering a "well-loved" father of six on Christmas Day along with three other charges relating to Carless, 33, appeared at Stafford Crown Court via video link on Friday, where she pleaded not guilty to murdering Louis Price, spoke only to enter her pleas and confirm she could hear the court and said, "Thank you, judge", at the end of the 15-minute said they were called to a report of a man in cardiac arrest at a property on Elm Road in Norton Canes, near Cannock, just before 03:00 GMT on 25 December. Despite medical efforts, Mr Price died a short time later. Carless, of Haling Way in Cannock, denied murder and three other charges of possessing a kitchen knife in a taxi on 25 December; intentionally strangling Mr Price on 11 November; and causing actual bodily harm to Mr Price on the same Kristina Montgomery KC said Carless would have to appear in person in front of the trial judge for a pre-trial hearing on 11 trial is expected to start on 14 July and last for three weeks. In a statement released through Staffordshire Police, Mr Price's family described him as a "well-known member of the community" who was "well-loved" and always said: "He always had time for anyone and would help anyone he could."Louis was a devoted fisherman, he had a passion for fishing and regularly went away on trips with friends and family."He loved football, he played for a team and was a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa."As a family we are devastated at losing Louis. Life will never be the same without him, he leaves a huge hole in the lives of everyone who knew him."Christmas is a time we have always spent together as a family, to lose Louis at this time is even harder."He had four daughters and two sons, who he loved dearly, they said. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Sun
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I'm a Bonnie Blue lookalike & it's hell – lads cheer me at pubs in front of my mum & trolls call me the ‘Temu knock-off'
OVER the last year, Jess Lawrence has found her life turned upside down - and can't even walk into a pub without a chorus of cheers echoing around the room. For a while, the 28-year-old couldn't work out what the fuss was about, until she realised she was a dead ringer for one of the UK's most notorious internet stars. The married nail salon owner is a spitting image of Bonnie Blue, the viral porn star who shot to fame after sleeping with 1,057 men in 12 hours. Now, with the 26-year-old announcing she's about to embark on a UK 'dogging tour', Jess, from Cannock, Staffs, is bracing herself for yet another tidal wave of embarrassment. The similarities are so striking that trolls have dubbed her 'Bonnie's Temu version' and one TikTok post, where she jokingly vented about their likeness, gained 6.6million views. From pubs to petrol stations, Jess is constantly greeted by chanting fans who are convinced she's the real deal - and even one of the adult actress's former classmates was duped into thinking she was her old pal. Speaking to The Sun, Jess tells us: 'The biggest and worst one was when I went to a Wetherspoons with my mum, it was busy and quite rowdy in there. 'As we were leaving, I heard a group of lads go, 'Is that Bonnie Blue?' and I thought 'Oh my god, no, not now. I'm in here with my mum'. 'I kept my head down, not looking at them, walked past and then they started yelling 'Bonnie Blue' and 'Bonnie, Bonnie, Bonnie'. 'The whole pub stood up, starting staring and some were chanting. "Luckily I was already leaving, I didn't stop because I didn't want to entertain it. 'It was the most embarrassing thing and my mum had no idea who Bonnie Blue was. When I told her later, she couldn't believe it and was like, 'Oh my god'.' Bonnie Blue defies Premier League stadium ban despite being escorted out after offer to give fans 'good time' Jess only became aware of her likeness to the adult star last November after appearing on a TikTok with a pal, who received scores of shocked and amusing messages afterward. 'I had no idea who Bonnie was until that point,' she admits. 'I could see the resemblance after seeing a photo but then I Googled what she did for work and I couldn't stop laughing.' Strangers are convinced she's the real deal and she's gained 10,000 followers on her wholesome house renovation page ' Mrs L Home ' from those believing she's Bonnie. Her accounts have been flooded with comments and messages - some declaring 'Bonnie I love you', but others being far less complimentary. 10 10 They include trolls who wrote 'I would start hating myself', 'my condolences' and even some who dubbed her 'Bonnie the Temu version'. Thankfully, Jess is able to laugh it off, adding: 'My life is so far away from Bonnie's, we couldn't be any more opposite. 'You'd be surprised to see the amount of hate I get online, but you get used to the trolls. Thankfully I've not had any nasty comments face to face. 'I can see the resemblance, it's pretty mad really. What are the chances of looking like a viral porn star? It's flattering I guess, she's very glamorous. 'I have blonde hair that's the same wavy style as her and blue eyes. When I'm glammed up for a night out is when I look most like her.' 'Scary' similarity Jess admits she made things worse for herself after posting about their similarities on TikTok, in a post that she captioned: "I can see it ngl (not going to lie)". Much to her surprise, the video - which featured the on-screen text 'being told I look like Bonnie Blue for the 1000th time today' - went viral and now has a staggering 6.6million views. Since then, Jess says comparisons have been non-stop and it now happen every time she goes clubbing. 10 10 'I regularly hear it on nights out in Birmingham,' she says. 'When I'm on the dance floor, I always see groups of lads pointing, talking and literally laughing. 'They come up and ask, 'Are you Bonnie Blue?' It happens all the time. Especially, since my TikTok post went viral it seems to have spiralled and I get comments every time I go out.' But it's not just boozed-up, bleary eyed strangers who see the similarities - people on the street regularly double take... as well as her customers. 'Even one of my nail salon clients, who went to school with Bonnie, told me, 'Jess, it's scary. You look exactly like her. It's impressive,'' she recalls. 'I remember once being at a service station with my husband James getting snacks and as I was walking to the toilet, I saw two lads smile at me. 'I smiled back and my husband, who was behind me, heard them say, 'Oh my god, Bonnie Blue just smiled at me'. He was laughing and continues to find it all really funny. 'I think some men would be threatened but he's the most laid back guy ever. If he was different it wouldn't be great. 'I often spot people staring at me and then talking to their pals but I think because I wear my wedding ring it eliminates the question and they realise I'm not Bonnie Blue.' 10 Online fans describe James, 31, whom she married in 2018, as a 'lucky man'. Amusingly, he also had a part to play in Jess unintentionally mirroring the world-famous porn star. He's an online weight loss coach and through his dieting plan, she was able to shed three stone in under a year - which she says contributes to them looking so similar. Jess says: 'It's only since I lost 46lb in a year through his calorie deficit plan and doing a Couch-to-5K app that our likeness has been really noticeable.' The beautician makes it clear she has no intention to enter the adult entertainment world and admits she is 'flattered' by the comparisons. But it's also a poisoned chalice. She adds: 'A lot of people don't like her, which is a shame really because away from her stunts, I really like the content when she posts about her normal day to day life. 'It's flattering being told I look like her but I'm not willing to take it any further, I'm quite happy in my own little bubble doing day to day stuff!' Bonnie Blue's earnings revealed By Josh Saunders and Tom Johnson BARELY a month passes without sex seductress Bonnie Blue dominating the headlines with her X-rated antics and sparking mass outrage online. But her sordid stunts have also helped the former recruitment consultant, 25, make millions in the process and ultimately proving 'shock sells'. Jaw-dropping figures calculated by boffins at OnlyFans search engine shared exclusively with The Sun, show Bonnie raked in a £3.5million last year alone. Their Impact Analysis Report predicts it will triple to a mindboggling £9.45m by the end of 2025, if she continues on this 'PR stunt treadmill' and to 'masterfully hack the news cycle'. Max Anderson, OnlyFinder's CEO, tells us: "Bonnie Blue has proven that shock sells. Our analysis shows that Bonnie's income is now completely reliant on generating viral moments. 'Every time she pulls off a major stunt, we see a direct and measurable surge in media coverage and searches, leading to hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra earnings. 'But without that constant stream of outrageous events, her visibility and income will naturally decline." Here they reveal the stunts that saw her estimated earnings skyrocket 194 per cent in a year before a few risky moves saw them drop by a considerable amount. Back in April last year, Bonnie's '100 Guys' performance sent searches for her name through the roof - with a mind-boggling 1,937 per cent increase in just one month. The headline-grabbing bonkfest also saw her monthly earnings skyrocket from £17,750 to a staggering £390,000. Her 'Come Freshers Week' stunt in October, which saw her bonk 120 students, pushed her monthly earnings to £585,800. And then an ITV interview followed by her Australian deportation - when her visa was cancelled over her risque antics - saw her rank in £868,700 in November. But it was her infamous '1,000 Guys' stunt in January, an act so saucy it temporarily saw her banned from the OnlyFans main page, earned her nearly £1.3million that month. The bonkathon helped her rake in more than £2.5million in the first three months of 2025 - but a fake pregnancy announcement rocked her monthly earnings considerably. They dropped to just over £480,000, which she has struggled to bounce back from until this month when she will hop her 'UK Dogging Tour' will push earnings back up to new heights. Max Anderson, CEO of OnlyFinder tells The Sun: "Bonnie either needs to keep escalating and risk public discourse turning so toxic there's no way back. 'Or she needs to appoint a new PR - one tasked with creating a more sustainable growth trajectory, one that gives her options and opportunities for the future - if she wants that.'
