Latest news with #Ged
Daily Mail
26-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Ben Stokes makes good on all-rounder promise as he rips through India with poignant century... this fourth Test is all set up for him to have the final say again, writes RICHARD GIBSON
It was a poignant moment. Off came the helmet, then with a look heavenwards he bent the middle finger of his left hand in tribute to his late father Ged. It was a significant one too in the distinguished career of Ben Stokes: the ending of a two-year wait for his 14th Test hundred making good his proclamation at the beginning of this summer that not only was he now fitter than ever but ready to resume his mantle as one of the best all-rounders the world has witnessed. One who would be 'trying to dominate every situation I find myself in, whether I've got a bat or ball in my hand. I know I've done it before, it's something I've very confident in myself I can do.' Until his 141 here, in England's fifth-biggest Test total of 669, he had lacked fluency with the bat, falling five times between 20 and 44, and it would have been all the more sweet for coming on the ground where the first of two hamstring tears - sidelining him for a combined six months - occurred last August. Not for the first time, Stokes is now flexing his muscles confidently on the eve of an Ashes series. Only three times in his first 113 Test matches did the 34-year-old achieve the match double of five or more wickets and at least 75 runs, but he has now done it twice more in consecutive appearances of this series. The one surprise was that, as its leading wicket-taker, he did not bowl at all on Saturday - presumably concerned about over-exerting himself when fatigued - as India eased to 174 for two in response. His previous hundred in the acrimonious meeting with Australia at Lord's two years ago was laden with aerial blows but in contrast this innings, punctuated by a cramp break on the third evening, was a painstaking affair. At least until he reached three figures. There was a nervy prelude on 99 as he poked around for half a dozen deliveries, to a symphony of Mancunian oohs and aahs, before tucking Mohammed Siraj off his hip to the fine leg fence. If the third day of this contest was all about Joe Root, there was no doubting who the fourth belonged to. Then came the pyrotechnics, as England built a 311-run advantage on first innings. Stokes had been forced to get his skates on with his first run of the day, nudging to mid-on and beating debutant Anshul Kamboj's under-arm throw by millimetres as ball broke bails, but by the midpoint of the morning session, it was he who was dictating the pace. With Brydon Carse in support, after Jasprit Bumrah castled Liam Dawson early on, Stokes launched his 174th ball over long-off from the bowling of off-spinner Washington Sundar, moving into a unique club alongside Sir Garfield Sobers and Jacques Kallis - players who have scored 7000 runs and taken 200 wickets in Tests - in the process. By the time he stuck his second six, a head height arrow off his slow left-arm nemesis Ravindra Jadeja, England's innings was the longest in the Bazball era, and Carse was providing some heft at the other end in a pleasing sign ahead of this November's Ashes. It is hard to recall a deeper England batting order than one featuring Carse at No 10. Even after Stokes departed shortly before 12.30pm, getting under one from Jadeja, England ploughed on, lengthening the time England's bowlers spent off their feet and creating a tricky 10-minute period before lunch for India to negotiate. That they failed to do so came down to a brilliant opening over from Chris Woakes, who squared up Yashasvi Jaiswal with the fourth ball and reacted gleefully as Root scooped up a rebound chance at first slip. When that one-handed grab above the grass was followed next ball by a straightforward chance to Harry Brook at second directed there by Sai Sudharsan's attempted leave, England were dreaming of a four-day finish. The hat-trick ball coincided with the final whistle confirming British Lions success in Melbourne, but there was no further late drama before lunch, and although there was plenty of seam and swing on offer when play resumed, England created a solitary opportunity in a wicketless middle session - Liam Dawson parrying a cut thrashed high to point by India captain Shubman Gill off Carse. England had also burnt two reviews by that stage: Gill first surviving when Kumar Dharmasena ruled replay evidence on whether he had been struck on the pad by Jofra Archer before the ball connected with bat was inconclusive and then surviving when a hopeful challenge from Carse revealed the ball sailing over the top of leg stump. In glorious sunshine, Gill and KL Rahul put into context a pitch upon which Bumrah conceded a century of runs for the first time in his 48-Test career, by continuing unscathed throughout an evening session of Dawson wheeling away economically from one end while Archer and Carse bombed them to a spread field devoid of close catchers at the other. England's one hope of sealing an unassailable 3-1 lead is for bowlers freshened by rest dislodging one of the third-wicket pair early. The second new ball is just 17 overs away, but Lancashire's struggles here this season put their task into context: four matches, four draws. It is all set up, as it so often is, for Stokes to have the final word.
The Independent
26-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
‘Urgent safety risk' due to deadly infection being ignored by NHS, charity warns
Early diagnosis of sepsis, a life-threatening medical emergency, faces "ongoing challenges" according to safety experts, who warn that the condition's recognition remains an "urgent and persistent safety risk". The Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) highlighted these concerns after examining three cases where patients suffered severe harm or death due to delayed diagnosis of the condition. What is sepsis? Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that occurs when the immune system overreacts and starts to damage the body's tissues and organs. In the UK, 245,000 people are affected by sepsis every year. The three cases described in HSSIB's latest reports include: – An elderly man named as Ged, who had a urine infection. Ged died from sepsis after his antibiotics were not given to him for almost 20 hours due to difficulties lining up GP out-of-hours systems and those of his nursing home. – A grandmother called Lorna, who died from sepsis after being admitted to an acute assessment unit after attending a hospital with abdominal pain. HSSIB said that doctors on the AAU 'did not always have the capacity to review patients in person' and that it was only when she was seen by a doctor some hours later her sepsis was recognised. – A woman named Barbara, who had diabetes and a foot infection, which led to sepsis. She survived her ordeal but needed to have her leg amputated below the knee to 'gain control' of the infection. Concerns were raised that she should have been transferred to a second hospital sooner and whether this would have avoided her developing sepsis and the need for such extensive amputation. She spent four months in hospital. HSSIB said that the reports also highlight how family members are not always listened to when expressing concerns about a loved one's condition deteriorating. It said the reports reiterate the difficulty of diagnosing sepsis in its early stages. Melanie Ottewill, senior safety investigator at HSSIB, said: 'These reports show a consistent pattern of issues around the early recognition and treatment of sepsis. 'The experiences of Barbara, Ged and Lorna show the devastating consequences of sepsis. 'They also highlight the imperative of listening to families when they express concerns about their loved one and tell us about changes in how they are. 'The distress caused by not feeling heard significantly compounded the grief of Ged's and Lorna's families. 'The trauma of their loss was deeply felt throughout their involvement in our investigation. 'Each report contains detailed analysis and practical insights, offering a significant body of learning for improving patient safety and conducting effective investigations.' Commenting on the reports, Dr Ron Daniels, founder of the UK Sepsis Trust, said: 'These reports provide a valuable reiteration of how quickly sepsis can develop – and therefore how swift diagnosis and treatment must be – as well as a reminder of why it's so important to maintain consistent awareness of every sepsis symptom. 'It's critical too that members of the public feel empowered to act as advocates when their loved ones are unwell, and that healthcare professionals take them seriously. 'We also need a commitment from health ministers on the development and implementation of a 'sepsis pathway' – a standardised treatment plan that ensures patients receive the right care from the point at which they present their symptoms to a clinician through to receiving their diagnosis. 'By responding effectively and reliably to sepsis, our health service can save lives and improve outcomes for the thousands of people affected by this condition every year.' An NHS England spokesperson said: 'NHS staff work extremely hard to keep patients safe and NHS England has supported the implementation of Early Warning Systems to improve recognition and response for all causes of deterioration, including sepsis. 'The introduction of Martha's Rule and the routine use of patient wellness questionnaires is also helping patients and their families to alert staff to subtle changes in how patients are feeling – potentially identifying early signs of deterioration – while giving them the right to call for an urgent review if they remain concerned about a patient getting worse.'
The Independent
25-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Recognition of sepsis ‘urgent and persistent safety risk'
There are 'ongoing challenges' in the early diagnosis of a life-threatening medical emergency, safety experts have said. The Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) said that the 'recognition of sepsis remains an urgent and persistent safety risk'. It comes as the watchdog examined three cases where patients suffered severe harm or death as a result of sepsis not being diagnosed soon enough. Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that occurs when the immune system overreacts and starts to damage the body's tissues and organs. In the UK, 245,000 people are affected by sepsis every year. The three cases described in HSSIB's latest reports include: – An elderly man named as Ged, who had a urine infection. Ged died from sepsis after his antibiotics were not given to him for almost 20 hours due to difficulties lining up GP out-of-hours systems and those of his nursing home. – A grandmother called Lorna, who died from sepsis after being admitted to an acute assessment unit after attending a hospital with abdominal pain. HSSIB said that doctors on the AAU 'did not always have the capacity to review patients in person' and that it was only when she was seen by a doctor some hours later her sepsis was recognised. – A woman named Barbara, who had diabetes and a foot infection, which led to sepsis. She survived her ordeal but needed to have her leg amputated below the knee to 'gain control' of the infection. Concerns were raised that she should have been transferred to a second hospital sooner and whether this would have avoided her developing sepsis and the need for such extensive amputation. She spent four months in hospital. HSSIB said that the reports also highlight how family members are not always listened to when expressing concerns about a loved one's condition deteriorating. It said the reports reiterate the difficulty of diagnosing sepsis in its early stages. Melanie Ottewill, senior safety investigator at HSSIB, said: 'These reports show a consistent pattern of issues around the early recognition and treatment of sepsis. 'The experiences of Barbara, Ged and Lorna show the devastating consequences of sepsis. 'They also highlight the imperative of listening to families when they express concerns about their loved one and tell us about changes in how they are. 'The distress caused by not feeling heard significantly compounded the grief of Ged's and Lorna's families. 'The trauma of their loss was deeply felt throughout their involvement in our investigation. 'Each report contains detailed analysis and practical insights, offering a significant body of learning for improving patient safety and conducting effective investigations.' Commenting on the reports, Dr Ron Daniels, founder of the UK Sepsis Trust, said: 'These reports provide a valuable reiteration of how quickly sepsis can develop – and therefore how swift diagnosis and treatment must be – as well as a reminder of why it's so important to maintain consistent awareness of every sepsis symptom. 'It's critical too that members of the public feel empowered to act as advocates when their loved ones are unwell, and that healthcare professionals take them seriously. 'We also need a commitment from health ministers on the development and implementation of a 'sepsis pathway' – a standardised treatment plan that ensures patients receive the right care from the point at which they present their symptoms to a clinician through to receiving their diagnosis. 'By responding effectively and reliably to sepsis, our health service can save lives and improve outcomes for the thousands of people affected by this condition every year.' An NHS England spokesperson said: 'NHS staff work extremely hard to keep patients safe and NHS England has supported the implementation of Early Warning Systems to improve recognition and response for all causes of deterioration, including sepsis. 'The introduction of Martha's Rule and the routine use of patient wellness questionnaires is also helping patients and their families to alert staff to subtle changes in how patients are feeling – potentially identifying early signs of deterioration – while giving them the right to call for an urgent review if they remain concerned about a patient getting worse.'
The Courier
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Ged Grimes on life with Simple Minds: From Dundee and St Andrews busking to rocking USA
It's been quite a journey from busking on Dundee's Murraygate to gearing up for a 10,000-capacity show in Portland, Oregon – but Ged Grimes wouldn't have it any other way. Speaking exclusively to The Courier via WhatsApp from Los Angeles – where the weather, he laughs, is 'not quite taps aff' – the Dundee born and bred Simple Minds bass player is in the thick of the band's biggest North American tour in four decades. The iconic Scottish band, led by original members Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill, have just come off a rapturous run through South America, and the US and Canada leg is beginning in earnest. It's a packed 24-date schedule, taking in coast-to-coast cities and a mix of iconic outdoor 'sheds' and atmospheric indoor theatres. But as Ged reflects on his 15 years as Simple Minds' longest serving bassist, his 50 years as a musician and looks forward to Simple Minds playing to a 35,000 strong home crowd at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow on June 27 which will be opened up by St Andrews singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, the passionate Dundonian takes none of it for granted. 'It's quite fascinating to be back in a hotel directly opposite where Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard used to be,' he says, looking out of his hotel window towards the former site of the music mecca he first stepped into as part of Dundee's Danny Wilson in the late 1980s. 'I have vivid memories of being there in 1987 when the first Danny Wilson album was on the outside of Tower Records. We were signed from '85 to '91 so that's a six year period that we were making records. 'But it's quite something when you think that I've now been with Simple Minds for 15 years. 'When you look at it like that, I'm a proud of every single thing I've done, and every single twist and turn in the road. To be doing this now at this stage and age is a privilege.' Ged's musical journey started as a school boy back home in Dundee. He met fellow musician Gary Clark at St Saviour's High School – the two were introduced through their shared guitar teacher, Paul Fitzpatrick. 'I was already playing with my family in The Grimes Folk Four – yes really!' says Ged. 'Around the age of 12, 13, we were doing the Five Ways Club, the Civil Service Club… it was this kind of variety concert party. There was a magician, country dancers, and us doing folk songs. God, it sounds like it's from another era!' he laughs. Soon enough, Ged and Gary were playing together and immersed in Dundee's thriving live scene – learning from local legends like Michael Marra and the Mafia band. 'They used to let us jump up at their gigs. That was our way in – and it really made us feel part of something,' he smiles. The duo would head to local studios in the evenings to record whatever they could, experimenting with sounds long before they were signed. In fact, before Danny Wilson became Danny Wilson, they were busking in Dundee's Murraygate – and further afield. 'We used to head to St Andrews and play for the American tourists – we called ourselves the Scots Porridge Notes,' Ged chuckles. 'We had a tea chest bass, accordion, guitar – doing Sinatra covers. Then we'd come back and spend the lot in the Tayside Bar!' That hustle paid off. After a tough stint in London – 'living in a terrible squat' – and after being inspired by Simple Minds' 1982 album New Gold Dream, Ged and Gary returned to Dundee, regrouped with Gary's brother Kit, and got signed shortly after. Simple Minds' album, New Gold Dream, wasn't just a Scottish success – it was a musical wake-up call. 'We were floundering a bit, then this incredible album came out – it sounded expansive, aspirational. It made me believe that Scottish bands didn't have to leave Scotland to succeed. And it was a huge influence on us heading back to Dundee.' Signed in 1985, and touring with Simply Red in 1987, Danny Wilson had their own success in the States – with hits like Mary's Prayer. 'The live band were from Dundee as well,' recalls Ged. 'So you can imagine eight Dundee guys in America for the first time. It was an absolute hoot!' Even now, US fans remember. 'People wait outside (Simple Minds) venues here in the US with Danny Wilson memorabilia. It's honestly touching.' Danny Wilson weren't primarily a live band – 'it was more a studio thing'. Never say never, but that's why realistically he doesn't think Danny Wilson would hit the road today. The entourage required would be sizeable. But the live experience changed drastically when Ged joined Simple Minds in 2010. Ged had crossed paths with Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill a few times when Danny Wilson were on Virgin. But it wasn't until 2008 when he was with Deacon Blue that he reconnected. Deacon Blue supported Simple Minds in 2008 on their 30th anniversary tour, and when Jim asked him to get involved with his solo record, the offer to join the band came from there. Fifteen years on, Simple Minds 'just feels like home'. 'They've always been known for the live show, and we wear that on our sleeve,' he says, describing the band's current line up as 'tighter than ever' and 'dynamite'. 'It's full-on, night after night, giving it everything. 'You don't just play the records – you give people an experience.' After the break-up of Danny Wilson, and before joining Simple Minds, Ged spent most of his time writing and producing music for computer games. The new venture started in Dundee through his friend Chris van der Kuyl. Eventually that led to material being produced in America and Japan. It's a venture he's still involved with today. 'I'm just finished a game for Microsoft I've managed to work in between the Simple Minds tours,' he says. 'There's a game called Clockwork Revolution, a big role playing game that's coming out later in the year. That keeps me on my toes, because I had to find opera singers I had to find string quartets. It's the antithesis of working in Simple Minds. But I'm lucky. I get to do both.' The music industry has changed – and so has Dundee. Ged is especially excited about LiveHouse, the city's new state-of-the-art venue promising to transform the local live scene. 'Dundee's often missed out on big tours,' he says. 'We'd see Glasgow, Edinburgh, maybe Aberdeen – but not here. A lot of that was down to a lack of suitable venues. Now, that's changed.' He's been in touch with LiveHouse director Gus Robb to help attract major acts. 'See the next time Simple Minds are planning a tour that involves Dundee, I'm sure Live House would be an amazing, Barrowlands style, classic venue for us to play. 'It's going to take time that is going to take time to build a reputation. But I'm sure it'll happen.'
Daily Record
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Historian believes Dumfries and Galloway is home of world's oldest known football pitch
The Stewartry may be the home of the world's oldest known football pitch. Football historian Ged O'Brien has uncovered evidence that suggests the beautiful game was played on farmland near Gatehouse more than 400 years ago. And he believes this will lead other experts to 'rewrite everything they think they know'. Ged's discovery was unveiled in the final episode in the current series of BBC Scotland's A View From The Terrace, which will be shown tonight. The founder of the Scottish Football Museum has discovered a letter written by Rev Samuel Rutherford, who was minister at Anwoth Old Kirk in the 17th century. It shows that when he arrived at the parish he found 'a piece of ground on Mossrobin farm where on Sabbath afternoon the people used to play at foot-ball'. Ged – a former president of the Association of Sports Historians – believes this sentence backs up his argument that football was being played in Scotland hundreds of years before it was invented in England. He said: 'This is one of the most important sentences I have ever read in football history, because it specifically identifies the exact place the football pitch was.' Rev Rutherford was furious his parishioners were playing football on a Sunday and ordered some of his flock to put stones on the pitch to stop the games. The film for A View From The Terrace shows Ged and a team of archaeologists discovered a line of 14 large rocks across a flat area at the former Mossrobin farm, with tests indicating they were put there around the time Rutherford was minister. Archaeologist Phil Richardson from Archaeology Scotland, who conducted the tests, said: 'This backs up the story that a barrier was put across an open space. It's not about stock control, it's not about agriculture or land boundaries and ownership. This is not a wall, it's a temporary barrier to stop a particular event happening – in this case football.' Ged added: 'There are serious implications for historians because they are going to have to rewrite everything they think they know. In the history books, football is mob-football. 'It was chaos, people drunk, it's anarchy. The traditional view of modern football is that it started in 1863 with a group of ex-public schoolboys from places like Eton and Harrow.' O'Brien argues this narrative is 'entirely and utterly mistaken', pointing out that for centuries, Scots have been playing a more organised form of football in places like Anwoth, where his discovery was made. Standing on the site of the ancient pitch, he added: 'This is one of my great days ever, because we're stood on the proof that we need to show that Scotland invented modern world football.' Anwoth Old Kirk is perhaps better known as one of the filming locations of The Wicker Man. Now it may have another claim to fame. Click here for more news and sport from Dumfries and Galloway. Ged said: 'Anwoth is going to be one of the cornerstones of the new world history of football. 'This is a place that the locals specifically chose as a football pitch and I've got the evidence. It's the start of the narrative that runs through to today because the game they played is the game everybody plays everywhere in the world.' 'You can be up the side of a mountain in the Himalayas, watching a football game, and the ghosts of Anwoth will be watching,' he added. The episode of A View From The Terrace is available on iPlayer and will be shown on the BBC Scotland channel tonight at 10.30pm.
