Warning of sleet, snow and rare freezing rain in parts of England this weekend

Published

5 days ago

February 14, 2025

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Rare freezing rain and snow could hit parts of England this weekend.

A yellow weather warning for snow and ice is in place across parts of northern England for Saturday – covering the North East and parts of Yorkshire, from 6am to 2pm, according to the Met Office.

Up to two inches of snow could fall in parts of the north, including Scotland – with passengers told to expect some travel disruption.

More: Get the forecast where you are

Rare freezing rain – when cold rain droplets freeze on cool surfaces and create ice – is also expected in the north.

The Met Office has also said that there may be heavy rain over parts of southern Wales and southwest England.

Weather forecasters say that so far this winter, we have experienced 69% of sunshine – when we should have experienced around 83%.

This month alone, they say we have experienced 35% of sunshine – when we should have had 46% by this point in February.

The weather has been grey, wet and miserable – but it’s getting better

Our weather has been cold and grey day after day thanks to a blocked weather pattern and a nagging easterly wind – although parts of northern Scotland and the Northern Isles have enjoyed some winter sunshine.

Finally, though, things are slowly changing as weather fronts push in from the Atlantic. But it’s a messy transition.

And that means a risk of snow and ice for some of us this weekend, before wetter, windier and milder weather moves in from the west.

The greatest risk of snow and freezing rain (where rain falls onto frozen surfaces and forms dangerous black ice) will be across the hills of northern England during Saturday, with parts of Scotland also at risk of sleet and snow.

But once the milder and more unsettled weather does make it across the UK, we should finally see some brighter conditions later next week.

‘Some snow likely’

Met Office meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “Through Saturday the rain will move further east and as it does it’ll bump into the colder air, meaning some snow is likely, mainly for parts of northern England, covered by the snow and ice warning.

“Two to five centimetres is possible over the Cheviots and North Yorks Moors, and it’s possible we could see some localised accumulations to lower levels.

“Some freezing rain could affect higher parts of the Pennines for a time too, leading to icy conditions. Some snow is possible outside the warning area, although amounts are likely to be small.”

UK

Easier for children to buy knives than paracetamol, police review finds amid government crackdown

Published

4 hours ago

February 19, 2025

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Easier for children to buy knives than paracetamol, police review finds amid government crackdown

It is easier for children to buy knives than it is to purchase paracetamol a police review has concluded.

The damning assessment came as the government launched a crackdown on the sale of bladed weapons to under-18s as part of a series of new anti-knife measures.

Tougher prison sentences will be introduced for selling knives to under-18s and retailers will be obliged to report suspicious or bulk purchases of knives that could then be sold on via social media.

Collectively the new measures will be known as Ronan’s Law, in memory of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda who was stabbed to death in Wolverhampton in 2022 in a case of mistaken identity.

His mother Pooja Kanda told Sky News: “What a legacy to have in my son’s name.

“Ronan will live on, he will live on making the difference that the laws exist, that’s a legacy.”

On the morning of the attack, his teenage killers had picked up their online delivery of a machete and a ninja sword.

Ms Kanda continued: “The murderer of my son just was getting these type of weapons and selling (on social media)

“How scary is that?

“He was able to get them freely on his mother’s ID and mother’s bank account and then he was selling it for more profit to other children.”

Metropolitan Police Commander Stephen Clayman, who is the national lead for knife crime, said it is sometimes harder to buy paracetamol than it is to buy a knife.

Mr Clayman said: “The age verification is a huge vulnerability, both in terms of at point of sale and at delivery.

“We know that through the tragic stories we hear and have heard, but it continues that there are huge flaws that need to be addressed.”

“Bizarrely, it is harder to buy paracetamol in some respects than it is to buy a knife. And that can’t be right,” he said.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Everyone has to take responsibility.

“We cannot continue with this online free for all. That makes it too easy with these lethal loopholes of selling knives and dangerous weapons to children.

“It has to be closed. And that’s why we need everyone to act.”

Ronan’s mother backed the government’s strategy but said far more needs to be done across society.

She vowed to hold politicians to their promises and continue fighting on behalf of her son for the rest of her life.

“My last breath is dedicated to Ronan, I will continue to fight for my son and to make sure that what has gone wrong is corrected.

“I will die doing that for my son.”

UK

Government launches new vaping study and campaign to warn teens of the dangers

Published

4 hours ago

February 19, 2025

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Government launches new vaping study and campaign to warn teens of the dangers

The government is backing a new study to track the long-term effects of vaping on young people – and launching an anti-vaping campaign aimed at teenagers.

The study will track 100,000 young people over 10 years.

It will monitor them from the age of eight up to 18, collecting health data and tracking their wellbeing and other behaviours.

The long-term effects of vaping are not fully known. It’s hoped the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)-funded study will provide the most detailed information yet on its long-term impacts on young people, officials said.

Two other new studies will capture the latest data in vaping research.

Public health minister Ashley Dalton said: “We know that vaping can be a useful tool to quit smoking, but it’s crucial we have clear evidence on the long-term health harms, especially for young people.

“This landmark series of studies, combined with our first nationwide youth vaping campaign, will help drive evidence-based, decisive action to protect our children’s future.”

This is a crucial study to help inform choices

It’s a bit of a public health dilemma.

We know smoking kills so vaping has been promoted as a safer alternative, a useful tool to help adult smokers to quit.

But youth vaping has skyrocketed in recent years, with a quarter of 11 to 15 year olds having tried it – mostly young people who had never tried a cigarette before taking up the e-habit.

The problem here is we don’t yet fully understand the dangers of vaping.

So this new government-backed study will provide the most detailed information yet on the impacts of youth vaping.

The 10-year study will track 100,000 young people and collect health data as well as monitoring information other physical and mental behaviours.

This will be crucial data to help people to make informed choices.

The government has introduced tough legislation to stop current 15-year-olds from ever being able to buy cigarettes.

They will be the first smoke-free generation.

But potentially also a generation of vapers doing incalculable harm to their bodies.

We just don’t know. Yet.

The YouTube and Instagram campaign – called Love Your Lungs – will see influencers such as Big Manny appeal to teenagers aged 13 to 18.

It is the first nationwide campaign across England to inform young people about vaping and nicotine addiction, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.

The department has also commissioned a video which shows a woman in a toxic relationship, but it transpires her ‘partner’ is her vape.

Sarah Sleet, chief executive at Asthma and Lung UK, said: “The number of non-smokers, particularly young people, taking up vaping is extremely worrying.

“The long-term impact of vaping on the lungs isn’t yet known, so research into its effect on young people is really important.”

UK

Alice da Silva Aguiar: Mum of Southport victim praises local community in first interview since attack

Published

7 hours ago

February 19, 2025

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Alice da Silva Aguiar: Mum of Southport victim praises local community in first interview since attack

The mum of Alice da Silva Aguiar, one of three young girls killed in an attack on a dance class in Southport, has praised her local community in her first interview since her daughter was murdered.

Warning: Some readers may find details in this article distressing

Portuguese-born Alex Aguiar, mother of Alice, told the Liverpool Echo that Southport now feels like home for her.

She moved to the area in 2010, and said the support of the community since the attack on 29 July last year had been invaluable.

Alice, nine, was killed alongside Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Bebe King, six, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class by Axel Rudakubana.

Ms Aguiar said: “Everyone has been incredible, people who don’t know us and we’re not from here and we’ve got so much help.

“People have been very kind, wanting to help us, we didn’t expect that. We feel at home and we don’t feel like we have to go back.”

The 34-year-old paid tribute to her daughter in her first media interview since the attack.

She described how Alice loved dancing and had started baby ballet aged just 16 months old.

Alice grew fond of having one of the teachers, Heidi Liddle, as her dance instructor and her mum said she was “fuming” when Ms Liddle went on maternity leave.

Ms Liddle was one of two adults, along with class instructor Leanne Lucas, present at the dance class during the attack by Rudakubana.

The parents of Bebe and Elsie previously described how they hoped their daughters would be remembered, in an interview on Good Morning Britain.

Rudakubana entered the building and began indiscriminately attacking people.

The 18-year-old was jailed for a minimum of 52 years last month for the murders of the three young girls and attempted murder of eight other children and two adults.