Stoke-on-Trent potbank facing uncertain future as Denby Pottery on the brinkDenby Pottery owns Burgess Dorling & Leigh which produces Burleigh ware out of Middleport PotteryView Image Inside Burleigh Pottery (Image: Pete Stonier / Stoke Sentinel)A Stoke-on-Trent pottery brand is facing an uncertain future - after its parent company announced plans to call in administrators. Derbyshire-based Denby Pottery is in a race-against-time to secure its future after filing a notice of intention to appoint administrators. ‌It is now 16 years since Denby Pottery bought Burgess Dorling & Leigh which produces Burleigh ware out of Middleport Pottery. Council leader Jane Ashworth said: "We believe that Burleigh Pottery - the Stoke-on-Trent business owned by Denby - is viable and has a full order book. Denby Pottery Company also has an outlet store at Trentham Shopping Village.

Reece James insisted Chelsea will win trophies after the club captain signed a new contract until 2032, adding he does not care if he could have made more money elsewhere because Stamford Bridge is his one and only home. Considered one of the world's best right backs – and the best according to Rosenior – James told the reporters present: 'This club is my home, this is the place I love and want to be. On having opportunities to leave Chelsea, James said: 'I came through at this club. Reece James revealed he is not interested in money after signing his new Chelsea contractLauren and Reece. Chelsea later confirmed that his sister Lauren James, a member of England Women's European Championship winning side, has also signed a new contact at the club.

The River Shannon at Banagher. Waterways Ireland gets go-ahead for River Shannon silt clearance worksWaterways Ireland has been granted planning permission to remove silt from a section of the river Shannon outside Banagher in order to allow for the safe passage of craft through the navigation channel. Waterways Ireland sought permission from Offaly County Council in April 2025 for essential maintenance works to the Shannon navigation, including the removal of 710 cubic metres of silt build up, downstream of Victoria Lock. The application sought permission for access through the front and rear curtilage of Victoria Lock House and use of the field to the rear of Victoria Lock House beyond its immediate curtilage. The proposed works site is located in the townsland of Clonahenoge, approximately 6.5km southwest of the village of Banagher and 14km northwest of Birr.

Athlone’s Eoin Dooley (16), who helped rescue a girl from the water at Coosan Point last year, with water safety instructor Nuala Moroney and examiner Gerry Flannery. Young Athlone lifesaver praised for Coosan Point water rescueby Morgan Fagg and Adrian CusackAn Athlone teenager is to be nominated for a national water safety award as a result of his heroic actions in helping to rescue a girl who got into difficulty at Coosan Point last summer. Eoin Dooley (16), from Mayfield Grove, recounted the details of the rescue when the Westmeath Water Safety local area committee gathered for its AGM on Thursday last. Since the incident, Jude Kilmartin, who is also part of Athlone River Safety Awareness, has been busy working with different groups to try to obtain a 'River Rescue Robot' for Coosan Point. The next local water safety course will be held over Easter, from April 6 to 10, and anyone interested in getting involved in promoting water safety locally should contact westmeathchair@watersafety.ie

Cash Isa providers are locked in a race to offer top interest rates ahead of tax–year end, with one provider launching an eye–catching rate of 6 per cent. This duo are regulars at the top of our best cash Isa savings tables and offer fixed 12–month boosts on top of their underlying rates. It has raised its headline rate from 4.5 per cent to 4.7 per cent since it launched its cash Isa last month. There’s no minimum deposit, but a drawback is that XTB doesn’t currently accept transfers to its cash Isa. > Find out more at Hargreaves Lansdown*Alternative to consider – Moneybox lifetime Isa (5.05%)Moneybox’s regular cash Isa often features in our round ups, but its lifetime Isa is a top account that’s worth considering if you’re saving for a home deposit.

Kings of Irish Country for Athlone stageCountry music fans are in for a real treat as The Kings of Irish Country Show rolls into the Dean Crowe Theatre, Athlone, on Wednesday, March 18. This spectacular one-night-only concert brings together five of Ireland’s most popular country music stars on one stage for an unforgettable evening of hits, harmonies and high-energy entertainment. The stellar line-up features Brendan Shine, Patrick Feeney, Mick Flavin, Gerry Guthrie and John McNicholl, with John backed by the superb Keltic Storm Band. The Kings of Irish Country Show is renowned for its warm atmosphere, lively banter and feel-good songs that have become the soundtrack to many lives. This is a must-see event for country music lovers and anyone looking for a great night out.

“It’s the Irish miler Ron Delany. He’s coming on like an express train.”And sure enough, Delany didn’t stop until the finish line. ***Kilkenny reader Denis Bergin reminds me of a period Delany spent in that city during the 1950s, selling vacuum cleaners door to door. But according to McDonald, Delany’s bed was sometimes refrigerated too. Where did he come from?”, quiz master Pat Kenny sprang the tie-break question: To the nearest tenth of a second, what was Ronnie Delany’s winning time in the Olympic 1,500m?

“I think the war is very complete, pretty much … we’re very far ahead of schedule,” he said on Tuesday. The vagueness about Trump’s intentions is reflected in his ambiguity about “boots on the ground”, a prospect particularly alarming his Maga base. Meanwhile, military commentators warn that the US cannot easily guarantee safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz or close down the decentralised production of drones. Trump is creating the conditions for more massacres of civilians, without offering the protesters any reasonable prospect of success. Against this complex backdrop, ending the war looks a lot more complicated for the US president than starting it was.

A man in 40s has been arrested in connection with the seizure of 20kg of cannabis worth around €400,000 on Friday. The joint operation was conducted by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), Kildare South Divisional Drugs Unit and Revenue’s Customs Service. The seized drugs are now subject to analysis by Forensic Science Ireland. The man is detained pursuant to Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, at a Garda Station in Co Kildare. Investigations are ongoing.

LOI Men's First Division: Athlone Town 2 Cobh Ramblers 0Athlone Town bounced back from their first defeat of the season with two second half goals defeating Cobh Ramblers who missed a first half penalty kick. Cobh had a number of good chances to take a half time lead but also could have headed off for the break behind as Athlone hit the post in stoppage time. The deadlock should have been broken by Ramblers after 36 minutes when Kyle O’Connor handled a Rhys Brennan shot. Athlone Town: Stuart-Trainor, K O’Connor, Hand, Webb, E O’Connor, Maloney, Connolly, McManus, Adewale (Lomboto 75m), Ferry (Smith 88), Tollett (Grogan 63). Cobh Ramblers: Martin, Griffin, Waweru (Kelly-Noonan 86), Gourdie (McGlade 82), Brennan (Osorio 74), Curtin, Crowe, Carroll (Honohan 74), Buckley, Abbott (Frahill 74), Coleman.

Event firm behind Dragon's Back and other UK endurance races 'ceases trading''We are especially aware of participants who have already paid race entry fees for our events'View 2 Images Start of the Dragon's Back race in Conwy (Image: Ourea Events )An event firm behind the Dragon's Back and other endurance races has ceased trading. Ourea Events organise some of the most challenging events in the UK. Shane Ohly, Event Director at Ourea Events, said: "It is with deep regret that I must announce that Ourea Events has ceased trading and is currently in discussions with professional advisors. He added: "This decision impacts all Ourea Events races scheduled for 2026. We must ask you not to contact Ourea Events, as no one will be able to respond.

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, CanadaZip Code

The Department of Housing and Dublin City Council (DCC) have warned about the proliferation of scam social media messages from “Housing for All” or “Ireland’s Housing Plan” offering accommodation to members of the public. “This scam is falsely using the ‘Housing for All’ name and the HFA acronym and is encouraging members of the public to contact them via WhatsApp to access so‑called ‘free housing benefits,’” a spokesperson for DCC said. “We strongly advise that you do not engage with this scam in any way, including responding to messages, clicking links, or sharing personal information. The Department of Housing also reported an increase in online scams in recent days purporting to be from Ireland’s Housing Plan and Housing for All. "The Department does not directly engage with the public regarding accommodation provision and never seeks personal details from members of the public.”It said it was reporting the matter to An Garda Síochána.

Donald Trump has deployed thousands of US Marines to the Strait of Hormuz amid mounting fears that America is set to put troops on the ground as the world's oil supply is strangled. All six service members aboard a refueling aircraft that crashed in Iraq were confirmed dead as the stalemate in the Strait deepened. Iran launched fresh attacks on Dubai's International Finance Center, with explosions rocking the city and thick smoke rising above its skyline. Trump acknowledged on a call with the Daily Mail earlier this month that more troops would die in the war with Iran. The seventh US service member killed in the war was identified as Benjamin Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky.

Tommy Fleetwood waits to putt on the 14th green during the first round of The Players ChampionshipRyder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood has spoken of his relief after his family were able to return to England from Dubai amid the Middle East conflict. Dubai has been targeted by Iranian drone attacks, which are in retaliation to American and Israeli strikes on Iran. And then they got lucky getting out because they got out on the flight and then I think something happened at the airport while they were in the air or something. I know my family have been safe and that’s the important thing. But you would wish for different.”A decision is expected on Friday to relocate the Finalissima football match between Argentina and Spain.