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Didcot – Do you recognise him? Police investigate incident

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Thames Valley Police has released a CCTV image of an individual that officers would like to speak to in connection with the incident in Didcot.

Between 7pm and 8.30pm on Sunday, March 29, in Newlands Avenue, an offender approached the victim’s door and proceeded to kick it forcefully.

The motivations of the man to kick the door are not known.

Do you recognise him? (Image: TVP)

Police constable Matt Allinson, of Thames Valley Police, said: “We’re looking to identify the person in this CCTV image, as we believe they may have information that could help our investigation.

“If this person is you, or you recognise who this is, I would ask you to please get in touch with Thames Valley Police, either by making a report online or by calling us on 101, quoting reference 43260153059.

“Witnesses can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”





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Crime & Safety

Stacey Solomon gives BGT golden buzzer to schoolchildren

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The ITV talent show sees people from the UK and across the world audition to show off their unique talents in an attempt to impress the judges and win the £250,000 prize money.

Judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon returned to the panel for the news series, and guest judge KSI has become a permanent judge on the show following the departure of Bruno Tonioli.

While Simon Cowell featured at the start of the episode, viewers saw Stacey Solomon temporarily replace him for some of the auditions this evening.


Remember the BGT winners from 2018 to 2025


Students from Braunstone Community Primary School and their headmaster combined comedy with dancing and singing, which impressed Solomon so much she said she believed they deserved the golden buzzer.

The children meet each week at 2pm on Fridays with their headmaster, who gets them all dancing and singing together, something Alesha Dixon said “all schools should roll out because kids need this life force of music”.

What is a golden buzzer on BGT?

The golden buzzer is pressed when a judge or the hosts, Ant and Dec, want to send an act straight through to the live shows to award them for their talents.

It’s only given to a select few acts per series and it means golden buzzer acts can skip some of the other auditions.

What does the winner of BGT 2026 get?

There have been 18 winners of BGT since its first series in 2007, with magician Harry Moulding winning last year.


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The winner of BGT will take home a prize of £250,000 and will also be given the chance to perform at the Royal Variety Performance in front of the royal family.

In the ITV show’s first three years, winners won a prize of £100,000, while the biggest winners were Ashleigh and Pudsey with a prize pot of £500,000 in 2012.

Who is your favourite winner of Britain’s Got Talent from previous years? Let us know in the comments.





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Starbucks UK expansion promises 75 new stores in 2026

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Duncan Moir, President of Starbucks Europe, said: “In the UK, we continued to grow, opening 92 coffeehouses last year.

“We plan to open 75 more in the next year, and over the next five years, there are plans to open 500 more. This shows our confidence in the UK market.”

The company has also been expanding in other regions, opening 299 new stores last year.

The UK remains Starbucks’ biggest market in the region. Even with rising costs and strong competition, Starbucks grew its UK revenue to £556.3m last year. Customer visits rose slightly, and the average spend per customer reached £6.45.

Digital ordering and loyalty programs are proving popular.

Mobile orders are up 28%, and Starbucks Rewards now accounts for 42% of UK sales, with membership growing to 2.4 million active users.


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New stores and acquisitions

By the end of last year, Starbucks had 1,304 stores in the UK.

Starbucks is also seeing strong growth in its menu. Cold drinks sales rose 11.8%, while Matcha drinks jumped 68% in the past year.

Seasonal and limited-time drinks now make up 10% of UK sales.





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Lamb costs soar in UK in last 3 years due to climate change

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New analysis reveals that climate change has added £168 to the lamb bill of households that eat lamb regularly over the past three years.

The analysis, carried out by Zero Carbon Analytics for the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), links extreme weather events—including droughts, heatwaves and heavy rainfall—to rising prices.

Lamb costs soar in UK in last 3 years due to climate change

Chris Jaccarini, land, food, and farming analyst at the ECIU, said: “As families and communities sit down to celebrate this Easter, the cost of climate change is hitting home.

“Lamb prices are through the roof after droughts, extreme heat and heavy rainfall have hit farmers’ costs of production, weakening grass growth and not allowing the depleted hay stores they depend on time to recover.”

The report found that since 2022, a series of weather “shocks” in the UK have pushed up the price of a typical 2kg leg of lamb by between 7 per cent and 21 per cent each time.

These increases were linked to disrupted grass growth and depleted fodder reserves, both key factors in lamb production.

The climate impacts have also affected other products, with beef and dairy prices rising in response to similar weather-related challenges.

Mr Jaccarini said: “As the current oil price shock threatens to bring yet another round of food price inflation, without faster progress towards net zero to bring balance back to our climate, as well as more investment in the resilience of our farmers, the affordability of food is worryingly exposed to these worsening shocks.”

The analysis used Met Office data and figures from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.

It found that the 2022 drought drove lamb prices up by 11 per cent, the wet winter of 2023/24 by 25 per cent, and the more recent drought conditions by 13 per cent.

Packets of lamb in a supermarketThe rise in cost of lamb has been attributed to climate change (Image: Getty Images)

Each of these events directly affected grass growth, the report said.

Farmgate prices in 2024 led to a £5 (17.5 per cent) increase in the cost of a lamb roast at Easter, rising to £7 (21 per cent) by the following year.

Sheep farmers are feeling the impact firsthand.

Jack Cockburn, a sheep farmer from Ceredigion in Wales, said: “Here in West Wales, extreme weather is our biggest challenge.

“We’ve had two very wet winters in a row, which has meant poor grass growth due to waterlogged soils and low light levels with the very cloudy conditions.

“This has meant lambs going to the abattoir at lighter weights and less meat per animal.”

Best Easter Egg deals in UK supermarkets

Lamb is not the only product to see price hikes, with the cost of Easter eggs also rising.

Prices have gone up by two-thirds in three years due to poor cocoa harvests caused by heavy rain, drought, and heatwaves in West Africa.

Recent grocery inflation data from Worldpanel by Numerator confirmed that the average price of an Easter egg is now nine per cent higher than last year, at £3.27.

Savings experts have analysed Easter egg prices across major supermarkets and revealed which brands have shrunk the most – and where shoppers can still get the best value in 2026.

Experts say rising cocoa costs are partly responsible, but shoppers can still find good deals if they compare prices carefully.

Research by VoucherCodes.co.uk compared prices at supermarkets including Asda, Tesco, Aldi and Marks & Spencer.

The analysis revealed several standout deals across UK supermarkets.

Top picks include:

  • Cheapest branded eggs: Asda, starting at £1.40
  • Best budget luxury egg: Aldi Choceur Jammy Wheel Biscuit Egg
  • Best multibuy deals: Asda 2-for-£8.98 offers

Best loyalty discounts: Tesco Clubcard and Morrisons More

  • Viral premium eggs: Marks & Spencer
  • Cheapest Cadbury Mini Eggs: B&M

According to the research, Asda currently offers the cheapest branded Easter eggs, with popular options around £1.40 for 100g.

For shoppers wanting something a little more indulgent without spending too much, Aldi came out strongly.


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Shoppers using supermarket loyalty schemes can also unlock better prices.

Both Tesco Clubcard and Morrisons More offer discounts on mid-range branded eggs.

For fans of Cadbury Mini Eggs, the research found B&M currently offers the best value.

Its 256g bag priced at £4.89 works out cheaper per gram than smaller packs or equivalent sizes in supermarkets.

What is your favourite thing to eat at Easter? Let us know in the comments.





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