George Torr

The Darley Park Weekender will return to Derby from 21 to 23 August 2026, featuring Billy Ocean, Marti Pellow, Katrina, JLS and a Sunday orchestral concert. Derby City Council is proceeding despite ticket sales falling from 15,000 in 2023 to just over 6,000 in 2025. Because of hot, dry conditions and wildfire warnings, the traditional fireworks finale will be replaced by low-level theatrical pyrotechnics, alongside designated smoking areas, enhanced fire precautions and larger stage safety zones.

Derbyshire indie band The Last Orders achieved their ambition of performing on Y Not Festival’s main stage before about 20,000 people. After learning through Instagram that they had made the shortlist, the band promoted themselves widely and secured the slot. Members described the main-stage experience, backstage meetings with artists including Dizzee Rascal and Rizzle Kicks, and the contrast with their usual pub and small-venue performances. They plan to play more shows before returning to the studio to record new music.

Derbyshire indie band The Last Orders played the main stage at Y Not Festival near Matlock after being selected through a social-media-driven shortlist. The four members described performing before about 20,000 people as a dream and a major step beyond their usual pub and small-venue shows. They also met artists including Dizzee Rascal and Rizzle Kicks backstage. Following the performance, the band plans to play more shows and return to the studio to record new music.

Bloodstock Festival was founded in 2001 by artist Paul Gregory and Vince Brotheridge after they wanted a dedicated heavy metal event. Despite early losses, a move outdoors that nearly broke the festival, and the financial strain of the Covid-19 pandemic, Gregory’s children Rachael, Vicky and Adam helped build it into a 20,000-capacity event. The family rejected corporate investment to preserve the festival’s independence, eventually clearing its debts and making a profit in 2014. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Bloodstock attracts major metal acts and has sold out since returning after the pandemic.

Ashgate Hospice in Derbyshire transformed its conservatory into a private restaurant so terminally ill cancer patient Charlene Heslop and her husband Jordan could celebrate their first wedding anniversary. Charlene was diagnosed with recurrent cervical cancer shortly after their wedding and had been given three to nine months to live, but surpassed that prognosis. Hospice staff decorated the room and chef Mark Taylor prepared a three-course meal based on Charlene’s favourite foods, creating an experience the couple said gave them lasting memories.

Two men aged 57 and 53 were arrested on suspicion of arson after a garden fire on Normanton Road in Derby spread to nearby properties. Three flats were damaged, but no injuries were reported. Nearby residents were temporarily evacuated, roads were closed for several hours, and emergency crews from Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire attended. Residents have since returned home, roads have reopened and the police cordon has been removed.

A fire broke out in the gazebo area behind The Crown pub in Nottingham, spreading to nearby outbuildings before being extinguished by crews from three fire stations. Authorities said CCTV footage indicates the fire was not started deliberately. Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service and Nottinghamshire Police are investigating the cause.

Ten ancient or at-risk trees across the UK have been shortlisted for the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year award, including a Rutland oak damaged by a WWII bomber and a 4,000‑year‑old yew once struck by a cannonball. A panel selected most nominees, with two added through a public wildcard vote. Public voting runs until late September, with the winner set to represent the UK in the European finals. The Woodland Trust highlights the trees’ resilience, noting their survival of events such as lightning strikes, disease, storms and historical conflicts.

A report from National Parks England calls for greater powers, long‑term funding and coordinated government policy to help national parks lead landscape restoration, respond to climate change and manage visitor pressures. The Peak District National Park highlights shrinking government grants and growing environmental challenges, including wildfires and climate‑driven habitat changes. The report warns that cuts have reduced service delivery and argues for multi‑year funding settlements and tighter controls on holiday accommodation in pressured areas. The government says it is increasing funding and supporting habitat protection and species recovery.

Testimony at an inquest into the death of footballer Maddy Cusack included allegations from her mother that head coach Jonathan Morgan made comments that undermined her daughter and contributed to her distress after joining Sheffield United. The court heard concerns that Cusack felt history was repeating from her earlier time at Leicester City and that she struggled with comments about her weight, relationship, and role at the club. Additional evidence described her anxiety about her contract, fears over mental health stigma, and distress at the possibility of losing her place in the team. The inquest continues.

Testimony at an inquest into the death of footballer Maddy Cusack focused on allegations her coach Jonathan Morgan made comments that undermined her confidence and contributed to her distress. Her mother argued Morgan’s employment created conditions that left her daughter devastated, particularly after previous negative experiences under him at Leicester City. Evidence included text messages expressing fear that the club would back the coach over her, and concerns that leaving the team would jeopardize her marketing job at Sheffield United. Additional scrutiny arose over lost medical records from her time at the club, with the team doctor acknowledging delayed reporting of the issue. The inquest continues.

A mother from Ripley praised at-home neonatal phototherapy equipment offered by Royal Derby Hospital, which allowed her newborn to receive jaundice treatment without inpatient admission. The service, part of the hospital’s neonatal jaundice clinic and virtual ward launched in late 2025, has supported 18 families and maintains care timelines similar to hospital-based treatment. Clinicians say the approach keeps families together while providing effective therapy and ongoing support.