Kate Relton

Philip Colbert has opened his first UK museum exhibition at Woking’s Lightbox Gallery & Museum. Running from 25 July to 1 November, the show features 26 paintings and sculptures, including his five-metre painting The Lost Gardens of Lobsteropolis, which took six months to complete with the help of studio assistants. The Scotland-born, London-based artist is known for his red lobster persona and surreal, mythology-inspired pop art. Lightbox director Sarah Brown praised the exhibition for making complex ideas about history and art playful and accessible.

Extreme heat and dry weather are making football pitches in Yorkshire dangerously hard, raising injury risks and placing financial strain on grassroots clubs. Local officials report rising costs for irrigation while experts link the worsening conditions to climate change, noting risks such as soil compaction, reduced grass cover and increased bone stress injuries. Clubs call for greater assistance from governing bodies, arguing that climate adaptation measures, improved drainage and irrigation, or a move to artificial pitches require funding that is currently unavailable.

Grassroots football clubs in Yorkshire warn that extreme heat and prolonged dry spells are turning pitches dangerously hard, increasing the risk of player injuries and straining club finances. Clubs report spending thousands on irrigation with little effect, while climate change intensifies seasonal extremes that leave pitches waterlogged in winter and rock solid in summer. Experts highlight soil compaction, grass die-off and heightened injury risks, particularly for young players. Campaigners call for stronger support from governing bodies and government, including funding, improved drainage and irrigation infrastructure, and greater access to artificial pitches as grassroots clubs struggle to adapt.

St Leonard's Hospice in York installed cuddle beds in all rooms after raising £75,000 for five additional units, bringing its total to 14. The wider adjustable beds allow families to lie beside loved ones during end-of-life care and were funded largely through community efforts inspired by the experience of Louise Ryan and her late husband Nick. Hospice leadership praised the donations, while supplier Montcalm Care reported increasing national demand for the beds.