Nearly half a million shoplifting offences were recorded by police in England and Wales in a year, the highest 12-month total on record, figures show. A total of 492,914 offences were logged by forces in the year to September 2024,

Of the 55,008 knife crime offences in England and Wales in the year to September 2024, 30% (16,521) were recorded by the Metropolitan Police, 9% (4,930) by West Midlands Police, 6% (3,427) by Greater Manchester Police and 4% (2,318) by West Yorkshire Police.

Police recorded the equivalent of 1,350 shoplifting offences every day in year to September 2024, new Office for National Statistics figures show

The Six Nations is almost here as rugby’s annual spring spectacular returns with perhaps the most open edition yet.Defending champions Ireland are on the hunt for an unprecedented three-peat, but face a potentially tricky opener against the team that denied them back-to-back grand slams a year ago.

Seven years ago, Reffell captained his country at U20s level before exploding onto the scene in the English Premiership with Leicester which has so far resulted in 23 senior Wales caps. Beddall is a similar mould of player to Reffell, with his ability to win turnover ball at the breakdown his clear point of difference.

The UK is set for more icy temperatures later this week where the mercury drops to -5C and there are 13 cities in England and Wales that are predicted to see snow flurries

The ex-Sale and Bath tighthead has won four caps as a replacement since switching allegiance to Wales in 2023.

Households now have a much better idea of their bill increases from April, which will rise at a time when many other bills are also tipped to go up sharply.

Josh Hathaway has said he was always going to pick Wales over England ahead of his first Six Nations in the red jersey. The 21-year-old, who featured off the bench for Gloucester days before Wales' tournament opener against France on Friday night, had previously turned out for England U20s.

Use precise geolocation data and actively scan device characteristics for identification. This is done to store and access information on a device and to provide personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. List of Partners (vendors)

A police spokesperson said: “On Tuesday, January 28, at 5.30pm, London Ambulance Service called officers to an address on Acton High Street following a reported stabbing. Two boys, aged 14 and 15, were treated at the scene and taken to hospital where their injuries were confirmed to be non-life-threatening.”