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A 30-year-old man from Exeter accused of sending malicious communications to local schools has been transferred to a secure hospital from a jail, where he was being held on remand during legal proceedings.

Alfie Pilkington, of Redlands Close, Exeter, had been remanded into custody after being charged with two counts of sending malicious communications on social media on two days in April.

Exeter Crown Court heard the allegations concerned threats to go to a local nursery and other educational establishments near his home to kill children.

A judge has ordered a mental health assessment of the defendant, who did not appear before the court. The case has been adjourned until July.

Pilkington has been transferred from HMP Bristol to the Langdon secure hospital in Dawlish.

More than 780 full time positions at an NHS trust are set to be axed as part of cost-saving measures.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust said it would have to reduce its workforce in mostly non-clinical roles to "protect frontline services".

The trust's CEO David French said the decision to close positions had been made as the organisation tries to "live within our financial means".

The shake-up has been driven by the government, which has called on the NHS to reduce waiting lists, improve care and operate in a more financially viable way.

Mr French said: "Our core purpose is to provide outstanding care for our patients, and that, along with supporting our staff, is guiding every decision that we're making."

He said the trust had received a financial settlement with the government that was "lower than we'd hoped for and anticipated", and had to save £110m as a result.

"As a publicly funded organization with a responsibility to the taxpayer, it is our job to do the best we can within that money," he said.

A lack of financial reserves, along with a financial settlement that was less than the trust currently spends, had caused "action of this scale", Mr French said.

In total, 620 permanent staff members and 165 temporary employees will see their positions close under the plans.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust currently employs about 13,000 people – with many based at its flagship hospital, Southampton General.

Mr French told the BBC the trust had to "do everything we can to protect frontline services and use all of the assets that we've got as productively and as efficiently as possible".

He said the "majority" of roles closing would be "non-patient facing" positions, adding that the trust had looked "particularly hard" for any possible savings.

Positions being lost are thought to be within HR, finance and communications.

The trust was "working hard to minimise the impact" of the job cuts for "staff and patients", Mr French said.

"Our expectation and the government's expectation is that the waiting list will continue to reduce," he added.

The announcement follows the news last month that neighbouring NHS trusts in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight had earmarked up to 800 jobs to be cut as part of cost-saving measures.

"This isn't just Southampton, many trusts across the country and are in exactly the same situation," Mr French said.

Further losses of up to 50% are also expected at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) and other ICBs in the region.

In March, the government announced plans to abolish NHS England, the body responsible for commissioning and improving health services across the UK.

The shake-up is driven by the Department of Health and Social Care, which has said it is part of a wider plan to protect frontline services and help improve patient care.

A spokesperson for the government department previously said: "We are reforming the NHS to cut bureaucracy and make savings so we can focus on empowering frontline staff to deliver better care for patients, while getting value for taxpayers' money.

"We are investing an extra £26bn in health and care, and have already made progress on our mission to cut waiting lists – delivering an extra three million appointments in six months and cutting the waiting list by 219,000 since July."

A new scholarship aimed at developing the next generation of artificial intelligence "pioneers" will open to applicants in spring 2026.

The Sparck AI scholarships, named after pioneering British computer scientist Karen Sparck Jones, will give master's degree university students access to industry-leading firms as the Government looks to boost the UK's AI credentials.

The University of Bristol will be one of nine universities to offer the fully-funded Government scholarship, alongside faculties in Newcastle, Manchester and Edinburgh.

The university said they "relish the opportunity," with the grant covering both students tuition and living costs.

Building work has started on a new Lidl store in Brough which is due to open next year.

The new supermarket on Welton Road could create about 40 jobs, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

It will have a different appearance to most Lidl stores across the country, with red brickwork, in order for the building to better align with the aesthetic of its surroundings.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council received more than 140 objections about traffic concerns after the plans were initially approved in 2022. They were later amended.

Councillors Richard Meredith, Terry Gill and Pat Smith had called for the original application to be refused due to fears it would be too close to homes and create additional traffic.

According to LDRS, during a planning meeting in 2022, Gill said: "When I've asked people about this they say they'd love a Lidl because it would bring a bit more competition, but when I tell them where it will be they ask if I'm joking."

A further planning application was submitted to the council in 2024 proposing a number of changes including building the store slightly further south, on the same site, to create more space between the store and the properties to the north.

Liam Schofield, regional head of property at Lidl GB, said: "This state-of-the-art store will mean local shoppers no longer have to travel to Hull."

Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Soundslatest episode of Look North here.

A museum's entrance could be moved and new galleries created if plans are approved.

Transformation proposals for Sunderland's Museum and Winter Gardens have been officially submitted, after they were revealed earlier this year.

The Grade II listed building will have more space when the city's library moves to the Culture House development on Keel Square in the autumn.

A decision on the redevelopment plans is expected later this year.

The museum was last refurbished more than 20 years ago, according to Local Democracy Reporting Service.

After the entrance is moved, the existing shop will become a learning hub called Growing Space, where visitors will be able to learn about the environment.

An exhibition space will be created next to the new entrance lobby, along with a relocated reception desk and museum shop.

Meanwhile, the city's pottery and glass collections will be moved into a new gallery on the third floor called The Hold.

Other new galleries include Window on Wearside, which will feature "vibrant displays of star objects" to enjoy Sunderland's story of sports and music.

The soon-to-be-vacated library space will become Sunderland Story, exploring the city's history through "mass displays" of early archaeology, ship models and mining lanterns.

Plans for the proposed first and second floors are described as "more limited" but include the creation of a new meeting space, according to planning documents submitted to the council.

Oxfam GB has said it has taken the "difficult decision" to put 265 of its 2,100 staff at risk of redundancy.

In a statement it said income from retail and fundraising had been impacted by the state of the economy and inflation and increased National Insurance contributions were increasing its costs.

The Oxford-based charity said the move would save £10.2 million on the current financial year salary costs of £78.2m.

Oxfam said it will now enter a consultation process with staff and trade union representatives.

In July 2024 Oxfam GB implemented a recruitment freeze and reduced 'discretionary spending'.

The charity warned it is expecting to make further cuts to spending, although funding for its programmes will be "protected as far as possible".

Oxfam said it was unable to go into detail about which roles would be affected as it was "currently in the early stages of this process and are engaging with our recognised unions and others on the proposals and the rationale for change".

The first full body mole mapping clinic of its kind in East Anglia has opened.

The clinic at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, Norfolk, welcomed its first patient through the doors last month.

Staff at the unit are trying to detect skin cancer earlier in people at a higher risk, and will use an advanced imaging system to take high-quality photographs.

Dr Simina Stefanescu, clinic lead for dermatology at the hospital, said: "By comparing images over time, we can spot small changes and make more informed decisions about whether treatment is needed."

The service is aimed at patients already under the dermatology team and who meet specific medical criteria for closer monitoring.

There are two main types of skin cancer – non melanoma and melanoma skin cancer.

Cancer Research UK says most skin cancers are caused by exposure to the sun, including long term exposure, but also short periods of intense sun exposure and burning.

The charity says about 156,000 cases of non melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year.

Rebecca Martin, medical director at the hospital, said: "We know how important early detection is when it comes to skin cancer.

"This service gives our patients access to the latest technology, helping us to monitor their skin more closely and act quickly when needed."

A "reckless and dangerous driver" filmed drifting between people on a roundabout at an illegal car meet has been banned from driving, police have said.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said Toby Clarkson was given a 24-week suspended jail sentence at Southampton Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old, of London Road in Mickleham, Surrey, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in relation to a car meet, which took place over several hours across southern Hampshire in September.

Footage released by the police showed Clarkson driving his white BMW at speed around the Harbour Parade roundabout near IKEA in Southampton city centre.

A police statement said Clarkson "put lives at risk" during the meet, which started at Winchester Park and Ride on the evening of 21 September.

The vehicles later moved on to Southampton, Eastleigh, Chandler's Ford, Fareham and eventually gathered at Southsea seafront shortly after midnight.

Police said at one point an ambulance on an emergency call was delayed by vehicles taking part.

Officers viewed hours of CCTV, dashcam and social media footage, including a clip of Clarkson circling the roundabout at speed with crowds of people watching at the roadside.

As well as a dangerous driving charge, police said Clarkson pleaded guilty to using a car on a road in such a condition it was likely to cause danger and four counts of failing to give information relating to the identification of a driver.

He was handed a 24-week prison sentence which has been suspended for a year, ordered to do 180 hours unpaid work, attend a programme on car crime and disqualified from driving for three years.

'Embarassed and ashamed'

Supt Mark Lewis described Clarkson's behaviour as "astonishing".

"There were crowds of people mere metres away from Clarkson's car and one slip of the steering wheel could have put dozens in hospital," he said.

"To risk maiming or killing people for the sake of something so immature, the driver should be embarrassed and ashamed of his actions."

Supt Lewis said the case should act as a warning, adding: "Just because you drive home in your car from one of these meets, it doesn't mean you have gotten away with it."

Hundreds of parents have signed a petition to try to save a rural nursery from closure.

East Ruston Infant School and Nursery, near Happisburgh, shared the proposals in an email to parents last week, leading to concerns about a lack of rural provision.

The Broad Horizons Education Trust, which runs 17 schools in Norfolk, told parents that low numbers of children meant the nursery could close in September.

The BBC contacted the trust for comment.

About 340 people have signed a petition to save the nursery, and there are also plans to demonstrate outside the school.

In the letter to parents, the trust said: "The number of children on the school roll in the nursery has been falling in recent years and this has caused significant pressure on the school's overall budget.

"The local authority has confirmed that there are significantly more nursery places in the local areas than there are nursery-aged children."

'Disappointing'

Rachel Bowley, whose three children attend the school and nursery, said she wanted the school "to be accessible for all local children" in the future.

"Not all settings will be right for all children, and we chose East Ruston because it meets our children's individual needs," she added.

Parents have criticised the trust, claiming a lack of communication and engagement with families.

William Sands, a parent and local farmer, said: "The disappointing approach to requests for information and meetings with the trust and from the executive headteacher do not appear to align with the trust's values."

The trust launched a three-week consultation on the plans on 23 April, inviting feedback from parents, carers, and the wider community.