A landlord who failed to tackle serious safety hazards and operated rental properties without the required licences is set to be added to the Rogue Landlord Database following a successful prosecution by Peterborough City Council.
Zahid Hussain was ordered to pay £13,936 after being convicted of housing offences involving a number of properties in Peterborough.
The prosecution followed inspections at a property in Stone Lane, where council officers found damp and mould, electrical and fire safety hazards, and a home that was excessively cold.
They were also unable to find any evidence that the property’s gas appliances, boiler or electrical installations met current safety requirements.
Improvement notice
Despite being served with improvement notices requiring the defects to be addressed, Hussain failed to carry out the work.
In addition, the council found Hussain was managing properties in St Paul’s Road that required licences under Peterborough’s Selective Licensing scheme but had not obtained them.
Hussain did not attend a hearing at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court and was convicted in his absence. He was fined £2,000 for failing to comply with improvement notices and £3,000 for each licensing offence, along with a £3,200 victim surcharge and costs.
I hope that this successful prosecution serves as a warning.”
Councillor Christian Hogg, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services and Enforcement, Peterborough
Councillor Christian Hogg, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services and Enforcement, says: “I hope that this successful prosecution serves as a warning to the small minority of landlords who put their tenants at risk.
“We are fully committed to maintaining safe and well managed housing for residents and will take appropriate enforcement action under the range of powers available to us if we discover landlords or companies who flagrantly disregard the law.”
The council says it will now seek to have him included on the Rogue Landlord Database, which is used to record landlords and property agents who have committed serious housing offences.
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Cambridgeshire landlord faces Rogue Database listing
Weston Park in Staffordshire to hold UK’s first hobbits festival
The first Brandywine Festival was held in Harrodsburg, Kentucky last year. It will take place there again in October.Speaking about the new sister-event in Staffordshire, Markus Böhm, CEO of Burgschneider, said: “We are incredibly honoured to bring The Brandywine Festival back to the land where the story took flight.”He said the festival would be “stepping into a landscape that echoes the very soul of Tolkien’s work”.The event promises various themed-workshops, plus music, dancing and themed meals.A big part of it will also be the Four Farthing Games, which Burgschneider described as “a series of traditional Hobbit folk games contested across the full festival by players representing their Farthing”.Alexander said the event encouraged people to “leave behind the modern world in exchange for a simple, slow-paced hobbit-existence”.She also said she believed Weston Park’s 1,000 acres of parkland provided “the perfect backdrop for bringing the author’s fictional Middle Earth and his land of the small people – The Shire – to life”.
Woman abandons £372 Liverpool Airbnb over ‘filthy’ conditions
Carol Stanfield was visiting the city as part of her 60th birthday celebrationsCarol (middle) and her cousin Simone (left) during their stay in Liverpool(Image: UGC)A woman who travelled to Liverpool to celebrate her 60th birthday claims she was forced to abandon an Airbnb after discovering “filthy” conditions on arrival. Carol Stanfield, 60, travelled from Cardiff with her husband to attend the Fields of Eire Irish community festival on June 5 and 6.She was joined by her cousin and her cousin’s husband, who had travelled from Ireland for the celebrations. The group paid £372 for a two-night stay at an apartment in King’s Dock Mill on Tabley Street, which was advertised on Booking.com.However, Carol claims they left the property shortly after arriving due to concerns about its cleanliness and have since spent weeks trying to secure a refund. After being approached by the ECHO for comment, Booking.com said it would refund Carol as a “gesture of goodwill”.Carol, who has coeliac disease, said finding accommodation with cooking facilities was particularly important after she suffered a severe reaction to gluten while on holiday in Italy.She said she was “petrified” of eating out following the incident, which left her seriously unwell. As a result, she brought her own food to Liverpool and planned to cook during her stay.(Image: Submitted)But Carol claimed she was confronted with a number of problems as soon as they entered the apartment.She said: “We walked in and straight away, it was filthy. We went into the kitchen and I went to put my stuff in the freezer, but the door wouldn’t shut – it was broken.”When we saw the dish sponge we thought, ‘you’re having a laugh.’ I opened the oven and there was no way I could cook in there. It was absolutely filthy and thick with grease.”The mattresses were stained and dirty. The toilet seat was filthy, I couldn’t use it.”The apartment currently holds an overall rating of 4.3 out of 10 from 46 reviews on Booking.com. Some guests praised its central location and quiet surroundings, while negative reviews referenced issues including cleanliness, stained furnishings and missing blinds.(Image: Submitted)She said: “We’d seen the reviews and thought we could cope if it was just a bit messy. The pictures online looked okay. But it wasn’t just a little bit dirty. The whole place was a health hazard.”According to Carol, the group immediately contacted the property owner and asked him to visit the apartment to inspect the issues.She said: “We phoned the owner and asked him to come and see it for himself. He said he’d speak to the cleaner and call us back within 10 minutes.”After that, whenever we tried to get hold of him, he just kept putting the phone down.”(Image: Submitted)Carol alleged the owner later informed Booking.com that cleaners would be sent to address the concerns, but claimed no one arrived.She said: “He told Booking.com he was sending cleaners to resolve the issue, but nobody came. We waited for two hours.”The group eventually decided to leave and booked alternative accommodation at an additional cost of £272.She said: “I was fuming. I was crying and I just wanted to go home. My cousin felt terrible because she was the one who booked the apartment.”Booking.com should be fighting this on our behalf. We booked through them and paid through them.”We’re just banging our heads against a brick wall.”According to Carol, she later received a message indicating a refund process had been started and advising her to make contact if she had not received an update within 48 hours.(Image: Submitted)However, she says she was subsequently informed a refund would not be issued because the property owner had declined to authorise it. Instead, she claims she was offered travel credits worth around £33 – roughly 10% of the original booking cost.A Booking.com spokesperson said: “We offer stays for every budget, and to help customers find the right place we provide guest reviews and property scores based on real feedback. This property currently has a score of 4.2 out of 10 from nearly 50 reviews.”While the property is responsible for ensuring the stay meets expectations, we’re sorry for this customer’s experience and will be processing a refund for the original stay as a gesture of goodwill.”As the second property was a lower cost than the original, there is no price difference to refund.”The customer’s review, including imagery, remains visible on the listing.”The property owner declined to comment when approached by the ECHO.
Liverpool nears double signing of Everton’s Josh Chigwada, Wolves’ Zach Trinder
Liverpool is closing in on a pair of academy signings that won’t move the needle on any transfer fee tracker but could quietly reshape the club’s talent pipeline for years. The targets: Josh Chigwada from Everton and Zach Trinder from Wolverhampton Wanderers, both 14 years old, both already capped at England youth level.
Who are Chigwada and Trinder?
Josh Chigwada, born September 4, 2011, plays as an attacking midfielder and winger. He’s been on Everton’s books long enough to break into their U18 setup at just 14, making his U18 Premier League debut at an age when most kids are still figuring out algebra. He’s also already pulled on an England shirt at the U15 level.Zach Trinder, also born in 2011, is a goalkeeper from Wolves’ academy. He made his Premier League 2 debut at 14 years and 72 days old. For context, Premier League 2 is the reserve league where clubs field their U21 squads, often supplemented with senior players returning from injury. Like Chigwada, Trinder has represented England at the U15 international level.
Why Liverpool, and why now?
Reports from early June 2026 suggest that Liverpool is on the verge of finalizing a deal for Trinder, with similar rumors surfacing regarding Chigwada.
Poaching from Everton carries its own particular flavor, of course. Cross-city academy raids are not uncommon in English football, but they do tend to generate friction. Liverpool swooping in for one of Everton’s most promising teenagers is the kind of move that gets mentioned in derby week press conferences for years.
What this means for the broader market
There are no financial details attached to either deal. Academy transfers for players this young rarely involve the kind of fees that show up on balance sheets in meaningful ways. Compensation between clubs for underage players in England is governed by tribunal and training compensation rules rather than open-market bidding wars.
For Everton and Wolves, the losses are harder to quantify but still meaningful. Academy development is a long game, and clubs invest years of coaching, resources, and attention into players before they reach an age where they can sign professional contracts. Losing a prospect at 14, before any of that investment can be recouped through first-team contributions or a sale, is the worst-case scenario for any development program.Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Students identify heavily eroded gravestone in Loddington
The imaging also showed two faint lines of text at the base of the stone, which read “Affliction sore with patience bore, Physicians w{h}ere in vain.”The university said this was a variant of a popular 18th Century verse often found on the tombstones of those who had died after long illness.It added that the inscription appeared to omit a “he” in the first line and included a stray “h” in “were,” which it said reflected challenges faced by craftsmen before modern text-editing tools.The team, the university said, also identified a third, partially visible inscription on a shield above the main text, which is currently under further analysis.Masséglia said: “Spending your day in a graveyard might sound a bit morbid, but really it’s about putting the people back into the landscape that we’re excavating. “The Reeves were a well-known local family who, we can see from the parish records, were living in Loddington from at least the early 1600s.”Last year, we deciphered the neighbouring stone to Henry’s, and now we realise that it was his mother’s. “She died 20 years after her son and was buried right next to him, their headstones so close that they are touching. “We wouldn’t have understood what we were looking at without RTI. We’re combining traditional fieldwork with digital techniques so we can recover voices that would otherwise remain lost.”
‘Major’ roundabout roadworks to cause significant delays for city drivers
The works are part of a major redevelopment in the city centreDarren Calpin, Local Democracy Reporter18:00, 14 Jun 2026Signage warning of ‘Major works’ at Peterborough’s Queensgate roundabout(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)Motorists have been warned of impending “major works” likely to cause significant traffic issues. Drivers heading into work in Peterborough recently will have seen signs on main roads warning that delays are expected.The signage also confirms that the work is scheduled to begin on July 6 and last until summer 2027. The Queensgate roundabout is one of the busiest interchanges in the city.The works are likely to cause significant disruption as much of the traffic using the roundabout and surrounding area is drawn to the car parks which serve both the railway station and Queensgate Shopping Centre.The works are part of a £1.5 million overhaul which will see two of the roundabout’s three subways filled in and then replaced with a pedestrian crossing into Cowgate. This initiative – known as ‘City Link’ – will allow people and cyclists to make use of a realigned path on raised ground level to reach the city centre.The transformation of the Queensgate roundabout is the first phase of the £65 million Station Quarter regeneration. It aims to turn Peterborough railway station into a double-sided gateway with a new western entrance, commercial space, and enhanced cycle and pedestrian links into the city centre.
Eight bungalows could be built on Green Belt land in North Staffordshire
Eight new bungalows could be built on Green Belt land in North Staffordshire if a planning application is approved. A Plant Homes Ltd has submitted a cross-boundary application to Stafford Borough Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council to build eight bungalows on land north of Flax Croft on Old Road in Barlaston. The outline plans would see six two-bedroom bungalows and two three-bedroom bungalows built on the site currently used for equestrian purposes. The planning application states: “The proposal would deliver a new dwelling, making efficient use of previously developed land close to Barlaston, a key service village. “The delivery of eight bungalows in a sustainable location would assist in meeting a very substantial shortfall.” The proposed bungalows would be for over 55s and “specifically designed for older people who are approaching retirement, those retired and designed to meet the needs of the elderly.” A new public footpath would be created to provide a pedestrian link into the village as well as 24 new car park spaces. The site lies within the Green Belt but the planning statement “the development would not give rise to substantial harm to the openness of the Green Belt”.
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The application adds: “The proposal would also comprise development of grey belt land and would also not be inappropriate development on that basis.” Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Stafford Borough Council have yet to make a decision on the proposals. If the application is approved, it is expected that a more detailed application would be submitted before building begins. To view the full application, visit the Stoke-on-Trent Council planning website here or the Stafford Borough Council website here.
Man City have set Virgil van Dijk precedent to ease Elliot Anderson fears
Manchester City have made Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson their top priority ahead of the summer transfer window opening on MondayVirgil van Dijk has remained at Liverpool since signing for the club in January 2018(Image: Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images)We are just three days away from England’s opening match of the World Cup and Manchester City are not in a position they would like to be. Ideally by this point, Enzo Maresca would have been appointed and Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson would have agreed to be his first signing.Instead, neither man are through the door leading to understandable concerns from supporters. For what it is worth, there is no indication that City are going to miss out on either man at this stage. Maresca’s arrival seems all but done, albeit the pesky negotiations with Chelsea are taking longer than anticipated.As for Anderson, there is still a good feeling at City that the deal will be completed. However, they have been faced with the unenviable task of negotiating with Nottingham Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis. The 58-year-old is infamous for his hard-line approach to transfer negotiations. This week, City felt the full weight of that.Click here to find out the latest Manchester City news in our daily newsletterA second bid worth a total of £120m, £106m of which would be up front, was rejected by Forest. Their stance is straightforward, they want a higher fee up front. This makes sense from the East Midlands club’s perspective as add-ons are no guarantee of income.However, some City fans are concerned Anderson’s price tag has risen to such an extent that a deal is unfeasible. They also fear in this post-Pep Guardiola landscape, the Blues are spending too much money on one player alone. But inside the recruitment team at the Etihad Stadium, this is not their first rodeo.If we cast our minds back to 2017, City were competing with Liverpool for the signing of Virgil van Dijk. At the time, the Dutch defender was a top prospect having impressed at Southampton and Celtic before that.But the similarities to Anderson do not end there. Like the Forest midfielder, Van Dijk’s club had set a non-negotiable price tag for their centre-back.The Saints were insistent on £75m and would not budge. In City’s Amazon Prime series, All or Nothing, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak can be seen discussing a move for Van Dijk with then sporting director Txiki Begiristain.Txiki Begiristain (left) and Khaldoon Al Mubarak (right) celebrate Manchester City winning the Premier League with Ferran Soriano”Come on, you cannot be serious,” the frustrated chairman said. “Ultimately, if it makes sense for us, we will do it.”If it doesn’t make sense, we are perfectly comfortable in walking away. To do that, there’s only a few clubs in the world that can do that.”As we know, City would eventually decide to walk away and allow Liverpool to sign Van Dijk. Meanwhile, the Blues agreed a £57m deal for Aymeric Laporte.It would be fair to say that Van Dijk has had a greater impact on Liverpool than Laporte had on City. But, their decision to move on from Van Dijk set a clear precedent.Al Mubarak showed at the very start of Guardiola’s tenure that City would not be held hostage by a selling club. If they did not feel the transfer was worth the money, they would not go ahead with it.The same applies now to the Anderson transfer. If City do not think the England international is worth a larger up front fee, they will not complete the deal for the sake of it.Replacing Bernardo Silva this summer is the Blues’ top priority but City’s hierarchy have built up enough trust to decide whether Anderson is worth an even higher bid or not. If it is deemed that he isn’t, City won’t be afraid to move onto the next target.In this uncertain landscape at City, fans may have to put faith in the club to do what is right, once again.Content cannot be displayed without consent
Dance classes bring ‘joy’ to cancer patients and sick children in hospital
Dance classes have brought “joy” to cancer patients and children at a hospital in Bedfordshire.Sadie Hunt and Jenny Howells have been delivering Dance for Health sessions at Bedford Hospital since early 2025, bringing movement and music to patients on the wards.The initiative began as a trial programme on two wards caring for elderly patients with frailty conditions.The project is set to grow significantly, with a 30-week programme in the pipeline that will extend its reach to young patients and those receiving cancer treatment.Ms Hunt, a freelance practitioner who leads the sessions, described the work as “the best job in the world”. The programme has secured funding on four separate occasions, receiving support from Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity, Sport England, and Friends of Bedford Hospital.She said the team is particularly thrilled about the upcoming expansion to paediatric patients.Ms Hunt emphasised the sessions work around clinical needs, noting staff report patients are in better spirits and more cooperative after the dancing concludes.Sadie Hunt who leads the group described it as ‘the best job in the world’ | BEDFORDSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST Initial reluctance from patients often melts away once others begin participating, with Ms Hunt observing nearly everyone eventually joins in.”I thought I was going to be really embarrassed, but I wasn’t I absolutely loved it,” one female patient said. Others have described the experience as “very worthwhile” and left them feeling “totally uplifted”.One participant remarked: “This is the first time I have felt like myself since I have been here. We need this every day.”The brief sessions of fifteen to thirty minutes with music provide a welcome distraction to patients | BEDFORDSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST The sessions incorporate substantial upper body movement, with some participants reporting their shoulders feel noticeably lower afterwards and their range of motion has improved.Ms Hunt explained the approach centres on relaxation, enjoyment, releasing muscular tension, and creating shared experiences among patients in the same bay.”I think it just shifts the ward from feeling like a very clinical space into feeling like a more human and artistic space,” she told the BBC.Ms Howells, 35, has witnessed tangible physical improvements in participants, with patients telling her their pain diminished or disappeared entirely during the dancing and their joints felt more supple.The brief sessions of fifteen to thirty minutes with music provide a welcome distraction for those who are unwell, bored and frustrated by their hospital stay.Several patients have noted the entire atmosphere of the ward feels transformed following the sessions, according to Ms Howells, who described her involvement as a “huge privilege”. She said she valued witnessing how dance and creative arts can support physical wellbeing while simultaneously boosting mood and fostering a sense of community among patients.Keely Birch, the hospital’s prevention of deconditioning lead, acknowledged the extended hospital admissions can significantly affect patients’ mental health, leading to boredom, feelings of isolation and low moods.”This project has shown that creative health has a well-deserved place in the acute setting, with patients who have taken part reporting they feel it has value as part of their hospital stay,” Ms Birch said.
Lee Circle: The car park that set a vision for a 1960s city
“It’s disused and boarded up now, but Lee Circle has always been a problem,” the Green Party councillor said.”If the price is right, I think Leicester City Council should acquire the car park and then knock it down.”There has been some regeneration in the area, but that’s despite the Lee Circle car park. It attracts a lot of anti-social behaviour.”I’m nowhere near being on the fence with this. It would be better to get rid of it and have a good quality piece of public open space.”I know people say it’s an important piece of Brutalist architecture, but it’s actually not a very good example of the style and I don’t think it would be missed.”The city council has said there are no plans to acquire Lee Circle car park but that it was hopeful a new operator would be found for the site.PwC, administrators for NCP, said it did not wish to comment.
