Motorcyclist in his 40s dies after collision involving two HGVs on major road

A LORRY driver from Carmarthenshire has been arrested following the death of a motorcyclist in a crash near Liverpool late on Monday night.

Emergency services were called to the westbound carriageway of the East Lancashire Road in Haydock at around 11:00pm on Monday (Jun 8), following reports of a collision involving a motorcycle and two heavy goods vehicles.

The motorcyclist, a man in his 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin are being supported by specialist officers.

Merseyside Police said a 38-year-old man from Carmarthenshire was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving and driving while unfit through drugs.

A second man, aged 28 and from Widnes, was also arrested in connection with the incident. Both remained in custody following the crash.

Police believe two HGVs towing white trailers were involved. One lorry had a dark-coloured cab, while the second was described as white with black stripes.

Investigators are now working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collision.

Officers are appealing for witnesses, dashcam footage, CCTV, or any information that may help their investigation.

Anyone travelling on the East Lancashire Road near Haydock at the time of the collision is asked to contact Merseyside Police quoting reference 26000456942.

THE DEPUTY First Minister has promised a new approach to tackling poverty in Wales, with expanded childcare, a Welsh Child Payment pilot and a new child poverty plan with clear targets.

Sioned Williams, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Equality, used her first oral statement to the Senedd to outline the new Welsh Government’s priorities.

She said the government’s work would be built around “respect, solidarity and fair play”, with a focus on reducing poverty, tackling inequality and building safer and more united communities.

Childcare expansion

One of the main commitments is a major expansion of funded childcare.

The Welsh Government says work has already begun on what it describes as a “transformational” childcare offer, which it claims will become the most generous in the UK.

An expert steering group has now been appointed to help guide the rollout. Its work will focus on phased delivery, workforce planning, improving access for families and simplifying the application process.

The government is already working with local authorities to speed up the delivery of 12.5 hours of funded childcare for all two-year-olds.

The longer-term aim is to provide 20 hours of funded childcare each week for all children aged from nine months to four years.

Welsh Child Payment

Progress has also been announced on Cynnal, the Welsh Child Payment pilot.

An expert group will be set up as part of the government’s first 100 days plan. It will be co-chaired by Sioned Williams and Steffan Evans, chief executive of the Bevan Foundation.

The Welsh Government says the scheme will form part of a wider effort to support families with the cost of living and reduce child poverty.

New poverty plan

Ms Williams said ministers would work with partners to develop a new child poverty plan, including targets, benchmarks and milestones.

That is intended to address criticism of the previous Welsh Government, including concerns raised by the Children’s Commissioner for Wales that past anti-poverty work lacked clear measures of success.

The Deputy First Minister said: “This new government has been left with a legacy of stubbornly high levels of child poverty – I am determined to change that.

“We are committed to reducing poverty and improving life chances for children and families with an ambitious new child poverty strategy which reflects what the sector has been asking for – clear targets, benchmarks and milestones.

“Our childcare offer is the most ambitious in the whole of the UK and I’m pleased that work to deliver it in line with our First 100 Days Plan is progressing well, including establishing an Expert Group that will drive the work forward.

“Our priorities set a clear and deliverable course of action that will lead to tangible results across Wales. They are tightly and clearly focused on the pressures people living in Wales face, the support they need, and the kind of nation we want to build together across all parts of Wales.”

Wider priorities

The Deputy First Minister also said work would continue across government to tackle violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.

Marking Pride Month, she also spoke about the contribution of LGBTQ+ people and said dignity, respect and inclusion would remain central to the government’s approach.

The expert group on childcare will be chaired by the Deputy First Minister. Members include Dr Su Min Lee of London Economics, Dr Lowri Vaughan Brown from the Association of Directors of Education in Wales, Sharon Davies from the Welsh Local Government Association, representatives from Cwlwm including Catrin Edwards of Mudiad Meithrin, and Gemma Halliday from Social Care Wales.

WELSH singer Duffy is set to make her live UK comeback with a secret London show, more than 15 years after her last concert appearance in Britain.

The Grammy-winning artist, whose real name is Aimee Anne Duffy, revealed the news to fans in an Instagram story, confirming that the intimate performance will take place on July 5.

Duffy wrote: “I’m doing a secret intimate gig in London on the 5th July, next month, and I would love nothing more than for some of you to attend.

“It’s only small capacity so we can only select a few, but really looking forward to it, I will sing some new songs.

“All my love, Duffy x.”

The performance will include new material and marks her first UK live show since December 2010, when she appeared at Capital FM’s Jingle Bell Ball at the O2 Arena in London.

Duffy became one of Wales’ biggest music stars following the release of her debut album Rockferry, which was powered by the hit single Mercy. The song topped the UK charts for five weeks and helped establish her internationally.

Her second album, Endlessly, followed in 2010, but she later withdrew from public life.

Years later, Duffy revealed that she had been drugged, raped and held captive, explaining her long absence from the music industry.

Her return to the stage comes shortly after confirmation that she will feature in a new Disney+ documentary, which will explore her rise to fame, her life in Wales, her career, and the traumatic events that led to her stepping away from the spotlight.

Duffy also has strong links to Pembrokeshire. After her parents divorced, she moved with her mother and two sisters to Letterston, near Fishguard.

She later attended Sir Thomas Picton School in Haverfordwest, where she completed her GCSEs before returning to North Wales to live with her father.