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Planes dating back to World War Two are set to take to the skies above Guernsey to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day.

The States of Guernsey said a Hawker Hurricane, Spitfire, Harvard and a Douglas R4D would be joined by modern planes with an Airbus A400M and a P8A Poseidon from Guernsey's Own 201 Squadron.

The Hawker Hurricane R4118 was built in 1940 and is the only Hurricane to have taken part in the Battle of Britain that remains flying.

The Douglas R4D – the US navy's version of the military transport aircraft based on the Douglas DC-3, which was called the Dakota by the Royal Air Force – is operated by the Dallas-based Commemorative Air Force.

Ready for Duty (R4D) was built in 1944 and is taking on a 12,000 mile journey to honour the service and sacrifice of American and Allied forces and take part in VE Day events marking the anniversary of the end of the war in Europe.

The aircraft is due to be carrying historic artefacts from World War II warships including items from the USS Yorktown, USS Texas and USS Laffey.

The Harvard was built in 1942 and was one of the Allies' most important training planes.

The day before the flypasts on 9 May the three World War Two planes will be on display at Guernsey Airport.

In addition the RAF Falcons parachute display team is due to drop at L'Eree at 15:30 BST as part of the St Pierre du Bois parish event.

Anne Thomas, one of the organisers for the St Pierre du Bois event, said: "We're extremely excited to have the opportunity to provide such an exciting visual display for our community."

Flypasts – Friday 9 May

• 11:35 P8A Poseidon flypast along east coast
• 11:45 A400M flypast along east coast
• 14:15-14:30 Hurricane and Harvard to complete two laps of the island
• 14:35-14:45 Douglas R4D to complete two laps of the island
• About 19:00 Spitfire MK9 flypast along east coast

Dogs roaming off their leads have been threatening ground-nesting birds at a nature reserve, a ranger has said.

Leonie Washington, is a ranger at Landguard Nature Reserve in Felixstowe, Suffolk, where birds such as ringed plover nest.

The nature reserve is calling for dog owners to read warning signs and learn which areas they can walk safely after some birds were driven off the site.

Ms Washington urged people to give the birds space and said it was "heartbreaking" to see them being disturbed.

"We've seen a huge increase in the number of dog walkers on site, probably as a result of the lockdowns and Covid, but also I'm sure as a result of the increased development all over Suffolk," Ms Washington explained.

"Unfortunately there are those that choose not to read the signs, or not to take our advice, and allow their dogs to just run free."

'Exhausted'

Ms Washington said there was clear signage for where dogs could and could not be walked.

The disturbances had meant the birds were moving away from their nests, meaning they had less chances to feed or mate and their eggs were also threatened.

"It's quite heartbreaking to watch the birds struggle," Ms Washington continued.

"Each time that a nest fails due to disturbance or predation, because of course predation occurs, they do try again.

"But before they try again they have to rebuild their breeding condition and then they have to find a nest site again, lay their eggs, incubate the eggs, so they're using more and more energy as the season progresses.

"They might try two or three times, occasionally four times, by the end of the breeding season they are exhausted."

Andrew told the BBC it all began when they heard a barking noise about three days earlier and assumed it was a neighbour's new dog.

Michela realised the sound was coming from a drain on her way back from work on Monday.

Her father used a pickaxe to lift the drain cover, revealing the cub was stuck about 1.8 metres (6ft) below ground level.

"We tried to flush it out," Andrew said. "I got a piece of wood and nailed some carpet to it and we put some ham on a piece of string.

"It turns out the drain is quite deep and large with a number of connected tunnels and we could hear the fox going up and down the different tubes.

"It then took the ham, but it didn't come out, so Michela phoned the RSPCA."

Andrew added: "They came out and called South Leicestershire Fire and Rescue, and they were out there for about two or three hours, pulling up all the manholes and it was going up and down the tunnels.

"Eventually, they managed to use towels to block off the tunnels and drain rods to coax the fox in the right direction, before one of the firefighters, who was in one of the manholes, managed to catch it in a cage."

Ms Harlock said: "This was such a perfect result. At this time of the year, reports about young foxes getting themselves in a pickle tend to rocket.

"At that age, they're very curious about the world but unaware of the dangers."

Watch manager Stephen Willatt said: "We're very glad to hear the cub and its mother have been reunited.

"If you find an animal in distress please contact the appropriate animal welfare organisation, and do not endanger yourself in trying to rescue it."

A circus boss whose company had to travel from Guernsey to Jersey via Portsmouth due to a "lack of ferry services" between the two Channel Islands said the detour cost £20,000 in lost time and accommodation.

Joel Hatton, manager and ringmaster of Gandey's Circus, said a gap in inter-island freight ferry travel meant they had no choice but to travel the extra 380km (230 miles) by sea.

It comes after the islands' governments chose different firms to operate services to the UK and France for the next 15 years, leading to fewer large inter-island vessels.

Authorities said previously they had been approached by a group, FerryBridge, offering to run vehicle and freight services between the islands.

The BBC has asked the governments of Jersey and Guernsey for comment.

Mr Hatton said in previous years, the circus had been able to perform in Guernsey before travelling directly to Jersey by ferry on the same day.

But he said they were "surprised" to discover a reduction in scheduled services this year.

So, having dismantled the big top on Monday, he said they then left Guernsey at 4:00 BST on Tuesday, before arriving into Jersey via Portsmouth at 07:00 on Wednesday.

It meant waiting in Portsmouth for five hours, he said, before loading all their equipment back onto freight ferries.

Due to time lost, they had to immediately start constructing the big top on their arrival into Jersey: "We were very tight on time due to losing a whole day travelling and being sat waiting in Portsmouth."

A dilapidated 1,000-year-old church could be reopened for services, the local Church of England diocese has said.

The Church of St Augustine in Oundle Road, Peterborough, has been closed since 2022.

The Diocese of Ely, which runs the building, said more than £300,000 was needed to repair issues including water ingress and the condition of the roof.

Samuel Pedlar, community support adviser at the diocese, said it had been in "active discussions" with other Christian denominations for one of them to take over the church.

"It is important for the church to be opened again," he said.

"We see it as a great community asset."

Historic England says the urgency of the repairs are classed as category A, and says there is an "immediate risk of further rapid deterioration or loss of fabric".

On Tuesday, community groups and church stakeholders were invited to a meeting to discuss the future of the Woodston church, as it is popularly known locally.

Mr Pedlar said there was six inches of water on the floor when the diocese examined the church "a few years back" for the Historic England survey.

He said "holding repairs" had stopped the damage worsening.

The diocese was talking to other Christian denominations who were interested in buying the building it, he said.

"[They would] start worshipping there and open it for the use of schoolchildren for their services, ringing of church bells, and any other community events they agree with," he explained.

Elaine Wilkinson, tower captain at the church, welcomed the news.

"It was a flourishing, beautiful church. Now it is crumbling," she said.

"When it closed it was so sad – myself and other bell-ringers felt our hearts were crushed. Because we were passionate about it and wanted it to keep going.

"It looks like we may have a great partnership to get involved with and hope the bells keep ringing."

A young squad has landed its first ever national medal for Guernsey.

Guernsey Tumbling Squad sent its largest ever team to the English Gymnastics Championships in Telford last week where 10-year-old Robbie won a bronze medal.

Coach Bobby Montague said he was "really proud to see how far they've come as a squad and as individuals".

Robbie is set to compete in the second qualifier for the British Gymnastics Championships later in June.

Robbie said it had been "very nerve-wracking" to show his somersaults in Telford but that he "loves how it's really fun".

He explained he had used a new combination of tumbles in the competition which included whips, flicks and a full twist and straight back ending.

He said: "I was very pleased because because there were some very challenging people in my category.

"It was very exciting because when I started I didn't really know much about it and three and a half years later I won a bronze medal at the English Gymnastics Championships!"

Mr Montague said it had been the first time a gymnast from the squad had competed in the elite category.

He said two of the members of the team, Rosie and Myra had been ranked 11th in the country and Mason had been ranked fourth.

Robbie said his dream was to compete in the World Gymnastic Championships.

"Even if I came last, to get to that level would be amazing," he added.

Isle of Harris Distillery says it will reduce its production and workforce as part of a restructuring programme.

The maker of Isle of Harris Gin, and also the first single malt whiskies on Harris in almost 200 years, employs 50 people.

The distillery opened in 2015 with just 10 employees.

Managing director Simon Erlanger said the spirits industry was facing "challenging headwinds" and having to make difficult decisions.

Scotland's whisky industry warned earlier this month tariffs imposed by the US – its most important overseas market – would be a "huge blow".

'Deeply regrettable'

Mr Erlanger said restructuring was needed to safeguard the future of the business.

He said: "Following a number of cost-cutting measures, voluntary redundancy is being offered to staff in the first instance, with compulsory to follow thereafter if we do not fulfil our cost reduction target.

"It is deeply regrettable we find ourselves in this situation and would like to take the opportunity to thank our entire team, particularly those affected by the changes, for their dedication and contribution to the business."

Mr Erlanger said the distillery represented more than £20m investment in the island's economy.

He added: "We remain true to our founding purpose as a sustainable, multi-generational firm built to support the community for many years to come.

"The regrettable measures now being taken are necessary to help fulfil that long term vision."

In 2022, the distillery secured £10m in funding from HSBC to pay for a new export drive to distribute its gin to more than 20 markets around the world.

They includes the US, Canada, France and Germany.

A bid to prevent a town centre bar from operating has been overturned by a government inspector.

Hartlepool Borough Council had rejected an application for a bar at The Intro, on York Road, in November due to concerns from councillors over a potential increase in crime and noise.

The venue, which has since rebranded as Screams Court 2.0, had already started operating as a coffee bar and live music venue without permission a month before the decision, when it relocated to the York Road premises from Hartlepool Marina.

The Planning Inspectorate ruled the venue would have "an acceptable effect" on the living conditions of neighbours in terms of noise.

A report added the development would not "unacceptably increase the potential for crime", reports the Local Democracy Reporting service.

In July last year, a licensing application was approved to give the York Road site permission to sell alcohol and play live and recorded music.

It also imposed conditions such as installing a noise limiter.