
Gainsborough festival attracts big names for suicide prevention
The year after he died, Mr Hall's family asked his close friend Matthew Hill to create something to remember him by."Leighton was a great friend," Mr Hill said. "He was such a social character and obviously we miss him very very much. "The festival itself is our testament to Leighton, our tribute to Leighton and also a show of strength and comfort to anybody that's found themselves in our position of them losing their own Leighton."
Mr Hill said the football pitch would be transformed with pop icons, local acts and workshops.Another friend of Mr Hall, Emily Kitchener, has organised children from 16 schools to come together to form one large choir on Sunday.One of the schools taking part is Benjamin Adlard Primary, which Mr Hall attended as a child. "There are teachers here whose children were in Leighton's class," Ms Kitchener said."So it feels really nice to be part of this in somewhere where he will have spent a lot of time being cheeky, I'm sure."He was the life and soul of the party and, once he had a microphone in his hand, there was no getting it off him so we bonded over that, doing lots of singing together."
The festival raises money for the charity Laybo's Legacy which helps families with financial aid towards funeral costs of loved ones lost to suicide.Mr Hall's mother, Niki Hall, said: "It just makes me so proud and it's keeping Leighton's memory alive."Ms Hall has attended help groups since her son's death and said she took comfort from the fact the festival raises money to help others. "It needed a person like Leighton," she said. "That's what keeps me going, because of the person he was. It needed someone like him to make people aware it can happen to anyone. "Just talk. Even if you're not going for help, just talk."Ms Kitchener said Mr Hall would have "absolutely loved" the festival. "I think he'd be so shocked at how big it's got, but he'd be so proud of what everyone's doing as well," she said. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
26 minutes ago
- The Independent
How to get two theme park visits for the price of one this summer
The cost of summer holiday activities can quickly add up, which is why we're always on the hunt for cost-effective ways to have fun. Case in point: if you're looking for a cheap family day out this summer, we've found a deal that will save on theme park visits. Until Sunday 17 August, when you book a ticket for Alton Towers, Chessington, Legoland Windsor or Thorpe Park, you'll get a ticket for a second visit for free. This doesn't mean visiting the same theme park twice, as it can be used at any of the four parks. In order to qualify, you'll need to pre-book a 'twice the fun' ticket to get your hands on the freebie. You'll then receive a confirmation email with a barcode, which you can use to make your second booking, so keep this handy. The second ticket is valid until Tuesday, 30 September, so there is plenty of time to squeeze in a second visit. It is rare for a free ticket offer to come along, particularly during peak season. Advanced tickets to the theme parks typically start from around £34, so if you're visiting as a family, that's a chunky saving for your second visit. You can book your visit using the links below, or keep reading if you want more inspiration on which of the theme parks to visit this summer. Alton Towers If you've got little thrill-seekers to entertain this summer, Alton Towers is worth a visit. There are nine roller coasters to enjoy, including the Toxicator, which is new for 2025, while younger kids can head to the rides and attractions in CBeebies Land. Alton Towers is located outside of Stoke-on-Trent, so if you're based in the north of England, this is likely to be your nearest major theme park. Chessington World of Adventures There are plenty of adventures for kids of all ages to enjoy at Chessington, with rides inspired by the fantasy board game Jumanji, the tales of the Gruffalo and more. Your ticket also includes a visit to the park's zoo and aquarium, with the chance to see penguins, giraffes, monkeys and zebras. The park is based just outside of London, and there are regular train services running from the capital to Chessington South, which is around a 10-minute walk away. Legoland Windsor There are more than 50 rides and attractions to enjoy at Legoland Windsor. Kids can cool off on a hot day in the splash safari water play park, hop aboard the Lego submarine as part of the deep-sea adventure, get behind the wheel at the Lego driving school and lots more. The theme park is two miles outside of Windsor town centre, with shuttle services available from nearby train stations. Thorpe Park If you or your youngsters can't get enough of roller coasters, a visit to Thorpe Park is a must. The theme park is home to Hyperia, the UK's tallest and fastest rollercoaster, plus five other rides for those that want an adrenaline-filled day out. There are also plenty of rides and play areas for little ones, so the whole family can enjoy the day. The theme park is located in Chertsey, which is about 30 minutes outside of London, with shuttle buses running to the park from nearby train stations.


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Beloved ITV detective show slapped with 'trigger warning' for crime scenes in 'woke' move
ITV 's Inspector Morse has been slapped with a 'trigger warning' in a move that has been branded ' woke '. The popular series now features a pre-warning for crime scenes throughout the show, which seems to have caused a stir with people online. The streaming giant also advises there are 'satanic images' in one episode of the drama. It then has a parental lock on the episode, titled Day of the Devil. Inspector Morse first aired from 1987 to 2000, with a total of eight series. Other episodes also feature a warning over crime and violence. The popular series now features a pre-warning for crime scenes throughout the show, which seems to have caused a stir with people online Speaking about the update, Senior MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke slammed: 'This is another example of soft-touch Britain seeping into everything. 'We're just going to be laughed at as a country if things like this continue, because nobody's prepared for the real world where there are no.' Daily Mail has contacted ITV for comment. In the past, it has said about general alerts: 'Programming that contains politically sensitive or distressing themes, content, or language has carried appropriate warnings since our launch.' Just a few weeks ago, Netflix bosses axed an iconic moment from Pride and Prejudice to avoid 'objectifying men'. The unforgettable scene of Mr Darcy - played by Colin Firth - emerging from a lake was all the rage in 1995. But show bosses have confirmed it will not resurface in the forthcoming version of the rom-com. According to reports, many fans will be disappointed as the famous BBC scene is said to have 'got millions of women hot under the collar'. A source told The Sun: 'It is also credited for sparking subsequent moments of male objectification on screen - likes Aidan Turner's famous topless scything scene in Poldark.' It's claimed that Netflix bosses 'don't want a repeat'. The saucy scene soon became one of the most favourite TV scenes, however it didn't actually feature in Jane Austen's original 1813 story. Arguably the most iconic wet shirt ever worn sold at auction for £25,000 - double its estimated sale price.


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Fitness influencer Kayla Itsines breaks down in tears as she reveals mental health struggle: 'I can't be silent'
Kayla Itsines was overcome with emotion on Sunday as she opened up about her mental health struggles. The fitness influencer admitted she was trying to film content for her Instagram page when she broke down while reading about the conflict happening in the world. Kayla explained to fans she is emotional because there is 'a whole part of this world we live in that needs a voice.' 'I never film myself while I'm upset…. but this was me trying to be a mum while also committing to watching what's happening in the world everyday,' she began. 'I could NOT pull myself together. My mental health went to 0 but educating myself instead of ignoring it is the LEAST I can do.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Kayla said it 'makes her feel so sick' especially when people tell her to ignore what is happening in the world. 'As a parent, this is truly heartbreaking… and I am only seeing less than 1 percent. I pray this stops,' she continued. Moments later, Kayla shared a second post and revealed she had tried to film herself again. 'This was me trying to pull myself together for the second time. My plan was to "cut the start bit out",' she said. 'I actually don't know why I thought I could film myself in this moment and switch off my feelings.' Despite not explaining what conflict she was referring to, Kayla explained how she also broke down in a cafe while reading a news article with her husband. She continued: 'Today I was trying to educate my husband on something and I began to read an article out loud to him in the middle of the cafe. The fitness influencer admitted she was trying to film content for her Instagram page when she broke down in tears while reading about the conflict happening in the world 'I got to the stats and started to cry. I just ended up putting my phone down and crying at the table.' She said she isn't going to post fitness content and 'pretend that there's not a whole part of this world we live in that needs a voice.' 'I feel guilty for saying I struggle to watch what's happening because I'm not living it,' Kayla admitted. 'I'm not there but I can't be silent. No one should be.'