Latest news with #Bristolian
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Katie Swan admits nerves ended her Wimbledon dream
Swan was defeated 7-6(2) 7-6(6) by Spain's Leyre Romero Gormaz, with the 26-year-old Brit unable to mark her return to Grand Slam tennis with victory after persistent back injuries forced her to contemplate retirement. But while the result stings, Swan is adamant that win or lose, her story is still being written, and the 26-year-old is determined to learn from her defeat. 'It was a tough match,' she said. 'I was pretty nervous coming out. It's been a couple of years since I've played in a slam as I've had a tough couple of years physically. 'I wanted to win really badly today, and I think that affected my tennis. I fought the best that I could but I don't think my level was there today. 'I've been playing well in the last couple of months since coming back from injury and some days it just doesn't go as well as you hope. 'I fought really hard to come back in both sets and put myself in a position to win them but I made too many errors in tight moments and she was also very solid.' It was only as recently as 2023 that Swan was going toe-to-toe with Katie Boulter for the British No.1 ranking. But while the Bristolian and world No.753 admits she still has a ways to go before returning to those levels, she revealed that she is savouring every moment out on the court. She added: 'I'm disappointed with the result but I'm really happy to be playing tennis at this level again. From July to December last year I didn't touch a racket. 'I stopped altogether and took a coaching job to make some money so to be able to play the last couple of months without pain has been the most positive thing to come out of all this . 'I didn't expect to play a Grand Slam event this soon in the comeback so I'm very happy that I got here and earnt it. 'The last two years when I was competing. I was always in pain, having to retire or withdraw from tournaments. I put in a good shift with my team and I felt ready to compete. 'I didn't know what to expect coming back to competition. 'I wish I could've won today to speed up the process but I'll go back to the ITF tour and keep working hard in more tournaments.'
Scottish Sun
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Who is Love Island 2025 contestant and bombshell Shea Mannings?
Shea's looking to match up with someone with a nice personality SHEA THERE Who is Love Island 2025 contestant and bombshell Shea Mannings? LOVE Island has revealed two new bombshells as one will look to build strong connections and tackle anyone who gets in his way. Here we get to know the latest hunk to enter the villa — Shea Mannings. Advertisement 3 Shea Mannings and fitness influencer Remell Mullins arrived as bombshells Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 3 Shea is a semi-pro footballer and scaffolder Credit: Instagram 3 He has a son - a fact he says he won't be hiding in the villa Credit: instagram/@ Who is Shea Mannings? Shea Mannings is a 25-year-old Bristolian and will be one of the three new faces to be added to the villa in the same number of days since the show started, and will throw a new element of drama to the reality show. Before going on Love Island, he balanced two jobs, mainly working as a scaffolder day-to-day as well as playing football semi-professionally on the side. The 25-year-old has played for Swindon Supermarine FC since signing in 2024 and will be the third semi-pro baller in the villa this year after Dejon Noel-Williams and Harry Cooksley. In his career so far he has played for Southern League Division One South side Bristol Manor Farm in 2023, and before that he represented Ashton & Backwell in the Toolstation Western League Premier Division. Advertisement Alongside his two jobs, Shea has a son, who he will not be keeping a secret. Before entering the villa, he said: "I have a little boy, so I'll be taking him into consideration with who I couple up with, too.' While his Instagram bio says that he is 'off to find love in the Love Island Villa', what is Shea looking for in a potential coupling? He said: "She needs to be bubbly and we need to have that initial spark. She needs to have a nice personality - like I think I have - so that we match together.' Advertisement His Insta followers can often see him enjoying life in hotter climates and either working out or in action on the football pitch. And in comparison to some of his fellow Islanders, Shea is pretty quiet on social media, sharing only the highlights of his life and matches to his just over 6,000 followers. SECOND Love Islander is dumped in brutal bombshell recoupling What will Shea be like in the villa? Shea forms part of the two bombshell line-up with Remell Mullins and came into the villa just days after American pool party waitress Toni Laites shook up the villa on the first day. The Islanders were left stunned after Toni strutted into the villa and stole Shakira Khan's man, Ben Holbrough. Advertisement It meant Shakira had to find a new couple and in a shock twist caused the early exit of motivational speaker Sophie Lee after recoupling with Harry Cooksley. But with the arrival of Shea and Remell, it is the girls' time to be tempted and stray from their couples. Before entering the show Shea said: "I am ready again to look for something more serious. I'm 25 now, so I want to be settling down and have someone always by my side." A source told The Sun: "The two new boys are already in the villa and immedietely started turning heads. Advertisement "The OG lads thought they were safe but three bombshells in three days shows that producers aren't messing around." Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
West Australian
07-06-2025
- West Australian
Bristol's Clifton Suspension Bridge is a soaring spectacle
It doesn't matter how many times I see it, the Clifton Suspension Bridge does something to my heart and belly. There are few places in Britain where the natural and man-made fuse to such awe-inspiring, stomach-fluttering effect. Built from designs by the legendary Isambard Kingdom Brunel, this feat of 19th century engineering soars 75 metres above a gorge of the River Avon, a portal to the Bristol Channel, a gateway to the Atlantic. I first clapped eyes on this incredible structure early one northern summer's morning, about a decade ago. My partner and I were then living in London, but were keen to scout out alternative (slightly more affordable, but still lively and cosmopolitan) places to live in Britain. On paper, and from what we'd heard, Bristol seemed like a possibility — and we also fancied attending the city's famous annual hot air balloon festival — so we took a night coach from London Victoria and arrived in Bristol before the crack of dawn, when the balloonists would be readying for their flights. The best vantage point, we were told, was Clifton, a lofty, chic village in Bristol's inner-west. As we stood overlooking the gorge at the vast green space of Clifton Down, Brunel's bridge stole our attention. And soon the balloons would be soaring up from the Ashton Court estate, historic deer parkland about a kilometre across the gorge as the crow flies. There was a problem, however. Word got around among the dozens of spectators in Clifton that the wind wasn't right for pilots to take off, and the situation was unlikely to change for a while. So off we went and, after a day of Bristolian walking, brunching, drinking and napping in the parks, we returned to Clifton later that afternoon, just before dusk, as the balloons began floating through the sky. With the bridge in the foreground, it was a sight to behold and I'm picturing the balloons again in my mind today as I stand in a similar spot to a decade ago. It's much cooler now — I'm here in the northern winter — and a few days earlier, a storm had closed the bridge to traffic and pedestrians. It's open again now, though, and I gingerly walk across, my legs trembling slightly because of the occasional gusts, as I survey the scenery. Despite its urbanity, nature hasn't been completely eradicated from Bristol, with verdant hills crinkling the outskirts and the gorge flanked by National Trust-managed woodland. Birds, including redshanks, lapwings and rooks, are regularly spotted here. Just across the bridge from Clifton, I reach the suburb of Leigh Woods, technically outside Bristol's city limits in the county of Somerset. There's a volunteer-run visitor centre here, free to enter, but with donations gratefully received. Exhibits reveal the technical and financial conundrums that planners faced to build the bridge and the efforts (and money) that go into maintaining it. Construction began in 1831, but the project was delayed several times, and actually abandoned in 1843 with only the abutment towers standing. That same year, Brunel's trailblazing iron ocean-going steamship, SS Great Britain, was launched (and now sits as a visitor attraction in Bristol's floating harbour). But he died in 1859, so never got to see the Clifton bridge completed. Two other master Victorian engineers, William Henry Barlow and John Hawkshaw, revised Brunel's plans and finished the bridge in 1864. Originally meant for light horse-drawn traffic, it is still a key component in Bristol's transport network, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. It's free for pedestrians and cyclists and incurs a £1 contactless toll for motorists (about 12,000 vehicles cross daily). The visitor centre also offers free tours on the bridge itself — taking place every Saturday, Sunday and bank holiday all year round — while paid-for 'hard hat' and lantern tours offer the chance to explore some of the secluded vaulted cavernous chambers in the Leigh Woods tower. If you'd like to time your visit with some balloon-spotting, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 2025 is due to take place between August 8-10, when the skies will be coloured with more than 100 hot air balloons in mass ascents at dawn and dusk — weather permitting, of course. + Steve McKenna was a guest of Visit Britain and Visit Bristol. They have not influenced this story, or read it before publication. + The Clifton Suspension Bridge visitor centre is open 10am to 5pm daily. For more details and information on tours, see + For details on the 2025 Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, see + Bristol is 90 minutes from London and 15 minutes from Bath by rail. To help plan a trip to Bristol and Britain, see and
Wales Online
03-06-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Mark Allen makes £100,000 point as he issues proposal to snooker bosses
Mark Allen makes £100,000 point as he issues proposal to snooker bosses Rather than offering snooker's elite their chance at another massive payday, Mark Allen has controversially called for the World Snooker Tour to scrap its latest idea Mark Allen has been praised for calling to scrap one of the World Snooker Tour's latest big ideas (Image: Getty Images ) Snooker star Mark Allen has shown his solidarity with the sport's less celebrated players in response to one of its latest big ideas. That's after advocating for a prize fund to be shared among lower-ranking competitors rather than offering another opportunity for the elite to increase their earnings. The World Snooker Tour (WST) has revealed the 'century of centuries' initiative will return in the 2025/26 season. This scheme, which debuted in the 2024/25 season, awards a £100,000 jackpot to the first player to achieve 100 centuries. The inaugural winner was world No. 1 Judd Trump, who reached his 100th century of the season at the Crucible in April. The Bristolian therefore added a substantial sum to his already considerable wealth, mopping the floor with the competition. However, Allen believes the money would be better spent supporting those further down the rankings. And his call for revolution has been championed by many fans who agree it would be a better spend of the funds. Snooker journalist Phil Haigh commented on the renewal of the 'century of centuries' campaign, suggesting it incentivises top players to participate in as many tournaments as possible. Yet considering Trump's recent dominance, Haigh questioned whether the initiative might simply become "a 'Can Judd Trump Buy Himself Another Car?' campaign." Article continues below In response, Allen suggested on X (via the Daily Express): "Why not take the 100k and run a side event during one of the players series tournaments for those not qualified? I think there's loads on offer for the top players as it is." Judd Trump won the inaugural 'century of centuries' prize fund (Image: Getty Images ) The remark puts the WST under scrutiny to reassess its player reward system and consider how many players can realistically benefit from such funds. There's an onus on the organisation to reward its biggest stars, but many smaller-profile players may struggle to maintain a career at all without lower-scale prizes on their level. To put the figures into perspective, only twice before this season has anyone completed 100 centuries in a season. Neil Robertson was the first to do so in 2013/14 before Trump managed the feat six years later in the 2019/20 campaign. 'The Ace In the Pack' has significantly outperformed his rivals in this area this season. He has racked up 107 centuries to date for the 2024/25 campaign, with Mark Selby trailing behind as his nearest competitor on just 73. While it's true such substantial rewards may encourage all players to participate regularly and perform at a high level, Allen's concern for those lower down the pecking order is warranted. And it points to his moral fibre that he's willing to forgo potential winnings in an effort to see his peers thrive as a whole. Article continues below Allen has been lauded for thinking of snooker's smaller-profile stars (Image: Getty ) Many supporters concurred with 'The Pistol' and praised him for considering the underdog. Despite an unexpected second-round departure at this year's World Snooker Championship, Allen pocketed a £45,000 bonus for making the 15th maximum in Crucible history. "Well said Mark, couldn't agree more," wrote one snooker fan in response to Allen's comment. And another replied: "Well said. Among fans nobody cares about whether Judd, Ronnie, yourself or whoever wins this cash. It's a sideshow."
Daily Mirror
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Banksy fans believe they've 'solved mystery' about location of latest artwork
Renowned street artist Banksy's latest artwork left fans scratching their heads as they tried to work out the location of his latest work - after he shared a snap of it to Instagram that lacked any clues Elusive street artist Banksy triggered a frenzy of speculation this week by posting images of his latest work on Instagram, showcasing a lighthouse silhouette accompanied by the enigmatic phrase, "I want to be what you see in me". By sharing the snaps without a caption or location, the Bristolian left his followers playing detective, trying to pinpoint where in the world the artwork might be. A second photo offers scant clues, merely depicting an older couple walking their dogs past the lighthouse. Undeterred, social media sleuths have taken to Instagram and X to share theories, with many speculating that the artwork could be located in southern France. On X, one enthusiast suggested: "A new Banksy style... somewhere in Marseille," while a French user chimed in: "The latest Banksy. Maybe in Marseille?" Meanwhile on Instagram, another fan mused: "A silent cry for redemption... the lighthouse is a symbol of hope and guidance but where the f*** is this located (Googles lighthouses in the UK)?" This was met with a curt reply from another individual, who simply penned: "Marseille." Others corroborated the theory, with comments including, "Yup - Le Panier, Marseille" and, "It's in Marseille". A third person even claimed to have pinpointed the artwork's exact whereabouts, declaring: "Found it: 1 Rue Félix Fregier, 13007 Marseille, France." The interpretation of the artwork remains a mystery, although it's speculated that the quote within it may be borrowed from the song 'Lonely' by Tennessee country band, Lonestar. The second verse of the tune reads: "You're like God in this world/Fragile, beautiful/There's so much trust in your eyes/They make me remember, blue skies and sunshine/I want to be what you see in me/I want to love you the way that you love me." Banksy's creations frequently bear a political undertone, addressing issues such as immigration, homelessness and the conflict in Ukraine. In 2005, the artist and his crew painted seven murals on the West Bank Wall, a structure erected by the Israeli government despite being declared unlawful by the International Court of Justice. However, the artist has also unveiled a series of artworks with more cryptic messages, leaving the inspiration behind some shrouded in mystery. In the summer of 2024, Banksy embarked on a nine-day spree around London, unveiling a series of animal-themed artworks featuring monkeys, wolves, pelicans, goats, cats and elephants. All of these are rendered in his signature black stencil style, beginning with a mountain goat at Kew Bridge on August 5. This was succeeded by elephants in Chelsea, monkeys on Brick Lane, Tower Hamlets, a solitary wolf at Rye Lane, Peckham, pelicans in Walthamstow, a black panther on Edgware Road, piranhas at Ludgate Hill, rhinos on Westmoor Street, Charlton and finally, a gorilla adorning the security shutters of London Zoo.
