DART passengers are facing extreme delays this morning with services cancelled following an incident in Bray.
Services were suspended just before 7.30am this morning after a vehicle struck a bridge near Bray Station.
As an immediate resultl services between Bray and Greystones were suspended.
Services from Bray to Howth have also been cancelled this morning.
And delays will occur across other Northbound Dart services today with bus transfers in place.
Posting on social media, Irish Rail said: “Delays are expected on DART services.
“A vehicle has struck a bridge near Bray Station.”
The line has since reopened and is undergoing “remedial line works”.
However, a shuttle service is operating between Greystones and Bray, while a speed restriction is in place near Greystones.
In the latest update Irish Rail said delays of ten minutes continue across some services.
And as a result of the damage this morning they added: “Ongoing delays between Greystones and Bray are expected.”
And elsewhere on Irish Rail a level-crossing issue has seen services suspended between Athenry and Galway.
Rail bosses have confirmed crews are on route to fix the issue.
Meanwhile, the Westport/Ballina and Athlone routes continue to operate by bus transfer due to ongoing power outages in the area following Storm Eowyn.
There have been some delays for road users this morning with a collision on the M7 Eastbound at J9a causing delays.
The collision that was blocking the right lane has been cleared in the past hour.
And a collision between Finglas and Junction 4 Ballymun Northbound on the M50 this morning has also caused delays for passangers.
Currently, congestion southbound on the M50 is causing delays for motorists.
And in a nightmare for commuters the M4/N4 westbound between J8 Kilcock and J9 Enfield is closed due to the breakdown of a heavy goods vehcile.
All lanes are impacted and traffic bosses warn “delays will occur”
Transport Infrastructure Ireland advised: “Road closure due to a breakdown involving a heavy goods vehicle. All lanes affected.
“When approaching the breakdown location, drive with caution and reduce your speed.
“Due to the impact of the breakdown, delays to your journey will occur. Consider a different journey start time or route.”
Bus Eireann have cancelled both their 7.05am Galway to Cork and 12.25pm Cork to Galway service on Route 51 today.
The Route 40 Waterford to Cork bus at 10am and the Cork to Waterford 1.40pm service have been cancelled too.
DUTCH international Quilindschy Hartman has declared his aim to swap boots for bullseyes by becoming a pro dart player.
The Feyenoord defender won the 2022 Eredivisie title and 2023 domestic cup under current Liverpool boss Arne Slot.
Hartman, capped four times by Holland, has been with the Rotterdam club since the age of eight.
And although only 23, the left-back has outlined his future plans, revealing his ambition to play in the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.
Darts is a huge sport in Holland, with the country producing legends like Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld.
Hartman showed up at the Dutch Darts Masters in Den Bosch at the weekend to watch Englishman Rob Cross see off compatriot Stephen Bunting.
And he has a passion for the sport, saying: “I play darts a lot and think that after my football career is over, I’m really going to throw plenty of them.
“I will want to play in competitions, as that is something I love.
“I don’t get much time for it at present because of the busy fixture calendar.
“But if I’m still as keen on darts when I retire as I am now, then I will really go for it.
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“It would be a dream for me to play on a big stage like Alexandra Palace. That would be amazing.
“I genuinely think that is something I’ll be able to do if I get more time to practice.
“If I play more often, I believe I can get there.”
The exotically-named defender is close to a footballing return after nine months out following a knee injury.
Reportedly valued at £20million, he has made 72 senior Feyenoord appearances – scoring twice.
He has previously been linked with a transfer to the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham.
A COUPLE have revealed that everyone thinks their family-of-12 is a cult.
Despite people’s judgements, Mitch, 62, and Chela, 40, who already have ten children, are eager to expand their family further.
The Australian couple, who met after Mitch was singing in a restaurant, dress themselves and their kids the same and are constantly stared at when they go out in public.
Not only do their family question their desire to want more children, but even doctors have asked about them being a cult too.
Opening up to Truly, on an episode of My Extraordinary Family, the parents-of-10, who are known online as ‘The Rodey Bunch’ shared all on what it’s like to have so many children.
When asked if they always wanted a big family, Mitch said: “I just went with the flow. Twins came first. And after that third, fourth, fifth, sixth. Just ball kept rolling, and I just kept on bowling.”
The couple are now parents to Orial and Chena, 16-year-old twins, Chelece, 15, Chala, 13, Orien, 12, Orisen, 10, Chanay, eight, Chalay, six, Chandelle, four, and Asrial, two.
The family colour co-ordinate every day, as one of the 10 kids expressed: “Colour co-ordinating is an every day thing for us.”
To this, another youngster chimed in: “We enjoy it.”
Mitch is also a fan of their matching clothes, as he beamed: “It just looked so good, you know? I mean, it’s like an entourage.
“Whenever we go to a shopping centre or something like that, everyone looks. It’s not that we want the attention, but that’s what happens.”
The couple share their family’s life on social media and despite receiving a lot of encouragement, they have also found themselves subject to relentless negativity.
The mum-of-10 confessed: “The challenges with having a big family are probably more the outside people. You get treated differently. We get plenty of attention, too much I think.”
Mitch then chimed in: “Even the doctors, when you were having the last child, we were in the hospital, [and they asked] ‘Are you guys a cult?’”
The Vassilyev family
This family currently holds the record for the most children a couple has parented, after the matriarch gave birth to 69 children, including 16 pairs of twins and seven sets of triplets.
Mrs. Vassilyev has given birth to a total of 69 children, including 16 pairs of twins and 7 sets of triplets. 67 of the 69 children survived infancy.
The Radfords
Sue and Noel are parents to 22 children, and their hectic family life is documented in reality show 22 Kids and Counting.
The pair have remained adamant that they won’t be having any more kids, but the amount of grandchildren they have is ever expanding, with daughters Sophie and Millie both mums of three.
The Duggars
Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar have 19 children – 10 sons and nine daughters.
All of their children’s names begin with the letter J.
They also had their own reality show in the United States, and became household names because of it.
The Bates family
Kelly also has 19 children, with her husband Gil Bates.
Of 19 deliveries, 14 of them were natural.
The couple also have 28 grandchildren, with four more on the way.
The Dougherty Dozen
Mum Alicia frequently shares videos and pictures of her family.
She and husband Josh have four biological children together, as well as adopting or fostering the rest of their brood.
The Rosario family
Yalancia and husband Michael are parents of 11.
They had their first daughter together earlier this year, and are also parents to Jamel, 15, Michael Jr, 11, Angelo, 10, Gimani, seven, Armani, six, Sincere, three and Khaza, two.
Their fourth son, also named Armani, was stillborn.
The couple, who described their family as “live entertainment” and would like to have more children, spend $3,000-$4,000 [Australian dollars – £1,500-£2,000] a month on groceries and drive around in a huge 14-seater van.
Chela confessed: “Yes we would like to have more children. We’re definitely trying. We did try to have another one but that ended in a miscarriage”, to which Mitch added: “It’s just a matter of time.”
You get treated differently. We get plenty of attention, too much I think
Chela
But it appears that Chela’s mum Susi might not be as on board with the couple expanding their brood, as she called them “crazy” for wanting more kids, to which Chela replied: “Why not? The more the merrier.”
But shocked Susi snapped: “By the time that baby’s 20, you’re going to be an old man.”
YouTube users were left shocked by the couple’s large family and many eagerly flocked to the comments to share their thoughts.
One person said: “I wouldn’t call them a cult but I would call them a real world version of Cheaper by the Dozen.”
Another added: “They constantly look like they are going on a field trip dressing in the same colours.”
A third commented: “The matching outfits are cringy!”
Meanwhile, someone else wrote: “Amazing and special family.”
Whilst another chimed in: “They are happy, healthy, and managing fine. Looks like they have at least 4 responsible young women to help with the young ones. It’s fun that the kids choose to dress alike. Dude looks awesome for 62.”
FOLLOWING her chemotherapy treatment last year, Princess Kate has confirmed she is now in remission.
When she wasn’t resting in Windsor, the Princess of Wales, 43, is said to have spent some of her recovery last year at parents Carole and Michael Middleton’s £4.2million countryside pad.
Bucklebury Manor is located in Berkshire, which is around a 45 minute drive from Kate’s home with Prince William, Adelaide Cottage, so was handy for the royal mum-of-three.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward told Fabulous: “The Middleton house is gorgeous.
“I think it is an old manor house. It’s got a lot of grounds. I think it’s got its own stream going through it.
“Tennis courts, I mean, typically Middleton. They’ve made it absolutely gorgeous.
“Bucklebury is a really, really pretty place to be.
“It’s got great avenues of oak trees, so yes, I can imagine that Kate would have a great time there, and she’s got her mum to look after her as well.”
Carole and Michael bought Bucklebury Manor in 2012 and it has a number of impressive features.
Perfect for Kate’s recovery, the grade-II listed Georgian property boasts seven bedrooms, five reception rooms – including a drawing room and library – and 18 acres of land complete with a tennis court and outdoor swimming pool.
Ingrid added: “The Middletons are very, a very tight knit family, and they all seem to support each other, which is how Kate was brought up, which is probably why she’s so stable and able to deal with whatever life throws at her, and I think they all get together, and they play games like a very old fashioned family they’ve got.
“They play tennis. They swim.
“They’re very, very sporty, but of course Kate wouldn’t have been able to be very sporty, so I think she just would have played a lot of sort of family games and been in the bosom of the family, and I think we saw a bit of it in the video that Kate and William put out last summer.
“I think that is very much Kate’s home life which she’s, you know, tried to recreate in her own life.”
It was reported Kate also popped home to Bucklebury Manor when she was suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum (extreme pregnancy sickness).
With such a beautiful home, it would understandably be hard to pick a favourite feature, but Carole revealed that their kitchen is a focal feature.
In an interview with Good Housekeeping, Kate’s mum said: “It’s a kitchen/dining/sitting room and it’s the heart of the house. I love a kitchen supper.
“Where I have a small number of guests. I’ll cook something delicious and make it look lovely, then we’ll finish with a kitchen disco.”
The Princess of Wales revealed she is now in remission during a solo trip to Royal Marsden Hospital in which she thanked staff for her “exceptional” care.
She said: “I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year.
“My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything. We couldn’t have asked for more.
“The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional.
MICHAEL and Carole do not have any type of royal title, despite Michael being descended from the landed gentry.
Carole had a modest upbringing, being born and raised in a council flat in Southall, London and was the daughter of a sales assistant and a builder-decorator.
The couple met while they were working for British Airways as ground crew.
In 1987 the Middletons launched their own business, Party Pieces, after Carole realised she could make some money from creating party bags.
After growing the firm into a multi-million-pound business, Party Pieces was badly hit by Covid restrictions and in April 2023, the company called in advisers at restructuring firm Interpath to try to raise fresh funds for the business.
However, the family decided to move on from the company and in May 2023 the business sold in a pre-package deal to the Essex-based entrepreneur James Sinclair.
“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal.
“I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.”
Kate revealed last March in an emotional video statement that she had cancer – just weeks after the King shared his diagnosis.
This month, The Sun revealed Kate planned a “gradual return” to front-line duties with royal fans warned not to expect the same “volume of work” as before her health crisis.
PRINCESS Kate paid tribute to Holocaust survivors last night in an emotional reception with Prince William.
As she reunited with survivors of the Nazi campaign, the Princess of Wales, 43, chose to wear a poignant piece of jewellery.
The royal mum-of-three wore a pair of pearl earrings, that belonged to the Queen, and a five-strand pearl necklace.
White pearls are the jewellery that is officially worn during the mourning period by the family.
They are often referred to as “mourning jewellery”, and this dates back to Queen Victoria’s reign.
Following the death of her husband Prince Albert, Queen Victoria famously wore black for 40 years in tribute.
The only jewellery she wore was black or colourless, and strands of pearls were a frequent feature.
The pearls were thought to be symbolic of tears, according to The Telegraph.
The tradition has continued among the royal family over the years, including at the funeral of the late Queen and Prince Philip.
Leslie Field, the author of The Queen’s Jewels, told PEOPLE: “Pearls are traditional for Queens going back one thousand years- there has never been a Queen who didn’t wear pearls.
“They were rare, beautiful and lustrous and the more you wear them, the more lustrous they become.”
By Kate choosing to wear pearls, you could have been commemorating and showing respect for the millions of people who died in the Holocaust.
Yesterday’s event marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the former Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.
During the reception, Kate embraced Holocaust survivors, including around 50 individuals who had endured the Nazi regime and subsequent genocides.
She also had a heartfelt reunion with Yvonne Bernstein and Stephen Frank – two Holocaust survivors she had photographed in 2020 as part of a project commemorating the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
For the occasion, Kate looked elegant in a black coat paired with black wide-leg trousers and a black sweater.
During the reception at London’s Guildhall, Kate was seen catching up with Yvonne, with the two women holding hands as they spoke. Yvonne stroked the Princess’s arm and thanked her for attending.
Kate greeted the 87-year-old warmly, saying: “It’s so nice to see you.”
After learning that Yvonne had faced some recent health challenges, Kate added: “You’ve had such a hard time, haven’t you?”
In 2024, Kate underwent chemotherapy but has now revealed that she is in remission following her cancer battle.
She has been “forever changed” by her cancer treatment, according to a royal expert.
Vanity Fair’s royal correspondent Katie Nicholl shared on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show: “She did a lot of running up and down the country, juggling that with the three children doing the overseas tours.
“People would be quite surprised to learn just how hands on William and Catherine are as parents.
“And I think this is just, well, it’s a wake up call, isn’t it?
“This is a real reality check for her.”
JAN 16: Kate is admitted to the London Clinic for abdominal surgery
JAN 17: Kensington Palace announce the princess underwent abdominal surgery
JAN 18: William spends time at Kate’s bedside
JAN 23: The princess’ hospital stay passes one week
JAN 29: Kate leaves hospital
FEB 27: Prince William pulls out of service last-minute due to ‘personal matter’, sparking wave of unfounded conspiracy theories about Kate’s health
MAR 4: Princess pictured in the car with mum Carole on the Windsor estate
Mar 10: Royal posts a sweet snap of her and the kids for Mother’s Day – then fans started spotting flaws, and massive agencies put out ‘kill notice’ on photo
Mar 11: Kate admits she edited photo, and is snapped in car with William
Mar 16: Royal fans spot the Princess at farm shop near Windsor
Mar 17: Onlookers see Kate watching her youngsters playing sport
Mar 18: The Sun exclusively published video of Kate and Wills from two days prior
Mar 22: Kate bravely reveals in an emotional video that she was given a shock cancer diagnosis
April 29: Kate and William mark 13th anniversary releasing unseen wedding photos
June 8: Kate does not attend Colonel’s Review but pens letter to Irish Guards revealing: “I do hope that I am able to represent you all once again very soon”
June 15: Kate attends Trooping the Colour alongside her family
July 14: Kate attends the Wimbledon Men’s Final with Princess Charlotte
August 11: Kate and William release video congratulating Team GB after the Paris Olympics
September 9: Kate shares moving video revealing she has finished chemotherapy
Jan 14: Kate reveals she is in remission after her cancer battle.
COPS have arrested the driver of a Land Rover that crashed into a primary school and saw two eight-year-old girls killed.
Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau both died after the tragedy at The Study Prep School, in Wimbledon, South West London on July 6, 2023.
A Met Police spokesperson said: “Detectives investigating the fatal collision at the Study Prep School in Wimbledon in July 2023 have arrested the driver as part of their ongoing investigation, as they appeal for further potential witnesses to come forward.
“The 48-year-old female driver was arrested today, Tuesday 28 January, on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and is currently in custody. This is the second time she has been arrested for this offence, the first time being at the scene of the collision on 6 July 2023.
“Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau – both eight years old – died when a car crashed through a fence and collided with a building at the school.
“An initial investigation by the Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC) resulted in a direction from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in June 2024 that the driver should face no further action.
“After concerns were raised by the families of Nuria and Selena regarding this outcome, it was agreed the Specialist Crime Review Group (SCRG) would carry out a review of the investigation. That review identified lines of enquiry which required further examination.
“In October the investigation was moved to the Specialist Crime Command, under Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford. He leads a team who have since been pursuing new lines of enquiry identified by the review.”
Detective Superintendent Basford added: “I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to any witnesses or individuals with information who are yet to speak to police to please come forward.
“Were you attending the local golf course or driving in or around the area of the Study Prep School in Wimbledon at the time of the collision? Did you see the vehicle – a distinctive gold Land Rover Defender – in the lead up to the collision? We believe there were people in the local area who have not been spoken to by police and remain unidentified. I would ask those individuals to please contact us.
“Our main priority is to ensure the lines of enquiry identified by the review are progressed. This is a live investigation and in order to maintain its integrity I can’t go into further detail at this stage. I would urge people to avoid speculation.”
REAL MADRID are reportedly ready to offer an £86million first-team star in a sensational swap deal for Chelsea vice-captain Enzo Fernandez.
The Argentine World Cup winner has emerged as a key man for the Blues this season, two years after a record £106million move from Benfica.
Fernandez already has three league goals this season, as many as he managed in his previous 18 months at Stamford Bridge.
But reports suggest the midfield ace is unsettled at Chelsea.
And DSports claims Fernandez has now emerged as a target for Real Madrid.
The Spanish champs are said to be huge fans of Enzo Maresca’s vice-skipper.
Real feel they are lacking in creative midfield areas this season following Toni Kroos’ surprise retirement.
And with Luka Modric possibly exiting ahead of his 40th birthday in September, Fernandez would be an ideal signing.
However, he is tied down to Chelsea until 2032 on a mega-contract worth £180,000-a-week.
It means Real would need to pay a pretty penny for Fernandez’s signature.
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And Carlo Ancelotti is ready to soften the blow by offering a player in exchange, with Frenchman Aurelian Tchouameni set to be sacrificed.
The versatile holding midfielder was an £86m purchase from Monaco in 2022.
He’s since gone on to make 114 appearances while winning a LaLiga title and Champions League.
But nearly half of Tchouameni’s games this season have come at centre-back.
He is reportedly unhappy with his lack of chances further up the pitch and is looking for an exit before deadline day.
Chelsea could apparently be tempted to accept Real’s offer, which would see them rake in some cash for a new winger while also bolstering their squad with a player of Tchouameni’s quality.
Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho has been strongly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.
It’s reckoned he could cost as much as £60m, although Napoli are also thought to be in talks with the ace.
A MODEL, who claims to be the “world’s most wanted girlfriend” after 5,000 men applied to date her, has shared tips on how to attract the right man – and where other women are going “wrong”.
Vera Dijkmans made headlines after announcing on social media that she would be accepting applications from men to be her boyfriend.
Despite being flooded with thousands of responses, the 27-year-old, who lives in London, says only three of the men fit her strict criteria.
Sadly, no romance blossomed.
The sought-after singleton is now sharing some choice words for women struggling to find Mr Right that is likely to ruffle some feathers.
“Women need to have more respect for themselves and set clear boundaries with men,” said Vera, who has over seven million followers across social media.
“A man should take you on a proper date – like going out for dinner or doing an activity together.
“You shouldn’t settle for late-night requests to ‘come over’ or going on dates where he has made no effort to plan in advance.
“This is a hard rule of mine.
“If they don’t suggest an impressive first date, I won’t bother going.
“And he should bring you a gift, too.
“I’ve received things like expensive clothing – including from Louis Vuitton and Hermès – but it’s mostly about the gesture.
“A bouquet with flowers would also be OK.
“It doesn’t have to be something extravagant but it shows that he values your time and company.
“I want the princess treatment because that is what I deserve – and you do, too.”
Vera has also shared key red flags that women should watch out for.
She said: “You shouldn’t accept behaviour such as him only texting you after 10pm, because it shows that he doesn’t respect you.
“If that happens, you should immediately cut him off.
“You also need to keep an eye out for men that make false promises or have double standards.
“If they don’t take care of themselves both in terms of hygiene and finances, that’s another big red flag for me.”
Vera believes any relationship without these “fundamental rules” will fail.
I’m not going to lie, it felt amazing to have so many men apply to be my boyfriend
Vera Dijkmans
The model admits that she has been subject to backlash from women who disagree with her approach or are “jealous” of her.
She said: “A family member who has been looking for a man herself for a long time refused to talk to me after I put out the boyfriend application – she told me it’s disgraceful.
“Sometimes I feel jealousy from other women, even in a professional setting.
“I recently had an interaction with a make-up artist who didn’t want to help me because she noticed her boyfriend followed me on social media.
“But thankfully, I also have plenty of women who support and wish me well.
“And, I’m not going to lie, it felt amazing to have so many men apply to be my boyfriend.”
Vera believes men are attracted to her because she is “authentically herself”.
But the model isn’t about to settle for anything less than she deserves, with her criteria including being intelligent, funny, responsible – and “preferably rich”.
She said: “At the moment, I’ve put the boyfriend search on hold but I’m keeping my options open.
“I’m just very picky and I need a guy to be almost perfect.
“I don’t think I should have to compromise on my needs – I’d rather be single until I find the man I’m meant to be with.
“It obviously feels good to receive attention and be loved, but I have also learned that getting attention from men is not the most important thing in life.”