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‘He wanted me to go on’ – Son of Arsenal legend Kevin Campbell trying to follow his footsteps and reach Premier League
TYRESE CAMPBELL grew up idolising his legendary football dad Kevin Campbell.
And now he wants to follow his father into the Premier League by winning promotion with Sheffield United.
Former Arsenal, Everton, West Brom and Cardiff star Kevin Campbell tragically died last June aged 54 after illness and complications following a heart and kidney failure.
And although the loss of his role-model was difficult Campbell has thrown himself at the very thing his dad gave him… football.
The striker has been in good form for the Blades — scoring 10 and adding an assist in his 19 starts since signing in the summer from Stoke.
His brilliant form in March in particular — scoring four goals in five games — won him the SkyBet Championship player of the month award.
He told SunSport: “My brothers and I are very much his sons. We’re strong minded and strong willed.
“For me I had a day away from football when my dad passed and it was back to work. I didn’t have a club at the time and was training with a personal trainer and a few other lads.
“As sad as it was, life does go on and he’d have liked me to do that. He wanted me to go on, work hard and play football and be the player he knows I can be.
“For me football helped me take my mind off stuff and softened the blow. I had a great support network around me and I have to give them a lot of credit.”
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Campbell was born in 1999 so caught the tail-end of his dad’s glittering career with his earliest memories watching him turn out for Everton at Goodison Park.
Kevin Campbell had all his major success with Arsenal before Tyrese was born — winning the title in 1991, the FA Cup and League Cup in 1993 and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994.
In total he played 213 games for the Gunners, scoring 59 goals. He won promotion with Nottingham Forest to the Prem in 1998 and, after a short spell playing in Turkey for Trabzonspor, went on to play 160 times for Everton, scoring 48 goals.
He then had two seasons with West Brom in the Prem before winding down his career in the Championship with Cardiff.
Campbell said: “As soon as I could walk, I was kicking a ball. From then on there was no doubt in my mind I was going to be a footballer. It was when not if.
“I never even contemplated doing anything else. When you grow up and see your dad play football that is all you want to do. You want to be like your dad, don’t you?
“He was the reason I picked football. I’m grateful for that because I’m certain I’d not be able to do anything else!
“My earlier memories were at Goodison, watching him from the box, although I’d mainly be playing football in the corridor!
“I’ve some good memories of him playing for Everton and going into the changing room afterwards, going on the pitch with him. There are memories I’ll cherish forever.”
Campbell says his dad’s biggest asset was his personality — his ability to make people happy and to engage.
The Sheffield United ace even laughed that his own loudness as a person comes from his father.
He said: “Dad’s personality was just great. He as loud and bubbly. If you were in a room with him, everyone was included.
“Whether you were a little shy or nervous he was always getting everyone up and dancing. He got the party going. You couldn’t miss him. You’d always see or hear him. I’ve taken that trait from him!”
Although Campbell has dedicated himself to football these past 10 months, the one thing he misses is not having his dad around to talk to.
And during the Blades’ recent three-game losing run which has seen the team slip outside the two automatic promotion spots his dad would have been giving his son the pearls of wisdom he garnered during his great career.
Campbell said: “When times were tough in football he was normally the first person I’d speak to. He’d give me the harsh truth and tell me if he thought I was good enough. He’d tell me how it was.
“Sometimes I didn’t like what he was saying but then you’d think, ‘Oh actually he was probably right.’
“So the two things I miss most is his advice and him.”
The Blades travel to Turf Moor today to take on Burnley in a huge win-or-bust game in the race for the two automatic spots. Chris Wilder’s men sit five points behind the Clarets and Leeds with three games left.
United lost three games on the spin — their first real dip in form all season — before bouncing back to beat Cardiff 2-0 on Good Friday.
And Campbell said: “We cannot be too disheartened. We’ve had a great season and everything is still to play for.
“As a kid I wanted the Premier League, watched my dad play at that level and I’ve come off the bench four times for Stoke seven years ago before they got relegated.
“It’s always been my goal to be an established Premier League player. I want to get there with Stoke.
“And I will see my dad again one day — and I just want to make him proud of me.”
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Inside UK’s ‘most HAUNTED pub’ stalked by ghost named Cedric where taps ‘turn themselves on’ & figures appear in photos
THE nation’s “most haunted pub” where taps turn on by themselves and unknown figures appear in the background has been disclosed.
Just a few minutes from London’s Hyde Park, a ghost called Cedric supposedly spooks punters by playing tricks on customers and staff.
The Grenadier in Belgravia is a former officers’ mess tucked away down a cobbled mews.
It is said to have both a celebrity and royal clientele, having reportedly attracted the likes of Prince William, as well as Brad Pitt, Lady Gaga and Madonna, as well as billionaire Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Unlike most old city pubs, it is not just home to tiled fireplaces and red leather couches.
According to some, the tiny tavern hosts a former junior Grenadier Guard.
The story goes that the young man was caught cheating at a game of cards one evening in September 1818.
After his comrades beat him to death in the cellar, Cedric’s ghost never left.
Customers believing in the supernatural now flock to the pub with the hope of talking to him.
One staff member, who has worked at the boozer for 10 years, told The Sun: “We definitely have people coming in who believe the pub is haunted.
“They all have their stories.
“Some say they’ve seen a figure appearing in the building after closing. Others say they’ve witnessed strange events – like the taps turning on by themselves in the bathroom.
“A few years ago, there was a family who took a photo in front of a mirror. They said there was a figure in the photo.
“That mirror has since been taken down.”
The bartender said that some customers visit the pub with the specific intention of contacting Cedric.
He explained: “We have a group of ‘Ghostbusters’ who come in regularly. They bring their Ouija Board and try to talk to Cedric.
“According to them, there is more than one ghost here.
“Other people get scared, though. They’re on edge.
“We’ve had people start working here who get nervous once they hear the story.”
One regular customer, Justin Mitchell, said he had never had an experience with Cedric – but had met plenty of other punters who believed they had.
The 42-year-old dad, who was on holiday in London from Houston, Texas, said: “I always pop in here when I’m in London as I got married around the corner.
“Personally, I’ve never had a ghostly experience here. And I’ve been the only person at the bar before.
“But over the years I’ve met people who believe. Some people congregate here especially – to try contact the ghost.
“And everyone who comes in here hears the story. I expect people will continue visiting for that very reason.”
‘He seems to be a friendly ghost’
“He seems to be a friendly ghost. He has never done anything nasty”, said Paul Hongett, former deputy manager, in 2015.
Speaking to the Independent, he believes he once spotted Cedric, but only for a brief instant.
“It was just a black figure. It was too dark to notice any facial features”, he recalled. “I have never felt scared, really.”
He said besides glasses breaking and icy chills, one day a staff member was setting a table up alone – but when he came back the chairs had all been moved to the other room.
The ceilings and walls of the boozer are covered by foreign currencies stapled to it, and newspaper cuttings spread all around the front room.
Punter Gary Wright previously explained the money is “recognition of the story”, with some people believing “they are effectively paying off the debt”.
We moved into our dream Victorian house but it turned into a four-year nightmare – my husband feared for his life
By Josh Saunders
A SPOOKED couple claim they were haunted by a pervy poltergeist who became obsessed with the wife and tried to suffocate to husband to “get rid of him”.
Samantha and Rich Perry were plagued for four years by the paranormal presence after moving into an old Victorian house, in Burton-on-Trent, Staffs.
They claim the spirit, who identified himself as Sir William, professed his love for Samantha, watched her shower and even touched her while she was in bed.
She says the ghost was trying to get rid of Rich, who felt a “big weight” on his chest while he tried to sleep and found his mind was flooded with suicidal thoughts.
They called in spiritual medium Ian Griffiths, who had to pass over the “evil and nasty” being twice before he finally forced him to the light.
Relieved Samantha tells The Sun: “Sir William instantly told me he didn’t like my husband Rich and hated him with a passion.
“On our Ouija board, he was saying he was going to get rid of my husband and used to put heavy pressure on his chest at night to make it harder for him to breathe.
“He would make Rich feel so agitated he had to get out of bed and then would get in bed with me and touch my back. I could feel his energy, I felt tingly and uneasy.
“There was nothing sexual towards me but it was really creepy. Later Ian explained he was obsessed with me and wanted me all to himself.
“He would put ‘I love you’ and ‘You’re mine’ when I tried to communicate with him and would spell out ‘Mama’ to try to scare us.”
Samantha, who runs supernatural shop The Witch’s Coven, felt “something was a bit off” three months after moving to her new home with Rich back in 2019.
She noted they were regularly “very snappy” with each other for no reason and felt “zapped of all energy and motivation”, which the couple blames on the spirit.
Later, when trying to communicate with Sir William, Samantha says he told her he “used to perform black magic and worshipped the devil” while living in the property.
Two years into the hauntings, the couple brought in a Catholic priest to “bless the house” and he claimed “the Lord’s Prayer would be enough” to rid the spirit.
However, once the clergyman left, the couple claim Sir William “was 100 per cent worse” and became “increasingly obsessed” with Samantha.
She became Sir William’s target and claims to have felt the spirit watch her undress and while she was in the shower.
Her partner Rich, 35, was also affected too and says the ghost was trying to make it hard for him to breathe.
While the tattoo artist initially dismissed the haunting moments as “funny”, soon things got worse.
Speaking about the spirit’s pervy actions, Rich tells us: “I found it quite amusing and so I laughed it off but then the intensity increased.
“While I felt bad for Samantha, knowing she was finding it uncomfortable, there was nothing I could do.
“If it was a living person I’d be fuming but because it was a spirit I had to laugh it off a bit. It didn’t make me angry.”
Rich recalls being forced out of bed at night because he felt “a big weight” on his chest that made it “difficult to breathe”, believed to have been caused by the spirit.
He says: “My chest was tight and I could feel this pressure, it was like someone was sitting on my chest. It was weird.
“I got to the point one night when I was lying in bed and had enough so I encouraged him to try to possess me.
“Samantha was panicking but I thought, ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’
“I felt a tingling run through my head, like pins and needles, but then it stopped.
“He never did it again after that. He didn’t have enough power to be able to take over and possess me.”
Relief came for the couple after psychic medium and ordained minister Ian Griffiths, 56, visited Samantha’s shop in nearby Swadlincote, back in May.
After discussing her problems with the care home worker, who has 25 years of experience in the paranormal world, he offered them his services.
Ian, who doesn’t charge people and does the work in his spare time, visited the couple’s home to try to “cross him over”.
The psychic medium tells us: “He was obsessed and infatuated with Samantha. I could feel there was an evilness and nastiness to him.
“During his life, he was probably a bitter and nasty person, and when a person dies that carries on.
“He was angry because it was his house. He believed he belonged there. Some spirits don’t cross over and others don’t want to cross over.
“I used my spirit guides, two hooded monks, a little bit like in the film Ghost to push him to the other side.”
While Ian thought he had succeeded in ridding Samantha and Rich of the spirit, the ghoul returned to haunt her the next day at her workplace.
She recalls: “I noticed I was feeling really p***ed off and taking it out on everyone, I just didn’t feel myself and then I got this feeling that Sir William was back.”
Samantha did some automatic writing – a practice where people allow ghosts to manipulate their hand and write sentences – and she says he made her write “Ha, ha” and “I love you”.
“I was like for ‘God’s sake’ and messaged Ian, thankfully he was able to sort it and we’ve not had any issues since,” she says.
I’m a BBC star & Team GB hero who survived a TERRORIST attack – but nothing compared to having to hide painful secret
RETIRED Team GB and Jamaica hero Michael Gunning survived the Manchester Arena bombing – and says the trauma led to him revealing his biggest secret to the world.
The 30-year-old swimmer – who competed at two World Championships – said the therapy he received after the horror attack at the Ariana Grande concert in 2017 led to him finally coming to terms with his sexuality.
Months later, Michael unexpectedly came out as gay on reality dating show The Bi Life, aged 23 – during a summer off from training.
As part of the programme, he went on his first ever date – and admits his feelings of guilt following the terror attack “really put my life into perspective”.
Londoner Michael went on to team up with Olympic gold medal-winning diver Tom Daley for his BBC documentary Illegal to be Me.
It explored how gay athletes face extreme prosecution in some of the world’s most homophobic countries.
He was speaking to The Sun this week as part of his campaign for water safety ahead of the summer.
The athlete is working with the Government, as well as Swim England and the Royal Lifesaving Society in a bid to break down barriers around learning to swim.
“Everyone deserves to have the access to learn that skill because it can save your life ultimately,” he said.
‘Massive relief’
Michael is no stranger to challenges, with our chat veering into his personal life.
“It was just a massive relief,” he said of finally coming out on the reality show. “It was a very organic thing.
“To be honest, I didn’t even really know what the show (The Bi Life) was going to be about, apart from dating different people.”
The programme, which went on to have three series, was hosted by drag Queen, Courtney Act, a friend of both Michael and Tom’s, and filmed in Barcelona.
Michael said: “Growing up as being gay, I suppressed my sexuality for so many years because I didn’t want to be further different.
“I was already different because I was one of few people of colour in swimming, I didn’t want to be further different with my sexuality.”
He added: “I guess it’s a journey for everyone and there’s no right time to come out.
“Everyone must just be them self and feel comfortable and supported in doing so.”
I guess it’s a journey for everyone and there’s no right time to come out.
Michael Gunning
He met Tom, who is also openly gay, in 2014 after joining The London Aquatics Performance Programme.
“Tom’s been a massive inspiration to many, and was a massive part of my coming out journey,” he said.
But Michael ultimately pinpoints the guilt he felt after surviving the Arena bombing – which saw 22 people killed, including children – with realising there was a “missing piece” in his life and career.
“That really put my life into perspective,” he said. “That was a catalyst to me having therapy and speaking to someone for the first time.
“I knew that the missing puzzle piece in my career was me being authentically me. So I just decided to come out and just be myself.”
Terror attack
Recalling the attack itself, Michael said it was his first concert and he was a “massive fan” of Grande.
He and his friend he estimates were little more than 200 metres from the blast.
“I think at the end we heard this massive noise and at first I thought there might have been a surprise or someone appeared out of somewhere,” he explained.
“But suddenly everyone was screaming and running past me. A very traumatic experience.
“I just remember running with everyone else. One of the reasons why I went to therapy was because I felt so guilty in not helping others that night. I’m such a giving person.
“That night I just ran with everyone else.”
He said returning back to his life afterwards was a struggle, adding: “I went back to training, but there was a mental block there.”
The Manchester Arena bombing
The Manchester Arena bombing on May 22 2017 saw 22 people killed at an Ariana Grande concert.
Carried out by extremist Salman Adedi with help from his brother Hashem Adbedi, it was the deadliest act of terrorism and the first suicide bombing in the UK since the London bombings on July 7 2005.
The perpetrator detonated a homemade explosive device – containing triacetone triperoxide as well as nuts and bolts – in a backpack in the venue’s foyer.
In 2020 his brother was tried and convicted for murder and attempted murder and conspiracy.
He was sentenced to life in prison in August that year, with a minimum term of 55 years, the longest ever imposed by a British court.
A public inquiry in 2021 found that “more should have been done” by cops to prevent the attack.
MI5 also admitted it acted “too slowly” in dealing with Salman Adedi.
Shortly after the bombing, Michael decided to switch from Team GB to representing Jamaica in an effort to inspire more people from the Caribbean.
He would compete in the 200m butterfly and 200m freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships in 2017 and 2019, as well as the 2019 Pan American Games.
He finally hung up his goggles two years ago as arguably the fastest male swimmer in Jamaican history and the only member of the national team who was openly gay.
“Most athletes don’t want to go into the spotlight again,” he said. “I think for me I have got that bubbly personality, I have got something to share.
“When I decided to retire I knew I wouldn’t be stepping away from swimming completely.”
Michael aspires to be a TV presenter, and produced a documentary last year on Sky Sports called Beneath the Surface in which he “was able to shine a light on different athletes’ journeys”.
‘I saw people crying and it really moved me’
Another goal is to increase awareness of water safety, as well as the uptake of swimming lessons, particularly for people of colour.
The latest research by Swim England indicates that a significant number of children are being taken out of swimming lessons before they achieve competency.
Specifically, over 70% of kids are withdrawn before they master crucial skills like treading water or floating, according to the body’s Love Swimming campaign.
Michael said: “I’ve been having meetings with Parliament, with Swim England and with the Royal Lifesaving Society.
“We’ve got another meeting at the end of this month. I did reach out to our local MP Liam [Conlon] from Beckenham, and obviously I want to meet him and just see what more support we can get.
“More swimming lessons, more education in schools, in the community and I think now’s the time. I’m going to keep pushing until we see that change.
“Being a swimmer I’m probably biased when I say everyone should go swimming.
“Everyone deserves to have the access to learn that skill because it can save your life ultimately.”
Michael says a big part of the problem is the under funding, particularly in poorer communities, where pools are closing or families simply can’t afford the lessons.
“I used to swim at Crystal Palace and that was such a great pool but it’s a shame so many pools across the UK are closing down,” he explained.
“What worries me is it affects the underprivileged communities, the people with disadvantaged families that can’t afford to drive 40 minutes to take their child swimming when they’ve got other kids to look after.”
In 2023, he collaborated with Swim England and Speedo, and worked alongside Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty and Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds to travel to different schools for talks and to provide pop up pools.
He said: “Lots of young people of colour have said my parents don’t want me to swim because it’s too dangerous, they don’t want me to drown.
“But actually, that’s the reason why you should be learning.”
Michael was hit hard by the death of 15-year-old Izaiah Smith, who drowned at a lake in Beckenham Place Park earlier this month.
Coming from the same area, he said it’s “deeply affected the community”.
“I grew up in Beckenham, I went to Beckenham Swimming Club, which is less than five minutes away and had so many incredible years there, I learnt to swim there and kind of went through the pathway,” Michael said.
“I didn’t even hear the story, I was walking around the park – I saw the flowers, had no idea what had happened. I just saw people crying and it just really moved me.”
‘We are living in very tough times’
Michael also won the Pride Award at the Attitude Pride Awards in 2019 for his efforts to raise LGBTQ+ visibility around the world.
He said: “In the LGBT community, especially with everything happening in the US, we are living in very tough times this year.
“Lots of people are seeking out help now more than ever.
“One thing I’ve been good at is not putting any pressure on. I put so much pressure on myself when I was younger to perform, to be a certain way, to fit into a certain box, I’m not going to do that anymore.”
Part of that includes looking after your mental health, and doing things when they feel right – which can be different for everyone, Michael said.
Since his first ever date on The Bi Life, he said he’s only been on one more.
“I’ve not been in a relationship,” he said. “Since retiring I’m definitely looking more at exploring that and going on more dates.
“But since that dating show, I’ve not really dated. Last year was the first time I got myself out there.
“I’m always doing things for a goal, with helping people and it’s just not been at the top of my priority. I definitely would like to find someone.
“As much as I’d love to be in a relationship, it’s okay not to be in a relationship at the age of 30, and I just want to try and change that for people.”
Tragic teen Izaiah Smith drowned
Teenager Izaiah Smith got into difficulty in the lake at Beckenham Place Park, south London, and disappeared on April 4.
Cops rushed to the scene at around 3pm, with an urgent search launched for the 15-year-old.
The London Fire Brigade, Met Police, an NHS incident response vehicle, and a police helicopter swarmed the area.
Specialist teams recovered his body at around 10.40pm later that day.
The teen was taken to hospital where he was tragically pronounced dead.
Flowers have been left in Izaiah’s memory on the railings opposite the lake.
A tribute on a GoFundMe page set up by his family said “his bright future was tragically cut short in a drowning accident, leaving an irreplaceable void in the lives of all who knew him”.
It continued: “A rising football talent, he poured his passion into sports, striving daily to grow both on and off the field.
“His legacy is one of love, perseverance, and the joy he brought to every moment and everyone.
“We have been deeply comforted by the outpouring of love and support during this unimaginable time.”
Izaiah was a pupil at Kingsdale Foundation School in West Dulwich and played football for Dorking Wanderers, as well as being part of SEDA Football Academy.
Inside UK’s biggest indoor waterpark with 18 slides & lazy river – it’s perfect for keeping kids entertained over Easter
IF you’re looking for something to entertain your children during the Easter break, Blackpool has just the thing.
The UK’s largest water park provides the perfect family day out, rain or shine.
With record-breaking water slides and a giant lazy river, Sandcastle Water Park is located right by the beach, making it an ideal rainy day solution.
The park is home to 18 different rides, including the UK’s longest indoor water rollercoaster, the Master Blaster, which is described as “more than 200m of Adrenalin-filled excitement”.
This ride along with the Sidewinder, the world’s first indoor half-pipe water slide, has been classified by the park as a “white knuckle” experience.
High-speed ride Montazooma has hairpin bends and 360 degree helixes throughout.
And for younger visitors, there are a wide variety of attractions to keep them entertained.
Treetop water chutes and the HMS Thundersplash prove popular with the little ones.
Meanwhile, the Ushi Gushi River Creek is “full of surprises” for riders as they venture along the flowing stream.
And if you’re not a thrill-seeker or want a break while your children splash around, the Sea Breeze Spa offers saunas, steam rooms, heated loungers, and aromatherapy.
Visitors can also hire out private Tiki Cabanas for the day, where they can enjoy beer, wine, lunch, and even a TV while lounging in a hot tub.
Alternatively, you can visit the Waterfalls Cafe and Waters Edge kitchen, which serve lots of dishes for parents and children.
And there’s even an option for dessert with the Cool Waves stand, which serves ice cream and other sweet treats.
Tickets start from just £15.95 and go up to £24.95 depending on age and concessions.
Entrance includes access to a three-hour time slot, with amended hours for Easter weekend.
And if you’re still not sold, Sandcastle has proved popular with past visitors.
The water park has even received thousands of five-star ratings on TripAdvisor.
Sandcastle Waterpark Blackpool Easter opening hours
- Good Friday: 9am – 7pm
- Easter Saturday: 9am – 6pm
- Easter Sunday: 9am – 7pm
- Easter Monday: 9am – 7pm
“Brilliant, such a fun place, three hours went by very quickly, some queues but not long waiting times, plenty of lockers and changing rooms, looking forward to going again,” wrote one recent customer.
“Went in half term so it was quite busy, queues for all the slides but worth the wait. Loads to do for all ages and plenty of lifeguards on duty,” said another visitor.
“Overall we had an excellent experience and definitely recommend the Sandcastle, we will probably go again,” wrote a third person.
“The whole place just seemed really well run. Everywhere was clean, staff were all exceptionally friendly and helpful.”
Visitors recommended showing up early to find a space in the facility’s car park.
And for warm weather fun, the UK’s largest outdoor water park is set to reopen in time for summer.
Families can also visit the UK’s largest garden centre this Easter break, which includes lots of shops and a soft play area.
Medicine being ‘inappropriately’ prescribed could become ‘biggest threat to global health’, say experts
DOCTORS are prescribing antibiotics for tens of thousands of patients with infections, with little or no consideration of prognosis and the risk of the infection worsening, say researchers.
Many younger people are being prescribed antibiotics, despite being fit enough to recover from their condition without them, a new study by University of Manchester epidemiologists found.
This could lead to antibiotic resistance, “the biggest threat to global health“, say the researchers.
On the other hand, older people, who may not be able to deal with infections as easily without antibiotics were found to not receive them as much.
Without the help of antibiotics, many older people face more serious health complications and hospitalisations, the epidemiologists found.
Professor Tjeerd van Staa, one of the lead authors of the study, said: “Antibiotics are effective in treating bacterial infections, but they carry the risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and loss of effectiveness when used inappropriately.
“That is why AMR to antibiotics has been recognised as one of the biggest threats to global public health.
“Given the threat of resistance, there is a need to better target antibiotics in primary care to patients with higher risks of infection-related complications such as sepsis.
“But this study finds that antibiotics for common infections are commonly not prescribed according to complication risk and that suggests there is plenty of scope to do more on reducing antibiotic prescribing.”
The study, that involved looking at 15.7 million patient records, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine earlier this month, suggests far fewer antibiotics could be prescribed.
The researchers found the probability of being prescribed antibiotics for a lower respiratory tract or urinary tract infection had no link to any risk of hospitalisation.
And the probability of being prescribed an antibiotic for an upper respiratory tract infection was only weakly related to the patient’s risk of being hospitalised.
The study also showed things like a patient’s age and the presence of other health problems were only weakly associated with the probability of being prescribed antibiotic treatment for a common infection.
Elderly patients in the sample were 31 per cent less likely than the youngest patients to receive an antibiotic for upper respiratory infections.
Patients with combinations of diseases were seven per cent less likely than people without major health problems to receive antibiotics for upper respiratory infections, added the researchers.
Dr Ali Fahmi, the study’s other lead author, added: “Rather than imposing targets for reducing inappropriate prescribing, we argue that it is far more viable for clinicians to focus on improving risk-based antibiotic prescribing for infections that are less severe and typically self-limiting.
“Prognosis and harm should explicitly be considered in treatment guidelines, alongside better personalised information for clinicians and patients to support shared decision making.”
The NHS says antibiotics should only be prescribed to treat health problems:
- that are not serious but are unlikely to clear up without antibiotics – such as acne
- that are not serious but could spread to other people if not promptly treated – such as the skin infection impetigo or the sexually transmitted infection chlamydia
- where evidence suggests that antibiotics could significantly speed up recovery – such as a kidney infection
- that carry a risk of more serious complications – such as cellulitis or pneumonia
Antibiotics may also be recommended for people who are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of infection, such as people over the age of 75, people with heart failure, and people with a weakened immune system.
Antibiotics are normally recommended if you’re having a type of surgery that carries a high risk of infection, and are sometimes given as a precaution to prevent, rather than treat, an infection.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
ANTIMICROBIAL Resistance is a serious global public health threat where microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites become resistant to the effects of antimicrobial medicines, including antibiotics.
This resistance makes infections harder to treat, increases the risk of disease spread, and could lead to severe illness and death.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared AMR as one of the top 10 global public health threats, and listed it on the UK Government’s National Risk Register.
In 2019 there were 4.95 million deaths associated with bacterial AMR across 204 countries, and 1.27 million of those were directly attributed, leading the WHO to declare it a top global public health threat.
While resistance is a natural phenomenon and not just a health issue, from a human healthcare perspective, the NHS says it’s accelerated by:
- inappropriate use of antimicrobial drugs
- poor infection prevention and control practices
- a lack of new antimicrobial drugs being developed
- insufficient global surveillance of infection rates.
We rely on antibiotics, antifungals, and antiparisites to treat the microorganisms that cause many common diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB), HIV / AIDS, malaria, sexually transmitted infections, urinary tract infections, chest infections, bloodstream infections and food poisoning.
These microorganisms, however, can already resist a wide range of antimicrobial medicines.
The NHS says the following can help tackle resistance:
- early prevention of infections
- timely, accurate diagnosis
- appropriate prescribing and use of antimicrobials only when there is an infection for which they are the most appropriate treatment
- effective management of infections
- development of alternatives to current antimicrobials.
CBB viewers gobsmacked as Chesney Hawkes reveals he’s a secret nepo baby and has connection to the Beatles
CELEBRITY Big Brother’s Chesney Hawkes dropped a bombshell on his co-stars as he revealed he was a secret nepo-baby.
The musician was discussing his own childhood and upbringing during the family shopping task in which he reflected on life growing up as the son of a “rock-and-roll” dad.
Chesney, known for his hit The One and Only, is the son of musician Len Hawkes and actress, Carol Dilworth.
Len is best known for being a member of the Tremeloes, a successful band who secured a number one hit in 1963 with the track, Do You Love Me.
The band went on to score a string of 13 top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart between 1967 and 1971.
Speaking in the Diary Room, Chesney told Big Brother of an incredible link to The Beatles with his father Len being a close pal of George Harrison.
They hit it off after meeting one another during a recording session in the 60s.
Chesney said on the ITV show: “My parents were rock and rollers, my dad’s a rockstar, my mum was an actress and a game show host.
“It was like parties all the time and celebrities over at the house.
“My brother and sister and I just watched in awe at the debauchery in front of us.”
Adding of some of the famous faces he would see at their home during one of the wild celeb-packed parties, Chesney said: “Gerry Marsden was slumped at the bar.
“Radio 1 DJs, Mike Read, wearing a dress if I remember rightly.
I was sitting there with my dad and Eric Clapton and George Harrison came up to us and said to my dad, ‘go on then introduces us to your famous son’.
“There are all my uncles these guys.”
Chesney went on to carve out an impressive career of his own thanks to his legendary hit single.
His CBB stint coincides with the release of his latest album, Living Arrows.
Irish Grand National 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Templegate’s 1-2-3-4 tip plus confirmed runners and riders for Fairyhouse race
THE Irish Grand National is here as punters cap off their Easter weekend with the Fairyhouse showpiece.
Willie Mullins has saddled two winners in the English and Scottish editions of the National in recent weeks, and he could well make it a famous hat-trick this evening.
The legendary trainer is set to have two runners in the big one at Fairyhouse, with Quai De Bourbon tipped by many as his best chance.
- Irish Grand National time: 5pm BST
- TV channel: ITV4
- FREE live stream: ITVX
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Clarissa Explains It All star Jason Zimbler, 47, grabs coffee in NYC over 30 years after role as bratty Ferguson
CLARISSA Explains It All star Jason Zimbler, who played bratty little brother Ferguson Darling opposite Melissa Joan Hart, has resurfaced in New York City decades after his 90s fame.
The former child actor, who is now 47 years old, picked up coffee from a cafe in Queens on Wednesday, April 16.
He wore a blue jacket, shorts and sandals in the warm spring weather.
Jason scored his breakthrough role as Ferguson on the Nickelodeon kids TV show in 1991, when he was just 13 years old.
He played the villain, often clashing with Melissa’s stubborn big sister Clarissa.
After the show ended in 1994, Jason completely disappeared from the spotlight.
Instead of continuing his acting career, he began attending college at University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1998.
He then moved back to his native New York, and earned graduate degrees from Brooklyn College and Columbia University.
After eight years working behind the scenes at HBO, he now works in the clean transportation industry.
In 2023, he was interviewed for a Santa Fe radio station about his efforts to promote the use of electric vehicles.
Melissa, who continued acting with major roles in Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Melissa & Joey, recently said she lost touch with her Clarissa TV family.
“I don’t talk to any of the Clarissa cast,” Melissa told People in 2024, claiming the show’s era was “pre-cell phones, pre-email, pre-everything.”
“The cast just kind of all went in different directions and nobody kept in touch.”
REBOOT RUMORS
A reboot was in the works in 2018, with Melissa playing Clarissa as a mom.
But a year later, Melissa said the reboot was “on hold.”
“There’s no update. No, I’ve been busy on my Netflix show, and just been trying to get family time on the side, and that show’s kind of on hold right now,” she told Us Weekly.
“I don’t know what’s going on with it.”
Elizabeth Hess, who played Clarissa’s mom Janet, went on to have guest roles on various shows, including Law & Order.
Joe O’Connor, who took on the role of Clarissa’s dad Marshall, had an arc on Mad Men and The Young and the Restless.
Like Jason, Sean O’Neal, who played Clarissa’s best friend Sam Anders, also left the film industry.
Clarissa Explains It All is available for streaming on Paramount Plus and Apple TV.
