The UK Pulse The Pulse of the UK

In pictures: Ulster Pipe Band Championships in Bangor

Thousands attended the 73rd Ulster Pipe Band Championships in Bangor on Saturday, with 60 performances, more than 50 drum majors and a parade finale.

2 min read

A young woman is holding a baton in a vertical position with one hand, which is at eye level. She has a cap on with a medal attached. He's wearing a navy jacket with lapels on her shoulders and a blue shirt and checked tie.

James drop Belladrum headline slot after Tim Booth loses his voice

James have pulled out of their Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival headline slot after frontman Tim Booth lost his voice. Razorlight will step up, with Cammy Barnes taking their main stage spot.

2 min read

A bald man with a goatee singing into a microphone

Mari Grug says being elected by locals ‘means the world’

Mari Grug says being chosen by local people to lead Eisteddfod y Garreg Las means the world to her, as she reflects on her roots in Mynachlog-ddu.

4 min read

Party animals flock to Belladrum for festival's final day

Music fans arrived for Belladrum's final day dressed to the party animals theme, as James prepared to headline the main stage later.

3 min read

The families are dressed in blow-up animal costumes and polka dot dresses and animal print onsies.

Results for Saturday 1 August

All the results from Saturday 1 August and clips of the competitions, including brass bands sections 2/3 and 4.

1 min read

Brightly painted farmers market sign indicating fresh produce times.

Why Alan Carr's unwanted cement animals matter to one family

Clare Stephens says the sale of Alan Carr's unwanted cement animals carried deep family meaning, as her grandfather helped create the Branxton Menagerie.

5 min read

An older woman and two young children stand in front of two cement rhinos

Welsh actor Rex Hayes joins Ted Lasso cast in 'surreal' role

Cardiff actor Rex Hayes joins Ted Lasso season 4 as Siobhan, a new member of The Lady Greyhounds, and calls the role a “surreal” match of football and drama.

5 min read

A person with short reddish hair wearing a white shirt, colourful tie and a red leather jacket

Sam Fender and Olivia Dean’s Rein Me In breaks 73-year UK No 1 record

Sam Fender and Olivia Dean’s Rein Me In has become the longest-running UK No 1 single, overtaking a record set by Frankie Laine in 1953.

7 min read

Sam Fender and Olivia Dean hug on stage as they perform Rein Me In live

Your pictures of Scotland

A selection of reader photos from Scotland, submitted between 24 and 31 July, featuring wildlife, landscapes, landmarks and family moments.

6 min read

A close-up view of a large yellow sunflower fills the frame. A bumblebee is collecting pollen from the flower's centre, surrounded by vivid yellow petals against a clear blue sky.

The Human League to headline Belladrum’s second day

The Human League will headline day two at Belladrum in the Highlands, with Rizzle Kicks, Scouting for Girls and others also set to perform.

1 min read

The Human League's Philip Oakey is wearing a black jacket, sunglasses and is singing into a microphone.

Belfast prepares for first Fleadh with family events and road closures

Belfast hosts Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann for the first time from 2 to 9 August, with about 800,000 visitors expected, 200-plus events planned and a strong focus on family-friendly activities.

10 min read

Six young people playing a mixture of instruments - in the foreground a girl with long brown hair, wearing a red tshirt, plays the banjo. Next to her is a boy in a red shirt and grey jeans, playing a flute. He has medium length brown hair, as do the other three boys - playing fiddle, guitar and pipes.
The group are sat in front of a pink Belfast Fleadh backdrop.

Tomi Adeyemi calls Children of Blood and Bone film ‘worst thing’

Tomi Adeyemi said adapting Children of Blood and Bone was “the worst thing I have ever had to live through,” describing panic attacks, pain and tensions with people involved in the film.