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Hello, and welcome back to Everyday Science.

You might be trying to eat more protein. You might also be considering the quality of that protein. But have you considered the timing of when you eat it?

Most people are not getting their protein at times of the day that support their body’s optimum use of this nutrient, research suggests.

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news

Lidl toasts ‘milestone’ moment with launch of first Middle Ale bar

EMBARGOED TO 1500 THURSDAY JUNE 18 Undated handout photo issued by Lidl of Lidl Northern Ireland's pub, The Middle Ale, in Dundonald, Belfast. The 60-seater pub is next door to Lidl Dundonald store and will operate independently, with a separate entrance, as a public house with off-sales. Issue date: Thursday June 18, 2026. PA Photo. The pub's wine list has been chosen by Lidl's Master of Wine Richard Bampfield, and the spirits and liqueurs includes Lidl's own-brand Dundalgan whiskey and Wild Burrow Gin, as well as range of pre-mixed cocktails and soft drinks, including their own-brand Freeway cola. Photo credit should read: Lidl/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.Caption: EMBARGOED TO 1500 THURSDAY JUNE 18

Undated handout photo issued by Lidl of Lidl Northern Ireland’s pub, The Middle Ale, in Dundonald, Belfast. The 60-seater pub is next door to Lidl Dundonald store and will operate independently, with a separate entrance, as a public house with off-sales. Issue date: Thursday June 18, 2026. PA Photo. The pub’s wine list has been chosen by Lidl’s Master of Wine Richard Bampfield, and the spirits and liqueurs includes Lidl’s own-brand Dundalgan whiskey and Wild Burrow Gin, as well as range of pre-mixed cocktails and soft drinks, including their own-brand Freeway cola. Photo credit should read: Lidl/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Lidl
Provider: Lidl/PA Wire
Source: PA

Supermarket chain Lidl has opened the doors to its first pub. The Middle Ale bar and off-licence is adjacent to the existing Lidl store in Dundonald, near Belfast.

Here is everything you need to know about the new venture.

Why has Lidl opened a pub?

The venture represents Lidl’s novel way of ensuring compliance with Northern Ireland’s strict and complex licensing laws.

The distribution of liquor licences are tightly controlled in the region and can only be obtained by purchasing them from businesses that are closing or no longer intend to sell alcohol.

BRISTOL, UNITED KINGDOM - OCTOBER 18: The Lidl logo is displayed inside a branch of the supermarket retailer Lidl on October 18, 2023 in Bristol, England. The German discount retailer chain operates over 11,000 stores across Europe and the United States.(Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)Lidl, which operates some 11,000 stores across Europe and North America, is diverting vessels from its in-house shipping company around Africa to avoid the threat off attacks in the Red Sea. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)



LIFESTYLE

5 min read

A closer look at the details

Applicants must also prove there is an “inadequacy” of provision in the area.

Having been unable to prove there was an inadequate number of off-licences in the Dundonald area, Lidl pivoted its strategy and applied for a pub licence instead, arguing there were not enough bars in the area.

After a protracted process, the chain succeeded in securing a licence to sell alcohol in a pub, with an attached off-sales section.



NEWS

2 min read

Middle aisle to Middle Ale

Today marks an important milestone as we open our first-ever public house and begin welcoming customers
to The Middle Ale. We’re thrilled to finally bring the Dundonald community access to our full range of high quality, premium beers, wines and spirits for the first time in more than two decades.

Gordon Cruikshanks, regional managing director for Lidl Northern Ireland

EMBARGOED TO 1500 THURSDAY JUNE 18 Undated handout photo issued by Lidl of bar manager Samantha Hill and regional manager Gordon Cruikshanks, Regional Managing Director for Lidl Northern Ireland outside Lidl Northern Ireland's pub, The Middle Ale, in Dundonald, Belfast. The 60-seater pub is next door to Lidl Dundonald store and will operate independently, with a separate entrance, as a public house with off-sales. Issue date: Thursday June 18, 2026. PA Photo. The pub's wine list has been chosen by Lidl's Master of Wine Richard Bampfield, and the spirits and liqueurs includes Lidl's own-brand Dundalgan whiskey and Wild Burrow Gin, as well as range of pre-mixed cocktails and soft drinks, including their own-brand Freeway cola. Photo credit should read: Lidl/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.Caption: EMBARGOED TO 1500 THURSDAY JUNE 18

Undated handout photo issued by Lidl of
bar manager Samantha Hill and regional manager Gordon Cruikshanks, Regional Managing Director for Lidl Northern Ireland outside Lidl Northern Ireland’s pub, The Middle Ale, in Dundonald, Belfast. The 60-seater pub is next door to Lidl Dundonald store and will operate independently, with a separate entrance, as a public house with off-sales. Issue date: Thursday June 18, 2026. PA Photo. The pub’s wine list has been chosen by Lidl’s Master of Wine Richard Bampfield, and the spirits and liqueurs includes Lidl’s own-brand Dundalgan whiskey and Wild Burrow Gin, as well as range of pre-mixed cocktails and soft drinks, including their own-brand Freeway cola. Photo credit should read: Lidl/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Lidl
Provider: Lidl/PA Wire
Source: PA

The Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally delivers a speech in the Leo Baeck College during a visit to the to Sternberg Centre to meet with the Jewish community in Finchley in a demonstration of solidarity following the recent antisemitic attacks in London. Picture date: Thursday May 14, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA WireCaption: The Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally delivers a speech in the Leo Baeck College during a visit to the to Sternberg Centre to meet with the Jewish community in Finchley in a demonstration of solidarity following the recent antisemitic attacks in London. Picture date: Thursday May 14, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire
Photographer: Jonathan Brady
Provider: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire
Source: PA

news

Everything you need to know about forced adoption scandal

The Church of England has apologised to those affected by historical forced adoptions organised by the church after the Government confirmed it would be apologising yesterday.

What you need to know

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, said she was sorry for the “pain, trauma and stigma” experienced by mothers and children in homes affiliated with the Church.

She said she had heard first-hand stories from survivors and that they should not be ashamed, because “the shame is ours”.

Young Mother playing with children while sitting on floor at home with wooden toys - stock photoYoung Mother playing with children while sitting on floor at home with wooden toys – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)



Big Read

7 min read

What happened?

An estimated 185,000 babies of unmarried mothers were adopted in England and Wales between 1949 and 1976.

The Church of England believes up to tens of thousands of these adoptions took place in Church-affiliated homes, where mothers were forced into manual labour as punishment.

Mother with crying newborn baby at cradle of house. Terracotta and mustard color. Natural reusable diapers. Side view of new mother comforting her newborn while crying.‘I could tell Josh wanted to run away. Things finally came to a head when we went to register the birth’ (Photo: Natalia Lebedinskaia/Getty)

The apology does not mention compensation, but a wider redress scheme might mean survivors could be eligible for up to £660,000.

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England’s World Cup campaign has just begun, but should fans be allowed to decorate streets with St George’s flags? Councils across the West Country are warning people not to attach flags to lampposts, railings and other public property, saying it can create safety issues and may even be a criminal offence. We visited what’s been called England’s most patriotic street to hear what local people think. Read more on this story at the link above ⬆️ #WorldCup #FifaWorldCup #England #Englandflag

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Number of job vacancies hits
five-year low

File photo dated 17/02/16 of a Job Centre Plus, as Britain's unemployment rate has fallen as the number of people in work hit a new record high and rose past its pre-pandemic level for the first time, according to official figures. PA Photo. Issue date: Tuesday June 13, 2023. The Office for National Statistics said the UK jobless rate fell to 3.8% in the three months to April from 3.9% in the previous quarter. See PA story ECONOMY Unemployment. Photo credit should read: Philip Toscano/PA WireThe increase in unemployment, which has exceeded expectations, was driven by people out of work for up to 12 months, the ONS said (Photo: Philip Toscano/PA Wire)

There are fewer jobs available than there have been for five years, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), as firms blame wage growth and economic uncertainty for their reluctance to hire staff.

How bad is the job market?

Vacancies stood at…

707,000

in May this year, the lowest number since April 2021.

In the three months to May, vacancies fell by…

19,000

This is also the sharpest drop in five years.

The drop was most significant across retail, hospitality and professional services, as well as small employers across industries.

How did this happen?

With wage growth hovering at 3.4 per
cent, employers are reluctant to hire new staff, hire new staff, who will become an ongoing cost.

Job Hiring Interview Candidate prepare Questions Best Answers for Interviewing with Human Resource HR Manager. Job HR applicants having an interview with Human resource manager jobs interviewingRafe said that when a promising contact appeared through a large WhatsApp group for international students, he at first had felt a glimmer of hope (Photo: Getty)

EMBARGOED TO 0001 MONDAY FEBRUARY 12 Undated file photo of engineers working in a factory. More manufacturers are setting targets for environmental and social issues in response to their workers and customers, new research suggests. There has been a 48% increase in the number of manufacturing firms setting so-called environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets for their business, with around two thirds now doing so, a study found. Issue date: Monday February 12, 2024. PA Photo. Make UK and Lloyds Bank said a survey of 150 manufacturers revealed reasons behind the increase included pressures from the labour market, government, investors and customers. See PA story INDUSTRY Manufacturing. Photo credit should read: David Davies/PA WireJeremy Hunt has been urged to help manufacturers expand (Photo: David Davies/PA)

The number of workers on payrolls fell by 53,000 during the same period, further suggesting companies are not looking to expand the workforce. The ONS said the key drivers are economic uncertainty and higher labour costs.

If Government is serious about tackling youth unemployment, it must
bring down the cost of employing young people
and ensure employment reforms support entry-level recruitment and progression.

helen dickinson, chief executive of the british retail consortium

FILE PHOTO: British Retail Consortium Chief Executive Helen Dickinson attends a news conference on the ongoing situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in London, Britain March 21, 2020. Jonathan Brady/Pool via REUTERS/File PhotoCaption: Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium.
Photo: Jonathan Brady/ Reuters.

UK NEWS

Boy, 3, ‘thrown’ into crocodile enclosure at Cambridgeshire zoo

A 30-year-old man from Norfolk has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a three-year-old boy ended up in a crocodile enclosure at a zoo in Old Hurst, Huntingdonshire, leaving him with serious injuries.

What we know so far

Cambridgeshire Police said they were called to Johnson’s of Old Hurst, near Huntingdon, just before 1.30pm on Thursday after reports that a boy had “ended up in the crocodile enclosure”.

Police confirmed the boy is in a “critical but stable” condition in hospital, after reports he was “thrown” into the enclosure.

A 30-year-old man from Norfolk has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.



Big Read

7 min read

Man and child ‘not known to each other’

At this stage we are speaking to people who were at the zoo at the time of this distressing incident to understand more about the circumstances. We do not believe the man arrested and the child are known to each other.

Detective Inspector Verity McCann, Cambridgeshire Police

close-up of a crocodile lying in the sand of a zoo with its mouth open and a pond behind it, frontal viewCaption: close-up of a crocodile lying in the sand of a zoo with its mouth open and a pond behind it, frontal view
Photographer: aire images
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF

Off-peak visitor hours stone henge Provider: Gavin Haines Copyright: ? English Heritage TrustOff-peak visitor hoursstone henge
Provider: Gavin Haines
Copyright: ? English Heritage Trust
Provider: Gavin Haines
Copyright: ? English Heritage Trust

news

Older version of Stonehenge found three miles from famous site

Two unassuming holes in the ground
in Bulford, Wiltshire, indicate a
sun-worshipping ritual which predates the ancient landmark by about 500 years, a new archaeological discovery suggests.

Simpler version of stone circle

Archaeologists believe ancient worshippers would celebrate the winter and summer solstices at the earlier site, which dates to around 5,000 years ago – about 500 years before Stonehenge proper. They believe two wooden posts, long since rotted but leaving the holes which held them, would have lined up precisely with sunrise on 21 June and sunset on 21 December, just like the Stonehenge stones.

People gather at Stonehenge, Wiltshire, during sunrise on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Picture date: Saturday June 21, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Zhanna Manukyan/PA WirePeople gather at Stonehenge, Wiltshire, during sunrise on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Picture date: Saturday June 21, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Zhanna Manukyan/PA Wire



Explained

2 min read

Planning for Stonehenge?

The discovery of Bulford actually suggests that maybe the people who built the first stages of Stonehenge were based or living there, or at least gathering seasonally to do the construction work at Stonehenge.

dr jennifer wexler, curator of history at english heritage

AMESBURY, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 22: Members of the Shakti Sings choir sing as druids, pagans and revellers gather in the centre of Stonehenge, hoping to see the sun rise, as they take part in a winter solstice ceremony at the ancient neolithic monument of Stonehenge near Amesbury on December 22, 2018 in Wiltshire, England. A large crowd gathered at the famous historic stone circle, a UNESCO listed ancient monument to celebrate the sunrise closest to the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. The event is claimed to be more important in the pagan calendar than the summer solstice, because it marks the 're-birth' of the Sun for the New Year. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)Caption: AMESBURY, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 22: Members of the Shakti Sings choir sing as druids, pagans and revellers gather in the centre of Stonehenge, hoping to see the sun rise, as they take part in a winter solstice ceremony at the ancient neolithic monument of Stonehenge near Amesbury on December 22, 2018 in Wiltshire, England. A large crowd gathered at the famous historic stone circle, a UNESCO listed ancient monument to celebrate the sunrise closest to the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. The event is claimed to be more important in the pagan calendar than the summer solstice, because it marks the ‘re-birth’ of the Sun for the New Year. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Photographer: Matt Cardy
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe

More discoveries made at site

The site was discovered when developers cleared land for military housing 10 years ago. Phil Harding, of Wessex Archaeology, noticed the holes looked to be aligned with the sun and took measurements to confirm this.

EMBARGOED TO 0001 THURSDAY JUNE 18 Undated handout illustration issued by Wessex Archaeology of a disc shaped flint knife found at Bulford by Phil Harding of Wessex Archaeology. Archaeologists have discovered a 5,000-year-old structure that may have served as an early "prototype" for the alignment for the solstice at Stonehenge. A Wessex Archaeology team led by TV's "Time Team" archaeologist Phil Harding have announced the discovery three miles from the world-famous stone circle, a few days before the summer solstice when thousands will flock to Stonehenge for the sunrise. Issue date: Thursday June 18, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Wessex Archaeology/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.Caption: EMBARGOED TO 0001 THURSDAY JUNE 18

Undated handout illustration issued by Wessex Archaeology of a disc shaped flint knife found at Bulford by Phil Harding of Wessex Archaeology. Archaeologists have discovered a 5,000-year-old structure that may have served as an early “prototype” for the alignment for the solstice at Stonehenge. A Wessex Archaeology team led by TV’s “Time Team” archaeologist Phil Harding have announced the discovery three miles from the world-famous stone circle, a few days before the summer solstice when thousands will flock to Stonehenge for the sunrise. Issue date: Thursday June 18, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Wessex Archaeology/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Wessex Archaeology
Provider: Wessex Archaeology/PA Wire
Source: PA

EMBARGOED TO 0001 THURSDAY JUNE 18 Undated handout photo issued by Wessex Archaeology of Phil Harding at Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. Archaeologists have discovered a 5,000-year-old structure that may have served as an early "prototype" for the alignment for the solstice at Stonehenge. A Wessex Archaeology team led by TV's "Time Team" archaeologist Phil Harding have announced the discovery three miles from the world-famous stone circle, a few days before the summer solstice when thousands will flock to Stonehenge for the sunrise. Issue date: Thursday June 18, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Wessex Archaeology/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.Caption: EMBARGOED TO 0001 THURSDAY JUNE 18

Undated handout photo issued by Wessex Archaeology of Phil Harding at Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. Archaeologists have discovered a 5,000-year-old structure that may have served as an early “prototype” for the alignment for the solstice at Stonehenge. A Wessex Archaeology team led by TV’s “Time Team” archaeologist Phil Harding have announced the discovery three miles from the world-famous stone circle, a few days before the summer solstice when thousands will flock to Stonehenge for the sunrise. Issue date: Thursday June 18, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Wessex Archaeology/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Wessex Archaeology
Provider: Wessex Archaeology/PA Wire
Source: PA

Other artefacts, including pottery, animal bones and a rare Neolithic flint knife, were found there, suggesting it was a place of ritual worship.

health

The drugs affected by ‘most severe’ shortages ever seen

File photo dated 16/11/09 of a pharmacist stocking shelves. Pharmacy staff are facing Caption: File photo dated 16/11/09 of a pharmacist stocking shelves. Pharmacy staff are facing “escalating abuse” from patients while at work, with reports of racism, verbal attacks and violence, a survey has found. Around one in five pharmacy owners said verbal abuse was a daily occurrence, according to Community Pharmacy England. Issue date: Thursday March 26, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Julien Behal/PA Wire
Photographer: Julien Behal
Provider: Julien Behal/PA Wire
Source: PA Wire

Drug shortages are some of the worst GPs and pharmacists have ever seen, according to experts.

Industry bodies have warned common medications such as painkillers and prescriptions to manage blood pressure could be affected.

Some of the drugs affected

Ramipril high blood pressure drug is one of those affected, together with prescription co-codamol and some strengths of low-dose aspirin.

There are ongoing shortages of Creon, which helps people with conditions including cystic fibrosis and pancreatic cancer digest food.

Serious shortage protocols are also in place for Estradot, a form of hormone replacement therapy.



WELLBEING

7 min read

These shortages are some of the most severe the UK has experienced. Our medicines market has never been so volatile, with patients and primary care colleagues at the sharp end of events outside of their control

Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association

Olivier Picard, pharmacist and chair of the National Pharmacy Association (Photo: Supplied)Caption: Olivier Picard, pharmacist and chair of the National Pharmacy Association (Photo: Supplied)
Source: Olivier Picard

More health from The i Paper

@theipaper

‘The first line of defence’ against the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has ‘collapsed’ and there are ‘likely’ more cases than official figures tell us, according to Oxfam. There are currently over 780 confirmed cases and over 180 deaths according to the DRC health ministry – making it the largest outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola on record. But Oxfam have warned that, because of a lack of clean water and sanitation, the true numbers are probably far higher. #ebola #ebolavirus

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Photographer: Peter Dazeley
Provider: Getty Images
Source: The Image Bank RF

news

The city where you’re most likely to get a speeding fine

New data reveals an unexpected hotspot for speeding tickets, beating London for the average cameras per square mile.

Here is everything you need to know.

Which city takes the top spot?

Drivers in Bradford are the most likely to get caught speeding, with 84 cameras and the highest concentration of speeding cameras per square mile of anywhere in the UK.

It’s the only city in the country to have more than two cameras per square mile, partly due to the roll-out of 20mph zones across the city in the last few years.



MONEY

4 min read



LIFESTYLE

5 min read

Where else should I watch my speed?

EMBARGOED TO 0001 THURSDAY OCTOBER 16 File photo dated 11/12/19 of a speed camera in London. A surge in drivers being caught by speed cameras has been blamed for a 12% increase in the number of penalty points added to licences last year. Issue date: Thursday October 16, 2025. PA Photo. Figures obtained by Co-op Insurance show drivers in Britain received 9.61 million points in 2024. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA WireCaption: EMBARGOED TO 0001 THURSDAY OCTOBER 16

File photo dated 11/12/19 of a speed camera in London. A surge in drivers being caught by speed cameras has been blamed for a 12% increase in the number of penalty points added to licences last year. Issue date: Thursday October 16, 2025. PA Photo. Figures obtained by Co-op Insurance show drivers in Britain received 9.61 million points in 2024. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire
Photographer: Ian West
Provider: Ian West/PA Wire
Source: PA

London has the most cameras at 671, with 1.93 per square mile.

Just west of the capital Hounslow has 72 cameras, 1.86 per square mile.

Tipton in the West Midlands comes in fourth with 1.57 per square mile.



Housing nightmares

6 min read

The wider context

According to the Government’s vehicle compliance statistics, the number of drivers getting caught speed is increasing, and has been for some time. Some 1.84 million drivers attended a speed awareness course in 2024, a 3 per cent rise on the previous year and a 139 per cent increase on figures from 2011.



Explained

5 min read



Big Read

6 min read

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Exclusive | Vigilantes are – once again – attempting to launch a military-inspired operation to bring a stop to migrants crossing the English Channel, after previous efforts failed and infighting tore one leading group apart following The i Paper‘s coverage of their secret plans. Banned from France after slashing migrant boats last year, one far-right figure is now turning his attention to the English coast. Daniel Thomas, an associate of Tommy Robinson, is planning to put “50 boats” in the English Channel and lock down the Port of Dover to stop migrants from entering the UK. Read Sanya’s full piece on @theipaper website.

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Teacher given whole life order for sex abuse and murder of baby

A schoolteacher has been handed a whole life order for the murder and sexual abuse of his adopted 13-month-old baby he treated as a “plaything”.

Undated handout photo originally issued on 21/04/26 by Lancashire Police of Preston Davey. Jamie Varley, 37 has been found guilty of the murder and sexual abuse of 13-month-old baby Preston at Preston Crown Court on Monday. John McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child. Issue date: Monday June 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Lancashire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.Caption: Undated handout photo originally issued on 21/04/26
by Lancashire Police of Preston Davey. Jamie Varley, 37 has been found guilty of the murder and sexual abuse of 13-month-old baby Preston at Preston Crown Court on Monday. John McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child. Issue date: Monday June 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Lancashire Police/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Lancashire Police
Provider: Lancashire Police/PA Wire
Source: PA
Copyright: PA

Teacher to spend life behind bars

Varley, 37, was handed a mandatory life sentence at Preston Crown Court today for murder, sexual assault, child cruelty and taking indecent images of a child.

Undated handout photo issued by by Lancashire Police of John McGowan-Fazakerley. Jamie Varley, 37 has been found guilty of the murder and sexual abuse of 13-month-old baby Preston Davey at Preston Crown Court on Monday. John McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child. Issue date: Monday June 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Lancashire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.Caption: Undated handout photo issued by
by Lancashire Police of John McGowan-Fazakerley. Jamie Varley, 37 has been found guilty of the murder and sexual abuse of 13-month-old baby Preston Davey at Preston Crown Court on Monday. John McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child. Issue date: Monday June 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Lancashire Police/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Lancashire Police
Provider: Lancashire Police/PA Wire
Source: PA
Copyright: PA

Undated handout photo issued by by Lancashire Police of Jamie Varley, 37 who has been found guilty of the murder and sexual abuse of 13-month-old baby Preston Davey at Preston Crown Court on Monday. John McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child. Issue date: Monday June 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Lancashire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.Caption: Undated handout photo issued by
by Lancashire Police of Jamie Varley, 37 who has been found guilty of the murder and sexual abuse of 13-month-old baby Preston Davey at Preston Crown Court on Monday. John McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child. Issue date: Monday June 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Lancashire Police/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Lancashire Police
Provider: Lancashire Police/PA Wire
Source: PA
Copyright: PA

His partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was sentenced to 25 years for sexual assault and allowing the death of Preston, who they adopted at nine months old in 2022.

A closer look at the detail

Baby Preston was adopted by the couple after being taken away from his mother, Sarah Davey, at five days old, and was subjected to a series of sexual and violent attacks before being killed by Varley on 27 April, 2023.

He was taken to Victoria Blackpool hospital and seen by social services multiple times during his short life.

Undated handout photo originally issued on 21/04/26 by Lancashire Police of Preston Davey. Jamie Varley, 37 has been found guilty of the murder and sexual abuse of 13-month-old baby Preston at Preston Crown Court on Monday. John McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child. Issue date: Monday June 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Lancashire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.Caption: Undated handout photo originally issued on 21/04/26
by Lancashire Police of Preston Davey. Jamie Varley, 37 has been found guilty of the murder and sexual abuse of 13-month-old baby Preston at Preston Crown Court on Monday. John McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child. Issue date: Monday June 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Lancashire Police/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Lancashire Police
Provider: Lancashire Police/PA Wire
Source: PA
Copyright: PA



Analysis

4 min read

Little Preston was taken from his mother and put into the care of the state. The state has failed him. We need to do better.  I’ve been waiting for this Child Protection Authority to be set up. There’s been a consultation, it’s gone too slow.

dame rachel de souza, children’s commissioner

Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza (Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire)Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza (Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire)

Lots of us eat protein in a skewed pattern through the day, getting almost none at breakfast, a small amount in our lunch, and most of it with our evening meal.

But if protein intake is distributed more evenly through the day, the body can make better use of it, research suggests.

“Most people have very little protein at breakfast,” said Dr Emily Arentson-Lantz, a nutrition researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch. “If you spread your protein evenly over the day, then you see a better [muscle-building] response.”

Protein goals under debate

Protein is a key part of our diet because it is essential for building and maintaining muscles, as well as many other tissues. Good sources are all kinds of meat and fish, eggs, yoghurt and cheese, as well as beans, peas and pulses.

Just how much protein we need is up for debate. The NHS says we need to eat 0.75g per kg of body weight per day. That translates to about 45g a day for a woman and 55g for a man.

With half a chicken breast containing about 30g, those amounts may not seem out of reach. Indeed, because of the guidelines, it is often claimed people in the UK eat more protein than they really need, and so the current protein craze is misplaced.

But some experts say that target is wrong. It comes from 35-year-old guidelines that worked out how much daily protein people need to avoid becoming acutely ill. The analysis did not work out the optimum amount of protein that would keep people as healthy as possible over the long term.

What’s more, the amount was calculated for someone who is sedentary. Exercise raises your protein requirements.

“This was intended as a minimum maintenance level. But many people want to know what they should do to remain strong, independent and mentally sharp throughout life,” said Dr Chris Macdonald, a behavioural scientist at the University of Cambridge.

Target should double

In the journal, Frontiers in Nutrition this week, Dr Macdonald argued that recent research suggests the daily target for active adults should be about twice the NHS 0.75g/kg figure. This echoes a similar recommendation in 2022 guidelines for athletes from the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences.

Assuming we should indeed be aiming for that doubled protein intake, a high-protein breakfast becomes essential for two reasons.

The first is that with the higher target, a typical man would need 120g of protein in a day – and it becomes hard to eat most of that in a single sitting. In a traditional British meal of meat, potatoes and vegetables, for instance, most of the protein would be coming from the meat, and even a whole chicken breast would have only 60g.

Hitting the higher target becomes more realistic if you spread it over, say, three meals with 30g of protein, plus 30g within snacks.

This is especially important for older adults, who are prone to having just cereal or toast for breakfast, said Professor Leigh Breen, a physiologist at the University of Birmingham. “Breakfast and lunch and snacks are great opportunities for people to get up to their required protein intake,” he said.

The second reason for needing a more evenly distributed protein intake is that if we have a large dose of protein in one sitting, the muscles cannot use it all straight away, and so it is thought the surplus is used for energy instead.

How much protein turns to muscle

Exactly how much protein can be turned into muscle from one meal is debated, with figures of 20g to 30g often cited.

The idea was challenged by a study from 2023, which found that people asked to consume 100g of protein in a shake continued using it to build muscle and other tissues for more than 12 hours afterwards.

And there was more muscle building after the 100g dose than with a comparison 25g dose. “This work highlights that tissues have a much higher capacity to incorporate protein-derived amino acids than previously assumed,” said the researchers.

But perhaps we should not jump to conclusions. The study was carried out on 36 “recreationally active” young men, who had just done an hour of weight training before their protein shake. “Exercise primes our muscle to be much more active,” said Dr Lantz.

“If you are young and healthy and regularly doing resistance exercise, then perhaps yes, you could exceed that 20 to 30 grams of protein at a meal, and your body would still be using it. But if that’s not your lifestyle, maybe we don’t know.”

In other words, Dr Lantz said it is too soon to assume you could have all your protein in one meal and still use it all. Her team has also carried out a seven-day study that compared people consuming the same amount of protein either all in one meal or spread over three meals. It found the even distribution led to 25 per cent more muscle synthesis.

For the average person, the advice remains to try to eat some protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner, said Professor Breen. For people who don’t fancy eggs and bacon first thing in the morning, there are other options, he pointed out, including Greek yoghurt, cottage or feta cheese and smoked salmon.

Breakfast is particularly important because it comes straight after a long period without food, said Professor Philip Atherton, physiologist at the University of Nottingham. Protein in muscle is constantly being both broken down and rebuilt, with the balance affected by exercise levels and food intake. And the overnight sleep tips the balance towards muscle breakdown.

For that reason, some try to give their muscles a boost with a late-night snack like scrambled eggs or a protein shake, said Professor Atherton.

“There’s a real interest around not just the skewedness through the day, but also the idea that the longest period you go without food, when your muscles are breaking down, is overnight,” he said.

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