Debbie Tomlinson was a beloved grandmother(Image: Cover Images)
A “bubbly, strong and fearless” mum has died after a four-year battle with bowel cancer which doctors initially mistook for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Debbie Tomlinson, 62, passed away after the disease spread to her lymph nodes, liver, bowel and knee, despite undergoing surgery and extensive treatment.
After enduring several rounds of chemotherapy, Debbie eventually made the heartbreaking decision to stop treatment so she could spend what time she had left making memories with her family. Her loved ones said their final goodbyes at her funeral on Friday October 23, with daughter-in-law Amy Tomlinson describing the service as “joyful rather than sad”. Amy said: "We gave her the send-off she would've wanted."
The tragedy comes as awareness for bowel cancer is being raised following the death of Olympic athlete Ciara Mageean at the age of just 34.
Family members, some of whom pictured, have paid tribute to Debbie(Image: Cover Images)
The family, though, are now facing a £3,000 shortfall in funeral costs. Debbie's son, Rhys, contributed £1,500 towards the arrangements, but he and his wife Amy are appealing for public support to help cover the remaining amount.
Amy said Debbie had initially visited her GP with concerns about persistent symptoms, including bloating, stomach pain and difficulty going to the toilet.
But for more than a year, her symptoms were attributed to IBS and general stomach problems, with no further investigations, Amy claimed. She said: "All they put it down to was IBS and tummy problems."
Debbie was eventually diagnosed with bowel cancer after a routine screening kit returned an abnormal result. The hospital contacted her and arranged further tests, which confirmed the devastating news. Despite the delay, Amy said Debbie never allowed anger to consume her.
“The way Debbie was, she was never angry. She just lived her life. She was just like, 'It is what it is',” the grieving daughter-in-law, from Reading, Berkshire, said.
Debbie 'lived for' her grandchildren, her relatives said(Image: Cover Images)
Following her diagnosis, Debbie underwent surgery in Reading to remove the cancer, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which she found extremely difficult.
Although she missed her final chemotherapy session, Debbie was led to believe her treatment was over and everything was “done and dusted”, Amy, who has shared to reporters photos the family is happy the media use, explained.
But in October 2024, a routine scan revealed the cancer had spread to her liver. Debbie was referred for specialist treatment in Basingstoke, where she underwent another operation to remove the cancer from her liver. Doctors subsequently told her there was no evidence of disease.
However, the relief was short-lived. In January 2025, another routine scan revealed the cancer had returned to her bowel. Doctors proposed further surgery which would remove the cancer but also involve removing several vital organs.
“It would've been a long recovery, but Deb was up for it,” Amy said.
Between January and February, Amy accompanied her mother-in-law to appointments and scans at several hospitals as they waited for news about the proposed operation. Then, in February 2025, the family received a devastating phone call informing them the surgery could not go ahead and Debbie's cancer was terminal.
She was offered chemotherapy, which she initially agreed to try again, but the side effects quickly became too much. Eventually, Debbie decided she would rather spend her remaining time with her family than continue treatment that was leaving her unable to enjoy life.
Amy explained: “She decided she couldn't do it, because if she did the chemo, she had no life, but if she didn't do it, at least she had a life where she could go and do things."
The chemotherapy left Debbie struggling to get out of bed and also caused hair loss, something which particularly upset her because of how much she loved her hair.
Amy said: "It's quite rare to lose hair after one session. It's normally a build-up of several sessions, so that really affected Deb because she really loved her hair, and she was also so poorly.
Despite knowing her illness was terminal, Debbie remained determined to make the most of the time she had left.
She enjoyed days out and precious moments with her family, particularly her grandchildren, Logan and Thea, whom Amy said she “lived for”.
Remembering the 62-year-old, Amy paid tribute to a woman whose personality and sense of humour left an unforgettable mark on those around her.
“She had her own way of doing things, her own sense of humour and a personality that could never be replaced,” she said.
And in a touching final tribute, Amy revealed the family could almost picture Debbie enjoying some of her favourite things wherever she is now.
“We know that wherever she is now, she'll be having a WKD Blue, a fag and a Fab for us all – and probably wondering what on earth we're all making such a fuss about."
To donate to the family's GoFundMe page, use this link.
Listen to articleDe Miguel suffered cardiac arrest following the collision and was rushed to Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital, where he was placed in intensive care.A Spanish footballer has died after suffering a cardiac arrest following a collision with an opposing goalkeeper during a second-division match, leading to the postponement of several football fixtures in the country.
Supermarket chain Carrefour has shut its Comet House outlet in Nairobi's Central Business District, four years after opening the store seeking to challenge its well-established competitors.
The closure, effective October 31, comes as Kenya’s supermarket industry continues to be reshaped by fierce competition.
Jason Wilcox had backed Russell Martin as potentially a future Man Utd manager(Image: Getty Images)
Manchester United chief Jason Wilcox gave a ringing endorsement of Russell Martin when the club were on the lookout for a new manager in 2024.
Wilcox, who moved to Old Trafford off the back of his work at Southampton, was involved in the brains trust that came together and considered who to appoint if Erik ten Hag was axed after the FA Cup final – which he would go on to win, thus saving his job.
Before that he had presided over a poor Premier League season and United bosses were drawing up a list of potential replacements. Wilcox banged the drum for Martin, whom he had appointed at Southampton before he led them to the Premier League via the play-offs.
The Athletic reports that Wilcox accepted that Martin, at that stage of his career, would not be suitable for the United job. Nevertheless he earmarked him as a manager to keep tabs on.
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Martin was ultimately sacked by the Saints 16 games into the 2024/25 season with the club bottom of the Premier League having lost 13 of their 16 games following promotion.
Wilcox had put huge faith in Martin when he was at St Mary's. Initially Southampton struggled to click but then went on a club-record 25-match unbeaten run. The United director of football has always been a fan of possession-based managers who stick by their principles and was happy to appoint Martin despite him never finishing higher than 10th in a table before landing the Saints job.
Since leaving Southampton Martin lasted just 17 games at Rangers before being sacked. He's since been appointed at Leicester, now in League One, but has the Foxes sitting in tenth.
Russell Martin is currently in charge at League One Leicester City(Image: Richard Hammersley/Shutterstock)
Ten Hag's victory at Wembley, where United shocked Manchester City to win their second domestic cup in as many seasons, saw the Dutchman retain his role. He was even handed a new contract but then lasted just nine games of the following season before he was shown the door.
He was the first manager axed by the Ineos hierarchy, who have since hired and fired Ruben Amorim. They then appointed Michael Carrick, who is a man under pressure and facing the chop as the club's bosses faced continued scrutiny over their decision making.
Wilcox himself was called out by Lisandro Martinez in the aftermath of the defeat to Atletico Madrid recently. The defender said: "I expect more from our technical director. I have to be honest. And also, as a player, we have to do more. It's also important to build a strong squad to be ready for this kind of night."
A security guard attached to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) in Eldoret has been charged with breaking into a KRA warehouse and stealing 1,860,520 sticks of uncustomed Supermatch cigarettes valued at Sh22.78 million.The cigarettes had been seized by the tax authority and stored at the warehouse.
Cyberattacks targeting websites and web-based applications in Kenya have jumped 163 percent in a year, as criminals use artificial intelligence (AI) to identify software weaknesses and exploit them within hours.
Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) shows that web application attacks rose to 27.4 million in the three months to September 2026, up from 10.4 million in the same period last year.
AppointmentThe Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has appointed James Githinji Mwangi as the new Chairman of the Board of KTA Holdings.The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has appointed James Githinji Mwangi as the new Chairman of the Board of KTA Holdings.In a statement on Tuesday, November 3, KTDA confirmed that Mwangi had been selected to take over the leadership, replacing the outgoing chairman Enos Njeru.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has urged commercial banks to lower interest rates and increase lending to businesses, farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), saying borrowers should benefit more from recent monetary policy easing.
Speaking during the 2026 NCBA Economic Forum in Nairobi on Tuesday, November 3, Mbadi said the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) had reduced its benchmark lending rate by more than four percentage points since mid-2024, but commercial banks had yet to fully reflect the cuts in their lending rates.
He noted that the Central Bank Rate (CBR) had fallen from 13 per cent in mid-2024 to 8.75 per cent, while the average commercial bank lending rate stood at 14.4 per cent.
“First, pass on the rate cuts. The Central Bank rate has come down by more than four percentage points since mid-2024. Yet the average lending rate is still at 14.4 per cent. Borrowers should feel more of that cut,” Mbadi said.
The Treasury CS also challenged banks to channel more funds towards productive economic activities, arguing that reduced government borrowing from commercial banks had created additional room for private-sector lending.
“Government is now borrowing less from the banks, and that frees room on your balance sheets. We expect that room to go to the businesses in this room and to farmers, manufacturers and MSMEs,” he added.
Mbadi said the strength of the banking sector should not only be measured through profits but also by the economic activities financed through lending.
“In the end, the truest of a strong banking sector is not in its profits alone, but the productive activity its strength makes possible,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary said the government was working with the CBK to strengthen the banking sector and improve access to affordable credit.
He highlighted the risk-based credit pricing model, which he said was designed to ensure that changes in the policy rate were reflected more quickly in loan prices.
Mbadi also disclosed that frameworks for emergency liquidity assistance and a financial stability facility were at an advanced stage.
He said the proposed National Payments System Bill 2026 would modernise the legal framework governing digital payments.
On access to credit for smaller businesses, Mbadi said the government’s Credit Guarantee Scheme had helped unlock additional bank lending by sharing the risks associated with financing MSMEs.
He explained that every shilling committed by the government to the scheme had unlocked approximately Ksh2.50 in bank credit.
The government was also working to transform the scheme into the Kenya Credit Guarantee Company, which would be open to private capital.
Mbadi praised the banking sector for supporting Kenya’s economic resilience, citing an increase in assets and profitability.
He said banking sector assets grew by 13.1 per cent to Ksh8.9 trillion in the year to June 2026, while profits increased by 19.2 per cent to Ksh88.9 billion.
The CS also congratulated NCBA on its partnership with South Africa’s Nedbank, which he said was being finalised at the time of the forum.
He described the partnership as a vote of confidence in Kenya’s financial system.
The Treasury CS also used his address to defend the government’s economic management since 2022, saying fiscal discipline, tax reforms and structural changes had helped stabilise the economy.
He recalled that inflation stood at 9.2 per cent during the difficult economic period in 2022 and 2023, while the shilling weakened to Ksh160.8 against the US dollar in January 2024.
Foreign exchange reserves at the time covered only three to four months of imports, as Kenya faced a US$2 billion Eurobond repayment due in June 2024.
Mbadi said the government had opted for fiscal discipline and structural reforms under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) rather than allowing the country to slide into a debt crisis.
He reported that Kenya’s economy grew by an average of 5 per cent annually between 2022 and 2025, compared with the global average of 3.5 per cent and Sub-Saharan Africa’s 4.1 per cent.
He added that the economy expanded by 5.1 per cent in each of the first two quarters of 2026.
On inflation, Mbadi said the rate had fallen to 2.7 per cent in October 2024 before rising to 7.3 per cent in October 2026, which he said remained within the government’s target range of 2.5 to 7.5 per cent.
He also reported that the shilling had strengthened to an average of Ksh129.9 against the dollar in October, while foreign exchange reserves had increased to US$14.9 billion, equivalent to 6.1 months of import cover.
The CS further said Kenya had reduced its exposure to Eurobond repayment risks through refinancing and buybacks, extending the external debt maturity profile to 2039.
He added that credit rating agencies Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s had upgraded Kenya’s credit rating, while Eurobond yields had fallen by more than 200 basis points.
Mbadi said foreign direct investment had doubled from US$1.6 billion in 2022 to a record US$3.2 billion in 2025.
He attributed the growth partly to the gazettement of 17 special economic zones and 23 export processing zones.
He also said the Nairobi Securities Exchange’s market capitalisation had crossed KSh4 trillion for the first time in nearly a decade, while the market was the fourth-best performing stock market globally in the first half of 2026.
In agriculture, Mbadi said the cost of a 50-kilogramme bag of subsidised fertiliser had dropped from approximately Ksh7,000 to Ksh2,000.
He estimated that the intervention had saved farmers Ksh105 billion and contributed to an increase in maize production from 34 million bags to 46 million bags.
He added that maize imports had fallen to a third of their previous levels.
The CS also cited the Hustler Fund, which he said had disbursed Ksh90.4 billion to 28.1 million Kenyans, while the Social Health Authority had registered 31.6 million people.
He further highlighted progress in the affordable housing programme, land ownership and electricity access, saying more than 1.14 million title deeds had been issued and over 10.4 million new homes and businesses connected to electricity.
Looking ahead, Mbadi said the government would focus on protecting the economic gains as Kenya approaches the 2027 General Election.
He said the progress had come at a cost, acknowledging that Kenyans had paid more taxes during difficult economic years and that many households continued to experience financial pressure.
“This progress was not free. Kenyans paid more in taxes during difficult years, and many households still feel that life is hard. Having paid the price for stability, it would be unforgivable to lose it,” he said.
Mbadi said the government would also explain the public finance management reforms behind the economic recovery and outline preparations for Kenya’s development beyond Vision 2030.
He described the reforms as deliberate interventions, many involving changes to public finance management, which he said had helped create the conditions for economic stability.
Kenya is preparing to conclude its Ebola monitoring exercise this week, with 52 people still under quarantine expected to be released after completing the required observation period.Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the country has not recorded any new confirmed infections since October 19.The Ministry of Health said the outbreak resulted in nine confirmed cases and two deaths, with all infections traced to a single cluster linked to a patient who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
It might seem strange to be talking about James Trafford replacing Jordan Pickford as England's number one after the Leeds goalkeeper's error gave Bournemouth the lead in Saturday's 2-0 defeat.
Even more so after Pickford bagged another clean sheet against Newcastle, silencing his Geordie haters and milking the 'Jordan Pickford is Dynamite" chant from his travelling fans.
But his manager Daniel Farke has talked up Trafford's 24-year-old's "swagger" and "aura" this season – something that is harder to measure in pure footballing data than his Premier League high save ratio of 80.5 per cent.
Ahead of Thomas Tuchel's England squad announcement on Friday and next week's Nations League games, a radio discussion on the topic of English goalkeepers challenged pundits to name one England game where Everton stopper Pickford had "won or saved the game for his country". Maybe the Colombia penalty shoot-out in 2018?
We asked four of our experts to take up the England goalkeeper debate.
Has Trafford now added enough personality and consistency to his game? And is he ready to take Pickford's England No1 spot ahead for the Euro 2028 qualifying campaign?
Isaac Johnson, Leeds correspondent
Daniel Farke is clear on James Trafford’s quality. “For me, he’s the most promising young goalkeeper in the UK and he has all potential to be England’s number one, one day.”
The Leeds United boss was desperate to sign the “top class” goalkeeper over the summer and boardroom chiefs paid special attention to make sure his club-record £40m transfer got over the line, aware of the high interest in him.
Trafford himself is just pleased to play football again. It is no secret that he re-signed for Manchester City in 2025 expecting to be number one before the Blues swooped for Gianluigi Donnarumma, dashing those hopes.
But Trafford was the man in goal when Man City lifted two trophies last season, which is why he rightly still denotes the last campaign as a success. Farke has more than once referenced the “aura” the 24-year-old exudes onto the pitch and into teammates.
Bosnian centre-back Tarik Muharemovic, another very promising Leeds summer signing, has eulogised over his quality, stating he instils confidence into the defence and is already his own personal choice for England number one.
Thomas Tuchel clearly has one eye on the prospect of this, having given him the nod against champions Spain during the last international break. His two starts, the other coming in a 2-0 win over Czechia, were to test the waters and see how far off Jordan Pickford he is.
Trafford is now seriously contesting Pickford for England's No.1 jersey(Image: Getty)
Trafford – who has a Premier League high save ratio of 80.5% so far this season – is not yet quite at the level to become the Three Lions number one and is not yet the complete package, as seen against Bournemouth this weekend.
His pass straight to Justin Kluivert, who set up Evanilson for the opening goal in the 2-0 defeat, was reminiscent of a similar give-away while featuring for Man City against Tottenham Hotspur 14 months ago.
Farke described it as an "own goal". But he does not want Trafford – whose pass accuracy sits at a moderate 65.1% – to alter his ways. “He shouldn't change too much just after a mistake, because then he also takes away many strengths of his game,” he said afterwards.
“It's the life of a football player that the sun is not always shining, and especially in the life of a young goalkeeper.”
Indeed, one notable difference between Pickford and Trafford is age. By the time the home European Championships come around, Trafford will be 26 and Pickford, 34 – not ancient in the lifespan of a goalkeeper, but hardly in his prime like his England colleague.
It’s worth noting there is a healthy rivalry between the two goalkeepers, the pair getting on well while away on international duty. In fact, Trafford is a much-loved character anywhere he goes.
James Trafford swapped Man City for Leeds(Image: Getty Images)
As seen in his TV interviews, his genuine demeanour is a delightful change from the usual media-trained humdrum and this has endeared him even more to Leeds fans. He has also clearly struck up a bromance with third choice goalkeeper Alex Cairns, 10 years his senior.
The pair have a pre-match routine of sharing a huge embrace before kick-off amid the air that all of the goalkeeping department – including back-up Michael Zetterer and coach Ed Wootton – wish to help him on his way to that England no.1 jersey.
Simon Bajkowski, Manchester City correspondent
Manchester City saw that James Trafford had the potential to be their No.1 when they let him leave for a record-breaking spell at Burnley and, despite it not working out last year, that feeling has not changed. Just as City matched the fee that Newcastle offered last year, so too they will be alerted if anybody comes knocking at Elland Road in the future.
It was sad to see Trafford last year.
Footballers are human beings and for somebody who was so happy as he spoke to a few of us in pre-season dreaming of being No.1 for club and country for a decade, in came Gianluigi Donnarumma behind his back and effectively stopped him playing for a year.
Some City fans would rather have Trafford in goal now and see him as the better keeper, but what he didn't have last year was the swagger that Farke now talks of. It was there at times of course, as it had been on loan at Bolton, but it went missing and more worrying than him making mistakes against Spurs in his first home game was how it affected him afterwards as his confidence visibly dropped.
Gianluigi Donnarumma has struggled since Trafford's exit this summer(Image: Carl Recine, Getty Images)
That ability that the best in the business have in every position, to be able to forget mistakes instantly and move on to the next action, is not only something that Donnarumma has (as does Jordan Pickford for England) but it was something that City badly needed in a team that had lost the experience of several senior stars.
Trafford could have perfectly dropped into the Treble-winning team or the one that had won four leagues in a row, but in a summer of so much churn City needed a more experienced head at the back.
There were no doubts that Trafford would thrive at Leeds though and relish the crowd, and it's brilliant to see him shining. He can be one of the best goalkeepers in world football and is still young, so there is plenty of time.
City may well come calling for him again in the next few years should they avoid serious sanctions in the 115 case and others surely will as well, but Leeds looks to be the perfect place for him to push Pickford for England selection.
Connor O'Neill, Everton correspondent
St James' Park has not always been a happy hunting ground for Jordan Pickford.
It wasn't that long ago that he played a major role in his side's collapse after they raced into a 2-0 lead. While under Carlo Ancelotti, Pickford once watched from the bench as Robin Olsen was handed a surprise opportunity.
There is also no love lost between Pickford and Newcastle supporters, and it was no surprise that his name was booed when the teams were read out on Monday night and he himself was booed throughout the game.
However, the Everton man had the last laugh.
Substitute Yoane Wissa managed to find space inside the box in the 85th minute, but Pickford blocked his low effort. With that, it was another three points for the Blues and another clean sheet for the England international.
Jordan Pickford in action for England
Since David Moyes returned to Everton in January 2025, only Arsenal (31) and Manchester City (28) have kept more clean sheets in the Premier League than the Blues (20).
But while that stat is impressive, it is also fair to say that Blues supporters have, at times this season, had concerns about Pickford's form, and a drop off in the impressive standards he has set.
On more than one occasion so far this season, Everton have conceded and straight away fans have been left questioning whether their No.1 could have done better.
The 2-0 defeat to Chelsea is a prime example. On that afternoon, both of Pedro Neto’s goals left supporters questioning whether Pickford should have saved both efforts. There is also no denying that Pickford is facing serious competition for his England No.1 spot for the first time in eight years.
James Trafford was open and honest when he told the Everton star last month: “It’s obviously a goal of mine to be England’s No1. My dream’s always been to play for England and it’s something you work towards everyday.”
But if Pickford is feeling the pressure then he has shown no signs of showing it in Everton's last two matches, which have ended in victories over the Magpies.
Trafford is a very good goalkeeper who may well replace Pickford as England's No.1, but given how well the former Sunderland man has started to play, that might not happen just yet.
Mirror chief football writer John Cross
There should be no doubt in how Thomas Tuchel views James Trafford. The England manager regards the Leeds keeper as having the potential to be his next No1 and successor to Jordan Pickford.
Tuchel’s job share between Pickford and Trafford – they got two games each in the last round of Nations League fixtures – was no empty gesture.
It was a full dress rehearsal for Trafford to show what he can do, prove himself against top opposition (Spain and then Czech Republic) and he played well in both games. There is genuine competition now.
Trafford is not just a good shot stopper, he is seen as being good with his feet, being able to play out and build play from the back and is regarded within the Football Association as the next big hope. Good reflexes, starting position, reading of the game, concentration and focus.
James Trafford was chosen to start England's games vs Spain and Czechia(Image: David Ramos/UEFA)
And yes, there will be errors and missteps along the way, like Trafford’s howler at Bournemouth. But that is part of the learning process. John Stones came through it and is now remembered as one of England’s best ever defenders.
Trafford spoke in the summer at the World Cup about his need to be a No1 at a Premier League to actually challenge Pickford and that is why he left Manchester City to join Leeds.
Let’s be clear: Pickford had a decent World Cup. He rarely lets England down. But could he have done better against Argentina? What about that goal against Norway? And DR Congo?
I’m not sure any were deemed as howlers that would see Pickford get dropped. But if you speak to coaches or people within the game (and I’m sure this would be the case for the England set-up) then Trafford is seen as better technically.
It’s now up to Trafford to prove it on the pitch. Pickford remains No1 for now.
Of course Dean Henderson got the nod for England’s third place play-off against France in the World Cup. Is he actually back-up? No. One well-placed source tells me that Trafford is next in line for the long term.
If I was a betting man, I’d be putting a few quid on Trafford being England’s No1 in time for Euro 2028.
