Jack Draper’s arm injury has forced him to pull out of the US Open..

A gunman has opened fire with a rifle through the windows of a Catholic church and struck a group of children celebrating Mass during the first week of school, killing two and wounding 17 people in an act of violence the police chief called “absolutely incomprehensible”..

A Scottish Conservative MSP has defected to Reform UK, Nigel Farage has announced at a press conference in Scotland..

The fertility rate for England and Wales has fallen for the third year in a row to reach a new record low, figures show..

Sir Richard Branson has said “thinking differently is something to be celebrated” as a nationwide awareness campaign celebrating dyslexic entrepreneurs is launched..

Taylor Swift and her fiance Travis Kelce are “crazy about each other”, the NFL star’s father has said..

Troubled Thames Water has agreed to pay £24.5 million of its record £122.7 million in fines by the end of September under a payment plan agreed with regulator Ofwat..

People who start smoking cannabis to combat pain, anxiety or depression are at a greater risk of developing paranoia compared to those who start using it for “fun”, according to the largest study of its kind..

JD Sports said it is “cautious” about trading over the rest of the year due to pressure on consumer finances and the risk of rising unemployment..

The energy price cap will rise by 2% from October 1 for a typical household in England, Scotland and Wales, Ofgem has said..

Fraudulent CV-writing services are now the biggest scamming threat to online job hunters as the busy post-summer hiring season gets under way, LinkedIn has warned..

The Government said it wants to get a permanent deal with the EU on food and drink agreed in the next 18 months, as it sets out its stall ahead of talks later this year..

Households are expected to learn that their energy bills will rise by around 1% in October when the regulator updates its price cap..

Singer Taylor Swift has announced her engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce..

Singer Taylor Swift has announced her engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce..

More than 500 people were arrested over the two days of the Notting Hill Carnival, including 61 after the use of live facial recognition..

An emergency alert drill will send a test message to mobile phones across the UK next weekend..

Former London’s Burning actor John Alford sexually abused two teenage girls at a party, a court has heard..

A long spell of above-average temperatures means this summer will “almost certainly” be the UK’s warmest on record, according to new figures from the Met Office..

The owner of an Essex hotel, which was blocked from housing asylum seekers at the site, is set to have a bid to challenge the decision heard at the Court of Appeal on Thursday..

An Oscar-winning actress visited an independent cinema in East Sussex

A University of Brighton graduate is preparing to play a key role at the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Horsham District Council commemorated Emergency Services Day with a wreath-laying ceremony.

Car lovers young and old flocked to a Gulf Wivelsfield Service Station at the weekend to admire an impressive display of classic cars from local owners.

A new one-of-a-kind spectacle, WILD: The Drone Light Show, is coming to Brighton and Hove in December.

The year 1066 is one of the most dramatic and transformative years in English history. It’s probably the battle that most British people know about. Having said that, there is a lot of debate and misinformation about what happened that year. In 2026-27 the 70m long Bayeux tapestry will be on display at the British Museum, their panels famously depicting the history of the Norman conquest of England.The events of 1066 began with the death of King Edward the Confessor, a monarch revered for his piety but criticized for leaving no clear heir. His death on 5 January triggered a scramble for the English throne, with multiple claimants asserting their rights in a contest that would culminate in three major battles and two full-scale invasions.Harold Godwinson, the powerful Earl of Wessex, was swiftly crowned king but his coronation was far from universally accepted. Across the North Sea, Harald Hardrada, the formidable King of Norway, believed he had a legitimate claim based on an earlier agreement between monarchs. Meanwhile, in Normandy, Duke William prepared his own invasion, asserting that Harold had once sworn an oath to support William’s succession, a moment that was later immortalized in thread and linen.The first invasion came from the north. On the 18 September 1066 Hardrada sailed up the River Humber with a fleet of around 300 ships, joined by Harold’s estranged brother, Tostig Godwinson. Their forces landed in Yorkshire and quickly overwhelmed the local earls at the Battle of Fulford on 20 September. Harold Godwinson responded with astonishing speed, marching his army nearly 200 miles north in less than a week. On 25 September, he met the Norse invaders at Stamford Bridge.The battle was fierce and decisive. Hardrada’s forces, caught off guard and without their full armour, were defeated. Hardrada and Tostig were killed, and the remnants of the Norse army retreated with only a fraction of their original fleet. Harold had secured a stunning victory—but his triumph was short-lived. Even as the English celebrated, William of Normandy was preparing to strike.Just days after Stamford Bridge, William landed at Pevensey on 28 September with a well-equipped invasion force. His army included infantry, cavalry, and archers—a tactical diversity that would prove crucial in the battles to come. Harold, still recovering from his northern campaign, rushed south to confront the Normans. On 14 October, the two armies met near Hastings, on the slopes of Senlac Hill, a high point where the town of Battle and Battle Abbey now stand.The English formed a formidable shield wall, a tactic that had served them well in previous battles. Initially, they repelled Norman assaults. But William’s forces employed a clever strategy. They feigned retreats that lured English soldiers from their defensive position, breaking the cohesion of the shield wall. As the day wore on, the tide turned. Harold was killed, traditionally believed to be struck by an arrow to the eye, though this detail remains debated to this day. With their king dead and their formation shattered, the English army collapsed. William had triumphed, but his path to the throne was not yet complete.The Bayeux Tapestry, that depicts the events, was created in the 1070s. It was likely to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, William’s half-brother. It famously shows a figure labelled “Harold” struck in the eye by an arrow, followed by another figure being cut down by a sword—leading to debate over how Harold actually died.Some historians argue the arrow was added later, and that Harold may have died by sword. Another common myth is that William was crowned immediately after Hastings. In reality, he had to secure London and negotiate with the remaining English nobility. His coronation took place on Christmas Day, 1066. William’s assertion of legitimacy was not universally accepted either. Many English nobles resisted, and rebellions continued for years after his coronation.The Norman victory marked the beginning of profound changes in England. Norman French became the language of the elite, influencing English vocabulary and legal terminology. Castles such as the Tower of London began to dot the landscape, asserting Norman dominance. William redistributed land to his followers, replacing Anglo-Saxon nobility with Norman lords. Over time, Anglo-Saxon and Norman traditions blended, shaping the medieval English identity.The invasions of 1066 were not merely military campaigns, they were contests of legitimacy, memory, and narrative. The battles were brutal, the stakes existential, and the consequences enduring. As we look back nearly a thousand years later, the Bayeux Tapestry reminds us that history is often stitched by the victors, but the threads of truth remain for those willing to unravel them.Dr James Williams is an emeritus reader in science education and communication at Sussex university

A launch event took place on Tuesday, September 9 to celebrate the reopening of the JOFF youth hub in Peacehaven.

Here we are again, at the start of Brighton Philharmonic’s exciting concert season! BPO is back, bigger and brighter than ever, with delicious programmes and brilliant soloists.

Five per cent of all life saving interventions across the rail network took place on Network Rail’s Sussex route in 2024/2025.

Her visit focused on supporting the women’s game and was facilitated by Lewes’ Liberal Democrat MP, James MacCleary.

A Crawley school needs an estimated £3m to replace part of its roof after damage led to tonnes of rain water flooding the first and ground floor.

A "particularly nasty" fly-tip has taken place next to a golf course in Crowborough, East Sussex, possibly related to banger racing.

You don’t need to splash the cash to enjoy great food and drink in Brighton and Hove, writes Nick Mosley.

A restaurant is set to be turned into a private members’ club with a spa.

He provided support until emergency services were contacted, reassuring the woman and her friend until help arrived.

The first on-street electric vehicle (EV) charger has been installed as part of a project believed to be the largest of its kind in the UK.

Residents of a village where 14 hedgehogs have been run over since March are campaigning the council to introduce official signage.

Tillingham, a restaurant and winery near Rye in East Sussex, received a mixed review in The Guardian the new hosts of television cooking show MasterChef.

A pub landlord from Brighton denies a woman’s allegation that he touched her vagina but said he “slapped” her bottom.

A three-year-old died from sepsis after a delay in treatment at a "manic" A&E in Chichester where her mother was told the symptoms were "probably just a virus".