A father from Lancashire has tragically died following an accident at Kewsick’s Kong Adventure Climbing Centre in the Lake District.
Carl O’Keeffe from Lancaster was attending a family member’s birthday at the popular North West tourist spot on 22 April when he slipped and became stuck in a section of the tunnels that run around the indoor climbing centre.
As various other visitors, staff members and emergency responders began to dismantle the walls to gain access to the tunnels behind them, he was eventually freed after four hours but was left seriously injured.
Sadly, despite being rushed to Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle shortly after, the 49-year-old tragically died as a result of his injuries. His family confirmed his death around 3pm on Sunday, 30 April.
Carl O’Keefe sadly died after his climbing centre this weekend (Credit: Family photo/Keswick Mountain Rescue)
A spokesperson for Cumberland Council issued a statement saying: “We have been notified of an incident that took place at the Kong Adventure Centre, Keswick, and are investigating the matter as the regulating body.”
As per ITV, the dad of three was described as a clever and devoted family man who also was also “a strong advocate for the neurodiverse community”, helping teach people to “learn what adjustments they needed in life and to not only accept them but to live them.”
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Carl often wore dark glasses and a fedora hat as he was photophobic — sensitive to light — and was described as having “a brilliant mind”, having been in the process of applying to study an astrophysics PhD and explore his love of space.
Writing in an emotional Facebook post, Carl’s older sister Olivia said: “At 3pm today I sat with Carl and said goodbye forever. He was my baby brother and over the last few years became my best friend.
“I loved him dearly and we were in contact daily doing word challenges and exchanging weird facts of nature. I also got to spend alternate weekends with him and his children.”
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Having been at his bedside for the entire time he spent in intensive care with crush injuries, she explained how he was moved to a private room “so that he could die with some dignity.” She went on to describe the period as “unbearable”, leaving her and his loved ones “broken-hearted.”
Our thoughts are with Carl’s family and friends. Rest in peace.
Chester Zoo named UK’s best zoo for third year in a row with record number of ‘excellent’ ratings
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… Chester Zoo has been named to best zoo in the UK for 2026.
While everyone in and around Greater Manchester and the North West may already be familiar with just how brilliant the UK’s biggest charity zoo is, you may remember that, for the past two years running now, it has been officially named the UK’s best zoo thanks to tens of thousands of positive TripAdvisor reviews.
And now, the zoo has managed to retain that respectable title for the third year in a row, as the world’s biggest travel guidance platform has, once again, named Chester Zoo as the best-rated zoo to visit in the UK this year.
It’s even more of a cause for celebration this year, as the zoo has claimed a record 11,666 ‘excellent’ ratings for the first time.
Chester Zoo has been named the best zoo in the UK for 2026 / Credit: Chester Zoo
Based on millions of online reviews, the updated ranking puts the beloved Cheshire-based attraction ahead of the country’s other zoos after earning consistently good feedback from its visitors.
Not only has the zoo’s strong focus on conservation and unforgettable visitor experiences made it the best in our country, but this has also earned it a place among Europe’s elite too – with the new listings placing it in the top 10 best zoos or aquariums in the continent.
“We’re over the moon to be named the UK’s top zoo by TripAdvisor,” commented Jamie Christon, who is the CEO of Chester Zoo.
“This recognition is built entirely on genuine reviews from our visitors, and that means the world to us. I’m very proud of everyone who makes our national conservation zoo such a special place.
“Every visit to Chester Zoo directly supports our vital conservation work, both here at home and around the world, and the past year alone is a reminder of just how much that work matters.
“We’ve developed the world’s first vaccine for a deadly virus that threatens Asian elephants globally, we’ve officially pulled a tiny species of snail back from the brink of extinction, and right here on our doorstep we’ve been planting thousands of new trees to create important new woodland habitat.
“None of that happens without the people who come through our gates – and we’re enormously grateful to every one of them.”
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
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Glitzy Manchester restaurant KAJI has quietly shut down
Daisy Jackson
A glamorous Manchester restaurant famed for its Japanese cooking and sushi has quietly closed its doors for good, it seems.
KAJI, on Bridge Street, has pulled table reservations and repossession notices have been stuck into its windows.
The glitzy, futuristic restaurant made a pretty big impact on the city’s dining scene since opening in 2022 – but not always for the right reasons.
It first launched as MUSU, and hit headlines when vandals smashed the windows and threw paint all over the restaurant space in the middle of a busy Valentine’s Day service.
It attracted other famous faces too, including Man City boss Pep Guardiola, and Jason Derulo.
Then in 2024, the restaurant rebranded to KAJI, promising dishes cooked over fire in ‘homage to ancient Japanese cooking techniques’.
And last year it received a review in The Telegraph, where William Sitwell said that KAJI was ‘all tummies, bald heads, tattoos and heat’, describing the experience of eating there as ‘brash (and pricey) torture’.
KAJINotices in the windows of KAJI
But now, it appears the business – which launched a new menu concept just weeks ago – has oh-so-quietly shut its doors for good.
When you try to book a table, no availability is showing.
And walking past its glamorous Bridge Street location now, you can see repossession notices have been displayed in the windows.
It appears that the landlords of the building took possession way back on 10 April – and KAJI has been silent on social media ever since.
Danny Jones -
1st May 2023 
