A St Helens woman says her mysterious symptoms left her bedbound, a former nurse is asking Liverpool for help after her mum died suddenly and a Wirral hat shop is gearing up for the Grand National
A St Helens woman says her mysterious symptoms left her bedbound, a former nurse is asking Liverpool for help after her mum died suddenly and a Wirral hat shop is gearing up for the Grand National
22:04, 30 Mar 2026
Here are five stories published by the Liverpool Echo you may have missed today
1.) Woman spent her whole life knowing something was wrong
A St Helens woman went her whole life feeling “not quite right” until her mysterious symptoms spiralled and left her bedbound and in agony. Tayla Freeman, 23, suffered from severe fatigue and chronic pain so bad that doctors at one point suspected she had an undiagnosed form of cancer.
She said: “I think I spent a lot of my life knowing I wasn’t quite right but because I didn’t have severe signs it was never flagged. I spent a lot of my life struggling and working hard to be like everyone else, but never knowing what was wrong.”
Tayla’s health problems started when she was just a child, when she suffered from problems with her bladder and bowel. Her joints were unusually weak, resulting in constant twists and sprains. Read the full story here.
2.) Boy, 11, ‘collapsed on football pitch’ in Prescot before being rushed to hospital
An 11-year-old boy collapsed before being rushed to hospital while playing football, a local team said. AFC Knowsley announced on X yesterday, March 29, how staff and youth players witnessed an 11-year-old collapse on the pitch and was unconscious for four minutes.
The club explained how club members helped with treatment before paramedics attended the scene at Lord Derby Pavillion on Knowsley Lane in Prescot. The club continued to thank North West Ambulance Service.
Writing on the social media website, AFC Knowsley said: “We were very unfortunate yesterday where we saw an 11-year-old child collapse on the pitch and was unconscious for 4 mins.” Read the full story here.
3.) Struggling mum’s plea after Waterloo nan dies suddenly
A woman struggling after her mum died suddenly is asking for Liverpool’s help. Jennifer Gleig, from Waterloo, suffered a fatal heart attack hours after saying goodnight to her family.
The beloved nan went upstairs on the night of Thursday, February 26, but shortly after, her daughter, who was still downstairs, heard a loud thump from her room. Rachael Gleig, 36, ran into her mum’s bedroom and found Jennifer, a nan-of-four, lying on the floor.
Rachael got Jennifer back into bed, but had a “horrible feeling” that things were badly wrong. She previously told the ECHO: “Her breathing was bad, she was sweating profusely. I rang 999. The paramedics came and said almost straight away that she had gone into cardiac arrest.” Read the full story here.
4.) The academies training next generation of acting talent in Merseyside
Theatre academies are training the next generation of acting talent in Merseyside. The Liverpool Empire Youth Theatre teaches young people in the region musical theatre, acting, singing and dancing, while also providing transferable skills that can be used beyond a career in the arts.
When Natalie Flynn, the Empire’s senior creative learning manager, joined the team in 2005, the Youth Theatre had around 10 young people in the programme.
Now, the team welcome more than 150 people per week from the ages of seven up to 21. The academies are open to all, with annual auditions set to take place again in September. Read the full story here.
5.) ‘I work six days a week but I love it’
With the Grand National fast approaching, it’s a busy time of year for Merseyside’s milliners. Among them is Bromborough’s Kerry Jenkins, 50, who has been helping racegoers find the perfect headpiece for more than nine years.
Based on Spital Road, The Hat Shop stocks between 300 and 400 hats at any one time, including designs from top milliners such as Nigel Rayment and Snoxell & Gwyther Millinery.
Having taken over in 2017, the shop was previously run by Kerry’s mum who opened 15 years prior in Barnston, Heswall. Kerry said: “My mum was very creative. I grew up in that environment so I watched and learned. I used to work for my mum in the shop on a Saturday.” Read the full story here.
