Both Scarborough and Whitby are vying to be the first Town of Culture in a crowded field of entries from across the county.
The competition, announced by the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy last autumn, will provide a platform for communities to “tell their own unique story and shine a spotlight on the vital role towns play in our national life”.
Alison Hume, the MP for Scarborough and Whitby, said: “Whitby is a small town, but it has a gigantic story to tell.
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“Whitby already draws in huge numbers of tourists every year for the famous Goth Weekends, Musicport and Folk festivals and countless other cultural events, so it seems fitting that the town that inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula throws its top hat in the ring.”
The strongest bids will progress to a shortlist, with each shortlisted town receiving £60,000 to help deliver their full bids for the competition.
Three finalists – one small, one medium, one large town – will be chosen. The winner will be crowned UK Town of Culture 2028 and receive a £3 million prize, meaning that both Scarborough and Whitby could be shortlisted in the medium and small town categories, respectively.
Seven organisations, including Flash Company Arts, are currently fronting Whitby’s case, which is themed ‘Storyland’.
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Ms Hume, who received BAFTA and Royal Television Society awards for her work as a screenwriter before being elected to represent the constituency two years ago, said: “Whitby lives and breathes culture.
“It is a breathtakingly beautiful town which has inspired countless writers, artists, musicians and other creatives over the years, many of whom are woven into the town’s cultural community.
“The town’s maritime history as a shipbuilding and whaling port, as well as the port where Captain Cook learnt his craft, is unmatched in a small town.
“Who knows, 2028 could be the year Whitby residents can share how proud they are of where they live, and thousands of new visitors can experience our warm and inclusive Whitby welcome?”
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Commenting on Scarborough’s entry, Ms Hume said: “Scarborough has an irresistible story to tell as the birthplace of theatre in the round, the first English seaside resort and the home of an incredibly rich arts, heritage, music and cultural scene. I’m really excited about our chances.”
The deadline for expressions of interest for UK Town of Culture 2028 is March 31, with the shortlist of towns expected to be announced this Spring.
Scarborough’s town mayor Cllr Thomas Murray said: “I’m fully behind Scarborough’s bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028.
“It’s a great opportunity to bring the community together and celebrate all the things that make Scarborough great, as well as showcase some of our cultural hidden gems.”
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Rebecca Denniff, of Flash Company Arts, said: “Whitby is an amazing place to live and work, surrounded by magnificent moorland and wild seas.
“It’s a tiny town that has had a massive impact on the whole world – from the Synod of Easter all the way to its global association with Goth culture through Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
“But we need to show that we are so much more than our amazing history.
“Whitby is a place where so many stories converge; it’s an immersive experience in waiting.”
An Apprentice star admitted in the boardroom that he would “regret” a key decision “for the rest of my life”.
Hayley Anderson TV Reporter
22:52, 12 Mar 2026Updated 23:04, 12 Mar 2026
BBC The Apprentice bid farewell to another contestant this week, but not before Lord Sugar called out someone’s “nasty” behaviour.
During the seventh week of the popular BBC business programme The Apprentice, the remaining hopefuls tackled a virtual reality fitness challenge where they were required to create demonstrations and brands whilst pursuing investment.
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Unfortunately, when the boardroom showdown arrived, it was the end of the road for Team Eclipse, led by project manager Lawrence Rosenberg, who secured investment four times smaller than Team Alpha.
The tension truly escalated in the boardroom when Lawrence had to select who would return with him.
His initial choice was Rajan Gill due to his “lack of contributions” before revealing the contentious reasoning behind his second selection of Levi Hague.
Lawrence said: “With respect Lord Sugar, I think you have made it quite clear about your mind on Levi so I will need to bring back Levi as well.”
Before his decision, Lord Sugar had challenged Levi about what he had accomplished during the previous seven weeks of the competition, but despite his own doubts, The Apprentice icon was displeased with this “naughty” strategy.
“This is not how this process is supposed to work, you’re supposed to bring people back in who you think did not contribute to this task.”
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For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.
Lord Sugar branded it a “nasty move” with Lawrence apologetically responding that “I’ll regret it for the rest of my life”.
The Apprentice veteran stated he would be “fair” to Levi and retain him for another week, nominating him as project manager for the following task, with the candidate responding “happy days”.
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Despite this exchange between Lawrence and Levi, it was ultimately Rajan who faced dismissal for his insufficient contributions to the challenge.
This didn’t prevent Lord Sugar from delivering one final reprimand to Lawrence, cautioning: “You were this close to getting out of here.”
The tension continued when the surviving pair returned to the house, with Lawrence confessing to the remaining group that he was “beyond embarassed”, having made a “weak decision”.
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Levi wasn’t prepared to let the matter rest, however, as he firmly told the other candidates: “Don’t ever use me as a scapegoat in there, don’t ever do that to me.”
The Apprentice continues every Thursday at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The armed man who rammed his vehicle into a US synagogue full of children has been named by officials as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali after he was shot dead at the scene
The man who rammed his vehicle into a US synagogue in a ‘targeted act of violence’ has been identified as a 41-year-old citizen born in Lebanon, according to officials.
None of the synagogue’s staff, teachers or the 140 children at its early childhood centre were injured.
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Ghazali came to the US in 2011 on an immediate relative visa as the spouse of a US citizen and according to the Department of Homeland Security was granted citizenship in 2016.
Jennifer Runyan, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit field office, called the crime a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community”.
The FBI are leading the investigation into the attack at one of the nation’s largest Reform synagogues and are yet to determine a motive.
“What drove this person into action has to be determined by the investigation,” said Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard.
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Smoke billowed from the synagogue moments after the attack with parents in “utter shock” after hearing the news and fearing for their children’s safety.
A security officer was hit by the vehicle and knocked unconscious but did not suffer life-threatening injuries, the sheriff said. And 30 law enforcement officers were treated for smoke inhalation.
Temple security officers “engaged the individual and neutralized the threat” according to West Bloomfield Police Chief Dale Young.
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Ghazali was found dead inside his vehicle, according to Bouchard.
Cassi Cohen, director of strategic development at Temple Israel, was standing at the hallway where the crash happened. She said she heard a loud bang, grabbed a few staff members, ran into her office and locked the door.
“When I heard the crash, I knew it was bad,” Cohen said.
Cohen added that there was a classroom near where the car hit the synagogue with children as old as four and more than 30 staff members.
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“Thankfully, we have had many active shooter drills and our staff is prepared for these situations,” she said.
Rabbi Arianna Gordon, from Temple Israel, thanked the security team, law enforcement and early childhood teachers for getting the children out safely and reunited with their parents, calling them the “true rock stars of the day.”
As soon as authorities cleared the building around a dozen parents raced to collect their children. Other families were reunited at a nearby Jewish Community Center.
Allison Jacobs, whose 18-month-old daughter is enrolled in Temple Israel’s day care, said she got a message from a teacher saying the children were OK even before she knew what happened.
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“There are no words. I was in complete and utter shock,” she told the AP. “I was hoping that it was a false report.”
Jacobs said she often tries to not think about all that’s going on in the world due to never thinking it will happen to you.
“You never think that this is actually going to happen to you,” she said. “But I know that it’s — it’s just terrible. This morning I was mourning the loss of the school that got hit in Iran.”
Logan Parker was tragically killed after being struck by a car on the A38 in Nottinghamshire
Tannur Anders and Louis Corbett
02:31, 13 Mar 2026
A young boy who lost his life after a collision on the A38 has been identified by police.
Logan Parker was hit by a car on the A38, Kings Mill Road East, near Kingfisher Way in Nottinghamshire, at 8.26pm on Tuesday, March 10. The seven-year-old passed away at the scene.
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Nottinghamshire Police officers said the driver of the vehicle stopped at the scene and is cooperating with their inquiries into the incident.
Logan’s mother honoured her son in a moving tribute: “In memory of a boy who will remain seven forever.
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“Always unconditionally loved and cherished, you will never, ever be forgotten.
“There are no words other than you are the most beautiful, happy and mischievous special boy – full of love, light and adventure.
“You will be always part of me and our hearts, my little superhero who loved to play and make us laugh.”
“This is not goodbye but a ‘see you soon’.”
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“Love from mum and family.”
Detective Inspector Jamie Moore, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This is a devastating incident and our thoughts are with Logan’s family, friends and loved ones.
“The circumstances are being investigated and we would ask the privacy of the family is respected at this tragic and difficult time.
Police have appealed to any witnesses of this incident to come forward, including anyone with dashcam footage which could help in the investigation.
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“If you can help, please call us on 101 quoting incident number 770 of 10 March,” Detective Moore said.
The UK is considering possible options to help defend shipping in the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian attacks, the defence secretary has said.
John Healey also signalled that British forces needed to be ready in coordination with allies to evacuate UK nationals from the Middle East if the US and Israeli war with Iran worsens.
He said he had spoken to his counterparts in the so-called E5 group of European powers, which includes Germany, France, Italy and Poland, on Wednesday to discuss the crisis.
On the threat to oil tankers in the Gulf, the senior cabinet minister said the best way to unblock the vital waterway would be an end to the war between the US, Israel and Iran.
However, as conflict rages and with tankers ablaze, he said he has asked his military planners to look at what the UK could offer alongside other nations to protect commercial tankers needing to pass through the Strait from attacks by Iranian drones, mines and missiles.
Image: An oil tanker on fire near Basra, Iraq, this week. Pic: AP
This could include autonomous vessels that can counter mines.
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In addition, the British military has personnel based at a headquarters in Bahrain with expertise in commanding maritime security operations.
The UK is already sending HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, with significant air defence capabilities, to bolster its defences in the region. This ship could also potentially be an option if there is a move to protect shipping.
“Recognising the huge impact this potentially has on oil prices and the cost of living, there is an international imperative to try and see this resolved,” Mr Healey said, referring to the disruption to the flow of tankers carrying oil and gas through the Strait.
“I have – pre-positioned in the region – some autonomous mine hunting systems,” the defence secretary told reporters, speaking after meeting with commanders at the permanent joint headquarters, PJHQ, in Northwood, in northwest London, which is the main headquarters overseeing British military operations around the world.
“I have been talking to planners today about additional options we can bring to bear alongside allies should it be needed.”
Image: John Healey (left) meeting Cyprus’ minister of defence Vasilis Palmas. Pic: Reuters
However, Mr Healey stressed that this work was “early days”.
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“You should not read into that that we have got some hard options poised to go. But… I am discussing additional options with our planners.”
Mr Healey said he had spoken with E5 defence ministers about greater coordination in the Eastern Mediterranean.
He signalled this could also mean in any future evacuation efforts.
“If this conflict worsens, we have to be ready should evacuations be required,” he told commanders.
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The UK has placed RFA Lyme Bay, a vast support ship, on heightened readiness to deploy, in a sign of the kind of assets being readied.
However, the options to assist in defending shipping through the Strait of Hormuz or conducting evacuations are more limited than they have been in the past following defence cuts.
A decade ago, the Royal Navy had at least one major warship operating out of Bahrain and up to four minehunters – each one a large, crewed ship – as well as a huge support vessel.
Today, there are no warships based out of Bahrain, with the last crewed minehunter, HMS Middleton, sent back to the UK for maintenance.
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It means the UK could only contribute to an effort to protect shipping in the Gulf alongside allies like the US and France.
WASHINGTON (AP) — An American military refueling plane taking part in the operation against Iran crashed in Iraq and rescue efforts were underway, U.S. Central Command said Thursday.
It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties. A U.S. official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the developing situation, said the KC-135 aircraft that crashed had at least five crew members aboard.
The crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire, the military said in a statement, which described the plane as “a loss.”
U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said that two aircraft were involved and that one landed safely and the other went down in western Iraq.
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A second U.S. official, who similarly spoke on condition of anonymity, said the other plane involved also was a KC-135 tanker.
“More information will be made available as the situation develops,” Central Command said. “We ask for continued patience to gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of service members.”
The tanker is the fourth publicly acknowledged aircraft to crash as part of the U.S. military’s operations against Iran. Last week, three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire.
All six crew members safely ejected from the F-15E Strike Eagles and were in stable condition after being recovered, the U.S. said.
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Seven American troops have been killed in combat during the Iran war so far, while about 140 U.S. service members have been injured, including eight severely, the Pentagon said earlier this week.
They died one day after the U.S. and Israel launched the military campaign against Iran on Feb. 28. The Islamic Republic has retaliated with missiles and drones against Israel and several Gulf Arab states that host U.S. armed forces.
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The seventh American service member died after being wounded during a March 1 attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia.
Trump joined grieving families for a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base when the remains of the first six soldiers were returned to the United States. Vice President JD Vance, Hegseth and others saluted the seventh flag-draped transfer case as it arrived this week at Dover.
The KC-135 tanker involved in the latest crash is based on the same design as the Boeing 707 airliner and entered military service more than 60 years ago. Like other long-serving aircraft, the planes have undergone various retrofits and upgrades over the years.
The KC-135 tankers typically have a crew of three. It’s not immediately clear what role the extra crew members were serving aboard the flight.
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According to a report from the Congressional Research Service, the Air Force last year had a total of 376 KC-135s, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve.
Six years ago, as countries around the world went into COVID lockdowns, the air got cleaner. Factories slowed down, roads emptied and aeroplanes were grounded. As people stayed home, the world burned fewer fossil fuels and so carbon dioxide emissions dropped – by around 7% in 2020.
But something else was also happening in the atmosphere. Levels of methane – an extremely potent greenhouse gas that warms the planet even faster than CO₂ – rose faster in 2020 than at any point since records began in the 1980s. And methane levels kept on rising during 2021 and 2022.
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Ever since, scientists have been trying to piece together what caused this sudden mysterious increase in methane. Now, they think they have the answer, and it was partly due to COVID lockdowns.
In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to Philippe Ciais, a researcher at the Laboratory for Climate and Environmental Sciences at Université Paris-Saclay in France, and one of the authors of a new study in the journal Science about the spike in methane levels, who explains how they solved the mystery.
The atmosphere contains a special type of cleaning agent called hydroxyl radical (OH) which is capable of breaking down methane. Ciais calls it the “pacman of the atmosphere”. The production of these OH particles is facilitated by pollution, including nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide (known collectively as NOx) from combustion processes.
“ In the chain of complex chemical reactions in the atmosphere that leads to the formation of NOx, OH is generated,” says Ciais. “When you have a reduced emission of NOx, as it was the case during the COVID, you have a weakening of OH … less concentration of this cleaning agent, and as a result, methane increasing faster in the atmosphere”.
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The study found that around 80% of the spike in methane was caused by a reduction in OH, but increases in methane from wetlands and from agriculture also played a role.
Ciais says understanding where the growth in methane came from doesn’t mean the world should go on polluting. Rather, it’s a wake-up call. “ It’s not by continuing to drive more that we will reduce methane. It’s by reducing [methane] emissions,” he said. “That’s the ultimate way we have to prevent methane from increasing and amplify the warming of the climate.”
Listen to the interview with Philippe Ciais on The Conversation Weekly podcast. This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany, Katie Flood and Gemma Ware. Mixing by Eleanor Brezzi and theme music by Neeta Sarl.
Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here. A transcript of this episode is available via the Apple Podcasts or Spotify apps.
Emergency services were called to the crash this morning (Thursday, March 12)
A man has been arrested after a crash involving a lorry and car. Cambridgeshire Police were called to the incident at around 8.20am today (Thursday, March 12) on Ramsey Road, near Wistow.
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Officers arrested the driver of the car, a man, on suspicion of drunk driving. However, the man has been taken to the hospital with injuries believed not to be serious.
The lorry driver was also taken to hospital. A police spokesperson said: “We were called at about 8.20am this morning to Ramsey Road, near Wistow, to reports of a collision between a car and an HGV.
“The car driver, a man, has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving but has also been taken to hospital for injuries which are not believed to be serious.” The East of England Ambulance Service transported two people to hospital.
An ambulance spokesperson said: “We were called shortly before 8.30am with reports of a road traffic collision on the B1040 in Wistow, involving a car and a lorry. Two ambulances and an ambulance officer vehicle were sent to the scene. Two patients were transported to hospital for further care.”
Ms Long said there were “political tensions” within the four-party coalition
Alliance Party leader Naomi Long has warned that her party’s continued participation in the Stormont powersharing Executive should not be “taken for granted”.
Ms Long said she would have no problem stepping away from the Executive if she believed that it had become too “threadbare” to deliver for people.
The Justice Minister also blasted the “pantomime” politics of the Assembly which she said had become more concerned with “how people dress going into the chamber than how they address each other”.
Ms Long spoke to the Press Association ahead of the Alliance Party conference on Saturday.
The cross-community party currently has two ministers in the Executive, Ms Long and Andrew Muir.
But Ms Long said there were “political tensions” within the four-party coalition.
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She said whether to remain part of the Executive or to go into opposition was something that she “continually measured”.
She said: “Being in the Executive for us is a matter of balance and choice, and so we weigh up on every occasion could we deliver more as part of the Executive than we could outside, or are we just going in and propping up something that is so dysfunctional we won’t be able to deliver anything?
“We made a decision in 2022 to go in because we felt that with the two ministers we could deliver more, I think that was the right decision.
“But that’s a balance that we don’t just make after elections.
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“That’s a balance that we continually measure, because if we get to the point where we feel that our involvement in the Executive is just propping up something that isn’t capable of delivering, that isn’t allowing us to deliver on our priorities, where we are frustrated to the point where we can’t actually do the jobs we’re there to do, then we don’t need to wait for an election to make that change.
“That’s a consideration that we’re constantly weighing in the balance.
“I would just say that nobody should take for granted our continued engagement with the Executive, either before or after the elections.
“We want to be good partners in government.
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“We want to behave constructively, we want to deliver for people of Northern Ireland but, if we’re being blocked from doing those things, if we’re not able to deliver on real change for people, then what would be the purpose of staying there?”
She added: “At the moment we are delivering much more than we could just sitting outside the executive critiquing it.”
“But if I ever felt that the executive was so threadbare that we weren’t able to continue making the change I would have no problem stepping away from that.”
The Alliance leader said she believed global politics was currently in a “negative space”.
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She said she believed standards of debate at Stormont had “declined rapidly” in the current Assembly mandate.
Ms Long said: “I think there have been standards that were taken as normal in the past that have fallen by the wayside.
“There’s been more focus, frankly, on how people dress going into the chamber than how they address each other, which should be the substantive issue of concern.
“I’m as robust as the next person. I can give it, I can take it back, but there is a certain standard with which you should have the exchanges.
“And I do think the way some of our colleagues have been spoken to, not just in Alliance, across parties, it’s just not acceptable. It’s not acceptable.”
Ms Long said there had been a “cheapening” of political discourse in the social media age.
She added: “It’s lean-in to the sort of Trump narrative, where you can say anything, you can be abusive, you can be rude, and people will still think that there’s something powerful about that, or dynamic about that.
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“I want to live in a society and I want to do politics in an environment where people are respectful, where people come to the debate not just to read a speech or to drop a zinger, but actually to listen to what their opponents think and respond to it and and hear a different perspective that might actually shape their views.
“I can’t imagine anybody would be impressed by watching the Assembly and some of the pantomime antics that go on down there.
“I can’t imagine any member of the public who sees that as hard work or diligent or professional.”
Ms Long said she understood public anger over a recent independent recommendation for a 27% pay rise for Stormont MLAs.
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She said: “We were very clear in our submission, MLA pay being raised by 27%, it isn’t sensible, it isn’t sustainable. It isn’t credible.
“Particularly when the Assembly does struggle to deliver and connect with the public, but also it isn’t reflective of what’s happening in the wider public sector, where we have real challenges in terms of our budgets and real challenges in terms of pay.
“We have argued that our pay should be linked to other public sector workers, and I think that that is the way it should be.”
Amanda Meadowcroft, 53, of Argyle Street, and Bradley Couzins, 34, of Gillibrand Street, appeared before Manchester Crown Court to be sentenced for fraudulent evasion of a prohibition by bringing into or taking out of the UK a controlled drug.
The charges relate to April 22, when Meadowcroft and her friend arrived back in the UK from the Dominican Republic, where they were met by Border Force agents.
Officers asked Meadowcroft if she had packed the two bags herself, which she denied for one bag but admitted for the other.
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Within the bags, a total of 14kg of cocaine was discovered.
However, Ben Berkson, prosecuting, said that analysis of the drugs showed that they were mostly cutting agents and had trace levels of cocaine in them.
Christopher Green, an expert witness, said that if the drugs were of a high quality, they were worth up to £294,000.
Judge Hilary Manley said: “The facts are simple, you flew from the Dominican Republic to Manchester with luggage that contained cocaine.
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“It was of low purity, and it appeared you had been duped.
“The fact that the cocaine was of low purity is neither here nor there. I will temper [your sentence] to a degree to reflect that purity was low.”
A phone seized from Meadowcroft revealed communication with her son, who had arranged the travel, passports and transport from the airport.
Additionally, within the phone, it showed messages which, Amy Weir, mitigating, argued showed that Couzins had been intimidating and threatening his mother to import the drugs.
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However, Mr Berkson argued that it did not match the messages.
He said: “Couzins is the organiser, directing Meadowcroft and her friend to carry out the offence; she was misled about the nature of the packages.
“Whilst he has appeared to direct Meadowcroft, the crown is of the view that they both played a significant role in the enterprise, and the idea that she was engaged through pressure, coercion, does not match with the messages.”
As a result, Couzins was arrested on August 7 after he had assaulted an emergency worker while trying to smash his phone that had fallen from his pocket.
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Mr Berkson added that at the time of the offending, Meadowcroft had already been serving a suspended sentence for importing 30kg of cannabis, and she admitted that she had breached her suspended sentence.
Kristian Cavanagh, mitigating for Couzins, said that he had been engaging well since getting into prison, particularly with his work and with a trauma therapist at the prison.
He added that since he had a son of his own, he was looking to lead a law-abiding life.
Ms Weir said Meadowcroft was remorseful for her actions and, having been a drug user herself, expressed genuine remorse that she was now involved in a system that exacerbates issues for users.
She said: “This is a remorseful defendant, she used the word ashamed and ashamed she is involved in this offending for the second time.
“She has had issues with drug dependency and has had a difficult time in relation to drug use.
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“She does express genuine shame that she is involved in a system that exacerbates the issues she has as a drug user.
“She has two children and grandchildren, and she is motivated to be a productive member of society, but she knows she is letting them down.”
A tearful Meadowcroft apologised profusely as she was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, while Couzins was sentenced to seven and a half years’ imprisonment.
Charles Lee, NCA Senior Investigation Officer, said: “This criminal family went to great lengths to source and smuggle class A drugs into the UK.
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“The duo planned and executed an operation born out of greed, culminating in a violent assault on an NCA officer. Thankfully the officer made a full recovery.
“Alongside key partners such as Border Force and Lancashire Police, the NCA will continue to disrupt supply chains and bring criminals like Meadowcroft and Couzins to justice.”
“Joe was a much-loved son, brother and partner, his unnecessary death has left an immeasurable chasm in our lives.”
22:12, 12 Mar 2026Updated 22:13, 12 Mar 2026
The family of a soldier who died of a gunshot to the head while waiting to go on a firing range have paid tribute to a “much-loved son, brother and partner”.
Lance Corporal Joe Spencer, 24, from Hampshire, was killed on November 1 2016 when an L115A3 sniper rifle fired a round while he was sheltering from the rain in an Iso shipping container at the Tain Air Weapons Range in the Scottish Highlands. At the end of a seven-day inquest in Winchester, the jury of five women and six men returned a narrative conclusion which said the exact circumstances of how the gun went off remained a mystery.
The jury concluded on Wednesday that “inconsistent range management and adherence to safety procedures” led up to the incident. Speaking on behalf of the family, L/Cpl Spencer’s father, Graham Spencer, said the inquest was “incredibly difficult” but was “something we needed to do to honour Joe’s memory”.
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He added that the family “remain disappointed that not all of those tasked with the safe delivery of the course gave full evidence in court”. Mr Spencer said: “Joe was a much-loved son, brother and partner, his unnecessary death has left an immeasurable chasm in our lives.
“He was our youngest son and we miss him more each day. Joe was kind and compassionate, always smiling, with a quick wit and dry sense of humour.
“Despite being badly injured while serving in Afghanistan, he fought back with incredible determination to continue the career he loved. That was the measure of Joe.
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“It’s more than nine years since Joe was taken from us, however the passage of time has done nothing to ease the grief and sense of loss we feel. It has been hard to focus on remembering our Joe and the wonderful memories we have of him, because so much of our energy has gone into trying to establish the events that contributed to his death.
“The length of time this has taken has been incredibly difficult for the whole family. We’re grateful to Joe’s colleagues who attended the inquest and gave evidence in person. It was clear from their accounts that Joe was a highly capable and well‑respected soldier.”
The youngest of three brothers, L/Cpl Spencer joined the British Army in 2011, and became a member of 3rd Battalion The Rifles. He was deployed abroad on a number of occasions, including operations in Afghanistan, where he was seriously wounded in a grenade attack.
After 18 months of care following the Afghanistan incident, L/Cpl Spencer returned to operational duties and was promoted to the rank of lance corporal in May 2015. The following month he bought a home with his partner.
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