Jordan Gray, 26, was found dead with fatal firearm wounds at his home in the North Lanarkshire town’s Shields Court on December 14

A man has been re-arrested in connection with the gunshot death of a young dad in Motherwell.

Jordan Gray, 26, was found dead with fatal firearm wounds at his home in the North Lanarkshire town’s Shields Court on December 14. Police earlier confirmed they were treating the dad-of-one’s death as murder.

A 30-year-old man has been arrested in connection. The man was previously arrested on March 12 but was released pending further inquiries.

He was re-arrested on Tuesday, April 21 following the execution of a warrant. The suspect is due to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Wednesday, April 22.

It comes after Robert Clark appeared at the same court on March 12, charged with Jordan’s murder. Clark, 58, was also charged with possessing a gun in a public place.

He made no plea and was remanded in custody. Forensic officers were seen scouring Jordan’s home at the time of his death.

Cops were pictured combing through bins and drains in the streets looking for clues. Uniformed officers stood on guard at a large cordon set up outside of Jordan’s home. A footpath and two entrances to a block of flats were locked down as officers carried out their investigation.

Floral tributes were laid beside the police cordon in honour of the young father. Claire Kerr, the mother of Jordan’s new-born child, also shared her shock at the tragedy.

At the time of his death, she wrote: “I can’t believe I need to write this but RIP Jordan Gray. We had our ups and downs but we have a beautiful baby boy together that is your absolute image. I promise I will always tell your son all about you and how much you loved him.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A 30-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death of Jordan Gray in Motherwell. Jordan, aged 26, suffered fatal firearm wounds within his home in Shields Court in Motherwell shortly after 10.30pm on Sunday, 14 December, 2025.

“The man was previously arrested on 12 March, 2026, and released pending further inquiries. On Tuesday, 21 April, 2026, he was re-arrested following the execution of a warrant and is due to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Wednesday 22 April, 2026.

“A 58-year-old man was also arrested and charged last month in connection and appeared at court on Thursday, 12 March.”

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Projects, totalling £2.2 million, to reduce wastewater from local watercourses are set to take place in Myton-on-Swale, near Boroughbridge and Great Barugh, near Malton.

These form part of the utility’s overarching £1.5bn programme to reduce the operation of storm overflows across the region between 2025 and 2030. 

The projects will see parts of the combined sewer system in the county relined to reduce the infiltration of groundwater, Yorkshire Water said.

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A spokesperson for the water company said: “This will reduce the amount of flow in the sewer, making storm overflow discharges less likely.”

Liam Thomas, project manager for Yorkshire Water, added: “Our storm overflows are operating more often than we, and our customers, would like, and we’re going to be continuing our hard work into bringing the number of discharges down over the next five years.

“We already have a number of projects underway in Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford and Barnsley – some of which are almost finished and delivering benefits for the environment – so it’s exciting to begin to make headway in the North of the county too.”

Other project areas include Weeton, Wass and Snape in North Yorkshire.

The join six additional storm overflow projects which will break ground in the next few months, Yorkshire Water has said.

These will take place across Sheriff Hutton, Bishop Monkton, Skeeby, Acklam, Hebden and Malham.

It comes after Yorkshire Water reported 2,176 storm overflows in 2025.

The incidents let sewage spill for 11,884 hours last year, down from 17,927 hours last year, and 21,516 hours in 2023 – a record high.    

Speaking about this, the water firm said: “Storm overflows are designed to act as a relief valve for the combined sewer network, which carries both wastewater and surface water, during periods of heavy or prolonged rainfall.

“They discharge when the system is at capacity to prevent flows backing up and flooding homes and gardens.”

According to Yorkshire Water, across Yorkshire, the need for storm overflows to operate will be reduced by building new:

• Surface water sewers, to separate surface water and wastewater so that wastewater networks aren’t impacted by bad weather
• Underground storage tanks, to build additional capacity into the network
• Nature-based solutions, to build additional capacity into the network
• Sustainable drainage systems, to slow the flow of surface water into the combined network

Sir Adrian Fulford’s report into the July 2024 attack in Southport that killed three young girls does not pull any punches. He concluded that the UK’s safeguarding model had completely failed, with no agency taking lead responsibility. He referred to “an inappropriate merry-go-round” of state agencies, none of which took responsibility for the risks posed by 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana.

There were red flags about Rudakubana for several years before the attack. This included him carrying knives to school with the stated intention to use them, attacking fellow pupils, telling police that he had considered poisoning people, and a browsing history obsessed by violence and death.

The Southport inquiry reveals the pivotal role of schools in these situations – they have deep knowledge and understanding of their pupils and families. But of course, they cannot do it alone. Their powers and duties are rightly rooted in education.

The weakness in the system is not what schools are doing in relation to safeguarding – it is that when they attempt to escalate concerns (in this case via three Prevent referrals), they are not always picked up.

While Fulford praised schools’ efforts to intervene, the inquiry found that there had been gaps in information-sharing between schools, and overdependence on individual designated safeguarding leads.

Schools, broadly, have a deeper understanding of a child’s behaviour than other agencies involved with safeguarding. They see their pupils for 190 days a year, while interactions with other agencies are occasional or even one-off. But they are frustrated by different thresholds for intervention in other agencies.

We saw this with Southport. Rudakubana attended school almost 100% in years 7 and 8. He and his family were well known to the school. Fulford reported extensively on the levels of interaction between all three secondary schools which Rudakubana attended. But staff from one school felt that they were going round in circles, as no other agency would take responsibility for the risks which he was presenting. That included local authorities, the police and social care. Arguably, the voice of schools should be given more weight more than they are now when multiple agencies are invited to discuss a case.

How schools’ jobs are getting harder

Within a school, the designated safeguarding lead is responsible for managing referrals to statutory agencies, maintaining confidential records and helping staff recognise and report safeguarding concerns of any nature, from child protection to radicalisation. A 2024 government consultation revealed growing pressure in the system, with greater numbers of more complex referrals. Typically, schools will have pupils from more than one local authority area which complicates the role. While training is mandatory, it is of variable quality.

Schools must discharge their legal Prevent Duty. Teachers need to look out for the signs of radicalisation and engagement with extremist ideology. It goes way beyond traditional subject boundaries and exam teaching. And all schools are inspected by Ofsted on how effectively they keep their pupils safe.

The Southport inquiry reveals that this is becoming an even more complex role.
Rudakubana’s school referring his case to Prevent, the specialist police officers did not escalate concerns, because Rudakubana did not present a coherent ideology. While his conversations with teachers and online behaviour suggested obsessions with violent death, he was not obviously aligned with any ideology. There was no political or religious agenda per se.

His motivations were unclear and confusing, yet they were sufficient for the three schools involved to raise concerns with other agencies numerous times from 2019-24.

This suggests that Prevent is out of step with the issues schools deal with on a day-to-day basis. Referrals where no ideology was identified now comprise the largest number of Prevent referrals . A review of Prevent and its interactions with schools in now overdue.

We also know that Rudakubana had a form of autism which the inquiry found “manifestly fell into the cohort of those … whose individual characteristics mean that their autism does carry an increased risk of harm to others”.

It is important to state that there is no evidence that autistic people are more likely to commit violent acts than neurotypical people. However, specific autistic traits can make some more susceptible to non-violent extremism, radicalisation or the adoption of extremist views, particularly in online environments. Working to affect change with autistic pupils who have deeply embedded obsessions with violence requires the highest level of specialist skills.

In the English school system, professional development and provision has not kept up with the demand generated by increased numbers of pupils with complex needs. The government is currently consulting on proposals to overhaul the Send system in England.

Schools’ responsibilities in relation to safeguarding have grown in recent years. At the same time, they find themselves dependent on other organisations to fully discharge their duties. This is the fundamental weakness in the system. While schools did not share information between themselves fully effectively, their subsequent efforts to alert other agencies to the risks Rudakubana presented were not taken seriously.

The chain is only as strong as its weakest link. It will be of no great solace to school leaders whose work is praised by Fulford to know that if their advice and warnings had been heeded by all the other agencies, the Southport killings would not have happened.

Joel Bodmer, 40, Shila Bodmer, 41, Gabriel Leroy, 24, and former Croydon councillor Carole Bonner, 69, have been charged with conspiracy and computer misuse in relation to irregularities surrounding the candidate selection process for Croydon East at the 2024 general election.

Sir Olly Robbins has suggested that Sir Keir Starmer should have decided against appointing Lord Peter Mandelson after reputational risks were uncovered, in his first direct criticism of the prime minister.

The top mandarin said: “I regret that the due diligence process which threw up, as I understand it, serious reputational risks didn’t colour the prime minister’s judgement.”

The due diligence report, which took place before the Labour peer was named as nominee, mentioned red flags relating to his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and his business links to China.

Sir Olly told the Foreign Affairs Committee that there was “pressure” for the Foreign Office to approve Lord Peter Mandelson to the post of US ambassador, and No10 displayed a “dismissive approach” to vetting.

The former top civil servant said that there was “no interest in whether, only interest in when” the Labour peer could be appointed, and there was a push to have him in Washington as quickly as “humanly possible”.

His appearance before MPs is a chance to respond to Sir Keir Starmer, who blamed the sacked senior civil servant for “deliberately” keeping him in the dark over the Labour peer’s security checks.

Alleged leaking to Guardian is ‘grievous breach of national security’

The leaking of details about Lord Mandelson failing security checks was a “grievous breach of national security” and prosecutions should follow, Sir Olly Robbins said.

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Sir Olly said it was deeply worrying that the story was given to The Guardian newspaper within days of the Cabinet Office briefing Number 10 on the vetting issues.

“I’m not making accusations at anybody, it’s not my business to do so,” he told the committee, adding: “I hope they’re being very rigorously investigated, and that prosecutions will result, because this is a grievous breach of national security.

“I’m not an investigator, all I’m able to do is put two and two together.

“The first I heard of this deep concern and briefing of it to the Prime Minister was only really hours before it appeared in The Guardian.”

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Holly Evans21 April 2026 11:18

Robbins suggests Starmer knew enough about Mandelson to block his appointment – even without the vetting outcome

Analysis, by Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor

The prime minister’s key defence in this whole row is that if someone had told him that Mandelson had failed crucial security vetting he would not have made him as the UK’s man in Washington.

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But, in his evidence to MPs, Olly Robbins suggests the PM did have enough information to block the appointment.

He highlighted the ‘due diligence’ process, carried out before the vetting check, which, Mr Robbins added “threw up serious reputational risks”.

Mr Robbins told MPs: “I regret that the due diligence process, which threw up serious reputational risks, didn’t colour the PM’s judgement in making the appointment”.

Holly Evans21 April 2026 11:15

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Watch: I regret PM made appointment despite due diligence concerns

Holly Evans21 April 2026 11:03

‘I don’t reflect negatively on my judgements,’ Sir Olly says

Sir Olly Robbins said he does not “reflect negatively” on his own judgment or that of his colleagues.

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Asked about whether he thinks about the consequences of the decision he made regarding Lord Mandelson’s clearance, he told the Foreign Affairs Committee: “I’ve had plenty of opportunity over the last few days to reflect on that.

“I think about the consequences of it right now I’m afraid for my wonderful family and for the fact that I don’t seem to be able to sleep in my own home and for various other things, but I don’t reflect negatively on the professionalism and the judgments of my colleagues or I hope myself.”

Holly Evans21 April 2026 10:53

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Bombshell evidence so far from Olly Robbins

There have been a number of bombshell revelations already in the testimony from the former top official at the Foreign Office, sacked last week by Keir Starmer over the Mandelson scandal.

• Parts of government did not want to vet Mandelson at all.
• No 10 had a “dismissive approach” to vetting and there was an “atmosphere of pressure”, while Downing Street wanted Mandelson in Washington as quickly as ‘humanly possible’.
• Changing ambassador after Mandelson had been appointed would have “damaged” relations with the US.
• No 10 tried to find a diplomatic job for Matthew Doyle, then the PM’s chief of communications, now a peer who Labour was forced to suspend earlier this year over his links to a convicted paedophile.

Kate Devlin21 April 2026 10:52

Robbins: I regret PM made appointment despite due diligence concerns

Sir Olly Robbins has said he “regrets” that due diligence concerns raised about Peter Mandelson did not “colour the prime minister’s judgement” in his decision to appoint him as US ambassador.

Giving evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee, Sir Olly said he “regrets” that the full security vetting process was not done before the government announced Mandelson’s appointment, but said he does not regret the “work of my brilliant team and the judgment that we came to”.

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“I regret that this process was not done before announcement. I regret that the due diligence process, which threw up as I understand it, serious reputational risks, didn’t colour the prime minister’s judgment in making the appointment,” he said.

He added: “What I feel sad about, is that the prime minister’s nominee went ahead despite that due diligence.”

Athena Stavrou21 April 2026 10:42

‘Dangerous misunderstanding’ of vetting confidentiality, Sir Olly says

Asked whether Sir Keir Starmer is right to have expected to be provided with more information on the vetting process, Sir Olly Robbins said that is a “dangerous misunderstanding” of confidentiality around the process.

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The former Foreign Office chief told the Foreign Affairs Committee: “I hope it’s clear from everything I have said so far that I believe that’s a misunderstanding and a dangerous misunderstanding of the necessity of confidentiality of the process.

“I’ve been interested, of course, over the last couple of days to read Lord Hague on this today and David Lammy even on Saturday, the former foreign secretary, deputy prime minister, where both have said in different language that they have never had vetting issues discussed with them in all their time as a minister and nor would they expect to.

“I’m afraid that’s exactly the culture I have been brought up in. It’s supported by guidance. You are not supposed to share the findings and reports of UKSV other than in the exceptional circumstances where doing so allows for the specific mitigation of risk.”

Holly Evans21 April 2026 10:34

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Not a ‘given’ that Mandelson would be vetted, Sir Olly says

Sir Olly Robbins said it was not a “given” that Lord Mandelson would be vetted for his appointment as US ambassador.

The former senior civil servant told the Foreign Affairs Committee: “It was not a … I’m afraid I don’t think at the point of his appointment and for days thereafter it was actually a given that he would be vetted.

“If you look at the documents submitted under the humble address there is no stipulation from number 10 that he should be vetted.

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“The welcome that was sent to him immediately afterwards doesn’t say welcome to the Foreign Office subject to vetting; the announcement put out on December 20 says that he will be out early in the new year, it does not say subject to vetting.”

He said the contract issued to Lord Mandelson after he was vetted said he must maintain his clearance “but nothing about his appointment actually, as far as I’ve seen in writing, stipulates it”.

Holly Evans21 April 2026 10:29

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Watch: Robbins says relations with the US would have been ‘damaged’ if Mandelson did not become ambassador

Holly Evans21 April 2026 10:23

‘Keir Starmer has misled the House,’ says Kemi Badenoch

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “The evidence from Olly Robbins is devastating to Keir Starmer.

“It is clear that No10 not only made the appointment before vetting was completed, but that Mandelson was already acting as the ambassador before the vetting – even seeing highly-classified documents.

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“With this, and the ‘constant pressure’ No10 applied to the appointment and their ‘dismissive attitude’ to vetting Mandelson, it is now absolutely clear that ‘full due process’ was not followed.

“Keir Starmer has misled the House.”

Holly Evans21 April 2026 10:22

Will Murray and Jack Croft, who run the restaurants Fallow, Roe and FOWL, set out to compare two steak-and-chips dishes, with two hours on the clock and a generous £100 budget

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Two chefs who cooked and compared steaks from an upmarket department store and a discount supermarket have shared which one triumphed. Will Murray and Jack Croft, who operate London restaurants Fallow, Roe and FOWL, set out on a challenge to compare two steak dishes with a two-hour time limit and a generous £100 budget.

For his steak, Will made his way to Fortnum & Mason, the luxury department store reportedly favoured by the late Queen Elizabeth II, while Jack took the more economical approach with a visit to Lidl.

As he stepped into Fortnum & Mason, Will immediately commented that it smelled “incredible”. He soon arrived at the butcher’s counter, where he selected a tomahawk steak for the considerable sum of £46.

With his leftover funds, Will chose Maris Piper potatoes, shallots, beef stock, and fat. Meanwhile, Jack revealed that he would draw inspiration for his dish from a Wetherspoons mixed grill.

Jack could then be seen in the meat aisle of Lidl clutching an assortment of steaks — a rump, sirloin, fillet and ribeye — for a more reasonable £28; he said he intended to create a “platter” with the lot.

Will also purchased a bottle of claret and morel mushrooms, stating that a wild mushroom sauce would be “banging” and suggesting that Jack would “overcomplicate” his dish.

Switching to Jack, he selected a variety of supermarket items, including flat mushrooms, parsley, vine tomatoes, salt and pepper, butter, onion rings, chips, and the ingredients for peppercorn sauce.

As Will left the shop, he said in the video for the Fallow YouTube channel: “Got a bit hairy in there, but we managed to make it through. Basically, what we’re going to do is we’re going to do a wild mushroom sauce.

“I’ve got a really beautiful British Wagyu crossbreed. Pretty mad in there, though. It’s quite easy to spend £100 very quickly. It’s £100 just for one portion of steak and chips. It’s pretty mental.”

He also grabbed a portion of what he described as the “vomit fruit”, durian, revealing he intended to make Jack try it. For Will’s forfeit meal, Jack picked up tinned herring and cheese and broccoli pasta and sauce.

Both chefs were then shown back at the restaurant, preparing their respective dishes. Will poured claret and beef stock into a pan before cooking his morels and shallots.

In an amusing turn, Jack had purchased a bargain air fryer from Lidl’s legendary middle aisle and proceeded to cook a few onion rings to put it through its paces. He also added generous chunks of butter to his mushrooms ahead of placing them in the oven.

While seasoning his four steaks, Jack noted that he wanted to get them “cooking and rested ASAP” so he could shift his focus to the sauce, while Will set about making triple-cooked beef fat French fries.

A rapid succession of shots then captured the two chefs busily working away on their dishes. With the time finally arriving to plate up, Will had a few words to say about Jack’s creation, which was piled high with onion rings.

He said: “What the f**k is that monstrosity? Why are you trying to feed so many people?” To which he replied that he was giving “value for money”. Next came the taste test.

Two women sampled both meals while the chefs looked on, with Will encouraging them to “dig in”. He invited them to share their verdicts after trying both dishes, and both pointed towards Will’s Fortnum & Mason creation.

One described it as the “best overall meal”, observing that the steak on the opposing plate was “really nicely cooked”. The chefs then tried one another’s dishes, with Jack remarking that his fellow chef had done a “good job”.

Regarding the more budget-friendly option, Will said: “Based on the quality of this, quality versus price, this steak is better.”

On the pricier steak, Jack said: “This is just like a lovely restaurant dish. Like, if I went to any restaurant in Mayfair or whatever, this is what I’d be expecting.”

Finally, Jack sampled the durian and shuddered, commenting that it was “actually savoury”.

The Airbus A350-1000 transmitted a Squawk 7700 code – the international code for a general emergency – while cruising at 39,000 feet.

A Virgin Atlantic flight from Los Angeles declared an emergency upon entering British airspace.

The crew of the Airbus A350-1000 transmitted a Squawk 7700 code – the internationally recognised signal for a general emergency – while cruising at 39,000 feet, due to a “serious medical situation” involving a passenger on board, according to reports.

The aircraft made a hastened descent towards London Heathrow Airport, AirLive reports. Having departed Los Angeles International Airport at 3.41pm on Monday, the plane touched down at Heathrow Terminal 3 at 10.06am on Tuesday – roughly 10 minutes ahead of schedule, according to flight-tracking data.

The pilots alerted air traffic control, who granted the flight priority landing status. The plane then began a swift descent to the runway, where emergency services and ground crews were reportedly standing by. Virgin Atlantic has yet to issue any statement regarding the incident.

Virgin Atlantic is Britain’s second-largest airline, operating a range of transatlantic routes from London Heathrow to destinations such as New York, Orlando, the Caribbean, Delhi and Johannesburg. The carrier is headquartered in Crawley, West Sussex, approximately 2.5 miles from Gatwick Airport station, reports the Mirror.

The incident follows a separate emergency involving a Jet2 flight from London to Tenerife, which was forced to declare an emergency after a baby on board fell seriously ill. The drama unfolded aboard Jet2 flight EXS2V travelling from London Stansted to Tenerife South on Saturday. Air traffic controllers granted the aircraft priority landing after being notified that an infant was struggling to breathe. The plane touched down nine minutes ahead of schedule at approximately 2.20pm.

Spanish air traffic controllers announced shortly before the aircraft’s arrival: “The crew of the flight from the UK arriving at Tenerife South informs us that they require priority to attend to a baby with respiratory problems.

“We are shortening their approach as much as possible while coordinating medical assistance on the ground with the airport. We wish the little one a speedy recovery.”

It remained unclear at the time whether the infant had been taken to hospital following landing.

easyJet is urging passengers to follow certain steps

easyJet is urging passengers travelling to Spain, and a host of other destinations, to follow some key pieces of advice.

The airline released guidance earlier this month, with over 100 airports affected by a significant post-Brexit rule change. In an “important update” shared on April 1, easyJet warned that queue times may be impacted, as it said: “Airports across Europe may experience longer queues at passport control whilst the new European Entry/Exit System (EES) border checks are being completed. This will mean you may need to have your biometrics taken including your face and fingerprints scanned.”

To ensure travel goes as smoothly as possible, easyJet is requesting passengers to follow these steps:

• Plan your travel to and through the airport, as you may experience longer queues
• If you need to go to Bag Drop, go there as soon as it opens
• Make your way through security as early as possible
• Be aware there may be additional checks at passport control before your gate
• Head to the gate or boarding area as soon as it’s announced
• Make sure you have the correct documents to travel

The airline further advises: “You may experience longer queues in your arrival airport”. The EES applies to 29 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage following the incident in Wheelgate, Malton.

It happened outside Cooplands at approximately 11,45am on Monday, April 13.

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A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “It involved a black Vauxhall Astra which collided with a pedestrian. The Astra was heading south on Wheelgate and the pedestrian was crossing from Cooplands towards St Michael Street.

“The female pedestrian sustained a laceration and fracture to her ankle and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

“We’re now appealing for any witnesses to the collision, anyone who may have seen the vehicle prior to the collision, or anyone with relevant dashcam footage or CCTV, to contact us.

“If you can help, please email Alyssa.Upton@northyorkshire.police.uk if you can help. Alternatively, you can call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for Alyssa Upton.

“Please quote reference 12260065645 when passing on information.”

Lesley Johnstone is passionate about helping others lose weight without overspending or giving up the foods they enjoy most.

Lesley Johnstone never thought her love of dirty fries would have a place in a weight loss story, yet they sit right at the heart of how she lost an incredible 4st 2lb and changed her life.

Now a Slimming World consultant in Shotts and a recent graduate of the Slimming World Academy, Lesley is passionate about helping others lose weight without overspending or giving up the foods they enjoy most.

“Dirty fries have always been my favourite,” Lesley laughs. “Crispy chips piled high with chilli, chicken and cheese.

“For years they were my comfort food and usually ordered as a takeaway.

“You don’t realise how often you’re ordering until you add it up. It becomes second nature.”

Before joining Slimming World, cooking from scratch felt intimidating. Lesley believed healthy eating would cost more and take longer, and she did not feel confident in the kitchen.

Stepping into her local Slimming World group changed that outlook completely.

“What surprised me most was how realistic it all felt,” Lesley says. “It wasn’t about buying special products or fancy ingredients. It was about using what you already have and planning a bit better.”

One of the first habits Lesley picked up was batch cooking.

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“If I’m making chilli or a sauce, I make extra,” she explains. “I’ll bulk it out with extra veg and freeze portions.

“Those meals are brilliant for nights when I might otherwise order a takeaway.”

Learning to love her freezer helped Lesley save money without feeling restricted.

She now keeps frozen veg, bread and meat to hand so nothing goes to waste.

“Buying in bulk and freezing portions has been a game changer,” she says. “It means I always have the base for a meal.

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“I plan my meals and go in with a list. I focus on what’s on offer, especially fruit and veg, and build meals around that.

“I also use own-brand tinned foods like tomatoes, beans and pulses they’re cheaper and just as good.”

The biggest revelation, though, was discovering she could still enjoy dirty fries.

“I just make them at home now,” she smiles. “Crispy Slimming World air fryer chips, homemade chilli using mince and tinned tomatoes, lighter cheese and a big salad.

They’re just as tasty, far cheaper and I feel satisfied instead of sluggish.”

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By cooking more at home and saving energy with appliances like her slow cooker and air fryer, Lesley noticed changes quickly.

“Meals cost less, I felt more organised and the weight started coming off,” she said. “I wasn’t even trying to save money at first, it just happened naturally.”

As her confidence in the kitchen grew, cooking became something she enjoyed rather than avoided. Fakeaways, batch cooked favourites and simple one pot meals replaced last minute takeaways.

After losing 4st 2lb and transforming her relationship with food, Lesley decided to train as a Slimming World consultant.

She now supports members in Shotts who are struggling with rising food costs as well as their weight.

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She added: “So many people think healthy eating costs more. I love showing them that with a bit of planning and support, you can eat really well, lose weight and save money too.

“I never imagined my own weight loss journey would lead me here. Now I get to help others feel happier, healthier and less stressed about food. And yes, dirty fries are still on the menu just done my way now.”

Lesley runs the Shotts Slimming World group every Wednesday at 7pm in the Brass Band Hall, Windsor Street, Shotts. To join, pop along or contact Lesley on 07842 201642.

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