Wilton House is collecting donations for Saving the Beautiful Dogs and Cats of Cape Verde, a charity that supports injured, lost, malnourished, and abused animals on the island of Sal.
Emma Hardy, manager of Wilton House, will deliver the donations in person during an upcoming holiday to the island.
Ms Hardy said: “When I found out we could take an additional suitcase filled with donations, I thought it was a brilliant opportunity to help.
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“The charity does incredible work caring for stray and vulnerable animals on the island and every donation, no matter how small, will make a difference.
“We know people are incredibly generous and we would be so grateful for any items people can spare.
“It would mean a great deal to be able to arrive with a suitcase full of supplies to support the charity and the animals they care for.”
She will be travelling with former Wilton House administrator Karen, and thanks to a scheme with TUI, can take an extra suitcase free of charge filled with donations for the charity.
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Requested items include flea and worming medications, blankets, towels, leads, collars and wet or dry pet food.
Tinned food cannot be accepted due to luggage weight restrictions.
Donations can be dropped off at Wilton House Care Home, Wilton Close, Darlington.
The care home and charity are encouraging the community to contribute to the appeal and support the animal welfare project.
The rest of the top 10 tracks were made up of Rose and Bruno Mars’ APT (fifth), Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else by Benson Boone (sixth), Chappell Roan’s Pink Pony Club (seventh), Sapphire and Azizam (eighth and ninth respectively) both by Sheeran, and Smith’s Stargazing (10th).
Here’s what the stars have in store for your day (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
The Moon in Libra opposes Chiron in Aries today, holding up a mirror to your self-image. Get reflective, and strive for indvidual improvement.
Aquarius, Sagittarius and Libra, this heightened self awareness will feel uncomfortable at times. Take a step back, breathe and be kind to yourself.
Give others grace, particularly as you will appreciate sensitivity from those around you. Patience may not come naturally but it is essential.
Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Wednesday May 27, 2026.
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Aries
March 21 to April 20
Today, relationships act as mirrors, highlighting the positives and flaws in a key relationship, showing you your own shortcomings, and inspiring real change. The Moon in Libra opposes Chiron in your sign, suggesting others may have wounds or issues too, so be kind to yourself, but also be prepared to give people leeway, as they may be in a sensitive mood too.
You may notice that some habits and activities soothe you and are enjoyable, while others might drain you. It helps to listen to what your body and feelings are telling you, as a few subtle changes could leave you more energised overall. Sense that introducing something like yoga or meditation on a regular basis could bring peace of mind? Prepare to give it a go.
Feel torn between expressing your true self and fitting in with the group vibe? This isn’t the time to dilute your natural abilities to prevent awkwardness with peers. Yet, you could feel more self-conscious than usual, and might wonder if you really belong with the social scene you’re involved in. Dare to be totally yourself, and your true friends will easily recognise you
The Moon’s face-off with Chiron in Aries suggests being pulled between nurturing your private world and proving yourself publicly. But if you’re not at ease with who you are in those quiet moments, it’s unlikely you’ll feel fulfilled playing your part on the world stage. Start the process of healing deeper wounds, and it will be easier to achieve your dreams.
A conversation or idea may bring up doubts about being understood or taken seriously. You may be keen to hear others’ thoughts. Yet there’s no need to substitute them for your own understanding, as what you know works best for you. Even so, don’t be afraid to consider other perspectives, even if they threaten the status quo, as doing so can be liberating.
Find yourself weighing what you give against what you receive? With the Libra Moon opposing Chiron in Aries, it can be easy to see the glass half empty rather than half full. But a shift in how you view your resources could lead to a gentle healing. While it isn’t good to let yourself be taken advantage of, generosity can lead to opportunities you never expected.
Cosmic messages for Cosmic messages for Virgo today
Libra
September 24 to October 23
You may feel a flicker of vulnerability in a tie, yet it can carry a useful message. Smoothing things over is a wise move, but it’s likely not to be as helpful as understanding why this matter arose in the first place. An edgy line-up could be a call to hold that conversation and get to the root of what is going on. Doing so could deepen and strengthen this bond.
The lunation can reveal subtle stresses in your daily routines that you simply can’t ignore. Feeling sensitive? It’s worth taking some time out to unwind, enjoy some pampering, and generally not put too much pressure on yourself. Small adjustments can lead to decisive shifts, too, so if anything is getting to you, take the lead by doing something positive about it now.
It’s not like you to be a serial people pleaser, but today it could happen as the Libra Moon in your social zone opposes healing Chiron. Will you go out on a limb and do something you’ve wanted to do for a while, even if it upsets your friends? If they’re your real friends, they’ll celebrate your bravery, so don’t worry about what others think. Do what feels good to you.
You’ll be more sensitive to the ups and downs of work-life balance, which could inspire a few key changes. Sometimes all it takes is one minor event to encourage that conversation, whether with a boss or family member. Getting things out in the open could mean that you finally make room to relax, unwind, and nurture yourself more, which has to be a good thing.
You may be more self-conscious than usual about what you say or how you should put something across. The Moon-Chiron face-off hints that tact can be wise, but if you need to talk, then diluting your words too much won’t work either. It helps to deliver them in such a way that it lifts those involved and encourages solutions and a promising way forward for all.
You like to be generous, but today you need to know where to draw the line. Yet, deciding where the boundary could be, another matter. Do you give a little bit more, a lot more, or perhaps less? This issue may have been going on for a while, but an incident could test your resolve. Sharing grudgingly just so you don’t upset someone isn’t on. Instead, be strong!
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The BBC hit show is one of the UK’s most trusted consumer brands and its now expanding its investigation team
Monde Mwitumwa TV and Celebrity Reporter
00:01, 27 May 2026
BBC The One Show‘s Watchdog has announced that it’s expanding its investigation team.
The popular segment, which is one of the UK’s most trusted consumer brands, is set to welcome two new presenters, who will film alongside regular hosts Matt Allwright and Nikki Fox.
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BBC viewers will welcome BAFTA-winning presenter and consumer journalist Nick Stapleton and Manchester-based broadcaster and documentary maker Amber Haque.
The duo will bring in fresh expert advice to the series, with Nick’s first report set to air during Wednesday’s (May 27) episode of The One Show.
He will be exposing scam adverts on social media that lure consumers into fraudulent investments.
Nick’s new role holds a special place in his heart as he is the son of the late Watchdog presenters John Stapleton and Lynn Faulds Wood, the much-loved husband-and-wife team who fronted the programme from 1986 to 1993.
He admitted that there is a “real poignancy” in joining the team as his parents are not around anymore.
The TV presenter said: “Uncovering scams and fighting for consumer fairness is in my blood. I grew up watching my mum doorstepping people and holding them to account, and it lit a fire in me.”
He added: “My parents aren’t around any more, so there is a real poignancy in joining Watchdog, a programme that was such a huge part of our lives. I truly believe in public service broadcasting and it’s a privilege to join Matt, Nikki and Amber to continue that legacy.”
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Meanwhile, Amber, whose work spans BBC Three documentaries, hit podcasts and international productions, said: “I grew up watching The One Show and Watchdog and so much of my work now looks at how digital culture and modern systems are affecting people’s lives.
“What makes Watchdog so special is how it holds power to account while staying human and accessible, so it’s a really exciting moment to be joining the team.”
Speaking about his new colleagues, Matt said: “In Amber and Nick we’ve got two of the most talented investigative journalists around. I’m delighted that they’re going to be part of the team and I know they will take Watchdog from strength to strength.”
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Nikki continued: “It’s an exciting time for Watchdog on The One Show. With Nick and Amber, we’ll be able to cover even more of the stories that matter to audiences across the UK. They’re both brilliant and I can’t wait to welcome them.”
Joanne Vaughan-Jones, Editor of The One Show added: “Watchdog remains one of the BBC’s most trusted brands. At a time when consumer issues are evolving rapidly, its role has never been more vital – and with Matt, Nikki, Nick and Amber, we have a brilliant team ready to deliver real impact.”
Watchdog airs every Wednesday from 7pm on BBC The One Show
The government has published plans for “once-in-a-generation” reform of youth justice in England and Wales. The reforms are billed as a blueprint for earlier intervention, more targeted support and addressing the root causes of youth crime.
It’s welcome that the proposals recognise how many children in the youth justice system have grown up with instability, trauma and neglect – and that those in the system often have increasingly complex needs. They also emphasise the importance of trusted relationships with professionals, stronger families and school attendance.
The argument that youth crime is often shaped by complex needs, adversity and missed opportunities for support, maps closely onto what my colleague Jagjit Sandhu and I found in our recent study of young men who have been involved in gangs.
Gang involvement is often discussed in terms of violence, drugs, knives and policing. It can be dangerous, harmful and traumatising, both for young people themselves and for the communities around them. But focusing only on crime misses something important: gangs can also offer belonging, a sense of identity and support for young people. This is often what draws them to get involved in the first place, and what makes it difficult to leave.
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Research has long suggested that gang involvement rarely comes from one cause. Young people may be “pushed” towards gangs by poverty, exclusion, victimisation or lack of support, while also being “pulled” by status, protection, identity and belonging. Gangs can offer protection, power, excitement and social support. These are benefits that, for some young people, are felt to outweigh the risks.
Our study, published in the Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice, involved interviews with five young men in London who had current or previous gang involvement. The study explored how they made sense of their life experiences, relationships and sources of support.
Participants described growing up around poverty, violence, family disruption and feeling misunderstood or unsupported by adults and institutions. One young man, Jesse*, recalled times when “there wasn’t no food” and “there was no electric”. Paul described people in his community as “really good people” who sometimes felt their “only choice” was to do something wrong.
But the young men in our study were not only “pushed” by adversity. They were also “pulled” to the gang by relationships that seemed to offer something they could not find elsewhere.
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For Paul, closeness came from shared experience. He described his peers as “literally like the same person [as me] but just put in different houses”. John spoke about his fellow gang members as “brothers.” Tom recalled older gang members who “showed me a lot of love” and helped him feel protected. They described these relationships as central to why gang involvement made sense to them at the time.
The young men did not use this to excuse subsequent violence or criminal behaviour. But it helped them explain why they were drawn to the gang, and why leaving was so difficult.
Why early support and relationships matter
This is where the government’s emphasis on early intervention and trusted relationships is important. The white paper presenting the proposals argues that support for children at risk of offending should be “timely, proportionate and holistic”. It should also be joined up across schools, social care, health, youth justice teams and voluntary organisations.
The proposals stress the importance of stable relationships with trusted adults such as mentors, youth workers, teachers, social workers and other professionals. These adults can help children feel safe, regulate emotions and begin to see themselves as someone with a future outside crime.
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Our findings support this approach. Some of our participants wanted to move away from gang involvement, but needed help to imagine and build a different life. Tom described contact with professionals through a support service as “like two different worlds”, saying that it changed his “mind state”. Others spoke about mentoring, work, family relationships and new peer groups as helping them find purpose and belonging outside the gang.
Support is key to helping young people find belonging and positive relationships outside of gangs. Media_Photos/Shutterstock
The government’s focus on early intervention is welcome, including the expansion of programmes such as Turnaround, a voluntary support programme for children on the cusp of entering the youth justice system. It also proposes opening more Young Futures Hubs, intended to bring local services together so young people can access opportunities, mental health and wellbeing support, and help to move away from crime, and early support hubs, which offer young people mental health support without needing a GP referral.
Separately, it reiterates Labour’s manifesto commitment for new child criminal exploitation measures, including offence and civil orders aimed at adults who exploit children into criminality. The point is not only to improve outcomes for children who offend – effective early intervention also means fewer victims and safer communities.
But policy also needs to keep listening to young people with lived experience of offending. Their voices can help us understand what support looks like from the inside: what came too late, what felt irrelevant and what made change feel possible.
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The need for belonging is not unusual or deviant. It is human. But not all young people have easy access to safe places, trusted adults or meaningful opportunities. YMCA analysis of local authority youth services found that spending has fallen sharply since 2010–11, with fewer council-run youth centres and youth workers than a decade ago.
Research has found crime and violence to be linked to a lack of positive relationships, education and employment opportunities and community support. When these are missing, gangs may fill the gap. Early intervention has to mean understanding what young people are looking for and offering support and opportunities that feel real to them – before gangs become the place they find belonging – and before more people are harmed.
The three-day celebration, running from May 23 to 25, drew crowds from across the region, with a packed programme of live entertainment, family activities and a vibrant parade through the town centre.
Photos from the weekend capture locals proudly marching through the streets in a colourful procession.
Festivities centred around the main stage, where live music kept audiences entertained throughout the weekend, while visitors also enjoyed a mix of food vendors, bars and traditional fairground rides.
A range of community-led activities added to the atmosphere, including a popular pet show, dog agility displays, open mic sessions and a bustling car boot sale.
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Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Organisers have praised the enormous community effort behind the event, thanking volunteers, sponsors, local businesses and emergency services for their support in making the weekend a success.
A spokesperson said: “To the volunteers, committee members, sponsors, local businesses, entertainers, musicians, traders, food vendors, parade entrants, emergency services, community groups, and every single person who gave their time, effort, and support — we truly couldn’t do it without you.
“We hope you all enjoyed Barnard Castle Meet Weekend 2026 as much as we did, and after a little rest, we’ll start looking ahead to doing it all again next year.”
What if you could visit a place that does not exist on any map? A place whispered about online as though it sits just beyond the edges of our known world. A place known quite simply as, the Backrooms.
The Backrooms are an internet-created fictional setting imagined as an infinite network of empty, fluorescent-lit rooms. The concept centres on the idea of accidentally slipping out of normal reality and becoming trapped in this monotonous, labyrinthine environment with no clear exit.
Since first emerging online in 2019 on the online bulletin board 4chan, the Backrooms phenomenon has expanded across Reddit, TikTok, YouTube and gaming platforms, where users collectively map, narrate and extend its mythology. Common to much of the user-generated content are eerie images and haunting stories of mysterious, yellow wallpapered corridors and empty office-like spaces that exist outside of, or beyond, reality itself.
Much of the interest on the internet circulates around filmmaker Kane Parsons’ viral “found footage” videos on YouTube. Parsons took the phenomenon from low resolution static images into immersive cinematic exploration, helping to establish Backrooms as one of social media’s most recognisable horror environments. With Parsons now adapting the Backrooms for a feature-length horror thriller, the strange fictive world is rapidly entering mainstream discourse.
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The trailer for the horror film Backrooms.
At first glance, the Backrooms may resemble just another accelerated urban legend (also known as “creepypasta”) such as Slenderman or The Russian Sleep Experiment. But our research suggests something more significant is occurring in terms of changing consumer interest in spaces related to horror or trauma, their mediation, and new ways of experiencing them.
Behind the yellow wallpaper
The Backrooms began with a single unsettling image posted anonymously online: a claustrophobic warren of tawdrily yellow, windowless rooms with aged carpets and harsh overhead fluorescent lights.
Intrigued by the vague mixture of menace and nostalgia that the image evoked, internet users began sharing stories and speculating that the Backrooms is a hidden dimension into which people might accidentally find themselves.
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With commercial tourism, social media and vlogging much of today’s world feels overexposed and overexplained, with seemingly every destination photographed, every experience reviewed and all hidden gems channelled into content. The mystery of the Backrooms felt different.
Today, the r/backrooms subreddit contains hundreds of thousands of members, while Backrooms content across TikTok and Instagram continues to attract enormous engagement. Content tagged #backrooms on TikTok exceeds half a million posts, while Instagram fan pages such as @xbackroom, which have hundreds of thousands of followers, further extend the mythology through images, edits and speculative storytelling. Users create maps, fictional diary entries, survival guides, found-footage videos and first-person explorations that collectively expand the world.
A history of the Backrooms phenomenon.
This is one reason the Backrooms feel different from traditional horror films or ghost stories. Rather than passively consuming a finished narrative, audiences actively participate in constructing and navigating the environment itself.
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Folklore scholar Michael Kinsella has described this kind of online activity as a form of “online legend-tripping” where audiences become contributors, collaborators and world-builders rather than simply spectators.
The horror of familiar places
Dark tourism research reveals that people are drawn to places associated with death, disaster, tragedy and the uncanny, whether former prisons, abandoned sites, or locations connected to unsettling historical events. These locations often involve an encounter with atmospheres that feel emotionally, symbolically or existentially charged.
The Backrooms extend this logic into new and participatory territory. Unlike virtual dark tourism that allows for “armchair travel” to real-world dark heritage sites, there is no physical location anchoring the Backrooms nor any historical tragedy to commemorate. Instead, the Backrooms provide a collectively imagined and online environment of unease, abandonment and liminality.
Interest in the Backrooms persists precisely because they lack a fixed mythology, geographical reality, or narrative history, allowing users to construct meaning around places that, nonetheless, feel uncannily familiar. With their dated decor, hotel-like hallways, overhead ceiling tiles and abandoned office spaces, the Backrooms resemble the overlooked non-places of modern life – spaces many people recognise but rarely notice.
In this sense, the Backrooms reveal how digital culture is beginning to reshape experiences traditionally associated with tourism, allowing for the mundane to become menacing.
The Backrooms operate less like a story people receive and more like a world they enter. Across YouTube videos, video games, VR experiences and TikTok edits, audiences are located inside the environment itself blurring the boundaries between storytelling, role-playing, tourism and online participation.
This boundary-crossing may help explain why the phenomenon resonates so strongly at this cultural moment. The internet is no longer just a network of information or communication platforms; it is gradually evolving into a landscape people emotionally navigate and fully inhabit.
The Backrooms points toward a future where collectively imagined digital worlds function as meaningful cultural environments in their own right: places people travel to, explore, emotionally invest in and repeatedly return to, despite never physically existing at all.
She is expected to highlight the organisation’s efforts in “disrupting Russia’s efforts to smuggle western tech, fending off cyber attacks, and countering reckless sabotage and assassination attempts”, adding, “as we remain steadfast in our support for Ukraine, Putin is going backwards on the battlefield”.
Concerns were raised a pollution incident had taken place
Steve Bagnall and Tom Burnett Content Editor
23:06, 26 May 2026Updated 23:29, 26 May 2026
This is the moment the sea turned brown at a popular Welsh beach over the Bank Holiday weekend.
The murky water at Porthdinllaen in Gwynedd sparked fears over the weekend that a sewage leak had taken place at the famous North Wales beach.
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However Natural Resources Wales [NRW] has now confirmed this was not the case, and the discolouration was actually caused by algae, NorthWalesLive reports.
Arfon Hughes, environment team leader for NRW, said: “Our officers received reports of potential pollution at Porthdinllaen beach over the bank holiday weekend.
“Upon inspection, this was found to be a type of non-toxic algae called Phaeocystis – one of the most common bloom-forming algae in our coastal waters.
“The blooms can form a brown, frothy scum that is harmless and may be influenced by recent sunlight and warmer temperatures.
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“Anyone with concerns about potential pollution can report them to us by calling our 24/7 incident communication line on 0300 065 3000 or by using our online incident form.”
Porthdinllaen has a sweeping sandy bay sheltered by the Carreg Ddu headland. It is famed for its beach pub, Ty Coch, which has been named among the best beach bars in the world.
As part of the brand’s Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) strategy, it takes the basic idea of an electric van and reworks it into an adaptable, people‑focused MPV that can serve private buyers, fleets and small businesses alike.
Built on the new E‑GMP.S skateboard platform, the PV5 Passenger uses a flat, under‑floor battery and a front‑mounted electric motor to maximise cabin space while keeping the mechanicals simple.
In long‑range 71.2kWh form, the motor produces 160bhp and 250Nm of torque, good for 0‑62mph in 10.6 seconds and a top speed of 84mph. On paper that looks straightforward, but in practice the instant response of the electric drivetrain makes the PV5 feel keener than the figures suggest, with responsive acceleration that suits stop‑start urban driving and quick dashes onto dual carriageways.
The Kia PV5 Passenger is seen near Digley Reservoir in the Kirklees area of West Yorkshire
It never feels strained in typical use, even with passengers and luggage on board.
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One of the most impressive aspects is how quickly you forget you are driving a tall, boxy vehicle. The combination of a long wheelbase, low‑mounted battery pack and well‑judged suspension – double wishbones up front and a torsion beam at the rear – gives the PV5 a planted, predictable feel.
Turn‑in is reasonably sharp, body roll is well contained, and the steering is light but accurate, so it threads through town far more like a big family car than a van‑derived people carrier. A tight 5.5m turning circle makes U‑turns and multi‑storey car parks less of a chore than you might expect from something this bulky.
Refinement is another strong card. With no engine noise to contend with and decent suppression of wind and road roar, the PV5 Passenger is very smooth and quiet at typical A‑road and motorway speeds. That calm is helped by the seamless single‑speed transmission and the adjustable regenerative braking, which can be dialled up to an i‑Pedal mode for near one‑pedal driving.
The Kia PV5 Passenger
In heavy traffic this makes it feel agile and easy to control, and the whole driving experience has a relaxed, unflustered character.
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Range and charging performance are well judged for its dual role as a people carrier and working vehicle. The 71.2kWh long‑range battery is rated at up to 256 miles on the WLTP combined cycle, rising further in city use, with energy consumption of around 3.2 miles per kWh. All versions can rapid charge at up to 150kW, taking the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in under half an hour on a suitably powerful DC charger. On an 11kW AC wallbox, the long‑range pack will go from 10 to 100 per cent in about six and a half hours, making overnight charging straightforward.
Where the PV5 Passenger really earns its keep is space and practicality.
Its square bodywork and flat floor translate into a cavernous, cleverly packaged cabin. The initial five‑seat 2‑3‑0 layout offers generous leg, head and shoulder room in both rows, and the low beltline plus large windows give an airy feel and excellent visibility.
The Kia PV5 Passenger
Bags of space for passengers is no exaggeration: even tall adults can get comfortable in the back, helped by useful touches such as USB‑C ports, cup holders and multiple storage trays scattered around the cabin.
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Behind the second row there is a huge 1,330‑litre luggage area, accessed via a wide tailgate opening and helped by a low load lip. Getting a washing machine into the boot proved almost laughably easy, underlining just how square and usable the space is; folding the second row unlocks up to 2,300 litres if you really need van‑like carrying capacity.
The interior design leans towards robust modern workspace rather than premium MPV, but it fits the brief. A seven‑inch digital instrument display is paired with a 12.9‑inch central touchscreen running Android‑based software, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The graphics are clear, and the menus reasonably logical.
The Lowdown
Kia PV5 Passenger ‘Plus’ 71.2kWh FWD 5st
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Price: £38,295 OTR (£36,795 including £1,500 EV Grant)
Tuesday’s dramatic incident in Edinburgh is the latest in a long line of retaliations, and part of a war between two notorious Scottish kingpins trading brutal blows
23:11, 26 May 2026Updated 23:12, 26 May 2026
A Scotland drug war took a dramatic new turn today as a skip lorry ploughed through the home of a gangster blamed for starting the conflict.
The heavy truck slammed into the property on Brand Drive in Edinburgh on Tuesday afternoon, with footage capturing the moment it reversed at high speeds before smashing through the home’s front door. The building, in the city’s Portobello area, was destroyed in the collision, with emergency services quickly arriving at the scene and pictures capturing a massive, gaping hole left on its frontage.
It has been claimed the attack was carried out by the Tamo Junto (TMJ), a footsoldier gang under the control of big-time drug dealer Ross McGill, who was left incensed at the 19-year-old homeowner’s alleged attempt to rip him off in a fake money deal.
The Daily Record reports that sources revealed the attack was carried out by TMJ, which targeted the 19-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, after he was allegedly hired by McGill rival kingpin Mark Richardson to rip him off in a cocaine deal paid for by £500,000 in fake cash.
One source cited by the publication said: “This lad worked for Richardson’s crew. He travelled to Dubai and was introduced to McGill by a middleman before he bought £500k worth of cocaine off him using fake notes.
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“The middle man left Dubai right after the deal and was caught in Thailand and slashed across the face, but the teenage lad who bought the drugs stayed over there and has been keeping a low profile. His mum still lives at that place in Edinburgh though, so this has led to the family home being targeted.”
“The dealer has been Tamo Junto’s target since day one, so it’s no surprise to people in the know that they have done something like this.”
The bloody gang war was launched in Scotland in March 2025 after McGill was lead to understand the 19-year-old had worked for Richardson’s gang. Richardson’s crew had been targeted with a series of attacks, including firebombs and bullets fired through windows.
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TMJ then went after the Daniel clan in Glasgow over their association with Richardson, targeting properties in the city belonging to high-ranking members of the family, which were set alight.
Another source told the Record that TMJ is out to “eliminate Richardson’s gang and all their associates”, saying: “TMJ have insisted since day one that the feud won’t stop until they eliminate Richardson’s gang and all their associates. This lad targeted today was a high priority but there are many more they want to bring down.”
Commenting on today’s incident, a Police Scotland spokesperson said road closures were put in place in the area after a lorry “struck a house” in the afternoon.
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The spokesperson said: “Emergency services are in attendance at Brand Drive, Edinburgh following a crash, involving a lorry having struck a house, which happened around 2.25pm on Tuesday, 26 May, 2026. There are road closures in place at Christian Grove and Christian Crescent.”
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