The pick-up horror took place at Red Hall Primary School on Wednesday (June 3) when the 36-year-old arrived to police officers on the ground and drones in the sky.

The dental therapist, who wishes to remain nameless, said it was there that she was told her daughter, who has autism and ADHD, had fled for the “third time in six months”. 

Her daughter, who is part of the school’s social, emotional and mental health needs provision, is said to have escaped with two other children aged seven and nine.

Around an hour after police arrived, she said the three children were found a staggering two miles away from the school by the River Skerne, near Darlington Police Station.

Julie Davidson, executive headteacher of Red Hall, said the school takes the safety and wellbeing of all students “extremely seriously”.

But despite the head saying parents were “contacted promptly”, the mum-of-three claims she only found out at pick up – and that a parent of another missing child was told by police.

“It was horrific. You don’t expect something to happen like that in this day and age”, the woman, who lives at West Park, said. 

“I just turned up at the school to find police vans, and at this point, there were drones out. I had gone in to get her, and they said she went missing with two other boys. 

“[The school] explained that the kids had escaped again but had to contact police as there had been no sightings of them for the last hour.”

She continued: “I just felt sick. I thought something really bad had happened. It was pouring down that day as well.

“They were found just before 5pm, they were found near the River Skerne, next to the town.”

The woman, who has lived in Darlington since she was 15, said it is the third time that her daughter has absconded in the last six months. 

“I feel as though the school doesn’t seem to care, they are not getting it”, she argued.

“It is supposed to be a unit for kids who have special needs, but they have escaped three times. 

“The last two times they were found within one hour in the Red Hall estate, but we were again never informed until we got to the school.” 

She now feels that a “serious safeguarding investigation” must be carried out and is due to visit the Headingley Crescent school for a meeting on Monday. 

“Anything could have happened to them”, she said. “The fact that this is the third time as well…

“It is not like this is a one off. It makes you not want to drop your kid off at school. You drop them off at school, and you expect them to be safe. 

“If this happened to me, she wouldn’t be in my care.

“[My daughter] is fine. She doesn’t understand the consequences or the dangers. The school is more than aware of that.”

A Durham Police spokesperson said: “Police were called just before 2.20pm on Wednesday (June 3) to assist with a search for three children who had been reported missing from Red Hall Primary School, in Darlington.

“Officers attended and located the children around an hour later.”

All full statement from Ms Davidson said: “We take the safety and wellbeing of all our students extremely seriously. When this incident took place, the parents of the children involved were contacted promptly to let them know what had happened, as were the police.” 

Drivers are facing long delays on a stretch of the M6 motorway amid reports of a ‘serious’ crash this morning.

Three lanes have been closed off on the northbound stretch of the motorway near Wigan, according to traffic alert service Inrix. They are shut from junction 25 for Bryn to junction 26 for the Orrell Interchange.

Long delays are building up to the closure. Motorway cameras show queues forming on the northbound carriageway.

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President Donald Trump denied that he has broken his campaign promises by entering a war with Iran and vowed that the conflict would not be “endless” during a contentious interview this weekend.

Trump told NBC’s Kristen Welker in a pre-taped interview on Meet the Press that the war with Iran would soon come to an end, repeating an assertion that he and members of his Cabinet have made for months as the war has stubbornly dragged on without an end in sight. In his latest remarks, the president characterized the holdup as a dispute over language surrounding Iran’s future ability to acquire or purchase nuclear materials.

The president claimed that he made a distinction during his campaign for president in 2024 between “wars” and “endless” conflicts, adding that it wasn’t worth building up America’s military to never use it.

“First of all, I didn’t guarantee no war. Why would I have built the strongest military in the world?” he asked.

“When you say I promised, I didn’t promise anything. I don’t like these endless wars. [But] this is not an endless war,” Trump told Welker.

He went on to compare the war in Iran to his military strike on Venezuela, which took place in January and led to the capture of ousted leader Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces in a daring late-night raid. The president still sees similarities between that operation and the conflict against Iran, which is now more than three months old and continues without any sign of U.S. progress towards its objectives.

“We took over Venezuela in a matter of minutes. We destroyed the capability of Iran in a matter of days. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it,” Trump said before comparing it to what he saw as the alternative.

“Remember, you were in Vietnam 19 years because of stupid people,” he said. “You were in so many different countries. Every war, you were in for years. Look at Iraq. You were there for years.”

Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign launched as the war between Ukraine and Russia remained top of mind for the U.S. and the Israeli assault on Gaza was rapidly deflating President Joe Biden’s popularity within his own party. Much of Trump’s foreign policy platform centered around blaming the Biden administration for those two conflicts, which he argued were only allowed to happen and spiral out of control because of passive U.S. leadership.

But he did promise that he would not start wars, despite his claim in the NBC interview. In his 2024 victory speech, he told his supporters: “I’m not going to start a war, I’m going to stop wars.”

Trump also frequently claimed that the Ukraine invasion would not have happened on his watch. “The Ukrainian conflict should never have happened, and would not have happened if I were President,” he said in September 2022.

Trump spent much of 2025 openly campaigning for the Nobel Peace Prize as he sought to cultivate an image of a global peacemaker, which he has largely abandoned. He pushed for a new focus on Russia-Ukraine negotiations that failed to amount to anything and leaned on Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to drive the acceptance of a peace deal in Gaza.

But he also began a campaign of using military forces to strike small boats carrying suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean, a year-long series of attacks against what were once considered civilian targets, resulting in the targeting and killing of dozens of people the administration labels as drug traffickers without trial.

On Meet the Press, the president also threatened to U.S. military force to directly seize and destroy Iran’s remaining nuclear materials if a deal was not met.

“The way you do it is, if we make a deal, if we make a deal now we’re friendly, we’ll all go together. It’ll be our equipment. We’ll take it out and destroy it, whether it’s onsite or whether we take it offsite,” Trump said of the nuclear material.

“Now, if we don’t make a deal, then we’re going to take them out militarily very harshly,” he said. “And we’ll wait till we do that before we go, in which case we’ll have safety either way.”

He concluded the interview by storming out after a back-and-forth with Welker over his false claims about the 2020 election.

The president’s comments come after a week of White House officials, including Trump, claiming that the president was within moments of ending the war in Iran and had a peace deal on his desk waiting on his approval that would do so.

That peace deal has not materialized, and on Sunday the president said he was looking for further assurances about Iran’s future purchasing abilities in the deal. He added, in an attempt to assure his hawkish critics, that he would not trigger sanctions relief or the unfreezing of Iranian funds in the U.S. financial system before Iran demonstrated compliance with the potential future agreement.

As he searches for a permanent end to the war in Iran that doesn’t involve the “endless” deployment of U.S. forces or a retreat from his objective of assuming U.S. control over the future of Iran’s nuclear program, the president is still attempting to sell the importance of his strikes against Iran with the American people.

During his interview with NBC, he clashed with Welker over whether he had a message for farmers and others whose industries have seen major economic disruptions take place as a result of the war.

Complicating the issue for the White House is the Strait of Hormuz, the key waterway off Iran’s coast which the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has shut down since the war began, causing major disruptions to global shipping traffic. The U.S. has proven unable to force Iran to open the Strait for months, while facing questions about why or whether the administration was apparently unprepared for it when the war began.

Gas prices in the U.S. shot up by more than a dollar per gallon after the war began in late February and are only beginning to fade from their peak prices as Americans head into the summer travel months. For farmers, prices for fertilizer and other goods remain elevated as the Strait remains closed.

Gabriel Bortoleto – 4/10

Could have fought for Q3 but the Nouvelle chicane crash rather ruined the Audi driver’s weekend.

George Russell 6/10

Tough weekend. Didn’t look like he had to pace to even match Mercedes team-mate Antonelli. Needless penalties on top of that and it’s a further hit in the championship challenge.

Nico Hulkenberg – 6/10

Started strong, faded in qualifying but with the chaos could have ended up with points bar a penalty.

Franco Colapinto – 4/10

Has been looking so good the past few races but Monaco didn’t click. Too many near misses with the wall and how he didn’t shunt into Turn One I’ll never know. While his Alpine team-mate Gasly could have been on the podium, he was nowhere to be seen and also had a needless crash with Sainz.

Sergio Perez – 2/10

Unfortunately, what would have been a decent score was all undone by not one but two penalties for being out of position on the grid and costing Cadillac their first point. What makes it worse is that Alonso inherits it, so Cadillac are last in the constructors’ championship as a result.

Carlos Sainz – 6/10

Played the team game but fell behind Williams team-mate Albon this weekend.

Max Verstappen 8/10

Mighty lap in qualifying to only just miss out on pole. Was expecting Verstappen-like things down into Turn One but sadly, it wasn’t meant to be with Red Bull’s engine issues.

Charles Leclerc – 6/10

It wasn’t the fairytale end for Leclerc but even before the crash, he was not happy with his Ferrari team, be it brakes or pit strategy. Doesn’t take away from his speed here but it fell away from him in qualifying and ultimately he still put his car in the wall.

Lando Norris 6/10

Ended up starting behind McLaren team-mate Piastri and then got done by Gasly at the start. Ultimately had to retire from the race for the second grand prix in a row.

Oliver Bearman – 5/10

A bit unlucky with timings in qualifying but didn’t put the laps together when they counted.

Valtteri Bottas – 3/10

Outperformed by Cadillac team-mate Perez again and couldn’t get in the mix with Alonso or the Haas cars.

Lance Stroll – 4/10

Another weekend of struggles. Last in qualifying and a crash in the race.

Growing up in Crook, Catherine went to Parkside Comprehensive School, in Willington, and returned there to become an English teacher before progressing, via different roles, into senior management, and specialising in teaching and learning and professional development.

Now, as she celebrates her 30th year in education, Catherine is in her ‘perfect job’ – heading up an innovative training hub launched by a growing North-East Education Trust.

Last September, she became director of the ALP Institute of Teaching, Leadership and Research, established by the Advance Learning Partnership. Strategic partnerships with Evidence Based Education (EBE), and Durham University have strengthened the reach and impact of the Institute.

“It’s already exceeded expectations, growing rapidly into a successful hub for learning and development in our Trust and beyond,” says Catherine. “It’s so exciting and rewarding to see the levels of engagement and the impact it’s having on our colleagues.”

The Advance Learning Partnership’s origins go back to 2012 when Parkside converted to academy status. ALP was formally established five years later, growing into a mixed-phase Multi Academy Trust, serving nursery, primary and secondary pupils across County Durham and Darlington.

The majority of the 23 schools are in communities facing social and economic challenges, and ALP Institute’s launch is the latest phase in the Trust’s development.

“Having been a pupil at Parkside, then to go back there as a teacher, and be given so many opportunities to develop my own career, this role feels like a unique opportunity to give something back,” says Catherine, who has worked for ALP throughout the Trust’s existence.

“I have benefited greatly from professional development, so that adds to my passion and determination to help others thrive in their careers in education.”

Since it was launched in September, the ALP Institute’s strategic partnerships have expanded. As well as Evidence Based Education, links have also been forged with Bishop Auckland College and New College Durham. More than 100 free opportunities have so far been offered for professional learning and development, with 1,254 places booked by education professionals through a central online hub.

Forty-six ALP staff have been involved in delivering training, with external education experts also being brought in to lead courses.

The fact that so many ALP staff have signed up for a course already, underlines the healthy level of engagement in an initiative underpinned by three words: ‘learning, empowering, innovating’.

Earlier this year, the training body held its first public conference, with 75 delegates from different schools and Education Trusts coming together at Hummersknott Academy, in Darlington, to share ideas, strategies and good practice.

Catherine Hydon speaking at the ALP Institute conference at Hummersknott Academy (Image: Chris Barron)

Delegates at the ALP Institute conference in Darlington (Image: Chris Barron)

A second half-day conference, focused on Artificial Intelligence, will be staged at Whitworth Park Academy on July 2.

“This is only the beginning, our training programme is evolving all the time, and the aim is for our Institute to become a national resource,” says Catherine.

‘IT MADE ME BELIEVE IN MYSELF MORE’

ELLIE Butterworth, head of Year 9 at Whitworth Park Academy, in Spennymoor, embarked on the ‘Aspiring Senior Leaders’ course through the ALP Institute.

Ellie, who has been teaching since 2009, is in her third year with the Advance Learning Partnership and is keen to take the next step in her career.

“The course was perfect for my continued professional development – a chance for me to experience what senior leadership would be like,” she says.

The course, comprising six monthly sessions, was led by Whitworth Park headteacher, Stuart Dixon, alongside other senior leaders from the Trust.

“Being able to network with other people on the course, and hearing their stories, really helped. It made me believe in myself more and gave me the confidence that I’m ready for the next stage of my career,” Ellie added.

Ellie Butterworth, Head of Year 9 at Whitworth Park Academy; Lee Stott, Deputy Headteacher at Parkside Academy; and Karen McKeough, Assistant Headteacher at Whitworth Park Academy (Image: Chris Barron)

‘THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE’

AFTER 26 years in education and eight years at the Trust, Karen McKeough is new to senior leadership.

As well as being assistant headteacher at Whitworth Park Academy, she also leads on professional learning across her school – a position that enables her to signpost staff to the right courses.

So far, she has personally benefited from a number of courses, including the ‘Leading Teaching and Learning’ course and the ‘Training The Trainer’ course, led by Julie Hurst and Val Rayner, deputy headteachers at Hummersknott Academy, in Darlington.

“It was really helpful to get different perspectives from people with experience on strategies that are employed in schools. The course leaders were really knowledgeable about the challenges of leading change, and provided practical advice and strategies,” says Karen.

“It was also a time to be reflective and build confidence. I feel lucky to be part of a Trust that’s enlightened enough to establish its own training arm, so I can pick the courses that are right for me.”

Karen also participated in an artificial intelligence course, led by Jake Burdis, from Durham University, and was thrilled to have created a revision tool app, based on what she learned.

“Everyone has different training needs, at different stages of their careers, and the ALP Institute offers something for everyone,” she adds.

‘IT’S ENABLED US TO BRING IN VITAL EXPERTISE’

LEE Stott has a dual role as deputy headteacher at Parkside Academy and artificial intelligence education lead for the Trust.

He, therefore, finds himself at the cutting-edge of emerging technology and having to shape how AI will benefit the Trust’s employees.

Lee started as AI Education Lead in March 2025 and put together a development team of staff members from primary and secondary schools with an interest in AI.

“One of the things we discovered was that continuing professional development wasn’t embedded in relation to AI because it’s still new,” says Lee. “We recognised the need to enable staff to access expert guidance and support. Through the ALP Institute, the Trust has been able to use its partnerships to bring in that vital expertise.”

A major area of focus has been on how AI can ease workloads and boost wellbeing, helping staff to understand how valuable time can be saved.

“One of the training sessions was on the myths surrounding AI and that eased some of the natural anxieties people feel,” Lee adds.

“Now, two staff surveys, eight months apart, have illustrated a significant increase in the use of AI, with employees feeling more confident about building it into their roles.

“By next year, we want to move on to a bigger focus on creativity and innovation to make lessons really engaging.”

‘IT’S MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN CLASSROOMS’

VICTORIA Summerfield started as a newly qualified teacher at Copeland Road Primary School, at West Auckland, and rose through the ranks to become Headteacher two-and-a-half years ago.

Copeland Road Primary only joined the Advance Learning Partnership last year, and Victoria says her staff have embraced the ALP Institute with a large proportion signing up for courses.

“It’s particularly relevant in a small school like ours where teachers have to lead on a lot of subjects,” says Victoria.

“It’s been lovely to see how the training has fed into work in the classrooms, with staff feeling more confident about leading subjects and able to connect with staff from other schools.”

One example was Copeland Road maths lead, Emma Crawford, taking the ‘Aspiring Maths Leader’ course. As the only primary teacher on the course, she was able to forge useful connections with teachers from secondary schools. Victoria has also been able to get policy updates and share good practice on issues such as safeguarding and attendance.

“It’s given me more rounded knowledge of what’s happening in education, and what I also love is that staff can put forward ideas for training,” she adds.

The range of courses is evolving all the time. For example, an ‘Aspiring Deputy Headteachers’ course will be added to the existing suite of leadership training next year, alongside a programme of training on Early Years and a joint project with colleagues at EBE which will focus on questioning.

Victoria’s deputy headteacher at Copeland Road, Joanne Murray, has taken the ‘Leading Teaching and Learning’ course, and found networking to be especially valuable.

“It was so useful for finding out about different ways of doing things,” she says.

Such positive feedback from professionals on the frontline of education is heartwarming for Catherine Hydon as she works with colleagues to plot the future of the ALP Institute.

“It’s been a brilliant start, and we know there’s a demand, so it’s about building something special on strong foundations,” she says.

While some school reports might end with ‘Must try harder’ or ‘Must listen more carefully’, the first-year report for the ALP Institute of Teaching, Leadership and Research could be summed up with: ‘Excellent progress – keep it up!’

Zverev had long been dubbed the best player of his generation to have never won a Grand Slam after a string of near misses – including three defeats in major finals.

At the US Open in 2020, he lost the final despite being two sets up against Dominic Thiem and having served for the championship at 5-3 in the final set.

He led Carlos Alcaraz by two sets to one in the 2024 French Open final but it was the Spaniard who ended up lifting his first Coupe des Mousquetaires.

At the Australian Open in 2025, he was outclassed in a merciless performance by Jannik Sinner that left Zverev saying he felt mentally “empty” a few months later.

“Last year was one of the most difficult moments in my tennis career,” Zverev said.

“This year is one of the happiest moments. It’s a very different feeling right now.”

It seemed like the pressure of a Grand Slam final might prove too much for a fourth time when 24-year-old Cobolli, who had twice fought back from a set down, forced a deciding fifth set.

But Zverev, who has struggled with his emotions on court in the past, held his nerve to end his major final curse.

After falling flat on his back in celebration, Zverev dedicated his victory to his team, which includes his father and brother.

“We have been through injury, heartbreaks, losses. We have been losers at times in the most important moments,” Zverev said.

“At the end of the day, we are Grand Slam champions now and that is what counts.

“I was laying on this court with an injury that I didn’t know if I will ever come back from. All of those memories, they’re not wiped out,” he said.

“They’re still with me but this one will beat all of them.”

During a visit to Altura 50, which asset management company Compass Rock International has recently taken over, David showed the LDRS that only 78 of the 239 cycle parking spaces designated for residents were accessible at the time. The LDRS observed that one of the main cycle storage hubs in the basement was locked and being used to store furniture, paint and maintenance equipment, while two others were inaccessible to residents at the time of the visit.

Six-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy announced in 2024 that his prostate cancer had spread to his bones, with doctors giving him between two and four years to live.

Six-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy has given an update on his health, with the cycling legend saying he is ‘doing fine’ as he plans for a charity bike ride.

Sir Chris announced in 2024 that his prostate cancer had spread to his bones, with doctors giving him between two and four years to live. But the 50-year-old Scot has not let his illness stop him from doing what he enjoys so far.

One of Britain’s greatest Olympians, Hoy struggled to stop thoughts of living with stage four cancer from dominating his mornings. Now he is determined to show that there is plenty he and others in the same situation can still achieve.

Sir Chris, who won 37 medals in a remarkable career as a track cyclist, has previously said he remains optimistic that artificial intelligence could play a pivotal role in developing new medicines. For now, he’s focused on what lies directly in his path.

“I’m doing fine, thanks,” Hoy told the Press Association. “The Tour de 4 is the main focus for me the next few months.”

The charity bike ride, which supports those affected by cancer, is set to take place in Glasgow in September. It raised more than £3.1 million in its first year in 2025, backing five major UK cancer charities while also challenging attitudes towards those living with stage four cancer.

“It’s trying to demonstrate, rather than just talking about it, that all these people who are in a similar situation to me – living with stage four cancer – that there’s plenty of life left in us, and we’re determined to make the most of it, and not have cancer define who you are,” he added.

Sir Chris has previously spoken of how the Tour de 4 has become a powerful driving force since his terminal diagnosis.

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“You don’t have to be facing a stage four cancer diagnosis to have tough moments,” Sir Chris said. “I guess for me and for my family, the thing that we’ve tried to do is to not look too far ahead and to still have plans for the future and still have goals and aims and things to look forward to.”

Sir Chris has admitted he is now appreciating the small things in life, despite having big targets ahead of him. That has allowed him to keep his feet on the ground.

“Don’t forget to enjoy the moment and don’t forget to appreciate the present, because it passes you by very easily,” the Olympian said. “You’re always on to the next thing and focused on what’s next, and you can miss out on the nice stuff around you – and it’s not necessarily the big things.”

He continued: “We have big targets and big events to look forward to, of course, but I think it’s also appreciating the small things that helps you to stay grounded, and to make the most out of the present moment.”

Turning his attention back to the Tour de 4, Sir Chris revealed that the two main rides for the September event are already sold out, though spaces remain on the static bikes in the track centre as well as on the family loop – a one-kilometre circuit inside the velodrome complex. He urged people to get involved by making a donation.

“It really is going to be a big challenge to try and beat the £3.1 million target that we achieved from last year,” Sir Chris said. “Every single pound will go towards improving people’s lives, living with cancer, and for the future as well.”

Upgrade your World Cup TV setup with the Sky Glass ‘designed for football’

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Fried eggs are a classic breakfast dish and they’re relatively easy to make – but there’s one simple oil swap that can transform them from ordinary to restaurant-quality, with perfectly crispy edges and a golden runny yolk.

Few things are more satisfying than cooking a perfectly fried egg — a delicious breakfast option that pairs brilliantly with buttery toast and creamy avocado. Equally, few things are more disheartening than getting it wrong, as fried eggs have a tendency to stick and burn in the pan.

Despite being a straightforward recipe, fried eggs can go from gloriously crispy to hopelessly charred in mere seconds.

The secret to achieving the ideal fried egg, according to Chef Will Murray of Fallow restaurant, lies simply in switching up the cooking fat you use.

A flawless fried egg needn’t be complicated. Provided you use the correct quantity of oil, the right type of oil, and the appropriate temperature, you can largely leave the egg to its own devices and it’ll come out perfectly — no flipping necessary.

Will maintains that you can produce a fried egg “one minute like a chef” by deep frying in hot rapeseed oil rather than olive oil.

Rapeseed oil boasts a higher smoke point, making it the superior choice if you’re after genuinely crispy edges.

The chef described this as a “super quick” cooking tip that delivers “super crispy” results.

The goal with this technique is to achieve an outside that is “nice and crispy” while keeping the inside “nice and runny”.

To prepare the egg, the chef began by pouring a generous layer of rapeseed oil into a pan and cracking eggs into individual bowls beforehand, giving you ample time to remove any stray shell fragments.

He then carefully transferred the eggs one at a time into the pan from a short distance above it. Dropping them from too high a height risks breaking the yolk.

With the egg sizzling on a high heat, Will spooned some of the hot oil directly over the egg whites to speed up the cooking process, which also creates an appealing bubbly texture.

The eggs are ready once the whites are completely set and no longer appear translucent in any part.

Once cooked, use a spatula to lift the egg from the pan onto a plate lined with paper towels or a cloth to soak up any surplus oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and serve atop whatever you fancy.