The Crown Inn, located on Vicars Lane in Manfield, currently holds a 4.6-star rating from Google reviews.
The village pub, a short drive from Darlington, has attracted praise from visitors for its food, staff, atmosphere and traditional country inn feel.
Reviewers regularly highlight its real ale, beer garden, roaring fire and dog-friendly approach, with many describing it as a friendly spot for locals, walkers and visitors.
The Crown Inn, located on Vicars Lane in Manfield (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
One recent reviewer praised the pub’s vegetarian and vegan weekend special, saying staff were “very accommodating” with the food.
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They wrote: “Went for the vegetarian/vegan weekend special, had a lovely vegan meal. The staff were very accommodating with the food. I hope they include more vegan options in the future, as we will definitely go back.”
The reviewer gave the pub 5/5 for food, service and atmosphere, and also highlighted its quiet noise level, indoor and outdoor seating, and free parking.
Another visitor described The Crown Inn as a “lovely country inn” with a “friendly atmosphere”, recommending the fish and chips.
Others have praised the pub’s classic food and relaxed village setting.
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One reviewer called it a “great village pub” after trying the pizza and cheeseburger, while another said the staff were friendly, the food was delicious, and the prices were good.
The pub’s quiz night has also been singled out by visitors.
One reviewer described it as a “great quiz”, saying it takes place on the first Tuesday of the month.
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They added that the pub made them fish and chips with a “huge serving”, describing the meal as “very tasty”.
Another customer said the venue remained a “nice friendly village pub”, adding that it had “clean, pleasant surroundings” and “reasonably priced drinks”.
The Crown Inn has also won praise from walkers and dog owners.
One visitor said they called in on a Saturday lunchtime after a long dog walk and found the roaring fire “very welcoming”.
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They added: “As was the young chap behind the bar and the chef who talked to us about lunch options. The food was super, and we really enjoyed our visit.”
Another customer praised the service from the bar staff as “top notch” and said the chef even brought sausages out for their Labrador.
They wrote: “Food was unreal, highly recommend the parmo as it was amazing. Nothing but good to say about this place, and I’ll be back there again soon.”
From fish and chips and parmos to vegan specials and pub classics, reviewers appear to agree that the venue offers the kind of friendly, good-value experience expected from a popular village pub.
The care home previously had complaints about safeguarding in 2024 but has now been rated ‘good’ in its latest inspection
A care home that previously had concerns raised about resident safety has improved its inspection rating. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out an unannounced inspection at Aria Court care home in Coronation Close, March, between April 28 and May 1.
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CQC previously found the care home in breach of regulations relating to safe care and treatment, safe staffing and governance at its last inspection in 2024. The care home has improved on this, with CQC stating that it is no longer in breach of the regulations.
The care home was previously rated good in only effective, caring, and responsive in 2024, and requires improvement in safe and well-led, with an overall requires improvement grade. This has improved to good in all areas and is an overall good grade.
Sreeja Vijayan, home manager at the care home, is “absolutely delighted” with the inspection. Sreeja added: “This recognition reflects the dedication, compassion and hard work shown by our entire team every day!”
“We are incredibly proud of this achievement and would like to thank our residents, families and colleagues for their continued trust and support.” Inspectors acknowledged there had been improvements made to governance oversight, leadership assurance, incident review, staffing arrangements and quality monitoring systems.
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This “provided assurance” to inspectors that action had been taken. Inspectors spoke to people’s experience of the service and this was “largely positive”.
The report added: “People told us they were happy with the care they received and felt staff knew them very well.” A family member told CQC that the staff were “kind and friendly” while another said care was delivered in a “calm and unhurried way”.
During the visit, inspectors said people appeared comfortable, well-presented and settled. People also had good access to care, activities and support, including those who were nursed in bed or were unable to communicate verbally.
Overall, CQC said people experienced “kind, personalised and responsive care” and they felt “safe, respected and supported”.
Cleveland Police said they have secured more than £16 million in confiscation orders, targeting everything from cash and property to high-value designer goods.
More than £500,000 in cash, watches, diamonds, gold, houses, cars, designer clothing and even a pension are among the assets seized by Cleveland Police under the Proceeds of Crime Act, in addition to freezing bank accounts.
In once case when officers pulled over a car and spoke with a very nervous driver, who seemed suspicious, they carried out a search of the vehicle.
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In the footwell of the passenger seat, they found a huge amount of cash – £129,355.
The man was arrested on suspicion of possession of criminal property and the cash was recovered by the arresting officers.
During a different investigation into drugs activity, £300,000 in cash and other assets including several Rolex watches were recovered.
This led to financial enquiries being carried out by the Economic Crime Unit, which identified several bank accounts containing tens of thousands of pounds, all of which were then frozen under POCA.
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Organised Crime Chief Inspector, Dave Glass said: “The work of the Economic Crime Unit ensures that crime doesn’t pay.
“We disrupt criminal activity by removing the benefit of crime from criminals at every opportunity.
“We can confiscate all kinds of assets – houses, savings, cars, and even pensions.
“Literally anything that we believe has been paid for with money made from criminal activity, we can seize.”
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The team has also targeted digital assets, making their first cryptocurrency seizure in 2024 in a blackmail case involving a teenager.
Although there were no charges or convictions, more than £9,000 in cryptocurrency linked to criminal activity on messaging app Telegram was seized.
The unit’s work is supported by Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Matt Storey, who recently approved funding for an additional investigator after a staff member secured £266,000 in confiscated assets since April 2024.
Among the more unusual seizures was a pension fund, eventually used to repay a charity that was targeted by its CEO.
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After stealing more than £128,000 to fund a lavish lifestyle, the individual was found to have a pension pot worth more than £300,000.
The funds were cashed in and used to compensate the charity in full.
In another case, diamonds worth more than £3,000 were found in a caravan during a drugs investigation.
Initially mistaken for cubic zirconia, the gems and other assets were later forfeited under POCA.
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Investigators can also freeze accounts and restrain assets during ongoing investigations to prevent suspects from disposing of them.
Homes, cars, and even animals have been seized where evidence linked them to criminal profits.
Mr Storey said: “The work of this team often goes unseen, carried out quietly and diligently behind the scenes, but it is absolutely essential.”
Chief Inspector Glass said the work not only disrupts criminal networks but helps compensate victims and returns money to communities.
A 36-year-old white Scottish man has been arrested (Picture: Edward Hughes /PA Wire)
A range of attacks have been carried out in Edinburgh appearing to target the Muslim community.
Counter terror police have confirmed they are investigating the incidents which left five men – two aged 22, and others aged 24, 27 and 39 – with a range of injuries.
Three of the men were taken to hospital and none of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening.
A 36-year-old white Scottish man has been arrested.
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Police were called to the first report at 8.50pm on Friday to the Sighthill area where two men were injured.
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More reports started coming in about incidents at different retailers across the west and north of the city.
Three other men were attacked in the Telford Road and Leith Walk area.
The Scottish Association of Mosques (SAM) said two of those hurt were ‘reportedly attacked after attending prayers at their local mosque’.
Footage posted to social media shows a topless man with a knife being pinned to the ground by officers.
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He shouts: ‘I am protecting the country.’
Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said: ‘I want to send a clear message of support to all our communities that there is no place for racism or faith-based hate in a Scotland which is at its best when we stand together.
‘Officers responded to multiple reports of a fast-moving sequence of events across Edinburgh before arresting a man and public safety was our priority. Extensive work is ongoing to establish all the circumstances.’
First Minister John Swinney said he was ‘deeply concerned’ by the attacks.
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He added: ‘There is no place for violence, racism or intolerance in our country. I met community groups last week to assure them of the strong support of the government.’
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve has for decades moved steadily from a remote, opaque government agency that shared little about what it did or why to a more transparent institution willing to explain how it makes decisions and what it thinks about the economy.
But in his first press conference Wednesday, new chair Kevin Warsh began to reverse some of those steps. Warsh, like many economists, thinks the financial markets have become too dependent on Fed guidance, and that such direction is more effective in financial crises or economic downturns.
Warsh quickly made changes: The Fed’s statement on its interest-rate decision was slashed to 132 words, from 341 in April. And Warsh pointedly noted that the statement excluded any hints, or “forward guidance,” about what the Fed’s next moves might be.
In short, Warsh rapidly delivered on a promise to slash the Fed’s communications, particularly the guidance it gives to financial markets about its next interest-rate moves. Yet such an approach carries the risk of more violent swings in stock and bond prices, analysts say, and ultimately could lead to higher interest rates for consumers and businesses.
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“Forward guidance in general has served to suppress volatility and anchor market expectations,” said George Pearkes, global macro strategist at Bespoke Investment Group. “And that has led to lower borrowing rates, relative to alternatives.”
Still, the impact on consumers is likely to be modest, Pearkes added, with mortgage rates perhaps a quarter-point higher than they would be otherwise.
Financial markets see-sawed, then fell Wednesday after the statement and news conference. The yield on the 10-year Treasury, which strongly influences mortgage rates, jumped Wednesday to 4.49% from 4.43%, though it fell back in Thursday trading. The yield on the 2-year Treasury, which closely tracks expectations for Fed action, was 4.16% Thursday, up sharply from 4.05% before the Fed’s meeting. The broad S&P 500 stock index dropped 1.2% Wednesday.
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Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh speaks during a news conference following the Federal Open Market Committee meeting, Wednesday, June 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
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Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh speaks during a news conference following the Federal Open Market Committee meeting, Wednesday, June 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
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Warsh may be headed back to 1990s
Such swings could be a sign of things to come. Previous chairs have signaled the Fed’s next moves clearly enough that financial markets have largely anticipated the central bank’s actions. But Warsh has frequently cited as a model former chair Alan Greenspan, whose circumspect comments often kept investors guessing.
Greenspan, who served as chair from 1987 to 2005, did usher in the statement the Fed now issues after each meeting announcing its decision. The first statement was issued Feb. 4, 1994, and said the Fed would increase its key rate for the first time in five years. The move caught investors off-guard and the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 2.4% that day.
The paring back of Fed communications is part of a larger package of potential reforms to the central bank’s operations that Warsh signaled Wednesday. He announced that the Fed will set up five task forces to examine the Fed’s communications, its balance sheet, how it analyzes and gathers economic data, the impact of AI on productivity and jobs, and the frameworks it uses to analyze inflation.
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Warsh said the communications task force would consider changes to the quarterly economic projections the Fed issues as well as look at other recent innovations, including press conferences. Former chair Ben Bernanke was the first to hold them, though he did so only after every other Fed meeting. Warsh’s predecessor, Jerome Powell, shifted to holding them after every meeting.
Such steps are a sharp contrast with the 1990s, when Greenspan never explained a Fed decision, on the record, to reporters. Warsh could ultimately dial back some of the Fed’s increased transparency.
“This is a big change in how the Fed has conducted itself since the (2008-2009) global financial crisis,” Matthew Luzzetti, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank, said. “Since then there has been a one-way train to greater communication, more transparency, and more forward guidance. Warsh has now put that train in reverse.”
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Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s press conference appears on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
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Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s press conference appears on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
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Fed chairs have seen benefits to forward guidance
Previous Fed chairs, starting with Bernanke, have seen a clear benefit to more communication: It helps guide the markets in the direction the Fed wants. Fed officials control a short-term interest rate, but the rates that affect the economy — such as the yield on the 10-year Treasury — are heavily influenced by investors’ expectations for inflation and economic growth. By telegraphing their next moves, policymakers can cause those longer-term rates to change even before the Fed adjusts its own benchmark rate.
Yet Warsh’s view is that financial markets have become too dependent on Fed guidance. Instead, he wants investors to gauge where the Fed may move next by examining economic data and making their own judgments, which the Fed can then consider as part of their assessments of where the economy is headed.
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“Financial market prices are probably the most important source of information to guide central bankers,” Warsh said at Wednesday’s news conference.
Guidance can help with unexpected events
David Andolfatto, an economics professor at the University of Miami and former economist at the St. Louis Fed, said he agreed with Warsh that forward guidance has flaws. It can be easily upended by unexpected events, he said, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or the Iran war.
But the chair should set out guidelines for how the Fed will react to unexpected events, Andolfatto said, or to challenges such as the persistent inflation it is grappling with now, yet Warsh so far hasn’t done so.
“I’m with him on dispensing with forward guidance, but you have to replace it with a contingency plan,” Andolfatto said. “It’s not enough to say, trust me, we’ll keep inflation at target.”
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Ironically, Warsh’s decision to drop forward guidance may empower the other 18 members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee, Pearkes said. Those officials — six members of the Fed’s governing board, plus the presidents of the 12 regional Fed banks — frequently give public speeches, and their remarks will get even more attention as financial markets seek clues about what the Fed may do next.
A big challenge to Warsh’s approach will come if there is a sharp financial downturn or economic crisis, as occurred during the COVID pandemic. In those circumstances, economists said, forward guidance can play an important role calming markets.
“Whether it will stand the test of time and he will behave this way for five years is a very different question, but one that we’re going to have to wait for events to unfold to get an answer to,” Pearkes said.
In the latest series of Clarkson’s Farm, the presenter, 66, revealed that doctors had discovered a particularly ‘aggressive’ form of cancer.
However, he also said that it had been caught early, and that he had undergone surgery to remove part of his prostate.
Posting a follow-up video to his Instagram account on Saturday, Clarkson began: ‘The more observant among will have noticed I’m not dead.
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‘I’m not just not dead, I’m perfectly fine,’ he continued, joking: ‘My eyebrows in particular are looking very lustrous.’
He finished: ‘The reason why I’m fine is because the doctor’s caught the prostate cancer early and they caught it early because I got tested.’
Clarkson urged his followers to ‘get tested’ (Picture: Getty Images)
The video seemed to come direct from Clarkson’s farm, and featured the former Top Gear host walking through what looked like one of his meadows.
‘Thank you so much for all the kind messages I’ve had but now, a announcement,’ he wrote in the caption to the post.
After sharing the good news, he went on to encourage his followers to get themselves checked out, even if it means, ahem, embellishing symptoms to get a blood test.
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‘10,12 thousand people – men – die every year of prostate cancer,’ he said.
‘Don’t be one of them. Get tested,’ he signed off.
Clarkson’s diagnosis was revealed during an episode of his show (Picture: Amazon Prime Video)
Jeremy’s diagnosis came during the final episodes of Clarkson’s Farm’s fifth series.
He told co-stars Charlie Ireland and Kaleb Cooper: ‘I’ve got cancer,’ revealing that he’d known since May.
Later in the episode, Clarkson shared that he’d undergone surgery to remove ‘10%’ of his prostate, which is where the cancer lay.
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He can then be seen speaking from a hospital bed, saying that the treatment had ‘gone awry’.
‘I’m going to be here for a little while. I don’t know what’s going to happen,’ he tells the camera.
‘What I wanted to say was if this is all successful, I’ll see you in season six, and if it isn’t, I won’t. Take care, everyone.’
Ben Kane passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Saturday, June 13
Carrington Walker Live News Journalist and Ruairi Scott Byrne
18:08, 20 Jun 2026
Tributes have poured in for a young GAA star from Dublin “who brought so much joy and laughter into any room he entered”.
Ben Kane, from Glasnevin, died “suddenly and unexpectedly” on Saturday, June 13, according to a death notice published by his family on RIP.ie.
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Ben, known as ‘Kaner’ amongst friends, was the cherished son of Mary and Dermot, adored brother of Amélie and treasured grandson of Danny, Rita, Dan and the late Margaret and nephew of the late Linda, Dublin Live reports.
He will be deeply mourned by his extended family, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives, neighbours, friends, teammates and fellow club members. Ben was an exceptionally gifted GAA player who remained a devoted member of CLG Na Fianna in Glasnevin throughout his life.
The Dublin club have shared a moving tribute to the well-loved young man in a statement posted on social media.
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“On behalf of CLG Na Fianna, we extend our deepest condolences to Dermot, Mary and Amélie on the passing of Ben Kane,” they said. “Kaner was a valued player, teammate and friend whose spirit, dedication and kindness touched everyone at the club.”
“We mourn the loss of a vibrant young life and will always remember his commitment on and off the pitch. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kane family at this heartbreaking time. Ar dheis Dé a raibh a anam.”
Ben studied at Trinity College and proved an integral part of their GAA squad, playing a crucial role as they secured the Senior Football Division 2 League title in 2024, while also helping guide the side to victory in the 2025 Trench Cup as the college reclaimed the trophy for the first time since 2012.
In tribute to the gifted sportsman, Trinity College Dublin G. A.A. stated: “TCD GAA extend our deepest condolences to Dermot, Mary and Amélie on the passing of former TCD footballer Ben Kane.
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“Kaner was a valued teammate – a caring, sound and all round gent. He was a key player in the 2024 League success, 2025 Trench Cup run and 2022 All Ireland Fresher victory. We mourn the loss of this life taken too early. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kane family and friends at this heartbreaking time. Ní bheidh a leithéid ann arís.”
Ben remained extremely popular amongst teammates and fellow students at both Trinity College and Ardscoil Rís secondary school, with numerous tributes flooding in for the accomplished footballer, who has been fondly remembered as being “ten times the man off the pitch that he was on it”.
A close friend of Ben’s shared: “I was lucky enough to know Kaner through GAA from nursery right through to adult football. I’ll never forget the years of him cheekily dinking the ball over my head in shooting drills, and running off laughing with that big smile on his face.
“He was one of the nicest people you could ever meet, and I will always remember working nights with him, spending hours laughing and joking, while also having the kind of conversations that helped me with life. He was so intelligent, caring, and always had time for others.
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“Looking back at the photos and videos from all of the nights out with the team, he was the life and soul of every night and someone who made every occasion better just by being there.
“My thoughts are with Dermot, Mary, Amelie, and all his family and friends at this difficult time. May he rest in peace.”
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A fellow Trinity teammate paid tribute, saying: “When I met Ben playing football in first year in college, I was struck by what an amazing player he was. I learnt over the next few years that he was ten times the man off the pitch that he was on it. He was the kindest, funniest and most genuine lad in the dressing room, and he always lit the place up with his grin.
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“I’d like to offer my sincerest condolences to Ben’s family, friends and club mates. He’ll be sadly missed by everyone lucky enough to have known him.”
A further teammate also paid his respects, adding: “I was genuinely privileged to have met Ben playing freshers GAA in TCD in 2021. I am even more privileged to have become good friends over the following years together.
“Ben had the jokes to make an entire dressing room laugh, but he was also extremely kind, and always had a genuine interest in what a friend had to say, with a few words of advice always provided.
“He was truly a lovely person, as well as a fabulous footballer, and will be sorely missed by all who knew him.”
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Meanwhile, a classmate from Ben’s time at Ardscoil Rís shared: “I was fortunate enough to spend 6 years in ASR with Ben and a significant amount of time in BESS with him too.
“He was truly a larger than life personality who brought so much joy and laughter into any room he entered. My lasting memories of him all centre around him having everyone in stitches laughing – either in a classroom, college lecture hall or a football pitch.
“I am truly at a loss for words – my deepest condolences and thoughts go to his family at this time. Fly high Kaner.”
Ben’s funeral took place at Our Lady of Dolours Church on Botanic Road on Friday, before he was laid to rest at Glasnevin Cemetery.
He said complications during major surgery left him wondering if he would survive
The partner of Corrie and I’m A Celebrity star Sair Khan thought he would die after undergoing major surgery to remove part of his pelvis.
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Nathan Chilton, 39, from Stockport, was diagnosed with with chondroblastoma – a very rare, non-cancerous bone tumour – in 2013 after complaining of pain in his groin.
An MRI scan found a squash-ball sized lesion which was removed. Years later the tumour returned and he needed much more extensive surgery.
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In 2022, Nathan had an internal hemipelvectomy, an eight-hour operation that involved removing 75 per cent of the right side of his pelvis and replacing it with a titanium plate.
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During the surgery, he lost so much blood, he wondered if he would survive. “I thought it was lights out,” he said. “It was a very unreal place to be.”
He spent three weeks at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham and, after the operation, had to retrain how to walk.
His ordeal was not over. Following the surgery, he was told the tumour had spread to his lungs. The nodules on his lungs are now said to be stable and there has been no recurence in his pelvis.
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“Living with a benign bone tumour has been an absolute rollercoaster,” added Nathan, who has a two-year-old son with Sair who plays Alya Nazir in the ITV soap.
“Multiple surgeries, a lot of physical and mental pain, and even more uncertainty. But I’ve learned that you don’t have to let your struggles define you. Rather they help create a better version of you.
“Adversity and obstacles create character, develop resilience and give you skills that are transferable in all areas of your life. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been a tough ride, but it’s made me who I am today.
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“I want to negotiate challenges with grace and humility and leave a legacy of footage or videos showing people, especially my son, what is possible – especially after facing challenge after challenge of me living my life and doing the best I can.”
Nathan, a chiropractor originally from Derbyshire, was also diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes in 2018.
He said he began hiking as an ‘outlet’ and that it ‘changed [his] perspective on life’. He is now to take on the Peak District Ultra Challenge – a gruelling 75km trek – on July 4 and 5.
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He will be raising funds for Sarcoma UK, a charity that supports people with sarcoma, a rare type of cancer that starts in the soft tissue.
Even though Nathan’s tumour was not classed as a sarcoma, he went through the same medical route as many sarcoma patients – same specialists, scans and the same major operation
“I want to bring hope and inspire people who have had surgery,” he said.
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Adding: “This walk is about showing what’s possible after all of that. Not just for me, but for anyone facing something similar. I want to show my son that limitations are the ones we put on ourselves and that mindset is everything.” You can find out more and donate HERE.
Sarcoma UK’s Support Line Adviser, Carly McDonald, said: “Nathan’s story is really extraordinary. His experience, the surgeries, the uncertainty, the sheer determination to rebuild his life, mirrors what so many of the people we support go through every day.
“The fact that he’s now walking 75km on a pelvis that is largely titanium is just remarkable. At Sarcoma UK, we’re incredibly grateful that Nathan has chosen to raise funds for us, and we know his story will bring real hope to patients and families facing similarly daunting diagnoses.”
“So now there’s a group of us, (food writer) Giles Coren, David, me, one or two other people, and we meet for lunch every so often. Everybody has different Gleason scores, and everybody has different Stockholm and PSA scores. We all compare notes and I actually get muddled with what mine were.
US military denies that Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz
The US military has denied Iran’s claims that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, saying the critical waterway remained open.
US Central Command spokesperson Navy Captain Tim Hawkins told the news agency Reuters that US forces were “monitoring the situation” to ensure that ships could pass.
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He said: “Traffic continues to flow, and US forces are monitoring the situation to ensure this remains the case.”
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared the Strait of Hormuz shut earlier on Saturday and warned ships not to approach the waterway, casting new doubt on the future of a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran meant to pave the way for in-depth peace talks.
Holly Bancroft20 June 2026 18:15
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Read Trump’s 14 point Iran peace deal in full after US announces signing of agreement
Nearly four months after the U.S. started its war with Iran, Donald Trump has signed a long-awaited deal to end the war, restore global shipping and resolve an abiding dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Details of a 14 point plan were previously released by US officials, with an official signing ceremony expected to take place in Switzerland on Friday. However, it emerged on Wednesday evening that it had already been signed by the US president and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian.
James C Reynolds reports:
Maira Butt20 June 2026 17:58
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Watch: Iran closes Strait of Hormuz over ‘ceasefire violations’ days after Trump deal
Iran closes Strait of Hormuz over ‘ceasefire violations’ days after Trump deal
Maira Butt20 June 2026 17:20
Netanyahu will try and undermine Trump’s Iran peace plan despite president’s warnings: report
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will likely try to undermine Donald Trump’s deal with Iran, U.S. intelligence officials have reportedly warned the administration.
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Current and former U.S. officials told The Washington Post Netanyahu is intent on continuing operations in Lebanon despite an agreement signed by President Trump earlier this week.
Maira Butt20 June 2026 16:50
Pakistan says follow-up talks between US and Iran set for June 21
Pakistan’s foreign ministry has said on Saturday that follow-up technical-level talks between Iran and the US will be held in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, on 21 June.
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It said US and Iranian representatives would participate, along with mediators from Pakistan and Qatar in order to continue discussions following a ceasefire deal signed this week.
It added in a post on X that Pakistan will continue to facilitate the process in its role as mediator as per previous negotiations.
Maira Butt20 June 2026 16:15
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Watch: JD Vance sends warning to Israel as he defends Trump’s Iran deal
JD Vance sends warning to Israel as he defends Trump’s Iran deal
Maira Butt20 June 2026 15:45
Trump lashed out at Vance telling him, ‘Everyone just needs to copy what I say’ on Iran, book reveals
“Trump vented to others that Vance hadn’t repeated his own new phrase that Iran’s nuclear program had been ‘totally obliterated,’” according to an excerpt obtained by Politico of the forthcoming Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, from New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan.
Maira Butt20 June 2026 15:15
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Israeli strikes kill five people including a child in Gaza
Israeli strikes and gunfire killed at least five people, including a child, in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, health officials said.
Four Palestinians, including two women and a child, in an apartment building in Gaza City, were killed in the Israeli attack, health officials said.
The attack on the building in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City destroyed the apartment and wounded several other people, medics added.
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In another incident, Israeli forces shot and killed a woman in Beit Lahiya town further north, said medics.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on either incident.
An October ceasefire may have halted major fighting between Hamas and Israel, but it has failed to end Israeli attacks.
Gaza’s health ministry said more than 1,010 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire. Four Israeli soldiers were killed by militants in Gaza over the same period.
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Maira Butt20 June 2026 15:01
US and Israel breached clause one of ceasefire deal, says Iran
We can bring you more on Iran’s claims that it will close the Strait of Hormuz.
The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the closure comes in response to the “explicit breach of the first clause of the post-war memorandum of understanding by the United States”.
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It said it is also due to Israel’s “continuous and ongoing violations of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon”.
Here’s a reminder of what the first clause of the US-Iran MoU stipulated:
The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States, together with their allies in the current war, declare upon the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding an immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon and other provisions of this paragraph.
Alex Croft20 June 2026 14:42
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Vance: No evidence Iran is closing Strait of Hormuz
We’ve just heard from US vice president JD Vance, who has responded to Iranian claims that they will close the Strait of Hormuz.
There is no evidence that such a closure is being carried out, Vance tells Fox News.
Tehran says it is closing the strait due to alleged violations of a ceasefire agreement agreed earlier this week.
The UK government is preparing to water down its electric vehicle sales targets. Under the existing zero emission vehicles (ZEV) mandate, 80% of all new cars sold in Britain needed to be electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030.
Following sustained lobbying from car manufacturers and trade unions, that figure could be revised down to somewhere between 50% and 70%.
While this shift may be described as a pragmatic response to market realities, the rationale for altering EV targets deserves closer scrutiny. There are four key reasons EV targets shouldn’t be weakened.
1. Risk of repeating the industry’s past mistakes
Lobbying tends to make immediate, tangible costs (the £10 billion in discounts, potential job losses) feel more urgent than long-term benefits like minimising climate impacts. But the lobby may overstate these costs.
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This framing is not always ideal. The US automobile industry lobbied for decades against tightening Corporate Average Fuel Economy (Cafe) standards meant to improve fuel efficiency, successfully keeping them weak through to the 2000s. The industry argued that consumers didn’t want fuel-efficient cars and that tighter standards would cost jobs.
As a result, US car manufacturers, such as GM and Chrysler, became dependent on fuel inefficient trucks and SUVs for profit margins. Those companies were left exposed when oil prices spiked in 2008 during the financial crisis and required government bailouts.
At the same time, Japanese manufacturers who had developed fuel-efficient vehicles under their own domestic constraints (including the 1973 oil crisis and increasing fuel prices) captured a large market share in the US and globally.
While lobbying protected American autoworkers in the short-term, it contributed to the very crisis that subsequently threatened their jobs.
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When unions join manufacturers in lobbying, it becomes very difficult for politicians to not listen. The jobs argument could make it hard for the government to hold firm on its targets.
The effect of the EV transition on automotive jobs is more nuanced than lobbying might suggest.
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The transition will not reduce the overall scale of vehicle manufacturing. Assembly plants, logistics networks, body shops and much of the broader supply chain will continue to exist.
New employment opportunities from battery cell production, charging infrastructure installation and maintenance, grid upgrades and EV software engineering will also increase. Investments in initiatives such as gigafactories that mass produce EV batteries have already created new jobs.
However, workers making specific internal combustion engine components, such as exhausts, gearboxes, fuel injection systems and other parts that EVs do not use, face real displacement risk. That deserves serious attention to ensure a just transition – that is, the process of moving to a low-carbon society that is green, sustainable and socially inclusive.
Policies aimed at increasing demand for EVs, such as creating a more extensive and reasonably priced charging infrastructure, can give manufacturers economies of scale, bringing prices of EVs down over time. And the positive feedback loop can further accelerate demand and create new employment.
4. Fear of losing UK export edge
Nearly eight of the ten cars produced in the UK are exported to 140 countries. If UK manufacturers and workers fall behind on EV capability because of the slowdown in momentum, they risk losing export markets to competitors.
China now produces highly competitive EVs at scale, and European manufacturers are increasingly producing efficient, long-range EVs. To maintain a competitive advantage, car makers in Britain need to continue investing in skilled workers specialising in technologies such as batteries.
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British car manufacturers are asking the government to rethink the ZEV mandate because EV residual values have been volatile. This has made the used market uncertain and dampened enthusiasm for new purchases. Plus, the charging network remains unreliable and EV buyers still suffer from range anxiety (concerns that EVs don’t go far enough on a single charge).
But if paired with solid investment, these are problems that a well-supported mandate could help solve. A target reduction from 80% to 50% or 60% takes pressure off the government and manufacturers to address those issues. And delaying the green transport transition just moves costs from firms and their shareholders to workers and the public.
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