Under the proposals, Darlington would have 41 councillors, representing 18 wards, comprising six three-member wards, 11 two-member wards, and one single-member ward.

That is a reduction from the current 50 councillors. 

Proposed wards for Darlington Borough Council (Image: Crown copyright)

The boundaries of all but one of the council’s wards would change, according to the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). 

It is reviewing the borough’s electoral arrangements to ensure each councillor represents a similar number of voters and that the council can operate effectively.

Among the proposed changes are the creation of a College and Blackwell ward, which would include Darlington town centre, and the expansion of Harrowgate Hill ward to incorporate new housing developments to the north of the town.

The consultation, which opened in April, closes on July 6.

Bev Smith, chair of the commission, said: “Darlington is a unique place and we want residents to help us get these boundaries right. We have drawn up proposals for new wards and want to make sure they truly reflect local communities – but we need to hear from the people who know those communities best.

“Whether you agree with our proposals or think something should change, please let us know. Every response helps us make better decisions. Getting involved is straightforward – visit our website, send us an email or write to us. We would love to hear from you.”

People can view the full proposals, including the suggested ward names and boundaries, and submit comments via the commission’s website.

Views can also be sent by email to reviews@lgbce.org.uk or by post to:

Review Officer (Darlington)
Local Government Boundary Commission for England
7th Floor
3 Bunhill Row
London
EC1Y 8YZ

The commission will consider responses before publishing its final recommendations.

The dramatic waterfall – which plunges 21 metres (70ft) into a gorge on the River Tees – has topped a new ranking of the country’s most stunning waterfall walks, compiled by outdoor experts at GO Outdoors.

The list placed High Force, in the heart of Upper Teesdale, ahead of 14 other waterfalls across Britain, including Falls of Glomach in the Scottish Highlands and Pistyll Rhaeadr in Wales, which is listed as one of the Seven Wonders of Wales.

Set within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a UNESCO Global Geopark, High Force sits on the famous Whin Sill — a layer of ancient dolerite rock formed from molten lava more than 295 million years ago.

What makes the walk so special?

The GO Outdoors ranking grades the High Force route as moderate, covering 11.05 km with an estimated walking time of around three hours and 20 minutes.

The terrain takes in open countryside, woodland and rocky paths alongside the River Tees.

A well-maintained path through woodland leads visitors to the base of the falls, where viewing platforms offer safe and striking views of the cascade and the surrounding scenery.

Natalie Wolfenden, author and outdoor enthusiast at GO Outdoors, said: “Waterfalls offer beautiful scenery and an escape into nature, making them a great choice for a summer walk.

“Whether you’re looking for a short woodland stroll or a more challenging hike, there are plenty of impressive waterfalls to discover across the UK.”

She added that walkers should plan ahead, wear sturdy footwear, carry plenty of water and pack waterproof clothing, as conditions can change quickly even in summer.

Someone who was equally a fan recently visited the area and wrote in a review on Tripadvisor: “The place is breathtaking. We went on a little tour and loved every minute of it. You can get fairly close and the view is spectacular.”

Planning your visit

High Force is located on the B6277 at Forest-in-Teesdale, around four-and-a-half miles north-west of Middleton-in-Teesdale.

The nearest major road is the A66.

The site is open daily during the summer season from 10 am to 4 pm.

Admission costs £3.95 for adults and £2.45 for children aged four to 15, with under-fours going free.

A family saver ticket for two adults and two children costs £10 online or £12 on the day.

Parking is available on site, with charges of £4 for four hours and £6 for six hours.

Dogs are welcome on leads.

The top 10 UK waterfall walks, according to GO Outdoors:

1. High Force, County Durham
2. Falls of Glomach, Ross-shire, Scotland
3. Pistyll Rhaeadr, Powys, Wales
4. Steall Falls, Glen Nevis, Scotland
5. Hardraw Force, Yorkshire Dales
6. Aira Force, Lake District
7. Ingleton Waterfall Trail, Yorkshire Dales
8. Waterfall Country, Brecon Beacons
9. Becky Falls, Dartmoor
10. St Nectan’s Glen, Cornwall

Whether you’re drinking at home or in the pub, many people will be enjoying a few beers, especially in the warmer weather that summer brings.

Everyone will have their favourites, but can you improve the taste of any beer you’re drinking?

Various food and drinks experts have suggested you can, if you do one thing.

How can you make your beer taste better?

Beer scientists have shared that salty, savoury and crunchy tastes can help elevate the taste of a beer.

Therefore, eating snacks like nuts, crisps or pork scratchings when drinking can see some benefit to the taste.

Chris Reid, the Head Brewer at Damm UK, producer of Estrella Damm lager, shared: “Salt reduces the bitterness in beer, making it taste smoother and bringing out more of its natural malty sweetness.

“It also makes your mouth water, which helps carry the flavour to your taste buds more effectively.

“Crunchy foods wake up the nerves in your mouth and face, making your senses feel sharper so every sip tastes more vivid and enjoyable.

Crunchy foods can help “wake up the nerves in your mouth” making your senses feel sharper (Image: Getty Images)

“Meanwhile, the fat and starch in food coat your tongue between sips.

“This clears away any leftover bitterness, so your palate resets and the next sip tastes fresh and clean again.”

The broadcaster and brewer Jaega Wise, who is a spokesperson for the Mr Porky brand, also concurred with this, saying: “A lot of it comes down to contrast.

“Beer can bring bitterness, carbonation and that uncanny ability to quench one’s thirst, while pork scratchings are salty, rich and intensely crunchy.

“Put them together and each one lifts the other making both the beer and scratchings extra moreish!”

Finally, Jorge Thomas, founder of Swaledale Butchers, said: “One of the best things you can have with a pint is freshly cooked pork scratchings.

“There’s a reason they’ve been a pub staple for years.

“The salt lifts the flavour of the beer, whilst the fat and crunch make the next sip even more enjoyable.

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“It’s not that different to salted nuts, just much more interesting.

“People sometimes dismiss pork scratchings as old-fashioned pub food, but there’s a good reason they work.

“Salt, fat, crunch and beer have always been a very happy combination.

“Sometimes the old combinations survive because they work.”

Do you agree that eating salty foods helps improve the taste of beer? Let us know in the comments.

Former England captain David Beckham captured the attention of tennis fans as he attended the first day of Wimbledon with his mother on Monday

Aryna Sabalenka wasted no time in acknowledging David Beckham after progressing to the second round of Wimbledon. Following her 6-2 6-3 victory over Serbian teenager Teodora Kostovic on Centre Court, she made a point of recognising that Sir David was among the spectators in the Royal Box.

Beckham was in the crowd, while his son Romeo watched from another section of Centre Court, as the former footballer opted to bring his mum to Wimbledon’s opening day. Both applauded as the three-time semi-finalist swept aside her youthful opponent.

Sabalenka expressed her gratitude to the crowd for their support, before pausing and turning towards Beckham. She said: “Sir David, thank you for being here.”

Sabalenka also offered generous praise for her opponent, who is widely regarded as a future star of the sport. The world No.1 said: “She brought a really good fight. She stepped in a little more in the second set.

“She pushed me a bit more. I’m happy I was able to close it in straight sets. I totally get it. Playing for the first time on Centre Court, it’s a lot of pressure. But I’m pretty sure she’ll deal with that much better next time.

“I think we all get nervous. It’s just part of our lives. You kind of block that part of your brain and kind of try to focus on yourself. I think with experience I learned how to deal with nerves and expectations a bit better.

“I have to say for the first match I felt pretty good. I’ll rate myself… let’s say 8 out of 10?”

Beckham shared the Royal Box with a host of well-known faces, including Mary Berry, Ronan Keating and Katherine Jenkins, the latter of whom the footballer previously spoke about in a leaked email. The Welsh singer was at the centre of controversial comments made by Beckham, which surfaced nine years ago.

Following Jenkins being awarded an OBE in the 2014 New Year’s Honours for her contributions to music and charitable work, while Beckham himself was passed over for a Knighthood, the former England captain vented his frustration in a leaked email to his advisor.

“Katherine Jenkins OBE for what?” the email read. “Singing at the rugby and going to see the troops plus taking coke. F***ing joke.”

In 2018, Jenkins admitted feeling hurt by Beckham’s comments and said the former Manchester United star had not reached out to apologise.

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Mary Berry’s quick and easy pasta dish is perfect for midweek dinners

Mary Berry has unveiled numerous pasta recipes over the years, including lasagne and bolognese bake. However, when temperatures rise, her 15-minute pasta dish is perfect as it’s incredibly simple to prepare.

The recipe notes said: “This is my standby pasta supper as it is so delicious, so quick, and everyone loves it. Great for everyday use or casual supper parties, too.

“Its base is a creme fraiche pasta sauce, and it’s topped with crispy Parma ham, which gives tons of flavour and great texture.”

This recipe feeds six people and can be easily halved or doubled if you’d like leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 350g penne pasta
• Two 80g packs of Parma ham, snipped into small pieces
• 250g small brown chestnut mushrooms, halved or quartered
• 200g full-fat creme fraiche
• 100g Parmesan, grated
• Two tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley

To serve:

If you prefer to use reduced crème fraîche, simply stir it through at the conclusion of cooking; otherwise, it may split.

For special occasions, Mary suggests adding a pack of asparagus tips to the pasta four minutes before the pasta finishes cooking, then draining the pasta alongside the asparagus tips.

Method:

Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water following the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat a frying pan until hot, then add the Parma ham and fry until crisp.

Transfer half the ham onto a plate and set aside. Next, add the mushrooms to the pan and fry for two minutes.

Add the crème fraîche and bring to the boil. Then, add the pasta, Parmesan and parsley, tossing everything together over the heat. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Mary suggests serving the 15-minute pasta dish with some salad and crunchy bread.

Students pursuing graduate degrees in nursing, physical therapy and several other fields will be eligible for higher student loan limits — at least for now — after a federal judge blocked part of a Trump administration rule that held them to lower caps.

The U.S. Education Department issued a revised rule on Monday designed to follow the judge’s order from last week, officials told The Associated Press. Agency officials called it a temporary change while they fight in court to keep the original rule, which defined medicine, law and other fields as “professional programs” but excluded nursing and others.

“While we disagree with the Court’s analysis regarding the Department’s definition of professional degree programs for purposes of determining eligibility for higher loan limits, the Department is complying with the order,” undersecretary Nicholas Kent said in a statement.

The change represents a short-term win for groups that sued to stop the rule. Eight groups challenged the department’s definition in court, representing nurse practitioners, therapists, speech language pathologists and more.

But in strictly applying the judge’s order, the department is now striking some degrees from the list of professional programs, meaning those programs will face lower loan limits. Theology studies programs are among the biggest to shift from professional to non-professional degrees in the shuffle.

The new rule, which takes effect Wednesday, comes from a student loan overhaul passed in President Donald Trump‘s tax bill last year. Programs designated as professional degrees face federal loan caps of $200,000, while other graduate programs are capped at $100,000.

Previously, graduate students had been able to borrow loans up to the full cost of their degree. Trump officials pushed for new loan caps to rein in student debt and lower tuition prices that they said had grown out of control.

The groups that brought the lawsuit said the rule would require students to forgo their studies or take out riskier private loans. Although many graduate nursing degrees fall within the lower loan limits, some can cost more than $100,000, including in high-demand fields like nurse anesthesia.

In a notification to universities on Monday, the Education Department said it’s confident the Trump administration’s initial rule will ultimately be upheld in court. The amended rule is expected to remain in effect during the judge’s preliminary stay, but the department warned that it “may change as litigation in the case proceeds.”

The original rule included about a dozen programs that were deemed professional, which Trump officials had said was not a judgment on their importance but part of a technical definition dating to the 1960s. Along with law and medicine, that list also included theology, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, clinical psychology and more.

The temporary rule expands that list to 29 specific degree programs, including master of science in nursing, doctor of nursing practice, and doctor of nurse anesthesia practice. Others newly added to the professional list include degrees for physical therapy, athletic training, speech-language pathology, physician associates and anesthesiologist assistants.

The department’s communication listed about 25 programs that are now considered non-professional degrees. Along with theology, that list now includes applied psychology, pharmaceutical sciences and others. (The doctor of pharmacy degree remains professional.)

Last week’s court ruling blocked parts of the Education Department’s definition that were added in a federal rulemaking process. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington called it a “misguided” interpretation that strayed from a longstanding definition created by Congress.

The department’s definition laid out several criteria used to weigh if degrees count as professional programs. It said those degrees generally take six years to complete and require licenses to begin practicing, among other requirements.

It also said professional degrees cannot lead to employment that must be “be supervised by another professional” with “more education, training, and qualifications.”

A separate lawsuit filed by a coalition of Democratic-led states challenging the loan caps is still pending.

___

Associated Press Writer Heather Hollingsworth contributed to this report from Kansas City.

___

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Maddie, an elderly terrier-type dog, was rescued from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in Clitheroe Road last August after being tied in a black bin liner and thrown into the water.

But despite initially surviving, the charity said her condition worsened in the days that followed, and she was euthanised by a vet to prevent further suffering.

Terrence and Sadie Boyd (Image: Social Media)

Terrence Boyd, 34, and Sadie Boyd, 32, of Walter Street, Brierfield, were sentenced at Burnley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (June 24) after admitting two offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

As previously reported by the Lancashire Telegraph, the pair were each given eight weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and banned from keeping animals for 10 years.

Images released by the RSPCA show Maddie following her rescue, as well as some of the kittens found at the couple’s home.

The court heard a dog walker saw the pair throw a bin liner into the canal on August 27 last year and was told it contained clothes.

Maddie was rescued from the canal but sadly later died (Image: RSPCA)

However, the bag began to move before Maddie’s head emerged, prompting a member of the public to enter the water in an attempt to save her.

Emergency services were called, and she was pulled from the canal by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service before being taken to a veterinary practice.

In evidence presented to the court, the vet who treated Maddie said she was hypothermic, with a temperature of 33.2°C, and was “severely malnourished” with significant muscle loss.

She was also found to have severe dental disease and multiple puncture wounds to her neck.

One of the seven kittens that was rescued from the Boyd’s home (Image: RSPCA)

Her condition failed to improve and, two days later, she began to struggle to walk and developed neurological symptoms. A decision was made to put her to sleep on welfare grounds.

The RSPCA investigation also uncovered poor conditions at the couple’s home.

Seven kittens were removed from the property, all of which were underweight, with some described as urine-soaked. Four were hypothermic and required warming.

One kitten, weighing just 735 grams, was in such a poor condition it had to be euthanised.

Magistrates heard the house was unsanitary, with large amounts of animal faeces and mice present in the kitchen.

CCTV gathered by the RSPCA showed the pair carrying a black bag along Walter Street at around 9.05am before heading towards the canal. Footage later showed them leaving the area and running away.

Maddie was tied up in a plastic bag and thrown into the canal in Brierfield (Image: RSPCA)

In interview, both defendants largely gave no comment, with Sadie Boyd denying being at the canal that morning.

Speaking after the case, RSPCA Chief Inspector Kelly Nix said: “What happened to Maddie was horrifying, and this incident was understandably the cause of great distress to people who were at the scene, the emergency services and the wider local community.

“It was heartbreaking that Maddie’s condition deteriorated and she ultimately could not be saved.”

A corn snake found at the address, which had been kept without heating or suitable lighting, was taken into specialist care. The surviving kittens have since been rehomed.

The Fleadh will be from Sunday August 2 to Sunday August 9

The MAC Belfast will be the Irish language hub for the Belfast Fleadh this year.

Notes published from the Belfast City Council language working group state the Metropolitan Arts Centre in the Cathedral Quarter will serve as the main Irish language hub during the week of the Fleadh.

Belfast for the first time will host Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the world’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture, from Sunday August 2 to Sunday August 9. Qualifying competitors from all over the world will showcase the best of traditional music, song, dance and language in All-Ireland competitions.

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With a minimum of 800,000 visitors from across the world, it is anticipated to be the biggest cultural event ever held in Belfast. Tourism NI estimates the 2026 Fleadh will bring £60 million into the Northern Ireland economy. Belfast will host the Fleadh again next year.

Belfast City Council is co-hosting the Fleadh in partnership with the main event organizers, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, and the local Ards CCÉ branch.

Council officers have worked to develop a programme of Irish language events in the MAC, supported by an external curator. The programme of events for the MAC will include contributions from local Irish language groups and national Irish language organisations.

Events will include, cupan agus comhrá, a daily coffee and meet-up opportunity for Irish speakers, lectures by the Irish department at the Queen’s University of Belfast and by Gael Linn on the history of Irish language filmmaking, and a song and story event by the Belfast rhymers.

There will be market stalls from local Irish language small businesses, a family yoga class in Irish, family singing classes as well as a sean-nós singing workshop, film screenings, and a workshop by Ulster University focusing on the shared history of the Irish language.

The council working group notes add: “In addition to these planned events, a sub committee of the Irish Language Stakeholders Forum has been convened to discuss potential additional programming in the MAC and the wider Fleadh. Officers will be on site at the MAC across the week to help with the delivery of this programme of events. Footfall through the MAC will be measured across the week.”

Earlier this month a swathe of late night and outdoor licences have been granted for gigs in streets, vacant buildings, alleys and car parks during the Belfast Fleadh.

Elected representatives at the Belfast City Council Licensing Committee approved seven applications for entertainments licences in and around the city centre. They will provide music during the festival in a host of spaces, from a vacant warehouse and a car park in the Cathedral Quarter to a campsite in the Titanic Quarter.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Andrew Mountbatten Windsor won’t accept his new status months into exile from royal family.

Disgraced Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is refusing to accept his ‘humiliating’ status as a prince-turned-commoner after being exilted moths ago.

Now living in a bog-ridden cottage world’s away from his old 30-room mansion of Royal Lodge, and without his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson to keep him company, the shamed ex-duke is said to be taking his frustrations out on his staff, reports the Mirror.

Sources suggest that Andrew is still demanding that his three remaining employees continue to use his birthright titles, despite being stripped of them by his beleaguered older brother, King Charles.

It’s claimed that the former prince gave a jaw-dropping speech to staff, insisting that they will ‘damn well’ call him by his ‘correct titles’ in his own home – until they ‘send a vampire to suck out every drop of royal blood in my veins’.

Seven months on from his royal titles being taken away, Andrew still insists on being addressed by his staff as ‘Sir’ and referred to as ‘The Duke,’ according to the Daily Mail.

The royal author and historian, Andrew Lownie, who spent years researching the inner world of the Yorks, believes he knows exactly who encouraged the former prince’s alleged rant behind closed doors.

Speaking to the Mirror, the author says that according to his source, Andrew is likely “doing that to big himself up in front of the Middle Eastern guys, who are saying, ‘Don’t be such a wimp. You’re a prince and nothing can take that away from you.’

“He’s still doing business in the Middle East,” Lownie claims. “He has no sense of his own status except through this, but I think that it’s the Middle Eastern rulers who stiffen the sinews a bit.”

On whether the ex-duke is looking for revenge or a way back, Lownie says: “It would certainly fit with his character. I think he feels that he’s been thrown to the wolves.

“He’s always been very loyal to the institution, but he didn’t like Camilla. He was rude about Kate. Anyone who’s rumbled him, he doesn’t like. I think his only two allies at the moment are Edward and Anne.”

Far from being humbled by his reduced status, the former duke reportedly retains an extraordinary level of entitlement. He lost the majority of his staff after being booted out of Royal Lodge – and was said to have been insulted when the King offered him use of a Sandringham cleaner, groundsman and cook on an ad hoc basis – with a source saying at the time: “It hasn’t gone down well”.

In Entitled, Lownie’s explosive biography on the Yorks, a source is quoted as saying: “Remember, the most difficult thing for the Duke of York was not the allegations of sexual misconduct. It was being stripped of his royal titles and losing his key role with the Royal Family. He’s never gotten over this.”

Andrew was also said to be appalled that ‘poky’ Marsh Farm only has five bedrooms; in contrast, Royal Lodge has seven bedrooms within the main mansion. “He really didn’t want Marsh Farm,” a source told the Mail. “He won’t have lived anywhere that small since he left his apartment at Buckingham Palace.”

In reality, many of Andrew’s former staff were likely happy to move on from his employ. For years, he has been dogged by rumours about his reputation behind closed doors, described by sources as being both arrogant and entitled, with allegations he would bully and humiliate staff. He is also alleged to have made bizarre requests of royal employees, and would reportedly ‘scream and shout’ if they were not followed through.

In his biography, Lownie quotes one former equerry for the Queen Mother describing Andrew as a “rude, ignorant sod”. The book also claims that Andrew insisted maids in his home climb four floors of stairs just to open his curtains for him in the morning – whilst he lay right beside them.

A source is quoted as saying: “His bedtime habits as a single man left a lot to be desired, and a collection of scrunched-up, soiled tissues usually lay scattered around the bed each morning for staff to collect after they had made his bed.”

On one further occasion, Andrew is said to have brought a television technical worker to his royal home in the middle of the night, insisting the technician explain how the remote worked.

The disgraced ex-duke reportedly jetted off on an all-expenses-paid trip to France recently, courtesy of a billionaire pal from the UAE.

It’s claimed that Andrew was invited by horse breeding tycoon Mohammed A Baker to stay at his acclaimed stud farm set in a rural location close to St Malo in north-west France at the end of May.

The former prince is said to have travelled to Dinard Airport from Norwich International by private jet, paid for by Mr Baker on Saturday May 30, spending three days at the remote stable complex, before returning on the evening of Monday June 1.

During his ‘relaxing’ trip abroad, Andrew reportedly rode horses on a French beach, played boules in an historic courtyard and was lavishly entertained with meals prepared by a private chef.

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Good evening, and welcome to live coverage of the opening round at Wimbledon, with Novak Djokovic beginning his campaign on Centre Court against China’s Wu Yibing. The Serbian’s 21st tournament in SW19 marks the latest chapter in his hunt for a 25th major, with the record triumph proving elusive since he equalled Margaret Court’s tally of 24 by winning the US Open in 2023.

Djokovic has reached two grand slam tournament finals in that time, but was beaten by Carlos Alcaraz on both occasions, at Wimbledon in 2024 and at the Australian Open earlier this year. Indeed, Alcaraz has proved a significant obstacle in Djokovic’s quest for the record, winning five of the 10 majors since the Serbian’s 24th, but the world No 2 will be absent from Wimbledon this summer because of a wrist injury, certainly boosting Djokovic’s chances of an eighth title at the All England Club.

The other major obstacle has been Jannik Sinner, who has won four of the other five majors during the aforementioned period. Despite wilting in the heat in Paris last month – in the absence of rival Alcaraz – and needing five sets to come through his opening-round match this afternoon, the Italian remains the heavy favourite and Djokovic’s main threat over the next two weeks.

With Sinner’s early exit and Alcaraz’s absence from Roland Garros, Djokovic’s defeat in the third round felt like a big missed opportunity, but the 39-year-old believes he is better prepared for the third grand slam tournament of the season. “Roland Garros was physically very draining, demanding,” he said. “Three matches, all of them went almost four hours. But I’m proud of the effort.”

He added: “Anyway, I was planning to peak at Wimbledon. I knew not having any matches, official matches on the tour, going pretty much straight into Roland Garros, was going to be quite difficult. Maybe too big of a challenge for me at the moment. That’s what happened. But I knew that’s going to give me a bit more time to get myself prepared for Wimbledon. So hopefully I’ll have a good tournament here.”