Councillors voted unanimously to back a motion for council leader, Councillor Carl Les, to contact Minister for the Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris outlining their objections to the plan.

The vote was taken at the authority’s full council meeting at County Hall in Northallerton yesterday (Wednesday, July 15).

It comes after the Home Office revealed plans to house up to 3,750 people at Linton, and former RAF bases at Bicester in Oxfordshire and Barnham in Suffolk, with about 1,200 single men potentially located at the North Yorkshire site.

Cllr Les said there was a “sense of urgency” because the government had already begun its due diligence process.

“It’s important that we make our views known on behalf of the residents that this council represents.

“Let’s be clear, this is not about illegal migration. It’s not even about the policy of housing asylum seekers — I hope we can all agree that they should be housed safely and with dignity.”

But he added: “As was decided by the Home Office four years ago, this is not the right location for many reasons.”

RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Photo: Google.

Councillor Malcolm Taylor, executive member for highways and transportation and member for the Huby and Tollerton division, which includes the former base, said Linton was still the wrong place, as it had been when a similar proposal was put forward in 2022.

He added: “If anything, the compelling case is now stronger not to house them in that rural village than it was back in 2022.

“I fully recognise that government policy is to relocate asylum seekers from hotels across the country into disused former military bases, and I can see some logic behind that.

“However, the site that they choose to relocate those asylum seekers from hotels has to be suitable for communities and for asylum seekers themselves.”

Councillor Stuart Parsons, leader of the North Yorkshire Independents group on the council, also backed the motion and suggested members should be prepared to stand outside the base to stop government access if necessary.

“I think it’d be rather funny if we all chained together outside Linton-on-Ouse airbase,” he said.

“I don’t particularly want to be attached to certain people, but I will swallow my pride.”

Councillor Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, an unaffiliated independent member, supported the motion, but added: “Where are you suggesting is suitable? And can you find me the resident across North Yorkshire or across this country who wants to live near such a site?”

Reform councillor, John Mann, called on the authority to go further and press the government for a “fundamental reform of our broken asylum system”, adding: “North Yorkshire residents deserve a council that is prepared to challenge the national policy not merely its local consequences.”

In response, Councillor Simon Myers, executive member culture, arts and housing, said: “I’m afraid everything becomes an opportunity for people to start their election campaigns — I wish they wouldn’t. Let’s conduct the business of the council.”

Councillor Steve Shaw-Wright, leader of the Labour group, also urged councillors not to debate national immigration policy, before suggesting that it was former Conservative minister and now Reform MP, Robert Jenrick, who opened hotels to house asylum seekers.

He added: “We have to accept that when migrants come, they don’t come here for an easy life. They are leaving really, really terrible situations, a lot of those caused by us, and we have to accept that.”

Alistair Roberts, 37, had recently returned to Tokyo to be with his fiancée.

A Scottish man who disappeared in Tokyo has been detained in the country. Alistair Roberts, from Glasgow, was reported missing from the Japanese capital after leaving a poker match in a notorious red-light district on Saturday.

The 37-year-old had not been in touch with his fiancée or friends after leaving the game in the early hours of the morning.

He had recently returned to Tokyo to be with his fiancée who last heard from him at 3am, according to his friend. However his phone died and no one was able to reach him.

His disappearance was described as “insanely out of character,” with his loved ones fearing the worst.

The Foreign Office has today confirmed to the Record that he has been detained in an update on his his ‘missing‘ person’s case.

The last sighting of Alistair was captured on a live camera stream of Kabukicho, a notorious red-light district known as the ‘sleepless town’. He was last seen around 4:30am on July 11 leaving a poker establishment.

A missing person’s report was believed to have been filed with Tokyo police who maintained at the time that he was not in their custody. Alistair’s friend also claimed that attempts to contact the UK embassy were made.

Extensive appeals were made across social media over the last few days to find Alistair.

Expats, travellers and locals were urged to come forward with any information they may have had on him.

An FCDO Spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man detained in Tokyo and are in contact with the local authorities.”

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In Normanby, officers seized a Ford Transit van after spotting it being driven by a man, despite the vehicle being insured to a woman. The driver fled the scene after noticing police.

A purple Surron bike was also seized in Billingham following a collision with a BMW on Low Grange Avenue at around 8.50pm on Friday, July 10. Officers attended the scene and removed the bike.

The following day, police recovered a suspected stolen bike in Grangetown after checks revealed it had been stolen from the Sheffield area.

Meanwhile, an illegal bike was seized in Middlesbrough’s Park End area, where an 18-year-old man was reported for summons for driving without a licence or insurance.

Highlighting the force’s ongoing efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour, Cleveland Police said: “We won’t tolerate illegal bikes – not on our streets.”

Two people have been arrested in connection with the incident

A teenager died after falling beneath the wheels of a small industrial vehicle that was being driven through an Essex park, an inquest heard.

Chelmsford Coroners Court was told that Tallulah Bradford, 18, suffered fatal injuries in Chalkwell Park, in the Westcliff are of Southend, on June 13.

Emergency crews raced to the scene after reports that a group had taken unauthorised control of a small articulated loading vehicle. The hearing was told Miss Bradford had been clinging to the side of the moving vehicle before she fell and was tragically run over, reports Essex Live.

Paramedics then transported Tallulah to Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, where she died on the evening of June 19. The court was told that the provisional cause of Tallulah’s death was traumatic head injuries.

Essex Police confirmed that enquiries into the incident are continuing, and an 18-year-old man from Westcliff and a 17-year-old boy have been arrested in connection with the incident. Both remain on bail until September.

The force said in a statement: “We know there were a large number of young people in the area at the time, and we believe some may have witnessed what happened. We need anyone who has information and who we’ve not already spoken with to come forward.

“If you have any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage in relation to this incident, then please get in contact with us. Please quote incident 39 of 13 June.”

The Derbyshire Life Home & Gift Show will arrive at the Central Co-op County Ground, home to Derbyshire County Cricket Club, on September 26 and 27. 

Bringing together artisan makers, homeware brands, and lifestyle products from across the region and beyond.

Visitors can expect a wide range of goods, including handcrafted jewellery, ceramics, luxury skincare, candles, textiles, and unique décor, all under one roof.

The show follows the success of the inaugural Cumbria Life Home & Gift Fair last year (Image: Jonathan Becker)

A spokesperson for the show said: “The Derbyshire Life Home & Gift Show will bring together a carefully curated mix of independent businesses, creatives and artisan producers, offering visitors the chance to discover distinctive pieces for their homes, thoughtful gifts and delicious local flavours from some of the region’s best producers, large and small.

“This is a chance for the makers of Derbyshire to shine.”

The show is organised by Derbyshire Life and follows the success of the inaugural Cumbria Life Home & Gift Fair, which attracted more than 150 traders and 7,300 visitors.

The Derbyshire Life Home and Gift Show is one not to miss! (Image: Newsquest)

This latest event promises to spotlight Derbyshire’s creative talent, offering a weekend of inspiration and discovery.

Confirmed exhibitors include NatureGlow Skincare, a Derbyshire-based brand specialising in botanical skincare for sensitive skin, and Wild and Gem, known for silver jewellery inspired by the natural world.

White Peak Distillery, makers of the acclaimed Wire Works English whisky, will also be in attendance.

Tickets are priced from £4 to £10 (Image: Jonathan Becker)

Food and drink offerings include craft chocolates from Cacao Elora, honey from Ashbourne Secret Garden, and handmade preserves from Buxton Preserves.

The spokesperson added: “More than just a shopping experience, the fair aims to create a platform for Derbyshire businesses to connect with an engaged and supportive audience, highlighting the innovation and craftsmanship shaping the county’s creative economy.”

The indoor event will run from 10am to 4pm on both days.

Tickets are priced from £4 to £10, not including booking fees. Scan the QR code below to get your tickets.

Scan the QR code for tickets (Image: NQ)

What else is there to do nearby?

Beyond the exhibition halls, visitors are encouraged to explore Derby’s attractions.

The Cathedral Quarter, with its independent shops, cafés, and historic streets, is home to Derby Cathedral, the final resting place of Tudor figure Bess of Hardwick.

The Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site includes the Museum of Making, which celebrates more than 300 years of industrial innovation.

Visitors can expect a wide range of goods, including handcrafted jewellery and ceramics (Image: Jonathan Becker)

Derby Market Hall, recently reopened after a £35.1 million restoration, offers a lively mix of independent retailers and dining options.

Derby Arboretum offers tranquillity and calm, just one mile south of the city centre. It is famous for being Britain’s first public park and is believed to have influenced the planning of New York’s Central Park.

Also, four miles north-west of Derby, Kedleston Hall is one of England’s finest stately homes.

Managed by the National Trust, the magnificent 18th-century mansion is renowned for its neoclassical architecture, lavish interiors and sweeping landscaped parkland, where visitors can often spot deer roaming freely.

If you’re wondering “what’s occurring” with Gavin & Stacey’s Joanna Page, she may be swapping Barry Island’s fairground for Bushtucker trials very soon.

The Welsh actor, 49, is the latest star rumoured to be in talks for I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!’s forthcoming series.

Page is best known for starring as Stacey Shipman in BBC One’s hit sitcom, which came to an end with its record-breaking Christmas special in 2024 – the most-watched scripted show in over two decades.

According to The Sun, Page is in advanced talks to be a 2026 campmate with a source saying that “all the signs are looking positive”.

They added that she would be “a coup” for ITV given her popular role on Gavin & Stacey. “She has confided in friends that she’s really keen to take part and wants to go on and make her children proud.”

A spokesperson for ITV told The Independent that any names suggested are just speculation.

Beginning her acting career in the late Nineties, Page took on roles in David Copperfield and Love Actually, playing the role of sex scene stand-in Judy opposite Martin Freeman’s John. After finding fame on Gavin & Stacey in 2007, she took on roles in Doctor Who, BBC drama The Syndicate and Midsomer Murders.

I’m a Celeb wouldn’t be Page’s first foray into reality TV; she was revealed to be the star behind Pig on The Masked Dancer in 2022 and has competed on Cooking with the Stars and Taskmaster. Page was also a regular panellist on ITV’s Loose Women from 2023 until 2024.

Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly will be back on our screens later this year for I’m a Celeb’s 26th series – with a number of celebrities already rumoured to be eyeing up the jungle.

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Dancing on Ice’s Christopher Dean is reportedly in talks to take part after the ITV skating competition was cancelled this year, while Strictly Come Dancing pro Nadiya Bychkova could also sign up after being canned from the BBC title as part of a cast shake-up.

Other rumoured contestants include Mis-Teeq singer Su-Elise Nash, cricketer Ben Stokes, KISS radio presenter and Diversity dancer Perri Kiely, and ex Love Island star Olivia Attwood – who originally competed on I’m a Celeb in 2022 but was forced to quit after just one day.

She left the show “as a precautionary measure” in order to “undergo some medical checks”, and has since suggested she would return to the show if her busy schedule permitted.

The show will return later this year, with series typically kicking off in November.

The incident happened on Tuesday, July 14, when officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) stopped a black Vauxhall Astra on New Lane in Breightmet.

The car had reportedly been seen driving “erratically” on Crompton Way.

Officers detained the driver and searched the vehicle under the Misuse of Drugs Act, discovering a large quantity of cannabis and a significant amount of cash.

(Image: GMP)

The driver failed a roadside drug wipe, testing positive for cannabis.

GMP said via social media: “A large quantity of cannabis was found inside the vehicle, as well as a significant amount of cash.

“The driver also failed the roadside drug wipe test, indicating positive for cannabis use.”

By ISABELLA MACHIN, REPORTER

Published: 17:13 BST, 15 July 2026 | Updated: 10:44 BST, 16 July 2026

A large billboard of Donald Trump dead in a coffin with the words ‘we kill Trump’ has been revealed in Tehran as tensions skyrocket.

The large installation comes days after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s massive funeral, in which attendees chanted slogans about murdering the US President.

The billboard shows Trump, with his hair sticking up wildly and hands crossed upon his large belly, dead.

The installation is in Islamic Revolution Square, in the centre of Tehran.

Last week, Trump hinted at the fact that he may be killed by Iran, telling reporters: ‘Now they have another set of leaders. They may be gone. Who knows? And you know what? I may be gone too, because I’m their number one target.

‘It’s out all over the place. I’m their number one because they’re scum. That’s the way they act, and that’s the way they’ve done it for 47 years.’

In recent days, the US began launching new strikes and told Tehran to ‘behave’ after it began striking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

As talks stall over disagreements about the vital waterway, in which multiple cargo ships have been attacked by Iran this week, Trump has reimposed a blockade on the Strait.

Iran has also continued carrying out missile and drone strikes against US allies in the Middle East, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.

Trump warned that more US strikes would cripple Iran, targeting bridges and power plants unless the country backs down.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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