The ongoing heatwave has derailed travel plans for Scots hoping to experience the iconic Jacobite steam train.

Network Rail has introduced a nationwide ban on all steam trains lasting one week, citing health and safety concerns amid the UK’s ongoing heatwave.

The network operator fears that steam locomotives could ignite wildfires across the country due to the sweltering conditions currently being experienced throughout the UK.

The announcement came as a major disappointment for tourists and rail enthusiasts who had been looking forward to travelling aboard the historic steam locomotives. Many were learning of the disruption just days before their scheduled journeys.

The decision follows an incident involving the famous Hogwarts Express, the Scottish Daily Express reports. The combination of soaring temperatures and dry conditions is believed to have caused the steam locomotive to emit sparks while travelling through Cheshire.

The sparks caused a blaze on the side of the railway tracks, raising concerns about running steam trains during the current heatwave.

As a result, passengers were reportedly left stranded on the tracks, resulting in approximately 80 hours of delays. A diesel locomotive was required to tow the train 70 miles back to its base in Crewe on July 11.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “The current long periods of hot dry weather have increased the risk of wildfires across the country. As a result, we have asked charter operators to replace steam engines with diesels in line with our steam charter fire risk policy.”

One customer, who was clearly outraged, told The Sun that the situation led to his journey on the Hogwarts Express, made famous by the iconic films starring Daniel Radcliffe, being cancelled.

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He said: “Poor show for the price. No steam train the day we went and regular blue and white intercity carriages. A lot of disappointed kids the day we were there. Nothing Hogwarts about it.

“I asked for our trip to be transferred but was told it was sold out every day. Nonsense. Our carriage was half empty.”

Train operators have been instructed to switch to diesel locomotives to reduce the risk of sparks igniting dry vegetation and causing wildfires. The disruption also affected passengers aboard the prestigious Northern Belle, where tickets start from £595 per head.

A spokesperson for the Northern Belle said: “Obviously this is a big disappointment for both us and many of our passengers. But there is a very high fire risk after all the recent hot weather so we are using a heritage diesel locomotive instead.”

In response, the company is offering passengers a £50 refund along with a complimentary cocktail during their journey.

“Seven people working the night shift died on the spot,” governor of the Tambov region Evgeniy Pervyshov wrote on Telegram, adding that 28 drones were also shot down on approach.

He said 25 people had been injured, including seven in serious condition. Most of these injuries were caused by shrapnel wounds, he said.

It was the “largest and most inhumane” attack on Tambov region in terms of the number of drones used and the number of casualties, he said.

Meanwhile, governor of the Moscow region Andrei Vorobyov said eight of those injured in the strikes on the Wildberries warehouse in Elektrostal were in “serious condition”.

He added that total of 48 drones were shot down in the Moscow region overnight, and that a Russian oil depot had also been struck by a falling drone, which he described as the incident with “the most serious consequences”.

“Firefighters, emergency services, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations continue to work at the scene,” he wrote on Telegram. He did not describe the level of damage in detail. Zelensky separately confirmed Ukraine had struck “an oil facility”.

Ukraine has recently intensified its long-range drone attacks on Russia’s critical energy infrastructure, causing widespread fuel shortages. Earlier this month, Kyiv said nearly 43% of Russia’s oil refining capacity had been “disabled” as a result.

The BBC has not independently verified this figure.

Ukraine says Russian oil and gas facilities are legitimate targets as Moscow relies heavily on fossil fuel exports to finance its full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare admission last month that fuel shortages had been caused by Ukrainian attacks, and signed into law a bill aimed at boosting supplies to the domestic fuel market in early July.

Lewis Hamilton will face a race against time to take part in qualifying for tomorrow’s Belgian Grand Prix after he crashed out of final practice.

In the final seconds on the concluding session at Spa-Francorchamps, Hamilton lost control of his Ferrari on the exit of Fagnes, racing through the gravel with the rear of his car thudding into the barrier.

“I have destroyed the car, mate,” said Hamilton as he came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the track.

Hamilton, unharmed in the accident, got out of his car to inspect the significant damage to the back right of his Ferrari – with his back-right wheel facing the wrong way.

Hamilton’s Ferrari mechanics will now have a little more than two hours to repair the seven-time world champion’s car. Qualifying for tomorrow’s race takes place at 16:00 local time (15:00 UK).

Kimi Antonelli will be the favourite to secure pole position after he finished fastest.

The championship leader led the way yesterday and was quickest again in the final running prior to qualifying.

Antonelli saw off McLaren’s Lando Norris – who will serve a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding engine parts – by 0.139 seconds.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen took third, 0.148 sec slower than Antonelli, with George Russell a place back and almost four tenths off his Mercedes team-mate’s pace.

Russell trails Antonelli by 25 points heading into the 10th round, with Hamilton next up in the championship standings, 32 points back. Hamilton finished 0.392 sec adrift of Antonelli before his late crash.

Ireland suffered a 40-21 defeat to New Zealand at Eden Park in the Nations Championship as head coach Andy Farrell admitted his side’s inaccuracy and mistakes proved too costly against a clinical All Blacks side.

Head coach Andy Farrell was left ruing a performance littered with errors after Ireland suffered a comprehensive 40-21 defeat to New Zealand in the third round of the Nations Championship.

The All Blacks crossed for four first-half tries through Patrick Tuipulotu, Ardie Savea, Will Jordan and Asafo Aumua as they maintained their remarkable unbeaten run at Eden Park, which now stands at 53 Test matches.

Jack Conan scored for Ireland in a physical opening 40 minutes, before Joe McCarthy and Hugo Keenan went over in an improved second half, with fly-half Sam Prendergast converting all three tries.

However, following unconvincing bonus-point wins over Australia and Japan, Farrell’s men were thoroughly outplayed in Auckland, with Damian McKenzie and Anton Lienert-Brown adding further tries for the hosts.

“Inaccurate is the word,” said Farrell, speaking to ITV, reports the Irish Mirror.

“Continuity, it just wasn’t flowing for all sorts of reasons, whether that be discipline reasons, spilt ball, throwing the ball into touch, et cetera.

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“The character and fight is there for all to see, hence the comeback and win against Australia, but you can’t make so many errors against a quality side like New Zealand. Congratulations to them.”

It marked Ireland’s first visit to New Zealand since their historic 2-1 series victory in 2022. They lost 42-19 at Eden Park during that tour and have now endured four successive losses to the All Blacks, including a quarter-final elimination at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Following victories over France and Italy, New Zealand claimed their third successive win under newly appointed head coach Dave Rennie.

Farrell said: “Dave is a fantastic coach, you can see what they are trying to do.

“With the speed of ball and movement, it was hard to handle for us. We have got to look at how we adapt and do things better.

“It’s the end of the season now for us, we will re-assess and make sure we learn these lessons, because otherwise what’s the tour for?”.

“All these experiences are fantastic, coming to the southern hemisphere, which is where the World Cup is going to be (next year) – we need to learn those lessons.”

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It won the Collaborative Excellence in Working Together to Improve Care award at the RLDatix Awards 2026 for its Learning Disability and Autism Awareness Education programme, designed to help pre-hospital clinicians deliver more person-centred care.

Karen Gardner, deputy director of people development at NEAS, said: “Winning this award is a fantastic achievement and reflects the commitment of the education team, colleagues and partners who have worked together to create something that is making a real difference for both our staff and the patients we care for.

“By listening to people with lived experience and embedding their voices throughout the programme, we’ve created learning that is practical, meaningful and directly relevant to the realities of ambulance care.

“We’re incredibly proud to see this work recognised on a national stage.”

The programme was co-produced with people who have lived experience, as well as their families and system partners.

It uses real ambulance scenarios, patient stories and immersive learning methods.

More than 2,000 NEAS colleagues have completed the training, with 99 per cent compliance.

Early results show increased staff confidence, a better understanding of patient needs and improved delivery of safe, personalised care.

The RLDatix Awards celebrate individuals and teams across health and social care who make demonstrable improvements to care quality, patient safety and workforce effectiveness.

Entries are judged by an independent panel of health and care leaders.

Paul Sanders, president of RLDatix UK and Ireland, said: “Every day, we see incredible examples of people across health and social care making a real difference for patients, service users and colleagues.

“Through the RLDatix Awards, we are proud to provide a national platform to celebrate these achievements and share the stories and learning that can inspire progress across the wider health and care community.

“It is both an honour and a privilege to recognise and celebrate the exceptional people, teams and organisations who are helping to raise the standard of care, everywhere.”

The RLDatix Awards 2026 were held on July 9 at the Telford International Centre, with more than 500 health and social care professionals in attendance from across the UK and Ireland.

The event aimed to recognise collaboration, innovation and excellence in improving care.

Pupils from Lakes Primary School and Wilton Primary Academy in Redcar have buried a time capsule at the site of The Lookout, a new development in Redcar town centre.

Harry, Aria, Katie and Lillian were among the pupils who helped seal and bury the capsule filled with letters and messages to their future selves, creating a snapshot of life in Redcar today for generations to come.

Local school children bury a time capsule at The Lookout in Redcar. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

The capsule has been buried on the High Street side of the development, just outside the attraction, where it will remain hidden until it is one day rediscovered.

The Lookout is one of the flagship projects in the Redcar Town Deal programme that aims to create a modern community hub featuring a library, learning spaces, family-friendly attractions, food and drink outlets, and a programme of year-round events.

Once complete, The Lookout will offer digital technology and learning areas, flexible indoor and outdoor event spaces, and family-friendly activities.

Local school children bury a time capsule at The Lookout in Redcar. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Jacqui Hutchinson of RCVDA coordinated the event with the help of the schools and Robertson Construction North East.

Ms Hutchinson said: “This was a lovely opportunity for local children to become part of the story of The Lookout.

“The messages they’ve placed inside the time capsule will give future generations a glimpse into what life was like in Redcar today.

“The Lookout is all about creating opportunities, learning and experiences for local people, so it’s fitting that young people have played such an important role in this milestone.”

The scheme follows extensive public consultation and sits alongside other Town Deal projects aimed at regenerating Redcar’s town centre and seafront.

Local school children bury a time capsule at The Lookout in Redcar. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Cllr Alec Brown, leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, said: “It’s fantastic to see local schoolchildren helping mark this exciting stage in the development of The Lookout.

“Burying a time capsule is a great way of connecting the town’s future with its present, and I hope the children will look back proudly knowing they’ve contributed to a project that will benefit Redcar for years to come.”

Local school children bury a time capsule at The Lookout in Redcar. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

As construction continues, the community is being reminded that the heart of Redcar remains open and ready to welcome shoppers, diners, and day-trippers alike.

The visit ended on an even sweeter note for the pupils, with an ice cream from iconic Italian parlour, Pacitto’s.

For more information on the Lookout and other Redcar Town Deal projects, visit: https://redcarcleveland.uk.engagementhq.com/hub-page/redcar-town-deal

The Milbank Arms, in Barningham, sits close to the A66, Barnard Castle, Richmond and the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.

The pub, which is Grade II-listed and dates from the early 19th century, has become a popular stop for walkers, diners, overnight guests and people travelling through the area.

On Tripadvisor, The Milbank Arms has a 4.4 rating from reviews, with visitors often mentioning “an incredible welcome”, “pudding” and “Sunday lunch”.

The Milbank Arms, in Barningham (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

The venue describes itself as a “historic country inn offering a cosy atmosphere, accommodation, locally sourced cuisine and a welcoming pub, combining rustic charm with modern comfort”.

Recent reviews suggest the pub has become a destination in its own right.

One visitor from Ipswich said they stopped at The Milbank Arms on the way to Scotland, describing it as a convenient halfway stop just five minutes off the A66.

They said the accommodation was “very clean and comfortable and quiet”, while supper in the bar was “excellent”.

The reviewer added: “Proper chef clearly works in kitchen and the menu was well thought out.”

Another visitor described it as “a lovely gastro pub in an idyllic setting” after calling in for Sunday lunch following a walk around the surrounding countryside.

They praised the “delightful” pub, friendly staff and food, saying the roast beef was rare and the lemon sole was “fantastic”.

The Milbank Arms has also been praised as an overnight stay.

One guest who stayed for Valentine’s Day said the pub was in “such a lovely little village”, with snow making the setting even prettier.

They described their room as cosy, the bed as very comfortable and the food as “absolutely delicious”.

They added: “The staff were so so welcoming and friendly, so hats off to them; their customer service was 10/10.”

Another reviewer said they could “100 per cent recommend” The Milbank Arms after an overnight stay in a large room with “pretty decor” and a “super-king-size bed”.

They praised the evening meal, describing the pub as “spacious yet cosy”, and said breakfast was another highlight.

Diners have praised dishes including steak, roast beef, lemon sole, monkfish, venison, arancini, steak pie, vegetarian options, puddings and cooked breakfasts.

One solo visitor who stopped for a pint and food said staff were “warm and friendly” and praised a pint of Timothy Taylor Landlord before describing the steak as extremely high quality.

They wrote: “Cooked to medium rare, well seasoned and served with new potatoes. No extra fuss and nonsense, but really top service.”

Another reviewer, who visited for a family birthday party, said The Milbank Arms hosted 38 people “exceptionally well”, adding that the food was “outstanding”.

The pub has also been used for a company leadership strategy away day, with one business visitor saying they “couldn’t fault it”.

They wrote: “Beautiful rooms, wonderful food, friendly hospitality.”

The family of a young mum who was stabbed to death by an intruder while she slept alongside her husband and their three-month-old baby have said they want ‘justice’ for her ‘shocking’ death.

Kirandeep Kaur, 24, was allegedly attacked by stranger Daniel Sean James in her home in Hayes, west London, on the morning of July 12.

Ms Kaur, who had been living in the UK since 2024 on a student visa, suffered a stab wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 8.26am.

Speaking to ITV News, Ms Kaur’s mother Baljeet said: ‘We send them somewhere safe to study then this happens. We didn’t realise hooliganism and violence is happening there too.

‘We want justice, we want our daughter’s body returned from Hayes.’

Ms Kaur’s brother Gurvinder Singh said the family had found out only on Friday that she had died.

He said: ‘We were shocked, we don’t understand what we can do.’

Mr Singh said the family do not have anyone who could bring Ms Kaur’s body back home to their village in Punjab.

A GoFundMe page has been set up by the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall Gurdwara to help raise money for funeral arrangements for Ms Kaur as well as the repatriation of her body to India and for her family.

As of Friday night, it has raised more than £34,600.

Before the random attack, James allegedly walked through a playing field in Hayes dressed all in black and carrying a large knife.

The 46-year-old was caught on CCTV and doorbell cameras approaching three different addresses before coming up behind a man in his 20s in the street and stabbing him in the back, it is claimed.

Minutes later, at around 7.51am, he is said to have kicked at the door of the home Mrs Kaur shared with her husband and three-month-old baby and broke in while they were asleep in bed.

The husband awoke to the sound of a scream from his wife and saw a figure leaving the bedroom, prosecutor Charlene Sumnall told the Old Bailey on Thursday.

The court heard James, of Pinner, west London, left the property in Uxbridge Road two minutes later by jumping out of a window from the kitchen-living room area.

Having broken both ankles, he allegedly tried to flee but collapsed after 10 metres.

The Old Bailey was told that both victims were complete strangers to the defendant, who was treated in hospital before being taken into custody.

He was subsequently charged with the murder of Ms Kaur, attempted murder and having a blade.

Judge Nigel Lickley KC set a plea hearing for October 1 and a provisional three-week trial from April 5 next year, while James was remanded into custody.

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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By ELIZABETH HAIGH, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: 10:31 BST, 18 July 2026 | Updated: 11:58 BST, 18 July 2026

Incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham has slapped down net-zero champion Ed Miliband with plans to launch new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. 

He is reportedly set to announce the plans when he becomes PM on Monday.

It comes after fierce debate over the future of two oil and gas fields in Scotland – Rosebank and Jackdaw – where licences were approved in 2022 and 2023 before being overturned last year. 

Sir Keir Starmer previously faced criticism over his opposition to drilling for fossil fuels, arguing granting new licences does not mean cheaper bills for customers, as proponents claim.

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Instead, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, often branded a ‘net-zero zealot’, has pushed renewable energy sources which do not contribute to climate change. 

But amid pressures on energy prices including the war between the US and Iran, Reform and the Conservatives have pushed the government to approve new licences.

This would go against the party’s 2024 manifesto, which pledged no new licences for oil and gas.

Previously Miliband, who has described the decision to issue a licence to Rosebank as ‘climate vandalism’, was touted as a potential Chancellor under Andy Burnham, although in recent days Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has also been put forward.

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Incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham has slapped down net-zero supporter Ed Miliband with plans to launch new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea

It comes after fierce debate over the future of two oil and gas fields in Scotland – Rosebank and Jackdaw

It is unclear exactly what Burnham’s plans for oil and gas entail, but it has been trailed he will make a raft of announcements next week on policy.

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Ahead of his ascension to the top job, trade unions representing the oil and gas industries sent Burnham a letter calling on him to back them. 

Any new licences could mark a further falling out between him and Miliband, who is likely to receive a cabinet job. 

Burnham allies have insisted he has not yet made final decisions on cabinet roles, with these expected to be announced on Monday. 

Among policy declarations expected are plans to nationalise water and energy firms and initiate a council house building programme. 

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He pledged in a speech on Friday to bring about the ‘most significant change moment in our politics for 40 years’.

Burnham accused politicians of ‘surrendering control’ of housing, water, energy and transport, and also said he would overhaul social care.

In his highly-anticipated speech on Monday after becoming Prime Minister, Burnham is expected to say he wants to make a ‘tangible’ change to people’s lives.

Burnham allies have insisted he has not yet made final decisions on cabinet roles, with these expected to be announced on Monday

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The former Manchester mayor is set to unveil measures to tackle the cost of living and ‘grasp the nettle’ that is social care reform.

He is also said to be considering capping bus fares at £2 across the country – something he previously enacted in Greater Manchester. 

But much of the speculation centres on who will form Burnham’s government with him.

Allies including Angela Rayner and Louise Haigh are expected to be welcomed back into the fold with cabinet positions, while potential competition in the likes of Wes Streeting are also set to retain top jobs.

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Current Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to remain in government, but in a different role. 

Officers are appealing for information

A 43-year-old man has been taken to hospital with a serious head injury following an alleged incident in Barry. A second man, aged 30, has been arrested on suspicion of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

The incident happened on Skomer Road at around 11.20pm on Friday, July 17. According to Google maps there was a road closure in place on Saturday morning.

South Wales Police is appealing for information to assist the investigation. Always keep on top of the latest Welsh news with our newsletter

A spokesman for the force said: “Officers are appealing for witnesses following assault which took place on Skomer Road, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan at around 11:20pm yesterday (Friday July 17).

“A 43-year-old man from Barry has been taken to hospital with a significant head injury.

“A 30-year-old man from Barry has been arrested on suspicion of inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent. He is currently in police custody.

“If you witnessed this incident or recorded any footage, please get in touch via 101, quoting 2600229849.”