Police were called to a property on Cranbourne Terrace in at around 4.40pm on Wednesday, April 1, after reports of a petrol bomb being thrown at a house and two cars.

An investigation has now been launched to find those responsible and police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Pringle, from Stockton CID said: “At 4.40pm on Wednesday, April 1, police were called to reports of a petrol bomb thrown at a house on Cranbourne Terrace in Stockton and another at two cars causing minor damage.

“Officers swiftly attended and an investigation is ongoing to establish who is involved.

“We are appealing to anyone with information to call 101 or visit the website quoting reference number 060579.

“You can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800555111.”

Packed pullouts and FREE shop bets every day of the iconic Grand National festival from your trusted racing paper – don’t miss out!

The Randox Grand National Festival is a highlight of the British sporting calendar, and over three days, the stars of horse racing line up for a chance to come away as one of the festival’s iconic victors.

Your Daily Mirror has an incredible line up for this huge event! With packed pullouts featuring tips and insights from your trusted pundits and all the information you need on the day’s runners and riders every day of the festival. PLUS you’ll find a £5 FREE shop bet inside your paper EVERY day of the festival to use at any A.McLean Bookmakers – so pick a winner with your Daily Mirror this Aintree!

On Saturday April 11, 34 horses will line up to take on the four and a quarter mile titular race over the Aintree spruce fences before a winner is crowned. It is the one occasion of the year when the public places a bet with millions of pounds set to be wagered on the outcome of the 4.00 race at Aintree on April 11. There is also the small matter of a £1 million prize fund up for grabs, with £500,000 on offer for the winner, making it a potentially lucrative day out for owners and trainers.

Winning is not an easy task, however, and there is lots of competition for the crown of Grand National winner. Last year Willie Mullins pulled off the extraordinary feat of training the 1-2-3 in the race with Nick Rockett, ridden by his amateur rider son Patrick, defeating 2024 Grand National winner I Am Maximus and Grangeclare West. For good measure he also trained the fifth placed finisher.

Last year’s first three are destined to take on the challenge again with billionaire JP McManus, the owner of favourite I Am Maximus, also represented by Iroko and Jagwar near the top of the betting. McManus also owns Johnnywho, a winner at the recent Cheltenham Festival, and Oscars Brother, trained by former champion apprentice Connor King who at 27 will attempt to become the youngest trainer to win the Grand National. Haiti Couleurs, trained in Pembrokeshire, west Wales by Rebecca Curtis, will attempt to add the Grand National to triumphs in the Irish and Welsh versions.

Inside your Daily Mirror from Thursday April 9th

Thursday April 9th, and Friday April 10th: 12 packed pages of racing content from Day One and Two of the festival

Saturday April 11th: Celebrate Grand National Saturday with TWENTY pages of epic tips, features and content from your trusted Mirror pundits

PLUS Get a FREE £5 Shop bet with A.McLean Bookmakers inside your paper on Thursday, Friday, AND Grand National Saturday!

The crash involved a car and a police van.

A police officer has been injured after being involved in a crash. Cambridgeshire Police were called to reports of a crash on Gilbert Road in Cambridge at around 8.55am on Thursday (April 2).

The collision involved a car and a police van. One officer was injured during the incident. No arrests have been made.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “We were called at about 8.55am this morning (2 April) to Gilbert Road, Cambridge, to reports of a collision between a car and a police van.

“An officer suffered minor injuries, there were no arrests and officers remain at the scene.”

To get more news and top stories delivered directly to your phone, join our new WhatsApp community. Click this link to receive your daily dose of CambridgeshireLive content.

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New street food vendor, Texas Smoker, has already been a hit at the St. James’ Stack in Newcastle.

Founder Garry Overs comes from a family with four generations in the food business and was inspired to introduce American-style smoked meats to the UK around 15 years ago.

Mr Overs said: “I built my own smoker as there was nothing like that available at the time.”

He continued: “We’re really delighted to be coming to Sunderland.”

The menu includes 48-hour oak-smoked brisket and pork, served with homemade slaw and signature sauce in a brioche bun, alongside chili cheese dogs, ribs, and dirty fries and nachos.

Garry added: “It’s a great site for us and we think it will go down a storm.

“It’s something new and we can’t wait for people to experience it.”

At their busiest times, Garry and his team smoke around a tonne of meat every weekend, using everything from oak to applewood to get the unique flavour.

The Texas Smoker team are well known around the UK, appearing at everything from Hyde Park’s annual Winter Wonderland to Rewind Festival to the Royal Highland Show.

All their meat is sourced from Freemans Butchers in Team Valley.

Gemma Dishman, Director of Strategy and Development at Stack, said: “Our focus is always on curating a strong, balanced food offer that keeps people coming back, and Texas Smoker is a great addition to that mix.

Read more:

“They bring something distinct in terms of flavour, quality and experience, which complements the existing line-up at Seaburn really well.”

The launch of Texas Smoker follows the recent arrival of another vendor, Strip’d Nashville Fried Chicken, which serves Nashville style buttermilk soaked fried chicken burgers, tenders and wraps, alongside loaded fries and signature chicken wings.

Ms Dishman said: “The addition of Strip’d further strengthens the overall food mix at Seaburn, offering a strong, recognisable crowd-pleaser and gives visitors even more reason to return and try something different.”

Recipients will be given two purses – a white purse including a set of specially minted silver Maundy coins totalling 77 pennies, to match the King’s age, and a red pursue containing a £5 coin marking 100 years since the late Queen’s birth, as well as a 50p coin celebrating the 50th anniversary of The King’s Trust charity.

Ten members of the Blue Watch team from Peterlee, part of County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, took part in The Great Tommy Sleep Out on Sunday (March 29) raising £1,285 for the Royal British Veterans Enterprise (RVBE), a charity supporting ex-servicemen and women across the UK.

The crew camped at a site in County Durham using only basic gear, aiming to better understand the challenges faced by those without shelter.

The crew camped at a site in County Durham using only basic gear. (Image: County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service)

Anthony Matthias, 54, watch manager at Peterlee, said: “The sleep out went really well.

“We pitched five tents and one tarp to accommodate everyone.

“The temperature got down to around 3°C and we had rain and gusts of wind all night.

“But being uncomfortable made you appreciate what it’s like to be homeless and not able to sleep in a comfortable bed.”

The funds raised will go towards safe housing, mental health support, and job opportunities for veterans through the RVBE.

Donations are being collected until the end of April – to donate visit socialsync.app/fundraiser/cr-wx5mm681nmo50

Read more:

Mr Matthias said: “We would like to thank all those people who have taken the time and trouble to contribute to the charity.

“These vital funds for the Royal British Veterans Enterprise (RVBE) will help to provide safe homes, mental health support, employment opportunities, and communities where veterans can support each other.

“We also want to give a shout out to the owner of the permissive camp spot for allowing us to use their land.”

After months of speculation, Chris Jericho has returned to All Elite Wrestling.

For the first time since April 2025, the legendary wrestler appeared on AEW Dynamite after a long period where people believed he might be making a shock WWE comeback.

Despite reports linking Y2J to a return at the 2026 Royal Rumble and even the first Monday Night Raw of the year on Netflix, nothing materialised, and he remained on AEW’s online roster.

On Wednesday night, Jericho had his comeback in front of a hometown crowd in Winnipeg, where he described Tony Khan’s company as ‘home’.

While there were cheers from the crowd, and fans are intrigued to see what the next stage in the 55-year-old star’s career holds, many WWE fans appear relieved he didn’t end up rejoining the promotion.

On X, fan @‌jennaia07 wrote: ‘Ngl WWE kinda dodged a bullet, cuz a 2026 Jericho run would’ve done the company no favours.’

‘*shrugs* I really had no interest in seeing Jericho back in WWE in the year 2026 anyways 🤷‍♂️,’ added @‌Raaaaaaaandyyy.

Others shared similar sentiments earlier on Wednesday, when reports first emerged suggesting Jericho was staying in AEW.

‘Don’t give hope. I swear if Jericho shows up on my WWE TV I’m gonna lose it. Keep his a** in Jacksonville,’ raved @‌Jon_Mitchell3, while @‌LoserStoneDsh_n added: ‘NO CHRIS JERICHO IN MY PRECIOUS FEDERATION’.

Some fans had expected Jericho to go to WWE for a Hall of Fame induction and WrestleMania retirement run, but now there are plenty hoping he gets a similar sendoff in AEW after time appeared to be added onto his contract following his long absence.

‘Sting got the best retirement run ever in Wrestling history, Jericho will do the same,’ @‌Chuck_Senpai wrote, while @‌PittsburghPug86 added: ‘Honestly, what’s left for Jericho to do in any promotion? Glad he’s back, but he’s done it all. Maybe a retirement tour this time around? 🤷’

Others insisted that while he isn’t ‘needed in AEW’, he can still contribute ‘as an upper mid-card legacy babyface’, using his name value to build the future.

As reported by Fightful Select in the hours before Dynamite, Jericho – who recently trademarked ‘Cornerstone’ – was the subject of plenty of chatter backstage in AEW, while there were ‘absolutely’ talks between the former world champion and WWE.

The outlet said: ‘We’re told that there absolutely have been talks between Chris Jericho and WWE in recent months. However, at no point has creative been set for him that we’ve heard about.

‘He was never planned for the WWE Raw on Netflix anniversary, Royal Rumble, or Elimination Chamber.’

It’s not clear how long Jericho will be around in wrestling, as he recently admitted he’s nearing the end of his career after more than three decades in the business.

He was recently asked by GamesHub what concerns he has for the future health of the current crop of wrestlers who are embracing a very physical in-ring style, and in his answer, he dropped a hint about his future plans.

‘What worries me about the guys working today is here I am at 55, 35 years in, with still some career left to go. I don’t know if it’s a year, two years, four years — I’m not sure,’ he said.

‘But I don’t know how many of the guys working now will have the option to go 35 years. Hopefully, all of them. But you can already see what serious injuries do — a bad neck surgery changes everything.’

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

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The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for wind covering all of Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as large swathes of northern England and north Wales.

The warnings are valid at various times on Saturday afternoon, overnight and into Sunday.

Widespread gusts of 50-60mph (80-97km/h) are expected with the chance of 70mph (113km/h) gusts in exposed areas, especially around coasts.

Central and northern parts of Scotland could see winds peaking at 80-90mph (129-144km/h) with large waves bringing dangerous conditions along the coasts.

Winds as strong as these bring the threat of damage, power cuts and significant travel disruption.

Some roads and bridges could close, which could have major impacts on what is predicted to be the busiest Easter in four years for drivers.

Disruption to train and ferry services is also possible.

Trains are unable to run between Cambridge and Hitchin this morning (Thursday, April 2). This is due to emergency services dealing with an incident at Baldock in Hertfordshire.

The incident was first reported at around 10.46am. As a result, trains are disrupted between Cambridge and Hitchin. Those travelling on Great Northern trains between London Kings Cross, Cambridge, Ely and Kings Lynn will be affected.

People travelling on Thameslink between Brighton and Cambridge will also be affected. Details of the incident are not yet known.

British Transport Police and the East of England Ambulance Service have been contacted for more information.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan on Thursday confirmed it was holding peace talks with Afghanistan’s Taliban government in China, where Beijing is mediating to broker a lasting ceasefire after weeks of fighting that have killed hundreds, disrupting trade and cross-border travel.

The confirmation of the new round of talks came a day after officials from the two sides told The Associated Press that representatives from the two countries had traveled to Urumqi in northern China, where they held the first round of talks.

It remains unclear who is representing Pakistan and Afghanistan in the latest negotiations in China.

In Islamabad, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told a news briefing that the talks are ongoing. “Yes, Pakistan has sent a delegation to Urumqi, in line with its consistent position and longstanding practice of supporting a credible process that can help find a durable solution to cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan,” he said.

However, Andrabi said success of the talks largely depends on Kabul.

“The burden of a real process lies with Afghanistan, which must demonstrate visible and verifiable action against terrorist groups using Afghan soil against Pakistan,” he said.

Andrabi said Pakistan has never shied away from dialogue on the issue. “We remain engaged with the Chinese leadership on this issue and other relevant international partners,” he said, but maintained that Pakistan is seeking written assurances from Kabul that Afghan soil will not be used for attacks against Pakistan.

There was no immediate comment from Kabul.

Though China has not officially confirmed the talks, the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday said Xi Jinping’s government has been “actively mediating and facilitating the resolution of conflicts between Afghanistan and Pakistan.” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China has “always supported both sides in resolving their differences through dialogue and negotiation.”

Despite the ongoing peace talks, Pakistan’s operations against the Pakistani Taliban along the border with Afghanistan and other militant groups will continue, according to Andrabi.

On Wednesday, Farid Dehqan, a police spokesperson for the eastern Afghan province of Kunar, said Pakistan had fired mortars into Afghan territory late Wednesday, killing two civilians and wounding six others, including four children. He said the shelling was ongoing two hours after it started.

Andrabi dismissed the accusation, saying Pakistan conducts operations against militants with care to avoid civilian casualties.

Pakistan often accuses Afghanistan of providing a safe haven to militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan, especially the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. The group is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, which took over Afghanistan in 2021 following the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led troops. Kabul denies the charge.

The fighting between the two sides has been the deadliest since February, when Afghanistan’s Taliban government said Pakistan launched strikes in Kabul and several other areas, causing mostly civilian casualties. Pakistan has said it targeted hideouts of TTP.

Pakistan has also said it is in “open war” with Afghanistan.

Tensions have been especially high since last month when Afghanistan said a Pakistani airstrike at a drug-treatment center in Kabul killed more than 400 people. The death toll could not be independently confirmed, and Pakistan has disputed the claim. It denied targeting civilians, saying it struck an ammunition depot in Kabul.

The latest peace talks in China followed earlier rounds held in Qatar and Turkey, during which the two sides agreed to a ceasefire which largely remained in place until Pakistan carried out strikes in Kabul and elsewhere in Afghanistan in late February, triggering border clashes which have subsided in recent days.

Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have a history of tense relations, but the ongoing violence has alarmed the international community, particularly because apart from outlawed TTP, other militant groups such as al-Qaida and the Islamic State group remain present in the region and have sought to regroup.

———

Castillo reported from Beijing.