By ALEX BURGHART, SHADOW CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Published: 22:48 BST, 9 August 2026 | Updated: 23:03 BST, 9 August 2026

By MICHAEL PAVITT, SPORTS REPORTER

Published: 21:00 BST, 9 August 2026 | Updated: 23:01 BST, 9 August 2026

A Brazilian footballer plummeted down a tunnel in frightening fashion during a match, only for his goal to be disallowed.

The incident occurred when Coritiba hosted Chapecoense in Brazil’s top flight on Saturday.

Coritiba defender Jacy thought he had scored to put his side 2-0 up in the first half, with the 29-year-old jumping over the advertising hoardings in celebration.

Unbeknownst to Jacy, a tunnel leading to the dressing rooms had been uncovered in preparation for half-time.

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Jacy ultimately fell straight down the hole and into the tunnel, with a horrified security guard seen sprinting down the stairs to attend to the defender.

Anxious Coritiba team-mates were seen peering over the advertising hoardings to check on the condition of their team-mate.

Brazilian football Jacy jumped over advertising hoardings to celebrate a goal, which was later ruled out for offside

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The defender was unaware a tunnel to the dressing rooms was open, leading to him plummeting down a hole

Anxious team-mates came across to check on his condition, with Jacy appearing to emerge unscatched from the incident but later needed to be substituted

Jacy returned following the fall and received treatment from Coritiba’s medical staff.

The incident became more painful for the Brazilian after his goal was ultimately ruled out for offside following a VAR review.

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Jacy was able to continue the match briefly but was forced off two minutes into the second half as the defender continued to feel the after effects of the fall.

Remarkably it was not the first time a player has fallen down the tunnel at the Couto Pereira stadium.

Back in 2014, Coritiba striker Joel fell down the open tunnel as he celebrated one of his two goals in a match against Sao Paulo.

The same security guard who attended to Joel was also on hand to provide Jacy with assistance.

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Coritiba recorded a 2-1 victory over Chapecoense on Saturday despite Jacy’s goal being disallowed.

The match did see a more serious medical incident with Chapecoense midfielder Max Alves having been taken to intensive care after colliding with his own team-mate.

Alves underwent surgery to have a chest drain inserted, with the Brazilian having also been diagnosed with multiple rib fractures following the incident.

Rod Stewart’s daughter has announced the birth of her second child in a cure Instagram post, with the new addition becoming the rocker’s sixth grandchild

Rod Stewart has become a grandfather for the sixth time. The rockstar’s daughter, Ruby, welcomed her second child with fiance Jake Kalick and shared the news on social media.

Ruby, 39, gave birth to a son, Levi. Posting pics of her newborn to Instagram, she said: “We welcomed our little (big) Levi Rhodes Kalick at 6:58pm on 8/4/26 at 9lbs 20inches….”

She added that her favourite moment was when her eldest son Otis met his little brother: “His name Levi means My Heart and his arrival has grown our hearts to 10 times the size… seeing Otis and Levi meet for the first time might have been the greatest experience of my life so far… Otis is already the best big brother and we are already so in love with this sweet boy… Welcome sweet Levi!”

In the pictures, Ruby’s mother, Kelly Emberg, 67, could be seen smiling down at her new grandbaby. Kelly and Rod, 81, dated for several years in the 1980s.

Rod has eight children. His eldest child is Sarah Streeter, who is also the child of Susannah Boffey. Sarah was adopted and raised by her parents, Gerald and Evelyn Thubron. Rod also had two children with his first wife Alana Collins. Their children are Kimberly and Sean Stewart. After having Ruby with Kelly Emberg, Rod had Renee and Liam with his second wife Rachel Hunter and Alastair and Aiden with his third wife Penny Lancaster.

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Renee hopped into the comments of her sister’s post to say: “Levi. Love you guys.” Ruby’s husband Jake also commented: “Boy mum!” This came after Ruby announced her pregnancy in April by debuting her baby bump at a jazz festival in New Orleans, where her dad was performing.

Alongside Ruby’s two sons, Rod has four other grandchildren. Kimberly has a daughter, Delilah, whom she shares with Benicio Del Toro, and a son that was born last year. Liam Stewart also has two children, Louie and Elsie.

Rod was recently criticised by fans after he cancelled a gig just hours before it was due to start, citing health issues, only to head to the World Cup alongside sons Liam and Alastair.

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His Instagram post, in which he and his sons were on their way to watch Scotland play, was captioned: “Me and the boys off to Boston to see our Scotland in the World Cup! No Scotland no party.”

The cheerful message came after a statement from his team broke the news to fans on Instagram of his cancelled gig. It said: “Rod Stewart very regretfully has had to cancel his show tonight in Chula Vista, California.

“He travelled to the venue and made every effort to perform, but on the advice of his doctors and following a diagnosis of an acute upper respiratory infection that has resulted in laryngitis, he is unable to take to the stage this evening.”

After sharing the post to Instagram, one fan replied: “Missed you last night in San Diego Rod – we hope you are doing better!!” Another said: “Seems like he is on the mend.”

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Andy Burnham has vowed to tackle “rip-off” subscription traps as part of his blitz of policies to tackle the cost of living crisis and provide “everyday fixes” for rising bills.

The prime minister, who will begin a summer tour of the country on Monday, will accelerate plans to force companies to make it easier to cancel subscriptions and provide more information about costs up-front rather than quietly auto-renewing them at a higher price.

Mr Burnham will travel the country during August where he will ask the public how the government can improve their lives, with officials insisting the PM will be in “listening mode” as he vowed to “pull every single lever we can to provide people with some room to breathe on the cost of living”.

The changes to subscriptions, announced in April under Sir Keir Starmer’s government, had been expected to come into force next spring, but Mr Burnham will bring their introduction forward to January.

He will also launch a consultation on adding deceptive discount offers to the Competition and Markets Authority’s list of banned practices.

This would make it easier for the watchdog to punish firms that artificially inflate prices and then immediately offer a “discount” to make a product look much better value than it is.

The prime minister said: “I know people are sick and tired of rip-off discounts and subscription traps. Westminster has got used to telling people that everyday hassles like this are just part of life.

“I don’t think that’s right, especially when the cost of living continues to weigh heavily on so many people’s lives.”

Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, welcomed the proposals, saying subscription traps and deceptive discounts were “a widespread problem”.

Citizens Advice has previously found 26 per cent of UK adults had accidentally taken out a subscription in a single year, with the government saying its action could save households £14 per month.

Further announcements are expected over the summer, with the prime minister describing Monday’s proposals as “just the start”.

The upcoming tour, which is expected to inform his 10-year plan for the country, will also see Mr Burnham focus on improving high streets.

A spokesperson for the prime minister added he would be “getting out of Westminster and meeting people where they are”.

But opposition figures have criticised his August plans as a “vanity tour” offering only “tinkering”, and urged him to implement broader tax cuts. Meanwhile, there have also been concerns raised over how Mr Burnham’s cost of living blitz will be funded.

It comes after he announced a swathe of policies to bring down bills in his first week in office, including a 20 per cent business rate cut for pubs, clubs and live music venues, a VAT cut to electricity bills, and bus fares capped to £2 from January.

The business rate cut alone is expected to cost the government around £100m per year – but it is unclear how it will be funded.

Mr Burnham is also facing at least a £4.7bn black hole to fill in Sir Keir’s defence spending plan. But announcing that his first Budget will take place on 28 October, chancellor John Healey vowed it would be “built on fiscal discipline”.

Last month, the prime minister was warned that he will have to raise taxes or cut spending if he wants to fund his new priorities, in a grim analysis by one of the UK’s leading economic think tanks.

Economists at the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR) cautioned the prime minister and Mr Healey that “there is no capacity to borrow any more” and that inflation will push up the cost of living much higher than the Bank of England (BoE) is forecasting.

Responding to the latest measures to tackle the cost of living, shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride said: “Andy Burnham has already run out of ideas.

“The cost of living didn’t become a problem last week, so you have to ask why it has taken Labour so long to enact legislation passed by the previous government.

“Labour’s tax hikes have sent costs soaring for hardworking families and destroyed jobs. Consultations and reheated measures won’t make up for that.”

Rangers were beaten 2-1 by Hibernian at Ibrox in a match overshadowed by a controversial VAR penalty decision and injury concerns over Youssef Chermiti

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A lunar eclipse is approaching this week.

Yet at Ibrox, anxieties are mounting once more that they face another campaign living in Celtic’s considerable shadow.

Just three matches into the club’s latest new chapter and Rangers supporters are still awaiting Derek McInnes’ promised revival to materialise.

What should have been a match made in heaven with the former Ibrox favourite taking the manager’s position has thus far been clouded in uncertainty.

And unless circumstances align swiftly to deliver the offensive reinforcements he desperately requires, Rangers can abandon any ambitions of halting Martin O’Neill’s revitalised Hoops, reports the Daily Record.

Celtic’s confidence returned emphatically at Rugby Park.

Rangers, by contrast, continue stumbling about trying to identify their strongest XI.

David Gray’s Hibs arrived under pressure themselves following their disappointing opening to the campaign.

However, this proved precisely the tonic they needed as a contentious Josh Campbell spot-kick and Callum Wright’s dramatic late strike extinguished a Rangers comeback after Miguel Chaiwa’s own goal.

Precious few inside Ibrox could fathom why Hibs had been granted a 10th-minute penalty – even after glimpsing replays on their mobile devices.

Fresh Serbian acquisition Vanja Dragojevic – making his maiden start in an unaccustomed right-back position – appeared bewildered as referee Don Robertson was directed to the monitor to review his clash with Jason Kerr at a Hibs set-piece. At most, it appeared generous, yet referee Robertson alongside VAR official Matt MacDermid deemed the infringement worthy of awarding a penalty.

Campbell seized the opportunity without hesitation, calmly converting the opening goal.

Despite considerable time remaining, Ibrox’s recent history meant supporters couldn’t stay composed, with anxiety quickly engulfing the stadium.

Opportunities arose for Rangers to equalise, though their finishing let them down repeatedly in crucial attacking areas.

The away side’s determination to hold onto their advantage only intensified the home crowd’s growing exasperation.

Shankland nearly scored when his strike rattled the woodwork, but Rangers eventually found parity with just four minutes remaining.

A catastrophic defensive pass from Felix Passlack was intercepted by Thelo Aasgaard, before Djeidi Gassama’s delivery was turned into his own goal by Chaiwa.

It looked like a frantic finale was brewing in added time. Yet it was Hibs who broke forward, with Passlack setting up Wright whose strike took a deflection off Tuur Rommens before nestling in the net, sparking wild celebrations amongst the travelling faithful.

Here’s five talking points from Ibrox Stadium:.

McInnes’ Rangers’ recipe still missing vital ingredient

While still in the early stages, what has become apparent is that McInnes continues to search for his ideal starting line-up. After rotating five players from the season’s opening fixture at Tannadice for Thursday’s Europa League encounter in Poland, McInnes was back at it again with a further six alterations for this match.

The substitutions persisted at the interval as Dragojevic became the sixth player across just three fixtures to be withdrawn at the break – yet all this shuffling has produced thus far is a side appearing fragmented and lacking in confidence.

The Ibrox boss has made it plain he’s still seeking to bolster his attacking options before the transfer deadline – with negotiations for Couhaib Driouech ongoing.

Meanwhile, he must extract performances from the offensive players at his disposal. Should he fail to do so promptly, he may discover the title race has already reached its conclusion.

VAR sends Del demented again

Scotland’s VAR controversy reached unprecedented levels last season. Just two matches into the current campaign, it appears we’re set for another twelve months of heated debate and frustration.

McInnes is already serving a three-match suspension following the “disgusting” tirade he delivered last term criticising officiating standards during Hearts’ championship challenge.

And he has legitimate grounds to feel equally hard done by after witnessing referee Don Robertson and VAR official Matt MacDermid collaborate to award Hibs their disputed penalty which opened the scoring.

Dragojevic was culpable of being caught in an awkward position while grappling with Jason Kerr at a Hibs set-piece, though both players had their arms raised in a tussle that involved minimal contact. The match officials, nonetheless, judged there to be sufficient contact to grant the penalty, which Campbell confidently converted.

The Ibrox crowd responded with fury – while McInnes appeared equally shocked by the decision.

Choked up Chermiti

Prior to kick-off, reports emerged that Rangers had rejected what would represent a club-record £22million bid from Galatasaray for Youssef Chermiti.

The decision was made in anticipation that the Turkish club would come back with an improved offer.

However, those hopes now appear uncertain following a distressing incident just before the interval, which saw the 22-year-old Portuguese forward stretchered from the field.

The ex-Everton player committed fully to a tackle with Megwa but was clearly in considerable pain from the resulting injury, leaving the pitch with his face concealed.

Should this result in an extended absence, it will fall to Ibrox executives Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe – both present ahead of Monday’s shareholder summit – to clarify how they intend to finance a replacement.

Forging a fortress

Earlier this week, McInnes challenged his side to put opponents “under greater stress” at Ibrox, having observed from afar how Rangers sides have frequently struggled with home expectations in recent campaigns.

In fairness, he couldn’t have selected better opposition to begin strengthening Ibrox’s reputation as a difficult venue.

Across his previous 17 home fixtures managing St Johnstone, Aberdeen, Killie and Hearts, the new Rangers manager had maintained an unbeaten record against the Edinburgh outfit. Yet Gray’s team showed no signs of intimidation, displaying the same composure they had when securing victory here against Danny Rohl’s Rangers in May, snatching another dramatic late winner just as they had on that occasion.

The growing unease at Ibrox isn’t doing the Light Blues any favours, with much of the discontent from the terraces filtering down to the players. However, the only remedy for that is to begin collecting victories.

Hibs’ hounds have their day

Two lacklustre Europa League performances sandwiched between their home defeat to Motherwell had intensified the scrutiny on Gray.

However, he’ll take immense pride in how his players threw themselves into the battle.

The number of crucial blocks was impossible to tally, but Megwa, Kerr and Adam Mayor all warrant recognition for their valiant efforts as Rangers mounted wave after wave of attacks.

Wright’s clinical strike was the perfect culmination of a well-earned triumph.

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The old section of Heighington Lane once carried traffic between Aycliffe Village and Heighington.

It was later bypassed by the modern B6444, leaving the former road hidden among trees.

Vehicles no longer use the old alignment, which now serves as a route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

The entrance to the old road (Image: GOOGLE)

Despite becoming overgrown, much of the original road can still be followed between the area near Heighington railway station and the village.

The abandoned stretch has attracted interest from enthusiasts who explore “ghost roads”, roads which have been bypassed, closed or left without a clear purpose.

For many local people, however, it is remembered as part of an everyday journey.

One horse rider said on a social media group: “I regularly use this lane on my horse. Lovely ride out.

“But I also remember when this was the Aycliffe Village to Heighington main road.”

Others recalled travelling along it before the bypass was constructed.

A former Heighington signalman said he remembered the work being carried out, placing it in the late 1980s or early 1990s.

Another resident remembered the original layout having a staggered junction and crossroads near the Heighington end.

The old road is believed to have been bypassed as routes around Heighington, School Aycliffe and Aycliffe Village were improved.

Its replacement created a more direct route for traffic while removing vehicles from the older lane.

An aerial view of the new road and the old road (Image: GOOGLE)

The old lane is also remembered by people who travelled to Aycliffe Stadium for stock car racing.

One former visitor said the road formed part of regular Sunday journeys to the track, which closed around the end of the 1980s.

The former road also runs close to one of County Durham’s most important railway heritage sites.

Historic England describes the former Heighington and Aycliffe station building as the world’s first railway station.

The Grade II*-listed building is on the route of theh the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which opened in September 1825.

It was also at Heighington that George Stephenson’s Locomotion No 1 was first placed on the rails before hauling the railway’s pioneering passenger service.

Much of the original Stockton and Darlington Railway route remains part of the national rail network today.

Although it no longer carries cars, Heighington’s forgotten road has not vanished completely.

It survives as a quiet reminder of how people once travelled between Aycliffe and the village before bypasses and modern road layouts changed the area.

The Wales-filmed adaptation of Liz Jensen’s novel has wrapped up on BBC One and BBC iPlayer

BBC’s The Rapture is coming to an end after launching earlier this month.

Filmed entirely in Wales, the psychological thriller is adapted from Liz Jensen’s bestselling novel and has a star-studded cast list including Ruth Madeley, Sam Hazeldine, Jack Farthing, Stephen Campbell Moore, Ruth Jones, India Amarteifio, Iwan Rheon, Lisa Palfrey, Siena Kelly, Naby Dakhli, Richard Elis, Dean Rehman, and Robert Rhodes. You can find out more about the cast in full here.

The five-part series is about a teenager accused of killing her mother, who claims she has the ability to predict disasters. The Rapture has been described as a high-stakes drama that crackles with wit and danger, while also exploring them.

A synopsis for the series reads: “After a life-altering car accident killed her husband and left her paralysed, psychologist Dr Gabs Fox starts a new job at a psychiatric hospital where she is assigned 17-year-old inmate Bethany Krall. Two years before, Bethany was sectioned for the brutal murder of her mother, Carys Krall. The case shocked the nation, not least because Bethany’s father, Leonard Krall, is the charismatic leader of the Faith Way, a spiritual movement with millions of online followers.

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“Bethany seems to know private details about Gabs’ life and insists she can see visions of the future, which she communicates through disturbing sketches of disasters: storms, fires and floods. Bethany’s nurse Rafiq insists Bethany’s predictions always come true, but Gabs is sceptical, determined to find a clinical explanation.

“As the heat intensifies, Gabs begins to notice unsettling connections between Bethany’s prophetic drawings and the world outside, forcing Gabs to re-examine her assumptions. Could Bethany be innocent after all? If she didn’t kill Carys Krall, who did and why?

“With the help of journalist Dick Carwyn and engineer Frasier Melville, Gabs digs deeper into the history of the Kralls. As she falls further down the rabbit hole, Gabs is forced to question – is Bethany telling the truth, or is she being manipulated by a deeply troubled teenager?”

But the drama will come to an end on Sunday, August 9 at 9pm, and many people will be wondering what is replacing the series in the primetime slot on Sunday and Monday nights.

The BBC has confirmed that it will be airing coverage of the European Athletic Championships from Monday, August 10. Coverage of the Championships will start on BBC Two, before BBC One takes over at 8pm with Gabby Logan presenting coverage of the evening session on day one from Alexander Stadium.

The women’s 100m final is the concluding event of the night. The BBC said of their coverage: “Europe’s biggest athletics stars are heading to Birmingham this August for a landmark moment in British sporting history – and audiences can watch every thrilling second live across the BBC.

“For the first time ever, the European Athletics Championships will be staged in the United Kingdom, with Birmingham providing the backdrop as Team GB competes for glory in front of passionate home crowds.

“With the roar of the home support behind them, Britain’s biggest athletics stars will be aiming to create unforgettable moments on home soil against Europe’s very best.”

Comprehensive live coverage will be available across BBC One, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer between August 10 and August 16, with daily coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.

The BBC has said that fans can also follow every twist and turn via the BBC Sport website, BBC Sport app and BBC Sport’s social media channels.

The Rapture will air its final episode on Sunday, August 9 at 9pm on BBC One.

President Donald Trump spent his Saturday evening on Truth Social, releasing a series of seemingly AI-generated posts mocking up the planned White House ballroom and its rooftop “drone port.”

In three different images all titled “DronePort”, the president depicted the roof of the ballroom structure covered by numerous military drone aircraft, armed soldiers and refueling trucks, turning the placid grounds of the White House into a major military installation. The images were the same ones he originally posted in May, as he attacked a federal judge for delaying the project by ruling that the administration lacked congressional authorization.

“This great and very important military asset sits atop the heavily protected Ballroom at the White House. It provides National Security for Washington, D.C., and will protect future Presidents!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president’s focus on his ballroom is not new. His fixation on the military center and “drone port” pictured in the three images he released late Saturday evening comes, however, as he has shifted his rhetoric about the construction project to focus on its planned security features in an attempt to win further congressional support for funding and battle a court order stopping construction. Money for the ballroom was originally set to be approved by Congress as part of legislation passed earlier this year, but it was stripped out due to lack of support in the Senate.

Like his first post back in May, this latest posting by the president follows his defeat in court over the project.

A federal appeals court delivered the second blow to the project on Friday that the administration must cease construction of the project until congressional approval is gained, leaving the building process in limbo and putting another awkward test to the Republican-controlled House and Senate with just a few months to go before the midterm elections.

The president frequently veers off onto tangents about the ballroom and its construction process during unrelated events and planned remarks as the project (and the totality of his D.C. beautification efforts) have become a clear, sustained priority that at time often trumps matters that would seemingly be more important to Republican voters, to say nothing of the officials and dignitaries often in the room listening to him wander off topic and derail his own speeches.

His efforts to beautify D.C. include projects to restore fountains and other park features around the District of Columbia as well as the now heavily scrutinized effort to restore the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, fixing leaks in the structure’s base and repainting the surface with an aqua-blue swimming pool coating.

That project has also consumed his attention in recent days as his U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, dropped charges against an Olympian falsely accused by the Trump administration of vandalizing the pool’s new coating with a knife or other sharp object. Pirro admitted in court filings that the damage to the coating appeared to be the result of a faulty installation process.

Apart from the chunks of pool coating that were visible in the waters as the new surface failed, the waters of the pool turned lime-green this summer as park workers struggled to deal with a massive algae bloom which the president also previously attempted to blame on vandalism. Like the failed installation of the coating, the algae was actually thought to be the result of contractor error during the addition of new micro-bubbler devices to the structure.

The president has pivoted to describing the ballroom and “drone port” project as an issue of national security as his popularity and subsequently the appeal of his D.C. renovation projects has waned on Capitol Hill. On Friday, he attacked the appeals court that ruled against his adminsistration in court on the project for supposedly endangering the lives of current and future occupants of the White House, with his rationale being that the planned structure’s anti-drone capabilities were the only thing that could guard from such attacks.

“The Circuit Court’s decision, which is totally wrong on the vital subject of STANDING, of which the plaintiff has none, severely jeopardizes the lives and welfare of the people who work, and will be working, at the White House — including all future Presidents of the United States, and their families, as well as the lives of all those visiting,” wrote Trump.

BBC viewers saw actresses India Amarteifio and Ruth Madeley star in the dark crime thriller.

Viewers on the BBC were quick to share their thoughts on the ending.

*This article contains spoilers for The Rapture*

On Sunday night (August 9), the broadcaster’s latest psychological thriller, The Rapture, came to a dramatic conclusion. The series, which began at the end of July, focused on the complex relationship between 17-year-old Bethany Krall (India Amarteifio) and forensic psychologist Gabs Fox (Ruth Madeley).

As Gabs, who is recovering from a traumatic incident which killed her husband, starts a job at a high-security psychiatric hospital, she meets Bethany. The teen is convicted of brutally killing her mother, although she has claimed she is innocent the entire time.

As Bethany claims she has psychic powers and can predict the future with drawings, will Gabs choose to believe her? It also makes viewers wonder if she is telling the truth, so who really killed her mother?

During the tense conclusion, answers were finally revealed as viewers saw the truth come out, which proved Bethany was innocent all along.

After a series of twists and turns, it was unveiled that a man called Rob (Morgan Watkins), a member of Climate First, killed her as he was doing the bidding of oil company Trenmoor boss, Max Leland (Stephen Campbell Moore).

Her mother was sadly killed after she was about to share the shady dealings of Trenmoor, who were discrediting environmental activists and protecting oil drilling operations, which resulted in Bethany getting framed.

It wasn’t long before people shared their thoughts on the series, with many left confused as to how the characters were behaving as the show was supposed to be set in an unbearable heatwave.

On Twitter, now X, one person said: “#therapture and the clothing looks just a little too warm for those temperatures. I get inside they might have AC. But a shirt over a t-shirt outside…”

A different account wrote: “The place is roasting hot but no one looks bothered #therapture” with another viewer commenting: “#therapture is getting VERY silly now!”

Elsewhere, another show watcher added: “#TheRapture they continually sit in the sun some of the grass is still green and sun in every room. I’m in Belgium now it’s 36 degrees and we’re all sitting in dark rooms and staying inside as much as possible and it’s Code Orange” to which another fan responded: “It’s just not believable!”

However, not everyone shared the same view as some were blown away by the drama, demanding another instalment.

On X, someone commented: “Just finished watching #TheRapture and it’s safe to say I think it’s one of the most genius pieces of television I’ve seen in a long time! The whole cast was amazing, but India Amarteifio as Bethany was outstanding, brilliant!”

While another praised: “@BBC #TheRapture, love this. Excellent TV drama for now. More, please.”

The Rapture is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Plans have been submitted to South Tyneside Council to convert a unit on St Hilda’s Industrial Estate in South Shields into a family-run pet cremation centre.

The proposed facility would provide only individual cremations, one at a time, ensuring each pet is cremated separately and guaranteeing 100 per cent return of ashes.

A chapel of rest and a farewell room would give families a private and dignified space to spend time with their pet before cremation.

Planning documents state that the crematorium could carry out six to seven individual cremations per day.

Owners would have the option to bring their pets directly to the site or arrange for collection from their home or vet.

Ashes could be returned within 24 to 48 hours and the proposed opening hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 12pm on Saturdays.

A supporting statement said: “In addition, the business intends to create employment opportunities as it grows and becomes established.

“The service will operate across the North East, supporting pet owners and working alongside established veterinary practices, including those offering home euthanasia services that can be arranged through the business.

“The proposed use represents a low-impact operation generating minimal traffic, noise, waste and environmental effects, while providing a valuable and compassionate service to the local community and wider region.”

The crematorium would be regulated and subject to annual inspections to ensure compliance with government regulations and industry standards.

The facility would also offer a selection of memorial products including caskets, urns, scatter tubes and keepsakes, with a commitment to source items from local suppliers wherever possible.

Planning documents state that the proposed facility would “provide an important service for pet owners across the region, offering reassurance that their beloved pets are treated with dignity and respect through individual cremation procedures.”

A decision will be made by the council following a period of public consultation.