They were the three expert gardeners who became household names and led part of a home and outdoor improvements boom on British TV.

Yet gardens belonging to Ground Force’s Alan Titchmarsh, Charlie Dimmock and Tommy Walsh look to have suffered similarly to many others during the UK’s record-breaking drought and heatwaves this summer.

The trio fronted the show since it was first broadcast by the BBC back in 1997 – winning an audience of 12million viewers at its peak. 

Titchmarsh and Dimmock would appear on the show as gardeners, while Walsh used his building expertise to lay patios and fit decking. 

Their own well-tended homes are now among those now seeing grass parched yellow and brown, despite benefiting from some cover by lush green trees. 

Titchmarsh, 77, has his home in Farnham in Surrey, while 60-year-old Dimmock’s is in Romsey in Hampshire and Walsh, 69, lives in Hackney, east London. 

All three areas are currently covered by hosepipe bans.

And photos suggest even some of the nation’s best and best-loved gardeners are not immune to the effects of this summer’s five heatwaves and resultant restrictions imposed across much of the UK, especially the south of England. 

Alan Titchmarsh’s property in Farnham, Surrey, has also been affected although similarly has an array of surrounding trees still staying a healthier green

Garden grass has gone yellow where Tommy Walsh lives in Hackney, east London

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Professional gardener Titchmarsh was already an established broadcaster on magazine show Pebble Mill at One and Gardeners’ World when Ground Force launched.

But his two new colleagues joined him in becoming household names as they took on garden makeover challenges across the country on Ground Force.

He left the show in 2002, but it ran for another three years before being cancelled. 

Shortly after leaving Ground Force, Titchmarsh also stood down as presenter of fellow BBC show Gardeners’ World – succeeded by Monty Don in 2003.

Titchmarsh started out as an apprentice gardener after leaving school aged 15 in 1964, with one O-level, before progressing to study and work at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, south-west London then going into gardening journalism. 

Dimmock, a keen gardener since childhood, studied horticulture before getting a TV break in 1992 when building a garden for ITV’s Meridien region show Grass Roots.

After Ground Force ended in 2005, she has since presented programmes including The Great British Garden Revival on BBC2 and BBC1 daytime show Garden Rescue which has run for more than 150 episodes since 2016.

Walsh, who worked as a builder before finding fame on Ground Force, has gone on to feature on other shows such as Challenge Tommy Walsh, Tommy’s DIY survival and Homes Under The Hammer. 

Charlie Dimmock, Alan Titchmarsh and Tommy Walsh drew audiences of up to 12 million at the height of Ground Force’s fame, after the BBC show began broadcasting in 1997

The Herefordshire home of Titchmarsh’s Gardeners’ World successor Monty Don has appeared in a healthy condition, with green trees and shrubs enclosing his two-acre estate named Longmeadow near the market town of Leominster.  

While hosepipe bans have been imposed in various parts of the country, Severn Trent Water which covers parts of Herefordshire has not done so.

Welsh Water, serving other territory in the region, has only done so in areas in Wales. 

Broadcaster and writer Don, 71, has owned his Longmeadow property with his wife Sarah since 1991 – and has lovingly curated an array of differently themed areas across the estate. 

He is among the celebrities who have managed to keep their gardens looking healthily green in contrast to sprawls of parched and yellow neighbouring fields.

Rock legend Sir Rod Stewart and his wife Penny Lancaster‘s Essex home has appeared lush in defiance of this summer’s heatwaves, as has outside Jeremy Clarkson‘s Farmer’s Dog pub in the Cotswolds.

Don has previously written in the Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine and shared photos of his treasured home where he plays host on Gardener’s World, the BBC programme he has presented since 2003.

The two-acre space is divided into several areas, including the Cottage Garden, the Jewel Garden, the Islamic-inspired Paradise Garden, the Spring Garden, the Wildlife Garden, the Writing Garden and the Vegetable Garden.

Broadcaster Monty Don’s garden estate remains green despite this summer’s heatwaves parching many of the surrounding areas, turning them yellow and brown

Monty Don, pictured in March this year, has been presenting Gardeners’ World since 2003 – he is pictured here in his Cottage Garden at Longmeadow, Herefordshire, in June 2024

A bird’s eye view of Monty Don’s garden and it’s ‘zones’: 1. Spring Garden; 2. The Jewel Garden; 3. The Damp Garden; 4. The Wildlife Garden; 5. The Writing Garden

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The horticulturist’s Longmeadow garden in Herefordshire is well known to green fingered enthusiasts as a setting of BBC show Gardeners’ World

He wrote in 2021: ‘The way that I have designed my garden is, as a friend of mine only half-jokingly described it, “like a series of allotments”. 

‘It means there are a number of different areas, all quite separate and usually hidden from the rest.

‘I make no apologies for this and enjoy the surprises and sense of enclosure that it brings. Inevitably this means that different sections of the garden have their own character. 

‘We also try to treat each separate area as though it were the only garden that we had.

‘This means that each section has to stand up to the strictest scrutiny and aesthetic standards.’

Amid differing looks to Britain’s gardens this summer, Wessex Water earlier this week became the latest authority to announce a hosepipe ban, its first since the 1976 heatwave – affecting 1.4million customers across areas in Bath, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire.

More than 27million people across England have now had hosepipe use restricted in their area. 

Yet some areas have since Tuesday experienced their ‘first meaningful rain for a long time’, as the Met Office put – and while people were also told to brace for floods.

On Monday night parts of London, Kent, Essex and Sussex saw light or patchy rain after all being declared in drought at the end of last month.

England and Wales had their driest July ever recorded while southern England had its driest month ever, according to records going back almost 200 years. 

But Wisley, in Surrey, broke its 62-day dry streak – the longest of any area in the UK – with 1.6mm falling in the early hours of Wednesday.

The Met Office has predicted showers, ‘some heavy and thundery’, on Friday – with temperatures ‘near average to cool’, though they should lessen on Saturday. 

The change comes after the UK’s fifth heatwave of the summer, during which the hottest day of the year was recorded in Kew Gardens, London, on August 13 when temperatures reached 38.1C.

Recent conditions have taken their toll on many fields, parks and gardens, turning them from green to yellow or brown.

But pictures told a different story last week at the lush grounds around 81-year-old Sir Rod’s Grade II-listed, 18th-century Essex mansion he bought for £4.65million in 2013.

Sir Rod’s property is supplied by Affinity Water, which introduced a hosepipe ban across its central region, including Essex, on July 17 due to the weather conditions.

Sir Rod Stewart’s Grade II-listed mansion has very green gardens despite the dry weather

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Grass outside Jeremy Clarkson’s Cotswolds pub looked surprisingly lush on Monday as the presenter revealed his tactic for accessing water

Eight other water companies have brought in bans, which mean customers are legally banned from using hosepipes to water gardens or wash cars, patios or boats.

There is no evidence Sir Rod has breached a ban, given there are many workarounds for watering grass such as using a watering can. He may also have an exemption.

Former Top Gear host Mr Clarkson has also explained how the ex-Faces frontman could have kept his gardens green – as he explained the approach used at his pub.

Aerial images from above Mr Clarkson’s pub on Monday showed much of the grass remaining green while some patches and neighbouring fields were parched brown.

Mr Clarkson wrote in his Sun column: ‘Could it be, perhaps, that Rod, here with wife Penny, probably has a borehole?

‘You dig a hole maybe 100m down into the ground, put a pump in it and water comes out. Water that’s not subjected to any kind of government interference.

‘That’s what we did at my pub, which is why the lawns there are also weirdly verdant.’

Another rock star Sir Paul McCartney appears to be adhering to a hosepipe ban at his home and grounds in Peasmarsh, near Rye in East Sussex. 

Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney’s 160-acre East Sussex estate shows signs of the heatwave

Images of his Sussex estate have shown a green herb garden but also swathes of yellow and brown grass. 

A hosepipe ban for the area was imposed last month by South East Water, with the restrictions covering not only Sussex but also Berkshire, Kent, Surrey and Hampshire.

Meanwhile, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s lawns are greener than most thanks to a large private lake just a stone’s throw from the back of his Essex mansion.

The star has installed hosepipes between the pond and his garden, which is markedly greener than the parched countryside that surrounds it.

Water taken from a privately owned source – such as from a lake, pond, spring or well on a property – is exempt from the hosepipe ban.

Oliver has lived at the Grade I-listed 12-bedroom property since purchasing it for £6million in 2019, and the pond sits within its 70-acre site.

Faring perhaps less well is 82-year-old Keith Richards’s West Sussex home, with a small garden circled by buildings – but with other grass on his estate just as brown and dry as the surrounding fields.

With no visible private water source, Richards cannot rely on a handy nearby lake to get around restrictions, which came into place in the county on July 25.

Keith Richards’ home in West Sussex has a small green patch at the centre, but other grass on the property is struggling

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Chef Jamie Oliver’s lawns are rather more green than most – helped by having a large personal lake just a stone’s throw from the back of his Essex mansion

A Thames Water boss warned on Friday that its own hosepipe ban – affecting 10.1million people – is likely to remain in place until the end of this year. 

Nevil Muncaster, strategic water resources director at the firm, told Times Radio on Friday: ‘I think realistically, it’s going to be towards the end of the year before that comes off.

‘That’s something that we need to make sure we do just to protect the environment.’

He added that when temperatures surpassed 25C (77F), customers tended to use 25 per cent more water than usual.

When they go above 30C (86F), as they frequently have this summer amid five heatwaves, customers use up to 50 per cent more water.

Mr Muncaster said that despite some rainfall, more dry conditions are expected in the near future.

‘The Environment Agency forecast is that it will be drier than normal for the next few months, but we’ll wait and see,’ he added.

Thames Water, Britain’s biggest water company, is £19.5billion in debt, with creditors in the process of trying to arrange a bailout deal – as ministers recently rejected the latest proposal.

On average, the firm loses 569 million litres of water per day, down from 654 million litres a day one decade ago.

Ailsa Fox, who achieved three A* grades in biology, chemistry, and psychology, will be studying biochemistry at Oxford’s Wadham College after successfully navigating the university’s highly competitive admissions process.

Aisla Fox achieved three A* grades in biology, chemistry and psychology (Image: The Sixth Form Bolton)

The achievement comes as The Sixth Form Bolton celebrates another strong year of results, with a significant number of students progressing to Russell Group universities across the country.

Alisa, a former pupil at Darwen Aldridge Community Academy, also completed core mathematics alongside the college’s honours programme and an extended project qualification (EPQ).

Speaking about her time at the college, she said: “I have loved all the friends I have met at The Sixth Form Bolton and the opportunities I have had to take part in fun activities with them, including a trip to Chester Zoo with Psychology and Go Ape with the Honours Programme.

“I have also loved all the teachers; they have helped me so much.

“I’m so happy to have all their support to help me achieve my grades.

“Thank you B6 for a wonderful two years.”

Oxford is consistently ranked among the world’s top universities, and places are fiercely contested by some of the highest-achieving students from across the UK and internationally.

College leaders said Alisa’s success reflected years of hard work, determination, and academic excellence.

Throughout her studies, she took part in The Sixth Form Bolton’s honours programme, which is designed to support high-achieving students through academic enrichment opportunities, extended study, and guidance on applications to competitive universities.

Mark Goodwin, assistant principal and head of the Honours Programme, praised her achievements.

He said: “Securing a place at Oxford is an incredible achievement and a testament to Ailsa’s determination, resilience, and love of learning.

“The competition for places is fierce, and her success reflects not only her outstanding academic ability but also the commitment she has shown throughout her time at The Sixth Form Bolton.

“We are incredibly proud of Ailsa and wish her every success as she begins this exciting next chapter.”

Mr Goodwin added that Ailsa is one of a large cohort of students progressing to Russell Group universities this year, highlighting the ambition and dedication of students across the college.

An Irish woman called Lydia Whelan has opened up about her breast cancer journey and how her biggest fear after being diagnosed was her house sale collapsing

A woman revealed the heartbreaking conversations she had with her loved ones after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of just 32 — including telling her boyfriend to leave her.

Lydia Whelan and her long-term partner Colm had just been given the green light on a house sale agreement when their lives took an unexpected turn two years ago.

Just one week before the sale was agreed, Lydia, who is from County Kildare, Ireland, was visiting her doctor after spotting a change in her breast.

And on July 30, 2024, Colm was by Lydia’s side at St James’s Hospital in Dublin when a doctor confirmed she had cancer. It was later confirmed to be aggressive and stage two.

In an emotional interview with Dublin Dialogues, Lydia remembered: “I just erupted and my partner erupted and I was like, ‘I knew it.’

“Then very quickly I was like, ‘How am I going to tell my mother?’ It was all like a lot of emotions and feelings kind of came at once and I found myself sitting there… myself and my partner after going ‘sale agreed’ on our home in the middle of all this.

“So that was very daunting.”

Due to her diagnosis, Lydia, a support worker for adults with intellectual disabilities, could not get approval for mortgage protection, and there was a fear that she could lose the house.

And being remarkably honest, she said: “I have said it before to a lot of people, I was more upset about the potential of losing my house than I was of being told I had cancer because I was looking at the future, myself and my partner for 10 years together at that point, this was the next stage for us.”

She added: “I was like, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to cope.’ If we lose our house, I was telling him to leave me. I was like, ‘I’m holding you back.’

“It’s conversations that you don’t expect to have at the age of 32.”

And in another heartbreaking conversation, this time with her parents, she revealed: “I remember going home to my mum and dad and I was still living at home at this point and I just burst out crying. I was like, ‘I don’t want to lose my hair.’”

Thankfully, Lydia’s partner, family and friends offered nothing but love and support, and she said she would not have gotten through her treatment without them.

Lydia is now a cancer survivor after several brutal rounds of chemotherapy and she said the last two years still feels surreal to her.

“There was a lot of questions,” she said. “A lot of hurt, a lot of anger, a lot of why me? Like, how? I was healthy. I was on a fitness journey.”

She added: “It’s been the roughest rollercoaster I could have ever imagined. It’s not something you know how to deal with or are told how to deal with.”

Lydia started her chemotherapy at the end of August 2024 and she gave a devastating insight into how difficult it was.

“It absolutely wipes you, takes away what you see in the mirror,” she said. “I really struggled with that aspect. Still to this day I do. But my friends and my family, the support network I have is amazing.”

Lydia, who also had radiation and surgery, was extremely ill during and towards the end of her chemotherapy and at one point she felt unable to complete another two rounds to take the total to six.

However, while some days she would cry for hours, there were others when she remained positive and looked towards the future. She is now living a beautiful life having completed her treatment.

Her house sale went through after Colm had to draw down the mortgage by himself and this December will mark two years since she and Colm moved in together. Lydia must now wait another four years before she can be named on the mortgage when she will officially be in remission.

She now shares her story to raise awareness about breast cancer and in a message to others, she said: “I continue to drive home about checking yourself every month.

“People have come up to me and said, ‘I’m afraid to check myself because of what I’d find.’

“And it’s wild how that’s someone’s thoughts on it. And I’m like, ‘Yeah, but if I didn’t find it when I found it, I would not be here today. There’s no might. I wouldn’t.’

“My cancer was spreading very very fast. I would not be sitting here today.”

She said she now lives her best life, just as she did before her cancer diagnosis, and says “yes to everything”.

Lydia, now 34, added: “It’s given me a new lease of life. As hard as the journey has been, I now don’t stress about the small things. I take a beat. I would have been a very quite anxious and nervous person.”

She added: “I’m still here, I’m still alive, I’m still breathing. I’m just grateful for every day that now if I do have a bad day, I’m angry at myself for having a bad day.

“But as humans, we’re always hard on ourselves. But no, continue to looking forward to even the small things in life.

“A cup of coffee, fresh air, the sun. Little things that we so easily take for granted.”

From missing detectives to multiple murders and high-ranking cover-ups, the new episodes promise plenty of drama for BBC viewers.

In the second series, master puzzle-setter John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor (David Mitchell) is now a crime scene consultant, working alongside DCI Russell Carter (Dipo Ola) on ‘impossible’ crimes for the Cambridge Police Authority.

But with his identical twin brother still missing, John and his sister-in-law Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin) won’t stop – there’s a puzzle to solve and a husband and father to bring home.

Ludwig series 2 sees fans saying the same thing as the first episode airs

The new series of Ludwig has been well received so far, with fans replying to David Mitchell’s X post, which shows a sneak peek of the episodes.

One said: “And it’s as good as ever.”

This person commented: “Brilliant, so well written and the characters are exceptional.”

Someone else put: “Excellent! I was hoping you were doing another season.”

Another said the cast is “fabulous”, adding: “It was brilliant (as usual, and expected), and so great to see my local theatre feature both outside and inside too”.

A fan who hasn’t yet watched the new series said: “So looking forward to this.

“Loved the 1st series.”

A new series of Ludwig starts on @BBCOne at 9pm! The first three episodes will then be available on @BBCiPlayer but you’ll have to wait until September for episodes 4-6. Hope you enjoy it! pic.twitter.com/PMWTrEa0cX

— David Mitchell (@RealDMitchell) August 20, 2026

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Where is Ludwig series 2 filmed?

Cambridge features in the series, with David Mitchell sharing that he loves the English city.

He said: “I went to university there, and I love it.

“You want people to enjoy slipping into this world like a pair of slippers, but with a dead body in them.

“Cambridge is obviously a great candidate for that.

“Inspector Morse is one of my favourite shows, but that was set in Oxford.

“That’s where people want to escape to in this kind of program.

“I think you’ve got to have a beautiful setting to juxtapose with the nature of the crimes.”

How is Ludwig series 2 different from series 1?

Anna Maxwell-Martin explained how series two of Ludwig differs from series one: “This series is bigger and better, brighter and bolder.

“It builds on the success of the first and it’s got even better.

Recommended reading:

“We all really enjoy being here and creating the show.

“Mark Brotherhood, our writer, is so responsive.

“He doesn’t block you; he really wants to show everyone off, and that’s really exciting.”

How to watch Ludwig series 2

The first three episodes of Ludwig’s second series are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.

However, the final three episodes of the new series will air in September.

Have you watched Ludwig? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT An Airbus A330 was en route from Brazil to France when it plummeted into the Atlantic Ocean in June 2009, killing all 228 on board.

A pilot facing imminent disaster uttered some disturbing, panicked last words before his doomed plane plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, claiming the lives of everyone on board.

Tragedy struck in June 2009 when a flight travelling from Brazil to France disappeared in a violent storm.

Heartbreakingly, not a single one of the 228 on board, including passengers and crew members, survived the Airbus A330 crash, as per CNN.

A two-year search operation covering 10,000 square metres followed before the black box and cockpit voice recordings of the pilots’ final moments were recovered, allowing investigators to piece together what truly happened that day.

When they finally came, the findings were horrifying. First officer Pierre-Cedric Bonin, 32, could be heard saying what no one wants to hear on board a plane. He said: “I don’t have control. I don’t have control of the aeroplane at all!”

Relief first officer David Robert, 37, told Bonin to move the controls to the left before taking over from his colleague. However, Bonin continued to grip his side-stick, meaning their inputs were cancelling each other out.

A further alarming question came from their commander, 58-year-old Captain Marc Dubois, who asked: “Er what are you [doing]?” Robert said that they had lost “all control” of the aircraft and that every attempt to recover it had failed.

Robert said to himself: “Climb, climb, climb, climb.” The captain warned: “Watch out, you are pulling up.”

France’s Bureau of Investigation and Analysis condemned the release of the transcript, saying it violated European law and disrespected the crew.

Bonin responded: “But I’ve been at maximum nose-up for a while!” In a devastating moment, Dubois realised Bonin was causing the stall and screamed: “No no no, don’t climb! No No No!” Bonin handed the controls to Robert, but their fate was already sealed as the aircraft was too low to recover from the stall.

The passengers would have had no idea about the chaos playing out inside the cockpit during the harrowing three-and-a-half minute plunge to their deaths.

In a last-ditch effort, Bonin wrenched his side-stick back and swore, before screaming: “We’re going to crash! This can’t be true. But what’s happening?” It remains unclear who spoke next, but an eerie voice was heard saying: “F***, we’re dead.”

Technical malfunctions, treacherous weather conditions and pilot error were ruled as the cause of the disaster. After the aircraft stalled, the pilots did not respond as they should have, triggering the terrifying descent of 11,000ft per minute.

Regarding the technical failures, investigators said ice crystals had formed on the aircraft, causing the autopilot to disconnect mid-flight.

Erroneous airspeed readings left the pilots bewildered, and under immense pressure, one made the fatal mistake of pulling the plane’s nose upwards rather than downwards following the stall.

By WILKO MARTÍNEZ-CACHERO, US REPORTER

Published: 05:43 BST, 21 August 2026 | Updated: 07:23 BST, 21 August 2026

A North Carolina girl who was kidnapped from a sleepover and taken deep into the woods was discovered by an unlikely Good Samaritan after she emerged with tears in her eyes and scratches on her body.

The 12-year-old child was discovered by healthcare giver Jennifer Maxwell as she was driving home on Sunday around 1.20pm.

She emerged from the wooded area alongside US Highway 421 in Erwin, 45 miles south of Raleigh, as Maxwell drove by.

‘I just thank God I was there,’ Maxwell told WNCN. ‘And I thank God she got away, not just that I was there.’

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The girl told Maxwell that she had been sleeping over at her best friend’s home, who lives next door to her.

She was allegedly woken up by 38-year-old Daniel Francis Gear, the friend’s uncle, who was ultimately charged with her kidnap.

Gear is alleged to have driven the girl to the woods in his truck and forced her to walk with him for hours.

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North Carolina healthcare giver Jennifer Maxwell spotted a 12-year-old girl who had been kidnapped as she drove home on Sunday around 1.20pm

Maxwell said the girl popped out of a secluded, wooded area alongside US Highway 421 in Erwin

Maxwell recalled that she had seen the little girl ‘run out of the woods down the embankment’ before dropping in a ditch and tearing up.

‘She was very scratched up, like her legs had lines all over them,’ Maxwell told the outlet. ‘Either she went through briers or thick brush.’

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The unlikely hero added that the child was barefooted and her arms were also scratched.

Maxwell said she asked the girl if she was okay and she responded, ‘No, I’ve been kidnapped.’

Maxwell called 911 after helping the girl into her car. Later, Maxwell took police to where she had found the girl.

Gear’s truck was still sitting nearby behind a DMV office, according to the outlet.

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Maxwell was involved in a car accident shortly after her encounter with the girl. She went to the hospital afterwards, where she again saw the preteen.

‘I guess she told her parents who I was, and they came over and they thanked me,’ she told WRAL.

Daniel Francis Gear, 38, has been charged with with first-degree kidnapping and assault

The girl was sleeping over at her best friend’s home, which is located in Lillington, when she was told by Gear to come outside

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Gear was captured by police around 8.15pm on Sunday after a seven-hour manhunt involving drones and K-9 officers.

He has since been charged with first-degree kidnapping and assault.

Court records listed him as being 5-foot-9 and weighing 240 pounds.

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Neighbors described Gear as an unknown inside their Lillington community, though they noted that the girl would often be at his home to hang out with his niece.

‘Actually, to be honest, nobody really knew who he was,’ neighbor Justin Powers told WNCN.

‘He never really came out of the house,’ Powers added. ‘He worked from home.’

Gear is being held at the Harnett County Detention Center on a $2.5 million secured bond, which was set Monday during his first appearance at the Harnett County Courthouse.

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He will be in court for the next time on September 1, according to North Carolina court records.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Harnett County Sheriff’s Office for comment. 

An attorney for Gear was not listed in court records.

Live updates on roadworks and traffic incidents in Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Durham, and the wider North East, including the A66, A19, A1(M), A1, A167, and the A69 this morning (August 21).

Public transport service updates from bus services, train services, including LNER, Cross Country, TransPennine, and Northern Rail.

Updates from the Tyne and Wear Metro and the latest from Teesside and Newcastle Airports.

We’ll also be bringing you the latest hour-by-hour weather forecast for the region.

Sign up for The Northern Echo’s newsletter for all the breaking North East news, including breaking traffic and travel updates, direct to your inbox.

Travel disruptions

There are currently no road disruptions at this time.

Train disruptions

There are currently no rail disruptions at this time.

What will the weather be like in the North East today?

Today is set to be showery and cool today. Drier and eventually warmer this weekend.

Today: A fresh start this morning with some early brightness, especially in the south. Cloud and outbreaks of rain will spread southwards though through the day, before turning brighter again later from the north. Temperatures a little below average for August. Maximum temperature 17 °C.

Tonight: Largely dry this evening and overnight, but a few showers may move along the east coast at times. Clearing skies will lead to a chilly night, especially in the countryside. Minimum temperature 7 °C.

Are there any roadworks in Darlington?

You can see a full list of road closures in and around the town on The Northern Echo’s website.

This includes temporary traffic signals due to electricity work on Larchfield Street both ways at Napier Street.

This is due to end on Thursday at 11 pm.

For more roadworks, head to the local info section at the top of our website.

Spotted an incident?

Let us know about it.

Email: newsdesk@nne.co.uk .

Former Wales international Uilisi Halaholo has revealed his next challenge and opened up on the brutal struggles he faced during his rugby career after announcing his retirement from the game.

The 36-year-old confirmed earlier this week that his playing days were over, bringing the curtain down on a career that saw him earn 10 international caps for Wales and win a Six Nations title. Born in Auckland, he joined Cardiff in 2016 and became a fan favourite during an eight-year stay in the Welsh capital, making over 100 appearances and winning the Challenge Cup in 2018.

Having started out in his native New Zealand, Halaholo qualified for Wales on residency and made his debut in the 2021 Six Nations, having initially been called up by Wayne Pivac in 2019. He would later go on to also represent Tonga on the international stage, qualifying to play for them at last year’s Pacific Nations Cup via his family heritage.

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The powerful centre, who left Cardiff in 2024 to return to New Zealand and represent NPC side Bay of Plenty, has now opened up on the highs and lows of his career with former teammate James Marshall on his ‘What A Lad’ podcast, admitting he had been weighing up retirement for a few years following a succession of injuries.

“I think it’s probably been coming for a while now, probably a few years I’ve been thinking about it,” said Halaholo. “But I’m finally ready to put the boots down and put some work boots on. It was a tough decision, but the body just knows.

“I think the last couple teams that I’ve been a part of professionally, I’ve been struggling to recover as fast as I used to back in the day. I think a lot of ex players will understand and know what that’s like.

“Usually, you play Saturday, you can get up Monday, train again. But it wasn’t until Thursday that I was ready to get up and train again, so that’s just the body pretty much telling me it’s time to give it up.”

After ending his playing career, Halaholo admits he is keen to pursue coaching, but has also branched outside of rugby and moved into youth work since returning to New Zealand.

“I’ve actually been getting into a bit of coaching,” he explained. “I know every rugby player thinks they can become a coach, but I’ve just started off by going back to my home club and just giving back in that way.

“If I do want to take that path, I’m glad that I’m starting at the grassroots level, it really tests your patience. It’s been challenging but I’m enjoying it.”

The former Cardiff star added: “I’ve also got into a bit of youth work, mentoring troubled youths. It’s an easy path to take, coming from that background and understanding a lot of those kids that are troubled.

“It’s a cruisy job for me, in that I can probably relate to them a lot more easily than a lot of the other workers and mentors. It’s a rewarding job, but also eye-opening going into a lot of these kids’ houses and seeing how they’re growing up.

“So yeah, that’s what I’m up to now, just doing a bit of youth work, but I still love my rugby, man. I do want to stick into a bit of coaching in some capacity and we’ll see where it takes me.”

While Halaholo’s career took him across the globe and saw him win some of the biggest prizes in world rugby, it was also beset with injury problems, and the former Cardiff favourite admits the string of setbacks left him in a “dark way”.

Opening up on the “toughest time” of his career, he recalled rupturing his Achilles in 2013, a setback which came as he prepared to make his return to action after months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

“I tore my hamstring and I came back,” he said. “My first week back to play, on that Thursday, ruptured my Achilles. Then, two weeks later, the club tells tells me they’re bankrupt and can’t offer me a extension, which played a part in us coming home.

“It was tough at the time. I had my operation on my Achilles and a week later, my wife gave birth to our fifth child. So me and my wife were both bedridden pretty much. It was probably the toughest time of my career.

“Having to watch my 15-year-old daughter run the household at the time, it was tough bro. We had a newborn, I was pretty much in a cast and couldn’t do anything. Mentally, I was battling being injured and not knowing where my next paycheck was coming.

“It was really tough and I had to overcome a lot, because I was just in a dark way at the time,” Halaholo added. “I had just finished 10, 11 months of rehab, and being in rehab for a long time really builds your character and tests your resilience.

“I felt like I had got over that and then to be injured straight away like that, not even getting a couple of games in. It was non-stop like that, being told no contract, my wife having a baby, that whole month was just hard.”

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Hayden Panettiere’s mother Lesley Vogel believes a ‘toxic individual’ contributed to her estrangement with her daughter and ultimately led to her death. 

In a new statement addressing Panettiere’s tragic death, Vogel, 70, told Entertainment Tonight her daughter became involved with the ‘wrong person’ – and that the family made an unsuccessful attempt at removing him from her life. 

Vogel didn’t name the person but she recently blasted Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson, saying they had been ‘trying to get rid of’ him ‘for quite some time.’ 

Panettiere, who died on Sunday at age 36 following a suspected overdose, endured a strained relationship with her mother, and Vogel addressed their estrangement in her newest statement.  

‘Although my daughter and I were estranged, it was not for lack of care or love. It was due to the involvement of a toxic individual who I believe led to her death,’ she told ET.

‘Hayden was a beautiful and talented young woman who unfortunately became involved with the wrong person, and although her family tried to extricate him from her life, we were unable to be successful.

‘I hope all remember Hayden for the beautiful human being inside her and her gift to the world from her time on this earth. 

‘My heart is with you, Hayden. Mama.’

Panettiere and Hickerson had an on-off relationship from 2018 to 2022 that was marred by domestic violence incidents and arrests – with Hickerson serving jail time for abusing her. In recent months they had been seen spending time together once again. 

Lesley also said a narcotics investigator has become involved in the investigation into Hayden’s passing. 

‘It leads me to believe there are still questions surrounding what happened, and I think we are all looking for answers,’ she told Entertainment Tonight.

Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive in a South Carolina apartment and was later declared dead.  

Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were both at the scene when Panettiere was pronounced dead. 

According to TMZ, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has joined the investigation into Panettiere’s death.

Greenville Police and the coroner’s office are running parallel investigations into the star’s death, TMZ reported on Wednesday.

‘Hayden was a beautiful and talented young woman who unfortunately became involved with the wrong person, and although her family tried to extricate him from her life, we were unable to be successful,’ she told ET. Panettiere and Vogel pictured in 2007

The DEA’s reported involvement aligns with paramedics reporting a suspected overdose over dispatch calls. First responders located Narcan, a nasal spray used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose, inside the Greenville, South Carolina, apartment where Panettiere died.

It is still not known if narcotics contributed to her death as toxicology results are pending.

Vogel’s latest remarks come after she slammed Hickerson during an interview with NBC News after news of the Heroes star’s passing.

‘This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death and that was Brian Hickerson,’ she told the news outlet.

‘There is a lot of history in the past that Brian has enabled Hayden many times and this is why her father and I had been concerned for a long time about him.’

Hickerson’s lawyer, Sloan Ellis from Ellis Hinton law firm, has since addressed Panettiere’s death. 

‘Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,’ said Ellis.

‘As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play.

‘Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.’

Vogel’s latest remarks come after she slammed Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson, pictured above with the actress in 2018, during an interview with NBC News after learning of her daughter’s passing

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Panettiere began acting as a child, appearing in soap operas, then gained wider recognition for her role in the 2000 sports drama Remember the Titans with Denzel Washington, and as the voice of Dot in Pixar’s 1998 film A Bug’s Life.

Panettiere later found fame playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes before starring as country singer Juliette Barnes for six seasons on Nashville.

She earned two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress on the show, while her singing produced 11 entries on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

Panettiere’s film credits include 2006’s Bring It On: All or Nothing, the comedy-drama film Raising Helen, and appearances in Scream 4 and Scream VI as Kirby Reed.

She had an 11-year-old daughter called Kaya following a life-threatening birth, and later gave full custody of the child to her former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

The former child star made a name for herself with roles in Remember The Titans, Heroes and Nashville. Above, in 2022

Panettiere’s passing was announced Sunday by her father Skip Panettiere, who said in a statement: ‘It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden.

‘She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her onscreen. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.’

Authorities in Greenville, South Carolina, subsequently said that officials responded to an apartment in the area after receiving a report of an ‘unresponsive female’ via a possible ‘drug overdose,’ subsequently determined to be Panettiere.

Officials, who attempted lifesaving measures prior to declaring the actress deceased, said that no signs of trauma or foul play were evident in their probe into the Panettiere’s death, which remains ongoing.

Could we see Vladimir Putin’s control of Russia seriously challenged – or even destabilised in the coming months? Predicting when authoritarian regimes might fall is notoriously difficult. Their hold on power can appear solid until suddenly it crumbles. But there are signs that the Kremlin is concerned about the potential for upcoming elections to become a source of political instability.

In September, Russians go to the polls to elect the national parliament, the State Duma, as well as the parliaments and governors in Russia’s regions. At one level, it is hard to image why Russian officials would be concerned about these elections. The Russian state has considerable experience managing elections to get the desired result, and no one seriously doubts the outcome. The ruling party, United Russia, which currently holds about 70% of the seats in the State Duma, is widely expected to sweep the board, as usual.

But these are the first national elections in Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This means that a smooth campaign and a comfortable win for United Russia can be presented as an endorsement of the war and the way that Putin has handled it. Such an endorsement is especially important because the war has not been going well for Russia lately.

Russia’s progress on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine has slowed to a crawl, with Ukraine taking back more than 700sq kms of occupied territory in July. And Moscow is paying a high price for the small territorial gains that it is making. Russian forces are estimated to have suffered 1.4 million casualties. Soldiers are dying and being injured at a higher rate than they can be replaced with recruits.

The Russian military has sought to fill the gaps in its ranks by recruiting prisoners and foreign fighters – among them reportedly another 50,000 troops from North Korea.

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There are widespread rumours that Putin will be forced to launch another round of compulsory mobilisation – perhaps calling up as many as half a million citizens – in order to replenish the armed forces and continue the war. In response to the last mass mobilisation in September 2022, an estimated 700,000 Russians, mostly young men of military age, left the country to avoid fighting in the war.

Mobilisation has been deeply unpopular with the soldiers and their families. Mobilised soldiers do not serve for a specified term but instead have an open-ended obligation. Families of the mobilised have been willing to complain about the conditions of their service, including a lack of adequate training and equipment, and the infrequency of leave periods to return home.

Some of the wives of these soldiers have even openly campaigned for an end to mobilisation and the return of their husbands.

Hardship on the home front

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s strategy of drone attacks deep inside Russia mean that the war is making everyday life more difficult for millions of Russians who might otherwise not have been significantly affected by it. Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries have created severe fuel shortages throughout the country. Most of Russia’s regions have experienced some form of fuel rationing, with long queues reported at filling stations.

Extraordinarily high rates of cash withdrawals from Russian banks demonstrate the economic insecurity experienced by ordinary citizens, who fear the government could seize private savings to help fund the war in Ukraine

Recent public opinion polls in Russia provide evidence that society’s views are shifting. Support for the war in Ukraine has dropped over the past year from 78% in July 2025 to 66% in July 2026. Over the same period, the percentage of Russians who believed their country was moving in the right direction dropped from 69% to 54%. In a country where the state exercises tight political control and expressing opposition to the war can lead to arrest, fines or even imprisonment, these are remarkably bad results.

In the run up to September’s elections, only one political party in Russia has expressed outright opposition to the war. Yabloko, a small, pro-democracy party, adopted the campaign slogan: “For peace and freedom, for a life without fear.” But Russia’s supreme court has now banned the party from participating in the elections, while another court has sentenced its deputy leader to 11 years in prison.

The banning of Yabloko is a measure of the Kremlin’s concern that the elections could provide an outlet, no matter how small, for a public expression of anger. In the previous elections in 2021, Yabloko only received 1.34% of the vote and failed to win a single seat in the State Duma.

Even if it had been allowed to participate in September’s elections, Yabloko would have had no realistic chance of making a dent in United Russia’s dominant position. No political actor, no matter how insignificant, can be permitted to threaten the state’s narrative that the war is under control and society is united behind Putin.

In an attempt to reassure the public that all is well, Putin himself has been visiting cities across the country this summer in a pre-election tour of Russia. This is an unusual step for a leader who is notoriously fearful of assassination and reluctant to leave the security of Moscow.

Putin’s visits have been accompanied by the sudden reappearance of petrol at the pumps wherever he goes, and its availability at surprisingly low prices – an indirect admission of the importance of bread and butter issues for Russia’s voters.

In all likelihood, Russia’s election management machine will swing into action next month and deliver the outcome that Putin both wants and needs. But the state’s lack of confidence in that victory, despite all the tools at its disposal, suggests that Putin and his allies are not nearly as confident in their ability to maintain their grip on power as they would like the rest of the world to think.