On Saturday, PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, died when a Volkswagen Passat, which officers had been pursuing until seconds before, collided with their marked armed response car on the A66 near Middlesbrough.

All five of the Passat’s occupants – Saddington, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Jacob Matusiak, 23, Theo Rae, 17, and Cole Robert Worthy, 17 – also died.

A video posted on the TikTok account believed to belong to Saddington in March 2025 showed him and four other young people involved in what appears to be a police pursuit. The video has since been deleted.

BBC Verify analysed the 94 second-long clip, which showed the car driving on footpaths and parkland in Ormesby, Middlesbrough, with Saddington a rear-seat passenger.

Another video posted by the same account, also since deleted, appears to show a joyride where a passenger is smoking, with the speedometer showing 100mph.

Then, later in the video, a different car is set on fire. The passengers in this video are not identifiable.

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey said: “Without being able to say whether that was anything like involved in this case, it’s absolutely idiotic for anybody to be doing anything other than being completely 100% focused on the road when they’re behind the wheel of a vehicle.”

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that someone filming themselves or others driving dangerously is “absolutely ridiculous, and of course nobody should be doing that”.

“It is a worrying situation if that’s becoming more prevalent because it is incredibly dangerous”, he added.

Miniso, a global lifestyle brand known for collectables and fan-favourite brands including Star Wars and Hello Kitty, will be opening in the former Luxe Company premises at 40 Coney Street.

The 12-noon opening will feature a goodie bag giveaway to the first 200 customers who spend £5 or more.

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The retailer has posted on its website: “Get ready to discover all your favourites: Hello Kitty cuteness, Disney treasures, plushies, lifestyle gems, tasty snacks, plus new collabs like Star Wars and Hello Kitty.

“Be among the first customers on opening day and enjoy a FREE £25* goody bag packed with treats and surprises!

“We can’t wait to welcome both familiar faces and new friends — come celebrate with us!”

Miniso promises to be  a “playground of endless fun and excitement.” (Image: Pic supplied)

The Chinese company has almost 8,000 shops worldwide, 61 of which are located in the United Kingdom, the closest being in Leeds, according to the company website.

It also said: “MINISO isn’t just a store; it’s a playground of endless fun and excitement!”

“MINISO is your go-to destination for all things vibrant, quirky, and downright delightful. Life is for fun, and at MINISO, we take that mantra seriously.”

Will you be going there to see the ‘excitement’ on offer? Have you been to one of their other branches? What did you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Beefeater has confirmed the closing date of all its restaurants across the UK.

The mass closures are part of Whitbread’s major restructuring plan.

The company announced in April that it would shut its remaining Beefeater and Brewers Fayre sites as part of a strategy overhaul, placing around 3,800 jobs at risk.

Whitbread revealed plans to close all of its Beefeater sites as part of a major restructuring (Image: Getty Images)

UK restaurant chain Beefeater to shut all 106 sites in coming weeks

Customers were informed of the closure in a letter sent to Beefeater reward club members.

It stated: “As you may have seen, we have recently announced changes to our business, which is resulting in the closure of our Branded Restaurants.

“This means that on Thursday 10 September 2026 your local Beefeater and all other UK Beefeaters will close.”

In the letter, the company also said it would close the loyalty scheme on August 31.

Whitbread was contacted for a new comment.

The restructure is part of Whitbread’s new five-year growth strategy, which aims to re-focus the business and reduce costs by £250 million.

This includes a shift towards an integrated food and drink model that the company believes is more efficient and better suited to Premier Inn guests.

Dominic Paul, Whitbread’s chief executive, said previously: “We always challenge ourselves to improve and, in light of significant cost increases in the form of business rates and national insurance, as well as the implied market discount to our inherent value, we’ve looked hard at the options open to us to maximise value creation over the medium and long-term.

“This has been a rigorous process and we’ve approached all options with an open mind.

“Our new five-year plan builds on our strengths and drives a significant acceleration of our strategy.

“This plan will transform Whitbread into a higher-margin, higher-returning pure-play hotel business.

“We’re going to go further and faster to deliver a great experience for our guests and high-quality growth and returns for our shareholders.”

Whitbread’s restructuring strategy explained

Under the new strategy, Whitbread plans to convert some restaurant sites into additional Premier Inn rooms and sell off around £1.5 billion worth of freehold properties to fund further growth.

The group currently owns approximately 86,600 hotel rooms and intends to increase this to 96,000 by the 2031 financial year.

Whitbread said that although it expects to redeploy many affected employees within its wider business, the restructure will still result in significant job losses.

A statement said previously: “We recognise the impact of this proposal on colleagues who work at the affected sites.

“As a business which recruits around 15,000 people every year, we expect to be able to retain a significant proportion of those affected and will be looking to redeploy as many of our impacted colleagues as possible.

“However, we do anticipate that the proposed changes, which are subject to consultation, would result in a reduction of around 3,800 roles of a total UK and Ireland workforce of around 30,000.

“We will do all we can to support those colleagues affected.”

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The company believes the integrated food and drink model is better aligned with the requirements of Premier Inn guests, who account for a large portion of restaurant trade in Whitbread-owned venues.

Brewers Fayre, which is also owned by Whitbread, will also be closing, but does not yet have confirmed closure dates.

Will you be sad to see your local Beefeater restaurant close? Let us know in the comments.

Number 10 has described the glorification of dangerous driving on social media as “utterly disgraceful” as the government ordered TikTok to take down videos “celebrating” a trend to drive in the wrong direction.

The intervention comes after two police officers – Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38 – died when the vehicle they were driving was struck head-on by a Volkswagen Passat travelling on the wrong side of the A66 in Teesside on Saturday night.

Five young men travelling in the Passat – Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak – were pronounced dead at the scene. One of the teenagers killed was involved in filming dangerous driving for TikTok before the fatal incident took place.

On Monday, No 10 condemned the practice, hitting out at those posting such videos “for clips and entertainment”. It is understood the government has contacted TikTok, which is already under investigation by Ofcom as part of a probe into whether the platform’s age checks are effective in preventing children from seeing harmful content.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The glorification of dangerous driving for clips and entertainment is utterly disgraceful and that is why we have raised the issue of this appalling content with social media companies since the tragedy, and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy) is clear that it should be removed in line with their legal obligations.”

Earlier on Monday, defence minister Luke Pollard said social media platforms should act to remove posts showing people driving the wrong way down roads, saying they would need to “step up”.

“There’s lots of content online on social media platforms of people celebrating dangerous driving, celebrating driving inappropriately on our roads down the wrong side of the roads, behaving incredibly badly,” he told BBC Breakfast.

“Now that’s a decision that social media companies have now. They’ve argued for many years they don’t need to be regulated, that they can police themselves. So this is a challenge for them. Remove that content.

“They know exactly what content is on their site. They know how their algorithm works. They also know that people post content to get views.

“The more views you can get, sometimes you get money for it. So it’s a financial incentive for people to post outrageous content that gets more people watching it.”

He also told BBC Radio 5 Live that the government will be using powers in the Online Safety Act to compel platforms to take dangerous driving content down.

“But if the social media platforms were to regulate themselves and remove it in the first place, not allow their algorithm to share this type of content, because they know exactly what type of content that algorithm is designed to share, then I think we’d be in a better place,” he said.

The online safety regulator has said social media platforms are required under the Online Safety Act to minimise children’s exposure to content that encourages dangerous stunts and challenges.

An Ofcom spokesperson said: “Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must minimise children’s exposure to violent material and content promoting dangerous challenges.

“In July, we launched an investigation into TikTok’s compliance with its child safety duties, and we’ve shown we’ll take action if evidence suggests companies are falling short.”

TikTok has said its policies strictly prohibit content that could cause significant physical harm, including dangerous driving, and that it actively removes any videos and accounts that break its rules.

Meanwhile, court records show that Saddington was accused of assaulting a police officer and of causing racially aggravated alarm or distress to another in Middlesbrough on 9 June.

He had appeared before Teesside Magistrates’ Court on 17 July charged with the offences and was awaiting trial.

Cleveland Police had launched a pursuit after spotting the VW acting “suspiciously”, the force said in the aftermath of the fatal crash.

Officers began following the car in South Bank, near Middlesbrough in Teesside, before it joined the A66 in the wrong direction.

Officers ended their pursuit, but just 10 seconds later the VW collided with an oncoming police armed response unit at 3.39am. The police car, which was travelling in the right direction, was not part of the pursuit.

In tributes released by Cleveland Police, the two officers’ families said they had died “in the line of duty” and that their lives will “never be the same”.

“He was our hero with a fantastic sense of humour,” PC Clough’s family said. “Jumped into action whenever needed, and willing to help anyone for any reason. Proudly fought for his country to make the world a better place. Always on public duty throughout his short life.”

In a separate tribute, PC Blades’ wife said he was a “devoted” father and her “best friend”.

Donations to a fundraiser set up by Cleveland Police to support the families of the two police officers have now reached more than £250,000. Organisers said funds raised would be split equally between the two officers’ families and the federation would continue to provide support.

Barriers have been erected outside The Brow Lounge on Newgate Street after unconfirmed reports of a smash. The business appears to have suffered severe structural damage with smashed windows and a destroyed shop front.

The path has also been partially closed off to pedestrians.

The aftermath of the building after a car reportedly drove into it (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

The Brow Lounge on Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

The aftermath of the building after a car reportedly drove into it (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

It comes just two days after the shop took to Facebook after their windows were damage and their Lego trial “ruined”.

The business claimed the windows were smashed with a rock, although this has not been confirmed by emergency services.

The Northern Echo has contacted Durham Police and the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) for comment.

• We will bring you updates as we receive them.

The heartbroken mother of the Limerick teenager killed in the horror M9 crash just over a week ago has insisted that the ‘lost boy’ was not the leader of the gang involved in the head-on collision, which also resulted in the deaths of four others.

In an interview with the Irish Mail on Sunday, Emilia Pustkowska also revealed she had appealed to a judge for her son Kamil, 17, to be placed in custody after he pleaded guilty to some offences just weeks before the crash – but the case was adjourned due to the State solicitors’ strike.

Kamil and four other teenagers – Jack Kennedy, 17, Jeremy O’Brien, 18, Joe Carthy, 15, and 16–year–old Alex McCarthy – died when the car in which they were travelling was driven the wrong way down the M9 motorway in the early hours of last Sunday.

A child and three women from the same family, who were in the other car, are still being treated for serious injuries in hospital.

A vigil in support of Ella Hendricken, Niamh Kinsella and Alma Kinsella, as well as Alma’s seven-year-old son Yemi, took place in Carlow on Friday evening, just hours after the funerals of Kamil, Joe Carthy and Alex McCarthy.

The horrific collision – apparently driven by a social-media craze – sent shockwaves throughout the country. It also sparked a hate-fuelled online backlash against the teenagers involved in the collision and their families.

Several reports identified Kamil as the ‘leader’ of the gang.

Looking at coverage of the vigil on Friday evening, Ms Pustkowska, an accountant, told the MoS she is ‘so sorry’ for the families of the innocent victims of the crash.

She is aggrieved at the criticism that has been directed at her as a parent.

‘You even can’t say sorry to the family, the others from the other car, because the people will eat you.’

And she insisted it is unfair to place all the blame on her son.

She told the MoS: ‘I know he wasn’t [the leader]. He wasn’t able to lead himself. So how was he the leader? We know that. He was lost… not the leader.’

Ms Pustkowska also said gardaí have told her Kamil was not the driver of the BMW car he was travelling in.

‘He was involved… but it was not all him. The house burglaries and all that… I don’t know. Maybe he was involved in them but he never had any charges for this.

‘They blame Kamil for everything at the moment. He did what he did, OK… I don’t know what the reason is. But why blame only him? There were five of them together.’

Ms Pustkowska, who is divorced from Kamil’s father, Adam Pustkowski, said her son was diagnosed as autistic and always struggled to find friends.

Though she freely admits his crimes, she believes he was a vulnerable person who was preyed upon and used by others.

‘He knew that he was not doing a good thing,’ she said. ‘The problem was he couldn’t say no to them. That’s called grooming. They are actually picking on people like him.’

She said the court appearances her son was involved on all took place in the past 12 months.

‘It’s not like he was five, seven years robbing the cars. [The court cases were all] after October 2025.’

Three sisters from the same family – Ella Hendricken, Niamh Kinsella and Alma Kinsella – who were in the other car, are being treated for serious injuries in hospital

A TikTok video posted by Kamil Pustkowska showing other members of the gang

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Alex McCarthy, 16, died when the car in which he was travelling was driven the wrong way down the M9 motorway

She also outlined her frustration at the justice system and revealed she had appealed for her son – who had pleaded guilty to various offences – to be taken into custody.

‘Every single court case I was there,’ she said. ‘I was three times in Limerick. I was five times in Dublin. Not because there was something new happening… it was always postponed.’

Kamil’s court date in Dublin was on July 22 at the Children’s Court in Smithfield and a further case was set for Limerick in July 27. Both were adjourned.

Crying throughout her interview in Limerick yesterday, the day after her child was cremated, Ms Pustkowska said she pleaded with the judge to imprison her son.

‘I said to that judge, “I can’t keep him at home.” That’s the thing. For two years I’m living as a prisoner because I have locked everything.’

But even though Kamil was pleading guilty to some, though not all, of the many offences he was charged with, the cases were repeatedly adjourned.

Ms Pustkowska said two of the adjournments were due to the legal aid solicitors’ payments dispute. 

She recalled: ‘He pleaded guilty, that’s the thing. He didn’t pretend… he said yes.

‘I was there. I will tell you why they didn’t finish it in Dublin, because two times I was there, the lawyers were on the strike, and they couldn’t finish it. That’s why they sent us back two times.’

On two other occasions hearings were adjourned because gardaí did not have evidence ready.

‘They said like, “oh, we don’t have the evidence… we didn’t prepare that… someone was on holiday… someone was sick…” so you just get another date.’

Ms Pustkowska said the justice system could have saved her son if it had listened to her.

But she added: ‘Nobody listened to me. Do you believe I wanted my child in the prison? But if you see what’s going on, you have to find different solutions.

‘At least, if he was in the prison, maybe he will have time to mature. Probably then someone else would have been sitting in the car.

‘That’s not any better. But at least that wouldn’t be Kamil,’ she said.

Ms Pustkowska said the first time she was contacted by gardaí about possible car offences involving Kamil was January 2025. From that point, everything ‘snowballed’.

Suitcases by one of the vehicles at the scene on the M9 northbound at Junction 3 in Co Kildare

Jeremy O’Brien, 18, also lost his life in the horror crash in the early hours of last Sunday

Jack Kennedy, 17, was one of five teenagers to die in the crash

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This followed a series of serious assaults and bullying attacks on Kamil by other youths that began two years ago.

According to his mother, Kamil was also routinely bullied through secondary school but ‘never wanted to talk about it’ and ‘made excuses for the bullies’.

‘He wanted to have a friend. He wanted to keep them,’ Ms Pustkowska said.

Around two years ago, Kamil began skipping school despite his mother’s efforts.

‘He was running off… we tried to keep him there. I was driving him to school, collecting him.’

In the summer of 2025, she sent her son to relatives in Poland for several months to try to break the vicious circle. 

But while he was there, others still had access to his social media accounts and videos of stolen cars in Ireland were regularly posted.

‘He wasn’t here… and the movies, they kept coming, you know.’

In September 2025, Kamil failed to return to school. A garda juvenile officer in Limerick began working with her son, together with a restorative justice NGO.

Kamil was put on a programme and his mother enrolled him in a course outside school but this also did not last.

His mother said Kamil made new friends online in Dublin and began disappearing.

‘People will say, “why not take the phone off him, computer, telephone, everything?” 

‘Yes, I did. He did have nothing, but the next day or another day, he had the phone from someone else.’

In March, Kamil was so severely assaulted and beaten in Dublin he was hospitalised for two days and three nights – but no prosecution resulted.

‘I heard from the guards, like, they can’t do anything because he has to make a statement. I said to them, “he’s not able to make a statement because he’s afraid.”

‘I started actually asking, like, “What can I do?” And they are like: “You can’t do anything. You can do nothing.”’ 

The grieving mother likes to remember her son as a gentle soul. 

Treasured family photos include one poignant picture from 2016 which features Kamil, aged eight, in a Spiderman T–shirt as his family attends an event at Thomond Park in Limerick.

Joe Carthy, 15, also lost his life after being involved in the head-on collision

Treasured family photos include one poignant picture from 2016 which features Kamil, aged eight, in a Spiderman T–shirt as his family attends an event at Thomond Park in Limerick

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On his face, the Polish flag is painted on each cheek. He looks shy and timid; a gentle boy still tethered to his mother

On his face, the Polish flag is painted on each cheek. He looks shy and timid; a gentle boy still tethered to his mother.

Another favourite memory is a family holiday to Disneyland Paris.

‘I will remember him forever that way,’ Ms Pustkowska said.

The last footage she has of Kamil is of him leaving the house last weekend on his way to Dublin.

‘I saw him on the camera as he was leaving… that’s the last time we saw him alive.’

She first became aware of the fatal crash at 3pm on Sunday, when someone posted on one of Kamil’s social media accounts.

With ‘RIP Kamil’ already flooding social media, and her son’s phone not answering, she went to Roxboro Garda Station to appeal for information but they had not heard anything about the crash.

A few hours later, Ms Pustkowska’s worst fears were confirmed.

‘I got called at 7.50 [pm] at night confirming that he was dead.’

One aspect of Kamil’s life his mother does not want to speak of is his father, Adam Pustkowski.

However, public records show the family arrived in Ireland from Gdansk on the coast of the Baltic Sea in 2007, the year before Kamil was born. In a nod to his father, Kamil was given Adam as his second name.

At Christmas time in 2011, when Kamil was three years old, his father was caught soliciting the services of a prostitute by an undercover garda sting operation called Operation Freewheel.

The horrific collision – apparently driven by a social media craze – sent shockwaves throughout the country. It also sparked a hate-fuelled online backlash against the teenagers involved in the collision and their families

A vigil in support of Ella Hendricken (pictured) and her sisters Niamh and Alma Kinsella, as well as Alma’s seven-year-old son Yemi, took place in Carlow on Friday evening

Arrested and charged, he and 20 others appeared before Limerick District Court.

After pleading guilty, he was ordered to pay €470 to Doras Luimni, a support organisation for victims of human trafficking and the sex industry.

Now separated from her former husband by more than a decade, Ms Pustkowska has rebuilt her life and is engaged to be married again.

Today she is a successful accountant and a respected member of the Polish community.

In 2013, she became treasurer of a Polish school supported by the Embassy of Poland, a position she holds to this day.

She is also a member of the board of management of the LETS Educate Together National School Limerick.

Asked what she wants to say to those who have criticised her online since her son’s involvement in the devastating crash, Ms Pustkowska replied: ‘Can I say they don’t know anything. And I hope they won’t know.

‘They never find out. People are like, “Oh I know where my 12–year–old is, tucked up in bed at night.”

‘I knew as well. For them, I wish it stays like that.’

The four-day event will take over Market Square with street food, drinks, shopping and live entertainment, and organisers have been steadily revealing the traders set to attend.

Here are 11 food and drink vendors you will be able to find across the weekend.

Darlington Market Bank Holiday Weekender Poster (Image: Darlington Market Facebook)

1.      Chicken Ting

Fried chicken fans will want to make a beeline for Chicken Ting, which will be serving up crispy, flavour-packed chicken throughout the event.

2.      Geordie Bangers

Expect loaded hot dogs and plenty of classic comfort food from Geordie Bangers, offering what organisers describe as the perfect Bank Holiday scran.

One of the many food options at this years event (Image: Darlington Market on Facebook)

3.      Only Food Not Horses

Known for wood-fired pizzas and loaded fries, this trader promises hearty street food with plenty of flavour.

4.      Spud Monkey

Sometimes simple is best. Spud Monkey will be bringing piping hot baked potatoes with a choice of fillings, alongside refreshing drinks.

5.      Lobo Acai Spot

Lobo Acai Spot (Image: Lobo Acai Spot)

For something a little different, visitors can sample authentic Brazilian acai, offering a fresh and fruity alternative to some of the heavier options on the menu.

6.      Good Grounds Coffee Cart

Whether you need an early-afternoon pick-me-up or a caffeine boost before the entertainment starts, Good Grounds Coffee Cart has

7.      Simply Good Food

Burgers, hot dogs and loaded pulled pork buns are all on the menu from Simply Good Food

8.      Mrs Puddington’s

Those with a sweet tooth can enjoy indulgent hot desserts, while refreshing iced lemonade will also be available.

9.      Not a Lie Delicacies

Homemade cakes, cake pops and other sweet treats will be available from Not A Lie Delicacies

10. ABV Events

No Bank Holiday event would be complete without a bar, and ABV Events will be keeping the drinks flowing across the weekend.

11. Molly’s Pet pantry

Not strictly one for the humans, but dog owners will be pleased to know Molly’s pet Pantry will be offering a range of products and treats for four-legged visitors.

When is the Darlington Bank Holiday Weekender?

The event is taking place in Darlington Market Square across four days:

–          Friday, August 28 from 12pm to 9pm

–          Saturday, August 29 from 12pm to 9pm

–          Sunday, August 30 from 12pm to 9pm

–          Monday, August 31 from 12pm to 5pm

Organisers say more traders and entertainment announcements are still to come, with live performances and bars joining the food vendors throughout the weekend.

Ms Gardiner, a physiotherapist from Manchester, appeared with Sam in the second series of the BBC series in 2020.

The pair travelled from Mexico City to Ushuaia, Argentina, competing against four other teams.

The pair joined the show to share an adventure, particularly because Sam had ADHD.

Sam died in June 2025 after his white Volkswagen Golf R estate came off the road and rolled before landing on its side.

He had been working on an isolated estate on the west coast of Scotland and was home in Manchester for a family gathering.

Race Across the World star Jo Gardiner dies aged 61

Now, a year later, Ms Gardiner has died at the age of  61 “following a long and courageous battle with cancer”.

In a statement, Ms Gardiner’s family said: “She had a rare gift for making everyone around her feel more alive.

“She lived fully, fiercely and never did anything by halves.

“She was blessed with countless friends, drawn to her extraordinary magnetism.

“Somehow, each one felt as though they were among her very best.

“To us, she was more than all of these things.

“She was our family, our joy, our safe place and our absolute treasure.”

Jo Gardiner died “following a long and courageous battle with cancer”. (Image: Studio Lambert/BBC/PA Wire)

Described as “an intrepid adventurer, brave, kind, witty and endlessly loving,” Ms Gardiner is survived by her son Charlie.

Her family continued: “We know how deeply Jo was loved, and we take comfort in knowing that her laughter, her courage, her kindness and her wonderfully outrageous spirit will live on in the many people whose lives she touched.”

They added: “As we grieve, we ask for privacy, but we also ask everyone who knew and loved Jo to do exactly what she would have wanted: tell the funny stories, raise a glass, have an adventure, laugh loudly and live life to the full.

“She was one of a kind.

“There will never be another her.”

Race Across the World pays tribute to Jo Gardiner following her death

Following news of Ms Gardiner’s death, Race Across the World issued a statement paying tribute to the former contestant.

pic.twitter.com/DKPedAtdjR

— Race Across The World (@RATW_official) August 24, 2026

A spokesperson for the programme said: “On behalf of the Studio Lambert production team, the BBC and the whole Race Across The World cast, we offer our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to Jo’s son Charlie, and her wider family and friends.

“Millions of people remembered their transformative journey across Latin America in 2020 and we hold that memory in our hearts as we fondly recall Jo’s passion for life, her kindness, her strength, and above all her utter devotion to Sam and her family.”

“At the time of filming, Sam described his mum as amazing – and that is how we will always remember her.”

T”Jo became the matriarch of the Race Across The World cast family, she leaves a lasting legacy in the many lives that she touched, both through the series and beyond.

“It was a privilege to share her story and she will be deeply missed.”

Ms Gardiner lived with type 1 diabetes and was an ambassador for Diabetes UK.

Her family has set up a JustGiving page in her name, with all donations going to support the charity.

What was your favourite Jo and Sam moment from series two of Race Across the World? Let us know in the comments below.

Tice said he wanted the rules on who was allocated a home to be changed away from need to suitability, putting British families, workers and veterans at the front of the queue, saying: “This comes down to fairness.”

“I can’t think of another country where you rock up with a family and you expect the local taxpayer to house you,” he added.

UK or Irish nationals made up 88.5% of main social home householders in 2024/25, according to the English Housing Survey.

That means around 11.5% of main householders, the per­son in whose name the social home is ren­ted, were non-UK or Irish nation­als.

For its part, Reform estimates 540,000 social homes are currently occupied by foreign nationals.

Reform has previously announced it would evict foreign nationals from social housing – a plan criticised by housing charity Shelter which said building more homes is the solution, rather than “changing the order of the queue” and “stoking division”.

Tice also said Reform would raise £10bn a year to build new homes, in part by reintroducing the Right to Buy scheme of the 1980s, allowing people to buy council homes at a discount.

“The failure then was they didn’t reinvest the proceeds into building more affordable homes,” he said, adding he believed reinvestment would raise a third of the investment needed to build 50,000 homes a year over a decade.

Tice said another third would be raised via housing authorities, and the final third would be money from local government pension schemes.

Labour insisted social housing is already “tightly controlled”.

“Illegal migrants, asylum seekers and migrants on student or work visas are not eligible for social housing,” the Labour spokesperson said.

Labour said the Reform plan would target long-term UK residents that have contributed to our country but are not British citizens, including NHS staff.

“It would leave more families at risk of homelessness and drive up use of temporary accommodation at the taxpayers’ expense. It would also mean renegotiations with the EU, resulting in years of wrangling.”

The Conservative Party, which also said it would revoke the right of foreign nationals to social housing, accused Reform of “trying to catch up” with its policies.

The Tories have said their plan, which would allow Irish citizens and some EU nationals to remain in social housing, would free up around 230,000 homes.

Sir James Cleverly, shadow housing secretary, added: “The Conservatives have already set out comprehensive plans to ensure British nationals are at the front of the queue for social housing. Now Reform are trying to catch up.

“We also believe in a home owning society and that those who work hard should be able to buy their own home, without unnecessary barriers standing in their way.”

Liberal Democrat spokesperson Gideon Amos said that Reform’s plan was a “cruel gimmick”.

Green MP Siân Berry said her party would tackle housing issues by ending Right to Buy, building and buying hundreds of thousands of new council homes, and introducing rent controls.

She added: “Another blatantly racist and cruel policy from Reform, adding to a host of plans to create a two-tier Britain – one for those born in the UK and one for everyone else.”