Residents say they could not be happier after their street was blocked off to traffic.

Walker Avenue in Great Lever was blocked off towards the end of last month at its junctions with Cotefield Avenue and Lynsted Avenue.

The council initially said at the end of 2024 that it would block off the road following complaints that it was a hotspot for “dangerous driving”.

On January 23, an “experimental” Prohibition of Driving Order was put in place on the street, with very large concrete blocks being placed in the middle of the road to prevent vehicles from going through.

It is set to be in place for “a period not exceeding 18 months”, with the closing date for objections to the scheme being July 23 this year.

Resident Stephen Leyland said: “I welcome them, they are definitely slowing traffic up immensely. The area is not as busy.

Stephen Leyland (Image: Newsquest)

“In the summertime, some of these young racers used to come down at a hell of a speed.

“It is a good idea, I would like them to stay permanently. It is worth the very minor inconvenience of having to drive around.”

Neighbour Raja Khan said: “I think it is great. It has definitely calmed the street down with traffic, because the young drivers were just speeding up and down.

“In that sense, I have no issue with it at all. They probably need to make it more attractive but that is minor.”

Fellow resident Roy Bentley said he would like the council to put another concrete block in the middle of the other two, but that otherwise it is “brilliant” and “fantastic”.

He added: “The traffic used to fly down the road all the time, it was like a racetrack.

“It is the best thing they ever did.”

Sally Price (Image: Newsquest)

Sally Price added: “I think it is a very good idea, cars used to speed up here.

“They used to come up really, really fast, especially at night, it used to frighten me to death.

“That was why it happened originally, people said they wanted some deterrent.”

Muzamal Hussain has been particularly affected by poor driving on the street, with his garden wall having been knocked down by a driver a few months ago.

He said: “I think it is a brilliant idea, it has made the road a lot safer, and I think the majority of people are in favour of keeping the road closed.

“People were using it as a racetrack.”

Residents could not be happier about their road having been blocked off (Image: Newsquest)

Other residents echoed the sentiments that there was a lot of speeding on the road, with some saying that there need to be signs at each end of the Walker Avenue to say that that it is a no through road.

One resident was sceptical about the new installation, however. She said: “I think they’re absolutely ridiculous.

“You get a lot of people coming up to them and then having to reverse back.

“There are no signs saying no through road.”

Though she did say that drivers used to use the road at high speeds.

Another resident, who wished not to be named, added: “I am really happy with them, cars were zooming down before them.”

The man also claimed to be five years younger than he actually was.

A former teacher who lied about graduating from Cambridge University has been banned from teaching. A professional conduct panel meeting was held by the Teaching Regulation Agency to investigate allegations against Nicholas Martin.

A meeting on November 11, 2025, heard allegations that Mr Martin, 43, acted in an “unacceptable professional conduct” while head of sixth form at St Edwards School in Cheltenham. The panel also looked at “certain discrepancies” that appeared in his application for a deputy head post at the school.

The application, made on February 14, 2025, said that Mr Martin was born on December 17, 1987, when he was really born on November 17, 1982. It also claimed that Mr Martin achieved a masters from the University of Cambridge, and that he sat as a magistrate once a month.

Mr Martin qualified as a teacher in 2006 and was employed as a teacher at the Cheltenham school in the same year. He was promoted to head of sixth form in 2024 after applying for the role. He applied for the deputy head position, but was not successful.

After this, the school noted that they had a different birth date for Mr Martin on record, compared to his 2025 application. Mr Martin was questioned about the birth date, and he said that there the 1982 date was “incorrect” and he had asked the school to correct it for a “number of years”.

Further checks were made by the school against his 2024 application for the head of sixth form position. This showed a date of birth of November 17, 2012.

The report said: “Mr Martin’s responses to the date of birth issue caused greater scrutiny and checks to be made against the information he supplied in both the 2025 and 2024 applications.” The school then asked Mr Martin for a copy of his degree certificate for his masters from Cambridge.

The report said that Mr Martin provided a certificate that he “purported” to be a copy of a degree certificate. The school checked with the University of Cambridge, which confirmed he had not attended the university.

The school also checked with the HM Courts and Tribunal Services if Mr Martin sat as a magistrate, but the organisation confirmed it had “no record” of a Nicholas Martin. A disciplinary hearing was held by the school on March 31, 2025, and Mr Martin admitted that he “acted dishonestly”.

The report added: “He accepted he had provided a false date of birth, had fabricated a certificate to further his earlier false declaration about his qualifications and had not sat as a magistrate for a number of years.”

After the TRA’s investigation, it found that Mr Martin was in breach of teaching standards and that his actions “fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession”. Mr Martin has been banned from teaching, but the decision could be reviewed from February 5, 2028.

A spokesperson for St Edward’s School said it is “aware” of the TRA’s decision. The spokesperson added: “The individual concerned is no longer employed by the school. Once concerns were identified, the school followed its established procedures and referred the matter to the appropriate authorities.

“We fully supported the process that followed. The welfare and education of our pupils is always our highest priority, and we expect the highest standards of professionalism and integrity from all staff.”

The Tesco Grape and Berry Medley, sold in 230g packages, is being pulled from shelves after salmonella was found during testing on specific use-by dates of 16 and 17 February 2026.

Customers who have bought the potentially affected product are being advised not to consume it.

The Food Standards Agency said there was presence of salmonella in the product.

A statement issued by the Food Standards Agency stated: “As a precaution. Tesco is recalling the specific date codes of Tesco Grape& Berry Medley 230G due to the detection of salmonella during testing, which may make the product unsafe to eat.”

Instead, the supermarket chain is urging people to return it to any Tesco shop for a full refund.

The company has also issued a public recall notice to ensure customers are fully informed of the reasons behind the product recall and the steps they should take if they have already bought the product.

In a public notice, Tesco added: “Symptoms caused by Salmonella usually include fever, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.

“If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should stay away from work, school or nursery until you have stopped having symptoms for at least 48 hours to avoid passing it on to others.

“Action taken by the company Tesco is recalling the above product and has issued a recall notice to alert customers.”

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which keeps the public up-to-date on food product recalls, has also issued public advice.

In some cases, the agency issues what it describes as a ‘Food Alert for Action’, which provides local authorities with details about specific consumer action to be taken.

A school bus driver has died after the vehicle, transporting 40 students home, was involved in a horror crash that left it on its side with pupils climbing out the roof

A school bus driver has died after the vehicle carrying 40 children flipped over.

The bus was transporting children from St Paul’s High School in Bessbrook, Northern Ireland when it was left on its side on Tuesday afternoon, February 17.

Quinn Coaches, the company of the bus, have given their condolences as they announced the death of the “deeply respected” driver.

A statement posted online said: “We are deeply saddened to confirm that one of our drivers was involved in a road traffic accident whilst transporting school children today. Despite immediate emergency response, our dear colleague sadly passed away. “Our first thoughts are with his family, friends, and fellow colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. He was a respected and experienced member of our team, and he will be greatly missed.”

Emergency services attended to the vehicle on the Tullyah Road shortly before 3:45pm. Pupils were seen by eyewitnesses climbing out of windows and the roof.

The school confirmed that no students were injured.

“We are relieved to confirm that no children were injured during the incident. The safety and wellbeing of our drivers and passengers is always our highest priority,” the Quinn Coaches spokesperson added. “We are fully cooperating with the relevant authorities as part of standard procedure. We kindly ask that the privacy of the driver’s family and the school community be respected at this time.”

Dáithí Murray, principal of St Paul’s High School in Bessbrook, said in a letter to families: “We appreciate that this will have caused a significant shock to pupils who experienced the incident.”

The headteacher added that pupils affected by the incident would be supported by members of the Education Authority’s Critical Incident Response Team and on site on Wednesday.

Mr Murray added: “The thoughts and prayers of the St Paul’s community are extended to everyone affected by this serious incident today.”

Newry & Armagh MLA Justin McNulty said all the children have walked away relatively unscathed and that the incident could have been much more serious. He added: “A school bus transporting children from St Paul’s High School to Whitecross crashed on the Tullyagh Road. Thankfully around 40 of them all walked away from the scene, and are home. A few of them had minor injuries but nothing serious.

“There are still concerns about the well-being of the driver, and my thoughts and prayers are with him and I’m hoping that he will be OK. This could have been very much more serious. When an incident involves a school bus crash, you hope the worst hasn’t happened. Thankfully, the children have all walked away relatively unscathed.”

“Because you didn’t want people to see or read what you said. Then, the reaction of Vinicius is telling me that something not right happened. We still don’t know what was said. Vinicus can tell us his side, and Prestianni, I’m sure, will not tell us what he actually said, because I saw at one point Kylian Mbappe confront him, and he said, ‘I didn’t say anything’.

Michael Carrick will look to continue his unbeaten start to this spell as Manchester United boss when his side travel to face Everton next week

Michael Carrick and Manchester United are enjoying an extended break from action with no FA Cup engagements. Having been knocked out of the competition by Brighton when Darren Fletcher was in charge, United were left without a fixture at the weekend with all eyes instead on their next Premier League match with Everton.

United will have had 13 days between fixtures by the time they’re next in action since their 1-1 draw against West Ham. When United do get back in the swing of things, Michael Carrick will be hoping to maintain his unbeaten run having orchestrated five matches without loss so far, including wins against Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham.

As things stand, he is in the job until the end of the campaign, but thanks to his impeccable start, there are already plenty of calls for him to be installed beyond the summer.

One manager who has been mooted as a potential replacement is Luis Enrique. But the suggestion of him taking over has now been batted away by a club legend. Mirror Football brings you the latest updates from Old Trafford

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Luis Enrique possibility shot down

United icon Wayne Rooney was asked who he’d like to see permanently succeed Amorim and he threw his weight behind Carrick. The England hero also played down the impact a manager like PSG head coach Enrique would have.

“I think with Luis Enrique, I’ve been there and we’ve tried different managers. We tried [Jose] Mourinho and [Louis] van Gaal,” said Rooney on The Overlap Fan Debate.

“Then we tried the likes of [Erik] ten Hag and [Ruben] Amorim and they don’t work. I just think Carrick makes sense. I felt that from the minute I knew he was going in.

“He’s a real calming influence. I think we’re sometimes quick to overlook what’s right here in front of us and say, ‘We’ve got this manager from Turkey or Spain who is going to come in and do this.’

“But actually they’ve got no interest in the football club. At least this will give the foundations for the club to keep building. The infrastructure will be back at the football club.”

Club address Jurgen Klopp suggestion

In other managerial news, the agent of iconic Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp dropped a groundbreaking revelation on Monday when he claimed both Chelsea and United offered the German a job after he left Anfield.

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Klopp bid farewell in 2024 after a trophy-laden eight years. His agent, Marc Kosicke, claimed that both the west London club and United later inquired about Klopp. But the 58-year-old insisted he would never manage another English club besides Liverpool.

However, the Manchester Evening News reports United have denied approaching Klopp. They state that United rebuffed the idea that they ever inquired about the manager either personally or through an intermediary. Chelsea are also thought to have submitted a denial.

Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.

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CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Ami Nakai and Japanese teammate Kaori Sakamoto upstaged Alysa Liu and the rest of the “Blade Angels” from the U.S. to take the lead after the short program in the women’s figure skating competition at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Tuesday.

Nakai rode her opening triple axel to a career-best 78.71 points, while Sakamoto was right behind with 77.23 as she chases just about the only gold medal she has yet to win. Liu was third with 76.59, keeping her within range of the top step of the podium.

Things didn’t go quite so well for the rest of the American team.

Isabeau Levito lost a level on her step sequence and wound up eighth with 70.84 points, while three-time reigning U.S. champ Amber Glenn likely had her medal hopes dashed when she doubled up a triple loop, making the jump invalid and worth no points.

Glenn, trying to hold back tears as she stepped off the ice, was in 13th place with 67.39 points.

Mone Chiba gave Japan three women capable of stacking the podium when the women’s free skate on Thursday wraps up the figure skating program at the Winter Games. She scored 74.00 points.

Germany sweep in two-man bobsled

Germany swept the medals in the two-man bobsled race in a show of absolute dominance. It was the second Olympic sweep in bobsled history; the other was by the Germans, also in two-man, at the Beijing Games four years ago.

And leading the way was Johannes Lochner, who got his first gold medal while posting the biggest Olympic two-man winning margin in nearly a half-century. The U.S. was the closest to thwarting the sweep; Frank Del Duca and Josh Williamson were fourth.

Snow postpones women’s slopestyle snowboarding

The Olympic final for women’s snowboarding slopestyle was scrubbed off Tuesday’s schedule due to a heavy snowstorm in Livigno.

The slopestyle final was scheduled to start at 1 p.m. local time, but organizers said it was called off. A new date for the final has not been announced.

It delays New Zealander Zoi Sadowski-Synnott’s attempt at a repeat. She qualified first on Sunday — an opening round that was moved up a day because of the storms rolling in.

Italian men back on top in speedskating pursuit

Italy’s Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini and Michele Malfatti beat U.S. world record-holders Casey Dawson, Emery Lehman and Ethan Cepuran by 4 1/2 seconds to win the men’s team pursuit gold medal in speedskating.

Buoyed by raucous cheering from the home crowd at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, the Italian men finished in 3 minutes, 39.20 seconds to give their country its first Olympic title in this event since the 2006 Turin Games.

The United States started the final well and led for the early stages. But the Italians charged ahead over the closing laps, extending their advantage. When it ended, Ghiotto, Giovannini and Malfatti raised their arms and pumped their fists.

Canada collected its second consecutive Winter Games title in women’s team pursuit when Ivanie Blondin, Valerie Maltais and Isabelle Weidemann — the same athletes who won gold four years ago in Beijing — finished in 2:55.81, nearly a full second ahead of runner-up Netherlands.

Late surge lifts France to gold in biathlon relay

France went from last place on the first leg to being first on the final lap to secure the country’s first Olympic gold medal in men’s biathlon relay.

World Cup champion Eric Perrot, skiing the final leg for France, missed two shots in his last standing shooting bout and was only seven seconds ahead of Norway’s Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen as they headed out to ski tracks packed with fresh snow.

Perrot stayed ahead of Christiansen and took his team of Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet across the line first, in a time of one hour, 19 minutes and 55.2 seconds.

Norway’s Oftebro earns second Nordic combined gold

Norway’s Jens Luraas Oftebro won his second Nordic combined gold medal in a week, taking the large hill ski jump and 10-kilometer ski race. Johannes Lamparter of Austria earned his second silver in Italy and Ilkka Herola of Finland won bronze.

___

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

NEW YORK (AP) — Warner Bros. Discovery is briefly reopening takeover talks with Skydance-owned Paramount to hear the company’s “best and final” offer, while the Hollywood giant continues to back the studio and streaming deal it struck with Netflix.

In a Tuesday regulatory filing, Warner said it had received a waiver from Netflix to reopen talks with Paramount for the next seven days, or until Monday. Warner said this will allow the companies to discuss unresolved “deficiencies” and “clarify certain terms” of Paramount’s latest bid.

But in the meantime, Warner’s board is still recommending shareholders support of its proposed merger with Netflix. A special meeting is now scheduled for Friday, March 20 to hold a vote on that deal.

In a statement, Netflix said it was confident that its proposed transaction “provides superior value and certainty” — but recognized “the ongoing distraction for WBD stockholders and the broader entertainment industry caused by PSKY’s antics.” The streaming giant noted it had granted Warner a seven-day waiver to “finally resolve this matter.”

Warner’s leadership similarly reiterated its support for the Netflix deal.

Meanwhile, Paramount called Tuesday’s actions from Warner’s board “unusual” and said the company could have determined whether Paramount’s offer was superior without a timed deadline. Still, Paramount said it was “nonetheless prepared to engage in good faith and constructive discussions.”

Paramount added that it will continue to advance its tender offer priced at $30 per share, which it maintained was better than Netflix’s proposal, while also pursuing a proxy fight.

The battle for Warner Bros. Discovery is complicated because Netflix and Paramount want different things. In December, Netflix agreed to buy Warner’s studio and streaming business for $72 billion, now in an all-cash transaction that would cover its legacy TV and movie production arms, as well as HBO Max. Including debt, the enterprise value of the deal is about $83 billion, or $27.75 per share, and would be finalized after Warner completes a previously-announced separation of its cable operations.

Meanwhile, unlike Netflix, Paramount wants to acquire Warner’s entire company — including networks like CNN and Discovery — and went straight to shareholders with an all-cash, $77.9 billion hostile offer just days after the Netflix deal was announced.

The enterprise value of Paramount’s bid currently stands around $108 billion including debt, or $30 per share. But Warner disclosed Tuesday that a Paramount representative separately informed the company it would up its offer to $31 per share “pending engagement.”

Analysts at Raymond James said they had “long believed” Paramount was willing to raise its offer “and now it seems we are finally moving in that direction.” If Paramount were to up its price to $32 or $33 per share, they noted it would be “increasingly difficult to argue the Netflix agreement is superior,” although Netflix could then move to match the bid.

“Netflix is still in the driver’s seat, but now having to make its case,” the analysts added in a Tuesday research note.

Paramount has made more attempts to sweeten its offer recently. Last week, the company said it would pay Warner shareholders an added “ticking fee” if its deal doesn’t go through by the end of the year — amounting to 25 cents per share, or a total of $650 million, for every quarter after Dec. 31. Paramount also pledged to fund Warner’s proposed $2.8 billion breakup payout to Netflix under its merger agreement.

The company has been scrambling to solidify more shareholder support. Paramount has extended its tender offer three times, with the latest deadline set for March 2. According to company disclosures, more than 42.3 million Warner shares had been “validly tendered and not withdrawn” from its hostile bid as of the start of last week, down from over 168.5 million Warner shares on Jan. 21 — still a small fraction of Warner’s 2.48 billion shares outstanding in series A common stock.

But also last week, one activist investor, Ancora Holdings, publicly expressed opposition to Warner’s proposed merger with Netflix. And beyond its tender offer, Paramount has also promised a proxy fight. On Tuesday, the company reiterated plans to nominate its own slate of directors at Warner’s upcoming annual meeting.

What, if anything, changes after the next seven days of talks has yet to be seen. Paramount, Warner and Netflix have spent the last couple of months in a heated back and forth over who has a stronger deal on the table.

The prospect of a Warner sale to either company has raised tremendous antitrust concerns from lawmakers worldwide, who are calling on regulators to carefully scrutinize a merger of this size.

The U.S. Department of Justice has already initiated its reviews, and other countries may also scrutinize either deal. Both Paramount and Netflix have said they received securities clearance from German authorities last month.

Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery rose more than 3% in Tuesday trading. Paramount Skydance climbed over 5%, while Netflix’s stock inched up slightly.

Officers noticed a ‘suspicious bulge’ in his waistband

A drug dealer has been jailed for 20 months after police stopped his uninsured and untaxed Fiat 500 – only to discover a stash of cocaine concealed in his pants. Officers from the Road Policing Unit were on patrol in Yaxley on January 4 when they spotted a Fiat 500 on London Road with no insurance or tax.

The driver, Tiago Lemes Ramos, 29, from Worthington Grove, Hampton Water, Peterborough, smelled strongly of cannabis and was searched under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. As a result, bags of cannabis were found in his pockets.

Officers then noticed a suspicious bulge in his waistband. Further searching revealed a chewing gum container in his pants containing 16 bags of cocaine. Inside his vehicle, police also recovered cash and two mobile phones linking him to drug dealing.

At Peterborough Crown Court today (February 17), Ramos was sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine.

Detective Constable James Lewis, who investigated, said: “Ramos attempted to hide his criminality but thanks to his uninsured and untaxed vehicle, our officers quickly uncovered his truth. His actions fuel harm and exploitation within our communities and this sentence reflects the seriousness of dealing class A drugs.

Tom McGuinness: Out of the Darkness opens at the Mining Art Gallery in the town tomorrow (Wednesday, February 18). 

It marks the centenary of renowned County Durham artist Tom McGuinness, who was born in 1926 and worked as a miner for nearly 40 years, using painting as his voice to portray the emotional and physical reality of life underground.

Tom McGuinness, The Hewer, 1980s, oil on board. Gemini Collection, Zurbarán Trust. © Estate of Tom McGuinness. All rights reserved. DACS 2026_ (Image: Estate of Tom McGuinness. All rights reserved, DACS)

Mr McGuinness once said: “I find it difficult to express any feelings in words; that is why I paint… my art mirrors my life in the mining community.”

Born in Witton Park, he began mining in 1944 as a Bevin Boy and developed his artistic style through the guidance of mentors at the Darlington School of Art and the Spennymoor Settlement.

Tom McGuinness at the pithead of his colliery near Bishop Auckland in 1977 (Image: Alamy Stock Photo)

His signature use of bold, distorted figures and atmospheric glazes offers a unique window into the world beneath the earth.

Corinne Aspel, the artist’s daughter, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to see a broad range of dad’s work, including personal family pieces and a true celebration of his life and incredible talent.”

The exhibition spans the entire first floor of the gallery and includes paintings in each of the downstairs rooms, offering a rotating selection of themed displays throughout the year.

Tom McGuinness, Cool Blues, 1988, etching and aquatint. Gemini Collection, Zurbarán Trust. (Image: Estate of Tom McGuinness. All rights reserved, DACS)

From February to June, the focus will be on portraits, with scenes from the Durham Miners’ Gala taking centre stage in July.

The retrospective features oil paintings, sketches, etchings, lithographs, and rarely seen loans from various collections.

Bob McManners, co-founder of the Gemini Collection of Mining Art, said: “Tom’s pictorial record of the coal mining industry is unrivalled.

“He worked for 39 years in the mines, painting daily what then seemed an indestructible industry.

“In his latter years, he went on to graphically illustrate the social consequences of the aftermath of the demise of the coal industry.

“Tom was a quiet man who spoke fluently and powerfully to us through the medium of his art, which represents the personal diary of an underground miner.

“His work is his autobiography.”

Among the works on display are intimate drawings of family members and colleagues, as well as one of the rare self-portraits created by Mr McGuinness.

The Mining Art Gallery, part of The Auckland Project, was recently awarded Accredited Museum status by Arts Council England.

It forms part of the charity’s wider mission to regenerate Bishop Auckland by developing heritage attractions, galleries, and gardens that celebrate the region’s industrial and social history.

Anne Sutherland, Mining Art & Industrial Heritage Curator at The Auckland Project, said: “This exhibition celebrates a man whose work captures the emotional truth of mining life.

“McGuinness didn’t simply record what he saw, he interpreted what it felt like to be a miner.

“His art remains a powerful reminder of the resilience and identity of mining communities across the North East.”

Tom McGuinness: Out of the Darkness will run until December 2026.

Tickets and more information are available at the Auckland Project website.