By ELEANOR MANN

Published: 14:08 BST, 10 September 2026 | Updated: 14:27 BST, 10 September 2026

Cleveland Fire Brigade were called to Sheraton Street in the Oxbridge area of Stockton around 8.30pm on Wednesday (September 9).

The fire is understood to have been behind the former Old Moor Pub building, which has been closed and left derelict since 2012 according to CAMRA.

A spokesperson for Cleveland Fire Brigade said: “We were called at 8.31pm to an incident at Sheraton Street, Oxbridge, Stockton.

“One fire appliance was in attendance from Stockton.

“The stop call was received at 9.07pm.”

The cause of the fire has yet to be confirmed.

The Old Moor pub was damaged by a fire in 2004, when part of its first-floor ceiling collapsed as crews tackled the blaze.

Cottage pie is a classic British dish, but it can be tricky to get the beef mince sauce right but there one simple everyday ingredient that can help transform the flavour of the filling without much effort.

Cottage pie makes an ideal dinner for September, as we begin preparing plenty of hearty meals now that temperatures are dropping and we’re spending more time inside. This quintessential British dish is relatively straightforward to prepare, requiring only a flavoursome beef sauce, mashed potatoes and a generous layer of cheese to achieve a crispy topping.

Nevertheless, those attempting cottage pie for the first time often end up with a watery or lacklustre meal due to using incorrect ingredients. While most concentrate on cooking the beef mince and vegetables when preparing cottage pie, the sauce is where most of the flavour resides, and achieving the proper consistency can prove challenging.

Fortunately, Chris Collins, founder of Don’t Go Bacon My Heart, has shared a straightforward method to perfect the sauce while simultaneously enhancing the pie’s taste – you simply need to incorporate gravy granules.

Chris said: “Here’s the secret weapon to this recipe – gravy granules. Not only will gravy granules help along with the thickening, but they’re going to turn the mince layer into a beautifully rich gravy as well. Win-win!”

Mince and vegetables naturally contain substantial moisture, meaning that adding beef stock can introduce excessive liquid that won’t evaporate during cooking.

This frequently results in a cottage pie sauce that’s excessively thin and runny, which both waters down the flavour and makes eating rather difficult.

Gravy granules may seem basic, but they are a crucial component, as they assist in binding the beef layer of the pie together more effectively.

Incorporating gravy granules will also contribute additional seasoning and a more intense gravy flavour to the pie, resulting in a far more satisfying taste without requiring any complex culinary techniques.

How to make a better homemade cottage pie

You will need:

For the beef layer:

• 1kg of minced beef
• One large white onion (diced)
• Two medium carrots (diced)
• 150g of mushrooms (diced)
• Two cloves of garlic (minced)
• 120ml of white wine
• 600ml of beef stock
• Four tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
• Two heaped tablespoons of gravy granules
• One tablespoon of tomato puree
• One teaspoon of dried thyme
• One teaspoon of dried rosemary
• One bay leaf
• Salt and pepper

For the mashed potato layer:

• 2kg of baked potatoes
• Three heaped tablespoons of butter
• 250g of grated cheese
• 120ml of cream or whole milk
• A quarter teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

Method:

To start, pour a little oil into a deep pan set over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, mushroom and garlic, then cook until all the vegetables have softened.

Subsequently, add the beef and cook until it is thoroughly browned, using a wooden spoon to break up the mince within the pan.

Pour the wine into the pot and allow it to simmer for five minutes, enabling the beef to absorb all the flavour. Then, add the gravy granules, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, rosemary, thyme, and the bay leaf.

Season with salt and pepper before bringing the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook the beef for 45 minutes until the sauce transforms into a rich, thick gravy.

Once the sauce has reduced and is ready, transfer the beef into a large baking dish. Allow the dish to cool for a minimum of 15 minutes prior to adding the mashed potatoes.

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To prepare the mashed potato layer, fill a pot with cold salted water and add the potatoes. Place over a medium-high heat and boil the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes until they are fork tender.

Once the potatoes are cooked through, drain them using a colander and leave them to stand for five minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Skipping this resting stage risks the topping of your cottage pie turning out soggy.

Next, return the potatoes to the pot and incorporate the butter, milk (or cream) and half of the cheese. Mash thoroughly before seasoning with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

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Carefully spoon the mashed potato over the beef mince, scatter over the remaining cheese and transfer to the oven for 25 minutes. The finished cottage pie should emerge beautifully golden, bubbling and wonderfully rich in flavour.

One of the pilots on board the Amazon Air cargo plane that overran a Miami runway and killed five people urgently warned the aircraft was going ‘too fast’ moments before the disaster, cockpit audio revealed. 

Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shared a transcript of the plane’s cockpit audio on Wednesday, revealing the pilot’s frantic state just moments before the crash on September 6. 

The audio showed one of the pilots called for a ‘go around’ as the aircraft began its landing, in an attempt to abort the maneuver, and data showed the plane’s brakes were released and throttles engaged just 15 seconds before the crash, the NTSB said.

The pilot cautioned that they were going ‘too fast’ to make a safe landing, but the panicked call came too late, and the aircraft crashed and veered off the runway just five seconds later, the NTSB said. 

The aircraft then crashed through a fence and into a van owned by an airline cleaning company, killing all five workers inside the van. The victims were identified as Rolando Aleman, 55, Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53, Julio C Pineda, 75, Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53, and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47. 

The NTSB has not released the full audio, but said Wednesday that the pilot ‘made additional comments regarding the aircraft’s excessive speed throughout the remainder of the recording’ before the crash.

Earlier this week, the pilots on board the aircraft were named as Jaime Felipe Silva Molina and Joseph Carroll. The pilots survived, and NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said they were interviewed after their release from hospital with minor injuries. 

The contents of their interviews have not been revealed, and the investigation into the tragedy remains ongoing.

The pilots on board the aircraft were named as Jaime Felipe Silva Molina (left) and Joseph Carroll (right). They survived the crash

The pilot of an Amazon Air cargo plane that overran a Miami runway and killed five people urgently warned the aircraft was going ‘too fast’ moments before the disaster, cockpit audio revealed

The pilot cautioned that they were going ‘too fast’ to make a safe landing, but the panicked call came too late, and the aircraft crashed and veered off the runway and crashed into a van, killing five people

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The NTSB said on Wednesday that evidence suggests the pilots of the aircraft knew they had botched the landing moments before the crash, but left it too late to perform a ‘go around’ and re-try the landing.

Alongside one of the pilots making multiple warnings that they were going ‘too fast’, electronic systems on board the plane also blared several warnings beginning a minute before the crash, officials said. 

Chihoon Shin, the lead investigator into the crash, said at a press conference that the plane was traveling at 182mph when its nose landing gear first touched down. 

The pilots did not apply the brakes for another seven seconds, and the left-side of the main landing gear did not touch the runway for another four seconds.

The data showed that the pilots severely botched the landing, Michael O’Donnell, a former Federal Aviation Administration investigator, told the New York Times, describing the touchdown sequence as ‘really bad.’

‘The nose should not hit first,’ he explained. ‘That is an unstable approach right there, and that really tells me that the go-around should have been executed a lot sooner, and they weren’t in total control of the aircraft.’

The NTSB said on Wednesday that evidence suggests the pilots of the aircraft knew they had botched the landing moments before the crash, but left it too late to perform a ‘go around’ and re-try the landing

The aircraft  crashed through a fence and into a van owned by an airline cleaning company, killing all five workers inside the van

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The NTSB data showed that 15 seconds before the audio cut off in the crash, the plane’s brakes released and the throttles increased, indicating that the pilots attempted to reverse the landing at the last second and attempt the ‘go-around.’

At that moment, the plane was moving at 138mph, Shin said, and the ‘throttles increased to values consistent with go-around thrust.’

Shin said the pilots did not re-apply the brakes until 11 seconds before the recording cut off, and they allegedly never deployed the aircraft’s speed brakes or thrust reversers, both of which could have helped slow the plane.

Homendy said that investigators are still looking into how close to the end of the runway the plane was at these moments, and that is ‘something we still have to determine.’ 

O’Donnell told the Times that the plane would have been moving at roughly 200 feet per second during those crucial final seconds when the brakes were released.

‘If you do the math, that’s a lot of runway that went by while they were doing that,’ he said.

The Boeing 767 slammed into two vehicles as it tried to land on the tarmac on Sunday

Shin said that when the recorder stopped and the plane crashed, the aircraft was still moving at 75mph.

Steven Arroyo, an aviation expert and retired United Airlines pilot, told the Times that the newly released audio timeline suggests there was indecision or confusion in the cockpit over whether to abort the landing at the last moment.

‘You either land or you go around,’ Arroyo said.

‘You don’t land, attempt to go around and then get back to landing again, unless there was some mechanical malfunction.’ 

A second batch of tickets for the popular Christmas attraction will be released at 12pm on Friday, September 11, with places available for both the Manchester and Ascot experiences.

The four-and-a-half-hour immersive Christmas experience is expected to be in high demand.

Families who missed out when tickets were first released in March are urged to be ready to book when the final batch goes live.

Lapland booking includes a set of beautiful invitation letters from Father Christmas (Image: Luke Dyson)

LaplandUK’s 2026 season will run from November 7 until December 24, with ticket prices ranging from £60 to £195, depending on the date and time chosen.

Launched last year, the Manchester experience gives families in the region the chance to enjoy the attraction without travelling to the Ascot site.

Visitors can expect a Christmas-themed experience designed to bring the story of Christmas to life for children and their families.

The first 90 minutes of your visit comprises of a scripted, interactive, and immersive theatrical experience (Image: Luke Dyson)

Tickets will be available through the official LaplandUK website from midday on Friday.

Those hoping to attend are advised to have their preferred date and time in mind before the sale begins, as tickets are expected to sell quickly.

Tomorrow’s sale is the final opportunity to secure tickets for the 2026 season.

Both immersive experiences follow the same narrative, taking families on a Christmas adventure to visit the mythical home of Father Christmas in Lapland.

Each child ticket will receive a completed version of the toy they helped to make. (Image: Luke Dyson)

Children have the opportunity to help make toys in the Lapland Toy Factory, decorate gingerbread with Mother Christmas and her Elves, skate on Father Christmas’ Frozen Pond, and enjoy all the “Elftastic” activities the Elven World has to offer.

The Ascot experience is based in Whitmoor Forest, where parts of the experience are outdoors within the natural forest setting.

The Manchester LaplandUK site replicates a magical forest setting in an undercover environment, protected from the elements in the grounds of Capesthorne Hall in Siddington.

To find out more, visit: https://portal.laplanduk.co.uk/

The area was taped off after the incident

A supermarket has issued an update regarding its reopening after its roof partially collapsed. Emergency services were called to Iceland in High Street, March, just before 3pm on Tuesday (July 28).

The supermarket’s roof had collapsed. No one was injured, but a cordon was put in place and the building next door was evacuated as a precaution.

Cambridgeshire Police assisted with the cordon on July 28. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue also assisted the police.

Now, an Iceland Foods spokesperson has confirmed that they expect the High Street store to reopen later this year. An Iceland Foods spokesperson added: “Our priority remains ensuring all safety and hygiene requirements are fully met before welcoming customers back, and we look forward to serving our shoppers again once all necessary work has been completed.”

A fire spokesperson previously said: “A crew from Chatteris was called just before 3pm yesterday to assist police colleagues at an incident on High Street in March. Firefighters helped to make the area safe and returned to their station by 8.35pm.”

Fenland District Council cordoned off a walkway between the City Road car park and High Street at the time of the incident.

Lewis Monaghan attacked the woman after accusing her of stealing money from his mother, despite being barred from going to her home.

The 27-year-old repeatedly punched the woman while she was on the ground before taking £15 from her pockets on June 14, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Emma Atkinson said Monaghan attacked the woman who helps his disabled mother.

She said: “He punched her in the face, kicked and punched her from behind, and she told him to check her pockets, denying she had taken anything.

“He has punched her again, causing her to fall to the floor, and as she was laid on her back, he has continued to assault her by punching and kicking her.

“He has checked her pockets and removed £15 before saying – ‘have you ever been hit with a frying pan?’ and then hit her arms and hands.

“He has dragged her into the hallway, but she managed to get up, before dragging her into the bathroom.

Lewis Monaghan admitted GBH and breaching a restraining order after attacking a woman with a frying pan and threatening rape. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

“He said to her, ‘You’re not going anywhere tonight – I’m going to kidnap and rape you’.”

Miss Atkinson said the woman escaped Monaghan’s mother’s Middlesbrough home and called police.

Police arrested Monaghan at his mother’s home the next day, finding him hiding in the pantry.

Monaghan admitted grievous bodily harm and two breaches of a restraining order following his arrest on June 15.

His defence lawyer asked for pre-sentence and psychiatric reports before he was sentenced.

Judge Jonathan Carroll adjourned the case until November for the reports and to consider whether Monaghan is dangerous before sentencing him.

Monaghan, who has no fixed address, was remanded in custody.

Monaghan was previously jailed for 46 months and two weeks after attacking police officers and breaching a restraining order; the court also heard he had been diagnosed with psychosis.

Barnes Worldwide Travel Ltd, founded in 2007, was an independent travel agent offering holidays to destinations worldwide, including:

• New York
• Egypt
• Turkey
• Las Vegas
• Greece
• Cyprus

However, after 19 years, ABTA confirmed that Barnes Worldwide Travel Ltd ceased trading on Tuesday (September 9).

As a result, the travel agent’s website is now offline.

Are holidays booked with Barnes Worldwide Travel affected?

ABTA has confirmed that bookings made through Barnes Worldwide Travel should not be affected.

The Liverpool-based travel agent was not the operator of the holidays it sold, meaning bookings should remain valid through the named tour provider.

Customers are advised to check their paperwork to identify the tour operator or principal travel business responsible for their booking.

This information should be listed on booking documents or, for flight-inclusive packages, on the ATOL Certificate under the section ‘Who is protecting your trip’.

ABTA said: “To ensure your holiday continues as planned, you will need to contact the credit control department of your tour operator or other principal travel business with whom you have a contract.

“Your booking should continue as normal, and they will be your direct point of contact.

“Please ensure that you have your documentation with you, as they may require information from this to assist you.”

Other UK travel companies that have closed in 2026

Several other UK travel companies have ceased trading or entered administration in 2026:

Wayfairer Travel Limited has also suspended all services “until further notice” as it looks to appoint an administrator.

Meanwhile, four UK airlines have fallen into administration or liquidation:

• Ascend Airways (liquidation)
• EcoJet Airlines (liquidation)
• Zenith Aviation Limited (administration)
• European Cargo (administration)

Have you booked a holiday through Barnes Worldwide Travel recently? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.

He told reporters at the company’s headquarters: “You might find some people will choose not to fly with Ryanair – but you know they’ll be overrun with the people abandoning Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, BA, and others desperate to get to Ryanair’s low fares because they can’t afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe.”

Manchester United have made a change at the academy level that could benefit JJ Gabriel and the club’s other top prospects

JJ Gabriel has received a boost to his hopes of making his competitive Manchester United debut due to a change made during Michael Carrick’s tenure. The 15-year-old is one of several academy prospects with hopes of breaking into Carrick’s team this season.

Teenage sensation Gabriel captured attention with his eye-catching U18 performances last term, scoring 26 goals in 29 games. He has since stepped up to the U21s, scoring twice and recording two assists across his two appearances.

Gabriel is eligible to play in the Premier League this season as he continues to make waves at the age group level. Gabriel featured for the first team during pre-season, and Carrick has repeatedly praised the young attacking midfielder, who can also play as a striker.

Many academy players are hoping to catch the United manager’s eye, given that he attends United’s U21 and U18 games. A crucial rule change should create a smoother transition to the first team for the club’s rising stars.

United’s academy players have now been aided in their efforts to make a first-team impact by U21 boss Adam Lawrence switching from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 system. Under Carrick, the new policy of mirroring the senior side’s formation should ensure that the club’s youngsters, including Gabriel, have a better understanding of their roles when they move up to the senior side.

The Daily Mail reports that the formation change allows Gabriel to learn Bruno Fernandes’ No.10 position. Meanwhile, the U21s have copied Carrick’s deployment of Matheus Cunha as a false nine by playing Amir Ibragimov up front.

The report adds that the decisions to send Chido Obi out on loan and allow Louie Bradbury to join Stoke City could hint at a long-term strategy involving false nines. A move away from orthodox strikers may also give Gabriel another opportunity to force his way into the United team, given his prolific form as an academy player.

Carrick watched Gabriel make his United U21s debut last month. The 15-year-old got on the scoresheet and assisted two in a 5-0 win over Ipswich Town, earning praise from the first team boss.

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“I thought the boys played ever so well, actually,” Carrick said after the game. “Really good team, really strong team that we had, and you could see that the quality. I really enjoyed the game. Really pleased with the boys, the way they went about it. The quality, the attitude, everything about the game was really good. So, really encouraged by that.

“JJ is one of the boys. He’s obviously got a really big talent. He’s trained with us quite a bit. He’s getting experience all the time. He’s physically adapting to each step that he makes, and just continuing his development.”

While intrigue continues to surround Gabriel, United star Bryan Mbeumo has said the teenager could be suited to a different position. The forward previously suggested that the attacking midfielder would potentially flourish as a winger for the Reds.

“He’s actually kind of a winger, he’s a dribbler and even in front of the box, I still think he’s good, honestly,” Mbeumo told Zack En Roue Libre in March. “He’s strong, the little guy is strong. Yeah, he’s strong, he’s really something, frankly… I think he’s 15.

“You feel that he’s bound to be a little kid but he trains quite a bit with us and actually you see, you can feel that the little guy has something special.”