Kevin Hollinrake MP for Thirsk and Malton, is one of four MPs who have written jointly to Andy Burnham arguing that upgrading the route would help deliver his pledge to drive economic growth across the country.

Mr Hollinrake, along with Sir Alec Shelbrooke, Tom Gordon and Julian Smith say the A64 is a “vital economic artery” linking York with Malton, Scarborough and the Yorkshire coast, as well as providing important connections to communities including Bridlington, Filey, Selby, Harrogate and Wetherby.

However, significant stretches remain single carriageway, which they say causes congestion, unreliable journey times and acts as a barrier to investment, tourism and economic growth.

Their intervention follows the establishment of the Government’s new Number 10 North initiative, which Mr Burnham has said will put the weight of central government behind regional economic growth and infrastructure.

In their letter, the MPs say: “The establishment of No10 North presents an opportunity to break that deadlock.

“Dualling the A64 would improve safety and journey times, strengthen connections between York and our coastal and rural communities and, crucially, unlock investment, productivity and growth across North Yorkshire.”

Mr Hollinrake said he and fellow North Yorkshire MPs had campaigned for improvements for more than a decade, repeatedly raising the issue with transport and Treasury ministers.

The Hopgrove to Barton section was previously included in the Government’s roads programme, with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying in 2020 that work should enable the scheme to be funded for construction during the 2025-30 investment period.

The York and North Yorkshire devolution deal subsequently stated that the Government would consider proposals to improve the A64 between Hopgrove Roundabout and Barton Hill as part of decisions on its third Road Investment Strategy.

However, the MPs say that more than ten years after the campaign began there is still no clear route to delivering the upgrade.

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They have now asked Mr Burnham to make the A64 a priority for Number 10 North and work with them to establish a route towards finally dualling the road.

They added: “This is an opportunity to demonstrate in a tangible way what your commitment to growth across the North can mean in practice.”

The MPs have also requested a meeting with the Prime Minister and his Number 10 North team to discuss taking the project forward.

North Yorkshire Council has previously backed the dualling of the road and pledged to work cross-party with national and local politicians to secure the upgrade.

York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith has previously pointed out that both Labour and Conservative governments have chosen not to press ahead with the dualling work.

A Reform council has hired private security guards in three town centres to ward off ‘gatherings of male migrants’ after reports they were intimidating locals and ‘wolf-whistling at schoolgirls’.

Essex County Council said six ‘operatives’ will patrol Braintree, Colchester and Chelmsford town centres from today for an initial three-month trial period.

The decision follows Government plans to expand the number of asylum seekers housed at nearby RAF Wethersfield – a former airfield – from 800 to 1,245. The Home Office has also said it will now be operational beyond 2027.

Men housed at the migrant accommodation centre – the largest of its kind in Britain – are often bussed into local towns to shop and access services. 

Reform said the patrols – named Operation Vanguard – came as a ‘direct response to concerns raised amongst local residents, particularly women and girls, over gatherings of male migrants in town centres’.

One Braintree resident, Mike Readon, 66, last month said he saw the effect of migrants in his town centre first-hand as they are dropped off by the busload in the morning – smartphones in hand and often masked.

He said: ‘They hang around the bus station and they whistle at the schoolgirls coming off the buses.

‘It’s horrendous. Lots of women just avoid the town entirely on a Thursday because it’s a totally different environment.

Reform UK-run Essex County Council has hired new security guards to ward of ‘gatherings of male migrants’ in town centres after reports of intimidation, like here in Braintree

Migrants are dropped off by the busload and are seen perching on the roadside 

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The new guards will cost £118,000 plus VAT and patrol Braintree (pictured) Colchester and Chelmsford town centre from 10am to 6pm seven days a week, Reform UK said

‘You see them hanging around the cash machines and then going into charity shops, haggling for a shirt that only costs a pound, trying to get it for 50p.

‘My wife and her friends, they wouldn’t come in on a Thursday, certainly not alone anyhow.’

Reform’s Peter Harris, the leader of Essex County Council, said: ‘Today, Operation Vanguard moves from words to action.

‘Six trained security guards, two each in Braintree, Chelmsford and Colchester, will provide a visible and reassuring presence on our streets, particularly for women and children. Our message is simple: the safety of Essex residents comes first.’

New Essex Police Chief Constable Rachel Nolan has said crime linked to the large asylum accommodation in the county was ‘very low’.

‘Certainly, as far as I’ve seen, there is absolutely no reason for anyone to be concerned about criminality associated with migrants from the Wethersfield camp in Essex,’ she told BBC Look East. 

The new patrols will cost around £118,000 plus VAT and will be funded by using up to £150,000 from a community improvement fund, the party said. 

The guards will work from 10am to 6pm seven days a week to ‘deter anti-social behaviour,’ the council said, and provide ‘reassurance’ to residents and ‘gather evidence’ on whether additional support is needed.

Mr Harris, writing in the Daily Mail last month, described Wethersfield as a ‘holiday camp’, noting luxuries included a fully kitted-out gym, complete with a fitness studio, a full-sized football pitch, indoor sports hall, television room and pool table.

But reports from inside Wethersfield paint a concerning picture, with one 25-year-old migrant, Adnani Mohammed, sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work earlier this year for ‘violently’ attacking staff in a drunken rage.

Chelmsford resident Kevin Taylor last month described how young men coming from the camp had affected his town.

He told the Daily Mail: ‘The men hang around in gangs. Women and children are intimidated by the courthouse; there are big groups of them there.

‘I feel the UK has lost its way; they should respect our environment. Letting anyone in, mostly men, it’s too many handouts. Everyone is scared. It’s sad, really.’

While there is no known record of any conviction for serious incidents of criminality in the town linked to the camp, there has been a claim of assault on a woman. 

On the other side, angry hard-Right protestors, calling themselves ‘auditors’, hurl abuse at the incoming migrants while local people are caught in the middle of the aggressive maelstrom.

Wethersfield migrant camp is the largest migrant camp in Britain and currently houses 800 asylum seekers, but the Government has announced it will increase the population to 1,245 and will continue using the base beyond 2027

Last month, Reform UK leader of Essex County Council, Peter Harris, writing in the Daily Mail, described Wethersfield as a ‘holiday camp’

Migrants are carted off to nearby towns by minibuses regularly, like Braintree (pictured) only seven miles away 

One clip, shared by Nigel Farage to his 2.3million followers on X, showed a group of migrants sitting around waiting for their minibuses to pick them up on the edge of Braintree town centre for the 20 minute drive back to the camp

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Reform’s patrols have drawn strong criticism from opposing councillors, including Labour’s Lee Scordis, who said the ‘decision is clearly driven by prejudice’.

He said: ‘The council’s own report and the police tell us there is no evidence of any rise in crime from asylum seekers in Colchester.

‘This decision is clearly driven by prejudice. We have no answers over what they will do, the powers they will have and even if the council has consulted the police on this.’

Private security guards have no powers of arrest and any reports of crime will have to be handed to the local police. 

A council report titled Launch of Operation Vanguard stated that the Home Office claims ‘there is no evidence of Wethersfield AAA (Airfield Asylum Accommodation) having an impact on crime levels’.

It then says: ‘Regardless of this there is anecdotal evidence – which the Home Office has publicly acknowledged – that the presence of this community of asylum seekers creates a fear and perception of a risk of crime.’

Reports of fears over migrants in the community have stretched back in the area as far as May this year.

One local woman posted a video of migrants in the town waiting to be picked up with a caption saying: ‘Thankfully a friend walked me to the bus stop the other night. It’s extremely intimidating walking past groups of undocumented men in Braintree. Women and children aren’t safe.’

The new guards will primarily work in the areas where the migrants are dropped off in the selected towns but will assist with other security issues where necessary, an Essex County Council spokesman said.

Protesters demand the ex-military base at RAF Wethersfield is closed during a demonstration in September last year

Liberal Democrat councillor Stephen Robinson, leader of Chelmsford City Council, also took issue with the extra use of security guards. 

He said: ‘We need to make sure our communities are safe and cohesive, but stoking fear and stirring up stereotypes about asylum seekers, which is what Reform UK is doing, will not achieve that.

‘We need effective policing, wherever crime and anti-social behaviour occurs, and investment in projects that really make a difference like Liberal Democrat-led Chelmsford City Council’s Women’s Safety Charter… not ineffective, private security.

‘The asylum system is in a mess because certain Reform politicians, who used to be Conservative ministers, let the system spiral out of control.

‘This has resulted in the taxpayer forking out for hotels and temporary asylum accommodation.’

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘Public safety remains our first priority and we expect any criminality to be taken seriously. We work with local police to ensure the safety and security of local communities around the site, the staff who work there and those accommodated.

‘The concerns of communities are central to our immigration reforms. We are working to fairly house asylum seekers across the country, close every asylum hotel and move asylum seekers into alternative accommodation including former military sites.’

Elsewhere, in the Oxfordshire village of Piddington, its 350 or so residents will on Tuesday cast a vote in a ‘referendum’ on leaving the UK.  

The stunt is the latest stage in the community’s fight to stop a former Ministry of Defence site on the edge of the village being repurposed as a hub for undocumented male immigrants for up to ten years.

It comes after 133 women in the village – who would be outnumbered nearly ten to one by the new arrivals – issued an open letter to every female MP last week to share their concerns. An accompanying online video was viewed more than two million times.

There is no legal mechanism allowing them to declare independence so the Piddington referendum at the village hall will not be binding.

Ian Senior and his wife Paula retired to the village three years ago in the hope of living out their years in peace and quiet.

Women in the Oxfordshire village of Piddington are campaigning against plans to house 1,250 asylum seekers nearby 

Mrs Senior, 61, is now suffering sleepless nights worrying about the camp which sits just 650 yards from their garden.

The former administrator enjoys crafting in her shed but says she’d be too scared to spend time there with 1,250 undocumented men a field-and-a-half away.

‘They say it’s a secure camp but it’s only secure for the people living there,’ she said. ‘We’ll be voting on Tuesday. It’s a shame the referendum isn’t binding.’

The votes will be counted on Tuesday evening with the result announced at 7am on Wednesday – a day before the consultation into the project closes.

The Government has promised to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers and will use former military sites instead. Two are already up and running – Wethersfield and Crowborough in East Sussex. 

Andy Burnham has said middle-class areas such as Piddington should ‘play their part’ in housing asylum seekers. 

Mr Martin told RTÉ Radio One: “He, from a North American point of view, he sees an island here. As we discussed the golf, there’s no border in golf in Ireland. There’s no border in rugby. We were having this conversation, and he said, ‘You’re the same’. And I said, ‘largely speaking, yes’. I said but there are many people in Northern Ireland who have, I said, a belief that they are British citizens. I said, we have people in Northern Ireland who are Irish citizens, and I said, we’ve got to evolve this.

Wynsors World of Shoes, which has more than 45 branches nationwide Adidas, Skechers, Clarks, Timberland, Nike and Crocs, previously announced 17 shops are set to close.

One of these will be the branch on Blackburn Road in Astley Bridge.

In a previous statement, a spokesperson for the company said: “It’s with sadness that we announce that certain Wynsors stores will be closing their doors.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to all of our customers who have shopped with us and supported the store over the years.

Wynsors World of Shoes offers a range of brands (Image: Getty Images)

“Your support has meant so much to the whole team.”

Branches also closing in Greater Manchester will be Bury, Salford, Oldham and Rochdale while further afield in the North West they will close in Bacup, Fleetwood and Birkenhead.

These closures come after a warning from private equity owner Modella Capital earlier this summer about job cuts and changes to its store estate.

Mondella Capital has endured a challenging 2026.

Claire’s and the Original Factory, both owned by Mondella, fell into administration earlier this year, resulting in the closure of all of the combined total of 291 stores.

Closure dates for the Wynsors stores have yet to be announced.

The Glens have taken just seven points from their opening six Irish Premiership games, and are already nine points behind the Bannsiders

Greg Sloggett has urged Glentoran to stick together and seize the chance to revive their season against league leaders Coleraine on Tuesday night.

The Glens have taken just seven points from their opening six Irish Premiership games after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Bangor, but Sloggett insists there is no panic inside the dressing room.

The game marked Sloggett’s competitive debut for Declan Devine’s side, having moved from Dundalk over the summer.

The experienced midfielder admits Glentoran have yet to hit the standards they expect, but says the focus is firmly on finding solutions, as they take on the title favourites this season at the BetMcLean Oval.

“We will come through this together,” said the 30-year-old. “We need a performance and a result to give everyone the lift we are looking for.

“We are Glentoran and we should never have any hesitation about playing anyone. We know the results have not been what we hoped for at this stage of the season and that we have not yet reached the level of performance we know we are capable of.

“There have been a number of factors involved, but we are not looking for excuses. We are looking for solutions.

“As players and coaches, we are working hard to turn things around. We fully understand the frustration of the supporters because we feel it too.”

Coleraine could hardly provide a tougher test. The Bannsiders have carried their strong form from last season into the new campaign and currently sit at the summit.

But Sloggett sees the fixture as an opportunity rather than a threat.

“Some people may look at Coleraine as the worst possible fixture for us, but that is certainly not how we see it within the squad,” he said.

“We are relishing the game. From my point of view, there is no better fixture in which to start putting things right.

“Coleraine are a very good side. They have carried their form from last season into this campaign and are top of the league on merit.

“We are a good side too, though, and these are the games you want to be involved in as a player. It is now up to us to produce the performance we know we are capable of.

“A positive result could give us the lift we need and help get our season moving.”

The 30-year-old has endured a frustrating start to his Glentoran career after a knee injury delayed his debut following his move from Dundalk.

“It is always frustrating when you are ruled out through injury, but it is even more difficult when you have just joined a new club and the results are not going the way you would want,” said the Co Meath native.

“When you join a new club, you want to be involved as quickly as possible and show everyone what you can contribute.

“The results added to the frustration because you are watching from the sidelines and cannot influence what happens on the pitch. I do not think I have ever met a player who enjoys doing that.

“All I could do was support the lads and reinforce the messages coming from the manager and coaches.

“Thankfully, I am now fit and it was a great feeling to get on at half-time on Saturday. I would gladly have exchanged the appearance for three points, but unfortunately it was not to be.

“Hopefully, we will now see more players returning and give the manager as many options as possible. When you look around the squad, there is a huge amount of quality here.

“The players demonstrated that during last season’s excellent league run and there is no reason why we cannot rediscover that form.

“The important thing now is that we stand together and work our way through this difficult period. I have been in football long enough to know that tough times do not last.

“Results will turn when you continue to work hard. What matters is how you respond to difficult moments and what you learn from them.”

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Global stock markets slipped on Monday as a sharp drop in technology equities and rising crude prices rattled investors ahead of anticipated interest-rate increases in the United States and Japan this week.

Brent crude rose by almost 3 per cent after fresh strikes targeted Saudi Arabia and Gulf shipping, following a previous attack on a Saudi oil pipeline.

A scheduled Monday meeting in Oman between Iran and Gulf Arab states to negotiate opening the Strait of Hormuz was also postponed.

Sentiments were further depressed by Friday’s higher-than-expected US consumer inflation data.

Markets now indicate a near-90 per cent likelihood of the Federal Reserve raising rates on Wednesday, which would mark its first increase since mid-2023.

The European Central Bank increased rates last week, signalling further action if inflation accelerates.

Additionally, artificial intelligence shares were dragged down after leaders at OpenAI and Anthropic urged a slowdown in AI development to mitigate risks and safeguard humanity.

“There’s been no real equity-market drama in the face of 5% yields and high oil prices. But, clearly, one thing we have to add to the mix is that if the disruption in Hormuz continues, were going to have to add a couple of hikes by central banks, which is what the market is pricing,” Lombard Odier chief economist Samy Chaar said.

“The Fed is more ‌impatient than it was, and central banks are more impatient than they were, the ECB included. They’re not just going to let time do its work. They want to get ahead of it,” he said.

Oil price spike

Brent futures were last up 2.5% at $107.18 a barrel, having gained almost ‌9% last week.

Prices for diesel, gasoline and jet fuel are all far higher than ‌they were before the war, meaning a direct hit for consumers.

In Europe, the STOXX 600 was down 0.3% as gains in oil and gas stocks were offset by losses in tech, which were swept lower after the concerns expressed in a letter by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, echoed by Elon Musk, who runs xAI, and Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI.

For markets, the immediate ⁠risk is that of a slowdown in the billions of dollars being spent on the AI boom, particularly after Altman also said his company would not proceed with an IPO this year, citing safety concerns.

“This is a highly unusual unified message from a group of tech CEOs, and it is weighing on the AI trade this morning,” XTB research director Kathleen Brooks said.

“Is this warning about AI a sign that hyperscaling AI compute and infrastructure has reached its endpoint? If so, this will have massive repercussions for financial markets, and it could also lead to a sharp selloff in chip stocks and other components of the AI trade at the start of the new trading week.”

S&P 500 futures fell 0.7%, while Nasdaq futures fell 1.7%, reflecting the premarket slide in shares of AI staples such as Marvell, Intel and Micron , which fell between 4.5% and 5.7%. Tech-heavy ​markets in Asia, such as Tokyo and Seoul, fell between 1% and 3%.

High yields test equity valuations

Government bond yields, which ‌posted their worst weekly performance since mid-May last week, edged higher.

Yields ⁠on benchmark 10-year Treasuries are on the verge of hitting 5%, the most since 2023, while German 10-year yields topped 3.53% to ⁠reach their highest since 2009.

Markets also imply around a 76% chance the Bank of Japan will lift its cash rate by a quarter point, to 1.25%, when it meets on Friday and is expected to signal further tightening couldtake place as it struggles to support the yen, after market intervention helped to pull it from a 40-year low.

The dollar rose 0.6% ​to 154.46 yen, having fallen around 4% over the last two weeks and away from a July peak of 163.99. The euro was 0.54% lower at $1.1535.

The Gateshead and Sunderland branches are among 17 UK stores earmarked for closure as Wynsors reshapes its high street estate.

Closing-down sales are under way at some affected stores, including Gateshead, where shoppers can get up to 60 per cent off.

Wynsors, which runs more than 45 stores and sells brands including Adidas, Skechers, Clarks, Timberland, Nike and Crocs, has confirmed several branches will close.

In a statement issued previously, the retailer said: “It’s with sadness that we announce that certain Wynsors stores will be closing their doors.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to all of our customers who have shopped with us and supported the store over the years. Your support has meant so much to the whole team.”

Wynsors has not announced a closure date for the Gateshead or Sunderland stores.

The closures come after owner Modella Capital warned earlier this summer about job cuts and changes to its store estate.

It’s the latest blow to the UK high street.

Modella Capital has already endured a difficult year, with linked businesses Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop facing major problems.

For shoppers in Gateshead and Sunderland, the closures mean two more familiar high street names will disappear from their town centres.

The 17 stores set to close are in Gateshead, Sunderland, Crewe, Leeds, Sheffield, Wakefield, Fleetwood, Burnley, Oldham, Salford, Bury, Rochdale, Hanley, Birkenhead, Bootle, Bacup and Bolton.

Earlier this year, Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop entered administration, resulting in the closure of 291 stores combined; both businesses are linked to Modella Capital.

Rangers claimed first blood in this week’s Old Firm double header as they delivered a major blow to Martin O’Neill’s Hoops, with Dan Neil’s brilliant brace sending the Ibrox men to the Premier Sports Cup semi-final

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Brilliant Rangers claimed first blood in this week’s Old Firm double header as they delivered a major blow to Martin O’Neill’s Hoops.

Dan Neil produced a stunning display of finishing as his brilliant brace sent the Ibrox men marching towards Hampden for the Premier Sports Cup semi-final – where they’ll face Aberdeen.

The former Sunderland skipper was one of six derby debutants in the Rangers starting line-up and another, new Venezuelan hitman Kevin Kelsy, got in the act too as he swept home the crucial second.

Here Reach Sport takes a look at how the Light Blues players rated…

Rangers player ratings

IVOR PANDUR: Croatian keeper had a couple of tame efforts into his body to deal in terms of shot-stopping but not much more on his derby debut. Sight of him being sharp off his line and taking a couple of dangerous looking crosses was a source of major reassurance for McInnes’ men. 7

DUJON STERLING: A solid showing and off the ball. Didn’t give Sebastian Tounekti a sniff before the before the Tunisian got the half-time hook. Won a big challenge on Camilo Duran after the break as the Colombian switched flanks. 7

MANNY FERNANDEZ: Giant centre-back has had an error-strewn start to the season and there were a couple of hairy moments in the first half. Sharpened up though and completely dominated Celt’s anonymous £11million man Kasper Hogh. Preserved the clean sheet with last-minute clearance off the lone. 7

OLWETHU MAKHANYA: Gers’ new South African has been a stabilising figure at the back and completely strolled this one too. Left with a tough job dealing with Duran all on his own in the first half as Penrice went inside to deal with Nygren but it was no bother at all for the classy centre-back. Booked for clattering Celtic sub Haissem Hassan just after the break. 8

JAMES PENRICE: Asked to do a man-marking job on Benjamin Nygren, even if meant the left-back had to follow the Dane across the park. Required a huge effort to cover the ground but had the energy left to deliver the cross which led the Gers’ killer second. 8

MINSU KIM: Started on the right hand side but with licence to drift into the central channels. So close to the opener as his volleys from Johnstone’s flap was blocked on the line by Liam Scales. Had two other efforts saved by the keeper. 7

NICO RASKIN: Partnership with Neil is growing in strength by the week. Had to bail out Englishman early doors, though, when he got back top halt a Hoops breakaway. Kept Gers moving as they applied the pressure in the build up to No2. Thought he’d got in on the scoring act until an offside flag cut short the celebrations. 7

DAN NEIL: It’s only a few weeks since Rangers fans were questioning why McInnes had bothered signing the ex-Sunderland skipper – but he’s got them all on board now. Sparked a noisy groan when he lost possession in a key area early on. But quickly had the punters roaring with two stunning finishes. 9

DJEIDI GASSAMA: In decent form this season but has struggled to convert that into firm numbers. Wiped out by Colby Donovan as the young Hoops defender earned a booking. Followed that up by ruining a good moment running the ball out of play. Remains a frustrating Ibrox enigma. 7

RYAN NADERI: Got the nod to start on account of his work off the ball. And he more than justified his manager’s faith with a huge shift and magnificent display. Had a hand in both goals, pinching possession from Cameron Carter-Vickers in the build up to the opener before flicking on for his strike-partner to score. 8

KEVIN KELSY: The £9million man looked to have wasted a huge chance to start repaying his massive fee when he dragged wide from Sam Johnstone’s mishit pass. But had a big role in Rangers taking the lead as he picked out Neil on the edge of the box before slamming home his first goal for the club with a kiss on off Johnstone’s near post. 8

Substitutes

BEN GODFREY (on for Naderi, 74): Big header late on as Celtic chased a consolation effort. 3

BADREDINE BOUANANI (on for Kim, 74): Provided some fresh legs in the final stage as Gers eased their way through to Hampden. 3

FINDLAY CURTIS (on for Gassama, 85): Close to adding a fourth as he forced Johnstone into a save. Dug in to ensure Celtic didn’t pull one back at the death. 4

VANJA DRAGOJEVIC (on for Neil, 85): Added some energy for the hosts after a huge shift from the starters. 3

BOJAN MIOVSKI (on for Kelsy, 87): No time to repeat his midweek heroics. 2

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Surrounded by rolling farmland and boasting thatched Tudor cottages, a pub and a church recorded in the Domesday Book, one could say Salford Priors is the epitome of a classic English village.

But residents of the picturesque community – and others along Warwickshire’s border with Worcestershire – are up in arms over plans for what would become one of the UK’s biggest solar farms. 

They say the scheme will turn prime arable land into a ‘crystal desert’ with communities blighted by glint and glare and natural habitats destroyed.

The proposed Arrow Valley Solar project will span an area of four square miles and see solar arrays and battery storage systems in four zones across both counties, all connected by a network of underground cables.

The project is of such a scale that it is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) and could generate up to 500megawatts of energy, enough to power about 235,000 homes annually.

The site, which is expected to become operational by 2031 if planning permission is granted, covers 4,353 acres, equivalent to 2,468 full-size football pitches. Some of the panels will be ‘tracker’ variants the size of double-decker buses which follow the trajectory of the sun.

Paul Wareing, 68, said the farm would cover sections of the Vale of Evesham – renowned for its fertile land and an important fruit and asparagus growing region, and destroy ‘quintessential English countryside’.

The semi-retired former government project manager said: ‘People are only just waking up to the scale of this thing. It will destroy our green and pleasant land.’

David Smith is upset this farmland near his home in Abbots Morton, Warwickshire, will be swallowed up by the solar farm

The project spans four square miles along the border between Warwickshire and Worcestershire

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Mr Wareing, who lives with wife Joanna, 69, in Salford Priors – a former Warwickshire village of the year winner – said that a field designated as housing battery units to store excess energy was the site of a wildfire which threatened the village last month.

He added: ‘If there had been batteries in-situ then there would have been hell to pay.

‘This scheme will turn a beautiful area into a giant industrial estate.

‘The irony is that I live in a conservation area and if I wanted to put solar panels on my roof I wouldn’t be allowed. Instead schemes like this are allowed to blight the countryside around us.’

Much of the land for the scheme will be provided by the nearby 6,000-acre Ragley Estate – which was at the centre of a bitter High Court family trust dispute last year.

David Smith, a retired electricity board worker from Abbots Morton, accused Henry Seymour, the 9th Marquess of Hertford who inherited the £85million ancestral estate in 1991, of ‘destroying this corner of Warwickshire’.

Mr Smith, 68, said: ‘How will he be remembered after this?

St James’s church in Weethley enjoys a stunning vista overlooking the Cotswolds – but the view is set to be obliterated by solar panels, residents say

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Salford Priors is a former Warwickshire village of the year winner 

‘Landowners like the marquess are custodians, it is only his house for his duration.

‘A sizeable percentage of this scheme will be on the estate’s land, but not one square inch of it will be visible from Ragley Hall.’

Mr Smith said the new solar scheme will result in panels positioned just yards from his home. The land, currently used to grow oil seed rape, would flood because underground drainage pipes would be ‘smashed’ by the framework for the solar panels, he feared.

But the landowner, who said he had agreed to lease 200 acres for at least 30 years as part of the development, said farming was becoming ‘unviable’.

‘If the scheme gets the go-ahead there will be sheep on here – it’s going to be built so they can graze’, the farmer, who declined to be named, said.

‘I’m losing money growing crops’.

NSIPs require a specific type of planning permission called ‘development consent’, with the final decision resting with the Secretary of State.

A public consultation into the project opens at the end of this month.

Banners such as this one have been appearing in villages around the area 

The scheme will turn prime farmland and rolling countryside used by walkers into a ‘giant industrial estate’, residents say

Land earmarked for the scheme spans at least 11 parishes, with other villages and hamlets affected including Broome, Cleeve Prior and the hamlet of Weethley, where a stunning vista behind St James’s church is set to be decimated by solar panels.

Dr Jane Cornwall, a psychologist and church warden at St James’s, runs a mindfulness group from the building for people with anxiety and depression.

She said: ‘People come here to enjoy the unadulterated view, to walk and enjoy the peaceful tranquillity. I’m very concerned and the company behind this scheme have done nothing to allay people’s fears.’

But a villager in Dunnington who was in favour of the scheme, and green energy in general, said: ‘The panels near here won’t be visible from the houses and will mainly be on estate land which isn’t used for much at the moment.’

Arrow Valley Solar is one of slew of super-sized solar parks to enter the planning system over the last year. Earlier this year, the government approved what was up until then the UK’s largest power-producing solar farm, following a planning inquiry.

The 800megawatt Springwell Solar Farm, between Lincoln and Sleaford, will cover 3,163 acres and power 180,000 homes.

A decision on a proposed 4,361-acre ‘Great North Road’ solar park, which could generate enough electricity for 400,000 homes, beside the A1 in Nottinghamshire is expected next month.

Fields between Salford Priors and Dunnington will form part of the solar farm

Jamie Gleeson, Project Development Manager for Arrow Valley Solar, said the development would be ‘sympathetic to the local area’s environment, character and history’.

He added: ‘The project is being developed to help meet growing demand for secure, home-grown renewable energy and will be shaped by a comprehensive programme of environmental and technical assessments, alongside feedback from local communities and stakeholders.

‘We recognise that people have questions about what the proposals could mean for the local area and would encourage anyone interested in the project to take part in our forthcoming public consultation’. 

Ragley Estate said it understood some residents had concerns over the scheme, ‘for which Ragley is one of a number of landowners that are involved’.

It said that, ahead of the consultation, the ‘Arrow Valley Solar project team are best placed to respond to any queries or concerns’. 

Last November, the Earl of Yarmouth, William Seymour, was saddled with a £1.3million legal bill after losing a battle over the running of the estate.

The earl, then 31, had been involved in a spat with his parents, the Marquess and Marchioness of Hertford, since 2018 when they objected to his wedding to former Goldman Sachs banker Kelsey Wells – now Lady Yarmouth.

The High Court was told that as the oldest son, the earl expected to be handed Ragley Hall, the 340-year-old family seat, when he turned 30.

But he was disinherited by his father after they fell out around the time of the earl’s marriage.

Emma is fronting the BBC dancing competition with comedian Josh Widdicombe and Strictly pro dancer Johannes Radebe

Strictly Come Dancing’s Emma Willis has opened up about being compared to Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman after taking over the BBC series.

The BBC dancing competition will return on Saturday (September 18) as fans prepare for a series without former hosts Tess and Claudia. The pair announced they were leaving the show late last year, and hosted the show for the last time during the 2025 series finale.

It was announced earlier in the year that the duo are being replaced by The Voice host Emma, comedian Josh Widdicombe and Strictly pro dancer Johannes Radebe. They will serve as the show’s first ever presenting trio.

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Emma is no stranger to working on major UK series, with her fronting The Voice, Big Brother The Circle and Love Is Blind over the years. The latter is the Netflix series she hosts with her husband Matt Willis.

Speaking to the Press Association, Emma has spoken about the pressure of taking over from Tess and Claudia and how she and her co-hosts feel about the comparisons.

“I’m ready for the comparisons. I am ready for the negative opinions that can come with these things, but on the flip side, there are always positives as well.

“But at the end of the day, I feel like it’s really simple, right? We work in this industry, and we’ve been given the opportunity to work on a phenomenal show that is really well loved by the public and also by ourselves.

“We aren’t reinventing the wheel, and we’re not rocket scientists. We are working on an entertainment show about dancing that is meant to hopefully bring joy to everybody watching it. So hopefully we can be a small part of that joy and have a really lovely time doing it,” she said.

Emma added: “There’s obviously a kind of fear that comes with it because of the enormity of it, and you have nerves about being good enough to kind of do the job and step into the role.”

Meanwhile, Josh noted that they are not aiming to ‘reinvent the show’. He stated that they are going to ‘be ourselves and our personalities will be there’.

Johannes, who is moving away from dancing on the series, revealed that Tess and Claudia had offered them words of advice. He recalled: “They reached out and wished us well for the season ahead and reminded us just to enjoy it. It felt like we got approval from older sisters.”

Tess initially presented the series with Sir Bruce Forsyth when it launched in 2004 During this time, Claudia fronted its weekday companion show, It Takes Two. Claudia eventually moved on to host the Sunday night results show alongside Tess , and joined the main show every Saturday from 2014 after the late Sir Bruce stepped down.

The celebrity contestants this season include former Love Island winner Dani Dyer-Bowen, actress Melanie Walters, former England footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips and Australian singer Delta Goodrem.

They will be joined by EastEnders actress Lacey Turner, celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, Love Island winner Cach Mercer, presenter Will Best, Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey, actress Jaime Winstone, actress Bethany Antonia, dog trainer and presenter Graeme ‘The Dogfather’ Hall, Emmerdale’s Lawrence Robb, Olympian Tabby Stoecker and sports content creator John Nellis.

On top of Johannes moving to presenting, there’s been further change for the pro dancer line-up with Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, Michelle Tsiakkas and Gorka Marquez all leaving the series.

Strictly recently revealed five new professional dancers are joining the show to replace those who have departed this year: Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldsby and Mark Karmalita.