Named the ‘Best Cushioned Walking Shoe’ by Women’s Health in 2026, the Clarks trainers are designed to help you walk for longer

Now that autumn has arrived, fashion fans will no doubt be phasing out their sandals and open-toe shoes for footwear more suited to the unpredictable British weather. If you’re in need of a new pair of trainers, it’s worth turning your attention to Clarks.

The high-street retailer has launched four new colours of its award-winning Pace trainers. Named the ‘Best Cushioned Walking Shoe’ by Women’s Health in 2026, the sporty sneakers are designed to help you walk for longer.

The Pace trainers cost £89 but shoppers can get them with a 20% discount if you buy two qualifying pairs, bringing the total down to £71.20. The full range of trainers and shoes included in the ‘Buy 2 get 20% off’ offer can be browsed fully here.

READ MORE: Clarks reduces ‘easy to throw on with jeans’ trainers in three gorgeous colours to £42 from £60

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The Pace trainers come in sizes four to eight, including in half sizes, in D (standard) width. There’s four colours to choose from including mauve, black, sand and pale green.

The brand’s first performance shoe, the Pace trainers are specialist designed and science-backed, crafted specifically for walking. The innovative design features Infinity Energy Capsules embedded in the sole, which compress and rebound with each step to propel you forward.

The dual-layer sole also includes Clarks’ most advanced two-part C360 foam, delivering cushioning that reduces impact and stabilizes every stride. An S-curve moulded heel counter provides a secure fit and reduces pressure on the Achilles during heel strike — meaning no break-in period needed and instant comfort right out of the shoe box for the ultimate walking shoe.

Elsewhere, Marks and Spencer’s Leather Side Detail Trainers come in at £49.50. Made in a regular fit with a practical lace-up fastening, the versatile sneakers feature a contrast side detail for a distinctive look.

The flat heel ensures all-day comfort, while our innovative Freshfeet technology helps minimise odour. The leather material offers durability with a touch of sophistication, perfect for styling with virtually any outfit.

Alternatively, the RTG Leather Trainers cost £90 at FitFlop. They’re powered by light, flexible Anatomicush midsoles with flex lines that let your feet move freely.

Anatomical arch contour that cups your feet for total comfort, so they’ve got a sportier feel than classic court shoes. Crafted in high-grade, textured leather, the versatile low-top profile means this athletic-inspired pair slips right into your work and weekend wardrobes.

Back at Clarks, the Pace trainers boast an overall star-rating of 4.7 out of five based on 61 reviews. One satisfied shopper said: “I love these sneakers. They look great and are very comfortable.”

A second wrote: “Great shoes. I have been buying Clarks for years but not casual shoes. Love all of the Cloudwalkers I have purchased.”

“I love these shoes,” a third penned. “They fit perfectly from the first step, there is no breaking in time. My feet are well supported for long walks and strength workouts.”

One shopper, however, had an issue with the sizing on the Pace trainers, giving them a three-star review. THey shared: “I like the shoe but it runs more than half a size small. I normally wear a 5 1/2; the 6 was too small. Had to go up a whole size to a 6 1/2.”

“I wanted to get a shoe that would support my high arches and instep,” a two-star review mentions. “They run small, so I went up 1/2 size and they still pinch my toes a bit.”

Nevertheless, someone else loved their latest Clarks purchase, adding: “Love these trainers. They are so comfortable and have helped me to deal with my recently diagnosed plantar fasciitis.”

Another five-star review reads: “I took a chance and bought these, and wow. Clarks has does it again. They make the most comfortable shoe for a person who walks all day long for work.

“These are a great sneaker. I got a half size larger, just to give my toes more room and it fits great.” Get the Pace trainers for £89 here.

The popular Christmas event was set to return this year before organisers pulled the plug.

The Elfingrove festival has been axed this year just one day after tickets went on sale.

Bosses of the popular Glasgow event announced that, despite thousands of briefs being snapped up in 24 hours, the Christmas celebration would not go ahead.

Itison, which organises the event, pulled the plug, citing unsustainable costs. The first batch of tickets were released on Wednesday, September 16.

Organisers promised to transform Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum into a “magical grand train station” with “360° immersive projections and a cinematic score”.

But early ticket sales didn’t give Itison confidence that they would be able to offset the “huge financial risk” of putting on such a big event. Those who have already bought tickets will be refunded.

A post on the Elfingrove Facebook page reads: “We’re really sad to share that Elfingrove won’t be going ahead this year and want to be open about it. Everyone who has bought a ticket will receive a full refund automatically. Our team will begin processing these within the next 24 hours and you’ll receive confirmation directly.

“We’ve worked incredibly hard over the last few years to create and launch something we believed would be special, and thousands of you bought tickets in the first day. Thank you – we genuinely appreciate the support. Putting on major events of this scale is a huge financial risk and sadly the level of early demand is below what we need to confidently take the event forward. As a small independent business rooted right here in Glasgow, we have to be practical as well as ambitious.

“In light of this, we’ve made what has been an incredibly tough decision for us all. This choice doesn’t affect any of our other events. We’re hugely disappointed and very sorry to everyone who was looking forward to coming. Thank you for backing the idea and for all the lovely comments over the last few weeks.

“We’ll be back with more exciting things in the future.”

Ticketholders moved to social media to express their disappointment. One person wrote online: “It’s only September and 24 hours after release. You’d be amazed at how many people would yet book on.”

Another person said: “Bit of a quick decision there, I was intending on booking but waiting until end of the month (payday).”

A third added: “This seems a bit hasty. We were planning on booking. The tickets only went on release yesterday, give us a chance!”

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An official letter from the State Department details that Andrew Tate, 39, is “wanted to stand trial in the United Kingdom” on a series of charges, including 10 counts of rape, three counts of arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation and three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Children as young as five have been filmed masked with balaclavas stealing from a corner shop while parents wait outside.

Shopkeeper Erdogan Yigitoglu, 52, has spent years sharing CCTV footage of shoplifters online to reduce crime – including young kids stealing while concealing their identities.

His footage shows offenders helping themselves to piles of chocolate bars, disposable BBQs worth £120 and an array of other items.

However, the most shocking discovery was children as young as five being ‘masked up’ in balaclavas and taking items including fruit before returning to adults waiting outside.

On one occasion he said he even saw a mother pat their child on the head as if they were congratulating them on a successful haul.

Mr Yigitoglu, who has run his shop in Bournemouth, Dorset, for 19 years, says he has lost thousands of pounds every year from burglary alone and it has also taken a toll on his mental health.

Over the last six years, however, the father-of-three has found that publicly shaming thieves on social media and banning them from his shop is the best way to reduce crime.

‘The incident with the young children in balaclavas was particularly shocking for me,’ Mr Yigitoglu said.

A boy dressed in yellow walks to the store in a balaclava while his parent waits outside

Another balaclava-clad child is also sent to the the corner store to shoplift fruit

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‘What upset me most was seeing very young children copying this kind of behaviour from adults.

‘What was even more disturbing was seeing the children take things from the shop and then go back to their mother, while she appeared to treat the situation as if it was normal, even smiling and patting the child on the head.

‘As a father myself, I found that extremely upsetting. I would never want children to grow up thinking that stealing is acceptable or something to be proud of.

‘I sincerely hope that in the future we see fewer situations like this.

‘My biggest wish is that children are taught the difference between right and wrong and are given the guidance they need to grow up as responsible members of the community.’

Mr Yigitoglu added around half of the people who he says have been caught shoplifting red-handed in his videos have returned to apologise and pay for the items.

He said: ‘From my experience, sharing the CCTV has made a real difference.

‘We have noticed that since we started sharing genuine CCTV footage on social media, the number of incidents has gone down.’

Mr Yigitoglu said he recently had an incident in the evening where a group of youngsters came into the shop with their faces covered.

He explained: ‘Because we could not see their faces, we did not allow them into the shop.

‘They then took a large box of chocolates and ran away. These are the kinds of incidents we are dealing with.

‘It is extremely frustrating because we are working hard every day, trying to run an honest business and provide a service to the community.

‘All we want is to be able to work without fear and without constantly worrying about whether something is going to be stolen.’

Shopkeeper Erdogan Yigitoglu, 52, has spent years sharing CCTV footage of shoplifters online to reduce crime

A young child wearing a balaclava steals fruit from a shop in in Bournemouth

The impact of such frequent theft has not only taken a toll on Mr Yigitoglu’s finances, but also his mental health – as he says he has found himself repeatedly feeling frightened about what has or will be taken next.

He said: ‘Of course these incidents make us fearful. They affect us much more than people might realise.

‘Sometimes we feel that we cannot even breathe properly because we are so worried about what might happen next.

‘Even when we leave the shop, our minds are still here.

‘We are always thinking, “Has anything gone missing? Has someone stolen something?”

‘You cannot properly switch off from it.’

Mr Yigitoglu said he does not release the CCTV to embarrass people or cause additional problems – but simply to try and eradicate shoplifting.

He added: ‘We want to be able to run our business without always worrying about theft.

‘What concerns me most is the effect this can have on the next generation.

‘If young people grow up seeing this behaviour as normal or something to copy, I really worry about where we will be in the future if nothing changes.

‘We don’t want this to become normal.

‘We want people to understand that behind every small business there are real people, real families and years of hard work.

‘My message is simple: we need to stop treating shoplifting as something normal or harmless.

‘We want to see action so that small businesses can feel safe again.’

Nikon’s annual Small World In Motion competition is open to anyone around the world with an interest in film or time-lapse photography through a microscope.

This year’s winning video was magnified to 100 times in size, and featured tiny hair-like structures, called cilia, in the airways of a child with a rare genetic disease.

It was submitted by Dr Ning Xu, a researcher at Tsinghua University in China, who used a series of complicated light waves to illuminate different parts of the sample in colour.

Runners up in the competition included videos of a roundworm encountering a single-celled organism and microscopic jellyfish larvae suspended in droplets of water. Clips of bioluminescent algae and a tiny sea slug were among the highly commended.

‘A song can be so powerful in connecting us with memories’

Sir Alex Ferguson has donated £100,000 to a leading music and dementia charity. The legendary former Manchester United manager, whose brother is living with dementia, became an ambassador for Playlist for Life last year.

The Glasgow-based charity, which has networks across the UK, was founded by Scottish writer and broadcaster Sally Magnusson MBE after she discovered meaningful songs helped improve her connections with her mother, who lived with dementia.

It works in support of those affected by dementia and said scientific research has shown listening to personally meaningful songs can help reduce distressing symptoms and improve quality of life. The charity’s mission is to ensure everyone living with dementia has access to a personal playlist as a standard element of their care and support.

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Bosses said the donation from Sir Alex through The Elizabeth Hardie Ferguson Charitable Trust Fund, which he founded in memory of his mother, would be vital to its ongoing work.

The ex-United boss said: “We all know someone whose life has been touched by dementia. I have seen the impact it can have in my own family and I know the challenges it can bring. But I also know that music is one of the best things available that can help. That’s why I back Playlist for Life and its mission to have music in dementia care and support as standard.

“The charity is transforming the lives of people affected by dementia across the UK using personally meaningful music. The songs that matter to us make up the soundtrack of our lives and for people living with dementia, that soundtrack can bring back treasured memories, reduce symptoms and help people reconnect.

“It’s a simple thing to do, but for someone affected by dementia, it can make a world of difference.”

Playlist for Life’s annual awareness campaign, National Playlist Day, is on Friday, September 18. The charity and Sir Alex were today encouraging everyone to create a personal playlist for themselves or someone close to them.

Sir Alex’s playlist now features 20 of his favourite songs, including The Beatles, The Drifters, Kity Kallen, Elvis and Dusty Springfield. And he said he’s recently added ‘We are the Champions’ by Queen, which he said takes him back to a special Manchester United title win.

“Music is a big part of my life,” he said. “I’ve shared songs from my own personal playlist, from Sinatra to Nat King Cole, and I’m encouraging everyone to do the same. I’ve added ‘We are the Champions’ to my playlist because it reminds me of the lap of honour at Old Trafford when Manchester United won the Premier League for the first time in 1993.

“A song can be so powerful in connecting us with memories.”

Michael Timmons, Executive Director of Playlist for Life, said the donation would’ play a vital role in helping everyone affected by dementia have access to a personal playlist’. “Sir Alex has been an incredible ambassador for our charity, championing our work with great warmth and humility,” he said.

As the last of the 22-member gang were brought to justice by a York-based team and were sentenced, more details have emerged of their crimes.

The gang pressurised homeowners across the North East, Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire to pay vastly inflated prices for unnecessary or poor-quality roofing and building work, then hid their ill-gotten gains in a web of bank accounts.

More than £1 million was taken from 43 victims by a network that carried out unnecessary building work.

The money was extracted between May 2021 and August 2024, following cold calls to homeowners across Northumberland, County Durham, Teesside, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Members of the national trading standards regional investigation team based in York  found that the network also used bank accounts to move and disguise money taken from victims.

The fraud usually began with an approach about a small job, such as clearing gutters or replacing a roof tile. Once work started, homeowners were told that further repairs were needed urgently.

Prices then rose to thousands, or tens of thousands, of pounds. Officers said people who were older, isolated or living with ill health were targeted.

One victim, a woman in her late 70s from New Marske, first agreed to repairs to her garage roof after being cold called by Frederick Finney.

She was later persuaded that her main roof needed replacing. During the following year, she paid £94,700.

A chartered building surveyor later found the work had been carried out very badly and valued it at £3,107.

Another woman in her late seventies from Sheffield, was approached repeatedly while her husband was terminally ill and after his death.

Finney later cold called her using the name “James”. He returned with flowers and chocolates, called her his “nicest customer” and told her he “wouldn’t take advantage of her or scam her”.

Finney was also reported to have told her that she was his nicest customer. In total, she paid £133,400 for work later valued at £3,350.

On the final day of the lengthy sentencing hearing, eight defendants were sentenced.

As The Press reported yesterday, 14 were sentenced earlier this week.

They included Finney 48. previously of Bickerton, between York and Wetherby, who was given six years and nine months immediate imprisonment  after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to convert criminal property..

In total over the whole hearing Judge Joanne Kidd  jailed 12 members for a combined  63 years and 3 months. The rest received suspended prison sentences.

The last to be sentenced were:

Shane Farrow, 33, of Birch Close, Stokesley, was jailed for six years and three months after admitting conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to convert criminal property.

Thomas Winter, 34, previously of Guisborough, was jailed for 42 months after admitting conspiracy to convert criminal property.

The following all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to convert criminal property.

Gang members and money launderers Chelsea Bayliss and Serena Robertson (Image: National Trading Standards)

Ryan Watson, 27, of Darnton Drive, Middlesbrough, received a two-year sentence suspended for two years, as did Serena Robertson, 25, of Hebron Road, Stokesley and Chelsea Bayliss, 24, of Allen Court, Stokesley, Nicole O’Brien, 36, of South Parkway, Seacroft, Leeds, and Ben Ware, 34, of York Road, Tadcaster,

James Hope, 37, of Gainford, Gateshead, received a 12-month sentence suspended for two years.

The victim had been out celebrating

A man dragged a “vulnerable” woman into bushes and stopped her from screaming before raping her. Darius Andrulionis, 46, was out drinking in Wisbech earlier this year, when he set his eyes on his victim who was also out that night.

The woman was drinking throughout the night, and was clearly “vulnerable” as she had fallen over several times. At Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday (September 15), it was heard that Andrulionis had “followed” his victim through the night. At one point he tried to dance with her, but she refused.

Prosecution told the court that the woman later went to a garage, alongside the people she was out with, in the early hours of the following morning and Andrulionis once again followed her. While at the garage, Andrulionis “dragged” the woman away from the area. CCTV showed she was “clearly struggling” and she was “kicking” at Andrulionis to let her go, the court heard.

Prosecution then told the court Andrulionis “dragged her away, took her into an alleyway and into some bushes”. The woman screamed, but Andrulionis “covered her mouth and nose”.

The court heard that it was a “prolonged” attack but the victim managed to get away and run back to the garage. The victim suffered minor injuries including to her arms, legs, back and finger. The attack was reported to the police and Andrulionis was arrested later that day.

A victim’s personal statement was read out on behalf of the victim. The court heard how the incident had affected her “more mentally than physically”. The statement said she now gets “nervous when people, especially men, walk behind me in everyday life”. The court also heard how the woman no longer “trusts people” and she has “stopped going out and socialising”.

“I have just locked everything inside and I have tried to bury it down,” the statement read.

During police interview, Andrulionis denied he had committed the rape. He told police he had been at the same place as the woman and also the garage, but he left when a fight broke out at the garage. When shown CCTV footage during an interview, Andrulionis accepted he had interacted with the woman, but still denied the attack.

He initially pleaded not guilty to one count of rape of a woman aged 16 years or over, but pleaded guilty at a later date. In mitigation, Andrulionis’s defence said he had no previous convictions relating to sexual offences. However, he had two previous convictions related to drink driving in 2020 and 2022. The defence told the court that Andrulionis had been an “exemplary worker” in the UK, where he has been living for the last 10 years.

In passing his sentence, his Honour Judge Andrew Hirst described Andrulionis as a “predatory” man who didn’t “express remorse” for his victim. The judge said the woman was “extremely vulnerable” and that Andrulionis “must have seen and known that”.

The way Andrulionis dragged the woman away, was described by the judge as “abduction”. The judge added that Andrulionis “targeted her for her vulnerability” and he was “able to do what you wanted because she was drunk”.

“You simply dragged her away in the dark to satisfy your lust,” the judge said.

Andrulionis, of Balding Close, Wisbech, was sentenced to seven years in prison, with six years on extended licence. He was also handed an indefinite restraining order, placed on the sex offenders register for life and ordered to pay a £228 victim surcharge.

The probe into years of failings at the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS Trust will be chaired by a retired judge, the government announced on today, and begin on Monday (September 21).

Chair Judge John Potter said his first priority was “to meet and listen to those affected” and promised the long-awaited inquiry would be independent, thorough and fair.

The date of the inquiry’s first public hearing has not been announced.

TEWV has been dogged by calls for a full statutory inquiry after being convicted and fined over the deaths of two patients and blamed at inquests for contributing to the deaths of others, slammed by watchdogs, and branded as ‘requiring improvement’.

Families who have spent years campaigning, backed by the Northern Echo, finally had their calls answered in December when former Health Secretary Wes Streeting ordered the investigation during a meeting with them in Darlington.

(Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Mr Streeting said they had made a “strong case” and thanked them for “sharing their harrowing experiences, not only of losing loved ones but also encountering significant failings of care.”

Wes Streeting meeting the families in Darlington where he called a public inquiry into TEWV

The new chair, His Honour Judge John Potter, is a retired circuit judge and former deputy judge in the Court of Appeal’s criminal division, with more than 40 years’ experience.

He said: “I am honoured to have been appointed to chair the TEWV inquiry. I am conscious of the responsibility that comes with this role and of the experiences of the patients, families and others affected by the matters the inquiry will examine.

“My first priority will be to meet and listen to those affected. Their voices and experiences will be central to the inquiry’s work and will help inform the development of its terms of reference.

“The inquiry will approach its task independently, thoroughly and fairly, and with respect for everyone who takes part. I will work with the inquiry team to put the necessary arrangements in place so that our work can begin as promptly as proper preparation allows.”

Judge John Potter. (Image: DHSC)

While families have welcomed progress, many had expressed frustration at the delay in appointing a chair.

In July this paper called on new PM Andy Burnham to progress the stalled inquiry, as families feared a lack of progress.

Alistair Smith, a solicitor at Ison Harrison, which represents more than 200 families affected by TEWV, said: “The appointment of a chair is important and we welcome this step forward for the many families who have campaigned tirelessly for answers about the care provided by TEWV.

“For years, bereaved families and individuals have raised serious concerns about patient safety, avoidable deaths and the culture within the trust. They have shown remarkable determination in pursuing accountability and meaningful change. 

Lawyer Alistair Smith who is representing families affected by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV)

“While the appointment of a chair marks progress, families will be looking for reassurance that the inquiry will move forward without unnecessary delay and will be given the scope and resources needed to fully examine what went wrong.

“They want the inquiry to establish the truth, ensure lessons are learned and provide confidence that improvements are made to protect patients in the future. 

“Many families and individuals have waited a long time for this moment. There remains a strong desire to see the inquiry begin its substantive work as soon as possible so that those affected can finally have their experiences heard and properly investigated.”

As chair of a full statutory inquiry, Judge Potter will have the power to compel witnesses to give evidence.

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The families who were let down by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust have suffered immeasurable pain.”

Yvette Cooper in Durham this week

“Judge Potter has been asked to deliver a report explaining why things went so wrong across the trust’s mental health services and what must change.”

TEWV has long said it will cooperate with the inquiry.