Super Bowl champions Seattle look the real deal again after beating the Arizona Cardinals 31-7 for a 12th straight win.

Drew Lock showed he is no ordinary back-up quarterback with three touchdown passes to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, including an 82 yarder that is the longest of the talented receiver’s career.

The Seahawks lost Walker to the Chiefs but have retained a remarkable 17 of 22 starters and 44 of their 53-man roster from last season’s title win.

That consistency should see them go close again, but they’ll face a rejuvenated San Francisco 49ers in their division, who are also 2-0 after beating the Miami Dolphins 35-15.

Showing no signs of jet leg from their victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Australia, the Niners scored touchdowns on their first five possessions to blow Miami away – Christian McCaffrey scored twice, George Kittle also found the end zone and Brock Purdy accounted for three scores.

With the 49ers having their defensive stars back from injury Kyle Shanahan’s squad look the total package once again.

The Cincinnati Bengals also look more well rounded this season after winning a 20-6 battle in Houston, thanks to an early touchdown of the season contender catch from Ja’Marr Chase.

We expect fireworks from Chase and Joe Burrow, but having a defence capable of keeping CJ Stroud out of the end zone, and sacking him four times in a road game is the biggest reason for optimism among Bengals fans.

The Philadelphia Eagles were on the ropes against the Tennessee Titans until Jalen Hurts threw the winning touchdown pass to Darius Cooper with just nine seconds left in the game.

Although not as impressive overall as other 2-0 sides, that ability to win games at the death is a familiar trait with Philly – and will make them dangerous all season again.

Kevin James, managing director at Bradleys Estate Agents in the south west of England, said: “The summer months delivered better activity than expected in our areas, particularly for sellers who adapted their expectations to the affordability pressures in the market, and listened to advice to price realistically.

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, should be given official security now because the media is treating them in a similar way to Princess Diana, Earl Spencer has said.

Diana died aged 36 in a 1997 Paris car crash as photographers pursued her on motorbikes, prompting questions around the media’s responsibility in her tragic death.

Harry and Meghan have returned to live in Britain six years after they quit royal duties and moved to the US.

“From a security aspect, as an uncle who’s seen his sister die in very, very preventable circumstances, I would veer towards protection,” Charles Spencer told the BBC.

He said the tabloid treatment of both Diana, and Harry and Meghan, could be “really, really unpleasant”, that it was “beholden on people” to learn from that experience.

It came as he struggled to hold back tears when asked how much he misses Princess Diana in a newly released TV interview.

Speaking to BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, he admitted he misses his sister “everyday,” adding: “That’s the thing with sibling loss, you never get over it.”

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Diana said Mohamed Al Fayed ‘squeezed’ her buttocks, Earl Spencer claims

Princess Diana told her brother Earl Spencer that Mohamed Al Fayed had “dropped a hand onto her buttocks and squeezed them”, early in her romance with Dodi Fayed, according to reports.

The earl has made a series of damning claims about the King in a new memoir chronicling the Princess of Wales’ life that prompted the palace to push back, saying “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason”.

Earl Spencer said Diana “disliked” Al Fayed, the Mail Online reports.

It comes after a documentary exposing allegations of rape and sexual abuse against Al Fayed aired on the BBC two years ago.

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Alex Croft21 September 2026 07:00

Earl Spencer: ‘Those are exactly the words he said’

Alex Croft21 September 2026 06:00

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SNL UK brutally mocks Ed Sheeran and King Charles in Diana sketch

After a week dominating the headlines, the royal war of words was the subject of comedy show SNL UK’s first sketch of the night on Saturday.

The sketch saw the cast bring back Princess Diana as an AI assistant for King Charles, mocking the monarch allegedly saying that she would be forgotten “soon enough” while arguing with Earl Charles Spencer over her funeral arrangements in 1997.

Spencer made the bombshell claim in an extract his upcoming memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, with Buckingham Palace responding by saying that “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud, reason, affect judgement and colour memory in ways others do not recognise”.

You can read all about the sketch below:

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Alex Croft21 September 2026 04:01

‘Often families have these quarrels’, says Ed Davey of royal dispute

Sir Ed Davey has said “often families have these quarrels, and often they go back to things that may or may not have been said decades ago”, in regards to Earl Spencer’s claims about the King.

On BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, the Liberal Democrats leader was asked if he would agree with Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch’s statement that she does not want to take a side but is “always on the side of His Majesty”.

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Sir Ed said: “I’m a huge fan of His Majesty and of the royal family and that’s why I don’t really want to comment on what’s going on there.

“All I would say, I think people who will know from their own family experience, often families have these quarrels, and often they go back to things that may or may not have been said decades ago and it can be very painful.

“I just feel sorry for the royal family that this is being played out in public.”

Alex Croft21 September 2026 02:00

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Watch: Earl Spencer says he ‘felt a lightness’ in Charles’ tone in first call following Diana’s death

Alex Croft21 September 2026 00:29

Earl Spencer said allegations were his ‘duty as an eyewitness to history’

Earl Spencer felt it was his “duty… as an eyewitness to history” to write a new memoir chronicling the life of his sister, which has included a series of damning claims about the King.

It comes after the earl accused the King of gaslighting him after Buckingham Palace pushed back against explosive claims that Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough” after Diana, Princess of Wales, died.

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The earl has made a series of claims about the King in a new memoir chronicling the life of his sister Diana that prompted the response from Buckingham Palace, which said “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason”.

On his motivations for writing the book, the earl told the BBC it was his “duty… as an eyewitness to history”.

He said: “I’m aware of mortality and I wanted to just put things down once and for all that were true.

“This is not a threat, it’s a fact, I know lots of things about the King which I chose not to include in the book because they were not relevant.”

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Alex Croft20 September 2026 23:31

Labour minister says it is ‘not for politicians to opine on the royal family’

Bridget Phillipson said it was “not for politicians to opine on the royal family” after Kemi Badenoch said she was “always on the side of His Majesty”.

Asked whether she agreed with the Tory leader following explosive claims made in the memoir of Earl Spencer, the women and equalities minister told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “My view is that the royal family don’t comment on politics, and I think it’s not for politicians to comment on what has or hasn’t happened within the royal family.

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“Clearly, these are family matters, but actually, I don’t think as politicians we should be inserting ourselves into discussions about the royal family. They don’t do that to us, and I think we owe them that responsibility in return.”

Asked whether she agreed with Earl Spencer that there were echoes of how his sister was treated by the media in the way the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are, she said: “Again, sorry to repeat myself here, but I don’t think it’s the politicians to opine on the royal family, and I won’t be doing so.”

Alex Croft20 September 2026 22:30

Earl Spencer ‘failing to protect nephews or Diana’s memory’, says royal commentator

A British royal commentator has accused Earl Spencer of failing to protect his nephews or the memory of his sister.

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“In his 6 September 1997 eulogy in Westminster Abbey, Earl Spencer vowed to protect William and Harry,” journalist and radio commentator Dickie Arbiter said on X.

“His current allegations are hardly protecting his nephews nor protecting the memory of his sister 29 years after her tragic death,” he added.

Alex Croft20 September 2026 21:29

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Earl Spencer calls for Harry and Meghan to receive official security

Earl Spencer has said that Prince Harry and Meghan should be given official security, as they are now treated by the media much in the same way as his late sister was in the years leading up to her death.

Diana died aged 36 in a 1997 Paris car crash as photographers pursued her on motorbikes, sparking an outpouring of grief and a reckoning over whether the media bore some responsibility after it splashed details of her life across front pages for years.

Harry and Meghan have returned to live in Britain six years after they quit royal duties and moved to the US.

“From a security aspect, as an uncle who’s seen his sister die in very, very preventable circumstances, I would veer towards protection,” Charles Spencer told the BBC, citing Harry’s position as fifth-in-line to the British throne and as a former soldier.

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He said the tabloid treatment of both Diana, and Harry and Meghan, could be “really, really unpleasant”, that it was “beholden on people” to learn from that experience.

Alex Croft20 September 2026 20:45

Who is Earl Spencer – and why is his new book causing controversy?

Earl Spencer is the late Princess of Wales’ younger brother, and a British peer, author, journalist and broadcaster who succeeded his father as Viscount Althorp in 1992, aged just 27.

He is releasing a memoir titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, detailing his relationship and grief following Princess Diana’s 1997 death.

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The book has sent shockwaves through the royal family after Earl Spencer claimed King Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough” during a row about Diana’s funeral arrangements.

The allegations prompted Buckingham Palace to release an unprecedented statement, in which King Charles said he is “mindful” that grief can cloud reason and memory.

The book will be released on Tuesday.

Alex Croft20 September 2026 20:01

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The experience of Amanda Hulme, headteacher at Claypool Primary School in Bolton, has been highlighted by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) as part of a campaign calling for graded Ofsted inspections to be halted.

The union has raised concerns that the watchdog’s new report card system, introduced after single-word judgements were scrapped, has failed to reduce pressure on school leaders and staff.

In a statement shared by the union, Ms Hulme described the experience as “damaging” and “distressing”.

She said: “It was definitely damaging to my health and really quite distressing.”

“I couldn’t sleep and it led to my blood pressure and pulse rate increasing.”

“Inspectors were required to work through a set of pre-determined bullet points, and much of what we do as a school simply did not ‘count’ within the framework, regardless of its impact or quality.”

Ms Hulme said the impact extended beyond her own wellbeing and had affected staff across the school.

She added: “The effect on my team has also been significant, with some colleagues no longer wanting to pursue headship, and another teacher considering leaving the profession entirely.”

“I might have to seriously consider retiring early, before our next inspection is due — I’m just not sure I could face going through that again.”

The comments come as the NAHT published findings from a survey of more than 5,000 school leaders with the union saying almost three quarters of respondents felt the direction of travel on inspections had worsened over the past year.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, said feedback from members suggested the current framework was creating even greater stress than the one it replaced.

He said: “The clear theme emerging across all the feedback we have received is that this Ofsted framework is even more stressful than the one that preceded it.”

“It poses a real and present danger to the well-being and mental health of school leaders and teachers, possibly even a risk to life.”

The union has written to Education Secretary Lucy Powell, urging the government to pause graded inspections and review the system.

However, Ofsted defended its approach.

A spokesperson said: “Over the last three years, we have worked closely with teaching unions to deliver significant reforms to how Ofsted inspections work, to reduce unnecessary pressure on teachers.”

“Ofsted exists to raise standards for children and to provide clear reporting to parents.”

The spokesperson added that the watchdog would continue to engage with unions but would continue grading schools.

For Ms Hulme, the debate is not just about accountability, but the personal cost inspections can have on those leading schools.

Her account has now become one of several cited by the union as it presses for further changes to the inspection system.

It’s been said that victims will be ‘put first’ under the new plans, with greater support and more resources offered to tackle the backlog

Specialist courts to deal with rape and sexual offences will be rolled out across Wales and England, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced. Every Crown Court will have at least one courtroom dedicated to hearing such cases set up in the next two years, officials said.

Victims will be offered a private entrance and private waiting room to keep them away from the defendant, which they already have a right to request but currently depends upon availability.

Court staff will also be given “trauma-informed training” with a single person of contact assigned to each survivor as part of the package of measures are expected to cost around £23 million from the Ministry of Justice budget.

From October, trials will be given a fixed date rather than placed on floating lists in what the Prime Minister described as an effort to “rebalance the scales of justice and put victims first.”

In its announcement, the UK Government credited Labour MP Charlotte Nichols’ “immense strength and bravery” in speaking publicly about being raped and calling for changes to a backlogged system.

In March, Ms Nichols waived her automatic right to anonymity in a powerful speech in the House of Commons during which she lamented having to wait more than 1,000 days to go to court. Make sure you never miss Wales’ biggest updates by getting our daily newsletter

She said the changes promised on Monday were a “hugely important milestone” which would help improve the experience of those who are “all too often retraumatised by seeking justice.”

“I’m proud that substantive meaningful change has come from waiving my anonymity to speak about my own experiences, and I can’t tell you how much the support of the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor means to me, as I know the difference these measures would have made for me and for so many of the survivors I have worked with in recent years,” Ms Nichols said.

The pledge is one in a series of announcements aimed at tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG), which Labour promised in its 2024 manifesto to halve within a decade.

Mr Burnham said: “For too long, victims of rape and serious sexual offences have felt let down by our justice system. Prosecution rates for rape remain shamefully low, with many victims waiting years for justice.

“This is not good enough. That’s why we are making major changes to rebalance the scales of justice and put victims first. This includes rolling out specialist courtrooms for rape and serious sex offences.

“These changes are long overdue and will make a significant difference, but focusing on prosecution alone will not be enough. So as well as ensuring victims get justice, we will step up action to prevent these horrific crimes from happening in the first place.”

Rape Crisis England and Wales welcomed the measures as a “significant step forward for our justice system” that would bring into force a number of reforms the organisation has been calling for over many years.

Chief executive Ciara Bergman said: “Taken together, they reflect the urgency of ensuring that courts are fit for purpose and properly meet the needs of victims and survivors, which is crucial to securing justice.”

The Tories said tackling delays to criminal rape trials was “long overdue” and pushed Labour to commit to scrapping plans to restrict jury trials more widely announced under Sir Keir Starmer’s government.

Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy said: “The fact that victims have been withdrawing their cases because they have taken too long has been a disgrace. Labour need to get courts sitting throughout the year, end the delays and clear the backlog – not undermine our right to a trial by jury.”

Patrick Clancy and his new wife have revealed they are starting a family together around three-and-a-half years on from the day that his ex-wife Lindsay Clancy strangled his three children with exercise bands inside their suburban Massachusetts home.

Patrick and Dr Rachel Danis sat down with 60 Minutes to share news of their future plans together in their first interview since Clancy’s case ended in a controversial mistrial earlier this month. 

While the newlyweds didn’t confirm if they are currently expecting, when correspondent Ross Douthat asked ‘and you guys are starting a family?’, Rachel confirmed ‘yeah’ with a smile and nod.

The couple, who married this April in New York City, said that they plan to tell their child about Patrick’s late children Cora, Dawson and Callan. 

‘I think every parent can agree, you have different relationships with your kids, but they’re all your kids. And I can’t wait to tell them about their brothers and sister,’ Patrick said.

The couple spoke out just weeks after Patrick had an emotional courtroom reunion with his ex-wife during her high-profile murder trial.

Clancy was charged with three counts of first-degree murder for killing Cora, five, Dawson, three, and Callan, eight months old, inside the family home in the wealthy town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, on January 24, 2023.

The 36-year-old labor and delivery nurse strangled the children with exercise bands in the basement after sending Patrick out of the home to pick up medicine from CVS and a takeout order from a local restaurant.

Patrick and fertility specialist Dr Rachel Danis revealed they are starting a family together around three-and-a-half years on from his children’s deaths

She then tried to kill herself, cutting her wrists and neck and jumping from the second-floor bedroom window. Clancy survived but was left paralyzed from the waist down.

The mom-of-three did not deny killing her children but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, saying she was suffering from severe postpartum depression and psychosis at the time.

Her six-week trial in Plymouth, Massachusetts, sparked a national conversation about postpartum mental illness and criminal responsibility – quickly capturing attention all across the globe.

Ultimately, after seven days of deliberations, a mistrial was declared after the 12 jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict.

In an unprecedented move, it emerged during deliberations that a lone male holdout – since identified as Michael P Desronvil – was refusing to join the other 11 in finding her not guilty by reason of insanity.

Several jurors have since spoken out to accuse him of showing reasonable doubt but refusing to apply it to the law. Desronvil has hired an attorney and released a statement pushing back on their claims, saying he believed Clancy ‘knew exactly what she was doing.’

Patrick became one of the key witnesses in the trial, testifying to his then-wife’s spiraling mental health in the months leading up to the killings and the devastating day when he found his three children dead.

A few months after the killings, Patrick moved to New York City, sold the family home and filed for divorce.

The Daily Mail exclusively revealed in July that the 38-year-old tech executive had since found love and remarried Rachel, a fertility doctor.

Lindsay, Patrick, Cora, Dawson and Callan Clancy pictured together just weeks before the killings

Clancy’s trial ended in a mistrial after a lone holdout refused to join the other 11 jurors in finding her not guilty by reason of insanity

The couple wed this April in an intimate ceremony at the historic Ladies Pavilion overlooking Central Park’s lake before celebrating with family and friends at Sarabeth’s restaurant.

Speaking to 60 Minutes, Patrick and Rachel revealed that they first met in the same Manhattan park back in January 2024 – one year after his children’s deaths.

They met at a run club in Central Park and Rachel quickly learned about the tragedy that had brought Patrick to New York.

She recalled how they had gotten coffee together after the run club and Patrick pulled out his phone to pay.

She noticed an ‘adorable photo’ of children as the wallpaper and asked: ‘Who are those cuties?,’ Rachel recalled.

When Patrick told her they were his children, she said she first asked if they lived in Massachusetts.

‘And Pat said, “They died.” And this is just at the cashier,’ Rachel told Douthat.

‘I guess I had so many questions, and yet at the same time I didn’t know exactly what to ask.’

Patrick, who shared in the interview that he had become suicidal after his children’s deaths, said that meeting Rachel changed his life ‘in such a positive way.’

‘I always try to take some of the weight from Pat. I always want to strive to do that,’ Rachel added.

Clancy was charged with three counts of first-degree murder for killing Cora, five, Dawson, three, and Callan, eight months old, in 2023

‘I know I can’t fix, I can’t bring his kids back. But if I can honor them and allow Pat to grieve but also just continue to honor them in the present, I guess that’s all I can do.’

A longtime friend of Rachel’s family previously told the Daily Mail that, as a reproductive expert, Patrick’s new wife understands the issues at the heart of the family tragedy – perhaps more than most.

Speaking to 60 Minutes, the couple also spoke out about the vile, baseless accusations and rumors they have faced in recent months.

As Clancy’s trial drew attention all across the globe – with postpartum mental illness taking center stage and pink-clad supporters staging rallies outside the courthouse – with it came a groundswell of online conspiracies.

Patrick’s testimony was picked apart online with some going as far as to accuse him of possible involvement in his children’s deaths.

Since the trial ended, the 38-year-old’s attorney has issued a warning to conspiracy theorists that ‘this spread of blatant and baseless falsehoods must stop’ or ‘there will be consequences.’

Speaking to 60 Minutes, Rachel hit out at the story becoming ‘so twisted’ as she described Patrick as the ‘most selfless father and supportive partner.’

‘I don’t understand how the story has been so twisted. I was just a girl that met a guy running in Central Park on a really cold Saturday. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that,’ she said.

Despite trying to move forward with his own life, Patrick continues to defend Clancy and said he has forgiven her for killing their children. 

Patrick and Rachel revealed that they first met at a run club in Central Park in January 2024 – one year after his children’s deaths

Patrick, who shared in the interview that he had become suicidal after his children’s deaths, said that meeting Rachel changed his life ‘ in such a positive way’ 

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During her trial, Patrick testified about the moment that he returned home that day to find his wife injured in the back yard and his children dead in the basement.

In one of the most harrowing moments of the trial, jurors heard Patrick’s gut-wrenching, unearthly screams in the 911 call as he found Cora, Dawson and Callan’s bodies.

Throughout his courtroom testimony, Patrick appeared to struggle to contain his emotions, trembling at points and taking deep breaths as he relived the painful memories.

He told Douthat that – despite speculation online that he seemed to be stoic on the stand – he suffered a panic attack in between testimony.

‘We did take a break right before they played the 911 call, which I knew was going to be just horrific,’ he said.

‘And I went to a back room, and I started having this massive traumatic panic attack. My heart was pounding.’

Patrick said he was put in an ambulance and offered medication, but insisted he wanted to resume testifying. ‘I want to finish this so I can be done with this,’ he said of that moment.

Despite killing their children, Patrick testified that Clancy was a ‘very dedicated mother’ who loved the children ‘very much’ but whose mental health had deteriorated drastically in the months leading up to the killings.

As her mental health spiraled, she repeatedly sought psychiatric help and was given more and more medications, he testified.

Speaking to 60 Minutes, the couple also spoke out about the vile, baseless accusations and rumors they have faced in recent months

Despite his unwavering support – and belief that the family was failed by Clancy’s medical providers – Patrick had not seen his now ex-wife in the three and a half years since their children’s deaths.

The moment he took the stand at her murder trial marked the first time they had come face-to-face since that tragic day.

While Patrick tries to rebuild his life with Rachel, Clancy’s criminal case now hangs in the balance.

Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz is yet to reveal whether or not his office plans to try her a second time – and whether on the same or lesser charges.

Clancy’s defense attorney Kevin Reddington has filed a motion asking the court to acquit her on all charges, arguing that the state did not present enough evidence in its case and so should not be able to retry it.

The motion will be argued when the two sides return to Plymouth County Superior Court for a hearing on September 29.

Police and army bomb disposal experts were called to the South Newsham area of Blyth on Sunday (September 20) morning after two suspected grenades were uncovered in farmland.

The devices were found by members of metal detecting group True North Detecting, with emergency services called to the scene shortly after 10am.

Northumbria Police officers attended alongside an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, with the objects later confirmed to be World War Two hand grenades.

A field at the side of South Newsham Road, Blyth (Image: GOOGLE)

A controlled detonation was carried out at around 2pm, and police said there was no risk to the wider public.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 10am today (Sunday), we received a report from a member of the public who was using a metal detector in a field in the South Newsham area of Blyth.

“It was reported that two metal objects had been located, both believed to be grenades.

“Officers attended the scene alongside the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team.

“The items were identified as World War Two hand grenades.

“The devices were safely disposed of by the EOD team through a controlled detonation.

“There was no risk to the wider public.”

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) also confirmed that the devices were Mills grenades.

An Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from 521 Squadron responded to the incident.

The squadron is a specialist unit of the 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Regiment RLC within the British Army’s Royal Logistic Corps.

An EOD operator identified the grenades before they were safely disposed of by demolition.

Teachers claim there is a ‘notable increase in the concentration they are seeing in class’ since the restrictions were introduced

A secondary school which banned phones says it has facilitated “students having a childhood” and seen a “notable increase in the concentration” of students. Pupils at The Netherhall School in Cambridge have been unable to use their mobile phones at school since December last year following a trial with a group of students.

Netherhall’s 1,000 main school pupils queue up each morning to put their phones into lockable pouches and can’t access them until the school day has finished. Principal Chris Tooley, 58, said that since the restriction was introduced, every child enters school being greeted in the morning and entertaining conversations creating a “moment of warmth, not a moment of scrutiny”.

The school invested £15,000 into the pouches which cost £15 each when bought in bulk or £25 individually. Principal Tooley, said the money was “100 per cent” worth it, adding teachers say there’s a “notable increase in the concentration they are seeing in class” and that there was “a significant uptick in participation in clubs and sporting activities.”

“We are facilitating students having a childhood, and being physically active, and learning the art of conversation – rather than the art of texting,” he added. This ban was introduced prior to the UK government’s announcement to ban social media for children under 16, with the rules scheduled to take effect in spring 2027.

Principal Tooley said that an opportunity had risen for the school to implement the changes in an “economically viable way” to “protect children”. He said that prior to the changes, the school asked students to have their phones switched off and out of sight during school hours but he said it was “impossible to police”.

”We were very conscious of most of the behavioural incidents we had, the breakdown in relationships were linked to social media. So the opportunity of protecting students from that was a no-brainer really to be able to put that in place when we could.”

Explaining what convinced the school to implement these changes, Principal Tooley, said: “One of the students who took part in the trial, they came in the morning and put their phone in the pouch. At the end of the day, we asked them to take it out of the pouch with us there.

“They did that, and of course, what happened is as soon as it connected to the mobile network, you had this arrival of notifications that otherwise would have arrived during the school day, and would have been that background ticking of knowing there’s that little red button that’s appeared, that tells you there’s a notification. There were 1,285 notifications that had arrived at this child’s phone during the school day, plus 22 missed calls.”

The 58-year-old asked the student whether they were planning to read through all the notifications, to which they reportedly replied “no, because most of it’s rubbish anyway”. The principal said that was a “really compelling argument” to go forward with the phone ban.

In another instance, he said a student evidenced how much screen time had been used between 3pm (after school) and the following morning at 8.30am. According to Principal Tooley, the student’s screen usage reached 12.5 hours over the 17.5 hour period as the student had been ‘doom scrolling’ on social media until the early hours of the morning.

The principal for the Cambridge school said “we are creating a sanctuary, we’re not creating a prison”, adding “we’re giving freedom, we’re not putting you in captivity”. The school offers various social, sporting and artistic activities to create a “proper childhood”.

The children take the pouches home with them and the school encourages parents to lock the phone back in the pouch at night time to prevent children losing out on sleep. “At the moment, it’s not what time does your child go to bed? It is, what time does the phone go to bed?”

Children who try to get around the rules sit through a research project explaining the dangers of social media to help them understand the reasoning behind the ban.

Principal Tooley added: “They can come into school and know nobody’s going to be filming them, nobody’s going to be taking a photograph of them, nobody’s going to be sending them unpleasant texts.

“They can be safe when they enter the school gates, that they’re in a zone whereby those sorts of things aren’t going to be happening, they’re not going to be seeing an image themselves later in the evening in the classroom. taken by somebody else there.”

In total, the school has 1,300 pupils including sixth form students but the rules do not apply to those students.

Fed-up residents have said their once close-knit road should be renamed ‘HMO Street’ – as they accused ‘greedy’ landlords of turning more than a third of homes into shared properties. 

Locals living on Princes Street in Mansfield, Nottingham, claim the boom in houses in multiple occupation (HMO) has brought parking chaos, overflowing bins and a revolving door of strangers.

In a stretch of just 42 properties, at least 15 are now HMOs or houses converted into flats, with even more applications in the pipeline.

The latest row erupted after Mansfield District Council approved plans to expand an existing six-bedroom HMO into a ten-person property. Another application was lodged in August to convert number 5 into a six-person HMO despite local objections.

Retired computer programmer Martin Radcliffe, 62, who has lived on the street since 1990, said the spread of HMOs was ‘killing the community’.

He said: ‘My guess is that every house that’s had a for sale sign up on my side of the street has been converted into an HMO, bar one, in the last five years.

‘It’s because they’re cheap. One on the street sold for about £132,000 and these are big houses with 15 sq ft rooms.

‘What they’ve done is through permitted development, gutted the house completely and then they’ve put six bedrooms in. Two in the loft, two on the first floor, one at the front, then a common lounge and a kitchen out the back, but there’s no parking.

Of around 42 properties, residents estimate that at least 15 are now HMOs or divided into flats, with further applications being submitted

‘If you get in after 5pm you’re lucky if you can find a parking space anywhere on the street.

‘Everybody is on the street, with these HMOs you’ve got more cars coming in and they park in the way and it gets absolutely ridiculous.’

Grandad-of-one Martin said former family homes are now housing far more tenants.

He added: ‘There’s at least 20 people in these houses that used to be family homes.

‘The one next to me has a planning application to become a ten-person, six bedrooms but for ten people.

‘If you say that £100 a week is reasonable per person, that’s £1,000 a week the landlord will be coining in. This place could generate £50,000 a year.

‘If you let the whole house, a property like this goes for £680 to £900 for a family normally so turning them into HMOs is a big money maker.’

Despite his concerns, Martin stressed the issue was not the tenants themselves.

He said: ‘They’re just normal people that come and go.

‘It could be that these are doctors or nurses staying for six months and then leaving.

‘Apparently these places are aimed at young professionals who live here for a few months and then go.

Residents have said the increase has caused severe parking problems, with some residents unable to use their own driveways. Pictured is homeowner Martin Radcliffe

Residents have complained of a perceived loss of the area’s long-standing community feel, as tenants frequently move in and out. Pictured is homeowner Lonel Tolan

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‘I have no idea who they are, they’re quiet and they don’t have rowdy parties.

‘The biggest negative for us is the parking.

‘HMOs seem to be breaking down the community because no one knows who you’re living next door to anymore.’

Princes Street is 1.7 miles from Kings Mill Hospital, leading some residents to believe many tenants work for the NHS.

Lorry driver Lonel Tolan, 35, said the situation had become so bad he sometimes could not even use his own driveway.

The father-of-two said: ‘The parking is hell. We had to leave our car on a different street last night because there was no room on the street. 

‘Sometimes it’s impossible to park on your own drive. Most of them have cars.

‘It’s been in the last year that it’s happened, they just appear. We have nice people on our side, but when we see another stranger move in, it’s not good. 

‘Someone reversed a car into one neighbour’s wall, trying to spin around.’

Neighbour Marius Oprea, 47, warned the problem could get worse unless the council tightens planning rules.

He said: ‘It is a problem and it will be in the future. If the council keeps giving them permission it will be a problem.

‘There’s one property that will have ten people in it. There’s too many cars, sometimes they block our drives. They leave rubbish on the street. 

‘I remember one morning an ambulance came and it couldn’t turn because the street is too crowded.

‘I fear that within a few years every single terrace house on the street will be a HMO.’

Residents are now calling for limits on the number of HMOs allowed on individual roads.

Residents say the issue is primarily the number and concentration of HMOs, rather than the tenants themselves

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One woman branded Princes Street ‘HMO Street’ and said: ‘It’s getting to the point where it can go on for too long and there’s no turning back.

‘It might as well be renamed HMO Street with greedy landlords raking in money at the expense of communities.

‘It’s a big problem and the only way to sort it is limiting how many HMOs are on each road to preserve the communities living there.

‘I have no problems with the people living in HMOs. A lot of them wear NHS lanyards so clearly work at the hospital. But it just needs to be regulated better.’

Another local, Chantelle, blamed ‘money-grabbing’ landlords for the explosion in HMOs.

The mother-of-three said: ‘These lovely old houses just keep getting sold and turned into HMOs.

‘It takes the mick as the parking is ridiculous as it is without adding more people in. It’s not right I don’t think, it’s money grabbers.

‘One neighbour who lives next door to them is having rats because their bins keep overflowing.’

The road also has at least six flats converted from houses, while planning records show approved HMOs at numbers 13 and 49 could accommodate 16 people between them.

Plans have also been approved to convert 125 Princes Street into 12 assisted living dwellings with staff and a communal space.

Landlords must apply for a HMO licence for properties occupied by five or more people from two or more households.

A council spokesman said there are three licensed HMOs on Princes Street with another three currently going through the licensing process.

They added that any other HMOs on Princes Street ‘do not meet the threshold’ for requiring a licence. 

A spokesman said: ‘We understand residents’ concerns.

‘The council is currently reviewing HMO numbers, distribution and trends across Mansfield as part of our ongoing assessment of housing needs and local communities.

‘We also currently operate a statutory HMO licensing scheme as well as a selective licensing scheme across five areas of the district to ensure privately rented properties are safe and managed well.’

Rotherham is the worst place to be a young person looking for a job, according to a new survey of UK vacancies.

With just 46 opportunities per 1,000 young people, the town’s bleak outlook demonstrates one of the reasons a million British young people are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET).

A new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) suggests young people face a stark postcode lottery.

It also identifies some of the factors that have left young people three times as likely to be unemployed as the wider workforce – including the struggles of certain sectors and older people working for longer.

The findings come as former minister Alan Milburn is preparing a government-backed report into the issue, that will include recommendations for getting more youngsters working. 

Analysis showed that nine out of the ten places with the most vacancies are in the south of England, while four of the worst areas are in the Midlands.

Those areas with the highest number of opportunities have roughly six times more vacancies per young person than those with the least.

Second-worst for opportunities is East Renfrewshire, just south of Glasgow, then Broxtowe in Nottinghamshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, followed by South Staffordshire and Ceredigion in west Wales.

Cities well below the national average of 109 vacancies per 1,000 young people include Sheffield, with just 60, Coventry with 62, and Newcastle and Birmingham – both with 65. 

Meanwhile, the Cotswolds has the most relative opportunities, with 288 per 1,000, followed by Woking in Surrey and Gloucester – right next to the Cotswolds. 

The IPPR suggested that slowing hospitality, leisure and retail sectors may be responsible for the high NEET figures, because they typically hire lots of younger people – often giving employees their first job.

It specifically cited Labour’s increase to minimum wage and employer national insurance as making it more expensive to employ people, hence many businesses in the above sectors have cut back. 

Another suggestion was that older people are staying in work for longer, beyond the state pension age, meaning less space is being opened up to be filled by younger workers.

Finally, they said Artificial Intelligence (AI) may already be having an effect on employment statistics by wearing away the ‘first rung’ of the job ladder, by performing menial tasks much more cheaply than young workers.

The report also offered up some solutions, and called for the government and the Milburn Review to act on them.

Its authors want to see jobs funded by a ‘Work Start’ programme specifically targeting areas with too few opportunities.

They also want a reform of the apprenticeship system, which they say has been ‘majorly failing’ to lift young people out of NEET.

Finally, they want ministers to stop Universal Credit (UC) for young people, and instead provide a new youth allowance. The report points out the current Jobcentre Plus system is organised around those receiving UC, yet around half of young people who are NEET do not receive it.

Lord David Blunkett, former secretary of state for education and employment, said: ‘Young people have an immense amount to give. 

‘With national ambition, local leadership and the willingness to invest, we can ensure that birthplace does not determine a young person’s future.’

Lord Jim Knight, former minister for employment and minister for schools, said: ‘IPPR’s report dispels the myth that nearly a million young people are out of work because they lack aspiration. Young people in Rotherham are not six times less talented than those in the Cotswolds; they face six times fewer suitable vacancies.’

There were 981,000 NEETs in the April to June this year, according to the latest estimate from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), after peaking at over a million in the first quarter.

Concerningly, around two-thirds of the recent increase has been generated by those who are no longer looking for work.

The recent figure is up 30,000 from when Labour took power – which has been interpreted as evidence its decision to impose employer National Insurance hikes and steep minimum wage rises is backfiring. 

Business groups say the introduction of a raft of new workers’ rights over the coming months will further deter them from hiring.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has vowed to make the youth unemployment crisis a ‘top priority’ and said it ‘has been ignored for too long’.

Former Labour cabinet minister Alan Milburn is preparing a government-backed report into the issue. He said: ‘Nearly one million young lives on hold is a scar on this country.

But he signalled last week that the plan will not save any money before the end of the decade.

On a visit to the Netherlands, where the NEET rate is a quarter of the UK’s, he said it would not be possible to get to their level ‘in two or three years’. 

‘It just can’t,’ he added, when asked if the cuts would help balance the budget by 2030.

He also floated an idea likely to win support from devolution-supporter Andy Burnham – allowing regional mayors to keep and reinvest money saved from the welfare bill locally where they have helped to get people back into work.

‘If we’re going to put in more support for young people… of course we’re going to have to invest behind that. That absolutely has to happen,’ he told the Financial Times.

Joining Mr Milburn in the Netherlands was Gareth Southgate, who added to warnings about the snowballing consequences of unemployment for young people.

He said that avoiding the office was damaging for young people because they miss out on opportunities to learn from colleagues or receive support when they face difficulties.

Delivering his interim report earlier this year, Mr Milburn said young people were being ‘abandoned’ to a life on welfare. 

He said the system currently presents a ‘perverse choice’, with young people incentivised to take health benefits because they can offer ‘higher income, less hassle and lower risk’ than work.