Daniel Heap, 28, of Ainsworth Road, Bury, pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court on August 5 to supplying cocaine and ecstasy.

The offences took place in Greater Manchester between September 30, 2025 and May 28, 2026.

Jack Clark, 27, of Walshaw Road, Bury, denies possessing cocaine and MDMA with intent to supply them.

Clark was also charged with being concerned in the supply of both cocaine and ecstasy. He pleaded guilty to those charges.

Both men were granted conditional bail.

Heap must live at his address, observe an electronically monitored curfew from 7pm to 6am and report to Bury Police Station on Saturdays.

He must not contact Clark.

Clark must observe a curfew from 9pm to 6am, report to Bury Police Station on Saturdays and must not contact Heap.

Both men are due before Manchester Crown Court on September 28 at 10.30am.

Five men have been arrested as counter-terrorism detectives investigate whether Iran was behind a suspected car-bomb plot targeting US troops at RAF Fairford.

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Counter-terrorism investigators are examining whether Iran orchestrated a suspected car-bomb conspiracy targeting an RAF base

Armed police detained five individuals, observed travelling in three vehicles, following an apparent alert from a courageous member of the public.

However, President Donald Trump cautioned the suspected plotters intended to inflict “big damage”, stating they had been “under investigation” for “a long time”.

Scotland Yard and MI5, working alongside American intelligence operatives, were yesterday evening attempting to establish whether Tehran masterminded the plot to murder American personnel stationed at RAF Fairford. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared in July it would not permit US bombers to operate from Fairford, stating any base used to launch strikes would be a legitimate target.

The five suspects were originally detained on suspicion of “committing offences under the Explosives Act”. They were subsequently re-arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act.

The individuals were stripped to their torsos over concerns they might also have been wearing suicide vests, reports the Express.

The five suspects were originally detained on suspicion of “committing offences under the Explosives Act”. They were subsequently re-arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act.

The individuals were stripped to their torsos over concerns they might also have been wearing suicide vests. A police source informed the Daily Express: “This was intelligence led policing, pure and simple. There has been a lot of covert activity in the background.”

Explosive ordnance disposal specialists were sent to inspect the devices discovered in the three vehicles, with approximately 85 households relocated from their properties to a neighbouring leisure facility during the high-stakes operation.

A remotely operated device from the Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal unit manoeuvred between the three stationary vehicles, with what looked to be substantial black containers positioned outside the van.

Detectives are investigating multiple potential explanations, including whether the group was executing instructions on behalf of Tehran or Moscow, or whether it constituted an Islamist terror conspiracy.

President Trump stated: “We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort. We had them under view for a long time, and we got them.”

RAF Fairford had served as a launching point for US long-range bomber aircraft during military engagements in Iran. A frightened local resident in Whelford, Gloucestershire, contacted authorities after observing a “large group of hooded and ‘balaclava’d’ men” near the military installation during the early hours of Sunday morning.

The farmer, who requested anonymity, stated: “I saw a group of Middle Eastern-looking young guys running off through the trees. Some of them had masks or balaclavas on, and they all scattered ahead of us as we drove back past.

“Some of them ran into the fields, and some of them turned to run towards the air base. We realised this was something pretty serious.

“We knew the air base had a credible threat of a terrorist attack before last night. So as soon as I saw them I was worried.”

The resident also suggested police and intelligence agencies may have been in possession of vital information beforehand.

She said: “We thought something was going on as they had housed B1 bombers at the base until earlier this week when they were moved. And then suddenly they started blocking entrances to the air base.

“They started blocking those with diggers and tractors and things early in the week, which seems a bit Dad’s Army to be honest.

“By Friday they had sent all their civilian staff home, and then because this is a small village, we started noticing people who weren’t local and the suspicion was they were plain clothes police of some kind. We all knew something unusual was going on.”

She added: “A plucky amateur shouldn’t be spotting an unusual bit of activity at 1am when the air base is on high alert. I think it’s absolutely astonishing.”

One of the vehicles inspected by bomb-disposal units was marked with “FUEL 2YOU” on the side in red lettering, along with a telephone number.

However, there is virtually no public trace of such a firm. A business with a comparable name, Fuel 2U, confirmed to the Daily Express that they owned two vans, and both were at their depot in London.

It raises the possibility that the alleged attackers were attempting to remain inconspicuous by masquerading as a fuel delivery firm. The firm released a statement saying: “We want to make it absolutely clear that neither the vehicle nor any of the individuals involved has any connection whatsoever with Fuel2U, its directors, employees or current business operations.

“We are extremely concerned that our company’s name has been used without our knowledge or permission.

“We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities and will assist them with any enquiries.”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham admitted the “incident near RAF Fairford will be deeply concerning for local residents and for many people following developments across the country.”

He added: “The safety and security of the public is our first priority, and I want people to know that we will always take every step necessary to protect our communities and keep our country safe. The investigation remains ongoing, and I would urge people not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts.”

The Republic of Ireland players were jeered by the small number of Israel fans in attendance when they emerged for their pre-game warm-up.

While the FAI confirmed no tickets would be sold to Republic of Ireland supporters, a handful of fans were spotted inside the stadium.

Hallgrimsson confirmed Bazunu would be included in the squad for Thursday’s game against Austria in Dublin, but not for the second match against Israel.

“I think he is very happy that we have won the game,” said Hallgrimsson.

“Nobody was questioning his decision. It was only the timing that was difficult for us to kind of react to it, but none of us were asking him not to take his stand and now he’s flying back with us on the plane.”

When asked if player’s opinions regarding the fixture were taken into account when selecting his team for Sunday’s game, Hallgrimsson said: “Absolutely not.

“This team selection was about who we thought could make the best performance for Ireland.”

During a dramatic day on Saturday, doubts emerged over whether the game would take place after the Republic of Ireland’s pre-match news conference was postponed because of the squad meeting.

When the news conference commenced at 14:30 BST on Saturday – more than five hours later than planned – Courell said a players’ vote on whether to play the game passed by a “significant majority”.

Courell added that the Republic of Ireland would not engage in pre-match formalities such as handshakes.

In 2024, the Ireland women’s basketball team chose not to shake hands with Israel players or stand on court for the anthems before a EuroBasket qualifier in Riga, but the teams did exchange handshakes when they met again last year.

The Republic of Ireland have faced calls to boycott the matches since the Nations League draw in February.

Last November, the FAI approved a motion calling for Uefa to suspend Israel from Uefa competitions.

In May, the team’s friendly against Qatar was interrupted after fans threw tennis balls featuring the Palestinian flag on to the pitch.

In June, the FAI confirmed their home fixture would be played behind closed doors in Backa Topola instead of Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, citing “operational challenges that could impact on the delivery of the game on home soil”.

At an extraordinary general meeting in July, delegates backed an FAI motion to proceed with the games amid concerns that boycotting the fixtures would cause “significant and lasting harm” for the association.

Calls for the Republic of Ireland to boycott the games have intensified in recent weeks. Earlier this week, more than 160 Irish athletes signed an open letter by Irish Sport for Palestine group urging the team not to play.

Courell also said last week Uefa had rejected a request for the Republic of Ireland and Israel to be kept apart in future competition draws.

Tensions between the teams were raised this week when the Israel Football Association accused Hallgrimsson of “ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity” after the coach said, “we’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide”.

Speaking on Saturday, Hallgrimsson said it was “a wrong word for me to use”, while Israel FA head of communications Shlomi Barzel said he would not apologise for his association’s response but said he would “take back the word stupidity”.

The armed Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.

In response, Israel launched a massive military offensive in Gaza, during which more than 73,000 people have been killed, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.

Israel has repeatedly denied that it has committed genocide, as well as war crimes and crimes against humanity. It says its military operations in Gaza have been conducted in self-defence and in accordance with international law.

By JEFF PRESTRIDGE, MONEY EDITOR AT LARGE

Updated: 23:33 BST, 27 September 2026

Ireland and Israel players did not shake hands before their UEFA Nations League match in Hungary. The FAI had announced on Saturday that there would be no pre-match handshake.

Players from Ireland and Israel declined to shake hands before this evening’s UEFA Nations League fixture in Hungary.

Following the national anthems, both sides opted against the customary pre-match handshake ritual, with the Irish squad – all wearing black armbands to honour those who have lost their lives in the Israel/Palestine conflict – bowing their heads during the Israeli anthem.

Captains Dara O’Shea and Manor Solomon did not exchange handshakes when they approached the match officials for the pre-match coin toss.

Managers Heimir Hallgrímsson and Ram Ben Shimon also refrained from shaking hands.

On Saturday, FAI Chief Executive David Courell had confirmed there would be no handshake, no joint official photograph, and no exchange of pennants, reports the Irish Mirror.

In response, Israeli midfielder Dor Peretz said “I think we’re going to put our hands out, we give the respect. If they don’t want to shake their hands, that’s OK,” while manager Ram Ben Shimon remarked “Yes, yes, my hand is open for everyone who wants to shake it.”

Sunday night’s match got underway at 7:45pm, with goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu missing from the squad following his withdrawal on Saturday.

In a statement, he said “Representing my country means everything to me. I have the utmost respect for every single one of my team mates, the Manager, his staff and the Irish people.

“However I have reached a decision that I have not taken lightly. I am a man of strong faith and try my best to be a person of character and principle therefore I feel it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel.

“My decision is based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.

“It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition of the Israeli people or the Jewish community but against the atrocities in the region.

“There are few times where you get a chance in life to stand up for something bigger and I strongly believe that this is one of them.”

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For all the controversy and clamour leading up to this contest, inside the Nagyerdei Stadium it was quiet a few hours before kick-off, almost eerily so, until ‘Michelle’ – a song by Israel’s 2026 Eurovision entry Noam Bettan – started playing over the stadium speakers about 90 minutes before kick-off.

The new presenting trio – made up of Emma, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe – caused quite the stir

Emma Willis has broken her silence following the first live show of Strictly Come Dancing amid backlash from viewers.

The presenter, 50, was joined by fellow hosts Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe to welcome all 15 couples to the ballroom floor, who performed live in front of judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke for the first time.

The trio split presenting responsibilities with Willis and Widdicombe stationed by the judges’ table while Radebe welcomed the dancers on the balcony ahead of the score reveal.

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The first live show of the BBC dance contest saw social media star John Nellis top the leaderboard.

The Northern Irish football content creator and his partner Katya Jones wowed the judges, who gave the couple 31 points.

The evening also saw EastEnders actress Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola dance a cha cha to How Will I Know by Whitney Houston, scoring 27 points, while actress Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu’s quickstep to Stop This Flame by Celeste scored 26.

Former Love Island winner Dani Dyer-Bowen finally made her Strictly debut with Nikita Kuzmin, after she was forced to pull out of last year’s show because of an injury. The couple scored 22 points for their samba to Lush Life.

Love Island star Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby were given 20 points for their quickstep to I Just Might by Bruno Mars, while hairstylist Chris Appleton and Amy Dowden’s tango to No Roots by Alice Merton earned them 16 points.

Meanwhile, the new hosts divided viewers with their presenting duties, with many taking to X to complain that the programme ‘does not need’ three presenters.

Taking to X, one viewer @SouthernCazza1 shared: “Why does it take three presenters anyway? Are Strictly Come Dancing saying that it takes three people to fill Claudia and Tess’s shoes? #StrictlyComeDancing #Strictly.”

@Claudiacc said: “This just doesn’t work. Overkill with three presenters. Josh totally wrong and Johannes lack of experience really shows. Emma is amazing but the two blokes are going to lose viewers unless the BBC act swiftly #strictly.”

Emma has now spoken out for the first time since hosting the first live show, but failed to address any of the criticism towards her fellow hosts.

Sharing a post with her 2 million followers on Instagram on Sunday (September 27), Emma stunned in photos showing off her beautiful white dress, as well as sharing a video with her partner Matt Willis.

The caption read: “Week one, done. I’ve never had so much fun! What a way to kick things off @bbcstrictly.”

Sir Chris Bryant’s comments came as thousands of protesters continue to blockade the predominately nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown in a bid to prevent a contentious Orange Order parade passing

The Northern Ireland Secretary has appealed for calm as he urged political and community leaders to reach for compromise to resolve a tense parading stand-off in Portadown.

Sir Chris Bryant’s comments came as thousands of protesters continue to blockade the predominately nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown in a bid to prevent a contentious Orange Order parade passing.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and other senior party figures joined those protesting on the road on Sunday, prompting accusations of law breaking from unionists.

Under parading legislation in the region, protests against parades must be notified and approved by the Parades Commission adjudication body.

The blockade on the Garvaghy Road is an unnotified gathering. Ms O’Neill and other ministers in the Stormont Executive are bound by a pledge of office that contains a commitment to uphold the law.

Through Sunday, police repeatedly notified the protesters through a loudspeaker that they are liable for arrest for blocking the road.

On Sunday evening, Ms O’Neill encouraged protesters to the “stay the course” as she urged them to remain on the road until at least midnight.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said Sinn Féin leaders needed to face consequences for their actions.

“We can’t have a situation where people who have the privilege of holding high office in Northern Ireland so flagrantly disregard the pledge of office and statutory underpinnings of their office,” he told media in Belfast on Sunday afternoon.

A ruling by the Parades Commission permitting the Orange Order march from Drumcree Church and along the Garvaghy Road was upheld in an “unprecedented” late-night sitting of the High Court in Belfast in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The Drumcree parade, which was associated with violent clashes during the Troubles, has been banned since 1998.

Protesters, many of them wearing balaclavas, clustered in large groups in heavy rain along the road on Sunday morning, a move that delayed the scheduled 8am start of the parade.

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The stand-off has continued through the day and into the evening, with Orangemen waiting at Drumcree Church around a mile from the road waiting to commence their parade.

Around 6pm, several Orangemen emerged from the church hall and walked down the hill where they were met by police. Officers subsequently told senior members of the institution that they could not have more than 35 people on the hill – as that was a restriction placed on the parade by the commission.

A crowd of supporters gathered with the Orangemen.

The escalating political row over the parade is set to test the stability of the powersharing institutions in Belfast.

Mr Robinson was asked whether he was prepared to continue to work with Sinn Féin. If either the DUP or Sinn Féin withdrew from the executive, the devolved government would effectively collapse.

“Our party is maintaining the dignity of the Portadown Orangemen as they have shown determination and patience so will we,” replied Mr Robinson.

“I can look at you all in the eye today and say we are being plunged into difficult territory because of the actions of people who are expected to be lawmakers in our country breaking the law.

“The fundamental principle of upholding the rule of law in this society are sacrosanct and cannot be tarnished.”

Earlier, Sinn Féin vice-president Ms O’Neill told reporters on the Garvaghy Road that the reignition of the Drumcree dispute “brings into question how this whole peace process works”.

Party president Mary Lou McDonald called on Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris to intervene to ban the parade.

She said the people of the Garvaghy Road would “not be drawn back to the past”.

“The Secretary of State needs to intervene. The chief constable of the PSNI needs to intervene and put a stop to this,” she said.

Sir Chris has the power to ban the parade if Northern Ireland’s police chief requests such a step citing concerns over the potential for public disorder.

The Northern Ireland Secretary flew into Northern Ireland on Sunday from the Labour Party conference in Liverpool to have discussions with political leaders.

Speaking to reporters in Belfast, Sir Chris said “nobody wants to go back 28 years”.

“The whole idea of us coming here is to be able to try and be able to talk specifically face to face to some of the political leaders and some of the community leaders to see if we can get to a settled position,” he said.

“The truth is everybody has to double down on compromise – that’s what life’s all about – double down on compromise.”

Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable Jon Boutcher called for people come together to try to get past their issues.

He said the police operation thus far had involved evidence-gathering of “whatever has been happening from whatever party”.

“I am hoping we will bring all of today’s events to a sensible and peaceful conclusion,” he said.

On what a successful conclusion may look like, he added: “There has got to be a longer-term conversation which involves politicians and the people involved in what we have seen in the last 24 hours, trying to find a space that they can resolve these issues.”

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There had been many “sensible voices” calling for calm which he thought had been “listened to by all parties”.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appealed for “calm on all sides”, saying there have been “big gains made in Northern Ireland, and we don’t want to see things go backwards”.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin also urged calm as he expressed concern about the situation.

Mr Martin also described the decision by the Parades Commission to allow a parade to go down the Garvaghy Road for the first time in nearly three decades as “incomprehensible and wrong”.

The parade was finally given the go ahead at a hearing which concluded at 2.15am on Sunday after opposing legal teams outlined their arguments over the controversial parade.

The hearing was one of three separate emergency legal challenges before the courts in Belfast across Saturday and into early Sunday.

The final time-limited sitting, which began at 12.20am on Sunday, was heard before Justice Michael Humphreys.

During proceedings he acknowledged the “unusual if not unprecedented circumstances as it is now 1.45am, with a parade scheduled to begin in just over six hours’ time”.

Outlining his decision, Justice Humphreys cited case law that as a public body the courts must respect the commission’s judgment and “their decisions will not be lightly interfered with”.

He said: “The picture painted here is of a public body which took evidence from the relevant sources, weighed up the key issues which were in play and arrived at a reasoned decision.

“The jurisdiction to impugn (a) public body’s decision on that basis is necessarily limited to cases where no reasonable decision could arrive at that outcome and in my view, in this case that threshold has not been met.”

He added: “This court cannot substitute its own view or anyone else’s view for that of the commission.”

Earlier, Northern Ireland’s most senior judge, Lady Chief Justice Siobhan Keegan, also described the situation as “unprecedented” as she presided over the second challenge.

Justices Keegan and Humphreys joined Lady Justice Denise McBride in the Court of Appeal which, in the late hours of Saturday, upheld an appeal by Portadown Orangeman Alan Hynes to allow the march to go ahead. That appeal was heard after a temporary injunction was issued in the first legal challenge on Saturday that would have prevented Sunday’s parade happening as scheduled.

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In that initial ruling, Justice Patricia Smyth blocked the Parades Commission’s decision, saying the “long-running dispute has the potential to escalate” across Northern Ireland.

The stand-off at Drumcree made headlines in the 1990s, with nationalist residents of the Garvaghy Road opposed to the parade passing through the area, leading to violent clashes for several summers and political tension necessitating major security operations.

The Orange Order has unsuccessfully applied for more than a quarter of a century to complete its 1998 walk along its traditional route.

On Friday, the commission reversed its long-running determination, to the welcome of unionist parties and outrage of nationalist and republican parties.

Permission was granted for a parade subject to strict restrictions, including a limit of 35 participants and the 8am start time.

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The Northern Ireland Secretary has appealed for calm while urging political and community leaders to reach for compromise to resolve a tense parading stand-off in Portadown.

The plea from Sir Chris Bryant came as thousands of demonstrators maintained a blockade along the largely nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown, seeking to block a controversial Orange Order march from taking place.

Accusations of unlawful conduct were levelled by unionist politicians after Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and senior colleagues attended the demonstration on Sunday.

Regional legislation governing public processions dictates that any counter-protests must be submitted to and approved by the Parades Commission.

Because the demonstration along Garvaghy Road was not officially notified, it constitutes an unauthorised gathering. Under their pledge of office, Ms O’Neill and fellow ministers in the Stormont Executive are required to uphold the law.

Police officers spent Sunday using loudspeakers to warn demonstrators that blocking the public highway made them subject to arrest.

Addressing the crowd on Sunday evening, Ms O’Neill told those gathered to “stay the course” and remain present until midnight at the earliest.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson insisted that members of Sinn Féin ought to be held accountable for their conduct.

Speaking to reporters in Belfast on Sunday afternoon, he said: “We can’t have a situation where people who have the privilege of holding high office in Northern Ireland so flagrantly disregard the pledge of office and statutory underpinnings of their office,”

An earlier determination by the Parades Commission authorizing the Orange Order procession to march past Drumcree Church and along Garvaghy Road was upheld by the High Court in Belfast during an “unprecedented” early morning session on Sunday.

Having been linked to major civil unrest during the Troubles, the Drumcree parade has faced a prohibition since 1998.

Heavy rain fell on Sunday morning as large groups of protesters, many wearing balaclavas, gathered along the route, delaying the procession’s planned 8am commencement.

The impasse persisted throughout the day and into the evening, with Orangemen gathered roughly a mile away at Drumcree Church awaiting clearance to march.

At approximately 6pm, a group of Orangemen exited the church hall and walked down the hill before being stopped by police. Officers advised senior representatives that commission rules strictly capped attendance on the hill at 35 people.

A gathering of supporters assembled alongside the Orangemen.

The growing political conflict surrounding the march now threatens to destabilise the powersharing administration in Belfast.

When questioned if his party would continue sharing power with Sinn Féin—a move where a withdrawal by either side would trigger the collapse of the devolved executive—Mr Robinson addressed the situation directly.

“Our party is maintaining the dignity of the Portadown Orangemen as they have shown determination and patience so will we,” Mr Robinson stated.

He added: “I can look at you all in the eye today and say we are being plunged into difficult territory because of the actions of people who are expected to be lawmakers in our country breaking the law.

“The fundamental principle of upholding the rule of law in this society are sacrosanct and cannot be tarnished.”

Earlier on Garvaghy Road, Sinn Féin vice-president Ms O’Neill informed journalists that reigniting the debate around Drumcree “brings into question how this whole peace process works”.

Meanwhile, party president Mary Lou McDonald urged Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris to intervene directly and halt the parade.

She asserted that residents living near Garvaghy Road would “not be drawn back to the past”.

“The Secretary of State needs to intervene. The chief constable of the PSNI needs to intervene and put a stop to this,” she remarked.

Under current legislation, the Northern Ireland Secretary holds authority to stop a parade should the chief constable request an intervention over fears of severe public disorder.

Sir Chris travelled to Northern Ireland on Sunday from the Labour Party conference in Liverpool to conduct emergency talks with key political figures.

In statements to reporters in Belfast, Sir Chris remarked that “nobody wants to go back 28 years”.

He stated: “The whole idea of us coming here is to be able to try and be able to talk specifically face to face to some of the political leaders and some of the community leaders to see if we can get to a settled position,”

He added: “The truth is everybody has to double down on compromise – that’s what life’s all about – double down on compromise.”

Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable Jon Boutcher called upon all sides to collaborate in resolving the ongoing dispute.

He noted that the police operation was collecting evidence regarding “whatever has been happening from whatever party”.

“I am hoping we will bring all of today’s events to a sensible and peaceful conclusion,” he remarked.

Regarding a potential resolution, he said: “There has got to be a longer-term conversation which involves politicians and the people involved in what we have seen in the last 24 hours, trying to find a space that they can resolve these issues.”

He noted that several “sensible voices” urging restraint had been “listened to by all parties”.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham made an appeal for “calm on all sides”, adding that “big gains made in Northern Ireland, and we don’t want to see things go backwards”.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin also voiced deep concern over the unfolding standoff while appealing for calm.

Mr Martin criticized the Parades Commission’s ruling to permit the march down Garvaghy Road for the first time in nearly 30 years as “incomprehensible and wrong”.

The legal clearance allowing the parade to proceed was finalized at 2.15am on Sunday following lengthy arguments presented by opposing legal teams.

The overnight hearing formed part of three distinct emergency legal actions brought before Belfast courts between Saturday and Sunday morning.

Justice Michael Humphreys presided over the final time-sensitive session, which opened at 12.20am on Sunday.

In his opening remarks, he highlighted the “unusual if not unprecedented circumstances as it is now 1.45am, with a parade scheduled to begin in just over six hours’ time”.

In delivering his ruling, Justice Humphreys emphasized legal precedent requiring courts to respect decisions by public bodies, noting “their decisions will not be lightly interfered with”.

He remarked: “The picture painted here is of a public body which took evidence from the relevant sources, weighed up the key issues which were in play and arrived at a reasoned decision.

“The jurisdiction to impugn (a) public body’s decision on that basis is necessarily limited to cases where no reasonable decision could arrive at that outcome and in my view, in this case that threshold has not been met.”

He further noted: “This court cannot substitute its own view or anyone else’s view for that of the commission.”

Earlier, Lady Chief Justice Siobhan Keegan, Northern Ireland’s senior judge, similarly described the situation as “unprecedented” while hearing the second legal challenge.

Justices Keegan and Humphreys sat alongside Lady Justice Denise McBride in the Court of Appeal late on Saturday to grant an appeal brought by Portadown Orangeman Alan Hynes, permitting the march. That decision overturned a temporary injunction granted earlier on Saturday that would have halted the procession.

In that initial ruling, Justice Patricia Smyth suspended the commission’s permission, warning that the “long-running dispute has the potential to escalate” throughout the region.

Tensions surrounding Drumcree gained national attention throughout the 1990s as nationalist residents on Garvaghy Road opposed the parade passing through their neighborhood, prompting repeated summer clashes and extensive police operations.

For over twenty-five years, the Orange Order has repeatedly sought permission to finish the route it was blocked from completing in 1998.

On Friday, the commission overturned its established position, drawing support from unionist politicians alongside sharp criticism from nationalist and republican representatives.

The approval permitted the march under strict conditions, restricting participation to 35 individuals and maintaining the 8am start time.

A hero farmer alerted police over an alleged car bomb plot on RAF Fairford after stumbling upon five ‘Middle-Eastern-looking, masked’ men on the way home from a party.

Several suspects were taken into custody on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act after viable incendiary devices and chemicals were found in a van parked near the army base in Gloucestershire on Sunday. 

The group, some wearing balaclavas, was found with three white vans and were filmed during their arrests as they sat shirtless while handcuffed, indicating officers may also have suspected they were wearing suicide vests.

A villager had reportedly been driving home from a party in the early hours of the morning before spotting the abandoned vehicles on a quiet country road.

She was said to have accelerated away before calling the police – stopping to also message a local WhatsApp group where she warned people to lock their doors.

The men were arrested less than 25 minutes later, with footage showing them sat in handcuffs in the middle of a road.

The woman described herself as ‘quite lucky’ considering ‘what could have happened if they had tried to stop me’ driving away.

‘I just thought what the hell are they doing… I saw a group of Middle-Eastern-looking young guys running off through the trees. Some of them had masks or balaclavas on, and they all scattered ahead of us as we drove back past.

The group was rounded up and put in handcuffs sat on the road as security bosses sent in Army bomb experts and the SAS to tackle the threat

Three white vans have been probed by a wheeled robot attached to the bomb squad after five men were arrested following a ‘foiled terror plot’ on RAF Fairford (pictured)

‘Some of them ran into the fields, and some of them turned to run towards the air base. We realised this was something pretty serious,’ she told the Telegraph. 

She added it was ‘pretty incredible’ to think she may have ‘foiled a terrorist plot’ – adding a ‘plucky amateur should not be spotting an unusual bit of activity at 1am when the air base is on high alert’.

The farmer said she had spotted the vehicles ‘blocking the road’ before seeing a ‘large group of hooded and ‘balaclava’d’ men’ while driving home. 

‘I think it’s absolutely astonishing,’ she added.

RAF Fairford is the US Air Force’s command outpost for Europe-based operations and has been used for American strikes on Iranian missile sites that were attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The base was the subject of a warning from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in July, with the regime warning Britain not to allow US bombers to fly from the base.

The farmer’s revelation comes despite US President Donald Trump suggesting authorities already had the suspects under investigation.

Mr Trump said earlier: ‘It was fantastic. Working with Britain, it was an amazing job.

‘We had them under investigation. They, they were looking to do big damage to our fort, and working with the British worked out great.

‘It may have been Scotland Yard, I don’t know. We worked with a lot of them.

‘We had them under view for a long time, and we got them. Thank you.’

Julian Tudsbery, who has lived in Whelford for 30 years, said a resident had reported three ‘suspicious vans’ in the village.

The bomb disposal robot was seen going between each of the parked vans

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The robot was captured travelling down a deserted road before it probed three white vans

‘Evidently, they phoned the airbase police, who didn’t answer the phone,’ he said. ‘It just rang out so she dialled 999.’

Mr Tudsbery said he was evacuated from his home at around 7am.

He added: ‘(The police) were then banging on the door, so I went downstairs in my dressing gown.

‘There were several police, three police cars in the drive, and they said you need to evacuate, there’s been a major incident, said he couldn’t elaborate.’

He said he had left behind his cat, Misty, at the home he shares with his wife.

It comes as aerial footage captured by a helicopter showed a bomb disposal robot probing three white vans parked near the airbase. 

The wheeled robot was seen travelling down a deserted rural road before approaching the vehicles. The rear doors of two of the vans were open and large black items could be seen scattered inside. 

Earlier, Gloucestershire Police said the Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal team would examine a number of vehicles in the village of Whelford.

The force has not confirmed which vehicles were being examined, or mentioned the use of a bomb disposal robot during its investigations.

Counter-terrorism police are understood to be leading the investigation into the incident amid suspicions a potential attack may have been foiled.

Jason, 50, left his Whelford home with his family, their 11-week-old puppy and two cats to travel to a nearby leisure centre. 

He said around 40 or 50 people had been evacuated from their homes, with about 20 people remaining at the centre as of 12.30pm. 

Between 40 and 50 residents have been evacuated to the Cirencester Leisure Centre

Armed police around the village of Whelford, near RAF Fairford this morning

A B-1B Lancer bomber pictured at the air base, which has been used to mount US strikes against Iran since the US-led war began

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A vehicle which appeared to be a tractor blocked a gate at RAF Fairford this morning

Jason said the village ‘always feels pretty safe’ but that there had been ‘heightened tensions’ due to the base being used by the US Air Force. 

‘I think some of the other residents have noticed more police patrols and things like that,’ he said. ‘But I’ve not really noticed any particular difference.’

He said there were messages on a village chat about vans blocking one of the lanes and that he heard a helicopter overhead about 1.30am today. 

‘Then I went to bed,’ he said. ‘Then we were woken up about 6am with a couple of police at the door.’

A Government spokesman said Prime Minister Andy Burnham was being ‘kept updated’ from Liverpool, where the Labour Party conference will be held today.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said of the incident: ‘We can be reassured that this is being dealt with.’

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed the incident was ‘contained’ on X.

She wrote: ‘I would like to thank emergency services for their swift response to the major incident in Gloucestershire this morning and their reassurance that they believe the incident is contained.

‘Whilst investigations are ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further.’

Emergency service vehicles including fire engines descended on Whelford as the major incident was investigated

In June, the US government said it would spend around $500million (£377million) on ‘expansion and military infrastructure’ at RAF Fairford, understood to include a new hangar complex.

A month earlier the Royal International Air Tattoo, set to be held at the base in July, was cancelled after the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises (RAFCTE) said the ‘escalating geopolitical situation in the Middle East’ had required a ‘significant increase in real-world operational missions’ from RAF Fairford.

RAFCTE said both the Royal and US air forces needed to ‘maintain unrestricted, 24/7 operational readiness at the base’.

Shortly after the US and Israel began the war with Iran on February 28, roads surrounding RAF Fairford were closed in a bid to ‘address safety and access issues’.

Protective screens were mounted on the base’s perimeter fences in March to stop filming after it became popular with plane spotters when US bombers began arriving.

That month US military personnel at the base were pictured preparing explosives at the base as Washington intensified strikes on Iran.