In the lettings market, tenant demand was broadly stable over the three months to February, but landlord instructions were “firmly negative”, pointing to a shortage of rental homes. Professionals are expecting rents to rise overall in the next three months, the report found.

The 52-year-old has confirmed he will no longer be a judge on the BBC cooking competition after appearing on its latest series.

In a statement on Instagram on Wednesday, Tebbutt said: “A lot of lovely people have contacted me about not doing the next series of MasterChef: The Professionals.

“I was only ever doing one series and I loved judging on it and will continue working with MasterChef.”

Tebbutt joined chefs Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti for the cooking competition’s 18th series, which aired earlier this year.

In September, it was revealed he would be taking part in the series and at the time, Tebbutt said working with Wareing and Galetti was “an absolute honour”.

He is best known as the host of BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen, and has also presented Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped and Drop Down Menu.

Tebbutt replaced the former face of the show, Gregg Wallace, who was sacked following a series of misconduct allegations relating to his time on the amateur series, MasterChef.

Wallace, who also co-presented the spin-off Celebrity MasterChef, issued an apology saying he was “deeply sorry for any distress caused” and that he “never set out to harm or humiliate”, in the wake of an investigation which upheld 45 out of 83 allegations against him.

The BBC has been contacted for comment.

“Each day we see how international events can impact also on our domestic ambitions and daily lives, as well as on global security.    “Over the course of the summit, we will discuss how we can strengthen competitiveness and resilience and reduce the cost of living, harness the potential of our shared seas while protecting our marine environment, deliver essential infrastructure at pace and scale, and ensure energy affordability and energy security across Ireland and the UK.”

The US President was on stage launching an attack on California Governor Gavin Newsom when the incident unfolded.

Donald Trump’s rally speech was interrupted tonight, as a dramatic medical emergency unfolded immediately behind the US President.

An elderly Trump supporter standing on the podium in Kentucky behind Trump began to sway and looked unwell. Other supporters moved out of the way to allow her to brace herself on the barrier – but after a few moments she appeared to lose consciousness and was helped to the floor, reports the Mirror.

Oblivious to what was happening behind him, Trump continued his speech – in which he was at the time attacking California Governor Gavin Newsom – before being alerted to the situation by fans shouting “medic, medic.”

Trump turned and saw what was happening and said: “Is there a doctor in the house please?” He told those rushing to the person’s aide to “take your time….we have all the time. These people are great people. We have all the time.”

As medics arrived to assist, Trump added: “First responders are incredible, by the way.” He then said to the crowd: “Wanna hear a song? Let’s see if the people backstage are listening to me. How about “Ave Maria?”

TV doctor-turned Trump administration health official Dr Mehmet Oz was among those assisting the woman who collapsed.

“It’s Dr Oz, can you believe it?” Trump said as the crowd applauded. “Dr Oz! Wow, he’s a good doctor.”

Trump is visiting Kentucky on his “affordability tour”. In November, the White House announced that he would travel the country more frequently ahead of this year’s midterm elections to show he’s taking America’s cost of living crisis seriously.

Before the incident Trump had spent most of the speech talking about the war in Iran, which has sent US petrol prices skyrocketing.

The US national average petrol price as of today is $3.578 a gallon – nearly 60 cents higher than it was a month ago, according to the US motoring and travel organisation AAA.

He also gave several shout-outs to Youtuber-turned low-level boxer Jake Paul, who is in the audience. Paul is an avid Trump supporter.

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In the heart of the Lincolnshire countryside, there is a learner driver centre unlike any you have ever seen. Here, you won’t find any examiners, provisional licences or emergency stops (hopefully) – just excitable dogs racing around practising with their new wheels.

That’s because it is home to Broken Biscuits, a disabled animal rescue charity and sanctuary where poorly and recovering pups are given a new lease of life at what the founders say is the ‘world’s first disabled dog park’.

Here, disabled dogs are initiated at the learner driver centre, where they can run around, negotiate obstacles and navigate their wheelchairs at speed on tarmac before being promoted to the park, where they yip, chase balls and run without a care in the world.

Tim Giles, co-founder of Broken Biscuits, tells Metro: ‘A lot of times, when you get a dog fitted into a wheelchair, if it’s in strange surroundings, like a park, the dog will just stand there. But we found the best place to take a dog to do a fitting was a tennis court, because there is tarmac, a fence around it and they have space to run around.’

After their discovery, Tim, 58, and co-founder and wife Cassie Carney, 49, built the racetrack to get the dogs running again.

The seven-acre park enables dogs to pass their learner driver’s test on hard surfaces, before graduating to a grassy area alongside stables and small houses where timid dogs can hide or take a break and grassy mounds which more advanced wheelchair users can climb up and race down.   

The couple set up the charity 18 years ago after going on holiday in Europe and seeing how many stray puppies were paralysed then euthanised after being hit by cars.

Cassie, a veterinary nurse, and Tim started working with clinics, providing spaying and neutering in Moldova, Bosnia and Romania, when they came across Otto, a shih tzu-yorkie cross whose back legs were amputated after he was hit by a car and was due to be put down.

They brought Otto back to the UK in 2009, along with two other dogs, and set up a sanctuary that is now home to 20.

Cassie admits that working with disabled dogs, they made ‘a lot of mistakes’, because fitting wheelchairs is a complicated art. They often require a lot of adaptation, and dogs in shelters are frequently undernourished, so the fit needs to change as the pups gain weight.

‘If you get the wrong equipment, you then put the dog off. If you put them in a wheelchair that’s rubbing on their body or becomes too hot in the sun because the bars heat up, you lose that trust with the dog. So you’ve spent all this money on a wheelchair, and you feel like you failed them,’ she explains.

For the past few years, the couple have been working alongside Rachel Wettner, founder of dog charity Winston’s Wheels. She knows just how valuable a wheelchair can be after she was told her beloved Staffordshire Bull Terrier Winston would have to be put down in 2017 due to a spinal tumour.

‘We [she and husband Sydney who passed away last year] took him to the vets and after scans and tests they said – just take him home and enjoy him, and when you’re ready, put him to sleep. And that was it,’ Rachel, from Suffolk, tells Metro.

‘It was heartbreaking because even though he couldn’t use his back legs, he was exactly the same dog down to his waist. He was cheeky and playful and he just wanted to carry on. And we were devastated – we’d had him from a puppy so we had such a close bond. We were just determined we weren’t going to give up on him.’

In desperation, Rachel, a learning mentor for young adults with special needs, asked for advice on social media and a kind stranger got in touch offering to loan her a wheelchair.

‘That was a real blessing because Winston took to it straight away and did everything he did before – like dog shows and paddling in the sea. It was a total game changer. He really was amazing. And the cat was fascinated by him,’ she recalls.

Every time the wheelchair came out for a run around the garden or a walk, Winston’s tail would wag like crazy, Rachel remembers, and he enjoyed three extra years sniffing around and playing in his wheels before passing away in 2020.

Inspired, Rachel, went on to home two further disabled dogs and set up Winston’s Wheels in his memory, which has helped thousands of dogs.

The charity loans out wheelchairs to pets, which are returned when they are no longer needed after the dog has either recovered or passed away. They have even provided wheelchairs for disabled sheep. And the charity has enlisted the help of Team Tactics, who run corporate days building the wheelchairs to help spread awareness and raise funds.

‘It’s fantastic, because people get to see these special dogs and they fall in love with them instantly. People’s reaction to them is amazing and for them to see how the wheelchairs transform dogs’ lives is brilliant, Rachel says.

Disabled dogs can live a long time – as Otto is living proof. Although now aged 13 and going through heart failure, he ‘still looks and acts like a puppy’, Cassie says.

Care for disabled dogs has come a long way in recent years aided in part by the popular TV show Colin from Accounts.

‘It’s not unusual to see a dog in a wheelchair now. When we first started, we would have Otto in his chair and cars would stop, people would point, say it’s cruel,’remembers Tim.

Cassie adds: ‘Disabled dogs are put into a “freak show” – “too difficult” category. But we want to normalise it. It doesn’t have to be that difficult or scary. Nearly all pet parents will have their dog become disabled at some point in their life – by being hit by a car or having a stroke.

‘But also, they will become disabled as they age. They will lose bladder control, their sight, their hearing, or there are diseases like cancer, arthritis and Cushing’s that will affect their mobility. It’s just a normal part of life.

‘Life rolls on and we’re glad to be able to help dogs and their owners as they navigate that.’

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Jeff Blair died after being attacked on Dent Street shortly after 1pm on Tuesday (March 10).

He suffered serious injuries and was taken to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough, but sadly died a short time later. A man was last night arrested on suspicion of his murder and remains in custody at this time, police said.

In a statement, his family said: “Jeff was a much-loved son, brother, father, partner, uncle, and good friend to many.

“His ability to apply humour and laughter to any situation and lighten the mood will be irreplaceable to our family.

Jeff Blair, 55, died following a suspected assault in Dent Street (Image: DURHAM POLICE)

“We are devastated to lose Jeff in such tragic circumstances, and he will be forever missed and remembered always, with much love and affection.”

Durham Police said his family is being supported by specialist family liaison officers and they have asked for privacy while they grieve.

A 49-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident and has been taken into police custody where he remains.

Dent Street remained taped with white-suited forensic officers seen working at the scene today.

Police at the scene on Wednesday (March 11). (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Police are expected to remain in the area for some time, and say they are treating the attack as an isolated incident.

Detective Chief Inspector Sharon Alderson, who is leading the investigation, previously said: “We understand that this incident will have caused shock to the community, and our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones during this difficult time.

“While there will be an increased police presence in the area as we carry out our enquiries, I can reassure the community of Shildon that we believe this to be an isolated incident.

“I’d like to thank residents for their support and co-operation while our investigation is carried out.

“A team of officers are currently working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and we are keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident who has not yet spoken to us.”

On Tuesday residents told how the incident unfolded, and police descended on the street.

Susan Weston came home from the doctors and found her street full of police. The 56-year-old said: “What I saw out the front was just awful. There was blood. I didn’t want to look.

“Seeing that out the front of my house, I felt sick. I felt shaky.”

Another man said: “You couldn’t move around here for police.

“The air ambulance came over and people were running up and down getting things like gauze. Someone was lifted into the ambulance.”

Anyone with any information is asked to call Durham Constabulary on 101, quoting incident reference 209 of March 10, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org. 

Pep Guardiola is not giving Manchester City much of a chance of progressing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League after their first leg defeat to Real Madrid.

Los Blancos sealed a 3-0 win in the first leg of their last 16 tie on Wednesday night with Federico Valverde scoring a sensational hat-trick in the Spanish capital.

Real were denied a fourth when Gianluigi Donnarumma saved Vinicius Jr’s penalty but City have it all to do in the return leg in Manchester next week.

City crashed out of the competition at the play-off stage to the same opposition last season and face another early exit unless they can stage a huge fightback on home turf.

But when asked what chance do City have of progressing to the next round, Guardiola told a post-match press conference ‘Right now, not much.

‘Of course we are going to try. Now everything is more difficult with our mindset but we will be there, we will be with our people, we can do more to be better in the final third and we will try.’

City are back in Premier League action away to West Ham United on Saturday evening in a game where they cannot afford to drop any more points in the title race with Arsenal.

Real then come to the Etihad next Tuesday.

‘Against teams like Real Madrid you know that as soon as you lose the ball that they’re just waiting to play a counter attack and then they score,’ Jeremy Doku said.

‘They scored three goals and then it’s difficult to come back because they played very defensively, but I feel like if we scored the first chances that we had it’s a different game.

‘[Donnarumma’s save] helped us massively, we’re still confident.

‘Obviously we have a game against West Ham before, but we trust our qualities and we know that at the Etihad it’s also a different game.

‘We’ll need our fans to help us and if they can score three goals why can’t we?’

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“He is held hostage by his back benches, and they can see right now that as much as the Prime Minister wanted to make this about Peter Mandelson, this is really about Keir Starmer being dishonest with them, with the country, with Parliament, about what he knew,” she told broadcasters.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Wednesday opened a new trade investigation into manufacturing in foreign countries — an effort that comes after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s previous use of tariffs by declaring an economic emergency.

Trump and his team have made clear that they’re seeking to replace the hundreds of billions of dollars in lost revenues after the Supreme Court’s February ruling by using different laws to establish new tariffs.

In this case, the administration is starting investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which could eventually lead to new import taxes. But U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, in a Wednesday call with reporters, said he didn’t want to prejudge the outcome of the process.

“The policy remains the same — the tools may change depending on, you know, the vagaries of courts and other things,” said Greer, stressing that the goal was to protect American jobs.

The start of the process to fully replace Trump’s prior tariffs could invite a return of much of the drama that rattled the global economy last year. The since-overturned tariffs led to new frameworks with U.S. trade partners — and it’s unclear what impact a new set of import taxes could have on those agreements. Greer described the trade frameworks as standing on their own and suggested they were separate from the new investigation.

This new set of tariffs could play out against the backdrop of a war in Iran and midterm elections in which Democrats are running against Trump’s Republican allies by emphasizing that the public is owed tariff refunds following the Supreme Court decision.

Greer said that the investigation would examine excess industrial capacity and government backing that could give foreign companies an unfair advantage over U.S. companies.

The entities subject to the investigation include China, the European Union, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, the self-governing island of Taiwan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Japan and India. The government is looking for what it deems to be persistent trade surpluses with the U.S. and policies such as subsidies and the suppression of workers’ wages, among other factors.

The administration is also rolling out a Section 301 investigation to ban the importing of goods made by forced labor.

Greer indicated that there could be additional Section 301 investigations over issues such as digital service taxes, pharmaceutical drug pricing and ocean pollution, among other possibilities. The Commerce Department has separate trade investigations under Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act.

There are timeline pressures for the administration to complete its investigations. The administration has imposed 10% tariffs on foreign-made goods under section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, but those expire after 150 days on July 24. Trump said he planned to raise that import tax to 15%, but he has yet to do so.

Greer said the administration is “keying off” the new investigation based on the 150-day deadline, saying that the goal is to bring “potential options” to Trump as soon as possible.

Greer said the investigations would be separate from the trade frameworks announced last year by Trump that set baseline tariff rates, which led to 15% rates charged on goods from the European Union, Japan and South Korea, among other places, that have since been overturned by the Supreme Court. Still, he suggested that the frameworks could play a factor.

“My sense is that these countries continue to want to deal, and President Trump continues to want the deal,” Greer said, adding that since tariffs are in play the commitments that the countries have made and the implementation of the frameworks would be considered as they “bump” against the demands of the Section 301 process.

___

AP writer Mae Anderson contributed to this report.