Mill Road traders came to show their support after the plans put Tradizioni’s outdoor dining at risk

A restaurant owner was left in shock after council officers came to install a bike rack in front of their outdoor seating. Andrea Scaramuccia, co-founder and general manager of Tradizioni on Mill Road, said officers came on Wednesday (September 2) to mark up the location.

The 51-year-old said: “I came out to ask what’s going on and they said they were installing bike racks – but I told them I have tables here. When I said can it be stopped, they said it’s too late – we’re coming tomorrow to install it.”

He posted on Facebook saying that the restaurant would have to give up their outdoor dining if the plans were to go ahead, receiving an outpouring of public support. He said: “In summer it’s 60 per cent of my business – I have a small restaurant but I can double my seats in summer.”

Councillor Alex Beckett, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s highways and transport committee, said the plan for bike racks was originally agreed in 2023 – but they were able to stop it being put in place.

The Lib Dem councillor said it was part of a Local Highways Improvement bid which hadn’t taken into account Mill Road’s outdoor dining scene.

He said: “Yesterday they came to mark it up and that’s when they realised it’s an issue – but we were able to cancel it fully.” He said he had spoken to Mill Road business owners about alternative sites after they came out to show their support.

He said: “The community came together which was really nice, being moved to defend the spot – it’s really nice that Mill Road came together.”

Mr Scaramuccia said: “A bad day became a day of joy because all these people came together and thousands of people expressed their support, so it’s been very great.

“I have to say sometimes we always blame politicians, but in this case they have been very responsible and fixed things.”

A hit-and-run driver who fled to Latvia after killing a 12-year-old schoolboy has admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

Dolars Aleksanders, 23, pleaded guilty on Thursday at Warwick Crown Court to causing the death of Keaton Slater.

Keaton was pronounced dead at the scene after being hit by a BMW on Radford Road in Coventry on June 14, 2024.

Aleksanders, originally from the Dobele area of Latvia, was extradited to the UK on August 5 this year after a long-running inquiry involving West Midlands Police and Europol.

Keaton’s parents, Louise and Clint Slater, were sitting in the public gallery of the court as Aleksanders entered a guilty plea via videolink from HMP Dovegate, near Uttoxeter.

Adjourning the case for sentence in November, Judge Matthew Walsh told Aleksanders: ‘You have entered your guilty plea to this very serious matter.

‘Plainly the sentence that you are going to have imposed upon you is to be a very long one. That will be determined by Her Honour Judge (Kristina) Montgomery KC on November 13.’

West Midlands Police said in a statement after the hearing that Aleksanders was driving a black BMW at more than 70mph when he struck Keaton, who was trying to cross the road, shortly after 4.30pm.

He drove off, and the car was found abandoned more than six miles away about 20 minutes later. Keaton’s relatives, many wearing T-shirts bearing the youngster’s picture, left court without commenting.

His parents issued a written statement through West Midlands Police, reading: ‘For two years, we have struggled to come to terms with Keaton’s death while also having to live with the devastating feeling that justice has not been done.

‘We have had to endure the heartbreak of losing our son while waiting, hoping and fighting for accountability. There have been days when the pain has felt unbearable, and days when it has been difficult to see a way forward.

‘Keaton should have been here. He should have been growing up, making memories, laughing, dreaming and living his life. Instead, we have had to learn to live in a world without him.

‘But today, after two long and heartbreaking years, we can finally say that justice has been done for Keaton.’

His parents added: ‘Nothing will ever bring our beautiful boy back. No sentence, no outcome and no words can ever take away the pain of losing him, but finally having justice means that Keaton’s life and the circumstances surrounding his death have been acknowledged.

‘We will never stop loving Keaton. We will never stop missing him, and we will never stop speaking his name. Keaton was more than the way he died. He was our son, our beautiful boy, and a huge part of our lives. He will always be remembered, always be loved and always be in our hearts.’

Detective Chief Inspector Sam Lewis, who led the investigation, said after the hearing: ‘Keaton should have had his life ahead of him, but the selfish and reckless actions of Aleksanders took this away from him.

‘Aleksanders was speeding at an excessive level and would have known the impact of the collision. He could have sought to help Keaton but instead fled, leaving him to die and his family to deal with an unimaginable amount of grief and pain.

‘Everyone who has heard Keaton’s story has been determined to do everything possible to catch the person responsible. This has been a complex investigation, but we’ve always remained resolute and bonded by the belief that we would ensure Aleksanders was convicted for his appalling actions.’

Prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC told the plea hearing that footage would be played at the sentencing and victim personal statements will be read.

Aleksanders intends to make a written application to be permitted to attend his sentencing via videolink, the court heard.

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The Irish band from Dublin shared news they would be going on tour in Europe and the UK towards the end of 2026 last week.

A Manchester tour date was on the list, and is set to take place at the AO Arena in Manchester on November 21 this year.

But on September 3, the five-piece rock band made a further announcement relating to five more UK outdoor shows in June and July 2027.

One of these dates, on Saturday, July 3, will take place at Heaton Park in Prestwich.

The show is set to go ahead just one week before the park is taken over again for annual music festival Parklife, held on July 10 and July 11 next year.

The Parklife line-up for 2027 has not been announced yet.

(Image: Patrick Gunning)

Fontaines DC will be touring with Little Simz and Viagra Boys and their full list of summer 2027 shows is as follows:

• June 29, Blackweir Fields, Cardiff
• July 1, St James’ Park, Newcastle
• July 3, Heaton Park, Manchester
• July 6, Glasgow Green, Glasgow
• July 9, London Stadium, London

Fans can now register for the chance to secure tickets at a pre-sale, to be held on Tuesday, September 8, at 10am.

The deadline to register for the pre-sale is at 9pm BST on Monday, September 7.

There will then be a general sale at 10am on Thursday, September 10.

Sisters Rooney and Kate Mara dazzled in glamorous black gowns as they joined their onscreen lover Orlando Bloom at the Bucking Fastard premiere in Venice today.

The sisters are acting together for the first time in the strange, dream-like film loosely based on the real story of British twins Freda and Greta Chaplin who spoke in unison in their own language, shared the same dreams, and loved the same man.

Rooney, 41, oozed glamour in a custom Louis Vuitton dress which featured a huge balloon detailing and chic Aquazzura heels while Kate, 43, stunned in a plunging glitzy Armani Privé number.

Orlando, 49, looked dashing in a black tuxedo as he arrived on the red carpet arm in arm with his co-stars.

The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and director Werner Herzog said that playing co-dependent twins, called Jean and Joan Holbrooke, came so easily for the Maras that they didn’t even need the two weeks of rehearsal which he had planned for – he sent them home after five days.

Rooney Mara said: ‘It was quite daunting, the idea of playing the same person, but we found pretty quickly that having had a lifetime together and all the history and a childhood of playing together there was a world between us, we didn’t have to work very hard to create it at all. 

‘I have never laughed so much, we had so much fun. It was a once in a lifetime experience.’ 

The sisters are acting together for the first time in Bucking Fastard, a strange, dream-like film loosely based on the real story of British twins Freda and Greta Chaplin 

The sisters looked the spitting image of one another in their spaghetti-strap dress on the red carpet

Kate added: ‘Once we figured out the rhythm of speaking in unison it felt like a song, it was very musical.’ 

She added that director Herzog: ‘Wrote me and my sister a beautiful letter asking us to be in this about a year ago. We were both so thrilled because we have been wanting to work together for a while, but nothing made sense. 

‘This one was immediately a no-brainer, and then it just so happened that it was these sisters who are so connected that they speak in unison and they dream the same dreams. 

‘It was so perfectly presented and the script was so special, and odd, so it’s an obvious thing to say yes to. But it kind of felt like it would never happen just because it was like too good to be true.’

The film is set in Ireland and also stars Domhnall Gleeson as a social worker trying to help the women, and Orlando Bloom as their lover.

The Chaplin sisters actually lived in York and shot to notoriety in the 1980s when they were at the centre of a bizarre high-profile court case which saw each of them jailed for a month.

They were prosecuted at York Magistrates’ Court for breach of the peace for harassing a local truck driver, Ken Iveson.

They were found guilty and jailed for one month. Herzog named the film after a verbal slip made by the Chaplin sisters in court.

During the bizarre real incident: the twins made the same verbal slip simultaneously while in court, ‘bucking fastard’. 

Rooney, 41, oozed glamour in the spaghetti strap dress which featured a huge balloon detailing while Kate, 43, stunned in a plunging glitzy number

Orlando, 49, looked dashing in a black tuxedo as he arrived on the red carpet arm in arm with his co-stars

Rooney, Kate and Orlando posed with the film’s directer Werner Herzog (L-R)

The sisters shared a sweet embrace on the red carpet together

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Kate opted for a silver and black sparkly number for her red carpet appearance

Her younger sister stole the show in a dramatic balloon dress

The film is set in Ireland and also stars Domhnall Gleeson as a social worker trying to help the women

Orlando Bloom will play their lover Gareth Mulroney

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Raya Abirached looked incredible in an elegant white gown

Vitalina Ghinzelli wore a Mary Poppins-style pink gown

Pansy Ho oozed glamour in a thigh-high split royal blue dress

George Clooney was back for day two of Venice Film Festival after receiving his honour

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They lived for a time in hostels and shelters as their parents were not able to cope, but then lived independently in London before moving back to York into their old family home.

The identical twins wore the same clothes, walked in step and spoke at the same time as each other and are now buried next to each other in death.

They were renowned for their unique lifestyles and characters, which often saw them blurt out the same sentences at exactly the same time.

Greta died from ovarian cancer aged 64 in 2007, followed by Freda’s passing in 2020 from unknown causes.

The pair are buried beside one another at a cemetery in their hometown of York.

Until shortly before Freda’s death in May she would visit her sister’s grave every single day, those close to the family say.

The siblings are best known for the court case in the early 80s, which was covered by reporters from Brazil, Sweden and the US as well as all across Britain. 

York lorry driver Ken Iveson claimed they hounded him for years. It was said they had developed an obsession with him, possibly because a joint crush had been spurned.

Those in attendance were stunned when, during the case, Freda and Greta uttered the same words at the same time, seemingly without rehearsal or prompting.  

Press reports at the time record them saying: ‘No, no, no, no, no. It’s not true. It’s not true. We haven’t been near him, we haven’t been near there, it is a bitter, bitter lie.’ 

They looked effortlessly stylish in similar white dresses at the photocall earlier in the day 

(L-R) Domhnall Gleeson, Rooney Mara, Werner Herzog, Kate Mara and Orlando Bloom

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One report at the time of the court case said their deputy headmaster placed the blame for their extreme closeness on their mother.

‘It was quite clear that they had a doting mother who never allowed them a separate identity,’ he said.

A magistrate jailed each of them, then aged 38, for a month for breaching the peace.

After serving their sentences the twins were the subject of much media interest and took part in two documentaries about their lives – A Pair of One by Julia Darling (1987), and The Twins by Journeyman Pictures (1994).

In their later years they lived quiet and relatively reclusive lives together in a semi-detached house in York.

When Greta died friends and neighbours feared how Freda would cope.

A family friend, who wants to remain anonymous, said: ‘I thought within a week she would have died.

‘They did absolutely everything together: putting their headscarves on looking at one another and not at a mirror. They even hoovered together.

‘But she did manage. She had a cat and a dog and worshipped them. She lived on nothing. She ate bread and cheese or toast and cheese – not butter or anything.’

The friend also revealed Freda left her family home to a local cat shelter, which is now looking after pet cat, Molly.

Freda Chaplin died aged 77 in May, 13 years after her twin Greta died of ovarian cancer and carcinomatosis aged 64. She has been buried with her sister in Fulford Cemetery, York

The Chaplin sisters were famous for being inseparable and living their whole lives in complete unison, wearing the same clothes, walking in step and talking at the same time

Media interest continued after their conviction, and two documentaries were made of their lives — A Pair of One by Julia Darling (1987), and The Twins by Journeyman Pictures (1994) 

Freda has been buried with her sister at a family plot in Fulford Cemetery, York. Proceeds from the sale of the twins’ semi-detached childhood home in Tang Hall will be left to charity

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She said: ‘She (Freda) loved cats. She had one or two – she had Molly when she died.’

The friend added Freda had been suffering from cancer and had been living at the family house up until she was taken into hospital in April.

She said: ‘She phoned me up one day and said: ‘I am poorly’.

I said: ‘Get yourself to bed, get a hot drink, and keep warm – and start eating more food than what you are’.

‘The following morning, they were pushing her out to an ambulance. That was the last I saw of her.’

She added: ‘She wasn’t really well. She had cancer a while back. She used to say to me: ‘well I wouldn’t let my twin have treatment so I am not having any.”

Belinda Poulter, Freda’s solicitor for many years, said: ‘She was quiet but had some strong views about animal welfare and felt very strongly about that.’  

She said around 10 people attended Freda’s funeral and that she was buried ‘on top’ of her sister in a double plot which is awaiting their headstone.

Freda and Greta were the daughters of James and Elsie Chaplin.

It was said that Freda and Greta had been ordinary children but as teenagers they became ultra-dependent on one another. They would scream when teachers made them sit apart in school, and would resist efforts to distinguish or divide them. 

Daniel Snaith was due to appear at Teesside Crown Court today (Thursday, September 3), having also failed to attend an earlier scheduled hearing at Durham Crown Court.

The case had been committed for sentence to the crown court by Peterlee magistrates on Friday, July 3.

Bench warrant issued for the arrest of sex offender Daniel Snaith after he failed to attend a hearing at Teesside Crown Court (Image: The Northern Echo)

Read next … more court stories from The Northern Echo, by clicking here

When Snaith failed to appear at Durham Crown Court, on Friday, July 31, his counsel, Brian Mark, told the hearing that the defendant had been ill all the previous night with an upset stomach.

In the absence of any information to the contrary, Judge Nathan Adams said the case would be put back, “to the next available slot”, at Teesside Crown Court, on September 3.

But, when he, again, failed to attend the Teesside hearing on this afternoon, without explanation, Recorder Taryn Turner issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the 31-year-old defendant, of Alexandria Street, Seaham.

It is the kind of place where multimillion-dollar mansions hide behind screens of mature trees with the bucolic backdrop of Lake Erie – and that sense of privacy is worth practically as much as the acreage.

But now, Bratenahl, Ohio, has two more huge selling points: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end purchased a historic $5.35 million estate in the tiny Cleveland-area village, putting the previously low-key community firmly on the celebrity map.

The property, which was built around 1895, is believed to be the most expensive home ever sold in Bratenahl.

Kelce closed on the property in March, months before he married Taylor Swift in July, adding a very modern chapter to a town whose history is steeped in Cleveland’s industrial wealth.

But what exactly is Bratenahl like?

A recent description shared by the Ohio Explored Facebook page paints an idyllic picture of the tiny lakeside community, describing it as ‘one of the smallest and most secluded villages on all of Lake Erie.’

The page highlights the village’s ‘winding tree-lined lanes,’ grand estates and stone-gated mansions, with lawns stretching toward the shoreline.

It also describes Bratenahl as a place where Cleveland’s wealthiest families once escaped to enjoy the lake, with that history of grand summer homes and year-round retreats still shaping the village today.

The result is an atmosphere of ‘hushed serenity’ that feels a world away from the city despite being only minutes from downtown Cleveland.

And that contrast may be the biggest attraction of all.

In terms of its setting, Bratenahl sits about ten minutes east of downtown Cleveland and is surrounded by the city on three sides, with Lake Erie forming its northern edge.

The village had just 1,430 residents at the 2020 census, making it remarkably small for a community with such an impressive collection of homes.

Its roots go back to Cleveland’s Gilded Age, when wealthy industrialists began using the lakeside area as a summer playground.

Today, the streets are still lined with grand historic properties, original carriage houses, custom-built estates and luxury condominium units.

Lake Erie is not simply a view here. It is part of everyday life. 

Village Mayor Keith Benjamin has described the lake as being ‘part of the rhythm of life’ for residents, while local real estate agents say buyers are attracted by the combination of historic architecture, privacy and proximity to Cleveland.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end has purchased a historic $5.35m estate in the tiny Cleveland-area village, putting the previously low-key community firmly on the celebrity map

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Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift attend the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on March 26

And for those with the money, that combination can be surprisingly attainable compared with America’s traditional luxury markets.

Bratenahl’s median listing price was $489,755 in July, according to Redfin, although the village’s trophy homes can sell for several million dollars.

Homes that were originally bought for less than $500,000 are increasingly being renovated and resold for more than $1.5 million, according to local agent Nick Zawitz.

For residents looking for a social life without leaving the enclave, the Shoreby Club is a major draw.

The private club is housed in a restored 1890s mansion originally built for industrialist Samuel Mather.

It offers marina access, a pool deck, private beach and dining, helping give Bratenahl the feel of a private estate community rather than a conventional suburb.

That exclusivity is part of the appeal.

But it also means Bratenahl isn’t necessarily the sort of place where residents can wander down the street for a morning coffee or spend an afternoon browsing stores.

On a Reddit thread discussing what life is like in the community, one resident described it as almost entirely residential, while another noted that there is little commercial development and that residents generally have to drive elsewhere for everyday errands.

A local discussion also highlighted Sorella, a restaurant in the Bratenahl Place condo tower, as one of the few dining options within the village, alongside the Shoreby Club.

Another resident who said they had rented a home in Bratenahl for about two years praised its safety but said residents should expect to drive for many activities, adding that the lakefront properties are privately owned.

The Reddit reaction is a useful reminder that having a huge house beside Lake Erie does not necessarily mean having everything on your doorstep.

One commenter summed up the experience bluntly: ‘Living in Bratenahl and lucked out on a public school,’ while another said living there meant ‘driving everywhere for food, coffee…civilization.’

Others were even more enthusiastic about alternative Cleveland suburbs, suggesting places such as Bay Village, Avon Lake, Rocky River, Shaker Heights and Chagrin Falls for wealthy buyers who want more walkability or easier access to amenities.

There is also a practical downside to the dream of waterfront living.

Lake Erie can be notoriously unpredictable, with storms capable of producing enormous waves, while shoreline erosion is a genuine concern for homeowners.

Real estate agents advise prospective buyers to understand erosion mitigation and specialist insurance before purchasing directly on the water.

Lake Erie is not simply a view in Bratenahl – it is part of everyday life

Village Mayor Keith Benjamin has described the lake as being ‘part of the rhythm of life’ for residents, while local real estate agents say buyers are attracted by the combination of historic architecture, privacy and proximity to Cleveland

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Kelce and Swift are hardly the first famous names associated with Bratenahl. The village has previously been home to industrialists, business leaders, public figures and Hollywood stars.

Among its notable former residents was Margaret Hamilton, best known for playing the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.

Federal agent Eliot Ness, famous for leading the Untouchables during Prohibition, also lived in Bratenahl.

Industrialist William Mather, former president of Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company, was another prominent resident, as was Edward Williams, co-founder and namesake of Sherwin-Williams.

The village therefore has something of a celebrity tradition, although few arrivals are likely to generate quite as much attention as Kelce and Swift.

For those wondering what it would take to become the couple’s neighbor, the answer is considerably less than $5.35 million.

One home on Lake Shore Boulevard is listed at around $1.275 million. The 4,117-square-foot property has four bedrooms and was built in 1954, with dramatic architecture and 19-foot ceilings.

Another historic Lake Shore Boulevard home is asking $1.2 million. Built in 1912, the nearly 6,000-square-foot property has six bedrooms, four fireplaces, an elevator, original wood floors, a sunroom and a library.

There is also a much larger estate asking $2.45 million, offering almost 11,800 square feet, five bedrooms, a theater, bar, spa area and seven stone fireplaces.

In other words, you don’t need Kelce’s NFL fortune to buy into Bratenahl, but you probably do need to be comfortable with a lifestyle where privacy comes before convenience.

And that may be precisely what makes the tiny Ohio village so attractive to people who can afford it.

For decades, Bratenahl has offered Cleveland’s wealthiest residents a place to retreat from the city without actually leaving it.

Now, with one of America’s most famous football stars – and his superstar wife – reportedly making it home, its reputation for exclusivity has gained an entirely new level of glamour.

Mortgage rates rose again this week, driving the average long-term U.S. home loan rate to its highest level in more than a year.

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose 6.71% from 6.66% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the average rate was 6.50%.

Higher mortgage rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting homebuyers’ purchasing power. As rates rise, that can lead prospective home shoppers to delay buying a home, one reason U.S. home sales remain in a rut this year.

The average rate is now the highest it’s been since July 31, 2025, when it was at 6.72%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, often sought by borrowers refinancing a home loan, also rose this week. That average rate increased to 6.04% from 5.98% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.60%.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including inflation, broader policy rate decisions from the Federal Reserve and expectations from bond market investors for the economy. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

Both mortgage rates and the bond market have been mostly rising this year due to the U.S. war with Iran, which has fueled expectations for hotter inflation as crude oil prices soared. Long-term bond yields remain steeper than they were before the conflict began in late February, helping drive mortgage rates higher.

Over the past week, renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran has ratcheted pressure on oil markets, driving up prices for crude. Higher oil prices can push up inflation, which drives up bond yields.

The 10-year Treasury yield was 4.74% as of midday Thursday on the bond market. It was at 4.67% last Thursday. Before the war, it was just 3.97% in late February.

Worries about the U.S. government’s growing debt have also helped drive up long term bond yields, prompting the U.S. Treasury Department to intervene last month.

As inflation remains elevated, pressure is increasing on the Federal Reserve to take action to help lower it.

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh said last week at the Fed’s annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, that inflation had not shown sufficient improvement and that the central bank might have “more work to do,” a sign he is weighing a rate increase at the Fed’s next meeting Sept. 15-16.

The U.S. housing market has been in a slump since 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes were essentially flat last year, stuck at a 30-year low. U.S. sales of those homes again slowed in July.

Richarlison has been left out of Tottenham‘s Premier League squad.

Spurs manager Roberto de Zerbi said last week the Brazil forward had asked to leave the club and he looked close to joining former club Everton before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, but a deal fell through.

The 29-year-old has now been left out the club’s squad to play in top-flight games for the first half of the season.

It is understood Richarlison does not feature in Tottenham‘s plans this season, which was explained to the player before Tuesday’s deadline.

He is expected to leave the club in the coming days, with the transfer windows in Turkey and Saudi Arabia still open.

Richarlison joined Tottenham from Everton in the summer of 2022, having joined the Toffees from Watford in 2018.

He has entered the final year of his contract at the London club and, while he started Tottenham‘s defeat by Brentford in their opening game of the Premier League season, he was not included in De Zerbi’s squad when Spurs lost 2-0 at home to Newcastle United on Saturday.

After the game, De Zerbi said: “Richarlison, I don’t know. He said too many times he wants to leave.”

Earlier in August, the Spurs boss said that the Brazilian was uncertain about his future, noting that “it’s not easy to find another striker like Richarlison”.

However, Spurs recently signed Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush on loan and he replaced Richarlison against Newcastle.

Richarlison was Tottenham‘s top scorer in the league last season with 11 goals in 32 appearances and also provided four assists as he was a key figure during their struggle for Premier League survival, which was secured on the final day.