The Ambassador Hotel’s carefully preserved historic architecture is matched by elegant interiors that feel as intimate as a private residence, with just fourteen individually designed rooms and suites, many overlooking the River Ness. Inspired by 19th-century travel and the drama of the Highland landscape, each room offers a characterful yet contemporary stay in Scotland’s cultural capital of the north.

At the heart of the experience is Talk of the Town, the hotel’s destination restaurant where Scottish ingredients meet Indian influence under the guidance of a chef with Michelin-starred experience, creating refined, globally inspired plates. The winner and their guest will enjoy a three-course dinner for two here, sampling dishes that showcase seasonal produce and inventive flavour pairings.

The prize includes a two-night stay for two in one of the hotel’s individually designed rooms, with breakfast served each morning to start the day in relaxed style. During their break, the winner will also enjoy a cocktail each in the Library Bar, an intimate space known for its curated drinks list and classic and signature serves.

This competition is being run in partnership with The Ambassadors Hotel. With its boutique design, destination dining and stylish bar, The Ambassador Hotel is a luxurious base for exploring some of Scotland’s most striking landscapes, from Loch Ness to the wider Highlands. Whether you choose to wander along the River Ness, discover nearby castles or venture into the hills, this is a Highland escape that blends adventure with indulgence

This competition is open exclusively to subscribers. To enter, simply visit the competition page between 1 April and 10 May 2026 for your chance to win a two-night boutique stay for two and explore the Highlands in style.

In his Truth Social post, Mr Trump said: “Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE! We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!! President DJT”.

A murder investigation was launched on Tuesday (March 31) after a man was found dead inside a home on Church Road shortly before 7am. 

A 57-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken into custody to be questioned, Cleveland Police confirmed yesterday. 

Officers remained at the scene throughout Tuesday, where a large blue forensic tent had been erected on the pavement while white-suited investigators probed the flat. 

Now, the force has confirmed that the woman remains in custody – with a spokesperson adding that the victim was a 74-year-old man.

A murder investigation on Church Road in Stockton (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

The man’s family has been contacted and are being supported by special trained officers.

A cordon was erected at the scene outside Trio Hair Lounge on Tuesday after paramedics found the man dead inside the home. 

A large police van was parked directly outside the scene beside a smaller crime scene investigation van, with white-suited investigators seen going in and out of the home. 

Residents and nearby businesses recalled waking up to see the 999 activity outside, with Kevin Bowler, from Roundabout Kitchen, describing it as a shock.

The 69-year-old said: “They were here at 7.50am when I got here but people had thought it was before 7am this morning. They didn’t cordon it off like it is now until about 9am. 

A murder investigation on Church Road in Stockton (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

“The tent didn’t go up outside until after 12pm. The ambulance was there when I got here this morning, it was parked on the pavement. 

“Thankfully we don’t normally get any activity [like this] around here. It was a shock.”

Detective Chief Inspector Daryll Tomlinson, from the force’s homicide and major enquiry team yesterday appealed to anyone with information to get in touch.

He said: “This also applies to anyone who may have dash cam or doorbell footage that could aid the investigation.

“There will be a visible policing presence in the area, and I’d encourage anyone who is concerned or holds information to please speak to them.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or visit the website quoting reference number 059410.

Information can be provided anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800555111.

As a researcher in autism and education and a former secondary school teacher, it took me a while to realise that autistic school staff were rarely included in conversations about inclusion and diversity in schools.

With colleagues, I started the Autistic School Staff Project in 2019, focusing on the experiences, needs and aptitudes of autistic teachers and other education staff.

Our findings show that autistic school staff can experience significant sensory issues in school. These can be from bright, flickering lights, odours from the canteen, and crowding in corridors or during meetings. The greatest impact of all comes from noise: shouting from children and staff during break times, the clang of the school bell and the roar of traffic when windows are open in the summer.

Interestingly, it’s not only a question of volume levels. Whispering from children and humming from technology can also be highly distracting and contribute to feelings of fatigue and overload.

Autistic teachers also told us that the ways neurotypical colleagues communicated and interacted with them could be disorientating and exclusionary. Staff meetings that seemed to lack focus, chit-chats in the school corridor, gossip and school politics could be experienced as confusing and irrelevant.

At the same time, autistic teachers felt their own communication style of being direct and to the point could be misunderstood as rudeness. Similarly, staff social events were often not enjoyed by autistic teachers, even though neurotypical colleagues seemed to really rate them. Changes announced at the last minute by the school leadership team, with instructions that did not seem to make sense, could be highly stressful for autistic teachers. Covering for absent teachers was also found to be very unsettling.

Most tellingly, a number of participants felt they could not be open about being autistic. A key reason for this concerned negative and stigmatising attitudes towards autism that they had to face in school. The teachers also said that autistic children could be poorly treated. Autistic teachers sometimes had to sit through autism training, conducted on the assumption that no-one present was autistic, where the same negative attitudes were evident.

As a result, autistic school staff could be extremely wary about sharing with anyone that they were autistic. They worried that this information would have a negative impact on their careers. Suppressing an autistic identity, known as masking, has been linked with mental health issues.

While some of our participants had been able to disclose being autistic in school, and had even had a good experience of this, others said that it had made life even harder. This was because attitudes would change towards them in a negative way, or they might not even be believed.

Passion and support

Fortunately, a number of positives also came out of our study. Monotropism – a key autistic trait that denotes a tendency to have very intense interests – can mean that autistic teachers develop strong subject expertise and teach with passion. Even the job itself links with monotropic tendencies, as autistic teachers told us that they loved their work and were highly motivated by it. In addition, autistic teachers felt that they were very thorough and organised.

Above all, autistic teachers felt they were making a significant contribution to supporting inclusion in school. They were sensitive to the needs of neurodivergent children and others at risk of marginalisation, and were willing to try alternative approaches with children who were struggling. One teacher said:

I never gave up on a child because I think probably too many people gave up on me. I could see myself in a lot of the children.

In addition, some of those who had been open about being autistic were valued by colleagues because of their insights in relation to neurodiversity. Autistic teachers also felt that they could be a role model for autistic children and their parents.

Autistic teachers are a valuable part of the school workforce and are already making an important contribution to inclusion. However, it’s important to remove the barriers they can face across their careers.

This includes providing more flexibility and support for autistic student teachers. Making recruitment practices inclusive and accessible – such as by providing questions in advance, and offering in-person and remote options for interviews – would also benefit autistic teachers, as would developing neurodiversity-inclusive school communities.

Participants were clear that autism training should be run by autistic people, and that withdrawing to a quiet space should not be misinterpreted by colleagues as being anti-social. Addressing the sensory impacts of schools would benefit both children and staff. Providing staff with agency in decision-making can be empowering. We also need to reconsider the conventional role of the teacher, and question if the current format of standard duties, such as parents’ evenings and covering for absent colleagues, should be re-evaluated through a neurodiversity-inclusive lens.

The new DIY aisle is in partnership with Wilko, with it opening last week at the Speke store in Liverpool.

However, reports say that it will be rolled out to further stores this year.

Morrisons launches new DIY aisle in partnership with Wilko

The new aisle offers shoppers the opportunity to purchase Wilko favourites, such as paint and other decorating tools, various household essentials and car accessories.

The aisle is adorned with Wilko’s iconic red branding and will offer the products during standard weekly shops.

A Morrisons spokesperson said: “We are pleased to have launched our new Wilko’s concession in our Speke store, marking the start of an exciting new partnership.

“We are looking forward to rolling this out to further stores later in the year.”

The rollout in Liverpool began towards the end of March, with more than 20 more proposed locations coming in 2026, according to The Grocer.

It comes as Morrisons looks to fill the gap in its stores following the closure of a large number of cafes, market kitchens, florists, meat counters, fish counters and pharmacies.

Rami Baitieh, Morrisons’ chief executive, said the changes were a “necessary part of our plans to renew and reinvigorate” the chain and invest in areas that “customers really value”.

It was suggested at the time that some fresh food counters or cafes could be replaced with specialist offers from third-party companies.

Holland & Barrett partnered with Morrisons to open concessions in a small number of Morrisons stores towards the end of last year.

Other changes at Morrisons

The new Wilko aisle is not the only change that has come to Morrisons in recent months.

The supermarket chain has worked to make all accessible toilets in its stores stoma‑friendly after affected customers called for better support.

The change is designed to help shoppers manage their condition with greater dignity and independence.

The updated facilities include hooks for clothing or bags, a shelf for medical supplies, a bin for discreet disposal and a mirror to help people check their stoma appliances.

Morrisons has recently made accessible toilets in its stores stoma‑friendly (Image: David Parry/PA)

The supermarket has also been updating a “significant proportion” of tills across all of its UK stores, in a move to make them “more efficient”.

New, sleeker black versions of the technology have come in to replace older checkouts, as part of the big refresh, which aims to provide “excellent levels of service”.

However, not all changes have been well-received by customers.

The supermarket giant has been trialling pay-to-use ATMs at a handful of its convenience stores, a change from a service that used to be free.

Morrisons said the change will allow customers to continue withdrawing cash at their local Daily site rather than losing the ATM service entirely.

Pricing decisions for ATMs are also not controlled by Morrisons as they are operated by external providers.

Shoppers labelled the change “very unfair” with some urging people to write to their MP.

What is your favourite supermarket to shop at in the UK? Let us know in the comments.

The popular Fox News host used her opening monologue on The Ingraham Angle on Monday to talk about the utter mess that’s unfolded since the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28 — and questioned whether President Donald Trump was fully aware of the consequences of this decision.

“Now, knowing what little time we have and how quickly this can spiral out of control, we still have a lot of questions,” Ingraham said. “For instance, was the president fully briefed about the risks of all of this from the beginning? And was he then able to take it all in and understand the complexity of this? How complex it could actually get, and further possibilities of casualties or other damage –– the difficulty of dealing with these people? Or was he told this would be relatively quick, in and out?”

Ingraham’s opening monologue began with her mentioning that Trump’s self-created April 6 deadline to “strike a deal” with Iran is looming, and how it could act as “a defining moment for this conflict and perhaps for his presidency.”

Ingraham questioned if that even matters.

“But how much power does Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf actually have?” Ingraham wondered. “The New York Times is reporting that the regime is having some trouble coordinating after so many people were killed. They’re scared to meet in person — these individuals — or to have their calls apparently hacked. With different leaders in place, Iranian negotiators may have little knowledge about what their government is willing to concede. Or even whom precisely to ask. So if we cannot come to some type of peace deal with people who can’t be trusted, then what?”

Ingraham apparently already had the answer.

Watch Ingraham’s full monologue above.

Major supermarkets including Tesco and Aldi, fashion retailers like Primark, and fast food outlets such as Greggs will close — here’s a complete guide.

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This week, customers throughout the UK will find some of their go-to high-street shops closing for an entire day. Leading retailers that stock groceries, clothing and fast food will close for 24 hours.

Household names like Tesco, Primark and Greggs are amongst those giving employees a day off to celebrate the Easter holiday.

Shoppers are being encouraged to plan in advance to prevent inconvenience, especially for essential purchases. Most businesses are recommending customers visit their websites for local branch details.

Here’s a full guide to all the shops taking part in the one-day shutdown on Easter Sunday, April 5.

Supermarket opening hours for Easter weekend 2026

Leading supermarkets will function on different schedules during this time, with opening and closing times varying depending on the size of each outlet.

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Sainsbury’s

On Easter Sunday, most Sainsbury’s outlets will be closed. However, branches in Scotland will stay open and some Sainsbury’s Local shops may operate. Customers are recommended to check the hours for their local store.

On Easter Monday, April 6, most larger outlets will be open from 8am to 8pm, while Sainsbury’s Local shops are typically expected to run as usual, reports the Express.

Tesco

All Tesco outlets will be shut on Easter Sunday, except for large stores in Scotland, which will keep to their regular hours.

On Easter Monday, most stores operate reduced hours from 8am to 6pm.

Morrisons

The majority of Morrisons outlets will be shut on Sunday, with only some locations in Scotland expected to open. Shoppers wanting to visit are advised to check their nearest branch for confirmation.

Asda

Most Asda outlets will be closed on Sunday. On Easter Monday, most will open from 8am to 10pm.

Co-op

On Sunday, some Co-op outlets will be closed, but convenience stores may be open. Co-op’s website says: “During bank holidays and special times of year, some of our stores may open later and close earlier than normal.”

Lidl

All Lidl outlets in England and Wales will be closed on Sunday, while Scottish branches will stay open. Opening times will vary on Easter Monday, so it’s best to check your local.

Waitrose

Waitrose branches will be open on Good Friday and Easter Monday, with some operating on reduced hours.

On Easter Sunday, the majority of shops will be closed, with the exception of a small number of convenience stores. We advise customers to check the times of individual shops using the branch finder page on our website.

Aldi

Most Aldi outlets will be open from 8am to 9pm on Good Friday and Easter Saturday.

Shops will be closed on Easter Sunday, except for some in Scotland, so check locally. On Easter Monday, most will open from 8am to 8pm.

M&S

Marks & Spencer’s opening times will differ across the UK, so shoppers should check their nearest store.

The majority are expected to be shut on Easter Sunday, with reduced hours expected throughout the rest of the bank holiday weekend.

Household retailers

Home Bargains

Home Bargains will shut 560 stores on Easter Sunday, affecting branches across England and Wales. Approximately 70 stores in Scotland will remain open as normal.

Shoppers can still visit on Good Friday and Easter Monday, but hours will vary so it’s best to check their store locator.

B&M

B&M will close the vast majority of its stores throughout the UK on Easter Sunday, with Scottish branches expected to stay open as normal. Stores in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will be shut for the day but will reopen for the remainder of the Bank Holiday weekend.

A spokesperson confirmed that all B&M stores will trade normally on Good Friday and Easter Monday. Customers uncertain about whether their local B&M will be open can verify this by using the store locator tool on the retailer’s website or via the store locator tool on its mobile app.

IKEA

All 22 IKEA outlets in the UK will trade as normal over the Easter weekend, apart from on Easter Sunday.

On Sunday, 20 branches in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will shut, while the Glasgow and Edinburgh sites in Scotland will stay open.

Customers can visit all outlets on Good Friday, Saturday, and Easter Monday, although opening hours may differ, so it’s recommended to check your local branch before setting off.

Fashion retailers

Primark

Primark will shut all of its UK outlets on Easter Sunday, April 5. The retailer has approximately 190 sites across the country, including 160 in England.

A spokesperson said some branches may have modified hours over the Easter weekend, so customers are advised to check their local outlet before visiting.

As reported by the Mirror, a Primark spokesperson said: “Primark stores across the UK will be open across the Easter weekend; however, on Easter Sunday, only stores in Scotland will be open, and all stores in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be closed.

“Stores may also be operating different hours to normal, so we recommend that customers check our website for their local store opening times before visiting to avoid disappointment.”

Food

Many Greggs outlets are shut over Easter, though some petrol station and travel sites may open with restricted hours. Since opening hours can differ by location, it’s recommended to check before visiting.

You can visit the Greggs Store Finder on the official website for the latest opening times, search “Greggs near me” on Google Maps, or check delivery apps. For absolute peace of mind, especially during bank holidays, it’s worth ringing your nearest branch directly.

On the official website, a spokesperson said: “Greggs stores often operate on reduced hours during holidays and some branches may close completely on major festive days.

“Timings can vary by location, especially for outlets in shopping centres, airports, and petrol stations. To avoid disappointment, it’s always best to check your local Greggs store finder for the most accurate schedule.”