Key was also a guest on the the TMS programme and he said England will make changes in the way they approach selection.

There had been a perception that the England Test team felt like a ‘closed shop’, particularly to players in county cricket who did not fit the aggressive Bazball style.

Key said the introduction of a “county insight group” to offer input into selection will attempt to formally rebuild relations with stakeholders, including directors of cricket, in the domestic game.

The 46-year-old former Kent captain also said England’s selection policy will become more cut-throat compared to the past when certain players have almost appeared undroppable.

“We’ve overvalued loyalty and overvalued having a settled team,” Key said.

“We thought what we wanted to do is make sure we have a team that is settled out there [in Australia], that we go out there and we’re not giving debuts to opening batters [during the Ashes] and stuff like that.

“But what that does is it creates an environment where there’s not enough consequence. We need to be more ruthless with our selection.”

McCullum is due to return to work towards the end of May as England gear up for a Test series against his native New Zealand which starts at Lord’s on 4 June.

However, Vaughan felt it would have been worthwhile McCullum spending time on the circuit during the early rounds of the County Championship – for good PR if nothing else.

“I’m a bit disappointed that he’s not coming a bit earlier,” Vaughan said.

“I think at this stage, when you’re trying to win back the fans, trying to win back a little bit of the game, if I was Brendon McCullum, I’d come a few weeks earlier, get seen around the counties.

“I’d go and talk to a few coaches, go and speak to a few umpires, get seen out and about just for the optics. Because at this stage he needs the fans, and he needs the game to kind of get behind his philosophy a little bit more.”

You can watch the full TMS debate over the post-Ashes review on BBC iPlayer or download it as a podcast.

Early symptoms of meningitis may be easy to dismiss or confuse

Meningitis is a serious infection that can develop rapidly and potentially cause lifelong complications if left without treatment for too long. However, some of its earliest warning signs can easily be dismissed and mistaken for much more common conditions.

Dr Donald Grant, GP and Senior Clinical Advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, highlighted seven specific illnesses that have a lot of overlapping symptoms with the early stages of meningitis. He emphasised that one of the key differences between these conditions and meningitis is that the latter will progress very quickly while others may take time for symptoms to worsen.

Key signs of meningitis according to the doctor:

• Stiff neck
• Confusion
• Seizures
• Sensitivity to light
• Rash that does not fade when pressed

Flu

In the early stages, meningitis may cause fever, headaches, fatigue, nausea and muscle aches. All of which can be triggered by the flu as well. However, the flu usually doesn’t cause other symptoms like confusion or sensitivity to light which may be the key in telling the difference.

Severe Migraine

Meningitis causes intense headaches and when paired with the light sensitivity symptom it’s easy to see why it can be mistaken for a migraine. The GP warned: “If symptoms occur alongside fever, confusion or neck stiffness, medical attention should be sought urgently.”

Gastroenteritis

Vomiting, fever and general fatigue are overlapping symptoms shared by gastroenteritis and meningitis but the latter will soon develop neurological symptoms which aren’t usually caused by stomach bugs.

Covid-19 or Viral Respiratory Infections

Meningitis also shares a lost of similar symptoms with other viral infections like Covid. The doctor noted that one of the few ways to tell the diferrence between these conditions is seeing how quickly the symptoms escalate.

Severe Sinus Infection

Also known as sinusitis, this condition can cause fever, fatigue and severe headaches just like the early stages of meningitis. However, it usually doesn’t cause neck stiffness or neurological symptoms as meningitis does.

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Encephalitis

This condition involves inflammation of the brain. It can be very serious and must be treated as quickly as possible. Like meningitis, it also causes fever, headaches, confusion and sensitivity to light.

The GP said: “Because both conditions affect the brain and nervous system, distinguishing between them typically requires medical tests.”

Hangover or ‘Fresher’s Flu’

Dr Grant continued: “Interestingly, meningitis symptoms in young adults are sometimes mistaken for hangovers or what is often referred to as ‘fresher’s flu’, particularly in university settings where fatigue, headaches and nausea may seem routine. However, meningitis can progress extremely quickly, so persistent symptoms or sudden deterioration should never be ignored.

“If meningitis is suspected at any point, it is crucial to seek urgent medical attention. Early diagnosis and treatment significantly improve outcomes and can be lifesaving.”

If the long wait for GTA 6 is starting to get to you, there are a lot of older games that should be able to scratch a similar itch.

Given how long it’s been since Rockstar Games has released a new GTA game (13 years this September!), it’s no wonder people are getting antsy about GTA 6 and its promised release date this year.

It’s still going to be a long wait for that November 19 launch date, though, and it’s entirely possible it will be delayed a third time, forcing fans to wait until 2027 to play it.

GTA 5 and its GTA Online multiplayer mode have helped keep people satiated this long, but what if you’ve had enough of that and yet still hanker for something similar? Well, there have been plenty of GTA clones over the years; some of which are worth playing today, even if they don’t reach quite the same highs as their inspiration.

True Crime: Streets Of LA

PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, and PC

One of the earliest GTA clones, launching just a couple of years after GTA 3, True Crime: Streets Of LA is also one of the most brazen, lifting all the core elements of the series, including a city you can freely roam, full of vehicles to commandeer and innocent civilians to gun down or run over.

It’s also one of the more successful examples, proving to be decently enjoyable even if it lacked originality; although it led to a sadly inferior sequel. While publisher Activision has long since abandoned the series, you can grab a second-hand PlayStation 2 copy for as little as £3 from CeX.

Wheelman

Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC

Something of a cross between GTA and the Burnout racing games, Wheelman is most notable for starring Vin Diesel in the lead role. In fact, Diesel was heavily involved with developer Tigon Studios, which also co-developed his Chronicles Of Riddick games with the core team behind Indiana Jones And The Great Circle.

With Diesel being a fan of video games himself, we’re a little surprised he hasn’t pushed to re-release Wheelman. Although it’s let down by its on-foot mission, the actual driving is a lot of fun. You can grab an Xbox 360 copy for just £2.50 through CeX, but it’s unfortunately not backwards compatible with the Xbox Series X and, like True Crime, isn’t on Steam.

The Getaway

PlayStation 2

Aside from two London expansions for the very first GTA game, Rockstar has stuck to using American cities for the series. If you’ve ever wanted a 3D GTA game that lets you roam the city of London, then The Getaway is the next best thing.

Its recreation of London isn’t as accurate nowadays, but that makes it an interesting time capsule for anyone nostalgic for the 2000s. While you can get cheap copies from CeX, it’s strange Sony never moved to re-release it, considering it spawned the Gangs Of London TV show. Although VR title Blood & Truth was originally intended to be an official part of the franchise.

The Godfather

PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PSP, and PC

It came out more than 30 years after the movie (and turned 20 this week), but this adaptation of The Godfather was surprisingly decent for its time and is still regarded as one of the better GTA clones; one you can buy second-hand from places like musicMagpie.

Featuring several actors reprising their roles (including Marlon Brando’s final performance), you play as an original character doing jobs for the Corleone family. There’s been some demand for a remaster, but it’s probably impossible given how much renegotiating for actors’ likenesses would be needed.

Scarface: The World Is Yours

PlayStation 2, Xbox, Wii, and PC

Isn’t it strange that 2006 saw two famous gangster movies, both well over two decades old by the time the games came out, being turned into solidly entertaining GTA clones, that featured many of the original actors?

The Scarface game, however, diverged greatly from its source material, serving as an alternate universe sequel where Tony Montana survives and goes on a revenge spree. A quick Google search shows second-hand copies can be a bit pricey, with the cheapest we can find being the Wii version for £5 at CeX.

An alleged re-release popped up on PC storefronts last year, but it was just as quickly delisted and reportedly uses fan patches without permission, so it’s extremely unlikely it’ll ever be officially available.

The Simpsons: Hit & Run

PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, and PC

To this day, people are still demanding The Simpsons: Hit & Run see a re-release or remaster, especially now that the original developer, Radical Entertainment (which was also responsible for the Scarface game), has been revived.

While lacking guns, this Simpsons-ified take on the GTA formula was effectively authentic and, most importantly, quite funny. The game remains available through a fan-made PC mod (which saw a new update just this month) though you need to supply your own copy of the game.

Second-hand PC copies are rather expensive, although CeX is selling them for £15 at time of writing.

Sleeping Dogs

Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC

The next batch of examples are much easier to play nowadays since they’re available on modern platforms through their digital storefronts. That includes Sleeping Dogs, which started out as a True Crime sequel set in Hong Kong.

Activision sold the publishing rights to Square Enix, with Sleeping Dogs going onto become something of a cult classic thanks to its atmosphere, a fun world to explore, and plenty of entertaining (if unoriginal) activities.

Marvel actor Simu Liu is so much of a fan that he pushed to revive the cancelled movie adaptation, which he’ll also star in as undercover policeman Wei Shen.

Watch Dogs 2

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC

The Watch Dogs series is allegedly dead in the water, after the poor sales of 2020’s Watch Dogs: Legion, which isn’t surprising as Legion felt like such a step back after the far superior Watch Dogs 2.

A vast improvement over the first game, Watch Dogs 2’s shooting and driving mechanics were better than GTA 5’s and it also offered some unique ideas of its own, especially its hacking activities. Had the story and characters been more interesting, this could’ve been an even bigger hit.

Lego City Undercover

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, and PC

Between its initial Wii U exclusivity and it not being based on a famous movie franchise like Star Wars, Lego City Undercover went unnoticed by many people. That’s such a shame, since it’s not only a good Lego game in its own right, but unironically one of the better GTA clones – and one of the very few suitable for kids.

It’s lost some of its uniqueness over the years, thanks to how old the formula of the Lego games has become, but the open world city is very well designed and full of things to find, and the script can catch you off guard with how genuinely funny it can be.

Saints Row 2

Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC

When people think of GTA clones, Saints Row is perhaps the first that comes to mind. Although its reputation has wavered thanks to the woeful 2022 reboot, which helped kill developer Volition.

After the first game was decried as a straight GTA clone, Saints Row 2 helped form more of an identity by focusing on humour and over-the-top gameplay; something the series doubled down on with the sequels, until the reboot.

Saints Row 2 is considered the best entry thanks to its absurd plot and side-activities and while the humour hasn’t aged gracefully since its 2008 release, we respect its refusal to take itself seriously.

The Xbox 360 version is backwards compatible on Xbox Series X, so you can download it for just £8.99, and the original PC version is usually available for £8.79 on Steam, although it’s currently discounted to the very low price of £2.19 until Thursday, March 26.

Volition also made the Red Faction series which at first was basically Saints Row set on Mars, but with a more serious storyline.

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The records, seen by Sky News, show that applications were filed in September 2024, before they were approved last year. A range of product categories were approved, including jewellery, stationery, furniture, tote bags, skincare, candles and food products, among others.

The national chain lodged plans to increase the size of its Healaugh Park store last year by knocking into and extending the former Whitworth Chemist. 

Aldi had been considering an extension in the town “for some time” – and it was December that the proposals were finally approved by Stockton Borough Council.

Now, diggers and shipping containers have been pictured on site, with fences erected around the former chemist where the extension will be. 

A section of the car park has also been shut off to customers.

The Aldi supermarket at Healaugh Park in Yarm (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

On one fence around Whitworths, a sign states: “Your new, extended Aldi, is coming soon”. 

Once the works are complete, Yarm’s Aldi will have an extra 353m2 of floor space and include a new entrance lobby, staff room, and customer toilet. 

A new paved area will be added to the side of the store, similar to what currently runs along the front of Whitworths, and the trolley bay will be extended. 

The Aldi supermarket at Healaugh Park in Yarm (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

The overall car parking spaces will actually increase to 89, with 85 customer spaces to the south and four staff spots to the north.

Re-roofing of the shop is also scheduled along with the widening of the service yard. 

Aldi previously confirmed the works were due to get underway in the new year, with hopes to be completed between July and September. 

The Aldi supermarket at Healaugh Park in Yarm (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

It has not yet been confirmed whether the store will close at any point during the works. 

A spokesperson previously said: “Works are underway at our Yarm store and are due to complete towards the end of summer.

“Shoppers can continue to access the store as normal.”

The Healaugh Park complex as a whole, which is also home to Presto Pizza and Chinese takeaway Yarm Fast Food, has been owned by Aldi for many years.

It was home to a Post Office and corner shop until last year, which has recently been taken over by Cohen’s Chemist.

The Winter Fuel Payment is worth between £200 and £300 depending on age and circumstances, and is usually paid automatically to eligible households

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From April 1, pensioners in England and Wales will have the option to opt out of the Winter Fuel Payment for 2026/27, a move that could potentially help some avoid a later tax bill or adjustment.

Following rules implemented last year, the annual heating payment is now aimed at those with incomes at or below £35,000.

However, it will be paid automatically, even if someone’s income surpasses that level, unless they choose to opt-out before the September deadline.

For pensioners with higher incomes, any payment received will be reclaimed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), typically through adjustments to their tax code in the subsequent financial year. Opting out means the payment is not issued in the first place, eliminating the need for it to be repaid later.

The Winter Fuel Payment ranges between £200 and £300 depending on age and circumstances, and is usually paid automatically to eligible households.

Although the amount is based on household eligibility, it is paid to individuals. This means one person in a couple can opt out while the other continues to receive their share, depending on their income, reports the Daily Record.

Last year, some pensioners were unaware they could opt out before the qualifying week in September, resulting in them receiving the payment and later facing its recovery.

The qualifying week for the 2026/27 payment is typically the third week in September, so anyone wishing to opt out will need to do so before then. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will confirm the exact dates later this year.

Pensioners who opt out but later find their income falls below £35,000 can still make a claim for the payment up to March 31, 2027. Meanwhile, those who did not receive the Winter Fuel Payment for 2025/26 can still submit a claim before March 31 this year.

A British couple jailed for 10 years in Iran on “falsified” spying charges say they feel abandoned by the UK government – and have urged the prime minister to “step up and help us”.

Speaking from prison in Tehran, Craig and Lindsay Foreman said they feel “let down, alone and completely frustrated” with how their situation is being handled.

The 53-year-olds, from East Sussex, were jailed last month following their arrest in January 2025 while travelling through Iran during a global trip by motorcycle. They deny the allegations.

The couple are being held in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, which they say has placed them in a “life-threatening situation” as it is in an active war zone.

In a statement, Mr Foreman said: “We were charged based on falsified evidence that was fabricated to suit the maximum sentence.

“Our government are fully aware of this information and know we are 100% innocent.

“We are proud to be British, but by now we feel let down, alone, and completely frustrated by the lack of public defence by the people in charge of the government.

“It’s very difficult to understand why our innocence has not been said publicly. We are not spies. The charges against us are simply not true.”

Iran war latest: ‘Wide-scale wave of strikes’ begins

He added that Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper “know we are innocent”.

“Go public with the information – you have to clearly step up, step out of the shadows and help us. Our lives are constantly at risk,” said Mr Foreman.

“We are now in a prison in a war zone. We have gone from a challenging situation to a life-threatening situation.

“You have chosen to give us zero information on what’s happening to us, what to do and where to go if the prison doors were to open.

“There is a serious lack of commitment for our safety.”

A family spokesperson said conditions inside the prison are “deteriorating rapidly” with basic essentials “running out” and medical care “absent”.

Explosions are said to have struck close enough to send “shockwaves through the buildings, blowing out windows and forcing prisoners to dive for cover as debris falls around them”.

Ms Foreman’s son, Joe Bennett, called their detention a “slow-motion destruction”.

He said: “My mum is in pieces. She’s gone from always finding the positive to feeling completely lost.

“The sense that she’s been abandoned by her own government is breaking her.

“They are being held in appalling conditions – sleeping on metal bunks without mattresses, in constant pain. Craig is in agony with an untreated dental abscess.

“They have nowhere to turn. This isn’t just detention, it’s slow-motion destruction.”

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February: Couple sentenced in Iran

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warns all British and British-Iranian nationals not to travel to Iran because of a “significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention”.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the FCDO said: “The welfare of British nationals detained in Iran is a priority for this government and continues to be during the current situation in the Middle East.

“Craig and Lindsay’s sentences are completely appalling and totally unjustifiable.

“We will continue to pursue this case relentlessly with the Iranian regime until we see Craig and Lindsay safely returned to the UK and reunited with their family.

“We will continue to provide consular assistance to the couple and their families.”

With a host of highway and utility works scheduled or already underway, residents and drivers in Darlington are advised to check their routes and allow extra time for journeys.

Here are the works and closures you should know for Tuesday, March 24:

Blackwell: Major Road Closures for Gas Mains Upgrade

A major closure is in place for the section of Blackwell between its junctions with Bridge Road and Carmel Road South.

Northern Gas Networks is carrying out utility repair and maintenance works affecting the carriageway, footways, and verge.

The project involves the abandonment and replacement of extensive lengths of pipework and is scheduled to run until April 15.

During this time, the road will be fully closed to through traffic.

Carmel Road South: Lane Closures for Gas Works

Carmel Road South will also see major work as Northern Gas Networks undertakes a gas mains replacement between the roundabout and the opposite side of The Spinnery Junction.

The works, set to last until June 16, will include lane closures. Comprehensive replacements of existing cast iron pipes with polyethylene are planned, resulting in significant activity along the footway and carriageway.

Motorists should expect slower traffic and lane restrictions for the duration.

Abbey Road: Road Closure for Highway Improvements

Darlington Borough Council is carrying out major improvement works on Abbey Road, from the Carmel Road North junction to just past the Neville Road junction. Works are due to finish on April 17.

The closure is in place for the installation of a speed table and footway improvements, with phase two continuing subsequent works.

Vehicles will not have through access during this period.

Clifton Road and Belvedere Road Back Street: Sewer Maintenance Closure

A road closure is in force from the rear of 1 to 27 Belvedere Road, including Clifton Road and the Belvedere Road back street.

Northumbrian Water is carrying out sewer lining works, which will not involve excavation.

The closure will be in effect until March 27.

Park Lane: One-Day Road Closure for Testing at Train Station

On March 24, Park Lane outside Darlington Train Station will be closed for major maintenance works by O2 (UK) Limited.

The closure enables plate testing.

Victoria Road North Back: Service Connection Closure

Northern Gas Networks will close Victoria Road North Back at the rear of 119 Hotel, from March 23 until April 1.

This closure is required for a new gas service connection.

Eastbourne Road and Belgrave Street Back Street: Urgent Water Leak Repairs

Northumbrian Water will close the rear of 6 Belgrave Street from March 23 to March 27 for urgent repairs to renew a leaking boundary box.

No through traffic will be permitted for the duration.

Brighton Road and Belgrave Street Back Street: Sewer Repairs

Urgent works will also be carried out by Northumbrian Water at the rear of 41 Brighton Road between March 23 and March 27, requiring a road closure for leak repair works.

Geneva Road: Temporary Traffic Signals for Water Works

On March 24, Geneva Road at number 248 will see minor utility repairs by Northumbrian Water.

Two-way traffic signals will be in place for the duration of the works.

Other Ongoing Closures

Elsewhere, road closures and traffic signals are in operation at Skinnergate, Crown Street (due to a sinkhole), Archdeacon Crescent, Rotary Way, Thompson Street West, Harrowgate Village, and Beaumont Hill, as various utility and council works continue in and around Darlington.

Drivers are encouraged to observe all on-site signage and plan for ongoing disruption as improvement and upgrade works progress across the town.

The public gallery was filled to capacity with Ms McNally’s family, friends and supporters as anticipation mounted that a verdict would be reached

Cheers erupted at Belfast Crown Court amid emotional scenes after Stephen McCullagh was convicted of murdering his partner Natalie McNally.

It came at the start of the fifth week of the trial of McCullagh, 36, of Woodland Gardens, Lisburn, at Belfast Crown Court.

The jury of six men and six women reached the verdict after around two hours of deliberations, and four weeks of hearing evidence which delved into Ms McNally and McCullagh’s relationship, his audacious staging of a six-hour livestream to give him an alibi and how he disguised himself to go to her house.

The trial heard Ms McNally died at her home in Lurgan after sustaining serious and multiple fatal injuries in an act which the prosecution described as a “planned, calculated, pre-meditated murder by the defendant”.

She had been 15 weeks pregnant with McCullagh’s son.

The public gallery was filled to capacity with Ms McNally’s family, friends and supporters as anticipation mounted that a verdict would be reached.

It was just after 3.30pm when the jury returned into the courtroom with their verdict.

McCullagh showed no emotion, dressed in the blue jumper, grey T-shirt and jeans combination which he had worn for most of the trial and standing between two members of prison staff as he awaited the verdict.

He simply remained looking towards the jury as the foreperson revealed their guilty verdict and the public gallery erupted with cheers, waving arms and embraces.

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As the cheers faded, the sound of sobbing could be heard as the enormity of the moment sank in.

The judge, Mr Justice Kinney, asked those in the public gallery to calm down as he continued with the remainder of the proceedings.

After the court session rose, there were also cheers from the public gallery for the detectives and police who worked to bring McCullagh to justice.

Ms McNally’s brothers Declan and Niall McNally spoke outside Belfast Crown Court after Stephen McCullagh, 36, of Woodland Gardens, Lisburn, was found guilty of her murder on Monday.

Niall thanked the McNally and Haddock families as well as “wider family and friends for their continued support over the past three-and-a-half years”.

He also thanked “all the communities from Lurgan, Craigavon and the whole of Northern Ireland and beyond for the support they’ve given us”.

Declan paid tributed to his sister, he said: “Having you in our lives was the greatest joy we’ll ever have.

“You would have been an amazing mother to baby Dean.

“We will love you forever and we hope you can now rest easy.”

He also delivered a message about violence against women: “As Natalie receives justice today, our hearts go out to all the victims of violence against women and girls

“Our hope is that all the victims and families get their day in court and the justice they deserve.

“Violence against women and girls is the shame of our society and we must do everything possible to end it.”

He also paid tribute to their “amazing” parents and said: “I don’t know how they’ve done it.”

He added: “They have the biggest strength you could ever think of.

“They’ve held us all together, it’s just amazing, we love you very much”.

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