Six members of the drug gang appeared in court after bragging about their drug empire in a rap song

A brazen drug dealer who flooded Redcar with heroin and crack cocaine even recorded a rap bragging about his criminal empire, before daring detectives to “prove it”.

The track, discovered on Bradley Clough’s phone, boasted about how he “ run the town with white and brown ”, as his gang pumped kilos of class A and C drugs across North Yorkshire. But the dealer’s luck ran out when police thwarted the complex operation.

Six members of the enterprise appeared before court on Friday (April 11) as Clough, 25, was jailed for 15 years, while his right‑hand man, Callum Quinn, 26, was handed an 11‑year stretch. The remaining defendants were also locked up for their lesser roles.

Clough, 25, of Thrush Road, Redcar, was “top of the tree” in the conspiracy, which officers foiled in September 2024. The gang racked up an estimated £80,000 during their enterprise, which utilised two drug lines to advertise deals of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and zopiclone tablets.

A cocky Clough told officers to “prove it” when quizzed about his crimes, something which officers were able to do by using photos and his the suspect’s own rap song about drugs taken from his phone, a court heard.

The lyrics of Clough’s rap said:

A run this town with white and brown / A got a mad little crack round / No weed a smoke more than your selling / Come round here a teach yas all a lesson / What a got and what a made a count it all. As a blessing / Coz wen a was in my cell man a was stressing about my line / Ppl taking the p**s coz a got bit of time / My new grafter trying to snake me on my line.

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“Clough was the main ringleader of the group and set the drugs line up when he was released from prison last year. He ran the operation but didn’t go near the drugs,” explained Detective Sergeant, Collingwood from the Dedicated Drugs Unit at Cleveland Police.

“He let the others do his dirty work. Crucial evidence taken from Clough’s phone included photos of him holding large amounts of cash, incriminating messages relating to the supply of drugs and even a rap song he had made about his drug dealing antics.

“Hopefully Clough’s time in prison will inspire further raps about what it’s like to spend time behind bars. We are pleased with the success of this investigation; taking drugs off the streets and five people in prison paying for their crimes.”

Ruth Aisling recently visited a Bake Off semi-finalist’s shop in a stunning town hailed for its “stunning Highland scenery and chic Scandi-style sophistication”

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A travel vlogger who visited a Bake Off semi-finalist’s shop in a stunning Scottish town has described the bake she tried as “unbelievable”. In her latest adventure, Ruth Aisling, a Scot who seeks to renew her connection with her roots after more than a decade overseas, recently set off to the town of Dunkeld in Perth and Kinross.

In 2023, The Sunday Times named Dunkeld the Best Place to Live in Scotland, citing the area’s “winning combination of stunning Highland scenery and chic Scandi-style sophistication”.

Ruth explained that she’d wanted to visit the town for “years and years” and began her journey at Dunkeld Bridge over the River Tay, where she claims anglers can enjoy “one of the best places in Scotland” for salmon fishing.

Later, she wandered the town’s “beautiful” streets, referencing some colourful local history involving a battle and the town’s rebuilding in the 18th century, as well as its “top-notch” food scene.

Ruth ultimately found herself at a local establishment with an interesting claim to fame: ARAN Bakery on Atholl Street is a micro-bakery owned by Great British Bake Off semi-finalist Flora Shedden, who appeared on the show in 2015.

She said: “So ARAN Bakery is one of the famous bakeries here in Dunkeld, and I picked up a few things for my lunch. I got this drink as well, a nettle and elderflower drink. What an interesting combination. Let’s give this a try. Wow, that is so good.”

Ruth was referring to her can of Nuisance Sparkling Botanicals Nettle and Elderflower, as well as a spanakopita spiral pastry. Taking a bite of the latter, she remarked: “So I got this feta pastry that looks so yummy. Wow, that is unbelievable.

“There’s a TV show called the Great British Bake Off. I’ve never actually watched it, but I think the owner of that bakery was in the finals or the semi-finals of that show.

“I think it’s mostly baking that they do on that show. It’s quite a famous bakery. I think it’s got quite a big Instagram page, a lot of followers. Sometimes when you eat a pastry, it’s quite soggy, or it can be quite dry and crunchy.

“This is the perfect balance of soggy and dry in the middle. It’s perfect. So good.”

Afterwards, she tucked into a nutty caramel shortbread, saying: “This looks so yummy. Caramel shortbread is one of my favourite Scottish treats. This one is an interesting take on it. Instead of chocolate on the top, there are lots of nuts. Everything from that bakery is ten out of ten.”

According to Hidden Scotland, ARAN Bakery “sold out in four hours” on the day it opened and quickly established itself within the local community, being “cherished for its simplicity and home bakes”.

Some of the mouth-watering items on offer include rosemary, sea salt and garlic focaccia, goat’s cheese and fennel jam toastie, leek and potato soup, and desserts such as mini rhubarb and custard cake and pear, chocolate and espresso cake.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of Grand National day at Aintree, with 34 runners going to post for the world’s most famous steeplechase.

With less punishing obstacles and a field full of contenders with Grade One form, the race’s complexion has changed over the last few decades but interest levels remain as high as ever.

There is nowhere else to start than with JP McManus’ green-and-gold battalion; the Irish owner accounts for four of the top six horses in the betting market.

I Am Maximus evidently has the class and course form having finished first and second in each of the last two Nationals, with Willie Mullins’ top jockey Paul Townend on board. However, he carries top weight which could prove difficult to overcome in a field with such depth.

Punters have followed Jagwar over cliffs, he is a horse with so much ability but a horrible habit of finishing second, notably to fellow McManus horse Johnnywho in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham. Iroko finished in midfield in that race, but has long been considered a National plot after running on to finish fourth last year.

Speaking of plots, the Skelton team commands respect in these blue-chip handicaps and their chance is Panic Attack, tipped by our very own Marcus Armytage to become the first mare to win the race in 75 years. Dinoblue had too much speed for her in the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham, but Panic Attack is back in handicap company today after successes in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Coral Gold Cup earlier in the season.

Bobbyjo winner Grangeclare West is another serious player for Mullins with son Paddy in the saddle, while Monty’s Star for Henry De Bromhead has a Gold Cup fourth on his CV and can be relied on to run his race

Before the main event, there are three Grade Ones on the card: Salvator Mundi is a short price for the Hallgarten & Novum Wines Maghull Novices’ Chase, there is the middle distance Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle followed by the Jet2 Liverpool Hurdle for the older stayers.

Emmerdale actor Bradley Riches shared a sweet look at his wedding as the star tied the knot with artist fiancé Scott Johnson in an intimate ceremony days after Bradley’s nan died

Emmerdale star Bradley Riches has tied the knot just days after the devastating news that his nan had died. The actor, 24, married artist fiancé Scott Johnson in an intimate ceremony in Maidenhead on Wednesday.

Bradley, who is best known for playing the part of Lewis Barton in the long-running ITV soap, shared the exciting news in an Instagram post. The happy couple exchanged vows surrounded by famous friends, including former CBB housemates David Potts and ZeZe Millz.

The sweet snap shared on social media showed Bradley and Scott kissing and hitting the dance floor. Bradley opted for a brown three-piece suit for the occasion, while his new husband, Scott, wore a beige outfit. They both proudly donned matching carnations in their buttonholes.

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Their special day came just over a week after Bradley broke the heartbreaking news that his nan had died on the eve of his wedding. Just days before he said I do, Bradley revealed his sad family news on Instagram.

In an emotional post, the star uploaded a throwback snap of the pair from his childhood. And he wrote: “Never did I think I would be saying goodbye to my Gt. Nanny just days before my wedding. Before she passed, she told me she’d be with me on my big day… and I know she will be.” He went on: “She loved Scott so much- never questioned us, just loved us fully. I will miss you every day. See ya later, love you xxx”

Bradley also shared the news post on his Stories. Alongside the post, he added an additional message which read: “Love you so much.” He followed it up with an image of a sunset.

However, he now has good news to share following the exchange of his marital vows. The actor had previously shared a video of his proposal at the end of last year.

He said at the time: “2020 was my favourite yet, but… 2026 is gonna be even better as I get to marry my best friend”. The romantic proposal from Scott took place in Sorrento in Italy.

He had previously revealed that the day was set to be a star-studded event. “‘I think all of the Big Brother lot are actually coming. Like David [Potts], Colson [Smith], Nikita [Kuzmin], Sharon [Osbourne], Levi [Roots], Zeze [Millz], Marisha [Wallace], Ekin-Su [Cülcüloğlu], and other people I’ve met along the way, like Arlene Phillips, Tasha [Ghouri] from Love Island,” he said.

Best known for his role as Lewis on Emmerdale, both he and his character are autistic. He had previously said after landing the role that it was an important step to represent the neurodivergent community.

Shortly after his debut episode aired in 2024, he said: “I’m so deeply grateful to the scriptwriters for crafting such a moving and authentic scene- showing Lewis overwhelmed by work in a way that felt so real to me and many others.

“And then to have Nicola step in with such quiet understanding… it was the kind of support every neurodivergent person deserves to feel seen, safe, and understood.”

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“A lot of people have been asking if I’m real,” said the character called Black Phillip, docking a white face mask, black bowler hat and dark suit as he stood in St Helen’s Square on Saturday afternoon (April 11). “I am very real. And some people are asking for pictures and the like.”

Phillip said he did not mind the attention from as it helped get people through the door of his market above the Impossible bar.

Inside were 23 traders selling gothic themed produce – from witchcraft items and taxidermy to décor and drawings.

Inside Black Phillip’s Impossible market on Saturday (April 11) (Image: Dylan Connell)

The market is “unlike any other”, Phillip said, “the smell’s strange, the look’s strange and it even sounds a little bit strange”.

“It’s all about celebrating local alternative culture and art,” he added, “finding those people who make hand-made wares that you can’t find anywhere else, with a certain dark, gothic grandeur, and giving them a platform to sell their wares.”

The market has been in York for around three years, previously held at the Artful Dodger in Micklegate and the York Medical Society in Stonegate.

Saturday was, however, the first time it had been staged at Impossible.

“It’s been very good,” Phillip said of the new venue. “The staff have been excellent – very thorough. I’ve very much enjoyed working with them all. I do hope it’s been a success on their part.”

Phillip said he is attracted to York as it is “where my vessel lives, and there’s not really anywhere doing this on a regular basis – true alternative art”.

Phil and Louise Potts, from Darkmoon Designs, at Black Phillip’s Impossible Market on Saturday (April 11) (Image: Dylan Connell)

Inside Black Phillip’s Impossible market on Saturday (April 11) (Image: Dylan Connell)

Phil and Louise Potts, from Middlesbrough-based Darkmoon Designs, were manning a stall at the market selling skulls, ghosts and other gothic décor.

It was their first time at the market in York. “We love it,” Phil said. “Everyone is great and it’s a lovely venue with a really good atmosphere.”

He said they regularly visit York and Whitby, which hosts the bi-annual Goth Weekend events, adding: “York and Whitby are our happy places.”

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Darkmoon Designs, Phil said, started as a hobby making 3D printed models before turning into a full business.

Phil said the company has now “found its niche” and started “concentrating on gothic décor – a bit of darkness”.

And it will “definitely” be back in York, he said.

Yulia Kachurova, from Aurorah Nero, at Black Phillip’s Impossible Market on Saturday (April 11) (Image: Dylan Connell)

‘Sassy frog’ by Yulia Kachurova, from Aurorah Nero, at the market on Saturday (April 11) (Image: Dylan Connell)

Meanwhile, Yulia Kachurova, from Aurorah Nero, was at the market selling gothic drawings.

Yulia, who draws on her iPad then has the work printed, said her drawings feature folklore, ghosts – and frogs, which she is particularly fond of.

Her work also uses humour, an example being “sassy frog” – a drawing of a frog sitting on a mushroom with freshly done hair and long painted fingernails.

“I like meeting people, our local alternative crowd – it’s nice chatting with everyone … It’s such a special event for York,” said Yulia, from Estonia originally and now living in York.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia continued to strike Ukrainian positions with drones after a Kremlin-declared Easter ceasefire took effect on Saturday, a Ukrainian military officer told The Associated Press.

“The ceasefire is not being observed by the Russian side,” said Serhii Kolesnychenko, a communications officer for the 148th Separate Artillery Brigade.

He said that while artillery fire had paused in the sector where his brigade was working, at the junction of the Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, Russian forces continued to use drones to strike Ukrainian positions.

Ukrainian forces were responding with “silence to silence and fire to fire,” Kolesnychenko said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared a 32-hour ceasefire over the Orthodox Easter weekend, ordering Russian forces to halt hostilities from 4 p.m. on Saturday until the end of Sunday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised to abide by the ceasefire, describing it as an opportunity to build on peace initiatives. But he warned there would be a swift military response to any violations.

“Easter should be a time of silence and safety. A ceasefire (at) Easter could also become the beginning of real movement toward peace,” Zelenskyy wrote in an online post on Saturday.

But he added: “We all understand who we are dealing with. Ukraine will adhere to the ceasefire and respond strictly in kind.”

Ukraine earlier proposed to Russia a pause in attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure over the Orthodox Easter holiday.

Previous ceasefire attempts have had little impact, with both sides accusing each other of violations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday described Putin’s move as a “humanitarian” gesture, but said Moscow remains focused on a comprehensive settlement based on its longstanding demands — a key sticking point that has prevented the two sides from reaching an agreement.

Deaths in Odesa and Kherson ahead of ceasefire

Hours before the ceasefire was due to begin, Russian drone strikes overnight killed at least two people in the Ukrainian city of Odesa, local authorities reported.

A further two people were wounded in the attack on the Black Sea port city, when drones hit a residential area, damaging apartment buildings, houses and a kindergarten.

The driver of a public trolley bus was killed after the vehicle was struck by a drone in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, less than an hour before the start of the ceasefire, Kherson regional head Oleksandr Prokudin wrote on Telegram.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia targeted Ukraine with 160 drones overnight, of which 133 were shot down or intercepted, hours before a proposed Easter ceasefire was due to come into force.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said 99 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across Russia and occupied Crimea.

Prisoners exchanged

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that a prisoner swap Saturday brought home 175 of its soldiers. Zelenskyy confirmed Saturday’s exchange, saying that 175 service members and seven civilians were returned. “Most had been held in captivity since 2022. And finally, they are home,” he wrote on X.

Hundreds of relatives, clutching photos of missing soldiers, crowded around ambulances and buses carrying returned prisoners of war in northern Ukraine. Many called out names and brigade numbers in hopes of finding loved ones faster.

The crowd, many draped in blue and yellow flags, chanted “We welcome you!” as the weary returnees in blue jackets reached through windows to shake hands and embrace well-wishers. Family also members held up portraits of others still-missing, asking the freed prisoners whether they recognized anyone.

Svitlana Pohosyan was waiting for her son’s return. Asked about the ceasefire, she said: “I want to believe it. God willing, may it be so. We will believe and hope that everything will be fine, that a ceasefire will come on such a holy day, and that there will be peace — peace in Ukraine and peace in the whole world.”

“My celebration will come when my son returns,” she added. “I will hold him in my arms — and that will be the greatest celebration for me. And for every mother, every family.”

Periodic prisoner exchanges have been one of the few positive outcomes of otherwise fruitless monthslong U.S.-brokered negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. The talks have delivered no progress on key issues preventing an end to Russia’s invasion of its neighbor, now in its fifth year.

Separately, seven residents of Russia’s Kursk region returned from Ukraine on Saturday after they were captured by the Ukrainian army, Russian state media reported. They were greeted at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border by Russia’s human rights ombudswoman, Tatyana Moskalkova.

According to Moskalkova, the returnees were the last of those who were taken to Ukraine from the Kursk region after the Ukrainian army took control of parts of the region in 2024.

Ukrainian forces made a surprise incursion into Kursk in August 2024 in one of their biggest battlefield successes in the war. The incursion was the first time Russian territory was occupied by an invader since World War II and dealt a humiliating blow to the Kremlin.

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Zhyhinas reported from northern Ukraine. Morton reported from London.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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There are two massive stories to chat through today – the start of direct trilateral talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan, and the return of Nasa’s Artemis II crew.

Paddy and Laura are on holiday so Newsnight’s Victoria Derbyshire and Nick Watt host.

To chat through news from Pakistan, they’re joined by Panorama filmmaker and foreign affairs and peace talks specialist Jane Corbin.

And to explain what it’s like to return to earth from space, British astronaut Tim Peake.

You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say “Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers.

You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscord

Get in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.

New episodes released every day. If you’re in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd

Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The hosts were Victoria Derbyshire and Nick Watt. It was made by Chris Flynn with Chloe Scannapieco. The social producer was Grace Braddock. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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Firefighters were called to the scene in Anthea Drive, Huntington, at 2.20pm on Saturday (April 11).

The fire was out when the crew arrived, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

 A service spokesperson said the crew checked the vehicle using a thermal imaging camera.

“Advice was given and the incident was left with a responsible person,” they added.

In the last two weeks, “peaceful” protests have been carried out – some with the help of or promoted by online groups – in the likes of Wingate, Peterlee, and Horden. 

It is understood that the protests have been in a bid to remove alleged sex offenders and paedophiles from communities in the region. 

At least two protests were held in Wingate in the final week of March. 

On March 30, crowds demanded that four people be removed from the area, and they were eventually moved by police for their own safety. 

Nobody was arrested – but damage was caused to one address.

Tensions reached boiling point at a protest in Horden on Good Friday (April 3) too, which eventually erupted into violence. 

Officers were pelted by bricks and had an e-bike rammed into a police dog van during the “serious violence” that took hold amid the protest. 

A home on a street in Horden was also destroyed, with shocking footage seen by The Northern Echo showing the trashed property, which had been vandalised by graffiti. 

Durham Police has confirmed that three people have been arrested in recent weeks, today adding that violence and criminal damage “will not be tolerated”.

A 26-year-old man was arrested on March 31 on suspicion of harassment and persistently making use of a public communication network to cause anxiety. 

He has been released on bail while further enquiries are carried out. 

A 20-year-old man was arrested on April 4 on suspicion of harassment with fear of violence and persistently making use of a public communication network to cause anxiety. 

He was also released on bail while further enquiries are carried out. 

A 41-year-old woman was arrested on Easter Sunday (April 5) to prevent a breach of the peace. She was dealt with by way of a community resolution.

Protests are continuing to be planned across the North East this week, with one understood to have taken place as recently as last night in South Shields.

While not all are organised by groups and are community led, some recent protests have been promoted or attended by them. 

Some of these groups upload posts claiming to be the locations of alleged sex offenders on social media sites including Facebook. 

One of the groups, which we have chosen not to name, states that violence and damage is “not something we want to happen” and is “not something we are inciting others to do”.

Superintendent Victoria Cubby said: “While we will always uphold the right to lawful protest, we will take necessary action against anyone who deliberately chooses to act outside the law.

 “Violence or criminal damage towards our community will not be tolerated, and we will take action against anyone involved in this type of behaviour. 

“The safety of everyone, including the public and police, remains our top priority.”