Ashton Davis, who trains at Bishop Burton College, was awarded Best Apprentice Showing Management Potential in a Manufacturing Environment, at the National Institute of Meat (IoM) and Worshipful Company of Butchers Annual Prizegiving.

The college was also named Best Training Provider at the ceremony, which took place at Butchers’ Hall in London on February 26.

Mr Davis, who is completing his apprenticeship at Cranswick Country Foods plc, was selected from a field of apprentices across the UK.

Paul Nicholson, butchery tutor at Bishop Burton College, said: “We are incredibly proud to see Ashton recognised on a national stage.

“This award is a testament to his dedication, but it also speaks to the quality of our training for the butchery apprenticeship here at Bishop Burton College.

“We strive to provide our apprentices with the skills required to thrive in a modern industry, and seeing our students stand among the best in the country at Butchers’ Hall is the ultimate reward.”

Mr Davis received a £250 prize and a year’s honorary membership of the Institute of Meat.

Bishop Burton College was also named the Best Training Provider (Image: Bishop Burton College)

Both Mr Davis and Mr Nicholson were presented with a certificate of achievement by IoM chief executive Dave Smith and Gwyn Howells, Master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers.

Mr Smith said: “Huge congratulations to Ashton Davis and also of course to Bishop Burton College and Cranswick Country Foods plc. achieving this award has meant an exceptional amount of hard work and dedication from all three.

“It’s fantastic to be celebrating today with our biggest ever audience.

“This is proof that there is a real buzz around the meat industry at the moment.

“Ashton is part of a forward thinking, innovative industry.

“With the continued support from his training provider and employer, I am sure Ashton will have a future just as bright as the industry itself.”

The IoM and Worshipful Company of Butchers Annual Prizegiving celebrates the achievements of butchery apprentices, training providers, and employers.

Nominations are vetted by a panel of industry experts, with only 12 categories awarded nationwide.

The event also marks the announcement of the next cohort of IoM-accredited Master Butchers.

Enquiries about butchery apprenticeships at Bishop Burton College can be directed to apprenticeshipenquiries@bishopburton.ac.uk.

Police said an investigation into the shooting is now in ‘critical early stages’

An investigation is underway after gunshots were blasted at a woman in Liverpool.

The shooting happened on Lime Grove, off Lodge Lane in the Toxteth area, at around 12.55am this morning (Thursday, March 12). Armed officers were scrambled to the scene.

Merseyside Police said a woman, aged in her 20s, was shot in the legs. She was taken to hospital from the scene.

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The shooting was believed to have been ‘targeted’ with the attack carried out by someone ‘known to the victim’, police added. A probe is now underway with the investigation in its ‘critical early stages’.

Forensic officers remain on the scene. A police car has been pictured stationed on the road this morning, the Liverpool Echo reports.

Detective Inspector Ainsley McAlice said: “These are the critical early stages of our investigation, and we are looking to establish exactly what happened, where it happened, and to find the person responsible.

“We understand the concern that such any such incident will have in our communities, and initially believe that this was a targeted attack by someone known to the victim. If you know anything or live locally and saw the incident or anyone making off around Lodge Lane or towards Sefton Park, please come forward as a matter of urgency.

“Your CCTV, doorbell footage or other information could be vital evidence. Officers will remain in the area today, gathering evidence and speaking to people locally to provide reassurance, so contact us directly or anonymously via Crimestoppers.”

Information can be given to Merseyside Police’s social media desk using X or Facebook Merseyside Police Contact Centre. You can also report information here https://orlo.uk/2CLH6 or by calling 101 quoting incident reference 23 of Thursday 12 March. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website here.

Newcastle-based the Inn Collection Group was previously on board for the project to add a 42 bedroom hotel and restaurant on the seafront at Coatham.

But scrutiny committee members at Redcar and Cleveland Council were recently told the developer was “exploring alternative options”.

It was reported the company planned to invest about £6m in development of the project, which now appears to be in limbo.

Money from the Tees Valley Combined Authority – £294,000 – has been allocated and spent on remediating the land, off Majuba Road, in order to pave the way for construction of the hotel with the council employing a contractor for the required groundworks.

Councillors at a meeting were told that the site – located between the TunedIn! building and a crazy golf course ‘Frosty Penguin’s Putting Adventure’ which opened in 2023 – had “attracted interest from multiple investors, and potential future options may emerge”.

Meanwhile, a council spokeswoman said: “Discussions are ongoing about the future of the site.”

The fenced off site on Majuba Road which has been earmarked for a new hotel. Picture/credit: Google. Free for use for all LDRS partners.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has attempted to contact the Inn Collection Group, only to receive no response to date.

The council, which has an ongoing masterplan in place for the regeneration of Coatham, formalised a heads of terms agreement with the hotel chain in 2020 – a subject to contract framework for negotiations – and planning permission for the development was later granted.

But even then doubts had already surfaced with former council leader Sue Jeffrey questioning whether council chiefs had a “plan B” should the hotel developer pull out.

In an update delivered to the council in March 2024, Councillor Lynn Pallister, the cabinet member for growth and enterprise, appeared to confirm everything was still on track, stating that once remediation was finished “the plan is for the Inn Collection Group to begin developing the hotel”.

She added: “Coatham seafront has received a complete makeover this past year, with leisure facilities on the seafront boosting tourism in the area, and we’ll soon be welcoming a big hotel chain to complement this. 

“The Coatham area is close to Redcar’s town centre, train station and the UK’s largest industrial zone Teesworks, so the hotel will be in a great location.”

Councillor Chris Jones, who chairs the growth scrutiny committee at the council, said he had previously asked officers for an update and it would be a “real blow” if nothing was currently on the table in terms of the earmarked development.

In 2022 tourist visitors to Redcar and Cleveland contributed an estimated £216m to the local economy.

But the same year consultation responses from those working in the tourism sector to a destination management strategy published by the council highlighted how there was a “dependence on day visits”.

The borough was also said previously to have only one hotel with more than 50 rooms which would cater in larger numbers for people wishing to stay overnight.

A new hotel in Coatham was originally discussed for the Coatham green side of Majuba Road.

But following the demolition of the old Redcar Bowl venue that land was allocated for a new 5,000 seater arena project.

The ambitious plans bit the dust last year after failing to attract the required investment.

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana admitted his side were handed a reality check by Paris Saint-Germain after last night’s sobering Champions League defeat.

Liam Rosenior’s young side were more than a match for the holders and fully deserved to be on terms when Enzo Fernandez made it 2-2 shortly before the hour mark.

A catastrophic error from goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, however, presented Vitinha with the chance to restore PSG’s lead with 16 minutes remaining and two late goals from substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia left Chelsea with a mountain to climb in next week’s return fixture.

Ousmane Dembele, recently returned from injury, had earlier given Luis Enrique’s side a 2-1 lead, applying the perfect finish to a sweeping move having tied Fofana up in knots in the process.

‘It’s nothing new,’ said Fofana when asked to assess PSG’s class in attack. ‘I think everyone knows it. Last year, they were European champions, and that’s not for nothing.

‘They have a Ballon d’Or winner, they have Ousmane (Dembele), who is among the best players in the world, even now, even though he’s coming back from injury.

‘So yes, for sure, they are great players, they only have great players.’

The tie was still in the balance heading into the closing stages but the impact Kvaratskhelia made coming off the bench is likely to prove decisive with the Georgia international punishing Chelsea’s naivety.

‘We saw it, they bring on another great player (Kvaratskhelia). He hurt us, he scores two goals.

‘Was it a difficult moment? Physically, we were struggling because we pressed a lot, we tried to go man-to-man throughout the match, but they are a great team.

‘Tonight, they showed that, so hats off to them.’

Pedro Neto, meanwhile, has apologised for pushing a ball boy to the ground during a frenetic end to the game.

The incident occurred with Chelsea trailing 4-2 in stoppage time at the Parc des Princes Rosenior’s side sought a late response.

The PSG players reacted angrily after Neto wrestled the ball off the ball boy, leaving him on the ground and sparking a melee, and the Portuguese winger spoke after the match to hold his hands up.

‘I want to come out to say the situation that happened on the pitch, I want to apologise to the ball boy,’ the 26-year-old told TNT Sports.

‘I already spoke with him. With the emotions of the game, we were losing, I wanted to pick up the ball. I gave him a little push and I saw that I hurt him in a sort of way.

‘I’m not like this. I went there to apologise, I gave him my shirt as well. That cannot happen, so I’m really, really sorry about that.’

Neto escaped without any punishment from the referee, and head coach Rosenior also apologised in his post-match press conference.

“If there was anything from our side that was wrong or out of order, I apologise on behalf of the club,” he said.

It was the home side who had the last laugh, though, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scoring his second goal four minutes into stoppage time to make it 5-2 and put PSG within touching distance of the quarter-finals.

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La Cocina in Richmond closed its doors temporarily at the end of last year after the previous owners stepped down, three years after launching the restaurant.

The much‑loved venue said it was pausing trade while it looked for new owners to “secure its future.”

Taking to social media last night (March 10), staff confirmed La Cocina will reopen on March 14 at 5pm.

The post said: “We are over the moon here at Cocina to announce on March 14, we will be opening our doors again.

“Our inbox is open for bookings from now or contact the restaurant directly, we cannot wait to have our doors open again and for the staff and chef to be back in the building coming back to join our new venture.

“We want to take a moment to give a special thank you to our fantastic new owners, Chris, Lisa and Lorraine who have made this all possible and have secured our future here on Rosemary Lane.

“We also owe another thank you to our original owners, Gary and Dawn, who three years ago opened Cocina’s doors for the very first time, we wish them the very best.

“Here’s to MANY more years of Cocina.”

Since announcing the news, many long‑standing customers have taken to social media to share their excitement.

One person said: “Fabulous news. Very best wishes and loads of love to the new management. I just know you’ll be great.”

Another added: “Great news to hear that Cocina will be opening its doors again, sending best wishes to you all and good luck.”

As the website is currently undergoing a “makeover”, the owners have asked customers to book via the Facebook page, email jaelacocina@gmail.com or call 01748826576.

Rated 3.9 on TripAdvisor, the restaurant has drawn praise for its relaxed atmosphere and fresh Mediterranean dishes.

One reviewer wrote: “La Cocina has been a great place to either grab a quick, little bite or to enjoy a casual dinner with family or friends.

“They have good happy hour prices on margaritas. The quality of the food has always been fresh and delicious.”

La Cocina is based at 7 Rosemary Lane, DL10 4DP, and is a short walk from Richmond’s market place.

“But I do think the idea of a basic level of charter – I don’t know, there might be an example out there – but an overall charter that has a time length like this, I think there should be a standard provision that just goes forever, basically, until Parliament, or whatever the mechanism is, decides through recent debate – actively, actively, not passively – to say, okay, we don’t want the BBC anymore.”

Djokovic, runner-up to Alcaraz at January’s Australian Open, won 87% of points on his serve as he clinched the opening set.

However, Draper levelled to force a decider as the quality rose, with Djokovic winning a gruelling 26-shot rally in the opening game at 30-30 on the Serb’s serve.

The Briton broke his rival’s next service game but, serving for the match at 5-4 up, was broken back as the match went to a tie-break.

Once again, Draper regrouped impressively to advance and set up a quarter-final against former world number one Daniil Medvedev.

“It was a real physical battle, there were definitely a lot of ups and downs in the match,” Draper, 24, said.

“To come through that match is something I will never forget.”

Djokovic, playing his first tournament reaching the final of the Australian Open in January, believes he paid the price for the 26-shot rally.

“It cost me a break after,” he said. “It was great winning that point in that game, but I just ran completely out of the gas.

“I got the crowd backing me and I felt the energy. It was, like, ‘maybe I’m going take this one’.

“It was so close, so close. I mean, just unfortunate few mistakes from my side.”

“He is playing at a great level. Just, overall, a great player, great guy.”

The 24-time major winner regularly leaned on his racket between points as Draper broke but the Briton was unable to see the contest out as, serving for match, he hit a wild backhand wide, double faulted and prodded a tame drop shot into the net, with a magnificent Djokovic drop shot seeing him take the second break point.

The following article contains spoilers from the episode of Emmerdale dated March 12. It hasn’t aired on ITV1 yet, but can be viewed on ITVX.

He’s a man of mystery, but a hurt Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) is just like any other character in Emmerdale – he searches for comfort in the wrong place.

Yesterday, the character witnessed Tracy Shankley (Amy Walsh) getting overwhelmed at the news of Cain Dingle’s (Jeff Hordley) cancer diagnosis. Given his father died as a result of prostate cancer, Graham knows what Cain and his family are going through right now, and did his best to try and make Tracy feel better.

That evening, Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) wondered why Graham was residing at Home Farm and spending time with Kim Tate (Claire King) when he’s such a decent man.

He explained that he was only there for Joe Tate (Ned Porteous), leaving Rhona to wonder what else Graham actually wants now he’s back in the village.

He got closer to her and made it clear that he wanted her. Rhona has previously told just about everyone in the village that she’s not interested in Graham, but the look on her face and the length of time she gazed into his eyes suggested otherwise.

Graham and his one and only tie (seriously can the man do some shopping) was back at Smithy Cottage in today’s episode and asked Rhona if they were going to do anything about their obvious chemistry.

Graham told Rhona that he’d wait for her on the footbridge in a few hours and if she’s there, they can talk about their dynamic.

Rhona had every intention of meeting Graham, but got distracted due to daughter Ivy injuring herself at nursery. As soon as she was back though, she got Vanessa Woodfield (Michelle Hardwick) to watch Ivy as she raced across the village.

When she got there, Graham was nowhere to be seen.

He was back at Home Farm drowning his sorrows with a fresh glass of water. As someone who also doesn’t drink alcohol, I like to mix things up and pour a glass of orange juice when I’m heartbroken but you do you Graham.

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The door went and a certain someone entered. Her dislike towards Graham suddenly didn’t exist in this moment though, as all she could focus on was the argument she just had with someone else in the village.

Graham poured some alcohol and then started coming onto the character. They ended up going upstairs, with Graham failing to spot a phone call coming in from Rhona.

Want to know who it is? You’ll have to check out the episode tonight, or watch it on ITVX right now.

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