About 2,000 residents are currently on Darlington Borough Council’s waiting list for a home despite a shortage of available properties. 

But rival Conservative councillors fear the area’s value green spaces could soon be lost and be chosen by developers for new housing schemes. 

At last Thursday’s council meeting, councillors were asked to back plans to formally designate Bellburn Field, a triangle of land off Sparrow Hall Drive in Whinfield ward, and Tommy Crooks Park as protected community green spaces.

With more than 1,000 families on the waiting list naming the Whinfield area of the borough as their preferred option for a new home, opposition members fear sites like Sparrowhall Drive could be chosen for development. 

Jonathan Dulston, leader of the Conservatives, said: “We understand the need to build affordable and quality housing across the borough. It has to be sensible but there are areas where the impact on the community has to be a priority, not making a profit for the council.”

The motion, backed by Conservative colleague Cllr Scott Durham, urged the council to “give a clear and binding commitment that Darlington Borough Council will not sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of these pieces of land for development or private ownership.”

Although it was not supported by cross-party councillors, leaders agreed in principle to protect Tommy Crooks Park and the Bellburn Field. 

But for Sparrow Hall Drive, Darlington Borough Council confirmed that, in February 2022, the land was included as part of the council’s housing allocation, meaning it is available for development.

The then Conservative-led administration removed Springfield Park, also in the Whinfield ward, from the allocation but did not remove Sparrow Hall Drive. 

Chris McEwan, Labour deputy leader, said: “Cllrs Dulston and Durham are more interested in playing political games than improving residents’ lives. More focused on Facebook than facts. 

“Now, they are calling on Tommy Crooks Park, Bellburn Field, and land at Sparrow Hall Drive to be protected. But if that is their priority, then why didn’t they protect them in the Local Plan that they published and voted for?”

And highlighting the council’s ongoing housing issues, Cllr McEwan said the local authority needs to balance protecting valued green spaces with the need for new homes that residents “desperately need”.  

He added: “We have nearly 2,000 people on our housing waiting list. We have over a thousand families naming Whinfield as one of their preferences.

“We need more council housing and I will work to deliver on that – and that’s why we are exploring this site.”

Their victim was left with ‘devastating injuries’, including a slash from his forehead to his lip

A man was stabbed 17 times by three thugs wielding zombie knives in a daylight attack on a Cambridge home. Nathan Brown-Bonnett, Joel Farrow-Brown and Liam Cafferkey attacked their victim at this home in Drayton Road, Cambridge, just after 3pm on July 24, 2025.

The 45-year-old victim was stabbed 17 times, and a slash to his face from his forehead to lip. He also suffered a degloving wound to his right shoulder. The man had to undergo multiple blood transfusions and plastic surgery. A 41-year-old woman in the property also received a minor cut to her stomach.

CCTV from nearby properties captured the three suspects running from the scene. Cambridgeshire Police used this to identify the men. Appearing at Peterborough Crown Court on March 25, the trio, of no fixed addresses, were sentenced after previously pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent. Farrow-Brown also pleaded guilty to eight counts of beating an emergency worker.

Brown-Bonnett, 46, was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison, Farrow-Brown, 27, to nine years and Cafferkey, 25, to seven years and two months.

Detective Constable Edward Mcauley, who investigated, said: “This was a shocking and completely unprovoked attack that left a man with devastating injuries. The level of violence used was extreme and there is absolutely no place for this kind of behaviour in our communities.

“Thanks to diligent investigative work, these three men have been brought to justice and will now spend a significant time behind bars. We hope this sentence provides reassurance to the public that we will relentlessly pursue those who carry knives and commit violent offences.”

A man is still being questioned by police after car rammed into a group of people on a night out in Derby over the weekend.

Seven people were treated at the scene and later taken to hospital with a range of serious but not life-threatening injuries, after they were hit by a black Suzuki Swift in Friar Gate on Saturday at about 9.30pm.

A 36-year-old Derby man, who is originally from India but has lived in the UK for a number of years, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, causing serious injury through dangerous driving, inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, and dangerous driving, Derbyshire Police said.

Counter-terrorism police are assisting the investigation but police are keeping an open mind about potential motives they added. The incident is not currently being classed as terrorism.

CCTV footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows the moment a Suzuki Swift is seen racing down the road just moments after the incident, which left several people lying on the ground. 

A silver car can be seen making its way along the road at what appears to be a normal speed, before the black car shoots down the street a few moments later.

After the Suzuki Swift has passed, witnesses stand in the middle of the road to assess what has happened, before appearing to make their way down the street towards the scene of the attack. 

Blake Pierce, 21, who lives in the local area, was enjoying a night out with friends along Friars Gate when they heard ‘screaming.’

He told Metro: ‘We decided to change pubs and as we walked towards the road we started hearing screaming.

‘There were people spread out across the road and the adjacent pathway that led down.

‘We weren’t sure what to think and just froze. I could count about 6 people sprawled out pretty widespread across the area. This was all before the police showed up.’

He said bystanders rushed to help the injured before the emergency services arrived, adding that the police response time was ‘good.’

‘I’ve always found Derby to be a good night out, nothing really happens here from what I’ve experienced. It was a real shock to see something so graphic right in-front of you,’ he added.

Eren Celebi, who works at FG Express on Friar Gate, described scenes of chaos after the incident.

‘I didn’t see it exactly happen. I was serving some customers and I just heard a lot of screaming and shouting outside.

‘There was just a lot of people running about,’ the 23-year-old added.

Celebi said when he left the shop people were lying on the pavement and the main road.

‘There was like blood leaking from their head and stuff,’ he said. ‘I was a bit shocked.’

He said that some people went to check on victims, adding: ‘Some people were running into shops. Some people were just standing outside running about.’

Another man, who did not want to be named, told reporters the scene was ‘quite distressing’ and that there were ‘a lot of bloodied people’.

The man estimated that between 80 to 130 people were on the road after the incident.

He said: ‘There was a lot of ambulances, police at the scene as well – paramedics trying to get them the best possible care and it was just utter chaos.’

Chief Superintendent Emma Aldred, who leads policing in Derby, told a media briefing on Sunday that the suspected driver was arrested on the other side of the city centre seven minutes after the incident.

She said: ‘He was safely stopped in Station Approach, where the bridge crosses over towards Pride Park.

‘This swift action would not have been possible without eyewitnesses who contacted us about the vehicle’s whereabouts as it was driven away from the scene and around the city centre.’

She added that the police believe it is an isolated incident, and there is no wider risk to the public.

The Home Secretary is being kept updated on the incident, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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A fugitive accused of killing two police officers is believed to have been shot dead, Australian police have said.

Dezi Freeman, 56, was on the run for seven months after allegedly killing two officers in a remote town in Victoria state.

On Monday, police said they believed he was engaged in a three-hour standoff inside a rural property northeast of Victoria.

Heavily armed tactical officers and the man who was killed at the scene are believed to have opened fire during the shootout, police said.

“While the man is yet to be formally identified, police believe it is likely to be 56-year-old Porepunkah man Desmond Freeman,” Victoria Police said in a statement.

Freeman, previously known as Desmond Filby, was shot dead at around 8.30am, local media widely reported.

He had been inside a shelter like a shipping container, according to police.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush declined to formally confirm the identity ​of the dead man, pending official identification, but said the shooting was justified.

Chief Commissioner Bush added that no police officers were injured ⁠during the incident.

He told reporters during a press conference: “Everything I know at this point tells me that ​this shooting was justified.

“There was an opportunity for him to surrender peacefully, which he did not…we’re working ‌through the sequence of that.

“We strongly believe, yet to be confirmed, that he was armed.”

He added: “This was all about bringing this to a conclusion as safely as possible. Our ultimate goal was to arrest the person there…as peacefully as possible.”

More than 450 police officers had been involved in ‌the hunt for Freeman since August, when he allegedly opened fire on a team of 10 police officers.

The officers had arrived at a property in Porepunkah, about 300 km (186 miles) northeast of Melbourne, to execute a search warrant.

A $1m (£520,000) reward had been offered for information leading to his ​capture.

Believed to have expert bushcraft survival skills and multiple powerful ​firearms, Freeman fled into bushland at Mount Buffalo National Park following ​the shooting.

Local media described him as a “sovereign citizen”, a ⁠term used for individuals who regard the government as illegitimate.

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A spokesperson for Victoria police added: “The shooting occurred at the property shortly after 8.30am following a stand-off of several hours with police, including members of the Special Operations Group and detectives from Taskforce Summit.

“Police rendered assistance, however the man died at the scene. No one else was present at the property and no police were physically injured during the incident.

“The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be determined, however it’s understood a number of police discharged their firearms.

“Police also believe Freeman was armed and further investigation will take place to determine if he discharged a firearm.”

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said vape shop owners had a duty to ensure safety arrangements are in place and maintained in their premises.

The service has also called for vapes to be disposed of at dedicated drop-off points and not in household waste or recycling bins to avoid fires in lorries and at tips.

It follows a fire in Union Street in Glasgow on Sunday, March 8 which destroyed a Victorian building and led to the city’s rail station closing.

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Glasgow Central reopened for the first time since the fire on Wednesday, March 25.

The fire began in a vape shop though an investigation into the exact cause remains ongoing.

More than 200 firefighters were involved in the response to the fire which gutted several businesses while nearby hotels were evacuated and roads were closed.

Shops do not currently need a licence to sell vapes of e-cigarettes.

But this could change if the Tobacco and Vapes Bill currently making its way through Parliament becomes law.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the Fire Service Regulation Order 2005 placed a duty on responsible persons at businesses to ensure their premises are safe.

It added they always looked at the best ways to support businesses to operate safely and they would follow the outcome of the investigation into the cause of the Glasgow fire.

More than 200 firefighters responded to the blaze in Glasgow on Sunday, March 8 (Image: The Herald)

The service said: “Following the devastating fire Glasgow, we want to remind businesses of the guidance we can provide and the steps you can take to operate safely.

“We have a team of fire safety professionals who can provide guidance relating to fire safety in buildings.

“Our Protection and Risk team also conduct fire safety audits, address fire safety concerns and when required enforce fire safety law.

“We are committed to keeping the public safe, if you have questions or feel something is not right about a fire safety issue please contact us.”

The service has also called on people to dispose of vapes at drop-off points which are now in most supermarkets and council sites.

More than 6m vapes or pods are thrown in bins instead of being recycled every week, according to the Recycle Your Electricals campaign.

The group said they can cause dangerous fires when crushed in bin lorries or at recycling centres.

They added fires caused by batteries in vapes and other electricals can endanger lives and cause serious environmental and health risks.

Safety advice and legal information for businesses is available from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service here: https://www.northyorksfire.gov.uk/business-safety/fire-safety-act-and-fire-safety-regulations/

The latest rugby news from Wales and around the world

These are your latest rugby headlines on Monday, March 29.

Etzebeth to return

South Africa legend Eben Etzebeth is set to return to action after completing his suspension for eye-gouging Wales back rower Alex Mann in the autumn.

The veteran lock was at the centre of a scuffle that broke out in the closing moments of the Springboks’ 73-0 demolition of Steve Tandy’s side at the Principality Stadium in November, and was caught on camera making contact with Mann’s eye with his thumb.

His actions were widely slammed as “disgraceful” and after appearing before a disciplinary panel, he was slapped with a 12-week ban from rugby.

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Etzebeth has not missed any Springboks games as a result of his suspension, instead missing the past three months of the season for club side Sharks. However, his side’s win over Cardiff in Durban on Saturday was the 12th and final game of his ban and he is now free to return and feature for the Sharks in their Challenge Cup clash with Connacht this weekend.

The 34-year-old’s comeback is set to give the South African URC outfit a huge boost following a recent injury crisis that has seen 18 players sidelined, with Springbok stars Aphelele Fassi, Bongi Mbonambi, Grant Williams and Siya Kolisi among the players not considered for selection against Cardiff due to injury.

While Etzebeth was temporarily deregistered as a player by the Sharks during his suspension, he took on a temporary coaching role with the club’s juniors as well as some senior players.

After being banned, he took to social media to apologise for his actions, but stressed that they were “never intentional” and claimed that an initial strike from Mann had sparked his reaction.

“I accept guilt,” he wrote. “I made a mistake and I’m willing to serve a suspension which I deserve. I don’t want young kids who look up to the Springboks to think that it’s OK to eye gouge someone, because it’s not… unfortunately mistakes happen and I made a big one.

“The scuffle was basically over when Wales’ No.7 struck me with an open hand to my chin/neck. You can see me looking at the assistant referee and waiting for a reaction… then I got another pull on my jersey before I went in with a similar type of action.”

“It was never intentional,” Etzebeth added. “I would never do something like this on purpose — I know what the consequences are after playing rugby for a few years.

“I’m sorry for letting you and the game down. To the people that were angry and upset with my actions, I understand — because it didn’t look good on the slow-motion replay. Hopefully you’ve got a bit more context now.”

New Wales star has ‘real bright future’

Bath Rugby boss Johann van Graan heaped praise on new Wales international Louis Hennessey after the versatile back marked his 22nd birthday with a try against Sale Sharks.

Hennessey was handed his fourth start of the PREM Rugby season and crossed the whitewash for the opening try of the second half as his side saw off Sale with a 31-26 win at the CorpAcq Stadium.

It was also his first start since winning his first cap for Wales, after being called into Steve Tandy’s squad for the Six Nations and making his debut from the bench against Ireland in the fourth round of the championship.

He has been hailed to go from strength to strength for club and country and, ahead of kick-off, van Graan was effusive in his praise of the Welshman who he believes has “a real bright future”.

“Firstly, it’s his birthday today, he’s 22 years old today,” the Bath boss told TNT Sports. “He’s made massive strides be it on the wing or in the centre.

“It’s great that he will be involved in the 23 today and every time he has got a start, he’s used it.The previous time was against Gloucester on the wing and before that it was Leicester in the centre.

“So, yeah, there’s a real bright future for Louis,” he added. “He’s been here since I came in three-and-a-half years ago and I’m so glad for him.”

An entertaining clash saw Sale score four tries through Tom O’Flaherty, Rob du Preez, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Tom Roebuck, with George Ford claiming three conversions.

But an under-strength Bath side ran in five tries from Dan Frost, Hennessey, Ethan Staddon, Bernard van der Linde and Alfie Barbeary to edge the win, with Santi Carreras converting three of them.

Wallabies giant suffers devastating injury blow

Australia lock Will Skelton has suffered a suspected ruptured Achilles, according to reports in France.

The Wallabies star left the field in the first half of his La Rochelle side’s Top 14 defeat to Bayonne on Saturday and later shared a photo on his Instagram account of his right foot in a moon boot, with the caption “C’est la vie” (“That’s life”).

It comes days after Skelton made his return to action for his club following a calf injury, having also struggled with an ankle problem earlier in the season.

After the match, La Rochelle assistant coach Remi Tales said: “There’s a suspected Achilles tendon rupture.

“It’s tough for a player like him, given the effort he’s put in to come back after his calf injury. We’re all thinking of him and hope he recovers quickly, because we need him.”

If Skelton’s Achilles has been fully ruptured, he could spend up to six months on the sidelines and miss the Wallabies’ clashes with Ireland, France and Italy when the inaugural Nations Championship kicks off in July.

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Bid writing specialist Thornton & Lowe has revamped its Tender Library platform by introducing AI-powered search and generative drafting tools, thanks to support from a £20,000 innovation grant from GM Business Growth Hub’s Innovation Service.

It is a move expected to cut delivery times by 15 per cent, save 525 working days annually, and generate more than £300,000 in additional annual income.

Dave Thornton, founder and chief executive of Thornton & Lowe, said: “With the latest in AI search and content technology, we are helping clients respond faster, write better and stay firmly in control.

“There is nothing like this on the market and we are incredibly grateful to GM Business Growth Hub for helping us move forward at pace.”

Dave Thornton, Founder and CEO of Thornton & Lowe. (Image: Supplied)

The software overhaul is the latest step in a long-term collaboration with the Growth Hub, which has provided the company with more than a decade of innovation advice, commercialisation expertise, workforce development support, and grant funding.

The upgraded Tender Library features AI-powered search functions, improved data analysis, generative drafting capabilities, and enhanced data protection.

Thornton & Lowe adopted the upgraded AI-driven platform in March 2025 and has since reported significant gains in capacity.

The company has also grown its team by 27 employees and has begun offering the enhanced Tender Library as a commercial product to clients.

It has also invested in high-powered capital equipment to support the new system.

Yvonne Grady, head of innovation at the GM Business Growth Hub, said: “Thornton & Lowe is a powerful example of how long-term partnership and a commitment to innovation can support a company’s growth over many years.

“Their decision to strengthen Tender Library with AI and enhanced data protection shows clear leadership in a rapidly changing market.

“Having worked with the team since their early development, it is inspiring to see how they continue to evolve their offer and embrace new opportunities.

“This latest project demonstrates how targeted innovation support can unlock capacity, improve competitiveness and create new commercial pathways.

“We are proud to have supported their journey.”

The Victoria police shot dead a man who had been on the run after killing two officers last August, bringing to an end one of their largest searches.

Police said the identity of the man killed in the operation was yet to be formally confirmed but he was most likely to be Dezi Freeman, 56, of Porepunkah.

The fugitive was shot dead at a rural property in northeastern Victoria.

Freeman, whose real name was Desmond Filby, had been on the run since he fatally shot two senior police officers, Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart-Hottart, last August. A third officer was seriously injured in the shootout that occurred on his property in the small Victorian town of Porepunkah.

Freeman described himself as a “sovereign citizen” who rejected government and law. He lived with his family on a bus on a 20-hectare plot on the outskirts of Porepunkah.

Victoria police chief commissioner Mike Bush said “everything I know at this point tells me that this shooting was justified”. “Should it be confirmed that the deceased is Freeman, this brings closure to what was a tragic and terrible event,” he said.

The standoff began at 5.30am when police officers surrounded a building similar to a shipping container where the fugitive was believed to be hiding.

“There was an opportunity for him to surrender peacefully, which he declined,” Mr Bush claimed.

Police said Freeman was armed and wrapped in a blanket when police began the operation on Monday morning.

Anonymous police sources told The Age that they were tipped off about his location near a small township on the banks of the Murray river last week. Police had been surveilling the property for days before starting the operation that led to his death.

Police officers were executing a search warrant in connection with an investigation into sex offences last August when they were shot by Freeman.

Police quickly shut down the area and launched a manhunt in a landscape dominated by steep and rocky terrain with caves and mineshafts but Freeman’s bush skills made it challenging to trace him down.

John Bird, a close friend of one of the slain officers, said he felt relief after learning about Freeman’s death.

“It’s a good day,” he said. “It’s just a relief. Like I said, it doesn’t change anything much but it’s closure on that side of things.”

A spokesperson for Police Association Victoria said: “It does not lessen the trauma, give back the futures that were callously stolen or lessen the collective fear and grief that this tragic event has instilled in police and the wider public. Closure isn’t the right word. This represents a step forward for our members, for the families of our fallen members and for the community,.”

The association will formally address the media in the afternoon on Monday.

Freeman was born Desmond Christopher Filby but renamed himself Dezi Freeman to symbolise his belief in personal sovereignty.

The father of two was known by locals to be a kind and polite person but seemingly changed during the Covid pandemic, becoming outspoken about his deep distrust for the government’s restrictions and lockdowns.

He repeatedly called police officers “frigging Nazis”, “Gestapo”, and “terrorist thugs”. Freeman once told a court that he was a disability pensioner and claimed he had been persecuted by the state.