It comes after Paul Ward, 73, of Stainburn, south-west of Harrogate, drove away from Harrogate Magistrates’ Court having just been banned from driving.

When a court bans someone from driving the senior magistrate or judge reads out a standard warning about what the defendant  must not do.

This is the warning. “You cannot drive any motor vehicle on a road or public place from this moment until the end of the disqualification.

“If you drive whilst disqualified you commit a serious offence and may be sent to prison and disqualified again.

“Your licence will not be returned to you.

“You must apply to the DVLA if you wish to drive once the disqualification is ended. You should not drive until you have received your new driving licence.”

The DVLA may require medical or other evidence that a driver is a fit and proper person to be given a driving licence before issuing a new licence after a driving disqualification ends.

Ahmed Alid, 47, is accused of attempting to murder Roderic Vassie at HMP Full Sutton, on August 8 2025 after Friday prayers, the Old Bailey heard on Friday.

He is accused of causing serious injury, Philip McGhee, prosecuting, said.

Mr McGhee said Alid “shouted words which suggest ideological alignment with Isis”.

Alid is also charged with possession of an offensive weapon, namely a piece of metal, inside HMP Full Sutton, near York.

He was transferred to HMP Wakefield where he is accused of attacking prison officer Sarah Mitchell on October 21 last year, causing a broken nose and bruising among other injuries, the court heard.

Alid has been charged with assaulting Ms Mitchell occasioning her actual bodily harm.

The defendant appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday via video link from HMP Wakefield.

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said his trial will take place at Sheffield Crown Court on November 30 this year.

A plea hearing will take place on August 28 at the Old Bailey.

Through his lawyer, Alid indicated he will be entering not guilty pleas.

Alid was remanded in custody.

Gerry Butler collapsed while taking part in a tournament in Portugal, with heartbroken friends and teammates praising his kindness, generosity and dedication to walking football.

Tributes have poured in for a much-loved Edinburgh dad described as “one of life’s good guys” following his sudden death in Portugal.

Gerry Butler, 62, became unwell and collapsed while taking part in the EuroCopa Football Tournament in the Algarve on Monday, April 20.

A hugely respected figure in the Edinburgh sport scene, he served as South East Regional Manager for the over-65s and over-70s with Walking Football Scotland. He also played a major role at Oriam, Scotland’s national performance centre for sport, and contributed to the development of Currie Youth Football.

Paying tribute, Matt Ramsay, trustee of Walking Football Scotland, said: “Gerry was a tremendous supporter of the walking football community and a constant source of encouragement to so many.

“He always took a genuine interest in the development of others and, importantly, in how he could offer his support.

“He embodied the true spirit of walking football — respect, inclusion, encouragement, and looking out for others whilst never losing sight of the enjoyment the game brings.

“Walking Football Scotland is sincerely grateful for the contribution Gerry made to the organisation and to the wider game. His impact will not be forgotten, and his kindness and generosity of spirit have touched many lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with Lorna, his family, teammates, and friends at this very difficult time.”

The organisation added he “embodied everything that walking football stands for” and described him as a “true gentleman”.

A heartfelt social media post read: “Gerry was one of life’s good guys. The walking football family is certainly poorer for his loss, and those of us who knew him are better for it.”

Friends and teammates also shared their grief, with one writing: “Sending heartfelt love and condolences to Lorna and family – this is a huge loss.” Another added: “Such a shock. Thoughts are with his family and the guys out in Portugal – they must be devastated.”

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE

City of York Council has announced plans to bar motor vehicles and pedal cycles from 17 city centre streets on Sunday, April 26.

Recommended reading:

Scout and Girlguiding groups are attending services in York Minster and a city centre church and parading through the city centre streets.

Drummers during the St George’s Day parade in York in 2025 (Image: Dylan Connell)

The closure runs from 12pm to 4pm on Spurriergate, Coney Street, Market Street, Feasegate, New Street, Lendal, St Helen’s Square, Davygate, St Sampson’s Square, Church Street, Parliament Street, High Ousegate, Blake Street, Duncombe Place, Stonegate, Precentor’s Court, and The Purey Cust.

Traffic management controls at each closure point will be in place to reduce disruption.

A council spokesperson said: “Traffic signs or barriers will indicate the extent of the parking place suspensions.

“No requirement will be made for an alternative route for prohibited traffic.”

Thousands of people will be making their way into the capital on Sunday for this year’s London Marathon.

Crowds of people will be supporting the runners as they take on the 26.2mile course through the city.

The course will set off from Greenwich Park and Blackheath Park and will take the runners across Tower Bridge and past such sites as the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, Canary Wharf, The Shard, Big Ben and the Tower of London, before finishing up on The Mall at St James’s Park.

There will of course be travel disruptions and road closures on Sunday, so read on to find out where you can expect them and from what time.

London Marathon 2026 route map

The full route of the 2026 London Marathon will take runners on a tour through central London.

The race runs along both the north and south banks of the River Thames at various points throughout its 26.2mile route.

But running such a large event will require road closures at different points throughout the day as runners make their way through the capital.

Which roads will be closed for London Marathon 2026 and at what times?

There will be closures right across the route of the London Marathon occurring at separate times throughout the day. Here are details of the roads that will be shut and their closure times.

• Charlton Way (Red start) – closed 4am-2.30pm
• Shooters Hill Road (Blue start) – closed 4am-2.30pm
• St John’s Park (Pink start) – closed 7am-2.30pm
• Charlton Park Road (Red route) – closed 7am-2.30pm
• Shooters Hill Road (Blue route) – closed 7am-2.30pm
• Old Dover Road (Pink route) – closed 7am-2.30pm
• Little Heath (Red route) – closed 7am-2.30pm
• Charlton Park Lane (Blue route) – closed 7am-2.30pm
• Artillery Place (Red route) – closed 7am-2.30pm
• John Wilson Street (Blue route) – closed 7am-2.30pm
• Woolwich Church Street – closed 7am-3pm
• Woolwich Road – closed 7am-3pm
• Trafalgar Road – closed 7am-4pm
• Creek Road – closed 7am-4pm
• Evelyn Street – closed 8am-4pm
• Surrey QuaysRoad – closed 8am-4pm
• Salter Road – closed 8am-4pm
• Brunel Road – closed 8am-4pm
• Jamaica Road – closed 8am-4pm
• Tower Bridge – closed 8am-8.30pm
• The Highway (South side) – closed 8am-8.30pm
• Narrow Street – closed 8am-8.30pm
• Westferry Road – closed 8am-8.30pm
• East Ferry Road – closed 8am-8.30pm
• Marsh Wall – closed 8am-8.30pm
• Bank Street – closed 8am-8.30pm
• North Colonnade – closed 8am-8.30pm
• Poplar High Street – closed 8am-8.30pm
• Commercial Road – closed 8am-8.30pm
• The Highway (North side) – closed 8am-8.30pm
• Byward Street – closed 7.30am-9pm
• Upper/Lower Thames Street – closed 7.30am-9pm
• Victoria Embankment – closed 7.30am-10pm
• Parliament Square – closed 7.30am-10pm
• Birdcage Walk (Eastbound) – closed from 6am Friday, April 24 to 6am Monday, April 27
• Birdcage Walk (westbound) – closed from 6am Saturday, April 25 to 6am Monday, April 27

For more information on road closures, download the official guide from the TCS London Marathon website.

London Underground on marathon day

Like past years, the London Underground, London Overground and Docklands Light Railway are expected to run extra services throughout marathon day and are recommended as the best way to get around to keep up with the race action.

Due to the nature of the day, expect services to be busy with crowds of spectators along the route.

Stops near the marathon route are likely to be very busy, especially the Jubilee, Circle and District lines, and the DLR.

On Sunday, the Waterloo & City line will be completely closed, and there are part closures on the Piccadilly line between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge, and Cockfosters and King’s Cross St. Pancras.

Transport for London is encouraging everyone to plan their journeys in advance and check the TfL website or TfL Go app for the latest travel information.

And remember, marathon runners wearing their bibs can travel on the Tube and London buses for free.

Buses on marathon day

Bus routes along the route of the marathon will either be diverted or will not run the length of their usual journey until the roads are back open.

If travelling by bus on the day, visit tfl.gov.uk/bus/status to see if your bus route is affected.

What time does the London Marathon start?

Official timings haven’t been confirmed but following last year’s Marathon it’s expected that the race will kick off at around 8.50am when the Elite Wheelchairs class sets off.

Elite Women will follow at around 9.05am, with Elite Men at 9.35am.

The mass event will then open for all other racers to set off between 9.35am and 11.30am.

Start times are allocated based on runners’ predicted finish time, which will have been given to organisers ahead of time.

Runners are given a total of eight hours to finish the marathon – anyone who takes longer than this will be moved to continue running on the pavement, and London Marathon staff will help them reach the finish line.

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

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Giant plant that smells like a dead body is about to bloom in Kew Gardens

MORE: Security guard injured in Soho ‘attack’ still in lots of pain

MORE: London Marathon 2027 ballot opens today – how to take part in next year’s race

Paul Ward, 73, was drinking at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court which he had attended to answer a charge of drink driving yesterday, said Georgina Fishwick, prosecuting.

After he was disqualified from driving for 12 months and the case was finished, he drove away from the courthouse.

Police spotted him 25 miles away at the junction of the A684 and A1(M) at 4.45pm the same day and arrested him.

They gave him a breath test, which he failed and kept him in custody overnight.

York magistrates told him he had shown “contempt” for their colleagues in Harrogate.

“This is so serious it attracts a prison sentence, but we are going to suspend it and there is going to be a significant ban,” they said.

They gave him an eight-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and banned him from driving for four years.

“We are going to ask a question we wouldn’t normally ask,” they said. “How are you getting home?”

They heard because he was brought to court in custody he would get a travel warrant that would enable him to catch a train.

Defence solicitor Craig Robertson said given his age “it is going to be difficult for him to justify getting his licence back” after he finishes the four-year ban.

Ward, of Stainburn, south-west of Harrogate, pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified, drink driving and driving without insurance, all committed on Thursday, April 23.

On Thursday, at Harrogate Magistrates Court, he was fined and given a total court bill of £253. To that York magistrates added £85 prosecution costs and a £154 statutory surcharge.

Many drink drivers are given the chance to reduce their ban by taking a drink drivers’ rehabilitation test.

“Because of the contempt you showed for the decision made by the previous bench we do not believe that is justified,” York magistrates told him.

Ms Fishwick said the breath test gave a reading of 45 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Mr Robertson said Ward had not initially intended to drive home from the Harrogate court and had arranged for his daughter to collect his car.

But an emergency had prevented her from doing that so he had made the “foolish” decision to drive.

He hadn’t realised at the time the seriousness of what he was doing.

The former Coronation Street star took to social media to speak about his younger sibling following his dramatic I’m A Celeb stint

Ryan Thomas has been seen speaking out in defence of his brother, Adam, as his time in I’m A Celebrity… South Africa continues to be marred by the drama which has unfolded on-screen.

There were explosive scenes in the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here spin-off this week as the Manchester-born actor almost lost his place in camp due to Jimmy Bullard quitting a trial, which therefore saw him forfeit his time on the ITV show.

Adam’s unexpected outburst towards the former footballer came after viewers were left in uproar over David Haye’s treatment of the Waterloo Road star.

The boxer criticised Adam for opting out of a Bushtucker Trial because he was “not feeling well”, before he went on to claim he was “dehydrated”. Despite fellow campmate Beverley Callard urging him to “have a little bit of sympathy”, boxer David called actor Adam “useless”, adding: “Who gives a s*** if he doesn’t feel well. He’s a grown-ass man.”

Adam, 37, has since been heard speaking to his brothers Scott and Ryan on their At Home With The Thomas Bro’s podcast, and Adam broke down in tears as he told of his “tough time” during the all-star series, while also sharing that he is now in therapy after the experience.

Former Emmerdale star Adam has since made the final of I’m A Celebrity South Africa, which will air live on ITV on Friday (April 24) night, alongside Craig Charles, Harry Redknapp and Sir Mo Farah, and ahead of it, Ryan has spoken out in support of his younger sibling.

The former Coronation Street star took to Instagram with a childhood snap of the pair, alongside which he wrote in view of his followers: “It’s hard to put into words what you mean to me bro. You’ve always been more than just a brother… you’ve been my backbone, my reality check, and the person who always champions me & everyone else around you.

“A friend of mine called me this morning and said in 30 years of knowing Adam he’s never seen him react the way he did in the jungle does that not speak volumes!!??? You stay true to your emotions your feelings it’s who you are & I wouldn’t change any of you, you do things with compassion, love & sensitivity.”

He went on: “I hate to say this because I’m your big brother but I look up to you in so many ways sometimes I wish I was more like you. You’re not just my little brother…you’re my best friend & I’d be lost without you. Ps I know you don’t care about winning but just a reminder that us boys have done every reality show there is & I’ve won all of them….what have you won!? Bring that crown home R kid. As Dad would say ‘life’s a game son’.”

Ryan Swain from Malton says his life was turned upside down when a routine dosage increase spiralled into a “life-threatening” ordeal.

The medication, prescribed to manage his motor tics and Tourette’s syndrome, triggered a severe reaction that saw his body effectively seize up.

From extreme rigidity and seizure-like episodes to agonising chronic pain and a complete inability to communicate, the symptoms were devastating.

North Yorkshire presenter’s body ‘shut down’ after taking medication for Tourette’s syndrome

Ryan told Creatorzine: “My body felt like it was shutting down and I had no control over my muscles or my responses.

“It was within a short period after starting the medication, particularly following an increase from 30mg to 60mg, that I began to notice symptoms developing.

“My condition deteriorated rapidly and became life-threatening in a very short space of time.”

The 36-year-old who is also a skateboarder and motivational speaker had been prescribed Duloxetine but after his dosage was increased, his condition quickly took a frightening turn.

Warning signs first emerged in early April, when he began suffering profuse sweating, zoning out and severe muscle tension.

Concerned, Ryan visited his GP, who suspected early signs of both Serotonin Syndrome and Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, two potentially dangerous conditions.

Ryan has been updating people on his recent health scare on social media (Image: Jam Press/@officialryanswain)

As his symptoms rapidly escalated, he was taken to Scarborough General Hospital.

Ryan explained: “I was taken into hospital where I was rushed in resuscitation.

“A cannula was fitted and I was given a drug to counteract it called Procyclindine which worked well and I remained for five days under close monitoring.

“During that time, I underwent a range of tests including ECG heart monitoring and other investigations to assess the impact the reaction had on my body.”

Throughout his five-day hospital stay, he was closely monitored by multiple specialist teams, including neurologists and mental health professionals.

But the experience exposed how little understood such reactions can be.

Ryan said: “Different teams were learning in real time, assessing symptoms, and working through what was happening as it unfolded.

“While the care I received was dedicated and supportive, it highlighted how complex and evolving the understanding of these reactions still is, even within clinical settings.”

The aftermath has been life-altering for Ryan who says his muscles “totally seized up”, leaving his mobility severely impacted and even the simplest tasks now feel overwhelming.

He shared: “My moods and emotions are all over the place, my movement became slow and painful, and even basic tasks simply became difficult.

“I also experienced issues with memory, processing, and coordination, which are still part of my ongoing recovery.

“Emotionally, the experience has been overwhelming and at times traumatic.

“There’s a loss of trust in your own body when something like this happens, especially when it escalates so quickly and without warning.”

‘My body felt like it was shutting down’ (Image: Jam Press/@officialryanswain)

Doctors later explained the ordeal was caused by a severe adverse reaction linked to serotonin levels in his body.

While rare, such reactions can escalate at alarming speed and can become life-threatening in a matter of hours.

Ryan commented, “From what I’ve been told, reactions like this can sometimes be linked to dose increases or how an individual’s body responds to a medication, even when it has been prescribed correctly.

“While this is a complex condition and still something that is being understood in real time, the care, urgency, and dedication I received were absolutely incredible.

“I do wish I had been more aware of how serious and fast-moving reactions like this can be, and how important it is to recognise early warning signs and seek immediate help.

“I want to raise as much awareness as possible around the potential dangers of prescribed medication when it is not fully understood by the individual taking it, particularly around side effects, reactions, and the risks that can come with mixing medications.”