A woman killed in a house fire has been described by her mother as “a beautiful soul, who would have done anything for anybody”.

Natalie McDonald, 34, died along with her seven-year-old niece, Valentina Foster, in the blaze in Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, in the early hours of Wednesday.

Cleveland Police said the fire had also left a 48-year-old woman in a critical condition in hospital alongside another three people who suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Two men, aged 23 and 31, had been arrested on suspicion of murder and were in police custody, the force said.

Lisa Kirton, Natalie’s mother said her daughter was “lovely, bright and bubbly” and “everybody loved her”.

She said Valentina, also known as Tina, had been spending the summer holidays with the family.

“She was a cute little kid,” Kirton said. “I can’t believe it, seven years old – it’s just a disgrace.”

She also said Natalie’s 15-year-old daughter and a friend had managed to escape through an upstairs window.

The friend, she said, had “kicked out a window” and “had saved their lives”.

Police say they heard reports on the evening of Wednesday August 26 that drivers had been racing high-powered cars against each other.

They then found a bright orange Lamborghini supercar when its driver lost control right in front of their police vehicle at the junction of Bury Road and Hypatia Street in Tonge Fold.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “On Wednesday August 26 2026, 6.30pm police received a report of high-powered vehicles racing.

The car has been seized (Image: GMP)

“Officers attended the Bury Road/Hypatia Street area in Bolton when this vehicle accelerated at speed, losing control of the back end of the vehicle, directly in front of a liveried police vehicle.

“The vehicle was stopped and seized under S59 police reform act with the driver being issued a traffic offence report.”

Images supplied by police at the scene show the orange supercar having come to a stop in front of a police car and then being towed away.

Anyone concerned about dangerous or anti-social driving in their areas can call police on 101 or 999 in the event of an emergency.

Alternatively, members of the public can call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Atletico Madrid have given up hope of signing Nicolas Jackson, with the out-of-favour Chelsea forward reportedly on the cusp of a big-money move to Aston Villa.

Jackson joined up with Chelsea again this summer following a season-long loan spell with Bayern Munich, but played no part in the Blues’ 3-2 victory over Fulham on Monday night.

Bundesliga champions Bayern confirmed in April that they had no intention of signing Jackson on a permanent basis, leaving the 25-year-old in a state of limbo ahead of the new season.

Aston Villa have been keeping close tabs on Jackson’s situation for well over 12 months and have stepped up their pursuit of the attacker over the last few days, with Ollie Watkins expected to depart for Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, a proposed move to Atleti appears ‘increasingly unlikely’ and Jackson looks set to become Unai Emery’s newest addition at Villa Park.

Jackson had been identified as a potential replacement for wantaway Atleti forward Julian Alvarez at the Metropolitano Stadium, but the La Liga giants must now consider alternative options if they are to reinforce their frontline.

It’s claimed Jackson has agreed personal terms with Villa and Emery’s side also have a verbal deal in place over a fee believed to in the region of £60-65million.

Jackson is expected to put pen to paper on a six-year contract with Villa, tying him to the club until 2032.

Villa are said to have been keen on Jackson ‘for several summers’ and Watkins’ impending departure has only intensified their interest heading the final week of the transfer window.

Emery has been left upset and frustrated by the recent departures of Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Ezri Konsa for Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal respectively, and is desperate to bring in an attacker with Premier League experience before Tuesday’s deadline.

The possible sale of Emiliano Martinez would help fund Villa’s move for Jackson, with Chelsea offered the chance to sign the Argentina goalkeeper in the last few hours.

Jackson has racked up 30 goals and 12 assists in 81 appearances for Chelsea since arriving at Stamford Bridge from Villarreal at the start of Mauricio Pochettino’s reign back in 2023.

The Senegal international enjoyed an encouraging debut season in west London, netting 14 times in the Premier League, but struggled for form the following campaign before being sent to Germany on loan.

He still has seven years remaining on his current contract with Chelsea.

Facing the media ahead of Villa’s thumping 4-0 defeat to Brighton, Emery made no secret of the fact star striker Watkins could soon be set for the exit door.

‘We have an issue with him, it’s clear. He is another player, we have had offers for him,’ the Spaniard told reporters.

‘He is our player, I don’t want to sell him. It can change because if it is a good option for him, good option for the club and I can replace him in the squad.

‘This is the routine we have and we did before with the players they are losing. With Ollie, he is here, and he has always been up and down in his performance.

‘He is a fantastic striker, we always believe in him and we supported him and he did it. Now he is our player and there is ten days more or less to finish the transfer window.

‘We will see what happens. He is our player, I am happy with him and in case he stays with us, he is going to continue playing his level.

‘If he is leaving it will be for the best three ways. One is him, another is the club and another is the team.’

On Martinez’s future, Emery added: ‘He transmitted to us the possibility to have another challenge in his career.

‘Not now, even last year, he was thinking in case he can have one possibility to change and he didn’t do last year, and he performed fantastic with us.

‘This year again, he transmitted us the possibility to have another challenge, and we decided to sign [Zion] Suzuki because I think he’s a fantastic goalkeeper in case Martínez is leaving.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MORE: Julian Alvarez makes dramatic U-turn on Arsenal transfer

MORE: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink makes bold Chelsea title claim after Fulham win

MORE: Barcelona respond to Arsenal attempts to hijack Julian Alvarez transfer in new statement

“It is a very serious health and safety issue, there has already been several accidents at this location, with one of them being a very young child who had to be hospitalised.”

A Lisburn councillor has highlighted “alarming” traffic evidence giving way to “serious concerns” over Lambeg car accidents close to a children’s play park.

The council is now seeking to grill the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) with the chamber hearing a potential blind eye being turned to parking breaches.

A Freedom of Information (FoI) request has shown that despite visits by Traffic Attendants now surging in the last month (July), no parking tickets have been handed out in seven months..

In chambers, Lisburn North DUP councillor Jonathan Craig said: ”A very controversial parking issue has raised its head again in Lambeg.

“It is a very serious health and safety issue, there has already been several accidents at this location, with one of them being a very young child who had to be hospitalised.”

“The thing that has really brought this to a head is that a resident has put in a Freedom of Information (FoI) request and has emailed it to all of the councillors.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has viewed the FoI, which shows DfI enforcement officers visited the Lambeg area only once in January and then not again until April.

The Traffic Attendants then made regular visits at about four times a month and then jumped to seven times in July.

The FoI requested a list of visits from January to July on the Lambeg Road, Lambeg.

Councillor Craig added:“What this FoI highlights is that on 19 separate occasions enforcement officers visited Lambeg.

“The alarming thing was that the same individual showed me evidence of an enforcement officer standing beside vehicles that were clearly parked on double yellow lines.

“But as this FoI shows that on all 19 occasions, absolutely no enforcement tickets were handed out and there is evidence showing us that should not be the case.

“I would request a meeting of all Lisburn North councillors with Roads Service to try and get a resolution to this situation. We do need to get this addressed.”

The proposal to write to DfI was approved this week by the council.

However, in the FoI response, DfI added:”Patrols have been programmed over the coming weeks.

“However, due to the high level of compliance with the restrictions recorded by the Traffic Attendants, the frequency of patrols may be reduced thereafter.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

By DAN HODGES, DAILY MAIL COLUMNIST

Published: 00:21 BST, 26 August 2026 | Updated: 21:53 BST, 26 August 2026

Andy Burnham has chosen to stand up to Vladimir Putin. And Putin is already plotting his revenge.

‘The chatter we’ve been picking up over the past two weeks indicates the Russians are preparing for something,’ a senior security source revealed to me. ‘They’re planning some sort of action against UK interests. They’re going to test Burnham.’

On Monday, the Prime Minister arrived in Ukraine – and he came bearing gifts. After appeals from Volodymyr Zelensky, Burnham agreed to hand over the technical blueprints for Britain’s long-range Storm Shadow missiles.

‘Ukraine has been Europe’s protector: not a drain on our security but the frontline in keeping Europe safe,’ Burnham declared. ‘The Ukrainian people deserve not just our continued support, but our gratitude and respect.’

Advertisement

But as he spoke those words Andy Burnham knew that frontline is likely to move closer to home. On Sunday, it was announced Russia had withdrawn its British ambassador, without appointing a replacement.

Within the British security establishment this is viewed as a clear indication of an impending Russian intervention. ‘We think he’s been pulled so that when they act we don’t have the ability to expel him,’ one source revealed.

My understanding is that while there is as yet no specific intelligence on the precise nature of the possible impending Russian attack, the Prime Minister has been briefed on a number of likely scenarios.

At the top of the risk register is some form of cyber-attack against the nation’s infrastructure, possibly aimed at the health service or transport system. ‘That would be in keeping with the Russians’ MO,’ one security source said.

Advertisement

There is a broader perception within Russia, dating back to Boris Johnson, that Britain is a major obstacle to Vladimir Putin realising his military aims in the region

Andy Burnham and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth last month

A second area of concern is some form of direct sabotage or attack on Britain’s military supply chain. Yesterday Andrei Fedorov, a Kremlin adviser and former deputy foreign minister, warned British factories could be targeted by ‘unknown sources’.

Advertisement

Burnham has also been warned there is potential for some sort of clash involving Russian and British military forces. In May, the Ministry of Defence reported that Russian jets had ‘repeatedly and dangerously’ intercepted a British Boeing RC135 ‘Rivet Joint’ surveillance aircraft.

Last month, a Russian frigate conducted a ‘live-fire exercise’ off the coast of Plymouth. And in May it emerged an RAF jet carrying then-Defence Secretary John Healey had its navigation system jammed by Russia. As one defence source explained: ‘The fear is they will engineer some form of ‘incident’. It could be done deliberately. Or the fact the Kremlin is adopting a much more openly aggressive posture towards us could lead to someone down the chain of command precipitating something on their own.’

What is also particularly concerning the security services is the possibility of a direct provocation from the Russians towards the PM himself.

Last year, a house and car previously owned by Keir Starmer were subject to firebomb attacks. It’s believed these were initiated by criminals connected to the Russian state. And although two of the perpetrators were ultimately convicted, the assessment is Moscow was pleased with the results.

Advertisement

As an intelligence source explained to me: ‘The problem was that after those attacks Keir Starmer came out and said how shaken he and his family had been by the incident. So in the eyes of Russian intelligence that was a successful operation. And that in turn holds out the prospect they will try something similar again.’

Part of the Russian rationale for an attack on the UK would be to directly challenge Burnham’s resolve. The Prime Minister is regarded as a blank page when it comes to foreign affairs – and there is an incentive for Moscow to test him.

But there is also a broader perception within Russia, dating back to Boris Johnson, that Britain is a major obstacle to Putin realising his military aims in the region. ‘The Kremlin thinks we’re standing in the way of victory,’ one foreign office source told me. ‘Every time they meet with the Americans they’re telling them: ‘It’s the British who are the problem here. There won’t be any solution unless you pull the British into line.’

And there is a final reason Putin is now contemplating some form of direct action against the UK. His mounting desperation. Ukrainian ‘deep-strike’ operations within Russia have turned the war into a political crisis that directly threatens the Russian dictator.

Advertisement

‘If you live in Moscow, you can’t ignore the war any more,’ another intelligence source claimed. ‘When you walk out of your house to go to work in the morning you see a giant plume of black smoke from the latest Ukrainian attack. You can’t buy petrol. The war’s now on Putin’s doorstep. And his attitude is: ‘The people who are doing this need to get some payback on their own doorstep.’

Since he entered Downing Street the PM has focused on domestic issues. But on Monday, his decision to stand with the Ukrainian people represented a welcome foray on to the world stage. Now we must expect a response to this expression of solidarity. A few years ago another Labour leader – Ed Miliband – was mocked for responding, ‘Hell yes!’ when he was asked: ‘Are you tough enough to stand up to Vladimir Putin?’

Andy Burnham has suggested that he is. Putin is now about to put that to the test.

By LUKE AUGUSTUS, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Updated: 21:42 BST, 26 August 2026

The major retailer has set its sights on a new location in Cambridgeshire

Peterborough could welcome a new major high street retailer to the city. AS Watson, the world’s largest international health and beauty retailer, has submitted an application to Peterborough City Council for the use of a unit at Brotherhood Shopping Park.

The retailer owns and operates health and beauty chain Superdrug. Planning documents indicate that a new internally illuminated fascia sign would display the chain Superdrug, if the plans are approved.

The plans seek permission for a new flex-faced light box at high level, an internally illuminated fascia sign above the door, LED light goalpost and DDA compliant window manifestations at unit B1. Brotherhood Shopping Park in Walton, Peterborough, houses several stores including Next, Mamas & Papas, TK Maxx, and Poundland.

The major retailer already operates stores in Serpentine Green Shopping Centre and Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough. Serpentine Green is located just a 10-minute drive from Brotherhood Shopping Park meanwhile, Queensgate Shopping Centre is about seven minutes away by car.

This planning application comes after the health and beauty chain revealed plans to open 30 new stores this year, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to the UK retail sector. The retailer said the expansion of its store footprint will create around 600 jobs across the UK.

The Croydon-based business, which was founded in 1964, currently runs more than 780 shops across the UK and Ireland. Superdrug previously said it will continue to invest particularly in “large-format destination stores and retail park locations”.

Helena Bonham Carter has been pictured on a stroll through London with her boyfriend of six years, Rye Dag Holmboe.

The Fight Club actress, 60, wore a memorable combo of clashing prints while out and about in Hampstead with the art historian, 38, on Tuesday.

The couple, who have been an item since 2018, were seen walking their dogs, with Bonham Carter’s signature quirky style on display.

The actress donned a green cardigan over a green long-sleeved blouse, with a red floral skirt and a pair of chunky trainers with thick socks to top the look off. Holmboe cut a more neutral figure in a light blue shirt, blue shorts and Birkenstocks.

Bonham Carter and Holmboe first went public with their romance in 2019, five years after she split from her long-term partner and director Tim Burton.

Prior to their first public appearance, the Alice in Wonderland actress had admitted it was time to find love again when she realised she was ‘bored’ of grieving her former relationship and that Holmboe became ‘a bit of unexpected magic’ in her life.

She told Harper’s Bazaar: ‘You break up, you grieve, you get bored of grieving. And then you finally move on.’

Speaking of Holmboe, she added: ‘I’m very happy with someone else. It’s been a bit of unexpected magic in my life.’

The couple met at a wedding in 2018 and moved in together in 2021, with Bonham Carter telling The Guardian of their meeting: ‘A totally random thing, which both of us nearly didn’t go to, so it was one of those moments that was so chance and ended up determining so much.

‘A really happy accident, and it’s an amazing thing.’

Bonham Carter previously told The Times of their age gap: ‘Everybody ages at a different rate. My boyfriend is unbelievably mature. He’s an old soul in a young body; what more could I want?

‘People are slightly frightened of older women, but he isn’t. Women can be very powerful when they’re older.’

Bonham Carter and the Edward Scissorhands director were together for 13 years and she has described the end of their relationship as ‘utterly bewildering’. They share two children, Billy, 22, and Nell, 18. 

The 60-year-old starred in several Burton films over the years, including Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Alice in Wonderland, Dark Shadows, The Corpse Bride and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.

MORE: My childhood babysitter and I are having sex – my parents will go ballistic if they find out

MORE: My date booked a barbershop quartet – it was excruciating

MORE: I slept with my new partner and his ex – it was amazing