Caretaker Matthew Buller spent 140 hours restoring Ripon Grammar School’s 1889 clock after starting the project in November 2025.

He said: “It was relief, excitement and overwhelming joy.

“I was ecstatic at the results.

Caretaker Matthew Buller spent around 140 hours restoring Ripon Grammar School’s 1889 clock mechanism to full working order (Image: Supplied)

“To look back from where the project started, to where it is now is very rewarding – but I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss my free time at the weekends.”

His efforts have been widely praised by students and the wider community.

Sixth-former William Renton said: “It was amazing when the bells rang in front of me for the first time and I immediately knew that all of Matthew’s hard work had paid off.

Caretaker Matthew Buller spent around 140 hours restoring Ripon Grammar School’s 1889 clock mechanism to full working order (Image: Supplied)

“The clocktower is such a central and integral part of the Ripon Grammar grounds and it chiming again (with the correct time!) really brings a great sense of community to the school.

“Congratulations once again to Matthew – it’s truly amazing what he’s done.”

Student Iona O’Hare said: “The clocktower is iconic. Hearing it chime for the first time was incredibly moving and momentous.”

Ripon residents have also praised the clock, nicknamed “Clotherholme’s Big Ben” by some.

Caretaker Matthew Buller spent around 140 hours restoring Ripon Grammar School’s 1889 clock mechanism to full working order (Image: Supplied)

One member of the public wrote to Mr Buller, saying: “On behalf of all the folk who drive past the school, thank you.”

The restoration has also featured in newspapers and other media.

A TV production company has been documenting the project and is expected to release more details.

The historic clocktower at Ripon Grammar School in Ripon is chiming again (Image: Supplied)

Mr Buller joined Ripon Grammar School in October 2025 and took on the restoration as a “labour of love”, soon discovering its scale.

He said: “It’s immense the amount of time required when it comes to cleaning every single tooth on all the gears – thousands of them.

“The gears are only about 30 per cent of the total work.

“I ambitiously thought it would take a couple of hours to clean everything up.

“I then booked off two weeks of holiday for the other six days it took.”

Buller dismantled, cleaned and restored the mechanism and pulley system.

He submerged the brass components in ammonia before polishing them with fine steel wool.

Scaffolding was erected so the bells could be removed, cleaned and repaired.

A new 5mm steel cable now supports the 368kg of weights that power the clock.

During the restoration, Mr Buller found signs of earlier repairs, including three replacement gear teeth and a bespoke bracket for a damaged cast-iron barrel.

Buller now winds the clock daily but plans to switch to a six-day cycle.

Maintenance will include oiling key parts every six months and checking the wire, bell straps, pulleys and hooks.

W Potts & Sons of Leeds built the clock, which was designed by Sir Edmund Beckett, also known as Lord Grimthorpe, the man behind Big Ben’s mechanism.

The clock is believed to have last worked reliably 40 to 50 years ago.

Headmaster Jonathan Webb said: “Matthew has put an enormous amount of his personal time and expertise into this project.

“His extraordinary dedication has brought more than an old clock back to life.

“He has restored a living piece of RGS history and, with the clock and bells now working again, reconnected generations of our school community with a landmark that has been part of Ripon’s story for almost 140 years.”

A public appeal raised more than £2,100, beating its £1,500 target.

The extra money will fund a weight chute, sand cushion, lighting and ongoing maintenance.

Russians are reportedly fleeing from the country amid fears growing of military mobilisation and departure restrictions following the ‘unprecedented attack’ from Ukraine

Russian residents are fleeing the country in numbers following Ukraine’s “unprecedented attack” on Moscow.

On Sunday, hundreds of drones targeted Moscow and its surrounding region as Russia entered the final day of its parliamentary elections.

Following the incident, Putin has now vowed to “intensify” its strikes on Kyiv.

The Russian defence ministry said: “In response to the Kyiv regime’s attacks on civilian targets within Russia, the Russian army will continue and intensify its high-accuracy strikes against military targets in Kyiv.”

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As the Kremlin’s military operation is expected to step up, Russian residents are fleeing the country due to concerns that departure restrictions could be implemented.

Residents reportedly fear that restrictions could be put in place if new military mobilisations occur, according to the anti-war project Ark.

Since July there has been a huge surge in requests for emergency emigration assistance from Russia, according to Euronews.com.

The search terms “how to leave” and “mobilisation” are at their highest since 2023.

Human rights activist and co-ordinator of the Ark project Jan Slovitsky, who is currently assisting arrivals in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, said Russians have learnt from the past.

He explained: “Since mid-July a wave of panic has been rising in Russia, linked to the risk of mobilisation, fuel shortages and lack of internet access.

“People are leaving in advance because they have seen what happened during previous waves. And Armenia is facing a migration crisis, if we are not already in the thick of it.”

Documents also show that an electronic summons register now automatically triggers an exit ban, news.com.au report.

However, Putin has insisted that mobilisation rumours as “utter nonsense”.

Ukraine ‘s attack on Sunday has been described as the “largest-ever attack by enemy drones”, with the capital’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin accusing Ukraine of attempting to interfere with the three-day election that is set to strengthen Putin’s 26-year rule over Russia.

The strike came after European intelligence warnings that Russia was preparing to escalate its war against Ukraine and ‘burn Europe’, targeting NATO countries who support Ukraine.

European leaders have been warning the Kremlin’s war against the West is about to intensify, hence adding to Russian residents concerns that military mobilisations will occur.

Eighteen people have been flown from Haiti to the US state of Florida to stand trial for their alleged involvement in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise five years ago.

Moise was shot dead at his home in the capital, Port-au-Prince, in July 2021, allegedly by a group of mainly Colombian mercenaries.

Previous Haitian investigations into the assassination have stalled due to widespread gang control and lawlessness in the country.

The extradition was “the next major phase in our pursuit of accountability” over the presidential assassination, US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason Reding Quiñones, said in a post on X.

“Five years later, we are still bringing defendants before American courts, and we are not finished,” Quiñones said on X.

He said that 30 suspects had been indicted over the killing so far.

US prosecutors allege that the planning and financing of Moise’s killing was orchestrated from Florida, as well as the Dominican Republic and Haiti itself.

Given the dire state of the justice system in Haiti, the onus has been on US prosecutors to bring the detainees to Florida to try the cases there.

When gunmen strode into Moise’s residence and murdered him in his bedroom, it shook the Caribbean nation to its core.

It shocked many Haitians that the 53-year-old president was assassinated with such apparent ease.

Those extradited on Sunday included a group of 17 Colombian ex-soldiers and a senior member of the then-Haitian Government, Joseph Badio, who worked in an anti-corruption unit at the country’s justice ministry.

A Miami-based security firm is accused of playing a key role in the hiring of the Colombian ex-soldiers.

“Today’s multi-location and international arrests underscore the FBI’s continued commitment to bringing all participants in this plot to justice,” FBI special agent Brett Skiles said on X.

Several men allegedly connected to the murder were killed by police at the time. Four people were convicted in a Miami court in May for their part in the conspiracy, which prosecutors have long said was planned and financed in Miami, as well as the Dominican Republic.

The men, whose charges included conspiracy to kill or kidnap Moise and conspiracy to provide material support over the killing, face possible sentences of life in prison.

The Colombian former soldiers have claimed they were mercenaries who had been convinced they were taking part in a coup but that they had been unaware of the intention to murder Moise.

Haiti has been engulfed in a wave of gang violence since the assassination of Moise.

At least 1,408 people were killed and 656 injured from April through to June this year, according to the UN Integrated Office in Haiti.

The country is preparing to hold its first presidential and legislative election since 2016 on December 13 – if the security situation allows.

By MAX WINTERS, US DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR

Published: 01:54 BST, 21 September 2026 | Updated: 05:34 BST, 21 September 2026

Taylor Swift was seen pointing at her wedding ring as she celebrated Travis Kelce’s touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night.

‘That’s my husband!’ screamed the pop superstar, who was at Arrowhead Stadium alongside her parents – Scott and Andrea Swift – and her mother-in-law Donna Kelce. 

Kelce was back in NFL action as the Kansas City Chiefs looked to build on Monday night’s season-opening win over the Denver Broncos. 

Swift skipped the Emmy Awards to be in the stands – alongside Hollywood legend Tom Cruise – on Week 1 and the singer-songwriter was back among the crowd when the Colts visited Kansas City.

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During the first quarter, Kelce caught a pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes to score the Chiefs’ first touchdown of the night and cameras caught Swift celebrating in her luxury suite by pointing to her ring. Reports claim it cost the tight end up to $1 million. 

She and Kelce tied the knot back in July at an extravagant ceremony at Madison Square Garden, renting the world’s most famous arena out for 1,000 of their nearest and dearest – as well as many A-listers from the world of music and film. 

Taylor Swift pointed at her $1 million ring as she celebrated Travis Kelce’s touchdown

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The singer-songwriter was back among the crowd when the Colts visited Kansas City

Kelce scored the Chiefs’ opening touchdown in Sunday night’s showdown at Arrowhead 

The pop superstar was at Arrowhead alongside her parents and mother-in-law Donna Kelce

This game comes after a new photo emerged of Kelce and his now-wife Taylor Swift

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Against the Colts, meanwhile, Kelce had nine catches for 101 yards and a touchdown as the Chiefs secured a 33-30 overtime win.

On Saturday night, both Swift and Kelce headed out to celebrate Mahomes‘ 31st birthday at 1587 Prime – the steakhouse opened by the quarterback and tight end last year.

But less than 24 hours later, it was back to the day job for Kelce, who was seen arriving at Arrowhead Stadium in an eye-catching outfit.

The 36-year-old – who has been flirting with retirement over recent seasons – wore a Louis Vuitton jacket with a black-and-blue pattern as well as an ‘LV’ logo over his chest. 

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Earlier this week, however, the NFL legend was named as one of the victims in a huge Ponzi scheme that saw a man scam more than $35 million from oblivious investors.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end was named in federal court on Tuesday as one of the people who lost money in the scheme, which has led to Siddharth Jawahar being sentenced to 11 years in prison.

As revealed in a press release by the US Attorney’s office, Jawahar – an illegal immigrant – ran Swiftarc Capital LLC and was found to have funneled nearly all of his clients’ money into one investment: Philip Morris Pakistan.

Federal prosecutors claim that when that investment didn’t work out, Jawahar lied to Kelce and the other victims about how their money was performing, while also using new investor cash to pay earlier clients in a massive Ponzi scheme.

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What’s more, the court heard that Jawahar, 38, used Kelce’s cash to live the high life, only investing around $10 million of the $35 million he was given by the various investors, and splashing out on private jets, luxury hotel rooms and restaurants.

It has not yet been revealed exactly how much Kelce lost in the scam, and prosecutors made clear that he is a victim and not accused of any wrongdoing.

Accusations that the young are a snowflake generation are wrong, the head of an independent review into mental health, ADHD and autism has told the BBC.

In an exclusive interview, Prof Peter Fonagy says there has been a real rise in mental distress among children and young people, with anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders the most common.

He says it is “harder to be young” now given the economic and employment uncertainty they face coupled with the challenges presented by social media.

The review was ordered nine months ago by Wes Streeting after the then-health secretary claimed in an interview that young people were over-diagnosed and “written off”.

It is likely to feed into government policies on everything from NHS services and benefits to support for young people not in education, employment or training.

Fonagy says he chose to speak to the BBC ahead of the publication, which is expected later this week, because he was concerned the debate around ADHD and autism would “obscure” the wider issue of mental health.

Some have argued greater awareness and misattributing normal life stresses to mental illness are factors in the increase in cases.

Fonagy told the BBC his personal battle with mental health when he was young was a driving factor in his desire to help young people.

He experienced suicidal thoughts as a teenager after moving to London from Hungary without his parents. But he says he was fortunate to get therapy from a local service that “saved his life”.

“It’s harder to be young now,” says Fonagy, 74, adding his review “dismisses the idea of a snowflake generation”.

“I’m in awe of the way they have adjusted to an environment that is far more difficult than I ever had to face.”

He says economic and employment uncertainty as well as the pressures of social media have created a “very toxic” environment for young people.

“They are a generation that has real serious challenges that I would not wish to have had when I was their age.

“Adults have let them down. We’re the first generation that probably collectively feels we had a better life than our children will have.

“So, to the person who says it’s a snowflake generation, just try living 24 hours as a 16-year-old.”

A man is set to appear in court for vandalising Belfast’s famous Big Fish sculpture.

The 44-year-old has been charged with criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place after the attack left it with ‘significant damage’, police said.

He remained in custody this evening and is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (Monday).

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said they arrested a suspect after receiving reports that the sculpture, which is located in the Donegall Quay area of the city, was being damaged in the early hours of this morning (Sunday).

A social media image of it appeared to show that one side of it had been damaged around the eye.

Sergeant Kelly, from the force, said: ‘Officers attended the scene, where it was noted that significant damage had been caused to the left eye of the sculpture.’

Sergeant Kelly added: ‘Our inquiries are ongoing and we would appeal to anyone with information to contact police using our witness appeal form.

‘Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.’

The PSNI said that as is usual procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.

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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If you want extra crispy roast potatoes, this simple roast potato recipe from chef Poppy O’Toole is well worth trying.

Most people would agree that the best part of a roast dinner is a perfectly crispy roast potato. Fluffy on the inside yet satisfyingly crunchy on the outside, it’s no wonder they are so popular — and nothing quite hits the spot when the craving strikes.

However, any home cook will tell you that achieving the perfect roastie is no easy task, despite the minimal number of ingredients involved. Mastering the texture can be particularly challenging, especially when it comes to nailing that all-important crunch.

Fortunately, a chef and potato expert has revealed her ‘glorious’ roast potato method that guarantees maximum crunchiness — and it all comes down to a single straightforward coating.

Poppy O’Toole, widely known as the Potato Queen, has built her reputation on her outstanding spud recipes. Having spent years honing her craft and sharing her expertise, she undoubtedly makes roast potatoes her speciality.

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Her ‘expert level’ roastie recipe promises to be the best you will ever taste. Writing on her blog, she said: “These aren’t your casual Sunday spuds or your midweek ‘that’ll do’ potatoes because these are special-occasion roasties, the kind you make when you want to seriously impress.

“Yes, they take more time and more effort, but every golden, crispy, beef-fat-coated bite is 100% worth it.”

Her ‘secret weapon’ for ‘next-level crispiness’ is a simple coating of seasoned rice flour. Sprinkled over the potatoes once they have steam-dried, it guarantees an irresistibly crunchy and flavoursome result every single time.

Here is everything you need to recreate this recipe

Roast potato recipe

Ingredients

• Four to six large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and sliced into equal chunks
• One chicken or vegetable stock cube
• A few sprigs of thyme and rosemary
• 1/2 brown onion
• 1/2 bulb garlic
• 100g beef fat/dripping
• Two tbsp rice flour
• Tsp garlic granules
• Tsp onion granules
• Salt

Method

Place all of the potatoes into a large saucepan filled with cold water. Season generously with salt and add the stock pot, fresh garlic and onion, thyme and rosemary.

Set the hob to high and bring to the boil, then cook for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/400F. Once the potatoes have softened, remove the garlic, onion and herbs.

Drain through a colander and return it to sit over the pan, then cover with a clean tea towel and allow to steam-dry for 10-15 minutes.

Transfer the beef fat onto a baking tray and place it in the oven for 10-15 minutes while the potatoes steam. Take a wire rack and gently arrange the potatoes in a single layer.

Combine the rice flour, garlic granules, onion granules and a generous pinch of salt. Using a sieve, dust a fine layer of the rice flour mixture over the potatoes, rotating them to ensure all sides are covered.

Gently transfer all of the potatoes into the hot beef fat and turn to coat thoroughly.

Roast for 30 minutes, then give the tray a shake and flip the potatoes over. Continue roasting for a further 30 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

Norham lies beside the River Tweed, around eight miles from Berwick-upon-Tweed, with stone-built homes, a historic church and the ruins of Norham Castle overlooking the river.

Today there is no doubt that the village is in Northumberland.

For hundreds of years, however, Norham and the surrounding district of Norhamshire formed a detached part of County Durham.

Durham University’s archive of the Palatinate of Durham records says Norham and Norhamshire were among areas collectively known as North Durham, which remained detached parts of County Durham until they were transferred to Northumberland in 1844.

Norham (Image: YVONNE MILNE/CAMERA CLUB)

That unusual geography reflected Norham’s long association with the powerful Bishops of Durham.

The village’s position overlooking a crossing of the Tweed also made it one of the most strategically important places on the turbulent border between England and Scotland.

Norham Castle was founded in the 12th century by Ranulph Flambard, Bishop of Durham, and for around 450 years was one of England’s major fortresses on the Tweed.

The castle was repeatedly caught up in fighting between the two kingdoms.

English Heritage says it was “besieged numerous times by Scottish armies and was captured on four occasions.”

One of the most dramatic episodes came in 1513 when James IV of Scotland attacked and captured the fortress using heavy artillery.

Within weeks, however, the Scottish army was defeated at the nearby Battle of Flodden and the castle returned to the Bishop of Durham.

Norham had also played a part in Scottish royal history decades earlier.

Edward I stayed at the castle in 1291 while considering rival claims to the Scottish throne during the process known as the Great Cause.

Beyond the castle walls, the village retains another reminder of its links to Durham.

St Cuthbert’s Church dates largely from the 12th century, and architectural details have been compared with work at Durham Cathedral.

Norham itself also has associations with St Cuthbert and the early church in Northumbria.

The village’s administrative relationship with Durham finally ended in 1844 when Norhamshire was formally transferred to Northumberland.

That means the peaceful border village visitors see today was, for centuries, effectively an isolated piece of County Durham surrounded by another county.

Norham Castle remains one of the major attractions.

Entry is currently free, although English Heritage says some areas are closed for conservation and health and safety reasons, with the outer section remaining accessible.

Visitors should check the latest information before travelling.

For generations, motorists travelling between Yorkshire, the North East, Cumbria and Scotland have known the name Scotch Corner.

It appears on maps, names Junction 53 of the A1(M), has a hotel and services, and has long guided drivers.

But there is an unusual catch; Scotch Corner is not a town or village at all.

The name primarily belongs to the famous road junction where the A1(M) meets the A66 near Richmond.

Motorway Services Online calls Scotch Corner an unusual historic waypoint treated as a major destination despite having no permanent population.

Scotch Corner (Image: ARCHIVE)

Official local statistics underline the oddity.

Former Richmondshire Council studies grouped Scotch Corner with nearby Middleton Tyas rather than listing it as a separate settlement.

A 2017 settlement study listed “Middleton Tyas (including Scotch Corner)” instead of treating Scotch Corner as a separate community.

Yet the Government uses Scotch Corner to show how Britain’s major road destinations are chosen.

The Department for Transport designates primary destinations: places shown on signs to guide drivers along major roads.

Most are towns or cities.

But population is not the only factor.

Government guidance says a location can also qualify as an important node — a place many motorists pass through on the way elsewhere.

The Department for Transport’s example is Scotch Corner.

That explains why the name became so important.

Scotch Corner is not famous for its residents.

A Scotch Corner sign (Image: Stuart Boulton/NORTHERN ECHO)

It is famous because generations of drivers have had to choose which way to go there.

Drivers heading north from southern England reached a point where routes to different parts of Scotland split.

Today the A1(M) continues north towards the North East and eastern Scotland, while the A66 heads west across the Pennines towards Cumbria and the M6.

National Highways describes the A66 as the key east-west route between the M6 at Penrith and the A1 at Scotch Corner.

Its importance as a road name is nothing new.

A 1963 Government traffic-signs report cited Scotch Corner as a nationally known junction, alongside other recognised junction names around Britain.

That reputation has made the junction behave like a place.

It has a nationwide name, a hotel, a service area, bus links and a postcode for the surrounding facilities.

But the actual populated village nearby is Middleton Tyas, around a mile away.

Ordnance Survey guidance says primary destinations can appear equally prominent on maps regardless of size, citing Scotch Corner as an example beside much larger towns.

Scotch Corner became important for the traffic passing through it, not the people or buildings within it.

Millions of journeys have made the name familiar to people who have never stopped there.

For most motorists, it is a destination they pass through rather than reach.

That makes Scotch Corner one of Britain’s strangest road names: it is known nationwide not for its residents, but for people travelling elsewhere.

The A170 at Sutton Bank, between Thirsk and Helmsley, closed at 7am on Sunday, September 13, and is due to remain shut until 7pm on Sunday, October 4.

North Yorkshire Council has closed the steep section of the A170 for its annual maintenance programme, with this year’s closure extended to three weeks to allow additional drainage and repair work to be carried out.

Roadworks information published on the one.network platform shows a signed diversion of 117.2km, equivalent to around 72.8 miles.

The alternative route is estimated to take drivers about two hours to complete.

Sutton Bank forms part of the A170, which runs between Thirsk and Scarborough, with the affected stretch climbing from the Vale of York towards the North York Moors. North Yorkshire Council describes it as a key east-west route across the county.

According to the one.network diversion information, motorists are taken away from Sutton Bank through a lengthy series of roads across North Yorkshire.

The route includes Cote Lane before reaching Bondgate and Linkfoot Lane in Helmsley.

Bondgate and Linkfoot Lane both form part of the road network through Helmsley, with Linkfoot Lane carrying the A170 through the town.

Drivers are then directed towards New Road before continuing along Sinnington Cliff Road and through the Sinnington and Wrelton area.

Sinnington Cliff Road forms part of the A170 near Wrelton, east of Helmsley.

The diversion continues towards Malton Road before eventually taking motorists onto a much longer section of the route.

According to one.network, drivers then travel for more than 23km on one stretch before reaching North Lane and later joining Ring Road.

The route subsequently uses Shipton Road before continuing along York Road for several substantial stretches.

Motorists are eventually directed back towards Sutton Road, completing the diversion around the closure.

In total, one.network gives the signed route as 117.2km, or approximately 72.8 miles, and estimates that it will take around two hours.

The diversion remains in force around the clock throughout the closure.

North Yorkshire Council says Sutton Bank is “undergoing planned maintenance to the rock face as well as routine road and drainage work.”

The longer closure is also allowing further drainage improvements and repairs to take place as part of a wider programme of work planned for Sutton Bank over the next three years.

The North York Moors National Park says the Sutton Bank National Park Centre remains accessible from the Helmsley side while the closure is in force, with signed diversions in place from Thirsk.

Drivers are being advised to follow the signed diversion and allow substantially more time for journeys while the A170 remains closed.