Emergency services were called to Balmer Hill in Gainford at 8.10pm on Saturday (August 29) after a car had driven there and gunshots fired at the home.

A 46-year-old man is in hospital in a ‘critical, but stable’ condition with birdshot injuries to his abdomen.

A 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and both remain in custody.

(Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

The boy has also been arrested on suspicion of theft, failing to stop and driving without a licence, police said.

Pictures from the scene show holes the door where shots were fired, with the front window smashed through and shards of glass strewn across the ground on the driveway.

Neighbours described the street as ‘quiet’, with one saying: “Nothing ever happens here.

“A couple of weeks ago some milk was pinched from a doorstep and there was hell on, but it’s a quiet place.

“I feel safer now with the police here.”

(Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

Police officers were seen at the cordon surrounding the house on Sunday (August 30) and CSI teams in white overalls were working inside and outside the home, filling large brown evidence bags.

A spokesperson for Durham Police said: “An investigation has been launched after a man was shot in Gainford last night.

(Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

“Emergency services were called to an address in Balmer Hill just after 8.10pm following reports that suspects had driven to a house and fired at it from their car before making off.

“A 46-year-old man suffered birdshot injuries to his abdomen and was taken to hospital. His condition has been described as critical but stable.

“No one else at the address was injured and officers remain at the scene today.

“A 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

“The boy has also been arrested on suspicion of theft, failing to stop and driving without a licence. They both remain in custody.”

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson added: “We were called to an incident at a private address in Gainford, Darlington at 8.10pm on Saturday, August 29.

“We dispatched one ambulance crew, one duty officer, one clinical team leader and were supported by Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).

“One person was taken to hospital by road.”

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting incident reference 479 of August 29.

HOHENFELS, Germany (AP) — On a moonless and rainy night, a group of soldiers emerged from a ramshackle building meant to resemble a church. The alpine terrain loomed over them as they quietly set off for the tree line of the German countryside a short distance away.

The soldiers are members of the Polish special forces and are taking part in an exercise designed only months ago that simulates moving through enemy lines, traversing miles of enemy territory and launching a drone strike on a key enemy location.

Initially designed by the Army’s Green Berets for U.S. special forces, the exercise that began Friday is informed by and simulates many of the challenges that Ukrainian troops have experienced in their conflict with Russia. It is the first time a NATO ally like Poland has undertaken the training, and it comes at a time when tensions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and NATO countries have escalated.

“We’re using lessons learned from Ukraine,” an Army Green Beret officer assigned to the training complex said Thursday. “All of those effects that we’re seeing either Russia or Ukraine having to overcome — we’re doing our best to replicate.”

The Associated Press received rare access to both the training ground and the troops conducting the exercise, which has only been conducted twice before, both times this year, by two different Green Beret teams.

The drill highlights the focus that some parts of the U.S. military have on learning the latest techniques in drone warfare, pioneered by Ukraine during its 4 1/2-year effort to repel Russian forces. It also shows how the U.S., its NATO allies and Ukraine are working together to counter the threat of possible further Russian action in coming years even as the Trump administration has warned of troop drawdowns in Europe.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe went to Moscow this week to warn Russia not to attack NATO countries, The Wall Street Journal reported. Russia has the appetite to conduct sabotage and cyberattacks against NATO countries, but Putin wants to avoid a direct confrontation, according to three Western officials, who spoke Friday on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.

How special forces are learning to sneak behind enemy lines to deploy drones

During the exercise in Germany, a senior enlisted soldier familiar with the training scenario at Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels — about an hour’s drive southeast from Nuremberg — said the plan is to run it several times a year. The officer said he expects most, if not all, of the 32 NATO nations to express interest in sending their troops to try the exercise.

Both spoke on condition of anonymity in line with the U.S. military’s longstanding policy of not publicly identifying individual members of special forces units.

President Donald Trump stirred confusion among NATO allies by going back and forth on drawing down U.S. troop levels in Europe, and the administration has launched a force review on next steps. And last week, the Army’s top officer shuttered a unit that specialized in drone warfare.

But overall, there is growing interest in tapping Ukraine for its expertise on modern warfare and, specifically, drones.

In March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country was helping five countries in the Middle East and Gulf region counter Iranian drone attacks launched during the war with the United States, while the U.S. and European countries were among those requesting support.

Meanwhile, the number of mysterious drone incursions in Europe have grown, including as recently as this month, when a pair of drones were spotted over a German military base and a drone carrying explosives was found at a key cargo airport in Germany.

___

Associated Press writer Emma Burrows in London contributed to this report.

By LIZ HULL, NORTHERN CORRESPONDENT

Published: 16:17 BST, 30 August 2026 | Updated: 16:25 BST, 30 August 2026

A man arrested on suspicion of the murder of a seven-year-old girl and her aunt who died in a house fire has been released without charge.

Cleveland Police said the 31-year-old would face no further action but stressed that detectives were continuing to question a second man in connection with the alleged attack, which led to the deaths of Natalie McDonald, 34, and her niece, Valentina Foster.

On Saturday he was named as Jaden Wright, 23, during an appearance in court in relation to separate offences of grievous bodily harm and intentional strangulation.

Magistrates in Teesside were told Wright, of Middlesbrough, was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the house fire, in the Grangetown area, on Wednesday.

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He was subsequently charged with the GBH and strangulation offences which relate to another alleged incident in Grange Farm Road the day before, on August 25, the court heard.

Prosecutors said the unnamed complainant in the separate case was living in a tent when she was allegedly attacked by the defendant.

She was taken to hospital where it was found she had injuries including a fractured eye socket.

Magistrates agreed to an application for Wright, of King George’s Terrace, to be remanded into police custody.

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Valentina Foster, seven, and her aunt Natalie McDonald, 34, died in the fire on Wednesday

Police officers at the scene of the Grangetown house fire last Wednesday

Dressed in a grey T-shirt, Wright sat in the glass-fronted dock for the 30-minute hearing next to a single security officer.

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He did not enter a plea and spoke only to confirm his name and personal details.

Wright is due to appear again at the same court on Wednesday, September 2.

Four other people were injured in the house blaze, including a 48-year-old woman who remains in a ‘critical but stable’ condition at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle and a 27-year-old man, who is undergoing treatment at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

Two teenage girls were also treated in hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and were subsequently discharged.

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On Friday, police said the property remained unstable and work will be carried out on the building over the coming days to make the site safe, which will also allow emergency services access inside.

They also confirmed the fire was not being linked to a fatal collision on the A66, which killed seven people, including two serving police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough. 

Officers initially said they could not rule out a link with wider gang violence that broke out in Teesside after the smash, which also killed five young men in a VW Passat who had been driving the wrong way up the carriageway.

Pedro Neto 7: 12 of this, half a dozen of the other. Going forward, he was superb, using his natural attacking instinct to be a danger with his delivery and getting at Kadioglu, while his goalscoring knack was on show as he ghosted in to double the home side’s advantage. He was skinned for the visitors’ goal, however, showing that he still has plenty to learn if he is to master this new role.

The Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Interior has released on X.

It reads: “Press Statement on the Ongoing Search and Rescue Operations for the Passenger Ship Taking on Water Off the Coast of Girne

“On August 30, 2026, information was received that the passenger ship named FILOJET, which was en route from Girne Port to Taşucu Port with 259 passengers and 8 crew members on board, had begun taking on water 4 miles off Girne Port and was in danger of sinking.

“Following the receipt of the report, search and rescue operations were initiated in the area.

“As part of the search and rescue activities; 4 floating units affiliated with the T.R.N.C. Coast Guard Command and the passenger ship named AKGÜNLER 3 were assigned to the region, while 5 floating units and 2 Coast Guard helicopters were dispatched to the area by our Coast Guard Command.

“Additionally, 6 naval units have been assigned by the Naval Forces Command to support the operations being conducted in the region.

“The search and rescue operations are being meticulously continued in coordination among the relevant units.

“It is respectfully announced to the public.”

Dolly Parton has been laid to rest after a private funeral, her family has confirmed.

Her death was announced by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, in an Instagram video posted August 25. The musician’s publicist confirmed Parton’s cancer diagnosis to the Associated Press later in the day, but did not give further details on her illness.

Dolly’s niece, Lainey Parton, shared a touching tribute to her aunt August 29, confirming the Queen of Country had been laid to rest the day prior.

“I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words,” Lainey wrote of her “Aunt Granny.”

“From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough. She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself.

“Most people can think of at least one bad memory with everyone in their family. I honestly can’t think of one with her.”

Lainey went on to thank fans and supporters for their love, and ended with a final message to Dolly: “Thank you for always believing in me, loving me, and making me feel like I could do anything.”

Dolly had made it clear before her death that she wanted a “small, private service” for immediate family, the singer’s team shared in a statement.

That service was held at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville. She was buried next to Carl Dean, her husband of 60 years who died in March 2025.

Aside from wanting a small service, Dolly did reveal one major detail about her funeral arrangements to fans more than a decade before her death.

“There’s a song called ‘If We Never Meet Again.’ It’s an old country-gospel church song that talks about if we never meet again this side of heaven, I will meet you on that beautiful shore,” she told Entertainment Weekly in a 2014 interview.

“‘Where the charming roses bloom forever and where separations come no more.’ That was my daddy’s favorite. We did sing it at his funeral, and I would like it to be sung at mine.”

It is unclear if there was a live rendition of the song at her funeral; however, Parton has duetted with her goddaughter, pop star Miley Cyrus, on a number of occasions in the past.

Richard Cassidy, 79, stabbed David Parish 14 times at his home in the Borders.

An OAP who murdered a fellow pensioner he believed had sexually abused a woman has died in jail. Richard Cassidy, 79, stabbed David Furnish 14 times in the savage attack at this home in the Scottish Borders in February 2016.

The former soldier was sentenced to 17 years in prison at the High Court in Glasgow in June of 2017. The Scottish Prison Service announced Cassidy died at HMP Shotts on June 26.

Cassidy suffered a heart attack and stroke while in custody but prison bosses have yet to reveal the cause of death. The court heard that after the murder, Cassidy himself contacted the police and handed himself in.

Cassidy’s defence lawyer Brian McConnachie explained that Cassidy went to visit Parish, 74, at his home and tried to get a confession out of him but had no plans of killing him.

He said the killing was a “moment of madness”, but he described the circumstances as “unique”. McConnachie said most people found it “hard to understand” that the then-70-year-old would be capable of murder.

The defence lawyer said: “He had never been in trouble in his life before this incident. He lived a fulfilling life until what he describes as a moment of madness in February 2016.”

However, the judge, Lord Summers, described the murder as “particularly brutal” with 14 stab wounds inflicted on the victim.

Lord Summers said Cassidy showed premeditation on the day of the attack, and referred to a social work report that found he had received Special Forces training while in the Army on how to infiltrate groups by befriending them.

When passing sentence the judge explained he took into account Cassidy’s lack of previous convictions and what he had reportedly been told about Farish as he passed a life sentence with a minimum term of 17 years in jail.

No charges had been brought against Mr Farish.

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A ferry carrying 270 people has capsized off the coast of Cyprus shortly after departing from Kyrenia for the Turkish port of Tasucu

A ferry capsized off the coast of Cyrpus in the early hours of Sunday morning. The boat was heading from Kyrenia to Tasucu, a Turkish port.

It was around 2km north of Kyrenia when it sank, reports the Express. Turkish Cypriot coastguard boats were deployed to the scene alongside a search and rescue helicopter.

Turkish Cypriot mayor Murat Senkul said 270 people were on the vessell, describing the situation as “serious”. Authorities have now confirmed at least seven people have died after the incident.

A further 23 people are still missing with 237 having been rescued. The boat is understood to be a catamaran-style Filo Jet, which was over 40 metres long and 10 metres wide.

Reports suggest it was sailing under the Turkish flag.

Turkey’s Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz has said the country is providing “all possible support” to the ongoing search and rescue operation following the ferry disaster off Kyrenia.

In a statement posted on social media, Mr Yılmaz said: “We are deeply saddened by the news we have received. A catamaran-type passenger ship has sunk after taking on water off the coast of Girne.

“Search and rescue operations have been launched by the TRNC and Republic of Turkey Coast Guard units and relevant institutions and are continuing without interruption.

“At this moment, our primary priority is the rescue of the passengers and crew. We are closely following the unfortunate incident that has occurred and providing all possible support to the search and rescue efforts.

“I extend my condolences to the passengers on board, the crew, and our nation.”

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Iceland has voted against resuming talks on joining the European Union 13 years after they were broken off.

Public broadcaster RUV reported that 52.8% of the more than 225,000 people who voted had rejected the government’s proposal, while 47.2% had backed it. Some 12,600 votes separated them.

Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir’s centre-left government promised to hold a referendum by 2027, but brought it forward because of international tensions, including US President Donald Trump’s threats against Greenland.

However, debate in this island nation of almost 400,000 people centred more on its fishing industry rather than security concerns.

With some 270,000 people eligible to vote, RUV reported the turnout of 82.5% was the highest in any Icelandic election since 2009.

Already part of the EU’s single market and Schengen border-free zone, full EU membership would bring Iceland into the customs union and eventually the eurozone currency union.

Iceland began its application to join the EU in 2009 in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and the collapse of Iceland’s banking system.

Its application was already well advanced when a eurosceptic government came to power in 2013 and put those talks on hold.

Fishing rights were the biggest obstacle to Icelandic accession then – as they remain today.

Iceland fought successfully to protect its fisheries from foreign fishermen during the Cod Wars with the UK in the 1970s, and the country’s fish and marine industries still account for almost 40% of its exports.

Many No voters feared EU membership would mean ceding some control of these lucrative fishing grounds under the bloc’s policies, which control how much a member state can catch.

The referendum campaign fuelled debate about Iceland’s place in the world, Kristrún said after casting her ballot in the capital on Saturday.

She told a news conference on Sunday afternoon that there would be no further movement on the issue of EU membership while her government was in office.

One of her ministers denied that the result had been a setback for the government, pointing to the high turnout for the vote.

There was a significant geographical divide in which way people voted, with the capital, Reykjavík, backing EU accession talks and rural areas being more in against them.

The question on the ballot was: “Should Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?”

A Yes vote would not have been a final decision on joining the EU, but a move towards an accession agreement, which would then have to be approved by a second referendum.

Equally, the No vote does not rule out the chance of Iceland resuming talks at some point in the future.

While economic concerns dominated the referendum campaigns, security issues also featured.

Iceland is a founder member of Nato but has no military and relies on its allies for defence. Being a part of the EU would have granted it full access to the bloc’s joint defence infrastructure.

The country has backed Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion and officials have also been alarmed by Russia’s increased maritime manoeuvres near the island.

But Trump’s expressed interest in subsuming another Arctic island, Greenland, into the US has raised concerns more recently.

Iceland’s Foreign Minister Katrín Gunnarsdóttir told Sunday’s news conference that she would seek to strengthen the country’s defence relations with other countries following the referendum.

The win for the No camp was met with applause from eurosceptics elsewhere.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, one of the main proponents of the UK’s exit from the EU, said Icelanders had voted “to keep their independence”.

Marine Le Pen of France’s National Rally said the result pointed to an “obvious truth: membership in the European Union is not the natural horizon for every European democracy”.

Meanwhile, an EU diplomat described the outcome as “a clear setback for Brussels” to news agency Reuters, noting that issues of fishing and independence had been decisive.

A gardener has issued advice to homeowners over a common landscape fabric weed control mistake that some experts say may cause more harm than good

There is a cheaper and more effective way to keep weeds out of your garden – and it does not involve expensive landscape fabric that can do more harm than good.

Many gardeners spend significant sums on synthetic or organic sheeting laid over soil to inhibit weed growth by cutting off sunlight and stopping seeds from germinating. While it is marketed as a low-maintenance solution, experts and experienced gardening enthusiasts warn it frequently ends up costing homeowners considerably more money in the long run and may prove largely ineffective.

A far simpler and cheaper alternative involves layering newspaper or cardboard directly on the soil and topping it with mulch. Not only does this method cost next to nothing, but it also breaks down naturally over time, enriching the soil rather than damaging it – and can suppress weeds for up to two years.

Gardener Gabriella the Garden Sage brought the issue to wider attention after sharing a Facebook post featuring photographs of kniphofia plants with compressed, stunted roots that were unable to push through a layer of landscape fabric buried beneath several inches of mulch. She explains that while mulch ordinarily breaks down and enriches the soil with nutrients, the fabric serves as a barrier, preventing those benefits from penetrating the clay soil underneath.

In the caption accompanying her post she wrote: “Builders and landscape companies convinced homeowners to roll out acres of the stuff, extolling it as a key tool to make landscaping low maintenance and weed free. Not to mention that weeds grow quite happily on top of the fabric! For the sake of your plants, your soil, the planet, and your friendly local garden sage, just say no to landscape fabric!”

Several gardening enthusiasts left encouraging remarks on Gabriella’s post, with one writing: “Yup. Our backyard is full of the stuff, it’s so frustrating!”

Another contributed: “I have had decent luck with either layers of newspaper or cardboard, then mulch on top.” They added: “Weed suppression lasts about two years with this method.”

A third sided with Gabriella, commenting: “Exactly!” while another Facebook user noted: “Wow! That’s good to know! How about laying newspapers down?”

Although landscape fabric may appear to offer a simple solution to garden weeds, numerous experts warn that it frequently creates more difficulties than it resolves. It can obstruct root growth, deprive soil of air and moisture, and ultimately become a nuisance once weeds begin establishing themselves on top.

Removing it is far from straightforward and can require hours of gruelling work. Instead, householders may wish to explore more sustainable and soil-friendly alternatives, such as transforming their lawns with native plants, clover, buffalo grass, or considering xeriscaping — which involves replacing lawn areas with soil, rocks, mulch, or native plant species.

These alternatives not only cut down on maintenance and reduce water consumption, but also provide vital support for pollinators — insects that are fundamental to our food supply. Even transforming just a section of your garden can save both time and money, while improving soil health and encouraging a more balanced ecosystem.