Period drama fans don’t want to miss out on this “outstanding” series labelled the “best Jane Austen adaptation”.

Period drama fans need to watch this “perfect” series that BBC viewers cannot get enough of. Jane Austen is one of the world’s most celebrated authors, with several of her most renowned novels adapted for both the big and small screens, including Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion.

However, one of her most cherished classics is the 1815 novel Emma, which was adapted into a four-part drama in 2009 and is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Described as a “comedy of manners”, the story centres on “rich, clever and spoiled young woman” Emma Woodhouse, who considers herself a skilled matchmaker.

“She meddles in the romantic lives of her neighbors with disastrous results, ultimately learning about maturity, social class, and her own heart”, the official synopsis teases.

Ever since the BBC’s remake aired 17 years ago, fans have been unable to get enough of Emma. Describing it as a “heartwarming masterpiece”, a viewer wrote on IMDb: “Previous versions were not bad, especially Paltrow and Northam movie which I enjoyed a lot. But 2009 series is superior by far.”, reports the Express.

A second echoed: “Perfection. Outstanding. 10/10 I recommend watching this if you have never seen it, and if you have, watch it again, it is well worth your time.” Someone else said: “This is perhaps the best adaptation of a Jane Austen novel that I have seen put to screen.

“It is faithful to the book, interprets the characters beautifully and the casting is inspired.”

A fellow enthusiast described it simply as “faultless” before adding: “This adaptation is so delightful it’s hard to describe just how good it is.”

What makes this Jane Austen remake all the more appealing is its stellar cast.

Taking centre stage as Emma Woodhouse is actress Romola Garai, who has most recently appeared in Vigil, Scoop and Betrayal alongside Shaun Evans.

Further stars joining Garai in Emma include Elementary’s Jonny Lee Miller, Friday Night Dinner favourite Tamsin Greig, Harry Potter legend Michael Gambon and The Gilded Age actor Blake Ritson.

Emma is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

At least seven people have been killed and 23 injured after a 14-year-old boy opened fire at his home and school on the outskirts of Thailand’s capital Bangkok.

The gunman – a student at the Debsirin School in Nonthaburi – killed his grandparents and five teachers before taking his own life, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters. The attacker still had “more than 30 bullets left” when he turned the gun on himself, Anutin added.

Nine of the injured people remain in a critical condition, authorities say.

The shooting – the second at a school in Thailand this year – has renewed pressure on the government for greater action on gun control.

Police were deployed to the scene during the active shooting, which began just after 10:00 local time (03:00 GMT).

National police chief police general Kittiratt Phanphet told reporters that forensic officers had found the gunman’s shots were quite accurate, with several hitting vital spots on the body.

The prime minister said the attack was “well prepared” with “clear steps and clear goals”.

The attacker has not been publicly named, and police haven’t disclosed a motive – though the prime minister said the boy may have been stressed about his studies.

Investigations are continuing, with officers seen carrying away computer equipment and boxes from the home the shooter shared with his grandparents, who he shot dead before the school rampage.

The attacker had lived with his grandparents as his parents were divorced.

Both the father and the mother were called in for questioning at a local police station later on Friday.

Torsion Construction Limited, based in Leeds and founded in 2015, specialised in residential and living sector developments and employed 115 people.

The firm had delivered £287 million worth of projects across the UK, including in major cities such as York, Birmingham, Manchester, and Newcastle.

PROJECT UPDATE: Lancaster Wharf, Birmingham
Our 23-story, 266-apartment development. Façade work underway and internal fit-out advancing rapidly, we’re on track for a winter 2025 handover. Exciting times ahead for the city’s skyline! #birmingham #construction #Propertydevelopmet pic.twitter.com/fEwbEFiKZs

— Torsion Group (@TorsionGroup) August 22, 2024

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At the time of its collapse, a further £303 million worth of work was still under construction, according to the Torsion Construction website.

Torsion Construction ceases trading after falling into administration

After more than 11 years in business, Torsion Construction has ceased trading, having fallen into administration.

James Clark and Howard Smith of Interpath were appointed joint administrators on July 29.

Like many firms in the construction sector, Torsion had been under liquidity pressures linked to delayed capital events, contract margin pressure, and rising input costs.

A broader downturn in the market compounded the company’s financial difficulties, Interpath explained.

Mr Clark, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator of Torsion Construction, said: “Torsion Construction has faced many of the immense challenges that have confronted leadership teams right across the sector.

“Despite its efforts to find a sustainable solution and protect its clients from those pressures, the business’ liquidity ran out of road.

“With regret, Torsion Construction could not continue in its current form and was left with no other option but to cease trading.

“We have a team providing the appropriate information and support to staff as we work through an orderly wind down of operations.”

The business ceased trading upon entering administration, with the majority of staff made redundant.

A small number of employees have been retained to support the administrators during the winding-down process.

Other UK companies that have closed or entered administration/liquidation in 2026

It has been a tough year for the UK high street, with several other retailers entering administration or liquidation and others announcing widespread store closures.

Major high street brands LK Bennett, Claire’s, and Quiz have been forced to close all their remaining stores after falling into administration.

UK fashion retailer Leading Labels is also set to close its remaining 15 stores after falling into liquidation.

Whitbread recently confirmed it will be closing all its UK restaurants in September:

• Brewers Fayre (89 locations) – September 7
• Beefeater (106) – September 10
• Bar + Block – September 3
• Table Table – September 3
• Cookhouse + Pub – September 3

TG Jones and the British Heart Foundation will also both be closing around 150 stores across the UK.

Other retailers have been forced to close stores this year, including:

The company responsible for iconic British bikemaker Raleigh, Accell Group, also filed for administration this week, putting the 139-year-old British bikemaker at risk of closing.

Several UK travel companies have also ceased trading or entered administration in 2026:

Meanwhile, four UK airlines have fallen into administration or liquidation:

What has a nose, wings and runs off of hydrogen? Ecojet 😎 pic.twitter.com/y8QGiBdFe2

— ecotricity (@ecotricity) July 17, 2023

UK delivery company Yodel is set to be phased out after being acquired by InPost.

It’s also been reported that Morrisons is looking to sell some of its in-store pharmacies as it continues to cut costs.

It hasn’t all been bad news for the UK high street, with several major brands announcing new store openings for 2026, including Aldi, M&S, and Superdrug.

Meanwhile, brands including Evans and Bodycare have returned to the UK high street this year after previously closing all their stores.

Which business/store closure in 2026 has impacted you the most? Let us know in the comments below.

Series three of Granite Harbour has had fans hooked from the very start

The concluding episode of a Scottish detective drama, perfect for Death in Paradise fans, is airing tonight.

Granite Harbour, which first hit screens in 2022, recently made its return with a third series, two years after the second run, which aired in May 2024.

The synopsis for tonight’s episode, which airs at 8pm and is available to watch on BBC iPlayer, reads: “As the case reaches a conclusion, Lindo and Bart face a race against time to find the real killer as long-held secrets are finally revealed.”

Star Romario Simpson, who plays detective Lindo, has spoken of his excitement at returning for the new series. “It feels exciting to be back. It’s thrilling to be able to delve back into these characters and explore a completely different crime and tell a story set within the travelling community,” he said. “It’s another story that people can relate to and learn from. It’s exciting to be able to do it all again.”

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Speaking about where his character finds himself in the third series, Simpson added: “We find Lindo in his third year as a detective. He’s much more comfortable in his role and is dealing with bigger, more intricate cases. We also explore his love life a bit more, and you still see him sticking to his renegade tactics of going off the books for the greater good. It’s never selfish — it’s always about helping others. This series really shows Lindo in his element.”

The series has drawn comparisons to fellow series Shetland and Death in Paradise, with viewers heading to IMDb to share their verdicts on how the two shows measure up. One viewer wrote: “The other reviews are just negative for the portrayal of Aberdeen and the comparison to Shetland. I’ve heard of neither, so this is purely based on the show. Three episodes and a simple whodunnit case. Very easy watch and I genuinely didn’t guess the end when I usually do at shows like this.”

Another noted the visual similarities with its Scottish counterpart, writing: “The sweeping scenery is reminiscent of Shetland, but the bizarre music is an odd choice for this arena.”

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Not all viewers were as impressed, however. One wrote: “It was nice to have a crime drama set in Aberdeen and in Scotland, but this isn’t a Shetland or Taggart or Vera.” Others drew wider comparisons to the world of feel-good crime drama, with one commenting: “Death in Paradise meets Taggart.”

The third and final episode runs from 8pm until 9pm, and the BBC has already confirmed what will fill the slot the following Friday.

The One Show will broadcast a special hour-long episode on Friday, August 14, marking its 20th anniversary, followed by the European Athletics Championships, which will run from 8pm until 10pm.

The prestigious sporting event, held in Birmingham, will be broadcast on BBC One, with Gabby Logan at the helm. The synopsis reads: “Gabby Logan presents further coverage of the evening session on day five from Alexander Stadium.

“One of the most eagerly anticipated events of the championships brings the night to a close, with reigning champion Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain, Dutch 400m world record-holder Femke Broeders-Bol, and rising Swiss star Audrey Werro all expected to be in women’s 800m contention.

“Finals also take place in the men’s high jump, 400m hurdles and 200m, and the women’s discus. With analysis from Jessica Ennis-Hill and Greg Rutherford, and commentary by Steve Cram, Steve Backley, Andrew Cotter, Colin Jackson and Paula Radcliffe.”

Granite Harbour is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

It’s febrile Fringe season again: a time of frantic lists and spreadsheets, and that panicked sense you might not be able to catch all the essential shows.

To make life easier, I have compiled a list of the 11 shows that I – an academic specialising in humour and comedy – am most excited about this year in Edinburgh. In the interests of transparency, I should state my tastes skew towards clown and performance art, but hopefully there’s something here for everyone.

1. Soho Theatre: Underground Monk Show

This year sees the return of this clown/performance art supergroup from LA. Top-tier performers, their 2024 work-in-progress show was a cult favourite, and this summer the group are unmissable.

2. Lady Bolognese: Class War

More clowning from the gurning duo Lady Bolognese, winners of the 2026 Leicester Comedy Festival best variety show. This is their Fringe debut as dinner ladies Barbara and Veronica dishing the dirt.

3. Frankie Thompson: Horrible Things

“Things from down the back of the sofa and floating in her soup, things from the bins of people in power.” Clown and performance artist Frankie Thompson returns to the Fringe with Horrible Things. An interesting and innovative performer, Thompson is restlessly experimental and satisfyingly eccentric.

4. Ratbags Theatre: How to Art

Another Fringe premiere
from New Zealand’s Ratbags Theatre. How to Art sees two bananas wake up duct-taped to the wall of an art gallery – a conceit clearly referencing Maurizio Cattelan’s infamous Comedian artwork, which saw a duct-taped banana fetch $5.2m (£3.85m) in 2019. The show humorously probes ideas of classification and gatekeeping in art.

5. Harriet Richardson: Creep

Harriet Richardson’s show may well be cut from similar cloth. Her Fringe debut Creep is about obsession and the strange connections we feel with celebrities or performers, as she moves from the performance pieces of her earlier work to stand-up and storytelling. Richardson is perhaps best known for the project which saw her tattoo the mothers’ names of every man she had ever slept with, an ode to the intimacy she tacitly shares with these women.

6. Em Humble: Lady of the Lakes

Over in the realm of character comedy, which has been newly flourishing in the last couple of years, we have Em Humble doing Arthurian-inspired characters and creatures in Lady of the Lakes. Humble’s quirky short film, Chicken Girl, is a delight and gives a taste of her off-beat humour.

7. Bebe Cave: Swoon

From Arthurian legends to the Victorian era: in Swoon, Bebe Cave is doing the pre-Raphaelite brotherhood. Last year’s Fringe show saw her plundering the 14th century for inspiration; now Cave skewers the pretensions of the pre-Raphaelites “and the women they love to drown”.

8. Li Jin Hao: Falling From A Moon

Big-hitter Li Jin Hao was nominated for best newcomer in the 2024 Edinburgh Comedy Awards with his debut, Swimming In A Submarine, which introduced his distinctive comic style: softly spoken surrealism but with definite bite. His return to the Fringe, Falling From A Moon, looks to be in the same vein.

9. Sam Eley is Basil Crumbwick: Soul Sewage

This year Sam Eley is doing horrid as his Soul Sewage character, Basil Crumbwick. The show arrives with a lot of buzz and the whiff of cult status – Basil’s papier-mâché head feels loosely reminiscent of 1990s avant-garde icon Frank Sidebottom.

10. Demi Adejuyigbe: Sells Out

Another comedian in the ascendant, Demi Adejuyigbe was also nominated for best newcomer at the 2024 Edinburgh Comedy Awards, a debut that received a lot of love. Adejuyigbe’s new show looks very promising, and ticks the musical comedy box.

11. Daniel Kitson: Thrum

And finally, there’s the legendary Daniel Kitson, a byword for artistic integrity and the stubborn pursuit of one’s own particular muse. He’s only doing a short run, so catch him while you can.

Click here for more information on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was immediately recognised as she attended a charity concert featuring Kneecap and Bob Vylan last night.

Ms Thunberg, 23, turned up to the Upper Falls gig at Falls Park last night sporting Kneecap’s trademark tricolour balaclava and a keffiyeh.

She danced and clapped along to the two pro-Palestine headliners, before she was later photographed leaving while carrying the balaclava in her hand.

The groups were performing at the Féile an Phobail arts festival in west Belfast, raising money for Irish language organisations including Belfast’s Glór na Móna and Londonderry’s Seán Dolan’s.

Bob Vylan, who made headlines at Glastonbury last year after leading the crowd in a ‘death, death to the IDF’ chant, took to the stage directly before Kneecap.

The two-man punk band avoided any similar controversies in Belfast, although frontman – real name Pascal Robinson-Foster – suffered a hairy moment when he was dropped while crowd-surfing.

Last year the band were heavily criticised for the chant on the main stage of Glastonbury, with the BBC also forced to apologise after airing the events live.

In July they announced plans to sue the corporation over the row after it branded their comments ‘absolutely unacceptable’. 

Two members of rap duo Kneecap perform at the Féile an Phobail arts festival in west Belfast last night

The duo said in a statement: ‘We have decided to take legal action against the BBC. In the immediate aftermath of our performance at Glastonbury 2025, The BBC wasted no time in placing labels upon us that did not, do not and never will fit.

‘As a corporation that receives the majority of its funding from the public, it has disappointingly continued to prove how little it represents the interests of the people and our access to unbiased news and information.

‘The BBC have attempted to silence those that oppose the heinous crimes taking place in Palestine, instead labelling them as anti-semitic, editing their speeches, removing their content and even blocking the release of documentaries that challenge the desired narrative of The BBC and its top brass.

‘These responses are unacceptable. So seeing the opportunity to remind them the power of the people that they are attempting to silence, we had no choice but to take on this fight. In fact, we take great pleasure in serving them that reminder in court.’

They were followed on Thursday night by rap trio Kneecap, made up of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí, real names Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and J J Ó Dochartaigh.

Ó hAnnaidh was previously charged under terrorism legislation after allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a gig in London – Hezbollah is a proscribed terrorist organisation under UK law.

But the case against him was eventually dropped on a technicality, after a judge ruled that police and prosecutors failed to authorise the charge within six months of the alleged offence in November 2024.

Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring ruled the proceedings were ‘instituted unlawfully’, and this was upheld by two judges at the High Court on appeal in March.

Ms Thunberg (pictured centre wearing the balaclava) was seen clapping and dancing along

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Bob Vylan performs at the arts festival on Thursday, a month after announcing the duo would sue the BBC

Ms Thunberg was seen sporting a tricolour balaclava, similar to that worn by Kneecap last night (Pictured: Ó hAnnaidh during the concert)

Judge Goldspring had agreed with Ó hAnnaidh’s lawyers that prosecutors needed to seek the Attorney General’s permission to charge the rapper before informing him on May 21 that he would be charged with a terror offence.

This permission was sought and given the following day, which the court heard meant the charge fell outside the six-month time frame in which criminal charges against a defendant can be brought.

Both Kneecap and Bob Vylan acts have been fierce proponents of the Palestinian cause amid backlash against Israeli actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. 

Ms Thunberg has also become heavily involved in campaigning for Palestinians in recent months.

In December she attended a Palestine Action protest and held a sign reading: ‘I support Palestine Action prisoners, I oppose genocide’.

She was arrested by officers from City of London Police.

Around the same time, Ms Thunberg spoke out in support of several imprisoned Palestine Action activists who were on hunger strike.

She described them as ‘political prisoners’ and joined calls for the charges against them to be dropped. 

She was also detained last year by Israel after warships intercepted the aid flotilla headed for Gaza she was on.

Ms Thunberg’s detention was the second such incident, after she was also taken by Israeli forces while onboard a separate ship headed for the Palestinian state last June. 

If she had hoped to fly under the radar at the Belfast concert last night, she would have been disappointed to have been quickly recognised by others in the crowd.

Ms Thunberg was spotted leaving at the end of the night clutching her balaclava but with the keffiyeh still round her neck. 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court on Friday ordered the Trump administration to halt construction of its $400 million ballroom at the White House without congressional approval.

President Donald Trump doesn’t have the unilateral authority to construct a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom where the White House’s East Wing stood before he ordered its demolition, according to the decision by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction. The court said it would stay its own ruling for two weeks to allow the administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the court wrote.

“This holding has nothing at all to do with whether the proposed ballroom is desirable, or not, as a matter of policy. This ruling does not even necessarily mean that the Defendants may not ultimately construct the ballroom.

“What it does mean,” the court continued, “is that the Defendants may not do so during the district court’s expeditious litigation without securing Congress’s authorization, as the Constitution and laws require.”

The panel upheld an April 16 order from U.S. District Judge Richard Leon for the administration to halt above-ground work on the ballroom. Leon, who was nominated to the bench by Republican President George W. Bush, allowed for construction to continue on below-ground work on a bunker and other “national security facilities” at the site.

Trump, a Republican, railed against Leon’s decision on social media, calling him a “Trump Hating” judge who “has gone out of his way to undermine National Security, and to make sure that this Great Gift to America gets delayed, or doesn’t get built.”

The appeals court case was assigned to Judges Patricia Millett, Neomi Rao and Bradley Garcia. Millett was nominated to the court by Democratic President Barack Obama. Trump nominated Rao. Garcia was nominated by Democratic President Joe Biden. Both Millett and Garcia backed the decision, while Rao opposed it.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued to challenge the project in December 2025, a week after the White House finished demolishing the East Wing to make way for a ballroom that Trump said would fit 999 people.

Government lawyers have argued that the project — the biggest structural change to the White House in more than 70 years — includes critical security features to guard against a range of threats, such as drones, ballistic missiles and biohazards.

“These upgrades, alterations, and improvements are essential to protecting the President, his family, and his staff, as well as the White House itself, and the entire project flows from them,” government attorneys wrote in a court filing.

Attorneys for the preservation group countered that the lack of a White House ballroom doesn’t constitute a national security emergency.

“That commonsense conclusion is not clearly erroneous, and there is no basis to disturb it,” they wrote.

In an initial ruling that the government also appealed, Leon barred above-ground work on the ballroom from proceeding without congressional approval. In response, the appeals court instructed the judge to reconsider the national security implications of stopping construction.

In his most recent decision, Leon ordered a stop only to the above-ground construction of the planned ballroom. The judge stressed that the White House is free to proceed with below-ground work, including the construction of any bunkers, military installations and medical facilities.

“Defendants argue that the entire ballroom construction project, from tip to tail, falls within the safety-and-security exception and therefore may proceed unabated,” the judge wrote. “That is neither a reasonable nor a correct reading of my Order!”

On April 2, Trump’s ballroom won final approval from the 12-member National Capital Planning Commission, which is charged with approving construction on federal property in the Washington region.

___

Barrow reported from Atlanta.

The Boyle Sports Premiership starts on Friday August 7th, with the final round of fixtures set for Saturday April 24

The World Cup kept local football fans ticking over, but now it’s back to the real thing – The Boyle Sports Irish Premiership.

It’s been just over three months since we last witnessed any action in the local leagues, as Coleraine waltzed off into the summer sun with the Clearer Water Irish Cup.

And the success might just keep on coming for the Bannsiders – according to AI tool Chat GPT.

We asked the Artificial Intelligence site who will come out on top in the Irish League this season, and it came up with a definitive answer.

It expects Coleraine to claim the top flight title for the first time in 53 years – and only the second time in history.

Chat GPT rate their probability of success as 35%, but warn that it is early for predictions.

“They have built on last season’s strong finish and are widely viewed as one of the main contenders heading into the campaign. Manager Ruaidhri Higgins has tried to play down the “favourites” tag, but that reflects the expectations around the club,” explained the AI site.

Higgins has been quick to dampen expectations around the Showgrounds in pre-season, despite the signings of Northern Ireland star Conor McMenamin, Jay Henderson, Ben Doherty, Aidan Wilson, Conrad Hunt and Rob Slevin.

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“When you finish second, win the Irish Cup and sign the quality of players that we have over the last two years, there’s going to be expectation,” said Higgins ahead of Saturday’s opening trip to Dungannon. “We have to embrace that.

“It’s interesting that we’re favourites, slightly disrespectful to the reigning champions in my opinion, but it is what it is.

“We haven’t won a league title in over 50 years. You can have all the ability in the world but you have to go and do it, talk’s cheap, you have to go and deliver and we have to go and do it.”

Defending champions Larne have a 30% chance of retaining their title, with Chat GPT saying: “They have the recent pedigree and experience to mount another challenge.”

Linfield suffered a difficult campaign last year, as defending champions themselves, and AI reckons things won’t get better any time soon for David Healy’s men.

“You can never discount Linfield. They remain one of the league’s strongest and deepest squads and are consistently among the betting favourites,” Chat GPT say.

Their Big Two rivals Glentoran are looking to end an 18-year wait for the Irish league title but they are given just a 10% chance of success, with the AI tool explaining: “Good enough to challenge if they find consistency, but I’d currently rank them just behind the top three. The biggest factor will likely be consistency after the league split. The title race in the Irish Premiership is often decided by how the top sides perform against each other in those final championship fixtures.”

That aligns roughly with what the bookmakers are expecting this season, though they give Coleraine a 52.4% chance of winning, pricing them at 10/11 for the title.

They make Linfield second favourites on 4/1, level with Larne, while Glentoran are priced at 5/1.

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A woman was rushed to hospital following the crash.

A Royal Mail van flipped on its roof after a horror two-vehicle smash in Fife.

Emergency crews were alerted to the incident at Ladybank junction on the A92 on Friday afternoon at around 12:44pm.

A woman was rushed to the hospital after the collision but no information is available on her injuries. It is unclear which vehicle she was travelling in at this stage.

Pictures from the scene show the red van on its roof with a huge dent on the side of the vehicle.

A woman appears to be leaning down towards the window of the van and a man stands nearby.

A white vehicle with a mangled front end and loose tyre can also be seen.

Another image shows a highway maintenence vehicle, an ambulance and police van at the scene.

Around #five fire officers and a uniformed cop stand on the road as traffic builds up behind them.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 12.44pm on Friday, 7 August to reports of a road traffic collision on the A92 in Fife on Cupar Road at the Ladybank junction involving a car and a van.

“Operations Control mobilised two appliances to the scene to make the area safe.

“One female casualty was taken to hospital.”

Police Scotland and Royal Mail have been approached for comment.

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Secondary school pupils in the region were among around 150,000 young people across Scotland receiving their results earlier this week.

Young people across Perth and Kinross schools found out their exam results from Qualifications Scotland this week, with early indications locally that candidates have again performed well and continued to make excellent progress with increased levels of achievement.

Secondary school pupils in the region were among around 150,000 young people across Scotland receiving their results.

In 2026, Higher A-C passes in Perth and Kinross Council schools have reached record levels, while National 5 passes are at their highest level since 2020.

Advanced Higher awards have also shown a significant rise, putting passes at their highest level since 2022.

Education chiefs say that 2674 National 4 awards were achieved (a rise of 196 from numbers in 2025), and almost 7000 National 5 awards (an increase of 294 over the number of National 5 passes in 2024) and an 81 per cent success rate in 2026, compared to 80 per cent in 2025.

And 3841 Higher passes were awarded at an 80 per cent pass rate, compared to 75 per cent in 2025, while Advanced Highers awards also improved on the 2024-2025 session with 603 passes and a rise in the pass rate from 76 per cent in 2025 to 78 per cent in 2026.

The council’s Learning and Families Convener, Councillor John Rebbeck, said: “Today is an important milestone for 2026 exam candidates in our schools.

“Congratulations to everyone receiving their results, and as the high-level statistics show, young people in Perth and Kinross have performed extremely well this year.

“This aptly reflects the commitment they, their parents and carers, their teachers and school support staff all make to enabling them to achieve to their fullest.

“If your results haven’t gone quite as expected, please know that support and advice is available, through your school and by contacting the national Results Helpline, run by Skills Development Scotland. SDS Careers Advisers will be available on 0808 100 8000 for free advice and guidance until 8pm today and tomorrow, and from 9am to 5pm this Thursday and Friday.

“Whether you are looking to go to university or college, or into the world of work, there are lots of pathways and support to help you make those key decisions going forward.”

Meanwhile, Jim Fairlie MSP has praised the hard work of learners and teachers across the area as exam pass rates increase at all levels.

As students across Perth and Kinross received their exam results, pass rates for National 5, Highers and Advanced Highers have all increased again, including a record number of National 5 passes.

Meanwhile, learners have also achieved a record number of vocational and technical qualifications, up by 121 per cent on pre-pandemic levels.

The results also show that the poverty-related attainment gap has narrowed compared with last year and pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Mr Fairlie has highlighted the support available to help pupils and families take their next steps with confidence.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) offers a free Results Helpline, providing expert advice on everything from:

• UCAS confirmation and clearing

• College and university vacancies

• Foundation, Modern and Graduate Apprenticeships

• Job, volunteering, and training opportunities

• Staying on at school

The helpline, staffed by experienced careers advisers, is available on 0808 100 8000, open from 9am to 5pm today (August 7). Locally, students can also access one-to-one guidance by visiting a Skills Development Scotland Careers Centre in Perth, open throughout Results Week.

Mr Fairlie, the MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, said: “Today is a moment of pride for so many young people, their families and teachers across Perth and Kinross – I want to congratulate everyone receiving their results today.

“Across Scotland, pass rates have increased with a record number of National 5 passes, and our learners have also achieved a record number of vocational and technical qualifications. That is something our schools, colleges and young people should rightly be proud of.

“John Swinney is focused on narrowing the attainment gap and, having empowered head teachers and invested £1.75 billion in the Scottish Attainment Challenge over the past decade, I am particularly pleased to see progress being made in closing that gap.

“Today can be a whirlwind of emotions, with some young people experiencing joy, relief, disappointment or uncertainty. That is why it is so important that every learner has access to free, professional guidance and support. There is no wrong path, and there are many different routes to a successful future.

“Equality of opportunity is something the SNP Scottish Government will always put at the heart of our education system. Today’s results reflect the hard work of learners and educators across Perth and Kinross, and I wish all young people the very best in whatever they choose to do next.”

Details of local SDS Careers Centres can be found at www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/careers-centres