Peter Laws, 43, and 28-year-old Corey Carr are accused of robbing the assistant of cigarette lighters at Isha’s Mini Store, in South Moor, Stanley, on Monday July 13.

Lawyers for both told a hearing at Durham Crown Court in August that the case, “is capable of being resolved”, as both defendants would plead to assault, but deny the intention when entering the premises was to rob the assistant.

When the case came back before the court on Wednesday (September 2), Tony Davis, for Laws, re-iterated that a guilty plea would be forthcoming to a charge of assault, but his client would plead not guilty to robbery.

Alleged robbery took place at Isha’s Mini Store, in South Moor, Stanley, on July 13 (Image: Google)

“The allegation is all captured on CCTV and there was an assault and cigarette lighters were taken, but the defendants maintain that was not the purpose of the enterprise, at all.

“It was a fight which broke out among the men.”

Kelly Clarke, prosecuting, said she has been unable to speak to the reviewing Crown lawyer and so pleas to robbery would be all that would be accepted at the moment.

Read next … more stories from The Northern Echo, by clicking here

Judge Richard Clews agreed to adjourn the hearing for a week to enable the Crown to be consulted and to give its views over the acceptability of pleas to assault.

Both Carr, of Rydal Avenue, Stanley, and Laws, of no fixed abode, were remanded to remain in custody pending the next hearing, on September 9.

Carr appeared from Holme House Prison, Stockton, and Laws, from HMP Durham, via video link at the hearing.

Rob Pope was in the region as he takes on a new challenge, The Taste Trail, this September.

Ayrshire this week welcomed the UK’s ‘real-life ‘Forrest Gump.’

For British ultra-marathon runner, Rob Pope, was in the region as he takes on a new challenge, The Taste Trail, this September.

The challenge has been set by Nestlé, and will see Rob travel more than 500 miles on foot to follow the story of food from farm to fork in Britain today.

It comes as new research, commissioned by Nestlé UK & Ireland, highlights how removed many of those in Scotland feel from the people and places behind their food.

Around a third (35%) say they feel more disconnected from their food than ever, with the most common reasons including buying most food from supermarkets and rarely thinking about where it comes from (53%), and food being available all year round, making people think less about seasonality or origin (38%).

On 2nd September, his challenge started in Ayrshire.

Rob passed through and stopped by Nestlé’s Girvan factory before continuing on his journey to Brighton on his coast-to-coast challenge.

The whole route sees Rob follow the farm, factory and community story as he passes through York, the Midlands and Crawley before ending up on the south coast.

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Along the way, Rob will discover how familiar ingredients are grown, produced and made, while encouraging people to slow down and reconnect with what they eat.

Rob Pope’s challenge forms part of Nestlé’s ‘Made by Britain’ campaign, which showcases Nestlé’s commitment to UK manufacturing, farming and local communities.

That commitment is rooted in more than 160 years of history in the UK, including where Rob’s journey begins in Ayrshire, where Nestlé’s Girvan site produces milk chocolate crumb, a key ingredient used in UK-made confectionery including KitKat, Aero and Quality Street.

The site is supplied with milk from farms through Nestlé’s Milk Plan and partnership with dairy cooperative, First Milk, and plays an important role in connecting dairy farming with the confectionery products made and enjoyed across Britain.

British endurance athlete, Rob Pope said: “As a runner, food was always fuel to me. And most people treat it the same way. We grab it, eat it and move on. We don’t always think about where it came from or who made it.

“Now I’m taking the long way back to it, slowing down to learn where my food is grown and produced right here in Britain.

“Today, I’m in Ayrshire to learn about how milk from British dairy farms is turned into milk chocolate crumb, a key ingredient in some of the UK’s favourite chocolate bars.

“Over 500 miles, coast to coast, my journey covers a dairy farm in Ayrshire, through chocolate city York, the distribution heartland in the Midlands, down to Brighton on the south coast, I will be properly reconnecting with where food comes from.

“I’ve spent my life trying to go faster. This time I’m doing the opposite – slowing right down to learn where my food is grown and produced right here in Britain.”

Dr Emma Keller, Head of Sustainability at Nestlé, said: “Most of us pick food up from a supermarket shelf without thinking too much about how it got there. But behind every product are the farmers, factory teams and local communities who make it possible. So much of the food we know and love are not just made in Britain but made by Britain.

“The Taste Trail is about following that farm to fork journey and meeting some of the people involved along the way. Rob is helping to shine a light on all the steps behind the food we eat, and just as importantly, how we make sure that any surplus food reaches those who need us most. We’re proud to be working with Felix, the UK’s largest food redistribution centre, to donate thousands of meals to those in need.”

Rob added: “I want to use my slowest trip yet to pay attention to where our food comes from.

“I’m excited to meet the people behind the ingredients which ends up in your morning coffee and your favourite chocolate bar.”

As part of the challenge, for every mile covered by Rob, Nestlé will donate more than 300 meal equivalents to Felix, the UK’s largest food redistribution charity.

An estimated total of more than 175,000 meals equivalents will be donated on completion of the challenge, helping more food reach people who need it most.

The public can donate too by visiting https://tinyurl.com/TheTasteTrail.

Rob’s journey will be shared in a series of mini-episodes, released throughout September on @nestleuki, following his visits to the farms, factories and communities that make up The Taste Trail.

Search ‘Nestlé The Taste Trail’ on YouTube to follow Rob’s journey.

The cricket club has applied to North Yorkshire Council for a new club premises certificate which would allow alcohol to be supplied on the premises between noon and 11pm, seven days a week.

The pavilion is almost complete after being built by members following a fundraising campaign.

The application will  be considered by North Yorkshire Council’s statutory licensing sub-committee on Thursday, September 10, after an objection was received during the consultation period.

The council’s report confirms that the objection means the licensing panel is legally required to hold a hearing to determine the application.

The objector, whose identity has been redacted from the documents, said they were concerned that allowing alcohol to be served every night until 11pm would cause “significant and unacceptable disturbance” through noise and lighting.

They said their home was around 200 metres from the new pavilion, with a direct line of sight and no screening for either noise or light.

The resident also raised concerns about the potential impact on nocturnal wildlife including bats, moths and hedgehogs.

They said they had lived at the property for 24 years and were accustomed to “complete darkness and quiet at night”.

However, the neighbour stressed they were not opposed to the licence application in principle.

Instead, they suggested the permitted hours should be restricted to noon until 10pm and argued that the premises should not be available for private hire in the future, particularly as the pavilion is close to Newton-le-Willows village hall, which already has a licensed bar and parking.

The consultation on the application ran from July 16 until August 13.

North Yorkshire Police requested additional conditions, which were agreed by the applicant.

Neither the council’s environmental protection team nor North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service objected, while no other representations were received from responsible authorities or members of the public.

Councillors will have several options when they consider the application.

They can grant the certificate as requested, approve it with modified or additional conditions, or reject all or part of the application.

The panel must consider whether any measures are appropriate to promote the four licensing objectives, which include preventing public nuisance, crime and disorder, protecting public safety and protecting children from harm.

A search and rescue effort is now underway after single engine aircraft crashed into the side of a mountain on Thursday, September 3, authorities have confirmed

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Police have confirmed a search and rescue mission is now underway after a plane crashed into the side of a mountain.

Rescue squads in the US state of Colorado are now at the scene of Dolores Peak after the single-engine craft careered into the north side of the mountain.

As per a spokesperson from the San Miguel Sheriff’s office, search and rescue squads are currently being dispatched to the remote crash site via helicopters.

San Miguel Sheriff’s Office deputies, operatives from Search and Rescue, the Bureau of Land Management and personell from the Telluride Fire Protection District personnel are now responding to the emergency incident.

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Dolores Peak is a remote, high-elevation mountain summit located in a rugged backcountry area of southwestern Colorado. The crash site is located about 15 miles from historic country town Telluride, in the state’s south west.

It is yet not known if any have survived the plane crash.

The San Miguel Sheriff’s Office said in a statement: “A single engine aircraft has crashed on the north side of Dolores Peak approximately 15 miles SW of Telluride.

“Teams are being inserted via helicopters to determine if there are survivors.”

This is a breaking story – more to come.

Three people were taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment after two ambulances were sent to the scene.

A busy Edinburgh road was closed and buses diverted after a two-car crash left one vehicle flipped onto its roof.

Emergency services were called to Orchard Road, near Queensferry Road, at around 2.25pm on Thursday, September 3, following reports of a two-vehicle collision.

Images from the scene show a white car lying on its roof in the middle of the road, with extensive damage to the front of the vehicle and airbags deployed.

Debris can also be seen scattered across the road, while traffic began to build up behind the wreckage.

Police arranged for the vehicle to be recovered and one driver is set to be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

Three people were taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment after two ambulances were sent to the scene.

Buses had to be diverted along Craigleith Road and Orchard Brae in both directions due to the road closure.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 2.25pm on Thursday, 3 September, 2026, police received a report of a two-vehicle crash on Orchard Road, Edinburgh.

“Vehicle recovery was arranged and one driver will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.”

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson added: “We received a call at 14:23 hours today to attend a road traffic collision on Queensferry Road in Edinburgh.

“We dispatched two ambulances to the scene, with the first resource arriving within seven minutes. We transported three patients to New Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.”

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Ellie-Mae Doherty and Jessica Fitzhugh worked as West Midlands control room call handlers

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Two women who worked as police have been jailed after accessing personal information. Ex-Derbyshire Constabulary Ellie-Mae Doherty and Jessica Fitzhugh, who worked in the force’s control room, abused their positions within the force.

The pair, both aged 22 years, accessed personal details about their “undesirable” criminal boyfriends while working for the force. BirminghamLive reports Doherty and Fitzhugh were charged with misconduct in public office in April following an investigation directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Doherty, from Ripley in Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to the offence after admitting passing information from police systems to a man linked to crime and not informing Derbyshire Constabulary she had a personal association with him.

Fitzhugh, from Belper in Derbyshire, denied misconduct in public office but pleaded guilty to computer misuse after admitting unauthorised access to information on police systems and taking photographs of material held on those systems without permission.

Doherty was jailed for 11 months and Fitzhugh handed a four-month prison term following a hearing at at Leicester Crown Court today, Thursday, September 3.

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Doherty and Fitzhugh were charged following conduct referrals by the force to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in December 2023 and March 2024.

The IOPC decided the allegations needed investigating and that it was appropriate for the investigation to be carried out by the force’s Counter Corruption Unit under the direction and control of the IOPC.

Breakdown of offences

Prosecuting, Helen Rodger said each had a sexual relationship with men involved in crime, and should have known that these were “disclosable associations”.

The first time Doherty accessed information about an incident and passed it on to Robbie Braddock, with whom she was said to be in a relationship, was in December 2023, roughly two months after she completed her control room training.

Doherty shared details about the incident, a fight in which another male had smashed a window, with Braddock.

Ms Rodger said a second incident involving Doherty on March 6 2024 saw her access details about a search warrant being executed and pass on details about it to the same man as before.

Doherty viewed the details of the incident several times before also checking who was in custody at Ripley custody suite.

Fitzhugh, who was also said to be in a relationship with a man with a criminal record, looked up incidents in spring 2024, out of what the judge called “idle curiosity”.

The two women, who met while both working at McDonald’s before starting with the force, sat apart in the dock and were accompanied in court by their families.

Defending Fitzhugh, Elizabeth Power said that she had a “lack of awareness” about the “severity of the breaches that she made”.

Lowri Butterworth, for Doherty, told the court that she was “acutely aware” and had been using her time since to “give back” to her community.

In sentencing, Judge Timothy Spencer KC called them “naive” 19-year-olds whom he “loosely” described as “girlfriends of two undesirable young men”.

He said: “Regrettably and for reasons that now you will find impossible to rationalise, you both flaunted the clear training, the clear direction and the clear guidelines you were given by the Derbyshire Police.

“In your case Ellie-Mae Doherty it went further because the information you accessed was clearly passed on in two distinct ways at two distinct times.”

Fitzhugh started working at the force in January 2023, aged 19, as a call handler and then a dispatcher, before referring her friend Doherty for a job, who joined as a call handler in September 2023, the court heard.

Both women went through “intense” vetting and were required to read and sign declarations saying that they had no contacts who were “engaged in criminal activities”.

Judge Spencer speculated that maybe their “friendship has not survived this case” and said “I have little doubt that it will haunt you for the rest of your days”.

He said: “It’s impossible to recognise the young women who I read about, with such positive qualities, in the women who committed these offences.”

‘Public put their trust in us’

Both women were charged in April after an investigation led by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after conduct referrals.

Derbyshire Police said a misconduct hearing for Doherty and Fitzhugh will now take place following their convictions

Speaking after the case, Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Michelle Shooter said: “Police officers and staff are given access to extremely sensitive information in order to keep our communities safe.

“The public put their trust in us and expect that we will use that information for the appropriate reasons.

“Both Jessica Fitzhugh and Ellie-Mae Doherty breached the trust and have faced the consequences of their actions.

“The force worked closely with the Independent Office for Police Conduct to carry out the investigation into Fitzhugh and Doherty following a conduct referral to the IOPC by the force.

“The case reinforces the clear responsibilities that officers and staff have – and that the force will take action against those who break the law and breach the standards of conduct that are expected of them.”

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King Charles was joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and their wives Queen Camilla and Brigitte Macron as they viewed the Bayeux Tapestry on loan at the British Museum in London

King Charles displayed his playful side in an amusing exchange with Emmanuel Macron as the two examined the Bayeux Tapestry together on Wednesday (September 2). The celebrated the 70m-long 11th century cloth which is presently on loan from France at the British Museum in London.

The King welcomed the French President for an exclusive viewing of the tapestry, ahead of its public exhibition from September 10 to July 11, 2027. The pair were accompanied by their spouses Queen Camilla and Brigitte Macron, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his wife, Marie-France van Heel also present.

In footage posted to X, the monarch appeared cheerful as he highlighted his “favourite bit” of the Bayeux Tapestry.

Searching for President Macron, he joked: “Ah yes, this is my favourite bit was to discover… he [William the Conqueror] brought with him an enormous cask of wine from France for all the troops. Very sensible.

“Genuinely nice to see footage of a king of England being rather droll,” one X user remarked in response.

A second person added: “Very cool moment! Especially King Charles saying how there was wine for all the soldiers!”

While a third admitted: “I knew I liked him. No wonder my ancestors followed him over!”

Macron also referenced the wine in a speech. He later said: “For it [Bayeux Tapestry] is much more than just a linen canvas embroidered with wool. It represents a whole chapter of French, British and European history.”

He continued: “As you know, it tells the story of the feud between William and Harold – comrades in arms – before they became enemies. And the Norman army crossing the Channel, then the Battle of Hastings fought by William and his troops, which was of course proceeded by a great banquet with the wine barrels they had previously loaded on the sheeps.

“The French having always had a certain sense of priorities!”

King Charles then took to the stand too, adding: “I cannot help but feel that its protagonists, on both sides of the Channel, would look with satisfaction on the Franco-British gathering here today, and be pleased that our two great nations, which share such fundamental values, have prospered together, across the tides of History.

“As Shakespeare said in The Tempest, ‘What is past is prologue’. We have defended our values together in times of peril; we continue do so today across the world.

“It once depicted warriors crossing the Channel; yet today it forms part of a cultural exchange that will see some of the British Museum’s own precious artefacts travel to France in return, in a spirit of friendship.”

​A Scarborough food shop’s renovation works, which only came to light following a complaint, have been retrospectively approved by North Yorkshire Council.

​Officers said the works were carried out this spring and the shopfront was altered “so that the returned entrance element has been lost now that the shopfront has been glazed the full width of the front elevation, parallel with the pavement”.

54 Ramshill Road, Scarborough After Works Were Carried Out. Applicant

Additionally, the entrance door was relocated slightly to the right, and the timber shop frame was replaced with aluminium glazed frames.

54 Ramshill Road, Scarborough In 2024 Prior To The Works Having Been Carried Out. Google Maps

The applicant, One 4 All Supermarket York Ltd, was granted a premises licence by the council in April, allowing it to sell alcohol and stay open from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week.

​“An application for advertisement consent has not been submitted yet,” planners noted.

​Two objections were made by local residents who said that the original shopfront “was of considerable architectural interest”.

​One resident said: “The shopfront that has been installed is not satisfactory in either design terms or in the materials used and should be refused.”

​Another local objector stated: “If the council had published an appraisal of the conservation area, the original shopfront would have likely been described as making a positive contribution to the appearance and character of the conservation area.”

Ramshill Road, Scarborough. Google Maps

​They also raised concerns that “an unacceptable illuminated fascia will be installed in its place”.

​The planning application was supported by Scarborough Town Council, and no objections were made by the Highway Authority.

​Planners said the removal of the shop’s traditional timber features was “unfortunate” but concluded that “in this instance, the shop alterations and internal roller shutter are considered acceptable, and it is felt that it would be inappropriate to withhold consent for the shop front alterations which have been implemented”.

​“Overall, the shop alterations and internal roller shutter are considered to be acceptable to the host property and local area in terms of its design and materials,” officers added.

The application was approved by North Yorkshire Council, subject to conditions, on Friday, August 28.

There are some essential lawn care tasks every UK gardener should complete to ensure a healthy, winter-ready lawn

A new month is upon us, bringing with it a host of gardening tasks to tackle as summer begins to fade. With autumn fast approaching, September presents an ideal opportunity to get on top of lawn maintenance and prepare your garden for the cooler months ahead, particularly following the heatwaves that swept across the UK.

Gardening enthusiast and TikTok creator Michael Griffiths recently outlined his comprehensive list of September gardening tasks, including advice on how those with a passion for horticulture can restore their lawns. If your grass is still looking a little sorry for itself, he recommended leaving it alone for a week or two until it recovers its previously lush appearance.

In a recent video, Michael said: “Autumn is the perfect time to start lawn maintenance again, but if your lawn looks like this, then leave it a week or two to let it recover.”

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How to prepare garden lawns for winter

Mowing

Once your lawn has bounced back, begin by cutting the grass to approximately four centimetres in height, which will help it withstand the winter months.

This can be achieved either by hand or using a mechanical mower. However, keeping the lawn in good condition is not solely about mowing — the condition of the soil beneath matters just as much.

Scarifying lawns

Michael explained that September is also the perfect time to scarify and aerate lawns, which will help prep the ground for the colder months ahead. An easy way to get air and moisture into the ground is by doing these jobs.

To prepare the ground, you can utilise an aerator, scarifier, or simply a garden fork. This tool is employed to create holes directly in the soil, helping water to drain into the earth below.

Use the garden fork to pierce holes in the ground roughly four to five inches in depth. Push the garden fork firmly into the soil, then draw the fork backwards without withdrawing it completely.

Repeat this process every six inches throughout the lawn. After aerating your lawn, you can either leave the holes unfilled or pack them with horticultural sand to assist with drainage.

Scarifying operates by employing rotating blades on a machine to slice into the lawn, eliminating layers of dead grass, moss, and debris, while encouraging grass growth. It will also enhance airflow into the soil.

Scarifying is a lawn maintenance technique involving mechanical blades or tines to cut into and extract a thick layer of thatch – comprising dead grass, roots, and organic material – from a lawn.

Your lawn’s condition will benefit as this permits improved airflow, water, and nutrient access to the soil by eliminating any obstacles.

Watering

B&Q recommended providing your lawn with a generous amount of water to assist the soil in absorbing moisture. It also notes that the optimal time to aerate the lawn is one or two days following a rain shower, while the soil remains moist.

Seeding and feeding

To provide the grass with a boost, you should overseed the lawn, followed by a thorough feed. However, remember to transition from a summer to autumn lawn feed.

Apply the feed using a spreader or by hand between September and November. Give it a watering and observe the lawn flourish.

Using an autumn lawn feed will help prevent soft top growth on the grass that becomes damaged by frost. This will strengthen the lawn’s root system, making it more resistant to winter conditions.

Autumn lawn feeds are high in potassium and phosphates, which promote root development rather than leafy growth, Gardeners World explained. They say: “Putting on root growth means the grass will be able to absorb more nutrients and water come the following spring, which will result in more leafy growth when you need it.”

Saturday is looking fine and dry for England and Wales as hotter air from France makes its way to the UK.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland there will also be a lot of dry weather with the chance of a few showers in the west and more cloud through the afternoon.

On Sunday it will be cloudy and damp for many in Northern Ireland and western Scotland.

South-westerly winds will scoop up more warm, humid air from Europe and it’s likely to feel hot again in the best of the sunshine for England and Wales. Eastern Scotland is also likely to stay dry with sunny spells.

Temperatures could peak at 27C (81F) in south-east England. Northern England, south-west England and Wales could reach 24C (75F), while Northern Ireland and eastern Scotland could see 20C (68F).