The North Tyneside spot, popular with swimmers, kayakers and padel boarders, was named in a satirical list of brown flag ‘winners’ last year. The so-called awards by travel site Holiday Park Guru were designed to highlight beaches with bad water quality.

The Environment Agency has advised against swimming at Cullercoats Bay since 2017 and has labelled the bathing water classification as “poor”.

North Tyneside Council said efforts to track down the problem have widened over the past year.

Sam Dand, director of environment, said: “Since 2017, we have worked closely with Northumbrian Water and the Environment Agency to address water quality issues at Cullercoats.

“The partnership has carried out a considerable amount of work on both public and privately-owned land.

“That work has broadened in the last 12 months as Northumbrian Water seeks to pinpoint the source of the contamination.”

Cullercoats entered the so-called ‘top of the plops’ chart for a second time last year.

Mr Dand said: “We are extremely proud of our internationally recognised coastline and beaches, including Cullercoats, which continues to be a popular destination for residents and visitors.

“Cullercoats remains a vibrant and welcoming beach, and we will continue working with our partners until the water quality matches our aspirations.”

In 2017, North Tyneside Council, the Environment Agency and Northumbrian Water carried out a joint investigation into the decline and identified sewage as a major contributing factor.

Northumbrian Water said a later bathing water study recommended diverting contaminated groundwater from a disused council culvert into the combined sewer network, with a new drainage pipe planned for John Street.

IN medieval England, large rural estates were owned or managed by the ‘Lord of the Manor’; the ‘Lord’ was not usually a ‘knight’, with the term ‘Manor’ referring to his estate.

These estates typically contained woodland, pasture, common footpaths, lakes and waterways; they would also include tenant farms and dwellings.

Churches with parishes would also feature, the parish boundaries often being disputed.

To manage these estates local rules and tenant responsibilities were imposed, but a method of checking compliance to these directives was required.

So annually the ‘Lord’ would summon a number of trusted residents of the estate to meet on an appointed day, then under oath of allegiance, they were tasked with inspecting various aspects of his estate.

Typically, waterways were checked for excessive bank overgrowths or objects impeding the flow; woodlands checked for illegal use, the ‘Lord’s’ estate rules maintained and that boundaries of farms and parishes were correctly marked. Reports of the inspections were required the same day, after which the residents were relieved of their duties. The day was concluded with a meal provided by the ‘Lord’ in recognition of their service.

The event became known as the ‘Manor Court Leet’.

Court Leet members gather at Clifton Green. Photo supplied

In the 18th and 19th century the growth of canals, railway systems and towns greatly impacted on estates as they all required land for expansion. The Local Government Act of 1888 and creation of national bodies like the Police (1829), Ordnance Survey (1842 maps defined footpaths and boundaries) and HM Land Registry (1868) all restricted the management of estates by the ‘Lord’.

Common footpaths became ‘rights of way’, rules became bye-laws and a tenant’s responsibilities became included in property deeds. The role and need for the Manor Court Leet became greatly diminished.

Country-wide, the number of courts remaining are few, their role redundant, overtaken by time and regulations.

Meeting of the Clifton Court Leet 2014. Photo supplied

An estate at Clifton is recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086. It is known that the estate was given to the monks of St Mary’s Abbey in about 1088, the estate then included part of Galtres Forest and the hamlet of Rawcliffe.

The estate remained under the control of the monks until the demise of St Mary’s Abbey in 1539. The Manor House of the estate that used to exist at Rawcliffe is now remembered solely by local street names.

In 1606 the estate was acquired by the Robinson family, who owned it for over 300 years. The Robinson family were wealthy York merchants, one member, Sir William Robinson, built the Red House in Duncombe Place and became Lord Mayor in 1700-01.

The Red House on the corner of St Leonard’s Place and Duncombe Place around the 1910s in York. The Red House was home to Sir William Robinson. Photo from Explore York archive

In 1919 the estate was bought by York City Council, which technically became the ‘Lord of the Manor’; the days of Clifton Manor Court Leet was thought to be over.

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But in recent years some residents of Clifton, keen not to allow such an important local event be lost, have continued the act of holding an annual Court Leet.

The Court is convened every November with the Sheriff of York hosting the event, participants are duly sworn in before departing to Clifton and Rawcliffe to conduct inspections just as their fore-fathers would have done.

Rawcliffe Ings

Some of the ancient estate waterways (now becks) can still be seen, state of over-growth and discarded objects in the becks are reported to the Sheriff that evening.

The Clifton Manor Court Leet is concluded with a meal funded by the participants. The reports are not without consequence as they are forwarded by the City of York Council to the relevant authorities for their attention.

The authority of the Court Leet may have gone, but part of York’s ancient local history still survives.

Ivan Martin is the vice-president of the Yorkshire Architectural and York Archaeological Society (YAYAS) and former city, Minster and Mansion House guide. He is also a former Clifton Manor Court Leet bye-law man.

YAYAS developed from its foundation in 1842. It publishes the York Historian and YAYAS Times, with articles and news items about York and its surroundings.

It is active with lectures and excursions and is always happy to welcome new members and suggestions for visits.

Its archives include photographic illustrations that can be used for research or reproduction with copyright acknowledgement.

Visit the website www.yayas.org.uk for more information about the organisation, its publications and how you can support it.

It will arguably be the best bogey of McIlroy’s career.

With a two-shot lead on the 18th tee the job was almost done but McIlroy had a wild swipe and his ball flew to the right and into trees.

Hearts were suddenly racing again.

After what seemed like an eternity, as he tried to usher thousands of spectators away from his intended line of attack to the green, he thrashed his ball out of the pine straw and into a greenside bunker.

It was a key moment. Another poor swing could easily have led to a double bogey and a play-off with Scheffler.

He backed that with a strong shot from the sand to 12 feet and with two putts for the title, took both of them.

The final stroke, from seven inches, was the length that all players dream of to win a major.

There was a huge release of emotion. McIlroy hugged his caddie Harry Diamond, looked to the sky and let out a roar as he raised him arms aloft – his sixth major title cementing his place as one of the sport’s greats.

The app lets shoppers create personalised notifications, including a stock check function, so you can see if the items you want to buy are available before heading to the store.

Plus, Primark has told shoppers that the app also makes its popular click-and-collect service easier to use.

The brand previously rolled out its click and collect service to all 189 UK stores, allowing shoppers to pay for items online and pick them up in stores.

Primark launches app in the UK

Primark first launched its app in Ireland and Italy last summer, but it is now available to download in the UK on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Discussing its new feature, Kari Rodgers, UK Retail Director at Primark, said: “We know our customers expect great value and an effortless shopping experience, wherever they are.

“Our new app puts exactly that in the palm of their hand, from personalised updates on the latest trends to faster, more convenient ways to browse and shop via Click & Collect.

“This is just the next step in bringing everyday value to more UK shoppers in a way that’s simple, seamless and built around their needs.”

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Matt Houston, Chief Customer and Digital Officer at Primark, shared: “Following the successful launch of our app in Ireland and Italy, we’re excited to bring an even smarter, more connected shopping experience to the UK.

“Customers are increasingly turning to digital tools that make shopping easier and more rewarding, and we’re confident that our app will deliver an intuitive, personalised experience that’s been carefully designed to help them get the most out of every Primark visit.”

Will you be using Primark’s new app? Let us know in the comments.

Sir Keir Starmer has refused to join Donald Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil and gas shipping lane, which could drive up petrol costs for Britons

Sir Keir Starmer has declined to participate in Donald Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which could intensify economic hardship for Britons through increased petrol prices.

The president threatened to halt tankers from entering or exiting the crucial oil and gas shipping route, a decision anticipated to push oil prices higher when markets reopen, following rises already triggered by Iran’s control of the strait in response to the US- Israel conflict against it.

The Prime Minister will address cost-of-living concerns with local residents during a visit to Greater Manchester later today.

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Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves will head to Washington for International Monetary Fund meetings this week, having cautioned that “the war in Iran will come at a cost to British families and business”.

MPs return to Westminster from the Easter break on Monday with no end to the Middle East crisis in view and the future of a fragile two-week ceasefire hanging in the balance. Trump declared the shipping blockade following the collapse of US-Iranian peace negotiations in Pakistan, with both nations pointing fingers at each other.

The American leader announced on his Truth Social platform that the US military would begin “blockading any and all ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz”. Trump added, without elaborating: “Other Countries will be involved with this Blockade.”

Britain will not be taking part, it is understood. The UK is “urgently working with France and other partners to put together a wide coalition to protect freedom of navigation,” a Government spokesperson confirmed.

According to No 10, Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone and reached agreement on the necessity of assembling a broad coalition of partners to address the issue.

Britain will host further discussions this week aimed at reopening the maritime chokepoint, bringing together a coalition of nations. The third such gathering organised by the UK is expected to explore ways to support a lasting resolution to the conflict, while focusing on ramping up international diplomatic pressure on Iran to reopen the strait, including through the use of sanctions.

It is understood that Sir Keir’s Sunday phone call with Mr Macron took place prior to Mr Trump’s social media post about a blockade.

Trump told Fox News “the UK and a couple of other countries are sending mine sweepers” to the strait, and “it won’t take long to clean it out”.

The Prime Minister had previously confirmed that UK mine hunting systems were already deployed in the region. However, this is believed to refer to minesweeping drones that could be utilised once conditions stabilise, and is considered separate from Mr Trump’s proposed blockade.

US Central Command, which oversees American military operations across the Middle East, announced that its blockade of Iranian ports would commence on Monday. US forces “will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports,” the military confirmed in a statement that appeared to directly contradict Mr Trump’s earlier threat to halt all shipping.

The president attributed the breakdown in talks to Iran’s unwillingness to reopen the waterway and pledge to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi hit out at Washington over its “maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade,” adding: “Enmity begets enmity.”

Follow our live blog for the latest on the Middle East conflict by clicking here.

The popular race, part of the British Cycling Open National Road Series, saw professional riders take on a challenging circuit through Saltburn, Skelton, Guisborough, Charltons, Boosbeck, Lingdale and Brotton.

Crowds gathered early this morning (April 12), to watch the competition take place, with the women’s race setting off at 9am over four laps of the circuit, totalling 68 miles.

East Cleveland Classic competition (Image: Andy Futers)

East Cleveland Classic competition (Image: Andy Futers)

East Cleveland Classic competition (Image: Andy Futers)

Pictures from the event show riders powering through the difficult route with spectators lining the streets.

East Cleveland Classic competition (Image: Andy Futers)

Katie Scott, riding for Paralloy RT, claimed first place in the women’s race with an impressive time of 2:56:49.

East Cleveland Classic competition (Image: Andy Futers)

East Cleveland Classic competition (Image: Andy Futers)

She was followed by Anna Flynn of Handsling Alba Development Road Team in second, and her teammate Beth Morrow secured third place.

Photos show the top three riders beaming as they stood on the podium to receive their awards.

East Cleveland Classic competition (Image: Andy Futers)

East Cleveland Classic competition (Image: Andy Futers)

A road closure was in place as the event passed through the region, which saw brief delays of around 15 minutes as police escorted the cyclists through.

The free event once again proved to be a hit bringing elite-level cycling to the North East.

Carrie Richardson, deputy leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and cabinet member for climate and culture, said: “This is a wonderful sporting event, a chance to see truly elite sportsmen and women.

“It’s also a chance to have fun and show off the beauty of East Cleveland on television to cycling fans across the country and the world.”

Workers at one of the nation’s largest meatpacking plants who staged a multiweek strike have reached an agreement with plant owner JBS USA, the company and labor union representatives announced Sunday.

The Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado, will immediately return to normal operations after weeks of uncertainty, JBS USA said in a statement.

The agreement comes after thousands of workers at the meat processing plant led a three-week strike with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 Union in a bid for higher wages and better health care. The strike ended April 4 after JBS USA agreed to resume negotiations.

Workers and JBS USA agreed to wage increases over the next two years and a $750 one-time bonus. The tentative agreement represents a contract with “all gains, countless improvements, and not a single concession,” the union said.

The contract requires the company to pay for personal protective equipment and defends workers against increases in health care costs, according to the union.

Local union president Kim Cordova said workers picketed through extreme weather “because they knew their worth and refused to be disrespected. Today, that sacrifice has been rewarded.”

“This is what union power looks like,” Cordova said in the statement.

The union did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ requests for further details.

JBS USA said it is pleased an agreement has been reached, but expressed disappointment that union leadership chose to eliminate pension benefits that were negotiated last year. The company said the pension was designed to strengthen long-term retirement security and argued the union chose to shift those dollars into short-term wage increases rather than into the long-term financial future of workers.

The union will also withdraw seven alleged unfair labor practice charges, according to JBS USA.

“With the agreement now finalized, JBS USA looks forward to restoring stability, supporting its workforce, and continuing to invest in the Greeley facility for the future,” the company said in its statement.

The strike at Greeley was the first strike at a U.S. slaughterhouse since workers walked out at a Hormel plant in Minnesota in 1985. That strike lasted more than a year and was marked by violent confrontations between police and protesters.

JBS is the world’s largest meatpacking company with a market capitalization of $17 billion. It is the top employer in Greeley, a city 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Denver with a population of about 114,000 people.

HOUSTON (AP) — Never-before-glimpsed views of the moon’s far side. Check. Total solar eclipse gracing the lunar scene. Check. New distance record for humanity. Check.

With NASA’s lunar comeback a galactic-sized smash thanks to Artemis II, the world is wondering: What’s next? And how do you top that?

“To people all around the world who look up and dream about what is possible, the long wait is over,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said as he introduced Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen at Saturday’s jubilant homecoming celebration.

Now that the first lunar travelers in more than a half-century are safely back in Houston with their families, NASA has Artemis III in its sights.

“The next mission’s right around the corner,” entry flight director Rick Henfling observed following the crew’s Pacific splashdown on Friday.

In a mission recently added to the docket for next year, Artemis III’s yet-to-be -named astronauts will practice docking their Orion capsule with a lunar lander or two in orbit around Earth. Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin are racing to have their company’s lander ready first.

Musk’s Starship and Bezos’ Blue Moon are vying for the all-important Artemis IV moon landing in 2028. Two astronauts will aim for the south polar region, the preferred location for Isaacman’s envisioned $20 billion to $30 billion moon base. Vast amounts of ice are almost certainly hidden in permanently shadowed craters there — ice that could provide water and rocket fuel.

The docking mechanism for Artemis III’s close-to-home trial run is already at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. The latest model Starship is close to launching on a test flight from South Texas, and a scaled-down version of Blue Moon will attempt a lunar landing later this year.

NASA promises to announce the Artemis III crew “soon.” Like 1969’s Apollo 9, Artemis III aims to reduce risk for the moon landings that follow.

Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart loved flying the lunar module in low-Earth orbit — “a test pilot’s dream.” But there’s no question, he noted, that “the real astronauts” at least in the public’s mind were the ones who walked on the moon.

Wiseman and his crew put their passion and feelings on full display as they flew around the moon and back, choking up over lost loved ones as well as those left behind on Earth.

During the their nearly 10-day journey, they tearfully requested that a fresh, bright lunar crater be named after Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll, who died of cancer in 2020. They also openly shared their love for one another and Planet Earth, an exquisite yet delicate oasis in the black void that they said needs better care.

The president threatened stop tankers from entering or leaving the key oil and gas shipping lane, a move that is expected to further drive up oil prices when markets open, after they have already risen as a result of Iran’s grip on the strait in retaliation for the US-Israel war against it.

The Highlander between Belsay and Ponteland has captured the hearts of visitors on TripAdvisor, earning 221 ‘excellent’ reviews – making it the number one restaurant in the area.

You can find the gastro pub off the A696, just a few minutes away from Newcastle International Airport.

The building is Grade II listed dating back to the 1700s and closed its doors in 2018 before being re-purchased and renovated to reopen in September 2023.

Open from Wednesday to Sunday, drinkers can come in and enjoy beers and spirits as well as tasty bites from pub classic fish and chips to Sunday roasts and mouth watering desserts.

Despite the long closure, it’s clear the boozer is having a positive impact on diners who have taken to TripAdvisor to praise staff and the chefs.

One happy customer said: “Amazing food and great atmosphere. Went for the Thursday special for our first ever visit and we will be back. Food was delicious.”

Another said: “First time visiting the highlander and we will definitely be back. The service was first class, especially how busy the pub was.

“Picturesque pub and ambience just right. Could not fault the food whatsoever, everything was lovely. We will definitely be back and recommend to friends and family.”