The Duke of Wellington in Chew Moor has launched regular Friday food events after shutting its kitchen before Christmas because it was no longer financially viable.

It’s soon to host a series of food truck events planned throughout June and beyond.

Inside the pub (Image: Sophie McGrath)

The pub has already hosted Dagi Pizza Van each last Friday of the past three months, and is now expanding the programme with a different food offering planned each week.

Sophie McGrath, landlady, said: “People wanted the food back.

“We are a community-based pub and everything we do is for them. It’s best when everyone is together, and food brings people together.”

The latest event will see SPUDDIES visit the pub from 5pm on this Friday [June 5] serving loaded jacket potatoes and shawarma wraps.

A book club. (Image: Sophie McGrath)

The food truck is the first of several planned throughout June as the pub increases the number and variety of visiting vendors.

Ms McGrath said: “People are really excited. They love the pizza guy that comes, he always sells out.”

Westhoughton High School’s reunion at the Duke. (Image: Sophie McGrath)

A barbecue is planned for June 12, while Dagi Pizza Van is due to return on June 19.

A Greek food vendor is also scheduled to visit on June 26 as part of the pub’s Foodie Fridays programme.

Ms McGrath said: “We shut the kitchen before Christmas because it wasn’t making enough money.

“But people wanted the food back, so we started getting food trucks on Fridays in the car park.”

Shorts is, erm, short for short-form video. Not the shorts that footballers wear.

It’s the familiar format you’ll recognise from many social media platforms: full-screen, vertical and easy to scroll through.

It’s not just video highlights either. You’ll find a mix of breaking news, explainers, behind-the-scenes content, interviews, features and highlights from major sporting events.

Most importantly, it’s all sport.

No distractions. Just trusted, entertaining and informative sport videos from the teams covering the biggest stories across BBC Sport.

So whether you’ve got a spare 30 seconds or 30 minutes, you’ll have a place to catch up on the action, understand the stories behind the headlines and hear from the biggest names in your favourite sports.

New weekly food waste and recycling schemes have been introduced for thousands of households across the borough. 

Bins, caddies and liners have been delivered ahead of the scheme starting on Tuesday (June 2).  

Residents will have received:

• A kitchen caddy
• An outside food waste bin
• 52 biodegradable caddy liners – enough to last a year

If you live in a flat or other communal setting, you will have a caddy for your home and liners. There will be a larger communal bin to put your full caddy liners into. 

What you need to do:

1. Put food waste, such as peelings, leftovers, out-of-date items (not in packaging), coffee grounds and tea bags, in the lined caddy
2. When the caddy is full, tie the liner bag
3. Put the tied liner in the outside food waste bin
4. Put your food waste bin out for collection once a week, along with your general recycling bin

If you live in a flat or other communal setting, you need to put your full caddy liners into the communal food waste recycling bin provided.

Residents are asked to put food waste, such as peelings, leftovers, out-of-date items and tea bags, in the lined caddy and put it in the outside food waste bin. 

The food waste bin will be collected once a week along with the general recycling bin and green glass box.

General household waste will still be collected fortnightly.

An information pack explaining the new service, which includes details of specific recycling collection days, has also been distributed to households.  

If people haven’t received their bins yet, you should visit darlington.gov.uk/foodwaste or call 01325 405111. 

Community groups interested in learning more about the new scheme can contact the council’s engagement officer at recyclingdarlington@darlington.gov.uk. 

When is my collection?

You will be able to check your new collection day here. Your collection day is also included in the information pack delivered with your food waste bin and caddy. Put your bins out by 7am on the day of collection and bring them back in as soon as you can.

How often will food waste be collected?

Food waste, along with all other recycling, will be collected once a week. General rubbish will continue to be collected fortnightly.

Will the food in my bin smell?

It is less likely to smell if you regularly empty your kitchen caddy into the outside food waste recycling bin and tie up the liner. Your outdoor bin and caddy also have sealable lids, which will stop smells getting out better than most normal kitchen bins.

Will keeping food waste outside attract rats, cats and flies?

If the lid on the outdoor food waste bin is kept closed and sealed, it is unlikely to attract pests. The council is collecting food waste every week, so there won’t be large amounts of food waste outside homes.

My food waste bin or caddy has been lost or stolen, how do I get a replacement?

You can order a replacement bin or caddy online through our equipment requests form, which can be found on the refuse and recycling equipment page.

Replacement 23 litre bins cost £3.40 and replacement 5 litre bins cost £1.20.

Police and paramedics raced to the scene after the scooter smashed into a car

An e-scooter rider suffered life-changing injuries in a major collision in Gorton. Police and paramedics raced to the scene on Mount Road on Sunday (May 31).

Witnesses reported seeing a number of ambulances and police vehicles in attendance. An air ambulance also reportedly landed nearby amid the response.

Emergency services were called at around 1pm after reports the e-scooter had crashed into a Ford Fiesta. The rider of the e-scooter was rushed to hospital from the scene.

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Officers from Greater Manchester Police are now appealing for information and any witnesses to come forward. A spokesperson for the force said: “Officers from our Roads Policing Unit are appealing for information and witnesses following an RTC on Mount Road in Gorton.

“It is believed that an e-scooter collided with a Ford Fiesta at the junction with Windsor Street on Sunday 31 May 2026 at around 1pm. The rider of the e-scooter suffered life-changing injuries.

“Anyone with any information or CCTV, mobile or dashcam footage is ask to contact us on 101 quoting log 1615 of 31/05/2026.”

Emergency services were called to the scene on the westbound carriageway of the major road near Connor Downs just before 11am on Friday, May 29

A young boy of eight has tragically lost his life following a multi-vehicle collision on the A30 in Cornwall.

Emergency services were scrambled to the westbound carriageway of the busy road near Connor Downs at just before 11am on Friday, 29 May. Police have confirmed the eight year old boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

A five year old boy was rushed to Bristol Children’s Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition, the force added. A woman in her 70s sustained serious injuries and is currently receiving treatment at Derriford Hospital, while a woman in her 40s was also treated at Derriford before being discharged, reports Cornwall Live.

The two women and two children were all passengers in the same vehicle. Specially trained family liaison officers are providing support to their loved ones.

A man in his 60s was subsequently arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was treated for minor injuries before being released under investigation.

Detective Inspector Andy Heath of Devon and Cornwall Police Serious Collisions Investigation Team said: “Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by this incident. Specialists from the Roads Policing Team and Serious Collisions Investigation Team have continued enquiries through the weekend, and the investigation team will be pursuing several lines of enquiry over the coming weeks.

“It is not possible to provide detail of the cause of the collision, and I would ask the public not to speculate. Further information will be made available in due course. Our priority at this time is to support those that have been directly affected by this tragic incident and to secure the evidence required for a thorough investigation.”

Officers are now urging anyone with dashcam footage to get in touch with the force.

In an official statement, Devon and Cornwall Police said: “Police are appealing for witnesses and dash-cam footage following a road traffic collision on the A30 which has tragically resulted in the death of a child and serious injuries to another.

“If you witnessed the collision or were in the area with dash-cam and have not yet spoken to police, please call 101 or make contact via our website quoting 50260136471.”

Benefits of the deal highlighted by Aslef to its members include an extra 35 days away from work a year, average weekly rostered hours being cut to 34 from current average of 36, as well as more time at home and less time travelling to and from work, meaning less fatigue and giving drivers a better quality of life.

If you find ghosts a frightening prospect that’s best avoided, you will probably struggle to relate to Yvette Fielding.

That’s how I felt when I spoke with the longtime host of Most Haunted, which has just put out series 28 on Pluto TV and is already filming its 29th. They’re even location scouting for the 30th, if you have any spots you want to write in with ghoulish tales of.

The 57-year-old presenter co-created the format with her husband Karl Beattie in 2002. She likens ghost hunting to an ‘addiction’, but also recounts a crisis of conviction some years later when a crewmember had to be rushed to hospital after an apparent ghost attack.

The incident unfolded in the Edinburgh Vaults – which have a rich if rather sombre history of murder, witch persecution and more – during a live broadcast across the UK and US.

During the episode, three crewmembers were cut, scratched and wholly shaken up. Their sound man collapsed with a cut down his leg that was ‘so deep you could actually see the bone’, Fielding recalls to Metro.

The veteran TV presenter struggled to keep it together and resigned live on air. ‘I had never thought that we could get harmed,’ she says. ‘I kept crying and saying, “That’s it. I’m done. I can’t cope with this. What the hell are we dealing with?”’

When the taping was done, Fielding was prepared to pack it in then and there, but agreed to take a month to think about it. Many conversations with her husband ensued.

‘My resolve hit through. I was like, “No, I’m not going to let this beat me”,’ she says. ‘I then started researching cases throughout history where people were physically hurt by, seemingly, a spirit. It was unbelievable the amount of terrifying cases that were reported in newspapers – bite marks, burn marks, scratches, bruising.

‘I just thought, if you’re going to investigate the paranormal, then you’ve got to go the whole way. You can’t just go, I’m frightened of it. You’ve got to do the whole thing.’

She adds: ‘Now, if somebody gets a little scratch or a burn mark, I get so excited.’

See? Not terribly relatable to us scaredy-cats. But it does make sense why Fielding has spent as many years as she has entering rooms that would have horror audiences screaming, ‘Don’t go in there!’

Don’t be rude and say “What a load of rubbish”, because I’m not going to say that about your religion.

Not everyone has the same mettle. A fair few Most Haunted crewmembers have upped and left in the middle of filming after experiencing something they ‘can’t explain’.

‘When crew come and work on the show, they might think it’s a TV show, so stuff’s made up,’ says Fielding. ‘But when they realise this is real, they start questioning things. It really can be quite upsetting and unnerving.’

Fielding rapidly relays a succession of events in the latest series alone. They include a metal crucifix flying across a room, a rocking chair moving of its own volition, tapping and scraping sounds, stalking footsteps, slamming doors, moans, groans and children giggling. It’s a full-on fright night.

‘I might scream and be terrified, but it is like an addiction. I can’t wait to go back and do it again. I don’t know why. I love it,’ she says. On particularly scary filming days, she will listen to the Mary Poppins soundtrack on the way home to calm the nerves.

Despite the show’s extensive ghosthunting back catalogue, Most Haunted doesn’t seem to be running out of locations to visit. To Fielding, it’s the locations that make the show

From time to time, certain spots are so spooky they merit a second look. Many come in as fan suggestions. All of them have to be vetted to weed out the charlatans.

This involves rounds of interviews and eyewitness testimonies. ‘It’s like a jigsaw puzzle,’ says Fielding. ‘You’re putting all the pieces together and hoping that it makes a full picture.’ 

Because this is ghosthunting, there’s something beyond research and rigour that they rely on too: the feeling when they first walk in.

But ultimately, ‘seeing is believing’, says Fielding, which is why Most Haunted is so gung-ho about getting sceptics, scientists and journalists to ride along. (I too am invited on a ghostly sojourn – watch this space.) 

‘We have nothing to hide,’ says Fielding. ‘I want these people, especially sceptical people, to experience something and go away puzzled.’

For Fielding, spiritualism is her religion and she doesn’t take kindly to naysayers denigrating it. ‘They should respect our views, which is, there is life after death,’ she says. ‘Don’t be rude and say “What a load of rubbish”, because I’m not going to say that about your religion. 

‘We go on. Our consciousness goes on. I know that my relatives are happy. I know that they come and visit. If you talk out loud to them, they will draw close and you’ll feel a little bit better within a short space of time.’

The 47-year-old could be following in the footsteps of his son Bobby, 22, who reached the final of the BBC show in 2023.

A source told The Sun: “Jeff was approached by the Beeb about taking part in Strictly this year and he is tempted.

“Previously he said he wouldn’t do it because he didn’t want to step on Bobby’s toes.

“But three years have passed now and it’s a massive opportunity for Jeff.

“He has discussed it with Bobby who thinks it would be amazing if his dad was to give it a go.

“Jeff has yet to sign his contract but everyone around him is urging him to do it.”

Jeff Brazier rumoured to be part of new Strictly line-up

Bobby was partnered with professional dancer Dianne Buswell and finished runner-up to Coronation Street star Ellie Leach and her professional partner Vito Coppola.

In a 2024 interview, Jeff explained why he was hesitant to do the show.

He told The Sun: “Bobby’s been there, it’s his thing.

“I feel like to step into that world would almost be to sort of steal his thunder slightly.

“That was Bob’s thing and I want to leave it to him…

Top 5 most iconic Strictly performances

“I’ve got plenty of things that I really enjoy doing, I’ve got lots of exciting projects moving forward and I’ll stay in my lane, I think.

“But I don’t think that going on Strictly would be right for me right now.”

The Strictly rumours come after the cancellation of a planned ITV reality show featuring Jeff and his sons Bobby and Freddy.

The documentary was reportedly dropped earlier this year due to “ongoing stress” within the family.

A source told the Daily Mail: “Jeff has pulled out of the show, leaving pre-production in chaos.

“Nobody really knows why, but there is a lot of ongoing stress in the Brazier clan, especially with [son] Freddy about to become a dad.

“It’s a lot, but Jeff deciding to take himself away from the show has come as a shock to ITV, who had it down as a big ratings winner.”

Newsquest approached the BBC for comment, but the broadcaster declined to comment on the speculation.

Who would you like to see take part in Strictly Come Dancing this year? Let us know in the comments below.

Kammy’s Un-Beer-Lievable lager will help raise money and awareness for Prostate Cancer UK, adding to the £15,000 the lager raised in 2024, when it was launched for the 2024 European Champiuonship.

The beer is being brewed at Brew York’s Osbaldwick brewery in York and will be pouring at Brew York and Brew+ venues in time for the World Cup which is being screened to the general public and, where available, in pre-booked seating to maximise the tournament experience.

Kammy, who played for Swindon Town, Brentford, Stoke City, Leeds United, Sheffield United and Middlesborough, said; “Brew York have been a perfect partner to work with for this project. It’s exciting to know it will feature heavily in their pubs and bars and raise awareness of prostate cancer. I’ll certainly be having a few cans whilst I’m cheering on England at the World Cup.”

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Wayne Smith, co-founder and Managing Director, Brew York added: “It’s an absolute pleasure to be collaborating with Kammy again. His enthusiasm for this beer – and the money it raises for Prostate Cancer UK – is irresistible.

“It was extremely popular when we brewed it in 2024 and of course, we’re aiming to add as much as we can to the £15,000 raised previously.”

James Steven, Head of Partnerships, Prostate Cancer UK concluded: “We’re delighted that Brew York and our long-time supporter Kammy are once again supporting us ahead of another massive summer of football as the World Cup kicks into action.

“Through the funds raised and awareness generated from this collaboration, we’re reaching men with a health awareness message in an environment where they feel most comfortable, whilst also raising money that will help save lives. We are excited to see this come to life over the summer!”

The beer, at 4.1% abv, promises to be a crisp, refreshing lager with a gentle spicy-herbal aroma. It will be pouring at Brew York and Brew+ venues from June 5 – as well as being available in cans to take-away, Brew York’s online shop as well as selected craft beer bottle shops across the UK.

A can of the fundraising beer (Image: Pic supplied)

As part of the promotional push, trade customers of Brew York will also get the chance to win an appearance from Kammy to their own venue where he’ll give his thoughts on the World Cup as well as reflect on memorable moments of his career – in his own inimitable style.

The opportunity to meet Kammy is also being extended to the public through a ‘goal’-den ticket prize draw based on each case (12) of cans purchased directly from Brew York venues and webshop.

Details of Kammy’s Un-Beer-Lievable launch and competitions will be on Brew York’s social media channels and mail list over the coming days.