After taking a wicket with the first ball of the Test, England dominated Pakistan across two and a half rain-affected days.

They appeared more measured in their approach than during the ultra-aggressive Stokes-McCullum regime, but still scored at 4.55 runs per over – albeit against a poor Pakistan side.

“We played to the fashion that we wanted to,” Trescothick said.

“We wanted to be able to be clever and smart. There’s moments within the game we’ve done that brilliantly.

“We still have that mantra of applying pressure because that’s the best way of being dominant over teams, if you can put them under pressure.

“I did enjoy the fact we were still scoring quite quickly especially when the ball was new.”

New Zealander Stephen Fleming has been appointed as McCullum’s replacement but will not take charge until the winter tour of South Africa, leaving Trescothick as interim.

Fleming was in contact with Root and Trescothick “every day” during the win over Pakistan.

“He was adamant me and Joe take it on and just run with what we feel is right, to try and get the group back in shape, with a few pointers on what he wanted and how he could see his style being implemented within the group,” Trescothick said.

Trescothick has worked with England as a batting and assistant coach since 2021, but former Australia coach Mike Hussey has been approached by Fleming to be batting coach when he takes over.

Hussey worked with England under Michael Mott during their 2022 T20 World Cup win and with Fleming at Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.

Trescothick could move to a white-ball only role, where McCullum remains England coach, but said he would “love” to stay on with the Test side.

“I want to be involved in all formats of the game because it’s a wonderful place to be,” he said.

“Working with the best and seeing England cricketers do well.

“That’s not really for me to judge so I’ll wait and see what happens.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has spoken to drivers who have claimed they are being sent out in buses which are ‘not supposed to be on the road’, and that it is a ‘matter of time’ before a major incident happens.

Some said the problems in the network have become a ‘crisis’ and warned that there is growing unhappiness among bus drivers in Greater Manchester.

The Bee Network owns the region’s buses, while various operators run the services.

Bus drivers have spoken out about plummeting morale over the safety issues, including ‘anger’ over how many of them had to work long shifts in vehicles without air conditioning over summer when temperatures on board were said to be as high as ‘42C’.

The issue of high temperatures on buses has impacted bus networks across the country this year, with 1,500 bus drivers working for Arriva North London postponing strike action over hot weather working conditions this week after negotiations with trade union bosses.

The LDRS understands that Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is in active talks with trade unions in the region over driver concerns and working conditions in high temperatures.

One former driver at Go North West, an operator which runs Bee Network services, has alleged that MOT tests for buses are being ‘rushed’ through by members of staff who are employed by the company, while claiming that bus defects are routinely being ‘marked as fixed’ without actually being dealt with.

“It’s like our lives don’t matter,” the source said, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“They act like they care about your safety, but it’s all a box-ticking exercise to make them look good.

“There was one incident when the bus cut out, and I smelt burning. I got everyone off the bus and rang it in; all the plastic had fallen off, there was a wiring fault, because someone couldn’t be ars*d doing it properly.

“There could have been a serious fire next to high-rise buildings. I was driving around in a potential firebomb.”

They added: “In the garage, they passed the MOT on five double-decker buses in 40 minutes, but that’s the time it takes to do one car.

“A report came in on the computer about a serious defect, yet it was marked off as fixed.

“One of those buses that passed the MOT the next day, there were a load of reports from drivers of defects. It was just a box-ticking exercise, and this was a Bee Network service.”

Go North West has responded to the claims, saying that the allegations have been ‘thoroughly’ investigated.

A spokesperson said: “Safety is our highest priority, and we take any concerns raised by our current or former colleagues extremely seriously.

“An allegation of this nature has previously been raised with Go North West and was thoroughly investigated. The investigation did not substantiate any of the claims made.

“Our buses are maintained and inspected in accordance with the strict regulatory requirements, and drivers are required to carry out safety checks before entering service and to report any defects identified.

“Vehicles with safety-critical defects are not permitted to remain in service until the issue has been rectified.

“We encourage our colleagues to report any safety concerns and have established processes for doing so. We would never seek to discourage anyone from raising a genuine safety concern.

“If any specific new evidence is provided to us, we will of course investigate it thoroughly.”

A member of staff at the Stockport bus depot, which is managed by Stagecoach, also claimed that safety issues are repeatedly not being addressed.

They said: “Drivers are trained on doing a first-user check and to report defects. Engineers are supposed to look at it and decide if it is on the road or off the road, but they won’t do anything about it; they’ll sign it off and say it’s fine; they’ll sort it later.

“We’ve had CCTV cameras not working, radios not working. There are so many buses with no radio; realistically, we’re not supposed to take a bus out on the road with no radio, in case there’s a diversion or some other sort of issue.

“If someone kicks off on our bus, we’re just stuck. The emergency button in the cab links to the radio; if it’s not working, it won’t do anything.”

The staff member said high temperatures on board vehicles have been a major issue over the summer.

They added: “It’s disgusting; some days it has reached 42C at one point on the bus. It makes you feel exhausted, you’re overdrinking, you constantly need the toilet, you feel dizzy, and if we make one mistake it can be life-threatening with up to 100 people on the bus.

“We’ve had abuse from passengers because of it, people screaming and shouting at us, we were constantly getting abused when the heatwave was, all we could say was sorry.

“We’re told to get off the bus and get a break, but it’s not as easy as that, we have to run on time and everyone needs to get somewhere, you feel that constant pressure.

“One of the drivers had heatstroke and was sick outside the bus, another had to be taken off the bus because he was feeling dizzy, he had to go and sit in his car for AC just to cool him down.

“They don’t take our welfare seriously at all.

“It’s come to the point where it’s become a crisis, and a lot of the public don’t know any of this.

“A driver or passenger will end up seriously hurt at some point because of these issues, it’s just a matter of time until there’s another bad heatwave and a driver faints while driving a bus.”

Sources claim there has been a breakdown in communication between drivers and management at the Stagecoach depot in Stockport.

An issue which has soured relations is understood to be over a broken air conditioning system in the staff canteen, while managers’ offices are said to have working AC.

Other drivers on Bee Network services have spoken out in recent weeks about the difficulties caused by the lack of air conditioning on vehicles, which they believe has put them at risk of ‘passing out’ while driving a bus full of passengers.

The issue was particularly bad during the June heatwave when some drivers reported having to visit A&E after shifts, while passengers said they felt ‘unsafe’ on board Bee Network buses and trams.

Stagecoach accepted there are ‘limited’ issues with radios on buses, but denied that its services are unsafe.

A Stagecoach spokesperson said: “The safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and customers is our absolute priority, and we take any concerns raised by our drivers seriously.

“We strongly refute any suggestion that vehicle maintenance standards at our Stockport depot are being compromised.

“Our maintenance processes are subject to rigorous internal and external auditing, and Stockport’s engineering operation is consistently ranked among the top-performing maintenance operations across the Stagecoach Group.

“All vehicles undergo safety checks, and any defects identified are assessed by our engineering teams to determine whether a vehicle is fit to operate. A vehicle with a non-functioning CCTV system is not permitted to enter service.

“We are also aware of some limited radio coverage issues, which are being worked through with the radio contractors and are outside the direct control of our local management team.

“We have robust procedures in place to support colleagues during periods of hot weather, including guidance on taking appropriate breaks and staying hydrated. We continue to engage with our teams locally to ensure concerns about working conditions are properly heard and addressed.

“We would encourage any colleague with specific concerns about their safety or welfare to raise them directly with their manager or through the appropriate internal channels so that they can be investigated and resolved.”

Concerns over driver welfare and high temperatures on Bee Network buses have been raised by politicians in Greater Manchester, with calls for improvements on vehicles.

Councillor Michael Welton, the Green Party’s representative on Greater Manchester’s Bee Network Committee, said: “This summer’s extreme temperatures have been a wake-up call for the Bee Network’s passengers, employees and infrastructure.

“Air conditioning, window tinting, thermal insulation and shading at stops must all be on the table to protect staff health and keep buses and trams an attractive option in summer.

“The old excuse, that there weren’t enough hot days to justify investing in cooling, no longer holds.

“Greater Manchester’s Green councillors will be asking the Bee Network committee to scrutinise the network’s preparedness for hotter summers, with a focus on employee and customer health and comfort.”

Councillor Amna Abdullatif, co-deputy leader of Manchester Green Party Group, added: “This should be a national wake-up call. There’s no legal maximum working temperature in UK law and no minimum cooling standard for vehicles or workplaces.

“Heat has been linked to over 2,700 deaths in England and Wales this summer alone, according to the Met Office, and that’s before July or August is even counted.

“Unite has raised this nationally for years, warning that bus firms treat every heatwave as a surprise when it’s now a yearly problem. Drivers shouldn’t have to fight alone for basic safety at work.”

It is understood that all Bee Network operators have signed up to a new confidential incident reporting system that allows transport workers to flag concerns, and is set to go live on September 7.

The network is aiming to have a new fully electric fleet by 2030, with new buses with better cooling systems replacing older vehicles without any air conditioning.

Alison Chew, bus network director at Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “Safety and staff wellbeing is a top priority for the Bee Network and something we discuss regularly with operators and unions – and we have sought additional assurances from operators about their staff welfare and vehicle maintenance procedures and policies in light of the allegations.

“All our buses are required by law to meet strict safety standards and undergo regular maintenance and testing. We are investing heavily in a new, modern fleet of electric buses that are better equipped for extreme hot weather.

“We encourage drivers to report any concerns they have either to their manager, through the confidential reporting system that Bee Network operators are signed up to, or to TfGM.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “It’s important public transport workers are protected from extreme temperatures, both for their health and wellbeing and for the safety of passengers and road users.

“Public transport operators have a legal responsibility to make sure their vehicles and workplaces are safe for staff, including during extreme heat.”

Going “doon the watter” on your holidays is now a thing of the past in Scotland as seaside towns have largely declined

Before all-inclusive hotels in exotic locations and magnificent cruise ship holidays that sail all over Europe, most Scots enjoyed a far simpler summer holiday “doon the watter”.

Children nowadays will often hear the older generation speak of their beloved seaside family trips, which generally consisted of ice cream and a good chippy, playing in the sand with your siblings and if you were lucky a few nights’ stay in a caravan park.

Traditional Scottish seaside holidays are now a thing of a past but were a very common practice for working-class families for hundreds of years.

They began to flourish in the mid-19th century with the arrival of the railways and Clyde paddle steamers and peaked through the mid-20th century.

However, by the 1970s and 1980s, seaside holidays largely declined as cheap foreign air travel was introduced and holidaymakers began to choose going abroad instead.

While seeing other parts of the world is an incredible privilege, many Scots will look back fondly with nostalgia at their favourite seaside towns they used to visit.

Here are five popular holiday hot spots from back in the day – do you remember them?

Dunoon

From the Victorian era through to the 1950s and 1960s, Dunoon was a booming destination for Glaswegian holidaymakers taking the steamers ‘doon the watter’ for summer breaks.

The town experienced a major economic and social boom during the Cold War when the US Navy stationed the Holbrook floating submarine base nearby at Holy Loch, bringing thousands of American service members and families to the area from 1961.

It’s widely reported that the once popular coastal town on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll and Bute, went into rapid decline after the American Navy base shut in 1992.

While not as popular as it once was, Dunoon still attracts a steady stream of outdoor lovers and day trippers via CalMac or Western Ferries.

According to the 2022 census, Dunoon is home to just under 8,000 people. Across the water is Rothesay, another seaside town on the Isle of Bute that once brought in thousands of families every year for a seaside holiday.

Millport

Millport was another popular destination for Scottish families back in the day.

Advertisement

It is the only town on the Isle of Great Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde, off the west coast of mainland Scotland, within the North Ayrshire council area.

Once a booming holiday destination, the introduction of roll-on-roll-off vehicle ferries in 1972 moved the main island arrival point to Cumbrae Slip, ending Millport’s direct status as a primary steamer and passenger pier terminus.

The deterioration and eventual closure of Millport’s historic pier also cut off direct maritime excursion traffic.

Recent figures list the town’s population to be around 1,170 to 1,270, while the wider Isle of Cumbrae is home to approximately 1,300 residents.

While Millport is no longer a holiday hot spot as such, it’s still described as a “Jewel in the Clyde” on its website. Just a short ferry trip away from Largs, Millport was even previously rated as the “most beautiful” destination in the country by Hidden Scotland.

Gourock

Another charming seaside spot popular with Scottish families was the once small fishing village of Gourock.

Situated on the coast of the River Clyde, Gourock has spectacular views across the Arrochar Alps, Argyll peninsula and beyond.

Gourock transformed into a popular seaside resort in the 19th century, known for its scenic views and outdoor swimming baths.

Visitors today still flock to its famous outdoor swimming pool in the summer months, which is Scotland’s oldest heated saltwater pool. It was first built in 1090 and then rebuilt in 1969.

Today, however, Gourock is a more modern residential and commuter town, known for its ferry links to Dunoon and waterfront promenade.

With a population of around 10,077, Gourock was named as one of the happiest places to live in the UK in 2025.

Saltcoats

Saltcoats was a beloved traditional seaside holiday spot for Scottish families, especially Glaswegians during the Glasgow Fair summer holidays, from the Victorian era up through the 1960s and 1970s.

Holidaymakers and day-trippers could easily catch trains straight from Glasgow Central down to the Ayrshire coast.

A favourite spot was the long, sandy South Beach stretch with views looking out towards the Isle of Arran.

The North Ayrshire town also once had a huge saltwater tidal pool built in a rocky cove. The attraction famously drew thousands of visitors a day for swimming and midnight bathing before it was finally closed in the 1980s.

Saltcoats is no longer the booming ‘doon the watter’ holiday resort it was once was in the mid-20th century, but it remains a popular, budget-friendly destination for quick day trips and an affordable residential choice on the Firth of Clyde

The population of Saltcoats alone is believed to be roughly 12,000.

Crail

Crail is a picturesque, historic coastal village and ancient Royal Burgh located in the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland, about 10 miles southeast of St Andrews.

It was once a very popular seaside spot for families thanks to its local caravan sites and sandy shores.

However, the closure of its local railway line in September 1965 as part of the Beeching Cuts and saw less people visit the village.

Crail was once a major and prosperous fishing port and trading hub in Scotland and while not as popular as it once was, the 16th-century Crail Harbour still sees fishing boats regularly landing their catch here.

It is a popular spot for photographers, artists and walkers.

When last recorded in 2020, the population was said to be around 1,600 people.

Good news for some, devastating for others, as the weather seems to be cooling this week, bringing the seemingly endless heatwaves of this scorching summer to a gentle halt.

There’s still a little sunshine left, though – and where better to take advantage of it than by the coast, at one of the UK’s best beachside pubs?

Whether you’ll sip on a Hugo Spritz with a chic seaside view, a pint of the Black Stuff while enjoying the sound of crashing waves or a pint of IPA in a classic English pub, these standout British watering holes on offer are certain to quench your thirst. 

Here, we round up some of the best coastal pubs right on the nation’s beaches that you should visit next. 

The Anchor Inn, Seatown, Dorset

Little-known Seatown, in Bridport, is home to the very definition of beachside pubs, The Anchor Inn.

Serving hearty gastropub food and real local ales from nearby Palmer’s Brewery, you’re getting a real taste of Dorset here – just metres from the sandy shores.

What to eat? Feast on a classic fish and chips, chorizo-baked hake fillet or market fish with roasted fennel, a veritable seaside extravaganza.

WHAT TO DO NEARBY: You can walk from The Anchor Inn up to the top of Golden Cap, the highest cliff on the south coast of England, a route that will take you around five hours to complete. 

The Old Success Inn, Sennen Cove, Cornwall

The Old Success Inn in Sennen Cove is an ideal Cornish spot

By day, The Old Success Inn is home to yoga and breakfast sessions and fish and chips lunches.

Come evening, you can expect cold pints, a warm ambience and expansive sea views. 

It’s dog-friendly, so Winston can tag along too. 

WHAT TO DO NEARBY: Sennen Cove is a delightful part of Cornwall for surfers, walkers and active visitors. Dog-friendly beaches, popular cycling routes and a surfing centre will keep you occupied all summer long.

The Pilchard Inn, Burgh Island, Devon 

The Pilchard Inn, near the Burgh Island Hotel (pictured), is worth a look

Advertisement

Look out adrenaline junkies, as danger (or, at least, mild risk) is on the cards at The Pilchard Inn, on South Devon micro-isle Burgh Island (once beloved by Dame Agatha Christie).

If the tide comes in when you’re full of food and beer, you’ll be forced to ride back to the mainland on a sea tractor.

The pub? It’s all cream stone fireplaces inside, and benches with a sublime view outside.

WHAT TO DO NEARBY: The famous Burgh Island Hotel is home to a Mermaid Pool, which offers a natural seawater swimming experience shaped by its island environment.

The Zetland Arms, Kingsdown, Kent

Directly on Kingsdown Beach, the Zetland Arms has been open since 1863

Packed in summer thanks to its location right on the seafront at Kingsdown, the bright white Zetland Arms looks across to France.

Go in winter when it’s quieter, and feel the warm embrace of a jar, brewed by Shepherd Neame up the road in Faversham, after a bracing walk.

The sheltered rear courtyard offers respite on windy days – which you’ll be grateful for if you arrive on one.

WHAT TO DO NEARBY: Colourful beach huts and the White Cliffs are visible on sunny days here. Explore the Kent coastline at your leisure.

The Ship At Dunwich, Suffolk

The Ship At Dunwich is just a three-minute stroll from Dunwich Beach in Suffolk

Relaxed and welcoming, this old smugglers’ inn is ideal for a hearty lunch after a long walk. 

You can even stay overnight if you’ve tired yourself out.

Dogs sleeping under tables, a busy pub garden and fresh fish and seafood will be everywhere you look. 

WHAT TO DO NEARBY: Dunwich Beach, located on the Suffolk coast, is popular among dog walkers living in the area. The pebble beach and nearby town are great to explore, with many visitors remarking on the interesting history and range of tea rooms, restaurants and cafes on offer.

The Atlantic Inn, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly

The Atlantic on St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly has unrivalled harbour views

The Atlantic overlooks the harbour on St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly, just steps from the quay.

Boats, clear waters and sunshine are on display, while burgers, steak, fresh fish and miso and chilli baked aubergine are on the menu.

On Mondays, the pub hosts a curry and pint night, a relaxed way to spend an afternoon or evening soaking up the atmosphere. 

WHAT TO DO NEARBY: If you’re holidaying on the Isles of Scilly, try out one of St Mary’s walking routes, go snorkelling with seals on nearby St Martin’s Island or visit Tresco Abbey Garden, just 28 miles off Cornwall’s coast.

Tŷ Coch Inn, Porthdinllaen, North Wales

The village of Porthdinllaen, North Wales is home to Tŷ Coch Inn

Advertisement

Accessible by foot only, the 20-minute walk from the nearest car park to this highly picturesque red-hued beauty makes the visit well worth the effort.

On the north coast of the pretty Llŷn Peninsula, there are magnificent views of the water, and a nautical theme inside, including jugs and jars hanging from the beams.

Go for lunch, there’s no food in the evenings and doors close at 7pm on weekdays.

WHAT TO DO NEARBY: Enjoy nearby beach Morfa Nefyn Beach and explore walks on the coastal paths.

The Ship Inn, Low Newton-by-the-Sea, Northumberland

Just yards from the beach, The Ship Inn in Low Newton-by-the-Sea is a pub with hearty food, seaside air and even live folk music nights.

The Ship Inn Brewery opened in March 2008, and the pub is now self-sufficient in real ale, with beer brewed on the premises and rolled a mere 10ft from brewery to cellar. 

So if you’re a beer lover, this is certainly the spot for you. 

WHAT TO DO NEARBY: Walk to Dunstanburgh Castle, a now-ruined castle that dates back to 1313 and is now known for its wildlife.

The Old Neptune, Whitstable, Kent

In Whitstable, head to The Old Neptune pub on the beach

Backed by the shoreline, one of Whitstable’s oldest pubs, Old Neptune, dates from the early 19th century. 

The beer garden and outdoor seating is perfect for when the weather gets good.

‘Pub on the beach, amazing location for a beer. Iconic spot,’ one delighted visitor said. 

‘Staff are super friendly and accommodating – and go the extra mile for their customers. Good pub grub and speedy service – must visit when in Whitstable.’

WHAT TO DO NEARBY: Fresh oysters are the order of the day in Whitstable. Try out nearby Wheeler’s Oyster Bar, explore the beach and stroll through the food stalls and Harbour Market.

Pennan Inn, Pennan, Aberdeenshire

The Pennan Inn in Scotland is quiet and remote, yet quaint and high quality

Pennan, a historic fishing village, is all whitewashed cottages and sea views – and family-run affair the Pennan Inn is the icing on the cake.

The menu changes with the catch and season, but frequently features fish from haddock to halibut and Highland sirloin steak.

‘An AA Rosette kitchen in a village at the edge of the world’, is how the establishment describes itself.  

WHAT TO DO NEARBY: Pennan is a wildlife paradise – embark on a dolphin-watching excursion, see the seals lounging on the beach and explore the many tiny coastal fishing villages.

Marsden Grotto, South Shields, Tyneside

Next up on the list is Marsden Grotto in South Shields, Tyneside

Advertisement

Perhaps one of Britain’s most starkly different seaside pubs, The Grotto is built into a large cave on the coast.

Previously used for smugglers to hide contraband, it has now developed into an inn, and you can even book rooms too. 

It’s steeped in history and ghost stories. Jack the Jibber, a smuggler who was said to have been murdered by fellow criminals after selling information to HM Customs, was supposedly hung in a barrel in a cave near the current lift shaft and left to starve, the inn website reveals. 

WHAT TO DO NEARBY: You can reach Marsden Beach either via cliff steps or by the lift operated by the pub. The scenery is dramatic, with sea stacks and arches, plus you can explore rock pools when the tide is out. 

Victoria Inn, Morfa Borth, Ceredigion

Ceredigion’s Victoria Inn is a classic seaside pub

The Victoria Inn is a classic seaside pub on Borth’s high street, known for its views over Cardigan Bay.

From the front, it looks like any old pub. But from the back, the beer garden stretches right down to the shingle.

Visitors are keen to note this, with one Google review from this summer saying: ‘What a great pub. Small terrace out the back with extra benches on the pebble beach. Can’t ask for more on a summer’s evening with the sun going down.’ 

WHAT TO DO NEARBY: The Wales Coast Path is complete with clifftop walks, sandy coves and amazing views for those wanting to explore. Market town Aberystwyth is also nearby if you fancy riding the cliff railway or exploring the ruins of a 13th-century fortress.

Mercedes’ George Russell led from start to finish to win the sprint race at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Russell led a train of four cars for the entirety of the race but was always able to keep his pursuers at arm’s length.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc passed McLaren’s Lando Norris with six laps to go to take second ahead of the world champion, who fended off a late attack from Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli.

Russell’s win cuts his deficit in the championship to Antonelli to 56 points, with Lewis Hamilton in second place.

The seven-time champion, who finished seventh behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, is three points ahead of Russell in the championship.

Russell was in control of the race throughout. Norris followed him closely in the opening phases, often within a second of the Mercedes and looking quicker.

But after eight laps Norris radioed his team to say he had no rear grip and he began to lose time to the Mercedes and fall back into the clutches of Leclerc.

The Ferrari driver had chosen the soft tyres for the sprint, rather than the mediums of the other front-runners. But rather than losing his tyres as the race went on, Leclerc grew stronger in his pursuit of Norris and was able to pass into Tarzan, the first corner, on lap 18 of 24.

Russell said: “As soon as I saw Charles behind, I dropped the hammer a bit and the two of us pulled away.”

Russell’s only concern was the weather. Rain was forecast to fall two laps from the end. As it happened, it did not come until after the chequered flag, as the drivers completed their slowing down laps, but it was heavy enough that it would have made the end of the race eventful had it come sooner.

Norris now had to concentrate on holding off Antonelli. The Italian was 0.3secs behind the McLaren crossing the line into the last lap, but although he feinted a move into Tarzan, he was not close enough to make it work.

Norris said: “I don’t think it was the tyres. We lacked pace and we have a bit of work to do.”

Piastri lacked the pace of the lead group and fell back fell back progressively as the race developed, but he was just able to hold off Verstappen on the final lap, crossing the line 0.3secs ahead, with Hamilton close behind the Red Bull.

By LUKE POWER, SPORTS REPORTER

Published: 11:07 BST, 22 August 2026 | Updated: 11:49 BST, 22 August 2026

Gianni Infantino has batted away questions about his future by making a series of bald jokes.

The embattled FIFA president was in no mood to face serious scrutiny even though weeks have passed since his clandestine plot to sell off stakes in the World Cup. 

He scrapped the controversial plan after a huge backlash in the wake of The Times revealing the devious scheme, which would have banked him millions. 

But the pressure is still on Infantino to step down, with UEFA saying they will boycott all FIFA tournaments until he does. 

Advertisement

Asked by Sky News reporter James Matthews if he has betrayed football and why he won’t resign, Infantino replied: ‘You have a nice haircut, thank you so much. See you at the hairdressers.’

Both Infantino and Matthews are bald.  

Gianni Infantino brushed off questions from reporters about his future with a series of bald jokes

Advertisement

The FIFA president quickly darted to a nearby vehicle to dodge questions posed by Sky News reporters

In July, news broke Infantino was considering selling parts of the World Cup to private investors and forming a new company in a deal that could have been worth around £15billion. 

The Times’ report added that Infantino could become the commissioner of that company once his role at FIFA ends in 2031, a highly lucrative position that estimates suggest could pay him more than $50million-a-year.  

Infantino’s blueprint for the potential selling of stakes had been discussed among senior FIFA figures and potential investors, which could have included Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared – and they signed non-disclosure agreements. 

Advertisement

Bank JPMorgan was said to be handling the process and the Donald Trump administration is understood to have been consulted.

Earlier this month, Infantino was given the ‘full support’ of FIFA’s top brass after summoning executives to crisis talks in Morocco. 

He summoned senior FIFA officials to the Moroccan city of Sale for crisis talks after plans to sell £3.1billion in World Cup stakes leaked last week

The Swiss football administrator has since scrapped the proposals after widespread opposition – including an internal rebellion at FIFA.

Advertisement

UEFA and CONCACAF – the body for North and Central America and the Caribbean – are both calling for Infantino to step down, with Europe declaring a lack of confidence in the FIFA president.

Infantino is facing mounting pressure over his failed plan to sell off stakes in the FIFA World Cup but has refused to resign

Luis Figo branded Infantino as a ‘relic who should have no part in football’s future’ in an explosive article for Daily Mail Sport

Pressure grew further after Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin Hussein accused him of blackmail, becoming the first Asian nation to rebel against the FIFA president.

Advertisement

Jordan became the 91st member association to move against Infantino, assuming all UEFA and CONCACAF nations follow the stance set by their continental bodies. One hundred and six nations are needed to depose Infantino as president.

Portuguese legend Luis Figo wrote an explosive column for Daily Mail Sport demanding Infantino’s resignation. 

Figo described the now aborted World Cup sell-off as the ‘lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed’ and a ‘grubby, underhand plot’.

Across 600 no-holds-barred words Figo, who had initially backed Infantino in 2015, brands the disgraced exec a ‘relic who should have no part in football’s future’ and accuses him of ‘a litany of abuses’, also referencing the now-infamous suspension of the ban behind Folarin Balogun’s red card and the half-time show at the World Cup final which ‘broke the laws of the game’.

Advertisement

‘Infantino has debased the office of FIFA President that he promised to elevate,’ the former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan star writes. ‘He has lied, deceived and tried to feather his own nest at the expense of the game he is supposed to serve.’

Figo, now 53, is viewed by many as a potential successor to Aleksandr Ceferin, head of UEFA which is leading the war against Infantino.

On a spring evening four years ago, the peace of a Bristol cul-de-sac was shattered by what a judge would later describe as ‘shouts and screams of a horrifying nature’.

Neighbours looked out to see a full-scale battle being fought between rival Albanian gangs over control of a cannabis factory in what had only recently been a respectable £400,000 family home.

Witnesses described a scene of ‘extreme violence’ in which one man was stabbed in the back and another smashed around the head with a metal bar.

The carnage ended with the murder of a 32-year-old man who bled to death at the roadside from multiple knife wounds.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Walker later explained that the ‘incredibly frightening’ incident over a £100,000 cannabis operation or ‘grow’ was down to the burgeoning trend of organised crime gangs using residential houses to ‘ply their exploitative trade under the radar’.

His words were to prove prophetic. The murder in May 2022, committed by two Albanians who had only just arrived in the UK, came at the beginning of a surge in small-boat immigration to Britain from the Balkan state.

And the Albanian gangs’ business model for cannabis farms has exploded in the four years since then.

Today, following a forensic, six-month investigation, the Daily Mail can reveal the terrifying true scale of this industry that has become the cornerstone of the £2.6billion annual UK cannabis trade.

Albanian Ramiz meeting with undercover Daily Mail reporters in Nottingham to provide a fake driving licence, bank statements and pay slips

We have discovered there are at least 450 Albanian cannabis farms operating across the country, although the figure is likely to be very much higher.

Our calculation is based on a detailed examination of police records and Press reports, both local and national, that show an average of two new cannabis farms have been raided or uncovered every week for the past four years, a trend that shows no sign of diminishing.

In an undercover operation as part of the investigation, we have also, for the first time, infiltrated the highly sophisticated ancillary industries servicing these cannabis factories – illicit operations that produce fake documents the criminals use to rent properties as well as specialised ‘cannabis factory clean-up companies’ that help cover the gangs’ tracks when they move on.

And we can reveal that at least 70 per cent of the 620 Albanians convicted for working in the drugs dens uncovered in these past four years were illegal immigrants running grows that produced hundreds of millions of pounds worth of the drug each year.

Yet these figures represent just the tip of the iceberg because many convictions were never reported and the majority of the criminals involved in the trade have never been caught.

What we do know is that more than two-thirds of the 450 Albanian-run cannabis factories we identified operated in residential homes stretching the length of the UK, from Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands.

Grows producing multi-millions of pounds worth of cannabis have also been set up in abandoned primary schools, college campuses, care homes, register offices, nightclubs, cinemas, abattoirs, local newspaper offices, social clubs, pubs and municipal swimming pools.

The collapse of the High Street has presented Albanian mafias with a major opportunity, too, and huge factories have been found in empty WHSmith branches, Barclays and NatWest banks, long-serving department stores, shopping centres, fancy dress shops and, in one case, empty offices above a Jobcentre Plus.

Albanian Tanushi promised our undercover reporters he could clean two houses in five days to ensure all DNA and fingerprints were scrubbed with ‘no problem’ from police or landlords

Criminals advertise on TikTok offering to provide fake documents for potential migrants coming to the UK

Advertisement

The industry is a driver of illegal migration into the UK – one Albanian gang even runs its own small-boat Channel crossings to bring in scores of new workers and their families for its £1.6million farming operation in Oxford.

It also leads to an illegal migration merry-go-round which has seen multiple cases of Albanians deported after convictions for running cannabis farms – sometimes several times – only for them to sneak straight back into the country to resume their criminality. One was found running a major drugs den a year after he was released early from jail having told the Home Office ‘he wanted to go home as quickly as possible’.

Another convicted grower dodged deportation after finishing his sentence by claiming asylum – and immediately went on to start a new cannabis factory that flooded his area with the drug.

An Albanian murderer deported from the UK after serving his sentence was also able to return and start a massive farm – while some illegal immigrants found running UK cannabis factories had previously been convicted of murder and heroin trafficking in European countries.

As for the Albanian-run network of subsidiary operations that provide support logistics, they have become a specialised branch of the dark economy.

To rent a property to set up a cannabis factory requires showing letting agents extensive documentation that the drug gangs usually do not have. UK Papers is an operation advertising itself on TikTok using pictures of London buses and Albanian and Union flags. It also advertises ‘documents needed to rent a house’, sometimes with specific slang references to cannabis factories.

The business offers an array of fake documents including UK passports (‘books’) for £1,900; driving licences for £80; three months of bank statements for £35; utility bills and payslips for £35; and immigration documents.

When an undercover Daily Mail reporter posing as someone hoping to rent a property to set up a cannabis factory asked an operator at the firm to supply fake documents, he was happy to help.

A few days later, at a meeting on a Nottingham street corner, the grinning boss known as Ramiz took our £200 in cash as he handed us a fake driving licence, bank statements and payslips.

Numerous cases in the past four years have shown how false IDs have been used to rent properties for cannabis houses.

Brothers Sokol and Amarildo Rranci used a ‘staggering’ number of fake documents including bank statements to rent 13 homes across Yorkshire and the East Midlands to produce ‘mind-blowing’ amounts of cannabis worth almost £1million, Judge Steven Coupland said as he jailed them at Nottingham Crown Court in January 2024.

Five Albanian illegal immigrants were jailed in 2022 for using fake documents to rent houses for a network of cannabis factories in Bradford, Leeds, Keighley and Barnsley. Their illicit farms were hidden in spaces accessed via trapdoors under washing machines, behind secret panels and in lofts reached ‘like Narnia’ through wardrobe doors.

Albanian Afrim Krasniqi was jailed last year after using a fake ID to pose as an Italian looking for family accommodation to rent 12 properties across Scotland that were used as cannabis factories producing £3.8million of the drug.

Albanians have previously funnelled £5.5million of profits from a nationwide network of grows to crime boss Besnik Hoxha via a bank account his wife opened with a fake Greek ID card. She funded shopping trips to House of Fraser, nail bars and beauty salons with the drugs money.

After renting a property, gangs usually complete two to four harvests – each of which can take around three months – then move to a new location to avoid landlord inspections and police investigations. Before handing the keys back to the letting agent, organisers attempt to restore the property to its original condition, removing any visible signs of cannabis production and potential forensic evidence such as DNA traces or fingerprints that could later identify them.

It is to meet this demand that an entire industry of ‘cannabis factory clean-up’ firms has sprung up. One, called House Cleaning Jobs with a Union Jack and Albanian flag logo and the tagline ‘we take care of every detail’, has posted footage on social media of workers clearing scores of cannabis houses around the country, including in Maidenhead, Manchester, Leeds, Bedford, London, Doncaster and Leicester.

One of the numerous Albanian cannabis farms being advertised on TikTok

She got engaged to a killer – then made a mistake she couldn’t take back 

 Hi, I’m Alex Matthews, Editor of The Crime Desk, and I’ve got an exclusive story you won’t want to miss.

Advertisement

In 2020, Caroline Muirhead got engaged to her boyfriend of just a few weeks, thinking: ‘What’s the worst that could happen?’. She soon found out he was a killer, and then made a big mistake. Sign up to read the story for free.

<!- – ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v8/de/truecrimeuk/none/article/other/mpu_factbox.html?id=mpu_factbox_1 – ->

Contacted by an undercover Daily Mail reporter, the owner laughed as he described how he has been running the business for three years after getting the idea when he was running his own cannabis factory in Leicester.

Giving his name as Tanushi, he promised his team could clean two houses in five days to ensure all DNA and fingerprints were scrubbed with ‘no problem’ from police or landlords. He asked to see the house before quoting.

When Tanushi was later contacted by the Daily Mail for comment, he denied doing anything illegal. He said he did it because ‘you don’t give me any other chance to work’ and this was an ‘easy way’ to earn money for his family. ‘They call me, I go, I clean up, I paint,’ he said.

He said he did not recall the phone call with the undercover reporter where he described previously running a cannabis factory and denied doing it. Another site, Repairs And Cleaning UK, which includes cannabis plant emojis in its biography and boasts ‘no job too big or small’, offers an extensive price list scaled according to the property size. Costs start at £3,500 for a three-bedroom house, rising to £4,500 for a five-bedroom and £6,500 for a pub.

The service includes painting and decorating, carpet cleaning and rubbish removal.

Others variously advertise with pictures of police officers in riot gear captioned ‘when they come and break, we come and fix’, boasting of serving ‘all over England 24/7’ and leaving houses ‘beautifully clean… like entering a pharmacy’ and responding to ‘emergencies… at any time of the day or night confidentially’.

One shows footage of gangs fly-tipping scores of disused cannabis plant pots.

Another has a sideline selling on equipment used in cannabis factories for other makers, with adverts offering grow buckets, cables, lights, air filters and electric motors from its apparent headquarters in Huddersfield.

Most brazenly, an Albanian site called House Cleaning UK, with 61,000 followers, includes a post captioned: ‘We managed to put off the uncles’ (Albanian slang for police) accompanied by a string of laughing emojis.

It features a cleaner filming himself joking with two police officers outside a property.

Having convinced the visitors that nothing untoward is going on, one of the officers tells him: ‘I’m quite happy with everything so thank you very much. We’ll let you get back on with your work.’

After shaking hands with the departing police, the cleaner walks back into the house to reveal he is dismantling a cannabis factory.

TikTok, where the cannabis factory support services were advertised, previously banned the fake documents page and took action against the ‘clean up’ companies after being alerted to them by the Daily Mail.

With such an extensive system in place, is it any wonder that so many Albanians come to the UK to work on cannabis grows?

And it’s not just hardened criminals. Those convicted include a former Albanian police officer, who was jailed for his part in an £800,000 cannabis factory, and a biochemistry graduate who worked for the Albanian Ministry of Defence before taking a job at a £105,000 factory in a residential street in Tyne and Wear.

Another, Xhafer Furriku, came to the UK to get free dental work on the NHS – then stayed to work in a cannabis factory.

The rewards can be huge. The leaders of a gang in Leeds enjoyed ‘vast personal wealth’ from their £3million chain of five cannabis farms across West Yorkshire with a Range Rover, Porsche, £150,000 Mercedes G-Wagon and Rolexes.

Even lower level workers enjoy luxuries. One cannabis factory was found in Southampton in 2022 with a fully stocked kitchen and gym for workers, while designer aftershave bottles were found in the living quarters of a pair working in a £400,000 Swansea grow.

Rigles Ndreka was found with a £400 pair of trainers at the Sheffield cannabis factory he ran. He told police he was only working there to pay off a £50,000 debt. Oetjon Agalliu, who arrived in the UK on the back of a lorry, used his proceeds from the £146,000 cannabis farm he ran in Mansfield to try to buy asylum documents for £25,000. Much of the rest went on prostitutes.

The cost to local communities of these enterprises in residential areas comes in the form of violence and terror – guns, knives and machetes have often been found in factories.

A year before that cul-de-sac murder in Bristol in 2022, three Albanians were jailed after beating to death a thief who raided the produce of their £120,000 cannabis factory in Cardiff and dumping his body in a nearby street.

The gangs’ farms also put neighbouring families’ lives at risk from fires and explosions caused by the way they illegally bypass the electricity mains and tamper with meters to avoid high bills and evade detection.

There have been at least 640 fires at cannabis farms between 2019 and mid 2024; they have caused three deaths including that of a seven-year-old boy in 2024 who was sleeping innocently with his family in a block of flats in Newcastle where a neighbour was producing the drug.

In a separate case, Kastriot Prendi, who was in the UK illegally, initially refused to open the door to firefighters into a residential maisonette where he was running a cannabis factory even as smoke billowed from the windows.

Fire crews eventually forced entry into the property in Fife but even then Prendi initially refused to let them check all the rooms during the blaze in March 2024.

Only when police were called did he relent and officers discovered the £342,000 cannabis factory. Prendi, who had overstayed his visa, was jailed for two years. When caught, the drug den operators frequently use the same story, dubbed the ‘Albanian defence’ by one exasperated judge, that they only worked as a ‘gardener’ and had been at the factory for a few days after travelling to the UK to try to pay off the debt for a relative’s medical treatment.

Another judge said that almost every week he hears the other ‘very familiar’ excuse that the accused had been ‘forced’ to work in the factory to pay off debts to people smugglers who trafficked him to the UK.

But while some of the crime gang members have faced the full force of justice, other judges have demonstrated an inexplicably lenient attitude towards them.

Redis Shahini arrived in the UK on a small boat and, after his asylum claim as an alleged victim of a ‘blood feud’ was rejected, he promptly started a cannabis farm in Ystalyfera, Wales.

Sentencing the 20-year-old at Swansea Crown Court in May 2024 to 12 months in a Young Offender Institution, Judge Huw Rees struck a compassionate note, saying he was ‘sensitive to the desperation’ the offender must have felt to have left his family in Albania.

Shahini was deported in 2024 after completing half his sentence and repaid the judge’s sympathy by smuggling himself straight back into the UK to set up another £200,000 cannabis factory in Nottingham. He was jailed for 22 months in February.

Benis Asllanaj, Fatos Daci, Luan Maci and Luan Prozllomi walked free from court despite admitting working in a £4.5million per year cannabis factory in Bodmin, Cornwall, after a judge blamed this on the delays in their applications to work legally in the UK.

As he gave them suspended sentences at Truro Crown Court in January 2024, Judge Simon Carr described the men as ‘gardeners’ who must have been ‘put into the premises’ and ‘told what to do’ and had ‘no alternative’. He added: ‘The reason you could be preyed on in this way is you are all Albanian nationals, seeking to stay in this country lawfully but caught up in a system which takes years for such applications to be considered, and little or no opportunity to earn income while that is done.’

Perhaps most depressing is the case of Xhoni Leka, who was jailed for 40 months in September 2020 after being found running a cannabis farm packed with 1,300 plants in Whitehaven, Cumbria. He was also caught in possession of class B drugs with intent to supply.

Most foreign criminals are booted out of the country as soon as their sentence is finished. But not Leka, who fought a lengthy legal battle to remain and this year successfully appealed against deportation by claiming it would breach his rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Upper immigration tribunal judges Fiona Lindsley and Mark Symes ruled deportation would be ‘unduly harsh’ on his four-year-old daughter as it would leave her without a male role model.

Meanwhile, Albanian cannabis factories keep on producing the drug.

This month alone, busts have included a ‘sophisticated and substantial’ cannabis factory in a Nottinghamshire home (only found because of a fire which was narrowly saved from spreading to neighbours); a Wiltshire grow where £1.5million of electricity had been stolen from the National Grid; a £5million factory in Aston, Birmingham, detected after it caused a power outage because electricity had been illegally diverted for lights and fans; and a ‘huge’ grow worth £1.7million run by a suspected organised crime gang in Doncaster – where guns were also found.

With the rewards so great and the punishments so light, the industry and its millions of plants are flourishing as never before.

• investigations@dailymail.co.uk

Matt Tebbutt returned Saturday Kitchen on August 22 and he welcomed special guest Dermot O’Leary as well as chefs Ellott Grover, Jack Stein, Roberta d’Elia and wine expert Helen McGinn

The latest line-up of Saturday Kitchen guests has got fans talking.

Chef Matt Tebbutt has been hosting the BBC cookery show for over nine years, having initially joined as a stand-in presenter in April 2016 before officially taking over as the permanent host in March 2017.

The presenter welcomed This Morning’s Demot O’Leary into the kitchen on Saturday (August 22) to discuss his latest work project as well as chefs Ellott Grover, Jack Stein, Roberta d’Elia and wine expert Helen McGinn was in charge of the drinks.

Before Matt got the chance to speak to his guests, viewers rushed to their keyboards to share their thoughts on the star-studded line-up.

Advertisement

One fan penned on social media: “Great line up.” Another added: “Incredible line-up.” A third person said: “Great. Looking forward to seeing @chef_roberta & @knackeredmother back.” A fourth wrote: “What a great line up.” Someone else agreed: “Great chefs and an amazing guest.”

Dermot appeared on the programme to promote his children’s book series Toto the Ninja Cat, which has a stage adaption touring across the UK through late 2026.

The former X Factor host also said that he’s “excited” following the news that the novel is being turned into a 52-episode action-comedy show by Emmy-winning head writers Nick Ostler and Mark Huckerby (Danger Mouse).

Advertisement

It comes after Laura Whitmore revealed her controversial favourite snack on the show. The former Love Island’s host dream snack proved to be controversial as host Matt said: “So Laura, a little birdy tells me you love eating raw mushrooms with mayonnaise?”

Laughing, Laura replied: “I love raw mushrooms.” The star then picked up a raw mushroom and proceeded to eat it as those watching turned in horror.

Presented with her own plate or raw mushrooms and two bottles of her personalised mayonnaise “Whit-Mayo”, Laura admitted the dish is called canapes, with which she sprinkles some cheese on top, adding: “That’s what I used to do when I was younger.”

The episode was first aired in 2022 and fans at the time were unimpressed. One person penned on X: “Watching in horror as Laura Whitmore eats raw mushrooms with mayonnaise on TV.”

After being served her favourite food of seafood linguine, paired with a glass of rose wine, Laura was seen enjoying her dish, seemingly speechless.

Saturday Kitchen airs weekly on BBC One at 10am

The crash, which also involved a Volkswagen Passat, took place on the A66 in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, at about 3.39 am on Saturday.

The A66 is closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane.

There is significant emergency response at the scene, and people should use alternative routes as the road “will remain closed for some time”, Cleveland Police said.

A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: “Around 3.39am this morning, a collision took place involving a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 in South Bank.

“Sadly, the collision has resulted in multiple fatalities.

“There are significant emergency vehicles on the scene and the road will remain closed for some time.

“The public are asked to use alternative routes.

“We are working to identify the victims and contact their families.

“This is a quickly-evolving incident and we ask that members of the public respectfully avoid speculation.”

This is a national news story; check out local closures and delays before you travel.