Forensics are combing the home on Harestones Road in Armadale.

Police are hunting a gunman after a man was found dead at a house in West Lothian.

Police and emergency services descended on Harestones Road in Armadale shortly before midday on Saturday following reports of an injured man.

A 35-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin are aware.

A short time later a car was found on fire nearby in the Netherhouses area. It is understood to be linked to the shooting.

Forensic officers have been pictured at the scene where the victim was discovered. Detectives were spotted in the garden area of the property, taking bags of evidence away from the residential street.

Police said enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of both incidents.

They confirmed a line of inquiry is that a firearm may have been involved in the incident.

Detective Superintendent Michelle Findlay, of the Major Investigations Team, said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the man who has died in this incident.

“Officers remain in the area and anyone with concerns or any information can approach them or call us on 101, quoting incident number 1361 of Saturday, September 12, 2026.”

Pauline Stafford MSP for Bathgate, said she is “deeply concerned” about the incident, adding: “My thoughts are with the family and all of those affected. While investigations are at an early stage I would encourage anyone with information to share it with the Police.”

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.

The European Union entry-exit system (EES) has caused repeated delays for Brits at major EU airports this year

British holidaymakers heading abroad may finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief over the widely-criticised EES system. The scheme forces non-EU residents to queue at special machines in airports before gaining entry to 29 nations within the so-called Schengen area – essentially the majority of the European Union.

However, there have been persistent reports of lengthy delays – some stretching to as long as four hours. A new report in the Sunday Times now reveals that the European Union has shelved the controversial entry-exit system (EES) across at least nine countries.

Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Malta, Greece and Switzerland are all understood to have been granted permission to postpone full implementation of EES. The newspaper reports that there appears to be no deadline by which these countries must adopt the scheme, which has already sparked widespread reports of enormous queues at European airports this summer in destinations such as Mallorca, Faro, the Canary Islands and Milan.

The scheme has faced fierce criticism from Ryanair and others. The European Union describes the Entry/Exit System (EES) as an automated IT system designed to register non-EU nationals travelling on short stays each time they cross the external borders of participating European countries.

Following years of postponements, the system was rolled out from October 2025, with full implementation originally anticipated by the following April. However, faced with the prospect of significant border queues due to software failures, officials granted countries a 150-day grace period during which they could drop the checks to avoid travel chaos.

That rule ended on September 6. The EU previously insisted there would be no extension.

Yet the Sunday Times reports that at least nine Schengen countries are understood to have told the European Commission, which is responsible for overseeing the EES, that they would not enforce the new controls in full until the technology and systems were working correctly.

They have informally been allowed to do so with no time limits apparently in place to adopt the system, it is being reported. One of the main purposes of the system is to track whether non-EU citizens have spent more than their permitted 90 days in the bloc in a rolling 180-day period.

Social media has been awash with debate about the scheme. One post on Reddit saw a traveller say: “They made a mess of it. Seems many basic things like it is hit and miss on the document scanning but also things like people walk up with hats and headphones and the machine doesn’t tell them to remove them, and organisational things like if the machine errors the traveller has to back out and has no where to go.

“The right way to do this would have been progressive: start by getting some people eg 5% going through the machine lane, everyone else through normal.

“The vendor observes problems, fixes them, once machine working well, increase to 10%, then 20% and so on.” Another person said: “The general lack of functionality of so many IT systems across the EU is kind of astonishing.”

A third added: “It’s worse than that. There isn’t even consistent protocol/IT support within a single EU airport.”

Another put it more simply, saying: “I just miss having stamps.”

‘People are missing their flights’

Nadia, from Greater Manchester, told the Guardian in August she had made two trips to Schengen areas this summer. A trip to Tenerife in June was “quite straightforward”, but her experience in July at Frankfurt airport where she was picking up a connecting flight home, was much less so.

“The queue there was ridiculously long, and there was very limited information,” she says. “People were wandering around trying to work out where they needed to go.

Advertisement

“I’m very well travelled and pretty confident, but even I was slightly unsure and was thinking, is there some other queue I should be joining? There was no one nearby to check with without losing your place.”

Eventually, her passport was checked. “He didn’t actually take fingerprints then,” says Nadia, who is a solicitor. “I think the queue was so long they decided to dispense with that.

“It’s the efficiency of the system I question and the fact that individual member states’ systems do not talk to one another. They shouldn’t need to get information again if you have already gone through. It’s pretty shambolic, and I think people missing their flights because of it is just not acceptable, especially when there’s no recourse; it’s not your fault.”

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has repeatedly complained about EES. Speaking earlier this year, he said: “There’s a bit of Brexit in this too. Here, you voted for Brexit – f***ing join the queue.”

Developer Gleeson Regeneration Limited submitted the plans for farmland south of Alford Road and west of Kilton Lane to Redcar and Cleveland Council last year.

Members of the council’s regulatory committee followed a recommendation from a council officer who deemed the development acceptable in planning terms, also declaring: “The proposal is considered to provide a suitably designed, scaled and orientated development which would not pose any significant effect upon the character of the wider area”.

It will consist of 14 two bedroom semi detached, 50 three bedroom semi detached and 23 four bedroom detached properties.

A typical Gleeson Homes street scene. Picture/credit: Acer Architectural Ltd/Gleeson Homes. Free for use for all LDRS partners.

A new access route will be provided from Kilton Lane for vehicles with a pedestrian access proposed linking to Landsdowne Road to the north west of the site. 

Fifteen objection letters were received by the council from members of the public.

Meanwhile, Skelton and Brotton Parish Council raised a number of issues stating there was a lack of local facilities, the visual impact on the surrounding area and a loss of green space, among several grounds for objection.

The council’s development engineers, in their assessment, said a number of amenities were a ten minute walk away, while the nearest bus stop, on Alford Road, was a quarter of a mile away.

In relation to a transport assessment and travel plan prepared on behalf of the developer they concluded: “It has been demonstrated that the site does offer legitimate means of sustainable transport connectivity in accordance with local and national transport planning policy.”

Brotton ward councillor Graham Cutler described a potential knock-on effect on the A174 Kilton Lane roundabout suggesting improvement measures were needed due to an increase in traffic using the busy route, although this was deemed outside the scope of the development.

The predicted travel demand in terms of vehicles was 46 arrivals and departures in the morning peak each day and 45 in the evening peak, and said not to pose an adverse impact on road networks.

The development engineers advised that a T-junction providing access onto Kilton Lane would be sufficient to cater for the proposal with suitable visibility splays, and had no significant highway safety concerns.

Financial contributions have been agreed in relation to school provision, the local NHS, and leisure in order to address the demand generated by the proposal, a report said, amounting to more than £300,000.

Nine of the homes planned will also be in the ‘affordable’ category.

A design and access statement accompanying the application promised an “attractive and high quality environment” for householders occupying the new properties.

Much of the debate at the decision meeting centred on the pedestrian access planned to Landsdowne Road with concerns that it could be used as a “cut through” for bikers carrying out criminal activities.

A resident claimed it could “totally ruin” the peace and security of those living in existing properties.

Brotton councillor Barry Hunt said: “It will be used by bikes and for anti-social behaviour, delivering drugs.

“People will be terrorised.”

Chris Dodds, representing the applicant, said he understood the feeling expressed, but the pedestrian route would support access into the local centre in Brotton.

He said it would “narrow in as you get further up” with a barrier to restrict bikes and motorbikes.

Nonetheless, one committee member asked if the planned footpath could be removed entirely from the plans, but the council’s development services manager Claire Griffiths said it encouraged and maintained connectivity.

The council was also described as owning a section of land to the north, falling outside of the development boundary, which it could choose to remove access to in order to control any problem with anti-social behaviour.

The site of the proposed housing, along with further adjoining parcels of land, was previously allocated for residential development in the council’s Local Plan, being considered suitable for up to 270 homes that should be “well integrated with the existing built up area” and completed by 2032.

The GFS weather forecasting model suggests daytime temperatures could plunge below 10C in every county across the UK as Brits face a cold snap later this month

Weather forecasting data suggests the UK faces a cold snap later this month, with daytime temperature dropping below 10C in all 108 counties across the country.

The GFS weather model shows minimum possible temperatures dropping as low as 3C at midday on September 23 in Scotland, with 5C in Northern Ireland, Wales and the northern England, and just 11C in the south-east where temperatures tend to be warmer.

Data for later in the afternoon shows highs of just 14C in the south-east, 12C in the Midlands and Wales, 11C in Northern Ireland and 10C in Scotland.

Similar conditions are expected on September 24. The GFS model shows minimum possible temperatures below 10C in every county at midday, with 5-9C on the cards across much of the UK.

By 6pm, the data suggests late afternoon highs might reach just 15C in the south-east, 13C in the Midlands and Northern Ireland, 12C in South Wales and 11C in Scotland.

This all comes as the strongest El Nino on record is expected over the coming months.

Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern has described this year’s El Nino as a “beast” and said the UK is facing “uncharted territory” – as not only is it expected to be the strongest El Nino on record, but it will also be bolstered by global warming.

El Nino will peak towards the end of this year and have varying impacts in different places – bringing increased rainfall to some areas and drier spells to others.

Mr McGivern said: “Very wet conditions [are expected] through the Pacific as well as southern California. Other southern states in the US, into Mexico, coastal parts of South America [all face] above average rainfall and more storms.”

For the UK, “well above average rainfall, especially to the south-west of the UK” is on the cards.

Mr McGivern clarified that El Nino is not the only thing that can impact our weather, so these outcomes are not guaranteed. “And we’ve got global warming to think about, the fact that sea surface temperatures are significantly warmer than average in many places,” he said.

“That combined with El Nino could fuel more rain when storms happen. So if we get more storminess in the UK… those storms will contain more moisture as they’re passing over warmer seas.”

El Nino occurs every few years when temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific rise 0.5C above the long-term average. It generally causes an increase in global temperatures in the summer, while autumn and winter tend to be wetter and stormier.

More than six years since Prince Harry stepped down from his royal duties, the Duke of Sussex’s relationship with his estranged brother is still tainted with heartbreak. 

‘William is back at the point where if you mention Prince Harry in his presence he would throw you out of the room,’ one well-placed insider previously told the Daily Mail. ‘He’s doubling down.’ 

Yet with Harry’s upcoming 42nd birthday marking his first on British soil since his return from the US, speculation has begun to mount on whether a tide could soon turn in the royal brothers’ broken relationship.

According to body language expert Judi James, the ‘body language cues and subliminal rituals between Harry and his brother often shows signs of a synchronicity of spirit’. 

‘These two men have shared unique moments and experiences and forged the strongest of bonds as they have done so. It’s possible that no one will ever understand them as well as they do each other,’ she told the Daily Mail.

Ms James notes that while Harry’s exit from the Royal Family has been of great detriment to the pair’s relationship, the late Queen’s death in 2022 was a rare moment where the two brothers came together. 

As Harry, William, Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton observed the sea of flowers laid outside of Windsor Castle following the monarch’s death, video footage captured Harry’s unwavering ‘sense of respect’ for his grieving brother. 

‘The sense of respect seemed to be in Harry’s DNA here, despite all his digs against the brother he grew up with,’ said Ms James. ‘Harry rose to the occasion here by very elegantly allowing William and his wife the right of way.’

As Harry, William, Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton observed the sea of flowers laid outside of Windsor Castle, video footage captured Harry’s ‘sense of respect’ for his brother in his grief

‘Harry’s ego was fatally stung by the “Spare” tag but when he and William have been seen together in public he seems, despite all the bitterness, to quickly and naturally revert to his role as William’s “wing man”,’ she added. 

‘It’s as though the royal clockwork is still whirring away as well-oiled as ever, with all its protocols and ingrained sense of teamwork.’

When the ‘Fabulous Four’ emerged from the gates of Windsor Castle, Harry was seen ‘gently’ slowing down his and Meghan’s walking pace to allow William and Kate to walk further ahead and observe the flowers in front of the solemn crowds. 

Ms James notes that Harry ensured that Meghan followed his body cues and even crouched to the ground to study the flowers to show Meghan he’s not moving yet’ in order to allow ‘William and Kate their personal moment of reflection’.

She added: ‘This is a rare sight since the couple moved to the US of Harry once again putting himself in charge of the choreography, implying he very comfortably slid back into the routine he knew so well once he was back working the appearance in tandem with his brother.’

At a later stage, Ms James notes that the two ‘alienated’ brothers showcased ‘enduring mirroring’. 

‘This has been a feature of their body language together since they both reached their late teens,’ she explained. 

‘When they were younger it defined a tight, like-minded double act. Here though, after all the rifts and recriminations, that natural tendency to mirror each other is still as strong as before.’

The royal siblings are seen walking in ‘unified step and posture’ while also standing in ‘identical poses, heads bowed and hands clasped in front of their torso’. 

Ms James added: ‘Even when they were out of sight of each other, greeting the crowds back-to-back on either side of the road they both performed their same signature self-soothe barrier gesture of placing a hand on the stomach. 

‘At another point we can see the two men crouched down in identical poses as their wives stand beside them.’

 ‘The sense of respect seemed to be in Harry’s DNA here, despite all his digs against the brother he grew up with,’ said Ms James

‘Harry’s ego was stung by the “Spare” tag but when he and William have been seen together in public he seems to quickly revert to his role as William’s “wing man”,’ said Ms James

Advertisement

The expert added that the pair’s ‘puppetry’ behaviour should serve as an optimistic ‘sign of hope’ that they may reunite at a later stage in their lives. 

‘It suggests their relationship works on the deepest levels, something Harry endorsed when, even in the middle of plugging his book Spare, he announced that he loved his brother and always would,’ she said.

‘Sibling relationships are notoriously complex and this one more than most, but the suggestion is that ties are still there despite all the very public fallouts.’

Indeed, regardless of any ‘hurt feelings shared between Harry and William, the brothers are said to have made a lifelong pledge – to honour their late mother, Princess Diana, together.

Writing in their biography of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Finding Freedom, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand recounted a conversation with a close friend of Prince Harry‘s.

‘Both brothers are deeply devoted to carrying on their mother’s legacy and no amount of hurt feelings would ever get in the way of that,’ the unnamed source said via the Independent.

‘It is an absolute priority and even amidst this other stuff, they simply wouldn’t proceed without one another together,’ they added.

Meanwhile, the Duke of Sussex’s return to the UK is said to have prompted speculation that they may, at some stage, reunite.  

A friend told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s too soon now but there is a hope and a belief that one day they will appear in public together and that will completely change the narrative. There is communication between them.

‘I don’t think people quite realise what a bad place Harry was in mentally around the time of that decision to move to America. He was so unhappy. He has grown up a lot, and having children has changed him a lot as well.’

Another added: ‘There is a bit of optimism that we might be starting to see a change in sentiment about Harry. It’s one step at a time.’

Regardless of any ‘hurt feelings shared between Harry and William, the brothers are said to have made a lifelong pledge – to honour their late mother, Princess Diana, together

Advertisement

Harry’s return to the UK is said to have prompted speculation that they may, at some stage, reunite

Despite the strained bond shared between the two estranged brothers, both Harry and William are said to have made a lifelong pledge – to honour their late mother, Princess Diana, together.

Writing in their biography of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Finding Freedom, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand recounted a conversation with a close friend of Prince Harry’s.

‘Both brothers are deeply devoted to carrying on their mother’s legacy and no amount of hurt feelings would ever get in the way of that,’ the unnamed source said via the Independent.

‘It is an absolute priority and even amidst this other stuff, they simply wouldn’t proceed without one another together,’ they added.

But their different approaches to remembering their mother became apparent at the 2021 unveiling of Diana’s statue, when Harry’s relaxed approach contrasted with that of a cautious Prince William, who said ‘it’s important to unveil it right,’ a lip reader claimed.

The siblings marked what would have been Princess Diana’s 60th birthday by unveiling a sculpture created in her honour by Ian Rank-Broadley and placed in the remodelled gardens their mother loved, all packed with 4,000 of her favourite plants and flowers.

But what had originally been planned as a large celebration to mark her life was later classed as a ‘private event’ – largely due to bad blood between the brothers and Harry’s determination to control media coverage.

Harry’s wife Meghan Markle remained at their £11million mansion in Montecito with their then-two-year-old son Archie and Lilibet Diana, who was born 21 days prior to the statue unveiling at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

The brothers are said to have barely spoken and have an ‘incredibly strained’ relationship after years of rows, including the ‘truth bombs’ the Sussexes have dropped in TV interviews watched by tens of millions of people around the world.

Yet at the late Queen’s funeral service at Windsor’s St George’s Chapel on September 19, William directed Harry and Meghan to their seats ahead of the committal service.

The brothers have put aside their feud for a united front to remember the monarch, and again showed that they could at least be on speaking terms as they interacted with each other in the chapel at Windsor Castle.

William was seen walking to the end of the pew while holding back his son Prince George next to wife Kate Middleton and daughter Princess Charlotte, as he beckoned for Harry and Meghan to walk past them.

The week prior, the brothers followed behind the Queen’s coffin for a procession to Westminster Hall. 

To both experts and royal fans, the four engagements William and Harry shared in the aftermath of the late monarch’s death appeared to be a turning point in the frayed relationship of the foursome.

But it sadly proved to be a false dawn. Although they had temporarily put aside the differences that had been sparked by Megxit, the walkabout was not a lasting peace process.

Veteran royal correspondent Robert Jobson wrote in his 2023 book, ‘Our King,’ that the idea that the walkabout had caused some kind of rapprochement was, sadly, a mere ‘illusion’.

It marked the final time the foursome – once dubbed the ‘Fab four’ – made a public appearance together. 

Want royal editor Rebecca English’s insider view on Prince George’s first days at Eton? Click here to sign up for a very special edition of our Palace Confidential newsletter, delivered to your inbox on Thursday evening. 

The walk is two-miles long

Summer is over and autumn feels well and truly here. As the weather gets colder and the hours of darkness get longer, the motivation to get some exercise and daily vitamin D intake can be much less.

However, one beautiful picturesque walk in Cambridgeshire may do just the trick to reel you into a brisk, autumnal walk. The National Trust’s Lode dog-walking train from Anglesey Abbey is two-miles long.

The walk takes you through gorgeous sights such as Lode Mill, a disused railway line followed by an ancient watercourse and typical, pretty village cottages. It takes between 45-minutes and an hour to complete and has been rated as “easy” to complete by National Trust.

The walk is dog-friendly although National Trust warns that dogs should be kept on leads for the village part of the route. Beginning at the Anglesey Abbey car park, the route takes you down to Lode Mill; a watermill that was rescued and restored as a flour mill, and then past a T junction towards the former Cambridge to Mildenhall railway line.

The single track line opened from Cambridge to Fordham in June 1884 and then to Mildenhall in April 1885. By July 1958, Rail Buses operated on the route before the line closed to passengers in June 1962 followed by its closure to goods in July 1964.

This was apart from the section from Fordham to Burwell which permanently closed a year later in 1965. After delving into the history of the former line, continue the route before reaching Lode village.

There, trekkers will feel stunned by the streets lined with fen edge cottages, making for a true English village feel. The route takes you back towards Anglesey Abbey and by its visitor centre.

By your return, you may find you have worked up an appetite. Therefore, it would make for a good trip extension and reward to treat yourself at Anglesey Abbey’s Redwoods Restaurant to grab a bite to eat.

If you wish to visit the country house, there is an admission fee including options with or without gift aid as well as a family deal. To view the step by step route for the two-mile walk, visit here for more details.

McAllan was mocked by opposition parties after she previously suggested the 2026 Pisa report did not reflect Scots schools’ success in “artistic expression”.

Mairi McAllan has been accused of being “in denial” as performance in Scots schools drops further behind England.

The SNP Education Secretary today claimed she wanted to be viewed as a “reforming” minister after the 2026 Pisa report on global education performance showed 15-year-old pupils in Scotland are not achieving the same standards as their peers south of the Border.

McAllan was last week mocked by opposition parties after she previously suggested the Pisa report did not reflect Scots schools’ success in “artistic expression”.

She told BBC Scotland today: “Pupils are very much at the forefront and in all of these reforms that I’m taking forward currently in that curriculum improvement cycle – the ending of mobile phones in our classroom, and in the public service reform agenda generally of the First Minister, there’s so much scope for improvement there.

“I do not intend to stand still. I will pursue these reforms vigorously and I will have the very best outcomes for all our children in Scotland at the core of how I pursue that.”

Curriculum for Excellence – the current teaching framework in Scotland – will be reformed, McAllan said, with knowledge being given a greater focus, while teachers are also being told to monitor more closely the “progression” of young people.

“I think the combination of those things can push us really far in that pursuit of academic excellence, which I am so dedicated to, but I won’t do it to the detriment or to the exclusion of support for creative expression, problem solving, moral education and that really strong wellbeing factor that came in our Pisa results,” she said.

Katherine Sangster, Scottish Labour education spokeswoman, said: “Parents will be deeply frustrated to hear yet more excuses from another SNP minister on Scotland’s falling education standards.

“Alarm bells have been ringing for years about the challenges our schools face, but the SNP show no ambition for our children and no curiosity about what has gone wrong.

“No-one will be convinced by Mairi McAllan’s TV appearance that the Scottish Government has fully grasped the scale of the issues that must be tackled.

“Pupils in Scotland are now behind their peers in England when it comes to reading, maths, and science tests.

“However, Mairi McAllan stubbornly refuses to even consider there are lessons to be learned from England.

“The SNP should be apologising to parents and pupils for their dismal failings, not offering up more excuses.”

The Welsh snooker legend faces Ali Carter in the final of the English Open

Welsh snooker great Mark Williams is hoping to add another trophy to his impressive collection as he faces Ali Carter in today’s English Open final.

The 51-year-old looked to be heading out at the semi-finals as he found himself 5-1 down to Shaun Murphy last night. However, in arguably the most remarkable comeback of his career, Williams fought back to win 6-5 and make it through to the final, where he now has the chance of breaking his own record as the oldest winner of a ranking event.

After flooring Murphy and setting up a final showdown with Carter, the three-time world champion admitted that even he couldn’t believe what happened, as he told reporters: “I’m not sure how I managed to win. I looked at the scoreboard, saw 5-1 and thought I was out.

“Those matches coming from 5-1 down probably only happen once in a thousand. I just had to stick in and that was the one time it turned round for me.

“It has to be up there with my best comebacks. I was 5-1 down and 60 odd behind on two occasions. I’m over the moon to have a crack at the final now.”

Williams is in fine form, having last year become the oldest-ever ranking event champion with a dominant win over Murphy at the Xi’an Grand Prix, months after finishing runner-up to Zhao Xintong at the World Snooker Championships.

While he continues to defy his age at the table, however, the Welshman is now sporting a thick grey beard, admitting that his new look has not gone down too well with his wife Joanne.

“No, I’m just letting it grow until I feel like shaving it off really,” he said when asked about the beard last month. “The missus don’t like it, that’s why I’m growing it!”

With £100,000 at stake in today’s final in Brentwood – and £45,000 on offer for the runner-up – Williams will add to the impressive £9 million he has earned in prize money over the course of his career.

That total places him fifth on professional snooker’s all-time prize money list, while his total net worth is estimated to be as high as £10 million.

His run to the final comes despite long-term struggles with his eyesight, as he admitted last year that his eyes had “completely gone” and he was now playing in major tournaments while “half-blind”.

Williams added that his condition was “getting worse by the month”, and had been booked in for lens replacement surgery in June last year in a bid to prolong his career “for another four or five years”.

However, he later decided to postpone to surgery amid fears that it could go wrong and end his career for good.

“If it goes wrong, that’s the end,” he said. “That’s the only thing stopping me. I spoke to Anthony Hamilton, who also had it done, and because of the glare of the TV lights, it ruined his career.

“Eventually I’ll get my eyes done but whether or not that’s this year, next year, I don’t know.”

Northumbrian Water said crews had worked through the morning after the burst near Askew Road. The main has been isolated and teams are clearing floodwater with Gateshead Council.

The company warned that heavy flooding and debris pulled from the bank were making the clean-up difficult.

As a result, Askew Road remains closed in both directions between Gateshead Centre and the Redheugh Bridge.

Northumbrian Water hopes to reopen the northbound lane within hours and will provide further updates as work continues.

Village Heights also remains closed as Northumbrian Water works with Gateshead Council and Northumbria Police.

The disruption comes as the Great North Run takes place, with heavy traffic expected across the area.

A spokesperson for Northumbrian Water said: “The water main has now been isolated, and the clean-up of the flooding is underway with Gateshead Council.

“Due to the flooding caused by the burst, and the amount of debris pulled from the bank, this is a difficult operation.

“We are hoping to be able to re-open the northbound lane of the road within the next few hours, but will continue to provide updates.”

Motorists should plan ahead, allow extra time and avoid the area where possible.

Northumbrian Water apologised for the disruption and thanked residents and road users for their patience as repairs and the clean-up continue.

O’Neill rested some players in midweek in preparation for today’s game, while Rangers have a decision to make in attack due to a spate of injuries. Bragging rights are, once again, on the line, ahead of these two doing it all again in the league next Sunday. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis!