Cleveland Police said the smash took place following a short police pursuit – with two passengers, a man, 34, and woman, 42, in the vehicle being taken to hospital.
The man who sadly died in the single car crash has now been named as 44-year-old Duane Michael Birdsall.
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The 42-year-old woman injured in the crash, has now been arrested and charged with robbery in connection with an incident the same morning.
The 34-year-old man taken to hospital with serious injuries remains in hospital.
The woman appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, April 8 and was remanded until her next appearance on Tuesday, May 5.
A spokesperson from Cleveland Police said: “Our thoughts are with Duane’s family and friends at this difficult time.
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“Detectives are still appealing for anyone with information or dashcam footage relating to the collision to get in touch.”
The road was closed for hours following the crash in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
A spokesperson for North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) said: “We were called to a road traffic incident at the junction of Elizabeth Way and Tees Road, Hartlepool at 4.16am on April 7.
“We dispatched three double crewed ambulances, a clinical team leader, a specialist paramedic, two vehicles from our Hazardous Area Response Team and were supported by Great North Air Ambulance’s medical car.
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“One patient was taken to North Tees Hospital and one patient was taken to James Cook Hospital with a doctor on board.”
A person was struck by a train earlier this morning causing a shutdown of some of the country’s major lines.
09:45, 10 Apr 2026Updated 09:52, 10 Apr 2026
All ScotRail services have been cancelled on the Aberdeen to Inverness line after a personal was reportedly hit by a train.
The incident happened between Elgin and Nairn and was shared on the transport body’s social media at around 7.45am on Friday, April 10.
It is understood emergency services, including Police Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service, rushed to the scene and remain on site.
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The incident means all services between the Highland capital and the Granite City have been axed, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 10am this morning with ScotRail saying they are working closely with crews during this time.
The ScotRail JourneyCheck website confirmed: “Due to a person being hit by a train between Nairn and Elgin, the line is closed. Disruption is expected until 10am. Train services between Aberdeen and Inverness will be cancelled, delayed or revised.”
A ScotRail spokesman added: “Due to the emergency services responding to an incident between Nairn and Elgin, the line is closed.”
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The three services that are cancelled so far are the 09:46 Inverness to Elgin, the 10.51 Elgin to Inverness, and the 11:11 Aberdeen to Inverurie.
In the meantime, ScotRail has arranged for passengers’ rail tickets to be accepted on local bus routes at no extra cost with Stagecoach North. Travellers should be aware that Insch is not covered by local bus agreements.
The alternative buses in place are as follows:
1 x bus at Forres ETA 09:30/09:45 – D&E all stops to Aberdeen
1 x bus at Elgin ETA 10:00/10:15 – D&E all stops to Inverness
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call at 07:36 to attend an incident near Brodie. We dispatched one ambulance to the scene.”
British Transport Police has been contacted for comment.
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Carl Webster’s days of causing chaos on Coronation Street may be numbered as Jonathan Howard, drops a huge hint about leaving the soap after being accused of ‘spoiling’ their upcoming murder mystery.
The actor, who has played the conniving Corrie baddie since last Spring 2025, has teased that he is filming his final scenes.
He took to Instagram on Thursday to reveal that he is wrapping up filming on the Cobbles before jetting off to America.
The photo featured a beaming Jonathan with a film crew in the background, including the caption ‘Last few days on #Corrie before flying back to the States’
Jonathan seemed to suggest that he was exiting Corrie. (Picture: Instagram)
The caption read “Sun finally came out to say hello on the cobbles today…”
While the pic might have seemed innocent enough, fans soon put two and two together in the comments and wondered that if Carl Webster is one of the potential murder victims, why is Jonathan still filming?
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One fan joked: “Well, I’m guessing Carl doesn’t die!! Spoiler alert lol.”
“Either he doesn’t die or he does but is throwing us off the scent,” said another.
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Jonathan replied: “Maybe some goodbye photos.”
Carl is not exactly Mister Popular in Weatherfield. (Picture: ITV)
Since arriving in Weatherfield last year, Carl has quickly become one of the soap’s most insidious love-to-hate villains.
Greatest hits include seducing his brother Kevin’s wife Abi Webster (Sally Carman-Duttine) only to do the dirty on her with James Bailey(Jason Callender), putting Tyrone Dobbs in a wheelchair with a reckless hit-and-run, and worst of all, causing the Corriedale crash which killed Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank) then gaslighting Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney) into taking the blame.
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With a list of enemies longer than your arm, Carl may seem like a prime target for murder. Would anyone miss him if he was bumped off? Despite his many evil deeds, Coronation Street bosses have attempted to explain Carl’s behaviour and even redeem him by his relationship with Debbie – the woman he thought was his sister, who was later revealed to be his mum.
Carl and Debbie have a complicated mother/son relationship. (Picture: ITV)
Even though he takes advantage of her and uses her like a human piggy bank, Carl genuinely cares for Debbie and recent episodes have seen the two grow closer after she was released from prison.
If actor Jonathan Howard is trading Weatherfield for the US of A, it wouldn’t be the first time the actor has jetted across the pond in search of stardom.
Before coming to Corrie, Jonathan starred in Hollywood shows for a decade. In the drama series Kingdom, Jonathan played Nick Jonas’ love interest – and they had a steamy snog. He also featured in the SyFy drama Dominion played a soldier fighting against an army of angels.
Is Hollywood calling Jonathan once more? Is it curtains for Carl?
Anthony Bucknell, 35, attacked the woman at his home in Brown Street, Shotts, on Christmas Day last year.
A serial domestic abuser has been jailed for two years for another assault on his partner.
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Anthony Bucknell attacked the woman at his home in Brown Street, Shotts, on Christmas Day last year.
Bucknell, 35, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted the assault as well as breaching bail conditions by being in the female’s company that day.
He had been bailed at the same court in August and warned to stay away from her.
The court heard the woman phoned the police shortly after 10pm on December 25 to say Bucknell had assaulted her.
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When police officers went to the house they saw “significant” swelling to the side of her face.
She said Bucknell had punched her twice but she refused to go to hospital.
Beyond Paradise star Kris Marshall has opened up about being fired from Iceland and working odd jobs in a toothpaste factory before finding fame
Abbie Bray Deputy Editor for Screen Time
09:37, 10 Apr 2026
Beyond Paradise actor Kris Marshall has revealed details about being dismissed from employment before achieving fame as a performer. Despite also not passing his school examinations, the Humphrey Goodman star has featured in My Family, Love Actually, and Death in Paradise.
During an interview from the previous year, Kris discussed his journey to stardom and how the path wasn’t always straightforward. Following his expulsion from school, Kris explained he faced two choices: either to resit the examinations or to pursue acting as a career.
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Kris, who presently portrays Detective Humphrey Goodman in Beyond Paradise, previously told the Guardian, “The only problem was, I had no idea how to get into the industry. Instead, I worked the odd, crazy job to make ends meet – doing shifts in a toothpaste factory or in the laundry of an abattoir.
“That one was pretty grim – the smell will never leave me. I was once fired from Iceland for wearing blue sunglasses on the till, and for a while, I knocked on the doors of people who hadn’t paid their TV licences.”
The Love Actually performer seemed to secure his breakthrough while working in a pub after an encounter with someone in the television industry, reports the Express.
“I went from hiding under my bed from the landlord because I couldn’t pay my rent, to flying over to the Toronto film festival to promote my first lead role in a film 18 months later,” he continued.
Kris began to gain recognition after securing roles in Love Actually and the comedy series My Family. He is also renowned for his portrayal of Humphrey Goodman in both Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise.
He shared, “I would get recognised daily. Since then, it hasn’t stopped, but I don’t mind – it’s a small price to pay for what is a wonderful job.”
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However, Kris has faced other setbacks in his career, such as when Sanditon was cancelled before eventually being revived.
Sanditon, based on Jane Austen’s unfinished novel, returned for a second series in July 2022 after being dropped following its failure to engage viewers.
“It is the first show I’ve been on that has been cancelled and then reinstated,” Kris revealed in a previous conversation with Radio Times.
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“The fans did that after it took off in America, organising an incredible campaign to bring the show back.”
Bernie Winter thinks her troubles are over (Picture: ITV)
The following article contains spoilers from the episode of Coronation Street dated April 10. It hasn’t aired on ITV1 yet, but can be viewed on ITVX and YouTube.
Bernie Winter (Jane Hazlegrove) believes her nightmare with Mal Roper (Tim Treloar) is over in Coronation Street – but it’s really only just beginning.
Bernie met Mal at a hotel earlier this year. At the time, she was grieving for Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank), who died during Corriedale. She got drunk with Mal and took drugs, but nothing sexual happened between them.
Despite this, Mal convinced himself that he had a romantic connection with Bernie, and did not leave her alone.
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Mal believed that he was destined to be with Bernie (Picture: ITV)
He secured some electrician work at Roy Cropper’s (David Neilson) café to remain close to Bernie, and proceeded to make comments about how they’re meant to be together.
This week, Bernie was surprised to learn from Roy that Mal had left Manchester for Inverness. She also discovered that Jodie Ramsey (Olivia Frances-Brown) had been putting a great deal of effort into leaving bad reviews on Mal’s website.
What else has Mal got planned? (Picture: ITV)
Bernie and Jodie aren’t exactly mates, but she was willing to ignore the somewhat bizarre move from her due to the fact it really did seem like ‘headcase’ Mal had gone.
That afternoon though, Bernie waved Roy and Nina Lucas (Mollie Gallagher) off on their trip, and failed to spot Mal watching her from a distance.
Bernie told Gemma Winter (Dolly-Rose Campbell) earlier in the episode that she hopes Mal doesn’t think she left the bad reviews on his website – but maybe this was Jodie’s plan all along?
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Let’s not forget Jodie broke into Bernie and Dev Alahan’s (Jimmi Harkishin) house and cut Bernie’s face out of their wedding photos just to cause more drama with Mal.
The Bulls Disabled Sports Club, which has been running since 1982, has launched an ambitious new sponsorship campaign aimed at rebuilding the club after years of financial challenges.
The charity, based in Bolton, brings together disabled and non-disabled players and has seen athletes go on to represent Great Britain internationally.
DSC Bulls in action (Image: Hannah Tyler)
However, rising costs forced the club out of the National League seven years ago, while a lack of funding has also left it unable to replace vital equipment such as specialist basketball wheelchairs, which can cost more than £5,000 each.
Now, the club is hoping to turn things around with its new “Join the Herd” initiative.
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The campaign is inviting 50 local businesses to sponsor them (Image: Hannah Tyler)
The campaign is inviting 50 local businesses to sponsor the team, with each company receiving branding on match-day kits as part of a wider business network.
Sponsorship packages start from £250 and include advertising opportunities, networking events and corporate experiences, with higher tiers offering additional benefits such as wheelchair basketball sessions and professional photoshoots.
John Caunce, chairperson of The Bulls Disabled Sports Club, said the scheme is about building partnerships rather than simply seeking donations.
He said: “We’re not asking for charity, we’re offering a genuine business partnership.
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“Every sponsor joins a network of 50 local businesses, gets their name on the kit, and becomes part of something that’s been part of Greater Manchester for over forty years.
“Now we’re ready to grow again.”
The club has already taken steps towards that growth, recently launching its first-ever women’s team, which competed in the UK Wheelchair Basketball Women’s Cup in 2026.
(Image: Hannah Tyler)
Over the next three years, The Bulls hopes to establish a women’s side in the national league, develop a junior pathway, and return its senior team to the British Wheelchair Basketball National League.
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Businesses interested in supporting the club can find out more at thebulls.org.uk.
Two Class A drug dealers have been jailed after a dramatic police chase caught on camera resulted in them being charged.
Police officers spotted Daniel Bari and Emilis Urlikas acting suspiciously in Teversham, Cambridge, on December 29 last year.
Suspecting the men had been dealing drugs, officers went to speak to them but they both took off on foot.
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Body-mounted footage from one officer, released by Cambridgeshire Police, showed him sprinting after Bari through a residential area before finally cornering him outside a house. Bari again attempted to run but was Tasered and brought to the ground.
Police bodycam caught the pursuit of two drug dealers through a residential area in Cambridgeshire (Picture: Cambridgeshire Police/Cover Media)
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Daniel Bari (left) was jailed for five years and seven months while Emilis Urlikas was given a 16 month sentence (Picture: Cambridgeshire Police/Cover Media)
Officers detained him and found he was carrying 124 wraps of crack cocaine and 110 wraps of heroin, with a combined street value of more than £1,000. Officers also recovered two mobile phones and £2,590 in cash.
Urlikas was arrested shortly afterwards and, while no drugs were found on him, investigations showed he was involved in the supply with Bari
YouTube users called the footage the ‘weirdest arrest I’ve ever seen,’ noting how the arresting officer (described as ‘the most chill cop ever’) did not shout at the suspect and the entire pursuit took place in almost complete silence.
Others applauded the officer for his physical fitness, remarking on his ability to catch up to the suspect and bring him to the ground.
An officer finally catches hold of Bari after a pursuit that was conducted in near silence (Picture: Cambridgeshire Police/Cover Media)
Bari, 27, of Outfield, Bretton, Peterborough, was sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court to five years and seven months in prison after previously pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine and possession of criminal property.
Urlikas, 20, of Whalley Street, Peterborough, was sentenced to 16 months in a Young Offenders Institution after admitting being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine.
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Det Con McAuley said: ‘Thanks to the quick work of officers, we were able to seize a significant quantity of class A drugs and put these men in prison.
‘This sentencing sends a clear message that drug dealing will not be tolerated in Cambridgeshire.’
Every horse in training is giving an official rating by the handicapper based on the level that they run to. Fourteen of the past 16 winners have been rated 146+, with 13 of those between 146 and 160. I Am Maximus and Nick Rockett were rated 159 and 163 going into the past two editions so a higher mark may be a positive.
Runs since September
In the first seven runnings this decade, five winners had run six times since September, with the others having five and three outings.
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That trend has settled down in the past 10 years, with the average being four runs. Noble Yeats had seven before his 2022 run, while five had been in three races.
No winner in the past 25 editions has run fewer than three times that season.
Trainer location
An English trainer last won the race in 2015, with an Irish trainer winning seven of the nine since. Scot Lucinda Russell has had two winners, though she has no runners this year.
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Breeding
Of the 24 hours to win the race this century, 18 were Irish-bred, four were French-bred and two British-bred.
Finish last time out
Of the past 25 winners, 11 have finished in the top two of their previous run.
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Six of the past eight winners also won their previous race, though Noble Yeats was ninth and Minella Times pulled up.
Four of the six winners before that had finished in the top four too, so the trends suggest form is a factor.
Career falls
Every winner this century except Auroras Encore had two or fewer falls in their career prior to the race.
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In the past decade, Minella Times is the only horse to have fallen in their career and won the Grand National.
Won over three miles or more
Twenty one of the 24 different horses to have won this century have all registered at least one career win over three or more miles before winning the National.
Eighteen of them have won more than two races over that trip, though two of the past five aren’t included in that group.
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Days since last run
The average break between runs for the past 10 winners is just over 41 days, with a range of 24-84 days.
If you take out the two highest and lowest, you’re left with a gap of 36 days.
President Donald Trump met Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on April 8 for what Rutte described as a “very frank, very open” discussion. The pair are reported to have discussed the US-Israeli war against Iran at which, according to White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, Trump believes that Nato was “tested and they failed”.
The president later posted to his Truth Social platform that “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.”
The US president’s meeting with Rutte came a week after he told Reuters press agency that he was “absolutely” considering withdrawing the US from Nato, after America’s allies refused to join the US-Israeli campaign against Iran. But this is very unlikely to occur for three reasons.
First, in 2023, Congress enacted a law that prohibits the president from “suspending, terminating, denouncing, or withdrawing the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty” — which established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) — without the advice and consent of the Senate or an act of Congress. It is extremely unlikely that this will be changed before the midterm elections in November and impossible subsequently if the Democrats end up controlling the House of Representatives.
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The second reason is that Nato membership is popular among Americans. A Pew survey conducted in 2025 showed that 66% of US respondents thought that America benefited from Nato membership while 32% thought the opposite. While, as in many things, the US is divided – with more Democrat voters (77%) supporting Nato membership than Republicans (45%) – it’s clear that, on the whole, Americans approve of Nato membership.
The third reason is that leaving Nato would significantly weaken the US militarily. More than half a century of research by historians and international relations specialists has concluded that leaving Nato would also significantly weaken the US.
In 1989, historian Paul Kennedy’s detailed study of wars over a period of 500 years, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, found that a decisive feature of success in war is the resources that parties to the conflict can mobilise. Kennedy cites the examples of the two world wars and demonstrates that a key reason why Germany was defeated was that the allies could mobilise many more resources in manpower, arms production and economic assets than Germany and its allies. Eventually, this proved decisive in both conflicts.
Research into quantifying the military capacity of nations has been conducted for more than half a century as part of the Correlates of War project founded in 1963 by American political scientist J. David Singer. The project aims to systematically collect data about the causes and consequences of wars.
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One of the datasets collected in the project is called the Composite Index of National Capability. This combines data on the demographic, industrial, economic and military capabilities of nations, including the US and China. The higher the index score the more resources a county has to fight wars.
Scores in the Composite Index of National Capability of the Top Nations The Correlates of War Project, Author provided (no reuse)
The chart shows the size of the index for the top countries in the database. China is the most powerful nation in the chart with a score of 23 on the index. The US comes a rather distant second with a score of 13.
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There are five Nato nations in the chart in addition to the US. They are Germany, Turkey, the UK, France and Italy. The total score of all six Nato members is 20 – much closer to the Chinese total.
The chart does not include the scores for the remaining Nato member states, but when they are added to the total the Nato score is well above that of China. So the assumption that the US can go it alone in a war with China is doubtful.
How Article 5 works
Article 5 of the Nato charter stipulates that an armed attack against one member state is considered an attack against all, triggering collective defence by all the member states. A recent report by the US Naval War College concluded that: “A large and growing body of evidence suggests that the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) is preparing credible capabilities to invade Taiwan”. The report argued that extensive deception will be used by China to confuse its opponents when the war is launched with rapid action by its armed forces to create a fait accompli. It notes that this type of blitzkrieg attack is very often successful.
If this occurred, then since the US has military advisers in Taiwan and military assets in the region that would need to be neutralised in the first phase of the war if the invasion were to be successful this would trigger Article 5 of the Nato charter. In that case China would find itself at war with 32 Nato countries – not to mention countries in the Far East, such as Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, who have serious concerns about Chinese aggression, but are not members of the alliance.
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So, whatever the US president’s ambivalence towards Nato, the fact is that without its support, the US could face a humiliating defeat by China in a future confrontation over Taiwan. America is much stronger as part of Nato – and Trump’s advisers should be strenuously reinforcing that message.
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