It’s one of the best things you can buy from any supermarket, and more people need to know about it.

During the last few years, I’ve tried shopping at numerous different supermarkets. Preparing food and experimenting with new recipes are among my favourite pastimes, but with grocery costs rising each year, it isn’t always budget-friendly.

Most people will know that various supermarkets are good at different things. Whether it’s the Lidl bakery or M&S’s excellent range of treats, several feature in my weekly shopping routine. Co-op is one place I typically avoid, except for one particular item that’s so underappreciated and delivers restaurant-quality.

Compared with rival supermarkets, I find Co-op can be pricier at times, particularly since I live close to smaller high-street stores.

This is one of the main reasons I don’t usually do much of my grocery shopping there. Nevertheless, there’s one dinner product that’s remained on my mind since I first tried it.

As somebody who tries to prepare meals from scratch wherever possible, there are moments when purchasing a ready meal is necessary. And when an especially hectic week looms ahead, it’s straight to Co-op for the Irresistible Vintage Cheddar Macaroni Cheese.

I initially tried this while testing all the Valentine’s Day dine-in deals supermarkets offered. This was the surprising highlight among them all, and I’ve returned to purchase it repeatedly.

For anyone who enjoys a quality mac and cheese and hasn’t tried the Co-op version, I cannot praise it highly enough.

It provides enough portions for two diners, and requires just thirty minutes to heat through in the oven. Once prepared, the ciabatta and mozzarella topping has a wonderfully golden finish, and when stirred through the pasta, it adds an amazing flavour and crunch. You genuinely need no additional seasonings – not even salt – as it delivers a great taste without any extras.

The pasta sauce is thick, velvety and moreish, coating each piece of chifferi pasta perfectly. It’s indulgent without becoming overly heavy, and lacks that unpleasant floury consistency that certain supermarket pasta products can have.

For a ready meal, this mac and cheese delivers restaurant-quality flavour that feels like a treat. Having tried numerous versions from various restaurants, pubs and cafes, I can say with certainty that this ranks among the best.

Even compared with other supermarkets, including Marks & Spencer and Co-op, Co-op is the true winner. My nearest store stocks the meal for approximately £7.65, so it’s not cheap, though online shoppers can purchase two for £8. Just one remained on the shelves during my most recent visit, so I strongly suggest grabbing it whenever possible, as other shoppers are clearly equally enthusiastic about it.

Robert F Kennedy Jr’s son has shared his father’s response to being escorted out of the White House press dinner as gunshots were heard at the venue.

The US health secretary remarked that he was ‘very hungry’ after being forced to leave the annual event as starters were being served.

His son, Bobby Kennedy III posted a WhatsApp group exchange in which in enquires about his father’s safety following the incident at the Washington Hilton hotel.

Proceedings at the correspondents’ association gala were abruptly interrupted as a man tried to force his way past security and enter the venue.

The suspected gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from California, remains in custody.

In a post on X, Bobby shared messages sent by his father’s wife, Cheryl Hines saying the security officers had been quick to remove the couple from the building.

Hines added that she that scenes at the press dinner were ‘crazy’ and she had been ‘lifted over chairs’ to escape the venue.

Her note read: ‘Bobby’s security came in so fast and took us out of the building.’

RFK Jr added: ‘I’m really hungry’.

A matter-of-fact Trump told reporters after the event: ‘It’s always shocking when something like this happens. Happened to me, a little bit. And that never changes.’

An investigation continues into the events of Saturday night.

Federal officers have interviewed Allen’s sister, who said he had bought several weapons, including a 38-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun from a store in California and had them stored at his parent’s home.

According to social media posts, the suspect is a tutor and video game developer.

Allen’s online resume says he worked for the last six years at C2 Education, a company that offers admissions counselling and test preparation services to aspiring college students. A 2024 post on the company’s Facebook page listed Allen as the company’s teacher of the month. The company did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Saturday night.

Allen also posted that he had developed a video game for the Steam platform based on molecular chemistry. A post under Allen’s name said he was working to develop a new ‘top-down shooter’ combat game set in outer space.

Bin Tang, a computer science professor at California State University, Dominguez Hills, said that Allen took a few of his classes before graduating last year.

‘He was a very good student indeed, always sitting in the first row of my class, paying attention, and frequently emailing me with coursework questions. Soft-spoken, very polite, a good fellow. I am very shocked to see the news,’ Tang wrote in an email.

Donald Trump told Fox News that he felt ‘like a pinata’ after so many attempts on his life.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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Traditionally, the area marks the meeting point of the Roman road Dere Street—which crossed the River Tees at Piercebridge—and another Roman route, whose name is unknown, that headed west towards Bowes and Stainmore.

Today, the A1(M) runs north towards North East England and Scotland, and south towards London.

Scotch Corner forms a major junction connecting the motorway with the A66, which travels northwest to Penrith and the M6.

Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire, where the A1(M) connects with the A66. (Image: NQ)

Scotch Corner through the years

From the air, Scotch Corner has always been a striking landmark.

In 1949, the Scotch Corner Hotel stood beside a roundabout where the A1 and A66 met.

Our featured front-page photograph, taken in the late 1960s before the motorway’s construction, shows how the site evolved before major modernisation.

Scotch Corner in the late 1960s. (Image: NQ)

Three additional exits also branch from the junction: the A6055 north and south (with the southbound route leading to the A6108 towards Richmond and the Yorkshire Dales), and a third exit towards Middleton Tyas and Croft-on-Tees.

The Battle of Scotch Corner

According to legend, the Battle of Scotch Corner took place around AD71 between the Romans and the Brigantes, a powerful tribe that dominated the region from its stronghold at Stanwick St John.

Some accounts suggest the confrontation ended peacefully, while others describe a bloody clash in which the Brigantian leader Venutius was killed.

Regardless of which version is true, the Romans emerged victorious and continued their march north into Scotland.

Inns and Early Settlements

Historical maps show that between Catterick and Scotch Corner, several inns once served travellers along the route—including the Black Bull Inn, the Blue Anchor and the Crown and Anchor.

The inn located directly at Scotch Corner was called The Three Tuns.

Origins of the Name “Scotch Corner”

The name likely stems from the area’s ancient significance as a decision point for travellers bound for different parts of Scotland .

Following the Roman conquest of the Brigantes in AD71, a network of intersecting roads was established near the site, cementing Scotch Corner’s reputation as a key crossroads and Roman stronghold.

Modern developments at Scotch Corner

In July 1971, an £8 million diversion created a new grade-separated junction on the A1, transforming the Scotch Corner layout.

A large, oblong “road circus” was engineered to link the A66 with the A1 and improve access to Middleton Tyas and Richmond.

Further improvements came in March 2018, with a £380 million upgrade to the A1 between Leeming Bar and Barton Interchange, converting the route into a three-lane motorway.

Modern Scotch Corner remains a major transport hub and development site.

Ongoing construction around the area includes the much-anticipated Scotch Corner Designer Village.

Despite multiple delays, the £100 million retail project is now expected to open in 2027.

Hundreds of people and famous faces gathered on Primrose Hill to pay their respects to a young film student who was stabbed to death while testing out a new camera at the London viewing spot.

Madness frontman Graham ‘Suggs’ McPherson sang It Must Be Love as balloons were released in memory of Finbar Sullivan, who was stabbed during a fight in Primrose Hill in the early evening of April 7.

Paul Weller, Dexys Midnight Runners frontman Kevin Rowland, Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie and The Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock also appeared at the event, organisers said.

Dozens of candles and bunches of flowers were placed at the gates to the park, along with pictures of Mr Sullivan.

Some of his favourite songs were sung and a minute’s silence was held.

Mr Sullivan, known as Fin by his friends, was a student at the London Screen Academy.

According to his father, he had gone to Primrose Hill to test a new camera he got for his birthday.

Chris Sullivan said his son had ambitions to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, cameraman Michael Seresin, who worked on Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Rambo III.

His father, who is a club promoter best known for founding the Wag Club in London, said after the vigil: ‘This is subsequent to my son being stabbed very near this spot to death… on the 7th April.

‘We decided to have a little tribute to him and get all these people together.

‘I’m so impressed to see the diaspora of people, ages, races, colours and creeds, and they did us proud.

‘So I think Finbar’s legacy should be that, unity and love and peace.’

He added that he was not surprised that hundreds of people turned out for the vigil as his son was ‘like a magnet for people’.

Mr Sullivan said his son was ‘full of jokes’ and was a ‘really loving person’, adding: ‘He was all I ever thought about.

‘So it’s like as if, you have both your legs cut off, you know, you always remember they’re gone, and you never forget them, but it will always be difficult to deal with. I’m not expecting an easy journey.’

Mr Sullivan said his son had just worked with Vivienne Westwood’s son Joe Corre on a film.

Three men have been charged with his murder: Ernest Boateng, 25, Alexis Bidace, 25, and Oliuwadamilola Ogunyankinnu, 27.

A fourth man, Khalid Abdulqadir, 18, has been separately charged in relation to the same incident.

He is charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a second alleged victim, violent disorder and possession of a knife.

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Adding one ingredient to your bolognese tenderises the meat and creates a richer, silkier texture that can elevate your pasta dish.

Bolognese sauce, or ragu bolognese, is considered one of the cornerstone dishes of Italian cuisine. Like any traditional recipe, you’ll find it prepared with slight variations and local adaptations.

However, the core components of the dish remain unchanged, including beginning with a finely diced mixture of celery, carrot and onion called the soffrito, a combination of minced pork and beef, good-quality tinned tomatoes and of course, red wine.

The key to creating an exceptional bolognese lies in completing each cooking step correctly, with patience and care, avoiding any shortcuts. In fact, gentle simmering is essential for building the right flavour and texture.

However, there’s one ingredient that genuinely transforms the dish, something my Italian nonna would add without fail every time – milk.

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The lactic acid and calcium help to soften the beef, while the milk counteracts the acidity of the wine and tomatoes, creating a smoother, richer sauce.

Ingredients

• Two tablespoons of olive oil
• Two carrots
• Two celery sticks
• One onion
• 150g of pork mince
• 150g of beef mince
• Three tins of chopped tomatoes
• One tablespoon of tomato puree
• Half a cup of red wine
• One cup of milk
• Salt and pepper

Method

When preparing a bolognese, the first job I address is assembling the soffrito base. This involves chopping the onion, carrots and celery into very small pieces, which usually takes up a fair amount of my time.

To speed things along, I used my food processor. While hand-chopping the vegetables would ordinarily take a good five to 10 minutes, the food processor managed it in mere seconds.

With the soffritto mixture prepared, I added oil to a substantial pan before adding the chopped vegetables. I favour leaving the onions, carrots and celery to cook gently for five to 10 minutes before continuing, as they need adequate softening to release their flavours.

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Next, it was time to add the meat, allowing it to brown thoroughly before mixing in the tomato puree, salt, pepper and red wine to deglaze the pan.

This stage is critically important as it’s when the flavour elements that enhance the sauce form, and because any remaining alcohol needs to evaporate entirely – otherwise it creates an unwelcome sharpness in the sauce.

Next came the tinned tomatoes. For the finest flavour, I’m committed to the Mutti brand. As I favour a velvety-smooth sauce, I consistently blend the tinned tomatoes.

After the tinned tomatoes were processed, I added them to the pan, stirred everything thoroughly, then added the milk before mixing the sauce again.

I heated the sauce until boiling, then lowered it to a moderate temperature and allowed it to simmer covered for three hours.

The prolonged cooking period only intensifies the flavour – I merely stirred it every half an hour during this time. Shortly before the sauce is ready, I like to taste it to see whether it needs additional salt or pepper.

Whenever I make a big batch of bolognese, I usually freeze some of it, and it keeps well for up to three months.

Criminal Record has brought together a round-up of today’s biggest crime stories.

Every day on Criminal Record we will be bringing you a round-up of the biggest crime stories of the day.

If you love to read about crime in Scotland – this is the place to be every day.

Here’s what has been making the news across the country on Sunday.

Armed police surround Edinburgh flat

Armed police have surrounded a block of flats in Edinburgh following reports of a “disturbance”. Emergency services were called to Longstone Street after the alarm was raised at around 7am on Sunday, April 26.

Officers were responding to reports of a disturbance and concern for a man at a property on the street. Pictures taken this morning showed armed cops in attendance holding guns.

Wearing their all-black get-up, some were also seen holding riot shields as they stood outside the building. A large number of uniformed police could be seen at the scene with a cordon placed near the home.

READ MORE: Armed police surround Edinburgh flat in siege after reports of ‘disturbance’

Two more arrests after Rangers vs Celtic violence

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Two more people have been arrested in connection with disorder among Rangers and Celtic fans at Ibrox Stadium. Ugly scenes broke out following the Scottish Cup Quarter-Final on Sunday, March 8.

Operation Moonglint was subsequently launched by Police Scotland to trace those responsible. Police have confirmed that two further men, aged 18 and 19, have been arrested and charged in connection with various offences.

The pair are due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court at a later date. This brings the total number of arrests in connection with the disorder up to 20.

READ MORE: Police make two more arrests made after Rangers vs Celtic fan violence at Ibrox

Perjury claims at Alex Salmond’s trial still under investigation

Perjury claims at Alex Salmond’s trial continue to be investigated by Crown prosecutors five years after a complaint was initiated. The allegations were made after the former first minister’s 2020 trial, when he was cleared of 14 charges of sexual assault.

Salmond’s lawyers wrote to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in March 2021 setting out a number of concerns and an advocate and senior prosecutor were assigned to the case. The probe is still active.

Salmond died of a heart attack in North Macedonia at age 69. COPFS said: “Correspondence from Mr Salmond’s solicitor has been received and will be responded to in due course.”

READ MORE: Perjury claims at Alex Salmond’s trial still under investigation by Crown Office

Over 100 children under 11 stopped and searched by police

Over 100 children under 11-years-old have been stopped and searched by Police in less than two years, shocking official figures have revealed. Concerns have been raised after it emerged they were among nearly 11,000 under-18s frisked between April 2024 and December 2025.

Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland Nicola Killean said the statistics raise “legitimate concerns” youngsters could be facing “unnecessary and potentially distressing” treatment.

The Police Scotland statistics show 103 children aged 1–11 were stopped and searched over the 21 month period. Only five of those searches resulted in illegal items being found.

READ MORE: Over 100 children under 11 stopped and searched by police in less than two years

The Lyons crime family

The Lyons are one of Scotland’s most notorious organised crime gangs.

The Glasgow outfit started in a youth club after Eddie Lyons Snr took over the management of the Chirnsyde Community Initiative in the Milton area of north Glasgow in 1991. His sons Eddie and Steven headed up a group at the community centre known as the Club Boys.

They became synonymous with violence and drug peddling but a deadly 20-year feud with the rival Daniel clan earned them terrifying infamy. In the early 2000s, the Lyons mob transformed into an international organised crime network headed up by Steven Lyons after he fled Scotland for Spain, and later Dubai.

So who are the Lyons clan? The Record takes a look at the history of the crime group and the family tree. Click below to find out.

READ MORE: Lyons crime family – key members in the Glasgow mob as empire crumbles

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