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Norton Town Council gives awards to community heroes

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Norton Town Council gives awards to community heroes

Norton Town Council has thanked those residents aiming to improved where they live in their second annual awards.

The town council launched the scheme in late 2024 to recognise people and organisations who are based and work in Norton.

Mayor, Councillor Di Keal, said: “The town council wanted to recognise people in our town who support others and who ‘go the extra mile’ in their roles as charities or individuals.

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“Norton is a unique place with many people contributing to our community on a daily basis who go unrecognised for the hard work they put in for others – the town council wants to acknowledge what they do and thank them.”

Two awards were presented at a ceremony at the Council Chamber, with winners receiving a unique plaque in recognition of their work.

Volunteers of the Year went to the Malton and Norton Tidy Group and was accepted on behalf of the group by stalwart supporter, Nick Fletcher, who said he was “absolutely delighted” to represent the group and was very pleased that the council had recognised their work keeping Norton looking clean and tidy.

Paying tribute to the group, which was founded in 2009, Cllr Keal said: “This award goes to a group that definitely makes a significant difference to Norton (& Malton) throughout the year – come rain or shine and sometimes in freezing cold, they are out and about with bin bags and litter pickers collecting discarded rubbish and debris and making the town look neat and tidy.

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“They have recently broken their own records with an amazing – if quite appalling for the fact that it is discarding in the first place – 643 bags of litter in Malton and Norton in 2025!

“Not content with litter picking in the town centres the group also cover the roads approaching the towns meaning anyone driving into Norton (& Malton) isn’t greeted by rubbish strewn grass verges.

“Norton town council wants to recognise the amazing work this volunteers group does and thank them whole heartedly for all their efforts.”

The Awards also recognise a business or organisation that creates a shop window that contributes to making Norton look festive over the Christmas period by decorating their window. The 2025 winning window was created by Kayshia Skeet, who works at Derwent Lodge on Church Street, who put together a window based on the book and film Polar Express.

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Cllr Keal said: “The town council refreshed our Christmas lights display again in 2025 and we are keen to encourage local businesses and organisations to join us each year and make the town look special for the festive season.

“We loved this display for its simplicity in telling a story – and the fact that it appeared to be made from recycled materials, with the Polar Express train created from discarded boxes.”

Cllr Keal thanked the winners and those who nominated them for the huge contribution they make to Norton through their volunteering and the organisations they work with: “As a community we should all be very grateful to you and I hope these awards will go some small way towards recognising your hard work and dedication to your organisations and the wider community of Norton”.

The Norton on Derwent Community Awards look set to become an annual event and the town council looks forward to even more nominations in 2026.

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Pics shows: Cllr Di Keal presenting the Community Awards to 1) Kayshia Skeet with colleagues from Derwent Lodge & 2) Nick Fletcher from Malton and Norton Tidy Group

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Everything you need to know as new Belfast Glider route will not be complete until 2033

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Belfast Live
Everything you need to know as new Belfast Glider route will not be complete until 2033 | Belfast Live

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Dunelm’s ‘brilliant’ chest of drawers that ‘look great’ reduced by 50%

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Belfast Live

“Great quality. Clear instructions. No missing parts. All fixings provided. Easier to put together than IKEA, kit as the drawers are pre fixed.”

Dunelm customers needing a new chest of drawers may want to have a look at an option currently available in the retailer’s sale. The Aldo 3 Drawer Chest in Light Oak has a high 4.7 out of 5 star rating and has been slashed by 50%, dropping from £349 to £174.50.

This chest features a solid oak effect finish with spacious drawers equipped with metal runners for durability. The unit is completed with a Scandi-style cut-out design showcasing natural grain running throughout.

The Aldo chest arrives flat-packed requiring full assembly, though numerous customers have praised how straightforward the process is. One satisfied customer left a five-star review stating: “Great quality. Clear instructions. No missing parts. All fixings provided. Easier to put together than IKEA, kit as the drawers are pre fixed.”

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They added: “Two of us did it first time in 1.5 hours. Looks great, very similar to a designer style. Was 50% off on sale so excellent value.”

Another shopper added: “This is a stunning piece of furniture. Really easy to put together, very heavy once assembled! Really impressed with the quality and a bargain at half price!” reports the Liverpool Echo.

A third buyer said: “Brilliant chest of drawers. This is a great bit of furniture. Solid, robust, looks great. I did need an extra pair of hands to mount the drawers on the runners, but otherwise straightforward and easy for one person to complete.”

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Some customers have mentioned finding the assembly instructions somewhat challenging to navigate, so it’s important to bear in mind that not everyone will find it straightforward. One review highlights this point: “nice but not for someone who isn’t proficient in the art of self assembly.”

Dunelm currently has an extensive clearance sale running online, featuring reductions of up to 75% across all homeware ranges. Additional bargains include the Fulton Small Sideboard in Black Oak, slashed from £199 to £99.50, alongside the Brynn Supersoft Faux Fur Accent Chair, cut from £199 to £139.50.

Wayfair is also promoting an offer on the 118cm W 7 – Drawer Chest of Drawers by Union Rustic, which comes with seven drawers. The sand oak version has dropped from £206.99 to £173.99, whilst the greige oak option has been reduced from £219.99 to £169.99.

Meanwhile at Debenhams, this Catania 3+3 Drawer Chest has been reduced from £199 to £159. Shoppers can choose from walnut or light oak.

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor latest: Police search of Royal Lodge enters second day after Andrew released from custody

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor latest: Police search of Royal Lodge enters second day after Andrew released from custody

Monarchy must be more transparent in future, Davey says

Political reporter Athena Stavrou reports:

Ed Davey has said parliament should ensure the monarchy is more transparent going forward in order to avoid a future crisis.

Asked if parliament should take action following Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, the Liberal Democrat leader said: “I think it’s very important the police allowed to do their work…separate from parliament.

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“I think more broadly going forward, we do need to see more transparency, and parliament has a really important role to play.

“I think we need to help the monarchy get over this, it’s really important part of our of our country. And the way that that we will go forward, is having more transparency over how they operate.”

Dan Haygarth20 February 2026 07:54

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Trump calls Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest ‘so bad for the royal family’

Dan Haygarth20 February 2026 07:45

Former police chief explains procedure Andrew would have underwent

A former police chief has given some insight into how Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor may have been treated on Thursday following his arrest.

Andy Trotter, former deputy chief constable at British Transport Police, said Thames Valley Police would have been “absolutely clear” that he will be treated the same as anybody else.

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“No better, no worse than anyone else,” he told Sky News.

“He would come through the exact same procedure as search, photographs, DNA, fingerprints, etc and obviously [offered a] lawyer, if they wanted to, to attend for any interview that might follow.

“I think the more unusual the case, the more what you’ve got to stick to the regular procedures so that there’s no difference from the way this person has been treated from any other.”

Athena Stavrou20 February 2026 07:36

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor seen returning after leaving police custody

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A car carrying Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrives at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on Thursday evening (Mathilde Grandjean/PA)
A car carrying Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrives at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on Thursday evening (Mathilde Grandjean/PA) (PA Wire)

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 February 2026 07:30

Cabinet Office could hand over documents related to Andrew, The Times reports

The Times reports that officials in Whitehall could look through government records for documents related to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s time as a trade envoy as part of the ongoing police investigation.

Sources told The Times that Whitehall would “fully cooperate” with detectives investigating.

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Dan Haygarth20 February 2026 07:25

US officials say now is the time to act on Epstein investigation

Jane Dalton20 February 2026 07:00

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Police continue searches after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor released

Detectives will continue their searches of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home in Berkshire following his release from custody after he was arrested on suspicion of alleged misconduct in public office.

He was held on Thursday morning following allegations made against him after the release of files related to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew, the first senior royal in modern history to be arrested, was held in custody for around 11 hours before being released under investigation by Thames Valley Police.

Thames Valley Police said searches at a property in Norfolk – Andrew’s home on the Sandringham Estate – have now concluded.But the force said that the operation they were carrying out at a Berkshire address, his former residence, Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate, will continue.

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Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 February 2026 06:30

Opinion: Scandal disgrace will rattle royal family as never before

The King is calculating that however bad the details might be, placing the former prince in the category of outcast will insulate him and his heirs from the fallout and allow the succession to continue, writes Anne McElvoy:

Jane Dalton20 February 2026 06:00

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Virginia Giuffre’s family ‘celebrated’ after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest

Virginia Giuffre’s family ‘celebrated’ after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 February 2026 05:57

Trump says Andrew’s arrest ‘very sad’

US president Donald Trump has weighed in on the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, hours after the King’s brother was detained under suspicion of alleged misconduct in public office.

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“I think it’s a shame. I think it’s very sad. I think it’s so bad for the royal family. It’s very, very sad. To me, it’s a very sad thing,” Mr Trump said.

Andrew, who used to be known as “Prince” before having his royal titles stripped, was arrested after police launched an investigation into claims that he allegedly shared sensitive information while on official visits as the UK as the country’s trade envoy with Jeffrey Epstein.

The claims emerged as part of the Epstein file’s that were recently released by Trump’s Department of Justice.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 February 2026 05:30

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Bolton to mark 80th anniversary of Burnden Park Disaster

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Bolton to mark 80th anniversary of Burnden Park Disaster

This year marks the 80th anniversary of theThe Burnden Park disaster, which claimed the lives of 33 people.

The tragedy took place on March 9, 1946.

The Whites were playing the famous Stanley Matthews’ Stoke City in the sixth round of the FA Cup on that fateful day, with fans turning out in their droves.

But by 2.40pm, officials took the decision to close the railway embankment gates, with 15,000 fans waiting to get in.

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Many of the fans found alternate ways into the ground. It had been predicted that 55,000 people would watch the game, and the official attendance would register 65,419. Unofficially it was thought to be 85,000.

DISASTER: A photograph taken in the aftermath of the tragedy

Fans ‘bottlenecked’ in the embankment had already started to spill out on to the cinder track prior to kick-off because of the pressure but once the game started, the excitement became so great the weight of the crowd bore down on the spectators at the front.

Barriers collapsed and people, three or four deep, were trampled underfoot by their helpless neighbours.

Around 500 people were also injured, but the game played on.

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Many – including the great Nat Lofthouse, then just 20 – were unaware of the tragic events until they read the final edition of the Evening News.

On March 9 this year at 7.30pm, a service will be held at Bolton Parish Church to mark the 80th anniversary of the disaster.

Cllr John Walsh, who is the church warden and a lifelong Wanderers fan, said: “A memorial service will be held for those who lost their lives.

FOOTBALL TRAGEDY: Burnden Park disaster, 1946.

“Everyone is welcome to attend this open service and mark what was a very sad day in Bolton’s history.

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“There are still relatives of those who died around who remember the sad event, and we want to give them an opportunity to remember.

“As with VE Day and VJ Day, this will be one of the last times in history where people will be able to remember this event first hand.”

He said that Burnden Park was in the parish of Bolton Parish Church.

Cllr Walsh added: “A memorial book is in the church with the names of all 33 of those who lost their lives.

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“It will be open, as it is on March 9 every year.”

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been released from custody

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been released from custody

The former duke has been pictured leaving Aylsham police station in north Norfolk following his arrest.

He has been released under investigation following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, Thames Valley Police said.

He was arrested around 8am this morning (Image: Chris Bishop)

Plain-clothed officers arrived at his home in Sandringham at around 8am today (Thursday, February 19) and arrested him.

The arrest comes on his 66th birthday following allegations made against the former prince after the release of millions of pages of files related to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

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Officers have been conducting searches of properties in both Norfolk and Berkshire.

He was seen leaving Aylsham police station following his arrest (Image: Colin Finch)

Following his day in custody, a black Range Rover arrived at Aylsham police investigation centre at approximately 6.50pm this evening.

It has been reported that it tried to get in via an electronic gate but was unable to do so as the gate was broken.

He was arrested on his 66th birthday (Image: PA)

It went in via another gate after waiting 10 minutes.

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Five minutes later, a large garage door in the building opened, and two cars could be seen, including the Range Rover.

It drove past the waiting reporters and a photographer was able to take a picture of the former royal trying to lie down on the back seat.

Members of the media at the Sandringham Estate (Image: Jordan Pettitt/PA Media)

King Charles III made a statement while his brother was in custody.

A full statement reads: “I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office.

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“What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities.

Officers at Wood Farm in Sandringham (Image: Chris Bishop)

“In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.

“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.

“As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter.

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“Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”

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Rhubarb Festival begins in Yorkshire with events for all

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Rhubarb Festival begins in Yorkshire with events for all

A FESTIVAL celebrating Yorkshire’s ‘special crop’ kicks off today in honour of all things rhubarb.

The Rhubarb Festival celebrating Wakefield’s heritage crop will deliver a weekend of food, drink, family activity and discovery across the city to honour the pink vegetable.

Yes, it’s a veg not fruit. The delicate pink spears push up through the rich soil inside dark forcing sheds within the rhubarb triangle in West Yorkshire. The sweet, tender stems are harvested by candlelight in near pitch black in February.

At the heart of the festivities is the Food & Drink Market of 50 traders, in chalet-lined streets selling speciality cheese, jams and gins to brownies, beer and chocolate.

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Photo of the popular Rhubarb Festival

Many of the regional and local produce come with a rhubarb twist.

Watch chef demos where the professionals reveal how to make delicious recipes with the vegetable.

Local musicians will play live in the Rhu-Bar, while Ruby Rhubarb and the Rhubarb Fairy perform street entertainment.

In partnership with Wakefield BID, the Rhubarb Food & Drink Trail returns with local bars, restaurants and cafés serving limited-edition rhubarb delights.

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Pink and perfect – rhubarb is a jewel in Yorkshire’s foodie crown

Traders include North Chocolate, Forever Fudge, Livs Bakes n Cakes, preserves from A Sticky Situation and Cherry Tree Yorkshire, Rhucello for liqueurs, spirits from Hawkin’s Distillery, Prohibition Distillery and Forged Spirits, and beer from Bier Huis. Stop by E Oldroyds & Sons and pick up pies, crumbles, jams, chutneys and fresh forced rhubarb.

Discover more about the heritage of this prized Yorkshire crop and why it’s important to local history at Wakefield Museum at a hands-on workshop, and sow rhubarb seeds on Friday, February 20 with sessions at 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm.

The Rhubarb Festival is organised by Wakefield Council with events taking place across the city from February 20-22.

More at: experiencewakefield.co.uk/event/rhubarb-festival

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Beats, Bose and Shokz, tried and tested

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Beats, Bose and Shokz, tried and tested

You want a secure fit, waterproof or sweatproof capability and assurance they won’t bounce out of your ear, says Arj Thiruchelvam, performance coach at Performance Physique. He also looks for Bluetooth 5, which provides the best connection to wireless devices, ensuring a run isn’t interrupted by music or a podcast dropping out.

Having a decent microphone to take calls is a bonus, and he recommends going into the shops rather than buying online. “It’s pretty difficult to test every aspect when shopping online but, if you can get your hands on the headphones, pop them in and jump around a bit. Running is basically a series of jumps, so have a quick bounce around the store,” he says.

“Beats, Bose, Airpods and Shokz all have their claims to the top position” in terms of the best types of headphones for running, Thiruchelvam says. He favours the Shokz Air bone conduction headphones, but has clients from his personal trainer business who swear by Bose, claiming they boost their exercise performance.

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Shona makes a heartbreaking admission to Bethany in Coronation Street | Soaps

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Shona makes a heartbreaking admission to Bethany in Coronation Street | Soaps
She’s had a lot going on (Picture: ITV)

2026 has seen Shona Platt (Julia Goulding) and David Platt (Jack P Shepherd) so far face quite a lot of drama in Coronation Street.

At the start of January, the couple were involved in the Corriedale crash. They were both rushed to hospital afterwards but there was a greater concern for Shona, who was pregnant with little Harper.

Fortunately, Shona, David and Harper were fine. Shona was transferred back to Weatherfield General, where she gave birth to her daughter.

Harper has been in hospital ever since as the baby needed a blood transfusion, and an operation on her neck shortly after being born.

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It’s meant David and Shona have been juggling life at home, and visiting Harper in hospital. It’s a stressful ordeal, but another layer of chaos was added when Shona’s sister Jodie Ramsey (Olivia Frances-Brown) re-entered her life.

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Shona Platt holding an upset Jodie Ramsay's hands in Coronation Street as they sit facing each other.
Jodie has already told lies to Shona (Picture: ITV)

As far as Shona’s concerned, reconnecting with Jodie at a time when her life is already busy isn’t a problem. This might be down to the fact she feel guilty for leaving the family home when she became a teen mum, which subsequently left Jodie alone with their troubled parents.

While Shona has worked hard to get to know Jodie again, she remains unaware her sister is busy plotting revenge because of what happened when Shona upped sticks and left all those years ago.

Her plan so far has seen Jodie lie about an abusive relationship she had, and she’s also decided to try and get David to cheat on Shona with her.

In upcoming episodes, Jodie’s hatred towards Shona is further fuelled as she has to listen to Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon) and Maria Connor (Samia Longchambon) chat about how they think Shona and David are the perfect couple.

She decides to cause trouble by once again attempting to get close to David. When he returns home and finds Jodie with her arm down the back of a chair, she says that she thinks she can feel Shona’s wedding ring. Jodie notes that it’s just out of reach and needs David’s help. He crouches down next to her, and Jodie very much enjoys the close proximity between them.

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Coronation Street character Jodie Ramsey looking deep in thought while standing in the Platt household.
Jodie wants to destroy Shona’s life (Picture: ITV)

Towards the end of the week, Jodie tries to cause friction by setting David up and claiming that he hasn’t done any house chores.

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Later, Shona opens up to Bethany and says that it feels like she hardly sees David at the moment as they’re always so busy.

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Bethany has an idea, but will Jodie stick her nose in and ruin it?

Executive Producer Kate Brooks has already revealed in an interview that Jodie is on the street to set the cat among the pigeons and cause chaos for the Cobbles residents.

‘She’s a really interesting character. She’s a bit of a troublemaker, she’s got a bit of mischief in her eyes. All is not what it seems with Jodie and there’s a lot of layers to her. I think the audience are going to have a lot of fun unravelling who this person is, who Jodie is as a character and what she wants as well.

‘Keep an eye on her because there’s lots of secrets to explode and she’s going to bring an awful lot of drama to the Platt household.’

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Three Tottenham stars set for key role under Igor Tudor

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Three Tottenham stars set for key role under Igor Tudor

Igor Tudor’s appointment as Tottenham manager can be considered a risk, but it has at least brought with it the promise of a fresh start.

Spurs currently sit 16th in the Premier League table and are just five points above the relegation zone following the dismissal of Thomas Frank last week.

The north London club are precariously close to the drop, and Tudor needs to make a fast start if he is to quieten talk of Spurs becoming embroiled in a relegation scrap.

Instant results are the Croatian’s speciality, though, and while he has not hung around for too long at any one club, he has garnered a reputation for making an immediate impact.

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Part of Tudor’s success stems from getting buy-in from players with a no-nonsense approach, and he will need to lean on that part of his personality to earn the support of Spurs’ squad, which became increasingly disillusioned under Frank.

Here are three players Standard Sport thinks could be set for starring roles under Tudor…

Randal Kolo Muani worked under Igor Tudor at Juve

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Kolo Muani to rediscover his best form

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Randal Kolo Muani arrived at Spurs last summer with a spring in his step, having revitalised his career on loan at Juventus in the second half of the 2024-25 season.

It was hoped that after a tricky spell at French champions Paris Saint-Germain, Kolo Muani had rediscovered his best form and was beginning to mature as a player heading into his prime years.

The 27-year-old’s time in England, though, has been anything but straightforward. Aside from a couple of promising displays in the Champions League, he has yet to showcase why PSG parted with upwards of £76million to sign him from Eintracht Frankfurt just two and a half years ago.

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Gangster brought down after Pizza Hut meeting found dead in Dubai hotel room

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Manchester Evening News

Spencer Benjamin was said to have links to the notorious Cali Cartel

A drug trafficker who was brought down after a meeting at Pizza Hut has been found dead in Dubai. Spencer Benjamin was jailed for 10 years for his role in an international drug conspiracy, after meeting with a Venezuelan drug lord who was said to be acting on behalf of the notorious Cali Cartel.

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Undercover police spotted Benjamin meeting Ivan di Giorgio at a Pizza Hut in central London. The feared Cali Cartel controlled more than 80 per cent of the world’s cocaine market in the mid-1990s.

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Benjamin was described as the ‘organiser for the Liverpool end of the operation’ by a senior officer who led the investigation. It has been reported that Benjamin was found dead in a hotel room in Dubai, the Liverpool Echo reports.

It’s understood that Benjamin, formerly of Toxteth and later Halewood, was aged 53 or 54. A spokesperson for the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We have assisted the family of a British man who has died in Dubai.”

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Benjamin was under the watch of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) in 1999 when he was seen to meet di Giorgio. On one occasion, Benjamin was seen handing over a satchel to the South American, while at a second pizza parlour meeting a Wade Smith bag was passed to di Giorgio.

Police suspected cash was being handed over in return for drugs. When police finally raided di Giorgio’s London home, he jumped out of a first floor window in a doomed attempt to escape. When he appeared in court he needed a walking frame.

Benjamin went into hiding but undercover officers observed him spending thousands of pounds kitting out a flat above a Lodge Lane shop as a “safe house”. When arrested he told officers: “I’m innocent. I have got no involvement in drugs and I am not saying any more. I have no involvement in anything.”

Benjamin claimed to be legitimately employed as an “area manager” but the court heard he was the Liverpool end of an international drugs chain. He lived in a £120,000 house on a new estate in Halewood, holidayed in Mexico and wore a £10k Rolex Ebel watch. His unemployed girlfriend cruised around Liverpool in a Honda Jeep.

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Detective Superintendent John Kerruish, of Merseyside’s major crime unit which co-ordinated the inquiry, said at the time: “The problem that we faced was that at this stage we had not fully identified exactly who di Giorgio was but it was becoming apparent that he was working for the Cali Cartel.

“As far as we are concerned, Benjamin was the organiser for the Liverpool end of the operation. We regard his conviction along with that of di Giorgio’s as particularly significant in the on-going fight to stem the tide of class ‘A’ drugs coming into Merseyside.”

The Cali Cartel was founded in the mid-1970s and broke away from Pablo Escobar and his Medellin associates by 1988. The organisation was a multi-billion dollar empire and was one of the most powerful criminal fraternities in the world. Its illicit activities were globally recognised following the hit Netflix show “Narcos”.

Benjamin was an associate of drugs kingpin “Cocky” Warren during the 1990s, reported the Daily Mail. Warren is a former Interpol Target One and was one listed on The Sunday Times’ rich list because of the profits he made through the trafficking and supply of class A drugs.

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Warren was arrested in the early 1990s after he and an associate sailed across the Atlantic to Venezuela, where a deal with the Cali Cartel to smuggle cocaine in steel boxes, concealed in lead ingots, was hatched. The scheme to import £250m of the cocaine into the UK resulted in Warren being arrested.

But it emerged one of Warren’s associates who joined him in the dock, Brian Charrington, was a police informant and the case collapsed. After his release Warren returned to Liverpool but later moved to Europe due to the ferocity of an armed gang war in the south-end of the city.

Warren has since served prison sentences in Europe, Jersey and the UK after investigators found him to have been involved in multiple drug conspiracies. He was released from prison in November 2022 and was sentenced to a suspended term in 2024 for breaches of his serious crime prevention order.

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