The scheme on Linthorpe Road in Middlesbrough, completed in September 2022 to encourage active travel through £1.7 million in government funding, was scrapped after Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen pledged to remove the cycle lane following complaints from business owners and road users.

Mr Cooke said: “I’m pleased the cycle lane is no more and it’s positive to see traffic running smoothly.

“I’ve already had positive comments from people who’ve noticed a difference.

“I’m all for schemes that support sustainable travel, but they have to be in appropriate places.

“We’ve righted a wrong by removing the lane and now it’s time to look forwards.”

The mayors agreed to remove the infrastructure following public consultations, and Middlesbrough Council and Tees Valley Combined Authority worked together to find a solution.

The council did not have to pay back grant funding as part of the process.

Mr Houchen said: “The Linthorpe Road cycle lane was a disaster, causing congestion, hammering local businesses and making life harder for the people who actually use the town centre every day, which is why I promised to work with the council to get rid of it.

“Cycle lanes have to work in the real world, and this scheme has caused nothing but problems since day one.

“We’ve listened to residents and local firms to finally put this right, and I’m glad to see the cycle lane now firmly gone, allowing Linthorpe Road to get back to business.”

Work to remove the cycle lane was carried out by Esh Construction, who finished the project ahead of schedule.

The affected areas have been fully resurfaced, with parking spaces reinstated and bus stops will be repositioned.

Alan Croft, construction manager at Esh Construction, said: “By identifying time-saving efficiencies on site and working collaboratively with Middlesbrough Council, we are pleased to have completed the scheme 11 weeks ahead of the original programme.

“We would like to thank local businesses and residents for their patience and understanding throughout the works.”

BALTIMORE (AP) — Federal prosecutors announced criminal charges Tuesday in the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, accusing a Singapore-based ship operator and a senior employee of making critical decisions that caused a vessel to crash into the span, killing six people, and covering up what happened.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche called it a “preventable tragedy of enormous consequence.”

The indictment names Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., based in Singapore, and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd., based in Chennai, India. Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, 47, an Indian national who was technical superintendent for the Dali container ship, was also charged.

The Dali, bound for Sri Lanka, lost power twice in a four-minute span as it moved to sea from the Port of Baltimore, causing it to crash into the Key Bridge on March 24, 2024. Investigators say a loose wire in a switchboard likely caused the first power loss that caused its steering to fail.

After regaining power, the ship found itself in trouble again. The Dali turned to a certain pump to supply fuel to two generators but the pump was not designed to automatically restart after the first blackout, so a second blackout occurred, the indictment says.

The ship crashed into a supporting column of the bridge at about 1:30 a.m.

If the Dali had used the proper fuel pumps, according to the indictment, the vessel would have regained power in time to safely get under the bridge. It crashed instead, killing six construction workers who had been filling potholes.

“As alleged, the bridge was struck and collapsed because those who were responsible for the ship’s operation deliberately cut corners at the expense of safety,” said Jimmy Paul, head of the FBI’s Baltimore office.

The companies and Nair are charged with conspiracy, willfully failing to immediately inform the U.S. Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstructing an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and making false statements. Messages seeking comment about the indictment were not immediately returned.

The Synergy companies are also charged with misdemeanors for the release of pollutants into the Patapsco River, including shipping containers and their contents.

The FBI’s investigation focused on the vessel’s operations and whether the crew knew of critical systems issues before leaving port. The NTSB found that the two electrical blackouts disabled the controls of the huge cargo ship before it crashed into the bridge.

The ship had experienced two blackouts in port a day earlier, but Synergy didn’t investigate or report those as required and provided false information to the NTSB, the government alleges.

Maryland officials estimate it could cost between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion to replace the bridge, which is expected to be open to traffic in late 2030.

“The altered skyline is a constant reminder of this tragedy,” Paul said.

But the true cost of the collapse was far greater, according to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office. It halted shipping at the Port of Baltimore, disrupted the livelihoods of thousands, rerouted road traffic through communities already bearing disproportionate burdens and triggered economic problems statewide.

The indictment comes on the heels of a settlement in principle between the State of Maryland, Synergy Marine and Grace Ocean Private Limited, the Singapore-based ship owner, Attorney General Anthony Brown announced in April.

That lawsuit alleged the crash was the result of negligence, mismanagement and the reckless operation of a vessel that was not seaworthy and should never have left port. Plaintiffs include the families of the six construction workers who died, owners of cargo that was on the ship and local governments seeking damages for economic losses. The details of the settlement haven’t been disclosed and some portions of the lawsuit remain unresolved.

The state sought damages on behalf of its agencies for the destruction of the bridge, harm to the Patapsco River and surrounding environment, lost revenues and economic losses to Maryland and its residents.

The settlement does not resolve any claims the state has against the shipbuilder, Hyundai, the attorney general’s office said in April.

The bridge, a longstanding Baltimore landmark, was a vital piece of transportation infrastructure that allowed drivers to easily bypass downtown. The original 1.6-mile (2.6-kilometer) steel span took five years to build and opened to traffic in 1977.

___

White reported from Detroit.

There are many phrases a woman wants to hear from a man expressing romantic interest; ‘I probably would’ve given her a spin’ is certainly not one of them.

Sadly for Coleen Nolan, James Haskell hasn’t learned that lesson.

Appearing on This Morning, the former rugby player admitted he has ‘a real crush’ on his Celebs Go Dating co-star before adding the really cringeworthy sentence: ‘I probably would’ve given her a spin.’

Like she’s a discounted Fiat 500 he’s considering taking round the block before committing.

Somehow, things got even harder to watch from there.

When Coleen later surprised him in the studio, Haskell immediately asked: ‘Do you wanna sit on my knee?’ Ugh.

To be fair to Coleen, she handled the interaction with the exact weary energy of a woman who has spent decades professionally tolerating men saying embarrassing things in ITV studios.

Her immediate response — ‘Not again’ — honestly deserved a BAFTA.

The entire exchange felt like watching somebody’s recently divorced uncle attempt banter at a wedding reception after five warm Peronis.

What makes it especially grim is that Haskell’s comments arrived in the context of a dating show where experts have apparently already been trying to explain to him that women tend to enjoy things like emotional depth, curiosity, and conversation.

Instead, he continues to flirt like a man whose understanding of romance was frozen in carbonite sometime around 2007.

There’s also a particular kind of exhausting masculinity in the ‘she was all over me really’ style of joking that followed, with Haskell claiming he had to ‘put multiple locks on the door’ because Nolan was supposedly ‘coming at him’.

Again: this is the language of a Year 10 boy who has just discovered laddish podcasts.

And look, perhaps everyone involved was in on the joke.

Coleen certainly seemed unbothered. But there’s still something deeply cringe-inducing about watching grown men perform this kind of wink-wink heterosexuality like they’re contractually obliged to keep Loaded magazine culture alive through sheer force of will.

Because contrary to what certain former rugby players appear to believe, flirting is not just saying increasingly alarming things until somebody from ITV coughs politely and cuts to ad break.

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MORE: James Haskell’s mother launches vicious attack on his ex-wife Chloe Madeley

One man, aged 39, remains in custody following the incident on suspicion of possession of explosive materials.

The incident occurred yesterday in Canal Street, Manchester, when officers responded to reports of a strong smell emanating from a hotel room at around 10.45am.

(Image: Richard Duggan)

No injuries were reported in relation to the incident, and there is not thought to be any wider risk to the public.

Police say they working to establish the full circumstances of the incident but it is not currently being treated as terror-related.

Superintendent Stephen Wiggins, from GMP’s City of Manchester team, said: “We fully appreciate the concerns and worries that people have had with regards to yesterday’s arrest, and I want to make it clear that our work is continuing at pace to establish the full circumstances of the incident. We will be in a position to share this information once we have it.

“We responded immediately to this incident and worked quickly and efficiently to ensure that any hazardous materials were thoroughly assessed and removed.

(Image: Richard Duggan)

“The safety of our communities across the city centre and within the Gay Village area are paramount, and we will continue to provide a strong policing presence over the coming days.

“If anyone has any concerns, I would urge them to speak to an officer.”

Following the incident, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service attended and assisted in assessing the material and ensuring it did not pose a risk to the local area. 

The man remains in custody at this time and will be further interviewed by investigators.

There is no wider risk to the public and no injuries were reported as part of yesterday’s investigation.

No further suspects are being sought by officers at this time.

A cordon on the street is no longer in place, but officers are still conducting work in the hotel room. The hotel remains open for guests

Bedfordshire Police were called to reports of vehicles being damaged on a residential street in Bedford and arrived to find a man in his 40s who was ‘making threats’ from a property

A man has been shot dead by armed police after “making threats” from a property in Bedfordshire.

Bedfordshire Police were called to reports of vehicles being damaged at Aylesbury Road in Bedford on Monday night and arrived to find a man in his 40s who had barricaded himself inside a property.

Specialist armed officers attended the scene shortly after 10.40pm alongside police negotiators and other emergency services.

Officers made efforts to engage with the man for a number of hours before he presented a weapon just after 9:30am.

Armed police then fired and the man was pronounced dead shortly before 10.30am. His next of kin have been informed.

This is a Breaking News story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future by simply by clicking this link. You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads – or visit The Mirror homepage.

Daily Record Political Editor says Keir Starmer does not have much time left in Downing Street.

Keir Starmer’s colleagues have given him a stay of execution rather than a pardon.

Limited Cabinet support should be enough to keep him in post for days, but hanging around for weeks is unlikely and staying on for months is a non-starter.

The Prime Minister’s temporary reprieve reflects the weakness of the rivals who covet his job.

A cloud hangs over Angela Rayner due to her decisions on tax and moderates fear sacking Starmer could lead to her taking over.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting – Labour’s best communicator – worries that knifing the PM in the back will backfire.

And Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham – the favourite, if he was an MP – has no easy route back to Westminster.

In the current climate, Labour could not be guaranteed to win any by-election manufactured for Burnham’s benefit.

READ MORE: Jordan Linden conviction sparks inquiry into Scottish Youth ParliamentREAD MORE: Keir Starmer: 5 scandals that floored the Prime Minister

But luck does not change the fundamentals and Starmer will quit either in the short or medium term.

YouGov polling found 70% of respondents believe Starmer is doing badly as Prime Minister, with only 22% taking the opposite view.

Half of Britons say he should stand down while 29% say he should remain in the job.

Even his closest allies privately admit he has struggled with the demands of leading the UK.

Signing off the winter fuel payment cut was a catastrophe that haunts Labour to this day.

Promising economic growth while hitting businesses with higher national insurance costs was a disaster.

His inexplicable decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as the UK’s top diplomat to the US simply reinforced his unfitness for office.

Starmer’s error was in misinterpreting Labour’s historic general election win against the Tories.

Winning an incredible 174-seat majority led some in the Government to believe it was a Blair-style victory, with the Right banished for a generation.

The reality is Labour only won 33.7% of the vote and the victory was rooted in hostility to the Tories and SNP, not a love of Starmer.

Voters wanted to turn the corner on fifteen years of Tory rule but Starmer felt like he had built up the political capital for so-called tough decisions.

The public revolted early on and Starmer had been doomed from the early days of his premiership.

Even if Starmer soldiers on, Reform and the Tories have enough ammunition from this week’s soap opera to torment his party until the next election.

Around 80 of his MPs no longer have confidence in him, with eight of his Scottish contingent demanding his departure.

Starmer was already persona non grata in Scotland – voters were viscerally hostile about him during the Holyrood campaign.

The quit calls from north of the border are damning and cannot be taken back.

Alan Gemmell, the MP for Central Ayrshire, said the Prime Minister’s “unpopularity” stopped Labour from beating the SNP.

Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy MP Melanie Ward resigned as a PPS after saying voters could not back Labour “as long as Keir Starmer remains Prime Minister”.

Richard Baker, the chair of the Scottish Labour MPs, demanded Starmer walk because “too many people” believe he cannot provide the leadership the country needs.

North Ayrshire and Arran MP Irene Campbell backed an “orderly transition of leadership” while Glasgow North East MP Maureen Burke urged a “timetable” for his departure.

Glasgow South MP Gordon McKee was more direct: “If we don’t change, the outcome could be Nigel Farage in Downing Street and all of the disastrous consequences that would have.”

Party sources believe the most honourable course of action would be Starmer resigning in a way that gives Burnham a chance of entering the contest.

Shutting him out, one MP said, would cause division and deprive MPs and members of the fullest possible range of options.

The MPs now calling for Starmer’s head do so with no malice and plenty of regret.

He took over as Labour leader in 2019 from the ashes of the failed Corbyn project.

He reformed a party that had been infected with anti-semitism and put Labour back on the same page as the voters.

Overturning a huge Tory majority in one election will go down as an astonishing achievement.

But there is a big difference between being leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister.

He excelled at the first – after a few struggles – but has failed at the second job.

Starmer is on the way out and a new Prime Minister is required to defeat Farage.

Jake Hall’s heartbroken relatives have travelled to Majorca, just days after the former reality star was found dead after sustaining injuries to his chest from ‘shards of glass’

Jake Hall’s family have arrived in Majorca, less than a week after he was found dead. Jake, who found fame on ITVBe’s The Only Way Is Essex, died aged just 25 on Wednesday at an Airbnb on the Spanish island.

It was claimed that the dad-of-one ran through a single-glazed glass door, causing catastrophic injuries. Reports claim that Hall sustained injuries to his thorax, and shards of glass were found when he was discovered.

Local police have confirmed his death is being treated as accidental after questioning four men and two women, as fans, friends, and family come to terms with the devastating news. But Jake’s relatives have now headed to Majorca.

His dad, Greg, mum, Jacqueline and his brother, Sonny, were seen visiting a sculpture at NU Mallorca beach club, which Jake had revealed just weeks ago. In one snap shared by Sonny on social media, he showed his mum and Jake’s close friend, Sophie Brooke Flecks, consoled as they consoled one another.

Meanwhile, Greg also shared a snap of the family posing in front of the beachfront sculpture. He captioned his post: “Thank you so so much for all your love. Visited our son’s sculpture yesterday.” Friends of Jake say he had returned to Majorca to focus on his artwork, a passion he’d shown on social media.

Jake is said to have arrived in Majorca just one week ago, with locals seeing him arrive in the picturesque village where he was staying, carrying a suitcase. However, just hours later, he headed out on a night out before returning to his villa, alongside two men and three women.

The group are believed to have continued their party until the early hours. However, at around 7:15am local time, local residents heard a loud bang and the sound of shattering glass. An autopsy took place just two days later, and the results, which would subsequently confirm whether alcohol or other substances were involved, will not be made public.

A resident at a neighbouring property claimed that men were running up and down the street begging for help after the fatal accident. Rafael, 70, says he “found a boy on the floor” and instantly checked his vitals but knew Jake had died.

Rafael added that there was a group of “nervous” men around that he told to call the police and an ambulance. Another neighbour, Antonino Arriero, who also lives opposite the rental property, said: “We saw a man lying down on the floor with two to three police officers standing by him.” Antonino had been on a morning walk and said that Jake was taken away by an ambulance around 30 minutes after he was found.

Sources close to Jake have since said that joining TOWIE, on which he appeared between 2015 and 2016, was the worst decision he made. Speaking to the Daily Mail, they said: “Being on the show was the worst thing he could have done, it sent him off the rails. He was very up and down.”

They claimed he had been suicidal for years before his death. “We weren’t sure if it was about attention, but he was distressed for sure. He was a beautiful boy, but so lonely and so lost.”

*If you’re struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch

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Queen Camilla was joined by James Middleton, the brother of the Princess of Wales, at Clarence House today as she welcomed cancer-detecting dogs to the royal residence

Queen Camilla was joined by the Princess of Wales’s brother as she held a reception in honour of cancer-detecting dogs and welcomed them to Clarence House today.

James Middleton, who is known for his love of dogs, was seen greeting Camilla with a kiss on the cheek as they welcomed two pooches trained by Medical Detection Dogs to sniff out signs of cancer in humans.

The Queen patted the heads of golden Labrador Jodie and fox red Labrador Floren, who waited for her in the royal residence’s hallway today. Floren, 11, has been trained to detect prostate cancer, while Jodie, nine, can pick up the disease in the bowel. The Queen smiled as Jodie showed off her skills by spotting the disease among four urine samples.

READ MORE: Disgraced Andrew fails to respond to request to give up one of last remaining honoursREAD MORE: Princess Charlotte ‘allowed to follow different path’ in new William and Kate era

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Mr Middleton’s dog food company, Ella & Co, donates treats to Medical Detection Dogs and told the Queen he was “mind-blown” by what the dogs have been trained to do.

Camilla was also shown an “electronic nose” developed to replicate the animals’ diagnostic abilities, though she said “nature will always lead the way” and “we’re always going to need the dogs”.

After the demonstration and speeches, Camilla requested that the canines be brought back to Clarence House soon and said: “I think it’s becoming a second home for the dogs. We’ve had so many people here, and a lot of sceptical people who come and have gone away transformed.”

Scepticism on this medical use of canines still exists, and Camilla added: “We’ll just have to bring more people back here… and more dogs.”

The Queen also met black Labrador Wolfie, six, who is trained to alert owner Lucy Burls before a spike in symptoms of her Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS). Ms Burls, 39, said Wolfie will usually alert her by making eye contact, but if her condition worsens, he will rest his head on her lap.

She said Camilla was surprised to learn Wolfie can travel with Ms Burls on planes and even speedboats for a holiday. He particularly enjoys double-decker buses, Ms Burls said.

The electronic nose device was developed by the charity and Dr Andreas Mershin, from RealNose.AI. Dr Mershin put the technology in the Queen’s hands and blew into it to demonstrate its ability to pick up scent. Camilla joked that the dogs were far faster, only taking about four seconds.

Whereas the machine, she was told, takes about 10 minutes to detect cancer. Dr Mershin said: “The dogs are leading, they’re still beating us on every metric, we have to start somewhere, and the best thing is to compete against them.”

The Queen said: “Nature will always lead the way. However brilliant, as the machine is, we’re always going to need the dogs”, she added, telling the engineer: “It’s fascinating, thank you very much… I shall look forward to an update.”

Camilla has been Patron of Medical Detection Dogs (MDD) since 2014. In recent years, Her Majesty has seen many Bio Detection Dogs at work, such as cancer detection dogs and Covid-19 detection dogs.

MDD trains dogs to save lives using their sense of smell. It does this with Medical Alert Assistance Dogs and Bio Detection Dogs, both of which can be trained to detect even the tiniest trace of the smell caused by a medical condition.

The debut novel by Paul Hodgson, John’s Journey, will be unveiled through a TikTok livestream on May 16 at 6pm.

Mr Hodgson said: “I’m over the moon, this is my first novel, which has been 15 years in the making (on and off).

“I really hope people like it.”

The story follows Private John Wray, whose encounter with a college friend-turned-enemy on the front lines of the First World Wa forces him into a maze of deception and survival.

Years later, Wray resurfaces as an undercover MI5 operative in Nazi Berlin during the Second World Wa.

Caught between betrayal and pursuit, he places his trust in the father of his former friend as he attempts a perilous escape to the Swiss border.

Mr Hodgson’s writing career began in the late 1990s.

His first published work was Flipper’s Side, released in 2000 by Scarsdale Books.

A revised version, Give Them Wings, was published in 2021 by G2 Entertainment.

In 2022, he published One Hundred of the Best, which highlights his favourite Darlington FC matches.

This was followed in August 2024 by For the Love of Darlo, a prequel focused on his school years.

In January 2025, another edition titled Another One Hundred of the Best was released.

He is also the author of The David Speedie Story, published in September 2025 by Pitch Publishing, chronicling the life of the former Chelsea and Liverpool striker.

His work has earned national media attention, including interviews on the BBC World Service and TalkSport.

Mr Hodgson is an accomplished scriptwriter and the winner of more than 150 writing awards.

JD Crist of Pumkin Head Publishing said: “John’s Journey is such an amazing story.

“I am honoured that Paul has entrusted me with helping to share his amazing work with the world.

“I hope readers are drawn into John’s life as much as I was.”

One of Mr Hodgson’s earlier books, When Push Comes to Shove, published in 2003 by G.W. Belton Ltd, documented two seasons following Darlington Football Club.

Flipper’s Side was later adapted into a film starring Bill Fellows and Toyah Willcox, who played Mr Hodgson’s mother.

Mr Fellows, a supporter of Mr Hodgson’s work, wrote the foreword for John’s Journey.