PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed when a Volkswagen Passat which was travelling the wrong way down the dual carriageway near Middlesbrough collided with their marked armed response vehicle that was going in the right direction.

The families of the five people who were travelling in the Volkswagen are being supported by officers, Cleveland Police said on Saturday, although they have not yet been named.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has opened an investigation into the circumstances leading to the crash at 3.39am in South Bank after a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police.

Officers from the force spotted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began before the car travelled onto the A66 and collided with the police car, the watchdog said.

A police cordon at the scene of a fatal crash involving a police car and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 in South Bank, near Middlesbrough. (Image: PA)

In a statement to reporters on Saturday afternoon, Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said: “These were brave officers protecting our communities and serving our residents who didn’t return home to their families at the end of their shift.”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was “devastated” to hear about the crash, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said her thoughts were with all those affected.

Anna Turley, MP for the Redcar constituency where the accident happened, said of the two police officers who died: “They went to work to keep people safe and they should have come home to their families.

“Their loss will be felt deeply by their loved ones, fellow officers and right across the communities they served.”

David Taylor and Stephen Martin, councillors for the Eston ward, said they were “deeply saddened” by the “unimaginable tragedy”.

Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said in a statement on Facebook: “A horrible and tragic incident in Southbank this morning and my thoughts are with those affected, their families and the emergency services who attended the scene.

“Our police officers are heroes who put everything on the line to protect us, and I know all of Teesside will want to pay tribute to the officers and other emergency service workers involved for the bravery they have shown in responding to this incident.”

Cleveland Police Federation chairwoman Lauren Somerville said: “Words cannot describe the pain the Cleveland Police family are feeling today.

“Our colleagues who should have been going home to their loved ones at the end of their shifts are not.

“And that is just unfathomable.”

The tragedy prompted other police forces to send their condolences, with Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, saying: “The loss of two dedicated officers in the line of duty is felt profoundly across the entire policing family and I have personally reached out to Chief Constable Victoria Fuller today to extend our sincere sympathies.

“Our thoughts are firmly with the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives, as well as colleagues in Cleveland Police, at this incredibly difficult time.”

Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller speaking to the media at the force’s Headquarters in Middlesbrough after seven people, including two police officers, Pc Matthew Blades and Pc Tom Clough, died in a crash following a pursuit in the early (Image: PA)

Sussex Police Chief Constable Jo Shiner said “the impact of this tragedy will be felt by many across the country”, while the Metropolitan Police said the loss of PC Blades and PC Clough would be “acutely felt across the policing family, particularly by those who had the privilege of serving alongside both officers”.

Neil Hutchinson told the Mail on Sunday: “There were police cars tearing down the street at 3.30am with lights flashing and their sirens going, it woke me up.”

Ring doorbell footage published by several websites, which appears to have been taken on Lime Road, Middlesbrough, minutes before the crash, shows a car being driven at speed down a residential road and being followed by police cars.

Ellie Westerman told The Sun: “The noise woke me and I shot out of bed.

“You could feel the vibration in the house as the car went past and the police vehicles followed with their lights and sirens going.

“It was frightening that cars were being driven at that speed through a residential area.”

The A66 is closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane in Eston.

The closed section of the carriageway is bordered by large industrial units to the north and is close to the major Teesworks site.

A Section 60 order – which gives officers additional stop and search powers – is in place near the site of the crash until 7.15pm on Sunday.

It covers an area around Cargo Fleet Lane east, up to Normanby Road, along Longlands Road and the Trunk Road south to Ormesby Road.

This is a national news story; check your traffic and travel updates before journeys.

The shelters were previously used for a nearby RAF base

Former air raid shelters used during the war will be transformed into new holiday lets. Applicants Mr and Mrs Wisson sought permission to convert the air raid shelters in Graveley Road, Offord D’Arcy, into six short-term holiday lets.

The shelters, which were used for nearby RAF Graveley, were built in the Second World War. The shelters were located away from the airfield and covered by bunds to conceal their location and add further protection from bombing.

The applicants said: “Their current ‘unconcealed’ nature means they are both considerably more visually prominent than when first built and lacking in the more original character that would be recreated by the bunding and planting proposed.”

Currently, the air raid shelters are based on a farm. The now approved holiday lets will “not impinge upon the operation of the established agricultural activities at the farm”, planning documents said.

It was also proposed to landscape over the air raid shelters to “reduce the perception of a built development in the countryside”, and “return the structures to their original form of being ‘grassed over’”.

There will also be room for parking. Former military structure conversions are reportedly “very popular” and are “often booked across the entire year”, according to the plans. The applicants said there has been “significant growth in interest in staying in such former military structures both in this country and across Europe”.

A planning document reads: “Holiday accommodation represents the best alternative use for buildings and structures whose original purpose is fortunately no longer required.”

RAF Graveley was first built in 1941 and in use between 1942 and 1968. Originally, the base was going to be used for special operations alongside RAF Tempsford and RAF Garnsden Lodge.

It later became a pathfinder unit, forming part of No. 8 Group. In 1943, RAF Graveley was one of the first operational stations to use the fog dispersal system (FIDO). Post-war, the airfield was used as a relief landing ground for No. 206 Advanced Flying School which was based at RAF Oakington.

Ahead of its closing in late 1968, the base was used as a filming location in 1967. The airfield featured in Robbery, a film based on the Great Train Robbery. It is mostly now used for agriculture and a wind farm was built on the site in the 2010s.

“The shame has to change sides; we can’t carry the shame any longer.”

Meghan O’Neill’s interest in psychology began with her brother Kevin, whose struggle with heroin addiction and tragic death following a knife attack left her determined to understand what drives people towards addiction in the first place. That search for the “why” has since developed into a wider interest in trauma, mental health and the systems Northern Ireland uses to deal with people at their most vulnerable.

After studying psychology and philosophy, Meghan believes that too much emphasis is placed on treating behaviour rather than understanding what happened to the person behind it. And her views are rooted in her own experience of trauma, including childhood sexual abuse and three separate rapes she says she suffered as a young adult.

Waiving her right to anonymity, Meghan recalled the moment she realised that she had been the victim of a sexual assault.

“I didn’t actually remember it until I was 16 and I was watching Jeremy Kyle and just this random image just popped back like that into my head and I was like, oh wait, you know, it wasn’t even anything about that on Jeremy Kyle, I just remember I was sick that day off school and I was watching Jeremy Kyle as we all used to, and just this memory come back into my head, and I was just like, oh my God, did that actually happen?

“So, it confused me, you know, I would say that it definitely confused me, but I went to therapy, you know, obviously people that have come from a past of sexual abuse or whatever, it does sort of sexualise you in a way where you do start to look at sex.

“I went to a Catholic school taught by nuns, I believe that if I had been educated properly about sex, I wouldn’t have looked for it so young, but because I wasn’t, I wanted to know what it was and sort of what happened to me,” she told Belfast Live.

For Meghan, the consequences of that childhood experience did not simply disappear. She says she began to question her own relationship with sex and whether her eventual decision to enter the adult industry was connected to what had happened to her. It was a question she had to confront before she could be comfortable that her career was genuinely a choice.

By her late twenties, she had turned to intensive therapy and EMDR to process what she had experienced.

“I was sexualised from early on, and you know, then I did have to look at before I went into the industry, am I getting into the industry because this has happened to me, and I am sexualising myself.

“I was more of a no, I actually am going to, this is because I want to control this.

“So I want to control what happens to me.”

But Meghan says the childhood abuse was only part of the trauma she would eventually have to confront.

She says she was raped three times as an adult, which forced her to confront difficult questions about sex, trauma and self-worth and whether her public sexuality was rooted in empowerment or something more destructive.

“Not only was I a victim of sexual abuse as a child, but I was also raped 3 times.

“I was 24 the first time, and the other two times were in my mid-twenties, to late twenties, so I had to really sit through that and go through intense therapy to make sure that this was happening from a place of love and not from a place of self-loathing or hate.

“Thankfully for me, it was. I overcame everything that happened to me and have a very healthy mindset now.”

Her therapy included EMDR, a form of trauma-focused therapy, which Meghan says helped her process the experiences she had previously struggled to understand.

But she does not see her own recovery as the end of the story. Instead, it has strengthened her belief that trauma needs to be talked about openly and treated properly, rather than becoming something people carry silently for decades.

“I went to really intense therapy, and I did EMDR therapy to sort of overcome that because it does confuse you.

“What’s right and what’s wrong, you know, why did that happen, why did they do that, you know, is this gonna happen, does this happen to everybody? Is this normal?”

She also believes the shame surrounding childhood sexual abuse prevents people from speaking openly about what happened to them.

“Unfortunately, I have my own gym, and it’s quite common. Even the men that I’m friendly with, I don’t really know of many people that has not been sexually abused as a child.

“That in itself is mind-blowing, but it’s so taboo, people don’t want to talk about it, people don’t wanna come out and say this is what happened to me because there’s a lot of shame around it.

“The shame has to change sides; we can’t carry the shame any longer.”

Her brother Kevin’s addiction made her want to understand why someone becomes trapped in heroin use rather than simply judging the consequences. Her own experiences have left her similarly sceptical of a system which, she believes, can be too quick to label behaviour without properly examining the trauma underneath it.

That is particularly relevant to her views on Northern Ireland. Meghan believes the legacy of the Troubles, poverty, addiction and generational trauma continues to affect families long after the original events have passed. Her argument is that the consequences can appear in mental illness, substance misuse, crime and dysfunctional relationships, but that treating those symptoms alone will not necessarily break the cycle.

“My brother Kevin was a heroin addict. Every drug under the sun, God love him, he tried [to overcome his addiction], and then he was killed.

“He was in and out of jail all the time. He eventually got away from drugs and was killed quickly after that. That was in 2013. I didn’t speak to him for six years before he died because of the drugs. Our lives were completely torn apart by drugs. Even talking about it now, it seems like a lifetime away. My teenage years were ruined because of drugs in the house with Kevin. My mum and dad were put through hell, absolute hell; it completely tore our lives apart, and I thought this was a choice.

“I thought Kevin was making this choice, and how could you do this to our family. So I didn’t speak to him for 6 years; we made up, thankfully, just before he died. It was a very emotional sort of comeback to each other; it was lovely. Then, unfortunately, he died about 3 months later.

“So it was a godsend in that way, but it was after that that I decided I wanted to understand addiction.”

Meghan began studying the works of Gabor Maté, which led her to study psychology.

“I love psychology, I love to know why people do the things that they do, and addiction is fascinating because it’s so complex, you know, and trauma is a massive cause. I used to look at my brother Kevin and go like we were brought up with the same parents, you know, what happened?

“Kevin was a candidate for ADHD, and obviously, back then, it was really unknown and unheard of. It was the first time I knew about it because obviously Kevin and I have now been diagnosed with it, but whenever you have an ADHD brain, you’re predisposed to addiction.

“You’re predisposed to trying to regulate your emotions with something, and I just didn’t understand it when Kevin was alive, and obviously I wish I had known what I know now, but that’s the way life goes, and unfortunately I didn’t know that, but I do now and obviously I’m educated in it now.”

Meghan strongly believes that society needs to do more to help people suffering from addiction issues.

“All you have to look at is the terminology that people use to talk about human beings that are suffering from addiction, no matter what it is, you know, you’re druggie, you’re junkie. I’m very against those terminologies because they’re human beings.

“It is a disease. Northern Ireland as a whole doesn’t do enough for mental health services at all. The fallout of the Troubles here has caused mass trauma, and what happens when people are traumatised? They go into crime, they go into substance abuse, they go into gambling.

“Addiction is rife because people are trying to regulate themselves, and they can’t. Mental health here is completely on the floor.

“There are zero mental health services for people here.”

Meghan argues that to tackle our mental health crisis, we need to begin by offering parents proper support before and after pregnancy and that there needs to be changes in the education system so that society is more trauma-informed.

Meghan has spent years trying to understand her brother’s addiction, confronting her own trauma and learning how to live with experiences that could easily have defined her.

Instead, she says therapy helped her reach a point where her sexuality could become something she chose to express rather than something dictated by what had happened to her.

“I chose to do [OnlyFans] because I wanted to, because I look at my industry like art and expression, I don’t look at it seedy and horrible the way most people do.

“But I had to make sure that I was doing it for the right reasons, so therapy massively helped.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter her

His superior, Abdul Samad, shows us an unmarked graveyard, saying his father is buried here, killed fighting for the Taliban.

The area is one of the most deprived in a country where the UN says three in four people cannot provide for their basic needs. Samad says the local population desperately need water, roads and clinics.

“Emirate [Taliban] officials have not forgotten us,” says Samad. He says the leaders may be busy with other priorities. “We are hopeful, they will look after us sometime.”

Five years since the Taliban began their second stint in power, poverty, unemployment and economic instability remain pressing concerns.

Taliban figures we spoke to said they were working to tackle them, but we met other people who believe the group itself is the country’s main problem.

“I’m speechless about how a group that has no understanding about life is suddenly in power,” says Hoda – not her real name – a woman who protested on the streets when the Taliban first returned to power.

“Women can’t accept this situation,” she tells the BBC. “They might advance restrictions but it won’t stay like this forever.”

“I think the Taliban are scared of educated women,” she adds. “That’s why they restrict women. They want uneducated women so they can’t raise wise men. Because that would end the Taliban.”

Additional reporting by Hafizullah Maroof

Andy Burnham is marking his first foreign visit as prime minister with a trip to Kyiv – and will hand over blueprints so Ukraine can build its own long-range missiles.

The prime minister will chair his first meeting of the “coalition of the willing”, set up by the UK and France under his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer.

He is also set to accept an award on behalf of the British people recognising the UK’s support for Ukraine and to take part in independence day events.

Crucially for the war effort, he will announce his government has agreed to allow defence company MBDA to declassify information on UK components for the long-range Scalp missile – the French equivalent of the UK’s Storm Shadow.

Burnham will be reaffirming the UK’s backing for Kyiv in the wake of escalating Russian strikes on Ukraine in recent weeks – including one on a shopping centre on Friday that killed at least 16 people.

Ahead of his visit on Monday, Burnham said: “On Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: the UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes.

“I am proud of the contribution our country has made to Ukraine and I want the Ukrainian people to hear it directly from me that our support will not waver. After all, Ukraine’s security is our security.”

He said the friendship Ukraine shared with the UK would “long outlast Russia’s illegal war”, adding: “Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve. We will not back down until there is a just and lasting peace.”

It comes after Moscow warned of “consequences” over the use of British drones by Ukraine in its recent ramping up of strikes on Russian infrastructure.

Kyiv has stepped up long-range attacks on Moscow and other Russian regions, targeting oil refineries and warehouses of the country’s largest online retailer, Wildberries.

At least three people were killed in a Russian attack on the outskirts of Kharkiv in Ukraine, officials said, as Kyiv and Moscow continued to exchange attacks overnight.

Emergency services ‌have rescued ‌and evacuated eight ⁠people, some of whom were injured, governor Oleh Syniehubov said, adding the search was ‌ongoing to ​identify ‌any ⁠other possible ⁠casualties.

In Russia, Ukrainian attacks have targeted another online retailer, setting fire to Ozon’s logistics hub in Makhachkala in Dagestan. Kyiv has repeatedly targeted facilities belonging to Russia’s largest online shop Wildberries, accusing it of providing logistics support to Vladimir Putin‘s armed forces.

Ozon said it also paused operations at two warehouses in the ⁠nearby regions of Stavropol and Adygeya in the North Caucasus amid a drone ‌attack ​alert.

Earlier, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Putin intends to draft 300,000 new troops to join the war from next month in a bid to seize territory.

Zelensky said that the Russian leader would start the drive after elections in September, as Moscow pursues its main goal of capturing the rest of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

Wartime election would ‘destroy’ Ukraine, Zelensky says

Holding a wartime election in Ukraine while active fighting with Russia continues would “destroy” the country by splitting Ukrainians, president Volodymyr Zelensky said.

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His comments, released to reporters on Sunday, were Zelensky’s first on the subject since ousted former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for a wartime poll in an address last week.

Fedorov’s surprise dismissal last month sparked widespread protests, but supporters calling for his reinstatement later baulked at his call for an election – the first such demand by a major Ukrainian political figure since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.

“I believe that if we want to destroy the country, then we can move towards elections during this kind of war,” Zelensky said.

Arpan Rai24 August 2026 06:19

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Burnham to give Ukraine blueprints for long-range missiles as he visits Kyiv

Prime minister Andy Burnham has agreed to provide Ukraine with blueprints to produce long-range missiles.

He is set to announce the move today during his first trip to Ukraine that he will allow European defence firm MBDA to declassify information on UK components for the long-range Scalp missile – the French-produced version of the UK’s Storm Shadow.

The “deep precision strike” missiles use shared French and British technology, and Ukraine and France are looking to set up local assembly lines to produce them in Ukraine.

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The PM is visiting Kyiv on his first foreign trip to mark Ukraine’s independence day and signal the UK’s continued support for the country under his administration.

Arpan Rai24 August 2026 05:53

Russian attack kills three near Ukraine’s Kharkiv

A Russian attack on the outskirts of Kharkiv in Ukraine’s northeast killed three people, the regional governor said late last night.

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Emergency services ‌have rescued ‌and evacuated eight ⁠people, some of whom were injured, governor Oleh Syniehubov said, adding the search was ‌ongoing to ​identify ‌any ⁠other possible ⁠casualties.

Arpan Rai24 August 2026 05:25

Russia’s Ozon says Dagestan logistics hub on fire after drone attack

A logistics centre belonging to Russian online retailer Ozon is on fire in Makhachkala in Dagestan following a drone attack this morning, the company said.

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Ozon has also temporarily shut down ‌two warehouses in the ⁠nearby regions of Stavropol and Adygeya in the North Caucasus amid a drone ‌attack ​alert, it ‌said, ⁠though they ⁠were not damaged.

Arpan Rai24 August 2026 05:16

Zelensky says Ukraine not behind Nord Stream blasts and cooperating with probe

Ukraine played no role in blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines and is cooperating with an investigation into the matter, president Volodymyr Zelenksy said on Sunday.

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“Ukraine has never ​officially ⁠taken part ‌in any operations regarding the blowing up ‌of the Nord ‌Stream 2 pipeline,” he told reporters in ⁠Kyiv.

The Nord Stream 1 and 2 natural gas pipelines between Russia and Germany were damaged ‌in explosions in ​September 2022, ‌and two Ukrainian ⁠suspects are currently ⁠in custody on ‌suspicion ​of involvement.

Arpan Rai24 August 2026 05:01

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Norway announces £6.69bn for Ukraine in 2027

Norway ​plans to give another 85bn Norwegian crowns (£6.69bn) in financial support to Ukraine in the 2027 fiscal year, in line with the ⁠amount given in 2026, the Nordic country’s government said in a statement on Sunday.

Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and leaders from across the Nordic and Baltic region visited Kyiv on Sunday in a show of support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.

Norway’s donation will be ⁠for both military and humanitarian spending, Stoere was quoted ​as ⁠saying in the ‌text of a speech released by the government in Oslo.

“Supporting and rebuilding Ukraine is not assistance alone. It is an investment in Europe’s own security,” Stoere said.

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Separately, Finland and Ukraine have signed a letter of intent on manufacturing and developing unmanned systems in Finland ⁠and memorandum of understanding for a joint venture to produce uncrewed surface vessels, among other documents, Zelensky’s office said on X.

Arpan Rai24 August 2026 04:43

PM Burnham to visit Ukraine with plan to support long-range missile production

Prime minister Andy Burnham will visit ​Ukraine today on his first overseas trip since taking office, and will announce British support to help Kyiv improve its domestic production of long-range missiles.

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Burnham will be in Ukraine to co-chair a meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, a group of countries backing Ukraine.

He is also due to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. He is set to announce that Britain has agreed to allow European missile manufacturer ⁠MBDA to release classified information on British-made ​components ⁠used in the SCALP long-range cruise missile, according to his office.

That will help enable France and Ukraine to establish local assembly lines for the missile, which shares British and French technology, according to Downing Street.

“Ukraine’s security is our security,” ‌Burnham said in a statement, adding that Britain would stand by Ukraine “for as long as it takes”.

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Arpan Rai24 August 2026 04:24

Two children killed as drone attack hits logistics hub in Krasnodar

At least two children were killed and another nine people, including seven children, were injured after drone debris hit a private childcare centre in ⁠southern Russia’s Krasnodar overnight, governor Veniamin Kondratyev said.

Debris fell on ‌apartment buildings and warehouses caught fire in Krasnodar, Kondratyev said.

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The attack ‌caused a fire at a ‌logistics hub of Russian online retailer Ozon, the company said on Telegram.

In Russia’s Nevinnomysk, a chemical production area in ⁠the Stavropol region next to Krasnodar, a drone attack on an industrial area was repelled, governor Vladimir Vladimirov said on Telegram in the early hours this morning.

Arpan Rai24 August 2026 03:59

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North Korea preparing further troop deployments in Ukraine war but no sign move imminent, says South Korea

North Korea is continuing preparations for an additional troop deployment to Russia, but had detected no signs that such a deployment was imminent, the South Korean defence ministry has said.

The ministry told lawmaker Yu Yong-weon that North Korea had continued to supply Russia with weapons systems, including short-range ballistic missiles, according to Yu’s office.

The lawmaker’s office, citing a South Korean Defence Intelligence Agency assessment, said North Korean missiles used in the war may have improved in accuracy through battlefield data, alongside Russian technical advice and component support.

The ministry also said the development of some North Korean ballistic missiles and multiple rocket launchers assessed as being intended for use in a conflict with South Korea was nearing completion.

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North Korea is also estimated to ‌have supplied Russia with more than 15 million ‌rounds of artillery ammunition, measured in 152-millimetre shell equivalents.

Just last week, North Korea’s ​Kim ⁠Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, rejected Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s claim that Pyongyang planned to send up ⁠to 50,000 more troops to Russia to fight for its ally.

Arpan Rai24 August 2026 03:55

Recap: Zelensky vows revenge after Russian double-tap strike on shopping mall in his hometown kills 16

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to retaliate after a double-tap drone strike on his hometown killed 16 people.

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Rescuers are still searching for survivors in the wreckage of a shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih, which was hit twice by Russia on Friday.

More than 130 people were wounded in the daytime attack carried out in two waves, with the second strike targeting emergency workers at the scene of the first.

Zelensky called the attacks an “act of barbarism”, claiming the “absolutely cynical and despicable” second strike was a deliberate attempt to target emergency services.

Nicole Wootton-Cane24 August 2026 03:00

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The ‘legendary venue’s long journey’ will come to an end on October 10

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An iconic Scottish nightclub has announced it will close its doors after welcoming clubbers for nearly four decades.

Club 69 in Paisley will host one last night out in October in the basement underneath a curry house in New Sneddon Street.

The club first opened in 1989 and quickly became known locally as ‘The Rave Cave’

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The venue has been host to some huge names in the dance music scene over the years, including Ewan McVicar, the late Jackmaster, Slam and Leftfield, Underground Resistance, and Skream, according to the Sun.

The club posted on their Facebook page: “A Change is on the Horizon!

“From Saturday, 10th October, the Rave Cave will no longer be as you know it. It’s time for a fresh chapter to begin.

“This has been a passion project for the current management team, and that project has unfortunately come to an end.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to have played a small part in the legendary venue’s long journey, which dates back to the very first party in 1989 – but all good things must come to an end.

“We’ve got a number of closing parties lined up – some hosted by external promoters, and some of our own, kicking off with MDDLTN on 12th September. Keep an eye on social media for more details of closing parties coming soon.

“Before we go – we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone we’ve worked with along the way – all the staff, the people behind the scenes, the DJs, our suppliers, and most importantly, you lot – the ravers!”

The bosses added hope that it may not be permanently shut down as they added: “If continuing this project is of interest to you, please get in touch by filling in our inquiry form, and someone will be back in touch.

“As it stands, the club will close on 10th October. Hopefully, this isn’t the final orders, and there’ll be one more tune in the old Paisley Basement yet. In the meantime, we’ve got seven weeks of events to go…”

Music lovers described the closure as “sad news” and donned the nights out at the venue “some of the best”.

Visitors said it was a “gutter” and shared fond memories they have had at the underground club.

Emergency services were called to Barmpton Lane shortly before 5.45pm on Sunday afternoon (August 23).

One person was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital for further treatment.

A spokesperson for North East Ambulance Service said: “We were called to a road traffic incident on Barmpton Lane, Darlington shortly before 5.45pm on 23 August.

“We dispatched a double crewed ambulance, and one patient was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital.”

The road was closed while emergency services dealt with the incident.

Durham Police have been contacted for more information.

You could have your sheets looking brilliantly white in just 30 minutes if you leave them to soak in one natural item – hotels love it too.

Crisp white bed sheets are the aspiration of many households. Timeless, classic, and wonderfully fresh, white bedding is an ideal choice for bringing a touch of luxury to your bedroom, replicating the atmosphere of a five-star hotel in your own home.

Yet if you’ve bought your own white bed linen, you may well find yourself wondering how hotels manage to keep their bedding in such pristine condition.

Quality cotton product manufacturers King of Cotton have revealed how hotels “get sheets so white”. They pointed out that achieving that sharp, brilliant brightness doesn’t require industrial equipment.

You can perfect the art of getting hotel-white sheets by following a disciplined cleaning routine at home. The first step involves using one common household item — not bleach, bicarbonate of soda, or white vinegar — to presoak the bed sheets: soda crystals.

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How to whiten bed sheets like hotels with soda crystals

The cotton specialists stated that a 30-minute soak in warm water with two tablespoons of soda crystals can lift the deep-seated dullness that standard wash cycles fail to tackle.

Soda crystals are an entirely natural cleaning product that works remarkably well on a variety of laundry items. Not only do they possess whitening properties, but they also help to soften bed sheets.

This step is “particularly effective” at eliminating yellowing caused by the oxidation of skin oils and night-time face creams. A thorough presoak ensures you’re beginning the wash with the strongest possible foundation.

When placing your white bed sheets in the wash, never include anything other than whites in the same load. Even a single light grey sock or a cream-coloured pillowcase can release tiny amounts of dye, diminishing the brightness of your 100% cotton sheets.

What temperature to wash your bed sheets

Hotels do not use boiling water for every wash cycle. A temperature of 60°C is considered the “sweet spot” because it is sufficiently hot to eliminate 99.9% of bacteria and break down body oils without damaging the cotton.

The experts advise to “avoid 90°C washes at home”, as these extreme temperatures can “set” protein-based stains like sweat or blood, making them permanent.

How to dry your bed sheets

When the sun is out, the next step is to hang your sheets outdoors. Air-drying in sunlight is a highly effective natural whitening technique, as the sun’s ultraviolet rays work as a gentle bleaching agent.

Hanging your bedding outside for two to three hours in direct sunlight can significantly brighten the fabric and eliminate any remaining surface bacteria, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical treatments.

However, be sure to bring them in as soon as they are dry. Prolonged exposure to UV rays can gradually weaken the cotton fibres, meaning careful timing of your drying routine is vital for preserving their premium quality.

Avoid allowing your sheets to dry fully on the line. Ironing them while they’re roughly 10% damp enables the heat to compress the fibres, producing a flat surface that reflects light efficiently.

Hotels use heavy, heated rollers known as mangles to achieve that distinctive glass-like finish. You can recreate this using a high-pressure steam iron, ideally one with at least six bars of pressure.

How often should you wash your white bedding to keep it bright?

It is advisable to wash your white bedding every seven days to prevent the buildup of oils and skin cells. Leaving it longer than a week permits organic matter to penetrate more deeply into the cotton weave, making it considerably more difficult to remove.

In premium hospitality settings, linens are replaced after every guest or every three days for extended stays. Washing bed sheets regularly prevents the greyish tinge that develops when dirt becomes embedded into the fabric by body heat.

Piercebridge Organic Farmshop and Cafe is based on a 300-acre organic farm, which has been run by the same family since 1964.

The farm produces much of the meat sold in its shop, including beef from Aberdeen Angus cattle, pork from Landrace Duroc pigs, and lamb from a mixed flock of sheep.

It also keeps hens for eggs and rears birds for the table.

At the heart of the business is its on-site butchery, where staff prepare meat from animals reared on the farm.

The team makes its own burgers, sausages, ham, bacon and cooked meats, alongside more traditional joints and cuts.

Piercebridge Organic Farmshop and Cafe (Image: TRIPADVISOR)

Piercebridge describes its approach as that of an “old-fashioned butcher”, with the farm overseeing the process from rearing animals through to preparing the meat for customers.

Visitors have regularly praised the quality of the produce.

One recent customer described it as a “fabulous organic farm shop”. At the same time, another said it was a “fantastic farm shop for high quality organic meat and stock cupboard groceries and vegetables”.

Fresh vegetables have also impressed shoppers.

One visitor said it was “so nice to have local organic produce” and added that the vegetables tasted noticeably better than supermarket alternatives.

They acknowledged customers could expect to pay more for organic produce but said: “You get the quality.”

The traditional butcher’s counter is another major attraction.

One reviewer praised the “great quality meat” and described the shop as a “lovely traditional butcher’s” with a good range of organic products.

Another customer, who bought lamb from the deli, called it “delicious” and also praised the cheese and coleslaw.

Christmas produce has earned strong feedback too.

One visitor gave the shop five stars after buying chicken and gammon for Christmas, describing both as “outstanding”.

They also praised the “very friendly helpful staff” and said Piercebridge was somewhere they planned to keep returning to.

The adjoining cafe has also proved popular.

A recent visitor simply described it as a “lovely cafe, shop and staff”, while another customer singled out the coffee as “excellent”.

For some shoppers, Piercebridge is the sort of place they discover after driving past its signs for years.

One visitor said they had passed the signpost “on many occasions” before finally calling in.

They were impressed by the selection of meat, vegetables, cheese, and other products and said they would “definitely be back”.

Alongside food, the farm has also developed a strong reputation for conservation.

It has planted miles of hedgerows, field margins and beetle banks as part of environmental stewardship work, helping increase wildlife across the land.

Birds recorded on the farm include skylarks, curlews, lapwings, barn owls, tawny owls and grey partridge.

Piercebridge has also received recognition for its conservation efforts, including a Silver Lapwing award.

The farm shop opens Monday to Saturday from 9am until 3.30pm, and on Sundays from 9.30am until 1pm, although it closes on bank holidays.