Prime Minister Andy Burnham used his first UN speech to declare ‘Britain is back’ and launch a blistering attack on alleged Kremlin interference

Andy Burnham used his inaugural address to the UN to champion Britain’s role in global affairs for the years ahead – assuring world leaders they can ‘count on us’.

In an extensive address, the new Prime Minister delivered a scathing critique of Russia, unveiled a fresh international security agreement with the US mere hours after encountering Donald Trump, reiterated demands for a two-state resolution in the Middle East, and introduced two significant domestic initiatives.

The gathering in New York was regarded as Burnham’s first substantial examination as an international diplomat since assuming the role of Prime Minister in July. Throughout the past few hours, he has held meetings with various world leaders for the first time, including Donald Trump, and employed his 21-minute address to outline his vision for British diplomatic authority.

These are the six things we discovered from Andy Burnham’s inaugural address to the UN.

Burnham slams Russia: “Insidious campaign”

Following Burnham’s arrival on stage and brief mention of Brexit, it rapidly became apparent who the antagonist of his address would be: Russia.

He then delivered a scathing critique of Kremlin meddling with British life, while Putin’s delegation observed.

The PM said: “Russian agencies have used every means at their disposal to spread lies and disinformation and prey on people’s fear.

“They’ve used bots and fake websites. Falsified newspaper articles. Forged the branding of 28 British organisations – including universities and the BBC. They’ve amplified far-right narratives.

“And we have evidence that they tried to interfere with the 2019 General Election.”

He stated Putin’s administration allocates ‘£1.3 billion’ towards ‘manipulating information’.

“We also know that they have tried to stoke tensions and unrest in the wake of horrific events,” Burnham went on. “The idea that anyone would try to use such things to their advantage is just repulsive – but it is what they do.”

Russia has previously faced accusations of utilising unlawfully obtained documents regarding UK-US trade discussions to attempt to sway the 2019 ballot.

Disturbingly, the Russian representatives displayed minimal reaction when Burnham presented these allegations to them.

New ‘National Centre for Information Defence’ to be established

Following his criticism of Russia, Burnham revealed one of two fresh domestic initiatives highlighted in the address. He is establishing a new National Centre for Information Defence that will combat online falsehoods and deepfakes undermining British interests.

The new division is initially being coordinated from the Office for the Prime Minister and Cabinet, with the fresh centre collaborating alongside intelligence services, governmental departments, police forces and social media platforms.

Having raised the ‘insidious campaign’ conducted by the Kremlin, Burnham suggested the new division will prove essential as ‘AI will multiply the threat’ already presented by malicious actors online.

Burnham set to unveil ’10 year plan for Britain’

The new government is poised to reveal a fresh decade-long strategy for the nation later this year, Burnham disclosed for the first time at the UN.

The plan will centre on getting more people into employment – particularly younger people – and alleviating the cost-of-living crisis for the majority, Burnham said, though no specific measures were outlined at the time.

Nevertheless, Burnham appears to be positioning this new strategy as a direct response to instability. He stated that ‘security starts in every home’, and maintains that increasing employment levels makes people less vulnerable to being misled by misinformation online.

He said: “Part of the challenge is to lift our people up and create the opportunities they need. When inequalities grow too wide, our societies are at greater risk.

“So we will work to make life more affordable for people. That will be at the heart of a new 10 year plan for Britain that we will bring forward later in the year.”

UK signs AI deal with US as Burnham pitches Britain as ‘honest broker’

Just hours after his inaugural meeting with Donald Trump, Burnham announced a fresh national security agreement with the US as part of a portion of his speech which touched on concerns surrounding AI.

He told delegates: “I am announcing today that we are developing a new AI defence partnership with the United States to protect our critical national infrastructure.”

Further details of the agreement are yet to be disclosed. Burnham continued by stating that, as ‘AI will also be a source of disruption to the way we live and work’, he wants the UK to act as an ‘honest broker’ to draw up ‘a single set of global principles and standards’ for the development of frontier AI.

Two-state solution must stay in play for Gaza

As his address neared its conclusion, Burnham shifted focus to the Middle East, reiterating his support for a two-state solution in Gaza.

He described Hamas’ 2023 attack on Israel as ‘utterly horrific’, before commenting on Israel’s subsequent response: “Far too many people have died, including so many children. Far too little aid is getting in, and it has gone on for far too long.”

That was why the UK ‘banned trading goods with illegal settlements, recognised the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory is unlawful, and sanctioned those taking part in the construction of illegal settlements’ earlier this month, he explained. Looking ahead, Burnham emphasised the two-state solution must ‘stay alive’.

He continued: “We want to see the suffering and death finally come to an end. We want to see Israeli and Palestinian people living side by side in peace and security. And we will do all we can to keep the hope of that possibility alive.”

‘Britain is back… count on us’

Burnham’s initial message declared to the world ‘Britain is back’ – and after 20 minutes of speaking, he made clear this means international leaders can ‘count on us’ moving forward. He finished his address by stating: “You can count on us to stand up for those long standing British values of fairness and justice.

“Count on us to fight racism, discrimination and the abuse of power wherever we see it. Count on us to bring people together.

“Count on us to meet fear and division with unity and hope.”

The mathematician has spotted a recurring pattern of behaviour she plans to use to her advantage on the BBC competition series

Celebrity Traitors star Professor Hannah Fry has been doing her homework ahead of stepping foot in the castle.

The mathematician and broadcaster is one of 21 famous faces taking part in the second season of the star-studded programme, competing for a prize pot of up to £100,000 for their chosen charity.

Just like the much-loved civilian version of the competition, the celebrities will play the game as either Traitors or Faithfuls, a role decided by host Claudia Winkleman at the show’s start. The Traitors must remain undetected and oust as many Faithfuls as possible over the course of the series, while the Faithfuls must try and expose them or risk losing their share of the prize pot.

Last year’s celebrity season was won by comedian Alan Carr who played as a Traitor and remained completely undetected by his fellow stars. Among the line-up this year is Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock, comedian Joe Lycett and award-winning singer James Blunt.

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Incoming player Hannah has been crunching the numbers ahead of the game commencing and she admitted to finding some “statistically significant patterns” she can try and use to her advantage.

“Have I gone back through the data of all the previous games and tried to find statistically significant patterns? Yes! Are any of these going to help me? Honestly, who knows?!” she told the BBC.

Elaborating on what she had discovered, she revealed: “There is a pattern in the way that Traitors behave. For example, Traitors often do a burn vote in the first few episodes when they’re settling in. By that I mean they just vote for somebody that nobody else has voted for.

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“Cat [Burns] last year was a really good example of this, but across the board, the only problem with picking up on those signals is that the Faithfuls are such an absolute mess. They are so all over the place that it’s really hard to pick out what the signal is. That’s just one example of a little bit of maths that I’ve got in my back pocket.”

She continued: “I am using the same bit of math that Alan Turing used to crack the Enigma machine. Whether it’s going to work or not, honestly, your guess is as good as mine! I’ve got spreadsheets coming out of my eyeballs. I close my eyes and it’s like there are numbers tattooed on the inside of my eyelids at the moment for how much I’ve been looking at them.”

Whether Hannah’s research could clinch her the win remains to be seen. The new series commences on October 1 at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

A new series of The Celebrity Traitors begins on October 1 at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

The Wednesday letters page is appalled at the latest round of layoffs at Xbox, as one reader gives his verdict on Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Not a fan
We knew it was coming but not only has Xbox laid off hundreds of people but now Rare is under Activision’s control. How long until the UK’s oldest developer is reduced to making skins for Call Of Duty? It’s awful, especially as Ninja Theory looks like it’s getting shut down too, and probably Arkane as well. Just horrible.

None of it’s a surprise, to anyone that’s been paying attention, and the fact that they have over 1,000 layoffs still to go makes me assume that The Coalition and inXile, and whoever else wasn’t mentioned this time, are going to be completely shut down.

Sony has been getting a lot of grief lately, and for good reason, but I’ve got to ask, is anyone an Xbox fan anymore? Even just based on their games they’ve seemed irrelevant for years now but add in how they’re treating their developers, it just seems impossible to support them. I wouldn’t even dream of getting a next gen Xbox now, unless it 3D printed gold bars or something.
Hammeriron

The big plan
Well, that was one rumour I knew was going to be 100% record and there we have it a few hours later: Xbox has laid off even more people. And all the developers shut down or moved around, it’s very hard for me to imagine any of this working out for the best, even from Microsoft’s point of view.

Nobody’s going to buy that new Gears Of War game and I doubt the new Fable will go down much better. The Elder Scrolls 6 is a guaranteed hit, but do they really have the brass to make that an exclusive? If they do it’ll be a flop, if they don’t it won’t help Xbox because everyone will just buy it on PlayStation 5.

I really don’t know what their plan must be and I think the easiest thing is to assume they haven’t got one. The execs are just waiting for a golden handshake when it all goes wrong, while hoping maybe a game will become a surprise megahit along the way. If they have got a plan more concrete than that I’d love to hear it, but I won’t hold my breath.
Gifford

East vs. West
I don’t like to bring up Nintendo again when Xbox or Sony are doing something terrible but the difference between the way these American companies carry on (and PlayStation is American in every way that matters) is so completely different to Japan it makes them look even worse.

You don’t even have to mention Nintendo. Just consider what an amazing year Capcom has had. Great games, including original IP and a retro reboot, that have all been critical and sales hits, but with no layoffs and no negative press at all that I’m aware of. In fact, many Japanese devs have been giving their staff pay rises, so they don’t leave, which is the exact opposite of Xbox.

Capcom even had a hit movie. Things couldn’t have gone better for them, and they didn’t have to act like monsters to get there. Will Microsoft learn a lesson from that? Of course not!
Focus

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Good Fortune
I’ve really been enjoying Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave the last few days, which I had no interest in before I read your review and saw other positive praise for it. I had played one of the Game Boy Advance games before, which I thought was alright but never finished, so I wasn’t really sure if it was going to be for me. bBut the sheer variety of what you can do and the number of characters is really impressive.

Like you said, it would be better if it was funnier because the story’s pretty silly and yet there aren’t many intentional jokes. But you get into a vibe with it and it’s a lot of fun. Queen Theodore is my favourite so far – she’s so sassy – but I don’t really like her entourage so it’s still fun to move between the different storylines.

I enjoy the combat too, but it really doesn’t seem to have changed much since the Game Boy Advance days. I’m surprised they haven’t tried to experiment with something a bit more open-ended like the Mario + Rabbids games, as I think that would be an obvious way forward in the future.
Korbie

The revolution will not be televised
Destiny 2 suddenly not being dead is a bit of a turnaround, isn’t it? I thought they’d admitted it was all over and we were just waiting for Sony to drop the hammer on Bungie. I’m glad that hasn’t happened but would it really be too much to ask for them to make some kind of annoucement and make people optimistic about their future?

I know Sony don’t like talking in public anymore, but this would be the perfect time to publicly put themselves behind Bungie and say good things are coming. Instead, I almost missed the news and only half believed it at first because it seemed so unlikely.
Tomol

Not bad
I’ve just finished Marvel’s Wolverine and I have mixed opinions really. It’s definitely not a bad game though, so I’m surprised to see so much hate against it. Maybe this is going to happen with every Sony game from now on but if it doesn’t I think that’s a bit unfair on Wolverine, which I feel is trying to do things a bit differently.

The story and characters are a lot more fleshed out than normal for a straight action game and I appreciate that. It’s probably a couple of hours too long for the story they were telling but I thought it ended well and it at least had a proper beginning, middle, and end. Although the bit where Jean Grey literally looks into the camera and says something about this only being the beginning was super cringey.

But overall, I liked it. I think they were keeping the combat simple not just for casual gamers but also the idea that Wolverine is so good at fighting that it’s not really an effort for him, especially against ordinary grunts.

I think comparing it to a scrolling beat ‘em-up is accurate because it has that same kind of rhythm but it’s not mindless, because you can get mobbed quite easy and not have any way to get out of it. Not the greatest game ever but I don’t regret buying it. A solid 7/10 from me.
Badgerman

Small print
Why is it I’m feeling extra cynical about this new PlayStation cashback scheme? There’s no way it’s going to be straightforward and fair and the only question is what specifically will be wrong about it. At a guess I’d say it’ll probably only be used for such a small number of games it’ll end up annoying people much more than if they just hadn’t done it.

We’ll see, once they announce it properly, but Sony has a lot of goodwill to win back and it’ll take some convincing for me before I think they’re trying properly.
Paradangle

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Echoes of Grezzo
Would be interesting if whoever made the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake did what Grezzo eventually did, when they got to make an original Zelda game after Link’s Awakening. Then Nintendo could cycle between new instalments for big Breath Of The Wild style Zelda, isometric Zelda, and Ocarina template Zelda. Plus, further remakes whenever appropriate.

There’s a risk that too much will harm the series but a new entry in one of three very different templates every two or three years would be a good way to keep Zelda fresh while also supporting Nintendo’s consoles, maintaining interest in the series and allowing the necessary development time between each new game.

I’ve still to play Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom and the reason for that highlights another risk, that consistently less well received entries end up dragging the series down a bit – but I hope Grezzo gets to continue up-skilling so they become one of (eventually) three or four Zelda pillars. Although letting third parties – including indie devs – try their hand at a new entry in one of the templates would also be nice. I’d be interested in a 2D game that does for Zelda what Hollow Knight does for Metroidvanias, making it a huge, sprawling 50+ hour experience.
Panda

Inbox also-rans
So I read Microsoft is planning more layoffs this week. Will it never end? We need these people’s skills and ideas, but I fear we are heading for AI slop games being the future. Why pay people when you can get a computer to do it? Sad times.
TWO MACKS

When will Finan Fantasy 17 be out? Not for another five years the rate people are going. Give me some breathing room and an income and we can design a sequel in three years. Please respect there are hard working people at the centre of the games.
Elia Etxegoien

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The small print
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MORE: Games Inbox: When will Final Fantasy 17 be out?

MORE: Games Inbox: Will GTA 6 have a co-op mode?

MORE: Games Inbox: Will Zelda: Ocarina Of Time review better than GTA 6?

Channel migrants aboard a mega-dinghy have arrived in Dover after an unprecedented 38-hour voyage to the UK.

It started from Port-en-Bessin, north of Bayeux in Normandy, just before 10am on Monday, and the occupants – estimated to number around 60 – arrived in the Kent port after midnight following reports they had been bound for Gosport, Hampshire.

It is thought to be the longest duration of any voyage undertaken by small-boat migrants – and it was branded a ‘fiasco’ by the Conservatives.

Following reports yesterday the dinghy was to dock in Gosport, hundreds of protesters turned out in the town – and in nearby Portsmouth – but the effort dissipated after the boat was rerouted to Dover.

Hampshire Police described some of those who remained in Gosport thereafter as ‘hostile’ towards officers and said it arrested six people for offences including careless driving, assaulting an emergency worker and aggravated trespass.

Around a dozen protesters were seen in Dover as the migrants arrived and officers closed nearby roads in anticipation.

The dinghy incident raised serious questions over the effectiveness of Labour‘s £662million deal with the French to prevent crossings.

Before the French sailors handed over to the RNLI in the Channel

Meanwhile protesters – some wearing masks – gathered in Gosport and Portsmouth, Hampshire, as reports suggested the dinghy may dock nearby

Gosport’s MP Caroline Dineage said the boat had been rerouted to Dover but some protesters remained in the town

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Photos last night showed the migrants making their way into a Border Security Command compound in Dover

Those pictured had their hoods up and were mostly wearing hats and orange life jackets

The dinghy seemingly came to shore around midnight 

French authorities, who shadowed the dinghy across the Channel, said they decided not to intervene due to safety concerns.

As tides took the boat back towards the French coast on Monday evening, it was so close to shore another ten to 15 migrants were able to board, it is claimed.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: ‘This latest fiasco shows that the French are not even trying to stop the illegal immigrants’ boats in French waters – instead they are escorting them here.

‘Our border security has descended into chaos with migrants crossing at will over ever larger distances and in ever larger boats.

‘The Government’s claim to smash the gangs is laughable and their deal with the French is clearly not working.

‘The Conservatives have a plan to end all accommodation and benefits for illegal immigrants, and instead deport them on arrival. Then, these farcical crossings would soon stop.’

Four French lifeboats plus the search-and-rescue tugboat Abeille Liberté, along with a French Navy helicopter, were scrambled to the 40ft dinghy’s location on Monday. A spokesman for local rescue services said: ‘The boat was in a very bad way, and very low in the water, with just a single small outboard motor to power it.

‘The sea was calm, and weather conditions were good, but the decision was taken to escort the boat, without intervening.’

The Abeille Liberté continued to follow the migrant boat yesterday morning and afternoon.

At about 4.30pm, the migrants were transferred from their dinghy to two RNLI lifeboats. Half an hour later, they switched to Border Force’s HMC Vigilant.

Hampshire Police said it made six arrests in Gosport after some protesters who remained on the streets became ‘hostile’ towards officers

Protesters fronted up to police officers in Gosport as the dinghy’s progress was livestreamed online

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The boat was escorted by sturdier vessels throughout its passage to Britain

Border Security Command boat HMC Vigilant returned to Dover in the early hours of this morning

The cutter then headed towards Gosport but last night the town’s Conservative MP Dame Caroline Dinenage said she was ‘pleased’ Border Force had confirmed the migrants were instead being taken ‘to Dover by water as we asked’.

She added: ‘This must now set a clear precedent. If further boats are intercepted in our part of the Channel, they should be taken straight to Dover.’

Hampshire Police said it was investigating a reported slashing of a boat in the Channel after a video appearing to show the attack was posted on social media.

Migrants are normally processed at Manston, near Ramsgate. This incident comes just over two weeks after a mega-dinghy with 120 migrants aboard was brought into Eastney Marina, three miles from Portsmouth’s main harbour, sparking protests.

The Daily Mail reported yesterday how a migrant boat reached Folkestone in Kent without being intercepted by UK Border Force.

Defence minister Luke Pollard said a Home Office investigation was under way.

Up to Sunday, 17,480 migrants have arrived via the Channel this year.

The crash was reported on Atherton Road at the junction with Corner Lane in Hindley Green on the afternoon of Tuesday September 22.

A motorbike and a car were believed to have been involved in the crash, with the road closed for much of the day as police went about their work.

The crash was tragically reported as fatal (Image: Phil Taylor)

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said that the crash had been fatal and that the motorcyclist was believed to have been killed.

Images from the scene show a badly damaged car and motorbike strewn across the site on Atherton Road.

Officers were on the scene (Image: Phil Taylor)

Wigan Council advised members of the public that the road was likely to remain closed throughout Tuesday and possibly into Wednesday as investigations were carried out.

Drivers were advised to avoid the area as the emergency services went about their work.

Anyone with any information can call police on 101 or 999 in the event of an emergency.

The five-star hotel is known for its award-winning spa, fine dining and coastal views, but its history stretches back more than two centuries.

Built in 1791, the Grade II-listed property has served as a military hospital and, reportedly, a secret whisky bottling site during US prohibition.

Seaham Hall

The building later became a children’s infirmary before beginning its transformation into the luxury retreat visitors know today.

Entrepreneur Tom Maxfield converted the property into a 19-bedroom boutique hotel in 2001, focused on luxury, wellness and relaxation.

Seaham Hall is now known as a luxury spa escape.

A key part of that vision was the introduction of the Serenity Spa, which helped establish Seaham Hall as one of the region’s leading spa destinations.

Over the years the hotel has continued to evolve, expanding its accommodation and facilities while maintaining its reputation as an exclusive coastal escape.

Seaham Hall is now known as a luxury spa escape.

Recent additions include luxury coastal lodges, high-end suites such as the Milbanke Suite, Japanese-inspired restaurant Geko and speakeasy-style Harvey’s Bar.

The hotel has attracted a number of high-profile visitors over the years. Members of Take That and singer Lionel Richie have been among those linked to the venue, while Kylie Minogue has also reportedly stayed there.

Seaham Hall’s reputation has been reflected in a growing collection of awards and accolades.

The hotel was named AA Hotel of the Year in 2004 and has more recently received recognition at the North East England Tourism Awards, where it secured the title of Small Hotel of the Year.

Seaham Hall is now known as a luxury spa escape.

This year it has been awarded a Michelin Key in the 2026 Michelin Guide Hotel Selection.

The recognition is regarded as the hotel equivalent of a Michelin Star and sees Seaham Hall become one of just 18 new Key hotels added across the UK and Ireland this year.

It has also been recognised by international travel rankings, including La Liste, which named it among the world’s leading hotels.

One of Seaham Hall’s first coastal lodges.

Today, Seaham Hall remains one of County Durham’s most recognisable luxury destinations, combining its rich history with modern spa facilities, fine dining and luxury accommodation overlooking the North Sea.

As it celebrates 25 years as a luxury hotel, the venue continues to attract visitors seeking a high-end coastal getaway while preserving a remarkable piece of County Durham’s heritage.

The hall also has a notable literary connection: Lord Byron married Anne Isabella Milbanke there in 1815, and their daughter, Ada Lovelace, later became a pioneer of early computing.

One of the musicians at the heart of the band’s early blues sound was Jeremy Spencer, who was born in West Hartlepool on July 4, 1948.

That Hartlepool connection gives the County Durham coastal town a place in one of rock music’s most recognisable stories.

From North East to fame

Spencer, now in his late 70s, took piano lessons as a young boy, but later lost interest after hearing the new sound of rock and roll.

While attending Stafford Art College, he discovered the music of American bluesman Elmore James, whose slide-guitar style became a major influence.

It was a long way from Hartlepool to international fame, but Spencer’s musical path soon took him into the emerging British blues scene.

He joined Fleetwood Mac in 1967, becoming one of the band’s original members alongside Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood, with John McVie joining later that year.

Spencer’s speciality was slide guitar, although he also played piano and contributed to the band’s early blues-rock identity.

The Hartlepool-born musician featured on the group’s 1968 debut album, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, and also appeared on English Rose, released the following year.

The early line-up was rooted firmly in British blues, rather than the polished California rock sound that would later make the group a global phenomenon.

Spencer was also known for his playful performances and impersonations of established rock and roll stars, including Elvis Presley.

That lighter side of his stage presence added a touch of fun to a band otherwise renowned for its serious blues credentials.

Leaving Fleetwood Mac

His time with Fleetwood Mac came to an abrupt end in 1971, when he left during an American tour and later joined the religious group Children of God.

The unexpected departure surprised his bandmates and marked a dramatic change in direction for the Hartlepool-born musician.

Spencer later continued making and performing music, releasing solo material and working on projects outside Fleetwood Mac.

In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Fleetwood Mac.

So, while Hartlepool may be better known for its maritime history, football and unmistakable North East character, it can also claim a link to the early story of Fleetwood Mac.

Jeremy Spencer carried a little piece of the North East with him from West Hartlepool to the world stage, taking the sound of Elmore James, the energy of early blues and a distinctly unusual career journey along for the ride.

Dozens of firefighters were called to the former Greenhill Primary School after a fire broke out on Tuesday evening, September 22.

A major fire has taken hold at an old primary school building in North Lanarkshire. Emergency services were called to the former Greenhill Primary School on West George Street and Coltswood Road in Coatbridge after the blaze broke out shortly before 5.20pm on Tuesday, September 22.

Six crews from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service alongside specialist resources including two aerial appliances are at the scene. Police Scotland has asked members of the public to avoid the area and locals are being warned to keep windows and doors closed.

A number of streets around the school – including West George Street and Coltswood Road – have been closed while emergency services tackle the blaze. The cause of the fire is not currently known and it is still unclear whether there have been any injuries.

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Video of the fire shared on social media shows the derelict school, which closed in 2012, is well alight. An orange glow can be seen rising above the roof while grey smoke billows from every visible corner of the building.

A police van can also be seen outside the school closing off one of the adjacent roads while a firefighter carrying an axe runs around the perimeter of the school. A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “We were alerted to a building fire at a derelict school on Coltswood Road, Coatbridge at 5.21pm.

“Operations control mobilised six fire appliances and specialist resources including two aerial appliances. Crews are currently on scene.”

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A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Emergency services are responding to a fire at a derelict building on West George Street in Coatbridge. Please avoid the area.

“Locals are being asked to close all windows and doors. West George Street is closed at Stewart Street, and Coltswood Road is closed at Inveresk Place.

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“Please use alternative routes for the time being.“

It is not the first time the derelict school has been affected by fire. In February 2022, Police Scotland were treating another incident as wilful after the building was targeted by firebugs.

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The paedophile claimed in interview to be ‘lonely’

A paedophile who messaged people he thought were children and arranged to meet them has been sent to prison. Timothy Pavitt, 73, was brought to police attention after he uploaded indecent images of children to a Kik account in 2024.

Officers were able to trace the IP address of the account, which led them to Pavitt’s home in Boxworth End, Swavesey. He was arrested on February 19, 2025 and claimed in interview to be “lonely” and using chat sites to speak to children and download images.

A review of his devices found he had been speaking in a sexual manner with users he believed to be children and arranging to meet up with them. The devices also contained more than 350 indecent images. The identities of the people he was messaging have never been confirmed.

Pavitt was jailed for four years and eight months after admitting 18 counts, including communicating sexually with children and making indecent images, at Peterborough Crown Court on Monday (September 21). He was also handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Det Sgt Zip Lloyd said: “Pavitt knew what he was doing was wrong but continued to seek out users he believed were children, encourage sexual conversations and make indecent images. He was also actively sharing those images for others to view, further fuelling the exploitation of children. I am pleased he is now behind bars

“Protecting young people from harm is one of our top priorities and we will continue to work tirelessly to keep children safe.”

Youth (HBO Max)

Rating:

Rating: Five stars 

Sharon Horgan is feeling her age. 

She has co-written and starred in some of the funniest, most painfully honest shows of the past decade, including Motherland and Catastrophe.

But at 56, she’s terrified she might be over the hill. 

Every scene in her semi-autobiographical drama-comedy Youth is stark with fear, screaming, ‘Have I lost my looks? What do you think of my body? Am I too old to be doing this?’

The individual scenes are hilariously funny, full of savage wit. But watch the first two half-hour episodes, now streaming on HBO Max, and the overall effect is brutal. 

Her character, Alex, is suffering a breakdown from sheer loss of self-confidence. It feels, Horgan says in a note sent to reviewers, ‘extra personal’.

Alex is working for her best friend as a literary agent, after her bookshop went bust. 

Her clients are drunks, bullies, insufferable show-offs or borderline senile. 

Her job is to take the flak, do the dirty work and mentor the office interns who are incapable of even making coffee. And that’s the fun part of her day.

At home, she’s a slave to her ungrateful son, Ruari (Aran Murphy). All 18-year-old boys can be obnoxious at times, but Ruari works especially hard at it. 

In public, he behaves like a bonobo on amphetamines, baring his backside at the school graduation and eating with his bare hands at a family celebration dinner. 

In private, he just lies in bed.

When Ruari heads off to university, divorcee Alex hopes to rekindle her love life. 

That leads to a blind date with a white-haired chap (Tim McInnerny) who looks so much older than Alex feels. 

The individual scenes are hilariously funny, full of savage wit. But watch the first two half-hour episodes, now streaming on HBO Max, and the overall effect is brutal

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Her first blurted question is, ‘Do you still work? You’ve been keeping yourself busy?’

It turns out said chap is a friend of her boss, who assumes he’ll be doing Alex a favour by having fumbly sex with her. 

‘Is this a pity date?’ she gasps. ‘I wouldn’t say that,’ he leers, though clearly that’s exactly how he regards it.

Anne Reid has a glorious cameo as a romantic novelist who is turning to hardcore porn in her dotage and cannot understand why anyone would be offended by her graphic fantasy about a randy pioneer and a love-starved Native American girl — working title Wagon Burner, though the author now thinks she prefers The Squaw Squawked.

Harriet Walter is her bitter daughter Livonia, who believes Mummy should be a national treasure and expects Alex to make this happen.

Homeland’s Damian Lewis sends himself up as an impossibly conceited actor with literary pretensions. 

And another Homeland star, Rupert Friend, plays her on-off boyfriend Patrick, who floats through life without the encumbrance of teenage children, elderly parents, money worries or any of the other stuff that comprises Alex’s entire life.

She resents his lack of angst.

‘I want a relationship with a grown adult man,’ she wails.

‘Me too,’ he grins. ‘After this.’

Low bar of the night: Taking over as the host of Tempting Fortune (Ch4), gurning comic Rob Beckett was offering contestants ‘luxuries beyond their wildest dreams’… including takeaways from Greggs, Harry Ramsden’s and KFC. Rob’s dreams must be thrilling.