The restaurant, Propa, based at Sheepfolds in Sunderland, is looking for someone to work on the pies and comfort food “we’re known and loved for”.

Posting the advert to Facebook, Propa said: “This is a 36–45 hours per week role with hourly pay, working on the pies and comfort food classics we’re known and loved for.

“You’ll be cooking as part of a close, collaborative team where ideas are welcomed and creativity is encouraged alongside our current chefs.

“At Propa, the kitchen is a big part of our personality and so is our social media. This role includes being comfortable getting involved in content, behind the scenes clips and sharing what we do with our customers online.

“If you love great food, teamwork, creativity and aren’t camera shy, we’d love to hear from you.”

To apply for the role, you can email info@teampropa.com.

The restaurant has gone from strength to strength since opening in December 2024.

In a review of Propa in February 2025, The Northern Echo described the pie and mash as a “warm hug”.

Potential expansion plans for the restaurant were also announced last December.

The celebrity chef spoke about the future of his restaurant brand during an appearance on the ‘Full Chat podcast’, with presenters Iwan Thomas and David Prutton.

He said: “We will open one in Newcastle, it’s inevitable, because we want to. It’s about bringing that thing to the North East.”

To apply email info@teampropa.com or visit the shop’s Facebook page.

It will improve accessibility and help ease traffic

Worshippers visiting mosques on Mill Road are set to benefit from improved travel options this Ramadan following an expanded partnership between the Mill Road Traders Association (MRTA), Stagecoach, and Cambridge Central Mosque. Running throughout the holy month of Ramadan (February 17 to March 19), the partnership introduces a dedicated evening shuttle-bus service operating from Newmarket Road Park & Ride.

The new service has been designed to support worshippers travelling to Cambridge Central Mosque and other mosques along Mill Road. Ramadan traditionally brings increased evening travel as worshippers attend nightly prayers, community gatherings, and religious observances.

Recognising these unique travel patterns, the partners have worked collaboratively to deliver a practical transport solution that benefits both worshippers and the wider Cambridge community. The pilot initiative has been developed with two key objectives: improving accessibility for worshippers and helping ease traffic pressures and congestion along the Mill Road corridor during peak evening periods.

The shuttle-bus service will operate alongside existing Stagecoach routes, including Service 2 from Milton, ensuring residents and visitors have multiple sustainable travel options.

Kobir Ahmed, Chair of the MRTA, added: “I am very proud to be part of this initiative, which shows what is possible when local businesses, community organisations and transport providers work together with a shared purpose. By supporting worshippers during Ramadan, easing congestion on Mill Road and improving access through sustainable transport, this pilot reflects the kind of collaborative, practical solutions that the MRTA is committed to championing.

“We hope it sets a positive example of how partnership working can deliver real benefits for the whole community. Importantly, this marks the MRTA’s first major initiative of 2026. We look forward to delivering many more collaborative projects throughout the year, working closely with stakeholders, partners, and the wider community to support Mill Road’s continued vibrancy and accessibility.”

Martin Marsh, Acting Operations Director of Stagecoach East, said: “We are very pleased to be able to support the Mill Road community with such a poignant event, and I hope that this will be a boost for all our loyal customers, in the area, at this special time.”

Asked whether these new rules might hasten his departure from the sport, or whether winning races in this formula might get him to change his mind, the 28-year-old gave a response which will concern the sport’s rulers.

“Winning, for me… that doesn’t matter. It needs to be fun to drive as well, I think, at this stage of my career.

“I mean, I am of course also exploring other things outside of Formula One to have fun at. Yeah I mean, I know that we’re stuck with this regulation for quite a while. So, yeah. Let’s see.”

Organisers of the Nürburgring 24hrs (May 16–17) have already tweaked their calendar to allow Verstappen to take part in one of the early season Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) rounds, bringing NLS2 forward by a week to avoid a clash with the Japanese Grand Prix.

Verstappen said he appreciated the effort and hoped to drive in both that round and the main event in May, most likely at the wheel of a Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG.

“I mean, looking at it now, at least maybe you can drive flat out there, you know? Without looking after my battery.

“I mean, I want to do it. We are working on it to make it happen, but I cannot confirm it yet. But it’s great, of course, from the organisers, that they change the date [of NLS2] because I think if I do it, of course, I need one race in preparation compared to guys that have been doing it for a while and have a bit more experience.”

On Wednesday, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton described the new regulations as “ridiculously complex”, adding you would “need a degree to fully understand it all”.

Going back to F1’s new rules, Verstappen concluded: “Probably people will not be happy with me saying this right now, but I am outspoken and why am I not allowed to say what I think of my race car? I can’t help that. I mean, I didn’t write the regulations.”

It comes as the DVSA announced that from March 31, learners will only be able to make up to two changes to their original driving test booking, including changing date, time or location.

Data, which Confused.com has published, shows that the area with the most driving test failures is Gateshead, which has the lowest success rate at 38.6 per cent.

On the other hand, Hexham has the highest pass rate at 58.9 per cent.

Matt Crole-Rees, motoring expert at Confused.com, said: “New rules are coming in from March 31 that limit how often learner drivers can change their test and where they can move it to.

“This is another big shift for learners trying to get on the roads.

“Allowing only two changes and learners only being able to move their original test booking within the local area could make things even harder for learners who live in areas with historically low pass rates.

“For learners in lower-performing areas, having less flexibility to move their test after waiting so long could mean more retakes, more waiting and higher overall costs.

“With these changes in mind, it’s more important than ever for learners to think before they book their test.

“Plan carefully, only take the test when really prepared and understand how local test centres perform before booking in.”

Full list of North East pass rates:

• Gateshead – 38.6 per cent
• Sunderland – 46.7 per cent
• Durham – 47.8 per cent
• Blyth – 48.5 per cent
• Middlesbrough – 50 per cent
• Hartlepool – 50.1 per cent
• Darlington – 51.5 per cent
• Hexham – 58.9 per cent

The outlet will be an easy drive from Cambridgeshire once complete

A new designer outlet that is easy to reach from Cambridgeshire is set to open in late 2028. The Grantham Designer Outlet Village is expected to attract over 3.9 million visitors a year and become “one of the top 10 best-performing outlets in the UK, by turnover”.

The site will be built across 36 acres and will feature space for both retail and leisure brands. Over 50% of the space has been pre-let or is in active negotiation.

The £140 million project will be led by outlet specialists Rioja Estates and Buckminster Estates and will be found on a new purpose-built junction off the A1. The outlet will be passed by more than 17 million vehicles a day and is described as being in “one of the best outlet locations in the UK”.

The shopping outlet will have connections to both Grantham Town Centre and railway station. Its location on the A1 means it will be easy to reach from Nottingham, Leicester, Lincoln, Peterborough, Derby, and Cambridge. The outlet village is expected to create 1,500 jobs during construction and operation.

Adrian Taylor, Leasing Director at Rioja Estates, said: “Retailers understand that outlets are outperforming traditional retail, so Grantham Designer Outlet Village’s visibility, location, and catchment area make it an exceptionally attractive proposition which explains why we are seeing such strong demand from both UK and international brands.”

To get more breaking news and top stories delivered directly to your phone, join our new WhatsApp community. Click this link to receive your daily dose of CambridgeshireLive content.

We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

The plans are currently awaiting decision

Plans that will see an agricultural building on the outskirts of Peterborough converted into three residential properties have been submitted to Peterborough City Council.

The current site at Vincents Cross Farm, off Crowland Road, Thorney, consists of a disused farm building set within 1,875 square metres of largely redundant land.

In its application statement, Horrell Farm Company requested permission for the “conversion of an agricultural building to three dwellings including partial demolition, associated access and landscaping.”

If the plans are approved, the building will be converted into one three-bedroom ground-floor flat, and two four-bedroom maisonettes.

A planning statement drawn up on behalf of Horrell Farm Company by Stamford-based architects, Class Q, describes the site’s current agricultural use as “ceasing” and the building as “redundant.”

It goes on to describe the building as “constructed with solid brick” and the “external walls and roof structure remain intact.”

In addition, it is in “good condition overall and there is no substantive evidence to indicate the building could not be readily converted for residential use or that reconstruction works would be significant.”

The area surrounding the building is laid to hardstanding.

The planning statement concludes: “It follows that the building has the character of a substantial construction that is a permanent feature in this part of the countryside.”

Sir Chris Wormald has stood down as the UK’s top civil servant and head of the civil service after just 14 months in the role, the government has announced, as the prime minister seeks to conduct a reset of his ailing Downing Street operation.

Sir Chris’s departure – which the Cabinet Office said was by “mutual agreement” – comes just days after the resignations of Sir Keir’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and communications chief Tim Allan.

The shake up of Sir Keir’s top team is part of an attempt to draw a line under controversies surrounding the appointments of Lord Peter Mandelson and Lord Matthew Doyle despite their association with sex offenders.

But Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the move has been done to “save his own skin”, accusing the prime minister of having thrown the outgoing Cabinet secretary “under the bus”.

open image in gallery

It comes after Sir Keir survived the toughest day of his premiership so far this week, with figures across the political spectrum questioning his judgement and a growing number of Labour MPs calling for him to go.

The prime minister said he was “grateful” for Sir Chris’s “long and distinguished career of public service” and his “support” as Cabinet secretary.

Commenting on his departure – which came after days of speculation over his future – Sir Keir added: “I have agreed with him that he will step down as Cabinet secretary today. I wish him the very best for the future.”

Meanwhile, Sir Chris said it had been “an honour and a privilege to serve as a civil servant for the past 35 years, and a particular distinction to lead the service as Cabinet secretary”.

“I want to place on record my sincere thanks to the extraordinary civil servants, public servants, ministers, and advisers I have worked with.

“Our country is fortunate to have such dedicated individuals devoted to public service, and I wish them every success for the future”, he said.

The top civil servant had been due to lead the probe led into Lord Peter Mandelson’s contact with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein while he was a government minister.

The prime minister will appoint a new Cabinet secretary “shortly”, the Cabinet Office said on Thursday.

open image in gallery

Home Office permanent secretary Dame Antonia Romeo, who is widely tipped to be in line for Sir Chris’s former job, Catherine Little and James Bowler will share the responsibilities of Cabinet secretary for an interim period.

Dame Antonia was reportedly investigated when she was Britain’s consul general in New York in 2017 over her expenses and claims of bullying, but was later cleared by the Cabinet Office.

Rumours that the Labour leader intends to replace Sir Chris with Dame Antonia earlier this week triggered a highly unusual warning by a former top mandarin against “doing the due diligence too late” amid wider concerns about government vetting.

Dame Antonia’s former boss Lord Simon McDonald, ex-permanent secretary at the Foreign Office, said there should be a “full process” to appoint a new Cabinet secretary and that “needs to start from scratch”.

Lord McDonald told Channel 4 News on Wednesday evening: “This is the most important job in the civil service. It can’t be chosen on the fly.”

He added: “If the prime minister wants a new Cabinet secretary, he needs to start from scratch.

“Due diligence is vitally important. The prime minister has recent bitter experience of doing the due diligence too late.

“It would be an unnecessary tragedy to repeat that mistake.”

The government has promised to improve its vetting processes after the prime minister claimed Lord Mandelson lied about the depth of his association to Epstein during his vetting for the UK’s top diplomatic posting abroad.

open image in gallery

Advertisement

Meanwhile, questions have been raised over the screening process for Matthew Doyle, who was recently handed a peerage despite him having previously campaigned for paedophile councillor Sean Morton in 2017 after he had been charged with having indecent images of children.

Ahead of Sir Chris’s resignation, Mrs Badenoch also said Sir Keir should delay the change in leadership at the Cabinet Office until the disclosure of the Mandelson files is complete.

“It is hard to escape the conclusion that the Cabinet secretary is simply the latest person to be thrown under a bus by this prime minister”, the Tory leader said in a letter to the Civil Service Commission.

“It is all the more concerning to be changing Cabinet secretary in the midst of the ongoing scandal over the appointment of Lord Mandelson and his conduct in office.”

Andrew James Peacock, 46, made 14 telephone calls to the emergency services in May last year and seven in June, said Mel Ibbotson, prosecuting at York Magistrates’ Court.

But on no occasion was he reporting a genuine emergency, and therefore he was breaking a court order banning him from contacting the emergency services unless in a genuine emergency.

Ms Ibbotson said Peacock was banned from a Lidl supermarket in Richmond, but was seen by staff inside it “flying down an aisle in a mobility scooter” on May 24 last year.

He was abusive to a staff member when he was asked to leave.   

Peacock, 46, of Alexandra Way, Richmond, was before the court for sentence for six breaches of a criminal behaviour order (CBO) and using threatening behaviour in a Lidl supermarket. He pleaded guilty to all offences after initially denying some. He has previous convictions for breaching the CBO.

At the time of all the offences, he was subject to a 20-week prison sentence suspended for two years for other offences including persistent use of public communication for nuisance calls and breaching the CBO.

Magistrates, after consulting national sentencing guidelines, decided that he should receive a sentence greater than their maximum sentence of 12 months and committed him to York Crown Court for sentence. They remanded him in custody.

Ms Ibbotson said during the course of the 999 calls, which Peacock made to the police and to the ambulance service, he sounded drunk, said he was going to a pub to start a fire, said he was going to cause violence and became abusive.

On November 3, police were called to a surgery in Catterick Garrison where Peacock was threatening to stab himself unless he was seen by a doctor. He was aggressive and didn’t have a medical need to be there. He was drunk and thereby breached the CBO which had a condition that he not be drunk in public.

On Christmas Eve, he again breached the order, this time by his conduct in Darlington town centre, and twice he breached the order by having a container of alcohol open in public.

Raheem Sterling has completed a move to Dutch club Feyenoord, signing a deal that will keep him at the Eredivisie side until the end of the current season.

The 31-year-old winger joins as a free agent, marking a new chapter after a period of uncertainty at Chelsea.

Sterling’s departure from Stamford Bridge came by mutual agreement at the end of January, following an extended period out of favour, with his last competitive appearance for the Blues in May 2024.

He spent the previous season on loan with Arsenal and had been training alone at Chelsea during the current campaign, concluding a three-and-a-half year tenure since his 2022 transfer from Manchester City.

He now links up with Feyenoord, currently second in the Eredivisie, under the management of former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin Van Persie.

open image in gallery

Speaking on the club’s website, Sterling expressed his enthusiasm: “As a free agent, I’ve had, for the first time in a long time, the opportunity to control the next step in my career.

“I wanted to take my time to speak with clubs and their head coaches to better understand the role they envisioned for me and ensure that I can add real value in this next chapter.

“Having spoken in great detail with CEO Dennis te Kloese and Robin, I’m confident that Feyenoord is a place I can be happy and establish myself as a valued member of the team.

“Playing abroad is a whole new challenge for me – and one I’m ready to embrace. Honestly, I’m just excited to get started. To Feyenoord and particularly Robin and Dennis, thank you for your patience and professionalism as I navigated this process.”

Sterling boasts an impressive career, having earned 82 England caps, with his most recent international appearance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, alongside winning four Premier League titles.

Feyenoord manager Robin Van Persie welcomed the acquisition, stating: “Naturally it’s a fantastic feat that we’ve managed to convince a player of Raheem’s calibre to sign with us.

“His football resume speaks for itself: he’s a player whose qualities can change the outcome of a game without a doubt and I am convinced he will turn out to be a valuable addition to the team as we work towards achieving our goals in the second half of this season.”

Children can be exposed to ‘execution videos and escort services’ via social media ‘with little effort’, an investigation has found.

Tech providers have increasingly beefed up child safety checks, including age-verification and restricted accounts for teens.

But Malwarebytes found that by using tricks that a child could use, some checks could be bypassed, such as looking at a website without an account or faking their date of birth.

‘It was very easy,’Pieter Arntz, a senior researcher at the cybersecurity firm, tells Metro. ‘A little curiosity and the search bar for the most part found toxic content.’

Gaming platform Roblox allows adults to chat with others after verifying their ages, but this is not needed for communities, akin to chat rooms.

Metro made an account where we said we were five years old, the minimum age a Roblox user is required to be.

Metro was able to search for and join the communities flagged by Malwarebytes as using names and terms linked to fraud.

However, our underage account could not access a community’s ‘wall’, where users can post.

One group identified by cybercrime experts included Fullz Ent., a group with more than 740 members that says it offers ‘High quality Clothing’.

‘Fullz’ is slang used in cyber crook circles for stolen personal information, according to Arntz. ‘New clothes’ is used by criminals to refer to stolen payment card data.

Such terms ‘wouldn’t probably be flagged as criminal by most parents’, Arntz adds.

Fullz Ent. includes a disclaimer in its about section that says: ‘We Are Not Affiliated With Any Gangs.’

Malwarebytes’ investigation was carried out in December – the following month, Roblox made facial age checks mandatory to chat to limit communication between adults and children younger than 16. 

How underage users are accessing YouTube without accounts

Researchers found that underage users can access inappropriate content on YouTube that is available to those without an account.

YouTube Kids is a version of the video-sharing service for youngsters by employing rigorous video filters and parental controls.

No account is needed for basic viewing and browsing of YouTube and Malwarebytes found content can be viewed by a minor if they make a ‘Guest’ account via Google, which owns YouTube.

By doing so, Metro was able to view a video shared by a French news outlet of a Tunisian member of ISIS being executed, as well as view content shared by ‘how to’ fraud accounts.

Malwarebytes said that adult content on age-gated apps Twitch and TikTok was ‘easy to fake’.

It said: ‘While most platforms require users to be 13+, a self-declaration is often enough. All that remains is for the child to register an email address with a service that doesn’t require age verification.’

Metro was also able to access an account offering ‘call-girl services’ in India on the streaming site Twitch after self-reporting our age as over-18.

The account includes a link to a website where users can browse ads for escorts and WhatsApp them, the site claims.

When Metro messaged one of the accounts, a man asked in Hindi: ‘How much time do you need?’

TikTok requires new users to input their birthday – if under-18, they have default privacy settings, limited features and enhanced parental controls.

If a user says they are an adult, such restrictions are not in effect. This allowed Malwarebytes to find content about ‘providing credit card fraud and identity theft tutorials’, which Metro verified.

Malwarebytes said that when using a teen-restricted account on Instagram, researchers were able to find profiles promoting financial fraud.

Metro similarly made an account where we listed our date of birth as 15 and were able to find the accounts by using the app’s search function.

Teen Instagram accounts, for users aged between 13 and 17, were introduced on Instagram in 2024.

Parental controls are on by default, meaning accounts are automatically private and have the strictest content filters in place. They will be limited to messaging only those they are already connected with.

Meta, which owns Instagram, extended this to Facebook users the following year.

‘Today’s young people are simply more tech-savvy’

Arntz says that Malwarebytes’ findings don’t show how any one platform is failing. Rather, today’s young people are simply more tech-savvy than the adults designing these child safety policies.

Some youngsters are even using AI-generated documents to bypass ID scans, Arntz adds.

‘The problem isn’t children being especially deceptive; it’s that age gates rely on self‑reported trust in an environment where anonymity is effortless,’ he says.

‘Without robust digital identity verification or parental supervision, these measures serve more as legal cover for companies than real protection for young users.’

Roblox told Metro that the firm is moving beyond self-reported age checks, having been the first gaming company to embrace age-checks.

A spokesperson said: ‘We also restrict access to certain content based on a player’s verified age, have a wide range of additional safety features like default chat filters, and have extremely strict policies to guard against users discussing or engaging in any form of illegal activity, with our teams taking swift action against users and communities found to be breaking the rules.

‘While no system is perfect, our commitment to safety never ends, and we continue to strengthen protections to help keep users safe.’

Twitch said the live-streaming platform is ‘continuing to increase’ its investment into youth safety tools, including content filters.

A spokesperson added: ‘Using automated tools and behavioural signals, we monitor Twitch 24/7/365 for content and channels that may violate our youth safety policy.’

Machine-learning technology and other detection models are used to estimate whether a user is under the age of 13.

Google, TikTok and Meta have been approached for comment.

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

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: I left my boyfriend for 5 months to go travelling alone – people say I’m selfish

MORE: The £80,000 job no one believes actually exists

MORE: I begged doctors to remove my arm – I have the ‘suicide disease’