Econ Engineering supplies 85 per cent of the UK’s gritters, instantly recognisable for their iconic yellow bodies.

However, Term Maintenance Contractor Marlborough requested bright red to emphasise its ‘we are bold’ values.

The new gritters will support winter service deliver across Havering and Southend, with further vehicles to follow for the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead ahead of next season.

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The four new red gritters are named Snowflake, Snowblast, Snowsafe and Snowflare, following a local competition.

Steve Sinnott, Econ Sales Director, said: ““While Econ is famous for its iconic yellow gritters, we’ve genuinely loved working with Marlborough Highways to bring these striking red vehicles to life.

“They perfectly reflect Marlborough’s bold identity, and we’re proud to support them with equipment, technology and aftercare that will perform reliably throughout the winter season and beyond.”

Matt Hoiles, Head of Transport & Plant, Marlborough Highways, said: “We’re proud to see these new gritters join our fleet as we head into the winter season. They reflect our commitment to investing in high-quality, reliable equipment that supports our teams to deliver for our clients and communities.”

The latest performance report, using 2024–25 data and national statistics published in December 2025, shows that children and young people in North Lanarkshire are performing in line with, and in some areas above, national averages.

Schools across North Lanarkshire are showing positive signs of progress, with new figures highlighting improvements in attainment, reduced exclusions and continued success in inspections.

The latest performance report, using 2024–25 data and national statistics published in December 2025, shows that children and young people in North Lanarkshire are performing in line with, and in some areas above, national averages.

“It’s part of a co-ordinated effort over many years by this authority to raise attainment and skills, enhance opportunities and choices, and support all young people to realise their full potential,” explains Councillor Michael McBride, convener of the council’s Education, Children and Families Committee.

In primary schools, combined P1, P4 and P7 results in literacy and numeracy remain strong overall, with numeracy continuing to be a particular strength.

Children in P1 have consistently achieved above national averages in both literacy and numeracy over the past five years.

While P4 results dipped slightly this year, long-term trends remain positive, and P7 literacy continues to outperform national levels.

At secondary stage, S3 attainment has reached its highest levels on record. Third level literacy is now above the national average, while fourth level literacy has increased sharply, significantly closing the gap with national performance. Fourth level numeracy has also risen strongly and is now close to the national figure.

READ MORE: North Lanarkshire councillors endorse work being undertaken to reduce pressure on hospital services

The report also shows continued progress in closing the poverty-related attainment gap. Across primary and secondary stages, gaps in literacy and numeracy remain below national levels and are now at their lowest points on record in several areas.

North Lanarkshire Council has also exceeded the national teacher workforce target, with pupil–teacher ratios remaining stable and favourable.

Inspection outcomes remain a key strength, with most inspections graded “Good” or better. Early years settings, in particular, have seen a clear shift towards consistently good ratings.

Councillor Michael McBride welcomed the findings, adding: “This report shows the real impact of the hard work taking place every day in our schools and early years settings. “We are seeing our strongest ever S3 results, narrowing attainment gaps and continued positive inspection outcomes.

READ MORE: North Lanarkshire Council budget sees seven per cent council tax rise

“We are determined to build on this success, with a particular focus on targeted support in P4 numeracy and writing, further work to tackle persistent absence, and continued action to reduce inequality.

“Overall, this a very positive picture of progress for our children and young people.”

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READ MORE: North Lanarkshire SNP group accuse Labour-run council of implementing ‘unnecessarily high council tax rise’ in budget

Patients are being left in ‘sheer panic’ as some pharmacies are starting to say ‘everything else is gone’.

Many Brits are currently being impacted by a worrying medication shortage in the UK, with pharmacies starting to run out of supply to meet patient prescriptions. Worryingly, some pharmacies in the country only have a “trickle” of aspirin left, which is used by millions of Brits.

As a result, the UK Government has put the pain relieving drug on its export ban list in a bid to protect the UK’s already limited supplies. The current shortage is surrounding the 75mg aspirin, which is taken by people who have a history of strokes, chronic kidney disease, heart disease, and by some people with diabetes.

Used by Brits up and down the country, pharmacies running out of the drug is extremely worrying as by law they are not allowed to move patients onto another variation of the medication without it being signed off by their GP. This means that while the 300mg aspirin is not running out, patients can’t just be given the medication.

Speaking on BBC Radio Four’s Inside Health programme, National Pharmacy Association chair Olivier Picard has described how the current shortage is impacting patients in the UK. With his own pharmacies experiencing problems sourcing the drug, this is also a worrying time for his pharmacists, reports the Express.

Picard said: “It is hit and miss with pharmacies at the moment. I have one pharmacy with a trickle. I was in a pharmacy earlier where I asked ‘do you have any aspirin’ and my pharmacy said ‘I have 16 tablets left in a pack of 100 everything else has gone.’”

He added: “I have another pharmacy which has a few packs of 28 which will probably keep us going for a couple of days and then that is that.” While these stroke prevention drugs are usually readily available, Picard has shared that patients have been left in “sheer panic”.

Picard explained: “You look at sheer panic on their face primarily because they know the importance of taking aspirin and they’ve never had a supply issue.

“That person is saying ‘I’m about to run out what am I going to do then’ and that is really the difficult question to answer because pharmacies are not able to change a prescription and therefore by law even if I have a different strength of a medication or an equivalent medication on the shelf I have to send the patient back to the doctor to have something else prescribed.”

According to Picard, the supply chain shortage is “complicated” as manufacturers aren’t only UK companies but are European-wide, with the UK having some of the cheapest generic prices. These prices have come down further as the Government is preventing too much spending on drugs while prescriptions numbers have risen.

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As a result, the manufacturers are now saying they don’t get a good enough return from the UK and are instead beginning to concentrate on other EU markets such as France, Italy and Germany as they are paying a lot more for aspirin.

Picard added: “Unfortunately today we have a list of over 250 items, of course aspirin is on that list, there are some blood pressure medications and also antidepressants.

“Lots of medications are affected and the list is growing simply because the prices that we are offering manufacturers in this country have come to be so low that the manufacturers are pulling out of the UK market. It’s as simple as that.”

Picard said that a temporary solution would be to give pharmacies the power to change prescriptions as this would allow people to get the medication they need while they head back to their GP to find an alternative solution.

Dr Zubir Ahmen, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department of Health and Social Care, said: “The Department is aware of a recent disruption to the supply of aspirin dispersible tablets and are working with suppliers to understand the causes and aid a return to normal supply as soon as possible.

“Supply issues have been addressed, and stock is regularly being made available for pharmacies to order. We are working with all partners in the supply chain, including manufacturers and United Kingdom distributors, to ensure maximum accessibility to pharmacies and hospitals irrespective of where they are in the country.

“The Department will continue to monitor the situation and expects supplies to return to normal over the coming weeks.”

For the Democrats, state representative James Talarico defeated Dallas-based US Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and will advance to the general election. The Republican race was not decided on Tuesday, as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and US Senator John Cornyn, the incumbent, each finished with less than 50% of the overall vote. The two men will advance to a run-off election on 26 May.

The actor rose to fame on the hit Stephen Graham Netflix series Adolescence last year

Owen Cooper has made history by becoming the youngest Soccer Aid participant in the event’s history as players for its 2026 installment were revealed.

The 16-year-old actor rose to fame last year when he starred alongside Stephen Graham in Netflix sensation Adolescence. The series followed Graham as a father struggling to deal with what his teenage son, played by Cooper, is capable of after he’s charged with the murder of a teenage girl.

Consisting of four episodes, each one was filmed using the one-shot technique. Praised for how it handles themes of toxic masculinity and social media, Adolescence was made available to all secondary schools across the UK. On top of this, it was a big winner this awards season, with Cooper winning an Emmy and a Golden Globe.

Since starring in one of the most-watched UK programmes of all time, Cooper has gone on to appear in a Sam Fender music video and made an appearance in Emerald Fennell’s hit adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights.

It was announced on Tuesday (March 3) that Cooper will make his debut at Soccer Aid as part of the England team, becoming the youngest player to participate in the charity event in the process.

Despite not being born when the first Soccer Aid took place, Cooper said that he’s a ‘big fan’ of the fundraising event and thinks making history with his age is a ‘real honour’. Other debutants playing at the London Stadium in May to raise money for UNICEF include F1 star Damson Idris and internet personality GK Barry.

Cooper said: “I’m incredibly proud to be playing at Soccer Aid for UNICEF in its 20th anniversary year. I wasn’t even born when the first Soccer Aid took place but I’m a big fan! Becoming the youngest player to take part is a real honour and I’m excited to step out at the London Stadium on May 31.

“This event raises vital funds to help children grow up safe, healthy and able to play – and I’m grateful to be part of such an important cause.”

Also among the debutants this year are former rugby player Joe Marler, Radio DJ Jordan North and Gladiator Nitro, whose real name is Harry Aikines-Aryeetey. The latter was seen competing on Strictly Come Dancing last year.

Making reference to his stint on the Celebrity Traitors last autumn, Marler joked that he will be ‘faithful’ to an ‘amazing cause’ as he swaps the rugby pitch for the football pitch. While North noted that he’s ‘excited and slightly terrified’ to take part.

Those returning to Soccer Aid to play in the England team include former England footballer Jill Scott, TV presenter Paddy McGuinness, singer Olly Murs and actor Tom Hiddleston. They will be joined by singer-songwriter Tom Grennan and reality TV star Sam Thompson.

Stars returning to play in the Soccer Aid World XI FC team include Olympic runner Usain Bolt, comedian Maisie Adam, rapper Big Zuu, Scottish actor Richard Gadd and The Last Leg’s Alex Brooker.

Music star Robbie Williams, who co-founded the concept which raises money for children around the world, will also return to the pitch and be a part of this year’s England management team.

This year’s show will be hosted by Unicef UK ambassador and This Morning presenter Dermot O’Leary, who will be joined by sports presenter and former footballer Alex Scott, while broadcaster Sam Matterface returns as commentator.

To commemorate 60 years since England won the World Cup, the England team will take to the pitch in the white home kit from the 1966 match, while the Soccer Aid World XI FC will wear a bespoke Adidas kit.

The game will be played with the same footballs being used in the World Cup this summer. More famous participants will be revealed in the coming weeks and a 20th anniversary half-time entertainment show will also be announced.

Soccer Aid will be broadcast on ITV1, STV and ITVX on May 31.

Football has become so bonkers that a player can be booked for taking his shirt off – but escape punishment for cheating in a bid to influence a referee

Harry Maguire was supposed to be one of the last bastions of honesty and decency when it came to footballers deserving of our respect.

But with one cretinous moment – he left his reputation in ruins. Going viral on social media and trending on X is never a good place to be for footballers like Maguire.

It tends to mean the person in question has done something mindless. And so it was that the England and Manchester United defender found himself at the centre of peoples’ attention, in the wake of his decision to claim he’d been kicked in the head during his side’s home win over Crystal Palace.

He then made a bad situation worse, when reacting like he’d been assaulted. The problem was, Jorgen Strand Larsen had never touched him. Not even close. Who’d have thought fresh air could be so dangerous?

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Maguire won a free kick, but not satisfied with his astonishing moment of deception, he remonstrated with the linesman, to complain it had been the second time Larsen had booted him in the bonce.

Having spent time in Maguire’s company while covering England and United, it has to be said he has always come across as a thoroughly likeable chap.

Engaging, polite, helpful and genuine. Which makes his moment of madness even more difficult to fathom. Football has enough liars and cheats in it, without someone like Maguire adding to the numbers.

But how can it be right that someone like Maguire can do something like this – and escape punishment?

How can we find ourselves living in a world in which a footballer can be booked for the heinous crime of removing his shirt, but escape caution for blatant cheating?

Earlier this season, Everton manager David Moyes got booked for celebrating a late goal at Brighton. His offence had been to run onto the pitch. Yet Maguire is allowed to use foul means in a bid to influence a referee, and isn’t punished.

And we wonder why the behaviour of footballers continues to leave right-minded people shaking their heads in despair. Maguire should have been charged with bringing the game into disrepute.

What example is this to set to young supporters, or future generations of players? No doubt Maguire will regret what he did. He will feel embarrassed, if he has the stomach to watch replays of the incident.

But perhaps the most stupid mistake of all he made, was to think he could do what he did without the cameras picking it up and exposing him.

Enhancing the belief that the propensity of footballers to be unimaginably stupid continues to know no bounds.

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One of the two men being investigated over the murder of a Belfast dad-of-one in a Spanish holiday resort has been shot dead on the Costa Blanca.

Michael Maly, arrested in January last year as the suspected accomplice of John George’s Northern Ireland-born alleged killer Johnny Smyth, was gunned down in the early hours of Sunday morning in Torrevieja south of Alicante.

Czech Republic national Maly was arrested on suspicion of homicide shortly after the January 7, 2025 discovery of Mr George’s body in an orchard in Rojales near Torrevieja.

An investigating judge released the 33-year-old on bail after telling him he would continue to probe him as a suspected abettor to the murder.

Mr George’s suspected killer, Smyth, married to a 21-year-old OnlyFans model, spent most of last year in prison after being arrested at an Airbnb in northern Portugal and extradited to Spain.

He was told he could leave his Costa remand cell last December after paying £87,000 bail. Neither Smyth nor Maly had been formally charged, as is normal in Spain, where prosecution indictments are only submitted shortly before trial.

Former soldier Maly was shot dead on a street close to the sea on a residential estate called Rocio del Mar, just above Punta Prima Beach, a short drive south of Torrevieja town centre.

A local raised the alarm around 1.30 am on Sunday after finding the victim lying on the ground with head wounds.

Paramedics raced to the scene but were unable to do anything to save his life.

No arrests are yet thought to have been made and police are said to be keeping an open mind about the possible motive.

The Civil Guard, the force leading the murder probe, has made no official comment so far.

Maly’s murder is the latest of a series of violent crimes which have rocked the southern part of the Costa Blanca, a Spanish holiday hotspot which has become the epicentre of drug-fuelled wars between rival gangs with heavy British and Irish involvement.

On December 21 last year a 29-year-old British man’s bullet-riddled body was found at a residential property in an area known as Campoamor in Orihuela Costa just north of Torrevieja.

The Civil Guard didn’t confirm the grim discovery until December 29, saying officers had been alerted about a body at the place where they found the dead man and the investigation had been put in the hands of a homicide unit.

An arrest has been made and the man held was remanded to jail last month but police, believed to be looking at making more detentions, have yet to make any official comment.

News of the December killing emerged less than three weeks after a British man cheated death after being shot at least three times in an underground car park in the same area.

In May last year, an Irishman was critically injured after being shot in the head close to a shopping centre near Torrevieja called La Zenia Boulevard. Two suspects were arrested a fortnight later on suspicion of the attempted murder.

Last June, a second 29-year-old Irishman was stabbed in the neck from behind as he was having a pee near the same shopping centre and left needing an emergency life-saving operation.

A 58-year-old Irishman was arrested over the knife attack the following month.

Belfast man Mr George’s body was found after anguished appeals by his family following his disappearance in December 2024.

Maly is understood to have led detectives to his body.

Johnny Smyth’s new OnlyFans wife, Madison, who he married in Gibraltar in secret after they fled Spain following John George’s murder, has had several brushes with the law herself in recent months.

She spent ten days behind bars herself in September following a first arrest after cops pulled over her Audi A5 Cabrio and discovered nearly a kilo of crystal meth and 30 grams of cannabis resin inside, before she was released from custody.

Her second arrest occurred after two loaded pistols were found in a car she was driving following a police stop. Three other men were in the vehicle with her but only two were arrested, a British national and an Irish national, because one fled.

Madison and the other two men remain under investigation by a judge on suspicion of unlawful weapons possession.

A local newspaper reported in January police were investigating a possible link between the gun find and the December 21 murder of the British man whose identity has not been made public.

There has not yet been any official confirmation cops are probing whether the two could be connected.

Since her second arrest Madison Smyth has been involved in a third incident which led to police being called and a court probe launched.

She was allegedly at the wheel of a car that crashed into another vehicle with four British nationals inside on January 16 in El Campello near Alicante. One of the four occupants, a 54-year-old man, died.

Madison was read her rights at the scene of the crash but not formally arrested. She was later told she was being investigated on suspicion of a crime of negligence resulting in death.

In January, the Liverpool Echo reported that investigators in Spain and the UK were probing the disappearance of a Merseyside man.

To ensure you don’t miss out on all the latest from Belfast Live, be sure to make us your preferred source on Google.

Temperatures will peak at 14C at around 2pm, holding steady for three hours until falling slightly to reach 13C at 5pm.

Thursday and Friday are expected to be even warmer, reaching peaks of 15C, though this is coupled with an increased chance of rain on both days.

Sunny skies in Bolton today (Image: BBC)

The rainy spell begins on Thursday afternoon, with the BBC predicting increasingly high chances of rain from 1pm onwards.

This will peak late on Thursday evening and in the early hours of Friday morning, with the BBC predicting an 80 per cent chance of rain at 6am.

Clouds gather in time for an overcast weekend, though Saturday is predicted to remain dry, reaching highs of around 11C.

There is a low but present chance of rain on Sunday, however, but sun is expected to peek through the clouds, reaching highs of around 12C from 2pm to 5pm.

But today there isn’t a hint of cloud, so make sure you enjoy the good weather while it lasts.

A notorious Sicilian mafia boss who was behind several murders has died in an Italian prison.

Benedetto “Nitto” Santapaola, who was one of the Cosa Nostra mafia’s most powerful leaders, died at the age of 87 in a high-security jail in Milan.

Santapaola, known as “il cacciatore” (the hunter) or “il licantropo” (the werewolf), led the mafia in the eastern Sicilian city of Catania from the late 1970s to the early 1990s.

He was arrested in 1993 after 11 years on the run, but was accused of continuing to run the mafia from behind bars.

The 87-year-old was serving multiple life sentences for murder and other crimes when he died.

Murders and massacres

While leading the Cosa Nostra in Catania, Santapaola expanded the mafia’s influence in controlling public contracts, extortion and drug trafficking.

He was often cited in investigations and trials related to a series of mafia massacres that plagued Italy in the 1980s and 1990s.

Among them were the 1992 murders of Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, two of Italy’s most famous anti-mafia prosecutors. Santapaola was convicted as one of the instigators of the attacks, which also killed several protection officers and Mr Falcone’s wife.

He was also convicted of ordering the murders of journalist Giuseppe Fava in 1984 and police inspector Giovanni Lizzio in 1992.

Mafia wars

Santapaola’s mafia “family” was involved in violent and bloody feuds with rivals, like those against fellow mobster Alfio Ferlito in the 1980s and against the Cursoti, Cappello and Pillera clans in the early 1990s.

The latter mafia wars resulted in over 220 murders in the city of Catania and the wider province in two years.

Santapaola’s wife, Carmela Minniti, was by his side when he was arrested in 1993. She was shot dead two years later by a former member of a rival mafia clan, who said he killed her for revenge to make Santapaola feel the same pain he had suffered.

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Santapaola’s requests for house arrest or detention in a medical facility due to his health conditions, which included a serious form of diabetes, were repeatedly denied.

Prosecutors in Milan have ordered an autopsy, but Italian media reports he died of natural causes after being admitted to hospital in late February.

Britain will deploy HMS Dragon and helicopters with anti-drone capabilities in Cyprus, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed.

The prime minister said on social media he had spoken with the president of Cyprus about deploying the Type 45 destroyer, which is the only type of equipment the Royal Navy has to shoot down ballistic missiles.

It confirmed an earlier report from our security and defence editor Deborah Haynes the UK was considering the deployment of a Type 45 air defence destroyer to Cyprus to help defend the RAF bases there.

It is not thought HMS Dragon, currently in Portsmouth, will head off on Tuesday.

But the ship, which should take five to seven days to get to the region, will be leaving shortly.

Iran latest: UK confirms it is sending warship to Cyprus

In a post on X, Sir Keir said: “The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there.

“We’re continuing our defensive operations and I’ve just spoken with the president of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region.

“We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies.”

It comes after RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was hit by a drone, which caused minimal damage and resulted in no casualties.

Hours before, Sir Keir had granted permission on Sunday for the US to use British bases for “defensive” strikes on Iran’s missile strikes, a day after the launch of joint American-Israeli action against Tehran over the weekend.

The UK has six Type 45 air defence destroyers, but not all are thought to be available for active service.

Haynes said: “This Type 45 Destroyer is fitted with the latest counter ballistic missile defences, which means that it will bring an extra layer of protection to British forces in the region, not just in Cyprus but obviously across the Gulf too, and as well to the UK’s allies.”

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She added: “The prime minister has already said how allies in the region had been turning to the UK, asking them to do more to help defend their skies as Iran retaliates to the US and Israeli operation against that country by launching barrages of missiles and drones into the region.”

“There will be questions over why this is happening only now. It’s going to take a few days for that warship to… make its way to Cyprus or to the waters around Cyprus, presumably.

“And given the fact it was very clear the potential for the US to launch operations against Iran, and for the subsequent consequences to mean a greater threat to the British forces in the region.”

Thousands of Britons are stranded in the Middle East, unable to get home after hundreds of flights were cancelled.

Also on Tuesday, it was announced by the Ministry of Defence that RAF F-35B jets shot down drones over Jordan – the first time an RAF F-35 has destroyed a target on operations.