A dispersal order, giving officers powers to arrest people who have been told to leave the area, is in place for York city centre until midnight on Monday (September 14), North Yorkshire Police said.

The force said extra patrols have also been deployed in the area after officers received reports of “individuals causing a nuisance and damage within business premises, climbing scaffolding, and being involved in shop thefts”. 

“This behaviour is unacceptable and is having a negative impact on businesses, residents and visitors to the city,” a police spokesperson said.

They urged parents and guardians to ensure they know where their children are.

“If you believe your child may be among the groups involved, please contact them and arrange for them to leave the city centre,” the police spokesperson said.

“Our priority is to keep York safe for everyone.”

They added: “Additional patrols are in the area and officers will continue to take robust action against anyone involved in criminality, anti-social behaviour, disorder or theft.

“We would like to thank local businesses and members of the public for their patience and support while officers deal with the situation.

“Anyone who witnesses criminal behaviour or has information about those involved should report it.

“If a crime is in progress or there is an immediate threat to safety, call 999. Otherwise, report information via our website or by calling 101.”

It’s no secret that Prince Harry and Meghan have relocated to the Cotswolds and no one is more delighted than long-term resident Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. 

The Prince Of Pattern, 61, predicts 45-year-old Meghan’s popularity could soar if she embraces an ordinary life there, emulating down-to-earth Kate Middleton, 44. 

He said: ‘William and Kate live a very ordinary lifestyle for royals. Yes, it’s a very schmanzy lifestyle, it’s very Waitrose, but they don’t have the sort of world you would anticipate if you watched the Princess Diaries. 

‘They don’t even have the opulence you would see Hollywood A-listers having. They take the kids to school, to the rugby fixtures, the flute practise… the ordinary stuff is very part of their lives.

‘I think this is the sort of life Harry wants. If Meghan can lean into that and relax a bit, enjoy it and let us appreciate her for who she actually is, rather than who she feels she ought to be, that’s one of the [important] things. 

‘The thing about Harry is he’s genuine. Sometimes too genuine. That’s why everyone absolutely loved him. 

The Prince Of Pattern, 61, said: ‘William and Kate live a very ordinary life. Yes, it’s very Waitrose, but they don’t have the sort of life you might anticipate if you watched the Princess Diaries’ (stock image) 

‘When Kate is talking to people, she’s actually really interested in what they are saying… She is not trying to make some sort of point. 

He added: ‘We don’t see Kate as often as we used to, but when we do, it’s incredibly special. 

‘When she smiles at someone, it’s like a floodlight. She is absolutely fixed on who they are and what they are saying and what they’re all about and that’s such an incredibly important part of the new royal mystique.

‘The royals used to be quite distant but now, when they do descend from the heavens, when we do bump into them, we want them to be relatable.

‘King Charles is more relatable these days than he has ever been and at this point more relatable than what we have seen of Meghan. 

‘That’s a man who has grown up in an extraordinary way but he really understands his nation. But let’s see where it goes.’ 

Laurence recalled how down-to-earth Harry, 41, was when growing up at Highgrove, saying: ‘Everyone loved Harry for his banter.

‘The amount of times I saw him queuing up for a tandoori or looking very hungover in Waitrose on a Sunday morning, trying to sort out the way he felt before he went to have Sunday lunch with his dad. 

‘Harry is like the Prince Of Bants. With the duchess, it will be a very different life to the one she’s known. 

‘She is going to have to watch the white jeans, because it’s so muddy here. We need to see muddy Meghan at the tandoori. Just by doing that, she’d seduce the nation.

He continued: ‘They will enjoy being themselves a lot more if they let their hair down and let their freak flag fly. We are very down and dirty here and Harry knows that.’

Laurence said the British way of life is quite different to the Californian one. 

‘Meghan has always found it quite difficult to understand that we in Britain are in it for the bants,’ he said. ‘Particularly with our famous people. 

‘When Brits see you in the street, they feel that they are part of your fame. They’ve paid the licence fee. it’s like they are small investors, so they do feel quite proprietorial. 

‘Us Brits express that by being jolly and rather off hand, We’re not sycophantic to famous people and I think Meghan found that really difficult. Whereas, in America, you put people on a pedestal until they really f*** it up.

‘In this country, we are used to seeing Jeremy Clarkson at the chip shop and Nigella on the bus. Being famous doesn’t stop you from being part of society. As long as she understands that. Being royal doesn’t really protect you from that.’  

Laurence recalled how down-to-earth Harry, 41, was when growing up at Highgrove, saying he would see him in the local tandoori or hungover at Waitrose 

Laurence is convinced that the return to the UK is perfect for the couple because Meghan will be drawn by the A-list international appeal, with the likes of Beyonce, Jay-Z, the Beckhams, Taylor Swift and Ellen DeGeneres all frequenting the area.  

He said: ‘It’s all about childhood memories for him and looking to rebuild your life on an emotional level. He wants his children to have the safe identity that he had. 

‘He had a terrible childhood, there is no shrinking from it. The death of his mother was appalling. 

‘The royal family did an incredible job of trying to support William and Harry but this was a terrible thing to happen. Harry’s going out of his way to make sure a lot of things that happened to him, aren’t going to happen to his children. 

‘This is very much about bringing the children back to have a British education to be part of the British side of their family history and spend more time with the King. 

‘King Charles is working harder than ever but he has his cancer diagnosis. We all realise how fragile life is at that age. I am approaching that age myself. It’s like sniper alley. There’s so much that can go wrong.’

Laurence has previously branded Meghan, The Duchess Of Beige, but hopes the couple will embrace colour in their Cotswolds home.

He said: ‘The majority of Cotwolds houses were built by people who loved pattern and colour. It’s a great celebration of all the countryside outside – but beige is the colour of nature when it has died.

‘They will enjoy being themselves a lot more if they really let their hair down and don’t feel everything has to be perfect, the colour of oatmeal and perfectly manicured. You can do what you want to do here.’ 

In sad news for Meghan and her As Ever business enterprise, Laurence is not a condiment lover, saying: ‘I have never really understood the point of jam.’ 

But he does admit he was ‘rather intrigued by Meghan’s wildflower sprinkles’ and is interested to see how much of her business empire comes to the UK with her. 

‘If I was on Meghan’s team,’ he said. ‘I would be trying to get her in with Lady Bamford who is the great creative driving force behind Daylesford.

‘The Meghan brand would definitely sit very well there if they were looking for a collab.’

Laurence said Meghan needs to hang out at his end of the Cotswolds and would love to extend an invite for an afternoon tea, saying: ‘It’s posh here, but it’s very Jilly Cooper. Very naughty.’ 

Laurence Lleweyn-Bowen is host of The Royal Beat on True Royalty TV and is gearing to launch his new YouTube Channel LLB The Home of Home this coming January. 

Anty John’s has become almost as familiar to Owen family fans as the farmhouse where Amanda and Clive raised their nine children.

The centuries-old property is being transformed from a derelict building into a family home, with the painstaking project providing the central storyline for More4’s Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive and Kids.

But it is not another property elsewhere in the Yorkshire Dales.

Anty John’s really is close to Ravenseat.

Anty John’s Aerial View (Image: CHANNEL4)

The farmhouse’s official name is High Smithy Holme, and it stands in Muker parish in Upper Swaledale.

Reports put the property roughly a mile from Ravenseat, while local walking routes link the two sites through Upper Swaledale.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park describes a route from Ravenseat across the moors towards Smithy Holme and down past Anty John’s.

That proximity helps explain why the building has become such a major project for the Owen family.

Instead of buying a conventional village or town house, they have taken on another historic property in the remote landscape that shaped life at Ravenseat.

Anty John’s is a Grade II-listed building dating from the early 18th century.

Historic England describes High Smithy Holme as a farmhouse and byre under one roof, built from coursed rubble and covered with stone slate.

Historic England also records a striking link to the property’s past.

The building is believed to have been home to Anthony Clarkson, who prepared Swaledale’s tithe maps.

That history has become part of the programme, with Amanda investigating former residents as work continues around her.

But history was only one of the family’s challenges when they took on the building.

Years of neglect left Anty John’s needing major work before it could become a home.

Viewers have watched the family and builders tackle the roof and stonework before moving on to floors, heating, plumbing, plastering and the rooms themselves.

The third series marked a major turning point.

After months of work on the exterior, the focus shifted inside.

Episodes showed the family firing up underfloor heating, progressing with plastering and Amanda hunting for a traditional fireplace as farming continued nearby.

Because it is close to Ravenseat, the two properties have become intertwined on screen.

One moment viewers are watching work inside the old farmhouse; the next, they are back with livestock, children and jobs at Ravenseat.

Ravenseat Farm (Image: CHANNEL4)

Even the journey between the properties can create problems.

In series three, Sid and Amanda investigated a collapsed bridge on a key track before Clive and Reuben joined the repair work.

That remoteness shows the scale of the Owens’ challenge.

Anty John’s is not a town-edge renovation with builders’ merchants and services nearby.

It stands in rugged Upper Swaledale, where narrow roads, harsh weather and long distances are part of daily life.

The two properties also mark different chapters in the Owen family’s story.

Ravenseat is where viewers first came to know Amanda, Clive and their nine children through Our Yorkshire Farm.

Anty John’s is the next chapter.

As the Owen children have grown up and the family’s television story has changed, the once-derelict farmhouse has become their next huge shared project.

The title Our Farm Next Door, therefore, is more literal than some viewers might realise.

Anty John’s sits in the same isolated corner of the Yorkshire Dales as the farm that made the Owens famous, keeping Ravenseat and the restoration within one family story.

Just an hour from Cambridge lies a town that is packed with character, from its thriving high street with independent retailers to its quaint waterfront and picturesque canal walks

While Cambridge has just about everything we need, it’s a little too landlocked to deliver any seaside magic.

Happily, the Norfolk coast is rich with excellent coastal spots, and many are only an hour from Cambridge. If you do head east, you’ll stumble across a charming town offering waterfront views, alongside its Georgian high street lined with independent shops, trendy coffee houses and an indoor market that has been running for more than 800 years.

Nestled in south-east Leicestershire, just an hour’s drive from Cambridge, is the historic town of Market Harborough. Thanks to its train links to London and market-town charm with a thriving high street, it has been named by the Sunday Times as one of the best places to live in the Midlands for the fourth year in a row, and certainly warrants a visit.

The winding River Welland runs directly through the town, and it also has the quaint Union Wharf lined with narrowboats and winding paths to follow along the river. The Waterfront restaurant is perfect for an al fresco bite and a drink with picturesque views in a town that has seemingly gone a little under the radar.

Adding to its waterways are the Foxton Locks, a Grade II listed site home to the longest and steepest flight of staircase canal locks in Britain, with ample walking routes to meander along. There’s the pub, Foxton Locks Inn, to stop by at one end of the notorious locks, which are a beautiful and historic landmark to explore, along with the idyllic café, Lock Keepers Cottage, at the other end.

Back in the town centre of Market Harborough, the renowned wide high street is characterised by its preserved architecture, including the stilted 17th-century timber-framed Old Grammar School, which takes centre stage. Now a museum, the beautiful building sits just beside the 14th-century St Dionysius’ Church with its Gothic tower and broach spire.

Housed in some of its ancient architecture are independent shops alongside branded stores, perfect for a day out shopping. There’s also the indoor market, which has been running since 1204 and was named the ‘best small indoor market’ in 2025, thanks to its traders offering everything from collectables and cakes, cheese, and crepes to beauty products, children’s shoes, books, jewellery, and woodcrafts.

After exploring the town, there are lots of inviting places to stop for a warming cuppa and a sweet treat, including Fran’s Coffee and Bakehouse, Milo’s Café and Two Old Goats. For lunch, there’s Loch&Bonnie for a packed-out bagel, or The Garage Bakehouse serving up Báhn Mì (Vietnamese) baguettes.

Following a visit, one happy traveller hailed The Garage Bakehouse for having “insane sandwiches” that are “simply incredible!” While another exclaimed that their New York Deli sandwich was the “best sandwich I have ever had”.

Ascough’s Bistro is another favourite in the area, offering inventive dishes made with local produce, while Rocksalt Bistro is recommended for seafood lovers. The Beerhouse is perfect for grabbing a drink, while the cosy Wine Shed is ideal for a class of vino, and Rio Bravo is a vibrant Mexican restaurant serving up nachos, tacos and margaritas!

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

There is only one reason why Vladimir Putin is launching his vicious attacks on Ukrainian railways – including the otherwise pointless destruction of a stationary civilian shunting locomotive yesterday, only a mile or so from the Polish border.

The reason is that after four and a half years of a cruel and unnecessary war, in which he has lost 1.5million men, the Russian leader is getting absolutely desperate.

He is posting record losses every month – more than 40,000 men either killed or wounded so seriously that they cannot fight again, in both July and August.

Russia has not sustained losses like this since the Second World War. In the ten-year Afghan conflict, the Russians lost 15,000 men – and that was enough to help trigger the collapse of communism.

Putin cannot go on like this, and he knows it. He is killing more Russians (and assorted tragic North Koreans) than he can possibly recruit – not without a general mobilisation.

And he knows that Russian mothers will not allow that to happen. They will not send a whole generation to be slaughtered in the trenches of the Donbas, chased to death by the Ukrainian drones with the inevitability of wounded deer in flight before the wolves.

Putin knows the mood is even starting to change among Moscow military commentators, with some of his most bloviating and bombastic supporters now calling for talks. They have been appalled by the success of the Ukrainian drones. They have watched the roofs of their mighty oil refineries blown off like biscuit tins.

They have queued for hours for petrol – in one of the great oil and gas exporting countries in the world; and then found that 28 per cent of Russian stations supply fuel of such poor quality that you risk damaging your car’s engine.

There is a limit to the credulity of the Russian public, and the willingness of the Russian media to keep up the pretence that the war is going well.

This was supposed to be the decisive fighting season, and yet the gains have been trivial, and in some cases Putin’s forces have even been going backwards. The Russian leader is never going to take the Fortress Belt of the Donbas, not without sacrificing millions. He is never going to take the city of Zaporizhiyya. That is why he has been stepping up his attacks on the railways, sending more and more missiles at passenger trains in what can only be described as terroristic attacks. There have been more attacks on passenger trains in the past six months than in the whole of the preceding four years.

It will not work. I know the Ukrainian railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia, very well. I have travelled in great comfort on their network for thousands of miles and indeed I passed through that border station shortly before yesterday’s explosion.

The company has already lost 1,700 employees to Putin’s utterly criminal attacks. They are heroes. They will not give in now. They are capable of rebuilding track and bridges with prodigious speed, and the civilian population of passengers continues to show a phlegmatic ability to endure Putin’s blitz. As one Ukrainian woman put it to me at the weekend: ‘It’s terrible to admit this, but we just learn to adapt and get on with our lives.’

The only way to get this foul war over is to show Putin the truth – that he has no chance of winning. That means doing much more to help the Ukrainians.

There have been more attacks on passenger trains in the past six months than in the whole of the preceding four years

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This weekend I visited the astonishing Ukrainian drone and missile start-up, Firepoint. They are now world leaders. They make the world’s best cruise missile – the Flamingo, that has been so devastating against Putin’s oil and gas industry.

But now they need to defend the trains and the cities, against Putin’s ballistic missiles, and against the new jet-powered Shaheeds. The Ukrainians desperately need better air defences, and with so many US Patriots being used up in the Gulf region, they have to be helped to make their own.

We need to give them the ‘seeker’ tracking systems to help them to take out Putin’s fast drones and neutralise his intercontinental ballistic missiles. It can be done, but it needs to be done fast.

Ukraine faces a grim winter, in which Putin is plainly going to step up his attempts to kill and terrify civilians – at work, at home, and on their way to work.

In the face of his new cruelty, and his new ruthlessness, we need a new seriousness from the West.

We need to help them to open the Black Sea ports, and get Ukrainian grain and other produce moving again.

We need to give them Starlink access to the skies above Russia, so they can take out the missile sites and bases that are being used to attack their populations.

We need to unfreeze the hundreds of billions of Russian cash – in Brussels and other Western capitals – and allow the Ukrainians to use it to fund their effort.

Putin will squeal. He will accuse the West of escalation – as he has at every stage in this conflict, of which he was the sole author, and which he could end tomorrow.

He will squeal because he is increasingly desperate. In the attacks on passenger trains, we see the bared teeth of a cornered rat. Sooner or later, he knows he will have to desist, and the more pressure we apply now, the sooner that moment will come.

Mark Wakeman, owner of Bakewell Pet Supplies, has been receiving multiple calls over undelivered online orders, despite his business not having a website

Hundreds of customers have been demanding to know where their online orders are after being scammed by fraudsters posing as a well-established Peak District pet shop.

Mark Wakeman, who owns Bakewell Pet Supplies, in Derbyshire, has been getting an average of 30 calls a day from people who are waiting to receive online orders from what they believe to be his store.

However, Mark’s store does not have a website and he knows nothing about their orders. This is because someone has stolen his business’ name, including his email and location, and is subsequently impersonating the store, Derbyshire Live reports.

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The shop owner has reported the situation to Report Fraud – formerly Action Fraud – however he says he is receiving no help for the problem. Mr Wakeman, also a local councillor, says the problem, which first came to light at the end of May, is getting worse and he is worried his business is going to suffer as a result.

He said: “Sometimes we have had as many as 50 calls in a day, and we have also had people turning up at the shop wanting to know where their goods are that they have paid for, and they can get quite angry. I have to break the news to them that there aren’t any goods and that they need to report the problem to the fraud people or at least to the police.

“They don’t seem to understand that there is nothing we seem to be able to do to get the other site taken down or stopped, and they blame us for the situation. I am very upset that nothing seems to be being done about it, and I feel so helpless.

“Initially, when we told the fraud people, it seemed to calm down, but in recent weeks it has just got worse. We have contacted everyone we can to try to get this sorted, but no one seems bothered.

“We are being warned to look out for fraud and scamming all the time, and then when it happens, nothing. Other businesses without websites could also be under threat.”

The 47-year-old took to his genuine Facebook account to explain the situation, but he says this doesn’t seem to have helped. The fake business is getting bad reviews on the uk.trustpilot.com site, which appears to be linked to the USA, but Mr Wakeman says people could interpret them as relating to his own genuine business.

He said: “In desperation, I have gone to Derbyshire Live to help get the message out there that people should not trade online with a company posing as us. We have also put our own message on the uk.trustpilot.com site, trying to warn people.”

The message says: “Please do not buy from this site, they take your money and no goods are received. We are Bakewell Pet Supplies, a small shop in Bakewell and do not have a website. These fraudsters are imitating our company and using our details. We are doing everything to get this site taken down. If you have purchased, please contact Report Fraud.”

Mr Wakeman added: “At one point, the fraudulent site seemed to be removed, but then when Report Fraud decided not to pursue it further, it went back up again – so I am at a loss to know what is going on.

“And we haven’t had any help from Report Fraud Victim Services support, probably because we are not the direct victims claiming money back, although the damage which is being done to our business could be incalculable.

“Anyone who has been affected by this should report it to Report Fraud, and maybe if some of the hundreds of people who have been in touch with us do that, then someone will please take notice.”

When contacted for comment on the action they would be taking in response to the incident, Report Fraud told Derbyshire Live: “Report Fraud can confirm that it received the complaint on May 29, 2026. It was assessed by the Report Fraud Analysis Service at the City of London Police, but has not been passed to a police force for investigation at this time.

“Over 850,000 reports are made every year. These reports are assessed against several criteria; unfortunately, not every case will be sent to law enforcement for investigative opportunities.

“There are different ways a report can be dealt with when it isn’t passed to a police force. These include the Report Fraud Victim Services supporting victims of cyber crime and fraud with specialist advice and helping victims to recover losses.”

Report Fraud does not have investigative powers but sends its reports to the Crime Services department, which decides if there is enough information to send to a police force for investigation, according to the Report Fraud website.

It recommends that any business, charity or organisation under a cyber attack should contact 0300 123 20240, and Victim Support is available on 08081 689111.

‘When going out, always carry adequate tools and spares and ensure you have enough fuel for your journey’

Two crew members onboard a broken-down fishing boat were rescued off the coast of Co Antrim on Sunday.

Larne RNLI volunteer crew were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat Terry at 11.59am at the request of HM Coastguard after a member of the crew onboard the boat reported that they had broken down.

Helm Scott Leitch and crew members Shea McFerran and Andy Purves made their way to the casualties’ last reported location.

An RNLI spokesperson said: ” Weather conditions at the time were described as good with a gentle breeze and slight seas.

“The casualties were located a short distance away in Larne Harbour.

“Once on location, the Helm assessed the situation. It was established that both crew members were safe and that the reason for the breakdown was mechanical failure.

“After checking that all on board were safe and following an assessment at the scene by the Helm, it was established that the necessary and safest course of action was that a tow line be established, and the boat taken to the safety of Larne Boat Club.”

A tow line was established, and the boat was safely returned to Larne Boat Club.

Speaking following the call out, Larne RNLI Helm, Scott Leitch said: “We would like to wish the crew well. The casualties had the means to contact the Coastguard and did the right thing when they realised that they had broken down.

“We would encourage anyone planning a trip to sea to check their vessels and ensure engines are well maintained. When going out, always carry adequate tools and spares and ensure you have enough fuel for your journey.

“If you do get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.”

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Celtic were beaten 3-0 by Rangers at Ibrox in the Old Firm derby as Martin O’Neill was left to reflect on a damaging defeat that exposed clear weaknesses in his side

Martin O’Neill disclosed that Haissem Hassan was absent from his Premier Sports Cup starting XI because he failed to get any sleep before the Ibrox clash.

However, it’s the Celtic manager who may now be facing restless nights ahead. This performance was the kind of nightmare that will leave the Northern Irishman troubled for quite some time.

O’Neill has witnessed plenty of Old Firm encounters to recognise when there’s simply an off day or when matches are decided by flashes of brilliance or individual moments. Yet this comprehensive 3-0 defeat in Govan wasn’t down to unfortunate circumstances.

Instead, it laid bare the vulnerabilities that Celtic supporters were already conscious of and worried could be exploited during the intense battle of a derby.

That’s why minor adjustments might not suffice in the days ahead, with another clash against Rangers looming on Sunday and a Europa League fixture against Ferencvaros sandwiched in between, reports the Daily Record.

Hassan ought to be fully refreshed by then, but Celtic could have benefited from his presence during a dismal first-half display at Ibrox before he was introduced after the interval.

O’Neill explained: “He had an overnight problem, and he didn’t get much sleep in all honesty, so it was just a matter of not starting him because of that. That’s the reason, really.”

Hassan represented just one concern on Glasgow’s South Side amongst numerous others. Celtic’s fragile midfield was overwhelmed, with Mika Baur consumed by the derby debut whirlwind while Benjamin Nygren was effectively nullified by James Penrice’s man-marking.

That left Callum McGregor in the King Cnut position, desperately attempting to stem the flow. Similar to the harsh Champions League qualifier in Austria, the obvious absence of midfield strength was exposed once more.

Rangers dominated proceedings, though the alarm bells had been ringing for Celtic for some time.

Clear issues emerged during the capitulation against LASK, yet even teams such as St Mirren, St Johnstone, Dundee United and Kilmarnock found space to fashion numerous opportunities against O’Neill’s side.

When it was suggested to the manager that Celtic’s defensive organisation has been questionable, and they surrender the ball too readily under pressure, O’Neill responded: “Yes, I absolutely agree with you. I think we can do much, much better than that. I think we can get the ball back a bit more quickly than we certainly did today, and start getting back to dominating. So we’ll see what next Sunday brings.

“In normal circumstances, I wouldn’t mind just a full week to look at a few things and maybe work on a couple of things.

“But yes, we had players today who were below par, and well below par, and that’s not a great mix.”

Derek McInnes surprised many with his three-at-the-back system and Penrice operating as an additional midfielder.

By the time Celtic recognised the formation and adjusted their approach, the match was already slipping beyond their grasp. O’Neill expressed no shock at Rangers’ tactical setup or work rate.

He commented: “I think you have to be able to deal with it. You deal with any sort of permutation that the opposition put in front of you. That’s their prerogative, to do exactly that. I’m not so sure it’s always to do with systems. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t.

“But if you do misplace a lot of passes, when you have comfortable possession, I don’t think that’s got to do with the systems, myself.

“I think we did misplace a lot of passes today when we were comfortable and choosing the wrong option when we were on the counter-attack.”

O’Neill withdrew Sebastian Tounekti at half-time, though several others might have been candidates for an early exit.

However, O’Neill has consistently been a manager prepared to protect his squad and absorb criticism himself.

He adopted that approach once more in the depths of Ibrox, and was particularly eager to support one of his younger squad members.

O’Neill stated: “I think young Colby Donovan has come out of this with great credit. I think he’s an absolute warrior.

“Sometimes we misplace passes, but he’s got a big heart. I think we can all learn from that. And because of the size of his heart, he was booked in the first half, but he kept going right to the end.

“He was booked against St Mirren after about eight or nine minutes, still kept going. In terms of heart and desire, he’s been a big plus for us.”

As for the others?

Praise was in shorter supply than accurate passes. Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone endured a difficult first appearance, while high-profile summer acquisitions Kasper Hogh, Camilo Duran and Baur struggled to warrant their substantial transfer fees, and several deadline day additions only featured when the match was already beyond reach.

It proved to be a stern education for certain players.

O’Neill explained: “I want people to experience these games, because what other way am I going to learn about what people can or cannot do? What I don’t want to do is just put people in so that I can learn something from it.

“The main object is obviously to try and win, and it’s a fine balancing act from me. A lot of boys, Kieran Tierney and Callum, people like this here, and James Forrest, they’ve all won here when there’s been big crowds. And I think they’ve won.

“They’ve played here before, so I don’t know. But certainly for some of the younger and newer lads, it’s an experience that I don’t think they’ll forget.”

The manager won’t be forgetting it either.

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Billy Watson, 35, died after being injured at an address in Armadale, with police investigating a possible firearm being involved and a burnt-out car found nearby.

A man who died in a suspected shooting in West Lothian has been named locally as Billy Watson. The 35-year-old died at the scene after he was injured at an address on Harestanes Road in Armadale on Saturday.

Emergency services descended on the town shortly before midday after police received a report of a man injured at the property around 11.50am. Billy, who was a dad, was pronounced dead at the scene and his next of kin has been informed.

Police have launched a major investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death, with forensic officers and detectives continuing to work at the scene.

A police cordon remains in place on the residential street, while forensic officers have been seen examining a property, taking photographs and bagging items.

The area was also the focus of a major emergency service response, with an air ambulance deployed from Glasgow and tracked travelling towards Armadale before returning to the city.

At around 12pm on Saturday, officers received a separate report of a car on fire in the Netherhouses area, near Armadale.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service crews attended and extinguished the blaze. Police said there were no reports of injuries.

Officers are keeping an open mind but are investigating the two incidents as linked.

Police have said one line of inquiry is that a firearm may have been involved in the incident. No one has yet been arrested.

A post-mortem examination will take place in due course and enquiries remain at an early stage.

Detective Superintendent Michelle Findlay, of the Major Investigations Team, said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the man who has died in this incident.

“Officers remain in the area and anyone with concerns or any information can approach them or call us on 101, quoting incident number 1361 of Saturday, 12 September, 2026.”

Pauline Stafford MSP for Bathgate, said she is “deeply concerned” about the incident, adding: “My thoughts are with the family and all of those affected. While investigations are at an early stage I would encourage anyone with information to share it with the Police.”

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