Fans in ponchos queued for hours outside the stadium, with hundreds arriving early in the hope of securing the best spot to see their music heroes Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen perform.

One family, who had been waiting since this morning, said they were “incredibly excited” for the show.

Erin Iley, Maire Iley & Kate Carpenter – Mother (middle) & daughters (either side) (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Kate Carpenter, who travelled with her mum Maire and sister Erin Iley, said: “We’ve been here since 11am, but we’re just round the corner at Roker. Mam’s been a fan all her life.”

Maire added: “My favourite is Gary, has to be Gary. I’ve seen them before but it must have been 17 years ago. This is Kate’s sixth time.”

The pop trio are bringing a revival of their hit 2009 tour to Sunderland, complete with trapeze artists, balloons and a giant elephant as part of what has been billed as “the greatest show in town”.

Take That ’The Circus Live’ show at St Mary’s Stadium. (Image: Stuart Martin)

They are expected to treat fans to a set packed with their biggest hits, from Back for Good and Patience to more recent favourites, with a few new surprises also promised.

Among those in the queue were sisters Sarah Lydon and Rebecca Forster, from Consett, who turned up in bright yellow hats as they geared up to hear their favourite track.

Sarah Lydon & sister Rebecca Forster from Consett (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Sarah said: “We’re big fans but the husbands have been dragged along, they’re here somewhere. Favourite song has to be Hello.

“We’ve only been here for 20 minutes but we’re still near the front.”

Crowds queueing outside the Stadium of Light (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Despite showers throughout the afternoon, spirits remained high as fans sang along to their favourite Take That tunes and posed for photos outside the stadium.

Crowds queueing outside the Stadium of Light (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Jim & Tracey Finley from Middlesbrough (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Jim and Tracey Finley, from Middlesbrough, said they were determined not to let the weather put a dampener on their night.

Tracey said: “My nephew looks like Gary and plays the piano just like him, we’re big fans. It’s been a bit wet but do you know what, the rain will not ruin it.”

With thousands pouring into the Stadium of Light this evening, the atmosphere was filled with anticipation ahead of Take That’s return to the North East stage, as fans young and old prepared for a night of nostalgia and pop classics.

Electrician Clifton George, 45, was jailed for life after being convicted of murdering his partner Annabel Rook, 46, stabbing her 31 times during a row at their east London home after she said they should end their 10-year relationship, before triggering a gas explosion that caused £400,000 of damage

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An electrician who stabbed a judge’s daughter to death in a frenzied attack before destroying their home in a gas explosion has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Clifton George, 45, murdered his partner Annabel Rook, 46, inflicting 31 stab wounds during an argument at their east London home after she had told him their 10-year relationship was over.

Following the killing, George deliberately ignited a fire in the basement to trigger a gas canister explosion that tore through the property, causing approximately £400,000 worth of damage.

At Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday, Mr Justice Constable KC handed George a life sentence, ruling that he must serve a minimum of 23 years before being considered for parole.

The judge acknowledged that George could be personable and entertaining, yet possessed “another troubling side to your character”, reports the Mirror.

“An overwhelming picture has emerged of your rage, anger, and volatility”, said the judge, adding that George had a “pronounced temper” which could be sparked by trivial matters and “perceived slights”.

Paying tribute to Ms Rook, the judge remarked that her character “shone brightly” through the accounts of loved ones, describing her as “kind, attentive, funny, and altruistically motivated, and someone whose instinct was to support, to listen, and to improve the lives of others.”

The judge dismissed George’s claim during the trial that he had been provoked by Ms Rook pushing him, stating such behaviour would have been “completely out of character” for her. “She feared you, she feared your wrath,” he said.

“In your rage and fury, you brutally stabbed Annabel to death.”

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He further stated that even following the murder and explosion, George “remained fixated on your self-absorbed belief that Annabel had betrayed you”.

Ms Rook’s father, retired Old Bailey judge Peter Rook, described George as “utterly selfish”, while her mother Susanna Rook denounced him as “a wicked, totally narcissistic, damaged person”.

Delivering a victim impact statement in court, Mrs Rook struggled to contain her emotions as she described her daughter as “optimistic, inclusive, and full of fun”.

“We know we will never be able to come to terms with her death, and life without her is painful and hard to bear,” she said.

“We do feel Clifton betrayed the trust we placed in him. We welcomed him into the family in every way we could.

“Bearing in mind his short fuse, particularly when in drink, we realise his inability to understand and address his own problems means he is, was, and will continue to be a dangerous man.”

Ms Rook’s sister Sophie told the court: “Without Annabel, there is less joy and less hope.”

She revealed that her sister’s killing had left the family grappling with the “painful question of whether we could have done more to help her escape”.

George was found guilty at trial of murder and admitted arson in connection with the gas explosion he triggered after fatally stabbing his partner. His attempt to cite loss of self-control as a partial defence to the killing swiftly unravelled, undermined by evidence of his volatile temper, angry outbursts directed at Ms Rook throughout their relationship, and at least one occasion on which he had been physically violent towards her.

Sophie Rook spoke of the anguish of listening to George’s defence case, saying his efforts to shift the blame onto her sister felt like a second attack on her.

Ms Rook was the co-founder of social enterprise MamaSuze, which supported refugee women and children through creative arts workshops.

George killed her on the night of 16 June last year at their home in Dumont Road, Stoke Newington, punching and throttling her before arming himself with a kitchen knife.

George was heard shouting “you lied” as he carried out the murder, and the court was told he had flown into a rage upon discovering that Ms Rook had kept a secret from him that had been shared with her in confidence.

Following the murder, George triggered the gas explosion – described by neighbours as akin to a “mini earthquake” – which tore through the property and blew off part of the roof.

Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC argued during the trial that the blast had been George’s attempt to destroy evidence of the murder, as well as a final “up yours” to the Rook family.

When neighbours came to investigate following the explosion, George was discovered lying on the kitchen floor covered in blood. He acknowledged that he had “lost it” before taking Ms Rook’s life, and subsequently attempted to stab himself with a fragment of broken glass.

In his defence, George maintained that he did not have a “short fuse”, yet friends and family of Ms Rook provided testimony that painted a very different picture of his character.

Ms Rook’s closest friend, Sian Davin, told jurors she believed George required therapy for his anger issues, and recounted an incident in which he shoved Ms Rook against a wall and seized her by the throat.

She stated that he displayed “unreasonable flashing rage anger” on occasions, would fat-shame and gaslight Ms Rook, and had a “tendency to over-react about small trivial things”.

Daniel Varani, a former flatmate of Ms Rook, spoke warmly of their time living together, but revealed he chose to move out shortly after George arrived, owing to his “angry outbursts”.

The court was told of an incident in 2024 in which George stormed out of Glastonbury Festival following a row with one of Ms Rook’s friends, before drunkenly haranguing his partner.

In a separate incident, George had flown into a rage when Ms Rook washed his chef’s knives and left them to drip-dry rather than putting them away immediately.

In 2023, Ms Rook tearfully confided in her father about George’s volatile temper, saying that living with him was like “walking on eggshells” and raising the possibility of ending the relationship for the first time. She confided in her close friend Catherine Milne about the difficulties in the relationship, while insisting there had been no violence and saying: “I don’t think he would do that.”

Ms Davin told the court that her friend had acknowledged by summer 2024 that the relationship was “abusive”, and just a couple of weeks before her death, Ms Rook left her sister a voicemail stating the relationship was “not tenable”.

“I fear there will be some more wrath to come,” she said, in a heartbreaking voicenote which was played during the trial, where she went on to predict they would “get through this and will be stronger for it out the other side”.

Prior to the fatal stabbing, Ms Rook had informed George that they should part ways and that he should vacate their home, which she owned.

Despite this, she had intended to give her partner £50,000 to help him secure a new property, and retained hopes that the pair would continue to holiday together in the future.

George, who had been drinking red wine on the night of the murder, had discovered that he held no legal entitlement to any share of the property, and subsequently initiated an argument with Ms Rook.

“In the course of that argument he punched her, he then tried to strangle her, and then he went to the kitchen to get a knife, he came back with the knife and he stabbed her to death,” said Mr Emlyn Jones.

“He lost his temper, and in his rage he murdered Annabel.”

In her victim impact statement, Ms Milne pledged to carry on running MamaSuze as a “great way to keep Annabel’s legacy alive”. But she added: “It will never be the same.”

Ms Rook’s killing was “an attack on all of us at MamaSuze, and it felt so personal and abhorrent for a women’s community leader to be killed like this in her own home.”

She continued: “I will never understand why Clifton George felt such contempt and hatred towards someone I loved so much.”

George, a qualified electrician whose previous projects included Crossrail and the Northern Line extension, stared straight ahead from the dock as Ms Rook’s family delivered their victim impact statements.

The trial heard that he had suffered violent abuse at the hands of his mother during childhood, which ultimately led to him being placed into care. George also told the court that as a young boy he had been deeply traumatised after discovering his infant sister dead in her cot.

His barrister, Mathew Sherratt KC, told the court: “He understands this is a terrible thing he has done.”

George had entered a guilty plea prior to the trial for manslaughter and arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered. The jury returned a unanimous verdict of murder.

Petersfield residents say they have noticed needles, drug equipment, and human excrement in the cemetery

Cambridge residents fear restrictions on dog walkers are contributing to an “uptick in drug use” in a city centre cemetery.

Neil, who asked to use only his first name, has lived in Petersfield for five years. He used to regularly walk his dog in Mill Road Cemetery, but says it has now become an “intimidating place to go”.

He said: “It’s never been this bad before – there’s always been occasional drug taking, kids smoking weed and stuff, but this is a whole new level. The other day someone found seven needles lying by the path and there’s been human excrement and drug equipment found there.”

He said residents have seen “what appears to be drug dealing” in the cemetery with “people handing over cash and receiving packages”. He said: “It’s definitely a scary place to go.

“There’s a lot fewer dog walkers than in previous summers – it used to be the case where you would go at five o’clock and the place was full.”

Dogs are currently banned from being off-lead in the cemetery between March 1 and July 31. Cambridge City Council is consulting on extending the ban year round.

Some residents fear this will reduce footfall even more, making the cemetery even more of a hotspot for anti-social behaviour.

Neil said: “I think the council is proposing for dogs to be kept on leads all year – I’m obviously biased as a dog walker, but I’m really worried that’s going to make the situation worse. I feel like there are bigger issues in the cemetery than dogs being off leads.”

Donna, another Petersfield resident who asked to use only her first name, said the council has recently “ramped up their patrols” and the policy “seems to have had unintended consequences”.

She said: “Ever since then I think fewer dog walkers go there – even though the cemetery is one of the few enclosed spaces where dogs can be safely let off the lead in central Cambridge. I do understand the need to protect ground nesting birds, but what about the need to protect human beings?

“The dog walkers who used to visit the cemetery were a large community of people who walked there all day long. For me, their absence is keenly felt.”

Will, who asked to use only his first name, also lives in Petersfield. He agrees that the issue has “fundamentally got worse” with fewer people going to the cemetery.

He said: “It’s gotten much worse the last two or three weeks – it’s becoming really antisocial; needles on the ground, rubbish, human feces and lots of people hanging around. It’s almost like you’re looking over your shoulder – it’s easier when it’s lighter but I certainly wouldn’t be going there in the winter months.

“I feel there needs to be some measures put in place – certainly more police patrols in the area and police taking more action to tackle low-level street dealing.” He suggested measures such as closing the gates, adding more lighting or CCTV cameras.

But, Will continued, “It’s beautiful because it’s private – so how do you create this place, supposed to be a place of respect, where people aren’t worried about dangerous individuals around?

“I just think, fundamentally, Cambridge is such a beautiful city because it has a really lovely mixture of thriving urban city and beautifully kept green spaces. And one of the green spaces often forgotten about is the cemetery.

“Mill Road and the surrounding area can sometimes get a bit of a bad reputation, but it’s a beautiful road with thriving businesses. Other commons in the city are beautifully maintained and looked after and I would love to see that area become somewhere people can take their children and ultimately feel safe.”

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Constabulary said the force has stepped up patrols in the area. A 32-year-old man from Oldham was arrested last week on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possession of an offensive weapon.

They said: “We are aware of issues with drug dealing in the area, as a result we have increased foot patrols and we are working closely with partner agencies to tackle the issue. We would encourage people to come forward and report any issues online or via 101, always call 999 in an emergency.”

Cambridge City Council has been contacted for comment.

Iran has fired at least four ballistic missiles and several drones at US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan in retaliation against Donald Trump’s renewed attacks on Tehran.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said its Aerospace Force launched long-range missiles at an airbase in Jordan, which hosts US military personnel. The Guard said the attack damaged critical command centres and F-35 fighter jet hangars.

The Kuwaiti army said its air defence systems were “intercepting hostile aerial targets”, while Bahrain, for the second time on Wednesday morning, sounded air raid sirens.

The escalation comes after Donald Trump’s military launched retaliatory strikes against Iran, hitting its air defence infrastructure, after the US president accused the country of shooting down an American helicopter.

Trump had warned earlier that the US “must, of necessity, respond” to the downing of an Apache helicopter that was patrolling the Strait of Hormuz. Two US pilots were rescued, uninjured, from the vital waterway after the $40m gunship went down, US officials said.

US Central Command announced the “self-defence strikes” were “a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression”.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Recent U.S. sanctions targeting Cuba’s leadership and the indictment of former President Raúl Castro are a “pretext” for the Trump administration to persuade the American people to support a military intervention, Cuba’s top diplomat to the United States told The Associated Press.

In an interview on Tuesday, Ambassador Lianys Torres Rivera repeated accusations against the Trump administration made by other Cuban officials, including the foreign minister and the president, and complained bitterly that the U.S. is targeting Cuban civilians with its decades-old embargo and new blockade of energy shipments to the island.

“The sanctions against our leaders, we see as a pretext to make the American people think we are a threat,” she said at Cuba’s embassy in Washington. “We are not a threat to the U.S., and we don’t want confrontation.”

Torres Rivera, who holds the formal title of chargé d’affaires, described the situation as “a war without bombs.” She said efforts to change Cuba’s government by coercion or force would be met by fierce resistance.

“Raúl is sacred,” she said of the indictment by a federal grand jury last month of Castro. The 95-year-old former president faces conspiracy and murder charges related to the 1996 shootdown of two unarmed civilian planes operated by the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue while he was serving as Cuba’s defense minister.

“Raúl is a sacred symbol of the revolution, and we will defend Raúl — as we will the country — until the end,” Torres Rivera said. “If we are attacked, we are going to respond, and we are prepared for that. But we don’t want it.”

Her comments reflect a belief among many Cubans and Cuba analysts that the charges against Castro and the sanctions imposed on others in the socialist government’s leadership are similar to those the Trump administration touted as a reason for the military intervention in Venezuela in January that deposed then-President Nicolás Maduro.

On Thursday, the same day the U.S. Treasury Department leveled sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, Castro’s son and grandson, along with others, U.S. President Donald Trump said of Cuba: “We’re going to handle that as soon as we’ve finished” military operations in Iran.

Trump has been threatening military action in Cuba ever since ousting Maduro and then ordering an energy blockade that choked off fuel shipments to Cuba. That has led to severe blackouts, food shortages and an economic collapse across the island.

Torres Rivera said the moves by the Trump administration to tighten the screws on Cuba’s already faltering economy have resulted in untold misery for ordinary Cubans who are struggling to survive with power cuts of up to 20 hours a day and exorbitant costs for gasoline, kerosene and everyday goods, including food and medicine.

“What is happening now is tough,” she said. “It is heartbreaking.”

Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other administration officials have repeatedly denied that Cuba’s economic strife is America’s fault and repeatedly cast the blame on the Cuban government’s socialist policies. They have not ruled out military action against the island but have said they are willing to give Cuban authorities time to make reforms.

Torres Rivera said that recent discussions between senior U.S. and Cuban officials in Havana and elsewhere have been “professional and respectful.” But she said that Cuba is not willing to change unless reforms are made from within and not under duress.

A former Cuban ambassador to Vietnam, another socialist country with which Cuba has long-standing ties, she noted that Washington and Hanoi have forged a positive relationship over the past four decades, but only because the Vietnamese enacted reforms at their own pace. The same should be permitted for Cuba, she said.

“We want to make sure that the only changes to the system are done by us,” she said.

Rubio, however, has said Cuba poses a serious national security threat to America because of its security and intelligence ties with China and Russia and friendly relations with U.S. foes in Latin America.

“I really don’t believe this system is capable of reform unless new people take over or a new mindset takes hold,” he told lawmakers at a congressional hearing last week.

The State Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the Cuban ambassador’s comments.

According to US officials, Iran used a drone to launch the attack on the helicopter. But it’s not clear whether the Iranian drone had deliberately attacked, an unnamed US official told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. The semi-official Mehr News Agency reported that Iran had not claimed responsibility for the downed aircraft.

Homelessness in the UK is reaching critical levels, with more than 380,000 people estimated to be without a home in England alone as of late 2025.

There is also a growing recognition that neurodivergent people are over-represented among homeless populations. But much of this comes from anecdotal reports from service providers or localised research projects looking at specific neurodivergences like autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

So, our new research explored why this may be so. Our findings demonstrate how neurodivergent people may face exclusion at various points throughout their social lives, education and employment. In turn, this can lead to increased financial hardship and a higher chance of homelessness.

As homelessness rises across the UK, public debate tends to focus on housing supply or personal responsibility. For example, housing and homelessness charity Shelter highlights the chronic shortage of social housing and an increasingly unaffordable private rented sector.

We spoke at length with six neurodivergent people, from one local authority area, who had experienced homelessness or insecure housing. To structure the interviews, we asked participants to create a life map.

This is a visual timeline of important events that were meaningful to them, such as education, employment, becoming homeless, seeking support and diagnosis. We analysed the life maps and the participant accounts, identifying three central themes across their stories.

First, ambiguity around diagnosis often confused things and delayed or blocked access to support. Second, participants often seemed to have fallen through the gaps at critical points across their lives, where support should have been available. And third, once in crisis, navigating services was often experienced as inaccessible, slow and demoralising.

A lifetime of missed support

There were a number of points in our participants’ lives where support had been needed but was ultimately missed. This had knock-on effects on their ability to remain in education or employment. In turn, this created a lack of opportunities and affected financial security.

For some participants, these challenges began in school. Most described being bullied – an experience that is unfortunately common for many neurodivergent children. Faced with a lack of support for the bullying, participants took their own action, by changing schools, moving areas, or even leaving school altogether.

Those who went on to higher education experienced a lack of specialist neurodivergent support, alongside challenges with living away from home for the first time. Some turned to alcohol in order to manage social anxiety.

Neurodivergent adults are known to experience significant employment gaps. Our participants also outlined numerous challenges to securing and keeping a job. One described being unable to find a placement for some work experience required to complete a qualification. They believed that this was due to stigma associated with their diagnosis.

For others, jobs that may be considered entry-level, such as customer service or retail jobs, presented unanticipated difficulties, including sensory overwhelm and social anxiety. UK employers are required by law to make changes to remove or reduce potential disadvantage faced by disabled employees, which are known as “reasonable adjustments”. But most participants reported a lack of these in practice.

When our participants hit a crisis point and sought help for their housing needs, many experienced the services as confusing or unsupportive of their needs. Most described long waits for various supports and services, often in unsuitable, temporary accommodation.

Sensory and social challenges in these environments contributed to mental health deterioration. Long waiting lists to access therapy or diagnostic assessments also left participants feeling trapped and unable to move forward with their lives.

‘Society doesn’t care about you’

Respondents described patterns of persistent exclusion, starting in early life, that had paved the way to homelessness. Once in need of housing support, they found significant barriers to accessing services that had been designed by and for neurotypical people.

When offered temporary accommodation, in many cases this did not meet their neurodivergent needs. For example, most participants described being placed in busy, “chaotic” hostels that they were desperate to leave. In one case, a person with significant sensory sensitivities was living in shared temporary accommodation next-door to a nightclub which played loud music throughout the night, affecting their sleep.

We also noticed that participants appeared to have internalised these experiences. For example, they blamed themselves and felt like “society doesn’t care about you”, as one described. This affected both their self-esteem and their engagement with services.

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‘Dehumanising policies’ leave autistic people struggling to access health, education and housing – new review

Many people may face similar circumstances yet do not necessarily find themselves homeless. For our participants, however, hardship was heightened by reduced social networks to fall back on during hard times. They described difficulties in maintaining regular contact with friends. They were sometimes rejected by their family and others, due to a lack of understanding of their differences.

The stories we heard were powerful and hard-hitting. They show the serious effects of exclusion which may build up over a person’s life.

There were also many points at which early support or prevention could have been put into place, for example, in education, workplaces and when accessing health and social care. There are now a growing number of toolkits and guidance for services working with neurodivergent people facing homelessness.

Taken together, our findings show how neurodivergent people may face unique pathways into homelessness. It demonstrates why earlier, more joined-up inclusion and support is vital for prevention.

A new report from the National Audit Office (NAO) has revealed that many customers are unaware of support schemes for broadband, water and energy bills, even though they could qualify for lower prices because of their income, benefits or personal circumstances.

The findings suggest checking what help is available could be one of the easiest ways to reduce household costs this year.

The bill discounts many people never claim

The watchdog found that only around one in three eligible broadband customers know about social tariffs – discounted broadband packages designed for people on benefits or lower incomes.

Awareness is also low among water customers, with fewer than four in 10 people who qualify knowing help is available.

These schemes can offer significant savings, but millions are missing out simply because they don’t know they exist.

How you could save on broadband

If you’re claiming certain benefits, you may qualify for a broadband social tariff.

These discounted deals are often substantially cheaper than standard packages and are available from many major providers.

The NAO found that awareness remains surprisingly low despite the potential savings.

Water bill help many households overlook

Water companies also offer support schemes for customers struggling with bills.

Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for:

• Reduced water bills
• Payment support schemes
• Hardship funds
• Debt assistance programmes

Yet the report suggests many eligible households never apply.

Energy customers could save by asking for help

The watchdog found energy debt has surged by 118% since 2021. However, customers who agreed repayment plans with suppliers owed around £1,000 less on average than those who did not.

This follows Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s promise to cut energy bills, but rising electricity and gas costs are making this more difficult.

Support can include:

• Affordable repayment plans
• Payment breaks
• Debt support schemes
• Priority customer services

Experts say contacting suppliers early can prevent debts growing out of control.

Check if you’re missing out

You may want to see what support is available if you:

• Receive Universal Credit
• Receive Pension Credit
• Claim disability benefits
• Are on a low income
• Have long-term health conditions
• Are struggling with household bills

Many schemes are available directly through providers, but are not automatically applied.

Recommended reading:

Why millions are paying more than necessary

According to the report, one of the biggest problems is that people simply don’t know what support exists.

The watchdog said regulators need to do more to promote discounts and make it easier for customers to access help.

Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said it was “more important than ever” that people know what support is available as financial pressures continue to grow.

Have you saved on your household bills? Tell us in the comments below…

Steven Naismith, Ryan Christie and Gordon Durie have recorded the custom alarms to help wake supporters up ahead of Scotland’s World Cup opener.

Scotland heroes have recorded unique wake-up calls for those in the Tartan Army thinking of having a quick nap before the national team’s 2am World Cup kick off.

Steven Naismith, Ryan Christie and France 98 hero, Gordon Durie, have teamed up with Tennent’s Lager to wake supporters up prior to Scotland’s return to the world’s stage for the first time in 28 years. They have recorded custom messages which fans can set as alarms to help them get up for the game versus Haiti on Sunday morning.

Scotland Assistant Manager Steven Naismith, who will be helping to rally the players ahead of their Group C crunch opener, is heard in his custom message telling fans “Haw you! Time to get up!”

Meanwhile former Scotland ace, Gordon Durie who starred in the last World Cup in 1998, is heard brazenly telling fans “Get OOT your bed!”.

And goal-hero of Serbia, Ryan Christie, has also sent his own Wake-Up call all the way from the US, telling fans back home to “Come on!!”.

While an expected 20,000 fans are travelling to Boston for the game, and pubs all over the country have been granted extended licenses to show the match, not every Scot is expecting to pull an all-nighter.

Scotland fan Chris Blackwood, 48, who followed Scotland to France in 1998, said he’s gutted not to be making the journey to Boston this week, but he’ll be cheering the boys on from home with his family.

He said: “I’d love to be over in Boston for the game, but couldn’t make it this time. In my younger days, I might have been able to last the pace but realistically, I’ll be trying to get a few hours kip before the game starts at 2am.

“And with these wake-up calls, I doubt I’ll need to worry about sleeping through the alarm. I’ll be springing out of bed, ready to cheer the boys on.”

The dad-of-two also thinks the alarm could work well in helping get his daughters up for their first experience of the World Cup.

He added: “I’ve got two daughters, and I struggle to get them up on a school day, so there’s nothing like Gordon Durie shouting ‘get oot yer bed’ to get them up and ready for their first World Cup.”

“He made us well up in Belgrade, now he’s helping us wake up for Boston,” said Hazel Alexander of Tennent’s Lager, recalling Ryan Christie’s emotional 2020 interview after Scotland qualified for the Euros, their first major tournament since 1998.

“While thousands will be planning all-nighters to watch the match, we know that doesn’t suit everyone and we thought some well-kent voices of Scottish football might make it that little bit easier for fans to get up and into the spirit of the game.

“It’s perfect for those pals who always sleep in, or that flatmate that will want ‘another 5 minutes.

“The nation has been waiting 28 years for this moment and nothing’s going to get in the way of us watching Scotland’s bid for World Cup glory – this isn’t an alarm we’ll be hitting ‘snooze’ on.”

Accompanied by Fonejacker-style animations, the recordings have been released on Tennent’s Instagram and are available to download as audio files from Tennent’s.com.

Get Daily Record Premium for just £1 per month in exclusive offer to celebrate the world cup. Click HERE.

Volodymyr Zelensky recently suggested that the war in Ukraine was beginning to turn in his country’s favour. The Ukrainian president insisted that Russia was “losing the initiative each day”.

These comments came days after Zelensky wrote an open letter to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in which he called for direct talks to end the war. Zelensky concluded the letter by stating: “when Russia grows tired, change comes”.

There is truth to Zelensky’s claim. As journalist Gideon Rachman pointed out recently in the Financial Times, Russia has experienced dramatic political change four times in the past 100 years or so after defeat in a war or a serious foreign policy miscalculation.

The 1905 revolution that led to the imposition of limits on the power of the ruling Tsars was sparked by Russia’s humiliating loss in the Russo-Japanese war. The Bolsheviks then came to power in 1917, laying the foundations for the Soviet Union, after Russia’s disastrous military performance in the first world war.

Nikita Khrushchev’s decision to place Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba in 1962 brought the world to the brink of disaster and convinced other leading figures in the Kremlin that he had to go. And in 1991, just two years after withdrawing Soviet troops from Moscow’s failed war in Afghanistan, Mikhail Gorbachev faced an attempted coup that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union itself.

Public humiliation on the world stage was an important element in each of these cases. It focused attention on Moscow’s weaknesses, demonstrating that Russia was not as strong as it appeared. This display of weakness emboldened those who wanted change.

But more was needed. A real sense of hardship and grievance experienced by society or political elites – or both – was necessary to deepen and broaden that desire for change and provide an impetus for action. The leaders of political change also had opportunities to organise, gain support and establish a power base.

So, will the war in Ukraine cost Putin his position as Russia’s leader? Some signs point in that direction. The war is increasingly becoming a public humiliation for Russia. When the so-called “special military operation” began in February 2022, Russian officers leading the invasion were told to pack dress uniforms to wear in a victory parade in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

But more than four years later, Russia is struggling to achieve its far more limited goal of taking and holding the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. During 2026, Russia’s rate of advance has slowed to a crawl and has even been reversed in some places. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s effective use of drones has given Kyiv the initiative.

There are now signs that the Russian government realises it cannot achieve its war aims in Ukraine. In May, a leaked document revealed that the Kremlin is making plans for a propaganda campaign to spin the war in a way that avoids conceding that none of its stated goals have been fulfilled.

The war is also unpopular among ordinary Russians. An April opinion poll, which was carried out by Russia’s Levada Center, showed 62% of Russians want the war to end. The poll found that only 27% of Russians favour continuing it.

Considering the pressure to give “the right” responses in such surveys out of fear of retribution from the state, it is remarkable that such a high proportion of those surveyed were willing to express dissatisfaction with the war. It also suggests that the true extent of war weariness among Russians could be even greater.

This desire for an end to the war may stem from the fact that the conflict is becoming increasingly real to Russians. While economic sanctions against Russia have been an inconvenience to most citizens, Ukraine’s ability to manufacture drones that can strike deep in Russian territory is truly bringing the war home. Russian oil refineries and depots have been particular targets, driving up prices and creating shortages and petrol rationing in several regions.

Limited signs of change

However, while there is a widespread desire among Russians for the war to end, there are no signs of mass protests that might put pressure on the state to end the war quickly or, indeed, bring about real political change.

Legislation rushed through days after the start of the mass invasion of Ukraine made it an offence to spread “false information” about the military or “discredit” the armed forces. And although some individuals continue to protest as “single pickets”, most Russians are discouraged from taking a public stance by the prospect of arrest and fines or custodial sentences.

Another factor that prevents large-scale protests or uprisings in Russia is the absence of any political opposition to the state. Russia’s remaining prominent opposition leaders are either in exile or in prison. The state also makes extensive use of legislation that allows it to declare individuals, organisations or groups that are critical of the state as “foreign agents” or “undesirable organisations”.

Those who are designated foreign agents face financial penalties and lose a number of legal rights, including the right to stand for election. Undesirable organisations face even harsher restrictions. They are not permitted to conduct financial transactions or spread information in the media or on the internet.

The extent of legal restrictions on society and opposition figures mean that political change is most likely to come from inside the ruling regime. This happened in 1964 when Khrushchev was removed from power. A group of fellow political leaders confronted Khrushchev, who agreed to step aside when he found that no powerful institutions were willing to support him.

Putin is well aware of this precedent and has been careful to avoid naming a successor. He has also been very effective at keeping the various competing interests in Russian politics at odds with each other while ensuring that the country’s intelligence and security forces are loyal to him personally.

The obstacles to a coup are significant. But if Putin continues his refusal to consider making any concessions to end the war in Ukraine, those who surround him might decide that their own interests are better served by removing him from power.