Trainspotting smashed the box office 30 years ago with it’s realistic depiction of drug abuse in Scotland (Picture: Shutterstock)
Fuelled by a blistering soundtrack and a dark sense of humour, when Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting landed in cinemas on February 23, 1996, it was a box office hit like no other.
Based on Irvine Welsh’s book of the same name, the film followed Ewan McGregor’s self-assured addict Renton and friends, as they drifted through drink, drugs and petty crime, making various attempts to escape the clutch heroin had on them.
The stark scenes ripped up Edinburgh’s postcard image of cobbled streets and culture to reveal a city scarred by poverty, decay, and a heroin epidemic spiralling out of control.
The release of the film coincided with the earliest published drug death figures – 244 that year – and three decades on, that bleak reality lingers, with Scotland continuing to wear the grim crown of Europe’s drug death capital.
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It’s a title the country has held, unbroken, for the past seven years.
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The stark scenes ripped up Edinburgh’s postcard image of cobbled streets and culture (Picture: Shutterstock)
According to research, there were 19.1 drug misuse deaths per 100,000 people in 2024 – nearly four times as high as in 2000. The latest figures, from policing sources, showed 308 suspected drug deaths between January and March 2025, while police officers in Scotland now routinely carry Naloxone, a drug that can quickly reverse the effects of an overdose, saving lives.
So why has so little changed in three decades?
Thomas Delaney, who runs YouthWISE and speaks across the country about drug harm, tells Metro: ‘Inequality is a primary driver of drug abuse. If you grow up in poverty, you’re 18 times more likely to use substances.
‘Scotland was historically an industrial powerhouse and then all the industry left [in the 1970s and 80s], leaving behind inequality, as seen in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation which ranks income, employment, health, education, skills, training and housing.
‘People still think Edinburgh doesn’t have a drug problem,’ he adds, ‘but it is just as bad as in Glasgow, which is three times the size. Edinburgh just masks poverty and inequality because it also has so much wealth.’
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Thomas, who lives between Glasgow and Barnsley, has his own experiences of drug use, having spent 15 years as a functioning addict.
He started using cocaine at 17 to numb childhood trauma before immersing himself in the party scene, where drugs became a way to belong and escape. In his twenties, ketamine became a daily dependency, even as Thomas held down a respectable job.
‘For the majority of my addiction, I was walking around in fancy suits, meeting very important people and securing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of business a year,’ he recalls.
Thomas Delaney, a former functioning addict now runs YouthWISE to educate people about drug harm (Picture: Supplied)
By 2018, his health collapsed, ketamine had destroyed his bladder and Thomas was ordering drugs from his hospital bed. Even rehab wasn’t the safety net he expected.
‘I’d been to some of the worst drug dens ever and had never seen heroin – I was there for three days and I saw people using it,’ he remembers.
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While rehab was a battle Thomas has now been clean for eight years – although many of his peers from that time have since died. He now studies addiction as part of a Master’s in community learning and development.
‘The Scottish National Records and other figures show that the people dying are an aging population that have been long-term dependent, and there are tons of reasons for that – homelessness, punitive measures and the stigma attached to being a drug addict,’adds Thomas.
Trainspotting follows Ewan McGregor’s self-assured addict Renton, as he and his friends drift through drink, drugs and petty crime (Picture: Shutterstock)
Addiction specialist and psychiatrist Dr Peter McCann, who is Medical Director at Castle Craig rehab clinic in Edinburgh, tells Metro that the ‘depressing’ statistics show just how much the system is failing in Scotland. ‘We’re still worryingly behind where we need to be on reducing deaths,’ he says.
One problem is the over-reliance on methadone, ‘a treatment with known overdose risks,’ says Dr McCann. In the movie, methadone is depicted as something the system pushes to manage addicts rather than to truly help them heal.
‘If somebody wants to be on methadone, there’s pressure on us to allow that, even if we know as a clinician that it’s a lot more dangerous than buprenorphine,’ he explains. (Buprenorphine, widely used in the US and Europe as a heroin substitute, is 10 times safer in terms of overdose risk but less common in Scotland.)
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Like Thomas, Dr McCann believes treating addiction requires addressing broader inequality. While working with NHS patients in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, he saw addiction intertwined with a plethora of other social problems.
‘We had GP practices with lots of different teams working in one place, which is a good model for people needing treatment,’ he explains. ‘But it was really telling how severe and complicated the really unwell patients were.
‘They didn’t just have an addiction problem, they had housing issues, mental health issues, bipolar disorder, PTSD… there were people who had been attacked from involvement in drug dealing and or there was a lot of cuckooing.
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Dr Peter McCann says the ‘depressing’ statistics show just how much the system is failing in Scotland (Picture: Kenneth Martin)
‘Gangs would come from down south, take over someone’s home, weasel their way in by offering them drugs and before you know it, people have been subjected ot violence and sexual trauma.’
Fiona Spargo-Mabbs has spent more than a decade working to reduce drug harm after her 16-year-old son Dan died in 2014 after taking a single ecstasy pill. Believing education could have saved him, she set up the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation eight days after his death.
The DSM Foundation delivers training across the UK, including Scotland, for young people on how risk-taking and impulsive behaviour are linked to brain development – and how to make safe choices about drugs and alcohol.
16-year-old Dan died in 2014 after taking a single ecstasy pill (Picture: DSMF)
‘Drug death in Scotland is just heartbreaking, and it’s still off the scale compared to everywhere else. We want to support young people to make safer choices.
‘The diversity of drugs is much greater now,’ Fiona explains to Metro. ‘We are dealing with ketamine overtaking cocaine and MDMA and are seeing THC vapes, and spice, which is a whole other risk. Drug use is changing all the time, so educators are constantly evolving their understanding to stay ahead of the curve.’
At festivals, testing has revealed MDMA doses two to three times stronger than the harmful threshold, she adds. The dose that killed Dan – a talented and popular year 12 kid who ran errands for elderly people on his paper round – was twelve times stronger than what has caused deaths in the past.
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Experts say that the diversity of drugs is much greater now (Picture: Getty Images)
‘We didn’t realise somebody like Dan could be so close to something that had quite so much risk. If something like this could happen to someone like my son, then it could be anyone,’ warns Fiona.
‘If Dan had had a better understanding of what those risks were, I feel sure that he would have been able to manage that decision more safely and come home.’
‘You can get a bag of pills or crystals of ket for a fiver. You can order a bag of drugs, easier than you can order pizza, on Snapchat or WhatsApp,’ he says.
You can order a bag of drugs, easier than you can order pizza says recovering alcoholic and recovery coach, Rod Anderson (Picture: Caroline Robson)
Rod, a recovering alcoholic, lost everything to his addiction; his marriage, sons, job and health, before getting sober 12 years ago after frequent attempts. He has since rebuilt his life and relationships, but knows how hard it is to escape addiction.
‘You don’t just wake up one morning think – I’ll have a bottle of vodka for breakfast. You can’t stop at that point, because the withdrawal process is so unpleasant,’ he tells Metro.
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‘Everything else in your life at that point becomes irrelevant – relationships, jobs, money. It’s a horrible, horrible place to be, and that’s why a lot of people don’t come back from it, because they die, or they kill themselves, or they end up in jail.’
And jails, he argues, are no safe haven.
‘Drugs are just as easy or even easier to get hold of inside than they are in the community.’
Rod also points out that 70% of drug deaths in Scotland now involve poly-drug use, including alcohol. ‘The drug scene has changed dramatically since the heroin of the Trainspotting generation. Fast forward to now, a lot of those people are dead.
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‘People are still using heroin with a whole load of other things, like crack cocaine and synthetic opioids, and that’s dangerous – like Russian roulette. You don’t know what’s going to be in this next hit.
‘What we are looking at now is a much more dangerous environment than 30 years ago.’
Locals say they feel ‘lucky’ to live in the village, but some feel it could offer more
Local shop owner Anne Bradshaw on why she loves Wansford
People living in a village just off the A1 say they feel ‘lucky’ to live there, but some feel more could be done to attract visitors. Hovering on the Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire border is the historic village of Wansford.
Popular for its posh hotel – The Haycock – and countryside walks, Wansford is full of people who have either been born there and stayed, or others who moved there decades ago. Its residents praise the village for its charm and character, but some feel there could be more on offer to attract people outside the village to visit.
As part of the Exploring Cambridgeshire series, we spoke to some locals about what it’s really like to live in Wansford. Anne Bradshaw, who was “born and bred” in the village, says Wansford “punches above its weight”.
“It’s a small village – and a very friendly village,” said Anne, a former journalist. She added: “We get a lot of people come here. The river gets people here, both summer and in the winter.
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“We have people who swim here all year round, which is crazy. A lot of people have been here all their lives, and that seems to be the natural thing. We’ve got lots of pubs, restaurants and pubs, but yet you’re also out in the countryside. You’re also in spitting distance of the A1.”
Anne also owns a shop in the village called Shopy McShopFace, selling items she gets from auctions. The shop was previously owned by her uncle and auntie. Anne said she loves to meet new people who visit her shop. One of Anne’s customers, who asked not to be named, said “you are a very lucky person” if you live in Wansford.
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Another lady, who asked not to be named, said she “loves” the village. She added: “It’s middle class here, and generally people are very friendly.
“I love coming to the shop because they have all the things I like. I know a lot of people in the village, there are a lot of activities to do but because of my health I can’t do them because of my health. If you want to get involved there is a village hall. There is a mini village walking group and we have very nice lakes to walk around.”
She continued: “It’s filled with beautiful buildings and beautiful countryside. Everyone pretty much knows each other, and people are always nice to each other. The posh hotel brings in some people to the village, but there is also lots of support from locals. It’s a very tight knit community and I’m lucky to live here.”
Elizabeth Weald described Wansford as a “place like no other”. She added: “There is so much history all around with the buildings being so old. It’s a quiet and peaceful place to live, especially with all of the countryside around. It’s very close to the A1, so we’re not far away from places like Stamford and Peterborough.”
Gillian Elleyne has lived in Wansford for 19 years. She finds the village to be “lovely”, as well as “pretty”. However, she feels the area could attract more visitors. She said: “There is not a lot to do here. I enjoy my gardening and the nearby garden centres. We occasionally go out. Our friends go to the Haycock and say its fabulous.
“We have some pubs. The Cross Keys, it’s a local pub for local people, but I’ve never been in 19 years. The Post Office is desperately needed, so that is really useful. We just don’t have the footfall here.”
Robert Hudson said he “instantly fell in love” when here moved there several decades ago, but also feels Wansford could offer more. He said: “It’s a village filled with lots of friendly people. The only thing I’d say is you don’t see lots of people come here.
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“It’s a nice place to stop by for the Haycock, but I’d say the pubs rely on a lot of local people. That’s good, but it would be good to get lots of more people come and see how great the village is.”
Another resident, who asked not to be named, said they love Wansford, but also would like to see more in the village. They said: “I feel it could use a bit more to bring people in.
“We don’t want it to become overcrowded, but it would be good to get a few more people into the village and show what’s on offer. Other than that, Wansford is a lovely place to live.”
The first photo taken by commander Reid Wiseman shows a curved slice of Earth in one of the capsule’s windows. The second shows the entire globe with the oceans topped by swirling white tendrils of clouds.
As of midmorning Friday, Wiseman and his crew were 90,000 miles (145,000 kilometers) from Earth and were quickly gaining on the moon with another 168,000 miles (270,000 kilometers) to go. They should reach their destination on Monday.
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The three Americans and one Canadian will swing around the moon in their Orion capsule, hang a U-turn and then head straight back home without stopping. They fired Orion’s main engine Thursday night that set them on their course.
They’re the first lunar travelers since Apollo 17 in 1972.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
The F-35 fighter jet is understood to have been struck over central Iran with state media sharing images online of what appeared to be American aircraft in the area including helicopters and drones
15:57, 03 Apr 2026Updated 16:11, 03 Apr 2026
A United States fighter jet has been brought down over Iran, with state broadcasters reporting the pilots managed to eject.
The F-35 combat aircraft is believed to have been hit over central Iran, with state media subsequently posting footage online appearing to show American military hardware in the vicinity, including helicopters, aircraft and drones.
Two aviators are understood to have been aboard the jet and their whereabouts remain unknown.
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The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced that a second F-35 fighter jet was eliminated using an advanced defence system of the IRGC Aerospace Force and the aircraft was from the Lakenheath squadron.
During the conflict, Iran has issued numerous assertions about downing manned enemy jets which proved to be false. However, Friday marked the first occasion that Iran broadcast a televised appeal to the public to search for a suspected downed airman, reports the Mirror.
Several US media outlets and sources have verified the reports, following the initial assertions in Iranian press.
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A public appeal for assistance indicates the Iranian military, police and security forces have a limited footprint in the rural territory that covers more than 15,500 square kilometres (5,900 square miles).
The province is predominantly inhabited by Iran’s Lur population, with many working in agriculture. The far south of the province marks the beginning of Iran’s oil reserves in the region. The Iranian semi-official Tasnim news agency shared footage on its Telegram channel showing a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, which it alleged was involved in a US search and rescue mission connected to the downed aircraft.
The post stated: “America’s attempt to free its downed fighter pilot has failed. Sources told Tasnim’s reporter in Kohgiluyeh that the Americans, starting an hour ago, conducted a search operation using Black Hawk helicopters and a Hercules 130 to free their fighter pilot who was shot down by Iran’s armed forces; however, their efforts have failed.”
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The US military has not yet responded to these claims from Iranian media. Yesterday evening, CENTCOM, the US military command overseeing the region, posted on X dismissing an earlier Iranian assertion that a fighter had been brought down over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz as “false”.
Almost a fortnight ago, a US F-35 fighter jet carried out an emergency landing following damage from what was believed to be hostile fire.
The 1928 coin was uncovered during nursery building works at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School in Shotton Colliery.
Reception pupils Mirabel and Lester, both five, described the coin as “treasure” and said they were “thrilled” by the find.
1928 coin uncovered during nursery building works (Image: Supplied)
Lester said: “It was so exciting to find treasure!”
Lynsey Wetherell, EYFS lead at the school, said: “This remarkable discovery coincides with the very year our school was established, making it a piece of history that holds special significance for us.”
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The King George V penny prompted conversations about life in Shotton Colliery a century ago, with pupils imagining who might have held the coin and what the area once looked like.
1928 coin uncovered during nursery building works (Image: Supplied)
Ms Wetherell said: “This discovery has not only brought history to life for our students but also connected our past with our future as we continue building our nursery.
“Finding such a piece of history on our school grounds is a wonderful reminder of our roots and the stories waiting to be discovered.
“It was a lovely reminder of the hidden stories beneath our feet, leaving everyone curious about what other treasures might still lie undiscovered.”
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The school’s new purpose-built nursery is set to open in Autumn 2026 and will offer flexible 15 and 30-hour places for children aged three and above.
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School is part of the Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust.
To learn more about nursery places, email office@ourladylourdesdurham.org.
Details about the trust are available at www.bccet.org.uk.
“Told through the lens of the artists, craftspeople, and technicians bringing J.K. Rowling’s beloved books to life for a new generation,” it will offer “an in-depth look at the making of the first season,” a press release states.
Narrated by Nick Frost, who plays Rubeus Hagrid in the show, the exclusive will also feature interviews with key cast members, including John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, and Paapa Essiedu, who star as Albus Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape, respectively.
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In a trailer for the special, released Thursday, a set designer standing beside a mock of the Hogwarts castle says: “To play in a sandbox this big, it really is incredible. We’re adding a level of world-building beyond what the audience is familiar with.”
‘Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic’ will premiere April 5 on HBO Max (HBO)
Each season of the series will be based on one of Rowling’s seven books, with the first eight-episode season covering the events of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
It will welcome young newcomers Dominic McLaughlin, 12, Alastair Stout, 12, and Arabella Stanton, 11, as the leading trio Harry, Ron and Hermione. All three are reportedly being paid £500,000 for the first season, with a source recently telling The Sun that they are “on track to be multi-millionaires before they turn 18.”
Last week, HBO dropped the first trailer for the highly anticipated show, offering a glimpse of Harry’s journey from living under the stairs to discovering a new world as the Boy Who Lived. The two-minute clip became the most-watched HBO trailer in history. It amassed more than 277 million organic views across platforms in its first 48 hours online.
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Dominic McLaughlin takes over for Daniel Radcliffe as the Boy Who Lived in the new Harry Potter series (Aidan Monaghan/HBO)
“There is nothing special about Harry Potter — at least that’s what his Aunt Petunia always says. On his 11th birthday, a letter of admittance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry opens up a hidden world for Harry: one of fun, friendship and magic. But with this new adventure comes great risk as Harry is forced to face a dangerous enemy from his past,” reads an official season one logline.
Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic will stream April 5 at 8 p.m. GMT/3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT on HBO Max.
Sunderland City Council’s planning and highways committee this week refused plans for land at Mulberry Way in the city’s Houghton ward.
Persimmon Homes were seeking permission for 58 homes with “associated access, landscaping, open space” and a “sustainable urban drainage system.”
During a council consultation exercise there was significant public opposition, with around 122 formal objections and a 151-signature petition.
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Public concerns listed in a council report included loss of greenspace, highway safety, flood risk, wildlife impacts and the developer’s “violation of previous planning promises.”
The site formed part of a larger development granted in 2001 which included a condition which developers Persimmon “failed to fulfil”, council documents state.
A council report said developers were now “immune” from council enforcement action due to the time that had passed but noted developers “wished to mitigate the failure to provide children’s open space/informal recreation area and meadow space offsite”.
However, council planners said it was “premature” to consider housing plans until the “outstanding issue” had been addressed, adding the new application would “result in a loss of open play space for existing residents of the adjacent estate.”
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The application came before the planning and highways committee on Monday (March 30) and planning officers recommended the housing be refused.
Reasons included the historic play park issue, access worries and concerns about flood risk and ecology assessments.
Members of the public and Houghton councillors John Price and Mark Burrell spoke against the plans at City Hall.
A planning agent for Persimmon also requested the “gift of time” to address planning issues and agree details of improvements to the nearby Keir Hardie Park.
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Councillors later voted to refuse the housing plans, however the decision can be appealed.
A Persimmon Homes spokesperson said it was disappointing that developers had “not been able to find a way forward” with the council to “deliver much needed new housing”.
They said they had engaged with local councillors and residents on plans to “invest in the play park at the nearby Keir Hardie Park” and added it was “disappointing that time has not allowed for these plans to be presented and for the other matters to be resolved.”
For more information, visit the council’s planning portal website and search for reference 25/01316/FUL
It brings the total number of arrests in connection with the disorder to 17.
Four more people have been arrested in connection with disorder among Rangers and Celtic fans at Ibrox Stadium.
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Ugly scenes broke out following the Scottish Cup Final on Sunday, March 8. It saw flares fired into the midst of fans, while supporters, police officers and those working at the stadium came under attack.
A steward was seen being carried from the pitch, believed to have been injured in the chaos, and a number of people were pictured receiving medical treatment. The most recent arrests bring the total number to be made under the operation to 11.
Following the match, Celtic striker Tomáš Čvančara, who scored the winning penalty for his side, was interviewed for TV wearing a blood-stained shirt. He had been photographed intervening in an incident on the field. A member of Celtic’s coaching staff was also reportedly attacked. There was also violence outside of the stadium following the game.
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Operation Moonglint was subsequently launched by Police Scotland to trace those responsible. Police have confirmed four further men, aged 20, 26, 30 and 47, were arrested and charged and have been released on an undertaking to appear at court at a later date.
It brings the total number of arrests in connection with the disorder to 17.
Police say inquiries to trace those responsible are ongoing.
Detective Chief Inspector David Lamont said: “Extensive inquiries remain ongoing to identify and trace those involved. We will ensure those involved in acts of violence and disorder will face the consequences of their actions that day. Further arrests will be made.”
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Anyone with information can call 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Information can also be sent directly to the investigation team.
The Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP) is a website that gives the public access to a form to pass information, images and footage directly to the Major Investigation Team and can be accessed here: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/SCOT26G03-PO1
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Lamerd, a town in southern Iran, came under attack on 28 February. CCTV footage published by Iranian state media – which was authenticated and geolocated by BBC Verify – showed a munition moments before it exploded above a residential area. Experts identified it as likely being a US missile, based on its appearance, the size of the blast and the distance from potential US launch sites in the Middle East.
The vacant plot of land off Kestor Street in The Haulgh formerly housed Bolton Parish Primary School before they moved to their current school on Chadwick Street.
A design and access statement submitted by RA Design and Project Management said that “existing access into the site is tight” and “a dropped kerb will make access easier in the future”.
They continued: “There is no firm plan for the site but several prospective future users have commented that the access is too narrow”.
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They have proposed dropping the kerb and widening the entry gate to make the site easier for future occupiers to use.
Bolton Council’s town planning officers agreed with the proposal which they said “would not have any significant impact upon the visual amenity of the area”.
In their report, they said the area is predominantly in commercial and industrial use “with commercial fencing visible along Kestor Street”.
Officers were called to Northumberland Road on Thursday (April 2) at around 3.30am.
A cordon was erected as white-suited investigators probed the semi-detached home later on Thursday, with pictures showing how the property had two smashed windows.
No injuries were reported during the incident, although people were inside at the time.
Cleveland Police has today (Friday, April 3) confirmed no arrests have yet been made and the investigation remains ongoing.
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(Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
Crime scene investigators were seen wearing white suits with blue masks and gloves on Thursday within one of three police cordons set up along the road.
The road was fully blocked off at the junction with Thornaby Road, where an officer was standing guard beside a police van.
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Pringle, from Stockton CID said: “At 3.30am on Thursday, April 2, police received reports of a firearm being discharged towards a property on Northumberland Road in Thornaby.
“While occupants were inside the property at the time, there were no injuries reported.
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“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information, dash cam or doorbell footage is asked to call Cleveland Police on 101 quoting reference number 060930.”
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