Sapphire Developments will convert the property on Garden Street into a house of multiple occupation (HMO).

The development will see the office refurbished into ten self-contained bedrooms, after plans were approved by Darlington Borough Council on March 2.

Sapphire Developments argued there will be no negative impact on the neighbours.

Planning officers noted: “This proposal, which seeks to bring a vacant commercial building back into active use through conversion to a 10-bedroom HMO, fully aligns with national policy objectives.

“It makes productive use of an underutilised building within the development limits of Darlington, as confirmed by the council at pre-application stage, and contributes directly to the mix and supply of housing in a highly sustainable town centre location.”

Noise concerns were addressed with conditions for acoustic glazing and trickle vents to be installed.

New windows will be installed, a choice agreed upon as an acceptable compromise between preserving historical features and ensuring the building is functional.

Additional conditions tied to the planning approval include installation and retention of refuse and cycle storage before occupation, and submission of a final nutrient credit certificate.

Sarah Bradbury, the chief executive of analysts IGD, said: “As March begins, the outlook is deteriorating. The OBR’s latest forecast downgraded near-term growth, whilst the conflict in the Middle East is strengthening concerns over fuel costs, which could impact food price inflation, if the situation continues.”

Earth experienced its fifth-warmest February on record last month – with temperatures at 1.49C above pre-industrial levels, scientists have said.

The month was marked by “extreme rainfall and widespread flooding in Western Europe and the third-lowest sea ice extent in the Arctic”, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said on Tuesday.

Experts say climate change was at least partly to blame for the exceptionally wet season across Western Europe.

It saw a run of intense storms including Leonardo, Pedro, and Nils, which was described as having “uncommon strength” by French weather service Meteo-France.

France, Spain, and Portugal in Europe, and Morocco, Mozambique and Botswana elsewhere in the world saw remarkably wet conditions, leading to severe flooding that caused widespread damage and loss of life and livelihoods.

Europe’s wet and warm conditions mirrored those in the UK, which saw one of its five wettest Januarys since 1890 in the southern counties of England, and the warmest February day since 2019.

Just 0.1C below landmark target

The globe’s 1.49C above the estimated 1850-1900 average used to define the pre-industrial level made it the fifth-warmest February across the planet, the study said.

The target of the 2015 Paris Agreement was to keep global temperatures to less than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. The UN has warned the chance of keeping to that goal is “virtually zero”, with the UK braced for a rise of at least 2C within the next 25 years.

Researchers based their latest assessment on Copernicus’ own ERA5 dataset, compiled from hourly readings of climate data, which it describes as a climate research standard.

The warmest February on record was in 2024, it said.

In the Arctic, the average sea ice extent in February was 5% below, meaning it was the third-lowest on record for the month. In the Antarctic, the monthly sea ice extent was close to the monthly average.

Read more: Wettest winter on record for parts of the UK

Sharp divide in Europe’s weather

Study author Samantha Burgess, the strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMRW), said there was “a really strong divide across Europe”, as Scandinavia and Eastern Europe were “much colder than average”, whereas the opposite conditions prevailed in most of western and Southern Europe.

Ms Burgess told Sky News the position of the polar jet stream was one of the causes, noting it “has gone further south over the winter, which is why we’ve had a very dim, very wet winter”.

Its unusual position, combined with a series of narrow bands of very moist air, named atmospheric rivers, “led to heavy-to-extreme precipitation over western and Southern Europe. This triggered widespread flooding and landslides, particularly across Iberia and western France,” the study said.

Share

Advertisement

Dogs saved from floods

Climate change’s impact

Ms Burgess said February’s extreme events “highlight the growing impacts of climate change and the pressing need for global action”.

It’s part of our changing winter and changing seasonality, she said, with summers “getting longer, starting earlier and ending later. They’re also getting more intense”.

Winters, by contrast, are “getting less cold, and sometimes they’re also getting shorter”.

‘Blocked weather pattern’

Met Office climate spokesperson Grahame Madge was less sure, saying the recent wet weather in the UK, particularly in Cornwall, which experienced the wettest winter on record, was a “blocked weather pattern over Scandinavia and an active jet stream driven by cold conditions in North America”.

Mr Madge said there is “no strong evidence linking this specific weather pattern to climate change, [but] climate change is expected to lead to warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers in the UK”.

Advertisement

Share

Aerial views of flood-hit Spain

‘Human-caused’ emissions

It’s a trend that is “already being observed in rainfall records, with an increased winter rainfall”, he said.

Reading University climate science professor Richard Allan said the “serious weather extremes” seen during the month were “a classic winter battleground between warm and wet versus cold and dry conditions over Europe”.

“Heavy and persistent rainfall in Western Europe was further intensified by the additional moisture carried by winds from the oceans that are warmer than they would otherwise have been due to the progressive heating from human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases,” he added.

Dr Michael Byrne, reader in climate science at the University of St Andrews, said the UK “is in a pretty wet part of the world and very much influenced by this warmer air, [creating] more moisture when it rains”.

He warned “it’s very likely we should expect more flooding events, more rainstorms, both in the winter but also in the summertime, delivering large volumes of rain in a short period of time”.

It is, he said, “very much what we expect the UK to be seeing more of in the future”.

Ms Burgess agreed, saying “we’ve got to adapt” by recognising that climate change is “here to stay”, and said she remains “optimistically hopeful”, pointing to a doubling in the number of cities that have adaptation measures since 2018.

The prank is understood to be tradition, in which pupils play practical jokes on teachers during prom season

A teacher has died after a prank involving some of his students went horribly wrong.

A group of teenagers unspooled rolls of toilet paper outside the home of North Hall High School teacher Jason Hughes, 40. Jason tripped in the street and was hit by a pickup truck as the teens started to drive away.

Jason, who taught mathematics and helped coach golf, football and baseball, died after being taken to a hospital late on Friday, March 6, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office said. The high school is about 55 miles (88 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta.

Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source.

The teenagers arrived in two vehicles outside his home close to midnight on Friday and began wrapping his trees with toilet paper. The sheriff’s office said in a news release that the teens started to leave when Jason came out of the house. The toilet paper prank is understood to be tradition, in which North Hall students play practical jokes on teachers during prom season.

As one of the teens began to drive away in a pickup truck, “Hughes tripped and fell into the road and was run over,” the sheriff’s office said. The teens stopped and tried to render aid until emergency responders arrived.

Jason’s family said he had heard in advance about their prank and hoped to surprise them. It is understood that he was not trying to confront them.

Authorities charged the driver, an 18-year-old, with first-degree vehicular homicide, a felony punishable by three to 15 years in prison under Georgia law. He was also charged with reckless driving, a misdemeanour.

The four other teens were charged with misdemeanour counts of criminal trespassing and littering on private property, the sheriff’s office said.

Jason’s family said he knew and loved the five students involved and have urged authorities to drop all charges against them.

“This is a terrible tragedy, and our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students,” Jason’s family said in a statement provided to The Associated Press.

“This would be counter to Jason’s lifelong dedication of investing in the lives of these children.”

Decisions on whether or how to prosecute the teens ultimately lie with Hall County District Attorney Lee Darragh.

The Hall County school system posted a message urging students to refrain from any prom-season pranks resulting in property damage or destruction, just one day before Jason’s death. It warned of “serious consequences that can arise from engaging in destructive behavior.”

The school’s football coach, Sean Pender, said that Jason helped players with their academics. He also said Jason was a man of deep faith who led a weekly Bible study for other coaches.

“What made Jason so special was the way he did it,” Sean wrote in a social media post. “He never judged. He never forced anything on anyone. He simply loved people well. He met people where they were, lifted them up, and reminded them that they mattered.”

Students and teachers created a makeshift memorial of flowers along a section of fence outside the school.

Part of a major Scots road remains locked down tonight after someone was reportedly knocked down.

Part of a major Scots road has closed this evening after a person was reportedly hit by a car.

The A8 westbound is closed at Gibshills Road in Greenock after an incident involving a pedestrian and a vehicle.

The crash happened shortly before 7.30pm on Monday, March 9.

Emergency services, including Police Scotland, rushed to the scene in the Inverclyde town. They remain in attendance.

A photo taken at the scene shows a police car blocking the affected road to motorists and passers-by. Two uniformed officers stand guard to stop drivers and pedestrians from entering.

It is not yet known the extent of the person’s injuries, if they were taken to hospital, or if any arrests have been made.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A8 westbound is closed at Gibshills Road in Greenock following a crash involving a pedestrian and a vehicle which happened around 7.20pm tonight.

“Emergency services are in attendance. Local diversions are in place.”

Police Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service have been contacted for comment.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.

NEW YORK (AP) — Three brothers, including two of the nation’s most successful luxury real estate brokers, were convicted of sex trafficking Monday after a five-week trial over accusations that they drugged and raped scores of women they had dazzled with their wealth and opulent lifestyle.

The verdict came after 11 women testified in Manhattan federal court they were sexually assaulted by one or more of the brothers: twins Oren and Alon Alexander, 38, and Tal Alexander, 39. All three shook their heads as the jury foreperson said “guilty” 19 straight times, a powerful reckoning that could put them behind bars for the rest of their lives.

Tal Alexander dropped his head into his crossed arms. Their stunned parents sat in the gallery behind them. Alon Alexander’s wife shielded her face with her hand and appeared to fight back tears.

Judge Valerie E. Caproni set sentencing for Aug. 6. The brothers, jailed since their 2024 arrests, will appeal the verdict, their lawyers said.

Advertisement

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton lauded the verdict as vindication for victims of crimes that often go unreported and unpunished.

“The truth is sex trafficking and other federal sex offenses are present in many walks of life and we have not done enough to root it out,” Clayton said in a statement.

Dozens of women say they were drugged and assaulted

The verdict represented a spectacular fall for Oren and Tal Alexander, once known as real estate’s “A Team” for their high-ticket sales and celebrity clientele. After smashing sales records at industry powerhouse Douglas Elliman, the brothers started their own firm. Alon Alexander ran their family’s private security company.

Victims testified that they met the brothers at nightclubs, parties and on dating apps, and were attacked after accepting their invitations to all-expense paid getaways to the Hamptons; Aspen, Colorado; and a Caribbean cruise. More than 60 women say they were raped by one or more of the brothers, according to prosecutors.

Defense lawyers suggested the accusers had faulty memories or were hoping to cash in on the brothers’ fortunes. The brothers were womanizers, their lawyers conceded. But they insisted any sex was consensual.

In addition to the top charges, Alon and Tal Alexander were also convicted of sex trafficking of a minor while Alon and Oren Alexander were convicted of aggravated sexual abuse by force or intoxicant and sexual abuse of a physically incapacitated person. Oren Alexander was also convicted of sexually exploiting a minor after prosecutors showed the jury a video he recorded of himself appearing to assault a drugged 17-year-old.

Lawsuits expose an open secret in the real estate world

Besides the criminal case, the brothers have faced about two dozen lawsuits over the last two years, including one filed last week in which Tracy Tutor, a star of Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles,” alleges Oren Alexander drugged and assaulted her while she was in New York City for a real estate event.

When the first of the lawsuits were filed, multiple women came forward claiming they had also been assaulted, and that the brothers’ misconduct had been an open secret in the real estate world. The government took notice and opened a criminal case.

During the trial, many women who testified said they believed the brothers had spiked their drinks. Some described feeling like they’d lost control of their bodies.

One woman testified that she met the brothers in 2012 at a party at actor Zac Efron’s Manhattan apartment. She said she had almost no interaction with the actor, who was not accused of any misdeeds, and went to a nightclub later in the night before waking up naked with a nude Alon Alexander standing over her.

“I don’t want to have sex with you,” she testified telling him. “Haha, you already did,” she recalled him snapping back as he “laughed in my face.”

Testimony challenges claim that money drove allegations

Prosecutors pushed back against the idea that the accusers were hoping to cash in on lawsuits. Only two have lawsuits pending, prosecutor Elizabeth Espinosa told jurors, and both are wealthy.

One woman who testified said she was raped by Alon Alexander in Aspen, Colorado, in 2017, when she was 17. She said she was the daughter of a billionaire.

“I don’t want their money. I just don’t want them to have it,” she told jurors.

Lindsey Acree, an artist and gallery owner, testified she was raped by Tal Alexander and another man at a home in the Hamptons in 2011 after taking a drink that left her feeling paralyzed.

The woman said she sued last year even though she will “never need their money” because the Alexanders “kept calling us gold diggers, shake down artists, con artists.”

“If there’s a kid with a stick who keeps hitting people, you take their stick away,” she told the jury. “Money is their stick, so you take it away so they can’t hurt people anymore.”

The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they choose to come forward publicly, as Acree and Tutor have done.

Travis Kelce will return for another season with the Kansas City Chiefs, who have also agreed a deal to sign Kenneth Walker, according to reports.

Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl winner, has spent his entire NFL career with the Chiefs and the veteran tight end is out of contract after his 13th season.

But a social media post, external by New Heights, the podcast he produces with his brother Jason, said: “He’s back! Travis Kelce is back with the Chiefs for year 14.”

Kansas City hoped the 36-year-old would commit to another season and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Kelce has turned down more lucrative offers, external from other teams to agree a one-year deal worth up to $15m (£11.2m).

After reaching five Super Bowls in six years, the Chiefs missed the play-offs last season for the first time since the 2014 campaign.

But they have given their offence another boost by moving for running back Walker, the Most Valuable Player in last season’s Super Bowl, with a three-year deal worth up to $45m (£33.5m), according to NFL Network., external

During the regular season, Walker passed 1,000 rushing yards for the second time in four years with the Seattle Seahawks, and the 25-year-old then helped fill the void after fellow running back Zach Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL in the play-offs.

Walker led the NFL for most carries (65), rushing yards (313) and rushing touchdowns (four) during the post-season, becoming the first running back to be the Super Bowl MVP since 1998.

Champions Seattle were willing to let Walker test the free agency market and he will become the first Super Bowl MVP to immediately switch to a new team since 2003.

The Competition and Markets Authority said it ‘won’t hesitate to take action’ if it suspects consumer or competition law is being broken

The competition watchdog has warned that it expects consumers who have ordered heating oil to receive it at the agreed price, as the Middle East conflict sends the cost of the fuel soaring.

The Competition and Markets Authority said it “won’t hesitate to take action” if it suspects consumer or competition law is being broken.

The CMA’s statement came as households that rely on heating oil are already grappling with rising costs due to disruption caused by the conflict.

Home heating oil is used by around 1.5 million households in the UK, but sudden volatility in the global oil trade has caused prices to spike by up to £100 in the past week alone.

The problem is particularly acute in Northern Ireland, where 62.5% of homes rely on the fuel, compared to the UK average of just over 5%.

Heating oil customers fall outside of Ofgem’s energy price cap protections, which currently fixes prices until the end of June.

Emma Cochrane, acting executive director for consumer protection at the CMA, said: “We know the situation in the Middle East is putting pressure on heating oil prices, and we recognise that this will worry people who may find it hard to afford these extra costs.

“Generally, we would expect that customers who have placed orders for heating oil should receive it at the agreed price. Suppliers should be clear what they are charging and terms must be fair.

“We won’t hesitate to take action if we suspect that consumer or competition law is being broken.”

Earlier on Monday, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and energy minister Michael Shanks wrote to UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association chief executive Ken Cronin, telling him that the CMA was gathering evidence and looking at whether consumers were being treated fairly.

The letter stated: “We want to strongly remind you of your commitments under the UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA) Customer Charter and Code of Practice and that the industry remains fully subject to consumer protection and competition law, overseen by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

“The Minister for Energy has today spoken to the CMA who will now gather evidence on the situation in the market and look at whether consumers are being treated fairly.

“We will be talking to them again in the coming days and they have the power to launch an investigation into anything relating to unfair contract terms, misleading consumer practices or anti-competitive behaviour.

“Where there is evidence that consumers are being treated unfairly, we will act accordingly and ensure that the appropriate regulatory bodies are engaged.”

The letter continued: “To be clear, our firm expectation is that pricing remains fair, transparent and fully justifiable, reflecting genuine market conditions.

“Customers should be provided with clear, timely and clear explanations for any price changes, including where prices are confirmed shortly before delivery.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The Treasury – a new bar and restaurant set to open in Whitby – has announced it will partner with Whitby Distillery when the venue opens to the public in Summer 2026.

The full range of Whitby Distillery’s spirits, including seasonal releases and limited editions, will be available at the new bar with its signature London Dry Gin made using locally foraged botanicals, including sugar kelp gathered from Whitby shores.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Mark Appleton, general manager at The Treasury Whitby, said: “We are incredibly proud to partner with Whitby Distillery as our house pour gin.

“Whitby Distillery have created something truly special – a spirit that captures the character of our coastline – and their commitment to the community through the Whitby Lifeboat makes this collaboration even more meaningful.

“It’s a partnership rooted not only in quality, but in shared values.”

Co-founder of Whitby Distillery, Luke Pentith, and founder of The Treasury, Ali Hussain, also both volunteer with the RNLI Whitby Lifeboat Station – an organisation which the gin company raise money for through the sale of their spirits.

The landmark film and TV studio development now looks back on track as North East Mayor Kim McGuinness announces a £104m package to “turbocharge” the region’s creative industries.

The project, hoped to create thousands of jobs and bring blockbuster film production to the region, has been allocated £38.5 million as part of the push.

It is now hoped to be up and running by late 2027, with construction starting as early as this summer.

It comes just months after the project on the banks of the River Wear was thrown into doubt when private investors Cain International withdrew last June.

It forced Sunderland City Council to hire real estate firm CBRE to find new partners for the site last year – and saw Ms McGuiness ask Chancellor Rachel Reeves for more funding from the Government, which had already committed £25m.

But Mayor Kim McGuinness said the funding, which is set for approval at next week’s Cabinet, will prove that “if you have a creative dream,  you don’t need London to succeed”. 

Plans for the Crown Works studios development

The Northern Echo previously joined forced with papers across the region in 2024 to call on then Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to back the Crown Works – and he later hailed the plans as the biggest announcement for the area since Nissan came to Washington.

The vision for the vast £450m complex was originally led by FulwellCain, a joint venture between global entertainment company Fulwell 73 and Cain International, who had hoped to build 19 sound stages at the riverside site.

However, in 2025, the council revealed the proposals were being presented to the investment market, with the aim to find a final funder and developer.

Land preparation works next to the Northern Spire Bridge have already gotten underway following the plans being approved in 2024 – but no building work has begun.

The Northern Echo pushed then Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to back the Crown Works (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

The first phase of construction will now begin in July, with the £38m figure including £11m recyclable funding, operational revenue support of £500k per year for five years and reconfirmation of £25m Trailblazer Devolution Deal funding first offered by the Government in 2024. 

Once open in late 2027, the studio will feature 125,000 sq ft of flexible space across a new ‘Studio One’ alongside the transformation of the existing Doxford Printworks building.

The Cabinet is also set to approve £24m to start work on a new 12,500-15,000 seat arena to rival Manchester and London at Gateshead Quays on the banks of the Tyne, where development has been stalled since the pandemic.

The on-site works will create a stand-alone platform for a new arena, a new performance square next to The Glasshouse International Centre for Music and a green linear park connecting the riverside to Baltic Quarter. 

And Mayor Kim McGuinness has also committed to spend millions more to back small venues across North East England, fund a diverse programme of festivals, events and sporting programmes, and provide financial support for local people to build their creative careers and businesses.

The investment marks the first major scheme since the Newcastle-Gateshead Mayoral Development Zone was created last year.

The £104m package also includes a £42m North East Culture, Creative Industries and Sport framework, backed by £25m from the combined authority’s integrated settlement, to develop grassroots talent, improve small venues, and boost access and participation across the region. 

The North East Culture, Creative Industries and Sport framework will be shaped by industry stakeholders to map the investment needed to sustainably grow the creative sector. 

Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “We’ve heard leading voices from Sam Fender to Jade talk about their pride in their north east roots and the huge barriers working class young people from the north face when trying to make it in music and film.

“I said in my manifesto I’d change that, and here’s the next big step – £104m backing both the inspirational big venues to the vital local space need for your first gig. 

“Last week we announced the skills funding to help you learn on the job, this week we’re backing more venues.

 “If you have a creative dream,  you don’t need London to succeed. We’ll prove that.”