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”.

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. 

(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.

“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information, dash cam or doorbell footage is asked to call Cleveland Police on 101 quoting reference number 060930.”

The wind alert will now be in place until 7am on Easter Sunday, with the forecasters warning of possible disruption across Darlington and County Durham over the weekend.

Storm Dave will move in towards the North East during Saturday evening (April 4), bringing gusts of up to 50 to 60 mph and up to 60 to 70 mph in more exposed locations.

The spell of very strong winds later on Saturday and overnight into Sunday morning could lead to damage and travel disruption.

Where will be affected?

The yellow weather warning runs from Saturday 5pm until Easter Sunday 7am (extended from Saturday evening) and applies to the following areas in the North East, including:

· Darlington
· Durham
· Gateshead
· Newcastle upon Tyne
· North Tyneside
· Northumberland
· South Tyneside
· Sunderland

Forecasters rate the potential impact of the weather warning as medium, with the likelihood of the disruption being “very low.”

The Met Office said: “A rapidly deepening area of low pressure, Storm Dave, is likely to move North Eastwards close to or across northwestern parts of the UK during Saturday evening and night, clearing to the North Sea by Sunday.

“While there is some uncertainty over the exact track, intensity and shape of this area of low pressure, a period of strong west to south-westerly winds is expected during Saturday night and into the first part of Easter Sunday, before gradually easing through the day.

“Peak gusts of 50-60 mph will be possible fairly widely, with 60-70 mph in more exposed locations.”

‘The design of the development will create a vibrant neighbourhood with strong connections to the local community’

Plans are under consideration to build over 200 houses in a sleepy Welsh village. Developer BDW Trading Ltd has lodged an application with Vale of Glamorgan Council to build 232 houses and a foodstore that could be as large as 20,000 sq ft on Church Farm in St Athan.

The development would feature a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom properties. These properties would be split into 150 homes for the open market, 54 social rented units and 28 “low-cost home ownership units”.

The application reads: “The development has been structured around a clear street hierarchy and integrated network of green infrastructure and public open spaces to create a high-quality and inclusive residential environment” For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here

The affordable homes on site are located throughout the development, “providing integration with the open market housing”.

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Planning documents read: “The proposals make efficient use of the site by providing much needed market and affordable homes, in addition to a new foodstore.”

It continues: “The design of the development will create a vibrant neighbourhood with strong connections to the local community.”

The documents also outline that a total of 498 private car parking spaces will be provided, with the numbers per plot ranging from one to three depending on “dwelling size”

There will also be 48-off carriageway visitor parking spaces.

Four-hundred metres of hedgerow are proposed to be removed as well as 12 small hawthorn trees to make way for the development.

In return, a total of 200 trees are proposed to be planted across the development in addition to 600m of hedgerow, over 500sq m of “native shrub planting” and over 3,500sq m of native grassland and wildflowers.

The application reads: “The development includes the creation of several open spaces and green corridors within the site.

“This includes three large open spaces, with two primarily focusing on formal and informal play and the larger space combining informal play, biodiversity and sustainable drainage systems use.”

Regarding the proposed foodstore, the application reads: “Given the limited food retailing options within St Athan currently, the proposed foodstore would make a significant contribution to the settlement as a whole and reduce longer journeys by private car to other foodstores further afield.”

It continues: “The provision of a food store will have significant sustainability benefits and have the potential to create a range of new employment opportunities.”

In its latest operational update, the Ministry of Defence said RAF Regiment gunners downed multiple Iranian drones overnight, while UK Typhoons and F-35 jets, together with Wildcat helicopters, continued their defensive missions over Cyprus, Jordan, Qatar, UAE, and Bahrain.

Police responded to reports that a man had been hit by a vehicle between junctions 3 and 4, in the early hours of the morning.

Police were called to the scene at around 2.25am.

Emergency services attended, but the 24-year-old man died at the scene.

Officers are continuing to investigate the full circumstances of his death.

The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and no arrests have been made.

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.

They are particularly keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from around the time of the collision.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or via the Live Chat service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 313 of 03/04/2026.

After nearly half a century of quiet village life, residents in Halkyn claim the atmosphere around them has shifted dramatically. Locals living near a £1.6 million luxury holiday property in Flintshire claim noise and anti-social behaviour from visitors has disrupted what was once a peaceful rural setting.

However, the owners of the Old Church School insist they have taken every reasonable step to address neighbours’ concerns – resulting in a deadlock between both parties.

Guy Roberts, who resides with his wife and elderly father in the adjacent Old School House, claimed loud music and lighting continuing into the early hours of the morning, along with visitors celebrating in the rear garden of the 24-bed establishment, had destroyed the peaceful rural setting since it began welcoming guests in October, 2025.

“It’s simply not a suitable use for a property in this village,” Mr Roberts claimed. “When planning went in for a holiday let we thought that was what it would be, but it is almost like a venue.

“We have lived here for 46 years and this has changed the character of the place. I’m a truck driver, my wife is self-employed and has to work early so we need our rest. The noise is so bad my dad, who is deaf, is bothered by it.”, reports North Wales Live.

“We’ve tried to speak to the landlord, he agreed to put a device on the sound system to cut it off at 11pm but said he can’t stop guests bringing their own, which they are now doing.

“Also, the music is often on all day. It seems to be that people are coming for parties at the weekend rather than peaceful week-long holidays.

“They are out in the hot tub at all hours of the day and night and we can’t seem to get anywhere. We have reported it to the police but they can’t do anything and Flintshire County Council have set up equipment to monitor the noise but it is driving us crazy.

“We are not even in peak season yet so goodness knows what it will be like then.”

Mr Roberts has since sought the assistance of Brynford and Halkyn Cllr Fran Lister in finding a resolution.

“It’s clearly very distressing,” she said. “I remember when this went through planning as a holiday let and we had no objections as long as it’s not too noisy for the neighbours.

“It’s not fair that the neighbours are feeling this impact.” Make sure you never miss Wales’ biggest updates by getting our daily newsletter

However, a spokesperson for Halkyn Estates Ltd, the company running the property, stated that it had been taking residents’ complaints on board and working towards solutions.

“This was a Grade II Listed building that was falling into disrepair,” he said. “We spent £1.6 million to buy the building and refurbish it – preserving it for the community.

“We even included original artefacts, furniture and school photos from when it was a school in the interior.

“We have done everything by the book and I understand the problems residents have. We appreciate the issues around noise which is why we installed a shut-off system.

“We operate a number of properties and this is already a very popular one. We want to be part of the community and work with residents to resolve any issues because ultimately we want the tourism we bring to Halkyn to enhance the area.

“Guests are advised to be considerate of our neighbours and to ensure noise is kept down during unsocial hours.

“Our investment in the Old Church School has brought it back into use in a sustainable way. Between being a school and a holiday let the site was for some time a factory and when we bought it it still had planning classification as one.

“That would have created a lot more noise. We understand that our neighbours have concerns and we would welcome the opportunity to work with them to find a solution that suits everybody.”

The warning runs from 5pm on Saturday (April 4) until 7am on Easter Sunday (April 5).

It warns that Storm Dave will bring a spell of very strong winds – of 50-60mph in the York area – which may cause some damage and travel disruption.

The yellow warning says road and rail services are likely to be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible.

Power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage, it adds.

Some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, could happen, the warning also suggests, adding injuries and danger to life from flying debris are possible.

A yellow weather warning has been issued for York ahead of Storm Dave (Image: Met Office)

Met Office deputy chief forecaster, Tom Crabtree, said: “Storm Dave will form and rapidly deepen on Saturday as it approaches the UK from the west.

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“By Saturday afternoon winds will strengthen significantly, with gusts of 60-70mph expected at times across parts of Scotland with the potential for gusts of 80-90mph in exposed coastal locations in Scotland.

“Gusts of 50-60mph are likely more widely in northern Britain.

“As well as strong winds, Storm Dave will also bring heavy snowfall over the hills in northern Scotland where up to 10-20cm of snow could accumulate.

“Along with the strong winds this will lead to blizzard conditions.

“Elsewhere there will be heavy spells of rain as the system moves through eastwards across the UK.”

A yellow wind alert has been announced for northern England, including several areas in Greater Manchester. The warning covers Bolton, Bury, Oldham and Trafford, as well as other parts of the region.

This alert is in place from 5pm on Saturday, April 4, until 7am on Sunday, April 5, due to the anticipated strong winds of up to 90mph in some parts of the UK.

#StormDave has been named and is forecast to bring damaging winds across northern parts of the UK, with some disruptive snow possible in northwest Scotland later on Saturday and into Easter Day #WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/J0NZYD2SPC

— Met Office (@metoffice) April 2, 2026

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This is different to the previous wind warning, which was previously in place from 6pm on Saturday, April 4 until 12pm on Easter Sunday.

According to Tom Crabtree, deputy chief forecaster at the Met Office, “Storm Dave will form and rapidly deepen on Saturday as it approaches the UK from the west.”

He added that parts of Scotland might experience gusts of 60-70mph, and some coastal areas could face winds as high as 80-90mph.

Gusts of 50-60mph are predicted to occur more commonly across northern Britain.

Northern Scotland may see heavy snowfall on the hills, accumulating up to 10-20cm of snow, alongside strong winds that could result in blizzard-like conditions.

Heavy rain is expected to spread across the UK as Storm Dave moves eastwards.

The Met Office warned that the strong winds pose a risk of causing injuries and danger to life from flying debris, which may also result in damage and travel disturbances across the affected areas.

While northern regions are anticipated to face more severe conditions, southern parts of the UK are not set to feel the impact of the storm.

Travel services, including road, rail, air, and ferry, are likely to be disrupted, with longer journey times and potential cancellations.

Certain roads and bridges might need to be closed, and power cuts could occur, possibly impacting other services such as mobile phone coverage.

Debris-related injuries and danger to life are forecasted, with large waves expected to pose a threat to sea fronts, coastal roads, and properties.

Precautionary advice encourages the public to ensure the safety of loose items around their homes and to prepare for any delays by checking travel conditions and schedules.

Residents near the coast are advised to be cautious of large waves and to be prepared for the quick updates in weather warnings.

The general public is continually advised to stay informed with the latest updates as Storm Dave was expected to move across Scotland on the night of Saturday into Sunday and off into the North Sea.

The storm is predicted to bring strong winds, primarily from the southwest direction.

The highest wind speeds are expected during Saturday evening, with a small chance of brief gusts of 70-80 mph, particularly in northern England and southern Scotland.

In addition to the strong winds, large waves could result in dangerous conditions around windward coasts.

People are advised to follow official advice to ensure safety.

Jurgen Klopp has his next football role arranged after making an emotional return to Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp is set to take on yet another new position this summer following an emotional return to Liverpool. The ex-Reds manager was back at the club last weekend as an assistant boss of the Liverpool Legends side that faced another of his former teams, Borussia Dortmund.

Klopp received a hero’s welcome as he oversaw an entertaining 2-2 draw at Anfield. Before and after the fixture, he participated in various community activities in support of the LFC Foundation. He continues to serve as an ambassador for the club’s charitable organisation, having taken up the role when he stepped down as Reds boss in 2024.

Following the event, Klopp shared photos on Instagram. Tagging in the LFC Foundation, he wrote: “Thank you to everyone who made my homecoming so special.”

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Klopp has embraced several new positions since departing the Reds. He joined the Red Bull Group as Head of Global Football in an advisory capacity before being appointed as an expert by the German Football League (DFL).

He now faces a hectic summer after being signed up as a pundit for the World Cup by German television and streaming service Magenta TV. Klopp revealed the news late last year in a video that hinted at a return to management, only to confirm he would instead be working as an analyst at the tournament.

READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp backed to make sensational return to Liverpool as pressure mounts on Arne SlotREAD MORE: Jurgen Klopp opens up on special Anfield return in unique Kenny Dalglish moment

After strolling through a stadium, gazing wistfully at his surroundings, he told the camera: “Oh no, not as a manager. I am becoming a pundit for Magenta TV at the FIFA World Cup 2026.”

Klopp recently shut down rumours about a managerial comeback with Real Madrid to succeed Alvaro Arbeloa. He told reporters at the Magenta TV World Cup presentation event: “If Real Madrid had phoned, we would have heard about it by now.

“But that’s all nonsense. They haven’t called even once, not once. My agent is there, you can ask him. They haven’t called him either.”

Klopp has made it abundantly clear that should he return to the dugout, it wouldn’t be with another English club. His comments following the Dortmund legends fixture reinforced his enduring connection with the Reds.

He said: “Enjoyed every second. My role was definitely not to have a lot of words. I was here for the Foundation and to be part of a really special experience.

“For me, a very special experience after a while – being around, being that close, seeing all the Liverpool lads and then seeing the Dortmund lads as well, because that was like 80 per cent of my players. And you don’t meet very often and have them all together in one room. It’s really cool.”

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