Three men were arrested this morning as part of the proactive policing operation

Two further arrests have been made in connection to a model of a mosque being placed on a bonfire in Co Tyrone.

Detectives in Mid Ulster investigating the “hate display” placed on a bonfire in Moygashel in July have arrested two men on Tuesday afternoon.

Police are understood to have conducted searches at a number of properties in the village this morning which has resulted in the first three arrests.

In an updated this evening, a PSNI spokesperson said: “Three men aged 27, 38 and 51 were arrested this morning as part of the proactive policing operation.

“Additionally, two men aged 74 and 58 were also arrested this afternoon in connection with the same investigation.

“All five men remain in custody at this time as the investigation into the placing of the offensive materials onto the bonfire continues.”

The five arrests come after another man was charged in relation to the incident last month.

This morning Mid Ulster District Commander Superintendent Peter Stevenson said: “A number of properties in the Moygashel area were searched and the men, aged 27, 38 and 51, were detained on suspicion of offences under Article 9 of the Public Order Order 1987.

“All three are currently in police custody. The investigation into the placing of the offensive materials onto the bonfire continues.”

Speaking at the time, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn described the bonfire display a “sickening and cowardly act of intimidation”.

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

The United States has announced its latest plan to put maximum economic pressure on Iran. Launching “Operation Economic Outcast” on August 24, the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said the plan would involve the “toughest sanctions in history” against Iran.

The US objective is ambitious. To economically isolate Tehran, punish countries that continue trading with it and achieve through financial pressure what nearly six months of military confrontation have failed to deliver. Bessent said this would mean cutting any countries continuing to trade with Iran out of the dollar system.

“Any nation that serves as a financial artery of a withering regime should expect to share in its isolation,” he said. “To become a sanctuary for terror is to become, in the eyes of the United States, a global pariah.”

When asked whether the same measures would apply to China, which accounts for the majority of Iran’s oil exports, Bessent said that no country “is above the reach of US sanctions”. China, meanwhile, said it was firmly opposed to “illicit unilateral sanctions”. It has warned it will retaliate if any Chinese companies are hit by the expanded US sanctions regime.

Cutting China out of the US dollar system would be likely to cause catastrophic disruption to global markets. It would immediately curtail trade between the US and China, causing severe shortages of retail goods and medical supplies in the US and leading to sharp rises in unemployment in China as a result of factory closures. There would also be a risk that China could liquidate its US debt holdings, prompting a spike in interest rates.

But quite apart from how risky this move would be in terms of global economic disruption, Iran has spent more than four decades learning how to survive US sanctions in various forms. Iran’s economy minister, Seyed Ali Madanizadeh, acknowledged this when he responded to the US announcement by saying that Tehran has been “waiting for these plans for a long time, and the government is and was ready and has a two-year plan to manage these events”.

Iran’s economy has suffered greatly since the US reimposed wide-ranging sanctions in 2018 after pulling the US out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal signed during the administration of his predecessor, Barack Obama. Obama had used sanctions and the promise of sanctions relief in the negotiations, which culminated in the 2015 nuclear agreement. So there’s no doubt of the power of sanctions as a tool of diplomacy under certain circumstances.

But Iran has also become experienced at circumventing economic restrictions. Oil can move through opaque trading arrangements. Payments can travel through intermediaries and exchange houses. Front companies substitute for conventional businesses. Tankers change names, flags and ownership structures.

The results are striking. Despite extensive American sanctions in 2025, China purchased approximately 1.38 million barrels of Iranian oil per day in 2025 through a trading system designed to resist US financial pressure. This represents more than 13% of the total of oil it imported by sea.

Every additional sanction imposed on Iran creates another incentive to develop mechanisms capable of circumventing the next one. Iran has not defeated sanctions. It has learned to live within them.

Military power also limited

Military force presents a similar problem. US and Israeli attacks have inflicted enormous damage on Iranian infrastructure and military capabilities. Yet nearly six months into the conflict, the lack of success of its military campaign appears to be forcing Washington to return to – and double down on – economic coercion to achieve its political objectives.

Military pressure may actually reinforce Tehran’s longstanding strategic calculation. Iran cannot match the US conventionally, so it has relied on its ability to weaponise geography via its control of the Strait of Hormuz. And it’s this leverage, basically, that has caused the military stalemate.

Before the present conflict, approximately 20.9 million barrels of oil passed through the strait each day – equivalent to around 20% of global petroleum consumption and one-quarter of internationally traded maritime oil. Existing Saudi and Emirati pipelines bypass only a fraction of that volume.

Traffic through Hormuz is now around 90% below pre-conflict levels. And the implications extend beyond Iran. In August, Iran granted special permission for Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the strait following diplomatic efforts by Baghdad. Iraq – one of the world’s great oil producers – effectively required Tehran’s consent to move some of its own oil through the Gulf.

This dramatically complicates secondary sanctions. Washington can threaten countries with exclusion from American markets if they continue trading with Iran. Tehran can now demonstrate that countries supporting American economic warfare may face consequences affecting the energy routes upon which their economies depend.

Making Iran poorer not the same as making it weaker

None of this means sanctions are harmless. They can devastate living standards, accelerate inflation and place enormous pressure on ordinary Iranians. And there can be little doubt that Iran’s economy is suffering at present. Inflation is currently running at 66%, according to official data from the Statistical Centre of Iran reported by Iranian Labour News Agency. The rial now stands at a historic low of more than 2 million to the US dollar on the open market.

But impoverishing a country and changing the strategic behaviour of its government are different objectives. Iran’s history suggests that pressure repeatedly produces adaptation: alternative markets, financial networks, missiles, drones and relationships with regional actors.

The lesson of the Obama period is therefore easily misunderstood. Sanctions were most successful not when they became an end in themselves, but when pressure ultimately produced diplomacy and the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Sanctions can provide leverage for negotiation. But when sanctions become the strategy itself, Washington risks repeating a familiar mistake. It may make Iran considerably poorer. It should not assume that makes Iran weaker.

Ben Brookshaw, founder of independent mobile skincare business SKN by Ben, was named Skin Specialist of the Year at the West Yorkshire Hair and Beauty Awards.

The accolade marks another milestone for the therapist, who launched his mobile treatment service three years ago and now offers a range of skincare treatments including microneedling, blackhead removal, facials, dermaplaning and acne treatments.

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Speaking after collecting the award, Ben said: “I am so proud of myself and thankful to all my amazing clients.”

Ben offers a range of therapies for his diverse clientele in the comfort of their homes (Image: Supplied)

Ben said one of the most rewarding aspects of his work is meeting people from different backgrounds and providing treatments in the comfort of their own homes.

He said: “Every day is different.

“I meet so many incredible people from all walks of life.

“Some clients simply don’t have the time or ability to get to a salon, so when I visit them in their homes, they are always so grateful. It means I’m able to treat a wide and diverse range of clients.”

Ben offers a range of skincare treatment, including acne treatment, blackhead removal, facials, dermaplaning and microneedling (Image: Supplied)

Ben has built an extensive portfolio of qualifications, including beauty and complementary therapies, a Level 3 VTCT qualification in facial electricals, CPDs in dermaplaning, chemical peels and microneedling, and a Level 5 CPD in skin boosters and polynucleotides.

His expertise has helped SKN by Ben develop a strong reputation, earning more than 100 five-star reviews across Google and Facebook, alongside thousands of followers on social media.

The latest award follows another recent success for the business, which was named among the Top 10 Rising Skincare Specialists of the Year in 2025.

For more information about SKN by Ben and its range of treatments, visit the business website.

​The construction of an eight-metre-high building on the coast at Hunmanby Gap, near Filey, has been blocked over the impact it would have on neighbours and a lack of information.

​An existing three-bed bungalow dating from the 1960s/70s would have been demolished and replaced with a five-bed dwelling featuring a first-floor balcony at 41, Gap Road.

​However, the council’s harbour and coastal engineers said that “land stability should be a significant consideration in the assessment of this application”

Proposed Front Elevation. 41 Gap Road, Hunmanby, Filey. Applicant.

​The council’s engineer was anecdotally informed that “prior to the construction of the original properties in the 1970s, the area had experienced some degree of land instability, the effects of which can apparently still be observed during winter months when vegetation cover is reduced”.

​Yorkshire Water objected to the scheme as “buildings will be sited near the public water supply infrastructure located within the site, and this could seriously jeopardise Yorkshire Water’s ability to maintain the public water network and is not acceptable”.

​Three objections were made by members of the public who were concerned that “the size of the property would be overwhelming for the size of the plot” and would lead to a “loss of privacy” from overlooking.

​Another objector added: “The proposed design would be out of character with the surrounding dwellings”.

​However, no concerns or objections were raised by the Highway Authority or the council’s ecologist.

​Planners said that the proposed development would appear “top-heavy and dominated by a large roof slope in materials that are relatively atypical within the street; this would be further exacerbated by being much taller and larger scale than the adjacent row of bungalows”.

​They added that “the proposed development by virtue of its design, scale, mass, and materials would be unduly prominent within the street scene and together with the closure of the gap between the neighbouring dwelling would appear shoehorned into the site and detrimental to visual amenity and character of the street scene”.

​Officers noted that the large nature of the building would be “overbearing to the occupants” of neighbouring properties.

​They concluded that insufficient information had been submitted to assess the impact of the proposed development on the adjacent slope of Reighton Gill.

​North Yorkshire Council rejected the application on Tuesday, August 25.

US national debt has passed a record US$40 trillion (£29.4 trillion). This milestone is a major warning sign. It reveals vulnerabilities that threaten the long-term economic stability of the US and the rest of the world.

The speed of US debt accumulation is staggering. US national debt first reached $1 trillion in 1941 and, after rising to $20 trillion in 2017, has more than doubled over the past nine years. It is expected to increase by $2.1 trillion in the 2026 fiscal year alone.

The primary source of high US national debt is Washington’s inability to control its persistent budget deficit. This stems in part from systemic political incentives. Addressing a deficit requires either cutting public spending, raising taxes or both. These are actions that tend to be punished by voters.

Various structural factors also drive high US national debt. Mandatory spending on programmes such as social security and health insurance schemes like Medicare and Medicaid consume almost two-thirds of the federal budget. This spending is set to increase due to demographic ageing – the median age of Americans increased from 35.6 in 2001 to 39.4 in 2025.

The cost of servicing national debt has itself also become a major driver of US federal budget deficits. Annual net interest payments the US government pays on its outstanding loans currently stand at around $1.2 trillion, eclipsing national defence spending. Servicing debt is now the second-largest item in the US federal budget, behind only social security, and is expected to cost more than $16.2 trillion over the next decade.

A key reason why this status quo persists is the global importance of the US dollar. The US dollar has long served as the world’s primary reserve currency, and is the most widely used currency for international trade.

This creates high global demand for US Treasury bonds, the financial instruments the US government issues to investors to pay for its national spending.

That demand allows the US government to pay lower interest rates on these bonds, generally keeping its borrowing costs low. For years, this has provided Washington with little immediate pressure to change its trajectory.

Economic risks

However, the current trajectory poses several risks to the US and global economy. First, US Treasury bonds are considered safe assets by global investors, so often pull money away from other areas of the economy – a process economists call “crowding out”.

This is particularly true if the yield – the effective interest rate the US government pays – on them is relatively high. On August 21, the yield on the US government’s 30-year bond was trading at 5.34%, its highest level in two decades. The US Treasury is now buying back its own bonds in an attempt to stabilise the yield.

At the same time, the cost of servicing high levels of debt diminishes the US government’s flexibility to spend on areas of the economy where funding is most needed, including infrastructure, innovation and defence. Rising net interest costs, which currently represent around 14-15% of total federal outlays, are actively squeezing the federal budget.

Second, a large fiscal deficit can be inflationary. This hampers price stability in the US economy and can lead the country’s central bank, the Federal Reserve, to increase interest rates. When passed on to firms and households, higher interest rates harm economic activity.

Third, projections suggest the debt ceiling of US$41.1 trillion established by US Congress in 2025 is likely to be breached by mid-2027. This sets up a high-stakes legislative battle. A prolonged political showdown over whether to raise this ceiling could lead to the US government being unable to meet its financial obligations.

Fourth, a lack of fiscal discipline is contributing to a slow-moving global shift away from the US dollar. The share of US dollars in global foreign exchange reserves currently stands at nearly 57%, a decline compared to 2001 when it was around 70%.

Central banks worldwide are diversifying into non-traditional reserve assets, including the Chinese yuan, South Korean won, Norwegian krone and the Canadian, Australian and Singapore dollar. They are also pivoting towards gold, with central banks buying an average of 1,000 tonnes a year over the past four years – double the average of the previous decade.

And fifth, due to the size and global significance of the US economy, there could be adverse spillovers of inflation and higher interest rates to other economies if US national debt continues to increase.

This is because other countries will respond to the higher yield on US treasuries, caused in part by a larger supply of these bonds as US national debt rises, by offering higher returns themselves to prevent capital from leaving their economies and their currency from dropping.

Ultimately, the US needs structural fiscal adjustment. Its tax rates need to increase from their current level of around 27% of GDP to at least the OECD average of 34%. Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is expected to cost more than $4 trillion over the next decade and add new tax cuts, also needs to be reconsidered.

And finally, the US needs a bipartisan consensus on fiscal prudence to put its public finances in order. As the first US secretary of the treasury, Alexander Hamilton, said in his first report on public finances in 1790: “In countries in which the national debt is properly funded and an object of established confidence, it answers most of the purposes of money”.

He is also charged with possession of prohibited weapons

A 16-year-old has been charged after four suspected viable devices were found during a security alert in Co Tyrone.

Detectives have charged the teenager with possessing explosives in suspicious circumstances, and possession of prohibited weapons following a search at a house in Omagh on Monday, August 24.

Police were carrying out a planned search at an address on Gardenville Avenue, where they had uncovered a suspected device, which led to a number of homes being evacuated.

A further search of the property led to three further devices being uncovered.

A PSNI spokepserson said: “The teenager is expected to appear at Dungannon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 26th August.

“The charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service, in line with normal procedure.”

On Monday, Detective Inspector Winters said: “Police carried out a planned search at an address in the Gardenville Avenue area of the town this morning, Monday 24th August. “Following the discovery of a suspicious device, cordons were put in place and a number of residents had to leave their homes while Ammunition Technical Officers carried out an examination. “Three further suspicious devices were found as our search continued. At this stage, we believe that all four are viable explosive devices and they have since been removed from the property for forensic examination.

“A 16-year-old male was arrested under the Terrorism Act and remains in police custody at this time.”

He continued: “Detectives are working at pace. We would urge the public not to speculate – it’s important to stress that, while the suspect has been arrested under the Terrorism Act, our investigation to establish a motive remains very much ongoing. “We would ask anyone who may have information that could assist our investigation to contact us on 101, quoting reference number 281 24/08/256. “A report can be submitted online using the witness appeal form https://reporting.psni.police.uk/appeals or you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/ “

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

US President Donald Trump has said that the US Navy has removed or detonated all mines in the Strait of Hormuz – the vital waterway which Iran has largely closed since the beginning of the war in the Middle East.

“Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

There is no comment from Iran.

Closure of the strait has caused wild fluctuations in the price of oil on world markets. Trump has often said the US has control of the area – but Iran has fired against vessels it says have sought to cross without its permission.

Some 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas used to transit the Strait of Hormuz before the war, which began on 28 February with US and Israeli air strikes against Iran.

In addition to closing the strait, Iran retaliated against Israel and against US bases in the region as well as US Arab allies in the Gulf.

A ceasefire aimed at facilitating talks to end the war has collapsed and there has been intermittent exchange of fire between the US and Iran.

However, this week the US announced a raft of economic sanctions against Iran.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that any nation financially partnering with Iran would be isolated.

Iran and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June – a 14-point document which set a 60-day deadline to reach a deal on the Strait of Hormuz, before substantial negotiations on resolving the nuclear issue – allegations that Iran is building a nuclear weapon, which Tehran has consistently denied.

However, that deadline has now expired and talks have collapsed leading to the new US sanctions that Trump believes will lead to the collapse of the Iranian regime.

Iran has been under sanctions for most of the time since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979 and Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said Tehran was “fully prepared” for the wider sanctions, which he added would lead to “another defeat” for the US.

Its economy, however, has suffered as a result of the war – and a blockade of Iranian ports that the US has been maintaining for weeks not to allow trade to continue.

On Tuesday, China – the biggest buyer of Iranian oil – said it was firmly opposed to what it called the US’s “illegal unilateral sanctions” and would take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its rights.

The US announcement comes ahead of planned talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month.

Washington is likely to be wary of potential retaliation from Beijing, which processes the majority of the world’s rare earths and other critical minerals, crucial in the manufacture of many high-tech products.

Beijing has already tightened export controls on rare earths as part of previous trade negotiations with the US.

An inspection has been launched into a police’s ability to respond to incidents of serious violence following the murder of student Henry Nowak.

Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years at Southampton Crown Court in June for the murder of the 18-year-old finance student on December 3 2025.

The case sparked protests and violence after a three-minute police body-worn video was released showing Nowak, from Chafford Hundred, Essex, being placed in handcuffs moments before he became unconscious and subsequently died.

Now His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Service has begun its inspection of Hampshire police following a request by Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones.

The commissioner said that the inspection would cover the “end-to-end process” from call-handling in the control room, dispatch and initial attendance at incidents of serious violence.

She also said it would assess “decision-making and risk assessment training, specifically how the organisation supports officers and staff to make sound, impartial judgments free from bias, and where immediate action including first aid is required”.

Ms Jones said: “The public must have confidence that police officers receive the right information, the right training and the right support to make critical decisions.

“This inspection will provide an independent assessment of the force’s training, processes and culture including the handling of allegations of racially aggravated assault.

“Henry’s family deserve answers, and the public deserve reassurance that their police service is equipped to recognise victims and provide the highest standard of care when it matters most.”

The PCC added that the inspection would not examine the actions of officers on the night of Mr Nowak’s death so that it did not interfere with judicial and conduct probes into the incident.

In July, it emerged that two Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary police officers involved in the arrest of Mr Nowak were being investigated for potential gross misconduct.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said: “The evidence indicates that both officers – who were the first to arrive at the scene – may have potentially breached the professional behaviour standards of duties and responsibilities, use of force, and discreditable conduct.”

According to the watchdog, the breaches relate to potential failures to recognise that Nowak needed urgent medical attention, to immediately act after he said he had been stabbed and he couldn’t breathe, and the decision to arrest and handcuff Nowak rather than provide immediate first aid.

One of the officers may have also breached standards relating to authority, respect and courtesy when appearing to dismiss Nowak repeatedly saying he had been stabbed.

Plans for a new data centre on the site of a historic former brewery in east London prompted significant local protest. But, following planning reports and a public inquiry, the secretary of state overrode these concerns and approved the project.

The Truman Brewery, located in Brick Lane – the street famous for its curry houses and Bangladeshi culture – is a local landmark with a rich history.

Founded in the 17th century, it expanded through the 18th and 19th centuries to meet demand for porter beer. Then, changing tastes and competition led to a long decline. The brewery finally closed in 1989.

Changing plans

After the site was purchased for redevelopment in 1995, it grew into a creative hub. It hosted galleries, studios, shops, restaurants, offices, markets and music venues. A new shopping centre development was proposed in 2021 for the underused areas of the estate. This generated opposition from residents, traders and heritage groups, eventually producing the Save Brick Lane campaign, and wasn’t progressed.

Then owners, Truman Estates, developed a much broader master plan. In August 2024, they submitted planning applications for offices, retail, leisure, public space, housing and a 5,200 m², 3MW (megawatt) data centre. In the planning process, the data centre was described as quite small. For comparison, hyperscale facilities, which are now used to power AI, can be tens or even hundreds of megawatts.

When Tower Hamlets council failed to determine the applications within the statutory period, Truman Estates lodged a non-determination appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. In July last year, Tower Hamlets’ Strategic Development Committee considered the applications and its planning officers recommended approval. Despite this, councillors said they would have opposed the plans. They cited concerns over the impact on local heritage and businesses and the limited amount of new housing.

Tower Hamlets has one of the country’s most acute housing shortages, and local campaigners argued the plan was a missed opportunity to allocate urban land for social housing. The councils own local plan had earmarked the site for up to 800 homes, but the government gave that draft policy only “limited weight” because they had seen “no detailed evidence” that such a housing-led alternative was viable. The approved scheme does include some housing, with 44 apartments — 11 affordable, six for social rent.

Critics questioned whether siting a data centre in a dense urban neighbourhood was an appropriate use of land, flagging how they sometimes use high levels of water for cooling and electricity. This could put pressure on local utilities.

In October, a public inquiry was held to examine the appeals, considering concerns and evidence from the developer, local councillors and campaign groups. Finally, on July 29, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook issued a decision letter on behalf of Secretary of State Angela Rayner, approving the new data centre.

Geography still matters

Perhaps the site owners could have considered a data centre in a less built-up location. After all, many major data schemes are large edge-of-town facilities. These can also be controversial- for example, as the £1 billion development at Iver in Buckinghamshire. However, they can at least make use of spaces that are less suitable for other things.

The Truman Brewery data centre is presented in the planning proposal as a “retail co-location”. Potential clients include legal, online gambling and financial firms. However, the attraction of the location is about the data centre’s proximity to London’s financial institutions, which can be critical for digital performance. As author Michael Lewis vividly explained in Flash Boys, a few milliseconds can be very significant in trading and other high-value digital services.

Tower Hamlets is already at the heart of this financial activity. It has the third-largest economic output of any local authority in the UK, with financial and professional services contributing some £11 billion and 160,000 jobs. Pennycook attached “significant weight” to the scheme’s economic benefits, noting it was essentially a facility designed to supply high-speed data infrastructure for London’s financial sector.

In the decision letter, Pennycook acknowledged the importance of the Bangladeshi population in the area: “She [Rayner] has taken into account community concerns around the potential impact of the proposals on this specific community.” Also, he said, the six homes for social rent had been “specifically designed to meet local housing needs and accommodate larger Bangladeshi heritage families”.

A historical brewery and a brand new data centre appear to have little in common. Yet, they both owe their existence to their physical location within London’s economy. The site is about three miles from Canary Wharf, close to other data centres and the dense fibre routes that cut across London. It is near the Osborn Street substation (a site with its own long industrial history). Although data centres are the heart of the virtual economy, it is proximity to users, wider connectivity and power that decide where they are located.

So why does any of this matter?

Local opponents argue the Truman Brewery data centre is likely to alter Brick Lane’s identity. They say it’s a redevelopment that will only accelerate gentrification and undermine local communities.

And the situation in Brick Lane resonates far beyond east London. It signals a willingness by government to prioritise digital infrastructure and economic growth, even when this conflicts with local preferences.

Since 2024, data centres have been classified as critical national infrastructure. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) recognised the UK’s need for more data centres, noting their specific geographical and wider infrastructural requirements.

Planning may still designate data centres as “sheds” – the Truman Brewery was consented within use Class B8 (“storage and distribution”) – but they are now considered to be very important sheds. As location really matters, this means data centres being sited where the infrastructure allows – and often where users are located.

It is clearly time to stop thinking of data centres as largely invisible out-of-town boxes. They are now a major urban land-use issue. Increasingly, this nationally important digital infrastructure is in competition for expensive land (and power) with commerce, housing, heritage and local culture.

A stolen car which ploughed head-on into a police patrol vehicle and killed seven people had been chasing a rival gang as part of a violent feud, it was claimed today. 

The resulting crash on the A66 killed two police officers as well as all five occupants of a stolen VW Passat, including 17-year-old Cole Worthy. 

Now the Daily Mail can reveal that the chase was allegedly sparked by a rival gang, who used a Volvo XC60 to ram into the home of Cole’s father at 3am on Saturday – just 40 minutes before the devastating smash.

It is understood that the house belonging to Gye Worthy was rammed twice by the Volvo, which deliberately reversed into the front window, causing extensive damage. 

Within minutes, the VW Passat with his son Cole and four friends inside was racing around the streets of Middlesbrough in pursuit of the Volvo.

The Passat was later spotted by a police patrol, resulting in the horrific crash that killed PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37.

The five occupants of the stolen car – Worthy, Makai Saddington, 18, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Theo Rae, 17, and Michael Cahill, 23 – were also killed.

Reports of the crash have until now described the youths involved as ‘joyriders’, but it now appears they were out for revenge rather than thrill-seeking.

The Mail understands that the occupants of the Volvo and the Passat belonged to rival gangs operating as part of an organised criminal network across Teesside.

There is no suggestion that Cole’s father Gye, 39, was involved in any criminal activity. The attack on his home, however, appears to be the flashpoint that led to the fatal crash.

Gye Worthy with his son Cole, who died in the crash on the A66. A neighbour said Mr Worthy led a ‘normal life’ and there is no suggestion he was involved in criminal activity

Scores of people held orange flares aloft in a field in South Bank, Middlesbrough, to mark the deaths of the five youths yesterday evening

Cleveland Police today confirmed the latest arrests included a 16-year-old boy as well as four men aged 18, 21, 23 and 55 – taking the total number detained up to 17. 

The five people arrested today are: 

• A 16-year-old boy on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group;
• An 18-year-old man on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group;
• A 21-year-old man on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group;
• A 55-year-old man on suspicion of assisting an offender;
• A 23-year-old man on suspicion of threats to kill.

The 12 people detained yesterday included four arrested on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group and four on suspicion of possessing a firearm.

Four of the suspects are also accused of possessing Class A and B drugs with intent to supply.

Cleveland Police said two of the 12 previously arrested have now appeared in court.

Kai Beattie, 19, of Foxrush Court, Redcar, appeared before Teesside Magistrates’ Court charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, according to the force.

Cameron George, 26, of Micklow Close, Redcar, was remanded in custody to appear at Teesside Crown Court on September 21 charged with drugs offences and possession of criminal property, it said.

The chain of events that led to the deaths of the two officers, as well as the five occupants of the car, began in the well-to-do Middlesbrough suburb of Acklam, on a usually quiet street of post-war semis. 

A neighbour said: ‘The huge bang woke everyone up and it was then followed by a second.

‘Whatever happened was quick because, by the time my husband looked out of the window, the car was gone, but there was very bad damage to the house.’

One neighbour of the Worthys said Cole’s father had lived at the address for around ten years and led ‘a normal life’. He is listed at Companies House as the director of a private limited company called Worthylift Ltd, which was incorporated in July this year.

A source told the Mail: ‘After the attack on his father’s house, Cole Worthy and his mates were out in the VW Passat looking for whoever had done this.

‘There have been a series of houses rammed in Middlesbrough in the last few months and it’s all part of a feud between rival criminal factions.

‘When they fight among themselves it is one thing, but when innocent lives like those of two police officers are lost, that’s completely another.’

Cleveland Police has confirmed both the Volvo and VW Passat formed part of their enquiries in the early hours of August 22.

Mr Worthy’s home was rammed at around 3am. By 3.36am, the VW Passat was caught on CCTV racing at between 80 and 100mph down Lime Road in Teesville, pursued by three police vehicles.

At 3.39am, it turned the wrong way onto the A66 dual carriageway, at which point the pursuing police vehicles stopped.

Just ten seconds later, it smashed head-on into the armed response vehicle carrying PCs Clough and Blades.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said: ‘On the morning of Saturday 22 August, Cleveland Police received several reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously.

‘The first vehicle, which is believed to be a Volvo XC60, was witnessed ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area.

PC Matthew Blades, a father of two, was killed when his police vehicle was struck head-on by a VW Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough 

PC Tom Clough also died in the crash, which occurred around ten seconds after a police pursuit of the Volkswagen had been called off

Cole Worthy (right) with his friend Theo Rae, who also died in the crash on Saturday

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said: ‘On the morning of Saturday 22 August, Cleveland Police received several reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously.

‘The first vehicle, which is believed to be a Volvo XC60, was witnessed ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area.

‘Both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates to avoid detection but were picked up by the force’s automated number plate recognition technology.

‘The Volvo XC60 involved in the initial reports has been traced and recovered in Middlesbrough as part of the criminal investigation.

‘Throughout the course of the weekend, Cleveland Police, supported by officers and staff from Durham, Northumbria and North Yorkshire Police, have worked tirelessly to establish the circumstances that led to the fatal collision.

‘Those enquiries have resulted in the arrests of 12 people across Teesside.’

Last night, balaclava-clad youths sparked anger after setting off flares and fireworks in a noisy tribute to the five dead youths.

Friends and family of Jakub Matusiak, 23, gathered at a field in South Bank, Middlesbrough, just yards from the scene of Saturday’s catastrophic collision.

What began as a balloon release descended into confusion of smoke and noise when attendees lit up the sky with flares and rockets.

A gang of around 20 masked youths on motorbikes and quad bikes roared around the field in honour of Mr Matusiak, who himself had convictions for motoring offences.

Footage showed dozens of flares being held aloft, filling the field with dense orange fog as bikes revved their engines and blared their horns.

Jacob Matusiak, another occupant of the car which hit the officers, also posted videos of himself driving recklessly

Makai Saddington, one of the five killed in the VW, posted videos on TikTok of him being chased by police and was awaiting trial for racially abusing and assaulting officers

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Michael Robert Cahill was also in the VW. He was the only one out of the five not to have previous convictions 

The scenes sparked anger, with onlookers accusing the crowd of showing ‘disrespect of the highest order’.

The chaos came in stark contrast to a silent prayer vigil held at a nearby church to honour PC Clough and PC Blades.

Hundreds of people on social media criticised yesterday’s scenes. 

Diane Pennock said: ‘I get it that their family’s and friends will be devastated and grieving but surely in circumstances where they have killed two innocent men who were simply out doing their jobs, you grieve in private?

‘To me, the public show of grief is completely excusing what they have done and that they have taken two young men’s lives who had families and children they should have gone home to.’

Writing on Facebook, Wendy Allington accused the mourners of showing ‘disrespect of the highest level for the two murdered policemen’ and said a quiet vigil would have been more appropriate. 

The balloon release was also criticised by environmental campaigners, who insist the plastic in balloons spreads pollution that risks harming wildlife. 

Balloons can block animals’ digestive and respiratory tracts, causing them to die a slow and painful death. 

Plenty of the residents of the surrounding streets chose not to attend the memorial events. 

Looking at the police officers standing beside their vehicles, a 58-year-old grandmother said: ‘What must they be thinking right now? This is nothing but a mockery of the lives of those two policemen.

‘I’ve watched them walking down there drinking and smoking weed and razzing about on their motorbikes. There’s nothing here to celebrate.’ 

Paul Williams, acting deputy national chairman for the Police Federation of England and Wales, told BBC Breakfast: ‘Every day we can identify now numerous examples of young people sensationalising dangerous driving.

‘Not just dangerous driving, but baiting police officers who are out there to protect the public.

‘It’s a real problem. It’s causing officers concern. They shouldn’t have to be going out and worrying about whether they’re going to return home from their shift or not.

‘But on top of that, wondering if they’re going to be plastered all over social media.

‘It’s absolutely unacceptable and social media platforms need to take some action.’