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Industry

Man scarred for life by wine glass smashed in face

by Jennifer March 18, 2025
written by Jennifer

A man was "scarred for life" when an attacker smashed a wine glass in his face, a court has heard.

Darson Johnson, 26, could have blinded his victim when he struck him outside a party in Sunderland in August 2023, Newcastle Crown Court was told.

The victim, who was left with a deep, 4in-long (10cm) gash on his face, said he could not understand why he was attacked.

Johnson, Houghton-le-Spring, was jailed for one year and nine months, suspended for two years, after admitting unlawful wounding.

The court heard Johnson was standing on the doorstep of the house party waiting for the victim to arrive in the early hours of 20 August.

When the man arrived, Johnson smashed a wine glass straight into his face knocking the victim to the floor, Judge Gavin Doig said.

'Nasty and foolish'

The victim, who had large cuts to his face and was drenched in blood, was able to flag down passing police officers who took him to Sunderland Royal Hospital for treatment.

The man had a deep wound between his eyebrows, with a piece of glass embedded in the muscle below the skin, and another cut close to his eye.

He had been left with permanent scarring, the court heard.

In a statement read to the court, the man said he was still confused about why he had been attacked, adding: "I cannot believe I have been scarred for life.

"I could have been blinded."

Judge Doig said it was a "nasty" and "foolish" attack which had resulted in a serious injury.

But he said Johnson, who lost his job in a call centre in the aftermath of the assault, would be spared immediate imprisonment as he was of previous good character and there was a "realistic prospect of rehabilitation".

Johnson, of Queen Elizabeth Drive, Easington Lane, was also ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work.

March 18, 2025 0 comments
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Economy

Residents asked for views on 250 new homes plan

by Samantha March 17, 2025
written by Samantha

Residents are being invited to a public event to view and comment on plans for 250 new homes in a Surrey village.

Fairmile Homes is holding a consultation event on Thursday about its plans to redevelop Clouds Hill Farm in Oxshott.

The proposed development site covers 23.1 hectares of land including two residential properties, stables, a barn, grasslands, grazing pastures and woodlands, the Local Democracy Reporting Service previously reported.

The developers asked Elmbridge Borough Council's formal opinion on what information should be included in an environmental impact assessment for a future planning application on the green belt site.

Matthew Estwick, Fairmile Homes chief executive, said plans for 50% of the new homes to be affordable were "baked in".

He said for the site to be classed as a grey belt development it had to hit "golden rules", one of which is that half the homes must be affordable.

"We want to do 50% affordable because you need to be breathing new life in to areas that are really struggling to get youngsters to come in," he said.

"It's horrifically expensive as an area."

Fairmile Homes
Elmbridge borough was previously labelled one of the "least affordable in the country" by a government planning inspector

Concerns raised by residents via the council's planning portal included the "very bad precedent" that the development could set in the village given the site's green belt classification.

Others mentioned the "horrendous" traffic situation in Leatherhead Road, with both the M25 and the A3 nearby, and that the new homes may "considerably worsen the situation".

Mr Estwick said he understood frustrations regarding transport and that plans would include mitigations like car clubs, cycle paths and better footpaths to the village.

Plans also include 32 acres of publicly accessible green space.

Elmbridge borough, which includes the towns of Esher, Cobham and Walton, was previously labelled one of the "least affordable in the country" by a government planning inspector.

The council was told by the inspector to rethink its local plan, setting out where and when homes will be built in the borough, including a request to provide more affordable housing.

The drop-in session will take place on Thursday between 15:30 BST and 19:30 at Oxshott Village Centre.

The developer plans to submit an outline planning application to Elmbridge Borough Council later this year.

March 17, 2025 0 comments
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Business

Discord's face scanning age checks 'start of a bigger shift'

by Rebecca March 17, 2025
written by Rebecca

Discord is testing face scanning to verify some users' ages in the UK and Australia.

The social platform, which says it has over 200 million monthly users around the world, was initially used by gamers but now has communities on a wide range of topics including pornography.

The UK's online safety laws mean platforms with adult content will need to have "robust" age verification in place by July.

And social media expert Matt Navarra told the BBC "this isn't a one-off – it's the start of a bigger shift".

"Regulators want real proof, and facial recognition might be the fastest route there," he said.

But campaigners have said these types of checks are ineffective and could lead to privacy issues.

"Age assurance is becoming the new seatbelt for the internet," said Mr Navarra.

"Will it become the norm in the UK? Honestly, yes, probably."

He said he believed the incoming changes in online safety laws mean online platforms would beef up their age verification processes.

"The era of 'click here to confirm you're 13' is dead," he said.

"Get age verification wrong now, and you don't just lose users – you could lose a courtroom battle or incur fines."

Firms which do not comply with the Online Safety Act could be fined up to 10% of their global turnover.

Instagram previously brought in age checks using facial analysis in 2022 for users who want to change their profile settings to be over 18.

The social media company requires users to take a selfie video on their phone and uses AI to estimate the person's age.

Like Discord, they can alternatively upload a picture of their photo ID.

March 17, 2025 0 comments
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Business

Living museum named top large tourist attraction

by Samuel March 17, 2025
written by Samuel

The Black Country Living Museum has been crowned the best large visitor attraction in the country.

It was among several West Midlands tourist destinations that celebrated gold medals in Visit England's annual awards on Wednesday.

Mallory Court Country House Hotel and Spa in Warwickshire was named large hotel of the year while Keele University's won business events venue of the year.

A further seven places in the region won silver and bronze medals.

The museum saw off competition from Liverpool Football Club Tours and Experiences and the National Space Centre to claim the top spot, describing it as "a moment of real pride not just for the museum but for the entire Black Country region".

"To take home the gold is a proud moment for us all and a well-earned recognition of the passion and dedication of our staff and volunteers," director and CEO Andrew Lovett said.

"I'm thrilled we can now celebrate this with our visitors, who are such a vital part of our story."

The museum said its staff and volunteers were at "the heart of this success" as their "passion, knowledge and care bring our site to life every day".

World of Wedgwood in Staffordshire won silver in the International Tourism category

The attraction recently added an industrial quarter to the site which features buildings and characters from the 1950s, a 1960s high street and numerous other recreations reflecting 250 years of local history.

More than 1,800 entries from across the country were whittled down to 52 national finalists judged by tourism industry experts at the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange, the museum said.

World of Wedgwood in Staffordshire won silver in the International Tourism category, which councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, described as an "amazing recognition".

"It's great that on the first ever Stoke-on-Trent day, we can further spotlight the very best our city has to offer in tourism and show people what a wonderful part of the country this city is to explore and enjoy."

Black Country Living Museum
Winning was a proud moment, museum director and CEO Andrew Lovett said

Other regional winners included:

  • Self Catering Accommodation of the Year (silver) – Trevase Cottages, Herefordshire
  • B&B and Guest House of the Year (silver) – Abbots Grange Manor House, Worcestershire
  • Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award (bronze) – The Courtyard, Herefordshire
  • Taste of England Award (bronze) – The Riverside at Aymestrey, Herefordshire
  • Unsung Hero Award (bronze) – Andrew Hurley, Avoncroft Museum, Worcestershire
March 17, 2025 0 comments
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Economy

School promises improvements over bullying claims

by Hannah March 16, 2025
written by Hannah

An independent investigation has found improvements can be made after teachers were accused of bullying at a school for pupils with additional needs.

Parents with children at The Heights Academy in Solihull raised concerns about staff conduct, children being placed in isolation for becoming emotional, and at least one case of a pupil escaping.

One mother, Amy, alleged her 12-year-old had been "relentlessly targeted" by a teacher over a number of months, and claimed the case "wasn't investigated" by bosses.

Now, after a "thorough" investigation, the trust that runs the school has revealed some staff will have enhanced training around autism.

The Forward Education Trust said it was pleased strengths had been identified, including the creation of a safe and supportive school environment.

But a statement by chief executive Simon Dilkes added it would also seek to increase communication with families and improve mental health support for pupils.

"An independent reviewer will be appointed to monitor the progress of these initiatives to ensure meaningful and lasting improvements," he said.

Labour councillor Hazel Dawkins has been working with concerned parents with children at the school

The Heights opened in September 2023, promising a "unique educational approach" tailored to pupils who are autistic or have mental health needs.

But in February, Amy told the BBC that she had taken her son Cooper, who is autistic and has dyspraxia and anxiety, out of the school after just one year.

Bosses have not released the full contents of the independent report and a summary seen by the BBC does not mention accusations of teacher bullying or pupils escaping.

The summary document said 17 parents had expressed concerns in total, with all but two of them wishing to remain anonymous.

It added investigators did not identify any general failures around safeguarding, or specific issues which needed reporting to Solihull Council.

The Heights Academy in Smith's Wood promises a "unique educational approach"

Labour councillor Hazel Dawkins, who has been representing parents, said she did not believe the summary document addressed all of the concerns raised, such as "bullying towards children and how children are spoken to".

The Solihull Council representative urged bosses to release the report in full, adding: "Parents are not confident that the trust has understood their concerns."

The trust did not respond when the BBC asked if it would release the report in full.

The former CEO of a special school trust is set to be appointed to look into the complaints

Mr Dilkes thanked parents and said their feedback had been "invaluable" in helping the school's development.

"Forward Education Trust remains focused on working closely with families, staff, and the wider community," he added.

A Solihull Council spokesperson said it was aware an independent investigation had taken place, and any parents who still had concerns should raise them directly with the trust.

"Ensuring schools meet the needs of children in Solihull is extremely important," a statement read.

"We will continue to work closely with The Heights and the trust where appropriate."

March 16, 2025 0 comments
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Industry

No working toilets and zombie knives in 'vile' housing for kids

by Lucas March 16, 2025
written by Lucas

Young people have said they were placed in dirty, dangerous and unsuitable accommodation in Wales as children.

One 15-year-old girl said it was "dehumanising" having to use the toilet in a local McDonald's for months because her own was broken, while one young woman said she saw someone being threatened with a "zombie" knife in a hostel.

There are now calls for a complete overhaul of housing and homelessness guidance for children, following a report released by the Children's Commissioner for Wales.

The Welsh government said it was committed to increasing and improving housing stock and consulting with stakeholders about setting standards for social landlords.

March 16, 2025 0 comments
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Global Trade

Parking still too dear after fees cut – traders

by Jacob March 15, 2025
written by Jacob

A cut in some parking charges in York following a backlash against their increase earlier this year does not go far enough, traders have said.

In April, car parking spots including Bishopthorpe Road saw prices rise from 80p per hour to £4.85, but after complaints from businesses and the public, the council decided this week to reduce fees outside the inner ring road to £3 an hour from July.

However, some traders have said the £3 rate was still too expensive, and they were "very worried" shoppers would instead visit supermarkets and shopping centres with free parking.

City of York councillor Kate Ravilious said the charges would be reviewed every three months to "monitor their impact".

Simon Baines, who runs Millie's fruit and vegetable shop on Bishopthorpe Road, said while he welcomed the fact on-street parking fees had been reduced, he believed they were still "too expensive".

"It's a little bit better, but it's still a big increase from 80p," he said.

"I don't see why we've had to go through all this rigmarole. It's another 21 days before this reduction goes through, so we'll have had two months of all this palaver."

Bishopthorpe Road in York is still an "old-school" high street with many independent shops, traders say

Joe Neeson, who runs The Bishy Weigh eco-refill shop on Bishopthorpe Road, said people running businesses in the area had "mixed feelings" about the council's decision to cut parking charges.

"We acknowledge the council have done a large u-turn on the back of our petition and are listening to us," he said.

"But the next review needs to be informed by the correct car parking data and information about various shops' takings – and I don't feel it is.

"Their data isn't reflective. We traders can provide the council with all this takings information."

'Drives people away'

Husband and wife team Hugo Hildyard and Florencia Clifford, who run the Partisan Cafe on Micklegate, both agreed the £3 parking fee was still too much.

Ms Clifford said the fact the council had removed the option to pay for just 30 minutes parking was "really affecting businesses" in the area.

There was also "no open consultation" over the original changes, Ms Clifford said, adding: "It feels like it was an overnight thing."

Meanwhile, she said the new parking payment machines were not user-friendly and excluded many potential shoppers.

"Now people have to use an app to pay for parking and a lot of people can't do that. I know because I've spent a lot of time doing it for them."

Ms Clifford said she and her husband were worried that instead of using independent businesses on Micklegate and Bishopthorpe Road, people felt pushed towards out-of-town shopping centres with free parking.

"Life is quite tough already for small independent businesses," she said.

"Everything's gone up, and this just drives people away."

York parking row ends in £3 fee cap

Ravilious, Labour's transport spokesperson on the council, said: "While we remain committed to tackling congestion and making it easier for everyone to get around, we recognise some of the uplift in charges in areas where they were previously very low has felt too much in one go.

"We promised when setting the budget we would monitor the impact of any changes.

"We have listened to concerns and acted, approving several changes this week following detailed discussions with traders and local communities across the city.

"These charges will be reviewed at three, six and nine months in order to monitor their impact and ensure we have set them at the right level."

North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds

March 15, 2025 0 comments
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Innovation

Stately home to host music festivals despite concerns

by Allison March 15, 2025
written by Allison

An historic Derbyshire stately home can now host music festivals with a capacity of up to 5,000 people, despite concerns over noise and parking.

South Derbyshire District Council granted a premises licence for Crow Park, which is part of the Melbourne Hall estate, owned by the Marquis of Lothian on Friday.

Councillors approved the plans from Raymond Gubbay Ltd, owned by Sony Music, to be able to host one three-day event per year, for a maximum of 4,999 people.

Residents feared the impact of another festival, due to already managing the impact of Download Festival, Donington Racetrack and East Midlands Airport.

Google
The proposed site for the car park on Blackwell Lane

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said the event would involved live music and alcohol sales from 12:00 until 22:30 from Friday through to Sunday.

The applicant said there would be no overnight camping, meaning attendees would leave and return should they buy consecutive tickets, as weekend tickets would not be available.

Roger Lowe, on behalf of the applicant, said this event series would not be comparable to the rock music festival, Download, hosted at Donington Park, just two miles away.

Mr Lowe told the hearing: "Download is for 120,000 people, it is a very different type of event to one for 4,999 people.

"The type of event will be comedy nights and music that is compliant with the noise limit (65 decibels), which should tell you something about the sort of music it would be.

"Much of what is being discussed is negative. People are going to be spending money in shops and pubs and that is a positive, that is why many businesses are supportive of this."

Mr Lowe said on-site parking would be free of charge and that traffic management plans would be drawn up by the same company that handles Download Festival.

Two car parks, containing 1,170 spaces, would be constructed on fields to the east of Melbourne, south of Blackwell Lane.

'Not suitable'

A Melbourne resident who did not wish to be named told the hearing: "Melbourne has a population of 5,264.

"This event over three days would see the entire population of Melbourne squeezed onto one field in Blackwell Lane.

"I am concerned about the sheer volume of people that would be trying to get in and out of Melbourne for the event. A lot of residents are going to be significantly disrupted by this."

Resident, David Mill, said road closures and diversions would push the issue elsewhere.

"This is an outstanding reason why Melbourne Hall is not suitable for such events", said Mr Mill.

Dot Devey-Smith said drivers who are unfamiliar with the area would increase traffic problems.

"Unfamiliar drivers would be coming down this narrow road and you can't require people to park in the parking area provided and there are already very few spaces to park in Melbourne.

"Residents are going to end up without their places to park," she said.

The licensing panel said they considered the parking concerns and granted approval for the premises license on the conditions that details of each event are provided to residents and the parish council.

The panel added that a traffic management plan must be submitted 30 days before the planned events.

March 15, 2025 0 comments
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