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Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Inside the little village where 'everyone just seems happy'
With an abundance of fancy restaurants, classic pubs and an award-winning farm shop nearby, it's clear to see why the residents stick around If you commute to and from work on a daily basis, whether it's by car, train, on the bus, or another way, there are probably places you pass through every day without ever thinking of stopping for a look around. But if you take the time to stop and look around you could be surprised by the delights on offer. Derbyshire Live writer Oscar Fisher decided to stop off on his way home between Derby and Belper in the little village of Duffield - and said he was "blown away" by what he found. Parking on King Street in front of a pretty row of cottages, Oscar took a short walk into the village centre, and was impressed by what he found. He said: "I was quick to realise that the village clearly takes care of itself - and the row of shops and businesses along the high street are a perfect example of that. "Colourful bunting fills the skies above the road all year round, neat planters and flowers are scattered along the pavements, and a few ivy-clad buildings create a mise-en-scène rarely seen away from tales of a traditional Britain." The high street features everything you'd expect from the archetypical Derbyshire village - shops, a pub, and a few restaurants and salons. The well-reviewed Indian restaurant The Viceroy can also be found along the banks of the Ecclesbourne of Tamworth Street, and the Pattenmakers Arms on Crown Street serves traditional British food. Duffield is also home to Angelo's at The King's Head, which was voted Derbyshire's best Italian restaurant by Derbyshire Live readers last year. Oscar said: "Opened by Angelo Carrieri, who moved to Derbyshire from Salerno on the Amalfi Coast, the restaurant showcases the best of traditional Italian food, comprising classic ingredients to offer an authentic Italian experience for visitors. "It sits next to The Stolen Fig, formerly The Fat Mermaid, which was recently taken over by restaurateur Connie Eleftheriou, best known for his successes at the Bubble Inn at Stenson, who said he 'knew he'd like it' in the village after taking a short walk with his wife, Jo, before opening the restaurant." Duffield also offers a tennis club, a nature reserve, a cricket club, a golf course, and even the remains of a historic castle. The village's arts festival, featuring a spectacular scarecrow trail, is also a popular annual highlight. Oscar met Susan Hardy, 74, who has lived on Hazelwood Road for more than three decades and said it is a "wonderful" place to live after moving from her native Nottingham. She said: "It's gorgeous in the summer and there are some fantastic buildings everywhere you look. "I love being so close to the countryside, that was a huge draw for me, but it's also not too far away from shops and cafes. "I walk the same route every morning over the River Derwent and its always so calm, and I grab a coffee or a pastry from Birds on the way home. "In the evening, we have The White Hart on the main road and also lots of restaurants tucked away. I don't have a car, so it's just perfect for getting the train and the buses run along the main road." Duffield is also home to Derbyshire's best-performing school, The Ecclesbourne School, which sits a short walk away from the high street. Janet Caygill, originally from Derby, said the villagers "always seem happy". The 62-year-old said: "I've lived in Duffield for nearly 10 years now and moving here was the best decision we ever made. "We used to live in Allestree, which was great, and very similar, if I'm honest, but we found a perfect home here that was a little smaller as our kids were moving out. "It's still not far for me to travel to Derby for work a few days a week, but you feel like you're part of a village community here. "Everyone just seems happy. You see the same people every day and stop for a chat. "We also have two dogs, so we're always out meeting people. We go and watch the cricket on weekends and also enjoy going to the pub, but our favourite is around the corner in Makeney." And that "favourite" around the corner is the Holly Bush Inn, one of the oldest pubs in Derbyshire that was named among the top 25 bars in Europe last year. Oscar particularly recommended the pub's scotch egg, which he said was "to die for". Summing up his visit, Oscar said: "Overall, the people of Duffield seem like a happy bunch, and I'm sure visitors to the village would emerge with a broad smile should they decide to try it out. "Whether it's a quick countryside walk taking advantage of the flat landscape, a history trip at Duffield Castle or a fancy bite to eat at one of the many pubs and restaurants, the hidden gem village is certainly one of Derbyshire's best."
Daily Mirror
07-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Dad who smashed M&S warehouse colleague 31 times with barbell learns his fate
Abdulsalam Hassan, 27, lay in wait for his colleague at a junction in Derby before savagely attacking him with a 3lb dumbbell, destroying his skull A warehouse worker has been jailed for 28 years after battering his "kind and honourable" colleague with a 3lb dumbbell in a "callous" revenge attack. Abdulsalam Hassan, 27, carried out a "ferocious and sustained" attack on "defenceless" Abdulmalik Aman, with whom he worked at a Marks & Spencer warehouse, a judge told him. Laying in wait for his colleague, Hassan launched a vicious attack on Mr Aman at a busy junction in Derby, bludgeoning him 31 times with the piece of gym equipment. The attack was so violent that Mr Aman lost half his skull. At Derby Crown Court earlier this year, it took a jury just three hours to unanimously convict him for attempted murder. Judge Jonathan Bennett said: 'This was a ferocious and sustained attack on Mr Aman. You had seen him in the Aldi near your house, you went into your address, picked up a weapon and then waited outside with the barbell knowing he would walk past your address. "You assaulted him relentlessly. The CCTV is disturbing to watch. He was defenceless. There was one final blow where you lifted his head from the gutter, hit him again, left him there and calmly went into your flat and changed your clothing. "The life-threatening injuries he sustained have changed his life forever. He feels he now has little to live for, he will never be the same handsome young man he once was again. "The irony is that Mr Aman came to this country, as no doubt you did, to flee war-torn Ethiopia seeking safety. This was a callous attack. You were determined to seek revenge and you took the law into your own hands." Prosecutor Mary Prior KC, when she opened the trial, said the attack happened at around 7.20pm on October 2 last year. She said Mr Aman was carrying shopping past the defendant's Burton Road flat when he was assaulted from behind by him. The prosecutor said: 'He had armed himself with a weapon and he lay in wait. 'Abdulmalik walked past without noticing the defendant who ran up to him from behind and hit him hard to the head with the metal bar. He fell to the floor and he dropped the shopping, putting up no resistance. 'The defendant raised the bar above his head and hit Abdulmalik with it another 12 times, each time the defendant raised the bar above his head to gain maximum impact . Before the last four blows, he moved Abdulmalik's body to strike another part of the head. 'Plainly, Abdulmalik was unconscious and at this stage. He was intending to kill him. He stood up and hit Abdulmalik hard twice to the body.' Mrs Prior told the jury that the men - both Ethiopian - worked together at the same Marks & Spencer warehouse on the same night shift and that months before the defendant had allegedly been assaulted by the victim and a second man, reports DerbyshireLive. She said that saw him suffer two broken teeth and a fracture to his nose and the matter was reported to the police. But due to the fact that there is only one interpreter for Hassan's language, the investigation was dragging on, which annoyed and upset the defendant. The prosecutor said: 'At no stage did he appear relieved that Abdulmalik lived or expressed his sorrow or remorse. His view was and remains that Abdulmalik deserved what he got. "There was no sign of shock or any kind of remorse. The defendant had done what he set out to do. He had, he thought, killed Abdulmalik.' Mrs Prior said the victim was taken to emergency surgery and part of his skull was removed to allow the brain to swell. She said the bleeding inside the skull was removed but the bruising to the brain was of such a severity that the surface of it had broken down. The prosecutor said: 'He was placed in intensive care, sedated and ventilated. It was not known whether he would live or die. By some miracle, Abdulmalik survived his injuries. 'He has been left with a severe brain injury and right-sided paralysis, and on November 26, 2024, he was discharged from intensive care to a rehabilitation unit but requires significant assistance with daily life to live outside of the hospital. 'Abdulmalik had no memory of the day of the incident. Half of his skull remains missing and he is obliged to wear a protective helmet.' Caroline Wright from the charity Headway Derby, which supported Mr Aman following his brain injury, provided a victim impact statement on his behalf. In it, he said he remains in constant pain and only has two teeth, which are not fractured, meaning he is 'only able to tolerate liquid food'. He said: 'I suffer constant headaches which make me physically sick and I'm in significant facial pain because of the fractures to my face. All of my difficulties make me entirely socially isolated and I am housebound because of my social anxiety and risk of falling. I am under a speech and language therapist and I am unable to leave the house without a support worker.' Mrs Prior said: 'He also suffered the additional shame which saw him medically dismissed from Marks & Spencer. Mrs Wright says he is kind and honourable, wanted to marry, have a family, and the attempted murder of him has totally ruined his life, living a lonely existence in constant pain, lying awake at night in constant fear of being attacked again.' Josh Radcliffe, mitigating, said his client has no previous convictions of any kind and that the defendant's wife had recently given birth. He said: 'The excessively serious nature of this case and the damage done has not escaped him. There was a history of conflict between Mr Hassan and Mr Aman in which he (the defendant) suffered an unpleasant assault which left him unconscious and with broken teeth.' The sentence is made up of 28 years custody plus a four-year extended licence. It means he will not be eligible to apply for parole until two-thirds of the way through the custodial element.
Scottish Sun
27-06-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
Our village is at war over 60ft oak tree – I live in darkness & fear it'll crush my home… but I can't chop it down
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) VILLAGERS at war with a nightmare 60ft tree have lost their latest battle to get it chopped down. Plans to fell the protected oak, which sits just metres from thatched cottages in Kings Newton, South Derbyshire, have been axed. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Plans to fell the protected oak in Kings Newton, South Derbyshire, have been axed Credit: Facebook Residents living next to the "frightening" behemoth in Sleepy Lane have fumed that it could crush their homes. They claim it also causes major sewage issues, problems with the road surface and blocks huge amounts of natural light. It was planted 34 years ago after a 109-year-old tree in the same spot was deemed to be in a dangerous condition and felled. DerbyshireLive reported that the sleepy village is divided by the new oak, which sits next to a public footpath leading into the picturesque countryside. Paul Hackney, whose house is dwarfed by the 30-foot-wide tree, saw his proposal to have it cut down rejected earlier this week. Almost 80 rejection letters were submitted at a South Derbyshire District Council meeting. Opposition was led by Melbourne Parish Council and the Kings Newton Residents Association. The "nuisance" tree is expected to reach 300 years old, much to the horror of some locals. Mr Hackney told how the shrub had proved to be a hazard to vehicles after it was recently hit by an Ocado delivery van. He said: "Ultimately it is a tree that has outgrown its position. "It would be better for the residents to resolve the issue and be involved in the future planning of a new tree (if required) without the understandable stress and worry of the current situation." But John Jackson, chair of the residents association, argued that the oak was healthy and did not pose a risk. We're trapped in tiny village after travellers BULLDOZED field for caravan camp Councillors understood the frustrations of locals living in its shadow, but defended keeping the "healthy" tree. Cllr Andrew Kirke said: 'I do have some sympathy for the neighbours. "We have many very large trees but we can't just chop them down in case there is a strong wind. 'We have lots of periods of strong wind while it has been there and trees have fallen down but it has stayed up through all of that. "There is no reason to chop down such a healthy specimen.' Cllr Jayne Davies added: 'It is such a glorious tree. "It has a tree preservation order for a reason and the applicant can come back for a crown or lift or another suitable solution.' It comes as a similar 'Jack and the beanstalk' tree continues to frustrate homeowners in Winchester, Hampshire. 3 A similar 45ft oak continues to frustrate homeowners in Hampshire Credit: Solent Locals in Canon Street slammed the "grotesquely irresponsible" and "ludicrous" 45 foot high oak. But now it has branched into an "out of proportion" eyesore which overshadows the gardens of nearby properties - where the average house price is more than £600,000. However, the council have refused to cut it down and placed it under a protection order. The authorities said residents from a neighbouring street "appreciated" the tree. The decision has sparked outrage among locals who are actually dealing with the daily repercussions of such an overwhelming tree. South Derbyshire District Council has been approached for comment.
Edinburgh Live
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Rylan Clark issues cryptic update on 'personal life' as he admits he's 'very content'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Rylan Clark has hinted at a positive shift in his personal life, revealing that he's been feeling "giggly" and opting for cosy nights in over his usual social outings. While on air during his BBC Radio 2 show, Rylan, 36, shared with a co-presenter, who noticed his "giggly" demeanour, that he was indeed in high spirits. He expressed: "I am giggly. I don't care. I'm giggly very giggly. I'm relaxed I'm happy. I'm really happy actually." His co-host observed that Rylan had undergone a "changed lifestyle" swapping late nights out for early nights in bed by 9pm. Rylan acknowledged the change, attributing it to both his flourishing career and an improvement in his personal life, hinting at newfound happiness, reports Derbyshire Live. He remarked: "I know, whose bed though is the question? Yes I am. I feel like, for the first time in a long time, I'm in a very decent place on all aspects." Rylan continued to share his contentment, citing recent professional achievements and a satisfying personal life. He added "I've just won a BAFTA. I'm getting to go around the world, I've got a great job, I'm going to the TRIC Awards, I've got a nice personal life going on. It's nice, I'm very content. I feel good." Speculation has been rife about Rylan's personal life in recent months, especially regarding his friendship with Rob Rinder, with whom he recently clinched a BAFTA in the Factual Entertainment category for their series Rob and Rylan's Grand Tour. (Image: Getty) During a chat with Zoe Ball, Rylan confessed that he sneakily informed his mum of his BAFTA triumph ahead of the televised broadcast since the show was running on a delay. He revealed: "When the BAFTAs is on telly it's a little bit behind, we were a couple of hours ahead in real-time, so I FaceTimed her and went, 'you alright?' and I was holding the BAFTA, and she went, 'oh are you presenting one?' "And I went: 'No mum, I've won', she went, 'what?' and I said: 'We're ahead two hours,' and she just bawled her eyes out. And then it went on telly and everyone kept ringing her, so she cried all night." Additionally, Rylan expressed heartfelt praise for Rob Rinder, his co-host, calling him his "partner in crime" and professing his deep affection, be he swiftly clarified: "Not like that – we are just friends."
Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Widow suing council over pothole that she claims killed her husband
A coroner ruled that 70-year-old Robert Newcombe was thrown from his motorbike as a result of a 'degraded road surface' on the A43 in Northamptonshire - now, his widow is suing the council for damages A grieving widow is suing a local council over a pothole she claims killed her husband. It comes after a coroner ruled that 70-year-old Robert Newcombe was thrown from his motorbike as a result of a "degraded road surface". Now, 71-year-old widow Aileen Newcombe has launched a High Court action against North Northamptonshire Council for "substantial" damages - and has hit back at what she describes as the local authority's attempts to "blame" her husband for what happened to him. The council denies liability for the incident in November 2022, and the case will go before a judge if the two sides cannot reach a settlement. Mrs Newcombe, from Ilkeston, told Derbyshire Live: "I don't care if I get nothing. I want his name exonerated. I want people to know he did nothing wrong. They have tried to blame him and I'm not having it." Retired union official Mr Newcombe, known to his friends and family as Bob, had been passionate about motorbikes since childhood. His son John Newcombe described him as a "hands-on" father, and in a tribute said he had "not only lost my dad but my best friend and the person I would confide in." Robert was on an Indian Scout Bobber bike when he set out from Kirkby-in-Ashfield with dozens of other bikers on the morning of September 25, 2022, intending to visit a memorial to the founder of the Hells Angels. The convoy was on the A43 in Northamptonshire when the tragedy happened. Mr Newcombe had begun to overtake a car as he approached a right-hand turn to the village of Walgrave when his machine caught a cat's eye, according to another biker on the ride. He said Mr Newcombe wobbled slightly and tried to correct but his machine "took air" and when it came back down, he and the machine were thrown along the road. A police crash investigator said Mr Newcombe slid 53 metres before hitting the kerb of a traffic island. He suffered head injuries and died at the scene, despite the best efforts by paramedics to save him. The officer found the road "heavily disrupted, uneven and undulating", describing peaks and ruts in the road surface creating a difference in levels of up to five inches or more. In her claim for compensation, Mrs Newcombe's lawyers say "poor quality repairs" had caused the A43 in the area "to become dangerous, with the tarmac melting and then solidifying, creating a dangerous, undulating carriageway." They accuse the council of failing to act on numerous previous reports from members of the public about the poor state of the road. "Potholes have been around for months, are getting larger and deeper and are now a serious risk. Someone will be killed," said one. Forty-five similar reports were received by the council in the 11 months after the accident, according to the claim documents. Less than three months later, one driver complained: "Lots of deep potholes. This has been reported time and again. Fatal accident waiting to happen." Ken Brough, personal injury lawyer at Hodge Jones and Allen, who is representing Mrs Newcombe, said: "No family should have to suffer the pain of a loved one not returning from a bike ride. Sadly, the inquest into the death of Robert Newcombe concluded that he lost his life as a direct result of the poor state of the road on which he was riding. "The raised and rippled surface caused Mr Newcombe to be thrown over his handlebars, resulting in his death. Although it is unusual for a bike rider to lose their life as a result of poor road conditions, it is not unheard of. All councils have a responsibility to ensure they adequately inspect and maintain all roads, regardless of whether this critical process is outsourced or conducted in-house. "The inspection process must be fit for purpose in practical terms and not just conducted as a tick-boxing exercise. We are hopeful North Northamptonshire council will settle our civil case with Mrs Newcombe swiftly and make sure lessons are learnt, protecting future lives."
