5 things you didn't know about Punchestown Festival

The Punchestown Festival is the pinnacle of the Irish National Hunt season.

It is held on what many consider to be one of the world's finest racecourses.

Over more than 150 years it has developed into a true festival in every sense of the word, with offices and schools closing up to enable the whole community to enjoy the spectacle and atmosphere.

Today, older traditions like Walking Sunday have been joined by more modern innovations such as Family Day and the shopping village.

In the lead up to this year's festival, which is gearing up to be as thrilling as ever, we take a look at five things you might not know about Punchestown Festival:

1. The very first meeting was hit by a hurricane

The inaugural race meeting of the Kildare Hunt Club was on 1 April 1850.

This one day event was nothing like the spectacle of today, and the inauspicious start did nothing to predict its future success.

A violent storm, recorded by one journalist as "a perfect hurricane", combined with a lack of shelter, did not bode well.

It was, therefore, almost apt that the 100th anniversary meeting was also disrupted by severe weather: in 1950, racing was postponed due to a snow storm.

2. The Punchestown Festival of 1863 inspired a poem

There were a full 55 verses to the poem, with plenty name dropping of the local celebrities of the day, like Lord Naas and the Baron de Robeck.

"A loud hurrah for Ireland, boys; and louder for Kildare; and loudest of all for Punchestown; for I know you all are there".

3. 1,500 farmers petitioned to save the festival in 1919

In the dark, early days of the Troubles, Kildare Hunt Club actually proposed to abandon the race meeting permanently.

However, 1,500 farmers signed a petition demanding the races to be continued, helping to secure the future of the festival.

4. Punchestown is also a music festival capital

It's often said that Punchestown is Ireland's Cheltenham, but to non-racegoers it could equally be defined as its Glastonbury.

The racecourse has hosted many music festivals, such as Creamfields, Witness and Oxegen, along with huge shows by the likes of rapper Eminem and rock legends AC/DC and Bon Jovi.

5. The 1963 Gold Cup winner still resides in Kildare

The famous Irish thoroughbred racehorse Arkle triumphed in the Punchestown Gold Cup in 1963, and enjoyed many more victories in Cheltenham and elsewhere.

This racing superstar, it was widely claimed, gained his immense strength from two pints of Guinness a day.

He died in 1970 but you don't have to go far to see him. His skeleton is preserved and on display just over ten miles from Punchestown, at the Irish National Stud.

Fans and aficionados of the Punchestown Festival will most likely already know all these facts, and many more tales and legends.

But, there are still some things every racegoer, from the veteran to the novice, will want to know and that's where to get the best odds, and where to bet on Punchestown Festival 2015 .

Israel demolishes al-Araqib village buildings for 80th time

BEERSHEBA (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities on Wednesday demolished a number of steel structures belonging to Palestinian citizens of Israel in the Negev-region village of al-Araqib for the 80th time in a row.

Israeli bulldozers, escorted by Israeli police forces, also demolished an illegal building in the industrial area of Rahat, also in southern Israel.

Both towns are populated primarily by Palestinian Bedouins with Israeli citizenship, and al-Araqib in particular has been targeted repeatedly since 2010 for demolition by authorities.

Israel considers al-Araqib and most other Arab villages in the Negev illegal, while Bedouins say it is their ancestral land and that they have a right to live in the area.

Residents of al-Araqib have repeatedly fled into their village cemetery and lived there after Israeli authorities bulldozed parts of the town, since they had been assured the cemetery would not be destroyed.

There are about 260,000 Bedouin in Israel, mostly living in and around the Negev in the arid south. More than half live in unrecognized villages without utilities and many also live in extreme poverty.

Al-Araqib is among some of the 40 Negev villages Israeli authorities have deemed unrecognized, arguing that the 53,000 Palestinian Bedouins living there cannot prove land ownership.

Live: Breaking news, traffic and travel across Teesside

The Evening Gazette's live breaking news blog brings you regular updates, pictures, video, tweets and comments covering the latest Teesside and North Yorkshire traffic, travel, weather, crime and council news for today, Friday 16th January 2015.

You can contribute to the live blog by posting your comment below, and you can also tweet us @EveningGazette to share breaking news stories, pictures and opinions.

Our Teesside breaking news live blog begins at 07:00am every weekday and is updated throughout the day and into the evening.

Teesside literacy company Sound Training taking unique teaching programme stateside

A high-flying Teesside business is taking its unique teaching programme across the pond to schools in San Francisco.

Sound Training boosts literacy levels of mainstream pupils, with ‘remarkable’ results after only six hours of instruction, according to the company. It’s currently being used in more than 300 schools across the UK - and founder director Katy Parkinson is hoping for a stateside breakthrough for the company following the trip.

She will fly out on Mondayto introduce the nationally-acclaimed programme to the first US school.

During a week-long visit supported by funding from UKTI, Katy will train teachers at San Francisco’s Leadership High School so they can introduce the award-winning scheme to pupils.

Sound Training was founded on successes Katy achieved with local school pupils, aged 10-18 when she was employed by Middlesbrough Council.

Accompanied by her daughter Lisa, a qualified teacher who works for Sound Training, Katy will provide the Leadership High School team with the skills, knowledge and resources needed to introduce Sound Training to pupils there.

They also plan to hold a literacy workshop and a demonstration lesson for US education professionals.

Launched in 2011, Sound Training now employs 11 full-time staff and 80 teachers across England and Wales.

Whilst schools across Teesside and the North-east are already enjoying the benefits of Sound Training, the company has its largest presence in the south and is currently working with its first schools in Wales.

The US pilot follows an initial visit to Denver by CEO Claire Preston in September 2013, which generated transatlantic interest in the scheme, followed by a fact-finding trip to San Francisco by Katy last November.

Claire said: “This has been an amazing 18 months for Sound Training. Not only have we achieved fantastic results with pupils around the UK but we now have this opportunity that we’ve been working towards for some time.

“We’re incredibly excited about the potential for the US market. Those I met with in Denver confirmed there is nothing like Sound Training in the States and were intrigued with the results we are achieving in the UK. We want as many young people to benefit from this as possible, wherever they may be. It really makes a difference.”

Throughout her teaching career, Katy has developed her own knowledge and expertise in the field of literacy by referring to and reading American research, so she is thrilled to now be in the position to take the Sound Training programme over to the USA.

Her previous visit to schools in San Francisco confirmed her belief that students in the USA have the same needs that students have here in the UK.

Katy said: “By observing lessons and speaking to students there, it became crystal clear that it is weak vocabulary knowledge that often prevents many talented pupils to reach their potential. Tackling vocabulary is a key focus in the Sound Training programme.

“It is the best feeling ever to witness that light-bulb moment when students master the ability to decode subject-specific words and then go on to work out the meanings of other unfamiliar words for themselves.

“You can see their enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge grow”.

Sound Training won the Tees Valley Best New Business Award in 2013.

Tees Valley Mohawks prepare for 'most important game of the season'

Coach Steve Butler has described this weekend’s relegation battle with Westminster Warriors as Tees Valley Mohawks’ most important match of the season so far.

Butler’s side have won only two of their 10 EBL National League Division One games this term and are just one place off the foot of the table after starting 2015 with a narrow 79-71 home defeat to Kent Crusaders last weekend.

But the Warriors, who visit Teesside University’s Olympia Building in Middlesbrough on Sunday (5pm tip-off), are also embroiled in a fight for top flight survival.

“The game this weekend is the most important game of our season so far,” said Butler. “It’s a must win game.

“At the moment we are two league points behind Westminster and a defeat will really put the pressure on the club if we are fighting against the drop - we can’t afford to go four points behind them at this stage of the season.”

Despite their parlous position in the table, Mohawks have been agonisingly close to being on the right end of the scoreline on numerous occasions.

Five of the league games they have lost this season were by less than an eight-point margin - two of them by just two points - which demonstrates how close they have been to getting results.

“I’ve said it all season - we are so close but we allow teams to steal wins from us,” added Butler.

“It’s just frustrating because if we had won at least three of those close games then the season would look a lot better, but we can’t make excuses.

“We have to battle for the whole game and not just for 30 minutes of it.”

Meanwhile Mohawks II also look to get back to winning ways with Sheffield Sabres heading to the Olympia tomorrow (2.30pm) and Sefton Stars doing likewise on Sunday (3pm).

Mohawks II are bottom of Division Three North and need some points on the board.

Leading scorer Logan Hollowman said: “It’s important we can get the win against Sheffield Sabres. We lost by two points at their place so I think it’s going to be another close game.

“But we have improved a lot since that game and I’m confident we can get the W we need.

“Sunday is a tough contest but if we play to our strengths, two wins this weekend would be a great return for the club.”

Adult ticket prices are £2 per Division Three game or £5 for both. It’s £3 forchildren

While the seniors are struggling, it’s been a good season for the young guns, however.

Mohawks’ Under-14 A team are also in action tomorrow as they look to maintain top spot in the Teesside League. They take on the club’s B team at the Olympia in what should be should be an intriguing game.

Boro's new midfielder 'will not come from Chelsea', insists Aitor Karanka

Aitor Karanka will target a new midfielder this month - but has ruled out signing another Chelsea loanee to bolster Boro’s ranks.

With Milos Veljkovic returning to White Hart Lane yesterday, the Spaniard is keen to recruit another body to compliment central midfield trio Grant Leadbitter, Adam Clayton and Dean Whitehead.

Boro have already utilised the loan market effectively this campaign, with Patrick Bamford, Kenneth Omeruo and Tomas Kalas all arriving from Stamford Bridge.

And although Karanka ruled out bringing in a fourth player from the Premier League leaders, he does expect the new man to be another loanee.

“I don’t think in January you can find a very good player to pay money for. The good players are playing,” Karanka said.

“We are not looking to spend a lot of money on a new player.

“I don’t think we’ll bring another from Chelsea, but they send players here because the players are playing.

“We wanted Tomas Kalas at the beginning of the season but he went to Germany. He has already played more games in one week than he did in Germany for five months.

“It is not because Jose (Mourinho) is my friend, it is because the players who arrive on loan are playing. That helps us, wherever we look to get players in from.

“I like to have two players for every position (so) we need one more in midfield. We have players in mind.”

Boro are boosted by the return of Clayton for tomorrow’s Championship showdown against Huddersfield, with the 26-year-old ready to lock horns with his former side.

Karanka said it was Clayton’s performance for Huddersfield against Boro last season that convinced the club to push ahead with a summer deal.

“I could sense his character,” Karanka admitted.

“He is a player, a leader, everything on the pitch. Now he is doing really well for me - he has improved the team really well and with him on the pitch we are very comfortable.

“When I sign players I try to sign the best we can. At this moment a lot of those could play in the Premier League.”

Karanka also confirmed ex-Arsenal midfielder Fran Merida has been training with the club, but the Spaniard will not be offered a contract.

Bradley Halliday has extended his loan spell at York City until the end of the season.

Murder accused denied responsibility for Ormesby disabled mum-of-two's death in police interview

A murder accused denied responsibility for the death of Teresa Ryan, or for burgling her home, in a police interview.

David McCabe told officers he was out looking for his girlfriend, at his aunt’s home and visiting his aunt’s friend on the night Ms Ryan died in a fire at her home.

He described Ms Ryan as a friend or acquaintance in a police interview on July 12, three days after the fatal fire.

He said he had known her for a few weeks and visited her home on Warton Street, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough two or three times.

He told police he helped carry her shopping home, chased away kids who were kicking at her door, and fixed her front door after she was burgled days before the fire.

McCabe, 32, now admits entering the mum-of-two’s home and stealing items the day before and the day of her death, a jury has heard.

He denies murder, claiming the fire must have started accidentally after he left the home, Teesside Crown Court was told.

The prosecution says he got into Ms Ryan’s house and robbed her of her handbag after a struggle on the night of July 9, her 50th birthday.

It is alleged she was rendered unconscious, McCabe set fire to her bed to eradicate evidence and left her helpless, knowing she would die.

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Ms Ryan, who had Huntington’s disease which affected her movement, died from smoke inhalation.

The court heard that McCabe, of Barrington Crescent, Thorntree, Middlesbrough, now says he took Ms Ryan’s handbag as it hung over her kitchen door.

Her sister Carol Ryan, a nursing sister, gave evidence in the trial yesterday.

She said: “Her balance had got really bad. To hang a handbag over the door, she would have to reach up with both hands.

“Reaching up with both hands, she would lose her balance. It physically would be impossible for her to do.

“She wouldn’t be able to without falling. I’ve never seen her hang her bag up on anything in the past.

“She always kept it beside her. She always took it with her.”

A 13-year-old boy also gave evidence, saying in a police video interview he saw McCabe at Ms Ryan’s house “every day”.

He told how he saw McCabe looking through her windows and banging on the door the week before the fire.

Eight days before the fire he said he saw McCabe “barge his way through”.

The boy said: “She opened it (the door) a tiny bit. He started pushing through.”

He said McCabe came out half an hour later putting money into his pockets.

He had also seen McCabe with Ms Ryan carrying her shopping bags.

The boy said he saw McCabe on the corner of Warton Street with a bottle of cider and a bag of clothes on the night of the fire.

Proceeding

Israeli forces shoot dead Palestinian at Gush Etzion

HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces opened fire at two Palestinians near the Gush Etzion Junction between Bethlehem and Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday evening, killing one.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told Ma’an that two Palestinians “were involved in a criminal incident” in the area, and one was shot by Israeli soldiers after he attempted to flee the area.

The man was “injured seriously and died in the evening,” he told Ma’an, adding that the other was arrested.

Israeli news website Israel National News, which is known for its right-wing leanings, said that incident occurred as the 30-year-old victim was “attempting to steal a car in the parking lot of the Rami Levy supermarket branch” in the area.

The supermarket, while located inside the Jewish-only settlement, is located immediately beside the junction and is thus open to Palestinians as well.

The Israeli news site said that military police had launched an investigation into the incident

Redcar mum Theresa Cave gets £10,000 Lottery help to fund anti-knife crime campaign

Campaigning mum Theresa Cave says a £10,000 Lottery handout for a hard-hitting anti-knife crime campaign is the perfect tribute to the son she lost.

Theresa has campaigned relentlessly against violent crime since 2003 when her teenage son Chris was stabbed to death in a Redcar flat.

In particular, she has fought to get the hard-hitting Point Seven presentation into Teesside schools, and to roll it out across the North-east on the internet.

And now, thanks to £10,000 from the Lottery’s Awards For All scheme, she’s been given the funding to help make her dream a reality.

The grant, awarded to the Chris Cave Foundation set up in Chris’s name, will be used to buy video equipment and develop a promotional video and website, with links to outside agencies, to help young people deal with issues surrounding violent crime.

Targeting the 11-25 age range, it will give young people, at the click of a button, information and facts to deter them from gang, gun, knife and cyber crime.

It’s one of several Awards For All grants for Teesside, totalling more than £70,000, handed out in the latest round. And for Theresa, it’s the culmination of years of hard work.

She said: “It’s the first funding we’ve ever had in 11 years but it’s not really about the money - it’s the fact that at last, we’ve been recognised and believed in. I’ve fought all the way to get into schools and colleges and now the doors are opening.

“Schools were reluctant to have it in case they were tarred with the “knife crime” brush but gradually, opinions have been changing. For example, Redcar and Cleveland College had me in last year and have asked me again next month.”

And by developing a website, it means young people across the North-east will have somewhere to go for help, advice and support at the lick of a button - the ultimate tribute to the son Theresa lost in such violent circumstances.

She said: “It means Chris didn’t die in vain. It has taken 11 years but at least I can now look up to the skies and say, ‘son, at last’.”

The foundation is also raising money to buy a static caravan at Redcar where the families of violent crime victims can spend some time away. For details of Point Seven and the caravan campaign, visit the Chris Cave Foundation page on Facebook.

Other Teesside Awards For All grants:

Hemlington Hall Academy, Middlesbrough: £10,000 for outdoor artificial grass area; The Road Ahead CIC, Middlesbrough: £9,920 to pay for therapists to deliver a therapeutic art unit; Small World, Big Drums, Middlesbrough: £8,400 for music-based workshops for adults with disabilities, mental health problems or substance misuse issues; Brotton Village Hall: £2,160 to install roller shutters; Counselling in Schools North EAST CIC, Redcar and Cleveland: £10,000 to deliver specialised traning to student counsellors; Wellbeing For All, Saltburn: £10,000 to fund drop-in sessions for people recovering from drugs, alcohol or mental health-related problems; Nunthorpe Primary Academy, £9,995 to improve outdoor play facilities; Frederick Nattrass Primary Academy, Norton: £10,000 to take the school’s older children to London.

Driver remains in critical condition after crash that closed A19 for six hours

A driver remains in critical condition more than to weeks after he was involved in a serious crash which closed the A19 for six hours.

The three-vehicle accident happened on the A19 southbound close to the Cleveland Tontine on Sunday December 28 at 10.55am.

A silver Mitsubishi L200 pick-up truck, a blue Mazda 6S car and a blue-grey Audi A2 car were involved - and the driver of the Audi A2 was airlifted to hospital.

The 35-year-old man, from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, is still in a critical condition, a North Yorkshire Police spokesman has confirmed.

The driver of the Mitsubishi, a 47-year-old man from Redcar, was arrested in connection with the collision and remains on police bail.

Diversions were put in place while the police investigated the crash scene, vehicles were recovered and debris cleared from the road by the Highways Agency.

Anyone who can help the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for Chris Garbutt.

James Cook: New ward opens to relieve winter pressures as more operations have to be cancelled

A new winter ward has opened at James Cook University Hospital to help alleviate the winter strain on services.

In recent weeks the hospital, based on Marton Road in Middlesbrough, is one of many nationally who have had to deal with a surge in emergency patients needing to be admitted onto wards for care and treatment.

Elective surgery has also had to be cancelled within 24 hours of the operation to relieve the pressure - six such operations were cancelled in the week up to Tuesday, and 14 the week before.

Other elective operations planned for more than a day ahead have also been postponed.

Now, an experienced team from across the trust has come together to staff a 32-place winter unit which has 18 inpatient beds and a discharge lounge for up to 14 patients, who are fit enough to be discharged, but are waiting for either family to pick them up, prescriptions or an ambulance to take them to a primary care hospital or care home.

This enables other wards and the accident and the emergency department, which saw 600 more patients in December than it did the same time last year, to transfer patients to the winter ward to easing stress on the system.

Winter ward manager Kerri Davies said: “The ward has a wide variety of highly experienced staff from James Cook and primary care hospitals caring for patients with differing needs.

“We are on-call to take patients from the under-pressure areas of the hospital, so the other wards can accommodate incoming appropriate patients - this in turn helps patient flow.”

Mandy Headland, managing director of integrated medical care centre, added: “The ward beds are a key part of our winter plan and enable us to care for the increased number of patients requiring admission to our hospital during winter and will remain open until the end of March.”

A spokesman for the trust said of the cancelled operations: “We appreciate this is distressing for patients and their families – and it is frustrating for staff – but we are trying to keep any disruption to our elective (planned) programme to a minimal.

“We’re working hard to get patients back into hospital for their surgery as soon as beds become available. We have also opened a ‘winter ward’ to help relieve the pressure for beds and improve patient flow.”

Over 125 Skelton villagers to wear 'Spuggy 36' shirts at match in tribute to late Boro fanatic

The Riverside will be awash with tributes to a late Boro fan as more than 125 Skelton villagers wear shirts bearing his name.

Skelton said goodbye to one of its most popular sons as hundreds attended the funeral of Craig “Spuggy” Starling last Friday.

And before Middlesbrough’s home game against Huddersfield on Saturday, 128 friends and family will gather wearing Boro shirts with “Spuggy 36” written on the back.

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Craig was 36 when he lost his battle with cancer on December 28, 2014.

The group will sit together in Block 60 in the Riverside’s South Stand for the game on Saturday, and in the 36th minute of the game, they hope a minute’s applause will spread around the ground in celebration of his life.

And fittingly for Boro fanatic Craig, the club have printed special tickets for the Skelton supporters also bearing his name and number.

Dozens wore the shirts at his funeral at All Saints Church on High Street in Skelton.

Skelton came to a standstill as the lifelong Boro devotee was remembered by parents John and Lynne Starling, twin sister Kerry, sister Gemma and brother Danny and hundreds of friends and well-wishers.

The Rev Valerie Haynes led the service, in which she paid tribute to the “caring, loving, honest and generous” Craig.

Rev’d Haynes said: “Wherever Spuggy was, he was always popular. He was never short of friends. He was a role-model for friendship.”

Friend Jamie Boyle, 34, from Skelton, said: “I was only friends with Spuggy for about six months after I moved to the village, but he was an incredible character who was loved by everyone in Skelton.

“He was a massive, humongous Boro fan so to have all his mates thinking of him and wearing the shirts at the Riverside - he would think it was great.

“Spuggy will always be remembered by everyone in Skelton. In fact, I think a lot of his friends are getting a picture of him in the Hollybush pub, where everyone meets up.”

The group are leaving the Hollybush on Saturday morning and meeting at the Jovial Monk pub in North Ormesby, who are putting on food.

They will then leave as a group and walk to the Riverside together at around 2.30pm.

Before the funeral, friend Craig Holmes said Spuggy was “good mates with anyone he met” and that “everyone in Skelton will miss him”.

He and other friends have already raised around £10,000 for the Institute of Cancer Research, with a variety of fundraising events, including an upcoming trek at the Inca trail at Machu Picchu in Peru.

And Jamie is staging a night with former British, Commonwealth, European and WBO challenger and British boxing great Esham Pickering at the Hollybush on Saturday January 31 from 7pm.

Proceeds of a raffle held on the night will be split between Zoe’s Place and Ward 14 at James Cook University Hospital, who helped care for Craig.

Anyone who wants to donatea prize can contact Jamie on 07914 748903.

More Rohingya migrants die in Thailand as dozens held

Two more Rohingya migrants have died in southern Thailand after trucks packed with dozens of members of the Myanmar Muslim minority group were intercepted by authorities, police said on Wednesday.

The two men, both believed to be aged 20, died in hospital of hunger and dehydration on Tuesday, a day after police reported a Rohingya woman had died from suffocation while making the same journey through the kingdom.

On Sunday Thai authorities found five pickup trucks carrying nearly 100 Rohingya, mostly aged under 18, in the Hua Sai district of Nakhon Si Thammarat province on the Gulf of Thailand.

“These two men were found to be in a serious condition,” provincial police commander Kiattipong Khawsamang told AFP.

“We took them to two local hospitals, where they died from hunger and dehydration.” Two of the Thai pickup drivers arrested at the scene have been charged with human trafficking, the commander added.

“We are investigating others involved in the trafficking ring and believe we can issue arrest warrants against them soon,” he said.

The 95 surviving migrants are currently being held in shelters in the southern province as Thailand’s social development ministry determines whether to deport them back to Myanmar.

Thousands of Rohingya, described by the UN as one of the world’s most persecuted minorities, have fled deadly communal unrest in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state since 2012.

In recent weeks Thai authorities have discovered scores of the group fleeing dire conditions by making perilous journeys across the ocean, taking advantage of the slightly calmer winter waters in the Andaman Sea to head south. Myanmar views its population of roughly 800,000 Rohingya as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and denies them citizenship.

Rights groups say the stateless migrants often fall into the hands of people-traffickers.

Teesside BP staff warned hundreds of jobs will go across North Sea operations

BP staff on Teesside have today been warned there will be hundreds of job cuts across the company’s North Sea operations.

The oil and gas multinational, which employs around 80 at its Seal Sands terminal, has told employees around 200 jobs and 100 contractor roles will go, as part of an on-going efficiency drive.

It has not been confirmed whether the Teesside operations will be directly affected, but chiefs said most of the at-risk jobs are office-based support roles.

Company chiefs were keen to point out the cuts were not a knee-jerk reaction to plummeting oil prices - but a combination of production decline, cost rises, ageing assets and investment opportunities that were ‘modest on a global scale’.

The company had warned of job losses last month, amid restructure plans.

Trevor Garlick, Regional President for BP North Sea said: “We needed to respond to toughening market conditions and also to the fact that we are now a smaller business than we were in 2010. “The recent oil price reduction has simply made this even more imperative.

“We are committed to the North Sea and see a long term future for our business here.

“However, given the well-documented challenges of operating in this maturing region and in toughening market conditions, we are taking specific steps to ensure our business remains competitive and robust, and we are aligning with the wider industry.

“Whilst our primary focus will be on improving efficiencies and on simplifying the way we work, an inevitable outcome of this will be an impact on headcount and we expect a reduction of around 200 onshore staff and 100 contractor roles.

“We have spoken to staff and will work with those affected over the coming months.”

But industry experts were optimistic about the future recovery of the North-east sector.

George Rafferty, Chief Executive of NOF Energy, said the region’s ‘innovative and flexible’ suppliers were ‘experienced at operating within a fluctuating industry’.

“They can deliver agile and innovative services, that can meet the future scale and requirements of the UKCS [UK Continental Shelf].

“Our members are keeping a watching brief on the current oil price; however they are very much focused on the long-term future of the offshore sector.

“The sector will recover.

“Working closely and smarter with operators and lead contractors, supply chain companies can help deliver a step change in the industry through increased collaboration and a fresh approach to doing things. This will ensure whether the industry needs to better control costs or react to changes to the oil price the industry can become more resilient and effective.”

The price per barrel of oil has fallen recently from a high of $115 to less than $48.

The volatility of the sector has had a knock-on effect elsewhere, with Darlington-based subsea engineering specialists DeepOcean announcing job cuts this week. Oil field services firm Archer’s has closed its Blyth base and subsea firm Flexlife has confirmed it’s reviewing its Gateshead operations.

BP employs around 15,000 people in the UK and 84,000 worldwide.

Mum smuggled drugs into prison in her bra after being warned jailed boyfriend would be 'slashed up' inside

A mum smuggled drugs into a Teesside jail to her boyfriend after he was stabbed and she was told that he would be slashed-up again if she refused.

Charlotte Millward, 35, had received threats to her and her family after her burglar partner upset other inmates in Holme House Prison, Stockton.

She sent her two children to live with her parents and she informed the police, her lawyer told Teesside Crown Court today.

But the slashing threat terrified her into hiding 10 Subutex tablets in her bra which would have been worth £400 to £600 in prison currency.

She had received an email telling her to meet an unknown man on Portrack Lane, Stockton, near the prison who had handed over the clingfilm package.

She stuffed them in her bra but she was seen reaching into it and passing them over to her boyfriend in the Visitors Area on June 11 last year.

Prosecutor Jenny Haigh said that the boyfriend was detained in possession of the Class C drug.

Millward,who had no previous convictions, made full and frank admissions.

Miss Haigh said: “She did not know who had contacted her but she felt obliged to do so because she had been under some pressure.

“She knew when she passed them over that they were drugs.

“She was concerned because she was told that if she did this she would get her boyfriend out of a spot of bother. Inquiries were made and he had been admitted to the Friarage Hospital on December 17 2013 with stab wounds.

“It was intimated to her that her actions may prevent something else occurring.”

Miss Haigh said that the maximum sentence for smuggling drugs into prison was 10 years jail.

Amy Dixon, defending, said that the threats to Millward began in February last year and they were still continuing.

She added: “This male associate of her partner told her that her partner would be slashed-up if she did not take the items into prison.

“She did so because she was terrified of what would happen to her or her family. She realises now that she could have contacted the police but this happened when she was not stable.”

She said that Millward had since separated from her partner and she was now with a man who had no criminal record and they had a positive and stable relationship. She was not likely to trouble the courts again, she added.

The judge told Millward that drugs were a real problem in prison where they had a highly-inflated value and could be used as currency to wield power over vulnerable prisoners and their families.

Judge Peter Bowers said: “Those who are ruthless will target those who are weak and have relatives outside.

“I always start with a prison sentence in every case but in your case I am taking what may be an exceptional course.”

Millward, of Crosby Road, Northallerton, was given a six months jail sentence suspended for 12 months with supervision, 10 sessions of specified activity and 150 hours unpaid work after she pleaded guilty to conveying illicit articles into prison.

Muslim world questions logic behind Charlie antics

RIYADH/CAIRO: Iyad Madani, secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, has denounced the publication of sacrilegious cartoons by French magazine Charlie Hebdo Wednesday, calling the move “insolence, ignorance and foolishness.”

He said: “Freedom of speech must not become a hate-speech and it must not offend others. No sane person, regardless of doctrine, religion or faith, accepts his beliefs being ridiculed.”

Prominent Saudi scholar Sheikh Ahmed Al-Ghamdi said that publication of the latest image was a mistake. “It’s not a good way to make the people understand us. Jesus or Moses, all messengers (of God) we should respect,” and should not be made fun of in pictures or words, Ghamdi said. “I believe it will make more problems.”

The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestinian lands, Mohammed Hussein, said such cartoons “fuel feelings of hatred and resentment among people” and publishing them “shows contempt” for Muslim feelings.

Leading Islamic authority Al-Azhar denounced the new edition and said: “The stature of the Prophet of Mercy is greater and more lofty than to be harmed by cartoons that are unrestrained by decency and civilized standards.” It said: “Al-Azhar calls on all Muslims to ignore this hateful frivolity.”

The International Union of Muslim Scholars also criticized the antics of Charlie Hebdo, claiming they would further stir up hatred, extremism and tension. “It is neither reasonable, nor logical, nor wise to publish drawings and films offensive or attacking the Prophet of Islam,” said the Qatar-based union, headed by Yusuf Al-Qardawi.

According to the union, publication of the drawing would give further “credibility” to the idea that “the West is against Islam.” It said: “If we agree that (those who committed the attacks) are a minority that do not represent Islam or Muslims, then how can we respond with actions that are not directed against them, but against the Prophet revered by a billion-and-a-half Muslims?”

Meanwhile, Yemen’s Al-Qaeda branch on Wednesday confirmed it carried out last week’s deadly assault in Paris and vowed more attacks on the West.

In a video posted on Twitter, a commander said: “You will look for peace and stability but you will not find it because of the deeds of those carrying out martyrdom operations and heroes of lone jihad.”

He said the Yemeni-American cleric Anwar Al-Awlaki, who was killed in a US drone strike in Yemen in September 2011, had arranged the attack

Loan watch: Which of Boro's youngsters could find themselves in-demand this month?

A handful of Boro’s brightest young stars could earn loan moves to the Football League after excelling for the club’s Under-21s.

Boro’s young guns rose to joint top of the Barclays Under-21 Premier League on Monday after securing a sixth win in their last nine league fixtures.

Charlie Wyke’s penalty helped the Teessiders overcome a dogged Derby outfit, meaning Paul Jenkins’ side are now level on points with North-east rivals Newcastle at the summit.

But by flying high in the table, some of Boro’s prized assets are quickly playing their way onto the radar of Football League clubs looking to utilise the loan market this month.

But which of Boro’s next generation are likely to be offered first-team experience away from the Riverside this month?

One man set to secure a fresh loan deal is 19-year-old Bradley Halliday, who has spent the last two months at League Two side York City.

Having to bide his time before being given a chance to shine, the right-back has since received plenty of plaudits for a series of energetic displays for the Minstermen.

The Redcar-born defender was able to play for Boro Under-21s on Monday due to the terms of his youth loan at York.

Now fresh from serving a three-match ban, Halliday is expected to be restored to the York line-up for Saturday’s match with Stevenage, after which his loan spell ends.

But manager Russ Wilcox is hopeful of striking a deal with Boro to keep Halliday at the club for an extended spell.

“It was important to get Brad game time, so he will be ready to challenge for a recall against Stevenage,” Wilcox told the York Press.

“We are also hoping to extend his loan stay again beyond this weekend.”

Elsewhere the form of striker Wyke is unlikely to have gone unnoticed.

The 22-year-old has scored two goals in his last two appearances for Boro Under-21s since returning from a three-month loan spell at Hartlepool United.

At Victoria Park Wyke hit the net four times in 14 games, and Jenkins expects the towering striker to attract further loan interest this month.

“League Two has definitely benefited him but at some point he has a challenge to go and test himself at League One or Championship level,” the coach said.

The future of influential midfielder Bryn Morris is also likely to be settled in the coming weeks, after impressing at League Two high-flyers Burton Albion before Christmas.

The 18-year-old is considered among the Academy’s brightest sparks, and his short time at the Pirelli Stadium led to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink tipping him for greatness.

Meanwhile injury ended Luke Williams’ recent loan spell at Scunthorpe United prematurely, but the forward has already been tipped for a swift return to the League One side.

Williams has spent the last two months at Glanford Park, helping to fire Iron away from the relegation zone.

It is understood Scunthorpe are keen to bring Williams back to the club once he has shaken off his knock, something that Aitor Karanka may happily sanction given his first-team options in attack.

Ryan Brobbel, David Atkinson, Bradley Fewster and Seb Hines have all spent time away on loan this season, while Andy Halliday is nearing the end of his Bradford City stay.

Snow: Up to 15cm predicted in North Yorkshire as well as gales across Teesside

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We haven’t seen the last of the snow it seems...

The Met Office has issued a new severe weather warning for ice and snow in North Yorkshire for tomorrow and Saturday.

The agency has also put in place a weather warning for wind covering the whole of Teesside - with gusts of up to 70mph predicted with the possibility of power supplies put at risk as well as difficult driving conditions.

Light snow is also predicted for Teesside tomorrow morning - with a low temperature of around 0C predicted.

“Snow accumulations are likely to mount up on hills, with around 10cm to 15cm for some areas above 300m,” says the weather report by the Met Office.

“Smaller accumulations are also expected to lower levels at times, away from immediate coasts, with localised falls of 2cm to 6cm.

“Ice will be an additional hazard on untreated surfaces.”

Forecasters warn that motorists should be cautious.

The warning says: “The public should be aware of the risk of disruption to travel.”

Sunshine is predicted later in the day across Teesside tomorrow, the top temperature thought to reach around 4C.

Classified Israeli government report: The boycott will get worse

A classified Israeli government report has claimed that the country’s deteriorating international position will further decline in 2015, with a growth in boycott campaigns.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) document, leaked to Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, was sent to Israel’s diplomatic missions worldwide and is “a summary of a multi-ministry situation assessment conducted by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.”

The report warns of diplomatic damage due to “moves to mark settlement products, stop the supply of replacement parts; debates on sanctions against Israel; demands for compensation for damage caused by Israel to European projects in the Palestinian territories; European activity in Area C, under Israeli rule; and more.”

The document notes that “the Europeans are creating a clear connection between diplomatic relations and economic ones”, while, banks and investment funds could follow examples in Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, and divert “millions of dollars into alternative investments.”

Among other examples, the document also warns that “the academic boycott against Israel could also escalate.”

Acklam Fish Bar crash: Driver, 83, will not face court proceedings after giving up his licence

A pensioner who crashed his 4x4 into a fish and chip has surrendered his driving licence before he was due in court in connection with the accident.

The 83-year-old man had been reported for summons for driving without due care and attention in relation to the collision at Acklam Fish Bar last year.

But Cleveland Police has since confirmed he had given up his licence to drive and will therefore not be appearing at Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

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The crash at the fish shop happened at about 4.20pm on September 24 and involved a black Range Rover Evoque which hit a gas main and destroyed the front window of the shop.

Two Acklam Grange School pupils, who were inside when the accident happened, were treated for minor cuts. The driver was not believed to have been injured.

Two staff members and two other adults were also inside the shop at the time.

One witness, a member of staff at Acklam Post Office/Bargain Booze, two doors down from the fish bar, told the Gazette: “It sounded like a bomb going off, everything shook.”

Dozens of shop workers were evacuated as a result and a police cordon set up around the perimeter of the shops while police, fire crews and gas workers worked to safely remove the car.

Neighbouring shops were later allowed to reopen. However Acklam Fish Bar remained closed for several days for repairs.

The owner, Rafi Khan, told the Gazette that the community had been very supportive.

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“We’d rather it hadn’t happened, obviously, but since it has we’ve used it as an excuse to spruce the place up a bit with some new menu boards and things.”

One member of staff there on the day was Elaine Campbell. She said: “It was terrifying. I saw he’d hit the gas and I just ran to be honest. I was sure we were going up.

“The other girl who was here was on the ball and switched the range and everything off and rang the emergency services.”

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “The driver of the vehicle surrendered his driving licence to the DVLA and therefore he will not appear at court in relation to the incident.”

Redcar and District Breathercise hoping Wish can breath new life into routines

A group which helps people with lung conditions is hoping for help in breathing new life into their routines.

Redcar and District Breathercise offers exercise and support for people who suffer with chronic lung disease.

It’s weekly meetings give people the chance to not only boost their fitness but also to meet other people with similar problems.

Now it has signed up to the Gazette Wish Campaign to raise money to help it fund social events.

Tony Ridgway, of the group, said: “We are an exercise and support group for those with lung disease, and their carers, helping them to lead as full and active life as possible. “Being in the presence of others with respiratory problems, some on 24 hour oxygen, helps to gain confidence while our social events relieve isolation and depression.”

Every year, The Gazette’s Wish campaign gives away thousands of pounds to not-forprofit groups and organisations benefiting the Teesside community.

Each registered group will be guaranteed a share of our £40,000 fund.

The more tokens a group collects, the bigger its share of the prize pot. Tokens are now appearing daily in The Gazette. The last token will appear on January 21.

Submissions for tokens will close at 5pm on Monday, February 23.

Redcar and District Breathercise meets every Monday from noon until 1pm at the United Reformed Church, Station Road, Redcar.

To help them send your Wish tokens to: 26 Cambrian Avenue, Redcar, Cleveland, TS10 4HF.

Sainsbury's reviewing planned move to Middlehaven as construction work at new site continues

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Questions have been raised over the future of a supermarket in a “flagship” regeneration area.

Work is already underway to construct a multi-million pound Sainsbury’s in Middlehaven.

But the supermarket giant has now confirmed it is reviewing the planned move - and could potentially remain at its current Wilson Street site.

“The food retail market is extremely competitive and has changed considerably since our proposals for Middlesbrough were first announced,” said a Sainsbury’s spokesperson .

“We are reviewing our plans across a number of supermarket sites, including Middlehaven.

“Once we are in a position to do so, we will update the community on our future plans for the site.”

As reported, Sainsbury’s confirmed it was to relocate from its Wilson Street store to an 80,000sq ft outlet at Middlehaven once the construction work was completed.

According to the developer Terrace Hill, Sainsbury’s wanted to move from its current town centre store so it compete with larger stores.

“The existing Sainsbury’s store is unable to compete effectively with larger stores in the area and Sainsbury’s would like to relocate to an alternative site which can accommodate a modern store which better meets the needs of its customers. Gateway Middlehaven has been identified as the most suitable location,” it said.

But now, the 230 members of staff may not be moving to the new store after all and have been informed of the latest developments.

Constuction work on the Gateway Middlehaven Retail Park project got under way in September last year.

The new 16-acre retail and leisure development, which lies between the A66 and the Riverside Stadium, is a £35m scheme.

Once completed, there would be the supermarket, a nine pump petrol filling station, a drive-through KFC, a Costa coffee and a Marston’s family pub.

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The development was expected to open this summer.

The review by Sainsbury’s also raises questions over related plans by Terrace Hill for the Wilson Street site.

It had been planned that the site would be turned into a £20m retail and commercial development with nine retail and leisure outlets, an 80-bed hotel and car park.

This had been expected to open in spring 2016.

Both developments combined had been projected to create 820 new full and part-time jobs.

The Sainsbury’s development is part of the £200m regeneration of Middlehaven.

In 2004 a radical masterplan for the brownfield site was unveiled by renowned architect Will Alsop.

Since then the site has seen the completion of the £70m Middlesbrough College and a number of other multi-million pound projects.

Twenty years ago a bid was made to get consent for an Asda store at the Gateway Middlehaven site. But it failed at the final hurdle when the then Environment Secretary John Prescott refused planning permission.

The Gazette has contacted Terrace Hill for comment but the firm has not yet made a statement.

Missing man Alan Garvie urged by police to let family know he is safe and well

Missing man Alan Garvie has been urged by police to contact them to let his family know he is safe and well.

Mr Garvie, 66, was last seen at around 4pm yesterday near Yarm Road in Stockton.

Police are appealing for information to trace the Stockton man, and have issued a direct appeal asking him to contact them.

Officers are concerned for his whereabouts as it’s unusual for him to go missing.

He was last seen wearing a grey fleece with a red fleece over the top, light brown walking boots and dark brown trousers.

He is described as 5ft 11 inches tall, with short grey hair.

It is believed he may be driving an N registration orange Kia Sportage and could be in the Durham area.

Anyone who knows Alan’s whereabouts or those with any information are asked to call the non-emergency number 101.

West Delhi church vandalised, FIR registered

NEW DELHI: A church in Vikaspuri area of west Delhi was vandalized on Wednesday. The incident was reported around 6.30am when the father of Our Lady of Graces church found the window pane broken and raised an alarm. The entire incident has been captured in the CCTV footage.

The CCTV footage has been handed over to police. According to police the CCTV footage shows two people vandalizing the church. They came around 4.30am on a bike and broke the glass cabinet mounted on the outside wall. They returned after sometime and pushed the statue of Mother Mary causing it to fall.

Police suspect theft to be the reason behind it. An FIR has been registered at Vikaspuri police station.

File photo of a Delhi church which was gutted in a mysterious fire where foul play wasn’t ruled out. (TOI photo)

Morning news headlines: Obama and Cameron warning; Ebola tests, Miliband poverty vow

David Cameron and Barack Obama have warned securing economic prosperity is vital in the fight against terrorism, as the Prime Minister flew to Washington for talks with the US president.

Formal discussions on cyber security and counter terrorism in the White House tomorrow will be dominated by the shadow of the Paris atrocities that left 17 innocent victims dead.

Mr Cameron, who is on a two-day visit to the US capital, will push for action to ensure US-based social media companies, such as Facebook and Twitter, co-operate with intelligence agencies in the battle against terrorism

Plea for Guantanamo release

A group of senior doctors has called for a British resident held in Guantanamo Bay to be released, warning of his "fragile medical condition".

The medics said that Shaker Aamer was suffering from conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder and asthma and his continued detention was having an "appalling effect" on his health and that of his family.

Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to again raise Mr Aamer's case with President Barack Obama during his visit to Washington.

Miliband vows leadership on poverty and climate change

Ed Miliband will promise to provide global leadership on tackling poverty and climate change if he wins the general election.

The Labour leader will insist that a commitment to the green agenda and a desire to reduce inequality are "at the heart of my beliefs".

In a thinly-veiled swipe at David Cameron, Mr Miliband will say that his interest in the issues are not "part of a branding exercise" but were the reason he entered politics.

Sex case teacher sentence probed

The Attorney General is to investigate whether the sentencing of a former religious studies teacher who walked free from court after being convicted of repeatedly having sex with a student should be reviewed.

Stuart Kerner, 44, of Aylesford in Kent, was handed a suspended 18-month sentence by Judge Joanna Greenberg QC, sitting at Inner London Crown Court, who said it was clear his 16-year-old victim was "obsessed" with him.

Jurors had heard he took her virginity on a yoga mat on the floor of a Bexleyheath Academy storeroom, the same week his wife miscarried their second child.

Inactivity deadlier than obesity

Lack of exercise is twice as likely to lead to an early grave than obesity, research has shown.

A brisk 20-minute walk each day is all it takes to avoid dying prematurely, the findings suggest.

Scientists looked at the effects of obesity and exercise on 334,161 European men and women whose progress was followed for 12 years.

Charlie Hebdo copies heading for UK

British readers will be able to get hold of the first Charlie Hebdo magazine since the deadly shootings in Paris as copies head for the UK today.

Demand for the magazine's new issue, which carries a front-cover cartoon of a crying Prophet Mohammed, is anticipated to be high in the wake of last week's attack that saw gunmen kill 12 people at its offices.

It comes as the leader of al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in Yemen, said his group was responsible for the murders - claiming the massacre was "vengeance for the prophet".

Families 'trapped by inequality'

Leading figures in the Church of England have called for an end to "income inequality" and questioned how Britain is being governed in a new book to be published before the general election.

Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu, whose new book is called On Rock Or Sand?, said the UK faced a "deep, deep economic crisis" during the last four and-a-half years and said inequality trapped "hard-working" families on "poverty wages".

In a video to launch the collection of essays, which includes a contribution from the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, Dr Sentamu admitted the Church was making a political intervention but said it was not trying to be party political.

Concerns raised in NHS cancer fight

NHS reforms and squeezed budgets risk stalling recent advances in fighting cancer in England, a spending watchdog warned in a report highlighting the starkly lower survival chances of poorer and older patients.

The National Audit Office (NAO) said action was needed to reduce the almost 20,000 deaths a year that would be avoided if those from deprived areas fared as well as the better off, but said there were now "fewer dedicated resources" to improving services.

Its report also found "important gaps" in data were hampering the ability to choose the best treatments for patients and ensure they represented good value for taxpayers' money - in the same week a cost-cutting review ended funding for 25 drugs.

Hospital testing woman for Ebola

A hospital is treating a woman who is suspected of having Ebola.

A spokesman for Northampton General Hospital said: "A patient with a suspected case of Ebola was admitted to Northampton General Hospital this evening," adding it was a woman.

The hospital was unable to provide further details about the identity of the woman or how she may have contracted the illness but a Public Health England (PHE) spokesman confirmed the patient had a history of travel to west Africa, although it thought Ebola was "unlikely".

Redmayne Oscar nomination expected

Eddie Redmayne's journey from Old Etonian to Hollywood's newest star will continue this afternoon when the 33-year-old actor is predicted to pick up an Oscar nomination.

The star, a contemporary of the Duke of Cambridge at the historic English private school, has already taken the Golden Globe for his portrayal of pioneering scientist Stephen Hawking.

His performance in The Theory Of Everything has seen him nominated for a Bafta and a Screen Actors Guild Award and he is expected to complete the set with an Academy Award best actor nomination.

Nine men charged with conspiracy to supply drugs after police raid homes across Teesside

Nine men have been charged with conspiracy to supply drugs following a series of raids.

The men, aged between 18 and 48 have been charged with conspiracy to supply controlled drugs of Class A and B drugs after a police operation last week.

They are due to appear at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, February 18.

Officers attended several homes across Teesside on the morning of January 6 in a pre-planned exercise.

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Eleven people were arrested on the day - with nine since being charged. Two others, a man and a woman, have been bailed pending further inquiries.

Among the houses targeted during the raids was one on Walworth Grove in Acklam where police arrested a 27-year-old man.

A raid was also carried out on a home in Birkhall Road, Thorntree. A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

The operation began at Cleveland Police headquarters at 7.15am where the officers involved in the operation were briefed.

A convoy of police vans then left to target six addresses in Middlesbrough and Darlington.

Detective Inspector John Ward, from Cleveland Police organised crime unit, said at the time: “This investigation, carried out by Cleveland Police organised crime unit, is focused on a broad drugs distribution network supplying large amounts of heroin, cocaine and amphetamine across County Durham and Cleveland.”

“Cleveland organised crime unit has had much success in prosecuting higher level criminals for the importation and supply of dangerous drugs across the county,” he added.

“Illegal drugs adversely impact communities and Cleveland Police is dedicated to fighting the criminals that make these drugs available. We will relentlessly pursue those involved.”

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Barry Coppinger said: “This was a well planned operation and will help to make a real difference in terms of quality of life of residents who I am sure totally support the police in this work.”

Adam Clayton relishing renewing Boro midfield partnership with 'top player' Grant Leadbitter

Birthday boy Adam Clayton is looking forward to resuming his partnership with Grant Leadbitter after serving a one-match ban.

But the Boro midfielder, who turned 26 yesterday, knows his performance levels can’t dip at any time during Saturday’s clash with former club Huddersfield because he’ll get it in the neck from the skipper.

Clayton missed last Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Reading as a result of the suspension he received when he was sent off in the FA Cup win at Barnsley.

Fortunately, he’s now eligible for the visit of Chris Powell’s Huddersfield and the eagerly-awaited FA Cup fourth round tie against another former club, Manchester City, a week later.

Sandwiched between those fixtures is the home game against Cardiff City on Tuesday night and, after failing to win their last two league games, promotion-chasing Boro need to get back to winning ways.

The Clayton-Leadbitter pairing has proved effective for Aitor Karanka’s team and one half of that partnership has been mightily impressed by the other.

“Grant’s a top player,” said Clayton, who was born in Manchester.

“He played in the Premier League back in the day, and he has been around the Championship for many years and he’s obviously a very good player.

“He’s very good to play with, we’ve got a nice little balance in there, we know each other’s games and what each other is doing most of the time - it seems to be working at the minute.

“When you are winning games people look at partnerships and things like that and say positive things so long may it continue.

“Grant is a very good player and I’m really enjoying playing with him and the season so far.”

Leadbitter doesn’t appear to be a man you take lightly and Clayton admits the skipper does keep his team-mates on their toes.

“He can give you a bit in the ear if you are not pulling your weight,” said Clayton.

“I think he’s been very good in many aspects this season both on and off the pitch as a captain.

“I think at the minute everyone is pulling in the right direction and long may it continue for me and the team.”