Business

Controversial plans to install miles of overhead electricity pylons across the countryside have taken a step forward.

Government energy regulator Ofgem has confirmed initial funding for the project, which could see 114 miles (183km) of pylons built from near Norwich to Tilbury, Essex.

Planning permission has not yet been granted for the National Grid scheme, which would carry electricity produced by offshore wind farms, but the network owner has said the decision is a "significant milestone".

Rosie Pearson, of the Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons action group, said: "To allow National Grid to spend more money before the project even has planning approval – it's infuriating."

Ofgem has approved National Grid's request for Early Construction Funding (ECF) for the project.

It said its decision would not affect any future planning decisions by separate authorities and its role was to find out if such schemes could give customers value for money.

National Grid can now spend 2.93% of the total project allowance, with another 17.07% ECF still available to apply for.

It has been previously reported the pylon project will cost £793m.

Ofgem said the advance would be spent on engineering design work as well as designing and building works for the two new Norwich-Tilbury bays.

National Grid is due to submit an application to the Planning Inspectorate later this year and, if approved, construction would start in 2027 ahead of being fully operational by 2031.

The firm has said it will benefit the environment by providing cleaner electricity and was a "vital infrastructure project".

"The funding will enable us to procure essential equipment, driving investment across the supply chain, helping to deliver benefit to consumers sooner," said a spokeswoman for National Grid.

"The views of local communities are incredibly valuable to us, and we listen to their feedback and shape our plans in response."

The latest statutory consultation is currently being run in Thurrock, relating to proposed changes to the substation location at the southern end of the route.

The scheme is part of The Great Grid Upgrade, which National Grid – an investor-owned firm – described as "the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations".

In March, it was announced households within 500m (1,640ft) of new or upgraded pylons would get energy bill discounts of up to £2,500 over 10 years.

However, Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons has called for alternatives to be considered, including the laying of cables underground.

Ms Pearson said it had asked Ofgem for three years to "properly" review the plans and was concerned about the funding approval as it believed the scheme was not a good solution.

"We know [Ofgem] had 650 responses to their consultation… raising concerns about spending money in advance of the project having planning permission," she said.

"You should not be advancing money on a project that has not got approval – that is hugely risky."

She added the group had now sent a legal letter to Ofgem asking it to "better scrutinise" the proposals.

Ofgem said the scheme was one of 26 it was looking at to potentially improve the national energy system and allow more renewable energy to be used.

It said this was part of its work towards the government's commitment to achieve clean energy by 2030 and reduce the UK's reliance on "volatile" international gas markets.

Thousands of people are expected to head to East Yorkshire next month to take part in what is claimed to be the largest music event in the UK dedicated to Northern Soul.

Bridlington Spa will host three days of music between 27 and 29 June with more than 50 DJs from across the country set to perform.

The event, now in its 18th year, has raised £90,000 for the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice in South Yorkshire since it began.

Rob Wigley from the organising team said: "It's hard to nail down what makes it so special but you can see people turn up, walk into the Spa and just stare because they are gobsmacked."

Northern Soul began as a British club movement in the 1970s, taking off in places like Wigan and Blackpool and bringing young people together to dance to obscure mid-60s Motown-inspired sounds.

Mr Wigley joked that he and the other organisers only thought the Bridlington event would last for "three or four years" when it started in 2007.

"We never thought the weekender would grow to what it has become and the camaraderie from the Northern Soul community is unbelievable.

"We've all got one thing in common which is music. It opens doors and breaks down barriers."

Mr Wigley said the choice of music on offer, in six different rooms, would give ticket holders the chance to "find something they'd like".

"Some of the stuff is really rare and you might hear something that only exists on one or two records in the whole world. It's incredibly special."

Mr Wigley said the art deco ballroom and sprung dancefloor at Bridlington Spa brought comparisons with the original Wigan Casino but "without the tobacco smells and sweat".

He said: "I used to go to Wigan Casino every week or fortnight depending on if I could catch a bus or a train. It was really scruffy, virtually uninhabitable but it was an original ballroom just like Bridlington.

"People would travel from all over the country. It was packed, it was hot and it was sweaty but those nights were absolutely incredible."

Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Soundslatest episode of Look North here.

A bakery is expanding to be able to offer support to more disadvantaged young people.

Bakerman in Darlington opened in 2020 with the hope of mentoring young adults with learning and behavioural difficulties and create employment opportunities.

Co-founder and head baker Dan Booth said due to the popularity of the bakery they have been unable to offer as much support as they would have liked.

To address this, Bakerman has acquired the premises next door to the current site to allow them to create a dedicated baking and training facility.

Mr Booth said the plan was to expand the bakery, get bigger equipment and switch to daytime baking hours to "actually get these disadvantaged young adults through the door".

"The bakery just became such a huge success from day one that we were so busy and quickly ran out of space," he said.

"Baking through the night doesn't help either."

Mr Booth said there is a "real need for" helping disadvantaged young people gain skills in Darlington.

He used to work for the charity Clervaux Trust before being made redundant in 2020 and previously told the BBC he had seen how breadmaking can be "transformative".

"We've since proved a need for it by working with Darlington College and Darlington Borough Council," Mr Booth said.

"Hopefully we'll have people baking with us every day that we're open, once we get the expansion going."

Innovative rap group Outkast, pop star Cyndi Lauper and 1960s pioneer Chubby Checker have all won places in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

This year's inductees were revealed live on American Idol, with the UK represented by hard rock band Bad Company and gravel-voiced eccentric Joe Cocker, 11 years after his death from lung cancer.

However, Manchester bands Oasis and Joy Division/New Order failed to qualify from the shortlist.

Performers become eligible for inclusion 25 years after the release of their first commercial recording. The nominations are voted on by more than 1,200 music historians, industry professionals and previously inducted artists.

The full list of performers to be inducted this year is:

• Bad Company
• Chubby Checker
• Joe Cocker
• Cyndi Lauper
• Outkast
• Soundgarden
• The White Stripes

Salt-N-Pepa, the first commercially successful female rap group, will also receive the musical influence award, alongside Warren Zevon – a cult singer-songwriter who was revered by Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan.

The induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on 8 November, and will be streamed live on Disney+.

"Each of these inductees created their own sound and attitude that had a profound impact on culture and helped to change the course of Rock & Roll forever," said the Hall of Fame's chairman John Sykes.

"Their music gave a voice to generations and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps."

However, equal amounts of attention will be paid to the artists who didn't make it into the hallowed hall, which encompasses all genres of popular music.

Mariah Carey's omission, in particular, will be seen as an egregious oversight.

With 19 US number one singles, she is second only to The Beatles in terms of chart success.

Her self-titled debut album spent 11 weeks at the top of the Billboard chart in 1990, and her Christmas classic, All I Want For Christmas Is You, is the 11th best-selling single of all time.

This is the second time she has been overlooked by the Rock Hall's voters.

Asked for her thoughts on being snubbed last year, Carey said: "My thoughts are, I didn't get in."

A second snub will embolden critics who say the Hall of Fame has a poor record of admitting women.

Lauper, who did make it through the voting process, was the only other woman on this year's main ballot.

Oasis were also passed over for a second time, having been nominated in 2024.

But singer Liam Gallagher has previously criticised the institution, saying he wasn't interested in receiving an award from "some geriatric in a cowboy hat".

Veteran jam band Phish also missed out on a place – despite winning a fan vote that counted towards this year's ceremony.

However, losing a nomination doesn't mean an artist is disqualified from future ceremonies.

Nile Rodgers and Chic have famously been included on the ballot 11 times. Although the band still hasn't been inducted, Rodgers was honoured at the 2017 ceremony with the Award for Musical Excellence.

Chubby protest

A similar story emerges this year for Checker, whose song The Twist became a global phenomenon in 1960.

The star, now 83, was ignored by the Rock Hall for years, even as contemporaries like Sam Cooke, Bill Haley, Wilson Pickett and Fats Domino were admitted.

In 2001, Checker took out a full-page ad in Billboard magazine calling on the Rock Hall to recognise him for the song that, he said, became "the biggest dance of the century".

"I want my flowers while I'm alive," he wrote. "I can't smell them when I'm dead."

Demanding a statue in the courtyard of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, he added: "I will not have the music business ignore my position in the industry."

That wish has finally been granted.

This year's other inductees include Outkast – aka André 3000 and Big Boi.

Known for hits like Ms Jackson, Rosa Parks and Hey Ya!, their swampy Southern rhythms and bohemian take on hip-hop changed the sound of the genre in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Soundgarden, best known for grunge anthem Black Hole Sun, have also earned a place; as have The White Stripes – the garage rock band formed by Jack and Meg White in 1997, whose hits include Seven Nation Army, Hotel Yorba and Fell In Love With A Girl.

Fans will speculate about whether Meg, who hasn't been seen in public since 2009, will attend the induction ceremony.

There are also musical excellence awards for Thom Bell, an architect of the Philadelphia Soul sound, and English pianist Nicky Hopkins, who contributed to records by The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and The Who.

US guitarist Carol Kaye, whose fretwork can be heard on classic tracks like You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling and the theme to Mission: Impossible, receives the same honour.

Finally, record executive Lenny Waronker, who helped develop acts like Madonna, REM and Prince, will receive the Ahmet Ertegun award, given to non-performers who have had a major influence on rock music.

A 34-year-old man has been arrested after three falcons and their eggs were found missing after a break-in.

Two peregrine falcons and a peregrine lanner falcon hybrid, along with several peregrine eggs, were found to have been stolen or escaped from aviaries near Shaftesbury.

The force said officers who gathered evidence at the rural property after the break-in, which occurred between 22:00 on 13 April and 07:00 BST on 14 April, suggested the birds had "suffered terribly".

The man from Shaftesbury, arrested on suspicion of burglary and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, has been released on police bail as officers continue their investigation.

WARNING: This story contains details some may find distressing

Dorset Police said officers were working to find the remaining birds and their eggs so they could get the medical attention they needed to prevent further suffering.

PC Sebastian Haggett, of the Dorset Police Rural Crime Team, said: "Evidence gathered at the scene of this incident suggests that these birds have suffered terribly, with one of them having their primary feathers removed causing injury, while another bird died after its head and legs were removed."

The force added the bird's owners were "heartbroken" by what had happened.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the force.

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A man has been charged with attempted murder in connection with two deliberate fires in Edinburgh thought to be linked to an ongoing gangland feud.

Kurtis Young made no plea to charges of wilful fire raising, danger to life and attempted murder on separate occasions on 23 March and 4 April following incidents on Hay Drive in Niddrie.

Police believe the attacks are related to two groups targeting each other in a series of incidents in the east and west of the country.

A 24-year-old man was also arrested and charged in Edinburgh for a breach of bail conditions on Friday, Police Scotland said.

Det Ch Supt David Ferry described the attacks, which have centred on residential and business premises in Edinburgh and Glasgow, as "dangerous and abhorrent".

He said: "I want to make it clear that we will not stop until we bring those responsible for this criminality to justice.

"Local officers continue to reassure the public with intelligence-led patrols to disrupt the activities of criminals in our communities."

Young, 41, of no fixed abode, was initially arrested by another police force and was remanded in custody to appear again at Edinburgh Sheriff Court within eight days.

There have now been 26 arrests in connection with a series of firebombing attacks, assaults and reports of shots being fired in Glasgow and Edinburgh since March.

Officers are also investigating whether two other incidents on Tuesday morning are connected to the feud.

Two vehicles were set on fire on Gorgie Road at about 04:40 and a house on Bellenden Gardens, in the Liberton area, was vandalised at about 08:50.

Police said inquiries into both incidents were ongoing.

How the gang feud developed

A series of attacks began on 2 March when a car was set on fire in Edinburgh's Parrotshot area.

A beauty salon in Leith and a garage in Portobello were also targeted over a 10-day period.

Later, shots were reported as being fired at two properties in Niddrie and Pilton in separate incidents.

Further firebomb attacks were reported on another house in Niddrie at the start of April, just as the first property in Glasgow was targeted in the Robroyston area.

A carpet business in Bishopbriggs and another commercial premises in Kirkintilloch were also hit, alongside homes in Glasgow and Stepps.

In April, a 72-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy were assaulted at a house in Egilsay Crescent in Milton, Glasgow.

A man who was previously addicted to drugs and alcohol says boxing replaced his vices and helped him turn his life around.

Former European champion boxer Ewan Welsh made a bet in the pub with his friend that he was going to get into the sport.

An epileptic seizure while in the ring meant the end of his time as an athlete, but coaching others gave him another avenue to pursue.

He went on to set up the "Brothers In Arms" group at Korefitness in Silverdale, Staffordshire, where men can learn to box and open up about their issues.

Participant Ethan Mourn said the retired boxer's group was a place where he felt able to talk.

"I was in a kind of dark place, confused and bit emotional, but then I came here, spoke to Ewan and he's helped me quite a lot," he said.

Another participant, Josh Shepard, said he lost his job after his dad and cousin died within the space of six months.

He felt boxing with the group helped him, and that he also benefitted from chatting to others.

"The gym just didn't do it for me," he said. "Just punching a bag really does just release a lot inside hurt."

He said he was hooked after his first session, and the brew and biscuits at the end were an important reason for attending.

"There's nowhere I'd rather be," he added.

Ben Betts, a mental health coach at the group, explained working out helped release endorphins, which in turn enabled the men to feel more able to open up.

"Even if you're having a really bad week, you can come here and hit the bag, release your evil energies," he said.

Campaigners have said they have "little faith" in a water firm's commitment to cut pollution at a seafront.

Northumbrian Water has agreed to pay out £15.7m after failures in the maintenance and operations of its sewage and water network.

As part of this deal, the firm agreed to a "binding commitment" to work with the Environment Agency (EA) to ensure its system at Whitburn, South Tyneside, complied fully with environmental legislation.

Northumbrian Water said it was "working hard" to improve its waste management process.

The BBC previously reported that nearly one million tonnes of raw sewage was estimated to have been released from a pumping station at Whitburn into the North Sea in 2024.

The area along the Whitburn coast is part of the Durham special area of conservation.

That figure was released following an Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) request from South Tyneside resident Steve Lavelle.

Prof Darren Grocke, a biogeochemist at Durham University, told the BBC that this was "an enormous amount of sewage discharge that will certainly have an impact on the coastal and marine environment".

Mr Lavelle said the fact Northumbrian Water had been forced to make such a commitment to the region was a "testament to the perseverance and resilience of campaigners".

But he said he had "little faith" in the firm and worried that the EA did not have the resources to challenge the company.

The EA has been approached for comment.

In a case brought forward by retired engineer Bob Latimer, in 2012 the European Court of Justice ruled that sewage discharge by Northumbrian Water at Whitburn broke EU water treatment laws.

He said he appreciated Ofwat's latest investigation but that he lacked confidence in the water firm's new commitment to cutting pollution in the region.

Northumbrian Water said it was investing more than £1bn over the next five years to cut the number of spills from storm overflows and to improve "our coasts and rivers".

Playwright John Godber has led tributes to "formidable force" Mike Bradwell, a theatre director and actor, who has died at the age of 77.

Bradwell founded the Hull Truck Theatre company in a squat in Coltman Street in 1971. It went on to earn national acclaim.

His death on Monday morning was confirmed by the theatre.

Godber, who served as artistic director of Hull Truck from 1983 until 2010, described his predecessor as a "maverick and a disruptor" who would be "sorely missed".

Godber said: "Mike was central to me coming to Hull and, in that sense, changed my life. He invited me to apply and run Truck after he left and that was a significant turning point.

"He was a genuinely nice guy and very funny. One of the things that he said to me was make a nuisance of yourself, which I think is a great thing for theatre companies to pin their philosophy to.

"He'll be sadly missed."

Bradwell was born in Scunthorpe in 1948 and trained as an actor at the East 15 Acting School in east London.

In 1971, Bradwell placed an advert in Time Out magazine which read, "Half-formed theatre company seeks other half" as he looked to link up with other aspiring artists.

The result was Hull Truck Theatre and, over the following 11 years, Bradwell and the company toured the UK performing children's shows, plays and experimental theatre.

In a joint statement, Mark Babych and Janthi Mills-Ward, chief executives of Hull Truck Theatre, described Bradwell as "passionate, funny and brave" and said his "uncompromising artistry revolutionised British theatre by putting the stories and voices of real people centre stage".

They added: "His legacy is felt across our industry and nowhere more so than here in Hull."

Between 1996 and 2007, Bradwell served as the artistic director of the Bush Theatre in Shepherd's Bush, London.

In a statement, released on social media, the Bush Theatre said it was "deeply saddened" by Bradwell's passing and said he had left an "indelible mark" on the venue.

Bradwell was also an award-winning writer. His book on alternative theatre, The Reluctant Escapologist, won the Society for Theatre Research's Theatre Book Prize in 2010.

Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Soundslatest episode of Look North here.

A drive-in cinema in Bradford is bringing Bollywood to the big screen this weekend.

The event at Cannon Mills will include modern movies and comedies, and all will be shown in Hindi with English subtitles.

Each car will be given a speaker to allow passengers to listen to the soundtracks.

A DJ will play sets before films start and there will be food and drink stalls serving classic cinema snacks.

The drive-in is part of City of Culture 2025, in partnership with the National Science and Media Museum as well as the British Film Institute.

Aman Dhillon, curator for the Bollywood titles, told the BBC how she picked the movies being shown.

She said: "I looked at what would be popular titles, did some community engagement to find out what titles would be favourites.

"I tried to programme something for everybody, families, couples, classic films and some newer releases."

Dhillon added: "A drive-in cinema is different to the typical screening you would have in a cinema venue.

"It's a real immersive experience. You can sit in your car and feel like you're immersed in the film, but you're having a dance."