Let’s trip the light fantastic!

The remaining celebrities in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing have spoken of their excitement in the run-up to one of the BBC series’ most eagerly anticipated shows in Blackpool.

They include ex-MP Ed Balls, who has defied all the odds – and the opinions of the judges – to reach the iconic Blackpool stage of the contest.

The former shadow chancellor took to Twitter to thank the voters who kept him and professional dance partner Katya Jones in the contest and to say they were ‘so looking forward to Blackpool’.

And he appeared on Strictly spin-off show ‘It Takes Two’ on Tuesday night to reject claims that he might drop out of the competition, telling host Zoe Ball he will keep dancing as long as the public are voting for him.

He said: “The reason why we’re still in the show and going to Blackpool is because the public have voted for us and to them a huge thanks because they are the ones putting us there and if they keep wanting us to get back then we’ll come back and that’s the most important thing.”

Balls will dance to the 1954 Jerry Lee Lewis hit ‘Great Balls of Fire’ on Saturday’s show, after his pelvic thrusting and pony dancing to Psy’s Gangnam Style captured the imagination of the voting public.

He joked that the only thing he has ruled out from this weekend’s performance in the resort is being “fired out of a cannon”, adding: “but apparently anything else is possible.”

Joining Ed Balls in the Tower Ballroom will be Olympic long jumper Greg Rutherford, who will be performing a quickstep to Hand Jive by Sha Na Na, after being saved in Sunday night’s dance off.

After being saved, he tweeted: “My mum and grandma were in the crowd on Saturday. Sadly that was 58 per cent of my usual votes wiped out. So grateful to be going to Blackpool!”

He added: “Thankfully I get another week with my amazing dance partner @RealNatalieLowe. We’re aiming to bring you something special in Blackpool”.

BBC Sports presenter Ore Oduba, who will be dancing a Viennese waltz to Frank Sinatra’s That’s Life, also told of his excitement, tweeting: “When you wake up and remember you’re spending your birthday weekend in #BLACKPOOL!!! Can’t. Believe. It! #Strictly”

The other celebrities performing in Blackpool on Saturday are: Olympic gymnast Claudia Fragapane, doing a jive to Toni Basil’s Hey Mickey; TV presenter Louise Redknapp, dancing the paso doble to Explosive by Bond; actor Danny Mac, who will be doing the Charleston to Gregory Porter’s Puttin’ On The Ritz; and Judge Rinder, dancing the salsa to Spice Up Your Life by Spice Girls.

BBC crews have already arrived in the resort ahead of the weekend’s show, which will be shown on BBC One at 6.55pm on Saturday.

Two takeaway owners cheated customers and operated from filthy premises, a court heard.

Blackpool Magistrates were told how the The Gulshan takeaway said it was providing customers with lamb-based meals such as curries when in fact they used cheaper beef.

Their activities were first exposed in a TV programme which investigated what the public is really eating.

Following the broadcast, Blackpool Council swooped on the Talbot Road food outlet.

Undercover health officers ordered a lamb rogan josh, which when examined in a laboratory had no signs of sheep DNA in it whatsoever. In fact it was totally made from beef.

Prosecutor Lynda Bennett said: “This has serious implications for people who have religious beliefs,allergies or who have a general concern about eating one type of meat.

“They were simply not getting what they asked for.”

She said that the takeaway had a hygiene rating of Zero the lowest the authority could give.

Before the court were father and son owners Sushail Kahn, 47, and Shoaib Khan, 24, both of St Paul’s Street, Preston. They both admitted four hygiene offence and one offence of duping the public 
over the content of their meals.

The father was fined £945 and told to pay £294 costs and his son was fined £320 and told to pay £232 costs by magistrates who told the duo that the grime and filth in their premises posed a risk a risk to customers and that they had shown a blatant disregard for public health.

The prosecutor said despite official warnings the duo did little to improve their premises where the floor and food preparation equipment were dirty.

They had failed to keep proper health and safety records and there was a risk of cross contamination of food which could cause illness or even death said the prosecutor.

Defending the Khan’s Steven Levine told the court: “The father has been in business here for 31years. He is not out to make a quick buck.

“They were renovating at the time and in hindsight should have shut the premises whilst this was going on.”

“In connection with the content of the curry.They had no lamb left so they used beef but the chef failed to tell any one.

“Conditions in the shop have improved.”

Fylde’s pubs contribute almost £30m per year to the economy - and help employ almost 1,500 people.

The figures were revealed in a study commissioned by the British Beer and Pub Association.

The borough has 53 pubs and one brewery – Lytham Brewery, now based in St Annes.

Fylde MP Mark Menzies, a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, attended an event in the House of Commons where the new figures showing the impact were unveiled by the BBPA.

The study was carried out by leading independent analysts, Oxford Economics.

It revealed 1,460 jobs rely on the pub industry in Fylde - some 1,145 directly in the hostelries.

Of those, 478 are taken by 16 to 24-year-olds.

And there’s big money involved.

Some £29.8m is contributed towards GDP by the pubs and brewery, £14.7m is paid out in wages, and there’s a £6.7m contribution to taxes every year.

Fylde MP Mark Menzies said: “The meeting really showed the economic impact our pubs have in Fylde and the country as a whole.

“The Government has supported the beer and pub industry by cutting duty on beer in the last three budgets.

“Not only do our pubs make a massive contribution to the economy, they also help social mobility, providing places for people to meet and chat – such as the Lytham St Annes Friendship Club at the Lord Derby in St Annes.

“And Fylde got its first community asset under the Localism Act thanks to dedicated campaigners who saved the Victoria Pub in St Annes from closure.”

Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the BBPA, said: “The economic impact brewing and pubs has on the UK economy is clear for all to see, but on a local level the large number of people earning a living from the trade has a huge impact.

“This new data drives home how important our sector is for a vibrant and thriving local economy, alongside the huge importance of pubs to our local communities.”

Here is a round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court from November 17.

Spencer Dobson, 24, drink-driving and drug-driving

A former casino worker had a cocktail of drink and drugs in his body when his car was stopped by police.

Spencer Dobson, who was under stress from personal problems, had almost eight times the legal limit of cocaine and almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in his body plus cannabis.

Dobson, 24, of Grasmere Road, Blackpool, admitted two offences of drug driving and an offence of driving with excess alcohol without insurance.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, told to do 150 hours unpaid work for the community, banned from driving for 22 months and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police stopped Dobson’s Ford Focus on September 13 at 4.25am, on the resort’s Collingwood Avenue as his car was showing as having no insurance.

A blood test showed 163 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 80 is the limit. He also had 396 units of cocaine in his body – the limit is 50 and 3.4 units of cannabis in his body – 2 is the limit.

In a report to the court, probation officer Lesley Whittaker, said Dobson had endured a difficult year. His uncle had died and there was an on-going dispute about his inheritance. His relationship with his long-term partner ended and he had to move with his father.

He had used alcohol cocaine and cannabis to cope and during the period leading up to the offence had been at a three-day party drinking and using drugs.

Defence solicitor, Patrick Nelligan, said his client had slept for a number of hours before the offence and when he woke he felt fine so decided to drive for a takeaway. Police had not reported him driving erratically and he was stopped because the car was coming up as having no insurance.

Michael Kinsella, 41, criminal damage and attempting to pervert the course of justice

A man charged with causing between £70,000 to £80,000 of damage to a house in Staining by crashing his car into it has made his first appearance at court.

Michael Kinsella is also alleged to have lied to the police claiming another person was driving.

Kinsella, 41, of the Queens Hotel, Market Place, Ambleside, Cumbria, is charged with causing damage to South View, The Nook, Staining, on February 12 this year.

He is further charged with intending to pervert the course of justice by providing a false witness statement to the police implicating another person was responsible for colliding with the house, when he was the driver.

Defence lawyer, Steven Townley, said his client had indicated he would plead not guilty to causing damage and guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Kinsella was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on December 14 by Blackpool magistrates.

Steven Thew, 30, theft

A man accused of stealing from two shops failed to attend court.

Steven Thew, 30, of Adelaide Street, Blackpool, who is alleged to have taken £130 of DVD box sets from HMV and meat valued at £28 from Sainsburys, had his case adjourned by resort magistrates.

John Ashton, 57, racist abuse and criminal damage

A man shouted race-hate remarks about a fellow tenant in a block of flats at Blackpool.

John Ashton, who made the comments about Polish people, also damaged a bannister at the complex and said he had been severely provoked by the other tenant.

Ashton, 57, formerly of High Street, Blackpool, now of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated threatening behaviour and causing damage.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £250 compensation with £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Presiding magistrate, Ann Digman, told him:”Despite the provocation, this was unacceptable behaviour.”

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said a tenant was asleep on August 13, when he was woken by the defendant singing. Ashton then made race-hate remarks about Polish people.

The tenant heard loud banging outside his door when Ashton damaged the bannister. The tenant said Ashton’s behaviour had made him feel upset and disrespected.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said his client lived about the complainant and there had been problems between them over Ashton’s floorboards creaking.

Ashton said the complainant would bang on the boards with a brush. He also believed the complainant had been opening his mail and had also sent him a letter telling him to keep quiet.

Ashton said he became unwell because he was living in fear. The night of the offence he had something to drink and after hearing a crash he lost his temper.

Paul Quinn, 35, drunk and disorderly

A man accused of being drunk and disorderly at Blackpool rail station has been put on the wanted list.

Paul Quinn, 35, of Overdale Grove, Grange Park, had a warrant without bail issued for his arrest by Blackpool magistrates after he failed to attend court.

Darren Tong, 35, threatening behaviour

A warrant without bail was issued for a man accused of behaving in a threatening manner at Blackpool.

Darren Tong, 35, of Shannon Street, Blackpool, had the warrant issued for him after he failed to attend at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.

Jamie Heap, 24, threatening behaviour

A student turned nasty in a Blackpool shop threatening to stab staff.

Jamie Heap also claimed he would get a group of skinheads to run through Tesco Express, Whitegate Drive.

He then told a police officer he would knock him out as the constable tried to arrest him.

Heap, aged 24, of Seathwaite Avenue, North Shore, pleaded guilty to two offences of threatening behaviour.

He was sentenced to do 20 hours at an attendance centre and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Heap went into Tesco Express on August 6 about 5am. He appeared to be on something and threatened to stab staff.

As a police officer tried to arrest him he told the officer he was a kick boxer and he should get in a cage with him. Hugh Pond, defending, said Heap had had some mental health problems and took prescribed medication.

The day of the offence he had not taken his medication but he had drunk a vast amount of alcohol.

He had gone into the shop and bought a bottle of brandy. He then asked to buy a bottle of coke and there was a dispute with staff.

One lane has closed on the M6 Southbound between junctions 26 (Orrell Interchange) and 25 (Brynn) due to an accident.

Lanes were also closed earlier on the M6 southbound and northbound between junctions 30 (M61) and 29 (Lostock Hall) and 31a (Longridge) and 32 (Broughton) after accidents.

Two lanes were also closed on the M6 northbound, J41 - J42 following an earlier HGV fire.

I think it is safe to say it is increasingly difficult to identify what is or is not true online and across social media.

Misinformation and clickbait nonsense is as common as photos of celebrities who have lost seven stone eating baby food and humorous memes of DonaldTrump.

Of course this is where the good old reliable news media comes in.

As a general rule, most people know which organisations they can trust and which they can’t - and most of the time that comes down to good old journalistic integrity .

Of course, it is fairly galling for a news reporter to be accused of being late with a ‘story’ when what they are actually doing is checking if it is factual .

Nonetheless, being apparently scooped by a grandma with a smartphone who is absolutely definite she has snapped Elvis alive and well, is frustrating.

Being first with a story is important to any genuine news organisation, but with the possible exception of once a year on April 1, being accurate and providing a decent service for their readers is far more crucial in the long term.

Mistakes are made, but they are genuine and not made deliberately or with malice.

So it is with genuine fear that most decent journalists have watched the emergence of the trend for ‘fake news’.

This is something which came to the fore during recent election campaigns.

Shockingly, analysis has shown that ‘trumped up’ news stories outperformed legitimate news stories - with 20 top fake stories gaining more engagements (i.e shares, likes and comments) than factually accurate ones.

The best performing story ahead of the US election claimed the Pope had endorsed Trump as President.

Understandably, Facebook fake-news writer Paul Horner - owner of a viral-news hoax empire - claimed responsibility for the shock election result.

This means hundreds of thousands of people potentially voted in the new leader of the free world because they read some made-up baloney on Facebook or Twitter.

They are calling it the ‘post truth era’ when what you choose to believe to be true, must be true.

Understandable perhaps, in an age of information overload, but terrifying in its scope to mislead, spin and wilfully shape our world through lies.

HG Wells was more prescient than we realised.

Winter storm Desmond blasted the profits of county supermarket Booths leaving it with a £6.3m pre-tax loss.

Devastating flooding at its stores in Keswick and Kirkby Lonsdale, plus falling food prices and costs to do with closures of old stores and the opening of new ones, left the firm feeling the winter chill.

This time last year the up-market grocer posted a profit of £1.1m. This year operating profits also fell from £3.1m to £2.6m and turnover dropped from £278.6m to £276.6m.

The firm closed its popular Highfield Road store in Marton, where it has applied to build 22 houses and a convenience store, along with stores at Normoss, Ansdell, Torrishiolme and Lane Ends in Preston.

But it opened new stores in St Annes and Poulton as well as at Hale Barns in Cheshire and Burscough.

Booths CEO, Chris Dee, said: “It remains a very challenging retail market, but as ever, when the going gets tough, Booths gets tougher. Booths has been a resilient business for 170 years, and very much remains so today.”

“Our teams have coped admirably in a year of enormous operational change, we’ve closed stores, opened modern new stores, we’ve restructured our management teams and the business came together to rise to the challenges of delivering 2015 Christmas in the face of some of the worst flooding on record.”

He said projected 2016 Christmas sales offer brighter news for Booths. The launch in early October of their Great Northern Christmas Book, shows early signs of success with a 30 per cent rise in Christmas pre orders versus figures this time last year.

Booths have ambitious targets to double the sales of own label Booth Brand products over the next five years and have a rolling calendar of New Produce Development for the next 18 months.

He added: “Selling top quality produce served by first class assistants was the aim of the our founder Edwin Booth; that 1847 formula still works for us in increasingly competitive markets.”

A web developer who descended into a downwards drugs spiral has been jailed for allowing his St Annes flat to be used as a £25,000 cannabis farm.

University educated Timothy Firth, 32, started abusing hard drugs in his late 20s after a number of bereavements and family troubles.

Preston Crown Court heard Firth had led a law abiding life and had good career prospects before his descent into substance abuse.

Now he relies on benefits and is receiving treatment for an addiction to heroin.

On May 14, officers went to his flat in Alexandria Drive, St Annes after receiving a call from Firth’s landlord.

The landlord was concerned the front door had been replaced and the locks had been changed.

Firth, who was outside the premises, let the officers in to discover a number of electrical sockets crudely attached to a wall.

The upstairs flat had been converted into a cannabis farm and plants with an estimated yield of more than 1.5kg were discovered growing in the property.

The drugs had a street value of £25,240 if they had grown to maturity.

Preston Crown Court heard Firth had accumulated a £1,000 debt to drug dealers and was receiving threats to himself and his family.

He agreed to allow the cannabis farm to be set up in his flat to clear his debt, the court heard.

Judge Stuart Baker, sentencing, said: “It is sad to read of your personal or family history and nobody who had read or heard of that could fail to have some sympathy for you but having had that unfortunate and unhappy history you then became involved, by your own admission, in serious drug taking.

“Where the sympathy starts to run out is this: if you then allow people, or other criminals, to use their influence over you to persuade you to do something that is a serious criminal offence, you must recognise that if that is the sort of company you wish to keep and that is the world in which you are going to live, then you can only expect you are going to immerse yourself in more and more trouble.

“I note you have taken some steps with some determination to free yourself from drug taking and you express remorse for what you have done.

“It is my view that a person who is a drug taker and who immerses himself in a drug culture and mixes with other users and allows his premises to be used for the production of what would have been a very substantial amount of cannabis is somebody who must expect this is the type of activity to attract a prison sentence.”

He jailed Firth for 90 days.

The glitz and glamour of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing has a sparkling history in Blackpool that would put even the coveted glitterball to shame.

So while the celebrities are looking ahead to their night at the Tower Ballroom on Saturday, we take a look at some of the show’s Blackpool highlights from years gone by.

The popular dance contest will return to Blackpool this weekend for its long-awaited annual show.

Related articles:

Celebs in a twitter ahead of Strictly resort special

Strictly Come Dancing ready for Blackpool Tower

However, the resort has not always been a part of the modern-day Strictly – even if it was home to the precursor series Come Dancing for 49 years.

Series two of the rebooted show saw actress Jill Halfpenny wow the crowd and judges with a perfect scoring jive in the show’s Blackpool final – but it would be a while until the cameras returned.

Cue a Gazette campaign, plenty of public support and even strong words from judge Craig Revel Horwood, who said: “Blackpool is ballroom dancing... I love Blackpool and I think it’s really sad the BBC don’t film Strictly here. I demand it goes back!”

The show’s producers listened and in 2009 the programme returned – with mixed emotions for local lad Craig Kelly.

The St Annes-born ex-Coronation Street actor made it to Blackpool on the strength of public support – if not dancing ability – but it would be his final dance of the series. He said afterwards: “I’m grateful I got the chance to perform in such a magnificent building.”

That was the start of the annual tradition of filming a show a year at the Tower – with 2012 the only exception – and in 2011 the resort hosted the final, which was won by Mcfly drummer and firm fan favourite Harry Judd.

He said: “Coming to Blackpool has made it more special but it definitely added to the pressure.”

Fast forward to last year and 21m people tuned in over the course of the weekend to watch as Northerner Georgia May Foote topped the leader board in Blackpool.

It would be the end of the road for popstar Jamelia, however, who was voted off the show, while eventual winner Jay McGuinness scored an impressive 36 points on the night.

This year, after saying farewell to Daisy Lowe, and seeing Ed Balls through to yet another week, the dancers have turned their attention to the seaside resort once more and are preparing to battle it out with their sambas, salsas and jives.

The much-anticipated episode on Saturday opens with a Fred Astaire and Ginger
Rogers-inspired number from the professional dancers and celebrities.

Although winning the glitterball is the main goal, making it to Blackpool is something that all contestants aim for as it is seen as a milestone in the competition.

Saturday’s Strictly episode will air on BBC One at 6.55pm.

It’s a race against time for a Blackpool artist looking to take his work on tour with a big trip to the Big Apple.

Screen painter Robin Ross has the opportunity of a lifetime to put his prints on display in an art cafe in Brooklyn, New York next year.

But there’s a catch.

The artist, whose studio is based at The Old Rock Factory, Deansgate, has just 30 days to raise £1,500 and is relying on crowd-funding to make his dream happen.

The pressure isn’t putting him off though. In fact, he’s looking forward to the challenge.

“It has taken me nine years to get where I am now and there are a lot of exciting times ahead,” he said. “I’m having a ball.”

Mr Ross has set up a crowd-funding page online, where investors can contribute in return for a limited edition print. And he’s delighted with the response to his entrepreneurial endeavours so far.

He said: “Within four days of asking for help, I have already made half of what I need to make it to Brooklyn.

“People have to pay £25 to sponsor me and with that they get a special limited edition print of my work.

“If I only get 50 sponsors then there will only ever be 50 prints of that piece.

“So in a way they are getting a lot more than what they’re giving.”

Mr Ross has previously visited some of his New York heroes and that was what inspired him to take his work overseas.

He said: “Going to New York made me want to get my art displayed there and I thought that it would be a great opportunity for me to start to show people that Blackpool has an exploding arts scene.”

The exhibition will be featuring original prints of Blackpool, Cuba, New York and several other places he has visited.

Mr Ross added: “I’ve travelled a lot but everywhere I go I always talk about Blackpool. It’s refreshing to see its art scene growing so much independently without massive amounts of money going into it.”

Even though he is relying on funding, with more than £600 still needed before he hits his target, Mr Ross has already planned out the launch night for the event.

“I want to provide tea and biscuits and even take some Blackpool rock there,” he said.

Before focussing on his art, Mr Ross enjoyed a colourful career that included making contact lenses in St Annes and becoming a presenter on offshore radio station Radio Caroline.

He has also put on the Sand Sea and Spray festival, an event for street artists to congregate in Blackpool and turn blank walls into pieces of art.

◘ For more information and to contribute to the crowdfunding venture, visit www.kickstarter.com/projects.

Sometimes, in my darker moments, I feel like one of the chinstrap penguins of Zavadovski island.

These little fellas, desperate to find some fish for their penguin children, hurl themselves from cliffs into the merciless breakers of the Southern Ocean, only to be flung back on to the razor-sharp rocks.

Time and again they make this bid for the open sea, and time and again they are dashed against the cliffs. Some are lucky, and emerge from the water with a couple of new scars to boast about. Others are not so lucky, and meet a sticky end.

The whole of Planet Earth II (Sundays, BBC1, 8pm) was like this, showing us how brutally tough nature can be.

The point, as the reassuringly soft tones of Sir DavidAttenborough told us, was to show how much tougher life had got for the planet’s critters inthe years since the first, landmark series of Planet Earth 10 years ago.

Climate change is destroying habitats, humans are reaching previously inacessible places, and bringing foreign pests with them.

The red crabs of Christmas Island, for instance, on the annual mass migration to the sea, they now have to contend with yellow crazy ants spraying acid in the eyes and mouth. Blinded and stricken, they stumble about for a bit before giving up and dying before they reach their destination.

Each new sequence brought with it jaw-dropping photography, none more so than the film from the Galapagos islands, which captured marine iguana hatchlings in a deadly competition with a nest of racer snakes.

With more tension and horror than any Hollywood blockbuster, this was one of the few ‘oh my God’, moments on TV this year.

It truly was stunning, and by showing how difficult life finds mere basic survival, it’s message is that we shouldn’t be making it harder by our own, thoughtless actions.

Talking of thoughtless actions, the various nincompoops, egotists and mini-Napoleons of The Apprentice (BBC1, Thursdays, 9pm) are still busy making me shout at the TV.

However, this week’s task, in which Oscar the Grouch impersonator Lord Sugar got the two teams to scour night-time London for a list of random items, got me thinking.

If I find them infuriating, maybe I’m the problem. I’ve never had much ambition, much drive. I’ve had time to read, indulge my idle curiosity. I’ve not been busy trying to build a business since I was a teenager, attempting to get funding for my next big idea.

So the next time I pour scorn on one of the candidates for not knowing where Morocco is, I will picture them as little chinstrap penguins, ceaselessly throwing themselves into the sea of business ambition, and being thrown back on to the rocks of failure. And weep one single tear.

When the BBC declined to renew Jeremy Clarkson’s contract in the wake of the Top Gear presenter’s well-publicised bout of fisticuffs with a producer, there was huge outcry.

It’s political correctness gone mad, he’s a non-nonsense, tells-it-like-is, straight-talking kind of guy, they said.

When the new version of Top Gear, fronted by Chris Evans, finally surfaced – after rumours of bust-ups and disasters – taking out the bluster and buffoonery, replacing it with dull and dismal, the Clarkson supporters seemed to have been vindicated.

But, on the evidence of The Grand Tour (Amazon Prime, episode one streaming now), they may have to think again.

After an overblown opening, in which a downcast Clarkson, seemingly running away from his problems, left a drizzly Britain before landing in sun-drenched California, to drive a Ford Mustang across the desert to a soundtrack of I Can See Clearly Now, the whole show ground to a halt.

Clarkson, and ex-Top Gear pals Richard Hammond and James May, appeared on a stage – in the middle of the Californian desert – in front of thousands of adoring fans, who must have been under the impression they were there to see Foo Fighters, rather than three, slightly paunchy, middle aged motoring journalists.

They traded insults, showed a montage of what is to come in later episodes and retreated to a venue surrounded by more adoring fans. So far, so Top Gear.

But there they stayed, introducing familiar-looking films of drag races, tyre smoke and double entendres. At no time did they explain why they were in California, why they were embarking on this round-the-world ‘grand tour’, or why Richard Hammond had grown an apologetic beard.

There was an overlong sequence where the three presenters had a ‘row’ with the audience over whose air force was best, and at one point, they introduced celebrity guest Jeremy Renner (the non-superhero one off the Avengers films), only to kill him off in a ‘tragic skydiving accident’, with replacement guests Armie Hammer and Carol Vorderman also ‘dying’.

Unfortunately, the only dying was happening onscreen as Clarkson, Hammond and May ploughed through the same old shtick from Top Gear. The only thing now is that it seems so tired, laboured and dated.

The BBC’s schism with Clarkson and the old Top Gear team could have been a chance for them both to take stock, come up with something new and fresh.

But they all decided to stick with the old formula, and both shows have stalled on the starting line.

Energy firm Cuadrilla is motoring on with its fracking plans for the Lancashire countryside.

The company has submitted an application to Lancashire County Council to cover planning conditions, so work can begin on the Preston New Road site in Little Plumpton.

It comes after Communities Secretary Sajid Javid approved plans for fracking at the site last month after a long battle.

Now, detailed documents lodged with the authority address conditions including noise and traffic management, access arrangements and even the colour of equipment - proposing to change the colour of the rig from white, blue and yellow to light grey and white to “blend into clouds”.

Other conditions the application seeks to comply with issues about wheel cleaning, dust control, lighting, security fencing and landscaping.

A Traffic Management Plan has been submitted setting out the framework for managing site traffic, particularly heavy goods vehicles, to and from the site during construction, operation and decommissioning.

It said: “Access to the site for HGVs will take place via a direct route along the A583 from junction 4 of the M55 motorway. To egress the site, HGVs will turn left and follow the A583 and A585 to join the M55 Motorway at junction 3.”

The delivery or removal of materials and associated work, along with the construction of the site access and compound, will take place between 7.30am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday, except public holidays, and 8.30am to 12pm on Saturdays.

The document said drilling boreholes and “operational management of drilling and extended flow testing”, well operations, flowback and testing operations excluding hydraulic fracturing pumping operations, and essential repairs, could take place 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Pumping associated with fracturing operations is proposed to take place from 8am to 6pm Monday to Fridays, 9am to 1pm on Saturdays, and will not be permitted on Sundays or public holidays.

A noise management plan has also been submitted.

Motorists were yesterday urged to drive safe after a series of crashes on the motorway.

Lancashire’s Road Policing Unit warned drivers to ‘drive to arrive’, and said following a smash on the M6 close to junction 29: “Whilst you’ve all been asleep, [we’ve] dealt with 128 calls, mainly RTCs due to snow.”

Behind every £1m renovation project for Children in Need are hundreds of amazing volunteers who gave up their time and skills.

And the case of Beaverbrooks House, a once-decrepit building that is now home to Blackpool Carers’ Centre, is no different.

The story of how the DIY SOS team, led by presenter Nick Knowles and designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, was told in an hour-long special episode on Thursday night.

But to include the hundreds of people who made the transformation possible – from local tradesmen to national firms like TK Maxx and Tesco – would have needed several sequels.

Some of those workers and volunteers who have up their valuable time include:

Simon Geraghty, SK Electricals, Bispham:

“It was just good to get involved in something that is so much bigger than each and every one of us – a really shared experience of something great.”

Thomas Rankin, structural engineer, Hermolle Associates, Squires Gate:

“We’ve been involved from the very start. I think Blackpool should be really proud of the result. It shows what’s possible when you all pull together.”

Diana Febland, Febland Furniture:

“I’m just amazed at what’s been achieved in such a short time.

“It’s a privilege for Febland to have been involved but I think the real credit goes to all the volunteers who transformed the building.”

Marilyn Soper, Soper’s Bespoke:

“Laurence wanted the curtains to puddle on the floor but we thought of all those young carers running around and stood our ground – we managed to win that one. We’re delighted with how they look.”

Carl Vidoretti, Maintenance Solutions, Lytham:

“I wanted to help the young carers.

“A lot of these kids don’t see themselves as carers but they are taking on so much they deserve somewhere like Beaverbrooks House.”

Debra Godfrey-Brown, owner of Crafty Squirrel Photography:

“I started on day one and ended up in the gardens. Bramble clearing. I thought we’d never get through it all but look at it now – transformed.

“I’d love to come back, maybe run a few photography workshops here. There’s no shortage of inspiration. I’m a big fan of the art too.”

Helina Johnson, mum-of-two:

“I didn’t want to be stuck doing teas and coffees all the time so I ended up sanding, wallpapering and I became the queen of the noggins, tapping them into RSJs. I never used to speak like this, but I loved every minute.”

Ian Clare, a community governor at Anchorsholme Academy:

“I did the veterans’ build in Manchester and knew quite a few of the other people who helped here. You just muck in. Hard work and long days, anything from 8.30am through to 10pm, longer for some.”

Kyle Cooper, 20:

“I did it because I have my own handyman business, I love gardening, it was for charity, I believe in giving something back, and five years ago I lost my brother to cancer. The gardens are everything to me – they are totally transformed.”

Jonathan Wilson, 22:

“I did brambles, brambles and more brambles. They got through two pairs of gloves – I can still feel them! The garden is now a garden again and there’s so much light.”

Students put their skills to good use

Among those who helped out were students from Blackpool and The Fylde college, who put their newly-learned skills to good use.

Ruth Peri, head of construction said: “When the call went out for local tradespeople to get involved in the project we were obviously happy to help.

“The college prides itself on being part of the community and we wanted to do all we could for the young carers who use the centre.

“Our students worked inside the building to help transform the old Victorian house as well as helping with the overhaul of the garden, which had been somewhat neglected over time.”

Meanwhile, tutors from the college’s creative arts department were asked to design and produce bespoke wallpaper for a feature ‘word wall’ within the building.

Gillian Williams, curriculum manager in graphic design, fashion and film-making said: “We were asked to produce some bespoke wallpaper featuring quotes from the young carers and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, who was a young carer himself.

This is not the first time the college has supported the Carers Centre and staff recently helped raise £20,000 to allow the facility to fund two carers’ champions.

Dr Judith Poole, head of student support and wellbeing said: “The centre is an amazing facility.”

Police say they have dealt with 'multiple' crashes on the M6 between junctions 33 and 28 today, while a rolling roadblock was being used following 'numerous' accidents on the M61 southbound between junction eight and six.

They happened amid sporadic downpours of both snow and sleet across the region, while heavy hail also fell over the Fylde coast, leaving the roads treacherous at high speed.

The Lancashire Fire and Rescue service called for motorists to drive safely in the challenging road conditions after crews were called to junction 26 of the M6, southbound for Wigan, at around 8.15am, when two cars crashed and burst into flames.

At around 10am, at junction 28 northbound for Leyland, there were further delays after a car overturned.

One motorist said there was debris on the M61, close to the services at Horwich, at around 12.30pm, while another described several 'bumps' as cars 'slammed on for queues'.

A spokesman for the North West Motorway Police said numerous crashes close to junction six of the M61 had caused the rolling roadblock, and said traffic would be released as soon as possible.

Later, firefighters from Wesham were called to junction three eastbound on the M55, for Kirkham, following an accident.

At around 4.30pm, Lancashire Road Police said the occupants of a car, which left the motorway and overturned in an adjacent field, were 'lucky' to escape with minor injuries.

Catch up on all the overnight news with our morning roundup

HAMMOND UNDER PRESSURE TO HELP FAMILIES AS WELL AS REASSURE BUSINESSES

Chancellor Philip Hammond is facing twin pressures to help so-called "just about managing" families and reassure business over concerns around Brexit and the Government's agenda in his Autumn Statement.

Mr Hammond has indicated there will be no substantial giveaways in Wednesday's mini-Budget, stressing the economy is facing a "sharp challenge" and calling for "headroom" to deal with a black hole in the public finances reportedly as high as £100 billion.

Prime Minister Theresa May is set to use a speech to business leaders at the CBI annual conference on Monday to reassure them that she is on their side as long as they work with her to ensure growth is shared by everyone.

Read the full story here

CHANCELLOR URGED TO HALT NORTHERN 'BRAIN DRAIN'

Chancellor Philip Hammond should cut housing and business taxes to stop the North continuing to suffer a "brain drain" as high-skilled British workers leave the region in their thousands, a new report says.

The Homes for the North study said that over the past decade the North has suffered an exodus of 310,000 highly qualified British workers with just 235,000 moving the opposite way.

It said the deficit suggests an average of 7,500 highly qualified British workers leave the region every year.

MAY SET TO MAKE CORPORATION TAX PLEDGE AS OLIVE BRANCH FOR BUSINESS

Theresa May will suggest she will match Donald Trump's expected cuts to corporation tax as she attempts to hold out an olive branch to business leaders.

In her first speech to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) annual conference, the Prime Minister will stress her "aim" for the UK to maintain its status as having the lowest corporation tax rate in the G20 group of countries.

The British rate of tax on company profits currently stands at 20% and is due to fall to 17% by 2020.

Read more here

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY IN RAIN WARNING AFTER UK BATTERED BY STORM ANGUS

Heavy rain will see parts of Britain already battered by Storm Angus at risk of further flooding in the next 24 hours.

Wet weather is expected to sweep across the South West and move north, causing damage and disruption as it falls on already saturated ground.

The Environment Agency said it is preparing to put up temporary defences "where necessary" and said rivers have been cleared to make sure water can flow freely.

ROYAL NAVY FLEET 'WAY BELOW CRITICAL MASS' IF INTERNATIONAL TENSION WORSENS

Uncertainty over plans to replace the "woefully low" number of warships risks jeopardising Britain's defences, an influential committee has warned.

MPs said they had "serious concerns" about the funding and timetable of the new fleet replacing frigates that are due to be decommissioned.

Dropping below the current 19 ships even for a short time would be "completely unacceptable" and leave the UK lacking the maritime strength to deal with the threats it faces from areas like Russia, the Defence Select Committee said.

MODERN SLAVERY CRACKDOWN FINDS 40 CHILDREN AMONG NEARLY 1,700 POTENTIAL VICTIMS

Children are among hundreds of potential victims identified in a major police crackdown on forced work, domestic servitude and sexual exploitation.

Since May last year, forces have launched 200 operations into modern slavery, targeting around 900 alleged offenders.

Forty children were among 1,689 potential victims detected. The number was made up mainly of adults, who are often vulnerable through.

Read more here

I'M A CELEBRITY STAR JOEL DOMMETT ADMITS TO BEING 'NAIVE' OVER SEX TAPE SCAM

I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! contestant Joel Dommett has opened up about his leaked sex tape, admitting he feels "naive" to have been tricked into making it.

The footage of the comedian emerged shortly before he entered the Australian jungle for the ITV competition.

Spilling the beans to his campmates on Sunday's show, Dommett explained that he had been "catfished" by a woman he had been talking to online.

OBAMA: I'LL SPEAK OUT ON TRUMP TO DEFEND US IDEALS

US president Barack Obama has said he does not intend to become his successor's constant critic - but reserved the right to speak out if Donald Trump or his policies breach certain "values or ideals".

Mr Obama suggested that once he is out of office he would uphold the tradition of ex-presidents stepping aside quietly to allow their successors space to govern.

He heaped praise on former president George W Bush, saying he "could not have been more gracious to me when I came in" and said he wanted to give Mr Trump the same chance to pursue his agenda "without somebody popping off" at every turn.

NUMBER OF PLASTIC BAGS FOUND ON UK BEACHES PLUGES AFTER 5P LEVY

The number of plastic carrier bags found on UK beaches has dropped by almost half, according to conservationists.

The Marine Conservation Society said the introduction of a 5p levy on single use plastic bags in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland over the last five years was instrumental in the drop.

According to the charity's annual Great British Beach Clean report, there were on average 11 plastic bags per 100 metres of coastline cleaned in 2015 but this year there was just under seven - a decrease of almost 40% and the lowest number in the last 10 years.

MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON HERO PILOT 'WANTED HANKS AS AN ALLY'

The pilot who safely landed a passenger plane on New York's Hudson River said he wanted to recruit Tom Hanks "as an ally" after learning the actor would play him in a Hollywood movie.

Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger saved the lives of all 155 people on board US Airways flight 1549 after he was forced to land in water following a bird strike in 2009.

His story is now the subject of a new film, Sully: Miracle On The Hudson, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Hanks in the lead role.

The firm hoping to launch new direct train services between Blackpool and London admits its plans are being delayed by Government red tape.

Alliance Rail wants to run as many as six direct services a day and has secured the rights to operate on the West Coast Mainline.

But it now has to wait for approval for its proposed fleet of Pendolino trains.

The exact same carriages currently operate between London and Glasgow but they are no longer in production – so the certification process has to start from scratch.

Boss Ian Yeowart admits it’s a ‘frustrating’ situation but still hopes the link will go ahead as planned.

He said: “We want to use Pendolino trains, they are the only tilting trains built for the UK. Regulations have changed since the trains were first introduced.

“There will be things we have to get dispensation for and it all takes time.”

He admitted the company has been ‘quiet’ since its bid to run the service was approved in August 2015, saying: “It’s slow progress.

“We have great support from Alstom which build the trains and from the Department for Transport so hopefully we will get movement.”

Virgin Trains introduced the Pendolino to the UK in 2001 and the trains are the backbone of its London to Glasgow operation.

Mr Yeowart said: “The Pendolino is what we want to use because it gives us 125mph running.”

He said there are ‘good’ alternatives – such as the Hitachi trains being delivered for the East coast and Great Western – but journey times would be slightly longer.

“We bid for 125mph and we don’t want to go back on that,” he added.

The wait for the line to be electrified, not due for completion until May 2018, gives Alliance time to sort matters.

“Then we can come in and hit the ground running,” he said.

There are plans to introduce weekend GP appointments in Wyre and Fylde.

The scheme would see doctors, nurses, and healthcare assistants working from Freckleton Health Centre on Saturdays and Sundays.

Fylde and Wyre Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which organises and pays for residents’ healthcare, said the move would make it easier to fit appointments round work or family commitments and wants to know what times are best for patients.

Clinical chief officer and Thornton GP, Dr Tony Naughton, said: “If we know which appointment days and times are going to be the most sought-after, we can tailor the services and staffing levels around these times.”

It follows a pilot in Fleetwood, where residents accessed out-of-hours appointments at the Same Day Health Centre in Dock Street.

The £500,000 project, involving four GP practices and was approved by former Prime Minister David Cameron, was introduced to ease pressure on the A&E at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Appointments were offered fr 6.30am to 8pm during the week, and from 9am to 1pm at weekends.

Fleetwood GP Dr Mark Spencer said: “We know often patients can find it hard to access health services for urgent and routine needs, especially at evenings and weekends.”

Complete the survey at www.fyldenandwyreccg.nhs.uk/extended-gp-access-service

Here are today’s court listings.

Sarah Thomas, 41, theft

A woman was seen hiding stolen goods in her clothing by a security officer at a Lytham shop.

Sarah Thomas, 41, of Claremont Court, North Shore, pleaded guilty to stealing Gucci perfume and three packs of razor blades valued together at £128 plus breaching a conditional discharge imposed for shoplifting.

She was sentenced to a six weeks curfew from 7pm to 6am and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a security guard at the Lytham branch of Boots saw Thomas concealing perfume in the waistband of her trousers and packs of razor blades down her top on October 13.

Mitch Sarangi, defending, said his client, who had mental health issues, had a heroin problem but was now on a methadone prescription.

At the time she had financial difficulties as her benefits had been stopped and she needed food and fuel.

Joseph Cardle, 55, affray and Nigel Harrison, 37, affray and wounding

Six men will appear at Preston Crown Court charged with causing an affray in a seaside hotel.

Two of the men were committed for trial by Blackpool Magistrates. They are Joseph Cardle, 55, of North Clifton Street, Lytham and Nigel Harrison, 37, of Collingwood Avenue, North Shore.

Harrison is also charged with wounding David Lucas Mason with a bottle in a fracas which broke out at the Dalmeny Hotel, St Annes, on April 9 this year.

Four members of one family are due before Blackpool Magistrates tomorrow when their lawyer Trevor Colebourne said his clients would also have their cases sent to the higher court.

They are David Charles Mason, 52, of South Westby Street, Lytham, and his sons Issac Mason, 20, Roman Mason, 23, and David Lucas Mason, 28.

All six are currently on bail.

Jason Longstaff, 44, theft

A defendant was unable to attend his first court hearing because he had a bad back Blackpool magistrates were told.

Jason Longstaff, 44, of Claremont Court, North Shore, is accused of stealing a television valued at £100 from a supermarket.

He was bailed on the condition he did not enter the Asda supermarket, Cherry Tree Road.

Kyle Murphy, 30, criminal damage

A visitor who described himself as 10 out of 10 on a scale of drunkenness punched a hole in a door at a Blackpool hotel.

Kyle Murphy, 30, of Hemmingway Close, Wakefield, pleaded guilty to causing damage.

He was fined £120 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £100 compensation plus £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said the owner of a hotel on the resort’s Woodfield Road asked for police help as a couple were having a domestic dispute on May 7 about midnight.

Police arrived to find Murphy had punched a hole in the bathroom door of the room he was sharing with his girlfriend. He was given a caution on the condition he paid compensation, but he did not pay.

Murphy told magistrates that he had been drinking all day and that punching a hole in the door was a mistake. He added he thought the compensation money had been paid from his account.

Shannon Abell, 21, criminal damage

A woman who had been drinking for 12 hours following a funeral caused a fracas in a takeaway.

Shannon Abell punched the door after being escorted out of The Burger Dome, on Talbot Road, Blackpool, and cracked a pane of glass.

Abell, a 21-year-old student, of Derby Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to causing damage and admitted being in breach of a suspended prison sentence for possessing a blade.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Abell went into the takeaway on November 2 about 3am. She was loud and drunk and accused the owner of ringing the police about her, before cracking a window in the door.

Hugh Pond, defending, said his client, who had been to a funeral that day, had already been depressed because her young sister had recently been adopted. Abell had not expected the window to break.

Abell was bailed to appear for sentence at Preston Crown Court on December 21 by Blackpool magistrates.

Scott Mayall, 38, threats and possessing an offensive weapon

A man caused fear in the streets when he waved a claw hammer about in Blackpool on Halloween.

Scott Mayall went after a drug dealer he said had ripped him off and chased him about streets busy with families who had come to see the Illuminations.

Mayall, 38, of Dickson Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to threatening violence and possessing an offensive weapon.

He was sentenced to 16 weeks jail suspended for 12 months, put on 10 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service and ordered to pay £85 costs with £115 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police received a report a man had hammer in Cookson Street on October 31 at 9.30pm.

A witness saw Mayall pursuing another man waving the hammer and holding it over his head, Mayall then pushed the man, who fell over and the witness believed the defendant was going to smash his head with the hammer,

Police saw Mayall in Talbot Road, which was busy with families as the Illuminations were on, and arrested him.

When interviewed Mayall said a drug dealer who he bought Diazepam from had ripped him off and overcharged him by £25. 
He had gone out with the hammer intending to send a message to the dealer.

Leighton Faith, 40, committing a sex act in public

A man was caught by a female McDonald’s staff member committing a sex act in the toilets.

The female was inspecting the toilet area at the Bank Hey Street burger store and had banged on the door before entering.

She was met with a view of 40-year-old Leighton Faith performing an indecent act.

Faith of Carshalton Road, Blackpool admitted committing a sex act in public and three bail offences when he appeared before Blackpool Magistrates.

Faith was made the subject of an 18-month probation order.
He must undertake 30 days rehabilitation and keep and eighty day curfew.

he must also pay £280 costs.