The two-bedroom property is found within the old Magistrates Court in Wakefield, Yorkshire was listed on property website Rightmove earlier this month (1 SEP).

Though the ex-court appears to have a flash furnished interior upon first impressions, house-browsers will quickly notice the additional storage units available for separate rent in the basement.

The Old Court House – as the property is now called – is a brown stone building with a renovated interior.

The flat on offer features two bathrooms in addition to the two large bedrooms and a spacious living room featuring cornice designs and wall-mounted lights.

Though the ex-court appears to have a flash and well-furnished interior in the first few photos of the advert, they are followed by a bizarre photo of the courthouse basement.

Whilst the flat itself doesn’t particularly resemble a jail cell, living there enables access to a basement where the original holding cells remain intact.

For an unknown extra charge, the tenant can gain access to a cell to use for “additional storage”.

The cells are situated in a white brick corridor in the basement, which is lined on both sides with large, green metal doors, sealing off the rooms behind each.

The doors feature huge locks and a tiny window on each, whilst inside boasts the bare minimum, with a stone floor, raised platform and a barred window at the top of the wall letting in a thin stream of light.

The property is being listed for rent by OpenRent, who describe the flat as: “[A] contemporary two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment set within this brand-new conversion of the old Magistrates Court.

“Available to move in immediately, no parking but this property benefits from a locked bike store and intercom system.

“The building’s original holding cells are available to be used as storage at additional cost.”

The property was spotted by one amused house-hunter, who shared it to social media on Sunday (SEP 10) with the caption: “Prison basement, for those friends you really don’t like.”

The post has since racked up dozens of likes and comments from other users who were quick to crack jokes.

One user said: “Would be great for any aspiring dominatrixes. Wouldn’t even need to build their own cell.”

Another quipped: “Super secure storage. I was going to say you could rent one of the cells and use it as an office but I think it might be the most miserable commute and setting of all time.”

A third added: “I’d be advertising them as a prison experience night on Airbnb.”

Another replied: “That is f***ing mental.”

The post Crime fans offered £750pcm flat complete with jail cell in basement appeared first on Deadline News.

Harrison Webb decided to prank pal Sebastian Gomez with a trip to Ristorante Roma in Leicester Square, West London – an Italian eatery with just 1.5 stars out of five on TripAdvisor.

Despite 130 of its 179 ratings being “terrible”, and the duo being charged an eye-watering £27 for three tap waters, Harrison, 26, was left astonished by his mate’s final verdict of the restaurant.

The video begins with Harrison saying: “I took my friend to the worst restaurant in London and didn’t tell him.

“People were complaining and they even made us switch tables while eating, would you eat here?

“The twist of this video, I’m not going to tell him we’re going to the worst Italian restaurant, I’m just going to ‘forget’ to tell him and see what he does.”

The clip then cuts to Harrison meeting an ecstatic Sebastian as they shake hands and embrace before heading off to the restaurant.

The video then transitions to the pair inside the restaurant as Harrison says “Got the drinks, cheers”, before the pair clink their glasses together and Sebastian adds: “Cheers.”

Harrison then says “A little taste test” as the pair silently sip their alcoholic beverages before Sebastian gives his verdict.

Sebastian says: “One out of five British flags.”

Later, the food arrives to their table, consisting of a penne arrabbiata for Harrison whilst Sebastian opts for a margherita pizza and a truffle tagliatelle.

The video shows the pair trying to eat the pasta, as Sebastian struggles to fit it into his mouth, resulting in much of it falling out.

However, Harrison’s American pal then surprisingly says: “This is delicious, I really like it.”

Harrison asks “Yeah?” before Sebastian says: “Genuinely.”

Next, Sebastian can be seen grappling with the very cheesy margarita pizza as he pulls it apart saying: “It’s so cheesy, I’m burning my hand.

“You brought me to little Italy, I don’t know what this place is.”

Harrison duly responds: “This is Italy.”

Sebastian says: “This doesn’t even count as Little Italy.”

“Yes, it is”, says Harrison.

Despite his apparent love for the food, Sebastian appears to be unimpressed by the general standards, saying: “No. Bro, I don’t even know what to say, I’m in shock bro.”

The video then shows the pair carrying their plates to another table after bizarrely being made to move table mid-meal.

Harrison can then be seen evaluating the receipt – which came to £90 in total – as he shockingly reveals: “We’ve got three tap waters on there for £27.”

Finally, the video shows the pair walking out of the restaurant as Sebastian says: “It was delicious.”

Harrison then says to his friend: “Seb, I have something to tell you. So, I took you to the worst rated Italian restaurant.”

Sebastian then laughs and screams: “I effing knew it. There’s no way.”

Harrison uploaded the clip to social media on Friday with the caption: “I tried the worst reviewed restaurant in London.”

The video has since received over 16,500 likes and dozens of comments from shocked users.

One user wrote: “I thought it’s illegal to charge for tap water?”

Another commented: “Poor Seb is not gonna wanna go back to London.”

A third said: “Please don’t tell me you paid £27 for water.”

Another replied: “This is actually a very funny prank.”

A fifth commented: “You brought the nicest guy that even if he was brought the absolute wrong meal, he’d eat it with a smile.”

Speaking today Harrison said: “My friend Sebastian Gomez surprised me with a spontaneous trip to London, reaching out on the day he arrived.

“It had been years since we last met, so we decided to catch up. We went to Bondi Green by Daisy Green, one of my favourite places to enjoy a delightful meal.

“We ordered a variety of small plates, including steak, chicken, and pizza, along with a few margaritas to share.

“Sebastian absolutely loved the experience, which gave me the idea to purposely take him to the worst restaurant in London to see how he would react.

“A few years prior, I visited The Palace Cafe (the worst restaurant in London at the time) with my brother for a YouTube video.

“However, as I checked TripAdvisor to see if any new contenders had emerged, I stumbled upon Ristorante Roma, which is the one I took Sebastian to.

“Interestingly, I found out that they rebranded due to poor reviews, hoping to fool unsuspecting tourists in Leicester Square again.

“Deliberately heading to a bad restaurant knowing what you’re in for is a really odd thing to do, but I always try to be extra polite and not let anything bother me.

“Our order consisted of two mojitos, a Fanta, penne arrabbiata, truffle mushroom tagliatelle, and a margherita pizza.

“The pizza (£14.95) was a disappointment, the saying ‘even bad pizza is good pizza’ was proved otherwise by this place, it was drowning in cheddar cheese and grease on top.

“The arrabbiata (£14.95) was passable but tasted like a diluted store-bought sauce with some chopped peppers thrown in.

“The mushroom tagliatelle (£17.95) lacked any trace of truffle, I had expected at least a hint of truffle oil, but there was none to be found.

“Sebastian was gracious enough to express his enjoyment, but I remained unconvinced. The Fanta (£4.95) – I don’t think even Michelin star restaurants charge that much for a soft drink.

“The Mojitos (£13.90 each) – I couldn’t taste any alcohol it just tasted like a mint-flavoured sprite.

“While we were eating, a family of six arrived, and we were asked to move tables.

“It was unclear why they couldn’t have simply added a table on to the table next to us, but thankfully we recorded it as proof.

“As expected, we waited a while for the bill, observing other diners voicing complaints and leaving half-eaten plates behind. I don’t see myself returning unless it’s to play a prank on someone else.

“However, I doubt we’d be welcomed back, so I’ll keep an eye out for the next worst-rated restaurant.”

The post Hilarious video shows Brit tricking his friend to visit “worst restaurant in London” – with surprising results appeared first on Deadline News.

Rachel Clenaghan is currently 36 weeks pregnant with her second child, and received her expected box from the Scottish Government through the post on Wednesday.

The Scottish Government introduced the initiative in 2017, sending a box packed with supplies and essential items to help ensure babies in the country get the “best start in life“.

Rachel, from Dundee, decided to share the generous contents of her second care package online – prompting a slew of envious replies from users overseas.

The video begins with Rachel prizing open the cardboard box with scissors, as on-screen text reads: “Unbox my Scottish Baby Box with me at 36 weeks pregnant.”

Rachel explains: “Today we received our Scottish Baby Box, which every family in Scotland is entitled to when they are expecting a baby and it is free from the Scottish Government.

“So, I thought I would unbox it with you guys and show you what came inside.”

The large white box can be seen featuring drawings which are intended to be coloured in, which Rachel expands on.

She says: “The actual box itself comes beautifully illustrated and I think the whole point is so that the younger family can decorate it for the new arrival.

“Or, in my case I might actually go and get my colouring pens out and do it myself because that is just so tempting to colour in.”

Rachel then pops the box open to reveal well-packed layers of supplies and items to help mums and dads along on the start of their journey.

Rachel continues: “The point in the box is so that every baby has got the same start in life and the actual box itself is made so that a baby can actually sleep in it.

“Inside included an envelope on how to breastfeed, hand express for colostrum, safe sleep, a gorgeous wee poem and then a voucher for reusable nappies which is new because I didn’t get that with Junior.

“It also included some bits for mum, so some maternity pads and breast pads which I just think is such a lovely touch.”

All the contents inside the envelope offer mums an informative and detailed step-by-step guide to different aspects of motherhood, through useful graphics and drawings.

Rachel then reveals the baby’s side of things, with playmats, books and toys abound.

She continues: “There is a gorgeous play mat, which is absolutely massive by the way, and a tummy time book which wasn’t included last time either and I think that’s absolutely brilliant.

“There’s a lovely wee book to share and then something to go on the car seat or the pram, a teething toy and then this thermometer which we used through our whole time with Junior.

“Then a bath and a room thermometer which comes in handy. It also comes with some essential bits like a sponge, toothbrush and some nail files for your baby.”

Rachel then pulls out a giraffe-themed baby blanket as she quips: “If you’re from Scotland you know this baby comfort because they’re always on Facebook saying that they’ve gone missing and that they’re desperate to get them back.

“There’s a travel changing mat which comes in handy – this was the best thing and it’s a baby wrap, I used this though my whole newborn stage of Junior, it was absolutely brilliant.

“They give you an amazing selection of vests, long sleeves and short sleeves from newborn 0-3 months and 3-6 months as well, along with a couple of sleepsuits and then these romper-style outfits as well.

“Just a couple of pair lf grey leggings, so it’s all unisex and then this gorgeous cosy jacket.

“There’s also a bunch of essential baby accessories, so a hat, bib, muslin squares, mittens and then some socks. Some condoms as well and then a nice hooded towel.

“A cellular blanket for your baby is very similar to the one you get in the hospital and then two fitted sheets because it also gives you a mattress that goes inside the box that you can use as a bed.

“The fact that they even give you this mattress is brilliant.

“Honestly, I can’t believe we’re so lucky to receive something like this, I feel like it should be available everywhere.”

Rachel uploaded the video to social media on Wednesday with the caption: “So amazing we get all this it helps out lots.”

The clip has since received over 470,000 likes and more than 5,800 comments from users left stunned by the countless contents of the box.

One user wrote: “Not the American baby box search being parents dropping their kids off at a fire station.”

Another commented: “Free baby box, free prescriptions, free school meals, free university, only in Scotland.”

A third wrote: “I absolutely adore that every parent gets a baby box regardless of socioeconomic status.”

Another said: “I actually don’t mind paying higher taxes in Scotland for things like this.”

A supplier of the Baby Box replied: “We love being a part of Scotland’s Baby Box scheme. Every mum is so lucky to get this.”

Speaking today Rachel said: “This is the second one I received as I got one with my son, but it’s been updated so was still exciting to receive it.

“To get one, your midwife gives you a leaflet which has a stamp on it from your hospital to prove your pregnancy – this was given to me around the 24-week mark.

“You have to fill it out with your name, address and due date then the leaflet has free postage on it which you just pop in a letter box.”

NHS Scotland explain: “Every newborn baby born and living in Scotland can get a Baby Box.

“When you’re about 20 to 24 weeks pregnant, your midwife will fill in a Baby Box registration card with you at your regular antenatal appointment.

“You will receive your Baby Box about 4 weeks before your baby’s due date.

“Your Baby Box will be delivered to the preferred delivery address that you put on your registration card.

“You will get a text, an email or a letter a week before the delivery so that you will know the day the box will be arriving. Then on the day, you will get a time slot so you will know exactly when it’s coming.”

The post Social media users left shocked as Scots mum reveals contents of famous Baby Box appeared first on Deadline News.

Chloe Fitzpatrick was flying from Manchester to Ibiza last month and duly informed staff of her airborne allergy to strawberries – an ingredient which could cause her to go into anaphylactic shock.

Despite being common procedure to ensure staff have time to dispose of any products containing the ingredient, Chloe claims that the cabin crew manager was immediately “unhappy” about doing so.

The 23-year-old alleges that the manager was instead concerned about the “loss of commission” from being unable to serve drinks like rose wine and pink gin.

She claims that the staff ignored her pleas after a “degrading” 45-minute deliberation, instead choosing to continue serving the products and making Chloe wear a face mask and sit near a filtered vent.

Chloe alleges that after initially being asked to leave the aircraft so that staff could discuss whether she was “suitable to fly”, she was seen by an “extremely patronising” medic.

The medic – who Chloe claims was not a doctor nor an allergy specialist – allegedly told her that she should undergo tests before every flight to check whether she even still had the allergy.

It was then that Chloe says she was let back on the flight with a promise that her allergy would be announced over the speaker system.

However, upon finding their seats and taking off, Chloe claims it was clear that they had not removed any products with strawberries in them.

Instead, the cabin crew were allegedly only serving them to people not “in close proximity” to Chloe.

This left the holiday-maker “petrified” as she says she was left “thousands of feet off the ground surrounded by products that could potentially kill [her]”.

Taking to social media last week, Chloe shared the full story of her heartbreaking experience.

She wrote: “I am still in utter shock and disbelief following my recent experience on a Jet2 flight on Friday 18 Aug 2023. I flew out to Ibiza on Flight LS1731 departing 16:05.

“As most of you know, I have a severe allergy. Prior to making a booking and then at the check-in desk I have always been told to notify the onboard crew when boarding the aircraft.

“When it was time to board the aircraft the check-in staff scanned our boarding passes and we were allowed to board the plane with special assistance.

“This was to allow time for the crew to remove any strawberry products from the inflight food service.

“As soon as the cabin crew manager was notified, she instantly seemed unhappy about removing the strawberry products.

“The list of strawberry products consisted of rose wine, pink gin, strawberry daiquiris, Fruit Pastilles and Haribo sweets.

“I believe, because this was a Friday night flight to Ibiza, she was concerned more about the potential loss of commission from not being able to sell the alcoholic products than my welfare.

“We were then asked to exit the aircraft whilst the manager and the pilot discussed whether I was suitable to fly. This was so degrading, embarrassing and discriminatory against me.

“I understand that they cannot guarantee a strawberry-free flight as they have no control over what passengers bring on board.

“But the airline does have a duty of care to minimise the risk by stopping serving the products they have onboard and to make an in-flight announcement to ensure passengers who may have brought these products on themselves are aware of my allergy.

“I know I take a risk flying and in fact even leaving the safety of my own home is an informed risk I take every single day in order to live as normal a life as possible.

“I always have my two EpiPens with me to keep myself as safe as possible and to use in case of an emergency.

“I usually feel confident flying as all airlines usually assist with minimising the risk. I am still struggling to believe that on this particular flight to Ibiza Jet2 refused to do this.

“Eventually, the crew agreed to let me fly and explained that this would be at my own risk.

“They would make an announcement about my strawberry allergy, sit me near a filtered vent and give me a mask to wear.

“The flight eventually took off and an announcement was made about my allergy.

“But then it became clear that they had not removed the strawberry products from the inflight service.

“They had decided to only not serve these products to people on the rows in close proximity to us, not the whole of the flight.

“As you can imagine I was petrified. I was thousands of feet off the ground surrounded by products that could potentially kill me.

“This was also extremely distressing and heartbreaking for my sister too who was terrified that I could go into anaphylactic shock, rendering me unconscious and could potentially die in front of her.

“She felt absolutely helpless. In day-to-day life, I have the ability to physically remove myself from potential risk when strawberry products are in the vicinity.

“On an aircraft with recycled air, I cannot do this.

“The cabin crew did not make the conditions of the flight clear; had we known strawberry products were still going to be sold we would not have boarded the plane.

“The decision made by the crew put my life at risk.

“The decision to still serve those products was and remains dangerous, disgraceful, discriminatory and shows a lack of awareness with regards to life threatening allergies.

The post received over 900 likes, more than 800 shares and dozens of comments as many were left disgusted by Jet2’s alleged handling of the situation.

Maddie Knight wrote: “That’s so upsetting and dangerous. I hope you’re feeling okay now.

“The airline should consider themselves lucky that you didn’t have a serious reaction as it would have been 100% their fault.”

Kate Conboy said: “Utterly unforgivable treatment by a company who should know better.”

Sheila Elliot commented: “Glad you’re okay, Chloe. That’s so, so disgraceful.”

Breanna Alice added: “As if your life isn’t hard enough already as it is. What an absolute disgrace – I am so, so sorry that you and your family have had this awful experience.

Rachel Wilcock wrote: “So sorry that you had to experience this, Chloe. You would think after Natasha [Ednan-Laperouse] passed away on a flight, airlines would be doing all they can to do the right thing.

“Accepting that you can’t control what people bring onto a flight (a fear you live with every time you step out the door) the airline most certainly has a duty of care to keep you safe on that flight by controlling what they stock.

“The more I think about this, the more enraged I am. Sending you lots of love, sweetheart.”

Writing in conclusion to her situation, Chloe revealed that Jet2 had further confirmed via text that they were unwilling to stop selling strawberry products onboard her return flight.

She went on to add that she no longer felt safe on a Jet2 airplane, leaving her and her sister to book a flight home through Ryanair instead – who she said she was “so grateful” to, for following guidelines.

She added: “As per industry guidelines Ryanair ceased the sale of their in-flight products containing strawberries and made two announcements outlining to other passengers the risk of opening any strawberry based products on board.

“I believe this is an embarrassing reflection on Jet2 as a company.

“My recent experience has made me feel extremely anxious about flying with other airlines in case this happens again. It has affected my confidence and I am really afraid of any future air travel.”

Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, 15, died in 2016 after suffering an anaphylactic shock to sesame seeds in a Pret a Manger baguette she had bought at Heathrow before catching a flight.

Her death led to the introduction of Natasha’s Law – put in place to protect people with food allergies who rely on the transparency of ingredients and food labelling for prepacked foods.

Jet2 has been approached for comment.

The post Jet2 passenger left “petrified” after staff allegedly ignore life-threatening allergy to continue serving in-flight food and drink appeared first on Deadline News.

The Edinburgh based firm set out to attract fresh talent into the sector which is badly needed, according to recent research which suggests more than 60% of telecoms engineers are over 50.

This comes at the same time as research reveals 42% of telecoms businesses are reporting a skills gap in the external labour market.

In rural and island locations, finding employees with telecoms skills can be an even greater challenge.

As part of the Orkney International Science Festival, FarrPoint’s Alan Patterson, Nikki Robertson and Kristina Vard visited Kirkwall Grammar School to deliver two ‘Connectivity and the Internet of Things’ workshops for young people.

The youngsters who attended got the chance to explore the world of connectivity, check their mobile signal strengths and test some smart IoT solutions.

They also learned how to map 4G mobile signal using FarrPoint’s mobile mapping tool at the events over the last two weeks which finished yesterday.

Alan Patterson, Telecoms Consultant at FarrPoint said: “Everyone’s talking about careers in STEM more generally, as various industries try to attract more talent, but you don’t hear much about working in telecoms.

“It may not be the first career choice that comes to mind. However, it’s a sector that has seen huge developments recently and is fast-paced and exciting.

“A job in telecoms could be anything from a satellite engineer who plans and design telecoms infrastructure in space, to a design engineer running the television and internet coverage for major sporting events.

“A telecom leader planning how high streets and shopping centres function, or in the health sector where connectivity is hugely important to improving health care.”

Nikki Robertson, GIS consultant at FarrPoint added: “It was great to see so many young people get involved in our hands-on workshops, which we designed specifically to demonstrate that telecoms can be fun and engaging.

“There are so many routes into our industry, but if you have an interest in technology and how things work, that is an excellent start.

“Most of us have a smart mobile phone these days and can’t imagine a life without the Internet – it would certainly be a very different world to the one most young people are used to.

“But to keep that rate of progress going, we need more young talent to consider joining the sector.”

Maha Abhishek, Deputy Festival Director said: “We were thrilled to have FarrPoint join us at the Orkney International Science Festival’s Family Day for young people and their families to delve into the fascinating world of connectivity and the Internet of Things.

“Their presence added a unique and valuable dimension to our event, shedding light on topics that are often not commonly explored within the vibrant programme of science festivals.

“This opportunity was especially meaningful for remote communities in Orkney, as it allowed us to engage with these intriguing subjects in a way we rarely get to do.”

Andrea Rutherford, HIE’s head of policy for Digital Highlands and Islands, said: “The use of Internet of technology is growing all the time in industry, as more and more firms discover the business benefits it can bring.

“This emphasises the crucial nature of both digital connectivity and digital skills.

“Engaging young people at the Orkney Science and giving them an insight into how technology and connectivity is applied in business is a great way to encourage many of them to start thinking about potential technology-related career options.”

The post FarrPoint inspires young people into telecoms at Orkney Science Festival appeared first on Deadline News.

A CHARITY with ambitious plans to create a flagship £28 million complex-needs facility has signed an exclusivity agreement for land at Bertha Park Village, delivered by leading home builder, Springfield.

Disability charity, Capability Scotland, has moved a step closer in building its new Bertha Park facility, replacing the existing Upper Springland development in Perth.

The agreement sets out a joint responsibility to negotiate a development plan to construct the facility.

It marks a key milestone in the venture – which has been named Our Inclusive Community Project (OICP). The development will look beyond simply building new housing but will develop facilities and initiatives that give residents and wider service users greater opportunities to participate and flourish as part of a growing, new community.

Springfield– which recently became the first UK housebuilder to complete the Next Generation Core Sustainability Benchmarking Initiative – has grand ambitions for the site.

Innes Smith Springfield Chief Executive, said: “Our vision for Bertha Park has always been to include everything a community needs to thrive. It is already home to around 500 houses, across a range of tenures, a Microsoft flagship high school, a local shop and destination playpark. The village has been recognised for a prestigious national sustainability award and has been named the best development in Scotland.

“Now, working with the great team at Capability Scotland, it’s our shared plan to introduce one of the most sophisticated care sites in the entire country to the Bertha Park community.

“Already we have had a number of ideas for the care facility, and we hope to secure an agreement very soon to take this project to the next step.”

It’s hoped that once a development plan has been successfully negotiated, ownership of the site will transfer to Capability Scotland upon handover of the completed site by Springfield.

The partnership aims to submit a planning application to the local council by the end of this year.

Brian Logan, Capability Scotland Chief Executive, said: “Agreeing to sign this land exclusivity agreement is a significant milestone in making OICP at Bertha Park a reality for Capability Scotland and the people we support.

“There is much work ahead of us as we move towards a detailed planning application, but it is great to have this piece of the jigsaw in place.

“Such opportunities to develop services and facilities from a blank canvas are rare, and we look forward to the next steps, working with the people we support, their families, our colleagues and our strategic partners to bring about an exemplar facility which will deliver first-class care and support for disabled people.”

Residents from Capability Scotland’s existing facility at Upper Springland – all of whom will be relocated to the new site at Bertha Park – attended workshops alongside family members, staff and the wider community to co-produce how the facility will look, and what it will offer to its service users.

Aside from integrating disabled people into their local communities, other strong concepts identified in the workshops included: accessibility, greater deployment of assistive technologies to enhance people’s lives, more training and staff development, creating useable outdoor spaces and the importance of good natural light, air quality and temperature.

Renowned Scottish architects Anderson Bell + Christie launched their vision for Bertha Park last month, sharing the progress made to date and unveiling the masterplan for the exciting new facility.

The Upper Springland campus, on Isla Road, has three registered care homes and offers residential and respite care to 60 adults with physical disabilities and learning disabilities. There is also a day service – as well as a hydrotherapy pool, theatre and walled gardens.

Located just over four miles from Upper Springland, Bertha Park is a major expansion of Perth, with new homes, community facilities, workplaces, landscaped open ground and integrated infrastructure including footpaths and cycle routes.

Capability Scotland is a charity delivering care, support, and education for disabled children and adults across Scotland. It has a range of facilities and services across the country which helps its customers achieve the best outcomes in their lives, no matter their needs.

Springfield recently picked up two accolades at The WhatHouse? Awards for its flagship villages in Perth and Dundee.

For more information on OICP, visit: https://oicp.capability.scot/

For more information on Capability Scotland, visit: https://www.capability.scot/

For more information on Springfield, visit: https://www.springfield.co.uk/

The post Charity enters exclusivity agreement for £28m care facility appeared first on Deadline News.

The ethical AI rec-tech has hired D&I heavyweights Emily Lawrence and Rashida Adekunle to grow corporate retention, candidate experience and employer partnerships. 

The firm is also currently going through a £1.2m private fundraising round.

Emily Lawrence has a deep understanding of employee benefits and aims to drive strategic growth to strengthen Clu’s position as an inclusive hiring solution for employers.

As the Senior Customer Success Manager, Rashida Adekunle will work closely with Clu’s diverse partner network to ensure they receive the highest level of service and support. 

Both roles will ensure Clu’s platform meets the evolving needs of organisations and their workforce, to help drive Clu’s target of adding one million socially mobile people to the workforce over the next ten years. 

Joseph Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of Clu, said: “Our two major appointments mark a significant milestone.

“Their wealth of experience and industry knowledge will be instrumental in forging strategic partnerships with employers and expanding our reach.” 

Newly hired Emily Lawrence said: “Clu is revolutionising the way employers engage with diverse talent; using unparalleled data to drive changes to hiring process, empower skills-based talent matching and accelerate social mobility for marginalised groups.  

“Joining Clu was an easy decision, to support the next stage of expansion and eliminate unconscious bias as a barrier to employment.

“Truly inclusive hiring is required at every major corporation in an increasingly diverse workforce, to ensure no one is left behind, jobseeker or employer.” 

Following her appointment, Rashida Adekunle said: “I was truly inspired by Clu’s commitment to inclusivity and eliminating bias, creating diverse and inclusive workplaces and driving positive change in the recruitment industry.

“I am excited to work with an innovative platform prioritising candidate experience, corporate retention, and meaningful employer partnerships.

“Together, we can transform the hiring process and impact the lives of job seekers and employers alike,” Rashida added.

The London-based Clu began trading last year to secure skills aligned work and has a predicted revenue of £12 million by 2026.

Current major business customers include the BBC, ASOS, Warner Bros and Oliver Bonas. 

The post AI recruiting tech firm grows commercial arm with two key hires to drive strategic growth appeared first on Deadline News.

Kieran Wilson was travelling on a family holiday to New York from Manchester Airport when he spotted winger Sancho in the queue next to him.

Starstruck, the 19-year-old approached Sancho, 23, for a picture, which the England international gladly agreed to.

However, it was only after later viewing the snap that Kieran from Manchester, Lancashire, realised that the pair had been photobombed by none other than former World’s Strongest Man, Eddie Hall.

In the picture, Kieran is standing towards the front of the passport control queue alongside the former Borussia Dortmund forward.

Sancho, clad in a simple grey hoodie and a black cap, smiles with his arm around Kieran as fellow passengers glance at the duo.

However, in the background of the photo, the hulking figure of 35-year-old Hall can be seen, towering over his fellow passengers.

The six-time UK’s Strongest Man champion sports a mohawk and a black t-shirt that reads “Beast” as he wryly smiles at the camera, with both Kieran and Sancho seemingly blissfully unaware of his presence.

Kieran shared the photo with a Premier League player-dedicated social media account on Wednesday who duly shared it online.

The caption reads: “Jadon Sancho was on my flight to New York. I asked him for a photo in the passport control queue, it was only later I realised that Eddie Hall was photobombing us.”

The post has since received over 6,000 likes and dozens of comments by fans left stunned by Hall’s cameo appearance.

One user joked: “The two kings of the bench.”

Another said: “Crazy photo.”

A third commented: “Possibly the best submission yet.”

Another quipped: “Both love the bench.”

Speaking today Kieran said: “I had a friend who was in first class, I spoke to him during the flight and he said Jadon Sancho was sat near him, obviously I didn’t believe him at first.

“We got off the flight, still chatting to him and I eventually saw Sancho and made sure we were next to him in the passport control queue.

“I was absolutely starstruck to see him before my very eyes, on his own less than a metre away from me.

“I eventually plucked up the courage to ask Jadon for a photo, he was more than happy to and we got a few snaps before leaving him alone.

“Somehow from my memory, we were the only people on the entire flight to ask him for a photo, despite the plane leaving from Manchester.

“It was good conversation, we spoke a little bit about United’s season, his time at Dortmund as one of my good friends is a Dortmund fan, and about football in general.

“We eventually got through the passport border, grabbing our suitcases not far away from him before he came over and politely said it was nice to meet us and to enjoy our holiday.

“My friend had a better phone than me so I used his to grab the photo so I could get the best quality picture I could, but this wasn’t before I used my phone to grab the first one, which is the one where you can see Eddie.

“The funny part is, Eddie is turned towards our photo, fully in shot and even pulled his mask down to show it was definitely him.

“Overall, that whole hour or so was a memory I’ll remember forever, not only how nice Jadon was and the conversation we had, but to get that photo with Eddie in the background was unbelievable!”

Sancho was controversially dropped from Manchester United’s matchday squad amid their 3-1 loss to Arsenal last weekend.

Red Devils manager Erik Ten Hag then explained to press his reasoning for Sancho’s lack of involvement, saying: “Jadon, on his performance in training, was not selected.

“You have to reach a level at Manchester United every day and we can make choices in the front line. So, for this game he was not selected.”

The attacker then tweeted his side of the story posting: “”Please don’t believe everything you read! I will not allow people saying things that is completely untrue.

“I have conducted myself in training very well this week. I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won’t go into.

“I have been a scapegoat for a long time which isn’t fair! All I want to do is play football with a smile on my face and contribute to my team.

“I respect all decisions that are made by the coaching staff, I play with fantastic players… I will continue to fight for this badge no matter what!”

The England international has been capped 23 times but didn’t make the cut for Gareth Southgate’s squad in their upcoming fixtures against Ukraine and Scotland.

The post Footie fan snaps photo with Man Utd star Jadon Sancho – only to later notice surprise strongman cameo in the background appeared first on Deadline News.

Thanks to £188,000 of funding from Innovate UK, Omnitool are now working with the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) to implement a new upgrade that will boost production and aid expansion into new markets.

Irvine-based Omnitool provide precision engineering services to oil, gas, renewable and nuclear centres across the country.

The business hopes that its new digital upgrade will see machine idle time cut in half, with production capacity increased by 10%.

Family run since 2005, Omnitool hope that by boosting its production capacity the company will be able to expand into new markets, create new jobs and reduce emissions.

The digital upgrade will see Omnitool implement offline programming techniques and train employees on coding skills.

Omnitool engineers will use digital twins, computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) to program machines offline – minimising disruption and increasing efficiency.

One of the most technically capable machining facilities in the UK, Omnitool recently invested over £2.5m in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines to produce high-value products for a range of sectors, such as aerospace and energy.  

Mark McKell, operations director at Omnitool, said: “The previous online programming approach meant there was significant idle time while the machines were being set up, but this project allowed us to adopt a high-tech digital approach.

 “The increased capacity will enable us to grow the business and target new sectors such as aerospace.

“We’ll be using the new strategy to transform our entire manufacturing processes in the years ahead.”

 “Over the next three years, Omnitool hopes to gain the skills required across the company to introduce the new digital approach across 90% of its production centres and anticipates 10 new roles will be created as a result.

“As well as boosting capacity, the switch to offline programming will also have sustainable benefits for the company, helping to reduce waste and cut emissions by up to 12 tonnes of CO₂e per year”.

Daniele Marini, supply chain and operational transformation lead at NMIS, added: “Omnitool has embraced the opportunity to integrate new digital processes.

By sharing the results of its transformation, alongside how-to guidelines, we hope to inspire other manufacturing businesses to unlock additional capacity in a similar way.”

The post Scottish engineering business to have production boosted by digital upgrade appeared first on Deadline News.

Siobhan Foster had been ready to jet off to Ibiza from Belfast, Ireland last month alongside family to attend her brother’s wedding when she says she was singled out by an air hostess.

The mum from Newtownabbey, Belfast claims she had asked a stewardess if there were any more overhead lockers which prompted a curt reply of “clearly not” from the staff member.

Despite her pleas being shot down by the hostess, Siobhan says she was quickly accused of being abusive to staff, resulting in her and her family being asked to disembark from the plane.

Shocking footage shows a large number of disgruntled passengers collecting luggage and bags as they appear to be leaving the plane.

A member of the wedding party who is filming can be heard saying to the staff: “Everybody’s seen it. The whole plane.”

The pilot can be seen standing in the doorway as someone repeats: “Walk off.”

She replies: “We’re willing to walk off with yous [sic]. The whole plane is, because of that one person.”

Siobhan, who is holding her one-year-old daughter Florence, walks to the exit as the camerawoman says: “Hey Florence. Getting threw [sic] off the plane today, are we?

“Because of somebody thinking they’re better than everyone else? Yeah. Because of this one person.”

The air hostess in question can be seen turning her face away from the camera as she repeats “Bye, bye” in an effort to seemingly shush the family.

The woman filming then pans the camera to show the plane void of passenger as she warns: “This is going all over the internet, all over. Believe you, me.”

After disembarking, the camerawoman can be seen comforting Siobhan who is in tears, reassuring her: “Bs. Don’t be crying, come on. As everyone else said on the plane, it’s nothing to do with you.

“Don’t be crying. Easy f***ing jet.”

Further footage shows the slew of passengers waiting in the airport as they await the next flight to Ibiza.

Siobhan later explained that the passengers – many of whom were part of her brother’s wedding party – were asked to leave the plane alongside her after chanting to instead evacuate the stewardess.

Siobhan claims that the traumatised family were escorted off by airport police, with approximately 180 passengers left in the lurch for several hours at Belfast International Airport.

She then went on to allege that as a result of the ongoing issues, staff had worked over the legal number of hours and passengers to Ibiza would therefore have to wait overnight to board a flight the next morning.

The family claim that they managed to find another flight which would get them to the wedding on time ,but had to fork out an eye-watering £1,500 – including a bus to Dublin Airport where they caught the new flight.

Siobhan took to social media to share the shocking footage last month alongside full context, writing: “I will never fly with easyJet again I understand why people call them sleezy jet.

“We were flying to Ibiza for my brother’s wedding, me, my husband and Florence got on the plane and we were at the first seats as we paid for extra leg room as I’m seven months pregnant.

“This particular flight attendant had such a grumpy look on her face. James sat down with Florence and I asked her was there any more space in the overhead lockers, her reply was a sharp ‘ Clearly Not’.

“So, I asked could you help me find somewhere, her reply was ‘You’ll need to find somewhere yourself’ even though there literally was nowhere.

“So, I said ‘Can you please help me I’m heavily pregnant and my husband has our daughter’. Her response was ‘You’re being abusive and its not my job to help you’.

“Then another air hostess – an older lady – approached me to say ‘Look this isn’t our job to help’ so I said any other airline I’ve flown with have been more than helpful with me as I’m pregnant etc.

“So of course, then she said I was abusive. Writing this I understand it would make you think well was I being abusive, but I honestly wasn’t and the whole plane can vouch for me.

“I found somewhere for the bag, put it up myself, sat down and the next minute two of the crew came over saying I was being aggressive – bearing in mind I’m heavily pregnant, I’m not going to stand and be aggressive.

“I decided to ignore her and she started raising her voice saying ‘Look at me!’. First of all, I’m not a child to be spoken to like that, and I was ignoring her as I was so upset at the way I was being treated.

“Then her and another approached us to say we were being thrown off the plane – we asked why as we literally hadn’t done anything, once again she said we we’re being aggressive.

“My brother and mum spoke to her asking exactly why we were being put off and again they couldn’t answer the question as they were in the wrong.

“After roughly one hour the whole plane was asked to get off, every passenger on there was chanting to get this air hostess off who in fact said she was the manager.

“Everyone went back inside and three police cars arrived, it was like something I’ve never experienced before.

“We all went down the stairs to find roughly eight police officers and two people from Swissport who said we are not getting back on the plane – this was easyJet’s decision, not the police.

“So that whole day we were in Belfast Airport from 1pm to 9pm with our child – my legs were so swollen and sore with being on them all this time, I was crying uncontrollably.

“I’m so traumatised to the point I don’t know how I’ll ever fly again.

“Every person on that plane is putting complaints in – some actually stood up on the plane to say to the pilot it was that air hostess who was being aggressive towards me, not me at all.

“So, I have a full plane of witnesses who are willing to tell how unfairly we were treated.

“A lot of the passengers have videos to prove this and took pictures of this particular air hostess to have proof of her disgusting behaviour.”

The post received over 780 likes, and hundreds of comments from users left disgusted by Siobhan’s alleged treatment.

Carol Kidd wrote: “Absolutely disgusting. No one deserves to be treated like this. Siobhan, take it further as that was uncalled for.”

Naomi Morrison said: “What the actual f**k did I just read? Oh my God, I’m stunned. Babe are you okay? How awful at any time but heavily pregnant with wee Florence too…she needs sacked.

“They acted disgracefully.”

Leanne Finlay commented: “What the f**k. My blood’s boiling for you. This is absolutely disgusting actually, I couldn’t believe [it] reading that. Shame on them.”

Debbie Oo added: “This is an absolute disgrace love, and you should most definitely take this further.

“No human should have been treated the way you [have] been treated. Disgraceful especially from such a large European airline company, clearly no customer service skills needed for this airline.”

A spokesperson for easyJet today said: “We can confirm that flight EZY3003 from Belfast to Ibiza on 19 August was attended by police before departure due to a group of passengers behaving disruptively at check in and then onboard.

“EasyJet’s cabin crew and ground agents are trained to assess and evaluate all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time.

“Whilst such incidents are rare we take them very seriously and do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour towards our crew or other passengers.

“The safety and wellbeing of our passengers, crew and ground agents is always easyJet’s priority.”

The post Pregnant woman left “traumatised” after claiming easyJet air hostess accused her and family of being “abusive” – resulting in entire plane being evacuated appeared first on Deadline News.