Connect with us

Published

on

Tommy Charlton said his siblings Jack and Bobby “died as my brothers – not as famous footballers”, as he remembers the legacy they left behind.

Speaking to Sky News, Charlton shared memories of his brothers and his sadness since their deaths – as well as how he missed the 1966 World Cup final because he couldn’t afford the fare to Wembley.

Sir Bobby Charlton died last month at the age of 86 and is remembered as one of the heroes of England’s World Cup-winning 1996 squad.

His brother, and fellow World Cup winner, Jack died in 2020 aged 85, after a long career both on and off the football pitch.

“They were real big brothers,” Tommy said of Sir Bobby and Jack, telling Sky News he “hated it” when they left home to go and play football.

Jack, Tommy and Bobby Charlton
Image:
Jack, Tommy and Bobby Charlton

I didn’t know what was happening,” he said.

“I didn’t know why he had to go away. I didn’t know why Jack had to go.

“My uncles, Jack, George, Jim and Stan all went away to play football, so I’ve experienced the fact that we had relatives who didn’t live at home. They had to travel all over the place playing football, and I was quite used to that.

“But when Bob left, I didn’t really understand it because it was my brother leaving, and it was like: ‘where’s he going?'”.

Tommy added: “They were my brothers, and I was proud of them. I always have been sincerely proud of my two brothers.”

The Charlton brothers with their mother - Jack, Tommy, Gordon and Bobby
Image:
The Charlton brothers with their mother – Jack, Tommy, Gordon and Bobby

England's Jack Charlton and Bobby Charlton
Image:
England’s Jack Charlton and Sir Bobby Charlton

‘Heart-warming’ to hear from people

In the weeks since Sir Bobby’s death and the years since Jack died, Tommy said it has been heart-warming to hear people talk so fondly about his brothers, and expects people to line the route for Sir Bobby’s funeral this month.

“It’s been very heart-warming to have so many people telling me that they were really proud of Bob.

“I’ve never thought of Bob and Jack as anything but my brothers – they died as my brothers, not as famous footballers.

“And that is difficult for me. It’s difficult to separate the two. And it’s heart-warming to see that the number of people, thousands of people, telling me that they respected Bob and they respected Jack.”

Tommy said he expects people to line the procession route for Bobby’s funeral “and they’re going to clap”.

“Wonderful. That’s my brother they’re clapping.”

Sir Bobby Charlton and his mother. Pic: Daily Mail/Shutterstock
Image:
Sir Bobby and his mother. Pic: Daily Mail/Shutterstock

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

‘End of an era’: Fans pay tribute to Sir Bobby

‘He remembered the life’

The trio were brought up in Ashington, Northumberland, where Tommy explained despite their “hard” upbringing, Bobby never spoke ill of his home town.

He always spoke in a proud way he always remembers those mates from Ashington, and he remembered the life.

“It was a hard life. We had a hard upbringing. My dad worked at the pit, he didn’t make a lot of money… Bob remembered that with pride.

“He didn’t speak in a derogatory manner about Ashington ever.”

Bobby Charlton in Ashington after the Munich Air Crash. Pic: Daily Mail/Shutterstock
Image:
Sir Bobby in Ashington after the Munich Air Crash. Pic: Daily Mail/Shutterstock

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

‘A champion on and off the pitch’

‘We both started crying’

Tommy recalled the last time he spoke to Sir Bobby on the phone before he died.

“It got to be that we only conversed on the telephone because I’ve stopped driving, and we used to meet at football matches… but Bob didn’t end up doing that,” he told Sky News.

“Bob never got very far.

“And I remember the last time I spoke to him. We were on the telephone, and he broke down and started crying while I was crying.

“His wife, after that, Norma, said, ‘it’s probably best not to put Bob on the phone’, so she kept us updated on how he was, and, well, she was a saint.”

Read more:
‘Never a more popular footballer’: Sir Bobby Charlton obituary
Sir Bobby Charlton was ‘forever a gentleman of English football’

Jubilant England players parade the World Cup around Wembley after their 4-2 win: (l-r) Gordon Banks, Alan Ball, Martin Peters, Bobby Moore, George Cohen, Ray Wilson, Bobby Charlton, Jack Charlton.
Image:
England players including Sir Bobby and Jack Charlton, right, parading Wembley after winning the World Cup

Bobby Charlton, who is to play centre-forward in the Manchester United team meeting Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup Final at Wembley.
Image:
Sir Bobby in his Manchester United days

‘It was just my brothers playing a game’

Despite both his brothers playing in the 1966 World Cup final, Tommy revealed to Sky News he never actually made it to Wembley to watch them.

Before the final, Bob managed to get me a ticket to the final,” he said.

“And I lived in Ashington and Ashington is a long way from London. I’d never been to London. I’d very rarely been out of Ashington, if the truth was known.

“I didn’t have any money to get there. Nobody in the family had that sort of money, and I didn’t want to ask brother Jack to help me, because they had far too much on the plate at the time.

“And that was just not the thing that I was willing to do, so I watched the match at home on the TV, and, well, it was actually with my girlfriend at the time – it was at their house

“But I regret that now. I regret that I should have, actually got a bank loan or something to get there.

“But to me, it was just my brothers playing a game… it was playing for England again, you know?

“I don’t know what he probably makes of that.”

Continue Reading

UK

It’s become almost impossible to book a driving test, instructors say

Published

on

By

It's become almost impossible to book a driving test, instructors say

It has become almost impossible to book a driving test on the government website due to bots on the booking system, driving instructors have told Sky News.

The only official way to book a practical car driving test is through the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) website.

New test slots are released by the DVSA at 6am every Monday, but “no matter how fast I am, there’s nothing available”, said Aman Sanghera, a driving instructor based in west London.

Driving instructor Aman Sanghera wants 'stronger oversight and regulation' from the DVSA
Image:
Driving instructor Aman Sanghera wants ‘stronger oversight and regulation’ from the DVSA

When asked about the cause, she said: “All of the tests are taken by bots, they are definitely taking over the booking system.”

In this context, bots are automated software designed to mimic human behaviour and programmed to carry out actions like searching for and reserving driving test appointments on the official government website much faster than humans can.

Individuals and companies use bots to block-book driving test slots and then resell them at a profit, which is not illegal, although it is a violation of the DVSA’s terms of use.

Recent data shows the DVSA has closed over 800 business accounts for misuse of its booking service in the past two years.

On average, it takes five months to get a driving test in England – unless you’re willing to pay a middleman hundreds on top of the £62 standard fee.
Image:
It takes five months on average for a test in England – unless you pay a middleman

Ms Sanghera, who has been in the trade for over a decade, said the usage of bots started a few months ago “but is now getting out of hand”.

She said: “I’ve actually heard about driving instructors being approached by certain individuals to then take on their IDs to log in and to run this scam.

“I struggle to actually book a test for my students, which means that by the time my students are logging in, they’ve got no chance.”

Driving instructors can book driving tests on behalf of their pupils using a dedicated service, allowing them to bypass the general queue and potentially secure test slots more efficiently.

As a result, Ms Sanghera said students are “forced to go to third-party sites” to secure “the same test dates which are then available later on during the day at a premium rate of like £200-£300”.

She added: “Given that the DVSA is a government-regulated body, one would expect a more robust and fair system to ensure affordability and accessibility for all candidates.”

The long waiting lists and high demand for tests has led some to take advantage.
Image:
The long waiting lists and high demand for tests has led some to take advantage

The standard test fee is £62, offered by the DVSA, which is responsible for carrying out driving tests in Great Britain.

The biggest concern for the driving instructors Sky News has spoken to, including Ms Sanghera, is “the fact that students are being exploited”.

When Ahmed Ali struggled to find a practical test on the DVSA website, he turned to third-party sites – a decision he now regrets.

Ahmed Ali started looking for a test 2 years ago.
Image:
Ahmed Ali started looking for a test two years ago

He said: “I’ve spent about £650 on driving tests, and I’ve sat zero tests. I’ve given all this money to third-parties that look for cancellations so they could try to get you a faster test.”

But the 20-year-old said that despite making the payments, he “didn’t hear back from them again”, which is illegal.

“When you lose all that money, you get to a point where you can’t really afford to find another driving test,” he said.

“I just feel very frustrated because I’ve spent all this money, all this time into driving, and I haven’t sat a single driving test.”

Read more from Sky News:
Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

Last UK blast furnaces days from closure
Ship owner files legal claim after North Sea crash

The DVSA urged applicants to only book tests via the official Gov.uk website and told Sky News it “deploys enhanced bot protection to help stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly”.

“These applications, however, are constantly evolving and changing, and DVSA’s work on this is ongoing,” it said.

From Tuesday, the DVSA will require learner drivers to provide 10 full working days’ notice to change or cancel their car driving test without losing the test fee, up from the current three days.

Also part of the DVSA’s crackdown to reduce waiting times is a consultation expected to launch in spring 2025 “to streamline the driving test booking process” and “tighten terms and conditions”.

Continue Reading

UK

Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

Published

on

By

Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.

The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.

The charges relate to four women.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.

Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.

He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.

The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.

Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.

Read more from Sky News:
Mum spared prison after son’s death
Last UK blast furnaces days from closure
Ship owner files legal claim after North Sea crash

The comedian has previously denied the accusations, and said all his sexual relationships were “absolutely always consensual”.

Met Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.

“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”

Continue Reading

UK

Last UK blast furnaces days from closure as Chinese owners cut off crucial supplies

Published

on

By

Last UK blast furnaces days from closure as Chinese owners cut off crucial supplies

​​​​​​​The last blast furnaces left operating in Britain could see their fate sealed within days, after their Chinese owners took the decision to cut off the crucial supply of ingredients keeping them running. 

Jingye, the owner of British Steel in Scunthorpe, has, according to union representatives, cancelled future orders for the iron ore, coal and other raw materials needed to keep the furnaces running.

The upshot is that they may have to close next month – even sooner than the earliest date suggested for its closure.

Read more: Thousands of jobs at risk as British Steel consults unions over closure

The fate of the blast furnaces – the last two domestic sources of virgin steel, made from iron ore rather than recycled – is likely to be determined in a matter of days, with the Department for Business and Trade now actively pondering nationalisation.

The upshot is that even as Britain contends with a trade war across the Atlantic, it is now working against the clock to secure the future of steelmaking at Scunthorpe.

British Steel proceesing

The talks between the government and Jingye broke down last week after the Chinese company, which bought British Steel out of receivership in 2020, rejected a £500m offer of public money to replace the existing furnaces with electric arc furnaces.

More on China

The sum is the same one it offered to Tata Steel, which has shut down the other remaining UK blast furnaces in Port Talbot and is planning to build electric furnaces – which have far lower carbon emissions.

These steel workers could soon be out of work
Image:
These steel workers could soon be out of work

However, the owners argue that the amount is too little to justify extra investment at Scunthorpe, and said last week they were now consulting on the date of shutting both the blast furnaces and the attached steelworks.

Since British Steel is the main provider of steel rails to Network Rail – as well as other construction steels available from only a few sites in the world – the closure would leave the UK more reliant on imports for critical infrastructure sites.

British Steel in action

However, since the site belongs to its Chinese owners, a decision to nationalise the site would involve radical steps government officials are wary of taking.

They also fear leaving taxpayers exposed to a potentially loss-making business for the long run.

British Steel

The dilemma has been heightened by the sharp turn in geopolitical sentiment following Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

The incipient trade war and threatened cut in American support to Europe have sparked fresh calls for countries to act urgently to secure their own supplies of critical materials, especially those used for defence and infrastructure.

Read more:
Car manufacturers fined £461m for collusion
There were no winners from Trump’s tariff gameshow

Gareth Stace, head of UK Steel, the industry lobby group, said: “Talks seem to have broken down between government and British Steel.

“My advice to government is: please, Jonathan Reynolds, Business Secretary, get back round that negotiating table, thrash out a deal, and if a deal can’t be found in the next few days, then I fear for the very future of the sector, but also here for Scunthorpe steelworks.”

British Steel declined to comment.

Continue Reading

Trending