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The death of a 10-year-old girl caught in a mudslide while on a school trip has been ruled an accident by an inquest jury.

Leah Harrison, a Year 6 pupil at Mount Pleasant Primary School in Darlington, died in May last year during a residential trip to Carlton Adventure in Carlton-in-Cleveland, on the edge of the North York Moors National Park.

In a written statement, Leah's mother Michelle Harrison said her daughter was a "happy-go-lucky person with a gorgeous, infectious smile".

The jury at Teesside Coroners Court concluded Leah's death was accidental and she was "swept off her feet" by the mudslide which left her unable to breathe.

Ms Harrison said although Leah had recently been poorly with tonsillitis she was looking forward to the trip to the adventure centre.

She said she was "proud as punch" to be on the trip.

Activities co-ordinator Paul Godwin told the inquest the mudslide which killed Leah "could not have been predicted and could not have been avoided".

He said the risk was "totally unforeseen" and would not have been included in a risk assessment because there was "no prior indication" of such an event.

Mr Godwin had been supervising another activity at the centre when he was informed of what had happened.

In a statement read to the inquest jury, Home Office pathologist Dr Jennifer Bolton said Leah died from "traumatic asphyxia", but had "no natural disease".

A two-month investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) concluded last December that no-one was at fault.

Headteacher Joanne Blackham, who was on the activity trip, said Leah had "really impressed her in the activities" and "pushed herself out of her comfort zone".

When reading a statement she had previously made to the police, she became emotional as she described the mud slide being like a "lava flow".

With mud up to her chest, Ms Blackham tried to pull Leah out by her legs but "there was no movement".

The mudslide at the Hartlepool Borough Council-owned site happened while a Met Office yellow weather warning for heavy rain was in place.

Ms Blackham said she had had no concerns previously about the weather conditions, describing it as "just a rainy day".

"It literally just came out of nowhere, you could hear the roaring and rushing of water and muck.

"It just swept her away, it just took her."

After the inquest, Nick Blackburn, chief executive of Lingfield Education Trust, which runs the school, said: "Almost a year has passed since this heartbreaking tragedy, and our primary thoughts today remain with the family and loved ones of Leah, who are having to cope with an unimaginable loss.

"We continue to be there for them and to remember Leah as a special part of our school community."

Donnelly said a brick was thrown through a window of the leisure centre in Larne where a yoga class was being held and members had to flee for safety.

"Thankfully, nobody was hurt but as you can imagine there was glass everywhere and the women had to get up and leave," he said.

Donnelly said it quickly became violent and the windows of the leisure centre were "systematically being put in".

He added that paint was thrown over fire doors and described it as a "sustained attack" on the building.

"They were already throwing bricks at the police as well," he said.

He said staff had to flee through the back door for their own safety.

Donnelly told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme that people and children became "fearful" and staff helped customers "to leave via the side doors and get to their cars safely".

"It became more and more sinister, and it became more and more obvious that there was a malicious intent. You don't come to a peaceful protest with a mask and bricks."

Olympic swimmer trained at centre

Olympic swimmer Danielle Hill, who trained at the leisure centre, described the attack as not just violence, but that "it was racism in its rawest and most dangerous form".

In a Facebook post, she said Wednesday night's events "are already being felt".

"No child should ever have had to witness the sight of individuals in Balaclavas.

"A local community torn apart. Families left frightened. Workers, left without incomes. The harm is not abstract – it is here, it is local, and it is devastating," she said.

Analysis: Bad timing for crisis-hit PSNI

by Julian O'Neill, BBC News NI crime and justice correspondent

The disorder comes at a time of crisis for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Its chief constable, Jon Boutcher, has issued repeated warnings about it being "critically underfunded", leaving it with the lowest number of officers in its history.

It currently has 6,200 officers – compared to more than 9,000 when it was established in 2001, and various official reports have recommended it should have at least 7,500 officers.

There have been many political commitments to achieving this, but it has not been acted upon given the constant pressures on public spending.

To make matters worse, around 1,500 officers are either on sickness absence or restricted duties away from frontline policing.

You can read more analysis here.

'Dramatic footage' of disorder

DUP councillor Andrew Clark said he first saw "dramatic" footage of the disorder on social media.

"It seemed that youths had broken in and the foyer of it was quite heavily on fire, quite a lot of smoke," he told BBC News NI.

"After a period of time the police arrived, security arrived and then fire engines arrived and were able to bring it under control fairly quickly and then remained on the scene."

Clark estimated that there were fewer than a dozen hooded youths involved in the arson and several hundred people observing.

"The mood was one of shock of the stupidity, burning your own leisure centre down, anger at the wickedness of it, attacking a building used by everyone," he said.

"I would say also there's some people dismayed because there's very legitimate conversations to be had around the issues of housing and immigration and that's totally been taken off the agenda through this wickedness."

"It is very concerning, the message is very clear, it has to stop, you are doing no good whatsoever," he added.

What else happened on Wednesday night?

The PSNI said more officers were injured and six further arrests were made during the third consecutive night of disorder.

Ballymena

Officers were attacked with petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bricks, fireworks and a hatchet.

Nine officers were injured but remained on duty.

Two men aged in their 20s and one in their 30s, along with two teenagers were arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour and other offences.

A number of baton rounds were discharged and water cannon was deployed.

One man, aged 18, and two teenage boys, aged 15 and 17, have been charged with riot after Tuesday's disorder. The 15-year-old has also been charged with criminal damage.

They are expected to appear before Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Two other teenage boys who were arrested during the disorder have been released on bail.

Newtownabbey

A teenager was arrested in connection with disorder in the Station Road area.

Coleraine

A bus was attacked and was prevented from entering the station.

Bins were set alight on the train tracks at the station and petrol bombs were thrown at officers, resulting in train and bus services being cancelled.

The police are investigating a fire at nearby business premises and a subsequent report that a number of young people broke into a tyre business and added tyres to fire.

Carrickfergus, Antrim, Lisburn and Belfast

Masked protesters blocked roads on the Marine Highway area in Carrickfergus.

Protests passed without incident in the Antrim and Lisburn areas.

A number of protests also took place across Belfast, and police described them as "mainly peaceful".

Criticism of Stormont minister

Donnelly was among a number of elected representatives criticising a Stormont minister over a social media post about the location of migrant families who left their homes hours before the centre was attacked.

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said that people caught up in clashes in Ballymena were being temporarily moved to Larne Leisure Centre.

Sinn Féin Finance Minister John O'Dowd claimed Lyons "failed to show leadership".

Donnelly said: "I thought it was incredibly reckless and dangerous to highlight the location of where these people were being kept and brought to a place of safety."

"If I was the minister, I would certainly be considering my position," he added.

Lyons has defended his comments saying the information was in the public domain, and had been confirmed by the local council.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said Lyons has been "fundamentally misrepresented" and said it is "a disgrace and a distraction at a time whenever what we need is collective political leadership".

Meanwhile in County Armagh, a housing association has warned its residents to leave their homes and take measures to protect their properties ahead of a planned protest.

The first election to choose a mayor for Greater Lincolnshire is just weeks away, but some people say they are still unsure what the role is all about.

On 1 May voters from North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire council areas along with those covered by Lincolnshire County Council, will pick from six candidates to be the mayor of the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA).

The mayor will be handed powers to take over local transport services, build new infrastructure such as roads or business parks and is expected to drive what is being called the skills agenda, in other words making sure that there are enough opportunities to train the next generation of care workers, plumbers or engineers.

But do voters know what their mayor will do for them?

Metropolitan areas such as London and Manchester have had mayors for some years, but it seems that Lincolnshire people are still getting used to the idea.

In fact, many are yet to turn their minds to the local elections in general, as BBC Lincolnshire has been finding out in Lincoln's Steep Hill.

'I don't know what the mayor will do'

Nicola Lockwood, aged 59, owns and runs Bells Tea Shop. She says "there isn't that much information between everyone".

"We've got the county council, city council, the mayor, an MP and I'm not clear what the mayor's responsibilities are," she said.

When asked what she wants from the new mayor she says "support for small, independent businesses because we're struggling".

"But I don't know if they will have the powers to do that."

'Haven't really looked at it yet'

Blake Francis, aged 27, works in marketing but says that "apart from the polling card coming through" he has not yet really thought much about the local elections.

"I'll look into it in a couple of weeks," he said.

"The main issues for me would be how public money is being spent and environmental issues."

'Social care needs funding'

Teaching assistant Christine Bingley said she thought the mayor "was someone with a big chain around their neck opening fetes" and did not realise it held so much power.

"It shows my lack of knowledge!" she joked.

She says economic growth and jobs is really important to her, alongside health and care provision.

"Recently my mum has had to go into respite care and it costs so much money and there aren't enough staff to look after the people," she said.

'People leaving it longer between appointments'

Lewis Gollin, aged 25, runs Sculpt Studios barbers on Steep Hill.

He says he "will read up on it all" nearer polling day and will be looking for policies that will make people feel better off.

"We haven't lost clients but they are leaving it longer between appointments to keep costs down as people are worried and are trying to save a bit more," he said.

'Immigration needs looking at'

Kitchen assistant Sam Mather, aged 40, says he "doesn't know a great deal" about the mayor, believing "ignorance is sometimes bliss".

"Immigration is a big issue as I don't think we look after British people enough, not that anyone else is less important, but we seem to take in from all parts of the world and we're not stable enough ourselves."

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Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds latest episode of Look North here.

A TV comedy set in Small Heath, Birmingham, was made to make the people of the West Midlands proud, its creator has said.

In Man Like Mobeen, Coventry comedian Guz Khan plays the starring role of a former drug dealer trying to live a good life as a Muslim, while raising his younger sister.

He said he wanted to portray the experiences of second-generation immigrants and hinted the fifth and final series would provide "closure" for fans.

The show, which also has scenes filmed in Khan's home city, returns to BBC Three on Thursday.

Khan said all actors in the Bafta-nominated comedy were from "very working class backgrounds".

"Instead of trying to manufacture what that's like and what it feels like to be from those communities, we knew it straight away," he added.

He said he felt happy the team had been able to show there was room for different types of comedy, with more realistic, grounded characters viewers might have met at school, on the bus, or in a factory.

"The aim was always to make a show that the people of the West Midlands, Birmingham, Small Heath, and the surrounding areas would be proud of," he said.

Khan said the programme had enabled him to "highlight issues that have affected us growing up".

He also said he realised, after filming the first series, that it was the first time he had done "serious acting".

He described the experience as "emotional and a little bit serious and a little bit dramatic".

The latest series came about because everywhere he went people asked him when there would be more episodes, he said, adding: "We had to make some closure for the fans."

Now he plans to spend more time at home with his wife and five children, to "stay at home and just be a dad".

"Five kids is a lot of kids. I love them. We have a laugh, but it's a lot of work," he said.

Parking wardens who went on strike for a total of six weeks will get a pay rise as part of a three-year settlement.

Unite said nearly 40 wardens who work in Reading took the strike action as part of efforts to negotiate the "significant pay increase".

Reading Borough Council's parking enforcement is outsourced to Canada-based company Modaxo but work is carried out by its UK-based business Trellint.

The trade union said the council had been "losing hundreds of thousands of pounds in lost parking revenue and fines" as a result of the strike.

It said that the wardens were being paid the minimum wage despite living in one of the most expensive areas of the country.

Unite regional officer Richard White said the workers should be "commended".

"They took six weeks of strike action to get their employer Modaxo to come back to the negotiating table with an improved offer and stood firm in their resolve," he added.

"Unite will always back our members in their disputes and this is a great pay win."

Modaxo was approached to comment.

Work to restore a 15th century thatched barn in Upminster, east London has been completed.

Tithe Barn, which dates back to about 1450 and is among the largest of its kind in England, fell into disrepair in recent years and was believed to be at risk of further decay.

Four master thatchers and two apprentices installed a new roof, using about 30 tonnes of water reed. The barn's ancient brickwork and oak frame was also repaired.

Historic England, which the led the project, said it was a "magnificent restoration" and the site was to have a variety of uses, with public access guaranteed under the grant conditions.

The £750,000 project was largely funded by National Highways as part of an agreement it would support local initiatives following its plans to build a new tunnel under the Thames connecting Essex with Kent.

Historic England said the restored building could safely be removed from a list of heritage sites it believes to be at risk of neglect, decay, or poor development.

Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: "The magnificent restoration of Upminster Tithe Barn demonstrates the powerful benefits of working together to protect our irreplaceable heritage and delivery of positive outcomes for people and communities alike."

However, further funding is needed for a heating system and toilets so that the building can be widely used by the public, Historic England says.

The building has used in recent years as a museum displaying local historic artefacts, but it has not been confirmed precisely how it will be used in the future.

According to Historic England, Tithe Barn was built during the reign of King Henry VI, at a time when England was in the midst of an economic crisis known as the Great Slump, which partly led to the subsequent civil war between the Houses of Lancaster and York.

Built with oak felled between 1420 and 1440, it originally formed part of the Waltham Abbey estate in Epping, at a time when the area was open countryside.

It is one of the earliest surviving buildings in the London Borough of Havering and is now a "scheduled monument", meaning it has a high level of protection and is considered a nationally significant site.

At 44m (144.4ft) long, Tithe Barn is one of the largest thatched barns in England.

It is now owned by Havering Council.

People, including members of South Central Ambulance, have left floral tributes to those affected by the incident at nearby Bicester Fire Station.

Jamie Jessett, from the town, said he went to school with one of the firefighters who died, but declined to name them to the BBC.

He said the fire was "devastating", but also that it was "amazing" to see the community come together to pay their respects.

"That's what we need, especially at this moment in time," he added.

Calum Miller, MP for Bicester and Woodstock, travelled from London to the site, where he told the BBC: "I understand from the fire service that firstly they are making sure everything is secure, and then of course in the fullness of time there will be an investigation."

He added he was "devastated" and said his thoughts were with the families and friends of those who had died, and with the two firefighters in hospital.

"It's a terrible thing to have happened, and I know it's a tight-knit community who are already showing their support for those families," he said.

The MP said he was "in awe of the bravery of those who put themselves in the front line whenever there is danger".

"It's an incredible commitment, it's an incredible path of service, and it's just so tragic that two members of that community have lost their lives," he said.

Leader of Oxford City Council, Councillor Susan Brown described it as a "terrible reminder for us all that firefighters, as well as the other members of the emergency services, put themselves at risk on a daily basis, to protect us all. We owe them a deep debt of gratitude".

Oxford City Council has lowered the city flag, flying over Oxford Town Hall, to half-mast in tribute.

St Laurence's Church in Banbury Road, Caversfield, close to the site, said it had opened its doors "for anyone looking for a space for private prayer or for stillness and reflection" following the "tragic news".

A book of condolence has also been opened at the church, as well as at Garth House – Bicester Town Council's headquarters.

When it comes to keeping it in the family, the Rackleys have got it well and truly sussed, with a watertight business.

In 1985, brothers Beverly, Jerry and Nigel Rackley bought the Starcross to Exmouth ferry.

Back then, Margaret Thatcher was prime minister, Queen and David Bowie rocked Wembley Stadium for LiveAid, and 13 million people tuned in to watch the first episode of Eastenders on BBC One.

The popular soap is still going strong and if Cody Rackley, Beverly's grandson, has anything to do with it – the family business will be ferrying passengers for the next for 40 years, with the 26-year-old now at the helm.

'Best office in world'

Mr Rackley said: "It's nice to keep it in the family."

He crews the vessel that crosses the estuary up to 14 times a day, with dad Jonathan in the wheelhouse, keeping a careful eye out as he picks his way through pleasure cruisers, moored yachts and rubber dinghies.

The Orcombe is a 90-seater boat painted in blue and white and could best be described as no-frills. There is no cafe, no shop and no bar.

"No that's it – you've just got to take in the breathtaking views and wildlife in the estuary, and it's lovely," said Mr Rackley.

"It's the best office in the world."

Bad weather does sometimes mean the 20-minute journey has to be cancelled, possibly one of the reasons Cody doesn't think there are many commuters.

Mr Rackley said: "To drive from Starcross to Exmouth can take between 45 minutes to over an hour sometimes, as the traffic can be an absolute nightmare so this is an nice way to get people across the estuary."

There are regulars such as Andrea Spain from Teignmouth.

She takes the ferry at least once a month and one of the reasons is for a well-known supermarket near Exmouth Railway Station.

"It's the best food hall in the area so makes for a great day out," she said.

The ferry is a cash only service costing £6 for an adult single and £4 for a child.

"I was surprised at just how cheap it is," said Natalie Gray from Exmouth, who was taking the ferry for the first time.

"I didn't even know it existed and I've lived in Exmouth for five years, but it's lovely."

She was travelling with dog Roo – it costs £1 to take a dog on the ferry.

Mr Rackley said: "We've had trips where we've had so many dogs that we couldn't take people, so it just makes up for it when there's lots of dogs on board."

A man who threatened two people with an axe in a Wetherspoons pub has told a court he was "deeply sorry" for his actions.

Jason Semple pleaded guilty at Exeter Magistrates' Court to two charges of threatening a person with a bladed article during an incident in the beer garden at the White Hart Hotel in Okehampton at about 18:00 BST on Sunday.

The court heard the 54-year-old walked through the pub with the weapon to confront a man he had a grievance with.

Mr Semple, of Tavistock Road, Okehampton, has been remanded in custody ahead of a sentencing hearing due to take place at Exeter Crown Court in May.

'Wholly unreasonable'

The court heard Mr Semple had been drinking during the day and threatened two people during the incident which lasted about a minute.

He had no recollection of what happened and could not remember where he had got the axe from, the court was told.

Defence solicitor Jeremy Harris said it was a regrettable incident in which Mr Semple acted in a "wholly unreasonable manner".

Mr Harris added that Mr Semple was "deeply sorry for his actions".

A museum dedicated to pottery is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its official opening.

Gladstone Pottery Museum in the town of Longton in Stoke-on-Trent attracts thousands of visitors every year, and it is where Channel 4's popular Great Pottery Throw Down is filmed.

A pottery factory first opened on the site in 1787, but the bottle kilns were fired for the last time in 1960, and the site was put up for sale.

The Grade II* listed building was eventually opened as a museum on 24 April 1975 by Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester. The city council took ownership in 1989.

Gladstone's golden anniversary was marked with a special event on Thursday.

The Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Lyn Sharpe, and Kelvin the Kiln, the city's centenary mascot, met the staff and volunteers who give the many visitors a warm welcome.

Sharpe said: "We built this city on the hugely successful and traditional ceramics industry. It's what gained us city status in the first place, so I'm incredibly proud to be able to celebrate 50 years of honouring that heritage at Gladstone.

"The fabulous staff and volunteers really bring the story of the city I love to life.

"They've done an amazing job over the last 50 years of showcasing the skills and creativity that mean our local industry is known throughout the world."

One volunteer, Paul Niblett, has worked tirelessly at Gladstone since 1971 – even meeting his wife, Kathy, in a bottle kiln at the museum.

Mr Niblett said: "When we're open, I like the opportunity of saying hello to our visitors, particularly to express thanks for coming.

"I recently chatted to folks from Crewe, Huddersfield and Preston. A couple of weeks ago, my chats included people from Australia and America.

"There is no doubt that the museum is a magnet for people wanting to learn more about our internationally renowned ceramics industry, whether they be schoolchildren, college students, heritage enthusiasts or addicts of well-known TV programmes. Everyone is welcome."

And he added: "Sadly, I've lost a number of stalwart comrades over the years, but I always remember them, especially when we're greasing a throwing wheel, emptying a slip ark or splicing a drive rope.

"They have all contributed to the extraordinary success of Gladstone Pottery Museum."