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Starmer orders England’s councils to tackle ‘pothole plague’

  • £1.6 billion investment to tackle scourge of potholes to be delivered to councils from next month as PM tells councils to put cash to use
  • for the first time every council in England must publish how many potholes they’ve filled or lose road cash
  • local authorities that comply will receive their full share of the £500 million roads pot – enough to fill the equivalent of 7 million potholes a year, as part of the government’s Plan for Change
    • UK government also announces £4.8 billion for 25/26 for motorways and major A-roads including economy boosting road schemes on the A47 and M3

The public will now see exactly what’s being done to tackle potholes, as the government demands councils prove their progress or face losing cash. 

From mid-April, local authorities in England will start to receive their share of the government’s record £1.6bn highway maintenance funding, including an extra £500m – enough to fill 7 million potholes a year. 

But to get the full amount, all councils in England must from today (24 March 2025) publish annual progress reports and prove public confidence in their work. Local authorities who fail to meet these strict conditions will see 25% of the uplift (£125m in total) withheld.

Also today, the Transport Secretary has unveiled £4.8bn funding for 2025/6 for National Highways to deliver critical road schemes and maintain motorways and major A-roads.

This cash will mean getting on with pivotal schemes in construction, such as the A428 Black Cat scheme in Cambridgeshire, and starting vital improvements to the A47 around Norwich and M3 J9 scheme in Hampshire, building thousands of new homes, creating high-paid jobs, connecting ports and airports, to grow the economy and deliver the Plan for Change.  

It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of 6 potholes per mile in England and Wales, and pothole damage to cars costs an average £600 to fix. According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96% of drivers. 

This government is delivering its Plan for Change to rebuild Britain and deliver national renewal through investment in our vital infrastructure which will drive growth and put more money in working people’s pockets by saving them costs on repairs.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “The broken roads we inherited are not only risking lives but also cost working families, drivers and businesses hundreds – if not thousands of pounds – in avoidable vehicle repairs.

“Fixing the basic infrastructure this country relies on is central to delivering national renewal, improving living standards and securing Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.

“Not only are we investing an additional £4.8 billion to deliver vital road schemes and maintain major roads across the country to get Britain moving, next month we start handing councils a record £1.6 billion to repair roads and fill millions of potholes across the country.

“British people are bored of seeing their politicians aimlessly pointing at potholes with no real plan to fix them. That ends with us. We’ve done our part by handing councils the cash and certainty they need – now it’s up to them to get on with the job, put that money to use and prove they’re delivering for their communities.”

The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “After years of neglect we’re tackling the pothole plague, building vital roads and ensuring every penny is delivering results for the taxpayer.

“The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing 25 per cent of their £500m funding boost. 

“Our Plan for Change is reversing a decade of decline and mending our pothole-ridden roads which damage cars and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe.”

To ensure councils are taking action, they must now publish reports on their websites by 30 June 2025, detailing how much they are spending, how many potholes they have filled, what percentage of their roads are in what condition, and how they are minimising streetworks disruption.

They will also be required to show how they are spending more on long-term preventative maintenance programmes and that they have robust plans for the wetter winters the country is experiencing – making potholes worse. 

By the end of October, councils must also show they are ensuring communities have their say on what work they should be doing, and where. The public can also help battle back against pothole ridden roads by reporting them to their local council, via a dedicated online portal. 

To further protect motorists given continued cost-of-living pressures and potential fuel price volatility amid global uncertainty, the government has frozen fuel duty at current levels for another year to support hardworking families and businesses, saving the average car driver £59.  

Edmund King, AA president and member of the Pothole Partnership, said:  “Getting councils to show value for money before getting full funding is a big step in the right direction, as it will encourage a more concerted attack on the plague of potholes.

“At the same time, local authorities can share best practice, so others can learn what new innovations and planned maintenance techniques have worked for them.” 

The £4.8bn for National Highways will protect the country’s strategic road network, which provides critical routes and connections across the country for people, businesses and freight to help drive for growth as part of Plan for Change.

The £4.8bn includes a record £1.3bn investment to keep this vital network in good repair, so the network remains fit for the future, and £1.8bn for National Highways’ daily operations that are critical to ensuring the network runs safely and smoothly for millions of people and businesses that rely on it every day. As well as £1.3bn for essential improvement schemes to unlock growth and housing.  

Since entering office, the UK government has approved over £200m for the A47 Thickthorn Junction, and £290m for M3 Junction 9 plus £90m for local road schemes like the A130 Fairglen Interchange, the South-East Aylesbury Link Road, the A350 Chippenham Bypass, the A647 scheme in Leeds. This is a total of over £580m for schemes to get Britain moving.

10 years on, is the Modern Slavery Act still fit for purpose?

Ten years after it became law, the Home Affairs Committee will examine the impact of the Modern Slavery Act in an evidence session on Tuesday 25 March.

Modern slavery encompasses a number of offences, including human trafficking, slavery, forced servitude and compulsory labour.

When it was introduced in 2015, the Modern Slavery Act was seen as world-leading in its approach to tackling these forms of exploitation. Measures contained  in the Act include longer sentences for modern slavery offences and improvements in how victims are supported.

It also required large businesses to set out their approach to dealing with modern slavery internally and in supply chains.  

In 2024, 19,125 potential victims were referred to the modern slavery National Referral Mechanism. However, despite the growing number of referrals, ten years on approaches to tackling modern slavery have moved on and there are concerns that the UK is no longer world-leading. 

In this evidence session, the Home Affairs Committee will examine the current impact of the Modern Slavery Act and the UK’s performance in dealing with modern slavery.

It will investigate how effective current mechanisms are in identifying victims of modern slavery and bringing perpetrators to justice.

It will also look at whether victim support services are adequate and ask what improvements may need to be made to restore the UK as a world leader in tackling modern slavery.

Committee Chair Dame Karen Bradley said: “Modern slavery is complex and often hidden, targeting some of the most vulnerable in society. We have seen how county lines has exploited children and young people to support the drug trade, but this is just one form and it has been seen in a broad range of legal and criminal enterprises. 

“Exactly ten years on from the passing of the Modern Slavery Act, we are holding this session to understand if the UK is doing enough, not only to uncover these crimes but support the victims as well. Are the right mechanisms and policies in place, or does more need to be done to ensure the UK is a world leader in tackling this form of crime?”

Community Wealth Building Bill published

Boosting local economies

A Bill designed to create jobs and drive economic growth across Scotland by promoting investment in communities has been published.

The Community Wealth Building Bill is the first of its kind in the world and would require councils, National Health Service boards and other public bodies to take forward measures which boost their local economies.

These can include:

  • Buying more goods and services from their local companies
  • Promoting employee-owned businesses, co-operatives and social enterprises
  • Helping community groups to acquire and regenerate derelict sites
  • Supporting fair work practices including payment of the real Living Wage

https://twitter.com/i/status/1901936702320693292

Investment Minister Tom Arthur said: “To create jobs and support thriving communities we want to ensure that more money spent in Scotland stays in Scotland.

“This unique legislation will help to increase investment in local economies so that they become fairer, greener and more prosperous.

“I visited Greencity Wholefoods to highlight how supporting practices such as paying the real Living Wage and being a worker’s co-operative benefits the economy and helps to address wealth inequalities.”

The Community Wealth Building Bill is available to view on the Scottish Parliament’s website.

Celebrities urge government to rethink devastating cuts to disabled people’s social security 

  • High-profile names including Sir Stephen Fry, Stanley Tucci, Aisling Bea, Levi Roots, Guy Garvey, Dame Arlene Phillips, Charlotte Ritchie and Jed Mercurio have spoken out against the UK government’s proposals to slash financial support for disabled people. 
  • Comedian Rosie Jones: “Disabled people are scared of what the future holds”. 
  • Actor Brian Cox: “So many people having to turn to food banks is a stain on this country”. 
  • The comments come as new polling by Trussell reveals that 7 in 10 people think social security should at least pay for disabled people’s essential living costs. 
  • The anti-poverty charity has branded the cuts as ‘cruel, irresponsible and out of touch’ with what the public want 

Celebrities including Rosie Jones, Sir Stephen Fry and Stanley Tucci have united to express their outrage at the social security cuts announced on Wednesday, saying that they risk pushing even more disabled people to food banks. 

The UK government, who were elected on manifesto pledges to end the need for emergency food parcels and to make sure Universal Credit tackles poverty, has published proposals that will make it harder for disabled people to get the payments that help them cover additional costs that they face such as purchasing specialist equipment or travel to healthcare services. 

Comedian Rosie Jones, who has cerebral palsy, spoke out about the potential impact of these cuts, saying: “Disabled people are scared of what the future holds if there’s cuts to disability payments, as they are already not enough to cover life’s essentials. Disabled people are far more likely to need to use a food bank and further cuts will only deepen the hardship they are facing.”  

Polling done this week by Trussell, an anti-poverty charity which supports a community of 1,400 food banks, indicated that 60% of Brits think the UK government is ‘doing badly’ on reducing the number of people experiencing poverty across the UK. 

Actor Brian Cox, who experienced poverty as a child, urged the Government to rethink the plans when he said: “The fact that so many people are having to turn to food banks is a stain on this country.

“This government vowed to tackle the need for emergency food parcels in the UK, yet this decision risks even more people having to seek support. It makes no sense and will have a lasting impact on the lives of so many people already finding it difficult to afford life’s essentials.” 

Trussell has already expressed concern that the cuts will have a significant impact on people who are already facing hunger and hardship with 75% of people referred to one of their food banks living in a household where someone is disabled.  

Recent research by Trussell indicated that three quarters (77%) of people getting Universal Credit and health or disability payments are already having to go without essentials. Four in 10 (43%) are already missing meals to try and keep up with other essential costs. A fifth (19%) have had to turn to a food bank in just the last month. 

Calling for a reversal of the proposals, Sir Stephen Fry said: “Cuts should be for people who can best afford them, not for disabled people, who are amongst the most vulnerable and overlooked of all our population.

“The social security system should be rooted in justice and compassion, fairness and need. It’s not too late to rethink this.” 

The celebrities are not alone in thinking that government support should be enough to ensure that no one needs a food bank to survive. Trussell’s data shows that 83% of Brits think the Government is responsible for ensuring disabled people’s essential needs are met. 

Two of Trussell’s Ambassadors reflected this, adding their voices to the call for change by saying: 

  • Television writer Jed Mercurio: “While our social security system requires regular review and reform to ensure it targets people most in need, these cuts will only increase the likelihood of people living with a disability needing to use a food bank.” 
  • Entrepreneur Levi Roots: “From my work with Trussell, I know disabled people in receipt of Universal Credit are already having to make impossible decisions between feeding their children and heating their homes. We need compassionate solutions that make food banks obsolete. Cuts to disability payments will simply keep food banks in business for longer.” 

Actor Stanley Tucci has encouraged people to speak out about the risk of the cuts, saying: “It breaks my heart to know so many people in a country as wealthy and developed as UK are experiencing hunger.

“Through my work with Trussell, I know that the reality of these cuts will be parents in disabled families having to skip meals so that they can feed their children. Things don’t have to be this way. We must shout as loud as we can to let the UK government know this plan is wrong.” 

If you want to share your thoughts on the proposed cuts, you can email your MP via the Trussell website at https://action.trussell.org.uk/disability-cuts.  

Unlimited access at Dynamic Earth

ANNOUNCEMENT! 📣

The way you can visit Dynamic Earth has changed: you can now enjoy unlimited access for 12 months from a single entry purchase!

Our tickets have changed to an Annual Pass, meaning visitors can experience unlimited access for a full year instead of just a single day.

Whether you want to visit once, twice, or every week, your Annual Pass lets you enjoy Dynamic Earth all year long. We’re excited to announce this change which supports a key part of our charitable purpose: to make science accessible for all.

What’s included in an Annual Pass:

🌍 Unlimited access for 12 months to our core exhibit and galleries.

🌍 A digital wallet pass which can be downloaded to your Apple or Google Wallet.

🌍 Access to our constantly changing Planetarium programme, featuring new presenter-led shows, and immersive films.*

🌍 Book online and save! Buy your tickets online now to receive a discount on our standard admission rates.

Don’t miss out on a year of unlimited exploration, discovery, and adventure.

Visit Dynamic Earth to save by booking online today:

https://dynamicearth.org.uk/plan…/tickets-and-pricing

*Additional fees for seasonal experiences and Planetarium shows may apply.

Nearly all adults in Scotland believe emotional abuse in childhood can have a lasting psychological effect but one in six cannot spot the signs

  • The NSPCC is releasing this data as part of its Listen up, Speak up campaign, aiming to inspire a million people to take action to keep children safe.
  • The SSC (A Club for the Youth in Scotland) is one of many businesses, community groups and organisations across Scotland who have taken part in Listen up, Speak up workshops.

New findings reveal that 96% of adults surveyed in Scotland believe that emotional abuse in childhood can have a lasting psychological effect well into adulthood. 

A YouGov survey of 4,242 UK adults, commissioned by the NSPCC – including 352 in Scotland – also gave participants a series of behaviours and asked them to correctly identify what was deemed as emotional abuse.

In Scotland, on average one in six participants (17%), failed to correctly identify examples of emotional abuse. The scenarios where adults failed to identify emotional abuse correctly included:

  • Being overly controlling of a child’s life (25%).
  • Never showing any emotions in interactions with a child (21%).
  • Pushing a child too hard or not recognising their limitations (26%).

The research also found that more than two thirds of adults (69%) of adults in Scotland surveyed had not done any training or reading to help them recognise the signs of emotional abuse.

Emotional abuse – which is any type of abuse that involves the continual emotional mistreatment of a child – can often be difficult to recognise, sometimes showing limited external signs.

Research suggests that 1 in 15 children in the UK will experience emotional abuse, highlighting just how prevalent the issue is, and it is a topic that young people contact Childline about on a regular basis.

Last year the NSPCC service delivered almost 3,000 counselling sessions to children and young people where emotional abuse was the main concern, a 5% increase compared to 2022/23.

One girl, aged 17, told Childline: “Mum’s never hit me, but it still feels abusive. She always tells me she hates me, that I’m selfish, that I’m stupid.

“When she’s angry she breaks my stuff and blames it on me. She controls my friendships too; she says no one would want to be my friend anyway. I feel so defeated and drained living with this every day.”

This new data highlights the importance of free resources, like the NSPCC’s Listen up, Speak up workshops and online tips and advice. The SSC (A Club for the Youth in Scotland) welcomed safeguarding experts to lead these free, educational workshops.

The SSC is a volunteer-run organisation that organizes summer camps and other events for children and young people in Scotland.

Listen up, Speak up provides simple tips and advice on signs a child might be at risk and steps that can be taken to help. The tips can be found online, and anyone can take part in a workshop run for free by local NSPCC teams, either in person or online.  

Through a series of everyday scenarios, participants learn some of the signs that a child might be at risk, showing that not all situations are black and white, how to approach difficult conversations, and who to contact if they are concerned about a child or their family. 

The NSPCC local campaigns team delivered 557 LUSU workshops in Scotland.

As part of their partnership with the NSPCC, The SSC, has committed to ensuring their volunteers and members across the region are familiar with Listen up, Speak up.

Cat Robertson, SSC chairwoman, said: “The Listen up, Speak up training was a great experience for the volunteer youth workers of the SSC.

“We believe that all young people should have access to safe, fun and positive experiences – not only at our summer camps and events but in every aspect of their lives.

“The workshop was accessible, interactive and highly relevant to the role of our team.”

NSPCC’s CEO, Chris Sherwood, said: “It is concerning that on average one in six adults in Scotland are unable to correctly identify emotional abuse. We know that emotional abuse can have a devastating and long-lasting impact on children’s wellbeing and development, affecting their mental health, and relationships well into adulthood.

“The NSPCC is here to support any child who has experienced any kind of abuse. We are also fully committed to creating a nation of adults who are passionate about preventing harm from happening to a child. With our Childline service delivering almost 3,000 counselling sessions about emotional abuse last year alone, we understand the scale and seriousness of this issue across the UK.

“That’s why Listen up, Speak up is so vital. In just 10 minutes, we can help adults learn to recognise both the obvious and subtle signs a child might be at risk and take action to support them. Every adult has the power to make a difference.”

To find out more about Listen up, Speak up, visit www.nspcc.org.uk/speakup 

Backlash as BBC announces River City to come to an end in 2026

EQUITY LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO SAVE SCOTTISH SOAP

Sign our petition now to reverse the cut and save jobs.

BBC Scotland will be saying a fond farewell to long-running drama series, River City and the residents of Shieldinch next year after more than 20 years on screen. The drama, which has entertained audiences since 2002, will air its final series in Autumn 2026.

Reflecting a ‘significant change in audience behaviour away from long-running series and towards shorter runs’, the BBC will make a considerable boost in major drama productions set across Scotland, moving the River City investment, starting with three new series – Counsels, Grams and The Young Team.

As well as these new titles, popular drama Granite Harbour will return for a third series, filming in Aberdeen and Glasgow in the coming months. Also making a return is Shetland for its tenth series and Vigil for a third series, while the previously announced eight-part drama, Mint, is filming in Scotland. Combined, these dramas will bring a greater range of stories written by Scots, about Scotland and made in Scotland for a UK-wide audience. 

Forming part of the single biggest investment in drama from Scotland in the past decade, these new dramas – along with existing commissions – will create new opportunities across the independent sector. Total investment in BBC drama from Scotland over the next three years is expected to rise to over £95m cumulatively (2026-28).

Counsels, Grams and The Young Team were ordered by Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Scotland and Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama. 

The BBC will also work with industry partners on a new talent training plan in Scotland. A new framework for training will build on River City’s successful training academy and the ongoing work on other series to elevate individuals in to senior creative roles as well as supporting and developing production crews. Further details will be announced in the autumn.

Sign our petition now to reverse the cut and save jobs.

Hayley Valentine, Director, BBC Scotland says: “River City has been a wonderful adventure and of course we’ll all be sad to see it go. The team have done a brilliant job and I know they have some big plans for the finale next year.

!But as viewing patterns change and competition intensifies, this is the right time to invest in the next generation of high-impact drama series from across Scotland showcasing storytelling across the UK.

“Our goal is to grow Scotland further on the global drama map – with a slate of world-class productions that set the standard not just here but internationally too.”

Louise Thornton Head of Commissioning at BBC Scotland: “We are incredibly proud of River City and it is with great sadness that we have come to this difficult decision. 

“I want to thank the River City team in front of and behind the cameras for their dedication to the show over the years, past and present.

“For more than two decades, River City has brought drama to life on screen as well as offering industry training at grassroots level, and we know that fans of the programme will be really sad to see it go.

“The show leaves a tremendous legacy behind and the new productions we’ve announced will offer further opportunities. However, the media landscape is changing at pace and, as audience viewing habits change, it’s vital we respond to this.

“Our three new dramas, alongside the returning drama favourites, reflect the increasing shift in audience demand for series rooted in Scotland which play to audiences across the UK … and beyond.

“We’re delighted to be working with such great production teams and remain steadfast in our commitment to invest in Scotland’s creative industry.”

The new Scottish drama titles are:

Counsels (Balloon Entertainment)

8×60’ – BBC iPlayer / BBC One / BBC Scotland

Counsels is an original high-stakes legal drama co-created by Scottish writers Bryan Elsley (The Crow Road, Skins) and BBC Writers’ Drama Room graduate Gillian McCormack.

Set and filmed in and around Glasgow, Counsels follows five young lawyers who once trained together at one of Scotland’s elite law schools but are now scattered across the profession and find themselves facing each other in the courts of Glasgow.

Some will rise to the top, while others risk losing everything as their careers teeter on the edge when they lock horns in their biggest cases yet.

The ambitious lawyers must navigate a legal battlefield where their friendships begin to fracture, love affairs crumble, and the fight for justice threatens to tear them all apart.

Grams (World Productions)

6×60’ – BBC iPlayer / BBC One / BBC Scotland

Grams is a darkly comic thriller created, written and directed by the RTS award-winning James Price (Dog Days, Boys Night), Grams is set in Springburn, Glasgow, where James was born and still lives.

Following the death of her beloved grandson Michael, widowed Glaswegian Thana becomes the target of a violent local gang, who Michael apparently crossed.

Thana finds salvation in the form of Connor, a volatile friend of Michael’s with serious anger issues. Grams will see Thana and Connor form an unlikely partnership, as they seek the truth of what really happened to Michael.

The Young Team (Synchronicity Films)

6×60’ – BBC iPlayer / BBC Three/ BBC Scotland

The Young Team is the scripted debut from one of Scotland’s most exciting voices in literature, Graeme Armstrong.

The series is adapted from Graeme’s best-selling and award-winning debut novel of the same name and is set and filmed in North Lanarkshire.

Fifteen-year-old Azzy Williams and his pals roam the streets of Airdrie on a Friday night, bottles of Buckfast in hand and techno playing from tinny speakers. Azzy is ready. Ready to smoke, pop pills, drink wine and fight.

He longs to become fully initiated into local gang the Young Team Posse (YTP). But when Azzy, determined to prove himself, makes a bold move, a brutal gang conflict ensues with Azzy very firmly at its heart. 

The Young Team will follow Azzy on his journey from boyhood to manhood as he and his mates become postcode warriors in a toxic cycle that threatens to consume them. An unflinching look at the realities of addiction and gang violence, this ambitious series will tell a powerful, visceral story about the realities of life for young, disenfranchised people and the fight for a different future. 

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama says: “Audience habits are changing and we are responding to that with these plans for three brilliant new dramas made in Scotland.

“BBC viewers love truly authentic stories and we are committed to creating high-impact content from across the UK, so that we can better reflect and represent every part of the country.

“The success of the long running Shetland, coupled with the return of Vigil and Granite Harbour, is a testament to the strength of talent we have in Scotland and we look forward to seeing our three new shows come to life alongside these hugely popular returners.”

The BBC says these new commissions ‘will build on the BBC’s strong track record in drama production in Scotland including award-winning series Guilt and Mayflies, and ratings hits Rebus and Nightsleeper’. 

Richard Gadd’s new series Half Man has also started shooting in Scotland while the psychological thriller The Ridge starring Lauren Lyle will hit screens later this year. Filming on the new titles is expected from later this year and into 2026, with casting to be announced in due course.

Plans are underway to ensure River City goes out on a high next year, celebrating the show’s legacy. River City is a BBC Studios Drama Production.

Sign our petition now to reverse the cut and save jobs.

Equity, the UK performing arts & entertainment trade union, is urging the BBC to think again and has launched a petition to save the Scottish soap:

The BBC has shockingly announced they plan to cancel River City, one of Scotland’s most viewed and best loved TV shows.

River City attracts half a million viewers per episode and has an iconic status in Scottish TV culture. This decision is an attack on Scottish-made TV drama, Scottish TV workers, and the soap’s 500,000 loyal viewers.

Sign our petition to reverse the cut and Save River City!

Sign our petition now to reverse the cut and save jobs.

Paul W Fleming, Equity General Secretary, called the move “short-sighted” and a “disaster for Scottish television”, saying the move would have a disproportionately negative impact on Scottish performers – many of whom get their first TV job on River City – and the wider Scottish to production landscape.

‘The £9 million annual budget is excellent value for money given the hours of programming produced throughout the year for a successful show pulling in a regular audience of 500,000 per episode. 

‘The Glasgow-based show is well-loved by Scottish audiences, enjoys strong ratings, and won ‘Best Drama’ at the RTS Scotland 2023 awards. It is the only domestic Scottish soap running on TV and outperforms other TV series by more than 2.5 times. It provides work for dozens of Scottish actors every year. River City is thriving and successful in its current format.

‘There is no way that the BBC can replace the level of investment and job creation that River City provides to the Scottish economy and Scottish culture sector. Any alternative proposals the BBC offers will inevitably hurt Scottish culture workers and and TV production. 

Sign our petition now to reverse the cut and save jobs.

Sign our petition now to reverse the cut and save jobs.

Have you seen Taylor?

TEENAGER MISSING FROM GRANTON AREA

POLICE are appealing for information to help trace a missing teenager from the Granton area.

Taylor Russell, 18, was last seen around 4.15pm on Thursday, 13 March, 2025, in the West Granton Road area.

He is described as white, 5ft 3in tall, of slim build, with short brown hair. He usually wears a baseball cap and hooded sweatshirts. Taylor has connections in the Edinburgh and Dumfries areas and could have travelled there.

Inspector Kris Harvey, of Drylaw Police Station said: “We are becoming increasingly concerned for Taylor’s welfare and want to ensure he is safe and well.

“We are asking anyone who may have seen him since last Thursday, or who has any information on his whereabouts, to get in touch.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number1268 of 15 March.

Celebrity chimp’s life story revealed in pioneering study

A new study led by researchers at National Museums Scotland describes the first comprehensive osteobiography of a zoo animal, a cutting-edge scientific method that involves the analysis of bones and tissue.

These techniques have been applied to reveal the in-depth story of the life of Choppers, star of the 1970s PG Tips advertising campaign, illustrating the changing role of zoos over the past 50 years.

This pioneering research is part of the Animal Feeding project funded by Wellcome.

The study was published in Scientific Reports last week (12 March). It comes as the National Museum of Scotland prepares to welcome the return of the biggest exhibition of primate biology ever staged, Monkeys: Our Primate Family, opening on 28 June.

Choppers, a Western Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) played Grandmother Ada Lott in the iconic British television ads when she was still a juvenile. She had been rescued from poachers in Sierra Leone at just six weeks old before being brought to the UK and going on to appear in the series of adverts. She was cared for at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire for over 40 years, until her death in 2016.

Osteobiographies are rarely performed on modern animal specimens and have never been applied so comprehensively to a zoo animal before now. The technique is more commonly used in archaeology to reconstruct the life stories of ancient human subjects, such as Richard III, identifying where and how they lived in remarkable detail.

As a celebrity, Choppers’ life has been extensively documented. This combination of archival material and osteobiographical analysis provides the most complete assessment of the life of an animal in zoo care, highlighting advances in zoological practices.

Dr David Cooper, Researcher at National Museums Scotland and lead author of the study, said: “Choppers was beloved by audiences across the UK for years.

“Now the innovative application of osteobiographical analysis has allowed us to tell her story like never before.

“Her life is a testament to the many thousands of chimpanzees that were taken from the wild and charts a crucial shift in the priorities of zoos away from entertainment and towards education, conservation, research and welfare.”

Choppers’ skeleton was donated to National Museums Scotland by Twycross Zoo, enriching Scotland’s internationally significant natural science collection which comprises more than 10 million specimens and is in constant use for study and research.

Dr Andrew Kitchener, Principal Curator of Vertebrate Biology at National Museums Scotland, said: ““Natural science collections are an invaluable resource in understanding the world in which we live, offering insight into some of the greatest challenges of our age, from biodiversity loss to the climate crisis.

“Our collections are increasingly reflecting the impacts of human activities both locally and globally, and hence are important for providing evidence of those impacts and how we can mitigate against them. We are grateful to zoos like Twycross for their support in developing Scotland’s National Collection, ensuring it remains at the forefront of international research efforts today and into the future.”

This osteobiography was created through the direct application of biogeochemical, pathological, and morphometric analytic techniques. The findings of this study paint a rich picture of Choppers’ key life events, including evidence of traumatic injuries sustained when she was poached from the wild in infancy. These would impact her throughout her life, impairing her movement and exacerbating degenerative issues associated with old age..

Isotopic analyses of Choppers’ tooth enamel indicate a distinct geographical and dietary shift between the ages of three and four, coinciding with her relocation to the UK. In the following three years she played the grandmother character in the PG Tips adverts, despite her youth

She was retired as she reached puberty at around six or seven. Strikingly, Choppers’ upper jaw was significantly elongated when compared with that of wild chimpanzees, reflecting an early diet of sugary soft fruit.

In recent years there has been a dramatic shift towards tougher, less sugary vegetables in the diets of zoo primates, which is leading to significant improvements in primate health and behaviour.

In addition to National Museums Scotland, the study also involved researchers from the University of Exeter, the University of Reading, Twycross Zoo and the University of Edinburgh.

Phillipa Dobbs, Veterinary Services Manager at Twycross Zoo said: “We’re delighted to be able to support this incredible work. At Twycross Zoo, our commitment to animal welfare extends beyond an individual’s lifetime, and studies like this allow us to ensure they contribute to scientific knowledge.

“Choppers was an important part of our history, and this pioneering research offers new insights into her life and the evolving role of modern zoos. By supporting studies like this, we can continue to learn from the past and drive progress in animal care, welfare, science and conservation. It’s an honour to be involved.”