Chloe Dobinson

Monty Don and his wife, Sarah, have lived at Longmeadow near Leominster in Herefordshire since buying the neglected property in 1991. Over decades, they transformed the house and its two-acre garden into the four-part garden frequently featured on BBC Gardeners' World. Don chose the area partly because it was affordable and outside the London commuter belt. Recent Rightmove data puts the average Leominster property price at about £235,809, with detached homes averaging £322,427, semi-detached homes £236,519 and terraced homes £188,075.

Meghan Markle reportedly asked to be addressed as “Ma’am” before attending an Invictus Games event, while Prince Harry was to be called “Sir.” The formal wording contrasts with Harry’s earlier preference to be called simply “Harry,” after the couple stepped back as senior working royals and lost their HRH styles while retaining their Sussex titles. Meghan’s later appearance on MasterChef Australia also drew attention after she was introduced as the Duchess of Sussex, prompting debate over the use of her royal title.

A prolonged UK heatwave is forecast with temperatures exceeding 30C across several regions and tropical nights expected. Weather and health agencies warn of elevated heat stress risks. Energy advisers recommend placing bowls of cold water or ice on windowsills or near fans to cool indoor air as an inexpensive alternative to air conditioning, with British Gas endorsing the method to improve fan efficiency and reduce energy costs.

Which? research comparing prices of 232 branded grocery items found Asda offered the lowest average cost for the fifth consecutive month, with an average June spend of £783.31. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons were more expensive even with loyalty cards, while shoppers without loyalty cards faced significantly higher prices, in some cases exceeding those at Waitrose and Ocado. Listerine mouthwash showed the largest price gap, more than doubling in cost at Tesco without a Clubcard. Which? urged consumers to monitor discounts and compare prices across retailers due to frequent and significant fluctuations.

Brancaster Beach on the Norfolk coast is presented as a spacious, relatively uncrowded destination less than two hours from Cambridge. The dog-friendly beach offers walking, sailing and kite surfing, with parking and toilets available, while the SS Vina wreck can be seen from a safe distance at low tide. Nearby Brancaster Staithe Harbour provides boats, fishing craft, food and picnic areas, though visitors are advised to plan around the tides and busy periods.

Cromer, a Norfolk seaside town about two hours from Cambridge, is highlighted for its award-winning Victorian pier, golden beach, clifftop views, seafood and year-round events. Recommended attractions include Amazona Zoo, Cromer parish church, the pier and local festivals, while Cromer crab, Links Restaurant, No. 1 Cromer and Herald's Fine Chocolates are presented as key food and drink highlights. Historical associations with Jane Austen and Arthur Conan Doyle, along with enthusiastic visitor reviews, reinforce the town's appeal as a scenic and relatively uncrowded British seaside destination.

Petworth in West Sussex is presented as a picturesque historic town with cobbled lanes, Georgian buildings, more than 400 listed buildings, over 30 antique shops and numerous independent businesses. Its main attraction is Petworth House and Park, a National Trust estate with a 17th-century stately home, a major art collection, 700 acres of parkland and free-roaming deer. The town also offers cafés, pubs, locally sourced food, galleries and access to the South Downs and The Mens Nature Reserve, while its heritage setting has attracted film and television productions including Napoleon, Rebecca, Maleficent and Bridgerton.

Haven’s Hopton Holiday Village on the Norfolk coast has been named the AA Holiday Park of the Year for 2025–26 and awarded a five-star rating. Located near Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth, about an hour from Cambridge, the park offers direct beach access, pools, sports, children’s activities and evening entertainment. Nearby attractions include Horsey Gap’s seal colony, Pleasurewood Hills and Great Yarmouth’s seaside venues. Three-night family breaks in a saver caravan start from £49, and a JD Wetherspoon pub is due to open at the park in April 2026.

Expedia has ranked London as the UK's best holiday destination for 2026, followed by Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham. The article highlights London’s neighbourhoods, transport links and upcoming attractions, including the new London Museum, V&A East, the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition at the British Museum and Gameshow LIVE!. York, Glasgow, the Lake District, Devon and Cardiff complete Expedia’s top ten.

Drivers must make way safely for ambulances and other emergency vehicles using flashing lights and sirens, but they must not break traffic laws or endanger others while doing so. Entering yellow box junctions or bus lanes, crossing a red light, mounting the pavement, or making unsafe manoeuvres can lead to fines of up to £1,000 and, for some offences, three penalty points. The Highway Code advises motorists to stay calm, pull over safely, avoid sharp braking and never cross a solid white line at a red light, even if an emergency vehicle is behind them.

Mary Berry’s scone recipe serves ten and uses self-raising flour, baking powder, butter, sugar, egg, milk and a tablespoon of golden syrup. The recipe recommends replacing caster sugar with light muscovado sugar, mixing the syrup into the egg-and-milk mixture, and baking the shaped dough at 200°C fan for about 10 minutes to produce light, golden scones.

A Cambridgeshire Live reporter visits Trullo in Highbury, London, the restaurant recommended by Cambridge-born singer Charli XCX. She praises the cosy atmosphere, attentive service and flavorful Italian food, particularly pici with white asparagus, prosciutto San Daniele and egg yolk, which the restaurant prepared with tagliatelle at her request. The meal for two cost £125.42 including drinks and service, though reservations are difficult to secure. The piece also highlights Charli XCX's upcoming Party Girl Festival at London's Victoria Park as part of LIDO Festival.

Stand-in Lorraine presenter Andi Peters humorously mocked Meghan Markle's sentimental Instagram message for Mother's Day in the United States, which featured her children Archie and Lilibet. Peters read parts of the post over exaggerated emotional music before joking about its reference to French fries. The story also notes that Meghan and Prince Harry attended Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour in Los Angeles, presenting a united front amid reports of strain in their relationship.

Tom Parker Bowles discussed his childhood and his mother Queen Camilla’s life as the wife of King Charles III. He said he initially struggled to understand Scotland, where Camilla and Charles spend time at Birkhall, and described Camilla’s dislike of skiing, love of walking, and preference for simple pleasures such as sunshine and a book. He characterized Charles as exceptionally hardworking. The comments came as the couple marked their 20th wedding anniversary during a state visit to Rome, where Camilla attributed their lasting marriage to friendship, shared humour and resilience.

Grantchester viewers say they are struggling to move on from Tom Brittney's departure as vicar Will Davenport, complaining that the series continues to mention the character while introducing Rishi Nair's new vicar, Alphy Kotteram. Brittney left after Will accepted a bishop's offer of a post in Newcastle, and has passed on advice from former lead James Norton to Nair. Brittney is also due to appear as an assassin in Netflix thriller Back in Action.