Wales take on Italy at the Principality Stadium in the penultimate match of this year’s Six Nations. Italy have won the last two meetings and three of the last four.
Wales are bottom of the table and on course for a third straight wooden spoon. After back-to-back heavy defeats against England and France to start the tournament, they came agonisingly close to beating Scotland before pushing Ireland close last time out.
“Having an unchanged team reflects the cohesion and the consistency in the group and the consistency of performance out in Ireland,” Wales head coach Steve Tandy said. “This week we need to go up another level. We have had some good performances. There were parts against France, then we built up into the Scotland game where I thought we were very good. Against Ireland we stepped up to the plate physically. Now it is putting it all together and creating our best performance this weekend.”
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They go in search of their first Six Nations win in over 1,000 days, with their last victory in the competition coming against today’s opponents in Rome back in March 2023. That run without a win in the Six Nations now stands at 15 consecutive defeats in the competition.
“For the team and myself, going back to Principality Stadium is amazing,” Tandy added. “The boys did well creating their own energy against Ireland, but there is nothing better than being at home. The boys reference in meetings what the Scotland game meant to them, as well as the matches against France and New Zealand. The fans have been incredible and I think they are behind the team and the team are putting in performances to represent our nation.”
Italy made history last weekend, beating England for the first time as they claimed a 23-18 win in Rome. They have two wins to their name now going into the final round, knowing a win of any sort will seal a fourth-place finish.
“No-one is talking about two wins or three wins,” said Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada. “The goal is more to finish our first Six Nations with full consistency and having five good games. That is something that has never happened. There was always a game where things did not work and there was a big loss. I promise it is not just words, it is exactly what we are after.”
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Italy have won on their last two trips to Cardiff but Quesada is aware of the desperation the hosts will be playing with this afternoon.
“We know that Wales must win this game, they must win it,” Quesada added. “They produced amazing performances against Ireland and Scotland but you can be in these periods where the results are not there, not even if you play as well and fight as hard as they did and the stunning physicality they put in against Ireland. We are preparing mentally and physically to be ready for what will be, for me, the toughest game of the whole Six Nations.”
Huntingdon residents share their views on the high street, calling for more variety on shops, better transport links to Cambridge, and solutions to traffic restrictions
Others highlight issues with transport links, traffic, and the pull of online shopping. The following views are taken from a recent comments thread.
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Residents feel that the high street in this Cambridgeshire town could “use a little more love”, as some perceive it to be “lacking” in terms of shop variety. Huntingdon is praised by people who live there as being “safe” and a nice place to raise a family.
Like many others nationwide, some individuals believe the high street could benefit from improvements. Sarah Gosling, who feels the town has a “nice family feel”, expressed that it would be “nice to have non-charity shops”.
She further commented: “It’s great to have them [charity shops], but we have a lot of them and it would be nice to have a lot of other stuff. Some of the restaurants are nice, but it would be good to have some more clothes shops.”
Sarah’s mother, Anne Monkman, also felt it would be “good to have more variety of shops.”
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Barry Graves said the high street could “use a little more love”. He said: “We have a few down the street that are boarded up or empty. It makes it look sad. It feels like it could be a good opportunity to bring in a few different shops. Maybe some independent places, and then we could support local businesses.”
Some readers believe the retail mix has been inadequate for years. One commenter, Calumen Nomen comments: “Traffic restrictions = closed shops. Not difficult.”
While Welshknight believes: “There’s not enough people in Huntingdon willing to pay the premium in money or effort compared with online shopping. They want shops sitting waiting for them to browse for free and then buy online, not sustainable.”
Rootintootinredux says: “Frankly, the choice of shops in Huntingdon has always been woeful even before the era of online shopping. But hey unless you want women’s clothing, charity shops, vape supplies, dodgy fried chicken and shoes then Huntingdon has you covered I guess!”
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Over on our Facebook page, Deniz O writes: “It needs a proper link to Cambridge. Crazy that it’s easier to go to London.”
Kerry-Jane Rose feels: “St Neots is worse for shops.”
Two motorists were banned at York Magistrates Court.
Tony Middleton, 65, of Healaugh, near Tadcaster, pleaded guilty to drink driving when nearly four times the legal alcohol limit in Tadcaster.
He was given a 12-month community order with six months’ alcohol rehabilitative treatment and 20 days’ rehabilitative activities, banned from driving for 40 months and ordered to pay a £200 fine, £85 prosecution costs and a £114 statutory surcharge.
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Owen Precious, 22, of Westminster Road, Clifton, York, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on the A1237 York Outer Ring Road, assaulting an emergency worker and drink driving.
He was given a 16-week prison sentence suspended for two years with 20 days’ rehabilitative activities and 200 hours’ unpaid work and must pay £150 compensation to the emergency worker and £85 prosecution costs.
He was banned from driving for two years and must pass an extended driving test before driving alone again.
Three motorists were banned at Harrogate Magistrates Court.
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Bryn Patrick, 22, of Cornelius Causeway, North Duffield, pleaded guilty to driving without insurance at Three Lakes Retail Park, Selby.
He was banned for six months and must pay a £80 fine, £90 prosecution costs and a £32 statutory surcharge.
Dale Toulson, 33, of Colescliffe Road, Scarborough, was convicted in his absence of driving without insurance and without a licence in Scarborough.
He was banned from driving for six months, fined £770 and ordered to pay £90 costs and a £308 statutory surcharge.
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Sean Copper, 19, of Heron Avenue, Woodthorpe, York, pleaded guilty to careless driving, driving without insurance and without a licence and failure to stop, all on Gale Lane, York.
He must pay £130 prosecution costs, a £56 statutory surcharge and a £140 fine and was banned from driving for 12 months.
Real Madrid have a big decision to make about Kylian Mbappe ahead of the Champions League second leg against Manchester City
Kylian Mbappe could be drawn into a club-versus-country row as Real Madrid weigh up fielding him against Manchester City.
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The French star missed Real’s Champions Leaguefirst leg victory over City with a knee injury, which has kept him out since the end of February. Mbappe is back in training with a view to returning to action in the second leg at the Etihad or in next weekend’s Madrid derby against Atletico.
Real are reportedly reluctant to release him for France’s upcoming double-header of friendlies against Brazil and Colombia in the United States. However, as the French Football Federation’s biggest commercial asset, he is still expected to be called up.
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As a Nike-backed player, Mbappe is lined up to participate in various marketing initiatives ahead of the Brazil game. Nike are the kit supplier to both Brazil and France, making the match a prime commercial opportunity for all parties with the World Cup on the horizon.
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Real cannot bar Mbappe from joining up with the France squad unless he is injured. Therefore, if he appears against City and Atletico, they wouldn’t be able to play that card.
If he doesn’t play in those games, Real could conceivably submit a medical report certifying his injury, which would give him 10 days’ recovery time and rule him out of the national team games.
The international break is due to begin on March 23, with France playing Brazil in Boston on March 26 and Colombia in Washington DC on March 29.
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Real head coach Alvaro Arbeloa gave an update on Mbappe’s fitness ahead of Saturday league game against Elche. He said: “[Mbappe] is getting better every day.
“His development is progressing as it should. We made a plan. It depends on his progress, but I think he’s doing very well. He won’t be available tomorrow, but I expect he’ll travel to Manchester.”
Given Real will take a 3-0 lead into the second leg, Los Blancos may not feel the need to take any risks, especially with a crucial Madrid derby coming up.
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As City were toiling to a draw at West Ham, Real, without Mbappe, were beating Elche 4-1 to close to within a point of La Liga leaders Barcelona, who host Sevilla on Sunday.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.
The 87-year-old driver was taken to hospital following yesterday morning’s crash but sadly passed away.
A pensioner has tragically died and four other people, including two children, have been rushed to hospital following a horror crash on the A92.
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The alarm was raised around 10.40am on Saturday, March 14 when emergency services were alerted to a two car collision on the A92, north of Rathillet in Fife.
Mercy crews, including Police Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service, rushed to the scene of the incident involving a red Dacia Sandero and a blue Vauxhall Astra.
An 87-year-old man, who was driving the Dacia, was rushed to Ninewells Hospital, where he later died. The 88 year-old woman who was a passenger in the Dacia, the 32-year-old male driver of the Vauxhall and his two child passengers, aged seven and 13, were taken to Ninewells Hospital.
The extent of their injuries and current conditions are not yet known. The road was closed in both directions from Kilmany to Rathillet for around five hours for investigation work to take place and reopened around 3pm.
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Drivers were urged to steer clear of the area and find an alternative route. Images showed blue-lit emergency vehicles tending to two cars, one stationary in the middle of the road with all its doors flung open and another lying abandoned after seeming to have crash landed into the grass and dirt on the side of the road.
Locals reported traffic backed up from St Michael’s all the way past Piketillum in what they described as “chaotic” scenes. More images showed heavy congestion on the road, with a line of traffic winding as far as the eye could see.
Police Scotland say they are still trying to get to the bottom of what happened. A probe is underway and anyone who saw the crash or may have dashcam footage from the area at the time are urged to come forward.
Sergeant Grant Hastie said: “Our enquiries are continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding this crash.“We are keen to speak to any witnesses to the crash or anyone who may have dashcam from the area around the time.”Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 1055 of Saturday, 14 March, 2026.
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RSPCA animal welfare expert Lauren Bennett has issued the warning ahead of Mothering Sunday (15 March) to help pet owners avoid an unexpected trip to the vets this weekend.
Lauren says: “Flowers are a lovely gift for Mother’s Day, and I, like many people, love receiving flowers whatever the occasion.
“But sadly some flowers and plants can be toxic to our pets so it’s important to avoid these.
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“Lilies can be a particular problem because they are so popular at this time of year but people are not always aware of just how dangerous they are to cats.
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“Cats can actually die from ingesting even small amounts of petals from lilies, and the leaves, pollen, and water from the vase can be deadly to them too.
“It is very important that we get the message across that lilies can be lethal to cats and that even a small amount could kill them.
“Even cutting the stamens out once they have opened is not enough.
“A small smudge of pollen can be transferred to a cat’s fur, and once a cat starts cleaning themselves, they can quickly fall ill.”
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But the public can do their bit to help keep pets safe this Mother’s Day by choosing a different bouquet instead.
Lauren added: “Cats can really suffer after lily poisoning and it is so distressing to see and heartbreaking for pet owners.
“Thankfully, it’s really easy for the public to do their bit and help.
“We, of course, want to treat all the mums out there this Mother’s Day but if they are cat mums too please do not buy them lilies.”
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She adds: “Other flowers such as daffodils, tulips, holly and hyacinths can also be toxic to cats and dogs.
“However, even non-toxic plants may cause some stomach upsets if ingested so it’s always important to remember to place flowers out of reach of pets.”
The RSPCA also reports that chocolate poisoning is the most commonly reported type of animal poisoning – so the charity is reminding people to keep Mother’s Day treats out of reach of cats and dogs.
Lauren says: “If you suspect that your pet has eaten chocolate, don’t delay in calling your vet first for advice on bringing them into the practice.
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“Your vet will want to know how much chocolate your pet has eaten and what type. If possible, keep any labels and have your pet’s weight to hand.”
Signs that your pet could have been poisoned
depression
lack of appetite
vomiting and diarrhoea
breathing difficulties and bad breath
twitching
seizures.
“Ahead of the Mother’s Day celebrations, and as we all strive to create a better world for every animal, we urge pet owners to ensure the occasion is as pet-friendly as possible and share this advice with others to help us spread the word,” Lauren adds.
Nothing is more of a turn-off than worrying you’re going to be overheard when you’re having some ‘alone time’.
With the laughably horrific London rental market and the likelihood of buying a property in the city ever-dwindling, the chances of having a neighbour, flatmate, or — heaven forbid — family member catching wind of the fact you’re getting down to business have never been higher.
Ever creative, Gen Z (who are living at home for longer) has turned to having sex in bathrooms, cars, and hotel rooms to avoid that awkward possibility entirely. But if you’re lucky enough to be having any sex at all in this economy and don’t fancy doing it al fresco, there are other options. Don’t let the housing crisis get in your pants! Whether you’re playing solo or with a partner, there are ways to do it without rattling the walls.
Quiet sex toys are a great way of getting off worry-free, resident sexologist at sexual wellness brand SheSpot, Emily King, explains. “Quiet sex toys are a great option for anyone with more limited privacy; students, those living with parents, parents living with children, even those living in flats who are mindful of walls on the thin side”.
While you have nature’s tools at your disposal, using them can come with limitations. We can all recognise the sound of a clapping cheek or a squeaking bed frame in an instant. And, let’s be honest, for most people with vulvas, penetrative sex is not always enough to get over the finish line.
But adding in a sex toy is almost pointless if it makes a noise so deafening that it distracts you from the task at hand. “The promise of a quiet toy helps people to experience more relaxed pleasure as they aren’t overly focused on loud noises,” King adds. “They can offer relief and help people stay in their bodies rather than their minds during sex. Louder toys can cause anxiety around being overheard and therefore can disrupt arousal.”
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We all have enough on our minds, so investing in a quiet (or best case, silent) toy could dissolve stress in more ways than one.
“Quiet toys often come with a lower buzz, even on higher/stronger settings,” King explains. “Silent sex toys offer even less noise, often described as ‘whisper quiet’ if they’re vibration or suction based toys. There are lots of non-vibrating toys which are completely silent.”
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For an added layer of reassurance, you can also experiment with switching up how and where you use your sex toy, King suggests. “Create an environment and space that supports your comfort and sense of ease as this will contribute to less anxiety around being heard,” she says. “Music can help to buffer any sound, and making sure your space is secured can contribute to increased relaxation.
Other rooms such as the bathroom can offer more privacy due to locked doors and sound buffers such as running water. Lots of toys are waterproof and can be used in the bath or shower. Look for toys that offer ‘whisper quiet’ or ‘discreet’ in their descriptions.”
As well as assessing for the obvious pleasure factor, I tested each toy for noise levels by using them in a variety of locations, including under duvets and blankets, and in the shower — both with a partner and alone.
To double check no one could overhear, I turned the toys on and left them over the covers on my bed before standing outside my room to see if I could hear them. Each toy has been given a ‘noise rating’, with one being inescapably cacophonous and 10 being undetectable to the naked ear.
The airline has confirmed it will be operating a limited flight schedule to and from Doha
Qatar Airways has issued an update for passengers after temporarily suspending scheduled flights due to the ongoing closure of Qatari airspace amid conflict across the Middle East.
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The airline said it is working to help affected travellers continue their journeys before normal operations are expected to resume.
In a statement, the Qatar Airways said: “We want you to know that we are doing our utmost to support you with your journey, and to reunite you with your family and loved ones.
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“We recognise this situation may be unsettling and are working to keep you moving while we prepare for the safe return of our usual operations. Your patience and understanding mean a great deal to us, and we are truly grateful for your continued support at this challenging time.
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“Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe full reopening of Qatari airspace by the relevant authorities.”
The airline said ‘temporary authorisation’ from the aviation authority has meant limited operating corridors have been confirmed. It plans to operate a number of flights over the coming days.
These flights are intended to help passengers directly impacted by the disruption and will remain subject to regulatory approval and changing airspace conditions.
Flights are currently planned to depart from Hamad International Airport in Doha from Sunday (March 15) to several major international destinations including:
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London Heathrow Airport
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Frankfurt Airport
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
New York JFK Airport
Melbourne Airport
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport
Routes will operate in both directions. The airline also confirmed that additional flights arriving into Doha from major cities around the world are planned through to Wednesday (March 18) to help stranded travellers.
In addition to the limited schedule, Qatar Airways has organised a number of direct ‘point-to-point flights’ to help some passengers complete their journeys.
Passengers eligible for these flights will be contacted directly by the airline. However, the airline stressed that these services ‘do not constitute a confirmation of the resumption of scheduled commercial operations’.
Travellers have been warned not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmed ticket, as schedules could change or flights could still be cancelled depending on operational or safety conditions.
Passengers with confirmed bookings between February 28 and March 28, 2026 are eligible for flexible options, including a complimentary date change to travel on Qatar Airways flights up to April 30, 2026 or a refund for the unused ticket value.
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Passengers can check the latest flight information on the Qatar Airways website or mobile app, or through their travel agent. The airline said the next operational update is expected tomorrow as the situation continues to evolve.
The France defence coach signed off his interview in the perfect way after his side won the Six Nations
Shaun Edwards left pundits laughing after delivering a cheeky reminder of his remarkable Six Nations record following France’s astonishing title-winning victory over England.
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France edged a breathtaking contest 48-46 to seal the championship, capping another triumph for the legendary former Wales defence coach.
The win marked Edwards’ seventh Six Nations title — four with Wales and now three with France — but the statistic initially went unmentioned during his post-match interview with Topsy Ojo.
Instead, Edwards found himself fielding questions about France’s defence after a chaotic finale to the tournament in which Les Bleus conceded 96 points across their final two games, including 50 against Scotland and 46 against England.
Despite that, Edwards took the discussion in good spirits.
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“Another crazy, great game for the fans — those at home and at the stadium,” he said.
“Rugby at the moment, particularly the Six Nations, is just phenomenal.”
The veteran coach also defended the broader trend of high-scoring matches in the modern game.
“If it was just your team defending and conceding so many points, you’d be worried,” he said.
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“England have an excellent defence coach and defensive system and they’ve conceded more than us!
“Obviously it’s a bit frustrating at times, but that’s the way the game is going.
“Scores all around the world — Super Rugby, New Zealand taking 39 points off Australia last summer — it’s a regular occurrence nowadays.”
Edwards also highlighted the development of a young French squad he believes still has plenty of improvement to come.
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“It’s a group we are building. We feel they can improve in the future,” he said.
“We had a couple of young players — like Oscar Jegou — who has been phenomenal in this tournament. He’s a guy 100 per cent for the future.”
But it was Edwards’ final comment that stole the show.
As the interview wrapped up and he prepared to step away, the former Wales coach turned back with a grin and delivered one final line.
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“Thank you — that’s my seventh one, that, by the way!”
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The cameras then quickly panned back to the pitchside pundits, who had erupted in laughter.
Dan Biggar said to Mark Pougatch: “What did I say to you off-air? I said that was his seventh!”
Edwards is rightly revered as one of the greatest defensive minds in the game and his seven Six Nations titles is testament to that.
Former 90s TV star John Alford, known for his roles in Grange Hill and London’s Burning, has died at the age of 54 after being convicted in January of sexually abusing two underage girls
08:30, 15 Mar 2026Updated 08:33, 15 Mar 2026
What started as a seemingly harmless sleepover descended into horror for two teenage girls following their encounter with John Alford. The former TV pin-up, aged 54, has died in jail just weeks after being handed an eight-and-a-half-year jail term for child sex offences after abusing two adolescent girls at his mate’s property.
The ex-actor, recognised for his parts in Grange Hill and London’s Burning, gave the youngsters, aged 14 and 15, alcohol, the court was told, following a 4.30am trip to a petrol station where he splashed out £250 on cigarettes, snacks and booze – including rum, beer and flavoured vodka.
Alford, convicted under his birth name John Shannon, showed no remorse during sentencing after being found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child, plus two further counts of sexual assault and assault by penetration involving a second victim at St Albans Crown Court on September 5. The assaults occurred at his friend’s residence in April 2022, following an evening at the pub.
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The teenagers had been having an unplanned sleepover during their Easter school holidays at the home of a third girl, whose father was friends with Alford – of Hartham Road, Islington. Apart from Alford, all other adults in the house eventually retired to bed.
The court heard that due to the nature of conversations the disgraced actor had with the teenagers during the night, he was aware of their ages. After a trip to the shop, he provided the underage girls with Ciroc flavoured vodka, whilst he himself drank a bottle of beer.
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The father-of-four proceeded to have sexual intercourse with the 14 year old girl in the garden of the property and later in a downstairs toilet. He also inappropriately touched the 15 year old girl as she lay semi-conscious on the living room sofa.
In heart-wrenching testimony, the 14 year old victim disclosed that she was a virgin and had pleaded with Alford to stop “three or four times”.
She further testified that “I told him to stop because I didn’t want to have sex with an old man”. The court also heard Alford ask her “do you want this babe?” to which she replied “no”.
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The other victim testified that “We were all just like dozing off. That was when John started to touch me.”
The teenager also told the court that she felt “absolutely sick” after the assault, and once she had reached the safety of the other victim’s home she showered, and the two teenagers “spoke about everything that happened” in a bathroom together.
In deeply distressing victim impact statements, the teenage survivors laid bare the horrific injuries inflicted by Alford and the devastating long-term consequences of the attack. For the 15 year old victim, this included attempting suicide and self-harming.
“This man destroyed my mental wellbeing. When I was 16 I tried to take my own life with sleeping tablets,” she described. “I was in so much physical and emotional pain I cut myself deeply. I used my mum’s lighter to burn the inside of my thighs as well.
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“I felt so suicidal and depressed, words cannot describe how I felt.”
She went on to detail the daily struggles she now endures following the assault, including travelling on public transport, going to the toilet alone at night, and confessed: “I struggle with men. I don’t want to think of every man as evil, but I do. I will never forget his face, his scent, his voice or him.”
The 14 year old victim revealed in her statement that even embracing her own father had become difficult after the attack. “I’m the victim of penetrative sexual assault. Being sexually assaulted has affected my family in every way,” she wrote.
The court was told that the sexualhealth examination she underwent following the assault proved traumatic and had to be halted due to the severe pain it caused. She was required to take emergency contraception and received injections to prevent HIV and other infections, which left visible bruising.
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“I was scared people were going to notice and wonder why I had them,” she said. The 14 year old victim also shared, “It has affected me severely with school. I didn’t care about my GCSEs as this was the only thing that mattered. I wasn’t bothered about my personal hygiene or appearance. I was just existing.”
She went on to say, “I was getting flashbacks. I’ve been getting dreams. I’m convinced he’s going to come through my door. I also find it hard being intimate with my boyfriend because of this.
“The assault by John has completely changed my perspective on life. It has made me look very differently at the world and I now have worries for my life and my future children. I will not let this assault define me, but it has been constantly in my mind.”
Tina Chummun, a member of the Counselling Directory, told the Mirror that the type of traumatic injury these teenage survivors have endured fundamentally changes how a “survivor experiences the world” and psychologically, there is no “normal” to return to.
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Tina, who specialises in trauma therapy for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse and has worked for The Women’s Trust, explained: “Recovery after sexual assault is not about ‘going back to normal’, because trauma changes how a survivor experiences the world. The survivor will experience their world through their trauma lens for some time that their body and mind needs for recovery – however long that takes, and it is dependent on the survivor.”
Alford’s appalling attack need not “define” his young victims, “but it will shape [their lives] in profound ways,” the trauma specialist explains. This occurs “because [the] nervous system is still living in survival mode. When someone experiences an intimate violation, their brain’s threat system becomes hyper-alert and struggles to tell the difference between what is safe and what is dangerous.
“Everyday stress, memories, smells, touch or even moments of closeness can trigger the same fight, flight, freeze or fawn responses as the original trauma. This is why survivors often live with flashbacks, fear, shame, self-blame, frequent triggers from daily experiences and difficulties with trust and intimacy long after the event.”
Ms Chummun said simply allowing time to pass is insufficient for recovery. “Healing involves more than time passing. It requires trauma-informed support in a safe, empathic, supportive, boundaried and non-judgemental space where the experience can be processed rather than pushed away. It’s the awareness, acceptance and then the acknowledgement to want to work towards changing thoughts and behaviours related to the trauma that will mean the survivor has processed it. The awareness and acceptance part of the recovery process are the most challenging. Without this, the body continues to carry the trauma as if it is still happening.
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“Psychological pain is experienced in the same brain regions as physical pain, so survivors are not being dramatic when they say it hurts. It truly does. Recovery looks like slowly rebuilding a sense of safety in their body, restoring confidence, reclaiming their power and choices, having a personal safety plan in place, can be worked on together with a therapist, and learning that life can be lived again without ‘fear’ being in their driving seat.”
Fletcher’s Family Farm stars Kelvin and Liz Fletcher shared their hopes that their children would one day take over the farm as they discussed their future plans
Abbie Bray Deputy Editor for Screen Time
08:30, 15 Mar 2026
Kelvin and Liz Fletcher expressed the hope that their children would eventually inherit the farm from them as they pondered the future. During the latest instalment of Fletcher’s Family Farm, which airs on Sunday, Kelvin and Liz discussed the Fletcher’s products they sell, which help “keep the farm thriving”.
The pair, who were recently left without a home due to a fire, devised a plan to generate income from the wool their sheep produce. Liz explained that it cost the couple to have the sheep sheared and that by transforming them into blankets, they could recoup some of the cost.
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She highlighted the harsh reality that farmers face, having to diversify their businesses to earn more money because “farmers are struggling”.
Expressing her dream for the future and how vital it is to her to have their children participating in the farm, Liz shared, “Having the kids involved and helping just makes me special, because they’ll one day, hopefully, take over me, and Kelvin can be in the Bahamas,” reports the Mirror. “So I’m hoping that the kids are doing all this, and we’re just sitting back, and they’re sending us money,” she laughed.
Kelvin chimed in, “You know what I would actually love, let’s say in, I don’t know, 20 years from now, that I’m just kind of the farm handyman, the farm labourer, and that the kids are running a big farming enterprise. “.
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“Yeah, do you think you’ll let go, though?” Liz asked. “Do you think you’ll let go of that control? Because, knowing you, I can’t imagine it.” Reflecting on it, Kelvin observed, “I think that’s probably the hardest thing for most farming families to let go.”
Liz light-heartedly joked, “I won’t. I’ll be on a cruise. I’m doing my shift, and then I’m enjoying the rest of it.” She added, “Maybe we should do a series. We’ll come back when we’re 80, we’ll still be here in the same room, boxing blankets. Kids will be doing something completely different.”
Elsewhere in the episode, the Fletchers prepare for their biggest event of the year in the form of a six-day-long Christmas celebration gala that welcomes families to the farm for festive fun.
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The family’s much-loved pet Ginger also gives birth to her puppies, and the flock gets lost in the fog.
Fletcher’s Family Farm airs on Sunday at 11.25am on ITV.
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