Gardeners’ World presenter Monty Don has shared his plant watering tips, including the best time of day to water your plants and how timing is crucial for keeping them alive

Expert gardener Monty Don is warning households when is best to water plants to keep them healthy, as doing so at the wrong time could actually cause harm.

The UK is bracing itself for further records following the hottest May day ever recorded. The country also registered its all-time highest meteorological spring temperature when Kew Gardens in south-west London reached 34.8C.

The Met Office identified 12 locations where the record was broken on Monday, stretching from Suffolk to Berkshire to Warwickshire — while 97 of its monitoring stations hit or surpassed 30C. Prior to Monday, the all-time May peak stood at 32.8C, a figure reached in both 1922 and 1944.

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The forecast high for much of southern England and Wales on Tuesday is 35C — which could nudge up to 36C, according to senior Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell. Those predictions cover the Midlands, the south-east and south-west of England, East Anglia, and South Wales.

Gardeners’ World presenter Monty Don has shared his advice on how to look after your plants during the warm weather. He said hot weather is ‘lovely but quite tough on plants,’ reports the Mirror.

He explained: “Particularly if they’re in a container so they do need watering much more often than normal. In fact, every day when it’s as hot as this and, if you can, the best time to water your container is early morning before the sun warms up. If you can’t get it done early in the morning, don’t do it during the middle of the day wait till the evening. Basically, when it’s cool.”

“The plants will then take the moisture and they can lose it during the day without suffering any problems,” he continued. “The rule of watering is always the same soak don’t sprinkle.”

He went on to say: “Water directly to the roots of the soil or the compost and go on until the water is running out of the bottom of the container and then the roots can get down deep and find that moisture.

“And finally, just because you’re watering every day you don’t need to feed any more than normal. These plants will grow strong and healthy even if it’s burning hot.”

Gardeners’ World followers shared their own advice on Facebook. One said: “Make sure you water at the base of your plants otherwise your leaves will be toast in the morning in this roasting sun.” Another added: “Before going on holiday I create a plant paddling pool from plastic sheets and put pots in then fill with water. They look nice and healthy when u get back.”

Records could also be broken in the coming days, with forecasters cautioning that some areas may not fall below 20C overnight. This comes after the UK’s warmest May night on record, which was recorded on Sunday when temperatures failed to drop below 19.4C at Kenley Airfield, Surrey.

Multiple locations across England and Wales will reach the heatwave threshold on Tuesday, with some set to have experienced five consecutive days of it by Wednesday, Ms Mitchell said.

Heatwave conditions had already been met across eight parts of England by Sunday night: Heathrow, Kew Gardens and Northolt in London; Benson in Oxfordshire; Brooms Barn and Santon Downham in Suffolk; and High Beech and Writtle in Essex. That figure is expected to be significantly higher following the Bank Holiday weather, though the data is yet to be released, Ms Mitchell added.

The fact that nearly a hundred sites reached 30C on Monday “goes to show just how many places would have succeeded their heatwave threshold”, she said.

To officially qualify as a heatwave, temperatures must meet or exceed a specific threshold for three consecutive days. The highest heatwave threshold in the UK at this time of year stands at 28C, which applies to London and areas north of the capital towards Cambridgeshire.

Temperatures will begin to ease gradually from the middle of the week, though conditions will remain largely dry with plenty of sunny spells. Many areas will still see mercury sitting in the high 20Cs.

Temperatures will, however, drop by around 10C in eastern areas as a brisk easterly wind picks up. Should the latest May record be confirmed, it would mean seven of the 12 monthly highs have been set since 2003, according to the Met Office.

A previous study by the forecasters found that breaking that record “is around three times more likely now in our current climate than it would have been in a natural climate not impacted by greenhouse gas emissions”.

This means what was once considered a one-in-a-hundred year event is now a one-in-33 occurrence, it said. This comes off the back of a week that saw temperatures plummet to minus 5C in Scotland, with daytime highs more broadly peaking at around 14C to 15C.

“We see these changes happening so much more dramatically,” Met Office senior forecaster Greg Dewhurst said on Monday morning, adding that climate change is fuelling the rising heat.

“In the past, heatwaves built and built and built and built over days and days and days – these now just develop so quickly.” During the scorching bank holiday weekend, South East Water issued an apology and handed out bottled water after around 502 of its customers experienced difficulties, including outages and low pressure.

Strange, saucer‑shaped clouds had plenty of people in the North East glancing at the sky over the Bank Holiday – and checking their photos twice for UFOs.

The unusual formations, spotted from Darlington to Sunderland, looked uncannily like flying saucers stacked on top of each other, hanging almost motionless.

What people were really seeing were lenticular clouds – rare, lens‑shaped clouds that often get mistaken for unidentified flying objects because of their smooth, sculpted edges and layered, ‘spaceship‑like’ appearance.

Lenticular clouds over Sunderland during the bank holiday weekend (Image: Ian Maggiore/Northern Echo Camera Club)

They don’t behave like typical fluffy cumulus clouds; instead, they tend to sit in one place for a long time, forming and fading in the same spot, which only adds to the eerie, other‑worldly effect.

That stillness against a hazy blue backdrop is exactly what made them so eye‑catching during the Bank Holiday heatwave.

Lenticular clouds usually develop when stable, moist air is forced to flow over higher ground, such as the Pennines or the Cheviots, and begins to ripple in a series of invisible waves on the downwind side.

Lenticular clouds over Darlington during the bank holiday weekend (Image: Claire Bott/Northern Echo Camera Club)

As the air rises at the crest of each wave it cools, the moisture condenses and a distinctive, lens‑shaped cloud forms; as it sinks again, the cloud evaporates, giving that sharply defined, “cut‑out” edge.

During the heatwave, strong temperature differences at different levels of the atmosphere and changes in wind speed with height made these waves more pronounced, increasing the chances of lenticular clouds forming.

With clear skies, warm evenings and half the region outside for the bank holiday, it was the perfect recipe for these mini UFO clouds and some spectacular photos to go with the science.

Other contestants hoping to couple up include electrician Samuel, 25, from Dudley; primary school teacher Sean, 25, from Galway; videographer Ellie, 24, from West Lothian; model Samraj, 25, from Birmingham; West End performer Ope, 27, from Lincolnshire; fashion business owner Jasmine, 27, from Dubai; and property broker Aidan, 23, from Kent.

Pupils from Woodlands High School were part of the Lord’s Taverners National Table Cricket Finals in London.

Pupils from Woodlands High School had a day to remember last week as they travelled to London to take part in the Lord’s Taverners National Table Cricket Finals.

The Cardiff-based school’s side were one of 11 to compete in the Nursery Pavilion, at Lord’s Cricket Ground, for the right to call themselves national champions.

Teacher Nathan Griffith-Williams, 51, was beyond proud of his students for reaching the showpiece event for the second successive year.

“It’s amazing to be here at Lord’s,” he said. “We were lucky enough to be here last year as well, so a lot of these guys are coming back for a second time. The students have learnt so much. The accessibility of the game, the camaraderie, working together, being a team, it’s just gone through the roof. We’re now having regular table cricket sessions, so it’s really taken off.”

Table cricket is a fully inclusive and adapted version of the game aimed at young people living with a wide range of learning and physical disabilities. Teams of six compete to avoid fielders and hit specific scoring zones while the ball is bowled using a ramp and played on a table tennis table.

Table cricket provides an incredible opportunity for these young people to make new friends and develop life skills such as confidence and independence, while also helping them understand the importance of leadership and teamwork in competitive environments.

Student Callum Laver, 19, was delighted to play on the big stage and had the time of his life on the tables.

He said: “It’s a privilege to be here again. I came last year for this, and it feels good to be back. This is my last year in school so I’m just here enjoying it. Table cricket has given me experience and skills I didn’t have before. It’s helped me build confidence around other people and in different places.”

Lord’s Taverners president and former England captain David Gower attended the Home of Cricket and said: “The opportunity the students get to play a version of the game here at Lord’s is fantastic. It’s brilliant to see the spirit in which the games have been played. The Lord’s Taverners do such great work and I’m proud to be able to be a part of it.”

Much of the Lord’s Taverners work in cricket for young people with a disability is made possible thanks to funds raised by Postcode Lottery players and awarded by the Postcode Active Trust, in addition to support from the ECB and Sport England.

Lord’s Taverners provides free, inclusive, and impactful cricket programmes across the UK empowering young people living with a disability or facing socio-economic disadvantage, to overcome the challenges of inequality and unlock their potential – visit www.lordstaverners.org

The distress caused by Moore was described as “unfathomable”

A man has been jailed after he groomed a 14-year-old boy online and lured him to his flat for sexual activity. Darren Moore, 57, started communicating with the victim in early 2024 and, despite knowing the boy’s age, turned the conversation sexual.

Moore sent explicit photos of himself to the victim. He had also described what sexual acts he wanted to perform on him when they met up in person. Moore encouraged the victim to travel to his flat in Ely by train after school. The victim agreed and spent the evening at Moore’s flat, where he was sexually abused by Moore.

The victim’s mum became worried and called the police to report him as missing after he didn’t return home after school. After the victim got home later that evening, he told his parents what happened and the police were informed.

At Peterborough Crown Court on Thursday, May 21, Moore, of Market Street, Ely, was jailed for 10 years after he admitted to one count of inciting a boy aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity, two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a boy aged 13-15, one count of grooming, and one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

DC Dan Knight, who investigated, said: “Despite knowing the victim’s age, Moore took the time to build a relationship with him online over the course of a few months, before he lured him to his flat and sexually abused him.

“The distress Moore has caused to the teenager, and his family, has been unfathomable, and I would like to commend the victim for his courage in reporting Moore, and supporting the investigation throughout.

“Grooming and sexual exploitation can have devastating effects on young people’s emotional development, mental health and self-esteem which stay with them into adulthood.

“I hope this sentence provides some closure to the victim and his family and shows that predatory behaviour towards children will not be tolerated.”

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Tom Gordon, who represents Harrogate and Knaresborough, is inviting people to add their name to an open letter to M&S, attracting hundreds of names already.

The closure concerns the café at the Oatlands Food Hall at the western side of Harrogate along the A61, whose closure M&S recently announced, though it has yet to set a time frame for this.

The closure is planned as part of a wider revamp of the store on Leeds Road.

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M&S announces closure of its cafe in Oatlands, Harrogate

Several years ago, M&S faced opposition to earlier plans to close the café, which led to a revamp being changed to accommodate a smaller café.

The Liberal Democrat MP says many constituents have contacted him about the planned closure of the café, which he says “acts as an essential, accessible facility for older or disabled people.”

Calling for people to put their name to his letter, he added: “Originally a café was part of the planning conditions for this site so we’re writing to M&S directly so see if they’ll reconsider the closure.”

“This is just any M&S cafe, it’s a great accessible space for elderly and disabled people to socialise and enjoy.”

The M&S in Oatlands, Harrogate (Image: Pic supplied)

In his letter, Mr  Gordon argues the café is “a much-loved and well-used communal hub for local residents, and whose loss would represent a significant blow to the community.”

By letting them rest for a cuppa, he says it means many elderly can shop there independently, the café also acts as a community hub and reduces social isolation. Few cafes in the area are as accessible and it is not feasible for many to go to the M&S café in Cambridge Street.

The MP added: “We welcome M&S’s commitment to expanding the availability of fresh produce within the Foodhall. However, we would respectfully suggest that this should not come at the expense of a space that provides such clear social value and community benefit. The café also enhances the overall customer experience, encouraging longer and more frequent visits to the store.

“There is also a practical concern that, should the café close, some customers may choose to visit alternative nearby cafés while continuing to use the M&S car park, which may not align with the intended outcomes of the proposed changes.”

When M&S announced the closure earlier this month, the retailer told the Press: “We know many of our customers want to be able to shop a wider range of our delicious M&S Food products. That’s why, after reviewing our Harrogate Oatlands foodhall, we have some exciting new changes planned.

“We are re-purposing our café space to offer more fresh produce from our Select Farm partners and deliver an improved in-store bakery – we will share more details in the coming weeks. 

“All café colleagues will transfer to other roles across the foodhall and while we understand this will be disappointing news for some customers, our team will continue working hard to serve them in-store. Customers’ nearest M&S café will be at our nearby Cambridge Street store in Harrogate town centre.”

An M&S spokesperson also confirmed there were no plans to ‘repurpose’ space at any of its York stores.

To sign the letter, go to: https://www.tomgordon.org.uk/save-ms-cafe

Murtada Abady, 36, pleaded not guilty to two counts of section 39 assault by beating at a hearing before Chester Crown Court in January at the start of this year.

He also denied controlling and coercive behaviour and of committing an act or intending to commit an act intending to pervert the course of justice at the same hearing.

Judge Patrick Thompson scheduled a trial before a jury to take place before the same court, which had been expected to take place in the week beginning Monday, June 1.

But this week the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that the charges had been dropped.

They confirmed that Mr Abady, of Robin Hood Lane, Frodsham in Cheshire, will face no further criminal action in relation to these matters.