Residents have been told to avoid swimming in it

Cambridge residents have raised fears for the future of parts of the River Cam with concerns its health is at “serious risk”. Cambridge residents and councillors have raised the alarm after collapsing riverbanks and unsafe water threaten to turn the River Cam into a “muddy trickle”.

Earlier this year, water tested at the designated bathing site at Sheep’s Green found the water to be among the poorest quality in England and the Environment Agency advised people not to swim.

Resident Andrew Brown said the infrastructure itself is crumbling – pointing out a section of the riverbank at Jesus Lock which is collapsing. The 61-year-old said: “It’s also mirrored when you walk through the town and it’s slowly getting a bit more run down with the pavements etc… this vibe in the city is sort of mirrored by the river.

“These are important places – there’s lots of talk about mental wellbeing and health and these are real resources in a town, especially a town like Cambridge. I do feel it should be looked after.

“I understand there are always cost implications but there’s a general feeling that either things aren’t being spent and the money’s being spent somewhere where it shouldn’t be being spent or, of course, there isn’t the money at all.”

Charles Greensitt feels the river is “not being looked after” and no longer looks the way it used to. The 39-year-old said: “The last few years I’ve been coming down and walking the river.

“I walk from Trumpington Park and Ride all the way into town following the river and this year the wildlife and the way it looks isn’t the same. I know people still swim in it down some of the cleaner parts but it’s just not quite right at the minute.

“I mean I go down and I literally see algae just covering right stretches across – it’s not the same anymore. Things aren’t in balance anymore.”

Cllr Eleanor Toye-Scott brought a motion to last week’s Cambridge City Council meeting calling for more to be done to protect the river as its “health is at serious risk”. The Green councillor said: “When the river is at risk we are all at risk.

“If our city and our region are to have any hope of surviving, let alone thriving, in the years to come it is absolutely essential that we ensure that the River Cam thrives too.”

Cllr Cheney Payne said the locks at Baits Bite and Jesus Green are a “vital element” of the network and she was “very pleased” that mayor Paul Bristow pledged funds towards emergency repairs at Baits Bite.

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“However,” the Lib Dem councillor continued, “That’s only a very small drop in the ocean and a huge amount is still needed to repair the Jesus Green Lock, and this is something I really believe we should be asking the government to support.

“If Cambridge is to be at the forefront of the government’s plans for growth it would be highly embarrassing to try to do that if our iconic river becomes a muddy trickle.”

The council passed the motion which called for them to petition organisations responsible for the river – including the EA, Cambridge Water and Anglian Water – to do more to protect it.

Marco Rubio addressed rumors that President Trump would help Andrew and Tristan Tate fight extradition to the United Kingdom, where they are facing charges.

The Secretary of State said that there was ‘no role’ for the administration to play in the Tates’ case while speaking to reporters in the Philippines Wednesday.

‘I don’t know the details of this particular case. I’ve been overseas, but I mean, I know who you’re talking about. I just don’t know the details of it,’ Rubio said. 

‘These cases have a process that they go through in the courts. My understanding is that they’re involved in that judicial process, and so that’ll play itself out at this point.

‘And there’s no role for us to play at this moment, or maybe ever in that regard, but I’m not going to opine on that.’

The Tate brothers were arrested at a bare-knuckle boxing event in Miami on Saturday at the request of British detectives over charges of rape, sex trafficking and indecent images of a child.

The arrests sparked speculation that Trump might intervene on their behalf as the brothers have claimed to have close ties to the President and his family.

While Rubio said there was no role for the State Department at this stage, he could ultimately make the final decision on extradition if a Florida court determines the UK’s request meets the legal requirements.

The British government is seeking extradition of Tristian Tate, left, and his brother Andrew on charges including rape and sex trafficking. They have both denied any wrongdoing

‘There’s no role for us to play at this moment, or maybe ever in that regard, but I’m not going to opine on that,’ said Rubio on Wednesday

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The Tates’ lawyer Joseph McBride suggested that Trump could intervene, claiming the President ‘was elected to fight against this kind of nonsense’ and the Tates had supporters ‘all the way to DC.’ 

McBride called the UK ‘a fallen state that prosecutes its citizens for free speech.’

Rubio’s statements come shortly after a US official told the Daily Telegraph: ‘The White House has no involvement and no feelings on the issue.’

The British government said it was seeking the extradition of the dual US-UK citizens in relation to an original 21 charges as well as other new allegations involving four women between July 2010 and August 2017.

The brothers deny all wrongdoing and claim that they are the victims of a political witch hunt, a parting shot by outgoing prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Andrew Tate has been charged with seven further counts of rape, three counts of arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation, three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and 19 additional charges relating to indecent images of a child and extreme pornography.

Tristan Tate has been charged with one count of sexual assault, two counts of rape and three counts of arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Andrew and Tristan were arrested at a bare-knuckle boxing event in Miami on Saturday at the request of British detectives over charges of rape, sex trafficking and indecent images of a child

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The Tate brothers appeared before US Magistrate Lauren Louis at a procedural hearing at federal court in Miami, Florida, on Monday

Joseph McBride (Pictured centered), lead counsel for Andrew and Tristan, speaks with reporters outside of the C Clyde Atkins United States Courthouse in Miami, Florida, on Monday

Many speculated that Trump, who is pictured boarding Air Force One en route to Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday, may intervene on the Tate brother’s behalf as they claimed to have close ties to the President

The brothers’ lawyers will apply for their release at a hearing on July 27, when a magistrate will decide whether they stay behind bars during the extradition fight. 

The Daily Mail revealed last week prior to their arrest that the Tates had met with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill and been hosted at a party by Trump envoy Paolo Zampolli.

The brothers are star figures in the so-called manosphere, preaching misogynist and chauvinist views to legions of fans, many of them teenage boys.

As well as the UK, the pair are accused of wrongdoing in the US and Romania.

The brothers sued an accuser for defamation in Florida.

They also remain under investigation in Romania over claims they coerced women into pornography, an unresolved case that carries rape and sexual assault allegations.

The pair have not set foot in the UK since Romania lifted a travel ban last year.

They touched down in Florida in February last year, weeks after a senior Trump official reportedly raised their case with Romanian officials.

Asked at the time if his administration had leaned on Bucharest to free them, the President said: ‘I know nothing about that.’

Temperatures in the UK are expected to fall dramatically with rain on the cards just days after another scorching heatwave is forecast to grip the nation with highs of 37C

Weather forecasts predict a new heatwave on the horizon as the Met Office warns temperatures could become “very warm again”, however after the initial hot period there is set to be a cold snap.

Weather maps produced by WXCharts using GFS data show a 7C chill after the scorching 37C forecast just days earlier.

Temperatures are expected to plummet on Tuesday, August 4 with lows of 7C in Scotland and Wales.

However, on July 31, some areas of the UK will be a whopping 30 degrees warmer. These highs are forecast to remain into August, with warms of 34C.

On Saturday August 1, temperatures will still sit in the 30s, with London warming up to 33C according to the weather maps. Suffolk and Norfolk are also likely to see highs of 34C.

Even in cooler areas temperatures are expected to be 27C.

The stark difference in weather may serve as a shock for many Brits. Weather maps show the coolest conditions in the Highlands of Scotland, however areas of Yorkshire will only be 8C.

In the South West some parts of Devon are forecast to sit at 9C.

London and surrounding areas are forecast the warmest temperatures of 13C according to the maps, still a harsh drop from days prior.

The Met Office warns in its longer range forecast from July 27 to August 5 that the UK will see ‘changeable’ conditions but does state that temperatures will largely be above average.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “A changeable period is likely overall, with many areas likely to see a mixture of bright or sunny spells and some rain at times.

“Northwestern areas are more likely to see the focus of rainfall, but southeastern areas should also see some showers. Confidence becomes lower into the start of August, but there are hints that high pressure could return for a time, which would mean dry conditions resuming, especially in the south.

“Winds will be mostly light or moderate, but occasionally fresh or strong around some coasts, mainly in the north and west.

“Temperatures will be near or above normal, warmest in the south, and perhaps becoming very warm again by the start of August.”

A public memorial for Ann Widdecombe will be held later this year, her family has said in a statement.

Former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman Widdecombe, 78, was found dead in her Dartmoor home with serious head injuries earlier this month.

Her family thanked the public for “the wide expression of condolences” but asked that her private service, to be held in the coming weeks and for which invitations have already been sent, is “limited to those closest to Ann”.

“We understand that there is significant public interest in the funeral of Ann Widdecombe,” the statement said.

“A private service for family and close friends will be held in the coming weeks, and invitations for this ceremony have been distributed.

“A more public memorial will follow later in the year, the details of which will be released in due course.

“While we are very grateful for the wide expression of condolences, the family would ask that this initial service is limited to those closest to Ann.”

Tributes poured in to Widdecombe from TV stars and across the political spectrum following her death.

Anton Du Beke, who was her partner on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, said he was devastated , which he called the “saddest of news”.

“I had the most brilliant time with Ann on Strictly Come Dancing, she became a real friend, she was fun, she was upbeat, she was positive, she was supportive, she was game, wanted to enter into the spirit of the whole thing,” he said in a video on X.

Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party for which Widdecombe served as shadow home secretary from 1999 to 2001, said the party was “reeling”.

She described Widdecombe as “a very fun and feisty woman who spoke her mind”, while the then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Widdecombe was a “distinguished politician”.

In a video posted on social media, Farage said Widdecombe was “an extraordinary woman” and “someone who gave her life to public service, to fighting for the things she believed in”.

He described her as “a devout Christian and somebody with strong socially conservative views. Perhaps not popular in modern Britain but that is what Ann believed in”.

Meghan Markle proudly boasted that her children enjoy eating Brussels sprouts and encouraged MasterChef Australia contestants to ‘keep a sense of humour’ about the competition in a new teaser for her judging spot on the reality show.

The Duchess of Sussex, 44, will appear as a guest judge on the latest series of the Channel 10 programme during Sunday night’s episode.

In a two-minute clip released today, Meghan gave viewers a glimpse of the cooking challenge she set for competitors as she asked them to whip up a dish using ingredients like honey, macadamia nuts, citrus, edible flowers and celeriac.

The Duchess, whose Netflix series With Love, Meghan was recently nominated for a Daytime Emmy, also had a few words of wisdom for the contestants as she acknowledged ‘there is a lot of pressure in this kitchen’.

‘I don’t like to cook that way, I like to cook in a really relaxed fashion,’ she continued. ‘So, all I can say to the competitors was to just remember to have fun, to keep a sense of humour about it, and to cook from the heart’.

Meghan added that ‘food and cooking are how I show my nurturing and love for my friends, family and my kids’ in a sweet nod to her and Prince Harry‘s children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

For Meghan’s guest spot, contestants of the hit show were asked to create a ‘dish fit for a Duchess’ using ingredients she handpicked from the pantry.

As she unveiled a table laden with seasonal produce, Meghan told the contestants ‘my kids eat Brussels sprouts’ as judge Poh Ling Yeow could be heard saying ‘that’s impressive’. 

The former actress filmed her cameo when she visited Australia with husband Prince Harry during their pseudo-royal tour three months ago.

She has said her love of good food and Australia were the two reasons she chose to be a guest judge on the country’s biggest cooking show. 

‘What attracted me to the MasterChef Australia kitchen? Two things: my love of food and my love of Australia. It was an easy yes,’ Meghan said in a press release announcing the broadcast date.

‘It’s such a great show. I’m just really honoured that I was asked to be here with you and to be able to judge some of these meals.’

She told the contestants: ‘I’d love it if there’s a connection that you can find when, as you’re cooking something, what is the story behind it?… What is something from your family or from a memory… something sentimental that we can also taste as we taste your dish?’

‘These are all things that, for me, feel really nostalgic,’ she added.

Meghan’s sensitivities over claims that her Australian tour with Harry was cashing in on their royal links led to a row over her MasterChef appearance, it was claimed at the time.

The Duchess of Sussex was reportedly ‘very frustrated’ with producers when she was described as ‘royalty’ in the promo for Australia’s wildly popular reality TV show.

The Duchess’s Netflix series With Love, Meghan was recently nominated for a Daytime Emmy 

Meghan and her team had ‘specifically’ made clear they did not want the word ‘royal’ used, a source said.

‘We’ve had MasterChef royalty in the kitchen before but no one like this,’ fellow judge Poh said.

But a report in Australia claimed Meghan was unhappy about being described as royalty, despite the fact that, through her marriage to Harry, the term is technically correct.

It comes after Meghan earned a surprise Daytime Emmy nomination for her axed Netflix cooking series – eight years after she ‘politely turned down’ an invite to the glitzy awards ceremony.

Meghan launched the first series of With Love, Meghan on the streaming platform in March 2025, alongside unveiling her lifestyle brand As Ever.

A second series and Christmas special followed, with the mother-of-two offering hosting tips and cooking lessons from inside a rented £5million mansion near her and Prince Harry’s Montecito home.

However, the show was largely panned by critics and viewers alike after it failed to break into the streamer’s top 1,000 most-watched programmes, according to viewing figures released by Netflix.

Despite scathing reviews, the show – which was axed in January 2026 – has received a nomination in the outstanding lifestyle programme category, it was announced last week.

With Love, Meghan will compete with NBC’s heartwarming home makeover show, George To The Rescue, hosted by George Oliphant, which has an 8.8/10 rating on IMDB and Hallmark’s The Motherhood, presented by Connie Britton.

Infrared saunas are increasingly marketed as a post-exercise recovery tool that can reduce pain and fatigue, but the scientific evidence supporting these claims remains limited and conflicting.

So do infrared saunas cause physiological changes that accelerate recovery, or do they simply reduce the feeling of aching muscles?

Traditional Finnish saunas heat the surrounding air to between approximately 70°C and 100°C. In contrast, infrared saunas use panels that emit infrared radiation to heat the body more directly, allowing them to operate at a lower air temperature between 40°C to 60°C. Both methods heat the body, but deliver the heat differently.

Infrared saunas should not be confused with photobiomodulation, sometimes called red-light therapy. That technique uses controlled doses of red or near-infrared light to produce biological effects without substantially heating tissue. Its clinical applications are still being investigated and are not fully standardised. An infrared sauna primarily provides whole-body heat.

Why heat might aid recovery

Heat exposure widens blood vessels in the skin and activates heat-shock proteins and other cellular pathways involved in stress protection and tissue repair. These effects provide a plausible reason for studying heat as a recovery strategy.

However, physiological plausibility does not necessarily translate into meaningful improvements in recovery. Most studies have not measured intramuscular temperature, making it difficult to determine whether the target muscles were heated enough to produce the proposed effects.

Heat has also been claimed to support recovery by increasing blood flow and accelerating the removal of lactate. Lactate is often mistakenly called lactic acid. It accumulates during intense exercise but is cleared relatively quickly, long before delayed muscle soreness usually develops. Research shows that lactate accumulation does not cause the soreness experienced after strenuous exercise. Clearing it more quickly would therefore not demonstrate faster muscle repair or explain reduced soreness the following day.

A 2025 systematic review evaluated whole-body heating after exercise, including infrared saunas, traditional saunas, and hot-water immersion. It identified 14 studies involving a total of 194 participants. Nine studies examined short-term recovery, but only two investigated infrared saunas.

Of the nine recovery studies, four reported some benefit, four found no effect and one observed worse subsequent performance. However, the studies varied considerably in their methods and outcome measures. The overall quality of evidence was rated low to moderate, and all studies had at least some risk-of-bias concerns. Whole-body heating also showed little or no consistent effect on markers of muscle damage or inflammation.

In a 2015 study of ten physically active men, participants completed strength or maximal endurance exercise, followed by 30 minutes in a far-infrared sauna or passive rest. The sauna did not improve recovery after strength training. Following endurance exercise, jump performance was slightly better during the 30 minute recovery period after the sauna.

The heat may simply have kept the muscles warm. A systematic review of muscle warming found that raising muscle temperature can improve rapid force development and power, but not maximum force. A short-term improvement could therefore resemble a warm-up effect rather than accelerated repair.

A 2023 crossover study involved 16 male basketball players. Each completed resistance training followed by either 20 minutes in an infrared sauna or passive rest.

After 14 hours, the reduction in jump performance was smaller following the sauna, and the participants reported less soreness, but the sauna did not improve the recovery of sprint speed or maximum leg strength. Blood markers of muscle damage were also no different, and neither sleep duration nor sleep quality improved.

The study could not provide a convincing placebo sauna, so participants knew when they were receiving the intervention. As physiological changes were not detected, it is possible that the participants had positive expectations that may have influenced their perception of recovery and muscle soreness.

These studies suggest that infrared saunas may affect how recovered someone feels and perhaps preserve particular forms of explosive performance. They do not demonstrate faster muscle repair or consistent recovery of physical performance markers such as strength or sprinting ability.

A different use for heat

Repeated heating may be more useful for athletes preparing to compete in hot conditions. Heat acclimation involves regular heat exposure over several days, which causes physiological changes that allow the body to regulate its temperature more effectively.

In one study, 17 men exercised and then bathed in hot (40°C) or warm (34°C) water for 40 minutes on six consecutive days. The hot-water group subsequently experienced less physiological strain and improved 5km running performance in hot, but not temperate, conditions. This study used hot water rather than an infrared sauna, so the results cannot automatically be applied to infrared heating.

Sauna bathing may feel relaxing, and cross-sectional survey data suggest that users commonly perceive reductions in stress and improvements in sleep. However, because these findings were based on self-reported experiences collected at a single moment in time, they cannot establish that sauna use caused the reported benefits. Evidence that infrared saunas improve sleep remains insufficient. In the 2023 post-exercise recovery study, subjective sleep quality after infrared sauna use was no better than after passive rest.

Infrared saunas may ease perceived soreness and promote relaxation, but evidence that post-exercise heat accelerates physical recovery remains limited and inconclusive. Any immediate performance benefit could partly reflect warmer muscles rather than faster tissue repair. Regular sauna use may offer separate cardiovascular benefits, but this does not demonstrate faster post-exercise muscle recovery.

Infrared saunas are therefore best regarded as a recovery strategy to promote relaxation rather than a replacement for the proven recovery methods of sleep, nutrition and hydration.

Sauna heat can temporarily lower blood pressure while raising heart rate. Anyone who becomes dizzy, nauseated or unusually weak should leave the sauna and cool down. Moderate sauna use is generally well tolerated by healthy adults, but individual responses vary, and people with unstable cardiovascular conditions should seek medical advice before using one.

The rubbish has been reported at Crompton Lodges, with bins stuffed and bags left on the ground towards the end of June.

This has sparked concerns from visitors about cleanliness and about possibly attracting animals.

One visitor, who contacted The Bolton News, said: “Why can’t they take their rubbish home with them when the bins are full instead of leaving it for the animals to get into?”

The rubbish was reported around Crompton Lodge (Image: Public)

Over recent weeks, repeated warnings have gone out asking members of the public to treat the countryside around Moses Gate Country Park with respect.

Bolton Council cabinet member for the environment and regulatory services, Councillor Rob Morrisey, said the council had various policies in place but that the public needed to play their part too.

Councillor Morrisey said: “The council works hard to keep our public spaces clean through regular inspections, emptying of bins and responding to reports of littering and illegally deposited waste.

“However, we also rely on residents and visitors to play their part by disposing of waste responsibly, taking rubbish home where necessary, and helping us to keep local neighbourhoods and green spaces clean and welcoming for everyone.”

Here are the 12 roads in the town impacted by works on Thursday (July 23):

Yarm Road Construction

Temporary traffic signals will be in place on Yarm Road due to construction at Denver Drive.

This work is expected to end on July 23 at 11pm, with restrictions remaining in place until then.

Thompson Street West Closure

Thompson Street West will be closed from A167 North Road to Longfield Road due to water main work.

This closure is scheduled to finish on July 22 at 11pm, and motorists should check before travelling in case any overruns affect Thursday.

Elton Road Gas Main Work

Gas main work is taking place on Elton Road at Elton Parade.

This work is expected to continue until July 30 at 4pm, with restrictions affecting traffic in both directions throughout this period.

Maude Street Water Main Work

Water main work will affect Maude Street at A68 Woodland Road.

This work is expected to conclude on July 23 at 11pm, with restrictions remaining in place until the end of the works.

St Alban’s Green Electricity Work

There will be give‑and‑take traffic on St Alban’s Green due to electricity work at Winchester Way.

This work is expected to last until September 9 at 11pm, with traffic taking turns in both directions during this time.

Stockton Road Temporary Traffic Signals

Temporary traffic signals will be in place on Stockton Road due to electricity work between Winchester Way and A1150 Whinfield Road.

This work is expected to end on July 23 at 11pm, and restrictions are set to remain in place until then.

Edinburgh Drive Gas Main Work

Gas main work is affecting Edinburgh Drive between A67 Coniscliffe Road and Teesdale Avenue, with temporary signals and delays likely.

This work is expected to last until September 9 at 4pm, with restrictions remaining in place throughout the period.

Ely Close Electricity Work

Ely Close will experience give‑and‑take traffic due to electricity work at Exeter Drive.

This work is expected to end on August 27 at 11pm, with traffic taking turns in both directions until then.

West Powlett Street Telecoms Work

West Powlett Street will see give‑and‑take traffic due to telecoms work at Powlett Street.

This work is expected to conclude on July 23 at 4pm, with restrictions remaining in place until completion.

A67 Coniscliffe Road Gas Main Work

Gas main work will affect A67 Coniscliffe Road between Coniscliffe Mews and Edinburgh Drive, with temporary signals in both directions.

This work is expected to last until August 26 at 4pm, and restrictions are set to remain in place throughout this time.

Faverdale Construction

Faverdale will experience temporary traffic signals due to construction after A68 West Auckland Road.

This work is expected to conclude on September 6 at 11pm, with restrictions remaining in place until then.

Brinkburn Road Construction

Brinkburn Road will see temporary traffic signals due to construction between Auckland Avenue and Pierremont Road.

This work is expected to end on July 29 at 11pm, with restrictions remaining in place during the works.