No motor vehicles (except those engaged in the work and emergency-services vehicles) will be able to park or drive on this section of road during this time.

A section of road in the Elvanfoot area is to be closed next week to allow improvement work to take place.

The resurfacing of the A702 Elvanfoot (Overfingland to Troloss) between its junction with Daer Water Road and the South Lanarkshire boundary will take place from 7am on Tuesday, August 18, for up to five days.

No motor vehicles (except those engaged in the work and emergency-services vehicles) will be able to park or drive on this section of road during this time.

A signed diversion route will be in place via the A702, A76, B740, B7078 and A702, and vice-versa.

Colin Park, South Lanarkshire Council’s head of Roads, Transportation and Fleet Services, said: “Unfortunately, it is not feasible allow any vehicles onto this section of the A702 while the resurfacing work is being carried out, and we therefore urge all road users to take notice of this closure and think how it might affect their journeys, and then plan ahead and allow extra time for travelling if necessary.

“We apologise for the inconvenience this will cause to people in the area, but their patience and understanding during the period of the work would be much appreciated. I know everyone who uses this road will see a benefit in the improved condition of the surface as a result of the works.”

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Jodie Foster tearing up a dirt road, yelling stellar coordinates into a walkie-talkie à la the 1997 sci-fi film Contact. Control rooms alive with a cacophony of “enhance that signal”. Real-time discovery. That’s what I pictured when my PhD supervisor told me I’d be going observing at a telescope.

Cut to 2am on top of a mountain in La Palma last April, at an altitude that makes you forget you’re in the Canary Islands. It was utterly freezing, and I had dressed for the sunny archipelago in thin layers. I almost dropped my mug trying to close the telescope door against the wind.

Coffee and food waited two minutes away in the service building. In the darkness, the wind caught a loose scrap of fabric and scared the life out of me. I fell over within 30 seconds. Winds of 40km/h aren’t uncommon at the observatory; I was just entirely unprepared.

I sat on the road, mourning my dignity. And I looked up. For the first time in my life, I saw the Milky Way. It painted the sky, reminding me violently of my insignificance. Nothing in my life has ever compared to that. I allowed myself to bask in it for ten minutes. Then the work beckoned me: I needed coffee, and hadn’t told my colleague which star was next on the schedule.

How is an observing night prepared?

A night at a telescope begins in the afternoon. At around 4pm, my colleague, who was training me to use the telescope, and I drove up to the Nordic Optical Telescope. It’s a gorgeous piece of kit, with a diameter of 2.56 metres. It collects enough starlight for exquisitely precise measurements.

Every instrument and filter had to be carefully tested. On my side, this was a few lines of code. The telescope operator ensured everything worked properly and set up the telescope. While calibrations ran, I started scheduling the night’s observations.

Telescope time is limited, so having three nights at the helm meant I had to squeeze out every second I could. Hollywood did not prepare me for how many spreadsheets this involves. This sort of scheduling requires careful balancing of many factors. For example, observing stars close together on the night sky consecutively to avoid spending too much time repointing the telescope.

Once calibration and scheduling were complete, I watched the sun set. It was beautiful, but also a warning – working hours will soon begin. If you catch the right moment, you can see a small fleet of astronomers in cars headed to their respective telescopes.

The mountain came to life with domes opening, catching the first starlight of the night. There’s more than 20 telescopes in the observatory on the mountain, whose specialisms range from observing supernovae to exoplanets (any planet beyond our solar system).

The night itself

Around 8pm, the first light from a star – HD153557 in this case , a dwarf star around 59 light-years away – entered the telescope. This is always a bit special. The whir of the dome moving, the shutters opening, seeing the monitors show the first traces of data. I sipped my coffee, turned up the 80s hits, and was content in the knowledge that I’d still be in that chair in 12 hours.

This night started rather predictably. The weather was perfect, not a cloud in sight, and the telescope behaved beautifully. Before long we had a spreadsheet slowly getting filled in with completed observations. I knew the peace wouldn’t last. I’d done ten observing nights at two different telescopes by that point in my career, and not one of them without something disrupting my colour-coded plans. Typically, a cloud will move right in front of a star I’m trying to observe, or it’ll rain and that means we have to close the dome. But every few nights, there’s something a little more exciting.

An email just before midnight brought with it a Target of Opportunity alert. These are observations that need to be done immediately, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment. This one was a gamma-ray burst. It’s one of the most violent events in the universe, over a trillion times brighter than our Sun. This was picked up by a space-based detector and emailed to us to request the observation.

Gamma-ray bursts aren’t in my area of expertise – I research stars like the Sun and their surrounding planets. Far less explosive. Between switching observing instruments, rotating the dome, checking calibrations, I was also digesting as much information as I could about what a gamma-ray burst is. This was probably the closest I’ll ever get to my Jodie Foster moment, and it was a rather anticlimactic, blurry image loading very slowly on a screen.

After the gamma-ray burst was observed, the control room became quiet again. Back to my spreadsheets and falling over trying to get coffee. To feeling slightly lonely but seeing another dome rotating under the moonlight when I stepped outside, and being reminded of the other tired astronomers all working beneath the same stars.

It was 8:30am when I finally got back to my room. Ready for a shower, and bed, and to wake up in five hours and do it all again.

The scientific end product

The reality is that scientific interpretation rarely happens in real time. The telescope measurements are first cleaned and calibrated by a computer programme, which turns them into usable spectra. I then apply my own analysis code to these spectra. For me, this comes much later, at my desk in Birmingham once my sleep schedule has recovered. These particular observations gave us stellar spectra: when a star’s light splits into a rainbow, imposed with patterns that reveal its temperature and chemical composition.

The most common observing nights involve balancing spreadsheets, a whole lot of coffee, and slowly surrendering to the delirium of sleep deprivation. Some of them have dramatic alerts. Some of them end up entirely clouded out and allow for an early bedtime.

There is no pivotal “enhance that signal” moment, but there is the quiet, consistent sense of joy that I’m cataloguing and understanding the stars that could one day be found to host another Earth. Hollywood didn’t prepare me for the scientific process. But it got the wonder spot on.

Builders horrified after digging up human body in garden of home

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Police have confirmed that human remains have been uncovered in the garden of a London home, with the house sealed off for seven days as authorities try to piece together how the bones came to be there.

Builders made the shocking find at a newly bought bungalow in south-east London’s Biggin Hill – a quiet, leafy town usually known for its mega-celeb resident Tom Cruise, who owns a home there.

Officers from London’s Metropolitan Police were called to a property on Aperfield Road last Friday, at about 3.30pm, the force said.

The Met Police has now confirmed the bones found were human after they were sent for a specialist examination.

A spokesperson for the force said: “The bones were sent for specialist examination and were confirmed to be human.

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“However, further testing is underway to establish the age of the bones and ascertain identity.”

The force says that an investigation remains ongoing to establish the full circumstances.

The home has been cordoned off ever since. First with police tape and now with temporary fencing and forensic tents, with police coming and going at all hours of the night as the site seems to be a 24/7 active scene.

Neighbours have so far been left in the dark about who the body belonged to or what had happened on their seemingly quiet little street.

One neighbor told The Sun that the new homeowner had recently purchased the two-bedroom home and had not yet moved in.

They said: “Nobody lives there at the moment.

“An old lady lived there for years, but she moved away, and another woman bought it to completely refurbish it. She couldn’t move in until they’d finished.

“The builders discovered something on Friday, and of course, they completely had to stop work.”

Another neighbour added: “The woman who’s bought the property is having renovations done. She must be absolutely horrified.

“She’s had builders in doing all sorts of things. Last week they were digging up the back patio and there were piles of rubbish on the drive.

“A grab lorry came and took some of it away, and then suddenly Friday a police vehicle arrived outside and police tape went across, and they were there 24/7.

The neighbour added: “The cordon has come down now because they’ve secured the building.”

One insider also told the Sun that power, gas, and water have all been shut off at the home while police investigate.

He also revealed that forensics have been searching the property from top to bottom, and have been preserving evidence on green trays.

Local planning documents show an application for a single-storey rear extension at the premise.

Holidaymakers will need to know all the entry requirements ahead of their trip to avoid disappointment and potentially being refused entry into the country.

Children aged 17 or younger travelling to Portugal alone or with someone who is not their parent or legal guardian will need a letter of authorisation in order to travel there.

The letter must contain key details in order to be accepted.

What does the letter to enter Portugal need to include?

Authorities in Portugal have asked that a few things be included in the letter, such as a signature from the child’s parent or legal guardian and the date it was signed.

The signature must be certified by a notary or solicitor, and the notary or solicitor’s signature must be legalised by the Legislation Office.

The letter must be issued alongside a copy of the child’s parent’s or guardian’s passport.

It must include:

• full name, date of birth, and passport number of the child
• the dates the child plans to arrive and depart the country
• why they are visiting
• the address where the child will be staying
• the name and passport number of the adult in Portugal who is responsible for them while there
• the full name, date of birth, passport number, and contact details of the parent or guardian

6 tips for cheaper family holidays

What happens if you don’t have a letter of authorisation?

The UK government website has made it clear that if a child who needs a letter of authorisation is taken to Portugal without one, their entry will be delayed and could be refused.

It adds: “Teenagers aged 17 and under who travel alone, or with friends of the same age, and who are not being met on arrival by a parent or guardian, may be refused entry if they do not have a letter of authorisation.”

If a child is a resident of Portugal and aged 17 or under, they “must carry a properly certified letter of authorisation if travelling without their parent or legal guardian.”

Where does Manchester Airport fly to in Portugal?

You can fly to the following locations in Portugal from Manchester Airport:

• Faro
• Lisbon
• Madeira
• Porto

Did you know these rules were in place for travelling to Portugal? Tell us in the comments below.

The best sunglasses to shop now

Best lightweight glasses

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There’s nothing more classic than tortoiseshell. This pair of brown glasses comes in at just 23g, so it barely feels like you’re wearing anything at all.

SunGod also lets you choose between standard and polarised glasses, which reduce glare (and therefore eye strain) or you can pay extra for 8KO polarisation for 70% clearer vision.

No matter what you go for, they’re super durable, and would be just as at home on a run as they would be strolling the Sunday market. They even come in a handy blue dust bag for when you want to chuck them in your bag.

Best oversized aviator sunglasses

Oversized sunglasses had their moment at Copenhagen fashion week, and this pair is a staple you won’t want to live without. They come in a classic aviator shape, but those polarized lenses are shatterproof and come with UV 2 protection, so they’re a great incognito pair for an evening look or slamming on to head to the supermarket.

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Best affordable men’s sunglasses

Sometimes all you want is a pair of shades you can count on to get the job done. This minimalist metal pair won’t take the attention away from the rest of your outfit.

It has polarised lenses, to reduce glare, and comes with sleek and simple metal frames.

Best 90s women’s sunglasses

The 90s are clearly here to stay, and up there with the most popular trends are skinnyyyy sunglass frames. We’re a big fan of these ones from Jimmy Fairly, which are a perfect mix of square and round, and offer 100% protection against UVB and UVA. Stylish and functional, what could be better?

Best women’s colourful frame

We’ve been seeing pops of primary colours dominate fashion and interiors the whole year, so it’s no surprise that the trend has now reached our sunglasses, with colourful frames all over fashion weeks.

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These oversized frames from Jimmy Fairly come in clear, yellow, brown, and blue, but we’re partial to this deep maroon colour. We’ll just call you big red.

Best Y2K sunglasses

Run, don’t walk: ASOS is selling vintage now. Who knew?! I don’t know about you, but my social media has been absolutely awash with a Prada Sport comeback this year, and I love this pair of vintage Y2K glasses.

They’re a little on the spenny side, but totally worth it if you’re committed to looking like you just walked out of an episode of The Simple Life.

Best round glasses

If you’re taking the bohemian revival seriously, these round sunnies will tick off two trends at once: 70s inspired and colourful frames.

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They’re unisex, so you can share them with your lover, and come with 100% UV protection for protection you can rely on.

Best women’s sunglasses with a gold detail

What is life if not about that bling? If you wanna prove that you’re too blang for that thang this summer, these frames from Versace are the only accessory you’ll need, as they come with a gold logo detail on teh side.

We also appreciate that the lenses are grey, rather than black, for a touch of tonal difference to your ‘fit.

Best statement glasses

If you want your sunnies to make your outfit, Paloceras is a one-stop shop. With a selection of chunky statement sunnies, it has plenty of options for your next favourite accessory.

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These red ones are calling our name, because don’t they just look like they’ve come straight out of a cartoon? They’re 100% UV protective, and unisex. But if that’s not your jam, this clear pair is also enticing as hell.

Best budget women’s sunglasses

Apparently the butter yellow trend is out and lemon curd is in – let me know if you figure out the difference. Either way, this pair of pale yellow sunnies looks like they could be far more expensive than they are: they’re delightfully chunky, and also come in black if you’re more of a classic gal.

Best classic sunglasses

Groundbreaking, I know. But just in case you forgot these classic frames existed, here’s your reminder. I struggle with finding sunglasses as I have a pretty narrow face, and I love that Ray Ban allows you to choose your width.

You can also customise them, make them polarised, or add your prescription to them, which is pretty neat if you ask me.

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Best new designer collab

You might not want to look at the sun, but there’s no harm in looking like you’re wearing it on your face.

I mean, how fab is this collab between Ray Ban and D&G? The combo of the yellow lenses and gold frames is just *chef’s kiss* but if you don’t like yellow, you can choose from five other frame colours.

Best sporty men’s sunglasses

If you’re after a frame that is equal parts sporty and wearable, these frames from Cos fit the bill.

The angular frames will add a hint of interest to even the most basic of outfits, while the brown is a neutral you can fall back on come spring or autumn.

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Sunglasses trends to shop in 2026

The National Trust has told families to ‘avoid’ a section of beach it manages in England as it will ‘stay hot for days’ after a wildfire ripped through the coastline

An urgent ‘avoid the area’ warning has been issued to beach-goers by the National Trust after a fire ravaged sections of a hugely popular UK beach.

Although the fire is under control, the National Trust, which runs Formby beach and the nature reserve in the dunes, has warned the ground will ‘stay hot for days’ and must be avoided. The beach is hugely popular in the north west – not only with Liverpudlians locally, but also Mancunians and Lancastrians as it’s one of the closest beaches to major cities like Manchester and Preston.

Six fire crews raced to a ‘significant’ blaze on the sand dunes on Formby beach, in Merseyside, on Wednesday evening (August 12). They tackled a fire on sand dunes and gorse around 500 metres by 200 metres in size during the heatwave, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Fire crews used beaters and hoses to combat the blaze, with extended hose lines stretched across substantial distances to secure water supplies. Challenging conditions arose as strong winds drove the fire through dense gorse.

An MFRS drone was also deployed to give crews an aerial perspective of the fire. A fire engine from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and an MFRS off-road vehicle were also mobilised.

The scorched land now poses an ongoing safety risk, the National Trust announced. In an official statement, the charity confirmed that its ranger team had been working alongside MFRS to evaluate the damage caused by the fire.

It said: “It’s still too early to understand the full extent of the fire’s impact, but we’ll be closely monitoring this ecologically significant habitat and its affected species over the coming months.

“While the fire is now out, the scorched ground will remain hot for several days, so we ask visitors to avoid the area for their own safety.”

The National Trust also urged those visiting the Sefton Coast to exercise additional caution during the current hot, dry spell.

Visitors were reminded to ensure cigarettes are completely stubbed out, and that barbecues and open fires should never be lit along the coastline.

The organisation added: “We’d like to thank Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service for their quick response and hard work in containing and extinguishing the fire.”

Two people have been seriously injured following the derailment near Brighton

A major update has been released after a train derailed near Brighton today.

Two people have been seriously injured after the train with around 150 people on board derailed near Lewes in East Sussex. It’s understood they have been taken to major trauma centres with “severe” injuries, the South East Coast Ambulance Service said.

Emergency services have flooded the scene of the incident, which happened near the town’s railway station on Thursday afternoon and involved a Southern Rail train. South East Coast Ambulance Service said a further nine patients sustained less serious injuries in the derailment.

A major incident has been declared following the train derailment, British Transport Police (BTP) said.

Three carriages derailed onto their side, leaving a number of people trapped on board the Southern train, which was travelling from London Victoria to Eastbourne. They have now been safely evacuated, the force said.

“Patients have been assessed and treated at the scene, with some transported to local hospitals for further treatment and care,” an ambulance spokesperson said.

“A number of passengers who did not require hospital treatment have been taken to a local community centre, where they are being supported by partner agencies. This remains a complex and ongoing multi-agency response.”

Photographs circulated online show at least two carriages of a train lying on their side, with two passengers standing on top.

A BTP spokesperson said: “At this time we believe that two patients have sustained serious injuries and a further nine patients have sustained less serious injuries

“Patients have been assessed and treated at the scene, with some transported to local hospitals. Officers are continuing to respond at the scene alongside colleagues from Sussex Police and the local Fire and Rescue and Ambulance Services.

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Drummond-Smith said: “We’ve declared a major incident and a significant emergency service response is ongoing at the scene, but all passengers on the train have now been safely evacuated from the service.

“Our thoughts are of course with everyone affected, and I’d like to reassure the public that we’re supporting the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to establish exactly what’s happened. We’ll provide further information as soon as we are able”.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she is “deeply concerned” by the incident and is “working quickly with the rail industry and local partners to assist passengers”.

Meanwhile, a passenger has told of her “terror” during the derailment where “everything went topsy turvy”.

The remaining train casualties have been ferried home in taxis or taken to hospital by ambulance. A triage area at the Landport Community Centre sorted the remaining injured. People shared cabs home or were loaded into ambulances.

Passenger Yana Ludwig, 56, from Washington State, USA said she heard a loud bang before being thrown from her seat.

“It was completely terrifying,” she said. “I was coming back from London and Lewes is my stop. There was a banging noise and everything went topsy turvy.

“There was lots of shaking, it felt like a really long time, but it was probably only about 10 seconds. I landed on top of somebody. I’m just glad nobody was killed.

“It felt like it was maybe 20mins before the emergency services started showing up. It could’ve been faster, time is kind of warped.”

Yana was waiting for a shared taxi back to Lewes, she added: “This is one of those moments when people pull together, which is good.”

“I also want to acknowledge the local community, for their patience, understanding and support throughout this investigation, particularly those who came forward with information, whose cooperation has been invaluable in helping us establish the truth and secure this conviction.”

The closure orders were granted against Ramis Off Licence and Ted’s Convenience Store, two separate premises both based on Derby Street in Deane.

Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court heard both had been involved in the large-scale supply of illicit cigarettes, illegal vapes, narcotics, and nitrous oxide.

The court heard that these activities had links to organised crime groups in Bolton.

Bolton Council cabinet member for environmental services, Cllr Robert Morrisey said: “These closure orders send a clear message that criminal activity will not be tolerated in our communities.

“The sale of illicit tobacco, illegal vapes, drugs and nitrous oxide harms local neighbourhoods, fuels organised crime and puts vulnerable people at risk.

Ramis was also given a closure order (Image: Bolton Council)

“This successful action demonstrates the strength of partnership working in Bolton and our determination to tackle those who profit from criminality.”

The closure orders against the two shops were granted by magistrates to council trading standards officers on Thursday, August 6.

According to court documents, both were made subject to applications for closure orders because of noise and disorder.

Magistrates heard how the shop’s activity was also associated with antisocial behaviour in the nearby area and concerns about vulnerable young people being drawn into substance misuse.

This came after multi-agency investigation involving Bolton Council trading standards, community safety, Greater Manchester Police and other partner organisations.

Both businesses will now have to stay closed for three months.

Speaking after the police operation, Cllr Ayyub Patel, of Rumworth, said: “The recent GMP operation on Derby Street has led to two shops being closed for three months after officers found large quantities of nitrous oxide, laughing gas, and other illegal substances.

“This action didn’t happen by chance, it happened because residents spoke up, and because our neighbourhood officers acted quickly.”

He added: “Rumworth has strong, family centred communities.

“When dangerous substances like nitrous oxide start appearing in local shops, it puts our children, teenagers, and vulnerable young adults at risk.

“This isn’t just a policing issue. It’s a community safeguarding issue.

“Young people are being targeted because it’s cheap, easy to access, and wrongly seen as safe. As a community, we must challenge that myth.”