Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more

After weeks of relentless heat, long dry spells and plenty of sunshine, the UK is finally getting some much-needed relief from a summer of back-to-back heatwaves.

Temperatures are set to drop from the 30s to the mid-20s in many parts of the country this week, with showers and the chance of thunderstorms bringing cooler, wetter weather.

Parts of Kent, Essex and Sussex have already seen some light or patchy rain overnight, offering a welcome break after all three counties were officially declared to be in drought on July 29.

But experts warn that a little rain won’t be enough to undo months of dry weather.

For green-fingered homeowners who have watched their lawns turn straw-coloured and plants struggle in the heat, the cooler weather means it’s finally time to start giving their gardens some TLC.

From bringing scorched lawns back to life and repairing sun-damaged wood, to improving soil so it holds on to more moisture, the Daily Mail has rallied a host of gardening experts to share their top tips for helping gardens recover from the heat.

And with extreme weather becoming more common, experts say it could even be time to take a few lessons from Mediterranean gardens as we look ahead to 2027.

Fed up with battling Mother Nature? Read on to discover how to get one step ahead and future-proof your garden from increasingly unpredictable weather – and how to help it recover now…

Water smarter – even with hosepipe restrictions!

With hosepipe bans and water restrictions in place across much of the country, gardeners need to be a little more clever about how they keep lawns alive. 

Cheryl Harper, Managing Director of Greensleeves Lawn Care, said: ‘Make the most of rainwater and greywater: tap into water butts or reuse leftover household water (like cooled bathwater or washing-up water, provided it doesn’t have harsh chemicals).’ 

She advises to water in the early morning or late evening to avoid losing up to 40 per cent to evaporation, and focus on the driest or most heavily used areas rather than soaking the whole lawn. 

For brown, dormant grass, Jonathan Davis, grass expert at Lawnsmith, says there is no need to panic, but watering should be the priority.

He encouraged: ‘Infrequent, deep watering is more effective than a light sprinkle every day. Aim for a deep soak two or three times a week. 

Although he says ‘most lawns will show signs of green regrowth within 10 to 14 days of consistent rainfall or watering’, full recovery can take two to four weeks depending on how badly the grass has been stressed. 

Add mulch to soil 

One of the easiest ways to help a garden hold on to moisture is by giving the soil a good layer of mulch. 

Andy Simms, of MyBuilder.com, said: ‘One job gardeners can do is add around two or three inches of mulch to your soil, which will help keep your garden damp during drier periods.’

David Denyer, florist and gardening expert at Eflorist, also recommends adding a 5-8cm layer of organic material such as compost, bark chippings, well-rotted manure or leaf mould to reduce evaporation and regulate soil temperature. 

‘It also suppresses weeds, which would be competing with your plants for precious moisture’, he added. 

Andy also suggests planting drought-tolerant options such as lavender and camomile, as well as using water butts to collect rainwater for plants and lawns during hosepipe bans. 

Give soil a little breathing room  

After a long, dry summer, soil can become hard and compacted, making it difficult for water to reach the roots where it is needed. 

Cheryl Harper of Greensleeves Lawn Care recommends giving particularly dry patches a helping hand with a garden fork. 

‘Take a garden fork and gently push holes into the ground across dry, compacted patches,’ she said. 

The simple trick creates channels for water and air to travel deeper into the soil, rather than allowing water to sit on the surface or run off. 

It can also be particularly useful after a spell of heavy rain following weeks of drought, helping the water actually reach thirsty roots – just take care not to dig too aggressively around established plants, where you could damage their roots. 

Raise your lawnmower blades

Resist the urge to give a tired, brown lawn a close crop, as cutting heat-stressed grass too short can strip away what little moisture it has left. 

Cheryl said: ‘Set your mower to its highest setting or take a little break from mowing altogether until you see healthy green shoots returning.’

If you do need to mow, avoid removing too much of the grass in one go and make sure your mower blades are sharp to prevent unnecessary damage. 

It is also worth leaving fine grass clippings on the lawn rather than collecting them up. 

The clippings can act as a natural mulch, helping shade the soil and slow down moisture loss. Once your lawn starts recovering, regular but gentle mowing will help keep it healthy without putting it under extra stress. 

Restore heat-damaged decking

It is not just lawns and plants that have suffered in the sunshine, with wooden decking and garden furniture also taking a beating from months of UV exposure. 

Jimmy Englezos, Ronseal’s DIY expert and Senior Brand Manager, said: ‘One of the most notable signs is a significant colour change or dull-coloured panels or boards.’ 

He explained that UV rays break down pigments in the wood, while sun exposure can weaken its natural oils and resins, leaving timber more brittle and prone to splintering and cracking. 

To revive it, start by removing moss, mould, algae and dirt with a stiff brush, before working decking restorer into a few boards at a time and scrubbing well. 

Jimmy recommends leaving the solution for around 15 minutes before re-scrubbing and rinsing, then allowing the wood to dry completely – usually around two days – before applying oils, stains or paint. 

Take care of artificial grass 

According to James Higgins of Grass247, homeowners can easily prevent artificial turf from overheating by using water and shade. 

He notes that a quick rinse with a hose, bucket, or watering can is the fastest cooling method, while a misting system provides continuous relief. 

Additionally, he recommends blocking direct sunlight with structures like umbrellas, awnings or pergolas. 

For a temporary solution, Higgins suggests using adaptable options like shade sails or pop-up tents, which can be easily put up and stored away as needed.

Collect rainwater

Installing a water butt is one of the best long-term investments for any garden, allowing you to collect and store rainwater for use during dry spells.

Jo McGarry, a leading luxury garden design expert at Caragh Nurseries, said: ‘Collecting rainwater gives gardeners an extra supply to use on lawns, flower beds and plants when the weather turns dry. 

‘Adding compost or other organic matter to the soil can also help it hold water for longer, meaning less moisture is lost between watering.’

Weed little and often 

‘Weeds compete with plants for limited moisture, so removing them while they are still small can reduce pressure on flower beds and vegetable plots,’ Jo explained. 

She recommends avoiding deep digging in hot, dry soil, as this can increase water loss and disturb plant roots. 

Instead, hand-pull young weeds or cut them off at the surface.

Hold off on pruning and fertilising 

In the wake of heatwaves and drought, gardeners should not panic if lawns turn brown, foliage wilts, and flowers look tired. 

According to David Denyer of Eflorist, this state does not mean plants are dead. 

Once temperatures fall, it’s worth removing obviously dead or damaged material, but avoid heavy pruning right away. 

He added: ‘I’d also be cautious about reaching for the fertiliser. Feeding a badly stressed plant to force new growth won’t necessarily help. 

‘The priority after extreme heat should be restoring moisture and allowing the plant to recover. Healthy, properly hydrated plants will be in a much better position to put on new growth naturally.’

Feed as soon as conditions allow 

Kate Turner, Gardening Guru at Miracle-Gro, said: ‘Firstly, it’s important to note that until rain falls properly, there is little you can do in terms of gardening during a drought, as many lawn feeds will scorch grass above 25 degree heat, not to mention much of the nation is under a hosepipe ban.

Instead, she advises to feed your lawn when rain returns. 

Apply a granular fertiliser after good rainfall to help grass recover for autumn and build strong roots before winter, and use a liquid feed with a watering can or sprayer if rain is light. This protects dry grass from burning while feeding the roots.

Overseed patchy areas after rain 

Kate said: ‘Once the ground has taken on moisture, oversow thin or bare patches to thicken the lawn back up, and use a dedicated repair product such as Patch Magic on the worst-affected areas. 

She further warned: ‘This step only works with the promise of further rain to come, and so refrain from doing this if showers are proving sporadic, as sowing into dry soil is a waste of seed.’

Give stubborn patches an extra boost 

Specialist wetting treatments can dramatically improve soil water retention after a harsh summer. 

For severe dry patches, Cheryl Harper recommends Greensleeves’ Aqua Boost treatment that uses a gentle wetting agent to break down the water-repellent barrier in baked soil. 

Alongside mechanical aeration, this process helps the ground absorb every drop of water. By locking moisture directly into the root zone, it delivers the hydration needed to jump-start lawn recovery.

Adopt Mediterranean gardening methods 

If this summer has taught gardeners anything, it is that planning for hotter, drier weather could be worth doing now rather than waiting for the next heatwave. 

Andy Simms of MyBuilder.com suggests adopting a more ‘Mediterranean’ approach, focusing on water-saving techniques and plants that can cope with plenty of sunshine. 

‘Olive trees, for example, are surging in popularity in the UK due to their ability to thrive in the sun,’ he said, with mastic, pink rockrose and deadly carrot also able to cope with high temperatures. 

David Denyer further believes this could be one of the biggest lessons for gardeners heading into 2027. 

He said: ‘We’ll need to become more comfortable taking inspiration from Mediterranean gardening.’ 

He recommends options including lavender, rosemary, salvias, sedums, agapanthus, verbena and yucca, which can all cope well with dry conditions while still bringing plenty of colour and interest to a garden. 

Lewis Machin, Assistant Horticulture Buyer at Hillier Garden, added: ‘It’s also important to choose the right plant for the right position. 

‘Good drainage, plenty of sunlight and protection from cold winds can make all the difference, particularly when experimenting with plants that originate from warmer climates. 

‘Combining these with more traditional hardy plants can create a diverse, attractive garden that is both resilient and well adapted to the conditions we’re likely to experience more frequently.’ 

Changes to take into 2027  

Preparing for 2027 involves reviewing which plants failed to cope with summer heat before buying replacements. 

According to David Denyer, efficient gardens group species by water requirements, keeping dry-climate plants like rosemary and lavender separate from moisture-loving hostas and hydrangeas. 

Additionally, overall garden resilience can be improved through organic mulching, larger containers, better drainage, and rainwater collection. 

He added: ‘The aim should be to create a garden that isn’t dependent on constant watering to survive. 

‘If hotter and drier summers continue as predicted, choosing plants that are naturally comfortable in those conditions and helping them establish strong root systems will make gardening easier, use less water and give outdoor spaces that still look fantastic during prolonged periods of heat.’

Downing Street today urged the public not to turn off emergency alerts on their phones following criticism of the Government’s use of the system to warn about wildfires.

Millions of Britons received messages on Friday evening urging them not to light anything that could spark a wildfire, including disposable barbecues and fireworks.

It came as fears grew of further devastating blazes, with Britain still experiencing ‘tinderbox’ conditions due to this summer’s heatwaves.

But the use of the emergency alerts system by the Government has been criticised by some as unnecessary, with ministers told they risked ‘crying wolf’.

There were also questions over whether an ‘immediate risk to life’ threshold had been met in the use of the system to issue a general warning about wildfires.

Nick Ross, the chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council board of trustees, said Friday’s use of emergency alerts was ‘not appropriate’.

The former Crimewatch presenter also revealed he nearly crashed his car when he received the ‘extraordinary sound’ on his phone.

‘Personally, I don’t think it was appropriate to use that. That is a big cudgel for this,’ he told Times Radio.

Firefighters are pictured attempting to control a wildfire blaze on fields at Flinton Hill Farm, close to Herrington Country Park, in Sunderland yesterday

He continued: ‘I nearly crashed my car. I remember driving along, all of a sudden, wow, wow, wow, this extraordinary sound went off.’

‘I had no idea what was going on. This is the sort of thing that I think is for an acute emergency. It’s not, this is a chronic thing.

‘That warning could have come any day, any time. So I think we’ve got to be very careful about overusing that, otherwise people will cry wolf.’

But Mr Ross added, speaking in an ‘official capacity’, that it was ‘entirely appropriate’ to warn about the risk of wildfires across Britain.

‘Fire risk in Britain is enormous,’ he said. ‘We are, as a society, not good at protecting ourselves from what we regard as small risks, even though the consequences are vast.

‘And you only need to look at what’s happened in Spain and in France to recognise just how catastrophic wildfires can be.

‘We don’t have the tanker aircraft that they do to put out these big fires. So yes, in one sense, we desperately need to be warned.’

Downing Street on Monday defended the use of the emergency alerts system.

A No10 spokeswoman told reporters: ‘On Friday alone, when that alert was issued, crews were tackling 43 wildfires across the country and had declared 11 major incidents, which stretched resources to the very limit and required military support, as we announced on the day.

‘We took the decision to use the system after a direct request from fire and rescue services, on the front line of the fight against wildfires.’

Asked about the possibility of people disabling emergency alerts on their phones in the wake of Friday’s use of the system, the spokeswoman added: ‘The emergency alert system is in place to communicate life-saving advice, and we would encourage people to use it.’

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner on Monday met with emergency responders who fought the home-destroying Stourbridge fires at West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service HQ

Ms Rayner could be seen walking among the shells of houses at Quarry Park Road, Stourbridge, following the huge blaze which destroyed 19 homes.

Advertisement

Phil Garrigan, chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council, hailed a ‘fantastic’ response to Friday’s use of emergency alerts but urged Britons to remain ‘vigilant’ over the risk of wildfires.

‘This has undoubtedly been an incredibly tough period for fire and rescue services, but we are beginning to see incident numbers reduce and that is welcome news,’ he said.

‘I want to pay tribute to the outstanding dedication and professionalism of firefighters, fire control room teams and all those supporting the response behind the scenes.

‘For weeks they have worked tirelessly in exceptionally challenging conditions, often responding to multiple incidents simultaneously, to protect lives, homes, businesses and our natural environment.

‘It has also been fantastic to see how the public have responded following Friday’s emergency alert and the support they have shown their local fire and rescue services. 

‘People have listened to the advice, taken sensible precautions and helped reduce the risk of further fires at a time when emergency services have been under immense pressure.

‘But we are not out of this yet. Conditions remain exceptionally dry in many parts of the country and it only takes one spark to start a serious wildfire.

‘We have seen first-hand the devastating consequences these fires can have for communities, wildlife and property. I would therefore urge everyone to remain vigilant, continue to follow public safety advice and avoid any activity that could start a fire.’

Angela Rayner, the Housing Secretary, on Monday visited the burnt-out remains of homes in the West Midlands gutted by a wildfire last week.

She could be seen walking among the shells of houses at Quarry Park Road, Stourbridge, following the huge blaze which destroyed 19 homes.

Ms Rayner said the devastation from wildfires was ‘absolutely horrendous’ and praised the local community.

‘The community have been exceptional, looking out for each other,’ she added.

‘The emergency services, the police, the fire, the ambulance service, the local authority, the local MP, Cat (Eccles) here, and the community have come together to really support each other.

‘But it is devastating to see the level of damage and the emotional turmoil of losing everything, and that’s what these families have gone through.’

Ms Rayner continued: ‘We’re seeing a pattern here with the wildfires. We’re seeing a pattern with climate.

‘We have introduced £100million more equipment and we’ve got specialist fire crews now that look at wildfires, and they have been pushed by what’s happened.’

The Stourbridge fire is among a host of blazes which have ripped across Britain over the last week.

Other fires have raged across South Wales, in the New Forest, and in the Cairngorms in Scotland.

Temperatures are set to cool, and rain is set to fall in some areas in coming days, but extreme heat is expected to return after that.

A total of 1,132 wildfires have now been recorded across England and Wales in 2026 so far. 

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, who was a government minister when the emergency alerts system was set up, said the message sent on Friday was an ‘abuse of the system for the purpose of political posturing’.

He added: ‘This is the equivalent of crying wolf – people won’t take it as seriously in the future, and others may seek to disable the feature.

‘Either way, using the alert system in this way has undermined its usefulness in a real imminent future emergency.’

Fellow Tory frontbencher Alex Burghart, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, also criticised the decision to send out an alert, highlighting that ‘an immediate risk to life’ should exist before it is used.

‘Tonight’s use at a national level clearly doesn’t hit that threshold and opens the door to future misuse of the system,’ he wrote on X on Friday evening.

Australia’s busiest airport is set to undergo a 20-year expansion project to raise its annual passenger capacity to more than 70 million travellers.

Sydney airport’s Master Plan 2045 has been approved by the Australian government to “strengthen global connectivity” and drive economic growth across New South Wales.

Once complete, a capacity of more than 72 million annual passengers is forecasted, nearly doubling its current traffic.

This includes 36.4 million international passengers and 36.2 million domestic and regional passengers.

The airport, officially named Sydney Kingsford Smith, first opened on 9 January 1920 – more than 100 years ago – and served 42.5 million annual passengers in 2025.

Australia’s second busiest airport, Melbourne, in the state of Victoria, handled 36.15 million passengers in the year between 2024 and 2025.

As part of the plan, a northern extension will provide additional facilities to Terminal 1, including baggage reclaim, with a southern expansion accommodating new passenger processing facilities and an apron reconfiguration to cater for next-generation aircraft.

The redevelopment will also integrate domestic, regional and international operations by merging T2 and T3 to streamline the passenger experience.

According to the airport, its annual economic contribution is expected to grow to around $70 billion AUD (£37 billion), supporting more than 105,000 new jobs.

It added that “Sydney airport needs to plan for long-term passenger, airline, freight and operational demand”.

A preliminary draft of the Master Plan was first opened for public consultation in September 2025.

Plans incorporate the aviation hub’s five-year Airport Environment Strategy to reduce carbon emissions and promote more sustainable operations.

Sydney airport CEO Scott Charlton said: “As Sydney grows, Sydney airport must grow with it. Approval of Sydney airport Master Plan 2045 provides a clear pathway to plan for future demand and invest in the infrastructure Sydney will need over the next two decades.

“As Australia’s international gateway, this plan ensures we can continue supporting tourism, trade, investment and jobs while delivering the capacity needed for future generations. Importantly, it provides a framework for growing sustainably and responsibly, minimising environmental impacts and working closely with the communities surrounding the airport.”

Minister for infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government Catherine King added: “Kingsford Smith is Australia’s busiest airport, it must remain fit for the future.

“Airports aren’t artworks, they’re constantly evolving to become more efficient and improve the passenger experience, and this new Master Plan maps out the airport’s plan to do just that.”

Read more: Australia probes three near-misses in less than two weeks at Sydney airport

Every day on Criminal Record we will be bringing you a round-up of the biggest crime stories of the day.

If you love to read about crime in Scotland – this is the place to be every day.

Here’s what has been making the news across the country on Monday.

Woman who tried to kill toddler with drugs caged for six years

A woman who attempted to murder a toddler by repeatedly giving the child adult medication in a “utterly wicked” crime was today given a life sentence.

Laura Docherty dosed the little girl with antidepressant and pain killing drugs resulting in her needing to be resuscitated and placed on a ventilator during the prolonged abuse.

Docherty, 35, formerly of Canmore Road, Glenrothes, in Fife, denied attempting to murder the child during an earlier trial but was unanimously convicted of the crime.

She gave the child Amitriptyline, Propranolol and Dihydrocodeine on various occasions between April 2021 and February 2023 at a house in Edinburgh, the city’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and elsewhere to the danger of the victim’s life.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that as a result of taking the medication the girl, who was aged two when the offending began, suffered seizures and episodes of reduced consciousness.

The victim was admitted to hospital and was subjected to “unnecessary medical investigations and procedures” the attempted murder charge stated.

READ MORE: ‘Utterly wicked’ Woman who tried to kill toddler with drugs caged for six years

Two men die after being found injured in Glasgow flat

Two men have died after they were both found seriously injured at a flat in Glasgow.

Emergency services raced to Chancellor Street in Partick after the men, aged 50 and 54, were discovered at 4.40pm on Sunday, August 16.

Paramedics attended the address but both men were pronounced dead at the scene.

Advertisement

Police say their deaths are currently being treated as unexplained. Post-mortem examinations will be carried out in due course.

Their families are aware. Inquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding the double-death are ongoing.

READ MORE: Two men die after being found injured in Glasgow flat as police probe ‘unexplained’ deaths

Woman arrested after two cops injured in ‘hit and run’

A woman has been arrested after two cops were injured in an alleged hit and run.

Advertisement

The incident took place on Glen Avenue in Larkhall, South Lanarkshire, at around 2pm on Saturday, July 25.

Emergency services, including Police Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service, rushed to the scene after police received a report of two of their uniformed officers having been knocked down.

The force confirmed that the pair had been carrying out enquiries at a property in the area before a white Renault Traffic was “deliberately driven at them”.

Advertisement

Both male officers, aged 41 and 43, were blue-lighted to hospital.

READ MORE: Woman arrested after two cops injured in ‘hit and run’ as police continue to hunt man

E-bike smashes into car seconds after wheelie stunt

A furious mum is demanding a ban on e-bikes after a reckless rider ploughed into the side of her car just seconds after pulling a wheelie stunt in the middle of the road in Aberdeenshire.

Gemma Davidson, 32, had been driving along Union Grove in Fraserburgh when the rider smashed into her new vehicle at around 5.30pm on Friday, August 14.

Advertisement

The mum-of-one and her partner, who was also in the car, were left uninjured – however, the side of her motor was left damaged as a result of the collision.

Shocking Ring Doorbell footage captured at a nearby property was shared with Gemma after the smash took place.

It shows the rider of the bike pulling an erratic wheelie in the middle of the street just moments before colliding with Gemma’s car.

Advertisement

His body was then filmed flying from the vehicle before crashing onto the road behind the car as impact took place.

Speaking to the Record, Gemma said: “It was so incredibly dangerous, he could have killed himself. I was left badly shaken up and worried that he had severely hurt himself.”

READ MORE: E-bike smashes into car seconds after wheelie stunt as mum demands ban ‘before someone is killed’

Man in hospital after ‘stabbing’ in Dunfermline

A man has been rushed to hospital following an alleged stabbing in Fife.

Advertisement

The alarm was raised around 2.30pm when officers were alerted to a disturbance in the Tuke Street area of Dunfermline on Sunday, August 16.

Emergency services, including Police Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service, rushed to the scene.

A 25-year-old was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh with serious injuries. His current condition remains unclear.

Advertisement

An investigation has now been launched to get to the bottom of what happened.

The full nature of the incident is not yet known. No arrests have been made thus far.

The street was sealed off by police last night after a large number of officers descended on the area.

READ MORE: Man rushed to hospital after ‘stabbing’ in Dunfermline as cops lock down street

Advertisement

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE

There will be food vendors and stalls at the event, selling popcorn, confectionery, drinks and slushies

A series of outdoor “drive thru” cinema experiences have been approved for Boucher Road Playing Fields this December.

Elected representatives at a Belfast City Council committee have approved a request from CinePark Limited to host the drive thru movies. The movie programme was not announced during the meeting.

CinePark will run a ticketing system where one car will buy only one ticket regardless of the number of people in the car. Standard tickets will cost £20 and premium £25.

READ MORE: Belfast Council to confiscate bins left out on the street seven days after warning

READ MORE: Good relations festival and two charity events given green light for Belfast parks in the Autumn

All tickets will be sold via the CinePark website, but the council states they will also take payment on site if required. There will be food vendors and stalls at the event, selling popcorn, confectionery, drinks and slushies.

The council report for the People and Communities Committee states: “The event organiser expects between 150 to 250 cars to attend the event per day split across different showings at different times of the day. The event organiser has scheduled a variety of movies to accommodate a wide audience demographic ranging from families with young children and teenagers, young couples through to a maturer audience.

“It’s likely to be themed very much around Christmas and the festive time of year and will give families something very different to do. CinePark Limited will be solely responsible for acquiring and maintaining all appropriate movie licences, rights, etc. for all the titles that will be shown.

“The event organiser will be using a 7×4 metre LED screen that comes on a trailer platform with a hydraulic system to raise the screen. The platform ensures quick installation and removal as no structure has to be built. A FM radio transmitter will be used to broadcast the audio for the movies directly to each car radio.”

Belfast’s most recent prominent temporary pop-up drive-in cinema was hosted at the Titanic Slipways by the Belfast Film Festival. A drive-in cinema event was last held at Boucher Road Playing Fields in December, 2020, featuring screenings of “The Grinch” and “Elf” as part of a Belfast City Council PEACE IV initiative

The primary regular drive-thru cinema near Belfast is at Let’s Go Hydro, at Knockbracken Reservoir in Carryduff, 10 minutes outside the city.

The council report states: “This proposed event will be the first time that CinePark Limited has held an event with Belfast City Council so council officers will carry out additional due-diligence when planning and regulating this event. Officers have already carried out checks with Companies House and early meetings and site visits with the organisers have been very constructive.

“Members are aware of the (committee) decision to return Boucher Road Playing Fields to full playing pitch provision. Whilst the work to develop the site is ongoing all decisions around current use of the playing fields will be taken on a case-by-case basis.”

The report adds: “The council will collect a fee for the hire of Boucher Road Playing fields. The promoter shall further pay to the council a social contribution fee which shall equate to 10 percent of the overall site fee received. The council will use this by way of investment back into the local community.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Summer brings many traditional events and festivals across the world. In much of England, summer is the theme of several folk celebrations dating back centuries. Far from negative and exclusionary ideas of national identity, the season actually showcases many positives.

Many towns and areas around the UK celebrate the summer, starting in May with “Jack in the Green” – a figure draped in leaves who has been slumbering since the previous year. The event, based on folkloric tales is increasingly important for local businesses to kick off summer trade.

For the past decade, I’ve been researching the significance of festivals for social connection, and for promoting sustainable lifestyle changes. Elsewhere, international research has also demonstrated that multi-day mass gatherings across the year can dramatically change our perspectives of who we are, and where we want our lives to lead.

I have found that mass gatherings can be especially important for those who are marginalised. They can also empower groups seeking social change. In a study that I undertook with colleagues, vegans who attended the Vegan Camp Out festival in Nottinghamshire reported feeling more connected to their vegan identity, and more willing to maintain their vegan activism after attending.

Events and mass-gatherings like this across the world can encourage people to pause and reconsider their idea of themselves and their place in the world.

The role of folklore

I am currently involved in a two-year project exploring the role that folklore plays in social and environmental connection in the south of England.

I’m working with filmmaker Rosie Robinson to explore how new iterations of old traditions (often known as “neo-folklore”) can help people reconnect to each other, British culture and the natural environment.

It can be too easy for conversations about identity to centre around discrimination and exclusion. Rosie’s film Merrie England highlights the current and historic tensions around ritual celebrations and traditions in English communities.

Throughout history, those with power have often had a vested interest in deciding who gets to claim these national identities and rituals for themselves, and who is excluded from celebrations. The film showcases the history of morris dancing in the UK using archive footage.

It details outrage directed at suffragette Mary Neal, whose aim was to popularise morris dancing for slum girls and working women in the 1910s and 1920s. While prominent figures in the folk revival sought to maintain morris dancing as an exclusive art form to be taken seriously by a select group, Neal saw it as part of living and breathing culture that should be accessible to all.

But this gatekeeping doesn’t match with what we see from communities in our ongoing research. In our work on local community folklore festivals, we saw community connection, meaningful rituals and celebration. We saw pubs overflowing, dancing in the streets, children listening to stories and people from all walks of life gathering to celebrate.

Community events happening over the summer festival season are an important way for neighbours and communities to connect. Free events help to build tourist interest in lesser-known communities, and are accessible forms of entertainment to those who can’t afford more expensive events.

À lire aussi :
Solar eclipses are a source of fascination, legends and scientific discovery

These local traditions also help to develop new rituals around special events. The solar eclipse across Europe saw people sharing pinhole cameras, glasses and colanders. Seeing how others experience the world and celebrate can bring joy. And mass gatherings can even be the source of new cultural links, as seen in the connection formed between the Scotland team’s “Tartan Army” of supporters and residents of Boston.

Despite this, it’s often the case that bad news stories dominate the headlines. Research shows that “moral outrage” drives engagement with traditional and social media. In other words, people are more likely to engage with and share content that discusses harms. But for every negative viral headline, there are more feelgood stories about generous communities. These aren’t always shared in the same way, because they don’t draw the same attention.

That’s why my colleagues and I are researching these stories of community and connection. We want to share these stories and help people connect or reconnect with their communities, natural environment and local heritage.

Throughout summer, it’s worth remembering that cultural celebrations do not have to be exclusionary. They can be about morris dancing, processions, holding up colanders to look at the sun and even football chants. The season shows that national and cultural identities are important sources of celebration, silliness and connection – truly needed in this increasingly divided era.

The policeman brother of the siblings caught on camera battling officers at Manchester Airport described a black female colleague’s braided hair as ‘looking like a mop’, a misconduct hearing was told today.

PC Mohammed Abid is one of seven current and two former officers facing disciplinary proceedings over allegations of using racist language.

It comes after a policewoman claimed colleagues based at Bury police station regularly ‘mimicked’ her African accent, leaving her feeling ‘anxious’ and ‘nervous’.

In July 2024, there was widespread outrage when PC Abid’s younger brother Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, then 19, was seen being kicked in the face by a police officer in mobile phone footage which went viral.

However, CCTV footage later revealed that he and another brother, Muhammad Amaad, had violently resisted efforts to arrest Amaaz for headbutting of a tourist at Manchester Airport.

After a case which sparked accusations of police racism and claims of two-tier justice, Amaaz was jailed for assaulting two female officers.

But two juries failed to reach verdicts on whether he or Amaad had assaulted a male colleague.

Lawyers for the men repeatedly highlighted how neither brother – both from Rochdale – had been in trouble with the police before, and six members of the family are current or former officers with Greater Manchester Police.

PC Mohammed Abid and other constables are alleged to have used racist language towards black colleague PC Y at Bury police station (pictured) in Greater Manchester

Heavily-built Amaad, a former assistant manager at KFC, had himself twice applied unsuccessfully to join the force – including a 999 dispatch role just three months before the airport incident.

Both trials heard a glowing character reference from PC Abid, who praised his brother Amaaz’s ‘respectful, gentle and soft-spoken nature’ and ‘dedication to academic roles’.

‘He’s always looked up to me as a role model,’ he added.

But jurors were not told that PC Abid faced disciplinary proceedings over the racism allegation.

After the Manchester Airport case came to an end, the solicitor who represented the brothers at their trials claimed PC Abid’s identity had been leaked as part of a ‘desperate’ attempt to ‘smear’ his clients.

‘Sadly it comes as no surprise that Greater Manchester Police should now turn its attention to my clients’ brother,’ Aamer Anwar said.

A misconduct hearing heard today how constables based at Bury police station imitated the accent of a female officer originally from Africa who has been granted anonymity and is referred to as PC Y.

PC Abid is said to have spoken to PC Y – who at the time wore her hair in braids – and describing it as ‘looking like a mop’ before ‘smiling and walking away’.

CCTV from the Manchester Airport trial shows Amaaz (in blue) throwing 10 punches at the officers during the violence, while his brother – Muhammad Amaad (far left), 26 – threw six

Advertisement

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz (pictured arriving at court in 2025) was later jailed for three-and-a-half years over the violence at Manchester Airport

‘PC Y believed the way she styled her hair was common among black ladies and that PC Abid made the comment because she is a black female,’ Steve Reed, counsel for Greater Manchester Police, told the hearing.

PC Abid claims her account is false, the hearing was told. He is not accused of mimicking her accent.

On another occasion, out of her earshot, Sergeant Adrian Bick pointed out a photograph of a black fraud suspect and said she could be Officer Y’s mother.

PC Demi Green then repeated the comment to Officer Y, the hearing was told.

Officer Y believed the comment was ‘in part at least’ because of the ‘shared skin colour’ of herself and the suspect.

Other constables on the team are accused of ‘mimicking’ Officer Y’s African accent, copying how she said words like ‘hello’.

They included PCs Heena Rani and Lucy Granby, who were part of a close-knit team with PC Y, the hearing was told. 

Giving evidence by videolink, PC Y was asked by Mr Reed how the alleged mimicking made her feel.

Amaaz was convicted of causing actual bodily harm to PC Ward, who suffered a broken nose, and assaulting PC Ellie Cook

Amaaz, 21 (left), and 26-year-old Muhammad Amaad pictured last year 

‘It was quite upsetting,’ she replied.

‘It made me uncomfortable, nervous, quite anxious as well.

‘I may have laughed, but I tend to laugh when I’m feeling those things.

‘As things got worse I tended to be quiet about it.

‘They would copy whatever I say and then they would laugh about it.’

The mimicking happened ‘most days’ and involved them ‘repeating the words she said, copying her… accent,’ Mr Reed said.

‘It was clear that PC Rani and PC Granby thought this was funny. [Officer Y] did not find it funny.’

After a colleague intervened, PCs Rani and Granby apologised to PC Y, the hearing was told, but the mimicking allegedly resumed.

Instead, Mr Reed said, other constables on the team began doing the same thing.

Fellow police officers recalled them ‘impersonating’ her ‘African accent’ and ‘deep laugh’, Mr Reed said, causing PC Y to appear ‘uncomfortable’.

PC Y came forward with her accusations in November 2023.

The other officers facing misconduct proceedings are PCs Matthew Barlow and Matthew Hill, as well as former PC Jake Holt and a former officer referred to only as A.

All nine are accused of breaching professional standards in relation to authority, respect and courtesy, equality and diversity, and discreditable conduct.

Apart from Sergeant Bick and PC Abid they are also all accused of breaching requirements on challenging and reporting improper behaviour.

Sergeant Bick and PC Green admit the incident in which a suspect’s photograph was compared to PC Y’s mother took place.

Sergeant Bick claims he was referring to the suspect’s hairstyle and glasses, not the colour of her skin.

But he recognised the comment could be ‘perceived as racist’ and has apologised.

He is not accused of making any ‘derogatory’ comments in PC Y’s presence. 

PC Green also maintains she took Sergeant Bick’s comment as a reference to her ‘curly hair and glasses’, saying PC Y ‘laughed’ when she relayed it.

On the mimicking allegations, PC Green admits copying how PC Y said ‘ok’ in a ‘high-pitched manner’ but denies it amounted to racism.

PCs Rani and Granby also only accept copying how PC Y said ‘ok’ and say this was a ‘shared joke’ in the team.

PCs Barlow, Hill, Holt and Officer A gave similar accounts.

All nine are alleged to have subjected PC Y to ‘unwanted’, ‘offensive’ and ‘racist’ commentary, and all face being guilty of gross misconduct if the claims are found proven.

The Manchester Airport incident erupted after Amaaz headbutted a holidaymaker he had accused of racially abusing his mother, whom they had met from an incoming flight from Pakistan.

Amaaz, then 19, smashed PC Lydia Ward in the face, sending her sprawling to the ground, before repeatedly hitting armed colleague PC Ellie Cook.

Amaad meanwhile overpowered a second armed PC, Zachary Marsden, and began raining punches down before Amaaz joined in.

The brothers were finally both arrested after PC Cook fired her 50,000 volt Taser at Amaaz, who fell to the floor.

Amid the confusion, PC Marsden kicked the teenager in the face and aimed a stamp close by.

Footage of the kick went viral, with protesters taking to the streets and calling for the police to be ‘defunded’.

But there was a fierce backlash after CCTV showed the violence to which the officers had been subjected seconds earlier.

Amaaz was last year convicted of causing actual bodily harm to Sergeant Ward and assaulting PC Cook, as well as the headbutted passenger.

But two juries failed to reach verdicts on whether either brother had assaulted PC Marsden.

To widespread outrage, prosecutors later said they could not ‘lawfully’ seek a second retrial, meaning older brother Amaad, 26, faces no further action.

In May, the policewoman left bloodied and sobbing in Amaaz’s attack branded him a ‘coward’ as he was jailed for three-and-a-half years.

PC Ward – now a sergeant – accused the university drop-out of showing ‘not one ounce’ of remorse for using her ‘as a punch bag’.

Delivering a powerful victim impact statement, the mother of one spelt out the lasting physical and mental scars of having her nose broken in the ‘utterly terrifying’ assault, telling the university drop-out: ‘You changed my face.’

Sergeant Ward accused him of having ‘played the victim’ when one-sided footage first emerged.

And she movingly revealed she had been forced to bring her newborn child with her when she gave evidence, telling 21-year-old Amaaz a court was ‘no place for a baby’.

Jailing Amaaz for 42 months for the ‘unprovoked’ assaults, Judge Neil Flewitt accused him of showing ‘a total lack of remorse’.

He ‘sought to blame others for what was clearly your responsibility’ and ‘portray yourself as a victim,’ he added.

PC Marsden remains under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct which could still refer him back to the Crown Prosecution Service for potential charges.

Separate to today’s disciplinary proceedings, four officers also from the Bury district face misconduct proceedings after the IOPC investigated an unrelated incident of alleged racism.

That inquiry is understood to have been triggered after comments were accidentally recorded on a suspect’s mobile phone.

It saw one officer, PC Scott Dixon, sacked, reportedly for using the word ‘golliwog’ towards a fellow officer.

The hearing continues.

The Premier League have confirmed their broadcast selections for Premier League matches in matchweeks 6, 7, 8 and 9, with Man United and Manchester City both seeing games moved.

Manchester United and Manchester City have both had games moved as part of the latest Premier League broadcast selections.

The Premier League have confirmed their broadcast selections for matches in matchweeks 6, 7, 8 and 9, and both United and City have seen games in that period moved.

United’s clash with Tottenham will now be played at 17:30 on Saturday, 10 October, with their trip to Leeds now set to kick off at 14:00 on Sunday, 18 October. Their home game against Bournemouth will be played on Sunday, 25 October at 14:00, with the trip to Chelsea now scheduled to take place at 12:30 on Saturday, 31 October.

Meanwhile, City’s trip to Anfield to face Liverpool will kick off at 16:30 on Sunday, 11 October, with the home game against Ipswich set for Saturday, 17 October (15:00 kick-off). City will head to Villa Park on Saturday, 24 October for a 12:30 kick-off, though that game will be moved to 20:00 should Villa be drawn away in Champions League the preceding Wednesday, and the home game against Brighton will take place on Saturday, 31 October (15:00 kick-off).

Take a look at the revised fixture list for matchweeks 6, 7, 8 and 9 below:

Manchester United revised fixtures:

Saturday, 10 October: Manchester United v Tottenham (17:30 kick-off)

Sunday, 18 October: Leeds v Manchester United (14:00 kick-off)

Sunday, 25 October: Manchester United v Bournemouth (14:00 kick-off)

Saturday, 31 October: Chelsea v Manchester United (12:30 kick-off)