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At the end of July, I posted a picture on social media of myself on holiday – and it ended up in the papers.

Wearing an old blue swimming costume, I’m smiling, and rightly so, because I’ve lost more than a stone.

As I pointed out in the caption, ‘This is a weight loss drug-free body. It’s still got shoulder-splitting G cups. Still has a muffin top. Still has crepey skin and is about as toned as a water bed.’ 

But it was different – I was slimmer, less bloated and happier looking – and that’s because in February this year I gave up sugar. It’s no exaggeration to say that it’s changed my entire life.

I’ve always stayed fit through running, but last winter I weighed almost 11st 7lb. Not only was I bigger than I wanted to be, but my brain wasn’t functioning. I felt clouded the entire time, I had no energy, and my mood was low.

I haven’t had an alcoholic drink for 14 years, but addiction manifests in many ways. I love chocolate, especially nutty milk chocolate, but I could never have just one piece or even one bar. I’d have a whole bar, and then maybe another one, settling down in the evening with a cup of tea, a box set, and my chocolate. 

Harmless, right? Yet still I’d take each bar and break it into little bits to hide how much I was consuming. There was secrecy, and there was ritual, and that meant that it had become another addiction – I’m always all or nothing.

Alongside my obsession with sugar, everything felt such an effort. I now realise I was putting on a continual, exhausting performance to prove to the world that everything was okay with my physical and mental health. In truth, it really wasn’t.

So, in February, I went to Portugal to stay with an old friend Lulu, to take some time out and do some writing. To be honest, she staged a bit of an intervention. An amazing Brazilian nutritionist friend had been running a retreat the previous week, and Lulu asked her to stay on a few extra days because she knew I wasn’t in a good place.

I was told in no uncertain terms that I was going on a detox – which included no sugar. My body was apparently in a state of inflammation. ‘Your eyes, your tongue, your gut… Oh my God!’ exclaimed the nutritionist when she looked at me.

I looked in the mirror and saw myself as she saw me: dull eyes shot through with tiredness, a coated tongue, a grey tinge to my skin, and that out-of-control muffin top.

She attributed it all to ultra-processed foods, which I don’t eat much of, and sugar, which of course I did.

I was effectively forced into eating barely a thing for seven days! I had lemon and bicarbonate of soda in the morning, which went through me like an upside-down volcano, green juice for breakfast, a couple of leaves at lunchtime, and nothing till dinner – which was soup. We walked a lot to take my mind off it.

When I got home, I weighed myself, and I’d lost five pounds, which was a huge incentive not to leap back into chocolate eating.

But giving up sugar was really difficult to do – harder than ditching alcohol. My day was punctuated around treats, so I had to reframe my eating, and find new ways to reward myself. I felt crabby and fed up, and may have snapped at my family a couple of times!

Still, I was very determined and after more than six months of barely touching the stuff, I sleep better and am far happier. I am still generally anxious, but about 40 per cent less so.

The biggest difference is physical. My weight, my energy, and my skin (on my face and body) is less dry and saggy, and my morning eye bags are less evident. 

That picture from July shows how far I’ve come. My three grown-up kids didn’t notice, but my husband Sten did – mentioning both my increased confidence and my looks, commenting on what I wore for the first time in years. I’m 64, and this year I’ve had more compliments than ever before in my life. It’s weight loss, yes, but it’s also about happiness.

Here are my other tips for being healthy, happy and slim at 64.

Blasting the years with red light

I’ve only recently accepted my age. I’ve got over that hump where a part of me wanted to be noticed in some way – that was up to my mid-fifties. I don’t feel that anymore, and I don’t mind that I’m invisible. Ageing is a privilege.

However, like every woman, I have a certain level of vanity, and more often than not I try to avoid looking at myself in the mirror, because I think to myself that there’s so much work to be done and I can’t be bothered! 

I don’t have Botox, but I do love the CurrentBody Red Light Therapy Face Mask (£499, currentbody.com). Genuinely, I’m such a sceptic about beauty gadgets, but this is one of the few things I really believe in for reducing wrinkles and improving skin plumpness. I try to use it for around ten minutes three or more times a week.

Making a face

I don’t wear make-up every day; just a bit of Trinny London BFF All Day (£42, trinnylondon.com) if I’m mooching about at home, and maybe her Just A Touch Concealer (£29). I love the PrimeLash mascara by US brand Prime Prometics (£8.58, amazon.co.uk). It’s great for lash thickening and it’s vegan and cruelty-free. 

I know you’re supposed to wear SPF every day, but I only wear it on holiday. Sten introduced me to Altruist sunscreen (from £11, altruistsun.com), which I know a lot of beauty experts swear by.

Susannah with her husband Sten on their holiday in Nice, France, this August. Sten introduced her to Altruist sunscreen

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I also wear a vitamin C serum day and night to brighten and protect my skin.

Body-wise, Trinny told me about this amazing body lotion called Aestura Atobarrier365 Ceramide Lotion (£26, sephora.co.uk) – it’s transformed my skin, which is far less dry.

I’ll tell you what I hate – products designed for over-50s. So patronising.

Take a nap if you need to

We need to be able to say: ’Do you know what, if I want to have a sleep in the afternoon I’m going to.’

I’m not great at this, admittedly, and tend to try to hide the fact I’m having a rest.

Everything around us is moving at such a pace that if you stand still for a second, you stand out like a sore thumb. People don’t notice you doing all the housework, the cooking and writing a book. But they notice a sleep in the afternoon.

I get around this by looking as though I’m on my laptop, but in fact I’ll be watching a box set on Netflix.

I still find my husband handsome

If you’ve been a parent, your children have been the priority. To some extent you forget that you’re married. When the children leave home, you’re suddenly meeting this person almost as though it’s the first time, and you’ve no idea how they’ve evolved emotionally.

I think to some extent it’s down to luck whether you still have the chemistry that initially drew you to them. With Sten, who’s 62 now, I’m lucky – he’s incredibly handsome. 

It wasn’t like falling in love all over again, but it was easy to say let’s move on, let’s get to the next stage. It’s about having common interests, complementing each other, and recognising and accepting each other’s weaknesses. For example, if he gives me a spreadsheet to fill in, he knows it won’t happen.

Exercise

I know everyone talks about weights and strength training, and I’m sure the science is there, but I think you have to find your own way. And there’s no magic wand – you have to put in the work, which is incredibly annoying.

I’ve run for years and try to do around 25 miles a week, even though it isn’t as easy as it used to be. I’m sure people look at me and they say, ‘Why is she literally lolloping along?’ But it’s good enough for me. I used to take a bag of buttermint sweets in a bumbag to eat on the way round, but I’ve stopped that!

I used to be a huge wild swimming fan, but I haven’t been for ages, and the main reason is because the water quality is so poor. I do have a cold water therapy barrel in my back garden, though, and I’m going to start leaping in and out of that again – possibly every day. 

I still do breathing exercises recommended by the wellness guru Wim Hof, which is like meditation. They make a huge difference to stress and energy levels.

Spend time with the young

I love to spend time with young people and hear their opinions – they have such strong ones and more courage than I ever did at that age. That makes me reassured for the future. 

I don’t inform myself about new developments in tech like AI – I just get my kids, now aged 26, 23 and 21, to explain it.

But you know what? They’ve spent their lives coming to me and asking things, and now the shoe’s on the other foot. They love it. They feel like they’re the boss.

Ditch FOMO

I would rather put a rock around my neck and walk into a lake than go to a big party. Sten and I are very antisocial.

But I do have lots of good friends, and I FaceTime one in particular every day, wherever we are in the world. He’s 80, and we acted as each other’s sponsors a little whilst in recovery from alcohol addiction.

What To Wear

I still follow the old diktats about dressing for your shape from the What Not To Wear shows that Trinny and I had such fun doing.

If you have big boobs, which I do, wear a lower top. That was one of our rules, but they do change a little with age. These days, I don’t go for overt cleavage display too often, and I don’t wear anything too tight either. 

Susannah still follows the old rules of What Not To Wear, a show she and Trinny Woodall used to host in the 2000s

I’m conscious of dressing differently, in an age-flattering way, and I’m not aiming to be sexy. Personally, I feel I look older if I try and dress younger.

I don’t have many clothes, and I do sometimes wear the same outfit four days in a row (except for pants!), but I never just grab the first thing that falls out of the wardrobe. I err towards more masculine clothes; flared trousers with a sweater or a plain white T-shirt in the summer.

Even if I’m working at home, I feel I have a responsibility to the work I’m doing as an author to look stylish. It also helps focus me and it’s respecting my job. I couldn’t work in pyjamas.

Shape. Where?

Trinny and I were virtually defined by our love of shapewear – what we called ‘magic pants’ – back in the early 2000s.

I don’t need to lose weight anymore, and I hadn’t actually worn shapewear for a very long time, until I partnered with Shapermint this summer and reignited my love affair with it. Together we’ve created a What To Wear edit of five foundational pieces, which we have just launched.

It’s not about looking smaller but about looking more toned. I see it as being akin to putting make-up on your face – you’re not inherently changing it, but it’s making it look the best it can.

The cami, shorts and leggings (from £45, shapermint.com) give me a wonderful, smooth outline and also make me feel more comfortable in lighter, silky fabrics. I honestly feel that it’s working with my body, not against it.

Food for thought

I always have a savoury breakfast. On a good day, I’ll have broccoli with homemade salad dressing, and protein in the form of cottage cheese or tinned tuna, as well as a coffee that’s so strong you could stand a spoon up in it with a little natural sweetness from Rude Health Organic Coconut Milk. If I get a bit hungry during the morning I might have some blueberries.

At lunchtime I chuck whatever veg is in the fridge into my Vitamix – it’s so powerful you could juice a Mini Cooper. At teatime, I have a Peter’s Yard Sourdough crispbread with peanut butter, and a small packet of Twiglets if I’ve been for a run.

We always eat dinner as a family when the kids are home – and it’s always homemade and protein-rich. Sten and I go out so rarely that it’s a treat to have a meal cooked by someone else, and I’ll eat pretty much anything… except pudding!

I still have treats, but they’re more considered – a couple of squares of 80 per cent dark chocolate (amazingly the amount hasn’t crept up), sugar-free chewing gum or a couple of dates.

Don’t go overboard on hair treatments

My thick blonde hair has always been great. I don’t go to a fancy London salon, but to a little place in my Sussex village called Aaron Russell which is a walk from my house. They are all so good that any one of them can do my cut and colour. I have a blow-dry once every two weeks, but otherwise I leave it alone. 

I find Sam McKnight products are amazing, such as the Hair by Sam McKnight Rich Cleanse Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner (£50, sammcknight.com), or Redken’s new Acidic Bonding range (from £12.95, boots.com) is fantastic for repairing damaged hair.

My girls use that too. Esme is evangelical about it, and her hair is incredible. Whenever I buy anything beauty-related, I have to keep them in mind because they steal my stuff.

You don’t have to take HRT

I had a chat with Trinny and a friend over supper a few weeks ago and I said that I didn’t take HRT. They were so horrified it was like I’d told them I had a terminal illness and was going to die in a few days’ time.

It sometimes feels as though menopause has become an insult for the young to chuck at their mothers. ‘Oh my god, you’re so menopausal!’

Honestly, I didn’t sail through menopause very well mentally, but I didn’t have physical symptoms. There’s no question that menopausal women really suffer, but I slightly ignored the whole noise around the subject because it didn’t sound as though it applied to me. 

Unfortunately, I think it’s put the fear of God into the younger generation. We need more balance in the messaging and more education for everyone.

I love some supplements….

I take magnesium for sleep, and saffron and turmeric for their anti-inflammatory properties. I like Naked Pharmacy products – you can book a call with a pharmacist if you’ve got questions. They don’t contain synthetic ingredients like fillers and binders.

Collagen-wise I’m currently trying out Elavate (from £39, elavate.com) – just a scoop in the morning. Perhaps that’s why my joints hurt less.

Ignore the ageist trolls

If someone hurts me, I become a pathetic ball of fear and anxiety. But I’ve had very little online trolling thankfully – only about five unkind comments on Instagram over the years. 

Last week someone commented on my looks, and I just leant into it and said, ‘shut your hole’. Lots of my followers stuck up for me.

While on Strictly in 2018, Susannah attracted lots of unkind attention. She said she agreed with all the comments, ‘and that shut them all up!’

When I was doing Strictly, I attracted lots of unkind attention, but that was all justified, because I was appalling. So, I just agreed with all the comments, and that shut them all up!

Have the confidence to stop

However grown-up we are, we’re still insecure and need to feel valued. For women, I think the easiest, least complicated way to achieve this is to be busy, to help others and to make yourself more indispensable than ever. I am absolutely guilty of that.

‘Don’t worry,’ I say. ‘I’ll do it, I’ll do it.’ And then I feel resentful and stop. But on the whole, I’m contented with my body and mind, my relationships and my work, and you can’t ask for much more than that!

As told to Alice Smellie

Susannah Constantine has created a new What To Wear edit with shapewear brand Shapermint, shapermint.com

Meghan Markle chose a song closely connected to Princess Diana‘s memory for Prince Harry’s birthday Instagram post yesterday.

The Duchess of Sussex, 45, marked her husband’s 42nd milestone with a collection of nine previously unseen photographs set to an indie folk cover of Tina Turner’s hit ‘The Best’.

It is likely no coincidence that Meghan picked that song, since it carries special significance for both the Duke of Sussex and his brother, the Prince of Wales, who previously revealed their mother would play the track while dropping them off at boarding school.

Speaking on an episode of the Apple Fitness+ series, Time to Walk, in 2021, Prince William shared that Diana ‘used to play all sorts of songs to while away the anxiety of going back to school’.

‘One of the songs I massively remember and has stuck with me all this time, and I still, to this day, still quite enjoy secretly, is Tina Turner’s The Best, because sitting in the back seat, singing away, it felt like a real family moment,’ the future King said at the time.

He recalled how Diana would be ‘singing at the top of her voice’ and the music would distract him and Harry right until they arrived at Ludgrove School in Berkshire and ‘reality kind of sunk in’.

‘You’d be singing and listening to the music right the way out into the gates of school, when they dropped you off,’ the Prince said. ‘And, and that’s when reality kind of sunk in that you really were going back to school because before that, you’re lost in songs.’

‘You’ll want to play it again just to keep that family moment going,’ he continued. ‘And when I listen to it now, it takes me back to those car rides and brings back lots of memories of my mother.’

The Prince of Wales, who previously revealed their mother would play the track while dropping them off at boarding school.

On Tuesday, the Duchess shared intimate insights into the Sussexes’ family life with the release of nine new pictures to celebrate Harry’s 42nd birthday. 

Meghan, who boasts 4.8million followers on Instagram, uploaded the sea of images of the prince with her and their children with the caption: ‘He’s simply the best. Happy birthday, my love,’ along with a heart emoji.

The montage is accompanied by husband-wife musical duo The Hound + The Fox’s cover of Simply the Best.

In one sweet snap, Harry is captured on an outdoor adventure with Meghan, 45, alongside Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, as well as their Labrador, Pula.

Believed to have possibly been taken at Earl Spencer’s home, Althorp, Harry is seen driving a quad bike down a narrow track with Lilibet and Archie sat on either side of an M&S food bag and Pula dutifully following behind. 

In another snap, Harry, who is wearing a Santa Barbara Fire Department cap, shared a kiss with Lilibet, who sported a bright headband and red and white patterned top, while enjoying a golf cart ride. 

In a sweet tribute to her mother, the 3D embellishments on Lilibet’s fashionable headband appear to be miniature Mahjong tiles – rectangular pieces used to play a traditional Chinese board game adored by the duchess.

Showcasing their close father-daughter bond, the montage also featured an image of Harry holding hands with Lilibet during a ski trip – with the young royal keeping warm in pink gloves and purple trousers, while her father donned black salopettes and a grey jacket.

Harry and Meghan are firm fans of the winter sport and often enjoy trips to the slopes together – including visits to Whistler Blackcomb in Canada and Montana’s Yellowstone Club.

In one sweet snap, Harry drives a quad bike with Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, sat beside an M&S food bag, while their beloved Labrador Pula trailing behind them 

The montage also featured an image of Harry holding hands with Lilibet during a ski trip. The Sussexes are known to be firm fans of the winter sport

One black-and-white photograph shared by Meghan showed the prince carrying Lilibet’s pink tasselled bicycle as they walked hand-in-hand.

In another, the young princess took a photograph of Harry, who playfully posed with a basket on his head, with a Polaroid camera as the family sat down for a dinner which appeared to include olives and fruit.

Proving she is quite the camerawoman, Lilibet drew comparisons to her aunt, the Princess of Wales, who is a keen amateur photographer and in 2015 became the first member of the Royal Family to take the official first images of a royal newborn.

Dressed in a pair of spotty pyjamas, Lilibet and her father were seen in another image enjoying a peaceful lake view from a balcony.

Meanwhile, Harry and his son Archie enjoyed some father-son bonding with a game of archery in another picture. The father-son duo wore matching outfits, including shorts and white T-shirts. 

Other images shared by the Duchess included an image of her and Harry sharing a warm embrace in a vineyard, while Archie is seen playing in the background.

Meghan chose a striking black-and-white photograph of the Duke, wearing sunglasses and a hat while looking out ahead deep in thought, as the first image of the carousel post. 

Some royal fans have suggested the snap may have been taken by the Sussexes’ go-to photographer and close friend, Misan Harriman, who has documented key events in their lives and is renowned for his black-and-white images.

Soon after Meghan marked Harry’s birthday online, it emerged that the Duchess’s mobile number was reportedly being shared by parents at the school that Archie and Lilibet had just started. 

Harry and Archie enjoyed some father-son bonding with a game of archery in another image. While the young prince wore sandals, his father stayed barefoot

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The post also included a romantic shot of the couple sharing a warm embrace in a vineyard, while their two children are seen playing in the background

In a further security blow to the couple, screenshots from a WhatsApp group titled ‘Year 3’ that Meghan joined were said to be circulating online.

An alleged screenshot of the chat showed the duchess introducing herself with a message reading: ‘Hi moms! Thanks for the warm welcome [heart emoji]. So happy to be a part of this community xx’

The Sussexes refused to comment, but sources close to them said it was disappointing that fellow parents would seek to share such information.

Meghan is understood to have joined the group the night before Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet started at the school.

It emerged after Harry and Meghan decided to ‘reluctantly’ remove their children from the school they had just started over security fears regarding traffic.

The family’s bodyguards warned the couple that the busy commute was placing their unit ‘under strain’.

Rush hour meant the drive – supposed to take around 35 minutes – lasted as long as an hour, while on one journey a convoy carrying the prince and princess is said to have become separated, leaving the children ‘sitting ducks’ in stationary traffic.

One mother with two children at the school said Harry and Meghan’s decision to send their children there had been a coup and had excited many parents. But she added: ‘Parents at the school are completely baffled. You don’t need to be an expert to know how congested that area is. It’s one of the worst places to drive in the UK.’

Another mother said of the slow school run: ‘This was obviously going to happen.’

News of the WhatsApp leak was initially reported by The Sun.

Friends of the couple stressed that the decision to withdraw the children was not an issue with the school itself.

Archie and Lilibet will now join another school where they have already attended taster sessions. The Sussexes’ security, meanwhile, are said to be much happier that the new school will be a shorter commute from the family home.

But the fiasco has sparked questions over why the family’s drivers only tested the route during the summer holidays, amid claims that their return to the UK was ‘rushed’.

Their private protection team were seemingly unable to properly assess the hour-long journey to the unnamed school after the Sussexes announced the move in late August.

Former Met Police Chief Superintendent Dal Babu said: ‘It does beggar belief why they haven’t thought this through. I don’t think he [Harry] has helped himself or the situation by not arranging things in good time.’

Former head of royal protection Dai Davies also told LBC radio: ‘If you keep a low profile, most people outside the school wouldn’t know where you are, what they’re doing, and all the rest of it.

‘Do they really need to go in convoy with two little children on the school run? If they only just kept a little quieter, kept a lower profile, they’d be a lot safer in my view.’

The dramatic schools development came as it emerged that Harry’s demand for taxpayer-funded police protection is being ‘reviewed’ now he is back in Britain. 

The duke and duchess are said to have been informed that ‘a decision’ was made at a meeting last week to examine the threat to both of them.

The prince has been at loggerheads with the Home Office for years over its decision to remove his automatic right to security. Harry has long argued that he was born a prince and needs police protection when in the UK.

But he lost a series of legal battles against the Home Office which deemed he had forfeited the right to be able to call at will on taxpayer-funded protection after he quit as a frontline royal in 2020 and moved to a new life in California.

Only last year, after yet another defeat at the Royal Courts of Justice – against his father His Majesty’s government – the prince declared in a petulant BBC interview that he could not imagine a time when he could safely bring his family to his country of birth.

But now that he has had a sudden change of heart, bringing Meghan, Archie and Lilibet to live in the UK, his access to police protection is being reviewed, it was reported on Monday evening.

The decision is said to involve reviewing the risks to Prince Harry and also to his wife.

Stockton was shortlisted for the UK Town of Culture 2028 competition in July, making the final 15 from almost 400 entries nationwide.

The bid is built around Connection, Creativity and Confidence, and highlights Stockton’s historical influence, including the first passenger train and John Walker’s invention of the friction match.

S&DR200 festival in 2025. (Image: Stockton Borough Council)

The newly formed Stockton Community Collective, made up of more than 40 cultural and business organisations plus the council, is urging locals to back the bid.

Stockton will host events and launch an online survey so locals can shape and support the bid before it is submitted in November.

The national competition is part of the Government’s Plan for Change and aims to boost growth, civic pride and access to arts and culture.

The winning town will receive £3 million to deliver a major cultural programme in 2028, while each runner-up will get £250,000.

(Image: Stockton Borough Council)

Visitors to Stockton town centre may already have spotted the ‘Anything Anywhere’ band entertaining shoppers and asking about the town’s future.

September and October events will include an outdoor dance social by Urban Kaos, the return of The Gathering Sounds festival and storytelling sessions at the Sun Inn led by Mike McGrother.

Those unable to attend can complete an online survey about what makes Stockton a great place to live and what the title could unlock.

Stockton Community Carnival Parade. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Councillor Lisa Evans, leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: “Being shortlisted for this prestigious accolade from such a high number of entries was wonderful news for Stockton town – but now we want to win it, and we deserve to win it.

“This is OUR town, OUR time.

“There is so much for us to be proud of in Stockton, from the rich history that has shaped our story and culture to our unique and hugely popular festivals and celebrations, like the Stockton International Riverside Festival which just enjoyed its first year based in the magnificent new Stockton Waterfront urban park.

“But it’s not just about the town, it’s about the people – the people who live there, who work there, who visit and enjoy everything Stockton has to offer.”

Stockton International Riverside Festival and Community Carnival. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Cllr Evans added that organisers wanted views from all ages and backgrounds – especially town-centre residents and workers – as children and young people will shape the bid.

Jimmy Beck, owner of Stockton’s KU Bar and founder of KU Promotions, said: “Stockton town centre boasts a long tradition for putting on exceptional live music, with some of the world’s biggest acts famously playing here such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

“To be crowned Town of Culture 2028 would give us the chance to crank the volume up further to remind the world what a fantastic culture of live music this town offers and help champion the artists of tomorrow.”

Claire Meek, Family Action’s deputy director of services and innovation (North), said: “It is vital that the bid reflects the perspectives of the communities it seeks to benefit, and we are committed to helping ensure those local voices are heard and represented throughout.”

The finalists and overall winner of the UK Town of Culture competition will be revealed early next year.

For more information on the Stockton Borough Council Town of Culture survey, visit: Help shape Stockton’s Town of Culture bid – Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council – Citizen Space

Long queues are building on the M62 motorway amid a vehicle fire.

All traffic is currently stopped on a stretch of the eastbound side of the motorway.

Traffic has been stopped just before junction 12 for the Eccles Interchange.

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Motorway cameras show long queues building up to the scene.

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Stretching across much of eastern England, the Fens produce a third of the country’s vegetables and support tens of thousands of jobs. Yet around 33% of the region lies below average sea level, while 87% is below the highest spring tides

The landscape only exists due to centuries of engineering – pumps, embankments and drainage channels – that keeps water moving almost constantly. Now climate change is introducing new challenges that this system was never designed to face.

The Fens face several climate threats that reinforce one another. Rising sea levels, heavier downpours, hotter summers, longer droughts and biodiversity loss are all expected to intensify over the coming decades. These are all serious challenges, and in the Fens they will play out within one tightly interconnected system.

The Fens cover parts of Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk:

In June, we published an academic analysis of these climate risks in the Fens. Our research examined flood risk from rivers, surface water and the sea, alongside drought, water scarcity, heat, biodiversity loss and agricultural productivity. It found that these hazards increasingly overlap as the climate warms.

With around 2°C of warming, the region will experience more frequent flooding, more extreme heat, declining summer river flows and accelerated biodiversity loss.

By 2100, under a 4°C warming scenario, annual flood damages to homes and businesses in the region could rise from £16 million today to £250 million, while ecosystems could collapse and parts of the Fens would be rendered uninhabitable without major investment in new infrastructure.

Importantly, sea-level rise is different from other risks as it will continue for centuries even if global temperatures are stabilised. Even a high emissions scenario, where the sea would rise by a metre by 2100, would still be followed by further rise. This is an existential risk for the low-lying Fens, meaning that more radical adaptation approaches will be needed in the long term. Decisions about how to adapt must begin well before then, as major changes to infrastructure and land management take decades to plan and implement.

Connected climate hazards

National climate risk assessments are essential, but they can mask the severity and complexity facing regions with distinct characteristics. The Fens is a case in point given its low-lying geography means that it is exposed to multiple climate risks that can compound each other.

River flows could fall by more than 25% under 4°C warming, at the same time as floods from surface water, rivers and seas would increase. Agriculture could faces crop losses from both drought and water scarcity and from water logging and flooding, alongside a decline in insect pollinators that could reduce productivity. These issues cannot be managed by only tackling single hazards in turn.

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We therefore developed a way to assess all the climate-related risks to a single place, rather than looking at each hazard in isolation. This provides an integrated picture of how multiple risks develop and interact over time, and gives interested people and groups locally relevant information to help them plan for climate change.

Aligned with the engineering evidence

The Environment Agency’s Fens 2100+ programme, published in April 2026, reaches similar conclusions on the region’s infrastructure. For the first time, it brings together evidence on the entire flood risk management system, covering around 17,000 assets including 318 pumping stations, embankments and tidal defences.

Together, these assets are estimated to provide £58.8 billion in benefits through avoided flood damage over the next 100 years. However, nearly a third of these defences need upgrading in the next 15 years.

Both our analysis and the Fens 2100+ evidence conclude that dealing with these challenges separately or only in the short term cannot work.

The Fens needs to be considered as one connected landscape with decisions about flood protection, water, agriculture and the environment made together. Coastal lowlands around the world, from the Netherlands to the Mekong delta in Vietnam, are grappling with similar interconnected challenges of sea level rise, flooding and competing demands for land and water. The approach we have developed could be applied to help people in these regions assess their options for adaptation.

The college has acquired a new building which it says will ‘extend learning’

One of the country’s best sixth form colleges is set to expand under new plans. Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge is renowned for its high achievements and its extensive range of A-level and academic courses on offer. There are around 3,000 students that attend the college from Cambridge and the wider region.

Back in July, the college set out to extend its learning spaces by converting the first floor of an office into a new teaching space at School House in Homerton Gardens. These plans have now been approved by the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning authority. The college wants to use the new building as a “specialist art teaching studios for sixth form students”.

The applicant added: “The proposed change of use represents a logical and sustainable extension of the college’s existing estate. It will enable Hills Road Sixth Form College to continue providing outstanding educational provision while making effective use of an existing building in an established educational location.”

The building is owned by Homerton College, a Cambridge University college. Hills Road Sixth Form has an “established and positive relationship” with the building owner, who “support the proposed educational use”.

There are three car parking spaces on site, however, the college only expects to use them on an “exceptional basis” for service vehicles. It will instead maintain the three spaces to “improve access to and from the first floor external staircase”.

The applicant said the site will not require any external changes to the building and the scale of the building will not be altered. They added: “All works are internal, cosmetic and related to our safeguarding obligations and the practicalities of teaching A level art and photography.”

Ed Sheeran has lost more than 200,000 Instagram followers in 24 hours after fans criticised him for dropping opening act Macklemore from his US tour.

All of the remaining support acts have quit in response to rapper Macklemore being kicked off the live dates following a ‘free Palestine’ speech.

Macklemore was due to open for Sheeran at eight of the remaining ten shows on his tour in America, which continues on Friday in Philadelphia, but on Tuesday it was announced that he had been dropped. 

Among them were Finneas – pop star Billie Eilish’s brother – who said: ‘Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed.’

Sheeran’s close friend Myles Smith, Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish pop band Lukas Graham, and Irish folk band Beoga – who have been serving as Sheeran’s backing band on the tour – have also released separate statements announcing they will not continue with their dates on the Loop Tour.

Breaking his silence amid the backlash, Sheeran, 35, insisted Macklemore coming off the tour was the ‘promoter’s decision’, not his. He added his audience is often young people ‘from different backgrounds’ who do not expect his shows to be a political forum.

While his Instagram follower count stood at 47.6million on Monday, it has now dropped to 47.3million.  

Macklemore, aka Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, faced a boycott petition to drop him after he delivered a politically motivated speech in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank during his performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. 

Responding with an Instagram statement after it was confirmed he was leaving the Loop Tour, the rapper claimed Ed told him billionaire Robert Kraft orchestrated the move having ‘rallied other stadium owners and issuing an ultimatum’ to Sheeran that the whole tour is cancelled or Macklemore is removed.

Kraft is the chief executive of the Kraft Group, which owns the NFL team the New England Patriots, as well as the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts where Sheeran is due to play September 25 and 26.

While his Instagram follower count stood at 47.6million on Monday, it has now steadily declined past 47.4million

Sheeran addressed the 43-year-old rapper being removed from the tour with his own statement which read that Macklemore’s speech had upset the owners of venues while reminding fans he will never personally take a political stance publicly.

After the news of Macklemore’s departure, all of Ed’s remaining support acts have also stepped away from the tour. 

Finneas wrote: ‘Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people.’

Rowe took a strong stance as he wrote: ‘Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life. I could never thank him enough for this. But as Irish people, we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation.’

He continued by saying he ‘cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up’.

Lukas Graham wrote: ‘We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them.’

They said their upbringing in a small Danish community made it so speaking your mind was part of everyday life and having more money did not invalidate one’s opinions: ‘I love Ed, and I’m grateful for everything we’ve shared. That hasn’t changed. But I can’t put these words out into the world and carry on with this tour as things stand.

‘I’m sorry we won’t be there. This is a difficult decision but it’s one I need to stand by.’

Musician and Billie Eilish’s brother/music partner Finneas led the four remaining acts who put out separate statements announcing that they will not continue with their dates on the stadium Loop Tour

Finneas is seen in LA back in November 2025

Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and Beoga also put out statements on Instagram Tuesday announcing that they are pulling out of the remaining concert dates

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Irish singer Rowe took a strong stance (he is pictured in England in June 2025)

Lukas Graham said that their upbringing in a small Denmark community made it so speaking your mind was part of every day life and having more money did not invalidate one’s opinions

Danish soul pop band Lukas Graham is pictured 

Lastly, Irish band Beoga, who actually join Sheeran during Galway Girl on stage, also revealed that they are removing themselves from the tour

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Beoga is pictured as they revealed they have been friends with Sheeran for over a decade

Irish band Beoga, who join Sheeran for eight songs including Galway Girl, also revealed that they are removing themselves from the tour.

They wrote: ‘We have been friends with Ed for over ten years now and will continue to be.

‘Playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams but to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine is simply not an option for us.’

Beoga also showed their solidarity for Macklemore as they echoed his sentiments by writing: ‘The whole episode is once again serving to distract from the real issue, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since the most recent so-called ceasefire.’

Smith, who previously supported Sheeran on his tour last year, released a statement on Wednesday morning, telling fans: ‘For everyone asking me to drop out of Ed’s tour, let’s get something straight: I’m not on that tour anymore.’

Whilst Smith confirmed he had dropped out he went on to voice his support for Sheeran, insisting ‘Ed it not the victim here. Palestinians are. But let’s not get confused: Ed it also not the perpetrator.’

‘I need to be very clear about Ed. He is my friend. Not an industry friend. A real one. And there is no pressure, no trend, no headline and no comment section that will make me turn on him or hang him out to dry.’

‘Supporting Palestinian life, safety and freedom does not require me to betray someone I know to be a good human being. It requires me to keep the focus where it belongs: on the people suffering, and on the people with the power to stop it.’ 

Myles highlighted his background ‘working in a home with Holocaust survivors, spending time with the Jewish community and hearing stories of bravery, survival, loss and humanity from people who had lived through things most of us only read about.

‘I’ve also spent my life around Muslim friends and families, spend time in mosques, celebrated Eid throughout my youth and grown up in Luton: a working-class, proudly multicultural, predominantly ethnic minority town where Island and Muslim culture were part of the beauty and fabric of everyday life.’

‘Neither of those experiences taught me to sit on the fence. They taught me to be human.’

The Daily Mail has reached out to Sheeran’s representatives for comment on the four acts resigning from the tour and has yet to hear back.

It remains uncertain how the Loop Tour will proceed with zero openers scheduled and 18 dates still set through the end of the year. 

Sheeran had assured his followers on Tuesday that Macklemore’s removal would not affect his tour, as he told them ‘I would never let down the fans who had made plans’.

In his reaction, which came two days after Macklemore’s own statement, he said: ‘I am appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine. 

‘The suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy. There are too many wars across the world causing immeasurable pain, none of which should be tolerated.

‘Macklemore asked to join my tour last year and I agreed, because I respect him as an artist. As with all my support acts, I agree that they play a setlist of their choosing.

‘After Macklemore’s performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting.’ 

Sheeran continued by explaining that he had tried to find a resolution so that Macklemore could remain on his tour but he was not able to.

He said: ‘I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said. I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge.

‘One of those people was Robert Kraft. I was also involved in direct talks with promoters along with activists on both sides to try and find a mutual resolution for all, but the venue’s and promoter’s decision was final.

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Sheeran released a statement on Tuesday, addressing the American star’s position and reminding fans he will never personally take a publicly political stance

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‘Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine. Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.’

Sheeran then explained that there would be no alterations to the tour he has planned because he would never let his fans and crew down.

He said: ‘I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.

‘I have always used my platform and music to bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together and this won’t ever change. Those who have been to one of my shows will know that they are about unity, joy, escapism, love, and a place for everyone to feel welcome.

‘I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way.

‘There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics – my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. 

‘I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change.

‘There are different approaches to being an advocate for change. I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so. I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.’

Sheeran captioned his post: ‘It’s important I set out some facts’. 

In a statement on Instagram, Macklemore claimed that his long-term friend Sheeran had told him that Kraft personally called the singer to inform him that the rapper would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.

He wrote that ‘Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.’

In his 1,000-word statement the rapper went on to say that he did not blame Sheeran personally, writing that his friend was put in a ‘f***** up position’.

‘He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with,’ Macklemore continued. 

‘I told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood. But he couldn’t get past his public facing, “I don’t take sides.” And I get why people don’t.’

‘Taking a side can cost you,’ Macklemore added. ‘Money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and access. I’ve lost all of those things. But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed.’

He noted that the pair had had ‘some difficult conversations this past week’ and he hoped that ‘this isn’t the end of my relationship with Ed. Thirteen years of friendship doesn’t disappear because of one painful disagreement.’

Kraft has defended his decision to block Macklemore from performing, saying the rapper ‘crossed a line’.

‘Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech,’ Kraft said in a statement.

Macklemore claimed that his long-term friend Sheeran had told him that Kraft personally called the singer to inform him that the rapper would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium

Macklemore stated that every human being deserves the same freedom, and told the crowd he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know they had not been forgotten. Above, Macklemore on August 30 performing at the Goldencoast Rap Festival in France

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‘Based on Macklemore’s recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25 and 26 concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line.’

The promoter for the American side of Sheeran’s Loop Tour, Messina Touring Group, said in a statement that they were told by venues of future dates on the tour that ‘they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup’.

‘Which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” a spokesperson continued to Rolling Stone. ‘After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.’  

As seen in fan-taken footage from his September 5 performance in New Jersey, Macklemore wore a keffiyeh at one point during his set and also performed his 2024 song Hind’s Hall with footage of Gaza on the massive screen behind him.

In the lyrics for Hind’s Hall the rapper criticises actions in Gaza. Proceeds from the song go toward humanitarian efforts from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. 

The full video from the performance shows Macklemore standing on stage and addressing the crowd. 

Pink reposted an Instagram Story from StopAntisemitism, which slammed Macklemore’s performance and demanded an apology to the concertgoers

‘One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages in stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine. I said, Free Palestine!’ he told the attendees.

‘I want those words to be loud and clear so that people from Gaza, all the way to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten them.’

He then introduced Hind’s Hall, stating that it ‘was inspired by the bravery of Columbia University students who led an encampment movement that mobilized the entire world. Opened up hearts, myself included.’

‘So thank you to those students that risked their diplomas, that risked their tuition, that risked their scholarships, that stood up and said, “No.” CUAD students, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace. Thank you guys.’

He addressed the Jewish community, stating: ‘To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you.’

‘My message is for peace. Love. For all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality. So I say free Palestine. I say free Lebanon. I say free Cuba. I say free Congo, free Sudan, free all people in America living in fear over this terrorist organization ICE. None of us will be free until we are all free.’ 

Macklemore went on to post a video of his speech on social media with the caption: ‘Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial’. 

The singer Pink weighed in on the controversy, reposting an Instagram Story from StopAntisemitism, which slammed Macklemore’s performance.

The caption on the post read: ‘Awful – Jewish fans bought tickets to see Ed Sheeran sing last night in NJ, not to be ambushed by Macklemore’s anti-Israel propaganda.

‘Instead, Macklemore walked onstage in a keffiyeh, shouted “Free Palestine,” accused Israel of a false “genocide,” and turned a mainstream event into a political nightmare against the Jewish state. Concert-goers are owed apologies and refunds.’

In response, Macklemore appeared to double down on his comments last week, as he posted a clip of his speech from MetLife Stadium with the caption: ‘Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial’.

Pink did not add any additional commentary aside from re-sharing the post.

In 2014, Macklemore issued an apology after wearing a disguise on stage in Seattle that many condemned as an anti-Semitic Jewish caricature.

In his apology after the Jewish caricature controversy, he said: ‘There is no worse feeling than being misunderstood, especially when people are hurt or offended… I respect all cultures and all people. 

‘I would never intentionally put down anybody for the fabric that makes them who they are. I love human beings, love originality, and… happen to love a weird outfit from time to time.’

Macklemore added that he never thought he looked Jewish. ‘Some people there thought I looked like Ringo, some Abe Lincoln. If anything, I thought I looked like Humpty Hump with a bowl cut,’ he said.

The uproar comes after the UK last week imposed sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, sparking a furious response from Israel.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the measures would target ‘illegal settlements and settlement expansion’, adding that there had been ‘ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank, perpetrated by settler terrorists’.

It followed growing pressure for action to curb violence in the West Bank, amid reports of some 1,400 attacks by Israeli settlers this year – an average of over six incidents a day.

The British sanctions will ban settlement goods but also act against businesses and individuals providing services for settlement expansion. 

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded by accusing Miliband of spreading an ‘outrageous lie’.

He later announced counter-measures, including shutting the UK’s consulate in East Jerusalem. 

But the UK was supported by France and Canada, who announced plans for trade bans on settlement goods, as well as nine other European countries who backed similar measures. 

The 12 countries issued a joint statement warning the Israeli government’s actions in the West Bank are threatening the two-state solution.

The measures mark a sharp shift in Britain’s stance on Israeli settlements under new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, representing the most significant attempt in many years – from a close Israeli ally – to use economic power to force change in the occupied West Bank.

The Trump administration is taking a different stance, amid reports that it plans to sell to Israel a munitions package worth $2.8 billion, which will ​include tens of thousands of highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs.

The package, which was reported earlier by the Washington Post, includes 20,000 MK 84s and 20,000 BLU-117s, according to anonymous officials.

US public support for Israel has fallen since the Gaza war began in 2023, particularly among Democrats. 

A June Quinnipiac University poll found 48 per cent ​of voters and 66 per cent of Democrats believe the United States ​is too supportive of Israel, up from 16 per cent and 20 per cent when the question ‌was ⁠first asked in 2017. 

While the heaviest fighting has subsided since a ceasefire took hold in October, Israeli airstrikes have killed 1,369 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. 

The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, does not distinguish between civilians and militants.

Noah’s dad Rhys has given an update on the search for the youngster while clarifying that he is “only mildly autistic and has partial hearing loss”.

He says the emergency services believe that he has gone further away than the immediate areas around the playground where he disappeared.

He wrote: “Thank every single one of you who have taken part in the search for our boy Noah. To clear things up because people really do make up their own stories, he is only mildly autistic and has partial hearing loss, he is fully capable of every day tasks.

We still have nothing, all the emergency services and all of you have shown how strong this community is, with people coming from far and wide (…).

“The emergency services are very confident that the high risk areas (Decoy pond, railway lines) are all clear.”

Rhys continued: “This means knowing our boy, he has gone even further, could I ask that all of you brilliant people out there today expand further if you are able to? Reference where I have outlined, and maybe even further than this,

“I cannot go another night knowing he’s out there alone, please don’t give up on him guys. He is out there somewhere and I appreciate every single one of you.”

Free family-friendly events featuring fireworks will be held at Wythenshawe Park, Heaton Park, and Platt Fields Park on Saturday, November 7.

The evening will include a reduced-noise, low-impact display at 5pm for families and SEND audiences, and a main display at 8pm.

Lantern-making workshops will also be held in the lead-up to the events, with lantern parades taking place before the 8pm fireworks shows.

This return follows the pause of major fireworks events in 2019 following the Covid-19 pandemic, when funding challenges spurred a change of direction.

As a result, the council shifted its focus to funding a range of community-focused events across the city’s parks during the autumn season, rather than the larger one-off fireworks events.

These community-focused events will continue and are set to expand further in local parks this year, particularly during the October half-term school holiday, offering a mix of themed activities.

With additional council investment, the fireworks events on November 7 will be a grand finale to the community activities happening across the city.

Councillor Garry Bridges, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “I’m delighted we’re keeping the Fireworks this year in Manchester.

“Residents tell us how important it is to create opportunities for our communities to come together and celebrate.

“Our fireworks display is exactly one of those events that bridge culture and background — and so it’s fantastic to bring back these free community displays that give families, friends and neighbours a shared experience — and without cost being a barrier.

“It is even more important that everyone feels welcome and able to participate, which is why we have designed our early evening display with inclusivity for families with young children and people with SEND as an essential element of the day and evening celebrations ensuring that no-one has to miss out on the fun.”

Councillor Basat Sheikh, Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “We are delighted to announce and welcome the return of our much-loved fireworks celebrations.

“Our parks should be shared spaces that create opportunities for Manchester people to gather, which is why bringing back the fireworks displays was top of our agenda.

“And we also recognise the importance of community, which is why we will also continue to invest in a wide range of activities in our parks throughout the year.”