It finally lands on our screens this Thursday

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast finally drops on our screens this week.

The new Netflix series, from Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee, follows three lifelong friends in their late 30s who have remained a tight-knit group since their school days.

Coming to the streaming platform on February 12, the plot is set in motion when the friends receive a mysterious email announcing the death of the estranged fourth member of their childhood gang.

READ MORE: How to Get to Heaven from Belfast ‘shares Derry Girls DNA’ but is something very different, says Lisa McGeeREAD MORE: Everything you need to know about new Netflix series How to Get to Heaven from Belfast

With the news that Belfast City Airport has increased its car parking charges last week, Netflix has shared an exclusive first look at the new show with Belfast Live.

In the snippet, we see Robyn and Dara head to the airport to pick up Saorise and end up parking in the Harland and Wolff yard as Dara complains about the price of parking.

Watch the video below…

Roísín Gallagher stars as Saoirse, Sinéad Keenan and Caoilfhionn Dunne star as Robyn and Dara respectively – the supporting cast features notable talent, including Michelle Fairley, Saoirse-Monica Jackson from Derry Girls and Oscar-winner James Martin.

‘How to Get to Heaven from Belfast’ will premiere on Netflix globally on 12th February

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What’s On newsletter

In April 2007, the Baltic nation of Estonia woke up to one of the world’s first major cyber-attacks on civil society carried out by a state. A series of massive “distributed denial of service” assaults – floods of fake traffic from networked computers – targeted government websites, banks, media outlets and online services for weeks, slowing or shutting them down.

These cyber-attacks followed Estonia’s decision to relocate a Soviet-era war memorial and war graves from the centre of the capital city, Tallinn, to a military cemetery.

Amplified by false reports in Russian media, this sparked nights of protest and rioting among Russian-speakers in Tallinn – and cyber chaos throughout the country. Though the cyber-attack was never officially sanctioned by the Kremlin, the “faceless perpetrators” were later shown to have Russian connections.

Estonia has since transformed itself, in part through voluntary initiatives such as the Cyber Defence Unit (a network of private-sector IT experts), into a leader in this field. It is home to Nato’s Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, and ranks fifth in the International Telecommunication Union’s global cybersecurity index – alongside the UK.

But in many ways, Estonia is far ahead of Britain in its cybersecurity planning. A 2025 government review found that nearly one-third of the UK’s public sector IT systems were “critically vulnerable” due to historical underinvestment – with some aspects of the police and NHS at particular risk.

International cyber-attacks on the UK increased by 50% last year. “Nationally significant” incidents rose from 89 to 204 – including, in September 2025, a major ransomware attack on Jaguar Land Rover that halted production for a month, causing losses of around £1.9 billion.

Amid these threats, the UK government recently launched its Cyber Action Plan and held the first ever cross-party international security briefing – co-chaired by the National Cyber Security Centre’s CEO, Richard Horne.

So can this more preemptive approach staunch the flow of cyber-attacks on the UK? In my experience of advising European and Asian governments on cybersecurity matters, the problem is that nothing is ever urgent – until everything is.

Cyber-attacks could shatter public trust

A key worry for British ministers is that an attack on government systems could shatter public trust. Imagine welfare benefits going unpaid, tax returns being ignored and health records frozen amid a major ransomware crisis.

The new plan prioritises central government digital services including tax, benefits, health records and identity verification. Pledging £210 million in additional funding, it promises to address the difficulty of attracting highly paid private-sector engineers, analysts and penetration (“pen”) testers to the public sector. Defence companies, specialist security firms and big tech typically pay 30-50% higher salaries.

While establishing a Government Cyber Unit is welcome, its phased rollout to 2029 feels too leisurely amid the level of threats the UK (and other countries) now face. Groups linked to Russia and China in particular are dramatically increasing the volume and sophistication of cyber-attacks. They combine state resources with criminal ecosystems to exploit the vulnerabilities of years of IT under-investment much faster than most cyber-defences can adapt.

Rapid developments in AI technology are also making the threat more severe – for example, through highly personalised phishing attacks and use of deepfakes. Defenders are struggling to keep up with the scale and constantly changing nature of these threats.

Who leads the way on cyber-defence?

The US is in a league of its own when it comes to cyber-defence. The federal government alone spends an annual US$25 billion (£18 billion) on defending its IT systems, compared with the UK’s £2-2.6 billion.

Australia’s budget – A$6.2 billion (£3.2 billion) – also exceeds the UK’s, despite its much smaller population. It enforces strict rules such as 12-hour critical incident reporting and, most importantly, has prioritised investing in new technologies.

Countries that are ahead of the cybersecurity curve show the same ingredients work: mandatory rapid reporting of incidents, serious investment in AI-powered monitoring, real-time sharing of information between government and private sectors, and strong international partnerships.

What came as a shock to Estonia in 2007 has been hitting European institutions and infrastructure for years now. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago, it has woven cyber operations much more closely into its hybrid warfare playbook. In 2022, there were more than 650 documented attacks by pro-Russian groups, of which only 5% targeted Ukraine – the rest focused on Nato and other EU countries.

In contrast, China has tended to prioritise stealthy, long-term espionage, including the UK Ministry of Defence payroll breach in 2024. Iran has focused on aggressive disruption, and North Korea on seizing funds through cyber heists – the most successful of which stole US$1.5 billion in cryptocurrency by hacking into the Bybit crypto exchange.

To keep pace, the UK needs to lean harder into its alliances, including with Nato and the EU. It should insist on compulsory AI-threat training across government and key industries, and show more willingness to expose attackers publicly. A timely but measured response should at least raise the risk (and cost) of the next cyber-attack for its state-sponsored perpetrators.

Thames Valley Police is assessing allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential reports from his role as UK trade envoy with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein

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The monarch has expressed his “profound concern” regarding allegations surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s behaviour and has indicated he will “stand ready to support” police enquiries should they require assistance, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Thames Valley Police have confirmed they are evaluating claims that the King’s brother allegedly passed on sensitive documents from his position as Britain’s trade envoy to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The rekindled scandal engulfing both the Royal family and Westminster has displayed few indications of subsiding since American authorities’ recent release of millions of records linked to the paedophile financier Epstein.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace stated: “The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct.

“While the specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them as you would expect.”

“As was previously stated, Their Majesties’ thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse.”

To date, the Palace has not been contacted by Thames Valley Police concerning the allegations, which pertain to Andrew’s tenure as Britain’s special representative for international trade and investment. The Prince and Princess of Wales have publicly addressed the Epstein scandal for the first time on Monday, with Kensington Palace confirming they were “deeply concerned” at the “continued revelations” and that their thoughts “remain focused on the victims”.

The revived controversy that has engulfed both the Royal Family and Westminster shows no signs of abating following the recent disclosure by American authorities of extensive documents connected to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Kensington Palace verified that William and Kate have been “deeply concerned” with their attention remaining on those impacted by the scandal. This represents the first time the couple’s stance on the issue has been publicly declared.

The prince is presently en route to Saudi Arabia to commence a three-day solo visit to the Middle Eastern country, with his first day planned alongside Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Before his departure, a Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed: “I can confirm that the Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continued revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”

The most recent tranche of documents released by the US department of justice has sparked a wave of allegations against Andrew and prompted authorities to launch an investigation into Lord Peter Mandelson regarding alleged misconduct in public office. Among the allegations are accusations that Epstein facilitated the travel of a second woman to Britain for a sexual encounter with Andrew, and that the Duke and Epstein approached an exotic dancer for a threesome at Epstein’s property in Florida.

The latest claim alleges that Andrew shared sensitive briefings from official trips to Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Singapore during his tenure as the UK’s trade envoy.

One email, sent in November 2010, was forwarded by Andrew just five minutes after receiving it from his then-special adviser, Amir Patel. On Christmas Eve 2010, Andrew copied Epstein into an email containing a confidential briefing about investment prospects related to reconstruction projects in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Graham Smith, chief executive of the anti-monarchy organisation Republic, has confirmed that he reported the allegations to the police.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: “We can confirm receipt of this report and are assessing the information in line with our established procedures.”

In 2022, the late Queen stripped her son Andrew of his honorary military titles. Last year, he gave up his HRH designation following substantial controversy surrounding the civil sexual assault case brought by Virginia Giuffre, who took her own life last year.

Ms Giuffre alleged that she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three separate occasions, claims which he vehemently denies. These instances allegedly included when she was 17 and also during an orgy, after being trafficked by Epstein.

Despite his unwavering assertion that he had never met her, Andrew paid out millions in 2022 to settle the civil sex case with her.

Lt Col Mark Teeton has tearfully told of being “forever in gratitude” to the “heroes” – including his wife Eileen – who came to his aid near Brompton Barracks, Kent.

A brave wife saved her uniformed Army officer husband as he was repeatedly stabbed by an attacker who tried to “cut his head off like Lee Rigby “, a court has heard.

Lt Col Mark Teeton tearfully told of being “forever in gratitude” to the “heroes”, including wife Eileen, who came to his aid near Brompton Barracks, in Chatham, Kent, on July 23 2024. Asked what his attacker was trying to do, he said: “Cut off my head. Like Lee Rigby.”

He told Maidstone Crown Court of his relief of still being alive as knifeman Anthony Esan is set to be sentenced for his attempted murder.

Esan, 25, was due to stand trial for the attack and possession of two bladed weapons this month, but instead pleaded guilty to the crimes in January.

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On the first day of the sentencing, which is expected to last three days, Lt Col Teeton, a serving officer in the British Army for 26 years who has been on two tours in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan, said the attack has left him “wary” of others approaching him.

Fighting back tears, he went on: “I still relive the incident in my mind; I actually think it is a blessing that I was unconscious for much of it as it means that I am unable to remember a large part of being attacked.

“I don’t think I will truly appreciate the courage shown by my wife and strangers to thwart the attack and then the quick thinking of an array of people that helped save my life. They are all heroes, and I am forever in gratitude to them.”

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Lt Col Teeton said he was told by medical staff it was a “miracle” that he survived the attack having been left with a very large wound to the right side of his neck and further stab wounds to the front and back of his chest, front and back of his abdomen, left side of his lower abdomen, right groin, right upper arm and left thigh.

He added: “I did not imagine for a moment that I would be attacked in such a way on the streets of Britain, in a place where I felt safe.” Mrs Teeton also stared down at Esan in court as she recalled how she rushed to help a solider lying on the ground before realising it was her husband.

“I watched horrified by his continued savage attack, and realised it was my husband on the ground and he was carving at his face and neck,” she said.

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In her victim impact statement, Mrs Teeton said when visiting her husband in hospital, he said: “Do the people at work know what he tried to do to me?” She asked him what did he try to do, and he replied: “Cut my head off! Like Lee Rigby.”

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told the court it was a “vicious and deliberate” attack and the prosecution’s case is that Lt Col Teeton, a chief instructor at the British Army’s school of military engineering, was targeted because of his appearance as a solider.

Leading up to the attack, Esan had began online searches including for knives and about a terrorist attack that happened in West Africa, and TikTok videos of knife attacks in other countries.

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On July 16, he also searched “Woolwich soldier murdered” on the internet, which Ms Morgan said was plainly a reference to the attack on Lee Rigby in 2013.

The 25-year-old off-duty soldier had been killed in broad daylight by extremists near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, south-east London.

Lt Col Teeton was stabbed repeatedly in the street outside his home address, and was dressed in an Army uniform, boots and beret at the time.

He was seen on footage walking home from the barracks at 5.50pm before he then engaged with Esan at 5.53pm. Ms Morgan said he recalled Esan asking him if he could use his phone because his moped had broken down and he needed to call someone to come and help.

“It’s obviously a lie. It’s a lie which gives him the ability to disarm, to disarm by distraction Mr Teeton,” Ms Morgan said. “Mr Teeton said at that point he was concerned the defendant was going to try and steal his mobile phone and he said he would put the defendant’s number into his own telephone. When he went to do that… he was distracted, and that’s when the attack on him began.”

Footage from a car shows the attack in the middle of the road with Esan stabbing Lt Col Teeton, who gets up and walks the other way, and Esan going after him and continuing his attack. Esan used two knives to inflict multiple stab wounds on Lt Col Teeton. Ms Morgan said: “Witnesses who saw it described it as harrowing and one of the worst things they’ve ever seen.”

Esan was born in Nigeria and moved to the UK in 2009 and lived in the Southwark area of London, the court heard. He had made several unsuccessful attempts to join the British Army in the years before his attack, with his first application in 2020.

That same year, he had been referred to mental health services as he appeared to be mentally unwell and reported hearing voices. The court heard that in January 2023, Esan’s mother had contacted an out-of-hours service concerned that he had knives in his bag.

Expert witness in forensic psychiatry Professor Nigel Blackwood said that when he brought knives back to the family home, that Esan “began to entertain murderous fantasies 18 months before he enacted them”.

Experts agree on a diagnosis of schizophrenia for Esan at the time of the attack. Professor Blackwood said: “All the experts agree it is a difficult case, he gives such an impoverished account for his behaviour.”

The sentencing continues.

After calming her nerves with a blast of heavy metal music, Mia Brookes looked down a 50-metre drop and was faced with a choice. Did she try to marginally improve upon two previously solid jumps and have an approximately even chance of nudging herself back into a medal position in the snowboard big air?

Or did she go for broke and attempt to land the first backside 1620 (4½ rather than four rotations) trick in the history of her sport? 

Those who know Brookes were not surprised by her choice and, for a split second, it looked like she had delivered a jump that could challenge for gold let alone bronze. But then it became clear that she had over-rotated and, in just losing control, Britain’s hopes of a first medal of this winter Games had also gone.

The jump was registered as a DNI – meaning that it “did not improve” on her previous two efforts – and Great Britain had to endure a second fourth place of the day after Kirsty Muir had earlier also been edged out of a medal. As chef de mission Eve Muirhead waited at the bottom of the ramp, a delegation of Milan-Cortina organisers passed by with three increasingly elusive Olympic medals.

With the mixed curlers having earlier lost in the semi-final of their competition, the hopeful talk of three medals on a magic Monday in Italy had completely melted away. Agonising Monday instead. It is a considerable early blow to Team GB, whose projections of a record-breaking Winter Olympic medal haul had leaned heavily on the Livigno Snow Park, although it should be stressed that Muir, Brookes and the curlers do all have further podium chances.

Brookes had earlier delivered just exactly what was needed on her first jump; a solid landing following a 1440 trick that saw her complete four complete mid air spins and score 80.85. A single raised arm and then a hug with her waiting parents, Nigel and Vicky, underlined her relief.

It put her fourth after the first run and then, after a similarly sold backside 1260 had taken her to third on the second run with 78.85, she had the platform to attempt something audacious. Yet with snowboarders going in reverse order in the final round, Brookes could only watch as the New Zealander Zoi Sadowksi Synnott delivered an outstanding final score of 83 to nudge her out of the medals.

In a scenario that some will find frustratingly familiar, Emma Raducanu retired from her opening match in Doha after having her blood pressure checked by the doctor.

It was a surprise, in some ways, that Raducanu even took the court for this meeting with qualifier Camila Osorio. She had looked thoroughly exhausted while playing the final – her first in five years – in Cluj-Napoca on Saturday, and was then only able to take one day off between events.

Although Raducanu played some solid percentage tennis to claim the opening set – the first set she has ever won in three visits to Doha – her energy levels seemed to fall away as Osorio broke her serve midway through the second and then hung on to set up a decider.

Few would have backed Raducanu to come through a test of stamina, and indeed she dropped serve again immediately before being visited by the doctor. Although she returned to the court for one last Osorio service game, she was barely moving as a series of serves zipped past her, and then walked to the net to shake hands with the world No 80, with the scoreboard reading 2-6, 6-4, 2-0 in Osorio’s favour.

There is a second WTA 1000 event in the Middle East starting next week, in Dubai, so Raducanu presumably decided that she might as well get in position for that one, even if her prospects of a deep run in Doha were limited. On the upside, she has few rankings points to defend until Miami in mid-March, so she virtually has a free swing at the next couple of tournaments.

Raducanu’s ability to withstand the physical demands of week-to-week tennis remains a significant issue, and one that she has yet to find a solution to. Although she began last season with the highly rated fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura in her corner, he stepped away in the middle of the year. Her latest hire – physio-cum-fitness trainer Emma Stewart, who used to work for British Rowing – has not attended her two events since the Australian Open, but was reported to be arriving in Doha on Monday night, shortly after Raducanu’s exit.

As for the coaching vacancy left by the recent departure of Francis Roig, Raducanu’s hitting partner Alexis Canter appears to be filling in for the moment, although she has not yet made any comment about whether this arrangement will last through the next few hard-court tournaments: initially Dubai and then the so-called “sunshine double” of Indian Wells and Miami in the US.

Meanwhile, British No 2 Cameron Norrie continued his encouraging start to the season by defeating the Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut in Rotterdam. After snatching a long and draining first set, Norrie was then able to surge to a 7-6, 6-1 victory over the 37-year-old Bautista Agut. He will play Australia’s Christian O’Connell in the second round.

Chris Evans’ celebrity talk show, TFI Friday, is returning after over a decade off air and a controversial legacy.

The unfiltered chat show first launched in 1996 and found a home on Channel 4 for several years before being pulled from the air.

Aside from a brief revival in 2015, Chris hasn’t returned to the TFI Friday sofa until now, with the show making its comeback on Virgin Radio UK’s YouTube channel last Friday.

The original run found itself subject to backlash in recent years after a resurfaced clip showed the DJ and presenter, 59, grilling Spice Girls icon Victoria Beckham over her weight shortly after she gave birth.

The shocking interaction happened in May 1999, just two months after the birth of Victoria and now-husband David Beckham’s eldest son, Brooklyn Beckham, was born.

Appearing on the show, Chris asked Victoria if her weight was ‘back to normal’ to which she said ‘yes’. He then pulled a weighing scale out from his desk, asking if they could ‘check’.

In July 2022, Victoria addressed the moment in a Vogue interview, reflecting: ‘He made me stand on the scales to be weighed. Can you imagine doing that nowadays.’

More widely, the series wasn’t without its controversies. One competition to win a car for their parents put two children head-to-head in a staring contest, which ended in tears and outcry from viewers.

As well as Victoria, the first run of the show also saw him interview guests such as Ewan McGregor, U2 and Saoirse Ronan, to name a few.

On Friday, February 6, the revamped version of the star-studded show, TFI Unplugged, launched almost 30 years after the very first episode. Oscar-nominated Sinners actor Delroy Lindo appeared on the episode.

Comedian Ross Noble and band James, fronted by Tim Booth, also made special appearances in the inaugural episode.

The TV and radio personality, also known for presenting the rebooted Top Gear, is hoping to stick around for a long time, as he shared on his own Virgin Radio breakfast show on Monday.

Returning alongside original executive producers, Clare Barton and Suzie Aplin, he reflected: ‘How much juice do we have left in the tank? Well, hang on a minute. 

‘When Rod Stewart came on TFI Friday he was only four years younger than I am now, so it’s all going to be fine.’

He shared: ‘Paul McCartney came on TFI again when he was just a few years younger than I am. Now he’s 83, Paul McCartney.

‘So listen, we’ve got plenty of road still to run here before we run out of road. That’s what I’m saying to myself.’

TFI Friday will land on Virgin UK Radio’s YouTube channel every Friday.

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Greater Manchester’s restaurant scene may have been hoping for some more Michelin Stars but were left disappointed

The Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland has unveiled its new stars for 2026. At its official ceremony held in Dublin this evening a total of 22 Michelin Stars and seven Green Michelin Stars were handed out to a variety of venues.

The ceremony, which marked the first time the awards were held in Ireland, saw all the new star ratings announced for the guide, which is considered to be the most prestigious of all the culinary honours.

Sadly for Greater Manchester there were no new stars awarded to the region. Despite picking up a new star for Skof last year, the 2026 edition saw the city and surrounding area leave the awards empty handed.

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Mana and Skof, Manchester’s only Michelin-starred restaurants, may have been hoping for a second star but were also left disappointed – however both have retained their Michelin Star. Restaurants that achieved two Michelin stars were Row on 5 in London and Bonheur by Matt Abé.

Mana was the first Manchester restaurant to receive a new star in 40 years when it landed its first in 2019. The last Greater Manchester restaurant to have a star before this was Juniper in Altrincham, which held it for 11 years until chef Paul Kitching left in 2009.

In 2025, Skof was awarded a Michelin Star – less than a year after opening in Manchester city centre. Presided over by former L’Enclume chef Tom Barnes, it first opened in May 2024 and quickly became one of the hottest tables in town with reservations booked out for months.

Despite no new stars, Greater Manchester is firmly on Michelin’s radar, as last week two venues in Greater Manchester received a Bib Gourmand. The Michelin Guide introduced the Bib Gourmand back in 1997, to acknowledge the restaurants and venues that serve high-quality food at great value across the country.

Erst in Ancoats and Cantaloupe in Stockport were both bestowed the honour. They joined The Sparrows in Cheetham Hill, Higher Ground on the edge of Chinatown and El Gato Negro who all have a Bib Gourmand too.

Elsewhere in proceedings for the night, Northern restaurants that shone out included Fifty Two at Rudding Park, Harrogate, and Joro in Oughtibridge, Sheffield, which both took home a Michelin Star. Beyond this, the majority of new stars were handed to restaurants in capital.

Tom Earnshaw took home Young Chef of the Year. The Executive Chef presides over Bohemia, the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Jersey. He cooked at Michelin-starred restaurants including Lancashire’s Moor Hall and Northcote in Lancashire, as well as the Sampling in Cumbria before first joining Bohemia as a sous chef in 2023.

The full list of Michelin Stars for Great Britain & Ireland 2026:

One Star:

• Legado, Shoreditch, London
• The Pullman, Galway
• The Boat, Lichfield
• Fifty Two at Rudding Park, Harrogate
• 1887, Torridon, Scotland
• Tom Brown at The Capital, London
• Ugly Butterfly, Newquay
• Ambassadors Clubhouse, London
• Joro, Oughtibridge
• Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High, London
• Vraic, Vale, Guernsey
• Somssi by Jihun Kim, London
• The WIlderness, Birmingham
• Labombe by Trivet, London
• The Kerfield Arms, London
• Michael Caines at the Stafford, London
• Corenucopia, Chelsea
• Killiecrankie House, Pitlochry
• Mare, Brighton and Hove
• Forest Avenue, Dublin

Two Star:

• Row on 5, London
• Bonheur by Matt Abe, London

Three Star:No new awards for 2026

The little known Scottish landmark older than Stonehenge sits on a remote island reached by the world’s shortest commercial flight

An incredible Scottish landmark older than Stonehenge is one many Britons have never heard of. Stonehenge in Wiltshire is estimated to be between 4000 and 5000 years old and remains one of the country’s most visited historic attractions.

It is often considered Britain’s most famous ancient monument, yet it is only one of many prehistoric sites scattered across the country. According to historians, it is not even the oldest. One lesser known landmark that predates Stonehenge sits on a remote island that can be reached by taking the world’s shortest commercial flight, Express reports.

Many of the UK’s most isolated islands lie off the rugged coast of Scotland. One of these islands is home to what is believed to be the oldest preserved stone house in northern Europe. Despite its remote location, the site attracts visitors with a strong interest in Neolithic Britain. Local experts say it is at least 500 years older than Stonehenge.

The site is known as the Knap of Howar and is located on the island of Papa Westray in Orkney. Historians describe it as a Neolithic farmstead, with evidence showing it was occupied between 3800 BC and 2800 BC. This places it at almost 6000 years old.

Reaching the Knap of Howar involves travelling on the flight from Westray to Papa Westray, recognised as the world’s shortest scheduled commercial journey. While most air passengers are used to flights lasting hours, this trip takes just over a minute.

At the site, visitors can see rectangular stone buildings with thick walls and short doorways facing the sea. The larger structure is believed to have served as a workshop, while the smaller building is thought to have been used as a home.

Historians believe the roofs once had openings to allow smoke from indoor fires to escape, as there were no windows. Although the buildings would originally have stood further inland, thousands of years of coastal erosion have brought them close to the shoreline.

Much of the stone furniture inside the buildings remains intact, offering a rare insight into daily life during the Neolithic period. Archaeologists have uncovered a range of objects that shed light on the lives of the site’s early inhabitants.

These include distinctive stone tools such as grinders and borers, an antler and whalebone macehead, and animal remains that provide information about the diet of Scotland’s earliest farmers.

Historic Environment Scotland says the wider area has not yet been fully explored. This suggests the two visible buildings may once have formed part of a larger settlement yet to be uncovered.

Visitors frequently praise the site for its preservation and atmosphere. One TripAdvisor reviewer, who called it a “magical place”, said: “In addition to the wonderful Neolithic remains, which are enough reason to visit Papay, this is a beautiful place for a picnic, looking across to Westray.”

Another shared: “A day trip here (from Westray) is a must. To visit northern Europe’s oldest building and have it all to yourself. We got the boat from Westray and walked up and down the small island for the day. Hardly saw anyone else at all.”

A third wrote: “The dresser, fireplace, quernstone, sleeping areas and storeroom areas are all clearly visible. It is a short walk down from the farm. It is astonishing!

“You can feel the difference when you enter the rooms The ever present wind suddenly is no longer roaring in your ears, and you understand: The neolithic people who built this settlement, perhaps 500 years before Skara Brae on Mainland Orkney, probably were not much different from yourself.

“They would have wanted shelter, warmth, and places to store and organise their belongings and foodstuffs.”

Orkney is home to several other notable ancient sites, including the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness and the Maeshowe tomb.