During his athletic peak, he dominated the summer skies like a soaring hawk, gliding effortlessly on air currents—a formidable green and gold predator claiming dominance over the Killarney and Croke Park airspace.

Kieran Donaghy may be approaching his mid-40s, but it appears even the passage of time cannot ground this iconic figure.

The 2006 Footballer of the Year once again takes centre stage as Kerry face Armagh in a monumental clash, set against the stunning backdrop of the Fitzgerald Stadium, with the towering “Black Stacks” and Reeks peaks framing the action.

Dubbed the Donaghy Derby, this decisive encounter between the two most recent All-Ireland champions sees the towering figure with his signature close-cropped haircut continuing to weave remarkable stories into one of the country’s most vibrant sporting sagas.

Kieran McGeeney, Armagh’s battle-hardened manager, recognises the significant threat posed by his 2024 Sam Maguire-winning colleague now wearing Kerry colours, reports the Irish Mirror.

“You can see the influence he’s having on them already. He has a lot of good friends in Armagh and he’s done a lot for us,” McGeeney noted earlier in the campaign.

What followed was a striking comparison, like a diver recounting an encounter with a great white: “I’m married to a Kerry woman, so I know this for an absolute fact – they don’t f**k about! They’re winners through and through.

“I don’t expect any favours [from Donaghy] if that’s what you are asking.”

Star by nickname and by nature, at his brightest in the rarefied air of elite competition, Donaghy’s ties to both of today’s sides run deep.

Two counties that occupy a special place in his affections, the first where he forged a Hall of Fame playing career, the second where he dedicated five years alongside McGeeney, forming relationships that affected him in ways he never anticipated.

Now returned to Kerry as a senior coach working alongside Jack O’Connor, Donaghy stands as one of the most intriguing personalities in Irish sport.

For someone who became the pantomime villain for opposition supporters during his playing days, his likeability is disarming. Reflective and candid, his affable manner cannot mask a fierce competitive drive.

Donaghy’s is a life powered by the jet fuel of ambition and enthusiasm.

O’Connor pursued him for the same reason McGeeney convinced him to undertake the ten-hour round trip between the island’s southern tip and a northern football stronghold.

Perhaps the words of Marc Ó Sé cut to the heart of it.

Ó Sé scaled All-Ireland Everest on the same rope as Gooch, Paul Galvin and Declan O’Sullivan, he had his brothers, Tomás and Darragh as fellow sherpas, yet it is Donaghy he distinguishes from Kerry’s golden era.

“My best team-mate bar none,” Ó Sé says, his words more eloquent and revealing than a thousand highlight reels.

The footballer with the combative edge who so frequently carried an entire county on those broad shoulders. Donaghy is far too focused, too committed for split allegiances to pose any threat, but if there was ever a moment when he might experience even the slightest hint of inner turmoil, today would be it.

Seventy minutes that will leave one of the All-Ireland contenders, one of the two sides that have defined his county football journey, defeated on the championship pitch.

Donaghy claimed four Celtic crosses as Kerry’s unmistakable figurehead, Gooch’s protective presence, a giant amongst men, a green and gold guardian constantly monitoring Colm Cooper’s vicinity for any emerging threats.

Simultaneously intelligent and confrontational, his verbal sparring matches during high summer, whether with Dublin’s Philly McMahon or The Sunday Game’s Joe Brolly, were compelling viewing.

He supported his words with football that combined strength and graceful skill, a genuine 24-carat leader, elevated by pressure, master of the big occasion, at his finest when his side needed him most.

While Donaghy was confrontational, he could also produce moments of exquisite brilliance, an artist who might, like Van Gogh, remove his or – more probably – his rival’s ear. He possessed the edge that distinguishes the elite competitors from the remainder of the pack.

It was precisely those attributes and his tactical understanding that, just as he was adapting to life as a television pundit, led to the career-altering unexpected phone call from McGeeney. What ensued were five of the most fulfilling years of Donaghy’s career, staying with the Fegan family in Tassagh and immersing himself so thoroughly in the local traditions that he became an expert on road bowls, a niche sport that commands fierce loyalty along Armagh’s country lanes.

Donaghy, someone always eager to push his boundaries, views his spell with the Orchard County as a period that delivered significant personal and emotional development.

He departed following Armagh’s stunning quarter-final demolition by Kerry 12 months ago, a result that marked a shift in the All-Ireland landscape.

With this afternoon’s match in mind, Donaghy’s parting remarks from that time bear repeating now.

“It’s hugely emotional [to be ending my time with Armagh]. You build up a bond with any group, but when you’re with a group for five years and see them go through so many tough times, it gets deeper.

“Obviously we had the glorious run last year, that saw them get the medal that they so desperately wanted and probably deserved with the work they put in.

“They’ve been great ambassadors for the county so it is difficult [to move on] when you’ve built that bond and relationship. And the county and the people of the county. It is a home away from home for me.”

A home he will attempt to dismantle this afternoon. There exists a profound psychological link between McGeeney, whose sharp wit and insight lie beneath a fierce and all-consuming drive to win, and Donaghy, a connection that reached deep into the latter’s Kerry roots.

Star is emphatic: “Geezer is one of a kind. His attention to detail, his focus is just solely on Armagh, never on himself.

“How can he get Armagh to be better, that’s what he talks about non-stop. The jersey and the people of the county and what it means. He is completely selfless.

“When he asked me to get involved, I already knew the way he carried himself. He was in the International Rules team with me.

“I knew how honest he was and how straight he was. There was no sugar-coating anything.

“I remember thinking, ‘he’d be brilliant to be around. I’d love to play for him or to work with him. I got so much from working with Armagh.’”.

As they did from him.

While Donaghy spent his summers at Croke Park throughout his playing career, his winters were devoted to the Tralee basketball court, the sport that captured his heart first and foremost.

Like numerous others who harboured basketball aspirations – Liam McHale, Jason Sherlock, Pat O’Shea, Sean Cavanagh, Mike Quirke – Star played a pivotal role in ushering Gaelic football into a fresh tactical era, incorporating screens, three-man-weaves and backdoor manoeuvres.

Now he aims to apply relentless pressure on the side he once steered to glory. Last year’s extraordinary All-Ireland quarter-final saw Kerry demolish Armagh with one of the most commanding third-quarter performances the sport has witnessed, a tempest conjured from nowhere.

In the build-up to that match, Darragh O’Se had penned a newspaper column that read almost like a eulogy for Kingdom football.

“In Kerry, there’s a sense of finality about the place this week. When it comes to football you can’t fool the people down here. you can’t be going around explaining the Meath defeat away because we were down a few bodies.

“Call us pessimistic or realistic, but whatever way you wan to look at it, the mood isn’t great.”

Whether the words of the six-time All-Ireland winner, a legendary figure in midfield, played any part in galvanising Kerry into action remains unclear. What cannot be disputed is the magnitude of the turnaround.

Drifting through the summer in a daze, Kerry suddenly awoke and became unstoppable, obliterating Armagh, Tyrone and Donegal consecutively by an aggregate margin of 24 points.

Donaghy’s final outing as an Armagh coach was engulfed by a Kerry onslaught. Today he will be amongst those attempting to conjure a repeat of that green and gold deluge, with Kerry having suffered two chastening encounters against Donegal in recent weeks.

When Kerry made the journey to Armagh for a league fixture in March, the enduring respect for all Star achieved in 2024, and for the manner in which he embedded himself within the Armagh community, was clear in the warmth of the welcome he received from the Athletic Ground hordes.

It struck a chord with Donaghy, though it never came close to undermining his allegiance. A remark he made that evening provided insight into the fierce competitive spirit that courses through him, the warrior mentality that lies at his heart.

“I spent five years travelling down that road. I made a lot of friends. But there wasn’t much chat or banter before hand, because I’m an all in guy and I was behind enemy lines.”

A hunting predator who had swapped his orange colours for green and gold, and who was once more hovering, his sole focus, as it will be in Killarney today, to command the territory.

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Need to know

A fan asked for Martin Lewis thoughts about when to cash in their funds

Need to know: Martin Lewis shares tips on planning for your retirement –

• Martin Lewis has shared some thoughts on retirement planning during his BBC podcast.
• He responded to a 47-year-old listener’s concerns about when to access their investment funds.
• The caller said they were contributing £50 monthly into a stocks and shares ISA through Moneybox. They asked whether he should stop investing at 55 to allow his final contributions time to grow before withdrawing at 60.
• Lewis reminded listeners of his key principle: “My investment rule is if it’s money that you don’t need and you’re putting it away for more than five years, savings is the poor relation to investing, so you should consider investing.”
• The money-saving expert said his five-year rule is because “markets move up and down” and you don’t want to cash in when it’s down
• Lewis advised the investor that his retirement age target of 60 should be viewed as “soft guidance” rather than a rigid deadline. He suggested investors could continue contributing closer to retirement by switching to less adventurous portfolios around age 57 or 58.
• Significant changes to ISA allowances are also taking effect from April 2027, restricting how savers can use their £20,000 annual tax-free limit.

READ THE FULL STORY: Martin Lewis ‘hard rule’ update over retirement planning between ages 55 and 60

Tracey Johnson reportedly rescued a young boy from a crocodile enclosure after an incident which saw a 30-year-old man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder

A zoo owner has been hailed a hero on Friday (June 19) after jumping into a crocodile enclosure to save the life of a little boy. Tracey Johnson, 55, dashed into the crocodile pen at Johnsons of Old Hurst near Huntingdon, after being alerted that a boy was in the enclosure by fellow staff members.

Tracey – who owns the zoo with husband Andy Johnson, 56 – was able to retrieve the three year old boy. The incident happened in the zoo’s Tropical House, featuring a crocodile enclosure surrounded by a high walkway, at 1.30pm on Thursday (June 18).

It is thought the youngster suffered a broken pelvis and arm, according to local reports. He is not believed to have been injured by the animals. The boy remains in a ‘stable condition’ at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

A 30-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder. It is believed he did not know the boy. Police said on Friday morning that he was not fit to be interviewed and had been released on bail until September 18.

This morning a friend of Mrs Johnson’s, who has kept crocodiles at the zoo, praised her bravery and described her as an “incredibly strong woman”. Chris Newman, 67, director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, has spent time inside the enclosure.

He said: “If a child landed next to a crocodile, I absolutely would expect that animal to react and snap. It’s no different from the way a dog would react when it’s startled.

“The crocodiles are incredibly well fed, so I wouldn’t expect them to eat a child, but it would bite a child if it landed on it or by it. That’s where the trouble would come – they have such a powerful bite. Even an investigatory bite would be catastrophic.

“But my suspicion is that the injuries were caused by the child falling 15ft on to concrete and sort of rolled into the water.”

Chris spoke about owner Tracey Johnson, who reportedly jumped into the enclosure to help rescue the boy. He said: “Knowing Tracey, it comes as no surprise that she acted this way – that’s exactly what she would do.

“She’s a very courageous and brave lady. She’s just a remarkable lady, quite unassuming and very family-oriented.”

Mr Newman said the attraction is a family-run operation involving “a mum and dad, two sons and a daughter-in-law”. He said the enclosure was so secure that a child could only have ended up inside if they had been deliberately thrown.

He said: “You can get a really good view looking down at the crocodiles, but you couldn’t fall or be pushed into it – you would have to be thrown. It’s a large tropical house with a raised walkway which is about 15ft down.

“The crocodiles would be on the ground floor and there’s a walkway all the way around the perimeter, with vertical and horizontal safety barriers.” He also described the venue as “a fantastic zoo” where “public safety is a huge part” of the operation.

He continued: “She’s a lovely lady. She has been incredibly heroic. It’s nothing more than I would expect from her.

“She’s a very strong lady. I know it would have been incredibly difficult. It’s about a fifteen foot drop, so to get in there that quickly and save the child is an incredible act of bravery.

Mr Newman said there had been real danger to the child as crocodiles are ‘reactive creatures’. He added: “If something was thrown into their enclosure and landed close to them, you would expect them to do an exploratory bite.”

This morning a resident close to the zoo said: “Tracey and the other staff were incredibly brave. They all stayed very calm and she went down into the enclosure and was able to rescue the little boy quickly before the crocodiles could harm him.

“Both she and Andy are very experienced and responsible zoo keepers and will both be mortified by what has happened.”

This morning the zoo was set to reopen, but the Tropical House was to remain closed as police continued their investigation into the incident.

Yesterday local councillor Charlotte Lowe visited the scene and said it was ‘really shocking and she could ‘not believe it had happened.

She said: “It is really shocking – I would say it is safe there. It must have been intentional. The crocodiles are normally lounging around.

“This is a popular place with families. My thoughts and prayers go to the little boy and his family.”

A spokesperson for Johnson’s said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family following the incident that occurred today. Out of respect to the family, our Tropical House will remain closed until further notice.

“If you have any questions about the incident, please direct inquiries to Cambridgeshire Police Constabulary. The rest of the site will remain open as normal.”

Antonee Robinson is said to be open to a move to Old Trafford as he remains one of many transfer targets linked with Manchester United

Antonee Robinson has admitted he could leave Fulham if a club matched his asking price. The defender has impressed for the United States at the World Cup, leading to reports linking him with Manchester United.

Michael Carrick is looking to reinforce the left-back position – Robinson’s primary area of cover – with Luke Shaw standing out as the only senior option next season. Tyrell Malacia is departing United as a free agent this summer, while Patrick Dorgu is expected to continue on a more attacking front under the new manager.

Sky Sports News reports that Robinson has emerged as a new target for Carrick alongside Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, who continues to be monitored by the club. The American has previously spoken out on rumours linking him with a move away from Fulham.

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Robinson admitted that while he is content at Craven Cottage, the idea of a transfer is tempting. Speaking to Marca in 2024, the 28-year-old said: “I’m very happy here. The fact that there is interest from other teams is great.

“Obviously, it all comes down to whether someone wants me enough to pay what Fulham would ask. So, if the club sees it as a good idea, I would leave.”

Former Fulham manager Marco Silva was full of praise for the defender during his time in south-west London, highlighting his defensive abilities, which greatly improved the squad. He said: “He never stops going up and down, and, on top of that, in attack, he is decisive.

“He is a great athlete, but I would highlight, above all, the way in which he has been improving in our defensive process. He had to defend many one-on-one situations with Salah and, despite having a yellow card since the 27th minute, he was brave and aggressive, in a good way.”

Robinson has been a reliable performer for Fulham since joining from Wigan Athletic in 2020. The defender has provided four goals and 22 assists in 215 appearances for the Cottagers and has stood out in the Premier League.

While United have other options, including Hall, Robinson is considered the more affordable choice. Reports have suggested that Fulham may accept a fee of around £28million.

The 28-year-old looks to be open to a move, but his current club are in a moment of change, with Silva departing as boss and Alvaro Arbeloa in advanced talks to take over. This could prove to be a wrench in United’s plans, and they would likely have to act fast if Robinson continues to perform at the World Cup.

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Jordan Everington, 23, was pronounced dead in November 2025, nine days after leaving HMP Holme House on licence, according to a report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.

The report found he died from cocaine toxicity after being discovered unresponsive in a field in Redcar.

At the time of his disappearance, Cleveland Police issued a missing person appeal following concerns for his welfare. Officers said they wanted to speak to him in connection with alleged offences and were treating him as a high-risk missing person.

In the early hours of November 8, police responded to reports of a man in a field behind Staintondale Avenue.

Following his death, a Cleveland Police spokesperson said: “In the early hours of Saturday, November 8, a man was found unconscious in a field behind Staintondale Avenue in Redcar, and sadly the man later passed away.

“The family of 23-year-old Jordan Everington, who was previously circulated as missing, has been informed and our thoughts remain with them at this extremely difficult time.

“The death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file has been prepared for the Coroner.”

Jordan had been released from HMP Holme House on October 30 after being recalled to custody earlier that month for breaching his licence conditions.

The Ombudsman’s investigation said prison staff warned him about the risks associated with drug use after release, referred him to community drug services and provided harm reduction advice before he left custody.

He failed to attend appointments with both probation and community drug support services after his release.

His community offender manager made repeated attempts to contact him and had begun recall proceedings before his death.

The report concluded: “We are satisfied that Mr Everington had appropriate pre-release planning and post-release supervision. We make no recommendations.”

An inquest held on June 16, 2026, concluded that Mr Everington’s death was drug related.

Following the announcement on Friday, Chris enthused: “I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience.

“I’ve always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new. I may know my way around a salon floor, but the dance floor is a whole different story – and I can’t wait to get started.”

He was also briefly a tabloid staple thanks to his whirlwind relationship with the White Lotus actor Lukas Gage, to whom he was married for around eight months in 2023.

Dani was originally booked to compete on Strictly last year, but had to pull out days before the first live show due to injury.

While Lacey, Dani and Delta were unveiled for the line-up within days of each other, Chris’ participation was confirmed a full week after the last casting announcement.

In a press release, the BBC said that “further news about Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be revealed throughout the summer ahead of the brand-new series” which is due to begin airing in September.

Uranus has arrived in Gemini and it’s bringing a whole new energy. The pace of change will certainly require adaptability.

Taurus, Gemini and Aries, there could be a challenge that tests your flexibility in the day ahead. Don’t be tempted to act on impulse.

Keep things fluid today, and you will reap the rewards. Stay set in your ways, and it could be detrimental.

Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Saturday June 20, 2026.

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To order your unique personal horoscope based on your time, date and place of birth, visit patrickarundell.com.

Aries

March 21 to April 20

The electric and futuristic energies of Uranus are set to have an enormous impact on us all in the changeable sign of Gemini, where it recently arrived. Technological advances may be brilliant, but the pace of change will require us all to flex and rapidly adapt. Today, balancing this with the routines you feel comfortable with and the instincts you trust, may be a push

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aries

Taurus

April 21 to May 21

Now it wouldn’t be like you, Taurus, to get an impulsive desire to suddenly splash the cash on something desirable, would it? Umm, well, perhaps it would. And today, your usual earthy pragmatism can be challenged by this very yearning. Then again, you could be extremely generous towards someone you are close to, or someone you are finding hard to ignore.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Taurus

Gemini

May 22 to June 21

Whether it is your home or worldly situation, today’s powerful planetary clash between the truth seeker, Uranus in your sign, and two important celestial points, known as the nodal axis, can give you a hard-to-ignore desire to challenge the status quo of these two areas. You might not even know why you feel compelled to do so, but it’s because one or both isn’t fulfilling you.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Gemini

Cancer

June 22 to July 23

Whether we like a person or not, when we interact, we exchange energy. Some can lift us, others drain us. It doesn’t define their worth; it just defines their impact on us. A conversation or email exchange today can emphasise this dynamic precisely. If you know certain people can tend to deflect or demand more than you have to offer, look to create more personal space.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Cancer

Leo

July 24 to August 23

Managing the ins and outs of our finances is something we all regularly do. However, today’s acute angle between the planet of higher purpose, Uranus, and the powerful nodal points can see you not just looking to balance the books but also understanding the motives behind certain spending decisions. Shared finances can also be something you scrutinise mindfully.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Leo

Virgo

August 24 to September 23

There have Eclipses in the last eighteen months between your sign, earthy and practical, and the watery Pisces, more emotional. This has been pushing to get a clear balance between what you need as an individual and what you need from others. This will have had an impact at work, as much as personally. Today, if this equation is out of kilter, it can show up powerfully.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Virgo

Libra

September 24 to October 23

Freedom can be psychological as much as physical. So, a state of mind, as well as the amount of personal space or time we have. The conundrum for you today, Libra, could be if you feel locked into any scenario where you feel obligated but unseen. If so, you could feel a very strong desire to do something about it. Don’t over-analyse this too much, just take firm action.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Libra

Scorpio

October 24 to November 22

You may be finding someone’s magnetic presence hard to ignore. But do they feel the same? One thing you should do today is to listen to your instincts. They rarely fail you – as long as you don’t apply too much logic and trust the process. Conversely, if you’re in an involvement that tends to run on the dramatic side, with intense scenes, you may welcome some you time.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Scorpio

Sagittarius

November 23 to December 21

The dramatic energies of Uranus are set to bring a spark of excitement to your relationships. And yet the more anyone you meet is hard to predict, the more they can intrigue you. Involved? Here, the need can be to liven things up. Break out of stale routines; find ways to recreate that original sense of attraction. The trick today is just not to make any hasty moves.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Sagittarius

Capricorn

December 22 to January 21

There is going to be a lot of nervous energy pulsating around the heavens today. Being the conscientious sign that you are, you are often task-oriented but may find yourself conflicted about what to attend to first. Try not to do everything on your wish list. Instead, note the essential things to attend to in order of importance, and work steadily through them.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Capricorn

Aquarius

January 22 to February 19

As much as we know it’s better to live in the moment, it’s not always easy to do. Competing demands, outstanding jobs, or unresolved issues create a melting pot that can make zen-like acceptance challenging. Today, if you contemplate doing something on impulse, like booking a meal, a special day with friends or partner, or snaffling a yummy treat, why not just do it?

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aquarius

Pisces

February 20 to March 20

You know the old saying, we can’t please all the people all the time. Now you can become more aware of this maxim – if you find yourself pulled around by competing demands, people, or situations. How do you react? It’s all about boundaries. Don’t feel that you don’t have any choices or any rights to assert them. Sure, this may cause a stir, but a point will have been made.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Pisces

Your daily Metro.co.uk horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.

Head here for this week’s tarot horoscope reading, and see what the cards have in store for you!

Check out the tarot horoscope reading for the month of June here.

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More than four million homes were built in the UK during the Victorian era.

Victorian homes were constructed long before the complex computer models used today to design buildings were invented. Yet, these homes, built over 100 years ago, are cooler in summer than many built more recently.

Here are some fundamental architectural reasons why this is.

1. Shutters

Many Victorian homes featured external wooden shutters to block the sun’s heat before it entered the building. The Victorians knew that blocking the sun’s heat before it enters the building is among the best ways to reduce overheating. Few homes built in the 20th century in the UK have external shutters on windows, partly because modern homes use outward-opening hinged casement windows which cannot be used with external shutters.

Homes in southern and central Europe have tended to keep their external shutters, because they have historically faced hotter summers than the UK. With a changing climate, parts of the UK are expected to have a climate similar to the Mediterranean by the middle of this century.

Victorian homes were also equipped with internal shutters. These are less effective than external ones at reducing overheating because the sun’s heat has already passed into the building. Yet, they are still more effective than a completely unshaded window, particularly if the shutters are painted a light colour which reflects some of the heat back out.

Their main benefit, however, is keeping the heat in during winter. Many Victorian internal shutters survive today as they are less likely to have been damaged due to weather exposure or have been removed when sliding sash windows were replaced with other alternatives.

2. Canopies and awnings

Conjure up an image of a Victorian high street, and no doubt a row of striped canopies and awnings above the shops and cafes will come to mind. These have a similar effect to external shutters by blocking the sun’s heat before it enters the building.

Canopies and awnings have several other benefits: they can be used alongside outward opening windows, so they don’t block ventilation; they allow a view out of the building; and they provide a pleasant shady place to sit.

Although rarely seen today, many Victorian buildings featured them. Even Buckingham Palace once had external canopies protecting the windows from the heat of the sun.

Although it’s not entirely clear why canopies were removed, there may be fewer barriers to their return than we think. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London has spotted that many of the awning boxes, which stored the rolled up awning or retracted canopy, survive today as they are integrated into the building’s facade. With increasing pressure to keep our homes cool in summer, these could easily, and relatively cheaply, be brought back into use.

3. Sash windows

Ventilation can bring in cooler outdoor air (usually at night) and reduce overheating. The Victorians used sliding sash windows which could be operated even with the external shutters closed.

Sash windows are particularly effective because they have a separate operable upper and lower portion which allows for hot air to leave the home at the top and cooler air to enter at the bottom. With hinging casement windows on modern homes the air coming in is often blocked by the air going out, so they don’t keep homes as cool.

À lire aussi :
How London, Paris and New York coped in the heatwaves of the past

4. Leaky by design

It is not just sash windows that makes Victorian homes better ventilated. With open fires burning in winter, the Victorians designed their homes to bring in lots of outdoor air for combustion and several open chimneys to carry the smoke away.

These types of homes, with open chimneys, suspended timber floors, and uninsulated solid brick walls, are the leakiest and least airtight homes in the British housing stock.

This allows more air to enter the building, even when windows are closed, which can cool the home in summer if it is cooler outside than inside. The suspended timber floors also store cool air under the building during the day to provide a cooling effect.

Modern homes do not have these features – there is no need for open chimneys when central heating is used. To help reduce winter energy bills, suspended timber floors have been replaced by insulated slab-on-grade or beam-and-block, and modern building regulations are requiring more airtight homes to reduce heat loss in the colder months.

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5. Solid brick

Walk into an ancient church on a hot day and you may mistakenly think they’ve installed air-conditioning. The real reason for the instant cool feeling is in the huge amounts of thermal mass – the ability of the building to store heat within the building fabric.

There has been a fundamental shift in the way houses are constructed in the UK. Victorian homes had solid brick or stone external and internal partition walls – so high thermal mass.

These walls were able to soak up and store the heat of the day to keep the indoor temperature cool.

Modern homes are constructed of lightweight timber frame and plasterboard (lower thermal mass) because they are cheaper and quicker to build. These walls are less able to absorb heat during the day, but they do have the benefit of cooling down faster at night.

What goes wrong?

So why are some Victorian properties not particularly cool during summer heatwaves today? Often the way they have been adapted introduced an overheating problem. When wooden sash windows reach the end of their life, they are often replaced with cheaper outward-opening casement windows. This prevents them from being used with external shutters or ventilating as efficiently.

External shading itself is also being discouraged in some conservation areas, despite it featuring on heritage buildings in the past.

Conversion of Victorian single homes into multiple flats can further cause problems as the once free cross-ventilation may now be blocked and those in converted loft spaces are exposed to high internal roof surface temperatures.

Victorian building design has lessons for today. If sash windows are removed, inward opening windows can be combined with external shutters or blinds instead. Victorian-style awnings and canopies are compatible with outward opening windows, so these could help too.

Most homes standing today will still be around in decades to come, so they must be planned or adapted to cope with whatever the future climate has to throw at them.

Water unites everyone on the planet, and as well as keeping us alive, it has thousands of other uses, yet we undervalue it, take it for granted and often waste it.

As many countries are now experiencing hot weather more frequently, our demand for water increases. Water companies need to act to reduce leaks and wastage, but there are also ways we can all save water around the house, as well as save money and preserve this valuable resource.

Tap water is clean, safe to drink and delivered directly to our homes. A lot of work has gone into getting it there and testing it to ensure it’s safe; we should think of this as gold-plated water. In some cases we need this, but when we come to water the plants or flush the toilet, we don’t really need to use this gold-plated water.

We can follow the principle of reduce, reuse and recycle to use less of this water and to make the most of the water we do use this summer.

Reducing water use

Thinking of water as a valuable resource helps us recognise when we’re wasting it. A simple example is leaving the tap running while brushing our teeth. A tap in the UK can deliver 10-15 litres of water per minute, so leaving the tap running for a minute each time we brush our teeth could waste 9,000 litres per year. On a street of 70 family homes, that’s enough water to fill an Olympic swimming pool each year.

We can also use water (and energy) more efficiently by always filling the dishwasher, rather than running it half empty, and only putting as much water as we need in the kettle.

Toilets are the elephant in the (bath)room: Every flush uses at least four litres of water, and sometimes as much as 13 litres. It’s not for everyone, but depending on your household, it may not be necessary to flush every time. Keeping the lid closed and adopting the “If it’s yellow, let it mellow” principle just once a day could save the average home over 3000 litres of water each year.

If you are renovating a bathroom, you can save water by using a toilet-sink combination unit, which reuses water to flush. Many water companies provide testing strips or instructions on how to check whether your toilet is leaking water. If your toilet is older, you can reduce the amount of water used each flush by installing a water-saving device in the cistern. You can buy one or even make your own quite easily.

Using leftovers

Some tasks need that gold-plated clean water, but some don’t. For example if we use water for cooking, such as boiling vegetables or washing salad, the leftover water is perfectly suitable for watering plants. Water from a reusable water bottle you didn’t drink can go in the kettle, the birdbath, or anywhere but down the sink.

Speaking of the sink, keeping a jug here is a great way to reduce water use. It means you can capture water that would otherwise be wasted and reuse it. Every time we turn on the hot tap and wait for it to warm up, we waste litres of water. Capturing this in a jug and using it for something else is a good idea.

Using greywater

Greywater is water that’s already been used, such as from a bath, shower or basin. We all produce a lot of it, and while we can’t use it for everything, there are opportunities to reuse it if we’re willing to put in a little effort.

A shower uses less water than a bath, but if you do have a bath, use a bathroom bucket or jug to reuse this water to flush the toilet later. Either throw the water down the pan or flush then use it to refill the cistern. You could also use greywater on non-edible plants, or to wash your bike.

I previously built a system to refill our toilet automatically from a greywater tank. This can save thousands of litres of water. The challenge was getting the greywater back up to the height of the toilet cistern without using lots of energy, as this could cancel out the environmental benefit of the water saving. I used a siphon and a solar-powered pump. If you’re looking for a project there are examples online.

Using rainwater

In the UK, for a large part of the year we are blessed by an abundance of free water from the sky. Unfortunately it doesn’t always arrive when we need it, so storing rainwater is really important.

Water butts are fantastic. If you have a downpipe, you should install a water butt. They are relatively easy to fit and fairly cheap, starting around £30. It’s surprising how quickly they fill up, and even small roofs like sheds often deserve their own. If you don’t have a downpipe or gutters, there are other ways to collect water.

Leaving a bucket outside is simple but very effective. More complex methods include large trays which drain into water butts, hanging sheets (hang a plastic sheet with a slight sag in it, angled so water runs down into a bucket), or even upturned umbrellas, which you can pop outside when it starts to rain and then empty.

Making the area you capture water from as large as possible is the key. Place buckets under any drips from roof corners or areas where you see puddles. Sinking a small pot into a larger pot can also help retain rainwater and keep a plant container moist over a few days.

Catching rainwater also has wider benefits if you live in a flood-risk area. In a storm, if some of the water fills water butts, this reduces the amount entering drains and watercourses and can help reduce flooding.

As climate change starts to really take hold in the UK, we will see more heatwaves, more water shortages, and more pressure on our water systems. By recognising how valuable water is and doing our best to preserve it, we can help reduce the environmental impact, save money, and help make sure there’s enough for everyone.

US Open, round two leaderboard

-7 W Clark (US); -3 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), T Kim (Kor), X Schauffele (US), S Stevens (US)

Selected: -2 C Morikawa (US); -1 J Thomas (US); Level A Fitzpatrick (Eng), R McIlroy (NI), S Scheffler (US); +1 A Rai (Eng), J Rose (Eng), L Aberg (Swe), T Fleetwood (Eng); +2 T Hatton (Eng); +4 R MacIntyre (Sco)

Once again the weather took top billing at Shinnecock Hills as Wyndham Clark built a healthy four-shot halfway lead at the US Open.

Scottie Scheffler called the gusting wind “the biggest challenge”, while Rory McIlroy pointed out their “side of the draw played in the windiest conditions and the scores show that” after the world’s top two finished the second round on level par for the championship, seven adrift of Clark.

It is, of course, one of the hazards of playing an outdoor sport with start times spread across a day. The scoring average shifted from 73.87 on Thursday morning to 71.97 for Friday’s early starters.

Clark, the 2023 champion, was one of those who took advantage of playing in the more benign conditions late on Thursday and early on Friday, and followed his opening six-under 64 with a 69.

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open winner, was also on that side of the draw and is among Clark’s nearest challengers on three under after posting a 70. He was joined on that number by two-time major champion Xander Schauffele.

But the wind was not solely to blame given two players on McIlroy and Scheffler’s side of the draw are also four back and joint second – South Korea’s Tom Kim and American Sam Stevens.

McIlroy also reached three under after picking up two birdies in his opening eight holes and looked the most likely player to eat into Clark’s lead, before he was derailed by a combination of poorly executed shots and the strengthening wind on his second nine holes.

The blustery conditions were not as extreme as Thursday’s when 40mph gusts of wind buffeted the Long Island course in New York state.

But it was clearly penal enough to trouble Scheffler, particularly on the putting surfaces.

“With the amount of pitch you have on the greens, playing in the wind is extremely difficult, and judging speed on putts when the wind is blowing that hard can be challenging as well,” he said.