Novel Wines described itself as “the UK’s leading independent retailer of undiscovered wines”.

The company sourced bottles from craft winemakers in countries including Hungary, Croatia, and India, shipping to customers across the UK.

Novel Wines operated a physical store in Bath from 2019 until 2024, when it closed to focus on wholesale expansion and online sales, according to Harpers.

Novel Wines enters liquidation after 10 years

Despite these changes, Novel Wines has entered liquidation.

Richard Cole and Stephen Kenny of KBL Advisory Limited were appointed as joint administrators on September 18, according to The Gazette.

The company’s website is no longer operational, displaying only a holding message that reads: “Opening soon.

“Thanks for stopping by!

“We’re just making a few quick changes to the website so it’s much easier for you to shop for great wines.

“In the meantime please email us on hello@novelwines.co.uk and our team will be happy to help.”

When Newsquest contacted the listed email address, both respondents confirmed they had left the company.

Other UK companies that have closed or entered administration/liquidation in 2026

It has been a tough year for the UK high street, with several other retailers entering administration or liquidation and others announcing widespread store closures.

Major high street brands LK Bennett, Claire’s, and Quiz have been forced to close all their remaining stores after falling into administration.

UK fashion retailer Leading Labels is also set to close its remaining 15 stores after falling into liquidation in May.

Whitbread closed all its standalone UK restaurants earlier this month:

TG Jones and the British Heart Foundation will also be closing around 150 stores each across the UK.

Wynsors World of Shoes is shutting 17 stores across the UK, with closing down sales already underway at several affected branches.

Other retailers have been forced to close stores this year, including:

Several UK travel companies have ceased trading or entered administration in 2026:

Wayfairer Travel Limited has also suspended all services “until further notice” as it looks to appoint an administrator.

Meanwhile, four UK airlines have fallen into administration or liquidation:

UK delivery company Yodel is set to be phased out after being acquired by InPost.

It’s also been reported that Morrisons is looking to sell some of its in-store pharmacies as it continues to cut costs.

Meanwhile, iconic fashion brand Nasty Gal has shut down its website after being sold by Debenhams in a deal worth around £12 million (US$16 million).

It hasn’t all been bad news for the UK high street, with several major brands announcing new store openings for 2026, including Joules, Aldi, M&S, and Superdrug.

Meanwhile, brands including Evans and Bodycare have returned to the UK high street this year after previously closing all their stores.

Have you used Novel Wines before? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.

Remember Rishi Sunak’s first meeting with Joe Biden, at the White House in June 2023?  

Of course you don’t. I wouldn’t be surprised if even Rishi Sunak doesn’t remember his first meeting with Joe Biden.

If he does, it might be because he was mistakenly addressed by Biden as Mr President, a few months after the president told a roomful of people celebrating Diwali that ‘Rashee Sanook’ had just become the British PM.   But the meeting itself? Dust in the wind.  

After all, it wasn’t always the case that such a weight of anticipation and fear hung over occasions like this. There wasn’t always a risk the president might launch into a rambling, caustic rant that derails the whole thing.

But in hindsight, I’m not sure the concerns ahead of Andy Burnham’s first in-person meeting with Donald Trump yesterday were justified.

With two high-profile exceptions – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in February 2025 and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa three months later – Donald Trump rarely flips out at a fellow world leader while they’re in the room.

Want to make sense of the mad world of politics?

Hi, I’m Craig Munro, Metro‘s Senior Politics Reporter.

Each week I break down the latest political stories in my newsletter, Alright, Gov?

From high-profile by-elections to Andy Burnham’s latest policy decisions, I try to turn the complex world of politics into easy-to-read explanations of how the headlines will actually affect you. Sign up here for more.

Advertisement

Even people like Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada and Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York, who ended up in their jobs partly because of their anti-Trump rhetoric, were treated with varying levels of respect.

So, it’s not a shock that the press conference with Burnham and Trump ended up being pretty civil – even if a few remarks generated their own news stories.

Acknowledging that means we can focus on the stuff beyond the superficial. Stuff like the speech Burnham gave at the UN shortly after the meeting, which provides some interesting insights into how Burnham tackles leading the country.

To show why, I’m going to compare him to another former PM, the last one to address the UN General Assembly: Sir Keir Starmer.

Two years ago, Starmer told the gathered dignitaries that he feared a ‘sense of fatalism has taken hold’ with chat about ‘an age of polarisation, impunity, instability’.

He said: ‘Our task is to say no. We won’t accept this slide into greater and greater conflict, instability and injustice. Instead, we will do all we can to change it.’

You could fairly describe the speech as ‘very Starmer’. It was a call for global cooperation for peace, centred on the application of international law.

One word he didn’t use was ‘Russia’. Burnham mentioned it ten times.

In contrast to Starmer, the new PM took a far more pugilistic tone, especially with the Kremlin. He told the diplomats that the UK ‘will be relentless in building up our hard power and deterrence’, adding: ‘True resilience depends on this military strength.’

It was a speech that seemed to demonstrate how the ‘slide into greater and greater conflict, instability and injustice’ that Starmer refused to accept is happening regardless.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned Russia is preparing ‘hybrid strikes’ against Nato countries that support Ukraine, while the Lithuanian PM Mindaugas Sinkevičius spoke about his country’s evacuation plans yesterday.

It’s at times like this that you feel like lying back, closing your eyes, and remembering that time Joe Biden called Rishi Sunak ‘Mr President’.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Argentina president threatens to ‘take matters into our own hands’ over Falkland Islands

MORE: Trump winces after fighter jets roar above him during military flyover

MORE: Inside the protests that threaten to derail Burnham’s first Labour conference this weekend

Scroll through social media and you will soon encounter advice about living longer, from fasting plans and supplements to elaborate daily routines. Yet reaching an advanced age tells us little about how healthy or independent those later years will be.

Researchers often use the term healthspan for the years spent in good health, free from disability or chronic disease. In 2021, global life expectancy was 71.4 years, while healthy life expectancy was 61.9 years, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). That represents a gap of nine and a half years. A separate analysis estimated that this gap widened in 203 of 204 countries and territories between 1990 and 2023.

The WHO takes a broader view of healthy ageing, focusing on the abilities that allow people to do what they value, such as undertaking daily tasks, maintaining relationships and contributing to society. This recognises that people can live well while managing a health condition. “Functional healthspan” describes how long someone maintains the capacities needed for independent living.

As we age, declining muscle strength and mass, reduced aerobic fitness and even “inflammaging” (or low-grade inflammation) become more prevalent. These changes vary considerably between people. Diet, physical activity and sleep can influence how well we age, although income, housing, healthcare and the wider environment also play important roles.

Why researchers study calorie restriction

One intensively studied approach to ageing is calorie restriction: reducing energy intake by about 20–40% while still obtaining enough essential nutrients.

Calorie restriction can extend lifespan in organisms ranging from yeast to rodents, although its effects vary with species, genetics, sex, age and diet. Evidence in humans is less certain.

The largest long-term human trial of calorie restriction, the Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE), followed 218 healthy adults without obesity for two years. Participants assigned to calorie restriction reduced their intake by 12% on average. They experienced improvements in measures linked with cardiovascular and metabolic health, including blood pressure, insulin sensitivity and blood markers of inflammation. They also lost about 5.4kg of body fat and 2kg of lean mass, while bone mineral density fell slightly at the spine and hip.

Although the trial examined age-related biomarkers, it did not establish whether calorie restriction improves functional healthspan or extends human life. Sustaining even this degree of restriction can be difficult.

Researchers are also studying compounds that affect similar cellular processes that impact ageing without requiring people to eat substantially less. These are known as calorie-restriction mimetics (CRMs), and many are found in our foods.

CRMs may reduce signals associated with cell growth, encourage autophagy, through which cells recycle damaged components, or influence how cells sense energy, function metabolically and support mitochondria to produce energy. Much of this evidence comes from cells and animals, however, and influencing one cellular mechanism does not necessarily improve health or lifespan.

What have human studies found?

One CRM, spermidine, is a compound found in wheat germ, mushrooms, legumes and nuts. In an observational study of 23,894 US adults, higher estimated spermidine intake was associated with a lower risk of death during follow-up, both overall and from cardiovascular disease. However, this does not establish cause and effect. People who eat more spermidine-rich foods may have healthier diets overall, or differ in other ways that could help explain the findings.

A small three-month pilot trial involving 30 older adults initially suggested that spermidine might improve memory. However, a larger 12-month randomised trial involving 100 older adults with subjective cognitive decline found that a spermidine-rich supplement did not improve the trial’s main measure of memory compared with a placebo.

Other compounds proposed as calorie-restriction mimetics because they may produce some of the same cellular effects include resveratrol, found in grapes and berries; catechins, found in green tea and cocoa; and quercetin, found in onions and apples. In a study of 30 adults aged 65–80, resveratrol supplementation combined with exercise improved measures of muscle strength, power and resistance to fatigue. Older adults taking quercetin during six weeks of resistance training produced more force with their knee muscles, but did not improve physical tasks such as rising from a chair.

Although these studies highlight some healthspan benefits, both tested supplements (not wholefoods), and neither assessed whether proposed calorie-restriction mechanisms caused the changes.

Another possible CRM, urolithin A, is produced by our gut bacteria when they break down substances called ellagitannins found in foods including pomegranates and walnuts. In a trial of 66 adults aged 65–90, urolithin A supplementation improved muscle endurance and measures of mitochondrial health, but did not significantly improve the study’s main outcomes: six-minute walking distance and the muscles’ capacity to produce energy.

A separate industry-sponsored trial in middle-aged adults reported urolithin A improved muscle strength, aerobic fitness and walking speed, but not peak muscle power. These results highlight functional benefits, but do not show that eating pomegranates or walnuts will produce the same effects, or that urolithin A can directly extend healthspan.

What should people do now?

Research into these compounds may help scientists understand how cells respond to nutrients and ageing. Current findings do not justify trying to obtain large doses of individual compounds, particularly from supplements.

More reliable evidence concerns overall habits. A 2025 study that followed more than 105,000 adults for up to 30 years found that several healthy dietary patterns were associated with reaching older age free from major chronic disease and with good cognitive, physical and mental health. These diets generally included plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes and unsaturated fats (such as omega-3s). Sufficient high-quality protein is also important for maintaining muscle, particularly in combination with resistance exercise.

Physical activity remains central to preserving function. UK guidance recommends that older adults undertake activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least two days each week, alongside regular aerobic activity.

Foods containing proposed calorie-restriction mimetics can form part of a varied, nourishing diet. Mediterranean diets typically emphasise vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts and olive oil. Traditional Okinawan diets have centred on sweet potatoes and other vegetables, alongside soy foods and small amounts of fish. Both have been associated with healthy ageing, although these associations do not show that individual CRM compounds are responsible for their benefits.

Research in humans has yet to show that these compounds reproduce the effects of calorie restriction or extend healthspan. For now, the strongest evidence for ageing well supports a varied, nutritious diet and purposeful physical activity, while the benefits of CRM nutrients continues to gather scientific interest.

Gabriel Martinelli rejected an offer from another Premier League club in the summer before joining AL-Hilal from Arsenal.

The Brazil international ended his seven-year spell in north London in early September after being told by Mikel Arteta he was no longer part of his plans this season.

The deal earned the Gunners a guaranteed £60million with the forward earning significantly more than the reported £180,000-a-week he earned in England.

Gunners legend Ian Wright was among those critical of the decision to let Martinelli go, believing the club should have treated the 25-year-old with more ‘respect’.

His agent Marcos Casseb now says it was ‘the right time’ for his client to move on.

Martinelli had offers from clubs in Italy and Germany with unnamed Premier League clubs also interested in keeping him in England.

Casseb told Brazilian news outlet Itatiaia Esporte: ‘His time at Arsenal has come to an end. It was seven years; he arrived there at 18 years old.

‘Arsenal underwent a massive restructuring and, last year, they won the Premier League. We felt it was time for him to move on, and the club had also seen it that way. It was a very good departure for him and for Arsenal.

‘Besides everything else, he also became Arsenal’s biggest-ever sale and he still helped Arsenal make a lot of money from his departure.

‘Did he get offers? He did yeah. We had offers from Italian clubs, we had offers from German clubs and we had offers from other Premier League clubs but it was a moment when I think he needed and he also wanted to clear his head a bit, to change scenery.

‘He went to the biggest club in Asia to be part of a very ambitious project. You can see it in the players that they have brought in, three players who were at the World Cup, each with their respective national teams and three players that are under 27.

‘That’s a trend in Arab football right now, they’re changing the way they want to sign players.

‘They’ve been trying to do that – lower the average age of the league – and their project has attracted a lot of attention I think it was really important now for a change of scenery.’

Hattie, a 12-year-old cocker spaniel, is facing worsening cataracts after being diagnosed with diabetes, leaving the much-loved pet at risk of losing her sight.

Family friend Lisa Davis, from Middlesbrough, has now set up a GoFundMe campaign which has already raised more than £3,500 towards specialist treatment.

Hattie captured the hearts of people across the region after becoming a regular sight in Bridlington, on the Yorkshire coast, surfing on the sea, where she and owner Andrew Bacon holiday twice a year.

The much-loved pet was diagnosed with diabetes, a condition that has now triggered severe eye problems and worsening cataracts.

Hattie, the 12-year-old famous surfing pooch (Image: PROVIDED)

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to cover specialist treatment costs, with donations already reaching £3,570.

Lisa is urging people to donate or share the appeal.

Hattie with Lisa, who set up the fundraiser that has already raised thousands (Image: PROVIDED)

Hattie has already been examined by a specialist veterinary eye consultant and is now on a strict regime of four different eye drops administered throughout the day.

She is due back with the consultant, with further treatment expected to run into thousands of pounds.

Surgery for one eye would cost £5,100, while treating both would total £6,100, with additional aftercare and medication costs on top.

Hattie and her owner Andrew (Image: PROVIDED)

Andrew took early retirement to care for Hattie full-time after her diabetes diagnosis, refusing to leave her alone in case she suffered a dangerous hypoglycaemic episode.

He has also bought her a pram to ensure she can still enjoy daily walks and sunshine despite her failing vision.

Now settled into retirement at “Hattie Hall”, the famous dog has become a fixture around Bridlington, with regular walks along the harbour, Limekiln Lane, Sewerby Cliffs and Pheasant Flush.

Hattie the famous pooch that brought smiles to lots across lockdown from her social media page (Image: PROVIDED)

She is best known for hitting the waves on her surfboard at Wilsthorpe Beach.

Lisa said Hattie was an “amazing helper” during lockdown, supporting Andrew at work when he needed her most.

She said: “She was an amazing helper during lockdown, helping her daddy at work, so now it is our turn to pay back for all her hard work and dedication.”

Hattie, the 12-year-old famous surfing pooch (Image: PROVIDED)

She was named Greater Manchester’s top hero dog of lockdown for helping her dad at work and bringing smiles to people on social media.

A fundraiser update said Hattie’s cataracts have steadily worsened since appearing after her diabetes diagnosis.

Hattie at her dad’s work (Image: PROVIDED)

Andrew and Lisa said they were “totally overwhelmed and humbled” by the generosity shown so far.

The update added: “The specialist treatment is very expensive and we have been totally overwhelmed and humbled by the kindness and generosity of everyone that has donated to the fund which will be an enormous financial help.”

Hattie, the 12-year-old cocker spaniel (Image: PROVIDED)

Hattie with her eye medication (Image: PROVIDED)

Lisa visits Hattie whenever she travels to Bridlington and hopes the appeal will help the dog recognise her friends when Lisa returns next summer.

She said: “It would be amazing if she was able to see and recognise all her friends in Bridlington again during my summer holibobs next year.”

Donations can be made through Hattie’s GoFundMe page.

Prince Harry is claimed to have shown his “true colours” as King Charles continues to battle through a brutal period. It comes as Harry was seen out and about this week

Advertisement

Prince Harry is alleged to have shown his “true colours” in a moment people are deeming to be very telling. The Duke of Sussex attended the WellChild Awards ceremony in London this week, where a particular moment caught people’s attention.

It has since gone viral, as people seem to think it helps to tell them a lot about Prince Harry‘s “true character”, with dozens commenting on how he appeared to come across. People couldn’t help but remark on the clip as it’s so engaging, and they had a lot of thoughts to share too.

The appearance comes as King Charles navigates a challenging period following Earl Spencer’s bombshell claims about him in his new book. Following the announcement of the book, Kirstie Allsopp has since called out Earl Spencer.

Commenting on recent footage of Harry, one social media user wrote: “This video has brought tears to my eyes! The little girl came on stage to show Prince Harry her sparkly dress, but when she hugged him she just couldn’t let go!

“Harry is such a girl dad! And what a gorgeous video this is. It’s the way she races into Harry’s arms.”

The clip reveals how the moment unfolded. When the young girl embraced Harry, it became clear she was reluctant to release him, and he simply allowed her to maintain the embrace.

He held her tenderly, creating a genuinely moving moment on stage that left numerous viewers utterly captivated.

One person wrote: “It brought me to tears, and it brought him to tears too.”

Another added: “Love this guy. He’s his mother’s son through and through.”

A third remarked: “It touches your heart seeing such a lovely hug from that little girl to Harry. Seeing that gives one a wonderful feeling.”

Meanwhile, a fourth commented: “Children instinctively recognise goodness in people. So much like his mom.”

Another user wrote: “Prince Charming Harry is like Diana. They have the charisma and connection with people.”

One further commenter added: “Babies, even when they get a bit older, are so funny when they do this! I also think it speaks volumes. Kids and dogs have good radar and I think they react just as strongly to the good as they do the bad.”

It was evident that many felt the moment was deeply revealing of Harry’s warm and generous nature, particularly in the time he devoted to the children at the event.

Prince Harry attended the WellChild Awards in London on Monday, September 21. The Duke of Sussex, 42, arrived at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, where he was greeted by WellChild leaders and posed for photos.

Reports indicate that he presented the award for Inspirational Child (aged 4-6) and delivered a speech at the ceremony, which “celebrates the inspirational achievements of seriously ill children and those who care for them.” His wife, Meghan Markle, did not attend.

Age UK York said the residents received phone calls from scammers acting as staff members of the charity who tried to persuade them to hand over sensitive information.

The charity said it never cold calls and “will never expect you to disclose sensitive information simply because someone contacts you unexpectedly by telephone”.

An Age UK York spokesperson said sharing sensitive information with the scammers “could potentially place people in a vulnerable position or put them at risk of fraud or exploitation”.

They urged people to “never do anything you don’t want to do” if they believe they have received one of the calls, adding: “Do not feel pressured to answer questions or remain on the call. If you believe you have received a suspicious call, inform someone you know or report it to the relevant authorities.”

The charity spokesperson said: “We never cold-call. If you are unsure who is calling, end the call and contact Age UK York via 01904 634061 using a trusted telephone number or contact method.”

Read next:

They added: “If you’re unsure, then do not provide personal, financial or sensitive information over the phone.”

The Age UK spokesperson also said people can ask its team for a second opinion if they think the call may be a scam.

“We are here to help so please don’t hesitate to contact a member of our York team.”

The flight declared an in-flight emergency and made a sharp U-turn over the North Sea

Advertisement

An EasyJet aircraft bound for Germany executed an abrupt mid-air reversal and headed back to Manchester after declaring an emergency while flying over the North Sea.

The service, EZY32GY, travelling from Manchester to Hamburg raised alarm on Wednesday evening (September 23) when it declared an emergency mid-flight and changed course near Amsterdam.

Flight Radar data shows the plane departed at 7.15pm – an hour and 15 minutes behind its scheduled take-off time. Roughly 30 minutes into the journey, the aircraft squawked 7700 and reversed direction.

Squawk 7700 is the standard aviation transponder code employed by pilots to indicate a general in-flight emergency, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Real-time aviation monitoring service Squawk posted on X shortly after 8pm: “An AIRBUS A-320 (EZY32GY) is squawking 7700 – declaring an emergency at 34,000 ft near Amsterdam, Netherlands.”

Advertisement

EasyJet confirmed the aircraft returned to Manchester Airport owing to “a technical issue with the aircraft”.

The carrier stated the plane was greeted by emergency services on touchdown “as a precaution only”. It has issued an apology to passengers for the disruption to their journey.

An EasyJet spokesperson commented: “”Flight EZY2195 from Manchester to Hamburg this evening returned to Manchester due to a technical issue with the aircraft. The aircraft was met by emergency services as a precaution only and customers disembarked normally.

“Due to Hamburg Airport’s curfew restriction the flight was delayed overnight and will continue the journey on 24 September.

“We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused and did everything possible to minimise the impact of the delay. While we always look to secure hotel accommodation, as there was very limited availability, we advised customers they would be reimbursed for booking their own.

“The safety of its passengers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers’ guidelines.”

Greater Manchester Police have been approached for further comment.

Ensure our latest stories always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

In the early days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian armoured columns pushed east along the Zhytomyr highway towards Kyiv. Makariv, a small settlement of about 10,000 people 36 miles west of Kyiv, sat on their route. The town was wrecked in the month of fighting that ensued.

Roughly 40% of the settlement’s infrastructure was destroyed and the bodies of 132 executed civilians were recovered by April 2022. A 2026 account puts the total death toll as high as 238. Yet Makariv was never taken. It held, with Russian forces only taking control of about 10% of its land, and Kyiv held behind it.

“For some reason, Makariv was bypassed in the press,” said local museum curator Vitaly Gedz in a 2026 interview. “They wrote about Makariv twice, ‘it was occupied and then liberated’ … It was only 10% occupied, but it was very badly destroyed.”

On a visit to Makariv the previous year, we visited Gedz’s museum. Among the objects on display there were military maps recovered after Russian forces withdrew. Russian units were found to be carrying Soviet-era sheets, some of which dated back to 1969, with the modern border between Russia and Ukraine often added in pen.

In the early days of the invasion, Ukraine’s national road agency also asked communities to take down road signs to disorientate the advancing Russian columns. For a few weeks in 2022, being hard to read was a defence for Makariv. It is not any longer.

What the record cannot see

Ukraine’s recovery needs currently stand at nearly US$588 billion (£435 billion) – almost three times its GDP for 2025. This total is still moving. Damaged energy assets alone rose by roughly 21% between February 2025 and February 2026, when the fourth and fifth assessments of Ukraine’s reconstruction needs were released.

According to a recent BBC analysis, Kyiv is also now suffering more daily air raid alerts than at any time in the war so far. This bombardment comes weeks after the deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, Pyotr Tolstoy, urged strikes on Ukrainian cities “to demoralise the public”.

Funds for reconstruction across Ukraine must therefore be rationed, and this rationing runs on records with a particular shape. Ukraine’s national recovery and reconstruction is managed using two main online databases. The first of these is the Register of Damaged and Destroyed Property.

This register records which buildings have been harmed, who owns them and what they are worth. An entry is what allows households and businesses to claim compensation, and it will form the basis of any future reparation claim against Russia.

Getting a building on to this list is the responsibility of each individual council. The fourth assessment of Ukraine’s reconstruction needs found that, in December 2024, the register held information about “90+ percent” of damaged apartment blocks in Ukraine but only “nearly 60 percent” of damaged single-family houses.

One survey of a block registers hundreds of dwellings, while a street of houses must be walked gate by gate by staff small councils generally do not have. Like many other small settlements across Ukraine, Makariv is built mainly of houses, the category the register is worst at recording.

The second database is the Digital Reconstruction Ecosystem for Accountable Management. More commonly known as Dream, this is the official platform for the Ukrainian government’s public investment plan. Councils enter their own projects and funders choose from what is there.

The project data local authorities need to provide include descriptions, building designs, budget breakdowns, contracting and payment records and even photos, all of which take time and require money to record. This matters in towns and villages where public servants may not have the resources or experience.

We looked up what Makariv has put into Dream. Its council has registered 70 projects on the portal. Nearly 50% carry no costed amount at all, compared with 24% nationally. An uncosted project cannot be funded, bundled or compared.

This absence has consequences. In July 2025, we held a workshop in Makariv with around 30 residents, including teachers, clerical staff, museum workers and veterans. Interrupted by air alerts, they marked a plan of the settlement spread across two tables.

One woman traced her journey to work, which has grown from 5 miles to 20 miles since the overpass where the Makariv road crosses the Zhytomyr highway was wrecked in 2022. Others pointed out that when a fire breaks out in Makariv or the outlying villages, the fire engine now comes from Byshiv nearly 14 miles away as Makariv’s own station has been destroyed.

None of this argues against digital reconstruction. Ukraine’s systems are among the most transparent anywhere. It is an argument about who does the work of being counted, because a system that asks local authorities to enter themselves will always favour those with staff to spare.

“We definitely did all we could and I can honestly sleep at night knowing there was nothing I physically could have done any different.”

It is 10 years since Nicola Urquhart’s son, Corrie Mckeague, disappeared on 24 September 2016 after a night out in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. For the months and years that followed, she embodied a mother’s love and determination to find the truth: to never give up.

The RAF gunner’s body has never been found but he was officially declared dead in 2022, when an inquest ruled he had died after climbing into a commercial waste bin before it was tipped into a waste lorry.

Nicola is composed and reflective as she recalls when her son went missing. He had just turned 23 and within months would become a dad.

She says her son would be forever in her thoughts, but adds: “I’ve given myself closure; my son is dead.”

She spoke to the BBC after what would have been Corrie’s 33rd birthday and ahead of the 10th anniversary of his disappearance.

She says she last saw her son when she went for a birthday meal with him at Cheers in Bury St Edmunds, adding he was a “social hand grenade” who “really did live every moment at a hundred miles an hour”.

A decade on, she says there is “never an end” to losing somebody but it is about “managing each day”.