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Former prime minister Gordon Brown says a united Ireland is ‘inevitable’ in the future

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Belfast Live

Andy Burnham said a poll on Irish unity is “off the table” while visiting Belfast earlier this week

Former British prime minister Gordon Brown has said it is inevitable that Ireland will become united at some point in the future.

He added that it would be a “long process” and have to be based on mutual agreement.

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Mr Brown, in an interview with the Guardian, said that Northern Ireland is in a potentially different position compared to the rest of the UK, giving Scotland as an example.

Asked about pressure for Scottish independence, Mr Brown said: “Scotland’s got to find a way of living in cooperation with other countries, and independence would not be the right way forward.

“We’re geographically, economically, socially, culturally linked to the rest of the United Kingdom, whether it’s Wales, England or parts of Ireland.”

Asked if the land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic meant uniting the two made sense, he said: “Yes. Well, of course, in the long term, Ireland will be united.”

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He said the process would be long.

“People have got to come together and find a way of agreeing. Basically, that is the issue: whether people can actually agree.”

Mr Brown was Tony Blair’s chancellor when the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998.

His comments come after Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that a poll on Irish unity is “off the table” while visiting Belfast earlier this week.

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The Prime Minister caused a political row with his comments during his first visit to Northern Ireland since coming into office.

Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant defended the remarks, saying Mr Burnham did not make a mistake and that he was speaking about the situation “now”, and insisted they are both “full square behind every single part of the Good Friday Agreement”.

The remarks drew an angry response from nationalist politicians on both sides of the border.

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

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Every litter bin removed in Cardiff as locals bemoan ‘endless pit of rubbish’

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Wales Online

Here is the full list of locations

Some 37 litter bins across the Welsh capital have been removed over the last three years with no replacement. Cardiff Council told us the changes were driven by people misusing the bins for household waste – but locals say it has led to more rubbish being dropped on their streets.

In 2024 the council announced plans to save money by reducing the number of litter bins on residential streets and instead prioritise district centres, parks, bus stops and dog-walking routes. At the time it claimed the bins were not used enough and attracted fly-tipping.

Our Freedom of Information request has now revealed the Cardiff locations where bins have been taken away since 2023 without being replaced. Here is the full list:

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  • PCP Newport Road, Plasnewydd
  • Tavistock pub, Bedford Street, Plasnewydd
  • Opposite the Claude Pub, Plasnewydd
  • Plasnewydd Square, Plasnewydd
  • Windsor Gardens and Windsor Avenue, Radyr (three bins removed at this location)
  • Station Road, Radyr
  • Grange Gardens, Grangetown (two bins removed)
  • Surrey Street, Grangetown
  • Severn Road, Canton
  • Canton community car park, Canton
  • Corner of Kingsland Road, Canton
  • Sanquhar Street bus stop, Splott
  • Corner of Carlisle Street and Coveny Street, Splott
  • Outside the Old Star leisure centre, Splott
  • Cardiff Harlequins rugby club, Whitchurch
  • Penlline Road car park, Whitchurch
  • Flaxland Avenue, Heath
  • Parkfield, Heath
  • Entrance to Pentwyn Park, Pentwyn
  • Bottom of Hollybush Road, Pentwyn
  • Queen Street, city centre
  • Penny bar, High Street, city centre
  • 24 Rhyl Road, Rumney
  • Wentloog Road bus stop, Rumney
  • Church Road, Old St Mellons (two bins removed)
  • 36 Elgar Crescent, Llanrumney
  • 130 Broadway, Adamsdown
  • Bus stop near Clydesmuir Road, Tremorfa
  • Behind Heath Park Way, Heath
  • Thornhill Park, Thornhill
  • Parc Rhydypenau, Cyncoed
  • Pentyrch (street not specified)
  • Schooner Way, Butetown

The reduction has not gone unnoticed on social media. One local recently posted on Reddit: “The outskirts have always had problems. Hell, I live in Grangetown where it’s an endless pit of rubbish-related issues. I’d much rather they invest in these areas than centrally.”

Another wrote: “I think there’s a legitimate concern [that] reducing the numbers of bins increases the likelihood of rubbish on the street. People who care enough about the bins are the type who will actually bring their rubbish home. Others will just go “well they reduced the bins so littering is on them”, or just not care at all.”

The council said it had installed larger bins throughout the city centre to “increase the bin capacity” and give more options to recycle on the go.

But that strategy was challenged by one Reddit member who wrote: “Reducing the number of bins in exchange for fewer, larger bins has got to be one of the more braindead choices made by the council.

“If you’re a conscientious person you’re going to be walking with garbage for ages because the council, in its infinite wisdom, decided that the bin shortage should be worsened… Every bin they installed replaced multiple existing bins, so now we have areas with very little coverage.”

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Others pointed to the financial pressures facing the council as social care and education costs soar – together accounting for more than 74% of the total budget.

“The council being responsible for special educational needs and adult social care leaves the already stretched budget totally broken,” wrote one. “People call foul on the council for these public annoyances, but the reality is that the system is broken.”

Analysis by the council in 2024 found cutting litter bin provision could save £139,000 per year.

A spokesman for the council has now told us its “strategic review” of litter bins was based on “how they are used by the public and how the waste deposited in them is collected by council staff”.

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He said: “Litter bins are intended for street litter only and should not be used for household waste. Litter bins that are regularly misused, either for the disposal of household waste or where waste is fly-tipped alongside them, are often removed as they can become an eyesore within local communities.

“We will be producing a litter bin strategy later in the year which will provide an evidence-based approach to the provision, management and renewal of public litter bins.

“The use of litter bins is monitored to ensure they are being used appropriately… If a litter bin is not available or is full, please take your litter home and dispose of it responsibly.”

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Amsterdam horror stabbing as three people knifed outside major train station

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Daily Mirror

A fourth person was taken to hospital and subsequently arrested following an incident outside Amsterdam Centraal Station

Three people have been stabbed outside a major train station in Amsterdam. Authorities confirmed a fourth person was also injured and arrested in an incident outside Amsterdam Centraal Station at around 7.30pm local time on Saturday, August 29.

It came after emergency services rushed the De Ruijterkade, at the rear of the major transport hub. According to Dutch news agency ANP, the three people were taken to hospital, although their condition is currently unknown.

A fourth person, believed to be the suspect, was also taken to hospital where they were subsequently arrested, ANP reports. The stabbing is understood to have happened at the station exit on the JJ side of Amsterdam Centraal.

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Dutch public broadcaster NOS also reported that four people – the three victims and suspect – were taken to hospital. A major emergency response was triggered following the reported violence.

Four ambulances, a Mobile Medical Team and a specialist fire service team attended the scene, reports 112 Nieuws Nederland. Images from the scene published by Dutch-based AD show firefighters wearing bulletproof vests as they attended the scene.

And a police spokesman told 112 Nieuws Nederland that the incident followed a fight. De Ruijterkade was closed while emergency services investigated the scene, with AD also reporting part of the station itself was cordoned off while forensic investigators worked in the area.

Police have appealed for anyone who might have seen the incident or has any information to come forward. No information has yet been released about the severity of the injuries, according to 112 Nieuws Nederland. The investigation remains ongoing.

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Cody Gakpo wants Man City move: Liverpool star rejects Spurs in favour of Etihad switch with clubs working to strike agreement for ‘substantial’ fee

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Cody Gakpo wants Man City move: Liverpool star rejects Spurs in favour of Etihad switch with clubs working to strike agreement for 'substantial' fee

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Manchester City have opened talks with Liverpool over an audacious bid for Cody Gakpo just three days before the transfer window ends. 

The forward, 27, has told Liverpool that if he does leave the club, he wants it to be for Manchester City. Tottenham are also interested.

Liverpool are clear that they want to to sign two more forward players before they contemplate letting go of the Dutchman.

They would also want a substantial fee for a star who is contracted until 2030 after signing a long-term extension last year.

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The Reds are set to complete the £123million signing of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain and his preferred position is on the left, where Gakpo often plays. 

Gakpo joined Liverpool for £44m in 2023 and has since scored 51 goals in 182 games. 

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He scored in their opening game of the season against Newcastle and assisted Alexander Isak against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. 

City are on the hunt for a new wide player after selling Savio to Tottenham for £85m.

But given that fee for a player far less productive than Gakpo, and with Liverpool knowing how much City banked from the deal, the Reds will drive a hard bargain for an important first-team player. 

Gakpo was less effective last season but, in their 2024-25 Premier League title-winning campaign, scored 18 goals in all competitions.  

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More to follow.  

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How to watch Itauma vs Hrgovic: TV channel, live stream and PPV price

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How to watch Itauma vs Hrgovic: TV channel, live stream and PPV price

The formidable and undefeated Chatham southpaw will become the youngest-ever British champion in the sport’s blue-riband division if he defeats Croatia’s 2016 Olympic bronze medallist at the O2 Arena.

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A look at the deadliest Russian attacks in Ukraine this year

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A look at the deadliest Russian attacks in Ukraine this year

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — At least 37 people were killed when a Russian drone struck a warehouse in the village of Myla, west of Kyiv. The attack Friday night was the deadliest this year in the war and came as Russia steps up the frequency of major attacks on its neighbor in the hopes of exhausting Ukraine’s defenses.

Here’s a look at some of the deadliest attacks on the capital this year.

Aug. 29, Myla, at least 37 people killed

The attack struck a warehouse that Ukrainian authorities say may have been illegally storing munitions, causing a series of explosions and fires that swept through surrounding homes, including a care facility for the elderly and disabled where 34 people died, according to a local official. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described it as a “terrible situation” and said it appeared to be the result of “terrible negligence on the part of those who stored explosives right next to people.”

July 2, Kyiv, 31 people killed

Russia hammered Kyiv in a prolonged drone and missile attack, killing 31 and injuring more than 100 others in what Moscow said was retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities. Loud explosions shook the Ukrainian capital, where more than 50,000 people sheltered in subway stations after authorities issued air raid warnings. Emergency crews dug through the rubble of collapsed and charred apartment buildings all day in search of victims.

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May 14, Kyiv, 24 people killed

A Russian attack on the capital killed 24 people and injured dozens of others. A cruise missile flattened a nine-story apartment block in what the Ukrainian air force said at the time was Russia’s biggest barrage since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022.

July 6, Kyiv region, 22 people killed

Russia unleashed waves of missiles and drones, killing at least 22 people in attacks that exposed widening gaps in Ukraine’s air defenses. All of the ballistic missiles launched by Russia struck their targets, underscoring Kyiv’s need for more U.S.-made Patriot interceptor missiles. After the attack, about 600 residents were evacuated in Kyiv’s suburb of Vyshneve due to the risk of unexploded munitions, Ukraine’s Emergency Service said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later said that munitions had been illegally stored at the Vyshneve site.

___

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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Milo Yiannopoulos was deported to Britain, US says

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Milo Yiannopoulos was deported to Britain, US says

British far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos has been deported back to the United Kingdom after his arrest by American immigration authorities, U.S. officials said Saturday.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Yiannopoulos was returned to his home country on Friday after being accused of overstaying after entering the U.S. legally in May 2019. A immigration judge had issued a final order of removal on July 22 after he failed to show up for an immigration hearing, a Homeland Security spokesperson said.

Yiannopoulos was arrested Thursday at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Louisiana and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“He chose to overstay his welcome in violation of our nation’s laws,” a Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement.

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Yiannopoulos and his representatives did not respond to requests for comment. He has not posted on his X social media account since Thursday.

Yiannopoulos is a well-known champion of conservative causes and has frequently taken provocative public positions criticizing feminism, Islam and immigrants. He has been especially supportive of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

“Zero immigration for the next 20 years. No ifs, no buts,” Yiannopoulos wrote on X last year.

The British national has most recently worked for the rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, who performed in New Orleans on Friday evening.

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Yiannopoulos rose to fame in the early 2010s as an incendiary writer for the conservative website Breitbart News. He resigned from the company in 2017 after a video of him endorsing pedophilia resurfaced online. He later apologized for the remarks and said he himself was a victim of sexual assault as a minor.

Yiannopoulos’ arrest on Thursday comes amid a nationwide uptick in detentions as part of Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Far-right conservative activist Laura Loomer swiftly took to social media to applaud Yiannopoulos’ arrest after years of public feuding between the two personalities.

“I was the first person to report on the fact that Milo was in the US illegally where he incited violence against President Trump and worked for Marjorie Traitor Greene,” Loomer wrote on X.

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Controversy around Yiannopoulos ballooned in 2017 when he carried out what he called his “Troll Academy Tour” across college campuses nationwide. Fights broke out when some students protested Yiannopoulos’ appearances and accused him of hate speech, while others celebrated him as a champion of free speech. Around that time, Buzzfeed reported on Yiannopoulos’ cozy relationships with self-proclaimed white nationalists.

In recent years, Yiannopoulos continued to work in the orbit of conservative activism. In 2022, he was an intern for former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, according to the Washington Post. He subsequently ran the short-lived 2024 presidential campaign for Ye.

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Most recently, Yiannopoulos has worked as a spokesperson for Ye, who has been beset by controversy of his own following antisemitic comments that the rapper has since apologized for.

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Frinton Normandy veteran who lied about age to enlist dies

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Donald Turrell is sitting in a wheelchair in front of a military vehicle. He is wearing a black army hat and a suit. On the left side of his jacket is a row of medals from World War Two.

The charity’s vice president, Dick Goodwin, said: “Don was incredibly special.

“He had a warmth and presence that lit up every room he entered, and he touched the lives of so many people.

“As a World War Two veteran, Don represented a generation whose courage and service we will never forget.

“It was a privilege for the taxi charity to know him, and he will be remembered with enormous affection and gratitude.

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“My thoughts are with his family and all those who loved him at this very sad time.”

In an interview last year, Turrell said: “I did lie about my age. I pushed it up a bit, gave all the right answers, and I was in. I was happy.”

He explained he had always wanted to be a soldier and that like “all the young lads” he had wanted to play his part in defending his country.

The veteran described feeling “excited and apprehensive” during the crossing to the Normandy coast, and said his “introduction” to the war was seeing bodies from earlier fighting washing back up on the beach as he landed.

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His war came to an end a few weeks later on July 10, when he was seriously injured during fighting near the town of Eterville. He was later medically discharged.

Turrell spoke movingly of the close friends he lost during the campaign, some of whom he buried in the field, and who are now buried in Commonwealth war cemeteries on the continent.

The war also claimed his older brother Leslie, who had been a telegraphist on HMS Penelope and died when she was sunk off the Italian coast near Naples in February 1944.

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Man dead after train strikes van in Burscough

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Man dead after train strikes van in Burscough

British Transport Police were called to the scene at 3.18pm this afternoon, along with paramedics and the fire service.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two train passengers were also treated for minor injuries.

A spokesperson for the British Transport Police said: “We were called to a level crossing in Burscough, West Lancashire following reports at 3.18pm today (29 August) that a train had struck a van. Paramedics and the fire service also attended.

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“One person was in the van and sadly a man was pronounced dead at the scene. Two people who were passengers on the train received treatment for minor injuries. The incident is not being treated as suspicious.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of what happened, any witnesses who haven’t already spoken to police are asked to text BTP on 61016 quoting the reference 373 of 29 August.”

Northern warned passengers of rail disruptions between Wigan Wallgate and Southport while emergency services dealt with the incident.

Posting on X, Northern said: “Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident Wigan Wallgate – Southport all lines are blocked.

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Emergency vehicles near New Lane railway station, which serves the town of BurscoughEmergency vehicles near New Lane railway station, which serves the town of Burscough (Image: Phil Taylor)

Please note that other train operators may also be affected by disruption – please check your whole journey before travelling.

“Northern train ticket restrictions have been lifted in the affected areas, including Advance and Peak restrictions, during this disruption. Restrictions will be reinstated once the disruption ends.”

The train operator has shared a list of alternative routes passengers can take at no further cost until the disruption is resolved.

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Passengers travelling between Wigan and Appley Bridge can take the Bee Network 635 bus.

Emergency vehicles near New Lane railway station, which serves the town of Burscough (Image: Phil Taylor)

Merseyrail services will also be operating between Southport and Liverpool Central, Ormskirk and Liverpool Central and Headbolt Lane and Liverpool Central.

Lancashire Police have been contacted for comment.

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The picturesque Cambridgeshire village with a name people struggle to pronounce

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Cambridgeshire Live

The village is just outside of Cambridge and is filled with pretty thatched cottages

No matter where you’re from, it’s likely that you know of a place with a name that people often pronounce wrong. The English language loves to throw in a silent letter where it can, and some place names in Cambridgeshire have fallen victim to this grammatical curse.

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One village that is often pronounced wrong is Great Wilbraham, which is six miles from Cambridge. Many assume that it is pronounced Great Wil-bra-ham, but it’s actually Great Will-brum.

But despite its confusing name, the village has a rich history which dates back all the way to the Domesday Book, where it appeared as Wilburgaham. This name is thought to derive from the Anglo-Saxon princess Wilburh, the daughter or close family member of Penda King of the Mercians. Wilbruh remains a part of the village today as she features on a village sign.

In the Middle Ages, the Knights Templar held the manor of Great Wilbraham, which is still known as ‘The Temple’ today. Within the grounds of the temple, the remains of a Roman villa were found. Above it, a Middle Saxon burial ground was also found.

Today, Great Wilbraham is a charming village home to around 600 people. Property prices in the village range from around £300,000 to over £1 million. There is a real mix of homes in the village including more modern homes and chocolate box-style thatches cottages.

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There is one pub in the village called The Carpenter Arms. The pub has served the village community for more than 250 years, with what it calls “genuine hospitality”. Visitors have praised it for its “beautiful” decorations and that it feels “really welcoming”. The pub is also dog-friendly.

There is also a Post Office, a shop and a well-used village hall. The village also has a strong sporting history, as it has a local football and cricket team.

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Forecast predicts wet bank holiday weekend for Cambridgeshire

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Cambridgeshire Live

There will be some sun, but rain is expected in parts of Cambridgeshire across the long weekend

The final bank holiday weekend of the summer is upon us and and in true British style, it looks set to be a wet one. Whilst it gives most people an extra day off work, the weather may be a bit of a hindrance when choosing what to do.

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We’ve had a long, hot and dry summer with plenty of evenings spent in the pub beer garden. But if you were planning on one last hurrah this weekend, you may need to take a raincoat and umbrella with you.

Here is the weather forecast for Cambridge, Peterborough, Ely, St Neots and Huntingdon from today (Saturday, August 29) until Monday (August 31), according to the Met Office.

Cambridge

  • Saturday, August 29 – highs of 20C, lows of 16C. Cloudy conditions and 40 per cent chance of rain;
  • Sunday, August 30 – highs of 23C and lows of 14C. Some cloud and sun, but 50 per cent chance of rain;
  • Monday, August 31 – highs of 21C and lows of 12C. Some cloud and sun, but 50 per cent chance of rain.

Peterborough

  • Saturday, August 29 – highs of 20C and lows of 16C. Cloudy conditions and 40 per cent chance of rain;
  • Sunday, August 30 – highs of 23C and lows of 14C. Some cloud and sun, but 50 per cent chance of rain;
  • Monday, August 31 – highs of 21C and lows of 12C. Some cloud and sun, but 60 per cent of rain.

Ely

  • Saturday, August 29 – highs of 20C and lows of 16C. Cloudy conditions with 30 per cent chance of rain;
  • Sunday, August 30 – highs of 23C and lows of 14C. Some cloud and sun, but 60 per cent chance of rain;
  • Monday, August 31 – highs of 21C and lows of 12C. Some cloud and sun, but 50 per cent chance of rain.

Huntingdon

  • Saturday, August 29 – highs of 20C and lows of 16C. Cloudy conditions with 50 per cent chance of rain;
  • Sunday, August 30 – highs of 23C and lows of 14C. Some cloud and sun, but 60 per cent chance of rain;
  • Monday, August 31 – highs of 21C and lows of 12C. Some cloud and sun, but 60 per cent chance of rain.

St Neots

  • Saturday, August 29 – highs of 20C and lows of 16C. Cloudy conditions and 60 per cent chance of rain;
  • Sunday, August 30 – highs of 23C and lows of 14C. Some cloud and sun, but 50 per cent chance of rain;
  • Monday, August 31 – highs of 21C and lows of 12C. Some cloud and sun, but 50 per cent chance of rain.

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