The facility, supplied by Portakabin, will support specialist training in railway preservation and heritage skills.

Located in Grosmont, the project faced significant logistical challenges due to its remote setting in the North York Moors.

Modules had to be transported along narrow, windswept roads and through overgrown hedgerows, with final delivery requiring travel along a closed railway track.

Laura Strangeway, CEO at NYMR, said: “As someone who is passionate about both preserving our heritage and securing our future, the opening of the MIC was a particularly special day.

“It represents the very best of our industry’s culture, and I am incredibly proud that we are continuing that legacy for future generations.”

The new classroom replaces an outdated building that served the railway for more than 30 years but lacked essential facilities such as toilets, washrooms and community space.

The modern MIC can accommodate up to 70 people and will be used for training sessions, rotating classes and social events.

It will support the development of skills needed to maintain historic locomotives, carriages and railway infrastructure.

The MIC also marks the first step in a planned heritage skills village, which will offer hands-on learning and pathways to recognised qualifications.

Ian Matthews, managing director of GB sales at Portakabin, said: “This project really demonstrates what modular construction can achieve when the site presents a challenge.

“Transporting the modules through the North York Moors and into position required careful planning, precision and close collaboration with the NYMR team.

“But the installation is only one part of a very large, historical story.

“What makes this project particularly special is what the building will enable.

“It will give people a dedicated place to learn, share knowledge and develop the specialist skills needed to protect railway heritage for years to come.”

Many avid television-watchers feel they know almost everything about their favourite stars: their sense of humour, their love lives – and even their favourite clothing brands.

But there’s one thing that our celebrities tend to keep firmly to themselves: how much they earn.

But today, a Daily Mail investigation can shed some light on the matter. For we have learned the salaries of some of TV’s biggest names, and the figures are not only likely to shock their fans, but perhaps their co-stars, who earn considerably less.

Take Wayne Rooney, for example. His role as a pundit on Match of the Day has transformed him from veteran footballer and failed manager to one of the small screen’s most compelling sports commentators.

And it’s certainly lucrative. We can reveal that Rooney rakes in a hefty £8,000 for each episode of Match of the Day he appears on.

Though the runtime of the show can vary depending on fixtures, based on a standard 75-minute highlight episode, that salary roughly works out at just over £107 for every minute he spends on air in the show’s Salford studio. 

While Rooney’s Beeb salary isn’t quite as generous as his heady days playing as striker for Manchester United, where he earned more than £200,000 per week, it has left some colleagues gobsmacked.

Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates make up the trio of Match of the Day’s main presenters. Logan and Chapman earn roughly a third of what Wayne Rooney makes from a single show

The former England captain, 40, made his transition from management to punditry last year when he signed a lucrative deal with the BBC, a welcome financial boost for the father of four, who left third-tier team Plymouth Argyle by mutual consent on New Year’s Eve in 2024.

He appeared regularly during the BBC’s coverage of the World Cup this summer, amusing viewers with his dry wit.

My insider said: ‘Wayne is on a lot of money, it’s quite eye-watering really, but people want to hear what he has to say about football. Everyone loves Wayne, but once this comes out there might be some who feel very hard done by.

‘When it comes to football, the BBC believe that the viewers want to hear his expertise. Some people think that he is grossly overpaid but the audience love him.’

One of those who may be feeling hard done is Rooney’s co-host, Gabby Logan – who anchors MOTD.

She is paid £3,000 for each show, which equates to £40 per minute when the microphones are live.

The mother of two was given the esteemed position by Corporation bosses to make up their three-person presenting team, which also includes Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman after Gary Lineker left the show, following a torrid impartiality row.

Chapman, known as ‘Chappers’ to fans, 52, is paid the same as Logan.

His most recent instalment of Match of the Day, last Saturday evening, saw him pocket £37 per minute for their coverage of the Premier League’s 2026-27 opening weekend – a third of Rooney’s rate.

‘You have to wonder if they will be absolutely fuming to know what Wayne earns,’ says my television insider. ‘But actually, even they have to realise that he has a specialism and he’s running all the way to the bank with it.’

Another of the BBC’s big earners is nepo baby Roman Kemp, 33, who earns a tidy fee for anchoring long-running favourite The One Show – which regularly pulls in an audience of about 3million viewers.

Another of the BBC’s big earners is nepo baby Roman Kemp (pictured with co-presenter Alex Jones), who earns £2,000 each time he anchors The One Show, which regularly pulls in an audience of about 3million viewers

This Morning’s stand-in presenter, Craig Doyle, is paid £3,000 each time he fronts the show

The presenter and DJ, who is the son of actor Martin Kemp, 64, has negotiated a £2,000 appearance fee for each episode he anchors on the green sofa. For a 30-minute programme, that means his rate per minute is £66.

He joined the show in 2022 with a host of other well-known faces, including popular host Alex Jones, following the departure of former Blue Peter star Matt Baker.

The show has been branded ‘nuts’ by some licence-fee payers for its eclectic segments. But, perhaps unsurprisingly given his remuneration, Kemp has leapt to its defence.

He said in 2023: ‘When Alex and I [present the show] it feels like anything can happen. It gets a bit wild with the guests, and it just descends into carnage. He added swiftly: ‘Controlled carnage’.

‘Roman hosts three shows per week sometimes, so that can amount to £24,000 per month,’ says a source familiar with The One Show. ‘It’s a pretty good salary for him really, he must be thrilled. But it will be interesting to know what the licence-fee payers make of that.’

The BBC is not alone in shelling out the big bucks to its talent. The Daily Mail has discovered that ITV This Morning’s stand-in presenter, Craig Doyle, is paid £3,000 each time he fronts the show.

For each of the 150 minutes it is on air, the Irish heart-throb makes £20 – making him a much cheaper hire than others.

He first joined the show in 2021, when it was still considered to be in its heyday, fronted by Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.

After impressing bosses and becoming ‘eye candy’ with viewers, then producer Martin Frizell made him a regular relief presenter.

He quickly became a safe pair of hands in the aftermath of the scandal which engulfed the show and threatened its future when Schofield admitted to an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a much-younger colleague.

Craig’s television career began in the mid-90s when he broke into children’s programming for the channel, hosting Disney Club.

The father of four, who lives in County Wicklow in Ireland with his wife Doon, made his name in the early noughties when he began presenting major sporting events for BBC Sport.

‘Craig loves doing This Morning,’ says my source. ‘ITV know that the women love him, so he’s worth every penny of his £3,000 pay cheque.’

Meanwhile, Doyle’s co-star Rylan Clark is thought to be paid £5,000 per show – £33 per minute he is on air.

Doyle’s co-star Rylan Clark is thought to be paid £5,000 per show – £33 per minute he is on air

Elsewhere in the ITV studios, leading Loose Women hosts are paid approximately £1,000 

Clark, 37, who got his ‘big break’ from The X Factor as its novelty act in 2012, was originally welcomed into the fold as a guest entertainment reporter, reporting on behind-the-scenes gossip on the tenth series of the now defunct singing competition.

Thanks to his work at the time on other shows such as Big Brother, he was handed more responsibility, later becoming a relief presenter and once hosted with Schofield, filling in at the last minute for Ms Willoughby when she was unwell.

A source said: ‘He is so in demand and he knows the viewers love him.’

Elsewhere in the ITV studios, leading Loose Women hosts are paid approximately £1,000 for each of their contributions to its 60-minute episodes.

That includes Kaye Adams, Coleen Nolan, Jane Moore, Janet Street-Porter and former stars Denise Welch and Sherrie Hewson.

It works out at just over £16 for each minute they’re sat on their stools, though the anchor – usually the likes of experienced presenters Christine Lampard or Ruth Langsford – is paid more. As indeed was Stacey Solomon, whose popularity meant she commanded a bigger salary.

‘It seems a lot but is it really?’ asks my source. ‘The problem is that there are four of them and that adds up for ITV, who have had to make huge cuts to their programmes.

‘The fact that some earn more than others has made for a sometimes-unpleasant atmosphere behind the scenes, because it’s a real case of survival of the fittest.’

Each of the roughly 20 panellists on Loose Women’s current rotating roster has experienced a notable drop in their earnings recently, following ITV’s decision to cut the programme to just 30 out of the 52 weeks in the year.

They also lost their live audience – and have been forced to share the same set as This Morning, leaving the crew with just a three-minute ad break between the shows to reset the sets.

In total, over 200 staff working in ITV daytime lost their jobs because of the cuts, and those who remained were moved out of its headquarters at Television Centre to Covent Garden in central London.

What would they make of their more famous colleagues’ turbo-charged salaries?

Man United host Ipswich Town at Old Trafford this afternoon hoping to bounce back from the opening day defeat to Hull City

Manchester United are back in Premier League action this afternoon as they host Ipswich Town. United are aiming to bounce back from the sobering 2-0 defeat to Hull City last weekend, and the pressure is already on Michael Carrick to get a good result.

United have been buoyed by the news that Mason Mount is once again available. He has been out since the pre-season friendly against Paris Saint-Germain with a knock. Carrick confirmed on Friday he trained with the group this week.

Amad is out having picked up an issue before the Hull game. Matthijs de Ligt will also be missing as he recovers from a long-term back injury.

MEN Sport has asked our United writers to pick their teams for the opening home match of the campaign.

Tyrone Marshall

Changes are a must after last week. Lisandro Martinez should be fit enough to start now and his partnership with Harry Maguire was strong under Carrick last season. I’d also bring Diogo Dalot in for Noussair Mazraoui at right-back.

The partnership between Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans hasn’t clicked yet and with Mount back fit, I’d go back to Santos and Mount. They had an excellent understanding in pre-season and deserve a chance to continue that.

I’m not sure Benjamin Sesko is yet fit enough to start, so Mbeumo has to play as the No.9 ahead of Matheus Cunha. The Brazilian can return to the left and I’d start Rashford on the right to offer a little more goal threat.

Jack Flintham

Ayden Heaven was caught out for the opener last weekend and should be replaced. Martinez was so far off the pace the last time we saw him, so I would be tempted to start Leny Yoro with Maguire.

I would also recall Mount to play alongside Santos. That is the only midfield partnership that has clicked so far and it makes sense to reunite them against Ipswich.

In attack, I would risk Sesko. He is the only focal point United have and even if he can only play 45 minutes, that could be the difference this week. That would allow Mbeumo to play on the right and Rashford to start on the left in place of Patrick Dorgu.

Just a few miles west of Darlington, the village of Piercebridge offers a mix of countryside, history and local food that makes it an ideal spot for a leisurely day out.

Sitting on the banks of the River Tees, the village combines scenic riverside views with a rich Roman past and one of the area’s most talked-about farm shops and cafes.

At the heart of the village is Piercebridge Farm Shop and Café, which has earned a loyal following among visitors.

A look at the picturesque scenery in and around Piercebridge. (Image: Tripadvisor)

Tripadvisor reviewers have described it as a “hidden gem”, praising its atmosphere, friendly staff and location.

One visitor called it an “absolute must to visit”, highlighting homemade sausage roll, chicken stew and cakes among the menu favourites.

Another reviewer said the farm shop’s lemon iced ginger cake was “truly amazing”, while praising the range of produce and welcoming service.

The café provides a handy stopping point before or after a walk through the village.

Visitors can pick up coffee and cake, browse locally sourced produce and enjoy views of one of South Durham’s prettiest corners.

What makes Piercebridge particularly appealing is that there is more to discover than simply a place to eat.

The village is steeped in history, having grown around the site of a Roman crossing of the River Tees.

Today, traces of that past remain, giving visitors the chance to combine a relaxing walk with a glimpse into the area’s heritage.

(Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

A stroll through the village quickly reveals why it remains a favourite among those who know it.

Stone cottages line quiet streets, the river winds gently past the settlement and there are plenty of spots to pause and take in the view.

For families looking to make a day of it, there is ample opportunity for a gentle riverside wander before returning for lunch or a sweet treat.

In an age when many weekend outings involve crowded retail parks or expensive attractions, Piercebridge offers something refreshingly simple: a chance to slow down.

The applicant has sought permission for a site near the A14

Plans for a huge new “employment park” next to a major Cambridgeshire park have faced backlash, with one person claiming it would be an “unacceptable burden”. Lolworth Developments Limited (LDL) is seeking permission to deliver a huge employment floorspace accommodating a mix of logistics, mid-technology, and research uses for new and existing companies to invest, expand, and occupy.

The employment park would deliver around 240,000 square metres of floor space on land next to Junction 25 of the A14 between Bar Hill and Northstowe. The development, called ‘Cambridge 25’, would provide around 2,900 new jobs and training opportunities near existing and planned future homes.

If approved, a nature park would be created for future employees and visitors. It would deliver more structural landscaping and tree planting, community facilities, better walking and cycling connections, and large HGV areas with parking bays.

Additionally, it would deliver “high-quality” and “sustainable” employment premises for new and existing companies to invest, expand and occupy. The applicant said: “There is a current deficit in the supply of land for future employment uses and a specific shortfall in industrial and logistics floorspace.”

Once in operation, the development activity is predicted to generate around £117.1m in Gross Value Added (GVA) annually, equal to 0.7 per cent of Greater Cambridge’s total GVA in 2031. GVA is the value that producers have added to the goods and services they have bought.

A planning document said: “There is an urgent need for the provision of land which can accommodate high quality I&L premises (industrial and logistics), including those towards the larger size ranges. There is a critical undersupply of land and premises to meet the needs of the I&L sector and this is particularly severe in relation to large units.”

Since its submission in July, the plans have received some backlash. One person objected to the Cambridge 25 development due to its “unacceptable scale and impact on Oakington and the surrounding countryside”.

The objector wrote: “My main concerns are the loss of 103 hectares of greenfield habitat, visual and landscape harm, 24/7 noise and light pollution, and significant flood-risk concerns. I am deeply concerned that up to 350,000 litres of treated effluent per day could be discharged into Oakington Brook, a watercourse that can become very low or dry in summer, creating serious risks to local ecology and residents.

“I’m also concerned about the additional HGV traffic on the ‘local’ A14 bypass road and other small roads, which are unsuitable for such volumes of heavy vehicles. The ‘jug handle’ for travel towards Bar Hill roundabout will cause massive problems, especially as this area will also face increasing pressure from the ongoing development of Northstowe, making the cumulative impact on congestion, road safety and local communities even more concerning.”

They fear the development would “fundamentally urbanise this rural setting and place an unacceptable burden on local infrastructure”.

Bar Hill Parish Council also lodged an objection to the plans. A spokesperson for the council said the development would lead to “significant increases in traffic on the A1307 and B1050 as well as the A14”.

The objection said: “The pathway is used by pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders whose safety will be impacted by the large numbers of HGVs crossing the path into the site. The number of junctions could cause confusion for drivers.

“The increase in vehicles at junction 25 of the A14 may lead to drivers going along the A1307 to use junction 24 of the A14 at Swavesey or go through Dry Drayton to avoid the congestion. The increase in traffic increases the likelihood of any incident on any of the roads near the junction 25 roundabout blocking access to Bar Hill due to the village only having one road in and out.”

The parish council also urged the development to accommodate all HGVs when they arrive and provide suitable welfare facilities for the drivers, including overnight. The spokesperson said: “On road parking of HGVs in local villages including Bar Hill is a regular problem as Swavesey services are unable to cope with the current number of HGVs on the road system.”

The Environment Agency objected to the proposed development as submitted because it “involves the use of a non-mains foul drainage system in circumstances where it may be feasible for the development to be connected to a public sewer but inadequate justification has been provided for the use of a non-mains system”. The public body recommended that the application, as it stands, be refused on this basis.

Another person said the facility could potentially serve thousands of workers. As a result, they raised an objection because it could “create a huge amount of sewage, with possible dire consequences for the local environment, wildlife and residents”.

HECK! has launched new Chicken Cumberland Sausages, aimed at people looking for a high-protein and leaner alternative to pork sausages.

The new Chicken Cumberland Sausages, which will be available nationwide at Morrisons and Tesco stores from mid-September, are made with lean chicken and a blend of bold black pepper, fragrant sage and warming spice notes.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Weighing 340g and priced at £3.50, the sausages are designed to be a versatile addition to various meals, from mash and sausage sandwiches to stir-fries and tray bakes.

The new product is part of HECK!’s expanding range of lean sausages, burgers, seasoned mince, and sausage rashers.

These products are aimed at people wanting to boost their protein intake without compromising on flavour.

All items in the HECK! chicken range are gluten-free and naturally lower in fat.

Manchester United transfer news as the club attempts to complete some more business before Tuesday’s deadline

Manchester United’s mixed transfer window is coming to an end, with one area in particular still needing attention.

United have made successful additions in midfield, with Carlos Baleba following Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans through the door. Nevertheless, there will be disappointment if United fail to strengthen on the left side of defence.

Another option to Luke Shaw is required, with the long-serving left-back entering the final 12 months of his contract. Lewis Hall is a longstanding target but Newcastle have no intention of selling.

Regarding potential departures, talk surrounding Marcus Rashford’s future persists after he turned down a switch to Fenerbahce. Ahead of United’s opening home fixture of the campaign against Ipswich Town, here’s a summary of the latest transfer developments.

Rashford interest

Despite his reintegration into the first-team setup, Rashford could still move on soon. The latest link involves Arsenal, who need a replacement for Saudi-bound Gabriel Martinelli.

According to the Independent, the Premier League champions are considering whether to table a loan offer for the enigmatic forward. Whether United would approve a third loan spell for Rashford remains uncertain, though they could at least anticipate the Gunners covering the majority of his £325,000 per week wages.

A more pressing target for the Gunners is Atletico Madrid’s unsettled striker, Julian Alvarez, whose desired switch to Barcelona has been blocked.

Returning to Rashford, there has been unexpected speculation that Barcelona haven’t dismissed the possibility of re-signing him, despite declining the option to make his move permanent following last season’s loan. According to TeamTalk, Barca remain in contact with Rashford’s camp.

‘Time’s up for Shaw’

Patrice Evra has urged United to bring in a replacement for Shaw. While holding considerable respect for his fellow left-back, the Frenchman believes the moment has arrived to replace the 30-year-old, whose Old Trafford career has been plagued by injury.

Speaking on his Kick stream, Evra criticised Shaw’s display at Hull last weekend. He said: “What I’m really disappointed about is all the back passes in that game. Luke Shaw, I love you, but it’s going to be a tough season for him.

Advertisement

“Why? He’s been at the club for years, he’s had a lot of injuries that killed his football career. When I talk with him, he’s still traumatised by [the injuries], he wouldn’t go 100 per cent into every challenge.

“I have to tell the truth. Man United fans want to hear my opinion, and I think [Shaw’s] time has gone. Don’t get me wrong, he might have a great game next game, but I don’t care. If Luke Shaw can give me a 35-game season, then that’s a good season.

“I don’t care if he has 10 good games and three bad ones, if he doesn’t play at least 35 games in a row, Man United fans will go crazy. He’s lucky because he’s English. I love Luke Shaw, but I love Man United even more. That’s why I’m saying they need another left-back.”

Essential 26/27 Sky Sports Bundle for the new season

Advertisement

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£51

£35

Sky

Get the deal here

Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle includes at least 215 live Premier League clashes across the 2026/27 season, with more than 1,500 games from the EFL and beyond, plus F1, golf and darts.

This introductory offer saves £384 compared to the standard price, with every package also providing 100 regular channels alongside free Netflix and discovery+ subscriptions.

Advertisement

Do you sometimes wish that you had telepathic or other supernormal powers?

Around a hundred years ago, some of the greatest minds in philosophy thought there were people who had such abilities. In fact, they even suggested that perhaps horses and dogs could have them too.

At the turn of the 20th century, many great scientists, psychologists and philosophers became fascinated by the possibility of “psychic phenomena” like telepathy, clairvoyance or ghosts. Many of them, like J.J. Thomson, the 1906 winner of the Nobel prize in physics, performed experiments to test mediums. Others, like the philosopher C.D. Broad, attended seances and thought about the possibility of precognition – the ability to foresee future events.

These weren’t just marginal charlatans. Many of them had an impact on philosophy and science in the 20th century. Many of the concepts philosophers of time still argue over today trace back to C.D. Broad, such as the growing block theory, which says that the past is real, the present is real, but the future does not yet exist.

Most of their focus was on the psychic abilities of humans. However, some of these “psychic researchers” went even further and began wondering about the possibility of telepathy in animals.

The philosopher Friedrich Canning Scott Schiller (1864-1937), who spent most of his career at the University of Oxford, was an active member of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR). He was one of the founders of pragmatism, the philosophical view that the truth of a theory can be judged based on whether it works in practice.

Schiller engaged in heated discussions about the psychic abilities of animals. His article on “psychical research” for the Encyclopedia Britannica has a section about “equine mathematicians” – horses with supposedly paranormal mathematical abilities that they demonstrated by tapping out solutions to equations with their hooves.

In 1914, Schiller wrote an article for the SPR about Rolf, “the thinking dog of Mannheim” (in south-west Germany). Rolf was credited with the ability to tap out answers to mathematical problems with his paw. And, with the help of a spelling code for letters and syllables, Schiller even claimed that the dog managed to produce entire sentences.

On one occasion, Schiller alleged that the dog professed its Catholic faith to a priest.

The case of Rolf (and other “thinking dogs” who suddenly started cropping up elsewhere) caused a dilemma for psychical researchers. Some thought this proved that animals have hidden intellectual powers just like humans. Others, like the Russian scientist Vladimir Bechtereev, suggested that the whole thing can be explained by telepathy.

Bechtereev went on to make major discoveries about memory and brain structure. In his view, the dog’s owner telepathically communicated all the information to him.

Schiller believed that his theory of pragmatism could help settle these disputes. He thought there was no point discussing these things in the abstract. What matters is whether either of the theories can be shown to have practical consequences for how the animal behaves. If Rolf was really so skilled at arithmetic, why does he not use mathematics in everyday life? And if he is a confessed Catholic, why does he not go to church?

Joseph Banks Rhine (1895-1980) and his wife Louisa (1890-1983) are widely considered to be the founders of the controversial field of parapsychology. They published the influential volume Extra-Sensory Perception (1934) and founded the Parapsychology Laboratory at Duke University, which has since been shuttered. Their approach of using a large number of tests with multiple subjects has been closely connected with modern statistics.

In 1929, the Rhines published an article about the horse Lady Wonder. This horse was seemingly able to make predictions, work out answers to mathematical problems, and tell time, all of this by touching lettered and numbered blocks with her nose.

The most famous of these mathematically gifted horses was Clever Hans. Just like Lady Wonder in the US, Hans attracted huge crowds to his native Germany, who were eager to witness his arithmetic abilities. This included psychical researchers curious to see whether Hans had supernormal powers, as well as Carl Stumpf (1848-1936), one of the fathers of modern psychology.

It was Stump’s research assistant Oskar Pfungst who eventually got to the root of Hans’s miraculous powers. Pfungst observed that Hans could only provide the correct answer when his owner, standing nearby, knew the answer to the question asked – and only when Hans could see him.

This led Pfungst to conclude that Hans was simply responding to involuntary signals from his owner, signals that his owner did not even realise he was providing. Pfungst thereby discovered the so-called Clever Hans effect. This describes situations where the bad set up of an experiment causes the experimenter to unintentionally influence the subjects they are studying.

Pfungst’s explanation got rid of the need to appeal to supernormal abilities and partially contributed to the gradual disappearance of psychical research from universities. Like many other psychic phenomena, modern psychology could explain what was going on.

Although it turned out that these horses and dogs had no such mathematical powers, the studies conducted by psychical researchers helped uncover new knowledge. One surprising example is the development of randomisation in experiments.

Randomisation means deciding the order or allocation of things in an experiment by chance, rather than allowing the researcher or participant to choose. It is now a basic part of good experimental design because it helps prevent expectations from influencing the results. Surprisingly, attempts to test telepathy helped drive its development. Researchers realised that if people knew what answer was expected, even tiny unconscious cues could affect the outcome.

The case of Clever Hans and other “telepathic” animals shows just how turbulent this period of time was for modern science and philosophy. The telephone suddenly made it possible to contact someone on the other side of the world, and the X-ray allowed you to see inside the body. So perhaps it’s not that surprising that some of the greatest minds began to investigate telepathy in animals.

Another Bank Holiday ‘land grab’ has left residents devastated after diggers bulldozed a wildlife haven for a suspected traveller site.

Sawbridgeworth, East Hertfordshire was the latest area to be targeted by developers who arrived on Friday morning with huge lorries, fences going up and roads being blocked. 

In videos posted on social media, birds can be heard chirping as work involving heavy machinery is carried out on greenbelt land. It has devastated residents who fear travellers have taken over and destroyed the precious wetland habitat and floodplain.

The council has issued a Temporary Stop Notice which requires builders to halt further work on the site, but residents claim unauthorised work has carried on regardless.

One neighbour, in her 50s who wishes to be anonymous, has lived in the area all her life and told the Daily Mail she feels ‘powerless’ and ‘devastated’.

She said: ‘I believe they are travellers building a traveller site. Some people don’t want them anywhere and I think they should go through all the steps that everyone else has to when it comes to planning and building. 

‘They definitely don’t have permission – the order was ignored and they’ve continued to bring in diggers and all sorts of machines.’ 

The resident added that she and her neighbours are mostly saddened by the destroyed habitats of the protected wildlife, including bats, newts and nesting birds.

Another Bank Holiday ‘land grab’ has left residents devastated after diggers bulldozed a wildlife haven for a suspected travellers site

Left: Last month a muntjac was pictured enjoying the land. Right: The current state of the site 

Advertisement

She said: ‘The reserve has been around for as long as life and within a day it was destroyed. It’s a total destruction of nature, it’s absolutely disgusting. 

‘There’s a lady who lives right across the road from it and she’s in tears. We’re completely appalled by the destruction; it’s devastating to be so powerless in the situation.

‘It’s the bank holiday and no one has the chance to stop it before it’s too late, so they’ve got four days to destroy habitats’. 

It follows a trend that has seen travellers purchase land, often in leafy parts of the Home Counties, before unauthorised sites are set up.

They fear it could be the latest example of a ‘land grab’ – a trend that has seen travellers swoop in to lay pitches over Bank Holiday weekends, when council offices are closed. 

Planning permission is then sought retrospectively, with travellers often granted the permanent right to stay because there is an ‘unmet need for pitches’. 

One concerned neighbour expressed dismay over the irreversible damage to the wildlife and the inaction from authorities over the long weekend.

She said: ‘Heavy machinery and diggers began bulldozing a beautiful wetland beside our village lock. The area is an important habitat for birds and other wildlife, and it is now being rapidly churned up and covered with large quantities of hardcore.

‘East Herts Council has issued a Temporary Stop Notice. However, despite that notice, machinery and vehicles are continuing to operate on the site and further material is being brought in.

The council has issued a Temporary Stop Notice which requires builders to halt further work on the site, but residents claim unauthorised work has carried on regardless

One resident said that she and her neighbours are mostly saddened by the destroyed habitats of the protected wildlife, including bats, newts and nesting birds

Neighbours have organised a peaceful protest to be held at the lot on Sunday morning to convey their frustration which they hope will remove the workers quicker

Advertisement

‘The police are currently in attendance, but there appear to be only two officers dealing with the situation. Meanwhile, the destruction is continuing in real time.

‘We are extremely concerned that by the time the relevant authorities are able to take effective action, this precious wetland and its wildlife habitat will have been irreversibly damaged.

‘This is not simply a planning dispute. It is an environmental emergency happening right now, with heavy machinery actively destroying a wildlife habitat.’

Neighbours have organised a peaceful protest to be held at the lot on Sunday morning to convey their frustration which they hope will remove the workers quicker.

Another resident also told the Mail: ‘Many many residents are distraught, dismayed and feel very let down by the laws relating to this kind of destruction of wildlife habitats beside a lovely picturesque lock in a pretty historic small town.’

East Herts council said in a statement on Saturday morning: ‘Council officers have attended the site and we have issued a temporary stop notice, requiring any further unauthorised activity covered by the notice to cease immediately. 

‘Our planning enforcement team will continue to closely monitor the site and investigate the works that have taken place. We will also work with Herts police to monitor the situation. 

‘We will consider what further enforcement action may be necessary and appropriate, and will provide a further update when we are able to do so.’ 

Sheering Mill Lane, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire: Map view of the suspected travellers site

Last week, travellers who held an entire village to ransom for £600,000 in a land grab scam have applied to officially house caravans the site after their ‘blackmail attempt’ backfired

Cllr Angus Parsad-Wyatt, the mayor of Sawbridgeworth said: ‘East Herts issued the temporary stop notice this morning. This has been ignored, so the council is working on an emergency application for an injunction to prevent occupation of the site. 

‘Legal and enforcement officers at the council are gathering the necessary information and hope that a temporary injunction can be issued today.’ 

A police spokesman told the Indie: ‘Hertfordshire Constabulary is aware of a dispute over the use of land in Sheering Mill Lane, Sawbridgeworth. We are liaising with our partners at East Herts District Council.’ 

East Herts council and Hertfordshire Constabulary Police have been contacted by the Daily Mail

It’s the latest ‘bank holiday land grab’ to occur after construction works suddenly got underway on a greenbelt plot of land in Irby, Merseyside.

Three caravans, two diggers, two cars and a van have been seen on the land, which is located just yards from residents’ homes.

No planning application has been submitted for works to be completed on the site, according to the Wirral Council planning portal.

A number of locals believe it is travellers who have bought the land and are conducting the illegal works.

Last week, travellers who held an entire village to ransom for £600,000 in a land grab scam have applied to officially house caravans on the site after their ‘blackmail attempt’ backfired.

The family bought the greenfield site, which is the size of a tennis court, just outside the Buckinghamshire village of Dinton in February – and immediately drove three caravans and a mobile home onto the plot.

In a carefully orchestrated operation, diggers and lorries moved onto a quarter-of-an-acre plot off to lay hardstanding rubble and position caravans in the designated conservation area.

Horrified villagers, who protested against what they call an illegal land grab, say they were approached by two men who said that if they wanted them to leave the area, they could buy back the land for more than £600,000 – forty times the £15,000 they are believed to have paid for it.

Now, after the 800 people living in Dinton refused to bend to the travellers’ demands, the family’s patriarch Jimmy Doran has officially applied to the council to turn it into a permanent residence.

Dramatic new footage has revealed the moment hikers witnessed a giant glacier collapse in the Himalayas, triggering the catastrophic flash floods and mudslides that devastated parts of Nepal and Tibet. 

The video, filmed by a Chinese tour guide in Tibet, shows huge chunks of ice breaking away from a ridge on Langtang Lirung peak, on the Nepali side of the border.

Hikers reported hearing a huge crack before ice, rock and debris plunged into the valley below, sending an enormous cloud of dust billowing into the air.

The glacier collapse triggered a landslide which formed a lake in the valley below, before a torrent of water and debris surged through the mountain river system towards the Gyirong border crossing. 

A second video shows debris racing down the mountainside immediately in the aftermath of the collapse, marking the beginning of the disaster that would devastate communities downstream.

The footage, obtained and verified by The New York Times, provides one of the clearest views yet of the August 26 glacier collapse.

The video, filmed by a Chinese tour guide in Tibet, shows huge chunks of ice breaking away from a ridge on Langtang Lirung peak, on the Nepali side of the border

Hikers reported hearing a huge crack before ice, rock and debris plunged into the valley below, sending an enormous cloud of dust billowing into the air

The death toll from the disaster has now risen to 676, with nearly 3,000 people still missing across Nepal and Tibet.

This includes more than 500 foreign tourists, 33 of whom are known to be British. Many foreign nationals are feared to have been in the vicinity of Rasuwagadhi, taking holy pilgrimages or embarking on trekking expeditions.

Search and rescue operations resumed on Saturday after being temporarily suspended because of rain and fog, with helicopters returning to the worst-hit areas as weather conditions improved.

A UK rapid deployment team arrived in Nepal on Saturday to support British nationals and their families.

Authorities are also monitoring two lakes upstream of the flood zone, with officials warning that the risk of further flooding will remain until both have fully drained.

Satellite images taken since the ‘tsunami from the sky’ swept through remote areas of the country and neighbouring Tibet depict entire settlements simply disappearing. 

Rasuwagadhi border crossing, located at one end of Friendship Bridge on the border between Nepal and Tibet, was finally reached by a team of rescuers on Friday and was found to have been annihilated. 

Last night, fresh satellite images brought home the scale of the damage, showing entire settlements have completely vanished, washed away by the raging torrent of mud and water which descended along the Trishuli River on Wednesday.

The Gyirong region crossing, a crucial landmark for pilgrims seeking access to the Langtang valley and tourists out trekking, saw some of the first, and most distressing, footage of the flood to be captured.

CCTV footage saw people fleeing before the water and mud completely engulfed the large building.

Rasuwagadhi border crossing, located at one end of Friendship Bridge on the border between Nepal and Tibet, is pictured in April 2024

A man takes pictures in front of damaged buildings after flash floods and a mudslide, in Trishuli

Scores of men in orange hi-vis jackets and hard hats fled in terror as they watched the mass of water rush at them

Nepalese Army personnel rescue a survivor from a hydropower tunnel in Rasuwa district on Friday

Advertisement

The crossing has now gone, along with its large rear car park, Friendship Bridge and all associated buildings – just the river and surrounding greenery remain, as if it was never there.

A Chinese rescue team was the first to reach the obliterated landscape at the crossing yesterday, and said they found ‘nothing but ruins’.

State media reported that the Chinese team of 21 rescuers and a search-and-rescue dog arrived at Rasuwagadhi yesterday.

‘There was no road … it was all virgin forest and sheer cliffs,’ rescue worker Zou Mingqi said. At the complex, ‘as far as the eye could ⁠see, there was nothing but ruins’.

The team had to use ropes to cross forests and valleys to reach the area, thought to be among the worst affected.

The crossing is one site where many of the missing tourists are feared to have been. British care agency boss Leena Bector, 53, from Slough, Berkshire, was last heard from just an hour away from the site.

Other images show bridges crossing the Trishuli river wiped out, along with the small settlements and industries on either side.

Some depict the village of Syapru Besi, with prior photos suggesting a vibrant, sprawling community nestled around a fork in the river.

Images taken after the flood had rampaged through the area show much of the village washed away.

Just a fraction of the houses were spared, mostly those nestled further away from the river along a narrow road rising into the mountains.

A bed of mud and silt can be seen left behind, showing how far beyond its usual banks the torrent flowed.

A bridge, which appears to be located just to the south of the village, has also completely been destroyed.

And construction sites, camping areas and footbridges have all similarly been affected. Some of those set back from the river have survived, but the landscape around them has not, with huge areas of trees and forest disappearing compared to images taken previously.