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‘Horrendous’ smell in village as ‘hero’ firefighters battle nature reserve blaze

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Cambridgeshire Live

Firefighters remain at the scene of a fire that started at a nature reserve nine days ago

Villagers have said a large fire at a nature reserve is a “huge loss” to the area – as they praised “hero” firefighters who continue to battle the blaze nine days on. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service were first called to the fire at Holme Fen Nature Reserve on August 8.

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Since then, firefighters have faced “unprecedented pressure” as they continue to deal with the fire, including the fifth heatwave of the summer last week. Residents in Holme described the fire as “terrible” and said it has had a severe impact on the nature reserve. Villagers have also experienced smoke blowing over into the village.

Janice Osborn said the fire has “destroyed” some of the nature reserve, adding that the fire has caused a “huge loss” to Holme. Janice added: “We have had a lot of smoke blow over, but it’s not as bad as compared to the people that live closer.

“We find it worse in the evening, around 9 to 10pm. It wasn’t fun when it was 36C, but that’s a small fry compared to what the firefighters are facing.”

One mum, who asked not to be named, also said the smell and smoke has been “worse at night”. She said: “The last two nights we have had to keep everything closed. It’s not a constant though. When my kids went to a holiday club in Peterborough recently, it smelt more over there.”

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The woman said it’s “reassuring” to have the firefighters on scene. She added: “In that heat, I don’t know how they do it. I feel bad complaining about the heat.” She said she also finds it “really sad” that Holme Fen has been affected.

She said: “I have seen the drone footage and there is like a big gaping hole in the middle of it. It’s going to take a long time to recover.”

One woman who lives in Vicarage Road, and asked to remain anonymous, said the smoke has stopped her and her husband going for their usual walks. She said: “It’s like having a bonfire next to you. We’ve had to close our windows from time to time. It’s impacting our walking as we walk a lot.

“In the village, we can’t go out as it gets onto your chest, and then it’s going on in the nature reserve so we can’t go there. It’s terrible for the little creatures. [The firefighters] are working their socks off, but whether they win the battle is another thing.”

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A spokesperson for Holme Fen said: “Visitors are asked to stay away to keep the roads clear for emergency services and because the site is unsafe. Peat fires can spread underground and are notoriously difficult to extinguish.”

Long-term resident Robert S, who asked not to include his full surname, said it is “very sad” as a lot of the nature reserve has been “destroyed”. He added: “Whatever the cause it, it’s not good at all. The firefighters have had a lot to deal with.

“The smoke has fanned over here, it’s caused a bit of a stink at night. We were trying not to keep the windows open, but it was hard in the 30 degree plus heat.”

Another man, who did not want to be named, described the smell of smoke as “horrendous”. He added: “We have to give enormous gratitude to the firefighters, especially in the weather we’ve had. If they didn’t have the resources they’ve had, it could have been a lot worse.”

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Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue remained at the scene on Monday (August 17). Area commander Wayne Swales said firefighters are continuing to “battle the conditions” at Holme Fen.

He added: “Although temperatures have reduced from during the week, it has still been hot on the fire ground, but crews have stood up to the challenge exceptionally. Thanks to the fantastic teamwork from all crews across the county and the incredible support from our National Resilience colleagues from all over the country, we look to be a better position.

“Steady progress has been made and we are discussing our tactics regularly to try and hopefully start to scale back our firefighting. We will know more over the next day or so.”

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Emergency services rescue person from inside Husthwaite tank

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York field fire believed to have started by self-combustion

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Jonathan Ross’ rarely seen son Harvey prepares to marry girlfriend Muna Silver as bride-to-be throws hen party in Portugal with his sister Honey

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Jonathan Ross' rarely seen son Harvey Ross is preparing to marry his girlfriend Muna Silver (L) as the bride-to-be celebrated her hen do in Portugal at the weekend with his sister Honey (R)

Jonathan Ross‘ rarely seen son Harvey Ross is preparing to marry his girlfriend Muna Silver as the bride-to-be celebrated her hen do in Portugal at the weekend.

Muna was joined by Harvey’s younger sister Honey Ross, 29, who shared a series of fun pictures and videos from the trip on Instagram.

The London-based photographer, who got engaged to Harvey, 32, last year, wore a floor-length black dress with a white bridal veil as she celebrated with friends.

In one selfie, Muna posed alongside Honey, who had swapped her usual blonde hair for a short black bob wig as the pair wore matching black outfits.

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A video, soundtracked to Taylor Swift‘s But Daddy I Love Him, showed Muna singing and dancing happily in her veil on a public cobbled street.

The couple have not confirmed the date of their wedding, but a source close to the pair says it is due to take place later this year.

On Monday, Honey revealed she had been heavily involved in organising her future sister-in-law’s hen party – and it wasn’t without drama.

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Jonathan Ross’ rarely seen son Harvey Ross is preparing to marry his girlfriend Muna Silver (L) as the bride-to-be celebrated her hen do in Portugal at the weekend with his sister Honey (R)

The London-based photographer, who got engaged to Harvey, 32, last year, wore a floor-length black dress with a white bridal veil as she celebrated with friends

The London-based photographer, who got engaged to Harvey, 32, last year, wore a floor-length black dress with a white bridal veil as she celebrated with friends

Speaking on the Reel Talk podcast she co-hosts with her TV presenter dad Jonathan, 65, on Monday – recorded just a few days before the hen do – Honey said: ‘The planning has been through the roof. 

‘I’m currently packing a suitcase full of bride decorations and all of that kind of memorabilia.’

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Honey said she had also been tasked with buying matching robes for the bridal party, but admitted navigating the group chat had left her overthinking every interaction.

She said: ‘I wouldn’t wish a bridal group chat on my worst enemy. The girls I’m going away with are so sweet – I want to preface it with that – but the level of politeness, borderline passive aggression, and gentle back-and-forth of being like, “That sounds great to me, happy to go along with whatever you want!” is like at the absolute fever pitch in this group chat.’

Honey added: ‘There have been so many times I’ve posted in that group chat and it’s taken them a day to, like, heart it, and I’m like, these girls want me dead.’

The hen weekend comes as preparations gather pace for Harvey and Muna’s wedding, more than a year after Jonathan first revealed that his only son was engaged.

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The presenter disclosed the news while appearing with Honey on the Table Manners podcast in April 2025, when he also revealed that Harvey and his partner were thinking about starting a family.

Harvey and Muna, who largely keep out of the spotlight, have been together since 2018, when Jonathan first shared a photograph of them together.

Muna also made a rare television appearance alongside Harvey and his family on Celebrity Gogglebox in 2021.

Muna works as a producer and photographer and has shared her work under the name Fadu Photos. Her photography has also been credited by London’s Whitechapel Gallery.

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A video, soundtracked to Taylor Swift's But Daddy I Love Him, showed Muna singing and dancing happily in her veil on a public cobbled street

A video, soundtracked to Taylor Swift’s But Daddy I Love Him, showed Muna singing and dancing happily in her veil on a public cobbled street

Jonathan first revealed last year that his only son was engaged (Harvey pictured with dad Jonathan, fiancée Muna and his mother Jane Goldman last week)

Jonathan first revealed last year that his only son was engaged (Harvey pictured with dad Jonathan, fiancée Muna and his mother Jane Goldman last week)

Jonathan and Jane also share daughters Honey, 29, and Betty, 35 (pictured together)

Jonathan and Jane also share daughters Honey, 29, and Betty, 35 (pictured together)

Harvey, meanwhile, has worked as a video-game programmer and was among the programmers credited on the 2019 adventure game The Bradwell Conspiracy.

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Jonathan also appeared in the game as a voice actor and recorded a promotional video with his son to mark its release.

Harvey is the middle child of Jonathan and screenwriter Jane Goldman, 56, who have three children together. He has made only occasional public appearances over the years, unlike his famous father and more public-facing sisters Honey and Betty, 35.

But in recent weeks, the family have begun sharing details about preparations for his wedding.

Jonathan revealed on his Reel Talk podcast he had recently taken Harvey for his wedding suit fitting – and said the groom-to-be had shown little interest in the process.

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Jonathan said: ‘You can imagine that taking Harvey for suit fitting isn’t like the movies because he’s so disinterested in clothes.

‘I think he’s excited about the wedding, but he just doesn’t really want to have to do anything about it until the day.

‘And so taking him for a suit fitting, it wasn’t someone saying, “Oh my god, I’m getting a suit made, wow, this was great. Oh no, I’d rather have this or that.” There was zero input.’

Jonathan said Harvey even arrived for the appointment wearing odd socks and was happy to leave decisions about his wedding outfit to everybody else.

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He recalled: ‘It’s like, “Do you like that?” He went, “Yep, sure.” I said, “Well, do you think you’d rather have it like this?” “Yeah, yeah, if you think so.”

‘I said, “What do you think? Do you want it more here, less there?” He went, “Yeah, yeah, whatever looks good.” I said, “What do you think looks good?”‘

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I’ve found the best new-in M&S fashion for your autumn wardrobe

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I've found the best new-in M&S fashion for your autumn wardrobe

Many elevated pieces are reminiscent of Doen, Dissh and Reformation, but cost a fraction of the price, while its basics and jeans lines are reliable favourites for everyday essentials. The only downside to M&S’s new fashion acclaim is how quickly pieces sell out. So, read on to get a head start on the fashion about to go viral – these are the pieces that caught my eye in store and online for autumn.

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AstraZeneca ditches lung cancer treatment trial

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AstraZeneca ditches lung cancer treatment trial

But the Anglo-Swedish group, which is headquartered in Cambridge, also revealed some oncology drug success on Monday with the announcement that its Enhertu treatment showed “a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival” for non-small cell lung cancer patients.

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London’s fastest and slowest boroughs for selling homes revealed

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London's fastest and slowest boroughs for selling homes revealed

“In areas like Melton in Leicestershire, homes are taking noticeably longer to sell than a year ago, while markets just a short drive away are speeding up. If you’re selling in a slower market, don’t take a wait-and-see approach – talk to a local agent who knows what’s happening street by street, and make sure your home is priced right from day one.

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Scotland’s fastest home-selling hotspots crowned – see the top 10

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Daily Record

See the Scottish areas where properties sell the quickest.

A new list of the areas in the UK where homes sell the fastest has been revealed, with Scotland occupying the majority of the top 10. Topping the list is a large town that is popular thanks to its convenient location, with the country’s two biggest cities being within easy reach.

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On Tuesday, August 18, Zoopla shared a roundup of the destinations across the UK where homes tend to sell the fastest and slowest. Coming in at number one on the list of the areas where properties sell the quickest is the town of Falkirk in the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

The average selling time in Falkirk in July 2026 was just 11 days according to Zoopla, which is one day less for the area than the year prior according to the property experts. Situated approximately halfway between Edinburgh and Glasgow, it is a popular commuter town amongst those living in Scotland’s two largest cities.

READ MORE: Amazing Scottish home with balconies overlooking river for sale at bargain price

READ MORE: Retro Scottish cottage with boating pond and island hits market

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Following behind in second place on Zoopla’s list of the fastest-selling hotspots in July 2026 are Renfrewshire and North Lanarkshire, with homes in both selling in 13 days on average. South Lanarkshire, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, and West Dunbartonshire all follow behind with 14 days.

Stirling and Glasgow both place at number eight on the property experts’ roundup of the UK’s fastest-selling hotspots, with homes typically selling in 15 days on average in both cities. Rounding out the top 10 is Clackmannanshire, where the average property is sold in 16 days.

Zoopla state that all of the fastest markets being situated in Scotland is due to the Scottish sales market working differently to the rest of Britain and homes generally being more affordable. Properties in the country are typically marketed as ‘offers over’ a price, with homes having a valuation and home survey available.

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On the other hand, Zoopla states that it took 76 days on average to sell a home in Melton in the East Midlands. This marks a 21-day increase compared with July 2025. Overall, around half of the local authorities that were analysed saw an increase in the average number of days taken to sell a property in the past year.

Executive director at Zoopla Richard Donnell commented: “While the national time to sell has barely moved, that stability is masking a real divide opening up between local markets. In areas like Melton in Leicestershire, homes are taking noticeably longer to sell than a year ago, while markets just a short drive away are speeding up.”

Donnell added: “If you’re selling in a slower market, don’t take a ‘wait and see’ approach—talk to a local agent who knows what’s happening street by street, and make sure your home is priced right from day one.”

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Zoopla’s “time to sell” research tracked the period from homes being first listed on the market to estate agents reporting sales agreed. Some local authorities were excluded from the research due to small sample sizes.

See below for the full lists of the fastest and slowest-selling hotspots in the UK according to Zoopla.

The fastest-selling hotspot in July 2026 according to Zoopla

1. Falkirk

2. Renfrewshire

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2. North Lanarkshire

4. South Lanarkshire

4. East Ayrshire

4. East Renfrewshire

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4. West Dunbartonshire

8. Stirling

8. Glasgow City

10. Clackmannanshire

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The slowing-selling hotspot in July 2026 according to Zoopla

1. Melton

2. Westminister

2. Teignbridge

4. Torridge

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5. Tower Hamlets

5. Isle of Wight

5. Thanet

5. North Devon

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9. South Norfolk

9. Elmbridge

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Trump praises ‘good genes’ of 16-year-old lifeguard hero in Oval Office as his proud mother looks on

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President Donald Trump welcomed lifeguard Ryder Williams to the Oval Office to honor him for his daring rescue of a 10-year-old boy
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President Trump welcomed teenage lifeguard Ryder Williams and a 10-year-old boy that he saved to the White House on Monday to honor the dramatic rescue on a California beach.

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‘He’s a real hero,’ Trump said to 16-year-old Williams who sat next to the president in the Oval Office.

‘What you did was incredible and everybody saw it,’ he added. ‘It’s unbelievable.’

Williams was filmed by a bystander last month rescuing Nathaniel Rai from the raging surf at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, California.

Rai, who was vacationing with his family from Dallas, was in ankle deep water when he lost his footing and was swept by the waves out into the ocean.

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Footage from the scene showed Williams struggling mightily with the waves, his arms wrapped around the boy as waves crashed on both of them and he pulled them to safety.

Trump said he was amazed by the video of the rescue and wanted to honor the young man for his heroism.

President Donald Trump welcomed lifeguard Ryder Williams to the Oval Office to honor him for his daring rescue of a 10-year-old boy

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Nathaniel Rai listens as President Donald Trump talks to lifeguard Ryder Williams about the man who saved his life

Nathaniel Rai listens as President Donald Trump talks to lifeguard Ryder Williams about the man who saved his life 

President Trump speaks to Ryder Williams as members from his lifeguard training team and his mother looks on

President Trump speaks to Ryder Williams as members from his lifeguard training team and his mother looks on

‘It’s not my world but I respect that world, I always have, but never maybe as much as I do now,’ Trump said.

The president also gave a special shoutout to Williams’ mother, Shannon, who was standing off to the side.

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‘You did a good job, it’s good genetics, when you look at him, you can see,’ he said. 

Trump also praised Rai for remaining calm during the rescue, allowing William to rescue him.

‘You were very cool,’ he said to the boy who sat with his father and his sister.

‘Your father is the happiest man in the world,’ Trump added to Rai’s father, Sumit.

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The father agreed.

‘It’s incredible what Ryder did, I’m just beyond grateful to him, and Aaron and the rest of the team and even the good Samaritans that were there,’ he said.

Nathaniel Rai, a child saved by 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams off the coast of Santa Cruz, California, last month, sits with his father and sister at the Oval Office

Nathaniel Rai, a child saved by 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams off the coast of Santa Cruz, California, last month, sits with his father and sister at the Oval Office

Williams is seen holding on to ten-year-old Nathaniel Rai amid the strong waves

Williams is seen holding on to ten-year-old Nathaniel Rai amid the strong waves

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Fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen helped with the rescue after the boys move closer to the shore

Fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen helped with the rescue after the boys move closer to the shore

‘He’s a real hero,’ Trump agreed, and joked. ‘I don’t know if I’d do it, I wouldn’t, probably, you’re lucky I wasn’t on service that day.’

Williams said he wanted to pursue a career as a firefighter, thanking everyone on his team for training him to act quickly in times of danger.

‘He’s off to a good start, we’ll give him recommendations,’ Trump grinned.

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Reform UK vows to make benefits claimants do 20 hours community work a week including cleaning up high streets and staffing libraries

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Robert Jenrick, Reform UK's Treasury spokesman, unveiled plans to make benefit recipients part of 'alarm clock Britain' under a 'welfare to work' scheme

Reform UK today vowed to make long-term welfare claimants do 20 hours a week of community work – such as cleaning up high streets – in order to keep their benefits.

Robert Jenrick, the party’s Treasury spokesman, unveiled plans to make benefit recipients part of ‘alarm clock Britain’ under a ‘welfare to work’ scheme.

Under the proposals, those who have been out of work for more than 12 months but are deemed fit to work will be made to undertake tasks organised by their local council.

This will include work to clean up high streets and parks, to staff libraries and community centres, and work with local charities, Mr Jenrick said.

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‘If claimants refuse to participate or fail to show up, they will face penalties,’ he added. ‘Let me speak plainly, if people who are capable of working refuse to, they’ll get nothing. That’s fair.’

It is part of a package of benefits changes that Reform claims will save taxpayers almost £50billion in welfare spending.

The party also plans to block foreign nationals – including EU citizens with settled status in the UK – from claiming almost all kinds of benefits in the UK.

Mr Jenrick insisted that a Reform government could successfully renegotiate the Brexit deal in order to introduce such a ban for EU nationals.

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Robert Jenrick, Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman, unveiled plans to make benefit recipients part of ‘alarm clock Britain’ under a ‘welfare to work’ scheme

Mr Jenrick vowed to make long-term welfare claimants do 20 hours a week of community work - such as cleaning up high streets - in order to keep their benefits

Mr Jenrick vowed to make long-term welfare claimants do 20 hours a week of community work – such as cleaning up high streets – in order to keep their benefits

Speaking at a press conference in central London on Monday, Mr Jenrick said of the proposed scheme: ‘They will work to clean up high streets and parks, to beautify areas neglected, to carry out minor repairs, to staff libraries and community centres, and to perform many other tasks from an indicative list we have published today. We’ll also let local charities take part.

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‘If claimants refuse to participate or fail to show up, they will face penalties. Let me speak plainly, if people who are capable of working refuse to, they’ll get nothing. That’s fair.

‘How can it be that one family on a street, with working parents, strive and work hard, only to help fund the lifestyle of another who chooses to not bother with work at all?

‘This isn’t just an aberration, a small number of isolated cases to be dismissed as a triviality. It is an epidemic that has been allowed to take hold across the country, and spread into a full blown national crisis.

‘My message today to those taking everyone else for mugs: under a Reform government it’s going to stop.

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‘Instead, if they are asking their neighbours to fund their lifestyle while they choose to stay out of work, they can give back something in return.

‘If they want to do something else, they can find a job. No more “something for nothing”, but security for contribution. They will become part of “alarm clock Britain”.’

Reform pointed to Department for Work and Pensions figures that showed, at the last count, there were more than 300,000 work-capable adults who were claiming Universal Credit on ‘seeking work’ conditions and had been doing so for more than 12 months.

Mr Jenrick also expressed confidence that a Reform government would be able to  successfully renegotiate Britain’s divorce agreement with Brussels in order to stop EU citizens with settled status in the UK from claiming benefits.

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He added: ‘There’s clearly going to be a renegotiation. The deal that was done I don’t believe was a good deal – I think many people would support that.

‘There are a number of points on which Reform has already made clear that we will need to return to our neighbours in the EU and renegotiate upon and this will be one of them.

‘Let’s see, I’m confident that we can do that and we can restore fairness in the process.’

Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice said: ‘That deal was now seven years ago – by the time of the next general election it might be a decade after the original deal.

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‘And that’s what you do with deals, you see which bits are working and which bits are not working. This is one of those bits that’s not working.’

Reform has acknowledged that Britons living in the EU could lose their rights to benefits as a result and they have estimated a cost of £500million for expatriates returning to the UK and claiming welfare after losing their entitlement to support. 

Mel Stride, the Tory shadow chancellor and former work and pensions secretary, said: ‘I introduced reforms to cut the sprawling welfare budget after the pandemic by reducing the numbers on long term benefits and radically overhauling PIP.

‘Labour called them “divisive” and scrapped all of them, allowing the benefits bill to continue spiralling. Robert Jenrick hailed my reforms for making the system fairer and enabling us to cut taxes responsibly.

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‘Reform continue to flip flop like they did on the two-child benefit cap, and their fantasy numbers are simply not plausible.

‘Meanwhile, Labour are totally failing to tackle the scale of our welfare problem. Only the Conservatives have a radical and credible plan to cut the welfare bill and get Britain working again.’

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Warning after couple return from holiday to ‘distressing’ discovery

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Cambridgeshire Live

A fire had ripped through the couple’s bedroom while they were on holiday

Couple return from holiday to find fire damage to home

A fire ripped through the bedroom of a couple who had just returned from holiday. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue were called to a house fire in Garton End Road, Peterborough, at around 8am on Saturday morning (August 15).

The owners of the house had been on holiday and just returned home. A fire spokesperson said: “This was a distressing situation to find after being away.

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“There was significant damage to the room, however because all the doors in the house were closed, the fire couldn’t spread and burned itself out due to lack of oxygen.

“This shows the importance of closing doors around the home, especially at night or when going away on holiday. This helps protect the home from fire spreading and causing significant damage, as well as protecting people while asleep.”

The cause of the fire was a vacuum cleaner that had been left on charge. The fire spokesperson added: “A vacuum cleaner was left on charge while the couple was away, which had developed a fault that they were unaware of.

“This shows the importance of making sure all electrical devices are switched off before going on holiday, especially battery chargers.”

Do you want more of the latest Cambridgeshire news as it comes in from across the county? Sign up to our dedicated newsletter to make sure you never miss a big story from Cambridge or anywhere else in the county. You can also sign up to our dedicated Traffic and Crime newsletters for the latest updates on the topics you are most interested in.

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Incredibly rare breeding bird spotted in the North East

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Incredibly rare breeding bird spotted in the North East

The black-tailed godwit, an elegant long-legged wading bird, was spotted and photographed by Northern Echo Camera Club member Paul Borrowdale at WWT Washington Wetland Centre.

Although black-tailed godwits are not considered exceptionally rare worldwide, their status in the UK is very different.

The species is classified as Red under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5, reflecting the dramatic decline of its British breeding population.

Fewer than 60 pairs of the native breeding population are thought to remain, with nesting largely restricted to a small number of wet grassland sites.

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The bird is heavily protected and has become the focus of conservation efforts aimed at preventing its disappearance as a UK breeding species.

Black-tailed godwit (Image: PAUL BORROWDALE/CAMERA CLUB)

However, people have a much better chance of encountering a black-tailed godwit outside the breeding season.

Thousands of birds arrive from Iceland to spend the winter around Britain’s estuaries, mudflats and wetlands, while others can be seen stopping at inland waters during spring and autumn migration.

Globally, the black-tailed godwit has a population numbering in the hundreds of thousands and is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

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The species can be recognised by its exceptionally long legs and long, straight bill.

During spring and summer, adults are particularly striking, developing brick-orange colouring across the head, neck and chest, together with a greyish back and pale belly.

Their winter plumage is considerably more subdued, with birds appearing predominantly grey above and white underneath.

In flight, another series of distinctive features becomes visible: a black tail, white rump and broad white wingbars, while the bird’s long feet project noticeably beyond the end of its tail.

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Black-tailed godwits are taller than the similar bar-tailed godwit and generally have a straighter bill.



They feed in wetlands and estuaries by probing mud and shallow water for worms, insects and other invertebrates, and outside the breeding season they can gather in large, sociable flocks.

Conservation schemes including Project Godwit have worked to protect nesting sites, improve habitat and increase the breeding success of the remaining birds.

Black-tailed godwits are also known for forming long-lasting monogamous pairs. Breeding partners can return separately from migration yet arrive at their nesting grounds within days of one another before raising their chicks together.

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