A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld an Illinois ban on semiautomatic weapons, keeping in place a law passed largely in response to a deadly Independence Day parade shooting.

The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit overturns a lower court decision that found the ban unconstitutional. The 2-1 appellate decision found that the Illinois law does not violate the Second Amendment, and its restrictions are “consistent with the principles that underpin our Nation’s tradition of firearm regulation.”

“Whether to adopt them is thus a decision reposed in our elected representatives, and we reverse,” the appeals court said.

The majority opinion also pushes back on claims made by the plaintiffs that semiautomatic weapons are not at fault for mass shootings.

“The undisputed record evidence undercuts that claim, showing that the presence of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines is strongly correlated with the severity of the societal problem,” the opinion states.

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said in a post on X that the decision is “a victory in the fight to end gun violence that helps keep our communities safe.”

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the firearms industry trade association seeking to stop the ban, said that it is disappointed with the decision and plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case.

The gun trade group said it agrees with Chief Judge Michael Brennan’s dissent in which he wrote that the country prohibits governments from banning “firearms commonly owned for self-defense.”

“Because the people have overwhelmingly chosen the AR-15 rifle and its magazine as their weapon of choice, they are protected by the Second Amendment,” the judge’s dissent states.

The Protect Illinois Communities Act was signed into law in 2023 by Pritzker and bans AR-15 rifles and similar guns, large-capacity magazines and an assortment of attachments.

It came six months after a 2022 shooting in which a gunman on a rooftop in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park opened fire on a parade, killing seven people and injuring more than three dozen.

The law prompted immediate pushback from county sheriffs who said they refused to enforce what they considered an unconstitutional law, while gun owners and advocates sued.

In 2024, a federal judge overturned the ban, leaning on recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that strictly interpret the Second Amendment right to keep and bear firearms.

The injunction was set to take effect 30 days after the judge’s decision. But that same day, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a notice of appeal, which ultimately led to a stay in the injunction.

Raoul said Thursday’s decision enhances public safety. “We have seen the damage that assault weapons and large-capacity magazines can inflict, and these weapons of war have no place in our communities,” he said in a statement.

Last month, the Supreme Court announced it will consider whether bans on semiautomatic rifles, often called assault weapons, violate the Second Amendment. In the fall, the court, which has expanded gun rights, is expected to hear appeals challenging a ban in the Chicago area, which predates the statewide law.

Portmeirion is a popular Welsh tourist destination that has been drawing visitors since the 1920s with its Italian architecture, Mediterranean gardens and stunning coastal views

A unique and beautiful Welsh town has been named the best seaside settlement in the country.

Each year, consumer magazine Which? asks thousands of its readers which seaside town is their favourite. This time around, Bamburgh, in Northumberland, won the overall UK rankings, with Bognor Regis in West Sussex falling to a miserable last place for a second year in a row.

When it comes to the best in Wales, there can only be one winner. Portmerion, which came in at seventh overall, won Welsh supremacy.

Deliberately designed to evoke a slice of heaven on the Welsh coast, Portmeirion provides the perfect retreat with numerous dining spots, watering holes, boutiques and ample opportunities to soak up its breathtaking surroundings.

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Every element throughout the village has been carefully curated to conjure a Mediterranean haven, and it’s been drawing crowds since 1926 s when it first opened.

To mark its centenary, a festival is being held across the four weekends of July. Squeeze, Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, Sir Bryn Terfel, the Brythoniaid Male Voice Choir, Gwenno, Pedair, 9Bach, Bwncath, Melin Melyn, Bob Delyn a’r Ebillion, Pys Melyn, Gareth Bonello, Huw Stephens, Rhys Mwyn and the Llareggub Brass Band are all performing.

The festival is ticketed, as is the town, which has an entry fee. It costs £20 per adult and £14 per child, while annual memberships are £40 and £25 respectively.

How did it begin?

The stunning Portmeirion sprang from the imagination of Welsh architect Clough Williams-Ellis, who was determined to create a development that complemented an already striking location while preserving its organic features.

Construction unfolded across two distinct periods—initially from 1926 through 1939, followed by a second phase spanning 1954 to 1976. By the project’s completion, Clough had reached his 90s, having personally designed and constructed the majority of the buildings, with only a handful relocated from elsewhere.

Among these transplanted features was the Town Hall, which originated from the Bristol Colonnade. His designs consistently embraced Italian architectural influences, which many observers have attributed to the coastal town of Portofino.

Though he refuted such suggestions, insisting he merely wished to ‘capture’ the atmosphere of the Mediterranean, there’s little doubt he succeeded in this endeavour. Despite its compact nature, the village encompasses a diverse array of styles and treasures worth discovering, from Riviera-inspired dwellings to decorative gardens and Italian-style piazzas scattered throughout.

Central to this is the impressive Hotel Portmeirion alongside the village accommodation, providing private lodgings for the approximately 200,000 annual visitors who explore the village.

Accommodation options

The Hotel Portmeirion was established by Clough in 1926 as the village’s centrepiece, serving as the foundation for his vision of the broader settlement. Within its walls lies a self-contained world, featuring 14 elegantly appointed bedrooms alongside a fine-dining restaurant and an impressive terrace and bar space.

The four-star establishment also features an outdoor swimming pool situated on the estuary lawn. Overnight stays in a double room start from approximately £328 and may include breakfast and dinner packages.

The village accommodation is scattered throughout Portmeirion, catering to various groups, with family-friendly rooms available and ground-floor alternatives for those with accessibility requirements.

Each village room is distinctively designed to offer individuality while maintaining that Mediterranean ambience, and all enjoy scenic vistas across the Dwyryd Estuary and the surrounding landscape.

The village is also home to its own castle, Castell Deudraeth, which serves as a four-star residence that Clough described as “the largest and most imposing single building on the Portmeirion estate”.

Visitors who prefer not to stay overnight but still wish to savour the castle’s elegance and charm can choose to dine at its dedicated brasserie.

Self-catering cottages are also available for hire within the village, alongside a motorhome park accommodating caravans and campers.

Dining Options

Open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, the Castell Deudraeth Brasserie delivers exceptional cuisine in a laid-back setting with stunning views.

The Hotel Portmeirion’s restaurant has also garnered significant praise, accumulating more than 500 excellent TripAdvisor reviews. Caffi Glas is another popular dining destination, drawing visitors with its outdoor seating arrangement designed to evoke the ambience of an Italian piazza, complete with a central fountain.

Its alfresco dining experience appeals to those seeking a holiday atmosphere, where patrons can savour freshly made pizzas, pasta dishes and salads. Complementing the menu are wines available by the glass alongside locally sourced, traditional Welsh beers, befitting the Welsh setting.

A widow has revealed she was forced to bury her husband in an unmarked grave in Cape Verde after he fell ill on holiday.

His sudden death – and that of another tourist – takes the number of Britons who have died on all-inclusive trips there since 2023 to at least 10.

Retired forklift driver Colin Timson, 74, was on holiday on the African island with his wife Jacqueline when he started suffering with sickness and diarrhoea. 

The next morning she returned from breakfast to find him collapsed. Mr Timson was taken to hospital but died the same evening, in July 2024.

Cape Verde authorities said the cause of his death was acute gastroenteritis and digestive bleeding. This, they said, had led to dehydration, severe anaemia and septic shock.

Ms Timson, 69, who also fell ill with stomach cramps, said she had to bury her husband just three days later in an unmarked grave, as she believed her travel insurance would not cover the costs of flying his body home.

‘I was told there wasn’t an option to have a cremation in Cape Verde,’ she said. 

‘I couldn’t even bring his ashes home. Instead, he’s buried in an unmarked grave, alone, thousands of miles away from his family.’

Jacqueline Timson was forced to bury her husband in an unmarked grave, as she did not believe her travel insurance would cover the costs of repatriating his body

The couple, from Heighington, near Lincoln, had been to Cape Verde before, and forked out £2,000 for a second trip with the travel firm TUI.

However, Ms Timson, a retired factory worker, said their all-inclusive hotel, the Riu Funana, did not seem to be of the ‘same standard’.

‘Some of the food appeared to be undercooked and was lukewarm,’ she said. ‘The toilets round the pool were full of dead cockroaches and we didn’t go in because the water looked yellow.

‘When [Colin] left the clinic to go to hospital I went back to the hotel as I was told he would be in safe hands and to visit him the following day.

‘I didn’t even know he’d died until I arrived at the hospital. When I heard the news my world fell apart. Everything was a blur.’

The family of another British tourist who died during a TUI package trip have also spoken out today.

Laurence Brownlie, 67, a retired IT engineer from West Lothian, was on holiday only a month before the Timsons.

He became unwell on June 5, while staying at the five-star Melia Llana Beach Resort and Spa in Cape Verde with his wife, Glenna Brownlie, 66.

A few days later, he stood up from the dinner table and collapsed. Flight crew dining nearby attempted CPR, but they were unable to revive him.

According to a death certificate issued by the local authorities, he had suffered a suspected heart attack.

Laurence Brownlie, 67, a retired IT engineer from West Lothian, and his wife Glenna, were on holiday only a month before the Timsons

Laurence, pictured, died three days after falling unwell in Cape Verde

Mr Brownlie’s wife and three daughters – who flew out after his death – said they were unable to see his body before he was returned to the UK.

They reported flies in the food at the hotel and said there was no defibrillator available.

One of his daughters, Erin, 34, said: ‘Dad should have been coming home at the end of their holiday. Instead, our family was left trying to come to terms with losing him in such traumatic circumstances.

‘I can’t imagine how harrowing it must have been for my mum seeing her soulmate pass away in front of her.

‘We’re hearing too many stories of people suffering serious illness or even dying on holidays. The least we now owe Dad is to honour his memory by establishing answers he deserves.’

More than 2,500 people who have visited Cape Verde since 2022 are taking legal action against TUI after they contracted the likes of salmonella, E. Coli and shigella.

This includes around 600 who have come forward in the past four months, after media reports raised the alarm in January.

Jatinder Paul, from the law firm Irwin Mitchell which is representing those affected, said: ‘It’s staggering that we continue to be contacted by hundreds more people reporting how their holidays have been ruined by serious illness.

‘The first-hand accounts from those who have lost loved ones are harrowing.’

Other British holidaymakers who have died include part-time nurse and mother-of-one Elena Walsh, 64, from Birmingham, who died last August, Jane Pressley, 62, from Gainsborough, who died in January 2023, and Mark Ashley, 55, from Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, who died last November.

Karen Pooley, 64, from Lydney, Gloucestershire, died last October after she fell ill at the Riu Funana resort – the same hotel where Mr Timson stayed.

Under UK law, package holiday providers bear legal responsibility for the standards of all services provided, including food, hygiene, and accommodation, even if they are delivered by a third-party hotel abroad.

A spokesman for TUI said: ‘Our thoughts remain with the families affected. TUI provided support in both cases, including assistance to family members and those directly impacted.’

‘Our records do not contain reports of diarrhoea and vomiting being made to TUI at the time, and notes recorded by our team indicate that Mrs Timson reported her husband had been feeling unwell during the flight to Cape Verde.

‘Mrs Timson thanked TUI reps for their support when our customer care team was in contact on her return to the UK.’

The travel firm added that the first it had heard of the Timsons’ and the Brownlies’ legal claims was yesterday, and that for legal reasons, ‘it would not be appropriate for us to comment further on the specifics of either case’.

He will appear at Newtownards Magistrates’ Court on Friday

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A 43-year-old man has been charged following two armed robberies.

The man has been charged with robbery, attempted robbery, two counts of possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indicatable offence and two counts of criminal damage.

The charges are linked to two armed robberies in Bangor on the night of Wednesday, July 8, according to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

He will appear at Newtownards Magistrates’ Court on Friday, July 10.

All charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.

An Irishman has been jailed for just 14 years for brutally killing an American tourist during sex and dumping her body in the woods.

Mackenzie Elizabeth Michalski, 31, a nurse from Portland, Oregon, went missing while on holiday in Hungary in November 2024.

The defendant, identified only by his initials LTM thanks to Hungarian anonymity laws, invited Michalski to his apartment for sex after meeting her in a Budapest nightclub.

He then tied her up, bashed, and strangled her before attempting to conceal the murder by hiding her body in his closet.

After killing Michalski, the man, then aged 37, cleaned the apartment, stuffed her body into a freshly bought suitcase and drove it about 90 miles southwest in a rented car to Lake Balaton where he hid it in nearby woods.

The Budapest-Capital Regional Court found the man guilty of murder, and on Wednesday sentenced him to 14 years in prison without parole. 

‘The defendant did not attempt to resuscitate the deceased, nor did he call for help; according to the court’s findings, he intended the outcome of his actions, that is, the victim’s death,’ the court said in a statement.

The young woman’s autopsy found she was choked for two to three minutes and also suffered blunt force trauma to her head. Her mother told the court that Michalski’s face was unrecognizable when she saw it.

Michalski (far right) with her parents Jill and Bill, and brother Nikk

Michalski in the elevator with LTM inside his apartment building after they left the nightclub together – the last time she was seen alive

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Police found disturbing video of Michalski’s body, naked and still tied up, on her killer’s phone.

They also seized a ‘spy pen’ he owned that, along with more twisted evidence of his crime, had footage of him approaching numerous women in Budapest.

Michalski was reported missing on November 5, 2024, by friends after she never checked out of their Airbnb and missed her flight back to the US.

Hungarian police investigating her disappearance soon found security footage of her leaving the Szimpla Kert nightclub with LTM.

Investigators said his internet search history included queries on whether pigs eat dead bodies, the presence of wild boars around Lake Balaton and the reliability of Budapest police.

They included ‘Do pigs really eat dead bodies?’ and ‘Texas woman killed by a wild boar’.

Other searches asked ‘what does a dead body smell like after it decomposes’ and how to ‘remove rotting meat smell’.

LTM also searched ‘how reliable is the police in Budapest’ and ‘how do the police handle missing person cases?’.

Michalski was reported missing on November 5, 2024, by friends after she never checked out of their Airbnb and missed her flight back to the US

Michalski was a frequent travel and posted photos of herself all over the world on social media

LTM’s defense petitioned the court to exhume her body for testing and to reopen her psychological and medical history, but this was denied by the court

After his arrest in Budapest two days after the murder, he helped investigators locate Michalski’s body, but insisted her death was accidental. 

Video released by police at the time showed LTM in handcuffs leading police to where the body was abandoned inside the suitcase.

Police dogs watched on as specialists in hazmat suits placed markers in the ground at the direction of the killer.

Evidence bags labeled ‘one’ and ‘two’ were collected, along with samples of grass and leaves, before the Irishman was returned to the police car.

LTM’s lawyers argued at his trial that Michalski’s injuries were from consensual rough sex and she asked him to choke her, which accidentally killed her.

His defense petitioned the court to exhume her body for testing and to reopen her psychological and medical history, but this was denied by the court.

‘Everything I did, I did because Kenzie asked me… I didn’t want to take her life,’ he told the court during her trial.

One of LTM’s lawyers, György Magyar, likened Michalski’s death to a car accidentally sliding down a road and hitting a tree, killing its passenger.

Police shared photos of the evidence collected, including this suitcase that Michalski’s body was stuffed inside and later recovered from woods

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Police released photographs of the evidence collected during their investigation

Prosecutors rubbished LTM’s ‘rough sex’ defense as Michalski suffered from an old neck injury and had never shown any interest in BDSM.

Michalski’s mother Jill implored the court to give the Irishman ‘deserves the harshest penalty allowed by law’ for his ‘heinous crime’ when she spoke at a sentencing hearing on Tuesday.

‘We will never be able to enjoy our only daughter’s birthday ever again,’ she said.

‘Since she was a child, Mackenzie dreamed of her wedding day and starting a family with her future husband. But now she’ll never be able to experience this.’ 

Jill raged against Hungarian laws that protected LTM’s identity while he was able to ‘besmirch’ his victim’s name in his defense.

Once LTM has completed his sentence in 2038, he will be deported back to Ireland. 

The defense has already lodged an appeal against the verdict and sentence.

Michalski dated Kenton Reichen in Portland for six years before her death, but they were on a break at the time and he pulled out of going on the trip to Europe.

Reichen wrote on social media that he blamed himself for her death and promised to ‘make it up to her… someday’.

‘I’ll miss you. I fell in love with you watching the sunset in Ibiza carrying you with your broken ankle. You were everything I needed in life. I’m sorry I failed you,’ he wrote.

Michalski dated Kenton Reichen (pictured together on a previous trip to Budapest) in Portland for six years before her death, but they were on a break at the time and he pulled out of going on the trip to Europe

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Reichen wrote on social media that he blamed himself for her death and promised to ‘make it up to her… someday’

A vigil held for Michalski in upstate New York – where she grew up and her parents still live – two days after her killer was arrested

Photos of Michalski and her friends and family displayed at the candlelight vigil

‘She was perfect, but I neglected her in many ways. It hurts me a lot, and I wish I could have protected her.

‘Kenzie did not deserve to be beaten, raped and killed so brutally. I wish I could have saved her from this. This will forever be the biggest mistake of my life.’ 

Kenton flew to Budapest after hearing she was missing, and assisted Michalski’s parents in searching for her until her killer confessed.

‘Kenzie will forever be remembered as a beautiful and compassionate young woman who dedicated herself to caring for others and making the world a better place,’ Michalski’s family said after LTM’s arrest. 

‘As a nurse practitioner, Kenzie used her humor, positivity, and limitless empathy to help heal her patients and encourage family and friends alike.’ 

The retail chiefs are urging the Welsh Government not to pursue a difference path

Executives from some of the UK’s biggest drink and supermarket firms have written to First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth warning that his government’s policy could mean higher prices, reduced consumer choice and increasing uncertainty for businesses.

The retail chiefs from Sainsbury, Coca-Cola and the Co-op are urging the Welsh Government not to pursue a different type of scheme to encourage recycling of empty bottles and cans, known as a deposit return scheme (DRS).

The DRS scheme is due to launch October 1, 2027, and will see customers pay a 20p refundable deposit when buying single-use plastic bottles, steel and aluminium cans. People will get the 20p back when they return the clean, uncrushed container to an approved return point.

England, Scotland and Northern Ireland are all adopting aligned schemes with Exchange for Change having been appointed in May 2025 to operate the return scheme in all three nations. The schemes across the UK are designed to reduce litter and increase recycling rates.

The Welsh Government has yet to confirm an administrator to run its DRS as the Plaid Cymru government has indicated that it wants to add glass bottles to the scheme when it becomes feasible to do so

Signatories to the letter include general manager of Coca-Cola in the UK, An Vermeulen, chief executive of Tesco Ashwin Prasad, chief executive of Sainsbury’s Simon Roberts, chief executive of Carlsberg Britvic, Paul Davies, chief executive of the Co-operative Group Kate Allum and chief executive of AG Barr Euan Sutherland.

In the letter to the First Minister the executives argue that appointing Exchange for Change is the only realistic route to delivering a DRS in Wales on time while also creating interoperability benefits between the four nations.

They write: “Our businesses are looking forward to working closely with you and your government across a wide range of areas, including the urgent issue of the Welsh Deposit Return Scheme . We recognise that your government has inherited significant delays to the process of appointing a scheme administrator from the previous administration.

“It rejected the industry-backed bid by Exchange for Change to run the Welsh scheme, despite its application containing a pragmatic compromise on glass and complying with the regulations. We welcome your government’s recent constructive engagement with industry and Exchange for Change to find a way forward, building on your manifesto commitment to include glass only when it becomes practically feasible.

“There is now less than fifteen months until the scheme’s legislated launch date in October 2027. Based on our experience with other schemes and the preparation they require, the only realistic option for staying on schedule in Wales is appointing Exchange for Change and working with them to deliver a scheme. Unless this happens by the end of July, commercial and operational realities that our businesses have to respond to will create negative economic outcomes for Welsh consumers, reducing choice and increasing the costs of products on shelves. “

Any retailer selling in-scope drinks containers would be required to set up a collection and payment system. Many will use RVMs (reverse vending machines) in store, which read barcodes as bottles are inserted and provide a receipt or returns, which are then paid at the counter. The initial cost of the RVMs would be borne by the supermarket or convenience store. Standard RVMs cost around £15,000 per unit, but the soft-drop RVMs required to collect glass in Wales could cost £30,000.

They add: “We share your ambition for a DRS that builds on Wales’ world-leading rates of recycling. Alongside wider industry, our businesses are investing over £1bn establishing DRS (across the UK by next year) which, if aligned across the four nations, could halve litter and push recycling rates above 90%. We remain committed to working with your government and officials at pace on appointing Exchange for Change to deliver a scheme that works for the people of Wales as part of a DRS aligned across the UK. “

The industry has previously raised concerns that requiring full-scale glass collection at every return point from day one in Wales could add around 50p to the cost of every drink sold in a glass bottle . There is also concern that, if a functioning return network is not ready in time, Welsh consumers could be required to pay deposits on eligible containers without a practical way of getting that money back.

A spokesperson for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, said: “A well-run DRS reduces litter, boost recycling rates, reduce carbon emissions and create a cleaner environment for communities – every week without a scheme administrator for the proposed Welsh scheme makes delivering those benefits more challenging.

“Businesses want to focus on building a scheme that genuinely serves Welsh consumers and the environment. Therefore we respectfully encourage the Welsh Government to move forward appointing a scheme administrator before recess.”

A spokesperson for The Co-operative Group, said: Action to protect the environment is a consistent priority for Co-op members, and we have long welcomed a Deposit Return Scheme that increases recycling rates and decreases litter.

“We want to see accelerated progress towards a more circular economy, to protect the range and cost of drinks available to consumers, and to continue to serve communities through our stores right across Wales – all of which can only be achieved if the Welsh Government moves with pace and pragmatism to appoint Exchange for Change without any further delay.”

Andy Bagnall, director general, British Soft Drinks Association, said: “Industry has a lot of sympathy with the new Welsh Government which has inherited the delays to the Welsh DRS from its predecessor.

“There is still time to deliver a scheme that works for shoppers, businesses and retailers alike, but that window is closing rapidly. Appointing Exchange for Change offers the quickest and most practical route to delivering the scheme on time and alongside the rest of the UK. That also means taking a pragmatic approach to including glass in the Welsh scheme and not repeating the mistakes of the previous administration by trying to include full scale glass collection on day one, which is simply unaffordable for Welsh businesses and consumers.”

The Welsh Government were asked to provide an update on the procurement process. If was also asked if Exchange for Change isn’t appointed whether it would seek to implement and fund its own DRS. It has been estimated that running its own scheme could cost £100m.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We are working at pace on a formal process to appoint a deposit management organisation which will be concluded soon. It would be inappropriate to prejudge the outcome of this process

The UK is home to beautiful coastal towns and villages, but there’s one less than two hours from Cambridge that has been named among the best, thanks to its traditional seaside charm

The UK’s best seaside destinations have been named – and one is less than a two-hour drive from Cambridge.

With sweeping expanses of smooth shingle beach and picturesque pastel-coloured Victorian architecture lining the promenade, Aldeburgh has earned recognition as a beloved coastal town. In research by Which?, the East Suffolk seaside destination was highly praised by visitors for its scenery, ambience, food and drink offerings, and shopping scene, all of which earned four stars out of five.

Elsewhere, the survey by Which?, with more than 3,500 people, also ranked Aldeburgh with three stars out of five for its beach, seafront, tourist attractions and value for money. This earned it an overall destination score of 80%, securing its place among the top five UK seaside towns and villages.

Its unspoilt shore is the type of place you’d want to pitch up a striped deck chair for a traditional day out at the beach and to admire its coastal vistas in a typically quieter resort. Adding to the authentic seaside charm, Aldeburgh is renowned for its award-winning fish and chip shops, which encourage visitors to enjoy the British dish ‘The Aldeburgh Way’.

There’s the family-run Aldeburgh Fish & Chip Shop, just a short walk from the beach, that has been open since 1967, serving up chips made from locally sourced potatoes and a selection of fish. Also on Aldeburgh’s High Street is The Golden Galleon, which offers pies and burgers, while The Upper Deck Diner is upstairs for indoor dining.

One happy customer hailed The Golden Galleon and shared on TripAdvisor, “Haddock and chips are the best in Suffolk!” Another noted The Upper Deck Diner for having ‘excellent fish and chips’, writing: “Wonderful fish and chips at a reasonable price, excellent service from the lovely staff.”

Aside from its fish suppers, there are pubs to grab a refreshing pint, inviting cafes and bakeries, and a range of restaurants, including Two Magpies Bakery Aldeburgh, Regatta Restaurant for seafood, Aldeburgh Munchies for a brew and people-watching, and Thai Street Cafe Aldeburgh. Elsewhere on its buzzing high street, there are a plethora of shops, including the independent Aldeburgh Bookshop, the women’s clothing shop, ORLANDO’S, the gift store, Alde River, and local favourite, The Pug And The Pussycat.

Aldeburgh even has some famous links, with former Manchester United footballer and Irish pundit, Roy Keane, said to have called the seaside town home, along with Peter Sinfield, the co-founder and lyricist of the 70s rock band, King Crimson. Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears are also big names in the town, having launched the Aldeburgh Music Club in 1952, while the Aldeburgh Literary Festival remains a major event enjoyed by locals.

Top 30 seaside towns and villages

• Bamburgh — 84%
• Tynemouth — 82%
• St Andrews — 81%
• Aldeburgh — 80%
• Crail — 80%
• Frinton-on-Sea — 80%
• Portmeirion — 80%
• St Davids — 79%
• Bude — 78%
• Southwold — 78%
• North Berwick — 77%
• Plockton — 77%
• St Ives — 77%
• Swanage — 77%
• Lyme Regis — 76%
• Lytham St Annes — 76%
• Portstewart — 76%
• Conwy — 75%
• Dornoch — 75%
• Filey — 75%
• Lynmouth — 75%
• Sidmouth — 75%
• St Mawes — 75%
• Tenby — 75%
• Tobermory — 75%
• Wells-next-the-Sea — 75%
• Whitley Bay — 75%
• Broadstairs — 74%
• Falmouth — 74%
• Llandudno — 74%

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “The North East has emerged as this year’s favourite seaside spot, a reflection of its outstanding beaches and the fact that holidays here can be fantastic value for money.

“It also shows that there are special seaside towns in every corner of the UK. From Swanage to Plockton, Southwold to Conwy, you’ll have a great time in many of the country’s lesser-known destinations, and should save some money too.

“Whether you’re returning to a much-loved seaside town or discovering a hidden gem, there’s something for everyone.”

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

One of the most exclusive beach resorts in Wales received one of the lowest ratings from the consumer body

Consumer body Which? has named what the seaside towns in Wales that are the least highly rated by visitors.

The magazine, which is published by the Consumers’ Association charity, said that Bangor was was the least well-thought-of seaside town in Wales based on its survey of 5,000 people.

Barry Island received the second lowest rating after those quizzed were asked to assess seaside towns on the quality of the beaches, scenery, food and drink, accommodation, tourist attractions, shopping and value for money.

One visitor said Barry Island was “tacky” and only worth visiting if you “love Gavin & Stacey”. Both Barry and Bangor scored more highly than the seaside town Which? rated the worst in the UK. Bognor Regis scored 41% and just one star in most categories. Visitors said it was “tired” and needed “major rejuvenation”.

At the top of the list, the mock Italian tourist village of Portmeirion built by architect Clough Williams-Ellis on the coast of north-west Wales close to Penrhyndeudraeth was the highest rated seaside town in Wales. It was closely followed by St Davids in Pembrokeshire.

Surprisingly, the millionaires playground of Abersoch on the Llyn Peninsula was was one of the lowest-scoring seaside towns in Wales because of its expensive reputation. It scored fourth-lowest coming only narrowly behind north Wales town Colwyn Bay and marginally above the west Wales port of Fishguard.

The lowest-rated seaside towns in Wales by Which?

• Bangor – 46%
• Barry Island – 54%
• Colwyn Bay – 55%
• Abersoch – 55%
• Fishguard – 56%

One visitor to Barry Island said “Unless you are a big Gavin and Stacey fan I’d give it a miss.” Visitors described the seafront as “a bit tacky”, however the beach scored three stars and one visitor said it is an “old fashioned and lively seaside town, great beaches and interesting walks.”

Abersoch, where beach huts sell for the price of family homes, suffered when people were asked to rate tourist attractions and value for money.

For many years now the coastal town of close to the tip of the Llyn Peninsula has been loved by celebrities including Coleen Rooney and Bradley Cooper, who enjoy its beaches, fine dining and sailing. Homes on the exclusive Benar Headland sell for upwards of £1m and it has been compared to Sandbanks in Dorset.

One contributor said: ”Abersoch is very expensive. It’s a millionaires’ playground. Having said that, it’s a nice place to visit, people-watch, and spend lots of money. Good walking, sailing and nice beach.”

Another said: “‘Abersoch is extremely expensive because of all the people flocking in from the wealthy areas of Cheshire and Merseyside. The beaches are so quiet even at the height of the season because they are so big. Views are magnificent. Food expensive but good’

Fisghuard, which also scored poorly is a favourite of WalesOnline travel reporter, Portia Jones, who says it’s home to one of the best cafes in Wales, as well as top ranked bakers.

The highest-rated seaside towns in Wales

• Portmeirion – 80%
• St Davids – 79%
• Conwy – 75%
• Tenby – 75%
• Llandudno – 74%

Portmeirion achieved 80% scoring highly on tourist attractions, scenery and its seafront.

St Davids in Pembrokeshire was valued it for its scenery and tourist attractions.

Bamburgh in Northumberland took the top spot in Which?’s survey for the sixth year running. With an overall destination score of 84 per cent, Bamburgh was given five stars for its beach, seafront and scenery. Visitors praised the “lovely beach overlooking Bamburgh Castle” and the “spectacular coastal scenery.”

In the survey, many popular seaside towns had middling scores. Despite their reputation as trendy destinations, Margate (53%) and Newquay (55%) received just one star for peace and quiet and two stars for value for money.

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel said: “The North East has emerged as this year’s favourite seaside spot, a reflection of its outstanding beaches and the fact that holidays here can be fantastic value for money.

“It also shows that there are special seaside towns in every corner of the UK. From Swanage to Plockton, Southwold to Conwy, you’ll have a great time in many of the country’s lesser-known destinations, and should save some money too.

“Whether you’re returning to a much-loved seaside town or discovering a hidden gem, there’s something for everyone.”

With former defence minister Al Carns confirming he will not contest the Labour leadership, a coronation for Andy Burnham is all but guaranteed.

That will mean no clash of ideas, no test of mettle, no televised debate. For a man so thoroughly convinced he is uniquely placed to lead the Labour Party and the country to sunnier days, the outgoing Manchester mayor seems oddly averse to scrutiny.

He’ll write the odd opinion piece for a national newspaper and even entertain a Q&A with Reddit, the Left-leaning online forum (only answering the questions he wants), but a one-on-one telly grilling from the legendary broadcaster and Daily Mail columnist Andrew Neil these are not.

A leader as confident in his abilities as Burnham would surely relish the opportunity to press his Left-wing case in a leadership contest against some Blairite holdout, to debunk their policy proposals as Tory-lite and put forward prescriptions of his own.

He could place before the membership two sharply contrasting visions for their party and win their endorsement for his vision so emphatically that his internal opponents are forced to fall in line or at least scale back any efforts to undermine him.

If Burnham is the saviour he believes himself to be, it is in his interests to have a competition rather than a coronation.

Why, then, is he snatching at the crown? Given the ideological make-up of the Labour Party membership, there would be little risk of defeat were he to face a centrist rival.

The risk would be to the ego of a man who reeks of entitlement and seems to regard being Prime Minister as his destiny. That Burnham is this hostile to scrutiny while he loiters on the doorstep of No 10 does not bode well for his temperament once inside. The Labour Party will come to regret installing an untested leader in these most testing of times.

The only voters given a say have been his constituents in the Makerfield by-election, and that in a part of the country very friendly to Labour. Such is the way of it with our constitution; neither a general election nor a leadership poll is required to change Prime Minister.

However, after a decade of ever-changing premiers, it is plain that some form of contest is advisable, if only to give the voters an opportunity to hear from their new Prime Minister and see what he’s all about.

When Liz Truss stood to replace Boris Johnson in 2022, there was a genuine contest thanks to the candidacy of Rishi Sunak. The pair debated, claimed, counter-claimed and squirmed through difficult questions about their intentions, and while the membership initially went with Truss, a bruising contest meant that when her tenure ended in catastrophe, there was a successor ready and waiting whom the country felt had been sufficiently tested.

Burnham’s unwillingness to submit himself to the most cursory democratic examination bodes ill. For the man himself, it means he will enter Downing Street without a popular mandate. When times get tough, and they will, he will not be able to fall back on this democratic endorsement.

He won’t be able to keep internal foes at bay by reminding them that the membership chose him. In declining to submit himself to a contest, he is implicitly admitting that a contest might return someone else as leader. That possibility will be chum in the water should his government get off to a rocky start.

Earning the job brings legitimacy but it also buys a level of protection from those around the Cabinet table who would do to him what he has done to Keir Starmer. Burnham is denying himself that protection.

Of course, he is only getting his coronation because the Labour Party is allowing him one. Without intending it, Labour is telling the country not that Burnham is the best man for the job but that he’s the only one they’re willing to countenance. What does it say about the party of government, an outfit which secured a landslide two years ago, that it cannot field a single alternative leader to a city mayor.

If their aim is to conceal tensions within the party, Burnham’s premiership might well thrust these divisions into the foreground.

Among the various reasons why Starmer failed so dismally is that, no matter what they promise, Labour governments always spend more.

Starmer arrived in No 10 to find there was little in the way of fiscal headroom. Without a significant cut in spending or increase in taxes, there would be no money to lavish on those items Labour MPs prioritise.

This is why Starmer first attempted to slash welfare expenditure, only to be trounced by indignant backbenchers. Burnham will now confront the same benefits bill, the same backbenchers – and the same sense that the Government is adrift and without direction.

The pressure will build and the momentum will grow for a fresh direction – another one – and Burnham will be denied an appeal to his mandate among party members.

Finally, and most importantly, a coronation does real damage to the country. Britain is facing a decline far steeper than anything seen in the 1970s.

Sluggish growth, uncontrolled immigration, compromised defences, runaway spending, the threat of separatism in Scotland and Wales, and the growth in Islamic extremism and other domestic security concerns – the scale of challenges the next prime minister must overcome is daunting.

Spurning a genuine competition of ideas in favour of bestowing the crown on a chippy, arrogant regional politician just because he wants it now and is willing to scream and scream to get it is a fatal mistake of national consequence.

It means gambling everything, including Britain’s future, on Burnham being as good as he tells everyone he is.

This is a not terribly impressive New Labour frontbencher who has lost every competitive leadership poll he has stood in, a self-styled political messiah whose only miracle has been spreading cash and sentimentalism across his own backyard.

Few men on the cusp of No 10 have been so shielded from the most basic assessments of competence and fortitude.

Should Burnham prove to be a dud, and he’s given us no grounds to suppose otherwise, it will mean yet another failed Prime Minister, more wasted years.

Britain cannot afford many more of these. This nation is in desperate need of a leader, but instead is being made to settle for another self-promoting member of the Westminster establishment. A lanyardista is a lanyardista, even if he likes pie’n’gravy and has spent time north of Luton.