The lorry park was created without planning permission and handed an Enforcement Notice from the council

An inspector has ruled a lorry park must be restored to its original condition after being created without permission. The land lies north west of Thrapston Road just outside of Brington and was handed an enforcement notice last year demanding the lorries and vehicles be removed.

Huntingdonshire District Council gave the occupiers six months from September 2025 to restore the land to its condition before the “unauthorised storage use took place”.

Marshall Ndhlovu, of Elmarsh Logistics Ltd, appealed the Enforcement Notice – arguing the site “provides essential operational space” for the small-scale logistics business, “supporting local employment and efficient movement of goods”.

He said “most of the site is fenced off from public view”, and was tarred in the 1990s and hasn’t been used as agricultural land “for over 30 years”.

Mr Ndholvu said it was “factually impossible and unreasonable” to require them to restore the land to agricultural use “where the land has been hardstanding for decades”. He also requested 12 to 18 months to move the fleet instead of six, “due to contractual obligations and site alternatives”.

He said the company had been searching for alternative land since the notice, but it “has proved difficult to secure an alternative arrangement given the operational pressures of vacating the land”. The council said the storage use “fails to recognise the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside” and there’s not enough evidence to justify it “functions well and adds to the overall quality of the area”.

Though accepting there “may have been some lorries kept on this land” while the A14 dual carriageway was built, planning permission was never granted for a change of use from agricultural land. They said there was enough time given, as the landowners “have known since 2018 that this land required planning permission to be used for the current purposes”.

An application was refused in 2021 to use the land for parking and no appeal was launched.

M Savage, from the Planning Inspectorate, visited on February 4 and saw a “significant number of different vehicles” including HGVs, vans and cars and “other items, such as tyres and machinery”.

They agreed with the council that the land was used for ‘storage’ not ‘parking’ as vehicles would have to be moved “to enable other vehicles to leave the site”.

A nearby resident wrote to support the appeal, claiming that the site has been “hard-surfaced since the 1990s” and was “used as a dumping site for rubbish, attracting vermin” until the current owner took over.

The inspector accepted there was evidence it was “historically used for the storage of vehicles and equipment” while the dual carriageway was constructed, but said it is “unlikely it would be possible to resume using it in this way, given the construction of that part of the A14 has long since been carried out”.

They also said six months was a “reasonable period of time” and the appeal was dismissed.

Where is this country, you may ask? This is Montenegro, which neighbours Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania.

With a population of more than 600,000, Montenegro is often described as “small and beautiful”, soaking up between 240 to 270 days of sun each year.

After spending a long weekend exploring historic towns and villages, taking in breathtaking scenery across the mountains and lakes, and watching the sunset behind the rolling hills – it’s a stunning place that truly offers it all.

It’s so unique: you could kick-start your day by skiing in the mountains, then round it off by the coast with a swim in the sea.

Wherever you go, you’ll be greeted by friendly Montenegrin hospitality, with the best produce of fish, meats, wine and cheese (and lots of laughs on the side).

If you’re a food lover with a sweet tooth like me, there are plenty of delicious cakes and pasteries to try from many fantastic family-run eateries – so much so, you may regret not bringing your tupperware from home to savour every last bite.

While some neighbouring countries have hogged the limelight in recent years, it’s Monetenegro’s time to shine – here’s why you need to add this stunning European hidden gem to your travel bucket list.

Why you need to visit Montenegro

1. Travel time

Flights from the UK to Montenegro take between three to three and a half hours on average, making it an ideal destination from an extended weekend getaway to a week-long escape.

Getting there couldn’t be easier, Jet2.com offer flights and holidays to Montenegro, flying to Tivat from Birmingham, London Stansted and Manchester.

For more details, prices and to book your next holiday to Tivat, visit the Jet2 website.

2. History

Take a trip to Kotor and explore the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site teaming with cobbled streets, an array of cafes, bars, restaurants, cats (yes, cats!) plus history at every turn including several churches and the famous St Tryphon Cathedral.

In 1979, an earthquake caused widespread damage to Kotor, including the Old Town, leading to a mass restoration effort, including support from UNESCO. When walking through the squares and narrow streets, look up, and you’ll spot the blend of old and new architecture.

Kotor Old Town in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

Next up, cat lovers, this one’s for you. The Old Town is also home to hundreds of friendly stray cats who are looked after by locals. Stroll around the streets and you’ll find cats wandering around, sunbathing, or cutely photobombing your camera roll.

It’s said the cats were brought to Kotor on the ships many years ago to stop rodents from destroying precious cargo and have remained in the town ever since – becoming something of an unofficial symbol for good luck in the area.

Kotor Old Town also has a Cats Museum that costs €1 for entry and is open daily from 10am to 8pm.

If you’re up for a longer walk to take in more of the views, you can walk around the city walls for free. Or if you’re feeling brave enough, it’s €15 to walk up the steps outside of the Old Town city wall to Kotor Fortress, with the path open from 8 am to 10 pm.

Kali Kula fortress at Herceg Novi in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

For a double dose of history (and fortresses), don’t forget to add Herceg Novi to your list. Situated at the top of the hill overlooking the bay, the Kanli Kula fortress provides a dramatic backdrop and is used in summer as a stage, hosting many performances.

On the way down from Kanli Kula, don’t forget to stop off at Forte Mare, another historic fortress which offers sweeping views across the sea, as well as plenty of picture opportunities of the turquoise-filled waterfront.

Herceg Novi in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

3. Stunning scenery

It’s difficult to take a bad photo of Montenegro – from majestic mountains overlooking the Bay of Kotor, to the hundreds of vibrant green lilypads that adorn Lake Skadar – you’ll struggle to find a poor picture on your camera roll.

On our trip, we embarked on a private two-hour boat tour of Lake Skadar, the largest freshwater lake in the south of Europe.

The tour got underway, meandering the narrow waterways, before revealing an endless amount of unspoilt hills drenched in shades of green.

Lilypads adorn the waters along Lake Skadar in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

Scattered across the lake, you’ll find lots of lilypads glistening in the sunshine for as far as the eye can see.

Between the vast waterways, gorgeous greenery and the occasional boat, the area is teaming with a variety of birdlife – perched on the tops of branches and posts, who casually observe the boats that sail on past.

Lake Skadar in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

If you were to close your eyes for a moment and reopen them, you could easily mistake that you were on the other side of the world, but you’re not. This unspoilt hidden gem is only a few hours’ flight from the UK.

It was a serene trip, taking in rural Montenegro in such a unique way with brilliant company, a memory I’ll certainly treasure.

The captain of our private boat ride on Lake Skadar in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

4. Cool coastlines

Our trip also included a visit to the Adriatic coast, taking in the sea air on a late afternoon walk to soak up the last of the day’s sun.

Starting at the Sventi Stefan viewpoint, we criss-crossed our way past Milocer beach, followed by Queen’s Beach, before ending at Przno beach.

Milocer Beach in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

From here, we stopped for a sunset dinner, overlooking the bay at the Maestral Resort and Casino. Don’t forget to make room for the hotel’s delicious desserts, from ice creams to cakes to Nutella-filled treats.

The views of the Adriatic Sea from Hotel Maestral in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

Just further up the bay is the Merit Casino Royal Splendid, named in honour of the 2006 James Bond movie, Casino Royale. While Montenegro was put on the map thanks to the blockbuster, sadly, the actual casino movie scenes were filmed elsewhere.

5. Trendy Tivat

On our penultimate day on the trip, we ventured to Tivat – a trendy town overlooking the Bay of Kotor and known as the ‘Monaco of Montenegro’.

We kicked off the day with a slice of history, travelling back in time inside the Tivat Submarine, a 50-metre former Yugoslav Navy vessel that operated between 1968 and 1990.

The Tivat Submarine, part of the Naval Heritage Museum in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

While it was built in Split in neighbouring country Croatia, the submarine became part of the Navy of Yugoslavia in the late sixties.

The submarine is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm and costs €5 per person and €1.50 for children.

Porto Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

From here, we had a guided walking tour of Tivat and Porto Montenegro and heard about the transformation of Tivat, from its history as a naval base to the trendy town it is today.

Stroll along the streets, and you can pretend you’re a millionaire for the morning, passing high-end designer stores such as Versace, Balenciaga, Ralph Lauren, Fendi and more.

Head down to the waterfront and Porto Montenegro offers many picture opportunities with dozens of luxury yachts lined up from around the world, separated by rows upon rows of palm trees on the shoreline.

The stunning town of Tivat in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

Nearby there’s a selection of many cafes, bars and restaurants alongside the marina to take a seat, grab a coffee (or an ice cream) and simply watch the world go by.

The area is very much on the up, with a variety of projects on the go to bring about more apartments, hotels, bars, shops and restaurants as the town continues to grow and evolve.

Tivat and Porto Montenegro are also home to many events, including the Port in the Polo tournament, an international fashion festival, a jazz festival, plus a number of regattas.

6. Olive odyssey

Montenegro is famous for its olives, boasting a tradition of olive farming that spans back centuries.

We had a fun afternoon at the Moric Olive Farm, meeting the eccentric Doctor Ilija Moric, who kindly took us on a private guided tour of the Moric family olive farm.

Following a carob liquor shot welcome drink, described by our host as ‘rocket fuel’, we embarked on a walking tour of the estate, learning more about the process to grow and harvest olives, and of course, the opportunity to sample the famous olive oil.

Doctor Ilija Moric, host of our guided tour of Moric Olive Farm in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

Fun fact – each olive tree on the farm can produce approximately 3,000 bottles of olive oil. Due to the oxidation of the olive, which we learned is a fruit, it needs to be processed the same day once it has been harvested.

Our afternoon was rounded off with the opportunity to explore the old family mill and sample some cake, drizzled with non-other than olive oil – an odd combination you may think – yet it tasted amazing and is something you truly have to try.

7. Food and drink

The highlight of the trip has to be, without doubt, a five-course meal cooked by our very own Michelin chef, Nikola Popovic, our on final night in Montenegro.

A Michelin meal with a view, overlooking the Bay of Kotor (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

The location was stunning, situated halfway up a mountain, overlooking the Bay of Kotor and the surrounding areas as the sun slowly began to set.

Particular highlights of the meal included a succulent slow-cooked lamb that simply had to be savoured, plus a fabulous falafel, and a light strawberry cake for dessert.

Michelin chef Nikola Popović cooked a stunning five-course meal overlooking the Bay of Kotor (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

All food was sourced locally and cooked just feet away from us on the mountainside – we could hear the crackle of the outdoor log fire as our food cooked away.

Looking back on the trip, we didn’t have a bad meal and the Montenegrin hospitality was second-to-none.

A selection of meats and cheese at the Lazure restaurant in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

Best picks for a meal in Montenegro included:

Olive cake with rosemary ice cream at Bocasa Beach restaurant in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

• Oblun Restaurant – the nettle soup was a delicious starter to kick off a lunchtime feast, consisting of risotto, veal, plus sides of cheeses, salads and more.

Lunchtime feast at the Olblun restaurant in Montenegro, featuring nettle soup in the background (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

Where to go in Montenegro

Whether you’re planning a long weekend, a seven-day escape, or something longer, there’s plenty of places to visit.

Given the vast geography of Montenegro, we’ve mapped out the best places to go – from hotels and restaurants to spectacular sites and places of interest, the list includes:

• Herceg Novi (Kanli Kula and Forte Mare)
• Moric Olive Farm near Rose
• Jošice
• Tivat
• Perast
• Our Lady of the Rocks
• Kotor Old Town
• Cetinje
• Njeguši
• Oblun
• Budva
• Rijeka Crnojevića
• Sveti Stefan View Point
• Przno beach
• Lake Skadar

Fast facts about Montenegro

• Currency: Euro
• Flight time from the UK: Typically between 3-3.5hours
• Time difference in Montenegro to the UK: +1hour
• Language spoken: Montenegrin
• Can you learn Montenegrin on Duolingo? No
• Famous Montenegrin foods: Njeguški Pršut (smoked ham), Njeguški Sir (local cheese), Black risotto (risotto made with cuttlefish or squid), plus an array of fresh seafood
• Average price of a pint of beer in Montenegro: Typically between €1.50 and €4
• Average price of a glass of wine in Montenegro: Typically between €1.50 and €4
• Most famous traditional Montenegrin instrument: Gusle (a single stringed musical instrument)

The Gusle, a famous musical instrument in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

Montenegro weather

If you fancy some sun on your trip, you’re in luck. Montenegro typically gets between 240 to 270 days of sun each year.

December to February averages about 13°C, before picking up in March to 16°C, April and May reach between 19°C and 24°C.

Heading into the summer months, June reaches 28°C, while the hottest times of the year are July and August, picking up a scorching 31°C.

If you want to lose the busy summer crowds – jet away in the autumn. September averages about 26°C, October picks up 22°C and November offers temperatures of about 17°C.

Prices

During our trip, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay, a beautiful five-star hotel situated on the shores overlooking the Bay of Kotor and the majestic mountains.

It’s a stylish slice of paradise with everything you need from bars and restaurants to one indoor and two outdoor pools, plus a spa, gym, sauna and steam room.

Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Hotel in Montenegro (Image: Kris Tatum/Newsquest Media Group)

The hotel also boasts some beachside private villas, each with spectacular views over the bay, and their own dedicated hot tub.

It’s ideally situated a short ride away to Kotor in the east (approximately 15-20minutes), or head west to Tivat and Porto Montenegro marina (approximately 20minutes). Journey time from Tivat Airport to the Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay takes about 35-40minutes, depending on traffic.

Feeling inspired? Jet2holidays offer 7 nights bed and breakfast at Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay, departing from Manchester to Tivat on June 25, 2026. Prices from £1,659 per person based on 2 adults sharing, includes a 22kg baggage allowance and return transfers. Approximately £18 in tourist tax is payable at the property for this holiday. This has been included in the total price above.

Fancy going sooner? You can stay at the Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay with 7 nights bed and breakfast, departing from Birmingham to Tivat on May 21, 2026. Prices from £1,319 per person based on 2 adults and 1 child (aged 4) sharing, includes a 22kg baggage allowance and return transfers. Again, approximately £18 in tourist tax is payable at the property for this holiday, included in the total price above.

The deals mentioned above are the cheapest available rates for the holidays specified and therefore, availability may be limited at this price. Prices correct as of 29/04/2026.

Marvellous Montenegro

Make marvellous Montenegro the next destination on your travel list, you won’t be disappointed.

This stunning hidden gem of Europe is an ideal location for a weekend, a week, or even a longer trip to explore stunning scenery, sample delicious delicacies, learn about the country’s rich history, soak up the sun, and be welcomed by the famous Montenegrin hospitality.

Many thanks to all of our guides and hosts for making the trip so memorable – including Jelena and the team at the Montenegro National Tourism Organisation, Naomi from Jet2 for looking after us every step of the way – and finally, I simply couldn’t forget my trusted travel companions; Deborah, Olly and Lloyd, for many laughs along the way.

Will you make Montenegro your next destination? Or have you been there already and have recommendations to share? Get involved and let us know in the comments below.

Everything you need to know ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg

Bayern Munich take on Paris Saint-Germain in a blockbuster Champions League semi-final second leg tonight.

After a stunning nine-goal thriller in Paris last week, the tie is finely poised, with PSG holding a narrow one-goal advantage heading into the clash at the Allianz Arena.

At one stage in the first leg, the French champions were cruising at 5-2, only for Bayern to fight back late on to keep their hopes alive and set up a thrilling decider.

Here is everything you need to know about how to watch the match.

What time is Bayern Munich v PSG kick-off?

The match will kick off at 8pm (BST) on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

What TV channel is Bayern Munich v PSG on? Is there a live stream?

The match will be shown live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage getting under way from 7:00pm BST.

TNT Sports subscribers can also watch the game via the HBO Max app and website.

Watch the Champions League and Europa League on TNT Sports

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The UEFA Champions League is back on TNT Sports and fans can catch all the action on the TNT Sports Prime Video channel. A monthly subscription also includes select Premier League and FA Cup fixtures.

Bayern Munich v PSG team news

Bayern Munich will be without Serge Gnabry due to a thigh injury, while Lennart Karl and Raphael Guerreiro are both doubts as they continue to struggle with thigh and hamstring issues respectively.

Paris Saint-Germain, meanwhile, are missing Achraf Hakimi (hamstring) and Lucas Chevalier (hand), although they have no fresh injury concerns otherwise and no players currently listed as doubtful.

Quotes corner

Vincent Kompany: “They have an impressive quality in their squad, what their strength is, on top of the coaching and individual quality, is their age [of the squad]

“They are quite experienced, they progressed a lot, they gained more experience – there are very few teams in Europe like that. I am thinking about Barcelona, for example, they progressed a lot because their best players had more experience, and I think that is a reason that PSG can stay at this level for many more years to come.

“They are well set up when it comes to the age of their players. We respect them a lot, and they provide us with difficult games.

“They are difficult to handle, but we will do the same, and I think we will win.”

Luis Enrique: “When you play this kind of match, against this kind of opposition, who are without doubt the strongest team we have played against, the first thing I want to transmit to the players is that we have a one goal advantage, but that is nothing in football.

“We have the experience from last year. We are always striving to be at our best for our supporters.”

Tom Daley has taken to social media to share a rather cheeky wedding snap with husband Dustin Lance Black to mark almost a decade since they tied the knot in a romantic ceremony at Dartmoor National Park

Tom Daley has shared a cheeky unseen snap from his wedding to Dustin Lance Black. The Olympic diver, 31, tied the knot with Hollywood director Dustin, 51, in 2017 and went on to become parents to Robbie Ray, seven, as well as three-year-old Phoenix Rose together.

The big day all took place in Bovey Castle Hotel in Dartmoor National Park on May 6 2017, and, on their ninth wedding anniversary, Tom, who got together in 2013, marked the day by sharing a new snap with their fans.

The first picture showed the grooms walking through the gardens with their families and friends behind them, but in the second photo, the pair of them were standing at a set of urinals, with Dustin cheekily gazing downwards.

Tom wrote: “Nine year wedding anniversary,” and emblazoned his sweet comment with a red love heart emoji.

The pair met when former Celebrity Traitors star was at a a low point in his diving when he was suffering from a lack of confidence, but that didn’t stop him making a play for his now-husband.

Recalling that time, Tom recently explained: “I got to a really low point with my diving where I thought I wasn’t going to be able to keep going like I didn’t see the point in carrying on. Meeting Lance, he kind of inspired me to want to carry on. Inspired me to want to be great at what I do.

“He inspired me to want to be the best person that I could be. It was really special, because I think it was the first time that I realised that being attracted to men wasn’t just a sexual thing. I actually could fall in love with a man.”

Meanwhile, Dustin explained that it was Tom who took charge and gave him his number to get things started. He said: “My phone, he puts his number in, and when he hands it back and I look at it, he’s put a winky face at the end of his phone number. No heterosexual man has ever put a winky face at the end of their number when they give it to another dude!

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“The first things we started sharing were about the fact that he had, not so long ago lost his dad. I had not so long ago just lost my big brother, who was like my dad, because I never had that. I had recently won an Academy Award. He had won his first Olympic medal.

“We were able to share with each other the post accomplishment blues and devastation, the way that when you win something you only ever dreamed about, there’s something inside you that disassembles and has to be put back together, and that there’s almost no one on the planet you can share that with, because people think, Well, gosh, you should be so grateful!”

Tom previously explained that despite their 20-year age gap, the pair have managed to simply “align” with one another thanks to the passage of time. He told UsWeekly: “One hundred percent. It’s funny because the people that know us know that I’m the more mature person that kinds of runs the show in the house.

“As we get older, I think we both align very well on what we want to achieve. We’re both really big dreamers. I think that was the biggest thing for us, that we’re both so supportive of each other. We don’t limit the other person’s dreams. We really make each other feel like we can achieve whatever we set our minds to!”

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Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.   

One person was taken to hospital via land ambulance and the other was taken via air ambulance

Two people were injured and left hospitalised after a one-vehicle crash near Rhayader, Powys. Dyfed-Powys Police received reports of the collision just after 3pm on Tuesday, May 5 on an unclassified road between Abbeycwmhir and Rhayader.

Ambulance crews and an air ambulance attended the scene, taking two people to hospital after sustaining injuries during the crash. Both individuals were taken to hospital, one by air and one by land. Neither of their injuries were believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.

The road was closed while emergency services attended the scene and reopened at approximately 5.30pm.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police attended to a single-vehicle road traffic collision on an unclassified road between Abbeycwmhir and Rhayader in Powys. The collision was reported just after 3pm yesterday.

“Two people were injured in the collision, though neither of their injuries were believed to be life-threatening or life-changing. Both individuals went to hospital, one by air ambulance and one by land ambulance.

“The road was closed while emergency services attended the scene and reopened at approximately 5.30pm.”

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The clinching argument for a long weekend to Baku, Azerbaijan’s ancient capital on the Silk Road, was that for one weekend only almost all the streets in the medieval Old Town would be covered by hand-woven carpets. There would be hundreds of them, laid head-to-head in a magical mosaic of colour and artful designs.

I also fancifully conjectured that Shakespeare might have been considering the festival when, in The Tempest, he poetically extemporised how “the earth’s a carpet laid before the sun”. Well, Baku certainly took his word literally. The capital was transformed into a giant installation of colourful knots, threads and weaves covering its cobbled streets. Dealers, weavers, stitchers, collectors and historians gathered from 19 nations to debate and celebrate this ancient artistry, as some carpets, we learnt, were first woven more than 2,000 years ago.

It was an academic forum alongside a place for thousands of visitors to enjoy the festival’s dramatic street theatre, surreally coinciding with the Baku marathon, the country’s first international race with the full 26-mile course. One artist painted serene faces onto rugs on an easel, next to a pop-up children’s football pitch entirely composed of rugs. Earlier in the day, experts from Japan and Nepal pitched arguments about the carpet’s role in aiding the GDP of their countries as well as defining their national identity.

This carpet fest was imaginative and startling, mirroring how Baku has redefined itself via its architecture: putting medieval and modernist masterpieces side by side. This is a country that has deliberately placed art and culture at the centre of its development, latterly funded by its oil fortune. It has given Azerbaijan a standout national identity, distinct from its grey, Soviet-controlled existence before 1991, when Perestroika loosened Russian hegemony. But it is only in the last 25 years that its economy has taken off, combining taste, style and fiscal growth, aided by a formative partnership with BP.

Azerbaijan is certainly more present on the world stage. It straddled the world of petroeconomics and environmental policies when it hosted Cop 29 in 2024. It is now a fixture in the Formula One calendar and hosted the European winter sports championships this year.

Not exactly a magic carpet, but the overnight jet leaving Heathrow at 10pm allows you to arrive in Baku at 6am. Three nights is a perfect amount of time for a taster of the capital. Not only is the carpet museum in Baku the largest in the world, but it is even shaped like a folding rug. It shares the skyline with one of the great masterpieces of modernist architecture: Zaha Hadid’s Heydar Aliyev Centre, also designed to look like a surface that has been lifted, folded, and frozen in motion – very similar to the ripples of a carpet, a comparison that is made often. While a carpet is flexible and soft, the building imitates its folds with rigid concrete and steel. It is impossible to overestimate how in Azerbaijan, carpets are a major traditional art form.

Read more: What happened when I took a pilgrimage through the Andalucian art trail

A weekend is the ideal length of time for walking around the safe and easy city. In Baku, you can go from exploring medieval stone walls straight to futuristic parametric design in under 20 minutes. This walled city is a dense mix of Islamic, Persian and local Shirvan styles, with caravanserais, mosques and narrow lanes. Among the key monuments is the 12th-century Maiden Tower, which is well worth the climb for a panoramic view of the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, a Unesco-listed masterpiece.

Reflecting the oil boom of the early 20th century are landmarks such as the Ismailiyya Palace, a Venetian Gothic revival building, the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall with its Italian Renaissance influence and Baku City Hall, with its Beaux-Arts design. They are demonstrative of a time of optimism, when European architects reshaped the city into a kind of Paris of the East.

Back to the carpet festival, though, where Emin Mammadov was presiding over the affair. He is a dashing entrepreneur and chair of the carpet board, whose turbocharged ambition is to grow the festival, which is now in its third year. Surprise and quality are his watchwords, as modern and ancient swirl together like patterns on a traditional carpet, all contrasting and combining.

“We are inviting the world to see that carpets are the key to understanding art and economies through symbolism and natural displays. We all connect through a vision of creativity and fellowship as we invite the world to join this beautiful celebration of art and artisans and prove the art of the possible,” he explained.

There is talk of expansion and more partnerships for next year’s festival. It might include carpets’ role in Hollywood films, in poetry (Shakespeare has no monopoly) and live debates about the role women play as skilled craft practitioners. There is also discussion of how artists from Holbein to Velasquez were transfixed by the woven wonder of wool and silk. Carpets – red, magic or even flying – have always transfixed the imagination.

In Disney’s Aladdin, the magic carpet is a central character, not just a prop. It becomes a symbol of freedom, imagination and movement beyond physical space. In The Grand Budapest Hotel, director Wes Anderson builds a world saturated with patterned interiors – especially carpets, wallpapers, and textiles – which reinforce the film’s obsession with design, memory and artificial perfection. There is even an entry into the horror film genre. In The Shining, the Overlook Hotel’s geometric carpets are iconic in their own right. Their impossible, maze-like patterns echo the film’s psychological disorientation and hidden spatial logic.

This year, the link between painting and carpets was a key theme. One of the most dramatic revelations was the work of Aida Mahmudova, an acclaimed artist in Baku as well as an alumna of London’s Central St Martin’s, whose eclectic works combine powerful abstraction and something similar to Frank Auerbach’s encrusted, tactile, painted masterpieces.

Her paintings have a softer palette of colours than Auerbach’s, which ripple and engage with a passionate intensity. Her pictures have been made into carpets, cross-fertilising the art forms and spinning a modern twist to this ancient craft. Another highlight is the work of Assel Sabircangizi, or Assol, a Kazakh artist creating stunning portraits by brushing and spraying oil paint onto existing carpets. They make for epic pictures, which reinvent Mughal portraiture for the modern age.

The festival sets out to surprise and steers away from the stereotypical image of endless negotiations with sellers in the souk. This is the moment to see carpets as art and investment, but, most importantly, to alter cliched preconceptions by revealing national and regional identities in carpets.

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In the Old City, with its echoes of Prague, it is delightful just to sit back and let the world go by in its maze of labyrinthine streets. Drinking the local wines and vodka in its tiny bars, or trying baklava in a tea room, is heavenly. Spinach and lamb pancakes and glassfuls of tea make enticing fare. Luxury shopping in the new town offers more brands than Bond Street, only cheaper. Value for money is a definite plus.

The advantage of a short visit is that the city is easy, and colourful, and the cultural diet offered ranges from high to low. The only frustration is that there is much more to do – locals will tell you to visit the snow-capped mountains for skiing, to chill on the sandy beaches, to try the jazz, and lemon, and pomegranate festivals, and also take a road trip. The country boasts nine climate zones, from subtropical to desert to freezing mountain tops.

A modern cultural transformation is still taking place in Baku. One of the key figures is Anar Alakbarov, assistant to the president and executive director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

“Art creates a space for us all to value the past, but to also re-evaluate and enhance the present, which invests in the future. Beauty and a celebration of art has been a way of life here with carpets and ceramics. We learn from that and continue that tradition,” he said, before heading for the coast to take part in the marathon.

Leaving Baku early in the morning, I gazed out from my taxi at the two 21st-century Flame Towers. Nearby are the stone palaces, more than 500 years old. Few would argue with Shakespeare when he celebrated the intrinsic combination of power and passion seen through a carpet – and the impressiveness of a trip to Baku is similarly irrefutable. Is there a more magnificent ice breaker when someone asks me what I got up to at the weekend?

How to do it

Flights to Baku from London Gatwick with Azerbaijan Airlines take around five-and-a-half hours, starting from £375.

Commenting on the variant of the virus linked to the outbreak, the Andes virus, Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “With this particular hantavirus, the Andes virus, it is known very rarely to spread between people with close contact, usually symptomatic individuals who are in close contact with each other.

As previously reported by the Warrington Guardian, Ian Isherwood was jailed for 12 years, with three years on extended licence.

The court heard that the 43-year-old was investigated by police back in 2024, when officers uncovered hundreds of indecent images of children on his mobile phone.

This was following information officers had received relating to a PayPal account, which was linked to Isherwood, being used to purchase indecent images of children.

These images 52 category A images – the most severe form of abuse involving child rape – as well as 72 category B and 323 in category C.

Isherwood’s phone was also found to contain a picture of a young girl, who was identified and located in Warrington.

She informed police that she had been sexually abused by Isherwood when she was under the age of 13.

Isherwood had engaged in sexual activity with the young girl by touching her genitals orally, masturbating in front of her and encouraging her to perform a sex act on him.

The 43-year-old, of Shipton Street in Bolton but formerly of Warrington, denied the sexual offences, pleaded not guilty and forced his victim to endure a trial at court.

He was later found guilty by a jury and later jailed for his crimes, as well as ordered to abide by a sexual harm prevention order and remain on the sex offenders register ‘until further order’.

A restraining order was also put in place to protect his victim for the next 18 years.

“Isherwood is clearly a danger to children and has quite rightly been handed a significant prison sentence to reflect the severity of his crimes,” said DC Briony Shirley following Isherwood’s sentencing.

“Being in possession of indecent images of children is never a victimless crime, and on this occasion, officers identified and subsequently safeguarded a girl who Isherwood had previously abused. 

“The fact that he had then continued to look at images of children following this shows that he had absolutely no regard for anything other than satisfying his twisted and perverted sexual desires.

“I hope the victim in this case has been able to get some closure over what happened to her, knowing that Isherwood is locked up where he cannot do this to anyone else.

“If you have been a victim of similar offences, please report it to Cheshire Police by contacting us on 101 or reporting it through our website.”