US Open, round two leaderboard

-7 W Clark (US); -3 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), T Kim (Kor), X Schauffele (US), S Stevens (US)

Selected: -2 C Morikawa (US); -1 J Thomas (US); Level A Fitzpatrick (Eng), R McIlroy (NI), S Scheffler (US); +1 A Rai (Eng), J Rose (Eng), L Aberg (Swe), T Fleetwood (Eng); +2 T Hatton (Eng); +4 R MacIntyre (Sco)

Once again the weather took top billing at Shinnecock Hills as Wyndham Clark built a healthy four-shot halfway lead at the US Open.

Scottie Scheffler called the gusting wind “the biggest challenge”, while Rory McIlroy pointed out their “side of the draw played in the windiest conditions and the scores show that” after the world’s top two finished the second round on level par for the championship, seven adrift of Clark.

It is, of course, one of the hazards of playing an outdoor sport with start times spread across a day. The scoring average shifted from 73.87 on Thursday morning to 71.97 for Friday’s early starters.

Clark, the 2023 champion, was one of those who took advantage of playing in the more benign conditions late on Thursday and early on Friday, and followed his opening six-under 64 with a 69.

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open winner, was also on that side of the draw and is among Clark’s nearest challengers on three under after posting a 70. He was joined on that number by two-time major champion Xander Schauffele.

But the wind was not solely to blame given two players on McIlroy and Scheffler’s side of the draw are also four back and joint second – South Korea’s Tom Kim and American Sam Stevens.

McIlroy also reached three under after picking up two birdies in his opening eight holes and looked the most likely player to eat into Clark’s lead, before he was derailed by a combination of poorly executed shots and the strengthening wind on his second nine holes.

The blustery conditions were not as extreme as Thursday’s when 40mph gusts of wind buffeted the Long Island course in New York state.

But it was clearly penal enough to trouble Scheffler, particularly on the putting surfaces.

“With the amount of pitch you have on the greens, playing in the wind is extremely difficult, and judging speed on putts when the wind is blowing that hard can be challenging as well,” he said.

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

Aerial footage of the aftermath shows the two damaged East Midlands Railway (EMR) trains with most carriages on the tracks but at least one shunted off.

Footage shows a long line of emergency vehicles on a rural road as emergency crews and passengers of the two southbound trains gathered in the neighbouring field.

The two East Midlands Railway services involved were the 4.40pm from Corby to London St Pancras and the 3.50pm Nottingham to London St Pancras, the rail operator said.

Air ambulance helicopters are on the ground after the collision happened just south of the Elstow interchange between the A421 and the A6.

Serious injuries have reportedly been sustained by on-board staff and passengers, a Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union spokesperson said.

A team of RAIB (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) inspectors is on site at the scene of a collision between two trains near Elstow, to start gathering evidence.

Passenger Pete Knapp described people “crying, screaming” and said some seemed to have major injuries.

He told the Press Association: “There was a moment of being flung into the chair in front, and then I saw smoke. People were crying, screaming, people were so scared and confused.

“I got up and I saw a lot of people who were unable to speak, had broken legs, and then I managed to get out of the train and because I’m quite thin I was able to squeeze out through the gap in the doors.”

The 40-year-old added: “My first thought was I needed to get out of the train just in case it was a terrorist explosion, I thought it was safer to get off the train.”

He said he had not felt the train slow down before the crash but other passengers told him they had.

Dr Knapp told PA he saw people with “life-threatening, major injuries, minor injuries” as well as “people with bandages, people who couldn’t see straight”, while others like him were still able to walk.

Police close a road in Bedford, after the 4.40pm East Midlands Railway service from Corby to London St Pancras and the 3.50pm Nottingham to London St Pancras service, were involved in a collision just south of the Elstow interchange between the A421 and (Image: Jordan Reynolds/PA Wire)

He said: “I’ve got blood all over my trousers and my back hurts like hell but I’m alright.”

The crash occurred at 5.12pm leaving the “front of train OK, third carriage off rails”, he said earlier on Bluesky.

“Sudden crash, no slowing down or horns. No warning.

“No explosion, just stopped instantly,” he said.

Dr Knapp added: “No horns, warnings, explosions, just sudden impact. No terrorism signs.”

Bedford Hospital and Luton and Dunstable University Hospital have both asked people to avoid attending their emergency departments “unless they have a genuine medical emergency” as they respond to the “active incident”.

Meanwhile British Transport Police warned concerned relatives or friends of people who may have been on the trains not to travel to the scene.

EMR trains are “unable to run in or out of” London St Pancras for the rest of the day and it advised customers: “DO NOT TRAVEL this evening”.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was “deeply concerned” by the reports.

In a post on X, she said: “I’m grateful to emergency services who are on the scene, attending to those affected.

“We’re working quickly with the rail industry and local partners to support passengers.”

Health Secretary James Murray is being kept updated on the events, he posted on X.

The crash appears to have been a “relatively slow speed collision” and the damage to the trains looked “fairly minimal”, a rail expert told Sky News.

Tony Miles said: “Obviously it’s a rear end collision, they were going in the same direction, so one of them, the rear one was going faster than the one it’s caught up with, for some reason. That’s not a complicated assumption.

“So, the question has to be how has that train that’s in the rear got in to contact with the train that it was following, and obviously it’s either gone past the signal that was telling it it should stop, or the signal was faulty, or the driver’s made a mistake in some way, or didn’t read the signal, or something.”

He added: “Even if you’re going 40 miles an hour and you come to a halt in a few metres, you’ve got the energy of a 40-mile-an-hour body in you, and you’re going to move until you hit something, unfortunately. So, even relatively low-speed collisions can be dangerous for people that are on board.”

Bedford and Kempston MP Mohammad Yasin said he was “very sorry” to hear of the incident and would share more information “soon”.

Transport Salaried Staffs Association general secretary, Maryam Eslamdoust, said it is “devastating to hear of the collision” and “safety on our railways is always our number one priority”.

East of England Ambulance Service sent air ambulance and a Hazardous Area Response Team encouraged people to avoid the area.

Fire and police were at Moses Gate Country Park, with the helicopter also scrambled at about 4:30pm, after receiving reports of a man in distress.

Police were at first unable to find the man in question, though managed to confirm around 6pm that he had been found safely.

Officers carried out enquiries after the reports came in, blocking off the entrance to the country park as they searched the area.

Several residents including Cllr Liam Barnard spotted the air ambulance flying overhead, but at the time did not know what was going on.

Online air ambulance trackers soon confirmed that the helicopter had landed at Moses Gate Country Park.

The Bolton News contacted emergency services, who by 6pm confirmed that the man had been found and was ‘safe’.

No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.

Benjamin James Swift, now 21, could only think about his beloved sports car and not about the family he had injured when he crashed into their Land Rover Defender as they drove to a picnic at Castle Howard, York Crown Court heard.

Several drivers told the jury how Swift had been “driving like an idiot”, narrowly missed a vehicle coming the other way with one overtaking manoeuvre and became airborne and lost control when he tried a second.

The front seat passenger in the Land Rover, Jacqueline Bell, said she believed she was about to die as the Porsche zigzagged towards them across the road immediately before crashing into her vehicle.

The Land Rover driver, architect Philip Thompson, who spent three months in pain with a broken chest bone as a result of the crash, estimated Swift was driving at 80mph along the 60mph Castle Howard approach road.

His back seat passenger had severe abdominal pains following the crash, the jury heard.

After an hour in retirement, the jury convicted Swift of seriously injuring Mr Thompson by dangerous driving close to Welburn crossroads on the Castle Howard approach road.

Approaching Welburn crossroads from the south, heading towards Castle Howard (Image: Google Street View)

Swift, of Holly Tree Lane, Haxby, had denied the charge and showed no reaction as the jury returned their unanimous verdict. He had been 19 at the time of the crash on July 7, 2024.

“You told the jury you consider yourself to be a polite young man: you may like to add ‘arrogant’,” Recorder Geraldine Kelly told him.

“I saw an arrogant young man in the witness box, not having a hint of remorse about the harm you caused to the victims.

“All you seemed to care about was your beloved Porsche and the damage you caused to it.”

Despite having appeared to be sorry at the scene of the crash, he had decided to have his trial and thereby forced those injured in the crash to relive their experiences in the witness box.

She said the evidence against him had been “overwhelming”.

The judge disqualified Swift from driving and warned him that he could not drive any vehicle from that moment. He will learn the full length of his ban when he is sentenced on August 7.

Barristers for the prosecution and defence agreed sentencing guidelines state he should receive a jail term of between two and four years.

Swift was given bail while probation officers prepare a report on him.

He will have to take an extended driving test at the end of his ban before being allowed to drive unsupervised again. His Porsche was written off by the crash.

He told the jury he was an apprentice field services engineer.

A reader looks back at the video games he’s played recently, and all the different things he’s done in them, and recommends variety above all in gaming.

Some games have it all. Story, character, art, style, innovation, user experience, graphics, world building, online support, and last but not least you can pet the dog.

Producing this smorgasbord of content, in this modern era, is an undertaking of epic proportions. A juggling act involving a unicycle on a tight rope, a bowling ball, some sort of live reptile, and a firing squad aimed directly at your Steam recommendations page.

Deliver and risk scrutiny on every choice you made. Under deliver and become bombarded with ‘DLC/co-op/patch when?’ questions. Over-deliver and suddenly your game is bloated and overly complicated.

There’s not much incentive to test new waters when every choice seems like a bad one.

Gamers tend to have more varied and eclectic tastes when it comes to genres than any other medium.

In music you generally only know pop and you are unlikely to listen to much, if any, jazz.

In film, horror fans might not really care what’s new in the romcom listings this month.

Gamers on the other hand demand variety.

This year alone I’ve managed a trading card emporium, a tiny bookmobile, a retro video rental, a late night convenience store, and a cafe for anthropomorphic gatekeepers with a taste for umami.

I’ve been to space and the bowels of the earth for both business and pleasure. I’ve saved a whole world a dozen times and the universe itself at least twice.

I’ve jetwashed/cleaned/decorated/built/exorcised hundreds of houses, as well as shooting thousands of bullets/balls/spells/arrows/decks of cards indiscriminately at any other beings in range.

I’ve reached peak efficiency in my world-spanning factories but also spent hours snoozing in class.

I’ve weirdly been to so many different incarnations of Tokyo this year I’ve lost count.

In sports I’ve won a (legally distinct) summer international cup, taken my League Two side to the Champions League finals, raced around the world in every type of car you can imagine, and hit a hole in one at the Masters.

If my gaming recommendations were a Spotify playlist it would just be called ‘500 years of vaguely similar noises in no particular order.’

All this to say that pretty much any gamer can (and will) pick up any game and have some level of valid opinion on the content. For better or worse.

More importantly, should my opinion matter to you in the slightest? No. No it shouldn’t. If I leave a glowing five star review on a game will it be the greatest game you’ve ever played? Probably not. If anything, it’ll probably give you a worse experience for hyping it up too much or simply because I have a soft spot for that particular genre of game.

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This brings me in a very roundabout way to Mixtape by indie devs Beethoven and Dinosaur.

I haven’t even played the game and (based on the reviews) feel like it’s already a foregone conclusion that it’ll be a masterpiece or the biggest four hour pile of slop I’ve ever sat through.

I’d be quite content to just say it’s not for me and move on but… I really, really enjoyed The Artful Escape.

Beethoven and Dinosaur’s space-themed, rock opera synth… experience from 2021, in my unprofessional and biased opinion, was a good game. You hold right to walk right (and occasionally play an electric guitar) and watch a pretty light show for three hours. That was pretty much the whole kit and caboodle. Artful Escape even got remarkably good reviews across critics and the gaming community.

There were, of course, those that didn’t appreciate the vision. It was ‘dull’ or ‘underwhelming’, a school art project that has no business being a game.

The negativity wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) hold back the musically rooted Aussie studio from doubling down on their vibe ‘em-up aesthetic with Mixtape. A sublime 80s pop soundtrack with an angst-ridden teen moving left to right in the background, like a jumping dinosaur because your internet is down.

I’ll give Mixtape a go this weekend and I’m fairly certain I’ll be able to say, ‘It was good if you like that sort of thing’ or ‘It wasn’t for me but I get why others would enjoy it’.

Realistically what else could I say? I could say that about every game/film/album I’ve ever encountered.

Will I feel the need to leave a scathing/glowing review telling everyone else how their opinion is wrong by dumping on them from a very great height? Probably not.

Will I get upset because the main character is a specific gender/race or drinks a brand of cola different to me? No of course not, I’m an adult.

Will I continue to play any genre of game that vaguely appeals to me because it’s my time and my money. Yes. You’re damn right I will.

By reader Jay

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.

Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — James Burrows, who helped create volumes of laughter as director of more than a thousand episodes of such classic television comedies as “Cheers,” “Taxi,” “Friends” and “Will and Grace,” died Friday. He was 85.

His family confirmed his death in a statement to People, saying he “passed away peacefully today surrounded by his family.” No location or cause of death was provided.

Burrows spent his career behind the camera specializing in situation comedies. Few viewers recognized him or knew his name, other than to see it flash quickly on the screen in the opening credits. But they knew his work.

Burrows got his start in television relatively late at age 35 in 1974, directing episodes of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Bob Newhart Show,” and “Laverne & Shirley.”

He co-created “Cheers,” directing 243 of the 273 episodes, as well as all 246 episodes of “Will and Grace.”

He also helmed multiple episodes of such hits as “Frasier,” “Friends” and “Mike & Molly,” and the pilots of “Two and a Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory.”

“When I direct a television show, I try to reach that sweet spot where the best script meets the best performance and the best chemistry between performers,” Burrows wrote in his 2022 memoir “Directed by James Burrows.” ”Hitting that exact moment, where these factors land in combination, results in the sweetest and most enduring laugh.”

His family said, “Burrows understood that great comedy was never simply about laughter. It was about humanity, connection, and truth. That understanding became the foundation of a career that forever changed television.

“But beyond his remarkable achievements, Burrows will be remembered for something even greater: his kindness, generosity, and unwavering belief in the people around him. He possessed a rare ability to make everyone better and was known for remembering every person he met by name, making colleagues at every level feel seen, valued, and appreciated,” the family statement said.

The majority of Burrows’ shows aired on NBC, whose “Must See TV” slogan promoted its Thursday night lineup in the early 1990s that included “Friends” and “Frasier.”

“Jimmy Burrows was the man behind the curtain. He knew how to make us laugh, what buttons to push and was the absolute master of getting the most out of every joke,” NBC said in a statement. “His loss to the television comedy world is immeasurable. Every time you have a smile on your face watching ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show,’ ’Taxi, ‘Cheers,’ ‘Will & Grace,’ ‘Friends’ and countless others, think of Jimmy and know he made all our lives funnier.”

Born James Edward Burrows on Dec. 30, 1940, in Los Angeles, he moved to New York when he was 5 years old. He spent five years in the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus until his voice started to change. He attended LaGuardia High School of Music & Art.

His father was writer, director and producer Abe Burrows, whose Broadway hits included “Guys and Dolls” and “Can-Can.” The elder Burrows also mentored Larry Gelbart, future creator and producer of the TV show “M(asterisk)A(asterisk)S(asterisk)H.”

The younger Burrows spent hours of his youth in theaters and studios watching his father work, dining with him at such famed New York haunts as Sardi’s and Gallagher’s and meeting celebrities who attended his father’s New Year’s Eve parties.

After earning a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College, Burrows attended the graduate program of the Yale School of Drama, where his classmates included actor-comedian Robert Klein, playwright John Guare and film director John Badham.

At Yale, he was required to take directing classes and he got hooked.

Burrows’ first sitcom experience was as Burl Ives’ dialogue coach on “O.K. Crackerby!” which was directed by his father and ran for one season on ABC in 1965.

From there, he was an assistant on “The Patty Duke Show.” He moved back to New York and worked for Broadway producers Lee Guber, Frank Ford and Shelly Gross. He first met actor Moore while working on the Broadway production of “Holly Golightly,” an adaptation of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” that was directed by his father.

Burrows eventually worked as a stage manager for various road productions, where he met such actors as Hugh O’Brien, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Julie Harris.

By 1974, after working in dinner theater and summer stock, he turned on his television and saw Moore’s eponymous TV show. He wrote her a letter asking if there was any opening “small or smaller” at her production company that he could fill, according to his memoir.

Moore’s husband and business partner, Grant Tinker, invited Burrows to Los Angeles to direct an episode of the comedy. He apprenticed for MTM Enterprises, which had four sitcoms on the air at the same time.

Burrows cited his theater background for learning how to give actors direction and block out scenes. He’s credited for being one of the first sitcom directors to increase the typical multi-camera television shoot from three to four cameras.

The common thread between Burrows’ shows were the bonds between friends and unrelated families, whether it was the motley crew of regulars meeting at the bar in “Cheers” or the drivers working toward a better life in “Taxi” or the 20-somethings sharing the same apartment building in “Friends.”

“The best sitcoms transcend the screen and reach out and grab the audience by the throat and by the heart,” Burrows wrote in his memoir.

He relished discovering new acting talent while directing more than 75 pilots that were picked up as series.

“Having directed over a thousand shows means that almost any night you can turn on your television or go online and find a show that I directed. I’m very proud of that,” he wrote in his memoir.

In 2019, Burrows was an executive producer on live productions of “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons” with famous actors re-creating episodes of those 1970s comedies.

“Jimmy was the greatest comedic television director in the history of the medium,” his agent Rick Rosen said in a statement. “He directed the most iconic, defining shows of generations. Always a gentleman, it was an absolute honor to represent him.”

Burrows was married in 1997 to Debbie Easton, whom he met when she worked as a hairstylist on “Frasier.” Daughters Kat Schatzow, Ellie Gluck and Maggie Burrows, who followed her father into directing, are from his first marriage to Linda Solomon, who died in 2004. His stepdaughter Paris is from his wife’s previous marriage. He has a sister, Laurie Burrows Grad, and seven grandchildren.

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If the heatwave has you craving crystal-clear waters and a bed by the pool, now is a great time to book with Club Med

Club Med has officially launched an exciting array of last minute summer holiday deals, offering spontaneous travellers up to 15% off all-inclusive getaways. Designed for those ready to pack their bags immediately, this limited-time promotion is serving up sunshine, golden beaches and luxury for less.

Holiday hunters will need to act fast though, as availability is limited across selected dates and resorts. To keep the momentum going, Club Med will be adding brand-new departure deals every single Friday.

Best known for its premium all-inclusive holidays, Club Med offers dreamy escapes to beautiful destinations around the world. Each deal combines upscale accommodation with gourmet dining, endless activities and childcare into a single upfront price, making it easier to relax and enjoy a well-deserved break.

READ MORE: Dog-friendly £25 all-inclusive Lancashire holiday with unlimited costa, food and drinks

READ MORE: Jet2 launches flights from Manchester Airport to brand new holiday destination

From the sun-drenched coastal resorts of Europe to the palm-fringed beaches of the Caribbean, we’ve rounded up some of the best resorts for a last minute holiday you’ll never forget.

Club Med Magna, Marbella

The 12-acre Club Med Magna Marbella is a sun-drenched resort perfectly positioned for accessing central Marbella. Guests can enjoy relaxing around the family lagoon pool and the adults-only Zen Zone or take on any of the many activities like padel tennis.

The resort also boasts impressive dining options at the elegant Suenos restaurant and the Tierra Gourmet Lounge which serves local delicacies like jamón ibérico. There is also a choice of four different bars in which to enjoy a holiday tipple.

As the sun drenched beaches of Marbella remain a top choice for British holidaymakers, travellers can also find discounted Spanish breaks with up to £600 through TUI. There are also budget-friendly last-minute breaks available for under £500 with Love Holidays.

TripAdvisor reviewers overwhelmingly praise the resort, with one hailing it as ‘THE family destination’. One guest said: “Our stay was simply amazing, everything is thoughtfully designed with families in mind. Our 4-year-old absolutely loved the kids’ club… the food was exceptional. There were so many spaces to explore with our children, and a great range of sports and activities to enjoy – paddle, tennis, Pilates and more.”

Another visitor did note that the setting was an “Isolated village, without much personality, but hotel nevertheless of good quality, made for sport and sun.” Overall however, the general consensus echoed this review saying: “Very good experience at Club Med Magna Marbella. Everything was perfect, buffet, kids club and entertainment.”

Save up to 15% on a last minute holiday

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Travel dates are available until July, with new deals added every Friday

Club Med Da Balaia, Algarve

Situated atop the renowned red cliffs of the Algarve, Club Med Da Balaia is a golfer’s dream destination. Guests can also enjoy relaxing by the distinctive natural eco-pool or take on any of the many activities like flying trapeze and archery.

The resort also boasts impressive dining options at the Balaïa Restaurant and the casual lounge, which serves genuine Portuguese cuisine paired with breathtaking sea views. There is also an on-site spa for tailored treatments and plenty of pampering.

Algarve is another popular holiday hotspot for Brits looking for a break. Right now, Love Holidays has last-minute, room-only Portugal stays from £119 per person, while Golf Breaks offers carefully curated getaways for fans of the green.

Back at Club Med, TripAdvisor reviewers overwhelmingly praise the resort, with one saying:: “Our stay at Club Med La Balaia was simply fantastic from start to finish. Set in a stunning location overlooking a beautiful, family-friendly beach, the resort offers the perfect balance of activity and relaxation.”

While one guest noted the pool was “ok, maybe a bit warmer may have been ideal,” the general consensus echoed this review: “We had an absolutely wonderful week at Club Med de Da Balaia…three young children, parents and grandmother. Everything was there for a successful holiday: sunny weather and beautiful surroundings.”

Cefalù, Sicily

The flagship Exclusive Collection Cefalù is a luxury resort perfectly positioned on the iconic Italian island of Sicily. Guests can enjoy relaxing in the renovated 18th-century palazzo lounge or take on any of the many activities like sunset yoga and Europe’s first stand-up paddleboarding school.

Following an action-packed day, the resort boasts impressive dining options to satisfy every appetite. Visitors are then treated to a delectable Sicilian-inspired menu that perfectly captures the authentic flavours of the region.

Travellers unlucky enough to miss out on a Club Med stay could try booking a break to Italy with British Airways Holidays instead. Alternatively, Citalia offers a range of specially selected tours and holidays in the region.

Guest reviewers overwhelmingly praise the resort, with one hailing it as a ‘magical place’ where “the food is to die for’. They also praise the stunning views and say that just being 10-15 minutes away from Cefalu town in Sicily ‘is something very special.”

While one guest noted that unlike some other Club Med locations there was “no show at happy hour, no barbecue, no themed evening.” Most however enjoyed their stay with another adding: “We had an absolutely exceptional time at Club Med de Céfalù! The setting is simply magical: breathtaking views of the Tyrrhenian Sea, elegant architecture perfectly integrated with nature, and a serene atmosphere that immediately invites relaxation.”

Club Med Palmiye, Turkey

Located south of Antalya near the Taurus mountains, Club Med Palmiye is a coastal resort situated along a Mediterranean beach. Guests can choose to relax by the family pool or the adults-only Zen pool, or participate in various activities such as flying trapeze and wakeboarding.

For dining, the resort offers several options to suit different tastes. Visitors can eat Turkish cuisine in a restaurant featuring a duck pond moat. There is also a lively beach bar to visit as the sun goes down.

The southern coast of Turkey offers affordable fun and balmy weather. Some other great deals to the region include all-inclusive holidays with On The Beach. Elsewhere, Mr & Mrs Smith offers carefully curated tours of the region.

As you would expect from Club Med, the Palmiye resort has also received a wealth of glowing reviews on Tripadvisor. One said: “A great place for early birds and those who like to do a lot of different activities, to learn tennis and padel, circus trapeze, sailing basics and waterski.”

While one guest noted minor frustrations with “long lines” for waterskiing, the general consensus echoed the feeling of a perfect family escape. Another returning visitor declared: “We came here after 2 years again it was a good experience so we come again, and we will come every year.”

For those considering a long-distance getaway, the Punta Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic proves particularly attractive to families. An ideal option for summer breaks, it showcases Club Med’s largest water park, featuring over 20 slides and splash areas, plus an opulent spa.

Boasting a 4.4-star rating on TripAdvisor, visitors praise the stunning beach and the skilled instructors who assist families in learning new activities such as golf and tennis. Meanwhile, the Club Med resort in Marrakech has been characterised as a ‘magical destination’ where guests can exchange unpredictable weather for golden sunsets, vibrant souks and the captivating aroma of spices drifting through the streets.

To find out more about last-minute getaways with Club Med, click here to save 15%.

Malton architect Philip Thompson urged other drivers to remember that crashes have consequences and not to drive as though it was a “video game”.

Both he and his passengers say that though the physical injuries they suffered when Benjamin James Swift, now 21, crashed into their Land Rover Defender have healed, the psychological effects remain.  

They have never been back as a family to the stately home they were trying to reach on July 7, 2024.

They were at York Crown Court to see Swift convicted unanimously of causing serious injury to Mr Thompson by dangerous driving.

“I am so relieved I got onto the grass verge,” said Mr Thompson of the crash after the verdict. “Nobody was killed. It could have been far worse.”

He and his front seat passenger, Jacqueline Bell, told the jury how he swerved to the left and slammed on the brakes in a vain bid to avoid the Porsche Boxster zigzagging across the road in front of them after Swift lost control at 80mph.

There was a fence along the road that prevented the Land Rover leaving the road completely.

Mr Thompson said the crash has changed the way he drives and that he is now anxious when behind the wheel.

“I will pull over if I see someone is driving fast until they are past.  Some people drive as though it’s a video game. Crashes have consequences.”

Because of his work, Mr Thompson has to drive in the Castle Howard area. 

“I need to drive that road,” he said. “The first time I drove it (after the crash) was nerve-wracking but I thought, I have to do it.”

Mr Thompson said he was “gobsmacked” when Swift decided, despite appearing to be sorry for the crash at the scene, to deny dangerous driving and have a trial.  

That decision meant the case was delayed by a year after Swift’s first appearance in court and that Mr Thompson and his family had to relive their experiences on the southern approach to Castle Howard in front of the jury.

Other drivers, unconnected with Mr Thompson and his family, also gave evidence against Swift about the manner of his driving.

“It’s been hanging over us for two years,” said Mr Thompson. “I am really thankful that they came forward as they did and showed their public spirit.”

Recorder Geraldine Kelly said the evidence against Swift had been “overwhelming”.