Edmundbyers sits a few miles west of Consett on the edge of the North Pennines, just inside the County Durham border with Northumberland, and with a population of fewer than 200 people it has the feel, in the words of one visitor, of a place that has resisted the modern world almost entirely.

“It is in a wonderful location,” wrote one cyclist who stopped here on the Coast to Coast route, describing it simply as “a small village surrounded by moorland.”

That understatement does it justice.

Edmundbyers has evidence of prehistoric settlement from the Neolithic era, a 12th-century church that hid its stone altar from the Archbishop of Canterbury, a pub whose regulars have been coming for 40 years, and what is believed to be the oldest continuously running youth hostel in the North of England.

A name with roots in Old English

The village name itself tells a story. Edmundbyers derives from the Old English “Eādmund’s bur,” meaning Edmund’s dwellings, a combination of the personal name Edmund and “bur,” the dialect form of bower, meaning a dwelling or shelter.

An early record of the name lists the village as simply “Edminber.”

The first written mention of Edmundbyers appears in the Boldon Book, the survey commissioned by the Bishop of Durham in 1183, where it is recorded that “Alan Bruntoft holds Edmundbires for his service in the forest.”

By around 1382, the land had passed to Durham Cathedral, held by the Prior.

The church that hid its altar

The oldest building in the village is St Edmund’s Church, tucked into the western edge of the settlement with views over the fells.

Built around 1150, possibly on the site of an earlier pre-Norman structure, it is Grade II listed and contains evidence of Saxon architecture in its walls.

Inside, one of the church’s most remarkable features is its stone altar, hidden from authorities when such Catholic furnishings were banned by Archbishop Grindal in 1571 during the Reformation, and only rediscovered and reinstated when the building was restored in the 1850s.

Two Saxon-type grave covers are built into the walls of the porch, and the list of rectors displayed inside the church begins with Richard de Kirkeby in 1275.

Edmundbyers Cross, visible near the village, is one of only three wayside crosses remaining in its original position in County Durham, and the only known example on the ancient route between Stanhope and Edmundbyers.

The last witch of County Durham

One grave in the churchyard of St Edmund’s draws more curious visitors than any other.

Elizabeth Lee, who died in 1792 at the age of 87, is reputed to have been the last in a long line of witches said to have lived in and around Edmundbyers. She appears to have lived a full life, born around 1705, married to a John Lee who died in 1771, and regarded with deep suspicion by her neighbours for decades.

In death, she remained a figure of fascination.

Her grave has been visited for generations by those interested in the darker threads of Durham’s history, and in 2021, she was the subject of a commissioned poem for Durham Literary Festival.

(Image: Getty)

The ghost at Low House

A few steps from the church stands Low House, the building that has served as Edmundbyers Youth Hostel since it opened on April 1, 1933, making it one of the oldest continuously operating hostels in the North of England.

The building itself is far older, dating back to around 1600, when it was built as the Miners’ Arms to serve workers in local pits and mineral workings.

Today it is independently run, sleeping up to 31 guests across six rooms, with a bar serving locally brewed beer, a self-catering kitchen and a campsite in a walled garden.

It also reportedly comes with a ghost.

Ann Elliot, who was murdered on the moor and buried at St Edmund’s in 1785, is said to haunt the building. Visitors report nothing more alarming than a sound night’s sleep.

Derwent Reservoir

Two miles south of the village, Derwent Reservoir stretches across 1,000 acres of moorland and woodland on the Durham-Northumberland border.

Opened in 1967, it is one of the larger inland bodies of water in England and the main water supplier for much of Tyne and Wear.

The reservoir is a country park managed by Northumbrian Water and is free to visit, with a circular walk of around nine miles covering the full perimeter.

Red squirrels have been spotted in the surrounding trees, and the resident birdlife includes goldeneye, goosander, great crested grebe and, in winter, visiting flocks of teal and widgeon.

(Image: Sarah Caldecott)

One Tripadvisor reviewer described the circular walk as outstanding, writing: “The paths are well defined and you can soon lose the crowds. Parking is free of charge, and there is a cafe. Well worth a visit.”

Edmundbyers also sits on the Coast to Coast cycle route, and the 18-mile Derwent Reservoir cycling circuit, taking in the reservoir, Blanchland and the surrounding moors, starts and ends in the village.

The Derwent Arms

The village pub, the Derwent Arms on the village green, holds a Tripadvisor rating of 4.5 from 124 reviews, with visitors praising the home-cooked food, local real ales and six en-suite bedrooms.

One recent reviewer wrote: “Such a welcoming pub in a beautiful setting. The food was superb, freshly cooked, generous portions and reasonably priced.”

Another added: “Lovely warm atmosphere, great beer, fantastic food. Exactly what you want when you come off the moors.”

The pub is open for food throughout the week, and the six rooms make it a practical overnight base for walkers and cyclists exploring the wider Derwent Valley.

(Image: Inn Hospitality Group)

Getting there

Edmundbyers is on the B6306, approximately eight miles west of Consett and 17 miles south west of Newcastle.

The village is also served by a bus route between Shotley Bridge and Blanchland.

The nearest postcode for the village centre is DH8 9NL.

Three weeks on from when Lee went ‘missing’ after failing to arrive in the UK for a joint interview with Katie, here is what we know.

Last night Katie shared a video filmed inside a car where she discussed the effects of CBD oil. The view from the car appeared to show that the star was warmer climes in a foreign country, which would line up with the recent snaps taken of Katie at Gatwick Airport with a huge suitcase and her engagement ring firmly on her finger.

She revealed on Facebook that she is set to travel to Dubai to try and visit him in prison, but added: “I don’t know if I’m going to see Lee or I’m not when I get there and it’s a really weird feeling.”

Lee told Katie he was in Al Awir prison, also known as “Dubai Alcatraz” in a brief phone call last week, as he claims he was detained after being mistaken for a spy. It has not been confirmed by Dubai authorities that he is in prison, or was in fact charged with espionage.

While he has allegedly been in prison, he has unfollowed and followed Katie – the only person he follows on Instagram. His account also followed a woman dubbed “biker babe” who used to be on a millionaire matchmaker site, but she appears to have ultimately blocked his account.

The phone call about Lee’s whereabouts came after he’d been “missing” for almost two weeks, with Katie telling fans that her husband had been “kidnapped” and she had to get Interpol involved after as he was being taken to a “black site”.

Since this ordeal began in May, Katie has faced criticism for using Lee’s alleged arrest as a PR stunt to promote her CBD oil collaboration and her music. She has also been met with sympathy from fans who believe she had no involvement and is being “conned” by her husband.

She continued: “I have seen horrific examples of footage like Henry Nowak’s death, where you see police handcuffing people when they are in moments of vulnerability, when they are on unwell, when there are in moment of crisis, against the guidelines which are set out for use of force… and unfortunately the disproportionate people who are on the receiving end of that tend to be the people of colour.”

Nigel Farage has a victory over the BBC after Newsnight misquoted the Reform UK leader’s response to Henry Nowak’s murder.

In the Newsnight episode last night the presenter Matt Chorley put it to Kemi Badenoch if she agreed the country should respond to the killing of the student with ‘white, cold rage’.

He then gets it wrong again, asking the Conservative leader ‘what is the risk if more people follow Nigel Farage’s appeal for ‘white, cold rage’?’.

But in reality, Farage actually said ‘pure, cold rage’.

A BBC spokesman confirmed they had deleted the entire episode.

They said: ‘In an interview about the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, we mistakenly quoted the Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as saying people should respond to his death with a “white, cold rage”.

‘To be clear Mr Farage actually said “pure, cold rage” as had been stated earlier in the programme and we apologise to him for this error. The programme has been removed from BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.’

Matt Chorley also apologised to the Reform UK leader, posting on X: ‘I owe Nigel Farage an apology. This was a mistake on my part, a misremembering of the quote. It didn’t change the content of the interview but I should have got the quote right. I apologise to Nigel Farage for this.’

It came after protests turned violent in Southampton last night as Tommy Robinson supporters tried to storm police lines, injuring 11 officers and a police dog.

The student’s killer, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, told police attending the scene of the stabbing that he had been the victim of a racist attack, while Mr Nowak was handcuffed by police as he lay dying.

Speaking in Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir highlighted the words of Mr Nowak’s father, who said: ‘We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred, or tension.’

Sir Keir said: ‘They’re the words of a grieving father who’s lost his son.

‘I think those words have resonated with people across the country. We must not allow this tragedy to be hijacked by anyone who seeks to divide us.’

Mr Farage argued that the UK has ‘two-tier policing’ and that officers are told to treat different ethnic groups differently.

He said: ‘Following the horrendous circumstances of Henry Nowak’s death, can I urge the Prime Minister to consider this: it is now clear to growing millions in this country that we are living under two-tier policing.

‘The instructions that are given to police officers from police bosses are clear and written down in ink. It says you must treat different ethnic groups in different ways.

‘Apart from the upset and the anger at the circumstances of his death, the anger that you saw spilling out in Southampton last night, which is in danger of getting considerably worse…

‘If the public lose trust in being treated fairly by the police, can he (Sir Keir) take some action, end this divisive practice of two-tier policing, and make sure that all British citizens are treated the same?’

In an interview set to air on Times Radio Mr Farage also said: ‘What you saw in Southampton last night is the beginning.

‘If we get large numbers of young white males who think the police are prejudiced against them, goodness knows where we go.’

As he was speaking in the Commons, the Reform leader was heckled by a number of MPs telling him to condemn the violence in Southampton.

Sir Keir replied: ‘I don’t believe there’s two-tier policing in this country. I’m really shocked that he pretends to have respect for Henry’s family and then acts in this way.

‘The grieving family have asked us not to respond in the way that the leader of Reform has responded. They’ve asked us not to. They have lost their son in the most appalling circumstance. They make a simple plea of us as human beings to please not exploit that. That is their plea to us.

‘We all need to reflect on those words of Henry’s father. My response, and the response of others to be fair, has been focused on the lessons to be learned, so we can deliver justice.

‘His (Mr Farage’s) response has been to appeal for rage, rage. That’s his response to a father who has lost his son and asked for that not to happen.

‘Exploiting this tragedy to create grievance and division would be wrong in any circumstances, but to do it when the family are expressly saying ‘please don’t’ is unforgivable. It shows exactly who he is.’

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NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have identified a group of worker honeybees that are specially adapted to build their queen’s waxy abode within the hive.

Worker bees perform a myriad of jobs to keep up the hive, including collecting food, nurturing young bees and caring for the queen, who lays all the eggs. New research reveals that the honeybees responsible for crafting the queen’s home effectively run a fever to help melt and blend special chemicals into the wax.

“No one had ever thought that there might be a specialized group of workers that were building these queen cells,” said bee researcher Julia Bowsher with North Dakota State University, who had no role in the study.

These newly identified bees were younger and also had patterns of expression in their genes that made them uniquely suited to the task. The resulting peanut-shaped home was also distinct in its makeup, as it was made of softer wax with a higher melting point than the kind used to build worker bees’ homes.

Queens are raised eating royal jelly secreted from the glands of worker bees and scientists have long believed diet was the main key to making a monarch. The new findings, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, suggest that the queen’s environment might also play a role.

To test that theory, researchers raised baby queens in cups capped with either queen or worker wax. Despite eating royal jelly, the queens raised in worker wax were smaller and didn’t survive as well.

“For centuries, we believed ‘you are what you eat’ was the only rule for making a queen bee. Our study rewrites that rule to say ‘you are where you live, too,’” Kai Wang, a study co-author with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said in an email.

The findings offer a rare look inside the hive, but questions remain.

Honeybees pollinate and ensure the survival of crops such as blueberries, squash, watermelon and almonds. Further research is needed to learn more about the secret lives of queen cell-building bees and the exact combination of factors that produce the hive’s head honcho.

“I would really like to know more about the specific chemical composition of this wax and which active ingredients are directly affecting the growth of the queens,” Bowsher said.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Councillors for Bradshaw and Harwood have agreed a funding arrangement with Bolton Council to upgrade security at Longsight Park’s entrance, Harwood.

The move follows an unauthorised encampment at the site earlier this month, which residents and volunteers said left behind rubbish, damage and human waste.

Councillors say the new measures are aimed at protecting the park and its arboretum from future incidents.

Cllr James Moller said: “Some people might complain it is a big lump sum of money, but it is money better spent on this, as the damage that they have done can cost thousands.

“It is just protecting assets in the area, and it is a good thing they are protecting these assets for the older generation and newer.”

The councillor said the cost of repairing damage could ultimately be greater than investing in prevention measures.

(Image: NQ)

He said councillors had agreed a 50/50 funding arrangement with Bolton Council to deliver the security improvements.

Cllr Moller added: “It costs the taxpayer more with damages than if we install this.”

The exact design of the new security feature has yet to be confirmed, although it is expected to involve a barrier at the park entrance.

The plans come after Bolton Council confirmed that the gate at the site had been damaged and that officers were reviewing security arrangements.

Earlier this month, eight caravans parked at Longsight Park before the council served a legal notice ordering those on the site to leave.

Following the encampment, volunteers described a major clean-up operation and raised concerns about damage to parts of the park and arboretum.

A Bolton Council spokesperson previously said neighbourhood services staff had attended the site to remove waste and that the council’s neighbourhood assets team had reviewed the quality of the gates on site.

A new organisation will deliver thousands of new homes and jobs, the government has announced

A new regeneration body will be set to deliver thousands of new homes, jobs, transport links, and community services in Greater Cambridge, the government has announced. The government says the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation will ensure transport and services are built alongside new homes and “not as an afterthought”.

The corporation aims to bring land together for development, invest in key sites, and unlock stalled and derelict land, according to government officials. The announcement follows a consultation over the plans earlier this year.

Speaking exclusively to Cambridgeshire Live, housing and planning minister Matthew Pennycook said: “Cambridge East presents a golden opportunity to transform one of the largest undeveloped brownfield sites in the country. For years, this land in Greater Cambridge has sat idle and this government is putting its money where its mouth is by investing £100 million to now bring the site forward.”

The government said the development will attract millions more in investment. “This is about delivering real benefits for local people – tackling the region’s acute housing crisis and building a place where communities can grow and prosper, while backing Cambridge’s future as a world‑leading centre for science and innovation,” the housing minister added.

The leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, Councillor Lucy Nethsingha, said she welcomes government investment in the region. However, she said the council is “staunchly committed to ensuring that the growth, which is much needed, will materially benefit and involve local people”.

She added: “Earlier this year, we responded to the government’s consultation on proposals for the Development Corporation, raising our deeply held concerns across a variety of areas including, but not limited to: availability of water and sewage capacity, transport infrastructure and highways maintenance funding, flooding and environmental management, and energy capacity.”

Cllr Nethsingha said it is not clear how the Development Corporation will interact with the existing planning system. She said it risks “disrupting effective partnership working, significantly reducing local democratic influence over decisions and possibly even slowing growth”.

Feedback received during the consultation has been “carefully reviewed”, according to Mr Pennycook. He said a comprehensive response has since been published.

“We will now take the time necessary to ensure we understand the many implications for our residents and on our diverse services, from adult social care to waste management and everything in between,” Cllr Nethsingha added.

While formal identification is still to be completed, police have informed the family of a missing man

A member of the public made the grim discovery of human remains close to a busy major road on Tuesday evening (June 2), as police continue to search for a missing man.

Avon and Somerset Police confirmed the find was made on the A4 Portway in Bristol, which connects the city centre to the M5 motorway and Avonmouth via the Avon Gorge. Officers added that the remains have been linked to an ongoing search for the missing 40-year-old Rebaz, Bristol Live reports.

While formal identification is still to be completed, officers have notified the family of Rebaz. He was last seen on May 4 near Fishponds Road, prompting a public appeal amid growing concern for his welfare.

“Police were called to the Portway on Tuesday evening, 2 June, by a member of the public who had found human remains,” the force confirmed in a statement released on Wednesday.

“Sadly, our initial enquiries suggest the deceased is missing Rebaz, 40, from Bristol, who hadn’t been seen since Monday 4 May. While formal identification has yet to take place, his family have been informed and have our sympathy in their loss.

“Officers would like to thank everyone who contacted us with information or shared our appeal to trace Rebaz.”

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The name and logo of the UK’s Universal theme park in Bedfordshire have been officially unveiled

The name and branding of the UK’s Universal theme park have been revealed, alongside announcements of £7.3 billion worth of investment into the scheme by the American entertainment giant and the Government.

The attraction will be called Universal United Kingdom Resort, with work already underway and construction due to commence shortly.

Universal anticipates the development, which will be the company’s first theme park and resort in Europe, will deliver almost £50 billion of economic value to the UK economy by 2055.

The theme park is projected to draw millions of visitors every year, including over a million additional international tourists, with the resort poised to become the UK’s leading tourist destination.

Comcast NBCUniversal has pledged to invest more than £5 billion in the entertainment resort complex throughout the anticipated five-year construction period, alongside an additional £1 billion in capital expenditure during its first decade of operation.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) described it as “one of the largest-ever investments in the UK tourism sector” and said it would create nearly 20,000 jobs during construction and a further 8,000 positions when the resort launches in 2031.

The Government will back the scheme with an investment of £1.3 billion on regional and local community infrastructure to “ensure the park can operate successfully, with improved transport links for local residents and visitors from across the UK and abroad”, DCMS said. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves visited the location on Wednesday (June 3) morning and met some of the initial staff recruited for the scheme after being welcomed by Mark Woodbury, chairman and chief executive of Universal Destinations & Experiences.

Addressing Mr Woodbury and Universal employees during her maiden visit to the location, Ms Reeves, who wore a hi-vis jacket and hard hat, said: “Thank you for choosing the UK. I know that you could have chosen locations in other parts of Europe. We’re really thrilled you’re going to be here and we’re determined to work with you to make it the massive success that I know it’s going to be.”

Mr Woodbury said the resort would deliver “immersive storytelling, thrilling attractions and unparalleled creativity and innovation to the UK”.

He told Ms Reeves the firm was “ready to break ground and make this the most spectacular theme park in all of Europe, if not the world.”

Molly Murphy, president of Universal Creative, said the company was “thrilled” to have the Chancellor attend to mark the commencement of enabling works on the location.

Asked why Bedfordshire was chosen, Ms Murphy told reporters: “We chose Bedfordshire because it is an exciting place. There’s an amazing amount of creative talent in the UK that we can tap into and this place is a perfect location to build the greatest theme park in all of Europe, so we’re very excited about doing that.”

Following the site visit, the Chancellor and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy hosted Brian Roberts, chairman of Comcast Corporation, and Mr Woodbury at 11 Downing Street to reveal the resort’s name and logo.

Mr Roberts said the company looked forward to “creating a spectacular destination that supports the UK creative industries and brings joy to millions for generations to come”.

The Chancellor said: “This landmark investment in the heart of the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor will unlock nearly £50 billion of economic growth and create tens of thousands of jobs across Bedfordshire in construction, hospitality, creative and technology sectors.

“Our own investment in transport and infrastructure means that local people will benefit – improving connectivity, backing our creative industries, and bringing millions of visitors to the UK from across the world.”

As part of the £1.3 billion investment, the Government will provide a grant of £400 million through the Exceptional Regional Growth Fund, while DCMS will contribute a further £438 million towards new community infrastructure to “maximise the benefits of the development and support growth across the region”.

These grants will only be released once Universal has completed the community infrastructure — in the case of the DCMS grant — and formally opened the theme park and resort. The Department for Transport will also upgrade the strategic road and rail network, on the A421 and at Wixams train station at an expected cost of £474 million.

DCMS stated that Universal’s selection of Bedford for its inaugural European park is “a testament to the strength of the UK’s visitor offering and creative industries”.

It further noted that Universal had “committed to world-class training opportunities for the next generation of its workforce, including through a range of apprenticeships and internships”.

Culture Secretary Ms Nandy said: “This unparalleled investment is a huge vote of confidence in the UK and puts rocket boosters under our entertainment industry.

“When it comes to creating world-class experiences, the UK is second to none. We’re proud to be backing British industry, investing in local talent and partnering with powerhouses like Universal to create jobs, growth and opportunities across the UK.”

Over 100 people across the UK have already been taken on to work on the development, with Universal having received expressions of employment interest from approximately 33,000 individuals. Roughly 80% of the theme park and resort’s workforce is anticipated to be drawn from Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas.

Dame Caroline Dinenage, chairwoman of the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee, described the investment as having “potential to provide a welcome boost to our tourism industry at a time when there are concerns that the policy landscape is making the UK a less attractive destination for overseas visitors”.

She went on to say: “The Government must work with Universal to ensure the project brings long-lasting benefits, not just to tourism, but also to our wider creative industries.”

Universal’s American theme parks feature rides and attractions drawn from its impressive portfolio of major blockbusters and film franchises, encompassing Minions, ET and Jurassic Park, alongside Kung Fu Panda, Fast & Furious and Shrek.

The entertainment giant currently operates five resort complexes across the globe – Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood in the US, Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, Universal Beijing Resort in China and Universal Studios Singapore.