A lake dug by the Royal Engineers to test military vehicles is now the centrepiece of a new community

The second stage of a new town built on a former military base will soon be underway, with plans for up to 2,700 more homes submitted. Waterbeach Barracks was first used by the RAF, then the Royal Engineers, before the site was closed in 2013.

The old runways can still be seen stretching into the distance when walking into the site from Waterbeach village, and developer Urban&Civic’s offices are set up in the former control tower.

The centrepiece of the new town is a lake built by the military to test amphibious vehicles, now used for watersports like swimming and paddleboarding. The café, which also acts as a shop, bar and community centre, is run by local business Urban Brew, who also run the lakeside café which opens on weekends.

Fiona Reardon-Rose, communications and partnerships manager at Urban&Civic, said the street names will honour the site’s past as a military base. She said: “It’s honouring the heritage of the site as it was in both its military life, and life before then – this is the next chapter in Waterbeach’s story.”

With 200 homes built so far – and around 150 moved into – Fiona said they’re quickly building the start of a “lovely, growing, community”.

She said: “We really pride ourselves on not just building houses, but building communities. It’s a really close-knit community with residents from across the spectrum of ages and demographics which is really lovely.

“The community is why we do it to be honest – we create new places where the community can really feel a sense of ownership over the place where they live. It’s really special to see the community forming their bonds – going from our very first resident to our one hundredth resident.”

Fiona said they have helped set up parent and child groups, book groups, arts and crafts groups, and more for residents. A new bridge over the A10 was also opened recently, giving pedestrians and cyclists easy access to the research park and towards Cambridge.

Fiona said bike servicing is provided on site and the company has a “real focus on sustainability and active travel”. This includes the Waterbeach shuttle service, the number 100 bus, which links the new homes with Cambridge Research Park, Waterbeach village, and Cambridge city centre.

The finished project will have 6,500 houses and five schools. There will be three primary schools, a secondary school, and a special educational needs school. Construction of the first primary school, part of phase one, has just started which Fiona said is a “really exciting milestone”.

The homes have so far been built by two different companies – Cala and Stonebond. They range from flats to five-bedroom houses. Prices go from as low as £280,000 up to about £800,000 with a certain amount earmarked as affordable housing. These will include a mix of affordable rentals, rent to buy, and discount market sales.

Plans for phase two of the development have now been submitted with proposals for key town centre facilities including cafés, a health centre, and a community space. They will build on the work of the first phase with more sports pitches, parks, play areas, and high-quality green spaces.

Harriet Nicholls, senior development manager for Urban&Civic, said: “The submission of phase two is a major milestone for Waterbeach New Town and for the wider Cambridge area.

“We’re excited not just about the delivery of the next homes in this phase, but also some really important amenities from schools and health in and around the new town centre, to the parks and play spaces for residents and neighbours to enjoy.

“This phase will also see further major investment in connections, from the bus only main link through the heart of phase two, to the reimagined historic causeway prioritising walking and cycling. We will continue to work closely with our partners and the local community as these plans progress through the planning process.”

“The heatwave can’t stop me from dancing. I keep smiling for the people in York,” said Vasile Calin, speaking at his pitch outside Marks and Spencer in Parliament Street on Sunday (May 24).

“Sometimes I’m happy, sometimes I’m tired – but I still keep smiling.”

Vasile said he will be back at his pitch on Monday, when the Met Office has forecast highs of 31C for York. “I keep dancing 10 hours a day,” he said. “I work every day.”

Over in King’s Staith, the Royal Ices ice cream van has been enjoying bumper trade throughout the weekend thanks to the highs of 25C.  

Taha Vulfigar said he served ice cream from the van all afternoon on Saturday, when there were “really long queues” along the riverside.  

“It was really busy,” he said. I was serving ice cream from 12pm to 6pm – six hours straight. It was really good.”

He expected Sunday and Monday to be as busy. “Tomorrow [Monday] is going to extraordinary hot – it’s going to be really busy,” Taha said.

Taha Vulfigar manning the Royal Ices ice cream van in King’s Staith, York, on Sunday (May 24) (Image: Dylan Connell)

One of the first customers of the day at the Royal Ices ice cream van in King’s Staith, York, on Sunday (May 24) (Image: Dylan Connell)

A yellow heat alert is in place for York until 5pm on Wednesday.

The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), means there could be a significant impact across health and social care services, including the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.

York is due to see its warmed day of the year so far on Monday, with other areas of the UK recording record-breaking weather temperatures.

The UK saw the hottest day of the year so far on Saturday when the village of Frittenden, in Kent, hit 30.5C.

Temperatures could peak at 33C and 34C in the south east of England on Monday, making it the hottest May day in the England, which currently sits at 33.3C.

Allegra Burridge and Abi Beerling enjoy the sun in Museum Gardens, York, on Sunday (May 24) (Image: Dylan Connell)

Shoppers enjoy the sun in Coney Street, York, on Sunday (May 24) (Image: Dylan Connell)

The Met Office defines a heatwave as at least three consecutive days with a daily maximum temperature exceeding a county-specific threshold.

In York, 25C is the county-specific threshold – meaning the area could experience a heatwave if temperatures exceed 25C on Sunday and Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the RSPCA is urging pet owners to watch their animals for signs of overheating, and not to leave animals in hot cars.

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RSPCA pet welfare expert Lauren Bennett said taking dogs out for walks when it is too hot for them could put them at risk of heat stroke or exhaustion.

“It’s really important to take extra special care of animals during this extremely hot weather,” she said.

“Kind acts for your pets, however small, combine to create a more compassionate world for all animals – and every kind act for animals is a vote for a better world for them. Small, everyday gestures like popping some ice cubes into your pet’s water or putting some sun cream on their nose all add up to make a real difference for animals.

“Bouts of intense heat can be such a stressful time for pet owners – but the best way to protect our pets is by equipping ourselves with the right knowledge and latest science-backed research, to give us the most effective way to ensure we can all be safe during those scorching summer days.”

One of the young victims said the judge’s ruling was “a rock straight in my face”

There is growing outcry over a judge’s decision to spare three teenage boys who raped two girls from any custodial sentence.

One of the two teenage victims spoke anonymously to the BBC, describing her anguish at going through a trial at which the boys were convicted only to see them walk free from court. “Why did I sit and put myself through the pain of going to court, going through a trial, reliving everything because of evidence and watching it all happen again?” the girl said.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has now added his voice to the call for the sentences to be reconsidered, saying the girls have “shown extraordinary bravery and strength in heinous circumstances” and it was “right” that the attorney general was reviewing the sentences given by a judge at Southampton Crown Court.

The rapes in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in 2024 and 2025, were filmed on phones and showed the boys laughing and encouraging each other.

Two of the boys were 14 when they carried out the attacks and the third was 13 when he aided and abetted the assaults on the second girl.

In the first offence, the 15 year old victim had arranged to meet one of the boys who she had been exchanging messages with on Snapchat. She thought it was a first date but two other boys appeared and she was raped three times in an underpass by the River Avon while it was filmed.

The court heard she was “petrified”, felt “cornered and trapped” and feared being thrown into the river.

The second girl was 14 when she met the boys at Fordingbridge Recreation Ground, and was raped repeatedly in a nearby field. Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter

At the sentencing hearing at Southampton Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Rowland said he recognised the “seriousness” of the crimes but hepraised the boys for how they had conducted themselves throughout the trial.

He further stated that he wished to avoid “criminalising” the “very young” boys. One of the 15-year-olds was handed a three-year youth rehabilitation order (YRO) with 180 days of intensive supervision and surveillance for the rape of each of the two girls and two indecent images charges. The second 15 year old received an identical sentence for three counts of rape against each of the victims and four charges of taking indecent images.

The 14-year-old boy was handed an 18-month YRO for his role in the January 2025 attack, having encouraged one of the other defendants to carry out the rape.

Speaking to the BBC anonymously, with her family beside her, one of the victims described the judge’s ruling as “a rock straight in my face”, stating that it “almost made it seem as if what the boys did was not OK, but it was OK in the eyes of the law because they were still children”.

They told the BBC that they want the sentences to be changed, and the boys sent to jail, saying the sentences amounted to a “slap on the wrist”.

The girl’s mother said that her world “stopped” when she discovered what had happened to her daughter. She called upon the Prime Minister to overturn the decision, asking: “if it was your daughter, your niece, your son, your nephew, your family member, would you be happy?

“Because we’re not happy and I don’t think any other member of the public will be happy too. So you’re in a position of power to help, so please help.”

The girl revealed to the BBC that it took six months before she felt able to speak out about the assault. “The reason I said it was because I was losing it. I was spiralling. I needed help, but I didn’t know how to get it, so I spoke up,” she said.

She further described the emotional turmoil she had been experiencing since the attack, saying it is “all I can think about is being sad, being angry, stressed, tired, school, needing a job, trying to pull my life together while I feel like it’s falling apart”.

But that the judge’s decision has made her question why she went through with speaking out in the first place. “Why did I sit and put myself through the pain of going to court, going through a trial, reliving everything because of evidence and watching it all happen again?” she asked.

“It sort of gave me a sense of what’s the point…what was the point in putting me through that just to say that it’s fine.”

In the wake of the sentencing, the attorney general is set to examine the ruling and will have 28 days to decide whether the sentences should be referred to the Court of Appeal.

Cabinet minister Darren Jones told the BBC that he expects the attorney general to make a decision quicker than that, telling the programme that the girls “deserve justice, as do their families, both for them but also for other girls that are put in that position”.

A government spokesperson said: “We share the public’s shock at the details of this horrific case, and our thoughts are with the young victims during this distressing time.

“The Law Officers are urgently reviewing the case with the utmost care and attention.”

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With more children expected to spend time outdoors over half-term, Northern Powergrid is urging parents and carers to talk to young people about the dangers posed by substations, overhead lines, cables, and poles.

The electricity distributor is also advising the public not to attempt to retrieve objects from substations or power lines and to call 105 immediately if anything becomes stuck or appears dangerous.

Gareth Pearson, Northern Powergrid’s director of health, safety and training, said: “As more children and young people will be off school and outdoors during May half term, we’re asking all parents and guardians to check their children know the dangers of electricity and the free ‘105’ number to call if they accidentally kick a football into a substation, or fly a drone or kite, into overhead power lines.

“Play and stay safe, be switched on about the dangers of electricity, and enjoy your May half-term.”

The company is offering free educational resources, including a safety animation, to help parents reinforce the message.

These materials are available at northernpowergrid.com/education.

For health and safety advice, visit northernpowergrid.com/safety.

The last contact from Adam Chalmers was around 12.40pm, when he messaged to say he had completed two Munros and had one to go.

A body has been found in the search for a missing hillwalker on the Ben Lawers mountain range.

Adam Chalmers, 36, began hillwalking in the Ben Lawers mountain range, north of Loch Tay in Perthshire, around 9.15am on Saturday. He was planning to complete three Munros – Meall Greigh, Meall Garbh and An Stuc.

The last contact from Adam was around 12.40pm, when he messaged to say he had completed two Munros and had one to go.

Around 1.25pm on Sunday, May 24, the body of a man was recovered in the An Stac area.

Adam’s family have been made aware.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Adam’s family wishes to thank Police Scotland, Tayside Mountain Rescue, RAF Mountain Rescue and all the agencies involved in the searches.

“There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”

A separate search for another missing hillwalker continues.

American Timothy Rosser, 60, was due to be out hillwalking in Glencoe. But he hasn’t been seen since leaving his hotel in Edinburgh in his black MG hire car (LE75 FNO) on Tuesday morning.

The car was spotted in Glencoe that day. He is described as a white man, around 6ft 2 and slim build, with short white hair.

Sergeant Lewis Macleod said: “Timothy has failed to check in to his pre-booked hotels in the area and it is out-of-character to not be in touch with his family. We are appealing for anyone with any information on his whereabouts, or who may have been hillwalking in the area on 19 May and seen anything which may assist our searches, to please come forward as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101.

Joao Palhinha hit the post with an initial header before his follow-up effort crossed the line before being hacked away. It led to an outpouring of joy and relief around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with West Ham still being held in a must-win match at home to Leeds. The Hammers went on to win 3-0 thanks to second-half efforts from Taty Castellanos, Jarrod Bowen and Callum Wilson, but they did not get the helping hand they needed from Everton and former boss David Moyes.

The village offers picturesque countryside, a ‘glorious’ pub, and an intriguing history

Hidden in the countryside of south Cambridgeshire lays a quaint, picturesque village that holds a peculiar history. Fowlmere, one of the southernmost villages in the county, had only 1,259 residents as of 2018.

The village is home to an ancient monument known as the ‘Round Moat’ which is the remains of an early Saxon settlement dating from around the ninth century. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a wildlife haven.

Fowlmere offers one pub called The Chequers, which has been in operation since the 16th century. It previously served as a coaching inn for travellers going to and from Cambridge. The intriguing pub was once used as coffin storage for those travelling with bodies.

Notably, the pub was mentioned in the diary of Samuel Pepys. In present times, the pub serves as a popular meeting hub for the locals offering a bar and restaurant – but no storage for coffins.

With an average rating of 4.7 stars out of five amid over 600 reviews on Google, it appears to be a much-loved establishment. One previous guest described the setting as “glorious”, highlighting the “brilliant service” they experienced.

Another guest wrote: “Never had a bad meal here and it has risen top of my list for my local pubs. Staff are always outstanding and the menu is constantly evolving and improving. Amazing pub!”

Fowlmere was once struck by a tornado. On November 23, 1981, the record-breaking nationwide tornado outbreak tore through the village. The United Kingdom tornado outbreak of that year has been considered the largest recorded tornado outbreak in Europe history.

Fowlmere does not currently have a convenience shop but it does have a café and a village hall. Only a short 15-minute drive takes you to the renowned Duxford Imperial War Museum where visitors can take in the incredible history of the airfield and watch some beautiful air shows.

The village offers one school called Fowlmere Primary School, which teaches pupils aged four until 11. House prices in Fowlmere reflect its desirability – with an average price of £551,786 over the last year, according to Rightmove. The majority of properties sold in Fowlmere during the last year were detached properties, selling for an average price of £693,125.

Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts has revealed she has given birth to her first child, who arrived two weeks early and weighted 6.5lbs

Nicola Roberts has become a mother for the first time. The former Girls Aloud star, 40, shared the sweet news in an Instagram post on Sunday.

She gushed: “Our beautiful baby girl is here. We haven’t stopped staring at her perfect little face or kissing her softest little head.

“She arrived healthy and content a couple of weeks ago at 38 weeks weighing 6.5lbs and is thriving. It’s heaven on earth with her and we can hardly believe she’s ours.”

Nicola uploaded snaps of fiance Mitch Hahn proudly carrying his daughter in her travel chair as they left the hospital. She also shaed a sweet image of her daughter’s tiny hand.

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A girl who was raped by two teenage boys, who were spared jail, has told the BBC of her dismay at the sentences they received.

The teenager, who was 15 when she was attacked, spoke anonymously alongside her family.

She said the judge’s decision “almost made it seem as if what the boys did was not OK, but it was OK in the eyes of the law because they were still children”.

The attorney general is to review the sentence given by Judge Nicholas Rowland, who had said on Thursday he wanted to avoid “criminalising” the “very young” boys.

The girl told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “Why did I put myself through the pain of going to court, going through a trial, reliving everything…It sort of gave me the sense of what’s the point?”

A man died after falling from a building in Manchester city centre.

The man was found outside the Maldron Hotel on Charles Street at around 4pm yesterday.

His death is being treated as unexplained.

The hotel was evacuated yesterday and guests were unable to return as of that afternoon, witnesses told the Manchester Evening News.

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Pictures of the scene showed several police vehicles in the vicinity of the hotel.

A blue forensic tent was erected outside the property.

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The road remains closed into the night.

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   Something very strange is happening on this interview subject’s neck
   

   
   
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Greater Manchester Police told Metro: ‘At around 4pm [Saturday], we were called to reports that a man had fallen from a building on Charles Street in the city centre.

‘Sadly, a deceased man was found at the scene.

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‘Enquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding his death, which is unexplained, are currently ongoing.’

Metro has contacted the Maldron Hotel and Dalata Hotel Group for comment.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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