The Lake District is home to many lively market towns and quaint villages dotted between rugged fells and dramatic tarns.

Although there are plenty of well-known spots with great accommodation options for visiting the region’s beautiful landscapes, bases away from the most popular – and often crowded – areas are well worth exploring.

Along pretty streets that boast artisanal shops and traditional pubs, visitors will find gastronomic wonders in the Lake’s 13 Michelin-starred restaurants and can discover where the Lake District’s many renowned artists and writers have lived and worked. With cobbled streets, slate houses and trickling streams, it doesn’t take long to understand the unrivalled artistic inspiration.

Each town and village offers a different window to the glorious national park; we’ve rounded up a few favourites to help you pick the best to suit your trip.

1. Grasmere

Nestled among magnificent fells and a tranquil lake, Grasmere village is perfect for a relaxing stay with gentle walks and helpings of culture. It was a favoured spot for William Wordsworth and home to his Dove Cottage, where the poet wrote most of his major works. You can currently visit the cottage, along with a museum and gardens. Further artistic depictions of the area’s beauty can be found at the Heaton Cooper Studio. Established by landscape artist Alfred Heaton Cooper in 1938, the gallery now runs three exhibitions showcasing the work of the Heaton Cooper family – artists who have cherished the Lake District.

If the sun is shining, hire a pretty pastel-coloured rowing boat at Faeryland Grasmere, before admiring the lake views with a speciality tea and scones at the tea room. Don’t head home without some spicy-sweet gingerbread from the Grasmere Gingerbread shop.

Read more: Best cheap hotels in the Lake District

Where to stay

Victorian House is a boutique hotel that’s perfectly placed in the charming village. Choose from a handful of smart rooms finished with period quirks, or opt for the shepherd’s hut to wake up surrounded by nature. In the morning, enjoy breakfast with peaceful views of the garden.

Read more: Best things to do in the Lake District on a rainy day

2. Cartmel

Admittedly, Cartmel sits outside the Lake District National Park, but it is a great choice for excellent food, drinking spots, and shops selling local products – and ideal as a base from which to venture out to the Lakes. In the warmer months, the village square buzzes with outdoor eating and drinking. As well as a scattering of gastro pubs serving hearty British fare, the small village is home to two Michelin-starred restaurants, Rogan & Co and L’Enclume, both the work of Simon Rogan. Cartmel is also famous for sticky toffee pudding, which can be bought from the village shop, along with other puddings and deli foods.

Walk off the indulgence by exploring Cartmel’s medieval origins. A highlight is the 12th-century Cartmel Priory, which has eight centuries of history.

Where to stay

L’Enclume is a three-Michelin-star restaurant with bedrooms and suites scattered around the village. Each room elegantly displays local craftsmanship and references to the village’s history. All stays include breakfast at the Michelin-starred neighbourhood restaurant Rogan & Co, and guarantee a table reservation at L’Enclume.

3. Troutbeck

Troutbeck is a cluster of hamlets that cling to the hilly road from Windermere to Penrith. A stay here is ideal for anyone who wants to enjoy the fells, but you could also take a gentle stroll around the village, stopping at Jesus Church, which is home to stained-glass windows by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris. Afterwards, the Queens Head offers a cosy spot for a drink or a meal.

Alternatively, tackle the heights of Wansfell Pike – a climb rewarded by brilliant views of Windermere’s namesake lake. Walking boots are recommended for the strenuous fell walk up to High Street, which reaches 828 metres, via the Ill Bell ridge.

Back in the village, the Old Post Office Tea Room is a popular stop for walkers wishing to enjoy the views with homemade soups and cakes.

Where to stay

Family-run inn, the Mortal Man is a great value option. With traditional 17th-century low-beamed rooms, open fires and horse brasses, it makes an atmospheric stay with characterful bedrooms. The hotel also boasts a large beer garden, which is a great place to relax after a walk.

Read more: Best hotels in the Lake District

4. Ambleside

Ambleside is a lively town, notable for its shopping. Deli Rattle Ghyll is a wonderful spot to pick up takeaway sandwiches and freshly baked pies, as well as local cheese and Winter Tarn Butter. A gorgeous selection of perfumes and natural skincare fills the shelves in The Bath House, while Fred’s Bookshop is the place to find your holiday reading. Sample some local craft ales straight from their copper tanks at Tap Yard or taste the creative delights at Michelin-starred Lake Road Kitchen. The exquisite offerings include local produce with creative twists like Ōra king salmon, karebushi, tomato and maple dashi.

A relaxed stroll can be enjoyed at Rothay Park, while the climb up to Wansfell Pike unveils the best views. On the way up, stop at Stockghyll Waterfall – its cascading water is wonderfully dramatic.

Where to stay

The Drunken Duck is a country inn that’s elegant yet down-to-earth, featuring cottage-style bedrooms finished with inviting furnishings. The property is a 10-minute drive from Ambleside, but it’s worth the journey. Downstairs, you’ll find a characterful, cosy pub with its own microbrewery, but the inn’s sleek restaurant, with its adventurous and flavoursome menu, is the main draw for guests.

Read more: UK walks with a pub at the end

5. Keswick

Keswick is a jolly market town with a broad range of activities on your doorstep, making it an ideal place to entertain the whole family. On a bright day, visit Castlerigg Stone Circle, one of the most dramatic and earliest stone circles in the UK, dating to about 3000BC. It’s surrounded by glorious fells, including Helvellyn and High Seat. In May, Keswick hosts one of the biggest mountain festivals. This family-friendly weekend is packed full of sporting events from trail runs to yoga, as well as live music and a programme of talks.

On a rainy day, discover the history of the pencil at the Derwent Pencil Museum. Alternatively, catch a show at Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake.

Where to stay

Right in the centre of town, the Inn on The Square is a smart townhouse with slick Scandinavian design paired with charming Cumbrian features. There’s a cocktail bar, a family-friendly pub and a steakhouse restaurant with an open kitchen.

Read more: The most spectacular UK lakes for walks, kayaking, wildlife and more

6. Coniston

Coniston village is an ideal base for watersports and outdoor family activities. It sits on Coniston Water, which is a quieter lake than touristy Windermere, so your boating ventures will be less disturbed by tours. Choose from rowing boats, kayaks, and canoes at Coniston Boating Centre, or take a relaxing cruise with Coniston Launch Co.

Visit the Ruskin Museum to learn the story of Donald Campbell, who broke seven world water speed records, four of them on Coniston Water. His iconic hydroplane Bluebird K7 is now featured in the museum.

Where to stay

Book the Coniston Inn for a classic Lakes hotel with good-value rooms and a family-friendly atmosphere. For hearty pub food and full Cumbrian breakfasts, grab a seat amongst electric memorabilia in the open-plan restaurant. It’s ideal for access to the lake since it has its own jetty.

Read more: Best family-friendly hotels in the Lake District for water sports and outdoor trails

Today, Pluto begins its five month retrograde, encouraging a shift in identity. This planetary placement demands for truth to be revealed.

Sagittarius, Scorpio and Libra, make sure you think and listen before you act. It is not wise to rush into decision making given this revealing cosmic blend.

Be open to feedback and change today. Don’t get bogged down by unnecessary detail, and keep a broad view.

Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Wednesday May 6, 2026.

Like checking your horoscope every morning? You can now sign up to our free daily newsletter to get a personalised reading for your star sign delivered straight to your inbox.

To order your unique personal horoscope based on your time, date and place of birth, visit patrickarundell.com.

Aries

March 21 to April 20

Tiny Pluto’s status as a planet may be debated by some, but its influence is undoubted, and now it goes into its annual five-month retrograde. For you, Aries, this can prompt you to carefully consider your long-term direction, alliances, and network. With Mercury in a tense square to Pluto, some distance from certain people may, though, suit you today, however.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aries

Taurus

April 21 to May 21

The zesty communicator Mercury, currently in your zodiac sign, is pushing you to use your shrewd mental faculties to prioritise the ideas you feel most invested in and personally connected to. It’s just that, as you do, someone influential may seem unimpressed. However, if you need others’ support, it’s probably best not to be too unyielding. They could be crucial.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Taurus

Gemini

May 22 to June 21

With the Sun and your ruling planet Mercury currently ruminating in the most reflective part of your situation, even if you have some ideas you feel excited by, you may need a little more space to consider them. Today would be an excellent day to research deeply and gather information but not necessarily share it with anyone for now. It can prove valuable, however.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Gemini

Cancer

June 22 to July 23

You may find that your hopes, values, or long-term plans do not quite align with someone in the way you expected. They may even present an objection or perspective that runs counter to these. It is probably one of the better days to explore long-term finance or business investment. What you can do is dive deep to become better informed. Knowledge is power.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Cancer

Leo

July 24 to August 23

The influential Pluto begins its five-month retrograde in your sector of relating. This is an area of your solar horoscope that has been quite intense this year, and something that arose in the early months could reappear. If someone expresses a point of view that surprises you, try to stay open rather than avoid it. A shift in the dynamics between you may be unfolding.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Leo

Virgo

August 24 to September 23

For some time, you may have been considering changes to your everyday routines, your work, or even your approach to domestic demands. In the months to come, as Pluto rewinds, you can find yourself mulling this over more actively. With restless Uranus in your worldly sector, a change could strongly appeal and may come about more naturally than expected.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Virgo

Libra

September 24 to October 23

Your perceptions can be razor-sharp today, especially in how you manage your long-term resources. Your keen eye may spot an opportunity others miss. However, shared finances could prove more complex, particularly if someone else has a different attitude to risk or is more or less interested in being enterprising. It may be better to listen rather than act.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Libra

Scorpio

October 24 to November 22

Although you can be quite circumspect about sharing your own feelings, your observations of others can be penetrating and astute. With your modern ruler, Pluto, retracing his steps from today, it is important to understand your motives before making such comments. Even so, with rebellious Uranus in a psychological zone, resisting the urge to comment may be difficult.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Scorpio

Sagittarius

November 23 to December 21

The powerful Pluto begins its yearly five-month rewind, which could see you revising some of your beliefs and ideas. Today, however, an issue may feel particularly brittle, especially if someone is overly focused on details while you see the bigger picture. As frustration builds, do your best to rise above it. A great diversion could be to set up something more social.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Sagittarius

Capricorn

December 22 to January 21

It is not unusual in astrology to have competing influences on the same day. Today, with the Moon in your sign linking well to Mercury in the creative part of your chart, your thoughts and emotions can align smoothly. However, with power broker Pluto clashing with chatty Mercury, if there is a financial element, it may be wise to wait and gather more information.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Capricorn

Aquarius

January 22 to February 19

You have likely been redefining your identity over the past eighteen months, and with transformative Pluto in your sign for years to come, this process will continue. You are now entering a five-month review of these changes, which can prove incredibly valuable. Try to take this in your stride, but your general direction of travel can still be progressive.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aquarius

Pisces

February 20 to March 20

A past memory, experience, or situation may surface and unsettle your peace of mind today. This could be because you have recently been in a good flow, yet your subconscious may clash with your conscious thinking. Alternatively, you might make an unexpected remark, or someone could share a piece of gossip. If they do, it may be best to deflect or ignore.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Pisces

Your daily Metro.co.uk horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.

Head here for this week’s tarot horoscope reading, and see what the cards have in store for you!

Check out the tarot horoscope reading for the month of May here.

Prefer us to the others? Then tell Google!

As a loyal Metro reader, we want to make sure you never miss our stories when searching for your news. Whether it is the latest politics news explained, live football coverage or a showbiz scoop.

Click the button below and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.

Add us as a Preferred Source

Advertisement

MORE: Daily horoscope May 5, 2026: Today’s predictions for your star sign

MORE: Daily horoscope May 4, 2026: Today’s predictions for your star sign

MORE: Daily horoscope May 3, 2026: Today’s predictions for your star sign

The Wednesday letters page thinks Fate Of The Old Republic is going to be a very different game to KOTOR, as a reader argues Valve doesn’t care about Steam Machine sales.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Red flag
I see Ubisoft is starting to ramp up the marketing for Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced and I’m not sure I’m buying it… literally. I did like the game back in the day but that was a long time ago and Assassin’s Creed has changed a lot in that time, let alone anything else.

It’s weird how it looks like they’ve changed a lot and yet hardly anything all at once. The thing is, I don’t want to be part of the crowd encouraging them to do more remakes. I don’t mind it with Resident Evil, because they put them out often and the old games are nearly unplayable now. But Assassin’s Creed is hardly in that position. In fact, I’m pretty sure they said they were still going to sell the old version of the game.

We all know how long games take to make nowadays, so I really don’t think we should be wasting five years remaking a game that didn’t really need to be remade. As another reader said, I’d much rather have had a Black Flag 2 than just a remake. I’m not say that I think the remake isn’t worth getting – I’ll wait to see the reviews – but I don’t think it’s the no-brainer that Ubisoft seems to think.
DecaDeka

It’s bigger than that, it’s large
Obviously, everyone knows that GTA 6 isn’t going to flop but I have feeling its first day sales, and all the other sales records, are going to be even bigger than expected. The pent up demand for it is so much that it could be a completely terrible game and it’d still sell five times more than GTA 5.

It’ll surprise some gamers who are lowballing it at the moment but I think it’s going to break the mind of normies who don’t usually follow gaming. Think about it! GTA 6 is going to be bigger than any movie or TV show or musician or anything that has ever been!

Whether you like it or not there’s millions and millions of people that are going to buy it the second it comes out. I don’t think the internet or people’s sanity will be able to survive.
Korbie

Getting steamed
I think it’s pretty obvious that Valve doesn’t care how much they sell of the Steam Machine or its controller. Since they make more money than they know what to do with, all their hardware and VR stuff just seems to be a pet project of Gabe Newell, not a way to make money

Normally I’d say that was a good attitude to have but not bothering to have pre-orders and not caring about scalpers is a pretty terrible way to treat your potential customers.

Say what you will about the Switch 2 but Nintendo tried their best to make sure there were enough consoles to go round and have done everything they can not to increase prices due to the tariffs. They promised there’d be enough at launch and there was. I think it’s obvious that won’t be the case for the Steam Machine.
Onibee

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

On a break
I am curious to see what this year’s Call Of Duty is going to be, and that surprises me. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a company apologise for a sequel before, but Activision did last year and I’m fascinated to see what they’re going to put out that will try and win fans back.

I don’t know what changes they could’ve made in just a year but I’m willing to give them a chance. I didn’t buy Black Ops 7 and I haven’t played any Call Of Duty this whole gen, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t be tempted back.

A lot of people make these big gestures about how they’ll never play a game but especially with something like Call Of Duty, or a live service game, it’s easy to just take a step away for a few years and then come back later to see what they’ve done to improve it – or not.
Creeper

Don’t miss Gaming news! Add us as a Preferred Source

As a loyal GameCentral reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for gaming stories. We have all the latest video games news, reviews, previews, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.

Click the button below and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.

Advertisement

Add us as a Preferred Source

Summer shopping
I could see GTA 6 selling more than 25 million in the first 24 hours, I really can. If they’re starting to advertise the game in the summer, which could be around 21st June (first day of summer) at the bottom it will say pre-order now.

That’s a good two months of time for people to save up and buy it. They should do 25 million in pre-orders in 24 hours alone. I mean, I’ve got £150 in my PSN wallet ready and waiting for pre-orders to go live.
David

GC: 21st June is the summer solstice, which is the start of the astronomical summer. In meteorological terms summer starts on 1st June and lasts until the end of August.

Return of the Jedi
I hope this new Knights Of The Old Republic game works out but I am wary because these developers that are made up of people that left to set up their own company never seem to amount to anything. None of the ex-Bungie ones seemed to work out and I’m worried for the guys with their not-Witcher game.

But assuming everything goes well there’s the fact that the game is billed as an action role-player, which the original one absolutely wasn’t. It was an old-fashioned, sort-of turn-based game, which is exactly the sort of thing people don’t make any more.

I’m not surprised that’s not the direction they’re going but it makes me wonder how similar it will really be, especially as it seems to be quite a time skip forward. I suspect, based on the teaser, you’ll just be controlling one character, and not a party, and that’s already disappointing because the original was good because of how many different people you had in your team.

None of this means I think it’ll be bad, but I do think it will be very different. 23 years is a long time and what worked then was never going to work the same way again, which is just one reason amongst many that a remake always seemed a doomed idea.
Bootles

Artificial art
I see Disney films is laying off 1,000 people, from concept artists to designers, to be replaced with AI. Really not a good time in film and games and sadly it’s going to get worse.

I fear everything is just going to look the same and become sterile, without the beauty and imagination a person brings.
TWO MACKS

Future horror
Nice feature on sci-fi horror games, which I would love to see more of. I find it hard to take ghosts and vampires and whatever seriously, but I think we can all see that reality is very quickly catching up with science fiction and that in itself is scary, especially given it’s all the dystopian hellscape stuff that’s coming true – not the Star Trek utopia.

We’re probably just years from robots being openly deployed on a battlefield (they probably already are secretly) and then we’re at the point where Terminator 2 is becoming a documentary, and that’s something you couldn’t say with a straight face a few years ago.

I would also like to give a definite recommendation for Soma, which was on your list and is exactly the sort of thing I’m talking about it. It’s very scary and seems outlandish at first but less the more you think about it.

I’ve not heard anyone talk about it on these pages but there’s actually a ‘spiritual successor’ to Soma that’s mean to be coming out this year. It’s called Ontos and is set on a hotel on the moon, which is another thing that’s suddenly got far less fantastical than it used to be.

It doesn’t have a date yet, so it could be delayed, and it’s described as a ‘psychological thriller’ rather than a survival horror, but I’m hoping it’s going to be a good one.
Cubby

Inbox also-rans
Every time I get reminded the PlayStation VR2 is a thing I get depressed. What a waste of money that was. I sold it off but got less than half what I paid for it.
Justin Tyme

I was watching a friend playing World Of Warcraft and I’m honestly impressed they’re keeping with the same graphics they’ve had since 2004. I know it’s so any PC can play them but it’s like going back in time to the N64 era.
Horton

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

MORE: Games Inbox: Is Saros on PS5 a disappointment?

MORE: Games Inbox: What’s the best video game to play when it’s sunny?

MORE: Games Inbox: What is Rockstar’s best video game?

The doctor warned people not to ‘brush off’ these potentially serious symptoms

BBC’s Dr Punam Krishan urged people to stop dismissing potentially dangerous symptoms, particularly after new figures showed healthy life expectancy has dropped by two years over the past decade, leaving more Brits in ill health for longer portions of their lives.

She told people not to panic, but highlighted: “It’s a good reminder that actually actioning and taking advocacy for our health earlier really matters. It’s picking up those early signs because day, in day out, you’d be surprised about how many people I see who do just brush off symptoms.”

The GP explained that in the medical field, there are certain “essential red flags” that doctors never want their patients to ignore. However, she added that these aren’t as scary as it may sound and the red flags are usually ‘whispers’ from your body.

Dr Punam said: “A red flag is essentially, your body communicating with you. It’s that little warning sign, a little nudge to say, pay attention to this, I think it is important that we know what to be aware of you.”

These ‘red flags’ are often the sign of something mundane but can be the early alarm bells of serious conditions. Dr Punam urged people to get themselves checked out if necessary, particularly encouraging women and carers who “tend to put themselves last” to take action.

Lumps

Lumps can appear around the body for a variety of reasons, from injuries and cysts to tumours. The doctor assured “most of the time” these lumps may not be anything to worry about.

However, if it’s new, getting harder, getting bigger or has persisted for more than four weeks, it may be best to get it checked out. Particularly if it is in a sensitive area such as the breast or testicles.

Tiredness

Dr Punam admitted that tiredness can be a symptom of daily life in a stressful society. It can also be influenced by a range of things from exercise patterns to diet and hormones. However, she urged people to check with their doctor if they are feeling “absolutely fatigued” regardless of how much rest you get.

Weight loss

Unintentional weight loss can be a serious warning sign of a number of issues. Dr Punam advised: “That is something that really needs to be at your doctor’s attention. Again, it could be digestive issues, it could be stress, it could be thyroid issues, but it is usually a sign that we think: ‘Let’s just make sure it’s nothing more sinister’.”

Bleeding

Unexplained bleeding, particularly in your stool or urine, between periods, after intercourse or after menopause, should prompt a doctor’s visit.

Cough

Many people easily dismiss their coughs as a common ailment of the weather or the season, and most of the time this could be the real cause. However, Dr Punam urged anyone with a cough lasting more than three weeks to check in with their doctor.

She shared a sombre warning: “Sometimes I have people that go; ‘Oh, it started six months ago’. You know what, six months ago if had we seen you, it would be a different outcome.”

The man driving the car has been arrested.

A pedestrian has died after being hit by a car in Peterborough. Cambridgeshire Police were called to Oundle Road, near the junction with Jubilee Road, on Sunday, May 3, at around 9.46pm.

Emergency services attended. The pedestrian, a 46-year-old man from Peterborough, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 52-year-old man, who is also from Peterborough, was driving a black MG ZS Excite. He was arrested on suspicion of causing death through careless/inconsiderate driving.

Cambridgeshire Police are now asking for anyone with information about the crash to come forward. Anyone who saw what happened or has dashcam footage of the crash or the moments leading up to should report it to the police.

You can report anything through the force website quoting incident of 516 of 3 May or Operation Pinnock. Anyone without access to the internet should call 101.

To get more news and top stories delivered directly to your phone, join our new WhatsApp community. Click this link to receive your daily dose of CambridgeshireLive content.

We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .

The twin island nation Antigua and Barbuda swore in a new Cabinet on Tuesday, days after incumbent Prime Minister Gaston Browne led the Antigua and Barbuda Labor Party to an unprecedented fourth consecutive electoral victory.

For the first time, elected officials swore an oath of allegiance to the country, setting aside a more than 40-year tradition of pledging loyalty to the British sovereign in the former colony.

In December 2025, Parliament approved a constitutional amendment formally removing loyalty to the British monarch, King Charles III, his heirs and successors from the oath of allegiance. The oath now pledges allegiance to the state of Antigua and Barbuda, its constitution and its laws.

“Whereas your success at the polls has earned you the confidence and trust of the people; that confidence and trust collectively, is not a gift to be enjoyed, or trust to be betrayed. It is a burden to be carried, a duty to be performed, a trust to be honored every single day,” Browne said to those gathered.

The ABLP secured 15 of the country’s 17 parliamentary seats, while Jamale Pringle of the main opposition United Progressive Party was left as its lone standard-bearer after his party’s seat count collapsed from five to one. He will be joined on the opposition bench by returning member of Parliament Trevor Walker, who has won on the Barbuda People’s Movement ticket in every election (except 2014) since 2004.

Triggered two years ahead of the constitutional deadline, the snap election followed a campaign dominated by the rising cost of living and infrastructure development.

___

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Secret Service aired its finale on ITV this evening as MI6 officer Kate Henderson finally uncovered the true identity of the Russian asset.

Advertisement

Secret Service debuted its dramatic finale this evening as MI6 officer Kate Henderson at last uncovered the truth.

ITN presenter Tom Bradby‘s 2019 novel Secret Service has been brought to the small screen with ITV releasing the eagerly awaited adaptation in instalments.

While the storyline has stayed largely true to the book, Bradby has acknowledged that modifications were necessary to mirror today’s political landscape.

He told Radio Times: “Between the novel and the drama, the government changed, so we made one of the leading candidates to become prime minister a new kind of left-wing populist: charismatic and heavily to the left on tax, spend and social policy but right-wing on immigration.”

The concluding episode premiered this evening, Tuesday, May 5, as Kate Henderson’s (played by Gemma Arterton) inquiry reached its climax in the fifth instalment.

ITV Secret Service ending explained

Following receipt of intelligence suggesting a senior British politician was operating as a Russian asset, Kate has been resolute in exposing the truth before time runs out.

She suspected that the traitor was either Ryan Walker (Mark Stanley) or Imogen Conrad (Amaka Okafor) who were both contending to become the Labour Party’s next Prime Minister.

By the final episode, it was Ryan who secured the position of new Prime Minister, having emerged victorious in the Labour leadership contest.

This occurred because footage of Imogen had been released showing her engaged in sexual activity at a hotel in Montenegro with a man other than her husband, which tarnished her standing.

Kate suspected the mysterious figure could be her superior Zak (Khalid Abdalla), but was unable to confirm this as the man’s image had been digitally altered to conceal his identity.

In a jaw-dropping twist, Kate discovered that the man Imogen had been sleeping with, and the Russian asset she had been hunting, was none other than her own husband Stuart (Rafe Spall).

The truth came to light when Kate realised she had been in Prague at the same time as Russian SVR chief Igor Borodin, which was when he recruited Stuart, the Home Secretary’s special adviser.

After persuading Stuart to meet her in Finland near the Russian border, she confronted him with the full extent of her knowledge.

He revealed that he had been shown the video in Prague, with the Russians promising to erase him from it in exchange for information.

At first, they merely sought gossip from within the Government, but over time their demands escalated to specifics about Kate’s role and her ongoing work.

Rather than turning her husband over to face a treason trial, Kate chose to meet him at the Russian border so he could settle there without their children ever discovering the shameful truth.

In the closing scenes, Kate spoke with Sir Alan (Roger Allam), expressing her hope to arrange visiting rights for Stuart and their children in a mutual country at some point in the future.

Kate subsequently informs Zak of her desire to depart MI6, but he urged her to remain at SIS, noting that he would require assistance monitoring Ryan Walker, about whom he still harboured reservations.

Consequently, she was seconded to the Cabinet Office to monitor “hostile influences” and welcomed the new Prime Minister upon his arrival at Downing Street.

Secret Service is available to watch on ITVX.

Sophisticated hidden concealments were found to be hiding the illegal products

More than 8,000 illegal cigarettes and 3.5kg of counterfeit tobacco was seized from stores in one part of Wales during police raids. The operation, carried out by Flintshire County Council Trading Standards, North Wales Police, Immigration services and Wagtail UK detection dogs seized the illegal products from four stores across the county.

The stores in Mold, Holywell, Buckley and Connah’s Quay were targeted in a two-day operation which saw a total of 8,460 counterfeit cigarettes and 3.5kg of counterfeit tobacco seized.

The raids were part of a national initiative known as Operation CeCe, an enforcement campaign aimed at disrupting the supply of illegal tobacco and related products, which can “pose serious risks to public health and undermine legitimate local businesses.”

The four properties were searched and an estimated total street value of £2,500 worth of goods were found in sophisticated hidden concealments which were being used to store the illegal products. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here

David Fitzsimon, chief officer for place and growth, said: “The seizure of illegal cigarettes and tobacco during these raids highlights the scale of this issue and the importance of this ongoing enforcement work.

“As well as the risks associated with consumers having no guarantees over what these products contain, this kind of criminal activity also damages the trade of local businesses and is frequently associated with broader criminal networks that cause harm to our communities.

“We remain committed to working alongside partners to identify and disrupt illegal trading, and will continue to take robust action wherever it is found.”

Residents are encouraged to report suspected illegal sales to Flintshire County Council Trading Standards by emailing trading.standards@flintshire.gov.uk.

Diego Simeone hailed Arsenal as the ‘best team’ Atletico Madrid have faced this season after his side’s deflating Champions League semi-final defeat.

Simeone took his Atletico side to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night hoping to reach the club’s first Champions League final since 2016.

The first leg ended 1-1 and another cagey game in north London was settled by Bukayo Saka’s first-half goal.

Arsenal have not only booked their place in a first Champions League final in 20 years but are closing in on the Premier League title, boasting a five-point lead over Manchester City.

Simeone said Arsenal were worthy winners of the first semi-final tie and described Mikel Arteta’s team as the best he has faced this season despite meeting La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid on multiple occasions.

Asked whether Atletico were unlucky not to reach the final, which will be held on May 30 in Budapest, Simeone said: ‘Well if we got knocked out it’s because our opponents deserved to get through.

‘They took their big chance in the first-half and they deserved to get through. I feel calm, I feel peaceful.

‘We weren’t clinical enough with the situations we were in. We improved in the second-half. There were things that could’ve gone our way but they didn’t.

‘We gave it our all and now we have to accept the place that we are in. Thanks to our supporters and players I feel proud to be where we are right now.

‘I said we wanted to compete and we have done that. Unfortunately we haven’t won anything but we have got to places that are hard to get to.

‘Arsenal were the better team over these two legs, they are the best team we have faced this season. They play with a rhythm and a conviction that is very difficult to contain.’

Discussing Gunners boss Arteta in his post-match press conference, Simeone added: ‘I think Mikel has done an incredible job at Arsenal.

‘He’s been trying to get to this point for a long time, to reach the Champions League and to win the league.

‘They have incredible financial power, and that’s linked to what they’re doing, I’m really pleased for them. They deserve it. They’ve been working very hard for many years.’

Simeone also hailed Arsenal as the best team Atletico Madrid have come up against after losing to the Gunners in the group stages of the Champions League.

Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak, meanwhile, also admitted that Arsenal ‘deserved’ to advance to the Champions League final, where they will face Bayern Munich or holders PSG.

‘Whoever wins is always the best team,’ he said. ‘They won it and congratulations to them. Of course, we are sad and angry but that’s football.

‘The second half was good. Maybe we showed them a little bit too much respect in the first and were afraid to play. It was good after that but not enough to progress to the final.

‘It’s unlucky for us and we’re upset but it’s life. Arsenal were better and they’re in the final.’

PSG have a narrow one-goal advantage over Bayern Munich ahead of their semi-final second leg after sealing a thrilling 5-4 win in Paris last week.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MORE: Thierry Henry reveals private conversation with Arsenal star before Atletico Madrid win

MORE: Arsene Wenger responds to Arsenal celebrations after Atletico Madrid win

MORE: Declan Rice takes swipe at Chelsea after Arsenal reach Champions League final

The Ebor at 46 Main Street, Bishopthorpe, remained closed for several years after Gordon Watkins’ death until a new management team was found, but the pub closed again last year.

The pub’s owner’s Sam Smith’s Brewery of Tadcaster then carried out renovations to the premises, which date back to the mid-1700s, including removing white rendering to expose the original brick, giving it a whole new look.

Now, Sally Watkins, daughter of longstanding pub landlord of the Ebor, Gordon, has announced on social media she is to take on the Ebor as manager.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Her father Gordon was one of the last tenants for Sam Smith’s Brewery, a role he carried out to much acclaim for almost 40 years until his sad death from Covid in February 2021, aged 71.

Sally said on social media late last month: “Not very long ago I was asked if I would like to be the manager of the Ebor Inn and of course I said YES!!!

“I can confirm that I am very, very excited to have picked the keys up today… and now the hard work shall commence!!!

Sally Watkins picks up her keys to the Ebor Inn (Image: Facebook)

“There will be lots of comings and going’s over the next couple of weeks whilst we get the pub ready to open its doors once again.

“And I anticipate that this will be in just a couple of short weeks !!!

“Can’t wait to see everyone in there again!!!”

In a further post Sally said she hopes to open in time for the racing at York, which is due to start next Wednesday.

Popular landlord Gordon Watkins who sadly died of Covid in 2021 (Image: pic supplied)

Villagers have welcomed the news posting more than 100 comments and over 500 reactions.

One comment said: “Congratulations Sally, I am so glad that the Watkins name will live on at the Ebor. I wish you every success in your new venture and I am sure Gordon will be looking down on you with pride. All the very best Sally, and give my best regards to your mum as well.”

Another added: “Brilliant news Sal – this is just brilliantly superb news indeed!

The new look of the 18th century pub (Image: Apple Photos Clean Up)

“It’s beyond wonderful to know that The Ebor is in excellently safe hands, it has a clear future once again, and you’re returning home.

“Good luck with all of your preparations. I can’t wait to finally walk back into that building; a place that holds so many memories and has such a rich history of friendship and community for so many of us…and order a pint of Taddy Lager.”