A new 50p coin has been launched to mark 100 years of Grand Prix racing in Britain.

The Royal Mint unveiled the coin at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, the site of Britain’s first Grand Prix held in August 1926.

It launches today (June 29) and is worth at least 30 times its face value.

Royal Mint releases new 50p to mark 100 years of British racing

Rebecca Morgan, director at The Royal Mint, said: “This coin is a true landmark for us.

“It is the first time in The Royal Mint’s history that motorsport has been celebrated on a UK coin, and we couldn’t be prouder to mark such a momentous centenary in this way.

“For 100 years, the Grand Prix in Britain has captured the nation’s imagination, from the thundering engines at Brooklands to the wheel-to-wheel battles at Silverstone.”

The coin’s design was created in collaboration with London-based agency Interstate and marks the first time motorsport has appeared on an official UK coin.

The reverse side features a 1926 Grand Prix car alongside a 2026 Formula 1 car, symbolising a century of technological progress in the sport.

Some versions of the coin also include colour.

Alex Patterson, chief executive of Brooklands Museum, said: “We are thrilled that The Royal Mint has chosen to celebrate this very special centenary celebration with Brooklands Museum.

“The 1926 race was a defining moment not just for Brooklands but for the development of international motor racing in the UK, and it is fitting that it is commemorated by this very special coin.”

The collectible 50p coin is worth at least 30 times its face value (Image: Matt Alexander/PA Media Assignments)

The gold edition has been produced using recycled gold from old jewellery and coins.

The Royal Mint said it aims to use recycled gold in all its collectable gold coins by the end of the year.

The coin launches at 9am on Monday, with prices starting from £15.

Visitors to The Royal Mint Experience can strike their own version of the coin between July 7 and August 2.

What makes a coin valuable?

The 50 pence piece has become the most valued and collected coin in the UK.

Its 27.5mm diameter makes it the largest of any British coin, and allows space for decorative pictures.

It has often been used to celebrate big events over the past 50 years of British history.

The rarest coins tend to be the most valuable, with mintage (the number of coins of each design made) being the primary attraction for collectors.

Along with the design, other aspects of the coin that increase its value are its condition and whether it has a design error.

The way in which it is sold can also determine the coin’s value.

Some coin collectors will bid vast amounts of money on eBay or at auction, whereas others opt for more robust valuations by selling via a coin dealer.

Recommended reading:

Royal Mint’s top 10 most valuable 50p coins

Here is a list of the top 10 most valuable coins, when they were made, and how many were minted:

1. Atlantic Salmon (2023), 200,000
2. Kew Gardens (2009), 210,000
3. Olympic Wrestling (2011), 1,129,500
4. Olympic Football (2011), 1,161,500
5. Olympic Judo (2011), 1,161,500
6. Olympic Triathlon (2011), 1,163,500
7. Peter Rabbit (2018), 1,400,000
8. Flopsy Bunny (2018), 1,400,000
9. Olympic Tennis (2011), 1,454,000
10. Olympic Goalball (2011), 1,615,500

Have you ever collected or found a rare coin? Let us know in the comments.

A search operation is continuing for a US Marine who disappeared during a training exercise off the coast of southern California. Military officials confirmed that multiple agencies were involved in the effort on Sunday.

The Marine was reported missing from the USS Anchorage shortly after midnight on Thursday morning, during integrated training involving the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

This incident marks at least the second time in six weeks that the US military has had to search for missing personnel. In May, the remains of two US Army soldiers, who vanished during exercises in Morocco, were recovered following a multinational search operation that utilised air, naval, and artificial intelligence assets.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and all who are affected during this difficult time,” the Navy said in the news release this week about the missing Marine.

The Navy transitioned from search-and-rescue efforts to a search-and-recovery operation Friday evening. The Marine’s name was being withheld pending the notification of family.

The search has covered about 2,400 square miles (6,200 square kilometers) and involved three surface ships and 12 aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force, officials said.

The USS Anchorage is an amphibious transport dock ship based at Naval Base San Diego.

AmaWaterways has unveiled the designs for its second mega river cruise ship, which will include karaoke areas and an onboard pickleball court.

The new vessel AmaRudi will join sister ship AmaMagna on the Danube in spring 2027. Both are Europe’s largest river cruise ships.

AmaRudi is also the first ship in the fleet to be named after a man, honouring co-founder Rudi Schreiner, who was born and raised near Austria’s Danube river.

Measuring 443 feet long, AmaRudi will have capacity for 196 guests and 70 crew.

Passengers can eat at multiple dining venues from the Journey’s Restaurant and The Chef’s Table restaurant to al fresco dining experiences and the intimate Rudi’s Wine Bar.

AmaRudi will also offer a built-in Deck Club barbecue on the sun deck and public spaces inspired by the destinations along the river. There will even be a snooker table on board.

An onboard wellness area will feature massage treatment rooms, hair and nail services, a gym and a pickleball court, while a new entertainment options will include a cinema, karaoke, billiards and a jukebox.

Schreiner said: “AmaMagna changed what travellers believed was possible on a river cruise ship.

”We knew there would be a right time to revisit that concept, and with river cruising continuing to grow, that time is now. More travellers are making the transition from ocean cruising to rivers, and many are looking for a sense of space and choice.

“AmaMagna was one of the most rewarding projects of my career, so having this new ship carry my name makes it especially meaningful. I see it as part of the legacy we have built together over more than two decades of river cruising.”

AmaRudi is scheduled to begin sailing the Danube in spring 2027.

Read more: The best European river cruises

Alongside new homes, the development will feature a dedicated play area space for children

Work has begun on a new development to build 87 new homes in Cambridgeshire. The Tunkers Lane development in Bury will see a mix of homes built as affordable housing.

The homes will range from one and two-bedroom bungalows and one-bedroom maisonettes, to two, three, and four-bedroom houses. There will be 36 properties available for shared ownership, 32 allocated for affordable rent, 10 rent to buy homes, and nine available for social rent.

Housing provider Stonewater has implemented energy-saving measures to the homes. These include air source heat pumps, solar PV panels, and electric car charging stations for some plots.

The development will provide opportunities for apprentices to work on the site and develop their skills, helping to fill the skills shortage in the industry.

A piece of public art will be designed for the estate as well as a dedicated play area for children, and an edible garden. Fruit trees and bushes will be incorporated into the scheme for customers to enjoy, to promote sustainability and healthy eating, according to Stonewater.

An event to mark the beginning of construction took place towards the end of May. The scheme is expected to be completed in the 2027 to 2028 financial year.

Nicola Hillier, head of development (East) at Stonewater, said: “These homes will offer a range of options for local people to secure an affordable home in the village they have existing connections with, contributing to the local economy and broader society.”

The Tunkers Lane scheme is being built in partnership with Huntingdonshire District Council, Burmor Construction, Bury Parish Council, and Calfordseaden.

Patrick Burke, Director at Burmor Construction, said: “We look forward to working closely with Stonewater and our project partners as construction progresses and to seeing this new neighbourhood take shape over the months ahead.”

“There is a distinct art to finding calm in the heart of a bustling capital, and this hote has mastered it”

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There is a distinct art to finding calm in the heart of a bustling capital, and The Morgan Hotel has mastered it. Situated in the centre of Dublin’s most energetic district in Temple Bar, it serves as an elegant contrast to the humdrum of city life.

Whether you are spending your days exploring the nearby cultural gems like the Irish Film Institute or simply soaking in the atmosphere, the hotel provides a luxurious anchor for your trip.

The guest experience is built around thoughtful luxury. Inside my Deluxe King room, the decor—highlighted by striking pink armchairs—felt both contemporary and inviting. From the luxury feather pillows to the monsoon rain shower, everything felt designed for comfort. The ‘SuitePad’ is a particularly welcome modern touch, streamlining the way guests interact with the hotel’s staff, something I hadn’t encountered before at any hotel I’ve stayed in.

The main highlight, however, was dining at the 10 Fleet Street Restaurant. The team here isn’t just serving food; they’re passionate ambassadors for their menu. I started with the burrata bruschetta. This consisted of burrata cream, heirloom tomatoes, shallots, garlic, parmesan, oregano, fresh basil, olive powder and balsamic glaze. All the items complemented the bruschetta so well that I was truly surprised by how delicious it tasted.

For my main course I had the cornfed chicken supreme. This came with sautéed French beans, shitake mushrooms, butternut squash puree, mashed potato, pancetta and white wine herb and mushroom sauce. The chicken was so succulent and tender, and it worked really well with the sauce it was covered in.

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I finished on a high note with the “Morgan Mess,” a light, strawberry-forward take on the classic dessert, it was beautiful, light and refreshing.

The restaurant’s mixologist and servers have a wealth of knowledge about the cocktails and food they serve, and their passion for what they do was evident from the moment I met them.

Cocktail lovers, take note: The Morgan’s bar also lives up to the hype. I particularly enjoyed the ‘Morgan Bubbles’—a refreshing mix of Prosecco, mango puree, elderflower, and lime—and the ‘Watermelon Sugar High,’ a complex Cuban-inspired delight shaking Havana 3-year white rum with watermelon, cucumber, lime, pineapple, and an egg-white wash.

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The following morning, I had a full Irish breakfast where each element tasted fantastic. This is one to definitely not sleep on if you visit The Morgan, a perfect start to a day of exploring the capital.

If you’re planning to explore Dublin, it’s hard to beat the convenience of The Morgan. It puts you right in the centre of the city while providing a stylish, quiet retreat to recharge after a long day of sightseeing. Add in the high-end dining, plush rooms, and a well-equipped health club, and you have every reason to make this your go-to spot for your next visit.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter.

Prince Harry is said to be rethinking his decision to bring Meghan and his children to the UK next month after his request for police protection was denied.

It is understood that the royal has concerns for his family’s safety after learning on Friday that no taxpayer-funded security would be provided.

They had accepted an invitation to stay in a royal residence during their first visit to the UK since Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.

A source close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex accused the Home Office and the committee responsible for assessing their security of “wilfully creating conditions that are making it nearly impossible” for them to safely travel in the UK, The Telegraph reported.

Harry is said to be trying to find a way for the trip to go ahead, as he is “desperate” for his seven-year-old son, Archie, and five-year-old daughter, Lilibet, to see their grandfather King Charles. It is believed that a final decision on the trip and the involvement of Prince Harry’s wife and children will be made in the coming days.

Harry had been waiting for a review by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec) on his security requirements, but found out last week that no review had been taken and all assessments had been “paused”, the source told the newspaper.

“The precarious security situation and endless speculation about where the family will stay is making the planning and logistics for the private security team increasingly difficult,” they added.

His level of protection was downgraded in 2020 when he stepped back from royal duties, and he has not been given any police protection since, unless engaging in official royal occasions.

Prince Harry is in an ongoing legal battle with the Home Office over security arrangements for him and his family while in the UK.

Their visit was set to mark the one-year countdown to Harry’s Invictus Games, which is being hosted in Birmingham next July, and the Duchess of Sussex was expected to join her husband on several public engagements.

It would also be the first time the duke has seen his father in nine months after the two had tea at Clarence House in September.

His family was expected to stay on both royal estate and private accommodation.

A government spokesman said: “The UK government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate.

“It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been approached for comment.

Facilities such as public toilets and waste disposal points – particularly the lack of them – are a big issue in parts of Skye.

Home to just over 10,000 people, it has few urban areas and is largely an island of dramatic mountains, rugged coastlines, and crofts.

Photographer Danielle Stewart travels all over the Highlands in her campervan in her free time and for work.

Skye is one her regular destinations.

“It’s freedom – you can wake up in beautiful places. That’s the best thing for sure,” she said on the benefits of owning a campervan.

She added: “Over last winter I went to Spain and Portugal for three months and that was great – it’s a very different van life in Europe though, because they have facilities.”

Last week Northern Ireland equalled its warmest June day on record

After last week’s heatwave, this week sees a return to temperatures around average for this time of year in Northern Ireland.

On Thursday, June 25, Northern Ireland provisionally equalled its warmest June day on record with 30.8 C recorded at Castlederg, putting it level with the peak figure on June 30, 1976.

Overnight on Thursday into Friday, Northern Ireland also provisionally broke its highest minimum nighttime temperature, with 19.1 C reached at Murlough. The Met Office said at the conclusion of the heatwave, the verification process begins for any new national records.

The equipment and site will undergo a rigorous validation process before a decision is made on officially inducting any new figures into the meteorological record books.

Here is how the weather in Northern Ireland is looking for the week ahead.

Monday

Mainly dry with variable amounts of cloud and a few bright spells. The odd light shower in northwest. Outbreaks of rain spreading northeast in the evening. Maximum temperature 20 C.

Tuesday

Scattered slow moving showers, occasionally heavy. Early rain should clear leaving sunny spells and showers, with a chance of some thunder. Maximum temperature 19 C.

Wednesday

Turning increasingly windy and cloudy on Wednesday, with showery rain arriving by the evening. Maximum temperature 18 C.

Thursday

A few showers at first on Thursday, otherwise dry with variable cloud and sunny spells. Maximum temperature 19 C.

Friday

Drizzle and a moderate breeze. Maximum temperature 20 C.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

You’re sat at your desk fielding multiple messages on Slack, requesting the latest report here and tweaks to the presentation there.

Then you get a message from Mark who wants to ask you a quick question. The only thing is, Mark is sat right opposite you.

He could simply take a few steps over to your desk and ask you, face-to-face, it would be much quicker. But, no.

Mark is the office ‘pinger’. It’s a term Metro has coined to describe the employees who are in the office with you, but choose not to talk to you in person, and communicate everything via message instead.

But this isn’t an isolated incident. Despite the push for a return to working in the office, with 41% of people now not working from home at all, water cooler chitchat has yet to make a proper comeback.

In fact, a fifth of those employed say they go an entire workday without speaking face-to-face with a colleague.

The study of 2,000 UK workers, commissioned by workplace training platform Kahoot, determined half of workers use emails or messaging services to communicate with colleagues who are in the same room as them.

It’s left 40% of those with office jobs feeling disconnected at work, despite sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with their fellow workers. After all, what’s the point of being in an office if you can’t have a fun little gossip?

‘For too many workplaces, employees are constantly in touch, but never actually connecting,’ leadership and workplace coach, Emma Georgiou, tells Metro. ‘Workers are communicating across too many channels, using email, Teams and WhatsApp – and clients and colleagues can access them in any way at any time.’

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Jim Moore, employee relations expert at HR consultants Hamilton Nash, has seen a big culture shift over the years in the way workers communicate in the office, with pingers on the rise.

‘Younger generations who grew up in the world of the internet and instant messaging are making up an increasingly large part of the workplace,’ he tells Metro. ‘Boomers and Generation X, on the other hand, are more used to phone calls and in-person communication.

‘It’s also a matter of perceived convenience, as sending messages lets people respond at their own pace, while a ringing phone basically screams “Stop what you’re doing and pay attention to me”. Similarly, in my experience, Gen Z don’t welcome being interrupted by someone walking up with a question.’

He believes that the shift to remote working during Covid, which resulted in the hybrid work model many of us have today ,contributed to this communication problem.

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‘It becomes easier to work in isolation and send an instant message if you need anything,’ he adds.

The productivity price

If you thought that not leaving your desk to wander over to a colleague meant you could get more done, you’re likely mistaken.

Emma agrees that people seem to think messaging makes things quicker, but that it’s a misconception. ‘It’s actually slowing things down overall,’ she explains.

‘A five-minute conversation becomes a long email chain of back-and-forth, all the while other chains of messages compete for your attention.

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‘This reduces productivity and causes stress for employees. Constant notifications leave employee’s attention fragmented, and I think organisations can start to mistake responsiveness for effectiveness.’

Jim agrees that a quick face-to-face chat is far quicker overall, even if you’re a little shy.

It’s on the bosses

While it may be easy to dismiss pingers as anti-social or lazy colleagues, Emma explains this behaviour has as much to do with office culture as it does the employees.

‘Simply telling employees to socialise more is not going to work,’ she says. ‘Companies need to be clearer on when it’s best to message, and when a conversation is more effective.

‘Leaders have a key role to play, as the way they communicate sets the tone. If they make a small shift towards having more in-person conversations, it will quickly ripple through their teams.’

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Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk

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The former Greater Manchester Mayor is also reportedly considering creating a “Number 10 in the North” if he became Prime Minister.

The plans would form part of wider proposals to devolve more powers away from Westminster.

With people being so sure on what is to come for Mr Burnham, we’ve been asking Boltonians in town what they make of everything.

Danielle Harris, from Breightmet, said: “I think it will be a good idea. It lets everybody know about him and lets people realise how much of a good mayor he was.

“He’s excellent.”

(Image: Newsquest)

Reports suggest Mr Burnham could set out further plans for devolution in the coming days if he pursues a bid for the Labour leadership.

No British Prime Minister has systematically run part of the government from outside London, while Mr Burnham has long championed greater powers for regions outside Westminster.

Corey Grimes, from Farnworth, said: “I think personally we need someone that’s out of Conservatives, and out of Labour.

Corey Grimes, from Farnworth. (Image: NQ)

“We need to stop this ping pong game back and forth with them arguing the same fight, calling each other names.

“You don’t hear youth centres for the young ones, it’s more of a priority to keep the young ones busy, so they’re not doing drugs, they’re not getting into anti-social behaviour so they’re not idle-minded.

“It could be good, it could be bad, but you never know the true motive.”

Mr Burnham’s election as MP for Makerfield earlier this month triggered a Greater Manchester mayoral by-election, which is due to take place on July 30.

During his time as mayor, Greater Manchester secured a series of devolution agreements covering areas including transport, housing, skills and health.

Eddie Goodram, from Queensgate. (Image: NQ)

Eddie Goodram, from Queensgate, said: “I think if he does get in, he’ll make a good PM. Bolton and Greater Manchester have lost by losing him as mayor.

“I was surprised by [Sir Kier Starmer] resigning, just threw his towel in. It’s going to take time to change.

“If people expect things to change overnight, they’re dreaming. We’ll see how it is in a couple of years time.”

Gracie Maudsley, from Little Lever. (Image: NQ)

Gracie Maudsley, from Little Lever, added: “I think he’s a really great guy, done a lot for the north, especially with me being 17 and our past, and it gets a lot of benefits of being that age.

“I think there will be a lot more nationalisation of public transport and higher spending on public services.

“I’m glad to be honest. [Starmer] did a lot of U-turns and he didn’t have much authority to him. It is a lot better we have Andy Burnham coming in.”