Starting from under £60,000, the BMW iX3 has a very distinctive front end with a new version of the brand’s ‘kidney’ grilles in the centre which are illuminated for visual drama.

In this instalment of Drive Time, John gets behind the wheel of an exciting BMW Electric SUV and finds out that Mazda is using biofuel on the new CX-5 launch.

The UK market is being flooded with electric SUVs and most of the arrivals have lacked the Wow factor.

BMW has changed that with the launch of the new iX3 which delivers on all fronts.

This newcomer can go up to 500 miles on a single charge and it also boasts a superb interior with lots of new tech and striking exterior looks.

Starting from under £60,000, the iX3 has a very distinctive front end with a new version of the brand’s ‘kidney’ grilles in the centre which are illuminated for visual drama.

The car has clean lines and does without ugly plastic cladding and there are nice LED lights front and rear.

The looks may not be appreciated by everyone but it does stand out from the crowd.

And if the exterior does not blow you away, the interior certainly will.

READ MORE: JOHN MURDOCH’S DRIVE TIME: We get behind the wheel of the new Audi Q3 e-hybrid model and preview Kia’s Seltos SUV

The view from the comfortable seats is dramatic. There is no traditional instrument panel as BMW has dropped it to launch ‘Panoramic iDrive’ – a full width display which runs along the total length of the windscreen and provides all the information you could ever need without having to take your eyes far off the road.

Below that you also get a very large 17.9-inch infotainment touchscreen in an unusual shape.

It is fairly easy to operate but there are lots of menus and sadly you no longer get the rotary dial to operate it.

I only had the car a few days so I did not master it completely but owners should be able to programme their own shortcuts to make things easier.

There is bags of space for four adults to travel in comfort and a 520-litre boot makes it practical for family use.

Another 58 litres of space is available under the bonnet and the cabin has numerous storage areas for smaller items.

The car’s real trump card is its fantastic range. BMW claims it can go 500 miles on a single charge but even if you cannot match that in real world motoring, you will still get over 400 miles without much trouble.

That is truly impressive and puts all its rivals in the shade.

A 11kW home charger will take about 11 hours to charge the car fully and if you can find a 400kW unit at a charging station the car can go from 10-80 per cent in just 20 minutes.

The iX3 is ideal for town driving and it is also a very quiet motorway cruiser.

On twisty country roads it is surprisingly agile despite its hefty 2.3 tonnes and there is very little body roll while the steering is very responsive.

It can sprint to 62mph in just 4.9 seconds and can hit a top speed of 130mph.

The steering wheel is a nice shape but the buttons on it are very small and difficult to use.

All the latest safety kit is fitted to the iX3 including adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, driver attention alert and autonomous emergency braking.

READ MORE: JOHN MURDOCH’S DRIVE TIME: We take a look at KGM Musso all-electric pick-up truck and new CUPRA model

Tax-wise, it will cost you just £10 in the first year but £620 for years 2-6.

Company car drivers will enjoy low Benefit In Kind rates as it falls into the lowest bracket of just three per cent.

This car boasts an astonishing electric range, is great to drive and striking to look at and in my opinion is the best electric SUV on sale at the moment.

In further motoring developments, to demonstrate the potential role sustainable fuels can play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions when used as an alternative to fossil fuels, the launch cars on the Mazda UK all-new Mazda CX-5 launch in Scotland will be powered by a 100 per cent second-generation biofuel with no fossil fuel component.

Provided by SUSTAIN Fuel Technologies, the SUSTAIN 100 95 RON E10 second-generation biofuel is created from biomass such as food and agricultural waste and other non-food by-products.

This content utilises the carbon that already exists in our atmosphere, which plants absorb as they grow, recycling it rather than releasing additional CO2 that is currently locked underground in fossil fuels.

The all-new Mazda CX-5 is powered by a 2.5-litre e-Skyactiv G 141ps petrol engine, paired with 24V Mazda M Hybrid technology, replacing the previous 2.0-litre base unit.

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This engine delivers confident performance with improved torque for quicker response, seamless acceleration, and better driving comfort.

Producing 141ps and 238 Nm of torque, the front-wheel drive variant accelerates from 0-62mph in 10.5 seconds, while cylinder de-activation enhances efficiency.

Powering this engine with SUSTAIN 100 95 RON E10 fuel requires no modification and delivers no change in performance.

Continued internal combustion engine development blended with electrification is a well-established example of Mazda’s powertrain innovation, enhancing vehicle efficiency as part of Mazda’s Multi-Solution Approach.

This strategy is well-suited to the application of sustainable fuels as a compelling alternative to fossil fuels and a way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in combination with efficient engines.

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Footage circulating on social media has captured the moment giant waterspouts spiralled off the coast of a popular tourist spot ahead of the summer holidays

Footage circulating on social media has captured the moment giant waterspouts spiralled off the coast of a popular tourist spot.

Southern Spain has been hit by flash floods as violent storms moved through the region head of the summer holidays. Torrential rain triggered flooding on the roads parts of Murcia. Cars could be seen floating in deep floodwater as downpours battered the area.

Several marine tornadoes appeared offshore and witnesses reported seeing at least three waterspouts. The vortexes stretched from dark storm clouds down towards the Mediterranean, the Sun reported.

A waterspout is a rotating column of air that forms over water. It can cause destructive wind gusts. Extreme cases can see winds of up to 250km/h.

Spain’s state weather agency AEMET reiterated severe weather warnings across Campo de Cartagena and authorities issued a yellow alert for thunderstorms, warning of possible hail and powerful gusts of wind.

An orange alert remained in place for torrential rain. Forecasters predicted up to 40mm of rainfall within a single hour.

The conditions are part of a wider storm system hitting eastern and southern parts of the country after weeks of warm weather. Meteorologists have warned of downpours, electrical storms and quickly changing conditions across the region.

This intense weather comes weeks after storms hit Spain in March, killing one person.

More than 250 litres of rain per square metre were recorded in some regions and rivers surge to dangerous levels.

Trains were cancelled, schools were closed and mass evacuations were carried out earlier this year after Storm Leonardo dumped more than 15 inches of rain in just 24 hours.

In Portugal, Storm Leonardo also claimed a life and forced thousands more from their homes.

The Liberal Democrats won 43 out of 45 seats in South Cambridgeshire

South Cambridgeshire’s MP has praised the “stonking” majority won by the Liberal Democrats in South Cambridgeshire today (May 8). The Liberal Democrats won 43 out of 45 seats in the South Cambridgeshire District Council elections, with Conservatives winning the remaining two.

This increases the Liberal Democrats overall seats, as they previously had 34 seats. MP Pippa Heylings (Lib Dem) shared her thoughts on the win.

MP Heylings said it was a “stonking” win for her party. She added that Reform had “completely taken over the Conservatives” across Cambridgeshire, but also nationally.

However, she said those who had voted for the Liberal Democrats in South Cambridgeshire had “rejected the more divisive and Trump-like” politics by voting for the party.

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She added that the win was “evidence in South Cambridgeshire and across the country that the Liberal Democrats can beat Reform” and people were “choosing” them.

Earlier in the day, Councillor Bridget Smith, leader of the council and Liberal Democrat candidate, retained her seat for the Gamlingay ward. She said she was “delighted” with her win. She added that it was “lovely” that the voters put their “faith” in her.

Before the majority win was announced, Cllr Smith said she “expected the Liberal Democrats to have a really exciting day”.

With the Liberal Democrats winning the majority, it mean the Conservatives lost out on seven seats they previously held. Of the two seats that the Conservatives lost included longstanding councillors Bunty Waters for Bar Hill and Sue Ellington for Swavesey.

However, leader of the opposition Councillor Heather Williams retained her seat for The Mordens ward. On the loss, she said: “It’s not unexpected, nationally it’s quite clear there were going to be losses. We are in a five party situation, all of us have to adapt to that.”

She added that she was “very proud” of the Conservative candidates that won, and also the others that put themselves forward.

She also said: “I’ve had a cursory look and When you look at the votes compared to previous years, that vote has come down.”

However, Heather did offer her congratulations to the Liberal Democrats.

The 14-month-old boy has been fighting for his life after inhaling the common ingredient used to decorate cakes and other desserts while his mum was making a birthday cake

The family of a toddler who was put into an induced coma after inhaling cake decorating power has issued a heart-warming update on his condition.

The 14-month-old boy has been fighting for his life after inhaling the common ingredient used to decorate cakes and other desserts. Katie Robinson, a professional baker in Australia, was making a Bluey-themed birthday cake for a friend’s son when her own child grabbed a container of gold decorating dust.

Little Dustin was rushed into emergency surgery at Brisbane’s Queensland Children’s Hospital in Australia to remove decorative lustre dust that had turned to paste in his lungs.

Katie said has now said that the Gold Coast boy is breathing well on his own as he continues to recover from incident.

“Dusty has had his breathing tube taken out and now has high flow oxygen through nasal prongs,” she wrote in an update to those who have donated to help support the family via GoFundMe.

“His meds have decreased but he is still in a drowsy state. The doctors are happy with his progression, however still unsure about lasting effects on the lungs.”

Over 1000 people have donated to the family via the platform and more than $50,000 has been raised in just four days.

“Thank you so so much for the incredible amount of love and support for Dusty and his family!” the organiser Rochelle Evrard – a long-time client of Katie’s and the person she was making a Bluey cake for at the time of the accident – wrote on Friday.

“We have well and truly exceeded expectations from the community. Not only with monetary donations but our inboxes have been flooded with support and offers of help and accommodation.”

The little boy was being supervised in the studio of his home while his mum put the finishing touches on the cake. It is understood that he pulled down a tube of lustre dust powder before he began choking.

“Within seconds [he] had just pulled it off with his teeth, the cap, and just inhaled it and ingested it at the same time,” Katie told an Australian news site earlier this week.

“He was just choking and getting upset, and you could tell that he was starting to struggle to breathe.”

Dustin’s parent’s Katie and Chris began first aid while calling emergency responders.

“In the time it took for the ambulance to get there, he was not breathing well. He was grunting, really low grunt and then trying to take a quick, sharp breath in,” Katie added.

“His body was flopping around, his eyes were rolling in his head, and he was just getting unresponsive. I was trying to slap his cheeks, call out his name, and he just wasn’t opening his eyes. So [it] got really scary at that point.”

Dustin required surgery to “flush out his lungs” using a saline solution. Medical professionals later determined that the dust contained copper.

Copper can trigger respiratory distress, severe lung damage and even long-term chronic damage when ingested.

“It’s just not a product that you would expect to be anywhere near anything that has to do with food,” Katie said.

“All the doctors have said this is such a rare case … they haven’t really seen this before. So it’s been a difficult one for everyone.”

The dust was labelled for use on removal parts of a cake.

Facing criticism of their handling of the closure of Reeth Medical Centre, senior NHS officials told about 300 people who attended a public meeting at St Andrew’s Church, in Grinton, today (FRIDAY) that they followed the statutory process at all times over the issue.

The officers from NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB said distributing the centre’s 1,600 patients to neighbouring practices was the only option they were left with when the only bidder to take over the centre was found to be unsuitable.

The Wensleydale-based Central Dales Practice had stepped in to provide a two-day-a-week branch service in Reeth.

Practice staff were holding talks with the owners of the existing centre owners, Dr Mike Brookes and Marie Brookes, whose retirement has prompted the closure, the audience was told.

But the meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s scrutiny of health committee heard from patients who were still deeply concerned about the ICB’s involvement and the level of service patients could expect in the future.

Mother-of-two Hannah Waggett said: “Timely health interventions are at risk from the current proposal of just two days a week when appointments are available the full five days a week currently.

“If our children aren’t able to be seen in a timely manner, that is unacceptable.”

Patient Deborah Kerrigan asked the ICB what checks had been done to ensure the proposed changes would not put patients at risk and lead to a preventable loss of life.

She said members of the community felt “frightened, scared and still in the dark, adding: “Assigning somebody a GP at a surgery they can’t access because they have no car, there is no public transport, or the only road is both due to weather or roadworks — this really does happen here — has the same impact as not having a GP at all.”

Jill McMullon, chair of Hawes and High Abbotside Parish Council, questioned what the impact of the changes would be on existing Central Dales Practice patients and whether the plans being put in place were sustainable.

She said: “Rural areas deserve the same care as those living in towns and cities.

“The ICB has demonstrated a lack of care and a distinct disregard and lack of understanding for the area they cover.

“Their suggestion that over 1,200 patients could simply be transferred to Hawes was frankly ludicrous.”

In response to the criticism, after being asked why there had been no apology, Lisa Pope, the ICB’s deputy place director for North Yorkshire, said: “If people feel that there is something that we could have done differently within our responsibilities and as an ICB, then I absolutely apologise, if we have made people feel unsafe, unclear or unconsulted with.”

Asked how patients could continue to be kept safe, the senior officer said: “I think the answer is that you will be every bit as safe under the care of the Central Dales Practice as you have been under the care of Mike and Marie Brookes.”

But the ICB officials rejected criticism of the organisation’s communications, saying they had been unable to announce the closure during the process to find a new operator due to statutory requirements.

The meeting was told that the ICB attempted to find a new operator for the medical centre, but although there were a number of enquiries, only one bid was submitted which patients were told was not suitable.

Ms Pope stressed that the ICB had not chosen to close the medical centre, adding: “This is not an ICB decision, this is not a commissioning decision; it’s a decision that’s been made by the partners and the ICB is then duty bound to follow a distinct process that was set out in the statute of law and we’ve done that and we’ve done it at the times that we’ve been able to do that.”

The meeting heard concerns that no succession planning had been undertaken ahead of Dr Brookes’ retirement.

However, Dr Valerie Taylor, who has worked at the medical centre, told the meeting that Dr Brookes had made attempts over a number of years to find a GP to take over the business.

The ICB said they were unaware that the Reeth Medical Centre partners were going to hand back their contract until they gave notice in November last year.

Whether it’s a winter warmer, spot of spring sun, summer scorcher, or autumn adventure you’re after, this destination has got you covered. I checked it out in April

I was reclining by the pool in mid-20s April sunshine when I got served the suggested post asking me: “Why have one summer when you could have 12?”

There followed a list of a dozen destinations, broken down by month, with the enviable temperatures they enjoy should you have the means to chase summer round the world for 365 days.

Notwithstanding the geopolitical issues, the other obvious problem was the prohibitive cost of lots of the suggested destinations.

There are, though, wallet-friendly ways to soak up the sun pretty much whenever you want throughout the year, and within easy reach of the UK. With Tui’s new year-round route between Cardiff and Fuerteventura, you can escape the Welsh weather for near-guaranteed beach vibes any weekend that takes your fancy.

The flight is under four hours, so you can park up at Cardiff Airport in the morning and be by the pool with a sundowner whenever you like, on an island that even in its ‘coldest’ winter months sees average daily highs of around 20C.

Aside from the relatively short flight time, which is long enough to catch a movie on a tablet but not so long that anyone gets cranky, if you’re coming from South Wales, it spares you the additional hour or so of traveling across the bridge to Bristol or beyond.

You also get the advantage of Cardiff Airport’s relatively compact size. The walk from even the furthest parking spot is brief and the waiting area doesn’t have the headspinning feeling that you’ve been dumped in a shopping centre that never closes.

We flew out on a Saturday morning during the Easter holidays and, with the new EU entry/exit system rolling out and some talk circulating of lengthy delays in other destinations, feared we might be in for a wait when we landed.

Quite the opposite was the case – we breezed through the airport in a matter of minutes and were swiftly aboard a coach for a slick transfer to our resort.

While there were plenty of staff about to help, I also learned you could simply locate your bus stop using the Tui app and head straight there. With free wifi in the airport, it’s a handy hack if you have a family who also all want to use the toilet before hopping on the bus.

The island itself is an object lesson in making the very best of the advantages a location has to offer.

The majestic, hulking volcano craters (many of which can be hiked if you’re feeling intrepid) tower alongside the well-maintained main roads. The towns hum with classic tourist trappings of restaurants and bars and ice cream parlours, and the sandy beaches stretch off towards turquoise waters.

The drive up to the north of the island takes you by Parque Natural de Corralejo, treating you first to the blood-red craters before they give way to the huge natural park which offers the biggest dune spread in the whole of the Canary Islands. If you happen to be exploring on foot on a particularly windy day, the regular stone circles, especially close to the coast, offer a great place to shelter.

Examples like that are indicative of the thoughtful way everyone responds to the constant breezes and winds. Hotels are generally designed as low-rise buildings that provide screening for pool areas, so unless it’s particularly pronounced, it’s unlikely to be something that’s going to bug you.

Indeed, it’ll help take the edge off the hotter days, especially if you have young kids or travelers who can’t tolerate excessive heat. I’m sure this will be a particular advantage during the summer months, where temperatures tend to sit between 25C and 30C, and often into the 30s in August.

If you’re not up for lounging on a beach or by the pool every day, and hiking a mountain or tackling the dunes seems a bit of an effort when you’re on holiday, Tui Musement offers a huge range of activities with everything from deluxe catamaran trips to snorkelling, surfing, and water park or wildlife visits.

We took a two-hour dolphin-watching trip on a glass-bottomed boat (from £40 for adults and £26 for kids including return travel from resorts) and it was one of the highlights of our week away.

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After dropping off some guests for a trip to Lobos, we ventured further off the coast and had the utter thrill of pretty much a full hour of spotting various pods of dolphins.

Given they tended to be best seen from the front of the boat, we stuck to either the top floor or the main deck, where people at the front in particular got a ringside seat to some water-borne theatrics. It was easy to move around and the crew were great at making sure everyone got plenty of a chance to take it in.

It was hard to believe, after a dismal Welsh spring where it seemed to feel like any break from the monsoon was a cherished gift, that we were less than four hours from home on an island with nearly 150km of beaches and able to relax in short sleeves in early April.

The only downside of such a lovely break is the reality check of having to come home and face decisions bigger than which ice cream to have on a given day. Thankfully, after another bang-on-time transfer, we found Fuerteventura airport had multiple kids’ play areas that helped make your getaway less painful than it might otherwise be.

On the flight home, I looked again at the list of year-round summer locations I’d been promised while I was away.

Yes, the Maldives is on my bucket list, but right now I don’t have a kidney to sell to fund it. Long-haul trips, aside from the cost, are difficult if you’re confined to school holidays or take out a fair bit of your holiday if you’re doing just a week away. And, as mentioned before, recent world events have put something of a question mark over some destinations.

This new Tui Cardiff to Fuerteventura route, though, has just opened the door to year-round affordable summer weather with something to suit everyone, from the adventure traveler to the person who wants to fly and flop.

So now that the decision’s made, all I have to think about is which ice cream I’ll have first.

He continued: “My message to Downing Street tonight is very, very clear – they have got a lot of listening to do to the fact that Labour have been hammered here in Scotland and an SNP Government, after 19 years in office, has just been emphatically returned to office, and Scotland needs respect as a consequence of that election outcome.”

Mercy crews rushed to the Scots town square on Friday night after reports of a knife incident in the area.

A man has been rushed to hospital following an alleged stabbing near a shopping centre in Cumbernauld. The alarm was raised around 5.30pm when officers received reports of a man being attacked on Friday, May 8.

Emergency services, including Police Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Serviced, rushed to scene of a shopping square on Larch Road in the Abronhill area of the North Lanarkshire town.

Police Scotland told Glasgow Times that the victim was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for treatment. His age, current condition, and the extent of his injuries are not yet known.

An investigation has been launched to get to the bottom of what happened and enquiries into the incident are ongoing.

It comes after a local community page on Facebook reported a “knife attack” outside the Spar earlier this evening. Photos apparently showed a significant police presence and a cordon around surrounding shops including a Chinese takeaway and chip shop.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 5.30pm on Friday, 8 May, 2026, we received a report that a man had been seriously assaulted in Larch Road, Cumbernauld.

“Emergency services attended and he was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for treatment. Enquiries are ongoing.”

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Police have sealed off the area

Police have sealed off an area by a town McDonald’s following reports of an acid attack. Two people have been arrested while a man is in hospital. after emergency services raced to the scene in Tameside.

A police scene is in place in Ashton town centre following the reported attack, which is reported to have taken place outside the fast food restaurant on Warrington Street at around 4pm today, Friday May 8.

A police cordon remains in place with the road closed off from Bow Street and emergency services on the scene.

Greater Manchester Police told the Manchester Evening News that two men have been arrested on suspicion of assault after they were rushed to a ‘hazmat incident’. The M.E.N understands it the alleged assault involves the use of a corrosive substance.

The force says a man in his 30s has been taken to hospital.

“Emergency services were called to a business premises on Warrington Road, Ashton-Under-Lyne at around 4pm following reports of a hazmat incident.

“One man aged in his 30s has been taken to hospital where he is currently being treated for his injuries, which are thankfully not deemed life threatening or life changing.

“Two men, aged in their 40s and 50s, have been arrested on suspicion of assault and remain in custody.

“A scene remains in place, and there is not believed to be any risk to the wider public.”

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue confirmed that two fire crews also attended the incident.

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The village’s shop offering is also praised, as well as it’s ‘friendly’ residents

Locals have described a commuter village as a “peaceful” and “quiet” place to live, and say they like the recent introduction of a 20mph speed limit. Cottenham is a fairly large village, with just over 6,000 people living there, according to the 2021 census.

It’s considered to be a good commuter destination, being in such close proximity to Cambridge. As part of our Exploring Cambridgeshire series, we spoke to people in the village about what it is like living in Cottenham.

Several residents praised a recently-introduced 20mph speed limit across the village. The speed limit was approved by Cambridgeshire County Council in January with the aim to “create a safer environment” in the village.

One woman called Maggie, who didn’t want to include her surname, said the 20mph speed limit was “needed”. She added: “I think it’s great we have the new speed limit.”

Another woman called Patricia, who wished to not include her surname, also agreed that the new speed limit was a good thing for the village. She said: “The 20mph is a good thing. The speeding was horrendous [before].”

Adam McDermott described the previous speeding in the village as “lethal”. He added: “The 20mph speed limit has been one of the best things. The speed that some cars used to go around here was crazy. I’m surprised there were not more accidents.”

People in Cottenham have also praised the village for how quiet it is. Maggie said she feels “incredibly lucky” to live in Cottenham.

She added: “We have a lovely little park and safe roads. We have coffee shops and churches which are good for the community.”

Patricia said “everyone is friendly” in Cottenham. She added: “[The shops] have everything I need. It’s a shame the butcher has gone, but we have another one on Oakington Road. We also have a good bus service.”

Adam described Cottenham as a “peaceful” place to live and said the “people are friendly.” Paul Whitcombe believes there is “more life coming back” into Cottenham.

He added: “It’s a great place to bring up a family and kids, and good being near Cambridge. It’s a nice place to live, and a safe place.”

One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, also said Cottenham is “quiet”. She added: “We have just enough shops like the Co-op for groceries, a few pubs and a few coffee shops which are good for meeting up with people.”