Cambridgeshire Live readers have been looking back on the long, hot summer of 1976 as the UK faces the hottest summer on record in 2026

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Cambridgeshire Live readers have been reminiscing about the scorching summer of 1976, now half a century ago. While Cambridgeshire and the remainder of the UK is experiencing the hottest summer on record, a look back 50 years reveals the county endured one of its most sweltering summers then, too.

Residents in 1976 also faced a drought, just as we are experiencing this year. During 1976, temperatures throughout June, July, and August remained consistently in the high 20s and low 30s.

There was no rainfall for 16 months, making it the driest spell in over 250 years at that time. Village ponds started to dry up and firefighters were deployed to replenish them.

In Cambridgeshire, Grafham Water dried up enough to reveal trees that had been underwater since it was filled during the 1960s. Several of Cambridge’s beloved green spaces also required watering to stop them from becoming parched.

The summer of 1976, with its drought and heat, has much in common with the hot summer we are experiencing this year. In 2026, there has been an increase in field fires across Cambridgeshire due to dry grass, and hosepipe bans have been introduced. Temperatures have also exceeded 30C on many days, with the county hit by its fifth heatwave this year.

One reader, Skipper asks: “So – why do we need net zero? 76 for me was a great year. Every weekend was another day in a hot and sunny paradise.”

Henryfrog believes: “2026 easily had 76 beaten, and it’s not even over yet. We’ve also had 4 other record breakers just in the last 10 years. That’s rapid acceleration of climate change in action, and humans are to blame.”

Calumen Nomen replies: “By that logic, humans must have been ‘to blame’ for last year’s carp summer, then, too? Or is that an ‘inconvenient truth’?”

Banallbikes says: “It’s hot because it’s summer, it happens every year.”

Liveincrete asks: “How many so called wild fires was there in 1976 in comparison to this year?”

Over on our Facebook page, Patrick D. L comments: “The difference was that ’76 was an isolated, extremely hot, dry summer. Now, we have a lot of extremely hot, dry summers.”

Bridget D replies: “It wasn’t isolated. 1975 was very hot and dry, too.”

Graham E says: “I remember the summer of 76 in the UK and to say ”Now, we have a lot of extremely hot, dry summers.” is stretching the truth to say the least because we’ve had the odd 3 or 4 days to a week but definitely not summers like that, i.e., several weeks of it.”

Colin A says: “Mother nature, nature can be a great leveller, so I wonder what we will be talking about in twelve months’ time.”

Adrian W writes: “Rather subdued hazy skies with somnolent heat, and I preferred the ‘75 summer after the early June cold patch; beautiful blue skies for fruit-picking after A Levels.”

Do you think that the legendary summer of 1976 can be compared to the extreme weather we are currently enduring? Comment below or HERE to have your say.

Gangs are ‘draining’ thousands of pounds in hard-earned cash from customers in the lucrative £8bn gift card and voucher market.

Organised crime gangs are secretly rigging gift cards to “drain” thousands of pounds in hard-earned cash from Scots shoppers in a new high-tech scam.

Gift cards remain one of the most popular ways to give at Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries, with the UK gift card and voucher market worth around £8billion a year.

With thousands of Scots expected to buy gift cards in the run-up to Christmas, they are being urged to check them carefully and report anything suspicious to store staff.

Police Scotland have now warned that prepaid gift cards are being tampered with in a sophisticated online scam known as “gift card draining”.

They say the three-stage scam sees gangs steal and tamper with gift cards before returning them to shop shelves. When an unsuspecting shopper buys and activates the card, the cruel fraudsters are lurking online to siphon off the cash.

Many victims may be unaware they have been conned until weeks or even months later, when the recipient tries to use the gift card only to discover the money has already been drained. By that time both the fraudsters and their cash are long gone.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “While we are aware of gift card draining, offences of this nature are currently not reported in significant numbers within Scotland, however, we would urge retailers and customers to always remain vigilant.

“Store staff can help prevent such offences by displaying gift cards close to tills and other areas where it is less easy for criminals to steal them without being detected.

“For the public, we would ask that you inspect any gift card prior to purchase and if there is any evidence of tampering do not buy it – instead report it to staff within the premises.

“Any incidents of gift card thefts should be reported to police immediately.”

It comes after Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Task Force (RCTF) recently helped smash a crime gang accused of rigging gift cards before putting them back on shop shelves.

The scam was uncovered during a joint operation in May and June involving RCTF and a national retailer being targeted by crooks running a gift card sting across Scotland and England.

They say it led to two arrests with officers seizing more than 800 gift vouchers and £12,000 in cash.

Shoppers are advised to check packaging for signs of tampering, choose cards from secure or staffed locations where possible and always keep their receipt.

Data shows shoplifting has surged to an all-time high and now accounts for over 45% of all crimes of dishonesty in Scotland.

According to Police Scotland, more than 53,000 retail crimes were recorded in the year to March – up almost 20% on the previous 12 months.

Shop workers are increasingly finding themselves on the frontline of the shoplifting crisis, facing the brunt of brazen and sometimes violent offenders targeting stores and leaving staff exposed to abuse and intimidation.

Police estimates up to February 28 show the scale of the epidemic, with 5089 shoplifting charges or detections recorded, alongside 1122 arrests and 601 charges relating to offences against retail workers.

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The demand comes days after bosses at the Ferguson Marine, in Port Glasgow, announced plans to axe almost a quarter of its workforce while waiting for the Scottish Government to sign off promised contracts.

Unions at a struggling shipyard have pleaded with John Swinney to deliver contracts, not more promises.

The demand comes days after bosses at the Ferguson Marine, in Port Glasgow, announced plans to axe almost a quarter of its workforce while waiting for the Scottish Government to sign off promised contracts.

The direct award of two CalMac ferries and two maritime research and protection vessels was announced before the Holyrood election in May.

But Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn is now refusing to predict when the work will be approved.

The First Minister is facing mounting pressure to act after the shipyard, which was taken into state control by the SNP Government in 2019 and has been plagued by repeated delays, cost overruns and turmoil in its leadership, said it was set to cut 70 of its 283 workers.

The announcement came amid growing frustration over delays to contracts promised by ministers.

The Scottish government last night refused to confirm if and when the First Minister would visit the shipyard.

GMB Scotland, the biggest union at the yard, warned only urgent action can stop jobs, skills and morale draining from the last commercial yard on the Clyde, where a third of the current CalMac fleet was built.

Louise Gilmour, GMB Scotland secretary, said: “If Mr Swinney is visiting Fergusons, he should arrive with signed contracts not more warm words.

“This yard was once Scotland’s ferry factory and could be again but it needs ships to build today not more promises of support tomorrow.

“Why is Scotland buying ferries from around the world when we own a yard where some of our country’s most skilled and experienced shipbuilders are being encouraged to walk out the gate?

“The Scottish Government promised four contracts just weeks before the election but, months later, the silence is deafening.

“The lack of ministerial drive, leadership and ambition for a shipyard that has such strategic industrial potential is beyond grim.

“The workers are blameless for the mess made by ministers, managers and those in charge of our ferry service and deserve the chance to turn the page.”

Ferguson Marine was rescued from administration by the Scottish Government in 2019 and has since been at the centre of the long-running scandal surrounding two dual-fuel CalMac ferries.

The vessels, the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa, are years late and are expected to cost taxpayers around £500million – almost five times the original £97million contract price.

Now critics have accused ministers of penalising workers for what they claim is SNP mismanagement.

Scottish Labour Economy spokesperson Daniel Johnson said “The workers at Fergusons deserve more than warm words and photo ops from the SNP.

“It would be an insult for John Swinney to show up at the yard without any reassurances for the workers.

“We need to see a real plan to deliver the work promised to this yard, protect jobs, and secure a bright future for Scottish shipbuilding.”

Meanwhile Transport Minister Stephen Flynn has also been told to ‘get a grip’ over the latest SNP transport fiasco.

Scottish Labour’s Daniel Johnson added: “SNP chaos has undermined countless Scottish infrastructure projects and put jobs at risk.

“Stephen Flynn must stop making excuses and ensure that workers aren’t punished for the SNP government’s failures.

“The SNP’s incompetence has damaged Scottish shipbuilding and left skilled workers to pick up the pieces.

“The SNP must get a grip of the spiralling costs in its projects and act with the urgency needed to secure jobs at Ferguson Marine.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP said: “These workers have been let down by the SNP over and over again.

“The yard needs a pipeline of work to flourish but that has not been forthcoming.

“Meanwhile, there can be little doubt that the chaos around its ownership and management have made it a less appealing prospect for those wanting to build commercial ships.

“All of this can be traced back to the SNP yet despite so many transport ministers coming and going no one has ever taken responsibility.

“It has been a case study in how not to do a government intervention.”Transport spokesman Tim Eagle added: “Workers are paying the price for years of disastrous SNP mismanagement at their nationalised yard.

“Ministers promised that jobs would be protected but their failures have deeply damaged the longstanding reputation of Ferguson Marine.

“Stephen Flynn needs to get a grip of this situation. More taxpayers’ money shouldn’t be squandered while this yard and its workers are still left without any future work.

“The money blown by SNP ministers while trying to deliver two new lifeline ferries has been symbolic of a government that have no regard for taxpayers’ money and it is astounding no minister has ever taken responsibility.”

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The Scottish Government has consistently said it hopes eventually to return Ferguson Marine to the private sector.

But the publicly-owned yard has struggled to secure orders in recent years, raising concerns over its long-term viability.

Staff have been invited to apply for voluntary redundancy, with bosses insisting the move is necessary to protect the yard’s future.

The Scottish Government has a long-standing policy of opposing compulsory redundancies in the public sector, and Swinney has said he wants that approach applied at Ferguson Marine.

In March, before the Holyrood election, the Scottish Government announced plans to directly award the yard contracts to build four future vessels.

The orders – two small CalMac ferries, a fisheries research ship and a marine protection vessel – were described by ministers as providing a “bridge to the future” for Ferguson Marine.

Speaking last week, Swinney said: “The Government’s given that commitment for that work to go to Ferguson Marine and, while I regret the redundancies that are being taken forward, it’s vital that the yard is sustainable and the contracts from the Scottish Government will assist in that process.”

Following the announcement of the job cuts, Ferguson Marine chief executive Graeme Thomson said completing the Glen Rosa was the yard’s “immediate focus”.

He said the shipyard was confident it would achieve the necessary number of redundancies through the voluntary process.

The row is the latest in a string of Scottish Government controversies and infrastructure schemes hit by spiralling costs and delays.

We revealed last week that two new prisons are set to cost taxpayers around £1million per cell as construction costs soar.

The replacement HMP Barlinnie in Glasgow was estimated last year at £1billion – almost ten times the original £100million price tag put forward in 2014.

Sources told the Sunday Mail that the final cost of the delayed 1,344-cell facility, scheduled for completion in 2028, could rise even further.

The 200-cell HMP Highland in Inverness, due to open in spring 2027, is now expected to cost £209million – up from an initial estimate of £52million a decade ago.

Meanwhile the £3billion-plus A9 Perth-Inverness dualling project has missed its original 2025 completion date, with the deadline pushed back to 2035.

Ministers have also faced fury after being forced to reject plans for a new Monklands Hospital when the projected price rocketed to £2.1billion.

The Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh was originally estimated to cost between £10million and £40million in 1997 but ultimately cost taxpayers £431million.

A number of criminals have been caged in Scotland after French authorities cracked the highly encrypted EncroChat messaging service in 2020.

Gangsters, drug lords, weapons dealers and county lines runners have been rounded up after their dodgy dealings were exposed on the app.

The Record’s new series will explore Scotland’s biggest Encrochat busts – and the individuals behind the deals who believed they were untouchable.

“Whiteradio”

A gang member who gauded the name “Whiteradio” on Encrochat was jailed for his part in a massive cocaine trafficking operation.

Stuart George played a vital role in the crime which started during the first covid lockdown in 2020.

The then 40-year-old was held after a raid at a drugs factory in Duntocher, West Dunbartonshire.

He was jailed for more than five years after admitting being involved in serious and organised crime at the High Court in Glasgow in April 2023.

The term was cut from seven years due to his guilty plea.

George had previously been jailed in 2010 after a £1.5m amphetamine haul was discovered in his flat when his boiler went on fire.

The court heard how George and other mob members communicated via encrypted Encrochat messages to try and hide what was happening.

Prosecutor Bill McVicar said George had the username “Whiteradio”.

Mr McVicar said: “These messages were identified as part of a much larger inquiry involving police forces in France and the Netherlands.”

The court heard George was being directed for the “collection and distribution” of cocaine and dirty money.

His role in the gang was described as “courier/driver”.

Mr McVicar said the texts revealed George was involved in transporting 31kg of cocaine, which had a wholesale value of £1.2m.

But it was believed the potential sum would be far greater if split and adulterated into smaller amounts for sale.

Landscape gardener George, of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, also received £5,630 in “wages”.

Mr McVicar said: “In the messages, he was also given instructions on what to say if stopped by police driving during the lockdown.”

Vehicles with “slots” – secret compartments to hide items – were also discussed.

He told reporters: “Yeah, I was surprised, I was suffering for this defeat, but we are working. If you analyze last season, the defensive line, [Pedro] Porro, [Kevin] Danso, Micky van de Ven and [Destiny] Udogie. And today, Archie Gray, Jean Paul van Hecke, [Marcos] Senesi and [Andy] Robertson, four new players.

The latest update is now live across the UK and includes five channel changes.

Freeview said on its website: “On 19th August 2026 some broadcasters are making changes to their channels.

“You will need to retune to update your TV and keep your channels and TV Guide up to date.”

Full list of channel changes in latest Freeview update

The channel changes being made as part of the latest Freeview update are:

New channels

• Your TV (channel 71)
• Your TV Extra (channel 75)

Channel renames

• That’s Oldies MCR to Your TV MCR (channel 79)
• That’s 20th Century MCR to Your TV Extra MCR (channel 86)
• That’s Classics to Your Music (channel 93)

Freeview added: “Channels are constantly evolving on Freeview with individual channels making the decision to move, add or remove channels.

“Freeview continues to ensure that audiences can enjoy a rich and varied content.”

How to retune your TV

Viewers will need to retune their TVs to access the latest channel updates.

Freeview says the process is usually straightforward and only requires pressing ‘retune’ when prompted by your TV.

If an automatic retune doesn’t work, you may need to do a manual retune.

Freeview recommends the following steps:

• Press ‘Menu’ on your box or TV remote control.
• Select ‘Set-up’, ‘installation’, ‘update’ or a similar option. If you’re asked for a password, the default code is ‘1234’ or ‘0000’.
• Select ‘First-time installation’ (sometimes called ‘factory reset’, ‘full retune’ or ‘default settings’).
• Press ‘OK’ if your equipment asks if it’s OK to delete existing channels and then your retune should start automatically. If you’re prompted to, save the channels that are found.

If you are still unsure, you can watch Freeview’s retune videos for more details (available on the Freeview website).

What is your favourite TV programme? Let us know in the comments below.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israelis across political and religious lines are worried about the weakening connection with younger Jewish Americans — who, according to a recent AP-NORC poll, tend to consider support for Israel less crucial to their Jewish identity than older adults.

“It’s extremely important to us,” said Itai Nixon, who leads the diaspora department for Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. “We’re the state of the Jewish people, not just Israelis.”

Lesley Sachs, who has protested the current Israeli government and chairs the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism, also considers a close relationship with diaspora Jews a “strategic asset” for both Israel and Jews worldwide.

So she’s greatly concerned about diaspora Jews losing the sense that Israel can be a homeland for them, especially as rising antisemitism targets them regardless of political and religious affiliations.

“That was always really, really important that everybody around the world, especially after the Holocaust, knows that there is a country that will always take them,” Sachs said in her synagogue in Tel Aviv. “This is already a few generations after, and this is less prominent in their DNA. And I think that this is really a failure on the part of both Israel and world Jewry, that we have not managed to keep that prominent.”

Since 2000, Taglit-Birthright Israel has brought a million Jewish young adults from the United States and elsewhere for a free 10-day “discovery” tour of Israel. The organization’s CEO says it’s more necessary than ever to show what their connection to Israel could be like beyond controversial politics.

“That really increases the importance of my job to expose people to what they give up on,” said Gidi Mark. “What we give them is a mirror.”

The staunch Israel-US relationship shows some cracks

Israel and the United States have long been staunch allies. U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Washington earlier this week to discuss the war against Iran they launched together five months ago.

“The United States is perceived as the best friend of Israel in the entire world, and that’s still the case,” said Tamar Hermann, who directs the Israel Democracy Institute’s Viterbi Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research in Jerusalem.

Divisions over the ceasefire in the Iran war, however, have weakened Jewish Israelis’ belief that Trump prioritizes Israel’s security — from 64% in March to 26% in June — according to the center.

Amid diplomatic tensions, the role of Jewish Americans who historically lobbied for political, military and financial support for Israel gains new prominence, Israelis said. And that deepens the concern that many young progressive Americans, including Jews, now see supporting Israel in any way as irreconcilable with their worldview.

The decline in support for Israel has become particularly stark since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack when Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians in southern Israel, and abducted 251 others. Israel’s ensuing war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and international organizations. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants but says women and children make up around half of all fatalities.

That in turn ignited protests across the United States, especially on college campuses.

“Holocaust, refugees, the importance of Israel in times of need abroad, and the fact that Israel is a small country fighting for its existence … that’s history they read in a book,” Sachs said of younger Jewish Americans. “They weren’t emotionally part of it in any way or any form. And so they look at their values and the things that they believe in. And they don’t see it in Israel.”

Jewish Americans have a complicated relationship with Israel

Only about 4 in 10 religious Jewish adults under 45 in the United States say that supporting Israel is “extremely” or “very” important for their Jewish identity, while about half of older religious Jewish adults do, according to the AP-NORC poll.

The survey of 1,022 Jewish adults — including people who identify as Jewish by religion and religiously unaffiliated people who identify as Jewish through culture, ethnicity or family background — also found that only about half of religious adults say Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza are justified. The number drops to 2 in 10 among Jewish adults without a religious affiliation.

At the same time, about 6 in 10 Jewish adults say prejudice against Jewish people is an “extremely” or “very” serious problem in the United States today.

To many Israelis, safety threats against Jews make it all the more tragic — and dangerous — that young Jewish Americans do not see the state of Israel as a refuge or even an ally.

“Antisemitism sadly helps us to explain why a Jewish homeland is not a bad idea,” said Asaf Zamir, a deputy mayor of Tel Aviv who served as consul general in New York. “Opposing the government is fine, but you cannot understand your history as a Jew without understanding the part of Israel in it.”

Israel reaches out to secular and liberal Jews in North America

In order to promote deeper attachment between Israel and diaspora Jews, both the government and religious organizations are reinforcing exchange programs. For decades, young Israelis have traveled to Jewish summer camps across North America, and non-Israeli Jews get free trips to Israel.

“To see Israel and meet Israelis is the gold standard,” Itai Nixon said of programs bringing teens to the country.

Taglit-Birthright’s Gidi Mark said that since 2023, with multiple wars, tour participants are fewer — and their reactions to touring Israel have also changed. He recalled one participant shouting “Israel! Israel!” outside his hotel just because he felt safe to express himself.

“These people don’t feel free to experience who they are in the places that they are coming from,” Mark said.

These and other initiatives are focusing on secular Jews and adherents to Reform Judaism. The largest branch of the religion in North America, it emphasizes progressive values such as social justice.

Orthodox Jews abroad tend to have stronger ties to Israel — and Orthodox Jews in Israel tend to see themselves as closer to diaspora Jews than do secular Israelis, Hermann said.

Within the Israeli Reform movement, which is a small part of Judaism in the country, there’s a push to send more young Israelis to the United States, including as camp counselors.

“That kind of action is important, that one-on-one connection saying, ‘You know what, we believe in the same things you do. Really, we have the same ideology in general, and we feel we need to change Israel together,’” Sachs said. “We need to be partners in making Israel the country that we all need.”

Alma Edry, 18, is spending two months as a counselor at a progressive Jewish summer camp in Ontario with teens and young adults from Canada and the United States. She said her biggest surprise has been “that Israel is such a big deal for people outside the country.”

“Most of their friends are anti-Israel,” she said of the campers. “This is their chance to celebrate their connection.”

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This story has been corrected to show that while Hamas has announced the dissolution of the government, it has not yet taken place.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Achieving the perfect roast potato can be a challenge, but there is a simple way to ensure your roasties are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

While the meat typically takes centre stage during a Sunday roast, for many people, the true hero of the meal is undoubtedly the roast potatoes.

The perfect roast potato should have a golden, crispy exterior while remaining soft and fluffy within, but nailing this winning formula isn’t always straightforward, especially when juggling numerous other parts of a good roast dinner.

Simply leaving the potatoes in the oven for a long time might seem like the logical approach to achieving that crispy shell, but it often leads to burnt potatoes with insides that become dry and hard, rather than light and fluffy.

However, according to culinary experts, the right prep can help you nail the perfect golden roastie, and it’s all about getting organised beforehand.

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The trick is simple: parboil and then freeze your potatoes ahead of time. Preparing ingredients in advance isn’t just sensible to ease the cooking burden on the day itself, but it can also enhance the flavour of your dishes, resulting in crispier roasties when you eventually cook them.

This works because parboiling helps to remove moisture from the potato surface, meaning they develop a superior crisp during cooking while maintaining that delightfully fluffy interior.

Outlining the advantages of freezing roast potatoes prior to cooking, Sainsbury’s said: “Freeze up to a month ahead. Parboiling potatoes before freezing them is not only a great way to get ahead, it also makes the potatoes extra crunchy when cooked. Roast from frozen while your meat is resting.”

How to get the crispiest roast potatoes

Preparing the roasties is so simple, and if you do all of this in advance, it’s virtually effortless when you actually get round to making them.

Peel and cut the spuds into small chunks, then tip them into a pan. Add some boiling water from the kettle and leave them to boil for eight to 12 minutes.

Once the potatoes have been parboiled, they should be drained in a colander and shaken to roughen the edges, then returned to the pan. Place a clean tea towel over the pan and allow the potatoes to steam dry and cool for approximately five minutes.

Next, remove the tea towel and spread the potatoes across a baking tray – ensuring they’re not touching – and loosely cover with clingfilm before freezing until solid. Once frozen, tip the potatoes into a large freezer bag and store in your freezer.

When it comes to roasting your potatoes, there’s no need to defrost them beforehand either.

Simply heat some olive oil in a roasting tin in the oven at around 200C fan for approximately five minutes, then carefully add your potatoes, coating them thoroughly with the hot oil and cook for around 40 to 50 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Culinary specialists at Tesco added: “Freezing cooked potatoes has no negative impact on the taste or texture of your cooking, and in some cases, will add to the delicious crispiness that makes potatoes so irresistible.”

The union for Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians authorized the first strike in the ensemble’s 145-year history on Saturday.

The Boston Musicians’ Association issued a statement ahead of the expiration of the union’s three-year contract at 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

The orchestra and management have had strained relations since BSO decided in March to force out music director Andris Nelsons next summer after 13 seasons.

“In spite of the turmoil of the last six months caused by BSO’s leadership decision to terminate the orchestra’s musical director, Andris Nelsons, they have failed to agree to a collective bargaining agreement that would begin to restore the trust that they have destroyed and offer a fair contract to the musicians who are at the heart and soul of the BSO,” the union said in a statement.

The union said management has not agreed to musicians’ proposal for a mediator.

“We respect the musicians’ right to take this step as part of the negotiating process,” BSO CEO Chad Smith said in a statement. “Our focus remains on the negotiations and the ongoing constructive conversations. We are committed to reaching an agreement with competitive pay and benefits that enhances collaboration with the players.”

The orchestra’s season is scheduled to open Sept. 17.

By FRANCINE WOLFISZ, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 01:59 BST, 23 August 2026 | Updated: 02:32 BST, 23 August 2026

Iranian hackers shut down a UK power plant for four days in an unprecedented cyber attack on Britain, it has been revealed.

Cyber terrorists forced the facility to be completely closed down while staff battled to bring systems back online.

Officials have not revealed which power plant was targeted, but it is understood to be relatively small – and the attack did not have any significant impact on the nation’s energy supplies.

The Government briefed chief executives of power companies about the incident and provided advice and direction. 

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Officials from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a public-facing branch of GCHQ, were also informed and are investigating the breach.

The attack was the first and most effective of its kind, but the Government insists ‘at no point’ was there a wider risk to Britain’s energy system, The Telegraph reported.

However the incident is a chilling indication of the potential harm wrought by successful cyber attacks on Britain’s infrastructure, experts warned.

It is said to have occurred at the same time US infrastructure was hit by a string of cyber attacks across more than a dozen states last month.

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Iranian hackers shut down a UK power plant for four days in an unprecedented cyber attack on Britain, it has been revealed (file pic)

Cyber terrorists forced the facility to be completely closed down while staff battled to bring systems back online (file pic)

In late July, US intelligence officials believe Iranian regime hackers hit a water utility in western Arkansas as part of the wider campaign, according to the Washington Post.

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Suspected Iran-linked cyberattacks have also struck water systems in a dozen states, including Michigan, Minnesota, Georgia, New Jersey and South Dakota, sources told CBS News, with more than 30 community systems breached in Minnesota alone.

Hackers forced Georgia authorities in the Atlanta area to issue a boil water advisory after their intrusion caused a sudden drop in water pressure.

In several cases, the hackers gained remote access to pumps, valves and pressure settings and forced utilities to switch to manual mode, but officials say the attacks  had no impact on drinking water.

Both US and UK intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned of the risk from foreign adversaries, including not only Iran but also Russia, China and North Korea. 

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British critical national infrastructure and government agencies have been bombarded by thousands of attacks every day, they revealed.

Schools, NHS systems, and commercial manufacturing facilities, including production lines at Jaguar Land Rover, have all been targeted.

Major retailers’ customer information has also fallen victim to cyber attacks, while voter records were stolen from the Electoral Commission.

Experts have also highlighted that AI tools could be developed to assist and carry out cyber attacks faster and more efficiently.

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Cabinet Office research suggests the risk of a serious and successful cyber attack against Britain’s infrastructure is now between five and 25 per cent. 

A Government spokesman said of the latest breach: ‘The UK has a highly resilient energy system. We work closely with the energy sector to protect infrastructure and ensure the highest security standards.

‘This story refers to an incident impacting a small-scale energy generator, and at no point was there a risk to the wider energy system.’ 

Daily Mail has contacted the Department of Energy, Security and Net Zero for comment.

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