Going to the seaside isn’t just for summer, beaches are also great to visit in autumn. While Cambridgeshire is landlocked and isn’t lucky enough to be home to beach destinations, there are some beautiful choices just a stone’s throw away.
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Suffolk and Norfolk, both home to some stunning beaches, are within driving distance of Cambridgeshire. These two counties provide Cambridgeshire locals with the perfect opportunity to enjoy a day out to the beach.
One beach that’s worth the visit, and only a two-hour drive from Cambridge, is Sea Palling in Norfolk. Set in a quiet village on the north Norfolk coast is the sandy beach of Sea Palling.
Visit North Norfolk describes it as an area of “unspoilt natural beauty”. The beach is ideal for families as it has safe waters to swim in.
The beach is lucky to have soft sands and even when the tide comes in, the sand is still there unlike other beaches further up the coast.
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These are calmed down by the man-made coastal defence reefs. It is a popular beach, but it’s never too overcrowded so it’s a good destination to visit if people don’t want a place that’s too busy.
It has amusements, cafes and amenities near the beach. The beach was also awarded Blue Flag status for several years, which means the beach has met certain standards for cleanliness, safety, environmental management and education.
In the winter months, this beach is a great place to walk the dog as it’s less crowded. There are restrictions in place for dog walking in the summer.
As well as a visit to this glorious beach, it is also worth a visit to the Hickling Broad nature reserve, run by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the National Trust’s Horsey Warren.
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These two nature spots are perfect for people who love bird watching or just want to be closer to nature. With this beach being within easy reach of Cambridge, it might be worth a visit this autumn.
The Red Devils drew with Everton before losing the Manchester derby to Manchester City in their most recent league outings, and they suffered a premature Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Brighton in midweek with a disappointing collapse at Old Trafford. They will be hoping to rectify their situation here, against Alvaro Arbeloa’s Cottagers, who themselves have not won a league game under their new boss.
Semenyo admitted that Enzo Maresca was not happy with his players after a chaotic 5-3 victory against Sunderland. Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring with a clever free kick, but Brian Brobbey equalised moments later. Rayan Cherki then put City ahead but, again, Brobbey was quick to equalise. Semenyo scored his first of the afternoon on the stroke of half time and added a second after the interval to put City in control. However, Brobbey completed his hat trick to once more put the Blues under the cosh.
Eventually, City managed to put Sunderland to bed as Erling Haaland added the fifth, and ensured they are three points clear at the top of the Premier League, heading into the international break. Collecting his man of the match award at full time, Semenyo shed some light on how Maresca responded to the chaotic victory.
A drug dealer screamed as he was woken up by police in a raid of his home.
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Bodycam footage showed an officer shining a torch over Asa McIntosh as he appeared to be asleep on a sofa.
The drug trafficker appears to yelp as he is being arrested.
McIntosh, 21, was part of drug line known as the ‘P Line’ worth over a million pounds, a court heard.
The group of seven had supplied Class A drugs including heroin and crack cocaine across Smethwick, Wednesbury, Walsall, and Birmingham.
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Another clip shared by police showed McIntosh showing off a huge wad of cash while rapping that he was once ‘broke as a joke’.
The cabal also filmed a huge block of cocaine before promoting it for sale.
Asa McIntosh, 21, filmed several videos of himself showing off with a huge wad of cash made from drug trafficking (Picture: West Midlands Police)
All seven were sentenced to jail on Wednesday after pleading guilty to multiple offences.
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Amused social viewers social media commented on the clip showing McIntosh screaming as he was detained.
One said: ‘He screamed like a girl.’
Another wrote: ‘Mugged him right off at the beginning of video. He’ll never live that down.’
Another joked: ‘Fancy waking him up while he was mid way through dreaming of being on Oblivion at Alton Towers.’
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Another suggested the drug dealer acted as if he thought he had been visited by aliens.
Detectives investigating P Line found thousands of calls and messages sent and received from phones used to run the operation.
The runners worked seven-hour shifts timed across a 22-hour period each day, seven days a week to meet demand, and sold dozens of kilos of Class A drugs, Birmingham Crown Court heard.
Searches at the addresses resulted in multiple kilos of Class A drugs being recovered along with thousands of pounds in cash.
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The operation was run by Zuhayb Abdi, who was assisted by second in command Waqas Hussain, the court heard.
Seven members of the P Line drug operation have been jailed after appearing at Birmingham Crown Court (Picture: West Midlands Police)
Abdi, 30, of no fixed address, admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs of class A cocaine and heroin. He was jailed for seven years.
Hussain, 27, of Wells Avenue, Darlaston, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply class A cocaine and diamorphine. He was jailed for five years.
Bradley Whatmore, Hakeem Ali, Quarnay Lee-Taylor, Rees Macdonald were also jailed for their involvement in the million-pound drug line.
Macdonald, aged 31, of no fixed address, admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply class A cocaine and heroin and one count of kidnapping. He was jailed for six years.
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DS Adam Buzzard said: ‘This group ran a significant drugs line around the Black Country and wider area.
‘They were meticulous in their planning to ensure the drug line ran all hours of the day, every day.
‘However, thanks to our excellent investigative skills, we were able to identify those involved in the line and secure significant jail time for all seven.
‘Drugs cause harm within communities and we’re carrying out action day in, day out, to disrupt supply lines across the region.’
One person said the expansion ‘should not be a replacement for a city centre’
A Cambridgeshire M&S store has been given the go-ahead to expand. Peterborough ’s biggest M&S store in the Brotherhood Retail Park has been given permission by Peterborough City Council to extend its store.
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The extension will be located on vacant land between the M&S shop and Tapi Carpets. It will extend the shop by a total floor area of 1,676 sqm and be set over two floors.
The applicant said the extension is for a “main town centre use”. No extra parking is proposed with the plans as there is already parking available in the retail park.
Despite approval, the plans did receive two objections. A member of the public who lives in Melford Close said the shop “should not be allowed” to extend as the shop “should be in the city centre to serve the whole population”.
Peterborough’s former M&S store, situated in the Queensgate shopping centre, closed in 2024. The objector added: “M&S should be encouraged to return to [the] city centre. City could should refuse to promote regeneration of the city centre.”
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This person also shared concern over the impact on the car park and traffic to enter the car park. They added: “The car park at Brotherhoods is always full at peak times [and] exit to Lincoln Road is a nightmare with long queues trying to join the carriageway.”
Blackwell Consulting, based in Peterborough’s city centre, also opposed the plans. A spokesperson for the business said: “Expanding an out of town location cannot and should not be a replacement for a city centre, or sequential test approved site.
“There are not benefits associated with the proposed application that would outweigh the harm caused by allowing the development to take place. The proposal does not enhance the city centre, quite the opposite, it serves to weaken it further.”
Appearing on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast on Saturday, Navarro claimed news outlets that “falsely” report negative things about the economy, Trump’s tariffs and the war in Iran are “treasonous.”
“That weighs heavily on sentiment and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. They want that to happen; they want a bad economy going into the election,” Navarro said. “And the security thing, these people are treasonous. I mean, this is like, ‘the wars going badly.’ Whatever you feel about the war. You don’t say stuff that’s gonna be repeated instantaneously by the Iranian media.”
White House official Peter Navarro says it’s “treasonous” for White House reporters to accurately report things like the fact that the Iran war is going poorly for the US pic.twitter.com/DFjMAp99Av
Trump made similar comments when asked by reporters why he had made the decision to ban the three outlets.
“Because they’re fake news,” Trump said. “You get so tired of reading and seeing fake news. When you look at CNN, it’s just fake. That’s why their ratings are no good. When you look at MS NOW … it’s fake news.”
“And when you look at Politico … the stories they wrote are fake. So there’s a lot of news and there may be others to join them, and maybe they can get better. But our country has to have honest news,” he continued.
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Reporters for CNN, MS NOW and Politico all reported being turned away at the White House on Saturday after having their press badges deactivated.
All three outlets issued statements following their reporters being denied access.
“We will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights,” Politico Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Greenberger said in a statement to the Politico newsroom.
A CNN statement said the network “will not be deflected from our duty to hold the government and other public bodies to account.”
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MS NOW said it “intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy.”
Trump has also hinted that The New York Times and The Washington Post could be the next outlets to be banned.
Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
The Tall Glass Battery Powered Table Lamp is perfect for creating a cosy autumnal atmosphere at home, and shoppers can get it for just 85p in an online offer
Shawna Healey Senior fashion, beauty and home affiliate writer and Jessica Brunt Senior Multimedia Writer – Affiliates
16:28, 20 Sep 2026
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
As the autumn chill begins to take hold, many of us will find ourselves spending increasingly more evenings indoors. A snug night at home calls for soft, ambient lighting to set the mood, rather than the harsh glare of the ‘big light’.
One particular lamp at Argos is proving especially popular with shoppers. Those who have already purchased the Tall Glass Battery Powered Table Lamp swear it creates ‘the perfect amount of ambience’, making it an excellent option for anyone in the market for a new light source.
The Tall Glass Battery Powered Table Lamp is priced at £16, and while that already represents decent value, there is a way to get it for under £1 through TopCashback’s latest promotion. The process is free, straightforward and takes only moments to complete.
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TopCashback is offering new members of its money-saving platform a £15 sign-up bonus, alongside cashback on any purchase of £15 or more at Argos. This reduces the Tall Glass Battery Powered Table Lamp to just 85p after cashback for new Argos customers.
New members of TopCashback who are already Argos customers will receive a marginally lower cashback rate, bringing the lamp to 93p once the offer has been applied.
Get the look
£16
85p for new members of TopCashback and new Argos shoppers
Shop the Home Tall Glass Battery Powered Table Lamp via TopCashback
These prices have been calculated using free click and collect; standard delivery costs from £4.95, or is free for smaller items on orders exceeding £100. To take advantage of the deal, shoppers simply need to make their purchase through this unique link.
Cashback is not paid immediately and may take up to seven days to appear in accounts. Visit here for full T&Cs.
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The Tall Glass Battery Powered Table Lamp is ideal for wherever you require a gentle glow, whether that’s a bedside table or the garden on a balmy evening. As it runs on batteries, there’s no need for a plug or any wiring, giving you complete flexibility to position it anywhere and move it about as you please.
The ribbed clear glass shade produces a soft, ambient light that’s perfectly suited to relaxing with a good book. The brass base lends a touch of sophistication, while the compact design means it sits neatly on side tables, shelves or windowsills without dominating the space.
Running on three AA batteries (not included), it arrives with an LED bulb already fitted, so you can begin using it immediately. The clear glass shade is simple to maintain with a quick wipe-down, and with minimal assembly required, it’s ready to use within moments.
The sturdy glass and plastic construction keeps the lamp lightweight enough to carry around, while remaining stable wherever you choose to place it. It also comes with a one-year manufacturer’s guarantee for complete peace of mind.
Elsewhere, Dunelm’s Cassia Pressed Glass Rechargeable Touch Dimmable Table Lamp is priced at £40. With a three-hour charging time and eight-hour working time depending on brightness level, the lamp is a stylish and versatile addition to any home.
Alternatively, Dusk’s Lucille Ornate LED Rechargeable Wireless Lamp is available for £35. Boasting a warm brass finish and cream shade, the lamp introduces a hint of elegance to any room, while the integrated LED bulb provides a soft, welcoming glow.
Entirely wireless and rechargeable through USB or Type-C connection, this lamp is ideal for bedside tables, desks or comfortable nooks. Whether creating ambience or illuminating your work area, the lamp delivers both style and practicality to a home.
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The Tall Glass Battery Powered Table Lamp at Argos has accumulated an overall star rating of 4.3 out of five from nearly 80 reviews. One pleased shopper said: “Gorgeous and very good value. Will be getting another for elsewhere, no wires is great.”
A second wrote: “Recently bought this and don’t have enough words to say how fantastic it is. Perfect size, brightness and love the ribbed shade.
“Casts a lovely glow but not too dim, using in our hallway and want another for the bedroom. Absolutely love it. Buy one, you’ll love it. Price is amazing too.
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“I bought this a few days ago to brighten a dark corner in my living room,” a third penned. “It is not too bright and fits perfectly. It is very well made and looks more expensive than it was.”
One shopper, however, was not entirely won over by the Tall Glass Battery Powered Table Lamp, awarding it three stars.
They noted: “Looks amazing, but it’s not very bright. Perfect for ambience, but not to be used for a reading/bedside table lamp.
“Great lamp but the switch is at the bottom,” another three-star review reads. “The only issue is that you have to pick it up to turn it off, as the switch is at the bottom. Otherwise, great quality and easy to wipe clean or dust off.”
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Despite the mixed feedback, one customer was thoroughly delighted with their latest Argos purchase, writing: “These lamps are absolutely gorgeous. So aesthetically pleasing to the eye. They give off a beautiful, warm, soft glow. Creating a beautiful ambience in any room around the home.
“I opted for the yellow tone and love the luminosity of the glow, this little, but mighty, lamps give out. They are wireless and use batteries, making the product portable. I bought two lamps for my living room. Along with extra-power Duracell batteries.”
A further five-star review states: “Beautiful, looks expensive and creates the perfect amount of ambience. I bought it for the hallway; however, it would be perfect in any room.”
Here is how to claim the Argos lamp for as little as 85p through TopCashback:
– Sign up as a new member at TopCashback for free via this link.
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– Search for ‘Argos’ on the site, click through and purchase the item as normal.
– Receive £15 cashback when you spend £15 or more on an item.
– The cashback will appear on the TopCashback ‘Earnings page’ within seven days of your purchase.
You could easily spend a day wandering around the village
Britain’s high streets have struggled in the last few years, so it’s more important than ever to support local businesses. Cambridgeshire is home to varying high streets, but if you are looking for different ones to explore, there are some that are only a stone’s throw from the county.
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One that’s only an hour from Cambridge and is full of lots of independent shops is Long Melford’s high street in Suffolk. Long Melford’s high street is more unique, as it’s very long, stretching over 2.5 miles.
It’s filled with cafes, boutiques, restaurants, and antique shops. It’s also lined with overarching trees, making for a picturesque walk along the 2.5 mile street.
Bury St Edmunds and Beyond says you could “easily spend a morning or afternoon wandering around the small independent shops of Long Melford”.
It added: “Small boutiques with friendly staff sell a wonderful variety of quality items including clothes, china, furnishings, works of art, books, kitchenware and food.” The high street is also considered one of the best in the country by Muddy Stilettos.
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Muddy Stilettos has praised its offering of cafes such as Long Melford Tea Room. The Black Lion pub, a 15th century coaching inn filled with “rustic charm”, has also been praised by Muddy Stilettos.
While it’s praised for its cafes and gift shops, antiques is a big draw for the large village. This is helped by the fact 90s comedy Lovejoy, which follows the daily deals of an antiques dealer that shares the namesake with the TV show, was filmed.
Long Melford served as the primary filming location for the TV series, which starred Ian McShane as Lovejoy. The high street, antique shops and local spots such as The Bull Hotel frequently appeared across the show’s 71 episodes.
Today, fans can visit the “Lovejoy Country” and explore the antiques shops that featured in the TV series.
The ninth Kearsley Scarecrow Festival has seen plenty of creations displayed across Kearsley, Stoneclough, Prestolee and Ringley over the weekend.
Residents, businesses, schools, nurseries, groups and organisations have all created displays for this year’s trails, which could be explored on foot, by bike or by car.
(Image: Tracey Wilkinson)
But among the fun was a particularly poignant creation, with a Three Bears picnic display made in memory of Colin Dean, who had died recently after winning scarecrow competitions over the years.
Cllr Crossley said: “The Three Bears picnic came up and that was in memory of someone who died recently, who won the scarecrow competitions over the years.
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“So that’s a memorial for Colin, which is amazing.”
The festival ran over two days, with visitors heading out on Saturday despite poor weather.
Cllr Crossley said the conditions had not stopped people from taking part, with many choosing to travel around the trails by car.
She said: “We had 65 scarecrows out yesterday, and we’ve got them out today, over two days.
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“The weather didn’t stop anyone, everyone came out, mainly in the cars.
(Image: Tracey Wilkinson)
“But there’s been some fantastic displays this year, absolutely amazing.
“And we’re just so proud of how everyone’s come together as a community.”
A long list of locations took part across the ward, ranging from homes and streets to schools, churches, businesses and community organisations.
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They included Spindle Point School, St Stephen’s School, Kearsley Academy, Kearsley Cricket Club, Kearsley Mount Methodist Church, St Stephen’s Church and the 24th Farnworth Scout Group.
(Image: Tracey Wilkinson)
Businesses including Tesco Express, KW Barbers, Unity Brook Inn and Pet Supplies were also among the locations on the trails.
This year’s programme cost £2 and provided maps showing visitors where to find the recorded 65 creations.
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Programmes were available from Kearsley Mount Methodist Church and The Grapes Hotel, while fundraising activities included a tombola, raffle, guessing the weight of a cake and guessing the name of a scarecrow.
(Image: NQ)
Money raised through programme sales and fundraising activities is put back into the local community, according to information supplied by organisers.
Cllr Crossley had also joined in herself, creating a Love Your Garden themed display on Fernside.
Former councillor Tracey Wilkinson was praised by Cllr Crossley for the work she put into organising the event.
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Cllr Crossley said: “Tracey Wilkinson puts in so much every year and they’ve worked hard.”
The festival has previously been used to raise money for projects in the community, including park benches and defibrillators.
This year’s displays stretched from Teak Drive, Manchester Road and Trent Way to Highfield Street, Queensway, Bolton Road and Springfield Road.
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And despite Saturday’s weather, Cllr Crossley said organisers were expecting even more people to head out on Sunday.
She said: “We’re out today and we’re expecting a lot more today because of the weather.”
With 65 scarecrows scattered between homes, schools, businesses and community buildings, the ninth festival once again turned streets across the ward into one large trail, while one display also provided a chance to remember a familiar face from competitions gone by.
Catherine Connolly was welcomed to the school by Lady Susan Haughey CBE the Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire and Provost Kenneth Duffy.
The President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly, was entertained by pupils from Coatbridge primary schools at a special event held at St Patrick’s Primary School as part of an official four-day visit to Scotland.
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Uachtarán na hÉireann Catherine Connolly was accompanied by her husband, Brian McEnery, during the visit to the school on Thursday, 17 September.
She was welcomed to the school by Lady Susan Haughey CBE the Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire and Provost Kenneth Duffy.
The hour-long visit saw President Connolly enjoy a display of Irish culture from pupils, including a Gaelic football display, songs from the school choir and Irish dancing.
Pupils from nearby St Augustine’s, St Bartholomew’s and St Mary’s primary schools also took part in the celebrations.
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Jacqueline Hagerty, Head Teacher of St Patrick’s Primary School, said: “It was an immense honour and a very proud moment for me to welcome President Catherine Connolly to our school and to share with her the rich cultural links between Ireland and the town of Coatbridge.
“With my own strong Irish identity, this visit held a particularly special significance for me personally. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the heritage, culture and connections that are such an important part of our school community.
“I could not be prouder of our pupils, who represented our school with such enthusiasm, confidence and pride, and of the wider school community for embracing this very special occasion.
“It was a memorable experience that I hope will inspire our pupils and leave them with a lasting sense of pride in who they are, where they come from and the diverse community they are part of.”
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Pupil Adaline Stevenson added: “It was a really special experience to sing a solo for President Connolly. I was nervous at first, but I felt proud when I stood up and sang with the choir.
“It was amazing to perform for her and to be part of such an important visit. I loved seeing how our Scottish and Irish cultures could come together, and I will remember the day for a very long time.”
In a statement, President Connolly said: “I am very pleased to have the opportunity of making an Official Visit to Scotland. Ireland and Scotland are bound by strong ties of friendship, culture and language, with people moving between our countries for centuries.
“The positive, lasting impact made by the Irish community in Coatbridge, and indeed across Scotland, shines a light on the many ways in which immigrant communities add to their new homes.
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“At a time when the dominant narrative seeks to impose distinctions on the basis of “them” and “us”, restricting and impoverishing our language and thought process, the brave immigrants who arrived all those years ago are a powerful example to us.
“They have left a legacy which honours the nuances of their Irish and Scottish identities, while recognising that these identities are interwoven on so many levels.
“It was a pleasure to meet with the pupils and staff of St Patrick’s Primary School, and to watch a demonstration of their GAA training, dancing and singing, as well as having the opportunity for a discussion with them.”
President Connolly’s visit to St Patrick’s Primary School in Coatbridge celebrated the school’s strong connections to Irish culture and traditions.
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Situated in the heart of Coatbridge, the school has strong and long-standing links with the local Irish community.
The school works hard to promote and celebrate these cultural links through its values, traditions and community partnerships.
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