An American woman is currently house hunting in the UK with her husband, but there are three quirks of properties here that have left her feeling confused and baffled

Anyone who has purchased a property or is currently attempting to get onto the housing ladder knows it’s far from straightforward. You might discover your ideal home, but the neighbourhood isn’t quite right, or alternatively, a property in the perfect location could be much smaller than you need.

One American woman residing in the UK has revealed that one aspect of the process has left her “baffled”. Ashley Jackson relocated to Manchester from Texas in 2022, and is presently house hunting with her husband. The 42-year-old has explained that certain peculiarities of English homes have left her feeling perplexed.

Ashley explained that she and her husband are “learning as they go”, but there are three elements that she’s genuinely struggling to comprehend.

Fireplaces and mantelpieces

Ashley was puzzled by fireplaces and mantelpieces, revealing that in every property she’s viewed, she’s been eager to establish whether it’s a “real fireplace” and whether it’s an “original” feature of the house.

She asked: “Why is it so far out, if so? If not, is there a real fireplace back there? Why cover it up? And how easy can I remove it?”

Naturally, when viewing a property and encountering a fireplace, you should be able to enquire with the estate agent about whether it’s an original feature or a decorative fireplace.

Boxed-in structures

Another element Ashley mentioned had left her baffled throughout her property search is the ‘strange boxed-in structure upstairs,’ which is probably concealing the staircase.

“What the heck do people do with this space with the box?” she questioned, given the limited storage options available, and she was finding it difficult to envisage how to make it aesthetically pleasing.

Dishwasher issues

Her greatest culture shock occurred in the kitchen, upon learning that many properties throughout the UK don’t have dishwashers. Her position was clear: she didn’t “want to hand-wash all the dishes,” and neither does her husband.

She fumed: “I’m in my 40s, I’m not adjusting on this. The seller’s estate agent said it wouldn’t be a problem to have the plumbing moved around and have it installed. Any truth or tips on this?”

Within the comments section, Brits quickly stepped in to clarify the peculiarities of UK housing. One user wrote: “You can definitely move things around in the kitchen to accommodate a dishwasher. It should be relatively simple to do – ask a plumber for advice.

“There’s probably a fire or a back boiler behind that faux fireplace, rip it out and see. The ‘box’ is hiding the head of the staircase, so is wasted space really, but you can pretty it up with cushions to make a reading nook or make it functional with storage”.

Another commenter advised her to “get used to doing the dishes manually,” emphasising that she’s “in England,” where it’s perfectly normal to pull on rubber gloves and tackle the washing-up.

One commenter insisted: “A dishwasher is essential! I’m English, 70 and have had a dishwasher for at least 45 years.” A fellow Brit confessed that hand-washing dishes turns their stomach, citing the unpleasant “greasy water” involved in the process.

Olly Murs became emotional during a live TV interview on This Morning before embarking on his Soccer Aid UNICEF endurance challenge

Olly Murs revealed his anxieties ahead of tackling the Soccer Aid UNICEF marathon.

During the most recent episode of ITV’s This Morning on Monday, May 11, the 41-year-old was interviewed before embarking on a five-day, 400km endurance test. Into The Unknown will witness Olly journeying from Manchester’s Old Trafford to London Stadium, traversing over 400km through running, rowing, and cycling.

Speaking remotely from Old Trafford, Olly discussed the enormous challenge awaiting him with Jake Quickenden. As This Morning hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley observed from the studio, Olly admitted: “I’m petrified, I am scared. I’m nervous, I’m excited.

“It’s here now. I’ve done the ten weeks of training, you know there’s so many people behind the cameras. There are lovely people here who have come down to see me.”

When questioned about which discipline concerns him most, Olly acknowledged that the prospect of solo rowing is causing him anxiety, reports the Mirror.

Further into the conversation, footage was presented to the audience detailing why the former Voice judge was selected for the challenge, which aims to raise funds for youngsters affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

Following the clip, Olly struggled to hold back his emotions. He remarked: “It makes me feel really emotional actually and it makes me more determined to get out and raise as much money as you can.”

Before continuing: “All we want to do is keep our kids safe and imagine doing that with a war going on.”

Olly will undertake a multi-discipline journey from Manchester’s Old Trafford, where Soccer Aid originated, travelling to London Stadium in Stratford, the venue for this year’s milestone fixture.

The punishing five-day endeavour will test him to breaking point, with each leg presenting unique physical and psychological challenges.

From arduous ascents and challenging landscapes to formidable water-based sections, it promises to be amongst the most demanding ordeals he’s ever encountered.

Adding further complexity, Olly will only learn each day’s route moments before setting off, with the information disclosed live on national radio.

Without any opportunity to plan in advance, every stage will deliver an unexpected twist.

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.

Those hoping for a warm and sunny May may have to wait a little longer as an Arctic air movement is expected to bring colder-than-average temperatures and ground frost to the UK.

Cold air moving in from the north will bring a brisk northerly breeze over the next few days, the Met Office said, warning overnight temperatures may drop to around freezing or even below, causing unseasonably late frosts in some areas.

Daytime temperatures will see highs of 16 to 17C on Tuesday before dropping to 13 to 14C more widely across the country, with some easterly locations struggling to even get into double figures.

The unseasonal turn comes after May started with a scorching 25.4C recorded in Kew Gardens and Heathrow. Even on Saturday, the UK saw temperatures warmer than Madrid, with a steady 21C recorded across the capital and parts of the south of England.

Now, the forecaster has predicted chilly temperatures, ground frost, and even the potential for some wintry showers along the highest tops.

Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesperson, said: “The current weather pattern is allowing for a movement of colder air from further north to sweep down across the UK over the next few days. This is not unusual in spring and it should not present any particular challenges. The most noticeable feature for many is that temperatures will appear below average, possibly feeling even colder in the brisk northerly breeze.

“Overnight, some locations may experience relatively late in the season overnight frosts, while there is a chance that the Scottish mountains could experience wintry showers. But generally these conditions won’t be impactful, and there is no current need to issue weather warnings.”

No weather warnings are expected to accompany this low-pressure area, but some rain is expected as the cold fronts move south across the UK. Wednesday could see bright spells scattered with localised heavy showers in some parts of the country, and Thursday will similarly see rain in the East.

As a high-pressure system comes in on Friday, the weather looks a little brighter, as the forecaster predicts a calmer day.

It comes after the Met Office recorded the coldest May night in five years last week in Altnaharra, where temperatures plummeted as low as -6.1C. Sub-zero conditions were also recorded in Shap, Cumbria, and Castlederg, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

Met Office five-day forecast

Monday

Cloud and patchy rain across central areas continues southwards, clearing the UK into the evening. Sunny spells elsewhere, but a few showers over northern Scotland and eastern coasts of England, where it will be breezy. Below-average temperatures for most.

Monday night

Cloud and rain moves southeast across Scotland and Northern Ireland overnight. Elsewhere, dry with clear spells and lighter winds, allowing a rural frost to form in places.

Tuesday

Rain in the north gradually clears south through the day. Sunny spells followed by scattered showers in the north and northwest. Feeling chilly, especially in the brisk northerly breeze.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday

Blustery with sunny spells and heavy showers on both Wednesday and Thursday. More settled on Friday with drier and brighter conditions. Remaining chilly throughout with a risk of overnight frost.

The dystopian war drama has left viewers spellbound, with multiple reviews declaring the show “will give you chills”

Band of Brothers has long been hailed as amongst the finest and most exceptional war dramas ever produced, and justifiably so.

The compelling and powerful American miniseries has been renowned for captivating audiences from the opening moment through to the finale, and now there’s another programme in a similar vein that viewers cannot stop praising.

The Man in the High Castle is a dystopian war drama that has mesmerised audiences, with numerous reviews proclaiming the series “will give you chills” – and it’s available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.

Developed by Frank Spotnitz, the war drama draws from Philip K Dick’s 1962 novel of the same title and spans four seasons ready to watch. Acclaimed filmmaker Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Alien, Blade Runner) acted as an executive producer on the historical science-fiction war drama.

Advertisement

The series was initially commissioned by Amazon, with a pilot episode debuting in January 2015.

After receiving tremendous reviews, the streaming platform commissioned a further nine episodes, which dropped in November that same year, reports the Mirror.

A second series arrived in December 2016, with a third following in October 2018. The concluding and final series of the programme launched in November 2019.

The Man in the High Castle features Alexa Davalos, Rupert Evans, Luke Kleintank, DJ Qualls, Rufus Sewell, Joel De La Fuente, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, with the entire principal cast receiving widespread acclaim for their portrayals.

The official synopsis states: “This series, loosely based Philip K. Dick’s novel of the same name, takes a look at what the world might look like had the outcome of World War II turned out differently.

“In this dystopian scenario, the Axis powers won the war, leading to the United States being divided into three parts, an area controlled by the Japanese, a Nazi-controlled section, and a buffer zone between the two.

“Despite the oppression, a new hope emerges when films turn up that seem to show a different world. A woman believes the films contain the key to freedom and is determined to find their mysterious guardian.”

Advertisement

Boasting an impressive 95% critics’ approval score on Rotten Tomatoes, The Man in the High Castle has garnered widespread acclaim throughout its run. One critic wrote: “Ambitious and brainy, The Man in the High Castle is unlike anything else on television.”

Another reviewer encouraged viewers to fully embrace the show’s concept for maximum impact: “Give in to the premise, and The Man in the High Castle will give you chills.”

A third critic noted: “A finely wrought nightmare that plays like a delectable leftover from the days of Rod Serling, The Man in the High Castle is a towering, terrifying accomplishment from Amazon.”

Yet another reviewer lavished praise on the dystopian war drama: “Not only should you watch it, you should binge it… let yourself get immersed in this world and see where it takes you.”

One reviewer highlighted its highly “binge-worthy” quality: “As someone who tends to resist the urge to binge-watch… I still found myself becoming thoroughly engrossed in this nightmare world.”

Viewers were similarly enthusiastic, with one IMDB user commenting: “I’m a TV show lover, but never! ever! has a series made me want to write a review. It was a cold Sunday evening… I was waiting for Sunday night football around 645pm. I decided to squeeze in the pilot. Needless to say, seven episodes later I was still watching.”

They added: “The story line is incredible. The acting is great. The emotions that it brought out of me was real and raw.

“Yes, it’s fictional, and yes it’s just a TV-show, but boy! they hit on something, at least in me. I’m beyond impress! Monday morning, coffee to the rescue!”

A viewer’s review on Rotten Tomatoes reads: “Exceptional story, plot, teleplays, cast and direction. I watched the first series in three days. Riveting! I could not get off my seat. Highly recommended.”

An IMDB review of the pilot episode stated: “Astonishingly good. This may well be the most suspenseful, riveting, horrifying hour of television I’ve ever watched. Quietly terrifying with moments that are genuinely difficult to watch. I can’t believe how good it is. I can honestly say I was taken by surprise. It’s brilliant. I’ve never actually bothered to write a review here before, but this is so good, it simply must be seen.”

Another fan of the series said: “Kudos to the writers behind this incredible story. The actors put on a first class performance. You get a realistic look how things may have been if the allies lost the war. This is drama at its finest.”

The Man in the High Castle is available to stream on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Former parents of Scallywags Preschool, Bret Parker and Victoria Pickup, will run the marathon on June 6, starting and finishing at Edgworth Cricket and Recreation Club.

The fundraiser was organised after this year’s “Mini Mighty Funday” could not go ahead due to works around the Wayoh area and refurbishment at the village cricket club.

Susan Hodgkiss, Manager of Scallywags, said: “It is usually an annual village day in Edgworth.

(Image: Scallywags Preschool)

“It raises money for the nursery and helps us raise money for nursery enhancements over the following months.”

The nursery said the annual fundraiser normally raises around £1,500, which helps pay for outings, learning materials and extra activities for children.

Scallywags, which is a charity-funded nursery, said it receives limited government funding and relies heavily on fundraising and community support.

The nursery said rising costs, including rent, electricity, staff wages and National Insurance increases, have added further pressure.

Mrs Hodgkiss said: “We only have 20 children, we’re only tiny, so when you only get a small amount of money from the government, it makes everything tight.

(Image: Scallywags Preschool)

“This extra money that we get from fundraising helps.”

The marathon route will link key parts of the village, including the school, cricket club and The Barlow.

She said the nursery helped both their children and family build long-lasting friendships in the village.

Mrs Hodgkiss said donations had already nearly reached the nursery’s usual fundraising total after only one week.

She added: “As the manager and from the staff as well, we want to say a really big thank you not just to Bret and Vic but to the community for making the donations.

“Thank you so much.”

To support the two visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-scally-the-wag?

The page states: “This is a callout to the community. As most of you as children and adults will know, Scallywags Preschool has been a part of our village history for many years. If you didn’t attend as a pupil then your children probably did.

“We don’t just want to raise enough to see them through to next year, we want to support them with up to date learning aids and electronics for our children. So with your help and that of a few sponsors. Let’s make our children’s future and a village legacy a brighter place.”

It adds: “Without your help we could lose our beloved Scallywags.”

Monday will start pretty chilly with some early morning frost across Scotland, northern England and even south-east England.

There’ll be some showers moving southward across the UK with a lot of dry and sunny weather between.

But, with a cool northerly wind developing on Monday temperatures across the UK will only be around 9 to 14C, falling short of the mid-May average of 12-17C.

While temperatures may rise slightly on Tuesday, they will drop again from Wednesday onward.

With the air coming from northern Scandinavia and the Arctic circle, temperatures will be around 3 to 7 C below average.

Low pressure will become more dominant with some strengthening winds and showers.

With the colder air in place those showers could be a little wintry with snow over the high ground of Scotland, which is not unusual at this time of year.

Daytime temperatures will be around 9 to 14C and overnight temperatures around 3 to 6C, though it could be chillier in rural areas.

Gardeners beware that some rural ground frost is still likely too.

The names of those to play both cricket and football for England conjures up the feeling of a very different era: cigarette cards, blazers and the faint whiff of Brylcreem.

Sporting greats of a bygone time such as Denis Compton, CB Fry and Tip Foster are among the 12 men to do it.

Arthur Milton was the last man when he played the first of six Tests in 1958 – seven years after he won his solitary England football cap against Austria.

Another on the verge of joining that pantheon is of a more recent vintage in the form of goalkeeper Nigel Martyn.

Well, kind of…

Martyn, capped 23 times by the Three Lions in football, has forced his way into the reckoning for the England Over-60s cricket team after returning to a sport he has always loved.

He might be a little greyer at the temples but the prospect of becoming a dual international this summer has nevertheless stirred something in him.

“It’s pretty special,” Martyn told BBC Sport.

“Obviously as a professional goalkeeper I wasn’t allowed to play cricket in the summer, as it would threaten breaking fingers and things like that.

“I retired with a stress fracture on my ankle so I didn’t think I was able to play cricket again. But I got the all-clear to do it in about 2011 so I started playing again.”

Martyn got his professional football break for Bristol Rovers in 1987 after being recommended to their then manager Gerry Francis by the club’s tea lady Vi Harris.

The Cornishman later played for Crystal Palace, Leeds and Everton, making 666 league appearances before he retired in 2006.

Martyn still plays club cricket and is currently with Scarcroft CC, just outside Leeds.

A few years ago he helped Knaresborough CC reach the North Yorkshire Premier Division alongside fellow ex-England goalie Paul Robinson.

St Austell-born Martyn’s road to the international fold came off the back of county age-group matches for Cornwall – which necessitate a 800-mile round trip for matches from his Yorkshire home.

“My good friend Sean Hooper, who was the captain of Cornwall Over-50s, spoke to me about six years ago asking if fancied playing for Cornwall,” he said.

“We last played when we were together with Cornwall Schools Under-15s. From there Cornwall recommended me to England.

“It’s a long trip but being able to go home and see family more often was always the added bonus with it as well.”

If approved, the shop will stock food and household items

A former chapel could be converted to make way for a village’s first shop. Baston Shop Ltd has submitted plans to Peterborough City Council to convert the former Ailsworth Chapel in Main Street into a community shop.

Ailsworth and neighbouring village Castor currently do not have a shop. The most recent shop the villages had was The Paper Shop, which closed in May 2025.

The chapel has not been used since 2022. If approved, the shop will “offer a range of food, household items and other necessities, along with a post office and laundry services”.

The shop could employ three part-time staff members. It is expected to open Mondays to Saturdays between 7am and 8pm. The applicant also seeks to build a manager’s flat at the back of the property.

The applicant added: “The vacant chapel will provide an excellent location for a community shop as it is centrally sited in Ailsworth and also offers ease of access for Castor residents.”

A planning policy referred to by the applicant said a village shop should “help achieve a more suitable rural community”. The applicant said this is “undoubtedly” the case as “private vehicle usage to access similar services would be greatly reduced by providing village shop facilities in the centre of Ailsworth”. A local survey conducted showed that residents were “overwhelmingly in support” of a new shop.

A previous application was submitted for the site to be used as home. However, the plans received objections due to concerns about parking and effects on the local area and were dismissed.

No parking is proposed on the site, and on-street parking is most likely to be used for the shop. At a pre-application stage, concerns were raised about where the bins would be located.

However, the applicant has proposed for these to be moved to the side of the building to “reduce any dominant effect on the attractive front elevation”. The applicant said the plans secure the “long-term use and revitalisation of a value community asset”.

Lisa Marshall, 34, was left devastated, when her husband Alan went to work one day, and never came home.

A mum who missed her husband’s last call before he took his own life age 37 was left unable to work and forced to go on Universal Credit.

Lisa Marshall, 34, was left devastated, when her husband Alan went to work one day, and never came home. The dentist, from Glasgow, had tried to call her but she had missed it as her son was using her phone to play Roblox.

He had no history of mental illness, and left her with no note. Lisa, who is also a dentist, but hasn’t been able to work since Alan’s death after being diagnosed with Complex PTSD, struggled with raising three small children, Henry, nine, Matthew, seven, and Sofia, four, whilst coping with her grief.

The family were even left on Universal Credit for three months – after Alan’s accounts were frozen. She said she is worried her children will think they weren’t good enough for him to stay, and is raising awareness of the fact, that suicide can affect anyone.

She said: “Alan had no mental health issues, he’d never been to the doctors, or spoken to me about any struggles. We were just a normal family; there were no warning signs at all.

“It could happen to anybody. I missed a call from him an hour before it happened, but I hadn’t thought much of it at the time. “Nothing can prepare you for it. When the police came to my door, I was trying to put the kids to bed and they were all clinging to me. “It was horrendous, I don’t think you ever get over that.

“The police asked lots of questions about our marriage, they said usually these things happen because of debt, or a breakup, or not getting access to kids, but there was nothing like that. There wasn’t even a note.

“I felt like my life was over, but I still had three kids to look after, they gave me strength every day. My children keep asking me why he did it, I don’t want them to think they weren’t good enough for him to stay.”

Lisa and Alan met in a nightclub in Glasgow in 2011, before falling in love and getting married in 2016. They welcomed three children together, and were a happy loving family, leading normal, busy lives.

Advertisement

Alan had no mental health issues, that Lisa was aware of, and had never opened up to her, about any sort of struggle, during their relationship.

“He had a huge passion for Glasgow Rangers, and we spent lots of time going to see them all over the world”, she said. One morning in March 2023, Alan went to his job as a dentist as normal, and Lisa chatted to him throughout the day over text.

“I had a chest infection at the time, and I often wonder, if I’d been 100% myself, would I have noticed something was up?”, she said. “I’d felt anxious a few days before, and I wonder if it was my body telling me something bad was going to happen.”

During the evening, Lisa got a call from Alan, but she missed it as her son was using the phone to play Roblox. An hour later, there was a knock at the door, but as it was the time Alan usually came home from work, she assumed it was him.

However, when she opened the door, two police officers were standing outside, and informed her that they had found Alan’s car, a body, and his wallet. Devastated, Lisa told her children that their dad had had an accident, and the next morning, did the school run as normal.

“Parents were absolutely shocked to see me out and about as normal”, she said. The police launched an investigation, and asked Alan had any issues such as debt, but Lisa could think of nothing.

As the children were settled in school, she chose to stay in the local area, meaning she has to walk past the location where her husband ended his life, every day. Following her husband’s death, Lisa struggled with grieving whilst still having to take care of her three kids but said the routine of having to take them to school every day, helped her to be able to get through each day.

“They were the only reason I got up and brushed my teeth every day, without them I would have just stayed in bed”, she said. “They were so anxious, I didn’t want this to damage their childhood.”

Two years after Alan’s death, Lisa decided to tell her oldest two children, that he had taken his own life. “I felt that at eight and six, they would be able to understand it a bit, and I felt so much better for telling them the truth“, she said.

After revealing the truth to her sons, Lisa said it was like they were going through the loss again, and they kept questioning why he had done it. Following Alan’s death, Lisa was diagnosed with complex PTSD, leaving her unable to go back to work, and as her husband’s bank accounts were frozen after he passed away, she had to go on Universal Credit.

“I never thought I’d be on benefits, but they really helped me for the first few months after he died,” she said. She also had to get close family members to help pay her mortgage, and although she now receives Alan’s pension, and had a life insurance payout, finances are a huge worry for herself and many widows.

She said: “The life insurance payout took over a year, but I know for some widows, it can take three or four years, or they don’t get anything at all. I get messages from widows everyday, who have had to sell their house, or move back in with their parents. “

Lisa is urging people to make sure they have policies such as life insurance and Death in Service in place, to help with the financial burden, should anything happen to their spouse. “Make sure you have financial security, because the financial burden of being widowed adds a whole other layer of stress”, she said.

Lisa is currently campaigning to have the government’s bereavement support payment extended beyond 18 months. You can sign her petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/752501 She is now preparing to return to work, to show that it is possible to get back on your feet again.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.