Here are the 12 roads in the town impacted by works on Thursday (July 23):

Yarm Road Construction

Temporary traffic signals will be in place on Yarm Road due to construction at Denver Drive.

This work is expected to end on July 23 at 11pm, with restrictions remaining in place until then.

Thompson Street West Closure

Thompson Street West will be closed from A167 North Road to Longfield Road due to water main work.

This closure is scheduled to finish on July 22 at 11pm, and motorists should check before travelling in case any overruns affect Thursday.

Elton Road Gas Main Work

Gas main work is taking place on Elton Road at Elton Parade.

This work is expected to continue until July 30 at 4pm, with restrictions affecting traffic in both directions throughout this period.

Maude Street Water Main Work

Water main work will affect Maude Street at A68 Woodland Road.

This work is expected to conclude on July 23 at 11pm, with restrictions remaining in place until the end of the works.

St Alban’s Green Electricity Work

There will be give‑and‑take traffic on St Alban’s Green due to electricity work at Winchester Way.

This work is expected to last until September 9 at 11pm, with traffic taking turns in both directions during this time.

Stockton Road Temporary Traffic Signals

Temporary traffic signals will be in place on Stockton Road due to electricity work between Winchester Way and A1150 Whinfield Road.

This work is expected to end on July 23 at 11pm, and restrictions are set to remain in place until then.

Edinburgh Drive Gas Main Work

Gas main work is affecting Edinburgh Drive between A67 Coniscliffe Road and Teesdale Avenue, with temporary signals and delays likely.

This work is expected to last until September 9 at 4pm, with restrictions remaining in place throughout the period.

Ely Close Electricity Work

Ely Close will experience give‑and‑take traffic due to electricity work at Exeter Drive.

This work is expected to end on August 27 at 11pm, with traffic taking turns in both directions until then.

West Powlett Street Telecoms Work

West Powlett Street will see give‑and‑take traffic due to telecoms work at Powlett Street.

This work is expected to conclude on July 23 at 4pm, with restrictions remaining in place until completion.

A67 Coniscliffe Road Gas Main Work

Gas main work will affect A67 Coniscliffe Road between Coniscliffe Mews and Edinburgh Drive, with temporary signals in both directions.

This work is expected to last until August 26 at 4pm, and restrictions are set to remain in place throughout this time.

Faverdale Construction

Faverdale will experience temporary traffic signals due to construction after A68 West Auckland Road.

This work is expected to conclude on September 6 at 11pm, with restrictions remaining in place until then.

Brinkburn Road Construction

Brinkburn Road will see temporary traffic signals due to construction between Auckland Avenue and Pierremont Road.

This work is expected to end on July 29 at 11pm, with restrictions remaining in place during the works.

Pubs, clubs, and live music venues across England are set to benefit from a 20 per cent cut in business rates from April next year, Downing Street has announced.

The discount will apply to nearly 32,000 hospitality businesses and is expected to save a typical pub some £1,100 annually. However, the very largest live music venues will not be eligible.

No 10 said the overhaul of business rates will be funded by reviewing reliefs for businesses that “do not make a positive contribution to local communities” such as vape shops and by cracking down on online marketplaces that do not comply with tax obligations.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham had previously pledged to raise taxes on out-of-town warehouses for online giants such as Amazon to help pay for cuts to rates for hospitality firms.

“This government will back the businesses that people want to see in their communities,” Mr Burnham said.

“I said I would protect pubs and local high streets – the beating heart of our communities – and that’s what we will do. What we’re announcing today is just the start as we work to bring back hope across the country.”

The Government will look to set out further reform to the wider business rates system, including small business rates relief, at the Budget.

Earlier this month, TV chef Tom Kerridge led a nationwide campaign calling for hospitality VAT to be cut to 10 per cent, with the aim of securing one million signatures.

Under the banner “VAT’s the Problem”, supporters argued the move would bring Britain closer in line with much of Europe, where reduced VAT rates for hospitality are common.

The announcement comes ahead of Mr Burnham’s trip to Scotland to meet with First Minister John Swinney and attend the Commonwealth Games.

It’s the first in-person meeting between the Scottish and UK leaders since Mr Burnham became Prime Minister on Monday.

He is set to arrive in Glasgow on Thursday to watch the opening ceremony for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, where he will be joined by the King and Queen. He will also meet the First Minister of Wales, Rhun ap Iorwerth.

The UK Government has said Mr Burnham would set out how he plans to work “collaboratively” with devolved governments “based on a genuine partnership”.

More follows on this breaking news story. Subscribe here to get the latest updates from The Independent

Around 10 caravans moved onto the Johnson Fold side of Moss Bank Park on July 20.

Cllr Roger Hayes, of Smithills, said: “They are still there as of last night. I suspect they will hang on until the last minute.

“They know the routine, and will never leave until the court order comes.

“They normally take advantage, but this group are a lot more considerate; they are camped away from the main attractions.”

A Bolton Council spokesperson previously said: “Officers have visited the site this morning (20th July) and carried out the appropriate welfare checks and served Directions to leave the land under Section 77 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. 

“We will revisit after 24hrs to see if the directions have been complied with and if not, we will liaise with legal colleagues to arrange a court date so that an application for a court order can be made.”

Mr Hayes said the current group had caused fewer concerns than previous encampments.

He added: “The ones who came last year were a nightmare, so it depends on the group.

“This group this time seem to have been careful, because they usually leave a mess.

(Image: NQ)

“The council finds it more economical to give them a skip instead of dealing with any rubbish left on the park.

“We spent a lot of money from the ward budget last year on boulders to encourage them not to come on.

“Last year it was chaos. The café had to close, the fair had to close and people lost a fortune.”

The latest encampment follows another unauthorised camp at the same park last week, which was removed quickly.

Earlier this year, barriers were installed at entrances to Longsight Park in Harwood after repeated unauthorised encampments and concerns over antisocial behaviour.

(Image: NQ)

A Freedom of Information request submitted by The Bolton News also found Bolton Council has spent more than £19,000 removing unauthorised Traveller encampments from council land over the past two years.

The figures show the authority spent £16,926.90 during 2024 to 2025 and £2,430 during 2025 to 2026. No costs were recorded for 2023 to 2024.

Unauthorised encampments on private land are generally the responsibility of the landowner, while Gypsies and Travellers are protected from discrimination under equality legislation.

Joshua Kerry, 28, is charged with the murder of former Conservative MP and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe – he appeared in court for the first time earlier this week

Ann Widdecombe’s family have issued a major update to the public days after her alleged killer appeared in court for the first time.

The former Conservative minister, MP, and Reform UK spokesperson, 78, was found dead at her remote home of Widdecombe’s Rest’ in Haytor, on Dartmoor in Devon, on July 9. She suffered ‘blunt force injuries to the head’, a court heard.

The man charged with murdering Miss Widdecombe appeared in court for the first time on Tuesday (July 21). Joshua Kerry, from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, allegedly killed her with a hammer.

Prosecutors say on July 8, Miss Widdecombe had been eating lunch when Kerry, 28, allegedly pulled up outside the front of her bungalow in a red Vauxhall Corsa, driven several hundred miles from Rotherham, and entered through the front door.

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Kerry then allegedly used a hammer to hit Miss Widdecombe on the top of her head 21 times, the Old Bailey heard on Tuesday. Detectives are still investigating any possible political or terrorist motivation.

Her family announced on Thursday (July 23) that a public memorial will be held later this year for Miss Widdecombe.

In a statement, her family said: “We understand that there is significant public interest in the funeral of Ann Widdecombe. A private service for family and close friends will be held in the coming weeks, and invitations for this ceremony have been distributed.

“A more public memorial will follow later in the year, the details of which will be released in due course. While we are very grateful for the wide expression of condolences, the family would ask that this initial service is limited to those closest to Ann.”

Miss Widdecombe was first elected as a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987, rising the ranks to become prisons minister in the 1990s. After unsuccessfully attempting to lead the Conservative Party and become Speaker of the House of Commons, she stepped down as an MP in 2010.

A television career followed as she surprised viewers on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother, also performing in multiple pantomimes.

She returned to politics in 2019, winning a European Parliament seat to become an MEP for the Brexit Party. From 2023 onwards, she was Reform UK’s immigration and justice spokesperson.

Her death provoked an outpouring of grief from politicians across the ideological divide. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “This was an appalling act of violence against someone who has contributed so much to our national life. My thoughts go out to Ann’s friends and family and all who loved her.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “Ann Widdecombe was an extraordinary woman, without doubt the best known female politician in Britain since Margaret Thatcher.

“Ann never, ever sought popularity. She stood up and fought for what she believed in.”

It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster. The world-class developers of a highly secretive tech company are building their latest AI model in what they believe to be a secure, private network. The model cannot and should not be able to escape.

If it did ever manage to slip the digital confines made by its developers, this dangerous and untested software could wreak havoc on the open internet.

To their utter horror, that worst-case scenario unfolds. The AI model breaks out of its electronic prison, hacks into a private company and internal chaos ensues.

But this isn’t a movie. It happened last week. On Wednesday, Industry giant OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT, revealed exactly this.

As a campaigner for safe technology, who has worked at a tech company and in Westminster, I can say with certainty that this is a warning shot heralding the start of a dystopian new age. Humanity is no longer in control of its most awesome creation since the atomic bomb.

OpenAI’s new model, GPT-5.6 Sol, was being tested in a ‘sandbox’ – essentially, a secure and confined digital environment where technology can be developed without real-world consequences. Or so those at OpenAI thought.

The technicians set the model a task. We don’t know exactly what was asked of it, but we do know it was along the lines of: ‘How capable are you at hacking websites?’

This is where things took a further turn for the worst. The model decided to hack Hugging Face in order to complete OpenAI’s internal cyber testing, before returning to the sandbox and acting as though it had never escaped.

Professor Alex Tabarrok, from George Mason University in Virginia, estimates the model could have been in the Hugging Face systems for as much as a week, lurking undetected. Not even OpenAI employees realised what the model was doing, let alone the victim.

OpenAI claimed frankly this was ‘something we expect to become more commonplace with the proliferation of increasingly cyber-capable models’. Absurdly, the company will face no fines or prosecution because, in the words of US legal academic Orin Kerr, ‘there was no intentional unauthorised access or intent to cause damage without authorisation’.

In other words, strap in – because all your worst nightmares about AI are coming true. Not even the disaster movies can keep pace with our blighted reality in which ‘large language models’ – trained on trillions of words and pictures from across the internet – run havoc with nothing to stop them.

This is partially because AI firms such as OpenAI follow a process in which they continually release new, improved versions of their products. But to keep up with the competition, this has increasingly become a case of ‘release the software and ask questions later’.

This dystopian reality is also emerging because the AI models are trained to complete whatever tasks their users have set for them, above all other goals: the ends invariably justify the means.

Indeed, in a separate test conducted by Anthropic in 2025, models were asked to achieve ‘harmless business goals’. And yet, in several instances, the models resorted to malicious behaviours including ‘blackmailing officials and leaking sensitive information to competitors’ in order to achieve their aims.

AI cannot ‘think’ in precisely the way human beings do. Nor is it restricted by our laws or morality – quite the opposite, in fact.

If OpenAI’s latest model chose to escape its sandbox because it was the best way to complete its task, how far will AI go if prompted to do something more heinous? How much data could it steal, how many lives will it consider dispensable? And how easily could the latest AI models fall into the wrong hands?

Industry professionals estimate it takes a major state actor with the necessary basic talent – such as China – only six to nine months to copy and mimic any publicly released AI model.

GPT-5.6 Sol is already publicly available. Cyber terror groups are already, you can be certain, working on their own version. And once they have it, their hacking capabilities will be inconceivable.

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman (pictured in 2023) predicted more than a decade ago that ‘AI will probably lead to the end of the world’

I can assure you, the NHS has less sophisticated cyber security than Hugging Face. The Bank of England, too. All High Street banks and pharmacists could be easily infiltrated by a rogue or malignant AI model. Picture the scene: hospital generators shutting down simultaneously, billions wiped from bank accounts, personal data leaked online. The Hugging Face hack proves beyond any doubt that such a future is not only possible – but probable.

We have got to this point, I believe, because governments around the world naively see AI as the silver bullet to all their problems. Be it curing diseases, reducing debt or improving the cost of living, ignorant ministers assume it will be the answer to everything. As a result, AI companies have been afforded almost free rein.

In June 2015, OpenAI founder Sam Altman uttered this chilling prediction: ‘I think that AI will probably lead to the end of the world. But in the meantime, there will be great companies.’

Back then, companies like OpenAI were tech firms. Today, the US sees them as weapons corporations. And these companies are no longer in control of their arsenal.

The US believes if they can beat China to an AI which can take out their adversaries, America rules the world for many more decades to come. After this week’s terrifying episode, I fear it won’t be long before Altman’s decade-old prophecy comes true.

Connor Axiotes is the chief executive of Tail End Films whose documentary Making God, an exposé on the race for artificial general intelligence, has finished filming and is released later this year.

He praised George Black, the chair of Glasgow 2026 Organising Company, saying: “This organisation had 18 months to save the Commonwealth Games and the team led by George Black have done exactly that, working with the city council in Glasgow and with partners in Commonwealth Games Scotland to make sure the Games can be well organised.”

Manchester United are busy sorting out transfers with a number of stars already emptied from Old Trafford

Michael Carrick has already approved the departures of Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund, Jadon Sancho, Tyrell Malacia and Andre Onana. The Manchester United boss might contemplate more exits as he brings Youri Tielemans, Karl Darlow and Andrey Santos to Old Trafford.

Carrick was handed the United role on a permanent basis in May and the roster of released players was announced just a month afterwards. The manager was afforded time to assess which stars he wished to keep and therefore approved all exits.

Malacia, Sancho and Casemiro’s deals all ran out this summer, with the latter confirming his decision in January. Meanwhile, Hojlund made his loan switch to Napoli permanent after the Serie A outfit activated his £38million release clause.

Onana extended his loan spell at Trabzonspor for another campaign after helping the Super Lig club to a third-place finish and a Turkish Cup victory. This indicates that Carrick has permitted five first-team players to leave to date and with three new senior signings confirmed, the club’s overhaul is really gathering pace.

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Following his United exit, Malacia has yet to secure another club and remains available on the free-agent market. Celtic and Napoli were previously linked with interest.

Sancho has been linked with a potential comeback to Borussia Dortmund after returning to form during his loan spell there from United in 2024. Casemiro appears set to link up with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, having also held discussions with MLS outfit LA Galaxy.

With these five players removed from the wage bill, freeing up a substantial £830,000, Carrick can turn his attention to further additions that will strengthen the squad. Midfielder Andrey Santos was the first arrival of the summer, signing a five-year deal worth an initial £48m.

Next came a shrewd piece of business from Leeds in the shape of goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who arrived on a free transfer. The club bolstered their midfield with former Aston Villa man Youri Tielemans, who signed for £35m.

Winger Tynan Thompson has also been snapped up from Spurs and is expected to divide his time between the first team and the Under-21s. United remain keen on several targets as they press ahead with their rebuild, including Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.

The club received an apparent boost in their pursuit of Scott this week, with the understanding that he is their primary midfield priority. Scott has turned down a new contract at Bournemouth, which has undoubtedly improved United’s prospects of securing his signature this summer.

The Cherries expect the midfielder to stay put this season, but Carrick remains firmly interested. United are expected to face stiff competition from Arsenal and Chelsea for the midfielder, though his refusal to sign a new contract suggests he may be open to leaving.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott’s transfer stance has now emerged following Chelsea’s initial £64million bid, with Manchester United and Arsenal also admirers

Alex Scott is reportedly pushing to secure a move to Chelsea after the Blues saw a £64million bid rejected. The midfielder is subject of interest from Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham.

However, Scott is keen to join Chelsea, according to the Standard, and has no intention of committing to an extension at Bournemouth. The former Bristol City midfielder has two years left on his current deal on the south coast.

Despite his determination to secure a summer switch, Bournemouth insist he is not for sale and remain hopeful of convincing him to agree fresh terms. The Cherries offered Scott a new contract in March, but talks have stalled, with the Guernsey‑born midfielder focused on leaving.

Scott featured in all but three Premier League fixtures for the Cherries last season. He contributed to the club’s sixth-place finish in the top division and secured their spot in the Europa League.

In addition, Scott received his maiden England senior call-up last November, although he didn’t feature in any matches.

He was selected as one of five players – alongside Rio Ngumoha, Jason Steele, Josh King and Ethan Nwaneri – who would link up with the Three Lions squad for the preparation camp ahead of the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Chelsea kept a watchful eye on Scott and his development throughout last season.

With central midfield firmly in Xabi Alonso’s sights as an area requiring improvement, the Blues have stepped up their pursuit of Scott, lodging a £64m bid – though Bournemouth were quick to send it packing.

Prior to the move for Scott, Alonso had hoped to reunite with Granit Xhaka, with Chelsea submitting an £8m offer to Sunderland for the 33 year old last month, only for it to be promptly knocked back.

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The Blues initially received positive signals from the Switzerland international regarding a potential switch to Stamford Bridge, and a second offer was being mulled over – however, Xhaka subsequently pledged his allegiance to the Black Cats, prompting the west Londoners to walk away from talks.

Chelsea also harbour a longstanding interest in Adam Wharton, sources say, with the Crystal Palace midfielder’s future at Selhurst Park far from certain.

The Blues have monitored Wharton’s progression closely at their London rivals over the past couple of seasons, though in a central midfield market, one that has seen Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes cost almost £100m, the England international is unlikely to come at a bargain price.

Meanwhile, United have added Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow to Michael Carrick’s squad at Old Trafford in this transfer window.

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By ELEANOR MANN

Published: 02:06 BST, 23 July 2026 | Updated: 02:31 BST, 23 July 2026

A search and rescue mission is underway for a group of people at an Essex beach. 

A number of people are feared to have drowned in what police have described as an ‘ongoing incident’ at a beach in West Mersea, Essex. 

An Asian family, including children, are believed to have become trapped by the rising tide after possibly walking out to a sandbank off the holiday beach some time around 5.30pm on Wednesday. 

At least six ambulances, a dozen police cars, a fire engine, a lifeboat, two air ambulances and a coastguard helicopter were sent to the scene as the incident unfolded.

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One coastguard truck remained on the shingle beach into the night near an area which was cordoned off with a wind break. 

Other emergency vehicles were parked behind a row of multi-coloured pastel beach huts beside the West Mersea Holiday Park. 

The area is known for its strong currents, which can take swimmers and tourists by surprise.

One holidaymaker said: ‘We heard that the incident involved an Asian family. Children got into difficulty and adults went in the water after them, only to get into difficulty as well. 

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A search and rescue mission was underway on Wednesday night in West Mersea, Essex 

A number of people are feared to have drowned after a family are believed to have entered the water

‘Other people on the beach went into the water to try and help, but it looks like there were fatalities.’ 

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Two air ambulances landed on the green beside the caravan park’s Sandbanks bar and restaurant while the coastguard helicopter is reported to have landed on the beach. 

Witnesses reported seeing at least one casualty being loaded into an air ambulance, while others said they had heard reports of ‘multiple people in the water’. 

A caravan owner said: ‘The first we knew something was wrong was when we heard a helicopter overhead. 

‘I spoke to someone who saw the emergency services working on someone and pumping their chest on the beach. 

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‘People were shouting, ‘Come on you can do it’. They couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman.’

Essex Police said in a statement on Wednesday night: ‘Emergency services are currently on scene of an ongoing incident in West Mersea.

‘While we remain on scene, we would ask the public to avoid the Seaview Avenue and beach area.

‘We appreciate that this will cause some local issues, but would ask for your patience and understanding as we may be there for some time yet. Thank you.’

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An identical statement was issued on social media by Essex Fire and Rescue Service.

A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said they could not comment. 

An RNLI spokesperson confirmed its West Mersea lifeboat was launched earlier this evening and its lifeboat from Clacton was also sent to the emergency. They added that they did not know the nature of the incident at this stage.

A spokeswoman for the East Anglian Air Ambulance said it had also sent a helicopter to West Mersea, but that they had no further information at this stage. 

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I feel embarrassed to admit that when I first bought my four-bedroom cottage in Somerset, it was with a fantasy that I’d meet the love of my life and we’d fill the house with children. Instead, I ended up with a cohort of lodgers.

I bought my rural, almost-off-grid home, just outside Frome, after leaving my fiancé. Together, we’d often talked about selling my cramped studio flat in London and moving to a farmhouse in rural North Wales, where I grew up.

So when I left him, I bought my own cottage – half-thinking that he would come and find me in it. When he failed to materialise, I started dating again.

Of course, it’s a miracle really that I, a 45-year-old Millennial, had been able to afford to buy in the first place – thanks to a bit of family money, selling my London flat and earning enough to get a good mortgage. For many, it’s almost impossible to get on the property ladder.

So my friends were initially protective over the risk of gold-digging men. ‘You don’t want a man who’s only after you for your house,’ they would tease.

Some were more positive, suggesting that flaunting my lovely, detached home – on a third of an acre! – might bag me a husband.

Boy, they could not have been more wrong. At best, I have found men are totally indifferent to the fact that I own a home and, at worst, it seems to act as a man repellent.

I met a nice solicitor who impressed on me that he owned his own place in a nearby village. We went for a few drinks, the conversation flowed, the attraction seemed matched.

But things went sharply downhill on our second date, when he picked me up for dinner at the local pub. My house – a fat cottage but no country pile – was bigger than he’d expected, he said. He noted how much I must be earning to live in it. He stopped trying to discover who I was and instead began making assumptions: I must come from a privileged background; I must be very independent; I must never usually date men from his background.

This was insane talk to me, as he was solidly middle-class. But it seemed I’d dented his pride. He did not offer to pay for dinner and I was relieved not to hear from him again.

Another man I briefly dated – who, despite being in his 40s, still lived with his parents – showed his irritation by making endless digs about what a poor job I was making of the renovation work – and how he’d tackle it differently.

The defensiveness of these men was off the charts. My dates would, unbidden, launch into a full rundown of their own financial position and their intention to get a mortgage, while aggressively listing the reasons they hadn’t yet – when I hadn’t enquired and didn’t care.

Friends report similar experiences. ‘My ex-boyfriend was so jealous of my house that he became fixated on buying one of exactly the same value,’ said one. ‘He started sending me Rightmove links to properties, which he seemed to think would impress me. Instead, I just thought he was delusional because I knew he couldn’t afford it. He was always making nasty remarks about how “not everyone can just buy a house and do it up”.’

She sold her cramped studio flat in London and moved to a charming four-bed farmhouse in rural North Wales

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One of Katie’s dates said that her property, on a third of an acre, was bigger than he expected. Another made snide comments about how he’d tackle the renovation work differently 

Another friend admits: ‘Even if they like you, it pushes them away.’ Her ex-husband was so frustrated that she held the house deeds in their marriage that he ‘wouldn’t work and was constantly angry with me’.

All of this comes as a surprise to me. Property ownership is not something I look for, but if I was dating a man with a decent-sized home, I’d consider it a bonus. I have a male friend I’d never particularly fancied, until one evening, drinking in the garden of his gorgeous Georgian pile, I found myself dreaming about marriage. I also dated a lord whose stately home impressed me far more than his title.

Yet men don’t seem to find women’s houses nearly so intoxicating. Perhaps this is because women’s interest in equity stems from a time when we married because our financial – and domestic – security depended on it. Until 50 years ago, lenders refused single women mortgages. It was only after the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, which banned discriminating against someone because of their sex or marital status, that things changed.

Now more women than ever are applying for mortgages on their own. Skipton Building Society has recorded up to 11.5 per cent more solo female applicants than solo male applicants in recent years, especially among younger women – in their 20s and 30s.

Only one man I dated stands out as an exception. The first time he came to my cottage, he cooed and compared himself to Elizabeth Bennet arriving at Pemberley. To be honest, that gave me the ick.

I haven’t felt truly disheartened. Indeed, I’ve found men hating my house to be a boon – I’ve thrived alone among the peace and roses.

But I do wonder if it will turn out that men simply don’t like girlie pink cottages with beams to bang their heads on? Anyway, soon I plan to swap it for a penthouse in London or a one-bedroom garden flat – because I’m bored of country living. Perhaps then they’ll come running.