The garden also has woodland play areas and sculpture trails for children to enjoy

A garden in Cambridgeshire has been named as one of the best places in the UK for a spring picnic. Bloom & Wild has created a list of the the UK’s “most beautiful botanical gardens and green spaces” to enjoy in the spring and summer.

The list featured the Spring Garden at the popular National Trust site Anglesey Abbey. The garden is described as coming “into its own” throughout the spring months and features daffodils and hyacinths.

You can enjoy taking in the flowers around the garden while soaking up the sun or snap a few springtime photos. The flowers are “complemented by the avenues of Amelanchier lamarckii, more commonly known as June berry” and a horse chestnut tree.

On the garden, Bloom & Wild said: “Anglesey Abbey is covered in thousands of daffodils throughout the spring months, with over 40 varieties of the stunning spring flowers. With woodland play areas, wind in the willows [sic] sculpture trails, it’s a perfect nature spot to take the kids in spring. The garden also welcomes picnics to be enjoyed throughout the garden with the exception of formal areas.

“The aptly named Spring Garden comes into full bloom in spring with daffodils and hyacinths, the Formal Garden blooms with tulips and hyacinths in shades of blues and whites through to April.”

After exploring the Spring Garden, you can also take a look around the rest of the estate. The Formal Garden is also popular for the springtime and is planted with blue and white tulips and hyacinths. There are also a few different walking and cycling trails to follow around Anglesey Abbey and its surrounding countryside.

For children, there is a woodland play area that features a climbing frame, balance beams, and swings for kids to let off steam. There are also areas places for children to get creative and involved in den-building or bug-hunting.

After walking through the gardens, you could take a visit to the Garden Office Café for a quick drink while overlooking the Rose Garden. If you need something to eat, the Redwoods Restaurant that offers light meals, a range of snacks, and homemade cakes and traybakes for a sweet boost.

Entry to the National Trust site costs £19 for adults and £9.50 for children between the ages of five and 17. There are a few family tickets available as well.

Anglesey Abbey is a 21-minute drive away from Cambridge via the B1102. There is a free car park for visitors.

The Met Office says the UK could be in for a taste of winter as temperatures could plummet well below 0C following this week’s 26C highs

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Despite the thermometer climbing to 26C this week, the Met Office warns temperatures could shortly drop well beneath 0C.

The national forecaster’s outlook today indicated overnight readings on Tuesday might sink as low as -5C across northern regions and -1C in southern parts. Wednesday’s overnight minimums of -3C are anticipated throughout the nation, reports the Mirror.

The Met Office predicts daytime highs will reach 18C on Tuesday before sliding to 15C on Wednesday – a stark contrast to the scorching conditions we’ve enjoyed lately.

Temperature variation charts for Tuesday display extensive blue zones spanning Scotland, Northern Ireland, North Wales, northern England and eastern districts. This highlights where readings will fall considerably below seasonal norms for this period.

The GFS weather model indicates the peak temperature nationwide could reach merely 8C on Wednesday morning. This marks a substantial decline from this week’s figures right across the UK.

The Met Office outlook for Tuesday through Thursday suggests conditions will be “turning cooler for all as northerly winds set in across the UK”. We should anticipate “some showers at times”, though “these [will be] lighter and fewer than the weekend”.

The BBC prediction notes: “On Tuesday, much of the UK will be dry with variable cloud, but there will be showers in the south-west and parts of the north.

“Wednesday is expected to be generally cloudy with a few scattered showers in the far north and across the west. Thursday looks to bring further showers to northern and western areas, while the east remain mostly dry with some sunny spells. Windier.”

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Fortunately, the Met Office anticipates temperatures will climb back towards typical levels later in the month. Its outlook for May 7 to May 16 indicates “a changeable theme” is probable, with most locations experiencing “some rain or showers at times, but also some drier, brighter weather”.

The prediction continues: “The emphasis on wetter conditions may be more towards the south and east at first, with low pressure perhaps more likely towards the south or east of the UK, before shifting further north later in the period as low pressure becomes more likely to set up to the north or northeast of the UK.

“After a cold start to the period, especially in the north, temperatures are likely to return to around average later.”

A rugby-loving bride cheered her husband on from the sidelines in her wedding dress, just hours after the newlywed couple tied the knot.

Amy Vinson, 42, insisted Craig Vinson, 40, play for Hornets RFC after discovering his team’s last fixture of the season fell on their wedding day.

So after donning a suit and marrying Amy at Weston Registry Office on Saturday, Craig put on his kit, which included a new pair of white boots engraved with the date, and took to the field against Blake Bears RFC.

The friendly game ended 45-19 to Hornets, after which the wedding party and most of the players celebrated long into the night at the Pear Orchard pub in nearby Clevedon.

Amy, a paralegal and mother-of-two whose sons both play rugby, said: ‘I absolutely loved standing there in my wedding dress watching him play. Some brides might think it was mad, but for us it was perfect.

‘I knew how important that final game of the season was to Craig and I didn’t want him missing out because of the wedding. If anything, it made the day even better because it was so personal to us.’

The couple, who live in Wick St Lawrence, north Somerset, met on a dating site in October 2023 and booked their wedding date before the Hornets fixtures had been announced.

It later transpired that the team’s last fixture of the season coincided with their wedding.

Amy insisted he played despite the clash, and made arrangements around the fixture.

However, disaster struck when the Hornets’ fourth team folded midway through the season.

The couple quickly rallied players together to organise a friendly against Bears, with players ranging in age from teenagers to 78 in what was the first wedding day game ever held at the Weston-super-Mare club.

The friendly game was played in great spirits and turned into a touch game for the last 15 minutes to allow some of the female spectators and children to take part.

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Craig, a fire suppression engineer, said: ‘It honestly could not have been a more perfect wedding day for us. Rugby is such a huge part of our lives, so it felt completely natural to make it part of our marriage celebrations.

‘I had said I probably wouldn’t play because it was our wedding day, but Amy wouldn’t hear of it. She just said, “Of course you’re playing – you can’t miss the last game of the season because of our wedding”.

‘Having everyone there made the day even more special.’

Amy said the match brought together friends, family, teammates and club veterans in a way a traditional wedding reception never could.

She added: ‘Rugby has brought so many people into our lives over the years, so celebrating our marriage this way just felt right.

‘Everyone was together, laughing, cheering and enjoying themselves. It wasn’t just our wedding day — it felt like a big celebration for the whole club as well, and that made it really special.’

After the match, celebrations continued at a nearby reception venue, which even featured a tattoo artist for guests.

One Hornets player decided to mark the occasion permanently by getting the club’s famous Hornet logo tattooed on his bum.

Amy laughed: ‘That definitely stole the show. I don’t think many weddings can say that happened at their reception.

‘It was fun, slightly chaotic and completely unforgettable — exactly the kind of wedding we wanted.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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The actor revealed some positive changes he has been making

I’m a Celebrity star Adam Thomas opened up on some changes he made at the start of the year as he admitted he “wasn’t sure” it would happen.

Adam Thomas quickly became a fan favourite during his time on this year’s I’m a Celebrity South Africa, particularly as his friendship with Gemma Collins blossomed.

Although he went onto win the series, it wasn’t without its drama. Former boxer David Haye was criticised during his time on the ITV show for comments he said towards Adam.

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Since then, David went onto make various other comments, labelling the actor as “soft” or “weak”. Adam opened up about the feeling of being bullied, but things exploded during the live final.

Away from the chaos, Adam took to his Instagram and revealed some positive changes he’s experienced this year after creating a vision board for himself.

In a video he said: “Me and my family at the beginning of the year, we each did a vision board and this is mine. A few things on here that I’m really proud of. I’ve got no drinking, since January I’ve quit drinking.

“I say quit drinking, has it been perfect? No. Have I made huge changes? Yes. Just feels so much better for it. Everything has just thrived because I’ve cut down alcohol and it just wasn’t serving me a purpose anymore, and that’s one thing that I’m super proud of. No drinking, that’s number one.”

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He went onto add: “Number two was I wanted to be on the front over of a fitness magazine. Never in a million years ever thinking it would happen. But, it’s actually happening people.

“I’m gonna be on the front cover of Men’s Fitness. Me! The funny thing is, it’s not even necessarily really about the picture, it’s about everything that I’ve done in between, lifestyle I’ve created for myself.

“Someone who’s really struggled with their body pretty much all their life to be on the front cover of a men’s fitness magazine with their top of, it’s mad to me that.”

Adam then continued to tease “Oh My Glaze”, a sauce that him and his friends have been working on. He teased: “Only now are we finally getting the credit that we deserve.”

In his caption, Adam also gushed: “There were moments I wasn’t sure any of this would happen. But staying focused, staying positive… it’s starting to pay off. Grateful for this year so far…and we’re just getting started!! Stay happy people, stay positive!”

Adam was flooded with support in the comments, as Alison Hammond wrote: “Well done babes love this” and Gemma Collins added: “You got the world at your feet”.

Arne Slot’s Reds endured a shaky run of form between late March and early April but have hit their stride in recent weeks, dispatching Everton in a dramatic Merseyside derby before easing past Crystal Palace last time out. The camp has been rocked by injuries, though, with Hugo Ekitike, Mohamed Salah, and, reportedly, Alexander Isak all due to miss this match. United, meanwhile, are near enough fully fit and come into this match in fine fettle. They were not terribly convincing in victory over Brentford on Monday, but got the job done to tighten their hold on third place in the league.

The Darlington Food and Drink Festival is a free, open‑air event which has transformed the main commercial streets into a focal point for food-lovers with a taste for everything from the simple to the exotic.

Based mostly around the Market Square there are also stalls and entertainment points spreading along East Row and West Row, making it easy for visitors to “shop, eat, drink” as they wander from pitch to pitch.

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Across the four days of the festival, visitors have a wide range of options, from hot food and sweet treats to speciality drinks and preserves.

Traders taking part include Cassie’s Kitchen, Bites Baking Co, Simply Cheesecake, Malavisco Marshmallows, Evie’s Pupcakes Safari Shack, plus AndBake.Co.

The Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Others featured in the festival are Fresh Olives, Batch Coffee Roasters, The Angels Share Bakery, Wiga Wagaa. Wine On The Tyne, Jems Vegan Bakes, Just A Littlemore Cookie Company, Aerostream Catering, The Geordie Banger Company, Cakepops Et Al, Blueberry Hill Preserves, Coastal Bakes, Lobo, Açaí Spot and Dionysiac Brewing.

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

The pick of the weather so far was on the opening two days, with early Sunday visitors braving showers and more overcast conditions.

Friday featured street food only, between 4 and 8pm, with Saturday and Sunday highlighting retail opportunities, between 10am and 5pm, and street food from 11am to 8pm.

Bank Holiday Monday (May 4) will follow a similar theme, but with retail between 10am and 4pm and street food, from11am to 5pm.

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Among the varying offers are hot food and takeaway‑style dishes for a quick bite, sweet treats and afternoon snacks, including cakes, cookies, and specialty desserts, locally produced drinks, such as craft beer, wine, and specialty coffee.

There is an emphasis on independent producers and small‑batch food entrepreneurs from the wider region, with a background buzz of live music, interspersed over four days of the festival.

Performances are centring on the Market Square, with evening shows at The Vault.

There was a throwback to Britpop on Friday, with K-Pop, classic tracks and blues and soul on Saturday.

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Darlington Food and Drink Festival (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Read next … more culture and events news from The Northern Echo, by clicking here

Sunday’s line-up features Hey Zeus, a live band bringing contemporary rock and pop to the town centre stage, from 2pm.

The Market Square played host to And Then Some, offering a differing sound set, from 6pm

Monday’s music programme features the The Jam Junkies, a lively tribute act providing a fun, upbeat finale to the long weekend, from 2pm.

The BBC has officially announced the full cast for Celebrity Traitors series 2 but fans have been left disappointed after one star didn’t make the final line-up

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The Celebrity Traitors series two line-up has finally been unveiled, though some viewers have expressed disappointment after a beloved pop star was notably “missing” from this year’s announcement.

The BBC’s hit programme is due to return later this year, with a host of well-known faces heading to the Scottish Highlands at Ardross Castle this weekend to begin filming.

This year’s roster includes Coronation Street legend Julie Hesmondhalgh, EastEnders favourite Ross Kemp, Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne, and Brit Award-winning musician James Blunt.

Also joining the cast are BBC presenter Amol Rajan, The Last of Us actress Bella Ramsey, comedian James Acaster, Love Island host Maya Jama, Industry actress Myha’la and BBC mathematics expert Professor Hannah Fry.

Rounding out the ensemble are comedy talents Joanne McNally and Joe Lycett, alongside social media personality King Kenny, reports the Liverpool Echo.

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Rob Beckett will be providing the laughs with his television companion Romesh Ranganathan, My Mad Fat Diary star Sharon Rooney, and Game of Thrones actor Sebastian Croft.

Completing the cast are Jerry Hall, Miranda Hart, Michael Sheen and Richard E Grant.

Despite the impressive array of talent entering the castle, audiences at home have been left deflated upon learning that pop icon Cheryl Tweedy failed to secure a place on the show.

It was previously reported that the 42 year old had been approached to participate. The singer has maintained a low profile in recent years, leaving fans eager to see her return to their television screens.

One fan posted on X: “Celeb traitors cast reveal but there’s no Cheryl.” Another remarked: “Celeb traitors lineup is gorg but still missing Cheryl.” A third stated: “Noooooo! No Cheryl on Celeb Traitors!!!”

Another fan complained: “The fact I only recognise 3 people on here is outrageous, bring more people that are more popular and known!”

One declared: “Needs more celebrities like the last series and more actors for it to work! To many comedians.” Another contributed: “Too many comedians. Series 1 of #CelebrityTraitors had such a good cast that maybe it’s unmatchable.”

Nevertheless, other fans have been thoroughly impressed by the line-up, with one saying: “I thought the first series would be tough to beat, but this whole line up is incredible.”

Another enthused: “whhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaattttyy yes yes yes yessssss!!!!!! I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!!!”

The Celebrity Traitors will be coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer later in 2026.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has suggested he retweeted “inaccurate” criticism of police officers responding to the Golders Green terror attack because he was “traumatised”.

But he also reignited his row with the head of the Metropolitan Police over the post, claiming Sir Mark Rowley’s open letter condemning Mr Polanski was inappropriate during an election campaign.

He also said he remained “concerned” about the officers’ actions, adding that everyone who works in public service “should not be above scrutiny”, and that actions must be “proportionate, no matter how brave”.

Mr Polanski apologised last week after sharing a post on X that accused Met officers of detaining the Golders Green attack suspect of “repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head” when he was already incapacitated from being Tasered.

Sir Keir Starmer was among those who lined up to condemn Mr Polanski, calling his actions “disgraceful” and saying he was “not fit to lead any political party”.

Asked on Sky News on Sunday why he had shared the post, the Green Party leader said that he had found the attack “very traumatic, especially as a Jewish person”.

“And I also found the video that was circulating online traumatic, too,” he added. “I accept, though, that conversation about that video needs to be had with the [police] commissioner rather than on X.”

Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips then asked: “You made a mistake presumably because you were traumatised, then?” Mr Polanski replied: “Well, you generally apologise when you make mistakes… it should be something I take directly to the commissioner and I accept that.”

But he also accused Sir Mark of airing his concerns in the wrong way. “Open letters aren’t an appropriate way to do politics either in a local election… and I’ll be having that conversation with the commissioner,” Mr Polanski said.

Later, during an interview on the BBC, Mr Polanski suggested he remains concerned about the officers’ actions. He told Laura Kuenssberg: “I was very concerned by what I saw, and I remain concerned.”

On the same programme, transport secretary Heidi Alexander called his actions “abhorrent”. Labour minister Steve Reed added: “Polanski’s apology clearly means nothing given he continues to denigrate the actions of our brave police officers.”

In a rare intervention last week, Sir Mark hit out at Mr Polanski for sharing the “inaccurate” post and later accused him of “undermining” the force.

Mr Polanski also faced a significant backlash within his own party.

The Green Party’s Welsh leader, Anthony Slaughter, told LBC that while he had not seen the tweet: “It does seem, from what I’ve read, [it] was inappropriate to retweet.”

The party’s deputy leader, Rachel Millward, who was also challenged about the post, told the BBC’s Question Time programme on Thursday that she was “extremely grateful” for the emergency service response.

“I’m sure it was beyond terrifying, and these people are brave, well-trained in what they do; I’m sure they did a brilliant job,” she said.

Sir Mark said in his letter to Mr Polanski that he was “disappointed” in the politician’s decision to share the post, warning that it could have a “chilling effect”.

He said officers were “nothing short of extraordinary”, adding: “Without their efforts to stop him, I dread to think what the outcome could have been.”

The site was thought to have been burned down less than a year after being created in 850BC

It’s hard to think what parts of Cambridgeshire would have looked like in days gone by. Even today, there are still remnants among the Cambridgeshire countryside from people who have lived here before us.

Artefacts from the Bronze Age have a strong presence in Cambridgeshire, especially near Peterborough. One place called Must Farm is an important place for the remains of the Bronze Age.

Dubbed as “Britain’s Pompeii”, there is a wealth of well-preserved artefacts at Must Farm. The farm sits on the bed of a now-defunct river in Flag Fen.

It was once occupied for less than a year, but it burnt down in 850BC. It’s unknown what the cause of the fire was, but it’s believed to have been caused by an attack or started by accident. It then quickly spread to the homes. Around 10 wooden houses on stilts, which could have been home to around 50 to 60 people, were found at Must Farm.

At the time, archaeologists said it provided a “time capsule” into what it was like to live during that time, and was similar to Pompeii in Rome. When excavations took place, they discovered almost 200 wooden artefacts, over 150 fibre and textile items, as well as 128 pottery tools and around 90 pieces of metalwork.

An excavation was carried out by Cambridge and Bristol universities in 2015 and 2016. In 2019, the universities revealed their findings. Researchers reported that they found human and dog faeces. They also discovered a number of parasites including fish tapeworms.

Following the discovery, a number of items were put on display in an exhibition at Peterborough Museum in April 2024.