Nestled along the picturesque UK shoreline is a stunning beach with azure waters and stretches of soft sand – but it’s left visitors a little taken aback for one reason

A beautiful UK beach with crystal-clear turquoise waters is often dubbed the ‘Bali of the UK’, but there’s more than meets the eye.

Nothing says heatwave like a day out at the beach, and the UK is brimming with stretches of golden coastline, dramatic chalk white cliffs, and azure waters that could easily be mistaken for those found in the Caribbean. That’s if you know where to look. And one stunning beach might just stand out from them all, for more reasons than one.

Nestled on the south coast of the Penwith Peninsula in Cornwall is Pedn Vounder Beach, tucked away in a secluded, tidal cove, which could arguably be one of the most beautiful UK shores. The beach is characterised by crystal-clear turquoise waters and unspoilt, soft, golden sand, framed by towering cliffs in a UK oasis.

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OPINION

Amy Jones

During low tide, shallow, aquamarine pools are formed – perfect for a dip during the warmer months, although people should be aware of the currents and the steep terrain to access the beach. However, it’s well worth the walk down, as those looking for a little slice of paradise will be rewarded with picture-postcard vistas of the beach, often dubbed the ‘Bali of the UK’.

It remains untouched, with stretches of pristine sand to enjoy and the lapping of azure waters in a secluded location away from the busier seaside resorts. But those taking the rugged route down to the breathtakingly beautiful beach might be caught off guard, as it’s often been known as an unofficial naturist beach.

One traveller commented on Facebook: “Beautiful but absolutely had a shock as we weren’t aware of what type of beach it was!”

Another agreed: “My partner and I also didn’t know this was a clothing-optional beach until we got down to it and saw much more than we were expecting!”

A third added: “Same until we got there.”

On TripAdvisor, one visitor also revealed: “This is a nudist beach, and the climb down is not for the faint-hearted. However, there are clear signs warning you of both of these on the way down.”

They later added: “One of the most breathtaking beaches I have ever visited. The waters were crystal blue and the beach beautifully sandy.”

Commenting further, another traveller shared: “There are clothed and unclothed bodies. Most of the nude people are on the left end of the beach, and everyone is very respectful.”

Other explorers issued a warning to those looking to access the secluded beach due to its challenging walk down.

One shared on TripAdvisor: “This beach cove really is gorgeous, the water is crystal clear and a stunning turquoise colour, you wouldn’t believe it’s in the UK! Only about a mile from the nearest parking lot, but it definitely isn’t a trip for the faint-hearted. It is a very steep hike/climb down to get onto the beach, virtually rock climbing. Make sure you take all the essentials too, as there is nothing around once you get there.”

Another commented: “A stunning beach it is quite a climb down over the rocks so you do need to be prepared for this. The beach is definitely worth the climb, especially when the tide goes out. The best beach I have been to.”

One more shared: “Totally amazing – but mainly writing this review for some advice for others, we’ve been going for 30 years, but due to social media, lots of people are now trying. “You need to be pretty fit, mobile and able to descend down a cliff face to access – getting down with buggies or people with mobility difficulties will find it difficult.”

They added: “Also, it is a nudist beach, has been for years and years – if people have an issue with this, it’s probably not the beach for you.”

Yet for those up for the challenge, who have checked the tide and planned a route, might just be met with some of the most stunning vistas that easily rival those found in the Caribbean or Bali.

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BRITS save an average of £184 a year by owning a railcard – and there are more options on offer than you might think.

Train tickets can be expensive, and rail journeys throughout the year can seriously add up.

That’s why for many Brits who like to travel by train, it is a no-brainer to sign up for a railcard.

A railcard is a discount card that allows you to save on train tickets you purchase throughout the year.

Owning a railcard saves you 1/3 off rail fares, which really stacks up the savings, whether you’re a daily commuter or occasional train traveller.

There are several different types of railcard you can choose from to maximise your savings, and you may not realise you are eligible.

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There is the standard Network Railcard, which get 1/3 off rail fares for travel in London and the South East, plus options for different age ranges, veterans, disabled travellers and more.

There is the 16-25 Railcard (for anyone between the ages of 16 and 25, or in full time study) or the 26-30 Railcard (for anyone between the ages of 26 and 30).

All of them can be bought on the last day before your birthday, so in theory you can get them until the last day of being 26 and 31, respectively.

The Senior Railcard is for anyone aged 60 and over, while the Veteran’s Railcard is for anyone who has served “one day or more in the UK Armed Forces”.

There is also the Two Together Railcard (for people who often travel together, such as couples or friends) and the Disabled Persons Railcard, which includes a range of criteria.

If you opt for a Family & Friends Railcard, not only do you get 1/3 off of adult travel but you also get 60% off kids tickets.

And if you have a child aged 16 to 17, get them a 16-17 Saver Railcard – their train fares will be slashed by 50%.

For example, a single journey from London Kings Cross to Newcastle costs £54.90 at full-price on Trainline*. But with a standard Railcard discount, this journey would cost £36.55 instead.

If you fancy a day trip out to the seaside, a full-price single from London Blackfriars to Brighton would usually cost you £23.70.

But saving a third with a railcard, the trip would cost just £15.75 – saving you the extra change for some fish and chips on the beach.

Similarly, a single from Birmingham to Weston-super-Mare would cost you £33.05 instead of £49.70.

Most railcards cost £35 for a whole year, meaning that even if you only make a couple of train journeys a year, they can still save you money.

You can make even more savings by buying one that lasts for three years.

The 16-25 Railcard, Senior Railcard, Family and Friends Railcard and Veterans Railcard all have an option to pay £80 for three years of travel – saving you an extra £25.

When you buy a digital railcard with Trainline, it gets sent to you by email and stored in their app – so you don’t have to worry about losing a physical card.

Once you’ve bought the digital railcard, you can use it right away.

The digital railcards can be kept on many types of device and there is no limit to how many devices you can store your railcard on.

Trainline are an official retailer of National Rail, so these railcards can be used across the entire National Rail network of England, Scotland, and Wales.

These include Standard, Advance, Off-Peak and First Class tickets. All railcards other than the Network Railcard let you save on journeys during Peak hours.

According to Trainline, Brits save an average of £184 per year with a Railcard.

Just don’t try and book a trip with a railcard if you don’t have one or it has expired – you can receive a penalty fare of £100 plus the price of your single journey.

*Prices correct at the time of publication.

May 27 (UPI) — President Donald Trump said his cabinet meeting on Wednesday afternoon will be at the White House instead of Camp David, as was planned, due to weather.

“Based on the possible bad weather conditions tomorrow, we will be having our Cabinet Meeting in the White House, and will be postponing the Cabinet trip to Camp David,” Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday afternoon.

Thunderstorms are expected in the region.

The meeting will “highlight recent successes of the administration, including economy and small business wins, Task Force to Eliminate Fraud highlights, and foreign policy updates,” a White House official told ABC News.

Trump hasn’t been to the Presidential Retreat at Camp David in Frederick County, Md., in nearly a year.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is expected to attend. She will depart her position at the end of June after announcing her resignation last week.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation fee for British holidaymakers travelling to this holiday hotspot has been scrapped, saving Brits around £40 and making the tropical destination even more accessible this summer

Travelling to a tropical holiday destination has just become even more appealing, as Brits no longer need to fork out a tourist fee.

British holidaymakers planning to discover the stunning country of Sri Lanka won’t have to worry about shelling out an extra tourist fee, as it was abolished from Monday, 25 May. The Sri Lankan government confirmed it had made its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) free for UK visitors, scrapping the $50 fee (around £37) in an effort to draw more tourists to the South Asian nation.

The change has come into force for the UK, along with 39 other countries. Brits planning a trip to Sri Lanka will need to apply for a free ETA, which is a type of visa, prior to departure, and will be valid for 30 days.

Those wishing to extend their time in Sri Lanka can apply online via the country’s official Immigration portal. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed: “You do not need a visa if you are transiting through Sri Lanka by air, if the connecting flight is within 24 hours of your arrival. Check with your airlines about transit times.”

However, the FCDO also cautioned: “If you overstay the period of your ETA (30 days), you risk being subject to immigration procedures that may include temporary detention, a fine, deportation at your own expense, a travel ban or refusal of entry to Sri Lanka in the future.”

To enter Sri Lanka, British travellers must also confirm their passport has an expiry date of at least six months beyond their arrival date. Should the passport fail to meet this requirement, holidaymakers risk being turned away at the border, reports the Liverpool Echo.

While travel to Sri Lanka faced restrictions earlier this year owing to the Middle East conflict, there is presently no Foreign Office guidance advising against travel to the nation for Brits. That said, they do caution that there have been “global travel impacts due to escalation in the Middle East.”

The FCDO outlined: “Escalation in the Middle East has caused widespread travel disruption, including airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights. Your travel plans may be affected, even if your destination is not in the Middle East.

“Some flights from Colombo to the UK via Middle Eastern hubs may be delayed, postponed, or rerouted. British nationals in Sri Lanka should check the latest updates from their airlines and consider alternative carriers or routes where necessary.”

The FCDO advises that tourists should do the following things before they travel:

• Check travel advice for any countries or territories you are transiting through
• Check for the latest updates from your airline or tour operator
• Review your travel insurance policy for coverage
• Monitor local and international media for the latest information and sign up for travel advice email alerts

For further details, visit the Foreign Office travel advice page.

Michael O’Neill says he is “100% committed” to Northern Ireland after he signed a new four-year contract with the Irish FA, but he has not ruled out another dual role in the future.

O’Neill had been appointed interim Blackburn Rovers boss in February and had been balancing this role with his position at Northern Ireland, who lost to Italy in the World Cup play-offs in March.

However, it was announced earlier in the month that he would not be taking on the Blackburn job on a permanent basis.

On Wednesday, the IFA confirmed that O’Neill had extended his current contract by four years until 2032.

When asked if he would consider taking on a short-term dual role again in the future, O’Neill did not rule it out as he said: “That’s not a question I need to answer at this minute”, adding it was “hypothetical”.

O’Neill said that he did not “have any regrets” about taking on the role with Blackburn, but admitted he “probably could have done with a little less drama”.

“I said all along, I didn’t think it would affect our preparation for the Italy game, which it didn’t,” O’Neill said.

“I managed to keep Blackburn up, which was the remit of the job.

“I probably think that maybe I underestimated the reaction to it a little bit, but ultimately that’s a learning experience for me as well.”

The lake boasts a sandy shoreline and designated wild swimming areas, making it a brilliant spot for a summer day out — just remember to arrive early as it gets very busy

A stunning wild swimming spot nestled amid vibrant heathland offers the perfect escape for a refreshing dip.

Frensham Great Pond is a National Trust-managed lake boasting a genuine sandy beach, allowing visitors to relax on the shore after a bracing swim — all without being anywhere near the coast.

Located a few miles south of Farnham and roughly ten miles west of Godalming in Surrey, Frensham Great Pond features two designated swimming zones marked out by buoys, alongside an on-site café and toilet facilities, making it an ideal destination for a full day out.

The pond was first established in the 13th century to provide fish for the Bishop of Winchester and his entourage during visits to Farnham Castle. Nowadays, the pond and its surroundings serve as a haven for wildlife. Frensham holds international significance due to the array of rare and threatened species that flourish on the heath, earning it recognition as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation.

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The heathland encircling the pond presents a striking tapestry of purple heathers, vibrant yellow gorse and lush green bracken.

“Are you someone who delights in basking under the sun at the beach? It may come as a surprise that even in landlocked Surrey, a beach can be found. Frensham Great Pond boasts a sandy shoreline, offering a unique beach experience. While it may not offer the expansive ocean vistas typically associated with beaches, it does provide a splendid view across the lake,” writes Swim Guard.

There are a few things to bear in mind if you’re planning a visit to Frensham Great Pond. It draws enormous crowds during fine weather, with the car park typically full by 10am. Get there early to avoid disappointment, Waverley Borough Council warns, urging visitors to steer clear on scorching days as “the site will be too crowded.”

Dogs are prohibited on both the beach and barrow areas, and BBQs and bonfires are strictly banned.

If that’s given you second thoughts, don’t worry. Surrey has no shortage of other stunning spots offering fantastic wild swimming opportunities. Including:

• Buckland Park Lake, managed by the Surrey Hills Adventure Company, is spring-fed and open year-round. Swimmers do a 400-metre loop around the lake with views of white cliffs and wildlife, with a max depth of 3 metres and a gradual entry point on one side.
• Godstone Divers Cove is a picturesque 7.3-acre reservoir, once a sand extraction site, now a popular managed wild swimming venue. Post-swim, you can even get artisan pizzas on selected sessions.
• The River Mole is a sleepy tributary of the Thames winds through the leafy Surrey countryside and is considered one of England’s most biodiverse rivers, home to barbel, trout, lamprey and eel.

If you’re planning a dip during the warm weather, it’s vital to take the proper precautions. During the recent mini-heatwave, six people have tragically lost their lives in UK waters. On Wednesday, police confirmed that a body discovered during the search for a 12-year-old boy who went missing while swimming in a river in Lancashire is that of the child.

There have been tens of thousands of cases but infection is preventable

Health experts have warned of two diseases spreading in Spain and other parts of Europe and urged UK holidaymakers to take precautions this summer. According to new data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), gonorrhoea cases across Europe reached 106,331 in 2024 – a 303% increase since 2015.

At the same time, syphilis cases more than doubled to 45,577. Spain recorded some of the highest numbers of infections reported in Europe, with 37,169 gonorrhoea cases and 11,556 syphilis cases in 2024.

Gemma Nice, sex and relationships coach at condoms.uk, said: “People often behave differently on holiday because routines disappear and inhibitions lower. Alcohol, spontaneity, and the ‘holiday mindset’ can all lead to riskier sexual behaviour than people might normally engage in at home.

“We’re not saying people shouldn’t enjoy holiday romances, but many people wrongly assume that pregnancy prevention and STI protection are the same thing. Condoms remain the only form of contraception that helps protect against both pregnancy and STIs.”

Experts also warn that many travellers underestimate how common symptomless STIs can be, meaning infections can unknowingly spread between partners. Gemma said: “One of the biggest misconceptions is that you would immediately know if someone had an STI – or if you had one yourself. In reality, many infections can remain symptomless for weeks or even months while still being transmissible.

“We’re also seeing growing complacency around condoms, particularly where people rely on other forms of contraception or assume someone is ‘low risk’ without having open conversations around testing.”

The ECDC has warned that widening gaps in testing and prevention are contributing to rising infection rates across Europe, with officials urging people to use condoms with new or multiple partners and seek testing if symptoms appear.

According to experts at condoms.uk, several common holiday behaviours can increase STI risk while travelling – particularly when combined with alcohol, spontaneity, heat, and lower inhibitions.

Common mistakes include:

• Storing condoms in hot beach bags or cars Excess heat can damage latex and increase the risk of breakage without people realising.
• Using suncream before handling condoms Oil-based products can weaken latex and increase the likelihood of condom failure.
• Having sex in pools, hot tubs or the sea Water reduces natural lubrication, increasing friction and the chance of irritation or condom breakage.
• Relying on local shops or vending machines for protection Travellers may struggle to find familiar brands, sizing, or products that meet UK standards.
• Assuming oral sex carries little STI risk Infections including gonorrhoea and syphilis can still be passed on through oral sex.
• Skipping sexual health checks before or after travelling Many STIs can remain symptomless, making regular testing important after new sexual encounters.

Gemma added: “Many holiday-related STI risks come down to small, avoidable mistakes. Packing protection, checking condoms are stored properly, and having open conversations around sexual health can make a huge difference. It’s also important to always check the expiry dates on all condoms and lubricant products.

“Holiday sex should still be safe sex. Planning ahead and carrying protection is one of the easiest ways to protect both yourself and your partner.”

On May 7, Zimbabwe’s Agriculture Minister Anxious Masuka announced in parliament that the government would return 67 farms seized during the country’s land reform programme to European nationals from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The farms, he said, were protected under bilateral investment protection agreements signed between Zimbabwe and the four European states before the land seizures.

The measure forms part of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s effort to restore relations with Western governments and international financial institutions after more than two decades of crisis, sanctions, isolation and debt default linked in part to the fast-track land reform programme of the early 2000s.

Zimbabwe is trying to restructure about $11.7bn in external debt, including $7.7bn owed to multilateral and bilateral creditors. On May 20, the International Monetary Fund approved a staff-monitored programme to support reforms and debt restructuring.

Resolving disputes linked to land reform has become central to that re-engagement process. In July 2020, Zimbabwe signed a $3.5bn compensation agreement with former white commercial farmers for infrastructure and improvements on acquired land. Last year, it began compensating treaty-protected foreign farmers, including claimants from Germany, Switzerland and Belgium.

But this development also exposes a deeper contradiction embedded in the global order governing land and property rights in former settler colonies: European claims arising from postcolonial redistribution are treated as urgent, enforceable and respectable, while African claims arising from colonial dispossession remain largely outside the same legal and moral framework.

The colonial dispossession that created white land ownership in Rhodesia never received the same urgency as the one now directed at restoring European claims after postcolonial redistribution. At independence in April 1980, no comparable mechanism forced Britain, Rhodesia or settler beneficiaries to compensate Africans dispossessed through conquest, racial legislation and forced removal. Yet once postcolonial Zimbabwe attempted to redistribute that land, its protection suddenly became tied to legality, investor confidence and international respectability.

In October 1889, Cecil John Rhodes’s British South Africa Company (BSAC) received a royal charter from the British Crown, accelerating white settler expansion across the territory that became Southern Rhodesia. The 1893 war against King Lobengula’s Ndebele kingdom opened vast areas of land to settler occupation, while the crushing of the 1896-97 First Chimurenga, led by resistance figures such as Mbuya Nehanda, consolidated British control across the colony.

Early dispossession was not only territorial. After 1893, BSAC forces seized cattle on a large scale in Matabeleland, weakening the economic foundations of local communities. By 1958, Southern Rhodesia’s European population of roughly 207,000 controlled almost 48 million acres of prime agricultural land, while about 2.55 million Africans had 41.95 million acres of poorer, overcrowded and less arable land.

From the 1890s onwards, colonial land seizures in Rhodesia were enforced and legitimised through the selective application of British imperial law and BSAC decrees. African ownership of land was never recognised with the same standing granted to settler occupation.

That legal order survived the expansion of settler rule through the Land Apportionment Act of 1930 and continued to shape later legal frameworks.

That lopsided inheritance still shapes the global response to Zimbabwe’s land question decades after independence.

Bilateral investment treaties signed between Zimbabwe and foreign states gave protected investors the right to seek compensation when property covered by those agreements was expropriated. In practice, certain foreign-owned farms seized during fast-track land reform entered an international system backed by arbitration mechanisms, treaty enforcement and diplomatic pressure, even though the land itself had been acquired through conquest and war. The 67 farms covered by Masuka fall into that category.

Africans dispossessed under colonial rule were never granted comparable access to international reparations or protected claims against empire.

Part of this asymmetry is structural: European farmers can invoke treaties their governments signed and a compensation deal Zimbabwe itself agreed, while the dispossessed have no counterparty to sue, no instrument to enforce and, in Rhodesia, no surviving state to hold to account. But that is precisely the point. The legal architecture was built to recognise one kind of loss and not the other.

In April 2009, Dutch farmers protected under a bilateral investment treaty brought Funnekotter and others v Zimbabwe before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), and the tribunal ordered Zimbabwe to compensate them for expropriated farms. In 2015, another ICSID tribunal ruled in favour of European claimants linked to Swiss and German property interests in von Pezold and others v Zimbabwe after land seizures under fast-track reform.

The contrast is stark for everyday Zimbabweans.

My maternal grandparents lived in what was the Seke Reserve in Mashonaland, a place where most people were settled on small plots of land with “rather poor sand veldt with a lot of bush”. The reserve was created in 1899 along a boundary that ran roughly along the Hunyani River to the north and northeast, separating African-occupied land from areas soon to be claimed by white settlers.

On the other side of that line, colonial authorities allocated fertile, riverfront and midslope land to white commercial farmers, while families who had once farmed across that broader landscape were confined to a narrow, overcrowded reserve with low-grade soils and limited water.

This was part of a wider colonial regime that, from 1894, also pushed many Ndebele communities into the dry, low-rainfall and tsetse-fly-infested Gwaai and Shangani reserves in Matabeleland North.

Their subsequent, imposed impoverishment and losses, of land, cattle, livelihoods, political authority and economic autonomy, were absorbed into colonial history rather than treated as enforceable claims demanding compensation from the imperial system that created them.

They all died landless and economically broken, largely invisible to the global legal order and without meaningful redress, much like countless Indigenous communities around the country.

Yet Zimbabwe’s compensation framework, shaped largely by external pressure and Western imperatives, recognises losses arising from fast-track land reform and treaty-protected commercial farms. It does not recognise losses like those experienced by my grandparents, or by countless families whose land, cattle and livelihoods were taken under colonial rule.

For years, Zimbabwe’s debt re-engagement process has been tied to arrears clearance, economic reforms and the settlement of land-related disputes. The restoration of treaty-protected European claims has therefore become intertwined with Zimbabwe’s attempts to regain access to international finance and repair relations with Western creditors, chiefly the IMF and World Bank.

Compensation agreements and investor protections are presented as proof that Zimbabwe is becoming governable, predictable and safe again for international capital. In effect, Zimbabwe is being asked to rehabilitate confidence in settler-derived property rights as part of its return to global financial legitimacy.

Launched in 2000, Zimbabwe’s fast-track land reform programme was characterised by widespread economic disruption and violence against Black farmworkers, white farmers and opposition MDC supporters. Those failures do not erase the history of land theft that made redistribution a central political question in the first place.

The unresolved collision between colonial property systems and African restitution claims extends far beyond Zimbabwe. In former settler colonies such as Zimbabwe and Namibia, it is overwhelmingly Black Africans who are expected to absorb mass land dispossession without compensation.

Colonial seizure is treated as inconvenient background history, while postcolonial attempts to restructure ownership are framed as threats to “markets” and “investor confidence”.

African efforts to recover land face more obstacles than the colonial systems that stole it.

Land reform should be lawful, accountable and economically productive. Nonetheless, international law cannot treat property rights created through settler colonialism as morally untouchable while dismissing African compensation as dangerous or illegitimate.

The 67 farms are standing remnants of an old and unresolved colonial atrocity.

My grandmother’s people also have rights.

Zimbabweans are still waiting for justice.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

The hidden gem offers a unique blend of charm reminiscent of a Greek island

For Brits dreaming of a Mediterranean escape but keen to stay on home turf, a hidden treasure tucked away in Cornwall could be the ideal answer. Nestled along the stunning south coast, Polperro boasts a distinctive mix of charm and tranquillity that feels far more like Greece than your typical Cornish fishing village.

According to experts at Park Holidays: “With whitewashed cottages and boats bobbing in the tiny harbour, Polperro feels more like a tucked-away Greek island than a Cornish fishing village.”

Framed by towering cliffs and lush greenery, the village enjoys a breathtaking backdrop to its peaceful bay. What truly makes Polperro stand out, however, is its unspoilt beach, which on bright sunny days appears to take on the colours of the Aegean Sea, turning an “Aegean shade of turquoise”.

It’s this winning combination of scenery and serenity that makes Polperro such a coveted destination for those seeking a taste of the Mediterranean without ever boarding a plane, reports the Express.

As the experts note: “Narrow, winding streets lead to cafés and shops with serious Santorini charm.”

While souvlaki and baklava may not feature on any local menus, the village’s wonderful selection of fish and chip shops and ice cream parlours offers a thoroughly British yet equally delightful alternative to Greece’s beloved tavernas.

For those with a passion for both history and the great outdoors, Polperro delivers on all fronts, with its rich maritime heritage proudly on display at its lively harbour, where local vessels have dropped anchor for centuries.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Polperro was a bustling hub for pilchard fishing and smuggling. According to Holiday Cottages Polperro, “pilchards were caught in huge numbers by Polperro Gaffers, large gaff-rigged boats of which there were once 40 operating out of the harbour.”

“The fish once caught were processed in the village and this provided work for many women and children. There were three factories by the harbour involved in this and here the pilchards were salted and then cured.”

Stunning coastal walks along the surrounding clifftops offer breathtaking panoramas of the sea below, with the famous South West Coast Path weaving directly through the village itself.

What makes Polperro all the more attractive is how conveniently situated it is within Cornwall. Just a short drive from well-loved spots such as Fowey and Looe, it serves as an ideal base from which to explore the wider region.

Loved ones and healthcare workers gathered for the burial of a doctor who died after treating Ebola patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Fears among frontline medical teams are growing as the outbreak worsens, with more than 900 suspected cases of the virus.

The BBC’s hit thriller filmed in Bristol and Somerset has finally returned for its second season, but where was it filmed?

Fans want to know if Little Kilton is a real place.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is back today (Wednesday, 27th May) and sees Pip Fitz-Amobi (played by Emma Myers) delving into another chilling missing person case.

This time, she’s determined to put predator Max Hastings (Henry Ashton) behind bars, but the disappearance of a key witness, Connor’s older brother Jamie, pushes her investigative skills to the limit.

Based on the bestselling novels by Holly Black, the first series became a huge hit thanks to its addictive, edge-of-your-seat twists and a global release on Netflix.

It is also famously filmed in Bristol and other parts of the West Country, standing in for Pip’s fictional village of Little Kilton.

With six thrilling new episodes now streaming on iPlayer, let’s take a look a little closer at the locations used in the second season.

Where was A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder season 2 filmed?

The second series of the popular BBC and Netflix drama was once again filmed around Bristol and Somerset.

Much of the show’s interior scenes are shot at Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol, which reportedly includes the likes of school classrooms, investigation rooms, and darker interiors for the murder-mystery show’s more suspenseful scenes.

Bristol itself was also used for more urban areas of Little Kilton to highlight the second outing’s gritty tone. Clifton Village in central Bristol, including the Clifton Suspension Bridge, can also be seen briefly.

Standing in for the idyllic village of Little Kilton is Axbridge, a small town near Cheddar, Somerset.

The town square, the Old Station and Chestnut Avenue were all closed for filming in 2025, with a memorial, flags, and other decor put up for key scenes including the memorial service which kicks off season two. Axbridge’s St John the Baptist Church can also be seen.

Season two director Asim Abassi confirmed: “We filmed Little Kilton in the town of Axbridge, which is lovely but small, so you get the challenges of a tight-knit community curious about filming. But it is wonderfully quaint and perfect for Little Kilton.”

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Another key location this time around is an abandoned manor, which actor Zain Iqbal, who portrays Pip’s boyfriend Ravi, confirms is near Bristol.

And Abassi revealed it was his “favourite” location, adding: “It was originally meant to be something else, but I pushed for it to be a manor, so I am personally attached to it.

“It ended up being a phenomenal location and, to me, captures the essence of season 2.”

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder season 2 is available on BBC iPlayer and internationally on Netflix.

The catalog of unrequited hopes and hearts is a long one.

Captain Ahab went mad in his vengeful search for “Moby Dick.” Jay Gatsby’s ostentatious fortune failed to win the love of Daisy Buchanan. Charlie Brown never kicked the football.

Then there’s Texas, the land of broken Democratic dreams.

It’s been half a century since the party carried Texas in a presidential election. The last time Democrats won a statewide office, back in 1994, “The Lion King” was smashing box office records, Boyz II Men ruled the radio and the World Wide Web was about to change everything.

As Texas grew increasingly Republican, and politically beyond reach, Democrats insisted every election year was the one when they’d end their futility and take back power in either Washington or Austin, the state capital.

It never happened.

But is this, finally, the year?

With Ken Paxton stomping incumbent John Cornyn on Tuesday in a fierce and astronomically expensive U.S. Senate primary, many Democrats believe so — and even neutral observers agree they’ve been handed their best shot at resurrection in a good while.

“Paxton is going to be a much tougher guy [for Republicans] to haul over the finish line five months from now as opposed to Cornyn, who never lost an election until this one,” said Richard Murray, an emeritus political science professor at the University of Houston, who spent decades surveying Texas voters. “We’re looking at a very expensive, hard-fought race.”

Paxton, Texas’ three-term attorney general, is a singularly flawed candidate. Indicted, impeached, accused by his ex-wife of adultery, the GOP nominee is, to put it mildly, “an ethically challenged individual,” as the famously understated (and concerned) Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins put it.

But Paxton was the choice of President Trump — he, too, of impeachment, indictment and adulterous infamy — and that settled that.

Trump described Cornyn, a four-term senator and former justice of the Texas Supreme Court, as a “good man” but insufficiently supportive when “times were tough.” Among those occasions of abandonment, Cornyn voted to certify the incontrovertible result of the 2020 presidential election, thwarting Trump’s bid to illegally stay in office.

The Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate is James Talarico, 37, a state representative from Austin and a Presbyterian seminarian and former public schoolteacher who’s built a nationwide following with his articulate and scriptural takedown of Republican foes. Imagine Beto O’Rourke with a clerical collar and capacity to mint money.

In 2018, O’Rourke came from seemingly nowhere and nearly upset Republican Ted Cruz in the closest Texas Senate race in decades. Before that it was the filibustering Wendy Davis who fired up Democratic imaginations nationwide. She commandeered the floor of the state Senate to briefly block antiabortion legislation — This is the year! — before falling well short in a 2014 bid for governor.

The key difference this time, with all due credit to Talarico and his prodigious fundraising, is his damaged-goods opponent. Normally, all it takes to win in Texas is a Republican ‘R’ beside a candidate’s name. But polling suggests a not-insignificant number of GOP voters could have a hard time supporting Paxton, which doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll back Talarico. They may simply not vote in the Senate race, which could be nearly as costly.

(The counterargument is that Paxton, a martyred hero to the MAGA movement, could boost turnout among the party base at a time Trump is leaking support within the establishment GOP.)

Either way, the president’s me-first political self-indulgence is not making things any easier for his fellow Republicans as they fight to hang on to control of the House and Senate in November.

In the 2022 midterm election, Trump boosted a batch of unappealing misfits — their sole attribute being their fealty to him — with poor results. Republicans lost eminently winnable Senate contests in Arizona, Georgia, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania and, with it, their chance at control of the chamber.

Even if Paxton prevails in November, Trump’s endorsement could prove quite costly to the GOP, and not just in the figurative sense.

Democrats need a gain of four seats to flip the Senate. To do so, they must successfully defend seats in Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota and New Hampshire and then pick up at least four others from a menu that includes Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio and, now, Texas.

It’s a considerable reach. But Democratic chances look a lot better than they did just a few months ago, before Trump mired the country in an Iranian quagmire and the price of gas and just about everything else began to sail through the ceiling.

Holding on to Cornyn’s seat will end up costing Republicans a kingly sum — money that “can’t be spent in two places at the same time,” as Matt Mackowiak, a longtime Texas GOP strategist and advisor to Cornyn’s campaign, noted. “It can go either to Michigan, New Hampshire, Georgia, Iowa, Alaska. Or it can go here to Texas, which is extremely expensive.”

Odds are against Talarico and Democrats winning the Senate race in November, because Texas remains, fundamentally, a Republican and conservative-leaning state. Paxton may win for that reason and that reason alone.

“This is as good an environment as Democrats are going to get realistically,” said Jim Henson, head of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas in Austin, who’s witnessed many highly touted Democrats fail in a blaze of unwarranted hype. “But when you start doing the math, it’s a little bit hard to see it all adding up.”

Which is not to say it can’t happen.

Truth, as the saying goes, can be stranger than “Moby Dick” or any other fiction.

Dodgers rout Rockies, but lose Kiké Hernández

From Maddie Lee: Dodgers utility man Kiké Hernández sat with manager Dave Roberts on the dugout bench for a while after he was lifted from a 15-6 win over the Rockies on Tuesday with what the team later called a left oblique strain.

“He understood how frustrated I was,” Hernández said, “and he was trying to get me to keep my head up.”

The Dodgers plan to put Hernández on the 10-day injured list and recall infielder Alex Freeland, Roberts said after the game. Hernández expects to know more about the severity of the injury Wednesday.

“It’s a bummer,” Roberts said after the game. “He’s missed a lot of time and worked hard to get back, was in great shape, added that spark that we had hoped.”

It was his second game of the season, after starting the year on the injured list after offseason surgery on his left elbow. And he was driving the ball hard.

But he said he initially tweaked his oblique before his season debut, during batting practice Monday.

“I was pretty embarrassed about it,” Hernández said. “I thought it was just weird tightness. Never done an oblique before. So I didn’t really know what I was feeling. Came in today, wasn’t feeling great. I got treatment, but I thought I could play. … Compared to some of the things I’ve played through in the past, it was nothing.

“And, yeah, it was a little more than nothing”

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Dodgers box score

MLB standings

New Dodger Eric Lauer got early help from Mark Prior

From Maddie Lee: For a 20-year-old Eric Lauer, fresh out of Kent State University in 2016, talking pitching with Mark Prior made the big leagues feel closer.

“We were so young,” Lauer said in a conversation with The Times, “that it was kind of funny, because everybody was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s Mark Prior.’ ”

Prior, the beloved former Cubs All-Star, finished third in NL Cy Young voting when Lauer was 8 years old.

“He was one of the first experiences I had where I was like, ‘OK, like, these elite big leaguers are just normal guys. They’re just like us.’ ”

Prior was a “high-level thinker,” as Lauer put it, who steered Lauer toward in-depth self-evaluation. But he also was just “a normal dude.”

The two have reunited with the Dodgers. Lauer — who held the Rockies to one run and four hits in his six-inning Dodgers debut Tuesday — was a midseason addition as injuries thinned the team’s starting pitching depth. Prior has been on the Dodgers’ coaching staff since 2018, serving as the pitching coach since the 2020 season.

But when they first met, Lauer was a Padres 2016 first-round draft pick and Prior was the minor-league pitching coordinator.

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Angels win fourth in a row

Vaughn Grissom hit a grand slam and drove in six runs as the Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 10-6 on Tuesday night.

Detroit led 6-4 going into the eighth, and Will Vest (1-4) got the first two out with a runner on second. Logan O’Hoppe’s double made it a one-run score, Zach Neto singled and Mike Trout walked to load the bases.

Facing his ninth batter of the game — matching a career high — Vest fell behind 2-0 before Grissom homered to right-center field to give the Angels the 9-6 lead.

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Angels box score

MLB standings

U.S. World Cup roster announced

From Kevin Baxter: Mauricio Pochettino knows the joy of making a World Cup roster. But he also knows the misery of being left off one.

In the first case, you want to celebrate; in the second, you want to be left alone.

The U.S. coach said he kept both emotions in mind when informing players they had — or had not — made the roster for next month’s tournament, a roster that was formally announced Tuesday during a sun-splashed, made-for-TV rally in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge, about 13 miles from where July’s World Cup final will be played.

“The most important event is to be in any single roster,” said Pochettino, who made Argentina’s team for the 2002 World Cup after being passed over four years earlier.

So when Pochettino decided which 26 men would be on his team this summer, each of them got a WhatsApp message, followed by a video, sent out at 1 p.m. Eastern Time Friday. Defender Tim Ream said he received the message as he walked to his car after training with his club team in Charlotte, N.C.

U.S. World Cup roster

Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)

Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergiño Dest (PSV), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Celtic)

Midfielders: Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen)

Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Tim Weah (Marseille), Haji Wright (Coventry City), Alejandro Zendejas (Club América)

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Major League Volleyball comes to L.A.

From Marisa Ingemi: Los Angeles is getting another pro women’s volleyball team.

Major League Volleyball announced it will expand to L.A. in 2027, adding another team to the growing professional volleyball market.

The team will be co-owned by billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who also owns the Los Angeles Times and is a minority owner of the Lakers. He will operate the team alongside Ben Priest, a former investor of MLV’s Omaha Supernovas, one of the league’s first teams.

Sportico reported the duo are paying an expansion fee around $15 million-$20 million to join the five-year-old operation.

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Chargers, Derwin James agree to contract extension

Five-time Pro Bowl safety Derwin James and the Chargers have agreed to a multiyear extension.

The team announced the deal Tuesday. James was entering the final year of his contract, and general manager Joe Hortiz had said that keeping the five-time Associated Press All-Pro was a priority.

James has helped the Chargers’ defense rank fourth in the NFL in total defense over the last two years, allowing 304.8 total net yards per game. The team led the league in 2024 by allowing just 17.7 points per game.

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Kelsey Plum injured

Sparks guard Kelsey Plum sprained her ankle during practice Tuesday.

The team said she’ll be reevaluated next week.

Plum is leading the WNBA in scoring with a career-best 26.8 points per game, while shooting 59% from the floor and 49% from three-point range. Her 6.3 assists average is also a career high.

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This day in sports history

1823 — A $20,000 match race between American Eclipse (representing The North) and Henry (representing The South) is held at Union Course, Long Island, N.Y. American Eclipse wins in two-of-three heats, after his original jockey, William Crafts, is replaced by Samuel Purdy before the second heat. The race, witnessed by 60,000 spectators, is the first to have been timed by split-second chronometers, which were imported for the event.

1873 — Survivor is the winner of the first Preakness Stakes.

1882 — Trainer Robert Walden wins his fifth consecutive Preakness Stakes, with Vanguard. Walden would win a total of seven Preaknesses, a record for a trainer.

1961 — Fiorentina of Italy win 1st European Cup Winner’s Cup against Glasgow Rangers 4-2 in Florence (2nd leg).

1964 — European Cup Final, Praterstadion, Vienna: Internazionale beats Real Madrid, 3-1 for their first title.

1965 — 10th European Cup Final, San Siro, Milan: Jair da Costa scores winner as defending champions Internazionale beat Benfica, 1-0.

1968 — “Papa Bear” George Halas retires as head coach of the Chicago Bears.

1972 — Mark Donohue wins the Indianapolis 500 over two-time defending champion Al Unser with a record average speed of 162.962 mph.

1975 — The Philadelphia Flyers win their second straight Stanley Cup with a 2-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 6.

1981 — Willie Shoemaker wins his 8,000th race and then three more. Shoemaker gets the milestone on top of War Allied in the first race at Hollywood Park.

1981 — Julius Erving of the Philadelphia 76ers is named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, making him the only player to win MVP honors in the NBA and the ABA.

1981 — 25th European Cup: Liverpool beats Real Madrid 1-0 at Paris.

1982 — The Lakers, despite an 11-day layoff, beat Philadelphia 124-117 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals for their ninth consecutive victory. The nine straight wins sets the NBA record for consecutive wins during one postseason.

1984 — Rick Mears wins the Indianapolis 500 by the largest margin in 17 years with a record-setting 163.612 mph. Mears beats Roberto Guerrero and Al Unser by two laps. Fifteen of the 33 drivers are eliminated during two crashes.

1985 — Scott Wedman sinks four three-point field goals without a miss and shot 11-for-11 overall from the field, both NBA Finals records, as Boston routs the Lakers 148-114 in Game 1. Boston’s 148 points and 62 field goals are NBA Finals records.

1987 — 31st European Cup: Porto beats Bayern Munich 2-1 at Vienna.

1990 — Arie Luyendyk wins the fastest Indianapolis 500 by overpowering former winner Bobby Rahal over the final 33 laps, for his first Indy car victory in 76 races. His average speed of 185.984 mph breaks Rahal’s record of 170.722 in 1986. Luyendyk becomes the first to finish the race in under three hours.

1998 — In one of the biggest upsets in Grand Slam history, Pete Sampras is ousted at the French Open by 21-year-old Ramon Delgado of Paraguay, ranked 97th in the world, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, 6-4.

2001 — Hicham El Guerrouj runs the fastest outdoor mile ever in the United States, and high school sensation Alan Webb breaks four minutes outdoors. El Guerrouj wins in a sizzling 3 minutes, 49.92 seconds, shattering the U.S. all-comers’ record of 3:50.86. Webb, the 18-year-old from Reston, Va., puts on a brilliant last-lap burst and finishes fifth at 3:53.43, smashing the high school record of 3:55.3 set by Jim Ryun in 1965.

2001 — Senior PGA Championship, Ridgewood CC, NJ: 5-time British Open champion Tom Watson wins first of 6 Champions Tour major titles with a 1 stroke win over Jim Thorpe.

2004 — Brad Richards’ goal in Tampa Bay’s 4-1 victory over Calgary is the game-winner — his record-tying sixth of the postseason.

2007 — Dario Franchitti gambles on the rain and wins the Indy 500. Franchitti inherits the lead by staying on the track when the leaders pit for fuel and then drives slowly to the checkered flag in a downpour when the race is stopped 10 laps later after 415 of the scheduled 500 miles.

2007 — Senior PGA Championship, Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Ocean Course: Denis Watson of Zimbabwe wins his lone major title by a 2 stroke margin from Eduardo Romero of Argentina.

2009 — UEFA Champions League Final, Rome: Barcelona beats Manchester United, 2-0; first Spanish treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League.

2011 — Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki loses to Daniela Hantuchova 6-1, 6-3 in the third round of the French Open. It marks the first time in the Open era that the top two seeded women fail to make the round of 16 at a Grand Slam tournament. Kim Clijsters, the No. 2 seed, lost on May 26.

2012 — Dario Franchitti wins the Indianapolis for the third time, taking advantage when Takuma Sato crashes on the final lap.

2012 — Manu Ginobili scores 26 points and San Antonio wins its 19th in a row to tie the NBA record for longest winning streak in the playoffs. The Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 101-98 to open the Western Conference finals.

2014 — The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater becomes the only school in NCAA history to win championships in football, men’s basketball and baseball in the same school year.

2017 — English FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London: Arsenal beats Chelsea, 2-1; Aaron Ramsey scores 79′ winner as Arsène Wenger becomes most successful manager in FA Cup history, winning his 7th title.

2018 — Chris Frome wins the Giro d’Italia to join cycling greats Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault with his third consecutive Grand Tour victory.

2018 — Senior PGA Championship, GC at Harbor Shores: Englishman Paul Broadhurst wins by 4 strokes from American Tim Petrovic.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1904 — Dennis McGann of the New York Giants stole five bases in one game to set a major league record.

1937 — Carl Hubbell, working in relief for the New York Giants, won his 24th straight game over two seasons. Hubbell pitched two innings and Mel Ott hit a ninth-inning home run to beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2. Hubbell’s string started July 17, 1936.

1955 — Norm Zauchin of the Boston Red Sox knocked in 10 runs with three home runs and a double in the first five innings of a 16-0 victory over the Washington Senators.

1960 — Baltimore catcher Clint Courtney used the “big mitt” for the first time to catch knuckleball pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm. The mitt, designed by Paul Richards, was 50% larger than the standard. Nothing got by Courtney as the Orioles beat the New York Yankees 3-2.

1968 — Montreal and San Diego were awarded National League franchises as the league expanded for the first time in seven years.

1974 — Pittsburgh’s Ken Brett beat the San Diego Padres 6-0 with a two-hitter and in the second game of the doubleheader, hit a pinch-hit triple to give the Pirates an 8-7 victory.

1981 — Seattle’s Lenny Randle dropped to his hands and knees in an attempt to “encourage” Amos Otis’ slow roller to go foul. Umpire Larry McCoy accused the Mariner third baseman of blowing the ball foul and gave the Kansas City outfielder the single. Randle explained he was merely yelling at the ball not to stay fair. The Royals won 8-5.

1986 — At Cleveland, the Boston Red Sox were leading the Indians, 2-0, in the sixth inning when the game was delayed then called on account of fog.

1995 — Oakland’s Steve Ontiveros pitched 3-0 one-hitter against the New York Yankees. Luis Polonia got the only hit for New York.

1997 — Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr. broke his own major league record for home runs hit through May by connecting for his 23rd of the season in an 11-10 loss to Minnesota. Griffey’s homer broke the mark he set in 1994.

2004 — Carlos Pena was 6-for-6 with two home runs, five RBIs and four runs in Detroit’s 17-7 victory over Kansas City.

2009 — Daisuke Matsuzaka and the rest of Boston’s pitchers tied a modern-day record with six wild pitches. Matsuzaka tied a franchise record set 80 years ago with four, while relievers Manny Delcarmen and Justin Masterson also sent catcher George Kottaras scrambling. It was just the fifth time since 1900 that a team threw six wild pitches in a game.

2010 — Florida International’s Garrett Wittels extended his hitting streak to 50 games with a third-inning single against Western Kentucky. Wittels moved within eight games of matching the NCAA Division I record of 58, set by Oklahoma State’s Robin Ventura in 1987.

2012 — Taylor Sewitt threw 11 shutout innings of relief, entering the game with no outs in the first, to help Manhattan College beat Canisius 3-2, for the school’s second straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title.

2012 — Paul Konerko hit a tiebreaking three-run homer — his 400th with the White Sox — and Chicago routed the Cleveland Indians 12-6. The offensive outburst gave Chicago nine or more runs in four consecutive games. The White Sox last accomplished that feat June 27-30, 1938.

2015 — Cubs pitcher Jon Lester sets a new record for most hitless at bats to begin a career with 58 at bats without a hit.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

A family of travel enthusiasts were left in awe when they visited what has been hailed the ‘Hawaii of the UK’ that’s the home to white-sand beaches, wild dolphins and seals

Travellers have been left stunned after discovering the ‘Hawaii of UK’, which features breathtaking beaches and countryside, and is even home to wild dolphins and seals. While the UK isn’t know for it’s nice and sunny weather, with most tourists imagining grey skies and constant rain, there are some areas that get better weather than others that can be enjoyed with it’s stunning nature.

While Cornwall alone is packed with stunning beaches and natural beauty that can make visitors feel like they’ve travelled abroad. But if you fancy venturing beyond Cornwall, there are plenty of alternatives for a memorable staycation within the UK, with many taking to social media to reveal their favourite staycation recommendations.

The Wirths, a family of travel lovers who regularly use TikTok to document their adventures, frequently share their preferred family-friendly locations with their 69,900 followers.

In a recent clip, the family travelled to what’s been dubbed the ‘Hawaii of the UK’, boasting spectacular scenery, pristine sandy shores and glorious weather that creates the illusion of a tropical escape.

“We thought getting to this tiny island was cool… we weren’t prepared for it to look like this,” the caption declared at the beginning of the footage.

The clip continued to document their voyage to the destination in question, which involved boarding a compact Skybus aircraft before departure, soaring above dazzling turquoise seas and islands fringed with white sandy beaches prior to touching down at the airport.

“BRB, mentally relocating to Tresco Island,” they wrote in the caption. “Can you believe this is the UK? Welcome to the Isles of Scilly – a tranquil, subtropical archipelago located just 28 miles off the Cornish coast!”

Nestled 28 miles off the Cornish coastline, the Isles of Scilly are an unspoilt, subtropical archipelago that remains one of Britain’s best-kept secrets. Celebrated for their immaculate white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters and remarkably temperate climate, the islands are frequently dubbed the ‘Hawaii of UK’. Just five of the landmasses are inhabited — St. Mary’s, Tresco, St. Martin’s, Bryher, and St. Agnes.

Tresco itself is a private, car-free island, renowned for its subtropical climate, stunning beaches and the world-famous Abbey Garden. It provides a serene, upmarket retreat complete with fine dining, a spa and an abundance of coastal wildlife.

Although the islands are entirely car-free, getting there is straightforward — hop aboard a Skybus plane and you’ll arrive in just 20 minutes, or take the much-loved Scillonian ferry for a scenic voyage where dolphin sightings are not uncommon.

The family went on to share their personal highlights, including cycling through the island’s traffic-free sandy lanes, spending leisurely days on the beach hunting for shells and spotting seals, exploring ancient castles, and unwinding at the Tresco Spa and its swimming pool.

The family also ventured to Tresco Abbey Gardens, which houses plants from every Mediterranean climate zone. Established in the 19th century, it has become a haven for more than 2,000 exotic species from the southern hemisphere and subtropics — spanning from Brazil to New Zealand, Myanmar to South Africa. The family revealed there’s also an entertaining scavenger hunt available for children.

Regarding the balmy conditions, the Isles of Scilly enjoy an almost tropical feel courtesy of the Gulf Stream, enabling tourists to experience the sensation of an overseas getaway without ever leaving British shores.

Viewers quickly flooded the comments section with their reactions, with many expressing astonishment that such a place existed in the UK.

“I WANNA BE A LOCAL SO BAD,” one individual declared, while another commented: “literally found these islands scrolling on Google maps bored at work once… obsessed ever since.

“I need to visit a Tesco in Tresco just because I’m sad like that,” a third person remarked.

Brits should take note of strict dress code rules in a number of holiday hotspots across Spain, Portugal, Italy and Croatia with hefty fines for rule-breakers

Brits planning to hit the beach or pool in the likes of Spain, Portugal, Italy and Croatia this summer may want to take note of some strict rules, or risk potentially hefty fines.

In recent years, a number of holiday hotspots have clamped down on dress codes for both locals and tourists, particularly when it comes to the likes of bikinis, pool cover-ups and swim shorts.

The issue isn’t that people are wearing these on the beaches, but rather when they wander into local towns. In fact, since 2022 Italian hotspot Sorrento has banned wearing swimwear away from beaches and pools. Anyone caught flouting the restrictions could face fines of up to €500 (approximately £433).

You’re not going to get a fine if you’re walking around your hotel or a beach club in your swimwear, or if you’re at a pool or beach. However, if you stay in your swimwear to walk into the town and try to enter shops or restaurants, that’s where you could potentially face some trouble.

We take a look at some of the holiday hotspots with these strict rules below…

Spain dress code rules

A number of Spanish hotspots have been introducing beachwear dresscodes in recent years. In Barcelona you could face fines of up to £260 for wandering around the town, while in Majorca you could face fines of up to £500 if you’re wearing beachwear away from the main beaches and pools. The rule also applies to anyone wandering around shirtless. Plenty of restaurants also have firm signs and rules banning visitors from wearing beachwear in their establishments.

Meanwhile in Malaga, wandering into the city centre in your beachwear could land you a fine of up to €300 (approximately £259).

Italy dress code rules

In Sorrento, locals have argued that they’re trying to protect the area’s decency with the rules, and swerve people rocking up to lunch spots in just swim shorts or bikinis. The ban doesn’t just apply to swimwear; it also applies to visitors who walk around the town topless.

Portofino, Positano and Capri all enforce similar rules with with fines of up to €500 (approximately £433) if you’re spotted walking around the main town in beachwear.

Other Italian hotspots with similar restrictions include Venice where walking around the historic city centre in swimwear or bare-chested is strictly prohibited, and could land you an on-the-spot fine of up to €250 (approximately £216).

Portugal dress code rules

In Albufeira, new dress codes were brought into force last year. That includes fines from €300 to €1,500 (approximately £259-£1298) for those who are found wearing swimwear outside of beach or pool zones, for example when wandering down the town streets. The dress codes came as part of a wider crackdown on unruly tourist behaviour.

Croatia dress code rules

In Dubrovnik, tourists are banned from entering the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town in swimwear or shirtless, with fines of up to €700 for rule-breakers (approximately £606). It’s not the only Croatian city to enforce rules of this nature; in Split, you could face fees from €150 (approximately £129).

Meanwhile over on the party island of Hvar, new rules include fines for wandering around in swimwear or being shirtless out and about in town.

Have you been caught out by a holiday hotspot’s dress code? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com.

It comes as hundreds of thousands of Brits leave the UK for a break

Jet2 has released an update regarding its half-term travel operations. This follows ongoing concerns about the potential impact of the US-Iran war and jet fuel supplies, though airlines including Jet2 and Ryanair have maintained there will be no immediate disruption.

In its statement released today (Wednesday, May 27), Jet2 revealed it had experienced its busiest weekend on record. It announced that it had seen an unprecedented number of passengers departing from airports across the UK for the May half-term break.

The most popular destinations during half-term included the Balearics, Canaries, Turkey, Mainland Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Croatia and Bulgaria, as travellers capitalised on the key holiday period.

Jet2 is preparing for a hectic summer season and has an extensive programme available, with a fleet of 139 aircraft transporting passengers on their getaways from 14 UK airports to locations across Europe, the Mediterranean, Canary Islands and North Africa.

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2, said: “This weekend saw us operate a record-breaking weekend, as customers took advantage of the bank holiday weekend and May half-term and took off to the sunshine. Given the number of customers who travelled with us over the weekend, it is very clear how much people want to get away and enjoy their well-deserved holidays. With our famous Red Team looking after customers, holidaymakers can look forward to creating memories and be assured of a wonderful holiday.

“Everything is geared up and ready for a busy summer and our message to holidaymakers is that summer is very much on. We have always been very clear about our plans to operate as normal this summer, and the busy weekend shows just how eager customers are to get away.”

This follows the firm reassuring passengers that ‘summer is on‘ despite mounting concerns over jet fuel availability. The optimistic stance comes after the airline and tour operator received encouraging updates from fuel suppliers, who have confirmed increased production and extra imports of jet fuel.

It follows a report published just last week which saw Jet2 top a UK resilience ranking as the best protected UK airline against elevated fuel costs.

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary echoed similar views on jet fuel, stating he had ‘no issues over jet fuel supply right now through to the end of September‘. However, he cautioned that he was ‘very concerned about the price of oil’ due to the ongoing disruption at the Strait of Hormuz.

This could result in ‘airlines failing all over Europe’, he warned. Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline by passenger numbers, announced on Monday that future profits would also likely take a hit.

POWER banks have been banned from hold luggage for a decade – but some passengers are still not following the rules.

In one case, a plane was recently diverted when a power bank was found charging in the hold, and experts say these problems are ‘on the rise’.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

While they’re ideal for travellers to charge phones and devices – battery powered charging banks are causing chaos for airlines.

The lithium in portable chargers mean that they pose a risk of overheating and even catching fire.

As a result, there has been a ban on having power banks in hold luggage since 2016.

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Airlines ask passengers to take portable power banks in hand luggage, but they strictly can’t be used in-flight.

However, not everyone is following the rules.

Just a few days ago, an easyJet flight was forced to divert when a passenger informed crew during the flight that the portable charger was in the hold of the aircraft.

The flight had been heading to London Luton from Hurghada in Egypt but had to land in Rome as a ‘precaution’.

The airline said the captain had decided to divert “in line with safety regulations”.

The flight touched down safely at Rome Fiumicino and was rescheduled to the following day.

Sadly, travel experts say the situation is likely to get worse.

Jonathan Nicholson from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that incidents involving power banks are “certainly on the rise” as portable chargers grow in popularity.

The CAA said “more awareness” was needed as portable chargers carry “serious risks” of overheating or catching fire.

Jonathan Nicholson urged travellers to follow a “basic set of international rules” when it comes to power banks.

The first is to always take them with you on board the aircraft, not in checked luggage.

The other is to only take a maximum of two power banks per passenger.

When on board the aircraft, don’t use them and “absolutely do not charge the power bank itself because that’s when they become really hot and most susceptible to having an issue”.

A number of airlines have since banned the use of power banks in the cabin as well, after an airline fire last year resulted in the plane being destroyed.

Iranian and US forces have continued to exchange strikes despite an April ceasefire, fuelling tensions across the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, while raising fears the fragile truce could unravel as mediation efforts continue in Doha.

On Monday, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out new strikes on southern Iran, targeting missile sites and boats allegedly attempting to place naval mines. It said the attacks had been carried out in “self-defence” to protect US troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.

On Tuesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had downed a US drone and fired at a jet and another drone that entered Iranian airspace, according to state media. Iran also said it retained the “legitimate and definite” right to respond to any violations of the ceasefire.

Since a temporary ceasefire was announced on April 8, Iran has continued to control shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies are shipped in peacetime, while US forces have enforced a corresponding blockade on Iranian ports. Negotiations for a long-term ceasefire are ongoing, but repeated military flare-ups in the meantime underscore the deep mistrust between the two sides, experts say, as Iran and the US jostle for leverage amid a back-and-forth of peace proposals from both sides.

Here is what has happened since the ceasefire:

April 8: Ceasefire announced after 40 days of war

The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, as negotiations between Washington and Tehran progressed via mediators, amid claims that Iran was developing nuclear weapons. While the US and Israel provided no evidence to support their allegation, Iran continued to deny. It responded with missiles and drones targeting Israel and US military and infrastructure assets in the Gulf region and the wider Middle East.

On April 8, following mediation by Pakistan, the two sides agreed to a two-week pause in fighting to allow for further negotiations. Delegations from both countries met in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, but failed to reach a broader agreement, with draft proposals exchanged through Pakistani mediators in an attempt to end the conflict. The ceasefire was extended to allow for more proposals to be exchanged.

At least 3,468 people – aged between eight months and 88 years – have been killed in US-Israeli attacks on Iran since February 28, according to its Ministry of Health. They included seven infants, 376 children and 496 women.

At least 26 Israelis have been killed and 7,791 wounded in Iranian attacks, while the US military has confirmed 13 combat-related deaths across the region. Dozens of people were also killed in the Gulf countries. Lebanon remains the worst hit in the region, where, despite a ceasefire, Israel continues to carry out attacks amid its ground invasion. More than 3,200 people have been killed, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.

April 10: Kuwait accuses Iran of drone attacks

The ceasefire faced near-immediate strain when Kuwait said seven drones entered its airspace on April 10. It accused Iran and allied armed groups of the attacks.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it described as violations of its sovereignty and airspace. Separately, the US Department of State accused Iran-linked armed groups in Iraq of launching attacks from Iraqi territory. However, Iran denied any role in the attacks, saying it had not targeted any Gulf country since the ceasefire began.

April 12: US naval blockade deepens tensions

Four days into the ceasefire – and following the collapse of direct talks in Islamabad – the US announced a naval blockade targeting maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports, after talks mediated by Pakistan collapsed. The US argued that Iran had benefitted from continuing to export oil, while the Strait of Hormuz was closed to nearly all other shipping.

The blockade formally came into effect the following day, although Washington said vessels travelling to non-Iranian ports would be allowed past.

Iran condemned the move as “illegal”, warning that ports in the Gulf region would not be safe if Iranian ports were threatened.

The blockade came after Iran tightened its control over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, restricting some foreign ships while allowing passage to countries it viewed as friendly.

The International Maritime Organization has said no country has the right to block shipping in international transit straits.

April 18-22: Ship seizures, attacks at sea

On April 18, Iranian forces fired on two Indian ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which it said did not have permission to pass.

Maritime tensions escalated further on April 20, when US forces seized an Iranian container ship near the Gulf in a move Iran described as an “act of piracy“. CENTCOM and US President Donald Trump said the vessel, the Iran-flagged Touska, had ignored orders to withdraw from its route through the Strait of Hormuz.

Days later, on April 22, the IRGC fired on three ships in the strait and seized two foreign container vessels, the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and the Liberian-flagged Epaminondas, saying they lacked authorisation to transit the waterway.

The incident came the day after Trump extended the ceasefire while maintaining the US naval blockade on Iranian ports.

May 4: UAE refinery fire blamed on Iran

On May 4, the United Arab Emirates accused Iran of launching missiles and drones at the country, triggering a fire at an oil refinery in Fujairah and wounding three Indian nationals.

The UAE said its air defences had intercepted 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones launched from Iran. Abu Dhabi condemned what it described as “unprovoked Iranian attacks” on civilian infrastructure.

The UAE said the attacks were the first on its territory since the ceasefire had commenced on April 8. The strikes came as Trump launched a new effort to escort stranded oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, much of which had remained closed since the war began.

Iran’s military warned commercial vessels against accepting US escorts and threatened to attack if they entered the strait. Trump abandoned the effort after one day.

May 14: Commercial vessels targeted again

On May 14, an Indian cargo ship transporting livestock from Africa to the UAE sank off the coast of Oman, while the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that “unauthorised personnel” boarded another vessel near Fujairah and redirected it towards Iran.

India condemned the attack, saying commercial shipping and civilian sailors continued to be targeted despite the ceasefire.

May 17: Drone strike close to UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant

A drone strike has sparked a fire on the perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), raising new concerns over a potential new regional escalation amid a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States.

Authorities in Abu Dhabi said the blaze broke out at an electrical generator outside the plant’s inner perimeter in the Al Dhafra region on Sunday. No injuries were reported, and officials said radiation levels remained normal. The UAE did not specifically blame Iran, but said the drones ⁠had been launched from the “western border”.

May 17: Drones intercepted in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia also said it intercepted three drones fired from Iraqi airspace. The Saudi ⁠defence ministry said it would take “necessary operational measures” in the event of any attempt to violate its sovereignty and security.

Talks continue despite distrust

Diplomatic efforts to secure a broader peace agreement are continuing. Senior officials from Iran travelled to Qatar this week for negotiations aimed at ending the US-Israel war on Iran, with discussions reportedly focused on the release of frozen Iranian assets.

Iran is also seeking sanctions relief for its oil and petrochemical exports during a proposed 60-day period to hold talks about its nuclear programme. A further proposed 30-day timeframe would see the US lift its blockade of Iranian oil ports while Tehran restores commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran is also seeking guarantees related to a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israel continues to strike and occupy towns and villages in the south of the country. Meanwhile, Trump is reportedly attempting to link the negotiations to efforts for Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan to normalise ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords.

Analysts say any agreement remains politically sensitive, with deep distrust persisting as all sides seek leverage to secure a deal they can present domestically as a victory.

THE UK’S best beach is more than just a pretty face – it could even make you feel like you are thousands of miles away.

Traeth Llanddwyn in Anglesey, Wales was named the UK’s best beach, and is unique by having the main beach backed by a forest.

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Named the best beach in the UK for 2026 by Time Out, Traeth Llanddwyn stretches for 3.5 miles and according to some visitors on TripAdvisor, you “could be in the Caribbean”.

Standing on the Blue Flag beach, visitors can see the peaks of Eryri National Park as well as see across the Irish Sea.

Backing the beach is Newborough National Nature Reserve and Forest with Corsican pines – one of the best spots in Wales to see red squirrels.

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The pines were planted around 70 years ago to help support the sand dunes, and later in 1955, led to the reserve being declared the first coastal nature reserve.

There are walking trails through the reserve too.

And if this wasn’t enough to make you want to visit, at low tide you can also cross to the Llanddwyn Island – home to 16th century church ruins and the Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse.

Also on the island, you’ll find four small cottages that were originally built for pilots to help boats navigate into ports nearby.

You can even see Snowdonia from the island and might spot some wild ponies as well.

As for facilities at the beach, there are toilets as well as some barbeque areas with picnic benches.

You can also park in a car park right by the beach, which costs as little as £2.

One visitor said: “One of the best beaches we have ever seen – we have travelled worldwide and never been so pleased with our find.”

Another said: “One of the best beaches we have been to ever. Spectacular views, space and adjoining forest area for walking too.

“The walk and views walking Llanddwyn small island breathtaking.”

If you want to extend your time in the area, then at the edge of Newborough National Nature Reserve and Forest you can stay at Newborough Forest Holiday Park.

The holiday park is spread across two acres of meadow, with the beach being a short 20-minute walk away.

The site has showers, toilets, a dish-washing area, fridge and freezer, microwave and electrical hook- ups.

There’s also a Forest Chalet that sleeps up to four people and two dogs from £120 per night.

Pitches cost from just £28 per night.

Other beaches that featured on Time Out’s list include Cuckmere Haven in Sussex, named the second best beach in the UK.

Time Out commented that the “beach is popular with walkers but remains remarkably untouched, with only a handful of buildings visible”.

The spot has also made its appearance in a number of films including Atonement, A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and a Harry Potter film.

Rounding out the top three is Blackpool Sands, Devon.

The private beach does require a small entry fee to visit, but once there you’ll be greeted by golden sands and clean waters.

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding, who has visited the beach, said: “At Blackpool Sands – which is already very picturesque – you’ll find Blackpool Sands Cafe, Lounge and Restaurant.

“The tropical-looking lounge has an interior and vibe that transports you to the Mediterranean, with straw umbrellas, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and a heap of natural light.

“And it’s so close to the beach that the sand even gets inside.

“Dishes on the menu all use locally sourced ingredients, so what you’re eating feels as good as what you see. But – as you are in Devon – make sure to get their cream tea.”