The park, home to Peppa Pig World, is opening a new land in 2026 with thrill rides and a themed restaurant. Paulton’s Valgard zone is sure to be a hit when it welcomes in the public
The park is planning an entire new themed world(Image: PR Handout)
Paultons Park, a theme park known for being the home of toddler favourite Peppa Pig World, is set to expand with a new land as part of a whopping £12 million development.
The new addition, Valgard – Realm of the Vikings, is designed for older children and teenagers and is scheduled to open in spring 2026. The Viking-themed land will feature two new adrenaline-pumping rides: the inverting rollercoaster Drakon, and Vild Swing, which will whirl riders 12 metres into the air in a first-of-its-kind ride in the UK.
A sneak peek video on the park’s official YouTube page offers thrill-seekers a taste of what to expect from Drakon, promising plenty of twists and turns. An existing ride, Cobra, is also set for a revamp and will be rebranded as Raven to align with the Viking theme.
The park also plans to add a themed restaurant and a playground for younger guests to Valgard. Further expansion of Valgard is planned for 2027, including a new water ride, although details are currently being kept confidential, according to the Express.
James Mancey, deputy managing director at Paultons Park, expressed his excitement about the project, stating: “We are thrilled to share our plans for our largest and boldest investment to date. As an independent, family-owned theme park, we’re incredibly proud of the investments we make to deliver the very best guest experience. We’ve opened two brand-new rides in the last two years and with the build of Valgard firmly underway, we’re excited to open a further three, bigger-and-better-than-ever-before rides, between now and summer 2027.
“Valgard promises an immersive, atmospheric, and action-packed experience for families and has been specifically designed to grow with our fans. The introduction of inversions and a vertical lift hill on Drakon certainly up the adrenaline levels at Paultons Park, but staying true to our roots, we haven’t forgotten about the little ones and there is something for all of the family in our new Viking village.”
The fresh Viking-themed area will join the park’s existing six themed worlds, including Tornado Springs with its American setting, and Lost Kingdom which focuses on dinosaurs.
Among the park’s most famous attractions is Peppa Pig World, inspired by the beloved children’s cartoon series, which Paultons Park has been crowned the UK’s top theme park, beating out competition from Alton Towers, Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Legoland Windsor. The Hampshire-based attraction scooped the prestigious Theme Park of the Year award at the UK Theme Park Awards 2025, as well as being named Best Theme Park for Families (Large), and Best Theme Park for Toddlers (Large).
Its Ghostly Manor ride was also voted Best New Attraction.
Visitors have been quick to sing the park’s praises on Tripadvisor, with one reviewer, Ste H, describing Paultons Park as a “brilliant” place that is “spotlessly clean”. He added that the staff are “some of the friendliest people” he has ever encountered at such a venue, and that “[G]enuinely everyone we met made it perfectly clear they love working there, which is great to see.”
Another visitor, Lizzie L, shared her experience of visiting midweek, writing: “All the rides in Peppa Pig world were a walk on and the only time we queued was to meet Peppa. The theming is great and perfect for little ones.”
If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.Book Review
Fortunately for avid bibliophiles, Harper Lee was an inveterate pack rat. Born in rural Monroeville, Ala., in 1926, the author of “To Kill a Mockingbird” — whose first name is Nelle, her grandmother Ellen’s name spelled backward — spent much of her adult life in Manhattan after moving there in 1949.
First, she lived in a cold-water flat on the Upper East Side (subsisting on peanut butter sandwiches and meager bookstore and airline ticket agent salaries); then in a room in a Midtown hotel where Edith Wharton and Mark Twain once resided; a third-floor York Avenue walk-up ($20 a month for five years, where “Go Set a Watchman” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” were written); and, finally four decades at 433 E. 82nd St. There, amid “piles of her correspondence and practically every pay stub, telephone bill and canceled check ever issued to her, were notebooks and manuscripts” and eight previously unpublished early short stories and eight once-published essays and magazine articles. Those writings, discovered in her New York City apartment after she died in her Alabama hometown nine years ago, have been gathered into the welcome hybrid compendium “The Land of Sweet Forever.”
The short stories take up the first half of the collection, but it’s an unusual selection in the second half, “Essays and Miscellaneous Pieces,” that may reveal as much about the burgeoning author as the fictional juvenilia. In a contribution to “The Artists’ & Writers’ Cookbook” (1961), along with entries by Lillian Hellman, William Styron and Marianne Moore, Lee offered a one-page recipe for crackling bread, complete with the authorial observation, “some historians say by which alone fell the Confederacy.” The opening instruction is, “First, catch your pig.” After that, the ingredients (water-ground white meal, salt, baking powder, egg, milk) and directions might just as well function as an analogy for the process of writing and editing a manuscript.
In her introduction, Lee’s appointed biographer Casey Cep observes that it “takes enormous patience and unerring instincts to refine a scrap of story into something … keen and moving.” Lee admits to being “more of a rewriter than a writer.” In a 1950 letter to one of her sisters, she outlines her typical writing day, working through at least three drafts:
From around noon, work on the first draft. By dinnertime, I’ve usually put my idea down. I then stop for a sandwich or a full meal, depending on whether I’ve got to think more about the story or just finish it. After dinner, I work on a second draft, which involves sometimes tearing the story up and putting it together again in an entirely different way, or just keeping at it until everything is like I want it. Then I retype it on white paper, conforming to rules of manuscript preparation, and run out & mail it. That sounds simple, but sometimes I have worked through the night on one; usually I end up around two or three in the morning.
It’s all rather like testing, perfecting a recipe. If the product was these eight short stories, then “yes, chef” has baked a perfect loaf.
Each story illuminates Lee’s quintessential talents as the “balladeer of small-town culture” and the chronicler of city life. They display narrative skills, an acute ear for dialogue (especially the vernacular), development of fully rounded characters and vivid descriptions of settings. They also introduce subjects and significant themes — family, friendship, moral compass — that reappear in her nonfiction and novels.
Country life imposes restrictions on childhood characters in the first three stories. In “The Water Tank” anxious 12-year-old Abby Henderson, reacting to schoolyard rumors, believes she’s pregnant because she hugged a boy whose pants were unbuttoned. Anti-authoritarian first grader Dody (one of Harper’s nicknames) in “The Binoculars” is chastised for not tracing but writing her name on the blackboard. Early glimpses of “Mockingbird’s” Scout and Atticus Finch appear in the amusing “The Pinking Shears” when third grader “little Jean Louie” (without the later “s”) undermines gender rules when she whacks off a rambunctious minister’s daughter’s lengthy locks.
In New York City, where “sooner or later you meet everybody you ever knew on Fifth Avenue,” urban stress leads to a shocking monologue with an incendiary conclusion about feuding neighbors in “A Roomful of Kibble,” a frivolous kind of parlor game involving movie titles in “The Viewer and the Viewed,” and a humorous parking incident when one friend agrees to help another with lighting for a fashion show in “This Is Show Business?”
The closing title short story, “The Land of Sweet Forever,” adeptly merges locations and themes. It opens with a satirical nod to Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”: “It is a truth generally acknowledged by the citizens of Maycomb, Ala., that a single woman in possession of little else but a good knowledge of English social history must be in want of someone to talk to.” When adult Jean Louise (now with the “s”) leaves the city for home, she has a hilarious church encounter with someone she hadn’t seen since they were children, 21-year-old Talbert Wade, now with the taint of three years as an economics major at Northwestern University and a patina full of Europe, looking “suspiciously as if he had returned from a tour and had picked up a Brooks Brothers suit on the way home.” Together, they are trying to understand why the doxology, always sung “in one way and one way only” suddenly has been “pepped up” with an energetic organ accompaniment. Before it’s resolved there is an amusing anecdote about a cow obituary in verse and a concluding bow to Voltaire’s “Candide” when Jean Louise concedes that “all things happen for the best in this, the best of all possible worlds.” The story is a resounding example of Lee’s scintillating sense of wry humor.
Big themes of love, family and friendship recur in the eight previously published essays and articles (from 1961 to 2006) that appeared in Vogue, McCall’s, an American Film Institute program (about Gregory Peck), a Book of the Month Club newsletter (on the “little boy next door” Truman Capote and “In Cold Blood”), Alabama History and Heritage Festival, and O, the Oprah Magazine (a letter about the joy of learning to read). In addition to the crackling bread recipe that serves as a fingerpost to Lee’s writing process, the standout essay “Christmas to Me” details how she received a generous gift that changed her life, allowing her to become an accomplished, published writer. In 1956, best friends, lyricist-composer Michael Brown and his wife, Joy, surprised her with an envelope on the tree with a note, “You have one year off from your job to write whatever you please. Merry Christmas.” That meant $100 every month, covering more than five times her rent.
Juvenilia is tricky. It can be evanescent, exposing weaknesses or revealing strengths and talent. “The Land of Sweet Forever” reinforces Lee’s indelible voice, contributing a rewarding addition and resource to the slim canon of her literary legacy.
The recipe for crackling bread:
First, catch your pig. Then ship it to the abattoir nearest you. Bake what they send back. Remove the solid fat and throw the rest away. Fry fat, drain off liquid grease, and combine the residue (called “cracklings”) with:
1 ½ cups water-ground white meal 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 egg 1 cup milk
Bake in very hot oven until brown (about 15 minutes).
Result: one pan crackling bread serving 6. Total cost: about $250, depending upon size of pig. Some historians say by this recipe alone fell the Confederacy.
Papinchak, a former English professor, is a freelance book critic in Los Angeles. He has also contributed interviews to Bon Appetit.
A MAN lived with a transplanted pig liver for more than a month in the most successful operation of its kind, scientists say.
The terminally ill 71-year-old received the genetically modified organ in Anhui, China, last year.
1
Chinese doctors transplanted a gene-edited liver from a micropig (stock image)Credit: Alamy
It then functioned normally for 38 days – five weeks – before having to be removed due to blood clotting, a complication from the op.
The patient was the first living person to have the procedure and survived for 171 days, about six months, afterwards.
He had run out of treatment options for liver cancer and scarring caused by hepatitis B, and died from internal bleeding months after the transplant was removed.
His survival is not as long as the record for a patient with a pig’s kidney, at six months and counting.
Scientists have also experimented with transplanting a lung into a brain-dead patient.
A new era has started
Dr Heiner WedemeyerThe Journal of Hepatology
Surgeon and study author Dr Beicheng Sun, from Anhui Medical University, said: “This case proves that a genetically engineered pig liver can function in a human for an extended period.
“It is a pivotal step forward, demonstrating both the promise and the remaining hurdles.”
Scientists hope that organs from pigs could be used to save people at risk of dying on transplant waiting lists.
They are similar in size to human body parts and gene editing can cut the risk of the immune system rejecting them.
Writing in the Journal of Hepatology, Dr Sun said more experiments are needed to perfect the procedure.
Dr Heiner Wedemeyer, editor of the journal, said: “A new era of transplant has started.”
HOW TO BECOME AN ORGAN DONOR
JUST over 4,500 people received an organ transplant in 2023 from 2,387 donors – but more than 400 people per year die waiting because there are not enough donors.
NHS Blood and Transplant says: “Only one per cent of people who die in the UK every year die in the right circumstances and in the right location to be eligible for their organs to be used to save someone’s life.
“That is why we need as large a pool of people as possible.”
The law has changed so all adults are “opt-out” organ donors, meaning hospitals can use their organs unless they told the NHS they did not want to be a donor, or their family says no after they die.
Six in 10 families refuse to let doctors use their loved one’s organs.
As a parent I have had to take drastic measures and ban Peppa Pig for good after my daughter continued to repeat and awful word
Kelly Smith Screen Time Reporter
06:00, 10 Aug 2025
Those of you who have tuned in previously for my Peppa Pig opinion pieces will already know that I am not the show’s biggest supporter.
I have outlined in the past that I would be switching over to Disney’s family fun show Bluey, instead of allowing my two-year-old to follow the likes of Peppa, George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig.
However, there was one occasion since my original statement when we accidentally watched the CBeebies programme. In fairness, it was not intentional, we’d tried desperately hard to find other shows that we felt were more suitable for our toddler. We’d just been watching Justin Fletcher’s Something Special show and before we’d realised, the infamous pigs were next to follow on the channel.
I’ve officially banned Peppa Pig completely from my home(Image: 5)
Of course, as Peppa and her family began to chime their snorts in the opening introduction, we were met with a roar of excitement from a toddler – who had not seen the show for sometime now.
I shot a look at my partner, both of us providing a nod of approval that we would make one small allowance – and that she could watch it “just this once”.
What we didn’t realise is that we would pay massively for “just this once,” a mistake that would live with us for weeks to come.
I think it’s worth noting for the record that our daughter, apart from when she’s unwell, is generally a good eater and will chow down most food with minimal fuss. Any way, back to the show and how this all ties together.
We happened to allow our two-year-old to tune into episode 34, of season one, titled ‘lunch”. I would go out on a limb here and say this was probably the worst instalment I’d ever seen and regret deeply ever putting it on now.
My daughter kept repeating one rude word over and over again(Image: 5)
In this episode, George, Peppa Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig are visiting Granny and Grandpa Pig, who have collected fresh vegetables from their garden and invited everyone over to sample the goods with them at their table.
As they all dig in, sampling the delicious homegrown produce, George is left looking perplexed. Granny, Grandad, Mummy and Daddy Pig prompt him to try various varieties of salad to which he rudely replies: “Yuck,” and pokes his tongue out, moving his body away from his plate and turning his nose up.
Refusing to try anything put in front of him, he simply tells them: “Yuck,” each time before finally bursting into tears.
Grandad intervene with a clever tactic, turning the salad into a dinosaur, with T-Rex obsessed George eventually lapping up the healthy goods in no time at all.
George said “yuck” when presented with various vegetables to try
I can see where the shows creators were going with narrative, that a little bit of creativity goes a long way but to use the word “yuck” in a food environment with impressionable toddlers watching, I simply do not agree with.
As soon as we heard the word “yuck” leave George’s lips, we knew we were in store for trouble. We’re at that age where anything you say aloud will be consumed much like a sponge absorbing water.
Sure enough, even after the episode had concluded, our two-year-old continued to repeat the word “yuck,” finding it utterly hilarious. We’d hoped this would pass but it didn’t.
The next day, we presented our daughter with a homemade lasagne for dinner, a meal I had personally prepared totally from scratch and had probably taken the best part of five hours to cook – over the course of various parts of the day.
Peppa Pig will no longer air in my house
As I placed her plate on the table, I was met with the word “yuck,” yet again. I tried to encourage her to eat with playful aeroplane notions and was further shunned as she told me: “Yuck, yuck and yuck,” much like George had done previously during the episode.
It wasn’t just happening in our home and we weren’t the only ones to witness her blatant rudeness. We are fortunate enough that we have parents who help us out with childcare once or twice per week. On a visit, they’d dished up a lunchtime staple, peanut butter sandwiches, but were also met with the exact same response.
On collection, we were left embarrassed as we summarised that George was to blame for her ill-mannered behaviour at meal times. We all mutually agreed that Peppa Pig would now be firmly banned across both households.
Even if Peppa Pig happens to roll onto our screens by accident again, I’ll be lunging for the remote as quicker than Usain Bolt to turn it off because in all honesty, from one parent to another, it’s really not worth the additional stress or red faced apologies.
Twisted creators on YouTube are taking advantage of Peppa Pig’s popularity, leaving children at risk of viewing inappropriate content. The platform removed two worrying examples after being contacted by The Mirror
15:38, 29 May 2025Updated 15:44, 29 May 2025
Trolls have been creating frighting fake Peppa Pig videos aimed at children(Image: candyfamily/Youtube)
With its wholesome storylines documenting everyday family life, Peppa Pig is a children’s TV staple. And there was much excitement recently when fans were treated to the arrival of a new member of the family – a baby girl piglet named Evie.
But while the show itself is universally trusted by parents, watching it on YouTube can be a different matter. As a hugely popular cartoon for kids, Peppa Pig has been a target for twisted YouTube creators over the years. This week, a search by The Mirror found a clip called ‘MLG Peppa Pig (PARODY)’ within seconds, which showed the character holding a machine gun. Made eight years ago, it has been watched 18 million times. A second disturbing creation called ‘Peppa does Drugs’ showed the pig snorting cocaine.
In response to our investigation, a YouTube spokesperson told us “We’ve removed both videos from YouTube and terminated a channel for violating our child safety policies, which we rigorously enforce. Neither of the videos shared by The Mirror have ever appeared in the YouTube Kids app, our recommended experience for younger viewers.
One fake Peppa Pig video features a gun and cigarettes
“Our teams remain vigilant, and will continue to take further actions as needed.” While YouTube maintains its main platform is not for children, research suggests 80 per cent of 3 to 17 year olds in the UK regularly watch it nonetheless, mainly on their phones and devices.
The tech giant says it prohibits content targeting young minors and families, which contains inappropriate themes, with videos flagged and reviewed using a combination of human reviewers and AI. YouTube places age restrictions and warnings on graphic content that doesn’t violate guidelines but is inappropriate for users under 18 years of age.
Professor Sonia Livingstone, a social psychologist at the London School of Economics and expert on child online safety, told the BBC back in 2017: “It’s perfectly legitimate for a parent to believe that something called Peppa Pig is going to be Peppa Pig.
Disturbing clips show Peppa snorting what appears to be cocaine
“And I think many of them have come to trust YouTube… as a way of entertaining your child for ten minutes while the parent makes a phone call. I think if it wants to be a trusted brand then parents should know that protection is in place.”
The so-called ‘Dark Peppa’ videos first surfaced in 2017, when an investigation by BBC Trending unearthed hundreds of YouTube videos that appeared to be episodes of Peppa Pig and Thomas the Tank Engine, but were actually parodies with inappropriate themes.
One video appeared to be an episode of Peppa Pig featuring a dentist with a huge syringe. Peppa’s teeth got pulled out, and distressed crying could be heard on the soundtrack in the fake clip. Parent and journalist Laura June stumbled across the episode when she was looking for something for her three-year-old daughter to watch on YouTube.
“This is not like a video of an animated Peppa Pig getting high with Snoop Dogg (that is also available) made for adults to laugh at,” she said. “These videos are for kids, intentionally injected into the stream via confusing tags, for them to watch instead of legit episodes of beloved shows.”
While some of the videos use the characters in more innocent ways, others appear to be deliberately designed to trick children into watching disturbing content. One channel called “Toys and Funny Kids Surprise Eggs” had a landing page with a picture of a toddler alongside official-looking pictures of Peppa Pig, Thomas the Tank Engine, the Cookie Monster, Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Elsa from Frozen.
However, many of the videos on the channel at the time had titles like “BABY HULK BITES BABY ELSA”, “NAKED HULK LOSES HIS PANTS” and “SPIDERBABY CUTS ELSA’S DRESS”. Some of the darker ones also depict violence and frightening situations.
YouTube said that users can flag any problematic content by clicking on the “… More” button underneath a video and clicking “Report”.
The BBC report led to the channels highlighted in the investigation being removed – including the one containing the video of fake Peppa visiting the dentist. The company also suggested that parents use the YouTube Kids app, which has a much higher bar for content allowed on the platform.
Parents are able to block specific content, set the age level of videos and report videos. YouTube also blocks search queries that are vulnerable to returning mature results.
The Mirror contacted Hasbro, the makers of the Peppa Pig, for comment.
