playground

TUCKED away in 500 acres of woodland is an enormous climbing frame, that now doesn’t cost a penny to enter.

Called Hermit’s Hollow, it’s a play haven for kids with wooden bridges, walkways, treetop canopies and spiral slides.

Hermit’s Hollow is found at Coombe Abbey Park in Coventry and was built just two years ago in 2023.

Since its opening, families had been charged a £3.95 entry fee with visitors having to book tickets for a two hour slot online.

But the great news is that these fees have been scrapped from November 3, 2025 and entry is now completely free.

Hermit’s Hollow is an exciting place for kids to run about along the wooden walkways, tree towers, a tube slide and an accessible companion slide.

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There is also a small area for toddlers to explore.

The only bad news is that Hermit’s Cafe and on-site toilets which is located within the woodland playground will close.

It’s a popular spot for families, especially during the warmer weather with one mum writing on Tripadvisor that it’s the best place for a “perfect day out with the kids“.

Another said: “The walk is lovely not huge but the kids loved it, log walking, making dens, and they loved the woodland climbing.”

The climbing area is open between 10am until 4pm each day.

Aside from the climbing frame, there’s plenty to do in Coombe Abbey Park as it has plenty of woodland and lakeside walks as well as other activities, and even Go Ape.

The adventure chain is found within the grounds and there’s plenty to do from Treetop challenges, to axe throwing, archery, driving mini land rovers.

Or head closer to the huge Coombe Abbey Hotel where you can stroll around the pruned gardens and mazes.

Visitors can pop into Café in the Park at Coombe Abbey where they serve up breakfast offerings from the ‘Full Park Breakfast’.

There are as well as toasties, sandwiches, jacket potatoes, or main meals like fish and chips, chilli and there’s a dedicated kid’s menu.

Coventry itself has been labelled as an ‘underrated’ city in the UK, and it’s seeing an increase in the number of tourists.

Some of the biggest attractions there include The Wave in Coventry which is an enormous indoor waterpark with one of the biggest wave pools in the country.

It has six water slides, one being The Crestar, which has two giant spheres with lighting effects.

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The Cascade is another ride at the waterpark, as is The Torrent, which is a ride where the floor drops from beneath – and is arguably one of the scariest rides.

The Rapids, which has been described as the “Big Dipper on water”, is the park’s water coaster, where powerful jets hurl riders uphill before dropping them down through tight corners and tunnels.

One writer reveals what his stay at the Coombe Abbey Hotel was like…

Read on to hear what one writer made of this historic hotel…

Where is the Coombe Abbey Hotel?

On 500 acres of renowned beauty, this historic hotel is in Coventry situated in Coombe Abbey’s Country Park, just off the M6.

What is it like?

Next time somebody wants to send you to Coventry, stay at this complex, which dates back to 1150 and has links to royalty, the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII and the Gunpowder plot. Enjoy a view of the moat, the lake and the courtyard to the Capability Brown designed gardens, depending on where you are in the hotel.

What is there to do at the hotel?

The corridors and communal rooms are packed with artefacts, art, history and heritage, that are well worth exploring as you wander from bar to room to

restaurant, while the scenic lake, gardens and grounds are perfect for a stroll. 

Enjoy one of the many choices of afternoon tea, from Abbot’s Afternoon Tea to Sparkling Afternoon Tea as a post-walk treat. For kids, you can discover Go Ape in the woodlands.

What is there to eat and drink?

Unless you want to drive, you’d better eat here as it’s about a ten-minute walk to the edge of the grounds and some way beyond that to any restaurants. That being said, you really do want to eat here. The ambience is classy, the food is great, and the breakfast really sets you up for the day.

The dinner menu features meaty dishes of beef shin with fondant potato and confit duck leg with spiced braised cabbage, as well as vegan, vegetarian and fish options.

What are the rooms like?

The minimum standard in basic rooms is real quality and comfort, while the decor and design in the feature heritage rooms are charming and characterful. Rooms start from £149 a night based on two sharing.

This huge playground is said to be ‘better than Disneyland’ and is easy for Brits to get to in a day – and it has over 350 different attractions for all ages to enjoy

With more than 350 attractions, this mega playground is bigger than Disneyland – and it takes under an hour to get there. Located in Linnaeushof, in the Netherlands, it’s the biggest in Europe and you can visit it in a day.

Brits can travel to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, and it’s then just a 20 minute drive to the park, making it an epic day trip for adventure seekers.

With three main sections – an indoor playground, an outdoor playground and a water playground, there is so much to do. The outdoor area is the main attraction including the Pirate Island in the middle of the pedalo lake, which can only be reached by rope bridge which also has paddle boats for both kids and adults.

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There are views from the Cool Tower, where you lift yourself to 30ft in the air via pull rope, as well as an obstacle course, cable car, driving traffic garden and mini golf too.

The Playground Express runs every day throughout the park amd there is also the Oasis water playground, which has fountains, climbing structures and splash pools.

There is also a separate toddler playground with a sandpit, bouncy castle and Toddlerland playpark and the indoor playground has everything from bumper cars and air karts, as well as a play castle. The park is open from March to October with tickets ranging from €15 to €18, although the go karts cost an extra €7.

It comes as one of Europe’s top-rated theme parks, which happens to have no rides, is planning a UK site. Puy du Fou is the creator of award-winning history-themed destinations in France and Spain of the same name. It welcomes in 2.8 million visitors a year and shows them a good time not via the medium of rides, but through its historical attractions.

At its Toledo and Les Epesses bases, Puy du Fou puts on dozens of action-packed shows in which gladiators, Vikings, warriors from the Middle Ages, and many others besides clash swords, ride horses, and set off pyrotechnics. The two sites are often rated as among the best theme parks in the world, delivering as they do a history-spanning live-action role-player’s dream.

Now, Puy du Fou has unveiled plans to move to the UK. It has submitted an outline planning application to Cherwell District Council for a £600 million park near Bicester, which is best known for housing a discount fashion retail park beloved by Chinese tourists.

If approved, the new park will open in phases beginning in 2029. By the time the park is fully developed it will directly employ around 2,000 people, support a further 6,000 jobs in hotels, restaurants, suppliers and other local businesses, and deliver a £500m a year boost to the local and regional economy, Puy du Fou has claimed in a press release.

Pontins Holiday Park in Prestatyn, Wales was once a thriving tourism hotspot, but now it lies dormant and soulless after it was closed permanently in November 2023

Countless memories were made by families up and down the country at Pontins Holiday Park in Prestatyn, Wales.

A once thriving tourism hotspot with its own private beach, swimming pools and playground — but now the “filthy hellhole” lies completely dormant, and a shadow of its former self.

Having been open since 1971, the park closed permanently back in November 2023, and speculation would continue to swirl about future plans.

There have been rumours of redevelopment into a new attraction, or perhaps to be knocked down for flats and houses, but no decision of any substance has ever truly been made, and it has been left to rot away.

Photos emerged over the years, showing an overgrown, sad and dilapidated site with run-down buildings dotted throughout.

News of the park’s unexpected closure hit the local community hard. Britannia Hotels, who owns Pontins, had not only brought the shutters down on the Welsh site, but also its Camber Sands park in East Sussex.

Local residents spoke to North Wales Live earlier this year where they explained what they would like to see done, with Pete Davis, who owns a cleaning business that once operated at Pontins, saying: “It ought to be used for something. I think it should be a holiday camp again. The council could issue a compulsory purchase order (to help that happen).”

Another agreed, adding: “It’s empty and I’d rather it was a holiday camp again. We moved here in 1973 and it was never any trouble to us.

“I don’t want it knocked down for more houses as I don’t feel there are enough doctors’ surgeries and schools, not enough infrastructure to support them.”

But a grandmother-grandson duo labelled it a “decrepit” and an “eyesore”, saying: “It’s quite decrepit and an eyesore for the local community. Something needs to be done. It should be reborn as a holiday camp or used for modern apartments.

“Something needs to be doing to it otherwise it’s going to become a drug den or a place for flytippers.”

The people are not the only ones who wish to see change at the abandoned holiday camp, with the Mayor of Prestatyn, Cllr Adrian West, adding: “I want to see the site brought back into some form of productive use again.

“For it just to be lying idle is doing nobody any good. I would not want it used for some sort of industry, given that it’s right next to the waterfront.”

He added how Pontins Prestatyn holds the keys to bringing life back to the town’s streets, increasing footfall which would be a mega boost for shops, as well as increasing the number of employment opportunities in the area.

But not everyone is upset the park has brought the curtains down after more than half a century of operation, with one Tripadvisor review admitting: “Thank god this rancid filthy cesspit has shutdown. Awful, worn out and really dirty. and it needed knocking down years ago.”

A second under added: “As time has gone by all the rooms are filled with mold, vomit, worse than a dog kennel. It looks like a garbage dump,” while someone else confessed: “There are no words to describe how awful this place is. A prison cell would be preferable to the chalet.

“The areas outside are overgrown, potholes in the car park, pavements cracked and overgrown. Concrete on stairs broken, support for stairs rotten, nails sticking out.”

A BRAND new vintage fairground-themed playpark has just opened its doors in the UK.

The new Adventure Play Fair in Norfolk is “one of East Anglia’s largest themed play areas,” according to the attraction’s Instagram account.

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Sprawled across the 30,000-square-foot park, wooden huts have been converted into all the things you would expect to find at a funfair.

A towering red and yellow Helter Skelter stands out in the play area and has a small climbing wall and exit to a bridge walkway on the side as well.

Then there is a wooden shed standing as a ‘Popcorn Hut’, with a rope bridge leading it to the ‘Hook a Duck’ hut with a slide and another exit to the ‘Hall of Mirrors’.

Another spot is ‘Tin Can Alley’, where kids can bang on long metal tubes that vary in length to create differently pitched sounds.

The Ferris Wheel, dubbed ‘The Big Wheel’ has a network of tunnels, bridges and different wooden ‘pods’.

While the giant play structure doesn’t move like a Ferris Wheel does, the different cabins have a variety of things to do, including one with a slide out of it.

The carousel also stands stationary, with wooden horses and a long rope bridge coming from its roof and stretching to another part of the park.

And scattered across the park are a number of multicoloured teacups.

Adding to the vintage steam rally theme, there is a train that kids can crawl through, and on hot days, they can have a splash in the UK’s first water fountain organ.

Classic playground elements are in the ‘funfair’ too, such as swings, pedal quadracycles and trampolines in the ground.

For the parents, there are plenty of picnic benches with parasols to perch on and a cafe to grab refreshments or a light bite at.

One visitor, who headed to the open day yesterday, said: “[T]his is outdoor play on a whole new level.”

Tickets cost £4 per adult and £8 per child and the Adventure Play Fair is open Sunday to Thursday, 10am to 5pm.

While there, families can also explore the museum that has the world’s largest collection of steam engines.

For half price adult admission and free tickets for kids under 12, you can show your Adventure Play Fair tickets.

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Thursford is also popular in the festive season for its Christmas Spectacular, which includes a three-hour show with over 130 performers.

There is also Santa’s Magical Journey, which includes a meet-and-greet with Father Christmas.

From November, visitors can head on The Enchanted Journey of Light – an immersive light trail with fairytale characters, lanterns and lit-up seesaws and swings.

And if you are looking for something else to do nearby, head down the road to Pumpkin House which has a maize maze, mini golf, tractor sand pits and pumpkin picking in October.

Or you could discover Hindringham Hall – a moated Tudor manor house with fishponds and historic walled garden.

There are holiday cottages at the house too, if you wanted to extend your stay in the area.

Norfolk was also recently named a must-visit destination for August.

Plus, on the Norfolk coast there is a countryside hotel with an underground spa.

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A SIX-year-old boy died in his sleep after accidentally bumping his head while racing with friends at school, an inquest heard.

Mohammed Yaseen Uddin, who attended Marlborough Primary School in Small Heath, Birmingham, died on December 11 last year.

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He had been playing with pals during his lunch break the day before and accidentally bumped his head on a wall.

The youngster told a school receptionist: “I was running really fast, racing my friend and bumped into the wall.”

As reported by Birmingham Live, an inquest heard how Yaseen picked himself up and appeared to behave normally after the fall.

A paediatric school first aider applied an ice pack to a visible bump on the pupil’s forehead.

Yaseen’s mother and sister were given a letter with medical advice upon picking him up.

The inquest, held today at Birmingham Coroner’s Court, heard the youngster appeared to be acting normally after going home.

He had attended a local mosque after school and celebrated his sibling’s birthday with cake.

Later in the evening, Yaseen told his father he didn’t feel well, and he was given some Ibuprofen.

At around 11pm, the little boy complained about head pain “out of nowhere” and started to throw up.

His family were on their way to the hospital but took him back home to change after he vomited again.

The inquest heard they tried to leave again but Yaseen told them he just wanted to sleep, so they put him to bed.

Dad Simriel Uddin said he looked in on his son at 3am and again at 5am when he got up for work, both times Yaseen was asleep.

But the youngster was tragically found dead a few hours later.

Heartbroken dad Simriel Uddin previously told the Mail: “He was a bright, joyful spirit and he was a beautiful, kind-hearted little boy.

“He had a head collision in school -the school told my wife ‘Oh, your son has bumped his head.’

“When she asked if it was anything serious they said, ‘No it’s nothing serious, it’s just a bump’.”

The inquest heard how Yaseen’s brother Khalil performed CPR while waiting for an ambulance.

Paramedics rushed Yaseen to hospital at around 11am but the six-year-old was pronounced dead at 12.08pm.

Guirish Solanki, a consultant paediatric neurosurgeon, concluded Yaseen had suffered a “traumatic head injury when he struck his head on the wall.”

Yaseen’s cause of death was given as a traumatic right frontal extra-axial haemorrhage, which means a bleed outside of the brain but within the skull.

Louise Hunt, the Senior Coroner for Birmingham and Solihull said: “Yaseen was a six-year-old little boy who was normally fit and well.

“He was described as happy and engaged when he came to school, a big character, who was always bubbly.”

She confirmed Yaseen had been playing with his friends before falling at around 12.29pm.

The coroner was also satisfied the family had been given a letter outlining medical advice, despite the fact they previously disputed this.

She said: “This was a tragic accident and I record in conclusion this was an accident.

“I’d like to reiterate and offer my condolences to all the family. It must be very hard for all of you and I’m very sorry if today’s inquest has made things more difficult. I’m so very sorry for your loss.”

Speaking after the inquest, Yaseen’s sister Sumaya told BirminghamLive: “Thank you to everyone for their support.”

In a previous statement, Razia Ali, the executive headteacher at Marlborough, said: “Our school community has been left devastated by the tragic passing of one of our wonderful and much-loved pupils.

“Yaseen was an incredibly helpful, kind and caring pupil who brought a smile to the face of everyone who came across him.

“I know I speak for everyone when I say he will be deeply missed. All our thoughts and prayers are with Yaseen’s family and friends.”

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Butlin’s Bognor Regis resort has received a major upgrade with a new £15million playground that’s open to the public – one writer went to see if it lived up to the hype

Given the ridiculously variable nature of the British weather, it is little wonder that UK holiday resorts are investing massively in their indoor facilities.

Butlin’s is no exception with its Bognor Regis site welcoming a new £15million activity centre, Playxperience, which is open for the first time to holidaymakers this year. Playxperience is home to nine different activities that can be enjoyed by all the family.

Whether it is trying to work your way out of one of the three escape rooms, becoming the next Luke Littler on Digi Darts, testing your reactions on the brilliant batting cage, this building boasts the very latest in interactive and immersive technology.

For teenagers, it is a gamers’ paradise. It can be expensive, as it is an ­additional cost to your holiday, but it will keep the children occupied for hours. And many memories can be made on the more family-oriented activities like Shuffleboard or TechPutt golf.

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If parents or guardians want to leave the kids to it, there is also a cafe on the ground floor, or for those fancying something stronger, a superb sports bar on the first floor, which is open until 11pm. As this was a family holiday, though, we were keen to book in for activities we could all enjoy – and there are so many options.

The archery was great fun, with our Butlin’s guide taking us through games that weren’t all about hitting the bullseye and top scoring, which ensured people of differing abilities could be a winner. However, a trip to Butlin’s would not feel right without watching some of the many shows they put on, which again cater for all ages.

With a 13- and 11-year-old in tow, I did wonder if they would be “too cool” for it all, but our first night proved I had nothing to worry about, kicking off watching the Cirque du Hilarious show.

It was slapstick comedy at its cheesy best, and while some led to groans of “cringe” from our boys, other aspects were “sick” or “bussin”, which I’m assured means they were loving it. We also enjoyed SBX Presents Extreme Playgrounds, where performers showcased their football, basketball, street dancing and beat boxing skills.

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Other shows included the superb Animals and Mythical Beasts and Iconic, which are new for 2025. There’s also a Snow White ­pantomime (oh yes there is) and Electric Wonderland, a dazzling dance display incorporating LED lights and costumes. The most popular was Gladiators, with stars from the show.

The place was packed to the rafters and divided into two teams: Red and Blue. We were on the Blue team and having won the brilliantly interactive ball race against the Reds, where the audience must roll a giant ball above their heads from one end of the studio to the other, and back to the stage, we were let down by our Gladiator, Phantom. He lost his two battles with rival Gladiator Dynamite, leading to the Reds winning overall. It may have been “just a game” to Phantom – but try telling that to two highly competitive boys.

Of course, the Bognor resort is right on the seafront, but while we were blessed with beautiful spring sunshine, the breeze meant it was a little too chilly to get out the deckchairs. Instead, the boys tested their skills on the High Ropes before we enjoyed a few hours at the excellent Splash, which boasts a huge pool, slides and a wave pool.

While Playxperience boasts the very latest in gaming technology, and Splash the ultimate wet and wild fun activity, the adage that the “old ones are still the best” rang true for our boys. Asked what his favourite thing about Butlin’s was, my son, Stanley, replied unequivocally: “Waltzers!”

As for the Butlin’s downtime, we stayed at the Wave Hotel which had bunk beds for the boys and a double bed for my partner and I. Tea and coffee was included – with plenty more on request at reception – and we also had the all-inclusive drinks package allowing us to drink virtually ­anywhere on site.

While the drinks package was confusing at the start, as you had to have a QR code emailed to you which you then had to scan when ordering drinks, it was worthwhile with a superb selection of soft and alcoholic beverages – and branded ones too. Costa hot drinks are also available for the coffee connoisseur.

Our food was also in the inclusive package, but limited to the Deck offering a wide range of different hot foods and desserts at dinner time and an extensive breakfast menu.

There were also themed nights, such as Italian on the Monday, Indian on Tuesday and Chinese on Wednesday, while our roast ­potato-loving boy Sam revelled in the different roast meat that was on offer every evening. For convenience and cost, the food and drink bundles are well worth investing in.

Butlin’s is not the cheap and cheesy British holiday it was once perceived to be, it’s had a mighty investment in state-of-the-art facilities, making it one of the UK’s leading family holiday destinations where endless memories are made.

Book the holiday

Butlin’s offers a three-night Summer Holiday break featuring Stephen Mulhern and Meet the stays of The Gladiators staying in a two-bedroom Wave Hotel room in Bognor Regis from £465, for arrival on August 8th. Based on a family of four sharing and includes live shows, activities, free flow access to the pool, unlimited fairground rides, playgrounds and the new Soft Play centre. Dining packages start at £24.95 per adult, per day, £14.95 per child (six-14), per day and £6.80 per child (two-five).

More info at butlins.com and experiencesussex.com.

Whatever the wealthy want, they get… this is the staff code at Luxico, a luxury accommodation business that shows how the other half live…

Lobster for breakfast? Private beach? String quartet? Shut down an entire venue? Iron the pillow cases? Whatever the wealthy want on holiday, they get. Jaw-dropping new series, Billion Dollar Playground (Monday 7th July, BBC Three, 9pm) follows the staff at Luxico, Australia ’s No.1 luxury accommodation business, who work around the clock to deliver a luxury experience to the super rich – and the super demanding.

Lead concierge Salvatore, a professional perfectionist, says: “Rich people want all kinds of things. If my guests want lobster for breakfast, they get it. They want a Lambhorgini, no problem sir. “I’ve had to be a best friend, the servant and a downright slave. You can never tell these people ‘no’.” CEO Alex says: “Our guests are the world ’s elite. They’re uber wealthy and highly demanding. To make the impossible possible, our team are available 24/7.”

There’s a ‘Selling Sunset’ vibe to this show as we also follow the tensions and rivalries between the staff members – all of whom are beautiful. Concierge Heaven says: “I have a super power. The guests love me because I make their dreams come true.” She’s not too impressed when a new concierge arrives, Jasmin, who says: “I’m hungry for this job.” Matt and George know their role. “We’re a couple of good looking brothers who can cook,” says George. There’s also JB, the snooty French butler, trainee Nicole, driver Jay and housekeeper Elsie, who loves the job because she’s nosy. As everyone flirts, rows and gets tense over a smudge or a crinkle, this is a fascinating peek at homes worth millions and guests who want it all.

Billion Dollar Playground is airing on BBC Three tonight at 9pm.

There’s plenty more on TV tonight – here’s the best of the rest..

INSOMNIA, 5, 9pm

This began last night with an old lady muttering numbers to herself, before slamming her head into a mirror and knocking herself out. It was a creepy opening to this gripping six-part thriller, adapted from the bestselling novel by Sarah Pinsborough and starring Line of Duty actor Vicky McClure. Vicky plays successful lawyer Emma Averill, who begins to suffer from insomnia as her 40th birthday approaches, just as her mother Patricia had done before suffering a psychotic break.

The old lady turned out to be Patricia, and Emma’s sister Phoebe (Leanne Best) was trying to get the mother and daughter to mend bridges at hospital. In tonight’s episode, Emma’s irritation at Phoebe’s presence gives way to shock when she learns that their mother is dead. Distracted, Emma accidentally hits a cyclist, care worker Caroline. That night, Emma’s disturbing nighttime activity escalates when she wakes up calf-deep in the pond. Is she going mad like her mother? Either way, she’s definitely not sleeping and life is unravelling…

SCRUBLANDS: SILVER, BBC2, 9pm

This Australian rural noir drama, set in the heart of the outback, follows journalist Martin Scarsden as he tries to get to the bottom of a murder in his hometown. Martin (Luke Arnold) had been looking forward to a peaceful holiday with his partner Mandy (Bella Heathcote), but on the way he got a strange call from his childhood friend Jasper. When he arrived, Jasper was dead – and Mandy was holding the weapon.

Mandy has now been arrested and is in a police cell as she is presented with the knife that killed Jasper. A witness claims they saw her throw it in the river the previous night – it was an anonymous tip off. “So Mandy murdered Jasper, hid the knife, then what three days later just tossed it in a river? Have you intereviewed anyone else?” shouts Martin. The only thing Martin can do is continue to hunt for the real killer. Meanwhile, a vigil for Jasper is organised at Hummingbird retreat. Concludes tomorrow night.

24 HOURS IN POLICE CUSTODY: NIGHTCLUB PREDATOR, CHANNEL 4, 8pm

This is the conclusion of a two-part special, following the chilling case of serial sexual predator Craig France. France, 33, targeted young women at nightclubs and plied them with alcohol before taking them to his property where he had set up hidden cameras. Cameras follow as officers from Cambridgeshire Police Rape Investigation team wait for the CPS to approve charges for rape and voyeurism. But they are only just beginning to understand the darkest depths of France’s criminality.

Digital investigators are horrified to discover that hidden within his devices are not only videos of the two known victims, but hundreds of other explicit videos of young women in vulnerable states, seemingly captured without their knowledge. As he applies for bail, the threat of his release from prison intensifies pressure on the team, who have to knock on the doors of the women identified in France’s videos, and drop the bombshell that they may be unknowing victims of this dangerous criminal.

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