revealed

The Department of Energy is seeking millions of dollars for work in part on a new bunker-busting nuclear weapon called the Nuclear Deterrent System-Air-delivered (NDS-A) in its latest budget request. At present, there is only one specialized air-delivered deep-penetrating weapon known to be in America’s nuclear stockpile, the B61-11 gravity bomb, and there have been discussions about a potential successor for decades now.

The Fiscal Year 2027 budget request for the Department of Energy, which was released last month, includes a new line under Weapons Activities for Future Programs. The Department is asking for $99.794 million in the next fiscal cycle to support those efforts.

“The Increase represents the start of one new Phase 6.X program, currently known as Phase 1 Nuclear Deterrent System-Air-delivered (NDS-A), as well as supporting production assessments for two new Rapid Capability Team (RCT) projects,” according to a public summary of what the Future Program funding would support.

The Department of Energy, in cooperation with the U.S. military, develops, produces, and sustains nuclear weapons, and uses a multi-phase rubric to categorize where they are in their respective life cycles. The Phase 6.X process is itself broken into several stages, spanning all the way from the definition of the basic concept of a weapon and its requirements through to full-scale production.

Where the NDS-A may already be in the process is unknown, but the mention of “Phase 1” here could point to Phase 6.1, which is the basic concept assessment stage. Beyond that it will be air-delivered, there are also no details currently available publicly about the weapon’s design, including whether it will be based on something already in the stockpile. It is also not known if it will be an unpowered bomb or a missile/rocket-assisted weapon of some kind. We will come back to this point later on.

“The Nuclear Deterrent System-Air-delivered will provide the President with additional nuclear options to defeat Hard and Deeply Buried Targets, ensuring that adversaries cannot place their most valued assets beyond the reach of America’s nuclear forces,” a spokesperson for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) told TWZ when asked for more information. “The program is moving aggressively, and further information will become publicly available when it is strategically beneficial to the United States.”

Within the Department of Energy, NNSA is specifically responsible for nuclear weapons-related activities.

As noted, at present, the B61-11 is the only air-delivered nuclear weapon in the U.S. stockpile today that is specifically designed to address this target set. The B61-11 is based on the earlier B61-7, but is substantially different in form and function. It has a heavily reinforced outer shell, possibly with a depleted uranium penetrating nose section, and a rocket booster at the rear to help it penetrate down into underground facilities. Sources differ on the maximum yield of the B61-11, but it is said to either be between 340 and 360 kilotons (identical to that of the B61-7) or to be closer to 400 kilotons. There are also reportedly fewer than 100 of these bombs in the stockpile.

You can learn more about the entire B61 family, the first versions of which entered service in the 1960s, here.

For a time, the newer B61-12 variant, which has a precision guidance package in a new tail kit, was considered as a potential successor to the B61-11. The B61-12 is also a dial-a-yield design with multiple yield settings, but the highest one is reportedly 50 kilotons. The logic was that improved accuracy would allow for more precise placement of the bomb, and, by extension, of its explosive force. This, in turn, would make up for its lack of deep-penetrating capability and more limited yield. The plan to supplant the B61-11 with the B61-12 was subsequently abandoned.

B61-12 Flight Test with F35-A Lightning II

More recently, a more powerful B61-13 variant, which features the same precision guidance tail kit as the B61-12, was developed explicitly to provide “the President with additional options against certain harder and large-area military targets.” This version is understood to have a maximum yield in line with the B61-7. However, the U.S. government has also previously said that the B61-13 is not intended as a direct replacement for the B61-11, according to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS).

The U.S. military also has B83-1 nuclear gravity bombs in the stockpile, which are of a completely different design from the B61 series and have a far more powerful megaton-class maximum yield. By virtue of that high yield, the B83-1 is also intended to be used against certain deeply buried and otherwise hardened facilities, as well as large-area targets.

In the early 2000s, NNSA, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, did explore the possibility of developing a B61-11-like bomb on the basis of the B83-1, as well as a new deep-penetrating version of the B61 itself. In 2005, Congress brought a halt to work on what was dubbed the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP).

There have been hints since then, however, about possible revivals of the RNEP concept and/or other plans for a true successor to the B61-11.

What may be prompting the requirement for the NDS-A now is unknown. There are deeply-buried targets only a nuclear weapon can realistically destroy. The development of the B61-11 is understood to have been prompted heavily by one such facility in particular, Russia’s Kosvinsky Kamen bunker. Kosvinsky Kamen is a key node in the Russian nuclear command and control enterprise and was built under a mountain of the same name in the northern Urals. The nature of its location and design also means it could serve as a so-called “continuity of government” site for senior leadership to operate from before or after a nuclear strike or in response to some other major emergency.

However, the landscape of deeply-buried, hardened facilities that U.S. authorities would be interested in holding at risk has grown substantially in the past two decades since work, at least publicly, on RNEP came to an end.

The Russian and Chinese governments have been expanding on their already significant arrays of subterranean facilities. In China, this includes the construction of vast fields of new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silos, as well as work on a new underground command center outside of the capital, Beijing, just in recent years.

Other, smaller countries, like North Korea and Iran, have been investing in new underground and other hardened facilities, as well. This has been driven in many cases by concerns about the prospect of conventional strikes carried out by the U.S. military and others.

In the past year, the matter of Iran’s deeply buried nuclear facilities, and the limits of U.S. conventional options for prosecuting those targets, has been an especially hot-button issue. During Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025, U.S. B-2 bombers struck Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow and Natanz with 30,000-pound-class GBU-57/B conventional bunker buster bombs. The outcome of that operation remains a subject of heated debate and is deeply intertwined with the justifications for U.S. and Israeli forces launching the latest campaign against Iran in February. U.S. officials are now at a crossroads with how to proceed with operations targeting Iran, which has now turned to a maritime blockade, at least for the time being, following the announcement of a ceasefire in April.

The video below is a montage of imagery from GBU-57/B MOP tests over the years.

GBU-57 MOP test

Broader concerns about just getting the B61-11 to its intended target in the future may also be a factor driving plans now for the new NDS-A nuclear bunker buster. Unpowered bunker buster bombs, nuclear or conventional, need to be released relatively close to their targets. The kinds of facilities that the B61-11 is intended to be employed against are deep inside hostile territory, behind layers of integrated air defenses. Major potential adversaries, as well as smaller nation states and even non-state actors, are only expected to expand the scale and scope of their defensive architectures in the coming years. With all this in mind, it is not surprising that the more survivable B-2 is currently the only platform certified to employ the B61-11, as well as the conventional MOP. It is more or less a given that both of those weapons will be integrated onto the forthcoming B-21 Raider for the same general reasons.

That being said, as TWZ regularly highlights, stealth aircraft are not invisible or invulnerable. This reality is part of the argument for the planned integration of the new nuclear-tipped AGM-181 Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) air-launched cruise missile onto the B-21, as well as the venerable and non-stealthy B-52. LRSO will also just extend the B-21’s reach, with that aircraft already expected to be an extremely long-range platform. This all raises the possibility of the NDS-A being a powered design offering some degree of standoff capability.

As an aside here, powered designs have also been part of the discussions about potential conventional successors to the MOP. A follow-on to the GBU-57/B, the Next Generation Penetrator (NGP), is now in development, but it is unclear whether or not that will be a powered weapon. Still, when it comes to the NDS-A, it seems more likely that it will be a traditional bomb that adapts elements of existing designs, including the B61-11, -12, and -13.

Whether or not the NDS-A effort reaches fruition also remains to be seen. The previous RNEP effort prompted significant criticism, including from members of Congress, in part because of concerns about what steps it might prompt other countries to take in response. At the same time, there has been a change in tenor in U.S. nuclear policy in recent years, driven by other global developments, especially efforts by the Chinese to rapidly and substantially expand their stockpile.

There is also a question of affordability. The U.S. military is already in the midst of a major modernization push across all three legs of America’s nuclear deterrence triad that is set to cost hundreds of billions of dollars in the coming decades. This could impact support for funding another ‘new’ nuclear weapon, even if it is derived from an existing design.

More definitely remains to be learned about the NDS-A program and the design of that weapon. What is clear is that the Department of Energy is requesting funding to kick off at least the initial development of a new air-delivered nuclear bunker buster that could succeed the B61-11.

UPDATE: 5:27 PM EST –

It has been brought to our attention that some additional details about the NDS-A effort have been tucked away in U.S. budget requests in recent years.

In its Fiscal Year 2025 budget, the Air Force asked for, and ultimately received just over $39 million for work on NDS-A, but under a budget line titled “Hard and Deeply Buried Target Defeat System (HDBTDS) Prototyping.”

“The Air-delivered Nuclear Delivery System (NDS-A) is a new start project to address a capability gap identified in the 2022 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR). A congressionally directed study based on the NPR led to endorsement of the Deputy’s Management Action Group (DMAG) and initiation of this project,” according to the 2025 Fiscal Year budget documents. “The Air Force will work with the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and its National Laboratories to develop a prototype NDS-A system to demonstrate the capability to close this gap in the near term.”

“Early development will include Model and Simulation (M&S) analysis of several nuclear explosive package (NEP) options to refine the proposed NEP,” the budget documents add. “Ground tests may include wind tunnel, static ejection, vibration and thermal, cable pull-down, and sled tests. Flight tests will be performed by USAF F-15E developmental flight test aircraft, with final prototype demonstrations flown on B-2 aircraft.”

The video below shows flight testing of the B61-12 using a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle.

B61-12 full-weapon system demonstration at Tonopah Test Range

In the Air Force’s proposed 2026 Fiscal Year budget, the line item was renamed “Nuclear Delivery Systems Prototyping,” but references to NDS-A by name were also omitted. A nearly $18 million year-over-year increase in requested funding (from roughly $39 million to almost $57 million) was attributed “to greater emphasis on prototype design after completion of Modeling and Simulation of mission effectiveness of design space options; increased procurement and development of components; the initiation of subsystem and test unit assembly; and the initiation of ground tests of the Prototype Weapon Assemblies.”

The Fiscal Year 2025 and 2026 budget documents do not provide any details about the design of the weapon or say what aircraft it will be integrated onto operationally.

More details about the current state of the Air Force side of this program are likely contained in the service’s 2027 Fiscal Year budget request documents. However, at the time of writing this update, they are inaccessible online.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

JUST weeks after Mimii Ngulube revealed she was in a fresh relationship, The Sun can reveal the identity of her hunky new man.

The Love Island winner hard-launched her other half by sharing a TikTok dance clip with him this week, but fans have been wondering who the man behind the screen really is.

Mimii’s new boyfriend, Denzel, keeps a much lower-profile than the reality star and has just 2.3K followers on Instagram – with little about him on the internet.

The pair have been getting close over recent months, and a source tells The Sun that the smitten couple are “really happy” after making their romance official.

They revealed: “Mimii and Denzel are really happy together.

“She keeps a fairly low profile compared to a lot of the Love Island winners, so for her to hard launch him on her socials means she is definitely smitten.

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“He is a good guy, with good values. He is very religious, as is Mimi, so they have that in common.

“Friends have commented how she hasn’t been this happy in ages and it’s great to see her with such a huge smile on her face.”

In March, Mimii first revealed that she was seeing someone new as she dubbed Denzel “Mr. Mimii”.

However, she kept details to a minimum, other than revealing he treated her to some luxury birthday gifts.

But in Mimii’s latest TikTok, fans finally got a glimpse into the romance as she danced whilst Denzel was spotted busting a move in the frame behind her.

However, she still refrained from naming or tagging Denzel, who has around 2,000 followers on Instagram and is thought to hail from Kent.

Mimii won Love Island in 2024 with her ex Josh Oyinsan.

However, the pair split shortly after appearing on the show as they failed to make things work outside of the villa.

Whilst the ITV2 show may not have found her lasting love, Mimii has, however, maintained friendships with several her co-stars.

Showing they approve of her new romance, a number of Mimii’s fellow Love Islanders commented on her new TikTok with Denzel.

“Ugh YES You’re GLOWING,” wrote Uma Jammeh.

While Matilda Draper wrote: “love this for u”.

AROUND the country are some incredible Airbnbs, but this one on the Isle of Wight has been dubbed one of the best in the UK for families.

The pretty glamping site sits on the edge of Tapnell Farm Park so it’s the perfect base to explore its aqua park and activity centre.

The Times named these domes as one of the ’15 of the best family-friendly Airbnbs in the UK’.

The publication said: “The domes are great for the fun factor, as they feel like camping but come with proper showers, beds and kitchenettes.

“There are five domes in their own meadow, so you could book out more depending on the size of your party.

“Some have outdoor hot tubs, and all come with a barbecue and firepit. Although the Cow restaurant comes in handy when you don’t fancy doing the cooking.”

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Guests staying at one of the five domes enter through an extension where there’s an en-suite bathroom and kitchenette.

Further inside the domes is an open living space and sleeping areas with a dividing wall for the bunk room.

The domes are insulated too, and each bed has an electric blanket so it’s cosy during winter too.

Outside, the domes have their own barbecue, firepit, communal pizza oven too and picnic tables to enjoy al fresco dining.

Two of the domes also have outdoor hot tubs.

Dome 5 (which comes with a hot tub) sleeps up to six and can be booked for £1,191 – this works out at £39.70pppn.

The domes are found in a secluded meadow – but it’s just a five-minute walk to Tapnell Farm Park.

Tapnell Farm is a family-friendly attraction with its own farm, aqua park as well as go-karting and bike hire.

Inside the Straw Adventure are trampolines, pedal go-karts and straw bale play zones, with bridges and tunnels.

There’s an indoor soft play barn across three-storeys and a coffee house for the grown-ups.

On sunny days, head outside for jumping pillows, sledge slides, outdoor playground and mini golf.

Wallaby Walkabout is a spot where visitors can meet the resident wallabies and feed them.

Tapnell Farm is also home to Isle of Wight’s only outdoor Aqua Park.

The giant inflatable opens for the season on May 8, and has lots of slides, ladders and obstacle courses.

Other activities include clay pigeon shooting, football, frisbee, padel and pickleball.

Entry to Tapnell Farm start from £14 for adults and £16 for children (between 2-16).

For those wanting to splash about in the aqua park, tickets are £22per person.

Away from Tapnell Farm, nearby is the pretty Freshwater Bay which is a quiet, single beach with dramatic white cliffs.

Compton Beach is also a ten-minute drive away with golden sand and is popular for fossil hunting and swimming.

IF YOU are wondering where to go for your next beach break, well the world’s best 50 beaches have just been announced.

The best beaches were decided on by over 1,000 travel experts, including some who have visited every country in the world.

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

As for the beach taking the top spot, that went to Entalula Beach in the Philippines.

Found in Palawan, the awards say it is “one of those places you have to see to believe” – but to get there you will have to hop on a boat.

Year-round the beach hits a low of 26C, so is a great option for winter sun.

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In second place – and the top beach in Europe – is Fteri Beach on Kefalonia in Greece, that is “tucked away in a secluded cove, surrounded by dramatic white cliffs” – again which you can only get to by boat (or very steep hike).

If you fancy heading around the globe to Australia, then the third best beach is Wharton Beach.

Sat on the south-western coast about an hour from the city of Esperance or eight hours from Perth, Wharton Beach’s “isolation ensures it rarely feels crowded, even on perfect summer days, providing a peaceful escape for those seeking solitude”.

In fourth place was Nosy Iranja in Madagascar – which is actually spread across two smaller islands – Nosy Iranja Be and Nosy Iranja Kely – via a sandbar that you can walk across at low tide.

And rounding out the top five is East Beach, Vomo Island in Fiji with towering palm trees and calm water.

Unfortunately the UK didn’t have much luck making it into the top 50 beaches in the world, though it did make a couple appearances on the European list.

Coming in 26th place, Kynance Cove in Cornwall is a tidal beach with white sand, backed by impressive rock formations.

At low tide, visitors can explore a number of caves as well that have “formed into otherworldly shapes” according to Cornwall Beaches.

As for the second UK spot in the top 50 beaches in Europe – that can be found in Scotland.

Coming in 47th place, Achmelvich Beach in Scotland is just over two hours from the city of Inverness.

The beach can only be reached by a small track but it’s worth the trip – you might get to spot porpoises, dolphins or even a minke whale.

When it comes to the best beaches in Europe, Fteri Beach in Greece which came second in the world rankings, came out on top.

Then in second place is Cala Macarella, Spain on the island of Menorca. followed by Cala Dei Gabbiani in Sardinia.

In fourth is Kaputas in southwestern Turkey – a natural cove nestled between two towns, along with Porto Katsiki on the southwest coast of Lefkada in Greece in 5th place.

It’s a massive week on Coronation Street next week according to spoilers, as the fallout to murder week could give away the killer with missed evidence, with the victim teased too

While Coronation Street fans will have to wait for the end of this week to find out who dies, new spoilers drop major hints.

Not only do they possibly give away which of the potential victims live or die, but it’s confirmed some huge evidence possibly exposes the killer. We see Betsy Swain in turmoil after finding the body, as detectives begin their investigation.

As soon as it’s revealed it is murder, suspects are lined up and evidence is gathered. But as some characters cover their tracks and get rid of some possible evidence, others could be about to slip up.

Spoilers confirm that next week, Kit begins to investigate the body found on the street, sparking interrogations with a number of residents. As characters struggle to process what happened, it’s soon confirmed to be murder.

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Todd is struggling to move past Theo’s abuse, while Debbie is waiting for news on Carl, and there’s some shocking truths revealed to the Driscolls about Megan and Maggie. Shona wants answers as the Platts’ home remains a scene of trauma and the search for answers begins.

When forensic results come back, Kit gives an update that the blood at the scene belongs to more than one person. Shona is left haunted, while David confesses how Jodie tricked him into bed.

Later, David hands some evidence into the station but Kit’s questioning leaves him worried that they think he had something to do with what happened to Jodie – while soon there’s some news. Elsewhere, Carla and Lisa do their best to comfort a traumatised Betsy, postponing their honeymoon.

Lisa begins a formal round of questioning. Inconsistencies in someone’s story start to emerge, leading to a public arrest. When some new evidence leaves Lisa and Kit convinced they are one step away from a breakthrough, we learn more than one resident has a dark secret to hide as some incriminating footage is revealed.

Back to the investigation and as the week draws to a close, a couple are struggling, while a suspicious partner demands the truth behind a sudden change in behaviour. Kit and Lisa continue their interrogations, and some deleted evidence threatens to expose the truth.

Soon, a seemingly innocent photograph reveals a hidden presence at the scene of the crime that could change everything. Away from the murder drama, Hope taunts Daniel over Megan, leading to Hope accusing her teacher Daniel of assault.

It’s clear Daniel is struggling as he hits the bottle. Melanie wants son Will to live with her, but tensions lead to Will storming out. Meanwhile, someone attempts to steal something from the pub safe, only to be caught by Susie.

Danielle approaches and asks to talk to Todd about Theo, where she finally shares her own suffering. It’s another big week on the cobbles!

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

The future of I’m A Celebrity All Stars has been revealed by a TV insider, following the chaotic live final that delighted viewers last week.

I’m A Celeb All Stars will reportedly not return to our screens until 2029, despite the final being a huge success with massive viewing figures.

The South Africa-based show was pre-filmed in 2025, with the explosive final taking place live in London last Friday night. The final episode saw Adam Thomas win the show while arguing with Jimmy Bullard and David Haye.

The mayhem initially broke out when David interrupted Adam’s interview before the winner was announced. It rumbled on further when Jimmy Bullard interrupted to have his say over what he called “intimidating” actions by Adam in camp.

The row was so severe between the campmates that Sinitta and Gemma Collins stormed off, and Ant clashed with David and Jimmy.

It has been reported that around 2.8million people tuned in for the explosive finale, but despite the huge interest, show makers won’t be bringing back the all-stars version for a few years.

“The aim was never for it to be made or be on air in 2027, even though there may be an appetite for that right now. The aim was to deliver something as a special show that was on from time to time, not an annual revisit like the main I’m A Celebrity show,” an insider told The Sun.

This was the second all-stars version of the series, with the first season airing in May 2023 after being recorded in the autumn of 2022.

The series 6 runner-up, Myleene Klass, was crowned winner of the series after beating series 16 campmate Jordan Banjo in the final survival trial. It was three years between the first and second seasons of the show, so fans might be waiting a little while for the next season if ITV continues to follow suit.

Voting figures for the show were revealed earlier today, showing that Adam won by a landslide. The Emmerdale actor came first in the vote for the final four, with 51 per cent. He was followed by Sir Mo Farah, who won 32 per cent, while Harry Redknapp and Craig Charles each got 9 per cent.

I’m A Celebrity is expected to return later this year with the usual format. Adam’s win came off the back of a series of dramatic moments for the actor on the show. Things first took a dramatic turn when David Haye was accused of bullying Adam after he ruled himself out of a trial. He called the actor weak and later doubled down, claiming that the Waterloo Road star was using his arthritis to get out of doing Bushtucker Trials and challenges.

Adam was also at the centre of a row with Jimmy Bullard. He was left angry when Jimmy quit the show mid-trial, which could have tanked Adam’s time on I’m A Celeb, as they were doing the trial in pairs.

Adam swore at Jimmy. Though he later apologised, Jimmy was insistent that Adam was “aggressive” and “intimidating”, and blasted ITV for not showing the full clip. ITV have said what they showed was a “fair and accurate” representation of what happened.

The Mirror has approached ITV for comment.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

A UK zoo, spanning across 130 acres and home to around 30,000 animals, has been named as the best in the UK – and visitors can even spend the night at their safari style hotel

The UK’s best zoo has been named – and it’s in perfect timing ahead of the summer holidays.

Zoos have long been a beloved family day out, offering visitors the chance to admire a wide range of animals up close or to take part in unique experiences. Today, there are thought to be more than 300 licensed zoos, safari parks, and aquariums in the UK, many of which focus on animal care, education, research, and the protection of endangered species.

But there’s one zoo that has garnered particular attention. Spanning a whopping 130 acres and home to around 30,000 animals and more than 500 threatened species, it’s notably one of the biggest zoological parks in the UK.

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Chester Zoo has been officially crowned the best zoo in the UK by Tripadvisor, thanks to its consistently positive reviews from millions of visitors. The travel guidance platform found that the conservation zoo, in Upton-by-Chester, Cheshire, had a whopping 11,666 ‘excellent’ review ratings, and was also featured in Europe’s top 10 zoos and aquariums for 2026.

Not only does it provide a fantastic day out, but it’s also a nationally renowned conservation and education charity that is dedicated to preventing animal extinction. Some of its protected animals include the Sumatran orangutan, Sumatran tiger, Jaguars, Greater one-horned rhino, Sun bear, warthog, and Okapi, to name a few.

When visitors can tear themselves away from these incredible animals, there are gardens to explore, play areas, various eateries, including an on-site pub and restaurant, along with a virtual reality experience. It welcomes millions of visitors each year, and many praise Chester Zoo for its conservation efforts.

One fan wrote on TripAdvisor earlier this month: “Have been visiting this zoo since 1961 with the yearly school trips, to taking my children and now my grandchildren – I have visited many different zoos in many different countries and places, and still Chester Zoo beats them all hands down. The new African area and the lodges are amazing. The staff are all so friendly and knowledgeable – well worth a visit.”

Another shared: “Such an amazing day, was great to see the new Red Panda and due to the great weather all of the other animals were out. Lunch at the pub was amazing as it always is.”

“Forever my favourite zoo, as someone who’s visited many across the world! The emphasis on conservation is amazing and so important, staff are also lovely and very happy to chat and educate about the animals,” a third noted.

Its status as the best in the UK follows the opening of the largest UK zoo habitat, Heart of Africa, last year. The incredible expansion spans 2.5 acres, which accounts for more than 17 football pitches, and is home to 57 renowned African species.

Last summer, Chester Zoo also revealed its new hotel, The Reserve, which boasts 51 luxury African-themed lodges, offering a UK safari getaway. Every visit to Chester Zoo, whether it’s for a day or an overnight stay, helps to fund the zoo’s charitable conservation work.

Following its accolade, Jamie Christon, CEO of Chester Zoo, said: “We’re over the moon to be named the UK’s top zoo by Tripadvisor. This recognition is built entirely on genuine reviews from our visitors – and that means the world to us. I’m very proud of everyone who makes our national conservation zoo such a special place.

“Every visit to Chester Zoo directly supports our vital conservation work, both here at home and around the world, and the past year alone is a reminder of just how much that work matters. We’ve developed the world’s first vaccine for a deadly virus that threatens Asian elephants globally, we’ve officially pulled a tiny species of snail back from the brink of extinction, and right here on our doorstep, we’ve been planting thousands of new trees to create important new woodland habitat. None of that happens without the people who come through our gates – and we’re enormously grateful to every one of them.”

For more information or to book tickets to Chester Zoo, visit their website.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

The RAC has named the best cars on the market for a road trip in the UK, with an unexpected vehicle coming out on top thanks to its fuel efficiency and fun driving experience

Despite soaring fuel costs, motorists across the UK will still be eager to hit the open road this summer and enjoy a good old-fashioned road trip.

Whether it’s a group of mates touring Cornwall, tackling Scotland‘s legendary North Coast 500, or conquering the Welsh hills, there’s no shortage of thrilling routes to choose from.

With this in mind, the RAC has compiled a list of the finest road trip cars currently on sale in the UK. However, the top pick may well raise a few eyebrows – and so might the runner-up.

Taking the top spot is the £17,095 Kia Picanto city car which, while not an obvious choice, the RAC’s Lawrence Allan explained how its compact performance made it more exhilarating to drive than many far pricier and more powerful alternatives on the market.

He explained: “Road trips are rarely dull when you’re pushing a car to its limits, and you can do that in the little Kia and still be under the speed limit. You’ll sip fuel, too – a bonus with unpredictable fuel prices.

“What’s more, the Picanto is good fun to drive on the kind of tight, twisty roads that are found in most of our top 10 best road trips in the UK. Then, when you head into a nearby town for dinner, parking is a doddle.”

Pipped to second place behind the Kia Picanto was the electric variant of the Mercedes-Benz CLA, which Lawrence described as the ultimate electric vehicle for hitting the road.

Lawrence cited the primary reason for this as the distance the £45,615 car could cover on a single charge, boasting a range of up to 484 miles — sufficient to travel from London all the way to Dundee in Scotland.

He further noted that the vehicle impressed with its efficiency and rapid charging capability, making pit stops noticeably less lengthy than those required by other electric cars over the past decade.

Taking third place was the £34,875 Nissan Qashqai e-Power. Lawrence attributed its bronze position partly to its efficiency, which allows drivers to achieve over 770 miles from a tank of fuel, as well as its outstanding practicality.

While the Kia and Mercedes offer 255 and 407 litres of boot space respectively, the Nissan boasts a generous 504 litres. The Nissan also edges ahead of the Kia on fuel economy, with the Kia capable of 51.4mpg compared to the Nissan’s 64.2mpg — a crucial factor during a period of rising fuel costs.

On the subject of fuel, some experts have cautioned against filling up between 10am and 2pm, amongst them Interfuels’ Gordon Walllis.

He explained to the Express: “By late morning, many retailers have already adjusted their prices to reflect overnight changes in wholesale costs. That means drivers filling up around midday are often paying a premium.

“Late morning and early afternoon tend to be busy periods, with people stopping during errands, commutes or lunch breaks. When demand is steady, there is less pressure on retailers to keep prices low.”