shop

The government hopes the plug-in panels will offer people a more affordable way into solar energy compared to roof installation, although savings will be lower because they generate less power.

A one-panel kit will cost £699 while two-panels will be £1,089, according to UK solar company UKSOL.

The current regulations only allow people to plug in one device per property, but this may be changed in future. A single device may include more than one panel.

The government expects prices to settle at £400-£600 as competition increases and more products are developed.

Its research shows a household could save between £70 and £110 a year on their energy bills.

The precise amount will depend on how the panels are orientated and how long they run. An unshaded south-facing spot is best.

Households which use energy during daylight hours will benefit most as the electricity must be used as it is generated.

Any power not consumed will flow back to the grid, but it’s unlikely homes will get any cash for this.

Unlike rooftop solar panels, these systems do not need to be certified under the official Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which is the UK’s official quality mark for small-scale renewable energy systems.

But it also means they will not normally qualify for the Smart Export Guarantee that pays people for excess solar power.

SKIP the big rides and rollercoasters for one of the best family days out. The location? One of the UK’s best farm shop villages.

The complex in Cheshire is inside a 250-year-old barn conversion with a farm shop, play area, plenty of shops and even an on-site B&B.

Found in Middlewich, Hopley House is open seven days a week and is popular with families thanks to all it has to offer.

At the centre of Hopley House is its farm shop where visitors can pick up local produce from bread to pastries, meat, fruit and vegetables to cakes.

When it comes to drinks, there are wines, beers and spirits from local breweries and Il Gusto spirits which can be bottled and personalised on-site.

Outside are a selection of plants from shrubs to flowers

HOL YES

Cheap holiday destinations with 86p beers, £15 flights & £129pp package breaks

CHEAP CHIC

Cheap UK stays from £9.50pp – with FREE bottomless wine & £11pp coastal cottages

The café is open seven days a week serving up cooked breakfasts, lunch, afternoon tea and kids meals.

There’s also a selection of homemade cakes and alcohol-like beers and boozy hot chocolates.

To entertain the kids, visitors can get competitive on the mini golf course found on-site which costs £5pp.

And children can burn some energy at the play area which has swings, a slide, rock wall and climbing frame.

If that isn’t enough, it even has its own shopping village.

One of the shops is AVM Furniture which sells a selection of antique, vintage and modern furniture as well as garden ornaments.

JO’S Accessories is a ladies’ boutique, there’s also The Crystal Boutique, SKULLS n’ MOR, E a pet shop and a reptile rescue sanctuary.

Families have raved about it, with one saying: “Absolutely perfect place for a large family to stay.”

Another added: “Me, my partner and my two children visited Hopley House last month….. to say we were impressed is an understatement!”

A third simply called it a “hidden gem”.

It also holds events throughout the year – at the moment it has a mini fairground is back with tea cups and a mini big wheel.

Visitors can also stay at Hopley House in one of its rooms which are found inside a converted barn.

Some of the rooms have original barn features, each with en suite or a private bathroom.

Guests can enjoy a cooked breakfast from the café or head to the farm shop for a homemade pizza.

Anyone staying overnight can also make use of a kitchen area which has a fridge and microwave.

Rooms start from £68 based on two people sharing or £42 for single occupancy.

One overnight guest said in a review: “Lovely stay at Hopley guest house, huge big room and the comfiest bed ever! The owner made us feel very welcome.

“My only regret is we didn’t book for longer.”

If you fancy another trip to the farm shop, check out the ‘Harrods of the North‘ that’s loved by Molly-Mae – with forest lodges and hot tubs.

The BBC star shared the special news in a rare personal update on the programme to her colleague.

The Repair Shop star shared the news minutes into the episode.

On Wednesday night (August 12), BBC viewers saw art on paper conservator Angelina Bakalarou and resident upholstery expert Sonnaz Nooranvary waiting in the barn to meet their next guest.

However, when Sonnaz asked how her friend and co-star has been, Angelia wasted no time in sharing the good news.

Putting her hand up, The Repair Shop expert excitedly squealed, “I’m engaged!”. Sonnaz replied: “Congratulations! Look at that ring! Oh, I’m so pleased for you, exciting.”

Viewers were then given a close-up of the engagement ring, as it was a gold band with a dark red gem in the middle.

At the time the episode was first broadcast, last October, fans were quick to shower the BBC star with support and well-wishes.

On social media, one person said, “Congratulations on your engagement, Angelina. I hope you have many happy and healthy years together.”

Another agreed: “Congratulations on your engagement” as a third echoed: “You two make a handsome couple, congratulations!” A fourth chimed in with: “Many congratulations to you both, wonderful news.”

While it’s not known how long the BBC star has been with her partner, Simone, he first appeared on her Instagram back in 2015.

The pair seem to enjoy holidays together as The Repair Shop expert has shared glimpses of their time in the likes of Doha and Sardinia.

Angelina has been part of the BBC series since 2023, although it seems as though she already knew a familiar face in the barn, long-term favourite Will Kirk.

Not long after get debut, Will shared a snap of them together enjoying a day out with The Teddy Bear Ladies Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell.

When asked how she got involved in the show, Angelina replied: “One day, I got an email from a member of the production team asking whether I would be interested in joining and being an expert on the show.

“And, you know, one thing led to another interviews, videos, chats, and before I knew it, I was in the barn, doing my first item. So yeah, it was quite surreal.”

The Repair Shop is available to watch on BBC iPlayer

The Repair Shop viewers learnt the tragic tale of rescue dog Pepper who helped search for survivors in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing disaster.

The Repair Shop viewers saw one man share the touching story of his late border collie rescue dog, Pepper.

During the BBC show, which first broadcast last year, experts Dominic Chinea and Suzie Fletcher spoke to a man called Neil Powell.

The man had an old dog collar and a tattered rescue jacket with him, keen to get it restored in tribute to ‘one of the best’ dogs he’d had.

Explaining more about Pepper, The Repair Shop guest shared that he qualified to become a search and rescue at 18 months and was involved with helping to find a young German boy who was missing in bad weather conditions for 36 hours.

However, one of the more poignant searches Neil and Pepper were involved with was the 1988 Lockerbie Pan Am disaster, where they were called in to try and find survivors, reports the Daily Record.

Recalling the ‘dreadful’ smell of the aviation fuel, Neil highlighted that Pepper had discovered a suitcase during their time there, which was significant as it had scorch marks on, suggesting that the plane crash had been a bomb.

During the horrific tragedy, 270 perished in the Lockerbie bombing, amongst them 11 residents of the Scottish town.

Sadly, Pepper, along with the other dogs involved, developed tumours in their noses and windpipes while in the crater searching for human remains.

Admitting they weren’t sure it was caused by the aviation fuel, Neil confessed to being heartbroken over Pepper’s death, adding, ‘it was really awful.”

While Dom issued an apology over the loss of his cherished companion as Neil emphasised how significant the jacket was to him that he wore during mountain rescues.

One touching moment during the restoration saw textile conservator Rebecca Bissonnet make an unexpected discovery, Pepper’s name on the jacket, which had been hidden for years.

Calling her find ‘really moving’, Rebecca recreted her name to make it a permanent fixture on the jacket.

Ultimately, the duo succeeded in restoring both the jacket and the collar as they mounted it to a wooden board.

When Neil returned to the barn to witness the final result, he became visibly emotional as he fought back tears, calling it ‘perfect’ before praising the ‘talented people’ in the barn.

Spotting Peppers’s name, he confessed to being ‘overwhelmed’ by the sweet gesture before sharing that the display would go up at the base of their Mountain Rescue Centre.

The Repair Shop is available to watch on BBC iPlayer

The KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling jet involved in a deadly midair collision with another tanker over Iraq in March is now undergoing full repairs at Tinker Air Force Base. The Oklahoma installation hosts the only unit specifically designed to repair battle damage to the Air Force’s fleet of aerial refuelers and strategic bombers.

The collision on March 12 killed the entire crew of the tanker, which had the call sign Zeus 95. Maj. John A. Klinner, Capt. Ariana G. Savino and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. Capt. Seth R. Koval, Capt. Curtis J. Angst and Master Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons (who was posthumously promoted) were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio.

After the incident, the surviving jet, serial 63-8017, landed at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport. Images emerged showing that half its tail was sheared off.

Little more was known publicly about the jet – assigned to the 314th Air Refueling Squadron at Beale Air Force Base, California – until it arrived at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom on Aug. 2 with a replacement tail. Local aviation photographer Andrew McKelvey was kind enough to share images he took of the aircraft, one of which you can see below.

Serial 63-8017 left Mildenhall and finally arrived at Tinker on Aug. 3.

After McKelvey sent us the pictures, we reached out to the Air Force to find out how the aircraft was repaired and what would happen to it next. In addition, Mildenhall, as we have previously reported, was also a pit stop for at least two KC-135 tankers that returned from the Middle East full of patch mark repairs from shrapnel damage incurred during Iranian attacks.

“The aircraft are being inducted for programmed depot maintenance, where any damage patched by an Expeditionary Depot Maintenance (EDMX) unit will be fully repaired in conjunction with regularly scheduled 5-year maintenance,” an Air Force spokesperson told us Thursday afternoon. Located at Tinker, the EDMX is “responsible for maintaining the Air Force’s sole source for Aircraft Battle Damage Repair (ABDR) rapid repair capabilities for the entire tanker and bomber fleets,” according to the Air Force.

“Timelines for when the aircraft will fully return to the fleet ultimately depends on the extent of any additional defects or engineering issues identified during the inspection portion of the programmed depot maintenance,” the Air Force spokesperson added. “The current average for this regularly scheduled maintenance is 155 days, but it is reasonable to assume the timeline may be extended based on findings.”

The repair process to keep these aircraft able to maintain full mission capability can be much quicker, the Air Force spokesperson explained.

“Several damaged KC-135 Stratotankers were repaired by members of the 76th Aircraft Maintenance Group’s Expeditionary Depot Maintenance Flight [EDMX], allowing the aircraft to maintain full mission capability to complete deployed missions,” the Air Force added. The EDMX “completed more than 200 repairs over the course of three weeks; effective patches that also allowed the aircraft to return to Tinker Air Force Base for comprehensive repairs.”

The Air Force declined to provide details about the number of aircraft that arrived at Tinker to be repaired after being damaged in the war on Iran and did not immediately provide additional information about the work done on 63-8017 in Israel to enable it to fly again in the first place.

Whether coincidental or not, a few weeks after the mishap in March over Iraq, the Air Force pulled a Stratotanker out of storage and brought it to Tinker.

“At the request of the KC-135 System Program Office, the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group regenerated KC-135R, tail number 58-011, to support operational requirements,” the Air Force told us back in April. “The aircraft departed on April 2, 2026, en route to the Oklahoma Air Logistics Complex at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.”

The Air Force at the time declined to say if 58-011 was being used specifically to repair jets damaged during Epic Fury.

In addition to the tanker involved in the midair collision, an Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB) in Saudi Arabia is said to have damaged five tankers. However, the full destruction inflicted by it and subsequent strikes on PSAB remains murky, as do potential impacts to facilities and aircraft located across the region. The lack of regular satellite imagery from U.S. providers of the Middle East has made it harder to understand what has occurred, but as we state repeatedly, satellite images would not show more minor damage to aircraft, such as the shrapnel holes in images of two KC-135s that made a temporary stop at Mildenhall before heading to Tinker.

As we noted earlier in this story, on April 12, a KC-135, serial 59-1444, belonging to the Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing, arrived at the air base in England covered in patches installed over shrapnel damage. You can see that jet’s arrival in the following photograph.

A little more than a month later, another Stratotanker, serial 63-8028, assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 168th Wing, arrived at Mildenhall also peppered with temporary shrapnel damage repairs. The following photograph shows the aircraft at the base.

The damaged tankers are among at least 40 aircraft damaged or destroyed during the U.S. conflict with Iran. Our last tabulation is from April 10. There have been several other Iranian attacks on air bases in the region housing U.S. aircraft since then, but U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has declined to discuss battle damage. So it is possible, if not likely, that there have been additional assets destroyed or damaged.

The Air Force is seeking money to replace some of these aircraft.

“We hope to be able to address this in a supplemental for the aircraft that we’ve lost,” Air Force Chief of Staff Kenneth S. Wilsbach told Congress in April. “And the procurement going forward is meant to increase the number of tails we have, especially in the fighter force, but it will also include bombers and tankers as well. So both the supplemental and the ’27 budget is supposed to address those losses.”

You can get an idea of the extent of U.S. aircraft losses from our graphic linked here.

The fact that these tankers, which have all been in service for more than 60 years, were able to return to flight is a testament to the crews that fixed them. How much repair work they still have to undergo remains unclear.

Tankers are critical assets in high demand, and in this case of these jets, there may be at least one positive side effect from the damage. Executing a battle damage repair plan in the field to get a KC-135 back in the air is a good real-life exercise, one that could prove vital if a future conflict in the Pacific were to erupt. Lessons will certainly be learned on many levels from the war on Iran. And some of these lessons unfortunately, and perhaps needlessly, came the hard way.

Contact the author: howard@twz.com

Having always loved the idea of running her own bookshop, Mirror writer Julia Banim spent the night at Read and Rabbit in Loftus, which offers guests the opportunity to try their hand at bookselling

It’s always been a bit of a daydream of mine to run a quirky bookshop, ideally in a suitably pretty location.

So imagine my delight when I learned about Read and Rabbit, a sweet pink bookshop nestled in the quaint village of Loftus, on the very edge of the breathtakingly poetic North York Moors National Park.

It’s here where literary-minded holidaymakers can stay above the shop in the cosiest of surroundings. Best of all, in between curling up with a book and exploring the many charms of the local area, guests can try their hand at running the shop themselves, tallying up change, and greeting customers looking for a good read, and indeed, a good rabbit.

If you’ve been waiting around for your romcom moment, then let this be your sign. I simply couldn’t resist.

Read and Rabbit is the baby of Marta Eleniak, a friendly and likeable host with an encyclopedic knowledge of local haunts. She tells the Mirror: “I love creating experiences for people. Of all the things that I’ve done in my life, it’s when I’ve organised holidays for other people and done things that made them smile, that’s kind, where I feel I’m in my element. It’s like my calling, really, creating experiences for others.”

Before clocking on for my bookshop shift, Marta and I stop by the nearby Cattersty Sands beach, a hidden gem offering enough tranquillity to dislodge even the most stubborn writer’s block. Those with pets will also be pleased to know that it’s dog-friendly.

A relative newbie to Loftus, Marta fell for the area while looking for somewhere new to live, ideally in a friendly, affordable community with woods to walk in and plenty of rolling hills.

While chatting about her search on a Facebook group, a fellow member suggested their hometown of Loftus, with its waterfalls and proximity to the sea. Marta was immediately sold.

Having familiarised myself with lovely Loftus, it was onto my shift. The bookshop itself is a real treasure, with creative displays and even a fun ‘Harry Potter experience’ that young bookworms, and perhaps those not so young, will no doubt enjoy.

Marta learned that the centuries-old shop, previously an artist’s pottery studio, was up for sale through the local walking group, and while she initially had no intention of buying, when she saw it in person, it was love at first sight. It was then that things started to come together.

With this new ‘run a bookshop’ experience, guests staying in the self-catering accommodation have free rein to run Read and Rabbit, should they choose to. If they decide to do so, the only rules are that they open on at least one of the core days between 10 am and 2 pm on Saturday and on one midweek day.

That aside, guests are free to do as they wish and can spend time organising the books, changing up the window displays, and even offering workshops. For those looking for a bit more of a transformative stay, Marta offers buddy-up sessions to help people overcome writers’ block.

For Marta, Read and Rabbit is about more than selling books. From spending time online, she’s come across people who don’t necessarily have many friends in the offline world, and feels a brick-and-mortar bookshop offers that all-important sense of physical connection that’s so often missing in today’s society.

Marta says: “When I was researching bookshops, lots of people who had bookshops said the positive is that bookshops are just happy places for so many people. If you’re neurodivergent, it’s often a place where you feel quite happy and at ease.

“I just thought, I want to make it a happy place for people. And I want to have fun, quirky stuff there that makes people laugh. So even if they come in and something just makes them laugh, and they don’t buy anything, that’s good enough for me.”

There’s a comforting feel to the place, and indeed, Marta herself, that seems to prompt people to open up. While peaceful, Read and Rabbit also gets its fair share of eccentric and interesting customers, including those from North Yorkshire’s thriving artistic community. Often, they’ll stop and chat, sharing their stories, a laugh, and any problems that might be troubling them, big or small.

Profits from book sales go towards creating affordable events for people, with Marta noting: “Meditation is great, but not everybody can afford £10 or whatever it is for a meditation session.” I’m soon getting a feel for the place and the wider village, selling everything from adorable children’s books to humorous cards.

Now, I’ve worked in the trenches of retail before and can assure future guests that this is a far more relaxed experience. As Marta herself put it: “It’s a bit like when you’re a kid, and you play shop, but you actually get a whole shop to play with, but it’s real.”

For lunch, I enjoy a delicious takeaway pie and brownie from the award-winning Willow Cake Shop, a much-loved local establishment that looks like a bakery straight out of a fairytale. It’s a sizeable portion, but I don’t leave so much as a crumb.

After we close for the day, Marta and I take a walk in the local woods, of which there are plenty. Outdoorsy readers will be spoiled for choice with ancient woodland to explore, with plenty of Tolkien-esque trees and dramatic waterfalls to fire up the imagination.

Afterwards, we head into nearby Staithes, a wonderfully atmospheric fishing village with labyrinthine cobbled streets, a rugged coastline, and the saltiest sea air.

Those writing novels populated with old-timey smugglers, crashing waves, and secrets shared in lantern-lit taverns will adore Staithes. Do make sure to check out the Cod and Lobster, which offers excellent fresh seafood and unparalleled views over the harbour.

Lungs filled with sea air, I settle into my accommodation at Read and Rabbit, a charmingly unique set of rooms with plenty of literary touches, from typewriters to, of course, plenty of books. With two rooms to choose from, I went for the larger one with the window seat overlooking the street.

The kitchen is well stocked, with Marta kindly leaving out fresh local eggs and oranges to pop in the press for juice. I particularly love the colourful roof garden, the perfect spot for a morning cuppa. I sleep well and spend the first hour or so reading happily by the window, rain tinkling on the pane outside.

When things brighten up a bit, I say a reluctant goodbye to Read and Rabbit, and head over to nearby Saltburn, a Victorian seaside town famed for its historic pier and surfing. Saltburn has a relaxed, youthful feel, while still maintaining its timeless British seaside feel.

Fish and chips are, of course, a must, and so I stop by The Seaview Restaurant, a popular local haunt where there are queues on an ordinary Monday afternoon. The delicious and generous servings are made all the more special by the sparkling ocean views.

With Wuthering Heights fever having gripped the nation earlier this year, it’s clear that Yorkshire’s wild literary culture is having a moment. Should you want to explore beyond the crowds at Whitby and Howarth, then overlooked yet well-positioned Loftus, and in particular Read and Rabbit, offers the perfect opportunity to do so.

You can find out more about staying at Read and Rabbit here.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

Elizabeth Kobliha knows her one-eyed cat Likho has more friends than she does. So much so that on his 15th birthday last Saturday, the sidewalk outside her downtown Long Beach store where he spends most of his time transformed into a makeshift fair.

There were vendors selling peach cobbler, watches, hot dogs and offering tattoos and face paint. A DJ spun records in celebration.

“He’s a very good businessman. We’ve got stickers, T-shirts, keychains, and buttons [of him], and it all goes under his account, his name,” Kobliha said of the cat.

• Share via Close extra sharing options

Before Likho roamed the 7,000-square-foot Long Beach Vintage Etc, there was Apollo. The “big rag doll” came in with health problems but was the perfect shop cat. Apollo, a Maine coon who died at 13 following a seizure a year after his arrival in 2015, had curbed the shop’s mouse problem and brought “so much love and energy.”

Similarly, Likho, a one-eyed Russian Blue, also was ailing when Kobilha took him in at 8 years old, but she wanted him anyhow.

“I always wanted to open my own shop so I can have a shop cat,” Kobliha says, adding she was inspired by bookstores with cats “just chilling.”

Vendors line the sidewalk for Likho’s birthday party. The cat is a local celebrity.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

In 2016, Kobliha was swiping through Facebook when a video stopped her scroll. In it, a woman inside of a hoarder’s garage bobbed a feather toy in front of Likho, who jumped up to catch it.

The post was made by Sia Barbi in collaboration with animal rescue group Stray Cat Alliance after the cat had been abandoned at the Hancock Park home. During the early ‘90s, Sia and identical twin sister, Shane, made waves in the fashion and pop culture worlds, often modeling for Chanel, Thierry Mugler and Jean Paul Gaultier. Their rise to fame began after the Los Angeles Times covered a Sunset Boulevard billboard featuring the twins wearing little clothing that had been causing car accidents.

“Guys of a certain generation would get very hot and bothered over them,” Kobliha said of the Barbi twins. As they exited the modeling industry, they pivoted into animal activism and volunteering for rescue groups and trap, neuter and return programs for cats.

Elizabeth Kobliha holds her cat Likho. When she opened her vintage store, she knew she wanted a shop cat just like chill bookstore cats.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Kobliha wanted to adopt Likho, but first he’d need a $3,000 operation to remove an infected eye, paid for by the Stray Cat Alliance.

“They took care of everything, then we had to wait because he had to recuperate,” she recalls. “The whole time I’m thinking, ‘Oh my God, what if it doesn’t work out? What if the cat gets here and is just absolutely bonkers?’”

That fear was for nothing. Likho, who lives at the shop full-time, acclimated within a day. “He has been a beautiful addition ever since then,” Kobliha says.

He’s since become the face of the shop, with a mural dedicated to him outside to welcome customers. That was done by local muralist LaJon Miller, who worked on another on the sidewalk during Likho’s party.

“I got adopted into it,” he says of the Likho fandom. “He’s been my muse on this street for a while. … He just roams around the store, chills, does his little nap thing, and hangs out with everybody, so he’s very social.”

Likho has never harmed the centuries-old objects in her shop, Kobliha says, but he has spooked suspected ghosts.

LaJon Miller, who calls Likho his muse, paints a portrait of the cat on the sidewalk outside of Long Beach Vintage Etc.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Kobliha believes ghosts once connected to shops at the 1922 building — a former patron of a grocery store shamed for his obesity and a former furniture shop owner who died by suicide — still roam her store’s stalls.

“We see shadow figures … there’s a certain area where they pass back and forth. They don’t do anything, but they’re scary as hell,” Kobliha says of unusual sightings. “Likho is very protective, and we do feel really safe when he’s around.”

“It is a little weird, though, when he’s sleeping, and then suddenly he will jump up and look around,” she adds.

Likho’s biggest fan may be a man named Dom Gomez. He lives within walking distance of the shop, and tends to visit after long shifts at a restaurant aboard the Queen Mary. He stopped by the birthday party wearing his work uniform: a white, button-down shirt and black slacks. His hair slicked; his hands behind his back.

Likho’s face graces merchandise at Long Beach Vintage Etc like this fan.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

When he speaks of Likho, he speaks with a tender cadence and dignified countenance, as if he were his own.

“Time flies, you know?” he says, smiling, of visiting Likho over the years. “He gets a lot of love from all the ladies that work here and myself … he has a lot of fans. I don’t know who’s more famous, Muhammad Ali or Likho the Cat.”

On a previous birthday, Gomez wanted to get Likho a gift. He settled on a kid’s denim jacket he modified for a cat with a patch for the Cure on the back but, regrettably, it was a “little too big.” Next year, he’ll give it another shot with a sweater.

“That’s my little buddy right there,” he says. “Today is a special day. I didn’t know a cat could live that long, but I think he’s still got a lot of energy to live … maybe another 100 years, I hope.”

The Repair Shop expert Amanda Middleditch felt the pressure during the latest episode

A significant World Cup item was brought to The Repair Shop barn on Wednesday.

During the latest instalment (June 24) of the popular BBC programme, experts Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch met Steph Taylor and her daughter Alison. The life-long football fans sought help in restoring a soft toy of the 1966 England World Cup mascot, World Cup Willie, who was in a “rather sorry state”.

Steph explained that she bought the toy at the first match she went to that year. After getting tickets to all the matches at Wembley Stadium, including the final, Steph brought Willie along in her pocket.

The guest explained that she also went to the matches with her future husband, Chris, with their romance blossoming during the tournament. The couple got married that same year, before welcoming their daughter eight months later.

Sadly, tragedy struck when Chris died of an asthma attack just nine months after Alison was born.

“That makes Willie much more significant,” Julie noted, before Alison said: “Because they weren’t together very long, he’s the only thing that I have that connects mum and dad. So, it’s quite special to me as well.”

Julie and Amanda quickly got to work to try and restore the “very important” toy to its former glory. However, Amanda was noticeably nervous.

“He looks extremely fragile, doesn’t he? I’m quite concerned about his face,” she said.

Amanda added: “This little guy’s face is absolutely terrifying. The damp has left him with these two ugly holes. I’ve got to make him look good again.”

The expert tried to feed a new piece of fabric underneath the toy’s damaged face, but she worked with caution. She said: “I’m holding my breath here because the worst thing that could happen is his face disintegrates on me, and then I would have to replace the whole face.

“Oh, it’s a scary one! I think this is actually scarier than taking a penalty in the World Cup final. [I’m] absolutely terrified. But we can do this.”

Julie and Amanda successfully managed to restore World Cup Willie, leaving both Steph and Alison speechless as they were reunited with their possession.

“Oh my goodness, that’s amazing!” said Alison, while her mum noted: “I don’t know if he’s ever looked that good!”

A visibly emotional Steph added: “[I’m] quite filled up about it all, really. Yeah.”

Alison continued: “He’s quite special because he’s a link to my mum and my dad. He’s the only thing that really connects them,” before Steph said: “He’s a very important lion.”

The Repair Shop is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

Tokyo isn’t one city. It’s many cities, and each is its own universe.

Occasionally — at a certain subterranean bar big enough for only seven people, or a sushi counter on the fifth floor of a random office building — I feel as if I’m stepping into another time or dimension.

Finding your way to any of the millions of restaurants, cafes, bars and shops (some are micro-businesses in an alley in a village in the city) can be like figuring out a many-layered puzzle. Like Tokyo, each experience is dense.

Use these handy dining guides for all of your summer travel, near and far.

The Japanese word for hospitality is omotenashi. But its meaning goes far beyond just customer service. Even the translations “wholehearted, selfless hospitality” or “flawless care” don’t cover all of the philosophies that make up omotenashi: magokoro (“true heart” or “sincere feeling”), ichigo ichie (“one time, one meeting”) and kuuki wo yomu (“reading the air”). The last refers to the intuitive ability to anticipate guests’ needs before they ask — an idea rooted in tea ceremony, which is rooted in Buddhism. It’s hard to grasp that level of selflessness.

Here are some of our favorite places to lose yourself in Tokyo. — Betty Hallock

BBC expert Steve Fletcher was given the task of restoring a sentimental item on the latest episode of The Repair Shop.

Emotions were at an all-time high during The Repair Shop as BBC’s Steve Fletcher and Dominic Chinea welcomed Robin into the workshop.

The guest had a large globe with him, which he explained was a ‘world clock’ and was built by his great-grandfather.

He commented: “It’s based on a grandfather clock mechanism. The idea is that the clock makes the globe rotate once every 24 hours. Then, using the numbers on the ring around the equator, you can see what the time is anywhere in the world.”

The BBC stars were blown away as they both called it ‘amazing’ before Robin confessed that he’s never known it to work in his lifetime.

Curious, horologist Steve asked if his great-grandfather was a clock-maker, as the guest explained that he wasn’t, he had been a mechanical engineer, but made the item in his spare time in the 1930s after retirement.

He added: “There’s a little newspaper cutting in here, according to the newspaper it’s supposed to chime every half hour. It took him five years to perfect.”

Sadly, Robin shared that his great-grandfather died when he was one year old, but he has memories of the item in his grandad’s dining room.

When asked what he wanted them to do with the unusual clock, Robin stated the idea would be to get it working, which is something his own father had wanted to do but never was able to.

He added: “If he’d have seen it working, I think it would have really been special to him if I could get it working now, in his memory, but also, grandfather and great-grandfather before that. Just to keep the family legacy going, as it were.

In the end, after the item was worked on by both Steve and Jonathan Wright, it was time for Robin to return to see the final restoration.

When the globe was revealed, which the experts managed to get working once again, Robin was blown away. He commented: “Wow! Well, it looks gorgeous, it really does look gorgeous. I’m… I am stunned, I really am stunned. Thank you. That’s a lovely sound, isn’t it?”

When Steve turned the clock strike on, Robin laughed as he struggled to hold back his emotions. He added: “Wow, that is so sweet. Sorry. I’d have loved my dad to have seen it and heard it. He’d have been thrilled. It’s really, it is emotional.

“Extremely emotional, but it’s magical, fabulous. We shall treasure it until it’s time to hand it on to the next generation.”

Steve added: “It’s been a real great challenge, so thank you very much for bringing it in.

The Repair Shop is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.