travel

STRIKES at an airport in Spain have started today – with passengers being told to ditch cabin bags for hand luggage to avoid the chaos.

Walkouts from multiple unions will continue across the next couple of weeks affecting baggage handling and check-in.

Palma Airport on the island of Majorca is one of the busiest in Spain during the summer season – and lots of its workers are going on strike.

The first walkouts are by those working in technical maintenance, ground equipment and airport infrastructure roles.

These are being planned by three unions, which started yesterday and will continue until July 30.

Swissport – who handle check in and boarding – is also striking today, as well as on August 1, 4 and 8.

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On these days ground staff will walk out between 7am to 12pm, then again from 7pm to 10pm.

The airport has warned passengers that today could be particularly bad as the strikes coincide at the same time.

Airlines affected by the Swissport ground handlers’ dispute include TUI.

But others could be affected too, as a statement from the airport said that “its impact will stretch beyond Swissport-handled airlines”.

While flights are yet to be cancelled, according to Qsensor, the wait time at security in Palma Airport this morning has been 26 minutes longer than average.

Passengers going to the airport during this time have been asked not to arrive too early and even ditch check-in bags for hand luggage instead.

On its website, the airport issued advice to travellers who are heading through the terminal on strike days.

• Check in online: Complete your check-in online before heading to the airport to minimise time spent in queues.

• Travel light if possible: Travelling with hand luggage only allows you to bypass potential check-in and baggage carousel delays.
• Monitor your airline’s app: Keep a close eye on text alerts or app notifications from your airline for real-time schedule updates.
• Arrive on time (but not too early): Stick to the standard arrival window recommended by your carrier (usually two to three hours before departure). Arriving half a day early can worsen airport congestion.

On the strike, a TUI spokesperson said: “We are aware of planned industrial action affecting airline operators at Palma airport.

“At this stage, we do not anticipate any disruption to our customers. However, we are working closely with our local teams and airport partners to minimise any potential impact.

“As always, we will proactively update our guests if there are any changes to their itinerary. Customers should continue to check their flight details as usual before travelling.”

Meanwhile, Ryanair told Sun Travel that it will “operate as normal” with “no impact to operations”.

easyJet also said its flights will be operating as normal.

Passengers have been issued a stark message about being caught up in airport delays

Peak travel season is here, with many Brits jetting off on their summer holidays. Thousands of holidaymakers are flocking abroad over the next few weeks.

However, this year things are looking very different if you are travelling to Europe. The new EU Entry/Exit System (ESS) was fully implemented in April, resulting in significant travel disruptions that are still continuing at many airports.

Brits have found themselves in queues lasting hours as they try to pass through the digital border system. It has even seen some travellers missing their flights, leaving their holidays in tatters.

The system is used at airport arrivals and departures in the EU and the Schengen area. Travellers have been urged to get to airports even earlier than usual so they aren’t caught up in queues, especially when returning to the UK.

Now, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has issued a stark message to anyone flying on his airline this summer. He has admitted the airline will not wait for anyone stuck in queues, and that the flight will carry on as scheduled.

While on the Telegraph’s Travel Expert podcast, host Simon Calder asked: “If I were a passenger, say at Milan Bergamo Airport, and was stuck in a mile-long queue, how long are you going to be waiting for me? And if you can’t wait for me, what are you going to do?”

Mr O’Leary replied: “Nothing. We will not wait for anybody. If you are stuck, if you are not at the boarding gate when we finish boarding, the plane is going without you.

“We are not delaying our flights for people who are stuck in passport control queues. They have to show up at the airport earlier, but they have to be at the boarding gate; otherwise, they are not flying.”

Travel expert Simon previously branded the entry and exit system a “Euro shambles”. He named Milan Malpensa, Lisbon, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt and Copenhagen as the airports with the “worst” delays.

Simon previously said on the podcast: “From what I have experienced, and certainly one of them is Milan Malpensa. The fingerprint stuff took an hour, and I was the first one off the EasyJet plane from Gatwick.

“Then, I went through the other terminal to check out and it took 45 minutes that time but they wanted those fingerprints again, which is absolutely not in the rules.”

He added: “I have heard terrible stories from Lisbon, other places frequently mentioned, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt.

“Both of them are huge hubs where you have got a lot of people flying from various regional airports across the UK into Paris and Frankfurt to connect.

“That’s okay if you are going intercontinental but if you are trying to connect to somewhere in Europe it is awful.”

IF you’re trying to figure out which country is the absolute cheapest for a summer getaway, you’re asking the wrong question.

After digging through thousands of our Summer 2026 bookings, the data made one thing blindingly obvious.

The biggest savings don’t come from swapping Spain for Turkey or Greece for Tunisia. They come from swapping one resort for another.

In almost every major holiday destination, there is one specific pocket quietly delivering far better value than the rest.

Sometimes it’s because it sits just a few miles outside a famous hotspot, and other times it’s simply because a place hasn’t shaken off an old reputation it no longer deserves.

The upshot is that you can bag the exact same week in the sun for a fraction of the cost just by shifting your search field a few miles down the coast.

I’ve crunched the numbers to find the cheapest resort in each of Britain’s favourite holiday spots to show you exactly where the system is breaking in our favour.

10. Hammamet, Tunisia – 18 per cent cheaper

Tunisia has quietly become the ultimate value play for guaranteed Mediterranean sunshine without the inflated price tags of Egypt or Turkey, but Hammamet is the real standout.

Our booking data has it tracking at 18 per cent cheaper than the average holiday in Tunisia, serving up massive white sand beaches and a proper, historic old town and marina that gives it way more character than a standard, purpose-built resort strip.

I spotted a seven night stay at The Russelior Hotel & Spa, flying from Gatwick in September, from £350pp on a Bed & Breakfast basis.

And the thing I love most at this property is their dedicated, ultra-quiet saltwater lagoon section hidden at the back.

It completely bypasses the noisy main freshwater pools, giving you a high-end, peaceful oasis for a rock-bottom price.

9. Praia da Luz, Portugal – 26 per cent cheaper

The Algarve is dominated by high-premium names like Albufeira and Vilamoura, which completely swallow the search traffic and explains why Praia da Luz routinely slips under the radar.

But bookings here are coming in 26 per cent cheaper than the Portugal average despite sitting on one of the prettiest, cliff-backed horseshoe bays on the coastline.

You can lock in seven nights at Oasis Beach, flying from Stansted at the end of September on a self-catering basis, from £365pp.

Because the seafront is packed with incredible independent seafood spots, saving cash on the board is a no-brainer.

The biggest perk at this complex is that the clifftop walking trail starts literally right outside the reception gates, leading you directly up to the famous Rocha Negra headland for an elite sunset view without paying the premium prices of the frontline bars.

8. Chloraka, Cyprus – 27 per cent cheaper

When people look at Cyprus, not many people know that Chloraka even exists.

The data shows it is averaging 27 per cent cheaper than the Cyprus baseline while offering the exact same sea views and Mediterranean weather.

It’s a brilliant, simple switch if you don’t mind being slightly outside the main tourist hub.

I tracked down an early autumn week at Helios Bay from £460pp.

Don’t let the 3-star rating fool you – this place has an incredibly loyal following of repeat guests, and the easy local transport right outside the hotel is a big reason why.

The main municipal bus stop sits directly outside the hotel entrance, running a direct link straight into Paphos harbor every 10 minutes for pocket change, allowing you to entirely skip expensive car rentals or daily taxi fares.

How’s that for a hack?

7. Naama Bay, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt – 28 per cent cheaper

Egypt has firmly established itself as a luxury-for-less destination, but the soaring popularity of its newest five-star resorts has started pushing average prices up.

Naama Bay completely bucks that trend, tracking at 28 per cent less than the average Egypt holiday while still putting you right in the heart of Sharm El Sheikh.

You can spend a week at Falcon Hills from £500pp, flying direct from Liverpool – and that’s all inclusive as well!

It’s a massive favorite for return visitors because it’s set back slightly from the central bustle, and this hotel even has a complimentary, on-site dive partnership.

The hotel runs a free daily shuttle to a private, sheltered coral reef section on the coast, meaning you can snorkel with incredible marine life straight from the shore without shelling out for an expensive commercial boat excursion.

6. Nuevo Horizonte, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands – 34 per cent cheaper

The Canaries are Britain’s ultimate holiday safety blanket because the weather is a safe bet all year round, but the downside is that peak-season markups can be savage.

That’s why Nuevo Horizonte is such a smart data loophole, sitting at 34 per cent cheaper than the Canary Islands average.

I found an all inclusive week at the Globales Costa Tropical, flying from Bournemouth, from £390pp.

You are paying for Fuerteventura’s legendary white beaches here rather than a flashy marble reception lobby, which is a trade I will make every single day.

And being in Fuerteventura, this hotel’s bike hire program is a massive bonus.

The hotel rents out high-spec cycles from the front desk for next to nothing, and because the coastal path running directly into neighbouring Caleta de Fuste is entirely flat, you can cruise into town for an evening out without ever paying a euro for a taxi.

5. Sarigerme, Dalaman, Turkey – 38 per cent cheaper

Turkey is always at the top of my list for sheer value, but Sarigerme is currently outperforming the market, running 38 per cent lower than the average Turkish booking.

It is infinitely calmer and more unhurried than Bodrum or Marmaris, making it the perfect spot to turn your phone off for a week.

I clocked a seven-night all inclusive break at The X Life Hotel, flying direct from Bristol, from £470pp.

Because it’s strictly an adults-only property, the vibe around the grounds is incredibly laid-back.

The hotel also has a specialised beach shuttle – they run an exclusive, free tractor-pulled shuttle wagon that shuttles guests down to their private sand lot all day, which sounds a bit quirky but is an absolute lifesaver for bypassing the intense midday Turkish heat on the sun-baked sand tracks.

4. Mgarr, Gozo, Malta – 40 per cent cheaper

Gozo is essentially Malta with the brakes tapped, and hopping on the quick local ferry drops your holiday bill by a staggering 40 per cent compared to the main island average.

Mgarr is a stunning harbour town where the water is crystal clear and the pace of life is completely relaxed.

A week at the Grand Hotel here starts from £495pp at the end of September on a room-only basis.

Booking room-only is a smart play here too, because the hotel sits directly above the active harbour, putting the island’s best independent seafood tavernas right at your feet.

And I’ve got a great tip for this hotel too: head down to the docks at 7am, because the local fishermen will sell you the catch of the day directly from their boats for pennies, and the harbour restaurants will happily grill it up for your dinner for a tiny prep fee.

Thank me later.

3. Malgrat de Mar, Costa Brava, Spain – 42 per cent cheaper

Spain will always dominate summer bookings, but Malgrat de Mar has come out as the cheapest major Spanish resort in my entire analysis, sitting at 42 per cent less than the average Spain hol.

It gives you an incredible balance of wide beaches, long promenades, and proper tapas bars that don’t fleece you for chips.

If you just want a cheap week in the sun, the Alegria Cartago Nova is hard to ignore at £205pp for seven nights, flying direct from Stansted.

The location does all the heavy lifting here, and the real insider secret is that the hotel sits just a two-minute stroll from the coastal train line, giving you a direct, traffic-free route straight into central Barcelona for less than the price of a pint.

2. Montecatini, Tuscany, Italy – 59 per cent cheaper

This was the absolute wild card of all the data I poured through.

Italy is rarely associated with budget package holidays, yet the Tuscan spa town of Montecatini came in at a mind-blowing 59 per cent cheaper than the national average.

The logic is simple: instead of paying eye-watering city-centre hotel rates in Florence or Pisa, you use this beautiful historic town as your base and commute in.

I spotted a week at the Boston Hotel from £285pp on a room-only basis.

And while you’re here, take the historic Funicolare cable car from the town centre up to Montecatini Alto.

It’s an ancient, red funicular railway that drops you into a medieval hilltop square packed with family-run trattorias where a proper plate of handmade Tuscan pasta costs a fraction of what you’d pay near the main tourist landmarks down in Florence.

1. Kavos, Corfu, Greece – 69 per cent cheaper

Across every single piece of data I analyzed for Summer 2026, Kavos delivered the biggest saving on the board, dropping an incredible 69 per cent below the average holiday anywhere in Greece.

I know the immediate reaction because Kavos has carried a rowdy party reputation for decades, but if you look past the main strip, the landscape has changed completely.

It now boasts excellent boat trips across to Paxos and some of the cheapest food and drink prices in Greece.

Take the Oula Maisonettes, where a week from Gatwick starts from just £255pp on a self-catering basis.

The property is run by a local family who harvest their own lemons directly on the grounds – perfect in a G&T, I might add.

So the insider play here is hitting up the pool bar for their homemade lemonade or evening cocktails – it’s entirely made from scratch using their own grove fruit and costs next to nothing compared to the commercial town bars.

I first went to this hotel in 2018 and it’s only grown in popularity since. Easy pick.

Prices correct at the time of publication.

“Are you mad?” says a fellow guest over dinner at our campsite. “I heard you’re here on a long-distance cycle ride with your toddlers.”

I am in Orne, a region in Normandy, with my sister Issy and our three-year-old sons, Sid and Ralph. The landscape folds around us in green-over-green – hedgerow, oak, mossy manor wall – then opens into meadows where Percheron horses graze, knee-deep in wildflowers. Deer leap from the bocage. Cidre and poiré have been pressed here since the middle ages. The villages are sandy stone, blue- and green-shuttered; roses against the boulangerie.

And yes, we are biking through it with the boys in child seats on the back, camping along the way in places found through the France Vélo Tourisme website. Over five days, we’re travelling 130km (80 miles) from Rémalard-en-Perche to Domfront, mostly along the Véloscénic – a 450km voie verte (a “greenway” car-free route) that runs from Mont-Saint-Michel to Paris – but looping off it to explore the fairytale chateaux and villages of the Perche, a historic former province. Issy is intrepid and a serious cyclist (the Lycra kind) but the best I can say is I cycle Sid to nursery, and I haven’t slept under canvas since, well, Glastonbury. So two or three hours’ cycling a day is probably enough …

Slightly rumpled from the overnight ferry to Caen from Portsmouth, we pull into Forest View, a campsite three miles south of Rémalard. Jean-Louis from the local bike hire shop is waiting with our ebikes. He’d insisted. I’d resisted: they can’t carry both a child seat and panniers so we’ll rely on Jean-Louis and a patchwork of kindly hosts to move our bags between stops. We test our bike legs on La Route Royale, an intermediate-level 25km circular route, and within an hour of leaving the campsite, climbing the hill to the pretty church of Moutiers-au-Perche for lunch, I realise Jean-Louis was right. The ebikes are the difference between a holiday and a heart attack.

The route is flat, but to really see the Perche you have to venture off it, and once you do, the land begins to roll and hills come without warning. The boys, strapped in behind us, are not light. But they are also loving it: pointing, laughing, bursting into Old MacDonald every time they see a horse, cow, tractor or sheep. It’s going so well that Issy and I are debating another few hours cycling or even a cider tasting on the way home, when a pause in the singing alerts us to the fact that both children have been lulled to sleep, heads wobbling from side to side, and so we take them back to the campsite to rest.

Graham Allen bought Forest View three years ago and built wooden camping pods especially for cyclists after watching them arrive “laden like donkeys”. Inside there’s a cosy bed and a skylight that we watch the stars through. Across the field there are hot showers. And in the informal restaurant, more like a kitchen/living room, home-cooked food at a shared table. Along France’s greenways, the number of Accueil Vélo accredited stops (accommodation for cyclists that offer breakfast, basic repair kits and help with luggage, among other things) has tripled since 2019.

After some seriously good sleep, eggs on toast and frantic sorting of stuff, we spend the next day on the Dîtes-le Avec des Fleurs loop: through the oak forest of Réno-Valdieu and past the Manoir de la Moussetière, one of the fortified manor houses typical of the Perche. Even on the open roads, there are just a handful of cars, and some steep climbs reward us with wonderful views. The freewheel back down leaves the boys shrieking with delight. At La Chapelle-Montligeon, a church rises out of the fields, and here we picnic on the bank of a lake.

Denis Hurtaud was also cycling this route when he took a detour from the greenway and stumbled on Café de la Place in the sleepy village of Courgeon. “The terrace was full of yellow flowers and there were old-fashioned oilcloths on the tables. Dappled sunlight fell across the courtyard,” he says. Over lunch, he overheard the owner say he was planning to retire and, by the end of the meal, he had decided to buy it. Today it is a bistro, village shop, bike repair station, art gallery, music venue and a lifeline to locals.

It’s Accueil Vélo-accredited too. No shower yet, but we pitch our tent in the garden and Denis has saved us some dinner. We sit at a long table in the last of the light, doves cooing in the church tower, eating chicken cooked in cider, a Perche speciality. Locals drift in and out. A neighbour’s child arrives with a plate of warm crepes for us.

The next day, we ride 8km up the greenway to Mortagne-au-Perche for the market. The queue for the season’s first strawberries goes around the block. A man turns dripping chickens on a spit. The radishes are obscenely pink, the asparagus oh so plump. At the Bar du Marché, locals drink coffee and scratch scratchcards in the sunshine. We join them. Our boys are knackered; both have absolute meltdowns and it’s hard work getting them back on the bikes, so we head directly to Carrouges, where we are to camp at the Parc Naturel Régional Normandie-Maine, in an orchard behind the moated, red-brick Château de Carrouges.

The Parc is Accueil Vélo too, but the woman at the office says only five or six tents pitch up a year and we have the orchard to ourselves. Just us, a roast chicken and some baguettes, with the kids playing dinosaurs in long grass. Once Sid is snoring I pour myself a cidre – from local apples – and write. It is so quiet you can hear the flapping of birds’ wings. Then the storm comes. I’m a tent pole down (Glastonbury?) and the rain hits canvas like gravel. I lie clinging to Sid as the thunder tears the sky open above us, questioning every life choice that has led me to a walled orchard in Normandy with a small child and half a tent.

By morning, the rain has stopped. The orchard glistens. Issy emerges from the next-door tent having not slept either. We push on through the spa town of Bagnoles-de-l’Orne to Domfront, a town on a rocky outcrop dominated by a medieval keep. The sun bursts out again and the kids race up the ruined stones. Our home for the night is the Cabane des Deux Chênes, a handbuilt cabin on stilts between two old oaks. A secret room for the children in the rafters. A Nordic bath on the terrace, a hug after the rain.

On our last morning, we stop at the Ferme de l’Yonnière, Jérôme Forget’s farm just down the road, where he makes AOP Poiré Domfront. Pear trees take decades to mature, Jerome tells us, which is why most people stopped planting them, and why poiré went out of fashion. But he has planted a thousand. Next spring, he’ll start taking cyclists, too.

Back at the cabane, Jean-Louis comes to pick us up in his van and drives us, talking in French the whole way: about the pear trees and horses and the lanes we have just cycled. The most beautiful place in the world, he says, and I don’t disagree. Against the odds, it’s been a brilliant family holiday and Issy and I are already planning to come back next summer and do the whole thing. Perhaps we are mad after all.

The trip was provided by Orne Tourism, with travel to France by Brittany Ferries. Bike hire with Les Vélos Perchés costs €35 (£30) a day. At Forest View a pod sleeping two costs from £38 per night; campsite pitches start at £25 per night. Cabane des Deux Chênes sleeps 2-4 and costs from £138 per a night.

One of the busiest airports in the UK is the first to introduce robotic parking for passengers meaning drivers will be able to leave their car near a terminal and head away with their keys

Gatwick Airport is set to launch a brand new parking service that will make the airport experience smoother for drivers.

The airport will be the first in the UK to introduce a robotic parking service.

The service is expected to begin from next month. Passengers will drop off their cars into dedicated garages in the airport’s South Terminal.

Then, they can head to catch their flights whilst keeping their car keys with them. Robots will then lift the cars by the tyres and move them to secure parking spots.

The process aims to make the parking process quicker for holiday goers.

The parking service, being offered with Stanley Robotics, is expected to work for around 95% of car models – but drivers with “unusual dimensions or features” should check beforehand.

Oli Bedford, Gatwick’s head of airport access, described it as a “real game-changer”, adding: “It’s quick, easy and completely hassle-free.”

While on holiday passengers will be able to keep their keys on them at all times.

On return, travellers cars will be ready and waiting for them to collect.

The drop off points will only be a short walk or bus ride away from the terminal.

Universal Studios Hollywood surprise-opened its flashy new high-speed roller coaster Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift on Monday. After much hype and anticipation — and even some unfounded rumors that the coaster would not hit its promised summer launch — Hollywood Drift is at last ready for its close-up.

Billed as one of the most intense roller coasters in Universal Studios’ global ride portfolio, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift can reach speeds of 72 mph while taking guests through multiple inversions in vehicles that can rotate 360 degrees. It is the fastest coaster that Universal Creative, the division of the company responsible for theme park experiences, has designed.

There is some fine print.

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift has still not announced its official grand opening. The ride is operating in what Universal is calling “technical rehearsals.” Think of this as a soft opening.

What that means: Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is not guaranteed to be running if you visit the park. It’s still, for all intents and purposes, in a testing phase, and can be closed down at any time. If you’re thinking about rushing to the park to be one of its first riders, proceed with caution. Until Universal gives the coaster a proper opening — and expect some sort of gala to go with it — Hollywood Drift may not be fully operational.

Technical rehearsals help ensure that when a ride does receive a formal opening, it can operate, in theory, without any issues or prolonged downtime. My advice: Visiting a theme park is an investment, and if experiencing Hollywood Drift is vital to your day at Universal Studios, it would be safest to wait until the coaster gets its date. At this point, it should be a matter of weeks, if not days.

A view of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift when it was still in testing mode.

(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

But I certainly understand that theme park FOMO.

Hollywood Drift has long been circled as the most important theme park attraction opening in North America in 2026. The ride has been about 10 years in the making, and has many unique attributes. Not the least of which is its location, as the coaster is built on a steep hill between the park’s upper and lower lots, meaning at times it will go over and under its famed escalators.

“It wouldn’t be your first choice,” says Jon Corfino, Universal Studios Hollywood’s lead creative, of the topography. “But in a way, it makes it more dynamic that we were able to do it.”

Meanwhile, the ride has also raised eyebrows among the community surrounding Universal Studios Hollywood. The park’s neighbors in the adjacent Toluca Lake neighborhood have been none too pleased with some of the rider screams that emanated from the coaster on a day of testing earlier this summer. I talked to several residents as well as Universal and representatives from Los Angeles County for a story published last week, “Fast & Furious’ coaster screams rattle quiet neighborhood: ‘Like someone is getting murdered.” Whether those concerns fade, or how that issue is ultimately resolved, will be but one of the storylines that will follow the attraction.

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift on a test-run. The coaster has been the most anticipated theme park opening of 2026.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

Yet most guests will simply be concerned with how it rides. While other coasters can rotate 360 degrees, they don’t do it at this speed and through this many twists, turns and loops. And then there’s the design. Hollywood Drift puts riders in mini cars, each one heavily detailed and with unique engine and breaking noises. Of course, the ride may simply move too fast to pay attention to all that.

“It’s a high level of intensity, absolutely, for sure,” Corfino says.

Stay tuned to Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride for detailed impressions of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift.

This week in SoCal theme parks

A glass slide from the Medusa portrait in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion is going up for auction.

(Matt Roppolo / HA.com)

• Bid on a piece of Disneyland history. I have mixed feelings on auctions involving Disneyland artifacts. And by mixed, I mean mostly negative, as they tend to inflate prices for the fans who care about the items most, and many of these treasures belong in a museum rather than someone’s private collection. But if you’ve ever wanted a mummy prop from Indiana Jones Adventure, or — gasp — an original glass slide from the Haunted Mansion’s changing Medusa portrait, now’s your chance. The Disney Experiences Auction — Rare and Remarkable Finds is part of next month’s all-things Disney fan convention D23, and is hosted by Heritage Auctions. The live auction is Aug. 16, but online bidding is open.
• A Halloween Horror Nights original. Spooky season is now just a few weeks away, and Universal Studios Hollywood’s lineup for Halloween Horror Nights is mostly set. The latest addition to the event, which begins Sept. 3, is an exciting one, as it’s a brand new haunted house not based on any existing film or television properties. The maze, Dead, Deader, Deadest, is set in a funeral home, based on a plot involving a “miracle drug” that can restore the features of the deceased without embalming. Halloween Horror Nights mastermind John Murdy revealed on socials that it connects to past original haunted houses at the park, for those deep into Halloween Horror Nights lore.
• Hope you like Kraft Mac & Cheese, Disney fans. Times Business writer Samantha Masunaga reports on a deal between the Walt Disney Co. and Kraft Heinz. As part of the agreement, more Kraft Heinz products will be available in Walt Disney Co.’s U.S.-based theme parks and on cruise ships, including Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese.

Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.

Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.

Ride on,

Todd Martens

WITH temperatures rising around the Med, make the most of cooling sea breezes by cruising.

There are great deals to be had for a last-minute cruise getaway. Lisa Minot picks out a handful . . . 

1) Marella Cruises is a great option for those who want to sail knowing they won’t have to shell out more onboard.

Cruises include flights from regional airports, all your food, drinks, tips, charges and transfers.

Check out the Aegean Shores cruise on Marella Voyager, to combine ancient sites with top beaches. The eight-day round trip from Corfu calls at Piraeus for Athens, Kusadasi in Turkey, Crete, Santorini and Kefalonia.

Now from £1,150pp, a saving of £881pp. flying out this Friday. See tui.co.uk.

NO KIDDING

Five of the best cruises for adults with luxury spas and all-inclusive drinks

SHIP SHAPE

I quit my job & sold my home to live on a cruise ship… this is how much it costs

2) Try a no-fly cruise from Southampton to a host of Mediterranean ports. MSC Virtuosa is a family-friendly ship with Formula 1 racing simulators, full-size bowling alley and award-winning kids’ clubs as well as a waterpark and a high ropes course.

Its nine-night Portugal & Spain cruise departs August 20 and calls at Brest, France; Lisbon, Portugal; Gibraltar; and Malaga and Cadiz in Spain.

Prices are from £1,124pp including full board and entertainment. See iglucruise.com.

3) PREFER a child-free trip? Discover the delights of Northern Spain on a no-fly cruise from Southampton onboard Fred Olsen’s Borealis.

This adult-only ship offers a classic British experience with afternoon tea served daily and spaces for painting and crafting.

There is a card room for bridge tournaments and the outdoor main pool has a retractable roof.

The cruise departs August 26 and calls at Getxo where the Bilbao estuary meets the Bay of Biscay.

Then it is on to Santander with its Belle Epoque architecture and lovely beaches. Five nights’ full-board is from £775pp. See cruise.co.uk.

4) HEAD off on an all- inclusive Italian adventure on Norwegian Epic.

Fly from Southampton to Rome before sailing to Salerno, Sicily, Livorno for Florence and Villefranche-sur-Mer for Nice and Marseille before disembarking in Barcelona for your flight home.

All-inclusive starts from £969pp, leaving September 13. See cruise1st.co.uk.

5) ESCAPE the heat and enjoy a tranquil sailing to the Norwegian Fjords with P&O Cruises.

Departing Southampton on the flagship Iona, there are calls at Stavanger, Olden, Hellesylt and Haugesund as well as stunning scenic sailings along the fjords.

Iona’s wrap-around promenade deck features outdoor dining, whirlpool tubs over the side of the ship and lots of seating.

The SkyDome on the top deck has a climate- controlled indoor pool area and, at night, turns into a thrilling entertainment hub.

Seven nights’ full board is from 989pp, departing Southampton on August 1. See pocruises.com.

A TOWN often compared to the Cotswolds could soon get direct services to the capital.

Locals are calling for a new train service to launch between Bradford-on-Avon and London.

The Wiltshire town used to have a route to London Waterloo, but this was axed in 2021.

Currently, passengers have to change trains at Salisbury or Southampton to get to Bradford-on-Avon.

Locals are also calling for a service between Trowbridge and London as well.

According to Time Out, Wiltshire Council has said it would “strongly welcome” a direct train service between the towns and London.

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South Western Railway (SWR) is now looking into the possibility of launching the service.

Sitting on the edge of the Cotswolds but not quite in it, Bradford-on-Avon currently has direct links to Bristol and Bath, which is only 10 minutes away.

You’ll find lots of quaint cottages as well as picturesque countryside walks.

In the heart of the town, you can head to the Bradford-on-Avon Museum, where you can explore the local history.

To enjoy the architecture of the town, make sure to stop by the Saxon Church, which dates back to the early eleventh century.

Make sure to also visit the 14th- century Tithe Barn, which is an English Heritage site measuring 51.2 metres long.

For a fun activity, make sure to hop on a canal trip along the Kennet and Avon Canal and Avoncliff Aqueduct.

There are multiple different boat trips you can head on, including afternoon tea ones, with tickets starting from as little as £10 per person.

After exploring, if you fancy a bite to eat, head to The Bridge Tea Rooms, where you’ll be served afternoon tea for £13.95 per perso, by people in Victorian costumes.

Or if you want a pint, you won’t be short on pubs with options including The Dandy Lion and Timbrell’s Yard – which you can stay at as well, from £167 per night.

Or you could head to The Hall Estate, which is a 400-year-old Grade-I listed Jacobean mansion, costing from £160 a night.

IF you‘re already thinking about next year’s holiday and want to bag a bargain then set your alarm for tomorrow.

easyJet is set to put lots of flights on sale for summer 2027 in its next Big Seat Release – and they’ll be cheap too.

From tomorrow, the airline will put flights on sale for travel between June 14 and September 26.

Talking to MoneySavingExpert, easyJet revealed that almost 14million seats will be available to book – that’s more than 78,000 flights.

But if you want to get cheap deals, you’ll need to start early as when demand goes up, so do the prices.

A time for the release hasn’t been confirmed yet, but usually it’s around 6am or sometimes earlier.

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An easyJet spokesperson told the publication: “We encourage customers to book early to get the best fares.

“Fares are demand-driven so they start low and rise as more seats on the aircraft are booked.”

Talking about the easyJet seat release, Martin Lewis described it as “the most predictable time to get cheap flights” – which means there’s likely to be a sharp increase in flight prices.

In its last release, which was in March, millions of seats were available for holidays in winter 2027, including February half-term.

Some of its deals included one-way flights to Paris from London Gatwick from £31.99.

There were also flights to Agadir in Morocco from London Gatwick on February 23, 2027, for £37.99 one-way.

A British tourist visiting the Canary Islands has shared a great-value restaurant find in Tenerife, where a pizza and Aperol Spritz lunch came to much less than viewers were expecting

While planning holidays to the Canary Islands, or any other popular tourist destination, many holidaymakers will outline an itinerary to plan out their days. This often includes the various activities they want to do, places to visit, and when to schedule in time to relax by a pool or a beach.

But with the rise of social media, people can now also plan out which restaurants and cafes they want to visit, as many holidaymakers will take to platforms like Instagram and TikTok to rave about their favourite eateries in different locations, which sometimes leads to the restaurants in question going viral.

One of the many people who have shared where they’ve eaten is British tourist Beth Yeandle, who often takes to her TikTok to share her travel vlogs and recommendations to her followers. During a recent holiday to Tenerife with her friends, Beth went on to document her pizza lunch at a restaurant called La Spezia, raving about both the food and the prices.

“Okay, you need to save this for your next trip to Costa Adeje,” Beth said at the start of her video, as she was seen tucking into a cheesy-looking pizza.

People amazed by value of Tenerife restaurant

Panning to the outside of the restaurant, she revealed that she and her friends had stumbled upon the eatery one afternoon during their holiday, drawn in by menus advertising a €6 (£5) pizza and pasta deal, alongside a happy hour offering half-price drinks between 2pm and 5pm.

“We were so buzzing with this little find,” Beth said, as she shared footage from inside the restaurant, which was decked out in a minimalist Mediterranean style.

Beth and her two companions each ordered a pizza, all with different toppings, yet each looking equally mouth-watering.

“The pizzas were huge, and you can’t beat a good Aperol at lunchtime,” Beth said. “We enjoyed it so much that we actually ended up going twice.”

Although she didn’t disclose the total bill, assuming she took advantage of the deal, her food would have come to just €6.

As for the drink, the typical price in Tenerife ranges between €7.50 (£6) and €8.50 (£7), meaning her entire lunch set her back less than £10 with the half price offer.

Viewers were quick to flock to the comments section to voice their opinions, with many desperate to visit the eatery themselves after watching Beth’s clip.

“Ohhhhh I love Tenerife,” one person wrote, while someone else commented: “The best restaurant! !”.

“I’d be there every day,” a third person said.

Another user pointed out: “It’s worth noting that this is in Callao Salvaje and not Costa Adeje.”

YOU will soon be able to stay in luxury cabins right by a 17th century castle.

Crossbasket Castle, around 10 miles from Glasgow, is already home to a luxury castle – but new plans have revealed 12 additional cabins.

The cabins will be right on the banks of the River Calder, which is a short walk from the castle itself.

Each cabin can host up to four people, with a double bed and a sofa bed.

The cabins also have bathrooms found on the enclosed balconies, with freestanding copper bathtubs.

For breakfast, guests need to head to Foveran’s atrium, where they can grab a range of breakfast items including a breakfast grill, charcuterie and pastries.

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When it comes to grabbing something in the evening, guests can head to the hotel’s restaurant, Trocadero’s.

The cabins will welcome guests from the beginning of October, with a one-night stay including breakfast costing from £295.

In addition to the lodges, the hotel will also get a new spa – Four Angels Spa.

Due to open in the autumn, the spa will have four treatment rooms, ‘immersive experience showers’, a sauna, a steam room and heated loungers.

Products used in the spa will also be sourced locally, from the Isle of Harris.

Crossbasket Castle dates back to the 15th century and at one point was even owned by Charles Macintosh, the inventor of the raincoat.

It was then purchased by Alison and Steve Timoney in 2011, who spent £10million on restoring the castle for it to reopen in 2016 as a five-star hotel.

Alison Timoney, owner of Crossbasket Castle, said: “From the outset, our vision has been to create an experience that goes beyond traditional luxury hospitality.

“The introduction of the Four Angels Spa and Crossbasket Cabins further enhances our vision for the overall estate, offering guests a place to fully immerse themselves in the beauty of our surroundings whilst enjoying a moment of calmness and relaxation.”

THE detective series Bergerac has returned to screens and in turn has been showing off a beautiful island less than one hour away from the UK.

The series filmed in Jersey has been showcasing its Caribbean-like beaches and pretty capital, St Helier.

The reboot of the 80s detective series starring Damien Molony as Jim Bergerac actually returned last year.

But it’s set to reach a ‘wider audience’ having dropped all six episodes of the first series on BBC iPlayer a few days ago.

The island of Jersey, where the majority of scenes were filmed, is now expecting a surge in visitors.

Visit Jersey Chief Executive Tricia Warwick said: “The series has already impactfully raised Jersey’s profile as a visitor destination, and this new platform means even more viewers will discover our island’s stunning landscapes and unique locations for themselves.

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“We look forward to warmly welcoming them to Jersey.”

The Channel Island is a true gem of a place and has previously even been named one of the world’s best islands by Conde Nast Traveller.

While it’s less than an hour from the UK, it feels worlds away, mostly thanks to its Caribbean-looking beaches.

Across its 130 miles of coastline are exotic spots from Beauport Beach, Portelet Bay to Plémont Bay.

Many beaches, like St Brelade’s Bay, are also lined with palm trees, which gives them a tropical feel.

The island’s capital, St Helier, is also home to Havre des Pas Bathing Pool, a tidal lido that fills up with seawater at high tide.

Not only is it a sought-after swim spot with some calling it a ‘good old-fashioned lido’, but it also has an open kitchen, dance floor, stage and a balcony that looks over the pool.

St Helier is also a prime spot for shopping at Royal Square, King Street and its indoor market on Halkett Street.

The first series of Bergerac which aired between 1981 and 1991 starring John Nettles was filmed in Jersey.

Head of Sun Travel (Digital) Caroline McGuire visited the island a few years ago. She said: “If I told you there’s an island an hour’s flight from the UK, with a Caribbean-like coastline, that gets summer quicker than England and you don’t need a passport – you’d think I was pulling your leg.

“But such a unicorn does exist in the English Channel: Jersey.

“When my family and I visited earlier this year, every beach was outstanding, the weather glorious, the food a fantastic hybrid of French and English tastes.”

Caroline headed to Plémont Beach in the north which had “clearest turquoise waters” but she also visited St Ouen’s Bay and Le Braye bistro which is right on the beachfront.

Other popular activities include dolphin-spotting boat rides and exploring its secret tunnels that were used in World War Two.

Luckily for Brits, Jersey is less than an hour away by plane.

The route departing from Southampton to Jersey Airport in Saint Peter takes 50-minutes.

For those who aren’t fussed about getting there quickly, another route to the island is by ferry.

Condor Ferries offers routes from Poole, and Portsmouth to St Helier which take between four and a half to 10 hours.

TRYING to fill the long school holidays without spending an absolute fortune can seem impossible.

However, the recently launched Great British Summer Savings scheme is offering loads of deals and discounts until September 1 – meaning family days out will cost a lot less at a whole host of attractions across the UK.

The temporary scheme is slashing VAT from 20 per cent to five per cent on family activities, children’s meals in restaurants, children’s tickets for theatres and cinemas and tickets for everyone for soft play, adventure centres, and theme parks.

And along with free local bus travel for kids aged between five and 15 this August, you can easily find an affordable day out.

With nearly 2,000 spots across the UK taking part in the scheme, we’ve found some of the best, with the biggest savings.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort

With wooden rollercoasters and dark water rides, there is something for everyone at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, with an All You Can Ride eTicket costing £29 per person, instead of £60 on the gate.

You can also get an ‘Ultimate Ticket’, which includes Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Sandcastle Waterpark, The Blackpool Tower Eye, Blackpool Tower Dungeon and Madame Tussauds for £56.88, down from £65.

Savings: Up to £124 for a family of four

Zip World (various locations)

Across the eight different Zip World locations, families can now save money including ziplines and underground trampolines.

The biggest savings offered are on Velocity, which is the world’s fastest zip line. Instead of £124, tickets now cost £99 per person.

Savings: Up to £100 for a family of four

The Crystal Maze Experience, London or Manchester

Fans of the Crystal Maze TV show should try out the Crystal Maze Experience where you compete in a number of different challenges across an hour.

Tickets now cost £26.50 per person, instead of £39.50 – although you must get a minimum of three tickets per order, with one being a child (over nine).

Savings: Up to £52 for a family of four

Woodlands Adventure Park, Devon

Spread across 100 acres, Woodlands Family Theme Park is home to water coasters, rides, animals and a giant indoor soft play area.

If you book online in advance, tickets will cost just £20 instead of £29.15 per adult, and £15 instead of £21.45 per child.

Savings: Up to £31.20 per family of four

Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth

You can capture panoramic views from the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, right to the Isle of Wight.

An all-day adult ticket now costs £12 instead of £19.25, and an all-day child ticket costs £10 instead of £15.50 or a family of four ticket also now costs less – £40 instead of £68.50.

Savings: Up to £28.50 for a family of four

Go Ape (various locations)

Want to make the most of the sunshine? Go Ape has 37 sites across the UK, with up to 15 per cent off.

Tickets cost from £36.95 – prices may vary depending on location, and you need to use the code ‘VATSUMMER’.

Savings: Up to £26.96 for a family of four

Chaos Karts, Manchester

If you want to live out your Mario Kart dreams, then head to Chaos Karts in Manchester.

You can compete in immersive themed races with tickets now costing £21 per person, instead of £27 (though you must get a minimum of three tickets per order, with one being a child).

Savings: Up to £24 for a family of four

Drayton Manor, Staffordshire

Spread across 180 acres, Drayton Manor features four themed lands, including Thomas Land, Vikings, Adventure Cove and Frontier Falls and across these lands visitors can head on rides ideal for smaller children.

Day tickets cost from £39 instead of £45 per person.

Savings: Up to £24 for a family of four

Game of Thrones Studios Tour, Northern Ireland

Game of Thrones fans should head to the studio tour in Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge, Northern Ireland.

Tickets cost £23.50 per adult instead of £29.50, if you use the code ‘SUMMER’. Kids tickets then cost £4.80 each and youth (13 to 15-year-olds) cost £11.20 each.

Savings: Up to £24 for a family of four

Harry Potter Studio Tour, Watford

For Potterheads who haven’t been to the Warner Bros studio tour yet, now is the perfect time with five per cent off tickets.

Instead of £58.50 per adult, you now pay £51.19 and instead of £47 per child, it is now £41.13. The family offer, which used to be £188 per family of four, is now £164.52.

Savings: Up to £23.48 per family of four

Blenheim Palace

There are three different ticket types for Blenheim Palace but if you want the ultimate experience, opt for the palace, park, gardens and adventure play for £44.63 per adult (was £51) and £35.88 per child (was £41).

Alternatively, you could get a family ticket for £144.38, instead of £165.

Savings: Up to £20.62 for a family of four

Waterworld, Stoke-on-Trent

Waterworld is the UK’s number one indoor tropical aqua park with more than 30 rides and attractions, including a huge wave pool and the thrilling Thunderbolt trap-door slide.

Tickets now cost £20 per person over 1.1 metres tall, instead of £26 per person. Kids under 1.1 metres tall, cost £18 now instead of £22.

Savings: Up to £20 for a family of four

RockReef, Bournemouth

Found at the end of Bournemouth Pier, you can head to RockReef with 28 Clip ‘n Climb walls suitable for all ages and PierZip – which is the world’s first pier-to-shore zip wire.

A Clip ‘n Climb session now costs £15 per person, instead of £20.

Savings: Up to £20 for a family of four

Coronation Street Experience, Manchester

Corrie fans should use this summer to head to the world of Coronation Street in Manchester, where you can step onto the famous cobbles.

Guided tour tickets cost £35 instead of £40 per person.

Savings: Up to £20 for a family of four

Alton Towers, Stoke-on-Trent

You can enjoy Alton Towers‘ 40 rides and attractions for less now, as online tickets now cost £34.13 for a day pass instead of £39 (guests under 90cm still visit for free) when bought online in advance (you’d save £135.48 for a family of four compared to the original on the gate tickets).

You can save even more by getting the ‘twice the fun’ ticket that allows you into two theme parks for £34.13 until the last weekend of July, including Alton Towers, Legoland, Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park.

Saving: Up to £19.48 for a family of four

Chessington World of Adventures, Surrey

Just 12 miles from the capital, Chessington World of Adventures is home to more than 40 rides and 1,000 animals.

A day ticket online costs from £34.13, instead of £39 per person (you’d save £127.48 for a family of four compared to the original on the gate tickets).

Savings: Up to £19.48 for a family of four

Legoland, Windsor

Great for little kids and Lego fans alike, online tickets to Legoland now cost from £34.13 for a day pass instead of £39 and guests under 90cm still visit for free (you’d save £135.48 for a family of four compared to the original on the gate tickets).

The park has 11 themed lands, with more than 55 rides as well as live shows.

Saving: Up to £19.48 for a family of four

Thorpe Park, Chertsey

With over 25 rides and attractions including rollercoaster The Smiler, there’s loads to see and do at Thorpe Park, with online tickets instead costing £34.13 for a day pass instead of £39 (you’d save £127.48 for a family of four compared to the original on the gate tickets).

With the day pass, kids under 1.2 metres tall go for free still and all day tickets include a free return visit.

Saving: Up to £19.48 for a family of four

English Heritage properties (various locations)

All English Heritage properties across the country are taking part in the scheme.

This means you can get 12.5 per cent off the ticket price, which is automatically applied at check out.

Savings vary depending on the attraction you are heading to, but for example, if you went to Stonehenge, an adult ticket would cost from £23.65 and a child ticket would cost from £11.82.

This is instead of £27.20 per adult and £17.20 per child.

Saving: Up to £17.86 for a family of four

Paultons Park

Often dubbed the UK’s most affordable theme park, Paultons Park is now even cheaper to visit – and thanks to a new £12million themed world – Valgard: Realm of the Vikings – there could not be a more perfect time to visit.

Tickets were previously £46.75, and now cost from £43.

Savings: Up to £15 for a family of four

Warwick Castle, Warwickshire

History buffs can head to Warwick Castle, which is home to over 1,100 years of history and inside the castle, you will find immersive experiences as well as a bird show.

Online tickets cost £25.38 instead of £29 per person (you’d save £54.44 for a family of four compared to the original on the gate tickets).

Savings: Up to £14.48 for a family of four

Gulliver’s World (all four locations)

Gulliver’s World has four locations across the UK including Milton Keynes, Matlock Bath, Warrington and Rotherham.

Ticket prices vary per park, but you could get half-day tickets for as little as £13.75 per person. Day tickets cost from £22.50 per person, instead of £26 per person.

Savings: Up to £14 for a family of four

London Eye, London

One of London’s landmarks sat on the banks of the River Thames is suitable for all ages and offers great views of the city.

Tickets now cost £25.38 per adult instead of £29, and £22.75 per child, instead of £26.

Savings: Up to £13.74 for a family of four

Splashdown Quaywest, Paignton

Fancy cooling off in all this heat? Then you could head to the largest outdoor waterpark in the UK, with 18 slides.

A day ticket used to cost £31 per adult or £26 per child under the age of nine-years-old but now, day tickets cost £27.15 per adult and £22.75 per child.

Savings: Up to £13.50 for a family of four

Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool

Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool is the biggest indoor waterpark in the UK, with 18 slides and attractions as well as a spa.

Tickets cost from £22.31 instead of £25.50 per adult or child aged eight to 11 and £13.96 instead of £16.50 per child aged three to seven.

You can also get an ‘Ultimate Ticket’, which includes a range of attractions in the seaside resort.

This includes Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Sandcastle Waterpark, The Blackpool Tower Eye, Blackpool Tower Dungeon and Madame Tussauds for £56.88, down from £65.

Savings: Up to £12.76 for a family of four

Madame Tussauds, London

You can spend the day up close to 150 lifelike wax figures of celebs, royals and historical figures at Madame Tussauds in London.

Instead of £27, you’d now pay £23.63 per adult and instead of £24, you’d pay £21 per child.

Savings: Up to £12.74 for a family of four

Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, Edinburgh

Located across five floors, you can visit Edinburgh‘s oldest visitor attraction with more than 100 interactive exhibits and the attraction even has panoramic rooftop views.

Adult tickets used to cost £24.95 and are now £21.85 per person, while children’s tickets used to cost £17.95 and are now £15.70 per person.

Savings: Up to £12.70 for a family of four

Kew Gardens, London

Sprawled across 326 acres, Kew Gardens features a myriad of different gardens to explore, including indoor gardens and there’s also a giant kids play area.

Tickets cost £21.85 per adult instead of £25, £1.75 per child under 16-years-old and £8.75 for those aged between 16 and 29-years-old.

Savings: Up to £12.60 for a family of four

Rugby Football Union, Twickenham

You could head to the World Rugby Museum in Twickenham, which is home to the world’s most prestigious collection of rugby memorabilia.

Family tickets have been reduced from £80 to £67.50 in the case of two adults and two children.

Savings: Up to £12.50 per family of four

Butlin’s (various locations)

Butlin’s has three resorts in the UK, all of which are taking part in the scheme.

Visitors can get reduced day visits during the school summer holidays, with access to the Splash Waterworld pools, unlimited fairground rides, all live shows on the Skyline Pavillion stage, playgrounds, soft play and paid-for activities.

Day visit tickets now cost £13.60 per child instead of £16 and £20.40 per adult, instead of £24.

Under two’s still go free.

Savings: Up to £12 for a family of four

Eden Project, Cornwall

Down in Cornwall, you could head to the Eden Project where you can explore the world’s largest indoor Rainforest.

Adult tickets cost from £31.06 instead of £35.50 and children’s tickets cost from £10.94, instead of £12.50.

Savings: Up to £12 for a family of four

Frameless, London

For something different, you could head to Frameless, which is the UK’s largest permanent immersive art destination with masterpieces including by Van Gogh and Monet.

Flexible adult tickets cost £31.06 instead of £35.50, and flexible child tickets cost £22.75 instead of £26 each. You can also get a family of four ticket for £19.69 per person, instead of £22.50.

Savings: Up to £11.24 for a family of four

Wake the Tiger, Bristol

You could head to an immersive ‘amazement park’ in Bristol, which meshes theatre with art and an immersive experience to make you feel as if you are in a different world.

Adult tickets cost £21.88 instead of £25 each and children’s tickets cost £17.50 instead of £20.

Savings: Up to £11.24 for a family of four

IWM Duxford

In Cambridge, you could head to IWM Duxford which is Britain’s largest aviation museum.

Adult tickets now cost £25 each instead of £28.60 and children’s tickets cost £10 instead of £11.40 each.

Savings: Up to £10 for a family of four

Flamingo Land, North Yorkshire

With over 40 rides, 140 species of animals and even a holiday park, you won’t be short of things to do at Flamingo Land Resort in North Yorkshire.

Tickets now cost £43.50 instead of £46 per person.

Savings: Up to £10 per family of four

Shrek’s Adventure, London

At Shrek’s Adventure in London, you can walk through an immersive experience with a 4D flying bus ride, mirror maze and 10 live shows.

Instead of £21 per adult, tickets cost £18.38 and for kids, tickets cost £14 instead of £16.

Savings: Up to £9.24 for a family of four

Cadbury World, Birmingham

If you are based in the north then you could head to Cadbury World for the day to find out about the history of the iconic chocolate brand – the self-guided tour features exhibits as well as a 4D cinema experience.

Tickets cost from £15.75 per person, instead of £18.

Savings: Up to £9 for a family of four

The Historic Dockyard Chatham

For Naval history fans, you could head to the Historic Dockyard Chatham and explore the ships, galleries and exhibitions – including Steve Backshall’s Awesome Oceans Family Trail.

Tickets for a family of four cost £70 instead of £79.

Savings: Up to £9 for a family of four

Techniquest, Cardiff

Techniquest is Wales‘ largest science discovery centre, spread across three floors with live shows and lab workshops.

Tickets used to cost £17 per adult and £15 per child, but are now £14.87 and £13.12 respectively.

Savings: Up to £8.02 for a family of four

The Big Sheep, North Devon

The Big Sheep family theme park in Bideford is home to both farm animals and rides, as well as live entertainment for when the weather isn’t great.

Tickets cost £14.95 per person instead of £16.95 and £6 instead of £8 per child under three-foot tall.

Savings: Up to £8 for a family of four

Europe’s lakes and mountains have seen a huge surge in summer tourism in recent years, as holidaymakers look for alternatives to the crowded coastal resorts of the Med. Whether it’s a walking holiday in the Tirol, a lakeside cabin stay in Scandinavia, or a spectacular train journey through the Alps, we’d love to hear about your favourite experiences.

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

Keep your tip to about 100 words

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words we will be judging for the competition.

We’re sorry, but for legal reasons you must be a UK resident to enter this competition.

The competition closes on Monday 3 August at 10am BST

Have a look at our past winners and other tips

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BRITS heading to Spain in the next few weeks have been warned of upcoming strikes which could cause travel chaos.

Staff at Palma Airport are preparing strike action across the next two weeks.

There are multiple walkouts being held by different unions at the airport which start from today.

The first strikes are by those working in technical maintenance, ground equipment and airport infrastructure roles which will stage 24-hour walkouts.

These are being planned by three unions which start today until July 30.

Swissport, which is a leading company for airport ground services and air cargo handling, has also planned strike action starting on July 28 as well as August 1, 4 and 8.

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On these days ground staff will walk out between 7am to 12pm, then again from 7pm to 10pm.

The airport has warned there to be major disruption tomorrow when a key pinch point is on Tuesday when both sets of workers will walk out at the same time.

Airlines affected by the Swissport ground handlers’ dispute include TUI.

But others could be affected too, as a statement from the airport said that “its impact will stretch beyond Swissport-handled airlines”.

Popular airlines taking Brits to the island include Ryanair, easyJet and Jet2.

The airport said: “Large-scale airport strikes can occasionally create a minor knock-on effect. If Swissport-served flights experience delays at the gates, it can sometimes lead to localised congestion on the tarmac or minor delays at security control.”

It continued: “That said, any disruption for non-Swissport passengers is expected to be minimal.”

The airport did then add that the impact for passengers is likely to be “longer waiting times” and delays due to “operational bottlenecks.”

But added that “widespread cancellations are unlikely”.

Delays are likely to be at check-in and bag drop locations before departure, as well as passengers boarding during the morning and evening.

On the strike, a TUI spokesperson said: “We are aware of planned industrial action affecting airline operators at Palma airport.

“At this stage, we do not anticipate any disruption to our customers. However, we are working closely with our local teams and airport partners to minimise any potential impact.

“As always, we will proactively update our guests if there are any changes to their itinerary. Customers should continue to check their flight details as usual before travelling.”

Meanwhile, Ryanair told Sun Travel that it will “operate as normal” with “no impact to operations”.

easyJet also said its flights will be operating as normal.

Palma Airport is one of Spain’s busiest during the summer season.

According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, the Majorca Hoteliers Federation has said that 2.2million Brits travelled to Majorca last year and this summer it will be even more.

With Entry/Exit System (EES) being implemented, it’s possible there could be longer queues due to registration for Brits too.

Flight compensation rules

A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

British holidaymakers travelling to and from a popular Spanish destination have been warned about planned strikes that could cause delays and disruptions during the summer holidays

Brits jetting off abroad to a major holiday hotspot are being warned about travel disruptions due to planned strikes set to start this week.

Holidaymakers travelling through Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) could face significant delays as Swissport workers are due to strike on Tuesday, 28 July, with TUI one of the affected airlines. Further walk-outs in the Swissport ground handling strike are planned for the summer holidays, including on August 1, 4, and 8 from 7am to 12pm and 7pm to 10pm.

To make matters worse, full 24-hour daily walkouts are also set to take place this week, starting from today (Monday, 27 July) until Thursday (30 July). This industrial action, known as the metal sector strike, has been planned by three unions and covers 39,000 workers across the Balearic Islands who are demanding “fair wage increases and protection against inflation”, Palma Airport outlined.

However, Palma Airport warned that there is a “crucial overlap date” for Tuesday, 28 July, as the two strikes coincide. This could result in the worst-impacted day for travellers passing through the airport with delays and disruptions, as various airlines could be affected.

Palma Airport explained that Swissport provides essential passenger, baggage handling and ramp services to a specific group of international carriers, including TUI, Condor, TAP Air Portugal, Air Canada, Etihad Airways, Albastar and DAT. While other airlines at Palma use different ground handling providers, such as Ryanair, EasyJet, or Jet2, the airport warned that “large-scale airport strikes can occasionally create a minor knock-on effect”, but Swissport passengers are expected to be the worst affected.

Meanwhile, the airport warned that the regional metal sector strike “covers technical personnel across the entire airport”, meaning that its impact will “stretch beyond Swissport-handled airlines to affect all carriers operating at Palma, Ibiza, and Menorca.” They added that “passengers on any airline could face localised delays” on those specific dates (July 27 to 30).

The airport warned that during the strikes, passengers could face “longer waiting times” and “potential operational bottlenecks.” In addition, travellers could face delays when checking in or dropping off their bags before departure, when at the boarding gate, and at the baggage carousels after landing in Mallorca, during the Swissport strikes.

In advice to holidaymakers set to travel to or from Palma, the airport advised the following:

• Check in online: Complete your check-in online before heading to the airport to minimise time spent in queues.
• Travel light if possible: Travelling with hand luggage only allows you to bypass potential check-in and baggage carousel delays.
• Monitor your airline’s app: Keep a close eye on text alerts or app notifications from your airline for real-time schedule updates.
• Arrive on time (but not too early): Stick to the standard arrival window recommended by your carrier (usually two to three hours before departure). Arriving half a day early can worsen airport congestion.

Palma Airport, also known as Son Sant Joan Airport, is one of the biggest Spanish airports, connecting Brits to the capital of Mallorca (Majorca), and beyond. In July last year, a whopping 1.8 million tourists travelled through Palma Airport in favour of that Spanish sun-soaked summer getaway.

The airport strikes planned for this week follow protests against overtourism in Palma on Sunday, 26 July. According to the police, around 25,000 people were involved, while the organisers, Menys Turisme, Mes Vida (Less Tourism, More Life), estimate that 70,000 took part in the protest.

For more information on the planned strikes during the summer, visit the Palma Airport website.

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

AN AWARD-WINNING visitor attraction in the UK is at risk of closing.

The Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire – home to the UK’s largest telescope and several attractions for the last 70 years – could soon close.

According to the BBC, the attraction has lost its funding, which could mean that the attraction is forced to close, which scientists describe as “heartbreaking”.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site observatory features a number of telescopes that have been used to study galaxies and to train astronomers.

There are four pavilions in total to explore, including one that features a science exhibition.

Outside, visitors can then also venture around 35 acres of gardens including an arboretum, as well as picnic areas, ponds and a playground.

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The attraction has a number of cafes and a gift shop too.

General tickets cost £15 per adult and £10.50 per child.

In addition to this, there are a number of events that run at the observatory including shows such as The Great Solar System Adventure, where young space explorers can see the journey and life of stars.

Most shows cost from nothing to around £5 per person to watch.

And the site isn’t just used for science – it has also made an appearance in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy as well as Doctor Who.

Unless funding can be found for the attraction, all scientific investigations are expected to stop at the observatory on April 1, 2028.

The observatory was first launched in 1945 and played a key role in the Cold War to monitor Soviet missiles.

The BBC added that the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) agency is expected to make a statement regarding the loss of the observatory’s annual £2.8million budget.

One recent visitor said: “We had a really lovely experience at Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement. It’s a fantastic place to visit with children.

“There is an indoor museum, activity room as well as playgrounds, so it works well even if the weather isn’t great.

“The Dome cinema was a real highlight — the film was excellent and very engaging.”

Butlin’s has created a new high-tech solution to avoid the issue of bar queues, and it means you can enjoy many of your favourite alcoholic and soft drinks in just a few seconds

Butlin’s has announced a huge change to the way holidaymakers can order a drink at its three resorts in Bognor Regis, Minehead, and Skegness, and it’s already in place for guests visiting this summer.

The popular holiday park firm, which recently celebrated its 90th anniversary, has rolled out over 100 self-serve bars across its three sites, which it claims makes it the first in Europe to offer these kinds of bars for guests.

The technology, developed by Boxbars in a £1 million investment by Butlin’s, means there’s much less queuing for drinks, and guests can enjoy a soft or alcoholic drink in as little as six seconds.

The new self-serve bars will be available for both family and Big Weekender breaks, and will offer a huge range of beverages for all the family including branded beers, ciders, and spirits, as well as kid-friendly favourites.

More than 20 options will be available at the touch of a button including pints of Madri and Guinness, Smirnoff with mixers, and cocktails including the brand’s very own Butlin’s On The Beach, which is a mixture of vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry juice, and orange juice, and is reportedly the most popular option across the resorts for All Inclusive guests.

A statement from Butlin’s says the new bars will “help guests get served faster and spend less time queuing”, claiming that “the new technology has the potential to pour hundreds of drinks every minute across the three resorts”.

Guests will either be able to scan their All Inclusive wristband to dispense their drink, or can use contactless payment to quickly pay for their round. Butlin’s confirmed that bars will still be open as usual for guests who’d rather order in person.

Butlin’s launched its all inclusive drink package back in 2024, costing from £25.95 per adult per day, which includes alcoholic drinks such as draught beers, spirits and cocktails from 11am, and all-day Costa coffee and soft drinks across the parks.

Heidi Watson, from Butlin’s said: “This is an exciting first for Butlin’s. Everything we do is about improving the guest experience and our new Boxbar Self-Serve Bars will make a real difference to guests on a family break or a Big Weekender.

“Open in time for the school summer holidays, the bars are designed to reduce wait times and make it quicker and easier for guests to get a drink. This means less time queuing and more time enjoying their holiday with family and friends.”

Earlier this year Butlin’s announced new bookable karaoke pods, which groups of up to 12 people could hire for an exciting sing-along experience. Hiring the pods costs £36, and once inside visitors can choose from 45,000 chart-topping hits and throwback songs, allowing them to enjoy a private sing-song with friends and family as part of their Butlin’s break.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

THE Cotswolds is easily one of the most popular places to holiday in the UK thanks to its pretty limestone villages and scenic countryside, but if you’re with kids and it’s summertime then let’s face it… they’ll be miffed at a lack of sandcastle building opportunities. 

Fear not, because the scenic region is also home to the UK’s inland beach.

I visited Cotswold Country Park And Beach with my son last week, as England entered what felt like its 100th week of sunshine, and it was the perfect way to spend a summer’s day. 

Located on the South lake and North Lake within the Cotswold Water Park, just down the road from Cirencester, it’s about 45-50 miles in a straight line from the nearest coast in the Bristol Channel. 

The park has 140 metres of sandy beach and a large area for paddling and swimming, as well as stacks of water-based activities. 

These include a large overwater, inflatable obstacle course, pedalos, paddleboarding, rowing boats, electric self-drive boats, paddle boats and kayaks. 

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There’s more to do on land too, including pedal carts, a playground and minigolf. 

We paid £18 to enter the park with our car and a further £18 each for the inflatable obstacle course, plus £12 for 30 minutes on the electric boats. 

As it was a Friday during the school summer holidays and a roasting 27C, the beach was packed, with families spilling out onto the grassy banks behind. 

Thanks to the neverending summer, the water was very warm with no need to brace as you enter the water, like you usually do in Britain. 

The Cotswold lakes were initially made out of old limestone gravel pits from the 1900s, which then refilled naturally and were turned into nature reserves.

Several of them now offer activities like paddleboarding but Cotswolds Country Park is the biggest of the bunch. 

The overwater obstacle course was so brilliant that it was the highlight of my entire week’s holiday, with a good 45 minutes on the water, clambering on the Total Wipeout-style attraction.

The electric boats were brilliant too, with my son loving having control of his own vehicle on the water. 

There’s so much to do at the park that you could easily spend two days here and not get bored. 

We spent 6 hours there and barely scratched the surface of what was on offer. 

If you want to make it into a weekend, I highly recommend staying at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel, which is an eight-minute drive away on the edge of one of the other 148 lakes in the area and has rooms from £160 a night this August. 

With its own spa, we finished our day with a more relaxing water-based activity and the chance to use their posh products to wash off our time in the lakes, before a waterfront dinner at their Boathouse restaurant and a well-deserved night’s sleep. 

Cyprus continues to draw British holidaymakers and expats, helped by flights from £34 and a flight time of around 4hrs 43mins – and one couple are glad they “took the leap”

A British couple who uprooted from the UK and moved to a cheaper country less than five hours away have spotted two problems. With flights for as little as £34 and a 4-hour, 43-minute flight time, Cyprus is a firm favourite among British holidaymakers and expats alike; Donna Curley and husband Nick were similarly drawn to the eastern Mediterranean nation.

After building a life in Derbyshire, Donna Curley and her second husband, Nick, realised their future might be in Cyprus.

The turning point came in 2013, when they bought a one-bedroom holiday home in Kapparis. They returned two or three times a year and, each trip, the island’s slower pace — and the “tranquillity” they felt there — made quite the impression.

Donna, 49, worked as a fitness instructor, including roles at a Derby gym and as a Weight Watchers coach, before switching to online teaching during the Covid pandemic. Nick, who was born at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, served as an Army reservist.

When Nick’s children from his first marriage reached their twenties, the couple decided the time was right to start again. They sold their home in Holbrook, bought a base in Avgorou and began laying plans for a wellness retreat — although they admit the move hasn’t been without its challenges.

Donna told The Times: “A lot of the expats here have well-established friendship groups so it’s harder to make new friends than I thought, though there are a lot of British people moving out here now for the tax benefits as well as the lifestyle.”

She went on to say: “Our move to Cyprus was designed so we could spend more time together, which has happened but not quite as much as we hoped – yet.

“I think with any big move you have to adapt and accept that there might be a few hurdles – along with the Greek ‘siga siga’ [slowly slowly]. I am glad that we took the leap.”

The couple’s new base is a two-bedroom bungalow with a swimming pool and 3,000sqm of land. But while they lay the foundations for their wellness business, Nick and Donna have also been juggling other jobs to keep money coming in.

Donna says the cost of everyday life is usually lower in Cyprus, even if food can be surprisingly expensive. They’ve also cut out some major overheads by relying on solar power and using water from their own well, rather than paying standard utility bills.

The colder months are the main exception. When winter sets in, they turn to a wood-burner for heat and sometimes have to fire up a back-up generator.

Their experience follows another British family who recently spoke about relocating to Cyprus. Former educator Sarah and IT specialist James said they moved after becoming fed up with long working weeks, soaring bills and concerns about crime.

Sarah said: “In the UK schools, there is so much pressure on the kids and they were both unhappy. And James and I were working such long hours but life is so expensive in the UK. James applied for a job in Cyprus almost on a whim.

“We thought if it didn’t work out, we’d call it an adventure and then move back home. But everything is amazing and the place is absolutely beautiful. It’s a dream I never thought would be possible.”

The airline shares tips for budget travellers looking to get the cheapest deal on their flights

easyJet passengers looking for cheap flights might want to avoid travelling on Fridays. The popular airline, known for its budget-friendly prices, has advice for travellers looking for low-cost tickets.

The airline shares the latest travel advice for passengers on its website, which also features FAQs for customers who want to get the ‘best value’ from their holiday. On the FAQ webpage, easyJet answered a common question often raised by passengers: ‘Which are the cheapest days of the week to fly?’

According to aviation experts, the answer often varies depending on your dream destination, but midweek flights are typically the cheapest. easyJet said: “The cheapest day of the week to fly can vary depending on the destination, flights available, and time of year.

“However, we’d recommend being flexible with your dates and considering flying outside of peak weekend flight times. By booking to fly on Wednesday or Thursday rather than Friday, you can find bargain flights (and get more time at your destination!)”

Passengers can also save by choosing a cheaper month for their destination, as prices can vary depending on the time of the year. easyJet added: “The cheapest month to fly often depends on the destination and the type of trip you’re planning. For traditional warm-weather destinations in Spain or Italy, you can often find the cheapest plane tickets in the winter months of January and February.

“If you’re booking a trip to the mountains or traditional winter destinations like Finland, you’ll often find cheaper flights in November or March. You can use our low fare finder to search for the cheapest flight dates for the destination you have in mind.”

Ultimately, it’s all about being as flexible as you can. If you have to travel on a pricier day, such as a Friday, you might still be able to find a better deal by being flexible with your flight time.

The airline added: “If you can, try to keep an open mind when searching for flights. By booking to fly Friday morning instead of Friday night, or by returning earlier on Sunday than you’d initially planned, you can often snag a much better flight deal.”

easyJet said that waiting until the last minute might not always be the best tactic for cheap flights. However, passengers might strike it lucky using the airline’s ‘Low Fare Finder’ tool.

easyJet explained: “Booking too close to the travel time can result in higher prices, especially during peak seasons, so we’d typically recommend booking your flights well in advance. However, if you’re looking to travel soon, you can use the Low Fare Finder to discover flight prices for your upcoming travel.”

AS WILDFIRES continue to spread across France and Spain major travel advice has been issued for tourists heading abroad for the summer.

Thousands of excited Brits are gearing up to go on holiday in the coming days but “monster” flames tearing across Europe are beginning to cast doubt over travel plans.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has urged Brit holidaymakers to take care when travelling to the south-west of France where the two main wildfires are spreading.

The Gironde wildfire has been scorching huge swathes of land as it continues to grow as the Biscarrosse fires also rage on.

The FCDO has told travellers to follow instructions and updates from local authorities and emergency services at all times and to call 112 for the emergency services if people are in danger.

They make it clear that “no travel can be guaranteed safe” and that precautions must be taken ahead of time.

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Having appropriate travel insurance is also a necessity if you want a refund.

Experts say if you’ve booked a package holiday and the company you’ve booked with cancels because of wildfires, you should be offered a refund or have alternative arrangements offered to you.

If you’ve booked your flights and accommodation separately, you will need to speak to your airline and the company you booked your hotel, apartment or villa with separately to see if they will refund you.

Make sure to keep a record of any official warnings, cancellation notices, emails from your airline and screenshots of travel advice.

Similar guidance has been issued for people heading to Spain with the UK government advising people to avoid travelling through the two main affected areas of Madrid and Avila.

Both Spanish regions are already under a national emergency as thousands of hectares of land are being ravaged by multiple fires.

French officials have also urged holidaymakers to stay away from wildfire zones and told tourists already in active areas to pack their bags and make plans to leave.

Sophie Brocas, the prefect for Nouvelle-Aquitaine, said: “We urge tourists not to come to this region, at least until the situation is under control.

“I encourage tourists who are already here to consider another destination.”

Authorities have already evacuated campsites, tourist accommodation and some residential areas across the south-west.

French President Emmanuel Macron is due to convene a crisis meeting later today to discuss the wildfires as they near the tourist city of Bordeaux.

Flames are now just seven miles away from the ancient French city centre with hundreds of thousands of people in Gironde already being evacuated from their homes.

Your rights if your holiday is cancelled due to wildfires

EXPERTS are warning any Brit families who have holidays booked to Spain or France to check the official advice, and make sure you are covered by your travel insurance.

Rhys Jones, travel insurance expert at Go.Compare, said the FCDO should always be the main place to check.

He said: “Wildfires can move quickly and cause serious disruption, so if you’re due to travel to an affected destination, the first thing to do is check the latest FCDO advice for that country and your specific resort or region.

“If they advise against travel, your holiday provider or travel insurer may be able to support you, depending on how you booked and what your policy includes.”

You should also check your travel insurance policy before you go to see what it covers.

“Some include cover for natural disasters under ‘catastrophe cover’, but this is not always included as standard and not every insurer will define wildfires in the same way,” Rhys added.

“Look at whether your policy covers cancellation, travel disruption, alternative accommodation, emergency medical treatment and repatriation, and contact the insurer directly if anything is unclear.”

He adds: “Don’t wait until you are in the middle of an emergency to understand your cover.

“Check your policy wording before you go, know your insurer’s emergency contact details, and make sure your documents are easy to access online and offline.”

Your travel insurance could help you get back any costs your accommodation provider or airline won’t refund you for, if it covers cancellation or “catastrophe”.

Sitting even closer to the fires is Bordeaux Airport with the hotel nearby being evacuated overnight.

Flights are yet to be impacted despite a cloud of smoke beginning to choke the city.

The latest update from Bordeaux Airport came on Sunday as they said: “The airport is currently operational and is doing everything it can to provide the region with all the necessary support in the ongoing fight against the fires. 

“Commercial flights are operating as normal.”

Anyone travelling should contact their holiday provider and airline before jetting off.

For information on the wildfires, the French Prefecture has opened a public information line from 9am to 5pm which can be accessed by calling +33 (0)9 70 80 90 40 (select option 1 for Gironde).

Across in Spain, temperatures are on track to reach above 40C – sparking concerns that the heat will only help fuel the wildfires.

Officials have said due to the volatile nature of fires, the situation is being reassessed day-by-day so tourists should continue to check the latest guidance.

The raging inferno around Madrid was described as being “at its peak” over the weekend and  “beyond the capacity” of firefighters to control.