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AN abandoned UK village will open to the public for a limited time at the end of the month.

The town, which has been frozen in time since World War II, remains cut off from the world for most of the year.

For just 12 days out of the year, history fans and nature lovers travel to the village of Imber in Wiltshire, which has not been occupied since 1943.

During the second World War, the town’s 150 residents were given 47 days to evacuate their homes so the village could be turned into a military training area for American troops preparing for D-Day.

While they were promised they would be able to return after the war, the village is still occupied by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to this day.

Once every few months, the public is invited to visit the town for free, with roads opening through Imber until 6pm during the August Bank Holiday weekend.

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Public access has been granted to the village as well as the Grade I-listed St Giles Church, which will be open from 11am to 4pm daily.

The original surviving building is free to visit during open days with any donations going towards the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) for maintenance and restoration.

Along with an old pub, the church is one of the few remaining original structures in the village.

Most of the larger stone buildings were damaged during military training, and were subsequently demolished.

Meanwhile, houses in the village are either hollowed-out shells or have been converted into windowless buildings to simulate urban environments for military training.

Those who once lived in the village have the right to be buried on the church grounds, with undisturbed wildlife now the only living residents.

Imber also holds open days during the Christmas and New Year period as well as at Easter, with all visitors required to adhere to the public rights of way and designated areas, and comply with signposting.

THE UK’S largest regional airline will cease operations at a popular base in a matter of weeks.

Three routes will be axed after the flights were deemed to be “financially unsustainable”.

Loganair has confirmed plans to withdraw all flights from Dundee Airport later this year.

The airline currently runs flights from Dundee to London twice a day, having swapped from London Stansted to London Heathrow back in 2023.

However, this route, along with flights to Orkney and Shetland, will end on Friday, October 23.

A Loganair spokesperson said: “Following a review of the route’s long-term viability, Loganair can confirm that its Dundee–London Heathrow service will cease after Friday 23 October, and the operating base will close.

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“Earlier this year, we served notice to the stakeholder group behind the Public Service Obligation route after the contract became financially unsustainable.”

The airline revealed that it had “explored alternative options but have not been able to identify a viable way forward that meets the objectives of the PSO while allowing the route to operate sustainably”.

The airline, which was founded by Willie Logan in 1962, has operated flights from the Scottish city for 12 years.

Loganair advised that all customers affected by the change will be contacted directly.

“We are also supporting Dundee-based colleagues and will explore alternative roles across the Loganair network wherever possible,” the airline rep added.

“These decisions reflect the same disciplined, decisive approach that has driven previous improvements in Loganair’s punctuality and resilience, protecting the long-term future of the airline, our people, and the lifeline connectivity we provide to communities across our network.”

It comes after Loganair also confirmed it would be closing its base at Southampton too.

AN ICONIC landmark could return to a UK seaside resort after more than a decade.

Councillors will decide next month whether to bring back the staggering 164ft attraction.

The Brighton Wheel could make an appearance back on Brighton‘s seafront, following a council cabinet meeting on September 17.

Brighton and Hove City Council will decide whether to award a 25-year lease to reinstate the iconic landmark back to its original site on Madeira Drive.

Originally opened in 2011, the 164ft attraction operated until May 2016.

Following the expiration of its lease, the wheel was subsequently dismantled to make way for the development of the i360.

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Now, the firm behind the Brighton Zip & Daltons Venue has proposed to re-install the wheel, while maintaining the current zip-line attraction in operation.

If approved, the firm will seek to have the wheel up and running by next summer.

Brighton & Hove City Councillor, David McGregor, said the return of the iconic landmark would “bring new energy” to the seafront.

McGregor said: “Brighton became Brighton because people came here to have fun by the sea.

“That’s part of our identity, and we should be ambitious about what a great seaside city looks like for the next generation.”

During its five-year run, developers of the Brighton Wheel believed more than 250,000 visitors would ride the landmark each year.

TWO of the UK’s busiest train stations will reopen tomorrow after a major closure.

The transport hubs were shut off to the public last month in order for a huge £20million refurbishment to take place.

London‘s Charing Cross and Waterloo East train stations were both out of service for 22-days, with the revamp project having begun on July 26.

Serving millions of passengers between them every year, they’re two of the capital’s most used stations.

The closure meant that all Charing Cross and Waterloo East services were cancelled, with commuters having to use alternative routes.

Southeastern Rail trains continued to run during the works but trains that usually terminated at Charing Cross were diverted to London Victoria, London Blackfriars, London Cannon Street or London Bridge.

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But with the works now completed, services will resume as usual on Monday,August 17.

While services will return to normal at the two stations on August 17, a further closure is planned on August 23 for one day so engineers can ensure the works were completed successfully.

The stations shut down in order for engineering works to take place, with £20million spent on regenerating tracks, platforms and bridges.

The work was given the green light in a bid to keep the stations “fit for the future” and make travelling safer and more reliable for passengers.

Almost two kilometres of 36-year-old track was replaced, while Charing Cross’s platforms needed repairs.

Structural repairs to the Waterloo East to London Waterloo pedestrian link bridge and the Hungerford Bridge were also part of the project.

Scott Brightwell, train services director at Southeastern Railway, said: “The £20million investment we are delivering will see 1990s track and platforms upgraded to make journeys safer and more reliable, and Victorian era structures strengthened to remain fit for the future.”

He added that the regeneration was scheduled for over the school summer holidays, in order to reduce disruption.

With schools closed and passenger numbers around 20 per cent lower, the dates were chosen to “help manage the impact on customers”.