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BEING wowed by a spectacular show is the perfect finale to a theme park day out – as the big hitters in Europe and America do so well.

Now, one Midlands amusement park is blazing a trail for other UK attractions.

Drayton Manor near Tamworth is billing it’s new nighttime lake show as the biggest of its kind in the UK, so I went to check it out.

The lights and water fountains were introduced this year to mark the 75th anniversary of the park and mark the close of the day, just like at Disneyland and Efteling.

The shows will change to reflect the season.

Drayton Manor is my nearest theme park and I’ve been on many days out there over the years.

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I used to love the Mississippi showboat fun house on the lake in the late 80s and early 90s and I can also remember when you used to be able to take a turn around the water on the Drayton Queen paddleboat.

But it’s been a while since the lake has hosted attractions in its own right, instead of providing a pretty backdrop that everything else is set around.

So it was lovely to see the water taking centre stage in this spectacle of lights, fountains and music.

While it’s on a smaller scale than the likes of Disney and Efteling, it’s a brilliant idea to bring everyone together to mark the end of a great day out.

Sometimes heading home after all the rides and fun can feel a bit anticlimactic, especially if you’re trying to load young children bouncing around with excitement into the car for the drive home.

So this water, music and fire show is the perfect way to add a little bit of a buffer between finishing your fun and heading home.

We watched the Christmas Miracle on the Lake show and it was truly magical, with jets of water lit up and set to festive classics.

The dancing jets were interspersed with a screen of mist that had an animated story projected onto it, so that Christmas scenes such as Santa’s workshop and ice palaces could be brought to life.

There were even dramatic flames shooting up into the sky at points, so Drayton Manor really has pulled out all the stops to make the most of its new spectacle.

It’s also nice that it runs shorter versions of the light show during the day so that younger guests who may not still be on site by the close of the day have something to enjoy as well.

But for the full effect, you will want to watch the 15-minute grand finale in all its splendour.

I’ve seen quite a few well-rated magic fountain shows in my travels, including at Montjuic in Barcelona and in front of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

This year, I was wowed by the water effects while watching Kynren, an epic outdoor show telling tales of the British Isles.

And I would say that Drayton Manor has drawn inspiration from all of these to bring something impressive to its guests.

It’s even installed viewing platforms around the edge of the lake to give those stood further back a better view over the head of visitors in front.

Given it’s a new concept for Brits, there were lots of announcements over the course of the day in the park, letting guests know what time to expect the show to kick off.

There were even a couple of lakeside rides still running when the light show took place – I imagine it would be quite the experience to see the fountains from the pirate ship or while being spun around on the thrill ride Thor in the Viking land.

I’ll certainly look forward to seeing what new shows the park comes up with as the seasons change – make sure it’s on your 2026 to-do list if you want that European theme park vibe but without leaving the UK.

In other theme park news, UK’s Universal theme park gets go ahead to start works next year – here’s when it plans to open to visitors.

Plus, English holiday village next to little-known theme park named one of the best in the UK.

A former coal train in Northern Spain has been transformed into a luxury travel experience, allowing passengers to explore this lesser-known part of the country from a comfortable, private compartment

There’s an undeniable romance to train travel, perhaps because it harks back to a time of black and white films and a slower pace of life. It’s no surprise that experiences like the Orient Express are on many people’s wish lists, offering a nostalgic way to see the world, coupled with luxurious accommodation.

The Orient Express is legendary but comes with a hefty price tag, with fares on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express starting at around £3,800+ for cabins. For those who fancy a rail adventure without breaking the bank, there are other luxury train journeys across Europe that offer fantastic experiences for less.

One such journey can be found in Northern Spain, aboard an unlikely vehicle: a former coal train. La Robla Express once ran between the regions of León and Palencia to Vizcaya, supplying coal to the booming steel industry of the north in the late 19th century.

After the industry waned, the track was abandoned, and the magnificent old trains were left gathering dust in storage sheds. That was until the early 2000s, when Spanish train company RENFE decided to breathe new life into the line and repurpose the old engines as a travelling hotel, allowing passengers to discover the splendour of this part of Spain, reports the Express.

The company embarked on its first journey in 2009, and the train has been providing a unique experience for rail lovers ever since.

The La Robla Express currently offers two popular journeys. The first is the La Robla Route, a three-day, two-night trip either from Bilbao to Leon or vice versa. And for true train buffs, there’s the longer Pilgrim’s Route, a six-day, five-night journey that covers a larger portion of the Camino de Santiago route.

On the La Robla Route, you’ll have the chance to visit towns such as Frómista, renowned for its medieval architecture, and the Roman villa of La Olmeda. Excursions are available at various stops, allowing you time to explore each location.

The extended Pilgrim’s Route takes you through more of northern Spain, including Oviedo, known for its gothic cathedral and numerous UNESCO sites. You’ll travel through the verdant countryside of Northern Spain, with stops along the pristine coast in Ferrol and A Coruña.

Departures are scheduled from June to September in 2026, taking advantage of the mild climate in this region of Spain. The north tends to be cooler than the more tourist-heavy coastal areas of Southern Spain, and the train is equipped with air conditioning for a comfortable journey.

During the day, you can take in the views from your private compartment, complete with its own bathroom featuring a sink and toilet. You’re also free to roam the train, find a cosy spot in the lounge, or enjoy a drink with fellow travellers.

At night, each compartment transforms into a cosy bedroom of 36.8 square feet, equipped with fold-down bunk beds. The bedrooms feature storage space, reading lights, and a music system, providing a snug retreat.

Best of all, unlike some sleeper services, the train stops for the night, ensuring no sudden movements disturb your slumber. Onboard dining is available in a luxurious dining car, offering meals such as a daily buffet breakfast and dinners that highlight local ingredients and dishes. Additionally, there’s an opportunity to dine at local restaurants at various points of the journey, with guests being transported to local dining spots along the route.

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The train’s shorter itinerary, La Robla Express, starts from €2,600 (£2,267) for a double room, working out at €1,300 per person. This includes full board, excursions and entrance fees, and all organised activities.

For the longer Pilgrim’s Route, tickets start at €3,400 (£2,965) for two sharing a double room, presenting an affordable alternative to luxury trains like the Orient Express.

Discover more about La Robla and book train tickets online.

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

The author of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s after-action report on the Palisades fire declined to endorse it because of substantial deletions that altered his findings, calling the edited version “highly unprofessional and inconsistent with our established standards.”

Battalion Chief Kenneth Cook emailed then-interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva and other LAFD officials with the subject line “Palisades AARR Non-Endorsement,” about an hour after the highly anticipated report was made public Oct. 8.

“Having reviewed the revised version submitted by your office, I must respectfully decline to endorse it in its current form,” Cook wrote in the email obtained by The Times. “The document has undergone substantial modifications and contains significant deletions of information that, in some instances, alter the conclusions originally presented.”

Battalion Chief Kenneth Cook complained to former interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva about deletions and revisions in the Palisades fire after-action report.

(L.A. City Mayor’s Office)

He continued, “While I fully understand the need to address potential liability concerns and to modify certain sections in consultation with the City Attorney to mitigate litigation risks, the current version appears highly unprofessional and inconsistent with our established standards. I strongly urge you to reconsider publishing the report as it stands.”

In the email, Cook also raised concerns that the LAFD’s final report would be at odds with a report on the January wildfires commissioned by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office, which has yet to be released.

“I am concerned that substantial disparities may exist between the two reports,” Cook wrote.

Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for Newsom, said in a statement Tuesday, “The Governor commissioned an independent review by the world’s leading fire safety experts to ensure the public receives a complete, accurate, and unvarnished accounting of the events leading up to the Palisades fire and how responding agencies carried out their response.”

Cook — who emails show provided a final draft of the after-action report to Villanueva in August — has declined to comment. Attempts to reach Villanueva were unsuccessful.

The LAFD has refused to answer questions from The Times about the deletions and revisions. Mayor Karen Bass’ office said the LAFD wrote and edited the report, and that the mayor did not demand changes.

On Sunday, The Times reported that Cook was upset about the changes to the report. The previous day, The Times had disclosed the watering down of the after-action report after analyzing seven drafts obtained through a public records request. The most significant changes involved the LAFD’s failure to order firefighters to stay on duty for an additional shift and to fully pre-deploy engines in high-risk areas before the Jan. 7 fire, as the wind warnings became increasingly dire. It’s unclear who exactly directed the revisions.

Cook’s Oct. 8 email laying out his concerns in stark language adds to the growing evidence that city and LAFD officials attempted to burnish the LAFD’s image in a report that should have been an honest assessment of the department’s failings in preparing for and fighting the fire, which killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes. The goal of such a report is to prevent similar mistakes.

Cook’s email reached Bass’ office in mid-November, according to Bass spokesperson Clara Karger.

Karger said last week that “the Mayor has inquired with Chief Moore about the concerns,” referring to Jaime Moore, who became LAFD chief last month.

The Times submitted a public records request last month for all of the mayor’s emails about the after-action report, a request that the city has not yet fulfilled. Bass’ office provided Cook’s email to The Times on Tuesday.

The city had withheld Cook’s email from its response to a separate records request filed by an unknown party in October. Almost 180 of Cook’s emails were posted on the city’s records portal on Dec. 9, but the one that expressed his concerns about the report was missing. That email was only posted on the portal Tuesday, after The Times asked about it.

The LAFD did not respond to a Times query about why the email was not released with Cook’s other emails. Bass’s office also did not respond to a query about Cook’s concerns and the fact that they were withheld from the public.

Gene Cameron, who lived in the Palisades for 50 years before his home burned down in the Jan. 7 fire, was disturbed by the LAFD’s revisions, which he said amounted to a cover up.

“I appreciate his bravery to stand up against these unprofessional immoral edits,” he said of Cook, adding that the point of the report is not to assign blame, but to prevent future mistakes. “It’s just to establish a set of rules, procedures and guidelines so that this doesn’t happen again.”

City Councilmember Traci Park, whose district includes the Palisades, said in a statement Tuesday that the city can’t fix systemic failures or rebuild public trust without full transparency.

“I’ve said from the beginning that LAFD should not be investigating itself. After a disaster of this magnitude, the public deserves a full, unfiltered accounting of what went wrong and why — and my independent after-action report will provide exactly that,” she said, referring to a report she requested that the City Council approved and funded earlier this year, though it hasn’t been completed.

Genethia Hudley Hayes, president of the Board of Fire Commissioners, did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment. She previously told The Times that she heard rumors that the author of the report was unhappy, but that she did not look into the matter.

A July email thread reviewed by The Times shows concern over how the after-action report would be received, with the LAFD forming a “crisis management workgroup.”

“The primary goal of this workgroup is to collaboratively manage communications for any critical public relations issue that may arise. The immediate and most pressing crisis is the Palisades After Action Report,” LAFD Asst. Chief Kairi Brown wrote in an email to eight other people.

“With significant interest from media, politicians, and the community, it is crucial that we present a unified response to anticipated questions and concerns,” Brown wrote. “By doing so, we can ensure our messaging is clear and consistent, allowing us to create our own narrative rather than reactive responses.”

Cook was not included on that email thread. It’s unclear how much of a role, if any, that group had on the revisions.

The after-action report has been widely criticized for failing to examine a New Year’s Day fire that later reignited into the Palisades fire. Bass has ordered the LAFD to commission an independent investigation into its missteps in putting out the earlier fire.

One edit to the after-action report involved language stating that the decision to not fully staff up and pre-deploy all available crews and engines ahead of the extreme wind forecast “did not align” with the department’s policy and procedures during red flag days.

The final report did not include that language, saying instead that the number of engine companies rolled out ahead of the fire “went above and beyond the standard LAFD pre-deployment matrix.”

A section on “failures” was renamed “primary challenges,” and an item saying that crews and leaders had violated national guidelines on how to avoid firefighter deaths and injuries was scratched.

Another passage that was deleted said that some crews waited more than an hour for an assignment the day of the fire.

Two drafts contain notes typed in the margins with suggestions that seemed intended to soften the report’s effect and make the Fire Department look good. One note proposed replacing the image on the cover page — which showed palm trees on fire against an orange sky — with a “positive” one, such as “firefighters on the frontline.” The final report’s cover displays the LAFD seal.

The final version listed only 42 items in the section on recommendations and lessons learned, while the first version reviewed by The Times listed 74.