Yorkshire

If you’re looking for a staycation idea, we’ve found a charming two-bedroom apartment near Whitby in North Yorkshire with loads of five star reviews and availability in summer

British breaks are always a popular type of holiday, and if you’re considering visiting the Yorkshire coast on your UK staycation this summer, we’ve found a beautiful two-person holiday apartment available to rent that comes highly recommended by previous guests.

Brambles Apartment, available to book via Sykes Cottages, is a cosy and comfy first-floor holiday rental in Sneatonthorpe near Ruswarp in the North York Moors National Park, around 10 minutes from the popular seaside town of Whitby. With light and airy ‘country chic’ decor, it features an open-plan kitchen and living space, a smart TV and a small shared garden, with one previous guest calling it “a great base for exploring Whitby and the surrounding area”.

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In fact, Brambles Apartment only has five star reviews on the Sykes website, with visitors praising the hosts, the high standard of the property, and the “excellent views”:

“First class apartment, clean, comfortable lovely views from the windows and in a peaceful location,” one of the reviews is titled. “A very enjoyable week, would definitely recommend Brambles apartment,” the writer adds.

“Lovely stay in a great and comfortable apartment with beautiful views,” another guest agrees.

“So cosy, peaceful, clean and comfy, and a great base for exploring Whitby and the surrounding area,” a third review reads. “One of the nicest we’ve stayed in, and we would not hesitate to book again next time we visit! A definite recommend!”

The description on the Sykes website explains that Whitby Abbey, Whitby Harbour and the Captain Cook Memorial Museum are all within easy reach, as are Whitby Beach and Robin’s Hood Bay Beach, as well as the picturesque North York Moors National Park.

If you’re tempted, you’ll be happy to hear that Brambles Apartment still has lots of availability over the coming months, including during the school holidays. According to the Sykes website, a seven-night stay from 18-25 July costs from £677 (down from £981), while a long weekend in August, from 15-18, also costs from £677, down from £1,114).

It’s worth noting that Brambles Apartment doesn’t accept pets, so if you’re looking for somewhere to stay with a dog, you might want to check out other nearby Sykes Cottages properties such as Lythe Cottage or Jet Cottage.

Holiday Cottages is another site to browse for inspiration, which features charming Whitby properties including Sandy Shores, Lavender House and Dean Cottage.

And if you fancy something a little different, how about staying in Whitby Lighthouse? Guests can book one of two rental properties in the lighthouse – Galatea and Vanguard – through Rural Retreats.

Alternatively if, like Coleen Rooney and her family, you enjoy a caravan holiday, Parkdean has resorts across the UK, including Carmarthen, Lincolnshire and Northumberland.

Don’t want to drive to your holiday hotspot this summer? Find the cheapest train tickets through Trainline, where customers can save 61% on average when they book them in advance.

Four children in every British classroom are living in hygiene poverty, according to research.

A major report has found 21 per cent of affected kids don’t play with others because they’re worried about what they might think.

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The issue affects 14 per cent of children across Great Britain in total, with 20 per cent of these going without essentials like toothpaste or deodorant, on a monthly basis.

According to A Clean Start in Life, a report delivered in partnership with Children North East, almost 350,000 children can’t always get to school due to not having a clean school uniform.

The study surveyed 1073 children aged 6-15 and was commissioned by charity in Kind Direct.

Their CEO Michael Gidney said: “Children are sharing toothbrushes, worrying about standing out at school for the wrong reasons and families are having to choose between eating and keeping clean – impossible choices no one should have to face.

“As well as surveying young people online, we spoke directly to children across England who told us hygiene poverty is damaging childhoods, and no one should feel embarrassed to ask for help.

“Our immersive ‘Not a Choice’ campaign at Bluewater shopping centre aims to bring this hidden crisis into a public space, where we all engage with hygiene products daily.

“By amplifying the voices of children and real experiences in the shopping centre restrooms, we hope to create a moment of reflection for visitors before asking them to help us end hygiene poverty.”

Until May 11, visitors to the Bluewater shopping centre’s restrooms, a space where hygiene essentials are often taken for granted, will hear voices and experiences of children having to face uncomfortable choices every day, such as skipping PE out of fear of being called smelly.

It is hoped the voices will encourage shoppers to stop, listen and take action to help end hygiene poverty for the 1.1m children living in it.

The report went on to find 26 per cent of children living in hygiene poverty suffer from low self-confidence, and 17 per cent have felt embarrassed and ashamed.

Nearly a fifth (15 per cent) of children battling it have had to share individual-use products like a toothbrush with their family, with 16 per cent having to wear the same clothes for multiple days in a row.

Just under one in 10 (nine per cent) have also faced issues with bullying related to their lack of hygiene products.

Further in-person sessions were conducted with 103 children and young people aged 5-18 (or up to 25 for some with special needs), to gather their experience of hygiene poverty.

Meetings were designed by Children North East, and were held in the North East, East and West Midlands, London and the South West, in schools, colleges, youth and sports clubs.

Leigh Elliott, CEO at Children North East, said: “The shame and stigma attached to wearing a dirty school uniform or having greasy hair can be an unbearable burden for our children and young people.

“This research, along with our Poverty Proofing consultations with thousands of UK pupils, reveal that an increasing number of children are facing this reality.

“Every baby, child and young person should be able to live a happy, healthy childhood, yet children have told us hygiene poverty is impacting their mental health and school attendance.

“By lifting families out of poverty, we can help protect young lives from the lasting impacts of not being able to access everyday necessities.

“Children North East is proud to have worked in partnership with In Kind Direct to conduct this research with children and young people, and we hope their voices will drive meaningful change.”