Gloucestershire in pictures: Pelicans, dancing and spring snaps
This foal appeared to be ready to pose for the camera in this beautiful shot taken in Upton St Leonards. We love the beautiful natural light that our Weather Watcher Tone Poet managed to capture so well.
The University of Gloucestershire has teamed up with National Star, a specialist college for people with physical disabilities, to provide students with opportunities to express themselves fully through dance.Supported by inclusive teaching and learning processes, students spent 10 weeks preparing for the Dance Celebration Evening at the college's Ullenwood campus.
This gold crest was spotted enjoying the spring sunshine at Westonbirt Arboretum.The site has a collection of more than 15,000 trees which attract and provide habitats for a diverse range of wildlife.
Westonbirt is beautiful to visit all year round, but there is something particularly special about what's on offer at this time of year.The site is filled with stunning blossoms of pure whites and blushing pinks and looks particularly peaceful in this image captured on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
Anyone posting letters in Up Hatherley, Cheltenham will be sure to have a smile on their face this week thanks to this Easter-themed postbox topper.
Lots of people have been enjoying the sunshine with a visit to Rococo gardens.The picture captured by Emma Brookes Photography shows the Red House, a Grade II listed garden pavilion.
New accessible trails have opened at Beechenhurst in the Forest of Dean. It is part of a project by Forestry England to help people with disabilities, health conditions and access needs to enjoy the forest.
One of the BBC's Weather Watchers, Space Walker, captured this gorgeous shot of Little Witcombe under blue April skies.
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STV News
5 days ago
- STV News
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Here, ITV News Science Correspondent Martin Stew speaks to citrus growers, the head of an air conditioning business and a climate scientist about how increasingly hotter summers are changing life in Britain. Words by Health and Science Producer Rhiannon Hopley You may have noticed that the weather in the UK is changing. Parts of Britain are experiencing their fourth heatwave of the year, with temperatures breaching 30C in some places. Hot days like this are becoming the norm in the UK. The last three years have ranked among the warmest on record, with annual temperatures creeping up at a rate of 0.25C per decade since the 1980s. Extremes are also becoming more usual – last year was one of the wettest on record, while spring 2025 was the driest in 132 years. So how does the UK adapt to its new, warmer climate? One of the biggest challenges is housing. Homes in the UK were built for a much cooler climate, and therefore, most houses keep heat in. With increasingly hot summers, this can lead to stifling indoor temperatures. The UK is also experiencing more 'tropical nights' where temperatures do not fall below 20C, meaning the uncomfortable heat can last well into the early hours. One solution to this is air conditioning – just 5% of homes in Britain have air conditioning, compared to a European average of 20% and 90% in the United States. But according to some companies, uptake is rising. Lee Ramsay, who installs air conditioning in homes and businesses and has seen his customer base triple. 'I've been doing this for 30 years now. 'When I first started, we didn't install anything in domestics, not at all. Now I'd say it's probably making up about 40% of my business. 'So you know, it's absolutely brilliant for us. But this is every year, especially in the last eight years, it is just increased so much.' The UK is experiencing its fourth heatwave of the summer where temperatures have exceed 30C in parts. / Credit: PA The climate is also affecting which crops we can grow. In 2023, the UK surpassed the milestone of 1,000 wineries with the equivalent of 21.6 million bottles of wine being produced. It continues to be a booming industry, as the warming climate is making the UK more suitable for grape-growing. It is not just vineyards; some farmers are seeing conditions improve for other hotter-weather crops, including olives and citrus plants. At the Citrus Centre in Sussex, they have been growing citrus plants for three decades, but usually they keep them indoors and under cover for most of the year. As the climate heats up, though, they are spending more and more time outside. 'From Easter till now, we didn't bring them in,' says owner Chris Dennis. 'Usually, it's mid-May, we put plants outside hoping to keep them out, but ready to bring them in if it's going to be frosty. 'But this year we've never put them out so early and not brought them in again.' As the UK's climate heats up, we will see hotter summers, milder winters, and increased extreme weather events like flooding or drought. Our infrastructure is also under pressure. The UK is currently building nine new reservoirs to help increase our water storage, particularly during drier years. Meanwhile, Network Rail is currently working on making its network more resilient to climate change by building flood protection for areas of its tracks. The change in our climate will mean real changes to how we live our lives. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
ITV News
5 days ago
- ITV News
How heatwaves are changing the face of Britain?
Here, ITV News Science Correspondent Martin Stew speaks to citrus growers, the head of an air conditioning business and a climate scientist about how increasingly hotter summers are changing life in Britain. Words by Health and Science Producer Rhiannon Hopley You may have noticed that the weather in the UK is changing. Parts of Britain are experiencing their fourth heatwave of the year, with temperatures breaching 30C in some places. Hot days like this are becoming the norm in the UK. The last three years have ranked among the warmest on record, with annual temperatures creeping up at a rate of 0.25C per decade since the 1980s. Extremes are also becoming more usual - last year was one of the wettest on record, while spring 2025 was the driest in 132 years. So how does the UK adapt to its new, warmer climate? One of the biggest challenges is housing. Homes in the UK were built for a much cooler climate, and therefore, most houses keep heat in. With increasingly hot summers, this can lead to stifling indoor temperatures. The UK is also experiencing more 'tropical nights' where temperatures do not fall below 20C, meaning the uncomfortable heat can last well into the early hours. One solution to this is air conditioning - just 5% of homes in Britain have air conditioning, compared to a European average of 20% and 90% in the United States. But according to some companies, uptake is rising. Lee Ramsay, who installs air conditioning in homes and businesses and has seen his customer base triple. "I've been doing this for 30 years now. "When I first started, we didn't install anything in domestics, not at all. Now I'd say it's probably making up about 40% of my business. "So you know, it's absolutely brilliant for us. But this is every year, especially in the last eight years, it is just increased so much." The climate is also affecting which crops we can grow. In 2023, the UK surpassed the milestone of 1,000 wineries with the equivalent of 21.6 million bottles of wine being produced. It continues to be a booming industry, as the warming climate is making the UK more suitable for grape-growing. It is not just vineyards; some farmers are seeing conditions improve for other hotter-weather crops, including olives and citrus plants. At the Citrus Centre in Sussex, they have been growing citrus plants for three decades, but usually they keep them indoors and under cover for most of the year. As the climate heats up, though, they are spending more and more time outside. "From Easter till now, we didn't bring them in," says owner Chris Dennis. "Usually, it's mid-May, we put plants outside hoping to keep them out, but ready to bring them in if it's going to be frosty. "But this year we've never put them out so early and not brought them in again." As the UK's climate heats up, we will see hotter summers, milder winters, and increased extreme weather events like flooding or drought. Our infrastructure is also under pressure. The UK is currently building nine new reservoirs to help increase our water storage, particularly during drier years. Meanwhile, Network Rail is currently working on making its network more resilient to climate change by building flood protection for areas of its tracks. The change in our climate will mean real changes to how we live our lives.
Scottish Sun
01-08-2025
- Scottish Sun
Much-loved UK theme park reveals new rainy day guarantee – with free return after bad weather
WASH OUT Much-loved UK theme park reveals new rainy day guarantee – with free return after bad weather Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE WORLD'S top place to take bored kids this summer, which is in the UK, has announced a new rainy day guarantee scheme. Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort has introduced a free return for ticketholders who attend the attraction on a day that rains. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort has introduced a rainy day guarantee Credit: Supplied 4 This means if it rains for more than three hours on the day you visit, you can return for free within seven days Credit: Supplied The new policy means that guests will always have a great visit to the attraction, because if the weather is poor they can return on a day where it is better. The policy will be in place throughout August and it will need to rain for more than three hours on the day of their trip. If this does happen, then guests can return for free within seven days of their original visit date. CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort, Amanda Thompson OBE said: "It's important to us that guests have the best time when visiting, and while technically speaking the rain doesn't affect our rides, we wouldn't want the wet weather to dampen anyone's day. "We truly believe that you can have a great time at Pleasure Beach come rain or shine, but we know that everything is extra special when the weather is on side." If a guest wants to use a rainy day return, they should arrive at the same ticket centre on the day of their return visit and display their eTickets, paper tickets or confirmation email to staff. The new option can also be used seven days of the week. Blackpool Pleasure Beach resort was also recently named as one of the best attractions to bust kids being bored. created an index compiling the best attractions to take kids to this summer and the Lancashire-based attraction managed to beat the likes of Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. Overall, it scored 31.3 out of a possible 35 marks. First look at new 'tallest of its kind' ride to open at English seaside theme park The attraction is home to 10 rollercoasters, five 'dark' (indoor) rides, five water rides and 12 Nickelodeon-themed rides. Throughout the year, Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort also hosts a number of shows, including fireworks. Earlier this year, the reimagining of Launch Pad was unveiled, which climbs up to 80 mph and sends riders 210 ft into the air. Banish Boredom Index was made by analysing reviews from over 160 destinations, and the UK dominated the top 20. 4 The attraction has multiple different rollercoasters, rides and shows Credit: Supplied These included the likes of the Tower of London, Ribby Hall Village, and Warner Bros. Studio Tour London all made the list. Some other attractions across the UK offer rainy day guarantees, such as Crealy Adventure Park in Devon. The attraction offers visitors a free return within seven days of their original visit if there is 30 minutes or more of continuous rainfall during their visit. It is worth checking the FAQs or T&Cs of your tickets to an attraction to see if the theme park, adventure park or other destination offers the same guarantee. Use these tips on your next theme park trip Next time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out. Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens. Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer - this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest. Download the park's app to track which rides have the shortest queues. Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out "birthday badges" that can get you freebies. If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return. There is also a unique UK theme park with safaris, water park and rides for everyone from toddlers to grandparents. Plus, Disney is set to open a brand new theme park and resort – here's everything we know.
