Rail closure between Tonbridge and Redhill 'worth it in the long run'
The railway embankment near Edenbridge will be strengthened with a 360m- (1,181ft) long steel wall either side of the track following disruption caused by landslips in recent years."It's a really substantial piece of engineering," Mr Prentice said.Further work will see 11 bridges undergo structural inspections and 200m (656ft) of rail replaced at Godstone.
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The Sun
18 minutes ago
- The Sun
Saharan dust cloud & Spain wildfire smoke blanket UK in Met Office satellite map – as temps to hit 30C this weekend
BRITAIN'S skies are not as bright blue today - and the Met Office has revealed the reason why, though there's a potential bonus coming. It's thanks to smoke from wildfires in Spain and Portugal, as well as Saharan dust that's "drifted over the UK". 5 5 5 But there is a potential upside - the national weather agency said Brits can expect "enhanced sunsets and sunrises in the coming days", adding: "Deeper reds and oranges thanks to light scattering." It comes as thousands of people are expected to flock to beaches across this weekend with forecasts of up to 29C on Sunday. As Brits head into Saturday evening, the forecaster predicts it will be a mainly dry night with the clearest skies appearing in the west. While most parts of the UK will remain dry, it's expected that some light rain will fall across the Shetland Islands. Cloud will build up across central and eastern areas, but will be less extensive than Friday night. Winds in the southwest will remain strong across some parts. Low cloud will gradually retreat towards the North Sea coastal areas as Sunday day gets underway, leaving most places to bask in plenty of sunshine. The strong winds in the southwest though will continue. While it will be very warm once again for most people, it will feel fresher along the eastern coast. Looking further ahead into Monday and the early part of the working week it looks to be more of the same. Little-known iPhone trick helps you dodge surprise rain with last-minute warning Any early morning cloud in the east will break up, giving way to sunny spells. Western parts could see some showers but it will be the warmest part of the country with winds easing off. Yellow warnings have been put in place for various areas of the country by the UK Health Security Agency. This includes Yorkshire and the Humber, the East and West Midlands, London and the South East, the South West and the east of England. Heat health alerts have also been extended into next week for much of England. The hot weather has resulted in a surge of vehicle breakdowns, the RAC reports. They have received 10 per cent more call outs this week when compared to the same period of Monday to Thursday last week. The yellow warnings are set to remain in place until 6pm on Monday, August 18. 5 5
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Forget the hot weather – 3 essential Lidl buys you need to grab this weekend ahead of winter to save on energy bills
LIDL has launched three essential bargains you can use around the home to cut down on energy bills. The must-have items are available in the budget store from tomorrow, August 14, so whilst you're still in summer-mode, it's time to stock up when you're doing your next shop. Hot weather may have returned to the UK, but make no mistake – winter is on its way. And in many homes and families, that means the familiar tussle over how high to turn up the heating, how to get rid of condensation building up on your windows, and how to combat bathroom mould. Condensation-buster First up is the Wenko Grey Bathroom Squeegee, which will land in stores tomorrow. It is a handy gadget that removes water from all smooth surfaces in the bathroom and shower. But more importantly, it removes condensation from wet windows in seconds. Condensation on windows occurs when warm, moist air inside a house comes into contact with a cold window surface, causing water vapour to turn into liquid droplets. This is exceptionally common in the UK, especially during the colder months. According to Zehnder UK, 73% of adults in the UK experience condensation on their windows in winter. As for how condensation can impact your energy bills - it indicates a loss of heat and reduced insulation efficiently, forcing your heating system to work harder to keep the space warm. Persistent condensation can also lead to other issues, such as mould growing, window frame damage or rot, and damp on walls. Luckily, Lidl's squeegee comes in an extra large size with a 31.8cm rubber lip and costs just £3.99. To use it for condensation on windows, simply wake up, open your curtains, run the squeegee down the window, and have an old towel at the base of the window to collect the water droplets. Then crack open your window to make sure the area completely dries for a few minutes. Mould-preventer Another great item Lidl is offering in stores tomorrow is the Auriol Black Thermometer and Hygrometer units, which come in packs of three. These handy gadgets monitor the indoor climate and prevent mould, which can be expensive to remove. The average cost of removing mould from a single, large room is £220 to £280. However, to have the mould removed from an entire property would likely set you back between £725 and £1,100. The hygrometer measures indoor humidity and includes a comfort level display, allowing users to adjust the room temperature and save on energy bills. Lidl is selling a £2.99 product beauty fans are racing to nab - you don't have to wear foundation AND it contains SPF50 They can be wall mounted or free-standing and also come with a magnetic attachment and foldable stand. Batteries and instructions are included, as is a three-year warranty. And a pack of three of these essential items costs just £4.99. Purify the air The final Lidl bargain we're highlighting this week to help you save money on energy bills is both practical and pleasing on the eye. Air purifying plants do exactly what they say on the tin – purify the air. This can contribute to energy savings by improving indoor air quality, which can reduce the need for heating and cooling. As mentioned above, paying a firm to remove mould can be expensive but even a DIY job can cost a lot as expensive and specialist cleaning products are often required. This can include items such as £20 for chlorine bleach, brushes for £15 and eye protection glasses, which cost up to £10 each. How to compare prices to get the best deal Just because something is on offer, or is part of a sale, it doesn't mean it's always a good deal. There are plenty of comparison websites out there that'll check prices for you - so don't be left paying more than you have to. Most of them work by comparing the prices across hundreds of retailers. Here are some that we recommend: Google Shopping is a tool that lets users search for and compare prices for products across the web. Simply type in keywords, or a product number, to bring up search results. Price Spy logs the history of how much something costs from over 3,000 different retailers, including Argos, Amazon, eBay and the supermarkets. Once you select an individual product you can quickly compare which stores have the best price and which have it in stock. Idealo is another website that lets you compare prices between retailers. All shoppers need to do is search for the item they need and the website will rank them from the cheapest to the most expensive one. CamelCamelCamel only works on goods being sold on Amazon. To use it, type in the URL of the product you want to check the price of. Purifying the air not only protects the property from damage but also significantly reduces respiratory health risks. From tomorrow, the budget store will be offering a selection of the plants from just £3.99 each. The plants come in 12cm pots and range in height from 12cm to 35cm. Stock on these essential bargains may vary depending on your local branch so it's worth giving them a quick call before making the trip.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
The race to save Thorpeness cliffs: Row of £1million luxury homes facing falling into the North Sea without action
Desperate plans are being drawn up to save a row of £1million clifftop homes from toppling into the North Sea. Coastal erosion in the up-market seaside village of Thorpeness in Suffolk is getting worse by the day despite attempts to shore up the sandy cliffs to protect more than a dozen properties from the waves. Drones are now being used to monitor the crumbling cliffs as long-term plans are made to deal with concerns about 'accelerated' erosion but there are fears that as many as a dozen houses will have to demolished or simply abandoned to the waves. The local council has launched a survey to decide how to help the worried residents decide what to do - and to prepare the tiny community for the worst. One of the most at-risk properties is home to 88-year-old Jean Flick who fears her 100-year-old cliff-top home will vanish within a year. Her daughter Frances Paul said: 'She is already losing her garden and if it gets worse a demolition order will be put on her house. 'The council has put rock filled cages on the beach but they are not having much effect. 'The situation is getting very serious - every time the tide comes in more of the cliffs are washed away.' The changes to the scenery have already started taking effect in 2022 when a couple had to demolish their £2million home. Richard Moore, a director at Ipswich Town FC at the time, and his wife Sheila were told by council officials it was unsafe to live in. The power of the waves has washed away at least 50ft of their back garden in the last 20 months, leaving it just 30ft from the edge of the cliff. The house, which has spectacular views over the North Sea would have been worth around £2 million if it were not for erosion but it is now worthless. It is was the first major property in the upmarket village to be effectively lost to the sea since the East Coast floods of 1953. Mark Packard, East Suffolk council's cabinet member for planning and coastal management, said: 'We have some of the fastest eroding coast in north-west Europe and whilst a certain amount of erosion happens each year, there has been an accelerated rate of erosion at Thorpeness recently. The local council has launched a survey to decide how to help the worried residents decide what to do - and to prepare the tiny community for the worst 'We are currently supporting a small group of affected residents to explore temporary short-term interventions while plans are explored for a long-term solution.' 'We have met residents affected to outline a management plan and action that we would have to take if the situation reaches critical level.' Drone photography is now being used to monitor the area and record the rate of erosion and beach movement. Mr Packard said: 'While we are dealing with the imminent risk to properties, we are also keen to engage the wider community to raise awareness of the issues and ensure people have the opportunity to develop and share ideas on what actions could help Thorpeness prepare for the future impacts of coastal erosion and tidal flooding.' Meanwhile a pressure group the Thorpeness Community Interest Company has applied for planning permission to install nearly 6,000 tonnes of rock as part of extensions to an existing defences.
