Latest news with #HemelHempstead
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Grantham couple get back 1962 love letters found in canal
Love letters written in 1962 that a woman found in a canal have been reunited with their rightful owners - a couple married for 60 years.A total of 32 handwritten letters, tied together with blue ribbon, had been postmarked in Nottingham and addressed to the then Janet Millington in Hemel Hempstead, May, a woman recovered the letters while magnet fishing near the Fort shopping park in Birmingham and posted pictures on social following an appeal on BBC Midlands Today, the letters - which had been stolen in a burglary - are now back with the couple 80 miles away, Arthur and Janet Sims in Grantham in Lincolnshire. Mr Sims, known as Arch, said: "An old friend phoned us up. We [were] on holiday in Norfolk, and she says, 'You've just been on the telly.'" His wife said: "We were broken into and I didn't realise they were missing."I said to Arch, 'The letters are gone,' and he said, 'No, you've hid 'em somewhere; they're somewhere else.'"Lincolnshire Police said they believed they had been stolen during a series of burglaries in the county on one day, 28 Elmore, the woman who found the letters while magnet fishing with her son, brought them home to Elmore, 52, stated the envelopes were all opened, but many were too damaged to salvage. They were addressed to the future Janet Sims at Glen View Road in Hemel Hempstead, while Mr Sims, who signed the letters Arch, gave his address as Rupert Street in the Meadows area of that road is now part of an industrial the letters have been returned, Mrs Sims' engagement ring is still investigating burglaries had reached out to the BBC, hoping that locating where the letters were dumped would help identify those stolen from three Lincolnshire homes included engagement rings, pocket watches, solitaire diamond rings, gold chains and a mobile force appealed to anyone with information about the stolen items, particularly in the Erdington area, to get in touch. The couple, who married in 1965, said they wanted to thank the woman who rescued their love story, and in a video call Mrs Sims stated: "Shirley, you're a wonderful lady, you really are."Ms Elmore replied: "You're more than welcome, sweetheart. I thought it was a wad of money." Mr Sims then stated: "It's had the same value as money." Mrs Sims, who said the letters had been "in my cupboard for 60 years in the knicker drawer", stated the couple had been "married 60 years, mostly happy".Her husband then joked: "I remember a Wednesday when you weren't." The police investigation continues into who may have been responsible for taking the letters. Ms Elmore has said they revealed how the sender was feeling, his fondness for Janet and how much he was missing by the BBC how he felt about the fact people had read his letters, Mr Sims replied: "It is what it is."He added: "I'm still who I am. I still feel the same. It's just that I... can't visualise them, as floaters in a canal." Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
F1 fan, 85, gets VIP treatment after viral Tiktok video
An 85-year-old F1 fan was thrilled to receive a unique VIP experience after going viral on the clip, viewed more than four million times, David Wallduck was visibly emotional as his daughter Lucy surprised him with tickets to the British Grand Prix at the moment, he received messages of support from every F1 team and an invitation to visit the Alpine Wallduck, from Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, said: "Getting to go in the Alpine pit lane and paddock was a great experience - watching close up the wheel changes and seeing the cars and drivers getting ready to race." As a huge fan of racer Lando Norris, Mr Wallduck was also delighted to watch the McLaren driver's first home victory at the British Grand 85-year-old has never missed following a single F1 competition since it started when he was 10 in that, this trip was his first time watching the sport in the daughter told presenter Babs Michel on BBC Radio Northampton: "It really was an amazing weekend, and it was just everybody who made it such an unforgettable experience for dad."He doesn't know if he'll ever get to go to the F1 again, and he's just lived the best day there yesterday." Mr Wallduck expressed disbelief when he was told the video of him learning about the surprise went viral. He asked: "Why would people want to watch me?"His daughter recalled that while at Silverstone, "quite a few people" recognised him and asked for selfies."It's just such a lovely community, the F1 community," she said. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Torquay United face Enfield Town in season opener
Having finished second on goal difference in National League South last season Torquay were beaten in the play-off semi-finals by Boreham Wood [Rex Features] Torquay United will begin the new National League South campaign with a home game against Enfield Town. The fixture on Saturday 9 August is a repeat of the opening day game from 12 months ago when the Gulls were 2-1 winners at Plainmoor. Advertisement Torquay's first away match comes a week later when they travel to Maidstone United, who finished seventh in the division last season. Nearest neighbours Weston-super-Mare provide the opposition on Boxing Day at Plainmoor with the Gulls heading to Bath City four days later in their other festive fixture. Torquay's final home game is their penultimate fixture of the season on 18 April 2026 when they host Hemel Hempstead Town before ending the campaign at Tonbridge Angels a week later. Related internet links
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dunne not downbeat after Wimbledon qualifying defeat
Katy Dunne was refusing to let defeat dampen her day despite not progressing to the second round of Wimbledon qualifying. The 30-year-old from Hemel Hempstead native had her bid to advance in Roehampton ended by France's Alizé Cornet 6-4 6-3 but Dunne is determined to stay positive, revealing that she derived satisfaction from being able to compete in the first place after struggling with injury over the past few years. Advertisement And having rediscovered her love for the sport, Dunne believes the only thing that matters at the end of the day is enjoying yourself to the fullest. "I'm disappointed that I lost but I'm happy to have been here and played," said Dunne. "After Wimbledon last year I had to have shoulder surgery and I wasn't sure if I'd get back to playing so it's been nice to get back here competing so I'm happier than I feel should be for losing a match! "It was difficult and there were a lot of lows when trying to come back, a lot of doubt. Definitely sometimes as tennis players we associate our whole personas with tennis and when that's taken away form us, it makes it pretty tough mentally. "I still feel uncomfortable on the court but I've loved being out there in front of the crowd again and enjoying the stuff I was doing. Advertisement "It's about trying not to judge yourself too much when coming back. "There've been a lot of lows and I didn't expect to have this type of high so soon afterwards. In that sense, it's been nice to have and to enjoy over the last few days." Dunne's battle with Cornet rounded off an action-packed programme of grass court tennis in Roehampton, but while her contest against the Frenchwoman ended sooner than she would've liked, Dunne was delighted at the chance to showcase that she still has what it takes to compete at this level. Dunne added: "Cornet makes you work for the points. She's very smart with how she plays. She makes it difficult for you to find your game sometimes with her slices. Advertisement "Both of us were giving each other a run for our money with the drop shots but it was just a fun match to play with nothing to lose. "She's been such a great player and it was a privilege to play against her. "I definitely wouldn't be coming back if I didn't love competing which I still do and I'm going to keep going and end my career on my own terms when I'm healthy and not enjoying it as much as I do right now." For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website.
BBC News
25-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bundle of 1962 letters to Hemel recovered from a canal
A woman who recovered a bundle of letters from a city canal said she hoped to return them to their cache of 32 handwritten letters, tied together with blue ribbon, were postmarked in Nottingham and delivered to an address in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, in Elmore, 52, discovered the letters while magnet fishing with her son close to the Ford Shopping Park in Birmingham last month. She said she "was shaking with excitement" when she took them out of the water before bringing them home to dry. Ms Elmore said the envelopes were all opened, but many were too damaged to letters all have the same addresses and handwriting. They were all addressed to a Janet Millington at Glen View Road in Hemel sender - who signs the letters "Arch" - also gave his address as Rupert Street in the Meadows area of Nottingham, but the road is now part of an industrial Elmore said the personal letters revealed how he was feeling, his fondness for Janet and how much he was missing one he told how he had phoned her and got no answer, but would try again the next day. Ms Elmore posted pictures of the letters on social media and said she has received lots of comments but "no-one has been in contact".She said she was not seeking any money and just wanted them "to go back to their rightful owner". Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
