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The Sun
22-04-2025
- The Sun
Stunning ‘British Maldives' are one of the warmest places in the UK – with deserted islands and shipwrecks
The Isles of Scilly regularly get compared to the exotic Maldives, thanks to its incredible sandy coastlines, resident dolphins and deserted islands. The islands are the warmest place in the British Isles, with temperatures rarely dropping below 8C, even in winter. 8 8 Summer temperatures range from 15 to 21 degrees, and it's one of the sunniest areas in the southwest with an average of seven hours of sunshine per day in May. There are five inhabited islands on the Isles of Scilly, which is off the Cornish coast, but there are over 140 inlets in total. The five inhabited islands are St. Mary's, Tresco, St. Martin's, Bryher, and St. Agnes. The biggest of the Scilly islands is St Mary's, which covers six square miles and has a population of 1,800. Hugh Town is the central hub, and there are three popular beaches; Porthcressa, Town Beach and Porthmellon. The beaches across the Isles are so impressive that the archipelago has been dubbed a "mini-Maldives" by many who visit. St Agnes is the southernmost populated island where visitors can discover amazing beaches and diverse wildlife. There is even lost treasure from the 17th century to be discovered. On the island is a small cove called Beady Pool where visitors search for Venetian glass beads. They have been washing up on the shores from a nearby shipwreck that went down in the 17th century. Over time fewer and fewer beads have been washing up, but it's said that there are still some to be found. Isles of Scilly's Tresco Island offers dramatic rocky outcrops, romantic castles and secluded sandy beaches 8 8 On Tresco is the Abbey Garden, which is home to subtropical plants and has been described as a "perennial Kew without the glass". It's home to 20,000 plants from more than 80 countries. Tresco also has an AA rosette kitchen at The New Inn which is found next to New Grimsby quay. You can enjoy lobster, beef burgers, and fish too. The "best fresh crab sandwiches" are a hit with visitors which you can enjoy with a potato salad for £19. Tresco has also been a popular holiday spot for the royal family. In 2020, Prince William, Princess Kate and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis were spotted biking on the island. For anyone who's a fan of watersports, all of the islands offer kayaking, paddleboarding and sailing. On St Agnes, you can hop onboard the wildlife safari boat where you have a good chance of spotting puffins and other sea birds, dolphins and porpoises. Sometimes whales are spotted too. On Christmas Eve in 2020, a Humpback Whale was spotted between St Mary's and Tresco. 8 St Martin's is home to some of the "finest beaches in the British Isles" according to Visit Isles of Scilly. It is also very easy to spot because of its red and white daymark, which was built in 1683. It stands at 40 feet high and was used to help sailors navigate ships during daylight hours - you can even see it from the mainland of Cornwall. Eighty people live on Bryher, which was the setting of the film"When the Whales Came," based on the Michael Morpurgo novel. On the island is the Hell Bay Hotel, which is the most westerly hotel in England, and has a 3 AA Rosette Culinary Award and 4 Red Star Inspector's Choice Award. It was also included on The Times' list of 100 Best Places to Stay in the UK, and it was described as "otherworldly". Inside are 25 suites, a lounge bar, spa, and garden yoga studio. During the summer months, the hideaway welcomes pop-up dining experience, The Crab Shack, in its old barn. Rooms start at £135 per night. 8 Some of the 140 uninhabited islands are now a haven for wildlife with some never visited by people at all. There are a few which used to be inhabited which is proven by the ruins that still stand, like on Tean and St Helen's where you'll find remains of Christian chapels. The isle of Samson still has remains of granite houses and barns, from when it was inhabited until the mid-1800s. The low lying island of Annet is closed to the public as its a bird sanctuary. But from certain boat trips you can spot some if you take binoculars with you. You can easily visit more than one island thanks to the boat services which are advertised on local blackboards on the quayside, as well as online. There are frequent tripper boats from St Mary's as well as other services like the Seaquest Glass Bottom Boat. There are hundreds of services per week, that offer full day and half day trips to a plethora of islands. As well as the inhabited islands, there are also trips to Bishop Rock Lighthouse where you can seal spot. "Supper boats" travel from St Mary's to St Agnes where hungry travellers can visit the pubs and restaurants. To reach the Isles of Scilly from the UK, you can make your way over to Penzance and then fly or sail to the islands. You can also get a Skybus flight to St. Mary's from Land's End, Newquay, and Exeter. And the Isles of Scilly are getting even more flights this summer. The World's 50 Best Beaches The World's Best Beaches consulted more than 750 judges including travel journalists, influencers, and beach ambassadors to rank the beaches. Lucky Bay, Australia Source D'Argent, Seychelles Hidden, Philippines Whitehaven, Australia One Foot, Cook Islands Trunk, US Virgin Islands Honopu, Hawaii Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland Navagio Beach, Greece Balandra, Mexico Cala Goloritze, Italy Pipe Creek, Bahamas Pink, Indonesia Grace, Turks & Caicos Gardner, Ecuador Mcway, California Turquoise, Australia Le Morne, Mauritius Sancho, Brazil Seven Mile, Cayman Islands Lanikai, Hawaii Maya, Thailand Moro, Spain Kelingking, Indonesia Meads, Anguilla Flamenco, Puerto Rico Arena, Dominican Republic Little Hellfire, Australia Lazio, Seychelles Vaeroy, Norway Horseshoe, Bermuda Myrtos, Greece Hidden, Mexico Grand Anse, Grenada Xpu Ha, Mexico San Josef, Canada Matira, French Polynesia Capriccioli, Italy Pasjaca, Croatia Boulders, South Africa Salines, Martinique Champagne, Vanuatu Marinha, Portugal Balos, Greece Achmelvich, Scotland Kaputas, Turkey Radhangar, India Varadero, Cuba Piha, New Zealand Pink Sand, Bahamas
Telegraph
16-03-2025
- Telegraph
Riding club pair who attacked pub staff told off for laughing during sentencing
A couple who attacked staff at a country pub following a Christmas party for a horse riding club were criticised by a judge for laughing in court as they were sentenced. Nathan Sayer, a company director, and his wife Catharine were spared jail following the fracas which was sparked when they were told they could not have another drink. But Judge Stephen Apted accused the couple of appearing 'pleased with themselves' and interrupted their sentencing hearing to tell them to stop laughing at the prosecutor's summary of their offending. 'I don't know why you two sit there laughing, shaking your heads,' the judge said. 'You two have behaved in this way throughout this trial, I simply don't understand why you sit laughing and shaking your heads at what you hear. 'You fail to understand and appreciate how appalling and disgraceful your behaviour was.' Basingstoke magistrates' court heard the incident took place at The New Inn in Hook, Hampshire, in the run-up to Christmas 2023. The Sayers became 'angry' and launched the attack at closing time when they could not 'get the beers in' and were asked to leave. They have since been banned from up to nine pubs in the nearby area, the court was told, and now plan to move away after being 'ostracised' by the community. In January, Mr Sayer, 50, and his wife, 54, were found guilty of assault and religiously aggravated harassment. They have both received a 12-month community order. Mr Sayer was fined £1,204 while Mrs Sayer was fined £1,554. The couple have both been ordered to complete 15 sessions of rehabilitation activities and 150 hours of unpaid work. After her lawyer told the court she was 'petrified' of the prospect of going to prison, Mrs Sayer smiled and laughed as she left the dock after being sentenced. The court heard at their trial in November that the incident involving both of the Sayers took place on De 9, 2023. Prosecutor Ryan Seneviratne said they visited The New Inn with 25 others who were all part of a horse riding club at the Wedgewood livery yard. The Sayers had been seen throwing food and festive crackers during the gathering. At closing time the Sayers left the pub, but then came back inside the venue because Mr Sayer, who runs a sales consultancy company, had forgotten his scarf. Laura Faulkner, one of the pub landlords, told the court that Mrs Sayer then went to the bar and 'demanded' another drink with her husband, saying: 'Get the beers in.' When they were refused, an altercation broke out, and Mrs Faulkner, along with three employees – two female and one male – ushered the couple out of the venue. In the pub foyer, the couple became 'really angry' according to Thomas Faulkner, Mrs Faulkner's husband and the other pub landlord. He started recording a video on his phone which was played to the court. Mr Sayer abused an employee he mistakenly thought was Muslim – the staff member had a deep tan from a recent holiday to Australia. He subjected him to religious abuse which included calling him 'Mustafa' and 'Sheikh Mohammed'. Mrs Sayer injured Mrs Faulkner by grabbing her shirt around the neck and swore at her. She also beat Mr Faulkner around the head as the couple were escorted out of the pub by staff. Judge Apted noted to the court that in denying their offences, the couple 'have refused throughout to accept what is plain to see on the video'. 'Having been rejected from the pub, you were seen on the CCTV footage kissing and congratulating each other,' he said. 'I am at a complete loss to explain your behaviour. You appear to have been pleased with yourselves. 'Neither of you have shown any remorse or accept any responsibility for your actions.' Mr Sayer, who was unrepresented, told Aldershot magistrates' court in his defence that he had 'acted like a man'. He said the couple had been followed out of the pub by a 'lynch mob' and that the staff were 'actively seeking conflict' with them. Alphonsus Doran, Mrs Sayer's defence lawyer, told the court at their sentencing: 'The community has effectively ostracised the defendants. 'He has been spat in the face. Her employer has let her go and because of it she has lost her job. They have lived in that community for 17 years.' Mr Doran said the couple plan to sell their house and move out of the area, and they have applied for universal credit because of the 'massive impact' the case had on Mr Sayer's professional life. 'I had a contract that was lost because of people contacting them,' he said.
