Emmerdale star Clive Hornby dies
This is sad news - Clive Hornby, who plays Jack Sugden on Emmerdale, has died.
I only met him once when I interviewed him for an article but immediately warmed to him.
This is sad news - Clive Hornby, who plays Jack Sugden on Emmerdale, has died.
I only met him once when I interviewed him for an article but immediately warmed to him.
Another amazing rescue story - this time a bullock from the bottom of a cliff.
They could have saved themselves the trouble and barbecued it on the beach!
Forget the Cannes and Sundance movie festivals - you can get to see a film premiere at this summer's Game Fair.
It follows the recent tradition of innovative UK animations, and has a cast of native British bugs and animals made of recycled cardboard against the real background of an ancient, hollow tree.
The short animated film, called Reliable and tidy hoverfly looking for a place to live was made and directed by three young film-makers, and was commissioned by the Woodland Trust.
Watch out - bird thieves are roaming the countryside.
My pal Richard (who knows eveything there is to know about poultry) tells me the bird pictured above is a Satsumadori.
In terms of sheer unadulteratde cuteness when it comes to poultry, though, I reckon you'd have to go a long way to beat the little beauty below. It's a magpie duck.
I've heard it all now. Can you believe there's a whole conference dedicated to dormice?
Apparently the seventh International Dormouse Conference, hosted by The Mammal Society, is being held for the first time in Britain from September 25 to 29.
Every three years, apparently, academics studying dormice, ecological consultants and general enthusiasts from all over the world meet to exchange information and update each other on research. Speakers from as far afield as Japan and South Africa will be addressing the conference.
Britain's only native dormouse, the hazel dormouse, is still in decline and the conference will hear about a new lightweight wire mesh bridge which Japanese dormice use to cross roads. As habitat fragmentation is a major threat to UK dormice, this may have lessons for getting them across new roads in Britain, reckon the conference organisers.
Fascinating stuff, I'm sure, and thanks to Johann to tipping me off about this - but I think I may be washing my hair between September 25 and 29.
I've always had a bit of a thing about Patsy Palmer (you know, her off EastEnders).
I know this probably puts me in a minority (a minority of one, so people tell me) but I was pleased to see she's supporting the 5 A Day fruit and veg campaign.
Writing this blog post therefore makes me happy for two reason - firstly because I can give a mention to the gorgeous Patsy, and secondly because I can finally fulfil a request from Adam (see his comment on this post) and publish a picture of a redhead on Field Day.
Defra has today announced how former members of the Women's Land Army and Women's Timber Corps will receive their long-awaited badge of honour.
A ceremony will be held at 10 Downing Street on July 23 for around 50 Land Girls from across the country representing their former colleagues.
They will meet the Prime Minister and Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, and be presented with their badges.
Land Girls across the nation will then be sent their badge and a certificate in the following weeks, and events will then be held in every region to celebrate this formal recognition of the Women's Land Army's role in the war effort.
Over 29,000 applications for the badge have so far been received.
Farmer Robin Mills has been capturing the lives of people from the farming community near his home at Dorchester for a documentary photography project called Farmlife.
"My love of the land, particularly my home county, Dorset, comes from a lifetime spent in the countryside as a farmer," says Robin.
His photographs are currently on display at Bridport Arts Centre.
"I consider it a huge privilege to live and work in this environment, and am constantly reminded of how precious and magical is this part of the world.
"Although working full-time as a farmer at Godmanstone, I have been passionate about photography since 1997, after I had an accident and found myself in bed for three weeks and I started reading photography books and manuals.
Celebrity chefs the Hairy Bikers have declared their support for the campaign to protect the Traditional Cumberland Sausage.
Dave Myers and Si King gave the campaign their backing as the county prepares to celebrate the first Traditional Cumberland Sausage Day on Saturday July 5.
The chefs took a break from filming to sign a petition supporting the campaign, which is being organised by Made in Cumbria and the Cumberland Sausage Association.
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