To British firearms officers, it could be a tempting recruitment offer from police in Australia: ‘We’ve got your backs, mate.’

The authorities Down Under yesterday stepped up their pitch to hire UK officers – pledging they wouldn’t drag them through years of hell if they shot someone.

The message will not be lost amid the current furore over a Met policeman charged with the murder of Chris Kaba, who was shot in south London last year.

Western Australia is pursuing an audacious bid to ‘steal’ hundreds of police officers by luring them from Britain to work in the sunshine.

It can be revealed that more than 1,400 applied to make the move after the huge recruitment drive was launched in February promoting the area’s wine regions, coral reefs and culinary scene.

Are you a UK police officer who has moved to Australia? Please email your story, with photos, to rory.tingle@mailonline.co.uk 

And as the first cohort of 23 Brits was sworn in this week – in a ceremony under ‘magnificent clear blue skies’ – the message from Aussie police chiefs was clear: ‘We protect our officers.’

Western Australia’s minister for police Paul Papalia told the Mail: ‘It’s very topical because yesterday we had a fatal shooting by police in Kalgoorlie. 

‘Without speaking in advance of the full investigation, I can tell you that our police officers behaved incredibly well. I’ve seen the body-worn camera footage. 

‘They acted entirely in accordance with their protocols, responsibly and properly. Sadly, they’ve had to shoot someone for their own protection. They did it absolutely correctly.’

Mr Papalia said that within an hour of the fatal shooting – of a 58-year-old man who had charged at officers with a gun – the commissioner of police and a local senator had publicly backed the officers.

Anna Miller, a 38-year-old recruited from West Yorkshire Police, said moving to Australia had made her feel ‘supported and appreciated’.

Speaking from Perth, Western Australia, where she moved with her family seven weeks ago, she told the Mail: ‘The biggest thing we like here is the appreciation for the police. I did not feel at all appreciated in the UK. In Australia, the community support their cops and they trust them.

‘The feeling among myself and colleagues [in the UK] was that officers weren’t backed… it feels a little bit, as police officers, they will happily throw you under a bus to present a [more positive] picture to the public. 

‘Don’t get me wrong, I had some fantastic supervisors, but I think policing as a whole, I don’t think they feel supported.’

Ms Miller worked at West Yorkshire Police for 15 years. She moved to Australia with her husband Andrew and their children Isabelle, seven, Tom, six, and Emma, three, for ‘an adventure’, saying: ‘It gives us the outdoor active lifestyle we wanted. 

‘It’s fantastic. There is so much to do on your doorstep – we went kayaking and saw seals, there is snorkelling, fantastic cycle paths and the Australian people are so chilled, friendly and have an enthusiasm for life.’

Ben Woods, a 33-year-old sergeant from Sussex Police, added: ‘My colleagues were naturally sad to see me go, but are now sick of my social media – “can you stop posting beautiful beaches, and posting views with koalas”.’

He said: ‘[Perth] is one of the cleanest, tidiest cities I’ve ever been to. The sunrises and sunsets are just phenomenal. The crime rates are clearly lower, there’s no graffiti, no gangs of kids – it feels like a nice safe place to be.’

The pair were sworn in as constables of the Western Australia Police Force on Monday, giving their allegiance to King Charles III, in a ceremony with an aboriginal theme. 

Mr Woods said: ‘An aboriginal lady came in and read scripture welcoming us, giving us strength and good spirits.’ 

Peppermint leaves were lit to create aromatic smoke, and Ms Miller said: ‘The smoke and the ceremony was around wishing us well, good luck and keeping us safe. It was lovely.’

All police officers in Western Australia are armed, meaning most UK recruits will need firearms training. 

Ms Miller said: ‘I don’t have a strong feeling. It’s just a piece of kit that officers have. I’ll learn how to use it.’

The police minster told the Mail: ‘We protect our officers. They’ve all got tasers, Glocks [pistols] and body armour.’

Mr Papalia said: ‘I’m intent on stealing your best people. Unashamedly. You guys have been taking our best for decades, it’s a rite of passage for Australians to go to the UK.

‘We’re aiming for 150 police officers this month, and 150 every year thereafter for five years. They come from a variety of forces. I’ve met all of them. They’re a good crowd. 

‘They all love policing and had their expectations met when doing swearing in – the skies in Perth were magnificent clear blue skies. Everything they had hoped for.

‘Western Australia is a great place to live and work. Compared to the UK, we have higher wages, a lower cost of living and the perfect climate for year-round adventure.

‘The response has been extremely positive, meaning WA Police can handpick the best of the best.’

In a nod to the ‘Ten Pound Poms’ scheme introduced after the Second World War, Western Australia’s shameless ambition is to grab 31,000 British workers, with police joining doctors, nurses and construction workers. 

They can ‘have it all’, with energy bills almost half in Australia, allowing the savings to be spent on 183 pints of beer, 110 roast dinners or 500 jars of Marmite, boasted Mr Papalia.

The British Medical Association revealed before Christmas that a third of junior doctors are planning to leave the UK – with the majority choosing Australia or New Zealand.

The NHS is battling shortfalls of 12,000 hospital doctors and more than 50,000 nurses and midwives.

An Australian delegation arrived in the UK on February 25 and held jobs fairs in London, Edinburgh and Bristol. 

The scheme also targeted those in other professions hit by labour shortages including miners, plumbers, mechanics and builders.

Almost 25,000 applications to get documents needed to secure a job overseas were made to UK healthcare regulators in 2022. The vast majority represent NHS workers. 

The toll, uncovered by a MailOnline investigation, dwarfs the 10,000 figure seen before Covid struck. 

Senior leaders in the health service warned ‘the exodus is only just beginning’ and said the stats should ‘stun ministers into action’. 

Disgruntled NHS medics say the pandemic has shone a light on how poorly they are valued in the UK, a factor that helped launched a wave of strike action across the UK to boost their pay. 

Australia has also launched a wave of ‘cheeky’ tactics touting the merits of a move Down Under, such as deploying mobile billboards to NHS strike picket lines to recruit disenfranchised medics. 

Yet some medics who’ve made the move Down Under have complained that it’s not exactly the dream some are selling.  

British health staff wanting to apply for a job overseas need to get documents from their UK regulator as part of the application.

These prove to their potential employers they don’t have any marks on their record, their training is up to date, and they can be trusted with patients. 

Figures obtained by MailOnline reveal nearly 7,000 doctors applied for documents to support an application to work abroad from the British medical regulator, the General Medical Council (GMC), in 2022.

This was up from 6,100 in 2019. 

Separate figures for 2023, which only go up until May, suggest this year will see an even bigger exodus, with almost 3,500 applying for their documents so far. 

For nurses and midwives, the figures are even starker. 

Nearly 16,000 similar applications were made in 2022/23 — compared to just under 5,500 in 2018, according to the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). 

Pristine beaches and sunny weather appear to have convinced many to seek a job in Australia.

Australia topped the charts for total applications in both professional groups. 

Nearly 9,000 doctors have applied to work Down Under in the last five years. A third of these were made in 2022/23.

And Australian efforts to lure medics Down Under appear to be paying off. 

Data from the Australian Medical Council, the Aussie equivalent of the GMC, show almost 1,000 British medics signed up in 2021/22, the latest data available, up 16 per cent on the year before, and the biggest number of any nation. 

This is equivalent to roughly half the UK medics who applied to work Down Under getting a job there. 

For nurses and midwives, 11,000 applications were made to Australia since 2017/18.

But the number has accelerated in recent years, with 4,000 making an application in the last financial year alone. 

Are you a UK police officer who has moved to Australia? Please email your story, with photos, to rory.tingle@mailonline.co.uk 

Raise a glass to the winners of the ‘Oscars‘ of the UK hospitality industry.

At a prestigious awards ceremony hosted by the AA at Grosvenor House in London on Monday night, awards were presented in categories including ‘Hotel of the Year’, ‘Restaurant of the Year’ and ‘Chefs’ Chef of the Year’.

The 2023 AA Hospitality Awards winners were picked by the AA’s inspectors, who spent the past year feasting their way through the UK’s restaurants and laying their heads in the nation’s hotel rooms in a bid to crown the cream of the crop. Here are their verdicts…

HOTELS

The top hotel in England is Forest Side, a former mansion house that’s been transformed into a hotel – complete with a Michelin-starred restaurant – on the edge of the pretty Lake District village of Grasmere. 

‘The bedrooms have stunning views of the hills and countryside beyond,’ reveals the AA’s inspector. 

The number one hotel in London is The Lanesborough, an ‘elegant and luxurious’ hotel that ‘offers nearly 100 rooms, of which almost 50 are suites, with a personal butler service for all guests 24 hours a day’.

Reigning supreme as the best hotel in Wales, meanwhile, is Penally Abbey Hotel in Pembrokeshire. The AA Inspector was impressed by its ‘friendly team’ who show a ‘genuine concern for guest comfort and enjoyment’.

Moving up the map, Scotland’s hotel of the year is Fingal, a former support vessel for the Northern Lighthouse Board that’s been converted into a luxury hotel that’s moored permanently in Edinburgh. 

‘This is a hotel experience unlike any other that Edinburgh can offer,’ says the AA’s Inspector.

And Northern Ireland‘s hotel of the year is Killeavy Castle Estate in County Armagh, a ‘fairy-tale castle’ set in ‘a 350-acre estate made up of woods and farmlands’.

The prize for ‘spa hotel of the year’ goes to South Lodge in West Sussex. Its spa, complete with a spin studio and an outdoor hydrotherapy pool, is ‘set into the natural contours of the land and designed with sustainability in mind’, the AA’s inspector reveals.

For travellers with an affinity for foodie experiences, the awards also breaks down the nation’s top restaurants with rooms, with The New Inn in Hereford taking the top spot in England. 

Originally a 16th-century coaching lodge, the inn has been ‘delightfully refurbished’ and boasts ‘plenty of character’, the AA’s inspector notes.

In Wales, the number one restaurant with rooms is Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, an inn surrounded by mountains to the west of the country. 

Ynyshir’s restaurant serves ‘exceptional’ food that takes diners on a ‘relentless tasting journey that offers hit after hit’, says the AA’s inspector. 

And the gong for Scotland’s best restaurant with rooms goes to The Witchery, an inn housed in a 16th-century property beside Edinburgh Castle.

The AA’s inspector notes that it’s a ‘romantic’ destination, with suites ‘filled with antiques, opulently draped beds, large roll-top baths and a plethora of memorabilia’.

RESTAURANTS

Looking to the top restaurants of the year, in England, it’s the Old Stamp House Restaurant in the Lake District town of Ambleside that takes the crown. 

The AA’s inspector praises the ‘charming little basement’ restaurant for its ‘creatively presented’ tasting menus with ‘plenty of focus on the best of Cumbrian produce’.

London’s restaurant of the year is Chutney Mary, a ‘long-established and super stylish’ Indian restaurant in the St James district. 

‘Expect luxurious ingredients, careful presentation and well-judged spicing in a fabulously glossy dining room,’ says the AA’s Inspector.

The Jackdaw in Conwy is Wales’s top restaurant. This eatery, housed in a former cinema, offers ‘clever modern dishes and a cool Scandi vibe’. 

Scotland’s restaurant of the year, meanwhile, is Cail Bruich, a Glasgow eatery that ‘champions the finest British produce’. 

Here you can expect ‘a unique and relaxed dining experience’ and ‘modern Scottish cooking with lots of luxury ingredients’.

The AA Food Service Award goes to The Strathearn restaurant at Gleneagles in Scotland, where diners enjoy ‘slick’ service and Franco-Scottish cooking with ‘plenty of modern twists’. 

The AA Wine Award goes to Askham Hall in Cumbria, where guests are treated to a ‘notable wine list’ that includes a number of ‘vintage French stunners’.

CHEF’S CHEF OF THE YEAR

The ‘Chef’s Chef of the Year’ goes to Paul Ainsworth, who – as the name suggests – is Chef Patron of Paul Ainsworth at No. 6 in Padstow, Cornwall.

The Southampton-born chef studied catering and hospitality at his local college and went on to work with celebrated chefs that include Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing. 

The AA says: ‘After eight years in London, Paul moved to Padstow to work at No 6, and fell in love with Cornwall. Together with his wife Emma, they took over the business, relaunching it as Paul Ainsworth at No 6.’ The AA’s Inspector praises the restaurant as a ‘truly delightful place to eat’, adding that every dish on the menu is ‘underpinned by quality produce and assured technique’. 

Commenting on the awards, Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media, said: ‘It’s a delight to be back at Grosvenor House as we mark the greatest hospitality celebration across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The last year has been tough on the hospitality industry as we’ve felt, like many others, the challenges facing businesses. Yet I’m so proud of the resilience, innovation and quality shown by the UK hospitality industry in response. We would like to extend a massive congratulations [to] all the winners and shortlisted establishments for their hard work, passion, and dedication.’

For more information on the winners, visit ratedtrips.com. 

Mutant super rats are plaguing Britain’s restaurants, pubs and homes with experts revealing to MailOnline that rodents are becoming less susceptible to pesticides and more wary of control methods.

In the past week, video footage has emerged revealing the true extent of the terrifying rat invasions taking place in parts of the country.

It comes as piles of rubbish have overflown the streets amid a series of bin strikes. 

Reports of a rodent infestation outside a block of flats in Liverpool left tenants ‘petrified’ to leave their homes, fearing they cannot step out the door without a rat scampering over their foot. 

Meanwhile customers tucking into their food at a McDonald’s store were left screaming when a rat emerged from the seating area before scurrying across the fast food chain’s floor. And at a pub in Exeter, a large rodent was seen tucking into leftovers that had been sat on an outdoor table. The rat is seen sticking its face into a bowl before nibbling on what appears to be discarded bones from a meat dish.

Pest control experts told MailOnline that sightings have been on the rise, particularly in urban areas where the animals have access to strewn food from takeaways and piles of rubbish bins along the street. 

Paul Blackhurst, of Rentokil Pest Control, said: ‘Rats are opportunistic pests that are drawn to places teeming with available food sources. 

‘With unlimited access to leftover food from takeaways and rubbish bins, along with water and shelter, some urban areas have become home to what are often referred to as ‘super-rats’. 

‘Despite their namesake, these rats are not going to save the world. Rather, through genetic mutations, combined with neophobic behaviours, they have become less susceptible to some forms of common rodenticide and wary of methods used to control them.’

His comments come as young professionals and students living in a block of flats on Vine Street in Liverpool’s city centre have come face to face with the creatures.

Eve Bradley and Eireann Dobbins moved into their new home five months ago. They only realised there were rats living outside of the building after they had settled in. 

Frightening footage shows rats scurrying around the entrance of the flat. Ms Bradley, 22,  told the Liverpool Echo: ‘You can’t leave your flat when it does start to go dark without them running across your feet.

‘It’s getting dark earlier – they’re going to start coming out earlier and earlier.

‘One of the girls I live with, the rat was inside the lift with her. She didn’t see it until she was in the lift going down.’

The frightened woman, originally from Derry in Northern Ireland, said the ongoing issue has caused them ‘so much distress’. 

A spokesman for the accommodation provider Urban Sleep said the issue of rats is a ‘city-wide issue’ that it has been ‘proactively managing’ on its site for some time. Urban Sleep said it is now speaking with Liverpool City Council about next steps. 

Earlier this year, another resident was left shocked to find dozens of rats living inside a bin in London. 

A video shows some of the rats peering up at the camera while others appear to be jumping to get out of the huge council bin.  

And diners eating at a McDonald’s branch panicked when a seemingly large rat leaped across the restaurant floor.

As people screamed, children could be seen turning around to catch a glimpse of the rodent while two McDonald’s staff members appeared to coax it away with a broom. 

Customers tucking into their burgers and queuing to order their meals are seen staring at the rodent in disbelief while parents lift their children off the ground. It is unknown which branch the footage was filmed in.

The author of the clip wrote: ‘I had to crop the video because I was screaming too much.’ 

Earlier this month, another McDonald’s in Notting Hill, London, saw a rat invade its restaurant.

The giant rat, which customers said was ‘the size of a foot’ was caught brazenly running through the store, with diners left both laughing and screaming in shock.

The appalling footage showed the rodent scampering across the floor before hiding behind an oblivious diner’s chair, as others warned ‘there’s a rat, there’s a rat’.

Shocked diners crowded round the rodent, taking photos and videos on their phone.

Luke Scott had been wandering into the store when he presumed a robbery was taking place because of the loud shouts of terror.

Mr Scott, 47, who lives locally in the area said:  ‘I walked in and went to the self-service machines to try and get a milkshake, but the milkshake machine wasn’t working.

‘I was about to turn and leave, and then somebody shouted loudly. I thought it might be a robbery.

‘I looked around and a couple of people were jumping up and then somebody shouted “rat, rat”.

‘I just saw it run across the floor. I felt like people wouldn’t believe it unless they saw it, so I started filming.’

As it tried to escape, the rat got caught in between people’s feet and a customer’s bag, leading to the restaurant to be evacuated.

He added: ‘The rat seemed fairly unafraid by the commotion. Everyone got their phones out and started crowding around. It seemed fairly relaxed; it wasn’t manic. It seemed quite confident.

‘Regardless of the tail, the body of the rodent was huge. It was about the size of my foot.’

In May another so-called super rat was seen scavenging on takeaway scraps left in a bin outside McDonald’s in Toryglen, Glasgow.

Grim footage, captured by two disgusted customers, showed the fat rodent feasting on the rubbish before scuttling away into nearby bushes.  MailOnline has contacted McDonald’s for comment. 

In another incident, shocking video from a pub in Exeter shows a rat enjoying a nibble on one of the tables, to the horror of a patron.

Mark Baker, who filmed the footage, was at the Mill on the Exe two weeks ago when he saw a rat eating from a plate at one of the pub’s outdoor tables.

The video showed him approaching the rat, which was as large as a pint glass, before it jumped into the plants beside the table and scurried off.

St Austell Brewery said that it had apologised to Mr Baker and that it was taking action to ‘manage the situation’.

A spokesman said: ‘We can confirm that Environmental Health are aware of this matter and are carrying out regular visits to monitor and assist with the situation, which is impacting riverside properties from the Weir down to the Quay, including the Mill on the Exe.’

‘We are working closely with Environmental Health and continuing to act on all advice. Last week, during their most recent visit to the area, they confirmed they were happy with the extensive measures we have put in place to help manage the situation that is affecting our external areas.’

Pest experts have said that rats – who eat just about anything – are increasingly resistant to poisons and are getting better at finding hidden spots to breed and nest.

Mr Blackhurst insisted more needs to be done to prevent further rat infestations.

He added: ‘This is why it is important for pest controllers to adopt innovative measures in order to help prevent infestations from occurring and to deal with them effectively when they do.

‘Effective, long-term control is only achievable through first understanding population changes and challenges, and then implementing bespoke solutions that combat them and that is why seeking professional, expert help is recommended for rodent infestations.’

His comments come after reports an infestation of rats outside a block of flats in Liverpool is making tenants ‘petrified’ to leave their homes. 

Steve Belmain, professor of ecology at the University of Greenwich said earlier this year that he could ‘easily imagine’ a plague of up to 300million rats being present in the UK.

Mr Belmain said: ‘Rats can certainly gnaw through concrete and metal, most normally soft metals such as tin, aluminium, copper and lead, but I have seen gnaw marks on steel, various hard plastics such as waste pipes and terracotta pipes – as well as concrete walls.’

The pests are so flexible they can push themselves through the U-bend of a toilet to gain access to people’s homes.

The largest rat caught and recorded in the UK was 21 inches long, which is the size of a small dog.

Experts fear that vermin such as rats and house mice carry diseases that are harmful to humans, with rat’s urine carrying diseases that may be linked to salmonella and leptospirosis outbreaks.

Recent figures show 78 per cent of rats and 95 per cent of house mice have genes that make them immune to poisons, which have been used as an exterminator since the 1950s.

Dee Ward-Thompson, the British Pest Control Association’s technical manager, said: ‘This rise in resistance could be due to a number of factors. 

‘However, it is most likely the spread has been accelerated by the application of rodenticides, by amateurs such as home and business owners doing it themselves or employing an unqualified individual to try to resolve the problem.’

By Ted Thornhill, Mailonline Travel Editor

Published: 11:32 EDT, 25 September 2023 | Updated: 11:37 EDT, 25 September 2023

Welcome to the cafe of the future, where the waiting staff are all robots.

And the location? No surprises there – Tokyo.

It’s called the Dawn Avatar Robot Café and travel content creator Maz Green dropped in for a juice and a green tea, with the short video she made of the visit garnering tens of thousands of views on Instagram.

Maz, who posts eye-catching photos and videos to Instagram and TikTok to hundreds of thousands of followers using the handle ‘Where To Find Me‘, explained to MailOnline Travel that all the food and drinks are served by robots – and that they’re controlled remotely ‘by people with medical or physical limitations who cannot come into work but want to stay connected to society’.

Maz, who is half Japanese though born and raised in London, was told there are 70 staff members who work as robot pilots.

Inside, she saw ‘about 10 avatar robot waiters, one barista robot, one robot behind the bar, and a few more tiny robots dotted around the cafe’.

Plus, humans were assisting with issues and helping customers place their orders, and making drinks and meals.

The robots, though, serve everything and customers can interact with them.

Maz, 31, said: ‘The robots can all speak. Each avatar features a camera on the robot’s forehead, a microphone and speaker, so that the pilots can communicate with customers as if they were standing right in front of them.

‘The robots can perform simple movements, such as nodding their head or raising their hand, all through eye-tracking technology.

‘I interacted with so many of them. A robot greeted me at the entrance and explained how the cafe works, then I spoke to my robot waiter and with the mini robots by the bar.

‘Because I can speak Japanese, I was able to learn about the lives of many of the pilots.

‘It was fascinating to hear their stories and their appreciation for the job, which allows them to feel less isolated and more social during their week.

‘They are all lovely and are very keen to converse with their tables in English.

‘Most of the robots have iPads stationed beside them, so that you can see a photo of the person piloting the robot and where in the world they’re logging in from.’

And what was the service like?

Maz revealed that as you enter the cafe, which is in the Nihonbashi Honcho area of Tokyo, you make your order and pay on an iPad before being assigned to a table.

Her juice and green tea ‘came within minutes’ and none of the robots made a mistake.

Did the robots demand a tip?

Maz said: ‘No, because in Japan, it’s not the custom to tip. If you try, they’ll deny it and sometimes even chase you out of the restaurant to return your money.’

And what was Maz’s overall impression?

‘I loved it,’ she said. ‘It was pricier than your average cafe, but worthwhile knowing that you’re supporting a great initiative that provides opportunities for people with mobility or isolation issues.

‘It was very futuristic and as a result a quintessential Tokyo experience that I highly recommend.’

For more about the Dawn Avatar Robot Cafe visit dawn2021.orylab.com. Where To Find Me can be found on Instagram here and on TikTok here. 

Drone footage taken from points on Britain’s faltering High Speed Rail 2 project has revealed the enormous scars ripped into the countryside across the route with as ministers due to make a decision on the northern leg this week.

If all had gone to plan, Britain would be just two and a half years away from high-speed trains whizzing between London and Birmingham, cutting travel times by around 30 minutes.

Construction workers should now be putting the finishing touches to the network but instead, completion has been pushed from 2026 to 2029-33 and the budget has risen from £37.5billion to £98billion. 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is reportedly so spooked by an £8billion jump in costs to complete the line to Birmingham that he is set to axe the Manchester leg which has been labelled a ‘gross act of vandalism’ and an ‘act of economic self-harm’ by former chancellor George Osborne. 

In an article for the Times newspaper with Tory grandee Lord Heseltine, the former Chancellor warned the Prime Minister about damaging Britain’s reputation and protecting his own legacy.

He wrote: ‘Governments are remembered for what they build and create. Make this mistake, and yours may only be known for what it cancelled and curtailed.’

Citing Boris Johnson‘s winning message in the 2019 election, they added: ‘How could ever again claim to be levelling up when you cancel the biggest levelling-up project in the country?’

Last week, the Mail sent a drone along the entire length of HS2. Photographs show many major points are still construction sites in their early stages.

Phil Marsh, who has worked in railway administration for 50 years, said: ‘These pictures show what a massive infrastructure project HS2 is and how dreadful it looks at the moment. There are earthworks, concrete mixers and haul roads on a vast magnitude, which creates a huge environmental and societal impact on our densely compacted country.’

Costs have spiralled, Mr Marsh said, due to the number of changes made. ‘Every time specifications are slightly altered, insiders tell me that contractors are basically sticking another million pounds in their back pockets.

‘If all this is for 30 minutes off the journey from London to Birmingham, it would be a complete waste of money.’

About one mile east of Lichfield and 15 miles north of Birmingham Curzon Street Station, HS2 veers northward.

Construction work is being carried out beneath the West Coast Main Line and amid Staffordshire farmland.

‘This is what is considered a ‘mission critical’ spot as any disruption to the West Coast Main Line might have cost millions,’ said Phil Marsh.

‘It looks fine, but the tracks still need to be laid.’

The Chiltern Tunnel ends to the west of Chesham and north of High Wycombe.

This is where the high-speed trains are due to travel above ground for a short distance before plunging into the 0.9-mile Wendover Tunnel.

‘This end of the tunnel through the Chilterns hasn’t been cut through yet so it’s just a wall of earth,’ said Christian Wolmar, who hosts the railway podcast Calling All Stations.

‘The twin tunnel-boring machines, Florence and Cecilia, still have about two miles to go.’

This one-mile tunnel travels beneath an ancient woodland and was completed in November last year – but at the cost of felling four ancient woods in nearby South Cubbington.

Work is still being carried out to handle 500,000 tons of mudstone at an on-site slurry treatment plant.

‘The hard work has been done with the major construction complete,’ said rail administrator Phil Marsh. ‘But there are the railway communications, drainage and signalling systems still to do.’

Covering ten miles, this will be the longest of the 500 tunnels dug for the HS2 line.

The underpass begins in the south near the M25 and then head north-west between the towns of Beaconsfield and Amersham. Railway podcast host Christian Wolmar said: ‘The tunnel is only about three-quarters finished.

‘Denham is a mess – an enormous building site with a car park for 1,000 cars and a concrete factory works for mixing concrete and making tunnel supports.’

You have goat to be kidding: Farmer left stunned after goats break in to her home, take a seat on her £300 rug and munch on a table

• ‘Chaz and Dave’ managed to escape their field to dine on blueberries in the garden before heading indoors for a nap 
•  The pair even ate the farmer’s birthday flowers during the early hours raid

By Claire Elliot

Published: 08:15 EDT, 21 September 2023 | Updated: 08:23 EDT, 21 September 2023

Genetics, healthy eating or just plain luck are among the factors thought to be behind living to see your 100th birthday.

But despite the uncertainty around how to reach this milestone, there are a record number of centenarians living in England and Wales, data for the Office for National Statistics revealed this week.

In 2021, nearly 14,000 people lived to 100 in England and Wales — up by more than  a quarter in just a decade.

Here, longevity experts and Britain’s centenarian’s share the secrets to living a long and healthy life. 

Staying active

Keeping fit and active has long been highlighted by experts as a way of keeping your muscles, joints and mind healthy.

But it could also be a way of boosting your life expectancy. 

‘Evidence shows that being more physically active can lower the risk of depression and dementia, heart disease, stroke, Parkinson’s and some cancers’, Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, told MailOnline. 

But it’s not just about lifting weights and running marathons.

Simply moving more, taking the stairs or carrying shopping counts. 

Ms Abrahams said: ‘It’s simply about moving more each day, in whatever way works, within our own capabilities.

‘Outdoors exercising is said to have more benefits, so you could try joining walking groups, a walk in the country or just walk to the shops instead of driving, any kind of activity is better than no activity at all.’

‘It’s never too late to get active, so try to boost your daily physical activity’, says Ruth Goss, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

It not only improves blood pressure, it also lowers cholesterol, keeps weight under control and gives your mental health a boost, all ways of warding off diseases.

If you find an activity you enjoy, you are more likely to stick with it, advises Ms Goss.

Health chiefs recommend completing 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week, such as a brisk walk, swimming or cycling.

But our ability to keep up this amount of exercise can get trickier as we age. 

‘Where I live, I have plenty of stairs so even if I don’t go out, I’m active’, says Lauretta Boston, from London, who celebrated her 100th birthday in October 2022. 

Ms Boston, who told the ONS about her life and experience of being a centenarian, said: ‘There are things I find difficult to do because I am lumbered with a body that won’t do what I want it to do.’

But still driven to stay well and active Lauretta visits the shops. 

She said: ‘I have a little shopping trolley I can take to the shops and it’s nice to pick out what I want and go to the till.’

Living by the sea

Everyone enjoys the beach but moving to the sea-side could set you up to live to you’re 100th birthday, data suggests. 

Coastal areas have the highest proportion of centenarians, according to ONS data with a high proportion living on the south coast. 

But experts are not 100 per cent sure why.

It could be because centenarians living by the sea are ‘already healthy and wealthy people’ and choose to retire in coastal areas, a spokesperson the International Longevity Centre told MailOnline. 

It added that once in these areas, older people ‘are able to have a relatively high standard of living, heat their homes, have a good diet, exercise and have plenty of family and friends’.

Coastal environments are not only better for helping people get outside and be more active, but they also help to reduce stress, experts say. 

Spending time outside in nature can also improve your mood, reduce stress, improve physical health and improve self-esteem, according to mental health charity Mind. 

Getting enough sleep 

It’s not a mystery that getting enough shut-eye each night can improve your mood the next day. 

But good quality sleep could also add years to your life. 

Sleep is essential to helping memory and processing information, as well as removing waste products from brain cells, regulating your metabolism and maintaining the immune system.

Adults should be getting between six and eight hours a night, according to the NHS.

However, as we get older it can be hard to get enough sleep. 

‘Sleep patterns change as we get older and lack of sleep can directly affect the way we feel’, says Ms Abrahams.

She added: ‘If you’re having difficulty sleeping, try cutting back on daytime naps and reduce the amount of caffeine you drink. 

‘Try to make time to relax and unwind each evening, perhaps by reading a book, listening to the radio, or having a bath.’

Learning a new skill 

Keeping your mind sharp by learning a new skill could boost your brain power in old age. 

Whether it is learning to play an instrument or a new language, exercising your brain by stimulating the learning process can help improve your overall health. 

Knowledge has been shown to pay off in a 2014 study which found that learning two or more languages in adulthood can slow down age-related cognitive decline.  

‘Being positive and open, willing to try new things, and engaged with what’s going on around us have been shown to be important in sustaining our wellbeing as we get older’, says Ms Abrahams. 

She suggests learning something new or joining a new club can help you to ‘retain a sense of purpose’.

She said: ‘Volunteering to help others, joining a local group of some kind or learning a new skill like a language or musical instrument are just a few examples of things worth considering if you’re looking at how to retain a sense of purpose and get the most out of life.’

Staying social

Just like learning a new skill, staying social can also keep your mind active. 

It’s been shown that older people who socialise daily, weekly or monthly have a significantly greater chance of a longer life than those who socialised the least or not at all.

The long-term study by researchers from Sichuan University West China Hospital looked at data for 28,563 Chinese people who were asked about their socialising habits.

Experts say this could be because spending time with friends and family can relive stress and anxiety.

It also encourages people to get outside and be more physically active. 

Ms Abrahams said: ‘Spending time with others can help you feel more connected and less anxious. 

‘Spending time with family or friends can remind you of happy memories, while meeting new people gives you the chance to share different experiences, thoughts and ideas.’

Age UK encourages people to join clubs, volunteer in the community or even connect with others safely online. 

Ms Boston also puts her long life down to having plenty of friends and family around.

She said: ‘I live alone, but I never get lonely. I never seem to have enough time, because everything is a big effort and I’m so slow. It takes me time to do everything, so the days seem short. I also have my music and my family and friends.

‘My sister is 94 and I have had friends who also lived a long time. Two of them lived to 90 and one to 102, but unfortunately they have passed on. That’s what happens. 

‘Friends I have made more recently don’t know me as well as friends I knew when I was young. They can be very good friends but can only really see you as you are now.’

Eating well and stay hydrated  

Eating a healthy and balanced diet is a known way of slashing your risk of cancers and circulatory diseases.

More than 6million deaths globally could be avoided just by reducing the intake of processed foods, trans and saturated fats and added salt and sugar, according to Dr Xinyao Liu, from the Central South University, 

Dr Liu, who was the study author on research published in the European Heart Journal – Quality of Care and Clinical Outcomes, also told Diabetes UK that these heart-related disease deaths could also be reduced if people increased their intake of fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and wholegrains.  

Ms Goss, of the BHF, also urges people to eat theses foods to help protect their heart and reduce their risk of a heart attack or stroke.

She told MailOnline: ‘Time and again the Mediterranean diet comes out on top, with studies linking it to longer life expectancy. 

‘This includes fish as well as plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils with fat from unsaturated sources.’

Experts say what we eat and drink gets even more important as we get older. 

Ms Abrahams said: ‘It’s good to remember that one person’s nutritional needs can be very different from another’s. Finding a balance that’s enjoyable, varied, manageable and sustainable for you is important.’

She added: ‘Sometimes we may find that we lose our appetite as we get older, unintentional weight loss can be harmful so it’s important that we continue to eat, something is better than nothing.

‘It’s important to drink enough to avoid dehydration and make sure our bodies function as they should. The official recommendations are to drink 6-8 cups of fluid a day – that’s about 1.5 litres or 2.5 pints. All hot and cold drinks count towards hydration.’

Have regular check ups 

Staying on top of eye tests, hearing check ups and dental appointments can help catch diseases and infections early on. 

As we age, our eyesight and hearing changes which can cause a loss of balance and affect quality of life. 

Ms Abrahams said: ‘Eyesight changes as we age and can lead to a trip or loss of balance. Get your eyes and glasses checked regularly, at least every two years to detect any vision problems early.

‘Problems with your ears can severely affect your balance, and the risk of hearing loss increases with age. Talk with your GP if you notice hearing changes are affecting your day-to-day living or social life.’

But these check ups will also flag early signs of cancer. 

Whether you have a full set of teeth or dentures its still important to go for regular check-ups at the dentist. 

‘Your dentist will help make sure there are no problems developing and help prevent future problems. At the dentist, you can also get checked for signs of mouth and neck cancer’, says Ms Abrahams. 

Ms Goss also stresses the importance of knowing your numbers and keeping on top of your blood pressure and cholesterol, if you want to live into old age. 

The nurse said: ‘Prioritising your heart health at every age is one of the best ways to increase your chances of living a long and healthy life. 

‘If you smoke, consider quitting as this is one of the best steps you can take for your overall health, and the earlier you quit the bigger the benefit. 

‘Knowing your numbers – blood pressure and cholesterol – can also help you to spot the early warning signs and take steps to ward off future problems including heart attacks and strokes.’

By Ted Thornhill, Mailonline Travel Editor

Published: 04:47 EDT, 23 September 2023 | Updated: 04:47 EDT, 23 September 2023

Thrilling gang warfare drama Top Boy came to an explosive conclusion earlier this month after more than a decade – with Netflix and Canadian rapper Drake helping to see the series to a satisfying conclusion after it was dropped by Channel 4.

The show became one of Netflix’s most-viewed shows in the week that its third and final season post-renewal went out.

Viewers tuned in to see what became of Ashley Walters’ Dushane and Kane Robinson’s Sully as their warfare with other drug gangs in the fictional Summerhouse estate in Hackney, London, reached a dramatic climax.

But the show had humble beginnings on Channel 4 when it first aired in 2011 – and featured a number of actors who were relative unknowns at the time, and have since gone on to appear in huge Hollywood productions.

Michaela Coel, Letitia Wright and Benedict Wong are among the stars to have used Top Boy as a springboard to launch themselves into Marvel movies, while others have since starred in big dramas, Netflix films and other blockbusters. 

It bodes well for the breakout stars of the rebooted series such as Micheal Ward – some of whom are already picking up plaudits across the industry.

Michaela Coel 

The Ghanaian-British actress, 35, appeared in series two of the show in its Channel 4 era, as Kayla – a woman charged with killing her own boyfriend. 

Her 2013 appearance was brief – across just two episodes – but Coel went on to star in E4 sitcom Chewing Gum and Black Earth Rising before writing and starring in I May Destroy You – a powerful BBC drama about a woman seeking to rebuild her life after being raped on a night out that won BAFTAs and a Primetime Emmy.

She famously turned down $1million from Netflix for rights to the show after it refused to let her retain the ownership rights, and was named one of Time magazine’s most influential people. It noted: ‘You don’t just watch Michaela Coel shows; you experience them.’

She published a book, Misfits, based on her experiences of racism and misogyny, in 2021. And since then, she has appeared in Marvel blockbuster Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as Aneka, a member of the royal family’s bodyguards in the fictional African nation of Wakanda.

Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright, 29, appeared in the first series of Top Boy as Chantelle, a drug dealer on the Summerhouse estate. She left after the first series as her character goes to work for a rival gangster.

She also made other early career appearances in the likes of Casualty and Doctor Who – but came to the fore as the star of coming-of-age drama Urban Hymn, set against the backdrop of the 2011 London riots. 

An appearance in the Netflix reboot of Black Mirror was then followed by the role that many know her best for – as Shuri, the quick-witted inventor sister of superhero T’Chala in Marvel flick Black Panther. 

She made appearances in subsequent comic crossover films Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame – but she was unexpectedly thrust into the lead role of Black Panther sequel Wakanda Forever when star Chadwick Boseman died of cancer and Shuri was written into an expanded role.

Benedict Wong

Wong, 52, was a prolific actor before appearing on Top Boy – in radio and on stage, with a role in 2002 thriller Dirty Pretty Things. His profile grew as he appeared in sitcom 15 Storeys High opposite the late Sean Lock with guest appearances on programmes such as The Bill and comedies like The Peter Serafinowicz Show and The IT Crowd.

But it was after his role in Top Boy, as scheming rival drug dealer Vincent, that he was catapulted into stardom and became a fan favourite with Marvel moviegoers as Wong, the sardonic and deadly serious sorcerer who befriends Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange and helps him to master mystical powers.

Appearing in both seasons of the original Channel 4 programme, he recruited characters including Letitia Wright’s to run a cannabis farm.  

Around the same time, he began making appearances in big films like Johnny English: Reborn and Alien sci-fi prequel Prometheus. But it is his appearances as Wong in Doctor Strange, its sequel, and other interconnected Marvel films and TV shows that have brought him a huge new audience of adoring fans.

Micheal Ward 

The young actor first appeared in Top Boy in the rebooted Netflix series as Jamie – a fearsome rival gangster on the Summerhouse estate – in 2019, at the same time that he appeared in controversial crime drama Blue Story.

The film was at the centre of an incident in Birmingham in which police were attacked by a group armed with machetes; cinema chain Vue later said that 25 incidents of violence were reported in screenings on the first day.

However, Ward was praised for his performances in both Top Boy and the music-led gang film – the latter of which earned him a Rising Star BAFTA – and since then he has appeared opposite Colin Firth and Olivia Coleman in Sam Mendes’ racial drama Empire of Light, and worked with Steve McQueen on his BBC anthology series Small Axe.

Next year, he will appear in The Book of Clarence as part of a star-studded ensemble cast including the likes of David Oyelowo and James McAvoy, and will feature opposite Bill Nighy in sports drama The Beautiful Game.

Sharon Duncan-Brewster 

Duncan-Brewster, 47, was an established TV actor before appearing in Top Boy – appearing as central character Crystal in ITV prison drama Bad Girls, with parts in EastEnders as Trina as well as appearances on Holby City, Waking the Dead and Doctors.

But after appearing in Top Boy as Lisa, mum of central character Ra’Nell in seasons one and two, the actress has appeared in Sex Education, Star Wars prequel Rogue One and even the FIFA series of football games, where she appears as the mother of fictional footballer Alex Hunter as he dreams of making it big in the game.

But she has received high praise following her appearance in Denis Villeneuve’s rebooted Dune as scientist Liet-Kynes. Her performance in the sci-fi flick led to Vanity Fair branding her ‘Dune’s secret weapon’ that ‘brings (her role) to life’. 

This year, she has continued her intergalactic ascension with a voice role in Disney+ sci-fi series Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

Nicholas Pinnock

Pinnock, 50, had long established himself as a stage actor but prior to Top Boy had made only guest appearances in UK programmes such as Casualty, Doctors, EastEnders and Holby City.

But it was when he appeared as central character Leon in series one of Top Boy that his career found new energy. His reformed gangster spent his episodes trying to warn others off of a life of drug-dealing, with tragic consequences. He then went on to appear in The Ice Cream Girls on ITV.

In 2020, he starred in legal drama For Life, as a man who obtains a law degree behind bars while serving time for a crime he didn’t commit, which was produced by rapper Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson. Pinnock previously told Hollywood news website Gold Derby that Top Boy won him the role – because the musician was a fan.

He is currently appearing in Sky Atlantic series Django, a reimagining of the classic Italian spaghetti western from the 1960s.

Paul Anderson

Anderson, 44, appeared in Top Boy in 2013.as Mike, a psychotic would-be rival drug dealer to main character Dushane, fresh out of prison after committing armed robbery.

A year later, he starred in Troubles drama ’71 before appearing in The Revenant alongside Leonardo Di Caprio.

Now, he’s best known for starring opposite Cillian Murphy as his right-hand man, Arthur Shelby, in Peaky Blinders, and appeared in the modernised 2018 Hollywood retelling of Robin Hood.

Weruche Opia

Weruche Opia appeared in the second series of Top Boy as drug dealer Nafisa – before landing roles in hits like Bad Education and surreal BBC anthology series Inside No. 9.

These led to a leading role in Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You as Terry, the best friend of Coel’s character Arabella, who tries to help her piece together the events of the night that she was raped. Opia has since appeared in Netflix film Slumberland, and appeared as herself in an episode of the most recent series of Black Mirror.

Opia has since distanced herself from her Top Boy role as well as her appearance on Bad Education, disparaging the parts as ‘stereotypical young black girl’ roles. She told The Observer in 2020: ‘I did it for a while – in [the TV series] Bad Education, in Top Boy – but then I made a conscious decision and told my team I didn’t want to do those roles any more.’

Saffron Hocking  

Up-and-coming actress Hocking, 31, appeared in the rebooted Netflix series of Top Boy as Lauryn, a pregnant mum-to-be who suffers domestic abuse before taking matters into her own hands. She has been nominated for a TV BAFTA for her role.

Prior to her role in the series, she appeared in Strangeways Here We Come – but since taking to the Netflix drama she has appeared in Marvel Disney+ series Moon Knight as well as Prime Video series Riches and The Devil’s Hour. 

She also appeared as the cover star on the digital edition of this month’s Cosmopolitan UK, speaking about how she has become an ambassador for domestic abuse charity Refuge after consulting the non-profit while researching for her Top Boy role.