A PARK named among the top 10 in the UK is home to a “well hidden” attraction with rare breed farm animals and exotic wildlife.
Cassiobury Park in Watford was crowned one of the nation’s favourite parks in last year’s Green Flag People’s Choice Awards.
The park is often described as the ‘jewel’ of the town because of its large green space and all the facilities it offers, from tennis courts and cafes to a miniature railway and newly refurbished paddling pool.
But the park also has another attraction which not many visitors know about.
Cassiobury Farm & Fishery is tucked away between the Grand Union Canal and the park and accessed by foot.
The farm features a collection of rare breed farm animals and birds from the UK and abroad, including Gloucester old spot pigs, soay sheep, and Norfolk black turkeys.
It also has an exotic animal collection managed by the Ventura Wildlife Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that focuses on conservation and education.
The farm has been home to agouti, similar to a guinea pig, but larger with longer legs. They are known as ‘jungle gardeners’ because they bury nuts and seeds, helping new plants to grow.
Alpacas, meerkats, wallabies and squirrel monkeys are also there.
Carpdell Fishery is also a part of the farm – a three-acre carp lake that offers a variety of fishing experiences.
Anyone with a valid Environment Agency rod license can fish at Carpdell Fishery.
And during its summer open days programme, children are offered fishing taster sessions with a qualified angling coach, and provided all equipment and bait.
Cassiobury Farm visitors who have shared their experiences on Tripadvisor have described it as a “hidden gem” and “well hidden”.
Another penned: “We visited Cassiobury farm as part of our grandson’s birthday, What a little gem.
“Tucked on the corner of Cassiobury park we didn’t even know it existed until we were invited to join our family.”
If you’re travelling from London, you’ll want to grab a Metropolitan Line service to Watford Underground Station.
From central London this will take around 45 minutes and conveniently place you less than a 5-minute walk away from Cassiobury Park if you take the road down Shepherd’s Road.
The fishery is open for booking two seasons: Summer (March 1–October 30) and Winter (November 1–February 28).
The daily fee is different for each season, with summer prices being £150 for mid-week and £175 for weekends, and winter prices being £150 per 24 hours.
The lake and clubhouse can also be hired exclusively for up to six anglers.
However Cassiobury Farm, as one Tripadvisor reviewer mentioned, is only open around six times a year during open days.
The next open day, and the final one for 2024, is its Halloween Trick or Treat event on Sunday 27th October.
Visitors are required to book tickets on the Cassiobury Farm & Fishery website – for adults over 16 its £16 and for children 2-16, £12.
The Green Flag Award scheme recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces in the UK. Here are this year's winners...
As well as seeing the animals, kids can take part Trick or Treat Sweet Hunt for £5.
Taster fishing sessions will also be available for £7.
ENGLAND travel to Finland for a huge Nations League clash TONIGHT.
The Three Lions will be aiming to bounce back after a woeful 2-1 loss to Greece on Thursday night.
Interim boss Lee Carsley is set to make a number of changes, with captain Harry Kane expected to return to the starting line-up.
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EXPERTS have revealed the new inflight habit that’s been deemed the “worst etiquette”.
The latest inflight trend is leaving travellers fuming, and experts have labelled it a serious breach of air travel etiquette.
Passengers are now being blasted for taking their skincare routines to new heights—literally.
Dermatologists and etiquette pros are weighing in on the rise of sheet masks at 30,000 feet.
The beauty hack that promises glowing skin while soaring through the air is now being slammed as one of the rudest inflight habits around.
Thanks to TikTok, more and more passengers are treating the cabin like their personal spa, whipping out hydrating sprays, moisturisers, and even LED light masks mid-flight.
It might keep your skin looking fresh, but that doesn’t mean it’s polite, especially when you’re crammed into economy.
Lisa Grotts, an etiquette expert, didn’t mince her words when asked about the trend.
She told Thrillist: “It’s giving me a headache”, making it clear that slapping on a face mask in a cramped plane seat is far from discreet.
Grotts insists passengers should leave their skincare routines for the hotel room, adding: “We’re in tight quarters—you have to be mindful of others.”
The shift in post-pandemic travel has seen people acting a little more boldly in public spaces.
From mid-air meltdowns to bizarre behaviour, it seems common courtesy has taken a nosedive.
But even seemingly harmless acts of “self-care” can come off as selfish when you’re sharing close quarters with dozens of other people.
Jamila Musayeva, another etiquette consultant, also called out the habit.
She says applying a sheet mask or using an LED light mask during a flight can feel intrusive to those nearby.
And, if your skincare products are heavily scented, it’s an added nuisance, especially for passengers with allergies.
But while the etiquette brigade is up in arms, dermatologists say these mid-flight routines might actually help your skin.
Dr. Hadley King, a board-certified dermatologist, explained that the low humidity on planes causes skin to lose moisture.
Using hydrating products, particularly those containing humectants and emollients, can help keep your skin plump and moisturised.
And those LED masks are apparently not just a TikTok gimmick.
Dr. Jeffrey Fromowitz claims they’re actually good for your skin, reducing inflammation and providing a boost of hydration—ideal for long flights.
Still, despite the skincare benefits, etiquette experts agree that passengers should show some restraint.
A little moisturiser or a quick spritz of hydrating mist is fine, but leave the full skincare routine for when you’re off the plane.
After all, no one wants to sit next to someone wearing a sheet mask while they’re trying to relax on a budget flight.
So, if you’re thinking of hopping on the trend—think again.
Keep it simple and save the spa day for after you land.
Meanwhile, one passenger who’s particularly keen on inflight skin care is beauty blogger Erica Nicole.
The influencer took to Tiktok to share her skincare go-to when flying, after struggling with acne for several years.
Even flight attendants can be guilty of this, as one reveals her long-haul skin care tips that keeps her complexion looking pristine.
A SKIN expert has revealed the real reason you shouldn’t rely on hot water bottles and space heaters to keep warm this winter.
While they can come in useful to save money on the heating bills in the winter, esthetician Sarah Maxwell shared that there is a downsize that can have damaging consequences.
She said: “This is a PSA to anyone that uses hot water bottles, heat sources like a space heater or heated mattress or heated blanket.
“You have to be careful that you don’t give yourself your erythema ab igne, also known as toasted skin syndrome.”
It’s a a skin condition caused by long-term exposure to heat, prolonged thermal radiation exposure to the skin can lead to the development of reticulated erythema, hyperpigmentation, scaling, and telangiectasias in the affected area.
She revealed she accidentally gave it to herself in her clinic as she works in Canada where it’s cold.
To keep herself warm while doing beauty treatments, she always had her space heater on and soon noticed a rash on her legs where the heat was directly hitting her.
Sarah added: “It almost looks like a laced kind of spotted blotchy pink rash and at first I didn’t know what it was and then as it worsened I realised it was from the space heater, and I was actually toasting my skin while giving people facials.”
She said that once she realised what it was she moved the heater and the rash slowly began to fade.
But for those using direct heat sources a lot, it can take years to get rid of the rash.
She continued: “Sometimes it can take months, sometimes it can take years to go away, and sometimes it doesn’t go away at all.
“So the moral of the story and I learned this the hard way, is to be very careful when you’re using a heat source so that you do not give yourself toasted skin.”
The clip posted to her TikTok account @maxandwell_ has since gone viral with over 1.1 million views and 84k likes.
People were quick to share their own experiences in the comments.
One person wrote: “I had it really bad on my legs it finally left after 4 months once I stopped using my space heater.”
Another commented: “I gave this to myself once when I left my heated pack on all night on high when I was having cramps. Thankfully it went away, but this is definitely important to be aware of.”
By following these precautions, you can enjoy the warmth and comfort of a hot water bottle while minimising the risk of burns.
“I got this on my stomach last year and it’s still there,” penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: “I have this on my body unfortunately from my heated mattress.”
“Yeah got this sitting next to a space heater near my leg cause it was too expensive to run the heater,” claimed a fifth.
Someone else added: “Omg this happened to me from using my heating pad at work everyday.”
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TWO mums have become firm friends after losing an incredible 28 stone between them.
Christine Robinson-Lloyd, 55, shed 10st, dropping from 21.5st and a dress size 34 to 11st and a slinky size 12.
Kelly Barker, 44, weighed 28.5st and was a dress size 32 before losing 18.5st. She now weighs 10st and is a size 8.
The two women, who did not know each other previously, spotted each other’s recipes on Instagram and began chatting.
Realising their journeys were uncannily similar, they have become best pals, supporting and motivating each other through their battles with food.
Mum-of-three Christine said: “When I was small, I was humiliated for being overweight.
“I was taken out of class to be weighed in front of the dinner ladies.
“I even had to sit on a separate table in the dining hall. I was made to feel I had done something wrong.
“When I spoke to Kelly, she had been brainwashed with that same sense of shame.
“Because we weren’t allowed treats as kids, we both became secret eaters, eating more and more to hide our embarrassment.
“It’s amazing how similar our journeys have been.
“We got chatting on social media a couple of years back after spotting photos of each other’s meals – we are both visual eaters and so presentation is important.
“I have a sweet tooth, Kelly is savoury, so we complement each other perfectly.
“When we met for the first time this summer, it was like we were old friends. We connected in a very special way; we are soulmates.”
Christine, from the Wirral, says her relationship with food took a wrong turn in primary school.
“I was a little chubby, that was all, but I was made to feel like an outcast,” she said.
“At home, my twin sister was allowed chocolate whilst I had a Ryvita.
“At school, I was taken out of class to be weighed, and so the whole class teased me over it.
“I had to sit at my own table and eat a special diabetic lunch even though I wasn’t diabetic.
“The GP threatened me with weight loss injections, which terrified me because I was scared of needles.
“The idea that I had a serious weight problem became a self-fulfilling prophecy, because I ate in secret to try to cheer myself up.”
If I’d known how much that decision was going to change my life, I’d have done it years earlier
Kelly Barker
By the time she was 15, Christine weighed 14st. At 27, she weighed 21.5st and was a size 34.
She lost weight on diets but ended up with an eating disorder and eventually put the weight back on.
“My health was poor,” she said. “I had asthma. I missed out on so much with my three sons because I was too big and too ashamed to leave the house.
“I tried all sorts of yo-yo diets, I abused laxatives, and I developed an eating disorder.”
Aged 41, she joined Slimming World and hit a total loss of 10st over the next three years.
She was so pleased with the change in her life that she became a consultant and now runs her own group in Ellesmere Port, Merseyside.
She also trained as a counsellor as part of her journey.
Christine said: “Be kind to yourself.
“Losing weight takes time and resilience. Make changes you can sustain long-term.”
Christine’s diet before –
Christine’s diet now –
Mum-of-one Kelly, from St Helens, had a similar experience.
She said: “I was a little overweight as a child, but I was made to feel so ashamed.
“I was bullied at school. My name was ‘Kelly the Elephant’ after the children’s song.
“I had to be weighed in front of a teacher, and I had specially prepared food.
“When the rest of the school had ‘fish and chip Friday’, I had boiled fish and potatoes.
“To this day, I can’t eat boiled fish. The smell takes me right back to those days.”
Our weight loss has changed our lives – and our friendship is the icing on the cake
Christine Robinson-Lloyd
She added: “In my teens, I became a secret eater. I got a part-time job, and I spent all my money on treats.
“I’d have a bag of sweets hidden in my coat pocket, so nobody had any idea. I ate and ate, because I felt deprived.”
Kelly, a teacher, hit 28.5st.
“I felt I was letting my son down,” she said.
“At work, I felt like a fraud because I lectured the children about healthy eating.
“I was nominated for a teaching award and instead of feeling proud, I just felt I didn’t deserve it. I really hit rock bottom.”
In 2019, she joined Slimming World in Southport, Merseyside, but was so ashamed, the group leader had to come out to the carpark to coax her inside.
“I was convinced I’d break the scales,” she said.
“I didn’t want everyone knowing my weight. But from that first moment, I was welcomed. I really loved the group.
“Food was the easy part, breaking old habits was the difficult bit.
“If I’d known how much that decision was going to change my life, I’d have done it years earlier.”
By 2023, she’d lost 18.5st, completely transforming her appearance and her life. She also spotted Christine’s recipes on Instagram.
“I have a savoury tooth, Christine is sweet, and so we swapped recipes,” she said.
“We got chatting and found we had lots in common; we were mums to boys, we both had cockapoos.
“But the really important stuff struck a chord. Like me, Christine had been ostracised at school because of her weight.
“She’d felt humiliated and turned to binge eating.
“We shared the same emotions, the same anguish, as we grew up.”
Kelly said: “Plan your meals in advance.
“It keeps you disciplined and will save a fortune as you only buy what you need.”
Kelly’s diet before –
Kelly’s diet now –
The two women have now become lifelong friends and finally met up in person this summer.
Kelly has even spoken to the members at Christine’s Slimming World Group.
Christine said: “We really are soulmates. And if one of us is feeling tempted, the other will step in for support.
“It makes me sad in one way that Kelly suffered as I did, particularly as she is much younger, but it’s wonderful to find someone who understands me too.
“Our weight loss has changed our lives – and our friendship is the icing on the cake.”
A CABINET rift over whether to bailout steelmaking has emerged ahead of this month’s Budget, The Sun has been told.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is understood to be lobbying Chancellor Rachel Reeves for a package supporting the country’s last blast furnace site in Scunthorpe.
Chinese-owned British Steel has announced plans to replace the blast furnace with greener electric furnaces.
But the Scunthorpe site risks closing before the transition to more eco-friendly production, threatening thousands of jobs and forcing the UK to rely on overseas imports.
Insiders warned this would leave Britain’s steel supply at the mercy of foreign states, which has national security implications given its place in core infrastructure and defence.
Before the summer election, British Steel had sought a £600million government rescue deal to keep the blast furnace going during the transition.
Sources close to the negotiations say that while Mr Reynolds is “on board”, the Treasury is yet to sign off because of the dire state of the public finances requiring “tough choices”.
They said: “We are now seriously facing the end of steelmaking in Britain under a Labour government.”
A Government spokesperson said: “This government will simply not allow the end of steel making in the UK. That’s why we’ve committed to £2.5 billion of investment to rebuild the UK steel industry and support communities now and for generations to come.
“We’re working across government in partnership with trade unions and businesses, to secure a green steel transition that’s right for the workforce and safeguards the future of the steel industry in Britain.”
Insiders also suggested the previous Tory government had been poised to agree to the half-billion-pound deal.
British Steel’s owners – the Beijing-based Jingye Group – are set to build two new electric arc furnaces, one in Scunthorpe and the other in Teesside.
Steelmaking is central to Scunthorpe’s community, with 4,500 people employed at the plant that has stood for around 150 years.
KATIE Radford has shared some adorable snaps of her beautiful baby, just days after giving birth.
Earlier this week, Britain’s Biggest Family got even bigger after the 21-year-old gave birth to her first child.
She confirmed that she welcomed a baby boy, as she wrote: “Tuesday 8th October born at 5:03PM weighing 7:11 the day you changed our lives forever little man.
“Mummy and daddy love you so much.”
Katie then revealed her baby’s name is Ronnie Hudson Carter, taking the surname of her partner Connor Carter.
New dad Connor seemed over the moon, and wrote on his social media page: “Little man finally made an appearance and we are so made up.”
Since the announcement of the birth of the youngest Radford child, just four days after welcoming her son into the world, Katie took to her Instagram stories to share some gorgeous pictures of her son – and it appears that the gorgeous boy has already perfected his pout.
Katie re-shared a snap originally posted by her older sister Chloe Radford, 29, which read: “What an absolute dream you both have.”
Not only this, but Sophie, 30, the oldest daughter of the famous 22 children, also shared a series of snaps of the baby, as she beamed: “A milk drunk beauty. Look at that little pout.”
Sophie, who has three children of her own, then shared a snap of her daughter Ayprill, 10, holding the new arrival, as she explained: “Melts my heart seeing my kids with the newest arrival to the family.
“Big cousin and little cousin.
“He has so many people watching over him and loving him.”
In response, Katie wrote back and confirmed: “He loves his auntie and cousin lots.”
The Radfords are Britain’s largest family, with Morecambe-based parents Noel and Sue having 22 kids.
Little Carter is Sue and Noel’s 15th grandchild.
In Sue and Noel Radford’s book, The Radfords: Making Life Count, which is a number one best-seller on Amazon, the couple discussed their ‘healthy addiction’.
The couple wrote: “We haven’t just been addicted to love during our long and happy marriage – for most of it, we have also been addicted to having children.
“As addictions go, we think it was a pretty healthy one because it was motivated by nothing other than love – love for each other, and the love of having children.
“We are Britain’s biggest family, and proud of it. This wasn’t the plan, however. Indeed, looking at the size of our brood, you might think there was absolutely no family planning involved whatsoever!
“How we actually came to have 22 kids – rather than the three we had originally been thinking about – is all explained in the following pages, along with so much else.”
May 2022 – Katie’s boyfriend Connor makes his first appearance on the family’s reality show
January 2024 – Katie asks parents Sue and Noel for permission for Connor to move into their Morecambe mansion with her
May 2024 – Katie announces her pregnancy with footage and snaps from her gender reveal, as she showed she’s having a boy
October 2024 – Katie hosts a Winnie the Pooh themed baby shower
October 8, 2024 – Katie’s baby Ronnie Hudson Carter is born
Sue and Noel shared their predictions for their future number of grandchildren – with the couple both thinking 70 sprogs could be on the cards.
Noel wrote: “People have asked us how many we think we might end up having – and that’s before they go on to mention great grandchildren and even, possibly, great, great and, who knows, great, great, great grandchildren!
“Sue and I have obviously chatted about it, but it’s all so unknowable.
“It would all be complete guesswork, because you just don’t know how your kids’ lives will pan out – which ones will want kids and which won’t.
“Some who you think might not have kids might go on to have a few – and vice versa.
In addition to this, Sue and Noel have four step-grandchildren.
“But yes, you do talk about it – and I think it could be around 40 grandchildren, personally.
“Though it could end up being many more – maybe 60 or 70, perhaps.”
Sue then chimed in: “Yes, we have thought about it – and grandchildren-wise, I think those numbers sound about right.
“But although it could be 40, or 60, or 70 – or maybe even more – you really just don’t know.
“Some of the kids might not want them, some might only want one or two – it’s hard to do anything more than guess, really.”
Sue has since confirmed that she and Noel are over the moon at the arrival of their newest grandson, as she wrote on social media: “Welcome to the world Ronnie.
“He’s just so precious, congratulations Katie and Connor, he’s just amazing.
“Very proud nana and grandpops.
“Another grandchild to love.”
The arrival of Ronnie follows Katie’s no expense spared baby shower, which had a Winnie the Pooh theme.
There was a blue, yellow and green balloon arch for people to pose for photos underneath, and more balloons adorning the venue and tables too.
Sue shared snaps of the occasion on Instagram and wrote: “So pleased with how the decorations turned out.”
Guests tucked into a delicious afternoon tea, and finished with a shower favour – a cookie with ‘Katie’s baby shower’, or ‘Hunny’ written on the front.
ENGLAND received a massive boost ahead of the second Test against Pakistan.
The tourists put on a staggering 823-7 declared at Multan last week as they won the opening match by an innings and 47 runs.
And now in a highly unusual twist, the very same pitch – which drew attention for being so flat – looks set to be used again for the next Test which starts on Tuesday.
The upcoming match was supposed to be staged at the National Stadium in Karachi but was moved to Multan due to renovation work.
On Sunday, the pitch was cordoned off with giant fans placed at either end of the wicket to dry it out following heavy watering.
The footmarks and creases have also been repaired as the Pakistan board’s Australian groundsman Tony Hemming seemingly prepares the wicket to be ready for the quick turnaround.
ICC rules do not include anything to prevent the rare scheduling but do state hosts are expected to “present the best possible pitch and outfield conditions for that match”.
But after five days of use up to Friday and three rest days, the spinners are likely to come into play very early on what would essentially be a sixth-day pitch on Day One.
England, though, will be hoping it means more of the same record-breaking free-scoring they enjoyed last time out.
On five occasions during Covid, England played back-to-back Tests at the same venue but never on the same pitch in consecutive matches.
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Jimmy Anderson – in Pakistan as a coaching consultant – said he had never seen anything like the latest development in his 188-Test England career.
He told BBC Sport: “That is what it’s looking like.
“We don’t know what we’re going to get.
“It could be another pitch, or they have repaired this one really well and it’s flat again.”
As well as England’s mammoth total – which included 317 from Harry Brook and 262 from record-breaking Joe Root – Pakistan managed 556 in their first innings.
Cricviz ranked it as the 11th-flattest cricket pitch anywhere in the world since data collection started in 2007.
Strangely, the third Test from October 24 may also be played at Multan due to political unrest in Rawalpindi.
And England have been handed another major piece of good news.
That is because skipper Ben Stokes is set to make his return from injury.
Stokes, 33, has been out of action since early August with a hamstring injury.
But he bowled at full pace in the nets on Sunday and could replace Chris Woakes.
Pakistan, meanwhile, left ex-captain Babar Azam and pace bowlers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi out of the squads for the last two Tests.
الشهادات الدولية المعتمدة في السعودية، تتجه المملكة العربية السعودية نحو تحقيق تحول جذري في مجالات التعليم والتدريب المهني، ضمن رؤية 2030، التي تهدف إلى تنويع الاقتصاد وتعزيز القدرة التنافسية للسوق...
ظهرت المقالة الشهادات الدولية المعتمدة في السعودية أولاً على سعودي 24.
