Ferry moved into the water as refit nears completion
Rolls Royce
While in the dry dock Lynher was repainted both above and below the waterline.Tamar Crossings said dry docking allowed inspections to be carried out by its team and regulators to ensure that the vessel would be safe for a further five years. Initial works also took place to replace the outdated computer control system, it said. The new control system, supplied by Rolls Royce, would need to be integrated with the ferry's existing equipment.
Tamar Crossings added that the next stage of the complex work could only be completed with the vessel in the water. It said work on this phase was scheduled to begin on Thursday and would take two weeks to complete. It would then need to pass the Harbour Acceptance Testing before it could return to Torpoint.Lynher is expected to return to Torpoint in the middle of June, depending on weather and sea conditions, Tamar Crossings said.
It added that a combination of bad weather at the start of the refit process and the impact of carrying out additional vital repairs meant Lynhers return to the water was later than originally planned. The service will continue being provided by the two remaining ferries, one leaving each side of the river every 15 minutes between 06:30 and 22:00 BST. There will also be a single half-hourly night service ferry from 22:00 to 06:30.
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The Independent
6 minutes ago
- The Independent
Coalition outlines plans to disrupt JD Vance's Cotswolds holiday
US Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit the Cotswolds next month with his family, shortly after Donald Trump completes a five-day tour of his golf courses in Scotland. The Stop Trump Coalition has announced plans to protest Vance's visit, stating he is 'every bit as unwelcome' in the UK as President Donald Trump. The coalition, which includes trade unions and anti-Trump demonstrators, is already organising protests against Mr Trump's visit in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, London, and Windsor. A spokesperson for the Stop Trump Coalition indicated that Mr Vance will encounter 'resistance waiting', even in the Cotswolds. Mr Vance's previous holiday in Vermont was disrupted by pro-Ukraine protesters in March, reportedly forcing his family to move to an undisclosed location.
Daily Mail
7 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Moment tourists flee for their lives as cave floods in torrential downpour - as Met Office warns half a month's rain could fall in just one hour in parts of Britain
This is the dramatic moment tourists were urgently evacuated out of a network of historic caves as water cascaded in from above during extreme flash flooding. Stairways rapidly became waterfalls at the Marble Arch Caves in Co Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, yesterday afternoon as guides rushed to get everyone out. Conditions had been dry when the tour began, but the power went out 15 minutes later before backup generators kicked in - and the power then went out again. Water began pouring out into the caves and the entrance became impassable - with visitors describing scenes as being like 'something out of a Hollywood movie'. Staff were praised for calmly leading everyone to safety and providing umbrellas for the group, who were then given clothes to change into once they were finally out. It comes as heavy rain continued to hit much of the UK today and the Environment Agency warned drivers could become stranded in floodwater across the country. Met Office thunderstorm warnings were issued today across much of England and Scotland - with up to 50mm (2in) of rain in just an hour, about a fortnight's worth. The ongoing wet weather could bring significant travel disruption, and flood alerts have been issued urging motorists not to drive through deep or fast-flowing water. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kim Hay (@our_emeraldhome) Meanwhile the third major hosepipe ban of summer began today, with Southern Water activating restrictions for households in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This follows a ban from South East Water in Kent and Sussex since last Friday, and in the Yorkshire Water area since July 11. A fourth ban from Thames Water begins tomorrow in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, most of Wiltshire and parts of Berkshire. Despite three consecutive days of heavy rain, forecasters say this will do little to replenish groundwater reserves because it is running off very dry surfaces too fast to penetrate – and therefore the downpours are not enough to lift hosepipe bans. Kim Mahon Hay and her husband Alistair Hay were among the group of 17 people visiting the Marble Arch Caves, a series of natural limestone caves near Enniskillen. She told BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show: 'We had seen that it was going to be showery but we thought we'd dart in and out between things. 'We thought the caves would be perfect because if it does rain you're in the caves out of the rain. We definitely weren't expecting the rain to come down as heavy as it did.' Ms Mahon Hay explained that they were about halfway through the tour when their guide received a radio message that there was torrential rain falling above. She continued: 'Within minutes they started messaging to say the entrance in had become impassable and they were starting to send staff into the caves because the stairways then had become waterfalls. Ms Mahon Hay also hailed staff for being 'absolutely amazing in dealing with the situation', with the group given refunds and free memorabilia. Posting a video of the evacuation on Instagram, she added: 'Our tour group was in the centre of the caves at the time. The water starting pouring into the cave through the entrance and at the exit. 'Staff had to act fast and had no choice but to take us through the waterfalls of water pouring in. We were definitely not dressed for the occasion.' Ms Mahon Hay also wrote: 'At the start we laughed I think with the adrenaline but the nerves definitely kicked in when staff said they had never seen anything like this before in their 20 years working there. 'Watching the videos back it could have been a very serious situation, but thankfully everyone got out safe and well. We were all soaked through to the skin and the staff gave us all blankets, hoodies from their gift shop and hot drinks to heat us up. It will be a date Ali definitely won't forget.' Her husband added that guides 'kept everyone calm and no one felt in danger'. Mr Hay told the Belfast Telegraph: 'Water started pouring out from the holes of the caves, staff above radioed down to say that there was rain in the surface. 'We didn't think it was anything too scary of course. We went into the caves and there was a big cascade of water near the exit walkway. We took a few minutes to figure out if we should just go back or go through the waterfall. 'They brought umbrellas out to help us not to get too soaked. But the guys were fantastic, they got us through, there was a heavy flow of water, they jumped to action quickly. 'They kept everyone calm and they got us dried off and hoodies to get changed into afterwards - there was torrential rain when we got out.' He added that they intended to go back another time and said: 'It was actually quite the exciting adventure - it was like something out of a Hollywood movie.' A Fermanagh and Omagh District Council spokesperson said: 'Yesterday a flash flood occurred within the Marble Arch Caves, as a result of sudden and intense rainfall in the area and surface run off into the cave system.' 'Thanks to the swift action of our trained team, all visitors inside the cave at the time were safely guided out of the caves to the visitor centre where they were provided with warm refreshments and dry clothing. 'This was a highly unusual weather event; one that has not occurred here before. The safety of our visitors and staff remains our top priority. 'The caves remain flooded and safety checks are ongoing. Cave tours remain cancelled until further notice. Those with bookings will be contacted by a member of the Marble Arch Caves team to rearrange or provide a refund. 'We thank our visitors for their calm cooperation and our staff for their professionalism during yesterday's weather related incident. 'Cuilcagh Boardwalk is also closed for safety inspections following yesterday's weather related event.' Meanwhile the Environment Agency warned of an ongoing risk to motorists across the UK today due to the heavy rain. Chris Wilding, flood duty manager at the agency, said: 'Slow-moving heavy showers and thunderstorms mean significant surface water flooding is possible across parts of the country today. 'Environment Agency teams will be out on the ground and supporting local authorities in responding to surface water flooding. 'We urge people not to drive though flood water - it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.' The rain is set to be heavy and persistent across eastern Northern Ireland and western Scotland, while central and southern areas in the UK will see a mix of sunny spells and scattered thundery showers. The Met Office warned storms could pose a danger to life as well as damage to homes and businesses from flood water and lightning strikes, and transport delays and road closures. Temperatures will vary significantly depending on cloud cover and rainfall, remaining cool in most parts of the country, but rising to around 25C in central England. Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: 'We have a warning for rain in place for much of the day to come. Some flooding on the roads is possible. 'And it won't just be Northern Ireland. Parts of western Scotland, parts of Wales and the South West, we'll also see some rain at times through the day. South East Water activated a hosepipe ban in the grey shaded area of Kent & Sussex last Friday 'Further east, it's a different set-up entirely. A mixture of sunny spells and scattered heavy showers for Scotland, northern England, parts of the Midlands and East Anglia in the South East. 'In those sunny spells, we could see temperatures get into the mid-20s. But when those showers come along, you'll really know about it. '(There will be) some gusty winds, the potential for some hail, and certainly some frequent lightning and heavy rain as well. 'So, temperatures up to 25C in the warmest spots, but generally a little bit fresher out towards the west with the wind coming in from the Atlantic. 'By Monday evening, that rain will be starting to ease very slowly, but there'll still be showery outbreaks of rain through this evening and overnight for many northern and western parts of the UK.' Yellow warnings for thunderstorms remain in place for parts of Scotland tomorrow, while the rest of the UK will see a more mixed picture of sunny spells and scattered showers, with the rain continuing until the evening. Mr Morgan suggested that temperatures will remain high in places despite the adverse weather conditions. He said: 'Tuesday is not looking as unsettled. The showers won't be quite as widespread or indeed as heavy as they have been. 'Nonetheless, there will be some showers or longer spells of rain for Scotland in particular, the west, (and) northwestern parts of England as well. 'But many parts of England and Wales (will be) actually getting away with a fairly reasonable day with some dry periods. 'And if the sunshine does break through that cloud at times, well, we might see temperatures reach 24C or 25C.' Parts of Northern Ireland saw more than 85 per cent of the average July rainfall come down over a 24-hour period. Forecasters had earlier warned that some areas could see half a month's worth of rain in less than a day. The region normally records an average of 89mm of rain in July but falls of between 50 to 75mm had been predicted over a period of just 12 to 18 hours. Killowen in Co Down recorded 68mm of rain since 5pm on Sunday, the Met Office said around 2pm today - the highest amount of rainfall across the UK. It normally sees 80.75mm of rain for the whole month. Elsewhere, Murlough in Co Down saw 60mm of rain in the same period – 87 per cent of its July average of 69mm. The Met Office said other areas likely experienced higher amounts. Forecasters had put a 24-hour yellow-level rain warning in place for Antrim, Armagh and Down until 6pm today. A more intense amber-level warning was temporarily put in place overnight but lifted early. Forecasters had warned that there was a risk that homes and businesses could be flooded. In the Republic of Ireland, a status orange rain warning for Dublin, Louth, Meath and Wicklow came into effect from midnight and expired at 2pm today. Irish national forecasting agency Met Eireann said there was a chance of thunderstorms amid persistent and heavy rain. A less severe warning for the Kildare region also expired at 2pm.
The Sun
7 minutes ago
- The Sun
The ultimate family guide to cutting the cost of the summer holidays – from free childcare to £1 meals
SUMMER holidays are expensive - but there are ways to give your children a magical summer they'll remember forever without spending loads of cash. From free clubs and exercises sessions to cheap cinema trips and even cash you can claim to fund your fun, we explain. The summer holidays cost families an average £175 a week per child, or more than £1,000 over a six-week break, according to childcare provider Coram Family and Childcare. Sun Savers editor Lana Clements explains how you can have fun on a budget. Free clubs and food Families who usually receive free school meals can tap into the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. Backed by England football star Marcus Rashford, this is offered by most councils in England to help provide childcare, activities and healthy meals to children from low-income families. It can be used to sign up children to sports, music and arts clubs, as well as enjoy a nutritious meal each day for free. The help on offer varies by council. For example, in some areas you could be offered holiday club places for the equivalent of at least four hours a day. Others may run a standard 8am-3pm day for free. Contact your local authority to see exactly what is available and how to apply. Tax-free childcare If you're a working parent, you can cut the cost of holiday clubs by paying through a tax-free childcare account. Many parents use it to pay for nursery or childcare but forget that it can also be used for some holiday clubs. The scheme gives parents an extra £2 from the government for every £8 paid in if your child is 11 or under and usually lives with you. You can get an extra £2,000 towards costs while parents of disabled children can get up to £4,000 more. You'll qualify if you and your partner (if you have one) each expect to earn at least £2,539 over the next three months. Or £2,080 if you're aged 18 to 20, and £1,570 if you're under 18. However, you could earn less and qualify if you're self-employed and started your business less than 12 months ago. Ask camps if they accept tax-free childcare before booking on. You can also find an approved list of childcare providers at You'll find that your local council, school or nursery will usually have a list of local camps and clubs happening. I'm always looking for free activites Mum-of-three Genevieve Roberts reveals how she manages to cut down costs over the summer holidays. The author lives in Hove, East Susses with Astrid, 8, Xavi, 6, and Juno, 2. She told The Sun: 'Entertaining the kids over the summer holidays can get expensive, so, living on the coast, I like to take advantage of the free activities on my doorstep. "Taking three children to do activities can add up to be quite an expense. I could easily spend £100 in a week during the holidays by taking them to paid play centres and things like that. "Instead the children and I love to spend the day at the beach, swimming, playing games and building sandcastles. "To save money, I make sure to avoid expensive beachfront food, always making sure to bring a packed lunch and plenty of snacks." During the summer holidays, Genevieve's savings add up to £600. 'I'm lucky to have work flexibility which enables me to balance the pressures of childcare with long-term financial planning, such as building my pension. "To maximise time with my kids over the holidays, I often opt to work in the evenings, freeing up my days to enjoy the sun and have quality family time. "I save at least £100 a week by working this way and saving on holiday clubs." "Over a six-week holiday period it really adds up." The money she saves goes towards securing her financial future including saving into her pension. Kids CAN eat for free There are loads of chains that run "kids eat free" or "kids eat for £1" offers over the school holidays. You can use these to enjoy a treat meal out for the family for less and you can take a break from cooking lunch or dinner. However, it's worth being aware that some are a better deal than others. Often an adult will need to buy a meal or spend a certain amount to qualify for each 'free' meal which can be a little pricey. But this isn't always the case. 4 One of the best offers is Asda where children can eat for just £1 in its cafes. You'll also get a free Ella's baby food pouch with any purchase for children under 18 months old. The kid's menu includes penne pasta with meatballs, fish fingers, chicken nuggets and all-day breakfast. The hot meal also comes with a piece of fruit. There's no minimum spend or requirement to purchase an adult meal to get the offer. This deal is not limited to the holidays so handy to remember for weekends too. I'd also pick out Dunelm's Pausa cafes where you can get a free mini meal for kids if you spend £4. The offer is available all day every day. Or Ikea offers good value where kids can tuck into Mac n Cheese, soft drink and piece of fruit for 95p at the Swedish chain every day, except Friday, from 11am. You can also get cut-price food through apps that distribute perfectly good grub that would otherwise be binned by local restaurants and shops. Olio offers up items that can be taken on a first come first served basis. Or through Too Good To Go you can get 'surprise bags' of food at a discounted price. However, you won't know what you are getting beforehand so best for non-fussy eaters. Full list of kids eat free offers THERE are plenty of chains to choose from offering kids eat free programmes during school holidays. Choose from any of the following... Angus Steakhouse – Kids under 8 and under eat free from the children's menu when an adult orders a meal; available daily from 12pm–5pm. Ask Italian - During school holidays, kids eat for £1 when an adult buys a main. You'll need to get a code for the promotion by filling in a short form on the chain's website. Asda Cafés – Kids' meals for £1 all day, every day across 205 stores nationwide. There's no minimum spend needed. Bar + Block – Up to two children under 16 eat breakfast free with each adult buying one all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast for £10.99. Beefeater – Two kids under 16 can eat free with every adult breakfast bought for £10.99. Bellia Italia - Kids eat free every Thursday and for £1 until 6pm, from Sunday to Wednesday when an adult meal is bought. Bill's – Up to two kids eat free from Monday to Friday, when one adult orders any main dish breakfast, lunch or dinner. Brewdog - One free kids meal for under 13s, when purchasing an adults main meal over summer holidays. Brewers Fayre - Two kids under 16 eat free with every adult breakfast for £10.99. Dobbies Garden Centres – Kids eat for £1 with the purchase of an adult main course,available every day. Chiquito - One kid eats free with every adult main purchased overthe school holidays. Côte Brasserie - Children aged 12 and under can tuck into two complimentary courses when parents spend a minimum of £20 over the school holidays. Farmhouse Inns – Two kids eat free with one paying adult. Franco Manca - One kid 12 and under get a complimentary individual kids pizza for every full-priced adult main meal from Monday to Thursday during the holidays. Frankie & Benny's - Kids can eat for free every day when any adult meal is purchased. IKEA – Kids meals start at 95p for pasta and tomato sauce available daily from 11am in restaurants. Las Iguanas – Kids under 12 eat free with the My Las Iguanas App during the holidays. Morrisons Cafés – One free kids' meal with any adult meal over £4.50. The offer is available daily. Pausa Cafés at Dunelm – Kids eat free with every £4 spent in the café all day, everyday. Premier Inn – Up to two kids eat free breakfast with an adult breakfast, £10.99. PIzza Express - Kids get a free meal Monday to Friday when an adult meal is purchased during school holidays. Sizzling Pubs – Kids eat for £1 with the purchase of an adult main meal, Monday to Friday between 3–7pm. Tesco - Kids eat free, worth £4, when you purchase anything from the menu including fruit for 65p if you're a Clubcard holder TGI Fridays – Kids eat free with any adult main meal for Stripes loyalty members, available all day, every day. The Real Greek – Kids under 12 eat free with every £15 adult spend on Sundays only. Yo! Sushi - Kids eat free all day with a full-paying adult during local school holidays. Whitbread Inns - Two kids under 16 eat breakfast free with every adult full breakfast, £20.99. Cheap cinema tickets Heading to the flicks for a day is always a winner for kids - especially when the weather isn't cooperating and the heavens have opened. Check perks that you can already access through as banks, insurers and phone providers all offer deals. For example, Vodafone customers get four Odeon tickets for £16 through VeryMe Rewards on the MyVodafone app. Three customers can use the Three+ rewards app for £3 Cineworld tickets. And O2 users are offered two cinema tickets at Vue for £6 or 4 for £12 Vue tickets on the Priority app every Monday at 10am. Otherwise, try an experiences website offering discounted cinema tickets nationwide. And very importantly take your own refreshments to the cinema to avoid extortionately expensive costs for drinks and snacks. Free museums There are plenty of free museums to visit across the UK, which is a great resource to tap into, especially when the weather isn't great. In London some of the top museums can be accessed without paying a penny including The National History Museum and The Science Museum. Just beware that some exhibitions or selected areas can charged. However, there are more museums in the capital that are free to enter than charge. But it's not just London where there are freebies - you should have somewhere free to visit near you, no matter where in the country you live including the The Museum of Liverpool and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. There's a full list of free museums at Just remember to pack a few snacks and drinks to avoid buying pricey refreshments on the go. Rainy day activities Fine and sunny weather typically makes it easier to keep kids entertained for cheap. Buy when the weather takes a turn you can try one of these activities instead... Library Join your local library for free and you can easily while away a few hours picking out books and reading with children. You'll also usually find a summer reading challenge from your local library where kids can try to complete a list of suitable books - helping to keep them off screens. Many larger libraries will also put on free events such as story time or sing along sessions. Get Baking Hit two birds with one stone and create some tasty and nutritious grub while keeping the kids entertained. Tesco Real Food is a gold mine for family friendly recipes. Try this fresh pasta recipe and serve with their favourite sauce: Add 200g of 00 grade flour (1kg bag £1.60 at Tesco) into a large bowl, then create a well in the centre. Mix two beaten eggs in until you have a dough. Tip on to a clean surface and knead for ten minutes until it becomes a smooth ball. Put it back in a bowl and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Using children's scissors, get the kids to cut off small chunks of pasta and you can place directly into a pan of boiling water. Then Cook for around seven or eight minutes. Cheap crafts Crafts are always a winner for kids. Save dry and clean recycling items, such as cardboard boxes, and ask kids to junk model their creations. You can help younger ones with sticking or cutting pieces. You can also download free colouring sheets from the Hobbycraft website. The retailer also has stacks of easy craft ideas that you can try your hand at with children. Or you can make ceramic style hand prints or decoarations from an easy salt dough recipe. Simply mix 250g of plain flour with 125g of table salt and 125ml of water. Then roll out and use cookie cutters or a child-friendly knife to create shapes. When finished bake on a lined baking sheet for three hours at 50 degrees. Movie afternoon Creating a cosy den for watching films is a great way to make an everyday activity a bit more fun and exciting. Use cushions, duvets and blankets in the lounge and maybe some fairy lights if you have some. You could then cook up a big bowl of popcorn together and mix in favourite sweets as a special treat. Loyalty pays If you collect Clubcard points at Tesco, the summer holidays are the perfect opportunity to cash in. Points are swapped to vouchers which can be spent at Tesco for face value, but if you choose to spend with a reward partner, the value doubles turning £2.50 into £5 to spend. You can use the vouchers on a load of family fun days out including big attraction venues including Thorpe Park, Cadbury World and Colchester Zoo. Taking a family of four (over 1.2m tall) costs well over £100 to go to Thorpe Park during peak periods so the savings are substantial. Meanwhile, Nectar points can be exchanged for tickets to attractions such as Longleat Safari Park and other family-friendly destinations. One Nectar point is worth 0.5p, meaning 100 points are worth 50p and 200 points are worth £1 at Sainsbury's. Unfortunately, you don't get the option to double up but it can still be a good way to spend those hard saved points. Free attraction tickets You can get 2-for-1 entry at 350 attractions across the UK, making one ticket completely free. This is all through National Rail's Days Out Guide with The London Dungeon, The Blackpool Tower Eye, The ArcelorMittal Orbit, and Warwick Castle among the places you can visit through the initiative. To bag 2-for-1 tickets you will need to travel via train to the destination. 4 First, head to the Days Out Guide website and click on "UK Days Out". Then pick the attraction you'd like to visit and download or print, the 2-for-1 voucher. Vouchers and train tickets will then need to be presented to staff at the venue for the promotion to be accepted. Many local farms or animal sanctuaries offer free open hours where kids can see animals and get up close to tractors and more. For example, The Woodland Farm Trust in London or Goodall's of Tong in Yorkshire. You can find one near you by searching on google or look at Find a freebie There are often loads of small free events happening right under your nose but without a big budget for advertising these can be harder to find. Try searching through for local gems going under the radar. You can filter by activity type, as well as search for only the activities that are free. Facebook also has plenty of suggested events you can scroll through where you can search 'near me' or choose a location, as well as date. And check the notice boards of local supermarkets, gyms, libraries and doctor surgeries. Website also has a tool where you can search for activities by postcode and signup to its newsletter to see whats happening in your area. Turn your outdoor area to a play haven SUN Savers Editor LANA CLEMENTS explains how she has turned her garden into a play area to save money. LAST year I invested in making my garden more entertaining for my four-year-old daughter CAN WE NAME THEM? and six-year-old son. They love heading to the local trampoline park, but it costs more than £20 every time we go. Instead, I bought an 8ft trampoline for £90. Yes, it's a hefty upfront cost and you could probably buy cheaper second hand if you can find one and it takes up a huge space in our garden - but it's hands down the best thing I've bought them. Last summer, they spent hours jumping, burning energy and playing in there. I've made back the £90 easily in saved cash from the trampoline park and soft play sessions. But you don't need to spend that much to transform your outside space. Facebook Marketplace and Car boot sales are great places to start to buy furniture and second-hand toys. My kids also love making 'obstacle courses' out of toys and furniture - or we'll play the 'floor is lava' with a few cushions and mats to jump between. Try handing them a pack of chalk and they'll soon be drawing pictures on a patio. Or challenge them to create a 'bug hotel' out of leaves and sticks. On hot days, you can freeze small toys such as dinosaurs in ice and they'll be entertained and keep cool trying to 'set them free'. You can even turn them into mini gardeners, asking them to help water flowers or planting fruit and veg which they'll love to watch grow. Of course, we are lucky enough to have outside space. You can find shared garden spaces nearby or even try and get an allotment to help entertain your kids this summer. Hit the shops Dragging kids round the shops doesn't instantly sounds like a good idea, but if you know where to head it can be fun for free. Pets at Home runs free workshops during school holidays where little ones can learn and meet small animals. See Garden centre chain Dobbies also runs its Little Seedlings Clubs with free workshops on a range of gardening topics suitable for children aged 4-10 years. See Ikea loyalty members can also book on to free workshops for children but these do tend to be popular so you'll need to move quick. Dates and events vary by store look up your neatest at Local pet or aquarium shops are also an easy way to burn a morning or afternoon without spending a penny. If you can find a place selling snakes, spiders or lizards - they'll be enthralled. Friendly retailers are usually more than happy for kids to have a hold and give facts about the And the child-sized trolleys at Lidl are a great way to get your weekly shop done while your mini-me follows and helps pick out items for dinner. Free sports and lessons It's great to get kids up and moving over the holidays. Sports clubs are often fairly pricey but there are plenty of sporting freebies you can take advantage of. Families can play tennis for free at one of the LTA's Big Tennis weekends. These nationwide events are a great way to get inspired with coaching, games and competitions throughout the summer. Find your nearest at McDonald's also offers free Fun Football sessions over the summer. McDonald's Fun Football sessions offer coaching at 1,600 locations to 1 million kids across the UK. Parents can register for free with sessions running until July 27. Sign up at Parkplay is a nationwide scheme offering two hours of free community ball play Saturday mornings in a park or public space. Games are adapted and inclusive, with all generations playing together. Find your nearest at It's worth looking up local big clubs which often give back to the community with cheap or free sessions. For example, Manchester United Foundation's Street Reds offers free sessions to selected kids. Contact your local team to see what is on offer. Or for a bit of running, Junior Park Run is a free weekly 2km event for children aged four–14.. Register at and they can practice each week. Free breaks for kids The cost of a getaway during the school holidays is staggeringly expensive as providers hike prices. However, there are charities who will offer subsidised or even free breaks for low income families, especially those who have never been able to afford the cost of going away. Check out the Family Holiday Charity to see if you could qualify, as well as the Family Fund if you have a disabled child. Benefit information site Turn2us also provides tools for finding grants and charitable support for holidays. Household Support Fund Low income families can get help with essential bills such as energy and food through the Household Support Fund. Every council in England has cash from the government to give out to households battling with the cost of living over the coming financial year. Each local authority distributes the funding slightly different so what you can get and whether you qualify depends on where you live. You may be offered vouchers or cash payments straight in to your bank account. However, the value of support is nothing to be sniffed at and is often worth hundreds of pounds to those who qualify. You'll typically find you could unlock the help if you're on benefits such as Universal Credit. But the cash is not guaranteed - once your council has dished out the funding it's gone so contact authorities as soon as possible to see if you could apply.
