Somerset archaeological dig unearths 3,000-year-old items
Paul Revill, who lives in North Petherton and volunteered at the dig, said: "I found odd bits of clay pipe and a little bit of blue and white pottery."Growing up, it's always been an interest. This is the first time I was involved in any archaeology."I'll definitely be back. I'm on to my garden next, I will have a hole or two put in."The next group dig is set to take place in August or September, Mr Jones added.
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BBC News
42 minutes ago
- BBC News
Son warns of sea risks after father drowns trying to rescue dog
The son of a man who drowned while trying to save their pet has warned others about staying safe in water. Speaking to the BBC in Brighton, Robbie Jones said he wanted to "make a positive difference out of a tragic circumstance". The 28-year-old added one "simple thing" people could do if they got into trouble in the water was float to live, which involves floating with their head back and getting their breathing under control. His warning came as data from the National Water Safety Forum, released on World Drowning Prevention Day, revealed young people aged 10 to 29 account for more than a quarter of accidental drowning deaths in the UK. 'I never saw my father again' Robbie, who has been giving lessons in schools across Sussex and Hampshire, said not enough people knew how to stay safe while added that his dad Gareth Jones, who drowned after trying to rescue their cockapoo Connie from the sea in Hove, might not have died if he had known some survival techniques. "In an ideal world, he would have never entered the water in the first place," Robbie said. "Don't go in after your family pet. That's one of the no-nos." He said that, rather than floating to live, his father panicked. "The whole thing was only 52 seconds and then I never saw my father again," Robbie said, adding that he had seen CCTV footage of what happened."It shows how quickly this can happen if you don't take precautions and safety measures," he said. Their dog Connie was found dead on Brighton Beach on 18 January, while the body of father-of-three Gareth's body was found at Tide Mills, near Newhaven, the following day. When asked if his father would be proud of him, Robbie said: "That's not why I'm doing it."[I want to] turn my grief, which is obviously still very much there, into something worthwhile and [to create] some sort of legacy for my dad."Gabbi Batchelor, water safety education manager for the RNLI, warned there were "hidden dangers" in the sea, like cold shock, rip currents and sudden drops."Floating is a simple, proven method for surviving if you find yourself unexpectedly in the water," she said.
The Guardian
44 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Decorative books that let the shelf-obsessed appear cultured
The article on buying books by the metre to decorate a room ('Look how well-read I am!': How 'books by the metre' add the final touch to your home – or your image, 22 July) reminded me of the famous service offered by Flann O'Brien, writing as Myles na gCopaleen, to those people who wanted to appear cultured but were too busy to read. Levels of book-handling are offered from Popular Handling to Handling Superb, or Le Traitement Superbe. The satirical fantasy is available to read in The Best of Myles. My 1975 Picador copy needs no such service, not because it's been read several times, but because the low standards of British book production mean the pages are browned, the spine is reassuringly cracked, and if I tried to reread it the whole book would fall LancasterPeakirk, Cambridgeshire I bought an original cartoon for my bookshop partner's 50th birthday. A bookstall keeper had a huge notice on his stall. 'Books For Sale! RED ONES, BLUE ONES, GREEN ONES.' But used to it as I was, I was still shocked when people bought sets of leather-bound books to furnish their shelves: Kipling red, Galsworthy dark blue (and much cheaper) Stevenson pale blue. However, beautiful as it was, even non-bookish customers balked at having five yards of The Christian World Pulpit in their SquiresSt Andrews, Fife When I was in practice as a solicitor, I was responsible for my firm's library. In those days, legal textbooks, law reports and books of legislation were substantial and handsome hardbacks. But new editions and replacements were constantly being issued by the publishers. So what to do with the redundant volumes? Fortunately, I found a few local pubs and restaurants that were willing to take a shelfful at a time. Sadly, I was never able to break into television with our old books, but several firms obviously have. Look at any TV drama and if they have bookshelves in a scene, you can almost guarantee that ancient copies of Halsbury's Laws, Halsbury's Statutes, the Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents etc will be on HeymansBackwell, Somerset If people are buying 'metres of books' to decorate, how am I going to peruse their bookshelves to see what they are really interested in? That's always been an enjoyable part of visiting someone's home for me. This is possibly one of the dumbest decorating trends I've heard WilliamsNetley Abbey, Hampshire Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
I've found the best supermarket sourdough loaves worth adding to your weekly shop
Remember a time before sourdough ruled the bakery roost? A simpler time, when tiger bread was a fancy weekend loaf, or a French stick would be a solid go-to. Now, sourdough is everywhere and has even become a status symbol. Some bakeries with cult followings sell out each morning (even on weekdays) and have queues snaking out the doors. So of course, supermarkets had to get in on the action and create their own. Thought to date back thousands of years to ancient Egypt, sourdough isn't new, but what defines it is hard to agree on. ''Sourdough' isn't a legally protected term, so technically any bread can currently be called sourdough,' explains Swie Joo, head baker at The Palmerston restaurant in Edinburgh, which bakes all of its excellent own sourdough onsite in its downstairs bakery. Generally, to be considered a sourdough, the bread must be made with a live sourdough starter (a culture made from natural yeast, not shop-bought, and bacteria) and go through a slow fermentation process. Joo advises checking the ingredients list of a sourdough loaf before you buy because if it has 'yeast' listed, it's not a genuine sourdough, as yeast should not be added. Sourdough is a leavened bread, meaning the dough naturally rises as a result of the natural yeast, creating the distinct air pockets. A well-made sourdough has a good spongy 'crumb' (the bread's internal structure) with evenly sized and distributed air pockets. If fermentation or the bake goes wrong, it can lead to 'tunnelling', where the holes are too large and frequent. In a bid to see if supermarkets could really impress with their sourdough loaves, I taste-tasted my way through more than 20 loaves. Here's how I got on. How I tested First and foremost, I kept the advice from head baker Swie Joo in mind, analysing the ingredient list of each loaf. I then tasted more than 20 loaves, including pre-sliced and non-sliced loaves from all the major supermarkets' own range. I also tested some well-known branded and higher-end options that are available in supermarkets. Where available, I chose a white loaf, so each sample was as similar as it could be. I ate it plain, in sandwiches and as toast with butter. When taste-testing, I considered the below: Crumb: I was looking for a decent crumb (the interior of the bread), which should be spongy, fairly open with evenly sized and well-distributed air pockets. A well-fermented sourdough should have a moderately open crumb with holes and a springy texture. The overall rise was also considered. Crust: I noted the exterior of the bread and whether it had a good crusty crunch. I also considered whether any of the loaves had toppings, such as seeds. Taste: A sourdough loaf is known for its delicate sour and tangy taste, so I assessed how noticeable this was. I also assessed whether the taste leaned towards traditional white sourdough or had earthy, nutty notes typical of a wholemeal loaf. Shelf life: I monitored how long each loaf stayed fresh, noting when signs of staleness and mould appeared. Sourdough tends to last around two to three days before it starts to stale and may show mould after five to seven days. If it lasted longer than this, it may suggest that preservatives were used in the bake. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews Emma Henderson is a self-confessed foodie. She was also the editor of IndyEats, The Independent' s monthly digital food magazine, and was twice shortlisted for 'best food magazine' at the Guild of Food Writers Awards. She's sampled everything from Michelin-recommended menus to the best olive oils, so she knows exactly what is worth savouring. When it comes to sourdough, she's tasted the good, the bad and the questionably stodgy all in the name of journalism. Every loaf in this review has been rigorously tested, from sniffed and sliced to slathered in butter. The best supermarket sourdough bread for 2025 is:
