Royal Preston Hospital helipad closes for 10 weeks
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The Sun
41 minutes ago
- The Sun
The 80p spray you need to be blasting your houseplants with – it smells so good and keeps bugs away
JUST like your outside plants, houseplants are susceptible to pests too. But don't worry, you don't need to spend a fortune to keep them at bay because there's a simple spray you can whip up for next to nothing. 2 2 This Morning pro Nancy Birtwhistle revealed the easy trick anyone can use, and you'll be wondering why you didn't try it out sooner. On the show, Nancy explained that a quick spritz of the DIY spray can keep things like green flies away for good. So, what do you need to make the spray at home? You'll be happy to know most of the ingredients you'll likely already have in your cupboard. Start by filling a bottle with around 500ml of water and add in about a teaspoon of washing up liquid. Next pop in a teaspoon on cooking oil - any you've got on hand will do the job. "That just makes it stick," Nancy explained to This Morning hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard. And finally, a few drops of clove bud oil should be added to finish to spray, which the pro said is perfect for both indoor plants, as well as those in your greenhouse. You don't need to buy a spray bottle for this either, simply reuse one - but make sure to give it a good clean first. According to the pro, the clove bud oil is the perfect ingredient to add because it's a natural insect repellent. Alan Titchmarsh's top 7 plants that 'transform ugly fences with gorgeous flowers & fragrance' & they grow for years After sharing the trick, Instagram users were keen to try it out, as one commented on the clip: "I can't wait to try this out." "I made this batch 18 months ago and it's still working," a second wrote. And a third commented: "It actually seems to work! I was sceptical but only seen one fly that went out again in two days!" MORE TICKS FOR HOUSEPLANTS During these summer months, keeping your plants safe in direct sunlight is a must, Luckily, Kelly Dyer, from Patch Plants, shared how there is a common mistake you should avoid when it comes to your indoor plants - and it may seem surprising. She shared: 'Don't be tempted to mist plants if they are sitting in a spot that gets direct sunlight. 'The water will evaporate and lead to scorching.' She also advised that you don't use aircon, if possible, and to open your windows instead. 10 Unkillable plants Home and garden experts at Nth Degree shared 10 (almost) unkillable plants that'll transform your garden space. Rosemary - It looks great, smells amazing and bees love it. Pop it in a sunny location and water it occasionally. Nasturtiums - Colourful flowers that grow well in poor soil. Even better, they self-seed so return every year. Thyme - Another edible plant that smells amazing and is tough as nails. It's hardy so just needs dry soil and lots of sun. Sedum - Adored by bees, the small, colourful succulents are drought-tolerant. Ivy - A plant that loves to grow vertically, just make sure you cut it back to stop it growing out of control. Lemon balm - Looks like mint but smells like lemon! It can be used in teas and baking. Boxwood - An evergreen plant that thrives in shade and requires little water. Miscanthus - Tall, airy and commonly known as elephant grass, it can grow up to six feet tall and hard to kill once established. Lavender - The ultimate patio plant, it grows brilliantly in pots or containers, provides beautiful colour and fragrance, and loved by bees. Hellebores - A winter-blooming flower that can withstand ice, wind and rain.
Daily Mail
42 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Retired rail engineer, 64, builds a £2,000 50ft-long functioning railway in his back garden
A retired rail engineer spent £2,000 building a 50ft-long functioning railway in his back garden. Adrian Backshall, 64, first started the project during the pandemic in 2020, shortly after he and his wife Ruth, 58, moved into their new home in Willington, East Sussex. Mr Backshall used scraps and found objects to create his impressive miniature railway including an old rail trolley which dates back to the Victorian era. The trolley car was rescued from an old siding and kept in his garden initially as an ornament, while the scrap track and sleepers were bought from a heritage railway in Sussex. He then built a frame and roof and mounted it on the old tracks, creating a carriage that seats between four and five people - making a fully-functioning rail line. Initially, the track was around 30ft-long, but this March, Mr Backshall extended it by a further 20ft. It now runs down nearly the entire length of the garden and has two stops: the patio and the shed. Overall, Mr Backshall, who spent 40 years working as a cable jointer for British Rail and Network Rail, estimates he has spent around £2,000 on the rail line. Mr Backshall said: 'We had this old rail trolley because it had been dumped in our previous garden - and my former railway boss Bob said we had to save it. 'So then when we moved here and had more outdoor space Ruth suggested I build a track for it. 'I did that using some scrap tracks and it meant I could just push it up and down the garden. 'But when Covid hit, and nobody could do anything, Ruth and I decided I should jazz it up.' During the pandemic, Mr Backshall built the train carriage - which is fitted with seats, glass windows, and a wood burner for winter. In his first designs, the former engineer had to stand outside his train to get it to run - by winding a wheel that pulled a cable attached to the carriage. But he soon fitted it with a 12 volt solar-powered winch which he can operate from inside the carriage - meaning the train moves by itself. He said: 'That was really quite exciting when we first trialled it. We have neighbours and friends over and I can tell them to just flip a switch, and suddenly they go, 'Oh God, it's moving!'. The couple, along with dogs Mabel and Gladys, moved into their property three years ago and, remarkably, it was Ruth's idea to make use of the garden space. Mr Backshall's most recent development was to extend the length of the rail track - meaning it now reaches the patio at the bottom of his garden. He said: 'It's fun because it's like a proper railway now. You can get on at the top of the garden and get off at the patio.' The couple's two dogs, Sybil and Gladys, are also fans of the creation. 'The dogs absolutely love it,' Mr Backshall said. 'They're in there, our friends are in there. Sometimes people call me and say their grandchildren live near and would love to try. 'It's just fun to do something quirky.' And Mr Backshall's wife couldn't agree more and revealed it was her idea originally. She previously told MailOnline: 'It was my idea in the first place, I like it, it's different and it keeps him occupied'.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Whitby harbour dredging to resume after licence approved
Dredging is to resume in Whitby harbour after a new licence was secured, councillors Yorkshire Council said it would allow its vessel the Sandsend to operate in Whitby after similar permissions were obtained allowing it to work in Scarborough last is required to remove silt and sand at the bottom of the harbours to ensure they remain council said the licence was granted by the Marine Management Organisation following a rigorous application process. As the silt and sand wash downstream in Whitby and through the harbour mouth in Scarborough, sediment fills channels and harbours and needs to be regularly Yorkshire Council leader Carl Les said: "While we have been waiting for the licence in Whitby, harbour staff have been working hard to monitor the dredging depths and the state of the harbour."We recently had significant work done on the vessel to ensure it is fit for purpose." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
