Latest news with #Hungerford
Telegraph
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
How I squeezed an extra bedroom into my one-bedroom flat
This cleverly reimagined two-bedroom flat in south London is the sort of place that makes you want to discard the clutter in your life, overhaul your living space and embrace a new life of elegance and serenity. Located on the top floor of a large Victorian building, not far from Wandsworth Common, it is the covetable home of Rebecca Nokes, design director of the kitchen company John Lewis of Hungerford. 'I always wanted to work in interior design,' says Rebecca. 'My mother was a very creative person; she worked as a fashion designer, then turned her hand to houses later in life. As a child, I was good at painting and drawing, and I would constantly rearrange my bedroom.' She had long dreamed of her own renovation project, but lacked the funds to overhaul her previous flat in Tulse Hill. It was the Covid-19 lockdowns – which encouraged her to save money – combined with the resulting stamp duty holiday, that finally provided the opportunity she had been waiting for. Room for improvement Unlike a typical Victorian terrace, which is long, narrow and difficult to reconfigure, the flat has a more amenable square shape. At 750 square feet, it's also a relatively generous size, but the layout was all wrong, with the kitchen located away from the dining and sitting area and a thin, lightless bathroom, which Rebecca found depressing. Spatial planning is second nature to her, thanks to her experience designing kitchens, so it was easy for her to envisage how the flat could work better. Reimagining the layout The first step was to remove the dingy bathroom and knock through into the dining and sitting room, to make space for the new kitchen where the bathroom had been. 'Originally, I wanted to take down the entire wall, but the structural engineer said no, and actually it is a good thing because it has allowed me to add a utility room, which helps keep the rest of the flat free from clutter,' says Rebecca. This freed up the existing kitchen, which became a valuable second bedroom. Rebecca then stole one metre from this room and one metre from the main bedroom to create a new, two-metre-wide bathroom. 'Bedrooms are usually put next to each other, but having the bathroom between them makes much more sense,' she explains. Finally, on the other side of the main bedroom, she added a stud wall and created a door-free walk-in wardrobe – a luxurious touch that also helps to keep the bedroom clutter-free. The kitchen, dining and sitting room 'I always encourage clients to make a couple of design decisions early on,' says Rebecca. In her own flat, this included a big statement splashback in Calacatta marble from Rossi Stone Surfaces, which she liked for its varied colours and dramatic veining, and which she specified with a fluted finish. The natural beauty of the marble is enhanced by its undulating lines, and gives the entire room a beautiful and unusual focal point. To this, Rebecca has added sleek flat-fronted cabinetry. 'The kitchen cabinets needed to look like a piece of furniture or joinery; I didn't want to feel like I'm in a kitchen when I'm sitting on the sofa,' she says. For this reason, there are no wall cupboards. 'The trade-off is slightly less storage, but as they are only half the depth of floor cupboards, it's not as much as you might think. By using deep drawers, in which everything is easy to reach, and adding a bar area in the hall, it was possible to go without, and the room feels so much more spacious.' Rebecca particularly recommends deep drawers around the sink: 'They are a great hack. You get much more usable storage compared to a cabinet under the sink, which usually ends up full of things you can't see properly, and lots of wasted space where the sink hangs down.' Another early decision was the engineered oak flooring, which helps to create the loft-style look Rebecca wanted, and which is paired with limewashed walls. 'I knew I wanted to use limewash; it adds so much depth and texture,' she says. As a money-saving exercise, she applied it herself: 'It took some experimentation, and when it first goes on, it looks a bit like someone has thrown up on the walls. My partner was horrified.' Fortunately, once dried, the effect is subtle and sophisticated, and it sets the tone for the decoration throughout the flat, which is neutral and earthy, with lots of textural interest. 'The natural light in the flat isn't amazing, so I've kept everything light and bright,' says Rebecca. 'I wanted some colour, but nothing really bold. There is a subtle green theme, but the other shades come from flowers and artworks.' The entrance hall To bring natural light into the otherwise dark entrance hall, Rebecca replaced the wall that divides the sitting room and hall with Crittall windows. She also brought the backlit panelling that runs behind the L-shaped sofa into the entrance hall, and added shelves for decorative objects, so that it feels like an extension of the living area. For that reason, she also installed a bar area in the hall with a coffee station, an integrated wine fridge and a glazed wall cabinet for glasses and mugs. The fluted glass doors of the cabinet echo the splashback in the kitchen, and, as the glass is not completely transparent, 'you don't have to keep everything inside super tidy,' Rebecca notes. The bar area has the same worktop as the kitchen, but here it is paired with dark green shaker-style cabinet fronts and matt black hardware, which matches the Buster + Punch light switches and door handles. The bedrooms The new stud wall in the main bedroom, which separates the walk-in wardrobe from the rest of the room, allowed Rebecca to centre the bed on the window, and have equal spaces on either side for bedside tables. 'This is a good way to give a bedroom visual balance, and make it feel ordered and calm,' she explains. To this, she has added a sense of drama with a headboard upholstered in a moss-green velvet fabric by Rose Uniacke that stretches across the entire wall. A raw-edged timber ledge above gives a surface on which to prop pictures. In the small second bedroom, the mood is different. Here, Rebecca has turned its challenging shape to advantage, cladding the walls in weathered boards taken from old pallets to give the look of a cabin. The bathroom In the bathroom, a striking basin from Lusso Stone takes centre stage. 'It was an investment, but I wanted the bathroom to have one strong feature,' says Rebecca. Space is at a premium, so she opted for a wet room with a walk-in shower. The tiles were mitred so that they could be applied without a metal trim – a time-consuming job that ate up a large part of the budget for the room, but creates a pleasing, seamless finish. She saved money in other areas, including a cost-effective black-framed shower screen from Victorian Plumbing that mirrors the Crittall windows in the hall. The takeaway 'I loved renovating this flat, but it was intense,' says Rebecca. 'We did a lot of the work ourselves at weekends – it helps that my partner is an electrician and my dad is also very handy, but removing the waste was hell. I definitely wouldn't do that again.' She also strongly recommends making a schedule of work when undertaking a renovation project. 'Because of my experience planning and installing kitchens, I could always see the end of the project, but it was still anxiety-inducing,' she says. Along with the hard work and anxiety, it also took a year of her life. But it hasn't dented her enthusiasm for renovation. 'It's taken blood, sweat and tears, sometimes quite literally, but the flat is made to my exact specifications, and I have absolutely fallen in love with it.'
BBC News
a day ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Berkshire trout released downstream due to dry weather
More than 50 brown trout have been given new homes because of the extreme heat and dry weather this fish are being relocated from a section of the River Lambourn, near Hungerford in Berkshire, where the water level has "significantly dropped".The rescue and relocation comes after the country suffered its driest spring since Gray, fisheries team leader in the Thames Valley for the Environment Agency (EA) and in charge of the transfer of fish, said: "We've acted today to save the fish." Earlier this month, the EA declared the Thames Valley and parts of Surrey to be in a period of prolonged dry rainfall in the area has been down 50% over the last three heatwaves and a long dry spell have put more pressure on wildlife and habitats, including rivers. The healthy fish were removed from the Lambourn in oxygenated tanks, then rehomed in deeper waters a short distance downstream. Officers will monitor the juvenile and adult trout to make sure they get used to their new Gray said: "The water level has dropped significantly, we are trying to be proactive and move the fish before the situation creates anymore problems."We hope this population of brown trout, up to around three years old, will be much happier in a part of the Lambourn with stronger flows."We've acted today to save the fish. They can be the first casualties when conditions deteriorate, and react better to being moved in cooler temperatures."The EA has urged anglers, swimmers and boaters to report any environmental concerns they see, such as fish gasping for air on the surface of a river or lake. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Sun
05-07-2025
- The Sun
We lived next to England's deadliest mass shooter – he murdered 16… his first victim was a mum on a picnic with her kids
WITH it's shimmering canals draped by lush green trees, the picturesque town of Hungerford glistens in the July sunshine. But behind the picture-perfect facade, a sinister feeling lingers in the warm summer's air. 34 34 34 34 For it was here, in this quaint British town, that one of the worst mass shootings in British history occurred - something that seems impossible to fathom as we walk through the sleepy streets 36 years on. In August 1987, Hungerford became a household name across the country - not for its rolling hills or canal-side shops - but for a tragedy that unfolded on its streets, claiming 16 innocent lives. Mystery still surrounds what exactly prompted crazed gunman Michael Ryan to take to the streets of his hometown and embark on the murderous spree. Since that fateful summer's afternoon, the name of the historic village in the Home Counties is rarely mentioned without referencing the massacre. The horrific crime sent shock waves across the country and led to major changes in UK gun ownership laws. Physical reminders of the rampage have been tactfully erased from everyday life in the village. A block of flats now sits at the site of the crazed killer's former home, while house numbers at addresses of some of the 27-year-old's victims have been removed, seemingly out of respect. Those killed included unarmed officer PC Roger Brereton and Ryan's own mother, Dorothy - both of whom were murdered in cold blood outside his home in South View as they tried to stop him. Defiant locals have made concerted efforts to reclaim their own term for the notorious mass shooting - simply referring to it as 'The Tragedy'. But they have made it abundantly clear that the horrific event continues to cast a long, dark shadow over this tight-knit community. Speaking to The Sun, Linda Ryan, who lives in one of the flats where the killer's house once stood, told how the area still feels the effects almost forty years on. The 51-year-old said: 'It's a bit of a dark cloud. I came face to face with Southport killer in dance studio during massacre - and carried victims out 'I think the town still feels the effects. I think it does, especially in this area. 'This is where it started in the town and where he killed his mother. People do still talk about it, you know. 'I wasn't here - I've only lived here four years - but I've read all the articles. "What I would say is that the community is very tight, very, very close-knit. 'I think it's hard for the older residents on this road, some of them were here at the time. "But everybody gets on with their day to day life. I'm the same myself." Mum killed having picnic with her kids The sickening killing spree started at 12.30pm on August 19 in Savernake Forest, Wiltshire, roughly seven miles west of Hungerford. Ryan's first victim, Susan Godfrey, had been enjoying a picnic with her two children when Ryan approached them. He forced the nurse to put her daughter Hannah, four, and her son James, two, in her car, before he lead her back into the forest at gunpoint. Susan was then shot 13 times - until Ryan ran out of ammunition - with a Beretta pistol. 34 34 34 Walker Myra Rose later discovered the two children, who informed her that a 'man in black has shot our mummy". After killing Susan, Ryan headed back to Hungerford in his Vauxhall Astra GTE. On his way back to his hometown, Ryan stopped at the Golden Arrow service station in Froxfield, where he attempted his second murder at around 12.35pm. He was a regular customer at the petrol station and knew the cashier Kakoub Dean very well. After filling up his car, he waited for motorcyclist Ian George to leave before he started shooting at Mrs Dean from the forecourt. Ryan then entered the shop and attempted to shoot the worker at close range, but his gun is understood to have jammed - prompting him to quickly flee and continue his journey back home. Less than ten minutes later, he arrived back at his house. The horror that ensued would stick with the residents of Hungerford for the rest of their lives. Setting house on fire One South View resident explained that he felt fortunate to have been away on the day of the attack, adding that the years after were incredibly "raw". He said: 'I was living here then, yeah. It gets dragged up particularly on anniversaries. 'It was raw for a long time, especially in the immediate years after. 34 34 34 'Actually, it's still quite raw when it comes to the anniversary. 'When you used to tell people you were from Hungerford, everyone knew exactly where it was for that reason. "You don't want to be known for that, do you? 'And it was a one-off. It's very friendly around here. It's an idyllic place, it's lovely. 'I was working in Thatcham, a nearby town when it happened and I couldn't get home. 'There were no mobile phones so you couldn't get in touch with anyone. You couldn't find out anything. 'You couldn't get any info, you didn't know who had been shot. 'I just felt fortunate that I had been working elsewhere at the time. 'I think the town does enough to remember those who died. But I don't like it being raked up." After arriving back in Hungerford, Ryan set his home on fire - destroying three neighbouring houses - and shot his two dogs. Neighbours reported seeing Ryan looking agitated and distressed as he walked between his car and his home. He was spotted leaving his address with survival equipment including ammunition and a flak jacket. It is believed his Astra would not start, so he retrieved his Beretta pistol, M1 carbine rifle and Type 56 semi-automatic rifle from the car. 34 34 Now heavily armed, Ryan headed towards Hungerford Common, shooting neighbours Roland and Sheila Mason in their back garden en route. Sheila was shot once in the head and her husband six times in the back. Lisa Mindell, 14, was badly injured after Ryan shot her in both legs as she stood outside her home. He also wounded Marjorie Jackson as she watched the horror from her living room window. Continuing towards the Common, he encountered Kenneth Clements on a dog walk with his family. The 51-year-old was gunned down as he held onto his pet's lead, despite signalling his surrender to Ryan. By this time - approximately 12.50pm - the first police patrol car had arrived and the officers were unarmed. PC Roger Brereton was shot in the chest with the Beretta as he turned into the road, forcing him to crash into a telephone pole. He died as he radioed to his colleagues that he had been shot. Ryan then peppered 11 bullets at Linda Chapman and her teenage daughter, Alison, as they drove up the road in their Volvo. Linda managed to reverse away and the pair escaped after taking bullets to their shoulder and thigh. 34 34 34 He then opened fire on Linda Bright and Hazel Haslett, but they escaped serious injury. His next victim was George White, who was driving Marjorie Jackson's husband, Ivor, home. Ryan opened fire with his Type 56, leaving George dead and Ivor severely injured. After the Toyota crashed into the rear of PC Brereton's police car, Ivor feigned death in the hope that Ryan would leave him be. Ryan then moved to neighbouring Fairview Road, killing 84-year-old Abdul Khan while he mowed his lawn and injuring the pensioner's next door neighbour. His mother, Dorothy, then drove into South View and was confronted with the sight of her house on fire. She pleaded with her son to stop his rampage, but he immediately killed her, shooting her four times as she raised her arms. From there, Michael Ryan's bloody path led him onto Hungerford Common. He mowed down dad-of-two Francis Butler, 26, as he walked his dog near the War Memorial Recreation Grounds. Local cabbie Marcus Barnard had been diverted towards the Common by a police diversion. He was shot and killed by Ryan as he slowed down to let the killer cross on Bulpit Lane. Locals told how Marcus' death had been especially tragic as his wife had given birth just weeks before. 34 34 They said: 'It's difficult to talk about it after all this time. 'I would not even know where to begin with it. 'A friend rang me and told me someone had been shot, we got the radio on and listened. "When we got to Hungerford we couldn't get home. 'But I did lose a mate. Marcus Barnard, the cabbie. "He was about 30 and he'd just had a six week old son. It was really sad. Tragic really." Ryan then moved unchallenged towards the heart of the town, which had descended into chaos. Douglas Wainwright was killed as he and his wife, Kathleen, were driving to visit their son - PC Wainwright - on Priory Avenue. The couple were just 300 yards from the officer's home when Douglas was fatally shot in the head and Kathleen was hit in her chest and hand. Further up Priory Avenue, 51-year-old Eric Vardy drove his van into Ryan's path while travelling to a job. His windscreen shattered after being sprayed with bullets, many of which struck him in the neck and upper torso. He crashed his van into a wall and later died from his injuries. At 1:30pm, after walking to Priory Road, Ryan fired a single shot at a passing red Renault, killing the driver, 22-year-old Sandra Hill. 34 He then used his rifle to shoot his way into the home of Myrtle and Victor Gibbs, before opening fire at the pair. Mr Gibbs died instantly as he tried to protect his wife, who died several days later in hospital. Ryan's 16th and final victim, Ian Playle, was struck by a single shot as he drove around a bend on Priory Road. The 34-year-old died at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford two days later. After shooting Ian, Ryan headed towards John O'Gaunt School, entering the building at around 1.52pm. Shots were heard near the school, where cops eventually discovered Ryan holed up in a classroom on the second floor. He started shooting through the window at police helicopters. Armed officers entered the playground at 16.45pm and cornered the killer. According to reports, Ryan chilling shouted: "Hungerford must be a bit of a mess. "It's funny, I've killed all those people but I don't have the guts to blow my own brains out." Just seven minutes later, Ryan turned his gun on himself, marking the end of his horrifying rampage. The official death toll stood at 16, marking the worst mass shooting in British history at the time. 34 34 34 There is still no clear motive behind Ryan's appalling killing spree. But criminal psychologists believe he was a sexually repressed loner and fantasist who may also have been influenced by a mass killing in Australia just days earlier when 10 people were murdered by ex-soldier Julian Knight. Britain was stunned by the scale and brutality of the attack, with tributes pouring in for the victims. Flags across the country flew at half-mast and media outlets dedicated front pages to Hungerford. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher visited the town the following day to meet with survivors and first responders. Public anger then turned toward the country's lax gun laws. At the time, Ryan legally owned an arsenal of high-powered firearms - many of which had been used in the massacre. His actions directly led to one of the most sweeping reforms in UK gun legislation. The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 was passed following a report that had been commissioned by Home Secretary Douglas Hurd. This act banned: Semi-automatic and pump action riles Weapons which fire explosive ammunition Short shotguns with magazines Elevated pump-action and self-loading rifles It also meant that shotguns had to be registered and kept in secure storage. PC Brereton was posthumously awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct. Today, Hungerford continues to carry the weight of that day, even as it attempts to move forward. 34 34 34 The town often has to deal with 'tourists' who travel to the area in the hopes of retracing the killer's steps. One South View resident said: 'It is very difficult sometimes. We didn't live up this particular road when it happened. "It's just one of those things that people don't like to talk about too much. "It's hard sometimes, because we did have a woman come up here a couple of weeks ago. 'She wanted to know where he lived. Where he lived is where those flats are now. "So yeah, we don't really talk about it. It's tough." A plaque near the town's library bears the names of those lost, though no large public monument exists. Summing up the strong community spirit that is still so prevalent in the village, one local said: "You're talking about one thing in general that happened here. 'Well, it's just one thing we will never forget. 'It's still a very nice, close-knit community with very caring people. '[The tragedy] is mentioned now and again, but less and less and less with the years. 'I think that's good. I don't think you can go on forever living like it. 'For an old person to say they're very well looked after within the community is something which I am. 'People here are so good. I know, if I need someone to help, someone comes. 'The community here is still very strong.' 34 34 34 34 34 34
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
M4 in Berkshire closed after crash between car and lorry
A motorway has been closed after a serious crash between a lorry and a car, National Highways has M4 eastbound between junction 14 for Hungerford and 13 for Newbury was shut at about 11:00 Highways said emergency services were on the scene and warned of 50-minute delays eastbound and 30 minutes westbound, where one lane was closed but has since Central Ambulance Service said two people had been taken to hospital. A diversion is in place and National Highways has urged people to allow extra time for their BBC has approached Thames Valley Police for more information. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
The Sun
27-06-2025
- The Sun
Oisin Murphy booked for rides right up until court date after drink-drive charge
OISIN MURPHY is currently booked for rides right up until the day before he appears in court following his drink-drive charge. The reigning champion jockey, who was also charged with failing to provide a sample at the roadside, crashed his car into a tree and injured a woman in a smash near Hungerford on April 27. 1 Murphy, 29, will appear at Reading Magistrates' Court on Thursday. However, he is currently booked to be riding right up until that day as trainers and owners appear happy to let him on their horses. Murphy actually rode a double at Royal Ascot last Thursday - the same day he was charged by police. And, according to current jockey bookings, he is due to be in action at Thirsk in North Yorkshire next Wednesday for four rides. The BHA issued a statement soon after Murphy's charge was made public but no mention was made of Murphy, for whatever reason, not being allowed to continue riding. He has five rides at Doncaster today including on 8-11 favourite Displaying in the 3.20. According to BHA jockey bookings, Murphy is set to ride for Andrew Balding, James Ferguson and Ismail Mohammed on Wednesday. Currently, his final race would be in the 4.03 on the Opulence Thoroughbred-owned Triple Gee. Thirsk racecourse is some 238 miles from the court, a drive of roughly five hours. A statement from Thames Valley Police said: "A man has been charged in connection with an ongoing investigation into a serious road traffic collision in Hermitage, West Berkshire. "Last Thursday (19/6) Oisin Murphy, aged 29, of Beales Farm Road, Lambourn, Hungerford, was charged by postal requisition with one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol and one count of failing to cooperate with a preliminary test at the roadside. "The charge is in connection with a single vehicle road traffic collision around 12.05am on Sunday 27 April this year when a grey Mercedes A Class left the road and crashed into a tree. "Murphy is due to appear at Reading Magistrates' Court on 3 July. "It is vital that people do not speculate or spread misinformation on social media as this is a live investigation." The BHA said in a statement: "The BHA is aware of an update issued by Thames Valley Police this afternoon regarding Mr Oisin Murphy. "We are now seeking to gather as much information as possible in order to consider what, if any, implications there are as a result of this development."
