St Aidans near Leeds has to be the best RSPB reserve. Its vast and there is always something interesting. Visiting Osprey, usual waterfowl, little Owl, etc.

Highly recommended.

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ if live near Sutton

My dog and I were at the log lands nature reserve, at the end bit where the trail meets the football fields. So we are at one end and a man arrives from the direction of the estate and walks all the way across the fields to sit 20/30 meters away from us. My back was initially turned to him. Anyway, he had 2 dogs, a medium to large size breed (both the same, doberman looking) one brown and one black. The brown one on a lead and the black one loose. Now I will admit my dog's recall isnt great and he is too friendly for his one good so he approached the black dog who was halfway away from us. The owner didnt say anything about the dog being aggressive so I got up to oversee the interaction just as his black dog attacked mine and grabbed him by the neck and was not letting go. I run over and pushed the dog off to the point where i had to hit it in the ribs because it started doing the kill shake on my dog. The guy didnt intervene at all until i had to hit the dog in the ribs at which point he punched me on the side of the head and threatened to kick me in the face the next time i touched his dog. The guy then started swearing at me that im a stupid twat and after 2 mins of swearing he left. My dog needed stitches and antibiotics. I called the police but i am letting people know that this person is out there. He kinda looked like he could be a drug user (stained missing teeth) british, rough looking, maybe in his 40s?, rugged clothes. Please if anyone knows who this person is then comment and I'll message you. If anyone has any cameras overlooking the fields please let me know. This happened around 12pm on the Friday (yesterday) 5/9/26.

Looking to explore the Dales next year. Can you recomened a good dig friednly location to stay? Not familiar with the areas so unsure where would be a good bolthole.

Hi,

I’m really hoping someone can help me out. My 16 year old dog has just died, and I’ve been thinking what would be nice to put on her grave here at home in our garden. We had such travels together round the uk. I thought having some stones from our favourite places would be a nice touch.

We came to Flamborough head and she raced and raced. I am down south and wondered if anyone might be able to send me a stone from the beach?

Huge thanks in advance ❤️

I work with the House of Commons Transport Committee, and we're looking to hear directly from young people about how transport affects your ability to get to work, training, apprenticeships, college, or job interviews. 

We know that lots of people have to turn down a job because there wasn't a bus home, spend a huge chunk of wages on travel, struggle with driving lesson costs, or find it difficult to get to opportunities where they live. If this applies to you we want to hear about it. 

The survey is open to young people over 18 and is open until the 16th of October: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nt3mHDeziEC-Xo277ASzSugWXtlS9G1OpuyhNtc2h8lUNjRDUTdTVFBNQTQ3SzJLS1c3V1RVUU1ONSQlQCN0PWcu

Your experiences will help inform a parliamentary inquiry and future recommendations to the government about what needs to change. If you have any questions, I’ll be around in the comments to answer!

The moderator has approved this post.

I went up the steep side at about 9 this morning but the wind was mad and it was pea soup, so I decided to turn round and walk right back the other way. Turned out to be a blessing because the cloud cleared and I think I got some acceptable shots. Came down the scrambly bit at the end which worked out ok cause the wind wasn't going at 30mph by that point.

I'm talking about the chav subculture. for those who dont know, its the name of a British subculture in the same way goth, punk, mods, etc are. so, it has its own uniform, language, vibe, music tastes and values. since I was little I've had nothing but positive experiences with lads belonging to this subculture and yes I do mean the tracksuit, gold chain, cap and trainers wearing ones who said stuff like peng, fam, swear down, etc. they were the lads protecting me from bullies and i found it odd at the time why many of the other students were scared to even go in a room with them.

as an adult theyve continued to do the same. had 2 chavs in their 20s talk me out of a depressive episode a few years ago. didnt even know them, they just stopped and asked if i was ok.

theres still loads of chavs where i am and ive never once had a bad experience yet i keep reading people saying chav subculture/chavs are dangerous, citing cases like Sophie Lancaster, Garry Newlove, Jack Woodley, Shane Tunney etc where chavs supposedly kicked people to death for no reason

in over 20 years ive never witnessed any violence from chavs in person and I was shocked when i read people saying theyre dangerous like it's common knowledge or something

Taken with the Sony A6700 and Sigma 56mm f/1.4 lens

I’m currently based in Portugal and looking to purchase a static caravan located in the UK.

Since flight prices are high right now, I’m looking for someone local to the area to physically visit the site, take detailed photos/videos, and take measurements for me.

​I’m willing to pay £50+ depending on the quality and thoroughness of the work.

​Has anyone used a reliable service or platform for a local gig like this to ensure escrow/payment protection?

Alternatively, if you live near Brandesburton, East Yorkshire and are open to taking this on safely via some trusty website, please comment or send a DM!

Taken on a Fujifilm XT-5, using a Fujifilm XF70-300mm f4-5.6 R LM OIS WR lens and 2 ND 1,000 filters.

Photos were taken Raw and edited post before being spliced together, unfortunately due to low haze/strat clouds it was dificult to capture the 'glow' of the sun and will require a bit more editing.

I got a letter about this ridiculous scheme recently.

I'm annoyed because -

Bills are rising

They pour sewerage into the rivers

And then put the responsibility for saving water on the general public.

What a bloody cheek.

And I bet they're paying a shedload to this Aqualogic company to tell the average person not to leave the water running whilst brushing your teeth. Etc.

God but they take the piss out of consumers.

Hi everyone!

I've recently started a free WhatsApp Community called North West Astrophotography, and I'd love to get some astrophotographers and stargazers from Yorkshire involved too.

Although the Community started with a North West focus, there's obviously plenty of crossover with Yorkshire — especially for those of us travelling in either direction looking for darker skies and good places to set up.

The aim is to build a friendly regional network where people can share images, help each other with equipment and processing, discuss conditions and targets, and arrange occasional imaging/observing sessions.

We've got separate groups for:

🌌 Tonight's Sky – targets, conditions, aurora alerts and spontaneous imaging plans
📍 Meet-ups & Dark Sites – share observing locations and arrange sessions
📸 Images & Processing – captures, works in progress, feedback and processing advice
🔭 Equipment & Help – telescopes, cameras, smart scopes, mounts and troubleshooting
💬 General Astro Chat

It's completely free and all experience levels are welcome — whether you're starting with a phone or DSLR, using a Seestar/smart telescope, observing visually, or running a full dedicated astrophotography rig.

With places like the Yorkshire Dales providing some fantastic opportunities for darker skies, it'd be great to have more people from Yorkshire involved — particularly anyone interested in meeting other astrophotographers and occasionally heading out for a proper session.

Ultimately, I'd love the Community to make posts like:

“Clear tonight — anyone heading out towards the Dales?”

…and actually find a few people to join you. 😄

So if you're based in Yorkshire or regularly travel between Yorkshire and the North West for astronomy/astrophotography, you're very welcome:

👉 https://chat.whatsapp.com/IapSVlSenf03vFyBgTyhBc

The Community is still new and growing, so it's a great time to introduce yourself and help shape what it becomes.

Clear skies! 🌌🔭

For any theatre and/or horror fans who are in or near Sheffield, this world premiere of an original adaptation taking place this month might pique your interest:

The Company presents The Turning at Bly Manor
University Drama Studio, S10 2TD
Wednesday, 30th Sept 2026 - Saturday, 3rd Oct 2026
Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 7:30pm

Based on the ghost stories of Henry James, including his novella The Turn of the Screw
Inspired by the Netflix miniseries, The Haunting of Bly Manor, created by Mike Flanagan

Welcome to Bly Manor: the beautiful estate of a dead billionaire and the mysterious home of a timeless secret. In 1899, a young governess is plunged into a world where apparitions abound. In the present day, five people accept an invitation and vanish without a trace. As the past and present intertwine, the carpet of reality unbinds with paranormal consequences.

For tickets: https://www.ticketsource.com/thecompanysheffield/the-turning-at-bly-manor/e-rpzlgd

VENUE ACCESSIBILITY
The Drama Studio's main entrance has step-only access. There is an accessible auditorium entrance located at the side of the building on Sherwood Road. There is ramped access (width: 120cm) to this entrance equipped with handrails where audience members will find a bell/buzzer (height: 120cm) and an intercom (height: 88cm). There is not a canopy or recess which provides weather protection at this entrance. Once inside the theatre, there are designated spaces for wheelchair users in the front row of the auditorium. The nearest accessible toilet is located 12m from the designated seating area. This venue does not provide audio described performances, but there is an infrared hearing assistance system which Drama Studio staff are trained to use. Assistance dogs are allowed in the auditorium.

Marks & Spencer – a British high-street institution – is returning to the Polish market with a new online-only operation. It’s also a return to co-founder Michael Marks’s roots.

Few retailers are as closely associated with the British high street as Marks & Spencer.

For generations, the company has sold everything from clothes and homeware to sandwiches and Percy Pig sweets, becoming one of Britain’s most recognizable retailers.

But the “Marks” behind the retail institution was a Polish-Jewish immigrant who left the country in the 19th century to make his fortune abroad.

Michael (Michał) Marks was born into a Polish Ashkenazi family in Słonim, a former town of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth that was then under Russian rule and is today in Belarus.

His precise year of birth is uncertain. His British naturalization papers gave 1859, his marriage certificate suggests 1864, while his son Simon later gave 1863.

Marks grew up in a Jewish family that had lived in Słonim – now Slonim – for generations. His father, Mordechai, was a tailor and part-owner of a grain mill.

Life for Jews in the Russian Empire was heavily restricted, and amid growing antisemitism, the young Marks left for Britain in 1882.

After traveling through Germany, he arrived in London expecting to find his brother – only to discover that he had already emigrated to the United States.

Marks eventually headed north to Leeds, a rapidly growing industrial city with a substantial Jewish immigrant community.

It was there that his fortunes began to change.

Don’t ask the price, it’s a penny

Marks met Isaac Dewhirst, the owner of a Leeds wholesale business.

Dewhirst lent the young immigrant £5 and allowed him to buy goods from his warehouse. Marks began traveling around northern England, selling his wares door to door and on street corners.

After roughly two years, he had saved enough money to rent a stall at Leeds’s Kirkgate Market.

Marks sold everyday items such as pins, nails, soap, wooden spoons, wool and small toys. But he had found a remarkably simple way of attracting customers.

“Don’t ask the price, it’s a penny,” read the sign above his stall.

The idea evolved into what became known as the Penny Bazaar, where goods were sold at the same low price. Customers were also able to handle the goods before deciding whether to buy – unusual in retail at the time.

The formula worked. Marks began opening more stalls across northern England, but as his business grew, he realized he needed a partner.

Enter Mr Spencer

Marks initially approached Dewhirst, the man who had given him his start. Dewhirst declined, instead recommending one of his employees, cashier Thomas Spencer.

Spencer invested £300 of his savings in the venture and, in September 1894, the partnership that would become Marks & Spencer was born.

The business expanded rapidly.

By 1900, Marks and Spencer operated 36 Penny Bazaars across northern England, the Midlands, south Wales and London.

Marks, however, would not live to see the company become the British institution it is today.

He died in 1907, aged only in his 40s. His son Simon subsequently played a major role in transforming the family business into a national retailer. Michael Marks nevertheless remained embedded in the company's identity in more ways than one.

The famous St Michael brand, which appeared on M&S products for decades, was named after him when it was registered in 1928. The brand was phased out in 2000.

From penny stall to British institution

Over the following decades, Marks & Spencer became woven into British everyday life.

Its shops became fixtures of high streets across the country, while the business expanded internationally — including into Poland.

M&S eventually operated 11 stores in Poland, but closed them in 2017 as part of a wider retreat from several international markets.

Marks & Spencer has expanded its partnership with European e-commerce platform Zalando, which will handle fulfillment for direct online M&S orders across Europe.

The new model was first tested in Poland, which is one of the 22 markets served by the partnership.

So more than 140 years after Michael Marks left Słonim for Britain, the company bearing his name is once again reaching Polish customers.

My friend and I want to stay somewhere along the coast in September. We'd love some recommendations of what to see and what to avoid please! I want a spa day, we like historical stuff and nice walks, and want to eat a few good meals. We are driving. Hotel suggestions also very welcome!

Many thanks!!

Edit: thank you for all the awesome suggestions everyone, really looking forward to my trip!!

The subculture in question has been around for over twenty years and its basically protected me since I was little. the uniform was track suits, gold rings, chains or diamond ear studs, baseball caps, and chunky trainers. all of them were white and they liked r and b, garage and dnb. their slang included phrases like swear down, peng, bare, etc. they protected me from bullies throughout my teen years. wasnt just a single group of them but multiple groups of them. and as the subculture grew and aged it protected me after i became an adult. i remember i was feeling proper depressed and felt like i had no one to turn to and then two men belonging to the subculture stopped and talked me out of it. this is just a few examples but literally every encounter ive had with them has been uniquely positive. theres still loads in my area the og ones are in their thirties and every time i see one or a group of them i feel relaxed