Category: Cambridgeshire

The village itself has a few local amenities including a shop and a social hubThe village of Toft in Cambridgeshire(Image: Google Street View)A charming little village situated around six miles west of Cambridge is the only Cambridgeshire village that saw all of its World War One soldiers safely return home. Toft has a small community with a big history including having more than 20 listed buildings of special architectural or historic interest.The name ‘Toft’ derives from an old Viking word meaning ‘curtilage’ or ‘homestead’. The quaint village has approximately 600 residents and is ideally located for commuters within four miles of the M11 motorway.Among the village’s listed buildings is Toft Manor, on Church Road, formerly the Rectory, which was built in 1844 along with several cottages. Toft holds a remarkable history of fortune and bravery as it is one of the rare ‘Thankful Villages’ in England and Wales where all those who served in World War One returned safely.The term ‘Thankful Village’ was promoted by the writer Arthur Mee in the 1930s; in Enchanted Land. He wrote that a ‘Thankful Village’ was one which had lost no men in the war because all those who left to serve came home again.The village consists of a few local amenities including a village shop specialising in South African cuisine with a Post Office, a hairdresser, a village hall known as ‘Toft People’s Hall’ and Toft Social Club that acts as a popular meeting point among the community.Close by, on the outskirts of Comberton and reportedly within Toft Parish Boundaries, there is Comberton Village College which offers education to years seven through to 11.House prices in Toft had an overall average of £442,468 over the last year, according to Rightmove. The majority of properties sold in Toft during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £340,000. Meanwhile, detached properties sold for an average of £647,405.Compared to South Cambridgeshire as a whole, it is slightly more pricey. According to the Office for National Statistics, the average house price in South Cambridgeshire was £430,000 in March 2026, similar to the figure for March 2025.

A council’s children’s services were rated inadequate in 2024 after a ‘deterioration in the quality of practice’Peterborough Town Hall(Image: Copyright Unknown)A council has been praised for “driving improvements” in its children’s services, after it was deemed inadequate in 2024. Peterborough City Council’s children’s services were rated as inadequate after an Ofsted inspection at the end of 2023.Previously rated good in 2018, inspectors said there had been a “deterioration in the quality of practice”, following the 2023 inspection. Since then, Ofsted has been carrying out monitoring visits into the council’s children’s services.The latest took place on February 24 where inspectors reviewed the council’s response to children experiencing neglect. Inspectors praised the council for remaining “committed and ambitious for children and families”.They added: “There is strong corporate and political support and children’s services have benefitted from significant financial investment. The director of children’s services and the stable leadership team continue to drive improvements across the service.”The reports also said the overall response to children experiencing neglect had improved. While there was praise for the council’s improvements, there continued to be delays in responding to some children in the multi-agency safeguarding hub due to “capacity issues”.During the visit, inspectors said staff made “appropriate referrals” to children’s services for children requiring help and protection due to potential neglect. Social workers were also praised about their “robust analysis of children’s needs” when looking at the functioning of a family.When dealing with children out of hours, the commissioned emergency duty team (EDT) were praised for having an “effective interface”. Social workers were also praised for children having “positive and enduring relationships” with them.Inspectors also said action was taken “appropriately” when children continued to experience harm due to neglect from their parents. The report added that leaders had focused on recruitment and retention to “improve the stability of the workforce”.Inspectors said: “This is showing promising results, with some social workers converting from agency to permanent posts, citing a positive work environment as informing their decisions.”Councillor Katy Cole, cabinet member for children and young people at Peterborough City Council, said: “We are pleased with the outcome of this latest monitoring visit which acknowledges the ongoing progress we have made to achieve better outcomes for all children.”We remain committed and ambitious for children and families and we continue to drive improvements across the service, including for children who have experienced potential neglect.”I want to thank practitioners and staff for their hard work and continued dedication to the children and families of Peterborough. Our administration is fully focussed on working collaboratively and effectively to continue to improve this vital service.“As we now build to our next full ILACs inspection this Labour led coalition is determined to make the changes needed to ensure all children in this city thrive, are safe and able to succeed in life.”

Residents feared the development would destroy a ‘valued asset’ and overwhelm ‘limited services’The field in Isleham seen from Sun Street(Image: Google Maps)A developer has lost an appeal to build 49 affordable homes in a village which residents feared would overwhelm the local school. Isleham Parish Council said the site is “one of the few remaining open spaces” in the village with “a strong reflection of its rural setting, nature and agricultural connections”.They said the land is a “valued asset” and the village has seen “significant recent growth” and has “limited services”. East Cambridgeshire District Council agreed and rejected the plans in 2024 – but an appeal was launched by Abbey Properties Cambridgeshire Ltd and Robin Diver.A hearing was held by The Planning Inspectorate on March 24 and 25, 2026. Inspector P Hanna visited the site on the second day.The council said that two other planning applications would likely already meet Isleham’s need for 47 new homes. The inspector said it “cannot be presumed” these “will respond directly to the local need, unlike the current proposal”.They added: “Indeed, even the council only go as far as saying that identified need is ‘very likely’ to be met by the two approved developments. Whilst the levels of local need may fluctuate, I am satisfied that the proposal would meet an identified need that may not be delivered by the sites within the settlement boundary or by existing planning permissions.”They said the farmland was formerly a chalk pit and is lined with “dense hedgerows and woodland” and “high distinctiveness habitat”, some of which would be lost if developed. Though a replacement was suggested by the developer, the council were concerned this hedgerow “would not represent like for like replacement under the trading rules”.The inspector added that even with the developer’s “own final metric calculation” it would fail to meet the minimum requirement. It was also noted that Isleham has “relatively poor existing public transport” with just one return bus service per day from Monday to Saturday and two on Tuesday and Saturday.Inspector Hanna said the plans fall short in terms of “reducing car usage” but the rural location would “justify a more pragmatic approach”. They also said the village itself “contains a wide range of services and facilities” including two industrial estates which still makes it “highly sustainable” in terms of employment.Commenting on school capacity, they said the lack of places at the primary school was “a matter for the education authority to deal with”. Inspector Hanna added that if children were unable to attend Isleham Primary, “there is no substantive evidence before me to suggest that a sustainable form of school transport could not be provided, such as a school bus”.The inspector concluded that the benefits of the proposal would not outweigh the harms and dismissed the appeal.

Bidwells said the current staff common room at King’s Ely was “located away from the main teaching block” and “under-utilised as many staff do not have the time to walk there and back in school breaks”.According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Joe Moor, who was campaigning to save the pub, called it a “very significant moment for The Fountain and for Ely”.The 41-year-old said: “Hundreds of people spoke up because The Fountain is not simply an old building but a nearly 200-year-old Grade II listed pub with real heritage and community value.”We are hugely grateful to everyone who supported the campaign, and pleased that King’s Ely has listened to the strength of feeling within the community.”At the same time, important questions remain about what happens next, including whether any revised proposals may emerge in future.”King’s Ely has been contacted for comment.

The tanker needs to be recovered before the road is reopened17:24, 28 May 2026Updated 17:30, 28 May 2026The tanker overturned on Prickwillow Road(Image: Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service)A road in Cambridgeshire will be closed overnight after a tanker overturned. The B1104 Prickwillow Road near Soham will be closed tonight (Thursday, May 28) after a tanker overturned at the junction with Great Fen Road this afternoon.Cambridgeshire Police and the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service have attended to the scene. The road is closed to allow for the vehicle to be recovered. Drivers should find alternative routes when travelling in the area.A spokesperson for the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Crews are currently responding to an incident near Soham where a tanker has overturned at the junction between Prickwillow Road and Great Fen Road.”The road will be closed overnight whilst the vehicle is recovered so please find alternative routes when travelling.”To get more news and top stories delivered directly to your phone, join our new WhatsApp community. Click this link to receive your daily dose of CambridgeshireLive content.We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .

The FOI also revealed that drivers were caught reaching speeds of up to 106, 100 and 97mph on the A605.Ken Simpson, from Whittlesey, said he travelled along the road to work.”It is a self-explanatory road, it is well marked, and the speed limits are well signed,” he said.Simpson said he saw people overtaking “daily”, adding: “If you obey the speed limit there is no problem.”Talking about the amount of speeding tickets issued over the past five years, he added: “It doesn’t surprise me one little bit, but it [the road] has a good surface, you can see well ahead and people will speed on it.”

A court injunction has been granted, meaning no further works can be carried out at the siteMoor Drove, Cottenham, is subject to a High Court injunction(Image: South Cambridgeshire District Council)Work on a suspected Travellers’ site in Cambridgeshire over the bank holiday weekend has been done without a planning application, according to a councillor. Illegal work on the site near Moor Drove, close to the Cambridgeshire villages of Cottenham and Histon began on Saturday (May 23).Hardstanding ground has been laid alongside at least 16 caravans in the green belt protected area. It remains unclear who owns the land.South Cambridgeshire District Council secured a High Court injunction late on Sunday evening (May 24). Mr Justice Mansfield acknowledged there was no planning application for the works.In court documents, Cllr Dr Martin Cahn said he visited the site on Sunday, May 24, and witnessed “plant and machinery [moving] newly imported materials”.He added: “The materials had been brought to the site via large HGV tipper trucks. I sought to engage with the gentleman in the white shirt […] to determine what works were being carried out. He advised me that he did not know anything about the project.”The Judge granted the injunction which means no further works can be carried out on the grounds it was reasonable to suspect further units would be bought onto the land. The injunction was made under s187B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.Mr Justice Mansfield added: “The practicalities of not being able to serve individuals who are carrying out the works as their identities cannot be ascertained at a time when there is an already urgent problem. I have no doubt there is a serious issue to be tried.”The site at Moor Drove is just five miles away from Smithy Fen where Travellers bought land around the village of Cottenham and fought to stay there in 2003. They appealed their eviction under the Human Rights Act and won – despite lengthy legal battles and headline news.Lead Cabinet Member for Planning at South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cllr Henry Batchelor, said the council had acted swiftly to secure the injunction. He said: “This required significant work by the Council over the bank holiday weekend, and we are grateful to the Judge for making themselves available out of hours to hear our case.”It is important that everyone abides by planning rules, which are in place to protect our communities. Council officers have visited the site and will continue to monitor the situation closely. The council expects to return to the High Court for a further hearing on this matter shortly.”

One person said the increase in traffic would be ‘significant’Aqua Drive, Hampton Water in Peterborough (stock)(Image: Google)Plans to build new flats and a shop in a Cambridgeshire suburb have been approved – despite backlash over more traffic in an already “congested” area. Back in April 2025, Jafbuild Limited submitted plans to build 14 new flats and add a shop on land off Aqua Drive in Hampton Water, Peterborough.The flats proposed are all two-bedroom flats, with 28 car parking spaces proposed. There are also 19 allocated spaces for the shop.Before approval, the applicant said the plans were “essential” to plans for the Hampton Water area. They also said it would provide a “much-needed convenience store and flats” to the area.Peterborough City Council has now approved these plans. Despite the approval, the plans had 37 objections. Concerns were mainly raised about traffic in the area, with one objector describing the area as already “congested”.One person, who lives in Aqua Drive, said the “cumulative traffic impact” would be “significant”. Another person in Broadstone Drive commented on traffic and said: “The traffic at the end of the school day is horrendous to the point where it is not even worth leaving your house to go out.”Add more to that and mix in a few haulage trucks to service more building works for a few more years and we will have a major incident soon.”Also concerned about traffic, a person in Banbury Drive said: “The additional traffic from this development will exacerbate existing congestion issues, particularly during peak hours. The council must assess whether the current road network can accommodate this growth without compromising safety.”In a transport statement on behalf of the applicants, it was concluded the site was “well situated” to local amenities, and it was considered to not have “a severe residual impact on the local highway network”.

The black dress could easily be styled with jewellery for an evening outfitThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn moreThe Tesco F&F dress can be thrown over a bikini at the beach or dressed up for the evening(Image: Amy Britton/CambridgeshireLive)Summer is fast approaching and you might have a holiday planned that you need to prepare some outfits for. If you are tired of your old summer clothes, you could take a shopping trip to help refresh your wardrobe ahead of the summer season.Tesco’s clothing brand, F&F, has just released the F&F Pure Cotton Halter Neck Midi Beach Dress in Black that is described as being “perfect for beach days”. The dress is a “stylish piece” to add to your collection and you are sure to get a lot of wear out of it through the hotter months.Boden also has loads of different dress options if this Tesco piece is not quite for you. There is this Irene Puff Sleeve Cotton Dress, which would look great at a summer garden party, or this simple Halter Neck Jersey Maxi Dress that you could wear in the evening.New Look also has plenty of items in stock for summer. There is this Green Satin Lace Trim Slip Midi Dress, which comes in a few different colours, or this Cream Shell Print Beaded Strap Maxi Dress that reviews say is made from a “lovely” fabric and is the “perfect length”.The F&F halter neck dress has a tiered skirt and crochet detailing and could easily be styled to create a more formal look. The dress is currently being sold for £25 with Clubcard members able to get an extra 25% off the item until the end of May.The dress was shared in a video with other summery outfits on the Tesco F&F Instagram page, which currently has 891K followers. The post was captioned: “A summer wardrobe refresh with @alannahjayy #FandFClothing #StyleItOut.”Content cannot be displayed without consentFans of the popular clothing brand have already taken to social media to share their thoughts on the gorgeous piece. One commenter said: “The black dress wow,” and another said: “Love the crocheted waisted maxi…”If you want to pick up the dress for your upcoming holiday, you can go to the Tesco website to browse all of its clothes. If you prefer to shop in person, you could visit a Tesco store with a clothing department.

As part of a university module, Goh used academic papers to inform his experiments and help him figure out a formula for a world record fidget spinner.It has lightweight, hollow aluminium at its core and tungsten around the edges to store kinetic energy and help it spin for longer.”It involves a lot of data collection to come up with 3D models, which I then make in the workshop,” Goh said.”Differential equations have helped me a lot to refine the formula, although there is no actual analytical solution, because technically it’s unsolvable.”He said he now had his sights set on more Guinness World Records.