One area of Cambridgeshire saw fly-tips that cost the taxpayer £65,800 in clean-up costs

Cambridgeshire’s fly-tipping hotspots have been revealed by a new map showing the parts of England with the worst rubbish problems. In the year ending March 2025, local authorities in England dealt with 1.25 million flytipping incidents, a 9% rise on the previous year.

That included 777,000 collections of household waste ranging from bin bags to old furniture and carpets, 7,000 of animal carcasses, 70,000 dumps of commercial waste, and 3,000 involving asbestos.

There were 19,224 separate illegal dumps in Cambridgeshire alone. In our area, fly-tippers dumped more rubbish in Peterborough than anywhere else, with a total of 10,474 separate fly-tipping incidents.

That included 188 large-scale incidents in which at least a tipper lorry-sized load of waste was dumped, costing taxpayers £65,800 in clean-up costs. That’s the equivalent of 29p from the pockets of everyone who lives in Peterborough on large-scale clean-ups alone. Defra has not published the clean-up costs for overall fly-tipping incidents, only the large-scale dumps.

In Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire had the next-largest rubbish problem, with 3,560 illegal dumps, followed by Cambridge with 2,166 fly-tipping incidents. Last year, councils in Cambridgeshire made a total of 9,392 enforcement actions, including issuing 482 fixed penalties and collecting £11,669 in fines.

You can see how badly your area is affected by fly-tipping and how it compares to the rest of England, using our interactive map.

Nearly two thirds of fly-tipping (62%) involved household waste, which ranges from black bags of day-to-day rubbish to old furniture, carpets, and bric-a-brac from loft and shed clearances.

Fly-tipping most commonly occurs on pavements and roads, accounting for more than a third of cases (37%), according to the figures. Almost a third of incidents (31%) were the size of a small van load, while 27% were the equivalent to a car boot or less.

However, 52,000 cases involved an amount of rubbish that was equivalent to a tipper lorry load or more, an 11% increase, costing councils in England £19.26 million to clear up.

In addition to the figures from local authorities, the Environment Agency dealt with 98 incidents of large-scale illegal dumping last year, Defra said. In response, councils issued 572,000 enforcement actions, an 8% increase on the previous year, and 69,000 fixed penalty notices, a 9% rise.

However, the number of court fines fell by 9% to 1,250, and the combined value of those fines dropped from £730,000 to £673,000. Councils also seized 139 vehicles last year.

New guidance has been published by Defra to help councils seize and crush more vehicles used for fly-tipping, or repurpose them for clean-up operations, along with advice on how to take cases to court. Councils are also being urged to name and shame fly-tippers on social media.

Defra Minister Mary Creagh said: “We are empowering local authorities to clamp down on waste cowboys and restore pride in our local areas. I share the public’s fury at seeing our streets, parks and fields used as dumping grounds.

“Fly-tippers should know – if you use your van to trash our countryside, don’t be surprised when it ends up on the scrapheap.”

We’ve found some of the cheapest places to top up your tank in the county

Due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, there have been growing concerns that fuel prices in the UK may surge. To save some pennies, people will look for the cheapest place to try and get petrol or diesel for their car.

At the moment, the average price in the UK for unleaded petrol is 135.96p. For diesel, according to RAC Fuel Watch, it is 147.33p.

Throughout different areas in Cambridgeshire, there will be different prices at different places. We have compiled a list of the cheapest places to buy petrol and diesel in Cambridge, Peterborough, Ely, Huntingdon, and St Neots.

These are the latest figures according to Petrol Prices.

Cambridge

Petrol

1. Esso in London Road (Magpie Garage Murketts of Stapleford) – 138.9p

2. BP in Elizabeth Way – 139.9

3. Esso in Histon Road (MFG City) – 139.9p

4. Sainsbury’s in Coldhams Lane – 139.9p

5. BP in Huntingdon Road, Cambridge – 139.9p

Diesel

1. Esso in London Road (Magpie Garage Murketts of Stapleford) – 146.9p

2. Tesco in Milton -148.9p

3. Tesco at Fulbourn Automat – 148.9p

4. Sainsbury’s in Coldhams Lane – 149.9p

5. Gulf in Station Road at Histon Service Station

Peterborough

Petrol

1. Jet in Lincoln Road (Werrington Service Station) – 131.9P

2. Welcome Break in Peterborough at Kates Cabin Service Station – 132.8P

3. Esso in Padholme Road – 132.9p

4. Morrisons in Peterborough – 132.9p

5. Tesco in Werrington – 132.9p

Diesel

1. Welcome Break in Peterborough at Kates Cabin Service Station -140.8p

2. Tesco in Werrington – 142.9p

3. BP in St Johns Street at Boongate Service Station – 143.9p

4. Morrisons in Peterborough – 143.9p

5. Jet on Lincoln Road – 143.9p

Ely

Petrol

1. Ely Service Station (Low Prices Always Ely) – 130.7p

2. Tesco in Angel Drove – 132.9p

3. Sainsbury’s Ely Automat – 133.9p

4. BP at The Shade in Soham – 137.9p

5. BP in Wisbech Road – 137.9p

Diesel

1. Sainsburys Ely Automat – 144.9p

2. Tesco in Angel Drove – 145.9p

3. Ely Service Station (Low Prices Always Ely) – 146.7p

4. BP in Wisbech Road – 148.9p

5. Essar in Cambridge Road, Ely – 149.9p

Huntingdon

Petrol

1. Tesco Huntingdon Extra in Abbots Ripton Road – 137.9p

2. Texaco at Hemmingford Service Station – 137.9p

3. Shell in Ramsey Road (Shell St Ives) – 137.9p

4. Sainsburys in St Germain Street – 138.9p

5. BP on the A141 – 139.9P

Diesel

1. Tesco Huntingdon Extra in Abbots Ripton Road – 147.9p

2. Sainsburys in St Germain Street – 148.9p

3. Shell in Ramsey Road – 148.9p

4. BP on the A141 – 149.9p

5. Texaco at Hemmingford Service Station – 149.9p

St Neots

Petrol

1. Tesco in Barford Road – 130.9p

2. Esso at St Neots Service Station – 133.9p

3. Shell in Cambridge Street – 133.9p

4. BP in Great North Road – 134.9p

5. Welcome Break Bedford – 136.8p

Diesel

1. Tesco in Barford Road – 143.9p

2. Welcome Break Bedford – 144.8p

3. Esso at St Neots Service Station – 146.9p

4. BP in Great North Road – 146.9p

5. Shell in Cambridge Street – 153.9p

Prices correct at the time of publication.

The nursey works closely with parents to keep them updated on their child’s development.

A nursery in Cambridgeshire has been rated strong in all of the categories assessed by OFSTED. The Day Nursery in Peterborough has been praised for the “very good progress” children make during their time there.

The Day Nursery was inspected by the regulator on Wednesday, January 14, with the positive report published on Monday, March 2. The report said: “Teaching is highly effective across all rooms of the nursery. Staff know the children extremely well. They take the time to help them settle and build loving, trusting relationships from the start. Staff working with babies are highly skilled and trained.”

It continued: “They understand baby development, including the importance of developing and strengthening children’s large and small muscles. They give them space to crawl, climb safely and provide equipment to help them pull themselves up to standing. Staff maintain eye-contact when talking to babies and repeat words to begin building their vocabulary.”

Jade Smith, the Early Years Manager, said: “I would just like to say how incredibly proud I am of our team, we have previously been rated outstanding three times and have remained committed to delivering the highest standards achievable.

“A special mention also needs to go to our nursery owner Lynne Blyth who dedicates her time fighting for the best outcomes for all local nurseries by being involved in local and national Early Years groups and forums.”

As well as developing a good relationship with the children, the report said staff also help them to “develop a secure knowledge of mathematical concepts” by using real life examples and activities. The report added that children are able to follow instructions “very well” and show ‘impressive’ levels of concentration and focus.

Mealtimes are also used to further children’s development with children from the age of two years old serving their own food, according to regulators. The children “highly benefit” from routines at the nursery, including time outdoors and yoga, music, and movement sessions.

On the leadership and governance of the nursery, the report detailed: “Leaders appreciate and value their staff. They monitor practice to help nurture and guide staff’s personal development. Regular supervision sessions consider staff’s wellbeing and identify professional training opportunities.

“Leaders are passionate about continuing professional development opportunities for all staff using tailor-made, customised and bespoke training. This means staff can continually deliver high-quality teaching experiences and constantly build their skills.”

The staff at the Day Nursery also build partnerships with the children’s parents and “gather the essential information about their child to help them settle”, the report said. Many parents have “extremely positively” commented on the information they receive about their children’s daily activities.

RAF Wittering has explained why there may be more activity from the base in the coming days

A Cambridgeshire RAF base has explained why locals may see more aircraft activity over the coming days. RAF Wittering has announced that a major, long-planned RAF homeland defence training is launching this week.

The training is called the Exercise Agile Warrior 26 (AW26). This will mean that people may notice an increase in aircraft movements at RAF Wittering, compared to their usual flying profile.

A spokesperson for RAF Wittering said: “The exercise is designed to rigorously test the RAF’s ability to protect the United Kingdom in an increasingly contested and volatile global security environment and forms a critical step to ensuring the RAF remains ready to ‘fight tonight’ in defence of the nation.”

Personnel will practice rapid dispersal, improvised command-and-control arrangements, base defence, sustainment, and recovery activities. This is to ensure the RAF could continue operating even when under sustained pressure from adversary activity.

RAF Wittering has assured locals that the increase in activity is due to Exercise Agile Warrior 26 (AW26).

A five-year-old boy from Cambridgeshire died after an allergic reaction at school in December 2021. His mother has welcomed new government requirements for mandatory allergy training and adrenaline pens in schools.

A mother, whose five-year-old son tragically passed away following an allergic reaction at school, has expressed her support for new measures aimed at safeguarding children with allergies.

Helen Blythe, whose son Benedict died at Barnack Primary School, near Peterborough, in 2021, said that the new requirements will make it “less likely for other families to go through what we’ve been through”.

The government has unveiled statutory requirements for schools, replacing the previous non-statutory guidance on protecting children with allergies. Under the proposed measures, currently under consultation, schools will be required to provide mandatory allergy awareness training for all staff, keep spare allergy pens on hand for emergencies, and establish comprehensive plans to support children with medical conditions.

These requirements, set to be implemented in September, follow campaigning efforts by the National Allergy Strategy Group and families, including Helen and Peter Blythe. The guidance will stipulate that schools should have individual healthcare plans for pupils with medical conditions.

For instance, a child with epilepsy should have a plan detailing seizure types and emergency procedures. Speaking to the Press Association, Mrs Blythe said: “This is something we’ve campaigned for for a long time as a family. It’s been a hard campaign, both work-wise and emotionally.

“These measures will make it less likely for other families to go through what we’ve been through. And for Benedict his memory will be etched into the history books and into time.

“We’ve always said that his life mattered and his death should matter too. And in this it does, it’s his legacy, and that means a lot.”

The Blythe family have been campaigning for the introduction of Benedict’s Law to mandate allergy safety in schools for four years. The new protections were not in place when Benedict joined his school, Mr and Mrs Blythe said.

Minister for early education Olivia Bailey said: “No parent should have to send their child to school worried that a life-threatening allergic reaction won’t be handled swiftly. We have listened to the families and organisations who have campaigned tirelessly on this issue, and we are acting.

“These new requirements will give parents the confidence that every school has the training, the plans and the equipment in place to keep their child safe.”

Benedict died following accidental exposure to cow’s milk protein at his school. An inquest found the school didn’t follow all the measures in place to prevent the fatal anaphylactic reaction, and that there were risks of contamination and delays in administering an adrenaline pen.

A prevention of future deaths report said initial investigations into Benedict’s death focused on him having eaten a McVitie’s biscuit that he had brought in from home on the day he collapsed. It was later established that the biscuit was not the cause of Benedict’s anaphylactic reaction, and an inquest concluded that he had likely been given cow’s milk protein in his bottle during break time.

In her report, coroner Elizabeth Gray stated that the failure to retain Benedict’s vomit or preserve evidence at the scene meant samples could not be tested, which could have helped to identify what caused Benedict’s reaction at an earlier stage.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the school leaders’ union NAHT, welcomed the new guidance, but emphasised that schools need funding to ensure they have the staffing capacity to fulfil duties and can provide specialist health support where necessary.

He added that some specialist health support, where more complex provision is required, cannot be delegated to school staff even with training, and schools need clarification about what to do in these situations.

He said: “Expecting schools to stock ‘spare’ adrenaline auto-injectors for use in emergency situations appears a sensible step, as is training staff to use them effectively. However, the government need to be confident that there are sufficient stocks maintained across the country to ensure each setting can keep a sufficient share of adrenaline auto-injectors.”

The steam railway experience is a little different from your usual afternoon tea

Mother’s Day is a time to appreciate your mum and is a time to celebrate with family. If you are looking to spoil your mum this year, you might be looking out for a unique experience in Cambridgeshire to make Mother’s Day extra special.

If your mum has a particular interest in vintage trains or just loves an afternoon tea, this experience by the Nene Valley Railway could be the ideal day out for you. The Nene Valley Afternoon Tea will combine “the nostalgia of steam with the elegance of a traditional afternoon tea”.

Guests will board the train at Wansford Station and can settle down in the restored Continental Carriages that you might have seen on the ITV’s Murder on the Orient Express. You can enjoy your afternoon tea at your table while watching the Nene Valley pass you by.

Each booking will be sat at its own table or compartment allowing your family to enjoy the experience together. For the afternoon tea, you can choose either the standard option, which comes with many of the classic sweet and savoury favourites such as finger sandwiches, scones, and a selection of cakes, or a vegetarian option.

In terms of drinks, you can enjoy unlimited tea and coffee from Tea and the Gang throughout your trip. You will also receive a bottle of prosecco for your table.

Nene Valley Railway describes the day trip as a “relaxed and memorable experience”. As a special treat for Mother’s Day, Raw Theatre Productions will have an ABBA tribute band performing on the platform of Wansford Station from 1pm until 4pm.

Guests will be able to enjoy a few hours to music after the train returns to Wansford Station. The train will depart from Wansford Station at 12pm and will return to the same station at around 2pm.

Tickets for the afternoon tea experience cost £125 for a table of two, £180 for a table of three, £230 for a table of four, or £250 for a private compartment for four. Tickets can be booked on the Nene Valley Railway website.

The Wansford Station can be found on Old Great North Road, which is a 16 minute drive away from Peterborough. The station has a free car park for its visitors.

The number of potholes reported this year to date has more than tripled compared to the number reported this time last year

Pothole reports in Peterborough have increased significantly since last year, according to Peterborough City Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment & Transport.

Speaking at the Full Council Budget meeting on Wednesday (February 25), Councillor Angus Ellis (Lab) said 2026 has already been a bad year for drivers across the city.

He said: “This year is worse than last year; up from January last year to where we are today, there were 231 reports. This year, so far, there are 787.”

Cllr Ellis suggested recent harsh weather conditions had been the driving force behind the exponential increase in road surface damage. “The cold weather followed by the extremely wet weather has created perfect conditions for potholes to form,” he said.

The councillor said road maintenance teams were working hard to get on top of the situation. “We have already fixed 2,431 by the end of January,” he said, “but there is more to do.”

Cllr Ellis highlighted how highways maintenance company M Group have deployed their specialist pothole-fixing utility vehicles – known as ‘Dragon Masters’ – to help resolve the issue.

“Since Monday, they have been fixing potholes,” he said, “and they’ve put an extra crew out there to fix potholes during the night.”

No one is allowed to enter the shops apart from emergency services.

Three shops in Peterborough have been closed after concerns were raised about drug dealing and associated anti-social behaviour. A three-month order was issued by Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, February 25.

The Musa store, the Constanta shop, and D1 Barbers, all on Lincoln Road, were closed. The ruling for the stores in Millfield followed an application from the force’s Northern Neighbourhoods Team.

The closure orders state the premises be closed in accordance with the Anti-Social Behaviour and Policing Act 2014. No one is allowed to enter the shops except the emergency services until May 24, 2026.

If anyone is found on the premises unlawfully, they could be arrested. Anyone with information about the order being breached should contact the police via the force website. Anyone without internet can report anything by calling 101.

Sergeant Paul Littlechild said: “Closure orders allow us to target the core issues within the community, and in this instance, it was drug dealing and its associated anti-social behaviour. Through regular patrols, we will ensure this order is adhered to. If you have any information about the order being breached, then please report it to us.”

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 ghost of a former head gardener has also reportedly been seen working in the gardens

A posh hotel in a picturesque Cambridgeshire village is said to be haunted by a former queen. Many sites across Cambridgeshire are bound to be haunted given how old they are – if ghosts exist, of course.

The Haycock Manor Hotel, dating back to the 16th century, is set in the beautiful village of Wansford, near Peterborough. It’s considered one of England’s most haunted coaching inns.

One notable name said to haunt its hall is Mary Queen of Scots, nicknamed ‘Bloody Mary’, as she executed a lot of Protestants. Mary stayed at the Haycock on the way to her execution at the nearby Fotheringhay Castle. Many people have said they have seen her at the hotel, as well as other establishments that she stayed in before her death.

When people have ‘seen’ her, she appears tall and regal, and in Tudor dress. She is also seen carrying a rosary. Also, those who see her have reported feeling sadness and a drop in temperature. People have also said they have heard whispered Scottish prayers from her.

Other figures believed to haunt the hotel include a man named Richard Braithwaite, who has been seen in 17th century clothing. He appears in the older parts of the hotel. In the walled garden, an old man with a gardening trug, believed to be former head gardener, has been seen.

As well as being visited by Mary Queen of Scots, the hotel has been visited by many notable names in its past. It was seen as a desirable location as it was a convenient stop between London and Stamford in Lincolnshire. Another queen who visited the hotel was Queen Elizabeth I.

Over its history, the hotel has changed hands a number of times. Its first innkeeper was noted to be William Hodgson, who died in 1706. It then changed ownership several times before it went over to the Percival family. This family owned it for around 100 years until 1898.

Throughout the 19th century it was run as a successful farm, before it became a private home in 1928. It was changed back into an inn after dairy farmer Charles Allday purchased it. It has been refurbished, mixing the traditional and modern, and is a popular wedding destination.

It will replace a previous swimming pool and fitness centre demolished in 2024

The building of a new swimming pool and fitness centre in Peterborough took a significant step forward at Peterborough City Council’s Budget meeting on Wednesday (February 25).

Councillor Zameer Ali (Lab), Cabinet Member for Communities, Poverty and Public Health, asked them to approve plans that will enable the project to enter the next stages of pre-construction development.

“Planning permission is expected to be submitted in July 2026,” Cllr Ali said. “Subject to approval, preliminary works are anticipated to begin in October 2026, with construction of the building commencing in February 2027.”

“The council remains on track to open the new leisure centre in September 2028,” he added.

The new facility will be the only public indoor swimming pool in Peterborough, replacing the 1970s-era Regional Pool and Fitness Centre on Bishops Road, which was demolished in 2024 due to structural issues.

Along with an eight-lane, 25 metre pool and a 20 metre four-lane learner pool (with moveable floor), the proposed facility will feature poolside and balcony seating, a café, soft play, health and wellbeing suite, community room, and health rooms. A fitness suite with 150 stations and studios would also be included.

Cllr Ali reported more than half of the anticipated costs of the pool have been earmarked via a £20million funding initiative by central government’s Growth Mission Fund, following the submission of a full business case.

“The submission sets a clear and compelling economic and strategic case for investment for the important facility,” Cllr Ali concluded.

Council Leader Cllr Shabina Qayyum (Lab) said she was ‘delighted’. “We’ve reached the stage now where we can genuinely say that a new swimming pool is coming to our city,” she said.

It is believed the preferred location site for the new venue would be close to the old Regional Pool site – with the new Cygnet Bridge set to be built near the proposed entrance. Cllr Qayyum said having a city centre location for this sports facility would be “absolutely brilliant”.

Councillors voted to approve the plans, which will see Alliance Leisure Services Limited (ALS) awarded a contract and budget that will enable it to generate technical designs – known as RIBA 3 and 4 – for the new development.