A family that has worked the same hillside farm for five generations was yesterday forced to hand over their land to an ‘aggressive’ loan company. Mary and Alun Williams, who produce beef and lamb for supermarkets, say their lives have been destroyed after they were tied to crippling interest rates that dragged them into millions of pounds of debt. Llangefni County Court yesterday ruled they would have to hand over the 600-acre Rhyngddwyafon Farm in Snowdonia National Park, North Wales, which the family has farmed for a century. Mary and Alun Williams (pictured), who produce beef and lamb for supermarkets at their 600-acre farm in Snowdonia National Park, North Wales, have ordered by a court to hand over their land to a loan company . Mary Williams, 55, (pictured outside Llangefni County Court following the ruling) said it was 'the worst day of our lives' and claimed the couple had been 'duped by a firm that is asset-stripping farmers of their livelihoods' Last night Mrs Williams, 55, said: ‘It has been absolutely heartbreaking, the worst day of our lives. We have been totally duped by a firm that is asset-stripping farmers of their livelihoods. ‘My family and especially my sons, Iwan and Rhodri, who farm the land, face an uncertain future. I think the fact nothing has been done to stop this company is a national disgrace. ‘I can’t believed we were so stupid as to believe them and trust them.’ The Williams family say they were advised about four years ago to take a short-term commercial bridging loan to cover their mortgage – starting at rates of up to 22 per cent with the understanding a domestic mortgage rate of around 4 per cent would follow. As it did not materialise they took out further bridging loans and saw their £1.24million loan rocket to £3.1million due to fees, interest and other charges. When they were unable to pay, the firm – Somerset-based UK Acorn Finance – started legal action to repossess the farm. Farmers across the UK are being driven to the wall by lenders using lax regulation to seize properties and livelihoods, say MPs, who accused Acorn of ‘reckless, if not fraudulent’ practice. The couple initially took out a short-term commercial bridging loan to cover their mortgage four years ago but saw the amount they had to pay back soar to £3.1million due to additional loans, fees, interest and charges . The family has farmed on the 600-acre estate in North Wales for the last century. Pictured: Three generations of Williams in 1995:  Iwan, the son of Alun (left), with his father Alun (centre), who is the son Robert (right) Dismissing Mrs Williams’ application for permission to appeal against the forfeiture of the farm, Mr Justice Guy Newey said: ‘I haven’t been persuaded an appeal would have a real prospect of success. 'I appreciate the thoroughly unenviable position Mrs Williams and her family find themselves and I very much sympathise with them.’ As commercial lending is unregulated, most of Acorn’s activities are not overseen by the Financial Conduct Authority. Elfyn Llwyd, a Plaid Cymru MP and barrister, said Acorn and associated companies had exploited farmers for more than two decades in what he called ‘one of the worst scandals’ he had seen. Dozens of farmers have complained to Avon and Somerset Police, saying they were victims of an organised sting with conspiring lenders, brokers and solicitors. Mrs Williams (pictured right on the farm in 2007) said: 'I can’t believed we were so stupid as to believe and trust them' after being dragged into debt by the loans. Pictured left: Her husband Alun working on the farm in 1986 . The couple said their lives have been destroyed by the crippling interest rates that dragged them into  debt . In response to complaints it had not tackled Acorn, the force said it accepted the lender was ‘aggressive and unpleasant’ and had caused significant distress. It said the firm exploits a ‘loophole’ and called for tighter regulation. Now the Financial Conduct Authority, the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Government are scrutinising Acorn’s activities. Outside court, the firm said: ‘UK Acorn Finance has repeatedly invited Mrs Williams to enter into a constructive dialogue with it to achieve the repayment of her loans but Mrs Williams has chosen not to take up those invitations. 'That has left UK Acorn Finance with no option other than the enforcement of its loan security.’

Mary and Alun Williams forced to hand over their beloved farm to loan firm . Couple fell into millions of pounds of debt after taking out commercial loan . Debt soared to £3.1m due to fees and interest which they could not re-pay . Court ruled they should give up farm, which has been in family for century .

 by a £4m interest bill. They claim their family farm has been […]
A new film has revealed the plight of more than 100 farmers who have taken their own lives because of the debts they have run up trying to run their businesses. The Silent Suicide follows the stories of farmers from three different countries, Australia, South Africa and Wales, who have gone to the extreme to take their own lives. The film was produced by an award-winning documentary producer, Richard […]
A small herd of cattle has been released at the foot of Ben Rinnes to help graziers get access to one of the key habitats in the countryside for endangered butterflies. Scottish Borders Council and the National Park’s team have undertaken a three-year plan of management to tackle scrub on the 5,200 hectare (13,200 acre) Ben Rinnes which overlooks St Abbs, with support from the […]
A rural economy worth £25.3 billion and supporting 130,000 jobs is being put on the line by Tory plans to sell our land to the highest bidder, a group of farming leaders has warned. Campaigners are calling on supporters to join forces in a drive to protect the industry from the Government’s “shocking proposals” and urge the public to sign a petition […]
As many as 100 farmworkers are feared dead after a boat they were travelling in with 150 passengers capsized on a river in central Vietnam, officials said yesterday. The boat was carrying more than 100 people when it overturned early yesterday, a local official said. Many were unable to escape from the river in the central province of Quang Nam.
Farming leaders have backed calls for ministers to give dairy cows at the heart of Britain’s red meat trade a special legal status. UK dairy farmers are to be consulted over a European proposal to grant “traditional” or “protected” status to red meat. The plan would be aimed at safeguarding livestock such as the British Isles’ iconic Galloway breed, which is a cross between a British […]
Farmers have warned they could take direct action to stop work to improve a railway line passing through their fields. Members of the Railway Action Group say they will walk on to the tracks to oppose Network Rail plans to renew 10 miles of tracks between Newbury and Andover in Berkshire. The line passes through the farm of 65-year-old Brian […]
Farmers have lost the legal challenge which could have meant thousands of them joining a


Residents who were expecting an ‘upmarket store’ to set up shop in their leafy village have been left furious after discovering that discount chain Netto is moving in. Villagers in historic Lymm in Cheshire, who were promised a luxury supermarket as part of a new retail development, had believed a high-end chain such as Waitrose or M&S might be opening its doors. But after keeping the villagers guessing for almost ten months as to the identity of the store, it emerged that the Danish discount chain, famed for its value goods, would be moving on to the site. Historic: Residents of the village of Lymm, Cheshire, pictured, were promised a 'high quality' supermarket . High hopes: Villagers expected an upmarket supermarket such as Waitrose, M&S or Booths to move in . Disappointed: It emerged developers had leased the site to Danish discount chain Netto (file image) The announcement was met with outrage by residents of the picturesque village, who set up a petition demanding their council oppose the move. Rob Jones, who has spearheaded the campaign against the discount store, said: ‘The development was described to residents as an upmarket supermarket and that the client wanted to remain anonymous until a later stage. ‘The applicant it would appear is Netto – not a high-end supermarket as promised.’ The plans for the new food store had originally been unveiled last May by the developers, The Brookhouse Group, which boasted of an ‘upmarket store’ creating 35 jobs with parking space for 57 cars. A public exhibition was also held detailing artists’ impressions. Planning permission was approved but the identity of the retail chain was still kept under wraps. However, last week residents discovered they were not getting the supermarket they hoped for, after Netto bosses applied for an operating and liquor licence to the Labour-run Warrington Council. Netto is a Danish discount supermarket which traded in the UK under its own name until it was bought out by Asda in 2010. It launched its first ‘new look’ store in Leeds last year, in a joint venture with Sainsbury’s, promising ‘the best of the low-price discount model with a unique Scandinavian twist’. New development: An artists' impression of the new supermarket site, where the brand is not revealed . Netto is a Danish discount supermarket which traded in the UK under its own name until it was bought out by ASDA in 2010 before returning in November 2014 in a joint venture with Sainsbury's. Its first 'new look' store was launched in Leeds last November, promising customers 'the best of the low-price discount model with a unique Scandinavian twist'. Stores offer shoppers more than 2,000 products, according to an online statement. Each week, Netto highlights special limited-edition 'Spot Deals' - which have included two sirloin steaks for £3.69 and Andolini Proscecco for £5.50 a bottle - on both food and non-food items. In addition to its own branded products, Netto stocks '100 of the most popular brands that people expect to buy in their weekly shop'. In a statement released in November, the company said that 15 stores would be launched over the coming year. The supermarket in Lymm is expected to open later this year. Lymm resident Colin Fuller said locals were ‘hoodwinked’ and called for a public inquiry. He said: ‘They very clearly led us to believe it would be a high-end supermarket. We have been misled and conned.’ Conservative Councillor Sheila Woodyatt said: ‘I am not happy as I would have preferred something more upmarket. I just hoped it would be Waitrose or Booths. ‘I know it makes me sound like a terrible snob.’ Almost 200 people have now signed a petition against the store, which is due to open later this year. The historic village, where the average house price is nearly £300,000, is home to a number of high-profile residents including Coronation Street star Chris Bisson and football legend Sir Bobby Charlton. Lib Dem councillor Ian Marks said: ‘There is a clear impression that high quality meant an upmarket store – therefore the belief was that it would be a Booths, M&S or Waitrose. Netto is not what people expected.’ A spokesman for Warrington Council said ‘no final recommendation has been made’. A Netto spokeman said they would ‘surprise our new customers in Lymm’. He added: ‘We’re confident we’ll replicate the success we’ve seen at our other UK sites.’ Charming: The leafy Cheshire village of Lymm, where an average house costs nearly £300,000 .

Residents of Lymm, Cheshire, were promised a new 'high quality' store . They had hoped for high-end food retailers Waitrose, M&S or Booths . But yesterday it emerged developers had leased site to discounter Netto . The Danish supermarket offers weekly 'Spot Deals' like Prosecco for £5.50 .

 with designer goods and a drive-through fish and chip shop, have been fuming after discovering that the discount chain Netto will move in to the former Co-op store.
The town’s residents, who were told that the new supermarket would bring a ‘real injection of money’ to the area, were shocked to discover that it was a budget outlet for Aldi.
According to Lymm’s town council, Aldi and Netto have taken over the site that is in the Conservation area of the Cheshire town which was bought by Cheshire East council for £3.25m in 2017.
Cllr Martin Hunt said: “The general feeling was very disappointed.
“Most of the residents who responded to the consultation said they would prefer a Waitrose or Sainsbury’s.
“But they never said Netto. There is still a feeling of unhappiness.
“Aldi have gone to the council and offered a couple of changes to their plans, but those changes are pretty minor.
“It is not the right shop to come to Lymm.
“It could still be a major investment, but not for Aldi. We want it to be a Waitrose.
“The people of Lymm do not just want a discount store.”
The town’s traders are also unhappy about the move and will now launch a campaign to keep the area ‘vibrant and independent’.
John Brown, a long-serving member of the town’s community, said: “It could be a really negative thing for Lymm if the independent traders start to lose business.
“The traders have been here since the start of World War Two and this could mean their livelihoods.
“Aldi could make it very difficult for other businesses like the butcher, greengrocer, newsagents and post office.
“The town has already suffered with the big supermarkets, but now Aldi would be very difficult to compete with.”
Local councillors have previously said that the area would benefit from the new supermarket but this was before the plans for a Waitrose and Marks and Spencer were revealed.
Councillor Hunt added: “The town would have been much better off with Aldi. It is a blow.”
According to the council, Aldi will be taking on five out of the seven workers from the old Co-op store who are now out of a job.
Cllr Hunt said:


David Cameron will not be able to continue as Tory leader until 2020, Iain Duncan Smith warned today as speculation over the Prime Minister's future mounted. Last week Mr Cameron vowed to serve 'every day' of a second term if he is re-elected on May 7, right up to the next election at the end of the decade. But Mr Duncan Smith, himself a former leader, today insisted that Mr Cameron will have to stand before that to allow time for his successor to be chosen. Scroll down for video . Iain Duncan Smith, himself a former leader, today insisted that Mr Cameron will have to stand before that to allow time for his successor to be chosen . Mr Cameron stunned the Tory party with his dramatic revelation that he would not seek a third term. The remarks triggered the start of an unofficial Tory leadership race, after he also tipped Boris Johnson, George Osborne and Theresa May as potential successors. The Tory leader joked: 'Terms are like shredded wheat : two are wonderful but three might just be too many.' The admission, in an interview with the BBC, caused dismay in large parts of the Tory party because it distracted from the party's core election message on the economy, and over-shadowed last week's news that inflation had fallen to zero per cent. Mr Cameron defended his remarks, insisting he was 'just giving an honest answer to an honest question'. Challenged on the Sky News/Channel 4 election debate, he insisted: 'If you vote Conservative I've said I will serve every day of a full second term.' But at the very least he would need to stand aside several months before May 2020 to give his successor time to prepare for the general election. There has been speculation that Mr Cameron could quit after his promised 2017 referendum on leaving the EU, whatever the outcome. Mr Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show the PM would choose the timing of his departure and he would be 'sorry to see him go'. David Cameron has revealed he will not seek a third term if he wins the next election on May 7 . Mr Cameron backed Boris Johnson, Theresa May and George Osborne as potential successors when he quits as Tory leader . Asked if Mr Cameron has to 'stand down at some point during the next Parliament' in order to allow a successor to be in place for the election, Mr Duncan Smith said: 'He does. But I have huge faith in the Prime Minister. I think, given the nature of the terrible circumstances we inherited, under his leadership he's turned the economy around and taken some tough decisions. 'He will do what he says, which is he will serve what essentially is a full term. Of course, there will be a competition at some point, but I have to tell you that will be a competition on the back of a successful Prime Minister doing something that most prime ministers have never done before - saying 'I know when it's time to go'. 'You've had to literally rap the knuckles of people like Gordon Brown and previous prime ministers to get them to think of going. He is actually very keen to say 'There is a limit. There's an amount of time a prime minister should serve before they get stale.' And he is right about that.' In the BBC interview when the Tory leader announced his plans to stand down, Samantha Cameron made a rare appearance on screen to endorse her husband as the right man to lead the country . Mr Duncan Smith was Tory leader from 2001 to 2003, when he was forced out in a vote of no confidence. He said it was 'a different world' then, as the prime minister was at that point able to select the date of the election and it was 'very difficult to say what a full term was'. The Fixed-Term Parliaments Act had allowed prime ministers to plan ahead with certainty about how long their term might be, he said. Mr Duncan Smith refused to be drawn on the identity of possible successors, but suggested that it would be someone who is already in the public eye. 'I don't think that you're going to have in any shape or form a brand-new leader that the country has never seen, because all the people that might want to stand for that will have been up in the public sphere for some time,' he said. 'I'm not going to name names. I know that those who want to throw their hat in the ring will throw it very hard and those that don't will think about it.'

David Cameron stunned Tory party by ruling out seeking a third term . Insisted he will serve 'every day' up to 2020 if he is re-elected on May 7 . But Iain Duncan Smith says he will have to stand down earlier . PM tipped Boris Johnson, George Osborne and Theresa May as leaders .

won - but Mr Duncan Smith insisted the country would not have to wait another five years. He said: 'I am sure the country needs a new leader. 'It doesn’t take five years to learn how to be a Conservative party leader.' The former Tory leader urged Mr Cameron to step down by the Autumn. He went on to back the Prime Minister to fight another general election immediately. Asked if a ballot had to be held before Mr Cameron stood down, Mr Duncan Smith added: 'Yes, because of the timing. 'You’ve got to have a new leader before you go for a general election.' He also hit out at Mr Cameron's failure to cut public spending at a time when the country can afford the cuts. He told ITV News: 'I think it is a pity he did not. There is no doubt there is money to be saved. 'You have got to take money off government. You take money off the public sector so you can invest it in the private sector.' Mr Duncan Smith added: 'The money is there. He (Mr Cameron) has gone on this ‘oh, let’s wait until the economy recovers’, which it won’t. 'There is a whole generation of young people who need jobs. We’ve got to look at our whole economic policy.' He went on: 'I think we’ve got to have a radical rethink of Britain’s future.' 'We have got to get the deficit down. We have to have a much more vibrant economy. This is a huge challenge. 'If you are not prepared for that, if you are not prepared to work towards that, then you should go. 'There will be plenty of people around who are prepared to do that.' Mr Duncan Smith also gave his backing to the Government’s controversial welfare reform bill, which aims to reduce unemployment benefits and make work pay. He said the public was angry about the 'bogus' figures used by Labour to convince voters to back the controversial policy. He said: 'I think it is really important, given the number of people on benefits – and I think there is a majority in public opinion. 'The public are angry about the falsehood that have been used by the Labour party to suggest people have been scroungers, scrounging for money. 'They have been genuine claimants – they have been genuine people who have gone and tried to


Sebastian Vettel paid an emotional homage to Michael Schumacher for providing the inspiration for his maiden victory with Ferrari. Four-times world champion Vettel was highly emotional as he stood on top of the podium after taking the chequered flag in the Malaysian Grand Prix in only his second race with the Maranello marque. Not since Schumacher's last triumph with the Scuderia at the Chinese Grand Prix in 2006 have the German and Italian national anthems been played back to back to hail such a combined Ferrari success. Sebastian Vettel (centre) jumps for joy after his impressive Malaysian Grand Prix win with Ferrari on Sunday . Vettel (centre) holds up his trophy as Lewis Hamilton (second left) and Nico Rosberg (second right) applaud . Vettel revealed it was former Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher who inspired his skillful win in Malaysia . For Vettel, it was the realisation of 'a dream' sparked by his hero Schumacher who won five of his seven titles with Ferrari, but who suffered life-changing injuries following a skiing accident 15 months ago. 'The team has been phenomenal, welcoming me the first day,' recalled Vettel. 'I remember when the gate opened in Maranello it was like a dream coming true. 'I remember the last time I was there was as a young kid watching Michael over the fence driving around in the Ferrari, and now I'm driving that very red car. It's incredible. 'Of course, when I grew up Michael was my hero, and for all of us - and I speak for all of the kids at the go-kart track at the time in Germany - we looked up to him. 'When he turned up every year, and to look after us a little bit, it made our lives. 'So that's why I think...I probably don't understand yet how special it is. Very, very emotional.' Vettel's win was no fluke, beating Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in a straight fight as he made good use of better tyre wear in the 30 degree heat at the Sepang International Circuit. Schumacher (right) celebrates winning the Malaysian Grand Prix with team-mate Rubens Barrichello in 2000 . Following Mercedes' domination last season, when only technical woes denied them victories in all but three of the 19 races, and after an easy win in the season-opening event in Australia, this defeat came as a surprise to reigning champion Hamilton. 'Huge congratulations to Seb and Ferrari,' said Hamilton, who finished 8.5secs adrift of Vettel at the end of the 56 laps. 'You have to hand it to them - I wasn't expecting them to be as quick as they were. They had some serious pace and deserved the win.' Rosberg, meanwhile, was left chewing on his words as a fortnight ago after the race in Australia he had called on Ferrari to give them a fight. It was a case of 'be careful what you wish for', with an unhappy Rosberg stating: 'Ferrari did an awesome job and deserved to win. Vetel crosses the finishing line and gives the fistpump as Ferrari team members celebrate at trackside . Ferrari's Vettel in front ahead of German compatriot Rosberg, of Mercedes, during the Malaysian Grand Prix . Four-time world champion Vettel on his way to a comfortable victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday . F1 stats provided by F1 Stat Blog . 'We'll be back next race. All I can say now, on behalf of our team is: game on, Ferrari!' Kimi Raikkonen could arguably have joined team-mate Vettel in the top three but for a lap-one puncture as the Finn finished fourth. Behind Williams duo Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa in fifth and sixth, Max Verstappen created Formula One history by becoming the youngest to score points at the age of 17 years 180 days by claiming seventh in his Toro Rosso. Ferrari's Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen makes his way back to the pits with a blown out tyre . As for Fernando Alonso, what must he be thinking after quitting Ferrari last year to join struggling McLaren as in his first race for the team he retired after 21 laps with an ERS cooling problem. Team-mate Jenson Button retired 21 laps later with a turbo issue, leaving neither of the team's cars classified for the first time since the 2006 United States Grand Prix. Although three laps down, Manor's Roberto Merhi saw the flag, a triumph for the team who unfortunately had to withdraw Will Stevens ahead of the race after failing to fix a fuel pressure problem.

Sebastian Vettel revealed Michael Schumacher was the inspiration for win . The four-time world champion described his compatriot as his 'hero' Formula 1 legend Schumacher won five of seven world titles with Ferrari . Vettel finished 8.5secs ahead of current world champion Lewis Hamilton in Kuala Lumpur . CLICK HERE for all the latest F1 news .

 Eifel mountains of Germany following a gruelling duel with Kimi Raikkonen in the rain-hit German Grand Prix on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters, a visibly emotional Vettel said he was overjoyed to win a race at the Nuerburgring circuit for the first time to give his team, the sport's only manufacturer which has dominated the last decade, a morale boost after a season of crisis with Ferrari. "I'm very, very happy," the 26-year-old Vettel told reporters. "It's very special to get this victory here at Ferrari and Michael."
"After the last few races, I think we just needed to give them something back," added the German, who finished the race with a lead of 10 seconds ahead of Lotus's Kimi Raikkonen. "They put their trust in me and I'm very happy to give it back." Vettel took control of the race after the Safety Car went out after six laps when Romain Grosjean crashed his Lotus as he approached the pits for his scheduled tyre change at 10 minutes 12 seconds. Raikkonen stayed out on worn tyres, with Red Bull's Mark Webber also staying out for a lap to move into third.
Vettel pounced on the situation and pounced on the first bend after the restart as a mistake by Kimi Raikkonen opened the door for his win. "I was a little surprised that I had got that big gap, but luckily it was very much my day," said Vettel. "It's very special to win at Ferrari. There's a lot of history here and it's not an easy place to win, especially without KERS. It's great for us and we'll take these emotions with us for the next races."
Ferrari's woes, which have seen Kimi Raikkonen's championship hopes evaporate and Fernando Alonso struggling to keep pace with Red Bull and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, saw them slump to their fourth consecutive defeat this season -- their worst streak for six years. "I think we need to see the data from the crash," said Raikkonen. "He probably got a bit more of an advantage and he was able to accelerate a bit earlier out of the 130R (curves) and then he was just stronger. The whole thing was pretty much done in two corners


Stuart Lancaster is refusing to 'dream' of seeing his England team crowned RBS 6 Nations champions for the first time on Saturday night. The Red Rose have been installed as favourites to replace Ireland as champions on a climatic final round that will conclude with France visiting Twickenham, yet they could finish as low as fourth in the table. Ireland and Wales are also in the hunt with the staggered kick-offs - starting in Rome at 12.30pm and concluding when England take the field at 5pm - ensuring a nerve-jangling afternoon awaits. England coach Stuart Lancaster watches from the stands as his side beat Scotland at Twickenham . England skipper Chris Robshaw could get his hands on the Six Nations trophy after lifting the Calcutta Cup . For a third successive year the title is set to be decided by points difference with England's cushion over the Irish of plus four placing them in pole position, although they arguably have the toughest fixture, even allowing for France's dismal record at Twickenham. Lancaster is desperate to lift the first piece of major silverware of his reign but having finished runners-up for the last three years, the head coach is acutely aware of how best laid plans can be foiled. 'To win at Twickenham would mean a huge amount, - for the players and the fans,' he said. Danny Cipriani passes the ball during England's training session at Pennyhill Park . England's George Ford in action during the team's practice session in Bagshot on Monday . Richard Wigglesworth passes the ball as the team practice at their headquarters in Bagshot . Henry Slade runs with the ball during England's practice session at their Pennyhill Park base . England coach Lancaster oversees his team's training session on Monday in Surrey . 'I know how much hard work people have put in and also how much it hurt to come second for three years in a row. 'But you can't start thinking about things like that until you get the detail of the game right. We've got a huge challenge coming our way from France. 'They're a high quality team - very big and physical. As they showed last year when they played Ireland, they played right through for the full 80 in that last game even though they couldn't win the Championship. 'It could still be the case they have something to play for, so we won't start dreaming yet, we'll get our detail right.' England stepped up their preparations for their final RBS 6 Nations clash with France . England coach Lancaster addresses the media at the Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot . Calum Clark tries to tackle Dave Attwood during England's training session on Monday . England forward Courtney Lawes speaks at a press conference on Monday in Bagshot . England head into the final weekend of the Six Nations atop the table on points difference . The schedule has presented England with the significant advantage of knowing exactly what their target will be against France when the last game of the 2015 Six Nations kicks off. Lancaster will inform his players of the results of Wales' clash with Italy in Rome and Ireland's match against Scotland at Murrayfield, but insists their over-riding ambition on must be to secure victory rather than chase a score. 'There are lots of hypotheticals. You don't know how the other two games will play out. Clearly we'll know the outcome before we start, which is an advantage on last year,' he said. 'We were in a similar position going into the Italy game last year when we knew points difference would decide it. The challenge for us was to score as many points as we could. England players Dan Cole (left), Marler (centre) and the Youngs brothers pose with the Calcutta Cup . Jack Nowell scored England's late try which put them top of the Six Nations standings on points difference . 'The emphasis on Saturday will be the same as that day - to get the performance right first and foremost. 'It's impossible to insulate the players from the results of the previous games because 82,000 people are shouting it at them when they run on to the field. 'But the critical thing is to ensure the players are all completely focussed on their own preparations leading into the game. 'By the time the Ireland game finishes we'll know what the objective is and will feed that through to the key decision-makers. 'Everyone else should be concentrating on their job to get a win for the team.'

Stuart Lancaster's side beat Scotland 25-13 at Twickenham last Saturday . England, Ireland and Wales can all win the Six Nations title on Saturday . Lancaster's host France at Twickeham in hope of winning the title .

 see the second-placed Scots also take on France.
But Lancaster was keen to downplay his team's chances of ending Ireland's stranglehold on the tournament this weekend.
The England boss has promised a "very different type" of game against the Scots and is adamant the team's confidence has been restored ahead of another clash with Scotland. "The mood is good and there's a lot of confidence," Lancaster told PA yesterday. "We need to back that up and make sure we keep that confidence but we still know we're playing against a team that's won the last two championships.
"We're trying to do something special in the competition and I've said to the boys that it's a big occasion and they have to enjoy it but we're just trying to build a good foundation and get that winning habit under our belts.
"We've not had that since we won the last title in 2006 and we're trying to build a group who've not done it before so we have to learn and I think we've done that over the past few years."
Scotland face Wales at Murrayfield tomorrow with England's fate in their own hands on the final round of the competition - a fact Lancaster was keen to point out to his players when discussing potential permutations with his squad during the week.
"There have been lots of conversations around what can happen.
"Every team is capable of going through the pool matches unbeaten [like France] or losing two games, so that's something we know. But we can't affect what happens around us and we know that, we just need to focus on getting that right for ourselves.
"We just need to give ourselves the best chance on Saturday night and that can be achieved by focusing on playing well."
With England sitting pretty at the top of the group - and with Wales set to play each of the other home nations - it has been suggested England's destiny is in their own hands. But Lancaster was careful not to play up the likelihood of his side taking home the Six Nations trophy in just 11 days' time.
"We still need to play well and we still need to do enough against Scotland," he said. "We can't really dream. When you're winning you're more likely to dream of winning than you are when you're losing."
The fact England will face a


British Athletics performance director Neil Black has challenged his horde of young athletes to make names for themselves at the European Indoor Championships. A host of Great Britain's rising track stars, who make up the majority of a largely inexperienced team, carry medal hopes into the event, which gets under way at Prague's O2 Arena on Friday. Britain's 60 metres challenge is spearheaded by 21-year-old Chijindu Ujah on the men's side and 19-year-old Dina Asher-Smith on the women's, while the likes of Seren Bundy-Davies, 20, goes into her first major championships as European number one over 400m. Great Britain's 60 metres challenge is spearheaded by 21-year-old Chijindu Ujah in Prague . Katarina Johnson-Thompson is the most high-profile athlete in the team aged just 22-years-old . Katarina Johnson-Thompson, the most high-profile athlete in the team, is only 22 and, fired up by last year's injury frustrations, chasing her first major title in the pentathlon. Thirty-one of the 37 strong team are 25 or under and, in the absence of big names like Mo Farah, Greg Rutherford or James Dasaolu, Black is keen to see them handle the weight of expectation. 'We want to see people who cope with the circumstances, apply themselves well, perform well and out of that come medals, great performances, finalists and personal bests,' he said. 'We are really optimistic we can perform well. Seren Bundy Davies, Lawrence Clarke, Neil Black and Chijindu Ujah at a Prague 2015 press conference . 'For those for whom this is a critical competition to get the experience to demonstrate their progression, it's the biggest thing they've ever done. 'There's a real buzz within the team. It's great to have that combination of young people joining and feeling really good about it.' Sprint hurdler and team captain Lawrence Clarke, who finished fourth at London 2012 and one the most experienced members of the squad at 24, backed his young compatriots to thrive on the big stage. Team captain Clarke has backed his young compatriots to thrive on the big stage in Prague . 'These guys here are putting pressure on everyone else around them,,' the Old Etonian said. 'They know everyone whose there is going to be thinking, 'What are these guys capable of?' They are European leaders, they are some of the best in the world, give them the opportunity.' Britain won 23 medals, including 12 golds, at last summer's European Championships outdoors, their best ever return. Black admitted it was important to keep the momentum going, with the World Championships in Beijing coming up this summer and the Rio OIympics the following year. But he refused to be drawn on whether his team could eclipse their best haul from a European Indoors, 10 medals and four golds from Birmingham in 2007. Clarke and Black attend Great Britain & Northern Ireland press conference ahead of the 2015  Championships . 'It would be pretty weird if we weren't here seriously competing with a view to doing well,' he said. 'We expect to perform well and I think it is important because we all thrive on doing well. We all enjoy it, feel more confident and generally seem to perform better from doing well, so I think it's important to keep that going. 'But I am not relating it to the past. I want to think more about here and now, and the future. I am interested about what these guys do and what they will go on and do in the future.'

Great Britain are taking a horde of rising track stars to compete in Prague . British Athletics performance director Neil Black has high hopes for them . Big name competitors Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford are missing . The Championships get underway at Prague's 02 Arena on Friday .

 to Nuremberg, where the championships begin on Friday.
The championships will be a crucial part of the build-up towards the World Championships in August, when Britain's teenage talent will be expected to provide gold medal-winning ammunition for Black's talented group of sprinters.
The GB-based trio of 18-year-olds Adam Gemili, the 100m champion at last year's World Youth Championships, and Dwain Chambers, 28, the former drug cheat who made the same final in the Spanish capital, will lead the charge.
After impressing Black with their early season performances, Chambers and Gemili are expected to lead the way for Great Britain and Northern Ireland as they seek to defend their 4x100m title on Sunday. The European Indoor 4x100m title will prove the last major championship until the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro as London 2012 approaches.
"The two main things we want them to do – we've got some very talented young sprinters and the European Championships is the perfect stage for them," Black said. "We've got the European juniors, we've got the world juniors in Serbia in August, and the Olympics next year – so, for me, that's the key event for them."
The GB seniors, many of whom are competing at their third major championships in the indoor season, will also be chasing honours in the shape of the high jump, long jump, triple jump and 800m, in which Andy Baddeley is hoping to regain the European title he won in Paris in 2009.
Baddeley, 29, won world indoor silver in Doha last year but finished 11th in Moscow last weekend.
"We know that Adam and Dwain, with another year, can go out and be the best in Europe," Black said. "We're expecting a little bit more out of Andy [as] he is in great shape and he feels great. He just needs that break."
While the likes of Perri Shakes-Drayton and Christine Ohuruogu have been drafted into the team as back-up to the more experienced athletes, other young stars such as Emma Jackson and Jack Green could make the step up to senior competition, while Hannah England is competing for Great Britain in the women's 400m as a 17-year-old.
The championships get underway on Friday,


Ahizya Osceola's body was discovered in an obscure location inside the home late Thursday night (above Ahizya, three, pictured above) The body of a missing three-year-old boy was found  inside his Florida family home where he lived with his father, step mother and two siblings. Ahizya Osceola's body was discovered in an 'obscure location' inside the home late Thursday night, according to Hollywood Police Chief Frank Fernandez. Authorities had been searching for the boy since he was reported missing on Thursday at approximately 11.48am. The search ended tragically Thursday night about 12 hours later when the body was discovered, and police announced on Friday around 5.40am, that the public's help was no longer needed. Chief Fernandez would not give further details on whether the child's body had possibly been hidden in this 'obscure location' or if he died accidentally while hiding there, according to the Sun-Sentinel. However, he said on Friday morning during a press conference that a criminal investigation was ongoing. It was also announced that the young child's body was being processed by Broward Medical Examiner's Office. Authorities had been searching for the boy since he was reported missing Thursday at approximately 11.48am (above Hollywood police gather in front of the home where Ahizya was found on March 20) Once his Ahizya's is released, he will be buried at the Big Cypress Seminole Indian reservation - the child's parents, Nelson Osceola and Karen Cypress are members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Nelson, 24, told authorities he had last seen his son at 4am on Thursday when he went to check on his eight-month-old daughter at the home located on Johnson Street. He  said his wife, who has not been identified, was awake and the boy was still sleeping when he left home at 7.30am. He was in contact with his wife for a couple of more hours that morning before she fell back asleep with the baby, and woke up realizing he had disappeared. She told Osceola that Ahizya was missing through a text message. Karen made an emotional plea to the public on Thursday after her son was reported missing. Chief Frank Fernandez (above speaking during a press conference) would not elaborate about whether the child's body had possibly been hidden in this 'obscure location' or if he died accidentally while hiding there, however he said on Friday morning that a criminal investigation was ongoing . The search ended tragically on Friday around 5.40am, and police said the child's parents have been cooperating with the investigation (above scenes from the home on Friday morning) She said the child was her 'heart' and 'life' and that she 'just wanted him home'. Police said they had a two to three square-mile area where they went door-to-door and to each house, exhausting every effort possible, while also having volunteers come together to pray for the safe recovery of Ahizya. Dogs were also sent out tracking the scent of the child during the search. Police said the child's parents have been cooperating with the investigation, and it was not revealed whether there were suspects or if charges had been filed in relation to the incident. Nelson Osceola told authorities he had seen his son at 4am when he went to check on his eight-month-old daughter. He said his wife, who has not been identified, was awake and the boy was still sleeping when he left home Thursday at 7.30am . It was not mentioned if there are any suspects or if charges had been filed in relation to the incident (above a map of the location of the home Ahizya was found in)

Ahizya Osceola was reported missing on Thursday morning and his body was discovered late Thursday night inside the home of his father, Nelson . Police called off search on Friday at 5.40am and a criminal investigation is ongoing; boy's body is also being processed by medical examiner's office . Hollywood Police Chief Frank Fernandez did not give further details concerning the discovery of Ahizya's body or if he had experienced trauma .

 home hours after he was reported missing on Thursday (below)
Ahizya Osceola has been discovered dead less than a day after he was reported missing.
The three-year-old was found inside a residence in Okahumpka, 40 miles southwest of Orlando, around 10pm yesterday (Thursday).
His body was found in a location inside the home, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office Major Case manager, Lieutenant Scott Kowalski, told The Orlando Sentinel.
The office did not specify where in the house it was found.
Kowalski said that the death was ‘suspicious’.
The identity of the person whose house the child was found in has not yet been made public.
The mother of Ahizya, 30-year-old Shana Osceola, has been detained by sheriff’s office officials and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child.
Deputies responded to the home around 7.30pm on Thursday after being called by a neighbor who claimed to have overheard a child in distress.
Deputies discovered the body of Ahizya.
The death is still under investigation.
The office has not confirmed whether or not the child was shot, killed, or succumbed to some other form of natural death.
It is unclear whether or not Shana Osceola is cooperating with the authorities’ investigation, or what other charges she may be facing if she is found responsible for Ahizya’s death.
Osceola was booked on Friday morning, and remains in custody without bail.
Kowalski stated that investigators are currently interviewing possible witnesses in the case.
Ahizya’s body was recovered and autopsy is in process. No suspect has been arrested so far in connection with the case.
It was not immediately clear if Osceola has any ties to a specific law enforcement agency or branch.
Sheriff’s office major case investigators continue to investigate and seek information. If anyone has any information, they are asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (352) 369-7000.
If anyone has any information, they are asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (352) 369-7000.
‘I can confirm that we have a missing 3-year-old, Ahizya Osceola. We are searching for him and looking for leads. No arrests have been made,’ the office tweeted.
At


What do you do when you are in some of the world's most beautiful locations, and your wife doesn't want a photo. One husband found a novel way to overcome the problem, but using a teddy bear instead. Amateur photographer Christian Kneidinger has taken extensive holiday snaps of his bear in more than 21 breathtaking destinations. Photographer Christian Kneidinger has travelled to some of the most beautiful locations in the world, but his camera-shy wife was not keen to make the family album...luckily he had his teddy to step in . Globetrotting bear: Kneidinger's bear pictured propped up against a block of ice next to glacier lake in Iceland . Blending in! The sandy coloured bear posing next to the Rochester Falls in Mauritius . The album was put together after wife Ranati, 51, refused to be featured in any holiday snaps, but the couple still wanted a personal touch on the landscape pictures . The bear has posed on volcanic rock in Iceland, sat at the base of a stunning waterfall in Mauritius, and sunbathed on the beaches of Dubai. The Austrian father-of-two said said: 'Photography is my passion and I was keen to capture these moments of stunning natural beauty. 'I asked my wife to be in the pictures but she wouldn't do it so I decided to do it with 'Teddy' instead.' Instead of wife Ranati in his holiday photo albums, his golden bear is pride of place. The landscapes captured are visually stunning, but adding his teddy has given a personal touch to the places Christian, 51, has travelled to. The photographs include the teddy donning a bandana on a beach in Dubai, with the iconic Burj al Arab hotel in the background. Amateur photographer Kneidinger has positioned Teddy in some of the most beautiful locations on earth from glaciers to mountain tops . In paradise! Teddy pictured in Svartifoss in Skaftafell national park, Iceland. The Austrian now has a collection of Teddy in 21 beautiful spots . Watch your step! The father-of-two could not resist placing the bear in a stunning shot of Dettifoss in Iceland . Model moment: Teddy is the star of the show, pictured in 21 locations including in Snalfellsjokull, Iceland . Father-of-two, Christian, who is from Austria, said: 'Photography is my passion and I was keen to capture these moments of stunning natural beauty.' I asked my wife to be in the pictures but she wouldn't do it so I decided to do it with 'Teddy' instead' Ready for his close up! Teddy in an adorable scarf and hat for warmth, (left), and having an snug ride up the mountain in a backpack, (right) Great view! Teddy pictured on the north coast of Iceland which boasts spectacular landscapes, with fjords, lakes, rivers and waterfalls, snow-covered mountain peaks, and unusual rock formations . Right at home! Kneidinger posed Teddy next to the seven-star Burj al arab in Dubai, a haunt favoured by many celebrities . Sandy bear! The golden bear, owned by Christian and wife Ranati, almost blends in with the surroundings at Chamarel beach in Maritius . With a friend! Teddy is joined for a photoshoot in the Highlands of Iceland by a smaller furry friend . Teddy visiting Svínafellsjökull, a breathtaking outlet glacier with spectacular scenery and views . Contemplating: Teddy pictured on Black Beach in Iceland. The Vik beach is called by its local name, Reynishverfi, and since it is famous because of its unusual colour and basalt sea stack .

Amateur photographer Christian Kneidinger wanted to add a personal touch to his stunning holiday photographs . Wife Ranati, 51, was not willing to be featured, so the furry creature got his moment in the spotlight . 'Teddy' has been pictured in a bandana by the Burj al Arab hotel and on a glacier in Iceland .

Vetter was in Bali and couldn't persuade his wife, Maria, to pose for a photo, so he used her favourite doll and stuck a Go Pro camera on it instead.


Ann Summers has been forced to remove raunchy Fifty Shades of Grey-style posters from its windows following a backlash from mothers and campaigners. The high street lingerie chain confirmed several branches, located near stores targeted at children such as Mothercare and Build-A-Bear, have removed the provocative images. The posters, which were rolled out in all 142 Ann Summers stores several weeks ago, show a woman kneeling on a red sofa, dressed in a cut-away leotard that reveals her breasts and nipple tassels. She is holding a large leather whip and striking a provocative pose next to a handcuffed man in his underpants. Ann Summers has been forced to remove raunchy Fifty Shades of Grey-style posters showing a woman wearing nipple tassels and holding a whip . Mothers and campaigners have complained saying the the 'pornographic' images could be easily seen by children . In what appears to be a reference to the bondage film Fifty Shades of Grey, which was released nationwide during Valentine's weekend, the text on the poster reads: Fact not fiction. Bring the film to life. Last night Vivienne Pattison of campaign group Mediawatch-UK said her group had made complaints about nine branches of Ann Summers. As a result the posters, which have been described as pornographic, have been removed from stores in Milton Keynes, Wimbledon, Sutton, Norwich, Eastbourne, Taunton, and the Ann Summers stores in all 18 Intu Chapelfield shopping centres. A spokesman for Ann Summers confirmed the company has had six complaints from its retail stores and fewer than 20 complaints via email or letters. Miss Pattison said the campaign potentially breached the recommendations made by the 2011 Bailey Review into the sexualisation of children, which was backed by Prime Minister David Cameron. The high street lingerie chain confirmed several branches, located near stores targeted at children such as Mothercare and Build-A-Bear, have removed the provocative images . The posters show a woman kneeling on a red sofa, dressed in a cut-away leotard, with a man in handcuffs . She said: 'We are used to seeing the windows of Ann Summers featuring lingerie but this image, featuring a bare breasted (except for nipple tassels) model goes too far and is inappropriate for display in places which are likely to have numbers of children present. 'Any child passing this image will be subject to its overt sexual messaging and imagery. Government guidelines for retailers in the Bailey Review state that sexualised images should not be displayed in children's eye line. 'This government has done much to address the early sexualisation of children in our society and Ann Summers needs to be made aware that it too has a responsibility in this regard.' Miss Pattison's concerns were echoed by members of the public, including Christian pastor Paul Burns, who said he was shocked to see the display on his way to church. He said: 'I watched four separate families pull their children away from this window display. It has whips, it has a woman basically degraded with what you would expect to see in a porn film that people buy to watch. It is not what you expect to see in a family shopping centre.' Taking to Twitter, others expressed similar views, with one writing: 'Please remove your offensive window displays based on 50Shades of Grey, sexualising children, inciting abuse of women.' Another tweeted: 'Awful display in @Ann_Summers exposing children to sexualised imagery opposite @mothercareuk.' A spokesman for Ann Summers said: 'Our Dark Desires campaign launched on 26th January 2015. Therefore, our campaign imagery has been visible in both our stores and online for a number of weeks now but it's only this week that we have received a handful of complaints. 'In regards to the 50SOG references, the 'Bring the film to life', we have taken inspiration from the themes and trends surrounding the film and the wording is a tongue-in-cheek 'nod to'.'

Ann Summers has been forced to remove raunchy Fifty Shades posters . Woman shown wearing nipple tassels and holding a leather whip in photo . Posters have been removed from at least 25 stores across the UK . Lingerie chain accused of exposing children to 'pornographic' images . Ann Summers received at least 26 complaints about provocative posters .

-a-Bear, had been asked to remove posters of three models posing in scanty outfits and underwear emblazoned with the slogan "Sexy Secrets for Him". In a statement Ann Summers said the posters, which are part of a series, had been placed in selected stores as part of a "multi-channel marketing campaign" and had "overstepped the mark".
It added the posters had been placed "inappropriately" and that the brand is now moving to remove them from all stores.
The chain has previously been heavily criticised for the risqué posters, which were first put up around four weeks ago, but it has previously stood firm on their decision.
A statement from Ann Summers read: "We've listened to feedback and while the posters aren't designed as a part of a Fifty Shades of Grey theme they might have been perceived that way.
"We have therefore relocated the posters to our website and in selected stores as part of our multi-channel marketing campaign and they will be removed from all our stores. This does not mean we have abandoned our Fifty Shades of Grey theme we will still use the posters across all marketing channels in the months leading up to the film."
A copy of the poster in question shows three models, one of whom appears to be a teenager, dressed in lingerie and stockings and sporting a variety of racy accessories, including handcuffs and a blindfold.
It has prompted a series of responses from women who criticised Ann Summers for using the poster to sexualise female children. A Twitter hashtag - #annsummersshame - has been started in order to discuss the controversial campaign in more detail.
One woman, Jo - who only wanted to give her first name - wrote: "I think it sets a terrible message for girls and women about their own self-confidence. The fact that they are 'proud' of being sex symbols doesn't strike me as empowering at all. And by doing this so close to schools and Mothercare stores you are exposing children to them at a young age. You've basically just got kids seeing this sort of image as normal, rather than being frowned upon as sexual objectification."
Gaby Hinsliff of the Observer newspaper suggested the poster was "sexist, degrading and demeaning". She wrote: "How would it make women feel if they were told that their main asset as a woman is their sexuality and so they need to


Friends say Pippa Middleton has decided against taking the full-time job in the U.S. It was billed as the dream job that would make Pippa Middleton a household name in America. But more than four months after the headline-grabbing announcement that she was to join the NBC network as a special correspondent in a £400,000 deal, she has yet to be seen on screen – and friends say she has decided against taking up a full-time job in the United States. The Duchess of Cambridge’s sister has shot a series of reports for the long-running Today show in rural Wyoming, but none has seen the light of day. And it was only when The Mail on Sunday asked why the footage had not been aired that a source close to Pippa explained that she was not ready to commit to the demands of a job in the US. The source said: ‘There were talks and Pippa did a test shoot which went really well. But for various reasons, a regular show with Pippa isn’t going to happen. Ultimately she didn’t want to commit herself to a big job in the US. She’s got a boyfriend in Geneva and her family in the UK. It was too much for her to pack up and leave them behind. ‘She will be working with the network on an ad hoc basis. ‘NBC were really pleased with the test shoot, but she is not going to be signing a major deal to be a special correspondent, which is what NBC wanted. It was Pippa’s decision not to go ahead. It’s not where she sees her future.’ One NBC insider said: ‘Pippa – or the lack of her – has been the talk of the company. Everyone is wondering what has happened to her? ‘There was all that fanfare when she went off to Wyoming, and the word then was that she would start doing segments as a roving reporter here and occasionally appear in the studio. But there’s been nothing but silence for months. It’s clear that someone has had reservations – but whether that’s from NBC’s side or her side, who knows? ‘It seems odd that they should make such a fuss of her and be so public and then go so silent. ‘Normally, after a big build-up like that, you’d get the talent on air fast and give her a big push. It doesn’t feel right at all.’ In Wyoming, Pippa donned tight jeans, a flannel shirt and cowboy boots to twirl on the dance floor of a Western bar, rode a horse in the shadow of the Teton mountains, and visited tourist sights in a cowboy town. Interviewees were told the story would air within about ten days of the shoot last November – but have been left disappointed. ‘We’re wondering what happened to the report,’ says Jim Waldrop, manager of the Wort Hotel in Jackson Hole, where Pippa filmed. ‘I contacted the producer, but they don’t have any information about when it might air.’ Scroll down for video . In Wyoming, Pippa donned tight jeans, a flannel shirt and cowboy boots to twirl on the dance floor of a Western bar (above) Angus Thuerman, former editor of the Jackson Hole News & Guide, added: ‘I was told it was like a pilot episode, an experiment to see how she did. She seemed quite at home, relaxed and enjoying herself.’ Novelist Nanci Turner Steveson, who attended Pippa’s filming session, says: ‘Pippa seemed tiny and sweet, but maybe a bit overwhelmed There were so many people there – two or three cameramen, producers, sound technicians and bodyguards, all on a fairly small dance floor, dancing to the band One Ton Pig. A cowboy taught her to dance a two-step and she picked it up pretty quickly. But NBC seemed to be making a lot of fuss over a very small story.’ Chris Koch, 66, a regular at the Silver Dollar bar, said: ‘I was asked by NBC if I’d be filmed dancing with Pippa Middleton. I had no idea who she is. My daughter told me, “She’s Kate Middleton’s sister!” and I said: “Who’s she?” I don’t know what happened to the Today story, and I don’t much care – I don’t have a TV.’ Pippa’s NBC deal was initially touted as ‘provisional’, although the network has a history of signing those related to the great and the good. Other NBC correspondents have included Sarah Ferguson, Bill Clinton’s daughter Chelsea, and Princess Diana’s brother Charles Spencer. The abortive American TV career is another false start for Pippa, after her party-planning book Celebrate and column for the Daily Telegraph both flopped.

Four months ago it was announced Pippa Middleton would join NBC . She has yet to be seen on screen but was reportedly offered £400,000 deal . Friends now say she has decided against taking a full-time job in the U.S.

making role as maid-of-honor at her sister Kate's wedding to Prince William, her full-time job in the U.S. is about to come to an end.
But the decision has little to do with Pippa's high standards when it comes to full-time work.
"It was a great thing. It's very flattering," she told Access Hollywood. "I've been offered a number of jobs. The one I'm doing now finishes in August. And I don't believe in saying yes to everything and never staying in a job. It was great, but it was time to do something else. I think for the last four months I've enjoyed every minute of it."
Pippa, a journalist, was the subject of high expectations from the minute it was announced she would be maid-of-honor. And despite the fact that she only has one job – no small feat in the world of young royals – the public just couldn't seem to accept her as a real person.
"When you've been working as hard as I have, it's nice to be recognized as doing something for other people," she says. "I've had people email me from Pakistan saying, 'I never heard of you before but I'm going to vote for you because you're Kate's sister.' There are no jobs that I've turned down. I think the media have given me so much attention that people think I'm a job-seeker."
That's not to say that the experience wasn't a learning one.
"It's great," she says. "It makes you focus on things that are important, and what really matters. I've had a great summer."
Pippa's not sure whether she wants to do anything similar in the future.
"I have so many things I'd like to do," she says. "There are so many good causes I'm interested in. I've been offered other jobs, but it's nice to have a few months to focus on friends and family. There will be other things, but for now it's just nice to do something different."
Pippa also recently revealed that she turned down an invitation to be the face of U.K. fashion chain Lipsy, but she might not be done with the fashion world.
"I


'We've got fans on the pitch. The game's still going on'. That's not me making a mess of Kenneth Wolstenholme's infamous words from Wembley in 1966 when the boys in red won the World Cup. That was Jonathan Pearce's spontaneous reaction on commentary when some Villa fans piled onto the playing area towards the end of their team's semi-final at home to West Brom. Of course they were scenes that no one wanted to see. Except that they very nearly were. Because they were a hare's breath from what we saw when Geoff Hurst went through to make it 4-2. Only time surely makes that a less controversial incident? Aston Villa fans invaded the pitch after their FA Cup win over West Brom on Saturday night and are seen taunting the away supporters as a line of police keeps them apart . Thousands stream onto the pitch after the match, which was moved to Saturday evening by the BBC . Geoff Hurst races through to score England's fourth goal in the 1966 World Cup final with West Germany . The FA Cup is a tournament that we were told had lost its lustre. And attendances may well have endorsed that. But this season, with the FA succumbing to the scheduling charms of their new telly twins the BBC and BT, the tournament seems to have taken on a new lease of life. The kind of effervescent and exciting competition in which frequent nostalgic reruns of great Cup days somewhat ironically often includes the sight of fans celebrating on the pitch. Not that that makes that group of Villa fans' behaviour justifiable. Although you might debate that a Midland derby that doesn't kick-off until Saturday tea time could just be asking for such a response? But the timing was because, I can only assume, the slots were preordained for the BBC to include Saturday and Monday evenings. While BT had Saturday lunchtime and Sunday afternoon. And with the Beeb having first dibs on that deal. Or in other words, Auntie had what they'd consider would be the ideal ties, with which to ensure the biggest possible audience, at the best possible times in their schedule. BBC presenter Gary Lineker and pundits Jermaine Jenas and Alan Shearer watch the pitch invasion . Monday night's line-up for the Manchester United vs Arsenal featured Roy Keane, Alan Shearer and Ian Wright alongside Gary Lineker in the Old Trafford studio . BT Sport's team of (from left) Jake Humphrey, Paul Jewell, Owen Hargreaves and Steve McManaman with the FA Cup pitchside at Bradford City vs Reading on Saturday . This was a situation BT Sport decided to create a silk purse from. Why hadn't we'd been following this season's giant killers Bradford, a nation had cried, having been caught up in the excitement of what had gone on so far with their exploits? Well, on Saturday lunchtime, BT went free to air to answer that call and show us this season's favourite Davids in action live against the Goliaths of...Reading. OK, not a hell of a mismatch, but Bradford were still a great story. Unfortunately this potential silk purse of a game became something of a pig's ear on Bradford City's pitch. Indeed, such a vision in mud it was, it required the club to provide BT with a strange little turf rug on the touchline to put beneath their shiney plinth. Nevertheless, there it was, an old school FA Cup that we could all watch, for nothing, and keep the momentum going on what was proving to be a vintage Cup season. By way of a precursor for the new Premier League telly deal, this sense of occasion rolled on into Monday night. Again, this was a slot that may have driven the purists mad. Danny Welbeck celebrates his winner for Arsenal against former club Manchester United on Monday night . Scott Sinclair is mobbed by Aston Villa supporters after scoring against West Brom . Not to mention some fans from North London who would have had to make their way back from Lancashire by any means necessary on a school night. But again, if you look at the bigger picture, it was the kind of game that could once again get people excited about the Cup. And a formidable old pro line up of Roy Keane, Alan Shearer, Ian Wright and Martin Keown alongside Gary Lineker all helped ensure that there was indeed the sense that what we were witnessing was an event. Next up, more disruption for four teams whose replayed games will be shoe horned in to fit nicely for us folks at home. regardless of how it affects their League schedules. Dermot O'Leary reacts after Peter Schmeichel draws Arsenal to play Bradford City or Reading in the semis . But I echo Dermot O'Leary's cry of 'woohooh' when he drew his team Arsenal's ball for the semi final draw against either Bradford or Reading. Yes, it has lacked a certain sense of tradition. Yes, it has occasionally proven awkward for certain clubs, and their fans. And yes it provided that unsavoury moment at Villa Park. But I celebrate the fact that the FA Cup has been put back in the forefront of our football thinking. And if it is because the BBC and BT have decided between themselves to make it their own, then I'll live with the negatives and embrace the positive.

BBC and BT Sport shared coverage of weekend's FA Cup quarter-finals . Aston Villa vs West Brom was marred by pitch invasion at final whistle . Many blamed the BBC for scheduling the game on Saturday evening . Arsenal fans also faced travel chaos with Man United tie at Old Trafford . BT Sport didn't get a goal in either of their quarter-final matches . But both have revitalised a competition that had lost its lustre .

 were still taking on West Germany for the trophy that has been England's Holy Grail since 1966. The fact is I've been trying to get a ticket for this game and have managed to get one of the best I've ever had - row Z on the side of the (relatively) small Bournemouth end at Wembley. If I'd got seats in the more traditional Wembley stadium bowl it would not have been a £90 ticket but the £10 ticket from the old South Bank.
So here I am, sitting in the corner where the two sides are, thinking about the 5-1 when it was 2-0 to (the) England. I'm sitting in a sea of red and black and in front of a lot of German flags. It is "D-Day" at this old ground.
And we haven't even kicked off. Just as the two sides were shaking hands, just as the players were lined up for the traditional pre-match rendition of the national anthems, just as the referee was about to toss the ball up in the middle of the pitch, 22,000 (mainly) Germans rose to their feet. For about two minutes they sang "Deutschland uber Alles".
In the main, it was a very respectful atmosphere. Apart from about 300 German fans in the corner behind the goal, most were respectful. It was a very subdued (and I thought, an unnecessary) rendition of the German anthem and the crowd was pretty quiet for the following half-time entertainment from a Welsh opera singer.
The atmosphere is very different in the 25,000 capacity German end where a lot of flags and banners have been hanging over the crowd, including ones celebrating the anniversary of the 1966 World Cup win. But apart from the odd booing, they have been very respectful of the stadium, the match and the "rivalry".
The first thing I noticed was how much the Germans look like the Germans and the English like the English. The first group of German players out were from Bayern Munich, the first English out were from Southampton and Newcastle United. The Germans came out in their traditional kit of black shirts and white trousers, the English are in red shirts and white shorts and both were sponsored by Adidas and Nike.
One thing that I have found quite amazing about Wembley is that it really does still feel like Wemble


Two cousins have died and another man is in hospital after they apparently took a batch of legal highs at a house party. Dean Boswell and Stephen John were found dead in their beds the morning after they both attended a party in Pembroke Dock, West Wales. Another friend was hospitalised after falling ill from taking the same substance, believed to be a synthetic psychoactive drug. Police are now investigating the sudden death of Mr Boswell, 36, who was a builder, and his second cousin Mr John, 40, and are awaiting the results of toxicology tests. Death: Dean Boswell, left, and Stephen John, right, died after taking a legal high at a house party . Health officials have warned that legal highs are becoming stronger, leading to a rise in the number of people being hospitalised after taking them. A friend said that the three men were at a party together 10 days ago where several people took legal highs, before they returned to their separate homes. She said: 'There were a group having a good time together on Friday night and it appears Dean and Stephen took some kind of legal high which has ended up killing them. 'It is so tragic as both of them were so full of life and had everything to live for.' Mr Boswell's mother Wynfrai said that she found her son dead in his bedroom on the morning of her 59th birthday, and vowed to use his funeral this week to alert others to the dangers of drugs. 'Dean wasn't a heavy drug user - he maybe had the odd smoke,' she said. 'I suspect they thought they were invincible. Deadly: Legal highs such as mephedrone, pictured, have grown in popularity in recent years . 'It is too early to speak about all this for both families but the vicar will be saying something about drugs at the funeral. 'Something has to be done about the people who sell drugs and the deaths that are happening in the town. The family was previously struck by tragedy when Mr Boswell's sister died on Valentine's Day a few years ago. In recent years, there has been a huge surge in the number of deaths linked to legal highs. 97 people were found dead with the substances in their system in 2012, up from 12 in 2009. It means the toll has risen by eight times in three years. In around two-thirds of cases, the post-mortem examination established that the legal high was the direct cause of death. Ministers have already introduced bans on some former legal highs, including mephedrone - known as meow meow - NBOMe and Benzofury. A ban on synthetic stimulant mephedrone came into force across the UK in 2010. The drug is now a Class B substance, along with its associated compounds. The two cousins were said to be very close to one another, and as they were both avid fans of Liverpool FC they will have the club's crest on their coffins at their funerals . A spokesman for Dyfed Powys Police said: 'An investigation is ongoing into the cause of their deaths. Police are awaiting results of a toxicology test in order to establish the cause of death.' The police added: 'Police in Pembrokeshire are committed to the ongoing fight against substance misuse across the county. Enforcement activities take place regularly, but we also educate people on the risks of substance misuse. 'We want young people in particular to be informed and aware of the serious dangers of substance misuse, and encourage family and friends to look out for them by familiarising themselves with the tell-tale signs of misuse of drugs.' Anti-drug groups say that legal highs - officially known as New Psychoactive Substances - are getting stronger and more readily available. Josie Smith, from the Welsh drug testing agency Wedinos, said: 'What we have found in the past year is an increase in the strength of NPS drugs. 'They have addiction potential far higher than some of the controlled substances.' Doctors are also concerned by the effects of the drugs bought online and in so-called 'head shops'. Julia Lewis, of the Aneurin Bevan Health Board in South Wales, said: 'We are seeing increasing numbers of people going into mental health units with acute psychotic episodes after having taken some of these legal substances. 'We are hearing of quite young people having heart attacks - I treated one 17-year-old boy who'd had a small heart attack on one of these substances.' Danger: Owain Vaughan, 14, pictured with mother Jenny, was hospitalised thanks to a legal high . Three schoolboys from Glynneath in South Wales have been hospitalised after they took a legal high which they had bought over the counter. Owain Vaughan, 14, took the drug with friends and was rushed to hospital after suffering severe fits, low blood pressure, burst blood vessels in his face and violent nausea. When he came round, he insisted he had never taken drugs before but said he assumed the substance would be safe because it was legal. His mother Jennie said: 'I'm so embarrassed but people need to be aware. My boy was given a legal high and ended up in A&E. 'I had no sleep for over 24 hours and thought my baby was going to die. I don't want any other child or parent to go through this.' After his ordeal, Owain posted a message on Facebook warning his friends not to dabble with drugs which could turn out to be unsafe or even deadly.

Dean Boswell, 36, and Stephen John, 40, took drugs at a house party . Both men were found dead the next day and another friend is in hospital . Police are currently working to determine their cause of death .

 Pembrokeshire.
Police believe Dean, 25, from Port Talbot in South Wales, died of a suspected overdose on the drug known as Black Mamba, while Stephen, 27, from Neath, had taken a cocktail of drugs and is still fighting for life in hospital.
The brothers and their friends had taken a range of legal high products, including Nemesie, Blue Lotus and K2 at the house party on Friday night.
Their uncle Steve Jones described the party, attended by the victims and another man and eight women, as a normal, fun house party but said it had turned out to be a "horror show" after the brothers died. He said: "It was just a house party that went really bad. I cannot see why we cannot sell Black Mamba legally and tax it. This has shocked me."
The brothers' parents had travelled from South Wales to the house in the small town during the weekend to check on their sons, who they were worried were taking the drugs.
"Their friends had said they were taking them and the last thing I saw was the younger one come out of the bathroom and he could barely walk," said Mr Jones, a self-employed electrician who lives in Pontardawe, south Wales.
"He must have been suffering some sort of hallucinations because he was a very nice lad. When I went back he said he was going to make coffee. There was no coffee there.
"They went downstairs to the living room to do their drugs and there was a white bag there. It looked to me like they were rolling them up into joints and smoking them."
The men were all "puffing away" as if they were "having a smoke", he said. Mr Jones contacted the older of the two victims' friends and the younger man's father and went straight round to the house to check on the teenagers.
"The older lad said that I had to come because Dean wasn't alright and so I went over there and he was on the bed in the early hours. He was really cold and he was mumbling, you could hear him.
"I shook him and shouted at him to wake him up but I knew he had passed away. Stephen was lying in the next bed, he was quite gone as well.
"I got a hold of the father and we went back to the house and rang the ambulance."
The brothers were pronounced dead at Pembrokeshire's With


Shaun Edwards says that Wales see 'a lot of potential' in uncapped Exeter prop Tomas Francis. The York-born tighthead qualifies for Wales through his grandmother, and he has proved an important part of Exeter's ongoing push for Aviva Premiership play-off status this season. And the 22-year-old has now been invited to train with the Wales squad by head coach Warren Gatland as they go into the final stages of their RBS 6 Nations campaign. Exeter tighthead prop Tomas Francis (top right) has been called up to train with the Wales squad . 'His scrummaging is outstanding, but he is also a skilful player as well,' Wales assistant coach and defence specialist Edwards said. 'Francis is a big kid, and I have seen him play. The scrum at Exeter has been going excellently recently, so we have brought him in. 'He is a young man who is coming from a great environment at Exeter which prides itself on hard work, and we would like to think we are a similar sort of environment. 'It's a case of trying to get the best players playing for us, and we see a lot of potential in this lad.' Francis, who weighs in at more than 20 stone, played Championship rugby for Doncaster and London Scottish before he was snapped up by Exeter, and he could easily push for a World Cup squad place with Wales later this year if he continues to impress. Wales coach Shaun Edwards says that Wales see 'a lot of potential' in uncapped Exeter prop Francis . Experienced Scarlets hooker Ken Owens, meanwhile, has been called into the Six Nations squad and reported for duty at Wales' training base on Monday. Wales, despite losing their opening Six Nations game to England, have given themselves a fighting chance of landing a third title in four years following successive away victories over Scotland and France. Reigning champions and unbeaten title favourites Ireland are next up in five days' time, and Edwards is under no illusion how big a task will be presented by Joe Schmidt's team. 'We have looked at our opponents, and we are coming up against the best team in Europe, the form team in Europe,' Edwards added. The 22-year-old was invited to train with the Wales squad by head coach Warren Gatland . 'They have got two brilliant half-backs, for a start, who have got great tactical brains. 'They have a strike-runner on the outside in Tommy Bowe who maybe the best defensive winger in the northern hemisphere. He is magnificent in picking up interceptions, and we have to keep our eye on Tommy. 'The forwards are well-drilled and a cohesive unit, and play with a lot of passion and aggression, and they have got excellent coaches. 'These are the big games you get excited about, and big-time players rise to the challenge.' Two key areas that Wales will need to perform strongly in are the lineout, where Ireland will be spearheaded by their captain Paul O'Connell, and shackling an impressive new Irish midfield combination of Jared Payne and Robbie Henshaw. Francis played Championship rugby for Doncaster and London Scottish before he was snapped up by Exeter . Edwards said: 'They (O'Connell and Devin Toner) are a very experienced second-row pairing. 'Having worked with Paul, he is a very wily operator and a guy who I have huge respect for. 'Our guys will have their work cut out at lineout time, but they have already been in this morning having meetings and looking at the different structures. They know we are in for a challenge in that area, and I am sure they are up for it. 'And I have been very impressed with them (Ireland centres). 'I knew more about Payne, having watched Ulster more than Connacht. But Henshaw is a big physical guy, and Payne has a cutting edge on the outside. It's important we don't give them any space whatsoever.'

Tomas Francis has been called up to train with the Wales squad . Assistant coach Shaun Edwards said Francis has 'a lot of potential' Francis played for Doncaster and London Scottish before moving to Exeter .

iva Premiership Rugby.
Exeter are pushing for promotion to the top flight, and have put their faith in Edwards by handing Francis the vice-captaincy ahead of the visit of Wales to Sandy Park on Saturday. Wales' first match of 2019 is followed by a repeat fixture on Wednesday night.
Francis is joined in the front row by Rhys Carre, who has also been capped for Italy. England-qualified hooker Sam Parry and tighthead Leon Brown make up the front three.
In the backs, Jonathan Davies and Josh Adams form an explosive centre partnership, with the former having taken the full-back spot from Leigh Halfpenny, who has been called into Wales' Six Nations plans.
Davies will start at full-back, but can shift into the centres if required, with Adam Beard back at blindside flanker after a foot injury ruled him out of last week's win over Newcastle.
The uncapped Alun Wyn Jones starts at No.8, and captain Ken Owens returns to the starting XV in the front row after missing last week's game due to injury.
Owen is one of four Welshmen to win their first cap against Australia during the summer. Uncapped wing George North - who also started against Australia and Argentina - will be named on the replacements bench.
"We’ve got some key players out, but there’s a lot of experience in the squad and there’s a lot of potential," said Edwards. "I think the players know that they’ve got a real opportunity now to stake a claim.
"I was pleased with the way we controlled the game against Newcastle in the first half, but we’ve got to keep the same mindset against Wales, to play at a high-intensity level in that first period, but to also back ourselves and back our structures.
"I’ve been happy with what we’ve done this season so far, but we need to maintain that level and improve on it next week."
Edwards says there are 'five or six players who are all close' for the wing spot, with Hallam Amos, Louis Rees-Zammit, Owen Lane and Jacob Stockdale all involved over the last two weeks.
The game is set to be played at a fast pace, and Edwards says that the front three have to play a big part in that.
"This week is a big step-up for the forwards," said the head coach.


He is the latest object of female lust from Caithness to Cornwall — a heartbroken hero who is all brooding desire and smouldering good looks. And Aidan Turner, the new Ross Poldark, certainly has plenty of tumultuous romantic experiences to draw on. Perhaps, given his good looks, a rather swashbuckling love life is to be expected: gossips in Dublin insist that he was once — when between serious girlfriends — seen leaving a nightclub in the city with no fewer than three attentive females in tow. Scroll down for video . Aidan Turner is seen here with girlfriend of three years, Sarah Greene, who is also an actress and starred in Adam Jones with Bradley Cooper last year . He has had four serious romances to date, breaking the heart of one gorgeous actress and being thrown over by another. His first girlfriend was actress India Whisker, a pretty blonde whom he met in 2004 while at drama school in Dublin. She was followed by another actress, brunette Charlene McKenna. They lived together in Camden, North London, from 2007 to 2009. She told an interviewer how happy they were together. But within a few weeks they split, and she was apparently devastated. Turner then fell for Lenora Crichlow, his co-star in the TV series Being Human — from 2009 he played a vampire and she a ghost. Then in 2011, he and Lenora parted ways and he decided to quit the series while she stayed on. It seems that this was a source of great heartbreak for him. He said this week: ‘I don’t know anyone on this planet who hasn’t had their heart broken. It’s happened to me. Love is love, it’s the purest and rawest thing we have in life.’ Aidan Turner was also romantically involved with Charlene McKenna (pictured). They shared a flat together in Camden, North London from 2007 to 2009 . The following year he started to date the Irish actress Sarah Greene. She was nominated for a Tony award for her performance on Broadway opposite Daniel Radcliffe in The Cripple of Inishmaan, and last year starred in the film Adam Jones with Bradley Cooper. Their romance is still going strong after three years, but Turner admits that they are often separated by work. He spent 18 months making The Hobbit films in New Zealand early on in their liaison. He explained of the periods of separation: ‘It’s all we’ve ever known [as a couple] and it makes for good times when we meet up again and maybe have a month straight when we’re both unemployed and watching movies every day. It’s fun to laze around and do normal things.’ Aidan Turner (left) also dated Lenora Crichlow (right) from 2009 to 2011, after they met on the TV series Being Human. He later decided to quit the series while she stayed on . Aidan is quietly bowled over by his sudden fame. Asked how it feels to be an overnight sex symbol, he chuckles. ‘Ah, I wouldn’t say that,’ he demurred yesterday. ‘Not at all. But it is nice that the show has gone down quite well and people are positive about it.’ Understatement must be as much a part of his make-up as the kind of looks which have reduced the female half of the country to jelly. In the show, Turner is British Army officer Ross Poldark, who returns to Cornwall following the American War of Independence to find his father dead, the family’s tin mine in ruins and his sweetheart, Elizabeth, engaged to his cousin. Aidan Turner (left) is seen with ex-girlfriend actress India Whisker (right) whom he met in 2004 while at drama school in Dublin . Since the opening episode on Sunday, there has been praise for the ensemble acting and the script — but mostly for how dishy the lead looks in a pair of britches. Even his mother, Eileen, is being stopped in the street and asked how it feels to have a sex-symbol son. ‘That is very funny,’ Aidan told me this week. ‘I’ve definitely never had that before. I can’t believe it, really.’ I can reveal that Turner is contracted to be in a further five series of Poldark, should the BBC make the obvious decision to make more. In the meantime, he is staying with his mum in South Dublin, although he is hoping to go away on holiday soon with girlfriend Sarah. Aidan Turner (pictured as Ross Poldark) has been bowled over by his sudden rise to fame and definitely doesn't consider himself a sex symbol . One of those watching Poldark on Sunday was his old drama teacher Patrick Sutton, director of Dublin’s Gaiety School of Acting, who told me: ‘I settled down in front of the telly like a child waiting to meet Father Christmas. And then he comes on, all brooding and bubbling and seething, and I said to myself: “Well, that’s a grand day out.” I could not be prouder of him.’ Mr Sutton, who counts Hollywood star Colin Farrell among his previous students, puts Aidan’s success down to talent, hard work and good manners — all three of which Gaiety School students are taught. The son of Eileen, an accountant at a local carpet store, and Pat, an electrician, there is no acting background in Aidan’s family — he hadn’t even been to a play before he went to drama college. He was raised in Clondalkin, just west of Dublin, and went to St MacDara’s Community College in Templeogue. One of two brothers, he recalls having been a bit of a tearaway as a schoolboy. He told one interviewer: ‘I remember my mum getting called up a lot.’ Smouldering: Aiden Turner with co-star Eleanor Tomlinson in Poldark . Dumped: In the BBC series, Poldark (Turner) is dumped by his former love Elizabeth (Heida Reed) His great talent at that age was ballroom dancing, and he even represented his country. He travelled around Ireland and internationally, competing in ballroom and Latin for around ten years. Tommy Shaughnessy, president of DanceSport Federation of Ireland, told me: ‘I used to teach Aidan. He danced for years. But after I told his mother the cost of making it in international ballroom dancing, she said they couldn’t afford it and told me that he might go into acting. ‘This surprised me as he was very shy. Anyway, he joined the Gaiety School and the rest is history.’ While at drama school, he did put his old skills to use, doing a dance for a fundraiser with his then girlfriend India Whisker. Turner had no idea what he wanted to do after school. After a stint working with his dad as an apprentice, he toyed with the idea of becoming a professional snooker player before spotted an advert for the Gaiety School of Acting. ‘I didn’t know anything about this world at all,’ said Aidan. ‘I felt intimidated from the get-go, but thought: “That’s just right for me.” The sense of potential failure is a buzz. ‘Being around committed people there was very inspiring.’ Before he started acting, Turner (pictured with Eleanor Tomlinson in Poldark), represented Ireland in ballroom dancing competitions across the country and internationally . He graduated in 2004, and had various theatre roles before getting a break in an Irish television medical drama, The Clinic, in 2008. The following year came Being Human. This attracted an excitable group of young fans whom he calls ‘the posse’, and who have followed his every move ever since. He gained more fans playing Kili, a heartthrob of the dwarf world in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit films. But his biggest break was Poldark. Earlier this year he said: ‘The offer came in and I said: “What the hell’s Poldark?” I had to Google it. ‘Then I called my mum. She said: “You’d better not mess this up!” ’ Don't mess this up! Turner hadn't heard of Poldark but was warned not to mess the job up by his mother . Perhaps we can forgive his ignorance as, since he’s still only 31, he wasn’t even born when the original Seventies TV version aired. One wonders if either he or girlfriend Sarah are ready for the attention which has just exploded, even more of which will no doubt follow with the promise of a buff and shirtless Poldark in future episodes. Sarah said in an interview last year that she had been outraged when some fans took pictures of him when he was asleep on the London Underground. But he says of the ardent kerfuffle: ‘I don’t think she’ll be bothered, no. We’re both actors, we understand that it is part of our job.’ In Aidan’s case, the ‘job’ seems to be the play the role of newly minted national sex symbol — and he’s doing it to perfection.

Aidan Turner plays Ross Poldark in a BBC remake of the Seventies series . He's become the nation's latest object of desire thanks to his good looks . It seems the hearthrob has also had a rather swashbuckling love life .

uous love affairs under his belt, but none has quite the magnetism of the one he plays in this much-vaunted 18th-century drama.
It is a story of forbidden love and scandal, of the kind of passion-riven love affairs that were commonplace in the Georgian era, when the constraints of society meant that people took lovers more or less on the sly.
But for those of us who grew up in a different era, when sexual mores have been relaxed and the internet means we can find our own soul mates online, watching Aidan Turner kiss another man on TV while imagining it was you might seem, just a little bit, like a vicar’s knees knocking together in the front pew of the church.
For me, the most memorable moment is the one in which Aidan and his lover, the local blacksmith’s daughter Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson), have sex.
It happens when Demelza, who is now engaged to a rich local squire, finds out about Ross’s marriage to his sister Caroline (who has recently arrived from the West Indies). Demelza comes looking for Ross, and it is while she’s visiting that the two of them decide to ‘break their rules and have another go at love’.
We see them in bed, with the camera positioned over Demelza’s head in a gesture of voyeurism that suggests we’re getting a little bit more than was strictly necessary. And in the scene that follows they are seen in a mirror, where a close-up reveals that Demelza is naked, while Ross has not taken his clothes off. But they’re in bed, for crying out loud. So we have to surmise that it was their night together.
They’re certainly all over each other during this encounter. But the problem is that, in Aidan Turner’s brooding, moody, passionate, deeply sensual manner, it doesn’t come over as terribly sexy — it is more likely to make viewers feel uncomfortably voyeuristic.
It turns out that while Demelza has been out of bed, getting up and running the household like a good wife, Ross Poldark has been lying awake, tossing and turning, and fretting that his heart is not really in this marriage of convenience.
The series is based on the novels of Winston Graham, who published the first one, Poldark, in 1945 and followed it