Daily Mail - 16.08.2019

Page 13

TODAY

North: Heavy showers

and windy

High 18C(64F)Low 12C (54F)

South:Dry start in the east,

but rain in west spreading

High 20C(68F)Low 13C (55F)

TOMORROW

North: Blustery showers

and sunny spells

High 20C(68F)Low 10C (50F)

South:Breezy, showers in

the west, dry in the east

High 21C(70F)Low 10C (50F)

SUNDAY

North: Windy with heavy

showers or thunder storms

High 18C(64F)Low 10C (50F)

South:Early rain, followed

by wind and showers

High 21C(70F)Low 10C (50F)

Daily Mail, Friday, August 16, 2019

SPORT

PAGES

ASHES SPECIAL 83-

LORD’S GOES RED FOR RUTH

...as ex-captain

pays tribute

to his late wife

Buzz over our bee orchids

BEE orchids are enjoying a

revival in northern England due

to climate change, scientists say.

A study by York University’s

biology department found that

the orchid – which grows up to

12 inches tall and whose distinc-

tive pattern mimics that of a

female bee – has been spotted

at a wider variety of sites than

usual. The plant, which loves

warm conditions, is found

across the country but is tradi-

tionally scarcer in the North.

Dr Andrew Suggitt, lead author

of the study published in Current

Biology, said the findings suggest

climate change is ‘driving an

increase in local species rich-

ness of 5 per cent per decade’.

B r t b t 1 t f a

IT is traditionally a

scene of bright white

cricket kits set against

the green of the pitch.

But the Test match played

at Lord’s yesterday was

a sea of red in tribute to

the late wife of one of the

sport’s finest players.

Former England captain

Andrew Strauss set up a

foundation in memory of

his wife Ruth, who died of

lung cancer aged just 46

last year. And yesterday the

charity’s first major fund-

raising event saw pundits,

players, and spectators

turn the famous old ground

red in her honour.

Dressed in a bright red

suit, Strauss, 42, was joined

by his sons – Sam, 13,

and Luca, ten – to ring the

five-minute bell signalling

the start of the day’s play.

Both English and Austral-

ian teams also wore limited

edition red caps and shirts

with red names and num-

bers, later signing them

so they could be auctioned

off. This week, Strauss

spoke movingly about how

hard it had been to tell his

boys their mother’s illness

was terminal.

He said: ‘I remember it

like it was yesterday, taking

the boys to one side and

saying, “Listen, we’ve just

come back from hospital

and the doctors have said

we’re going to have to say

goodbye to Mum soon”.’

His wife was diagnosed

with an inoperable form of

lung cancer that attacks

non-smokers and given

just a year to live. Following

her death last December in

her native Australia,

Strauss set up the Ruth

Strauss Foundation. It aims

to fund research into the

disease and to provide

‘emotional, psychological

and wellbeing support’ to

patients and families.

The foundation has

adopted a similar fundrais-

ing drive to that of former

Australian bowler Glenn

McGrath – his foundation

has fans and players don

pink in memory of his wife

Jane who died of breast

cancer in 2008.

Strauss added: ‘[Grief] is

not a straightforward jour-

ney. There are times it hits

you straight between the

eyes and it’s hard, genuinely

hard. From the kids’ per-

spective they are at school,

busy. We are all probably in

a better place than I thought

we would be but it’s very

tough at times.’

By Jim Norton

Sons: Strauss

with Sam, 13

and Luca, ten

Left: Players in red caps. Right: Ruth and Andrew Strauss with sons in 2009

Revival: The bee orchid

Hampshire and Gloucestershire

are also expected to be affected.

The North West will not be

spared a lashing either with

Manchester, Blackburn and Mer-

seyside set to bear the brunt of the

rain. The Met Office’s weather

warning, lasting until 10pm this

evening, says ‘flooding of a few

homes and businesses is possible’.

Heavy rain may also coincide

with peak travel times during the

afternoon and early evening lead-

ing to difficult driving conditions,

meteorologists have warned.

The heaviest rain will most likely

be on high ground, with some

places set to see 60 to 80mm (2.3 to

3.1in). Strong winds are also

expected, with 30 to 40 mph gusts

on exposed coasts and hills. Tem-

peratures throughout the weekend

are unlikely to top 21C (70F), and

could fall as low as 10C (50F).

Nicola Maxey, of the Met Office,

said: ‘The weather warning is for

heavy bursts of rain which could

cause flooding. It is the type that

your windscreen wipers can’t quite

cope with and could coincide with

rush hour. Sunshine and showers,

some of them heavy, will predomi-

nate on Saturday and it will still

be a bit breezy with temperature

about average.’

The forecaster said that although

the weekend will remain wet and

unsettled, a warmer period may be

on the way next week. She said:

‘There are indications we may be

seeing high pressure building into

the middle of next week, which

could bring more settled weather,

but there is still uncertainty.’

By Josh White

BRITAIN’S soggy summer is set to

continue today, with rain and high

winds bringing in a weekend of

damp weather across the country.

Holidaymakers heading to the West

Country for a staycation break may

want to pack board games as they face

some of the worst of the downpours.

The Met Office is warning that Wales

and a huge swathe of western England

are at risk of flooding and travel disrup-

tion, thanks to the rainfall. Devon, Corn-

wall, Somerset and Dorset, and parts of

Sorry folks... we’re set for

another weekend washout