Do you like your animals pint-sized and ideally sporting an excellent, tousled hairstyle? Then allow us to introduce you to Basil.
This adorable little Shetland pony lives inside an Airbnb rental, which means he’s ready and waiting for you to join him for a sleepover.
At the cosy accommodation, the bedroom is directly attached to wee Basil’s stable, so you could roll over in bed and give him a little fuss.
Then just outside your door, you’ll find paddocks that are home to Highland cows, Hebridean sheep, horses, pigs, chickens and Norwegian Forrest cats.
Honestly, this place might be paradise for animal lovers.
Known as ‘Basils Barn’, the Airbnb is located in the grounds of a 17th century manor, surrounded by a 60 acre estate.
The owners have mostly rescued the animals, who are strictly kept as pets – so it’s safe to form an emotional attachment to Basil and his farmyard pals knowing they’re in safe hands.
So back to your overnight accommodation. This cosy barn still has gorgeous original features like a flagstone floor, covered in colourful rugs, and traditional stone walls.
Basils Barn also includes a cosy living area. Credit: AirbnbThe outside space at Basils Barn has a firepit and seating area. Credit: AirbnbBasil the Shetland Pony shares an entrance to the Airbnb. Basils Barn also includes a cosy living area. Credit: Airbnb
There’s enough space for four people to sleep between the double bed and a bunk bed, as well as a separate living room/kitchen/diner.
Outside, you can have access to an open outdoor log fire with barbecue grill, and an outdoor tiki hut seating area.
Other amenities include toiletries, toys, books and board games for families, a well-equipped kitchen and free parking.
Some things to bear in mind? There is a literal horse next door, so you might experience some sights, sounds and smells.
And your alarm clock may not be needed, with a cockerel on the estate who will soon let you know when dawn arrives with his crowing.
Basil the pony is usually in his stable – adorable head poking over the low wall that separates him from the Airbnb – from the time you arrive, and he stays there overnight, before he heads back to his field in the morning.
You also have to turn his light out for him when it’s time for bed. Aww.
Manchester’s ‘busiest’ road Mancunian Way to close for resurfacing
Emily Sergeant
Mancunian Way is set to close for resurfacing works next month.
As Manchester City Council looks to ‘improve’ what is, by far, one of Manchester’s busiest and most-used roads, given the fact it is the main thoroughfare in and out of the city centre, it has been confirmed that Mancunian Way is due to undergo crucial resurfacing works.
With an estimated 15 million journeys taken along this road annually, the Council says it’s vital that necessary maintenance is carried out to keep traffic flowing.
As a result, plans are now in place to resurface Mancunian Way overnight during a four-week period, beginning from next Monday (3 March)
The resurfacing work will be split into two sections, starting with the eastbound carriageway from River Street to Fairfield Street, before moving on to the westbound lane from Fairfield Street to Upper Brook Street.
Work along the eastbound section – in the direction of Ashton Old Road – will run between Monday 3 March to Friday 14 March, with the operating hours being between 7pm and 5am, during which the carriageway will be fully closed, while the westbound carriage in the direction of Regent Road will take place overnight between Monday 17 March until Friday 28 March, with closures at the same time.
Manchester’s ‘busiest’ road Mancunian Way will be close for resurfacing next month / Credit: Pixabay
Due to events taking place during this period of works, slightly later road closures will be in place from 7:30pm on the 7, 10 and 14 of March during the eastbound section, and on 19 March during the westbound secion.
No work will take place Europa League fixture dates, or on Saturday or Sunday nights either.
“These works are taking place overnight to mitigate any potential disruption,” explained Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport at Manchester City Council.
“But as always, we would encourage people to plan their journeys ahead of time and allow more time to travel if they need to go via the Mancunian Way.”
Signed diversions will be in place during the course of the works, and details of this can be found on the Council’s dedicated webpage here.
Featured Image – Geograph
Travel & Tourism
Life-saving defibrillators to be installed on dozens of trains travelling through Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Life-saving defibrillators are set to be installed on dozens of trains travelling through Greater Manchester.
Rail operator TransPennine Express (TPE) has started work to install the units on all 51 of its Class 185 trains over the next two months, and can be used by both staff and passengers if someone goes into cardiac arrest.
The defibrillators will be fitted by technology company Siemens Mobility, and will be located in an emergency equipment cupboard in the middle of the train.
Every defibrillator being installed on the trains has step-by-step, spoken word instructions built in to them, which explain how to use on someone in an emergency, so passengers and staff need not panic if they’re unsure what to do.
Computers inside the defibrillators will work to analyse a person’s heart rhythms to find out if an electric shock is needed, and if required, electrodes then automatically deliver the shock.
⚡Work has started to fit defibrillators across more than 50 TransPennine Express trains
🚆 The life-saving units will be installed on all 51 of our Class 185 trains by the end of March
The defibrillators – which are already installed on TPE’s Nova 1 trains – have been purchased from the British Heart Foundation charity, which is the biggest independent funder of heart and circulatory research in the UK.
The news that the defibrillators are being installed on trains travelling through Greater Manchester and across the UK come after it was announced back in 2023 that the machines were being installed at more than 100 Northern stations to help save people in cardiac arrest.
Speaking on the installing of the defibrillators on trains, Bushra Khan, who is the Head of Engineering at TransPennine Express, said: “Our defibrillators are a huge benefit to both our customers and the communities we serve.
“This rollout will ensure that people travelling on our services will feel safe and confident that defibrillators are available to help in the event of an emergency, potentially saving lives.”
Daisy Jackson -
8th September 2023 
