A rare discovery of a pristine 200-year-old cobalt mine has been made in Alderley Edge in Cheshire, North West England. The National Trust has issued a press release giving  details of the find, which was first made by Derbyshire Caving Club. The mine has been described as a ‘time capsule’, offering a rare glimpse into the miners’ day to day work. The National Trust developed an immersive fly through to record 3D visual details of the complex underground tunnel network, which extends 10 meters beneath the earth. Several artefacts and items of mining equipment have also been recovered from ..read more

Digging a tunnel under your own property without planning consent sounds like most people’s idea of completely crazy. However, You Tube star Colin Furze appears to have got away with exactly that, when he was awarded retrospective planning permission. So, was he being audacious and innovative, or mad as a box of frogs? Here’s a look at what happened! Mr Furze, from Stamford, Lincolnshire, spent three years painstakingly digging the tunnel himself, despite not having obtained planning permission. He had already built an underground bunker in 2015, and wanted a tunnel to connect the bunker to hi ..read more

Summer is the ideal season to complete a garden landscaping project, whether you have a modest plot or several acres on your hands. The term landscaping might bring to mind digging lakes and building terraces in the grounds of a stately home. However, it can simply mean making improvements to a regular garden to help you enjoy it at its best. With the right tools and some forethought about what you want to achieve, it’s perfectly possible to change an uninspiring outdoor space into an attractive area that can be enjoyed for many years to come. Here are some tips to help you plan the perfect la ..read more

Caterpillar tracked vehicles are now commonly used on building or demolition sites, and can take the form of excavators, diggers, and dumpers, which are designed to operate on steep or uneven terrain. They provide extra traction and stability on muddy or hilly ground, and can be more versatile than wheeled vehicles. Here’s a look at how tracked vehicles were first invented, and what they were originally used for. The Hornsby Tractor The oldest tracked vehicle in the world is the Hornsby Tractor, which is on display at the Tank Museum, in the garrison village of Bovington, near Wareham in Dorse ..read more

One of the largest Anglo-Saxon burial sites ever discovered in the UK has been found along the HS2 route in Wendover, Buckinghamshire. The BBC reports that the find consists of 138 graves, which contain skeletons, jewellery, weapons, and other artefacts. The finds were described as ‘stunning’ by the historian Dan Snow. Some of the found objects were thought to be early grooming and cosmetic implements, including combs, tweezers, make up, toothpicks, and ear wax removers. Whatever the setbacks and politics of the ambitious high speed rail line have been so far, the excavation works have already ..read more

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to boost housebuilding in a speech designed to set out his plans to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. Construction News reports that Johnson announced the measures in a speech in Blackpool, aimed at attempting to boost the economy, amidst predictions of an economic downturn and even a recession by next year. According to The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development thinktank, the UK will experience the worst rate of economic growth of all the developed G7 nations next year. As the war in Ukraine drags on with no sign of a diplomatic breakt ..read more

Flood damage to your property can be devastating, and it’s important to act quickly to minimise the harmful effects of water and pollution exposure. Here are some tips on what steps to take after a flood, and what to do to repair the damage. Check your insurance policies If you have insurance cover, then your first step should be to ring them immediately to find out what you will be compensated for. This is so that you can preserve or document evidence which will affect your chances of making a full claim. Take as many photographs as possible of the damage before starting any clearance work. N ..read more

It’s often more economical to hire plant equipment than to buy your own, as each project will have different requirements. However, picking the right tools for the job can sometimes be more complicated than first meets the eye. Here are some of most important points to take into consideration before the project gets underway. Check availability At the moment, construction is booming and demand for plant machinery hire is running high. This means it’s best to check in with your chosen rental hire company several weeks in advance of your start date, to find out if the plant you need is available ..read more