London 2012 Olympics: Jessica Ennis's heptathlon team-mate Louise Hazel also told she was overweight

Hopeful: Louise Hazel is certain to compete alongside Jessica Ennis in the heptathlon at London 2012 Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Exclusive: Jessica Ennis's team-mate Louise Hazel has labelled remarks about Ennis's weight a disgrace and said she has been subjected to the same treatment.

Hazel's comments come after Ennis's coach Tony Minichello claimed that an unnamed "high-ranking person" within UK Athletics had described the World No 2 as fat.

Hazel called the behaviour "disgraceful" and said that she had also been subjected to negative comments about her weight by people in positions of authority, including being told she was overweight.

The revelations come soon after promising triathlete Hollie Avil retired having admitted to an eating disorder brought on by a comment about her weight from a coach.

Hazel, 26, said in relation to Minichiello’s claims: “I have experienced it first hand, also from people within the organisation that was supposed to be supporting us and I just think to a certain extent it is very disgraceful.

"When it comes to your weight there are certain ways to deal with it and there are certain ways not to deal with it.

“Obviously there are a lot of young girls out there who would take this on board as a real critique of their physical wellness and that has really detrimental effects

She added: “It’s not a nice feeling to be called overweight or things like that”

Entertainer: Louise Hazel impressed at the World Athletics Championships recording a personal best in the hurdles Photo: GETTY IMAGES

“Some people think that you have to look like you are completely emaciated to actually be in physical shape and that’s not the truth.”

Hazel said that the comments had upset her, and she feared for other young girls who are aiming to become top athletes.

"My warning is that coaches, people in positions of authority need to choose their words very carefully when they are bringing up a subject like that," she said.

Hazel said she thinks the problem stems from ignorance, and that attitudes within athletics need to change.

“I think more than anything it’s just ignorance. I just think it is a shame that those issues of females and their weight is dealt with in a negative way as opposed to support in a positive way”

"They maybe need to look at measures and mechanisms to make sure that people don’t fall into bad eating habits .

"There needs to be more support rather than more criticism and it is as simple as that.”

Hazel, who won a gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, said that Hollie Avil’s story was not unheard of among elite athletes.

She said: “There are a lot of girls even at the top of their sport that I think struggle with eating disorders but I think a lot of the time they are kept very much under wraps. How can you be seen to have an eating disorder and be an elite athlete?”

Photogenic: Louise Hazel posing for artist Rankin  Photo: PA

Hazel backed her team-mate to shake off the criticism.

“When Jessica is a world champion and performing as well as she does on a daily basis I don’t honestly think you can question what she does because whatever she does works.

"Jessica is an amazing role model and has got the perfect physical physique”.

On Friday Ennis laughed off the reports and said she was not going to let them bother her preparations for this weekend's World Combined Events Challenge in Gotzis.

"I think I came into this year expecting different things to happen, different articles and things like that," said Ennis.

Pride: Louise Hazel won gold for England at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games Photo: GETTY IMAGES

"So I think if you come into it expecting those kind of things then it's not such a shock when you read things like that.

"I obviously see things. Things come up on Twitter and I read things. But I try not to focus too much on reading all the articles; just kind of get on with it, laugh it off really.

"It's not something I worry out. It's not something that's stressing me at the moment so I can kind of just brush it off and ignore it really."

Toned: Jessica Ennis shows off her physique Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Weekend Picks: ‘Men in Black 3,’ ‘Chernobyl Diaries’ & ‘Moonrise Kingdom’

(Photo: Columbia Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures/Focus Features)

Industry insiders are saying "Men in Black 3" will push "Marvel's The Avengers" out of the winnner's circle this Memorial Day weekend to claim No. 1 at the U.S. box office.
Since it appears everyone on the planet has seen "The Avengers" at least once, I agree the MIB3 bet is a sound one.
Here are highlights of this weekend's new releases:


Men in Black 3

Sony Pictures

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, action and destruction, and for language.

What's the Story?

Agent J and Agent K are back, but this time with the addition of a young K (played by Josh Brolin, who, by the way, does a dead on impression of Tommy Lee Jones). Monowheel chases and aliens ensue as well as the need to unlock certain kept secrets to the universe to save K and mankind.

Who Will Dig it?
People who still like to get jiggy with it a/k/a Will Smith fans. Sci-fi and action fans with a sense of humor. Former fans of both (but not at the same time) "Flight of the Conchords" and the Pussycat Dolls should be keen on villains played by Jemaine Clement and Nichole Scherzinger.

 

   

Chernobyl Diaries

Warner Bros.

Rated R for violence, some bloody images and pervasive language.

What's the Story?
A group of young and attractive travelers find themselves at the site of the world's most devastating nuclear accident to date -- Chernobyl (in the Ukraine). They become stranded in the deserted city and make the excruciating discovery that they are not alone.

Who Will Dig It?

Horror and suspense fans (think "Paranormal Activity" and "The Blair Witch Project"). People who are too young to remember the real 1986 Chernobyl disaster (because for those of us who do, the premise may seem in poor taste.)

 

 Moonrise Kingdom

Focus Features

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and smoking.

What's the Story?
According to the buzz at Cannes and early reviews, Wes Anderson is in top form with this release (which will continue to widen in the weeks to come for those of you who are not in L.A. or New York). This film, of course, starring Bill Murray -- along with Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Tilda Swinton, and, of course, Jason Schwartzman -- takes place at a kids camp circa 1965 where two 12-year-olds fall in love and run away, making their surrounding community frantic for their return.

Who Will Dig It?
Did you like "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tenenbaums"? You'll like "Moonrise."

 

Nissan simplifies tire inflation with its new warning system

Nissan will install tire-pressure-measuring systems on its Quest and Altima vehicles that alert the driver filling the tire when it reaches an acceptable level. 

Most people don't carry a tire-pressure gauge in their car. A new federal study shows that underinflated tires triple the risk of an accident. Low tires affect braking, accelerating, cornering and fuel economy.

People might be overconfident, considering that almost everyone has a tire-pressure-monitoring system in their car, as long as it's less than five years old. The government mandated the technology in 2005, but it wasn't required until September 2007. Unfortunately, those systems only tell the driver when the tire is low. Most don't say how low, or let the driver know whether he's overfilled the tire.

Nissan's system uses the car's four-way flashers to let the driver know air is coming in. Once the tire is full, the horn beeps once. If the driver puts in too much air, the lights blink faster and the horn beeps three times. When the tire is deflated to a proper level, the horn chirps one more time.

“It's one of those simple slap-your-forehead moments, as to why someone has not thought of it before,” said Vishnu Jayamohan of Nissan product planning and advanced strategy.

Formula One fans rise: Hellmund vs. Circuit of the Americas in session, likely for a while

Circuit of the Americas - The legal battle surrounding the Circuit of the Americas continues to heat up, with the scheduled Formula One race in Austin just six months away.

Judging from the bloody legal battle under way in Austin, Texas, between Circuit of the Americas principal Tavo Hellmund and his former business partners in the creation of the road-racing course, a good bet for sponsorship for the Formula One race--which is now less than six months away--might be the American Bar Association.

Hellmund has a legal team, the circuit partners have a legal team, the City of Austin and the State of Texas have legal teams, and all are participating in some aspect of the muddy litigation under way. There is a good chance that it will extend up to and past the drop of the green flag for the race in November.

The latest development came on Thursday. Hellmund is asking for the buyout and back salary that he says his contracts specified. Circuit of the Americas' position is that Hellmund violated the contracts. Hellmund sued, and the fight was on. 

Many of the partnership and procedural documents were sealed, and the Austin American-Statesman requested access to them, based in part on the idea that taxpayer money could eventually be earmarked to help bolster the circuit's bottom line, largely through a special-event trust fund that pays the promoter a percentage of the extra tax dollars the event brings in. It has been used for events such as the Super Bowl.

To help get the project launched, Hellmund engineered a tentative agreement that the fund's projected percentage, approximately $25 million, would be advanced to the group, rather than paid well after the event. But as negotiations turned sour between Hellmund and his company, Full Throttle Productions, and the rest of Circuit of the Americas, nervous government officials withdrew that potential pay-it-forward policy, and--based on considerable taxpayer input and ancillary legal aspects--the fund itself appears in jeopardy. This was one of multiple developments that left the circuit scrambling for backers.

So, on Thursday, District Judge Scott Jenkins unsealed many of the records in question, which was considered a win by Hellmund's team. The documents outline financial participation in the project from Circuit of the Americas' major players, including Red McCombs, the legendary Texas businessman who has been one of the most active--and often successful--financiers across the state for decades. Earlier in the week, McCombs, whose financial stake in the $400 million project may be substantially smaller than originally suggested, held a press conference where the 84-year-old McCombs stressed his long-term commitment to the project. 

Hellmund, who says he owns 20 percent of the project, reportedly the same as McCombs, has cited a contract that allows one of them to buy out the other. McCombs has declined to participate. 

The court decision led to the inevitable battle of press releases. Circuit of the Americas' response, in part: “Circuit of The America's attorney Michael Whellan noted that, 'We believe the facts made public through today's filing strongly support our position that Mr. Hellmund's claims and accusation--and his misrepresentations to Circuit representatives and the public about his ability to assign Formula 1™ race contracts--only serve to undermine his case.

'We believe the tactics Mr. Hellmund and his legal team have employed to date are meant to purposely generate negative public sentiment about Circuit of The Americas in hopes of extracting a large settlement. Unfortunately, we do not expect these tactics to end anytime soon. Nonetheless, we are prepared to arbitrate this dispute as the parties have agreed to do in writing.'"

Hellmund legal team spokesman Eric Wetzel's response, directed at Bobby Epstein, the project's central financier: “If Bobby Epstein truly desires an efficient resolution of his dispute with Tavo Hellmund, as he now claims, he can simply honor the $18 million buyout agreement that he signed in September of 2011. If not, Tavo is prepared to amend his pleadings to include charges of fraud and other misdeeds, based on newly discovered evidence. We believe this evidence demonstrates that Mr. Epstein intended to force Tavo out of the F1 project from the beginning. As required by the September agreement signed by Mr. Epstein, these new claims will be litigated in the Travis County, Texas courts--not in a secretive arbitration proceeding.”

Bottom line: Hellmund wants his contract honored, and Circuit of the Americas wants it settled in private arbitration.

While the November Formula One race appears safe so long as Circuit of the Americas can finish construction on the track and the grounds that meets F1 inspection, the future of the announced MotoGP motorcycle race--the two-wheeled equivalent of Formula One, and a lynchpin of the circuit's original business plan---remains unclear. MotoGP can, for the dollars spent, return a higher percentage of investment than F1. But the current MotoGP contract is assigned to Hellmund, and whether or not he will assign it to Circuit of the Americas or take it elsewhere--a Mexican publication recently suggested that Hellmund may find another venue for the race, which probably would not be difficult--is still unresolved. 

Aside from the Australian V8 Supercars event that supposedly is to run next season at the Circuit of the Americas--a series untested in the United States--the circuit has yet to sign any major motorsports series, such as NASCAR, IndyCar, Grand-Am or the American Le Mans Series. It seems likely that until the legal wrangling is resolved, major series might be wary of casting their lot with Circuit of the Americas.

It is getting close to crunch time for the circuit--the period during which general-admission tickets go on sale, likely at prices unfamiliar to many regional motorsports enthusiasts and certainly higher than the $30 general-admission tickets for Sunday's Indianapolis 500. The track and the team need to present a united, professional front as they try to attract fans and, presumably, sponsors, unless it's too late.

The track's preliminary parking plans have also come under criticism, especially from local landowners with vacant property expecting to be able to sell parking spots on their land offering walking-distance fan access to the track. Circuit of the Americas has suggested that a very limited number of on-site parking passes will be sold to owners of "Personal Seating Licenses," and all other attendees must arrive and leave on shuttle buses that will travel closed-down roads, and which presumably won't be free to fans unless they are underwritten. 

Circuit of the Americas has a lot of work to do in a relatively short period--both on track construction and in convincing fans, potential sponsors and the motorsports community that they know how to stage a motorsports event, even though none of the top management team ever has. 

Certainly first-timer teething pains will be tolerated, even expected, but if the race and the race experience is substantially subpar, 2014 and beyond could make for some bleak seasons, as the New Jersey F1 race will offer an alternative for 2014, and rumors persist of a very high-profile Mexican Grand Prix by 2016.

According to Circuit of the Americas' own countdown clock posted on its Web site, it has 177 days.

2013 Nissan Altima: Drive review

The redesigned 2013 Nissan Altima..

What is it?

Nissan's design objective for the 2013 Altima was to create a car that was "a class above" the actual category in which this model plays. Sure, it sounds like a glib promotional line, but we had several people come up to us during the initial drive experience and ask if this was a new Lexus. 

Clearly they thought they were looking at a premium brand and we won't argue with that. The sheet metal now has a more sophisticated character, and even the joker-grin grille that Nissan favors doesn't detract much from the expensive look.

Although the rear end looks familiar, the deep-draw trunklid stamping produces interesting contours, and the prominent chrome accent bar's subtle shape was influenced by styling from a Shinto temple. The car's profile is clean, and the strategic creases in its sides are right up to date with current design trends. 

All in all, the new Altima is a good-looking piece, and it even weighs less now thanks to the use of aluminum for the hood and bumper reinforcements, along with an expanded use of high-tensile steel. Overall, total vehicle weight has been reduced by around 80 pounds.

The new car's dimensions are much as they were for its predecessor, but the new unibody benefits from a front strut-tower brace and an additional structural support at the rear parcel shelf to improve solidity.

What is it like to drive?

The various structural tweaks appear to have worked because the new car feels taut and quiet, with manifestly good front-end integrity abetted by a new multi-link rear suspension featuring what Nissan calls connect-bushings. 

These apparently maintain a high level of lateral rigidity, yet allow helpful rear-wheel toe-in when cornering. Sure enough, the Altima feels utterly stable in a straight line, yet it is nimbly responsive to steering inputs. Instead of an all-electric steering-assist system, Nissan bucked the trend and chose electro-mechanical assist for the Altima, where an electric pump provides hydraulic pressure when needed.

As a result, the wheel feels alive and communicative despite a commendable degree of isolation from vibration and road shock. For keen drivers, this is a unique selling point in the Altima's impressive list of assets. Obviously, heading that list has to be the customer's choice of two engines.

The base engine is a massaged version of the existing 2.5-liter four-cylinder, now producing 182 horsepower and promising 38 mpg in concert with a new continuously variable transmission named X-tronic. The new transmission has a wider gear-ratio range than before and is said to have had its internal friction reduced by 40 percent. Nissan says the CVT redesign has resulted in an improvement in fuel economy of more than 15 percent with the four-cylinder engine and 10 percent with the 3.5-liter V6 engine when compared with the 2012 Altima.

Nissan retained the 3.5-liter V6 despite the prevailing flight to all inline fours for midsized sedans by much of the industry, noting that there is still a group of drivers who like V6s. Predictably, the four-cylinder car feels lighter in the nose, able to turn in a fraction quicker than its V6 sibling, but the six-cylinder model rules in the throttle-response stakes.

Some people might not like the unusual engine cadence one experiences with a CVT but you can't beat it for instant response. Need to move into a gap on the freeway? Step on the gas and hold on. Then, on the open road, you can dial back and let the revs drop to a discreet purr as the CVT spools to its long-striding high ratio. 

All that's left is to sit back on the new NASA-inspired "zero-gravity" seats (designed to reduce muscular load) and enjoy the trip. Looking ahead, one sees an appropriately space-age instrument panel with a center info screen that offers virtual three-dimensional displays.

The car is loaded with all the usual modern electronic stuff, including a back-up camera that provides not only a rearward peek but also lane-departure and blind-spot warnings, plus moving-object recognition to deal with toddlers and shopping carts.

Along with navigation and cell-phone integration (allowing streaming audio and text-message services), the Altima has available remote start and easy-fill tire pressure monitoring, where the car beeps to tell you when the correct pressure has been reached.

Do I want one?

Nice as those convenience technologies are, the Altima's major attraction for us is its performance on the road. Both engines are strong and responsive, and the CVT has some brilliant features to help the driver. For one, it stays at the current ratio if you lift off the gas momentarily, such as when trying to merge. For another, it shifts to a lower ratio when you're braking, to be ready for a strong drive off the corner.

And when you do hammer off that corner, there's an active understeer control (which brakes the inside front wheel) to keep you on the right line. With features like that, we can live with a bit of motor-boating from the drivetrain.

With the four-cylinder model priced from $21,500 and the V6 starting at $25,360, we find the Altima an attractive alternative to the other big players in the class.

2013 Nissan Altima

On Sale: Late June

Base Price: I4, $21,500; V6, $25,360

Drivetrains:

2.5-liter I-4; 182-hp, 180 lb-ft, FWD, CVT

3.5-liter V6; 270-hp, 258 lb-ft, FWD, CVT

Curb Weight: 3,108 - 3,355 lb

0-60 MPH: 7.8; 6.2 sec (est)

Fuel Economy: 27/38; 23/30 mpg (est)

Gallery

The steering wheel of the 2013 Nissan Altima..

The rear seats of the 2013 Nissan Altima..

The dashboard of the 2013 Nissan Altima..

The gauge cluster in the 2013 Nissan Altima..

The center control stack in the 2013 Nissan Altima..

The 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine in the 2013 Nissan Altima..

The 3.5-liter V6 in the 2013 Nissan Altima..

The 2013 Nissan Altima's CVT.

A rear view of the 2013 Nissan Altima..

A side view of the 2013 Nissan Altima..

Latest holiday deals

Save 58 per cent on a superior room at St Lucia's romantic Anse Chastanet resort

The best late deals on UK cottages, hotel stays, package holidays, flights, cruises and luxury breaks. 

Telegraph Hand-Picked deals 
Hand-Picked, our travel club, provides members with exclusive rates on luxury holidays.

Romantic St Lucia - 58% off

Save 58 per cent on a hillside superior room at the romantic Anse Chastanet resort in St Lucia. Valid for stays until September 15. Book by June 3. telegraph.co.uk/handpicked1184.

Yorkshire hotel - 50% off

Save 50 per cent on two nights at the Yorkshire Hotel in Harrogate. Includes breakfast and one two-course dinner. Valid for stays until July 30. Book by June 3. telegraph.co.uk/handpicked1204. 

Cyprus hideaway - 25% off

Save up to 25 per cent on a seven-night stay in the Seaview Cottage Suite at the Hideaway Club in Cyprus. Includes flights, buffet breakfast and dinner. Valid for stays from July 1 to September 9. Book by June 3. telegraph.co.uk/handpicked1189. 

Cruises

Norway - £499

A seven-night cruise on board P & O’s Oriana costs from £499 per person. Departs from Southampton on July 7, with ports of call including Stavanger, Geiranger and Bergen. telegraph.co.uk/oriana8.

Caribbean - £999

A seven-night cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas costs from £999 per person, including return flight. Departs from Port Canaveral on November 25. Ports of call include Jamaica and Mexico. telegraph.co.uk/royal8. 

Amsterdam mini-cruise - £359

A four-night mini-cruise on Celebrity’s Celebrity Constellation to Amsterdam costs from £359 per person, including flights and two-nights’ pre-cruise stay in Amsterdam. Departs from Gatwick on September 3. telegraph.co.uk/celebrity8. 

These offers can also be booked on 0800 107 1133. Prices based on two sharing, including transfers, flights (unless otherwise stated) and meals.

Sun, sea and adventure

Golf in Egypt - £579

Seven nights’ b & b at the five-star Maritim Jolie Ville Golf & Resort in Egypt costs from £579 per person. Valid for stays from now until June 28. Includes return flight from Heathrow with EgyptAir. Book by May 31. (destinology.co.uk; 0800 634 2866) 

Antiguan garden suite - £1,669

Seven nights at Carlisle Bay in Antigua costs from £1,699 per person. The offer is valid for select departures from May 30 to June 30. Includes return flight with Virgin Atlantic. Book before May 31. (vhiphotels.co.uk; 0844 573 2460) 

Zante studio - £275

A seven-night self-catered stay at the Princess Studios and Apartments in Tsilivi costs from £275 per person, based on three adults sharing a studio. Departs June 28 from Gatwick. (cosmos.co.uk; 0844 573 4261) 

Ras al Khaimah - £549

Three nights at the Hilton Ras al Khaimah Resort & Spa in Ras Al Khaimah costs from £549 per person. Includes return flights with Virgin Atlantic. Valid for departures from July 3 to 10. (virginholidays.co.uk; 0844 557 3870) 

St Lucia escape - £899

Seven nights at the four-star Smugglers Cove Resort & Spa in St Lucia costs from £899 per person. Departs on June 18 and includes return flight with British Airways from Gatwick. (hayesandjarvis.com; 0844 415 1918) 

Luxury Costa del Sol - £385

A seven-night stay at the five-star Blue Sea Gran Hotel Cervantes in Torremolinos on an all-inclusive basis costs from £385 per person. Departs from Stansted on June 12. (lowcostholidays.com; 0800 1116271) 

Greek getaway - £545

Seven nights at San Agostino resort near Kalamata in the Peloponnese on half-board basis costs from £545 per person. Includes return flight. Departs from Gatwick on June 9. (markwarner.co.uk 0844 273 7397) 

Morocco - £905

Four nights at Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco from £905 per person. Valid for departures until August 31. Includes return flight. (baileyrobinson.com; 01488 689777)

Got a great holiday deal? Email: traveldeals@telegraph.co.uk

UK cottages

Welsh seaside - £1,218

This detached stone cottage (sleeps six) with sea views over Cardigan Bay costs from £1,218 per week. It features a terraced garden with patio, barbecue and patio furniture. Shops, pub and restaurant are one mile away. The price is based on stays from July 7. Ref WN73. 

Scottish borders - £398

Three nights in this peaceful hillside cottage (sleeps six) with a secluded garden in Wamphray costs from £398. The cottage is between Moffat, with its choice of shops, pubs, hotels and restaurants, and Lockerbie in Dumfriesshire, with the Borders also accessible. The offer is valid from June 1. Ref 90138 

Rural Bedfordshire - £438

This old converted stable (sleeps four to five) in Broom, Biggleswade costs from £438 per week. It offers a cosy base from which to explore the local villages, including Bedford, Royston and Stevenage. It has easy access to Luton Airport, Cambridge and London. The offer is valid from August 10. Ref 16069.

To book, call 0844 871 2117 or see telegraphcottages.co.uk. Prices based on full occupancy. Offers are subject to availability.

Packages

Downtown Dubai - £439

British Airways is offering three nights at the Radisson Blu Dubai Downtown from £439 per person, departing June 15. The price includes return British Airways flight from Heathrow. See ba.com/dubai or call 0844 493 0758. 

Paris tour - £389

A “Paris by Eurostar” four-day escorted tour costs from £389 per person, including three nights at the Mercure Paris Terminus Nord hotel and return Eurostar travel. Valid for July 20 departures. See pageandmoy.co.uk or call 0844 567 6625. 

Four-star Brussels - £169

Three nights at the four-star Thon City Centre in Brussels travelling on the Eurostar from St Pancras International costs from £169 per person. The offer is valid for departures on August 6. See crestaholidays.co.uk or call 0844 879 8014 

Rome break - £197

Three nights’ b & b at the La Luna Hotel in Rome costs from £197 per person. The price includes return flight from Heathrow with Alitalia. The offer is valid for departures on June 9. See skyscanner.net/offers. 

Orlando - £599

Save £60 on a seven-night stay at the four-star Wyndham Orlando Resort, now from £599 per person. The price includes return flight with Virgin from London Gatwick . The offer is valid for departures from November 1 until November 30. Book by June 30. See netflights.com or call 0871 703 8000.

Flights

Bangkok - £426

Flights from London Gatwick to Bangkok cost from £426 for travel between April 1 and December 8. Book by June 30. See flightcentre.co.uk or call 0800 587 0058. 

Delhi - £455

Flights with Swiss Airlines from London Heathrow to Delhi cost from £455. Prices are valid for travel before Sept 29. Book by June 15. Call 0871 230 0040. 

New York - £493

British Airways has return fares from London Heathrow to New York from £493 for selected dates in June. See britishairways.com or call 0844 493 0787. 

Tokyo - £655

Return Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow to Tokyo costs from £655 for departures until June 13. Book by May 31. Call 0844 209 7310 or see virgin-atlantic.com.

The best retirement money-spinners

Location: Belford, Northumberland
Guide price: £199,995
Agent: Smiths Gore, 01289 333030; smithsgore.co.uk.
A chance to live in (and modernise) a slice of stately home. This apartment, in Grade I listed Belford Hall (27 acres of grounds), needs some updating.

Location: Blockley, Gloucestershire
Guide price: £995,000
Agent: Jackson-Stops and Staff, 01386 840224; jackson-stops.co.uk.
Built in 1824, Northwick Mill still has its original mill wheel and mill stream, plus a guest annexe for when the family visit. There is an outlying workshop to escape to when they do.

Location: Bicester, Oxfordshire
Guide price: £298,000
Agent: Hamptons International, 01865 512332; hamptons-int.com.
Stable conversion, one of eight apartments in the same Grade II listed block, vaulted ceiling, original horsey features.

 

Location: Windlesham, Berkshire
Guide price: £2.4m
Agent: Barton Wyatt, 01344 843000; bartonwyatt.co.uk.
A five-bedroom gated home with its own private island and (fish-stocked) lake, plus an indoor heated swimming pool.

Location: Chieveley, Berkshire
Guide price: £895,000
Agent: Strutt and Parker, 01635 521707; struttandparker.com.
Converted stable block in need of a facelift, with five bedrooms, annexe and large gardens. Plenty of active pottering areas, too: log store, tractor store and wine store

Location: Ramsey, Essex
Guide price: £590,000
Agent: John D Wood, 01245 344222; johndwood.co.uk.
Five-bed mill house, left, with ancient windmill in garden, sails still intact. There’s an old coach house in the 2.2-acre grounds, currently used for storage.

Location: Chiddingfold, Surrey
Guide price: £795,000
Agent: Hamptons International, 01483 417222, hamptons-int.com.
One that’s already undergone extensive renovation is this characterful Gothic chapel, pictured top right. It has four bedrooms, a courtyard garden and a terrace. Well located right in the heart of the village.
 

Location: Downton, Hampshire
Guide price: £995,000
Agent: John D Wood, 01590 677233; johndwood.co.uk.
Five-bedroom Apple Court can be divided into a main house (three bedrooms) and guest annexe (two bedrooms). There’s a holiday cottage in the grounds (rental £450-£700 per week), plus a barn with potential for development into holiday lets, say the current owners. Walled gardens and a commercial nursery too.

Location: Dartmouth, Devon
Guide price: offers in excess of £2m
Agent: Savills, 01392 455755; savills.co.uk.
Perfect for the nautically minded retiree, The Keep (built 1856) is a stunning five-bedroom fortress, offering sea views, huge gardens and high stone walls.

Location: Paston, Norfolk
Guide price: £475,000
Agent: 01603 605510; abbotts.co.uk
This three-bedroom cottage comes with its own tourist attraction, a 19th century windmill. Stow Mill has been restored and is currently open to the public, complete with a gift shop. The potential is there for a vibrant business as well as a quirky place to live. 

Male contraceptive pill hopes after gene discovery

Male contraceptive pill could be a step closer after gene discovery

Scientists are a step close to developing a contraceptive pill for men, after identifying a new gene critical in the production of healthy sperm. 

Researchers have found the gene, Katnal 1, controls the final stages of sperm development and could result in temporary infertility if blocked.

The discovery could lead to the development of medicine to interrupt the production of fertile sperm without causing permanent damage, scientists believe.

The study, at the Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh, is thought to make the successful production of a contraceptive pill for men more likely in the near future.

Dr Lee Smith, from the university, said if the gene was blocked the testes would continue to produce sperm, only releasing immature, ineffective sperm which had not developed into the final stages.

He told the BBC: "If we can find a way to target this gene in the testes, we could potentially develop a non-hormonal contraceptive.

"The important thing is that the effects of such a drug would be reversible because Katnal1 only affects sperm cells in the later stages of development, so it would not hinder the early stages of sperm production and the overall ability to produce sperm.” 

He added it would be "relatively difficult" to do as the protein lives inside cells, but there was "potential" to find another substance that protein worked with as an easier target.

The research, funded by the Medical Research Council, was based on altering the genetic code of mice to discover mutations which led to infertility.

Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in andrology at the University of Sheffield, told the BBC there was "certainly a need" for a non-hormonal contraceptive for men and that this had been a "Holy Grail" of research for many years.

"The gene described by the research group in Edinburgh sounds like an exciting new possible target for a new male contraceptive, but it may also shed light on why some men are sub-fertile and why their sperm does not work properly,” he said.

Sepp Blatter calls on Franz Beckenbauer and his panel of soccer experts for an alternative to penalty shootouts

Heartbreak: Bayern Munich players gutted after losing Champions League final on penalties Photo: AFP

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has called on Germany's World Cup winner Franz Beckenbauer and his panel of soccer experts to try to come up with an alternative to penalty shootouts to settle drawn matches. 

Blatter was speaking to delegates at the Fifa Congress on Friday less than a week after Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on penalties to win the Champions League final.

"Football can be a tragedy when you go to penalty kicks. Football is a team game, when it goes to one against one football loses its essence," Blatter said.

"Perhaps Franz Beckenbauer, with his Football 2014 group, can show us a solution, perhaps not today but in the future."

Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup with Germany as both a player and manager was among the delegates at the congress, was not immediately available for comment but his views are well known on the matter.

The German has said he would rather have penalties than either a golden or silver goal which were used briefly to determine matches.

Tinkerman: Sepp Blatter wants to see an end to the dreaded penalty shootout as a means of deciding a drawn game  Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Blatter has been calling for reforms to the game for a while and this is not the first time he has said he wanted to see penalty shootouts replaced.

But the fact he made the comment in his speech to delegates underlines his desire for the Football Committee to take some action on the issue.

Dozens of high profile finals, including the 1994 and 2006 World Cup finals, European Championships and Champions League finals have all been decided on penalties since they were introduced in their modern format in 1970.

The Congress was also told the British privileges which guarantees the four home nations their own Fifa vice-president were outdated, and that a decision on this will be made at next year's Congress.

Theo Zwanziger, the German in charge of revising Fifa's statutes, said: "I have a lot of respect for what the British have done for more than 100 years, but football has moved on and it is our duty and obligation to decide if the privileges are still justified in our time and age.

"This question has been raised in relation to the British vice-presidency."

He also said the composition of the International FA Board, the law-making body made up of the four British home nations - who have one vote each - and Fifa, who have four votes, should be changed.

Zwanziger added: "We believe that IFAB should renew itself from within, but perhaps the composition should change.

"It should be more modern and more democratic, more transparent and not allow for blocking other views. We should know clearly and publicly why something has been rejected."

Fifa also confirmed they will put aside 75million US dollars (£48m) to cover the cost of insuring players on international duty.

The insurance for injured players will cover the salary for the second to 12th month of his absence, with a maximum pay-out of 9.75m US dollars (£6.2m)

2013 Cadillac XTS: Drive review

The 2013 Cadillac XTS brings back a roomy, full-size front- or all-wheel-drive sedan to the company's lineup, undoubtedly satisfying the brand's tradi.

What is it?

The 2013 Cadillac XTS brings back a roomy, full-size front- or all-wheel-drive sedan to the company's lineup, undoubtedly satisfying the brand's traditional shoppers who might have wondered what all of that high-speed Nürburgring-lapping was about. In case you wanted to know, it was to prove Cadillac's global high-end car competence. But that preoccupation left obvious gaps in the product portfolio. 

The XTS helps take care of that. Along with gobs of passenger and luggage space (18 cubic feet of it), the XTS showcases Cadillac's suite of safety and convenience technologies, including a seat that vibrates to alert the driver of potential hazards and a flexible telematics interface called Cadillac User Experience (CUE).

To be made available in either Premium or Platinum trim levels, the XTS has styling that is noticeably more subtle and less edgy than some of its stablemates. The interior, in particular, has an elegant simplicity that integrates the high-tech switches and displays in a way that convincingly blends modernity and tradition.

The powertrain will be a 3.6-liter direct-injection V6 hooked to a six-speed automatic for the foreseeable future. “We're not supposed to tease journalists with speculation about future engine upgrades,” a Cadillac engineer we questioned said.

For the role the XTS will play—fielding a more traditional Caddy and replacing the current DTS, at least temporarily—the power and refinement offered by the new car is an important step forward. And the sophisticated electronic instrumentation and telematics interface goes hand-in-hand with the stylish look to underline Cadillac's approach to luxury. 

What is it like to drive?

The powertrain combination is calibrated to provide good initial response, so the car moves off smartly as you step on the gas. It is similarly muscular around town, with enough torque to hold its own in aggressive urban traffic. The limitations of the 3.6-liter engine become more evident in hilly environments, where the need to rev all the way to 6,800 rpm to achieve maximum horsepower makes passing a carefully considered affair.

It's not that 304 hp is inadequate. It's just that two tons is a lot of car for an engine that size to push around. In the more likely combination of urban and open-road environments that this model will mostly inhabit, we're sure drivers will be content with what the engine can deliver.

They'll surely appreciate the so-called HiPer strut front suspension, which has a dual-path top mounting to separate spring and damper loads to the body that reduces torque steer while also improving ride and steering. The steering-assist system is, surprisingly, hydraulic, with General Motors' Magnasteer variable weighting. It is a welcome change from the current epidemic of all-electric mechanisms.

So the car steers nicely, with no significant interference from the driveline. The chassis has Cadillac's magnetic-ride variable-damping shock system to broaden the bandwidth and make available both a comfortable ride and taut ride-motion control when needed. Our brief drive route suggested that the XTS is never going to be a sports car, nor even a hard-edged sports sedan, but confirmed that it works pretty well in all situations.

As is customary in the luxury realm, the XTS has a full complement of safety systems, with low-speed object recognition with auto-brake, high-speed collision warning and lane-keeping and other vehicle warnings via vibrations (left, right or combined) in the driver's cushion bolsters. Talk about seat-of-the-pants driving!

Do I want one?

The XTS fills an important role in the company's product portfolio, catering to the Cadillac client looking for a traditional large luxury car. Yet its tidy packaging and intelligent design cleverly understate the car's size. 

Plus, for those not well disposed to Cadillac's recent origami body styling, the XTS strikes a less radical pose. And its pricing structure—ranging from about $45,000 to $59,000—presents a tempting alternative to the substantially more expensive Audi A8, BMW 7-series and Lexus LS models that share the XTS's 200-inch length.

No wonder Cadillac's staffers look so happy to see it. 

2013 Cadillac XTS

On Sale: July

Base Price: $44,995

Drivetrain: 3.6-liter V6; 304-hp, 264 lb-ft; FWD or AWD, six-speed automatic

Curb Weight: 4,006/4215 lb (FWD/AWD)

0-60 MPH: 6.7 sec (est)

Fuel Economy (EPA): 17/28 mpg (est) 

Gallery

The powertrain will be a 3.6-liter direct-injection V6 hooked to a six-speed automatic for the foreseeable future..

To be made available in either Premium or Platinum trim levels, the XTS has styling that is noticeably more subtle and less edgy than some of its stab.

As is customary in the luxury realm, the XTS has a full complement of safety systems, with low-speed object recognition with auto-brake, high-speed co.

An elegantly simple and clean interior reside in the 2013 Cadillac XTS..

Speaker-laced seats inside the new 2013 Cadillac XTS..

The interior, in particular, has an elegant simplicity that integrates the high-tech switches and displays in a way that convincingly blends modernity.

The powertrain combination is calibrated to provide good initial response, so the car moves off smartly as you step on the gas..

The dash and console in the new 2013 Cadillac XTS..

And the sophisticated electronic instrumentation and telematics interface goes hand-in-hand with the stylish look to underline Cadillac's approach to .

Illuminated door-sills on a Platinum package equipped 2013 Cadillac XTS..

And its pricing structure—ranging from about $45,000 to $59,000—presents a tempting alternative to the substantially more expensive Audi A.

For the role the XTS will play—fielding a more traditional Caddy and replacing the current DTS, at least temporarily—the power and refinem.

A rear view of the 2013 Cadillac XTS..

Along with gobs of passenger and luggage space (18 cubic feet of it), the XTS showcases Cadillac's suite of safety and convenience technologies, inclu.

The XTS fills an important role in the company's product portfolio, catering to the Cadillac client looking for a traditional large luxury car. Yet it.

For those not well disposed to Cadillac's recent origami body styling, the XTS strikes a less radical pose..

A light-colored interior of the 2013 Cadillac XTS..