the chilly spring also hit butterfly populations, although there were some rare sightings including this purple emperor at anglesey abbey near cambridge. but some seal populations flourished, with record numbers of seals recorded on some suffolk beaches. the warm and settled autumn produced spectacular shows of colour across the country, and helped some grassland fungi to thrive. waxed cup varieties did particularly well, while this unusual devil s finger fungus was spotted in herefordshire. the trust warns extreme weather is increasingly becoming the new normal, but says it is possible to strengthen ecosystems against climate change. by making bigger and better patches of wildlife habitat, they can support stronger populations, which are then more resilient to things like climate change. and here s a lovely seasonal shot to celebrate that ambition as well as what the national trust says has been a great yearfor berries.
and here s a lovely seasonal shot to celebrate that ambition as well as what the national trust says has been a great yearfor berries. justin rowlatt, bbc news, newark park estate in gloucestershire. here s a story which may remind you of the very start of the pandemic. it s about covid on a cruise ship. dan spong was enjoying a christmas trip around the caribbean with his family when his daughter tested positive. they re currently on board the msc seaview but dan says they re about to be forced off the ship and into hotel quarantine with no idea how they ll get home. we can speak to dan now. he is on the ship. thank you for being with us this morning. how is your daughter and how is the family? good morning. she is fine. i am glad