by Justine Iorga
Caravanners accused of smuggling in killer Asian hornets to UK
Chairwoman of the Norfolk Beekeepers’ Association, Carolyn Liston, has blamed caravanners over concerns that millions of killer hornets could be heading to the UK.
Rumoured to have managed to buzz their way into France by hiding away in a consignment of pottery originating from the Far East, these vicious creatures have already killed six people in France after the sting caused them to go into anaphylactic shock. Their sting is filled with eight toxic chemicals that cause an allergic shock in humans which then can result in deadly consequences.
Now, chairwoman of the Norfolk Beekeepers’ Association, Carolyne Liston, has weighed in on the issue, blaming any possible sighting of Asian hornets on UK soil on caravannners.
She said: “We are concerned they are going to come into Britain on someone’s caravan who has been travelling in France.
“They are a very, very aggressive predator. They wait by the entrance and grab foraging bees as they come back into the hive. They can absolutely decimate bee colonies.”
Caravanners have been blamed for quite a bit over the years – from causing traffic jams to putting a blot on the UK’s landscape – but hornets? Seriously?
Meanwhile, the Animal Veterinary Laboratories Agency is on standby to kill the hornets should they cross the Channel with or without the help of those with caravans and the National Bee Unit of the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will meet in Suffolk next month for a seminar where they will discuss ways to deal with these predators that can devour as many as 50 honey bees in a day. Defra has sent email alerts to beekeepers across the country, urging them to be on guard for this menace.
We at CaravanTimes are totally for protecting ourselves and others from danger, but for Liston to assume these killer insects are on a one way ticket courtesy of our caravans is, perhaps stretching things a tad too far. What about the huge number of heavy goods vehicles en route from France too? Or, for that matter, regular passengers on ferry crossings or other forms of transportation from across the Channel? The issue certainly shouldn’t be contained to those with caravans.
The above said, it pays to be on the look out for these killer hornets, which could possibly be attracted to the warm spring we are currently experiencing across the UK. So, if you’re unsure about how to tell these Asian hornets apart from European hornets, we’ve included some facts about them below:
– Asian hornets are generally active between April and November.
– Queens can grow up to 3cm in length, with her workers measuring in at around 2.5cm.
– Asian hornets have an entirely dark brown or black velvety body, bordered with a fine yellow band. It has a black head with orange-yellow face
– It nests in tall trees in urban and rural areas, and nests can also be found in sheds, garages, under decking or in holes in the wall or ground
– The Asian Hornet is a day flying species which, unlike the European hornet, returns to its nest at dusk.
Make sure you’re on the look out for the killer hornets wherever you are in the UK and let us know what you think about Carolyne Liston’s comments below? Should caravanners be singled out or should this be a message to all those who make a Channel crossing? One thing’s for sure – she’s certainly put bee in our bonnet.

by Justine Iorga
Dart Charge set to redirect some leisure vehicles owing to height?
The Highways Agency will be implementing a new safety system at the Dartford Crossing from next month, which could mean some issues for those with particular leisure vehicles travelling en route if the animation provided by the powers that be is anything to go by.
New safety measures due to be implemented will see oversized vehicles and those containing hazardous materials travelling northbound on the A282 before Junction 1A prevented from going into the tunnels.
The new system follows recent changes to the tunnel’s Dart Charge system which has seen barriers and pay booths replaced with an online charge scheme in a bid to help reduce congestion and speed. It is said that journey times will be further reduced by using such restrictions as a guide to motorists on which lane they should be entering.
The northbound carriageway will divide just after the junction 1a exit slip road, with the two inside lanes (left-hand lanes) dedicated to the west tunnel with a height restriction of 4.8m and two outside lanes (right-hand lanes) dedicated to the east tunnel with a height restriction of 5.0m, as well as dedicated lanes for vehicles carrying hazardous materials.
If you at all happen to fail to use the correct lane then you could face the consequences of a fine or points to your driving licence.
Will these new restrictions mean that some leisure vehicles will also be subject to this rule for one reason or the other?
To check out what changes to the Dart Charge are set to be implemented, watch the short animation below and let us know your thoughts on it.

by Justine Iorga
Feline finally found weeks after stowing away in a caravan
It pretty much goes without saying that we as caravanners like exploring places new, but we never knew cats held the same opinion until we heard about 18-year-old tabby cat, George, from Llanrwst in the Conwy Valley who managed to travel 128 miles away from home by stowing in none other than a caravan.
After five weeks of searching for their missing cat, owners Steven Davison, 71, and his wife Susan, 68, were growing weary that their cat was gone for good, so imagine their surprise when daughter Gemma Davison-Lemalle, 30, saw a picture of her childhood pet on a facebook page for lost and found cats.
The cat had last been seen running towards a caravan site near the home and, unsure of how he would have travelled so far, Steven and Susan can only assume that he hitched a ride in someone’s caravan. George’s ‘holiday’ seemed to take its toll on him though as his condition was not the greatest when he was finally reunited with his owners.
George is now resting up and receiving appropriate treatment for the cat flu that he acquired during his trip – perhaps due to too much raucous caravanning fun. Despite this, however, his family is overjoyed to have him back and safe at home. Gemma told the Daily Mail: “It’s absolutely bonkers to think he travelled so far. We won’t be letting him out of our sight ever again.”
Hopefully George the caravanning cat is doing well. And make sure to be on the lookout caravanners – you might just have an extra furry passenger on your next holiday.

By Claire Lawson

Police officers claim narrowly miss being beheaded by open caravan window

Gloucestershire Road Police were counting their blessings this past weekend, following nearly “being beheaded” as a window of a passing caravan on the motorway swung open.

The police, who had stopped a speeding car on the side of the road on the M5, noticed the caravan, which passed in close proximity, had a loose window.

Upon speaking to the stopped driver, the boys in blue followed the caravan and discovered that the window had unfastened itself and made itself insecure. The driver of the car towing the caravan did not know that the window was open.

Gloucestershire Road Police updated its followers on twitter with photos of the caravan stating they were “Seconds away from being beheaded on M5”.

They also reported that a workman was nearly hit by the open window between junctions 11 towards Cheltenham and 11a towards Brockworth.

Before setting off on a journey with your caravan, it’s pretty imperative that all windows are fastened shut securely as we’re sure you all know. What else do you look out for before setting off on a trip? It will be interesting to read your comments below.