Ed Sheeran’s weird pond has been making waves – Lesley Keating

Ed apparently applied for planning permission a few years ago to create a wildlife pond which was supposed to provide a natural habitat for dragon flies and water beetles. It’s also supposed to be an environment that birds and mammals can drink from. Yet it does, to be fair, look suspiciously like a kidney shaped swimming pool. 

And what sort of mammal is Ed thinking he could encourage to drink from it – a herd of wildebeest? 

It’s Suffolk, not the Serengeti!

Officials said it should have ‘no other use’ but eagle-eyed neighbours are now saying that, despite Ed already owning an indoor pool, it looks more like the trendy natural pools that the rich and famous are adding to their properties. 

These new natural swimming pools are designed to blend with the environment and use plants rather than chemicals to keep the water clear.

Neighbours also say that additional structures have recently sprung up which appear to be a diving board and a changing room. Ed has explained that these are actually an access jetty and a caravan. 

But neighbours are still worried they’re going to be treated to waterside high jinks that may disturb their peace and Ed’s pond is going to be more about a ‘wild life’ than wildlife. 

Um, hello? This is Ed Sheeran we’re taking about, not Keith Richards or Iggy Pop! He’s also applied for planning permission for a 24-seater chapel to be erected on site too so he’s hardly Ozzy Osborne. 

Neighbours may have to avert their eyes as Ed wanders around in his swimming trunks and, granted, he’s no saint as he was once pictured stumbling out of a Brit Awards party at 6am.

But I suspect he’s not a naked sunbather either, given his delicate colouring.

Wildest thing Ed’s likely to do in his water feature is don a pair of waders and collect frogspawn.

I have loved having a cat. My dog, maybe not so much…

I ’ve been cat-sitting for our daughter’s cat, Momoko. He’s the most beautiful ball of fluff ever and we’ve absolutely loved having him.

He’s actually no trouble, despite, the joys of the cat tray to contend with and having to segregate him from our dog Milly. And as I usually wear a lot of black, I’ve discovered I’m also now wearing layers of white fur too, yet it’s still been a pleasure.

All things considered, I am really going to miss him when he goes home tomorrow. Milly, on the other hand, thinks I’m completely bonkers.

She’s been keen to remind me, very vocally, at every opportunity that a real C-A-T has taken up residence! It’s been an interesting – if noisy – time.

Holidays do not mean you switch off from the world

Apparently, almost three quarters of Britons admit to checking their work emails when they’re on holiday. There are numerous strategies to help stressed workers unwind when they are off duty.

I admit I’m one of the three-quarters. But it’s not a problem to me. I don’t mind knowing what’s going on in the real world at all and would far prefer this to having a huge pile of stuff to wade through on my return. I feel that would be infinitely more stressful.

Those who are self-employed surely need to keep up to speed for their own peace of mind anyway? It’s never stopped me enjoying a well-earned break.

Forewarned is forearmed isn’t it?