if he wants more diverse habitats to work alongside with our farming and our healthy and sustainable food production, then natural management systems like this that the beavers can provide are one of the answers that farmers could be paid to have the beavers on their land. but they are rodents and they do cause problems. scotland's beavers were given protected status last year, but some farmers said they were ruining valuable land. dozens have since being culled. the angling trust feels not enough research has been done. that mammal was here a long time ago and our rivers have changed since then. are they at the moment in a fit place for a mammal like the beaver to be reintroduced? despite some worries, a lost character of the past is now gliding into our present. claire marshall, bbc news, devon.

we have some extreme heat on the way, again focused across south—east england with the heat reaching similar levels to what we had actually last friday. it could end up actually last friday. it could end up being the hottest august day for ten yea rs up being the hottest august day for ten years or so. overnight cloud brea ks ten years or so. overnight cloud breaks across england. for northern england and wales, patchy cloud, and certainly some rain edging into northern ireland and western scotla nd northern ireland and western scotland later in the night. it is a slow—moving weather front that will be trickling eastwards as we head into friday, so rain at times for western areas of scotland with rain getting in to glasgow for a time as well. further southwards, cloud getting in to glasgow for a time as well. furthersouthwards, cloud will break and we will have lots of sunshine across england and wales. it will widely feel hot and humid with temperatures expected to surge up with temperatures expected to surge up to 26 degrees. after such a hot day, those temperatures will be very slow to fall as we head through

friday evening. i will show you the temperatures at 11 o'clock at night, still up at 27 degrees in london. beyond that, into the weekend across england and wales we will keep that hot and england and wales we will keep that hotand humid england and wales we will keep that hot and humid weather. lots of sunshine, very warm nights. further north—west some sunshine but a more co mforta ble north—west some sunshine but a more comfortable feel to the weather. really both saturday and sunday we will all see some sunshine but it will all see some sunshine but it will stay humid across england and wales with temperatures running into the 30s and mid 30s across the south—east. thank you, chris, and that is it from us. goodbye.

hello, welcome along to sportsday. i'mjohn watson. coming up tonight: the london earth on will be an elite runner‘s race this year. —— the london never thought. we'll find out what it means for thousands of disappointed runners. problems for england as wickets tumble in the first

test against pakistan. we'll have the latest from old trafford. and it's taken eight years but well worth the wait — a maximum break of 147 and a slice of world championship history forjohn higgins. yes, welcome along. that news in the last half hour. the london marathon will not take place this year, replaced instead with a race for elite runners only on the 4th of october. already moved from april, the safe staging of a mass participation event in the current pandemic proving a step too far for the organisers, which will affect the thosuands of funrunners due to take part and the huge number of charities who rely on the much—needed money raised. joe lynskey is with me. joe, good evening to you, and a huge disappointment, understandably, for all those involved.

john, every year, the elite athletes go for the records and the headlines at the london marathon, but this is a race about far more than just winning. this year, we won't see the masses of runners in fancy dress on the mall, and instead we'll get an eventjust for a handful of the best runners in a loop circuit round the perimeters of one of london's parks. stjames st james park, st james park, ape 2.5 km route. —— stjames park, a 2.5 km route. now, usually, the london marathon route sprawls across the city, from greenwich park — where they set off — through the docklands and into the city. but this elite—only race will happen in stjames‘s park. they'll follow the 2.5km route round, which does take in and finish on the mall. that's a distance they'll have to loop 16 times to reach the full distance. there'll be just 30

to a0 runners in each of the men and women's races, as well as smaller fields in two wheelchair races. that's compared to the 42,000 who ran last year's marathon. there'll be no spectators on the st james‘s park course — and significantly, too, the 2021 london marathon‘s been pushed back to october, in the hope that increases the chances of getting the big numbers back next year. the decision has been made that the journey, that amazing journey, from greenwich to the mall, where yare supported by three quarters of a million people, is not appropriate to happen this year. the marathon is notjust the to happen this year. the marathon is not just the runners, to happen this year. the marathon is notjust the runners, it is the spectators, it is the community, it is the city, and this is the right decision. the marathon will be taking place on the 4th of october. it isjust being done for the way thatis it isjust being done for the way that is right for society now. it isjust being done for the way

that is right for society nowm really is not the london marathon as we know it, is it? we are without the thousands of people who turn out every year to run it and raise money for charity. where does this leave them? yes, the london marathon has raised billions for charities over the years. last year, the event raised more than £62 million for so many different causes, but now with next year's event pushed back to october, those charities are now looking at a two and a half year gap without a mass london marathon event they can use to fundraise. the organisers looked to bridge that gap with the 2.6 challenge you might rememberfrom back in april, during the lockdown. so far, that's raised just over £11 million for different causes. and they're also encouraging those runners to run the distance locally to raise money. or virtually. that'll be some comfort

to the thousands of people who've put in months of dedication, pounding the roads. some have grown frustrated at the uncertainty over the last few months and the physical toil that's brought. many runners, though, will still take on the distance on october 4th. to try and raise money for those causes. i'm a bit disappointed. i had a lot of timing, sol causes. i'm a bit disappointed. i had a lot of timing, so i carried on with training, and obviously helping supported great charity, the support that gives us. i had a virtual plan. we are looking forward to that, so i'm looking forward to training... so, john, a very different race will mark the london marathon this year,

and we're going to have to wait 14 months, it is, to see it back in its usual form. yes, that is not what people are going to have expected, and it will not be its usual form. joe, thanks for that. to old trafford next — and problems for england in the first test after losing early wickets against pakistan. chasing 326, england slipped 12—3 in reply, as the home side struggled in the face of some inspired pakistan bowling, as andy swiss reports. the furrowed brow said it all. joe root‘s side were in desperate need of wickets. and at first, they found some. well, that cheered him up. pakistan's star batsman babar azam gone in the first over. the roar from stuart from - stokes, and he - on