laura foster, bbc news.atures reaching 25.5 celsius in hampshire today — the warmest day of the year so far. and there's more to come — with sunshine and high temperatures expected for most of the country tomorrow and monday. from sunny southport, olivia richwald sent this report. summer holidays scenes over the easter weekend. southport on mercy site has one of the biggest expenses of sand in the northwest, and the second longest in the country. ——pier in the country. the ice cream queues however are rather shorter than average this time of year. it's really hot and really sunny. what have you been doing? you make laying on the beach, and going to shops. it's been a lovely day here, very warm, obviously the sun is also warm for this time of year, so you've got to enjoy it while it lasts. days like this are few and far between. i've spent plenty of easter is reporting on unseasonal snow, but i have to say that southport and the sunshine is far more enjoyable, and this is just the sunshine is far more enjoyab

laura foster, bbc news, norwich. a business selling houseplants in london. thank you forjoining us this easter weekend. what do you make of this campaign? i think it's interesting. house plans, there has been such a big resurgence around them, and how people are using them, experimenting with them and playing with them, and i guess anything that gets people more into them, more accessible, is quite useful and quite exciting, as becker mentioned, because of the benefits it brings to your home and your environment. what is driving the resurgence have you been talking to customers to get an idea of why this added and fresh enthusiasm for house plants? i think there are a few things that we have seen that is forcing and driving that trend. i think a big forcing and driving that trend. i thinka big part forcing and driving that trend. i think a big part of it is around corporations and office spaces. they are investing heavily in greenery because it does improve the environment you are working in. it increases productivit

laura foster has more. becca had struggled with anxiety and depression for months.

laura foster, bbc news, norwich.g 25.5 celsius at gosport in hampshire. parts of the uk are hotter than the mediterranean. many people have flocked to the coast to make the most of a glorious easter weekend. the uk's warmest easter temperature was 29.4 degrees, recorded in london back in 1919. 0livia richwald is in southport for us. it's about 20 celsius at the moment in sunny southport. the town on merseyside has one of the biggest expanses of sand in the northwest, and the second longest appear in the country. —— pier. the ice cream queues however are rather shorter than average this time of year. let's ask some of the people where they come from today. where have you come from? yeah, we're from cheshire, enjoying the sunshine in these record—breaking temperatures while it lasts. is it normally like this here? no. last time we came last year, it was very cold. we've come out with a baby and enjoyed it. so yeah, lovely time to be here. thank you very much. let's ask someone else, where have you come from today? wiga

laura foster has more. becca had struggled with anxiety and depression for months.n't work, but then she was given a house plant and from there her collection grew to more than 100 plants. the well—being you get is so immense. when you stop focusing on looking so far in the future because you have something to deal with right in front of you, it can really help. they take so much time to grow and change at it makes you accept that in yourself as well. becca isn't the only one. the popularity of house plants has skyrocketed in recent years, helped in part by social media. at the moment, plants are considered to be a luxury item and therefore we pay full vat on them in the uk. but in other countries in europe, the taxes are less. as well as benefiting the environment, it's thought that cutting vat could help more people manage their mental health, particularly individuals who don't have access to a garden 01’ green space. if they are feeling that the cost of acquiring those plants is prohibitive, i think that is a great shame. anything that makes plants more affordabl

laura foster reports. becker had struggled with anxiety and depression for months.rk, but then she was given a houseplant didn't work, but then she was given a housepla nt and didn't work, but then she was given a houseplant and from there her collection grew to more than 100 plants. the well-being you get is so immense. when you stop focusing on looking so far in the future because you have something to deal with right in front of you, it can really help. they take so much time to grow and change at it makes you accept that in yourself as well. she is not the only one. the popularity of houseplants has skyrocketed in recent yea rs, houseplants has skyrocketed in recent years, helped in part by social media. at the moment, plants are considered to be a luxury item, and therefore we pay full vat on them in the uk. but in other countries in europe the taxes are less. as well as benefiting the environment, it is thought that cutting vat could help more people manage their mental health, particularly individuals who don't have access to a garden or green space. if they

laura foster, bbc news, norwich.nd i firmly agree that plants have that effect. quite right, too. i'm encouraging us to have some in here. are you good with plants? no. it's 20 minutes past nine. let's have a look at the papers. our guest this morning as mike barton, chief co nsta ble of this morning as mike barton, chief constable of durham police. can you reflect for us at the moment on can you reflect for us at the moment o n eve nts unfolding with the protesters, because the polarised opinion is why did the police not steam straightaway, get them off the streets, open the bridge is up and get on with it? why were they treating them differently to other protesters ? o n treating them differently to other protesters? on the other hand, people were saying how lovely, police were taking what seemed like a more organic, calm approach. so tell us what the rules are. you sum it up perfectly, there are always opposing sides. when the police are involved, there will always be polarised opinion, and generally we have got t

laura, good morning. >> good morning, anne-marie. democrats say cutting off that aid is counterintuitive because the money was being used to combat gangs and foster developments, in other words, to discuss the root causes of why the migrants are coming to the u.s. president trump did not talk to reporters last night as he returned to the white house from a weekend at mar-a-lago. he did say this, though, friday. >> mexico is going to have to do something, or else i'm closing the border. >> then on twitter sunday he blamed democrats for the situation. a very bad situation for our country, he wrote. >> 100,000 people will cross the border this month alone. that is a crisis. >> aides to president trump say it would take something dramatic to stop him from shutting down the border this week. >> it certainly isn't a bluff. you can take the president seriously. >> the department of homeland security is dealing with a systemwide meltdown as it deals with a surge of asylum seekers. >> it's important that we work together. >> more than $550 billion in goods are traded between mexico and the u.s. each year. faulconer says we need the borders open. >> that's

laura foster has more. becca had struggled with anxiety and depression for months.nselling didn't work, medication didn't work, but then she was given a houseplant and from there, her collection grew to more than 100 plants. the well—being you get is so immense. when you stop focusing on looking so far in the future because you've got something to deal with right in front of you, it can really help. they take so much time to grow and change and it makes you accept that in yourself as well. becca is not the only one. the popularity of houseplants has skyrocketed in recent years, helped in part by social media. at the moment, plants are considered to be a luxury item and, therefore, we pay full vat on them in the uk. but in other countries in europe, the taxes are less. as well as benefiting the environment, it is thought that cutting the vat could help more people manage their mental health, particularly individuals who don't have access to a garden or green space. if they are feeling that the cost of acquiring those plants is prohibitive, i think that is a great sha