0:00:03 > 0:00:05There's a change in the air,
0:00:05 > 0:00:07and with it comes the most spectacular,
0:00:07 > 0:00:11the most theatrical seasonal show of all.
0:00:12 > 0:00:13Autumn.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15DEER CALLS
0:00:15 > 0:00:18It's a time of fruitfulness, of harvest.
0:00:19 > 0:00:24When our six million acres of woodland come alive with colour.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28It's one of the busiest times of the year across the land.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32And, for wildlife, it's a chance to stock up
0:00:32 > 0:00:35before the harsh winter days ahead.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38All this week, we're travelling the length and breadth of Britain,
0:00:38 > 0:00:43searching out the very best seasonal stories that matter to you.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Oh-ho-ho! That's a biggie!
0:00:46 > 0:00:49- Yeah! That is our family walnut tree.- Come on!
0:00:49 > 0:00:52This is Countryfile Autumn Diaries.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Coming up on today's programme...
0:01:02 > 0:01:04'I'll be reviving a seasonal favourite
0:01:04 > 0:01:07'with former Bake Off winner Nancy Birtwhistle.'
0:01:07 > 0:01:09So this could be a big new thing. Do you think?
0:01:09 > 0:01:11We're looking for new flavour combinations
0:01:11 > 0:01:12- all the time, John.- Yeah.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15'In the Cambridgeshire fens, Joe Crowley is digging up the peat
0:01:15 > 0:01:17'to find a missing Second World War Spitfire.'
0:01:17 > 0:01:20This is the moment you're getting very excited about, really. Yeah.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23As you can see, we're all getting quite excited.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26And I'm trying to organise a blind date for my girls.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28SHEEP BLEAT
0:01:29 > 0:01:32We're here in the Kielder Forest in Northumberland,
0:01:32 > 0:01:34and, with its 40 miles of trails,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37it's a great place for people walking their dogs.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41Now, as we know, dogs can be our best friends, even our workmates,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44and now some very special canines have been given
0:01:44 > 0:01:46a revolutionary new role.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48Margherita takes the lead.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55DOGS BARK
0:01:59 > 0:02:01If you're an animal lover,
0:02:01 > 0:02:03you'll already know how great it is just to be out
0:02:03 > 0:02:05spending time with your pet.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08But now research has shown that the positive effects we feel
0:02:08 > 0:02:13can be used in a therapeutic way, benefiting health and wellbeing.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19There are thousands of trained therapy pets in the UK,
0:02:19 > 0:02:23helping to treat everything from post-traumatic stress to autism.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25You can find our furry friends in hospitals,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29nursing homes, and now in our schools.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32It's the autumn term, and this class have welcomed
0:02:32 > 0:02:33a very special visitor -
0:02:33 > 0:02:35Doug the therapy dog.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Wow. You're doing such lovely, neat work. Fabulous writing.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41You'd think a dog in the classroom would be a distraction
0:02:41 > 0:02:46but, in fact, Doug is part of a team of 5,600 therapy dogs
0:02:46 > 0:02:50who each week help more than 6,000 children improve their reading.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53So how does it work? Owner Cate's on hand to tell me more.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Well, it's very comforting just having Doug on my lap now,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00and he is so calm and so lovely,
0:03:00 > 0:03:04but they are said to lower your blood pressure and take stress away,
0:03:04 > 0:03:06and stress is a real barrier to learning.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08It's a barrier to recalling information
0:03:08 > 0:03:09and the processing of information,
0:03:09 > 0:03:14so children are able to feel much better versions of themselves
0:03:14 > 0:03:17when they have an animal with them that just makes them
0:03:17 > 0:03:19feel so much calmer.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22That's exactly what Doug does for pupils like Connor,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25who benefit from that little bit of extra help.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28"Our lovely Doug the pug is brave too.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30"He's not..."
0:03:30 > 0:03:31Not even scared.
0:03:31 > 0:03:38"He's not even scared when he hears of the Big Bad Wolf."
0:03:38 > 0:03:41And what's it like when you read with Doug?
0:03:41 > 0:03:45I like it so much because if, like, I've had a bad day or something,
0:03:45 > 0:03:51I can just forget about it and start a bit of a new chapter of that day.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54'And it seems it's a thumbs up all round for Doug.'
0:03:54 > 0:03:57I just really like him around me.
0:03:57 > 0:04:03Whenever I get snuggled up with him, he makes me concentrate.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08'With one in six children in the UK struggling with literacy,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11'headteacher Elen Peal is already seeing results for her pupils
0:04:11 > 0:04:13'from Doug's visits.'
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Well, it's absolutely fantastic.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17The children love him.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Their confidence and feelings of self-esteem
0:04:20 > 0:04:21have really been boosted,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24so he's a real essential part of our school community,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27and I think the other side of things is that those individual children,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30for whatever reasons, wide-ranging reasons,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32who actually work personally with Doug,
0:04:32 > 0:04:34he really has made a massive contribution -
0:04:34 > 0:04:37which is fantastic, not just in academia
0:04:37 > 0:04:39but also in those wider contexts -
0:04:39 > 0:04:41and helped them to become really, really positive
0:04:41 > 0:04:44contributors to the community.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46And, as we're now discovering,
0:04:46 > 0:04:48there's scientific evidence to back it up.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Dr Sandra McClune has been researching
0:04:51 > 0:04:54human and animal interaction.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57The presence of a dog can result in, just, relaxation
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and the lowering of stress responses.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03One of the possible mechanisms is the production of
0:05:03 > 0:05:05the hormone oxytocin.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Now, oxytocin is the feel-good hormone that's produced
0:05:08 > 0:05:11when mothers are nursing infants or when people who are very in love,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14they increase their levels of oxytocin.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16And we know that both people and dogs will do this
0:05:16 > 0:05:19when they're interacting positively together.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22And the other thing with oxytocin is that it suppresses stress hormones
0:05:22 > 0:05:25like cortisol, and makes you feel better.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Having a pet dog in our family when I was little,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33I always knew how much a part of the family he really was,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35but it's amazing to hear the science
0:05:35 > 0:05:39behind how a pet can really benefit your health.
0:05:39 > 0:05:40Now, if you, like me,
0:05:40 > 0:05:45would love a dog but don't have the space that they need or a lifestyle
0:05:45 > 0:05:46where you can put their needs first,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48join me a little bit later to find out
0:05:48 > 0:05:51how you could still get the benefits of our four-legged friends.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Now, all of Paul's hard work on his smallholding
0:06:01 > 0:06:03really seems to be starting to pay off.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Just one thing is missing - a Mr Right for his four ewes.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10The big question is, will love be in the air?
0:06:14 > 0:06:16One of the most important things that I've learned about
0:06:16 > 0:06:18being a farmer is planning ahead.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Now, we've thoroughly enjoyed having these girls here
0:06:21 > 0:06:23on our smallholding this year.
0:06:23 > 0:06:24They've kept the grass really low.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27In fact, the fields have never looked better.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29But we do need a larger flock,
0:06:29 > 0:06:33so if I want to see baby lambs bouncing around come the spring,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35I've got to act now.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41'This autumn, what these four girls need is a frisky fella,
0:06:41 > 0:06:46'so I'm off to pick the perfect ram from my mentor, Adrian Andrews,
0:06:46 > 0:06:47'who I got my ewes from.'
0:06:49 > 0:06:51- Adrian.- How are you, Paul?
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Yeah, I'm all right. Great to see you.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55- Now, we want some lambs for next spring...- OK.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57..so I know we've got to start thinking about that now
0:06:57 > 0:06:59and I want to borrow a ram.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01OK, I've got three rams in here. Let's go and have a look.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04'My four ewes back home are Wiltshire Horns,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07'an old native breed that almost became extinct.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09'They've been rediscovered,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12'and numbers-wise are on a bit of a comeback,
0:07:12 > 0:07:14'which I'd like to continue.'
0:07:14 > 0:07:16The first one you can see is Archie.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Oh, he's beautiful.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21'Contestant number one, Archie, is a relaxed ram
0:07:21 > 0:07:24'who enjoys gentle walks in the countryside.'
0:07:26 > 0:07:30- Right, Archie caught my eye as soon as I walked in.- Right. OK.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33He's got great legs at the front. Look, he's perfectly symmetrical.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36- Yeah, but if you're going to be really, really picky...- Yeah?
0:07:36 > 0:07:38..his legs are a little bit close together in the front.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Oh, is that a bad sign? I don't know.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Well, you'd like them to have a leg in each corner.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46'You want the best physical traits passed on to the lambs.
0:07:46 > 0:07:51'In 2009, one ram auction for breeding was considered so perfect
0:07:51 > 0:07:54'he sold for more than £200,000.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58'Archie's offside gait might put him out of contention.'
0:08:00 > 0:08:01Open his mouth and check his teeth.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Put your thumb in and run it across like that.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07- Can you do that? You feel that? - Oh, yeah, lovely and smooth. Yeah.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11- Very even.- And they're all there. - Gosh. They're better than mine.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13'A ram's teeth need to be in tiptop condition
0:08:13 > 0:08:16'so they don't have any feeding problems.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19'It will ensure Archie has all his strength for mating,
0:08:19 > 0:08:20'or tupping.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29'Now for contestant number two, Bentley.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32'He's a racy younger ram who still likes a bit of a gambol.'
0:08:34 > 0:08:35Right.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38I've got him, so you just look at his feet,
0:08:38 > 0:08:39that they're not overgrown...
0:08:39 > 0:08:42- No.- No, they look well. They look as if they're sound.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46'A tupping ram can't afford to have bad feet
0:08:46 > 0:08:48'if he's going to chase the girls around the field.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51'His cloven hooves need to be in perfect condition.'
0:08:53 > 0:08:55- And there's four.- There's four.
0:08:55 > 0:08:56Absolutely.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00'And finally, meet Xbox,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03'a bullish ram who isn't looking to be tied down...
0:09:07 > 0:09:08'..by anyone.'
0:09:10 > 0:09:11Cor. Well held.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15'Xbox is a bit of a beast, as I'm about to find out.'
0:09:16 > 0:09:18- Now I would like you to, actually...- Yes.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20..while I've got hold of him,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23to grab hold of the ram's testicles.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Make sure they're of even size,
0:09:27 > 0:09:31and there's no growths or anything there.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34Actually, I should do it from the side, shouldn't I, really?
0:09:37 > 0:09:39And they should be about 30cm to 40cm.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43I'll take your word for that. I don't have a tape.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- But they feel quite even.- But aren't they of an even size?- Yeah.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Now, just for you to comparison,
0:09:48 > 0:09:51I would like you just to flex your biceps.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53- Just go like that.- Yeah.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56That's how the testicles should feel -
0:09:56 > 0:09:58a tensed bicep.
0:09:58 > 0:09:59That's pretty good.
0:09:59 > 0:10:00This ram...
0:10:01 > 0:10:06..if you would like to put your hand from his shoulder all the way back,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08he's what they call fit.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11'Before the tupping season begins,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15'you need to get your ram into peak athletic condition.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17'He might require more feeding,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20'but his physique must be toned, not fat.'
0:10:20 > 0:10:26So he would cover 50 ewes, no problem.
0:10:26 > 0:10:27- Really?- Yeah.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29So, him to go with your four,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32hopefully, next spring, you'll end up with 12.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36That might be too many.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39- But you know how I started with eight...- Sure, yeah, yeah.
0:10:39 > 0:10:40..and now I've got 80.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Yeah.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45'Modern selective breeding has favoured animals likely to produce
0:10:45 > 0:10:49'more than one lamb, so if my four ewes all have twins,
0:10:49 > 0:10:53'meaning eight lambs, together, I would end up with a dozen sheep.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58'But first I have to pick out the would-be daddy.'
0:10:59 > 0:11:03- It is a bit like a dating agency, really, isn't it?- Yeah. Yeah.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07It's a tough decision, but instantly I am going to rule out Bentley.
0:11:07 > 0:11:08- You are?- Yes.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Cos he's on the small side.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14'Hard luck, Bentley. Another year, perhaps.'
0:11:14 > 0:11:17So it's between Archie and Xbox.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Yeah. Archie's got a great straight back, you know?
0:11:20 > 0:11:22- Yeah.- It's better than Xbox's.
0:11:24 > 0:11:25'Archie's a good-looking fella,
0:11:25 > 0:11:29'but the older Xbox has a better track record,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32'mating with more ewes and siring more lambs.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35'I think I know who my girls at home would prefer.'
0:11:36 > 0:11:42I mean, despite his name, I actually think Xbox is the best of the bunch.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45'With my decision made,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48'it's time to get this bad boy in the back of the trailer
0:11:48 > 0:11:50'and get him home.'
0:11:55 > 0:11:59- Well, come and meet the girls. - PAUL LAUGHS
0:11:59 > 0:12:01And I see he's dressed up for the occasion. Look at that.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Yeah, I've actually put some red marker on him for you,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06- so that you...- I saw that.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08And that is so we can tell?
0:12:08 > 0:12:11When he's covered all four ewes,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13you know, hopefully, they're going to be in lamb.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Yeah, because they'll have all the red dye on their back.
0:12:16 > 0:12:17On their back.
0:12:20 > 0:12:21'He seems keen enough,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24'but when will our ram say, "It had to be ewe"?'
0:12:26 > 0:12:29It'll take four or five days
0:12:29 > 0:12:32for them to start thinking about producing pheromones.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34OK, so it's not going to happen on the first day?
0:12:34 > 0:12:36- No, I... - It might take a couple of days.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40'During the breeding season, the ewes will begin to ovulate,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44'and that can be triggered by the sudden introduction of a ram.'
0:12:44 > 0:12:48He looks majestic. I know I've made the right decision.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51You have, actually. Do you think we should get them out?
0:12:51 > 0:12:54- Yeah. I'll move that, and you do the slip-rails...- And I'll do the rails.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57'Time to get these sheep frolicking in the field.'
0:12:58 > 0:12:59Oh, look at that!
0:13:02 > 0:13:03He really is top-drawer.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05- Thank you very much.- Oh, and you. - It's been a pleasure.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07I'm going to need your help a lot, you know that?
0:13:07 > 0:13:10You will do. Don't worry, we'll sort it.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14- Thank you. Come on, let's get these. - Let's get these rails up.
0:13:14 > 0:13:15'I think I'll leave them to it.'
0:13:15 > 0:13:17SHEEP BLEAT
0:13:22 > 0:13:23Now, at harvest time,
0:13:23 > 0:13:28there are some crops you expect to see, like pumpkins and apples,
0:13:28 > 0:13:29and some you don't.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Prepare for a sweet Yorkshire surprise.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35I'm on the outskirts of Pontefract
0:13:35 > 0:13:37for something of a Countryfile exclusive.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41I'm going to be helping uproot the first commercial crop
0:13:41 > 0:13:44for nearly 50 years...
0:13:44 > 0:13:45of liquorice.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51We know it as the sticky black stuff of childhood sweet shops,
0:13:51 > 0:13:53but that's not how the story starts.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58For thousands of years, in various parts of the world,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02liquorice has been used as a medicine to ease coughs,
0:14:02 > 0:14:04colds and stomach complaints,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06and it's thought that - in the Middle Ages -
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Spanish monks brought liquorice plants here to West Yorkshire.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16They thrived in Pontefract's sandy soil,
0:14:16 > 0:14:18but it wasn't until the 1750s,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22when an enterprising chemist added sugar to the crop,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25that the liquorice confectionery industry was born.
0:14:29 > 0:14:30When I was a lad, John,
0:14:30 > 0:14:34all around where the eye can see was just liquorice fields -
0:14:34 > 0:14:37nothing else but liquorice fields.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40'Tom Dixon comes from a long line of liquorice farmers
0:14:40 > 0:14:45'and remembers the time when the famous crops dominated Pontefract.'
0:14:46 > 0:14:48Cos, I mean, it was a huge industry, wasn't it?
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Oh, it was a massive industry.
0:14:50 > 0:14:51At the turn of the century,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54there were 17 factories producing sweets in this town,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56and now there's only two.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58And in the heyday of the liquorice industry,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01just about everybody here would have been employed in it, wouldn't they?
0:15:01 > 0:15:02Oh, the majority of the girls
0:15:02 > 0:15:04from the town and the surrounding villages
0:15:04 > 0:15:06was all employed in the liquorice factories.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08All of them.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11We used to call them stampers - liquorice stampers.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14And you could tell a girl, when you went out in Pontefract in the night,
0:15:14 > 0:15:16whether she was a stamper,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18cos they were walking round town like this, John.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20- They couldn't ruddy stop! - They couldn't stop stamping?
0:15:20 > 0:15:24No, they were stamping all the time. They were knocking all the time.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27And what about actually harvesting the liquorice?
0:15:27 > 0:15:28That must have been hard work.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Oh, it was hard work, John, because there was no automation.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Everything was done by spades,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38and they had to dig trenches down about six to seven feet.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41It was really backbreaking work.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46But the industry became a victim of its own success.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49The crop was labour-intensive and slow to grow,
0:15:49 > 0:15:53so cheaper imported root began to take over.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55By the end of the 1960s,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58the liquorice fields of Pontefract were no more.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03But after nearly half a century,
0:16:03 > 0:16:07one farming family is bringing the sweet stuff back again.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14The Copleys took over this 120-acre farm in 2003,
0:16:14 > 0:16:18and they decided that, amongst the potatoes and the pumpkins,
0:16:18 > 0:16:20there was room for some local heritage -
0:16:20 > 0:16:2250 liquorice plants.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26- Heather.- Hi.- Hi. Good to see you.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29Now, this is the first time I've ever seen a liquorice plant.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Well, you and most of the population.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34- Yes, it is a rather unique plant. - Yeah.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37And why revive it, then, after 50 years?
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Well, the majority of people that can remember it are 80-plus
0:16:40 > 0:16:43and if we didn't pick it up or somebody pick it up and run with it,
0:16:43 > 0:16:44I do feel the whole history,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47the story and the future of liquorice would be lost.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49So this is living history now, again?
0:16:49 > 0:16:51Yes. Yes, we've revived it,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54- and now we'll try and bring it back to Pontefract.- OK.
0:16:54 > 0:16:55And, of course, with liquorice,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58- it's not what is above the ground that's important, is it?- No.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01- It's what's underneath - the roots. - Yes.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04And how far would the roots spread from each plant?
0:17:04 > 0:17:08They will go down about four feet and up to 25 feet long.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Well, Heather, I know somebody who would really like to experiment
0:17:14 > 0:17:16with your liquorice in the kitchen.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18That's fantastic. I can't wait to see.
0:17:18 > 0:17:19All the best with the harvest.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21- Thank you.- Bye.- Thank you. Bye-bye.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27Nancy Birtwhistle shot to fame as 2014's winner
0:17:27 > 0:17:29of the Great British Bake Off.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30Nancy.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32- CHEERING - Nancy!
0:17:33 > 0:17:37As a Yorkshire lass, Nancy knows a bit about liquorice
0:17:37 > 0:17:39and an awful lot about baking.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Nancy, I've brought you some liquorice.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44- Did you know it was making a comeback in Yorkshire?- I didn't.
0:17:44 > 0:17:45And this is the fresh root?
0:17:45 > 0:17:48It is, straight from the ground. Yeah.
0:17:48 > 0:17:49I've never seen it like this.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54As I remember it, it was a dried stick and we used to chew on it.
0:17:54 > 0:17:55- Oh, yes, yes.- And, um...
0:17:55 > 0:17:57It lasted all day.
0:17:57 > 0:17:58And it lasted all day when you were playing,
0:17:58 > 0:18:00and I think it was a penny a stick.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01I didn't really like the taste of that,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03because it was very bitter, wasn't it?
0:18:03 > 0:18:05- It didn't really taste like liquorice.- I did.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07I did like it. I did.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12'A few seasonal berries will top our dish
0:18:12 > 0:18:15'but first to prepare the star of the show.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20'Nancy wastes no time preparing a liquorice reduction
0:18:20 > 0:18:25'using water, star anise and our freshly harvested roots.'
0:18:26 > 0:18:29What we are going to make, what I've got an idea about,
0:18:29 > 0:18:31- is a chocolate tart.- Mm-hmm.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34And chocolate and aniseed work very well together,
0:18:34 > 0:18:37and there's absolutely no reason why chocolate and liquorice
0:18:37 > 0:18:40shouldn't work deliciously well together.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Do you want to pour this liquor into that chocolate
0:18:45 > 0:18:47and give it a gentle stir?
0:18:47 > 0:18:49- And I'll do this bit. - What? Stir as I'm pouring it on?
0:18:49 > 0:18:51- Yeah.- Yeah.- Absolutely perfect.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53So this could be a big new thing. Do you think?
0:18:53 > 0:18:55- Well, why not?- If it works.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57I mean, we're looking for new flavour combinations
0:18:57 > 0:19:00- all the time, John.- Yeah.- So, um...
0:19:00 > 0:19:02It's a pity you can't have another go at Bake Off.
0:19:02 > 0:19:03I think this would win them over, don't you?
0:19:03 > 0:19:05JOHN LAUGHS
0:19:08 > 0:19:11'It bakes gently for 50 minutes...
0:19:13 > 0:19:17'..and our autumn berries complement the chocolate tart,
0:19:17 > 0:19:22'flavoured with the oldest newcomer in town, Pontefract liquorice.'
0:19:22 > 0:19:25- Well...- Here you go, then, John.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26Time for the taste test.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Time for the taste test.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30- Let me cut you a slice.- Oh, yes.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32Now...
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Mmm.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Yes, I can definitely taste the liquorice.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42- You need a good dollop of it, don't you, into the chocolate?- Mmm.- Yeah.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44I think you're onto a winner, Nancy.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46A Hollywood handshake.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52'Great to see liquorice being harvested and back on the menu.'
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Now, earlier, Margherita discovered
0:19:56 > 0:19:59how a dog could actually improve your health,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01but what if you don't own a dog?
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Well, how about this for a genius idea?
0:20:04 > 0:20:08You know, there's nothing I love more on a beautiful autumnal day
0:20:08 > 0:20:10than enjoying a stroll in the park.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13But how much lovelier this would all be
0:20:13 > 0:20:15if I only had someone to share it with.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Luckily, today, I have found that special someone.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Great fella. His name's Steve.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Steve! Steve!
0:20:26 > 0:20:29- Here, boy. Hello, fella. - SHE LAUGHS
0:20:29 > 0:20:31So, is dinner too much for a first date?
0:20:31 > 0:20:33Maybe lunch at the pub. Come on.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37'Steve's owner, Julie Fretwell,
0:20:37 > 0:20:39'has signed her pooch up to BorrowMyDoggy.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41'As the name suggests,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43'it's a website where people who can't have a dog
0:20:43 > 0:20:45'can be lent someone else's.'
0:20:45 > 0:20:48- Come on, mate.- Oh, you're going to come and sit with us?- Yeah.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52So what are the dating criteria for a good match for you and for Steve?
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Well, for Steve, a bit different than for myself.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56THEY LAUGH
0:20:56 > 0:20:59For Steve, plenty of experience with dogs
0:20:59 > 0:21:04and a suitable location for him, in terms of security,
0:21:04 > 0:21:12and nice people who respond to him in a kind way.
0:21:12 > 0:21:13And what do you get out of it?
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Friends, for one thing, because I've met some lovely people through it,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19and other people who care about Steve.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25'The doggy dating site now has 300,000 members
0:21:25 > 0:21:26'up and down the country.
0:21:26 > 0:21:27'For their first outing,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31'owners and borrowers will go out together for a welcome woof.'
0:21:31 > 0:21:35So, Julie, it's a while since I've been on a date.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38What do I need to remember when I'm looking after Steve?
0:21:38 > 0:21:39What are the really important things?
0:21:39 > 0:21:43He'll be gentle with you if you be gentle with him.
0:21:43 > 0:21:44Keep him on the lead,
0:21:44 > 0:21:48and maybe put it at full extent and call him back.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50When you're confident that he's going to come back to you,
0:21:50 > 0:21:51you can let him off the lead,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54cos he loves to have a run around and a sniff on his own.
0:21:54 > 0:21:55If you scuff a few leaves around,
0:21:55 > 0:21:57he'll enjoy playing with those, and....
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Do you? Do you like a leaf? Do you like a leaf?
0:22:00 > 0:22:02HE BARKS AND THEY LAUGH
0:22:02 > 0:22:03So he likes to play.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06- He likes to play and he likes to run...- OK.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10..so the longer you can walk him for, the better he'll like it.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13'It's time for Steve and I to get to know one another.'
0:22:13 > 0:22:16STEVE BARKS
0:22:16 > 0:22:19'Steve currently has two borrowers - a family,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22'and Sammy, who's been taking Steve out for eight months.'
0:22:23 > 0:22:27Steve was very enthusiastic about her when he met her,
0:22:27 > 0:22:31so he gave me the signals that he'd like to see more of her.
0:22:31 > 0:22:32MARGHERITA LAUGHS
0:22:32 > 0:22:34I think someone's seen their second mum, haven't you?
0:22:34 > 0:22:36It's good to see you, Sammy. How are you?
0:22:36 > 0:22:39It's so lovely to see you, my little happy chap.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41Yeah, I've had a little loan today of Steve.
0:22:41 > 0:22:42You've had a loan.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45But you have the joy of having him in your life much more.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Yes. Yeah, a bundle of energy.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49Lots of character.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51You don't own a dog of your own?
0:22:51 > 0:22:54I don't. I wish I could, but the situation -
0:22:54 > 0:22:58I live in a flat and I can't have dogs, unfortunately, so...
0:22:58 > 0:23:00So what do you get from being involved in the scheme?
0:23:00 > 0:23:05It's really rewarding to have a dog that's just full of character,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07loves to see you, um,
0:23:07 > 0:23:09that's just happy to be around you.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12You get a sense of being needed and wanted.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15Walking has got to be an added benefit.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18It's exercise. It's getting out in the air.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22And the health benefits of our pooches is something
0:23:22 > 0:23:26that leading expert Dr Sandra McClune is only too aware of.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Dogs really benefit us physically,
0:23:31 > 0:23:34just getting outside and walking with our dogs,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36and that gives us great exercise.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40And we've all heard of the benefits of exercise for us, in terms of
0:23:40 > 0:23:44reducing rates of depression and certain types of cancer, stroke,
0:23:44 > 0:23:46type two diabetes and so on.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49'Having a dog has also been shown to reduce the risk factors for
0:23:49 > 0:23:53'heart disease, and help people recover quicker from illness.'
0:23:53 > 0:23:56What we find is that it's pet owners who are more likely
0:23:56 > 0:24:00to still be alive a year later after a serious heart attack.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02They have a 94% chance of survival,
0:24:02 > 0:24:06whereas non-pet owners have a 72% chance of survival.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09And dogs can be great motivators for getting us just to get up
0:24:09 > 0:24:12and get out there and do some exercise together.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16'So it's official - dogs are good for our health,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18'physically and emotionally.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21'And if you, like me, aren't in a position to care for
0:24:21 > 0:24:26'a dog full-time, taking someone else's out could be the answer.'
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Before today, I had no idea that you could just borrow a dog,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32and I have to say that spending the day with Steve
0:24:32 > 0:24:35has just been an absolute joy.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39In terms of health and physical wellbeing,
0:24:39 > 0:24:43he really is just what the doctor ordered.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45So what are we going to have for tea tonight?
0:24:45 > 0:24:47What do you fancy?
0:24:47 > 0:24:49- A nice bit of chicken? - STEVE BARKS
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Or sausage?
0:24:51 > 0:24:52- STEVE BARKS - Hmm...
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Autumn gives us the spectacle of Bonfire Night,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09but November is also a powerful time for remembrance.
0:25:09 > 0:25:14Joe Crowley has been on a mission to recover a very special relic
0:25:14 > 0:25:15from the Cambridgeshire fens,
0:25:15 > 0:25:19but little did he realise what he was going to find.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21MACHINERY RUMBLES
0:25:26 > 0:25:28I'm getting my wellies on because they're letting me
0:25:28 > 0:25:32join the archaeologists for this very important excavation,
0:25:32 > 0:25:35and, this being fenland, I'm expecting a fair bit of mud.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39They're looking for this plane.
0:25:39 > 0:25:44It's a Mark 1A Spitfire, number X4953.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48It crashed here just weeks after the end of the Battle of Britain.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Spitfires played a central role in that battle,
0:25:50 > 0:25:54repelling waves of attacks by the German fighters and bombers
0:25:54 > 0:25:56throughout the summer of 1940.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02It was one of the most important victories of the Second World War
0:26:02 > 0:26:06and the first major defeat inflicted upon Nazi Germany.
0:26:06 > 0:26:11Therefore, the RAF's aircraft and the nearly 3,000 men who flew them
0:26:11 > 0:26:12became British heroes.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14PLANE RUMBLES
0:26:14 > 0:26:17The Battle of Britain was won, but the war was far from over.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19The RAF still needed pilots.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23Harold Penketh was just 20 when he joined up,
0:26:23 > 0:26:25leaving a comfortable job in insurance
0:26:25 > 0:26:27to train as a Spitfire pilot.
0:26:28 > 0:26:33He had barely 13 hours flying time when, on a routine training flight,
0:26:33 > 0:26:37his aeroplane fell from the sky and crashed into the fen.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Harold was killed instantly.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Children on nearby farms saw it happen.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46'Maxey Stacey was just ten years old.'
0:26:47 > 0:26:51We saw these planes up in the sky,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55and they was darting and diving about,
0:26:55 > 0:26:59and then, all of a sudden, we heard a revving sound
0:26:59 > 0:27:04and it dipped straight down and it spiralled to the ground.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07When it disappeared behind the trees,
0:27:07 > 0:27:13I mean, it was not long before there was a thud when it hit the ground.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15Did you realise at the time that a young man had lost his life?
0:27:15 > 0:27:20Yes, I did, and it brought quite a lump to your throat.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24'Harold's body was recovered at the time,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27'but the crashed Spitfire was abandoned.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31'Archaeologist Stephen Macaulay is in charge of the operation
0:27:31 > 0:27:32'to dig it out.'
0:27:32 > 0:27:3675 years ago, when Harold Penketh's plane crashed into the ground,
0:27:36 > 0:27:38rather than exploding on impact,
0:27:38 > 0:27:40which is what you'd get on a harder soil -
0:27:40 > 0:27:41chalk or something like that -
0:27:41 > 0:27:44the plane has ploughed straight through the soil, through the peat,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46and it's lodged itself in the clay
0:27:46 > 0:27:50which is sitting three, four, five metres beneath our feet.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53And so something like that means that the preservation
0:27:53 > 0:27:55can be very good, but getting to it is an issue.
0:27:55 > 0:27:56Exactly.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59'And in a fitting touch,
0:27:59 > 0:28:03'modern-day service personnel are helping uncover the past.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05'They're part of Operation Nightingale,
0:28:05 > 0:28:09'a project to help rehabilitate injured servicemen and women...
0:28:12 > 0:28:16'..like former RAF helicopter engineer Anouska Osborne,
0:28:16 > 0:28:17'who was injured in Afghanistan
0:28:17 > 0:28:21'and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24'Anouska has a good working knowledge of Spitfires
0:28:24 > 0:28:28'and is using this expertise to help identify parts of the wreckage.'
0:28:30 > 0:28:32We have a nice little structure here,
0:28:32 > 0:28:35which just fits on the aircraft with the aerial.
0:28:35 > 0:28:36It attaches on top,
0:28:36 > 0:28:38- and then the cable goes from the front to the back...- Oh.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41..and then that is what his communications would be.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46'But there are more human reminders of the tragedy.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51'This is Harold's leather flying helmet,
0:28:51 > 0:28:55'claimed by the fen on that fateful day 75 years ago.
0:28:58 > 0:29:03'It's an unexpected find and it's left a deep impression on the team.'
0:29:04 > 0:29:07What was it like for you, seeing that bit of the helmet?
0:29:07 > 0:29:09Because I wasn't really expecting that.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12- That seemed a very personal artefact to come out.- It was personal.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14- It was a bit gut-wrenching, really...- Yeah.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16..because, obviously, you know that he passed away,
0:29:16 > 0:29:19- so everybody was kicked out of here while I did that.- Right.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21A bit of respect to him, really.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23- Really? So you had a personal moment with it there?- Yeah.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26- You're a serviceperson in the Armed Forces, he was as well...- Yeah.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29- ..and there's that connection, I suppose, isn't there?- There is.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31He was only 20 years old when he passed away,
0:29:31 > 0:29:32and he was the last of his line as well.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34His brother passed away a few years before that,
0:29:34 > 0:29:39so his mother and father, basically, they lost both their sons.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41'The respect for Harold is shared by all
0:29:41 > 0:29:44'on the Operation Nightingale team.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48'Veteran Chris Hedin is a former serviceman working here at the dig.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51'He was injured while serving with the Royal Logistics Corps.'
0:29:51 > 0:29:54This Operation Nightingale, the legacy of it for you,
0:29:54 > 0:29:55has it improved self-esteem?
0:29:55 > 0:29:56Is it helping the recovery?
0:29:56 > 0:29:59It does help. It does help. You know what I mean?
0:29:59 > 0:30:01- Yes, I have good days and bad days...- Yeah.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05..and I can't guarantee what I'll feel like tomorrow morning,
0:30:05 > 0:30:10but being here and staying in RAF Wittering
0:30:10 > 0:30:12will urge me to get out of bed tomorrow morning,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15- cos I'm with my brothers and my sisters...- You're part of it.
0:30:15 > 0:30:16..and I feel a part of something.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22'Back at the dig, there's a buzz of excitement.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24'The team have hit something large and metallic.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30'Could it be the propeller from Harold's Spitfire?
0:30:30 > 0:30:32'Only the merest tip is poking up through the clay.'
0:30:34 > 0:30:37All you've got here is the cone of the engine and the propeller.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40- That's the propeller up there. - Wow. OK.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42So we're on the absolute cusp of it.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45This is the moment you're getting very excited about, really.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48As you can see, we're all getting quite excited.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52'But, just as the team make the breakthrough,
0:30:52 > 0:30:55'work is brought to a sudden halt.'
0:30:57 > 0:30:59Well, events have taken an unexpected turn.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01They think they've found some human remains,
0:31:01 > 0:31:03a fragment of bone,
0:31:03 > 0:31:05which means this is now a very different dig.
0:31:05 > 0:31:06Everything has to stop,
0:31:06 > 0:31:09and the police and the coroner have to be involved.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15'These could be the last of trainee pilot Harold Penketh's remains.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22'It's given the team here pause to reflect,
0:31:22 > 0:31:26'and adds poignancy to the moment a Spitfire flies past.'
0:31:26 > 0:31:29PLANE RUMBLES
0:31:37 > 0:31:39We have excavated this site
0:31:39 > 0:31:42on the locations of one individual sacrifice,
0:31:42 > 0:31:45and, in doing so, we wish to honour him.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49Let us remember for a moment Pilot Officer Harold Penketh.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53PLANE RUMBLES
0:32:05 > 0:32:07'When digging resumes,
0:32:07 > 0:32:10'the team finds Harold's silver cigarette case,
0:32:10 > 0:32:14'clearly engraved with his initials, HEP.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18'Once the dig's complete, they leave a small marker.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21'The crash site will be eventually filled back in.'
0:32:30 > 0:32:35There's now a permanent memorial at the site where Harold lost his life.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37GEESE HONK
0:32:38 > 0:32:42Now, autumn is the time when you're most likely to see spiders
0:32:42 > 0:32:45out and about, as they search for new mates.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49Now, these eight-legged creatures can strike fear into many people,
0:32:49 > 0:32:52so what can you do if you just don't like them?
0:32:52 > 0:32:53Here's Jules.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03Now, some of us just don't like spiders full stop,
0:33:03 > 0:33:06but maybe there is one that we should be a little wary of.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10Meet Britain's most venomous spider, the false widow.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16There are four native false widow spiders,
0:33:16 > 0:33:19but the most poisonous - the noble false widow -
0:33:19 > 0:33:21is a foreign invader.
0:33:21 > 0:33:25It arrived on our shores from the Canary Islands 150 years ago.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28It mainly colonised the south coast of England,
0:33:28 > 0:33:32but as our climate warmed, it spread as far north as Scotland.
0:33:37 > 0:33:38But I've managed to find a woman
0:33:38 > 0:33:42who's fighting off an invasion of the false widow spider.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45In taking on the renovation of her new home,
0:33:45 > 0:33:49she has unwittingly opened the door on an eight-legged horror story.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53Hello, Gemma. Nice to see you.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55- I'm Jules. How are you? - Hi, Jules. Come on in.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58'Before Gemma bought her dream family home,
0:33:58 > 0:34:00'it was vacant for two years.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04'In that time, the noble false widows moved in and multiplied.'
0:34:05 > 0:34:09So, when did you first realise you were sharing your house
0:34:09 > 0:34:10with a venomous lodger?
0:34:10 > 0:34:12I was sitting on the sofa,
0:34:12 > 0:34:14and I just happened to look over my shoulder,
0:34:14 > 0:34:21- and I saw a really odd-looking spider hanging in this web.- Oh.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23Was this "hairs on the back of your neck" territory, now?
0:34:23 > 0:34:25Yeah. It's doing it now, actually.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Yeah, it was, because it had a really distinctive pattern on it.
0:34:28 > 0:34:29It looked like it had almost been painted.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31Then what happened?
0:34:31 > 0:34:34I kind of started getting the creeps a little bit.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36I started noticing the webs in the rest of the house,
0:34:36 > 0:34:39over 100, 150, living in the render,
0:34:39 > 0:34:43around the windows, in the window seals,
0:34:43 > 0:34:45in the fascias by the guttering,
0:34:45 > 0:34:47all around the back door...
0:34:47 > 0:34:49Do you feel like you're sharing your house at the moment?
0:34:49 > 0:34:52I feel like I've got squatters.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55- Oh, really? - I need to charge rent, maybe.
0:34:55 > 0:34:56- Yeah?- Because there has...
0:34:56 > 0:34:58Yeah, it does feel there's been a bit of an invasion.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04Noble false widows are mostly active at night.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08In the daytime, they tend to live in nooks and crannies near their web.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11The female is bigger than the male, and lives longer, too -
0:35:11 > 0:35:14three years compared to the male's one.
0:35:15 > 0:35:16Have they ever bitten you?
0:35:16 > 0:35:19Yeah. I was in bed.
0:35:19 > 0:35:20I felt something on my face.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22No! No!
0:35:22 > 0:35:25I sort of jumped up, switched the light on really fast,
0:35:25 > 0:35:27- and it fell out of my pillow... - JULES GULPS
0:35:27 > 0:35:29..and ran across the bed and ran back into it.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32And I looked down and I had a purple mark,
0:35:32 > 0:35:35and the whole of my palm here was raised.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37It was like... It looked like a wasp sting.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40The false widow's venom is a neurotoxin,
0:35:40 > 0:35:42affecting the nervous system.
0:35:42 > 0:35:47Symptoms can include pain from the bite, fever and nausea,
0:35:47 > 0:35:48but it's not fatal.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50I'm just looking over your shoulder there -
0:35:50 > 0:35:52is that what I think it is on the windowsill?
0:35:52 > 0:35:54Yeah, these... I found these yesterday.
0:35:54 > 0:35:55Are they alive or dead?
0:35:55 > 0:35:56- These two are dead. - Let's have a look.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59- It's not going to bite me now, is it?- No. I don't... I hope not.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02And then I've got a little baby here.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05- That's alive?- I've got one under there, on the floor, as well.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07- Seriously?- A slightly bigger one.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09But you've got a lot on your plate, haven't you?
0:36:09 > 0:36:12You've got a young family, you're in the middle of a renovation -
0:36:12 > 0:36:15the last thing you want to be doing is taking on a battle
0:36:15 > 0:36:16with these little fellas.
0:36:16 > 0:36:17What happens next?
0:36:17 > 0:36:21I think it's time for the professionals, to be honest.
0:36:21 > 0:36:22It's war!
0:36:24 > 0:36:27Gemma's spider infestation is so bad,
0:36:27 > 0:36:30she's had to resort to professional pest controllers.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33However, if you want to reduce the number of spiders in your home
0:36:33 > 0:36:36this autumn, you could remove any visible webs
0:36:36 > 0:36:40and fill in all gaps in walls and around your pipework.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44But of course, thankfully, most of us can live quite happily
0:36:44 > 0:36:45with our eight-legged neighbours
0:36:45 > 0:36:48because spiders do bring some unexpected benefits.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53The main one is how they stop our homes
0:36:53 > 0:36:55becoming plagued by other insects.
0:36:58 > 0:36:59In the average home,
0:36:59 > 0:37:03spiders can munch their way through 2,000 bugs a year.
0:37:05 > 0:37:10'One man who really is a spider's best friend is Matt Shardlow
0:37:10 > 0:37:12'from the wildlife charity Buglife.'
0:37:13 > 0:37:15Well, Matt, in many households,
0:37:15 > 0:37:18not least those that are infested with false widow spiders,
0:37:18 > 0:37:22spiders in general tend to get a pretty bad reputation.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26There are so many myths around them, that they can do us untold harm -
0:37:26 > 0:37:27how has that come about?
0:37:27 > 0:37:30Well, things like, you know, lots of spiders crawling into your mouth
0:37:30 > 0:37:32and swallowing them at night,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35and the slightly vampiric sort of sense to them that spiders have,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38it all comes out of a fear of spiders that we have
0:37:38 > 0:37:41that, you know, is passed down from generation to generation.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45But is that a peculiarly British thing?
0:37:45 > 0:37:47Yeah, I mean, in Britain there's more fear of spiders
0:37:47 > 0:37:49than in any other country in the world.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51- Really?- Yeah, and I think... I think, partly...
0:37:51 > 0:37:52It's difficult to know why,
0:37:52 > 0:37:55but my theory is that this is because we don't
0:37:55 > 0:37:58really have to ever deal with this fear properly.
0:37:58 > 0:37:59We never have to actually go,
0:37:59 > 0:38:02"Well, which one of these is actually really dangerous?"
0:38:02 > 0:38:05If you're brought up in Australia, it's a life-and-death situation -
0:38:05 > 0:38:07you have to know which one is dangerous and which one isn't.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11But in the UK, we can kind of get away with just bundling it all up
0:38:11 > 0:38:13in a whole load of fear and not dealing with it properly.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18Britain has around 650 species of spider,
0:38:18 > 0:38:22and all of them will use some venom to immobilise their prey,
0:38:22 > 0:38:26but very few will cause us any problems.
0:38:26 > 0:38:31I mean, here we are in autumn. My house is awash with spiders.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34What is it about this time of year that seems to bring up the numbers?
0:38:34 > 0:38:37In the house, what you're probably seeing is your big house spider,
0:38:37 > 0:38:40which is the one of the ones that scares people most,
0:38:40 > 0:38:41although absolutely harmless.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44And that's the males, and they come out at this time of year
0:38:44 > 0:38:45looking for the females.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48So, they'll have these palps at the front and they go off, running off,
0:38:48 > 0:38:51trying to find a female in her web, and that's the one we see most.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55- Well, let's see if we can find some, shall we?- Brilliant.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57'And it shouldn't be too difficult in this barn...'
0:39:01 > 0:39:03Oh, this is spider heaven, isn't it?
0:39:03 > 0:39:05- It certainly is.- Look at all of these webs everywhere.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08'..because Matt's already got some for us to look at.'
0:39:08 > 0:39:11Well, I've brought some in so that we can have a closer look at some of
0:39:11 > 0:39:14the different sorts of spiders that we get around this time of year.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18And at this end, we've got a big female house spider, there.
0:39:18 > 0:39:19- We can see...- That is enormous.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23Absolutely strikes the fear of God into my family
0:39:23 > 0:39:25when one of those runs across the floor.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27And what about the one next door?
0:39:27 > 0:39:29This is the male, so this is the one that, actually,
0:39:29 > 0:39:31people will often see running around on the floor.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33It's out looking for love in houses about this time of year.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36Now, he's not going to get a lot in there, is he, to be fair?
0:39:36 > 0:39:38- Poor little chap.- No, he certainly isn't. Certainly isn't.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40But I always see them in the bath.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43Is it true that they climb up through the plughole?
0:39:43 > 0:39:45That's another myth. They're not coming up - they're dropping down.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47So they will be falling down into the bath
0:39:47 > 0:39:50- and they can't get out again. - They just can't scramble up?
0:39:50 > 0:39:52They can't get out, but they've got bigger problems even than that
0:39:52 > 0:39:54to deal with, and that's what is in the next jar, here.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56- Really?- Yeah.- It looks empty.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59It's this thing, here, look - it's a daddy-longlegs spider.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01Those? That's a daddy-longlegs spider?
0:40:01 > 0:40:03We've got hundreds of those.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07Yes, this is a spider - not the European crane fly
0:40:07 > 0:40:10which sometimes gets nicknamed a daddy-longlegs.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13What's more, it's a cannibal.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16It specialises on eating the big, hairy house spiders.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19It nips the toe of the big spider, and that venom
0:40:19 > 0:40:22courses through the system of the big spider and kills it.
0:40:22 > 0:40:23That is astonishing.
0:40:23 > 0:40:28I would have guessed every time that they would have eaten those.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30And what have we got in the smaller jars, then?
0:40:30 > 0:40:32- Well, these are false widows.- Ah!
0:40:32 > 0:40:35- So, there's several different sorts in houses.- Yup.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38The three commonest ones. This one is everywhere.
0:40:38 > 0:40:39This is the common false widow.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41Rather, sort of, beautiful, isn't it, actually?
0:40:41 > 0:40:43- Quite enamelled.- Yeah, it's lovely.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46- And so, in the other two smaller jars?- Well, these...
0:40:46 > 0:40:48These are the large false widow.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51- Again, harmless.- I mean, you know, creepy but beautiful.- Yeah, yeah.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53And what's in at the end?
0:40:53 > 0:40:55Well, this is the one that everyone gets really worried about.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57This is the noble false widow.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59And, you know, it's got a terrible reputation,
0:40:59 > 0:41:01but, I mean, look how timid it is.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06'In truth, most spiders would rather run an eight-legged mile
0:41:06 > 0:41:07'than bite you.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10'Besides, the vast majority don't have large enough fangs
0:41:10 > 0:41:12'to even pierce human skin.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14'Vampires, they are not.'
0:41:16 > 0:41:18You are fearless, Matt.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21- Well...- Putting your finger into a venomous spider's lair!
0:41:21 > 0:41:24I know this little spider is more afraid of me than I am of it.
0:41:24 > 0:41:29But the truth is, spiders should be very welcome housefellows,
0:41:29 > 0:41:31shouldn't they?
0:41:31 > 0:41:34Yeah, and there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to coexist happily
0:41:34 > 0:41:36with a spider.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39'So, if you still want to rid your home of its spiders
0:41:39 > 0:41:43'in a way that doesn't harm them, don't flush them down the plughole.'
0:41:44 > 0:41:48So what's your top tip for getting a beast like that
0:41:48 > 0:41:49out of your house?
0:41:49 > 0:41:53Well, it's got to be the old "glass and piece of paper" method.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57- Ah!- Oh, he's gone down the gap.
0:41:57 > 0:41:58- No, he's back again.- Oh!
0:41:58 > 0:42:00- Yay!- Yay!
0:42:00 > 0:42:03What you can't see is the film crew running in every direction
0:42:03 > 0:42:06- around the barn when that spider came out of the jar.- Yeah, yeah.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10- There he is.- There we go, and that can just be picked up,
0:42:10 > 0:42:13- hand underneath...- And out you go. - ..and out he goes.
0:42:15 > 0:42:16So, after all this,
0:42:16 > 0:42:21I think I need to get my family to revise their attitudes to spiders
0:42:21 > 0:42:23and now consider them as welcome housemates.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30Maybe we should all try to be a little bit more spider-friendly.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32And that's all for today,
0:42:32 > 0:42:35but please do join us again tomorrow for the final entries
0:42:35 > 0:42:37in our Countryfile Autumn Diaries,
0:42:37 > 0:42:40when Keeley discover the effect that light pollution can have
0:42:40 > 0:42:43both on nature and you.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Look at the central point at the back.
0:42:46 > 0:42:47Paul is on the case,
0:42:47 > 0:42:50finding out what you can do if you want to help rescued animals.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53- I'd love to give him a home. He's so cute!- They're adorable.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56And I'll be finding out how growing fruit and veg
0:42:56 > 0:42:59can improve your children's maths skills.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02So, until tomorrow, goodbye.