Scaremongering about riots in unlikely locations a reminder of over-the-top Covid warnings: Sarah Todd

Throw into this melting pot the ongoing repugnance anybody with a moral compass must feel about stalwart presenter of the BBC’s flagship News At Ten Huw Edwards, who last month pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, and a personal irritation with Tom Bradby over on ITV and it feels like it’s more than overdue to be having a rethink about how we receive our news.

At least the BBC has finally shown some backbone and stood up to the plate to ask Edwards to hand back more than £200,000 salary he earned after being arrested in November on child abuse image charges. What a disgrace to pocket that from the licence payer when he knew what he had done.

Whether he returns his ill-gotten gains or not remains to be seen, but the betrayal of our nation’s go-to-anchor for state occasions, both joyful such as Royal Weddings and solemn like when he had the absolute privilege of making the historic announcement (to an estimated audience of 11million viewers) of our late Queen’s death, feels like a very low blow indeed.

Some viewers love Tom Bradby’s sarcasm - he doesn’t seem to be able to resist a quirky comment or other on the day’s happenings - but, for me, the job of a news presenter is to read the news. Straight and accurate. Not to give even the smallest glimmer of their own opinions.

He also, in this writer’s mind, did the dirty on the Royal Family, when he broadcast an interview with Prince Harry and his wife complaining about their alleged treatment within the institution. It was the beginning of a subsequent airing of dirty linen in public and felt at the time, to this viewer anyway, like a step too far with a couple who were probably not feeling on a particularly even keel at the time.

Anyway, it is more of a balancing act than ever before to keep informed and not get swept up in all the misinformation that is out there. The riots have been dreadful and a national disgrace but there must have been people, maybe the elderly or vulnerable in other ways, who have been frightened to leave their own homes by the way they have been reported.

We have a small campsite - basically a field - and the other day we had a couple of a certain age who had changed their plans at the last minute and detoured to us because they were terrified of going to their original holiday destination of Lytham St Anne’s in Lancashire because there were going to be riots.

Were they sure we asked? Rioting in this genteel town which is internationally renowned for the Royal Lytham and St Annes golf course, its beach and wildlife as well as being a favourite place for wealthy sporting and television stars to set up home, seemed unlikely.

Turned out, like talk of mass protests in Scarborough, it had been nothing more than rumours and scaremongering.

The fear and disruption this causes is a real evil and brings back memories of when the cloud of Coronavirus appeared and - obviously hindsight is a wonderful thing - it might have been better for the authorities to be more measured rather than worst-case scenario.

Talking of worst-case-scenarios, the farming news is still being followed and that has been grim.

Cheshire farmer Phil Latham found 18 calves that he believes had been savaged by loose dogs last Friday evening when he was doing a routine evening check of his animals.

The farmer reported a Rottweiler and a Rhodesian Ridgeback were roaming around the farmyard off the lead.

“The calves must have been traumatised for hours,” said Mr Latham.

“They had deep wounds. The poor things must have suffered incredibly. Our vet said it is the worst dog attack she has ever seen. We were treating their injuries for over three hours.”

Mr Latham has had the injured calves swabbed and is calling for the dogs to be DNA tested so he can get definitive proof, because otherwise the farmer believes there is unlikely to be any consequences.

Where is Tom Bradby with a wry comment when you need him? Nothing this correspondent can think of is printable.