Zoologist Dr Jo Wimpenny is the author of Beauty of the Beasts: Rethinking Nature’s Least Loved Animals, which explores the value and importance of some of the animal kingdom’s most maligned creatures.

The book aims to challenge perceptions of animals that have long been labelled as pests or predators, such as wasps, cockroaches, and snakes, and argues instead for their vital roles in ecosystems and their potential benefits to humanity.

Dr Wimpenny said: “These aren’t monsters – they’re ecological heroes whose intelligence and emotional complexity rival species we adore.”

Drawing on scientific research, the book highlights the surprising abilities and ecological contributions of these species.

Dr Wimpenny explains how wasps can recognise faces and provide natural pest control, while snakes’ venom may hold clues to treating cancers, mosquitoes play a part in pollination, and crocodiles perform mating rituals that could be described as ‘dancing’.

She argues that losing these animals would severely disrupt ecosystems and calls for a change in how we view and treat them.

The book seeks to raise awareness of the emotional and cognitive complexity of these often-feared species.

It was published by Bloomsbury on February 26.

Dr Wimpenny holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford, where she studied tool use in crows.

It was an afternoon for nostalgia as former journalists at the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times held a reunion.

More than 30 packed into the Kings Arms at Kidlington to recall old times in the newspaper offices.

READ MORE: Crowds celebrate May Morning 2026

These were the days when we had staff based not only in Oxford but in Witney, Banbury, Bicester, Thame, Abingdon, Didcot, Wallingford and Wantage, covering news from those areas.

Older journalists remembered when the hub of the organisation was in New Inn Hall Street in Oxford – the paper and hot metal days, with no computers or mobile phones in sight.

Reporters would use old-fashioned typewriters to create their stories on paper. After editing and headlines added, printing staff would set the text in metal type.

Metal plates would then be fitted to the press and printing of the paper would begin.

Older readers will no doubt remember the succession of Oxford Mail vans emerging from the narrow Shoe Lane taking papers to newsagents and other outlets throughout Oxfordshire and what was then North Berkshire.

Eight daily editions of the Oxford Mail were published – the third edition arrived on the streets in Oxford at lunchtime, the fifth in mid-afternoon and the seventh and eighth – called the final and late final – in late afternoon. The other editions went to county areas.

Another feature of newspaper production in those days was the Sports Mail – popularly known as the Green Mail as it was printed on green paper. It was published on Saturday evenings and contained all the football results.

Readers would queue outside newsagents waiting for the paper to arrive. Before the present widespread coverage on TV, sports fans would not know the results of football matches.

The first in the queue would relay the results to those further back – to cheers and groans, however their favourite team had performed. Those were the days!

The ongoing incident first started earlier this evening (Saturday, May 2) on Cowley Road in the city.

Thames Valley Police cars arrived at the scene along with several Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service fire engines.

Police officers cordoned off the scene with crime scene tape while firefighters tackled the smoke.

FOLLOW LIVE: Smoke billows from underground as police tape off Oxford street

Members of the public were warned to get back, away from the smoke, with many left scared of what was happening.

Georgia Pamphilon has told us: “I witnessed the fire earlier, and it was SHOCKING.

“I’ve never seen flames erupt like what I witnessed.

“Sundaes Gelato is my favourite place to go for a late-night sweet treat, and I’m so saddened that I can’t go now for what seems like a while.

READ MORE: Onlookers ‘scared’ as smoke rises from out of the ground in Oxford

“Hundreds of students gathered around and watched as the thick black smoke started to consume Cowley Road.

“I’m just hoping fishies at the O2 will still go ahead!”

Both Thames Valley Police and Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service have been approached for comment on the situation.