Elizabeth Gaskell

Visitors to the resort of Crome, in Norfolk, have been struck by the dazzling pale blue colour of the sea and compared it to the tropical paradise. Officials have revealed the extraordinary transformation from the usual drab, grey colour of the North Sea is due to work on the area's coastal defences. Workers excavating into the seabed below the beach have exposed a layer of chalk sediment which is mixing with the water above and changing its hue.

• While some of the misty-eyed'mountains' are calling a'school of thought', others may be more'skiing is the only sport in which you can break an arm and a leg.' Here's our list of getaways for both skiers and those who like to pootle about in the mountains. If you're one of the latter - or simply a skier/snowboarder who likes to branch out.

ELIZABETH DAY: I should know better. I've been fighting it for many years. I've tried going cold turkey. People staged their attacks, claiming that I was damaging my brain cells by a manufactured high. I didn't pay attention to the warning. My cravings increased. As I went out in search of nightly pleasure, I cancelled plans. I promised myself it was one final hit every time. But it never was the final hit, was it? I'm also addicted to Love Island. Since the last bad winter season filmed in South Africa, where the temperatures weren't so bikini-friendly, I didn't think I'd be doing so. The wind picked up in the evenings, hair extensions whipped across faces, and couples huddled together for warmth rather than romance.