Deborah Nicholls-Lee Deborah Nicholls-Lee is a writer whose work has been published by the BBC, The Guardian, Sussex Life and The Times, as well as Country Life. Mud, glorious mud: Why we should get down and dirty in our wet earth We loved it as a kid, and we should love it as an adult. Mud is fun to walk through, play with and has real scientific benefits for our health to boot. 'There was a 70ft hole beneath where the children were playing': The ups and downs of having a well on your property Discovering a well on your property can be viewed as a blessing or a curse, but all’s well that ends well, says Deborah Nicholls-Lee, as she examines the benefits of a personal water supply. This Victorian boozy blackberry cordial is as good today as it was 150 years ago. Here's how to make it. Deborah Nicholls-Lee has been delving into the history of the blackberry, and discovered a brandy-enhanced blackberry cordial recipe from Victorian cook Phyllis Browne.