COOKIE POLICY

Cookies are text files sent to your computer and used by your web browser to store information. The cookies we use allow your browser to remember whether you've visited our site before and what your preferences are.

As with most websites we use cookies to improve your user experience by enabling our website to 'remember you', either for the duration of your visit (using a 'session cookie') or for repeat visits (using a 'persistent cookie'). There are also use two different types of cookies - first party (which we own) and third party (where we allow a third party, such as Google, to set cookies on your computer or mobile device).

Cookies do lots of different jobs, like letting you navigate between pages efficiently, storing your preferences, and generally improving your experience of a website. Cookies make the interaction between you and the website faster and easier. If a website doesn't use cookies, it will think you are a new visitor every time you move to a new page on the site - for example, when you enter your login details and move to another page it won't recognise you and it won't be able to keep you logged in.

• How to refuse or withdraw consent

  Although the cookies we use on this website are quite harmless and do not reveal your identity, not everyone wishes to have text files downloaded onto their computer or mobile device. If you prefer, it is possible to block some or all cookies, or even to delete cookies that have already been set; but you need to be aware that you might lose some functionality on this website.

  You can manage how cookies engage with your computer or mobile device via your browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Android), so you are alerted when cookies are sent or you can refuse cookies altogether. You can also delete cookies which have already been set.

  There is also a very useful website explaining how to control your interaction with cookies - please visit this site for more information:

  About Cookies

  The BBC website also has a clear and comprehensive section explaining what they do and how they work. Please be aware that this section is aimed at users of their website, which employs more cookies than our own.

  BBC Cookies

• Cookies on our website

  On this website we use only a small number of cookies. They are:

  BC_BANDWIDTH
  This stores the bandwidth of a user's computer or mobile device.
  Third party
  Lifespan: Session

  tcecookie
  This stores acknowledgement of cookies notification.
  First party
  Lifespan: 6 months

  PREF
  This stores a user's basic preferences, such as that the user wants search results in English, no more than 10 results on a given page, or has implemented a SafeSearch setting to filter out content.
  Third party
  Lifespan: 2 years

  _tmid
  Tracking from Brightcove video. This is used for user analytics. Identifies unique viewers and new viewers.
  Third party
  Lifespan: 10 years

  __utmv
  This is used for user-custom variables in Google analytics.
  Third party
  Lifespan: 2 years

  __utma
  This stores each user's amount of visits and the time of the first visit, previous visit and current visit.
  Third party
  Lifespan: 2 years

  __utmb
  This stores how long a user stays on the site - when a visit starts and approximately ends.
  Third party
  Lifespan: 2 years

  __utmc
  This stores how long a user stays on the site - when a visit starts and approximately ends.
  Third party
  Lifespan: Session

  __utmz
  This stores where a visitor came from (e.g. search engine, search keyword, referral link).
  Third party
  Lifespan: 6 months