EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Paddington star Nick Lumley and his wife are left shocked after a vicious gold attack next door leaves a hole in their living room wall

Few shopping streets can match the Georgian splendor of Hungerford in Royal Berkshire, which may explain why it appeals to the daughter of the Earl of Carnarvon, Lady Saoirse Herbert, and the Viscount Exmouth’s eldest son and heir, Ed Pellew, who are among its residents – and why the Princess of Wales’s sister Pippa often shops there.

But will their spell last in 2024? I ask this because in the early hours of New Year’s Eve the idyllic market town witnessed a violent, professional attack of the kind usually associated with the worst streets of Sadiq Khan’s London, when a masked gang ‘rammed’ a specialist shop selling rare coins , stamps and gold bullion.

“There were nine of them, all masked,” one shocked resident told me. ‘They knew exactly what they were doing. There were three cars, plus a truck that was dragging the store’s security gates into the street with a claw thing. Then they went inside and took out the safe, which was loaded onto the truck.

‘They had a fifth car, further down the shopping street, as a getaway car. They were in and out within minutes.”

Unbeknownst to the gang, the raid was being filmed by a local resident who, awakened by the sound of breaking glass, had the presence of mind to rush to an upstairs window and record everything on his phone.

But for two residents, the burglary was almost unbearable: actor Nick Lumley and his wife Caroline, who for years not only owned the coin and stamp dealer’s building, but also lived in the adjacent house.

The attack was so brutal that the entire storefront disappeared. This initially hampered the forensic investigation, I was told, as there were fears the entire building would collapse. ‘There’s a hole in the wall of Nick and Caroline’s sitting room. It is visible from the sidewalk. Everyone can see inside.’

Lumley, 69, is too shocked to speak. Over a long and varied career, he has appeared in everything from Coronation Street and Auf Wiedersehen Pet to The Bill and Doc Martin, as well as making a cameo appearance in Downton Abbey, and a slightly longer one – as a convict – in Paddington 2. “He is understandably terrified,” said a concerned neighbor.

Thames Valley Police tell me they received a report of the raid around 5am on Sunday. A spokesperson confirmed that a safe had been taken, adding: ‘Anyone with information can contact police by calling 101 or reporting it online, quoting reference 43230582642.’

No one went into 2024 with a bigger bang than Sir Ben Kingsley, who turned 80 on Sunday and rang in the New Year at his £3.5 million Oxfordshire home.

“He probably spent £30,000 on fireworks,” said an impressed local, adding that residents were alerted to the impending spectacle so horses and livestock could be moved.

It’s a touchy subject: a previous New Year’s was marred when another local let loose without warning.

Sir Ben is of course familiar with fireworks; Lady Kingsley, his fourth wife, is the Brazilian beauty Daniela, 31 years his junior.

The late Queen’s amazement about ‘Hamlet girl’

Queen Elizabeth, who played three male roles in pantomimes at Windsor Castle as a teenager, was amazed that an actress played Hamlet before she died.

The revelation comes from Cush Jumbo, who played the leading role at the Young Vic in London in 2021. Jumbo met the Queen when she collected her OBE.

“When I met her, she said, ‘I heard you were playing Hamlet,’ and her eyes opened.

‘She said, ‘I never thought I’d see that in my life: a girl playing Hamlet.’

Jumbo, 38, added: ‘It was amazing and I feel very privileged to have met her before she passed away.’

Madge’s Stella New Year

When Madonna married Guy Ritchie in 2000, her maid of honor was Stella McCartney, who designed her ivory strapless wedding dress.

Although that marriage did not last, the Queen of Pop’s friendship with Sir Paul McCartney’s daughter continues to this day.

And the pair celebrated the start of 2024 together at a lavish party in St. Barts, in the French West Indies, where they wore headbands with the words “Happy New Year.”

Stella admits she was apprehensive when she first met the singer. ‘I was running a bath and was completely unprepared. When she tried on my clothes, I told her she had a big ass. She laughed…and bought some.”

Comedian Ryan criticizes ‘trash’ Disneyland

A Christmas trip to Disneyland Paris turned out to be more of a nightmare than a fairytale for comedian Katherine Ryan.

“Disney Village is like a garbage street,” says the Canadian, 40, who lives in Hertfordshire with her partner, Bobby Kootstra, and three children. “Everyone was vaping and smoking while pushing a buggy or holding a child’s hand. I’ve never seen so much vaping in my life.”

The TV panelist also didn’t see many princesses or Disney stars. “I asked, ‘Where are all the characters?’ she says. ‘It seemed very barren. We saw Jessie [from Toy Story] and the squirrels and that was it. When I took my daughter Violet there in 2011, there were a lot of characters.

“I didn’t have a good time.”

On a New Year’s fitness ride, but can’t handle Dry January? Jeremy Clarkson has a solution.

The Clarkson’s Farm star has filmed himself in the gym sipping a beer.

“When you’re exercising, it’s important to stay hydrated,” he advises. ‘What I recommend is Hawkstone’s new ultra-low alcohol lager. It is a wellness lager, the healthier alternative.’ Gwyneth Paltrow, he’s not.