Sizes can be a lottery – one store’s size 12 might be another one’s 14.
But one mum was horrified to find that her size eight dress from PrettyLittleThing was so small, it fit her four-year-old daughter.
Kirsty Dee took to Twitter to call out the retailer for the mishap, uploading an image of her daughter – who the dress fit perfectly – wearing the adult sized dress.
The mum said she’d bought it to show off at a party but couldn’t even get it over her head.
The mum showed the label which said it was a size eight (Picture: @Kirstyfruitz/Twitter)
Kirsty wrote online: ‘So bought this in a size eight from PrettyLittleThing, wouldn’t even go over my head and just fits my four-year-old daughter! Really?????’
She had purchased the classic LBD dress in a T-shirt cut and was excited to try it out ahead of the birthday party she’d planned to wear it to.
But she was shocked at how small it was and said it was ‘disgusting’ of the brand to make such tiny items for adults.
‘I just think it’s disgusting how they promote body confidence and then send me a dress not fit for a size 6 – 8,’ she told The Sun.
Daughter Molly also looks fed up with PLT (Picture: @Kirstyfruitz/Twitter)
‘Made me feel awful at first but laughed it off when I saw it fit my 4-year-old.
‘I couldn’t get it over my head. I was so angry. I bought it for my friend’s birthday BBQ the day after.’
PrettyLittleThing responded to Kirsty’s tweet, saying: ‘Hi Kirsty, so sorry to see that there is an issue with the dress you bought. if you could please drop us a DM with your order number and the name of the item we can look into getting this sorted for you.’
We’ve contacted PrettyLittleThing for comment and will update the article once they respond.
Father Karel Stautemas poses with a Grimbergen beer (Picture: REUTERS/Yves Herman)
Craft beer has had a bit of revival with lots of new brands popping up.
But this one has an incredible history – the recipe is from the 12th century and it hasn’t been made in over 200 years.
The recipe was rediscovered by The Order of Canons Regular of Premontre at Grimbergen Abbey in Belgium.
The monks found it in their archives but it was all in old Latin and old Dutch so they weren’t able to read it.
With the help of volunteers, they translated the recipe and started to brew the beer.
After four years of research and production, they were finally able to pour their first glass this week.
The recipe was almost lost altogether in 1798 when French secular revolutionaries burned the abbey down.
The beer recipe was translated with the help of volunteers (REUTERS/Yves Herman)
The books were saved because the monks secretly created a hole in the wall and smuggled out 300 books through it.
Grimbergen Abbey subprior Father Karel Stautemas said: ‘We’ve spent hours leafing through the books and have discovered ingredient lists for beers brewed in previous centuries, the hops used, the types of barrels and bottles, and even a list of the actual beers produced centuries ago.’
The brew is a pretty strong 10.8% ABV but the monks admitted it’s not totally authentic.
When the recipe was created, beer was one of the main things people could drink and it wasn’t made for taste.
The abbey’s new master brewer Marc-Antoine Sochon explained: ‘In those times, regular beer was a bit tasteless, it was like liquid bread.’
The dozen monks now hope to produce 1 million litres every year.
Lynne McConnell, 51, was left with a gaping hole in her chest, which she claims is the result of years of wearing close-fitting underwire bras (Picture: SWNS)
If you’re fidgeting around with a bra that’s poking you in the ribs, Lynne McConnell’s story might give you a nudge to head out and invest in some new underwear.
Lynne, 51, says she’s been left with a gaping hole in her chest after wearing underwired bras that were too tight.
Lynne, who has 34GG breasts, started wearing close-fitting bras 15 years ago, after being measured at a shop. The bras always felt too tight, but Lynne was told by shop assistants that they were fine, so she kept on wearing them… until she noticed a lump in the middle of her chest.
What started as a pea-sized lump grew to a rock-hard mass measuring 4cm across in a matter of days.
Lynne went to her doctor’s office, where she was first diagnosed with an abscess caused by an infection. When antibiotics didn’t work and she was in ‘agony, Lynne went to her local breast clinic, where she was diagnosed with a cyst that had to be cut out. After surgery she was left with an open gaping hole in her chest that took three months to heal.
Warning: This article contains images of an open wound that some may find distressing.
Lynne claims her surgeon told her the underwired bras had put pressure on a gland, which blocked and led to a cyst.
She’s sharing her story to urge people to keep an eye on their chests and be careful with bras that feel too tight.
Lynnes chest before surgery (Picture: Lynne McConnell /SWNS.COM)
Lynne had a painful lump on her chest (Picture: Lynne McConnell /SWNS.COM)
Lynne, from Brighton, said: ‘There is a lack of awareness about these types of bras.
‘Something has clearly gone wrong and all I want is for people to learn from what has happened.
‘I don’t want anyone else to go through what I have. It really affected my self-esteem for a long time.
‘I couldn’t wear a bra for weeks and I try to take pride in how I look. It wasn’t nice at all.’
Lynne’s chest after surgery (Picture: Lynne McConnell /SWNS.COM)
Lynne’s wound wasn’t able to be stitched up, so was left gaping (Picture: Lynne McConnell /SWNS.COM)
Lynne says she frequently returned to shops to complain that her bras were too tight, and often put tissue underneath her bras to add some comfort.
But she kept wearing the uncomfortable items because shop assistants said they fit her correctly.
Lynne said: ‘It had become particularly uncomfortable to wear a bra and the lump was growing quickly.
‘By the time I went to the breast clinic it was really painful. I went in at 3pm and left within two hours. The surgeon just cut it out there and then.
‘It was just too tight. I always said it was too tight but they just told me that’s how it should fit.
Lynne months after surgery, when her wound had healed (Picture: Lynne McConnell /SWNS.COM)
‘It was uncomfortable but I just listened to them. The staff insisted that’s how tight they need to be.
‘The surgeon said the pressure of the bra caused the gland to get blocked.
‘I was always told to have it really tight. I raised concerns that they were too tight but I was just told that’s the size that fits me.’
Her wound wasn’t able to be stitched up and took three months to heal, requiring daily dressing.
Now, Lynne’s scar is still tender and she can only wear wireless sports bras.
She wrote to the retailer to complain, but was told last month that neither bras nor the fittings at the store were to blame.
Lynne maintains that tight bras were to blame (Picture: SWNS.COM)
According to British Skincare Foundation dermatologist, Dr Adil Sheraz, tight clothing such as underwire bras can cause cysts.
Dr Adil Sheraz explains: “Cysts ares a benign growths that form under the skin.
‘They are lined with epithelium, a layer of cells, that often forms the ‘sac’ which will contain semi-fluid material, which often has the appearance and consistency of cottage cheese.
‘Cysts form when cells start multiply inwards rather than being shed on the surface.
‘Why some people form cysts is not entirely known however they can often be caused by a blockage at the site of a hair follicle opening, as a
result of a blocked pore or even injury to the skin.
‘Occlusion of pores which may occur from pressure or tight garments could potentially cause formation of cysts.’
Christian Braga is called real-life Ariel by strangers (Picture: MDWfeatures / Cristiano Braga)
Actor and model Cristiano Braga, from Brazil, turns heads for his luscious red locks.
The 28-year-old’s striking look has even seen him be compared to Ariel from The Little Mermaid.
Cristiano has been growing his long hair since 2012 and it now measures over two feet.
His fiery mane has attracted a lot of positive and negative attention, some from women who say it’s ‘unfair’ for a man to have such luscious locks.
The model said people accuse him of trying to be a woman and that as a man, he should stick to short hair.
But Cristiano pays no mind to the rude comments and enjoys the attention he gets.
Cristiano as a teenager before he started growing his hair (Picture: MDWfeatures / Cristiano Braga)
Cristiano maintains his hair with natural oils such as aloe vera, avocado, chamomile, mint, rosemary and vegetables.
Despite his hair being two-foot-two in length, he says it only takes him five minutes to wash
‘I have no explanation for letting my hair grow; I looked in the mirror and decided to grow it, I’ve always liked long hair, and I wanted to grow my hair,’ said Cristiano.
‘There was a time, as my hair grew, I was quite criticised; people called me a woman, broom hair, scarecrow, they would cut my hair, they said I was ugly, weird.
‘I get a lot more questions now; the strangest question I got was if I wore a wig because my hair glowed a lot.’
Look at that glow up (Picture: MDWfeatures / Cristiano Braga)
Sometimes Cristiano is stopped on the streets by strangers who tell him his hair is better than theirs but he encourages them to work on their self-esteem.
He thinks there’s still a long way to go for gender fluidity.
He says: ‘It makes me very sad when they ask me if I want to “turn” into women because I have long hair, it shows that society does not accept what is different from the patterns.
‘Prejudice is something very present in our society and must be fought.’
Cristiano has been likened to Jesus, John Lennon, Jared Leto, Axl Rose, and Rapunzel.
He says his grandmother believes his tresses are due to his indigenous ancestry.
‘My grandmother’s grandmother was indigenous and had her hair down to her feet,’ he explains. ‘It may be something spiritual or cultural.
‘It seems that my hair protects me from the bad things in the world, I feel much stronger and more confident.’
Cristiano negotiates with his agents to keep his hair this length for his acting career.
‘Having long hair is an incredible experience, for me, hair has taught me to value myself, to have more confidence, to respect me and to make me respected and especially to not care about the opinions and criticism of others,’ he says.
‘Have patience; hair takes its time to grow and people will criticise you, so do not get discouraged, do what you want, the hair is yours, life is yours, enjoy it your way.’
It’s what we’ve all been waiting for (Picture: All Star Lanes)
Bowling is about to get a whole lot more fun.
All Star Lanes, which has five venues across London and Manchester, has just announced a dog-themed summer of events hosted alongside organisers of London Dog Week.
There are three activities to choose from: doggy bowling, bottomless brunching with your pooch or speed dating with other dog owners.
Each event will be held on multiple dates to give dog lovers ample opportunity to spend time with furry friends.
The Barking Brunch
Normally, if you bring a bunch of dogs to a fancy brunch you’ll get told to sit outside or that the venue doesn’t allow them.
But at The Barking Brunch, they are not just invited but encouraged.
The event will be held at the White City location, and includes two hours of bottomless Pawsecco for your pooch, as well as mimosas and craft beer for humans.
As for the food, it’s not quite brunch-themed but tasty all the same with All Star Lanes’ signature Lebowski brunch burger (a 6oz chuck steak and rib cap patty topped with treacle cured bacon, slow-cooked pork rib and a yolk fried egg, as well as American cheese, tomato salsa and mustard).
There are also plenty of treats for pooches.
The Barking Brunch will be held during Saturdays in June to August including 1 June, 13 July, 3 August and 31 August, during 11.30 to 2pm or 2.30pm to 5pm.
Your pooch could find love at speed dating (Picture: All Star Lanes)
Date My Dog
If you always swipe right on dating profiles that include dog photos, this one’s for you.
The speed dating events will be held at the Brick Lane location and who knows – both you and your dog could end up finding love.
Although with that many cute pooches hanging about, we’re not sure how much attention we’d pay to our human date.
Tickets cost £20, which includes Pawsecco for the pooches and nibbles for the humans.
Date My Dog will be held on 26 July and 30 August from 6pm to 8pm and 8pm to 10pm.
Doggy Parent Bowling League
And finally, bowling.
Sign yourself and your pet up for the Doggy Parent Bowling League competition.
You could win prizes for both yourself and your pup, including free bowling for a year.
This event is also held at the White City venue. Tickets costs £10 per person or get the upgraded ticket for £20, which includes a sharing platter ‘full of signature snacks from the Lanes Kitchen’.
The bowling will run from 12.30pm to 3pm – swing by on 7 July, 4 August or 1 September.
Just don’t throw the balls around for your dog to catch, please.
The bottles feature the name of the company in Braille text (Picture: The Soap Co)
Braille is used by thousands of people who are visually impaired as a way to feel words on a page – but one company has been accused of using it as a fashion statement.
Molly Watt works as an accessibility consultant, helping companies understand how they can make their websites and products suitable for visually impaired, deaf and disabled people.
When Molly, who is deafblind, spotted these bottles produced by Soap Co, she wasn’t impressed.
They have the name of the company in Braille text but Molly says that the bottle she had wasn’t tactile – defeating the point of using the writing system, as people who can’t see, can’t feel the words.
Molly said: ‘So these soaps have “Braille” on however… they’re not tactile…. They literally just have Braille to LOOK like Braille… #baffled #accessibility #braille #notafashionstatement.’
She posted the picture on her Instagram and Twitter and other people were just as confused about why the bottles featured the text at all if it wasn’t helping the users of the writing system.
Some also pointed out that even if the bottles were tactile, they only spell out the name of the company and don’t give information of what the product is, making it difficult for visually impaired people to tell the difference between hand wash and hand cream for example.
The Soap Co, based in East London with a workshop in the Lake District, use the Braille symbol as a logo to indicate the ethos behind their brand.
They say that most of their workforce is blind, disabled or from a disadvantaged background.
Molly commented on Twitter: ‘The fact they employ people with disabilities does not automatically make them fully accessible.’
She later added: ‘It’s like saying “We use text to say we employ sighted people!” Braille is not a label for blind people, it has to work.’
Okay? It is great that that a large proportion of their workforce is blind or disabled, but this still doesn’t explain why the Braille isn’t tactile. Braille is a tactile language, not visual.
— Jonathan Attenborough (@JonAttenborough) May 22, 2019
Just looking at this again Molly. Even if they were tactile you still wouldn't know which is which as they both just have the #braille for the company. Fail x 2!!!!
I respect your commitment and those you have working with you, but I'm wondering why the Braille isn't actual Braille? Wouldn't that make more sense instead of coming across like a trendy marketing move? Do you think that might be something you'd try in the future?
A spokesperson for the company said that the the dots on the packaging are slightly raised but are not officially Braille.
They said: ‘The Soap Co. is a social enterprise employing people who are partially sighted, blind or otherwise disadvantaged. We are passionate about our social mission to help people with disabilities into work as well as our products that are made using natural ingredients and create a low environmental footprint.
‘We are sorry to hear that the customer has found it difficult to read the tactile dots on our packaging. These are not officially Braille but have been tested and approved by our visually impaired employees.
‘While we don’t make any claims to be fully accessible, we are helping over 80 people with disabilities into work and have created thousands of jobs for disadvantaged people. We do appreciate all feedback, good and bad, and will continue to apply this to our product development.’
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk) Why are boys babied so much?
If you’re a sister to the only boy in the family then you probably know he’s the favourite.
By virtue of being born a male, he was prescribed magical powers to let him glide through life, knowing if he says ‘dinner’, it will appear.
In families where there are one or more daughters and only one son, the boy often seems to get privileges his sisters don’t.
There’s an enduring idea that girls are naturally more mature and can take care of themselves. Perhaps that’s why girls are often expected to get on with domestic tasks while sons are babied and have things done for them.
You’re not alone if you’re a daughter witnessing your brother get a free pass while you toil away.
Lots of families, whether intentionally or not, allow gender stereotypes to influence the expectations of their children.
There’s the societal influence of how men and women are treated, but there may be biological components to this tendency, too.
Science shows that male infant brains are slower to mature, while developmental studies show that girls develop quicker than boys in ways including speech, fine motor skills, potty training, reading unspoken communication and entering puberty sooner. Mothers may be instinctively responding to the needs of the boys by nurturing them for longer.
Studies also show that baby boys are more negatively affected by stress than girls.
Sarah Calvert, a psychotherapist and relationship therapist, tells Metro.co.uk that there’s more to this tendency than biology.
She says: ‘There are different expectations for girls and boys ingrained into society and this filters into and colours our parenting of different genders.
‘We bring our own beliefs about gender into our relationships with our children.
‘Expectations of girls are often higher than boys, and both girls and boys become conditioned to these gender expectations by positive re-enforcement of stereotypical gender behaviour.
Mums hugging their sons for loading the dishwasher (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
‘Being the same sex, mothers identify with daughters, which can lead to mothers holding the same harsh expectations and judgements of daughters as they would for themselves.’
Helen, who is in her 20s, tells Metro.co.uk that she and her sisters are expected to do chores and help her mum because they’re women.
She says: ‘Everything I have to do because I’m a woman or “for my future husband” or “for my own children” while my brother does nothing.’
‘My mum always uses “you’re a woman” for everything. She does try to get him to do stuff but as soon as he refuses she pushes a little more then gives up.
‘She tries to have a face to face talk but the imbalance of how she makes us do things around the house is really clear.’
Dads can also be enablers of this type of son pampering.
Misha, 23, who has one brother and four sisters, tells Metro.co.uk that both her parents pander to the whims of her one brother.
‘My brother can’t eat a meal without my mum and dad asking him at least 17 questions about what he’s eating, if he’s enjoying it, if he wants more, if they should fetch it for him,’ she says.
‘He doesn’t really care much for the attention but doesn’t object to having them at his beck and call – they even sort out a plate of food for him for every meal.’
Jessica, 25, tells us that not only is her brother – her only sibling – babied, his achievements are also considered more important: ‘My brother is the literal baby in that he’s younger than me, but it’s like less is expected of him in every way and everything he does is some triumph.
Parents should stop prescribing gender privileges to their sons (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
‘He will order my mum around and she just smiles and laughs like, “what’s he like?”
‘They even have a picture of him passing out of the Navy on the mantelpiece and not my graduation. He was also allowed to not come to my graduation dinner because the meal didn’t fit his macros.’
I picked up the household chores my brothers didn’t do. It was just an unspoken arrangement.
Jasmin is the only girl among five boys. She tells Metro.co.uk that she was expected to be responsible for herself and even her brothers at an early age.
‘I had to mature at a very young age,’ she says. ‘I had to look after myself and help manage the household from a very young age, cooking, cleaning, taking care of siblings, helping with their homework.
‘Bloody ironing clothes as well! I knew how to cook before I left primary school.
‘I picked up the household chores my brothers didn’t do. It was just an unspoken arrangement.’
Of course, not all men are babied by their mums in this way.
Dad-of-three Shaun Price Stephens says that growing up, he had an equal load to his sisters: ‘My mother actually made me share with the chores, she didn’t think that just because I was male it was enough of a reason for me to get any special treatment.
‘In fact, I’ve been able to cook (better than my wife apparently), clean, and iron and have been able to since I was a teenager.
‘I went on to have two girls and a boy and made sure my son was capable of doing domestic chores as well. I also learnt that it’s much wiser to “listen” when the “gloves are off”.’
Boys aren’t always babied, and all sorts of dynamics can come into play when it comes to what parents expect, including age and personality type.
But it’s easy to fall into the dynamic of the single son being king. This doesn’t just enrage daughters, but could have a negative impact on the men themselves.
Could babying sons result in raising incompetent men who assume it’s women’s responsibility to take care of them? Does babying prevent boys from learning the skills they need to look after themselves in adult life?
Psychotherapist Sarah adds: ‘As parents, we need to be vigilant that we do not squash our children, their potential and developing selves by unconsciously parenting to outdated stereotypes.
‘All children deserve to be well nurtured, given room to grow and develop into who they are.’
Parents, take note. Brothers, get your own damn dinner.
To celebrate Pride Month, Ikea stores in the US will be selling a new rainbow Kvanting shopping bag from 1 June.
These will be just like the big blue bags you know and love, but with a rainbow design instead of that standard blue hue.
All of the profits from the bag to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF), the educational branch of a civil rights organisation working to achieve equality for LGBT+ people, to support LGBT+ young people and families. So if you pick up a bag you’ll be doing good as well as looking glorious.
The bags are $3.99 (£3.16) each, and are limited edition.
As well as selling their rainbow bags, Ikea stores in the US will fly the Pride rainbow flag rather than their usual Ikea ones.
Rafael Fantauzzi, IKEA U.S. Diversity & Inclusion Manager, said: ‘We are excited to partner with the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for Pride Month.
‘At IKEA, our culture is centered on the value of togetherness.
‘We believe equality is a fundamental human right and that all homes are created equal.
‘We know everyone deserves a home you absolutely love and a workplace where you can be yourself. To further show our commitment to equality and LGBT+ inclusion, on June 1, our co-workers will hoist the Pride Rainbow flag at all IKEA locations.’
Ikea has previously been praised for their LGBT+ inclusion. The brand’s US teams offer benefits for LGBT+ coworkers and their families, and their medical plan covers a portion of gender confirmation counseling and surgery.
They were also the first brand to feature a gay couple in a national TV advert, showing two men shopping together for a dining room table back in 1994.
Prada will be fur free from next year (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
Fashion house Prada will stop using animal fur in all its products.
Starting from next February, the Spring/Summer 2020 women’s collection from Prada Group and all it’s brands including Prada, Miu Miu, Church’s, and Car Shoe, will be fur free.
Prada previously used fur from mink, fox and rabbit but will use synthetic fur from next year.
It is the latest fashion house to ban the use of fur, after pressure from animal rights groups.
Last year Chanel and Burberry both ditched fur and Gucci went fur free in 2017.
Animal charity Humane Society International, sister organisation the Humane Society of the United States and Fur Free Alliance member LAV ran a campaign last year to urge the brand to stop using fur.
A post on Prada’s Twitter account revealed that they had been working with the group behind the scenes.
Miuccia Prada said: ‘The Prada Group is committed to innovation and social responsibility, and our fur free policy – reached following a positive dialogue with the Fur Free Alliance, in particular with LAV and the Humane Society of the United States – is an extension of that engagement.
‘Focusing on innovative materials will allow the company to explore new boundaries of creative design while meeting the demand for ethical products.’
PJ Smith, Director of Fashion Policy at the Humane Society of the United States, said: ‘With Prada’s fur free announcement, one of the biggest names in fashion just became a leader in animal welfare and innovation for generations to come.’
The group is campaigning for #FurFreeBritain and said they hope this latest success will show the government that with the fashion industry turning its back on fur, it’s time to make Britain a fur free zone.
Designers still selling fur in the UK include Fendi, Max Mara, Celine, Valentino, Saint Laurent and Dolce & Gabbana.
Claire Bass, Executive Director of Humane Society International/UK, said ‘Prada Group’s historic announcement to go fur free comes at a time when an unprecedented number of designers are turning their backs on the cruel fur trade and are fronting fashion based on fabric innovation instead of animal exploitation.
‘Anti-fur policies like Prada Groups’s prove that forgoing fur isn’t a fast-fashion trend, it’s a step change to meet the demands of ever more socially and environmentally conscious consumers.
‘As well as being unspeakably cruel, fur is also a nightmare for the environment, using and producing a cocktail of pollutants.
‘Fashion leaders like Prada, Gucci and Burberry are clear that fur has had its day, and fur sales bans are being considered in New York and California; now is the moment for the UK government to shine on its commitments to animal welfare and make Britain the first country in the world to ban the sale of animal fur.’
You could earn £50,000 to travel the world (Picture: Getty)
A marketplace for photographers is looking to hire a new ‘Instascout’ to help them find the most Instagrammable locations for clients’ feeds.
The new role will come with a £50k salary – yes, that much money to take Instagram photos – and a travel expense account to help track down hidden gems.
The Instascout will have to find the most aesthetically pleasing backdrops for photoshoots.
Online photography marketplace Perfocal has announced the ‘InstaScout’ position to further reduce the burden on professional photographers and free up more of their time for taking photos.
The job will involve finding the prettiest and most creative settings for photographers and their customers, so the photographer won’t have to scout venues before a shoot.
This is a dream job! (Picture: Getty)
While photographic experience isn’t compulsory, the ideal candidate will have an eye for detail, a flair for style and be able to tap into local knowledge to find hidden gems that aren’t well known.
So, if you’re an Instagram pro, this job is for you.
The successful applicant will also need to be prepared to travel and spend time away from home whilst they are out seeking locations.
If you’re stuck between whether to get a pizza or a burger this weekend for takeaway night, then stop fretting, because Asda has your back.
The super cheap supermarket has just launched a limited edition cheeseburger pizza, which is available until the end of May.
The 10″ pizza, which costs £2.50, features rich tomato sauce, a duo of cheeses, tender marinated beef, red onion, mozzarella and gherkins, and is finished with a drizzle of burger sauce. Yum.
The pizza will be available in 450 Asda stores, and you’ll be able to find it at the deli counter.
So far, people who have tried the pizza say it’s ‘yummy’, and we’ve got to admit, it does look it.
In other Asda news, the unicorn trend is still going strong – and Asda has jumped on it with a new range of crumpets, which are shaped just like unicorns.
A glass of beer for a pint of blood (Picture: Scott Garfitt/PinPep)
Giving blood could save three lives – but if that isn’t enough of an incentive, you can get a free glass of beer this weekend for giving away one pint of blood.
Beavertown Brewery in Tottenham will give you a glass of Bloody Ell’ Blood Orange IPA if you sign up to give blood.
The first 500 people who visit Beavertown taproom at Lockwood Industrial Park from 2pm this Saturday will be asked to sign up to donate blood and in return, they’ll get to try the blood orange infused beer.
You can also sign up in advance at blood.co.uk and simply show your confirmation email to staff once, or if you are a regular donor, you can show a registration email.
There will be 500 glasses on offer (Picture: Scott Garfitt/PinPep)
The event, which runs until 6pm, is being held to encourage more people to sign up to be blood donors, as well as to celebrate the relaunch of the beer, which is described as ‘a juicy malt bill combined with citrusy, hoppy top notes’.
Sam Millard, Brand Manager at Beavertown Brewery said ‘Giving blood is something all of us would like to get behind, from our staff, friends and family and our customers whose lives have been saved by blood donations.
‘The NHS says we need 400 new donors every single day to keep up with demand – so by celebrating Bloody Ell with this ‘bloody’ twist, we want to smash that 400 target. We’re giving craft beer fans who haven’t got around to giving blood another great reason to sign up and book in their appointments.’
It’s not quite a milkshake but it’s certainly a pretty nice treat just for putting some a few x’s in boxes.
Choose any flavour (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)
You can have the classic Cookie Dough or Caramel Chew Chew or try one of their newer editions.
They now have a range of low-calorie, like Moo-phoria Chocolate Cookie Dough, and vegan options too.
The Scoop Shop also stocks exclusive flavours like Cherry Garcia.
Polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm on the day, but the good news is that the Soho shop is open until 11pm so you still have time for your free ice cream.
To vote in the elections, you just need to go along to your local polling station. As long as you’re eligible and registered they should have your name on file.
If you don’t have your polling card, you will need to give your name and address and once the staff find you. You’ll be given a ballot paper and it’s your chance to make your choice, before you post it into the ballot box.
Redbubble which allows independent artists to design everyday items has been criticised for ‘Allah’ mini skirts (Picture: Redbubble)
Fashion website Redbubble has been criticised for offering mini skirts with Arabic written on it and the word Allah (God).
Users on Twitter said the items were ‘offensive’ and ‘point-blank inappropriate’ as the words emblazoned on it have huge religious significance for Muslims. For them, it’s not a gimmick.
Redbubble has now removed the miniskirts which displayed phrases such as ‘Praise be to Allah’ and ‘without Allah I am nothing’.
One person slammed the brand online saying: ‘This is highly offensive and incredibly stupid on your part,’ while another said it was ‘shocking’.
The website – which allows independent artists to offer their designs printed on a range of consumer goods – has got into trouble in the past for allowing similar controversial prints.
Earlier in the month, someone spotted the same skirts, which are priced between £25-£28, emblazoned with the word Sikh and other designs showing religious founder Guru Nanak and the Golden Temple on it, which many felt was unnecessary and insensitive.
‘What in the name is this? This is offensive to Sikhs across the globe! How dare you use the holiest place in Sikhism as fashion and on top of that use the face of Guru Nanak Dev Ji as a mini skirt!’ tweeted one person.
Someone else also noted that artists were offering other insensitive prints. They wrote: ‘There are similar ones with photos depicting the holocaust… they are a shocking company.’
Twitter users said it was offensive and inappropriate (Picture: @RepiakaMoni/Twitter)
Metro.co.uk reached out to Redbubble who provided a full statement.
They said: ‘Redbubble has content guidelines that are enforced by a dedicated team looking proactively through the marketplace to identify designs that fall outside of the guidelines. We also review feedback from the community regarding potentially offensive or inappropriate content, and take swift action.
‘We understand and respect the sentiments raised that some designs inspired by religious and culturally significant imagery are offensive to some people in the Sikh and Muslim communities when placed on certain products.
(Picture: @Shibee1/Twitter
‘Under the previous upload process, designs were added to mini skirts and leggings without artists being asked to proactively assess the appropriateness for that product.
‘Redbubble has taken action to change this in the upload process and have removed related designs from these two products out of respect for the community feedback we have received.’
They added that they were thankful to community members who shared their perspectives with them.
£2,000 to review pubs? Yes please (Picture: Getty)
National pub company Greene King is looking for its first ever event tester, who will get paid £2,000 to travel the country and taste beer.
The pub retailer and brewer has over 1,700 pubs across the country, and they’re advertiseing for a ‘Summer Sab-BAR-tical’ for event lovers, and are calling for a candidate to help shape the pub company’s event plans, in return for £2,000.
The role has been created to celebrate the launch of Greene King’s Great British Summer Social, which will see more than 1,500 events take place at Greene King pubs nationwide, from beer yoga to beach parties at the pub.
The campaign has been designed to create experiential, exclusive and exciting reasons to bring communities together at a truly Great British institution, the pub.
The lucky candidate will be required to undertake a road trip across the UK, attending a range of fun-filled events.
Each event must be reviewed thoroughly, from the atmosphere and activities, to the food and drink, with all feedback provided to Greene King.
Get paid to review pubs around the UK (Picture: Getty)
The chosen applicant will be required to report their findings back to the pub company to help plan the extensive range of events and entertainment programme over the summer.
Kiran Crawford, Senior Brand Controller for Greene King, said: ‘Events are a great way to bring the community together and there’s nothing better than spending time with family and friends at your local pub, especially during the summer. That’s why we are creating an action-packed summer of events across the country, with help from our first ever official event tester.
‘We’re looking for one lucky applicant who will get paid to attend exciting events across the UK to help shape our entertainment calendar. The Summer Sab-BAR-tical is a dream job for anyone who loves pubs, always seeks out the hottest new experiences and wants to be paid to enjoy great events, food and drinks.
‘So, if you fancy attending pub events and sampling an exciting range of food and drink – all while getting paid to do so, then we want to hear from you.’
So you book a summer holiday, ready to sunbathe in a bikini and catch a tan – and then it rains, every single day.
This was not supposed to happen. You checked the weather so you arrived at the perfect time. But apparently, the weather had other plans – and now you’ve spent a load of money on getting your hair soaking wet – and not because of the pool.
But there’s now a place you can go where, if it does rain every day, you can actually get your money back.
Sure, it’s not a holiday you desperately want – you want sun, of course – but still, it’s free time abroard.
Elba is offering a range of hotels, which will give you a refund if it rains for more than two hours a day between the hours of 10am and 8pm.
There’s nothing like a free holiday! (Picture: Getty)
You’ll get a refund of one night’s stay.
However, if it rains every single day throughout your holiday, you’ll get your entire stay free. Yes, really.
But this offer is only available throughout May – and again from 15 September to the end of October. It will then be rolled out again in May 2020.
It’s not like it’s for an unknown place either – it’s for a top holiday location.
Elba is the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia, and has beaches, cute cottages and is just off the coast of Tuscany.
The weather initiative is called ‘Elba No Rain’ – and we’re sure it’ll be popular holiday location this month.
The website states: ‘Even if rain is rare in Elba in May, a little rain can happen. But at Elba even rain is not a problem! In fact, with the initiative ‘Elba No Rain’, during the month of May, in the case of rain, the overnight stay is not paid!’
Filming yourself having sex can be fun and sexy, according to the experts (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
Most people have at some point or another wondered what they look like while they have sex.
Modern technology provides us with ample opportunity to find out; positioning your smartphone somewhere in your room is a lot easier than having to dig out a proper video camera and stand before getting down to business.
It’s not purely sex either; people are filming themselves masturbating and doing other sexual acts that don’t include penetration, and then sending these to their lovers or partners.
What is it about filming ourselves doing something dirty that turns us on so much? We ask the experts.
Annabelle Knight, who is the sex and relationships expert at Lovehoney, tells Metro.co.uk that there’s a very simple reason behind why we’re obsessed with filming ourselves.
‘More people are filming themselves having sex with their partner because it is fun,’ said Annabelle.
‘Let’s face it, our whole lives are captured on our smart phones, so why not sex, too? Lots of couples get off on watching themselves afterwards on film and having sex again because they are so turned on.
‘And if you are going to dress up in sexy outfits for a session, of course you are going to want footage of the action.’
A study by the dating site for people who want to have an affair, Illicit Encounters, revealed that one third of couples have filmed themselves having sex and three quarters of participants stated they had used their phone to ‘enhance’ their sex lives, either by taking photos or watching erotic videos (which could be their own or, of course, porn).
But if you’re considering doing it yourself, there are some do’s and don’ts.
Annabelle recommends not mixing alcohol and sex filming, as well as making sure you’re with someone you trust to keep the footage private.
‘It is not a good idea to get the cameras out with a new partner or someone you don’t trust completely.’
‘Who knows where the footage might end up? You just don’t know who they will be sharing it with.
‘By all means film with someone you trust but on the strict agreement that you both delete the footage in the event of a split.’
Do bare in mind however, should someone share a video of you and you have not consented for them to do so, you can report it to the police.
Get those funky positions on tape and watch it afterwards (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
Stu Nugent, sex expert at Lelo, believes there is another reason why we like making sex tapes – it’s ‘self-eroticism’.
‘Perhaps we’re all narcissists at heart: we all want to see ourselves as sexual, and by filming ourselves, we can do that literally, over and over again,’ he tells Metro.co.uk.
‘But it’s not a new thing. It’s just masturbating in the mirror for the digital age.
‘There’s something intensely intimate about self-eroticism, and there’s something inherently sexy about watching yourself having sex while you’re having sex. It’s all very meta.’
Dr Becky Spelman, relationship expert at We-Vibe, agrees that there may be a level of narcissism in filming or watching yourself have sex or masturbating.
However, she explains that this may run deeper than just being ego-centric; some people just find sexual pleasure in themselves, rather than their partner.
‘First of all, we live in an image- and porn-saturated world, and many of us are intensely involved with social media,’ said Becky.
‘For people who grew up in this environment, creating erotic images of themselves can seem like a normal, ordinary extension of how they live so much of their lives online.
‘In some cases, a desire to see oneself engaged in sexual activity on the screen can involve auto-eroticism, or a tendency to find sexual pleasure in oneself, rather than in others.
‘In these cases, the person viewing themselves engaged in sexual activity with someone else is actually turned on by the images of themselves, and the other individual involved is equivalent to a sex toy or another prop.
‘Sometimes there is a narcissistic element to watching oneself on screen, too. People who are narcissistic can display a rather egotistical tendency to admire an idealised version of their self-image and their attributes, including their sexual attributes.
‘In fact, for people of this bent, looking at moving images of themselves having sex can be a challenge to their narcissism, because the reality of their body’s appearance and sexual prowess might not live up to the idealised version in their minds.’
The most important aspect of creating a sex tape is that both parties want to do so.
Some people may feel pressured into filming their sex life by their partner or to create a video for someone they’re chatting to because they’re consistently asking or threatening to not keep talking to them, unless they do.
Remember that sex tapes are meant to turn both people on, not act as an incentive. If someone doesn’t respect that or says they’ll lose interest in you for saying no, they’re not worth your attention.
And as for the practical stuff – which position, where to do it and what lighting is best – try your way.
Then Universal Standard – a global retailer that was founded in the US – announced it will offer clothes in sizes ranging from 4 to 44, making it the most size-inclusive clothing line in the world.
This will also apply to the brand’s denim offering and waist sizes will run from 25in to 68in.
Sizing is a well-known issue within fashion, because more often than not shoppers will fit into one size in a particular retailer, but then not the same size in another.
Sometimes brands also get measurements wrong altogether, such as this size eight dress from Pretty Little Thing, that was so small it fit the shopper’s four-year-old daughter, while she herself could barely get it over her head.
Another issue is when fashion brands lack size inclusivity in models, and rarely show off what bigger sizes will look like on the body.
To counteract this, Universal Standard has launched ‘See It In Your Size’, a function which allows its customers to see the item they want to buy on a model who is that same size.
Women can also exchange clothes from Universal Standard’s Fit Liberty collection if they gain or lose a few pounds (Picture: Universal Standard)
In addition, the retailer has a collection called Fit Liberty, which allows women to exchange the pieces they have purchased within a year for a new size. This way, women aren’t forced to buy an entirely new item should they lose or gain a few pounds.
All returned items from this line will be donated to organisations that help women get back to work, as well as become financially independent.
The brand was founded in 2015 by Polina Veksler and Alexandra Waldman, both of whom were tired of the lack of sizing available to them in high street stores.
They said that ‘all women weren’t given the same level of style, quality or even respect’.
Unfortunately Universal Standard doesn’t ship to the UK or Europe (yet).
But we’ve got our fingers crossed it’ll happen soon.
The fast food restaurant McDonald’s has created a tiny replica restaurant – especially for bees.
Some of the restaurants in Sweden have the beehives on their rooftops to help build a sustainable environment in their local communities.
Initiatives to save bees are needed – they pollinate our plants and without them, we’ve be pretty stuffed.
The economic value of bees’ pollination work has been estimated around € 265 billion so we all need to be a friend to the bees.
The detail is pretty impressive (Picture: McDonald’s)
To celebrate the initiative and the humble bumble bee, the McDonald’s Sweden team has created what could be the smallest restaurant ever.
Named the McHive, the tiny wooden structure is a fully functioning beehive. The bees entering through the hive’s main entrance, with the golden arches sign above.
The restaurant also has a McDrive and outdoor seating. We guess bees might want to enjoy their Happy Meal outside too.
McHive was designed and built by award winning set designer Nicklas Nilsson.
It was auctioned out on 21 May during a charity fund raiser for Ronald McDonald house charities and it was sold to a franchisee for over $10,000 (£7,885).
Christoffer Rönnblad, marketing director, McDonald’s Sweden said: ‘We have a lot of really devoted franchisees who contribute to our sustainability work, and it feels good that we can use our size to amplify such a great idea as beehives on the rooftops – this miniature McDonald’s is a tribute to franchisee Christina Richter’s initiative.’
Linda believed she’d been hacked (Picture: Kennedy News)
A pensioner is feeling pretty embarrassed after reporting ‘hackers’ for deleting hundreds of her Facebook posts – only to find out it was actually her dog, who had sat on her phone.
Linda Meems was shocked when she logged into the admin page for her hometown’s social media group, Spotted Turburty, to find that loads of her posts had been deleted.
Linda, 69, fired off a Facebook message from her iPad last Tuesday to group founder Chris Ward to clear her name and explain she had been offline as she was in the bath.
Concerned she had fallen victim to hackers, Linda reported the suspected fraudulent activity to Facebook and swiftly changed all her passwords.
However after hearing a ‘weird’ noise coming from under her three-year-old dalmation-labrador Bo, she fished out her phone to discover the dog had deleted all the posts with his bottom.
The gran-of-seven has vowed to never leave her phone near Bo again – and captured a snap of him looking very guilty after recovering it.
Linda, originally from Tutbury, Staffs, said: ‘I felt sick when I realised what had happened.
All the posts went missing (Picture: Kennedy News)
‘I then had to phone Chris feeling very embarrassed and frustrated but thankfully she only laughed – most of the [group’s] members have had a good laugh too.
‘When I originally logged into the Spotted Tutbury group I realised the cover photo had changed and there was more than 100 items that ‘Linda Meems’ had deleted.
‘I remember thinking “I haven’t, I’ve not been online” and in a panic I contacted Chris.
‘She said “I bet you’ve been hacked you need to get in touch with Facebook”.
‘I remember wondering where my phone was and then all of a sudden hearing a really weird noise.
‘I realised it was under one very big black dog and I fished it out and never thought any more about it.
‘But later I thought “oh dear the dog’s been on my phone”.’
Retired retail manager Chris, who lives in Hatton, Derbyshire, said: ‘We all panicked because we didn’t know what was happening.
‘Linda messaged me to say there was something weird going on with the page.
‘I logged on and saw it repeatedly said ‘Linda Meems has deleted this post’.
‘I put a message on the group straightaway to say we had a gremlin and in the meantime we logged the issue with Facebook.
It was actually her dog (Picture: Kennedy News)
‘Linda finally solved the mystery when she messaged me to say she’d found her phone underneath the dog.
‘I can laugh about it now – you couldn’t make it up could you?
‘The guilty party’s new name is hacker dog.’
Retired control room operator Linda, who was born and lived in Tutbury for 52 years before moving to The Netherlands, had spent the morning gardening and then enjoyed an hour-long soak in the tub.
After drying off she logged onto the site and it was then she spotted the bizarre goings on.
Linda said: ‘I’m admin on the page because I lived there all my life until I met and married a Dutch man – my husband Bert Meems.
‘The Facebook group is a wonderful link to home. We all feel very close – it’s like a big family.
‘It’s great to be a part of the community even though I’m not there.
‘That morning I’d decided to do some gardening and had my phone in my back pocket with a certain signal on when it’s something coming up from Spotted Tutbury.
‘As I was very dusty from my work I decided to go for a bath. I dropped my phone on the chair and went off had a good long soak in the bath with a cup of tea.
‘I put my iPad on and remember thinking that Chris must have changed the cover photo, then I saw all the posts I’d supposedly deleted.
‘When I realised Bo was the culprit, I said “what have you done?”.
‘Of course you’ve only got to say that and you get the puppy eyes as he knew he’d done something he shouldn’t have, but didn’t know what it was.
‘The chair I put it on is a rocker, when he climbed up onto it the phone must have slipped down and he got straight on top of it.’
Despite initially feeling embarrassed about deletion of the posts, Linda said she’s started to see the funny side and relaxed when she realised it wasn’t a genuine security breach.
Linda said: ‘I felt stupid at first and worried what people would think, but then I just felt relieved when I knew it wasn’t a serial hacker.
‘In future I’ll leave my phone somewhere Bo can’t plant his bum on it.
‘Since that happened everywhere I’ve gone my phone has gone too – the garden, the shower even the hairdressers – it’s definitely taught me a lesson.’
