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Aldi is launching a spider catcher that won’t hurt insects when you snatch them up

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Aldi's spider catcher
Can’t wait to get this  (Picture: ALDI)

Arachnophobia (fear of spiders) doesn’t discriminate – the creepy crawlies can scare anyone and everyone.

In the unfortunate instance you encounter a spider, you probably want to get rid of it ASAP.

Good thing then that Aldi is launching a catcher that doesn’t require you to touch the spider or get too close, and doesn’t kill the bug in the process.

The new contraption catches the eight-legged intruders with soft brittles that safely pop them inside.

Good news, it comes on the end of a big stick which means you won’t have to be up close with the creatures.

The handy little device – which costs £7.99 – can also be used to trap moths, butterflies and daddy long legs.

While slapping them with a piece of paper is certainly cheaper, at least this item means you won’t be killing them.

woman catching a spider with contraption from Aldi
Grab that fake spider and run the hell away (Picture: ALDI)

The product launches 25 August so make a note and add it to your cart, sharpish.

It comes at a good time as the rainy weather usually forces more spiders inside during autumn.

Spider season happens during this time where male spiders are on the hunt for lady friends to mate with.

Now you can use Aldi’s catcher so the spiders can take all their frolicking outside rather than on cobwebs in your kitchen.

The plastic rod is conveniently 68cm long meaning you can reach them when they’re on the ceiling while keeping a safe distance.

To use it, aim the bristles near the vicinity of the creature and gently squeeze the handles together to tighten the grasp.

Then run as far as you can and release the bristles to free the spider or insect.

You can get the spider catcher in-store or online and pre-ordering is available from the Aldi website.

But if you’re not buying anything else, you will need to pay a delivery charge or £2.95 – taking your total amount for the spider catcher to £10.94.

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You can get an Uber Boat this bank holiday weekend

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If your standard Uber doesn’t quite cut it, how about getting around in a boat?

Well this weekend, you can book an Uber Boat.

The service is only available in the city of Cambridge from 22-24 August.

For £10, you can get a 40 minute punting trip along the River Cam for up to eight passengers.

The boats and chauffeurs will be provided by Tyrrell’s Punting Cambridge and Cambridge Punters.

To get your Uber Boar, you’ll need to open the app in Cambridge this weekend and select Uber Boat. It’ll only appear if you’re within a one mile radius of the dock.

A group of three people on an Uber Boat in Cambridge
Take an Uber Boat this weekend (Picture: Jeff Spicer/PA)

You can then book the tour for up to eight people and walk to the pick-up dock, outside La Mimosa Restaurant, 1 Thompsons Ln, Cambridge CB5 8AQ.

Once you spot your ride, just check your Captain’s name and picture, as well as the boat number and jump on board.

You can enjoy the leisurely trip along the river, spotting the sites of the city

It’s not the first time Uber has moved beyond cars – it launched electric JUMP bicycles in May.

Fred Jones, Head of New Mobility at Uber, said: ‘This year has been all about expanding the many ways you can travel using the Uber app – whether it’s in a car, on the tube or with a JUMP bike.

‘What better way to finish the summer than punting boats, a classic English pastime, booked through Uber app.’

Go on – take a punt on it.

MORE: Aldi is launching a spider catcher that won’t hurt insects when you snatch them up

MORE: Morrisons launches bank holiday deal that gives you 5p off every litre of fuel

Mum hosts ‘hiring event’ to interview her children to do chores

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Shaketha created a hiring event to motivate her children into taking on more responsibility
Shaketha created a hiring event to motivate her children into taking on more responsibility (Picture: Shaketha Marion McGregor/Facebook)

Shaketha Marion McGregor has come up with an ingenious way to teach her children about responsibility and managing their money.

Rather than just giving her three kids, Serinity, six, Takeia, 10, and Jahkeem, 13, an allowance or randomly assigning them tasks, Shaketha created a ‘hiring event’ inviting the children to interview for key roles around the house; laundry supervisor, a kitchen manager and a lead housekeeper.

Shaketha included an advertisement for ‘mom’s credit union’, which would give her kids a line of credit to ‘allow them build their allowance and character’, and added name tags children had to wear when ‘clocking in’ for their shift.

The mum even left up a green job board for any new tasks that needed doing and could help the children earn more money, and a mailbox where the children can ‘leave notes, ask for loans, tell on their siblings and more.’

Shaketha Marion McGregor's children were encouraged to interview for roles to earn credit
The children were encouraged to apply for jobs to earn credit (Picture: Shaketha Marion McGregor/Facebook)

Shaketha shared her idea online, where it got her a load of fans and more than 126,000 shares.

She wrote on Facebook: ‘This is part of the system that I’m using to teach my children about responsibility, employment, money managing, time management, and lots more! ‘

The mum of three was motivated to come up with the idea following a sequence of tragedies that made it difficult for her to give her children whatever they wanted.

In 2016 Shaketha was diagnosed with cancer, which forced her to stop working and led to homelessness. When the family found another house, its contents were burned in a fire in November.

Shaketha Marion McGregor's application forms for household chores
Two children landed the jobs, while the middle one has been invited to reapply (Picture: Shaketha Marion McGregor/Facebook)

When the children kept asking for new mobile phones and replacements for the toys they lost, Shaketha surprised them with the hiring event.

The kids took it well. Serinity, six, ended up landing the lead housekeeper role.

Takeia, 10, spoke in a British accent throughout her interview. She’ll be on laundry duty, with tasks including ensuring the bathroom is stocked with towels.

13-year-old Jahkeem was a little less professional as he said he needed a few days before he could start the position because he ‘wanted to hang out with his friends’, and laughed while applying for the job. He’s been invited to reapply.

Following the reaction to her idea, Shaketha is now making customised household job plans for other families.

She’s sharing her scheme to encourage other parents to teach their children the life lessons they don’t learn in school.

Shaketha said: ‘No child I know is learning about credit in school. The interview process teaches a lot of lessons that can be carried on through life. Catch your child’s attention.’

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ASOS criticised for labelling size 14 as extra large

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Packages from ASOS with screengrabs from the tweets showing the size guide
The sizing guide for the item labelled a size 14 as XL (Picture: Getty, @MarinaOLoughlin/Twitter)

Buying clothes from different stores can be a nightmare.

You can be a size 12 in one and a size 16 in another.

And when it comes to clothes labelled as small, medium and large, it’s hard to have any idea what sizes they might relate to.

After checking the size guide, people on Twitter were shocked to see ASOS labelling a size 14 as an XL.

Restaurant critic Marina O’Loughlin posted the sizing help section showing that UK 6 was labelled as XS, UK 8 as a S, UK 10 as a M, UK 12 as L and finally UK 14 as XL.

She said: ‘Dear ASOS – since when was a size 14 ‘XL?’

Shoppers weren’t impressed, especially as the average UK woman is a size 16.

Janey said: ‘A 12 is a large? F**k off, tell that to my 5 ft 10 beautiful thin friend.’

Caroline Hirons added: ‘It’s a joke. I typed in XL on a website the other day and it offered me 12-14. F**k off. I’m not 10.’

Others said we really need to change the way we think about sizing.

Rana said: ‘Letters/numbers get everyone’s pants in a twist.. I don’t understand why they can’t list sizes in measurements… it works for jeans, and for all men’s clothing. But even so… it doesn’t matter if you size is CALLED XL or XS. Your size is whatever fits.’

ASOS explained that they carry a range of third party brands, with different ways of sizing their clothes. Their own range goes up to a size 18 and their Curve range to a size 28.

An ASOS spokesperson said: ‘We offer fashion in over 30 different sizes, reflecting the needs of our diverse, global customer base and our ongoing commitment to promoting a healthy, positive body image.

‘Based on the measurements of some of our third party brands, the size XL on this product is equivalent in our sizing chart to a UK 14.’

MORE: Mum hosts ‘hiring event’ to interview her children to do chores

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You’re not being ‘helpful’ when you touch disabled people without asking

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Man pushing wheelchair
Non-disabled person to see mobility aids such as wheelchairs, canes or assistance dogs as an extension of that person (Picture: Getty)

I was on my way to a meeting in central London when a passerby saw me wheeling myself up a steep hill.

Assuming I was struggling, he decided to take it upon himself to come up behind me and start pushing my wheelchair without uttering a single world.

I was terrified. I thought I was being mugged and petrified of being pushed into danger. As someone who has a condition whose bones can break with a simple sneeze, the fear of a stranger with no wheelchair training having complete control over me was an experience I will never forget nor want repeated.

The thing is, that hill was a challenge I could have accomplished on my own in my own time. Yes it was somewhat strenuous but, in all honestly, a good excuse to miss the gym that day.

Although I’m sure the stranger’s intentions were good, my personal space and safety was violated. All I wanted him to do was ask whether I had needed help, and I am not the only disabled person who feels this way.

Dr Hannah Mason-Bish is a criminologist and director of the Centre for Gender Studies. She has over 15 years’ experience examining hate crime and when disability was included in hate crime policy back in 2003 she noticed there seemed to be little understanding of how disabled women experienced hostility.

To address this she set up the The Private Places, Public Spaces research project which invited women and non-binary people to share their experiences of unwanted touching and harassment.

She found that many women who took part in the research project experienced a variety of unwanted touching in public on a daily basis including grabbing, poking, pushing, punching, groping and dragging.

One such person is Dr Amy Kavanagh, who has a visual impairment and uses a cane to assist her in navigating daily life. She created a social media campaign using the hashtag #justaskdontgrab to highlight her regular non-consensual touching she had experienced.

I’ve once pulled away from a kiss and been pulled back by this particular individual dragging my wheelchair towards him.

‘As a visually impaired woman using a white cane I experience unwanted touching in public every single day,’ she told me. ‘I have been dragged across roads, pulled out of train carriages and pushed around shops, without being asked if I wanted assistance first.

‘These experiences can be distressing and disorientating, occasionally they cause me physical harm. Whenever I share a story of being pulled into moving traffic or pushed on the wrong bus, people respond “but they had good intentions! They only meant to help!”’

As a full-time wheelchair user I often have to rely on others to help me get from A to B due to my environment disabling me.

This can be anything from asking a person on the street to open a heavy door, asking a shop assistant to reach an item of clothing off a rail, to a taxi driver assisting me in and out of a cab. However, not all help is needed or wanted.

To assume I am struggling is a common ableist misconception towards disabled people. Just because a disabled person does things differently to a non-disabled person doesn’t always mean they need help.

Even the simple act of leaning on my wheelchair or someone using my wheelchair to haul themselves up from the floor after having a selfie taken with me, I personally find an uncomfortable and unsafe experience.

I would urge any non-disabled person to see mobility aids such as wheelchairs, canes or assistance dogs as an extension of that person and should also not be touched without consent.

While most intentions are well-meaning, some are more sinister. In the past I’ve also been overpowered by men in an intimate setting and allowed sexual advances to occur simply because I’ve felt like I’ve not been able to physically stop them.

I’ve once pulled away from a kiss and been pulled back by this particular individual dragging my wheelchair towards him.

My experience is sadly not an isolated one as disabled women are almost twice as likely to experience sexual assault.

Dr Amy Kavanagh has also had a similar experience: ‘A few times a month men will use the excuse of offering help or interacting with me to touch me inappropriately, ask me personal questions, make sexual remarks or try and stop me leaving.’

‘Recently I was getting off a bus and a man shouted: “I’ll help you.” He pulled me roughly off the bus, held onto my arm and pinched my breasts. I couldn’t get away from him and it was painful and frightening.’

I would like to see better education of consent, how to set boundaries and access to privacy for disabled children and young people.

This can be as simple as asking if a disabled person needs help before taking hold of their wheelchair and if caring for them in a more intimate way – such as dressing or bathing – see if there is any equipment that could be used to help them do it alone.

Many disabled people are reliant at some point on other people including their parents, siblings, carers, personal assistant and strangers. And while everything is mostly done out of love, it is paramount that a discussion setting out boundaries happens and disabled people’s wishes are respected.

No matter the intent the result for those within the disabled community can be extremely detrimental. Ultimately, unwanted touching and interactions can lead not only to feelings of violation and vulnerability, but in my case having brittle bones, it can also have painful consequences.

So if in doubt just ask before you act!

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Artist sets up passport photoshoot with hilarious unseen background details

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Two people pose for passport photos but in hilarious backgrounds like being taped to a wall
How have they kept such a straight face? (Picture: Max Siedentopf)

You can’t smile, you can’t wear too much makeup or have a fringe. That can only mean one thing – you’re taking a passport photo.

While some of us scrunch up inside a photo booth at train stations, others go to a photography studio to get professional shots.

And like all of us, artist Max Siedentopf finds the whole affair very boring.

So he set up some pretty hilarious backgrounds to the ordinary rigid 45mm by 35mm frame.

In one image you can see the serious shot but in the next, bizarre scenarios going on behind the frame, such as nipples being vacuumed and the subject being taped to a wall.

We have no idea how any of the subjects managed to keep a straight face.

In fact, Max’s idea for the project came when he couldn’t keep a straight face for his own passport photo.

Man with two hoovers vacuuming his nipples
Doesn’t that tickle? (Picture: Max Siedentopf)

I was wondering how something so dull could be “tricked” and get some more excitement into the whole process of passport photograph,’ he told BoredPanda.

Max stuck to the requirements for passport pictures which have to be in a plain setting, in colour, with the head taking up 70-80% of the photo.

A ‘neutral facial expression’ is also part of the rules.

Each serious shot adhered to these, but in the reveal, the subjects could be seen balancing glasses of wine on their arms, trying not to react to live fire, using a rolling pin on their stomach and lots of other bizarre things.

Here are some of the weird and wonderful photos from Max’s passport shoot:

Woman balancing eight glasses on wine on her straightened arms
Impressive (Picture: Max Siedentopf)
Man trying not to react to fire in front of him
Raw fear in his eyes (Picture: Max Siedentopf)
Man taped up in a bin bag with head uncovered
‘Oh just get in the bin’ (Picture: Max Siedentopf)
Man with fake legs bent in front of him
What is going on? (Picture: Max Siedentopf)
Woman wearing a coat with toasts lined up inside
I, too, keep a coat of toasts (Picture: Max Siedentopf)
Woman sitting next to people covered in white sheets at a museum like setting
Are they okay in there? (Picture: Max Siedentopf)
Woman pinching a man and woman's noses who kneel beside her
She’s done that before for sure (Picture: Max Siedentopf)
Woman wearing a skirt made of toilet tissue
Pretty (Picture: Max Siedentopf)

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Holocaust survivor, 89, ‘can’t believe all of this love’ as he marries bride, 42

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Holocaust survivor marries woman 50 years his junior (Picture: Zandy Mangold)
Holocaust survivor marries woman nearly 50 years his junior (Picture: Zandy Mangold)

Jack Garfein is an esteemed holocaust survivor who went on to become a film director and teacher.

The 89-year-old was born in then-Czechoslovakia and lost his parents and sisters who were killed in the Nazi gas chambers.

Jack survived 11 concentration camps, including Auschwitz.

In 2016 he engaged his long-term partner Natalia Repolovsky, nearly 50 years his senior.

Jack met 42-year-old Natalia at an actors party in 2012 where she became quickly attached to him.

And this week the couple finally tied the knot at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York after seven years together.

One of the special guests at their wedding included Jack Terry, 89, whom the groom has known since World War II.

The groom was in awe at the people who showed up for him on his big day,

Holocaust survivor marries woman 50 years his junior
The couple has been together for seven years (Picture: Zandy Mangold)

‘I can’t believe all of this love I’m surrounded by after everything I’ve gone through in my life,’ he told The New York Post.

Jack and Natalia were set to marry shortly after their engagement but after he developed pneumonia, they decided to wait.

Their union has received some scepticism over the years. But Natalia pays no mind.

She said: ‘Jack made me realise who I was because I was looking at myself through the eyes of someone who loved me. That is Jack’s greatest gift to me.

‘It’s so amazing to get all of our closest friends together in one room. The people who never judged and always supported our unusual union.’

Natalia wore an Elie Saab dress to the wedding. This is her second marriage and the third for Jack, who was previously married to actress Carroll Baker and actress Blanche Baker.

Holocaust survivors Jack Garfein and Jack Terry at Garfein's wedding to Natalia Repolovsky at the Rodeph Sholom Synagogue, NY
Holocaust survivor Jack Terry (left) attended the wedding (Picture: Zandy Mangold)

Guest Jack Terry added: ‘I met Jack in 1945 at the Flossenbürg concentration camp. We shouldn’t even be alive… And here I am at his wedding.’

Congratulations to the couple.

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Woman mocked for wedding dress that looks like it’s covered in poo at the back

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The dress with the brown ribbon and some of the comments on Reddit
The dress was posted on Reddit (Picture: Reddit)

Often brides like to add something a little different to make their wedding dress stand out.

But one bride’s attempt to move away from the traditional head-to-toe white dress ended up being a little embarrassing.

The picture, showing the bride with a brown ribbon just at the top of her bum, has been around for a while after it was posted on Reddit a year ago but it has recently resurfaced.

People on the trend weren’t kind. Most pointed out that it looked like there was poo at the back of the dress.

One said: ‘Oh my.. The thumbnail looks like she shit herself. How unfortunate.’

Another added: ‘Every girl dreams of her dream wedding dress with dream poop train.’

‘It’s pretty difficult to go to the bathroom in a wedding dress, she’s just covering her bases,’ a poster commented.

Woman mocked for dress that looks like she had a toilet accident
The dress that was posted on Reddit (Picture: Reddit)

Beyond the brown ribbon, people weren’t a fan of the dress in general, criticising the neck line and fit too.

And it seems brown on a wedding dress isn’t something that is going to catch on.

Last month, we brought you this coffee-stained wedding dress that was slammed by members of a wedding shaming group.

Some people said that it looks like ‘one huge tampon’.

But the bride loved it and had asked her friends on Facebook for tips to accessorise the dress.

She posted: ‘I’m really torn on accessories and makeup. I was going to go for a bold lip but love the natural look too.

‘What makeup would you do for a fall wedding in this dress? It’s an outdoor olive grove wedding and the dress is made from hemp, so everything will be simple and natural.’

But people did not hold back and someone advised: ‘The perfect accompaniment to that dress is to buy a new one.’

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Is bread actually vegan? (Why you need to start checking labels)

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Cutting freshly baked bread.
But… sandwiches?! (Picture: Getty)

Being a vegan can be tricky. It’s so easy to be caught off guard by something you were certain was completely plant-based.

Honey and avocados are great examples of deceptively non-vegan foods.

But what about bread? It’s leaving a lot of you confused. And worried. Because honestly, no one wants to give up bread and the wholesome, carby comfort it provides.

So don’t worry – bread, in its purest form is vegan. It’s made simply of water, flour and yeast. But if you like fancy bread – that’s where things can get a little bit murky.

‘Although most bread is typically vegan as it’s traditionally made with flour, water, yeast and sugar, there are certain types of loaves which may have cheese, milk  butter or eggs,’ explains Sonal Shah, Nutritionist Resource member.

‘French breads for example like brioche are made with eggs and butter. Also some of the crusts are brushed with butter before they are baked.’

Uh oh. So before you go to town on that French stick and slather it with vegan ‘butter’ – you might need to check exactly how it was made.

With softer, ‘cakey’ breads like brioche, it’s easier to tell that there is butter involved in the process – but spotting a brushed crust could be tough. Sonal says that’s not all you need to look out for.

‘Sometimes bread can contain casein, whey and non-fat milk powder,’ she adds.

‘Other types of breads that may not be vegan are crackers which can also contain dairy. Some breads may have a vegan logo but it’s down to the individual to check the label.’

Simple as that. Check the labels people.

If you’re following a strict vegan diet then nothing can really be taken for granted. It’s probably best to have a quick scan of the labels on any pre-packaged food that you’re buying.

And also wave goodbye to your brioche breakfasts.

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MORE: Aldi is launching a spider catcher that won’t hurt insects when you snatch them up

Woman mortified after she walked around Tesco with huge chocolate smear on her bum

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Julie wood with her chocolate covered trousers and the Lidl chocolate bar
Julie with her chocolate covered trousers (Picture: SWNS.com)

Julie Wood headed off to do her weekly shop in Tesco, strolling down the aisles with her trolley.

But when she got back to the car, she realised the seat she had been sitting in was smeared with chocolate – meaning she’d also been walking around with it all over her bum.

The 37-year-old shared her “embarrassing” story on Facebook along with pictures of her trousers showing them covered in lumpy chocolate – and it did look a bit like she’d had an unfortunate accident.

She picked up her favourite almond and orange chocolate bar from Lidl and she said she sat on it without realising, while driving to Tesco by herself.

But she had no idea until she got back to the car to drive home.

Julie, from Irvine, Scotland said: ‘I feel so cringe about it all, it is so embarrassing – I had just kept thinking oh my god.

‘I had gone into Lidl because they had my favourite chocolate in there and of all the ones it is the chocolate with almonds in.

The chocolate Julie Wood sat in before walking around Tesco
The chocolate Julie Wood sat in before walking around Tesco (Picture: SWNS)
The trousers covered in chocolate
The trousers covered in chocolate (Picture: SWNS)

‘I must have just put it on my seat without realising and I dropped my husband off and went to go and do a food shop in Tesco.

‘I was in the car for about 20 minutes, that meant I had been sitting on it for all of that time, and then I was walking around Tesco for quite a while.

‘When I had got back to my car, I saw there was melted chocolate on my seat. I thought “What was that?”

‘I felt my bum and I was like “oh my gosh it’s on my bum, it is the chocolate”. But I didn’t realise how bad it was until I had got home.

‘Nobody looked at me in Tesco but I do remember the trolley man as I was getting towards my car.

‘I remember him just giving me a look – but I just thought he was staring at me.

The chocolate  bar
The chocolate  bar (Picture: SWNS)

‘But when I realised, I just kept thinking “oh my god, oh my god”.

‘It is so embarrassing, but it is funny.’

Although embarassed, Julie saw the lighter side, telling all her friends on Facebook.

She said: ‘Oh my days…. I’ve literally just walked round Tesco ( on my own ) doing the big shop looking like I’ve f**king shit myself !!!

‘Didn’t even have a clue till I got back to the car and saw my seat, I was like… what the f*** is that !!!

Julie Wood with the chocolate and the trousers
Julie with the chocolate and the trousers (Picture: SWNS)

‘Realised I’d been sitting on a chunk of chocolate (with almonds through it no less ) all the way from Ayr!!

‘I thought, please no.. please god no, as I felt my arse in the car park and realised the horror!!

‘Absolutely mortified ! I wondered why the trolley guy gave me a sort of pitiful look.’

MORE: Woman mocked for wedding dress that looks like it’s covered in poo at the back

MORE: Artist sets up passport photoshoot with hilarious unseen background details

Influencer criticised for ‘staging photoshoot’ at a motorcycle accident

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Instagram influencer Tiffany Mitchell's post after a motorcycling accident
Tiffany says she didn’t know the pictures had been taken until later on that evening (Picture: @tifforelie/Instagram)

An influencer has been accused of staging a motorcycle accident for a photoshoot.

Tiffany Mitchell posted a series of pictures on her page in July showing her lying on the ground.

She says she accidentally drove off the road when she ‘misjudged a curve’ and fell off her bike.

In a long caption posted alongside the pictures, she said she had her helmet on so her head was fine but she scraped the skin on her left side.

The Nashville-based influencer said that her friend Lindsey, who was travelling with her, decided to capture moments from the accident on camera, including her lying on the side of the road and removing her helmet.

She said an ambulance arrived and some strangers put her bike on a trailer to take it home for her. She added that it brought back a lot of memories because her partner Kappel died in a motorcycle accident three years ago.

‘I’m resting and healing up my arm and @ianwhitetattoos may need to touch up my wildflowers, but I am feeling so much better and guys, I am beyond grateful,’ she said in the caption.

Instagram influencer Tiffany Mitchell's post after a motorcycling accident
She had been out with friends when she said she drove off the road (Picture: @tifforelie/Instagram)

Comments from her fans were mixed – with some sending get well soon messages but many criticising her decision to  share professional pictures of the accident.

One said: ‘Huh? You had a serious accident but people were there to take *~stunning*~ photos? This is an insult to people who get into accidents. Put a helmet on.’

The same poster later added ‘quit glamorizing accidents’.

The post was shared on Reddit and people continued to say they were uncomfortable with the pictures.

Many said it was fake and others questioned whether it was actually a sponsored post because of a bottle of SmartWater that appeared in the shots.

After noticing the criticism, Tiffany deleted the pictures earlier this week and posted a series of stories on Instagram saying that the post was ‘getting out of control’ but she wanted to address the concerns.

Instagram influencer Tiffany Mitchell's post after a motorcycling accident
Tiffany said the accident brought back memories of the death of her partner (Picture: @tifforelie/Instagram)

She said that they had been shooting all day and that there was no brand work being done. She also said that she wasn’t even aware the pictures had been taken until much later that day.

Speaking to Metro.co.uk, Tiffany added: ‘I’m very sad this has all been taken as something that was staged and disrespectful.

‘The reason this accident was so intense and important to me, and why I’m so grateful that my friend captured photos (which I didn’t find out about until later that evening) is because three years ago my partner Kappel passed away in a motorcycle accident, and anyone who has followed me on Instagram since then knows that I spent the majority of the 2017 walking through intense grief and sharing that journey with people.

‘It’s something the people who follow me understand the beauty and depth of, and when this happened and I ended up having photos to share, I wrote about the experience genuinely.

‘There was absolutely no sponsorship and no staging whatsoever. My post was just another page in the story of life and healing I’ve been sharing on Insta for years.

‘I just hope people feeling anger, hatred or confusion about this can be willing to watch my stories (I explain everything), open up to the possibility that it actually did happen, that the water bottle was given to me while I was resting and wasn’t “placed”, that the loss I experienced in 2016 made this moment extremely powerful for me, and that absolutely nothing about the event or the images was contrived.

‘I write about real things, always with the hope that some healing can happen inside myself or others who have gone through similar things.’

MORE: Woman mortified after she walked around Tesco with huge chocolate smear on her bum

MORE: Is bread actually vegan? (Why you need to start checking labels)

Looking for the perfect last minute getaway? We’ve got you covered

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It’s that time of year when the shops are full of beachwear, sandals and sun hats. So if you’re ready for some much needed time off but haven’t had a chance to think about where to go, we’ve got the perfect place for you.

St. Elias Resort and Waterpark can be found in Protaras, Cyprus, just a little over four hours from London. With warm sunshine, delicious cuisine and with plenty of adventures up for grabs, it’s perfect for the whole family.

Protaras is known for its stunning sandy beaches including the iconic Fig Tree Bay, famous for its lone tree. Here you can relax with a snooze in the sunshine, get active with a swim to the nearby island, or go further afield by hopping on a jet ski. You also won’t have to stroll too far for a look into Cyprus’ history, as just above the beach you’ll find incredible excavated Hellenistic tombs. Fun, sun and a dash of culture, all within a short walk? Sounds dreamy to us.

For those who can’t sit still and who fancy packing a pair of trainers as well as their bikini, there are a number of hiking trails to explore, with protected pine forest routes at Cape Greco National Forest Park. Take your costumes with you and once you’ve worked up a sweat, you’ll be able to cool off with a refreshing dip in the clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

At St Elias Resort there are comfortable studio rooms and one-bedroom suites which come complete with their own pools

Back at St. Elias Resort, there’s something for the whole family and all budgets are catered for. There are comfortable studio rooms for couples or those flying solo, or if you’re looking for something a little more luxurious (and private), there are one-bedroom suites which come complete with their own pools, so you can make a splash whenever the mood takes you.

Tuck into traditional dishes at Meze by Elliniko

And getting straight into holiday mode couldn’t be easier, with the journey from Larnaca airport to St Elias Resort taking just half an hour. Plus with no jet lag to contend with, you can kick back and relax into your much deserved break straightaway.

At this beautiful spot, you’ll only ever be just a few moments from the beach, where you’ll be able to listen to the crash of the waves, top up your tan and try a taste of the local cuisine; the perfect place to dive into your new book or spend quality time playing with the kids. And with a free shuttle service taking guests straight to the beach, reaching the golden sands couldn’t be more convenient.

But if leaving the resort sounds like a step too far, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. There’s so much going on at St. Elias Resort, you won’t have to go anywhere.

St Elias Resort
With the all-inclusive offering and plush settings, do you even have to leave the resort?

There are plenty of plush areas to unwind in, whether it’s just you or the whole family and if you believe food to be one of the most important elements of a holiday then you’ll love the newly-refurbished restaurant Meze by Elliniko.

With outside dining and stunning sea views, you can take your time over long, languorous lunches and atmospheric suppers as you enjoy traditional Greek dishes prepared with the finest ingredients. But there are plenty of other options available too, with tastes curated from around the world if you fancy mixing it up.

You don’t even have to take your wallet out. Ultra all-inclusive guests will be able to indulge in a tipple (including imported alcoholic drinks) and freshly made snacks at a choice of bars and restaurants around the resort, including the Jacaranda bar and the Carob Pool snack bar.

St. Elias Resort has three different slides to keep all of the family entertained

For the ultimate in luxury and relaxation why not treat yourself to top-class treatments at the hotel spa? A dead sea salt body scrub will help keep that holiday glow, or the hot candle massage will help to iron out those tired muscles. If the little ones want in on the action, there are some fun options for them too like the chocolate body wrap and chocolate facials. Sounds good enough to eat!

But if you happen to have water babies there’s a swimming pool of dreams with not one, but three water slides providing endless entertainment for kids, big and small. For those hoping to savour some grown-up time by the pool, or enjoy a spot of tennis on one of the on-site courts, there are also two high energy kids’ clubs that’ll take care of them, so you can truly maximise your relaxation time.

This four-star resort, which won the TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Award 2019 for being one of the best family hotels in Cyprus, is the perfect destination for you to relax, unwind and have a holiday of a lifetime.

So click HERE to book your last minute getaway direct now and get free nights and free airport transfers!

How to refuel after a workout on a vegan diet

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Green Breakfast Smoothie in Bowl with Superfoods on Top
Protein is vital for helping your body to recover. (Picture: Getty)

Refueling after a workout is really important.

When you push your body you deplete stores of energy and water that you need to replace in order to allow your muscles to recover efficiently.

If you don’t get enough protein, nutrients and carbohydrates after fitness – that can make you feel really rubbish. Which isn’t what you want after a tough sesh in the gym.

But how do you manage effective recovery on a vegan diet? Can you take enough protein on board in a short space of time?

It is possible to get more than enough protein on a vegan diet – you just have to make sure you have done your research and make smart choices. Particularly after working out.

‘It’s important we understand, one of the main reasons for consuming protein from a training perspective, is to repair and build muscle tissue,’ says Greg Cornthwaite, specialist at Embody Fitness.

‘If we don’t get optimal amounts, then our muscles will take longer to repair and may atrophy (get smaller).

‘When designing a nutrition plan for a vegan it’s important we ensure they get the full amino acid profile, especially the essential amino acids.

Rye bread toast with mashed avocado and tomato
To get complete proteins you often need to combine the right foods. (Picture: Getty)

‘Two to three grams of leucine per meal will optimise protein synthesis. This will be essential as you will be breaking down your muscle tissue during your training session.

‘Vegans can get leucine form soybeans, navy beans, and other legumes,’ says Greg. He also says that vegans can top up their levels of this essential amino acid through the use of vegan protein supplements.’

The best vegan meals after a workout

Hydration should be your first go-to after a workout. Once you’ve quenched your thirst, here are some good vegan options for a recovery meal – suggested by Sonal Shah, Nutritionist Resource member.

‘After a work out, ensure you continue sipping on water as you still need to be hydrating the cells of your body. Especially if you trained intensively and sweating.

‘The best meal after a workout is one that contains some carbs and protein to replenish the lost energy stores.

‘Opt for a green smoothie with coconut water, milk of choice and some superfood greens such as spirulina or moringa powder and a portion of fruit blended in for sweetness or a protein powder of choice.

‘If you choose not to add a scoop of vegan protein powder you can add in hemp seed protein or blend nuts and seeds.

‘Bread with a sourdough or rye or gluten-free, with some healthy fillings of choice is also a healthy and quick option.

‘Have a spread of choice; hummus, nut butter, coconut butter, and fill with salad vegetables of choice. Sweet peppers, cucumber and some leafy greens. Also roasted vegetables are another tasty option.

‘For breakfast, try porridge made from oats or another flour. Add nuts and seeds to boost the protein. And some fresh fruit to sweeten.’

How to combine foods for complete proteins

To combat feelings of weakness, ensure you are combining foods to give your body the complete proteins it requires.

Although it’s good practice to build meals which have complete proteins in at every meal, it may not always happen in reality.

This is not a big issue, as long as you get the correct combination of foods in during the day, they will combine in your body to make full proteins.

For full proteins, combine:

Grains with legumes/pulses

Vegetables with nuts and seeds

Greg Cornthwaite, Embody Fitness

I am Team GB

Toyota has teamed up with Team GB to re-launch the hugely successful participation campaign ‘I am Team GB’.

Inspired by the achievements of Team GB athletes and the amazing efforts of local community heroes, Team GB has created ‘The Nation’s Biggest Sports Day’, which will take place on the 24thAugust.

Over the weekend, there will be hundreds of free and fun activities across the country, put on by an army of volunteers; the ‘I am Team GB Games Makers’.

To Join the Team and be part of The Nation’s Biggest Sports Day sign up at: www.IAmTeamGB.com

Daily Fitness Challenge: Can you do tuck jumps for a full minute?

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If you’re looking for a simple, high-energy move – tuck jumps are perfect.

This explosive move will help improve your elevation while toning your leg and bum muscles. And you’ll get sweaty as hell.

Our daily challenges are perfect to try at home, at the gym or in the park. They are designed to get you moving every day.

Throughout this Staying Active summer series, fitness experts Elia and Amanda – both qualified instructors at Flykick – will be on hand to show you how to do each challenge and give you their top tips.

Check back every day to see what the next challenge is – you could even film your progress to make a record of how far you’ve come.

The aim is to be active every day for six weeks over summer. Today’s challenge will test different muscle groups and help to improve your muscle performance.

These daily challenges can be done on their own, or you can include them in larger workout – it’s totally up to you. As long as you’re moving, that’s what matters.

Exercising jumps on gym training!
Go for elevation and speed. (Picture: Getty)

We know doing the same fitness routine every week can get really tedious, trying a new challenge every day will keep your fitness fresh and fun – and you might even learn some new moves.

How to do tuck jumps

Start standing with your feet a little less than shoulder-width apart.

Drop down slightly before jumping explosively into the air. Keep your back straight and tuck your knees up towards your chest as much as possible.

Try to land as softly as possible.

When you land, go straight into another tuck jump. Or, if you’re new to the move you can pause for a second before jumping again.

The point is to get your knees as high up and as close to your chest as possible.

I am Team GB

Toyota has teamed up with Team GB to re-launch the hugely successful participation campaign ‘I am Team GB’.

Inspired by the achievements of Team GB athletes and the amazing efforts of local community heroes, Team GB has created ‘The Nation’s Biggest Sports Day’, which will take place on the 24thAugust.

Over the weekend, there will be hundreds of free and fun activities across the country, put on by an army of volunteers; the ‘I am Team GB Games Makers’.

To Join the Team and be part of The Nation’s Biggest Sports Day sign up at: www.IAmTeamGB.com

This home yoga flow will help you get a good night’s sleep

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Illustration of woman doing yoga
Stretch your way to a soothing slumber. (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

Yoga is a fantastic way to build a healthier body and work towards a calmer mind.

The ancient Indian practice has become increasingly popular over the last few years, and it is little wonder with benefits including increased flexibility, better posture and reduced stress.

But if you can’t afford to go to a pricey class every week – turn your bedroom into a yoga studio. All you need is a little bit of floor space and you can follow our expert tutorial.

This week our yoga sequence is all about sleep – because so many of us aren’t getting enough. Slow your breathing and unwind your mind with this gentle flow that will allow you to drift off into a more peaceful slumber.

Becky Crepsley-Fox, instructor and studio coordinator at MoreYoga, walks us through this soothing flow.

‘This sequence is beautiful to do just before you go to sleep,’ says Becky.

‘The gentle movements slow down the body and mind preparing you for slumber.

‘The inversions help to slow down the heart rate which in turn relaxes the body for going to bed.’

How to practice yoga at home safely

Always warm up

Every yoga class starts with breathing, stretching and smaller postures that articulate the spine, create space in the body and stretch the fascia to prepare you for your practice.

Start small

There is no point jumping into inversions or some of the more ‘Instagram-able’ poses. Especially if you don’t have trained eyes keeping you safe.

Nail the basics

Some of the simplest postures are the most difficult to do, and the easiest to do incorrectly. It’s important to get the essentials correct before progressing to a more challenging practice.

I am Team GB

Toyota has teamed up with Team GB to re-launch the hugely successful participation campaign ‘I am Team GB’.

Inspired by the achievements of Team GB athletes and the amazing efforts of local community heroes, Team GB has created ‘The Nation’s Biggest Sports Day’, which will take place on the 24thAugust.

Over the weekend, there will be hundreds of free and fun activities across the country, put on by an army of volunteers; the ‘I am Team GB Games Makers’.

To Join the Team and be part of The Nation’s Biggest Sports Day sign up at: www.IAmTeamGB.com


Mum creates cute t-shirt to celebrate son’s first day of school every year until graduation in 2032

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Gus in his first day of school shirt
Gus in his shirt (Picture: @carinawitha_C)

Remember those first day of school pictures, with your hair sitting perfectly and your shoes shined to perfection?

One mum has created the perfect way to make them a little more unique.

Carina Cansino, from Dallas, Texas, U.S., created a t-shirt for her son Gus with space for hand prints every year and on his first day each August, they add more prints and take a picture of him wearing it.

Carina bought a large adults shirt, with the idea being that her son can wear the completed shirt on his graduation day in 2032.

Once you get over the idea that this kid who is starting school will be there until 2032, which sounds like a very long way away, the idea is pretty adorable.

This is Gus’ second year wearing the shirt as he started pre-kindergarten last year.

This year he’s heading to kindergarten for real and he stamped the second space with a blue hand print.

Carina tweeted the picture of Gus in the currently oversized shirt saying: ‘Let’s begin the first year of elementary.’

People loved the idea and the Tweet went viral, with over 178,000 likes.

Carina later explained: ‘The concept is that every year on the first day we take a Picture of him In it and by his senior year he will fit in the shirt and we’ll get to go through every school year photo and watch his growth’

She also explained that she had five-year-old Gus when she was 15 and she has been a single mum for many years.

The mum said she wanted to share her story and inspire other women to be and do better and keep striving.

Carina said she had the shirt custom made but others said they’d spotted similar ones on Etsy or suggested creating a DIY version.

Now we have to check back every year to see Gus grow up.

MORE: Woman mortified after she walked around Tesco with huge chocolate smear on her bum

MORE: Woman mocked for wedding dress that looks like it’s covered in poo at the back

Boy, 11, opens vegan Caribbean pop-up after teaching himself to cook

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Omari, head chef of Caribbean pop-up Dipalicious
Little Omari learned to cook when his mum fell ill (Picture: Kennedy News and Media)

Putting us all to shame is Omari McQueen, 11, who just opened his first pop-up restaurant.

The youngster wanted to become a chef after learning to cook while his mum Leah fell ill with ‘paralysing’ migraines.

Despite being brought up on a meat-based diet, Omari decided to become vegan after watching campaigner videos online.

His pop-up boasts the finest Caribbean food made from plant-based ingredients.

The talented cook learns his recipes by watching Youtube videos and identifies his spices and seasonings by smell as he struggles with dyslexia.

Mum Leah says that Omari even teaches her how to make some of his tricks.

Omari’s pop-up debuted in Boxpark, Croydon, after he contacted the park’s CEO and wowed him so much that he offered the space rent-free for a week.

 11-YEAR-OLD OMARI MCQUEEN WHO ASPIRED TO BE A CHEF AND HAS JUST OPENED HIS FIRST RESTAURANT SERVING VEGAN CARIBBEAN FOOD
A wee head chef (Picture: Kennedy News and Media)

‘I feel good about opening up the restaurant. I am really excited about it. I’ve always wanted to become a chef,’ said Omari.

‘I’m hoping lots of people will come along and find it tasty.’

When his mum was sick and his dad had to provide, it fell on Omari’s older brother to cook but he had no interest in it.

So Omari, then aged seven, stepped up to the plate (no pun intended).

From left: LEAH MCQUEEN, JERMAINE MCQUEEN WITH HIS MUM ROSEMARY MCQUEEN STANDING IN FRONT OF HIM, LEAH'S MUM CARLENE FENTON IN THE WHITE TOP, OMARI'S BROTHER LAQUARN MCQUEEN AND AUNT CANIKA DOUGLAS, WITH 11-YEAR-OLD OMARI MCQUEEN IN THE FRONT
His family help him with the running of the business (Picture: Kennedy News and Media)

‘I want to open a [permanent] restaurant in Boxpark. I think it will be really fun, and so many people will come to my restaurant,’ he added.

‘Loads of people will want to talk to me about my menu. I’m hoping that I bring people together. Food can do that.’

Leah claims their whole family, including cousins and grandmothers, will be coming to help Omari cook during his pop-up – although he will be giving out strict instructions as head chef.

She said: ‘Omari is really inspiring and we’re so proud of him.

Omari posing outside the pop-up
His Caribbean pop-up is called Dipalicious (Picture: Kennedy News and Media)

‘He’s serious about his business but he’s still an 11-year-old boy who likes to play computer games and run around playing football.

‘He’s not thinking about who is coming or how many followers he will get – he’s not thinking about that. He just wants to see people enjoying his food.

‘He is so humble. He is such a humble child. He believes in helping others. He says “I’m going to change the world, just watch me”.

Omari has won awards for his vegan dip range – the profits of which are funding his Dipalicious pop-up restaurant.

Omari making vegan patties
A face you can trust (Picture: Kennedy News and Media)

Leah and husband Jermaine McQueen, who works as a bus driver, are also helping Omari to fund his dream.

They’ve started a crowdfunding page to get the restaurant up and running.

‘It’s definitely not easy. We’re not a rich family doing this for our son. He’s come from a background of a working-class family with six children,’ added Leah.

MORE: Little boy with Down’s Syndrome and a breathing condition models for Primark

MORE: Muslim teenager becomes jockey after sitting on a racehorse for the first time only three months ago

MORE: Toddler becomes youngest person to climb Britain’s three highest mountains

Mixed Up: ‘White people need to be involved in conversations about race – no matter how awkward’

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Mixed Up is a weekly series that takes a closer look at what it means to be mixed-race in the UK today.

Mixed-race is the country’s fastest growing ethnic group, and the population is comprised of infinite combinations of different heritages.

But what does it mean to straddle two or more racial and cultural backgrounds? What are the joys, conflicts and unique perspectives that come with that?

Each week we aim to go beyond stigma and stereotype to take a look at the lived experiences of mixed-race individuals.

Luan Goldie is an author with Scottish and Nigerian heritage.

(Picture by Jerry Syder for Metro.co.uk) Mixed Up, Natalie Morris
Picture by Jerry Syder for Metro.co.uk.

‘I was born in Glasgow to a Scottish mother. My dad is Nigerian but he played no part in my life,’ Luan tells Metro.co.uk.

‘We lived in Scotland till I was four and then moved to East London. So while my whole family were white, I grew up in one of the most diverse parts of the UK. We were surrounded by people from all over the world, and being in Hackney, the Caribbean influence was huge.

‘I also have two younger brothers, who are half West Indian. So even though my mum is white Scottish, there are things like soul music, bleaching the kitchen, and bowls of kidney beans soaking on the side of the sink on a Sunday morning which are standard staples of my childhood.’

Luan says that being mixed-race never felt like a big deal when she was a child. Her school was diverse and mostly accepting – but there was the odd uncomfortable moment.

‘I remember the day another mixed girl started at my school and everyone kept saying, “Luan, your sister is here”.

‘I was, obviously, determined not to like this girl, but she ended up being my best friend for years.

‘My schools and friendship groups were always very multicultural, so being a bit of this and that wasn’t really on my radar as something unusual.

Little Luan with a family member
(Picture: Luan Goldie)

‘It was when I went to university and started working that the questions and comments really began.

‘In one of my first jobs I was talking to a Glaswegian security guard who refused to believe I was Scottish. Even when I told him the area my family was from he told me I was making it up. He never admitted to believing me and always avoided me after that. It was bizarre and really sticks in my mind.’

It’s a common theme for mixed-race people to have to justify their existence or face an accusation of inauthenticity. For Luan, this became more apparent as she got older and the concept of being mixed-race was becoming more wildly understood.

‘I remember starting university around the same time the census added the “mixed-race” category,’ explains Luan. ‘There was a lot talk in the media about it. That was probably the first time I started giving my identity any real thought.’

‘I strongly believe that people should be free to identify however they like. But it’s not up to the rest of the world to do it.

‘So if someone describes me as “black”, rather than “mixed” or even “of colour” I do correct them. The same way I would if someone described me as English rather than Scottish or British.’

Luan grew up in an almost entirely white family, being estranged from her Nigerian father. She has always suspected that the true impact of her presence in the family has been shielded from her.

‘I’ve never really figured out how my wider family Scottish family feel about having three mixed people in the family. I think they’ve gotten used to us,’ she says. ‘But growing up I remember over-hearing the stories about how my Granddad wasn’t a great fan and my Gran struggled in the early days.

Baby Luan with her grandma
(Picture: Luan Goldie)

‘At my Gran’s funeral a lady told me of a time my Gran called her over to assist in doing my hair as she didn’t have a clue. But these are little things, I kind of feel like I missed all the real fall-out that must have happened around the time I was born back in the eighties.’

Luan doesn’t feel too much regret about not having a connection with her Nigerian family because it was entirely out of her control.

‘I only know the Scottish side. It’s where I was born, where my family live, where I go back to,’ she tells us. ‘So all those things like the sayings and food and traditions come from Scotland.

‘There’s nothing from Nigeria, which is a shame, but also, it wasn’t my choice and it’s not something I’ve ever felt the need to forge a connection to either.

‘Though I am quite used to people identifying me as Nigerian. I don’t know how they do it, but they spot me and say “you’re Nigerian.” Though these conversations are quickly shut down when they realise I can’t talk to them about where my people are from.’

Little Luan being held by her mother
(Picture: Luan Goldie)

Luan’s husband is white Dutch with light hair and blue eyes. When their daughter was born, she looked like her father – and Luan gets exasperated by the interest that sparks.

‘I don’t think either of us gave much thought to what our child would look like while I was pregnant. Maybe we both just assumed she would look typically black/white mixed like me,’ says Luan.

‘But when she was born, she was this straight-haired, blue-eyed, white baby and it felt like everyone was ready to point this out.

‘I remember feeling really irritated each time someone would comment on how beautiful her blue eyes were or how fair she was.

‘I didn’t know why it was getting my back up until a mixed-race friend of mine said it’s because you don’t want her to think she’s special or especially beautiful just because she’s a mix of different things. I think she was right.

‘I’ve always been uncomfortable with the idea that mixed-race babies are something special or that they’re especially beautiful. It’s a really horrible idea and plays into all sorts of other things we need to get rid of, like colourism and the narrow idea of what beauty is.

‘Growing up in the eighties, the idea of beauty was still very much that typical blond hair, blue eyed, white girl. So even though I was living in a world surrounded by lots of beautiful women who looked all so different, the media was projecting this very one-dimensional look.

‘While there is still lots of that stereotype around, the representations of beauty are so much wider for girls growing up now.

‘When I was a kid all the Disney princesses were generic and definitely didn’t represent a wide variety of beauty.

Little Luan on a swing surrounded by family
(Picture: Luan Goldie)

‘So even though I’d rather not watch Frozen ever again, I love that my daughter has Elsa, who’s blond like her Dutch aunty, but also Moana, who has hair like mummy and Princess Merida who is ginger and Scottish like nanny.’

Luan wants her daughter to have a natural exposure to the combined cultures of her parents, without it feeling forced.

‘We’re not explicit about race in our house, we’re not going to be sitting our daughter down and explaining the percentage of this race and that, but there are always visits to Scotland, rice‘n’peas at parties and a decorated chair (which is a very Dutch tradition) on her birthday.’

In Luan’s writing, racial identity is incidental, rather than at the forefront of her narratives. The award winning short story that kick-started her career had a mixed-race character at the centre of it, but Luan says that wasn’t a conscious decision that had any relevance to the story.

Although she does occasionally feel the pressure to represent the mixed-race population, she knows that no one character can be the mouthpiece for such a varied, heterogeneous group.

‘Only after I finished my first novel did someone point out that there’s no mixed-race people in it, and I felt like I’d let down the side somewhat, which is ridiculous,’ she explains.

‘The second novel, I’m working on at the moment, does happen to have a mixed-race protagonist, but like me, his experiences aren’t going to speak for every mixed-race Brit out there, it’s impossible.

‘I’ve always felt that mixed-race people are quite visible in the media, especially when you look at American television in the nineties (which I consumed a lot of!). But the media has been slower to show mixed families. I don’t know why this is and it’s a shame because people’s families are so interesting.’

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0JUquSgXdi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Luan doesn’t hold back when it comes to speaking out against racism. Whether directed at her or anyone around her. But she also knows that discussions about race need to be open and understanding where possible.

She says she is still learning the right ways to respond when faced with racial hostility – but listening to each other has to be at the heart of that.

‘When it comes to distractions, racism is the biggest one out there,’ explains Luan.

‘Thinking about racism can eat up all your time and energy. So more often than not when I see racism, and I do mean very clear racism, I call it out.

‘Of course, the flip side of this is conflict. With friends, colleagues and family. Some of them have been pretty big blow outs.

‘No one likes to be called out for being a racist, most people think they aren’t! I’m also not saying I’ve gone about all these things in the right way either; it’s hard to be calm and articulate when you’re angry about something.

‘One of my bosses recently taught me about the importance of “dialogue” when issues like this come up, rather than just shutting the racist person down or, in a work situation, going down the path of disciplinary.

‘He really believes the only way we’re going to move forward as a society is to sit down and talk, to hear each other’s views. It was frustrating at the time, going in my boss’s office to report a colleague and instead getting what I felt was a lecture. But he’s right.

‘We do need to talk to each other and I don’t just mean people of colour getting together and comparing experiences. White people need to get involved in these conversations, no matter how awkward, or we’ll just round and round with no one ever realising they offended someone else with their comments or actions.’

Luan feels a real affinity towards other mixed-race people. She recognises that there is a collective understanding about certain issues throughout the population, regardless of mix or ethnic makeup.

‘I love meeting other mixed-race people and finding out about their lives,’ she says. ‘When people ask me the “where are you from?” question, I have a standard answer I fire off, but when it comes from another mixed person I always feel I can speak a bit more genuinely about it.

‘Of course we’re not all the same, but we definitely have a shared experience.’

MORE: Mixed Up: ‘I never met my dad – my blackness became a sign of my otherness’

MORE: Mixed Up: ‘I love the colour of my skin, but it doesn’t define me or tell you my story’

MORE: Mixed Up: ‘I feel the pressure to change negative stereotypes about young black men’

Mum creates amazing feature wall for free using wallpaper samples

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The finished wall, in progress and cutting the tiles
The finished wall on the left and right, the wall in progress (Picture: Extreme Budget DIY and Life hacks)

If you don’t have a huge budget for a home makeover, one mum has a great hack to create a feature wall for pennies.

The mum shared a picture of her wall that looks like a beautiful patchwork quilt of different wallpapers in the same colours.

She revealed that she had created it by collecting wall paper samples and cutting around a hexagon shape to give her lots of pieces to put together.

Because it was all made from samples, the only cost was the wallpaper paste needed to stick them all to the wall.

The finished hexagonal tile wall
It looks amazing (Picture: Extreme Budget DIY & Life Hacks)

She bought a hexagonal box online, drew around it and cut out each shape.

She then positioned them on the wall with blue tak to make sure they were all in the right place and then stuck them on with the paste.

The wall behind the design was already white so of course if you are trying this at home, you might need to give the wall a coat of paint first to give a neutral base.

It does sound time consuming but the end result looks great.

She posted the pictures to the Extreme Budget DIY & Life Hacks page and people were very impressed.

One said: ‘Wow that feature wall is incredible! So straight and precise can tell you put a lot of work into that. Bet you’re proud of that :) all looks excellent’

Another said: ‘That’s amazing I’m totally ripping off this idea!!!’

MORE: Mum creates cute t-shirt to celebrate son’s first day of school every year until graduation in 2032

MORE: 11-year-old boy opens up vegan Caribbean restaurant after learning to cook when his mum fell ill

Muslims share their worst Muzmatch and Minder dating stories

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Illustration of two Muslims texting with a background of halal dating app logos
Strap in, you’re in for a ride (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

We’ve shared plenty of horror stories from Tinder where we’re certain all the cringe-worthy matches are trolling us (are you really six feet though, are you?).

But there’s no shortage of Bad People over on religious-based apps either.

Muzmatch and Minder are two of the leading ‘halal’ sites for Muslim courtship but as with their secular counterparts, there’s a lot of separating the wheat from the chaff.

Many use the app with the intention of finding someone to marry but sharing the same religion doesn’t cut down on those painfully awkward conversations.

And not everyone from the app is even Muslim (some fetishise the group).

There are plenty of success stories but they’re no fun, so we bring you some of the weirdest, most bizarre and nonsensical experiences from the different platforms.

Expect sex, hacking, catfishing and all the good stuff (with a few screenshots of the painful conversations).

Screenshot of a Muzmatch member who unmatched after finding out the match is a journalist
The one who doesn’t want to match with journalists

Maliha*

One guy was an IT tech and he wanted to marry me but when I rejected him, he hacked my account and I never got it back.

Sadia

Because I am visibly a Muslim, I get the fetish freaks. Most guys would tell me their sex fantasies. I never asked for it but it would just happen

I was very naive at first, and I had one guy ask me to send him pictures of my feet and he would go on and on about how he wanted to massage them.

Adam

We met online, chatted, exchanged messages and phone calls, arranging to meet. Ten minutes before the meeting, she cancelled the meeting saying something urgent has come up.

So I decided to meet up with my friends for dinner.  When we arrived at the restaurant, she was having dinner with another guy.  She saw me but there was no acknowledgement made. I unmatched her.

Hanna

One guy wrote me a schedule of what he expected a wife to do sexually. It basically said I had to give him a blow job for breakfast and sex minimum three times a day. He said I needed to tend to his needs.

Screenshot of a conversation whereby a man asks whether a nikah counts as a marriage
The one who wondered whether a nikah (Islamic marriage) counts as a marriage

Hira

I met someone who suggested that we were in our forties and therefore needed to ‘f*ck’.

Danyal

We exchanged a few messages online and ended up having an argument over text messaging and both agreed it was not going to work.

Three weeks later our friends suggested a blind date. We met up and got along, not realising we’d argued badly on the app.

We eventually got together and started planning for our wedding. One day we were talking about our ‘bad experiences on apps’ and discovered we had previously unmatched each other.

Tania

This guy kept telling me about his sexy grandma and his sexy mum. He then proceeded to ask for pics of me with my mum. That f*cked me up. He would say stuff like ‘you can cuddle my mum while I cuddle yours’.

Screenshot of man being obsessed with his matchs mum
The mother lover

Jennifer

A decade ago I tried a Muslim matching site. To be considered as a member there were some questions to answer before you were approved. My answers included my love of Islam as a western environmentalist and feminist, and that I would like a husband who really grasped the green nature of the religion.

I got a reply a few days later. A rejection. I was told it was a serious site and that I shouldn’t be playing around.

Eliza

There was one guy I was talking to and he was sad because another girl he liked didn’t want to marry him.

He told me she was talking badly of him and to report her Snapchat account. Me being nosy, I messaged her to ask about him. She said she met up with him and saw the print of his manhood print [in his trousers] and wasn’t pleased.

He ended up sending naked pictures to her to justify his size and she complained to me that he didn’t live up to the size she was used to – astaghfirullah (seeking forgiveness from God).

Waj

We met on Muzmatch and exchanged messages, then texts and phone calls and then arranged to meet. He lived in Liverpool and I lived in London but he agreed to come down.

We had lunch together, and he asked me to cover the bill as he had travelled to London to see me, so I did. Later that evening I sent him a message saying it was not going to work out and wished him all the best.

A few days later, I received a payment request via PayPal for £60. The request was from the Liverpool guy saying: ‘Please pay the cost of travel as we are not compatible.’

Screenshot of a Snapchat conversation of a guy claiming to be a famous singer
The one who pretended to be famous singer Chris Sails who has one million followers on Instagram

Kaltun

I thought he was nice so we exchanged numbers. He wanted to speak on the phone but I said I don’t have any privacy.

I found him a bit annoying and clingy so I said ‘sorry I’m not giving you the effort that you want so I think we shouldn’t talk anymore’ and he goes ‘that’s a first’. I’m happy to be the first girl to reject you then, lad.

A week later, he asks if we can ‘start again’, stating he’s deleted all girls off his phone, (okay?) so I give him a chance.

I send voice notes and tell him to send some, but he says ‘he’s too manly’ (for voice notes?)

I’ve had enough at this point so I block him but then he adds me on Snapchat because he couldn’t handle the rejection or some psychological sh*t.

Anyway, I’ve blocked him everywhere now so I’m safe. He gave off clingy vibes, no thanks.

*All names have been changed and picture credits omitted to preserve anonymity.

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