When Dan Levine, 44, emerged from the ocean to discover his wedding ring – made by his wife, Oona – had slipped off his finger, he never expected to see it again.

But the swimmer was lucky enough to be reunited with his precious wedding band thanks to a couple he’d never met and a tiny black fish.

Gary Spires was walking along the beach when he heard a splashing in a pool where the sea had retreated. He went to take a closer look and found a tiny black fish – underneath was Dan’s ring.

Just 24 hours after losing the ring, Dan was brought back together with it. He says there’s no way he would have found it without a ‘miraculous intervention’.

Dan had gone for his regular swim of Battery Rocks behind Jubilee Pool in Penzance, Cornwall, on Saturday morning.

He usually takes the ring off before heading into the sea, but this time around he forgot.

The seas were rough and the tide was high but Dan swam for about 400 metres. It was only when he came out of the sea that he realised his ring was gone.

‘I put a post on Facebook asking for people to get in touch if they found it snorkeling or spear fishing but really didn’t think I’d see it again,’ said Dan. ‘I was gutted.

‘Oona had handmade it. We’ve been married 13 years. When I told her I’d lost it she was upset too.’

Dan didn’t have much hope of seeing the ring again until Gary and Emma Spires got in touch.

Dan explained: ‘They heard it first then saw it flapping around on the surface of the pool.

‘Gary said he knelt down and the ring was just nestled under the water beneath a little ledge. He might not have seen it had it not been for that little fish.’

Gary posted the details of the ring on a lost and found page online, where friends of Dan and Oona connected the dots.

Gary, Emma, Dan and Oona have all met for a photo to celebrate the reunion and show off the ring.

‘To find it in these circumstances is amazing,’ Dan said. ‘Thanks to the people who shared my post on Facebook, thanks to Gary and Emma.

‘And thanks, little fish.’

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If you’ve ever had a period you will know that it can affect everything. Every. Damn. Thing.

From your mental health to the oil in your skin, from your appetite to your sleep quality – where you are in your cycle has a big impact on how you feel. So it’s no surprise that it can change the way you workout.

According to the experts, there are points in your menstrual cycle that essentially make you superhuman. You’ll be stronger, faster, and able to handle more endurance.

Similarly there will be times when working out will feel like a total slog, you’ll be sluggish, fatigued and more prone to soreness.

If you have a period, you’re always in one of the four phases of your menstrual cycle.

These phases are governed by hormonal changes, the two major players being oestrogen and progesterone, and your hormone levels will absolutely impact your mood and energy for exercise.

Not everyone has a 28-day cycle and the influence of hormones on the brain and body is complex, so tracking how you feel across each phase of your cycle is key.

But to get you started, lingerie company Pour Moi has teamed up with period coach Claire Baker, to create a fitness regime for every stage of your cycle:

Menstruation, approximately days 1 – 5

Best for: Yoga, Pilates, stretches, meditation, walking, slow and controlled body work (e.g. tai chi, balance and flexibility exercises), low impact cardio (e.g. cross trainer, cycling, swimming)

During the first stage of your cycle – when you’re actually on your period – hormones are at their lowest levels for the entire month, so it’s okay if you feel sleepy this week or less inspired to make it to the gym.

Low-impact exercise like walking or gentle stretching can help to alleviate period pain and discomfort.

Avoid strenuous exercise that pushes your body to its limits, especially on those first couple of heavy flow days.

Listen to your body and give yourself permission to rest when you feel you need to.

Pre-ovulation, approximately days 6 – 12

Best for: Strength training, CrossFit, circuits, sprint training, boxing, aerobic classes, Zumba or high energy dance classes, Bikram yoga

As your period comes to an end, you’ll likely notice a surge in motivation to work out.

As oestrogen and serotonin (the ‘feel-good’ hormone) steadily increase, you may feel less inclined to hit the snooze button and more inspired to book an early morning HIIT class.

Channel this energy with exercises that will wake you up and give you a big boost.

Your ability to build muscle increases in this stage too, so throw a few strength training sessions into your routine this week.

Ovulation and post-ovulation, approximately days 13 – 20

Best for: Hitting the gym with a friend, group classes, combat training, team sport training (netball, football, rugby, hockey, kickboxing), running, resistance training

Keep up that strength training.

The combination of oestrogen and testosterone at ovulation can help to increase motivation, confidence and energy levels, so you might feel more inspired to work out with friends, your partner, or in a group workout class.

After ovulation, oestrogen dips and progesterone increases, so it’s normal to feel a change in energy and motivation.

Track your cycle and make a note of when you feel this dip (around day 17 in a 28 day cycle), so you’re aware and can be prepared.

Pre-menstruum, approximately days 22 – 28

Best for: Bodyweight training, water aerobics, active stretching, yoga, kettlebells, rowing machine, TRX, elliptical machine, Pilates, swimming

Progesterone is the dominant hormone after ovulation and this soothing hormone is less interested in early morning kickboxing classes and more into candlelit yin yoga.

Progesterone increases your core body temperature, so if you feel more puffed than usual, don’t stress – it could just be hormones affecting your heart and breathing rates.

It’s likely your motivation to exercise won’t be at its highest this week, but moving your body can help to process any pre-menstrual emotions that arise.

For those of us with breats, hormonal changes before your period can make them tender, so be sure to wear a sports bra that’s supportive and comfortable.

An ideal choice for lower impact exercise such as yoga, pilates and rowing is a non-wired sports bra.

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What I Rent is a weekly series in which we take you inside different people’s rented properties – from the outrageously overpriced to the cheap and cheerful.

The idea is to create a more honest picture of what renting is really like in the UK (and beyond).

Last week we were in Clackmannanshire, in Scotland, with Carmel, who pays £650 a month for a four-bedroom house.

This time we’re hanging out with Adelaide in Littlehampton.

Adelaide is an 18-year-old student and has a two-year-old son, who she lives with in a two-bedroom flat. She was born in Peterborough but has lived in Littlehampton for the majority of her life, having chosen to stick around as it’s a ‘beautiful, peaceful town’.

Hi, Adelaide! How much do you pay to live here?

The rent is £625 a month.

The water costs £30 a month. This flat doesn’t have gas so I don’t have to worry about that. The electric is pay as you go so I usually put about £40 a month on it.

And what do you get for what you pay? 

We have five rooms – two are bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen, and a lounge.

Do you think you have a good deal?

Yes, this is the cheapest two-bedroom flat I could find in the area and it has nothing wrong with it!

How did you find the flat?

I saw it advertised in an estate agent’s window.

I’ve been here for about five months. Before here we lived in a shared house so it’s a relief to finally have some privacy.

Do you like where you live?

Our home is in a small seaside town called Littlehampton. I live near the town, beach and a train station, so it’s really convenient.

I like it because there’s lots of space, it’s near a lot of local amenities.

This flat also has a lot of character, including a Juliet balcony.

How have you made the flat feel like home? 

I’ve bought a lot of quirky ornaments to make it seem more homely.

Are there any issues with the flat?

No.

Do you have plans to move again?

No, as at the moment as I’m very happy here.

And what about buying a place?

I do not have enough money.

Fair point. Shall we have a look around?

What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am. Check back next week to have a nose around another rented property.

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While there are plenty of ways to hack your Starbucks Frapp, and get something from the ‘secret menu’, it’s often the case that the real limited edition options are only available in the US.

That’s not the case anymore, though, as European customers have been blessed (or cursed, depending on how you look at it) with a spooky Frappuccino in time for Halloween.

The Phantom Frappuccino is a black and green iced drink with ‘slime’ coursing through a black, lava-like mass.

Despite its ghoulish appearance, the drinks itself is surprisingly tropical. The slime is made from spirulina extract, charcoal powder, and lime and lemon juice.

The lime slime is drizzled around the edge of the cup, with the main body of the drink featuring coconut milk, mango, and pineapple essence, all blended up into a black blizzard.

If you’d like to amp up the spooky spirit, you can also have a special coconut cream and charcoal powder mixture added to the top, to make the Frappuccino look like it’s oozing.

Eagle-eyed punters may have noticed that the ingredients contain no dairy, and they’d be right in thinking that the Phantom is totally vegan friendly. So, you can channel the underworld regardless of your moral position on animal products.

Available for six days only, the #PhantomFrappuccino will be haunting UK stores from 26 October.

Prices start at £2.70, and you can tweet and Insta your creepy creations using the hashtag to let everyone know you’ve tried it.

We’re sure you’re dying to. Mwahahaha.

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A woman has transformed her bathroom with neon lights, plants and candles for just £100.

The savvy shopper bought items from Poundland and Primark, and even discovered some gems in car-boot sales and rummaging around in skips.

Jolie Angel, 33, from Bishopstoke, Southampton, did all this work to create her dream Pretty Woman-themed bathroom. And she’s pretty much nailed the look.

Jolie, who works in travel, told LatestDeals.co.uk: ‘My home is an eccentric creation of bits from Poundland, car boot sales and hand me downs.

‘After theming my dining room to an American 50s diner – a room I’ve wanted since I can remember – I got motivated and addicted to heavily theming rooms in my house.

‘I will scout boot sales, Poundland, Home Bargains and even skips for bits and bobs to use and the ideas flow the more bits I find.’

Jolie says her inspiration for her bathroom started after she found a canvas from an iconic film.

‘The bathroom started when I found a huge Pretty Woman canvas for £10 in an independent art shop in Southampton.

‘I just kept thinking about the amazing hotel room in the film so, I went for it and painted it all pink with some gold accessories, very Beverley Hills.

‘The more I did, the more it looked like a Miami art deco motel and from there I just wanted it to be extra.’

And extra it is. With every surface and wall adorned with flickering fake candles, fairy and neon lights, the bathroom is a feast for the senses.

We can totally imagine lounging in the bath, sipping on a cocktail and channeling out inner Julia Roberts.

‘I covered the tiles with Fablon, which was £4 from B&Q, and added battery-powered lights which cost between £2 and £8 from Primark and Poundland,’ explains Jolie.

‘Over the following months I would just spot little trinkets from charity shops and Poundland and add them.’

We love a DIY transformation, particularly a movie-based one (like this awesome Toy Story kid’s room), we also love extravagant ones and stylish ones.

So if you want to give one of your rooms the transformation treatment, Jolie says just go for it – no matter how ambitious your plans are.

‘For anyone that wants to be bold and try something new, I’d say that paint can be covered, trinkets put away, just go for it,’ she adds. ‘Nothing is permanent and it could end in more than you hoped for. Also, don’t care what people think!’

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Heather McRae absolutely loves cats.

She’s dedicated a lot of time and money into keeping a rare breed alive, after buying a kitten for her husband Richard back in 2008.

Heather has now played a part in breeding around 20% of Asian cats – when a Burmese cat is bred with a Chinchilla, a variation on a Persian cat – registered in the UK in the last two years.

Asian cats are known for being pretty, playful, and smart, but have never become well-known and are classified as rare.

Heather first heard about the breed when she bought Annas, a little black kitten, for her husband.

The couple found that Annas had the exact temperament they were after in a pet, and despite having several other cats at home including a Maine Coon, Devon Rex, and also rescue moggies, they were besotted.

Breeding these cats doesn’t come cheap – Heather, who works as a director of an advertising agency, estimates she makes a £12,000 year loss on her ‘expensive hobby’.

The costs come from distant travels to find cats to breed, thorough health checks, vaccinations, and plenty of care given to ensuring any cat has been bred from healthy pedigree parents.

Heather said: ‘I like Asians because they look like cats, and some people say they have dog-like personalities because they’re so friendly and sociable.

‘I don’t like cats with squashed faces or extremely pointy ears – I just want a cat that looks like a cat.

‘With a moggie you just don’t know what you’re going to get, but each breed has different characteristics.

‘The Asian breed is our passion.

‘People come to see us after visiting other breeders and they are shocked, but we are just normal breeders – the problem is the people they have seen before.

‘Responsible breeders do not make money, they do it because they love the breed and they want it to survive.’

Heather and Richard often have to travel thousands of miles to keep the breed alive.

Once they drove to Brussels and slept on the floor of the airport with a kitten, before flying to Milan, where they were collected and taken to Switzerland by fellow cat breeders.

The couple are keen to be ‘ethical breeders’, giving themselves rules to make sure all their cats are healthy and happy.

‘We had a lot of soul-searching before we started, and decided we would have to be very strict with ourselves – there have to be rules and parameters, and the outcross kittens have been rehomed,’ Heather says.

‘In older breeds, in-breeding is at about 20%, but in our cats it’s more like 5%.

‘There’s a balancing act between having enough consistency in characteristics, and enough variation in the genes that the cats are healthy.

‘In the older breeds there is a level of puritanism, people don’t want to sully their lines.’

Heather and Richard also regularly travel to cat shows so the general public can discover the breed, and now charge £500 for each cat – but say that in order to break even, a kitten would need to be sold for around £900.

Heather said: ‘There’s the cost of buying a cat, the cost of using a stud, or building a stud pen and ensuring it’s ventilated, and travel costs.

‘Pregnant cats cost twice as much to feed, and we get through four kilos of food for a litter of kittens every two days.

‘Each kitten needs two vaccinations, they have to be wormed three times and neutered before they leave.

‘Then there is the mum’s vaccinations and vets bills, and insurance is about £200 a month.

‘But our passion is this breed.’

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Animal behaviourist Michaela Lanarth was walking her two dogs when she saw something being thrown out of a passing car.

The 57-year-old from Bedfordshire thought it was rubbish being flung out of the window but when her dogs forced her to inspect, Michaela was shocked.

She made the horrifying discovery that the dumped item was a tiny struggling kitten.

The poor kitty was in poor condition and so Michaela took her to emergency services.

Determined to give her a chance, and naming her Twinkle, Michaela took the kitten home and slowly nursed her back to health.

The accident meant Twinkle’s back legs were paralysed but she soon got on with her new family, joining Michaela’s five other rescue cats.

But in April this year, the plucky puss developed a nasty 10p-sized abscess on her bottom, which became so infected that vets advised Michaela to have her put to sleep.

Refusing to give up on Twinkle, as a last resort, she tried an organic oil she found in the baby aisle of her local health food shop. Thankfully, it healed the wound in a couple of days.

‘Twinkle would have been put down if it wasn’t for this bottle of baby oil,’ explained Michaela.

‘I knew we had to do something soon, or else the area would get too infected and she’d have no quality of life.

‘I didn’t want to use the harsh chemical-filled things vets had suggested on her delicate fur, but she loved the oil, which has natural ingredients.

‘After two days, the black, dead skin around the abscess was already healing, and Twinkle loved having it applied. She’d even stick her leg in the air for me. It was lovely and soothing for her.’

Though Twinkle is doing much better, it was an upward battle when Michaela first found her.

‘She was a tiny little thing, only around two-or-three weeks old,’ she said. ‘I could see she was very injured and whimpering in pain.

‘If she was a fighter, she’d fight, and if she wasn’t, we would have to let her go.

‘The first month was just about keeping her as still and quiet as possible. A stressed animal would not have healed.’

Once Twinkle recovered, she had to get used to her paralysed back legs, dragging them behind her.

To help them grow stronger, Michaela did a special massage called TTouch – designed to stimulate the nerves – twice a day.

Twinkle even has a special pair of kitty trousers to wear outside.

But in April 2019, disaster struck when her anal sac ruptured, which Michaela believes was a result of dragging herself across the floor.

‘I had tried to keep her from lying on her wound, but she’s a wily little thing,’ she added.

In the next few weeks, Michaela had to feed Twinkle antibiotics and keep her clean which was no easy feat. If she didn’t get beter, she’d sadly have to be put down.

Michaela was desperate not to give up on Twinkle and decided to check out her local Holland & Barrett store, where the manager suggested she try a product from the human baby section called Balmonds Chamomile Baby Oil.

She began to apply the oil using cotton wool, which worked like magic on her infected skin.

By the time Twinkle was supposed to go back to the vet to potentially be put to sleep, she was virtually back to normal.

‘I was flabbergasted,’ said Michaela. ‘Something meant for changing a baby’s bottom had cured my cat.

‘I now want everyone to know about this, even vets, so that they don’t always have to prescribe harsh, chemical-filled products as there are alternatives.’

A bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Twinkle is now back to her usual antics and living her best life.

Michaela added: ‘She really is fearless. She may be half the size of a normal cat, but she has twice the character.’

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A Scottish hotel has been named as the best wedding venue in the world.

Balbirnie House in Markinch, Fife is the first hotel in the Western Hemisphere to be given the Haute Granduer Award for Best Destination Wedding Hotel.

The team picked up the award at the ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last weekend.

After being crowned Scotland’s National Wedding Hotel of the Year for the 13th time, this time they beat off global competition to win.

The hotel is run by a team of just six people, including owners Nicholas and Gaynor Russell.

The country house, which was opened as a hotel 30 years ago, is a grade A listed Georgian mansion set in 400-acres of parkland.

The venue can accommodate up to 216 guests or 250 for an evening reception and the team offer a bespoke service to give each bride and groom a beautiful wedding day.

To celebrate the achievement, the team released blue smoke from the building’s main chimney.

Gaynor Russell said: ‘It was such an honour to be invited to represent Scotland’s hospitality and hotel sectors’.

Nicholas Russell added: ‘Whilst in Malaysia we were thinking very much of our 2,800 past and present work colleagues, our local community, our hotel guests, and all who have been involved in and around The Scottish Hotel Awards scheme over the last 15 years.

‘The rigours of dedicated professional integrity within the scheme, have delivered us with an uncompromising and highly focussed annual assessment.

‘From that process we’ve always been so very encouraged to keep on embracing innovation, evolution, and all generalities of hospitality.’

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It appears it’s not just Katie Hopkins that holds prejudice when it comes to children’s name, as new research shows.

A survey by MyNameTags and CensusWide found that there were some names that people considered naughty, and others that were considered nice.

The study, which analysed the opinions of 1,500 teachers, children and parents in the UK, asked them to look at the top 20 baby names, and rank them from what they perceived as best or worst behaved.

Mia and Jack were revealed as the UK’s naughtiest names, whilst children named Isla and Arthur are considered to be the best-behaved.

Jack, in particular, bridged the generational divide, with teachers, children and parents all agreeing  that boys with the name are the most likely to misbehave.

The name Harry came in at second place for naughtiness, with Connor, Daniel, Riley and Tyler topping the list of less common boys’ names connected with bad behaviour.

When it comes to girls, Mia was the name that parents and teachers associate most strongly with mischief, but girls in general ranked as less naughty than boys.

There was a bit of a divide, however, as children answered that they expected Emilys to be the worst behaved.

These results are really rather silly and fun, but there were also some much more sinister stereotypes that people had about children’s names. In fact, as many as 96 percent of teachers, children and parents do not associate the name Mia with being clever. Surely that’s not very good.

Jack – who came up top as worst behaved – also came on the bottom of the list when it came to intelligence, suggesting that people felt that the naughtiest children also weren’t clever.

Again, yikes.

Chartered Clinical Psychologist and Scientist, Linda Blair, explains why these stereotypes exist: ‘In today’s information-rich world, we’re exposed to far more data than we can deal with at any given moment. To help sort through this avalanche, we form stereotypes about what people will be like based on only a few easily obtained facts such as facial expression, body posture and a person’s name.

‘Rather than making judgments about others scientifically–taking a dispassionate look at everyone called Noah or Isabella, for example–we create our stereotypes using just the people we know, as well as those we think we know via social and other media.

From there, something called ‘confirmatory bias’ means that the next time we see someone who matches that stereotype we affirm with ourselves that we’re right, even if there’s plenty of other information that shows we’re wrong.

‘For popular names,’ Dr Blair says, ‘these stereotypes are likely to be at the forefront of our minds because most of us will already know or have read about someone called Jack, Harry or Emily—and we’re quite likely to meet more of them.’

Unfortunately, this is just the way of the world. We all know someone who’s ruined their name for us by being mean or ignorant. What we should probably take from it, however, is that we really shouldn’t be randomly judging children based on their names.

Because you never go full Hopkins.

Top 5 Naughtiest Boys Names

1. Jack
2. Harry
3. Charlie
4. Oliver
5. George

Top 5 Naughtiest Girls Names

1. Mia
2. Ella
3. Isabella
4. Amelia
5. Sophia

Top 5 Best-Behaved Boys Names

1. Arthur
2. Noah
3. Oscar
4. Muhammad
5. Leo

Top 5 Best-Behaved Girls Names

1. Isla
2. Ava
3. Grace
4. Olivia
5. Emily

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A woman who has battled with skin condition psoriasis for more than 35 years says she has cured herself in just two weeks after turning vegan.

48-year-old Paula Taylor, from Preston, was diagnosed with psoriasis when she was 11 years old, with skin rashes so bad that she was hospitalised.

Over the years she had tried every solution doctors threw at her and none helped.

But after finding a plant-based diet, which claimed to cure psoriasis, through browsing on Instagram, Paula thought she had nothing to lose by trying.

After swapping meat, dairy and alcohol for juices, nuts, fruits and vegetables, she claims she is now psoriasis-free in 17 days.

Paula said: ‘When I was a child my mum would find me standing in front of a mirror crying my eyes out.

‘Nobody knew how to stop it and it kept getting worse.

‘I didn’t have the teenage life everyone is supposed to have, I spent my years inside, fully clothed and away from other people – it made me feel abnormal.

‘The effects of the condition carried on throughout my life, it hospitalised me twice, it played a part in my divorce and my interactions and activities with anyone I met.

‘I couldn’t go swimming or sunbathing, or even wear a skirt and I couldn’t say why.

‘Being intimate was tough because I’d be horrified at the thought of showing my body without any clothes on – I didn’t feel like anyone would be attracted to me.’

Paula says her skin condition drastically affected her confidence, at one point making her terrified to share a room with her partner in case he saw her skin.

In February Paula woke up in severe pain and began searching online for anything that would help to treat her skin.

She found a recipe book recommending an anti-inflammatory diet, cutting out dairy, meat, junk food and alcohol.

Paula said: ‘Day-by-day, my skin was getting better, I was gorging on nut roasts, fresh fruit, vegetables and corn instead of chips, gravy, crisps, bacon, sausages and everything I usually had.

‘After 17 days, my skin was clear, I was cured, and I can’t even begin to explain how my life has changed.

‘I wear bikinis, skirts, shorts, I go to the gym, and my life is finally mine again, I’m not a prisoner in my own skin anymore.

‘I know I put the hard work in, and I thank myself every day, but I also thank Hanna and her book. In a way, Hanna has given me back my life – everyone should be speaking to her if they suffer with psoriasis.’

The book Paula used is Radiant: Recipes to heal your skin from within, by Hannah Sillitoe, who also suffered from psoriasis until she started a plant-based diet.

Paula discovered Hanna’s plant-based diet plan online and then bought the book. In under three weeks later, Paula says her painful rashes had disappeared.

Paula said: ‘I can’t even begin to describe the difference between myself a year ago and now.

‘It’s not just the physical appearance of my body, which is important, but the mental side is like another world.

‘I’m proud of my body again, I feel like a totally new woman and this diet has saved me.’

Hanna Sillitoe suffered from psoriasis for 20 years before deciding to try and a find a way to cure her skin condition.

Hanna said: ‘During my worst flare I was offered chemotherapy treatment, cancer drugs.

‘When I heard that, I thought there must be a better way to heal myself without going that far.

‘I looked online and found other people who had swapped their diet to anti-inflammatory, and a plant-based diet, and their results were amazing.

‘The diet I recommend is plant based and anti-inflammatory, for the best results I’d advise cutting out meat and dairy entirely, but this can be a gradual process if going fully vegan feels a little overwhelming..

Paula is now spending her time doing everything she had to stop for most of her life – she wears clothing that shows her body off, sunbathes, exercises, takes beach holidays and feels like a new woman.

Paula said: ‘If I had never seen this book my life would have continued to be a battle, and would have continued to be so limited.

‘After following what Hanna has written and published, I can finally be the woman I always wanted to be.’

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With the weather getting colder you probably want to spend every day in your cosy slippers.

Well, now you could get paid to do just that.

Footwear brand Bedroomathletics.com is looking for someone to trial slippers to make sure they are warm and comfortable.

You’ll be given a range of slippers to try and all you’ll have to do is wear them for at least 12 hours in a 24 hour period, then give the team reviews, assessments and ratings.

In return, you’ll get lots of free slippers and will be paid for two days a month on a pro-rata salary of £40,000, which works out at around £4,000 a year.

You’ll be expected to give your honest opinion on the slippers including classic faux fur slipper boots, memory foam slippers, classic mule slippers and moccasin designs so the team at Bedroomathletics.com can improve the range for customers.

Discussing the search for the ideal Slipper Tester, Howard Wetter, Director of Bedroomathletics.com said: ‘Being paid to do nothing but wear slippers all day might seem like a fairly trivial job, but it’s extremely important to us here that our products are of optimum comfort for those choosing to order from our website.

‘We therefore believe that welcoming an official brand tester to our team will be invaluable in gaining insight and feedback for the continual improvement of our slippers.

‘We want each and every one of our slippers to be as comfortable, warm and luxurious as the next. Members of the public who often get cold feet would be perfect candidates, especially as we head into the colder months, as we want to make sure we’re keeping all our customer’s toes cosy during winter.’

You can apply for the role online until 18 November.

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A mum suffering from endometriosis is preparing to be put into forced menopause at the age of just 30.

Joanne Kerr is also facing the possibility of having her womb removed, after suffering complications from the common condition, if HRT fails.

She was preparing to start her university nursing degree when she was diagnosed with endometriosis, which she describes as ‘one of the loneliest diseases.’

The 30-year-old, who lives with her husband Jack, a 31-year-old electrician, and their three-year-old daughter Penelope, has undergone surgery four times and suffers from sickness, blood clots, fainting and loss of feeling in her legs which can last for up to 48 hours.

The NHS nurse, from Kingsnorth in Kent, suffered a miscarriage last year while trying to have a second child and was told her condition is now spreading.

Doctors advised she will have to be put into early menopause to relieve her pain and potentially have a hysterectomy if she does not respond to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) treatment.

Joanne said: ‘I am still young, I am trying to raise a three-year-old with my husband and still want to do everything as normal with my peers and friends.

‘But I’ll be battling all that with raging hormones, hot flushes and mood swings – basically everything a 55-year-old woman goes through but at the age of 30.

‘I am not really worried about the periods stopping as that will be quite nice for a person who has been suffering from this pain.

‘As a woman we know we are going to face this at some point but after a career, after raising a family and after doing everything we want to do in life.

‘I didn’t think I would be doing it at 30 but if it helps pain-wise, then I am all for it.’

One in ten UK women are affected by endometriosis which causes tissue in the lining of the womb to grow in other places such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes.

Possible symptoms include lower back and stomach pain, pain during or after sex, heavy period pain and difficulty getting pregnant.

Painkillers, hormone medicines and surgery to remove patches of endometriosis can help women manage the pain and their condition.

Joanne said: ‘When I have a period each month, it is extremely extremely heavy to the end and for the first day or two, I am changing a sanitary towel every 20 minutes.

‘It is hard, especially with a young child – trying to balance that is quite difficult.

‘I also get what we call an ‘endo belly’ where your tummy swells and you look like you are six months pregnant before, during and after your period.

‘But some girls cannot even walk so I do feel lucky I still have my mobility.’

Joanne started her period when she was 11, but she wasn’t diagnosed with the condition until she was 20, after her first of four laparoscopy procedures – which she says were very scary.

She explained: ‘The laparoscopy was quite scary at first. I was only 20 and in my first year of university and I didn’t know what they were going to find.

‘That was after about five or six years back and forth to my GP.

‘I started my periods when I was 11 and they were always heavier than usual and made me feel quite sick.

‘When I got into my teenage years, my GP palmed it off as a ‘heavy period’ and said ‘unfortunately that is part of being a woman.

‘They never mentioned I could have this condition until they decided to refer me to a gynaecologist at 19.’

Joanne described her condition as ‘one of the loneliest diseases’ and said she is determined to help others speak about it and about their periods in a bid to raise awareness.

She said: ‘It can be one of the loneliest diseases because it is not spoken about as it is quite personal.

‘If you break your leg, people ring up to ask how you are and you can talk about it.

‘But with endometriosis, if somebody rings and asks how you are, you don’t want to say ‘my vagina is really bad at the moment.’

‘We talk about periods but not in a way we should and it is only just becoming more acceptable.

‘It takes a while to explain what endometriosis is but I am on a mission to make it more normal to talk about.’

Joanne, who has stage four endometriosis, will start on a monthly Zoladex injection which will put her into early menopause.

Estrogen fuels the growth of endometriosis lesions so dwindling estrogen levels at menopause should lessen her symptoms.

She added: ‘It’s not normal to have to take time off of work, school or university because of a period.

‘A period does hurt, but usually paracetamol and Ibuprofen can normally ease the pain.

‘When you feel it isn’t normal that’s when you should see your GP.

‘People say its hereditary but no one in my family has had it. It could be lying dormant and could spread at any time.’

Joanne has now set up a Facebook support group for endometriosis sufferers in Kent and has had more than 170 people join since it launched last month.

She said: ‘I set it up to help support as many women as possible.

‘I was searching to see if I could find any local groups on Facebook but there wasn’t, so I thought I would give it a go and set up my own. It has done really well so far.’

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When Zoe Andrews spotted a copy of The Secret Garden in a charity shop, she wondered who it had belonged to.

Zoe and her sister Hannah loved the story, written by Frances Hodgson Burnett, when they were kids.

So she was amazed when she opened the cover and saw the name Hannah spelt out in hieroglyphics – something the sisters loved to do when they were younger.

The book was the same copy that they had given away to the Oxfam Book Shop in Woodley when they outgrew it, 25 years ago.

Now reunited with something from her childhood, Zoe immediately bought the book for 50p from the Museum of Rural Life shop, in Reading, and couldn’t wait to show her family.

She said: ‘I thought ‘oh wow, I had this book’.

‘As I held it, I just felt like it was my old copy. It’s hard to explain – and probably sounds a bit naff – but it just did.

‘I was on my own but I said to myself ‘if this is my copy it will have some writing on the inside’.

‘I was thinking this as I turned the page to see my old handwriting, Hannah’s name and a bunch of symbols which I recognised as being from my hieroglyphic obsession.

‘I stood there dumbfounded. I text my mother immediately. I thought ‘well, I have to buy it – it’s meant to be.’

Zoe couldn’t help to think about the journey the book had been on since the last time she saw it and says she is very glad to have it back on her bookshelf.

She added: ‘It’s a very bizarre feeling to find something you loved as a child and to think of its journey.

‘How many other children owned and read that book? Did they ever wonder who Hannah was?

‘Well, she’s my little sister. I say little, she’s 33 and I’m 35 now.

‘We read these books in the late 1980s and early 1990s but they brought great joy.

‘I always loved the story and when I reflect on it now it really is a fantastic story about strength and well-being.’

The museum snapped a picture of Zoe and posted it on social media and people loved it.

Zoe said: ‘The reaction through the museum’s Twitter page has been incredible.

‘It has been so lovely to see the reaction of people and so many other stories where old books, possessions have turned up years later. I love the serendipity of it.

‘After three weeks of feeling very under the weather, it was a perfect pick me up. And now it’s back on my bookshelf, where it will stay.’

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How to effectively slice a pomegranate pic.twitter.com/WdeQwvqeMF

— Engineering (@engineeringvids) October 19, 2019

Earlier this year, it seemed we were doing everything in the kitchen wrong, whether it was eating pineapples, peeling garlic or chopping vegetables.

But these viral hacks don’t always work (it’s just not possible to rip pineapple so effortlessly, okay?).

So now that we’ve come across a new ‘hack’, we’re a little dubious.

This one comes in the form of a pomegranate tree.

A video has been doing the rounds on Twitter showing a pomegranate, still attached to its tree, being cut so meticulously it offers six perfect segments without getting the juice all over your fingers.

The clip was shared by an engineering video-sharing page where it quickly racked up 2.8 million views.

People were impressed by the move, which involves slicing the top off and cutting and then separating it into the fruit’s natural divisions.

And what you’re left with is the sweet red stuff without having to separate it from the peel. Sounds simple enough right? But does it actually work?

We put it to the test.

When we tried to deseed the delicious fruit, we struggled to rip it off as effortlessly as seen in the video.

Even using our fancy new knife, the stubborn flesh of the pomegranate did not separate from the seed.

And also, unlike the viral clip, the white flesh was not as perfectly divided into equal parts.

Others have claimed that it works perfectly for them. According to Twitter users reacting to the clip, they are able to get mess-free results.

A social media strategist, Josh Billinson, commented on the video saying: ‘It does but I’m lazy so I’ll just cut it however and then break it apart submerged in a bowl of water to separate the seeds from the flesh super easily.’

Like Josh, another person who has a pomegranate tree vouched for the trick but preferred a different method.

They wrote: ‘It looks like it does. We have a pomegranate tree [but] I just rinse and break them up in a bowl of water. The rind floats to the top and the seeds sink to the bottom. Super easy-peasy. We have gallon bags full of seeds!’

Others in the viral thread claimed the trick has worked for them too. But many people wondered why the hack was demonstrated on a fruit still attached to the tree (we’re wondering the same).

As the technique involves cutting off the top and then into separate fragments and then pulling those apart, some wondered why you wouldn’t just rip it off first.

‘Does this work when it’s not still on the tree?’ quipped one person while another wrote: ‘How to effectively slice a pomegranate: Rule 1: Don’t pluck it first.’

Others wondered about the safety aspect of using such a sharp knife without having something to rest it on.

I couldn't tell you because the knife work seems so finger-loppingly incautious that it was scaring the hell out of me and I had to look away.

— patt morrison (@pattmlatimes) October 20, 2019

‘For me this would work more like “how to effectively slice off a hand”,’ chimed one person while another echoed the thought, saying: ‘That’s one sharp survival…I mean, pomegranate cutting knife. Yowza. I’m gonna try it, but I’m also gonna have a first aid kit close by.’

Some said the easiest way to do is to just beat the back of the pomegranate with a wooden spoon. Sounds easy enough. Here’s a quick video to show you how:

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Every wedding starts with a love story.

The couple meet, they fall madly in love, they overcome obstacles and they decided that yes, this is the person they’d like to hang out with every day, ideally for the rest of their lives. They each have their own history and experiences and bring them together in a special day and everything that happens afterwards.

For Becky Brotherhood, 43, and Lee Markham, 45, the story that brought them to their wedding day hasn’t always been easy. But they decided to honour the moments that had brought them together in a touching way – Becky wore a wedding dress made up of patches crafted by her friends and family.

But let’s rewind a bit.

Becky is a massage therapist, but used to be a nurse. After welcoming her son she was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed to undergo chemotherapy, which prompted her to spend the next few years focusing on health and leaving nursing behind.

Lee is a writer. He published his novel, The Truants, a few years back, and also works as a writer and narrative designer for Connected Places Catapult.

They met just under five years ago, just as Becky was getting the confidence to re-train as a massage therapist to help others who feel ‘like their body has turned against them’.

Each with children from previous relationships and difficult experiences in the past, the couple fell in love and brought their families together.

Becky never thought she would get married again, and often said as much, but one day decided to ask Lee if he fancied getting married… over Facebook Messenger.

‘It was the day that Harry and Meghan got married,’ Becky told Metro.co.uk. ‘I’m not an avid follower of the royals, but something about their story – how sections of the establishment were sniffy or judgemental about Meghan, or the fact that she’d been divorced made her somehow less worthy – just really hit home on that day.

‘I felt that perhaps my decision to not to was actually more about what people might think, and less about what I actually wanted, or how I felt about him.

‘So I asked him – and that fact that I asked means so much to me now: to hell with rules and tradition and what people think.’

Lee thought she was joking, but said yes just in case. Becky had to send a photo of herself looking overjoyed to convince Lee that yes, she did in fact want to marry him.

Then it came to the wedding planning, which is when Becky came up with the idea of having her wedding dress crafted by people she loves.

‘Standing in front of my soul mate at the age of 43, knowing that we both have rich histories and six children between us, it felt wrong to buy something new and off the shelf,’ Becky explains. ‘It didn’t feel right and didn’t fit us as a couple.

‘One of the most special things about our love is that we love each other because of our pasts. They’re not something we have to look beyond or gloss over, and the family home we are both building right now is open and welcoming to everyone.

‘We both have scars and losses – physically and metaphorically, and I wanted that to be reflected and held in every part of my dress, bravely, unashamedly, and with love.’

Becky’s skilled in the sewing arena, so at first planned to just make her own gown. But then some of her clients started giving her bits of fabric that were sentimental to them, asking her to use them in the dress so they could be a part of something wonderful. Some people offered the buttons from their own wedding dress or the lace from a parent’s gown while others brought sparkly fabric all the way from Iran.

That inspired Becky to invite her bridal party to get involved, asking them if they could offer up their own patch to add to the dress.

Something magical happened as a result. As many of the people weren’t so confident in their crafting skills, they came over to see Becky and have a patch-making session over a cup of tea or a glass of wine, giving each bit of fabric a shared memory to go along with it.

Becky told us: ‘It ended up being almost like a month-long hen do, where friends would come up, and we’d catch up, and spend quality time together too and with such busy lives, when does that ever happen? And it really felt like the dress captured that energy of reconnection too.

‘All of which was really brought home to us when one of our closest friends wrote a blog about the dress for Hen Heaven and all of a sudden we started getting emails and calls from the local and national press – it’s all been pretty crazy – but clearly the story the dress tells came across loud and clear.’

The patches were then added to an original pattern Becky had made out of an old sheet she found in the attic. She ended up with 50 or so pieces of fabric that each had to be sewn into the dress.

Other important parts had to be included, too – including Lee’s dad’s wedding ring, Becky’s mum’s wedding ring, the buttons from Becky’s sister’s gown, and beads nicked from mum’s jewellery box.

Thankfully it all ‘came together beautifully’, with Becky and her loved ones having made the gown in the space of three weeks.

While the dress was technically ‘free’ in the sense that Becky didn’t have to buy new material or buy a ready-made gown, it has immense personal value.

‘I absolutely wouldn’t say it was free… simply in terms of man-hours – not just my own, but all the time put in by everyone that made a patch – it was pretty intensive,’ says Becky.

‘Then the fabrics and materials and some of the precious items woven into it, these things were all utterly irreplaceable, and in that way priceless.

‘I could have spent thousands on a dress, but I would never have been able to buy the dress I wore from anywhere. The only way it could have existed at all was to have made it in the way it was made. Cost didn’t come into it at all.

‘It was an amazing experience. Once the project was up and running, it seemed to find an energy and life of its own, and in that way this curious sense of calm came over me, and I actually felt a real absence of nerves.

‘Seeing everyone that loves us, and supports us, and who have been there for us through tough times, and good times – seeing all those people rally round and just love getting involved, and creating such wonderful, heartfelt pieces of art, essentially, it’s like I felt lifted up on their shoulders and carried to the day.’

While Becky managed to be calm through a project that would have sent most of us into a spin, Lee is quick to note that she had a half-hour panic attack the Thursday before the big day.

Lee said: ‘It’s like all those nerves and anxiety that were supposed to be there hit in one dose in that moment – “what if the dress is rubbish? what if I look stupid?”.

‘But that was it. It had all gone by the morning!’

On the day of the wedding, 28 September 2019, Becky walked down the aisle wearing a dress packed with memories and made with love.

Becky is proud not only of the dress itself, but how the project has inspired others to get creative.

‘Everyone was so proud of their efforts,’ Becky said. ‘It’s inspired 10-year-old girls to make their own prom dresses one day, and some have even asked for a sewing machine for Christmas! I am so proud to have inspired this in the girls!’

‘The workshops I did with the kids also made me up my game in terms of dress style. Being told “omg this is going to be better than an actual paid-for wedding dress” made me feel that I could not fail to deliver.

‘I wanted to show them what they could do if they put their minds and hearts into something. I hope I did that.’

Becky made the dress even more special by keeping the finished creation secret from everyone until the day of the wedding.

Of course, the reaction was glorious.

‘They were all waiting to see what I’d done with their creation,’ Becky tells us. ‘Everyone owned it. And that was the best part about it all. It felt like I’d drawn everyone together, it did feel like a community tapestry of love and blessings…. truly special.’

Lee and Becky made things official in a simple civil ceremony, surrounded by family and close friends and followed by a group trip to the pub.

Do you have an amazing wedding story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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Jenifer Aniston has just revealed that she follows 16:8 fasting to stay in shape at 50 – and we are all very intrigued.

The eating plan means there is an eight-hour window where Jen can fill up on healthy, nutritious food. She then goes 16 hours without eating anything, and she says it makes a huge difference to her overall health and wellbeing.

But 16-hours without any food at all sounds pretty challenging, so how do you cope if you’re prone to getting hangry between every meal?

The former Friends star also loves a good sweat session. She reportedly works out five times a week (imagine having that kind of time), and she does all of that while fasting. We need to know how.

Intermittent fasting can be challenging enough, but when you also throw punishing workouts into the mix, it can be hard to know how to maintain your energy levels and recover safely using your diet.

So we asked a performance nutritionist exactly how to maintain a healthy, safe, effective fitness regime when following intermittent fasting.

‘Intermittent fasting (IF) has become a very hot topic in recent times as more and more people advocate its use,’ explains performance nutritionist Dean Coulson.

‘I don’t believe that one way of eating serves all, but since I use IF myself and with clients, I’ll let you decide for yourself if it’s something that would fit with your lifestyle and help you reach your goals.’

Dean says there are a number of different approaches to applying IF. Some involve 24-hour fasts a few times per week, while others suggest fasting using the 16:8 protocol where you fast for 16 hours per day (essentially skipping breakfast).

‘The 16:8 approach works well especially when you work out regularly and have fat-loss or gaining muscle goals,’ says Dean.

‘Intermittent fasting still allows you to maintain a moderate to intense workout load while still maintaining your energy and metabolism.

‘Many people think that IF drains both of these aspects, but the opposite has proven to be the case. You often have more energy and a higher metabolism while engaged in this type of fasting, making it the best of both worlds.’

Can you still workout while intermittently fasting?

Dean says intermittent fasting is good practice to include in your workout plan.

‘It has beneficial aspects to it: You will have more energy and increased strength and endurance as the body isn’t dealing with digestive stress at the same time.

‘But there are also benefits that are a little less easy to see, like a cleansing of your system that takes place with any fast, as your body adjusts to less content being put into it.’

Benefits aside, is it actually safe to workout while following IF? Dean thinks it usually is, but individual circumstances need to be taken into consideration.

‘Essentially 16:8 intermittent fasting is like skipping breakfast and starting to eat at lunch time,’ says Dean.

‘Of course, there may be instances that it does not suit some people suffering from health conditions, or suffering from eating disorders or a bad relationship with food and so these would need to be addressed before embarking on something like IF.

‘However, for people who are looking to optimise their health, I invite you to consider we have more than enough stored energy to see us through until eating begins at the end of the fasting period.

‘There is ample evidence to support intermittent fasting as a good lifestyle choice as long as the principles set out below are followed.’

How can you refuel properly while following intermittent fasting?

Recovery is done when you sleep, but refuelling your body after a workout is also really important.

‘The best way to fuel your workouts is to eat your starchy carbs – such as sweet potatoes or Jasmine rice – as the last meal of the day,’ suggests Dean.

‘That way, you are fully fuelled for the next day’s workout. It also has the added benefit of making eating with family or friends much easier and convenient in the evening.

‘Focus on nutrient dense foods. Having an eight-hour window to eat allows you to have two-four meals in that period, depending on your goals.

‘IF allows the body to rest, turn to the body to burn fat as its primary fuel source instead of sugar, helps balance hormones, and gives you more energy for your training without compromising strength,’ says Dean.

‘If you are on the fence give it a go.’

Don’t forget, taking on any new kind of diet or eating plan isn’t a good idea if you have a history of disordered eating. If you have any concerns about your relationship with food you should speak to your GP straight away.

But if you do decide to start intermittent fasting, it’s important that you eat really well.

Make sure you’re hitting all of your food groups, not denying yourself anything and hydrating and sleeping well too.

Health is holistic and it’s a combination of diet, exercise and self-care that will really improve your overall wellbeing.

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We do love a room transformation, especially when it’s on a budget.

This latest one is a cracker, and blows Harry Potter’s cupboard under the stairs right out of the water.

Karen Adamson, a Home Care Manager, from Danderhall, Midlothian, decided she wanted to give her space under the stairs a spruce up, and got some inspiration from online DIY groups.

From there, the storage cupboard was transformed into an incredible playhouse for her three-year-old daughter Holly, complete with toy kitchen, a window (with window box), and a working doorbell.

She told Metro.co.uk: ‘I got the idea from a Facebook page called ‘DIY on a budget’. We already had a play kitchen which Holly loves to play with and, to be honest, I also wanted to declutter the living room!

‘I knew Holly would love the idea as she loves he playhouse in the garden but coming into the winter months there is less time to spend outside.’

37-year-old Karen then started looking for bits and bobs to make this cosy mini home for her little one. Shops like B&M and B&Q were invaluable to her for materials, with the whole thing coming in at less than £100.

‘The stairs already had a door so, along with my partner Kevan, we made it into a house door by cutting a hole out of it, lining it with MDF and painting it white,’ says the Scottish mum.

‘We then added some brass hardware from B&Q and Amazon.’

Then, for the window the pair ‘cut a hole in the wall, lined it and made the cross part with MDF and the frame from skirting boards, all from B&Q.’

Karen even wallpapered for the first time ever, using a brick effect paper from B&M.

Miraculously, the whole thing took less than a day, with Karen and Kevan starting at around 3pm on a Sunday afternoon, and finishing everything off when Holly went to bed.

Her reaction the next morning was priceless: ‘Holly absolutely loved the playhouse when she saw it and couldn’t believe it was for her.

She loves ringing the doorbell the most, much to the annoyance of our dog.’

It really does look like a tiny house, and it’s a much nicer way to use the space than simply storing your vacuum and winter coat.

Karen also has advice for other parents thinking about attempting DIY. She says, ‘just go for it- there are YouTube tutorials for pretty much and task and you learn as you go.’

Now you’ve got no excuse not to get the paintbrushes and power tools out.

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When it comes to describing the vagina or penis to their kids, parents think of a whole range of euphemisms.

Whether it’s willy, winky or hoo ha, we often tiptoe around how to talk about genitals.

But one set of books aimed at kids who are curious about their bodies, has been criticised online because the covers mention a word for boys’ genitals but are much more vague about girls.

The boys’ version is called That’s My Willy, while the girls’ version is called What’s Down There?.

The books, by Alex Waldron, are aimed at a preschool audience and are due to be released for sale next week.

Girls’ genitals considered so mysterious they don’t even have a name in these new books pic.twitter.com/kNb0EgoVp1

— Rosemary Bennett (@RosieDBennett) October 21, 2019

Education Editor at The Times, Rosemary Bennett posted a picture of the books on Twitter and said: ‘Girls’ genitals considered so mysterious they don’t even have a name in these new books.’

Other people on Twitter pointed out that the titles might add to the feeling that kids shouldn’t say things like vagina or vulva.

Still though, aaaagh. What message does this put across?

— Sarah Ebner (@sarahjebner) October 21, 2019

ah the ultimate euphemism

— Helena Pozniak (@helenapozniak) October 21, 2019

Guidance for boys

vs

a spiritual sequel to Journey To The Centre Of The Earth for girls https://t.co/eFMlDgjly6

— David D'Souza (@dds180) October 21, 2019

It comes after a report from the Eve Appeal, which revealed that less than a fifth of parents say ‘vagina’ when talking to their daughters about their genitals, with those who don’t stating that they didn’t feel it was ‘appropriate’ to use this language with their daughters until they were aged 11 or older.

The books refer to the study in the publicity material and Ruby Tuesday, the publisher of the book, said that they felt it was important to use the terms penis and vulva in the text but they had decided not to use either term on the cover and they felt that really there isn’t a comparable word to willy for female genitals.

Ruth Owen, from Ruby Tuesday Books, said: ‘We had all used/heard different words growing up and with the exception of Mandy Lancaster (who is a professional in this area) we’d never (or rarely) used the term vulva.

‘When we asked friends and colleagues (and we recently ran a poll on Twitter which confirmed the same findings!), every parent of girls was using a different “family” name, while across the board, boys were using the words willy or penis.

‘Both Mandy Lancaster (PSHE trainer) and I (we’re both early 50s) also had memories of being told to “wash down there” and take care of “down there”. So starting with the question What’s Down There? seemed a very good place to begin the conversation about the female body and introduce the correct names for the vulva and vagina.

‘The words penis and testicles appear in That’s My Willy (penis also features in What’s Down There).

‘And while the characters in the book for girls start out questioning, they all end the book understanding and using the words vulva and vagina correctly.’

Alex Waldron, author of the Fred & Woody books series added: ‘I wrote That’s My Willy to teach my sons about the appropriateness of when and where they can explore themselves and to instil in them the idea that it’s their body and they get to choose who gets to see or touch it.

‘The ‘That’s My Willy’ line is a fun, repetitive shout on each chorus encouraging kids to join along.

‘With What’s Down There? I wanted to deal with the same topics for girls but address the issue of the ‘correct’ terminologies.

‘Confusion between the names vulva and vagina is current at the moment and it was an opportunity to insert the right names early on for a preschool audience within the story of the book.

‘Through the guidance of Mandy Lancaster and my publisher (Ruby Tuesday) we did the same with the boys’ book, making sure penis and testicle were used in the text.’

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Fancy scaring people for a living? Well, now you can, because a team building company has launched a new scaring service and is recruiting people who resemble some of the ‘world’s scariest clowns’ in a £100 an hour job role.

The company is looking for people across the UK to scare people in their workplace, from 28 to 31 October.

However, you’ll only get the job if you actually have some physical likness to the likes of Pennywise, Wrinkles and the Joker.

To celebrate Halloween, members of the public will be able to hire the clowns through TeamTactics.co.uk, to scare friends and/or family at their place of work.

Team Tactics is recruiting people who have the capabilities to play a convincing Pennywise, Wrinkles and Joker clown. For example, hopeful applicants must have a large forehead and high pitched voice to act as Pennywise, and be slim with a manic laugh to be recruited as the Joker. An acting background or training is not essential, but it is a bonus.

To apply, all you have to do is provide a photo along with which clown you’re wanting to play, and a short paragraph on why you’d make a good scary clown.

If you’re auditioning for Pennywise, we recommend talking about your love of drains and red balloons.

Costumes will be mailed to each hired clown, with Team Tactics looking to find 10 clowns across the UK to cover all major regions.

The job will see successful applicants creeping into places of work and scaring unsuspecting people, while in character as the clown they’re playing. The encounters will also be filmed for people to relive once they are over the initial scare.

Tina Benson, managing director at TeamTactics.co.uk said: ‘Halloween, although traditionally an American holiday, has soared in popularity in the UK over the years, and for good reason! It’s a fun celebration of all things spooky, and let’s be honest, lots of people love the adrenaline rush of being scared or the thrill of scaring a friend. So, we thought we’d introduce something that ticks both these boxes.

‘We’re amazed at the massive demand we’ve had for the clown scaring service, we knew it would be popular, but there’s a lot of colleagues out there who can’t wait to see their work friend get spooked, and the best part? We’ll catch it all on camera!

‘Now, all we need is some seriously scary clowns to help cater to all the requests we have, I encourage any person who can pull off a creepy clown to apply, it’s going to be a lot of fun.’

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Attention, fried chicken fans: KFC is bringing back its Hot Wings Bucket deal – and yes, we’re excited.

Inside each £5.99 bucket is 20 hot wings, with the restaurant’s signature crumb.

It was first launched back in June for just a month – and we’re sad to say that this deal won’t be around for long, either. In fact, you’ll only be able to get it until 17 November.

So if hot wings are your favourite, you’d better head to your local KFC ASAP

Alongside the bucket deal, the restaurant is also bringing back three other offers.

This includes two fillet burgers for £6, which feature Original Reciple chicken, lettuce and mayo all in a bun.

As they usually cost £7.99 for two, you’ll be making a saving of £1.99.

Also back on the menu is the 12 piece dipping boneless feast, which costs £16.

It includes 12 mini fillets, popcorn chicken, four regular fries, two large sides and a large drink.

And finally, you can save yourself a quid on the boneless banquet, as that’s selling for £5.49 instead the standard £6.49.

This includes three mini fillets, popcorn chicken, regular fries, one regular side, one KFC Original Dip and a drink.

Much like the hot wings deal, all the other deals are also only available until 17 November – so act fast!

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