Nothing encapsulates the frustrations of the British summer quite like ripping into a pack of supermarket ice lollies, only to discover a pool of molten sugar in lieu of the frozen treats you’d been so patiently waiting for.
But it’s an age old disappointment almost confined to the past now Bompas & Parr have managed to crack a formula for the world’s first non-melting ice lolly, due to arrive just in time for the late stages of a record breakingly hot summer and the launch of SCOOP: A Wonderful Ice Cream World, the British Museum of Food’s summer exhibition running from now until 30 September at Gasholders London, King’s Cross.
For such a futuristic concept, the lolly has its roots firmly in the past.
The key material, pyrkete, is a frozen composite made of sawdust and wood pulp dispersed in ice, first patented by 20th century inventor Geoffry Pyke whose WW2 experiments with the new material were focused on building a durable floating runway in the Atlantic Ocean.
Pyke had realised that ice could be manufactured for only 1% of the energy required to make an equivalent mass of steel, and proposed that an iceberg, natural or artificial, could be levelled out to create such a runway.
Inspired by inuit ice sleds which were reinforced with moss, he began experiments on creating super-strength ice in a secret location under Smithfield Meat Market, in a refrigerated meat locker, hidden behind frozen animal carcasses.
The proposal was treated as something of joke by some naval officers, however Churchill was enthusiastic about it. Ultimately the project was abandoned due to rising costs and mitigated by the longer ranges newer aircraft could achieve.
Safe to say, Bompas & Parr’s ice lolly application is on a slightly more human scale.
They’ll be replacing the dust and pulp with edible fruit fibres and inviting visitors to taste the results.
If the experiment is successful then moves will be made to develop the prototype into something fit for supermarket shelves and the possibility of future summers without a melted Calypso in sight.
British universities are facing a mental health crisis, and students risk slipping through the gaps due to a lack of coordination between academic institution and the NHS.
The most up-to-date study on student suicides found that between 2007 and 2016, student suicide rates increased by 56%, rising from 6.6 to 10.3 per 100,000 of the population.
Students are now more likely to take their own lives than young people in the general population.
In 2016, photography student Henry Curtis-Williams carried out suicide after being detained by police under the mental health act.
In an 18 month period between November 2016 and May 2018, the University of Bristol saw a spate of student suicides, where 10 students took their own lives or died suddenly.
Student suicides have markedly increased in the recession years, as financial problems, debt and increased pressure to battle it out for a finite number of graduate roles have piled stress on university students – particularly those without financial support from parents.
According to advocacy and research body Universities UK, over the past five years, 94% of universities have noted a ‘sharp increase’ in the number of people looking for support services.
Students are trying to access help, but are the services available for them?
We spoke to a number of current and former students about their experiences with seeking mental health support through their universities.
Han, 27
‘I was at uni and having depressive episodes and bad anxiety. One evening I felt completely lost and after drinking for hours on my own I ended up in A&E.
‘I begged them for help and told them I wasn’t going to leave unless I could speak to someone. However that never happened. I got sent home with not an ounce of support.
‘I feel as if there were the facilities at university I may not have ended up in hospital.’
Amanda, 57
‘My son tried to get help but it was late in the uni year (May or June time). He ended up unable to complete the year and lost that years fee. He now has a student loan for three years of useless time as he flunked out the following year.
‘He did get some help from university, but as it was end of term it was all too little too late. It’s very upsetting.
‘I knew there was something wrong as he rarely answered my calls or texts. My concern was that there were no safety checks by the uni for students, he just sat in his room staring at the walls and nobody at the uni thought to check on his welfare. Luckily he wasn’t suicidal just majorly depressed.
‘He was just 18. I seriously think he was too young, he was very young for his age and it was his first time away from home. It makes me so so sad.
‘I think the University of Kent should have realised that he wasn’t attending any lectures – at least his tutor should have known something was wrong.
‘I guess at the time I should have appealed so he could get a refund on his fees and retake the year but I had issues of my own at the time. Hindsight was a wonderful thing.’
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co,uk)
Poppy*, 27
‘I was asking for mental health support the whole time I was at [the University of] Warwick.
‘The campus GP in my first year basically dismissed my anorexia and it had become much worse by the time I managed to get treatment on the NHS. My first year personal tutor was completely unhelpful and obviously didn’t want to waste his time on students who were struggling.
‘In second year, I’d just been diagnosed with a personality disorder in my second year and I needed help that targeted the new diagnosis, but I was too scared to tell the GP in case they didn’t take me seriously again.
‘Unfortunately I fell into an abusive relationship and between that and my struggles with eating disorders and a personality disorder, I was in a really terrible place. I overdosed three times in the space of a year.
‘I had to defer some exams and I’m convinced that I narrowly missed out on a first class degree because I’d struggled so much with my mental health. I was meant to have special circumstances consideration for my marks, but I don’t think my mental health or hospitalisations were taken into account at all.
‘It really didn’t feel like there was proper pastoral care available or anything to safeguard vulnerable students.’
Anna*, 19
‘I basically opened up to the uni about my mental health struggles when I launched an appeal for two of my modules which I passed, but knew I could’ve got better grades in if I wasn’t going through such a horrendous and difficult time.
‘The uni basically dismissed my mental health as well as my appeal, and made it sound as if I was lying just to get better grades, as well as claiming that I don’t have enough “evidence” to back up my mental illnesses, even though I provided a DSA eligibility letter and a doctor’s note.
‘Thanks to that experience, I now know I can’t trust the University of Leeds, or go to them for help, because they basically made it out as if I was lying about my struggles just to get more marks, which wasn’t the issue as I had passed those modules anyway and made it onto second year.’
A University of Leeds spokesperson said: ‘We work hard to support students throughout their time at Leeds, working with the students’ union and community partners, but of course consider adjustments to grades when there are mitigating circumstances: cases are considered on an individual basis, carefully taking into account all evidence available, and in accordance with fair, robust and transparent processes.’
Tom Frew, Senior Press and Media Relations Manager at the University of Warwick, told Metro.co.uk that the university provides an ‘extensive’ range of services for students, including 24/7 access to trained support staff for those living on campus.
‘The University’s Wellbeing Support Services also provide services designed to meet the appropriate needs of students – including drop-in sessions, pre-arranged specialist support sessions, emergency appointments, email counselling and accessible self-help resources and materials available online and 24/7 at the Library.
‘All new students are provided with written details of the Wellbeing Support Services available to them before they arrive on campus, and those living on campus in student accommodation will meet with Residential Life Tutors who are trained to further inform and explain the services available.
‘The University of Warwick has recently committed over £500k extra to support Wellbeing Support Services, including additional outreach workers alongside an enhanced range of services available to students and to support the work of Wellbeing Support Services.
‘The University of Warwick is committed to working with students to improve provision and seek new ways to provide support.’
The University of Kent told Metro.co.uk that the mental wellbeing of students is taken very seriously.
‘We have a Wellbeing Team offering free support to students experiencing distress arising from psychological, emotional or mental health issues. We offer help to students who are upset, confused or struggling with a problem and who think it might be helpful to discuss things with someone outside their circle of family and friends.
‘Among the services on offer are Wellbeing Advisors, who can visit students at a place of their choice, and Counselling sessions, giving students the time and space to discuss concerns. We offer crisis drop in sessions every weekday in term time when students can simply come to the wellbeing offices and be seen on the day.
‘We also run workshops on a regular basis to help students to learn and develop skills around wellbeing such as managing exam stress, overcoming procrastination, developing time management and presentation skills. Each academic school has a Student Support Officer or equivalent within the school who can also provide support.
‘In addition, we provide training to front line staff in the form of a Mental Health First Aid course; work with Kent Union (student union) to promote Mental Health Awareness and the creation of a Mental Health Planning Group and Nightline (student-led volunteer service trained by the Samaritans); have established a student mental health support group. Sessions include Mindfulness, stress and anxiety management, goal setting, coping strategies etc; and introduced procedures and guidance to support students with mental health difficulties whose behaviour gives the University cause for concern.
‘We also liaise closely with external agencies such as GPs, psychological therapy services, community mental health teams on local drug and alcohol services as well as voluntary sector organisations such as the Samaritans.
‘All Kent students also have access to the Big White Wall, a Care Quality Commission registered service recognised nationally through awards by the NHS and providing a safe environment overseen by qualified therapists.’
However, from their own testimonies and the increase in student suicides, it’s clear that students are still going unsupported at universities in Britain.
Without appropriate treatment, students with mental health problems cannot fulfill their academic potential. Learning is difficult when you’re held back by anxiety or depression or an eating disorder.
Academic institutions that do not see the wellbeing of students as their responsibility are failing them.
For many students, university is the first time that they will ever have lived away from home. Away from their previous support networks of friends and family, and faced with issues of loneliness, homesickness, academic pressures, bullying and the stress of making new friends, it’s little wonder that students experience mental health issues at university.
For £9,000 in fees per year, universities should be making sure that no student slips through the cracks and ends up suffering without support.
There’s some science to back up the super fun idea that all the hormones blasting around your body during an orgasm can cause women to experience post-sex blues.
The majority of the conversation around these concepts has focused on women. Now, new research points to men experiencing post-sex blues, too.
Men can and do experience feelings of sadness, tearfulness, and irritability following sex, states a study by Queensland University of Technology.
Researchers conducted an anonymous online survey of 1,208 men from Australia, the U.S., the U.K., Russia, New Zealand, and Germany, and found that 41% had reported experiencing postcoital dysphoria (also known as PCD or post-sex blues) at some point in their sex lives.
20% of respondents said they had experienced PCD in the last four weeks, while 4% said they experienced feeling down after sex on a regular basis.
The feelings experienced in the midst of PCD varied between the men, with participants offering statements such as ‘I don’t want to be touched and want to be left alone’, ‘I feel unsatisfied, annoyed, and fidgety’, and descriptions of feeling ’emotionless or empty’.
So we know that both men and women can and do experience negative emotions after sex – what’s not clear yet is why.
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
While previous research into women’s experiences found no connection between the level of intimacy between sexual partners and the prevalence of post-sex sadness (meaning it doesn’t matter for women whether they’re in a relationship or not, post-sex blues can happen), the same relationship hasn’t been looked into for men. We don’t know whether the feelings men experience are genuine regret or all to do with hormone fluctuations.
Some men report experiencing ‘post cum clarity’, when immediately after orgasm they’re able to think more clearly and creatively because the urge to have sex is no longer a distraction. Could that play a role in feeling unsatisfied after sex?
Lead researcher Professor Schweitzer said that the results prove there needs to be more research and conversation around men’s and women’s experiences of resolution after orgasm.
‘The first three phases of the human sexual response cycle – excitement, plateau, and orgasm – have been the focus of the majority of research to date,’ Professor Schweitzer said. ‘The experience of the resolution phase remains a bit of a mystery and is therefore poorly understood.
‘It is commonly believed that males and females experience a range of positive emotions including contentment and relaxation immediately following consensual sexual activity.
‘Yet previous studies on the PCD experience of females showed that a similar proportion of females had experienced PCD on a regular basis. As with the men in this new study, it is not well understood.
‘We would speculate that the reasons are multifactorial, including both biological and psychological factors.’
If you are feeling rubbish immediately after sex, what you can take from this research is that you’re not alone. Post-sex blues are indeed a thing, and they can affect everyone.
Don’t panic, don’t take emotions at face value (you don’t need to break up with your partner because you don’t fancy snuggling after sex), and treat yourself kindly after sex, whether that’s giving yourself some rest, having a chat with your partner, or just having a cup of tea ready to drink immediately after you blow your load.
Being trapped on the Central Line in this heatwave is everyone’s idea of hell, so naturally, when it comes to the weekend, we’re all thinking about how best to escape and enjoy a refreshing swim and an ice cream somewhere less…furnace-y.
But where are the most popular spots to head to when the country is burning down? New research by Trainline shows that this summer, Brits are heading to the traditional British coastal towns of Southend-on-Sea, Margate, St Ives, and Scarborough.
Unsurprisingly as it’s one of the closest to London, city workers like to rush to Southend-on-Sea in Essex, which has seen the biggest growth for July and August with an increase of 210% versus the same time in 2016.
More surprisingly, the most popular destinations aren’t actually at the seaside – big cities like Birmingham, Manchester, Wigan and Scunthorpe are seeing an increase in tourism too. Additionally, New Forest in Hampshire has seen a 91% boost.
The data science director at Trainline, Fergus Weldon, said: ‘It’s great to see that Brits are falling back in love with the great British coast and are going back to places visited as a child for their UK trips and travel this year.’
If you’re looking for a more quiet trip, maybe try heading to somewhere…not on the list below.
The top 10 UK day trip destinations in summer 2018, according to Trainline:
Pizza is delicious, ramen is delicious, so Tony Boloney’s, a restaurant in New Jersey, U.S, has decided to put the two together.
Instead of going for your usual meat or vegetable fix, you can get toppings including a ramen noodle crust, shoyu broth, pickled soy boiled egg, and various spices.
With this culinary mashup, you can chomp down on large American-style slices of the best Italian and Japanese cuisine.
What’s not to love?
(Picture: Tony Boloney’s/Instagram)
Alongside traditional ramen ingredients, you get Japanese spices and oil such as rayu, shichimi tougarashi (a spice mixture), wageri togarashi (another spice mixture), nori flakes, spicy chili oil, scallions, and toasted sesame seeds.
Tony Boloney’s has a humble beginning, as owner Mike Hauke initially started it as a small stall mostly serving construction workers.
The Devour Ramen pizza came together when Instagram foodie couple, Greg Remmey and Rebecca Leigh West-Remmey, who run Devour Power, collaborated with the restaurant and brought the unlikely mix together.
Now, the ramen pizzas have helped the restaurant grow in popularity.
(Picture: Tony Boloneys/Instagram)
Mike didn’t think it was going to sell very well but of course, it was an instant hit.
‘This is something that we didn’t even put out there,’ Mike told Insider. ‘We just put it on the counter and we sold, I think, ten pies the first day.’
If you’re feeling brave, you can order an entire pizza for $70 (£53.40) or you can opt for a single slice for $18 (£13.73)
If you’re in the American East Coast, you can catch a slice of Tony Boloney’s in either Hoboken or Atlantic City.
There’s some serious drama in the world of beauty.
Em Ford – who you may know as My Pale Skin and the YouTuber fighting for skin positivity – has called out Huda Kattan – beauty influencer and creator of makeup line Huda Beauty – for using a photo of her face for a post promoting ways to get rid of acne scars.
In the since deleted post on the Huda Beauty Facebook page, an article on how to get rid of acne scars illustrated with a picture of Em’s face was accompanied by the caption: ‘The only thing worse than a breakout, is the little scars they leave behind. To help, we spoke to two dermatologists for their opinion on how to get rid of them ASAP!’
As an advocate for accepting and embracing your skin, Em took issue with not only the use of her image, but the message that went alongside it.
She took to her Instagram stories to call out Huda Beauty for the post, writing: ‘Dear @hudabeauty, I wanted to thank you for using my #skinpositivity images to tell the world that my face full of scars is worse than active breakouts.
Like 😒 😒 seriously??!!
Taking my images without credit is one thing… but taking my #SKINPOSITIVITY images and using them to get clicks on ‘how to get rid of acne scars’??!! pic.twitter.com/xp6r8j5A6s
‘And for reinforcing the narrative that anything less than “flawless” is something that we should feel ashamed of, or want to fix and “get rid of”.
‘Headlines like that are the reason why I receive thousands of emails on a daily and weekly basis from women all over the world.
‘Some of whom are made to feel so ashamed of their skin, it affects every aspect of their lives. And couldn’t even dream of enjoying themselves on holiday without applying a full coverage foundation.
‘Since 2015, I have used my platforms and voice to talk about hate online, and why perpetuating beauty standards has very real, and very serious consequences.’
Em’s message sparked a flurry of conversation on Twitter about why having acne scars does not make you flawed, unattractive, or unworthy.
Having acne doesn’t mean you aren’t worthy than the next person
so huda beauty is gunna say fillers and body hair is natural and okay but acne scars are not and we should "get rid of them ASAP" this is hurtful it took me years to accept my acne scars are part of me n that they are okay but now you are telling me otherwise? pic.twitter.com/yStkC3Z1NE
Following the backlash Em says that Huda emailed her to apologise, and the offending post has been removed.
Em has used the incident to encourage people to be kinder to each other online and consider how your words may affect someone else, repeating her message of skin positivity and why cruel comments about acne are so painful.
Robert Twaddle, 20, refuses to let restrictive gender norms confine him.
He didn’t enjoy the experience of wearing a suit at prom while still in the closet, but that hasn’t stopped him reclaiming the suit since.
He rocked up to his graduation years later in a seriously beautiful twist on a traditional suit, and thousands of people on Twitter are loving it.
Robert told Metro.co.uk: ‘I felt uncomfortable at prom because by this point in my life, at aged 16 I knew I was gay, but I hadn’t told anyone. I also knew at this point that I had many issues with how gendered everything around me felt.
‘I had looked around the women’s sections in shops and found things I liked but I’d never felt comfortable to try them on. I felt like, because I was a boy, I had to wear a suit.
‘I’d never really liked wearing suits, they didn’t feel good on me at all, it felt almost incorrect for me to wear a suit. Like it represented something, a strict gendered ideal that I didn’t believe in.
‘I went to prom anyways, in the suit, even with a date, a girl (not the young woman photographed in my tweet but she was a good friend of mine).’
‘As inspired by the iconic documentary Jamie – Drag Queen At 16 as I was, I wasn’t going to go to prom in a dress either. So I just felt a bit stuck.’
Four years later, Robert put a suit on again… but wore it in a very different way.
Instead of a bland, traditional jacket-shirt-trousers combo, Robert put his own twist on the traditional suit, with flared trousers, a ruffled, New Romantic-esque shirt and a cropped jacket.
The ensemble was accessorised with a clutch bag and black platform heels.
On the left is a photo of me incredibly uncomfortable at my school prom.
I didn't feel like my suit was representative of who I was. I felt I had to wear it.
Now 4 years later, for my graduation, I reclaim the suit. In my own way. On my own terms.
Robert said: ‘Coming out was interesting because I now felt obliged to “dress gay”, whatever that meant. I started wearing whatever I thought gay people had to wear, everything from braces and dickie bows to larger than life floral moments ever other day of the week. This did dissipate quite quickly once I realized that the people at college didn’t care what I was wearing at all.
‘I just wore what I thought was comfortable and that I could move around in for any dance classes or performances I would be attending.
‘I’m a queer visual artist and theatre maker, and I’ve just finished a year at Charity Peer Productions where I studied on an actor/artist development course. I’m also a self taught make-up artist, singer, dancer, actor, choreographer, writer, director and occasionally a drag performer!’
Being visibly queer is really important to Robert.
‘Only the other week, I was stood on a train platform in a red dress and a little bit of makeup, I was going on a night out so I’d made a nice effort.,’ h explains. ‘And I felt very scared.
‘Just standing waiting for the train, felt like a life and death situation, every time someone would walk past or stop and stare, or pull out their phone and take pictures, I didn’t know what would happen next, if anyone was going to start a fight, or throw something, or call me a f***** or pin me down and threaten to follow me home and put a brick through my window, simply for making eye contact (yes, that’s happened before).
‘After only a few minutes of dirty looks I felt so uncomfortable that I spoke to my friend, who is also queer, over the phone. She said to me: “if I was stood on that platform, just seeing you being so comfortable in your queer life, would bring me so much happiness”. She told me that just the image of me standing there was enough to make her day, and that she was proud of me.’
Since his prom in 2014, Robert says that his life has changed massively.
‘I’m an out and proud gay man. I quickly left Scarborough, moving down south by myself with next to no money in my account, simply to escape the homophobia I was experiencing in my home town.
‘Now, I dress how I like, when I like. I am surrounded by so many other beautiful queer people and allies who allow me to go out in what I want and support me regardless.’
Robert explained that although there might have been an expectation from his peers that he would attend graduation in full drag, just as the traditional suit didn’t feel right, drag didn’t either.
‘My time on my development course has really taught me to take pride in my queer identity and to harness it, channeling my confidence as well as my conflict into my work and my day to day life.
‘The graduation photo is a perfect amalgamation of this development, I wanted to wear something that didn’t read as traditionally masculine, and didn’t read as traditionally feminine.
‘My cohort had seen me perform in drag on several occasion so I felt that there was an expectation that I would come in full regalia, with the makeup and the gown.
‘But I felt that, going into this graduation with that expectation of me, not only mirrors exactly what I didn’t want from my prom, but also just wouldn’t be me.
‘Graduation for me, was a celebration of self, and if I walked in with a literal mask of makeup I wouldn’t really be representing myself honestly and authentically.’
Robert is currently studying at the East 15 drama school in Essex, and he hopes to develop his skills as a makeup artist.
He says: ‘I’d also love to lead the charge on more queer theatre within the drama school. My aim is to write a series of queer plays with a friend that are inclusive of people of colour because holy sh*t are we in need of some more strong queer POC within the theatrical world!’
We wish Robert the best of luck on his journey and hope that he always has the confidence to wear what he feels represents him.
Before we start, let’s just all let out a big sigh. You’ll need it.
Hot on the heels of shoving all manner of things up their vaginas, now ‘health’ and ‘beauty’ influencers are encouraging women to smother their breasts in toothpaste in Vaseline to reduce sagging and make breasts grow larger.
Sigh.
One YouTuber called Naturalbeauty556 uploaded a video titled ‘Tighten Sagging Breats in Just 5 Days Using Toothpaste – No Joke’, claiming that a mixture of toothpaste, plain floor, egg whites, and grated cucumber will ‘tighten up your breasts like really, really crazy’.
Another channel, Susana Home Remedies, suggests putting toothpaste on your nipples and rubbing Vaseline on your breasts to make your breasts grow larger.
These videos have received millions of views from people desperate to change the shape and size of their breasts without surgery. It’s not clear how many of them have actually attempted the technique.
But before any more people rush off to buy some tubes of Colgate, it’s important for us to make clear that rubbing toothpaste on your breasts will not make them any bigger. It will also not reduce sagging.
(Picture: Youtube)
In fact, it won’t really do anything apart from make your breasts smell minty.
You might notice a feeling of tightness, however. That’s because toothpaste is drying, so will make skin anywhere on your body feel a bit dryer and tighter. It’s why people use toothpaste to treat spots, because it dries out oil and sebum.
Try smudging some toothpaste on your hand and you’ll feel that the skin seems tighter… but that this sensation is washed away once the toothpaste is removed.
The fact is that applying something to the top layer of your skin won’t make any deeper changes to your body. Just as a lotion can’t ‘melt away fat’, but it can make your legs shinier and appear slimmer, a toothpaste cannot penetrate deeply enough into the skin and reach the breast tissue to have any longterm effect.
The same logic applies to the Vaseline. If you rub your breasts with petroleum jelly they might appear larger because they’ll have a sheen, but you won’t notice an actual increase in size as a result.
Christopher Inglefield, medical director of the London Bridge Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Clinic, tells Metro.co.uk: ‘This bizarre advice simply preys on the many women who are unhappy with the size of their breasts and who might resort to bizarre “miracle fixes” to find a solution to their problem.
‘Sadly, like a lot of guidance on the internet, the vaseline and toothpaste method of breast augmentation is fake news and pure online quackery.
‘Your breasts may end up smelling minty fresh, but it’s highly unlikely there will be any growth.’
If you prefer your evidence anecdotal rather than expert, take note of this: Beauty blogger MakeUpMesha tried the Vaseline and toothpaste trick for 30 days and reported no results at all.
‘It did not work,’ she said. ‘I tried it every night, like an idiot, had my boyfriend looking at me like, “what is she doing?”.
‘The YouTube videos said it’d increase and maximise breast tissue. No – it did not do that at all! Don’t be like me. Don’t rub toothpaste on your nipples or Vaseline on your titty-balls because it will not grow your boobs.’
Thankfully, unlike many other DIY beauty treatments, this one won’t cause much damage if you’ve already tried it. The toothpaste may be too harsh on your skin and could lead to irritation, but once you wash it off and give your skin time to recover you should be totally fine.
If you’re feeling insecure about your breasts and want a change, it’s best to talk to a medical professional about your options – which will likely be surgery.
But before you do that, try changing up your perception of your breasts. It’s natural for breasts to sag at any age – that’s just a result of gravity and skin. Sagging breasts are nothing to be ashamed of and don’t need to be ‘fixed’, by surgery or other means.
Change up the ideals of beauty you’re seeing on social media (The Slumflower is a great follow), try to embrace self-love, and remember that while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting cosmetic surgery if it’s right for you, you are more than just the size and shape of your breasts.
Stormy is currently waiting for someone to adopt him.
This summer’s Ellery Brookman Goldfields Pipeline Half Marathon in Australia was completed by 93 human participants, and one furry runner on four legs.
A local stray dog called Stormy rocked up to meet the runners before the race and just decided to join in.
This very good boy completed the whole course, hitting every check point and finishing within the top 70 with an estimated time of 2:30.
Volunteer coordinator Allison Hunter told Australia’s ABC news that after speaking to the aid stations and marshals later, they found that Stormy stopped at ‘every single one’.
Stormy might not have signed up for the race in advance, but he still got a medal for running 13.1 miles.
Stormy is keeping up with all the other runners. (Picture: AFP PHOTO / RHEA WHOLEY)
Unfortunately, once the race was over, rangers took the pup from the finish line to the pound.
Stormy didn’t have much time to enjoy his participant’s medal before being whisked off to puppy prison, where he’ll stay for seven days to give his owner a chance to claim him.
Race organisers were informed that this half marathon runner lives in a local Aboriginal community, where he doesn’t have a single owner but is well-known around town.
A very good (and very fast) boy. (Picture: FP PHOTO / RHEA WHOLEY)
Stormy has been described as a community dog in Kurrawang, but unless someone comes to claim him within the legal seven day limit, he will be put up for adoption.
Several of the runners involved in the half marathon have expressed interest in making Stormy part of their families.
From the end of the week, western Australians looking for a canine companion (or running partner) will be able to apply to adopt him, for $300 AUD (£169.53) plus the cost of microchipping and registration.
We hope that this very good buy finds his forever home soon or is reunited with a community that loves him.
One year old Stormy finished a half marathon in the average time, despite not being blessed with long legs.
If you’re struggling to get off the couch, think about this pup who ran the whole race simply for the joy of it.
A disabled student has come up with a list of dos and don’ts when dating a person in a wheelchair.
21-year-old Joshua Reeves has cystic fibrosis, and decided to make the list after his own string of unsuccessful dates.
His Tinder profile describes himself as ‘wheels that give you feels’ but said most of his potential dates reach a dead end after he mentions his disability.
He became fed up of the taboo surrounding disabled people and hopes his list will break the stigma.
Joshua’s list includes not asking your date ‘where your carer’ is, and not using terms such as ‘brave’ or ‘hero’.
He also says he doesn’t want sympathy or to be offered to be pushed to the toilet.
(Picture: Joshua Reeves/SWNS.COM)
Joshua's top tips for dating a wheelchair user
Do just love us for who we are, not because you feel sorry for us
Do acknowledge the fact that we are in wheelchairs and don’t avoid around the issue but treat us the same as if we weren’t using a wheelchair
Do the same as what you would do on a date with any person.
Do spend time to listen and if we do mention the reason why that we are disabled or if we don’t, give us time to feel completely comfortable
Don’t patronise us
Don’t give us sympathy – we don’t need to be constantly called ‘special’ or a ‘hero’
Don’t assume you have to take care us – we’re perfectly fine of showering and going to the toilet ourselves
Don’t ask us where our carer is – we don’t ask where your mother is on a night out
Don’t be scared to take it the next level; just go with the flow – just see what happens (e.g. if you want to lean in for the kiss, do it)
Don’t think we aren’t looking for a relationship – we want to find love too
Joshua, from Cardiff, said: ‘We message and the conversation flows but as soon as I say I’m in a wheelchair they go cold.
‘It’s not as harsh as it sounds as they say they’ll still meet me when I ask if it’s changed their view.
‘They just stop responding. Which in a way is worse. But I think they’re scared off because they just think I’ll be completely dependent on them.
‘I’m just looking for someone to love me.’
(Picture: Joshua Reeves/SWNS.COM)
He added: ‘I’m just fed up of the same thing happening. They don’t let things progress to the next step because they fear they will turn into your carer.
‘It’s almost as if people don’t think you can decide for yourself. I’m perfectly able to cook, wash and go to the toilet by myself.
‘I was at a wedding once and someone went up to my mum and asked her if I wanted to dance. I was right there.’
Joshua says he has had a girlfriend in the past, and the pair dated for seven months. However, he’s now been single for a few years and not even his best chat up lines seem to be working.
He said: ‘My favourite one is “Excuse me do you mind pressing my button…you’ve just turned me on.”
‘I think everybody wants to have that special someone.’
(Picture: Joshua Reeves/SWNS.COM)
Joshua said the ten point list was needed as the mainstream media fails to address the taboo of dating a disabled person.
He explained: ‘You never see disabled people in a romantic aspect on reality TV programmes.
‘If you do they’re assigned to shows like the Undateables which I just find patronising.
‘It’s rare if you see a disabled person paired up with someone who isn’t. But it shouldn’t be a rarity.
‘With Love Island they are lean, fit people. I want to become a normal occurrence so people don’t butt an eyelid too.
‘Hopefully the list will break down the stigma and before you know it, I’ll have a girlfriend.
‘I’m a big Star Wars fan so my dream date would incorporate the films.
‘I’d like to find someone who hasn’t seen them so we can spend a weekend watching all the films back to back.’
It’s summer, you might be hanging out in the great outdoors, going trekking, and generally just spending more time outside.
That could mean you’re exposed to ticks – little insects that burrow themselves in your skin.
Most tick bites are harmless but some can carry disease. A tick can infect people with Lyme Disease if it’s already bitten an infected animal.
Not all tick bites are painful, and you might not notice them. Make sure to check your children and pets after they’ve been in grassy or wooded areas.
(Picture: Getty)
Anyone with early symptoms of Lyme Disease may have a red circular rash, sometimes in the form of a bull’s eye.
The rash doesn’t always appear right away and can show up to three months after being bitten. It usually lasts for a few weeks.
Most rashes appear within the first four weeks.
You can have the disease without having a rash. Other symptoms include a high temperature, feeling hot and shivering, headaches, muscle, and joint pain and tiredness and loss of energy.
Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool – you can buy these from some pharmacies, vets and pet shops.
Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
Slowly pull upwards, taking care not to squeeze or crush the tick. Dispose of it when you’ve removed it.
Clean the bite with antiseptic or soap and water.
If you have visited an area where ticks can be found, you might want to see a GP if you have a rash and flu-like symptoms.
The doctor will then put you on a three-week course of antibiotics if you have Lyme’s disease, but you have to make sure you see it through even if you feel better.
Prevention is always better than cure so try to avoid the risk by covering your skin while walking outdoor, tucking your trousers into your socks, using insect repellent, and sticking to paths where possible.
Jason Thompson, 19, is using social media to ask people to pass on the message that he’s looking for a job.
So, can you help him out?
‘I am currently looking for a job. I have experience in business admin but I am willing to try any job. I would love to work in London. Please, retweet,’ he told his followers on Twitter.
So Metro.co.uk had a chat with him about why he deserves to be hired.
‘The search is still ongoing,’ he told us, ‘I am hopeful! I hope to make a positive difference and I want to make a name for myself.
‘A few reasons why someone should hire me: I am a hard worker, I have good initiative, and I am always up for a challenge.
Please Retweet.
My name is Jason Thompson, I am 19 years old and I live in Margate, Kent, United Kingdom. I am currently looking for a job. I have experience in Business Admin but I willing to try any job.
Fathers can and do feel bereft when their children leave home.
Feelings of depression or grief when children have ‘flown the nest’ is popularly known as ’empty nest syndrome’.
Empty nest syndrome isn’t a clinical diagnosis. It refers to a period of transition where painful feelings of loneliness and loss affect parents and caregivers.
Empty nest syndrome doesn’t mean that parents don’t want their children to grow into independent, well-rounded adults, it just acknowledges that this process can be difficult to come to terms with.
Although it’s usually attributed to mothers, dads do experience the sensations of sadness and redundancy that come with empty nest syndrome.
James, 59, the father of three sons aged 30, 28 and 24, told Metro.co.uk: ‘I had some good news last month: my youngest son Matthew is moving back in to our house.
‘I know that some parents would start moaning about the boomerang generation, but I’m delighted.
‘Fathers suffer from empty nest syndrome just as much as women and when your children leave each of them going leaves a hole in your life.
‘I loved having all three boys at home – I love a busy house. The times when I came down the stairs on a Sunday morning to find three young men who I had never seen before asleep on the sitting room floor always made me smile. OK, I didn’t know who they were but one of my sons would!
‘The constant battle for prime position on the sofa and – most important – possession of the TV remote control was part of life, even though I never won either of those battles.
‘When they were gone to university and then jobs I felt their absence so keenly. I wanted them back, I wanted my home to ring once more to their voices, their friends and the constant noise.
‘It’s hard to quantify how funny it is to hear a grown up son coming into the house after a night out in the pub with friends, thinking he’s being terribly quiet as he climbs the stairs making only slightly less noise than an artillery barrage.
‘When Matthew is back, the house will come alive again. He will inhale all my beer and then say “Dad, you’ve run out of beer”. He will chat back and forth with his mother and me and we will love him for it. If only the others were coming home too.’
There’s absolutely no shame in feeling sad because your children have gone to university or moved out to start their own family.
Empty nest syndrome may have been more readily attributed to mothers in the past because due to toxic and outdated ideas about men keeping a ‘stiff upper lip’ and women being ‘naturally more emotional’.
Persistent beliefs about children always having a stronger bond with their mother as the traditional primary caregiver also contribute to the forgetting of fathers when it comes to empty nest syndrome.
Each family unit has a unique dynamic.
Families are varied and unique. (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
Regressive ideas about men being incapable of the same emotional range as women or less interested in their children need to be left behind, or fathers experiencing empty nest syndrome will hide their pain to avoid being seen as ‘unmanly’.
Dads need to feel comfortable opening up to close friends, partners or medical professionals about the feelings associated with empty nest syndrome. If the distress becomes acute and someone feels like their life has lost meaning after children have left home, it’s definitely time to get in touch with a local GP.
Clinical hypnotherapist and author Dipti Tait tells Metro.co.uk: ‘Empty nest syndrome can definitely affect fathers as well as mothers. In my experience, it occurs when we identify the role of head of our family as our sole purpose in life.
‘This becomes our “mission” so we arrange our world around this concept and see this role as inextricably linked to our life purpose.
‘When that role is taken away from us, we can feel a sense of loss and redundancy. This lack of purpose or meaning can cause a feeling of threat to our identity.
‘To avoid this feeling of redundancy, we must remember that we can supplement our life with a wider range of activities and tasks and reframe the change of our circumstances into a positive experience rather than a negative experience.
‘I helped a client recently to “reframe” her situation in her mind and her empty nest syndrome disappeared.
‘I helped her understand how to change the language of her situation. For example, instead of her telling herself that she was feeling lonely and isolated (which feels negative) I helped her realise she was surrounded by stillness and space, and this was a positive for her as she realised she moved from feeling lonely, to being peacefully in solitude.’
Emboldening fathers to tell their stories of the sadness that can affect their lives when their children leave home could be a catalyst for opening up the conversation around empty nest syndrome.
It’s not selfish or unsupportive to feel loss when your children move away, and it’s not an issue that just impacts on female caregivers.
Any parent or guardian can experience empty nest syndrome, regardless of gender.
If you’re really struggling with feelings of grief or sadness, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with your GP or speak to the Samaritans on 116 123.
Check you face. No, seriously. (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
It’s the one week of the year where some doctors are as scared as their patients – as 6,000 newly qualified first-year medics are tipped out of university straight into hospital wards around the country.
And I know what it’s like: 14 years ago, that was me stumbling round the wards as a newly minted doctor with a box-fresh stethoscope and very little clue about what was about to hit me.
Something I didn’t have back then was Twitter, which today is full of old hands offering advice to new doctors under the hashtag #tipsfornewdocs.
All the advice is very sensible, practical stuff about eating properly, asking for help and amiably bribing nurses with baked goods.
But one thing nobody seems to be really telling these bright young things is probably one of the most important parts of the job. In fact, I’d say it’s the most important part, because without them, you’re nothing.
The patient – that person who has no choice but to believe in you. Whether it’s a septic toe or an aortic aneurysm, a patient’s health is the biggest issue in their life right now; they need to be okay, whether it’s to look after their loved ones or make up the numbers at a darts match.
Putting yourself in their shoes for even a minute is one of the most useful things a doctor can do.
Now that I’ve left medicine, I’ve seen it from the other side as both a patient (two broken limbs, I’m not proud – clumsy, but not proud) and as that concerned relative hovering by the bed and getting in everyone’s way.
I can tell you this: the NHS is a wondrous, amazing beast that deserves every accolade chucked its way and every protection from its detractors. And while I know – again, from every angle – that doctors and nurses are tired, harassed, heroic people, the little things really do mean a lot to patients.
So here’s my advice to those talented newbies as they prepare to make a difference.
(Picture: Irene Palacio)
Check your face. No, seriously. Yes, you are very handsome, but this is not about looks.
Your expression, and your tone of voice, will be scrutinised by the patient and their dear ones for signs a) you’re lying and b) you actually care. No need to be upbeat and positive 24/7 like a children’s TV presenter – you just need to be confident and direct.
If it’s bad news, be honest, and be kind. Don’t fudge it – they may be in a hospital bed but they’re not dim. In fact, they’re probably much more ‘on it’ than you give them credit for.
And if it’s good news, be measured, and reassuring. The first thing a patient does when a doctor speaks to them is either not want it to be true or not believe it to be true. Show them you know what you’re talking about.
Your patient will trust you like no other. It’s a big responsibility, yes, but you’re all they’ve got.
Check your attitude. This is just another day at the coalface for you, and there’s every chance you’ve just come from a horrific life-changing situation a few beds down.
It’s easy to become immune, or complacent, in the face of relentless drama, but it’s worth remembering your patient has very likely never experienced anything like this.
Everything is new, scary, and weird, like they’ve been dropped on another planet. Go easy on jargon, appreciate how huge this is for them.
Remember who you are. Your patient will trust you like no other. It’s a big responsibility, yes, but you’re all they’ve got. Wear that burden like a rosette you’re proud of.
Appreciate that the way they’re behaving now is not necessarily what they’re like in the real world. They might be needy, frightened, erratic – take it all in your stride.
Look to the person within, and imagine their place in the world, among people who love and respect them. Forgive them their moods, and indiscretions – it’s not personal, they’re just scared.
Above all, be the very best version of yourself you can be. It’ll come natural to you, I know; you’ll ace it.
All mothers expect some level of pain after giving birth.
I was exhausted and my postnatal body hurt. Like most mothers, it took time to fully recuperate. But with each day that my body felt stronger, my mental state was getting weaker.
Nourishing my child through breastfeeding should have helped establish bonding, strengthening the fundamental and intricate relationship between mother and baby.
But I couldn’t do it.
Because of this I spent my first few weeks with my new baby resenting my body and questioning my identity, not only as a mother, but as a woman.
Thanks to the clear communication that ‘breast is best’, I believed I was giving my baby an inferior start in life by using formula milk.
It is at this point that I usually explain why I bottle-fed formula, instead of breastfeeding, but I’ve decided not to anymore.
Women shouldn’t have to justify their feeding needs or choices to anyone. Why should we feel pressurised to divulge our complicated medical histories or our current physical/emotional limitations?
As a new mum I mourned my inability to lactate. It felt like I had lost something – I felt grief.
I was so focused on what my body couldn’t do, that I forgot what was most important from a mother: the ability to provide warmth, love and comfort. This brief moment saved me.
Before a surge of lactation professionals claim I’m over exaggerating, I’m not. To grieve is defined as ‘to suffer disappointment, misfortune, or other trouble; to fail.’
Incidentally, mothers who aren’t successful in breastfeeding their child are often told they have ‘failed’ by lactation professionals.
Breastfeeding grief should be recognised in its own right; it affects thousands of mothers and should be clinically acknowledged. It’s not necessarily the same as postnatal depression, but without a doubt, it can spiral into it. I know, it almost happened to me.
In my case, it all changed on a day when I was soothing my crying newborn. As I looked lovingly at my son in my arms, resting peacefully on my ‘useless’ breasts, it suddenly hit me: he felt the connection and familiarity I thought we were being deprived of by me soothing him on my chest.
I was so focused on what my body couldn’t do, that I forgot what was most important from a mother: the ability to provide warmth, love and comfort. This brief moment saved me.
From there, I worked on building my knowledge on infant feeding, which helped in my healing process by enabling me to make peace with formula feeding.
The promoted literature we are exposed to always states the benefits of breastfeeding and the disadvantages of formula feeding.
I’m not here to disagree that breastmilk is the perfect nutrition for babies. Please breastfeed if you are able to and want to. I also want to state that I fully support campaigns to normalise breastfeeding, whenever and wherever.
My issue is with the campaigns that promote the heavily biased and outdated research surrounding the benefits of breastfeeding. The exaggerated claims that lead to the division within infant feeding and parental judgement.
Recent research shows that the majority of breastfeeding benefits claimed are heavily affected by genetic, environmental, economic, and other lifestyle factors.
Breastfeeding leads to greater intelligence and cognitive behaviour? Not according to this study. Breastfeeding prevents obesity? These results conflict with that claim. At least they are protected from allergies… actually I wouldn’t be so confident after reading this study.
By all means encourage breastfeeding, but please stop putting pressure on new mothers as it can lead to emotional turmoil.
Every mother wants what’s best for their child. Sometimes this will be achieved by breastfeeding and sometimes formula feeding will be the safest and best option.
It’s time to stop reinforcing outdated stereotypes and assumptions and start providing individual care and advice for mothers based on their personal needs.
You can find out more about Don’t Judge Just Feed on Facebook and Twitter.
Denis Bollington, 93, and Megan, 92, met in 1948 and two weeks later, they were engaged.
After three months of their whirlwind romance in which they exchanged 129 love letters, they got married.
And now, they’ve enjoyed wedded bliss for 70 years without any arguments, they say.
The couple endured World War I, long distance, unemployment, and other difficulties through their lives together in which they had four children.
Being the marriage experts they are, they have some tips for lovers.
(Picture: James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)
At 21, Megan travelled from her home in Wales to meet sister Betty who was living with Denis’s family.
When she met Denis, it was love at first sight.
The couple then had to separate because Denis had to go away to work during the war which is when he sent the first note for Megan asking her to marry him.
They wrote to each other until they met again on Whitsun weekend at the end of May in 1948.
That’s when Denis was able to propose in person.
(Picture: James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)
Denis said: ‘We were mutually attracted to each other, it just came naturally.
‘We just loved each other, it’s difficult to explain but we wrote about 50 letters to each other, and we still have them.’
Megan who was in the Women’s Land Army during the Second World War, added: ‘There was just something there, I don’t know what it was but I wouldn’t want my life to be any different.
‘When I got home one day there was a letter from Denis and he proposed in that.
‘It took a while for me to say yes as I didn’t see him again until the end of June.’
(Picture: James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)
Since they’ve been married, they’ve kept their letters together in a tin wrapped in a bow.
Denis said the key to their happiness is real love. He said: ‘Have real love, stick together when things are difficult. Help each other through the difficult times – be tolerant with each other.
(Picture: James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)
‘A lot of people get confused between real love and sex. In our case, it was real love. Life has revolved around family and we have been very happy.’
If they were able to avoid arguing in their seven-decade union, maybe it is possible to not have a tiff every other day with your other half.
It won’t be just mums going to Iceland now as environmentally-conscious folks can head to the budget supermarket for some plastic-free chewing gum.
It is said to be the first supermarket in the UK offering eco-friendly gum.
Chewing gum can be a nightmare after it’s discarded as it plagues streets, public spaces, and schools, costing local councils £60 million a year.
So Iceland’s new line should be welcome news to all.
(Picture: SWNS/Iceland)
Simply Gum should help tackle the waste left on 95% of Britain’s streets as a result of the 100,000 tons of chewing gum consumed every year.
The new stuff is completely biodegradable meaning it’s kinder to the environment.
It is made from a tree sap called chicle which is extracted from the sapodilla tree.
The decision to stock the product forms part of the supermarket’s pledge to go plastic-free on its own label products – something the chain aims to fulfill by the end of 2023.
Why is there plastic in gum?
Ancient Greeks, Aztecs, and Mayans enjoyed the tree sap, chicle. The sapodilla trees it is extracted from is native to Central America.
By 1848, commercial chewing gum was created using chicle.
But as the demand for the chewy stuff grew, manufacturers replaced it with a synthetic rubber, a polymer.
That is a plastic product made from oil, like the synthetic products used to make car tyres.
Am I ingesting bits of plastic if I chew on gum?
The three main ingredients of gum base are resin, wax, and elastomer (the plastic bit). Resin is the main chewable portion, wax softens the gum, and elastomers add flexibility.
The flavours come from artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols. Intensive Sweeteners are often added to delay the release of flavour.
So as long as you’re not swallowing the whole chewing gum, you won’t be ingesting plastic.
(Picture: SWNS/Iceland)
Iceland also conducted research into people’s attitudes to plastic, finding that of the 2,000 interviewed, 85% were unaware gum contained plastic.
‘I absolutely detest the mess that discarded plastic chewing gum creates on our streets, and the fortune that is wasted by councils trying to clear it up,’ said Malcolm Walker, Iceland founder and executive chairman.
‘We are delighted to make Simply Gum available to UK consumers in our stores so that they can have a real choice about what they are consuming and the impact they make on the environment.’
(Picture: SWNS/Iceland)
Simply Gum creator, Caron Proschan, added: ‘I created it because I recognised a need for a natural gum that was made with high quality, sustainable ingredients. We chose Iceland as our UK launch partner because of their shared commitment to quality and sustainability.’
Iceland’s research showed that three-quarters of gum buyers said they will think twice about buying regular chewing gum again in the future.
They also found nine in 10 are worried about the damage being done to the environment by plastic. Hopefully, they’ll be using Iceland’s ethical alternative then.
Simply Gum is available in Iceland stores across the country and online – it costs £2 for a pack of 15 and comes in mint, maple and ginger flavours.
A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fanatic has fulfilled his childhood dream by filling his home with more than a thousand turtles.
Michael Butcher has converted his home and back garden into a turtle and terrapin sanctuary, and nearly every room is filled with them – including his mum’s bedroom.
Terrapins, or sliders, are semi-aquatic fresh water turtles that bask on land, rocks or floating branches throughout the day.
(Picture: SWNS)
Michael gives abandoned and unwanted terrapins a home, often nursing them back to health.
And the 38-year-old has plans to build plenty more sanctuaries in the future – because he just can’t get enough turtles.
Michael said: ‘When I was a child I loved the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – all I wanted was a turtle.
(Picture: SWNS)
‘But my dad wouldn’t let me have one.
‘Then, when I was going through a bad patch in my early 30s, I saw on Facebook that a man had a terrapin and was going to throw it out if no one came to take it – so I did.
‘He handed the terrapin over in a Bisto jar.
‘It all started from there really.
(Picture: SWNS)
‘I could see how badly turtles were being treated, being abandoned all over, and I wanted to help.
‘I started ponds and tanks out the back for them.
‘Now I have more than 1,000 – I can’t be sure because it’s hard to count them all.’
Michael says he has turtles in every single room in his house except for the bathroom and kitchen.
(Picture: SWNS)
Although turtles have a reputation for being a bit snappy, Michael said his thousand turtles are tame.
He said: ‘The terrapins are not aggressive at all. We have lots of different kinds here and most are pretty timid.
‘We don’t name them all as they are just too many but we do have our main ones.
‘We’ve got Big Sally in the pond. Her original owner Clifford comes into to visit her – he’s become like family.’
(Picture: SWNS)
‘And then we have Lady Di, who we took in last winter. She was ill for quite some time but is much better now.
‘It can be hard because almost half of the turtles brought in don’t make it, they’re just too far gone. They can come down with infections easily.’
Some people underestimate the size the terrapins will get to.
(Picture: SWNS)
Michael, from Staplehurst, Kent, said: ‘Most people don’t understand how big they get.
‘They can grow up to 15 inches, some even bigger. You can’t just stick them in a fish tank.
‘Some of them are in a hell of a state when they come in because of how they’ve been kept.’
(Picture: SWNS)
Most of the terrapins are dropped directly to the sanctuary, and although Michael loves what he does, the financial strain can be a bit much.
Michael only gets around £40 a year in donations – which doesn’t even start to cover the electricity bill, which can get to £500 a month, or feeding the turtles, which can cost £200.
He said: ‘To be a registered charity you have to get £5,000 a year in donations.
(Picture: SWNS)
‘My dream is to build a federation of turtle sanctuaries across Britain.
‘The Government has brought in the Invasive Species Act and is decimating the population – killing them for no reason when they could be put in sanctuaries.
‘What’s the point in killing them when they could be helped?’
Aperol Spritz fans, rejoice: You’ll soon be able to get your favourite summer cocktail delivered straight to your door.
Well, as long as you live in London or Manchester.
On National Prosecco Day – a very real holiday which takes place on 13 August – an Italian Aperol bartender will be travelling from door to door to give away free cocktails.
The bartender will be travelling around the city in a little van delivering two ready made cocktails at a time.
However, he’ll only be visiting a select few – so the entirety of London shouldn’t get their hopes up.
(Picture: Rex/Shutterstock)
The ‘Aperol-ivery’ service will start in London from 13 – 15 August, before the bartender drives up to Manchester to complete his deliveries from 17 – 19 August.
The cocktails will be delivered between 4pm and 10pm, the perfect time for anyone who wants to sit out in their garden on a warm summer’s evening.
However, as mentioned above, only a select few will be able to enjoy the cocktails – and that’s only if you’ve entered a competition to give you the chance to be picked.
Entries for the competition, which you can enter here, close at 10pm on Friday 10 August for the London delivery and 10pm on Tuesday 14 August for the Manchester Delivery.
(Picture: Rex/Shutterstock)
If you’re not fortunate enough to be picked, don’t worry, you can still get your hands on a cocktail for next to nothing, as Aldi has recently released its own super cheap version of Aperol.
At £6.99, the Aperini is infused with orange, rhubarb, vanilla and herbs and spices.
Aldi’s joint managing director of corporate buying Julie Ashfield said: ‘Not only is our Aperini Italian Aperitif perfectly on-trend, it’s also in keeping with our commitment to providing our customers with products of incredible quality and at the best possible price.
‘With customers planning Spring weekend get-togethers, we were keen to extend our spirits offering by introducing a perfect alternative for creating the popular spritz drink.’
