Customers have rushed to empty the shelves of a doughnut shop every morning so its owner can go home and care for his sick wife.

Fans of the Donut City shop in Seal Beach, California, are buying even more of the treats than usual in a bid to support owner John Chhan and his wife Stella, who suffered a brain aneurysm last month.

After realizing John needed time to care for Stella while keeping his business afloat, they began lining up as soon as the store opens at 4:30am each morning and buying a dozen doughnuts at a time.

Within three hours its shelves are empty – meaning John can go to the nursing home where Stella is being cared for far ahead of his scheduled 3pm closing time.

Regular Steven O’Fallon told CBSLA: ‘It is heartbreaking to hear her misfortune.

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‘(Stella) was always in the back making doughnuts.’

‘I would drop by there with my mom and dad in the mornings before school.

‘John would always toss a few extra doughnut holes. He always has a smile on his face.’

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Fellow Donut City fan Jenee Rogers added: ‘Every Sunday for 20 years, we’ve been purchasing doughnuts.

‘It’s one of the few things that’s still here. He makes them fresh and brings them right there in the mornings.

‘It’s a real American dream for them.’

John and Stella arrived in the US in 1979 as Cambodian refugees, and have worked together in the store ever since.

The devoted husband has shunned requests to set up a GoFundMe account, insisting all that he wants is more time to spend with Stella.

But John has been bowled over by his neighbor’s generosity, telling CBSLA: ‘I am very appreciative.’

HIIT, or high intensity interval training, is a fantastic way to work out. It’s explosive, energetic and builds your overall fitness levels – but the classes can be pretty intimidating.

Group workouts as an introvert can be daunting. The Americanised, high-fiving culture of modern fitness circles is a living hell if you’re shy – but why should you miss out on all the benefits of these classes just because of your personality type? Silent HIIT could be the answer.

Remember silent discos? Where everyone in the club dons a giant pair of headphones and bops around to their own personal playlist – everyone dancing at a different tempo, wailing along to your favourite song in the otherwise silent room.

Silent HIIT uses this concept to allow you to have the feel of a group workout, while still being in your own little world. You don’t have to talk to anyone or make eye contact with any sweaty strangers – it’s an introvert’s dream.

The concept is pretty simple – you log in to an app on your phone, enter your details, find a workout you like and voila, you’ve got a trainer leading a workout session just for you in your earphones.

At first it feels kind of weird following your own guide as everyone around you does something different, but you quickly get used to it and zone out the distractions. It’s more effective than working out alone – rather than giving up when it starts to hurt, a voice in your ear telling you to push on for 30 more seconds keeps you working hard.

At £8 a month, the app, Auro, aims to be an affordable alternative for personal training and overpriced HIIT sessions, that can cost as much as £20 for an hour’s class. And you can tailor your workout to whatever you want to achieve.

Specify by body part, duration or music – the app has settings for beginner, intermediate and advanced fitness lovers, so there is a challenge to suit every need. And you can literally do it anywhere.

Use it as part of a silent HIIT class, get a bunch of fitness friends in the same space and complete your workouts together, but in your own head space. Or you can take it to the gym and make use of the equipment to get the most out of our workout.

Unlike video guides, Auro gives you total freedom of movement because it’s in your ears – there’s no need to be glued to a screen, or trying to decipher your notes on a scrap of paper.

Auro’s reasearch shows that having a personal trainer improves the chances of achieving your fitness goals by 73%. But for most people, the cost means it’s unfeasible.

Personal trainer, Jane Wake, has partnered with Auro to offer bespoke fitness classes for subscribers.

‘PTs should be able to make such a difference to an individual that they can feel empowered to hit those fitness goals, even if they didn’t feel this way at the start of their fitness journey,’ Jane explains.

‘Auro combines all the benefits of a PT but with the analysis and intelligence of an app so you can gauge progress and have programmes adapt accordingly to your personal use, without losing that real human touch.’

There are some limitations – without any visual guides whatsoever, you do worry that form could suffer. Occasionally the instructors describe a move and it’s difficult to visualise exactly what they mean. This isn’t great because performing exercises correctly is crucial for an effective and safe workout.

But ultimately, the use of apps like Auro could make fitness more inclusive – for those who can’t afford classes, or for those who don’t enjoy group interactions but still want to be motivated.

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A pampered pet squirrel gets to watch TV, is treated to face masks and enjoys cuddles on the sofa with her rescuer.

35-year-old Christina Reyes has spent two and a half years and £7,700 raising little Thumbelina after she was found in a tenth floor apartment.

Thumbelina and another baby were found in a pile of leaves and twigs on a homeowner’s bed after being left there by their mother.

Christina, who has rehabilitated orphaned squirrels since 2008, rushed over to tend to the tiny animals, then just a few hours old.

Christina and her husband Michael, 37, nursed the squirrels back to health and fed them formula through a syringe.

Sadly one of the babies caught a fever and passed away a few hours later, but Thumbelina – so-called because of her teeny size – pulled through.

When the time came to release her into the wild, the couple feared Thumbelina wouldn’t survive because she couldn’t jump or climb.

Instead, the animal lovers built a bed for the adorable rodent and welcomed her into their lives full time.

Now spoilt Thumbelina spends every night cuddling them on the sofa and enjoys human activities such as watching TV, doing face masks and eating avocado.

Christina said the rodent – which wears squirrel-sized hats and glasses – is her ‘baby’ and ‘best friend’.

The fitness instructor, from Mahopac, New York, said: ‘I love Thumbelina so much.

‘My husband and I knew that we never wanted children. Thumbelina is our baby.

‘She’s my little best friend, every day I look forward to spending time with her.

‘When I’m feeling low, she comes over and snuggles with me.

‘My family are used to me being an animal person but my husband’s family was quite squeamish about it.

‘But now they have come to accept that Thumbelina is our baby. They even send her cards.

‘She is a little troublemaker. She loves to bite a charger, the buttons on a remote, and headphone wires.

‘She’s always trying to get into the refrigerator. She does require a lot of attention.’

The couple first met Thumbelina in March 2016 after she was found in a Bronx, New York, apartment.

Christina said: ‘The mother was standing on the window sill, twitching her tail and freaking out because he was touching her babies.

‘She kept bringing in nest building materials but she wasn’t taking her babies back.

‘Michael and I knew we had to take them as they were only three hours old and needed to be fed.’

After nursing her back to health, the couple named the squirrel Thumbelina because she was so small.

She said: ‘When she was just three days old, my husband cracked open a walnut and said: “I bet we can fit her inside the shell”.

‘She fitted into it perfectly and reminded us of the Thumbelina fairy tale where the tiny girl slept in a walnut shell cradle.’

She added that Thumbelina is not ‘outside squirrel material’ and needs a lot of TLC.

Christina said: ‘When we tried to introduce her to other squirrel babies, she isolated herself.

‘She curled up into a ball and she wanted nothing to do with them.

‘She walked on the ground, she didn’t like to climb or jump, she followed us around.

‘She’s afraid of everything. We brought her to the park and she acted like it was a haunted house.

‘She doesn’t like the cold. She just huddles herself into a ball. She’s not outside squirrel material.’

Christina has spent around £7,700 on little Thumbelina so far, splashing out £40 a week on her diet of fresh kale, arugula, spinach, snap peas and avocados.

She said: ‘It’s a lot of money – it’s like sending your child to college. But she’s worth every cent.’

Just last weekend, Thumbelina was wheeled into surgery to have a £1,5000 hysterectomy, leaving Christina racked with worry.

She said: ‘Thumbelina gains weight very quickly. She weighs just over two pounds and really she should be between 1.5 and 1.75.

‘All her life she’s been a little chub with a pot belly. She is on a strict diet of kale, greens and squash and no nuts.

‘The vet said that her progesterone levels were too high and her little uterus was enlarged so she should have a hysterectomy.

‘I was hysterical because she’s my little baby. She’s so small and there were concerns about anesthesia.

‘I was so afraid to go to sleep. I slept with her next to me. But it all went well.’

Christina added that although some people consider squirrels to be rodents, they deserve human care and attention just as much as more conventional pets do.

She said: ‘People see squirrels as dirty rats, but Thumbelina has such a strong, endearing personality.

‘She deserves just as much love and affection as you would give a cat or a dog.’

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With a rise in interest for vegan food and products, fairs and festivals to celebrate all things cruelty-free and plant-based are popping up.

One such festival is Vevolution, now in its third year.

The festival will take place on the weekend of 10 November and will be held at the iconic British Film Institute in London’s Southbank.

After last year’s success which included TED talks, panels, workshops, a vegan Dragon’s Den, and of course, lots and lots of delicious food stands, this year is set to be bigger.

You can expect to see vegan royalty such as Sunday Times bestselling authors BOSH!, who have their own Youtube channel, and chef King CookDaily, all of whom have been leaders in bringing veganism to the forefront.

Founders of popular LA vegan fashion brand Delikate Rayne, Meg and Komie Vora will be at the event as well as self-described gym shark Stefanie Moir (Naturally Stefanie). Food blogger Rachel Ama will also be at the festival.

Americans will get their share of the limelight too as the States’ largest plant-based food and drink festival – Eat Drink Vegan – will host the second stage. You can expect to see some of America’s biggest vegan names sharing their ideas.

Vevolution is the brainchild of Damien Clarkson and Judy Nadel who began the annual event after leading vegan talks in the past and realising the demand for it.

‘Vevolution is all about empowering people to live happy and fulfilled lives, where we make positive contributions to our communities,’ said Judy.

‘It’s amazing to see how it has grown alongside the rise of the plant-powered movement and we can’t wait to celebrate inspiring people and ideas to change the world this November.’

‘We are incredibly proud to be bringing Vevolution Festival to the BFI in the heart of London’s Southbank,’ added co-founder Damien.

‘Around the world, plant-powered people are playing a huge role in shaping culture. Vevolution Festival 2018 is the gathering for the plant-powered generation – it’s all about coming together to help shape a more positive outlook for the future of the planet.’

Tickets range between £45.00 – £103.50 and can be found here.

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An expectant mother claims she was fat shamed by a midwife who allegedly told her she should lose weight and diet at 21 weeks pregnant.

Mum-of-four Karene Eggleton said she felt ‘happy and healthy’ going for a routine checkup at her local antenatal clinic – but claims she was left feeling ‘greatly ashamed and embarrassed’ after a midwife allegedly told her she needed to ‘lose weight and go on a diet’.

The 44-year-old from Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia said she usually weighs 9st 12lbs and stands at 5ft 1inches, meaning her BMI sits at 25 – just over 2lbs from the healthy weight range set by the national guidelines.

The size 12 accountant claims she was told this information by a midwife at the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital during a checkup at their antenatal clinic last month, adding that this was the ‘first time ever’ that her weight had been raised as an issue during any of her prior three pregnancies.

Karene said: ‘On top of my regular visits to my normal doctor, I also need to visit the antenatal clinic at my local hospital each month, as this is considered a geriatric pregnancy due to my age.

‘There was a midwife there who was training a student nurse. I stepped on the scales and did a few other tests.

‘She then referred me to a ‘get healthy’ program, which I was told would teach me how to diet and exercise properly in order to lose weight while pregnant.

‘I was really shocked. It wasn’t handled sensitively, I felt great shame and quite confused as I feel fantastic.

‘I’ve never been one to get wrapped up in body issues and things like that, but at that moment I felt so embarrassed and self-conscious.

‘I’ve been doing everything I can to ensure my baby is healthy. I eat clean, I exercise daily and do yoga once a week to prepare for the birth.

‘I’ve been really healthy and have passed all my pregnancy tests with flying colours. There is absolutely nothing wrong with me or the baby and everything is going along smoothly.

‘But then to be told that I need to go on a diet and lose weight, I felt like I’ve done something wrong. I began questioning myself.

‘I’ve been weighed throughout all my pregnancies and I think it’s a really important tool to monitor how a pregnant woman’s health is going.

‘It’s only this one midwife that had ever mentioned my weight.

‘I didn’t even think it was safe to diet while pregnant. I’ve gained 9lbs (6kgs) and I’m halfway through my pregnancy, so I think that’s pretty normal.

‘I understand if you go into pregnancy being obese or morbidly obese. As in that case there are certainly risks and that conversation really needs to be had.

‘But I really don’t feel that I’m in that spectrum. My BMI normally is at 25, and I’m only around 1kg away from being in the healthy weight range.’

Karene says she has struggled with anxiety and depression in the past and believes being told to lose weight while pregnant could easily trigger other mums who suffer with mental illness.

The mum added that she would not be taking the midwife’s advice and instead plans on ‘relaxing’ and enjoying the rest of her pregnancy.

‘We don’t need the extra pressure and shaming.

‘It’s hard enough for women to deal with their body changing through pregnancy and gaining those extra kilograms.

‘It’s really damaging. I’ve battled anxiety and depression in the past, but throughout this pregnancy I’ve been feeling great both physically and mentally.

‘If I wasn’t so strong right now, it could be easy for someone like me with mental health issues to let that consume them.

‘When you’re dealing with morning sickness, I think it is important to just eat what you can.

‘It’s awful enough without having to worry about being on a diet and counting calories.

‘I feel gorgeous, glowing and healthy. I’m just going to relax and enjoy the rest of this incredible journey.’

Jill Ludford, Chief Executive of Murrumbidgee Local Health District, said: ‘Get Healthy in Pregnancy is a NSW Health initiative offered to all pregnant women over the age of 16 and it is up to them if they wish to take part.

‘It is not a weight loss program but aims to assist women to get healthy during pregnancy.

‘Get Healthy in Pregnancy offers a free, confidential coaching service to assist women to eat healthily during pregnancy, get active, gain or maintain a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy, not drink alcohol during pregnancy and return to their pre-pregnancy weight.’

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If you’re the kind of person who tears up at watching the first dance between newly married couples then don’t worry, this first dance is nothing like that.

Grooms Noah and PJ wanted the first time they danced together as husband and husband to be extra special.

They fooled their guests into thinking they’d be doing the usual slow step, looking deeply into each other’s eyes. And they did that for a bit, until a DJ ‘malfunction’ sets the couple into a very well-rehearsed choreography.

The couple, who have their own YouTube channel uploaded the video showing a very impressive four-minute dance which even included that Dirty Dancing move. You know the one, remember thinking you could actually pull it off one time?

Well, they successfully managed to do it, much to the delight of their large audience.

The proficient dancers moved to the beat of the Conga, Madonna’s Vogue, KC and The Sunshine Band’s Get Down Tonight, and of course I’ve Had the Time of My Life from Dirty Dancing.

‘We seriously did have the time of our lives. An incredible night surrounded by incredible people!’ they wrote on the video description, thanking the wedding organisers and dance teachers for their hard work.

Not only did they want to entertain people, they also urged anyone watching the video to donate to a charity.

‘As a tribute to everyone who has helped us live our lives openly and without fear – and to all the brave people working out there so hard on that front — we set up a fundraiser for the life-changing (and life-saving) It Gets Better Project,’ they wrote.

The It Gets Better Project aims to uplift, empower, and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) youth around the world.

Though it’s the only video currently on the channel, it’s racked up over a million views and received a tonne of praise online.

One commenter wrote: ‘Aw, this made me cry. And I don’t even know you people but I’m happy for you, you seem like a perfect match, wishing you all the happiness in the world.’

While another said: ‘I never comment on YouTube, but I couldn’t let this go without saying it was the loveliest and most inspirational thing I have seen today. Scratch that… this week. No, month. Maybe this year? Whatever- amazing. I hope this sets the tone for the rest of your lives.’

Anyone else have tears in their eyes?

You can donate to the non-profit organisation here.

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A new study has found that lesbian and bisexual women are at higher risk of heart disease due to the traumatic abuse and neglect they face.

Researchers have found that sexual minority women are more likely than straight women to be stressed, use tobacco, binge drink and be obese – which are all cardiovascular risk factors.

Abuse, neglect and other trauma women from these sexual orientations face could be behind the trend, according to researchers, but the reasons remain unclear.

The study found lesbian and bisexual women are almost 60% more likely to have diabetes, more than 40% more likely to be depressed or report overeating and 30% more likely to have anxiety.

They are also at higher risk of post traumatic stress disorder and feeling as though they have less social support.

Dr Billy Caceres, of Columbia University School of Nursing in the United States, said: ‘These findings suggest healthcare providers should screen for trauma as a cardiovascular disease risk factor in this population, according to the authors.’

Researchers analysed how increasing trauma severity was linked with higher reports of cardiovascular risk factors among almost 550 lesbian and bisexual women.

They measured three forms of trauma the women experienced during childhood and adulthood, including physical and sexual abuse, as well as their overall lifetime trauma.

Parental neglect during childhood and intimate partner violence during adulthood were also measured.

Lifetime trauma was then determined by the overall total.

According to the study, higher levels of diabetes and depression were linked to all three forms of trauma suffered by lesbian and bisexual women, with reports of overeating having increased among women who have experienced childhood trauma, and increased anxiety linked to more adult trauma.

This preliminary research has been recognised as the Cardiovascular stroke Nursing Best Abstract Award, with the findings due to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions in Chicago.

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Calling all candle enthusiasts:

We don’t want to make any dramatic statements, but the limited-edition Jo Loves Christmas Tree A Scented Candle has arrived and it could well be *the* festive Christmas candle to covet.

There is a host of lovely candles released for Christmas that conjure up the festive feeling, from the likes of Yankee Candle, Diptyque and Molton Brown.

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But since nothing says Christmas quite like the scent of a real Christmas tree, The Jo Loves Christmas Tree Candle gets our vote.

It packs a gorgeous Christmas punch, with a scent that evokes childhood memories of walking into a room where the smell of a real Christmas tree fills the air.

The candle has notes of fresh pine with aromatic lavender, incense and amber that weave together to create a warm and comforting fragrance – think pine needles and spices, without being too sweet.

The fragrance is created by Jo Loves Founder, Jo Malone, who said: ‘To me there is nothing more special at Christmas than the scent of a real pine tree floating through my home.

‘It instantly evokes a feeling of family and excitement. To capture this, I weaved fresh pine with lavender, incense and amber to create the most wonderfully nostalgic and comforting Christmas fragrance.’

The Jo Loves scented candle, hand-poured in England, comes beautifully presented in a white box with a Union flag sleeve, topped with the Jo Loves signature red ribbon, making it a perfect gift.

It doesn’t exactly come cheap, at  £55 for 185g, but you can smell the difference between a candle that is high quality and one that isn’t and it has 40 hours of burn time, so there’s no need to be too sparing with lighting it.

The Jo Loves Christmas Trees A Scented Candle not only feels luxurious, but it scores full marks for potency too. Just a short burn time fills the room with the fragrance and it lasts and lasts.

There really is no need to buy a real tree again.

The Jo Loves Christmas Trees A Scented Candle is available to buy online at Jo Loves, SpaceNK and Net-a-Porter now.

A pair of twin sisters gave birth to baby daughters within an hour of each other.

Bao Nhia Julia Yang and Bao Kou Julie Yang, 23, both went into labor unexpectedly Sunday evening, with their daughters arriving at the same hospital in Fresno, California, later that night.

Bao Nhia’s daughter Candra Thao weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces, with Bao Kou’s baby Nadalie Xiong coming in just three ounces lighter.

Recalling the moment they realized they were both giving birth, Bao Kou told KPGE: ‘I started having like, I started spotting, so I think I knew that I was going to be in labor.

‘And then I told her, and she was like, “I’m having pain here and there too. I might be in there with you too”.’

Elasticated waistbands at the ready, Pret's Christmas menu is coming

Bao Kou is delighted her daughter and niece share a birthday, just like her and her sister, calling the same-day birth ‘a miracle.’

Nurse Laura Schleicher, who helped deliver both girls, said it was the first time in her 18 year career she had seen twins give birth on the same day.

She added: ‘They just had great timing, very unique timing.’

O little town of Pret-lehem, the overworked millennials sing on their lunch break.

The time has come to enjoy the popular chain’s Christmas offerings, which means we’ll all be eating a lot of festive sandwiches between now and the big day.

There’s all the usual suspects in the range, with a few new additions. One great thing on top of the food, however, is the fact that 50p will be donated to charity from every festive sandwich and baguette sold this year.

The money will go to The Pret Foundation, and will help homeless people to find jobs and mentoring within the company.

It’s all in the spirit, eh.

Here’s what’s in store for Pret this Christmas:

Christmas lunch sandwich, £3.75

Turkey, port and cranberry-orange sauce, pork stuffing, spinach, mayo, and crispy onions.

What more could you want on a cold winter’s day?

Veggie Christmas lunch sandwich, £3.50

The vegetarian version of Pret’s famous festive sarnie has butternut squash, rocket, crispy onions, christmas pesto, and a spoonful of yoghurt and mayo dressing.

Vegan Christmas lunch sandwich, £3.50

Not too far off the veggie option is this vegan number.

You’ll have grilled carrots, crispy onions and baby spinach with our festive vegan stuffing, and port and orange cranberry sauce. There are also some caramelised pecans thrown in for crunch.

Christmas lunch baguette, £4.25

In here, you have everything you’d find in the meaty sandwich version served in a stonebaked baguette.

Wiltshire-cured ham and Wensleydale baguette, £3.99

One to eat while watching Wallace and Gromit (a Christmas tradition, of course).

It includes the comedic cartoon pair’s favourite cheese, ham, caramelised onion chutney, and some pecans and spinach for bite.

Brie and cranberry baguette, £3.50

Brie is a very festive cheese, no two ways about it.

This baguette includes three slices of it, with cranberry sauce, toasted pistachios, and some rocket to offset the sweetness.

Festive winter salad, £4.50

Many people eschew salads as the weather cools down, but die-hards can just go for something a bit more wintry with this.

Shredded apple is combined with butternut squash, broccoli, and spinach. Then there’s Wensleydale with cranberries, caramelised pecans, and pomegranate seeds. Lush.

Mince pie cookie, £1.45

A brand new one from Pret that likely came off the back of the success of their amazing vegan chocolate cookie is this spicy treat.

Big mincemeat chunks are encased in a ginger and orange cookie.

Melvin the melting gingerbread snowman, £1.45

You know this old favourite. Marshmallow, gingerbread, and jelly sweets.

Christmas tiffin, £1.60

This is a real mix, with gingerbread pieces, white chocolate, dried cranberries, pistachios, and loads of orange chocolate.

Drinks, all £2.85

• Creme brulee latte
• Orange hot chocolate
• Mint hot chocolate
• Gingerbread latte

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A trash compactor cracked both side’s of a man’s skull and broke his legs after he fell into it while looking for a lost phone.

Scott Walsh, 22, also suffered ruptured arteries in his neck after he fell head-first down a garbage chute while helping a friend move house in Denver Saturday.

Walsh lost his balance while trying to spot his friend’s gadget and fell 15 feet into the compactor, with his weight turning the machine on.

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His horrified friends called 911, with firefighters arriving minutes later to pull him out.

Walsh’s friend Matt Johnson told ABC7: ‘I saw him come out of the trash compactor.

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‘It wasn’t a very good scene. He’s very lucky to be alive…it’s a miracle.’

Liz DiSalvio, who also witnessed the accident added: ‘When he fell down, it activated the compactor and he was in there, I would say, approximately five minutes.

A GoFundMe page set up for pizza server Walsh says that he must now undergo ‘many surgeries’  and that ‘he will be out of work for a long time and will need to go through physical therapy.’

Doctors have said that Walsh did not suffer any brain or spinal damage, increasing the chances of him making a full recovery.

The company which runs the complex where Walsh was injured says it is aware of the accident, and is working with authorities, according to the Denver Post. 

 

A 600-year-old castle with a staircase designed to favour the homeowner in a sword fight has been put on the market for less than £500,000.

Mains Castle dates from around 1450 and was first occupied in 1478 by Princess Euphemia Stewart and her husband, David Lindsay, who was Provost of Glasgow.

The property fell into dilapidation 200 years later when it was fired at by the Claverhouse Dragoons, with cannonball marks still visible on the lower castle walls.

But the Victorians restored the East Kilbride castle in 1883, only for it to lose its roof in a 1922 storm, and be derelict until the 1970s.

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It was at this stage the castle, which sits on land once thought to have been owned by Robert the Bruce, underwent an eight-year restoration.

The walls range from six to ten-feet deep, with accommodation spread over five storeys.

Mains Castle’s spiral turnpike staircase was designed in a clockwise direction to give a right-handed swordsman the advantage over an intruder trying to fight his way up.

There is also an original guardroom which has been converted into a cloakroom, complete with stone clad cistern and a copper wash basin.

The flagstone-floored Great Hall serves as the main kitchen and living room, which have rough stone walls and solid oak beam.

On the third floor of the A-Listed property is a master bedroom suite, a second bedroom and a toilet, and the fourth floor has an additional kitchen along with a third bedroom and bathroom.

The 40ft high castle, set in almost three acres of parkland and overlooking James Hamilton Heritage Loch, has now been put on the market with Savills for offers over £495,000.

It is the oldest inhabited property in East Kilbride, which is nine miles from Glasgow city centre, 16 miles from Glasgow Airport and 40 miles from Edinburgh Airport.

Peter Gillespie, from Savills, said: ‘Mains Castle is the real thing – a ‘proper’ fairytale castle that has been brilliantly and sympathetically restored without losing any of its imposing and powerful ambience.

‘For anyone dubious about modern living in a castle, this property proves how it can be done.

‘In its parkland setting and with an easy commute into central Glasgow, Mains Castle is well worth consideration by a buyer seeking their very own slice of Scottish history.’

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A very happy dog who had an awful start in life now has a new family.

Murray the Weimaraner was found as a puppy with his three siblings on Dead Dog Beach in Puerto Rico.

‘Dead Dog Beach’ got its name for being a well known dumping spot for stray animals.

While in Puerto Rico, Murray and his siblings showed signs of distemper, a virus that is fatal to most dogs as it affects their respiratory and nervous symptoms.

Luckily, Murray was rescued by The Sato Project – a canine charity dedicated to saving abused and abandoned dogs on the beach – and transported to the USA to be adopted.

Sadly, two of Murray’s siblings didn’t survive.

Murray was due to be euthanised, but after a wag of his tail the vet changed their mind and did what they could to treat him.

Due to the virus, Murray now has no teeth, causing his tongue to flop out of his mouth.

He also has bone deformation that makes him look a little different.

But this didn’t stop him from being adopted by Mackenzie Gallant and her family.

Mackenzie said: ‘The signature tongue out is just the cutest thing, and his crooked features, if you look at his face closely you notice his ears aren’t aligned right on his head.

‘His quirks make him even cuter and more special.’

The dog is now happily living in Massachusetts with his human and canine family.

Murray’s human sister, Mackenzie, set up an Instagram account for the unusual pup – to raise awareness of his condition and the importance of adoption.

She said: ‘We made his Instagram when I left for college for friends and family to follow but over the past year he has gained a lot of followers and helped raise awareness of rescue dogs, The Sato Project and distemper.’

Murray has become internet famous, and is proving that being different is beautiful.

Mackenzie said: ‘Murray is so special because of his personality, he is a survivor and has no idea anything is wrong with him and is always happy and wagging his tail. He does and tries to do everything with his doggy siblings.

‘We can’t imagine our lives without Murray and are grateful to The Sato Project, and all that they do for the unwanted dogs in Puerto Rico.’

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As Christmas draws nearer, it’s time for parents to prepare themselves for the onslaught of strange traditions to uphold for the sake of their children.

Yes, poppet, we will make sure to buy you a massive stocking.

Sure, we can get the cat an advent calendar.

No problem, will spend hours setting up elf on the shelf scenes every night as you lie in bed.

Oh, and we can’t forget to put the pickle on the Christmas tree.

That last one might be new to you, but you’ll likely spot pickle ornaments all over Instagram this year.

The pickle on the Christmas tree is actually a longrunning festive tradition across the pond in the U.S.. Many claim it originated in Germany, but there’s no evidence to point to that being the case. It’s likely just a genius bit of commercial wizardry so brands can sell sparkly pickle ornaments.

The tradition goes as such: You hang a pickle ornament on the tree, and whoever finds the pickle first on Christmas morning will be blessed with good luck for the following year.

Some families have additional perks for the pickle-finder: The person who spots it will be given the first gift, will get an extra special secret gift, or gets the job of handing out presents to the rest of the family.

You can decide what treats you want to hand out to whoever finds the pickle – the general idea is that there’s a pickle on the tree and people in the family will want to find it.

The tradition is also known as saure gurke or Weihnachtsgurke, pointing to those alleged German origins, but as modern Germans seem clueless about the practice it’s unlikely it originated over there.

Some suggest the pickle on the Christmas tree is the creation of Woolworths, who back in the day starting selling fancy pickle-themed ornaments and made up the tradition as a marketing tactic. Sneaky.

Of course, there’s no reason you have to stick to a pickle. The routine will work with any fancy ornament that the kids can hunt down on the tree.

But if you do want to stay loyal to the Weihnachtsgurke concept, you’re in luck, as loads of shops are selling pickle and gherkin designs.

Liberty sells a traditional glass pickle with sparkling gold dots, Sass & Belle has a ‘glistening gherkin’, and there are plenty of pickles on Etsy – so take your pick.

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It makes sense that if you’re feeling anxious, your sleep will suffer.

But new research shows that if your sleep suffers, your levels of anxiety increase, too.

So there’s a mind-wrecking cycle going on, basically. You feel anxious, so you can’t sleep, so you feel anxious, so you can’t sleep – and on and on it goes.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkely, looked at the anxiety levels of 18 healthy people following either a night of sleep or a night spent awake. Those who were sleep deprived had 30% higher levels of anxiety than those who slept.

That’s an increase that pushes people into levels of anxiety seen in anxiety disorders. So the impact of sleep is pretty serious.

Those who were sleep-deprived showed differences in brain functioning. MRI scans showed that they responded more emotionally and the prefrontal cortex was less functional.

Now, there’s a scary lesson to be taken from this research: that it’s worryingly easy to get into a cycle of anxiety and rubbish sleep.

But there’s also a positive bit of information to think about: a good night’s sleep is powerful when it comes to reducing anxiety.

It’s not that anxiety can be fixed by a proper bedtime, but we do know that getting enough high quality sleep can help soothe anxious minds. So get to bed. If we work on improving our sleep, our mental state will see benefits.

Those in the study who had longer periods of non-REM deep sleep reported the lowest levels of anxiety the next morning.

‘The more time you spend in deep non-REM sleep, the less anxious you are in the morning,’ said neuroscientist Eti Ben Simon.

‘A good night of deep non-REM sleep can benefit us in terms of anxiety and emotional regulation.’

Sleep scientist Matthew Walker added: ‘Deep sleep provides a nocturnal soothing balm, taking the sharp edges off our lives and lowering our anxiety. It’s a form of nocturnal therapy that many of us shortchange in this modern era of insufficient sleep.’

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Plogging became one of the newest online trends near the start of 2018 and now it has been named as a Word Of The Year.

It joins words like ‘single-use’, ‘gammon’ and ‘gaslight’ on the annual list that’s made by Collins Dictionary experts.

Plogging is also now set to be added to the newest edition of the Collins Dictionary which will be released next week.

So what exactly does the word plogging mean?

The word started life as a simple hashtag and it describes joggers who collect rubbish while they are on their run.

It is a Swedish word that combines the word ‘jogging’ with ‘ploga’, which is Swedish for ‘picking’.

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Earlier this year we spoke to Maja Tesch, who runs the Vivobarefoot Plogging Club.

She explained that it was originally started by one of her friends in Sweden called Lancelot who was getting angry with the litter that he saw when he was out jogging.

He then started collecting the rubbish during his runs and used the hashtag when he shared his idea on social media which encouraged more people to get involved.

It has since gone on to spread around the UK with more and more people sharing their plogging efforts online.

Now that Plogging is being added to the dictionary it could reach even more people in the next few months.

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Imagine this scenario: you’re putting together your dating profile online and you’re presented with the big question: do you want or have kids?

When actually, the question should probably read something like this: do you want to tell potential matches your ‘child status’ and risk them not matching / liking / messaging you, because of it?

There’s a reason dating sites, regardless if you choose a new app like Hinge or established website such as Match.com, include a similar list of preferences.

Because, whether we want them or not, kids can be the deal-breaker in a relationship.

Some people are afraid that if the answer is yes, it will scare the other person off – and so, don’t tick it off at all.

‘I always leave the section blank,’ Gemma*, a writer from London tells Metro.co.uk.

‘As a 32-year-old woman, I am super worried that all men will automatically think I want kids and eliminate me off the bat on that basis. I am only honest about wanting kids if the guy has already explicitly stated that he wants them.

‘Even then I’m like, “well of course I don’t want them right now”, despite the truth being that I would love to have kids in the next couple of years.’

What dating algorithms fail to recognise is the myriad of reasons why someone would or wouldn’t want to have kids, or why they might wait to announce ‘I have five kids with two other partners’.

Similar to how most people won’t tell you that they drink or occasionally do drugs (those questions are often asked of users too), it’s because this might deter your date.

And dating is already pretty hard, so why mess with your odds?

Sam, a PR manager, tells Metro.co.uk she doesn’t want to be boxed in by the options presented on dating sites or be seen as ‘desperate’.

‘I always leave the kids section blank, same as I do with the “what you’re looking for” section,’ she said.

‘The sole purpose of both of these exclusions is because I don’t want to be tarnished as a desperate woman.

‘It’s weird as I don’t want kids and hold no bars about that, and guys wouldn’t be judged in the same way. Yet I, as a strong independent, self-sufficient woman, feel that I’m going to be put into a certain box if I state either of these facts.

‘And I don’t like boxes.’

After asking multiple women and men, a perhaps unsurprising theme began to appear. While women were hesitant to share their child status, men were more so inclined.

Statistics from dating site Badoo, which has 405 million users worldwide, show only 42% of women are happy to tell you they want kids, compared to 63% of men. Only 6% of male and female users in total will openly tell you they don’t want them.

‘I’d always tell the truth,’ Jack, 27, tells Metro.co.uk.

‘How shit would it be if you did have kids, but you told someone you didn’t and then it turns out you really like the person and want more than just casual dating.

‘Then, all of a sudden, you have a kid. It makes you wonder what else they could they be lying about.’

Meanwhile, Clive*, 31, explains that he deliberately swipes left on women who declare that they have children, because he doesn’t want to deal with the drama of the situation.

‘I always answer the question, but the truth is I’m not really sure what I want. Personally, I write maybe,’ he said.

‘A woman’s ambition to have or not to have a child wouldn’t put me off, but I wouldn’t want to be involved in any existing drama. Because I don’t like kids, especially other people’s.’

A less spoken about dilemma when it comes to defining ones child status is issues with fertility; some men and women might not physically be able to have children, which can be a sensitive topic to bring up before you’ve even organised a first date.

Or perhaps they’ve chosen an alternative route to having children – such as sperm donation.

‘I had my son via a sperm donor, and it has cost me my relationship I was in at the time, as well as made it very difficult to meet another person,’ Lara Schmid* tells Metro.co.uk.

‘The feeling among choice mums is often that we want a baby now or asap, but a man can come at any time because they’re not linked to our fertility. A baby is.

‘However, dating can be impossible logistically; babysitting is too expensive to get to know someone over several weeks, so things fizzle out. Two guys I dated who already had kids didn’t fancy the step-dad role to another young child, either.

‘I’ve not had sex in over four years. But I believe I haven’t necessarily missed out on any quality guys – it’s just easier to get involved with deadbeats if you don’t have a child to care for.’

The issue in regards to babysitting is reflected in statistics – according to Match.com, 37% of UK users declare that they have kids on their profile, but the issue with this figure is that it doesn’t reflect how many users have chosen to leave this fact out.

Meanwhile another survey by the dating company reveals over 35% of British single parents haven’t been on a date in over a year, and 45% say they never date.

So, evidently, one’s child status does affect one’s love life – but what’s the best way to approach the topic?

‘When young, saying you want children is deemed most attractive of all the child status options.

‘At older ages, having children becomes more attractive, and not wanting them becomes less attractive. It is definitely a good idea to be honest about having children on your dating profile if you do have them – for many it is a deal-breaker, so it saves any awkwardness later on,’ Claire Stott, Badoo’s in-house dating psychologist tells us.

Whatever your answer to the child status question might be honesty seems to be the best policy.

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What if you sat across from a doctor and were casually told that you have no, low or slow sperm?

Then, while you’re trying to mentally digest this throwaway comment, you’re sent on your way with more questions than you had when you arrived, and even less support.

The world of fertility is very much geared towards women, despite research revealing 40-50% of fertility issues occur on the man’s side.

While the main tests on the NHS for men who are struggling to conceive are a chlamydia test and semen analysis (which measures the sperm count, mobility and motility), expensive fertility clinics offer a much wider set of tests – but not all couples can afford this.

And so, some are left without answers.

We heard first-hand from three men on what it’s like to deal with these struggles, and how they found themselves lost in a world with little to no help available, how they coped with it and why we need to talk more about infertility in men.

First up is Richard Clothier from Dunstable, who in 2011 was told he had lazy sperm. He now has an 18-month-old son.

Richard’s story

My wife and I got married the day after Kate Middleton and Prince William in 2011, and so the race was on to see who was going to get pregnant first.

But while they fell pregnant the following year, we spent two years becoming more and more anxious with no luck. Finally, we went to the doctor to seek help and he did what most GPs do in this scenario. He sent me off for a semen analysis test.

I was told I had lazy sperm, but to keep going and ‘your wife will be pregnant by Christmas’. I remember thinking that was an odd thing to say, and now realise that casual comments like these are quite reckless, especially when directed at the person to blame – in this case me.

Christmas passed and nothing happened, so we sought a second opinion from another GP who gave us the same assessment – albeit with a little more tact. We still weren’t happy with that, so booked an appointment with a locum who looked at my numbers and told us we wouldn’t be able to conceive naturally.

Now, we were qualified for NHS treatment but thanks to the first doctor, we were six months behind. He pressed on for my wife to get tests, and luckily everything came back OK on her side, and I had further tests in tandem.

My humiliation continued when I was sent to a female gynaecologist.

I quickly realised that none of the people I was talking to had an understanding of the emotional impact of my issues, which only made me feel worse and was also pretty emasculating.

At this point, I was feeling isolated, stretching into self-loathing, all while trying my hardest to be there for my wife and deal with the curveballs we encountered. But the further we got into our journey, the less capable or able I felt to talk to someone about it.

And so, it was time for IVF.

We got a single cycle of treatment, despite initially being told there were three open to us – which changed after a consulation in our local area. Meanwhile, a five minute drive away in Luton, people were still being offered three sessions.

Hearing this news and seeing my wife’s reaction made me feel like it was my fault, because I couldn’t come up with the goods.

After the IVF failed, we booked a visit to a private fertility clinic event. On the way there, I remember feeling excited that there would be other men there in the same boat, hoping that we could exchange numbers, form friendships and confide in each other.

I’m not a natural networker but I tried my best to instigate conversations throughout the day, but none were interested.

In fact, none of the men at the clinic even made eye contact with each other – it was a grim afternoon.

On the drive back home, my wife was feeling good about things, because she now had more information, while I felt worse, because there was nowhere for me to go.

The fertility ecosystem isn’t geared up for how men feel in this type of scenario, it seems purely for women.

A few weeks later, while my wife and I were undergoing our second round of privately funded IVF (which gave us our now 18-month-old son), we learnt that a new consultation wanted to remove the IVF treatment on the NHS in our area completely.

Angered by the news, I wrote to local radio and TV, promising to come and talk to them about male fertility, with the end goal to raise awareness of what was happening. What I didn’t expect was the cathartic feeling that came with finally talking, a huge weight lifted from my shoulders – because I was now presented with an outlet where I could talk about the dark frustrations I’d been feeling.

While my wife was pregnant, I joined the Fertility Network, a Facebook group specifically for men to talk about their fertility issues. I’m now an admin myself, and just this morning I welcomed our 900th member into the group.

We get members applying all day, every day from all over the world. Here, we discuss a bit of everything – some ask for advice, some rant, and those who have just got a diagnosis wonder where to go from there.

But it’s a space for men, and only men, to be able to open up about how they are feeling.

One of the reasons I encourage men to talk about fertility is because there is no downside, provided you talk to the right people. We all know someone with fertility issues, we might just not be aware of it.

After I went on TV and spoke about mine and my wife’s struggles, I got an email from a former colleague who I hadn’t seen since 2005, who told me about how he conceived his daughter with IVF.

I also heard from a guy I went to school with years ago, who recently had IVF treatment (though I don’t know the current status) and another message from someone I went to college with.

Men I don’t even know have got in touch too, asking me to show them in the right direction.

If you know someone who is struggling with fertility, acknowledge how horrible the situation really is without feeling the need to put a positive spin on it.

A good friend of mine did something for me that was invaluable at a time when I was feeling especially low. He said: ‘Why don’t we go for a walk up a mountain, and you can scream and shout whatever you need to. I have no answers but if it’s of use to you, we’ll do it.’

When someone actually acknowledges that ‘this is a crappy situation and I’m not gonna try to give you a gold nugget of motivational power’, it can really help.

Don’t feel compelled to say things like ’this next cycle will work for you’ or ‘adoption might be the answer’.

I don’t actually enjoy telling people about something so personal, but I do it because I remember all too well how there was nothing available to me when I really needed it.

It’s usually around National Fertility Awareness Week or at the end of summer that the subject comes up, but it’s always me, Gareth or one or two others who publicly talk about male fertility.

My concern is that if it’s the same voices, the message will lose impact and we’ll be seen as the exception to the rule.

I want as many men as possible to feel as if they can talk about what is happening or has happened to them, and that this can only be positive.

The stigma of male fertility isn’t going to go away unless we start the conversation.

If you want to join the Men’s Fertility Support group on Facebook, you can find it here. 

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It’s official: Christmas is here.

We know the dates the Coca-Cola lorry will come to town. The sugary festive drinks are in our clutches.

And, of course, it’s Christmas sandwich time. We’ve seen offerings from Pret a Manger and Tesco, but it’s a particular item on Eat’s Christmas menu that’s caught our interest.

That item is the roast in a Yorkshire pudding wrap.

The name gives it away, really, but this addition to the Eat line-up is essentially a Christmas sandwich, but with a Yorkshire pudding instead of bread.

Turkey, sage & onion stuffing, crispy bacon, sage mayo, and cranberry sauce are all rolled up in a Yorkshire pudding, for the grand price of £4.99.

This is not a new concept by any means. We first learned of the ‘British burrito’ back in 2016 and Aldi started selling a Yorkshire pud wrap last year.

But this is the first time a major food brand has attempted to combine this monstrosity with a Christmas sandwich, and we’re not sure whether to be disgusted or impressed.

To be fair, it probably tastes quite good. Yorkshire puddings are a wonderful thing, especially combined with all the Christmas flavours. We do have some concerns about eating the whole thing cold, but that’s why we have a microwave in the office.

Eat is serving up some more traditional festive items including their usual pigs in blankets pots and festive mac n cheese.

The good news is that there’s plenty of time to try the festive items from every shop on the high street before Christmas hits. Cranberry sauce does liven up an office lunch.

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Is there anything more relaxing than stroking a puppy? How about stroking a puppy while doing yoga?

That’s exactly what’s on offer as gyms across London employ specially trained therapy dogs to help people unwind as part of Stress Awareness Day.

Everyone Active gyms will be hosting special classes across the capital, including yoga, massage and pilates – and therapy dogs will be on hand to provide a canine cuddle fix.

In the past year, 74% of people in the UK have felt so stressed they have been unable to cope with everyday life, and research has shown that around 12 million adults in the UK see their GP with mental health problems each year with stress-related anxiety and depression.

Animal interaction, specifically stroking and playing with a dog, has been scientifically proven to slow the heart rate and reduce blood pressure. So organisers at Everyone Active hope that everyone who comes to their gym will benefit from their therapy dogs.

Stress Awareness Day is an opportunity for people to take note of their mental health, find some time for quiet and think about finding support for managing stress.

What better way is there to do that than surrounded by adorable puppies?

Gym-goers can enjoy specifically tailored de-stress yoga classes, then a free neck or scalp massage, followed by playtime with a cute canine of their choice. The aim is to help stressed-out Londoners find a calm and uplifting moment within a busy working week.

The pups have been provided by Therapy Dogs Nationwide charity, who provide dogs for schools, nursing homes, hospitals and hospices. Experts their have recorded that their canine therapy can help alleviate depression, loneliness and even help improve communication in children.

To find out exactly where you can find your closest therapy dog, have a look at the Everyone Active website for more details.

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