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Staying fit could help you find love

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now that summer is over, it's harder to harness that spring
Exercise gets the blood flowing (Picture: Ella Byworth)

Being fit is attractive. And we don’t just mean in terms of your body – there is something innately attractive about people who are energetic, active and take care of themselves.

Being physically strong and capable in your body helps to build confidence and self-assurance, which are both attractive qualities. So if you’re looking for love – maybe the first place to start is the gym.

Unique dating website, My Friend Charlie, has launched a new programme to help singles find love through weekly running bootcamp dates. Singles meet in Hyde Park for a serious session of sweating and some flirting thrown in for good measure.

This may sound like your idea of hell, but organisers Tom and Charlie think fitness could be the perfect catalyst for finding love.

Personal trainer Tom met his fiance at a bootcamp, and they were married within a couple of weeks.

‘Keeping fit and healthy puts us at the top of our game in every sense; it’s not just about aesthetics, but also how we actually feel both physically and mentally,’ Tom tells Metro.co.uk.

‘If you feel at your best, you’ll be filled with the fuel necessary to find your perfect match.’

(Illustration: Ella Byworth/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Ella Byworth/Metro.co.uk)

So is a sweaty bootcamp the perfect environment for love to blossom? They could be on to something.

A study from Pennsylvania State University found that exercise increases your sex drive and feelings of attractiveness. The study concluded that older women felt more attractive after four months of walking and regular yoga – even if they didn’t lose weight.

And don’t forget that working out increases blood flow… even down below. So a sweaty session in the gym with a potential lover could easily lead to an equally sweaty session between the sheets.

Charlie says the benefits of exercise are down to a combination of science and sociability.

‘Exercise releases endorphins into the body which trigger a positive feeling, reducing stress and giving an overall sense of wellbeing,’ Charlie tells Metro.co.uk.

‘If you’re turning up to a date feeling positive, then it’s more likely to go well.

‘Not only will regular exercise make you fitter, but it can also help with other things, like good posture. Even if you don’t feel 100% confident going into a date, standing up straight makes you appear more confident than you are.

‘This combination of fitness and good posture is a great confidence boost which will come across to others.’

fitness
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

The perfect workout for a date

If you want to set up a sporty date of your own, it’s probably best to keep it simple to begin with.

This quick HIIT workout can be done in the gym or in the park, leaving you and your date plenty of time to get showered and head off for dinner.

15 minute workout pyramid 

25 x Bodyweight Squats

20 x Jump Lunges

15 x Push UPS

10 x Shoulder Taps

5 x Burpees

Rest 30-60s

Once you have completed the workout repeat for 15 minutes making you way down the ladder and increasing rounds completed.

360Athletic

The bootcamp dates are a great idea if you like working out, but they may not appeal to everyone. It’s probably not a great idea to surprise a first date by taking them on a run – it’s unlikely to go down well.

But for fitness-keenos, Charlie says the concept is a winner.

‘The bootcamps are a brilliant, low-stress way of meeting new people with common interests. If you’re both interested in fitness and attend a dating event that reflects this, you’ve already got something to chat about.

‘The conversation will inevitably flow more easily, preventing any unnecessary dating disasters.’

The weekly bootcamp in Hyde Park is £8 per session – if you end up meeting the love of your life, it’s a small price to pay.

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Man explains how losing testicle to cancer ruined his sex life

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(Picture: PA Real Life)

A man who had his testicle removed after discovering a lump says his cancer treatment affected his libido and self esteem – and stopped him having sex on his wedding night.

42-year-old Ben Twemlow, from Kent, proposed to his girlfriend of two years, 50-year-old Andrea, on the day of his testicular cancer diagnosis, when facing his own mortality made him realise the importance of marrying the woman he loved.

Thankfully, Ben was given the all-clear after a successful orchiectomy procedure, removing his right testicle in August 2017 – but while physically better, his emotional scars ran deep.

He explained: ‘After the surgery, my sex drive just completely vanished because of the sudden loss of testosterone and I fell into a pit of feeling very low and depressed a lot of the time.

‘Before the cancer, I had sex a good three to five times a week with Andrea, but afterwards it was very far from my mind and we’d be lucky if we made love once in a fortnight.’

His loss of libido did not dampen his desire to marry the woman he loved and, on December 27, 2017, four months after his operation, the couple tied the knot at the Lucky Little Chapel in Las Vegas, USA.

When they jumped into bed at the New York, New York hotel that night, however, instead of consummating their marriage, they fell asleep.

The next night, after a repeat performance – or lack of one – Andrea urged her new husband to stop worrying about sex and simply to enjoy their holiday.

On the third night, thanks to Andrea’s compassion and caring nature, Ben said his self esteem was restored, his libido returned and he finally made love to the woman he adores.

Ben and Andrea in Las Vegas (Collect/PA Real Life)
(Picture: PA Real Life)

Speaking out to support Movember, a movement dedicated to raising awareness of men’s health and particularly male cancers, Ben said: ‘Andrea and I are a very physically affectionate couple.

‘We’d obviously had had lots of sex before, but your wedding night is the night that should be special, a night to remember.

‘But it wasn’t and that was disappointing for both of us, because I love this woman more than anything else in the world.

‘Luckily, though, thanks to her love and support, on the third night of our honeymoon everything changed and we made love as if nothing had ever been wrong.’

Ben’s troubles began when, one morning in June 2017, he woke up to find that his right testicle had swollen to three times its normal size.

Told by his GP that it was most likely just an infection, the construction company bid writer was given a course of antibiotics, but they had little effect on his enlarged testicle.

Suffering from a near constant ache in his groin, especially when driving and having to operate the pedals, Ben was getting no better.

Then, that August, he went for an ultrasound and was astonished to be told that, instead of an infection, he had cancer.

‘I couldn’t believe it,’ Ben recalled. ‘It had never crossed my mind that it could be something so serious.

‘As a man, you’re told to look out for little lumps on the surface of your balls, so having a swollen ball didn’t seem consistent with cancer to me.’

Returning home from the hospital that evening, the couple tried to put on a brave face and pretend that everything was normal, ordering a takeaway and watching Pointless.

Ben in hospital before his operation in August 2017 (Collect/PA Real Life)
(Picture: PA Real Life)

‘It was an odd atmosphere and there was so much going through my head,’ said Ben.

‘But suddenly I just looked at Andrea and realised that this was the woman I wanted to be with for the rest of my life – so I popped the question then and there.

‘I knew that 95% of testicular cancer sufferers survive, but the thought of that 5% who don’t really brings home to you your mortality, and makes you appreciate all the things that you do have in life.’

Things moved quickly after his diagnosis and he was booked in for an operation to remove his right testicle just three days later.

The surgery was a success, but despite his best efforts to mentally prepare himself for the sight of his new privates, Ben was still shocked at his ‘half empty bag of skin’.

With scars and bruising inside and outside his scrotum, he experienced pain for several months after surgery, especially during the colder winter months, when his testicles tightened.

But his real problems came after the wounds had healed when, partly because of the physical stress of his treatment and partly because of the emotional toll it took on his self esteem, his libido became non-existent.

Ben credits Andrea’s love and support for helping to return things to normal. He’s now keen to share his experience to encourage men to seek help in order to get an early diagnosis and to talk to their partners about all their fears.

‘Over the course of my recovery Andrea was incredibly patient with me, getting me to come out of myself and express what I was going through,’ he said.

Ben and Andrea in Las Vegas (Collect/PA Real Life)
(Picture: PA Real Life)

‘Giving me time and understanding was what was most important in getting back to where we had been before.’

Ben believes it is not uncommon for men to delay seeing a doctor, because they are uncomfortable about discussing problems regarding their sexual organs.

He said: ‘Men can be embarrassed about visiting the doctors for this sort of thing, but when you think that your life could be at risk, it’s madness to put it off.

‘Having a testicle removed can make you feel as though you’re no longer a man any more, especially when, on top of that, you feel like you can’t have sex.

‘But you are still just as much of a man as you were before and, more importantly, you are alive.

‘I’m just so grateful that I’m still here, because surviving cancer has meant me being with the love of my life for, hopefully, many more years to come.’

Ben now plans to celebrate his love for Andrea, with a return trip to Las Vegas on their first anniversary next month.

On this visit to the high octane city, he hopes to hit the jackpot inside and outside the bedroom.

‘I feel great now and our love making is right back where it used to be,’ he said.

‘I want to make the woman I love happy and our anniversary in Vegas will, hopefully, make us both very happy indeed.’

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Harry Potter superfan notices a Dumbledore quote error on Primark merchandise

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(Picture: Primark – Warner Bros)

It’s no secret, Primark stocks Harry Potter inspired merch year round.

Whether you’re looking for socks or underwear with Gryffindor colours or the more niche stuff like a wizard-themed fidget spinner, you’ll (probably) find it has a place on the shelves of Primark.

The budget retailer has been selling a Potter-themed bedside lamp with famous words from Albus Dumbledore in the Prisoner of Azkaban (the one with Sirius Black – don’t worry, we get confused too).

But ever the keen-eyed fan, one Potterhead noticed a small blunder in the quote.

Twitter user Andrew Barber noticed that Primark was selling the stuff with the words: ‘Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light.’

But in a real gotcha moment, Andrew revealed that the Irish clothing brand had mixed up its words.

‘When I was in Primark earlier this year I spotted that the quote on this Harry Potter related item was wrong too, it should say ‘if one only remembers’.’

It’s not the first time Primark has made a mistake on its items.

Andrew’s comment was part of an initial tweet which spotted a spelling error by the company. In a calendar, they’d spelled Saturday as Satureday.

While the Dumbledore quote might be a wee error gone unnoticed by most people, it’s actually not that uncommon for us to miss small words or to read them differently.

Our brains have a habit of processing information in such a way that they don’t pick up on repeated words like the, and they predict certain words.

According to research by psychologist Keith Rayner, two important factors increase how much we skip over words in sentences; the length of the word and the predictability of the word due to contextual cues. ‘The’ is the most common word in any given English sentence and doesn’t have a lot of contextual importance so our brain skips over it when we see it twice together.

Apropos of the Dumbledore quote, we are used to seeing the words ‘if only’ often and therefore would predict these words follow one another. But eagle-eyed Harry Potter fans obviously know that good ol’ Albus likes to talk using the third-person singular pronoun, ‘one’, and would’ve picked up on it. Either that or they have the quotes memorised.

So perhaps it was all a clever marketing tactic by Primark to be mindful of the the cool and fun things our brains do without us noticing.

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This adorable 85-year-old’s food Instagram is cuter than anything ever

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(Picture: davidcyril_sw/Instagram)

Elderly people can be cute doing pretty much anything.

Walking down the street? Adorable. Doing their weekly shop? Very sweet. Eating food? Somehow charming and lovable despite being something people of all ages do.

David Cyril, 85, has been the most recent older person to set our cutie-senses tingling with his food Instagram that recently went viral.

After starting the Slimming World diet plan, he began documenting the meals he was eating on the social media platform, and has since gained nearly 40,000 followers.

Every day he posts pictures of his meals, along with updates on his weight loss, family days out, and general life goings-on.

Instagram Photo

Charting his journey, David also posts messages of encouragement to his followers, urging them to have a nice week and just generally being kind.

At his local SW group, David was voted Mr Sleek 2018 and has lost over 13lbs altogether.

It was his daughter posting a picture of him on her own slimming page that spurred David on to create his own account, and it’s gone from strength to strength.

It’s easy to think of dieting as a joyless task devoid of enjoyment, but this sweet pensioner shows that you can still eat great food and have a full life.

Instagram Photo

His meals range from colourful fruit salads to hearty stews, and he doesn’t stop himself enjoying sweet treats and roast dinners.

Part of the reason David wants to lose the weight is to be at his target when he walks his youngest daughter walk down the aisle next year.

All the best of luck to you David, and thanks for warming our hearts with your inspirational pictures and messages.

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Rick Ross favourite Wingstop arrives in London — are the wings as good as they say?

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October proved to be a great month for fast food in London.

First we were blessed with the opening of Asia’s answer to KFC, Jollibee, and then chicken wing experts Wingstop opened their doors.

Located on Cambridge Circus, the site is the flagship restaurant for the US chain as it plans to open 100 sites in the UK over the next 10 years.

Wingstop’s famous Lemon Pepper wings (Photo: Wingstop)

Why the hype?

With the likes of AJ Tracey and Not3s as fans, and the occasional hip hop shout out from franchisee Rick Ross (‘Major real estate, them Wing Stops must be doin’ nice / Trappin’ lemon pepper, got me movin’ two a night’) for their lemon pepper wings, Wingstop brings hypebeast culture to the restaurant game.

The brand even recruited agency Brinkworth — known for their work with Supreme and Drake’s OVO — to design the retail space.

Instagram Photo

The Food

What’s most surprising about Wingstop’s menu is the number of choices you have to customise your order.

Wings, boneless, or tenders? What flavour do you want those in? And is that with ranch, blue cheese or honey-mustard?

We haven’t even got to the sides yet. Seasoned or loaded fries? Maybe some churros for dessert to top it all off.

(Photo: Brett Leppard)

I avoid having to pluck pieces of chicken from wings and instead opt for the easy life of boneless — think large pieces of popcorn chicken — and grab some seasoned sweet potato fries for a side (sadly loaded fries with buffalo ranch weren’t available).

Selecting the classic Wingstop lemon pepper and the spiciest atomic wings (both with ranch dip) was perhaps a blessing in disguise. The mild lemon pepper wings were a nice sanctuary from the fiery pits of hell you’re transported to after taking a bite of the atomics.

Be prepared to have your lips burn and tingle after just the slightest taste, as you scramble to put the spice to rest by distracting your taste buds with ranch-dipped fries (sadly this solution did not have the desired effect).

Speaking of the fries, the seasoning was perhaps not as potent as I hoped. Instead of a kick lemon pepper, I got something more akin to a nudge.

(Photo: Brett Leppard)

The only problem with the menu might be the lack of options to mix and match flavours.

With nine on offer, I couldn’t help but want to maybe try 10 wings in five flavours — 16 pieces in two flavours was definitely too much. You can get a wing platter, which consists of three flavours and 24 pieces, but you might need to recruit a friend or two to the cause first.

Perhaps part of Wingstop’s charm is that each flavour is like a different colourway of the latest Jordan or Yeezy — you might have copped yours but you can’t help but glance over at the person next to you to see what they went for.

But if you had it your way, you might have them all.

Donkey nannies exist and this is the best news we’ve heard all year

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A donkey, carrying a lamb in its saddle-bag, is led by nomads as they head back to their village from summer pastures near the town of Cizre, southeast Turkey, October 16, 2007. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) - GM1DWJQTFVAA
(Picture: REUTERS/Fatih Saribas)

Donkey nannies exist and this is the best news we’ve heard all year.

Donkey nannies are donkeys that help look after little newborn lambs.

They are often used by Italian shepherds to help transport newborn lambs from high pastures to the plains in Italy, when they are too young to make the journey on their own.

They’re also used to transport llamas and alpacas.

How adorable.

The donkeys have to wear special coats with pockets for the lambs to fit into.

Some of the rugs have up to six pockets, and the lambs fit into them with their heads poking out so that they can see where they are going.

But the lambs aren’t snuggled up to the donkeys the entire time – they take rest stops so that they can get out and go see their mums to feed and cuddle.

Shepherds and farmers use the donkeys because of their territorial and protective behaviour, using them to protect the lambs from predators.

A donkey carrying a lamb in its saddle-bag is led by nomads back to their village from summer pastures near the town of Cizre, southeast Turkey, October 16, 2007. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) - GM1DWJRERMAA
(Picture: Reuters)

Donkeys are also very patient animals, meaning they can look after the lambs without getting frustrated, making them the perfect animal nannies.

While most people dream of holidays to the Maldives, the chance to see a donkey nanny in action is now at the top of our bucket list.

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You can now buy an electric blanket for your car

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You Can Now Get An Electric Blanket That Connects To Your Car Amazon
(Picture: Amazon)

If you’re driving home for Christmas this year, you don’t have to worry about turning the heating right up in the car, as there’s now an electric blanket for your travels.

Stalwart’s electric heated blanket plugs into your cigarette lighter, and works with cars, trucks, SUVs and RVs.

The cord is 2.5 metres long so if you fancy reclining your chair right back (as long as you’re in the passenger seat, of course) to snuggle up and sleep for the journey, you can.

The blankets come in navy blue and a black and white checked design. The blue design costs £26.62 and the checked £34.09 – however it’s been so popular that it’s currently temporarily out of stock.

You Can Now Get An Electric Blanket That Connects To Your Car Amazon
(Picture: Amazon)

The blanket heats up as soon as it’s plugged in, and has received some very positive reviews on Amazon.

One person said: ‘I am absolutely in love with this blanket. I received it as a Christmas present and I am the type of person that is always cold (seriously, there are pictures of me in a sweatshirt in the Bahamas).

‘I will either use it as a blanket in the car, or I will keep it on the seat and have it act as a seat warmer.

‘When I go out and start my car on old NJ mornings, I keep this on the seat for it to heat up, and either make it a blanket, or keep it there on my way to work. I love the colours and pattern also, so that was a plus!’

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Boux Avenue sells its bestselling Odette bra once every 20 minutes

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(Picture: Boux Avenue)

Let’s talk about bras.

Some of us love them, some of us hate them – and lots of us struggle to find the perfect one.

We all want a bra that makes our boobs look good, but we also need comfort and a size that actually fits.

And it seems that one bra is actually managing to do all of these things.

Is THIS the UK?s favourite bra? ?36 Boux Avenue design that makes shoppers feel like ?Wonder Woman? sells every 20 mins picture: bouxavenue METORGRAB https://www.bouxavenue.com/longline-bras/odette-wired-bralette/101752_20BH.html?awc=3454_1541678767_9b82fbea6def74c3fa6bcec106aec59e&utm_source=Awin&utm_medium=Affiliates&utm_campaign=Affiliates&_$ja=tsid:37965|cgn:78888|kw:Skimlinks
(Picture: Boux Avenue)

Boux Avenue’s Odette bra is the brand’s bestselling underwear item. It’s so popular that one sells every 20 minutes, and it comes in five different colours.

The longline design features a mesh back, padded cups, corset-style straps and a flattering lace edge.

It comes in black, strawberry red, blush, heather and strawberry red, and Boux Avenue sells underwear to match with each.

Is THIS the UK?s favourite bra? ?36 Boux Avenue design that makes shoppers feel like ?Wonder Woman? sells every 20 mins picture: bouxavenue METORGRAB https://www.bouxavenue.com/longline-bras/odette-wired-bralette/101752_20BH.html?awc=3454_1541678767_9b82fbea6def74c3fa6bcec106aec59e&utm_source=Awin&utm_medium=Affiliates&utm_campaign=Affiliates&_$ja=tsid:37965|cgn:78888|kw:Skimlinks
(Picture: Boux Avenue)

Oh, and the bra is actually inclusive of bigger boobs – something that is often complained about – as it goes up to size 38G.

People have likened wearing the bra to feeling like ‘Wonder Woman’. One said: ‘Wore it during the day and felt like Wonder Woman because it’s so sturdy, wore it at night and felt like a sexy knockoff.

‘Recommended if you’re usually terrified of longlines/anything that isn’t a standard issue bra, especially if you’re bustier like me.

‘I honestly thought all I was ever going to be able to wear for the rest of my life were floral monstrosities, because apparently that’s all every woman above a D cup wants.

Is THIS the UK?s favourite bra? ?36 Boux Avenue design that makes shoppers feel like ?Wonder Woman? sells every 20 mins picture: bouxavenue METORGRAB https://www.bouxavenue.com/longline-bras/odette-wired-bralette/101752_20BH.html?awc=3454_1541678767_9b82fbea6def74c3fa6bcec106aec59e&utm_source=Awin&utm_medium=Affiliates&utm_campaign=Affiliates&_$ja=tsid:37965|cgn:78888|kw:Skimlinks
(Picture: Boux Avenue)

‘Thankfully this came up in my size. Flattering, well built, and kept them wrangled pretty well, considering the state they usually end up in when I try on a “pretty” bra.’

Another added: ‘This bra is not only gorgeous to look at but fits incredibly too.

‘I’m a 36D and normally these types of styles don’t support me enough but I could wear this every day I love it.’

Boux Avenue’s Buying Director, Debby Duckett said: ‘It’s not only a sexy style but incredibly comfortable, perfect for every day wear as well as more special occasions.

‘The Odette bra is so popular, the brand report that three are sold every hour – showing 100% growth in the last three months.’

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Nine-year-old has to wear onesies to school after becoming allergic to uniform

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(Picture: Caters News)

A nine-year-old has to wear onesies to school after becoming allergic to her uniform.

Nine-year-old Lily Mason, from Nottingham, suffers from Mast Cell Activation Disorder, which causes her immune system to be hyper sensitive.

Last October she had a reaction to her school uniform and was left with a burning rash all over her body.

Her mum, Joy Mason, 33, now has no option but to send her daughter to school wearing a furry panda onesie as this is the only thing that doesn’t irritate her skin when it flares up.

Lily’s allergies – which can be triggered by anything – can be fatal as they cause anaphylaxis shock.

Pic from Caters News - (Pictured: Some of the bad reactions Lily Mason has from her Mast cell activation syndrome or MCAS.) - A nine-year-old has been forced to wear her onesis to school after becoming allergic to her uniform. Lily Mason, nine, from Keyworth, Nottingham, suffers from MCAS - Mast Cell Activation Disorder - which causes her immune system to be hyper sensitive and react. SEE CATERS COPY
(Picture: Caters News)

Joy said: ‘Certain fabrics can affect her skin, but because her condition changes so often, it’s impossible to keep track.

‘One day it’ll be fine, but another it won’t.

‘Her skin was beyond sore – causing her immeasurable pain.

‘We have special cushions so she can sit down, and the medication can reduce the reaction.

‘She didn’t have to wear it long but that was because her symptoms had changed.

‘One day she can be allergic, and the next she’ll be allergic to something else’.

Pic from Caters News - (Pictured: Some of the bad reactions Lily Mason has from her Mast cell activation syndrome or MCAS.) - A nine-year-old has been forced to wear her onesis to school after becoming allergic to her uniform. Lily Mason, nine, from Keyworth, Nottingham, suffers from MCAS - Mast Cell Activation Disorder - which causes her immune system to be hyper sensitive and react. SEE CATERS COPY
(Picture: Caters News)

Lily was diagnosed last year with MCAS, after years of misdiagnosis with fluctuating symptoms.

Joy added: ‘Her immune system is in overdrive.

‘It was only recognised as an illness since last year but it seems everything acts as a trigger. From food to smells, Lily lives almost in a bubble.

‘When she was diagnosed, the GP didn’t even know what the condition was.

‘It’s a total change from how I thought a family would be.

‘Our life is making sure Lily is as well as possible.

‘Yet there’s so many different ways that she is unwell, it’s hard to say what’s worse.’

Pic from Caters News - (Pictured: Lily Mason with her uniform) - A nine-year-old has been forced to wear her onesis to school after becoming allergic to her uniform. Lily Mason, nine, from Keyworth, Nottingham, suffers from MCAS - Mast Cell Activation Disorder - which causes her immune system to be hyper sensitive and react. SEE CATERS COPY
(Picture: Caters News)

Joy says that Lily will beg her to make the reaction to stop/

The illness is genetic, and although Lily’s younger brother, Harry, 7 , hasn’t yet displayed any symptoms there’s a 76% chance he could be diagnosed too, as he is a first degree relative.

Joy said: ‘It’s a condition that can appear at any point in a person’s lifetime.

‘We are still discovering what Lily’s triggers are and we’ve learnt she’s had the potential to be allergic to anything.

‘With everything from anaphylaxis to itchy skin, to nose bleeds and fatigue, it seems Lily is constantly uncomfortable.

Pic by Michael Scott/Caters News - (PICTURED: Lily Mason, 9 from Keyworth near Nottingham with the medication she has to take each day. Lily has a condition called Mast cell activation syndrome or MCAS and is allergic to almost everything, this includes tight fitting clothes that can include her School Uniform so she sometimes wears a onesie to school instead. Pic taken: 06/11/2018) - A nine-year-old has been forced to wear her onesis to school after becoming allergic to her uniform. Lily Mason, nine, from Keyworth, Nottingham, suffers from MCAS - Mast Cell Activation Disorder - which causes her immune system to be hyper sensitive and react. SEE CATERS COPY
(Picture: Caters News)

‘Lily is able to eat only nine foods, and with medication that only partially works, can often be isolated from the outside world.

‘She’s a tough cookie though.

‘Because it’s so hard to diagnose, it’s impossible to know how many people have it.

‘It’ll never be completely manageable but she avoids triggers when she can.

‘And if that means she has to attend school wearing a onesie, so be it.’

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Muslim modest fashion brand hacked by sexual predator asking underage girls to send explicit pictures

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(Picture: hijab_house/Instagram)

Hijab House, an Australian modest clothing store which sells headscarves and burkas/abayas, has had its name misused by a person posing as a worker for the company.

The unknown predator has been pretending to be affiliated with the brand and directly messaging underage customers asking them to send pictures of themselves for modelling purposes.

The account @hijab_house, with 525,000 followers, has seen around 900 of its young female customers targeted by the culprit, who promised them a modelling career in modest fashion.

The predator has been asking for the underage girls to send pictures of themselves uncovered and in suggestive poses like pretending to orgasm.

Instagram Photo

Hijab House alerted its large following when some of the girls sent screenshots of the conversations they had with the person, who had several different Instagram accounts.

‘Recently there’s been a scam targeting young hijabis,’ they explained. ‘An account has been pretending to work for us and has been manipulating young hijabis into sending inappropriate things via DM. They claim to work for Hijab House but they do not. Since we first found out about this issue, we have had about 900 girls approach us about it.’

‘The conversations often go for weeks and they’re done in a way where trust is built up. It’s all tailored to each specific girl, her life, and her online presence. They pretend to be Hijab House, and they have a verification message from us that’s been falsely created to show that he’s a consultant for us.’

From one account, the predator said to one of the girls: ‘Now is the real love part, you just need to achieve an orgasm/sensualness while kissing your mother’s shoes’.

The creepy messages have led to some girls directly messaging the main Hijab House account and asking them to verify the fake seller.

Since then #ProtectYoungHijabis has become a hashtag being shared all over social media to bring attention to the perp.

Instagram Photo

Hijab House has told authorities about the different accounts being made to target young girls but has seen little support.

Reporting and blocking the accounts is not enough, they said, as the person can make a new handle and contact a new customer of the brand.

After contacting Instagram and local authorities, a representative of the brand went to the Australian Federal Police who put out a public statement.

They said to news website 10 Daily: ‘We have received reports of an individual posing as an employee of the company and asking the young people – many aged between 13 and 17 –  to provide sexualised images of themselves. These photos are then used to blackmail the victims into sending further images. The AFP is currently assessing the matter.’

We have contacted Hijab House for comment and will update the article when they respond.

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New research raises concerns about the risk of body image disorders and depression in gym-obsessed men

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metro illustrations
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

It doesn’t matter how big or strong you are – low moods can still hit you hard.

And, it turns out, men who are spending more time in the gym sculpting their bod may be at a higher risk of mental health issues.

Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology looked at more than 2,400 US men between the ages of 18 and 32, assessing their gym habits and body image.

The study used the DMS (drive for muscularity scale), which is a 15 question survey that measures people’s drive to be toned, with participants asked to rate statements such as ‘I wish that I were more muscular’ and ‘I feel guilty if I miss a weight training session’ from one (always) to six (never).

They found that nearly 10% of the men surveyed had a body image disorder, and that these men were more likely to experience depression, too.

Those who were obsessed with going to the gym were more likely to engage in risky behaviours, such as binge-drinking, dieting, and using illegal supplements and steroids to build muscle.

Lead author Dr Trine Tetlie Eik-Nes says that while women tend to diet because they consider themselves overweight, most men diet because they think they are too thin.

metro illustrations
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

The researchers want their findings to prompt us to make more resources available to help men struggling with body image disorders.

‘The problem arises when the bodies of professional athletes like Ronaldo become the ideal for regular young men who have jobs, studies and family,’ said Dr Eik-Nes.

‘Training has to be your full-time job if you want to look like Ronaldo. He belongs to one-in-a-thousand of the world’s population who make their living from sports.

‘Girls are supposed to be thin and have small waistlines. Boys should have wide shoulders and big muscles,’ said Dr Eik-Nes.

‘Those are the narrow ideals that young people grow up with today. It turns out that this unrealistic body image is as challenging for men as for women.

‘Parents’ alarm bells should go off if they have a youngster who’s at the gym every day, who just wants to eat chicken and broccoli and who consumes protein shakes or supplements all the time.

‘If their whole world is about their workouts, parents should take the time to talk with them – for example, by asking questions about what they’re actually training for.’

MORE: My mental health was triggered by hiding my sexuality. LGBT people need to be able to speak out

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MORE: Staying fit could help you find love

Boohoo is selling Christmas wreaths for your nipples

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(Picture: Boohoo/Metro.co.uk)

It’s a hard task making every bit of your life as festive as the Christmas season demands.

You’ve picked up your festive bleach for the toilet, you’ve turned your brows into Christmas trees, you’ve even made sure to wipe your bottom only with mulled wine scented paper.

But what on earth are you going to do about your nipples? Your unfestive, thoroughly lacking in Christmas spirit, nipples?

Do not fear, you don’t need to fashion tiny santa hats for your nips or paint your breast to look like Rudolph.

Boohoo is here to help.

The fashion brand is now selling specially designed festive nipple pasties made to look like Christmas wreaths. They’ve even got jingle bells on.

The nipple covers are made up of green and red pom poms decorated with tinsel. You pop ’em on your nips and voila, your body is as festive as can be.

METRO GRAB - Boohoo website Christmas nipple pasties Boohoo
(Picture: Boohoo)

If you don’t fancy having wreaths on your boobs, you could grab Boohoo’s other Christmas themed nipple covers – they also have a Christmas present design.

At £4 a pair, we reckon it’s worth splashing out on a few.

METRO GRAB - Boohoo website Christmas nipple pasties Boohoo
(Picture: Boohoo)

You could have one set to put on top of your Christmas jumper, and one to wear underneath. Lovely.

Just, please, make sure that your nipples don’t go unChristmas-ed this year. No one wants the shame of having undecorated nipples while they’re decking out the Christmas tree.

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Couple have weed-themed wedding with canna-cake, pot bouquets, and a budtender

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(Picture: Alanna You/interstellarimage)

For Michelle, 34, and Jason, 35, having a weed-themed wedding was a no-brainer.

They’re not big drinkers, and would much rather light a blunt together than clink champagne glasses.

‘We smoke right before we do anything,’ Michelle told Metro.co.uk. ‘The strain will depend on the activity but we feel cannabis enhances the experience.’

Michelle also runs bakery Babinka Treats, which regularly teams up with weed suppliers and events to collaborate, making kush edibles or regular treats to save people from the munchies.

So going weed-themed made sense.

(Picture: Alanna You/interstellarimage)

The couple met in a bike shop years ago, then Jason popped the question under the lights at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

‘He told me he had set up a photoshoot for our anniversary,’ says Michelle. ‘But then he got down on one knee and popped the question.

‘All of a sudden all of my best friends came out of hiding and surprised me. They had all been planning this together for months.’

When the big day rolled around, Michelle and Jason made sure to make weed a running thread.

They had a canna-cake infused with CBD and topped with leaves, a budtender serving up dabs and massive rolled blunts for guests, and strawberries dipped in weed-infused chocolate.

Michelle’s bouquet and Jason’s boutonniere incorporated leaves and buds, and Michelle even had a tiny sprig placed on her nail for her manicure.

The day was captured by Michelle’s friend, photographer Alanna You, who managed to snap the bride smoking in her wedding dress and slicing into her canna-cake.

(Picture: Alanna You/interstellarimage)

The wedding was magical – and not just because everyone was baked.

‘My favorite moment was the walk down the aisle,’ says Michelle. ‘All I could see was Jason.

‘It’s the way he looked at me that makes it my favourite moment. It was like a movie.

‘The whole wedding was special because everyone that helped curate the wedding was a friend so they all put their heart into it.

‘It made us feel very special knowing we have that many people who care.’

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A really, really simple beginners guide to breaking up with palm oil

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Sad orangutan would like you to stop using palm oil please. (Credit: Getty)

If you don’t know much about palm oil, welcome to the club.

Until the furore about Iceland’s Christmas advert (which was all about how palm oil destroys the environment) was banned by the ASA, lots of us didn’t.

Thanks to the advert, lots of us are suddenly aware that our lipsticks, cleaning products and biscuits are actually responsible fororangutans are dying. Scary, right? Scary enough that it’s tempting to try to quit palm oil.

Unfortunately, as people will shout at you once you announce you’re trying to avoid it, palm oil is in EVERYTHING and living a palm oil free life will mean living off foraged mushrooms and rain water for the rest of my life.

Now, people who claim palm oil is in ‘everything’ aren’t far wrong. But, if you’re worried about the orangutans – and you should be, they’re very nice and also orange – there are things you can do. So, here’s our guide to avoiding palm oil, or at least consuming less of it, if you’re a total beginner.

Buy fewer things that contain palm oil

First thing first, if you don’t buy things which contain palm oil, you’re doing a fantastic job of avoiding palm oil.

All own-brand Iceland products are now palm oil free, and they don’t just sell frozen stuff anymore. They do cakes, biscuits, bread, spreads, all sorts really. So if you buy Iceland own-brand, you’re on to a winner. That said, the branded products at Iceland still contain palm oil.

Similarly, lots of health food shops try to avoid palm oil. Ask the person behind the counter about their palm oil free products.

Cook more

Well, ‘cook’ is a strong word. Think about the products you buy which contain palm oil and work out if you can make any of them yourself. For instance, making peanut butter is the easiest thing in the world as long as you’ve got a blender/stick blender/smoothie maker. Just put peanuts in with a flavour-neutral oil, like sunflower, and blend. You can roast the peanuts first if you’re fancy, and add other flavours if you’re the next Willy Wonka.

If you’re not up to much in the kitchen, the BBC Good Food website has billions of easy to prepare recipes, and if you’re not feeling flush with cash, Jack Monroe’s website has hundreds of brilliant budget friendly recipes.

Go for other oils

Just like a product that isn’t tested on animals will clearly say ‘not tested on animals’, if a product does not contain palm oil it will say what kind of other oil (if any) it has. So go for labels which mention having 100% sunflower oil, corn oil, olive oil, coconut oil, or canola oil.

Palm oil is, unfortunately, often described euphemistically as ‘vegetable oil’.

Challenge yourself

SayNoToPalmOil.org run a four week challenge where they ask you to work on one area of your life per week, in order to reduce your palm oil consumption. It’s a great place to start and really makes you aware of all the palm oil hiding in plain sight.

Petition

Unfortunately we can all do our best to avoid it, but we need change at a much higher level if we’re going to stop deforestation. If you really want to make a difference, campaigning for the regulation of how palm oil is created is what will make the difference. You can sign this petition, and also let your local MP know that it’s important to you.

Brands

Also, let brands know that you want them to do better. Pick the brands you buy from most often, write to them, let them know that you’re a customer and you want palm oil free products.  If they hear it enough, they might just listen.

Don’t beat yourself up

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and trying to do better doesn’t mean you have to be perfect right now. Start by cutting down if that’s easier, and if you make a slip and accidentally buy something packed with palm oil, don’t get upset.

You’re doing a great thing by trying, and the orangutans are very grateful.

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Storing clingfilm in the freezer might make it easier to handle

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(Picture: Getty)

Clingfilm is the worst and should be avoided at all costs. It’s impossible to unroll, infuriatingly sticky and never behaves like you want it to.

The simple task of covering up your leftovers can quickly turn into a battle of wills as you desperately pry the plastic from your fingers, as the clingfilm tries to cut off your circulation.

We get that it’s supposed to be clingy – but does it need to be that clingy? And why won’t it cling to the thing we want it to cling to?

But these woes could soon be a thing of the past, as an ingenious life hack reveals the best way to store our clingfilm to make it totally manageable.

Storing your clingfilm in the freezer can make it much easier to handle because apparently the cold temporarily reduces its clinginess.

It’s thought that the the cold temperature alters the polyethylene at the molecular level of the clingfilm, which helps to reduce the static and stickiness.

(Picture: Getty)

Perfect if you’re in a rush trying to pack up your sandwiches for work.

When the clingfilm warms up again, the stickiness resumes, meaning it’s easier to roll out and work with, but will still provide air-tight cover for your leftovers.

‘The plastic wrap was a lot easier to unroll and use,’ cleaning appliances expert Carolyn Forte explains to Good Housekeeping.

‘It doesn’t stick to itself when it’s cold, but still works to cover up a dish. As it warms up, it goes back to being sticky, but it’s definitely easier to handle when cold.’

Clingfilm has millions of uses around the house, with the help of this handy hack, you can live out your clingfilm dreams to the fullest.

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Hunter launches limited edition Mary Poppins collection

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(Picture: Hunter/Metro.co.uk)

Disney fans – this one’s for you. Iconic wellington boots company Hunter has launched an exclusive collection based on the upcoming release of the new Mary Poppins film.

The collaboration with Disney features the classic welly boots, in both short and long styles, and an umbrella to help you channel your inner Mary Poppins.

The collection also includes the exclusive Mary Bag – a new design created especially for the launch – based on the bottomless carpet bag from the first film.

Every item features the design of Poppins’ iconic silhouette as she flutters down from the sky, brolly aloft.

(Picture: Hunter/Metro.co.uk)

‘At Hunter we have a strong heritage of innovation spanning 160 years and as such our products have been worn by many generations,’ says Alasdhair Willis, Hunter’s creative director.

‘When we had the opportunity to collaborate with Disney on Mary Poppins Returns – a story set in London – it felt like a unique opportunity we couldn’t miss to celebrate our shared British heritage, spirit of adventure and appeal to the whole family.’

The new movie is based on The Mary Poppins Stories by PL Travers and is due to be released this Christmas. Directed by Rob Marshall, the film stars Emily Blunt as the unconventional nanny and Lin-Manuel Miranda, who plays her friend Jack – an optimistic street lamplighter who helps bring light and life to the streets of London.

Set in 1930s London, 24 years after the events of the first film, Mary Poppins is back to help the next generation of the Banks family find the joy that’s missing in their lives following a personal loss.

The camouflage design cleverly incorporates the iconic Disney imagery- in a celebration of all thing Mary Poppins. The bubble umbrella comes in either midnight blue or seaweed green, and boasts a rubberised handle and durable hook grip, as well as the exclusive print.

(Picture: Hunter/Metro.co.uk)

While the Mary Bag might not hold quite as many delights as the original bag from the movie, it still looks pretty great and has a water-resistant leather exterior, so you’ll be prepared whatever the weather.

The playful range is still subtle enough to allow you to look grown-up, while still professing your undying love for all things Disney. It could help you look practically perfect in every way this winter.

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Fertility rates are falling as half the world experiences a ‘baby bust’, researchers say

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Caption: METRO ILLUSTRATIONS (Picture: Virgin Miri/ Metro.co.uk) Social infertility is very real and very shit Is there a word for when you find out there???s a name for something you???ve been feeling or experiencing? Because if there???s not, there should be. You see I recently found out (via this wonderful piece my friend Emily Maddick wrote for Grazia magazine) that there???s a snappy term for the fact that I desperately want children but might not be able to have them because I???m still fucking single. It???s called social infertility. While plain old medical infertility is something you hear about all the time, social infertility is so rarely spoken about I only just came across the phrase a couple of weeks ago and I???m afflicted by it. Like mental illness - which is only now starting to be treated as seriously as physical health issues ??? social infertility is seen as something that???s either made up or totally avoidable if only the person concerned would just pull their socks up and bloody get on with it. But I???d like to make it very clear here and now; I am not being too picky, I am not playing fast and loose with biology because I???m a spoilt brat who thinks she can always get her own way, and I am certainly not prioritising my career and purposely putting procreating on-hold to climb the greasy pole - I simply haven???t met anyone I could possibly, under any reasonable standards, have children with. And believe me, no one???s more disappointed or upset about this fact than me. To give you some background, I???m 35 and have been single for all of my 30s and a decent chunk of my 20s. Yes, I???ve dated. Yes, there have been people I???ve liked and others who have liked me (although, unfortunately, rarely the twain have met). I???m the product of a stable, loving, two-parent family, and have always envisioned creating my own equally traditional family unit with marriage and kids. And yet, despite my long-held hopes, dreams, and many, many dates, it hasn Copyright: Virgin Miri/ Metro.co.uk
(Picture:Virgin Miri/ Metro.co.uk)

There’s a new phrase that might come to define the next generation of babies.

According to researchers, we are experiencing a ‘baby bust’ due to a global decline in fertility rates.

The new findings come from a study published in the Lancet, which reveals that half of the world’s countries don’t have enough children to maintain population figures.

Baby in the Womb
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

A significant decline has been noticed, with the study measuring fertility figures between 1950 to 2017.

Back then, women had an average of 4.7 children. Now, that figure has nearly been slashed in half, to 2.4 children.

The country by country difference can also be quite drastic; while in Niger, Africa, women are having on average 7.1 children, meanwhile in Cyprus they are opting to have one child.

A so-called baby bust occurs when the fertility rate drops below 2.1.

Overall, fertility rates are lower in majority of Europe, the US, South Korea and Australia.

But take the ‘baby bust’ with a pinch of salt, as although there are less babies per woman in these countries, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the population has fallen – the research also measures death rates and immigration.

These new findings don’t relate to sperm count or fertility issues. Rather, the main reason behind the falling fertility rates is increased access to contraception, more women in work, more women in education and fewer childhood deaths (and women having fewer children, as a result).

‘We’ve reached this watershed where half of countries have fertility rates below the replacement level, so if nothing happens the populations will decline in those countries,’ Prof Christopher Murray, the director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, said to the BBC.

‘It’s a remarkable transition.’

Fertility Month

This story is part of Fertility Month, a month-long series covering all aspects of fertility.

For the next four weeks, we will be speaking to people at all stages of the fertility journey as well as doctors, lawyers and fertility experts who can shed light on the most important issues.

If you have a story to tell or a question to ask, please do get in touch at fertilitystories@metro.co.uk.

Here is a selection of the stories from Fertility Month so far - and you can find all Fertility Month content here.

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Research reveals the ‘naughtiest’ breeds of dog

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(Picture: Getty)

Your dog might be your best friend, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be naughty from time to time.

New research has revealed a list of the ‘naughtiest’ dog breeds – based on how often they bark. The more they bark, the naughtier they’re deemed to be.

There’s also a list of the ‘nicest’ dog breeds – the ones that bark the least.

The data has been collated by Furbo, a company who make a smart-phone connected camera which allows dog owners to keep tabs on their pets.

The company collected the figures from users of their product, and found that Samoyed dogs top the naughty list. Samoyeds bark the most out of all the breeds that were tested, often up 52 times every day.

Right on the Samoyeds’ tail is the Yorkshire Terrier – although they do bark significantly less, they were second on the list with an average of around 23 woofs per day.

Bernese Mountain Dogs came out on top (Picture: Getty)

But the goodest boys of them all where the Bernese Mountain Dogs, who came out on top of the nice list. The Bernese are the quietest of the dog breeds, and only let out about 3 barks per day.

Here’s the full list, have a look to see where your pooch falls on the scale.

The naughtiest dog breeds:

The Naughtiest Dog Breeds (Most Barks Per Day)

  1. Samoyed – 52.8 barks
  2. Yorkshire Terrier – 23.6 barks
  3. Poodle – 22.2 barks
  4. Bichon Frise – 20.3 barks
  5. Doberman – 19.6 barks

The Nicest Dog Breeds (Least Barks Per Day)

  1. Bernese Mountain Dog – 3.1 barks
  2. West Highland Terrier – 3.5 barks
  3. Shetland Sheepdog – 6.1 barks
  4. American Staffordshire Terrier – 6.2 barks
  5. Shiba Inu – 8.1 barks

Why do dogs bark?

It might not be totally fair to call dogs ‘naughty’ for barking. In fact, barking is completely natural for dogs – and should only be considered a problem if it excessive.

Barking is one type of vocal communication that dogs use, and it can mean different things depending on the situation. Here are some reasons why dogs bark:

Territorial/Protective: When a person or an animal comes into an area your dog considers his territory, that often triggers excessive barking. As the threat gets closer, the barking often gets louder. Your dog will look alert and even aggressive during this type of barking.

Alarm/Fear: Some dogs bark at any noise or object that catches their attention or startles them. This can happen anywhere, not just in their home territory.

Boredom/Loneliness: Dogs are pack animals. Dogs left alone for long periods, whether in the house or in the yard, can become bored or sad and often will bark because they are unhappy.

Greeting/Play: Dogs often bark when greeting people or other animals. It’s usually a happy bark, accompanied with tail wags and sometimes jumping.

Attention Seeking: Dogs often bark when they want something, such as going outside, playing, or getting a treat.

Separation Anxiety/Compulsive Barking: Dogs with separation anxiety often bark excessively when left alone. They also usually exhibit other symptoms as well, such as pacing, destructiveness, depression, and inappropriate elimination. Compulsive barkers seem to bark just to hear the sound of their voices.

Web MD

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A Jaffa Cake Yard is no longer actually a yard and people are outraged

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jaffa cake yard is no longer a yardjaffa cake yard is no longer a yard
What is going on? (Picture: Metro.co.uk)

There are some constants in life we thought we could rely on, no matter how troubled our times.

But over and over again, our faith has been smashed to smithereens.

First it was Terry’s chocolate orange, shrinking in size but rising in price. Then Toblerone changed shape.

Now it’s the sweet, loyal (or so we thought) Jaffa Cake breaking our hearts into a million pieces.

Remember the Jaffa Cake Yard – the long stick of Jaffa Cakes your parents would get you for Christmas?

Well, that long box is now filled with lies and disappointment.

It turns out that the Jaffa Cake Yard is not actually a yard, as the size has been reduced to just 28 inches. That’s eight inches short.

The entire length of the tube is just 32 inches, with four inches of dead space.

The ?Yard of Jaffa Cakes? box with the number of Jaffa Cakes it actually conatins - which is smaller than last year but just as EXPENSIVE.See National News story NNjaffa.The 'Yard of Jaffa Cakes' festive favourite has become the latest casualty in the war against sugar. Last year McVitie's came under fire when a normal pack size shrunk from 12 cakes to 10. And now McVitie's has reduced the total number of jaffa cakes in the Christmas product from 48 to 40 - but the price has not changed with it. The cracker still sells for ?3 in Tescos and is noticeably smaller than last year's offering - weighing in at just under 500g compared to the 750g packet sold in previous years.
The packaging and what it contains (Picture: SWNS)

It’s not just that the box has been shortened, mind you. It’s been discovered that the ‘Yard’ contains eight fewer Jaffa Cakes than before, with just 40 Jaffa Cakes.

People, naturally, are outraged.

McVitie’s has responded to the fury, stating: ‘It was over a year ago that we announced changes to the pack sizes of our Jaffa Cakes.

A comparison of how many Jaffa Cakes in last years ?Yard of Jaffa Cakes? box(left) compared to this years (right).See National News story NNjaffa.The 'Yard of Jaffa Cakes' festive favourite has become the latest casualty in the war against sugar. Last year McVitie's came under fire when a normal pack size shrunk from 12 cakes to 10. And now McVitie's has reduced the total number of jaffa cakes in the Christmas product from 48 to 40 - but the price has not changed with it. The cracker still sells for ?3 in Tescos and is noticeably smaller than last year's offering - weighing in at just under 500g compared to the 750g packet sold in previous years.
The Jaffa Cakes in last year’s ‘Yard’ versus this year’s (Picture: SWNS)

‘These changes included more options for Jaffa lovers introducing snack and sharing style packs and also changing our standard packs from 12 cakes to ten.

‘Our new seasonal ‘Jaffa Cracker’ consists of four individual packs of ten cakes which are stacked and designed to be gifted over the festive period.

A close-up of the ?Yard of Jaffa Cakes? box with tape measure.See National News story NNjaffa.The 'Yard of Jaffa Cakes' festive favourite has become the latest casualty in the war against sugar. Last year McVitie's came under fire when a normal pack size shrunk from 12 cakes to 10. And now McVitie's has reduced the total number of jaffa cakes in the Christmas product from 48 to 40 - but the price has not changed with it. The cracker still sells for ?3 in Tescos and is noticeably smaller than last year's offering - weighing in at just under 500g compared to the 750g packet sold in previous years.
As you can see, not a yard. (Picture: SWNS)

‘We understand there are online independent retailers who are misleading consumers by selling McVitie’s products with incorrect information.

‘Although this is not within our control we take appropriate measures to report these as soon as we’re made aware.’

So essentially, the Jaffa Cake Yard is explaining away its smaller size by no longer being called a ‘Yard’ but a ‘cracker’. Very sneaky, McVitie’s.

It’s all well and good fixing the description so you’re not actually deceiving anyone with measurement-based description, but we’d still like some more Jaffa Cakes. Thanks.

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MORE: Boohoo is selling Christmas wreaths for your nipples

Barack and Michelle Obama suffered miscarriage and had marriage counseling

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Former First Lady Michelle Obama has revealed she used IVF to conceive her daughters after suffering a devastating miscarriage – and how she and husband Barack had marriage counseling.

Mrs Obama, 54, told Good Morning America that losing the unborn child 20 years ago left her feeling ‘lost and alone.’

She said: ‘I felt like I failed because I didn’t know how common miscarriages were because we don’t talk about them.

Michelle Obama has revealed she and husband Barack used IVF to conceive their daughters Sasha, left. and Malia, right, after she suffered a devastating miscarriage in her mid 30s (Picture: AFP)

‘We sit in our own pain, thinking that somehow we’re broken.

‘That’s one of the reasons why I think it’s important to talk to young mothers about the fact that miscarriages happen.’

thumbnail for post ID 8124353Woman, 29, died after taking heroin, ecstasy and cocaine in strip club

Mrs Obama, who was a successful lawyer before becoming First Lady in 2008, told host Robin Roberts how she realized around the age of 34 that ‘the biological clock is real,’ and ‘egg production is limited.’

She said it was at that point she and husband Barack realized: ‘We had to do IVF.’

That fertility treatment helped the couple conceive daughters Malia, 20, and Sasha, 17.

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 05: U.S. President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and daughters Malia (L) and Sasha (R) pose for a family portrait with their pets Bo and Sunny in the Rose Garden of the White House on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Pete Souza/The White House via Getty Images)
Michelle Obama has also opened up about having marriage counselling

Mrs Obama said she wanted to open up about her fertility issues in her new memoir, Becoming, in a bid to help others who have suffered the same setbacks.

She explained: ‘I think it’s the worst thing that we do to each other as women, not share the truth about our bodies and how they work.’

And the campaigner also shared how she and her husband had undergone marriage counseling after their relationship hit a rocky patch.

Mrs Obama said that helped them overcome their problems and keep their relationship going.

She added: ‘Marriage counseling for us was one of those ways where we learned how to talk out our differences.

FILE - In this Oct. 11, 2018, file photo, Michelle Obama participates in the International Day of the Girl on NBC's "Today" show in New York. Michelle Obama blasts President Donald Trump in her new book, recalling how she reacted in shock the night she learned he would replace her husband in the Oval Office and tried to ???block it all out.??? In her book ???Becoming,??? set to come out on Tuesday, Nov. 13, she denounces the president for bragging to a TV host in 2005 about sexually assaulting women. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
Mrs Obama told of how her ‘body buzzed with fury’ on hearing Donald Trump’s infamous ‘grab ’em by the pussy’ tape. She also said that seeing the ‘nastiness’ of politics while campaigning alongside her husband has put her off ever running for president herself (Picture: AP)

‘I know too many young couples who struggle and think that somehow there’s something wrong with them.

‘And I want them to know that Michelle and Barack Obama, who have a phenomenal marriage and who love each other, we work on our marriage.

‘And we get help with our marriage when we need it.’

Mrs Obama said that after meeting her husband at a Chicago law firm, she insisted they try to stay friends, despite a strong mutual attraction.

But the pair became a couple after a passionate kiss one summer night, with the former FLOTUS recalling: ‘The feelings came rushing – a toppling blast of lust, gratitude, fulfillment, wonder.’

Becoming also tells of the hurt Mrs Obama felt at being portrayed as an ‘angry black woman’ by critics after her husband decided to run for president.

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: President Donald Trump and former president Barack Obama stand on the steps of the U.S. Capitol with First Lady Melania Trump and Michelle Obama on January 20, 2017 in Washington, DC. In today's inauguration ceremony Donald J. Trump becomes the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
The Obamas welcome the Trumps to Washington for the 2017 presidential inauguration. Mrs Obama has now branded Donald Trump a ‘mysoginist’ and says she can never forgive him for encouraging people to believe her husband was a foreign-born Muslim (Picture: Getty)

And she lashed Donald Trump’s unfounded claims that her husband was secretly a foreign-born Muslim as ‘crazy and mean-spirited’ with an undercurrent of ‘bigotry and xenophobia hardly concealed.’

Mrs Obama continued: ‘But it was also dangerous, deliberately meant to stir up the wingnuts and kooks.

‘What if someone with an unstable mind loaded a gun and drove to Washington?

‘What if that person went looking for our girls? Donald Trump, with his loud and reckless innuendos, was putting my family’s safety at risk. And for this, I’d never forgive him.’

On the infamous leaked Access Hollywood tape, where Trump was heard boasting about how he liked to ‘Grab (women) by the pussy,’ Mrs Obama said that her ‘body buzzed with fury after hearing (it).’

She branded the president a ‘mysoginist,’ while calling his rival Hillary Clinton ‘an exceptionally-qualified female candidate.’

And despite repeated calls for her to run as president, Mrs Obama said the experience of campaigning alongside her husband has put her off politics for life.

She explained: ‘If I’d learned anything from the ugliness of the campaign, from the myriad of ways people had sought to write me off as angry or unbecoming, it was that public judgment sweeps in to fill any void. … I knew that I would never allow myself to get that banged up again.

‘I’ve never been a fan of politics, and my experience over the last 10 years has done little to change that. I continue to be put off by the nastiness.’

Michelle Obama’s full interview will air on ABC at 9PM EST Sunday. 

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