Yankee Candle’s new celebratory offering (Picture: Getty; Yankee Candle)
Yankee Candle just unveiled the perfect products to ‘smell-ebrate’ a new bundle of joy.
The candle company has launched three new celebratory candles, designed as gifts for new parents.
The new range includes a candle for each gender, with balloons depicting the sex of the baby, as well as a gender neutral one which reads ‘congratulations on your new baby’.
The new creations, which come in a classic jar shape for £27.99 or a small pillar candle for £17.99, are available to buy on the Yankee website. Each order includes free postage and will be delivered within two working days.
What’s more, each one can be personalised with text, scent and colours.
There’s one for a bouncing baby boy (Picture: Yankee Candle)
And one for a beautiful baby girl (Picture: Yankee Candle)
A number of classic, fresh scents are on offer, including Soft Blanket, Clean Cotton, Fluffy Towels, Cherry Blossom as well as Warm Cashmere – all of which sound perfect for a newborn.
Other fragrances to choose from include Black Cherry, Vanilla, Red Raspberry and Lemon Lavender – with 19 in total.
But interestingly the company’s popular scent Baby Powder is not an option for the new collection.
There’s also a gender neutral candle in the new collection (Picture: Yankee Candle)
There’s even room for two lines of text, should the sender want to send the recipient a personalised message.
The candle company also offer a selection of other personalised products for different occasions, including wedding and anniversary candles.
The new collection comes just after the brand launched three new advert calendars for 2019 – a festive wreath contains 24 tealights, an advent calendar book and a tower advent candle. These include a selection of festive scents, alongside old favourites such as Pomegranate Gin Fizz and Evergreen Mist.
The calendar sold out last year (Picture: Liberty)
When it comes to advent calendars, there are two kinds of people: those who are willing to spend hundreds of pounds on the perfect one and those who won’t fork out more than a few pounds (if they even buy one at all).
If you belong to the first camp, you’ll be delighted to hear that Liberty has finally announced its 2019 beauty advent calendar and it’s even more luxurious than last year’s – which not only sold out, but was also the fastest-selling product the retailer has ever had.
And Liberty has been open for 145 years, so that’s saying something.
Naturally, the new version is bigger and better than the last; there will be 19 full-sized products in 25 drawers, all selected from the Liberty beauty hall.
There are also a few exclusive items, such as the Vihlelm Parfumerie’s Peony Couture.
However, the 2019 calendar has quite a hefty price tag – it costs £20 more than last year’s at £215, but the contents are worth over £600.
Here’s what you can find inside.
Everything you can find in the Liberty beauty advent calendar
Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Gel (full size)
Liberty is also placing a bigger focus on sustainability this year, as the packaging is completely recyclable, barring small magnets that can be found within the doors.
‘The Beauty Advent Calendar is the highlight of the calendar year and we are so excited for everyone to see the 2019 edition’, said Emily Bell, a beauty buyer at Liberty.
‘We have elevated the offering this year with the highest-value edit to date and developed the packaging to be completely recyclable – you just have to cut out the magnet that closes the doors.
‘Following our Conscious Beauty campaign, we see how important this is to our customers, so wanted to make sure we could deliver a premium product that is socially responsible.’
It will become available online and in store on 16 October and because it has been so popular in previous years, Liberty has decided to make nearly 50% more of the calendars this year.
Doors open at 9am, and we recommend getting there early as there is usually a very long queue.
Alternatively, for those who prefer bath products over beauty and makeup items, Lush and B&M have just released bath bomb calendars, sold at £195 and £5 respectively.
Get ready to stan this grandma-of-11, Sharon Mehalek, who is not only a bodybuilder, but she surfs, kickboxes, teaches yoga and dabbles in high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
The 67-year-old is so impressive that she’s also won a modelling competition and has taken the regional gold medal for Miss Fitness America and National Aerobic Championships.
On top of all that, Sharon, from Illinois, does indoor cycling, barre, rebounding, snowboarding, surfing, and pilates.
As you do.
At the time she started taking an interest in sports in high school, there weren’t many options for women so Sharon stuck with cheerleading.
It wasn’t until she had her fifth child that she got into fitness, starting with aerobic classes. Soon she was teaching various group exercises and became a keen gym-goer.
In 2016 she had her first surfing lesson at 63 and is now pretty good. She also does slalom water skiing and snowboarding.
Her fitness journey came from a desire to set the best example for her children and 11 grandchildren who range from the ages of two to 18.
Dontcha wish your grandma was fit like this? (Picture: Media Drum World TV)
‘Fitness became my passion and it all started simply as a way to stay fit while raising my five children,’ explained Sharon.
‘I left my husband at that time and was a single mother of five for eight years; I got a full-time job as a manager for a corporate fitness company.
‘All this time I was still teaching classes, training clients and managing a centre; consistency is key in feeling good and looking your best.’
Sharon remarried after eight years as a single mother and is still with her husband who she met at the gym.
Sharon also owns her own beauty company (Picture: @dreamfitpurelife)
While she has enjoyed her career – which saw the launch of her own skincare product company Beautycounter – Sharon says she has been a victim to ageism.
But that’s led her to leave corporate gyms who ‘owned’ her and motivated her to work on her own terms.
‘This has been an amazing journey through life for me,’ she added.
‘My way to be healthy and fit after five children grew into a career that was truly my passion and a beautiful fit for me.
She has won Fitness America and National Aerobic Championships (Picture: Media Drum World TV)
‘As I faced obstacles and disappointments, staying fit was my sanity and my lifesaver.’
Sharon added that she loves being an active nana to her grandkids and taking part in all the fun:
‘I feel wonderful. I would love to live life all over again because time flies but I am extremely proud of my children and grandchildren and watching them in their lives.
‘I feel wiser and I know that I can always continue to learn more as I age.
‘I will never stop growing and believing in dreams and aspire to continue to motivate and inspire until I leave this great green earth.’
Yes, this one smells like Jaffa Cakes (Picture: Getty/Aldi)
Bake Off is back and now your house can be filled with the smell of freshly baked cake, without having to step into the kitchen.
These Aldi candles are just £2.79 and they’re perfect for your big GBBO night in.
They come in four scents – coconut cake, marshmallow fluff cake, strawberry pavlova and the one we are most excited about, jaffa cake.
Yes, you can fill your house with the amazing chocolatey orange smell of the classic cake/biscuit.
The candles are all wick candles in glass jars with a polished metal lid.
Each one if coloured to match the scent – white for coconut, pink for marshmallow, red for strawberry and orange for Jaffa Cake.
The candles are 8.5cm by 12cm so plenty of burning time in there.
The website says: ‘Perfect for those who have a sweet tooth, this candle will ensure your house smells welcoming and especially pleasant for guests.’
The candles hit stores nationwide yesterday but they are part of the specialbuys range so you need to be quick – they’re only available while stocks last.
They’re also available online if you can’t get to a store.
Porridge lattes could be coming to coffee shops near you (Picture: Getty)
Whether it be matcha, turmeric or pumpkin-spiced, one thing is certain – we simply can’t get enough of flavoured lattes.
But we could be seeing more of a new latte flavour, with a breakfast-inspired twist.
Yes, the porridge latte could soon be a thing in coffee shops across the country.
Most of us will have ordered both a bowl of porridge and a latte for breakfast, but the new coffee trend involves merging the two for an inventive caffeinated-treat.
What’s more, the new creative drink can be easily made with ingredients often found at home.
The porridge (or oatmeal) latte is a mix between breakfast and a beverage and is great for grabbing on-the-go.
The unique beverage-meets-breakfast creation was first published on Bon Appetite back in 2015, dubbing the porridge latte as a ‘healthy, fast, and homemade’ option.
It involves steaming milk to create foam and cook the oats at the same time. A shot of double espresso is then added and voila –
Four years on and the new latte seems to have picked up momentum, with places such as Starbucks rumoured to have featured it on their secret breakfast menu.
Those looking to give the breakfast hybrid a go for themselves can find the super-easy recipe at HowSweetEats.com, which can be adapted depending on how much coffee is required.
The recipe, which features granola and nuts as a suggested a crunchy topping, also states that the homemade recipe can be changed to suit personal taste.
Much like regular porridge and coffees, the type of milk can also be altered, depending on preference.
When it comes to business, personal development often ranks just as highly on the priority list as money.
It’s completely normal to want to climb up the career ladder and to know that there are possibilities for you to do so in your current job (or before applying for a new one).
We all want to feel appreciated and getting a promotion serves as a natural part of the process. It reinforces that we’re good at our jobs, that we’re valued in the workplace and that we’re working towards something bigger.
Modern work culture dictates that if you put in the effort, you will be rewarded for it – but what happens when that isn’t the case?
Feeling as if you’re stuck in a career rut, or that you’ve ‘hit the glass ceiling’ can be difficult to deal with or even affect a person’s mental health, especially if the issue is left unresolved.
So, how can you deal with it, and what can you do to change your situation?
‘Remember that this happens to every single one of us – yes, even those successful glittering people that you see being lauded in the press on a daily basis,’ Karen Kwong, a business coach and founder of the business consultancy RenOC, tells Metro.co.uk.
‘There is no such thing as an overnight success. Seriously. Yes, some successes will be faster than others. Some of you will get to that job faster than others but fundamentally, everyone has to work to get there, and hard.
‘If this is getting you down, it’s OK, that happens. Give yourself permission to wallow, feel sorry for yourself, gripe and moan – but set a reasonable timetable.’
After you’ve given yourself time to process the situation, start by identifying what you want and how you can get there, what your ideal career is and why.
Consider your strengths and weaknesses, your failures and successes, and how these will impact your goals.
Karen said: ‘For many people, their career trajectories are treated as unchangeable, static and immovable targets.
‘They were set as you first started life in the job world and almost always, they have remained the same. By focusing on why a career is important to you and the values around it, as opposed to a fixed goal such as partnership, it might help you determine if your goals are truly ones that mean something to you or if they’re just something that you gave yourself a decade ago, or what your parents wanted for you.
‘By being curious about your why and what, your solutions to getting there will be more aligned and therefore realistic, and hopefully more motivating.’
Now for the practical advice.
If you’re an employee, the first step is to have a conversation with your manager. This can be done in your annual review or if you’d rather not wait, ask for a meeting ahead of the date.
Go in there with a clear idea of what it is you want – whether that is moving up to a new role, the chance to take on bigger projects or something else – and be prepared to show your managers why you are worth the investment. Put together a presentation or a folder of your hard work, and bring it along.
People are often afraid to talk about their accomplishments for fear that they will appear as if they’re bragging, but there is no shame in showcasing your worth.
If you’re happy with your current role but feel unmotivated, look into some courses that you can do to spice up your work life and put these ideas forward to your boss.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to stay in your current workplace or are in-between jobs, go into your job search knowing exactly what you want and how much you’re willing to compromise on those goals.
Would you take a pay cut for a role with more responsibility? Would you consider moving for the right job? What does a good work/life balance mean to you?
Karen's top tips on how to move your career forward
Go on courses and to events where you will learn, add to your CV and to your list of offerings. Learning is key to success – no matter what level you are at in your professional career.
Look at which organisations and people you need to learn from – could be via social media, commentary by those companies’ leaders on LinkedIn, Twitter etc. The more you know about that industry (e.g. news/sector-specific publications etc.) the better you will be in interviews and in the job.
Network – look at who you need to speak to, which conferences to attend, who might be able to introduce you to whom, groups on social media etc. Get the word out there what you’re looking for. You never know who might be able to make an introduction.
Review your CV and get someone objective and possibly a specialist in recruitment to review it too. Update that and your LinkedIn profile (speaking of which, your LinkedIn profile should be updated all the time, not just when you are looking for work).
Make sure your cover letters are tailored to each application.
If you’re self-employed or run your own business, take an honest look at the work you’re doing and what is truly bothering you – and if it’s something you can change.
Are there ways to expand the business? Will new clients/products/projects provide any improvements?
Don’t be afraid to ask yourself the big question: is this still what you want to do?
Lisa Phillips, a confidence coach, explains that you need to be proactive if you want change.
‘Take responsibility for your own career,’ she tells Metro.co.uk.
‘If you are blaming your manager or the organisation you work for, then you are giving away your power and you will feel stuck. Decide to take responsibility for your career by empowering yourself to make changes.’
Avoid the temptation of comparing your success (or lack of it) to someone else’s. You won’t be doing yourself any favours.
Lisa said: ‘Everybody has a different career pace and direction, so beating yourself up is not going to change anything.
If you’re struggling, consider speaking to someone about how you feel. It can be a family member, a friend or even a colleague, if you feel comfortable doing that..
Negative thoughts may inevitable make their way through your mind, but remember: being stuck does not mean you’re a failure.
Bruey has lost 2.5 stone after a love of family dinners and doggy biscuits made him overweight.
He shed a quarter of his weight after embarking on a low calorie, high fibre diet and going out for daily walks.
Veterinary nurse Amy Hood from White Cross Vets has worked tirelessly with owner Mary Hughes and Petpals dog walker Paul Yates, to achieve the impressive transformation.
Amy said: ‘In 11 years working at White Cross Vets, I’ve never seen weight loss on this scale.
‘I first met Mary and Bruey seven years ago and have always struggled to get him to maintain a healthy weight.
‘He would initially lose weight, but he would always eventually put it all back on again.
‘In January he was referred to my weight loss clinic again by our vet.
Bruey before he lost weight (Picture: SWNS)
‘She was worried about some lumps that Bruey had developed, one of which was under his left armpit.
‘Due to its size it had started to affect his mobility and it needed to be removed, but Bruey was 2.5 stone overweight and the heaviest he has ever been.
‘Mary understood the seriousness of the situation straight away, Bruey could not have the operation at the weight he was because a general anaesthetic would be too high risk.
‘I tailored him a low calorie, high fibre diet and advised that Bruey would need to lose around a stone and a half before it would be safe for him to have surgery.
‘After just under four months of strict diet and daily exercise with dog walking company Petpals and Mary’s son, Bruey smashed his target and successfully had his operation.’
He was a big boy before the weightloss (Picture: SWNS)
Vets removed a fatty lump that weighed a massive 730 grams alone.
‘Once Bruey had recovered, we continued with his diet and he kept losing weight.
‘He now weighs a healthy six stone and is now full of life, enjoying running around with other dogs.
‘Mary has been amazing, she has worked so hard and I continue to see Bruey religiously every two weeks to ensure he isn’t gaining weight again.
‘If Mary can’t make the clinic, his dog walker Paul brings him and I ring her afterwards with an update.
‘I also ring her every Friday to offer any support they might need.’
Labradors are known to be greedy and Bruey was no different.
‘He will steal food at any opportunity, so I know it has been challenging for Mary,’ Amy said.
‘Both Mary and Paul have played such a huge part in Bruey’s successful weight loss.
He was a chunky boy (Picture: SWNS)
‘Bruey’s daily walks have made all the difference, as he wouldn’t have reached his goal weight so quickly if he wasn’t burning off so much energy.’
Paul Yates, from Petpals, said: ‘I have been just as determined as Amy to support Mary in helping Bruey to lose weight.
‘I walk him, and occasionally board him at my house, and make sure he sticks to the diet.’
Mary, 77, from Middesbrough, said: ‘I got Bruey when he was a little seven-week-old puppy and we fell in love at first sight.
‘He is a beautiful golden lab who loves his food, so it’s been really hard to restrict him.
‘As soon as I found out that he needed the operation, I knew that we had to stick to Amy’s weight loss plan – she has been excellent.
‘His morning walks with Paul and evening walks with my son have also really helped.
He’s been working super hard to shed the weight loss (Picture: SWNS)
‘I struggle with mobility, but can get to the door and my son lets Bruey off for the last part of his walk through the fields and he runs towards me, racing down the road to get home.
‘He has such a gentle nature and loves to swim in the sea too which is great exercise.
‘I’ve realised the best way to spoil him is with walks, not food, and I also make sure he goes for a weekly wash and brush – which he loves.
‘I’m so happy to see Bruey so healthy again.’
Amy, Paul and Mary are going to keep working together to keep Bruey healthy.
Amy added: ‘I’m so proud of Bruey, he is an amazing dog.
‘To see him slim, healthy and happy was always our end goal, and as a team we have achieved that.
‘He is an absolute star and a pleasure to see.
He’s now lost 2.5 stone and looks fabulous (Picture: SWNS)
‘Paul, Mary and I are all determined to help him maintain his healthy weight.
‘As a veterinary nurse I am very passionate about weight management.
‘We love our pets and sometimes we think the way to their heart is through their stomach.
‘We love to treat them, but unfortunately, when this starts to affect their weight, in the long run, it also affects their quality of life.
‘Maintaining a healthy weight ensures they live longer, and we want to help as many pets as possible to beat obesity.’
The Theatre Of Dreams now comes with its own grooming kit (Picture: Remington)
Do you ever get ready and think ‘God, my grooming products are boring’? Then we have good news for you.
Why get your hair and beard done with very dull looking appliances when you could be doing it with fancy, footy team-affiliated gear?
In news of unlikely pairings, Remington (the haircare brand) have teamed up with Manchester United (yes, that Manchester United).
The team are bringing you hair straighteners, dryers, electric clippers, and beard trimmers with the Red Devil crest.
If you’re mad about footy then chances are you already have all the merchandise, so what’s a few more?
Those in Manchester can even head to the Megastore on 4 September and experience the new products with free grooming and styling sessions throughout the day.
Club legend Denis Irwin will also be attending to chat with fans while they have their styling sessions.
Anyone who buys any of the new grooming kits can also have it personalised for free in-store.
Score.
It includes hair straighteners, curlers and dryers too (Picture: Remington)
You can expect the Beard Boss Beard Styler with nine variable length settings and forty minutes of cordless run time.
The Heritage Foil Shaver which features the crest is suitable for either dry or wet shaving. It is said to use unique LiftLogic multidirectional foils that capture and cut hairs from any direction whilst adapting to facial contours.
The Sleek and Curl Expert Straightener is also said to heat up within 15 seconds. And the Thermacare Pro 2400 Hairdryer delivers a 2400W performance.
Too early for Christmas? (Picture: Remington)
Tim Wright from Remington is delighted with the partnership.
‘We’re proud to release our incredible styling products via our partnership with the club, so fans can look and feel their best on match day,’ he said.
‘The new range is the first exciting product collaboration between Remington and Manchester United and it offers a huge variety of high-end quality products, where every fan is sure to find something to suit their individual styling needs.’
The full range includes 10 products and they are all available to purchase online from the Remington and Manchester United websites, Amazon and from the club’s Megastore.
Now go forth and incorporate more of the best football team in the world into your home.
I wasn’t going to allow the bullies to turn me into a victim (Picture: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Returning to school after the summer holidays might be exciting for some, but for those who have experienced bullying, it can be anxiety inducing.
Growing up there wasn’t a day that went by when I didn’t receive some form of gay slur or verbal abuse. It was all the really clever insults, the same few words played over and over again every day.
It was like routine wherever I went ‘gay, faggot, bum boy’ etc. Apart from the obvious go-tos, a lot of the time it was vile and malicious and intended to really cut deep and harm.
The P.E changing room was an especially scary place where I felt the most vulnerable and where this form of torment always happened. I tried to get straight in and out as fast as I could, putting my shoes and tie on outside to save time.
It wasn’t just in school I got it either, I couldn’t walk down the street without even fully grown adults yelling abuse at me.
Despite all of the bullying I always tried to rise above it and not let them get to me. I was fortunate enough to have a supportive mother and a good group of girlfriends who were there for me, but I had to stand up for myself.
I wasn’t going to allow the bullies to turn me into a victim. I told myself that one day I would be out of there and they would be so insignificant when I made it big, because I always knew I would make it big.
I didn’t realise it would come quite so big and so soon, in the form of a smash hit musical and soon-to-be film Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. I always knew I would have the last laugh!
I think one of the main reasons for the success of the show is because so many people can relate to it in some way because unfortunately, bullying is so common.
Research by the Diana Award, released today, found that more than half of children experience bullying at school. And for many, this has a huge impact on their mental health, with 78 percent of those bullied feeling anxious.
Any advice I would give to students who are scared of bullying this year is don’t be afraid to open up, whether that to be friends, parents, teachers, an anti-bullying ambassador, an anonymous phone line. Whatever you’re most comfortable doing.
Also, I know it may seem impossible, but please at least try to shift your thought process when it comes to your self worth. Please don’t let the bullies get to you, that’s what they want.
For the most part bullying comes from a source of pain, insecurity and lack of understanding. There could be many reasons but there is always some from underlying issue. Bullying is a way to release that, rather than talking about it and confronting the issue properly.
The years of bullying have had a significant impact on my life, but it would have been so much worse if I didn’t have anyone to talk or turn to for support.
The work that The Diana Award do is crucial for many kids out there who just need someone to talk to. Not everybody out there has a great support network, and some people do and just need somebody else out of their immediate network to turn to.
If I could go back and tell my younger self anything, it would be: ‘You’re going to be out of this place soon enough and these morons won’t even cross your mind. Focus on how you feel about yourself rather than the options of bigots, because what they have to say is meaningless.
‘One day you’re going to have a lot more to worry about than other people’s opinions, so stop living for them and live for yourself and loved ones. Oh, and stick in more at school and maybe calm down on the fake tan.’
The Diana Award offers #Back2School advice and support online. You can also receive free, confidential support via text anytime of the day or night by texting ‘DA’ TO 85258.
Jamie Campbell inspired the hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie which is playing at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue.
Mary has got her lips done to ‘look like Angelina Jolie’ plus three boob jobs and is now a 38J (Picture: Mary Magdalene / MDWfeatures)
‘Introverted’ dancer, Mary Magdalen has had three boob jobs, over 15 lip procedures, butt implants and a Brazilian butt lift.
The 24-year-old from Toronto, Canada, felt she was ‘basic’ with her natural boobs and lips.
And so she says she went from ‘Kylie Jenner paper clip lips’ to ‘Angelina Jolie’. Mary’s bra size is now an astonishing 38J.
All of that has cost Mary £85,700 (150,000 Canadian dollars) and it doesn’t look like she’s set to stop any time soon.
Mary says she knew she wanted to get plastic surgery since she was 14 and is now ‘addicted’.
‘Never did I imagine I would get as much as I did but it has just become a hobby of mine; like an extreme sport,’ she said.
‘Before surgery, there were days I would feel insecure about some things and some days I would wake up feeling like myself – now looking back at old photos, I think I was a plain Jane.’
Mary before her surgeries (Picture: Mary Magdalene / MDWfeatures)
Mary’s first procedure took place in Mexico where she, then 20 years old, had breast implants put in.
But it comes naturally to her, she says.
‘I’m not trying to look like anyone, I just like tattoos and plastic surgery. The bigger, the better. I’m not even the same person.
‘My dad doesn’t like it – he was a missionary, same with my grandparents and they are very conservative.’
Mary now (Picture: Mary Magdalene / MDWfeatures)
As well as three boob jobs, Mary has also had three nose jobs, a brow lift, cheek and lip fillers, botox and arm and flank liposuction.
She even plans on getting another boob job in August even though she has experienced some breathing problems.
Strangers haven’t always agreed with her extreme surgeries either.
She’s had a Brazillian butt lift (Picture: Mary Magdalene / MDWfeatures)
She describes her lips pre-fillers as ‘Kylie Jenner paper clip lips’ (Picture: Mary Magdalene / MDWfeatures)
‘I was leaving the grocery store and an old lady shook her head and said violently “now why would you do that”.
‘I was shopping and this little girl runs out and says to the lady sitting beside him “mum, come look at this girl’s lips! She looks like a fish”.’
She describes her lips pre-fillers as ‘Kylie Jenner paper clip lips’ (Picture: Mary Magdalene / MDWfeatures)
Despite the looks and disapproval of her family, Mary enjoys her look and isn’t fussed by anyone else.
‘I think you have to live your life for yourself.
‘Do what makes you happy but also do not make impulsive decisions and really think about how it will affect your future.’
Thanks to Primark, you can now continue your Harry Potter obsession in your sleep, too.
The retailer has just launched a new range of bedding, themed to Hogwarts houses so you can show your allegiance.
Each set matches the colours and symbol of the house it represents.
The new line is arriving just in time for the week when children go back to school, which for Potter fans is also known as ‘Back to Hogwarts day’ (and always falls on 1 September).
Each set features colours from a Hogwarts house (Picture: Primark)
Are you a Hufflepuff? (Picture: Primark)
‘Celebrate the day that students return to Hogwarts with our magical selection of #HarryPotter homeware,’ Primark wrote in a post on Instagram.
‘Which house will you choose?’
Potterheads will love the full set – which costs £14 – while the more discreet Hogwarts-fan can pick up a throw or a cushion, both of which cost £6 respectively.
Each cushion also features a message from the house – such as ‘dedication, patience, loyalty’ (Hufflepuff), ‘learning, wit, wisdom’ (Ravenclaw), ‘ambition, pride, cunning’ (obviously Slytherin) and ‘determination, courage, bravery’ (Gryffindor).
Katie arrived at the wedding after walking through lanes of traffic to get to the patrol car on the hard shoulder (Picture: Wales News Service)
We all expect the bride to make an entrance at a wedding but guests at this wedding were shocked when she arrived in a police car.
Katie Davies, 24, made her dramatic entrance at Neath Register Office on Friday after she got stuck in traffic on the motorway on her way to her big day.
She was due to meet fiancé Ryan Thomas, 24, at the top of the aisle at 3 pm but began to panic as the queues started to build after a serious accident on the M4.
Her mum Sian called Ryan’s brother Cian to break the news that they might not make it in time.
They were the last ceremony of the day and staff promised to stay on after 3 pm to give them some extra time but the couple feared she would be so delayed, the wedding wouldn’t go ahead.
Cian went to Neath police station and asked if there was anything they could do to help.
He says: ‘My brother started panicking, thinking he wasn’t going to get married.
‘I asked exactly where she was and I went round to Neath police station. I just said that the bride was going to be late for the wedding and asked if they were able to help.’
Police found Katie, her mum and her five-year-old daughter Millie-Rae on the outside lane of the M4.
Katie with the policewoman who helped her (Picture: Wales News Service)
They left their car, crossed two lanes of traffic and got into the patrol car, with other drivers taking pictures of the bride in her dress and veil.
Katie said: ‘I left my house at 2.15pm to allow for traffic and when we joined the M4 it was moving slowly. We were at a standstill, and that’s when Cian went out to get help.
‘When the police arrived I had to cross two lanes to get to the hard shoulder. People were all out of their cars taking videos and photographs and cheering and offering congratulations.’
Cian said: “It’s one story we’ll never forget. I could hear the sirens come closer, and then I saw her.
‘It was so emotional. It was such a long wait because we thought they were never going to make it.
Katie walking through the traffic (Picture: Wales News Service)
‘I’ve heard of some weddings where police take the guests away from the venue, but never bringing them to it.’
Cian said the family were really grateful to the police for their help in making sure the wedding went ahead.
‘I would say a big thank-you to them. I don’t think it would have gone ahead without their help and assistance.
‘They were so friendly. It’s amazing that they can help out the people involved in the crash as well as get my sister-in-law to her wedding,’ he said.
As it turned out the bride really did turn up at the service fashionably late – a whole one hour and 20 minutes late.
Katie said: ‘It was just a whirlwind. I will be forever grateful to the police officer Emma Thomas who helped me. She’s amazing. South Wales Police were fantastic.’
Artist Terri Benamore runs her own studio, creating reconstructive tattoos for people who’ve had their nipples removed during cancer treatment.
The 32-year-old from Northampton has inked 3D areola tattoos for the last year and a half, helping more than 70 women ‘feel complete again’.
To advertise her business, The Kiri Clinic, she relies on social media, namely Facebook and Instagram.
But detrimentally to her business, the images of the areola tats keep being deleted.
After being banned from the social media platforms for a day, then a week and even a year, Terri has fought with the media giants to recognise areola tats as non-sexual content.
Facebook told Metro.co.uk that they have been looking into the issue on behalf of Terri and are taking additional steps to help her.
Terri said she hopes they follow up but she wants to keep fighting, for women and people affected by these life-changing experiences.
Terri has done over 70 nipple tattoos (Picture: Terri Benamore)
‘I call nipple tats healing tattoos because they do really heal the soul,’ Terri told Metro.co.uk.
‘These people are a shadow of their former selves, having lost complete confidence in their bodies.
‘When people have had a mastectomy there are different types – some people have lumpectomies, some people keep their nipples and some don’t.
‘So I decided to look into it further because I wanted to help these women. Being asked about it all the time, I didn’t want to let them down.’
Images of the 3D areola tattoos that she has created have gone on social media, which is important for the business.
‘It’s really important that I share my work on social media, it gives us 80% of the work I do in normal and nipple tats. So it’s important avenue for me to get my work out there. And people need to see pics of what it looks like, they want to see.
‘Seeing it on social media is vital – to show breast cancer survivors that this is an option for them.’
Terri adds detail to the permanent tattoos including bumps on the areola (Picture: Terri Benamore)
But what happened every time she tried to post left her frustrated. Each image would get deleted and say ‘your post goes against our policies as it shows images of a sexual nature. Do you think we made a mistake?’
Once Terri clicked ‘yes, please reveal my picture’ it would do so but the process repeated every time she uploaded. She was then banned, for periods ranging 24 hours to a year.
‘You’re guilty till proven innocent,’ added Terri. ‘There is clearly a difference between an areola tattoo and a breast which is shown in a sexual context.
‘Seeing my accounts get deleted was absolutely heartbreaking and detrimental to business.’
The finished look (Picture: Terri Benamore)
Terri had plans to open a clinic that specialised in areola tattoo alongside complementary therapies that patients may want or need.
But after having her blocked and deleted, she couldn’t do it as she was unable to raise awareness.
After over 200 emails and messages, her account was restored.
She is back to using her accounts to help as many breast cancer survivors as she can.
She added: ‘Creating these tattoos is life-changing. It’s very special, I’m honoured to be able to do this with people.’
A Facebook spokesperson told Metro.co.uk a bit more about the issue, saying that images of mastectomy scarring don’t go against their anti-nude rules.
‘Adult nudity isn’t allowed on our platforms, but we do make exceptions for images of post-mastectomy scarring.
‘We use a combination of technology and human review when we make decisions about content. Some of the judgements we make when we apply our policies are nuanced and occasionally we get it wrong.
‘In this instance, we reinstated Terri’s posts and profile as soon as we became aware of our error.’
Tiger is selling the creepy pots in its UK stores (Picture: Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group)
The internet has been left thoroughly rattled after a photo of some creepy-looking plant pots was posted on Facebook.
Members of the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group were unsettled by a picture of some baby head plant pots and their resemblance to children’s dolls.
The peculiar pots, which are priced from £2, form a new collection from high street brand Tiger.
Three different types make up the bizarre offering – a pink one with wide-open eyes, a strange yellow shade pot and one with an eye closed – much like a broken doll.
The pots in question, which can be found in Tiger stores across the UK, can be used to hold either grass or flowers.
The stuff of nightmares (Picture: Flying Dolls)
The Facebook post, which racked up over 300 likes and 700 comments in less than a day, was titled ‘Cool or Creepy!? Baby Head Planters Spotted in Tiger’.
Naturally, members of the group were quick to comment on the quirky pieces.
One user commented: ‘Cool! That’s one way of keeping the kids away from the plants.’
Another seemed outraged saying: ‘Creepy. Why the hell anyone would want to buy those hideous things I’ll never know.’
‘These freak me out more than clowns and clowns really freak me out,’ another added.
One simply said: ‘I don’t mind dolls but even I say these are creepy.’
Other Facebook group members were keen to point out different creative uses for the kitsch pots.
One posted: ‘Great as Halloween decor to put sweets in.’
While others agreed the odd ceramics would be great for pranking friends.
Snap up these great bits before they’re gone (Pictures: George/Aldi/Primark/Dunelm/Argos)
Whether you’re heading to university for the first time this September or going back for another year, kitting out your new pad is sure to be top of the agenda.
Thankfully, big brands have delivered on the goods, with plenty of bargains for savvy students.
We’ve rounded up some of the best items and deals that won’t break the bank (or the bank of mum and dad) – so all the items below are £25 or under. What a bargain.
Asda
Any bed-bound hangover is made a hundred times more bearable when the bedding is inviting and cosy.
Beans on toast looks all the more appetising when it’s presented on a sophisticated plate. Asda has reduced its stylish marble dinnerware from £20 to just £16. There’s 12 pieces in the set, meaning each piece of crockery comes in at just £1.30 a pop.
You won’t lose these in the kitchen (Picture: George)
Lidl’s great value for money means it’s already a hit with most students. But the supermarket’s new homeware collection has some bargain steals for those going back to uni.
Lidl’s coloured planters (Picture: Lidl)
Currently it’s selling these Scandi-style planter pots for £9.99, with three different colours to choose from.
It’s also offering storage containers, with prices starting from just £9.99 for cubes and £14.99 for larger boxes.
Dunelm
As well as its new sloth homeware collection, there’s plenty for students to get stuck into at Dunelm, with huge reductions across the store.
Be sure to snap up the spot fleece throw which has been reduced from £6 to just £4.20.
Some bargain cushions to be had (Caption: Dunelm)
Dunelm’s cushion offering is also worth checking out, with contemporary pieces like this geometric cushion coming in at £3.50 each, reduced from £5.
Primark
High street favourite Primark is the place to go on a budget and its homeware collection has a variety of pieces at study-friendly prices.
Three face cloths for just £2.50 (Picture: Primark)
Argos’ student essentials range has plenty of kitchen delights, alongside some brilliant deals on technology.
Now that’s a bargain (Picture: Argos)
A 20-piece kitchen essentials starter set can be found for just £22 – featuring a saucepan, frying pan, stir fry pan, utensils, cutlery and more. That means each item comes in at roughly £1.10.
You can’t argue with that.
Next
It may be known for its fashion but Next has a brilliant back to university range, with some great deals on everything from bedding to pasta bowls.
Love sloths? Well you’re in luck, because Dunelm has just launched a new sloth themed range, and we love it all.
The store has launched an entire bedroom collection based on sloths, featuring everything you could need for a cosy night.
The range features hot water bottles, slippers, sloth bedding and blankets, mugs, curtains and even a fluffy onesie. We want to buy the lot.
We love these slippers (Picture: Dunelm)
Prices start at £2.50 and go up to £25 for the onesie.
After you’re done decorating your bedroom with sloth-themed-everything, you might want to think about adding some candles, especially now autumn is nearly here.
And Aldi has got your back, as the supermarket has just released a range of dessert scented candles.
The candles cost £2.79 each and come in four scents – coconut cake, marshmallow fluff cake, strawberry pavlova and jaffa cake.
They all sound amazing, we know.
The hot water bottle is so cute! (Picture: Dunelm)
The candles are all wick candles in glass jars and come with a polished metal lid – and they’re coloured to match the scent.
So, the coconut jar is white, the marshmallow is pink, the strawberry pavlova is red and the jaffa cake is orange.
The candles are available now and come as part of a specialbuys range so you’ll need to act fast if you want to get your hands on them before they sell out.
Dunelm’s sloth collection is also currently available online – and everything still seems to be in stock right now.
But much like Aldi’s candles, we bet they’re going to be pretty popular – so you may want to start adding to your basket now to make sure you nab them before anyone else does.
These two are the best of friends (Picture: Tom Wren/SWNS)
A baby porcupine has become best friends with a sausage dog, and it’s the cutest friendship we’ve ever seen.
Porcupette Diablo made friends with little puppy Fig under the watchful eye of surrogate mum Estelle Morgan, who is hand-rearing Diablo because he got rejected by his mum.
Cotswold Wildlife Park zookeeper Estelle took the tiny porcupette home to give him the best chance of survival.
When Diablo was just a few days old, Estelle introduced him to her puppy Fig for some company and essential social interactions to help his development, and the pair soon became best friends.
Aren’t they just adorable? (Picture: Tom Wren/SWNS)
The pair now spend all day playing together, but will only have a few more days before Diablo has to leave – and go back to the zoo.
Estelle said: ‘It’s safe to say they have become best friends.
‘When Diablo gets excited he will do a buckaroo-style run, where he thrashes his head around and jumps up in the air.
‘Under close supervision, they will run around the garden together and Fig has been very gentle and patient with Diablo.’
Diablo was born to parents Hannah and Prickle at Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford.
The cutest BFFs we’ve ever seen (Picture: Tom Wren/SWNS)
But the decision was made to hand-rear the baby porcupine when his mother rejected him.
She said: ‘Hannah previously had twins in February that she is still caring for, so it is likely she wasn’t really ready for another baby so soon.
‘His unexpected arrival was a big surprise for all of us.’
Little Diablo was very feisty from birth but is now showing his softer side and building his social skills with best buddy Fig.
He is currently being bottle-fed by Estelle in her kitchen at her home which is located within the wildlife park.
Diablo is being bottle fed (Picture: Tom Wren/SWNS)
Estelle said: ‘When Diablo was first born he was very feisty and wasn’t scared to give me a nip.
‘However now he has settled into a good routine and will comfortably follow me around the kitchen and will even come to me for reassurance.’
When Estelle began hand-rearing Diablo, he weighed just 300g, but he’s now grown to 1.8kg.
For the first month, he was fed one bottle every two hours to get him into a good routine.
But at six weeks old, he is now tasting solid foods and has developed a liking for apples and sweet potatoes.
Estelle said: ‘My most stand out moment hand-rearing Diablo was when he latched on and suckled on his own from the bottle for the first time.
‘This happened when he was three days old and was just a huge relief for me – the first few days are always worrying.
‘Now, at six weeks old, he is tasting solid foods – sweet potatoes and apples are his favourites – so he can go longer in-between feeds which also means I’ve been able to get more sleep.’
A lonely man says he can’t get a date because he’s blind.
28-year-old Daniel Williams has never been able to get past the initial chatting stage on dating apps, and says he gets more matches when his profile doesn’t include a picture of him and his guide dog Zodiac.
Daniel, from Cardiff, has even been ghosted over 50 times due to his condition – even though he says it makes him a better listener than the average man.
Daniel, who has only ever had one serious girlfriend, was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, which causes gradual sight loss, aged eight and uses special magnification software to look for love on dating sites.
He said: ‘I really struggle with dating and I find it’s all about looks these days.
‘With social media and swiping people for their appearance, people don’t see the bigger picture.
‘I realised that when I use a picture of me and my guide dog Zodiac on my dating profile, I get less matches than when I don’t use one.
He says he gets less matches if he shares a photo of himself with his guide dog (Picture: Matt Horwood/Mercury Press)
‘But when you’re blind, you’re more in tune with the conversation and vibe, and you can judge character more – I’m a great listener so I’d like to think that means I’m a great boyfriend!
‘I guess it might be a good thing if I missed out on those types of people, but I’m getting frustrated now and I’d like to find Mrs Right.’
Daniel was in a serious relationship for three years from 2012 to 2015, but the couple split as they didn’t think they were compatible.
After he recovered from the heartbreak, Daniel began to use dating sites to fit in with his extremely busy lifestyle.
Initially, he said he was shocked when he realised he had been rejected due to his condition, but now believes it could be because some people are scared of the unknown and lack awareness of visual impairments.
Daniel added: ‘If you’re going to accept an invitation for a date from someone who has appalling sight like me, don’t be fooled – it’s no good thinking you may as well turn up wearing your old gardening clobber and save yourself a bit of time.
‘A lot of sighted people concentrate only on visual appearance when deciding if they are attracted to someone but miss what really counts.
‘Conversational skills get forgotten – the sound of a voice, the volume, tone and emphasis on words as well as choice of words, even the way someone breathes or eats are significant.
Daniel says being blind makes him an even better boyfriend (Picture: Matt Horwood/Mercury Press)
‘There’s no need to tip-toe about on eggshells until they crunch because you’re scared you’ll say something stupid like, “let’s go and see a good film or play” or “the menu here looks good, see anything you fancy?”
‘Blind people can see, they just see in different ways.
‘They also are great at laughing at themselves – I’m an ace at this because if I didn’t laugh at myself, I’d spend half my day worrying about how foolish I might look!’
At the age of five, Daniel had his first pre-school check up and was advised by the health practitioner to go to the opticians – before this he was quite clumsy and wouldn’t even notice he had stains on his clothes.
He started to understand that he was going blind at the age of eight, when his glasses prescriptions weren’t helping his sight and school became difficult.
The businessman was then referred to a specialist optician at Bristol Eye Hospital and was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa.
He got his guide dog Zodiac, a black Labrador retriever cross, in October 2016 and said he has an incredible bond with him.
Daniel set up his own company, Visualise Training and Consultancy, in 2014 to help businesses and organisations increase awareness of accessibility challenges disabled employees or customers may face.
He added: ‘In the future I’d definitely like to meet someone and fall in love, definitely.
‘When accepting a date from a blind person, keep your eyes wide open. We’re a great bunch… and we look good!’
‘Wanna try the leaf blower tonight, babe?’ (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
Autumn is officially here and sadly, the weather has already turned.
On a positive note, this means more cosy nights in and plenty of opportunities to spice things up in the bedroom with new, seasonally-themed sex positions (OK, that’s not really a thing, but you get our drift).
The colder temperatures means we’ll be getting up close and personal, and autumn’s hottest new position is perfect for that.
Please welcome: the leaf blower.
What is the leaf blower sex position and how does it work?
The leaf blower takes its inspiration from a position that’s popular in Canada and is known as ‘The Maple Leaf’, but with a few distinct differences.
It can be done on a bed, but you’re better off getting on the floor for this one, however you’ll need something to brace yourself on – such as a sofa or even the wall.
One person, the man or a woman wearing a strap-on, sits down on the floor with their legs forward and their feet on the sofa.
The other person then gently lowers their body on top and puts their legs on the other person’s shoulders (it will look like you’re forming a V-shape). If you’re feeling unsteady, you can lean against the sofa/bed.
Now, once you’re in the V position, you each stretch one arm up the air and hold hands.
Seen from the side, this will look like a maple leaf – here’s how you make it into a leaf blower.
Pull up another sofa, so that you’re each leaning against one with your backs, and bring both your hands up. Hold hands and as you’re moving, swing backwards and forwards, which will make it look like the ‘leaf’ is blowing in the wind.
Alternatively, the person penetrating can lean backwards while in the V-formation, while the woman lifts her legs up and down from his shoulders in a waving motion. It’s quite the workout, so be careful.
If you really want to get inventive, you can get a fan and place it on the side so your hair moves in the ‘wind’ (best to do with a regular sex partner, rather than surprising a one night stand) or go outside and do the leaf blower in the garden, to get the full nature-feel.
The leaf blower actually has a few other meanings, too, though take these with a pinch of salt.
According to Urban Dictionary, the ‘American leaf blower’ is when a woman is lying on her front, while the man is penetrating her from behind, and ‘huffing and puffing’ her hair out of the way.
Meanwhile, the ‘Swedish leaf blower’ involves a man masturbating next to a fan, and subsequently ejaculating into it (and the sperm being fanned around the room).
We wouldn’t recommend placing your genitals near any kind of fan, and just think about how long it would take to clean up.
If the leaf blower sounds a bit too complicated – the original, not the fan version – you could always try the 70 sex position (kind of like the 69, but more athletic) or the Turkey sex position.
After all, Christmas and Thanksgiving is only a few months away.
