Inside, there’s one bedroom upstairs and one in the basement and two and a half bathrooms.
In the comments on Eli’s video, a TikTok user with some knowledge of the house said that it ended up being that shape because it was built on a triangle lot.
The lot was sold cheaply because no one wanted it due to the shape and the owner who built the house in 2003 decided to maximise the shape.
Let’s face it, the past few months have been stressful enough – we’re due a break. And frankly summer should be off-season for anything high-maintenance.
Whether you are WFH in August or actually managing a getaway, right now we are all looking for no-fuss makeup, hassle-free hair and stress-free style.
Here’s what can help you look and feel your best, with as little effort as possible:
Get the D
(Picture: Myprotein)
Lots has been written about the importance of Vitamin D in recent months and although we’re (hopefully) getting sunshine about now – it important to keep levels high.
Myprotein makes a convenient spray in both Vitamin D3 and B12 that ensure everyone gets the essential micronutrients and vitamins that we might miss if we’re in front of a laptop.
This award-winning collagen drink supplement is packed with the highest concentration of marine collagen on the market. It’s also infused with vitamin C, which works with the collagen to enhance skin rejuvenation and tissue renewal.
A fuss-free and easy addition to your beauty regime, users say that their skin feels softer, more hydrated and firmer.
Comes in 14 ready-mixed 10ml sachets; can be added to hot or cold drinks.
Too tired to make your own? These are insta-healthy meals. Purition is 100% whole food shakes, are made from crushed nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables and come in ordinary or vegan recipe. All are gluten-free and low in sugar.
Flavours include superfood ingredients such as turmeric and beetroot.
Epsom salts have long been hailed by wellness experts for instantly de-bloating and helping with water retention.
These from Westlab do even more. Mixed with essential oils, the Alchemy range helps draw fluid and toxins from the body and can soothe tired, aching, overworked muscles and revive body and mind.
Plus they smell great.
Westlab’s Recover Epsom Salts White Willow & Eucalyptus, £5.99, Amazon
The Sauna Blanket
(Picture: Mi-High)
These brand new sauna blankets are built with layers of infrared heating and toxin-free fabrics that lets you feel like you’re in a spa without ever leaving home.
You just roll it out on a heatproof surface – like your bed – and use a handheld controller to begin heating it up. The blanket uses far-infrared heat that makers promise can help detoxify the body, rejuvenate skin, reduce stress, burn calories and give you that relaxed, stress-busting feeling a sauna does.
Benefits also include better blood flow, sleep and of course, there is the calorie burn (who doesn’t love a workout you can do lying down watching Netflix?). 30 mins to an 1 hour per session recommended.
Dr Galyna Selezneva, London’s top ‘Body Doctor’, gets asked every day about cellulite. If a visit to her or another expert practitioner is not on your summer agenda, she advises to drink more water and move more – but the most important thing? Dry Brushing!
Calling it, “one of the most underrated and effective ways to beat cellulite”, Dr Galyna advises just a few minutes a day, is enough to see results. It improves lymphatic drainage, and fluid retention and lessens cellulite. Results are instant and lasting.
A sustainable and organic brand created by Danish born US based, make-up artist Kirsten Kjaer Weis, these are the brand’s hero cream blushes together with a complementary highlighter shade which gives an instant glow.
Minimalist and sleek, the shades work together to create the ultimate bronze and flushed duo for light to medium skin tones and blush and highlight for deeper skin tones.
If you’ve picked up a bit of puff during all of this, this wonder cream can have you looking sleek and sharp on your zoom call in no time.
Tighter skin, instantly, minus the toxins of injectables. Beloved by cheekbone superior girls like Gwyneth Paltrow, Sienna Miller and Victoria Beckham, it’s packed with plant extracts and high actives and relies on neuropeptides (naturally derived from algae) to smooth skin. Regularly named as a best natural alternative to Botox by beauty editors.
The golden glow you love with none of the fuss. Free of odours, orange tones and streaks it gives a great sun-kissed complexion but also sun protection.
Blended with organic sunscreens, it has SPF 50 UVA protection and combines natural gradual technology and instant tanning without clogging pores, allowing the skin to breathe.
Tancream All in One Self Tan, Bronzer and SPF50, Ideal World TV
Streak Soaker
(Picture: Lusso Tan)
Tired of scrubbing off old spray tan? Looking to get rid of bronze streaks, while you relax?
This new bath bomb from Lusso Tan is the world’s first tan-removing bath bomb, just relax in a bath filled with essential-oil infused water and watch your tan dissolve before your eyes!
Full of skin-loving ingredients, the Lusso Tan Bath Bomb removes tan in a matter of minutes, while repairing and protecting the skin at the same time. The longer you soak, the better the tan-removing results.
Specifically designed for the delicate eye area, these little beauties work to stop eyes from looking tired, no matter how little sleep you’re getting.
Stick under the eye for around 15 minutes and notice immediate results.
Filled with antioxidant-rich flower extract serum that feels cool to the skin and aims to smooth the look of fine lines and wrinkles, the pack contains 5 x 2 eye pads.
Rose Blossom Glow Hydro-Gel Eye Pads 5 x 2 £29.90, Eclat Skin London
Insta-Lashes
(Picture: Doll Baby London)
Instantly glam up with these beauties.
With eyelash extensions having been on hold because of Covid, award-winning Dollbaby London has come up with a way to boost your lashes that is easy, effective and mess-free.
The UK’s first 2-in-1 eyeliner and lash adhesive, the Dollbaby Duo Pen works with any strip lashes (with or without magnets). Simply line the eye with two coats like a regular eyeliner, apply your lashes immediately on top of the liner (no drying time required) and go!
Unlike other eyelash glues, there’s drying time and it’s not sticky or messy. And the pen’s ultra-fine tip is easy to apply. Vegan and cruelty-free, it comes in black or clear for a more natural look.
To remove, simply peel lashes off and remove eyeliner with normal makeup remover. Will give you approx 30-40 applications
Why go to a salon when you can give yourself a 5-minute facial in your own bathroom?
A fantastic do-it-yourself facial peel, skin looks clear, clean and smooth instantly. Made with with dead-cell sloughing glycolic acids, powerful pomegranate enzymes, gentle bamboo scrub grains, purifying salicylic acid and anti-free-radical stem cells from raspberries.
Fruitizyme Five Minute Facial, Beauty Pie Members £10.26, Beauty Pie
No more chub-rub
(Picture: Smoovall)
Pretty summer dresses can also mean painful, sweaty and chafing thighs in the hot summer sunshine.
Smoovall is a skin contact spray that leaves an invisible protective layer that prevents the soreness and irritation caused by friction (chafing).
It’s a non toxic spray and unlike the common roller balms and powders, is non-greasy and invisible.
A super affordable summer essentials kit packed with everything you need beauty-wise.
New from GlossyBox, it includes everything from an ultra gentle facial peel, a jet lag recovery mask, a coco shimmer body mist, lip balm, nail polish, dry shampoo body cream, tangle teezer and lip balm.
Summer Essentials, (valued over £95, but £30 for subscribers and £35 for non-subscribers), Glossy Box
Soft Peel Socks
(Picture: Beauty Pie)
No time to social distance at a salon? Why not pedi at home?
This 7-day peel sock is the bomb. Just pull these on like socks, tape them around your ankles, wait an hour, wash, and 7 days and some very impressive exfoliation later, you’ll have feet so soft you’ll want to show them off.
Ingredients include glycolic and lactic acids, natural fruit extracts of grapefruit, orange and lemon, plus sweet almond and coconut extracts.
Dr Glycolic Soft Feet 7-Day Peel Socks, £3.92 Beauty Pie
Remove and Chill
(Picture: Remove and Chill)
This one is a game changer.
Remove & Chill is the first of its kind: an innovative, waterless, acetone-free removal cream that dissolves nail polish, nourishes nails and actually smells good. It’s a nail polish remover cream, enriched with hydrating essential oils that removes nail polish in 3 minutes.
It’s also travel friendly.
Remove & Chill Nail Polish Eraser Cream, £14.25, Beauty Mart
A One-Blow-Dry Summer
(Picture: Edward James London)
Want freedom from a hot blow dryer this summer? Who doesn’t?
Celebrity stylist Edward James has created a signature treatment that offers smoothness without the hot air. Not to be confused with a Brazilian blow dry, which is made for thicker, stronger Brazilian hair, this one is gentler and suits finer hair.
An ammonia-free glossing oil adds shine and moisture followed by Edward’s secret formula – a smoothing keratin applied to the frizziest part of the hair with a paint brush.
It’s £100, takes 15 minutes, contains no formaldehyde and is heaven in humidity. It lasts for up to 6 weeks, ensuring you will never resemble Monica from Friends even in the hottest days of summer.
This is a great dry shampoo that cleans hair and lets you go longer between washes.
It uses Living Proof’s ‘triple cleaning technology’ to absorb and remove dirt, oil and sweat – you just leave for 30 seconds and let the cleansing begin.
A time-release fragrances helps hair smell clean- a great way to wash less often protecting your fresh head of colour after your long-awaited salon appointment!
These seamless clip-ins are amazing. Instantly change and update your look with no effort at all.
They are comfortable and lay flat on the scalp which means no irritating bits poking through your perfect coif.
Their silicone band technology fuses and bonds every single strand of hair at the top of each weft which means there is less shedding and tangling too.
14in Seamless Clip In Human Hair Extensions, £95, Foxy Locks
Hair Removal
(Picture: Nuthing)
This 100% vegan friendly, cruelty-free brand makes waxing fun (well, as fun as it can be).
Enriched with things like apricot extract to soothe and moisturise the skin, plus Vitamin E for its antioxidants and anti-ageing effects, the body hair removal jelly is fuss-free and works fast – in just 5-10 minutes.
For use on body hair of all lengths. Suitable for sensitive skin Available in 3 scents – Strawberry & Watermelon, Pineapple & Coconut and Blueberry & Passionfruit.
If your eyebrows are an untamed as they’ve ever been – enter a summer must-have. This painless eyebrow trimmer looks like a stylish pen and trims eyebrows at the touch of a button.
A precision-engineered shaper, this nifty gadget has a tiny and super-accurate micro-precision trimming head, encased in 18 karat gold plate.
Intense Pulsed Light uses warm gentle light to put hair to sleep. preventing them from growing back for up to six months. Users see 92% hair reduction after three treatments and it works even on sensitive areas, Philips Lumea Prestige adapts to skin tone to be comfortable and effective.
This body cream is a winner – instantly improves skin texture and condition.
Using the exfoliating powers of lactic acid to sweep away dead cells, and a potent blend of alpha hydroxy therapy and sweet almond oil, it locks in hydration for 24 hours, strengthens the natural moisture barrier and improving elasticity.
Dermatologist approved – it gives an instant radiant glow, with a lovely summer fragrance.
Transforming Body Lotion Illuminating Glow, £22.50, Ameliorate
After Workout Hair
(Picture: V05)
This is a great lift for sweaty post-workout hair. Designed to add natural looking volume to fine, flat hair, created with gym-goers in mind, this Post Gym Refresh Spray from V05 is new and lets you go from gym to drinks without anyone any the wiser.
It has starch to draw out any excess oil from the hair and gives your locks a volume boost for that bouncy, freshly-washed look.
The first thing you notice about these high waisted leggings by Proskins is that they are extremely flattering. But there’s a serious bonus – the high-tech fabric is fused with active ingredients that claim to improve circulation and skin tone.
Designed to use optimum levels of graduated compression, which can help support tired muscles and joint,. the leggings are made with micro capsules containing aloe vera, caffeine, retinol, vitamin E and ceramides, which are designed to help smooth and moisturise skin.
The micro capsules are designed to remain in the garment for at least 100 washes and the extra firmness created within the lower leg acts like the compression socks you wear on a plane by improving blood flow and circulation.
Proskins Intelligent Slim Plus Range Leggings, £64.99, Ideal World TV
Workout Skincare
(Picture: Face Gym)
Skincare while you work out, so you no longer need to choose between your bottom and your face – FaceGym Training Sticks turn your workout into a multi-tasking experience.
Applied to clean skin before you work out, they use a patented, controlled release delivery system triggered by heat and moisture to release ingredients at optimum times during exercise.
Formulated with MyoSKNFIT™ technology, Training Sticks are rich in three clinically tested, next generation stem cells together with vitamins, antioxidants and fatty acids to preserve skin moisture and elasticity.
For those stress-eaters among us, Covid and lockdown may have led to a bit of extra padding.
Promising to beat the bloat, fast, those probiotics offers a 7-day course of friendly bacteria drawing on 5 billion live cultures as well as 0.3g FOS fibres.
Gluten-free, vegetarian, take for seven consecutive days by sprinkling on (cool) breakfast or adding to water.
OptiBac One Week Flat, £8.99 for 7 sachets and £24.99 for 28 sachets, OptiBac
UncompliKated SPF
(Picture: Kate Somerville)
An SPF that does a double act.
Created by celebrity facialist Kate Somerville, this no-fuss, fine-misting SPF 50 protects from the sun but also instantly sets make-up, reduces shine, and provides a matte finish for a soft focus effect.
Sun Bum is a lifestyle company that creates a wide range of premium, cruelty-free sun care products.
This is a really convenient way to add SPF protection on the beach or at a park – no messy creams – just smooth it on your face where needed.
Sun Bum SPF 30 Sunscreen Face Stick, £11.99, Boots
Sea Side SPF
(PIcture: Freezyderm)
How many times have you faithfully applied SPF only to have it immediately wash off?
This hero SPF spray is water resistant, making it ideal for the beach where there is intense sun radiation and high humidity. The spray is water-resistant and its innovative airless packaging, with a special valve, ensures an easy and even application.
Like a hormone/nicotine patch but with a difference. This one comes with 8mg of slow release CBD. It works over 24 hours and is great for sleep, anxiety, stress.
Your body heat activates the patch – releasing 8mg of full spectrum CBD through your skin and into your bloodstream over 24 hours.
Keep out of reach children. Do not use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Lipstick that doesn’t melt is always a good thing. Bonus, it’s a stick that combines a lip balm and lipstick in one. These one-stop do-it-all dream lip balm sticks, give moisturising, high-cushion, sheer, brilliant colour that softens and soothes at the same time.
Instantly turn a drink into your favourite, low cal cocktail? Over seltzer these are delicious – and really do resemble the real thing!
Available in classic cocktail flavours that include Cosmopolitan, Sex on the Beach, Porn Star Martini, Espresso Martini and Pina Colada. Drops are vegan, sugar free and have no booze in them, just the flavour.
We’re all looking for sanitisers right now and these from HAAN are so pretty – they are also convenient because they spray without any mess and are fragrant, portable and hydrating.
These 100% recyclable spray bottles are travel-size, so you can take wherever you go, guaranteeing more than 100 uses per bottle.
Scents include: Sunset Fleur, Citrus Noon, Dew of Dawn, Morning Glory, and Wood Night;
HAAN Hand Sanitiser, £5.95, packs of three for £17.50, and packs of five for £28.50. Beyond Living
Soft AND Clean
(Picture: Indeora)
This hand sanitiser is packed with hydrating hyaluronic acid,
it doesn’t act like paint stripper on your hands or make you grimace with the smell. It feels great, smells greats, works a treat and comes free (while stocks last) with one of the best natural deodorants on the market.
Last but certainly not least, no one wants lipstick stains on their pretty new mask. Here’s one that works:
(Picture: Just My Look)
This matte, non-transfer lipstick by Catrice Cosmetics is long-lasting and comes in a wide range of shades.
Silky and smooth it dries in moments, coating the lips with smooth, kiss-resistant colour that won’t cake, smudge or transfer to masks.
Enriched with nourishing Moringa Butter, this lip lacquer moisturises lips leaving them plumped and hydrated. Completely cruelty-free & vegan-friendly.
Matte Pro Ink Non-Transfer Liquid Lipstick, £4.99Just My Look
Nova and Alaska trying out the filter (Picture: @Snowdrops.and.stardust)
You probably think your pet couldn’t look any more adorable.
But this new Snapchat filter can make your dog look like a character in a Disney movie.
Owners have been sharing pictures across social media of the results.
Danielle Sugden shared the tip on the Dogspoting Society Facebook group, writing: ‘For those that don’t know… Snapchat has a new filter and it basically Disneyfies your dog. YOU ARE WELCOME. Plz post your Disney dawgs here.’
She later edited the post to tell everyone that the filter is called ‘cartoon face’ on the app.
Alaska (Picture: @Snowdrops.and.stardust)
Of course, the filter isn’t actually created by Disney but resulting images are a lot like the style from the animated Lady and the Tramp or 101 Dalmatians movies.
To get the filter, open Snapchat and hit the face to the right of the circle button, then hit the explore button in the bottom right.
Search for ‘cartoon face’ and once it appears on screen, turn the camera on your dog and the cartoon eyes and expression should appear.
It works on humans too if you want to take a few shots of yourself too (though sadly it only works on one face at a time).
The post quickly went viral with over 5,800 comments and 3,700 shares.
Danielle told Metro.co.uk that the response to the post was amazing and she loved see everyone’s pictures.
She said: ‘Nova, on the right, is a rescue from the meat trade. Just a year ago, she was on her way to the slaughterhouse where she would have been tortured and killed, and yet now, here she is going viral and living her best life in the UK.’
She laughed that her dog Alaska, on the left, looks like ‘a temptress’ every time she uses the filter on her.
Sometimes the filter goes wrong (Picture: Facebook)
Most successfully managed to capture their pooch’s new look but some did go a little wrong.
One owner shared a snap of their dog with the cartoon eyes appearing on his nostrils.
The picture was sarcastically captioned: ‘He looks just like a prince now from Disney.’
Kelly and Sean with Laurel, and right, the two-year-old now (Picture: Kelly Phizacklea / SWNS)
When Kelly and Sean Phizacklea went for their 12-week scan, they were devasted to learn that some of their unborn baby’s organs were growing outside her body.
The baby had a major exomphalos – a condition which occurs when the baby’s abdominal wall does not form during pregnancy – and they were offered a termination.
But Kelly, 30, and Sean, 34, from Cambridge, decided to go ahead with the pregnancy and miraculously their little one defied the odds.
Their baby is now a feisty two-year-old called Laurel, who still lives with her stomach, liver and bowel outside her body.
Most babies with the condition have the organs reinserted into their body at birth, but due to the unusually large size of Laurel’s exomphalos, doctors warned she wouldn’t be able to have them internalised until she is three years old.
Laurel was left with a protruding bump from her tiny tummy – which her parents have to wrap in bandages to support her external organs, in case the weight of them were to pull anything else out of her body.
Skin has formed around the organs, and Laurel can eat, drink and go to the toilet like any other toddler – but her parents have to keep an eye on it as any injuries to the exomphalos would be irreparable.
Kelly, a volunteer supporting parents in neonatal care, said: ‘I don’t know how we remained positive throughout my pregnancy with Laurel.
‘It really looked as if she wouldn’t survive birth – but Sean and I never gave up hope and she has done us so proud.
‘Her pouch of organs on her tummy is a part of her and she doesn’t let it get her down.
‘Laurel is a true inspiration and amazes us every day.’
Ultrasound scan of Laurel Phizacklea (Picture: Kelly Phizacklea / SWNS)
The couple found out they were expecting their first child in October 2017 and were excited about seeing their baby at the 12-week scan.
But it was there they found out the life changing news.
‘They said that our baby’s organs were on the outside of the body,’ Kelly said.
‘I couldn’t believe that was even possible.’
Early in all pregnancies, the intestine develops inside the umbilical cord and then usually moves inside the abdomen a few weeks later.
In exomphalos, the intestines – and in this case the stomach, liver and bowel – remain inside the umbilical cord but outside the abdomen.
Laurel when she was born (Picture: Kelly Phizacklea/SWNS)
Doctors also believed that the baby had a spinal deformity – and the pair were offered a termination.
‘We couldn’t quite believe what we were hearing when they offered us an abortion,’ Kelly said.
‘People kept saying: “It’s OK, you can try again” – but I didn’t want another baby.
‘I was so in love with this baby and we knew we would do everything we could for her.’
Kelly had to attend a scan every two weeks to monitor the progress of her unborn child.
Kelly and Sean with their newborn baby Laurel (Picture: Kelly Phizacklea/SWNS)
The presence of exomphalos signals an 80% chance of other birth abnormalities, so Kelly underwent other tests, which highlighted that their child also had a hole in the heart and congenital scoliosis – a spinal deformity.
Three weeks before Laurel’s birth, doctors also discovered the exomphalos had doubled in size – prompting medics to take both Kelly and Sean aside to tell them their daughter would not survive birth.
‘We were so close and had been through so much already,’ Kelly said.
‘Hearing that was devastating – but they told us they would do everything they could to save her, despite the very slim odds of her survival.
Laurel now (Picture: Kelly Phizacklea/SWNS)
‘Although I knew it was very real and incredibly scary, part of me always thought: “This won’t happen to me, I won’t let it”.’
On June 6 2018, surgeons performed a classic caesarean – meaning they cut vertically on Kelly’s stomach as opposed to horizontally.
This gave them more room to remove baby Laurel, as they had to be extra careful not to rupture her external organs – which would have meant certain death.
Doctors warned both Kelly and Sean not to expect to hear their baby cry – so when they heard her cries both were overcome with relief.
Kelly said: ‘We knew it was far from the end of it – but to hear her cry was a huge relief and from that moment we knew she was a fighter.’
Their daughter Laurel was born weighing a healthy 7lb 5oz, and put straight on a ventilator before being transferred to NICU.
They plan to operate when she turns three (Picture: Kelly Phizacklea/SWNS)
After seven hours, Kelly and Sean were finally able to meet their daughter properly for the first time.
‘Her tummy was swaddled in bandages,’ Kelly said.
‘We knew to expect it to look different – so we weren’t scared at all.’
When Laurel was a month old, Kelly got to hold her for the first time.
Until then she had to remain on her back with the exomphalos suspended to avoid any complications.
Laurel stayed at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge for three months and Kelly and Sean were provided with a room at the hospital by the Sick Children’s Trust so they could be there 24/7 with their little girl.
‘We knew she’d need the big operation further down the line, but just having her home was so special,’ Kelly said.
‘We quickly realised she was an adventurous baby, so knew we’d need to keep an eye on her so she wouldn’t damage her exomphalos.’
The couple have to protect Laurel because if she damages the organs, there’s nothing doctors can do.
The family are patiently waiting until Laurel turns three and can have her organs internalised.
Laurel has never known anything else and her parents are worried she will miss her tummy (Picture: Kelly Phizacklea/SWNS)
If inserted into the body too soon, and when her frame is too small, the diaphragm wouldn’t be able to cope with the sudden lack of space with which to operate.
As it is, Laurel will have to ‘learn how to breathe again’ when she undergoes the operation at the beginning of 2021 at King’s College Hospital, London.
‘Even though we try to make sure she’s sensible and careful, it’s so hard with a two-year-old,’ Kelly said.
‘She still tries to jump off the arm of the sofa, and loves being in a muddy puddle splashing about outdoors.
‘She’s a bit of a daredevil – which can be a little stressful but that’s all part of why we love her!’
But as Laurel knows nothing else, they are worried that the operation will be a big change for her.
‘She loves her tummy so much,’ Kelly said.
‘She rubs it in the bath when I take the dressing off to wash her and says ‘ah tummy’.
‘It’s very cute, and she couldn’t be prouder of it.
‘But I do worry about how she’ll react when it’s not there anymore.’
Dinner’s on Rishi tonight (Picture: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)
The Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme has proven popular since it launched last Monday, offering diners 50% off sit-in meals throughout August.
The scheme was launched to kickstart the hospitality industry after venues were forced to close for business during the UK lockdown and gives people up to £10 off their food and non-alcoholic drinks from Monday to Wednesday.
Most high-street favourites are on board, with McDonald’s, Nando’s and KFC among the long list of establishments who have signed up to the scheme.
Is Pizza Express participating, and can you combine the offer with other discounts?
Let’s take a look.
Is Pizza Express taking part in Eat Out to Help Out?
Pizza Express joins the other long list of restaurants participating in the scheme, and you can take advantage of the discount at all of their UK restaurants.
However, be aware that not all restaurants have yet to reopen after they closed their doors in March – find out if yours is reopening, via the Pizza Express restaurant finder.
Get a pizza the Eat Out to Help Out discount(Picture: Dave Rushen/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Menu prices vary across locations, but with the discount applied, a classic margherita pizza could set you back a fiver, as opposed to the regular menu price of just under £10.
Meanwhile, the Piccolo menu items will cost a mere £3.50.
Can you use Eat Out to Help Out in conjunction with other offers at Pizza Express?
Yes – you can use the Eat Out to Help Out discount in conjunction with other promotions.
The Pizza Express website states that other promotions – such as student discounts, or Tesco Clubcard vouchers – will be applied first.
The Eat Out to Help Out discount will be applied to the remaining balance of the bill, allowing you to save a maximum of £10.
It is advised you let your waiter know if you are using your Clubcard vouchers before they bring the bill.
In addition to the 50% discount, the Italian chain recently announced they have slashed £1 off their Romana Pizzas (along with their corresponding Classic, Leggera and Gluten Free variants), Calabrese and Calzone and that its Piccolo Menu will also be reduced to £6.95. (So, £3.50 with the new discount applied).
Oh, and customers can enjoy a free portion of Dough Balls with every main course during August.
Can you get a discount at a McDonalds Drive Thru? (Picture: PA)
After months of closures following the coronavirus lockdown, steps are being made to return the country to a sense of normality, starting with the reopening of pubs and restaurants last month.
As more places continue to reopen, the Government is trying to encourage more people to go back to restaurants to help boost the economy, launching its Eat Out to Help Out initiative.
The initiative gives you 50% off your bill up to a maximum discount of £10 per person at all participating restaurants from Monday to Wednesdays in August.
Are drive-thru orders included in Eat Out to Help Out?
No, the offer only applies to those going in and eating at an establishment.
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This includes fast food joints like McDonalds and KFC.
McDonalds posted a message to clarify any confusion, following several complaints after customers weren’t able to claim the discount.
A message on McDonalds’ Twitter said: ‘We are participating in the Government’s Eat Out To Help Out scheme. This scheme only applies when you dine in at a participating branch. This does not apply for Drive Thru, Takeaway, or McDelivery.’
Are takeaways included in Eat Out to Help Out?
No. The gist of the scheme is to get people to go back to restaurants, in part to justify keeping more service staff – like waiters and bar staff – in employment.
These rules apply to all participating restaurants.
At 17, Emma Johns was plagued with vomiting and diarrhoea for a few days every month around her period.
Wanting to understand why, she visited her doctor and was offered an internal examination – her first one ever.
But it was when the doctor started to exam her cervix, she realised that Emma actually had two of them.
Emma, now 27, was diagnosed with uterus didelphys – when the womb fails to fuse properly during gestation and forms two chambers.
And as she learned more about her diagnosis, she discovered it could cause problems getting pregnant and carrying a baby.
Still a teenager, Emma was upset but having a family seemed like a long way off.
Now a bit older, she and her HGV driver fiancé Marc Kirkby, 29, started trying for a baby at the start of 2019, to give them time to consider alternatives like IVF if they failed – but fell pregnant just a month after they stopped using contraception.
Giving birth to 7lb 2oz baby Olive at Hull Royal Infirmary on 1 November last year, property consultant Emma, of Goole, East Yorkshire, said: ‘I really do see her as a miracle. I never thought I’d have a baby after the diagnosis.
Emma gave birth to Olive naturally (Picture: PA Real Life)
‘Now here she is and she’s completely perfect.’
When the regular vomiting and diarrhoea started, Emma thought she had a recurring bug at first.
‘It was about a year before I realised the sickness would come on around the same time as my period,’ she explained.
‘I’d come down with the sweats and shakes. If it fell on a school day, I’d have to go home.’
She saw her doctor who prescribed the Pill and gave her an internal examination to rule out any other causes.
Emma said: ‘I’d never had an internal examination before, so that in itself was daunting.
‘Then the GP said, “I think I can see two cervices.” I don’t even think I knew what a cervix was at the time, let alone what it meant to have two.
‘She told me she couldn’t be sure, but it could be a lot harder for me to fall pregnant, to carry a baby full-term and it might increase my chances of miscarrying.
‘Ever since I was a little girl I’d wanted to have babies, so it was hard to hear.’
Emma and Olive (Picture: PA Real Life/Collect)
Referred first to Goole and District Hospital and then Grimsby’s Princess of Wales Hospital for scans, doctors confirmed she had uterus didelphys – a condition affecting around one in 3,000 women globally, according to miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth charity Tommy’s.
‘It was such a confusing time and all these words I didn’t understand were being thrown around,’ said Emma.
‘A big question I had was why I didn’t have two periods, but the doctors explained that each month the different ovaries alternate, releasing an egg.
‘As a result, I was told it would be a lot harder to fall pregnant.
‘If one month the egg was released into the right womb, the sperm would need to go and find it there and the reverse, if it was released into the left.
‘Doctors told me my chances of conceiving were halved.’
Emma put the diagnosis to the back of her mind but in 2017, she met Marc through Plenty of Fish.
Three months into their relationship, after broaching the subject of having children, Emma told Marc she had uterus didelphys.
‘I didn’t want to spring it on him right away,’ she said. ‘Instead, we were talking about whether we wanted children and I explained it could be difficult for me.
‘He laughed and said we’d just have to try harder.’
Moving in together in September 2018, initially they were going to leave it for at least a year to start trying for a baby.
But, realising the odds could be against her, the couple then decided to start earlier, so they had more time in case they had to look into other options, like IVF.
Coming off the Pill in January 2019, just a month later, she had a positive test.
She said: ‘I told Marc I was running a hot bath, as I didn’t want to disappoint him if it was negative.
‘Then I came downstairs holding the stick saying, “I’ve got a surprise for you.”‘
The 12-week scan showed the baby was growing in her right womb, but doctors warned that she would need regular check-ups with a consultant every four weeks to keep an eye on the pregnancy.
‘The consultant felt my stomach and told me it would most likely look a bit wonky, because the baby was growing on the right hand side,’ she recalled.
‘He was quite positive, but told me to keep my sights on reaching 24 weeks – when a baby is viable.’
Emma, when she was pregnant, and Marc (Picture: PA Real Life)
Alarmingly, on the day she turned 24 weeks, she noticed she was bleeding.
She said: ‘I was weeping and panicking. The doctors got me an ultrasound right away and the midwife found the baby’s heartbeat. It was such a relief.’
Continuing to have regular check-ups, doctors planned to induce Emma on November 3 – a week before her due date – to avoid any potential complications.
But, two days beforehand, she woke up in the early hours of the morning having contractions.
Arriving at the hospital at 3am on November 1, seven hours later, Emma delivered baby Olive naturally.
‘We were so lucky,’ she said. ‘I had a small episiotomy – a surgical cut between the vagina and anus – to help Olive come out, but that was it.’
They left hospital the next day and since then, the family has been doing really well.
‘For the most part, my pregnancy experience felt entirely normal – something I thought I’d never have,’ she said.
‘The past nine months have been brilliant – Olive is perfect.
‘From my own experience, it became clear a lot of professionals – be they midwives, nurses or doctors – have never heard about my condition, or seen it themselves.
‘Now I want other women with uterus didelphys to know that it doesn’t stop you falling pregnant.
‘Your dreams of becoming a family can still come true.’
The murky water and the rug (Picture: Taryn Hunter)
Rugs can get very dirty but they are difficult to clean.
Although you might vacuum every day, some dust and dirt always remains.
People on cleaning groups usually recommend giving your rug a strip wash by soaking it in bath to really get all the grime out.
But of course, then you’re faced with the task of cleaning out your tub and you have to haul the heavy rug outside to dry.
With the recent hot weather, one mum has taken to using a paddling pool instead.
If your kids have already finished playing for the day, you can use the pool to leave your rug to soak.
And of course, it’s much easer to leave it to dry.
(Picture: Taryn Hunter)
Posting in the Family Lockdown Tips & Ideas group, the woman said: ‘Got annoyed with my white shaggy rug and how dirty it was.
‘Pumped up the kids paddling pool, cold water, beat the rug, then threw in 2 bold pods in with the rug and walked around on it.
The rug after the wash (Picture: Taryn Hunter)
‘This was 5 mins of walking on one side, going to let sit for 30 – hr then walk on it again. Dry on the washing line.’
She added pictures of the grey murky water to show the results.
Once she removed the rug, she could easily empty the pool and give it a blast with the hose to clean it all out.
Another commenter said that the method hadn’t been as successful for her though – as you need to be aware of the size and weight of your rug when it comes to drying it.
She added: ‘I did the same with mine but I couldnt dry it. It was too heavy for the line, started to warp the wood on my garden bench.
Yep, this social bubble will do nicely (Picture: AirBnb)
This bubble hotel could be perfect if you’re dreaming of a luxury escape post-coronavirus.
Bubble Puerto Rico is a see-through dome surrounded by palm trees and green hills – all of which you can enjoy from the comfort of your bed.
The Airbnb, situated in the mountainous and humid area of Ponce, offers visitors an ‘ecological, magical stay’ during which they can lie back and watch the stars, birds and sunrise from within.
While the room itself has no privacy (not that you’d need it – you’re in the middle of nowhere!), a private bathroom is located just outside the dome and your own pool is just a couple of steps away from the bubble entrance.
You don’t need privacy when you’re surrounded by palm trees and birds (Picture: AirBnB)
Don’t worry about having to go off-grid; the bubble comes complete with air-con, multi-outlet charging points and decent mobile signal.
There is an open-air kitchen that has a coffee maker, fridge, a small stove and all the amenities you need to make a simple meal, but there’s plenty of places to eat out nearby too.
The bubble’s owners write on AirBnB: ‘Imagine sleeping in a bubble room, bathing in hot water outdoors surrounded by nature, taking a dip in the river, enjoying the private pool with hot water at night, enjoying the moon, the stars and during the day, taking the sun overlooking the river.’
Private pool? Yes please. (Picture: AirBnB)
Unfortunately, there aren’t available dates to book the bubble right now(*sob, sob*) but keep an eye out for it opening up again.
Last month, Puerto Rico experienced a spike in coronavirus cases just as it launched a campaign to get more tourists to visit.
So this is one to bookmark ahead of 2021 when we’ll be climbing the walls for an eco-escape. At least that gives us all time to start saving.
In the meantime, there are plenty of amazing UK-based nature spots worth visiting.
What a transformation (Picture: Nicola French/LatestDeals.co.uk)
We love a home makeover – especially when it’s affordable.
A single mum from London utilised her creative skills to give her dull garden patio a makeover, and the result is an impressive space perfect for late night lockdown drinks.
Nicola French, 38, who told LatestDeals.co.uk that she has always been a fan of Moroccan and bohemian interior, wanted to give her own garden a twist on this style.
With the help of a stencil brush and some cheap paint, the thrifty mum-of-two spent three days painting the grey tiles in her garden into a mesmerising black and white pattern.
‘I’ve always been into the boho-chic and Moroccan style so I thought I would try and combine the two,’ said Nicola, who works as a lunch supervisor at a special needs school.
‘The first thing I did was jet wash the patio, removing any dirt and letting it dry.
Then by hand, using a large paintbrush and the white masonry paint, I painted the patio tiles, waited for that to dry, applied a second coat then placed the stencil at my starting place.’
What the patio tiles looked like before (Picture: Nicola French/LatestDeals.co.uk)
She bought the stencil from Amazon for £37, while the brush cost an additional £3.50.
Meanwhile, the Sandtex masonry paint was ordered from B&Q and delivered to her door for £46.
She said: ‘Taking a little of the black masonry paint, a piece of cardboard to remove any excess paint from the stencil brush and a stencil brush in a stabbing motion, I applied the paint to the stencil and filled in the pattern, then removed the stencil.
‘I matched up the pattern from my stencil onto the next tile and repeated the process.’
Nicola has always been a fan of Moroccan and bohemian interior styles (Picture: Nicola French/LatestDeals.co.uk)
Your stencil brush should be touch dry (Picture: Nicola French/LatestDeals.co.uk)
The entire project cost just £116 – not including the patio furniture, which Nicola already owned.
Nicola said: ‘Once completed, and when the patio is dry, apply a clear paint sealant using a paintbrush to seal the paint and protect it from wear and tear.
‘The paint brand is Sandtex, but you can use any masonry paint, and it cost £46 for both black and white paint from B&Q.
‘The stencil was £37 from Dizzy Duck Designs, the stencil brush was £3.50 from Amazon and the patio sealer was £30 from eBay.
‘I had the outdoor furniture from Next, cushions from Etsy, buddhas from Wayfair and table lamp from eBay already as I have been building up the collection over time.’
The mum, who lives with her son and daughter, is all of them love the end result.
The perfect sun spot (Picture: Nicola French/LatestDeals.co.uk)
We’d like to be invited to this garden please (Picture: Nicola French/LatestDeals.co.uk)
Plants and decorations add a nice touch (Picture: Nicola French/LatestDeals.co.uk)
She said: ‘As a family, we do have some challenges.
‘My son has severe autism. I also have a daughter and I’m a single parent, so the garden really has helped provide a lovely space we can all enjoy.
‘The painting and stencilling took three days, but that was single-handed – if you can get other people to help, it would obviously be a quicker process.
‘I’ve really enjoyed every moment. Yes, it was backbreaking work but it was so worth it. The kids and I love it!
‘Anybody could create something like this too – you don’t have to be DIY- minded! Just brave.’
If you fancy copying Nicola’s excellent work, here is her top tip: use masking tape to hold the stencil in place.
To prevent the paint from bleeding through, the stencil brush should also be touch dry.
We first learned about Mum’s dementia diagnosis in 2013.
She was 86 and Dad was 88. As the illness progressed, my father became my mother’s full time carer until he died in November of 2015.
My brother and I continued to call on Mum as often as possible and employed carers to visit her every day. We were constantly concerned if this was enough and if she would be OK.
In the early stages of the illness we often noticed she struggled to find words mid-sentence or remember what it was she’d been saying.
But towards the end of her six-year journey with vascular dementia, the momentary gaps had turned into prolonged silences, only broken occasionally by random words – the beginnings of sentences or unanswerable questions. This kept us on our toes as we tried to piece together the inner workings of her mind.
In the spring of 2018 we had a concerning call from the carers to say that Mum had been found unconscious on the sofa. They also reported that she had been refusing food, medications and getting violent with the carers.
It felt more urgent than ever to do things differently.
It was at this point that we agreed as a family that I would move back in with my mother and see if one-to-one care could make a difference. It was clearly a big commitment but one that felt absolutely right.
I was worried I didn’t have the professional training but couldn’t see a viable alternative. My routine obviously changed considerably as I was now away from home for five days a week. Prior to this I was home every night for tea and seeing much more of my partner.
My brother has an academic job and so was quite contractually tied, I was self employed, so it was much easier for me to take on the role. Thankfully, it did make a world of difference.
The main challenge was keeping Mum occupied with something she could enjoy, while at the same time distracting her from the immediacy of her anxieties. Positive distractions included day trips in the car, leafing through old photo albums and reading books or magazines.
I literally spent all day with Mum – I was with her from Monday morning to Friday afternoon. My brother took over on weekends and we also had carers come three times a day.
Mum was still ‘in there’ (Picture: Martin Dewhurst)
Mum had always had a great sense of humour, so her witty responses to some of the things that happened during any typical day, would provide the high points and remind me how – despite the cognitive impairment – Mum was still ‘in there’.
For example, one day she looked at me and said ‘Oh I’ve just got no energy left, throw me out with the rubbish, will you!’
The low points for myself were mostly loss of sleep. Mum’s erratic sleep patterns meant that many nights she’d be getting up in the early hours of the morning believing it to be breakfast time, so whatever sleep I managed was constantly interrupted. I felt constantly tired as a result.
Emotionally, it was tough seeing Mum in such a vulnerable state of health.
The only fleeting doubts I had were whether she could be better cared for in a nursing home. She had, by this stage, lost all memories of living in the house she’d been in for over 20 years and often thought she was staying in a guest house.
The hospital experience was long and quite traumatic (Picture: Martin Dewhurst)
It was sad that the memories had gone, but such is the nature of the illness. I absolutely loved caring for her though and never regretted the decision and will be forever grateful for the extra time with her.
In May last year, Mum fell at home and broke her hip. I was only in the next room and about to bring her another cup of tea. She’d got up a little too quickly, had a dizzy spell, then fallen awkwardly – narrowly missing the wall with her head as she fell. I’m so glad I was there when it happened.
The paramedics confirmed a fractured right hip. Mum was taken to hospital but sadly never came home.
The hospital experience was long and quite traumatic. Mum would fight with the nurses and staff or constantly wonder why she was there at all.
The house felt strange without her. I stayed on though so I could visit her each day in hospital.
Mum was deemed ‘non-rehabilitatable’ (Picture: Martin Dewhrst)
Mum progressed over time from the trauma ward to the rehabilitation ward. Two months later, on the day she was due to leave, Mum unclipped her alarmed movement sensor, stood up from her chair and duly collapsed onto the hard floor, breaking her left hip in the fall. It was heartbreaking news.
Following the subsequent second hip operation, numerous assessments were carried out and after a further two months, Mum was deemed ‘non-rehabilitatable’ and in need of 24-hour nursing care. Having seen Mum’s decline, it felt inevitable but I still felt as though I was letting her down.
Luckily there was a bed available at a local nursing home. The care there was of a very high standard. Even so, Mum still managed to have further falls, the last of which left her very badly bruised and concussed.
Within a week of this last fall in October 2019, Mum passed away peacefully in her room with my brother, myself and our partners at her side.
Looking back, I’m left with only the best of memories. The act of caring for Mum helped to ease the grieving process somehow. It literally gave my love somewhere to go.
Martin Dewhurst is the author of Another Cup of Tea in which he documents his experiences caring for his mother with dementia.
My Life Through A Lens
My Life Through a Lens is an exciting series on Metro.co.uk that looks at one incredible photo, and shares the story that lies behind it. If you have an experience you would like to share, please email kathryn.snowdon@metro.co.uk with MLTAL as the subject.
Brits plan to eat less meat and to either buy locally or grow their own veg to fight climate change (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
If you thought that veganism was just a fad that would eventually fizzle and disappear, think again.
Meat consumption continues to slide, with a whopping 41% of Brits apparently ditching meat and fish in favour of plant-based meals.
A new study claims that two in five Brits are reducing their fleshy food consumption in a bid to help fight the climate crisis.
The poll of 2,000 adults found that 75% planned on changing at least one lifestyle habit over the next year to become more eco-friendly, with a fifth planning to eat more locally-grown food and 18% wanting to grow their own.
It’s not just dietry changes folk want to impliment either.
The study, conducted by personal finance comparison site Finder, also found that Brits plan on buying more sustainable clothes, swapping harsh cleaning products for more eco-friendly products and using more sustainable hygiene products.
Small, sustainable changes can have a massive impact.
Swapping your period products, for example, can have a huge effect on your carbon footprint and waste.
Over the course of our menstrual life, we can get through up to 15,000 pads and tampons – most of which end up in landfills. Menstrual cups and pants can cut that waste dramatically (as well as saving you a tonne of cash in the long run).
According to one study, if every US household replaced one bottle of petroleum-based washing detergent with a plant-based one, 149,000 barrels of oil could be saved. That’s enough to heat and cool 8,500 homes for a year.
Cutting meat and dairy from your diet can reduce your carbon footprint by two-thirds, according to a study by Oxford University.
If everyone in the UK swapped just one more red meat-based meal to a plant-based one per week, we’d cut the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50 million tonnes. That’s the equivalent of taking 16 million cars off the road.
Cha-ching! (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
When it comes to selling property, you need more than nice photos and a jazzy description to make a great sale.
While those are undoubtedly important, there are a few key things you can do to boost the price of your home – and hopefully walk away with more cash once the new owners have signed on the dotted line.
Don’t rush the process; the more effort you make before the property goes on the market, the better.
To help you along, we have spoken to property expert Giles Milner from Chestertons estate agency to get the low-down on what makes a property more valuable.
From sprucing up the outside to fixing the small stuff, here are his top eight tips.
Clear the clutter
Imagine looking through an interior magazine and seeing the beautiful homes displayed within stuffed full of items that are never used and just take up unnecessary space.
When it comes to selling property, less is more.
So get rid of the broken bike in the garage that you’ll never fix and clear up the random bits and pieces that have accumulated in your spare room that serve no purpose.
Giles says: ‘Not only is clutter unattractive, but it also makes room look a lot smaller than they actually are.
‘This is the cheapest, easiest thing to do to increase value, even if you have to hire some storage space for the short term.’
Saying goodbye to the clutter now also means you won’t take it with you when moving into your new home.
Don’t let damp dampen the price
It might cost you a little money now, but it could mean a lot of money later.
Giles says: ‘Many old properties will have some damp issues which will either put prospective buyers off or will encourage them to knock the price down.
‘However, addressing the damp with new damp proof course is often surprisingly inexpensive so it’s worth doing before you move out.’
Take a cue from interior designers
Could the bathroom do with a lick of paint? Would updated lighting add another layer of excitement to the living room?
Take an honest look at your property and see if there are cheap ways you can transform rooms to entice buyers to open the purse strings.
Giles says: ‘If your property isn’t in the best decorative condition, it is worth spending a bit of time or money on doing this.
‘Newly-painted walls can make a room look bigger and brighter.’
Don’t ignore the small stuff
Time to tackle the stuff that you’ve taught yourself to ignore – like the fact that the kitchen cabinet door is a little loose or that broken fridge light.
Giles says: ‘Buyers are understandably cautious and so even the smallest issue could put them off paying full price for your property.
‘Reduce the risk of this by addressing all of the minor issues such as cracks in the walls, broken lights, dripping taps, cracked windows etc.’
Give a full history on the home
Giles says: ‘People like to see the service history when buying a used car and properties are no different, so collate all the information you can such as guarantees for things like windows or damp proof courses, gas and electrical safety certificates, receipts and manuals for the appliances and fixtures etc.’
And if your property has a very unique history in itself – maybe the ceiling beams were imported from Italy or a famous writer once lived in the property – include that information, too.
People like details.
First impressions matter
OK, so you’ve thrown out all the junk, fixed all the small stuff and tackled the damp.
Time to spruce up the outside and focus on first impressions.
Giles says: ‘It’s now a bit of a cliché, but curb-appeal is important as buyers will often make a judgement on a property within seconds of first seeing it.
If that first impression is positive then it is much more likely that they will be positive about the rest of the property; whereas if it’s negative, they could immediately be put off.
‘Spend time on your front garden, paint the front gate and door, make sure the pathway is in good condition and make sure the bell works. ‘
And don’t forget to pay attention to all senses – including scent.
‘The same goes for smell,’ Giles adds.
‘If a buyers smells damp, strong cooking smells or mustiness (or worse!) as soon as they open the front door, they will be put off and less likely to spend a good amount of time properly looking around.’
Add some furniture
Have you already moved into your new home?
It might be worth keeping some of the furniture in your old place until it’s sold.
Giles says: ‘Research has shown that empty properties are harder to sell – and often sell for less – than those that are furnished or dressed.
‘This is generally because buyers find it easier to imagine and gauge the space when there is furniture in place.’
You could also hire a stager.
Giles adds: ‘If your property is not already furnished, there are a number of companies that will rent you artwork and furniture to dress the property for sale.’
Get planning permission
Opportunity is always appealing.
Giles says: ‘Extending up, down or out can add serious value to your property but many people don’t want the disruption of doing the work when they know they will be moving out.
‘A good compromise is to get the necessary planning consent so that the new buyers know that they can extend and add immediate value if they wish.
‘Just having this planning permission in place will add value as it removes any risk for the new buyers.’
Mark and Sophie outside the ambulance, and before and after of the inside (Picture: SWNS)
A man has given an old ambulance a new lease of life after completely transforming it into an amazing mobile home.
Mark Bonito, from Chertsey, Surrey, loves ‘van life’ and he previously had a Volkswagen T4, which he turned into a camper.
But last year, he wanted a new project and he came across an ambulance at a local auction.
He bought the emergency vehicle at auction for £5,000 and spent another £2,000 refurbishing it.
Web developer Mark said: ‘We’ve been to Dorset for the amazing panoramic views of the sea, with a 4am alarm to sit and watch the sunrise with a cup of tea.
‘We’ve had a few forest adventures, some riverside stays and last weekend we stayed with the children in the South Down’s National Park, which is a dark sky reserve with an amazing view of the stars.’
The outside of the ambulance (Picture: Mark Bonito / SWNS)
The ambulance was still filled with unwanted equipment when it arrived.
Then Mark and partner Sophie Why, 35, started the task of transforming it into somewhere they could live comfortably.
Mark wanted to use reclaimed items so he went to car boot sales, charity shops and garage clear outs.
The inside when it arrived (Picture: Mark Bonito / SWNS)
For example, they bought a bunk bed and turned it into a double bed frame with a bench that pulls out to form a second bed.
The kitchenette was rescued from a skip and they used the original ambulance cabinet as a sink.
Once it was cleared out (Picture: Mark Bonito / SWNS)
On the outside, Mark redecorated so that it still kept some of its character but he had to remove the blue lights and ensure it wouldn’t be mistaken from a real ambulance.
Mark said: ‘We love the fact we have a reuse theme with all our reclaimed and upcycled items. Each item bares a memory of where we got it from.
‘When we’ve been travelling to these places and there has been heavy traffic, we always say how handy it would be to still have the blue lights.
During the renovation (Picture: Mark Bonito / SWNS)
‘We often get a second glance from other road users too!’
The work took them two months, but just before they set off, they realised that the vehicle was heavier than the limit they had on their licence.
Mark spent months working to pass the test to be able to drive the van and now they are finally on the road in the van they’ve named Florence after Florence Nightingale.
The finished inside (Picture: Mark Bonito / SWNS)
Their first trip will be to explore the Arctic together but are currently enjoying lots of trips around the UK.
Sophie, who works as a radiographer, said: ‘Mark is always the first to admit that some research should have been carried out, as owning an ambulance does come with its complications.”
it includes a kitchen area and double bed (Picture: Mark Bonito / SWNS)
‘He likes things a little on the quirky side and liked the idea of buying a van that was complete with a good standard of servicing, and fully equipped with gadgets galore!”
‘Rescuing a service vehicle that had done a heroic job from being scrapped seemed the right thing to do.’
Mark added: ‘The van has also been great for our relationship. We both have families from previous relationships, so it is great being able to have time alone together in the van but be able to get back quickly to our kids if we need to.”
‘I work from the van remotely which is really comfortable. I did all the electrics, heating and internet making it a really lovely space for me to live in.
‘My kids love it too. We have a real passion for cooking, and have our own blog where we share recipes that can be easily cooked in vans whilst on the road.
‘Being part of the van life community is amazing because your not tied down and you can visit the most beautiful places without leaving your home. It is incredible and I wouldn’t change it for the world.’
It’s not just sweat and sunburn that you need to be wary of (Picture: Getty)
We’re not great at dealing with the heat in the UK. The lack of air-con, open-air pools and siestas means that most of us emerge from heatwaves haggard, sweat-drenched and beer-addled.
It’s not just the sunburn and physical discomfort of being too warm that we need to watch out for, however. Heatwaves can also harm our mental health.
According to Harriet Ingle, a researcher in climate psychology at Glasgow Caledonian University, hot weather can incite rage in us that otherwise might lie dormant.
Writing for The Conversation, she says that historic studies dating back to the early 19th century concluded that hotter regions had higher violent crime rates than cooler countries – something that still holds true today.
Within those regions, violence is higher during the hotter months. That remains the case even when you take into accounts other factors like poverty, unemployment and age.
Of course, you don’t need to go too far back to see a possible trend. The 2011 London riots happened in peak summer. If you Google ‘violent riots’, a list of the 10 most deadly riots in US history comes up – all of which happened between May and September in cities where the temperature was stonkingly high.
Harriet cites a UK study that found that above 18C, every 1C increase in temperature is associated with a 3.8% increase in the incidence of suicide and a 5% increase in violent suicide.
While more research into the psychological impact of heat needs to be done, we do know that temperature hikes increase our levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as potentially adrenaline and testosterone.
When we get spikes of the latter, we’re more likely to become aggressive, violent and sexually hungry.
We’re also more likely to booze regularly during the summer months – which can exacerbate negative feels or see us engaging in reckless behaviour.
Taking certain psychiatric medications can inhibit your natural ability to regulate temperature and you may find it more difficult to sweat effectively.
People who live with severe mental or cognitive illness might struggle to dress appropriately for the heat or work out how to cool themselves down.
And this is all before we get to the guilt many of us feel about climate change. Is it normal to have weeks of 35’C+ in the UK? Is it normal that countries in the global south are experiencing huge losses of life and income due to constant waves of 45’C heat? It’s easy to become melancholy as we furiously mop our brows in the face of increased global warming.
Of course, there’s a difference between feeling low or mildly anxious and feeling depressed or suicidal.
If you find yourself in a mental spiral, chat with your GP. They can assess any medications you’re on to see if they’re exacerbating the issue and they can also refer you to people who can provide more specialist help.
And remember – if you feel like your partner/family/housemates are making your blood boil at the moment, it’s probably the heat!
Sex on the beach is a classic (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
Having sex outdoors is always a bit of a gamble.
There’s the risk of getting caught, which undoubtedly adds to the excitement for some people – but this could end in shambles or even a fine/arrest, depending on what you get up to.
There’s also the comfort level – like if you decide to get freaky in the forest and cut precious genitals or other body parts on rough grass or bark.
Or perhaps you get sand in places one should not get sand, if you have sex on the beach.
Then again, outdoor sex can be fantastic, if done properly.
Never experienced it yourself? For inspiration, and laughs, here are five stories from people who have tried it.
From angry hate sex in a London park to using sex toys on a fishing trip, they share their best and worst experiences of outdoor sex.
Ebony*, 23
‘When I was with my ex boyfriend we used to go fishing all the time – during the day, and overnight stays.
We’d do it in the bushes whilst waiting for fish.
‘It was fab because we could take all of our toys and nobody is going to hear your vibrators in the countryside are they?
‘I used to walk around with anal butt plugs in during the summer. It feels a lot naughtier outside.’
Belle*, 30
‘I went to a 21st bday party and instantly clicked with a guy, I just knew I wanted to have sex with him.
‘So we chatted a bit, and then decided to head outside, as we couldn’t get together in the house because there was a party going on and all the rooms were filled with people either partying or sleeping.
‘We had to cross the road and head into a local church garden (basically a graveyard) and tried to have sex up against the church, but standing up sex is always a bit tricky, so we found a trampoline in the church playground and had sex on that instead.
‘And then basically gave up and had sex on the cold, hard ground at 4am in January in a church car park.
‘It was absolutely freezing and neither of us came. Hilariously disappointing and kind of creepy.’
Stevie, 34
‘I had a first date in a quiet, dandelion-lined grove in a park in central London where I was grilled within an inch of my life – to the point I was huddled, clutching my knees like a child contemplating my own existence and morals.
‘The date-slash-interrogation lasted until dusk, then conversation died so like I wrapped it up.
‘But watching me clean up our mess, our eyes locked – and she pounced.
‘We had sex hidden in-between trees with a fully-manned football match to our right and a swan-filled lake surrounded by families and toddlers to our left.
‘It didn’t last long but it was oddly great – we had sex like we hated each other. It was glorious, spiteful and angry.
‘I texted her a week later saying I didn’t believe we were a love match. She replied saying she appreciated the text.’
Dean*, 29
‘I lived with my parents throughout university and so did my boyfriend at the time.
‘This unfortunately meant we couldn’t really have sex in a bed because my family was quite religious and he wasn’t out to his – so we opted for sex in cars and parks instead.
‘On one occasion, we drove to a local national park and found a path that looked fairly secluded. After some careful looking around, we started getting frisky.
‘We must’ve got carried away and let our guard down because next thing we knew, a guy walking his dog appeared next to us as my boyfriend was f***ing me.
‘We quickly stopped and the man made some sort of horrified noise and briskly walked off.
‘We went back to our car and finished having sex, which was oddly even more exciting after being caught.’
Patricio*, 30
‘Before getting together with my current girlfriend, I used to sleep with people more casually.
‘There was one time in my old university where I went for a walk with a friend with benefits, and we ended up having sex on the beach in the middle of the night.
‘It was one of those beaches with a raised flood wall, and the shore was below, I remember we could definitely hear hear people walking past overhead so we had to keep quiet (but thankfully we couldn’t be seen).
‘All I remember is the sound of waves crashing and the night sky made it really hot, in addition to the risk of being discovered.
‘Although it was quite uncomfortable! (It was a pebble beach).’
Amber, 22
‘So it was 5am in summer, and it was so bright it literally looked like the middle of the day.
‘We couldn’t go to mine or their house, and thought ‘f*** it, let’s try outside’.
‘I was too scared to do it in visibility of people’s houses – instead, we walked under this quite large bridge nearby and tried to do it there.
‘I put down a coat and get on my back, we start and he can’t stay hard for more than seven seconds because he’s nervous.
‘While fumbling about we suddenly hear dog walkers and literally pull up our pants and run away.
‘I didn’t speak to him for a while after that, and we never had sex again.’
I’ve been called exotic twice in the past 10 days, by different matches on Bumble (Picture: Hanna Woodside)
‘So, where are you from?’ is a pretty standard question in that initial flurry of back-and-forth when you match with someone on a dating app. For me, it’s slightly loaded.
Do they mean where in London am I from? (Camberwell). Or where I grew up? (Devon). Or, as I tend to pre-empt, ‘Where are your parents from?’ (Hong Kong and the North West of England).
I’m wary of the question because in certain contexts it means, ‘Why are you different?’ or simply ‘Why aren’t you (completely) white?’
I know that it can come from perfectly genuine curiosity, or be a simple conversation starter. But nothing makes my heart sink faster than when someone uses the ‘e’ word.
‘Oh, you’re half Asian? I thought you looked exotic!’ Or the double whammy: ‘You look exotic – where are you from?’
Fruit can be exotic (i.e. not native to this country). Animals, OK. But not humans. Calling a person exotic is instantly othering – it means ‘you are not from here’ or ‘you belong in a far off, distant land’.
I acknowledge that I could be considered ‘white presenting’, in that some people will look at me and see me as completely Caucasian. (Which often leads to the complete non-compliment: ‘Oh you’d never know! You look white to me’.)
But to other people, I am not. I’ve been called exotic twice in the past 10 days, by different matches on Bumble. It happens pretty much on a monthly basis.
For me, it instantly kills any tiny rapport we might have built; I see the word and feel a thud of disappointment. Any hopes or excitement that were bubbling instantly evaporate and I end up writing off that match.
I am happy to talk about my specific bi-racial identity, but lumping all BAME people under the term ‘exotic’ is dehumanising and, well, rude. It’s fetishising – like ‘exotic dancer’ – suggesting that part of your appeal is due to the perceived foreign-ness of your features.
Exotic winds me up so much because I’m often expected to be pleased or flattered by the label. When guys mention my ‘exoticness’ on dating apps, I usually reply: ‘Exotic isn’t a word you use to describe people’ and leave it at that.
Cue a puzzled: ‘Why not? It’s a good thing!’ or ‘But it’s cute! You’re pretty. I like that you’re exotic’.
I don’t have the time, energy, or responsibility to provide an in-depth lesson in semantics; that’s not why I’m on a dating app.
Personally, if one of your opening questions is ‘So what’s your ethnicity?’ I will feel instantly othered and have my hackles up (Picture: Hanna Woodside)
But exotic is not a compliment, especially when it’s thrown at me in this context. It tilts the whole conversation so I feel like a specimen, a curiosity, marked out as different and unusual in a comment-worthy way.
I’m aware that being called exotic is small fry compared to the overt racism that many BAME people, of all sexual orientations and gender identities, experience on dating apps.
Bios that state ‘No Blacks. No Asians. No Middle Easterns’. Messages that say, ‘I don’t usually like brown people, but you’re fit’, as a friend of mine received. Fetishising comments like, ‘I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have sex with a black guy.’
‘There are two sides to racism that people encounter on dating apps,’ Professor Viren Swami, social psychologist and author of Attraction Explained, tells me. ‘There’s explicit discrimination, but there is another version, where expressing a preference for a race or “exoticness” is packaged as a good thing.
‘They’re saying, “You should be happy I like this” – but it is objectifying. It reduces people to nothing but their race.’
Professor Swami also points out that ‘exotic’ is often applied to East Asian women to characterise them as sexual and/or submissive. ‘It taps into a “geisha girl” stereotype, where they are seen as only there to serve the needs of men.’ Which is, of course, nonsense and offensive.
Interestingly, outside the bubble of apps, I’ve never had a man call me exotic to my face. (I’ve only really experienced Boomer-generation people call me exotic in real life; I have to admit, in the past I’ve let it slide because I can’t face correcting them).
Perhaps the relative anonymity of chatting on a dating app just makes people lazy or more insensitive when it comes to the questions and language they use – in the same way people are less likely to say something aggressively sexual or crude to your face.
If you are curious about someone’s heritage when you match with them on a dating app – and they haven’t mentioned it themself – you can ask. Just do it sensitively and respectfully. Prof Swami suggests on a face-to-face date where there is more space to have a proper conversation might be preferable.
Personally, if one of your opening questions is ‘So what’s your ethnicity?’ I will feel instantly othered and have my hackles up – there are a million other things you can ask to get to know a person. But that’s just me. Not all BAME people will have the same reaction.
Just remember, people are not fruit. Please don’t call us exotic.
1-18 York Terrace East could be the second most expensive property ever (Picture: Homes and Property)
Looking for a house in London with plenty of space and good views?
Well this one certainly ticks all the boxes – but it will set you back £185million.
If the property overlooking Regent’s Park in central London meets that figure, it will be one of the highest-priced homes in the UK.
In January, Chinese property tycoon Cheung Chung-kiu agreed to buy a different 45-room mansion for more than £200m, making it the most expensive property ever in the UK.
But this property at 1-18 York Terrace East could sit in second place.
It is a Grade I listed building and was completed in 1826. If it looks a little familiar, it might be because it was designed by John Nash, who also worked on Buckingham Palace, Regent Street and the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.
The exterior (Picture: Homes and Property)
There are 45 bedrooms (Picture: Homes and Property)
It was bought by property firm Zenprop in 2016 but was previously used as government offices, then student accommodation.
Inside, lots of the student accommodation remains across the 117,000 square feet and it needs renovation in some areas to bring it up to a luxury standard.
One of the luxury bedrooms inside (Picture: Homes and Property)
Living area (Picture: Homes and Property)
There’s planning permission to turn it into 26 flats and two houses (Picture: Homes and Property)
There is planning permission for 26 flats and two houses but it could also be kept as one large dwelling.
Zenprop said that because of Brexit and the pandemic, it is selling for less than expected.
Derrick Beare, chief executive of Zenprop, told the Guardian: ‘We would have made a very healthy profit, but because of Brexit and the pandemic, prices are not what they were.’
He added that Zenprop had already received multiple approaches and are confident there will be a buyer.
Head outside but make sure you’re really prepared (Picture: Ella Byworth)
If you’ve got into running during lockdown and don’t fancy heading back into gym yet, you might be thinking about going for a jog. After all, it’s free, good for you and crucially, is outdoors.
But just what impact does going running during a heatwave actually have on our bodies?
Research by Harvard evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman, published in Comprehensive Physiology, suggests that we’re actually evolved to move in super-hot temperatures.
Lieberman says that our heat tolerance probably results from the fact that our ancestors evolved to hunt and forage on the African savannah at midday, when they were relatively safe from less heat-tolerant predators. Today, we still largely retain these ancient heat-tolerance genes.
‘Heat is a paradox,’ says Lieberman. ‘On the one hand, we evolved to run in heat. But on the other, if you are not well adapted, heat can be mighty dangerous.’
And there have been a number of studies looking into how even small increases of temperature can affect performance. At just 15C, elite runners can run up to two minutes slower, according to a study published in the journal Medicine & Sport.
Our bodies are clever. Unlike other animals, we’ve got a kind of inbuilt air con system designed to keep us cool in all weathers. To make sure that we stay at 37C, the body sweats – allowing heat to evaporate. We become dehydrated when we sweat so much that we start to lose water from the blood.
To help with that sweating process, blood vessels dilate to allow for more blood to come to the skin surface. That’s why you look like a sweaty tomato after a big run and why our veins look super pumped after a heavy session in the gym.
That process is known as ‘thermo regulatory stress’ – which is when our body tries to circulate more blood through the skin in order to cool itself down.
While that’s a clever trick for dropping heat, it means that there’s less blood for the muscles and that results in a higher heart rate.
If you’re running as long and hard in 30C as you do in 20C, you’re really forcing your cardiovascular system to work double time.
Running in hot temperatures makes the body work doubly hard (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
The hotter we get, the more the body attempts to dump heat.
By the time we get up to 30C+, we’re not sweating to cool down anymore – we’re just dumping body water.
There comes a point when no matter how efficiently you sweat, it can evaporate fast enough to keep up with you. That means that you’ll be dripping all over the place and still feeling excessively warm. Your only solution is to slow down.
It’s not just that you might struggle to perform; you could start to feel really unwell. Heatstroke can happen when you’re on the move, resulting in muscle cramps, vomitting, nausea, weakness and more unpleasant things.
Because your body is working so hard, less is definitely more. If you start to feel ill, stop and make sure people know. If you don’t start to feel better after rehydrating and resting, seek medical attention.
So, how can we keep running and take care during the heat?
Drink, drink, drink
It goes without saying but hydration really is the key to staying healthy during a heatwave – whether you’re running or not.
If you can run with a little rucksack, bring a bottle of water with you and have some in the fridge ready for your return. Adding electrolytes will help to replace lost salts; you can buy hydration tablets from SIS at Holland & Barrett (£5.24).
Drinking too much water can dilute the blood – leading to hypoglycaemia and hyponatremia (low blood sugar and sodium). These can be really dangerous so it’s important that you keep eating and drinking throughout the day, rather than attempting to drink a lot straight after a run. By making sure that you eat and drink well, you’ll also avoid cramping.
Get out early or stay up late
Only a sadist would consider going for a run at midday when it’s 35C outside. If you can, plan your runs at the coolest times of the day. That means heading out before 8am or after 8pm.
If you’re going out late, be sure to wear something reflective so that you’re easily seen by oncoming traffic. It’s really easy to forget about visibility if you’re not wearing your usual outerwear and the nights are longer.
Create a cool-down regime
Now isn’t the time to be fitting in heavy-going runs just before meetings or running to social engagements.
Stick some ice in the freezer the night before, as well as some bottles of water and set aside time for a cold bath or shower when you get home. Freezing fruit like grapes and raspberries is also a good idea so that you have cooling snacks to nibble on afterwards.
Still sweating post-bathe? Freeze some wet flannels to apply once you’ve stopped moving.
Take it easy
With most marathons being cancelled and many running clubs only tentatively opening back up, there’s no need to overdo it on the training. Go slow and steady and if you need to stop, do.
Give yourself proper time to recover in between sessions too; rather than running every day, make an effort to factor in a rest day in between each run.
Assess your kit
Running in dark colours, long sleeves and clinging materials are all going to make you hotter.
Try a running belt to hold your keys, gels and phone rather than a bag (if you can) and wear as little as possible!
The greener, the better
Everyone seems to be clambering for green spaces these days but for us runners, going off the beaten track may be a game changer. Trails often have lots of shade and the ground tends to stay cool – meaning that it doesn’t radiate heat.
City roads stay hot even in the early morning so plump for parks, rail trails, forests and towpaths.
Remember the suncream
Sweat-proof, waterproof, high SPF. Need we say more?
Stay in doors if you need to
If you are back at the gym or you have your own treadmill, you might find it easier running on that in an air conditioned room.
That might be more comfy for some people – so if that’s you, forget about running in the heat and get cracking inside.
Flip flops at the ready
Your feet swell in the heat and running in humid, sticky temperatures may exacerbate any shoe fitting issues that you have.
If you can, run in slightly larger shoes during the summer months and remove your trainers ASAP when you return home.
It was a shock when, six weeks before my wedding day, my father told me he wasn’t going to come (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
As the last of my bridesmaids left my side to walk down the aisle, she gave me a reassuring squeeze. Then I was completely alone – and terrified.
Who would have thought I’d wobble? I’ve always been independent, feisty, and since my teens, I’d resolutely maintained that I would never be ‘given away’ at my wedding, nor take someone else’s surname.
My attitudes hadn’t changed by the time I got engaged but other things had. My parents had gone through an acrimonious divorce, followed by my brother cutting ties with our father.
Our family wasn’t exactly harmonious, but still it was a shock when, six weeks before my wedding day, my father told me he wasn’t going to come.
He said italmost casually, matter-of-factly, over lunch. I was floored, but have a knack for keeping my game face on.
I asked why, and he cited many reasons: my refusal to be given away was insulting and made his presence pointless; the venue, three hours’ drive north, was too far away (I had to bite my tongue to refrain from mentioning that people were flying 24 hours to reach it); accommodation would be hard to come by; a number of fatal accidents had occurred on that stretch of road.
Granted, we’d never had a close relationship. When I was young, he was strict and emotionally preoccupied, and as I got older we talked about books, politics and history, but avoided anything personal.
Looking back, he hadn’t talked about wedding arrangements in the effusive manner my mother did – but that wasn’t unusual.
He got on well with my fiancé and everyone in my family – dad included – had been delighted when we announced our engagement after four years together. I just assumed my father’s attendance at the ceremony was a given.
I think I could have better managed the rejection if he’d just told me that he didn’t feel up to the stress of being around the rest of my family, or that he was nervous. I live with anxiety and mild agoraphobia, so I can sympathise with people who choose not to attend big events. I also wasn’t so self-absorbed as a bride-to-be not to realise that the occasion would be fraught with worry for people other than me.
But having my father tell me that it was essentially my fault he wasn’t coming – that hurt.
I knew, deep down, that I hadn’t done anything, or asked for anything unreasonable. Even where money was concerned, we had – independent as ever – said from the outset that we would pay for our own day. Yet it had all been twisted into a narrative of ‘I am going to reject you and justify it on the basis that you have rejected me’.
I didn’t want to add fuel to my dad’s blaming fire by asking someone else to walk down the aisle with me so, as my last bridesmaid left me – there I was, all alone
I knew my father well enough to understand that if he didn’t want to be there, there was no point in pressing the issue. Not once did I ask him to change his mind.
In private, I swung between anger and tears, dull acceptance and excruciating embarrassment. I focussed on the fact the arrangements were casual anyway. There was no need for a top table, nor a seating plan as the barbecue buffet could be enjoyed by people on picnic rugs or at tables – wherever they felt comfortable.
We planned to keep speeches to a minimum – more of a toast, than anything else – so that the father-of-the-bride speech would not be conspicuous by its absence.
Even so, as the day approached, I agonised over what my fiancée‘s family were thinking. Some of them had already expressed dismay about the travel involved: what on earth would they say about my own, relatively local, father opting out?
I think my fiancé had forewarned them, and they never brought it up, but it felt strange to simply not acknowledge my dad’s existence – the ‘he cannot be named’ quality to our interactions was excruciating. Similarly, in almost every conversation I had with Dad, there were things left unspoken. I felt fractured and uneasy.
Would I have called the whole thing off and just eloped or – better yet – never married at all? Without a doubt, but I was too far in. The yoke of matrimonial responsibility was firmly settled on my shoulders. This wedding was now, more than anything, something I just had to brazen out.
I didn’t want to add fuel to my dad’s blaming fire by asking someone else to walk down the aisle with me so, as my last bridesmaid left me – there I was, all alone.
I went slowly, smiling at as many guests as possible. If anyone looked askance at me, I didn’t notice it – and if anyone talked about the absence of my dad, they didn’t do it in my earshot.
The day, like most wedding days, passed in a blur of champagne and chit-chat. Months of planning for something that seemed to be over in the blink of an eye.
I don’t know how my dad spent it. Was he sad? Relieved? Did he pour an extra glass of something and silently toast us, or read a passage in one of the many books I’d left at his place over the years, in an effort to feel connected with me? I have no idea.
I saw him a week or so later and, aside from the extra metal on my left hand, nothing had changed. To this day, my father and I have never spoken of it. Our infrequent conversations still take place on safe, non-emotional ground.
My children have looked at photos of my wedding and asked where grandpop was, to which I’ve simply replied, ‘He chose not to come’ – and they, with the unquestioning acceptance of children, have left it there.
I feel desperately sad for us both – him, for missing a one-off occasion and me, for the angst that the day was cloaked in.
I know that many people are not able to have one or more of their parents at important moments in their life but I wish this situation had been more open, more honest, more clear cut.
I feel sad for my children, too: I suspect that as they grow up and enter into relationships of their own, they may be more curious about the circumstances.
I only hope my answers will be reassuring enough.
Do you have a story that you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk.
