The weekend saw record temperatures across the UK, as we all roasted to a crisp – with the hot weather set to continue for parts of this week.

As we’re sure you know, sunscreen is key to protecting your skin (especially in the kind of scorching sun we’ve got right now) but let’s face it, sometimes we forget to slather ourself in SPF.

Getting a little sunburnt on your shoulders, back or nose usually isn’t a big deal – but what if it’s in a more delicate area?

We are of course referring to your genitals.

Did you go commando in the garden or on a nude beach this weekend and forget to put sunscreen on your penis or vagina?

Do you now want to lie down and cry because of the pain to your nether regions?

We get it. Not to worry, we’ve got you covered.

We asked Dr Sarah Walsh, who works as a gynaecologist and is also the founder of Hanx condoms, to tell us how to treat genital sunburn, what not to do and when to see a doctor.

How to treat sunburnt genitals

Aloe vera is a heavenly product that doesn’t get enough credit – and it’s great for treating sunburns.

You can pick some up from your local supermarket, Boots, Holland & Barrett or other beauty and wellness store and it’s usually fairly affordable.

Dr Welsh says: ‘Avoid anything perfumed or heavy with chemicals, and don’t use oils or any greasy heavy creams as this won’t help matters.

‘Natural cooling creams or emollients are good. Moisturise with these regularly, such as aloe vera gels or Aveeno creams.’

Avoid sex until you’re healed up

This one should be pretty obvious, but let’s just drum it home.

Sex with sunburnt genitals will most likely only result in pain, and we don’t mean the pleasurable kind. You could also damage the skin further.

Stick to foreplay above the waist until your junk heals. If you feel tempted to let your hands wander, just think of the delicious release if you hold off for a few days.

Don’t wear tight clothing

Stick to light, breathable materials for now and let the area breathe.

And whatever you do, don’t wear jeans or other tough fabrics without underwear -the sunburn could end up in friction burn.

If you do wear underwear, Dr Welsh recommends something ‘cool and airy’.

Stay hydrated

While you should always make sure to hydrate properly, it’s particularly important if you’re badly sunburnt.

Your skin will absorb fluid from the body to the affected area, and drinking water or even sports drinks with electrolytes can help the burn heal quicker.

Dr Welsh says: ‘You can lose a lot of fluid through burns, and severe sunburn can cause this to happen, especially in delicate areas such as the genitals.

Don’t treat with ice, but do use cold water

While it might be tempting to treat sunburn by placing ice over it or a packet of frozen peas, please don’t.

Ice can cause burns, especially on the fragile skin around/on your genitals – such as the head of the penis or inside the vagina. So, no ice.

However, if your downstairs feels like it’s on fire – because of the sunburn, not due to suspicions of an STI (that’s a whole different beast) – the NHS recommends sitting or standing in cold water.

Run a bath or hop in the shower, and gently cool your genitals. You can also use a soft, damp towel.

Take painkillers if needed (in moderation)

According to the NHS, you’re fine to take paracetamol or Ibuprofen to cope with the pain of sunburns.

However, make sure to follow the guidance on the drug packet – and don’t take more than the recommended dose.

Keep your genitals away from sunlight

You’ll probably never want to put your private parts in the sun ever again, but just in case, here’s a reminder: keep your burnt genitals away from sunlight.

In fact, if you’ve never tanned your bits before, it’s best to expose them to the sun in stages as the skin on this body part will not be used to it.

When to see a doctor

Don’t put off seeing a medical professional if you’re in a lot of pain or worried about the state of your genitals.

Dr Welsh says: ‘If your sunburn goes beyond just painful skin, or you’re feeling unwell, you should see a medical professional.

‘Things to look out for include raw blistering or signs of infection (increasing redness, swelling or pus), having fevers and chills, or feeling light-headed, as these symptoms may indicate you’re dehydrated as well.’

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The cobbled streets of Paris are starting to fill up once again. Tables and their guests spill out onto the roads, making the most of their newfound space.

The former French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced that cafés, bars and restaurants could reopen in the city from June 2. 

The city’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo, also allowed cafes and restaurants to use the pavements and parking spaces as temporary terraces. 

These open areas are authorised until the end of September, as long as they abide by certain rules.

The terraces are expected to close before 10pm so not to disturb the neighbours and the areas must still allow pedestrians to easily walk by. There are frequent checks by officials to make sure restaurants follow the guidelines. 

As it is now mandatory to wear a face mask indoors in public places in Paris, it is no surprise that people are embracing the relaxed dining available outside. 

Some parts of the city remain eerily quiet. But a feeling of community can be found in these outdoor restaurants, with their makeshift pallet enclosures on the streets. 

Here is where to make the most of outdoor dining in the centre of Paris.

Luiz Verde

In the ninth arrondissement on Rue Henry Monnier sits the taqueria Luis Verde. The tables are mostly based outside on a busy street, alongside diners from the neighbouring restaurants Buvette and Classico Argentino. The tables are all suitably spaced out, which makes the experience relaxed.

You will not regret selecting their homemade guacamole and tortilla chips to start, followed by beef cheek and chicken tacos. The service is quick and friendly. 

Le Ventura

Across on the next block is Cafe Ventura on Rue des Martyrs. The street is filled with boutiques and adorable florists, alongside the cafes and bars that spill out on the street. I, unfortunately, stop here only for a bière pression, but the French comfort food looks excellent. Their enormous dishes include a beef tartare and caesar salad. 

Kitchen Paris

Another outside dining option outside is the extremely popular organic restaurant Kitchen. Here you can grab the green juice of the day and a vegetarian dish, like their sourdough toast with hummus, avocado, sprouts and fried egg. A delectable brunch or lunch spot, but make sure you arrive early to avoid the long queues. 

Le Relais de L’Entrecote

I have to be honest. I have visited Le Relaise de L’Entrecote at least five times over the past few years and plan to return over the next few years. It is certainly a classic. But veggies, you will want to avoid. You can only get their steak and unique sauce, with a walnut salad to start. It is simple, but fantastic. The opened up terrace is a massive plus and it is especially quiet if you grab an early table at 6:30pm. 

As proof of my everlasting satisfaction, here I am visiting their London… and Paris branch in 2017. I just can’t get enough.

L’Abattoir Vegetal

The clever name (Vegetable Slaughterhouse) sold me on this spot. This cafe offers a small, yet enchanting, selection of vegetarian fare from their spacious spot on the pavement in Montmartre. 

Their ‘funky burger’ with beetroot and guacamole is an excellent choice, especially paired with their smoothie of the day. But I am equally as jealous of my partner’s dish of quinoa salad with grated carrots and pomegranate seeds. 

Where to stay in Paris

The Hoxton, 30-32 Rue du Sentier, 75002 Paris, France.

The Hoxton chain’s Paris hotel, based in the second arrondissement in a stunning eighteenth-century building, is the ideal spot for a weekend stay if you want to fill a little bit fancy. 

It comes as no surprise that the team behind Soho House are responsible for the decor, which is well-considered and gorgeous throughout. The airy courtyard terraces and adjoining bar and dining areas are great spots for a night cap or a long brunch. 

The rooms can be on the smaller size, particularly the ‘shoebox size’, but they are well thought out and designed. The soundproofing, blackout curtains and a bed you sink into mean it is very difficult not to have a solid night’s sleep. The toiletries, from Blank, and the fluffy white towels also leave you feeling luxiarated and glowing. 

The hotel now offers ‘Flexy Time’ for check in and out, so if you book directly and let them know 72 hours in advance, you can come and go as you please. The staff are thoughtful and are happy to look after your bags before or after check out. On the hottest weekend of the year, their offer of water for the journey is highly appreciated. 

The service was slow at Sunday brunch time, as their terrace was completely full. But it was not intentional by staff, with one waiter literally tripping up as he ran between tables. The luxury touches resolve this, including Earl Grey tea from Nunshen, and make your stay more enjoyable. 

Room rates at The Hoxton start at £121 per night. 

How to travel to Paris

The Eurostar service between King’s Cross St Pancras, London and Paris takes just over two hours. Eurostar are currently offering flexible tickets without an exchange fee, as long as you give them a heads up two weeks in advance if you need to amend your booking, which is a thoughtful touch at this time. 

It is a very easy journey compared to flying. The train is quiet, with just five of us in Business Premier, and the seats are therefore very spaced out. The check in is very fast and the journey feels no different to getting a train within the UK, except you arrive in the centre of Paris. 

Eurostar fares start from £39 each way and are now flexible on bookings made until the end of the year. There is no exchange fee up to 14 days before travel.

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The apple is an underrated fruit.

So much so, that the UK wastes 4.4million apples every year, according to Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), which in 2008 launched a campaign to highlight just how much of the tasty fruit ends up in bins.

And it’s not got better over recent years; in 2019, The National Farmers’ Union reported that 16million apples have been left unpicked, though this was due to worker shortages, as opposed to the produce not being eaten in homes.

Regardless, it is clear that apples are going to waste.

In an effort to save this precious fruit, a London brewery has just announced a stunt that will likely go home well with cider drinkers in the capital.

Hawkes, based in Bermondsey, is highlighting the plight of the apple by threatening to pour 5,000 pints of cider down the drain – that is, unless people swing by to drink it.

You only need to pay for one drink; refills are free, from 2pm to 8pm.

All profits from sales of the This Is London cider will then go to Social Orchards, an initiative that plants ‘food forests’ in deprived areas of the capital, to provide free fruit to the community.

On the same day, the company will also launch Apple Donors, a campaign to encourage people to drop off unwanted apples from their gardens, nearby orchards or local parks (if you want to take part, make sure it’s OK for you to pluck from public places).

However, Hawkes is not the first brewery to utilise the help of locals to save apples from rotting, when they could be turned into cider.

The Garden Cider Company has been doing this for years.

Launched by two brothers, Ben and Will Filby, all of the brand’s hand-crafted beverages are made from donated garden apples supplied by 4,000 homes in Surrey.

And there’s a benefit for those who drop off their fruit; each person gets a share of the cider produced from it.

Don’t have any apple trees to donate from? You can still do your part by being cautious with waste, and read expiry labels carefully.

Supermarkets now use a logo on its bags of the fruit, encouraging shoppers to keep them in the fridge.

It is part of a wider campaign around food labelling from 2017, which aims to remove confusion around best by dates – and save 350,000 tonnes of domestic waste by 2025.

You can also freeze leftover apples – these can be left in the freezer for three to six months, though the flavour might decline somewhat.

And if you don’t fancy biting into the sweet fruit, why not make a pie with it? Or apple juice?

The options are endless.

Remember: an apple a day keeps food waste away.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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Men are being negatively affected by the isolation and social restrictions that are part and parcel of the global response to coronavirus, says mental health charity Samaritans.

A new poll of 2,000 men aged 18 to 59 found that 42% of UK men said their mental health had been negatively affected by life in lockdown, with the charity pointing to the lack of social connection as a contributing factor.

But before you rush to think ending lockdown is the answer, it’s worth noting that more than half of the men surveyed (56%) also said they are feeling worried or anxious as restrictions ease and the world goes back to ‘normal’.

The pandemic has had a lasting impact on our mental wellbeing, and that won’t be easily fixed by just letting everyone race back to the pub.

What could help, though, is encouraging men to reach out for support when they need it – 40% of the men surveyed said that talking with others had helped them cope with concerns, worries, and low mood in lockdown.

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Paul McDonald, executive director of external affairs at Samaritans, said: ‘This pandemic has brought unexpected change and uncertainty, which will have a lasting impact on everyone’s mental health and wellbeing.

‘At Samaritans we know that less well off, middle-aged men have remained the highest risk group for suicide in the UK for decades and that the restrictions put in place during lockdown such as isolation and disconnection will have exacerbated problems for these men.

‘We understand the value of listening and the power of human connection, particularly at this time when so many people are dealing with overwhelming thoughts and feelings.

‘We know that sharing stories of recovery does encourage men to seek help, so we hope that our Real People, Real Stories campaign can help other men to see that they can do it too and know that Samaritans is always there when they want to talk.’

This report comes after a study back in July found that single men had been ‘hit hardest’ by loneliness and mental health issues in lockdown.

Other research has pointed to the pandemic having a ‘devastating impact’ on the nation’s mental health, regardless of gender, while experts say we could see a rise in mental health issues such as agoraphobia as lockdown eases.

Greater support and consideration of the mental health issues that may have festered in lockdown will be needed as we come out of the pandemic.

But in the meantime, we know that talking about what we’re going through makes a huge difference.

One of the supporters of the Real People, Real Stories campaign from Samaritans is Martin, 52, who found himself struggling when he was in his early 30s after experiencing difficulties at work and getting into financial trouble.

He was introduced to a walking group for football supporters where he was able to talk about his experience, which had a significant impact on his mental wellbeing.

Martin said: ‘After meeting a Samaritans volunteer at a walk and talk, I felt so relieved to have spoken to someone about my mental health, particularly as they had also experienced difficulties.

‘It was a chat between two men with football in common, which led to talking about everyday things before drifting to mental health issues.

‘Speaking to others on the walk who had been through tough times was really helpful, as they had some understanding of where you have been mentally.’

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Few things make a sofa look tatty and worn out more quickly than those annoying balls of lint.

You know the ones, those little fuzzy bobbles of fabric that magically appear on the sofa and that you can’t resist picking off.

One mum has shared an easy trick for getting rid of pills on sofas that doesn’t involve carefully snipping off the lint balls one by one (because really, who has time for that?).

Georgia Spencer, from Australia, shared her hack in the Facebook group Mums Who Clean, writing: ‘First time poster here, but I found this way too genius not to share. Not sure if this has already been posted before, but I just found the best way to remove those crappy lint balls from my couch!!!’

In the video, Georgia shows how running a set of clippers gently over the sofa can instantly remove a build-up of lint and de-pill the fabric.

It’s a similar trick to using a razor to de-pill a jumper, but with more power and thus less effort required.

The video is deeply satisfying to watch, with the clippers gliding over the fabric and revealing a far cleaner and smoother sofa underneath.

The hack has been a major hit online, with hundreds of people commenting to thank Georgia for changing their lives – or their cleaning routines, at least.

‘My mind is blown,’ wrote one of the group’s members, while another called the trick ‘fantastic’.

Some shared that they had used the same technique on hoodies, but warned anyone keen to give it a go to make sure to be very gentle.

‘Be careful not to push too hard or you’ll get a tiny hole,’ wrote one mum.

This isn’t a brand new trick, of course – cleaning and laundry experts have been recommending the razor trick for years, whether proposing using disposable razors to refresh a worn out jumper or keeping a bikini line trimmer by your ironing board.

But thanks to Georgia, now a load more people have discovered the hack – and we can all enjoy the satisfaction of watching those lint balls drop right away.

Do you have a genius life hack or cleaning trick the world needs to know about?

Get in touch to tell us all about it by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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Amid the sourdough starters, banana breads and PE with Joe workouts, lockdown has seen love blossom.

Despite the crushing isolation and stagnant social environment most of us found ourselves living with, new relationships escalated, Tinder dates turned into serious situations and broken hearts miraculously mended. You probably have a mate who met a bloke on Bumble in January and is now discussing potential dog names after being holed up together for four months.

But why is that? Why should such a distressing time have led to solid relationships rather than, say, an increase in breakups?

According to research by the relationships charity Relate and dating website Eharmony, lockdown has led to a wave of ‘turbo relationships’, in which relatively young relationships now feel like umpteen years of marriage.

In study of over 2,000 British adults, 58% said they now knew that they wanted to be with their partner forever after living together during lockdown and a similar number felt more committed in their relationship after weathering the pandemic storm together.

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Nurse Allie met her partner on Tinder in December and at the start of lockdown, decided to move in with him.

‘Now we’re basically a married couple,’ she says.

‘I think we kind of knew it was going to work early on but lockdown was almost a test to confirm that. It definitely made things more serious and made us into a more “real couple” than if we’d just seen each other a few times a week as we did before.’

Sam, on the other hand, matched with his girlfriend on the app at the start of February and had to wait lockdown out to be reunited. They’ve now moved in with each other.

‘We matched in February and then boom, lockdown happened,’ he tells Metro.co.uk. ‘I moved back in with my parents the day after we met up for the first time and spent eight weeks on FaceTime.’

He says: ‘Lockdown has been a full-on blessing for me, sad as that sounds’.

‘You know that your relationship can survive if you spent three months of it on the phone and the only alone time was one walk in the countryside.’

So what happens now? Lockdown is ending and life is slowly returning back to normal. Doesn’t that pose new challenges for a relationship defined by the ‘unprecidented times’ it was founded in?

‘There was definitely a wobble moment when we were like, “what happened to our honeymoon period? Are we ever going to have one or have we just skipped straight into an intense relationship?”,’ Sam explains.

‘But if I’m honest, I struggled enough with somethings during lockdown and without my girlfriend, I genuinely don’t know how I could have got through it. Lockdown definitely intensified things but we’ve weathered the storm and managed to level out.

‘The moment we could see each other, I came straight back home to spend as much time with her properly as a couple out of lockdown as I could.’

And then, of course, there are the pre-existing relationships that lockdowns pushed to the next level.

Suzie has been with her partner since April 2019. On 22 March 2020, the day before lockdown began, they got engaged.

‘We got engaged in hope of marrying that week,’ says Suzie. ‘We knew we wanted to marry each other and were nervous about what was ahead so wanted to make it official in case anything bad happened!

‘Of course, all weddings were cancelled so that didn’t happen. We’re now booked to get married on 11 December at Chelsea Town Hall (the day before Sebastian’s 50th birthday!).’

We asked Match’s dating expert, Hayley Quinn, how lockdown had impacted on new relationships and she explained that one of the biggest changes Covid-19 had presented was the need to have ’emotionally intimate’ conversations super early on.

‘In order to stay safe, people have had to have candid conversations about their health that may usually be brushed aside,’ Hayley explains. ‘Likewise, asking to be in one another’s social bubble has become the new stepping stone towards “going steady” – and that implies a gear shift in the significance of the relationship.’

Such has been the rush to move forward that one wonders what might become of these relationships once society returns to normal. Just how real or stable can these turbo romances be?

While Hayley admits that for some, getting into serious situations will have been their way of finding a distraction, she’s more prone to believing that these relationships may be the real deal.

‘I’d argue that our circumstances, in terms of commitment, haven’t really changed,’ she says. ‘There will always be some people out there who are looking for fair weather relationships, and others who are looking for something longer term.

‘The best advice here is to be candid about what you’re looking for and to avoid reaching out to old flames for a distraction.

‘That being said, recent research from Match has shown that over half of singles are more committed to finding a relationship due to Covid-19 as the virus has caused people to reflect on what is really important to them.’

If you want to work towards a committed, stable relationship, Hayley says that you want to move away from the word ‘intense’.

She tells us: ‘While it can be very flattering and exhilarating going headfirst into a romance, there’s some truth in the phrase “the flame that burns twice as strong burns half as long”.

‘If you’re looking for a real relationship, prioritise the slow build; get to know one another on video dates, and daytime dates (think walks in the park, and ice cream) and take your time evaluating your connection. Shift your focus from looking for immediate excitement to growing a connection if you want to build a lasting relationship.’

Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. We know that lockdown saw a rise in domestic violence. Unhappy relationships have been strained to breaking point because of the lack of physical distance. There must have been plenty of couples who found themselves weighing up the pros and cons of moving into together at the start of their relationship – well before they were ready to take that step.

But back in June, Eharmony relationship expert Rachael Lloyd said that while the pandemic had ‘seriously tested’ relationships, many new couples were coping well.

‘What’s really interesting is the creation of so-called turbo relationships whereby couples who’d never usually move at such speed may have found themselves living together within weeks of meeting – and largely thriving,’ she notes.

So how can couples ensure that they carry on being just as strong after we get back to ‘normal’?

‘There’s never any guarantee that a relationship will carry on (coronavirus, or no coronavirus!) as this always requires the ongoing commitment to work on it from both parties,’ Hayley says.

‘However, you can do your best to create the right foundations for it by making sure you take time getting to know someone. Go for normal day dates over last-minute meetings and be open about what you’re looking for in the long run.’

For Sam, this post-lockdown period has given him and his girlfriend a chance to experience life as an ‘actual couple’ – including moving in together.

‘She decided that she wanted to move to London and we agreed that it was a waste of time having two flats. Then we decided to visit Ikea for a day off and honestly, it was the best day ever. I’ve never felt more comfortable and I’ve never considered a day at Ikea with anyone before.’

And that’s when you know you’ve bagged The One.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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Our weekly series What I Rent aims to take a look at the reality of renting and how people turn rented flats and houses into their homes.

Each week we take you inside a different rented property and chat to the tenants about their experiences.

Today we’re hanging out with primary school teacher Florence, 29, her husband Ben, and their two cats, Hazel and Maple.

They live in a one-bedroom flat in Herne Hill, south east London, and we chatted with Florence to find out what that’s like.

Hey, Florence! How much do you and Ben pay to live here?

We pay £1,350 in rent and then about another £300 in bills, including council tax and a really good sustainable energy company called Ecotricity we moved over to last year.

And what do you get for what you pay?

We have one quite large open plan reception room, a bedroom and a bathroom. We also have a cellar and a little courtyard.

Do you think you have a good deal?

We think so! The rooms are big and spacious, we have outside space and our own front door.

Also, we love the area so much, it’s so great for travel, really near a station, near Brockwell Park and has lots of lovely places to go!

How did you find this property?

When we were looking for a home in London, we saw a really similar property advertised just up the road but we couldn’t move until the summer and it was available right away. We emailed the letting agent to say we were really interested and if it was still available in the few months we would love to have it.

About a week later, they messaged us about another similar place that was available from the end of July! It was like fate and we saw it and agreed to take it the next day.

How have you made the flat feel like home?

Honestly, getting the cats was a huge part of making it feel like home, they have their own little house/box in the corner and their own water fountain. They give the place a lot of life and joy, especially when they climb the curtains!

Also, we try to make sure everything we choose to decorate has some kind of meaning: we have maps of the local area as a table or on the wall; we have all of our books out on display because we love reading and we have prints of our favourite things, like books we love, cartoons we find funny or things we are interested in up on the walls.

Most of our furniture has a story behind it too, like the bureau we found in the charity shop before we got married for £20 or the reading bench we LOVED but thought we could never justify spending a lot of money on, which we then miraculously managed to buy with a refund from Thameslink rail!

We keep lots of photos of friends and family, lots of candles to make things feel cosy and Ben is growing lots of herbs and chillis in our little courtyard.

Have you found it difficult to decorate when renting?

Our landlord is fantastic. We are nervous of some things, like hanging some pretty brass frames we have got above our bed incase we do it wrong and they fall!

We also thought about painting it near the beginning but the ceilings are so high we decided to try and just lean into the whole cream walls thing!

Do you feel like you have enough space?

At the moment yes,. Although, I definitely dream of the cats having a grassy garden to play in and maybe having another bedroom one day.

The absolute dream would be to convert the cellar space into a workable second bedroom or something, but that would be huge and probably not possible!

Are there any problems with the home you have to deal with?

Not really. We would love to be able to utilise the cellar space more but it’s too damp, apart from that we have been so lucky with our first place in London.

Do you have plans to move again any time soon?

At some point we will probably have to move for more space but we are reluctant and want to stay here as long as we possibly can.

Do you want to own a place some day or are you happy to rent?

Further in the future, we would like to have our own place but we both agree that we don’t want to live for years saving, scrimping and not enjoying our first years of marriage just to be able to own a property as soon as possible.

We have had a really good experience of renting and so buying is a goal for a few years time at the moment.

Fair play. Shall we have a look around?

What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am.

Check back next week to have another nose around a rented property.

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Alongside raising a debate around Kylie Jenner and delivering an absolute banger of a track, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s music video for WAP has brought up important conversations on the topic of vaginas, and for that we are thankful.

But amid people proudly declaring they have a WAP, some have raised concerns that having a ‘wet’ vagina could be a sign of bacterial vaginosis.

Podcaster Ben Shapiro, who’s been pretty vocal in his views on the WAP video, tweeted that his ‘real concern’ is that women ‘who apparently require a “bucket and a mop”‘ could have bacterial vaginosis, a yeast infection, or trichomoniasis.

To soothe your concerns, we’re here to explain the difference between having a WAP and showing signs of a vaginal infection, specifically bacterial vaginosis, as it’s the most common vaginal condition in women aged 15 to 44 and one in every three women will suffer from it at some point in their lives – so we really do need to know about this common infection.

What is bacterial vaginosis?

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal infection caused by a change in the balance of bacteria in your vagina.

When the vagina is in good health, it’s got a delicate balance of ‘good’ bacteria that keeps ‘bad’ bacteria in check. When that balance gets messed with, bacterial vaginosis can occur.

What causes bacterial vaginosis?

It’s not actually known what the exact cause of BV is, but there are known contributing factors that can raise its likelihood.

These include using perfumed products around the vagina, douching, changing sexual partners, being sexually active (although you can get BV without having sex), and having an IUD.

What are the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis?

The most common and easy-to-spot sign that you may have bacterial vaginosis is a change in vaginal discharge.

When you have bacterial vaginosis, discharge might be white and milky or grey, it may have a foamy or watery texture, and often has a strong fishy smell, especially after sex.

Other symptoms include itching around the outside of the vagina, vaginal irritation, and burning when peeing.

That being said, the NHS reports that 50% of people with bacterial vaginosis have no symptoms at all.

How is bacterial vaginosis diagnosed and treated?

If you think you may have bacterial vaginosis, go to your GP or a sexual health clinic, where they’ll be able to test for the infection with a cotton swab.

If you do have it, BV will likely be treated with antibiotic tablets, gels, or creams.

If your sexual partner also has a vagina, they’ll need to be treated too, but if your partner has a penis, they’re fine to go without treatment. You’ll likely be advised to stop having sex during treatment, though.

Can you get bacterial vaginosis from sex?

Bacterial vaginosis is not a sexually transmitted infection (STI), but research has shown that you’re more likely to develop BV if you’re sexually active or have recently changed partners.

That being said, you can get bacterial vaginosis without having sex.

What’s the difference between bacterial vaginosis and thrush?

Bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections are easily confused – according to a YouGov survey, 26% of women don’t know what BV is, and a further 26% misidentified the symptoms of BV as thrush.

Because both conditions affect vaginal discharge and have similar symptoms, it can be tricky to tell the difference between thrush and BV.

Bacterial vaginosis tends to make discharge white or grey with a fishy smell, while yeast infections tend to affect the discharge’s texture, making it lumpy like cottage cheese.

The only way to know the difference for certain is to get tested by a doctor or nurse.

Does bacterial vagina cause a ‘wet’ vagina?

Short answer, no.

Your vagina’s wetness during sex is natural lubrication that occurs due to arousal. This is a different thing to discharge, which is what bacterial vaginosis affects.

BV doesn’t necessarily make you produce more discharge, instead affecting how discharge looks and smells, and it definitely doesn’t make you wetter during sex.

If you always have a wet vagina or what seems like a lot of discharge, you should be all good on the infection front – it’s a sudden change that you need to look out for.

But do get regular sexual health checkups regardless, as many infections can appear without any obvious symptoms.

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As a 22-year-old university student, the pressure of my final year was looming but I had one other huge burden to carry – the expectation of marriage.

‘This family is very well educated,’ my mother told me one day, ‘both of the parents are doctors!’ Her eyes lit up. Apathetic, I asked: ‘What’s his name?’

After a short pause, she simply replied: ‘I don’t know.’

It’s been over four years since this incident, but little has changed. I’ve had countless marriage proposals from ‘good families’, but most encounters end up exactly the same – with me feeling irritable and tired, and my parents feeling antsy and impatient. 

My mother has been a part of a rishta group for the past few years. It’s a place where eager parents can post a brief summary of their children and what they’re seeking in a spouse. Based on the limited information available, parents then liaise with one another and organise their first meeting.

The groups are essentially used to streamline the process of arranged marriages. And each meeting I have follows the same pattern.

First, the families greet each other and the men and women sit in separate rooms. After the generic chit-chat between parents, myself and my potential spouse are unsubtly ushered into another room where we proceed to delve into trivial conversation.

‘What’s your name?’ ‘How old are you?’ ‘What do you do?’

Of course, topics of conversation vary. My personal favourite was probably from the naive engineer who opened with: ‘So how many kids do you want?’

Amid feigned smiles and insincere discussion, I often wonder whether the peculiar singletons feel just as uncomfortable as I do. The demure façade I am made to uphold, the futile and shallow comments – surely, I’m not the only one?

Don’t get me wrong – I have seen countless couples who have had arranged marriages and have spent the rest of their lives in bliss. I don’t see anything wrong with arranged marriages. After all, having a parent introduce you to a potential partner is no different from a friend doing the same.

But what I do see as wrong are the false pretenses; moulding me to become someone I am not for the sake of another’s approval, or having to ‘tone down’ my usual outspoken self so as not to appear dominating.

Overbearing parents make the entire ordeal even more exhausting. After each and every meeting with a boy, my mother is quick to interrogate me and then immediately relay all comments back to his parents. 

‘What is he like?’ ‘Shall we arrange a second meeting?’ ‘Is he nice?’

Maybe if we had more than 30 minutes alone together, I’d be able to offer a practical response. Fearful of causing a ruckus, I begrudgingly responded: ‘He seems alright.’

Many parents are fearful of their daughters marrying too late, but few are concerned about them marrying too early

Following this, the parents discuss how they and their children feel. If it’s positive; they’ll arrange a second meeting. If not, they’ll reject the proposal in the most patronising way possible – something like: ‘Sorry, I think your daughter is very different to our son, I don’t think this would work.’

And so, the cycle continues.

Of course, some of the men I have been coerced into meeting have shared my core values. But due to their parents’ pompous attitudes, I am seldom seen as a worthy match for their sons. 

Any attempt made to speak with my mother about the rishta culture has proven futile. ‘If you don’t get married now, it’ll be too late,’ appears to be the crux of her argument. Many parents are fearful of their daughters marrying too late, but few are concerned about them marrying too early.

Growing up, my parents never allowed us to make compromises on our education. 

We were always told to aim high. To attain the highest grades possible. To be admitted into highly reputable universities on the best courses (namely; medicine, dentistry or law). Settling for less was never an option.

So why then am I being coaxed into settling for less in a life partner? The dozens of times my parents told me I was being too ‘picky,’ or that I was ‘asking for too much’ in a husband completely contradicts everything they’ve ever stood for.

My objection towards meeting pretentious strangers in my home has led my mother to believe that I simply don’t want to get married at all – which is far from the truth. I want to get married. I want to start a family. But at my own pace. In my own way and without anyone else’s intervention.

I’m happy to meet people with the intention of marriage; even if these meetings are orchestrated by my parents. What I will never be happy to do is paint myself as someone I am not for the sake of upholding family ‘honour.’

What I actually seek in a partner is mutual understanding and a shared faith – and I shouldn’t have to compromise my fundamental values.

I can’t blame my parents for pestering me about marriage. After all, they’re lumbered with snide remarks from the community and perpetually bombarded with the dreaded question: ‘So why aren’t the girls married yet?’ I cannot marry simply because community elders are telling me that it’s time.

I know of countless couples – especially of my parents’ generation – who marry at early ages, mainly at the behest of their parents. In turn, they’re completely unprepared – emotionally and financially – to raise their own families, which has repercussions for both the parents and the children.

I’d hate to be forced to settle for the rest of my years and unwittingly destroy several other lives in the process. That wouldn’t be fair. Not for me, nor for my husband and least of all for my future children.

When the time comes, I’d prefer to find my own partner. I’d still be open to seeking help from my parents – just so long as we can agree to have complete transparency between potential partners; no cover ups, no keeping up appearances and no external pressure. 

Marriage is a decision that will affect not only your life, but someone else’s too. Make sure you choose wisely.

Do you have a story that you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing james.besanvalle@metro.co.uk.

Share your views in the comments below.

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Tabby cat Winslow has found a creative outlet for his emotions: playing the piano.

His immense talent has a dual purpose, in that his thumping of the keys also serves to get him attention, something he craves as a deeply needy being.

The seven-year-old cat used to be a noisy and needy kitten, until his owner, Kate Nyx, gave him his own tiny piano.

Now, rather than meowing up a storm, Winslow can simply play the piano whenever he’s hungry, needs his litter tray changing, or just wants attention.

Kate, 29, said: ‘He used to run around screaming all the time and I was like, “this is no good”.

‘The piano is another way to communicate, so he’s not screaming bloody murder.’

Kate, a musician, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, adopted Winslow when he was eight weeks old after he was found in her cousin’s backyard trying to fight a dog.

She said: ‘He was a rambunctious kitten and he’s transformed into a chaotic gentlemen.

‘He was scarred up, covered in dirt, we had to teach him how to eat dry food and he had a serious case of ringworm.

‘Winslow started showing interest in the piano when he was a kitten, playing the notes and looking underneath trying to find where they were coming from.

‘It became some kind of hunting reward because he can’t do much in the apartment.

‘He tends to only play it when we’re in the kitchen and he knows he can possibly get a snack.’

But Winslow isn’t just food motivated, having learned that the piano is an elegant way to get attention.

‘He uses the piano to express himself in general, for attention, to get his litter scooped,’ said Kate.

‘It’s his alarm system. He learned that I encourage moving his paws up and down the keyboard, so he does that when he really wants something.’

His immense talent has led Winslow to release his own single, Bean Gotta Scream, which dropped on 7 August on streaming platforms.

The track features Winslow playing the piano and screaming. It’s a masterpiece.

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When Lucy the Labrador went into labour, her owner Catherine Smith was on hand to help.

But the part-time waitress, from Taunton, Somerset, wasn’t expecting to welcome 13 new puppies to the family.

And despite Lucy being a golden colour, all the puppies took after their dad – Catherine’s friend’s eight-year-old black lab called Bastion.

Catherine said: ‘She had the first four in just 20 minutes, then they just kept appearing.

‘This is the first time we have bred a dog and thought she might have five or six. She started at 11.50am and it was all over by 4.30pm.

‘I think she wondered where they’d all come from!’

Usually Labradors have around six to eight puppies.

The brood was actually one short of the English record for the breed set by Bella, who gave birth to 14 black and yellow puppies in May this year.

The biggest litter ever recorded in the UK is believed to be in Scotland back in 2014. Dog Annie, from Drumlemble, Argyll and Bute, gave birth to 15 puppies – a mix of black and chocolate Labradors.

Oblivious to her almost-record, Lucy is enjoying being a mum to the eight boys and five girls.

‘We’re now getting through 15kg of dog food a week,’ Catherine added.

The puppies were all sold to new homes within three weeks and will be heading off once they are old enough.

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A grandmother, 103, has got her first tattoo after deciding to finally cross off everything on her bucket list.

Dorothy Pollack, from Muskegon, Michigan, thought there’s no time like the present as she marched down to AWOL Custom Tattooing LLC for her first inking.

Joined by granddaughter Teresa Zavitz-Jones, Dorothy went for a cute little green frog on her forearm.

Why a frog, you may ask? It’s because Dorothy just likes frogs. Fair enough.

It was the first time the grandmother was able to see her family in months due to the pandemic, which saw her isolated in her nursing home.

Now able to go out, Dorothy reunited with her loved ones and wanted to mark the occasion.

The centenarian decided life was too short and added a bunch of things on her bucket list, all of which she now aims to cross off.

After her new inking, Dorothy crossed off another adventurous activity – taking a motorbike ride.

Teresa, who took Dorothy to the tattoo studio shared images of the grandma getting her inking.

She wrote on Facebook: ‘Granny is a badass now; sportin that ink. Thank you tons AWOL Custom Tattooing LLC, Ray Reasoner Jr, and your staff for making Granny feel comfortable and like a star. You are amazing.’

Tattoo artist Ray, who offered the ink free of charge, had a few words to share about Dorothy.

‘She took it like a champ,’ he told CNN.

‘I didn’t even see her wince. Maybe she had half a wince once. She was just so excited. It was an amazing experience.

‘If someone over a century old tells you to do something for them you just gotta do it.’

And it wasn’t just a free tat Ray was able to give the grandma, he also realised he could help her check off another item on her list – going on a motorcycle.

The artist asked Dorothy to strap into his Harley-Davidson and soon took her for her first motorbike ride.

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If you’ve been anywhere on the internet recently, it’s likely you’ve seen the video for Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s WAP.

The video for the song – an acronym for ‘wet ass pussy’ – features incredible outfits, skillful twerking, and (as you can imagine) many allusions to water and wetness.

And the song is full of hyperbolic terms about just how wet and wild things can get, which has – oddly – caused ructions for some people.

Commentator Ben Shapiro has suggested that it’s actually a worrying sign to be lubricated.

In a tweet yesterday evening he wrote: ‘My only real concern is that the women involved — who apparently require a “bucket and a mop” — get the medical care they require. My doctor wife’s differential diagnosis: bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection, or trichomonis [sic].’

We’re going to be looking into these conditions, and seeing whether Ben’s ‘doctor wife’ is correct in her assertion that having a lubricated vagina might be a symptom of something more sinister.

We’ve explored bacterial vaginosis and now it’s time for a guide to trichomoniasis.

What is trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a tiny parasite.

This parasite, Trichomonas vaginalis (TV), can be present in those with penises or vaginas, and is passed from person to person in much the same way as any other STI, either from unprotected sex or by sharing sex toys.

However, as TV attaches to the urethra of the host, it is not thought to be contractable through oral or anal sex.

Symptoms of trichomoniasis

The symptoms of trichomoniasis are very similar to a number of other conditions (making it hard to diagnose) and differ depending on whether you have a penis or vagina.

According to the NHS, the symptoms for those with a vagina include:

• abnormal vaginal discharge that may be thick, thin or frothy and yellow-green in colour
• producing more discharge than normal, which may also have an unpleasant fishy smell
• soreness, swelling and itching around the vagina – sometimes the inner thighs also become itchy
• pain or discomfort when passing urine or having sex

For those with a penis, they include:

• pain when peeing or during ejaculation
• needing to pee more frequently than usual
• thin, white discharge from the penis
• soreness, swelling and redness around the head of the penis or foreskin

Let’s look more closely at ‘producing more discharge than normal’ to see whether Ben Shapiro’s assertion might be true.

The answer lies in what’s ‘normal’ for you, as well as how painfully literally you take the WAP lyrics.

The lyric that specifically deals with the amount of wetness is ‘Bring a bucket and a mop for this wet-ass pussy.’

If you can’t see the artistic license, then what a sad little life Jane. But, even taken literally, that would not signal trichomoniasis.

Maura Quinlan, M.D., M.P.H., an assistant professor in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told SELF: ‘I tell my patients that discharge is like sweat—some people don’t sweat very much, and some sweat a lot.’

What matters most is whether you’re producing more discharge than normal. So keep an eye on how your body normally functions, and if that changes, see your GP or head to a GUM clinic for a check-up.

Depending on your birth control or cycle, you might notice that some days your discharge is thicker or thinner, or there’s more of it.

When it comes to trichomoniasis, this increased level of discharge is also normally accompanied by a change in the colour or smell. Keep an eye for grey, green, white, or yellow discharge that may smell fishy.

On top of all that information, it’s important to remember that the song is talking about becoming wet in a sexual sense, which is different to your standard discharge production.

Ask Alice – a veritable hub or every piece of sex information you’d ever need – states: ‘In terms of sexual stimulation, early on in sexual excitement, veins in a woman’s genital tissues begin to dilate and fill with blood, gradually making the whole area feel full (called vasocongestion).

‘In the vagina, this swelling creates a “sweating reaction,” producing a fluid that makes the vaginal lips get wet — often an early sign that a woman is sexually excited.’

Being wet is a good sign that you’re enjoying what’s happening, so please don’t feel ashamed of that.

Similarly, if you’re having trouble with lubrication it could be due to many factors (such as menopause or a side effect of medication). There’s nothing to be ashamed of here, and a bit of lube along with a check-up from your GP should help you and give you the answers as to why.

As if we didn’t need another thing to worry about when it comes to our bodies, please don’t feel that your arousal or normal human functioning is automatically an infection.

Own your WAP (or your slightly less WAP) and stay safe.

Do you have a story you’d like to share?

Get in touch at MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk.

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Hot, isn’t it?

Many of us have been thinking the same thing over the past few days; who put the UK in a furnace?

There’s only so many showers one can take in a day (and so long one can sit in front of a fan).

To deal with the heatwave we’ve been experiencing lately, it’s worth making sure you’re eating the right food and drinking plenty of water.

There are some foods that are better at keeping you cooler than others.

While you might think an ice cream or two might do the trick, cold snacks might not be the answer to keeping cooler.

Even though ice creams and lollies have a temporary cooling effect, eating food leads to an increase in temperature as the process of digestion is heat-generating.

The fact that cold snacks and drinks make your body over-compensate by increasing your core temperature means that ice creams and slushies are not the answer to keeping you cooler for the duration of the day.

The answer to keeping cool is eating food that raises your core body temperature, so while it may sound counterproductive, things like warm drinks and soups can do the trick.

Meals that are rich in fluids are good ways to not only keep the body hydrated, but also to keep it from feeling too hot.

According to the UK Eatwell Guide, you should be drinking about six to eight glasses of water or other hydrating liquid.

But beware of natural sugars in juices and drinks that have a diuretic effect such as coffee and alcohol which makes you lose fluids.

You can opt for food that also have higher fluid content such as strawberries, melons, cucumbers, lettuce and celery.

Yoghurts are also good at retaining water so be sure to add some to your meals.

While soups and stews are thought of as wintery meals, they are great fluid-rich meals you can eat to inspire the body to be cooler in the long run.

Hot weather may make you want to choose iced teas and coffees over their hot counterparts but warm drinks are better for you in balmy temperatures.

This is because once consumed, they raise your body’s core temperature, which makes the body want to cool down which it does through sweating.

Sweating has a cooling effect.

And yes, that includes spicy meals. Eating a chilli-rich meal might not sound ideal but it inspires the body to sweat which will help it feel cooler.

So go forth and add these items to your shopping list.

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Making someone a cup of tea is often difficult territory because there are so many aspects you can get wrong.

Milk? Sugar? Strong? Weak?

Many of us are really quite precise about how we like our tea.

And one of the things that often leads to debate is what goes in first – the milk or the tea.

Controversially, one of the UK’s most famous tea brands says you should put the milk in, then the teabag and then hot water poured on top.

On their US website, Twinings says: ‘When adding milk, pour it into the cup before adding your tea. This allows the milk to cool the tea, rather than letting the tea heat the milk.’

It comes in their on guide to how to brew the perfect cup of tea, which was highlighted this week in an interview with brand director of corporate relations Stephen Twining in Town & Country.

Twinings were appointed as the supplier of tea to Queen Victoria back in 1837 and they have supplied every Britsh King and Queen since, so they know a thing or two about the stuff.

Other recommendations include warming your teapot first with cold water, pouring it out and then adding cold water.

The Queen’s favourite tea makers also advice pouring the water over the tea bag as soon as it reaches boiling point.

It says: ‘Over-boiling will cause oxygen to be reduced, making the tea taste ‘flat’.’

When it comes to the shade of the tea, the guide adds: ‘Never judge tea by its colour. Colour comes more quickly, but flavour takes a bit longer to develop. Allow the correct steeping time to fully extract the best flavour.’

The instructions include a handy table to give you an idea of how long to really leave different types of tea to brew.

Despite Twinings illustrious history, people on Twitter still disagreed.

One said: ‘Listen I don’t give a f**k what the Twinings man says, it’s always milk last when making a cup of tea.’

Another added: ‘If a bloke from PG tips is telling me what to do, I’d listen more than this Twinings bulls**t.’

But in the end, Twinings adds: ‘The best cup of tea is the one you like the most.’

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Working in the creative industry is no walk in the park.

I have personally been fighting the good fight as an actress, presenter and broadcaster for nearly nine years now, and I am far from being in a comfortable, secure place work-wise.

I genuinely love what I do and have given up so much for this career path. I left a stable job working in a school and moved hundreds of miles from my hometown for the bright lights of London and my love of the arts.

I truly wanted to entertain and educate others but I have to admit there are days when I simply ask myself: ‘Geez Samantha, is it worth it?’

I now understand why many parents’ toes curl when their kids turn round and say, ‘Mum, Dad, I want to be a star!’ and they reply ‘Really darling? Wouldn’t you rather be a teacher or a doctor?’

Because when you throw disability or chronic illness into the creative arts mix, it can make you feel invisible, marginalised and excluded.

Granted, comments like these are somewhat patronising, but it’s easy to feel like an alternative career path really isn’t a bad idea after all. When you’re disabled, a dream job in the arts may well remain just that – a dream.

I believe, however, that deaf and disabled talent deserves to be seen and heard.

The disability community is a rich, vibrant and eclectic bunch of skilled individuals who have so much to offer when it comes to TV and film, both onscreen and off. Disability should not stop anyone from entering this realm, although it often does.

People living with disabilities make up 22% of the UK population, yet a rather pitiful 0.06% of adverts feature disabled artists and only 5.2% of contributions off-screen, and 7.8% on-screen are from deaf or disabled people.

These figures were a large part of why I jumped at the chance of joining the British Film Institute on their Disability Screen Advisory board to champion their latest campaign PRESS RESET.

It urges the industry, and particularly those at the top – the gatekeepers and decision makers – not to forget about disabled talent and to ensure that there is equality for all from start to finish.

The campaign couldn’t have come sooner. With coronavirus creating a real threat to the arts and uncertainty across the whole of the entertainment industry, the fear is that the hard work of campaigners and deaf and disabled film and TV professionals over the years will go back to ground zero. They may actually see these already minuscule figures fall. 

Adam Pearson, presenter, actor and campaigner told me: ‘Prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, as far as disability and inclusion was concerned, the industry was very much broken. And now we’re in the midst of the pandemic, the industry is pretty much broken for everyone. Welcome to our world!’

I was once told point blank by my after school club acting teacher that people like me ‘wouldn’t get very far in the industry’

I often hear the rather lame excuses from casting agents that there simply is not enough deaf and disabled talent out there. It means that productions often go on to ‘crip up’, using non-disabled artists to play disabled roles as we saw in the 2020 film Come As You Are, which follows three disabled friends on a road trip (except all the actors playing them don’t have disabilities)

I could list hundreds of deaf and disabled talent right now. Of course many of us don’t have the luxury of hundreds of accolades tucked under our belts, or showreels proving that we’ve starred alongside A-list celebrities in blockbuster movies – but it’s not from the lack of trying.

Disabled artists need nurturing as many of us have been at the disadvantage from the get go, not able to get into and around theatre schools, for instance, as they were simply inaccessible.

As my fellow classmates were celebrating the news of a London talent scout coming to our little drama club the following week, I was told point blank by the teacher that people like me ‘wouldn’t get very far in the industry’.

Safe to say that was the last class I attended, and I was left absolutely heartbroken.

Fortunately, the PRESS RESET campaign has outlined ways to be more inclusive. 

Firstly, it advises decision-makers to engage with the deaf and disabled community, not writing about us without us.

Why do we get annoyed at stereotypical tropes? Because the overwhelming majority of scriptwriters aren’t disabled, and when they write about disability, they are coming from a place of unconscious bias.

It also calls for targets to be set and for equal pay, as many disabled people are often expected to work for free on the basis that the production is ‘doing us a favour’.

It demands that accessibility be at the forefront of everything. You wouldn’t believe the amount of auditions I’ve attended, which have especially asked for wheelchair users, but have had a step to get into the building or a non-accessible bathroom. And this was despite both me and my agent calling ahead to double-check first.

There are plenty of accessible art studios across the country. You just need to look – or, even better, engage with the deaf and disabled community. We will be happy to share with you where they are.

Finally, the campaign simply asks for more allies and advocates. We need you more than ever because in all honesty, we are sick to the back teeth of being left behind, of keeping our mouths shut instead of challenging discrimination and institutionalised ableism out of fear of rocking the boat. We are exhausted at being seen as having a difficult chip on our shoulder.

I don’t want to hear that there isn’t enough disabled talent out there, or to meet any more lazy casting directors that favour pound signs rather than authentic representation.

We no longer want to have to hide our impairments just so we don’t feel like a burden, because adequate adjustments haven’t been thought about.

We no longer want to be treated like second-class citizens that have nothing to bring to the table, when in reality, a life with a disability is a rich one and we have many amazing stories to tell.

The PRESS RESET campaign speaks directly to those at the top of the creative world, yet the message is for anyone who really cares about diversity and inclusion – and more importantly, values and respects people with disabilities.

There is no place in this world for ignorance or feeling awkward. There is no longer an excuse for being misinformed on disability. What we see right now with this underrepresentation and marginalisation is nothing short of discrimination fuelled by negative stereotypes, grounded in ableist ideologies, on what deaf and disabled people are, or what they can achieve.

If you don’t want to see more people like me, or hear stories from the disability community, ask yourself: why not?

Disabled people aren’t going anywhere and let’s not forget anyone can become disabled at any time.

Maybe what we have to share with the world may come in handy somewhere down the line.

You can find out more about PRESS RESET here

Do you have a story that you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk.

Share your views in the comments below.

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If you had dreams of an incredible playhouse in your back garden when you were a kid, prepare to be jealous.

Three-year-old Demi has a brightly coloured playhouse of dreams – complete with two slides, a sandpit, a climbing wall, and a ladder – thanks to her mum’s DIY skills.

Mum Zoe, 41, booked two holidays to Haven for her family, but when both trips were cancelled due to coronavirus, she used the time to give the dull, grey secondhand wendy house she bought for £65 a proper makeover.

The end result made the perfected belated gift for Demi’s third birthday and soothed the sadness of a cancelled holiday.

Zoe, from North Tuddenham in Norfolk, said: ‘Demi loves it, but we’ve all tried it out and I’m so happy with it – especially as it only cost a small amount of money.

‘We were gutted because we had lost out on two holidays to Haven and hadn’t been away in a while.

‘We couldn’t go away anyway because of lockdown, so instead of being stuck indoors we decided to do a lockdown project for Demi.’

Zoe and husband Paul had been looking at playhouses for Demi online but were put off by the high prices, so were ecstatic when they found a used one on Facebook Marketplace for just £65.

Zoe knew doing up the playhouse would be a great lockdown project, so looked up designs and inspiration online and drew up a plan.

‘It was pretty rundown when we first saw it,’ said the stay-at-home mum. ‘A lot of the wooden panels needed replacing and all the colours were really faded and dull – but that’s what made it the perfect project to take on.

‘The second we got it home I covered it in magnolia anti-mould paint and let it sink in.

‘Everyone’s chipped in – Layla is really good at art so painted the Minnie Mouse on the door freehand.

‘Demi has been running around with a cup of paint and a paintbrush wanting to help and Bradley has been helping his dad with the construction and assembly of the house.’

The family sometimes worked for up to 12 hours a day to transform the Wendy house – which took a month to complete.

Paul, a train driver, often worked seven days a week, but spent every free minute doing up the house for his youngest daughter.

The family had most of the materials handy already, but spent £18 on six stilts to raise the house, £10 on the two slides from Facebook Marketplace, and more on paint.

The entire project cost the family just under £300.

Now, Demi has her very own pink and green Minnie Mouse themed wendy house with two slides, a climbing wall, and a sandpit, but has plans for further improvements.

‘We’re going to attach a rope on the climbing wall as well as a fireman’s pole going down the side,’ says Zoe.

‘Demi loves playing with her kitchen set so we’re going to put one inside the house with some fairy lights, a mirror and really make it into a cosy nook for her to sit in.’

Zoe hopes the project will inspire other parents to give budget DIY transformations a go.

‘People spend thousands of pounds on Wendy houses and play areas just like ours – I wanted to show everyone that it can be done on the cheap,’ she says.

‘We have another holiday to Haven booked in September and hopefully it will go ahead. But even if it doesn’t, Demi will have her wendy house to keep her occupied.’

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Andy Wilmot is impressively fit by any standards, not just ‘for his age’.

At the age of 76, Andy has just completed his 800th marathon, meaning he has now run almost the entire circumference of the Earth.

On Sunday this week, the runner finished his 800th marathon with a strong time of four hours and 53 minutes, having completed number 799 the day before in five hours and two minutes.

He needs to run just under 4,000 miles more to have run the equivalent of going around the entire world, to hit 24,901 miles.

Dad-of-two Andy, from Halstead, Essex, said: ‘I’m proud, of course, but it’s just another number, really.

‘Someone once told me I’d never reach 800 marathons and I remember thinking “I will, even if it kills me”.’

While most of us would be happy with just the one marathon, let alone 800, Andy is already planning his next milestone: completing 900 marathons.

‘I’m always up for a challenge but it’s hard to say why they appeal so much,’ he said.

‘I guess I like the mental and physical test. I enjoy endurance running and while shorter runs are still fun, they’re over too soon.

‘When I do a marathon, I relish those last few miles. I think “this is what I’m here for”.

‘It’s tough, of course, but that’s the challenge and it’s probably more mental than physical. Every part of your body, especially your legs, will be screaming to stop.’

Andy’s epic journey started back in 1988, when he ran the London marathon for the first time and fell in love with the challenge.

He intended to complete his 800th back where he started, but coronavirus cancelled London’s official event.

He has completed 24 of the 25 marathons staged in Halstead by his club, Halstead Road Runners, and clocked more than 100 at the Suffolk Running Centre, in Barrow, near Bury St Edmunds.

Despite clocking in some speedy times, retired Andy says he’s not too bothered about his pace these days.

For him it’s all about being comfortable and ‘plodding around’.

People often think he’s ‘crazy’ for running so many endurance events, but Andy doesn’t mind – he just loves the challenge.

‘As a general rule, I try and run five times a week,’ he adds. ‘People say I’m crazy and perhaps I am, but I think all marathon runners have the same mentality.

‘We all like the challenge and I see the same faces at every event I go to.

‘Not that it always goes well – I’ve had some bad runs and some where I’ve felt awful afterwards. The heat affects me more than it used to.

‘On other occasions, I’ve been so cold afterwards that I haven’t been able to turn the ignition to start my car.

‘But you have to keep going and if you’re not strong, you’ll end up dropping out.

‘Sometimes it’s very difficult but you just have to carry on.’

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Laura Stibbards was on her way to hospital on the day of her planned induction when her waters broke in the car.

In the end, her baby came so quickly, she had to give birth in a disabled toilet at the hospital door as she didn’t have time to get to the maternity ward.

The 34-year-old, from Southend, Essex, welcomed Emilia Grace just 13 minutes after leaving the house on 16 July.

Her husband Simon cut the umbilical cord as she sat on a bin.

The new mum, explained: ‘I was four days overdue and booked in for an induction later that day.

‘There were no signs of labour at all until my older daughter woke up crying at 1.30am on 16 July.

‘I noticed what could be a contraction, after a few more I went downstairs and left my husband sleeping as I figured there was no point in us both not getting any sleep.’

Laura spent a few hours bouncing on a gym ball before waking up her husband and enjoying a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich.

‘We called the hospital shortly after and they said to come down to be assessed,’ she said.

‘We left the house around 6.40am for the hospital, by which time the contractions were a lot stronger, and I felt the baby pushing down.

‘Halfway to the hospital my waters burst and I actually apologised to my husband about his wet car seats – not that he was worried!

‘The car stalled en route, which was slightly concerning in the moment but we made it to the hospital car park.’

But Laura could barely walk and, as she struggled to the door of the hospital, two passing midwives who were about to start their shifts offered to find a wheelchair and take her up to the ward.

Laura said: ‘I realised my baby was coming right then and with no time to get up to the ward, they took me to the disabled toiler to offer me some dignity and called up for supplies.

‘They helped me undress my lower half and, as the trousers came down, baby popped out at 6.53am and they caught her safely, cleaned her up and wrapped her in a towel.

‘I sat on the bin while my husband cut the umbilical cord and gave our baby girl her first cuddle.’

Emilia Grace Stibbards was born weighing a healthy 8lb 3oz and her doting parents can’t get enough of her.

‘Her big sister Jessica, who is two-and-a-half, is loving helping mummy and daddy look after her and, other than not much sleep, are all doing well and loving getting to know Emilia.’

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I found out I was pregnant in August 2019. Despite some health blips, my pregnancy was an amazing experience – especially as I could share every moment of it with my partner.

Seeing his face light up and his eyes tear up as he saw his son on the screen at my 20-week scan, and watching him grin from ear to ear as he heard our baby’s heartbeat, were just a couple of highlights from my pregnancy.

It was truly amazing to have the person I love by my side as we watched and heard our baby develop, month after month right up until he was born in April 2020.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, many expectant parents aren’t able to experience these amazing moments.

NHS restrictions have meant that in some hospital partners of pregnant people aren’t able to attend medical appointments, such as scans.

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This can be heartbreaking, with parents unable to share important moments before the baby’s birth together.

Maternity restrictions differentiate around the country, with visiting restrictions eased in some places, but many parents are still experiencing key milestones in their baby’s development without their partner there for support.

Charlie Sinclair, 24, and her partner Connor, 25, are one couple who have been affected by the coronavirus restrictions.

Charlie, from Portsmouth, is 21 weeks pregnant, and aside from suffering with migraines her pregnancy has been free of complications.

Her partner Connor, with whom Charlie has a daughter, Lana, hasn’t been allowed to attend a single NHS scan since Charlie found out she was pregnant.

To allow Connor to see his baby, the couple booked a private scan, but are keen to emphasise that this came at a cost – a private scan can cost uprwards of £100 per appointment, so this isn’t an option for all parents.

Charlie tells Metro.co.uk: ‘We booked a 16-week scan to find out the gender early. We’ve also booked another scan at 25 weeks so that Connor can see the baby again, and our little girl will join us.

‘I’ve been to both the 12 week and 20-week NHS scans alone. Going to scans alone, I have been full of anxiety, constantly worrying about something being wrong, and having to find out alone – and then having to be the bearer of bad news to my partner.

‘My partner finds it horrible, and even struggled to get excited and not to panic about things.

‘He’d be texting me multiple times to ask what was happening, especially at my 12-week scan as I was there for two-and-a-half hours.

‘It’s been difficult to remember everything discussed at scans to reiterate back to him, so then I feel a bit guilty about potentially missing things out that he’d like to know.’

Charlie says that Connor has grown to be more excited since having a private scan, and that feeling the baby move has helped him form a connection.

But the mum feels ‘annoyed’ that Connor can’t come to the NHS scans while pubs, restaurants, and shops have been allowed to reopen.

‘Our relationship has got stronger throughout lockdown and pregnancy,’ she says. ‘This pregnancy is off the back of a horrible end to last year, so it is really special to us.

‘I understand about the safety of our NHS staff members, but it feels rubbish because Connor and I live together, so we are from the same household – and it’s his baby too.

‘He is just as important as I am when it comes to this baby, and deserves to be there to find out information about his child.

‘I imagine people that have struggled to conceive, or aren’t planning any further children, and just sympathise so much that they may not get another chance to see their baby on a screen in the future.’

Charlie would like to see partners be able to come to scans as well as midwife appointments. She believes it should be allowed if they take the correct precautions, such as wearing a mask and keeping their distance.

She adds: ‘I personally can’t see an issue with it. It’s important for partners to be involved in the pregnancy so that they get to bond and be there. Not everyone can afford private scans, and some private scan places are sneakily upping prices as they know people are more likely to book right now.

‘It’s not fair that partners are missing out on such special moments with their baby.’

Ellie Carey is 24 and her husband, also named Connor, is 27. They are expecting their second baby.

Ellie, from Crawley, is 26 weeks pregnant.

‘We found out we were expecting a week before lockdown’, said Ellie.

‘Lockdown started on my son’s first birthday. I was told by work to stay at home.

‘In this time, the care for maternity changed significantly due to Covid-19. I am under consultant care, but I still haven’t met or even spoken to my consultant.

‘Luckily I am under a specialist midwifery team and my GP has been calling regularly to see how I am.

‘I’ve had to start cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) due to anxiety, which has been made worse by lockdown – but also from trauma of my past pregnancy.’

Ellie’s husband, Connor, hasn’t attended any scans. He has had to wait outside in their car for both the 12 and 20-week scans.

Heartbreakingly, a scan is how the couple found out that their first baby had died – so Ellie’s anxiety around scans is high.

After chatting to her midwife about how going through the 12-week scan alone caused her so much distress, her midwife insisted she join Ellie for the 20-week scan so that she wasn’t on her own.

Ellie also had to wear a face mask for the 20-week scan.

She said: ‘We haven’t booked any private scans yet as I am meant to have growth scans to monitor my baby towards the end of the pregnancy, so we want to see if the guidelines change.

‘Connor always adored attending scans with our son. He has said he found the 12-week scan the hardest because I wasn’t even allowed to video call him, he just had to wait to hear how everything was.

‘I was also gone for quite a while so that didn’t help. I absolutely hated leaving him in the car.’

Ellie says she and Connor are a very strong couple, but Connor has ‘certainly found it hard bonding with baby’ when he hasn’t been allowed to attend scans.

Ellie told us: ‘He is finding the discussion of names quite hard and choosing baby clothes.

‘It doesn’t help that I have an anterior placenta so her movements are hard to feel from the outside.

‘I had a very hard pregnancy with my son, and always said I wanted to enjoy my next pregnancy, but the pandemic has taken that away.

‘We both somewhat understand why the hospitals have put the guidelines in place, and I’m not as bothered about pubs and restaurants opening – it’s more the attitudes of people.

‘The lack of social distancing, especially on hot days at the beach. The absolute disregard of others that I’ve seen.

‘The pandemic has brought out some wonderful care towards people but also a lot of negative.

‘Like, I’m sorry you’ve had to queue outside for half an hour to get your Nando’s fix, or can’t wait any longer to get a £1 thong from Primark. My husband still hasn’t seen his own baby.

‘The scans are a massive life event and dads help create that new live in the woman’s belly. They have as much right to see their baby as the mum does.’

Over the lockdown period, a number of petitions have been started to demand important changes to maternity services.

But so far, the petitions that gained thousands of signatures have been rejected by the Government – with the reason: ‘It’s about something the UK Government of Parliament is not responsible for.

‘Decisions about visitors are a matter for the NHS, not the Government or House of Commons.’

Some hospitals are now allowing partners to attend scans – but this is at the discretion of each trust. So far, hospitals allowing visitors include Blackpool Victoria Hospital and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital – but this is for scans only, not other antenatal appointments.

In response to concerns, the NHS told Metro.co.uk:

A spokesperson for the NHS, said: ‘The safety of our patients and their families, is always the absolute priority, which is why as we have moved past the initial peak, the NHS is continuing to work with frontline professionals and patient groups to open up services safely, and allow partners to go to antenatal clinics, in addition to being present for labour, which partners have been able to do throughout the pandemic.’

As a result of coronavirus, partners have missed out on moments they will never be able to get back.

With mums anxious about going to appointments alone and partners feeling a lack of connection with their unborn children, it’s no wonder parents are fighting for change.

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