Olivia Griffiths, originally from Bangor and now living in Sheffield, said her symptoms escalated so quickly in 2022 that her family were told to “prepare for the worst”. She was just 27 at the time.

What began as intense head and neck pain rapidly became a life‑threatening emergency. Within 24 hours, Olivia was rushed to intensive care, where doctors confirmed bacterial meningitis through a lumbar puncture — an experience she described as “the most horrific” of her life.

“My body couldn’t work properly – I thought I was going to die,” she said. “My family came up from North Wales and were told it could go either way.”

A second diagnosis two years later

After spending weeks in hospital and being left with long‑term complications including severe hearing loss, chronic migraines, fibromyalgia/ME and post‑meningitis syndrome, Olivia spent nearly two years rebuilding her life.

But in September 2024, the nightmare returned.

She experienced the exact same symptoms and immediately feared the illness had come back. Despite initially being told meningitis “doesn’t reoccur”, she deteriorated and was admitted to hospital — where tests confirmed a second strain of bacterial meningitis.

The lumbar puncture failed three times. “My partner said all he could hear was screams,” she said.

‘I was told I wouldn’t be the same ever again’

The second diagnosis devastated Olivia’s life. She was forced to give up her teaching career and was left battling PTSD, anxiety, depression and chronic pain.

“I felt like my life was over because I was practically told it would be,” she said. “My career was taken, my hearing was taken, I felt I had no purpose.”

Turning point: ‘The best thing that ever happened to me’

Refusing to give up, Olivia began researching ways to support her recovery. She overhauled her diet, cut out processed foods, prioritised exercise and eventually took up pilates — a change she says transformed her life.

“I haven’t taken a single medication in over a year,” she said. “I’m busier than ever but feel in control of my life now. Meningitis was, weirdly, the best thing that ever happened to me.”

She has since launched her own pilates and nutrition coaching business and is preparing to run the London Marathon in 2026 to raise money for the Meningitis Research Foundation.

Her message: know the symptoms and act fast

With the UK currently experiencing a meningitis outbreak, Olivia is urging people to take symptoms seriously and seek help immediately.

“You know your body — if something doesn’t feel right, don’t wait,” she said.

NHS meningitis symptoms to watch for

The NHS says symptoms can appear suddenly and may include:

- A rash that doesn’t fade under a glass  

- Severe headache  

- Stiff neck  

- Dislike of bright lights  

- Drowsiness or unresponsiveness  

- Seizures  

- High temperature  

- Vomiting  

Meningitis can be caused by viral or bacterial infections, with bacterial meningitis being rarer but far more serious. It can spread through close contact, including kissing or sharing drinks and vapes.

---

Just tell me what tone you want next.

John Parry suffered devastating injuries in May 2025 when he fell head‑first from a ladder onto a brick patio. He was left with four skull fractures, two brain bleeds, a broken cheekbone, two broken bones in his neck, two broken bones in his lower back, broken bones in both hands and several dislocated fingers.

His injuries were so severe that both an ambulance and the air ambulance were sent to treat him. At one point, his family were even asked whether he should be resuscitated.

But while recovering in hospital, John received even more devastating news.

Doctors discovered complications with his bladder and further tests revealed he had high‑grade bladder cancer, an aggressive form of the disease. Soon after, he was told cancer had also been found in his right kidney, with markers detected in his blood.

“What started as a terrible accident became something even more frightening,” John said. “The first thing I thought was, ‘How long have I got?’”

Despite the fear and uncertainty, John made a decision that now defines him: he would keep fighting.

“I’m still here, still going, and I won’t give up,” he said.

That determination has inspired thousands online through his TikTok account, Welsh Grandad, where he shares messages of hope and resilience with more than 18,000 followers. Every video ends with his mantra: “One step at a time and one day at a time.”

For John, those words are not just encouragement — they are survival.

“There are hard days. There are nights where thoughts take over,” he said. “You’re allowed to feel down. But when you feel a little better, try to pick yourself back up again.”

He still lives with nerve damage and ongoing pain from the fall, while undergoing long‑term cancer treatment. Yet he insists he is “the luckiest man in the world”.

“I’ve got a fabulous family. What have I got to moan about?”

John says the support he receives online has helped him just as much as he helps others.

“It’s not one way,” he said. “The love I get from people — they’re supporting me a lot of the time as well.”

Now he is turning his resilience into action. On June 21, 2026, he will begin a 462‑mile sponsored walk from Lowestoft to St Davids while still undergoing cancer treatment. He hopes to raise £20,000 for Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, Farleigh Hospice and St David’s Hospice.

For John, the challenge is about giving back — and proving that even in the darkest moments, strength can still be found.

“Don’t give up,” he said. “That’s the answer.”

But within just four hours, everything changed.

Around midnight, doctors told Zoe and her partner Matthew that their newborn had suffered an “unexpected collapse”. Madeline’s oxygen levels were dangerously low, her temperature couldn’t be measured, and she was critically ill.

A sudden fight for survival

Staff worked urgently to stabilise her, but it became clear she needed specialist care only available at Singleton Hospital in Swansea. She was transferred the next day.

There, doctors delivered the news every parent fears: Madeline had persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) — a rare, life‑threatening condition where a baby’s lungs fail to adapt after birth, preventing oxygen from reaching the bloodstream.

Zoe said she had raised concerns earlier at Glangwili, feeling something wasn’t right as Madeline struggled to feed and began choking, but said her worries were initially dismissed.

By the time the seriousness was recognised, oxygen had already been starved from Madeline’s brain.

‘We had to prepare for the worst’

At Singleton, doctors were brutally honest.

“They told us she was very critical and we needed to prepare for the worst,” Zoe said.  

“I was completely distraught. We couldn’t even process what was happening.”

Madeline wasn’t responding to attempts to stabilise her. Each time staff tried to reduce her reliance on machines, she deteriorated.

Doctors eventually told the family there was one final option: a heart‑and‑lung bypass at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

A newborn airlifted — and a mother collapsing

At just two days old, Madeline was airlifted to London.

The trauma of the birth, the emergency transfer and the shock of the situation caused Zoe to collapse on arrival. She was rushed to University College Hospital, where she was treated for sepsis for five days.

Meanwhile, Matthew was left travelling between two hospitals, unsure if either his partner or his daughter would survive.

A long road — and a miracle recovery

At Great Ormond Street, doctors managed to stabilise Madeline. After 10 days she was transferred back to Singleton, where she spent four more weeks in intensive care, receiving the highest level of ventilation.

Against all odds, she was discharged on June 3.

For two months she needed medication every four hours and constant monitoring at home. Over the past nine months, her treatment has gradually been reduced.

Now approaching her first birthday, Madeline is meeting her milestones — something her parents once feared might never happen.

‘Miracle Maddie’

Zoe has undergone therapy after being diagnosed with PTSD, describing months of flashbacks and trauma.

But today, she says her daughter’s strength continues to amaze her.

“We call her Miracle Maddie. She’s everything we hoped she’d be and more. She’s strong‑willed, busy, determined — even in hospital she kept trying to pull her tubes out as if to say, ‘I’m fine’.”

Madeline now has regular cardiology and lung checks, but her progress has been remarkable.

Giving back to the hospitals that saved her

To mark Madeline’s first birthday, Zoe is raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and Singleton Hospital.

She is organising a charity family fun day at Betws Rugby Club on April 25 and will take on the Three Peaks Challenge on May 16.

For more news visit Pulse Media.

When they first saw the 24‑acre site in rural Pembrokeshire back in 2003, they fell in love instantly. At the end of a long 600‑metre driveway, the pair looked out across a sweeping valley… and down at a rundown house with collapsing outbuildings. They saw potential, not problems.

That moment sparked a two‑decade transformation costing over £2 million and involving everything from eco‑engineering to painstaking stone restoration.

A site with centuries of history

Jeff believes the land has been lived on for more than 300 years, once used by a monk named Asheston travelling to St Davids. Over time, the humble dwelling grew into a working farm with a cow shed, grain store, stables and cart house — all of which had fallen into disrepair by the time the couple arrived.

Where others saw ruins, Jeff and Karen saw an opportunity to create something extraordinary.

A vision: five luxury eco holiday barns + a dream family home

The couple didn’t just want to renovate the main house — they wanted to bring every outbuilding back to life. Their plan:

- Restore the farmhouse  

- Build an annexe for Jeff’s mother  

- Convert the derelict barns into five luxury holiday lets  

- Turn the entire site into a sustainable eco‑retreat  

Planning permission came in 2004. Work began in 2005. The barns opened in 2009. Then came breaks, restarts, more building phases, and finally the completion of the main house in 2024.

In total, the project took around 10 years of active building spread across two decades.

Eco‑engineering on a huge scale

The couple wanted the site to be environmentally forward‑thinking — long before eco‑tech became mainstream.

They installed:

- A Swedish NIBE heat pump to heat the 11,000 sq ft site  

- Evacuated tube solar collectors for hot water  

- A wind turbine  

- A biodigester for waste  

- A 20,000‑litre rainwater harvesting system  

Finding specialists was difficult at the time, but the result is a genuinely sustainable complex now known as Eco Barns.

The main house: now a stunning six‑bed home

The farmhouse suffered from classic old‑property issues — damp, dark rooms, awkward layouts. Today, it’s unrecognisable.

Standout features include:

- A double‑height kitchen‑diner with a sloping glass roof  

- A mezzanine leading to the principal suite  

- A dual‑aspect living room with French doors  

- A spacious lounge spanning the width of the house  

- A self‑contained ground‑floor annexe  

It’s bright, modern, and beautifully connected to the surrounding countryside.

A peaceful rural sanctuary

The holiday barns sit among landscaped gardens, paddocks and rolling fields, just a short drive from Haverfordwest and St Davids. Guests have beaches, mountains, valleys and woodland on their doorstep.

Jeff says they designed the site as the kind of place they would want to stay — peaceful, private, and immersed in nature.

Now on the market for £3m

After 23 years, the couple are ready to move on. Jeff, now 71, says it’s time to travel and enjoy life without the responsibility of running a large estate.

The entire property — house, barns and land — is on the market for offers around £3 million with Herbert R Thomas, Cowbridge. Planning permission is already approved for the holiday cottages to be used as full residential homes.

For more news visit Pulse Media.

Jack Louis, who runs his own men’s hair styling salon in Great Dunmow, Essex, left leaflets designed to look like official penalty charge notices on windscreens across the town.

Instead of a fine, the “tickets” contained a voucher for £5 off a haircut — a stunt that split opinion among locals. Jack, 35, said he was visited by PCSOs after complaints, but insisted rising costs meant businesses had to “shout the loudest” to be noticed.

Great Dunmow Town Council criticised the tactic, saying anything that mimics an enforcement notice is “inappropriate”.

Jack, who has run his community barbershop for nine years, said:  

“You have to reinvent the wheel and get creative. Some people said it caused them stress — that wasn’t the intention. But it’s got people talking, which was the aim.”

He said the vouchers could help people struggling with rising costs, while also boosting footfall for the shop.

The stunt cost him £140 — £70 for the fake PCNs and £70 for printing vouchers worth £5,000 in total. Reactions online ranged from amusement to anger.

One local wrote:  

“Open it, laugh, chuck it in the bin and go on about your day.”

Another said their partner was “raging”, while a third branded the idea “disgraceful”.

Jack said the cost‑of‑living crisis, rising national insurance and soaring prices for supplies — including hairspray now costing him £80 a month — had made business tougher.

With seven barbers on the high street, he said standing out was essential.  

“Typical leaflets end up in the bin. This grabbed attention. Around 50 people have already come in with their voucher.”

Police spoke to him about the stunt but confirmed it wasn’t illegal.

A spokesperson for Great Dunmow Town Council said some residents had been “understandably distressed”, adding:  

“Placing anything on a vehicle that mimics an enforcement notice risks causing unnecessary alarm.”

For more news visit Pulse Media.

The woman, mum to a 13‑month‑old, said she had been looking forward to a rare moment of peace — a chance to relax, unwind and enjoy a quiet cup of tea away from the demands of parenting. But instead, she left the salon feeling judged and unsettled.

Sharing her experience on the r/UKParenting forum on Reddit, she explained that the conversation began as harmless small talk before quickly becoming uncomfortably personal.

“It felt like she was judging my entire life”

The mum said the hairdresser asked how she managed financially after losing her job late in pregnancy. When she explained that she and her partner shared their finances, the stylist replied:

“Oh yeah, people have husbands,”  

in a tone the mum described as implying she was taking advantage of her partner.

The hairdresser then added that she would “never plan to have a baby in today’s world” because things were “deteriorating globally”.

The mum said the comments hit harder because she has already faced criticism from others — including people from her home country questioning why she didn’t have children sooner.

“I feel judged no matter what I do,” she wrote.  

“Motherhood, career uncertainty, life changes… these comments just add emotional weight I don’t need.”

Parents rush to support her

Hundreds of parents responded with messages of solidarity, many saying they had faced similar judgement.

One wrote:

“People will always share unsolicited advice and inappropriate opinions. As a mum, you can’t get it right no matter what you do. I learned to say things like ‘OK’ or ‘That’s an odd thing to say’ — it shuts it down.”

Another said:

“You’ll be judged until the day you die. Social media makes it worse. It took me months to find a group of mums who weren’t insanely judgemental.”

A third added:

“There are so many backhanded comments. That’s why we should all try to build each other up instead of tearing each other down.”

The astonishing footage shows the woman filling supermarket carrier bags with fuel before placing them loosely in the boot of her car — without attempting to seal or secure them. The clip, filmed by the baffled driver waiting behind her, has now been viewed more than 10 million times online.

The incident comes as rising oil prices and global supply disruption — triggered by escalating conflict in the Middle East — have pushed UK fuel costs sharply upwards, prompting panic buying reminiscent of 2021.

Strait of Hormuz disruption driving global panic

According to reports, Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that handles around 20% of the world’s oil trade. Attacks on vessels have left crews too afraid to travel through the region, causing major delays and uncertainty.

This turmoil has sent UK drivers rushing to forecourts, with fuel spending jumping 10.9% in a week.

Online backlash: “We’re not going to run out of fuel, love”

Social media users were quick to condemn the woman’s actions.

One commenter wrote:  

“This is just selfish. Look at her desperation. We’re not going to run out of fuel, love.”

Others pointed out the obvious safety risks:

- “What does she think will happen when she goes round a corner?”  

- “The petrol will eat through those plastic bags.”  

- “Sainsbury’s shopping bags though? At least use a jerry can.”

Fuel prices continue to climb

The latest figures show:

- Diesel: 181.2p per litre (up from 142.4p on Feb 28)  

- Petrol: 152p per litre (up 14%)  

The RAC is urging drivers to use the myRAC app to find the cheapest fuel locally.

Will the UK run out of oil?

A JP Morgan map circulating online shows when the final shipments of Gulf oil are expected to reach global destinations. It suggests most UK deliveries could cease by April 10, with Asia and parts of Africa affected even earlier.

However, analysts say actual shortages are unlikely, though prices may continue to rise.

The 15‑strong syndicate, made up of former colleagues who stayed connected through their weekly £5 lottery contributions, struck gold in the EuroMillions draw on Friday, February 27, matching the winning Millionaire Maker code.

The group first formed seven years ago as a “light‑hearted way to lift spirits” during long 14‑hour shifts at the steelworks — and the tradition continued long after retirement.

Among the winners are Port Talbot locals Gill Furlong, Christine Davies, Sally Wise, Julie Lambert, Allan Evans, Ian Howells and Raja Prasad.

“I thought it was an error”

Syndicate leader Paul Davy, 61, said he was stunned when the winning message appeared on his National Lottery app.

“I couldn’t believe it — a message just popped up on the app. I was checking Saturday’s draw when it flashed up. I thought it must be an error, but then I saw the winning code.”

The £1m prize will be split equally between the 15 members, with many already planning how they’ll spend their share — from paying off mortgages and helping family to dream kitchens, new cars and holidays.

For Paul, a cruise is top of the list.

“Me and my partner went on a cruise a couple of years ago. She was nervous at first because she doesn’t like boats, but we absolutely loved it. Another cruise is definitely on the cards — maybe the Mediterranean this time.”

A perfect excuse to reunite

The win has also given the group a reason to celebrate together. While a few members still meet occasionally “for a game of pool and a beer,” the full syndicate hasn’t gathered in years.

Now, they say, that’s about to change.

Lottery funding continues to support UK communities

Each week, National Lottery players help raise around £32 million for good causes. Since its launch, more than £52 billion has been distributed to projects in every UK postcode area.

Helen Christopher, a mum-of-two from Oxford, first felt a stabbing pain in her right breast while feeding her three‑year‑old son Benji in spring 2024. Having had mastitis several times before, she was convinced it was the same issue — and hesitated to seek help.

Helen said she’d previously felt “judged” by health professionals for breastfeeding beyond infancy and worried she’d be shamed again.

“I didn’t have the headspace to be judged”

Helen said:

> “I’d had mastitis a couple of times and been given antibiotics over the phone.  

> I thought it was the same thing.  

>   

> I didn’t have the headspace to go in and be judged or told to stop breastfeeding. I was confident it was just a blocked duct.”

But the pain didn’t go away. It became constant — a “gnawing” ache that made even wearing a sports bra uncomfortable.

She eventually booked a nurse appointment in June 2024. An ultrasound the following month delivered the news she never imagined: stage three breast cancer.

“Earth‑shattering” diagnosis

Helen said the diagnosis was devastating.

> “You never think it’s going to happen to you. It was earth‑shattering.”

She underwent a mastectomy in January 2025, followed by chemotherapy in April. But just three months later, a rash appeared on her chest. Scans revealed the cancer had returned — this time in her lymph nodes and neck.

It was now secondary stage three cancer.

“It’s no longer curative — it’s about how long they can keep you alive”

Helen said the shift from curative treatment to palliative care was crushing.

> “When it comes back, it’s no longer about curing you.  

> It’s about how many years they can keep you alive and comfortable.  

>   

> That’s incredibly hard when you’ve got two young children.”

Helen is mum to Rowan, 10, and Benji, 4, and is married to Nick, 41.

Turning to Germany for treatment

Helen began palliative care in the UK in August 2025, then travelled to Germany for private treatment including low‑dose radiotherapy and immune‑stimulating therapy.

She says the treatment made a dramatic difference.

> “The rash had been progressing fast. By the end of the German treatment, it was gone.  

> Combined with UK treatment, I’m almost in complete remission.”

But the immunotherapy she now needs is extremely expensive — thousands of pounds per dose — and could be required for up to two years.

Helen is now fundraising £16,000 to continue treatment that she believes is giving her precious extra time with her children.

“It gives me hope”

> “Immunotherapy is really expensive, but it gives me hope.  

> I want as much time as possible with my family.”

You can donate to Helen’s fundraiser here: https://gofund.me/960ed6a79

The movement, known as looksmaxxing, has exploded across social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where influencers promote extreme and often dangerous methods to “improve” physical attractiveness.

One of the most prominent figures driving the trend is Braden Eric Peters, known online as Clavicular. The 20‑year‑old influencer, who openly calls himself a misogynist, was arrested earlier this week on a battery charge after allegedly inciting a fight between two women and livestreaming it.

Despite his notoriety, he has built a huge following by encouraging young men to take drastic measures — including hammering their own cheekbones and jawlines in an attempt to “reshape” their faces.

Influencer admits his mother hid the hammer

Clavicular has previously admitted that as a teenager, his mother removed the hammer from their home to stop him injuring himself. He also claims to have bought testosterone and fat‑dissolving drugs online at just 14.

Reports now suggest boys as young as 10 years old are attempting the same “bone‑smashing” techniques.

Extreme methods: steroids, surgery and even drug use

Looksmaxxing forums — once hidden in obscure corners of the internet — now thrive on mainstream platforms. Vulnerable boys are encouraged to:

- Smash their faces with hammers  

- Take steroids  

- Undergo leg‑lengthening surgery  

- Use Botox and fillers  

- Follow extreme dieting routines  

Clavicular has also told followers he lost weight by smoking crystal meth, a behaviour he branded “leanmaxxing”.

Experts warn of severe mental health risks

Sociology expert Michael Halpin told The Sun that some young people are developing extreme self‑hatred, with forum users being told they are “too ugly” and should consider suicide.

One teenager reportedly said he would take his own life if he didn’t reach 6ft tall.

Counsellor Georgina Sturmer warned that the trend preys on people struggling with low self‑esteem, anxiety or isolation.

> “If we’re drawn towards this, it’s likely there are strong underlying emotional motivations,” she said.  

> “There are plenty of organisations ready to help.”

GP Dr Lawrence Cunningham added that while healthy grooming and fitness habits are normal, the line is crossed when practices become extreme or harmful.

Women affected too

Although the trend is now heavily associated with the online “manosphere”, women are also being drawn in. Russian woman Kseniya Didik, who began looksmaxxing as a teenager, said the obsession became “addictive” and pushed her into extreme dieting and repeated cosmetic procedures.

She warned that the trend has been “rebranded for men” but is rooted in the same insecurities that have long affected young women.

In 2020, 15-year-old Jessica and her 13-year-old cousin, Mikey, were killed when their parasailing rope snapped during a sudden storm, sending them plummeting onto the rocks below. Jessica’s brother, James, miraculously survived the fall but spent weeks in a coma. Today, Tony stood on that same shoreline to place two white roses in the sand, just hours before the boat operator, Nikos Mallios, was set to face criminal prosecution at the Rhodes Courthouse.

The memories of that final afternoon remain razor-sharp. Tony recalls the family gathering on the beach, the laughter, and the "last dad duties" he performed—giving the children a cuddle and waving them off with three simple words: "We love you." He never saw them alive again.

The case against Mallios centers on a series of alleged, fatal safety violations. Prosecutors argue that the operator ignored weather warnings, ventured outside designated zones, and conducted a "triple-seat" ride that is strictly prohibited—especially with children as young as 13. Perhaps most agonizing for the family is the fact that, despite the ongoing investigation, Mallios has been allowed to continue running his parasailing business in the very same location.

For Tony, this trial is about more than just a verdict; it is about the heavy burden of "what ifs" and the guilt he carries for letting them board the boat. He hopes a prison sentence will finally allow him to stop mourning the way Jessica died and start remembering the way she lived.

"This feels like the last thing I have been able to do for Jessica," Tony said. "I've felt like I'm still able to do something as her dad. When this is over, I won't have any more dad duties."

The now seven year old complained of pain in her legs before falling asleep on the sofa. When Emma, 41, checked on her just 30 minutes later, she noticed she had a high temperature and a rash on her thigh. “It started so suddenly,” said Emma, from Cefn Fforest, Caerphilly.

“She’s been playing in the park with my husband that morning and was absolutely fine. When she came home, she began complaining of pain in her legs. Noa-Rose fell asleep on the sofa and when I checked on her, she had developed a high temperature, her hands and feet were cold, and a rash had appeared on her thigh. It quickly spread to her shoulder and stomach.”

Emma and husband Scott, 47, rushed the girl to the hospital where she was diagnosed with Meningococcal Meningitis Type B, whooping cough and flu. Doctors said that if Emma hadn’t acted so quickly, it could have been fatal.

Emma said: “Her little body was taking an enormous hit. We knew she was seriously unwell, but we never imagined meningitis. She had received all her vaccinations, including her booster just eight weeks earlier.

“When we heard the word meningitis, we were terrified. I knew how fast it can become fatal. Doctors told us that bringing her in when we did saved her life. If we had waited, she would not have survived.

“They didn’t say what caused it, just that it was an isolated case.”

Despite pulling through since the scary ordeal in December 2022, Noa-Rose has been left with long-term health complications including epilepsy. She has two seizures a month.

The youngster is still undergoing tests and there is a possibility she may require brain surgery in the future. Emma said: “She takes daily medication and life is very different for her now. She has frequent hospital appointments and her bedroom has a camera, a seizure mattress and epilepsy alarm.

“No child should be governed by a medication schedule. My message to anyone who suspects meningitis is simple, be decisive, go to hospital and get checked. Meningitis progresses incredibly fast and can be fatal within hours.

“Knowing the signs and symptoms can save a life. I absolutely know what the families in Kent are going through. My heart goes out to everyone impacted by the outbreak. We know only too well how stressful and uncertain this time is for them all.”

Since the ordeal, Emma has become a community volunteer, helping to raise awareness of the disease and its symptoms. The family has also taken part in a series of fundraising challenges.

Her husband climbed Mont Blanc, raising around £2,500, while Emma organised community events including a Halloween party and a festive fundraiser. In their most recent challenge, Noa-Rose herself climbed Pen y Fan, the highest peak in South Wales, raising more than £5,000.

Emma added: “Throughout our journey, we have been supported by Meningitis Now. They have been helping families for 40 years and have contributed £13 million towards vaccine research. Their support has meant everything to us.

“We wanted to give something back. Our purpose is not only to raise funds, but to raise awareness, so no family ever has to experience what we did.”

Her health worsened and she was moved to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where she died on November 7, 2025.

Her friend Scarlett Tonna remarked: "She was hilarious, she was always the life of the party. She'd always love going out and being involved in all the socials. She was in the Cheer Society at John Moores and she'd go out with them and dress up."

Another friend, Niamh Bosher, commented: "Her first week, she came as a bumblebee. Then she came as a pineapple with these massive feathers on her head. She always loved to dress up and go out."

Scarlet noted: "She loved uni, she had so many friends here. She was loved by so many people. (Losing her) was awful for everyone. We had a memorial walk a few days after she passed away and there were hundreds and hundreds of people there who knew her and cared about her."

"We did a fundraiser and thousands of people donated to it, and it racked up quite a lot of money. She was honestly so popular and everyone loved her."

An inquest at Liverpool Coroners' Court today, Monday (March 16), heard how Olivia, a second-year business student at Liverpool John Moores University, had attended the Halloween rave at the venue in Vauxhall on November 1 last year. Prior to the event, she took a taxi to Scarlett's house, where she disclosed she had MDMA (ecstasy) in her possession,

The pair arrived at the Halloween rave at around 4pm, and Scarlett said she witnessed Olivia take MDMA approximately one to two hours afterwards.

Another member of the group said they saw Olivia consuming MDMA before she collapsed at around 10.05pm. She was taken to a welfare tent, where staff used bags of ice in an attempt to reduce her temperature.

An ambulance was called and she was transported to Royal Liverpool Hospital, arriving at 11.45pm.

She was taken to the emergency department, where she was intubated and placed on a ventilator. Her liver and kidney functions deteriorated and she was given medication and placed on dialysis.

On November 3 she was approved for a liver transplant, and was transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham on November 5. However, a CT scan that day "confirmed that sadly Olivia was unlikely to survive", and she died two days later before the transplant could be carried out.

A post-mortem examination found her cause of death was multi-organ failure, acute liver failure, and drug intoxication. A registered organ donor, Olivia donated her lungs and her heart, saving the lives of two other people.

Recording a conclusion of a drug-related death, coroner Helen Rimmer stated: "Olivia did donate her lungs and her heard prior to her death, and she has given that gift of life to at least two individuals and she has saved two other people.

"I accept the medical cause of death as multi-organ failure, acute liver failure and drug intoxication. She had consumed ecstasy at a rave event in Liverpool on November 1 with fatal consequences."

Following her death, Olivia was repatriated to Northern Ireland, where her funeral took place at St Colmcille's Church, East Belfast, on December 12 last year.

Niamh remarked: "It seemed like every time you'd go out with Liv, every five minutes you'd stop and talk to someone. She knew everyone and everyone knew her.

"On her birthday we went down the docks and laid flowers down, and a few other people went down too. The Cheer Society's doing a charity event for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust that helped her get home. Everybody still thinks about her and they're still planning things."

Reagan Chan, who shares content under the name The Chan Family on TikTok, recently disclosed what transpired by posting a video which subsequently went viral. Whilst parenting is full of surprises, there are certain things that people simply don't anticipate.

This isn't the first instance of someone discussing the use of baby monitors either. A few years ago, another mum shared her horror after using this technology.

Reagan uploaded the video with the caption: "POV: What the baby monitor sees every night", and the footage has left viewers stunned. In fact, it's since been watched over 40,000 times as people are captivated by the unfolding events.

The video then shows the toddler throughout the night, adopting a variety of positions. At one stage, he appears to be exercising before he dangles over the side of his bed.

He's also observed moving around during the night, and sleeping on various items in the room. It reaches a point where he even manages to fall asleep on the floor following all the activity.

The video is so outrageous and amusing that viewers couldn't resist reaching out to Reagan with their comments. It appears that infants truly do engage in all sorts of antics when no one's watching.

One individual joked: "How'd you become an Olympic gymnast?' Well, my mum let me stay up all night practicing in my room as a kid'."

Another queried: "So, do you just let him be all night or do you pop in there once in a while and get him to sleep?" To which Reagan responded: "He usually goes to bed by himself pretty fast."

A third commented: "They say when a baby goes through sleep regression it's because they are gaining a new skill. Clearly this one craves gymnastics."

Meanwhile, a fourth remarked: "You know, as long as he's quiet and not hurting himself, I don't see the issue." Another added: "Can't wait to see him in the Olympics."

It's safe to say many people, including Reagan, were taken aback after viewing the footage. Several were astounded by what they witnessed.

Audiences believe he has a future in gymnastics, and were left utterly amazed. One even questioned what his parents were feeding him given his seemingly boundless energy.

Someone quipped: "I've heard of sleep walking before but never sleep gymnastics." Another also observed: "Honestly, I love that he has a way to tire himself out by himself at night, and then can go right back to sleep when he's ready."

Tesco Clubcard Plus was introduced in the UK in November 2019 and is a subscription-based scheme costing £7.99 per month. The scheme offers perks including 10% off two "big shops" per month and reductions on selected sections of the store.

The scheme doesn't cover online shopping, click and collect orders or Whoosh, and discounts can only be redeemed when shopping in store.

One woman, Katie Mary, has been subscribing to Tesco Clubcard Plus for some time and shared how people are "outraged" over the fact she's paying the retailer for cheaper groceries.

Nevertheless, the mum-of-one stated she won't be returning to her old ways due to the additional savings she's making.

She said: "Guess what, I'm still paying for it and I'm still reaping the benefits and absolutely loving it. I genuinely don't think that there is a better supermarket reward system on the market than Tesco Clubcard.

"Even if you don't have Clubcard Plus, they do reward you really well compared to all the other supermarkets. So for those that don't know, because it's not widely advertised really, Clubcard Plus is £7.99 a month and for that you get 10% off FandF clothing all the time, you get 10% off FandF Home and you get two 10% vouchers every single month to use on your shopping.

"It says Big Shop on them but you can use it on anything really. So we've actually changed how we shop because of it, so now we only do two Big Shops a month and use those two 10% vouchers and every single month we save more than the £7.99 subscription.

"And that's before you even factor in normal Clubcard points, Clubcard prices and the extra offers. You obviously still collect your Clubcard points as normal as well, which you can then turn into vouchers or exchange for days out and things like that.

"This year, for the first time ever, I've actually locked mine into Christmas Savers. I know it's so early but I really want to see how many points we can build up by Christmas because I genuinely think we may be able to cover our December and January food shops completely just from Clubcard points alone.

"But honestly, if something consistently saves you more than it costs and potentially pays for your Christmas food shopping, I'm keeping it."

Following her savings revelation in a TikTok video, other users flocked to the comments section to share their own experiences.

One person said: "I've paid it for the past 2 years now! Really feel like it's valuable for me."

A second said: "We pay for TWO Clubcard plus subscriptions, one in my husbands name and one in my name. We save over triple what it costs, we're both Tesco mobile customers so we get double data and there's the permanent discount in FandF clothes. 100000% worth it for us!"

A third person commented: "I have Clubcard plus too, couldn't be without it now. You also get double data if you have a Tesco phone contract which I think is amazing x".

Cherish Bean and Ethan Slater, 17, both from Sheffield, were found in their lodge at the Little Eden Holiday Park in Bridlington, Yorkshire on Wednesday (February 18). Detectives believe the teens may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning, but this is yet to be confirmed.

A 27‑year‑old man has been detained on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and remains in custody as part of what they describe as a “highly complex” investigation. Two men previously arrested have been released on conditional bail.

Cherish’s mother paid tribute to her “perfect girl”, telling Yorkshire Live that the family’s devastation is immeasurable. "My girl, my world, my love, my everything," She said in a statement.

"My perfect girl, my angel, has left this world, and we are broken as a family. I am broken as a mother, and I will never ever be the same again.

"If you know me, I live and breathe my babies, and we were away for a few nights making the best memories ever. We have had the best life together, and it has been ripped from under us.

"There are no words, I am shattered and will never recover. Hug your children tonight you do not know how lucky you are. Ethan, bless you darling, such a good boy with a kind heart and I loved you like my own. I am broken please respect us whilst we grieve."

Ethan's mum also released a statement, describing her son as "the most beautiful young man to walk the earth", adding, "He was generous, loving, charming and kind. He would help anyone and was a strong family man. He took care of himself and loved his mum, stepdad, brothers and sister.

"There's not one person who would dislike him even if they tried. His smile was contagious, and he could light up any room he walked into. Ethan, you will always be remembered for the amazing young man you were, and the one you were destined to be. We hope you know how loved you are our boy, rest well and keep the table warm for us up there.

"Cherish was the apple of Ethan's eye. Everyone could see how smitten they both were. She was beautiful, elegant, and made Ethan happy. We know you will keep each other young and safe. Look after each other. Rest in peace."

Ethan's dad added: "I am a broken man without you, son. I will love you eternally, my boy. You were taken way too soon from me. Love you always."

And as his love for washing machines grew, the mum of two bought him his very own toy version for his second Christmas. Teddy now has nine toy washing machines and the 27-year-old mum says the corner of her living room looks like a 'launderette'.

As well as playing with toy appliances, Rachael says Teddy loves to help with the household washing and knows what cycle different types of clothes need. He has also become obsessed with the shop Currys and loves to go and see all the different models in store.

A heartwarming photo shows Teddy standing with all his toy machines wearing his own mini purple Currys top. The dance company owner mum says her son dreams of working at Currys one day and says he'll make a 'good husband' when he's older due to his love of cleaning.

Rachael, from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, said: "I think he likes the spinning [motion]. He's obsessed with washing machines but he also likes fan spinning too. He loved his first washing machine and used the whole battery in one day.

"We went one time to Curry's because he loves washing machines. When he saw them all lined up, his little face lit up and it was better than Christmas day. I couldn't get him out of the shop and we were in there for an hour.

"I now try not to visit Curry's as it's a nightmare to get him out. When we drive past the shop he knows exactly where it is and asks to go in. I have to say it's closed as I'll never get him out if I take him in there.

"The corner of our living room is like a little launderette as it's just full of Teddy's washing machines. He's going to be a good husband when he's older. He loves to help with the washing in the house too. He puts his clothes in the washing basket and tells me we need to do a wash."

For this third birthday, Teddy had a washing machine-themed cake to see in the celebrations. And after posting some photos on social media of Teddy's washing machine obsession, the post received more than 92,000 likes and 800 comments.

One user said: "At least he is doing the washing. Saving you a job." Another added: "10/10 parenting. What a happy lil' chappy." A third commented: "Aww, he's definitely going to be fixing them when he's older." A fourth said: "I love parents that don't force what their kid is into, just lets them be them."

Ryan Lawrie, a singer-songwriter, first appeared on the 13th series of Simon Cowell's singing competition, which ultimately crowned Matt Terry as winner.

Despite being eliminated in a sing-off against Honey G before reaching the final, Ryan has described the experience as "life-changing".

A decade on, Ryan has established himself as a successful singer and songwriter, notching up five US Billboard number ones and 100 iTunes chart-toppers worldwide, whilst also writing tracks for major artists including BTS and Steve Aoki.

In a recent Instagram post, he looked back on his breakthrough year of 2016, writing: "2016. The year that changed my life forever. The year I performed at Wembley Stadium in front of 80,000 people opening up the @capitalofficial Summertime Ball," 

"The year I came 6th on The X Factor. The year I made Emily my gf (now my wife).

"The year that shaped me into the person I am today. I am and always will be grateful for everything that happened in 2016. The good and the bad, because it all matters. It all moulds you into who you are meant to be. Every experience does."

Fans flooded the comments with messages of support, with one responding: "Followed you since 2016 and I'm so proud of how amazing you are doing! Keep going! ! Wow I can't believe it was 10 years ago time has definitely flown by."

Another commented: "Where it all started! ! !" whilst a third exclaimed: "No way you're that wee guy! ! ! That is so awesome! ! !"

A further fan penned: "When I think of 2016 you're one of the first things that comes to mind I'm so proud of you Ryan and you're doing so well I'm so happy for you."

Ryan and his wife Emily Middlemas both took part in The X Factor during the same series, with Emily progressing to the semi-finals before becoming emotional when Ryan was knocked out of the competition.

The pair announced their marriage last year, posting photographs from their special day which prompted an outpouring of congratulations from supporters.

During a chat with Lorraine Kelly, Ryan looked back on his X Factor journey following his elimination and sharing the stage with Emily, who was his girlfriend at the time.

He admitted he harboured no regrets about his stint on the show, stating: "This experience is life-changing and it's a massive platform, and if you do it right and work well on it, you'll get the benefits in the end. I'm very excited for what's to come and I'm looking forward to it."

Speaking about Emily, Ryan added: "We've been going out for a year now but I've known her for about four years, before The X Factor we were gigging and stuff and doing a circuit around Glasgow.

"We'll definitely write together and maybe put a wee song out," he revealed, discussing his aspirations for songwriting down the line.

"Song-writing is my first love, that is the thing that I want to do everyday when I wake up, but performing, if I get the chance to perform and if that can happen, I'd love to do that as well."

The duo, originally from Cannock, Staffordshire, swapped their £820 a month rent for a two-bed flat for a swish three-bedroom apartment that costs just £300 and now spend their days relaxing in the sun and exploring their surroundings. Kelsey, who previously worked as a PA back in the UK, is now aiming to build a career as a full-time content creator by sharing insights into her new life of leisure.

The pair, who have been together for five years, said they were desperate to escape the "depressing weather" and "expensive rent" in the UK and decided to relocate 2,600 miles away for a new life in the sunshine.

Kelsey said: "We'd been on holiday to Egypt a few times and Russ' parents have lived there for over seven years, so we thought we'd make a go of it ourselves. We fancied a change, a challenge and a new life.

"It was hard saying goodbye to family, as we're all so close, but I've said they can visit anytime, it's only a flight away. Every day here is so busy.

"We love the heat, the views, the clear blue skies, we don't miss the depressing UK weather. I think people think in January and February it will be cold, but today has been 28C.

"Renting was so expensive in the UK, we were paying £820 a month; our new apartment is £300. Food is so cheap too, a punnet of fresh strawberries at the market is 40p and a two-course meal costs less than £10.

"The people here are so welcoming, Egyptians are amazing people. Our aim is to become content creators and promote Egypt worldwide."

Kelsey and Russell fell in love with Egypt after holidaying there when visiting Russell's parents, who have lived in the North African nation for seven years. Attracted by the hot weather, friendly locals and low price of renting, they packed their bags in January 2025 and headed to Hurghada, a city along the Red Sea coast.

Saying goodbye to friends and family was hard for the couple, but they promised their relatives they could come and stay with them anytime. The pair were paying £820 a month in rent back in the UK, but are now living in a plush two-bed apartment for just £300 a month.

Kelsey and Russell aren't currently working in Egypt, but have been using their social media platforms to promote the country and to help tourists book onto excursions, with the aim of becoming full-time content creators.

"We're trying to create content with local people to get the word out on how cheap things are, and to encourage people to come on holiday," she said.

They also spend just £20 a month on household bills, including wifi, electricity and water, compared to the £380 a month they were paying back home. Their favourite thing about the country is the people, who they say are so welcoming and kind.

Despite a few language barriers, the couple haven't had any struggles so far and are hoping to live in Egypt long term. They share their story on @kelsinegypt and @edhertz.

Kelsey and Russell's costs in the UK and Egypt

Rent in UK: £820

Rent in Egypt: £300

Bills in UK: £380

Bills in Egypt: £20

Weekly food shop in UK: £80

Weekly food shop in Egypt: £40

Meal out in UK: £70

Meal out in Egypt: £10

He also endured flashbacks, anxiety, and brain fog. Ellis said he was driving down a muddy country road in November 2024 when another car drove on to the wrong side of the road, forcing him to swerve and causing his car to flip over, leaving him concussed.

A few days later, Ellis, whose first language is English but who had always been fluent in Welsh and attended Welsh-medium schools, said he suddenly struggled to speak Welsh.

This left him feeling isolated, as a third of his university course at Aberystwyth University is in Welsh and many of his peers spoke low-level English, making it hard to keep up with both his studies and social life. He believes the concussion triggered his language difficulties, and his low mood and daily nightmares and panic attacks made it even harder to concentrate.

Over time, as his mental health improved, so did his Welsh, and he can now speak the language at university again, and panic attacks typically occur only when he sees a car crash.

Ellis, who is from Cardiff, told PA Real Life: "I felt like a foreigner in a different country because I couldn't understand people around me, and not many people knew English so didn't understand me. I stayed in my room and I didn't go to lectures for four weeks after my language got worse, then I'd be surrounded by people in my flat that I couldn't understand.

"I went from being able to do university essays on human rights laws to not being able to build a Lego set." 

Ellis began studying at Aberystwyth University in autumn 2024, and after a few months he was "starting to settle in". That was until November, when his day-to-day life "completely changed".

One morning he was driving his 2013 Ford KA to a friend's house down a country road about five miles outside Aberystwyth. After a storm the previous night, he was being especially careful because of the amount of mud on the roads.

But, he said, a car came around a corner and drove on to his side of the road and he had to "choose between" being hit by the oncoming 4×4 or swerving, so he swerved. He recalled losing control on mud and spinning several times, before hitting a bank.

He said the car then flipped over three times before it was finally stopped by a fence post going into the car's wheel arch, "wedging" his car into the ground.

"In the moment, I remember it spinning and thinking 'Crap, this is out of my control' – there was nothing I could do," Ellis said. "I was shouting and shouting but there wasn't a house for two miles either way."

Ellis then "went into survival mode" with "so much adrenaline" – he said he climbed out of the car through a window and began searching for his phone.

After 20 minutes he found it in a field next to the lane, rang the police and used what3words – a geocoding system that divides the world into 57 trillion 3m by 3m squares, assigning each a unique, fixed three-word address – to give them his location, which was listed as "///passion.cobras.toasters".

He said: "It completely saved my life – I was in the middle of nowhere, and without it, I'd be walking about two miles before I found a road sign, let alone a house. It was an absolute godsend – I would urge any driving instructor to instruct your pupils to download it, any parents, and just everyone to get it."

Police arrived to secure the road and check Ellis over. He only had a cut on the back of his head from a piece of glass, but went to Bronglais Hospital the same day to be checked.

He had CT and MRI scans, and tests on his heart, blood and bones, and was "surrounded" by nine specialists while he was "poked and prodded".

He said: "I don't think I had a single thought in my head, I was just in shock – the only thing I remember saying is that I didn't want my little sister seeing me with all the machines around me. I felt guilty that my family was so worried too.

"I only moved to university two months before, I hadn't even been to all the pubs yet, and I was already in hospital." He was diagnosed with a concussion and, about 24 hours later, "once the adrenaline wore off" he "completely mentally crashed".

He said he had "brain fog" and could barely follow the instructions of a simple Lego set. A few days after the crash, he noticed he was also struggling to speak Welsh.

He believes this was because of the concussion, and his low mood made his ability to concentrate even harder. Ellis had been in Welsh-medium education since nursery and could speak the language fluently to university standard.

At university, one third of his course was in Welsh, including essays and lectures, and all of his friends and housemates spoke Welsh "constantly" to each other. Ellis added that he would speak Welsh around Aberystwyth, whether he was in a shop or "ordering a pint".

According to the 2021 Census, 17.8% of the population in Wales speak Welsh, and in Ceredigion, the county where Aberystwyth is located, 45.3% speak Welsh.

Ellis said: "I was just sat there and didn't write a thing during the entire lecture – I couldn't comprehend any of it. I tried emailing my lecturer in Welsh but I couldn't get the words together, couldn't do the formalities and the grammar or even the most basic Wenglish, which is slang Welsh.

"A lot of my mates at university only speak Welsh, it was their first language and their English is poor so I suddenly couldn't have conversations with my friends."

Since the crash, Ellis had been suffering from low mood, anxiety and flashbacks. He was not formally diagnosed, but also believes he was experiencing PTSD.

Despite this, he was given a replacement car and decided to take it on short journeys to "feel in control", despite his family being "so worried". He said: "My general mood was terrible – I was a right miserable sod.

"I wouldn't smile, I was riddled with anxiety, permanently exhausted. I wasn't sleeping properly – it would take me hours to get to sleep, and even then, I would be up every half an hour.

"I'd have panic attacks before bed every single night, my whole body would shake and my neck and knees would jerk and I'd be physically in pain."

In December 2024, he tried taking antidepressants but felt they numbed his emotions and did not work well for him. He found that going to a piece of land, in the fresh air, shouting and chopping wood "genuinely helped".

By June 2025, he noticed a significant improvement in both his mood and his language skills. Ellis believes that as his mental health improved, his ability to concentrate increased, which in turn helped his language skills recover.

He achieved a third in some modules at university, but was reassured that this would not affect his final grade "too much". His flashbacks reduced to about once a week, or when he saw anything related to a car crash.

Now, he said, his Welsh has "gone back to normal" and he only has panic attacks when driving past another car crash.

He thinks his comprehension is still "a little slow" and that he struggles with reading instructions. Looking back on his experiences, he said: "It made me think a lot about my priorities – so going home and spending time with family and going out with mates instead of focusing so much on work."

For support, visit: www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services.

The 32-year-old mum was told part of her placenta still remained in her body and underwent an emergency procedure. However, the stay-at-home mum then began to haemorrhage uncontrollably, prompting dozens of doctors and nurses to rush back into her hospital room.

Hannah then fell unconscious and began to flatline, where she medically 'died' for around a minute. During this time, the mum-of-two says she began to float above her body and claims she was aware that she was dead and entering the afterlife.

Hannah then says she saw the 'brightest white light' that filled her with 'peace' before she suddenly fell back into her body. Luckily, Hannah made a full recovery after her near-death experience in 2021, which the mum says has affirmed her faith and squashed any fears of death.

Hannah, who lives in Denver, Colorado, US, said: "I got pregnant with my second and we were really excited. The birth was pretty uneventful. I felt super calm and kept my cool, it was a really quick labour.

"Everything was very uneventful until about 12 hours after giving birth. I wasn't feeling super great, I had really bad stomach cramps and had some pretty big clots coming out.

"The nurse said it was totally normal, but then I got the most intense pain I'd ever felt before. Then there was blood everywhere and a blood clot came out of me that was the size of a pineapple."

Hannah underwent an ultrasound that revealed part of her placenta was still in her uterus. After two procedures, the mum was given the all-clear before she began bleeding heavily and falling unconscious.

Hannah said: "Everyone had left my room at this point and I was by myself, I could feel that I was bleeding really heavily. Instinctually, I knew something was wrong. Then there were 25 people in my room - nurses, doctors, anaesthesiologists - it was chaos.

"I was just thinking 'I need to be a good patient and let the doctors do what they need to do'. I started getting really thirsty, as thirsty as I'd ever been in my entire life.

"That's when I started panicking because I'd watched a lot of medical shows and remembered once a patient who was actively dying was very thirsty. Apparently, when your body needs blood, it actively tells you you're thirsty."

At this time Hannah had no heartbeat or blood pressure and was 'medically dead' for around a minute on the hospital bed.

Hannah said: "I started really not feeling good then started floating above myself and thought 'oh I think I might be dying'. I couldn't see myself because I was surrounded by so many people. I could look down and see all these people working on me.

"It wasn't like my body was floating, it was like my mind was floating away. I do believe it was my soul leaving my body. That was only for a couple of seconds then at that point I thought 'I'm never going to see my kids again'.

"That was heartbreaking. That was my last thought before I saw the brightest light I'd ever seen in my life. You could stare into the sun for minutes and it would never be this bright. It was all-encompassing, I was like inside the bright, white light.

"That's when I knew I was dead. I felt so at peace, it was like my soul was at peace. Then it felt like I was drop-kicked into being alive, it was very abrupt and sudden. I was in a panic, I didn't know what had happened."

After gaining consciousness, Hannah underwent two blood transfusions after losing half of her body's blood supply. The mum now says her near-death experience has affirmed her faith in both God and the afterlife.

Hannah said: "I've always been a Christian. This gave me even more of a realisation that I do believe in God and I was going up to heaven. It made me realise the afterlife is real. It was definitely a spiritual experience, if anything it's made me closer to God, I'm definitely not afraid of dying anymore."

Their existence has become fraught with anxiety. "One night I heard a thud and I thought it was another rock," said Ross. "I got up – it was just the cat. It's scary living here wondering if a large boulder is about to come through the roof." 

The retired pair live at Bedw Isaf, a 600-year-old former drovers cottage in Rhewl, near Llantysilio. The two-room dwelling was subsequently home to a sluice keeper managing a dam that supplied water to an old corn mill, which has long been derelict.

Hailing originally from Stoke-on-Trent, the couple relocated to the home 10 years ago and began restoring the off-grid dwelling, removing corrugated roofing from a tool shed to fashion a kitchen. Existence proved challenging in an isolated woodland location where the only route in is a 100-yard footpath, 

Yet until recently the setting remained tranquil and serene. Around 11pm on Wednesday, January 28, fractures emerged in the vertical slate bedrock merely 2ft from the rear of the cottage. Jill, 69, a former community artist, said: "The first thing we knew was when rocks started hitting the back of the house.

"By midnight the rocks were still falling and we saw a tree root leaning against the back wall. We decided to go to bed around 1am but the banging and bumping made us wonder if we'd be better leaving the house.

"We moved downstairs and by 2am it seemed more settled so we went to bed. We're still getting the occasional bump when a rock falls and there are many more cracks in the bedrock."

The 2ft void behind Bedw Isaf is now scattered with slate fragments and stones. Larger boulders, too substantial to drop into the gap, span the opening at roof level, creating an archway.

In some areas boulders have been buried beneath falling earth and turf still containing embedded bushes.

Ross, a former shoemaker and school bus driver, worries the entire hillside is shifting. "You can now see the bands of slate like layers of a cake," he said.

"Rows of slate slabs are sticking out like dragons' teeth. They're breaking off and we've had two or three large chunks slamming into the house. When I heard the first one I thought: 'What the hell?'"

Ross added: "The biggest ones must weigh three to four tonnes each. Dozens of smaller rocks, five or six inches across, have also fallen into the gap at the back of the cottage.

"They're not actually causing any damage to the stone walls – they're 2.5ft thick and have survived 600 years. In fact the cottage is probably the only thing stopping the whole bank slipping into the valley.

"My worry is that, one night, a big rock won't wedge into the gap but will come through the roof on top of us."

On the evening the hillside started shifting a 0.9-magnitude earthquake struck near Nantlle in Gwynedd. Several hours afterwards Llangollen residents reported what appeared to be their own tremor although the British Geological Society recorded no seismic activity.

Nevertheless it sparked speculation for Ross and Gill. "Perhaps there's a fault line running from Gwynedd to Denbighshire?" questioned Canada-born Ross, 75.

"And that's why the hillside began to move. It would be just our luck. The bedrock here has been stable for millions of years and then is set moving by a quake while we're here."

However this winter's prolonged rainfall is a more probable culprit, having caused multiple landslips and sinkholes throughout north Wales.

November saw Wales receive 59% more precipitation than its monthly average. December brought North Wales 11% above its typical rainfall.

January defied expectations, dropping 13% below normal – yet ground conditions remain waterlogged. The couple face an additional challenge stemming from the property's industrial heritage.

Their land features a 12ft high dam from which water plunges 80ft down a ravine "waterfall" to Melin Gymmo, a derelict mill first documented in the 1690s.

Ross and Jill's dam is reportedly Wales' largest of its kind. Its stone walls desperately require restoration, failing which the couple risk having their access path eroded and swept away.

Should this occur they'll face complete isolation. "We've been told the house is unsaleable until the dam is fixed," said Ross. "But it's a beautiful spot and we've had people here from London offering us £300,000. It would be perfect as a holiday let".

"We've got a guy to sort the dam but he's currently on another job and can't get here until that's finished. It'll cost us £100,000 – and now he may have to underpin the bank behind us as well, a more expensive job.

"The dam was our priority. Now all of a sudden the bank is. It's a race against time and the cost is going to break us. We're living on a knife-edge and we don't know which way to turn or who to approach.

"In the meantime we go the bed at night hearing rocks the pinging and bumping against the wall thinking of Aberfan wondering if we'll wake up in the morning."

They had been approached to take part in a new Channel 4 show and, after checking it wasn't a scam, they applied and were overjoyed to be selected, even though all they knew about it was they had the chance to win a chateau worth £250,000 somewhere in France.

Chris said: "The actual chateau we found out later is based in Normandy but we didn’t know that at the time – we were just told it was somewhere in France. On the day we needed to leave we got a taxi to the train station to go to London and get the plane and the driver said: ‘Are you going anywhere nice?’ and we were like: 'We don’t really know'. He was a bit confused." 

The programme is Chateau DIY: Win The Dream based on the popular Channel 4 programme Chateau DIY that follows the exploits of mainly British people renovating rundown French properties – but this spin-off series offers contestants in pairs the chance to actually win one.

The couple knew it would be an incredible opportunity to use what they have learnt updating their Cardiff home from scratch to potentially win a French chateau, competing against other couples who were mesmerised by the possibility too.

Chris said: "We were super-excited but also we thought: 'Oh my God – we’ve got our own renovation to do. How are we going to manage trying to renovated a French chateau to try and win it too?'".

The show is presented by designer, presenter, and all-round upcycling genius Max McMurdo and the format sees a round of heats towards the grand final where couples work together and then just as a pair to update rooms within the empty Normandy chateau.

But Chris and Paloma knew very little about what they had signed up for as the house, the location, and the format all remained very secretive and very exciting.

Paloma said: "We didn't see the house before we arrived – it was a complete secret, a total surprise. We literally had no idea what we were walking into. It’s such an amazing house, it is so gorgeous, and we spent enough time there to totally fall in love with it."

Chris added they felt bewildered when they first saw the chateau when they were literally standing in front of it. He saud: "It was hard to soak in that we were looking at a property we had a chance of winning.

"They told us the value of the house is about £250,000 and our Victorian terrace in Cardiff is worth about the same. How does this make sense? All this land, the house, all that comes with it."

Although the contestants could only see the space in the chateau that they were working on, and the rest of the house was kept secret, the grounds were worth exploring and added to the enchantment, including an orchard where Chris and Paloma ate lunch under the trees and charming outbuildings including a workshop where the contestants could find tools to work on their project.

The main aspect of the competition, which they would be judged on by Max and a guest judge from the original Chateau show and what could potentially see them being sent home, was the challenge to totally transform an empty room within six days and on a tight budget.

This meant finding and sourcing vintage and salvaged items to upcycle and keep within budget and timescale. The thrifty budget was not so much of a challenge as the couple had been watching the pounds back at their Cardiff renovation but the tight timing was more stressful.

Chris said: "In our renovation in Cardiff we took six months to do our bathroom and each bedroom took a month and it was two years of work for the kitchen extension. But here's a room to do in six days and here’s a very small budget. We had to split up to do it."

Paloma added: "Yes – there was definitely no decision fatigue, it was just: 'Let’s go'. So we just split up the things that needed doing. There were a couple of moments when the pressure got to us but I think the vast majority of the time we worked well together."

Many of the items featured throughout the show are from local antique, salvage, and vintage stores and charity shops and the couple were amazed at the bargains on offer. Paloma said: "It is incredible compared to what we can get here in the UK. In France they have amazing pieces – there are beautiful pieces to find everywhere."

Not only was the supply of items an eye-opener for this renovation pair but the price was too with Chris adding that they saw a stunning checkerboard table that would cost hundreds of pounds in the UK costing just 40 euros along with a wardrobe for 30.

Once the couple were over the shock of being in a sunny French chateau garden and not a rainy Welsh street they found out that the two years of renovating their home, and sharing their success and failures on their Instagram account renovatingnumberfour, was very useful – but they didn't feel too confident at the beginning of filming.

Chris said: "Initially we felt a bit of imposter syndrome – are we good enough? Are we going to crumble when the pressure is on? But we got over that and realised that we can make an amazing room in just six days so we've learnt that if we need to speed things up and make instinctual decisions at home we can still pull it off."

It could have been awkward meeting the other contestants – in essence the people who were potentially going to stop the couple from winning the chateau – but they say there was a feeling of camaraderie from the very beginning.

Paloma said: "We were really lucky that everyone was so lovely and everyone was so excited. It was a whole new world for all of us and working together was a fun way to get to know each other and hear their creative ideas."

Chris added: "Essentially you’re trauma-bonding together because no-one else can relate to what you’re going though apart from the other contestants." The couple enjoyed meeting presenter Max too and said he made the whole experience less stressful – at least for the contestants if not for himself.

Paloma said: "He’s one of the loveliest people – he was so supportive and so sweet. He was finding it hard not to help us, to be hands on during the project and as the judge, when he was doing eliminations, I think he found it quite tough, emotional, to have to say goodbye to the contestants going home."

Of course only one couple can eventually win the chateau and the only way to find out who that turns out to be is to watch the programme but the couple say that whoever is given the keys is, in their view, worthy – and it might even be them.

Paloma said: "If we were the winners the chateau would also be a wellness retreat, a respite for anyone in a job where they are care-givers and are very responsibility-heavy like emergency workers, charity and crisis workers. But also the idea would be to have it as a place where people can nominate someone from their community to come who deserves to have a week to themselves who generally don’t put themselves first."

Chris added: "Everyone had really good reasons for wanting to win the chateau, their own story of what they would do and what it would mean to them, so Max was really invested in every couple. As life-changing as it would be for us we would want to give these amazing people somewhere to have a rest and recover and that was our motivation the whole time on the show, what we were working towards."

Her mother, Ann, said: "When you give birth, you expect to hold your baby in your arms.

"When Sara was born in January 1991 by caesarean section, she was tiny and blue.

"I only glimpsed her briefly before she was whisked away, leaving me with empty arms and my heart in my mouth.

"What was wrong with my little girl? I was absolutely terrified."

At two days old, Sara was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome, and at six weeks, she was found to have tetralogy of Fallot.

She underwent open-heart surgery at age three.

Complications led to organ failure, a mitral valve replacement, endocarditis, and months in intensive care.

Despite the odds, Sara pulled through.

Ann said: "One day, as I helped her, she gave me the biggest, most beautiful smile and I just melted.

"Doctors told us she was a total miracle."

Sara later required further valve replacements and now has a pacemaker.

She lives in assisted accommodation and enjoys swimming and bowling.

Sara said: "I would like to say thank you for choosing me to represent the British Heart Foundation and for giving me a bench that I, and other people, will enjoy sitting on."

The bench was unveiled as part of the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) 65th anniversary campaign.

It is one of 65 benches placed across the UK to honour people living with heart conditions.

Ammanford Town Council has also installed a defibrillator in the park to support BHF Cymru.

Rhodri Thomas, head of BHF Cymru, said: "Sara’s story shows the true reality of living with cardiovascular disease, and we are so grateful that they are courageously sharing their experiences to help others.

"By sharing the stories of people who live with cardiovascular disease on our iconic red benches across the UK, we hope to start more conversations that change dangerous misconceptions."

To support the British Heart Foundation, visit the charity's website.

The nurse, from Romford, Essex, got worse - and was soon wearing the same lenses for weeks at a time, until she was rushed to hospital with “unbearable” pain in her eyes, in August 2025. She was left unable to see at all in her right eye and doctors were unsure whether her sight would come back.

Doctors said the blindness was caused by bacteria lodged in the eye behind the contact lenses, which led to an infection. Thankfully, her sight gradually improved and after five weeks her vision returned to normal. Katie is now urging others to think twice before leaving contact lenses in for extended periods of time.

She said: “I was really stupid - I misused my contact lenses. At first, I would go to parties and not take them out at night, but then I started wearing them for excessive amounts of time.

“I’d be terrible sometimes and wear them for a week or two at a time, I’d wait until my eyes were really dry and then take them out and change them. I did it out of convenience. My eyesight is pretty bad, so I just hated the fact that I’d wake up and couldn’t see.

“Looking back now, I don’t know why I did it. One night in August 2025, I was lying in bed and my eyes were pounding and streaming.

“The next morning, I woke up in unbearable pain - it was worse than giving birth. I couldn’t see at all in my right eye. Doctors didn’t know if my sight would come back.

“I was so depressed, thinking I wouldn’t get to see my kids growing up. Even though it was just one eye, I felt like all my independence had been taken away from me.

“Daily tasks became so hard. When I was making a bottle for my baby I would spill it everywhere and I had to focus so hard to cut things up in the kitchen.

“Thank the Lord I can see again, but I will never wear contacts again. It was my fault and I take full accountability, but I didn’t know the risks associated with them.

“I urge contact lens wearers to read up about the risks. I thought it would never happen to me, because I got away with it for so long, but now I’m focused on looking after myself.”

Katie was told she needed glasses at age 16, but after hating the way she looked in them decided to switch to contacts at age 17. She purchased daily disposable lenses online.

Every few months, Katie would lose a contact lens around the back of her eye and would fish it out herself with her fingers. One night, in August 2025, as Katie was lying in bed, her eyes started to pound and water began streaming out of them.

Katie didn’t think much of this, but took her lenses out and then tried to get to sleep. Her eyes continued to stream throughout the night, and in the morning, she woke up in “unbearable” pain, which she described as being worse than childbirth.

She was unable to open her right eye at all and felt like she was being “stabbed in the eye”, so she wrapped a scarf around her head and got her husband to drive her to Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. Doctors scraped her eyeballs to test for microorganisms that could have caused the blindness, which she described as “traumatic”.

They explained that a tiny bit of bacteria could have got into her contact lenses, causing an infection, which led to blindness. Katie was made to wear an eyepatch and was told that it was unclear whether her eyesight would come back or not.

For 48 hours, she had to give herself eye drops every hour, even during the night, and had weekly check-ups at Moorfields to see if her condition had improved. She took four weeks off work to recover, during which time she felt “depressed”, as she felt like losing her sight had taken away her independence.

She considered leaving work, as she couldn’t see to drive there, and began panicking about how she would adapt to being partially sighted. Daily tasks became incredibly difficult, and she would feel like it was her fault when she would spill things on the floor, as she couldn’t see what she was doing.

After five weeks, to Katie’s relief, her sight returned to normal. Doctors have told her she could wear contact lenses again, but she said it’s “not worth it”.

“If one person learns from this that you shouldn’t leave contact lenses in, then I feel like I’ve made a difference”, she said.

They had planned to enjoy a carvery for lunch. Lynne explained she "politely" asked whether they could be seated at a table for two in a calmer section of the pub, away from a play area.

However, Lynne claims she was informed they would need to be turned away as staff "didn't think it would be suitable for her". 

The venue forms part of the Marston's group, which has since apologised to the family for the incident. They said the pub is "intended to be an inclusive and welcoming place for everyone" and would learn from what happened. They pledged to "reinforce guidance" to "ensure that every guest feels comfortable, supported and valued".

Lynne is determined to raise awareness about the incident to encourage venues to take inclusion more seriously.

Describing what happened, she said: "On Saturday, my autistic daughter and I were turned away from The Running Hare Restaurant and Pub after I politely asked if there was possibly a quieter (away from the play area) area available for a table of two.

"What followed was shocking. I was told - in front of my autistic daughter - that they were 'going to have to turn us away because they didn't think it would be suitable for her'.

"Not because of behaviour, not because of safety but because they decided that their venue was 'not suitable' at that time for my autistic child.

"The seating capacity is apparently 180, the place was virtually empty. That is not acceptable. That is not inclusive. And that is not how disabled people - or their families - should ever be treated."

The member of staff explained that two large groups were expected to arrive.

Lynne continued: "They couldn't guarantee it wouldn't be noisy after I explained my daughter's sensory issues but we were simply asking for two carveries and would have been in and out well within that time, I did explain I had ear defenders with me for her, and simply would prefer to sit away from the children's area.

"More importantly, venues do not get a free pass to exclude disabled people. Inclusion is not optional when it's convenient. Autistic people have the right to exist in public spaces.

"They have the right to eat out, they have the right to dignity.

"And parents should never be made to feel their child to a problem simply for being autistic - especially in front of them."

Quoting Chris Packham's "When you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism," Lynne emphasised the individuality of autistic children.

She explained how Emily encounters particular triggers involving sound, smell, and texture, which can result in episodes of screaming, head-banging, and self-harm. Emily is also selectively mute and occasionally requires a wheelchair owing to mobility difficulties.

Lynne is hopeful that sharing her story will heighten awareness and foster greater understanding of the varied requirements of autistic people.

She also thanked Joe Edwards and the team at The Pen Y Bont Farm where they went after the incident. She said: "The Pen Y Bont are the perfect example of inclusion."

An email to Lynne from Marston's stated: "I'm truly sorry for the experience you and your daughter had, no guest should ever feel excluded, and I understand how upsetting this must have been, especially given the impact it had on your daughter in the moment."

A spokesperson for Marston's said: "We never want any guest to feel unwelcome in our pub, and we're truly sorry about Lynne and her daughter's experience.

"Our pub is intended to be an inclusive and welcoming place for everyone, and we take all feedback seriously.

"This has prompted important learning for our team, and we have reinforced guidance to ensure that every guest feels comfortable, supported and valued when they visit us."

The mum-of-one had been feeling unwell in the days leading up to her death and believed she was suffering from a chest infection. She had also been complaining about headaches, but blamed her glasses.

In November last year, Vicki, 42, received a call while she was looking after Chloe’s daughter, Nancy, four, saying that she had collapsed. “Chloe was feeling a bit poorly, but we just thought it was a chest infection because she had a cough,” said Vicki, from Hereford, Herefordshire.

“She got some antibiotics. I spoke to her on and off throughout the day, then I put my granddaughter to bed at 6.30pm. At 7pm, I had a phone call from my daughter's new boyfriend saying she wasn't breathing.

“I said, ‘Yeah, right, you’re joking'. He showed me the emergency services working on her so I knew it was real.”

Paramedics worked on Chloe for around an hour at the scene before managing to restart her heart so she could be taken to the hospital. But Chloe never regained consciousness. Vicki said: “I met the ambulance at the hospital, and they took her straight in while we waited in the relatives' room.

“It felt like the longest wait of my life. She had a CT scan, and then they told me she had had a brain aneurysm that had popped and caused a massive bleed on the brain. There was nothing they could do.

“They let me kiss her before they took her as I said it might be my last time. I couldn't believe my baby girl had gone. She never had any health issues.

“Just a few headaches now and again but we put it down to her eyesight and she got different glasses.”

Vicki had to break the devastating news to Nancy, and now she lives with her full-time. She said: “It broke my heart. I had to tell her she was never going to see her mummy again, which broke her little heart. Chloe was only 24.

“She had just started a new relationship, and she was happy. Chloe was starting life again. Never in a million years did I ever think she would be gone before me.

“Walking out of the hospital knowing my baby girl was gone was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” Vicki said Chloe had “a heart of gold” and was loved by everyone who knew her.

She said: “Life without her is not the same. It's way too quiet, and I miss her voice. Her daughter is the double of her mummy and very noisy like her. It still doesn't feel real, and I’m still waiting for her to ring me, but I know that's never going to happen.

“My daughter was bubbly, had a heart of gold. She would help anyone and everyone. Her smile lit up any room she went into, and she had a lot of friends. Chloe loved singing, and her favourite was Adele.

“We played a clip of her singing at her funeral. She was adored by all her family, especially her daughter, and they loved spending time together.”

Mum Stacy Nicklin said that the toddler was pointing to her mouth, something she often did, as she had suffered from septic tonsillitis from a very young age. Stacy, 40, then tucked Harper-Lee into bed before heading off to work.

But she received a frantic phone call an hour later from daughter Jamie-Leigh, 23, who said that the tot was spitting blood. She rushed home to find Harper-Lee in an ambulance. “I’d told Harper-Lee that her throat would be better soon – little did I know that she was telling me she’d swallowed something,” said Stacy, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs.

“I put her in my bed with Jamie-Leigh. I was only at work for an hour when I had a feeling that I needed to check my phone. There were missed calls and messages that didn’t make sense so I FaceTimed Jamie-Leigh – and Harper was covered in blood.

“A friend from work rushed me home and the paramedics said they needed to wait for a doctor because they’d never seen anything like it before and they didn’t know where the bleeding was coming from.”

Stacy, who has another daughter, Kyla, 18, says that Harper-Lee was rushed to Royal Stoke University Hospital where a camera was inserted to find the source of the bleeding. Surgeons confirmed they’d discovered a button battery from an LED light remote lodged inside Harper-Lee’s body.

It had burned through her oesophagus and into a main artery leading to her heart. Doctors said Harper-Lee needed to be transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital but would not survive the journey.

Stacy said: “When they said she’d swallowed a battery, I had no idea she wouldn’t make it. Then they said she wouldn’t survive and I collapsed. I said ‘Please try and do everything you can to save my baby girl’.

“All I can remember is him saying ‘I'm so sorry’. That's all I heard before I went into shock and fell to the floor. I kept saying ‘I need to go and tell my other daughters’ but they already knew because they heard me scream, which was so piercing.

She died on May 21, 2021.

Despite her heartbreak, Stacy has dedicated herself to raising awareness about the dangers of button batteries. She added: “Life in the past five years has been so hard. I'm still grieving. I've lost friendships and relationships with family members because they remind me of Harper-Lee.

“Anyone that was close to Harper I don't see or speak to any more because when I see them, I see her. I've been raising awareness for the last five years because I promised my baba that I wouldn't let her die in vain. I don't want any other families going through what me, Jamie-Leigh and Kyla have gone through.”

A typical day starts with the 27-year-old single mum waking her three-year-old twins, Rosie and Riley, getting them dressed, making breakfast, and rushing out the door for nursery. Unable to afford a car and saving for driving lessons, Chloe walks the twins to Kindergarden Kids in Whitstable, Kent.

She then heads back home, grabs her bike, and sets off on a 40-minute cycle to her warehouse job. She works from 9.30am until 3.30pm, before cycling back, walking the 15 minutes to nursery and home again, cooking dinner, and getting the children to bed “hopefully by 7pm”.

Chloe works 30 hours a week at £13 an hour but says the numbers simply do not add up. To be able to work those hours, she must place both children in nursery full-time, Monday to Friday. At the end of a gruelling week, she is often left with just £30 once childcare costs are paid.

“I’m going to work for nothing,” she says. “Which, I don't mind doing, because I enjoy the job - that's absolutely fine, and hopefully there's room to progress - but the financial burden of it is just ridiculous.”

When she fell pregnant in 2022, the first-time mum was not expecting twins. While she says she “loves them to bits” and “would not change them for the world”, having two children the same age has brought double the costs, with little extra support. She was shocked to discover that there is no additional financial help with nursery fees for parents of twins.

Thanks to the 30 hours of free, government-funded childcare, most of the twins’ hours are covered, but Chloe still has to pay about £150 a month per child.

“I'm sacrificing these lovely years with my children just to pay for their nursery costs,” she said. “When it's the double cost of everything, it's a bit overwhelming.

“It makes it feel like what's the point in it all? It’s no wonder so many people probably stay at home and stay on the benefits because it doesn't work out that differently.”

At the moment, Chloe takes home about £1,510 a month. Meanwhile, non-working parents can claim up to £1,835 a month in benefits, including Universal Credit and housing allowance. But Chloe said: “I've always said I want to be working - I don't want to stay at home on benefits.

“As much as I love being with the kids, working makes me feel like I'm progressing to do something to make their lives better, make our lives better.”

Saving up for driving lessons and eventually passing the test is an important goal for Chloe. But she said: “I just try to sit there and work out where I'm going to get this extra money from, and it seems impossible. It's kind of the realisation of just feeling a bit stuck at the moment financially and not being able to better our lives.”

Chloe has some financial support from the twins’ dad, who pays £50 a week. “I'm the sole provider of the house and money-wise, and it just seems like I'm in this massive loop,” she said. “The financial burden of it is weighing quite heavily in the sense that I'm working literally to pay my nursery bill.”

She added: “I don’t know if something can be done to put some financial help in place or just some recognition of the matter. I’m not asking for special treatment, I’m asking for fair treatment that reflects the real cost of childcare.”

The benefits system is complex - but Chloe could get extra support by claiming Universal Credit while still working. This would be in addition to the 30 hours of free childcare she already receives. While the system usually works by refunding nursery costs after they are paid, new rules introduced in 2023 mean she could get government help to cover the first upfront bill too.

The Department for Work and Pensions redirected questions about Chloe’s case to the Department for Education. In response, a Government spokesperson highlighted the removal of the two-child childcare costs cap in the Autumn Budget. But as a mum of twins, this does not affect Chloe.

The spokesperson added: “We are committed to ensuring working families can access the childcare support they need.”

As of September 2025, all eligible working parents of children aged under five in England can claim 30 hours of free childcare. Just a few years ago, this could not be claimed until children were three.

At first, the pair believed the stationary vehicle was malfunctioning and the whole car was going to set alight. But when the mum of three realised she was on fire, she jumped out of the motor and rolled on the floor to put out the flames.

Realising her skin was scorched as blisters bubbled up on her right thigh, the 52 year old rushed to The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, to get it checked out. The homeless charity CEO was put on an IV drip and had her blisters popped before her leg was bandaged up.

Horrifying photos show large holes in Kerrie's new coat, dress and part of her friend's car seat, which she claims has cost £300 to replace. Kerrie has been told she won't need a skin graft and after having silver dressing applied to the burn has now got blood flow back in the affected area.

Now healing, Kerrie is warning others to not keep their vapes in their pockets or close to their body to avoid the same thing happening to them. Kerrie, from Harlow in Essex, said: "It was like a firework going off in the car and at first I didn't know what it was. The seat went up in flames, the battery must have burnt through my pocket and exploded.

"The battery continued to melt through the car as it was still hot, I jumped out of the car when I realised it was me. I had a brand-new coat and dress on and I realised it was me that was on fire.

"My leg started to hurt and was burning, my friend looked over at my leg and it had started to bubble and form blisters."

Kerrie had been vaping for a decade and said she had used this kind of rechargeable vape for three years as she believed it to be the 'safest option'. Now, Kerrie has to keep her burns out of the sun for two years and moisturise her wounds up to four times a day to make a full recovery.

Kerrie said: "I thought I was using the safest one and I don't use disposable [vapes]. The scary thing is, I had that same battery on a plane with me the week before this happened. It would have been so scary [if this happened on a plane].

"I was scared that the whole car might set alight. Luckily, we were just outside the garage on a quiet road, but what if we were on a busy road going quickly?"

Since the incident, Kerrie says she won't vape again and is now issuing a warning to others to not carry vapes around in their pockets. Kerrie said: "I've bought a resistance breather, which is like a vape [but not harmful] to stop me vaping.

"I would tell people to not carry your vape in your pocket and not have it so close to you. I was lucky to not have it in my trouser pocket as if this was the case, it would have been so much worse for me.

"Luckily my coat was padded and I had layers between. Don't leave it in pockets in the back of the car where your kids are either."

The 21-year-old is now a proud mum to daughter Hazel. Demi-Lee and partner Brad Barrington, 21, had been together four years but planned to buy a house together before starting a family.

The dental nurse said she’d had no symptoms and was having regular bleeding which she’d mistaken for her period. “I had normal period cramp pains and thought nothing of it so I took some paracetamol and went to bed,” said Demi-Lee, from Leeds.

“The pain got worse and I hardly slept. At around 5am, I thought I had appendicitis, so I called my mum and she came over. She rang an ambulance as soon as she saw me. The paramedics said they thought I was in labour.

“I was so confused, I hadn’t had any symptoms so I didn’t know what was going on. And I was in so much pain.”

Medics at the hospital confirmed that Demi-Lee was at least 30 weeks pregnant and she was rushed into a delivery suite. Demi-Lee says she struggled to get hold of Brad who was at work as a joiner and he missed the birth. She said: “After the ultrasound, they said I should be giving birth in the next hour.

“When I heard that, it was pure panic. I was trying to get hold of Brad. He didn’t answer until I was literally about to give birth. My mum had to hang up and ring him back once Hazel was born and she congratulated him.

“His first reaction was to cry and he rushed to the hospital as soon as he could. He’s an amazing partner, he was in shock at first but then he was overjoyed because he’s always dreamed of becoming a dad. I didn’t know what I was going to do or how it was going to pan out.

“I’d been drinking throughout the pregnancy so I was panicking about that. Luckily, I managed to calm myself and do what I needed to do. I had an amazing birth despite the circumstances.”

Hazel was born weighing 6lbs 1oz. Demi-Lee and Brad’s family rallied around to get essentials such as a Moses basket and baby clothes.

Doctors later explained that Demi-Lee’s pregnancy had gone unnoticed because Hazel was growing into her back meaning she didn’t have a visible bump and she hadn’t felt movement. She said: “Looking back, I had zero symptoms of pregnancy excluding heartburn.

“But I thought nothing of it as my diet was full of food that could induce heartburn. I ave always suffered with irregular periods meaning I'd have one for a couple months then skip them but that’s normal for me.

“People didn’t believe us when we told them because they’d seen me days before I had her and I obviously didn’t look pregnant. Friends and family are proud of us for how we are and coping and how we’ve taken on the role as parents.”

Demi-Lee admits motherhood has been both wonderful and overwhelming. She added: “We had talked about having kids but obviously wanted to be prepared and have a house.

“We want a girl and a boy so we’re half way there but we don’t have plans for anymore for the time being. Life now as a mum is amazing but also harder than I thought. I wouldn’t change becoming a mum in the slightest because she is my whole world.

“I couldn’t imagine my life without her. It’s harder because now I worry about everything and anything, if she’s too hot or too cold. I still don’t think I’ve actually accepted the fact that I am a mum because I didn’t have that time to prepare and come to terms with it.

“Sometimes it doesn’t feel real still but then I look at her and think ‘wow, I actually made you and you are the most amazing thing ever’.

“But even though she was a surprise and we were unprepared, she is the best thing that has happened to me. I wouldn’t change anything about it other than knowing she was coming. She’s happy, healthy and progressing the way she should and that’s all i can ask for.”

Hazel was born on 12 May last year.

In response to this issue X announced that it has put in place measures to prevent users from manipulating images of real people in revealing attire such as bikinis and underwear in jurisdictions where it is unlawful. However, it remains possible to generate an image of a man donning a bikini top.

Ruben Chorlton Owen, 24, from Abersoch, found sexualised images of himself on the platform prior to the ban and he believes the presence of loopholes concerning images of men indicates that the rules are insufficient.

The content creator shared: "I first noticed that Grok had been used to create sexualised images of me after a friend sent me a screenshot of a post on X. In the original image taken from my Instagram account I was wearing a dressing gown.

"Someone pretending to be me had asked the chat bot to 'make my underwear transparent for fun'. I was shocked and confused, it looked so real, people could see that and believe it and then they might think all sorts about me.

"There was no consent at all from me. Someone could have sent that image to my employer or to a family member.

"I reported the image and it's now been removed, but who knows how many other images of me there are out there, there's no way to search for them.

"I'm glad that the issue is being addressed and that it's protecting women and children, which is obviously very important, but you can still create images of men in bikinis, which is really concerning. I think the new rules don't really go far enough. They sound reassuring, but there are still big gaps, particularly when it comes to men.

"If it can still happen at all, then the problem hasn't been fixed. It shows how easily someone's image can still be misused, and that's what's worrying."

Ruben first became aware his images had been manipulated recently after a friend forwarded him a doctored photograph of himself, sourced from his Instagram profile.

The original photograph showed Ruben in a dressing gown, but the altered version depicted him stripped to his underwear, which had been rendered see-through.

To generate the image, an X user, impersonating Ruben, had requested Grok to "make my underwear transparent for fun". Shocked, Ruben promptly reported the image, securing its removal, but he remains worried that additional images of him may exist online beyond his knowledge.

Since discovering the manipulated photograph Ruben has been monitoring news coverage of the issue closely and was pleased to learn that X has pledged to tackle the problem.

In a statement issued on January 14 X said: "We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis.

"We now geoblock the ability of all users to generate images of real people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire via the Grok account and in Grok in X in those jurisdictions where it's illegal."

However, a recent perusal of Grok's timeline reveals manipulated images of men in bikinis, including a sexualised image of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Ruben argues that this indicates the new regulations are insufficient.

He further expressed his concern as a content creator who regularly posts images of himself online for work purposes. He feels more vulnerable due to the abundance of his photos online that could potentially be tampered with without his permission.

"It's so scary, technology is moving so fast, and now it looks like it's going in the wrong direction," he added. "There's always going to be ways around the rules, this is only the beginning."

Gray Narvaez-Dragion, took to TikTok to express their anguish. In the emotional clip, which has since racked up over eight million views, the devastated newlywed shared: "88 people said yes... not even 40 showed up."

The half-minute video also captured the heartbreaking sight of a near-deserted venue, with rows of empty tables set for guests who never materialised.

Gray, who posts under the handle @grayanxiety, along with their spouse Nyx, were flooded with messages of sympathy from furious viewers after saying: "We cancelled our sparkler send off, private dance, dinner... cut entire reception short. Been in tears for hours over this."

They subsequently uploaded additional clips displaying the numerous positive RSVPs the couple had received and their reaction to the crushing letdown.

One particularly poignant video showed Iowa native, Gray with smudged, tear-streaked makeup alongside the words: "We literally sat in the empty ceremony room together and cried."

Another comment added: "I spent so much trying to make this enjoyable for everyone. I have magnets and soap gifts made for everyone... and I have so much left. Nyx made spell jars and we were up until 2:30 this morning trying to make this enjoyable for everyone.

"Most of my money was spent on things for the guests... and almost no one showed. Looking at our magnets makes me bawl... I can't even use my custom made soap samples because that makes me cry too. Why didn't they show up? I spent so much f*****g time trying to make everyone feel included."

They went on: "The DJ also 'felt so bad [that] he made us use the photobooth I hadn't touched and took pics together," and shared that they'd even stumbled during their first dance.

The substantial cost of the wedding left the pair in financial difficulty.

They posted: "I can't afford our own food after I got fired and not even half attended. I'm devastated."

Several kind-hearted followers offered to buy wedding presents for the couple to compensate for those they'd missed out on.

Many TikTok users sympathised with Gray and Nyx's predicament.

One person said: "It was a beautiful ceremony and those didn't show up, it's their loss," whilst another said: "Our table loved the soaps and spell jars. Our little trinkets. I'll take more, they're so cute and I appreciated even having little gifts for coming!"

One added: "I hope you cut those people from your life. Don't accept any excuse. If they didn't show up for your best day, they won't show up in your worst day," while another, seemingly a guest at the wedding, commended the couple's resilience, saying: "So blessed to be apart if this day for you, you two are so strong always have been always will be. I love you so much. was an honour standing by you."

Deb, who lives with her 50-year-old husband Nick and two children, Rebecca, now 21, and Sam, 19, said the nurse’s last-minute decision to take bloods that day led to an early diagnosis and even possibly saved her life. While she has relapsed twice from cancer over the years, she has been able to witness many important milestones and has thrown herself into fundraising, with the aim of reaching £250,000 to help fund research into treatments and a cure.

So far, she has raised £248,100 for the charity Myeloma UK – although this figure is likely to be higher as the system is only updated every month – and she is preparing for her final fundraising challenge in May, a cycle from London to Paris, to reach her target. While Deb has experienced survivor’s guilt and even felt like a “fraud” for outliving the typical prognosis, she said she feels “lucky that (she’s) had 16 years” and wants to give “hope” to others.

“If I think about the friends I’ve lost along the way, and what their families have missed out on, I am remarkably lucky to have a slower and less aggressive form of myeloma,” Deb told PA Real Life. “I’ve seen my kids hit their major birthdays, I’ve watched my son with his girlfriend and my daughter becoming a paramedic, and you just think, those were things I could only have dreamt of when I first got that diagnosis. I am really lucky and really blessed to have seen them through all of that.”

Prior to her diagnosis, in 2009, Deb was an active mother-of-two who worked in Human Resources (HR) – and with her children being two and four at the time, she was ready to “kickstart (her) family”. It was only when she started experiencing a persistent sore throat that everything changed.

“It felt like a golf ball in my throat and I was wiped out from it every month, so I went to the GP,” Deb said. “The nurse said, ‘We’ll do a throat swab and if that comes back negative and you’re still having the sore throats, we’ll send for bloods’.

“Then, just before I left, she said, ‘Actually, do you know what? We’ll just send your bloods off now anyway’.”

Deb said this split-second decision to take bloods that day led to an “early diagnosis that (she) might not have had otherwise”. After further testing, including scans and a bone marrow biopsy, it was confirmed in July 2009 that Deb had smouldering myeloma – an early form of the blood cancer – aged 34. Feeling “totally shellshocked”, as doctors initially told her she was “too young” to be diagnosed with the condition, she started doing her own research and came across life expectancy statistics.

“At the time, there wasn’t much information from the UK, most of it was from the US, but it was saying two to five years’ life expectancy,” she said. “So, then there was that whole fear and emotion of not seeing your children grow up, not getting old with Nick – all the things that we had plans for and were a no-brainer in our heads were suddenly up in the air.”

About a year later, Deb’s myeloma progressed to active cancer and she was put on the Myeloma XI trial in 2010, which included chemotherapy. However, during that year, Deb said she threw herself into fundraising as she “needed to take control of something”, and she first completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks with her family and friends. She said she did feel “morbid” at times, playing sad songs and even choosing her funeral list, but when she connected with other patients via Myeloma UK’s support network, this helped change her perspective.

“There were two women in particular who, sadly, aren’t with us anymore,” Deb said. “But at the time, they were really instrumental in helping me realise that I could still have a life and have myeloma, that I could still have a number of years ahead of me.”

Deb received her first stem cell transplant in July 2011 and was then placed on maintenance chemotherapy, which she said kept her in “partial remission” for eight years. While there was the “fear in the back of (her) head” about relapsing, Deb continued to focus on fundraising, organising events such as a “glitz and glamour ball” that raised more than £30,000.

Speaking about other fundraisers, Deb said: “I then did 40 challenges before I was 40, including reading 40 books, doing a pub crawl around 40 pubs in 40 hours and eating 40 Brussels sprouts in four minutes. Then I did £50,000 before I was 50, but in the middle, I did other things like a food and wine tasting event, which raised about £11,000 and silent discos and auctions.”

According to Myeloma UK, myeloma follows a relapsing-remitting pattern, where successful treatment can bring the myeloma into remission, but it is likely it will come back again. For Deb, she said she relapsed in 2019 and underwent her second stem cell transplant in September 2020, before relapsing again in November 2024.

She was given a new maintenance treatment in December 2024, which she is still receiving, and while she has had some “blips” and hospital admissions along the way, she is still continuing with fundraising. She is currently preparing for her second London to Paris cycling challenge in May, where she will be joined by family, her consultant, two of her clinical research nurses, the wife of a patient who recently died and other patients and friends. During this time, she is also hoping to step away from work to enjoy quality time with her family.

“My husband’s about to take some time out so that we can make some memories and not wait until it’s too late,” she said. “I think we would like to see a bit of Europe, and for Nick’s 50th birthday, we’ve got a few gifts of meals out or afternoon tea. It will be nice to have time as well to support the kids without trying to split time between work and treatment, so we can make the priorities the right ones.”

Deb said she has had lots of time to “reflect” since her diagnosis, and she often wonders what might have happened if that blood test did not take place. However, as she approaches 17 years since her diagnosis in July, she feels “grateful” as she did not think she would “have this much time”. She wants to continue raising awareness of myeloma and to encourage others to “listen to (their) body and be their own advocate”.

“The whole journey with myeloma has been a rollercoaster for everyone, but what’s nice is there is a community out there… and they help you remember that you’re not alone,” she said. “I’d say to others, try and think positively where you can, because no matter what you read, I like to think that stories like mine show that there is always hope.”

To find out more or to donate, visit Deb’s latest fundraising page at ride.myeloma.org.uk/deb-gascoyne or visit Myeloma UK’s website at www.myeloma.org.uk

In a landmark case, she is among five British families suing TikTok for the alleged wrongful deaths of their children. In an interview with The Mirror, Ms Roome, from Cheltenham, said she believes that her son would be proud of the battle she is waging on his behalf and for other children.

She said: "I think this has always been about trying to get answers for my son, but it's become a bigger picture. So it's not just my son.

"Now I've met these other parents, and I have met newly bereaved parents, it has become a bigger picture about making a difference for children all over the world. This is not a UK problem. It's a global problem."

TikTok maintains that it can no longer retrieve the watch or search history from Jools's social media account, as it is legally obliged to erase individuals' personal data, reports the Mirror.

Ms Roome has accused TikTok of lacking morals and suggested that the social media platform might have something to "hide", given its refusal to disclose the data. She added: "It's ridiculous that we've got to go across the pond to try and sue for our children's data when we're in England. It's crazy, but the English system isn't set up to be able to sue properly. It's ridiculous."

She said: "They have no morals. They don't seem interested in us as parents. If they had nothing to hide, why would they not just say: 'Here you go, parents, here's your child's social media data. I hope you get some answers.' The fact that they won't give us our children's data, to me, says, well, what are you hiding? Why wouldn't you release it?".

Jools was discovered unconscious in his bedroom in April 2022. An inquest into his death concluded that he took his own life. The coroner stated that it was unlikely he intended to do so but the exact circumstances remained unclear.

Ms Roome, who has been striving since 2024 for answers about her son's death, shared: "It's draining. It's emotionally exhausting. As a group of parents, we just want answers as to why our children aren't here, and we shouldn't have to fight so hard."

The lawsuit, which was filed last year and will have a significant hearing on Friday, alleges that Jools, Isaac Kenevan, 13, Archie Battersbee, 12, Maia Walsh, 13, and Noah Gibson, 11, died while attempting the so-called "blackout challenge".

This viral challenges encourages participants to choke themselves until they lose consciousness. TikTok - owned by Chinese parent company ByteDance - maintains that the challenge has been banned on its platform since 2020. Ms Roome explained that the families are pursuing legal action in Delaware because ByteDance is registered there.

She said that Friday's hearing concerns a motion to dismiss, with TikTok attempting to have the case struck out on the grounds it should have been filed in the UK. Should this fail, the lawsuit will move to the discovery phase, during which TikTok may be legally required to hand over internal documents and the children's account information. This process could take years.

Archie was found unconscious at his family's home in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on April 7, 2022. A coroner concluded he died as a result of a "prank or experiment" gone wrong and did not discount the possibility he was participating in online challenges.

Maia was found dead at her Hertfordshire home – just days before her 14th birthday – in October 2022. It is believed she accidentally took her own life after viewing self-harm content on TikTok. An inquest into her death has said its focus will be on TikTok.

Another boy, Isaac, was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of their Essex home in March 2022. His heartbroken mother suspects he was attempting a TikTok "choking" challenge when he died.

Earlier this month, Ms Roome wrote online that the four original families who brought the lawsuit would be joined by the mum of Noah Gibson, 11, whose story has not been reported publicly. In addition to the US legal action, Ms Roome is advocating in the UK for Jools' Law, a proposed measure demanding that a child's online data be immediately preserved following their death. "

When a child dies, the data should be preserved so it's immediately there as it forms evidence to what happened to the child," she stated. "If we can change the law in the UK so that it preserves the data, the rest of the world is going to start looking at the UK and saying: 'Well, look at what the UK has done.' I think Jools would be looking down very proud."

Baroness Beeban Kidron has proposed an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, currently under consideration in Parliament, calling for automatic data preservation following a child's death. The amendment is set to be debated later this month.

Speaking to The Mirror, the crossbench peer said: "Officials and governments have let these families down - they must make it automatic and they must listen to the experience of families. For the state to let you down when you are at the worst moment when your child has died - is cruelty upon tragedy."

She noted that the Government seems "sympathetic" to her demands, but added: "I don't want feelings. I want action.

"My frustration has turned to anger that those entrusted with the safety and security of UK citizens - go home every night to their families, go on holiday, have Christmas and birthdays - but are so cavalier about the pain of those who have lost children," she expressed.

"My faith in the system has been sorely tried by this issue, multiple governments, multiple ministers and multiple regulators - and not one - has simply said - 'this must be done so I will do it' - it is the only reasonable answer."

A spokesperson for TikTok said: "Our deepest sympathies remain with these families. We strictly prohibit content that promotes or encourages dangerous behaviour. Using robust detection systems and dedicated enforcement teams to proactively identify and remove this content, we remove 99% that's found to break these rules before it is reported to us. As a company, we comply with the UK's strict data protection laws."

The 32-year-old says she was sitting with a colleague when an older woman came over and put the note on their table - saying it was "for you". The double-sided note, written in green ink on torn paper, read: “Hi, I don’t know if you are aware; your voice, volume of, has been overwhelming to us.

“We have been unable to have a conversation as we cannot hear each other. However, we have heard every word of your conversation – we now know the names of your cats. This is a space for more than yourself and unfortunately we have had to leave. Something to think about.”

Paulina said: “I was, of course, mortified, as everyone would be, I think. It’s like a nightmare situation.”

However, she admits she can see the funny side. She continued: “It’s really funny, some people said it sounds like a threat – ‘I know the name of your cats’. It was a small café, very small – the size of the average living room in a semi-detached house.

“There were people in the corner. Some people said: ‘were they not giving you death stares?’ No, I believe they weren’t talking when I came in. I was meeting a co-worker, we were just chatting. I think that was the only part of the conversation I was loud for. I’m actually a teacher, so my theory is I was still in teacher mode with my voice not being quite an indoor voice, I do reflect on myself as well.

“It’s OK to let someone know if they’re being disruptive – for example, parents letting children play really loud sounds on their tablets, and I know for them it’s probably white noise. Maybe they were afraid to approach me, but I don’t think I’m a threatening person. The content of our conversation was about cats and then we were just chatting about work, it wasn’t like a gossip session or anything like that.”

Describing the person who handed her the note, Paulina said: “I think they looked like the type of person you’d expect to have this kind of handwriting – an older British lady. Some people said the cursive looked American, but I think the content is more British.”

The south-east Londoner, who is originally from Poland, said the owner of the café – which she does not want to name – was baffled following the incident. She said: “The owner came up to our table asking ‘do you know those people?’ I did want to ask him ‘was I really loud’, but that puts him in a really awkward situation, he wouldn’t want to say it.

“But he volunteered that information – he seemed really shocked. He was working on his laptop and he said he didn’t even hear us. It was very strange.”

Despite her experience, Paulina, who previously lived in Liverpool with her husband, says she has had many positive interactions with strangers in the nation’s capital. She said: “Even on the day when I got the note, I was looking at the Tube map and a lady approached me asking ‘hey, do you know where you’re going?’

“I’ve had so much positivity from this city, so I really don’t want it to sound like I just moved to London and hate it. I really don’t subscribe to the ‘rude Londoner’ experience, I think people are really, really lovely and we do feel welcome in the city.”

Those are the words of Louise Prashad, one of more than 180 people who wrote to Pulse Media to share their birth stories, after we covered the stories of three women who had suffered traumatic maternity experiences.

Almost all the people who wrote in – more than 90% of the accounts we analysed – said they felt ignored or not listened to at some point by the healthcare workers who they had put their faith in during one of the most intimate and significant moments in their lives.

More than four in five listed staff behaviour that was actively detrimental. For example, staff shouting at them or physically assaulting them in response to making loud noises during childbirth, or in one case telling a new mother not to ring the help bell for a couple of hours because there was a big football match on.

More than two thirds of people who wrote to us said they have had long-term mental trauma as a result of their childbirth experiences, while almost half said their babies were harmed as a result of what happened to them. 

Property developer Samuel Leeds, 34, made the decision to withdraw his three eldest children - aged eight, seven and five - from mainstream education after growing increasingly concerned about the absence of financial and business education in their curriculum. The dad-of-four dedicated six months to creating the 600sq foot school in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire and now employs two full-time teachers whilst also teaching finance himself.

He teaches 12 pupils in total - his own four children, alongside Samuel's brother and sister's kids. Samuel, who operates a highly successful property development enterprise, claims the project has saved the parents £66,000 compared to the £216,000 expense of private school fees for all the children, reports the Mirror.

Samuel said: "I became frustrated with the school system, because it's rigid and oppressive and they don't teach you anything about business or finance. I think the whole system is flawed, because you're either told if you're smart you go to university, or if you're not you do manual labour.

"But there's also a third option, starting your own business and becoming an entrepreneur. I dropped out of school at 16 thinking I was stupid, and I had no aspiration, but then I realised I had what it takes to be successful in business"

"Rather than complain about the schooling system, I decided to do something about it, and built my own school in the garden. We hired two teachers, one for English and one for maths, and I teach financial literacy and critical thinking.

"My brother and sister's kids go to the school as well, so there's 12 kids in total, and I'm planning on creating a curriculum for parents that homeschool. The kids love it, and ironically, it actually costs us less to employ the teachers, than it would to send them all to private school."

Samuel, alongside his wife Amanda, 33, first made the decision to construct their garden school in late 2023, beginning the process of securing planning permission for a classroom on their property. Following approval, they dedicated the following six months to building the compact school, which features a single classroom.

Construction was finalised in April 2024, with Samuel's three eldest children starting at the school in January 2025. The youngsters are joined by their eight cousins, aged between five and 11, whilst Samuel's youngest child, aged one, will enrol when they reach the appropriate age.

He intends to continue their education at the school until they reach 18, adding that they will still sit formal examinations including GCSEs.

Samuel argued that the present education system is "flawed", noting that "people are finishing university, and they're struggling to get even a job." He also took issue with rigid school regulations, such as pupils needing permission to use the toilet and being reprimanded for errors.

"Making mistakes is how you succeed", he said.

According to Samuel, his school stands apart from conventional institutions because his teachers encourage children to be "curious about the subject", instead of simply drilling them to memorise information for examinations.

The school also provides the family with the freedom to travel at will. He explained: "If we want to take them out of school, we don't have to ask. We've got a home in Dubai and one in Zimbabwe, so we can take the kids there and continue teaching them. They learn so much more coming to Dubai for a three-day business trip than they would in a classroom at school."

Samuel said he gets messages from parents every day, who say that they would happily move to Beaconsfield, so that their kids can attend his innovative school.

Samuel added that, although this wasn't his intention, he has actually ended up saving money by building the school, as employing two full time teachers is far cheaper than sending all 12 pupils to a £18,000 a year private school.

He said: "The costs of private school are astronomical, and they don't even learn anything about business there. We didn't do this to save money, but it has actually worked out a lot cheaper."

Nevertheless, neighbours can sometimes exploit your generosity, which can become rather irritating. One woman found herself furious with her neighbour after he repeatedly had parcels delivered to her address. Making the situation even more frustrating, he made absolutely no attempt to collect them.

She told Mumsnet's 'Am I Being Unreasonable' forum: "It's not the first time. It's just ramping up closer to Christmas, and I'm annoyed. Over the last fortnight, we have had several parcels for him which he never comes to collect, so either my husband or I end up taking them over just to get them out of the house.

"Last Friday, my husband took one over (I told him not to!) as it had been with us for three days. I made a point of asking the postman if he gets notified when we have his parcels, and was told he does."

This irritated her further. So when her daughter ended up delivering another parcel to him several days afterwards, she was absolutely livid.

The mum continued: "She said the postman just passed it to her whilst half asking and telling and walked off, so it took her by surprise."

However, this has resulted in a "huge box in the hall" – and the Mumsnet user was firm that no one would be delivering it to him. She vented: "If he wants it, he can bloody well walk a couple of steps to get it!".

The frustrated neighbour added: "Just for context, he is not physically disabled or elderly. He is always coming and going (we've seen him leave and come back to the house several times today, so he could easily have knocked! ) I refuse to hand it to him!

"Am I being unreasonable to just keep it until he comes to get it? I'm being stubborn, but he's taking the p*** now, and we're not his personal depot!

"My husband says we should take it over on the weekend if he's not knocked, but I say no, or he'll keep just assuming we'll bring it to him like his own personal assistants..

"I'm willing to keep it forever at this point just to prove a point because, yes, I am that petty".

In the comments section, one person suggested leaving a note might solve the issue, writing: "I would post a note through his door saying he has 24 hours to collect, or you'll be sending it back to sender, and you're not his parcel holding area".

Another advised: "Just have a word with everyone in your house, making sure they know not to take in any more parcels, and sticking something on your door saying the same. For this parcel, stick it outside his house, and if it gets rained on or stolen, tough luck."

However, some believed the tirade was an overblown response. They suggested that he might not have been aware of the extent to which he was causing inconvenience.

They wrote: "I think it's really odd, the things that make people cross. I have safe places set up for all the delivery companies, but they don't always use them and sometimes go to a neighbour.

"Yes, they notify me by email, but I don't often have any reason to check my emails, so sometimes I won't realise a neighbour has my parcel until I start wondering why my delivery hasn't turned up. Hold onto it or take it around, but don't waste so much energy on it."

I grew up in Newport, but walking into Tredegar House this week for its new 500 Years of Christmas event felt like stepping not just into the city’s past, but my own. With more than 100 decorated trees, thousands of lights and rooms transformed to reflect centuries of festive traditions, the house becomes a journey through time - one that feels strangely personal when you’ve known the place all your life.

Each space has been styled to represent a different era of Christmas at Tredegar House, from Tudor banquets and Victorian parlours to 1950s schooldays and 1980s nostalgia.

Moving between them, I found echoes of my childhood , reminding me of when I visited or the first time around 15 years ago as part of a primary school trip.

To be honest, returning to the house actually made me quite upset that I had not visited sooner. It is an incredible piece of history, right on our doorstep. I wondered how I ever left it so long to return here.

As you travel through the rooms, there is so much information about its history, and lots of volunteers who will tell you everything you might want to know about the house and the Morgan family, who called Tredegar House home for centuries. 

Tredegar House isn’t just any old building. The mansion we see today was built in red brick between 1664 and 1672, during the Restoration era — making it one of the finest surviving 17th‑century country houses in Britain.

Its roots go back even further: a medieval manor once stood on the site, and some traces of that earlier age remain.

For over five centuries, the estate belonged to the powerful and influential Morgan family (later known as the Lords Tredegar), who shaped much of the social, economic and political life of South East Wales.

Over generations, the house and its lands expanded — at one point spanning tens of thousands of acres — and played a significant role during the Industrial Age, when parts of the estate were leased for coal mining and iron works.

One of the most colourful figures in the house’s story was Evan Morgan, 2nd Viscount Tredegar (1893–1949). Educated at Eton and Oxford, Morgan was a poet, artist, mystic and soldier who inherited the family estate in the early 20th century.

Known for his flamboyant lifestyle, he hosted wild parties at Tredegar House, attracting artists, writers and high-society figures. His eccentric menagerie reportedly included a kangaroo, exotic birds, and even a honey bear.

Morgan was also a Roman Catholic convert and held a position in the Papal household as Chamberlain of the Sword and Cape.

Despite his cultural and social influence, the upkeep of Tredegar House and the financial pressures of inheritance left the estate’s future uncertain. When Evan Morgan died in 1949 without heirs, the direct Morgan line at Tredegar ended.

The house soon took on a very different role. In 1951, the property was sold to the Catholic Church and converted into St Joseph’s Convent School, a girls’ boarding school run by the Sisters of St. Joseph.

The transition marked a dramatic shift from aristocratic grandeur to religious education.

Many of the house’s original furnishings and artworks were sold or relocated, some eventually finding their way into museums, including St Fagans National Museum of History.

The convent school operated for a couple of decades before the estate passed to Newport Borough Council in 1974. After years of restoration, the house came under the care of National Trust Cymru in 2012 and has since reopened to the public, interpreted as a living record of its centuries of history.

Walking through the house you can still sense its layered history — beautiful gilt rooms, carved woodwork, elegant plaster ceilings, and opulent interiors that recall the changing tastes of centuries past.

During my visit this week, the festive decorations made it feel like the house had become a time capsule.

But the magic isn’t limited to the house. The gardens, too, have been transformed: at night they glow under thousands of lights that frame ancient archways and pathways.

Even the cafés - warmed up with seasonal treats and festive décor - add to the sense that the entire estate has been wrapped in Christmas spirit.

Lizzie Smith Jones, general manager of National Trust Cymru in south east Wales, explained that the aim was to celebrate not just the season, but the long heritage of Tredegar House. “We’re inviting everyone to discover the stories and customs that have shaped Christmas here for generations.”

The event runs on selected dates through December - including late‑night openings, visits from Father Christmas and even a 'Twixmas' window between Christmas and New Year.

For me, the visit was more than festive fun - it was a walk through living history. Tredegar House has always been part of Newport’s identity, but seeing it dressed for Christmas, layered with centuries of memory and tradition, felt deeply moving.