3 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Maura Higgins goes makeup-free as she runs errands after I’m A Celeb return and reuniting with Pete Wicks
I’M A Celebrity star Maura Higgins has proved that less is really Maur after displaying her natural beauty by going makeup free.
Former Love Island star Maura – who has recently jetted back from the jungle following her successful appearance on I’m A Celeb – was spotted running errands and looking au natural.
Click News and MediaMaura rocked the bare-faced look beautifully[/caption]
Click News and MediaThe star stunned fans with her natural beauty as she ran errands[/caption]
Click News and MediaMaura appeared au natural and fresh-faced while out shopping[/caption]
The 34-year-old beauty wore her curly hair half-up half-down – and then in a messy bun – and looked comfy while rocking a black leather jacket and white tracksuit bottoms.
Irish star Maura was joined by a friend as she relaxed on the day out in Chingford, Essex.
She accessorised with black Ugg boots and a designer handbag as she made her way through the town.
The brunette bombshell was in good spirits as she got back into the swing of life following her brutal experience in the Aussie jungle.
The star has been seen enjoying more time with Essex lad, Pete Wicks.
Strictly star Pete reunited with Maura less 24 hours after she landed back in the UK.
Maura confirmed her romance with Strictly star Pete, 36, during her time in the I’m a Celebrity jungle after months of speculation.
After her exit, she seen asking her pal about his Strictly progress as she says: “Is Pete still in the show?”
She later added: “If you’re missing someone, you’re missing someone and it comes out. And I do, I miss him. Yeah, I really do miss him.”
Pete and Maura were snapped snogging earlier this year and she opened up about the photos during a chat with campmate GK Barry.
She said: “Well we’ve already been papped, tongues down each other’s necks and we had no idea!
Speaking in the I’m A Celebrity camp with Oti Mabuse, Maura said: “Yeah, we’ve known each other since five years and never once…”
She continued: “He would always say, ‘Oh no, like, we are gonna go on a date somewhere’.
“And I’d be like, we’re actually not. And I was deadly serious, we’re actually not. You’re delusional.”
When asked what changed her mind, Maura revealed: “He wouldn’t give up. And then I was like, ‘Oh fine’.
“I brought my friends with me, and I was like, see it’s a friendship date. And then the next time I went, just me.”
Moving onto what their first date was like, Maura revealed it was no low key affair as she said: “We went out for oysters and wine. Yeah, come on. It was super nice.”
When asked if she and Pete have fun, a coy Maura smiled: “Yeah, a lot of fun. We just dial up 24/7 with each other. We’ve got the very same humour.”
SplashThe I’m A Celeb star and Strictly’s Pete are dating[/caption]
Click News and MediaThe I’m A Celeb star looked comfy and glowing hanging out with a friend[/caption]
Click News and MediaMaura looked casual in a leather jacket and tracksuit bottoms[/caption]
Click News and MediaReality star Maura was seen in Essex enjoying downtime with a friend[/caption]
Click News and MediaThe makeup free beauty was busy doing jobs before Christmas[/caption]
RexA glammed up Maura looks equally stunning[/caption]
RexMaura gained a legion of fans since her appearance on the ITV show[/caption]
3 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Britain’s best cars for going the distance revealed with most spacious motor holding up to SIXTEEN suitcases in boot
BRITAIN’s most spacious cars have been revealed – and the winner can hold up to sixteen suitcases in its boot.
It was the Volkswagen ID Buzz that took the crown, with a trunk big enough to carry several families’ luggage at once.
PAThe Volkswagen ID Buzz has taken top spot in the list of the biggest car boots on the market[/caption]
GettyThe Range Rover comes in second place on the list[/caption]
VWThe Volkswagen ID Buzz has 1,121 litres of capacity in the boot[/caption]
The family EV has a whopping boot capacity of 1,121 litres – which increases to 2,205 litres if you fold the rear bench flat.
The impressive boot also has a removable shelf that can be used when the back seats are collapsed.
The Buzz, which comes at a steep £59,000 when new, is available in five- and seven-seater versions.
As well as its enormous boot, the main car is big enough that you can walk between the front seats – with the rear seats accessed via sliding electric doors.
The Range Rover comes second in the list compiled by What Car? – with a boot capacity of 1,093 litres, translating to 10 suitcases.
The boot also features a split-folding tailgate and a raising platform that helps you pack bags into the back without bending over.
But, at north of £100,000 when new, the iconic motor’s elite storage capabilities don’t come cheap.
Next on the list is Tesla‘s £45,000 Model Y – with 971 litres of boot storage.
The trunk also comes complete with a parcel shelf, electric tailgate, and convenient level load floor.
The electric five-seater SUV also has foldable rear seats – which free up tonnes more boot space when collapsed.
Land Rover’s Discovery comes in at a respectable fourth place – with a capacity of 922 litres.
But this can increase massively depending on how many seats are erect – with a huge 2,406 litres of storage space when only the front seats are up.
The seven-seater comes to about £60,000 when new.
And the final motor in the top five is Skoda‘s Kodiaq – with 910 litres of boot space.
This is the most affordable wagon on the list so far, with a respectable price tag of £33,885.
The five-seater took third place in a “7-seater class reliability survey” by What Car?.
While stalwarts like Volkswagen and Land Rover feature again towards the bottom of the top 16, smaller brands like South Korea‘s Kia also make an appearance.
And high-end brands like Porsche and Mercedes feature on the list too – alongside Audi, Peugeot, Volvo and BMW.
3 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on My husband forced me to write sick ‘good wife’ rules, banned me from speaking & eating over 750cals…before brutal attack
Laying helplessly on the floor, mother-of-four Joanna Hinchcliffe was convinced she was going to die as her husband, Adrian Geary, repeatedly stamped on her head and dragged her by her hair like a rag doll.
The brave 37-year-old, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, had suffered four years of control and violence at the hands of Geary, 36.
HotSpot MediaAdrian Geary controlled and abused Joanna until she felt he would eventually kill her[/caption]
HotSpot MediaShe suffered horrific injuries including a broken nose and bruises all over her body[/caption]
HotSpot MediaJoanna started writing notes focusing on how to be a good wife to Geary[/caption]
As well as frequent horrific physical assaults, Joanna was required to abide by a list of sick rules, including only speaking when spoken to, with Geary ‘punishing’ her if she broke them.
She wasn’t even allowed to sleep in their bed while on her period, instead he forced her to sleep on the sofa.
But his vicious attack in March this year saw Joanna bravely report him to the police.
Geary admitted attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Last month, he was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison, with a further four years on licence, at Leeds Crown Court.
Now, Joanna is speaking out to help other survivors of domestic abuse.
She says: “I’ve been left haunted by the damage that Adrian did to me. But I’m determined to use my experience to help others. I’ve been given a second chance at life and I won’t waste it.”
Joanna met Geary in March 2020 through mutual friends.
Their relationship progressed quickly, with him moving in after just a couple of weeks of dating when Covid-19 hit.
Joanna says: “Adrian was amazing and treated my one-year-old son like his own.”
HotSpot MediaJoanna says Adrian was “amazing” when they first met just before the Covid-19 pandemic[/caption]
Joanna Hinchcliffe endured years of horrific domestic abuse at the hands of her ex husbandHotSpot MediaHotSpot MediaGeary caused her horrific injuries like this one where he forced their bedroom door into her foot[/caption]
In June of that year, Geary proposed to Joanna. But it wasn’t long before he started to change.
In August, during an argument, Geary forced their bedroom door into Joanna’s foot, causing a nasty wound to her toe.
Joanna says: “He said it was an accident and I believed him.”
In March 2021, Joanna and Geary married in a small ceremony with just two witnesses. But immediately after, his abuse escalated.
Joanna explains: “I spent every day trying to please him, yet I was nothing but his slave. There were so many rules that I had to obey, like only speaking when spoken to.
“He put me down so much that I started restricting myself to 750 calories per day. He’d even force me to make him a coffee in the middle of the night.
I spent every day trying to please him, yet I was nothing but his slave. There were so many rules that I had to obey, like only speaking when spoken to.
Joanna Hinchliffe
“It got to the point where he wouldn’t even allow me to go to bed on my period. His rules constantly changed, making it confusing and impossible to keep up with.”
Eventually, Joanna felt obliged to write notes on ‘how to be a good wife’.
If she accidentally broke Geary’s rules, he’d ‘punish’ her, in the form of physical violence or withholding affection.
Joanna says: “By the summer of 2021, he’d isolated me from everyone. I had nobody to turn to.”
‘He was going to kill me’
HotSpot MediaGeary gave her black eyes by punching her in her face[/caption]
HotSpot MediaJoanna’s work colleagues begun noticing her injuries[/caption]
In September that year, the couple were on a caravan holiday in North Yorkshire, when they started arguing. Geary punched Joanna in the nose, causing two black eyes.
She remembers: “When we got home, I called in sick to work. When I eventually went in, I tried to cover my bruises, but my colleague noticed.
“I told him I’d hit my nose on the corner of the table. He took me to a pharmacist, who said I’d suffered a broken nose.”
Two months later in December, during another violent outburst, Geary punched and stomped on Joanna’s ribs.
Joanna remembers: “I felt my ribs snap. I begged him to take me to hospital but he refused. The pain was horrible and I couldn’t move for weeks.”
Joanna says Geary used anything he could find as a weapon, from coke cans to phones and remote controls.
She was constantly covered in bruises from where he’d attacked her.
Joanna says: “I desperately wanted to leave the marriage, but Adrian convinced me that if I did, my kids would be taken away from me.”
In March 2022, Joanna’s mother suddenly passed away aged 59, but Geary gave her just three days to grieve, claiming that he ‘didn’t want to see her upset’.
Then, in September of that year, Geary strangled Joanna while they were in Gran Canaria on their belated honeymoon.
HotSpot MediaJoanna was coerced into writing these notes[/caption]
West Yorkshire PoliceGeary was jailed for his attacks on Joanna[/caption]
Joanna says: “I thought he was going to kill me.”
The following year, in April 2023, another horrific assault saw Geary repeatedly punch Joanna to the head, causing a deep gash.
Joanna managed to ring Geary’s dad, who came and removed him from the home. She fled in a taxi to Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, where plastic surgeons stitched her up.
HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
Always keep your phone nearby.
Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
If you are in danger, call 999.
Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Joanna says: “Back home, Adrian blamed me for drawing attention to myself. By now, he wouldn’t let me go anywhere, and nobody could come into our home.”
In March this year, Geary spent the day playing pool with friends.
When he returned home at 11:15pm, he pulled Joanna’s hair, before punching her in the face.
Joanna says: “He finally let go and I told my children that we were going to grandad’s. I knew we needed to get out of the house.
“But Adrian heard me and started punching and stamping on my face.”
Geary dragged Joanna around the floor by her hair and smashed her head on the TV in her son’s room.
He then pulled her onto the landing and repeatedly stamped on her face, before smashing her head on the top step of the stairs.
Joanna says: “By some miracle, he let go and I told my children to go to our neighbour’s house.”
Geary called the police to report his attack, but claimed it had never happened before. Officers attended and while some arrested Geary, others rushed Joanna to hospital.
There, she had a CT scan, which confirmed she’d suffered concussion.
He finally let go and I told my children that we were going to grandad’s. I knew we needed to get out of the house. But Adrian heard me and started punching and stamping on my face
Joanna Hincliffe
In September, Geary admitted attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
In November, he was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison, with a further four years on licence, at Leeds Crown Court.
Joanna says: “I’ve heard he’s in a category C prison, which I think is a joke given how dangerous he is. But I’m so grateful to the emergency services who have helped me.
“I want other survivors to know that there is support out there, and that there is a way out.
“I genuinely thought Adrian would kill me.”
HotSpot MediaJoanna is still scarred by her experience[/caption]
HotSpot MediaIn September, Joanna’s ex was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison[/caption]
HotSpot MediaThe attacks on Joanna made her belief she was going to die[/caption]
GettyMichael van Gerwen dropped a hint for Luke Litter’s first opponent at the World Darts Championship[/caption]
GettyLittler kicks off his Ally Pally campaign o Saturday from 9pm[/caption]
RexLittler takes on barber Ryan Meikle[/caption]
But three-time champ Van Gerwen, 35, does not share the same enthusiasm.
In told his post-match press conference on Friday night: “I see him every week, why would I care? Who is he playing?
“Ryan is a good player. Ryan is quite a slow player so maybe we could have a surprise.”
Meikle sits 58 places below him in the world rankings.
Meikle has already faced a scare at the Ally Pally in his opening match 3-2 victory against Queen of the Palace Fallon Sherrock.
Away from the oche, the 28-year-old from Ipswich sees him work as barber in Suffolk.
Speaking ahead of their match-up, Meikle appeared slightly awestruck at the prospect of playing Littler.
He told BBC Suffock: “There’ll be millions tuning in just to watch his game and I’m going to be a part of it.
“I’m going to feel honoured just to be up there with him.
“Obviously I need to play a lot better than I did in the first round but being up there once now – the first round is always the hardest – hopefully I’ll relax a bit more and play my best game.
3 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Boxing beard rules: Should Tyson Fury’s be banned after Usyk complaint?
TYSON FURY will be out for revenge TONIGHT as he faces Ukrainian heavy-hitter in a blockbuster Riyadh rematch – but his beard could be a problem.
The Gypsy King has been sporting a full beard since he arrived in Saudi which was most noticeable on Friday’s weigh-in where he tipped the scales at a staggering
AFPTyson Fury has been sporting a bushy beard[/caption]
And there has been a row in Usyk’s camp who insist that it should be trimmed as they believe it could be used as an advantage during the fight.
Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk was most vocal about this and has even pointed to WBC’s regulations to support his argument.
Even claiming that they’ll push things “further” if needs be despite the thrilling heavyweight clash just being HOURS away.
Fury vs Usyk 2 - top stories
READ MORE on all the build-up to the blockbuster fight in Riyadh..
Should Tyson Fury’s beard be banned after Usyk’s complaint?
According to WBC’s regulations, the length of a boxer’s beard is at the discretion of the commission and the supervisor.
This was explained on Sky Sports by Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk where he said: “Beard rule is grossly violated.
“WBC rules clearly say: ‘A boxer may spouse a trimmed beard and/or moustache as long as, in the discretion of the commission and the supervisor, the facial hair thickness does not: (1) cushion or in any way affect the impact or trajectory of punches; or (2) cause cuts or abrasions to his rival.’
“So, Tyson’s beard has to be trimmed. We will push it further.”
What is the final verdict?
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman disputed Krassyuk’s interpretation and quickly dismissed the promoter’s beard argument.
Sulaiman said: “There’s a regulation and the boxing commission inspected him and there is no issue.
“Mind games. These are the mind games for a big fight.”
What has Oleksandr Usyk said?
Ukrainian mogul Oleksandr Usyk has revealed that he has no concerns about Fury’s lengthy beard.
Speaking to IFL TV, Usyk said: “For me, it does not matter. For me. It does not help Tyson Fury.”
How to watch Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk 2
DAZN PPV, TNT Sports Box Office and Sky Sports Box Office will all be broadcasting Usyk vs Fury once again.
The cost to purchase the PPV on TNT and DAZN is £24.99, while the event is priced at £24.95 on Sky Sports.
Usyk vs Fury 2 on TNT Sports Box Office can be watched on discovery+, EE TV, Virgin Media TV and Prime Video.
You do not need to be a TNT Sports subscriber to buy this event.
3 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on ‘Fit and healthy’ dad, 51, died after doctors dismissed his stomach pains as heartburn and he cried ‘no one believes me’
WHEN Rob Horton’s GP dismissed his digestive problems as nothing more sinister than acid reflux brought on by work stress, the dad-of-three took him at his word and soldiered on.
For aged 47, the super-active builder was otherwise healthy and appeared too young to fit the mould of anyone with a more serious condition.
Maria with husband Rob Horton, who died in March 2024Rob and Maria HortonRob and Maria HortonThe dad had been suffering from digestive issues and was later diagnosed with oesophageal cancer[/caption]
Four years on, in March this year, Rob died aged just 51.
Now it’s become his wife Maria’s mission to make sure no one else with similar symptoms is dismissed simply because of their age.
As she gears up for her family’s first Christmas without him, not a day goes by when Maria, 53, doesn’t wish he couldn’t be by her side, or sitting next to her at the dinner table.
She admits: “Rob loved Christmas. He was just a big kid really and I still can’t believe he’s not here.
“It took me ages to put the Christmas lights up this year because that was what he loved to do.
“I’m not sure we can sit around the table eating Christmas dinner.
“We’ll have to eat on our laps because it’s too obvious that Rob is missing.”
She adds: “The GP didn’t see the red flags. He dismissed Rob as having indigestion, saying he was too fit and too young, at 47, to have anything else.
“But cancer doesn’t care how young you are or how fit you are.
“Oesophageal cancer is all too often seen as an older person’s disease, or something that only older people who smoke or drink get.
“But I speak to plenty of people on the forums who have it in their 30s and 40s and don’t do those things.”
The loving couple were married for 29 years and raised three children, Caidan, 28, Rhianna, 25, and Rowan, 22 at their seaside home near Newquay, in Cornwall.
They also doted on their granddaughter, Dorothy, now two, who called Rob “Pingu” because of his love for penguins.
The outdoor-lover first felt something was wrong in June 2019.
Rob showed so many red flags that they should have warranted more testing but doctors accused him of making it up
MariaWife
Maria explains: “He went to the doctor because it felt different when he was eating.
“He described it as feeling like a piece of bread was stuck in his throat, so he kept drinking water to try to wash things down.
“He was also getting a nagging pain in his stomach after eating.”
Despite his symptoms, Rob’s GP dismissed them as minor and attributed them to stress, ruling out anything like cancer because he was under 55, and it seemed so unlikely.
Over eight months, Rob visited the doctor’s surgery at least eight times.
By Christmas 2019, he could barely swallow solid foods and had lost two stone, yet his concerns were repeatedly downplayed.
Maria says: “The first doctor sent him home with some Omeprazole for acid reflux and wrote in his notes that it could be caused by work stress.
“Then all the other GPs he saw just went with the first diagnosis.
“In fact, Rob showed so many red flags that they should have warranted more testing.
“Rob trusted his doctor knew best, but he came out of those appointments so upset.
“He said, ‘They think I’m making this up. I know there’s something wrong, but no one believes me.’”
TIPPING POINT
The tipping point came on Valentine’s Day 2020, when Rob collapsed at home.
“By then, he couldn’t keep anything down, not even water,” Maria recalls.
“He began vomiting what looked like ground coffee – which I now know was dried blood.”
Paramedics took Rob to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.
After extensive tests, Rob was dealt the devastating news that he had oseophageal adenocarcinoma, a rare type of cancer that affects the food pipe and had already reached stage 4A.
Ever the optimist, Rob faced his diagnosis with determination.
Maria says: “He told the doctors, ‘Just do whatever you’ve got to do. Chop it out’, but they explained that surgery was only possible if the tumour could be shrunk first.
“I think I was just in shock because I’d just thought it was a stomach ulcer too.”
The warning signs of oesophageal cancer
OESOPHAGEAL cancer is a cancer of the food pipe.
It affects 9,400 people in the UK every year, and most people are over the age of 60.
Smoking increases your risk of the disease, as does being overweight, drinking alcohol and having conditions like Barrett’s oesophagus, where the cells lining your oesophagus have become abnormal.
Only 12 per cent of patients survive for 10 or more years after being diagnosed.
There are around 8,000 oesophageal cancer deaths in the UK every year – or 22 every day.
Early diagnosis is key, so recognising the symptoms is vital. The most common include:
Difficulty swallowing
Unexplained weight loss
Indigestion or heartburn that doesn’t go away
Pain in the throat or behind the breastbone
But some people also experience a cough, hoarseness, dark poo, tiredness and food coming back up after swallowing.
Source: Cancer Research UK
He started chemotherapy in March 2020, on the same day their youngest son Rowan turned 18.
Maria says: “Rob told Rowan he had to have his first pint at the pub, so I took him down while Rob was having his treatment.
“That was Rob, through and through. Life had to go on and he didn’t want the kids being upset.
“The chemo took it out of him but he never complained.
“We always tried to get to the coast straight after.
“The sea was really healing for Rob. It also gave him a chance to process everything.
“We walked a lot of the coastline he loved.”
Rob loved the outdoors and ‘always lived life to the fullest’Rob and Maria HortonRob and Maria HortonThe dad with Maria, their children, granddaughter, and daughter-in-law[/caption]
Rob was repeatedly told he was too young and healthy to have cancerRob and Maria Horton
Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Rob’s treatment continued uninterrupted.
The chemo worked, shrinking the tumour enough for surgery.
In June 2020, he underwent an eight-hour operation to remove the tumour at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.
Surgeons cut out two-thirds of his oesophagus and a third of his stomach.
Maria remembers: “I dropped him off, not knowing if or when I’d see him again.
“To cope, I stress-painted our front door while waiting for news.”
The surgery was deemed a success, and Rob recovered well, even returning to work in outdoor education.
But in 2021, the cancer returned in two lymph nodes.
‘Rob was all about living life to the fullest’
Knowing it was incurable, Rob focused on his bucket list, visiting Scotland, Wales, and many other places he’d always dreamed of seeing.
“We went to Loch Ness, because obviously Nessie is real,” Maria laughs.
“We went to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo show and saw the puffins on Skomer Island off the coast of West Wales.
“Rob was all about living life to the fullest.”
By late 2022, the cancer had spread further, and Rob began more chemo and palliative radiotherapy.
Maria recalls their dark humour helping them through, especially on Valentine’s Day 2023 when Rob filled out a ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ form.
She says: “He looked at me and said, ‘Well, you told me you wanted to make Valentine’s more memorable,’ and we both started laughing.
“The nurse didn’t know what to do!”
Maria hopes sharing their heartbreaking story will help others surviveRob and Maria HortonRob and Maria HortonRob, a builder, passed away peacefully at home on March 6[/caption]
Rob with his granddaughter Dorothy last ChristmasRob and Maria Horton
Rob’s health declined rapidly in early 2024.
After a final family trip to Portsmouth to see HMS Victory, he became bed-bound.
On March 6, surrounded by Maria, their children, granddaughter Dorothy, and daughter-in-law Alyssa, 25, Rob passed away peacefully at home.
“He had his perfect death because he just wanted to be with us,” Maria says through tears.
“We played his favourite songs – Meatloaf and Passenger. And I read him The Very Hungry Caterpillar because it was a standing joke.
“Whenever someone had a bad day, he’d put an arm around them and read that to them.”
Rob’s ashes are now scattered across some of his favourite places.
It’s too late to help Rob but I hope that sharing my story will help someone else be diagnosed earlier
MariaWife
Maria says: “He’ll still be travelling, seeing every place he loved.”
This Christmas their home will also pay tribute to him.
Maria says: “Shortly before he died, he made me promise to keep putting up the lights.
“He said, ‘You’re not allowed to keep the house in darkness this Christmas.’
“So, I’ve done it. We even bought an eight-foot inflatable penguin because he loved them so much.”
But she can’t shake the thought that earlier intervention could have saved him.
MARIA’S PLEA
“GPs need better training,” Maria says. “The GP was wrong not to send Rob for tests on the two-week cancer pathway.
“I put in a complaint to the NHS. Now new guidelines for that particular GP surgery are followed that remove age from the list when looking at symptoms.
“Oesophageal cancer was previously only flagged if the patient was over 55.
“It’s too late to help Rob but I hope that sharing my story will help someone else be diagnosed earlier.
“If you feel something’s wrong, push for tests. Early diagnosis is key.
“And if your GP won’t listen, find another one because you know your body better than anyone else.
“So if you feel something is getting stuck, if you are losing weight, if you have persistent heartburn, stomach pain, sickness after eating, anything that’s been bothering you for a few weeks, please get to your GP.”
Fiona Labrooy, chief operating officer at the charity Hearturn Cancer UK, adds: “If issues are found early, something can often be done.
“The people we love don’t die too soon.
“They’re at our Christmas dinner tables and our birthday parties.
“By knowing and reacting to the warning signs, people stay alive.”
Rob and Maria HortonRob loved Christmas, and his family face their first without him this year[/caption]
Rob and Maria HortonHe started chemotherapy in March 2020 – the same day their youngest son Rowan turned 18[/caption]
Rob and Maria HortonRob and his daughter-in-law Alyssa[/caption]
Rob and Maria HortonRob visited the doctor’s surgery at least eight times before getting any answers[/caption]
Rob and Maria HortonThe family, from near Newquay in Cornwall[/caption]
3 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Eurovision legend makes bid for Strictly 2025 after quitting group of 43 years
EUROVISION legend Mike Nolan has made a bid for Strictly 2025 after quitting the legendary Eurovision group of 43 years.
The 70-year-old was the lead singer of Bucks Fizz, who won the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest – but now he has hung up his mic after “making up his mind” to leave the group.
RexMike Nolan, Jay Aston, Cheryl Baker, and Bobby G celebrate their Eurovision Song Contest win in 1981[/caption]
Bucks Fizz, a pop group, posed on motorbikes with their gold discs, awarded for their single, Making Your Mind Up, which won EurovisionRexThe Fizz performing Bucks Fizz’s Eurovision Song Contest winning song Making Your Mind Up.[/caption]
The dance routine to the winning song Making Your Mind Up involved the girls whipping off their skirts to reveal shorter ones underneath.
After 43 years, Mike still has all the moves and speaking exclusively to The Sun Online, he said: “I would like to Strictly Come Dancing because we’re a dance vocal group that does routines, but they’re just routines.
“Proper (ballroom) dancing now is real hard work that requires practice to make perfect.
“I have spoken with my agent and watch this space.”
December is a thoughtful time for Mike as he celebrated his 70th birthday earlier this month.
But in less happier thoughts, it was also the 40th anniversary of the horrific crash on in which he and the band were involved.
He slipped into a coma and woke up with brain damage and reduced vision, but he survived.
After much deliberation, 2024 was the year that he decided the time was right to finally quit the group The Fizz – which consisted of original members Jay Aston and Cheryl Baker, playing his last ever gig last month.
He told the Sun Online that he had ‘”served his time in the band” and that many would get less for murder.
He is putting up his feet for the festive break and will spend time with friends and family.
But when the new year comes, he plans to take a holiday before looking for new projects.
He said: “I want to go to the Maldives, where there’s constant sunshine for three weeks.
“I’m looking forward to putting my feet up and doing absolutely nothing. It will be just heaven.
“When I get back, my diary will be clear, and I am so excited because it’s the first time in 43 years that’s been the case.”
I think I would starve as I would hate to eat all that rubbish.
Mike Nolan
However, he has some ideas about what he may like to do with his free time including more TV work.
“The world is still my oyster. I will give anything a try,” he said.
After the Maldives, he may have reason to visit another warm continent – Australia, admitting: “I would love to be on I’m A Celeb.
“But If I had to do a trial, I would panic. I think I would starve as I would hate to eat all that rubbish. But I would have to do it for the team.”
3 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on ‘Christmas cracker from Ally McCoist there’ say fans as TNT Sport commentator rinsed for slip-up live on air
ALLY McCOIST left fans in stitches after a hilarious slip-up during the Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Manchester City.
McCoist, 62, was put on punditry duty by Sky Sports during the early kick-off between the two Prem sides at Villa Park.
Ally McCoist suffered a blip while covering Aston Villa vs Manchester CityPAMcCoist described Jhon Duran’s strike for Aston Villa as ‘one of the goals of the day’Getty
And Villa opened the scoring after just 16 minutes when Morgan Rogers broke through City’s defence and set up Jhon Duran inside the area where he beat Stefan Ortega.
And McCoist left viewers baffled when he described Duran‘s strike as “one of the goals of the day”.
The audience were left laughing their socks off as that was literally the first and only goal of the day.
One fan tweeted: “Christmas cracker from McCoist there, that’s goal of the day right now.
“Yeah 1st goal of the early kick off, I make you right Ally.”
Another commented: “Ally Mccoist catching himself mid “that’s one of the goals of the day” before realising it’s the early kick-off.”
A third wrote: “Ally McCoist has just said that’s one of the goals of the day, at the first goal in the 12:30 kick off…”
This fan said: “Ally McCoist on Villa’s goal vs. Man City: ‘That’s one of the goals of the day!’
“It’s literally the only Premier League goal of the day.”
And that one stated: “Ally McCoist with a bold claim for goal of the day so far…”
Duran added to Man City’s troubles which has seen the reigning Premier League champions lose eight of their last 11 games across all competitions before visiting Villa.
3 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on US govt dodges crippling shutdown with last-minute spending deal – saving Xmas for 800,000 workers at risk of no pay
THE US government has managed to dodge a crippling Christmas shutdown for over 800,000 workers with a last-minute spending deal.
Congress narrowly avoided the major public service nightmare as they passed a bill to fund federal agencies through till March.
APSenate majority leader Chuck Schumer celebrates at the Capitol after the deal was passed in the final moments[/caption]
ReutersUS House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks to the media following the government shutdown being narrowly avoided[/caption]
Plans to approve the new budget were thrown into chaos just days ago when billionaire Elon Musk and new pal Donald Trump hit out at a billAP
Without the agreement the government would have plunged into chaos on Saturday for the festive period with workers risking not getting paid.
All non-essential operations would have been postponed with up to 875,000 workers being put on furlough.
Up to 1.4 million staff would have also been made to work without any pay.
Many parks, monuments and national sites would have been forced to close due to payment woes.
The deadline for granting a spending package had actually passed by the time politicians decided to act but they managed to fast-track it just minutes later.
It was approved after senators agreed to bypass the normal procedure in order to find a solution.
Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer made a celebratory speech on the Senate floor following the bill.
He said: “It’s good news that the bipartisan approach in the end prevailed.
“It’s a good outcome for America and the American people.”
The Democrats hold a majority in the Senate so they are often in control of the big decisions.
The party was also crucial in helping the Republican majority in the House get the bill through earlier in the day.
It was supported by 336 votes to 34 in the House before also earning 85 votes in favour compared to 11 against in the Senate.
Plans to approve the new budget were thrown into chaos just days ago when billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk hit out at a bill.
Musk has quickly become one of the constant faces of US politics after aligning with president-elect Donald Trump for his election clean sweep.
Trump has even gifted the Tesla chief a role in his team as “efficiency czar”.
Musk pressured the Republicans into going back on a funding bill they had spent weeks trying to finalise and clear with Democrats.
His feelings were soon backed by Trump who wanted to increase the debt ceiling and help cap the amount the government can borrow.
Lawmakers finally agreed on the festive-time spending boost as they pledged a $110billion package to be carried out until March 14.
It will also include money for disaster aid and financial relief for farmers.
It is essentially the same as a previous failed bill that was rejected but now excludes a two-year suspension of the country’s self-imposed borrowing limit demanded by Trump.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said following the bill: “This is a good outcome for the country.”
He added he has spoken with Trump who was “certainly happy about this outcome”.
The bill will now be sent to the White House where President Joe Biden is expected to sign it into law later on Saturday.
What is a government shutdown?
A GOVERNMENT shutdown would have been terrible for hundreds of thousands of Americans.
If the Senate failed to approve the needed spending bill then the government would have been unable to provide payment to their staff.
Federal employees and the public services they work in would have all been badly affected.
This could mean places run by the government who often see high numbers of visitors across Christmas won’t be open die to staffing issues.
Some would be placed on furlough and not work at all whereas others would simply work without pay until the money is found.
One of the worst affected areas would be the courts.
Civil proceedings would be paused with just criminal prosecutions continuing – likely resulting in a lengthy backlog.
Luckily essential government agencies like the FBI, Border Patrol and the Coast Guard would still stay open despite the financial woes.
The last government shutdown was also the longest in history.
Between December 2018 to January 2019 the US went through weeks of turmoil during Trump’s first term in the White House.
APRepublican House Speaker Mike Johnson said Trump was ‘happy about the outcome’[/caption]
