This remote island was once a thriving town – but now all that remains are ruins.

Hidden away in a far-flung Scottish archipelago lie the remains of a once-bustling settlement, deserted by all who called it home. The island of Hirta in the Outer Hebrides was occupied for 2,000 years, but during the 1930s, its final inhabitants evacuated due to health concerns.

It’s so isolated that it’s often omitted from maps altogether and can only be reached by boat – weather permitting.

It’s one of 40 islands in the St Kilda archipelago and now hosts the world’s largest gannet colony alongside some of the biggest puffin populations. During its inhabited years, islanders depended heavily on these seabirds – not merely for sustenance but for commerce.

They traded every component of the birds from feather to flesh.

Today, the population has vanished but a handful of military structures remain scattered across the island, overshadowing the crumbling stone cottages that once housed the community.

The structures line what was formerly Hirta’s main thoroughfare – now occupied solely by sheep, reports the Express.

Existence there was extraordinarily harsh, with severe weather conditions and scarce resources available.

To stay warm throughout the lengthy winters, inhabitants would bring livestock inside their basic stone dwellings and allow the waste from cattle and sheep to serve as insulation.

At its height in 1851, Hirta was inhabited by 112 people but this number rapidly dwindled over subsequent years.

Medical provision on the island had always been severely restricted, and as visitors began arriving on the isolated outpost as tourists, they introduced unfamiliar illnesses that the islanders were poorly prepared to combat.

During the 1930s, following the death of a young woman from appendicitis and pneumonia — conditions that might have been treatable on the mainland — the inhabitants of Hirta took the difficult decision to abandon the island.

The residents were evacuated by vessel in August that year and transported to mainland Scotland.

Following their local custom, islanders left a plate of oats and an open bible in every dwelling before stepping aboard the ship.

The final surviving former inhabitant of St Kilda, who was eight years old when the island was evacuated, passed away in 2016.

EASYJET will launch a loyalty program in 2027, to reward repeat bookers of both its flights and holidays.

Customers will be able to accrue points based on how much they’ve spent, which they’ll then be able to use for discounts on future bookings.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

The airline said that it benefits from a “local customer base” with lots of “returning” flyers and essentially wants to reward them for it.

Not many details about the scheme have been announced, but talking to the Financial Times, easyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis said that it would have “broad appeal”.

He added: “Not only do we have commuters… but also people who book holidays accumulate value that they can redeem either on a flight or on holiday.”

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Reading between the lines, it doesn’t seem that easyJet will be replacing its easyJet Plus scheme, which is already in place and designed for frequent flyers.

easyJet Plus is available for an annual fee of £249, where passengers benefit from ‘Plus’ bag drop, speedy boarding, inclusive allocated seating and fast track security – and other ‘exclusive benefits’.

Many other airlines operate loyalty schemes, and recently British Airways made a change to the way its tier points count towards silver or gold membership.

As of April 2026, members of the British Airways Club started earning points based on the money they spend with the airline, rather than based on distance they have flown.

For every £1 they spend, they will earn one tier point, which makes it tougher for flyers to earn the top status.

According to the Financial Times, Virgin Atlantic said more than 10,000 BA members had switched to its programme after offering to match the status of any customers booking a flight. 

Earlier this year, easyJet announced it would be launching new routes from the UK – some of which are from Newcastle International Airport, its newest base which it opened in March.

In October, the airline will begin flights from Newcastle to Fuerteventura providing a winter sun escape to the Canary Island.

Anyone wanting to visit Reykjavik, Iceland, can travel from Newcastle from October 27 twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Arbeloa says he will not be coaching the team next season, amid reports that Jose Mourinho is returning to the club.

Alvaro Arbeloa has confirmed he will leave his role as Real Madrid coach at the end of a trophy-less season.

“Yes,” Arbeloa said at a news conference on Friday when asked to confirm that he would not be coaching the team next season, amid widespread reports that veteran manager Jose Mourinho is returning to the club.

Los Blancos host Athletic Bilbao on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu in their final La Liga match of a turbulent campaign.

Real Madrid President Florentino Perez appointed Arbeloa to replace Xabi Alonso in January.

The Spaniard, Arbeloa, said he would not work as a member of Mourinho’s staff if the Portuguese coach is appointed as his successor.

“Mou has a fantastic technical team, he’s got good people around him, if he comes to Madrid he will come with his team,” said Arbeloa.

“There’s no chance that I would be with him. Then, my future … from Monday I’ll think about that.”

Arbeloa, who played at Madrid from 2009-2016 and later coached there at the youth level, said he hoped this match was a “see you later” rather than a goodbye.

“I hope it’s a see you later… I’ve always considered this my home, I’ve belonged to Madrid for 20 years in various roles,” said Arbeloa.

“It will be my last game this season as coach of Real Madrid; I don’t know if it will be the last game of my life as coach of Real Madrid.

“We never know. I’ll try and enjoy it and try to get the win.”

When it comes to machine guns and rifles, U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) wants its operators to have deadlier weapons that shoot further with greater accuracy, are lighter to carry. The command also wants some to be able to chamber hypervelocity ammunition that is under development. To get more insights about what firearms commandos will be packing in the future, we spoke with Lt. Col. Alan Wood, SOCOM’s Program Manager for Special Operations Forces (SOF) Lethality. In an exclusive interview during the annual SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida, Wood told us what’s working, what isn’t and what gets him, in his words, “pretty excited.”

Some of the questions and answers have been edited for clarity.

Q: SOCOM just put out an Area of Interest (AOI) request for what is being called the Hypervelocity Improved Carbine (HICAR) program, designed to “develop an improved carbine capable of operating with currently issued 5.56 NATO ammunition, while also incorporating design features to ensure reliability, durability, and longevity with the use of future hypervelocity 5.56x45mm ammunition.” What can you tell me about that?

A: So, HICAR’s got me excited. Back in the late teens, the Army went down this higher velocity [route], and I’m intentionally using the word velocity and not pressure in what they’ve done with the M7 and M8 rifles. They’ve been able to increase the velocity and therefore create a flatter shooting rifle as well as a rifle that has greater energy on target, and that does incredible things for barrier defeat in a lot of situations. Now we’ve had 10 years, almost, for that technology to mature, people have learned things, and the question then becomes, what could we do for special operators in calibers that are not new?

The advantage for SOF operators is I’ve got, say, the Green Berets who do a lot of partnering with foreign SOF operators, but there’s no [6.8mm] ammo running around central Africa, or you know, pick your favorite spot where we like to do partnering operations around the world. But there’s a lot of 5.56mm and other common cartridges of that nature, and so what we want to…achieve is maybe not the same effect as what the Army’s done with the M7 and the M8 and that high-velocity ammunition that they have, but where could we get close to that in 5.56 and potentially other calibers in the future.

It really goes back to the evolution in steel case ammo that Federal started several years ago, and there’s been more iterations of that coming out – new alloys for cases that far exceed performance of the standard brass that we’ve been using for the last 100 years. And the really amazing part is they can actually be cheaper than brass as well, so we get more performance at a lower cost. It’s a win-win.

Q: Can you provide any information about the hypervelocity rounds themselves?

A: At this point, it’s still a significant science project, and so there are no specific high velocity rounds that are fielded at this point. It’s an R&D project, and we’re trying to see where we can take that technology.

Q: Can you give me a sense of what you’re looking for in those rounds, and any timelines?

A:  You can see the round and what we’re going to do based on the HICAR document on Sam.gov, so that’s as much information as there is out there. What we’re really looking for is what does it [do] for the rifle? Because as you start getting into rifle development – there are a lot of things to consider, other than how much pressure can you put in the chamber. You’ve got to worry about the failure modes, and you know what happens if you get a projectile stuck in the chamber, things along those lines. There are a lot of other things that you have to worry about, because you want to make sure not only is the gun effective, but it’s got to be safe, and it’s also got to be suitable for the particular mission, and so that’s that broad spectrum that we’re trying to balance and trade off with everything that’s out there in between both the ammunition and the rifle that’s firing it.

Q: Can you provide an update on fielding of the Mid-Range Gas Gun, both assault and sniper configurations?

A: There is some sensitivity to that… We have been fielding the Mid-Range Gas Gun-Sniper variant since 2023, and we just recently started procurement of the assault variant, so we are pretty excited about getting kicked off of the assault variant from [Lewis Machine & Tool] LMT.

Q: When was the assault variant fielded?

A: We’re currently under a production contract with that. We have not begun to field it.

Q: Any timeline on that?

A: Actually, we are still having those discussions with the vendors. I don’t have an answer for that one.

Q: Why are you excited about the new Mid-Range Gas Gun-Assault (MRGG-A) variant?

A: That one kind of solves the extended range for those mid-range calibers, both 7.62 NATO and the 6.5mm Creedmoor round. That weapon exceeds a 1,200-meter point target in 6.5mm Creedmoor. It’s just a phenomenal, accurate weapon system for our SOF operators. All the components are super excited about this one.

Piston driven AR15 VS gas impingement

Q: Can you provide an update on the Light Machine Gun-Medium (LMG-M) that is supposed to be chambered in .338 Norma Magnum?

A: SOCOM has paused that program at this time as far as a significant fielding. However, we are fielding a small portion to one unit, not to be mentioned, and we’re going to see how that works out in that unit. We’re doing a small fielding combat evaluation with a unit to see how it’s functioning.

Q: What about SOCOM’s other lightweight machine gun programs?

A: We just got into an OTA [Other Transaction Authority contract] for the Lightweight Machine Gun- Assault (LMG-A), the 7.62 variant, and have a couple competitors there working designs there and expect to have that out to replace the MK 48 in the Fiscal Year 2028-2029 timeframe.

Q: Is the LMG-M being provided by Sig Sauer?

A: Yes.

SIG SAUER MG 338 Machine Gun

Q: Walk me through the advantages of a Norma .338 round.

A: So .338 has some significant range. The .338 has greater range than traditional .50 cal, and the particular round that we have is more effective on target than the .50 caliber at those greater ranges. However, if you compare it to 7.62 or some other lighter cartridges, it is still a heavier round. There are tradeoffs in the .338 machine gun world.

Q: What does the .338 bring to the table for operators?

A: You can replace a .50 caliber’s weighted system with a lighter system that is also dismountable. So, for instance, if you had a light vehicle that had trouble carrying a .50 cal plus a significant amount of ammunition, if you switch over to .338 you can save hundreds of pounds and keep that vehicle under its [gross vehicle weight rating] GVWR. Or especially if you’re doing things like jumping a vehicle that has to be able to hit the ground pretty hard – things along those lines. It allows you to reduce some of that weight, but be able to maintain the range and effectiveness.

GDOTS – LightWeight Medium Machine Gun (LWMMG) [1080p]

Q: One last question, what can you tell me about any counter drone rounds that you are either fielding or looking to field across all platforms?

A: We have definitely been looking at counter-drone rounds specifically in the current calibers and so what can I do to augment operators with the rifle that they’re currently carrying. We’ve also been experimenting with various other things, from shotguns to 40 millimeters [40mm grenade], and we’re still trying to sort through there. There’s a lot of things you have to think about when you’re looking at the effectiveness of a round like that. Unfortunately, I can’t go any deeper than that, because I’m really getting into more of an [operational security] OPSEC type of thing, I don’t want to go there.

Contact the author: howard@twz.com

A Netflix series has been deemed so good that it has viewers glued to their TVs for six hours straight. They admit the show is amazing, and had them totally hooked

Occasionally we all seek fresh content to watch, and a certain programme that’s recently arrived on Netflix has been considered absolutely exceptional. The crime drama has captivated audiences, with some confessing they’ve devoured it entirely in a single six-hour session as it’s simply so compelling.

If you’re searching for a television programme to genuinely keep you engrossed, it appears this one merits consideration, and it’s recently been spotlighted by Yazmien Yuen on TikTok, who confessed she thoroughly adored it. She stated the Netflix drama is so impressive that she remained seated for six hours continuously watching every single episode.

It’s not the sole offering to have mesmerised viewers lately either. Just weeks ago, audiences acknowledged they were also binge-watching another programme within a single session.

In the clip, Yazmien stated: “Netflix dropped a British crime series called Legends that not enough people are talking about. So, of course, I’m going to bring it to your attention.

“It dropped on May 7. Six episodes that you’re going to [watch] like I did in one sitting and, imagine this, it is based on a true story that most people have never heard of.

“When I saw that at the end I was like ‘you what?’ I was gobsmacked.” Accompanying the clip, she also penned: “I started Legends on Netflix at 9pm and finished at 3am.

“This show is THAT serious – British true crime, undercover agents, Steve Coogan. Six episodes. One weekend. You’re welcome.”

The footage rapidly sparked conversation, racking up hundreds of views. Numerous viewers confessed the programme is utterly addictive.

One viewer commented: “Halfway through it and I deliberately stopped so that it will last a bit longer. It’s so good!”

Another enthused: “I binged it, amazing show.” A third responded: “Very good drama, a must-watch. Steve (Coogan) is great at playing serious parts.”

Meanwhile, a fourth wrote: “I just finished it, it was so good! I literally never switch my TV on, but this had me hooked!”

Someone else remarked: “We have two episodes left and I’m bummed. I don’t want to finish it.”

What’s the plot?

For those unfamiliar with Legends, it’s a British crime drama television series penned and conceived by Neil Forsyth. Production was handled by his company, Tannadice Pictures.

Drawing from real events, it follows British undercover Customs investigators who penetrate the drug underworld during the early 1990s. The ensemble features Steve Coogan, Tom Burke and Hayley Squires.

The narrative explores how Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise was struggling against illegal drug trafficking at Britain’s borders. Through a classified operation, a select group of Customs officers were assigned fresh identities and deployed undercover to penetrate Britain’s most dangerous criminal networks.

Following its Netflix debut in May, the series has garnered favourable critical reception. Audiences appear equally impressed with the offering.

One viewer heaped praise on it, commenting: “Absolutely superb it was.” Another remarked: “This is a quality watch.”

Americans always say they want politicians with backbone — men and women of principle who will stand up for what they believe in, even when it’s unpopular.

And every so often, the American people prove their commitment to this noble aspiration by firing anybody who actually tries it.

Take Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who just lost a reelection bid by double digits after President Trump’s affiliated committees dumped enough money into Kentucky to purchase, well, Kentucky.

Massie committed the cardinal sin of modern Republican politics: He behaved as though Congress were a coequal branch of government instead of the warm-up act before a Trump rally.

He bucked Trump on spending, Iran and — in what apparently qualified as political suicide — whether or not to release the Epstein files. For this display of independent thought, Massie was summarily retired by what can only be described as the Trump cult (formerly known as the Republican primary electorate).

Before anybody accuses me of hyperbole, consider the remarkably revealing example presented recently on the New York Times podcast, “The Daily.”

At a town hall in Burlington, Ky., one voter explained to Massie that Trump is basically omniscient.

“As I see it,” the voter said, “the one person in the whole United States, maybe the world, that understands everything and has input to everything is Donald Trump.”

Not content with mere earthly wisdom, Trump also possesses universal awareness, superior intelligence and perhaps even low-level clairvoyance. The voter continued that Trump “gets more information, more meetings, more everything” than anybody else in government.

When Massie noted that Trump opposed releasing the Epstein files, the man calmly explained that if Trump changed positions, “there was a reason” — one too profound for ordinary mortals to comprehend.

Massie’s reply deserves to be bronzed and mounted over the entrance to the U.S. Capitol: “I don’t give anybody but God that kind of trust.”

Unfortunately, for a large portion of the Republican electorate (about 55%, based on the Kentucky primary results), those words constitute sacrilege against their earthly savior.

As South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham cheerfully boasted on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, “This is the party of Donald Trump.” Which is true in much the same way North Korea is the party of Kim Jong Un.

The one ironic twist in all of this is that Americans finally managed to punish somebody over the Epstein files — only it turned out to be the guy who wanted them released.

There’s American justice for you.

Massie isn’t the only Republican currently being fitted for concrete shoes. Trump also helped finish off Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, whose unforgivable crime was voting to convict Trump during the impeachment trial following Jan. 6. And Trump has endorsed controversial Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, which in today’s GOP primary environment is roughly the equivalent of finding a horse head in your bed.

Now, to be fair, Cassidy and Cornyn are no Massie, who openly opposed Trump and paid the price standing upright. Cassidy and Cornyn demonstrated brief moments of independence, only to spend years vainly performing political interpretive dance routines in hopes of regaining Trump’s favor.

Still, there may be a silver lining here for students of political irony.

Trump’s endorsement of Paxton will force Republicans to spend enormous sums defending a deep red state that would ordinarily require little more than a campaign sign and a pickup truck.

Meanwhile, Trump is creating resentful lame-duck Republicans in Congress who now possess the most dangerous attribute in politics: nothing left to lose.

But the broader message is unmistakable. Trump wants Republicans to understand that disagreement will not be tolerated. No criticism. No distancing. No independent branding.

The party line is whatever Trump said five minutes ago, amended by whatever he says five minutes from now. By now, everyone knows this to be true.

Which would be excellent news for Trump, if not for one small complication: The rest of the country appears to be tiring of his act. Recent polling shows Trump’s approval slipping to 37%, while Democrats gain major ground, surging to a +11 on the generic congressional ballot.

Trump, it seems, has created a situation in which Republicans can either oppose him and be destroyed in a primary, or they can embrace him and risk losing the House and the Senate in November’s general election. It’s the old “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” conundrum.

The point is this: With the midterms approaching, Trump is making sure Republicans are ensnared in the gravitational pull of his unpopularity.

That may satisfy the president’s desire for complete loyalty. It may also hand Democrats control of both chambers of Congress.

Trump is settling all family business this week, by purging those pesky disloyal Republicans. Only time will tell whether he’s also purging America’s non-Republican “swing” voters, as well.

Matt K. Lewis is the author of “Filthy Rich Politicians” and “Too Dumb to Fail.”

The Angels led for five innings before crumbling late en route to a 10-inning, 3-2 loss to the Athletics on Thursday night at Angel Stadium, all in front of a sparse crowd featuring fiery “sell-the-team” chants from shirtless fans in the upper deck.

With the bases loaded and one out in the top of the 10th, the A’s Zack Gelof hit into a fielder’s choice groundout off reliever Ryan Zeferjahn.

Angels second baseman Adam Frazier had trouble getting the ball out of his glove after catching shortstop Zach Neto’s throw. That allowed Nick Kurtz to reach home as the go-ahead run.

Gelof was initially called out, but the A’s won the challenge — and ultimately the game 3-2.

“Yeah, [Frazier] looked like he just couldn’t get the ball out of his glove,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “You know, one of those things where the ball got in, and he was doing everything right to turn it, just couldn’t get out of his glove.”

Bare chested fans wave their shirts in right field during the seventh inning of the Angels’ loss to the Athletics on Thursday at Angel Stadium. The fans chanted for Angels owner Arte Moreno to “sell the team.”

(Luke Hales / Getty Images)

The Angels were unable to tie against A’s reliever Mark Leiter Jr., who earned the save, despite having runners on the corners and zero outs in the bottom half of the frame. Zeferjahn (2-2) took the loss.

Nolan Schanuel gave the Angels a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a two-run homer. But the Angels’ offense, which has been outscored 84-32 since a May 9 loss in Toronto, continued to struggle.

“They believe,” Suzuki said of the Angels’ spirit, specifically on offense. “Every inning, you got all the guys — they’re all up there, rooting guys on and believing that we’re going to put up runs, and really, we’re just not. And it’s not for a lack of effort; it’s not for a lack of anything like that. We just need to find ways to score runs, that’s all.”

The Athletics took advantage of the small deficit, as Darell Hernáiz and Nick Kurtz hit RBI singles in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, to tie the game and force extras.

Angels starter José Soriano surrendered two runs and six hits over 6 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts. A’s starter Luis Severino surrendered two runs on three hits over seven frames with 10 strikeouts.

“I’ll take away the positive things,” Soriano said. “[I] got into the seventh, but couldn’t complete the inning, but I feel good (about) the way I pitched today. I helped the team the most I can … I control what I could control … I battled; I feel good about that.”

After failing to split the four-game series with the AL West-leading A’s, the Angels have dropped four consecutive series and hold an MLB-worst 17-34 record.

That has prompted a growing group of fans to gather shirtless in the upper deck at Angel Stadium and chant that owner Arte Moreno should “sell the team.” The chants could be heard on the Angels’ TV broadcast.

The players, meanwhile, are trying to string together enough good plays to score more wins.

“Really just trying to get the rhythm going of just piling on good at-bat after good at-bat after good at-bat,” Angels right fielder Jo Adell said. “We just haven’t really had that rhythm. It’s like a good at-bat here, and we struggle to kind of pile up after one another and get that rhythm going. We’re hoping to, at some point, find what that is; we’ve had it, we know what it is. But it’s just one of those things, baseball can kind of just slip away from you.”

The road ahead doesn’t get any easier for the Angels. The Angels host the Rangers (24-25), who are a close second in the AL West and riding a two-game winning streak.

Families heading to France from Dover are enduring a two hour wait, while train services out of London have been hit by cancellations ahead of weekend of route closures

Drivers arriving at the port of Dover have been warned of two hour waits as millions of others elsewhere face bank holiday travel chaos.

Authorities at Dover have alerted customers to a “120 minute processing time for tourist traffic in the buffer zone” before reaching French border control on this side of the Channel. It added: “Please note there is external congestion on the port approach roads.”

Writing on social media, the Port of Dover said: “Thank you for your patience. Our teams are working hard to get everyone through border control and check-in as quickly as possible.” The go-slow comes as Brits flying to Europe also fear lengthy waits to get through border control after the implementation of new passport checks.

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Doug Bannister, Port of Dover chief executive, warned Saturday would be even busier: “We’re looking at about 8,000 cars on Saturday, so that is going to be the busiest of the three days. Our busy time for cars tends to be about 5am till until 1pm. If you’re arriving for a sailing during that period of time, we ask people not to arrive more than two hours before their sailing so that we can keep everybody flowing through.”

It is not much better for those staying at home and enjoying the forecast heatwave, with temperatures of over 30C predicted in some areas over the weekend.

National Rail warned the hot weather can “cause overhead lines to expand and sag”, rails to buckle and pose a risk of track-side fires. “Speed restrictions may be imposed,” it added.

Tens of thousands or rail passengers suffered cancellations even before a weekend of disruption due to engineering work and strikes.

Operator LNER said northbound services between London King’s Cross and Peterborough were disrupted due to a fault with the overhead power lines in the New Barnet area. Delays of up to 50 minutes were expected. And southbound, services between York and Doncaster were disrupted due to a fault with the signalling system.

The East Coast Main Line is expected to be one of the worst routes affected in the coming days because of a closure for works in North Yorkshire. A rail replacement bus service will operate but, as a result, will add more than more than an hour and a half to a normal three hour journey.

The closure has impact thousands Middlesborough fans travelling to London for the Championship play-off final against Hull City at Wembley.

Industrial action is also planned on London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway on Friday and Saturday, with passengers advised to “only travel if necessary” as trains will only run on a small number of routes.

Elsewhere, the Transpennine route will also be impacted, including a rail replacement service between Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield over the whole weekend, and between Huddersfield and Leeds, Dewsbury and Wakefield Kirkgate on Sunday.

Buses will replace trains on the Great Western main line between Newport and Bristol Parkway, while one train an hour will operate between south Wales and London via Gloucester from Saturday right through to Monday June 8.

Passengers using part of the Thameslink line in London and South Western Railway between Havant, Fareham and Portsmouth Harbour will also be disrupted.

Anit Chandarana, from Network Rail, said: “Bank holidays are still among the least busy times for us in terms of passengers, so it makes sense to plan these major improvements for those days.

“I know it can be frustrating to have to check before you travel, but this investment is about making everyday journeys better – improving reliability, reducing future disruption and helping the railway work better for passengers.”

So much rail disruption will inevitably mean even more people take to roads already predicted to be busy due to the weather and the start of the half term school break.

Adding to the risk of jams is the fact it is the final weekend of the Premier League season, with hundreds of thousands of fans travelling to cheer on their teams.

Motoring group the AA is forecasting Friday will be the busiest day, with around 23.4 million journeys taken, then 2.8 million on Saturday, and 22.4 million on both Sunday and bank holiday Monday.

If you have been disrupted by the travel disruption, email graham.hiscott@mirror.co.uk

THE sun is shining so it’s time to grab a bucket and spade and head to the seaside – but where in the UK is best if you’re on a tight budget?

Well, the eight cheapest seaside towns have been revealed this week, and they range from a pretty harbour town in Wales to famous destinations in the North of England.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

Which? has crunched the numbers and discovered the cheapest seaside towns in the UK where hotels cost under £100 per night on average.

While it actually came in last place on the list, Which? declared the Welsh town of Tenby as the ‘best cheap seaside town in the UK’.

Rooms don’t break the bank, on average they are £100 per night – not to mention it’s beautiful and is frequently crowned one of the prettiest spots in the UK.

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The harbour town is known for having multi-coloured houses right on the front – there’s even a small chapel there too.

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding told us why she loves the town: “Tenby really does feel like the epitome of the song ‘Oh I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside’ with everything you could ever want from a seaside town within a short walk of each other.

“Most pictures of the town you’ll see are of the pretty harbour, where boats bob up and down, the pier stretches into the water and the castle rises above it all on a hill.

“You can’t really go wrong with anywhere you go in the town, but make sure to visit Plantagenet House Restaurant – inside it is super cosy with stone walls and definitely stand in the alleyway in front of the restaurant and look back towards the harbour; you will get such a pretty view.

“For beaches, head to Tenby North Beach – it is super expansive, flat and often has ideal conditions or a swim. Oh, and a great view of the pastel coloured houses in the town.

“If you want to see more of the area, jump on the ferry for 20 minutes to Caldey Island, where you can see a historic lighthouse and visit the island’s famous chocolate factory.”

Topping the list for being the cheapest is Whitley Bay in Tyne and Wear, where hotel rooms cost an average £82 per night – or £41pppn.

It might be cheap, but it still has all the delights of a seaside town, like a sweeping sandy beach, a towering lighthouse and a high street with independent cafes.

It’s a popular destination and one of the locals even called it “one of the best places on Earth“.

Local resident, Catherine Addison-Swan, added: “It’s not just cafes where you can grab a bite to eat in Whitley Bay, of course – the town is full of restaurants that you won’t find anywhere else, yet another thing that adds to its unique charm.”

Sun Travel found bargain rooms – like at the Dunes Hotel which for a one-night stay in June for two adults cost just £50 – or £25pp.

The Welsh town of Llandudno also made the list with rooms on average costing £85 per night.

The Victorian seaside resort in North Wales is known for its enormous palm-tree lined promenade.

The pier on the Llandudno North Shore Beach is very popular and is open all year round – another is the Great Orme Tramway which takes visitors up the cliffside.

A room for two adults at the Elsinore Hotel Llandudno in June costs as little as £54 – or £27pppn.

Over in Essex, Frinton-On-Sea is another bargain seaside town when it comes to overnight stays with hotels on average costing £95 per night, according to Which?

The seaside town is well-known for being traditional with no arcades – it didn’t even have a pub until 2000.

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill reveals why you should visit, she said: “Not only is Frinton a very pretty spot on the coast, it’s one of the sunniest.

“Along the Essex coastline, Frinton-on-Sea is known for having no noisy arcades, like its more popular neighbour of Clacton.

“I love it for the fact that it has no frills, on the front is just a sweeping sandy beach, the sea and some pretty beach huts too.

“But if you want a bit more excitement, head back to Connaught Avenue for independent shops and boutiques.”

Also in the north of the UK, Whitby made the list too.

The town famous for its connections to Captain Cook and Dracula has two beaches West Cliff (Whitby Sands) and Tate Hill.

It has quality fish and chips too as Trenchers of Whitby just secured the Restaurant of the Year title at the National Fish and Chips Awards 2026.

You can get a takeaway cod and chips, haddock and chips or scampi and chips all for £13.50 each.

Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski said: “It’s not just the beaches that make Whitby so spectacular. The rows of typical seaside cafes that line the shore and higgledy-piggledy pubs where servers have that proper northern charm are what I love.

“Queues wind around the corner for the well-known Magpie Cafe – and for good reason. Its famous fish and chips are some of the best in the UK, which I can vouch for, and should be eaten the northern way, with a good dollop of curry sauce.

“If you grab yourself a takeaway instead of sitting in the main restaurant, you can save yourself a fair bit of cash.

“For a good value pint, wander to Little Angel, set a little back from the river. It’s a CAMRA-pub so serves proper ales as well as homemade pub grub, including sandwiches for a fiver.”

Other cheap seaside towns where stays cost less than £100 include Aberdeeshire’s Stonehaven which has a heated Art Deco saltwater lido right on the beach.

An overnight stay in Filey, North Yorkshire, will set you back around £50per person.

Finally, there’s Lytham St Annes, a seaside town in the Borough of Fylde just south of Blackpool.

It wide sandy beaches, and a long pier that stretches over the North Sea.

Here are the eight cheapest seaside towns…

These are Which?’s cheapest seaside towns – and the average price of a hotel…

Tenby – Average hotel price £100

Whitby – Average hotel price £94

Whitley Bay – Average hotel price £82

Stonehaven – Average hotel price £90

Llandudno – Average hotel price £85

Frinton-On-Sea – Average hotel price £95

Filey – Average hotel price £100

Lytham St Annes – Average hotel price £95

When San Juan native Rafael Rodriguez opened Señor Big Ed in Cypress in the mid-90s, there were few Puerto Rican restaurants in Southern California.

“A lot of customers were driving long ways to come to eat at Señor Big Ed,” said restaurant manager Veronica Coronado. “They would get very emotional when they would eat the food, because it reminded them so much of their childhood.”

While cities like New York and Miami have come to be veritable hubs for Puerto Rican cuisine, the food community here in Los Angeles — more than 3,000 miles away from the island — still remains relatively small.

And yet, demand for Boricua cuisine is on the rise locally, due in part to a growing Puerto Rican population — about 47,000 residents, according to the Los Angeles Almanac — and rapper Bad Bunny’s recent Super Bowl halftime show that paid homage to his homeland and made history as the most-watched Super Bowl halftime performance of all time, with more than 4 billion views globally.

“His whole movement and everything that he’s been doing for the island … has really been this big boost for global awareness of the Puerto Rican identity and culture,” said Carmen DeLeon, the actor and chef behind Capicu, a Puerto Rican pop-up in L.A.

While longstanding restaurants like Señor Big Ed have anchored communities for decades, newer spots like Taínos in Woodland Hills and La Casa de Iris in Long Beach are expanding the Boricua food landscape in L.A.

“Everyone comes to look for this food because this is like gold,” said Edwin Torres, chef at Taínos in Woodland Hills.

In addition to traditional guisados, mofongo (mashed green plantains) and banana-leaf-wrapped pasteles, Taínos shares Puerto Rican dishes rarely seen outside of home kitchens. Soon, co-owner Odessa Rodriguez plans to add guanimes con bacalao, boiled flour dumplings with salted cod, a Taíno dish that traces back centuries.

“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. We are just trying to bring back essential plates that our ancestors ate,” Rodriguez said.

DeLeon, known as the Not Starving Artist on Instagram, started her pop-up in 2023 with her sister Anabel, serving small bites at bars, farmers markets and local events. The siblings grew up in Arizona cooking Puerto Rican food with their island-born parents, and DeLeon said she’s passionate about making the cuisine accessible to others.

“I want to attract people first, and then I can talk about where these dishes derive from and where the inspiration comes from,” she said.

The current menu features pizza empanadillas, vegan arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), vegan tostones and gazpacho, and mini sandwiches with ham, cheese and sweet pimiento peppers.

DeLeon hopes more people will grow excited about Puerto Rican food as they discover the culture and meaning behind the cuisine.

“There’s so much history and structure and love behind this group of people, this environment, this culture, this food, this identity,” she said. “I hope that when people eat this food … I want your belly to feel full, I want you to feel as if you’re sitting at my house with my family.”

Similarly, Rodriguez hopes Taínos will become a cultural hub for Boricuas in L.A.

“It fulfills me to feel that I am providing a sense of comfort, nostalgia, home,” she said. “It’s bigger than food.”

Whether you’re craving nostalgic flavors from home or looking to experience L.A.’s small but growing Puerto Rican food scene, here are four restaurants serving up a taste of the Isla del Encanto. — Angela Osorio

Talk to the passionate team behind KidSTREAM, a new children’s museum in Ventura County, and they’ll tell you about the many lofty goals they have for the 21,000-square-foot space which opened to the public Thursday.

They’ll describe how the museum is the first of its kind in Ventura County and how they hope to make it accessible to as many local children as possible through outreach, discounts and free programming.

They’ll explain how the immersive exhibits highlight the county’s unique industry and geography, including an agriculture area where young visitors can pick pretend fruits and sell them at a farmers market and an ocean exhibit where miniature replicas of the Channel Islands emerge from the bouncy blue “Pacific Ocean.”

A drone view of the museum’s Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands-themed play area.

Avery Hanchar, right, and her brothers Oliver and Carter, test their climbing and balancing skills.

They’ll share that the STREAM in KidSTREAM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Math, and talk about the activity carts and art projects that will enhance and support learning for young visitors.

But they are also well aware that for some families, the still-evolving space will serve a less highfalutin, if just as important, goal.

“Parents are looking for a good nap on the way home,” said KidSTREAM founder Kristie Akl. “And we can give them that too.”

Akl, along with KidSTREAM board chairman Bryan Yee and guest experience director Dani Hildreth, were giddy with excitement as they took me on a tour of the museum in the days before it opened.

This moment had been a long time coming, they said.

A high-energy former high school biology teacher with a make-it-happen spirit, Akl first began dreaming about a children’s museum in Ventura County in 2013 after taking her three daughters to KidSpace, a children’s museum in Pasadena founded by members of the Caltech community in 1979.

Akl loved Kidspace, but it was a full hour from the family’s house in Camarillo and she longed for something similar closer to home. For two years, she tried convincing others to create a children’s museum in Ventura County. When that failed, she formed a fledgling board in 2015 and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2017.

A young guest chases a cloth blown out of the tubes at the museum’s Amazing Airways exhibit.

“I was always optimistic,” she said. “You have to be to do something like this.”

The original plan was to open the museum in 2020, but fundraising efforts were hampered by the 2017 Thomas fire, which destroyed hundreds of homes in the area. A few years later came COVID shutdowns. The delays were discouraging, but Akl and a growing community of motivated believers used the time to build out their proof of concept by bringing science projects to local schools, neighborhoods and community events, creating online workshops and giving farm workers free science kits to help their kids get exploring.

“It was a herculean task and a huge community effort,” Akl said. “Everyone leaned in.”

Today she estimates that the KidSTREAM Children’s Museum touched the lives of 70,000 children in the Ventura area before ever opening its doors.

Luke Delossantos, right, and his son Grayson play pretend.

“They prototyped a lot of ideas,” said Yee, a father of three who took over from Akl as chairman of the board of KidSTREAM in 2022. “That showed us what works and what doesn’t work and what we should do next.”

In 2022, the city of Camarillo donated the building that housed the former public library to the museum and in 2024, the team raised enough money to bring children’s museum specialist Hildreth on board. Construction began in 2025.

In addition to the agriculture and Pacific Ocean areas outside, visitors will find a camping exhibit with an obstacle course, gratitude tree and a series of different shaped tents where kids can play. There’s also a sand pit where children can dig up replicas of pygmy mammoth bones. (The pygmy mammoth is a dwarf species of mammoth that was native to the Channel Islands.) A nature area includes a sensory path designed with the unique needs of neurologically divergent children in mind.

“There are 200,000 kids in Ventura County from a huge range of backgrounds including a lot of farm worker families,” Hildreth said. “The space is designed for all of them, newborn to 10 years old.”

In addition to the outdoor play areas, visitors will find an indoor “makerspace” with a white Lego wall where children can create vertical designs, four tables for art projects and a super-sized Lite-Brite.

Visitors walk through a greenhouse at the museum’s agriculture area.

“When you are 3 feet tall, it’s your whole field of vision,” Hildreth said.

Admission to KidSTREAM is $16 for adults and children over the age of 1, $13 for seniors and military, and $3 for families with EBT, SNAP or WIC cards. Membership options are also available.

Yee said market research suggests the new museum will reach as many as 150,000 people, and there is still room for expansion.

“We’re 21,000 square feet now with room for growth,” he said. “We’re not stopping, but we’re so excited to open our doors.”

For L.A. cool girl and actor Taylour Paige, the perfect Sunday involves lots of shopping — shopping for statement jewelry at Maxfield, minimalist yet playful clothing at Jacquemus and vintage home decor at Pierce & Ward.

“I really love fashion,” says the Inglewood native. “I appreciate fashion. I respect fashion.”

In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

Paige’s latest project, “I Love Boosters,” is centered on fashion as well. Written and directed by Boots Riley, the maximalist film follows the Velvet Gang, a pack of small-time shoplifters (played by Paige, Keke Palmer and Naomi Ackie) as they attempt to take down a ruthless fashion mogul in the name of “fashion-forward filantrophy.” It hits theaters Friday.

Once she learned that Riley was behind the film, she knew she had to be a part of it.

“When I met Boots, he was like, ‘This is the smaller role of the three in the Velvet Gang,’ and I was like ‘I don’t care. I want to work with you,’” says Paige, who has also starred in the film “Zola” and HBO’s “It: Welcome to Derry.”

With her baby and husband by her side, here’s how the new mom would spend a Sunday in L.A.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity.

7 a.m.: Take a little walk and grab a matcha

I’m a mother so I could wake up anytime between 6 to 8 a.m. When I breastfeed, he’ll actually go back to sleep but it really just depends on the night we had. I’ll have my morning matcha. There was a period where I was making my ceremonial-grade matcha at home and I would like to get back to that, but there’s something about walking to get my matcha that I just really enjoy. I like that it’s a little outing. I like the matcha at Erewhon, but only because I know that when I ask for almond milk, they’re giving me the Almond Malk [brand] which only contains almonds and Himalayan salt. I also like Community Goods, which my homie Pedro runs. My typical breakfast is eggs with Celtic salt and I’ll drizzle some olive oil on it. Maybe I’ll have some cottage cheese or shredded carrots as well.

10:30 a.m.: Stock up at the farmers market

Once we’re up, I have to go to the farmers market in Atwater Village. I need my organic eggs, my strawberries, my lemons, my lemongrass, my hummus and my ghee. Maybe I’ll get like some gorgeous Japanese sweet potato cause I try to eat a sweet potato daily. I eat it with the skin on because you gotta get beta carotene [laughs]. Also, my husband makes this beautiful lemongrass tea that I love at night. It’s kind of been my little postpartum treat that I look forward to. I feel so feminine when I drink it. I don’t know how to explain it, but we get a big bunch at the farmers market on Sundays. Going to the farmers market makes me feel ready for the week.

12:30 p.m.: A second matcha and a late breakfast

Then we’re going to have a late breakfast at All Time. I’m getting the salmon with the crispy rice, broccoli, onions and two big eggs on top. It’s got a little bit of a tart taste. It has a special sauce that you pour on top of it. Probably because I’m sleep-deprived, I’m getting another matcha and a hot water with lemon.

2:30 p.m. Time for some shopping

Then we’re gonna stroll into Pierce & Ward, which is just a couple stores down. It’s a home interior design store. The storefront is literally the color green. It’s just beautiful. I love beautiful things. They do upholstering, but they have a lot of cute little tchotchkes. They’ve got incense. They’ve got beautiful stools, striped upholstering, but they also have, you know, soaps and again incense, and just cute things. The people are so kind in there.

Then we’re going to head over to Melrose Place. We’re going to Margiela and Violet Grey. I’m going to pop into Maxfield. I’m going to try on jewelry. I recently tried on this beautiful Jennifer Meyer emerald gold necklace that I wanted and I was like “How much?” They were like “14” and I was like “Oh, $1,400,” and they were like, “No, $14,000.” I was like, “Oh, OK, cute. I’ll be back.” They have gorgeous Phoebe Philo [pieces], Miu Miu flats, Louise Trotter’s Bottega. I’m having a ball trying things on. Maybe we’re going to swing into Jacquemus because it’s so cute. It’s like a French dream. The girls who work there are so kind and so fly. They told me that he had the couches specifically designed to look like his mom’s couches in his childhood home. They’re bright yellow. It just feels really happy and like a breath of fresh air, and obviously the clothes are beautiful.

4 p.m.: Discover new beauty brands at Formula Fig

There’s this place called Formula Fig. I’m not going to spend too much time in there. Of course they have really beautiful, curated skin care, but they also have cute random things for your hands and feet. You know how we have social media, which is constantly feeding us with things we don’t need, but because someone is selling it to us, it impacts us psychologically. I like that Formula Fig is an experience where you go into the store and discover on your own.

If we have time, we’ll hop in the car and head over to Arcana [Books on the Art]. I can ask anyone who works there, but I’ll ask Lee about absolutely anything. Let’s just say I don’t know what I want, but I know what I’m feeling, or what I want to learn more of, they’re actually art historians in there and they deeply care about books and artists and people. It ends up opening other tabs of people, artists, photographers, writers, painters, watercolor and musicians that I’ve never heard of or I’ve always wanted to know more about.

5:30 p.m.: Sushi for dinner

We’re going to drive our ass to Burbank and we’re getting Sushi Yuzu. Life hack: If they’re too full, we’ll literally go a couple blocks west and hit Kabosu, which is their sister restaurant. I’ve been going here for 10 years. It’s the greatest sushi, so fresh. I love every chef there. We’re starting with the garlic edamame, obviously. Then I’m getting the lime roll, the albacore crispy onion, the garlic sashimi, and I’m going to keep ordering and ordering and be so happy. I’ve put so many people on. I should get equity in the restaurant or something.

7:30 p.m.: Sunset walk before bed

You want a fart walk right after your meal, right? [laughs] So we’re going to go for a nice sunset walk in our neighborhood. Then we’re heading home, giving the baby a bath, I’m taking a shower and we’re going to bed at like 9:30 p.m.

United States President Donald Trump has announced plans to deploy an additional 5,000 troops to Poland.

Trump announced the surprise deployment on social media late on Thursday, citing his friendship with right-wing Polish President Karol Nawrocki.

The move came days after a planned deployment to Poland was apparently scrapped and will deepen uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration’s approach to NATO allies and its long-term commitment to maintaining a military presence in Europe. It leaves European partners increasingly unclear about which areas they should prioritise as they formulate defence strategies.

“Based on the successful Election of the now President ⁠of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland,” Trump wrote.

Nawrocki welcomed the announcement on social media.

“Good alliances are those based on cooperation, mutual respect, and a commitment to our shared ‌security,” he wrote on Thursday evening.

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski also welcomed the news on Friday, saying it ensures that “the presence of American troops in Poland will be maintained more or less at previous levels”.

About-face

The announced deployment is a sudden about-face from US declarations of plans to reduce military support to Europe under Trump’s “America First” doctrine.

The US president has for years been lambasting European NATO partners for failing to spend enough on defence. His opprobrium has risen in recent weeks as European states have criticised the US-Israeli war on Iran and refused to join the conflict.

The Pentagon abruptly announced a week ago that it was scrapping the planned deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland.

Earlier this month, Trump announced he was withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany following a spat with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said Washington had been “humiliated” by Iranian negotiators.

The US president later said that he would be “cutting a lot further than 5,000”.

Polish officials have noted that Warsaw pays significant sums towards the cost of US troop deployments. The suggestion of a pullback has caused concern over security in Poland and elsewhere in Europe, as Russia’s war on neighbouring Ukraine continues, with the Trump administration largely ceasing efforts to mediate a ceasefire.

European states report that they are getting to grips with the need to replace US defence capabilities, albeit slowly. However, sources suggest that the erratic policies emerging from the White House are creating confusion over which elements should be prioritised.

“It is confusing indeed, and not always easy to navigate,” Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told reporters ahead of hosting a meeting of NATO foreign ministers on Friday, which will be attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

US defence officials are also confused, according to the AP news agency.

“We just spent the better part of two weeks reacting to the first announcement. We don’t know what this means either,” said one official.

‘America First’

The US president has lashed out at fellow NATO members in recent months for failing to support the US-Israeli war on Iran, suggesting Washington could withdraw from the military alliance as a result.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Rubio would discuss the need for NATO allies to increase defence spending and shoulder greater responsibility at Friday’s meeting of NATO foreign ministers.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who has worked hard in recent months to attempt to soothe the US president’s displeasure with his alliance peers, welcomed Trump’s deployment to Poland and cautioned that Europe must become less reliant on the US.

Rubio said before meeting his NATO counterparts in Sweden: “Like any alliance, it ⁠has to be good ⁠for everyone who’s involved. There has to be a clear ⁠understanding of what the expectations are.” ⁠

He also suggested, however, that the meeting is likely to prove less than comfortable.

“The president’s views, frankly disappointment, at some of our NATO allies and their response to our operations in the Middle East – they’re well documented – that will have to be addressed,” he insisted, before adding “that won’t be solved or addressed today”.

While Rubio meets with NATO counterparts, senior Pentagon officials will brief partners at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels about Washington’s commitment to European defence.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced it plans to reduce the number of combat brigades based in Europe from four to three.

Many of Washington’s allies in Europe remain frustrated with Trump’s handling of the war with Iran, which has damaged their economies and prompted some European leaders to question the reliability of the US.

European NATO countries also remain concerned about Trump’s threats to annex Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO ally.

It remains unclear whether the deployment to Poland announced on Thursday includes the same soldiers as those the Pentagon said would no longer be deployed to the Central European country, or if they will include redeployments from Germany.

Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold also left out, while Saudi-based Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney the surprise inclusion.

Cole Palmer and Phil Foden were among a number of high-profile names excluded by Thomas Tuchel from England’s World Cup squad.

Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold was also left out of the squad announced on Friday, with Saudi-based Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney the surprise inclusion.

Tuchel, a Champions League winner during his time at Chelsea, has been hired to end England’s 60-year wait to win a major international tournament.

The former Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich boss has made a series of bold calls, which will be harshly judged if the Three Lions fall short of glory in the coming weeks.

Foden and Palmer played a major role in England’s run to the final of Euro 2024.

However, Manchester City’s Foden and Chelsea playmaker Palmer have paid the price for poor seasons with their clubs.

Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White and Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin have also been overlooked, despite being two of the highest-scoring Englishmen in the Premier League this season.

Veteran Brentford midfielder and former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has been included at the expense of Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.

Tuchel said telling players they would not be on the plane to the United States had been tough.

“It was difficult, sometimes painfully difficult and like even in the phone calls I felt the emotion,” he said.

“So I called all players that were with us in camp at least one time, I called them, I wanted to show at least the appreciation and the respect for what they have done.”

Tuchel said he could not wait to be on the plane and “be a coach”.

“Now I’m feeling in between relieved and excited and ready to go because once you get the energy back and once you see the excitement of the players that you chose and then once the decisions are made it gives you a certain edge, it gives clarity,” he said.

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire said on Thursday he was shocked at not being included.

“I was confident I could [have] played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had,” the 33-year-old posted on social media.

“I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision.”

Maguire’s Manchester United teammate Luke Shaw has also been overlooked.

Tuchel has taken a risk on centre-back John Stones despite his lack of involvement at Manchester City during an injury-hit season.

Toney made an impact off the bench at the Euros two years ago, but has played only two minutes of international football since moving to Saudi Arabia in 2024.

England kick off their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on June 17, before playing Ghana on June 23 and Panama four days later.

England’s 2026 World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford.

Defenders: Reece James, Tino Livramento, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, John Stones, Nico O’Reilly, Ezri Konsa, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence.

Midfielders: Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze.

Forwards: Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon.

IT’S the news that all Mis-Teeq fans have been waiting for – the band have announced they are reuniting.

The noughties girlband, made up of Alesha Dixon, 47, Sabrina Washington, 47, and Su-Elise Nash, 45, shared their exciting news this morning.

Announcing the news in Vogue, the trio revealed they would be doing a one-off show at Wembley Arena in September.

Revealing why they got back together, Alesha said: “We’ve been offered reunion stuff over the years, but it’s never felt right.

““This time, everything just lined up.”

The BGT star added: “It feels like it is just slotting back into place, guys.

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“It’s just like it used to be – me saying too much and them two looking at me like, ‘Oh, here she goes!’”

The band’s reunion is to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut album, Lickin’ On Both Sides.

The record, which came out in October 2001, peaked at No3 in the Official Album Charts and bagged them five Top Ten singles including All I Want, One Night Stand and B With Me.

The Sun revealed in January that the band would be getting back together.

A source said at the time: “Alesha has been excitedly talking about this for a while and would love a Mis-Teeq reunion with Sabrina and Su-Elise to happen.

“Fans shouldn’t expect a Girls Aloud-style comeback tour, though.

“At the minute, lots of things are being discussed and one thing that has come up is the idea of a one-off show. It could be an intimate gig for their die-hard fans or a performance on a big TV programme such as Britain’s Got Talent — which Alesha is a judge on.

“Nothing has formally been offered but nothing is off the table.

“Lickin’ On Both Sides launched Alesha, Sabrina and Su-Elise’s music careers and that record holds a really special place in their hearts.

“They want to celebrate that album with their fans.”

More on this story to follow…

With all the tension and drama that surrounds the play-offs, there is an argument to be made that it is perhaps the best way to win promotion.

Former right-back Tommy Smith, who won the Championship play-off final with Huddersfield Town in 2017 and played in the Premier League for the Terriers, says it is the “jeopardy” which makes it so unique.

“The play-offs do strange things to you. Moments in time. It brings out things in games that you just don’t see in a normal season. There’s a key word in it and that’s jeopardy,” he told BBC’s Football Daily 72+ podcast.

Smith described winning the play-off final as an “unbelievable” and “incredible” feeling that will stay with him for the rest of his life.

“Ultimately I’ve got pictures around my house now, I’ve got the medal to show for it,” he added.

“It’s only afterwards when it sinks in that you actually realise what you’ve achieved. It’s a surreal day and a surreal feeling.”

Lyle Taylor, who won promotion via the play-offs from the Championship, League One and League Two with Nottingham Forest, Charlton and AFC Wimbledon respectively, said it is a “feeling you can’t really describe”.

“It’s strange. I remember walking up there [the Wembley steps] and it hasn’t hit you that you’ve done it,” he said.

“I saw my parents after the finals and the emotion gets you at that point. It’s mad because it’s such a momentous day, it’s such a big part of your life and if you’re lucky enough to do it as a footballer, it’s incredible.”

A FURIOUS passenger has called out a major airline for giving him a smaller than usual seat.

A British passenger has bashed KLM Royal Dutch Airlines after they revealed their assigned seat was “30 per cent smaller than usual”.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

Calling out the airline on X, Mike (@finnishmike), said: “Almost 8 months ago @KLM said they will reimburse my payment for this seat, which is not supposed to be on sales for passengers.

“Since then, they’ve completely ignored me won’t even reply back to emails anymore.”

According to The Mail, Mika was assigned seat 30A but when he arrived he realised it was much smaller than he expected it to be – even though he had sat in the same seat previously.

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Mika had specifically paid to be on an exit row, which usually means extra leg room.

However, the seat he eventually sat in was 30 per cent smaller than the one next to it, despite both seats being the same price.

Mika added: “It was only €99 (£85.57) and its not about the money, its principle.

“Just common sense they should reimburse me back, shame.”

One commenter pointed out that the seat is relatively new and is normally used for staff travelling between cities.

Sun Travel has contacted KLM for comment.

The Cotswolds is famous for its beautiful scenery, charming market squares and iconic stone houses. However, a common issue keeps springing up when the sun is shining

This Bank Holiday weekend promises glorious sunshine, and plenty of us will be seizing the opportunity to venture out on day trips.

Britain boasts an array of stunning destinations right on our doorstep – the Cotswolds among them. The region hasn’t just served as a backdrop for films, it’s also become a social media sensation, drawing visitors from across the globe.

Countless people relish wandering through the lush countryside, picturesque stone cottages and bustling market squares. They also descend in their thousands upon the wealth of pubs, independent shops, farm outlets and tearooms.

Yet the storybook villages aren’t always quite so perfect in reality. That’s because many have been hit by overtourism in recent years.

Traffic jams, parking disputes and pressure on local amenities are among the problems that have emerged. In fact, residents are so fed up they’re urging people to stop going altogether.

Illustrating the effect on both locals and tourists alike, a visitor named Chloe recorded footage in Bourton-on-the-Water this month. The stunning Gloucestershire village is renowned for its river and distinctive bridges.

On quieter days, it feels wonderfully tranquil to settle beside the water and absorb the surroundings. Yet it becomes extremely busy during peak season and on sunny weekends, with bottlenecks forming on the bridges and along the riverbank.

Following her visit on a sunny day, Chloe cautioned: “What should have felt peaceful was packed and overwhelming.

“The sheer amount of tourism must keep local businesses thriving – but it was hard not to feel like the charm is being worn down in this quaint, rural village. Visit with caution and maybe at 6am in the morning to beat the crowds.”

Chloe’s video struck a chord with many, racking up more than 13,100 likes alongside a flood of comments from frustrated locals struggling to go about their everyday lives.

One resident pleaded: “Please stop coming here, I’m just trying to get to work.” Another sympathised, writing: “My mum lives there and says it’s a battle just to get to the shops for some milk. I couldn’t do it!”

A third added: “I live here and genuinely don’t remember the last time I took my kids down to the river or even for an ice-cream on a nice day because it’s just too overwhelming. I’ve never seen traffic like it. It’s taking some people over an hour to get from one end of the village to the other just to get home.

“It’s a pretty village, yes, but other residents and I feel something needs to be done with how stupidly busy it gets.”

Nevertheless, some offered helpful tips for those planning a trip. Visiting during the off-season is widely recommended as the best way to soak up the surroundings without the mayhem.

One commenter suggested: “I prefer visiting the Cotswolds during autumn and winter because it’s much calmer. It’s mostly spring and summer that is so busy. The Cotswolds can be very quiet when it’s colder – and in my opinion the atmosphere is so much better on colder days.”

A second visitor agreed, adding: “We went in March. Had the place to ourselves. We had been before in summer and it was hell, so learnt our lesson!”

These are some of the least welcoming cities in Europe.

European capitals continue to be beloved getaway destinations for countless Britons looking for a quick break from daily life. With straightforward access by plane or train, these cities are perfect for long weekend trips. Yet an increasing number of locations are gaining notoriety amongst travellers for being hostile, dirty and dangerous.

One city in particular has been singled out as a place to avoid, according to recent reviews from British visitors. Long considered the ultimate destination for a romantic retreat, Paris has faced significant backlash, reports the Express.

In a Reddit thread, one user branded the city as grimy and said locals were “unbelievably rude”.

ExplanationWorried14 wrote: “I said ‘merci’ when someone actually stopped at a crossing and he looked angry and shrugged like I was an idiot.

“Some school girls sang a song about me being an English w****, despite me wearing a long, flowing hippie dress that in no way revealed any flesh, and I felt unsafe.”

“Got followed by two men near the Louvre. Would never go back. I don’t know why people say it’s romantic… I guess those people are into some weird stuff.”

Another commenter pointed to rampant criminal behaviour and mentioned that the French capital came with a steep price tag.

Mister Pink said: “Lots and lots of crime is very visible all around in the form of pickpockets and con artists. Very expensive, and the Parisians generally were pretty rude.

“At least when you go to the nicer bits of London for food, the area tends to be quite nice to match the outrageous prices.”

Other well-known European cities fared little better in the eyes of the Reddit users, who were equally ruthless in their verdicts.

Berlin was branded as a city overrun with rude locals.

Philosophyguilty wrote: “Old school Berliners are vicious. If you live in Berlin for any length of time, you will have a tale or two about them.”

Softwarepanda agreed, writing: “Never been in a place with so much grumpiness.”

Brussels was labelled as having a “pretty grim vibe”, while Rome — a city forever synonymous with La Dolce Vita — was alleged to be crawling with “scammers and gropers”.

A POPULAR “time warp” attraction has reopened this week following months of closure.

A multi-million pound grant has helped resurrect the model Victorian town in time for the half term.

Blists Hill, a living Victorian Museum in Shropshire, finally reopened yesterday (May 21), allowing visitors to step back in time once more.

The 1900s style attraction closed in February this year after the National Trust took over the property from the previous owners, the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.

The open-air museum features staff working in 18th and 19th century clothing, with a candle factory, butcher’s shop, school and a shoesmith for visitors to explore.

There is even a bank trading in shillings and pence, which visitors can use to spend at the confectionery store.

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Shire horses, as well as the new addition of a pony, also provide carriage rides around the town.

As part of the takeover, the National Trust was given a £9 million government grant to “increase visitor numbers” from beyond the county.

It will now run the attraction alongside nine other museums, 35 listed buildings and scheduled monuments that were once operated by Ironbridge.

Around 330,000 visitors come to the site annually from the West Midlands and across the UK.

The 11-week delay in reopening the attraction was attributed to overhauling IT systems, staff training and induction.

The Museum of Iron and The Old Furnace in Shropshire are also set to open this month.

Sometimes there’s no need to hop on a plane when you have the picture-postcard landscapes of the UK, and during a stay at a charming UK hotel, I was whisked away to Italy in a secluded oasis

A beautiful hotel and pub, with only eight bedrooms, felt as though I was somewhere else entirely, not least the rolling UK countryside.

In the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside, encircled by picturesque towns and quaint villages, is The Killingworth Castle, an historic pub with numerous culinary recognitions and eight luxurious bedrooms. Its idyllic grounds with honey-coloured stone buildings and pristine gardens filled with seasonal flowers were enough to transport me to scenes in Italy, as I blissfully settled into what felt like a home away from home.

Set against its beautiful green terrace and peaceful grounds, overlooking traditional stone buildings, proved the perfect spot to enjoy a drink outside on one of the inn’s many inviting benches. Certainly an oasis during the summer months, it’s easy to see why The Killingworth Castle has been recognised as having one of the best pub gardens in the UK, by Enjoy Travel.

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Nestled in Wootton, the hotel affectionately dubbed ‘The Killy’, is perfectly positioned as a gateway to explore the Cotswolds and is just a 30-minute drive from the historic city of Oxford. Its location is an undeniable draw with access to some of the most beautiful parts of the UK, like Burford, Bourton-on-the-Water and Bibury, but the charming town of Woodstock, just a stone’s throw away, also warrants a visit and is home to the iconic Blenheim Palace.

The Killingworth Castle is run by husband and wife Jim and Claire Alexander, who are at the heart of the operation. From the moment I arrived, I felt at home, with a warm welcome from their dedicated staff, the inviting blend of farmhouse charm and boutique-hotel comfort, and a scenic setting that felt like I was living my Italian dream, albeit in the heart of the Great British countryside.

When I wasn’t exploring the Cotswolds or Oxfordshire, ‘The Killy’ was the perfect oasis for a quintessential country retreat, and while it may be small, it proved even more reason to stay.

Bespoke luxury rooms

I checked into one of their eight luxurious rooms in the stable block, which felt as though it was tucked inside a storybook house, with exposed beams, exposed brick and slanted walls. It felt like my very own hidden retreat.

There was a grand, rustic oak four-poster bed adorned with a quilted throw, a stylish seating area of leather chairs and courtyard views, and a roll-top bath in a corner nook beneath a skylight that blissfully welcomed the tapping of spring rain.

While there were all the usual amenities for a comfy stay, every room also welcomes the addition of complimentary English sherry on arrival – definitely a perk for those pre-dinner drinks or evening nightcaps. All the rooms are individually designed with handpicked rustic antique furniture, and my delightful stay in room eight offered a blend of old-world architecture with bespoke luxury.

Tasty delights

Once I had settled in my room, which took no time at all, I strolled over to the main building with the pub. There’s a bar selling local beers on top, alongside a cosy area with darts and a pool table, armchairs snuggled around a log burner and the main dining room, with a timeless countryside ambience, vaulted timber ceilings, exposed stone walls, and framed photos.

The pub offers an à la carte menu, a set lunch, a Sunday menu, or a tasting menu under the helm of head chef Rob Mason, and has garnered prestigious acknowledgement for its offerings. The Killingworth Castle has been continuously recommended in the Michelin Guide, awarded their third AA Rosette, and has been featured in the UK’s Top 50 Gastropubs list for 2026.

It’s safe to say that before I had even browsed the menu, I was excited for what I was going to taste as an avid foodie. So I opted for the tasting menu, partly so I could savour as many flavours as possible, but really, once I saw the menu, it was hard to resist.

I was treated to a plethora of mouthwatering flavours that were as much a feast for the eyes as they were for my taste buds! Even the treacle bread was an exceptional start, presented on a bed of wheat and barley.

I went on to devour the delicate flavours of Evesham asparagus, gribiche sauce, cracklebean egg yolk and sourdough with a welcoming burst of wild garlic, before tasting the roasted hand-dived scallop, pork jowl, apple and cider butter sauce, which really was a tantalising combination.

Yet my favourite course was the wild sea bass Grenobloise, with brown butter sauce, capers, lemon, and parsley. The last savoury course of the menu was the succulent Cotswold lamb, braised neck, peas, broad beans, goat’s cured and malt vinegar, that melted in the mouth.

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Just when I thought I hadn’t been spoiled enough, I was given my first sweet course of vanilla and rhubard, which proved the perfect palate cleanser, before a delight of chocolate delice, Hukambi milk chocolate, hazelnut, and Cruz del Mar raisins. It was certainly a journey of flavours I won’t forget in a hurry.

The tasting menu at The Killingworth Castle is £95 per guest, with the option to add a wine flight for an additional £55 per person. Otherwise, guests can enjoy a three-course meal from the à la carte menu for £65 per person.

The charm of ‘The Killy’

The food at breakfast was just as exceptional, with the brightest orange egg yolks I’ve ever been lucky enough to consume on my eggs Benedict, with a side of bacon. And the benefit of the hotel only bearing eight rooms was certainly felt at breakfast. There was no morning rush in which you’re left fighting for the last slice of pineapple or queuing for 15 minutes to get your hands on a fresh omelet.

Instead, my day began with a warm welcome from owner Jim, a warming cup of coffee, and the gentle hum of fellow guests against the inviting, traditional charm of ‘The Killy’. I could have easily stayed for longer as I melted into my surroundings.

Rooms at The Killingworth Castle start from £169 per night during the week, and from £205 during the weekend, with breakfast included in each rate. For more information or to book your country escape, visit The Killingworth Castle website.

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Rooms at Killingworth Castle cost from £169, with breakfast included. Visit www.thekillingworthcastle.com/

Two South Korean activists returned home Friday after being released by Israeli forces that had captured them aboard aid vessels bound for the Gaza Strip.

Kim Ah-hyun was aboard an aid vessel seized by Israeli forces in waters off the Gaza Strip, while Kim Dong-hyeon’s ship was intercepted near Cyprus — both earlier this week.

They were released Wednesday and flew home together, arriving at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, at 6:24 a.m.

“Many people are dying not only from bombings, but also from starvation,” Kim Ah-hyun told reporters at the airport. “Because there are people there, I thought that I had to attempt the voyage again, no matter how dangerous the situation in the Middle East was.”

The activist had earlier attempted to enter the territory via an aid flotilla in October without authorization. She had been detained by Israeli forces during her first attempt and was later released.

Before her latest attempt, the South Korean government had revoked her passport.

The activist claimed she had been assaulted by Israeli forces in the face after her latest capture and that she couldn’t hear properly in her left ear.

Kim Dong-hyeon, the other activist, said Israeli forces had “tortured” the activists, claiming they had suffered “unendurable violence.”

Israel has faced criticism following the release of images of captured activists kneeling on the ground with their hands bound.

On Wednesday, President Lee Jae Myung criticized Israel’s seizure of the vessels, accusing the country of violating international rules as the ships were not in Israel’s territorial waters when they were seized.

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