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A BRAND new aquapark is coming to a UK town just in time for the summer holidays.

Featuring slides, climbing walls and a splash zone, the inflatable waterpark will be open until the autumn.

Located at Hinchingbrooke Country Park in Cambridgeshire, the brand new aquapark will be open to the public from July 18.

The inflatable park promises a day out of full of water-based fun, including slides, balance beams, climbing walls and splash zones.

Aimed at visitors aged six and over, the temporary water attraction will be open in time for the summer holidays and remain in place until September.

Visitors are able to pre-book online now, and the park expects demand to be high throughout the summer.

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Tickets cost £19 per person and include a buoyancy aid, helmet and wetsuit hire.

From mid-July, the aquapark will be open from 10am to 5pm, with each session lasting an hour.

The new inflatable is part of a larger ongoing investment into Hinchingbrooke Country Park, improving its leisure activities and encouraging more visitors to the park’s large natural surroundings.

Executive member for Parks and Countryside, Waste and Street Scene, Cllr Julie Kerr, said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing this exciting new attraction to Hinchingbrooke Country Park.

“It’s a fantastic addition for residents and visitors alike, and part of our ongoing commitment to improving and evolving the park to enhance leisure and outdoor opportunities for users now and in the future.”

Hinchingbrooke Country Park even wants the community to get involved in an important aspect of the opening of the park.

In a post on Facebook, the park called upon residents to submit ideas for a new name for the aquapark, with the winner receiving a free visit for the entire family.

“Think adventurous, fun, family-friendly or inspired by Hinchingbrooke and the local area – we can’t wait to see your ideas,” read the post.

Entries for the competition close on Friday, June 5, and the winner will be announced shortly afterwards.

Some concerns were raised on the Hinchingbrooke Facebook post regarding the local wildlife of the area, but the park revealed they had worked “closely with an independent ecologist to understand how this could impact the wider park”.

An Ecological Impact Assessment was conducted and the park confirmed that their project team is now “working closely” with park rangers to “ensure all recommendations and any appropriate ecological mitigation is completed”.

The park will also be designating specific lake zones purely to wildlife and “adding an additional tern raft”.

The nearby car park is also currently undergoing works, but the park has confirmed this is expected to be complete by the time the aquapark opens.

THE UK’S tallest spinning pendulum ride has officially launched at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and I was lucky enough to climb aboard before it opened to the public.

Called Aviktas, the £9million attraction made its debut on 21 May after more than a year under construction.

Spinning riders 138ft in the air, it is the biggest gyro-swing in the UK — nearly double the height of the previous record-holder, Maelstrom at Drayton Manor, Staffs, which tops out at 74ft.

The ride has been built on the former site of the Bowladrome, a popular arcade and bowling spot that had been part of the Blackpool seafront since the 1960s before closing last year.

Now that space is home to four enormous legs, each weighing 16 tons, which anchor Aviktas’s towering structure.

At the end of a swinging arm sits a circular gondola, where 40 riders are strapped into outward-facing seats.

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From there, the pendulum swings up to 120 degrees over the Blackpool coastline.

So what did it actually feel like to ride?

Aviktas was far more intense than I was expecting.

As you are strapped in, a thumping soundtrack composed especially for the ride pumps out from all directions, helping to build the suspense.

But what sets Aviktas apart is the lack of over-the-shoulder restraints — the only thing holding you in here is a lap bar, which really ramps up the fear factor.

Before you know it, the floor below you drops to leave your feet dangling, and the swinging begins.

It is gentle at first, but as each swing climbs higher than the last, so does the G-force — with the rush of air pushing your cheeks back as you plummet between arcs.

But the best bit comes right at the top.

For a few seconds at the peak of each swing, you feel weightless, as if floating in mid-air, while the crowds stare up at you from below.

Then you whoosh back down and do it all again on the other side.

It is terrifying but exhilarating — made worthwhile by the views, which offer glimpses for miles down the coast, right down the promenade to Blackpool Tower and beyond.

This is a proper stomach-churner but, if you are anything like me, you will be eagerly queueing up to ride it again before your feet hit the ground.

It is surely the best ride of its type in the UK right now — but it is also just one of many reasons to head to the Lancashire coast this summer.

The new ride arrives during a big year for Pleasure Beach, which celebrates its 130th anniversary as the UK’s oldest amusement park, having first welcomed visitors in 1896.

It has remained family-owned ever since.

Earlier this year, it was named one of the world’s best theme parks by Tripadvisor, the only UK park to make the top ten.

Last season saw the revamp of Launch Pad (formerly Ice Blast), and River Caves is also on the list for an overhaul soon.

What is more, the Pleasure Beach is one of the cheaper big theme-park days out in the country, with standard prices starting from £28 for kids and £30 adults.

For those who like to keep their feet on the ground, there is a new ticket type called Flex Pass.

Costing £18, it is aimed at non-riders and includes park entry, a ride on the Pleasure Beach Express, and the option to buy individual ride tickets as you go.

Looking for somewhere good to stay nearby?

The award-winning Boulevard Hotel sits right under the massive drop of the Big One coaster.

Just a one-minute walk from the park, it boasts rooms with sea or park views.

They start from £85 a night and even include free Pleasure Beach tickets.

With overseas travel looking a bit less certain this summer than it has in recent years, more of us are looking for staycation fun at the British seaside.

Trains from London run to Blackpool in just over three hours.

From Manchester, it is barely more than an hour.

There is also the Sandcastle, the UK’s largest indoor waterpark, which celebrated its 40th birthday earlier this year with a £500,000 refresh.

Inside are a dizzying 18 slides and a huge wave pool, kept at an inviting 30C no matter what the weather is doing outside.

Tickets start from £24.95.

Throw in Blackpool’s Tower, the Illuminations, and fish-and-chips for good measure, and you have a budget break for the family that can more than match any excitement abroad.

WHEN it comes to flying to the States, a major airline has unveiled a huge new revamp of their planes – and it’s making it much comfier to fly long-haul.

Having flown to and from America several times over the past five years to visit family, I quickly found a love for United Airlines‘.

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

The airline recently announced they were launching a brand new ‘Elevated’ cabin on their 787-9 Dreamliner between San Francisco and London Heathrow, upgrading every single class from economy to business.

This includes the rollout of the first ever new business class United Polaris Studio suites, which have more spacious seats, larger screens and Bluetooth connectivity.

I, however, was trying out United’s new Premium Plus Economy seat which they say has “elements normally reserved for business class customers” – a welcome sight when leaving gloomy London.

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There’s a total of 35 United Premium Plus seats arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration in the new cabin design, each with privacy dividers and a built-in reading light – both firsts for United Premium Plus seats.

And in all honesty, the seats felt closer to business class than economy and even better than some business class seats I’ve experienced on other airlines.

I opted for the very first row with enough room that when stretching out my legs straight, they still didn’t hit the wall in front of me.

Plonking myself down in my aisle seat – which actually felt more like an armchair – I was immediately impressed by how comfortable it was.

And then when it came to checking out the generous 40.6cm 4K OLED screen, I was excited to snuggle down and watch one of the latest film releases.

Pressing play on Wuthering Heights, I connected my Airpods to the Bluetooth to listen in to the film and placed my phone on the quartzite cocktail table between my seat and the next seat to connect it to the wireless charging.

As for the amenities, a small ‘United 100’ pouch to celebrate the airline’s centenary was on my seat featuring branded socks, an eye mask and some Vitamin C Perricone MD products.

Also on my seat was a Saks Fifth Avenue pillow and blanket, which added to my cinema experience when Wuthering Heights started to play.

When it comes to space, passengers get 96.5cm pitch and 50.8cm width, and then 15cm of recline – which while not much felt spacious enough and with the new privacy screen acting as a good headrest, I was more than comfortable.

Power outlets and bottle holders are located between the seats for added convenience too.

Located on one armrest is also a remote for the TV and a small cubbyhole where you’ll find your overhead earphones.

Of course, you can now also get Starlink Wi-Fi on United flights – even if it is just for messaging – which I have to admit was super speedy.

Another thing I love about United is that you are always fed well,

My first meal consisted of an artichoke salad and bread for starter, with roast chicken for my main and chocolate truffles for dessert.

Mid-flight, I then enjoyed a chicken burrito and before landing, tucked into another salad and a paneer curry.

In between these courses, the cabin crew were great at always ensuring I had enough water or a drink of my choosing – whether that be alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

United aims to have at least 30 planes with the new Elevated interior flying by the end of 2027.

So if you’re trying to decide which airline to go with on your next trip to the US? I’d recommend United – if you want a business class experience on a premium economy budget.

Over the last five years, there has been a significant shift in how fashion and sports intersect, both on and off the court, with athletes’ influence extending beyond the court and into culture at large. Why now? And how has athlete style evolved?

These were some of the questions that three prominent athlete stylists — Brittany Hampton, Courtney Mays and Dex Robinson — unpacked last week at the panel “Game Changers: Where Sport Meets Style.” Moderated by Image contributor Darian Symoné Harvin and co-organized with the Only Agency, the event took place at the private members club Gravitas, a hub for folks at the intersection of sports, business and luxury in Beverly Hills. Gathered in the swanky yet intimate upstairs bar and events room, guests sat in plush chairs and sipped pink vodka cocktails and flipped through Image’s May sports and arts issue ahead of it hitting the newsstands. An also-plush takeaway? Stress balls in the shape of footballs, courtesy of the Only Agency.

The evening could’ve kept going — Hampton, Mays and Robinson had so much to say about an industry that is still widely misunderstood and filled with gatekeeping. The below edited version of the conversation gives you a glimpse into the demanding yet deeply fulfilling world of styling athletes.

Darian Symoné Harvin: Athletes often are not sample size. How do you source clothes and work with brands? Are they supportive? Anything you would tell brands if you could?

Courtney Mays: Size inclusivity is a huge thing. Because, especially when you’re talking about the W[NBA], you’re talking about women who are sometimes a men’s size 13 shoe, who are sometimes a 36-inch inseam. And although we’re using this platform to talk about larger issues, sometimes the larger issue is: I’m here and I’m a plus-size woman. Sometimes you have to use your presence to talk about those things, if you’re not verbally saying that, [and] you have to get the brands to stand behind you.

“We’re making sure that that Old Navy looks like Bottega,” said Courtney Mays, “so that at the end of the day you feel like the superstar that you are. We’re really curating the moment.”

Brittany Hampton: It’s also important for everyone that’s in the room to know that stylists can’t always get the ask that you guys may be asking for. If I have a seven-foot athlete, which I do have on my roster, and he’s, you know, he’s massive — he wears a 16-and-a-half shoe. There may only be a few brands [with his size]. There are going to be certain things that I may even have to pull out of his own closet. And then it still means, “Well, why do we have to give you that budget for that?” And it’s like, well, because I had to have an assistant go get that piece from his closet, have it dry-cleaned, have it picked up, then have it delivered to set. It’s still a process, there’s value in the work that we put in. We’re trying our hardest.

DSH: From a tunnel walk to a press run to a campaign, how do you break down your budget and your fee?

Dex Robinson: Each stylist approaches fees and pricing a different way, right? Also depends on how you were groomed or how you came into the situation. I was an assistant for years before I ever said I was a stylist, and even then I kind of treaded lightly before I was like, “I am a lead stylist.” I was someone’s assistant, and that’s when I asked all the questions that I needed to ask about what my fees would be. I knew the structures, I knew the things, so I wasn’t asking my peers, “Oh, how do I charge for this?”

BH: I do want to jump in and state for the people in the room that may or may not know we’re speaking in terms of expenses. The current budgets that they are talking about are particular to clothing expenses. That does not allot to our fees. We have labor that is very imperative, labor that goes into us doing market research, that goes into us having assistance across cities most of the time. I live in Los Angeles. None of my clients live in Los Angeles. So let’s say my client is currently in the playoffs and lives in Cleveland, but I’m pulling from both New York and Los Angeles, then we’re meeting in Cleveland to have a fitting with him, and that all takes a tailor of this, of that, etc. Now, having tunnel looks is one thing, but then also having a campaign is something completely different. We also then have to be very strategic about brands that we’re pulling from. And we are using our own cards!

CM: A lot of times, we are giving our own money down to say, “I’m taking this half a million dollars’ worth of wardrobe out of your store, and I’m promising you that I’m going to bring it back in a certain amount of time.”

DR: It’s a more lengthy exercise to get people to let you borrow clothes versus [when] the [clients] just pay for this stuff and I don’t have to worry about it after. I would much rather let them have it in their wardrobe and I figure out what to do with it after. And I’m not like, “Oh, you wore this one time,” and just throw this out. No, we gonna cut the arms off of this. We gonna turn this into some shorts.

When asked for one piece of advice for aspiring stylists, Dax Robinson encouraged people to first do their research. “Being fashionable does not make you a stylist … it takes years of perfecting a craft to become a stylist.”

But then to pull from a [showroom], that’s a whole ‘nother situation. That’s not really a money exchange, that’s more of a publicity exchange. And again, it’s still based off your name or your client.

CM: That’s when it’s important to get the shot. We live in a social media world. When we work with brands and we work with designers, we work with PR firms — what they’re looking for is that image. Not only the tunnel walk, but maybe it’s the walk out of the hotel or that paparazzi shot.

So we’re also partnering with photographers, saying, “Hey, our clients are going to the opening of LACMA. We need to capture the moments before.” Just like all the celebrities, they go to the SAG Awards, whatever, and they have these beautiful editorial shots before they even hit the red carpet. Why? Because they invested in a photographer to come to their home, to their hotel room, and say, “Let’s use 15 minutes before you walk out the door, get this BTS, get this shot, and we’re going to make it look beautiful.” Because we want to build the relationships with the brands of the clothing that we’re wearing.

DSH: What I love about what you’re saying is that it’s not only the tunnel, it’s not only the press run, it’s not only the campaign. It’s like, how are you creating this world around who the athlete is? To me, that’s exciting. It’s when you get into the creativity.

Let’s say that you receive a cold email from someone who wants to work with you. What kinds of questions do they ask that lets you know that they’re informed or they mean business? What lets you know, “Oh, they’ve done their homework a little bit, and they’re not just going to toss me around as a possibility”?

BH: We are brand architects, and because you guys are reaching out to us about a particular client, our job is not to just create a character, right? We don’t just create characters. We work with athletes. We understand that we have to know that athlete before they even walk in the room, and we have to understand their identity, understand their brand, and then build that with you [the brands] before we can even do the job right. There’s nothing more that I love than being on a call with a full production team for a full hour for a commercial. Because we actually want to know: One, what’s going into that player. Two, what they look like. Three, what they’re going to be doing, if there’s a double or if they’re going to be active — our talent is very performative, they’re performance-based first, and so we have to remember that when we’re dressing them.

Brittany Hampton on the role stylists play beyond the tunnel walk: “We’re not just bringing them a rack of clothes. We’re truly there to help build their identity and then who they’re about to become.”

CM: I feel like those conversations need to happen at the onset of working with a new client, with the agent, with the manager, with the assistant so that you can understand what the broader goal is for that client. A lot of times when people hire stylists, whether it’s per project or for a longer stint, a season, I think it’s like, “Oh, they just need clothes.” Like, I just had a job. [Her team] was like, “It’s the opening of the WNBA season. She needs clothes tomorrow.” Like an idiot, I took it: I really want to work with this girl. I’m gonna just send her a box. And I knew that was the dumbest thing I could have ever done, because I’ve never met her in person. I didn’t have the right sizes, and I think it ruined the relationship, because I didn’t have any context. So the fact that I couldn’t execute in 24 hours is sticking with me. I should have said no, because that is not my job — to go shop for you at the mall. My job is to really have a conversation about what your goals are, what your fit is, what brands do you love, what do you want to do when this basketball thing is over? I think that part and those conversations are important.

BH: It’s also important to have emotional intelligence. As we are the people that work with athletes on a consistent basis, we have to understand their bodies, but we also have to understand that they win games, they lose games. And half the time we are picking up their energy. We’re not just bringing them a rack of clothes. We’re truly there to help build their identity and then who they’re about to become. Sometimes you don’t get that lucky and get to have someone for that long, but the relationship building and creating that trust is something that’s so important, which is why those factors matter, like hiring someone maybe a month in advance and setting up those calls between the client and the stylist. Even if we just get on the call and we just want to shoot the shit and we’re like, “What colors do you like? What size do you like? What are brands that you love? Who do you look up to in terms of fashion?” Because some of these kids like it, and some of them absolutely don’t know.

DR: Well, that [direct relationship] might not be the reality depending on how big your client is sometimes, too. I’ve worked with people where they had to have that middleman for a little bit until they felt comfortable. So it wasn’t a situation where you could do that direct situation until they were ready. It’s also a different situation for me as a male, because guys don’t like being around other guys, so that’s why [women] dominated [the styling landscape] for years. Think about it. Like, as a guy, your mom is your first stylist. And then when you get a shorty you may say, “Yo, babe, I look nice. I’m good.” Guys really feel confident with a woman saying, “You look nice.” Not, “Yo, bro.” And then, even for me, a lot of the bigger guys I worked with, it was really their wives that was like, “You know what? My man can’t dress. I need you to come in.”

CM: That’s still the case. It’s somebody’s girlfriend or wife or agent. Like, “Please help.”

DSH: I want to talk about the people who you all work with when you are on set. I’m thinking particularly about glam. I’m curious about the makeup, hairstyle and grooming conversation that you are having, and why it matters.

“What you’re saying is that there’s a level of love that you have to put into it, and it’s not just about the clothes, but about the person,” reflected moderator Darian Symoné Harvin. “What do you like off the court? Where do you want to be? Where do you want to show up, right?”

CM: I feel like the stylist always becomes the creative director. We’re the hype man. We’re the one that’s talking to the hairstylist to say, “OK, she’s wearing this dress, we got to do XYZ, LMNOP.” We’re talking to the hairstylist. We’re talking to the photographer. We’re saying, “OK, we need a green backdrop instead of a yellow.” And I feel like that’s why we’re asking for certain rates; it’s not just me going to Old Navy to get y’all some jeans. And even if I am, because sometimes [Old Navy is] cute, we’re tailoring it. We’re making sure that that Old Navy looks like Bottega, so that at the end of the day you feel like the superstar that you are. We’re really curating the moment.

DSH: What advice would you give if you were sitting across a coffee table with a stylist who says, “I want to get into styling athletes”? What’s the one honest piece of advice you would give them?

BH: We can’t do everything. There are hundreds and hundreds of athletes across the board, and although we all came from a world of gatekeeping, it’s just not that anymore. Like we all have to share relationships. We have to continue to boost one another up. There’s been jobs where I’m like, “I can’t take that. Can you take that? Would you want that? This could be a good girl for you.”

DR: I think that a lot of people think because they’re fashionable, that means they should be a stylist. And I think being fashionable is just that. Being fashionable does not make you a stylist. I think it takes a sharpened eye. I think it takes understanding skill and proportion. I think it takes years of perfecting a craft to become a stylist. I think that people should just do research. I think that people should assist people. I think that when you come into a space and you don’t assist people, [maybe] you can easily attain a client, but retaining them is going to be hard, and I think that’s a difference, right? I wish a lot of the younger people that came into the space were more open to being a student first and not trying to become a professor.

CM: I also think that what we do is such an intimate thing. We’re getting people dressed. We’re in their homes, we’re in their hotel rooms. We’re with their families. Come as your authentic self and know that you have to do your best professionally — but also there’s a level of love that you have to put into it, and it’s not just about the clothes, but about the person, and about their goals and their aspirations. Make sure that you become a part of those conversations in a real, authentic way.

BH: It’s not just transactional. This is truly our passion. And we want to continue to work and just push for every person that comes after us.