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Coronation Street’s Betsy Swain has taken centre stage this week as the ITV soap tackles the silent dangers of non-fatal strangulation in a powerful stroke awareness storyline

Coronation Street’s Betsy Swain is currently part of a hard-hitting storyline.

The hit ITV soap is tackling the silent dangers of non-fatal strangulation in a powerful stroke awareness storyline. Only recently, Ryan Connor discovered an unconscious Betsy, where she was rushed to hospital.

Doctors confirmed that she had suffered a stroke caused by a blood clot which was the result of neck artery damage from a temporary loss of circulation.

Once stabilised having suffered a second stroke, an embarrassed and vulnerable Betsy eventually managed to reveal that her boyfriend Dylan Wilson strangled her during consensual sex, despite both believing the pressure applied was minimal.

In the coming months, viewers will witness Betsy’s challenging recovery journeys as she transitions from hospital to home, navigating significant life changes. With Betsy taking centre stage, soap watchers are keen to learn more about actress Sydney Martin’s life from her real age to her normal job before Corrie fame…

Real age

Sydney shot to fame when she joined the ITV soap as Betsy, daughter of fan favourite DS Lisa Swain, played by Vicky Myers.

In the soap, Betsy’s age is 18 with the character having been born in September 2007, meaning she will turn 19 later this year. However, in real life, actress Sydney is in fact 24.

Back in October, Sydney celebrated her birthday, sharing a post on her Instagram revealing she was 24. Reacting to Sydney’s real age, soap fans were left floored at the time.

On a Coronation Street Facebook fan page, one person said: “Happy 24th birthday to Sydney Martin who plays Betsy Swain!“

Someone else declared: “Never knew she was 24!” A third chimed in and quipped: “I need a moment! She’s 24 What?!” Echoing their thoughts, another person penned: “Def looks younger doesn’t she.”

Normal job before Corrie fame

Before landing her Coronation Street role, Sydney was working at supermarket Tesco and immediately handed her notice in after getting the life-changing call.

Previously talking to The Sun, Sydney recalled how she was watching the film Pitch Perfect 3 with flatmates in Manchester when she got the call to say she had won the role of Betsy.

The actress told the publication: “I just ran to the corner of the flat to answer the phone. I said, ‘It’s going to be a no, so keep watching the film’, and then my agent said, ‘Go hand in your notice’.

“I was doing six days at Tesco, so it’s quite the career change. My flatmate picked me up and we just cried. We didn’t finish Pitch Perfect. I could not have asked for a ­better first opportunity.

“My parents are my biggest fans. They are over the moon. I had my first picture in a magazine recently and they bought ten copies.”

Sydney admitted that she had previously auditioned for two smaller roles before landing Betsy and it was a two-month process before getting the job.

Coronation Street continues on weekdays at 8:30pm on ITV and ITVX.

Ever wondered what it’s like travelling from the UK to Spain without any flying involved? One woman recently embarked on the journey and it surprised quite a few people

Travelling to another country is exciting, but not when you have a nervous fear of flying. Whether it’s the stress of airport security or even missing your flight, it can become a huge anxiety for many travellers.

One woman recently showed how you can travel from London to Spain – without any flight involved. The great thing is, once you’re in France, travelling across mainland Europe can be quite straight-forward. Although it’s a given travelling via plane is a lot more quicker than car or train, but you don’t get the sense of adventure as much as you would by train where you take in the sights.

Spending two days on her trip, Claire decided to embark on the journey from London St Pancras where she rode the Eurostar to Paris. She said on TikTok under the name Claire’s Footsteps: “You can travel overland from London to Malaga in two days and this is how much it costs.

“First take the Eurostar from London to Paris and there are trains available for around £49. You can either stay in Paris for a night or take the 2:42pm train to Barcelona, this costs around £89 and arrives into Barcelona at 9:32pm.”

She said hotels close to Barcelona Sants, which is the city’s largest and most important railway station, cost around £65, although this varies on time of year.

The traveller added: “You could stay for two nights and see more of Barcelona or stop off at any of these nearby cities – Figueres, Girona, Zaragoza and many more options – and see them too.”

As for the next day, Claire boarded a direct train to Malaga at around 11am, arriving just before 6pm – a journey that set her back £58.

In the clip, she revealed the total cost of the trip, including one night’s accommodation, came to £265. People in the comments section appeared amazed by the total cost, although someone said it was time-consuming.

Someone else said: “I would,” while a second added: “Yes absolutely.”

It’s worth bearing in mind the overall cost of the trip can differ depending on when you book as this is just a guideline.

Claire, who provided a thorough breakdown of the journey in her caption, claimed: “The schedule shown allows travel across two calendar days: Day 1 London to Paris (and optionally Paris to Barcelona), overnight in/near Barcelona Day 2 Barcelona to Malaga.

“Staying two nights in Barcelona is an option if you prefer sightseeing or a more relaxed pace. What to consider before booking: Fares fluctuate with availability and sales; check Eurostar and rail operator sites for current prices.

“Connect times: allow buffer for delays between service if changing stations or transferring luggage. Accommodation near Barcelona Sants is convenient for the morning departure to Malaga.”

She also noted the overland journey from London to Malaga across two days is entirely doable and can amount to roughly £265 based on the example prices provided.

So will you be trying this trip? Let us know in the comments below…

Following Jeremy Clarkson’s emotional cancer admission, questions are being asked about the future of Clarkson’s Farm, which has already been rocked by behind-the-scenes health battles

The latest episodes of Clarkson’s Farm have taken a devastating turn, with Jeremy Clarkson announcing his shock cancer diagnosis.

The former Top Gear host reduced farm manager Kaleb Cooper to tears as he revealed he’d known about the “aggressive” prostate cancer since May. Following treatment, Clarkson confided in Kaleb that he’d had “10 per cent” of his prostate removed via ultrasound, explaining: “The prostate, 10 per cent of it’s dead. The 10 per cent where the cancer is.”

In the season finale, Clarkson addressed viewers from his hospital bed, sharing that there had been complications during treatment. The 66-year-old told fans: “What I wanted to say was if this is all successful, I’ll see you for season six, and if it isn’t, I won’t. Take care, everyone.”

Over on Instagram, ahead of the new episodes dropping, an emotional Clarkson warned followers that a “really, really difficult watch” was in store.

Holding back tears in a candid post, Clarkson said on Tuesday: “Ordinarily, we try to keep the show bucolic and charming and cheerful. But the final two episodes, which drop in the middle of the night tonight, are none of those things really. They’re a difficult watch. They’re really, really, difficult.”

Fans of the hit farming show will know all too well that Clarkson is not the first cast member to share his health battles, with other stars being struck with serious illnesses throughout its five-year run.

Now questions have emerged about the future of Clarkson’s Farm, which has been running since June 2021, with Prime Video yet to issue a formal statement on its continuation.

At present, the show has not been officially recommissioned. In February, Clarkson himself confirmed that, while some recording for the upcoming series had already taken place, some pausing had been required due to the weather.

In his column for The Sunday Times, the presenter wrote: “There’s no filming happening on the farm at the moment. Or farming. It hasn’t stopped raining since the beginning of the year, so I can’t plant anything, and I can’t do anything with my cows either because we are still locked down by TB.”

But planning documents submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council reportedly suggest that season six is in the works. According to The Independent, part of it reads: “Season five will air this year and season six has been commissioned and will air in summer 2027.”

Clarkson’s enthusiasm for the farming show shows no sign of waning. Speaking previously with The Sun, he said: “We’ll definitely do six – Amazon want to (do series six), and I want to. I’ve got a good idea for six. I said I’ll stop doing them when there are no more ideas. But I’ve got two quite good ones, so we’ll do six, and then we’ll see…”

The beloved farm has been plagued by setbacks and personal health struggles. Back in 2024, during the show’s third series, farmhand Gerald Cooper revealed he had prostate cancer.

The fan favourite, known for his distinctive mullet, has since confirmed that he is thankfully cancer-free. Discussing his diagnosis with Prostate Cancer UK, Gerald shared: “It was a shock – but everyone has really supported me.”

He added: “I received tremendous support from family, friends and Prostate Cancer UK – which was also a lifeline. I made it through, and I’m now cancer-free.”

Wanting to do something “joyful” following his recovery, the 77-year-old went on to launch a racehorse syndicate to help raise some all-important awareness of prostate cancer. The horse itself is, of course, named ‘The Mullet’.

Then, in June 2025, it was revealed that castmate Alan Townsend – aka Alan the Builder – was awaiting heart surgery. While carrying out building work on the Farmer’s Dog Pub, Alan confirmed to Clarkson that he had a “quadruple bypass coming.”

When asked whether he had any fears about the procedure, Alan admitted: “Oh, [I’m] frightened to death. I don’t even like thinking about it. That’s why I keep going to work — keep out of the way. They told me to really just take it easy and stay at home. But if you stay, you’ll be worrying to death about it.”

In the latest season, fans were delighted to see Alan back at work after undergoing a gruelling procedure. Opening up to Clarkson about returning to normality, Alan confirmed that the op had been “very painful”, adding, “I don’t want to show you on camera, but it’s a nasty cut.”

Alan shared that he’d been hospitalised because of issues with the arteries in his heart. He explained: “One had collapsed and curled itself up, and the others were about 85-90 per cent blocked. Horrible. I had a bit of a problem with the lungs, I lost 36 per cent of the lungs.”

Coincidentally, Alan and Clarkson had been neighbours at the same hospital, with Clarkson undergoing follow-up heart check-ups at the same time.

The presenter underwent a heart procedure in October 2024, after experiencing a tightness in his chest. Medics revealed he’d been mere days away from a heart attack, in a scare that led to him having a stent fitted.

Opening up about his brush with catastrophe on the first episode of season five, Clarkson blamed his health woes on the pressures involved in launching The Farmer’s Dog. He told Kaleb, “I’m back and not dead. The Grim Reaper will have to wait. It was f***ing close, though.”

Clarkson’s Farm season 5 is on Prime Video

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com.

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YouTuber Just Deano was travelling home from Benidorm when he tried the new Wetherspoons in Alicante Airport — but he was ‘not convinced’ by his pint of Guinness

The first ever Wetherspoons outside of the UK and Ireland opened back in February — but one travel influencer was recently floored by the cost of his Guinness.

The Spanish spoons is located down the coast from Benidorm at the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport — and it has proved popular with Brits travelling home after their holidays.

However, keen to test it out after a trip to Benidorm, content creator Just Deano shared his thoughts after getting a seat by the bar.

And speaking to his 41,100 subscribers, he observed: “This is the smallest Wetherspoons I have ever been in. And I don’t normally get this in Spain — but I got myself a Guinness that was €7.50… €7.50!”

Visibly shocked by the price, he went on: “I thought this was Wetherspoons? And it’s absolutely dreadful. This is not a good start.”

Despite wincing at his first sip, he ordered an all-day brunch, bringing the total cost of his meal and pint to €20.45 (approx £17.73).

After his food arrived at the spoons which is named Castell de Santa Bàrbera, he said the eggs looked “terrible”, but things dramatically improved after trying the Lincolnshire sausages.

He said: “That might be the best sausage I’ve had in Spain. It is basically a spoons sausage. Now, at home, this wouldn’t be the best sausage ever, but compared to the standard of catering of sausages of usual places, this is decent.”

Deano, who hails from Huddersfield, said the chips were just like home but noted that the eggs were “one of the worst” he has had. However, he said the bacon and beans were solid.

He again repeated that it was “the tiniest premises ever” and questioned why it was so small.

And reflecting on his order, he said: “The best part about it? The sausages. The worst part about it is probably the Guinness. Normally the Wetherspoons Guinness is a solid eight out of 10. It’s not the best Guinness in the world but it’s 100% consistent. Unfortunately in Spain, they lost that consistency.”

He said his meal was acceptable but his problem was the price, and he claimed it was double the cost of what he paid for breakfast on his initial journey to Spain.

“So, although they are calling themselves spoons, they are definitely airport prices because that’s an extortionate amount of money,” he said. “€20.45 for a pint, a bad pint, and an all-day breakfast? Yeah, I’m not convinced about that.”

Deano said he was a “huge” fan of Wetherspoons but said his experience overall was five out of 10 — and he said he would have been better off paying to eat and drink at the airport lounge.

After posting the video, which you can watch in full here, one person defended the prices, saying: “Yeah & spoons are more expensive at the airports in the UK, like double so… No difference really.”

Another said: “Wetherspoons always up the prices in airports. I paid £16.50 at Gatwick spoons for brunch and a pint so not far off what you paid.”

After the successful launch of the famous pub chain in Alicante Airport, Wetherspoons has since announced two more will open in mainland Europe.

Both will be in Barcelona-El Prat Airport — with the first opening in Terminal 1 by September 2026 with the other to be welcomed in Terminal 2 by January 2027.

THE world’s largest upside-down house is set to open in a major UK seaside resort.

This marks the 11th site of its kind and the biggest one yet.

Upside Down House UK will open its largest attraction yet on Blackpool‘s Promenade, opening to visitors from today (May 29).

The 23ft tall site features 13 themed rooms, including a circus-themed playroom, an interactive games room and a reading nook.

Each room is flipped entirely upside-down, allowing visitors to experience the ultimate “topsy-turvy adventure” as they travel from room to room.

Families are able to spend time taking photos and making the most of the inverted atmosphere, although those with motion sickness might need to watch out due to the attraction’s slant.

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This marks the 11th site in the UK since the first house opened in Bournemouth in 2018.

Other locations include Cardiff, Bristol, Westfield London and Liverpool as well as international sites in France and Australia.

The associate director at Upside Down House UK, Alex Barbary, said: “We’re going bigger and better than ever. This is our largest Upside Down House to date, and the first of its kind anywhere in the world. Blackpool Promenade is the perfect stage, a place built on entertainment, culture and experiences.”

Councillor Mark Smith, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for built environment and economy, added: “We’ve worked with The Upside Down House to repurpose the land in order to bring more jobs, tourists and visitors to South Shore.”

Tickets are just £35 for a family of four, and those with little ones under the age of three can enter at no charge.

The attraction will be open from 10am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday.