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Mega new 20ft waterslide opens at English shopping centre in time for May half-term

A POPULAR aquapark is reopening for the summer – and it’s coming with a brand new attraction.

Families will be able to enjoy the thrill-seeking ride alongside other water activities

Inflatable water slide with a climbing wall and an archway on a lake with trees in the background.
The six-meter super slide is the latest addition to the aqua park Credit: At The Lake Distributing Inc.
People jumping and sliding off a large inflatable water slide into a lake.
The adventure park has officially reopened for the summer Credit: At The Lake Distributing Inc.

Hangloose Adventure Bluewater, based at Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent, has reopened for the summer season with a new towering attraction – a six-meter mega slide.

Named ‘El Jefe’ – the boss in Spanish- the super slide marks the latest addition to the park’s floating inflatable course.

Families can now navigate over 15 obstacles, climb balance beams, and complete the course on ‘El Jefe’, which will see them soar into the water below.

Described as an ‘exhilarating experience’ by the park, children as young as seven will be able to take part – as long as they reach the minimum height requirement of 1.2 meters.

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Alongside the relaunch of the aqua park, Hangloose Adventure is also introducing a Thursday-only zipline offer.

Those who book a zipline ride will be able to have a second ride for free on the same day, with the promotion running until June 25.

The water park operates for seven days a week during the summer season, from 10am to 5pm.

Located in The Domes, Greenhithe, the park has been highly rated online.

The area also features a host of big attractions, including England’s longest zipline, Europe’s biggest swing, and the UK’s only outdoor indoor skydive tunnel.

For your chance to try out ‘El Jefe’ in person, a day out at the waterpark costs just £67 for a family of four.

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Jet2 issues half-term travel update on Wednesday, May 27

It comes as hundreds of thousands of Brits leave the UK for a break

Jet2 has released an update regarding its half-term travel operations. This follows ongoing concerns about the potential impact of the US-Iran war and jet fuel supplies, though airlines including Jet2 and Ryanair have maintained there will be no immediate disruption.

In its statement released today (Wednesday, May 27), Jet2 revealed it had experienced its busiest weekend on record. It announced that it had seen an unprecedented number of passengers departing from airports across the UK for the May half-term break.

The most popular destinations during half-term included the Balearics, Canaries, Turkey, Mainland Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Croatia and Bulgaria, as travellers capitalised on the key holiday period.

Jet2 is preparing for a hectic summer season and has an extensive programme available, with a fleet of 139 aircraft transporting passengers on their getaways from 14 UK airports to locations across Europe, the Mediterranean, Canary Islands and North Africa.

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2, said: “This weekend saw us operate a record-breaking weekend, as customers took advantage of the bank holiday weekend and May half-term and took off to the sunshine. Given the number of customers who travelled with us over the weekend, it is very clear how much people want to get away and enjoy their well-deserved holidays. With our famous Red Team looking after customers, holidaymakers can look forward to creating memories and be assured of a wonderful holiday.

“Everything is geared up and ready for a busy summer and our message to holidaymakers is that summer is very much on. We have always been very clear about our plans to operate as normal this summer, and the busy weekend shows just how eager customers are to get away.”

This follows the firm reassuring passengers that ‘summer is on‘ despite mounting concerns over jet fuel availability. The optimistic stance comes after the airline and tour operator received encouraging updates from fuel suppliers, who have confirmed increased production and extra imports of jet fuel.

It follows a report published just last week which saw Jet2 top a UK resilience ranking as the best protected UK airline against elevated fuel costs.

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary echoed similar views on jet fuel, stating he had ‘no issues over jet fuel supply right now through to the end of September‘. However, he cautioned that he was ‘very concerned about the price of oil’ due to the ongoing disruption at the Strait of Hormuz.

This could result in ‘airlines failing all over Europe’, he warned. Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline by passenger numbers, announced on Monday that future profits would also likely take a hit.

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Brits heading to Tenerife over half-term warned about triple ‘tourist traps’ threat

Ruben Chorlton-Owen says lots of people are being caught out and paying a heavy price for it

A British traveller is warning anyone heading to Tenerife this half-term to watch out for several “tourist traps” that ensnare visitors every year. Ruben Chorlton-Owen frequently posts his travel advice and tips with his 105,000 followers on Instagram (@rube).

The 24-year-old, from Abersoch, North Wales, has recently been to the popular Canary Island destination. However, while there, he noticed a few things that raised concerns. And now, he is alerting people to several common “tourist traps” that catch holidaymakers out annually, as detailed in a video amassing more than 8,000 views.

If you find yourself requiring a pharmacy, watch out for “fake” establishments selling the same product at inflated prices. He said: “They’re real shops, but they have the same LED signage (as a pharmacy) but in blue colour (rather than green).

“So it’s not entirely illegal and many tourists fall for it. People later find out the product hasn’t worked as it’s not an actual medical product.

“It’s important to find a proper ‘farmacia’ that sells actual drugs to help with any pains or issues. Fake ones also don’t really have a lot in there and also heavily charge way too much for things like sun cream or paracetamol. They’re just tourist shops really.” He also advised Brits to be careful about how they withdraw money once they arrive.

“Make sure you try and get your cash before you come here,” Ruben told creatorzine.com. “Because the local currency exchanges or these ATMs will charge you a high markup and you’ll be getting a very bad deal for your money.”

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While he praises the destination for being “affordable” and “friendly”, there are still risks to be mindful of. He said: “Make sure you use the licensed taxis.

“Not only are they genuine, but they’re also much more affordable than the Uber app. And you’ll also get charged four times the price that it should be.”

Ruben also issued a stark warning for anyone heading back to their accommodation late at night or after a day of drinking in the sun. He recommends giving a wide berth to any shabby-looking areas and narrow alleyways. He said: “It’s full of pickpockets.

“It can be quite dangerous, so just make sure you stay vigilant and you’re not having too much – or use the licensed taxi to get home when it’s late at night.”

And for those fancying a cold beer or cocktail on the beach, Ruben suggests thinking twice, as it could land you with a whopping fine. He said: “If you do like to drink, make sure you don’t do it down the beach. The fines are now a minimum of €750 to €3,000.

“Make sure you just stick to the bars, your hotel room, your Airbnb. Don’t be taking any glass bottles at all down the beach, it really isn’t worth the risk.”

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England’s ‘town from the past’ with its own Victorian pharmacy, school & time-warp pub reopens in time for May half-term

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.

Visitors to Blists Hill Victorian Town chat with characters in period costume.
The 1900s style town has reopened following months of closure Credit: Alamy Stock Photo
A woman in period clothing stands at the counter of an old-fashioned apothecary, being served by a woman in a white uniform.
The Shropshire attraction features a shoe smith and candle factory Credit: Alamy

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.

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