holidays

JUST a few hours away from the UK is one country that’s quickly becoming the go-to destination for theme parks.

There are already over 30 across the country and three new ones have been given the go-ahead.

The country in question is France where it has just been announced that three new theme parks will be built at the cost of €6bn (£5.13bn).

Little has been revealed about them so far, but one will be manga-themed and is inspired by the popular Japanese franchise Dragon Ball Z.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that the development would be “extraordinary” and would create a “new global destination,” adding: Nothing like this has been seen since Disneyland Paris.”

Construction of the new parks could take years, so in the meantime, here are some of the best ones across France for you to enjoy.

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Puy Du Fou

Unlike most theme parks, Puy Du Fou doesn’t actually have any rides – but don’t rule it out.

It’s the second most visited theme park in France and takes visitors through history with live shows and re-enactments.

Visitors can also stroll through immersive villages taking them back in time and see romantic evening shows across a lake.

The theme park has six hotels and even a campsite with cosy family lodges. Tickets to the park start from £40.

Parc Asterix

Parc Astérix is a theme park in Plailly based on the famous comic book series Astérix the Gaul, with over 50 attractions across six themed worlds like the Roman Empire, Greece and the Vikings.

The biggest ride is called Toutatis which is a multi-launch coaster at 167 feet tall and a top speed of 66.5mph.

The Egypt Zone reopened in April this year after a revamp with a water raft ride called The Descent of the Nile and The Flight of Ibis, where visitors swoop over the water garden.

In 2028, the park will open a new British-themed land called Londinium. Tickets here start from £36.

Futuroscope

Futuroscope is as the name suggests a futuristic theme park that this year was named 15th on Blooloop’s best theme parks in Europe.

It has over 40 attractions at the park, three shows and three on-site hotels – it also has an immersive indoor waterpark which opened in 2024.

One of the best ones is Tornado Chasers where visitors can ride into a tornado on a rotating platform, with the world’s largest indoor LED screen.

It’s suitable for toddlers too who can sit on little electric cars and enjoy a small floating log ride and Waterworks play area. Tickets start from £31.

Disneyland Paris

Of course, Disneyland Paris needs a mention being one of the most popular theme parks in Europe.

The biggest and most famous rollercoaster is Big Thunder Mountain in Frontierland.

Of course this year marked the opening of Disney’s newest land, the World of Frozen with a boat ride through Arendelle, meet-and-greets with Olaf, Elsa and Ana as well as a live show.

This is part of the newly transformed Disney Adventure World home to worlds inspired by Marvel and Pixar.

And no visit is complete without seeing the spectacular fireworks and Cascade of Lights show. Tickets to both parks start from £82.

Festyland

Just outside of Caen is Festyland which has 30 rides from high thrills to ones all the family can enjoy.

A new rollercoaster called Valkyrie opened in April – it takes riders “to the heart of Norse mythology” with top speeds of 40mph.

There’s also a drop tower, swinging ship and spinning disk ride – family-friendly attractions at the theme park include carousels, a play area and little race cars.

Tickets start from £21.43.

Vulcania

Vulcania is a unique theme park where volcanoes are the heart, or core, of it all.

There are rollercoasters like Namazu which stands at 52.5 feet tall, covers 584 metres of track and reaches speeds of 42.8mph.

Other rides, like the Abyss Explore, are where visitors can explore underwater volcanoes – others reveal what they look like from above.

The evening light show is not to be missed, and make sure to pop into the planetarium as it’s the biggest in the country. Tickets start from £24.

Terra Botanica

A theme park all about plants might sound odd, but it makes for a great day out.

Terra Botanica is surrounded by greenery and has around 500,000 plants from around the world.

It doesn’t have any classic rollercoaster rides, but it does have treetop trails suspended high up in the air, boat and miniature train rides.

One ride allows visitors to explore the park from a bird’s eye view pedalling in a carriage shaped like a walnut shell.

Inside there are 4D adventures which make visitors feel like they’re in a jeep as they enter a dinosaur reserve.

Tickets start from £18.

Locals say overcrowding and soaring property prices have made it a “nightmare” to live in the town

One historic seaside town on the Yorkshire coast, loved for its dramatic coastal views, traditional seaside charm and fascinating history has been hit by a mass of tourism. Research by HeyDiscount previously ranked Whitby among the UK’s most overcrowded tourist spots.

In a town with just 13,000 residents, Whitby has an estimated 3,275 commercial holiday lets, according to research carried out for the town’s Neighbourhood Plan. So it is no wonder that this has had an impact on housing and affordability.

Why is Whitby famous?

The town is perhaps best known for Whitby Abbey, the striking Gothic ruins perched high on the East Cliff overlooking the harbour and coastline.

Visitors can reach the abbey by climbing the famous 199 Steps, one of Whitby’s best-known landmarks and a popular spot for taking in views across the town.

The history of the site stretches back to 657 AD, when the first monastery was founded there. The medieval abbey that later stood on the site was eventually destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century.

Meanwhile, Bram Stoker visited Whitby in 1890 and drew inspiration from the town for his famous novel Dracula. Its Gothic links have since become a major part of Whitby’s identity and appeal.

Alan Cuthbert, a lifelong Whitby resident and fisherman said: “You can’t walk down the street without bumping into someone with a camera or a bag of fish and chips.

“For us locals, it’s a nightmare. Traffic’s worse, parking’s a joke, and the peace we used to have is long gone.”

Tourists and second-home purchasers have driven property prices to new heights, forcing locals to move out.

Mr Cuthbert added: “Houses that used to be for families like mine are now being snatched up as holiday lets or second homes. Prices have gone through the roof. I’ve got friends who’ve had to move out of Whitby altogether because they can’t afford to live here anymore.”

Former Mayor Linda Wild told MailOnline: “Where I live, 90% of the neighbouring houses are holiday lets or second homes. Every Friday night, I can hear the rattle of suitcase wheels on the pavement.”

According to Rightmove figures, the average house property price in Whitby is £239,777.

The majority of properties sold in Whitby during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £227,143. Terraced properties sold for an average of £234,090, with detached properties fetching £336,614.

Tourism

Despite these challenges, tourism undeniably brings benefits to local businesses.

Between one and two million tourists visit Whitby each year, according to the BBC.

Sarah Bennett, a café owner in the town centre, acknowledges that tourism has been crucial to her livelihood. She said: “My café gets more visitors, which helps keep the business going year-round, not just in the summer.”

Yet she is equally candid about the downsides, particularly the strain placed on local services. She added: “Tourism has definitely put pressure on local amenities. It can be harder to get a doctor’s appointment or find a spot in local schools. The challenge is making sure that the benefits of this investment reach everyone, not just the tourists.”

While some residents cash in on the tourism boom, others are left picking up the pieces.

Neil Swannick, a Labour councillor for Whitby Streonshalh ward, summed up this rift, saying last year: “There are certainly people that have done well out of tourism in Whitby, but that benefit hasn’t been evenly spread across the residents of the town.”

North Yorkshire Council has identified parking, transport and housing as some of the key challenges facing Whitby as visitor numbers continue to grow.

The council now plans to limit new holiday lets and has drafted a Neighbourhood Plan which proposes a Principal Residence Policy. This means new open-market homes could be used as permanent residences rather than second homes or holiday lets.

Meanwhile, traffic and parking is another issue. The council says Whitby’s historic streets were not designed to cope with the volume of traffic brought by the town’s popularity, particularly during busy periods. Improving parking is therefore among the priorities outlined in its emerging Town Investment Plan.

There are also plans to make Whitby more pedestrian-friendly, with proposals to routinely pedestrianise the Whitby Swingbridge and surrounding harbourside.

North Yorkshire Council says the changes could improve safety during busy tourist periods, reduce pollution and make it easier for pedestrians to travel between the two sides of the town.

A MAJOR UK theme park has been forced to close all day “due to adverse weather and flooding”.

Owners of the park have apologised for any disappointment caused by the decision, telling visitors “your safety comes first”.

Drayton Manor Resort will remain shut all day today after heavy downpours and thunderstorms caused significant flooding in the area.

Floods have swamped Birmingham and the West Midlands overnight, with locals reporting cars being “stranded” in flood water and homes being left inundated with water.

More rain is forecast to hit Birmingham and other cities throughout today, with a Met Office yellow warning for thunderstorms continuing into the evening.

Customers have been advised not to contact staff at Drayton Manor at this stage, saying they would contact visitors at a later date to rearrange visits.

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A statement on the theme park’s Facebook said: “Due to adverse weather and flooding, Drayton Manor Resort will be closed today.

“We know many of you were looking forward to visiting, and we’re very sorry for the disappointment and inconvenience this causes.

“There’s no need to contact us at this stage. We’ll be in touch with affected guests shortly with information on how to rearrange your visit for another date.

“Thank you for your patience and understanding while we make alternative arrangements. We look forward to welcoming you to Drayton Manor soon.”

Drayton Manor, located in Tamworth in Staffordshire, is considered to be the fourth-largest theme park in the country.

With over 50 rides and attractions, Drayton is home to Europe’s only Thomas the Tank Engine Land and a 15-acre zoo.

Bosses have not yet confirmed whether the park will reopen to visitors tomorrow or throughout the Bank Holiday weekend.

THE world’s largest airport is set to open by 2032 – and inside passengers can expect forests, waterfalls and super modern technology.

Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) is set to overtake the likes of King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia to become the biggest airport in the world.

Construction of the £25.9billion airport is currently underway and it will eventually have five runways once complete, with 360 flights an hour (200 departures and 160 arrivals).

According to Khaleej Times, the project has been unimpacted by the situation in the Middle East.

In an interview, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, added that construction has not slowed due to the tensions in the Middle East.

Over the past months the Middle East has faced escalating unrest, due to tensions between the US, Israel and Iran.

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The conflict has seen airspace impacted with major airlines such as British Airways and Lufthansa suspending flights across the Middle East.

Dubai International Airport also saw minor damage in an attack earlier this year.

However, the new airport is set to have capacity for 150million passengers each year within the first decade, before eventually rising to 260million passengers.

This is compared to London Heathrow which has a capacity of 84million a year, although this is set to increase to 150million with the third runway.

Al Maktoum International Airport will have more than 400 gates which will be able to host ‘next-generation’, ultra-wide body planes from Airbus and Boeing.

There will be two terminals and a huge underground baggage system capable of moving 30,000 bags per hour.

Inside the terminals passengers can expect giant halls and open air concourses, as well internal waterfalls and gardens.

And because the airport is so big, passengers can hop on the ‘integrated underground Automated People Mover system’, which includes a multi-track train.

Across the airport, there will be 14 stations in total.

Technology at the airport will also be super modern, with automated travel systems, AI security checks and robot staff.

The robots will be used for various tasks, including baggage handling.

The current title of the largest airport in the world belongs to King Salman International Airport, which is currently being constructed in Saudi Arabia.

IT’S your last chance to visit a major tourist attraction in the UK – unless you can wait until 2028.

Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens dates back to 1879, now home to four floors of local history, science and art as well as an impressive glass-domed tropical greenhouse.

However on August 29, the free-to-visit attraction will close its doors for two years for a huge renovation project.

The £13.6million project will include new entrances and a ‘shop window’ style exhibit.

This will allow it to show off items like its Nissan car that was the first off the production line at the Sunderland factory in 1986.

New rooms will be created too such as The Growing Space, with a tree-like canopy that will be used as a place for activities, and other exhibition spaces will be added.

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The tropical gardens which sit alongside the museum will get new lighting and seating areas as well as new plant species.

Currently inside the greenhouse are over 2,000 plants as well as man-made streams and ponds with colourful Koi fish.

There’s also a treetop walkway to see through the canopy and spot Mowbray Park through the glass.

Amongst the tropical plants is a permanent collection of life-sized dinosaur models and fossils.

During the works, the dinosaurs will be stored away safely, as will Wallace the Lion – a taxidermy lion from 1868.

During the closure, a new Culture House will open on September 12, where some museum activities will take place.

Other events that would have usually been held in the attraction will go-head at other places across the city.

Councillor Ciera Hudspith, cabinet member for culture, tourism and heritage at Sunderland City Council, said: “This once-in-a-generation transformation is about creating a museum that is fit for the future, while protecting its heritage and collections for generations to come.

“While we know people will be sad to see the museum temporarily close, this marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for one of our best-loved attractions.”

Ciera continued: “We’re also really excited to take museum activities out into communities across our city while the redevelopment work is underway.”

If you want to find out more about the museums around England – here’s a full list of 200 that are completely free.

This train track claimed the lives of hundreds of people during its 24 years of construction.

Burrowing beneath a towering mountain range in Massachusetts is a railway tunnel with a long and blood soaked history. The Hoosac Tunnel travels between North Adams in the west to the town of Florida, Massachusetts in the east. It was constructed in 1851 and finally finished in 1975.

However, during its 24 years of construction, this railway tunnel claimed the lives of around 200 men, giving it the terrifying nickname of ‘the Bloody Pit’. Men were killed by explosions, falling rocks and accidents with ladders and scaffolding, leading to a strike in 1865 where workers burned buildings in protest of the horrific working conditions.

Over the year following the strike, a further 14 men were killed or injured at work in the tunnel.

On October 17, 1867, the tunnel saw the deadliest accident of its 24 years in construction.

Workers were digging a 1,028 foot long vertical exhaust shaft when a candle ignited the fumes that had leaked from a lamp.

An explosion ripped through the shaft, setting the hoist alight. It collapsed into the shaft, trapping 13 men working at the base of the shaft inside the darkness.

The pumps were destroyed, and the shaft began to fill with water.

In a desperate attempt to save the men trapped below, a worker was lowered into the shaft the following day but was overcome by fumes and reported no survivors once he reached the surface again.

Horrifyingly, when workers reached the bottom of the shaft months later they found that at least some of the men had survived long enough to build a raft to escape the rising flood waters before they suffocated.

The men died due to a lack of oxygen as fires burned through the air.

Despite the tragedies that befall construction, the tunnel was finally completed and used by both passenger and freight trains.

Today, the tunnel still stands but is only used for freight trains.

PREMIER Inn has confirmed it is opening a new 187-bedroom hotel in a popular seaside resort.

The UK’s largest hotel chain has transformed the site of a former nightclub complex in the city centre. 

Located near to Brighton seafront, building work has now been completed with a “topping out” ceremony taking place this week. 

The budget hotel is set to open its doors to customers in early 2028.

The new hotel, which will trade as Premier Inn Brighton City Centre (Seafront), will feature the chain’s latest bedroom designs.

In addition to enhanced Premier Plus rooms, guests can enjoy a ground-floor restaurant.

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The six-storey development will also include a reception area and landscaped roof areas.

Once opened, the new hotel will be the second Premier Inn in Brighton.

Simon Lancaster, Whitbread’s head of construction for London and the South, told The Argus: “It is always a proud moment topping out a new Premier Inn hotel, and it is especially significant at a location as prominent as West Street in Brighton.

“Completing the frame brings us another step closer to delivering a flagship new Premier Inn for the city, and I would like to thank everyone involved for their dedication, expertise and hard work in reaching this stage.” 

The development forms part of Whitbread’s strategy to expand Premier Inn hotels in high-demand city-centre locations.

Premier Inn currently operates nearly 850 hotels in the UK.

RULES are set to change for any Brits heading to Ireland via ferry from next month.

Passengers will be required to carry a valid passport with no exceptions – or risk being stopped before boarding for the first time in over 100 years.

The change will be enforced from September 28 and is UK Border Force tightening rules on “accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding”.

Currently, passengers are not required to show a passport but can be asked to have another form of photo ID with a photograph like a driving licence or a bus pass.

Ferry operators Stena Line and Irish Ferries which operate regular crossing told customers yesterday of the changes.

Irish Ferries explained: “This is a change to the current ID accepted and means that from 28 September, no other forms of photo ID will be accepted by Irish Ferries for any passengers, including Irish and UK citizens.

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“This is to ensure compliance with UK Border Force requirements relating to the accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding.”

Irish Ferries operates two routes between Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

These go between Holyhead and Dublin, and Pembroke and Rosslare.

Another ferry enforcing these rules is Stena Line which has crossings between Holyhead and Dublin as well as Fishguard and Rosslare.

Passengers on these crossings must produce a passport on departure and it added that “no other ID is accepted”.

Customers with pre-existing bookings with both ferries will be contacted by customer service prior to their journey.

Previously, passengers didn’t have to carry their passports with them because of what’s known as The Common Travel Area (CTA).

The CTA is a passport-free zone involving the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands dating back to 1923.

British and Irish citizens don’t legally need a passport to travel between the two destinations.

But carrying passports has since became a requirement by airlines like Ryanair and Aer Lingus for passengers flying between the two destinations.

DROPPING £40 on dinner usually gets you standard pub grub these days – but I’ve found a deal for a posh two-course meal on the Thames for even less.

This City Cruises Thames lunch cruise is currently on sale, with tickets costing £38 instead of the usual £53.

Click below to book a City Cruises lunchtime cruise from £38

City Cruises offers loads of experiences on the Thames, from Afternoon Tea and fancy dinner cruises to jazz, murder mystery and Elvis tribute nights. Click here to browse all the options.

I put their most popular cruise – the Lunch Cruise – to the test to see what you actually get for your money. Spoiler alert: I was pretty blown away.

The tour begins at Tower Milennium Pier, which is right beside the Tower of London.

After scanning my ticket, I stepped onboard to find a fancy dining area with huge floor-to-ceiling windows for soaking up the views.

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Tables are laid with crisp white tablecloths, and once you are seated, friendly waiters are soon swooping in to serve you glasses of wine, cocktails or soft drinks.

After relaxing into my seat, we soon set off to gently drift along the Thames.

I sipped my wine and enjoyed the views, and, within 15 minutes, a delicious main course was placed in front of me.

For the main event, diners choose between a hearty white bean and oyster mushroom cassoulet or a roasted chicken supreme. Do note that drinks, other than tea and coffee with pudding, are an add-on.

I opted for the chicken and was genuinely stunned. It was drenched in a rich, creamy mushroom sauce and paired with an indulgent, cheesy fondant potato.

It’s a dish that could easily hold its own in a top-tier London restaurant – which makes it all the more impressive aboard a moving boat.

Click below to bag a lunch cruise for £38 – or browse offers

Then dessert arrived: a baked cheesecake bursting with a molten white chocolate centre, topped with sweet raspberry coulis.

I washed it down with a warming cup of tea, and decided to head up to the upper deck to soak up the views.

We had cruised from Tower Milennium Pier all the way along to Canary Wharf, taking in the contrast between London’s old maritime docks and the ultra-modern skyscrapers of London’s financial district.

After pausing to soak up the glittering lights of the financial hub and the towering skyscrapers reflecting off the water, we turned around to make our way towards the main event: Big Ben.

There were plenty of impressive sights along the way, and the tour guide, who stood out on the open-air deck to share his expertise, revealed plenty of fascinating facts.

We glided under nine magnificent bridges and learned all about their history.

One of my favourite facts I learned was that the famous Tower Bridge was originally painted a drab chocolate brown before being given its vibrant red, white, and blue colours for the Queen‘s Silver Jubilee in 1977.

The expert guide also explained how the modern Millennium Bridge famously had to close just two days after opening because it wobbled so violently under the footsteps of pedestrians.

After cruising past the legendary Globe Theatre (and spotting the pub that Shakespeare used to frequent: The Anchor) we drifted right past the London Eye.

It was amazing to see the landmark up-close and take in its size, watching teeny tiny people in their pods raised high above the impressive London skyline.

Soon we reached Big Ben, where we paused on the water to take in the views and take photos.

The view from the water was breath-taking – plus it was far more peaceful taking in the landmark from the boat than the noisy, bustling streets surrounding it.

I snapped some shots before we headed back down to Tower Milennium Pier, feeling far more knowledgeable – and full – than I had before stepping aboard that day.

Overall, I think the lunch cruise is a fantastic way to tick off London’s major sights in one go.

And when you consider the fancy meal that’s also included, I think this cruise is the ideal experience for a date, birthday or special occasion.

Click below to browse offers at City Cruises

Prices correct at the time of publication.

A UK airport will be forced to fully close tomorrow due to strike action, resulting in all flights being suspended.

Norwich Airport will close all day on August 28 due to an air traffic control strike.

As a result, all flights have been cancelled.

The airport operates to a number of European destinations including Faro, Malta, Alicante and Amsterdam.

And the strike action is forcing holidaymakers to travel 101 miles to catch their flights.

Local travel agents have said that anyone due to travel from the airport tomorrow will now depart from Southend Airport in Essex.

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Passengers have been told to head to Norwich Airport, where they will then be taken on a coach to Southend.

Strike action comes as Prospect union continues an ongoing dispute over pay, terms and conditions.

Strike action started last Monday after the airport failed to make an offer to resolve the dispute, with several cancellations on Friday including Loganair flights to and from Aberdeen.

In a statement on the airport’s website, it says: “Due to the 24-hour strike by Prospect union members in Air Traffic Control, Norwich Airport will be closed to air traffic on Friday 28 August and no flights will operate to or from the airport that day.

“Airlines have been informed.

“Passengers due to travel on Friday should check with their airline for the latest information about their flight and the options available to them.

“We apologise for the disruption and inconvenience this will cause to passengers.

“We remain firmly committed to resolving this dispute through constructive dialogue and will continue to engage with Prospect with the aim of reaching agreement.”

A woman has praised Primark’s clever £25 cabin suitcase which can supposedly save travellers money at the airport – and it’s even perfect if you fly with Ryanair regularly

Anyone travelling with Ryanair will know how hard it can be trying to keep within the hand luggage size limits. Often passengers have to spend extra money on not taking any luggage in the hold – or upgrading to priority travel.

That’s why one woman was thrilled to find a piece of hand luggage that doesn’t break the bank, and also fits in the Ryanair baggage policy. Primark’s £25 suitcase, complete with detachable wheels, means you can get through the priority lane supposedly without having to spend extra money at the gate.

Ryanair Priority allows passengers to bring a 55cm x 40cm x 20cm cabin bag (up to 10kg) for the overhead locker, plus a small personal under-seat bag – and this Primark suitcase ticks all the boxes.

TikTok user Denic joked: “Ryanair has got nothing on me,” as she popped the wheels off her pink suitcase before testing it against the recommended measurements.

And sure enough, it slotted in perfectly – meaning she was able to board her flight without any unnecessary stress or hassle.

The dimensions of the case are 48.5cm x 30cm x 20cm, making it a perfect fit for Ryanair priority boarding passengers.

The under-seat personal bag you’re also permitted must measure 40cm x 30cm x 20cm. Many commenters suggested she wouldn’t be allowed the white bag shown in the clip – but rest assured, an additional personal bag is permitted.

In the comments, one user clarified: “The top hole is a personal bag (small bag 40 x 30 x 20, no maximum weight, but you have to carry it yourself). You can only take 1 per person. But you have 2, the one in the hole on top and the one on the floor next to you. The bottom hole is the carry-on bag (the name speaks for itself, 55 x 40 x 20, 10kg).”

One fuming commenter wrote: “Acting like you tricked Ryanair when you bought a suitcase specifically sized for Ryanair?”

Another hit back: “It’s still better than paying 70€ for 2cm.”

A third chimed in: “If your luggage is going in the top bin, that suggests it’s your handbag allowance, so what are you doing with the second bag?

“If you’ve paid for overhead, then you’ve just demonstrated what a completely useless feature that is, as such a small bag would easily have fit in the bigger bin with the wheels.”

Others said the bag was a smart idea.

What is Ryanair’s baggage policy?

Ryanair travellers can carry a free cabin bag no larger than 40 x 30 x 20cm, provided it fits under the seat in front.

To upgrade baggage to priority, this allows passengers to keep a small under-seat bag plus a larger 10kg trolley bag (55 x 40 x 20 cm) in the cabin.

Alternatively, a 10kg bag can be checked in and dropped at the airport desk before security. While anyone who goes for checked baggage, this includes a 20kg bag or 23kg. No single checked bag can exceed 32kg, and any excess weight can lead to an airport fee.

Beth Hackman came across the idea by accident

A British woman shipped 8kg of clothes from her wardrobe to Australia for £4 – using a Vinted hack.

Beth Hackman, 25, moved the 10,000 miles from Windsor in Berkshire to Sydney with her partner, Nathan Riley, 25, while travelling in the region from March 2026. The physiotherapist moved with just two large rucksacks worth of clothes, but realised she needed more.

Instead of spending a fortune buying new clothes or on shipping, she downloaded Vinted to see if she could see what her mum, Mel Belsdon, 49, was selling, as she was an avid poster on the app. She then realised she could ship the clothes for free as part of Vinted’s launch in Australia.

Beth FaceTimed her mum so she could buy four bundles of her own clothes for £1 each as her mum listed them, so they didn’t get nabbed by anyone else.

All four 2kg parcels, within the confines of Vinted’s weight limit, arrived within nine days.

Beth said: “It was such a good hack to discover! I could literally picture the clothes I wanted to wear in my wardrobe back home and really didn’t want to have to waste money on new ones.

“I had just redownloaded Vinted on my phone with its location now showing as Australia and it came up saying there was no shipping fees for packages from the UK.

“I couldn’t believe it was true and immediately worked with my mum to get it sorted.

“All my stuff ended up arriving just over a week later on my birthday, which was just perfect.”

Vinted has since removed the free shipping in Australia, with the average parcel now costing £1.50 ($3.03 AUS) to deliver.

Jet2 regularly keeps its passengers informed

Jet2 has reissued a “12 hours” update to all passengers who have flights and holidays booked with the carrier.

The travel operator regularly keeps passengers informed, including flagging any events likely to cause disruption or delays, and the latest travel information section of its website continues to update travellers. The alert reads: “Please check this section of the website at least 12 hours before your flight for the latest flight information. Customers are advised to arrive at their departure airport at least 2 hours before their scheduled departure time.

“In the event of any flight delays further information can be found by using the above search panel by entering your flight number or route. As a reminder check in desks will close 40 minutes before your scheduled departure time. Rest assured, in the event of flight disruption our dedicated Operations teams are always working hard behind the scenes at our UK-based HQ to get you on your way as soon as possible.”

Jet2 check-in desks typically open a minimum of two hours and 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time. Passengers are advised to arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare, as the check-in process must be completed at least 40 minutes before take-off.

At certain UK airports, Jet2 provides a Twilight Check-in service, allowing you to drop off your luggage the evening before your flight if it’s scheduled to depart before midday. You can also check in online anytime from 28 days up to six hours before departure via the website or app.

Should you opt to check in online, you’ll need to either print your boarding passes or download them to your device. Jet2 reminds passengers that online check-in is not available for flights departing from Turkey.

“You can still complete the process and get your pre-allocated seats, but you’ll need to visit our airport check-in desks to collect your boarding pass before you go to security.”

An issue everyone has faced at one time or the other led to a nightmare for Karen Cassidy, after tour operator Jet2 cancelled her entire booking due to the ‘no-show’

A mum who overslept and missed her holiday flight to Spain was left “in tears” after discovering that her entire all-inclusive package holiday had been cancelled without her knowledge. Karen Cassidy and her husband George Gale had been due to fly out to Malaga at just after 7am on August 14 but overslept.

Karen explained: “The baby had kept me up so I don’t think I ended up going to sleep until 2:00am then we were supposed to get up at 4:00am but just slept through our alarms.”

As soon as she realised that that they had missed their flight, Karen wasted no time in getting ‘straight on the internet’ and booked an alternative flight to Malaga for that afternoon.

But after finally arriving at the hotel at midnight, the “exhausted” mum-of-three, 36, says she was left “in tears” to discover her entire all-inclusive package holiday had been cancelled.

After calling holiday organisers Jet2 and “crying for 20 minutes” Karen says she was told there was “absolutely nothing they could do” and she had to pay another €350 (£300) to stay the night in the hotel.

Karen says that she and George ended up paying over £1,500 for alternative accommodation and travel – meaning the cost of their £1,114 family holiday ballooned to more than £2,600.

Sharing her experience on TikTok, Karen wants to raise awareness so that other people don’t make the same mistake she did.

She explained: “Our new flight was around 4:00pm then we were delayed for over an hour so by the time we got to the hotel it was midnight. Obviously they were like ‘we can’t find your booking.’ Then they explained ‘actually there is a booking but it’s a past booking.’ Jet2 had cancelled our entire holiday at 3pm.

“After everything I felt we had gone through, I was just shocked.”

A spokesperson for Jet2holidays said: “We’re sorry to hear about Ms Cassidy and Mr Gale’s experience and we understand how disappointing it must have been to arrive in Malaga and find that their holiday arrangements had been cancelled.

“Unfortunately, as the customers did not travel on their booked outbound flight or let us know that they planned to make their own way to Malaga, their remaining holiday arrangements were cancelled in line with the terms and conditions of their booking. When they got in touch with us after arriving in resort, our team offered to try to help and support them.”

Karen said that when they finally arrived at they hotel she was “exhausted and just in tears.”

She explained: ”They [Jet2] came back to me and said there’s absolutely nothing they can do, they have a no-show policy, because it’s been cancelled, they can’t go back on that.”

They had arrived at their hotel so late, Karen added, that they had very few alternatives. ”At this time, midnight, we don’t have that luxury option of going to shop around,” she said.

Karen shared her story on TikTok, saying that even though she had received critical comments from some other users, she wanted to make others aware of what she called Jet2’s “unclear” policy. She continued: “Through loads of rubbish comments from people calling me an idiot or people saying ‘what grown up can miss a flight’, there’s hundreds of people that don’t know.

“If I could save one person, I’m happy.”

My dream holiday is a trip back in time. Not to see the results of seismic Pompeii or 15th-century Machu Picchu – although I love both – but somewhere created specifically between the mid 1950s and 1970s, when cities were getting weird. I love postwar architourism, exploring urban planning at its most frenzied and optimistic. I have relished trips to Niemeyer’s Brasília and Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh in India, where the monumental and visionary modernist architecture and interiors are at odds with the minimal population. So La Grande-Motte, the retro futurist folly of a resort town on the southern coast of France, a 30-minute drive from Montpellier, had long been on my “must visit” list.

The tourist board of this Occitanie seaside town likes to flag up some superficial parallels between it and the aforementioned cities, but this isn’t a high-concept capital city or administrative hub. It was built in the late 1960s and early 1970s purely to persuade the French to stop going south to the Costa Brava in Spain. As part of an initiative by the French government, a stretch of windswept mosquito-infested coast between Montpellier and Perpignan, including Gruissan and Port Leucate, was reimagined as an alternative to the Côte d’Azur with several new-build beach towns. La Grande-Motte would be the weirdest project. It was made for fun. It’s also well positioned to visit the nearby salt marshes and 13th-century walled-in town of Aigues-Mortes, for when you want to feel as if you’ve ticked a few more holiday boxes.

The mastermind behind the town’s architecture, Jean Balladur, took inspiration from temples and Mesoamerican pyramids from the first century, imagining what the 21st century would look like in the 1970s. Why shouldn’t modernist apartments be arranged in the shape of a Maya pyramid, or an intergalactic curve? I rented a tiny studio with my husband in the Incas building for part of my trip, and while there was nothing in the way of high design about the interior, being on that terrace immersed us in a timewarp.

Walking around Point Zéro (named for being the site of the earliest construction), home to La Grande-Motte’s main beach, all looks fairly standard: families playing on the sand, couples drinking cocktails outside cafes. The beach gained a Blue Flag award for environmental management and water quality in 2025. But the place is unique: the ferris wheel is solar powered and the buildings suggest you’re on another planet entirely – there are no rectangular blocks and few right angles to be seen. The urban planning has been driven by pedestrian pathways and cycle routes, punctuated by thousands of trees.

On the beach there are concrete sculptures by artist Joséphine Chevry, which look like the tips of the wartime sound mirrors in Dungeness, Kent. Chevry created them to help shape the dunes (AKA “the big mound”) but also to serve as functional wind breakers and shade when Point Zéro was created. They’re now mostly buried in the sand. Time has moved on but they will for ever be core to the town’s concept.

The place has had cyclical fortunes. As with many seaside towns, it fell from grace in the 1980s. It was gauche. In 2014 the fashion designer Simon Porte Jacquemus created a nostalgic collection and book in homage to the town and talked to AnOther Magazine of its “trashy reputation”, but he also said he found it “inspiring and exciting” and remembered his holidays there as a child. And it seems a renaissance is under way as the grandchildren of people who first bought apartments here are discovering it.

I’d recommend the fabulously vintage three-star Hotel Le Quetzal (doubles from €114 room-only) as an interesting base. It feels brilliantly 1970s, being part of the original wave of development in the town, but was refurbished a few years ago so the essentials are fresh and modern. Its design is as interesting as anywhere in town: the balconies jut out like theatre boxes and create an optical illusion of the building being slanted. There’s no restaurant but people microwave meals in the lobby or bring back a margherita from nearby L’Atelier de la Pizza to have on their balcony.

A couple of days by the pool here are great, fending off seagulls from your pain au chocolate at breakfast and watching stray cats wander around the loungers; the same families have been coming for years. Nearby, L’innatendu is a better restaurant than anything on the seafront (I particularly recommend the squid with black rice), although the most enjoyable meal I had was a bunch of simple marinated skewers at La Guinguette des Alizés, opposite the seafront carousel on Avenue du Couchant that looks like a piece of pop art.

Strolling around La Grande-Motte’s apartment blocks was as fascinating to me as a visit to the Colosseum. I walked through the open-air theatre that looks like a derelict World’s Fair site but is used for shows regularly, around the elegant white bow shape of Saint-Augustin’s church, down to the water and the Big Pyramid apartment complex facing the yachts on the dock, and to the low and curved buildings of Le Couchant. I spent hours photographing stairwells and walkways, and the hundreds of balconies that make the town the sum of its geometric parts – graphic beauty reminiscent of the Bauhaus, Saul Bass posters and Verner Panton furniture. La Grande-Motte is a sunny, gleaming white vision of a future that we could never live up to. Or perhaps deserve.