Hundreds of Tunisians have protested in Tunis, demanding the release of four Global Sumud Flotilla activists held in pre-trial detention since March over alleged financial misconduct linked to the Gaza aid mission. The flotilla sailed towards Gaza in 2025 to deliver humanitarian aid.
Published On 20 Sep 202620 Sep 2026
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Hundreds of people gathered at the University of Cape Town on Friday at a vigil for victims of femicide in South Africa. Anger is rising across the country as the bodies of nine women have been found near Johannesburg in just two months.
Published On 19 Sep 202619 Sep 2026
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WHAT’S better than an annual trip to the theme park? Several trips, of course.
If your family is a big fan of rollercoasters, there are some brilliant value annual passes for parks across the UK that offer HUGE savings for repeat trips.
But which one should you go for? Instead of having to research them all yourself, we have gathered the annual pass prices for the most popular theme parks in the UK.
So here’s all the attraction passes you could get, and how many times you’d need to return to your favourite attractions to get your money’s worth.
Starting off with probably the most famous annual pass in the UK, the Merlin Annual Pass gets you access to more than 20 attractions.
These include Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Legoland Windsor, Cadbury World, Windsor Castle, Legoland Discovery Centres and much more.
An essential pass costs from £139 per year and allows members 339 days of access to Merlin’s top attractions.
For £239, you can get a Gold pass which also gets you free parking and 20 per cent off shopping and dining.
The Platinum Pass is then £299 per year, giving you all that plus four free bring a friend passes each year, one free fast track per visit and free Coke Freestyle cup & refills.
Tickets for Alton Towers alone start from £32 per person when booked in advance online, while Warwick Castle tickets cost from £25.38 online, so if you’re planning on doing several Merlin attractions each year there are big savings to be had.
To make the most of the £139 annual pass, you’d need to go to just four or five attractions across the entire year.
For example, if you booked Alton Towers (£32), Warwick Castle (£25.38), Thorpe Park (£32), Cadbury World (£18) and Legoland Windsor (£32) once each across the year, you’d make up the price of the pass.
Alton Towers is the UK’s largest theme park with several thrill coasters.
There’s a CBeebies Land as well, ideal for younger children with themed rides and live shows.
The theme park also has its own waterpark with a tropical splash area.
You can stay onsite at the main Alton Towers Hotel, the CBeebies Land Hotel, Splash Landings Hotel, themed Woodland Lodges or at Stargazing Pods.
An annual pass costs £64, while day tickets start from £32 per person when booked in advance online,
You’d need to visit just twice across the year to get your money’s worth.
Surrey’s Thorpe Park is often considered the UK’s main thrill-seeker theme park.
The theme park itself sits on an island and has a number of record-breaking rides.
For example, you can head on Hyperia, which is the UK’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster, and in the autumn, the theme park is well-known for its Fright Nights.
The Thorpe Park Annual Pass costs £64 per person and allows you access to the park across 189 days over 12 months, as well as access to the Fright Nights.
Thorpe Park one-day tickets start at £32 per person when booked in advance online
Passes are only required for guests over 1.2metres tall.
Again, you’d need to visit just twice across the year to make the pass worthwhile.
Legoland Windsor is aimed at families with kids aged between two and 12 years old.
You’ll find miniature worlds made out of bricks and family-friendly coasters, plus plenty of Lego building opportunities.
The Legoland Annual Pass costs £64 per person and allows you access to the park across 236 days, over 12 months. Day tickets start from around £34 when booked online.
Passes are only required for guests 90cm and over, and after two visits you’d have made your money back.
Crealy theme park in Devon has a number of different annual passes.
The theme park is the largest in Devon with more than 60 rides and attractions including rollercoasters.
The cheapest is £99 per person, per year – which you can pay in one go or you can pay a £30 deposit, then £6.90 a month on direct debit for an annual pass (costing £112.80 total).
This annual pass gets you unlimited entry to the theme park, a 10 per cent discount across food and drink as well as in the shops and exclusive viewings of Crealy events.
The next level up is the Gold Pass at £120, which gets the same perks but you will get 15 per cent off food and drink, 30 per cent of entry for family or friends and 20 per cent off glamping and camping breaks at the park.
Get a Platinum Pass for £170 and you’ll get 20 per cent off food and drink, 50 per cent off entry for family and friends, 50 per cent off glamping and camping stay and even a free two-night camping break.
One-day tickets for Crealy Theme Park & Resort cost around £24 per person when you book online.
You’d therefore need to visit five times at least across the year to make the pass worthwhile.
Woodlands Theme Park, also in Devon, is home to massive indoor play areas including soft play, water coasters and a toboggan run.
There’s also a number of barns with farm animals in.
The annual pass, costing £110 per person over 1.1 metres and £86 for those under that height, includes unlimited free access to Woodlands Family Theme Park with outdoor rides, indoor soft play, an eight-acre zoo farm, and falconry.
You’ll also get 15 per cent off at the gift shop, 10 per cent off food and drink and 20 per cent off camping stays.
One-day tickets cost £29.75 for adults and kids over 110cm, and £21.95 for kids.
As an adult, you’d need to visit four times across the year to make the pass worthwhile, and the same amount of visits to make the kids pass worthwhile.
Drayton Manor in Staffordshire is ideal for families with kids aged four to 12.
The rides are tamer, with a Thomas Land including Thomas the Tank Engine himself and a Viking-themed area with spinning and rocking rides like the Thor Zampa Disco.
Drayton Manor has three different passes.
The cheapest is the Silver Annual Pass, which costs £75 per person (£45 per child aged two to three-years old) or you can pay for annual pass monthly, costing £35 for the first month then £5 a month for 11 months (£90 total).
This pass gets you unlimited visits to the park, 10 per cent off food and drink as well as the shop, free mini golf, 10 per cent off hotel bed and breakfast, 20 tickets for £20 for family and friends and discounts on photos.
The £99 annual pass (£65 per child aged two to three-years old) gets you all of the above, but discounts are 20 per cent on food and drink and the shop.
And last but not least is the ultimate pass costing £249 per person over the age of three (under this age no pass is needed).
With this pass you get all of the above, but also unlimited visits to West Midlands Safari Park and Waterworld, as well as discounts at each of those attractions.
Drayton Manor one-day tickets start at £25.80 for visitors aged 12 and over, and £14 for children aged 2 to 12 when booked online.
You’d need to visit three times across the year to make the annual pass worthwhile (four times for under three-year-olds).
The Big Sheep in North Devon has farm experiences as well as rides and live shows.
Season tickets for The Big Sheep cost £50 per person.
You then pay £1 each time you visit if you book online, or £2 at the door.
The pass includes a member’s day where you can bring a guest for free, discounts on events, a 10 per cent discount on food and drink, as well as a 10 per cent discount in the shop.
One-day tickets for the Big Sheep in North Devon start from £14.95 for adults and children over three feet tall when booked online.
You’d need to visit at least four times to make the annual pass worth it.
There are a number of Gulliver’s World theme parks across the UK including Warrington, Matlock Bath, Milton Keynes and near Sheffield.
Each park is slightly different, with themed zones and attractions aimed at kids under the age of 13.
The parks often host events too such as Fright Fiesta for Halloween and the winter Land of Lights lantern festival.
For £99, you can get a 12 month pass allowing unlimited entry to all Gulliver’s Theme Parks (Warrington, Matlock Bath, Milton Keynes & Rother Valley).
You’ll also get entry to Gulliver’s Dinosaur & Farm Park in Milton Keynes, plus discounts on short breaks.
One-day tickets for Gulliver’s World Theme Park Resort cost £28 when booked as an online advance ticket.
You’d need to visit four times across the year to make your money back on the pass.
Flamingo Land Resort in North Yorkshire spans across 375 acres and features a zoo as well as rides.
For example, there’s Velocity, the UK’s first motorbike launch coaster.
You can also head to a Peter Rabbit Adventure area, ideal for younger kids.
An annual pass costs £199 to Flamingo Land and gets you unlimited access year round to the theme park and zoo.
Flamingo Land one-day tickets start from £46 per person when booked in advance.
You’d need to visit five times to make your money back on the annual pass.
Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool sits right by the seafront and is more than 125 years old.
Inside the park, there are a range of attractions including thrill rollercoasters.
There’s also a Nickelodeon Land, which has themed rides including Wallace and Gromit Thrill-o-matic.
The Platinum Annual Pass at Blackpool Pleasure Beach costs £125 per person and gives you unlimited entry for a full year.
But what makes it even better is that, included in the price, you get free entry to seven theme parks across Europe, including Efteling, Europa Park, Liseberg, PortAventura World, Emerald Park, Tripsdrill and Isla Magica.
All you need to do is show the Pleasure Beach Resort Platinum Pass Card when you arrive.
You are allowed one free entry to each attraction per pass holder, per year.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach one-day tickets start from around £30 to £34 when booked in advance online.
You’d need to visit between four and five times to make your money back on the annual pass.
Paultons Park in Hampshire is spread across 140 acres and is home to more than 70 rides and attractions, including the official home of Peppa Pig.
The theme park has a number of different annual passes, but the cheapest is the Essential Pass which costs £172.
With this pass you get unlimited off-peak visits over 12 months.
And at the end of the year, if you renew, it will set you back £153.
The Star Pass costs £225 and gets you unlimited off-peak visits including some weekends (renewal would cost £203.50).
The Premium Pass costs £290 and gets you unlimited access to the park at any time, as well as discounts on food and drink and in the shop (renewal would cost £262).
Paultons Park one-day tickets start from £46.75 per person when booked in advance, and kids under 1m are free, so paying visitors would need to go at least four times to make the annual pass worthwhile.
Pleasurewood Hills in Lowestoft, Suffolk, is home to more than 35 rides and attractions, as well as live shows.
The park’s main thrill ride is Wipeout, which boasts six inversions.
A Standard Season Pass for unlimited access all season, but with some blackout dates (dates where you cannot attend the park – usually during peak season) costs £79.
Alternatively, you can get a Premium Season Pass, which gets you unlimited visits all season as well as exclusive perks and discounts such as 50 per cent off entry for family and friends and free parking for £99.
One-day tickets for Pleasurewood Hills start from £16.41 per person when booked online.
You’d need to visit at least five times across the year to make the most of the £79 annual pass.
Chessington World of Adventures, about 12 miles from central London, is home to more than 40 rides across a number of themed lands.
And next year, the park is set to open a new Minecraft World, which will be the world’s first Minecraft-themed land.
A Chessington Annual Pass allows visitors access to the park across 339 days, costing £64.
Passes are only needed for guests 90cm and over.
Chessington one-day tickets start from £32 online in advance.
Visit the park twice to make your money back on the annual pass.
Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park in North Yorkshire is ideal for families with younger children, with safari-styled areas, pirate-themed rides and classic fairground favourites.
A seasonal pass costs £89 and includes unlimited entry throughout the park’s open days, including special events and Bank Holidays.
One-day tickets for Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park cost between £22.00 and £27.00 when booked online.
You’d need to visit between four and five times across the year to make the pass worth it.
M&D’s Scotland’s Theme Park is Scotland’s largest theme park and is in North Lanarkshire.
The park has more than 40 rides and attractions to explore, including rollercoasters and children’s adventures such as a sky trail and Scotland’s only indoor tropical rainforest.
A season pass to the theme park costs £75 and allows you unlimited access to the park when it is open.
You will also get other offers like discounts on food and drink and a day where you can bring a friend for free.
M&D’s Scotland’s Theme Park offers free entry with ride all day wristbands costing from £20.13.
Visit four times across the year to be quids in.
FOURTEEN British cities are eyeing up a new “tourist tax” meaning tourists and Brits heading on staycations will face paying hundreds more for their trip.
This comes as Andy Burnham approved the plans yesterday (September 10) to add five per cent to overnight stays.
Yesterday, the prime minister announced plans to allow mayors to impose an uncapped charge on overnight stays, although Labour mayors have pledged to cap the new fee at 5 per cent or below.
The additional fee would be added to hotel bills, and apply to those staying overnight in hotels and holiday lets including Airbnb and guesthouses.
All visitors, regardless of nationality and reason for visit, will have to pay it. It will be uncapped, meaning mayors can choose how much to charge.
The money would then be used to fund local amenities such as public transport and infrastructure.
Cities and regions that may soon introduce the additional charge include London, Liverpool, Bristol and Bath.
As well as cultural hubs such as Durham, Manchester, York and Newcastle.
Earlier, the government had promised to protect budget holidays “by making sure low-cost accommodation always pays lowest levy” and said the extra cash would be invested in high streets.
However, the chief executive of UKHospitality, Allen Simpson, warned the BBC that the new charge could add nearly £100 to £120 to the average cost of a UK family holiday.
This also comes at a time where the hospitality industry has already suffered from rises to Employer National Insurance and the minimum wage, costing the sector billions.
However, these would not be the first regions in the UK to implement the new charge – which could come as early as 2028.
In Manchester, a “city visitor charge” of £1 per room per night already applies to some hotels, however the new tourist charge would replace it.
Hundreds of people fled a massive fire that destroyed dozens of migrant shelters in Ceuta, Spain. Authorities reported no casualties and are investigating whether the blaze was deliberately set.
Published On 11 Sep 202611 Sep 2026
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Two new eruptions were recorded as Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau continued to spew volcanic ash, disrupting hundreds of flights at six airports. Travellers describe sudden cancellations, while residents deal with ash blanketing roads and public spaces.
Published On 6 Sep 20266 Sep 2026
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THERE’S a travel club you can join today for £1 that will unlock a whole load of secret UK holidays for cheap.
Once you’re a member, you can bag exclusive deals for trips all across the UK, starting from as little as £89 for a two-night break for two people!
There’s some seriously massive savings to be had here – we’ve even found a stunning rural retreat in Wales where you can save £217 off full-price.
To unlock the deals, simply sign up to become a Travelzoo member.
Usually, membership costs £30 for one year (which is already a bargain).
But Sun readers can bag a 30 day trial for just £1 by clicking here – giving you instant access to book in a bargain break.
Not only will you unlock amazing holiday deals in the UK, Europe and beyond, but there’s plenty more benefits such as free airport lounge access whenever your flights get delayed if you’re travelling abroad.
Here’s our pick of the best UK deals we found on Travelzoo, where you can save up to hundreds of pounds on an incredible countryside staycay.
Sitting between two lakes at the base of Mount Snowdon, the grand Royal Victoria Hotel in Eryri is a sight to behold.
The location “cannot be beaten” according to one Travelzoo member.
You can enjoy with lake views from the hotel restaurant and 13th century castle ruins within the hotel grounds themselves.
Whether you’re tackling the mountain on a hiking holiday or simply want to soak up the views of Snowdonia from the hotel with a warm drink in hand, this £55 per night deal is a bargain way to do so.
The Sunborn London Yacht Hotel is a one-of-a-kind stay.
Sitting on London‘s Royal Victoria Dock, the 420-foot superyacht hotel offers prime views of the Thames, plus easy access via cable car to Greenwich or the Elizabeth Line into Central London.
Included in this deal you get an overnight stay in a riverview room for two, buffet breakfast, an Afternoon Tea experience (with a cocktail!) and bottomless hot drinks.
Not only that, but you’ll get a complimentary bottle of Prosecco on arrival and some delicious chocolates in your room.
You can bag a two-night stay at the Riverdale Hall Hotel in Northumberland for an insanely cheap £89, which works out to £22.25pp per night.
The hotel sits at the edge of the Northumberland National Park in Bellingham, a pretty market town perched along the Pennine Way.
Nearby you can look out over Hadrian’s Wall at the National Landscape Discovery Centre.
Or even visit the forest where the movie 28 Years Later was filmed.
Fancy staying in a former royal hunting lodge once used by King Charles II?
The Speech House is a former royal lodge turned countryside hotel.
Built in 1669, the lodge still has many of its original features, including decor in the hotel restaurant that was originally a small courtroom.
The hotel is based beside the Wye Valley National Landscape. You can catch some spectacular views from Symonds Yat Rock, which is only 15 minutes’ drive from the hotel.
Stay in the medieval walled town of Pembroke with this affordable two-night break at the friendly Coach House Hotel.
It even includes a bottle of Prosecco on arrival.
The town is home to the incredible Pembroke Castle, where King Henry VIII was born.
After enjoying a full Welsh breakfast each morning, you can set off to explore more local attractions like the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and the seaside town of Tenby.
Book a staycation in the stunning Lakes with a cosy stay at the four-star Damson Dene Hotel with this deal.
The hotel is just 10 minutes’ drive from Lake Windermere, the largest lake in England, where you’ll also find The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction.
Your stay includes an overnight stay plus dinner for two, Prosecco on arrival, and even a pair of free tickets to the enchanting Lakeland Model Village.
Prices correct at the time of publication.
Hundreds turned out for a Zohran Mamdani lookalike contest in New York, where nine contestants competed for the crowd’s vote. Part-time actor and Mamdani impersonator Amadeo Fusca won the contest and took home a prize of $100.
Published On 31 Aug 202631 Aug 2026
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BOOKING a last minute holiday can often work out a heck of a lot cheaper than booking a break in advance.
As hotels want to fill their rooms and entice guests, prices often plummet the closer you get to take-off – meaning savvy holidaymakers can secure some of the best deals.
Loveholidays is currently offering hundreds of last-minute breaks in spots like Zante, Spain and Turkey that will save you hundreds when compared to peak season prices.
Here’s our selection of the best-value last minute breaks on Loveholidays, where hols taking off in the next two months are going for crazy cheap.
The Perkes Hotel is perched on the coastline of Laganas, a lively beach resort with a sweeping sandy bay and access to some of the island’s best nightlife.
Bag yourself a last-minute break to the Greek island to hop on a turtle boat tour or take a dip in its signature electric-blue waters.
Read more on holiday deals
This hotel is just a stone’s throw from the sea, five minutes from popular main beach Laganas Beach, and a 15 minute drive from the island’s charming old town.
We found a seven night all inclusive stay with flights at the Perkes Hotel for £309pp this September. Or click here to browse all last minute Zante deals.
Save £214 on this stay at Portugal‘s Ukino Terrace Algarve Concept Hotel – rated one of the ‘most loved’ on the Loveholidays website.
Considering how affordable it is to stay here, this hotel is well and truly glam.
The whitewashed, modern hotel building overlooks the palm tree-lined outdoor pool, where adults can kick back on a sleek white lounger while kids burn off their energy at the kids club.
Here you’re only a five-minute walk from a gorgeous, sandy beach, a short stroll from local bars and restaurants, and 20 minutes’ drive from the Zoomarine theme park.
We found a seven night self catering stay with flights at the Ukino Terrace Algarve Concept Hotel from £239pp in September.
Or click here to browse all last minute Algarve deals.
£50 extra off with GETSEPTGO
Use code GETSEPTGO by this bank holiday Monday at midnight to save an extra £50 on September breaks over £800.
Click here to browse hols and redeem the code.
Fancy an all inclusive stay at a Turkish five-star hotel for under 300 quid per person? You’ll want to bag this last-minute deal.
Antalya’s Sun Star Resort sits on the Turkish Riviera in the resort of Mahmutlar, where the stunning Taurus Mountains overlook the glimmering turquouise sea.
This hotel has its own private beach, multiple outdoor pools and even its very own waterpark – so there’s no need to leave site if you just want to fly and flop.
But if you do fancy getting out and about, there’s vibrant bars, cafes and restaurants plus exciting local markets all within walking distance.
We found an all inclusive holiday including flights to Sun Star Resort from £299 in September.
Or click here to browse all last minute Antalya deals.
Not only does this Tunisia holiday save you £107 when compared to peak prices, but you can also bag a free kids’ place.
The Golf Residence Hotel in Port el Kantaoui is a sprawling four-star resort with multiple pools, bars, restaurants and even its own on-site spa.
Plus if you’re visiting as a family, there’s a kids club, kids pool and an action-packed entertainment program to make use of.
Nearby, take a swing at El Kantaoui Golf Course or zip down waterslides at Acqua Palace Water Park.
We found a half-board stay at the Golf Residence Hotel with flights included for £259pp this September.
Or click here to browse all last minute Tunisia deals.
Last minute holidays to this charming Costa del Sol hotel are £210 below peak price, meaning you can soak up that September sun for a fraction of the cost.
The Village Terrazas Costa del Sol is a relaxed retreat in Manilva, where stylish apartments are surrounded by pretty courtyards dotted with fountains and ponds.
There’s two large outdoor pools here, plus a kids pool, kids club and playground.
Spend your days drifting between the pool, the beach and afternoon games of table tennis or billiards.
We found a five night self catering stay with flights from £159pp this September.
Or click here to browse all last minute Costa del Sol deals.
