kids

LOVE a freebie? Don’t we all – but the best giveaways rarely last forever.

We’ve rounded up the very best offers and promotions that are due to run out before the end of 2025. Don’t ignore them: you could miss out on free Apple AirPods, a £400 laptop, cheap theatre tickets, and more video games than you could ever hope to play.

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FREE SAMSUNG LAPTOP

A tempting offer to claim a free £400 laptop from Samsung is due to expire this year.

Samsung launched the promotion back in August.

It gets you either a £399 14-inch Chromebook Go or a Samsung Galaxy Watch7 worth £239.

You can claim it if you’ve recently bought an eligible Samsung smartphone.

For a free laptop, you’d need to have bought:

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7
• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
• Samsung Galaxy S25+
• Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

And for a free smartwatch, you’d need to have snapped up one of the following:

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE
• Samsung Galaxy S25
• Samsung Galaxy S25 FE

The promotion is due to close down on October 2 this year.

And you need to submit your claim for the freebie within 30 days of making your purchase.

To claim the offer, just follow our guide here: Samsung free laptop promotion.

THREE+ FREEBIES

Earlier this year, Three revealed a generous batch of freebies along with the dates that they would expire.

They’re part of the Three+ rewards scheme, which is free to join. You just claim the freebies through the dedicated app.

And many of them are currently due to cut off at the end of the year.

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That includes 10% off theatre tickets, a cut-price English Heritage membership, and cheap airport parking.

They’re all decent perks, so don’t miss out on claiming them.

Here’s the full list of Three perks with a current expiry date of December 31, 2025:

• LOVEtheatre – 10% off tickets
• English Heritage – 25% off annual membership for 2x adults and up to 12 children = £36
• Tiqets – Get up to 45% off museums, theme parks, zoos and more, plus an extra 10% off with Three+
• Airparks – Up to 30% off airport parking
• Go Henry – two months free on financial education app for kids, plus £15 pocket money
• Banjo Robinson – free activity pack

It’s always possible that some of these perks could be extended, but there’s no guarantee.

FREE APPLE AIRPODS

Yes, really.

Apple is running a back-to-school promotion that expires next month.

And the offer nets you a free pair of Apple AirPods if you’ve bought a qualifying gadget.

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You just need to be a teacher, staff, student or parent.

And students are anyone who has gone on to college, university, or any other public or private tertiary education institution.

But beware: the deal runs out on October 21, 2025.

If you’ve bought a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro then you can claim:

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 (with £50 fee) – saving £169
• Apple AirPods 4 with ANC (free) – saving £169

If you’ve snapped up an iPad Air or iPad Pro, you can get:

• Apple AirPods 4 (free) – saving £119
• Apple AirPods Pro 3 (with £100 fee) – saving £119

And if you’ve bagged an iMac, the options are:

• Apple AirPods 4 with ANC (free) – saving £169
• Apple AirPods Pro 3 (with £50 fee) – saving £169

The main catch is that you can only do this once for the promotion period. Just don’t miss the offer window.

It’s also worth noting that Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 are brand new, so they’re a good buy.

BONUS £100 FROM O2

If you’re planning to buy one of the new iPhone models recently announced by Apple, take a look at this O2 offer.

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It comes with a bonus £100 – but only until October 8, 2025.

If you buy the new iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, or iPhone 17 Pro Max on a pay-monthly plan, you’ll get an extra £100 if you recycle your existing mobile.

That’s in addition to the regular trade-in value of your phone.

It’s a special promotion on the O2 Recycle scheme, and you can only claim the deal once.

You don’t get the money in cash – but it’ll be credited to your plan.

So effectively, it’s a £100 discount on the amount you would’ve plaid.

You can check out the full terms for the offer here.

AMAZON PRIME GAMES

There are loads of Amazon Prime freebies that will vanish before the year is out.

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Amazon runs a special scheme for Prime members called Prime Gaming.

Every month, Amazon will dish out a selection of free games that you can keep forever.

Usually the monthly haul is worth hundreds of pounds, so it’s not bad at all.

The games drop in waves every single Thursday, and by the end of the month, the full batch is available.

But the games are only available for a month before they vanish from Amazon’s freebie list.

So you need to claim them before they disappear.

If you’re savvy, you’ll collect them all. You can bag September’s lot, and then get the October, November, and December offerings too.

You’ll probably end up with more than £1,000 in games from a four-month run.

But if you miss any of them then you’ll be too late – they’re then gone for good.

So make sure you’re hot on checking for the freebies each month. You can find them here at the Prime Gaming website.

Just note that you’ll need to have an active Amazon Prime membership to claim the games.

All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed.

Always do your own research before making any purchase.

A BRITISH grandad has revealed how he was shackled to a wife-and-child killer during his horror months locked up by the Taliban.

Peter Reynolds and his wife Barbie, 76, were arrested in February and dragged through ten different jails in Afghanistan, sometimes held in cages and sometimes split apart, with weeks spent in solitary confinement.

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Peter, who spent his 80th birthday behind bars instead of celebrating with his family in the US, told The Sunday Times: “We felt huge powerlessness.

“We were told we were guests. But when I was taken to court, I had my ankles and hands cuffed together with murderers and rapists.”

At one point, the grandfather found himself shackled to a man who had murdered his own wife and three children.

Peter and Barbie were finally freed this week, flown out on a Qatari aircraft and back to Heathrow on Saturday, where they reunited with their family after months of agony.

The couple’s release came after months of behind-the-scenes mediation led by Qatar, whose diplomats in Kabul arranged medication, doctors and calls with their family.

Footage showed the pair smiling as they finally boarded a flight out of Afghanistan.

They had lived in Afghanistan since 2007, running a community project called Rebuild.

They were among the few foreigners who chose to remain after the Taliban seized back power four years ago, settling in the mountainous Bamiyan region — better known for the giant Buddhas destroyed by the regime in 2001.

The couple, who first married in Kabul in 1970, insisted they had lived peacefully for years without trouble from the authorities.

Barbie described watching her husband struggle into a police truck with his hands and ankles chained as the “worst moment.”

The pair endured months of solitary confinement, a basement cell with no windows, and illness from “oily and salty” prison food.

Meals were scarce and left them sick. Barbie, who suffers from anaemia, grew weaker by the day.

Peter, who has a heart condition, often went without the beta blockers he relies on after a mini-stroke last year.

He is believed to have suffered a silent heart attack while in custody.

At one stage they were transferred to the Taliban’s intelligence HQ and locked in an underground cell, cut off from sunlight and phones.

UN human rights experts later warned their health was deteriorating so rapidly that they were at risk of “irreparable harm or even death.”

The couple insist they had done nothing wrong.

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The Taliban later claimed they had “violated Afghan laws” but gave no details.

And a search of their home and staff turned up nothing.

They were originally detained alongside their American friend Faye Hall, who was freed in March after a court order.

But the Reynoldses remained locked up for another five months with no explanation.

At one point, relatives back in Britain said they were “pretty frustrated” after repeated pleas to Taliban officials went ignored.

Back in Britain, the couple are exhausted but jubilant.

Barbie wants salad and Marmite, while Peter wants baked beans.

But most of all, they want time with the grandchildren they feared they’d never hug again.

“It is a mystery how or why we have been released,” said Peter.

“There’s a lot to process. I’m looking forward to listening to our family’s narrative of all that has unfolded in the last eight months.”

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SEOUL, Sept. 17 (UPI) — To address its low fertility rate, the South Korean government has gone all out. Now, the country’s private corporations are joining the campaign by offering higher savings interest rates for families with multiple children.

The Korean Federation of Community Credit Cooperatives said Wednesday that its newly launched savings product attracted more than 30,000 customers. With more than 1,250 financial cooperatives, it is the nation’s largest apex organization.

The product provides 10% interest for customers with a newborn this year. If the child is their second, the rate increases to 11%, and for a third child, it rises to 12%. A monthly deposit limit applies, though.

“We will develop various programs to uphold our responsibility as a local financial institution, and to contribute to building a sustainable community,” cooperative Chairman Kim In said in a statement.

KB Kookmin Bank, Korea’s largest lender in terms of assets, also has a savings account that offers interest rates up to 10% to families with multiple children.

Last year, Seoul-based builder Booyoung started to award a $72,000 bonus to employees each time they had a baby. The company told UPI that it had spent $7.1 million for the initiative so far.

Cosmetics maker Kolmar Korea provides a childbirth grant of $7,200 for the first and second children, and $14,400 for the third. It has also made parental leave mandatory.

South Korea’s fertility rate has been plummeting, falling to 0.72 in 2023 before slightly going up to 0.75 last year. This means that for every 100 women, only 75 babies are expected to be born.

It is one of the lowest rates in the world. Only a handful of places recorded fertility rates below 1 in recent years, including Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

UKRAINIAN children abducted during the war are forced to make military equipment used against their homeland, chilling research reveals.

Thousands of innocent youngsters shipped to more than 200 sinister camps across Russia are being subjected to brainwashing and being used as pawns by deranged Vladimir Putin.

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Sickenlingly, satelitte images shows children being used as slave labour to assemble drones and other supplies fuelling the tyrant’s war machine in Ukraine.

Military training has been observed at around 40 of the sites holding children as young as eight, including ceremonial parades and drills, and combat training.

Officials told The Sun it shows Kremlin stooges are teaching children to fight against their home, blasting their use as a “weapons” against Ukraine and beyond.

Daria Herasymchuck, advisor and commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children’s Rights and Rehabilitation, told The Sun: “For those of us who have observed Putin’s actions up close for more than a decade, we are well accustomed to their evasion, distortion and calculated indifference. 

“We are appalled by the large-scale, logistical and operational capacity Russia is operating in – using children, who are always the most vulnerable victims in armed conflicts, in such a way, is deliberately cruel.”

Since megalomaniac Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022, thousands of Ukrainian children have been kidnapped and sent to at least 210 facilities inside Russia and occupied territory.

These sites range from summer camps and sanatoriums to a military base, and, in one case, a monastery, according to research by the Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL).

Russia is known to have engaged in the deportation, re-education, militarisation and forced adopting of Ukrainian children since at least 2014 from the occupied territories of Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk.

But since Putin’s ordered his troops in more than three years ago, researchers say these barbaric efforts have siginificantly expanded.

The HRL has used satellite imagery and open source materials to identify and track Ukrainian children snatched during the war.

Its horrifying report, Ukraine’s Stolen Children: Inside Russia’s Network of Re-education and Militarization, reveals the staggering efforts Moscow goes to to brainwash these youngsters.

Children have been rounded up and moved to at least eight different location types.

These are cadet schools, a military base, medical facilities, a religious site, secondary schools and universities, a hotel, family support centers and orphanages, and camps and sanatoriums.

At least two new cadet schools have been constructed, and at least 49 of the 210 locations have been expanded since the start of the war.

Children are forced to develop “fire and naval training skills” at some sites as part of a warped militarisation campaign.

They are required to participate in “shooting competitions and grenade throwing competitions” as well as receive “tactical medicince, drone control and tactics” training.

In one instance, youngsters from Donetsk oblast received “airborne training” at a military base, the HRL’s report – shared with United
Nations Security Council- reveals.

Children have also been used to help produced military equipment for Russia’s armed forces, including drones.

Herasymchuck, of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, told The Sun: “The report shows Russia is prepared to use Ukraine’s own children as a ‘weapon’ against Ukraine, and Europe more broadly.

“They are being trained to fight against their own homeland.

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“This is all part of Russia’s long-term campaign to erase the Ukrainian identity – central to this is the Russification and militarisation of Ukrainian children as the report outlines.”

Some youngsters have been held temporarily before returning home – while others have been held indefinitely.

As part of Putin’s callous regime to indoctrinate these children, many have been pushed into a network of so-called family centres.

Others have been pushed into Russia’s programme of coerced fostering and adoption – seeing them eventually placed within a Russian family.

For those who return home, Ukraine authorities have been told of the drastic work that has to be done to undo the damage.

Herasymchuck said: “Rehabilitation for children who return from deportation is one of the most sensitive and complex aspects of our work.

“These children have experienced not only physical displacement but also deep psychological trauma.

“When kids return, children often feel confused, disconnected, or afraid.

“These children have been taught not to resist. That is deeply alarming. Some carry guilt or shame. Others return with hostility or denial of their own identity.

“This is why our work does not end with bringing children home.

Children used as ‘weapons’

Exclusive by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital)

RUSSIA is using abducted and brainwashed children as “weapons”, one of Zelensky’s staff battling to rescue Ukraine’s kidnapped kids warned.

Daria Zarivna told The Sun earlier this year that no peace deal will be brokered until Moscow agrees to return thousands of kidnapped youngsters home.

She warned Vladimir Putin‘s thugs are indoctrinating these youngsters and those living in Ukrainian territory under Russian control.

Bring Kids Back Ukraine operations director Daria said Moscow will push them into joining Russia’s army to use them as a “weapon” against Europe in the future.

Since Putin illegally invaded Ukraine three years ago, tens of thousands of children have been kidnapped and taken into Russia.

Kremlin stooges then disturbingly try to rid the youngsters of their Ukrainian heritage and brainwash them into becoming Russian citizens.

Sinister camps have been set up in Russia where children are sent before having their official documents altered and being placed in Russian families. 

Often the children are told that their loved ones have abandoned them and that they are now part of the Russian Federation. 

Mariana Betsa, Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister, told The Sun how some children have been abused and suffered sexual violence.

She said: “It’s not just a statistic, 20,000. It’s a life behind every person behind every statistic.

“We have so many families who were separated. We have so many children who were abducted.

“We need to return every single child.”

Presidential advisor Daria meanwhile warned Russia will use the children as a “weapon” against not only Ukraine, but the rest of Europe.

She said: “We are working on keeping this matter in the spotlight and we think that it is extremely important that it be a part of these talks because the Ukrainian children which Russia keeps under its control

“It’s a threat to global security, to Ukraine’s security.

“There are 1.6 million Ukrainian children currently staying in the temporarily occupied territories under the control of Russia.

“They’ve been indoctrinated, they’ve been militarised.”

READ MORE HERE

“Under the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, Ukraine has built a reintegration system that provides each child with a tailored protection and recovery plan.

“Based on children’s needs, they receive medical care, psychological support, legal aid, safe housing, and access to education.”

The Sun previously spoke to one teenager who fell victim to Putin’s evil scheme.

Nastya, then 15, was abducted from Kherson Oblast when it was seized by Putin’s fighters at the beginning of the war in March 2022.

The terrified teenager was placed with a woman who also had ten other children in her care.

She told how she was abused and beat her until she was sent back to the police station where she had originally been held.

Nastya was then enrolled in a college, where she said she was routinely humiliated by soldiers who told her: “You are nothing.”

Eventually, Nastya was able to find a phone and make a call to her mother, who tracked down volunteers in Ukraine to help get her home.

In March 2023, arrest warrants for Putin and his twisted children’s commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova were issued by the International Criminal Court.

Russia attempted to denounce the warrants as “outrageous and unacceptable”.

Lvova-Belova has attempted to portray the forced deportation of Ukrainian children as a Russian rescue mission since being appointed Putin’s children’s commissioner in 2021.

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A mum was left fuming after a recent flight with her two children, as the behaviour of the passenger sitting in front of her completely ruined the experience for her kids

If you’ve ever taken a flight with young children, you’ll know how much of a headache it can be at times. Rushing them through airport security, making sure you all get to your boarding gate on time, and hoping that they don’t cause a scene when you’re on the plane can leave you feeling drained.

Many people have sparked discussions in the past about how they don’t like flying with “screaming” children on board, but the parents of those children are likely even more exhausted – and we should all be more compassionate. But one mum didn’t receive any sympathy on a recent flight she was on with her two children, as the passenger in front of her chose to do something “rude” in the middle of their journey.

Matilda Norton shared a video on TikTok of herself sitting with her two children on the plane, where the family was happily minding their own business. Matilda had her youngest child on her lap, while her older son was standing up in the seat beside her, playing with a toy plane.

But her problem came when the man in front of her decided to recline his seat – meaning she had very little room for herself and her young baby, who was already getting restless and starting to cry.

The mum also explained in her video that the seat next to the man in front of her was empty, meaning he could have moved across and reclined that seat, which was in front of her older child.

Although that still would have encroached on their space, it would have given the mum enough room to properly look after her younger child.

In the video’s caption, she said: “He had an empty seat next to him. He could have moved over and put the other seat back … where there was no baby behind him.

“Or when he lay down across both seats, he could have at least put his seat upright since he wasn’t even using it. I know everyone has the right to put their seat back, but where is the common courtesy? We had no space.”

Commenters on the post were split over the issue. Some said that the mum was right to be annoyed, as even though the man was within his rights to recline his chair, he could have been more respectful of her situation.

Others, however, said the man did nothing wrong. They also argued that the mum could have swapped seats with her son so that she took the window seat and he was in the middle, meaning she would still escape the reclined chair.

One person said: “You could literally swap with your other son, and the issue would be resolved. People are allowed to recline their seats on a flight.”

Another added: “Why do people think they are entitled to special treatment? He’s allowed to recline his seat without any question or explanation.”

However, someone else defended the mum, stating: “This comment section isn’t it. It’s so rude to recline your seat on a short flight. It’s entirely unnecessary, and you know that it makes the person behind you uncomfortable.”

Matilda also later shared in the comments why she refused to swap seats with her son, as she said she would rather make sure he has a good time and enjoys his flight.

Responding to one commenter who told her to swap seats, she wrote: “He likes the window seat and I would rather him happily look out the window than be grumpy in the middle. You’ve clearly never travelled with kids!”

Rylan Clark and Rob Rinder got emotional as they discussed having kids on the new series of their BBC show Rob and Rylan’s Passage to India, where they travel across the unique country

Rylan Clark has revealed more about his desire to have children amid his new romance with a fairground worker. It was recently revealed that Rylan is dating a new man, four years on from his split from his husband Dan.

Teasing the new romance, Rylan revealed: “At this time I’m very happy. Recently I have gotten into a relationship and it’s great. And it feels very different to anything I’ve had before, which is a good sign to me.”

He didn’t reveal who it was but the man is believed to be called Kennedy and the pair are said to have become “inseparable” this summer and have already met each others families.

READ MORE: BBC boss makes grim prediction after MasterChef scandal and hints at more problemsREAD MORE: Emmerdale star Samantha Giles used witchcraft to land jobs after soap wobble

Speaking in an emotional chat on their show Rob and Rylan’s Passage to India, the former X Factor star explained: “What this trip has done is invigorate in my head how important family is. I want one day, fingers crossed, to have kids. What about you?”

“Don’t forget, I’m older than you. It’s quite a lot [older]. So when I was coming out, it wasn’t a possibility and I’ve got to a stage now where I’m so set in my ways…,” Rob then replied as Rylan quizzed what would happen if he met the right man tomorrow.

Rob then admitted: “I just think I’d be too afraid – I don’t think I’m good enough,” before Rylan added: “Let me tell you one thing, you are good enough. But it’s alright not to want kids. It’s just always been my plan. Get the husband, get the Range Rover, get the kids.

The Good Morning Britain star admitted he feared he was too “selfish” to raise kids. Rylan replied: “But I think the second, you had kids you’d change … You know what Rob, you’d never feel love like it.”

“As long as they were kind and had nice manners,” Rob added, with Rylan then quipping: “They would be because they’d be raised by you – and me probably,” as he joked about being uncle Rylan.

Meanwhile, Rylan has been forced to deny he and Rob are dating. He said: “Like, so many people keep asking, everyone keeps asking me – because there’s all these fake news stories about me and Rob Rinder – we’ve gotten married and all of this. Rob’s my friend. I adore him, and Rob and Rylan’s just about to come out again, and I just thought, ‘Let’s just put the record straight.'”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

Travel blogger Jen Carr took her kids to France instead of Cornwall for less than half the price it would have cost to holiday in the UK. This is exactly how she did it

When planning a half-term break, Cornwall tops the list for its beautiful beaches, cosy cottages and a holiday without the airport stress – but it’s not cheap.

Travel blogger and mum Jen says she recently took her family to France after pricing up Cornwall and realising it was more expensive than going on holiday abroad.

“We recently priced up a summer break – a week in a two-bedroom caravan in a holiday park in Cornwall came in at £2,100,” she says. “And that’s before adding petrol, meals out, and activities!

“For the exact same dates as that caravan in Cornwall, we found a week at a French holiday camp for under £1,000 – literally half the price. More sunshine, better facilities, more fun – and for less money.”

The money she saved on the campsite went towards flights and car hire. But it wasn’t just accommodation costs where she managed to save money. The blogger, who runs The Travel Mum, has revealed other ways people can save some serious cash.

READ MORE: European country has incredible overlooked beaches ‘like the Maldives’READ MORE: Foreign Office changes Poland tourist travel advice after Russia drone strike

Petrol vs flights

“Driving from where we live to Cornwall takes seven hours each way and, with fuel prices as they are, would’ve cost us around £120 just in petrol. (Plus 14 hours of hell in the car with the kids…)

“We found flights to the French Riviera for under £500 for four people. You can get flights to Paris for even less, currently around £350 for four people in August. If you can travel light you save a fortune by not adding a big check in luggage.”

Holiday camp hack

“The South of France has absolutely mastered the art of the family holiday camp. Think pools, huge playgrounds, kids’ clubs packed with activities, and evening entertainment that keeps everyone happy.

:And the best part? For the exact same dates as that caravan in Cornwall, we found a week at a French holiday camp for under £1,000 – literally half the price. More sunshine, better facilities, more fun… for less money.”

Eating out costs less

“In Cornwall, we’ve spent £60+ on a family pub lunch without even trying. In France, we were eating out in little village restaurants for €35-€40 total – three courses, bread, and a glass of wine included.

“Supermarkets are much cheaper too. We stocked up on fresh baguettes, cheese, and fruit for picnics and spent much less than we would on a similar supermarket shop in the UK.”

Car hire ‘dream’

“This one’s less about saving money and more about saving your sanity. If you’ve ever braved Cornwall in peak season, you’ll know the chaos of narrow lanes, endless queues, and half the UK heading there at once.

“In contrast, driving in France is a dream – wide, quiet roads, smooth journeys, and far less stress. Plus, car hire is surprisingly affordable if you book in advance, making it an easy win for both comfort and convenience.”

The bottom line

“Everyone assumes UK staycations are going to be cheaper than going abroad, but that isn’t always the case. When you add up flights, accommodation, eating out, and activities, France actually cost us less – and let us explore a whole new area of the world.

“Our holiday in France could have been even cheaper too! The French Riviera isn’t known for being the cheapest part of the country, but we have always wanted to visit.

“Would we swap Cornwall for France again next half-term? Absolutely. Next time, we’re eyeing up Brittany, the Atlantic coast and even Corsica! Sometimes, going abroad really is the budget option.”

READ MORE: Get a pair of Clarks’ back to school shoes for less than £10 in clever deal

Important recommendation for parents who are planning to take young children on a trip to Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Tenerife and Fuerteventura have been issued by one mum

A British mum has shared important crucial guidance for all parents with young children planning a getaway to one of a number of popular Spanish islands. Mother-of-one Melissa O’Donnell praised a firm that assisted her baby during a recent family break to Gran Canaria.

“If you are taking a baby abroad to one of these locations – Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Tenerife and Fuerteventura – you need to listen to this,” she began in a TikTok video. Confirming that the firm in question played no part in creating her clip, Melissa stated: “I’m doing this off my own back – I just want people to know how helpful it is.” She went on, revealing that Travel 4 Baby provides parents with the chance to rent “anything you could possibly need” for your baby whilst you are away.

“Cots, bath seats, sterilising machines, buggies, car seats – even down to potties – they have everything you’d want to put it in your suitcase but aren’t able to bring,” Melissa raved. “They are priced really fairly too.”

To highlight her point, she revealed she paid €20 [£17.34] for a snooze shade “for as long as we wanted it”. Melissa added: “They drop the item off at the hotel wherever you are staying and come and pick it up the day that you leave.”

Scores of others rushed to commend Travel 4 Baby as well, sharing their own holiday experiences with the firm.

“We used them when we went to Lanzarote!” one TikTok user wrote. “They have no idea how much it helped us!”

A second satisfied customer shared: “We used them for Lanzarote when baby was only 12 weeks old. When we arrived at hotel the steriliser, bottle, formula and water were all there when we arrived at check in. Definitely recommend them.”

A third added: “We hired so much from them in Tenerife last month. Made life so much easier and they were brilliant to deal with. Everything waiting for us at the hotel.”

Whilst a fourth person praised: “They are fab. We used them back in 2022 for our little one’s first holiday. Walker (so he can mooch about tiled rooms safely) and travel cot. But they have so much more – even bottle safe water – fab company.”

Travel 4 Baby also caters for those holidaying to several destinations across Spain and Portugal including major cities, and plans to extend its services to further hotspots including Benidorm in the near future.

The company offers further advice online, listing its top tips for a stress free trip with baby – which are:

• On the plane, babies under two years old can sit on your knee or some airlines let you book and pay for an extra seat for more space and comfort
• Change your babies nappy or take them to the toilet just before you board the aircraft
• Try keep them awake at the airport so they will sleep on the plane (fingers crossed!)
• Feed them when you get on the plane rather than before. The combination of feeding and the rocking and noise of the plane, will often send your baby to sleep.
• Take extra formula, snacks, nappies etc just in case of a delay.
• Always remember, if you don’t want to be traveling with too much luggage and baby items, check with us before you travel as most baby items can be hired and delivered to you in resort. Travel 4 baby has everything you will need and the less luggage you have to bring the better.

A MUM has been praised after sharing the genius hack she swears by to give her kids a toy room without making her house look messy.

As a home schooling mum, Paige has devoted a whole room in her abode to her kids’ learning – which also contains some toys.

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But as any parent knows, toys eventually make their way into different rooms, and can end up making the house look untidy.

So Paige came up with a clever idea to let her kids play in the lounge – one of the main family areas of the home – without it turning into another toy room.

In a video on her TikTok page, the mum-of-three showed the kitchen, toy room and lounge, all of which looked perfectly neat and tidy.

She then took the camera to behind the sofa, where she had set aside a large area for toys to go.

“Having a little mini toy room behind the couch was the best decision!” she wrote over the top of the video.

Thanks to the positioning of the sofa, the area is entirely invisible until you’re right on top of it.

And it also means that Paige doesn’t have to deal with tidying it up until she wants to.

“Really has help the house look a bit cleaner haha!” she added in the video caption.

People were quick to praise Paige in the comments section for the clever hack.

“This is so smart!” one wrote.

To which Paige replied: “It really works well!”

“So cute! Great idea!” another added.

“Your house is literally a dream – it’s beautiful,” a third gushed.

“Aww thank you!” Paige responded.

“We love it so much but we are growing and will need more room eventually.

“This space is huge, but tiny rooms is the down fall!”

How to baby-proof your house

IF you’ve got a baby coming very soon, here’s our top tips on how to get your home ready for their arrival…

Secure Furniture and Appliances: Use brackets or straps to anchor heavy furniture and TVs to the wall. Ensure that large appliances like fridges and ovens are stable and cannot tip over.

Install Safety Gates: Place gates at the top and bottom of stairs. Use gates to block off rooms that are not baby-proofed.

Cover Electrical Outlets: Use outlet covers or plates to prevent little fingers from poking into sockets. Ensure that electrical cords are out of reach or secured.

Lock Cabinets and Drawers: Install child-proof locks on cabinets and drawers, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. Store hazardous substances, sharp objects, and small items that can be swallowed out of reach.

Use Corner and Edge Protectors: Attach soft corner and edge protectors to furniture with sharp edges. Consider using them on low tables, countertops, and fireplace hearths.

Secure Windows and Doors: Install window guards or locks to prevent windows from opening more than a few inches. Use door knob covers and door stoppers to prevent pinched fingers.

Maintain a Safe Sleep Environment: Use a firm mattress and avoid placing pillows, blankets, or stuffed animals in the cot. Ensure the cot meets current safety standards.

Keep Small Items Out of Reach: Regularly check the floor for small objects that could be choking hazards. Be mindful of items like coins, buttons, and small toys.

Adjust Water Heater Temperature: Set your water heater to a maximum of 49°C (120°F) to prevent scalding. Always test bath water temperature before placing your baby in.

Use Baby Monitors: Place baby monitors in the nursery to keep an eye on your little one. Ensure the monitor cords are out of reach to avoid strangulation hazards.

By taking these steps, you can create a safer environment for your baby.

“With all that wood accenting going on in there you could easily turn this into a hobbit house,” someone else pointed out.

Paige’s family home is located in Northern California, and is nestled within 10 acres of woodland.

She lives there with her other half and their three children – River Wildfox, Cedar Moon and Sequoia Rain.

Growing up, Al Roker loved animation. His Saturday mornings were devoted to Bugs Bunny and Road Runner, and he would spend hours studying Preston Blair’s book on how to draw cartoons. He dreamed of becoming an animator for Walt Disney. But when he grew up and became the “Today” weatherman instead, he had the idea to combine his love of weather with his love of animation into a children’s TV series.

“Weather Hunters,” premiering Monday on PBS Kids, follows 8-year-old Lily Hunter (Tandi Fomukong) as she, her younger brother, Benny (Lorenzo Ross) and her older sister, Corky (Kapri Ladd), investigate the weather with the help of their parents, Dot (Holly Robinson Peete) and Al (Roker). The children in the series are based on Roker’s own three children: Courtney, Leila and Nick. And in a case of art fondly imitating life, Roker’s Al Hunter is a local weatherman with a penchant for dad jokes.

“This really is one of those instances where everything that you love in your life comes together,” Roker says. “The show reflects what my childhood was. My parents were very supportive of their children and what their dreams were.”

Roker has been developing the show since his now-adult children were the ages the Hunter kids are in the series. “Good things come to those who wait,” he says with a laugh.

“This is a real passion project for him,” says Sara DeWitt, senior vice president and general manager of PBS Kids. 
“We love to have a creator who is so excited about getting kids interested in the world.”

For PBS Kids, a series rooted in weather exploration was a natural extension to its current slate of programming. “Weather plays such a big part of kids’ lives,” DeWitt says. “What should I wear today? What if it rains and I can’t do the thing I was planning to do? Where does that thunder come from? It just immediately opened up so many ideas and possibilities for us about ways we could really connect with families and get them more excited about the scientific topic.”

“Weather Hunters” centers on Lily Hunter and her family, which includes her father, Al, who, like Roker, is a weatherman.

(Weather Hunters Inc.)

Over the course of the first 10 episodes, all of which will premiere digitally on PBS Kids at launch, Lily and her family will investigate things like fog, clouds, leaves changing colors, thunderstorms, snow and the moving rocks of the desert. Sara Sweetman, an associate professor at University of Rhode Island, is an educational advisor for the series. “Weather is such fantastic content because it is very relevant to the kids’ lives,” she says. “They understand why it’s important and how it impacts them.”

But weather science, like all science, can get complex pretty quickly. “I was really adamant that there’d be one takeaway message [in each episode],” Sweetman says. “What we really want is [for] kids to watch the show and then run into the kitchen to find their dad or their mom and say, ‘Guess what?’ and be able to state that one idea really clearly.”

Sweetman was involved in each 22-minute episode from the very first pitch. “The ideal situation for educational media is that we hit the learning moment at the same moment as the emotional arc of the story,” she says. “We know from research when we can do that, that kids take that meaning away and hold on to it.”

Peete, the voice of Dot, has been friends with Roker for years. She starred in Hallmark’s “Morning Show Mysteries,” which Roker produced and was based on Roker’s novels. For Peete, whose father, Matthew Robinson Jr., was the original Gordon on “Sesame Street,” starring in the series is a “full-circle moment.” “PBS just meant so much to me,” she says. “It’s one thing for your dad to be on TV. It’s nothing for your dad to be on like the best TV children’s TV show ever. I wish my dad could see that I was actually on PBS doing this type of show with Al. He would be very, very proud that I would continue this legacy of children’s entertainment and education.”

Executive producer and showrunner Dete Meserve says animation allows the series, which is aimed at children ages 5 to 8, to have flights of fancy like the flying mobile weather station known as the Vansformer that the family explores in combined with “reality-based scientific explanations for what’s happening.” The episode on clouds explains how even though Benny can no longer see the sun behind the clouds, the sun is still there.

All kids are scientists, says Meserve, and it’s particularly nice that the character at the center of this series is a young girl interested in science. “There’s research that shows that if she can see it, she can be it,” Meserve says. “And Lily is surrounded by her siblings who have an equal interest, but the way they interact with it is different. Corky wants to film and document it. And then you have Benny, who’s more the artistic part of it. He wants to draw.”

The show also seeks to make some weather phenomena like hurricanes or thunderstorms less scary by helping the young audience understand the science behind what is happening. “We’re explaining what it is and how it works,” Roker says. “Kids can feel some sense of empowerment. In the show we talk about, how do we, as a family, prepare? How do we protect ourselves? How do we keep ourselves safe?”

Throughout the series Lily will form hypotheses and test them to see if the facts fit what she originally thought. “Those are all things that I think the show excels at — helping create those skills for critical thinking that kids can take forward as they get older,” Roker says.

He also hopes children walk away with a sense of the true beauty of weather. “There’s really this magic that happens around us,” he says. “And it’s based in science.”

ON ‘P***head Corner’, a group of worse-for-wear locals tuck into cans of cheap beer while commuters hurry past on their way to work.

Charity shops, boarded up stores and nail salons dominate the high street, while drug deals take place in broad daylight and drunks brazenly swig from bottles of spirits. 

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Yet this scene of deprivation is just yards from the picturesque seafront of South Shields, with a stunning stretch of golden sands and a recently regenerated promenade.

This weekend 60,000 athletes will cross the finish line of the Great North Run, running a mile along the coastline at Sandhaven Beach, after competing the gruelling race from Newcastle. 

But beyond the funfair, restaurants and elegant Victorian park close to sands, the rundown streets tell a story of years of neglect and residents speak of a dark underbelly of crime, alcoholism and drug taking. 

Steven Smith was once a successful painter and decorator but is now a self-confessed alcoholic desperately trying to get sober. 

We speak to him at the town’s transport interchange, dubbed “P***head Corner” due to its popularity among drinkers.

The 42-year-old said: “Having the Great North Run is all well and good but the crime rate is diabolical.

“I got beat up just last night. It was for no reason at all. I was walking through the row of shops in the centre and I ended up in hospital. I woke up there. 

“There were three lads and they jumped me for nothing. They were probably trying to steal from me but it knocked me out.

“I’m walking and talking and that’s the main thing, but it’s not nice. They did it because they are a***holes, and it didn’t surprise me to be honest. 

“South Shields is getting worse for it. The town was given some money a while ago but it hasn’t been spent wisely.

“I don’t take drugs but I’m an alcoholic trying to ween myself off.

“The other day I walked around the corner and saw someone smoking a crack pipe in front of kids.”

Steven believes the town’s younger population are at risk of falling into the same trap.

The other day I walked around the corner and saw someone smoking a crack pipe in front of kids

Steven Smith

He added: “I had some kids ask me last week to go in the shop for them to buy drink. They couldn’t have been older than 13 or 14.

“I told them I wasn’t going to do it. I don’t want to encourage anyone to drink. It ruins lives.”

Addiction crisis

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Damning data from the Office of National Statistics speaks of an alcohol crisis engulfing the town and the surrounding area. 

Across 2022 to 2023, 777 per 100,000 people in South Tyneside were admitted to hospital for an alcohol-related reason. The figure was sky high compared to the rate of 475 across England as a whole. 

During the same time period, 62 per 100,000 under 18s were admitted as a result of consuming booze, while the England rate stood at just 26.

The number of people suffering from alcoholic liver disease in South Tyneside was also nearly double the national rate. There were 304 per 100,000 in the region, compared to 156 in England.

By mid-morning, groups of men and women eagerly waited outside the town’s pubs ahead of opening time. 

Meanwhile, a gaunt couple were handed a package by a furtive-looking man before rushing from the bustle of the interchange. 

People are always on drugs giving you abuse when you walk past. Even if you have a child with you, they do it all the time.

Ex-McDonald’s worker Chloe Mycock

Ex-McDonald’s worker Chloe Mycock used to dread taking breaks during shifts at the nearby fast food restaurant due to unsavoury characters loitering outside.

Chloe, now 21, said: “Alcoholism is a major issue. People are always on drugs giving you abuse when you walk past.

“Even if you have a child with you, they do it all the time. Groups of kids go through the bus station on bikes and they will harass you without a care.

“One hundred per cent it makes me wary of going outside on my own.

“I used to work at McDonald’s and I would come and sit outside on my breaks to get some fresh air. But there would be crowds of people outside and it made me feel unsafe.

“This was during the day so I definitely would not feel safe coming out at night-time.

“I think a lot of these people come from certain parts on the outskirts of the town and they congregate together in the centre.”

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Retired police officer Dave Binding, 81, added: “The place is dirty, although it is the same as anywhere else these days.

“People used to come home after work, get changed, and go for a night out.

“But now they might have a quick drink and then go home and stay there, perhaps due to fear of walking the streets.

“There are places around here that are no-go areas, which common sense dictates you stay away from.

People used to come home after work, get changed, and go for a night out. But now they might have a quick drink and then go home and stay there, perhaps due to fear of walking the streets

Retired police officer Dave Binding

“But I ask, what more can you do? We have a country that we deserve now, not one that we want.

“I’m seeing the problem happen more often with drinks in South Shields. I feel sorry for the staff at A&E because it must be like a conveyer belt.

“They must tell each other ‘I saw him yesterday’ but what more can they do?

“This place suffers from the same rash – the same nail bars, the same barbers and second-hand shops.”

Child poverty

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A recent BBC study ranked a third of the neighbourhoods in South Tyneside among the most deprived in the country.

The child poverty crisis was deemed so severe the council recently announced a four-point plan in a desperate bid to reduce levels.

In 2020 to 2021, around 39 per cent of children in the South Tyneside area were living in poverty according to council data.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators will flock to the town to watch the competitors finish the 42nd Great North Run, which was founded in 1981, when just 12K took part. 

The event was masterminded by former Olympic medallist Brendan Foster who wanted to create a fun run in his home region. Mo Farah dubbed the 2013 race his favourite ever, despite not winning, due to the tremendous support from the sidelines. 

One woman, who didn’t want to be named, said: “The Great North Run is great for the area but people only ever see the nicer part of South Shields at the coast when it’s on TV.

“I don’t think the people who come here for the run will to rush to return.

“People used to come to this area to live but now they try and get out because there’s nothing here.

“Kids these days hang around on their bikes outside of McDonald’s and people don’t feel safe.

I don’t venture out in the town when it’s dark because people are up to no good on their bikes

Anonymous

“Child poverty is definitely an issue in the town. A lot of the younger generation don’t go on to higher education.

“If they’re not lucky enough to grow up in a nicer area, they often get stuck in a poverty cycle.

“There aren’t many jobs and people have to travel elsewhere.

“The foodbank in nearby Hebburn gets really busy.

“I don’t venture out in the town when it’s dark because people are up to no good on their bikes.”

Intoxicated groups

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Sarah Wytcherley, a 40-year-old warehouse worker, said: “Crowds of intoxicated people gather in the town all of the time.

“They sit outside the bus interchange and that’s not what people want to see when they’re visiting the town for the first time.

“It has always been a problem with Shields as far as I’m aware. It doesn’t look very nice.”

One worker at the interchange believes police have been making an effort to move on the hoards of drunks.

He said: “It has been bad. It is has gone downhill as a whole. You see them spiced out of their heads and it puts fear into people.

“There was an incident not long ago where a kid on a bike hurt a disabled guy. It doesn’t look good for town at all.”

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Cllr Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council told The Sun: “The Great North Run showcases the beauty and spirit of our borough.

“But behind the scenes, we’re working every day to make sure that spirit is felt in every neighbourhood – tackling inequality, improving safety, and creating opportunity for all.

“We’ve never shied away from the challenges some of our communities face and we have worked hard to tackle them head on, targeting our support to make things fairer across the borough and redress inequalities.

“We know that issues like child poverty and alcohol-related harm have a real impact on people’s lives, and that’s why we’ve taken bold, proactive steps to address them.

“We’ve launched the North East’s first Child Poverty Strategy, bringing together partners across the region to take coordinated action — from working closely with schools and providing baby boxes to new parents to helping parents with the costs of school uniforms, school meals and holiday activities.

“We’re also refreshing our Alcohol Strategy to confront the borough’s high rates of alcohol-related deaths. This includes improving access to support services, challenging cultural norms around drinking, and tackling health inequalities head-on.

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“To tackle long-term challenges, we’re investing in both our places and our people. Our regeneration plans go beyond the seafront — they’re about creating opportunity across the borough.

“The relocation of South Tyneside College into the town centre, backed by millions in external funding, will breathe new life into South Shields.

“Through the Community Regeneration Partnership, we’re also delivering real improvements in Hebburn, Jarrow and beyond. Programmes like South Tyneside Works and regional skills initiatives are helping residents access training and support.

“And by attracting major employers, we’re creating jobs and helping local people step into them.”

Superintendent Lisa Laverick, of Northumbria Police, said: “Alongside our partner organisations, we strive to make South Tyneside as safe as possible a place for people to live, work and visit.

“As a Force, we fully understand the detrimental impact that crime can have on the lives of residents and always aim to tackle these issues head on using a range of tactics.

“We carry out a number of proactive operations during each year, including Project Shield patrols which aim to reduce anti-social behaviour and serious violence incidents while also engaging with our communities to retain and build their trust in us.

“We also run the Safer Transport Northumbria initiative which allows commuters to raise any issues while using public transport with us, while our dedicated Metro Unit regularly patrols the Metro network to identify any criminality and take the appropriate action.

“This has helped us to achieve a 19 per cent fall in the number of recorded ASB incidents in South Tyneside in the past year, and our focus remains on improving this even further.

“Our teams do their utmost to build on our ever-growing intelligence picture so that we can target offenders and get them before the courts to face justice.

“As ever, we rely on the support and assistance of our community so please continue to work with us by providing information on crime or suspicious activity if you become aware of it in your neighbourhood.

“Together, we can keep South Tyneside the welcoming borough it is.”

Sept. 3 (UPI) — Children younger than 16 in England will no longer be able to legally buy high-caffeine energy drinks under a proposal announced by the British government Tuesday.

The proposed ban would apply to drinks sold in shops, restaurants, cafes and vending machines, according to an announcement from the Labour-led government. If enacted, England would join other European countries with restrictions on the drinks that have been blamed for childhood obesity, poor sleep and behavioral issues in classrooms.

“How can we expect children to do well at school if they have the equivalent of four cans of cola in their system on a daily basis?” Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said in a statement. “Energy drinks might seem harmless, but the sleep, concentration and wellbeing of today’s kids are all being impacted, while high sugar versions damage their teeth and contribute to obesity.”

While most supermarkets voluntarily stopped selling energy drinks to children under 16, they can still easily be obtained in smaller shops and up to a third of British children consume them weekly, reported the Mirror.

The ban would not apply to drinks containing less than 150 milligrams of caffeine per liter, leaving out lower-caffeine soft drinks, as well as coffee and tea. That means that cans of Red Bull, Monster and Prime Energy would be banned, the paper reported.

Countries including Lithuania, Latvia, Turkey and Sweden already have similar restrictions in place. State lawmakers in the United States have sought to ban the drinks.

Previously, the Conservative-led government considered a ban but did not follow through on it. Last year, a review of previous research on how the drinks affect young people published in the journal Public Health linked them to anxiety, stress and even suicidality.

“High-caffeine energy drinks have no place in children’s hands,” Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said in a statement. She called the ban “a common-sense, evidence-based step to protect children’s physical, mental, and dental health.”

The ban also had broad support for pediatricians, the national teachers union and public health campaigners.

However, Gavin Partington from the British Soft Drinks Association told the BBC that self-regulation was working.

“As with all government policy, it’s essential that any forthcoming regulation is based on a rigorous assessment of the evidence that’s available,” he said.

Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are also considering similar bans, according to the BBC.

LOCALS in “Britain’s most dangerous” say it has become overrun with knife-wielding kids who are making their lives hell.

In a children’s playground at 2pm on a weekday afternoon, two masked drug dealers bear down on our photographer, spitting threats.

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The two young men had seen him taking pictures in the town centre park and wanted to make sure they didn’t appear in them, one putting on a balaclava and the second pulling up the hood of his jacket.

After threatening to smash up his equipment, one of them explained the reason they were there.

“We’re here to f*** up your society by selling drugs to the white boys,” he snarls.

It’s an alarming – but perhaps not surprising – welcome to Middlesbrough, the Teesside town which now has the unenviable status of “Britain’s most dangerous”.

New Home Office statistics reveal that the town suffered 158 crimes per 1,000 people – or to put it another way, one person in six was the victim of crime in the past year.

The Community Safety Partnership stats show Middlesbrough was eclipsed only by Westminster (423 crimes per 1,000) and Camden (195) – although both have much higher populations.

Another survey, by Statista, found the Cleveland Police area, which includes Middlesbrough, has the highest per capita crime rate in the UK, followed by West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and the Met.

After encountering the town centre drug dealers, The Sun went to the crime-plagued Hemlington estate on the south western edge of the town to speak to locals.

The hot topic of the day was the suspension of bus routes to some parts of the estate due to stone and brick attacks by children aged as young as 10.

And another community facility, the Cleveland Huntsman pub, had just had its licence revoked after a man was allegedly stabbed and slashed in an altercation following a spate of criminal damage at the premises.

A number of knife-related cases from recent months are heading through the courts, including the murder of 28-year-old Jordan Hogg.

Four men and two youths deny stabbing him to death in the bleak Fonteyn Court.

It was also on Fonteyn Court that a 19-year-old man was stabbed on August 11 at 5.20pm – and within five minutes a 21-year-old man suffered the same fate on nearby Dalwood Court. 

There was a weary acceptance from locals.

“It’s sickening but at the same time it’s just bog standard,” says one elderly woman who stops to chat on Fonteyn Court.

The kids are carrying knives before they’ve left primary school and they learn from the older lads how to use them, the number of stabbings is out of control.

Resident in Fonteyn Court

“The kids are carrying knives before they’ve left primary school and they learn from the older lads how to use them, the number of stabbings is out of control.

“I’d say we need more bobbies, but they have no respect for authority. I mean, just look around you.”

She has a point. The street is split around 50/50 between occupied and boarded up houses. Disconcertingly, voices can be heard coming from behind some of the green shutters.

Mattresses are dumped on pavements and the remains of torched wheelie bins, sofas and shopping trolleys litter the deserted green areas where children might once have played.

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The one rare sign of cheer is that someone has placed a giant paddling pool at the centre of a grassy area, a hosepipe leading through the back gate of a neighbouring house.

People are loath to speak publicly for fear of reprisals, but one shopkeeper tells us “feral” kids are at the centre of the problems.

“You can see them lining up at the side of the road to bomb the buses with bricks,” he says.

“Some of them are tiny little kids, screaming and swearing as they chuck stones.”

Police travelling undercover on buses

The situation became so bad that officers from Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Policing Team travelled undercover on buses in the area, leading to the arrest of a 10-year-old boy on suspicion of four counts of criminal damage and three counts of causing danger to road users. 

He was later referred to the Youth Offending Team while another boy aged 14 was identified and dealt with for separate offences.

Middlesbrough Council identified a further 10 kids involved in nuisance behaviour, with home visits and “diversionary activity referrals” doles out to their parents.

Acting Inspector Des Horton, from Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This operation not only helps us to identify those involved in these incidents, but also allows us to build up intelligence and provide reassurance to the drivers of the buses that are being targeted.”

In an unconnected incident, two teenagers have been charged with attempted murder after a 17-year-old was stabbed in the estate’s Phoenix Park in May.

And on August 14, a dozen police vehicles swarmed the estate after a police officer was injured as he responded to reports of a man in possession of a knife.

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An arrest was made following a five-hour stand-off in which cups, bricks and chairs were hurled in the direction of emergency workers.

Chinese takeaway owner Wailan Lau, 48, has lived in Hemlington for the past 25 years.

He told The Sun: “It has got worse and worse over the years, the number of stabbings we see now is completely out of control, it never used to be like this.

“Where I live is fine, I have the same neighbours I have had for years and it is a proper community, everyone looks out for each other.

“But some parts of the estate are just dangerous, so much so that buses and taxis will not go down those streets.

“A lot of the problems we face are down to drugs and in a lot of cases it is drug dealers fighting drug dealers, but sometimes innocent people get caught up in that, which is scary.

“Kids seem to carry knives all the time and the ones who do are getting younger. 

“It’s sad to see this town become one of the worst places in the country for crime because it’s a good place full of good people, unfortunately parts of it have become dangerous.”

Asked whether he knew anyone who had recently been a victim of crime, 17-year-old Harvey Wilson initially shook his head and then suddenly remembered: “Oh yeah, I was held at knifepoint.”

The casual way he recounts a terrifying encounter is chilling.

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Harvey, who hopes to become a carpet fitter when he finishes his studies, said: “I’d just gone for a walk near Albert Park in the town and two lads stopped me and pulled a knife.

“Thankfully I’d left my phone at home and didn’t have any money so they just walked away.

“I’ve been able to forget it pretty quickly but I suppose it is quite scary how many people carry knives. I never would but people do.

“There are areas where you know not to go and if you keep yourself to yourself you probably won’t get any trouble, it’s the people who try to make a name for themselves who end up getting hurt.

“If your name gets known you’ll end up getting hurt.”

Things are getting worse and there are way too many young kids getting killed and injured with knives or getting involved with drugs.

John Clark, 82Middlesbrough resident

In the Parkway Centre, just outside Hemlington, John Clark, 82, reflects on the change in his home town over the course of his lifetime.

He started his working life as a hand rammer making sand castings at steel foundry on the river Tees.

John said: “That was my life, working in steel works and foundries and all of that has gone, there’s nothing left of the industry that built the town and that’s a big part of its problems.

“When I was a kid we had prospects and there was work to pay us a wage and keep us occupied, now the young people have nothing.”

He nods down at his young grandson in the buggy he’s leaning on and says: “I don’t worry for myself when I go about in Middlesbrough but I worry for him and younger members of the family.

“Things are getting worse and there are way too many young kids getting killed and injured with knives or getting involved with drugs.

“The brand new sports shop near us got ram raided the other night as soon as it opened by people in flatbed trucks. The place was left in a right mess and he lost all his new stock.”

Rebecca Green, 40, agreed that poverty plays a part in MIddlesbrough’s crime epidemic.

She said: “We live in a part of the world that has high levels of deprivation and that feeds the crime rate, when people are struggling to live they do desperate things.”

Student Shay Thorpe, 18, hopes to be a social worker.

“I’d move away if I could,” she says. “Even though I have always lived here, there are some parts of the town that I wouldn’t go.

“The town centre is scary and you can see from looking round that there’s a major drug problem there.”

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WITH the new school year right around the corner, millions of parents are back to looking for lunch inspiration for their kids.

While fresh fruit, a sarnie and yoghurt are go-to picks for many families, one ”stay-at-home-dad” has left the internet stunned with his kid’s packed lunch.

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Foodie Tyler Yan regularly shares mouth-watering recipes on his TikTok, such as the viral Japanese Sando with strawberries and refreshing smoothie bowls for his wife.

But it’s not just Tyler’s partner who gets to enjoy his talent at cooking – their daughter, too, gets treated to luxury lunch boxes for school.

In a now-viral video posted on social media, the stay-at-home dad revealed he gave his daughter three glass jars full of fresh caviar which he served on ice to keep it cold.

The bizarre lunch also included crackers, a generous amount of cream cheese, which he hoped the girl would enjoy with smoked salmon.

For dessert, the child was given fresh figs – a lunch that ”sounded good”.

”Felt like a solid Wednesday move,” Tyler wrote in the caption.

The daughter, whose age is unknown, indeed gets to experience the finest things in life, as another clip saw Tyler filling her lunch box with octopus.

The ”Mediterranean-style box” also came with herby lemon quinoa, tomato cucumber salad, fresh figs, and marinated olives on the side.

On a different day, the girl went to school with a fresh arugula salad topped with cheese and steak cooked to perfection.

The epic lunch box, he shared in the video, also consisted of truffle fries, sauteed shiitake mushrooms, as well as sliced apples with peanut butter for something sweet.

But while Tyler created the jaw-dropping lunches with love and care, social media users weren’t so sure if his daughter actually enjoyed them.

Thousands of TikTokers insisted that the child must be trading her lunches with other kids and were in disbelief how luxe the food was.

”That lunch costs more than my rent,” one person thought about the caviar-rich box, which has racked up over 19million views.

”And she swapped it with a friend for stringy cheese, a yoghurt and a cookie,” another was convinced.

”Meanwhile all she wanted was a lunchable,” someone else agreed.

”bro just called me poor in so many ways,” a fourth chimed in.

However, not everyone came to share their criticism, as a fellow luxury foodie hit back at the trolls.

”as someone who grew up on stuff like this. no.. she doesn’t want the Lunchables or string cheese. She knows what she’s got.”

Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club

WASHINGTON — Public schools reopened Monday in the nation’s tense capital with parents on edge over the presence in their midst of thousands of National Guard troops — some now armed — and large scatterings of federal law enforcement officers carrying out President Trump’s orders to make the District of Columbia a safer place.

Even as Trump started talking about other cities and again touted a drop in crime that he attributed to his extraordinary effort to take over policing in Washington, D.C., the district’s mayor was lamenting the effect of Trump’s actions on children.

“Parents are anxious. We’ve heard from a lot of them,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a news conference, noting that some might keep their children out of school because of immigration concerns.

“Any attempt to target children is heartless, is mean, is uncalled for and it only hurts us,” she said. “I would just call for everybody to leave our kids alone.”

Rumors of police activity abound

As schools opened across the capital city, parental social media groups and listservs were buzzing with reports and rumors of checkpoints and arrests.

The week began with some patrolling National Guard units now carrying firearms. The change stemmed from a directive issued late last week by his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Armed National Guard troops from Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee were seen around the city Monday. But not every patrol appears to be carrying weapons. An Associated Press photographer said the roughly 30 troops he saw on the National Mall on Monday morning were unarmed.

Armed Guard members in Washington will be operating under long-standing rules for the use of military force inside the U.S., the military task force overseeing all the troops deployed to D.C. said Monday. Those rules, broadly, say that while troops can use force, they should do so only “in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm” and “only as a last resort.”

The task force has directed questions on why the change was necessary to Hegseth’s office. Those officials have declined to answer those questions. Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday, Hegseth said that it was common sense to arm them because it meant they were “capable of defending themselves and others.”

Among their duties is picking up trash, the task force said, though it’s unclear how much time they will spend doing that.

Bowser reiterated her opposition to the National Guard’s presence. “I don’t believe that troops should be policing American cities,” she said.

Trump is considering expanding the deployments to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore, Chicago and New York, saying the situations in those cities require federal action. In Washington, his administration says more than 1,000 people have been arrested since Aug. 7, including 86 on Sunday.

“We took hundreds of guns away from young kids, who were throwing them around like it was candy. We apprehended scores of illegal aliens. We seized dozens of illegal firearms. There have been zero murders,” Trump said Monday.

Some other cities bristle at the possibility of military on the streets

The possibility of the military patrolling streets of Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, prompted immediate backlash, confusion and a trail of sarcastic social media posts.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a first-term Democrat, has called it unconstitutional and threatened legal action. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker deemed it a distraction and unnecessary as crime rates in Chicago are down, as they are nationwide.

Pritzker, often mentioned as a presidential contender, posted an Instagram video Monday of his 6 a.m. walk along a Lake Michigan path filled with runners and walkers.

“I don’t know who in Washington thinks that Chicago is some sort of hellhole, but you may need to look inward,” he said, mocking Trump’s term describing Washington.

Others raised questions about where patrols might go and what role they might play. By square mileage, Chicago is more than three times the size of Washington, and neighborhoods with historically high crime are spread far apart.

Former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy, who also worked for the New York Police Department, wondered what the National Guard would do in terms of fighting street violence. He said if there was clear communication, they could help with certain tasks, like perimeter patrol in high-crime neighborhoods, but only as part of a wider plan and in partnership with police.

National Guard troops were used in Chicago to help with the Democratic National Convention last summer and during the 2012 NATO Summit.

Overall, violent crime in Chicago dropped significantly in the first half of 2025, representing the steepest decline in over a decade, according to police data. Shootings and homicides were down more than 30% in the first half of the year compared with the same time last year, and total violent crime dropped by over 22%.

Still, some neighborhoods, including Austin on the city’s West Side, where the Rev. Ira Acree is a pastor, experience persistent high crime.

Acree said he’s received numerous calls from congregants upset about the possible deployment. He said if Trump was serious about crime prevention, he would boost funding for anti-violence initiatives.

“This is a joke,” Acree said. “This move is not about reducing violence. This is reckless leadership and political grandstanding. It’s no secret that our city is on the president’s hit list.”

In June, roughly 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines were sent to Los Angeles to deal with protests over the administration’s immigration crackdown. California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, and other local elected officials objected.

Sherman, Khalil and Tareen write for the Associated Press. Tareen reported from Chicago. AP writers Konstantin Toropin and Will Weissert contributed to this report.

In tonight’s episode of 22 Kids and Counting, one couple make a big decision about the future of their family while the brood celebrate matriach Sue Radford’s milestone

The Radford family prepared to celebrate mum Sue’s 50th birthday during tonight’s episode of 22 Kids and Counting, but Sue was preoccupied when she had a shock pregnancy scare. On the other hand, son in law Harley wanted advice on the snip.

The Channel 5 show follows the life of Sue and husband Noel Radford as they navigate life with their 22 children. In tonight’s episode, viewers saw Sue and Noel worried after a pregnancy scare – although it was soon revealed it was a false alarm.

Elsewhere, their son in law Harley was facing a different baby dilemma. Harley, 24 who is married to their daughter Millie, 23, asked Noel for some advice on the snip, after having three children in a short space of time.

READ MORE: 22 Kids and Counting’s Sue Radford issues health update as she faces big decisionREAD MORE: 22 Kids and Counting’s Sue Radford in pregnancy scare as she drops baby bomb

“I understand why Harley’s asking about the snip,” Noel told the cameras. “They have had quite a few children in a very short space of time, so I can totally see where he’s coming from.”

Noel himself went through a vasectomy, shortly after their son James however he later got the procedure reversed after realising he’d made a “massive mistake.”

The couple then went on to have 13 more children, as he shared his concerns with Harley, who hadn’t spoken to Millie.

Millie and Harley tied the knot in 2024, and since being together, have welcomed two children together, son Chester 2022, and youngest, Elodie-Jade, who arrived in 2023.

The eldest daughter of Sue and Noel welcomed her first daughter, Ophelia, in 2020 at age 19, though the father’s identity remains private.

However, it doesn’t look like she’s ready to stop just yet.

A few weeks later, Millie confronted Harley, after she heard he had been asking Noel for advice. Sharing his reasoning, Harley said: “I see how hard it is for you when you go to work, and I come home and you feel stressed.

“We’ve got three kids at home and they’re really hard work. Imagine if one day you just fell pregnant.”

As Harley went on to gush about his family, he continued: “I feel like if I were to get you pregnant again, it would be bad.”

Millie then agreed the couple had “lots to think about” but Millie said she’d like the option of more kids to be there, as she thinks Harley is “too young” for the operation, as he made a U-Turn on his decision, deciding not to go ahead.

Elsewhere, Sue was left reflecting after a false pregnancy scare. “Britain’s biggest family will not be getting any bigger,” Noel said when they found out the news.

“I miss it,” she said speaking about having a new born. “I used to actually enjoy waking up through the night, but it’s the time that you can get to spend on your own with them. I think the intimacy when you have a new born definitely does bring you closer together. It’s you two against the world.”

As well as the couple’s 22 children, Chris, Sophie, Chloe, Jack, Daniel, Luke, Millie, Katie, James, Ellie, Aimee, Josh, Max, Tillie, Oscar, Casper, Hallie, Phoebe, Archie, Bonnie, and Heidie, they are also grandparents to 15 grandchildren.

Heidie was born in 2020 – and after her birth, the couple insisted she was their last.

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Despite claims that they wouldn’t be having a 23rd child, the Radfords have shocked viewers after a clip from the show appears to show Sue experiencing a pregnancy scare

Sue Radford has shocked viewers and sparked rumours of a pregnancy scare after a clip from an upcoming episode of 22 Kids and Counting showed her panic over a late period and “crazy” hormones.

Sue, who shares 22 children with husband Noel, turned 50 in March, and in the next episode of the reality show documenting the family’s life, we get to follow the lead-up to the milestone. In the promotional clip ahead of the air date, Sue can be seen saying: “My 50th is coming up, I feel like my hormones are crazy.”

In the 30-second video, we then hear a woman telling her: “I think it’s really risky for you to stop the pill.” The clip dramatically cuts to Sue approaching Noel and telling him she needs to talk because her period is “late”. The video ends on a cliff hanger, with both Noel and Sue stating: “Oh my God.”

The couple already have 22 children, who are: Chris, Sophie, Chloe, Jack, Daniel, Luke, Millie, Katie, James, Ellie, Aimee, Josh, Max, Tillie, Oscar, Casper, Hallie, Phoebe, Archie, Bonnie, and Heidie. Their 17th child, Alfie, was sadly still born in 2014.

Despite the show hinting at a possible pregnancy scare, Sue and Noel, 54, have previously insisted that Heidie was their last child. The five-year-old went to school for the first time last September, and Sue told the Mirror that she was finally enjoying having some free time with all the kids now out the house.

She said: “But I have to confess I did cry when she went to school. It’s such a big moment – your last baby going to school and you don’t have any more at home. I do also love having the house full and bustling.”

Ahead of her 50th this year, Sue explained that this birthday was a “big deal”, saying: “I said: ‘You know what, because I am turning 50, I am definitely having a whole year of celebrations!’”

The whole family, including the grandkids, headed to Disney World in Florida, US, to celebrate Sue in the Easter holidays. On her birthday, Noel wrote a heart-warming Instagram caption for his wife, in which he said: “Myself and all of our children want to wish this beautiful, loving, caring lady who we all call Sue and Mum a Happy big 50th Birthday today or as Sue says I’m 49 plus 1.”

Another milestone was celebrated in the Radford house this week, as Max received his GSCE results. The family announced the news of his success online, writing: “We are so incredibly proud of Max he passed his GCSE with mainly 7 and 8’s.”

They added: “He is so incredibly happy, well done Max we knew you would do it, very proud mum and dad moment.”

22 Kids and Counting is available to watch on My5

A COUPLE have been mistaken for mother and son online due to their height difference – despite being just two years apart in age.

At 21, Millie is two years younger than her fiancée, Chelsea – but is often called her “mum” or “big sister” when she shares pictures and videos of them online.

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While Millie is 5ft6, Chelsea is five inches shorter at 5ft1, and has more youthful features, leading to an outpouring of shocked comments online.

Videos of the pair have garnered over one million views, and left them fuming over the trolling they’ve received as a result.

“It affects us when people are accusing me of being attracted to children,” Millie, from East Midlands, UK, told What’s The Jam.

“It’s disgraceful as Chelsea is older than me.

“Other comments call her my son, or nephew, or brother.

“We understand the comments about the age difference – we personally think it’s just about Chelsea’s height.

“But viewers read more into it and say her features are young.

“People say to check my hard drive, insinuating I’m attracted to children!”

The couple, who are both support workers and have been together for nine years, say the comments have affected how they interact with one another when they are out and about.

Millie said: “We’ve been made to feel we can’t act like a couple in public.

“If people saw me holding hands with my ‘son’, we would get funny looks.

“We’ve accepted it now and just accept the fact that we may not always [be able to] act like we are in a relationship.”

A recent video shared by the pair went viral on TikTok, garnering 1.7 million views, showing the couple posing next to each other on a balcony, showing off their height difference, which is exacerbated by Millie wearing wedged shoes.

Celebrity couples with height differences

• Zendaya (5’10”) and Tom Holland (5’8″)
• Cameron Diaz (5’9″) and Benji Madden (5’6″)
• Eniko Parrish (5’7″) and Kevin Hart (5’4″)
• Gwendoline Christie (6’3″) and Giles Deacon (6′)
• Tina Fey (5’5″) and Jeff Richmond (5’2″)
• Nicole Kidman (5’11”) and Keith Urban (5’10”)
• Helen Lasichanh (5’11”) and Pharrell Williams (5’9″)
• Erin Darke (5’7″) and Daniel Radcliffe (5’5″)

One person commented: “How old is your son?”

“I don’t understand this. What’s her son got to do with her height?” another baffled user wrote, to which the couple responded: “Because we’re together. Not son and mother. Two grown women in their 20s DATING.”

Another viewer said, “Please tell me that’s your brother.”

“This is mother and son, right?” another user asked.

Someone else commented: “I legit thought this was your little brother.”

“Is he 12?” another person wondered.

But the couple aren’t letting the hate get to them, and are currently planning on getting IUI fertility treatment in order to start their own family – keeping their 16,000 followers updated along the way.

My 8-year-old daughter hates sand in her shoes, but loves to play in the sand. She doesn’t like very loud environments, but enjoys thrill rides at amusement parks. She gets uncomfortable when the playground is too full, but loves to make friends. She wants to explore new places, but often needs to take breaks. And she needs to feel safe expressing and processing her emotions — whether that means crying or crying out — without being stared at or feeling judged.

As you can see, my daughter has particular sensory needs that some may call a “sensory diet.” When she was 3, I realized she is a Highly Sensitive Child. HSC is not a diagnosis or a disorder— rather, it’s a personality trait defined by psychologist Elaine Aron in her 1996 book “The Highly Sensitive Person.” Most people think “sensitive” means emotional, but that’s not the case here. “Sensitive” refers to our senses. In their book “Raising a Sensory Smart Child,” Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske explain that when it comes to our understanding of sensory experiences, there are seven: the five we’re all familiar with — taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing — along with proprioception (knowing how one’s body moves) and vestibular (how one feels their body in space).

HSCs and neurodivergent kids with autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorder, ADHD or other neurodivergent conditions have something in common: differing sensory needs.

An occupational therapist can prescribe a sensory diet as treatment for kids who need help calming down or being alert — in other words, to help them self-regulate. Finding or creating the right atmosphere also takes some trial and error from parents and caregivers.

I, too, am Highly Sensitive and have been mining L.A. County for play environments that are well suited for my daughter and perhaps other kids with similar sensory needs. I’ve learned the hard way that the usual loud, crowded bouncy house birthday party isn’t fun for everyone, and that’s OK. Luckily, Los Angeles has plenty of play spaces that are intentional about being inclusive to all kids.

In my experience, the best play places include a quiet room or an area for kids and their parents to be alone or separate if they need an escape. Some provide sensory bags from KultureCity, a nonprofit focused on sensory inclusion. These bags include noise-cancelling headphones, fidget toys and a nose plug to help the experience. Many places offer a social narrative or story online — with pictures of what happens and where they will be — so kids know what to expect. Some have specific “sensory hours” when the lights are dimmed and the number of guests is limited. All of these inclusive spots invite kids to use their senses — to touch, feel, see, hear, sense, taste, smell or move.

Here are 10 great play places around L.A. for highly sensitive and neurodivergent kids. For each place, I’ve noted whether it’s suited well for neurodivergent kids or highly sensitive kids, or both.

Of course, the best play space isn’t some magical destination, and you don’t need a ticket for it. It’s a space where kids don’t feel judged because of their actions or reactions. It’s a space that gives them the comfort of being accepted, no matter what. You can provide your child with that space wherever you go.