Lewis

Before this season, Koumas had mixed success across his three loans to the second tier.

The forward made 31 starts and scored six goals during his first loan spell at Stoke City for the 2024-25 campaign.

A disappointing stint at Birmingham City followed, before he helped Hull City win promotion to the Premier League in the second half of last season.

“Loans can be hit and miss at times and I’m actually surprised by the amount of game time he’s had at such a young age in the Championship,” Bellamy said.

“It helps with their development. They see it, they smell it. In that period some take off, some don’t, but it’s not going to define your career.

“You’re learning and gaining experience and exposure and Liverpool felt it was right for him to go on loan.

“They decided to keep him for pre-season this year and it’s real example of how to progress a top, young talent.”

Koumas’ next opportunity to impress on the international stage comes this Saturday in Oslo, as Wales take on Norway.

Wales are looking to repeat their win over Stale Solbakken’s side during the last international window to boost their chances of League A survival.

“The thing with Koumy is he hits a lot of the markers,” Bellamy said.

“Intensity and sprint distance through the roof and when you look at a top player he has all the markers for that.

“I like him at nine and I love that intensity. I remember [Carlos] Tevez doing the same for me at Manchester City and players like Koumy inspire you.

“You see him going and you say, ‘I’ve got to go, I’ve got to move as well.’ It’s got to be controlled, but his willingness excites you.”

BBC and ITV money expert Martin Lewis has offered important advice as he said “it’s just not worth doing if you can possibly scrape to do it”

Martin Lewis has warned of the “devastating consequences” people could face if they decide to save a few pounds on an important process. Martin issued the warning as he apologised to a woman in her seventies in advising her on her financial situation. The woman, Mags, is 73 and has been with her husband for 14 years – although they decided from the start to have separate bank accounts.

She contacted Martin for some advice to enable one of them to take charge of the other’s finances when that becomes necessary with age and declining health in the future. But she said a route repeatedly favoured by Martin was “too expensive right now” – yet still wanted to sort something out quickly due to their ages.

She asked the money expert on the latest episode of the Martin Lewis Podcast: “My question is what are the options left for us to ensure that either one of us is able to take charge of the other’s finances before it’s too late?” Martin did not hold back as he apologised and said “forgive me with my really blunt answer”.

He told Mags about “nightmare stories” of people who did not have one document in place that can help people when they can no longer look after themselves. He said those people instead had to go through a lengthy legal procedure via the court of protection – and he said trying to avoid just coughing up in the first place can lead to “devastating consequences”.

Martin, founder of the Money Saving Expert website, said: “It can be very difficult to get through. People tell me nightmare stories about it and it takes a long amount of time.” He then went on to explain why the couple could avoid such a process by spending as little as £200 together – or even less.

Martin says he has a ‘really blunt answer’ for Mags

The document he was talking about is called a lasting power of attorney. The gov.uk website on the subject – you can visit it here – explains that this is a legal document that lets you appoint someone to help you make decisions, or to make decisions on your behalf. The government says it “gives you more control over what happens to you if you have an accident or an illness and cannot make your own decisions”.

Martin, known for his BBC podcast and ITV programme the Martin Lewis Money Show, said: “Power of attorney is set up to prevent you having to go to the court of protection so that you can say now I am giving this person the ability to take over my finances if I can’t. So you’ll forgive me with my really blunt answer, but there isn’t really a route. You have to be giving somebody the ability when you’re ready and you do lose your faculties.” He admitted that it can be expensive to go through a solicitor. This route can potentially cost between £400 and £750.

You can register them yourself for £92 in England and Wales. If you earn less than £12,000 and can provide evidence, you can get one for £46. But Martin warned that they can be difficult to fill in yourself – and warned many are rejected. Instead, he suggested spending a small amount more – around £100 each or in Mags’ case about £200 overall.

This route is the Which? Wills service – an award-winning service offered by consumer watchdog Which? Their specialist lawyers and paralegals can help you get your lasting power of attorney sorted.

Which? says the process involves:

• answering a few questions to find the right documents
• Following their guidance notes to fill in the documents
• When you have completed the documents, Which?’s specialists will review the paperwork to ensure it is legally compliant

When Mags asked in her question to him what other routes there were that were cheaper than a power of attorney, Martin’s response was simple. “None,” he said. “Power of attorney. Sorry to be really blunt on this. That is exactly what a power of attorney does. If you do not have power of attorney, especially with your separate bank accounts and your separate finances, if one of you were to lose your faculties, so the other has to take over, you would have to go to the court of protection. To apply for it. It’s massively more expensive than power of attorney.”

He said a power of attorney costs £99 in Scotland and £189 in Northern Ireland. Martin said the documents can be filled in on your own, but said that “to be really blunt” you have to be very diligent and experienced at filling in forms.

Advising Mags to listen to his message on power of attorneys, he said: “If you forgive me, at your age, where the risks of losing faculties do increase with age, and with your separate bank accounts, this is a good use of money. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I know you don’t want to spend it, but do your power of attorney.”

Why Martin Lewis says a power of attorney is more important than a will

He admitted that the process can be expensive and lamented that it wasn’t cheaper. But he said they are even more important than a will. He said: “When you’re alive, you might have the cost of your care, your mortgage might need paying if you’re by yourself and all of those other things.

“And without a power of attorney, the Court of Protection takes a long time. The people you love trying to look after you can be locked out of your finances even to pay for your necessities, which is why while I think wills are incredibly important and the vast majority of people should have them, for me power of attorneys are even more important because the consequences of not having one can be devastating.

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“And I’ve known a number of people, especially through Covid and other times, who haven’t had them set up and it just massively compounded the already, let’s be honest, grief and hassle that you have when your loved one has lost capacity. To add on top of that the huge administrative stress and burden that not having a power of attorney goes through. It’s just not worth doing if you can possibly scrape to do it.”

Find out more about getting a power of attorney with Which? Wills here. Listen to Martin’s full podcast here. Read the MSE guidance on power of attorneys here.

A ‘magical’ Christmas advert could be taking the top spot this year, as fans have been left with ‘all the feels’.

The National Lottery might be set to take John Lewis’ Christmas advert crown.

With Halloween well and truly over, and the weather taking a colder turn, the countdown to the big day is on, with brands releasing their festive adverts. So far, James Norton and Amandaland’s Lucy Punch have starred in an M&S clip, while Roald Dahl’s BFG has reunited with Sainsbury’s.

And fans have now been left hailing The National Lottery’s clip as ‘magical’. Featuring a determined reindeer who believes he can fly after watching a robin take off, viewers have been left ‘emotional’. The star of the show focuses on The National Lottery’s simple idea that this festive season, ‘Amazing Things Happen When You Believe’.

Despite the obvious adversity, the four-hoofed creature works as hard as he can, making repeated attempts to get airborne. At first, with no success, fellow members of his herd are unimpressed with his efforts, before his belief gets him soaring across a wintry landscape, thanks to a touch of festive magic.

As well as his herd watching on, a hiker, gripping a warm drink nearby, is left gobsmacked as he catches sight of the airborne deer. He grasps his National Lottery ticket, now convinced that if a reindeer can fly, anything is possible.

“Magical,” one fan wrote, as the clip was revealed on social media this week. “It’s going to be a special Christmas,” someone else wrote. A third added: “Getting alllll the Christmas feels watching this.”

“Pure magic,” yet another added, as someone else echoed: “Love it.” Another person said: “Such a cutie – needs merch! We all need a magical reindeer – and to believe!!!” “Not me getting emotionally attached to a reindeer,” another person wrote.

Steve Parkinson, Marketing and Brand Director at Allwyn, the operator for The National Lottery, said: “With his determination and cheeky smile, the reindeer represents the belief we all have across the festive period. His drive to fly is the inspiration to remind players that amazing things can happen at Christmas.

“The National Lottery has always helped bring the magic at Christmas, and with the help of a flying reindeer, this year will be more magical than ever.

“Every National Lottery ticket played goes towards helping generate more than £33m for Good Causes each week, while also creating life-changing winners. This campaign celebrates those moments of possibility and reminds players that, this Christmas, it really could be you.”

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Ahead of Christmas, National Lottery players will also see inspiring Good Cause stories brought to life by ambassador Claudia Winkleman, as more than 20,000 projects each year make a difference to communities across the country.

Lotto is adding to the Christmas spirit with a Must Be Won jackpot on December 23rd, while EuroMillions will make ten guaranteed millionaires twice in December, with two special UK Millionaires Maker draws on the 25th and 29th.

FANCY zooming across the streets of London taking in the Christmas lights like Kristen Scott Thomas? We’ve got just the ticket (literally).

But don’t worry, you won’t have to sit in one of the tuk tuks – instead, you’ll be getting the best view from the top of an open top bus.

Save 20% on The Original Tour’s Christmas Lights London Bus Tour + Thames sightseeing cruise included. Use code: FESTIVELONDON

You’ll cruise underneath the magical displays, avoiding the shopping crowds and get incredible views of London along the way.

What’s even better news is that The Original Tour has cut the price of its Christmas Lights Tour tickets by 20 per cent.

If you click here and enter the code FESTIVELONDON at checkout, adult tickets drop from £36 down to just £28.80.

Children’s tickets will drop from £22 to £17.60, and infants under two travel free.

LIGHT IT UP

The biggest FREE firework displays across England to go to this Bonfire Night

DECK THE STALLS

Europe’s best Xmas market revealed & it’s is in one of the cheapest cities

The tour kicks off on Coventry Street, where you’ll climb aboard one of the Christmas-themed double-decker buses and hunker down in a seat on the upper deck.

The bus will head past illuminated London spots while a tour guide sprinkles joy telling festive facts and jokes along the way.

From the top deck, you’ll be able to see the golden angels of Regent Street and the beautiful canopy across Oxford Street.

While Oxford Street has been recently pedestrianised, you’ll still be able to go down a section of it by Marble Arch.

For anyone who loves window shopping, gaze upon the shopfronts of stores in Bond Street, and take in the buzz of Piccadilly Circus from the comfort of the top deck.

Get your cameras at the ready for when you cruise past Trafalgar Square as it’s home to a huge Christmas tree, gifted to the UK from Norway.

Whether you’re after a family outing, a date night under the twinkling lights or a solo day to yourself, the tour is suitable for everyone.

It lasts up to 90 minutes and will run from November 14 to January 3.

There are lots of times to choose from too with the first bus departing at 4:30pm and the last at 9pm.

Make sure to wrap up warm, and why not pick up a hot chocolate to stay cosy onboard?

There’s more…

If you buy a Christmas Tour ticket, it includes a daytime River Thames cruise too.

So you can have a full sightseeing day in London, one from the road, and another from the water.

Cruises start at four points in London; Westminster Pier, Tower Pier, Greenwich Pier, or the London Eye Pier, so there’s flexibility in how you plan the day.

Along the Thames River cruise you’ll lots of London landmarks including Big Ben and the London Eye.

If you still haven’t had your city fix, the ticket allows for SIX free self-guided walking tours.

Whether you want to walk in the footsteps of Harry Potter or learn the spooky secrets of Jack the Ripper, you can listen to them all on The Original Tour’s partner app at your leisure.

You’ll be able to explore the city for under £30 – and at Christmas, every saving helps.

The FESTIVELONDON code is valid to use right now through to January 3, 2027, so now’s the time to lock in your dates.

Save 20% on The Original Tour’s Christmas Lights London Bus Tour + Thames sightseeing cruise included. Use code: FESTIVELONDON

FESTIVELONDON expires on 03/01/2027 11:59pm (BST).

Terms and Conditions:
The offer is available from 12 October 2026 until 3 January 2027, with tours running daily from 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, excluding Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The discount applies to adult and child tickets only, excludes family tickets and cannot be combined with other offers. Blackout dates apply and are from 21 December 2026 to 30 December 2026. Blackout dates are dates during which promotional offers cannot be used. More information can be found on the website at theoriginaltour.com.

*Prices correct at the time of publication.

Dame Kristin Scott Thomas and Barry from EastEnders are battling it out for festive attention as John Lewis and Lidl unveil two very different Christmas adverts hours apart. One tugs at the heartstrings, the other turns up the volume on festive fun

It’s Gran Cave verses a very Lidl Christmas.

Dame Kristin Scott Thomas against Barry from EastEnders.

Two very different offerings, but in the battle for the most memorable Christmas advert, there’s definitely one you will still be humming come December 25th, when it’s playing on the telly for the 500th time.

The Lidl ad is brash, bright and the message is bold – ‘Fill up that trolley!’ Whether it’s mince pies, Brussell sprouts, bottles of fizz or a middle-aisle festive gonk, throw it in there. The more the merrier.

The John Lewis advert couldn’t be more different. This year customers are encouraged to buy thoughtfully and put value on considered presents for that perfect family get together.

Both creating stress-inducing shopping scenarios, albeit in slightly different ways.

While you might find yourself singing along to Slade with Lidl’s reworked lyrics, the John Lewis ad will give you a little bit more to mull over this year.

It won’t be ranked as one of the retailer’s classics, but parents and grandparents will relate to the panic of knowing what to buy children and grandchildren – and the thrill of watching a gift go down brilliantly.

John Lewis’ ability to hit you right in the festive feels is the reason the retailer is celebrating its 20th Christmas advert this year and why many consider its release the unofficial start of the holidays.

With household bills continuing to rise, there’s a useful, if slightly bah-humbug, message here: think carefully about what you’re spending rather than handing over envelopes of cash.

The nation’s young folk may take a different view.

The creative team at the high street retail giant say this year’s ad comes from the heart and has the cost of living in mind.

That said, all the goodies on display – including the wooden Fisher-Price dog, which turns 60 this year, can be yours for a price in store. We bet that wooden pooch didn’t cost £12.99 in 1966.

With the toy likely to sell out as in previous years, the real winner this Christmas will be anyone who can dig one of those vintage pull-alongs out of the attic to flog on Vinted.

So while Lidl might have you singing all the way to the supermarket, it’s the John Lewis advert that will have you thinking a little harder about what makes Christmas really memorable.

Lidl ★★★

John Lewis ★★★★

Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari “have to have some serious talks behind closed doors” after fighting between their two drivers cost them victory in the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Leclerc cut a chicane on the first lap to take the lead from Hamilton, who then lost second place to Max Verstappen as a consequence of his team-mate’s attack.

Verstappen went on to win the race with Hamilton second as Kimi Antonelli finished third to become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history.

“Ultimately, that lost us the win today,” said Hamilton. “We have to have some serious talks behind closed doors.”

During a red-flag period in the race caused by a crash for Valtteri Bottas’ Cadillac, Hamilton had said over team radio: “We’ve got big problems. Big, big problems.”

When informed Hamilton was unhappy, Leclerc said: “I will speak with Lewis. We both didn’t make the corner. I don’t know if Lewis’ point was for me to get P3 but having the Red Bull second I felt it was worth it to keep the position and see what happened. That’s what I did.

“I could be also unhappy with how much he pushed me off track out of Turn One, but it is racing. When you are fighting for a win it is the way it should be.”

Hamilton’s point is that if the Ferraris had worked together on the first lap, they would have been running one-two and could have controlled the race from there and likely finished in those positions.

The incident was the latest and arguably most serious of a series of tensions between Hamilton and Leclerc this season.

It follows Leclerc pushing Hamilton off track at the first corner of the Italian Grand Prix.

The race before that, Leclerc ignored a team order to let Hamilton by when they were on different strategies.

In Singapore last month, there was another incident when Hamilton felt he should have been let by when they were on different tyres, but Ferrari refused to make the call.

More to follow.

Hamilton said his pole, on his 43rd start for Ferrari, was “one of the greatest feelings”.

It is not the first time he has qualified fastest for Ferrari – that was when he took sprint pole at the Chinese Grand Prix last year, in only his second race for the team.

But that was followed by a difficult debut season, when he looked a shadow of his former self, and was pretty much taken to the cleaners by Leclerc.

Hamilton’s record is such that his performances last year left many perplexed – not least himself. He was consistently down on himself, even saying at one low point in the summer of 2025 that he was “just useless” and suggesting Ferrari should change drivers.

As this followed a similarly challenging final year for Mercedes, it inevitably led to questions about his future, whether age was catching up with him. After all, he had no explanations for his performances himself.

His form has improved this year, with a car that he finds much more to his liking, and he has a number of times referenced these perfectly valid questions. He did so again on Saturday.

“It’s impossible to rank 105 pole positions,” he said. “They have all been unique in their own way. It feels more special in this period where they’re not every week and it’s the first one with Ferrari in red.

“I’ve now had pole with three different teams, which is pretty phenomenal. And all the questions people had about whether a 40-year-old has still got it, there you go.”

The battle between Hamilton and Leclerc has been much more even this year.

Hamilton leads his team-mate by eight points in the championship and in qualifying there is nothing to choose between them – it is now 12-10 in their head-to-head and Leclerc is ahead on average pace by just 0.037secs, when the gap was 0.15secs last year.

“I have been fortunate to have many great experiences with Mercedes over the years,” said Hamilton. “We have had sprint pole but I have been really dreaming and eyeing for that first pole with the team.

“Charles is very, very quick over one lap. He has had an engineer he has worked with for years. It’s an environment he is very aware of and used to.

“I am still settling in and learning, with new engineers this year. We have really found a good rapport and are really doing a great job. There is lots more to come, we just have to keep on at it, but what an amazing feeling to get that first.”

Hamilton goes into the race with less knowledge than his rivals, a breakdown in second practice meaning he was not able to do his race-simulation run.

“It will will be a massive challenge to find the right balance but I am hopeful, it will be challenging and tough,” he said.

This method could reduce the cost of your Ryanair flight

Those planning holidays in the coming months may be looking for ways to keep costs down, with opting for a budget airline being a popular choice for this. But even cheaper airlines including Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air can quickly add up when booking flights, choosing seats, and checking luggage.

However, there are ways to keep costs down, and Martin Lewis‘s moneysavingexpert.com has shared a number of tips and tricks for Ryanair customers, including one that involves booking your outbound and return flights separately. Start by searching for your outbound flight as a one-way ticket, and then in a second browser search for your return flight.

When searched this way, the return flight will appear in the currency of the country you are flying from, and will often be cheaper than it is in pounds – although it’s definitely worth double-checking before booking.

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The experts also warn that this likely won’t be cheaper if your bank has a foreign transaction charge, so you’ll need to check this before booking, or you may end up actually paying more for your flights.

You’ll also need to opt out of Ryanair’s guaranteed exchange rate, or you’ll still end up paying in pounds rather than euros or other foreign currencies.

While this method often leads to savings when jetting around Europe, the experts have noted that it can sometimes end up more expensive when purchasing with non-Euro currencies.

To avoid extra charges when at the airport, ensure that your cabin bag and checked luggage fit the airline’s rules, especially when flying on a budget airline, as they are typically stricter when it comes to these rules.

You’ll also need to check-in and download ahead of time when flying with Ryanair, otherwise you may end up having to pay up £40 per person, per flight – setting you back £220 for a family of four before you’ve even boarded your plane.

And the DRC’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Therese Kayikwamba Wagner said in a statement last week that “giving (Rwanda President) Paul Kagame this platform would help polish the image of an authoritarian leader whose government has helped fuel a devastating war in our country”.

She pointed out that the US had sanctioned the Rwandan army and four senior officers for their role in destabilising the region, conducting military operations inside the DRC and supporting, training and fighting alongside the M23 rebel group.

She added that F1 “should require credible, independent guarantees that no money used to host the race comes from conflict-linked minerals or the exploitation of Congolese resources”.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton said: “Africa is a place that deserves to have a grand prix. It’s about more than just one country. It’s about the continent itself, and there are so many beautiful countries within it.

“The people are so lovely. The culture is so rich, and I think it’s important that we get to show that to the world. We get to do that with our sport. We get to go to all these different countries, and people see some of these countries they didn’t really know too much about.

“All of a sudden, it becomes something that’s on the screen, and kids are talking about it. They go to school talking about it. So, I’m really, really hopeful for that grand prix.”

However, the Ferrari driver added: “Going there doesn’t mean that you neglect the things that are happening there.

“So hopefully many people start to educate themselves a little bit more about what is happening there and what has happened there for hundreds of years. I hope that does spark the conversation.

“And then I guess I’ll finish it off with this: I think we need to make sure we’re pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine. I think there’s a lot of peace that I’m hoping we get to at some stage.”

The first player to celebrate with Lewis Koumas in front of the travelling supporters in Linz was Liverpool‘s hat-trick hero in Bradley Barcola.

This time last season, Koumas was on loan at Birmingham in the Championship while Barcola was at Paris St-Germain, who went on to win the Champions League for the second season in a row.

Quite a chain of events led to the pair starting together for Liverpool in their 6-3 win over LASK.

And as Barcola left the Raiffeisen Arena with the match ball after a superb hat-trick, the Frenchman knew that he wasn’t the only player who put the ball in the net three times on Wednesday in Austria.

Koumas had his first two strikes ruled out for offside, but thankfully it was third time luck for the 21-year-old Wales international.

And so, just three days after making his first Premier League start against Manchester City – with Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike all injured – Koumas became the youngest Liverpool player to score and assist in a Champions League game.

Previously, the youngest to achieve the feat had been Steven Gerrard in 2001.

When that was put to him, Koumas wanted to know “Is that official?”.

“It’s not a bad stat, is it?” he said. “And it’s not a bad name to be alongside. Wow. What a legend. I just want more of this.”

He is enjoying his run in the first team but staying level-headed about it all, keen to point out: “This is my job.”

“I need to get goals and assists,” he said. “I hadn’t had any before Linz so it was really important to get them.”

In a Liverpool side where attention tends to be directed towards big-money names, Koumas provides a real feel-good story.

He joined Liverpool aged 11 and scored on his first-team debut as an 18-year-old under Jurgen Klopp.

After spells on loan at Stoke, Birmingham and Hull, where he helped the Tigers win promotion last season, Andoni Iraola decided in the first week of pre-season that Koumas was part of his Liverpool plans.

He made his Premier League debut at Newcastle before coming on against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. He was man of the match on his first start of the season against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup after an energetic performance which left Iraola describing his playing style as “contagious”.

That night, Koumas went straight on a video call with his family after the game and it was the case again in Austria after he scored his first goal of the season.

“It was probably the best feeling in my career, 100%. I’m just really grateful to have the opportunity again,” said Koumas.

“I would not have been a happy man [if I didn’t score], I would have been gutted. I just kept going because I knew the more the game was going on, it was opening up.

“Going over to the fans at the end meant absolutely everything. They are the reason we do this and that we want this job. I wish I could have got in there with them, but there was a big metal cage in the way!”