terrified

Ten nightmares – one night – Kelly Williams’ favourites in a gauntlet of unforgettable hell at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights 2025 where she screamed herself hoarse

I’d been anxiously counting down the days until the opening of Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights and finally, it had arrived.

The air in the park felt electric – thick with fog, echoing with screams and a primal promise that tonight, my nightmares would come alive.

Suddenly, I didn’t feel so brave as my heart jumped into my throat at the sound of chainsaws buzzing in the distance. Before I’d even reached the 10 haunted houses, I found myself in a hunting ground of bloodthirsty zombies as panicked victims urged me to run.

But there was no turning back…

Five Nights at Freddy’s

I started with a childhood-unravelled – the eerie animatronics of Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy lurking at every turn of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop creations looked terrifyingly real, and when Freddy reached forward with his blazing eyes, I jolted.

The flickering cameras, the dim corridors, it was like stepping into a haunted bedtime story that always ends badly. And just as I thought I was safe, a flicker of a poster caught my eye near the exit. The design didn’t quite fit—newer, sharper, like it was whispering about horrors still to come in a sequel I wasn’t ready for.

El Artista: A Spanish Haunting

19th-century Spain never looked so menacing at this original concept house. I wandered into a country manor alive with bloody paintings, possessed by tortured spirits, where artist Sergio Navarro’s vision turned against him and dragged me into madness.

Figures chanted in candlelight, and I was swallowed by pitch-black hallways so disorienting I had to grope along the walls, certain something was right behind me (it was). The Gothic atmosphere and haunting visuals were beautiful yet utterly terrifying.

WWE Presents: The Horrors of The Wyatt Sicks

If every other house had been pure terror, this one was theatrical dread, despite the fact that my WWE knowledge is limited, to say the least. Entering, I passed through a twisted lantern-lit stage into a tunnel filled with the distorted faces of 27 WWE icons, including Bray Wyatt tributes.

The surreal realm of Uncle Howdy, Mercy the Buzzard, Abby the Witch – it was like a haunted wrestling dreamscape laced with sorrow and nightmares. I felt both unnerved and strangely reverent. This house was surprisingly one of my favourites.

Hatchet and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters

This was raw, fiery chaos – an Old West torn apart by lava demons melting everything in sight. I dodged demonic assaults and swampy lava flows as bounty hunters hunted the chaos, while heat and horror raged around me.

Try as I might, I couldn’t look away, even though behind every corner was a scare actor waiting to spring. My heart jumped into my throat, and I laughed nervously, realising this was just the beginning.

Dolls: Let’s Play Dead

Suddenly, I was doll-sized, trapped in a nightmarish toy world as burnt, stitched, malformed dolls limped from shadows. A twisted little girl named Lyla giggled as I ran, chased by cursed playthings. The scenes were harrowing, and strangely childlike – a grotesque playroom with a dark twist.

Dolls had been tortured in a way that made Sid from Toy Story look like Willy Wonka. Pure nightmare fuel.

Grave of Flesh

I barely had time to steady my breath before I was dropped into my own funeral. In tight, cavernous tunnels, flesh-eating creatures pursued me relentlessly. The narrative is that flesh-eating zombies feast on our corpses when we die and drag our souls into a relentless world of horror.

Panic, claustrophobia, the feeling of being buried alive – it was hell incarnate, and I crawled out trembling.

Gálkn: Monsters of the North

Finally, a Norse-myth horror – ice, fjords, and ancient beasts stirring deep beneath a northern village. I raced through fjord fiends and a monstrous resurrection that felt like stepping into a brutal saga where survival was never guaranteed.

My voice was hoarse from screaming and laughing hysterically at the same time. My group huddled tighter together, knowing the scares came harder when we split apart.

Fallout

Next, I plunged into a decaying Vault 33 that opened into the blasted wasteland of post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. Rad-roaches scuttled by while Lucy’s voice echoed in my head.

Raiders, The Ghoul, even Maximus in his T-60 power armour – every element pulled me deeper into survival terrain, like a living nightmare in the world of Fallout.

Jason Universe

Here’s where I felt my heart really start pounding. Walking through the haunted woods, past the creaking lodge and into the decaying cabins of Camp Crystal Lake – Jason stands silent, relentless, a gauntlet of killers from the Friday the 13th films from 1 to 8.

It pulled me through scenes that felt cinematic, each room ratcheting up the dread, with Jason’s mum even making an appearance.

It wasn’t just nostalgia; it was a matter of being hunted. I bolted out, breathless and, somehow, triumphant that I’d survived what felt like endless corridors of hell – even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to.

Terrifier

Terrifier pushed horror into the realm of the visceral with an intense sensory overload. Art the Clown’s gruesome funhouse assaulted my senses with blood-soaked corridors and a hacksaw kill recreated in sickening detail.

Nauseating smells – faeces, bleach, salted flesh – clung to everything. With 35 bodies and six gallons of “blood” this is Universal’s first “unrated” house. I wanted to look away, but the narrow corridors kept pushing me deeper.

Victims can choose to take the ‘dry path’ or the ‘blood bath’ at the end of the maze. I chose the latter so the finale drenched me in warm, iron-scented water as I staggered out, sticky, unsettled with adrenaline crackling in my veins.

By the time I stumbled out of the last maze, I thought I’d finally be able to breathe. But instead of relief, I was plunged into more horror.

Neon lights from food stalls flickered, barely cutting through the haze. That’s when the sound hit me first—wet dragging footsteps, a low snarl, and then the unmistakable rattle of chains. Zombies appeared from nowhere, their skin mottled, their eyes glazed with hunger.

One carried a dismembered leg on a plate as he shuffled toward me. Another creature, something less human – its body twisted and barnacle-covered like it had risen straight from the depths – lurched over my shoulder.

Everywhere I turned, more figures emerged: a beautifully terrifying woman with teeth sharpened to jagged points, a gruesome gargoyle, and frantic villages begging me to turn back.

I forced myself forward, weaving between the monsters, my pulse hammering as one leaned close enough for me to feel its breath down my neck. And then – just as suddenly as it began – the creatures melted back into the fog, swallowed whole by shadows.

I found myself shaking, my skin damp with sweat and mist, and I realised Halloween Horror Nights didn’t let you escape when you left a house. No, they followed me to my bed that evening, where I relived the horrors all over again.

But in that moment, standing there under the Florida sky, with the distant shrieks of other brave souls echoing around me, I realised I’d done it. Ten houses. Ten nightmares survived. My nerves were fried, my legs ached, but I couldn’t stop grinning.

Halloween Horror Nights wasn’t just about the scares – it was about being fully alive in the middle of the madness.

Book it

Virgin Atlantic Holidays offers seven nights on a room-only basis at the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort in Orlando, starting at £1,719pp, including Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow and a ticket to Halloween Horror Nights. Find out more and book at virginholidays.co.uk.

THIS is the terrifying moment a helicopter crashes onto a freeway just feet away from shocked drivers in California.

Three people on board are in a critical condition after the Airbus lost control before plunging towards the busy road and smashing into the ground.

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Footage showed the chopper flying low above Highway 50 near Howe Avenue in Sacramento.

Within seconds it started plummeting towards the ground with huge plumes of smoke seen billowing across the highway as it smashed.

Pictures from after the crash shows the medical helicopter upside down in the middle of the road.

Smashed glass and debris can be seen strewn across the highway as firefighters and cops surround the wreckage.

Motorist Davyd Bychkoviak was driving past just after 7pm local time (3am UK time) as the helicopter spiralled through the air.

Mr Bychkoviak said: “I’m still shaking. It was a brush with death.

“The helicopter crashed inches away from me. The dust kicked up into my face, and I could feel the wind of the propellers in the car.

“If it had crashed on the road there would have been multiple fatalities.”

The Sacramento Fire Department and Federal Aviation Administration said the helicopter went down on the eastbound lanes of Highway 50 near Howe Avenue.

They added that it was a helicopter that provides air medical services.

REACH Air Medical Services later confirmed to ABC7 news that three of its crew were hurt in the crash.

Captain Justin Sylvia, from the Sacramento Fire Department, confirmed three people were “transported in critical condition” to local hospitals.

These included two females and a male made up of a pilot, nurse and paramedic.

No patient was on board at the time of the disaster, Captain Sylvia added.

Speaking at a press conference today he said: “There was one victim that was trapped underneath the helicopter… [with] the help of just civilians that were standing around, they were able to lift part of that helicopter out and get that victim out.

“There’s a pretty large debris field around that at this point.

“The lucky portion for us, I’d say, is the fact that the helicopter did not catch on fire.”

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HER incredible figure has been the envy of women across the world for decades.

But now supermodel-turned-filmmaker Caprice Bourret has revealed she was so scared of being trolled after gaining 20lbs that she turned to weight loss drug Mounjaro.

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The 53-year-old – who was concerned about possible health issues – put on weight after easing up on her strict health regime and started indulging in sweet treats like cake and chocolate, as well her favourite tipple – red wine.

Her relaxed regime in Spring 2024 saw her jump from a size 8 to 12, bringing with it a string of worrying ailments including “heart palpitations”, difficulty walking upstairs, joint pain, severe inflammation and being unable to fit into her designer clothes.

As much as she tried, she just couldn’t shift the weight, which she blames on menopause and a refusal to go on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).

“My health was deteriorating and I was feeling really bad about myself,” Caprice, who is also an actress and filmmaker, explains while chatting to us in her gleaming white kitchen as she tucks into a pot of cottage cheese.

“Even small things like walking up the stairs left me huffing and puffing.

“I would get out of bed and my back and joints were inflamed and stiff because of the additional weight.

“I started to get sick more often, so I knew my immunity was being compromised.

“I tried to lose the weight, but I couldn’t because I wasn’t taking HRT and I’m going through the menopause.

“My normal weight is about 138lbs, but I shot up to 160. That was the same weight as when I was pregnant.

“Then I started having these weird heart palpitations. Who has that at 53? I was too young for what was going on.”

Having made her fortune through her good looks and appearing on more than 350 magazine covers, from Vogue to Playboy, Caprice was suddenly terrified of “being judged for not looking how I did in my twenties.”

She continues: “Maybe it was me being hard on myself. Maybe I thought everyone was going to judge me because I was judging myself.

“I guess people might have been more supportive and said ‘you look great’. But I manifested this craziness in my head.

“I used to put on clothes and everything looked amazing, but then nothing fit. Honestly, I thought I’d be judged.”

Dozens of celebrities have confessed to using the jabs including Oprah Winfrey, James Corden, Sharon Osbourne, and tennis player Serena Williams.

But it’s not just showbiz royalty who rely on the drugs to shed the pounds – 1.5million Brits are also hooked.

Most people will find it hard to be sympathetic to super slim Caprice – but she explains that even her doctor was worried and suggested she try the fat busting drug.

I used to put on clothes and everything looked amazing, but then nothing fit. Honestly, I thought I’d be ridiculed

Caprice

At first she was hesitant – always preferring to tackle health issues with natural methods.

But she admits that the reported health benefits of taking Mounjaro – which include reducing inflammation, improving liver health, protecting kidneys, and potentially enhancing cognitive and mental well-being – were attractive.

‘It was awful’

“My BMI was super high,” she says, “and the doctor said: ‘You need help here, you need to lose this weight. You’re borderline clinically obese.’

“But I wasn’t sure. Even when I had bronchitis I had a whole bag of vitamin C and zinc intravenously to get rid of it.

“I like to go down the natural way first but I obviously couldn’t do it this time. It was strange because you’d look at me, and even though I was a size 12 – which is totally normal – I was struggling.”

Regular check-ups ensued, with the doctor prescribing half of .25, “a microdose of a microdose.”

But after a few days Caprice was struck with severe nausea.

“It was awful,” she says, “I got sick to my stomach. I got dizzy and lightheaded but I kept persisting because I needed to lose the weight.

“I continued for two months, mainly because there was all this research about the benefits for cardiovascular health.”

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After two months she lost five pounds but the side effects continued. Battling nausea and not being able to properly enjoy food anymore, she decided to stop taking Mounjaro.

“I’d had enough,” she insists. “I couldn’t take it anymore. I also love craving food and that’s another thing with these drugs, you don’t get the cravings. I really missed that.”

Taking matters into her own hands, she decided to cut out carbs and processed sugar.

“The first month eliminating carbs and sugar was hell,” she explains, “an absolute horror. You are begging for that pasta but I stuck to it.

“Then I started exercising again. I know we go to the office and we get stuck behind the computer and think, tomorrow I’ll do it. But try to make it a part of your life.”

Now she still enjoys three meals a day but has made her portions smaller.

“Sometimes I’ll cheat,” she says, “and have some white rice or a baked potato but that’s okay.

“I only have dark chocolate and lots of honey. I also eat lots of fruit. I love pomegranate, it’s great for your gut health, as is watermelon which is super alkaline.

“At the end of the day we keep our body alkaline and we keep disease away.”

As we talk she pulls out dozens of supplements, swallowing them one by one. Then she shows me Shilajit – a black tar like paste formed from the decomposition of plant and animal matter over centuries in high-altitude regions like the Himalayas.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I also love craving food and that’s another thing with these drugs, you don’t get the cravings. I really missed that

Caprice

She puts some of the paste onto a knife and tells me to lick it off. Intrigued, I follow orders then quickly gag, as it is probably one of the most revolting things I’ve ever tasted.

But she beams. “Well done,” she says, “it’s vile. But it’s full of goodness.”

She also has filtered Kanyon water and she suggests I drink a glass of celery juice every morning if I want to get clear skin.

Talking about her weight loss, she continues: “Since losing the weight I’ve no ache in my joints. The energy levels I have are the same as when I was in my twenties.

“I sleep through the night. Everything has changed.”

Thankfully Mounjaro didn’t damage her sex life. Caprice has been married to businessman Ty Comfort since 2019. They have 12-year-old sons Jett and Jax together.

“That’s been pretty healthy,” she says, smiling, “I have to be honest. My husband is so amazing. Even when I was 20 pounds over, he was like ‘you look great Cap’.

‘Change your lifestyle’

“I actually didn’t tell him I was going on the jabs. But I told him when I finally stopped because I couldn’t stand the sickness.

“When I started to lose weight quite fast by cutting out the carbs and exercising, I’d been away for two weeks shooting a movie.

“I came back and he said: ‘What happened to my wife?’ That’s when I told him. He said: ‘No, Cap, I didn’t mind the curves, I liked the curves.’”

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She won’t be telling her kids about Mounjaro or weight loss because “they already have so much pressure from social media. I don’t want to get it in their heads at all.”

She says everyone in showbusiness is on a weight loss drug. And she recently reached out to one celebrity pal who’d lost too much weight.

She explains: “When you take Mounjaro for a long time your skin changes and loosens. I’ve seen it with my friends. You think you are going to avoid it but you don’t.

“I called up some of my friends, worried, but they are so happy to be that skinny that they don’t see it.

“I think ‘wow, look what it’s done to you.’ It’s complete body dysmorphia.”

She says many of her friends go on the jabs but when they come off they put the weight back on.

“Ultimately, is that going to be healthy?” she wonders. “People are on Ozempic because it’s easy and they are getting a result – but is it at a cost?

“You are losing weight because you are starving your body. Let’s be clear on this. Also a lot of people have been losing their hair. I’ve heard of some women having to wear wigs because of Ozempic.”

At that point she makes me touch her hair, which is extremely thick and silky.

“This is what you get from doing it naturally,” she says. “Yes, it’s more difficult and then you change your lifestyle. I want people to be educated on healthy options and think twice about doing this jab. Ultimately the healthy route is longevity.”

Caprice admits her whole life has centred on her image – and she is not ashamed of being vain.

“I am vain but I don’t care,” she says. “I come from a world of vanity, it’s instilled in me, and it makes me feel good when I look good but it makes me feel good when I feel good more than anything. Health is my number one priority.

“That I swear to you is coming from my heart.”

Families and friends of Gaza-bound flotilla activists detained by Israeli forces joined a demonstration in the Netherlands demanding their release. Far-right Israeli officials have suggested the activists should be held in high-security prisons.

A money expert has claimed a few simple air prompts saved him more than £700 on flights after using ChatGPT as his personal travel agent

ChatGPT is getting smarter and smarter, and while AI still might be a terrifying part of technology for many, it might be able to save you some money on your next trip. Getting a good deal on your holiday can be a hard and often time-consuming task.

Hours can be spent refreshing Sky Scanner, Google Flights or Kayak, trying to find the cheapest flights, trying different airport connections and times, all trying to save you a few pounds.

But after your hundredth tab has been opened and you lose track of where you actually heading to the first place, many just give up and head to the travel agents.

But all that faff could be saved, as ChatGPT might be able to act as your very own travelling personal assistant, with one finance expert claiming it saved him as much as £700 on his flights.

Casper Opala, known as Casper Capital online, has more than eight million followers online and shares cost-saving tips, especially when it comes to saving you on travel, and his latest tip, using the popular AI, he claims, got him a flight for around £70 that originally cost more than £700.

His tip follows just seven different steps that you can copy and paste, which will save you time from having to dig around the internet across several different sites.

Although some of these methods have been around for years, and certain travel websites even wrote about them before ChatGPT was even dreamt up, the AI bot can collect all the data for you in a matter of seconds – saving you hours in the process.

Casper’s seven prompts:

1. Find the cheapest way to fly from [City A] to [City B] next month, include hidden routes + alternate airports.’
2. ‘Which budget airlines operate this route that aren’t listed on Google Flights or Skyscanner?’
3. Suggest layover cities that cut the price, even if it requires two separate bookings.’
4. Any mistake fares, flash sales, or unusually cheap flights departing [my airport] this month?’
5. ‘Compare this flight across all platforms, where is it cheapest right now?’
6. ‘Monitor this route for 4 days, alert me if the price dips below $95.’
7. ‘Can booking two one-ways beat the round-trip price? Check both.’

While the tool can be a great place to start for guidance, and the prices are often correct, the tool is still in it’s early days and can be prone to some pricing errors. Writing for TravelBook, Laura Pomer warns: “On the downside, however, is the AI’s susceptibility to errors.

“They are programmed to always provide reliable answers. Users would do well to thoroughly check results. ChatGPT does not access live flight booking data. Information on supposed current prices can be inaccurate.”

However, Laura does suggest a few methods for still using the AI tool, but stresses that there is no guarantee. The writer advises people to be as specific as possible with prompts, such as adding time frames, widening the search to desired areas rather than specific airports, or naming more inventive options such as budget airlines, split-ticketing options, etc.

Reach Screen Time spoke exclusively to Mudtown stars Tom Cullen and Erin Richards

A gripping new TV drama is set to hit our screens this month, promising viewers a captivating tale brimming with tension and conflict, reports Wales Online. This comes as audiences are binging another crime drama.

Mudtown, set in Newport, Wales, centres around magistrate Claire Lewis Jones (portrayed by Erin Richards), who finds herself in a dilemma when her childhood friend’s daughter is accused of arson.

Claire’s personal and professional worlds collide as she attempts to preside over the case. Adding to the complexity, her ex-lover and local gangster Saint Pete (Tom Cullen) re-enters her life, seeking her assistance in court.

She finds herself torn between divided loyalties and ensuring justice is served.

Mudtown was co-created by Keeping Faith actor and writer Hannah Daniels along with real-life magistrate Georgia Lee.

In an exclusive chat with Reach Screen Time, lead stars Cullen and Richards shared their thoughts on joining the series.

READ MORE: ‘Fantastic’ crime drama fans say will ‘tear your heart out’ is streaming for freeREAD MORE: New crime drama branded ‘exceptional’ now available to stream for free

Cullen confessed he’d been extremely hesitant about accepting the role of crime boss Saint Pete, despite having portrayed real-life gangster Johnny Palmer in BBC’s The Gold.

He revealed: “On a personal level, Pete is a character that I’ve never really got to play before and when they offered it to me, I was absolutely terrified and confused as to why they wanted me to play this character.

“And I was absolutely terrified of the prospect of playing because I thought it was way beyond my reach, capabilities as an actor and for that reason, also, I decided to do it, to scare myself.”

Explaining his decision to join Mudtown, Cullen said: “Lots attracted me to the show. Just on a script-level, I found it really interesting.

“I thought that its themes really resonated with me and the socio-political aspect to it about the choices we make and what choices do we have when we grow up in certain areas, and the different paths a certain decision can make, I found that really interesting. I also thought that the characters were so complex.”

He revealed he was also attracted to the project due to the opportunity to work in his native Wales, which he rarely got to do and “work with friends” he’d “known for years”, describing it as a “joyous experience”.

The Crown and Gotham star Richards confessed she had similar motivations for joining Mudtown, admitting she was also drawn to the chance to work in Wales and be near her family.

“It was such a dream and it was the first job I did since having my son, who is now two-and-a-half, but was one, and just the ability to come home every night and see him and sleep in my own bed, and travel to Newport which is somewhere I’ve never been before but obviously visited a lot,” she said.

Richards and Cullen have been friends for years after starring in a film together when they were just 16, which she confessed boosted their on-screen spark and transformed her acting.

The actress revealed: “I had a specific idea of who Claire was and I was playing her a certain way, and then when I would do the scenes with Tom, she would like change a little bit and I didn’t plan for that to happen.

“But I think just because of the history that Tom and I have and how much we know about each other, it really reflected how Claire and Saint Pete were together. It was a really dynamic we had as friends but also had as characters.”

The programme was filmed back-to-back in English and Welsh, like numerous Welsh productions including the aforementioned Keeping Faith and The Light in the Hall.

Recording simultaneously in both languages meant the Welsh-speaking actors would begin in one tongue for a scene and then switch to the other language for the following scene depending on the take.

Richards confessed: “It was a real mind-bending thing at the beginning, but then halfway through I got used to it and my brain would just do it and click into place.”

The performer got ready for the part by observing magistrates courts in both Cardiff and Newport, discovering how it operated and acknowledged she was “surprised” that more programmes about the court hadn’t been created. Addressing the possibility of a second season, Richards teased: “I think the final episode, the final scene leaves it open to another series. I would love to do one. Cullen added: “I’d love to do one. We’ll see how it goes, fingers crossed.”

Mudtown is available on U&alibi from August 29 at 9pm, available on Sky, Virgin Media and NOW

Natali Khomenko has opened up about the unsettling experience in her Tokyo hotel room, and has said she has been left struggling with anxiety and PTSD in the wake of her ordeal

A woman has recalled a terrifying encounter she had with an unknown man she found hiding under her bed in a hotel.

Natali Khomenko, who lives in Thailand, decided to embark on a solo trip to Japan in March. Having arrived in the country, she checked in to her accommodation and was given a key card that would give her access the room.

Everything appeared fine so she set off the following day for some sightseeing, but she was in for a distressing ordeal upon her return. It comes after a warning has been issued to Brit tourists planning all-inclusive holidays to Spain.

READ MORE: ‘Traumatised’ family stranded at Palma Airport after being told they can’t board Jet2 flightREAD MORE: Tourist, 27, has finger torn off by parade horse in Spanish fiesta horror

In a clip shared on her Instagram account, Natali explained: “I booked my solo trip to Japan because I thought Japan was a very safe country. I stayed in a very well-known chain hotel in Japan,” she said, adding that she stayed in the room for a day and everything seemed normal.

However, the next day when she returned to her room after a day of soaking up culture, she was shocked by what she found. “I unlocked my room, took off my clothes and laid down on the bed. That’s when I encountered a weird smell,” she said, adding that at first she thought it was coming from her hair or the bedsheets.

She even joked to herself about it ‘smelling like a dead body’ under her bed, but when she looked under it, she was horrified to see a pair of eyes staring at her.

“I saw an Asian man under my bed. I started to jump and scream and then the man climbed out from under my bed and stared at me for three seconds. Those seconds felt like my life was over,” she revealed.

Speaking to The Guardian , Natali further described the man as “east Asian, between 20 and 30, slightly overweight, a bowl haircut and black clothes.”

“I began to hyperventilate and froze on the spot, unsure whether he was about to jump on me, choke me or even try to kill me,” she said.

After the shocking incident, Natali said she immediately called the hotel administration and the police, and they found a power bank and USB cable under her bed.

She said she kept asking the hotel how the situation had happened, but they didn’t have any answers for her. “Even more, they suggested upfront that police won’t find the intruder because they had no cameras,” she continued.

She immediately changed hotels and demanded a full refund the following day. But she claims the hotel didn’t contact her back. She then reached out to holiday operator who she had booked the hotel through, and they offered her $178 (£133) in coupons – despite the fact she had paid $600 (£450) for three nights.

Having contacted the hotel once more, Natali was finally given a refund. But the emotional toll has been far greater. The woman has been struggling with anxiety and PTSD since returning home.

“Sadly, I’ve also had men write to me, claiming it’s my fault or that I just want to denigrate Japan. But all I want is justice, and to raise awareness so this doesn’t happen to anyone else. Women already have to worry about their safety too much, and this is another example of things not being taken as seriously as they should,” Natali said.

DEAR DEIDRE: EVEN though my married lover wants to be with me full time, she is terrified about how her husband will react if she leaves him. He is a violent bully.

Her husband is domineering and abusive.

He treats her and her eight-year-old son like dirt. He controls everything.

She has given up seeing her friends, he constantly checks her phone and she has lost contact with all of her family.

I am 33, she is 31 and I can’t tell you how upset I get when she tells me about how he shouts, shoves and lashes out at her.

She works for my sister’s catering business and from the moment I was introduced to her I liked her.

We’d always spend our lunchtime together and I would feel so excited about seeing her.

Recently I bought her a small gift when I went on holiday.

I was taken aback when she dissolved into tears explaining it was the loveliest thing a man had done for her. We ended up kissing and she started coming around to my house whenever she could.

She can’t ever stay for long enough but we have the most wonderful sex.

My sister warned me to stay away because her husband has a bad reputation, she said he was capable of anything, but I refused to listen, and the affair has continued.

I am desperate for my lover to leave this awful man. While she wants to be with me too, she is so frightened that he will become physically violent towards her.

I worry I am being weak because I haven’t stood up to him, even though I know that her safety has to come first

DEIDRE SAYS: Stay away from him. Getting involved will only create more problems and place your lover in danger.

She needs to make leaving him a priority for herself and her son, but it has to come from her.

It’s so damaging for her son to see his mum being treated so badly.

Stress this to her and suggest she talks to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (nationaldahelpline.org.uk, 0800 2000 247).

While you can be there to support her, she has a better chance of leaving safely if she doesn’t rush straight into a relationship with you.

Even a marriage she is desperate to be out of is a loss and she’ll need to adjust before she can begin to contemplate a future with you.

PARTNER PREFERS HIMSELF

DEAR DEIDRE: MY boyfriend has admitted he pleasures himself three or four times a week, and now I feel he doesn’t fancy me as we rarely have sex.

He blames his low sex drive on being stressed but he has always been like this.

I’m 35 and he’s 36. We’ve been together for eight months. Everything else in our relationship is great.

We only see each other on weekends, which could be part of the problem. We’re both so busy with our jobs, fitness and friends. For example, I go to the gym twice a week and go out with my girlfriends regularly.

My boyfriend insists his low sex drive is because of his new job. It’s very stressful but he’s no different to how he was when I first met him.

Now I realise he masturbates so much, I’m convinced he doesn’t fancy me, rather than there being a problem with his sex drive.

DEIDRE SAYS: There’s not much wrong with his sex drive. It sounds like he has got into the habit of finding sexual satisfaction alone, which is lazy and selfish.

He needs to face up to what is happening rather than using stress as an excuse. Tell him how damaging his behaviour is to your relationship.

Suggest setting aside an evening together each week for chat, kisses and cuddles with no pressure to have full sex, even though that could be the likely result.

My support pack Different Sex Drives will help.

DREAM TO WED BUT BOYFRIEND’S SO CRUEL TO ME

DEAR DEIDRE: ALL I want is to get married and have a family. I constantly fantasise about my boyfriend proposing but deep down I know he won’t – ever.

Years ago, I was told that I would have difficulty getting pregnant.

I am 32 and my boyfriend is 36. We’ve been together for almost three years. He says he doesn’t want to marry or have children.

Recently, he has twice tried to break up with me. I’m sure it’s because I have gained weight – something I am not proud of – but I am dieting and have started running and going to the gym.

He knows I am making an effort but he also says that I don’t keep the house as tidy as he’d like. I work full-time and often do overtime so there isn’t a lot of time for housework.

Most days I only have enough energy to come home, eat and get a decent night’s sleep.

I feel as though I walk on eggshells around him and it is beginning to get me down.

A few weeks ago, I met a man at work who is so kind and makes me feel lovely. I know it is early days, and we are still getting to know each other, but ultimately I am going to have to choose. Which way should I go?

DEIDRE SAYS: After three years together, it is only natural you are thinking about the future, but marriage and children are not the main issue here.

To be blunt, he is being cruel. These are not the actions of a loving and respectful partner. There are serious issues that need to be discussed honestly if you’re going to build a future.

Let him know how his behaviour leaves you feeling, but don’t stay in a relationship where you’re permanently on edge.

Do decide what you really want before involving yourself with another man.

A freak storm saw huge hailstones fall from the sky in a holiday hotspot

Split is a stunning seaside city rich in Roman heritage which residents call “the most beautiful in the world”. With flights from many UK airports, it’s hardly surprising it’s so well-loved.

A getaway to Split provides both the opportunity to laze on beaches and immerse yourself in history. Bačvice Bay serves as the city’s most favoured beach, boasting crystal-clear waters and mountain panoramas. And amongst the most sought-after activities whilst in Split is embarking on a boat expedition to the city’s islands Šolta, Drvenik, and Čiovo.

But lumps of ice plummeting from above, blazing trees and roads awash with rushing water aren’t exactly what springs to mind for a European European getaway destination loved and visited by around a million people every year.

What was meant to be an enjoyable boat excursion around the Croatian city’s neighbouring islands rapidly transformed into something resembling a catastrophe film when MyLondon reporter Katherine Gray visited.

Katherine said she headed down to the port bright and early for a nine-hour boat journey bearing towels and sunhats as they boarded the boat with excitement.

She said: “While there were admittedly some heavy looking clouds looming, we weren’t deterred. We’re Brits, rain can’t stop us.

“But just before we disembarked, the heavens opened and a downpour fell from the sky. People were laughing and filming with surprise at the heavy rain.

“But smiles quickly turned to screams as gale-force winds began to hit the city, sending chairs and tables flying all over the nearby promenade. Chunks of ice began to fall from the sky as everyone was forced to duck for cover to try and avoid being hit by the ginormous hailstones.”

The tour guides frantically tried to secure their boat using buoys and ropes, while passengers were directed to go inside it to seek shelter and wait for the storm to pass.

She added: “After around 20 minutes we exited the boat and came out to the top deck where we were helped to exit onto the dock. Street furniture was upturned on the pavement and water rushed around the streets.

“The boat tour was well and truly postponed until better weather conditions. But the chaos on the streets left us even more shocked as we were forced to wade through streams of water to get home.”

Online footage also showed trees set on fire due to lightning strikes, while the famous Diocletian’s Palace was partially submerged by the heavy downpour.

Katherine said on their journey back to their accomodation in the Old Town, locals told them: “Nothing like this has ever happened before in Split.”

The devastating storm left around 20 people injured, but not seriously, according to Croatia Week. Whilst the hurricane-strength winds and extensive destruction might seem baffling, experts have attributed it to two cyclones that swept across the city.

Dr Ivan Güttler, Director of Croatia’s State Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ), explained to Croatian broadcaster HRT: “In recent days, two cyclones passed over our area. What made this event unique was that they encountered a warm surface, both land and sea, which had been heated by previous heatwaves.”

When cooler air meets a heated surface, it can generate convection clouds notorious for producing hail, fierce winds and rainfall. The severe weather turned Split’s streets into mayhem, with damage to vegetation and buildings disrupting residents’ daily lives.

Katherine wasn’t too put off by the experience and managed to enjoy the rest of her holiday in the stunning destination.

She said: “And although we were left slightly shaken, the experience didn’t have much affect on the rest of our lovely week away in Split which I would still happily recommend for anyone looking for a beach holiday this Summer. We were able to return to the dock a little later in the morning and spend a lovely afternoon exploring the Croatian city’s beautiful islands.”

PA Media

‘Nobody helped’

‘Taken by surprise’

An avenue which looks eerily haunting also has its own ghostly goings-on according to visitors – thousands of whom have been flocking there to photograph it after it appeared in Game of Thrones

This image of a tangled avenue of trees deep in the countryside is drawing thousands of visitors every year and some people are saying it’s not just for the views.

Known as The Dark Hedges, this creepy pathway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland might be one of the UK’s most photographed roads, yet it also holds the title as possibly the spookiest. The twisted beech trees lining Bregagh Road were planted more than 200 years ago by the Stuart family to impress guests approaching their grand estate, Gracehill House. Today, the walkway is an international tourist hotspot, helped in part by its appearance as the “Kingsroad” in Game of Thrones.

Travel experts at City Tours Belfast say the number of visitors to The Dark Hedges continues to climb each year, particularly those travelling from England and Scotland in search of the perfect picture.

But while it looks like something from a storybook during the day, The Dark Hedges takes on a completely different feel after sunset.

As the light disappears and shadows stretch across the twisted trunks, the mood quickly turns from magical to unsettling.

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The hedges are haunted by the Grey Lady, a ghostly figure said to drift silently between the trees before vanishing into thin air, according to local legend.

Some believe she’s the spirit of a maid from the nearby mansion while others think she may be from an abandoned graveyard hidden nearby. Visitors have reported unexplained lights, strange sounds, and a strong feeling of being watched, even when no one else is around.

British tourist Hannah Wells said: “I came during the day for the photos, but we stayed until dusk. As we walked back to the car, I suddenly felt cold, even though it was summer. My friend swears she saw something move across the road, but there was nothing there.”

Despite its eerie reputation, The Dark Hedges has become a popular backdrop for Instagram and TikTok, with influencers and content creators flocking to capture moody, gothic-style shots under the crooked branches.

At sunrise and sunset, the trees cast long shadows that create a natural tunnel of light and dark, perfect for atmospheric photos.

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“People often think we edit our pictures,” said local tour guide Sean Donnelly. “But that’s just how the place looks when the fog rolls in. It’s beautiful and haunting at the same time.”

The Dark Hedges are located in County Antrim, near the village of Armoy, around 80km from Belfast.

They’re most easily reached by car, but visitors are warned: mobile signals can be weak in the area, and there are no major shops or cafés nearby.

Travel experts at City Tours Belfast recommend visiting early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the tour bus crowds and to enjoy the best chance of seeing the twisting branches in low light.

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