News 1

TAKE a look inside this “beautifully presented” home that just hit the Irish market for €250,000.

Number 20 Páirc Na Heornan is a semi-detached three bedroom house ideal for families.

myhome.ie

myhome.ie

It’s located in a low-density housing development in the village of Ballinagar, Co Offaly.

It features a large front garden with great off street parking as well as a private garden at the back of the property accessed through a gate.

On entering the property, guests are greeted by a bright, inviting entrance hall with access to the stairs and a tiles floor.

From there they can enter the large wooden floored living room and the kitchen.

The living room has a huge front facing window to allow natural light to pour in, and plenty of space for multiple couches.

It also has a statement wall with a built in fireplace to give the room an especially cosy feel.

There are double doors from the living room into the kitchen and dining room.

The space has a tiled floor and a huge window over the sink to allow natural light into the room.

There’s plenty of counter space with cupboards above and below, as well as a fitted oven and washing machine.

And there’s a major bonus for those who enjoy cooking or need extra space – a kitchen island with gorgeous inset tiles completes the area.

ADDED BONUS

There’s also room for a large family dining table and double glass doors out to the back garden.

Also downstairs is a handy guest toilet, located in the hallway and complete with a toilet and sink.

Up the carpeted stairs is a small landing, three bedrooms, and the family bathroom.

The master bedroom has a street facing window and wooden floors, as well as a built in wardrobe and storage.

It has the added bonus of an en suite bathroom, complete with an electric shower.

BRIGHT AND CLEAN SPACE

The second bedroom has a charming slanted roof with a skylight window for added sunlight.

It also has a wooden floor and built in wardrobes and drawers as well as generous floor space.

And the final bedroom also enjoys a slanted roof with a skylight as well as wooden floors and handy built in storage.

The family bathroom features another skylight, making the black and white tiled space feel clean and bright.

It has a huge bath, a sink, and a toilet, and conveniently serves all the upstairs bedrooms.

At the back of the house is a two area garden with a large patio and a grass section.

The patio is ideal for entertaining in summer, while the garden is perfect for planting or putting kid’s games.

And the house is ideally located just minutes’ walk from a primary school, making it ideal for families.

myhome.ie

myhome.ie

myhome.ie

ONCE dubbed a glittering hotspot of the 1970s, Dudley’s decline is seemingly severe.

The West Midlands district was recently ranked the third worst place to live in England, with locals only shocked it didn’t score lower.

SWNS:South West News Service

Roland Leon

Alamy

The stats, put together by The Sunday Times, considered factors like local crime rates, Ofsted school reports, GP waiting times, car parks and community assets.

In total, only Rushmoor in Hampshire and Basildon in Essex scored worse than Dudley – a result which stunned those who live there.

“I thought we’d be first,” said 54-year-old shopkeeper Anna Shahmani, as she scrolled through her CCTV to look at another case of suspected shoplifting.

“I’m surprised there are two worse than this.”

Nearby Lye – a town in Dudley district – was recently dubbed a ghetto where sex is flogged openly from cars and yobs are fined for pooing in the street.

Dudley itself was also last year ranked the unhappiest town in the West Midlands while Stourbridge, seven miles down the road and part of the same Metropolitan Borough, was ranked the happiest.

But, just as everyone moans about the place, anyone over 60 will also tell you what a fantastic town it used to be.

Proud and thriving, the town that gave us Sir Lenny Henry, Sue Lawley and Sam Allardyce, remains the unofficial capital of the Black Country.

And the Black Country’s distinctive flag is flown permanently from its Council House, a grand, neo-Georgian from the 1930s.

Only now, in a visual symbol of decline, the flag is not distinctive at all, appearing more like a rat’s tail floating in the sky.

Robert Bennett, 66, has officially worked on Dudley Marketplace since he was 15 but, he says, it’s actually a lot longer than that.

“Back in the 70s people were fighting to get a pitch on the market,” he said. “It was all hustle and bustle and so vibrant. It has gone downhill.”

Roland Leon

You Tube

You Tube

His stall is the only one open and customers are few and far between, mostly people picking up a few bits.

“Whatever the Council do ends up being wrong,” he added.

“They have big plans but for the last year we have had no bus terminal so everyone is being dropped off further away and the older people don’t want to walk the extra distance carrying shopping.

“At the same time, they put in car parking charges, when that had offered free parking to help get over Covid but now they’ve got no money.”

Last August, the council admitted a £37 million funding gap over the next three years.

But there is precious little sympathy for the local politicians.

One shop owner, who asked not to be named, said they’d recently opened a “fancy bistro” in the Town Hall, only for it to make huge losses.

Last summer, Brooke’s Bar and Bistro closed less than two years after it opened having recorded an annual loss of £200,000.

Locals say the downhill slide has been a steady one with most people pointing to the late 1980s and the development of the Merry Hill (aka Merry Hell) Shopping Centre in nearby Brierley Hill as the start.

“The Dudley of years ago was brilliant,” said retired warehouse worker John Darby, 83. “And then along came Merry Hill and things slowly started falling apart.”

Helped by a local cobbler, he rattles off a list of the big brands who had made Dudley their home – Thornton’s, WHSmith, M&S, H Samuel, to name a few…all went.

“Now what is there to come into Dudley for,” went on John. “It’s like downtown Beirut towards the church, three Turkish barbers, some charity shops and homeless people everywhere.

“The market had one stall on today. Later on it will smell of weed because the kids will be there after school.

“The bus doesn’t drop you off at the right place anymore and on the road, we’ve got more lights than Blackpool only ours don’t twinkle, they just hold up the traffic.

“Our museum and gallery went bankrupt, our football team has no ground, the main post office became a big Balti restaurant, there’s no trade at all and our politicians talk about city status or turning Dudley College into a University.

“They have lost the plot and don’t get me started on the local health service – 47 ambulances waiting the other day.

“If my mother could come back and see Dudley now, she’d weep.”

Roland Leon

Roland Leon

Roland Leon

John Massey, 40, a radiographer from the town, said: “As people I’d say we are the best but as for investment and decisions about investment, that’s a different story altogether.

“There is always something happening but very little progress being made.

“As a kid, I could come here and spend the day. You could do your shopping, have something to eat, now you can see it all in 10 to 15 minutes. The town has lost its character.”

Mary Hollyhead, 70, agreed: “It’s not just the town centre, it’s the surgeries.

“If you need to see a doctor, you’d be quicker getting a bus to the surgery than ringing them up.

“You can wait and wait and then all the appointments have gone.”

Despite its current malaise, reminders of its glorious past are everywhere.

There is the now defunct Museum and Art Gallery (1883 to 2016) and the statue on the marketplace honouring local hero Duncan Edwards, the boy wonder who scored 151 times for Manchester United before dying in the Munich air disaster aged just 21.

And then there are the long overdue bits of unfinished business – the Metrolink extension that began in March 2020 and is still unfinished; the Hippodrome building where Laurel and Hardy played to capacity crowds, empty since Gala Bingo left in 2009.

Such things leave the town with a cluttered look and a feeling of decay.

“It is such a shame,” said Jayne, of recently opened Saturday Books  down the retro-looking Fountain Arcade. “We have a lot to offer visitors with a Castle, a popular zoo and the Black Country Museum which gets a lot of tourists from American coming to study their ancestry.

“But I have lived in Dudley all my life and there seem to be more desperate people around these days.

“And it is sad to lose things like the Museum and Art Gallery which went back to the 1800s. Now they want it as a big play centre but you’ll need money to go to a place like that.”

There is nothing much for kids to do around here except hanging around and getting into trouble.

Zarina Aleksandraviciute

Stacey Jones, a mother of two, has recently moved back to Dudley from Dorset.

She said: “I’m not surprised it’s one of the worst. The town centre has nothing, just kids on bikes wearing balaclavas.

“And my experience of the schools is not good. My friend had to pull her son out of school because he has mobility issues and there was no supervision.

“She had to report the school to the Trust just to get an appointment.”

Among Dudley’s 80,000 inhabitants are plenty who have come from elsewhere to make it their home.

Mario, 63, moved from Naples after love blossomed on a holiday romance.

He said: “In the last 10 years all the heart has been ripped out of the place. When the shops go, so does the community spirit.

“There is still community spirit where I live and it’s not a bad place really but the town centre is not good.

“I can’t fault the health service though as I recently had a diagnosis of prostate cancer and they saw me within 12 hours.’

Majid, 70, who came to Dudley 47 years ago, said: “I feel more like a foreigner than ever. It doesn’t feel like a safe place to me.”

Shop worker Zarina Aleksandraviciute, 31, added: “There is nothing much for kids to do around here except hanging around and getting into trouble.

“I hardly ever see the police.” 

Her boss, shopkeeper Anna Shahmani, wonders why they are bothering with the Metrolink as who would want to come to Dudley.

“You aren’t going to come all the way here for chicken and chips or pizza are you,” she said.

“It is bad. The community has broken down because if you don’t physically need to be somewhere, like having your nails done or hair done, you shop online.

“That breaks the community spirit. Now we have homeless people causing a lot of trouble to shopkeepers.

“Dudley people tend to be a bit over friendly if anything but now I don’t see many smiling faces.

“It’s miserable and dreary.”

The Sun has reached out to Dudley Council and West Midlands Police for a comment.

Roland Leon

Roland Leon

Roland Leon

Roland Leon

SWNS:South West News Service

SWNS:South West News Service

SWNS:South West News Service

MOLLY-Mae kept her hands undercover on a day out with Bambi after speculation she has reunited with Tommy Fury. 

The dutiful mum kept a keen eye on her two-year-old daughter keeping her hand hidden under her coat sleeve as she helped the tot walk alongside her.

Zenpix

Zenpix

Zenpix

Molly clearly had her hands full, with her other arm juggling her phone, coffee, and Bambi’s toys, including an adorable stuffed deer which is the little one’s namesake. 

The Maebe founder and fashion mogul was seen smiling with pride at her toddler, who is now firmly on her feet and walking. 

The pair matched in co-ord tracksuits, with Bambi keeping warm in an olive green puffer jacket while Molly wore a brown corduroy jacket.  

Rumours have been rife since New Year’s that Molly has reunited with her Love Island love Tommy following their shock split last year. 

Despite this, the couple were spotted kissing at a party to celebrate the turn of the New Year, and were later caught on a romantic Valentine’s Day trip together last week. 

Molly has also been spotted with a ‘B’ diamond ring on her wedding finger, an initial for her daughter. 

A source told The Sun: “Tommy’s pulling out all the stops and whisking Molly away for a night to somewhere they’ve stayed before in happier times.

“He’s clearly hoping it’ll work its magic on Valentine’s night and she’ll remember how happy they used to be.” 

The couple were engaged to be married when Molly broke the news they had gone their separate ways after four years. 

In the first part of her new warts-and-all Prime Video documentary, Molly Mae: Behind It All, Molly revealed Tommy’s problems with alcohol were behind their split.

As a result, her friends and family are concerned that they’re now working on their relationship.

A source told The Sun: “Molly-Mae’s closest friends and members of her family think this is a terrible idea and that it is all going to end in tears again.

“Zoe [Molly’s sister] is fiercely protective and will never forget what Tommy put her through, let alone forgive him

“They have been waving the red flags but Molly-Mae is staunchly independent and is pushing on regardless.

“As far as she is concerned, Tommy is the love of her life and the story ends with them being together. No matter what.

“It is a nightmare for those around her to watch. They fear it will crash and burn. For them it’s not a case of if it implodes again, it’s a case of when.”

Zenpix

InstaGram

Instagram

Supplied

Instagram

A MUM-to-be has left people with their jaws on the floor after showing off her baby bump.

Lauren, from Wales, took to social media ahead of the birth and lifted her top up to show off her ginormous belly.

laurenmylittleloves / Tiktok

laurenmylittleloves / Tiktok

The woman faced the front of the camera before she turned to the side to show off the baby bump at every angle.

The results of the video left people running to the comments section of the post to share their thoughts.

Many people said her bump was so big that it must have a full-grown man hiding inside or a group of babies waiting to pop out.

But the mum-of-four revealed it was because of another reason entirely.

In her bio on TikTok she wrote: “Yes, I was the mumma with the big tummy from Polyhydramnios.”

The NHS says that Polyhydramnios is when there’s too much amniotic fluid (the fluid that surrounds the baby in the womb) during pregnancy.

Most of the time it is not serious and there’s often no cause and happens to around 1% of pregnancies.

Polyhydramnios usually does not need any treatment. You may have extra check-ups for the rest of your pregnancy and during labour and birth.

Lauren gave birth to her little girl Olyve, who weighed 6lbs despite mum’s big pregnancy bump.

The video quickly went viral on her TikTok account @laurenmylittleloves with over 54 million views and 149k likes.

People took to the comments of her pregnancy bump video in a mixture of hysterics and sheer terror.

One person wrote: “How old is your child?”

Another commented: “You’re pregnant with a whole a**e man. Dude gonna come out with a job and doing taxes.”

“The baby in their 3 bedroom 2 bath house,” penned a third.

Pregnancy Myths explained

There are a lot of strange myths around pregnancy - and some of them may surprise you...

• Is it okay to eat prawns when you’re pregnant?
• Can you have sex during a pregnancy? 
• Can you get a tattoo while you’re pregnant
• Is it safe to take paracetamol when you’re pregnant?
• Can you eat mozzarella when you’re pregnant?

Meanwhile a fourth said: “How is this possible?”

“OMG it doesn’t even look real,” claimed a fifth.

Someone else added: “Baby living in a mansion.”

Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: fabulousdigital@the-sun.co.uk and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.

A FASHION fan has revealed a cosy new find in Dunnes Stores – and it’s perfect for spring and summer.

Fashion lovers are set to overhaul their wardrobes with new styles and clothes as the rain moves away and spring inches in, and this cardigan is the perfect addition for it.

TikTok: @kym_bee

TikTok: @kym_bee

Kym B, who posts under @kym_bee on TikTok, showed off her recent find to her followers.

Starting the video, she said: “Look at this lovely little cardigan that I got from Dunnes.

“Isn’t it absolutely gorgeous?”

She revealed the cosy cream Savida Sadie Tie Front Texture Cardigan, priced at €25.

The beautiful cardigan features front fasteners and a delicate tie.

It is crafted from a textured, soft-to-touch material, offering warmth and texture for chilly spring and summer.

It is perfect for coffee dates, casual occasions and outdoor events.

Kym styled the gorgeous cardigan with a pink top and denim jeans – the perfect outfit for coffee dates with the girls.

She added: “It’s really cute!”

ENDLESS STYLE OPTIONS

Fashion fans have endless options to style the lovely cardigan, making it suitable for casual, formal and summer occasions.

For a casual look, fans can style the cardigan with a lovely white top, denim jeans, runners, a light jacket and a tote bag – the perfect fit for running errands in town.

For a formal look, they can style the cardigan with a white blouse, work pants or skirt, flats or heels, a beige trench coat and a handbag – the perfect outfit to wow your clients.

For the summer season, fashion fans can style the cardigan with a bikini, denim shorts, a sunhat, a pair of sunglasses, sandals or runners and a beach bag – giving the whole fit ‘old money’ vibes.

The cardigan is available in sizes XXS to XXL.

And it can be now purchased online and in stores nationwide.

However, fashion fans are urged to be swift as it is expected to be a huge hit with its shoppers.

‘OBSESSED’

Kym’s fans were left obsessed with her Dunnes Stores cardigan as they rushed to the comments to share their thoughts on it.

One person wrote: “It’s fabulous on you!”

Another person added: “Obsessed with the cardigan!”

The third person said: “Absolutely stunning on you.”

Another person wrote: “Love that outfit on you!”

TikTok: @kym_bee

THE HISTORY OF DUNNES STORES

DUNNES Stores opened its first store on Patrick Street in Cork in 1944 - and it was an instant hit.

Shoppers from all over the city rushed to the store to snap up quality clothing at pre-war prices in Ireland’s first ‘shopping frenzy’.

During the excitement, a window was forced in and the police had to be called to help control the crowds hoping to bag founder Ben Dunne’s ‘Better Value’ bargains.

Dunnes later opened more stores in the 1950s and began to sell groceries in 1960 – starting with apples and oranges.

The retailer said: “Fruit was expensive at the time and Ben Dunne yet again offered Better Value than anyone else in town.

“Over time, our food selection has grown and that spirit of good value has remained strong.

“Now we offer a wide range of carefully-sourced foods from both local Irish suppliers and overseas.”

The retailer’s first Dublin store opened its doors in 1957 on Henry Street and a super store on South Great Georges Street was unveiled in 1960.

They added: “In 1971, our first Northern Irish store opened, and many others soon followed.

“Expansion continued in the 1980s in Spain, and later into Scotland and England.”

Dunnes now has 142 stores and employs 15,000 people.

POLICE searching for a missing university student have found a body in the River Thames.

Benedict, 20, was last seen in Oxford on January 26.

Thames Valley Police

Thames Valley Police

Cops say “there is nothing to indicate that this was anything other than a tragic accident”.

The grim discovery was made near Iffley Lock today.

Thesun.co.uk is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun

The post New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta attends a thanks giving meeting #Gallery appeared first on Social News XYZ.

WHILE temperatures might be rising, wet weather means that hanging our clothes on the washing line isn’t an option for many of us. 

However, drying clothes inside can seem like an expensive option as many of us will reach for the thermostat to get our garments drier quicker.

Getty

But, Adam Clark at My Local Toolbox says there are ways to get your laundry dry without the help of a radiator.

Here he reveals five ways to dry your clothes faster without turning up the heating.

Rectify the Damp

Damp walls increase clothes’ drying time as the room’s humidity level is heightened.

When walls are damp, they release additional moisture into the air, reducing the difference between the moisture content of the fabric and the surrounding air. 

This slows down the evaporation process.

Areas with damp walls often have poor ventilation, which can trap moisture in the space. This can lower the temperature of the surrounding air, which in turn reduces evaporation time.

If the weather permits, open the windows to improve ventilation. A dehumidifier will extract water from the air and speed up the drying process.

Avoid hanging clothes near damp walls; choose areas with better air circulation and drier surfaces for hanging laundry.

By permanently rectifying the damp and you can create an environment more conducive to drying clothes efficiently.

Get Ahead of the Drying Process

You can increase the speed at which your clothes dry before leaving the washing machine. Most washing machines include a functionality that allows users to adjust spin cycles. 

Opting for a high-speed spin means excess water is extracted from the clothes. 

Although this may make clothes feel slightly rigid, drying time is often halved. If you wash delicate fabrics, a second spin cycle may be a better option, as a faster spin may harm sensitive fabrics.

DIY (Drying) Station

Drying clothes requires good airflow throughout the space, whether winter or summer. Avoid draping clothes across radiators and set up a drying station that encourages consistent air circulation.

Place a fan near the space where you are drying the clothes. This will ensure that air circulates evenly around the room.

For an even faster drying time, use a dehumidifier to decrease the moisture in the air while increasing circulation.

Roll Clothes in a Towel Before Drying

The towel method requires a person to place a towel on a flat surface with the garment on top. 

Roll the towel tightly with the clothes inside and gently press so that the water absorbs into the towel. Then, hang your clothes as usual. Avoid using dark towels with light clothing as colour may transfer.

Leave Some Space

It can be tempting to overpack your drying rack to save space. This will likely increase the drying time, especially if you have overlapped each garment on the airer.

Turning the clothes inside out before placing them in the airer often makes them dry faster.