SNIFFING cocaine from house keys is doing permanent damage to locks and costing users thousands in repairs, an industry expert has warned.
A top locksmith has warned taking the Class A drug from the metallic door unlockers were among top reasons that sets had to be replaced.
Other mishaps included Brits snapping their keys while opening packets, tins, or using them as makeshift screwdrivers.
Craig Andres, a master locksmith at The Perspicacity Life, warned homeowners against using their keys as “multi-tools” – warning it could leave them damaged forever.
He warned: “We’ve noticed keys being used for recreational purposes too – including handling powders or other substances.
“Residue from this can easily build up inside the lock cylinder, leading to blockages or seizing over time.”
Even small bends or chips can affect how a key sits in a lock, causing stiffness, jamming or snapping.
Emergency locksmith call-outs for broken keys or seized locks can cost as much as £200 each time.
He said: “Keys are precision-cut to fit your lock exactly.
“When people use them to open packages, lever paint can lids, or even as bottle openers, they weaken the shape and risk damaging the key – or worse, the lock itself.”
“With proper care, your key and lock will last for years. But if you use it to open beer bottles, scoop substances, or force packaging, you’re asking for trouble.”
ONE lucky Irish punter has just won a life-changing sum in the Daily Million Plus this evening.
The winner scooped the Match 5 + Bonus top prize of €500,00.
The lucky player is six figures richer after matching five numbers plus bonus in the Daily Million Plus draw.
The winning numbers were 4, 16, 21, 25, 27, 32 and the Bonus was 13.
There was no winner of the Daily Million top prize draw worth €1,000,000.
The winning numbers were 2, 4, 16, 19, 24 and 28.
And the Bonus was 7.
It comes after another lucky player won a life-changing prize in Saturday night’s Lotto draw.
The lucky winner has scooped a whopping €123,101.
The National Lottery bosses confirmed that the lucky punter who bagged the win is located in Meath.
The winning Quick Pick ticket was purchased on the day of the draw from A&M News & Gifts at Kells Shopping Centre in Co Meath.
The winning numbers picked in last night’s Lotto draw were 14, 20, 26, 30, 31, 40 and the bonus number was 37.
However, the lucky punter was one number short from bagging the jackpot prize of €3,706,695.
The winner has been urged to check their clips carefully, sign them immediately and keep them safe if it’s the winning ticket.
They have been urged to make contact with the prize claims team on 1800 666 222 or email claims@lottery.ie, and arrangements will be made for them to claim their top prize in Lottery HQ.
Although there was no winner of last night’s jackpot, there were over 78,000 players who won prizes across the Lotto and Lotto Plus draw.
Some 29 Irish players matched the five numbers and won a huge prize of €957, while 36 players matched four numbers and a bonus, bagging themselves €194.
Maxol Garage in Donabate, Co Dublin, sold Ireland’s first winning high-tier EuroDreams ticket of 2025.
The fantastic prize is worth €2,000 per month for the next five years, meaning the winner gets to bag up to €120,000.
The winning Quick Pick ticket was purchased on the day of Thursday’s draw from the garage.
The winning numbers in the draw were: 16, 23, 25, 37, 38, 40 and the Dream number was 5.
EMILY Atack has been snapped cuddling up to her boyfriend Alistair Garner and their baby son while in Paris.
The trio were photographed right underneath the Eiffel Tower in France’s capital city and looked the picture of happiness.
In the black and white selfie, Alistair is kissing their baby son Barney while Emily is beaming at the camera.
The former Inbetweeners star was also snapped in the street as they walked to the iconic landmark and another photo showed her sharing a drink with Alistair.
Sitting in a pub, Emily is holding a glass of wine while Alistair is clutching a beer.
Emily, 35, posted the holiday snaps on Instagram, captioning them with just a red heart emoji.
Rivals actress Emily chose to keep the early days of her relationship with scientist Alistair under wraps.
In December 2023, she surprised fans by confirming they were expecting their first child together with a baby bump picture.
In her pregnancy announcement, the Rivals star said she had never been so happy and utterly terrified at the same time: “Please go easy on me. Every day is mixed with thrill, fear, joy, hysteria, topped off with a lot of vomiting – a bit like when you’ve just stepped off of the Oblivion at Alton Towers on a hangover,” she admitted.
“I’ve got to know my body on such an insane level. It’s made me appreciate the one I’ve been given SO much, I’m doing my absolute best to make it a home for the little squid I’m growing.”
In June last year, Emily revealed she and Alistair had welcomed a little boy into the world.
Announcing his birth on social media, Emily gushed: “We have a beautiful son. Barney James Garner. All my dreams have come true.”
Emily’s big return to television came just six months after Barney’s arrival with her role as Sarah Stratton in the Disney+ series Rivals.
Playing Sarah saw Emily strip naked during an amusing tennis scene – and she enjoyed every minute.
Emily later told Sky News: “It’s so liberating.
“Of course there are going to be people out there that take what you do and try and spin a negative narrative on it. I’m a woman, of course people are going to do that.
“But what I have to keep stressing to people is I’m exactly where I need to be. I’m at work, I’m playing a role, I’m very comfortable and I’m on a closed set.
“We have intimacy coordinators, I get on very well with my director, the crew, the actors and I’m very happy and comfortable.
“It’s other people’s characters that need to be looked at if they’re going to twist it into some grotesque negativity.”
Meanwhile, Emily also made her first live daytime TV appearance since becoming a mum in October last year.
The star joined the Loose Women panel and admitted she couldn’t look at her baby boy without “sobbing”.
She said: “I’m not going to be a perfect parent, there’s no such thing as a perfect parent.
“But this is my chance, there is so many more reasons that I’m going to keep campaigning, I want my son to grow up in a world where women are treated better.”
Emily added: “I think I’ll be a good mum, I’m a good mum. I love him so much.
“The other day I looked at him and my partner in bed and I was going off to promote Rivals and I was like ‘life doesn’t get better than this’.”
