Month: April 2025

If you’re looking to save on a holiday, a Booking.com expert has shared seven tips for finding cheap flights

A travel expert has revealed seven tips that could help you score cheap flights for your next holiday. The advice was shared by Ryan Pearson, Regional Manager for the UK and Ireland at Booking.com. While it’s important to recognise some of the tips won’t be applicable to everyone — families, for instance, might not have the choice to be flexible with their dates — many of the pointers could still be helpful.

When I set aside a few minutes to browse Booking.com, I found return flights to several European destinations at £60 or less using Ryan’s advice to look for mid-week flights a month from my imaginary departure date.

I set up my search for mid-week trips departing from London airports in mid-May that returned one week later, and I found flights to more than one of my bucket list locations. For instance, I could fly to Rome and back with Wizz Air for £50.56, holiday in Barcelona with Vueling return flights for £58.83, or travel to Bucharest and back with Wizz Air for £50.56.

It’s worth noting that the flights included early or late starts, which could add to your expenses when booking airport transfers, and only one personal bag was included. But it could be ideal for someone with a flexible schedule who is happy to travel light, and, of course, these were just a few examples I found with a quick search.

Whether or not those trips sound like your cup of tea, the expert advice is clear: being flexible with your booking can pay off. You can also utilise loyalty programmes, explore bundles, and shop around to save on your flights, as Ryan explained.

Timing is key

Ryan said: “While flight prices can fluctuate throughout the year, for travellers looking for a good deal, it’s helpful to keep timing in mind. It can be best to get in there early to secure your travel date and lock in a good price, however there are often last minute deals a month before departure date.”

Consider mid-week flights

“Consider booking flights that depart mid-week, as you may find lower-price tickets on the least popular days to travel,” the expert suggested.

Be flexible and set up price alerts

“When booking flights, it’s worth playing around with dates and times to find the most affordable options,” said Ryan. Explaining how users can set up alerts on Booking.com he added: “All logged in Genius members can set up Flight Alerts. When a price changes, users are notified or if we find a better price on alternative dates (+/-3 days), we notify users.”

Explore deals and bundles

“Keep an eye out for special deals and bundles which are often advertised throughout the year, for example Black Friday and January Sales,” said Ryan.

Consider alternative airports

“When looking for flights, don’t just assume that your nearest major airport is the best option. Regional airports can sometimes offer lower fares, and they might be more convenient too, with shorter security lines and easier parking. It’s always worth using filters to widen your search across multiple airports to see if you can find a better deal,” the expert advised.

Travel to off-the-beaten-track destinations

Ryan added: “Travelling to off-the-beaten-path destinations means embracing flexibility, and if you opt for shoulder seasons when flights and accommodation are cheaper, you’re likely to get an authentic and budget-friendly experience. Look for lesser-known gems like Luang Prabang instead of Bangkok, Albania’s Ksamil over Greece’s Santorini, or Guatemala’s Lake Atitlán rather than Costa Rica’s Arenal.”

Utilise loyalty programmes

“Joining programmes like Booking.com’s Genius Loyalty Programme can unlock exclusive discounts and perks,” the expert explained.

If you’re thinking of jetting off for a few days over Easter with the kids, there are certain requirements you must adhere to or you could risk a serious child abduction offence

As families make the most of the Easter holidays by jetting off abroad, a divorce lawyer is warning separated couples of the essential documents they’ll need to travel with if they expect a hassle-free trip with no unwanted disruptions.

Separated and divorced parents will need to get signed permission from anyone else with parental responsibility for the child, which in many cases is the other parent. Whilst not widely known, taking a child abroad without permission is classed as child abduction, a serious offence.

To help parents navigate taking their children abroad, especially if it is the first time after a divorce, Ann Owens, a consultant solicitor in the divorce law team at Richard Nelson LLP, has shared the six essential documents parents will need to take off without any hitches.

READ MORE: Mrs Hinch’s baby Vinnie’s health condition explained after emergency hospital dash

A consent letter from the non-travelling parent

For a child to be taken abroad, all people with parental responsibility will have to have agreed to the decision. While mothers automatically get parental responsibility at birth, a father will acquire parental responsibility upon marriage.

With that in mind, a consent letter from the non-travelling parent is critical. A signed letter provides proof that your ex-partner has agreed to you holidaying abroad should you ever be challenged while travelling.

The letter will need the other parent’s contact details and details of your holiday, such as where you’ll be staying. If your child has a different surname from yours, the letter should also explain this.

A birth or adoption certificate

It may seem overboard to travel with a child’s passport and birth or adoption certificate, but it is a good idea to take these with you on holiday in addition to travel documents to prove your relationship to your child. You may be asked to provide proof of parental responsibility when leaving the UK and entering your holiday destination.

A divorce or marriage certificate

It is not uncommon for parents to have different surnames from their children, whether that be due to divorce or a new marriage.

In any case, if your last name differs from that of your child due to a divorce or new marriage, it’s wise to bring your divorce or marriage certificate along with you to stop any potential holdups at the airport.

A court order

If you have been unable to seek permission from your child’s other parent to take them abroad, you may still be granted permission from a court.

Ann explained: “If you’re relying on a court order to take your child abroad, it’s imperative to allow as much time as possible for the case to be heard. While you can request an urgent court order, these can take more than a week to go through the courts.

“For those who have been successful in gaining permission this way then you must travel with a sealed copy of the Court Order with you.

“Border officials may ask for proof of your legal right to take the child abroad at the airport, and if you can’t provide it, you may be turned away at customs.”

Check a country’s legal age of adulthood

While, like the UK, many countries have the legal age of adulthood starting at 18, some have it set as older or younger. It is important to check the age of adult responsibility in the location you are holidaying in.

For instance, you may also need documents for a 19-year-old child when travelling to some Canadian territories.

Your child’s passport

Having ensured you have all of the other required documents, it may be easy to overlook the most obvious one of them all – your child’s passport.

As well as carrying the passport, you must also ensure it’s valid for the specific country you’re travelling to. In the majority of instances, your passport will need to be valid for at least three months after your intended return date, but for countries like Dubai, Thailand and Australia, it must be valid for at least six months from your date of entry into the country.

READ MORE: ‘Life changing’ health app helps ‘morbidly obese’ mum shed almost 3 stone

PortAventura in Spain is a fraction of the size of Disneyland Paris, but welcomes five million guests a year who say it’s the best theme park they have been to

A European theme park has been hailed as “better than Disneyland” for its minimal queues and the five million visitors it attracts annually. PortAventura in Salou, Spain, may only see a third of the footfall that Disneyland Paris does, but those who venture to this sunny resort often return as enthusiastic fans.

The park is designed with various themed hotels that whisk guests away to different realms, all while providing four and five-star opulence. For those keen on the Wild West, Hotel Gold River and Hotel Colorado Creek offer four-star stays. There are also Caribbean and Mediterranean-themed accommodations available.

READ MORE: Top-rated teeth whitening strips currently 30% off in ‘cheaper than Amazon’ Easter sale

The park itself continues the immersive experience, with areas reflecting different parts of the globe. At the entrance lies Mediterrània, featuring the Furius Baco ride – a wing coaster that launches riders on a high-speed tour around a vineyard under the blazing sun. In the Far West section, a river rapids adventure and log flume take visitors back to the days of cowboy saloons.

This zone also boasts a duelling wooden racing coaster and a junior version that weaves through it, ensuring even the little ones get a taste of the excitement.

The tropical Polynesia section of the park offers a swinging ship ride and other water-based attractions. However, bear in mind that many of these rides close during the winter months, so it’s worth checking online before booking if you’re planning an early season visit.

The Mexico area is steeped in ancient history, with temples and statues nestled between spinning rides, a family-friendly coaster journeying through a mine network, and a mirror maze.

The star attraction here is Huracan Condor, one of the world’s tallest drop tower attractions, which uniquely allows riders to stand while experiencing the plunge.

China, the largest themed land in the park, boasts two major coasters. Dragon Khan, featuring eight inversions, has been thrilling visitors since the park’s opening in 1995. Shambhala, the park’s newest rollercoaster, stands over 75m tall and reaches speeds nearing 80mph.

Ferrari Land, a major drawcard for the park since its 2017 opening, houses Europe’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster, the formidable Red Force. Towering at an impressive 112m and reaching speeds of 112mph, it dwarfs the UK’s tallest rollercoaster, Thorpe Park’s Hyperia, which will stand at 72m and take riders to 80mph.

The Ferrari ride, designed to emulate the adrenaline-pumping speed of an F1 car, offers a straight launch track that promises to give thrill-seekers the acceleration experience they crave. Fans can watch from a special stand designed to imitate the thrill of a real racetrack.

A Sydney-sider raved on TripAdvisor about their experience, saying: “For us, it was all about the rides, and we were not disappointed. We stayed at the Gold River Hotel and accessed the park quickly and easily.

“The queue times were very acceptable – the maximum wait time that we experienced was about 30 minutes – and well worth it, it’s better than Disneyland.”

Echoing these sentiments, a visitor hailing from County Durham declared: “This is much better than Disneyland Paris, the rides were super fun with short bearable queues (15-30mins). This park is well laid out and features many rides suited for all types of thrillseeker.”

UK residents can jet off easily to PortAventura; return flights from Liverpool Airport to nearby Reus are now going for a steal at £34, with pre-booked online park entry fees standing at £48 for adults and just £42 for kids.

Stewart Copeland is best known as one-third of the Police, the chart-topping trio that called it quits after five acclaimed albums released between 1978-1983 and launched Sting to solo stardom.

With the Police, which also included guitarist Andy Summers, out of the picture, the drummer-percussionist changed course and became an in-demand film and TV score composer, working on such notable films as “Rumble Fish” and “Wall Street” as well as TV’s “The Equalizer,” “Dead Like Me” and more.

After a worldwide Police reunion tour, which was the highest-grossing trek in 2007, Copeland again pivoted, scoring live orchestra music for the classic film “Ben-Hur” in 2014.

He later also reimagined the Police catalog with a pair of releases, 2023’s “Police Deranged for Orchestra” and the world music exploration “Police Beyond Borders” with collaborator Ricky Kej, whom he also worked with on the 2021 album “Divine Tides,” which won a Grammy for new age album.

Our chat with Copeland, 72, was originally tied to his speaking tour, “Have I Said Too Much? The Police, Hollywood and Other Adventures,” but the Los Angeles date was scrapped in wake of the Palisades and Altadena wildfires. Ever the raconteur, Copeland is taking the speaking tour to Europe this spring and fall.

He also has a new album, “Wild Concerto,” which is out April 18. We spoke to Copeland, first via Zoom and then a follow-up phone call, about his new project and his busy creative life outside of the Police.

Tell me about your new album. This isn’t the Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” or Pink Floyd’s “Animals” with just a few random animal sounds sprinkled in. You seem to be more committed.

Stewart Copeland: Well, yeah, the animals get a much bigger dressing room on this. It’s not just called animal sounds. It is animal sounds.

How did it come about?

Incoming phone call. Platoon Records, which is owned by Apple. They acquired this library from a naturalist, Martyn Stewart, who is like the [British biologist and TV host] David Attenborough of sound. That’s how he’s been described. He spent his life on his hands and knees out in the jungles and in the mountains recording mostly bird sounds, but all these other animals as well. He has this huge library of these sounds and they’re wondering what to do with it. They said, “How about we do some music?” So they called me and said, “Can you work with this?” And I said, “Why yes, I can. Perhaps the reason they called me was because I have been using found sound, beginning with “Rumble Fish,” where Francis [Ford Coppola]’s ears pricked up when I started talking about doing loops with machines, billiard ball breaks, with dogs barking, all kinds of sounds in 1984.”

So how did you compose music using the recordings of animal sounds?

The folders that Martyn would send me were from different locales where the birds might have stopped, ecospheres of these different zones. I’d start with the background sounds, which are just a forest-scape or a wind-scape, and then I would look for the rhythmic elements, certain birds, which are rhythmic, and I’d build rhythms out of that. I didn’t alter any of the sounds. I didn’t change the pitch. I didn’t change the rhythm, but I placed them all very carefully so I build up a rhythm with these rhythm animals, the rhythm section. And then I looked for the long lines, mostly birds, the wolves also have some very long soloistic melodic lines, which are on pitch. But I put a trombone next to those bad boys. And now we’ve got your [John] Coltrane wolves.

Interesting. So, you didn’t autotune any of the animal sounds?

No autotune. No time stretching.

You mentioned “Rumble Fish.” When I put on the album for the first time, I definitely felt those “Rumble Fish” vibes.

Well, that’s all the percussion that I did all by myself here in the studio.

Producer Ricky Kej, left, natural sound recordist Martyn Stewart and Copeland in the studio during the making of “Wild Concerto.”

(Archie Brooksbank)

After doing two albums of reinterpretations of music by the Police was back to nature the only place to go from there?

I forgive myself for looking backwards and doing Police stuff because I’m confident in my forward motion. Right now, I’m running a gigantic opera I wrote and this album about animals, so I’m moving forward doing cool stuff, which makes me more relaxed about looking over my shoulder.

It seems like this is sort of a natural progression from your film composing and orchestrated work.

Yes, absolutely. The other love of my life is the orchestra and all the amazing things it can do. The orchestra has such a huge vocabulary. In my short lifespan, I probably won’t do more than scratch the surface of what an orchestra can do, but I’m working on it.

This album was produced by Ricky Kej, who you’ve worked with in the past. What did he bring to the project?

He’s an incredible musician and a great producer and he works way over there in Bangalore. He came to Abbey Road [in London], which is where we recorded the orchestra and produced a session. Having a producer is a very new thing for me. I went through my whole career never having a producer. The Police never had a producer. We just had recording engineers. And so recently I had an experience with a producer and, man, what took me so long? This is great. Somebody else to lean on, to carry the load and to hit me upside the head when I need to be hit upside the head.

But didn’t the Police have producers listed along with the band, like Hugh Padgham on “Synchronicity”?

 He was used to producing Genesis and other civilized, well-behaved, respectful musicians not to be stuck on an island with three a— going at it. He did know where to put the microphones while dodging pizza. He did actually get a good recording.  If there was a [more] active producer, he could have helped sort of break up those fights or keep things civil, but maybe not.

Are you still playing polo? [Copeland’s logo on his website is a polo player riding a horse]

 No. I traded all the horses in for children, and they turned out to be even more expensive. I’ve got seven kids, which is more expensive than 12 horses.

Wow. What’s the age spread of your kids?

[Starts to say 50 but slurs his words to make it undecipherable] down to 25. And then I’ve got five grandchildren. When you start lying about your kids’ age you know you’re getting up there.

What was the oldest? I didn’t quite make that out?

[Once again starts saying 50 but slurs his words].

Fifty-something?

Yeah, 50-something. We’ll go with that.

Copeland conducting during recording session for “Wild Concerto”

(Archie Brooksbank)

But you still seem young and spry.

 My kids became middle-aged before I became decrepit. I could always outrun, out-climb, out-sport all of my kids. And then I started to get creaky around age 70.

Are any of your kids involved in music or showbiz?

Just one. He’s in London. He’s actually a filmmaker but he has the gift of music. He picks up any instrument and the music just falls out of his fingers. And one of my grandchildren, who is 8. Young Arthur hasn’t got any musical chops, but whenever they come over he goes straight to the grand piano and he’s looking for cool stuff on there. You can see that it’s just there in his DNA.

Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt: “I think being back in the Principality is massive.

“It’s the home of rugby in Wales, right in the middle of the city, and you’re getting the four regional teams with the best Welsh players under one roof on one day.

“There’s three teams vying for the top eight, that’s something I haven’t experienced before.

“To have ourselves, Ospreys and Scarlets all in the middle of the table with something to play for adds that extra bit of spice.”

Cardiff captain Liam Belcher: “There’s always a bit of an edge in any derby, whether there’s something on it or not, we’re all around about the same points tally. With four games left every point matters. If we come out with a win it puts us in great stead going forward.

“The best Judgement Day I had was two years ago. A lot of the boys were leaving, and to send them off with a win was unbelievable. To end that season on that high was amazing.

“The way the Ospreys play at the moment is quite expansive, it’s great to watch. We like to think we play a nice exciting fast game, so for the neutral fans it’ll be a very good exciting opening game.”

Mamalodi Sundowns, owned by the Confederation of African Football’s president, are fined for fan disorder.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has fined its president’s club $100,000 after violent fan clashes at an African Champions League game between two teams that are going to the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States this summer.

Mamelodi Sundowns, owned by Patrice Motsepe – a South African mining billionaire and FIFA vice president – breached safety and security rules hosting an April 1 game against Esperance of Tunisia, CAF said in a disciplinary ruling late Thursday.

Motsepe has been president of African football’s governing body CAF for four years and was re-elected unopposed last month.

The African football body said Sundowns “is required to strictly implement the safety and security measures specified in the CAF regulations, guidelines and directives, particularly in their upcoming matches”.

Esperance was fined $150,000 for the fan misconduct, CAF said, related to clashes in the stands at the quarterfinal, first-leg game.

Sundowns won the first leg 1-0 in Pretoria and advanced to the semifinals after the return game ended 0-0 in Tunis one week later. The South African team on Saturday hosts Al Ahly of Egypt – another Club World Cup team – in the first leg of the semifinals.

Sundowns and Esperance are both coming to the US in June as two of Africa’s four entries in the first 32-team Club World Cup organised by FIFA.

Both qualified because of consistently good results over four years in the CAF Champions League through 2024.

Sundowns has been drawn in a Club World Cup group with Ulsan of South Korea, Borussia Dortmund of Germany and Fluminense of Brazil, playing games in Orlando, Cincinnati and Miami.

Esperance is in a group with Chelsea of England, Brazil’s Flamengo and a third team that was to be Leon, which FIFA disqualified because it is in the same ownership as another Mexican team that qualified, Pachuca. Those games are in Philadelphia and Nashville.

Leon has a May 5 hearing with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Madrid in its appeal against FIFA’s ruling. The Club World Cup is played in 11 US cities from June 14 to July 13.

The budget airline Ryanair isn’t always wallet-friendly with British travellers continually subjected to hidden fees, including one hefty fee tied to checked luggage

Ryanair‘s no-frills flights are designed to get us from A to B on a budget, but there are some hidden fees that can hit our pockets hard.

One additional cost, which catches travellers unaware, surrounds check-in baggage and the error of bringing it to the gate before departure. To clarify, anyone that books a flight with Ryanair – no matter which class – is automatically entitled to carry a small personal bag free of charge. This personal bag must be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you and measure no more than 40 x 20 x 25cm.

While convenient, this amount of luggage is not typically enough, so many passengers opt for the next best option. Upgrading your seat class to priority and two cabin bags enables passengers to bring both a small personal bag and a 10kg wheelie bag, measuring 55 x 40 x 20cm. Passengers can also enjoy priority boarding.

READ MORE: Ryanair’s new £79 subscription service and the hidden catches for travellers

Unfortunately, this class of ticket can sell out quickly, but as an alternative, passengers can buy a checked bag. There are two size options available for checked bags on Ryanair flights – 10kg bags and 20kg bags. Checked baggage must be dropped off at airport check-in desks before security, according to Ryanair’s website. Failure to do so may result in unexpected and significant fines.

Ryanair’s website confirms: “If you bring your check-in bags to the boarding gate, you will have to pay a fee, per bag, to place them in the aircraft hold.” The website continues on to warn passengers: “If you do not pay the gate bag fee you will not be able to board your flight.”

The fees for bringing your bag to the boarding gate can vary depending on the route and travel date. According to the airline website: “Non-priority customers who bring their 10kg Check-in bag to the boarding gate may check it in against payment of a fee of £46 – £60.”

Other Ryanair rules with hidden costs

The airline also notes: “Non-priority customers who have not added a bag to their booking can still purchase a 10kg Check-in bag at the airport bag drop desk for £ 35.99-£40.” Though it’s unclear if this will still be an option once the airline scraps physical check-in desks.

This major move, which was initially supposed to come into place by this summer, will see a switch-over to fully digital boarding passes. While there will be some exceptions, this is set to take effect in November 2025. A total of 40% of Ryanair passengers still opt for physical boarding passes, the new policy will also signal an end to one of the airline’s most notoriously inconveniences: the £55 airport check-in fee.

There is one other hidden fee that often catches Ryanair passengers unaware, resulting in a hefty charge of £100. This is the missed departure fee that Ryanair charges passengers who have not checked in at least 40 minutes before their scheduled departure time.

The fee is meant to deter late check-ins at the airport and also applies to late-arriving passengers who wish to be added to a later flight. Only passengers who arrive less than 40 minutes before their departure or up to one hour after a missed departure are subject to this fee.

One day in a new theme park will have you confused about what to hit first, but I have the lowdown on the most important hidden gems you won’t want to miss at Universal’s Epic Universe

It’s the newest offering from Universal Orlando Resort and it’s quite simply breathtaking. Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida is the newest addition to the Universal theme park brand, opening officially to the public on May 22 but I was lucky enough to visit the park for a special sneak peek ahead of the gates opening to explore the best bits.

And there’s plenty of them. With five new worlds, including the heart of the park – Celestial Park – there’s something here for everyone of all ages.

Fans can explore the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic world where you’ll visit the magical streets of Paris – heavily leaning on the Fantastic Beasts franchise, How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk, which was hugely popular, Dark Universe based on the classic Universal Monsters including Dracula, Frankenstein and The Wolf Man to name a few, and Super Nintendo World which boasts Super Mario and friends in the Mushroom Kingdom and Donkey Kong in Donkey Kong’s Country.

It’s inevitable that on a day visit here you’ll miss incredible things. There is so much to see, do, eat and drink that one day simply insisted enough but for now, you can only buy a one-day ticket ahead of opening. So it’s vital you know your stuff and prioritise ahead of entering, and I have just the advice you need.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic

Prioritise the show. Tent of le Cirque Arcanus is a live show here and centres around the circus that features in the second Fantastic Beats film. In a nutshell, Ringmaster Skender has stolen Newt Scamander’s suitcase – which as fans know is jam-packed with magical creatures – to exploit them and bring them back to his show.

There are only two shows in the entire theme park, and I highly recommend that you prioritise them. The level of acting and attention to detail on sets is just incredible. The other show is The Untrainable Dragon, across from the Isle of Berk.

How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk

With three rides in this world and the show, it’s the biggest of all five lands. The meet and greets are incredibly realistic and the show had me in tears, it’s so moving. The merch shops are also immersive and there’s colour and detail galore, but it’s exactly this that you don’t want to miss.

Watch out for the gorgeous wooden handcrafted benches dotted around the world. They’re beautifully painted and real works of art. Take a moment to soak in the art around you by grabbing a drink and perching on one of these benches.

READ MORE: ‘I was one of the UK’s first to enter Universal Studios new theme park – one thing blew my mind’

Dark Universe

It’s creepy, spooky, and perfect for horror fans, which is why you can’t miss a visit to The Burning Blade Tavern. Located near the back of the world after passing The Curse of the Werewolf rollercoaster, you’ll come across the bar. You can’t miss it, really.

Standing tall with a spinning windmill feature that slowly and creepily turns in the breeze, this bar has a great backstory. It’s the place monster hunters – the Hounds – come to unwind after hunting all manner of creatures, and it features fabulous nods to ‘caught’ monsters hanging on the wall behind the bar.

There are also live actors in here for you to have fun interacting with while you enjoy a monstrous cocktail.

The one thing not to miss in here though is the The Hunter’s Garlic Stake – a garlic pretzel with a garlic butter dipping sauce – it’s divine, warm, chewy and one of the best snacks to grab on the go. Plus, you’re guaranteed to keep those vampires away, too. Bonus!

Super Nintendo World

Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge and Donkey Kong’s Minecart Madness are the main rides here but don’t skip on a quieter, slower pace over at Yoshi’s Adventure. This ride, for the younger ones, is a sweet journey to find missing Yoshi eggs and if you remember to wear your Power Up band you’ll also collect the golden egg badge on your app.

But it’s so much more for adults on this ride. You can see the best views of the park from this high ride, and thanks to the slow speed you can capture some of your best snaps, too.

Celestial Park

Grab a cocktail from Bar Astro – the Natural Satellite is a win-win under the Florida sun with notes of gin and fresh cucumber and sit amongst the overflowing floral arrangements. The colours and scents are stunning, and as you sit back and put your feet up for a moment, you’ll hear the trickling waters from nearby water features.

There are interactive water play areas called Astronomica, which has a rose-shaped wet-play area with dancing fountains to cool the little ones and various fountain shows on the seven acres of water, including a synchronized one to music that reaches dizzying heights of 135 feet!

I stayed at Universal’s Terra Luna Resort/ British Airways Holidays offers seven nights room-only here from £799pp, travelling on select dates in January, 2026 and including return flights from Gatwick with one 23kg bag per person.

British Airways Holidays also offers seven nights, at the 5-star Universal Helios Grand Hotel, from £1399pp, travelling on selected dates between 1 January – 31 January 2026 inclusive. Includes economy (World Traveller) return flights from London Gatwick Airport and one checked bag at 23kg per person.

Universal Orlando Resort All Parks Tickets are available from £439pp.

Book by April 22 at britishairways.com/universal or call 0344 493 0787.

IN terms of getting outside and gardening – Easter Weekend is one of the big ones. 

And it’s not just because our local garden centres and TV presenters are telling us so.

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Nature’s playing a big part too. 

Not only is it hinting at the joys to come as bulbs burst through – but the soil has warmed up, weeds are incoming and thanks to the recent rain, everything’s looking rather lush. 

Here’s my top five tips to make the most of the long weekend. 

TIDY UP

You know what they say – a tidy outside is a tidy mind (sort of). So get out there and sort out your storage, wipe your greenhouse glass panes, organise your shed, get your seed packets in order, clean and sharpen your tools – it will genuinely make you feel better mentally and more in shape for the season to come. 

LAWN CARE

Now is the time to start your lawn care regime – you can scarify (get rid of all the detritus on top) with a rake, aerate by digging a fork in over and over – and then reseed the bare patches. Or cut turf to the size you want, You can also give it a good spring feed. And then depending on the weather, water water water your lawn.

If you do choose to seed a new lawn – I would suggest covering the newly laid lawn with garden fleece.

Not only will it stop birds eating the seeds, it will keep the soil warm and prevent wind damage. 

This in turn, will lead to a stronger, lusher lawn.

TEMU is currently selling various selections of garden fleece – starting at £3.65

SUMMER BULBS

If you can find space among all the late flowering daffodils, tulips and early alliums (why has nothing come out when it was supposed to in my garden this year?) then get in your summer bulbs. Dahlias, gladioli, lilies, peonies, agapanthus, and calla and canna lilies will all bring beautiful colours and scent to your outside space. What’s more, apart from agapanthus, they’re all container-friendly. 

YouGarden have a 50 per cent off sale at the moment on Summer Bulb packs.

SOW SEEDS

Plant sweetpeas, sunflowers, marigolds, poppies, nigella, hollyhocks  and wildflowers in small pots or trays –  and tomatoes and cucumbers under cover, then carrots, peas, beetroots,  sweetcorn, runner beans, peas and microgreens straight into the soil. 

PRUNING AND WEEDING

It’s good to know that when the weeds start coming through – it means the soil is ready to plant in. On the flipside – it means you need to start weeding. At this early stage hoeing is a good option – leaving the seedlings on top of the earth to dry out – and might reduce your workload later on. Also cut lavender plants back and divide grasses. 

Also in Veronica’s Column this week…

Win a £10k garden makeover, the chance to create a posy for King Charles or a prestigious ‘Best Garden’ award – and the chance to win a Hedgehog Bundle from Ark Wildlife worth over £100

COMPETITION! One lucky gardener has the chance to create a posy for King Charles. The Royal Windsor Flower Show is running a nationwide competition to find the perfect posy to be presented to His Majesty The King – and displayed on his real life breakfast table. The only caveat is that you have to be able to take it to the flower show on Saturday June 7.  The rules are as follows:

• Materials: Fragrant, seasonal garden flowers and foliage
• Display: Staged in a container, pot, or vase containing water to maintain freshness (no accessories or floral foam permitted)
• Size Restrictions: Finished design must be no taller than 18cm (7 inches) and no wider than 18cm (7 inches) in diameter or along its longest edge

Alan Titchmarsh and renowned Florist Yan Skates will be the judges. 

For more information visit www.rwrhs.com/royal-windsor-flower-show

COMPETITION! Established in 1910 by Queen Mary to honour horticultural excellence in the capital – The London Gardens Society is running a competition to find the best outside space in and around the city. If you think you’ve got what it takes – whether its a wonderful front or back garden, window boxes, balcony or pot display or you’re involved in a pub, restaurant, hospital, fire or ambulance station, hotel or almshouse and think it deserves a prize visit their website to find out more.

COMPETITION! Calor Gas and Gardeners World Presenter Adam Frost are launching a nationwide search for a deserving Brit to receive a garden makeover worth £10,000. For more information visit  www.calor.co.uk/adamfrost

COMPETITION! Give your garden’s spikiest visitor a warm welcome! Ark Wildlife is giving three lucky readers the chance to win a Hedgehog Starter Pack worth over £100 – packed with everything needed to create the perfect little hideaway. Each kit is complete with a hedgehog house, Ark Wildlife’s original hedgehog food, bowls, bedding and a handy guide to help you look after your nocturnal guests. To enter visit www.thesun.co.uk/ARK or write to Sun Ark Wildlife competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK

For more gardening tips and competitions follow me @biros_and_bloom

About 95 percent of aid groups have suspended or cut their services due to Israeli bombardment and blockade.

Israel’s total siege and bombardment of the Gaza Strip have left Palestinian children surviving on less than one meal a day, according to an urgent warning by the leaders of 12 major aid groups in the enclave.

The humanitarian aid system in Gaza “is facing total collapse” due to 18 months of Israel’s military operation and the recent imposition of a full blockade last month, the joint statement said on Thursday.

An estimated 95 percent of the 43 international and Palestinian aid groups have already suspended or cut their services in Gaza, amid “widespread and indiscriminate bombing making it extremely dangerous to move around”, it added.

“Kids are eating less than a meal a day and struggling to find their next meal,” said Bushra Khalil, policy head of the aid group Oxfam. “Everyone is purely eating canned food … Malnutrition and pockets of famine are definitely occurring in Gaza.”

Amande Bazerolle, emergency coordinator in Gaza for Doctors Without Borders, added that aid workers have been forced to watch people, many of them women and children, suffer and die while carrying “the impossible burden of providing relief with depleted supplies”.

“This is not a humanitarian failure – it is a political choice, and a deliberate assault on a people’s ability to survive, carried out with impunity,” she said.

In Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reported on Friday that the enclave was running out of baby formula, leaving children and infants malnourished.

“We have seen many severe malnutrition cases. Families are not able to provide for their most basic needs, even for the most vulnerable – children and newborn babies. Baby formula is largely missing from the markets and pharmacies,” Mahmoud said. “Gaza is quickly running out of all necessities.”

Outside Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah, Palestinians told Al Jazeera they are losing their children to malnutrition.

Fadi Ahmed, who lost his son, said hospital staff discovered “massive infections in the boy’s lungs, which led to a severe lack of oxygen in his blood”.

“The boy’s weakness and severe malnutrition led to his inability to resist and then to his death … after spending one week at the hospital.”

Intisar Hamdan, a grandmother, said she lost her grandson because his parents could not find any milk for three days.

“Children are suffering from not just malnutrition, but also serious medical complications and diseases that cannot be easily treated and require medical supplies that are scarce,” Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum reported.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 60,000 children are considered malnourished in the Palestinian territory.

The aid groups said Gaza holds the record of being “the deadliest place on earth for humanitarian workers”, making it even more difficult to deliver services to children.

Since October 2023, more than 400 aid workers and 1,300 health workers have been killed in Gaza, despite the requirement under international humanitarian law for humanitarian and health workers to be protected.

“The recent killing of 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers, whose bodies were found buried in a mass grave, triggered global outrage, but many violations and attacks go unreported,” it added.

The aid groups are calling on Israel and the Palestinian armed group to guarantee the safety of their staff and to allow the safe, “unfettered access of aid into and across Gaza”, and for world leaders to oppose further aid restrictions.

AJ Odudu and Will Best shared a huge exclusive sneak peek on Late and Live after Chris Hughes made and admission regarding Celebrity Big Brother housemate JoJo Siwa

Celebrity Big Brother star Chris Hughes stunned viewers with an admission over house pal JoJo Siwa. As the pair spoke to each other in bed, the Love Island star confessed he “would” kiss the reality TV star, despite her having a partner.

The duo were talking about the Lady and the Tramp spaghetti scene when they joked they could share a kiss. As JoJo had her eyes closed, Chris pretended to peck her lips, but actually touched her with his finger and kissed her forehead instead.

Chris told her he “probably would actually” kiss her, to which she responded: “I know,” chuckling before adding: “Sucks to be you.”

“Nah, just saying I probably would, that’s all,” Chris reiterated. “Just a compliment, that’s all.”

READ MORE: Three new Sol de Janeiro perfume mists have launched for summer– and they smell like heaven

And when latest evictee Daley Thompson was asked if he was surprised with Chris’ comment, he said: “No, I am not shocked. You lot see so much more than I see, do you watch in there at night time?”

He added: “Right, did you see me getting up going to the toilet? Well sometimes when i get up int he middle of the night, are those two in the same bed?”

Will then said: “They do spoon and have a little gossip.”

On Twitter/X, viewers shared their thoughts on the moment. One user wrote: “Chris said he wants to kiss JoJo and when she said “sucks to be you” he started putting lip balm on and reiterated “yeah just saying I probably would, it’s a compliment that’s all” #CBBUK #CBBLL.”

“Chris saying he wants to kiss Jojo and that she should take it as a compliment…I’m not here for this #cbbuk #cbbll,” said another.

Chris and JoJo have had a firm friendship since entering the Big Brother house. While their bond has raised questions among viewers, Chris’ brother Ben was quick to defend his sibling . Chris and JoJo have been raising eyebrows with their friendship as viewers watched as they massaged each other, danced together and cuddled in bed.

Appearing on spin-off show, Late and Live, on Thursday, Chris’ brother said the Love Island star and the Dance Moms icon simply have the ‘same energy’. He then explained why they became inseparable since the show started earlier this month.

He said: “I believe the friendship between Chris and JoJo is based on the fact they have similar energy and have obviously bonded really well as a friendship.”

Celebrity Big Brother 2025 airs weeknights and Sundays at 9PM on ITV1 and ITVX.

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