TRAVEL

It has a name that’s hard to forget, and the quaint village tucked away in the South West of England certainly lives up to it.

Hidden away in the heart of South Devon sits the enchanting village of South Pool, a genuine gem boasting idyllic rural beauty, ancient architecture, and easy access to the area’s spectacular coastline. CN Traveller named it Britain’s most stunning village in 2023, noting its serenity feels like ‘another world’ compared to the hustle and bustle of Salcombe just a few miles downstream.

The settlement has seen a surge in digital fame, mainly thanks to the jaw-dropping beaches on its doorstep. Within just thirty minutes by car, Bantham Beach has been praised by one holidaymaker as the “most beautiful beach without leaving the UK”, for example.

Yet some locals would rather maintain South Pool’s secret status, with one resident cheekily remarking: “Shhh, don’t tell anyone! We locals want to keep it a secret!”

South Pool captures quintessentially English appeal: time seems suspended along its winding, slender roads whilst its period stone houses create a perfect postcard vista, reports the Express.

Amongst its most treasured features stands the Church of St Cyriac and St Julietta, a Grade I listed building dating from the 13th century.

This place of worship is celebrated for its stunning medieval architecture, boasting an exquisite Norman font and an elaborately designed rood screen.

Local watering hole The Millbrook Inn also lies at the heart of South Pool’s charm, providing cosy welcome and an outstanding selection of regional ales and ciders.

The pub’s cosy interior, complete with open fires and wooden beams, offers a warm atmosphere where locals and tourists alike can enjoy a hearty meal or a pint.

Perched at the head of South Pool creek, which extends all the way to Salcombe Estuary, the village is a hub for outdoor activities such as sailing, kayaking and fishing.

Its picturesque surroundings of rolling hills and lush fields also make it a paradise for walkers and nature enthusiasts.

South Pool’s prime position makes it an ideal base for exploring other attractions in the South Devon region.

Nearby towns like Salcombe, Kingsbridge, and Dartmouth offer a range of shops, eateries, and cultural experiences that are a hit with holidaymakers.

Whether you’re after a peaceful retreat, outdoor adventures, or a slice of traditional English village life, South Pool has something to suit everyone.

It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK and has become a hotspot for tourists in recent years – but locals say the town is now unbearable.

Whitby, the charming seaside town on the North Yorkshire coast, has become one of the UK’s top tourist hotspots in recent years.

With its breathtaking views and links to literary greats like Bram Stoker’s Dracula, it’s no surprise that tourists are drawn to its quaint cobbled streets.

However, this boom in tourism is putting the very essence of the community at risk. A study by HeyDiscount placed Whitby among the UK’s most congested tourist locations.

In a town with a mere 12,500 inhabitants, there are now over 1,800 holiday rentals, a staggering figure that underscores the profound effect tourism has had on housing availability and affordability, reports the Express.

“You can’t walk down the street without bumping into someone with a camera or a bag of fish and chips,” says Alan Cuthbert, a lifelong Whitby resident and fisherman. “For us locals, it’s a nightmare. Traffic’s worse, parking’s a joke, and the peace we used to have is long gone.”

The influx of tourists and second-home buyers has pushed property prices to such an extent that many locals can no longer afford to live in their own town.

According to Rightmove data, the average property price in Whitby now stands at £266,917, significantly above the regional average. This surge has left many residents in a precarious situation.

Mr Cuthbert observed: “Houses that used to be for families like mine are now being snatched up as holiday lets or second homes. Prices have gone through the roof. I’ve got friends who’ve had to move out of Whitby altogether because they can’t afford to live here anymore.”

The effect of second homes isn’t merely about housing; it’s about community.

Former Mayor Linda Wild told MailOnline: “Where I live, 90 percent of the neighbouring houses are holiday lets or second homes. Every Friday night, I can hear the rattle of suitcase wheels on the pavement.”

This has transformed Whitby into a town where most properties remain vacant for large portions of the year, threatening its character as a tight-knit community.

Despite these difficulties, tourism undoubtedly delivers advantages to local enterprises.

Sarah Bennett, a café proprietor in the town centre, admits that tourism has proved vital for her venture. She said: “My café gets more visitors, which helps keep the business going year-round, not just in the summer.”

Nevertheless, she also acknowledges the drawbacks, especially the burden on local services. She added: “Tourism has definitely put pressure on local amenities. It can be harder to get a doctor’s appointment or find a spot in local schools. The challenge is making sure that the benefits of this investment reach everyone, not just the tourists.”

This split in viewpoints underscores a wider problem in Whitby and comparable tourist destinations. Whilst some locals profit from the tourist boom, others are left dealing with the fallout.

Neil Swannick, a Labour councillor for Whitby Streonshalh ward, sums up this split, saying last year: “there are certainly people that have done well out of tourism in Whitby, but that benefit hasn’t been evenly spread across the residents of the town.”

Tackling the mounting crisis, Whitby locals voted in 2022 to ensure all new-build properties in the town become full-time primary residences, a strategy designed to halt the surge of second homes.

Whilst this ballot was mainly symbolic, it highlights the rising frustration amongst residents.

There’s also a wider campaign for more eco-friendly tourism approaches and affordable housing schemes to guarantee the town stays habitable for its inhabitants. North Yorkshire Council chose to double the council tax for second home proprietors in the area.

Discussing the need to find a balance, Ms Bennett said: “We should welcome tourists, but not at the expense of those who live here. Finding that balance is key to Whitby’s future.”

DARREN TILL goes head-to-head with ex-UFC champion Luke Rockhold in a colossal fight for the MFB Bridgerweight title THIS WEEKEND.

Manchester’s AO Arena hosts the high-stakes bout with professional MMA fighter Till taking on former UFC Middleweight champion Rockhold.

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Till boasted a UFC record of 18-5-1 and has since transferred his skill to the Misfits ring.

The Liverpool born fighter, 32, has won his first two fights since making his Misfits boxing debut, convincingly defeating Anthony Taylor by TKO and Darren Stewart by unaminous decision.

“The Gorilla” will be eager to continue his form with a win over Rockhold and is favourite for the bout.

American retired MMA star Rockhold makes his much anticipated boxing debut on August 30.

The 40-year-old star is most remembered for becoming the seventh UFC Middleweight champion in UFC history just over a decade ago.

It will be a tough challenge for Rockhold as he makes the transition into boxing, but he will be hoping for a strong underdog victory against the in-form Till.

When is Till vs Rockhold?

• Till vs Rockhold will take place on Saturday, August 30.
• Streaming for the event begins at 7pm BST.
• The ring-walks for the main event will be approximately at 10pm BST.
• The bout will take place in Manchester at the AO Arena.

What TV channel is Till vs Rockhold on and can it be live streamed?

• Till vs Rockhold will be broadcast live on DAZN.
• The whole fight card will stream live on DAZN in over 200 countries across the globe via a DAZN subscription.
• If you are not currently a DAZN member, then monthly and annual subscription options are available to watch over 185 fights a year across boxing, bare knuckle boxing, MMA and kickboxing.
• An Annual Super Saver subscription is a one-off payment of £119.99 / $224.99 for 12-months access (£14.99 / $19.99 per month if paying in monthly instalments).
• A Monthly Flexible pass, which can be cancelled at any time, is £24.99 / $29.99 per month.
• Alternatively, SunSport’s live blog will bring you round-by-round updates from the huge card.

Who else is on the card?

Here are all the bouts taking place in Manchester:

Subject to change

• Darren Till vs Luke Rockhold; Bridgerweight
• Tony Ferguson vs Salt Papi; Middleweight
• Dillon Danis vs Warren Spencer; Light heavyweight
• Joey Essex vs Numeiro; Middleweight
• Ty Mitchell vs Sean Hemphill; Super middleweight

The census people will tell you that Ojai’s population is something like 7,563, but don’t be fooled. This is a small town that contains multitudes.

That is, this little, liberal enclave beneath the Topatopa Mountains cherishes creativity, yet often resists change. It celebrates freedom, yet relies on regulation. Though its prosperity is driven by visitors from Los Angeles (just an hour and a half away), its leaders get nervous about anything that might lure more of them.

Somehow, this mix keeps producing new and intriguing things — including enough recent developments to fill a lively weekend. They include a new hotel (Hotel El Roblar, which is really a dramatically retooled old hotel); new restaurants; a spiffy new movie theater with cocktails and organic popcorn; a mezcal bar and listening room; and increased odds of encountering a rare tortoise (at the Turtle Conservancy outside town).

Also, in the days since my visit, the new chefs in charge of the Ranch House, where Alan and Helen Wheeler pioneered California cuisine in the 1950s and ‘60s, have opened their doors. Perfecte and Alia Rocher offer prix-fixe dinners in a 15,000-square-foot garden. The restaurant’s new name: The Rochers at the Ranch House.)

In addition, actor Jon Bernthal leads a team that has upgraded the Ojai school district’s Chaparral Auditorium, a 115-seat black box venue on Ojai Avenue that housed a stage production, “Ironbound,” in May and is to be used by Nordhoff High School. If Bernthal and team have their way, an Ojai Theater Festival will become an annual event, joining a local cultural schedule that includes the Ojai Music Festival, Ojai Playwrights Conference and the Ojai Pops Concert Series.

The options will easily fill a couple of days. But if you stay twice as long and do everything half as quickly — that’s closer to the Ojai way. Now, on to these seven new (and renewed) possibilities.

TAMZIN Outhwaite appeared to extend an olive branch to ex-husband Tom Ellis a decade after their split.

The former couple’s seven-year marriage ended in 2014 after Tom allegedly confessed to cheating with American actress Emilie de Ravin in 2013.

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Over the years, actress Tamzin, 54, has taken aim at her actor ex, who is best known for roles in Miranda and Lucifer, for “walking out” on her and their two children.

However, she appears at peace with their difficult history now, re-sharing pictures Tom, 46, uploaded to Instagram from the premiere of Netflix‘s The Thursday Night Murder Club.

They featured a suited Tom linking arms with daughter Marnie, 12, who stood beside brother Flo, 17.

Tamzin added: “My heart is bursting #suchaproudmama [love heart emoji].”

The positive post was very different in tone from a tweet she posted in 2023.

It read: “Ten years since the father of my kids walked out on us for the final time. I still meet new people on jobs who reveal more infidelities and lies he committed. 

“But thankfully my heart and soul are clear and clean and I could not be happier right now.”

After removing the post, the former EastEnders star explained: “Thank you all for your messages re my now deleted tweet.I was marking the 10 year anniversary with pride,a feeling of triumph & genuine gratitude.

“I understand it has triggered some people. For anyone struggling, the most important relationship you will ever have is with yourself.”

Last year Tamzin split from boyfriend of six years Tom Child. That relationship ended on much more civil terms, and she still refers to him as her “best friend”.

She credited him with being supportive throughout her eldest child’s transition to identifying as a boy.

Tamzin said: “[He] has been around for the whole of like Flo’s transitioning period, for the whole of Marnie becoming a girl that was discovering all sorts of stuff and boys, and so he is still a member of the family. We’ve been not together for over a year. 

“The kids often say to him ‘When you meet someone, or even if you have, how are you going to explain this situation to your girlfriends?'”

She’s in no rush to find a new man and hasn’t found dating apps to be fruitful.

Tamzin told The Sun last month: “I’m single, I’ve tried the dating apps. I’m on one now but I keep forgetting to check it.

“I just can’t imagine actually going on the date and going back to the small talk. It will happen one day but I’m certainly not waiting for it.

“I’ve been single for over a year now and I’m loving it too much.

“I owe it to myself to be single, because I haven’t been single for this long, ever. I have always been in relationships. I actually like being on my own, it’s really nice.”

Tamzin became a household name in 1998 when she joined the cast of the BBC’s EastEnders as Mel Owen, and went on to win several Sexiest Female awards as well as Best Actress.

She has also starred in army series Red Cap, crime drama New Tricks and played Rebecca Mitchell in drama Hotel Babylon.

Recently she played a recovering drug addict in ITV’s police series The Tower, and last year played sex-loving Sylvie in Channel 5’s six-part drama The Wives.

Tamzin says that after reading the script for The Wives, she overhauled her health and figure ready for the camera.

She said: “I lost weight before we started filming The Wives last February.

“I read that I was in a bikini a lot and a swimsuit. So, between Christmas and the New Year, I didn’t drink any alcohol and I exercised every day. I didn’t ever weigh myself, but I just knew I could fit into things that I didn’t used to.

“I went down a dress size. It took me six weeks. Now it’s just keeping it off.”

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When James Joyce first travelled from Dublin to Trieste in 1904, he went via Paris, Zurich and Ljubljana. Zurich, because he mistakenly believed a job to be awaiting him there, and Ljubljana because – groggy after the night train – he thought they’d pulled into Trieste. By the time he twigged, the train had departed and, without ready cash, Joyce and his partner Nora Barnacle had to spend a night on the tiles.

Preferring to travel by train, when I received the invite to be writer-in-residence at the James Joyce summer school in Trieste, I wondered if I might follow Joyce’s route. But repair work on Austria’s Tauern Tunnel prevented me from taking the exact route. Besides, today’s TGV tears through France at nearly 200mph, in comparison to the 25-60mph speeds at which Joyce would have navigated Switzerland and Austria. A night on the town in Milan is just as good for the muse.

Along the route from London to Trieste (and then by bus to Ljubljana), I considered the lineage of writers who traversed Europe in this way 100 years ago and how different their aesthetic, physical and emotional experiences must have been. And, importantly, what they would have seen. What we see from trains – and how we see it – reflects a century of profound social, economic and environmental transformation. Trains represent progress as much as they ever have, but – today – a different sort of progress.

My journey got off to an eventful start when the Eurostar announced delays due to cable theft near Lille. Around 600 metres of copper cable were stolen overnight from the high-speed line. A testament to the proficiency of France’s railway workers, we arrived roughly on time in Gare du Nord, Paris. A station where Joyce penned a letter to his brother, observing: “I hate the bustle but the station has its own strange poetry, the sound of footsteps, the distant whistle of the steam engines, and the sudden clanging of the signal bell.” For those sounds of steam whistling, coal shovelling, bells clanging, currencies exchanging and porters calling, today we have digital chimes, polylingual announcements, and beeping ticket barriers. Across the city, fake bird sounds chirp throughout Gare de Lyon, intending to induce calm, but instead making people search overhead for the poor trapped birds.

Instead of the illustrated posters of the belle epoque, emblazoning the walls of the metro from Gare du Nord today are climate change equations from Liam Gillick’s artwork The Logical Basis, commissioned for the COP21 climate conference held in Paris in 2015. Honouring the climate models of Nobel prize-winning physicist Syukuro Manabe, Gillick’s work has been criticised for not explaining the equations, and so keeping the simple, crucial facts of climate change at a remove from the general public.

It still seems to be the case that we don’t understand our own impact on the climate crisis. Electrified trains allow us to travel with a fraction of the carbon footprint of air travel. I still fly but try to find alternatives when I can. Less mental and moral gymnastics are required when travelling by land or sea – especially while temperatures break all records. So trains are simply more relaxing … except financially.

Virginia Woolf, who travelled solo from London to Turkey by train when she was 24, wrote that “a traveller, even though he is half asleep, knows, looking out of the train window, that he must look now, for he will never see that town, or that mule-cart, or that woman at work in the fields, again”. Never mind that woman, to see any person working in the fields from a train window these days is unlikely. Instead of vibrant country villages (and the explosion of cities taking place in the early 20th century), we have urban sprawl and suburbanisation that would have been unimaginable in Woolf’s time. Instead of the diverse cereal and crop production of a century ago, today’s fertilised pastures of animal agriculture and vast tracts of land used to grow animal feed dominate European landscapes. The consequences of that are everywhere, from the overall temperature (France is 1.9C warmer than it was in 1900) and weather pattern changes, to soil degradation, polluted air and waterways, and biodiversity loss. But to know how radically the landscape has changed in just a few decades is to know to what degree it can change again.

In the early 20th century, rail passengers would have witnessed the hydroelectric revolution, as water power in the Alps was being developed extensively. The construction of dams and reservoirs fundamentally altered alpine hydrology, creating the artificial lakes, dams, power lines and industrial infrastructure we’re used to today. One undoubtedly positive change in the past 100 years has been a significant effort towards reforestation. And while those forests are generally commercial – with about 80% classified as “forest available for wood supply” – natural forests and meadows are almost instantly possible with a shift towards a plant-rich diet, as just one example. And pastures might be replaced with solar or wind farms. Perhaps there’s something helpful in seeing where our energy comes from, so that we understand its impact. Writers took great courage in the hydroelectric revolution: it allowed them to reach the Alps by train. It represented progress, modernity and independence, as did the electric trains themselves.

For a period, rail became militarised, and trains were rerouted for troop movements and deportations, with civilians facing extreme delays, rationing and danger. Joyce fled his home in Trieste (then part of the Austro-Hungarian empire) during the first world war, as he was considered an enemy alien. At Feldkirch station in Austria, he narrowly escaped arrest. (His brother had already been separately arrested, in Trieste, and was detained until the end of the war.) He later told his biographer that “at Feldkirch station,” he “felt the fate of Ulysses was decided”. During the second world war, many writers and artists were among those who used Europe’s rail network to flee the Nazis.

When sniffer dogs boarded the TGV on the French-Italian border, and police demanded to see my passport and to know which bags were mine and the reason for my travel, I replied: “The James Joyce Summer School,” propping up my Books Upstairs tote bag and nodding at Ulysses on my tray table, which surely cast me as a bad spy. Before the first world war, passports and visas were rarely required within western Europe. After the war, this changed, and border stops were far longer and more frequent, to allow for paper checks.

But if Joyce carried a passport in 1904, it would have been a British one, with him being classified as a British subject. I was surprised to discover that Joyce repeatedly rejected the opportunity to obtain an Irish passport, post-independence. I knew from reading his work that he spurned narrow nationalism, embracing a cosmopolitan and diverse European modernism. But to reject an Irish passport was to limit his practical freedoms. Samuel Beckett’s Irish passport allowed him to stay in France and take part in resistance activities. Spending the vast majority of their lives on the continent, they both strongly identified as European. Europeanness is surely defined – even today – more by train travel than by anything else.

Despite Frantz Fanon brilliantly immortalising a racist incident on a train in France in his book Black Skin, White Masks, rail travel in Europe has been a sanctuary from racial prejudice for many, like Jamaican-American writer Claude McKay and poet Langston Hughes. Hughes wrote of the freedom from segregation and ostracisation on Soviet Union trains in particular: “No Jim Crow on the trains of the Soviet Union”. He travelled to south central Asia on the Moscow-Tashkent express, a journey which Russia’s war on Ukraine prevents today – largely cutting off the entire eastern world from Europeans who don’t fly.

Trains have been for many artists a mode of escape as well as a means of belonging. They are communal and sustainable, and they cannot but make us more considerate. Post-Covid, there is something consoling in the quiet companionship of trains. Well, not always quiet, but writers spend so long alone in caves (with our characters), it does us good to remember that real people exist, with all their tuna sandwiches and taking off of shoes.

Class segregation is less stark today than in the 20th century’s first-, second- and third-class carriages. Today’s first and second classes are largely differentiated by seat size, phone-charging facilities, and the occasional cufflink. In place of Edwardian plush velvet upholstery and decadent dining cars, today we enjoy scratchy, synthetic, easy-to-clean interiors, and minimalist dining cars full of Dutch teenagers. Writers – barring those with patrons or trust funds – can generally be found in the cheap seats.

The enlivening, philosophical aspects of train travel carry on into the 21st century: observing life and landscape; partaking in a sustainable infrastructure; witnessing the endless novelty, education and privilege that it affords; making one think, as Joyce put it, “of all the worlds moving simultaneously”. Air travel has undoubtedly facilitated untold progress, but progress is subjective and contextual. It always involves an untold or suppressed story. Slow travel allows us to think in the longer term. It could serve us well to better see where we have come from and where we are going.

Caoilinn Hughes’s latest novel is The Alternatives, published by Oneworld (£9.99). To support the Guardian and Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply

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.

Elbi Henshaw, 23, decided to move from London to Dubai after visiting the UAE city for a holiday and falling in love with the lifestyle

A Brit who was fed up with the “miserable” and “sedentary” life in the UK decided to move to Dubai, despite having to work six days a week to afford the “luxurious” lifestyle where a glass of wine costs a minimum of £20. Elbi Henshaw, 23, relocated to Dubai in January after holidaying there and realising how “miserable” life is in the UK.

Having previously worked in Saudi Arabia, she decided to give the famously opulent city in the UAE a go, seeking a change in lifestyle. The personal trainer, originally from Barnet, North London, moved to Dubai with financial assistance from her parents and secured full-time employment at a gym.

Eight months later, she’s settled and thriving in the city, which is a magnet for British influencers due to its beautiful weather, stunning views and luxury nightlife. However, she admits to missing UK pubs and pub culture.

Elbi revealed that it’s not all fun and games as everything is so pricey – with yoghurt costing £12 and coffee starting from £7 – that it becomes a “dog-eat-dog” lifestyle with people working six-day weeks and taking on extra work to make ends meet. Elbi is now fond of her location, but confesses she “didn’t like it at first” because it can feel “lonely” trying to establish a circle of friends in such a high-pressure environment.

Elbi stated: “In the UK, I was so depressed and miserable and everyone is so sedentary – I wanted a more active lifestyle. Out here, everyone is happier and active and they all want to be the best versions of themselves.

“I work full time, but it’s hard not to just spend all your money – you’d need about £5,000 a month here to live comfortably. But you can pick up extra work quite quickly – at the moment I work six days, but I’ll probably end up working seven.

“Paying no tax is a perk, but the cost of living out here is so expensive that it ends up the same as in the UK. But here, you get the sun and a much better lifestyle – although I miss the pubs.”

Elbi relocated to Dubai in January – initially residing in a studio flat before moving into shared accommodation with two other young women. After joining a local running club, she struck up a conversation with someone who put her in touch with a gym manager and landed her first Dubai role as a personal trainer.

She was instantly struck by the sheer amount of activities and attractions the city had to offer – from fine dining at upmarket restaurants to browsing the renowned Dubai Mall. Since she was relocating solo, Elbi admitted the initial months proved challenging whilst getting established and sorting out the necessary paperwork and banking arrangements. She quickly recognised the “fast-paced and non-stop lifestyle”, with residents frequently clocking up lengthy working weeks to fund life in the glamorous destination beloved by A-listers.

Elbi explained: “The rent is more expensive than the UK and you have to pay big deposits on things like apartments and cars. Clothing is more expensive too – and coffee is like £7 minimum, sometimes as much as £10 a cup.

“I’d say the average salary for a normal person here is like £3,000 a month, but you want more like £5,000 to live comfortably if you want to go out for meals and buy new clothes. I try to work, work, work so that I can enjoy Dubai – there are lots of group chats and apps for companies to advertise weekend work.”

However, she revealed it doesn’t amount to significantly more than life in Britain – where you’re liable for taxes – apart from Dubai’s breathtaking scenery and climate. Eight months on, she’s absolutely adoring her existence there, grafting as a personal trainer at an upmarket gymnasium frequented by “high-end clients”. She’s built friendships and has no immediate intentions of returning home.

She explained: “You have to put your ego aside and put yourself out there – I messaged other women out of the blue, inviting them for coffee.”

Elbi expressed her admiration for Dubai’s pristine conditions – as “everywhere is spotless” and “it makes you realise how dirty the UK is”. During her downtime, Elbi enjoys strolling through the air-conditioned shopping centres and visiting Dubai’s incredibly lavish cinemas.

She fills her leisure hours at the swimming pool – exclusive beach clubs like Summersalt, adored by celebrities including Molly-Mae Hague and Kady McDermott, plus Twiggy club, favoured by Paris Hilton.

Nevertheless, she acknowledged Dubai can be challenging as there’s reduced “sense of community” for young people, making romance difficult without relying on dating applications.

She said: “It’s so hard to meet guys, because there are no authentic meet-ups. People don’t stand in the streets around pubs – you have to schedule it in.

“And it’s hard to date as everyone is so busy 24/7 that you never find the time. I do miss the sense of community and pubs in the UK.

“I love it, but I can’t really imagine meeting someone out here and it becoming serious. People come out here who already have a partner or family, and the ones who are single are never looking for anything serious. I could see myself building a life here, but if I get to 27 and I’m not in a relationship, I’ll move back to the UK as I want to start a family.”

Costs in Dubai

Cappuccino 34dh – £6.86

Mince meat 25dh – £5

Strawberries 30/40dh – £6-£8

Fage yoghurt 1L 60dh – £12

Cheapest thing in Zara 130/150dh – £26/30

Glass of wine when out minimum 99dh – £20

Traditional towels can take ages to dry so even in the sunniest of spots they might not be ready in time for the next trip to the beach or pool, but one brand has a solution.

There’s nothing more frustrating than a soggy beach towel on your jollies. Traditional towels can take an age to dry, meaning even in the sunniest of spots, they might not be ready for your next trip to the lido or beach.

However, there is a solution as bargain hunters can snap up towels from the Dock and Bay Summer Sale, running from August 21-28 and offering up to 50% off its popular towels and accessories. Dock and Bay beach towels are crafted from 100% recycled plastic bottles and feature a fabric that is said to dry three times faster than cotton.

Sand is also able to shake right off due to the loopless weave, while the lightweight design makes them a doddle to carry. Each towel comes with a matching pouch so customers can pack it up neatly for trips to the beach, lido or lake.

Available in a variety of vibrant patterns, these towels are designed to stay fresh and absorbent even after being washed. Among the options on sale are the Quick Dry Towels – Sand to Sea, which is down from £28 to £19.59 and comes in a range of colours such as Tangerines and Greens, Cancun Green, Phi Phi Pink and a set of six Rainbow Shores with funky designs.

Touted as being perfect for travellers and explorers, they are also available in sizes large or extra large, with children’s beach towels also available which are foldable, lightweight and compact. These come in various colours including the Turtley Tropical (£18), Build-A-Beach (£18) or a simple Goa Grey (£20), reports the Daily Record.

Dock & Bay Summer Sale

Various

Dock & Bay

Buy Now on Dock & Bay

Shop the Dock & Bay Summer Sale from August 21-28.

If towels aren’t what customers are after, there are also beach pillows, ponchos, coolers (£55) and beach bags on offer through their website. For alternatives, smart shoppers could consider the Catherine Lansfield Two Pack Beach Towel (£16) from Argos, which showcases pink and orange hues with horizontal stripes and is machine washable and tumble dryer safe.

Another option is the Printed Microfibre Towel (£12.99) from Mountain Warehouse which is lightweight and said to dry up to four times quicker than a standard towel with extra absorption. But the Dock and Bay towels have received excellent reviews and achieved a 4.9-star rating from customers.

One happy shopper said: “Massive, lightweight, vibrant colours, super soft, very impressed.” Another said: “Absolutely love my Dock and Bay towel. Looks fab and it dried me super quick, so good I have just purchased the head towel.”

Not everyone was satisfied though, as one reviewer said: “Towel arrived in good time but sadly was sent back the same day.” While another satisfied customer said: “Bought for myself, love the stripes. Super quick drying and packs away very small in a nice pouch. 10 out of 10.”

The Dock and Bay Summer Sale is live now until August 28.

Ryanair’s optional seat reservation fees can quickly add up – but a former cabin crew member has shared a clever tip that could help you sit together without paying

Flying with a budget airline such as Ryanair can sometimes feel like rolling the dice.

While flight prices are often low, the extra fees for things like luggage, priority boarding and choosing your seat can quickly add up – especially if you’re travelling in a group and want to sit together.

Many travellers assume they’ve got no choice but to shell out for seat selection, but a former flight attendant has shared a clever trick that could help your party sit together without paying the fee. Jane Hawkes, a travel guru and ex-cabin crew member, explained that while this approach isn’t suitable for everyone, it can be highly effective for mates, couples or grown-up travellers.

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She explained: “Obviously if you’re travelling with children you might not want to do this. Because if you’re travelling as a family, you’ll probably want your children with you to keep an eye on them. But if you’re travelling with friends or a partner, then never pay to book a seat together.”

Instead, the travel guru recommends holding off until you board and then having a word with the flight attendants or other travellers, reports Galway Beo.

She continued: “Just wait to get onboard and then say ‘we’re travelling together and we didn’t realise we’d be separated’. You could just ask other passengers around you, who can be very accommodating. It’s worth asking but there’s not much point asking before you get onboard.”

Jane also noticed that passengers are generally more eager to help if it means they can escape an unwanted middle seat.

Ryanair offers a range of seating options, with prices varying depending on the location of the seat, the route, travel dates, and whether the seat is reserved at the time of booking or at the airport.

The cheapest option is the standard seats, which cost between €4.50 and €21.50 per flight. Extra legroom seats, usually located in the first two rows, are the most expensive, with prices ranging from €12 to €38 per flight.

Additional extra legroom seats situated further back in the cabin cost between €8 and €26 per flight. Front seats, covering rows 2 to 5, are slightly cheaper than extra legroom, costing between €7.50 to €24.50 per flight.

Families travelling with children under 12 – excluding infants – must also comply with Ryanair’s mandatory family seating policy. At least one adult must purchase a reserved seat and sit next to their children, however the airline allows up to four children free reserved seats in rows 18 and 33. Charges for compulsory family seats range from €4.50 to €13.50 per flight.

CARLOS ALCARAZ has unveiled a radical new look for the US Open – he has shaved off all his HAIR.

The five-time Grand Slam champion rocked up at Flushing Meadows on day two.

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And fans were left shocked when they spotted him on the practice courts.

The Spaniard, 22, normally has thick, black hair and certainly did when he played in the Mixed Doubles Championship.

That was last Tuesday with Emma Raducanu on the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Yet ahead of his first-round encounter with lanky American Reilly Opelka on Tuesday evening, he turned up with a fresh skinhead.

It was a surprising look that was captured by US Open cameras and footage was posted on their Instagram channel.

The former US Open champion wore a white Nike Total 90 Dri-FIT soccer jersey, which was a sleeveless top.

It is perhaps a wise choice given the heat and humidity of playing in the Big Apple at this time of the year.

Nonetheless, the decision to chop off his locks was a recent one.

That was given that a video was posted on Monday of him attending St Patrick’s cathedral off Fifth Avenue.

The world-renowned tennis player was given a blessing from a Catholic priest – and in the footage, he has a full head of hair.

Alcaraz is one of the biggest sportsmen on the planet and will be hoping for a deep run at the last Slam of the year.

In their last four tournaments together, Alcaraz and world No.1 Jannik Sinner have met in the final.

They battled it out in Rome, Paris, Wimbledon and Cincinnati.

Assuming he has not lost his magical powers like biblical hero Samson did following a hair cut, then there is a great chance Alcaraz and Sinner could meet again in the final on Sunday September 7.

How to watch the 2025 US Open

THE tennis world has descended upon New York City for the fourth and final slam of the year.

The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows will have the eyes of the sporting universe upon it.

The 2025 US Open takes place from Sunday 24 August to Sunday 7 September.

And there is a standalone mixed-double competition as well as qualifying taking place in the week beforehand.

ESPN is showing every moment live for fans in the United States, and you can sign up below.

*If you click on a link in this boxout we will earn affiliate revenue

• ESPN: $11.99/mo – subscribe here

Fans flocked to social media after his new look was revealed.

And they compared him to English soccer legend’s look back in the early 2000s.

“He looks like early 2000s David Beckham,” said one.

Another said: “Thats not him no way.”

A third added: “Who is this person?”

A fourth commented: “Jesus Christ, Carlos knows how to shock his fans on and off the court.”

And one said: “That’s not Carlos!”

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Asked about Carlos Alcaraz’s new haircut, Frances Tiafoe said: “Yeah, it’s horrible. It’s terrible.

“He’s my guy though. It’s funny. I looked at him and I was like: ‘I guess you’re aerodynamic.’

“Juan Carlos ‘Mosquito’ was laughing. He was like: ‘Yeah, he’s faster than he already was.’ I was like: ‘Well, that’s a problem.’

“I don’t know who told him that it’s good. I don’t know who told him to do that, but it’s terrible.

“From a guy who gets haircuts week-in, week-out, and prides myself on good haircuts, it’s horrendous.

“At the end of the day, it’s Carlos, and that’s my guy. But yeah, he needs to get with me. He needs to get with me for sure.”

A MUM received a £3,500 payout after “disgusting” police officers were caught throwing her lingerie around and laughing at her sex toys while raiding her home.

Nichola Corr, 51, claimed the cops were like “children in a playground” as they searched her house as part of a drugs investigation into a family member.

Bodycam footage captured them discovering her £1,000 collection of erotic gadgets and chucking her racy G-string knickers at each other on her bed.

Nichola said: “The male officer that threw the underwear was looking through my whole toy box, laughing, joking, going: ‘Oh, look at this. Jesus Christ, look at this!’

“They were taking the absolute piss! It was like they were children in a playground the way they were acting. It was disgusting.”

She complained after no arrests, charges or prosecutions were brought by Suffolk Police following the raid of her home in Essex in October 2023.

Its Professional Standards Department found the officers’ behaviour was “unacceptable and unprofessional” but formal disciplinary action wasn’t required.

Nichola, who is now getting a divorce from her husband, added: “I don’t trust the police anymore.

“I always used to say if you ever need the police, they’ll be there for you. But no, not in this day and age. They’re using their power over people.”

Suffolk Police claimed the cops were all “very young in terms of service” and their behaviour was “considered to be more due to immaturity than spite”.

One officer had already left the force when the complaint was received but the remaining two were required to apologise and undertake ‘Reflective Practice’.

Last week, Hertfordshire Police cop Marcin Zielinski, 27, was jailed for four months after nicking a woman’s underwear while searching her home.

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DOG chew toys of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are flying off shop shelves.

The plush likenesses of the Sussexes, being sold near Windsor Castle, promise “hours of fun for you and your pooch”.

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One customer said: “Apparently the Harry and Meghan ones are proving extremely popular, which says a lot about how they’re regarded in Windsor.

“I think that shows how far they’ve gone from heroes on their wedding day to zeroes.”

The toys, which are “100 unofficial and unendorsed parody pet toys”, have two squeakers in their heads and stomachs.

They are stocked by A Dogs Life Co in the town’s Royal Station shopping centre, and cost £17.99 each.

They are made by Pet Hate Toys and available in small and regular sizes — with squeakers in the head and belly.

It says the Meghan figure is the “picture of elegance” in a shirt, tailored trousers and watch.

Harry is described as having a realistic “bald spot and stern face”.

The blurb continues: “Harry looks so dapper in his fav- furr-ite blue suit, with dog design tie and trademark bangle.”

The shop in Windsor, Berks, also stocks “pawlitical parody” toys of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Sir Keir Starmer, Nigel Farage and Elon Musk.

The customer added: “I think they’re hilarious.”

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AT LEAST 20 people were reportedly killed yesterday in an Israeli air strike on a Gaza hospital.

Five of the dead were reportedly working as journalists for international news agencies.

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They included Mariam Dagga, 33, who was a freelancer working for Associated Press.

Reuters said cameraman Hussam al-Masri was also killed alongside Moaz Abu Taha, who had worked “occasionally” for the news agency.

Witnesses said they were killed in two separate strikes on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said: “I would like to be clear from the start – the IDF does not intentionally target civilians.

“The Chief of the General Staff has instructed that an inquiry be conducted immediately to understand the circumstances of what happened and how it happened.

“We regret any harm to uninvolved individuals and are committed to continue fighting Hamas, while taking all the necessary precautions.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “Civilians, healthcare workers and journalists must be protected.

“We need an immediate ceasefire.”

Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel “deeply regrets” the “tragic mishap” that took place at Nasser hospital and that the military were conducting a thorough investigation into what happened.

The Israeli PM said: “Israel deeply regrets the tragic mishap that occurred today at the Nasser Hospital in Gaza.

“Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff, and all civilians. The military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation.

“Our war is with Hamas terrorists. Our just goals are defeating Hamas and bringing our hostages home.”

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SIR Keir Starmer is under huge pressure to take a tougher line on immigration — as even his own MPs reckon his asylum shake-up is not enough.

The Prime Minister has been warned he will lose the next election unless the Government gets a grip on the Channel crisis — with one backbencher calling for a “national emergency” to shut down most asylum claims.

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It came as Nigel Farage cranked things up with a blueprint that pledges a mass deportation blitz within 30 days of arrival at No10.

Last week, Home Office figures revealed that a record number of people have claimed asylum in the UK since Labour came to power.

Just over 111,000 made claims in the year to June — with 32,000 migrants currently living in taxpayer-funded hotels.

Even yesterday, migrants continued to board dinghies off the coast of France to attempt the dangerous Channel crossing.

Reform UK leader Mr Farage is today due to unveil plans to arrest all illegal arrivals on entry, detain them on disused military bases and deport them within a month.

Under the blueprint, the UK would leave the European Convention on Human Rights and scrap the Human Rights Act, replacing it with a new British Bill of Rights.

The hardline stance will be pitched directly against the package unveiled by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper at the weekend.

Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice said: “The Reform plan will defeat the lawyers using human rights laws to stop deportations.

“Labour’s plans will still allow the lawyers to use the ECHR and human rights to stop removals.”

Ms Cooper promised to scrap the tribunal system and replace it with panels of “professionally trained adjudicators” to fast-track appeals and reduce the backlog of 51,000 cases, which each take an average of more than a year.

She insisted the “broken” process was leaving thousands of people in the system for years on end and vowed to substantially reduce the numbers in asylum hotels.

It comes after the High Court granted a temporary injunction that will force the Home Office to relocate around 138 male asylum seekers from a hotel in Epping, Essex, in a matter of days.

Labour backbencher Jonathan Brash told The Sun yesterday: “The British people expect our borders to be secure and they are rightly angry at the situation on our south coast.

“If the Government’s current measures don’t end the boat crossings, then we must go further and faster, including declaring a national emergency if necessary and closing our country to all asylum claims except for unaccompanied children.

“The message must be crystal clear — if you cross the Channel illegally, you will be detained and returned immediately. No loopholes, no delays, no excuses.”

Veteran Labour MP Graham Stringer echoed his comments, saying: “We need to persuade people who are coming here in the belief they will be allowed to stay and get priority in terms of housing and healthcare, that this won’t be the case.

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“And if that means withdrawing from international treaties, then so be it.” He also warned: “It will be very difficult to win the next election if we don’t solve the problem of illegal immigrants being given the right to stay.

We need to make it far more difficult for asylum seekers to want to come to this country

Jo White, leader of Labour’s Red Wall Caucus

“We need a more fundamental look at how to tackle illegal migration than the Government is currently pursuing.”

Jo White, leader of Labour’s Red Wall Caucus, also urged tougher action, saying: “I want Yvette Cooper to look at every possible solution — and there are many more than just looking at how fast the appeal system is working.

“We need to make it far more difficult for asylum seekers to want to come to this country.”

She went on: “I firmly believe that if we don’t sort it, then Labour are under threat at the next election.

“So I want this Government to look at every solution possible. And I’m very, very keen that Britain does take a look at what (Denmark) is doing.”

Denmark has pursued some of the toughest asylum policies in Europe, including plans to process claims in third countries, tighter rules on residency and benefits, and measures aimed at discouraging new arrivals.

The British Pullman Belmond Train journey, which departs from London Victoria, allows guests to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a day and be transported back to the 1920s through its art deco carriages

One American traveller has given her verdict of a luxury steam train trip to Bath, however there was one thing about the experience that had her online following stunned – the price of it.

Influencer Eryn Krouse took a trip on a British steam train adventure via the Belmond British Pullman service. The luxury vintage train carries passengers all over the country, including on a special day trip to ‘Historic Bath’. However, her fans have been left slack-jawed at the cost of a trip aboard the historic train.

The British Pullman is so fancy, it requires its own dress code that passengers must adhere to while enjoying four-course meals and bottomless brunches.

The train doesn’t just carry travellers to their destination, but whisks them back through the decades. This magnificent train provides sumptuous journeys throughout the nation, including visits to grand historical properties like Highclere Castle and Burghley House.

Excursions depart from London Victoria and sweep guests through Britain’s glorious countryside, showcasing varied terrain and breathtaking panoramas.

The compartments are absolutely remarkable, with travellers relishing every element, especially the Cygnus, designed by filmmaker Wes Anderson. Food lovers are treated to a feast as every train package features mouth-watering cuisine, from a five-course meal accompanied by champagne to delicate pastries and fragrant teas.

Passengers must follow a rigorous dress code, and can participate in various special activities on the train including a Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea or a Murder Mystery Lunch. The service also ventures to the West Country on a distinctive ‘Historic Bath’ expedition, which is where one social media star travelled on the 1920s-style locomotive.

Content creator Eryn Krouse, originally from Southern California, filmed her journey on the British Pullman during a day trip to Bath. The social media personality revealed the excursion had “been on my bucket list for a while”.

Eryn and her friend were treated to a “beautifully set up” table and a brunch that kicked off with a Bellini, which she said was “kept full” by the attentive staff. The journey to Bath offered stunning views of “lots of lush, green countryside with beautiful flowers, quaint farmhouses and tons of cows and sheep”.

After savouring a “yummy” main course of smoked Scottish salmon with caviar, an English muffin and a poached egg, she took time to explore the cabin cars – including the one designed by Wes Anderson. Eryn noted that “even the bathroom is stunning” before she and her friend ventured out to explore Bath.

They had around two-and-a-half hours to wander around the city, visiting the Roman Bath Museum and Jane Austen Museum before returning to London. Once back on the train, she found her table prepared for an early dinner service featuring a lavish four-course meal.

She shared: “Our four-course meal started off with yet another champagne toast and a bottle of rose. This fried haddock ball was probably the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.

“The bread was warm and fresh and I definitely helped myself to seconds. The main course was this lamb, beautifully presented. I’m not the biggest fan of lamb, but I enjoyed it anyway.

“Then a cheese selection followed by a rhubarb pie was served and we got back to London full and very sleepy. It was an incredible experience and worth every penny.”

However, social media users were left gobsmacked by the hefty price tag of £620 per passenger. One user gasped: “Gosh that’s super expensive!”

Not all trips come with such a steep price, with a solo table starting at £560 for a trip to Bath in April 2026.

The thrilling murder mystery lunch begins at £485, while some journeys can rocket up to a staggering £1,280 per passenger for a private compartment for two.

A WOMAN has been raped in a horrific late-night attack close to a popular park.

Police launched an investigation after receiving a report that a woman had been sexually assaulted late last night in the Burnham Park area of Slough, Berkshire.

Thames Valley Police said the victim was attacked at some time between between 11.45pm yesterday and 12.30am today.

She is being supported by specially trained officers, cops confirmed.

Superintendent Clare Knibbs said the force was now hunting for the attacker as it “carries out a thorough investigation“.

She said no arrests have been made at this time but that officers were “following a number of enquiries”.

Supt Knibbs added that the force was working with the victim to gather further information.

She said: “We would ask anyone who was in the park or anyone who has further information to please come forward and call 101 quoting reference 43250434481.

“Additional reassurance patrols will be conducted in the Burnham Park area.”

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

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In July and August, many parts of southern Europe and the Med are too hot and too crowded for comfort. But as summer turns to autumn it’s not just the temperature that drops – prices are lower too, and visitors get to experience a gentler, more relaxed side to places as the season starts to wind down. We’d love to hear about your favourite late-season sunshine escapes.

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

Keep your tip to about 100 words

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words we will be judging for the competition.

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The competition closes on Monday 1 September at 10am BST

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A SEASIDE town made famous by former world heavy-weight boxing champ Tyson Fury is on the ropes.

Gritty ITV cop drama ‘The Bay’ attracts five million viewers, but has done nothing to restore Morecambe’s fortunes as a tourist and holidaying hotspot.

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Dilapidated buildings, boarded up shops, closed hotels, and vandalised shopping arcades blight the Lancashire seaside resort.

And homeless down-and-outs, swigging cans during the day, plague the streets.

Morecambe FC has been besieged with talks of going under after 105 years, with the beleaguered club enduring a chaotic summer since being relegated from League Two, with staff and players not even paid.

Some football club workers have been offered food parcels. As it stands, the National League club is on the brink of extinction, though takeover talks continue.

Eden Project Morecambe – a sister to the popular Eden bio-spheres in Cornwall – is hoped to breath new life into the area and bring tourists flocking back to the resort. But that is at least three years away.

Brother and sister Liam, 14, and Lola, nine, were visiting Morecambe from their native Canada and were drawn to the vandalised and graffitied former shopping arcade, which is fenced off to the public due to a rusted and collapsing roof.

They were accompanied by their aunt and nan Kay Robinson, 73, who remembers the good old days of the seaside resort.

It used to boast such attractions as the Super Swimming Stadium lido, the pleasure park Frontierland and sea life centre Marineland.

“It’s gone down hill since the 1970s,” said Kay.

“There used to be fairgrounds, illuminations, an amazing swimming pool, there used to be everything. We liked coming here better than Blackpool.

“Even the outdoor market has gone now. Everything has gone or is going now.

“You can’t go round the pubs like you used to, it used to be a great night out around Morecambe, but not now.”

Visitors love taking selfies beside the statue of the late comedian Eric Morecambe, which was unveiled on the promenade by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999.

Holidaymakers Paul and Alison Johnson, from Glossop, posed with grandson Ralphie, eight, as they enjoyed the summer sunshine.

Paul, 59, who has visited Morecambe over the years, said: “It seems to be getting cleaner, now this sea front has been done up.

“We have a caravan near here.”

Alison, 51 said: “It’s lovely in the sunshine.”

But directly opposite the iconic bronze tourist attraction stands reminders of the resort’s decline.

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Standing side-by-side, Eric’s Cafe and the Tivoli Bar, are closed down at what should be the height of the summer season.

And the town centre, just a streets from the prom, is lined with abandoned shops, closed down pubs and eateries and empty banks.

A homeless rough sleeper was slouched by the entrance to the tired Arndale Centre, which stands beside a boarded-up pawnbrokers and opposite empty shops and the shell of the former Santander bank.

In a shaded doorway down a run-down street a couple of scruff-looking men, one sitting beside his crutches, were swigging from cans of super-strength Oranjeboom beers, as parents and kids walked past.

Back on the sunny promenade where the popular outdoor swimming pool, which used to be home of the Miss Great Britain beauty contest between 1956 and 1989, John and Lynda Ritchie were taking a stroll.

“This is where they are going to build the Eden centre, if it ever gets off the ground,” said John, 80, visiting with wife Lynda, 80, from Kendal.

“It can’t come soon enough. It’ll hopefully save the town.”

“We used to bring our lads here to swim in the pool, but it is such a shame what it is like now,” said Lynda.

“Hopefully things will change when the Eden Project comes, but I wish they’d hurry up, I’d like to see it.

“The place has very much gone down hill, as many seaside towns have since people started to go abroad.”

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First-time visitors David and Lynn Buswell, from Leicestershire, were walking their Staffie Tyson – aptly named as Morecambe is the home town of former world heavyweight champ Tyson Fury – along the prom after parking up their motorhome.

“Never been here before. I’m here because my mum and dad had a photo taken with the Eric Morecambe statue and we want to recreate it,” said David, 64, a music producer.

“It looks like an average, typical English seaside town, nothing special. Okay for the kids, but not us.

“We will be parking up the motorhome for one night – not for two though. I think we will be moving on.”

Lynn, 69, said: “We have just come down from the Lake District, which was beautiful. This is a stark contrast.”

South of the town centre, the Cumberland View pub is boarded up.

Beside the former almost seafront railway station – closed now and turned into a pub – is the Festival Market.

Trains, no longer full or excited holiday makers and day trippers from West Yorkshire, now pull in to a dowdy wooden platform next to a boarded up former restaurant 500 yards of more inland.

Festival Market trader Karen Brown, 66, has been running her stall The Beauty Box for 50 years, and has seen the decline of the town.
“The place has gone really down hill since the glory days. The job is tougher now,” said Karen.

“I don’t do too bad in summer with the tourists. They come to buy things. But, in winter, the locals don’t tend to to use the market. They should do, they’ll whinge if it goes.

“The visitors come round saying what a lovely market it is and they appreciate it, but the locals, not so much.”

Fellow market trader Julie Norris, 58, has run sweet stall, Sweet Tweets, for five years.

“I’m finding trading in Morecambe alright because all the other sweet shops are shutting down,” said Julie.

“The kids are coming here for their holiday treats. And we also do well from people coming here to buy snacks and sweets before going to the cinema next door.

“They don’t want to pay rip-off cinema prices so stock up here before going to see a film.

“I love working here and if the Eden Project comes it will be fantastic. It’ll be very family orientated.”

Tyson Fury

Fury is arguably the town’s biggest name, living in the area with his wife Paris and their seven children there.

And today, it was revealed that he had sold a property in the area – for a knockdown price of £700,000.

Speaking last year, he told TNT: “17 years, it’s become my home. A new home, away from home. I actually cast myself now as from Morecambe, I don’t say I’m from Manchester anymore.

“It’s been keeping me grounded – I have always likened Morecambe to Alcatraz island… because if you go 200m that way you hit the sea, and if you go a couple of miles that way you hit the M6 motorway, and you’ve got to drive an hour to get to any city.

“It’s a big island, there’s not much distractions, there’s not much stuff to do, you can’t spend your money here because there’s nothing to spend it on, apart from Asda… That’s it, really, it’s a good place for a fighter…

“It’s kept me grounded, away from all the limelight.”

He added that locals are very respectful and leave him alone when he goes for runs. “If I go to any other city in the world, oomph Elvis has landed.”

The “Gypsy King” has previously expressed interest in buying Morecambe FC and told talkSPORT: “I was thinking I invest X amount of millions in them. Basically throw it at them and keep them going up. I’ve been offered to buy Morecambe Football Club.

“I own all the training facilities anyway and the training gym. So who knows? You might be looking at a football club owner.”

The Tyson Fury Foundation sits in the north-east corner of the football club’s Mazuma Mobile Stadium.

However, the Telegraph has claimed that Fury currently has no interest in buying the Shrimps.

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The Shala River in Albania has been dubbed the “Thailand of Europe” for its stunning turquoise waters and lush, jungle-like scenery – and it’s just a short flight from the UK

Whilst millions of tourists head to Thailand annually for its legendary tropical islands, there’s a European secret that delivers a comparable adventure much nearer to home.

The Shala River has earned the title “Thailand of Europe,” offering a taste of paradise without the lengthy journey or cost of a holiday in Southeast Asia. It features stunning turquoise waters and dense, rainforest-like landscapes, creating an exotic adventure in Europe’s heartland.

Ideal for an autumn getaway, Albania enjoys delightfully mild temperatures of approximately 25C in October, with plenty of sunshine making it perfect for late-season sun-seekers.

For those drawn to Thailand’s 1,500 miles of shoreline and more than 1,400 islands scattered with limestone formations, colourful coral reefs, and magnificent beaches, Albania’s Shala River offers an extraordinary substitute, reports the Express.

Reachable only by vessel, the Shala River meanders through the breathtaking Albanian Alps. With its remarkably pristine waters and jade-coloured peaks, it could be confused with one of the remote islands of Thailand.

Thrill-seekers will be delighted, as the Shala River region provides pursuits like zip-lining, snorkelling, swimming, kayaking, and trekking, all amidst striking natural splendour.

However, it’s just as perfect for those seeking to relax, with its serene environment creating the ideal setting for unwinding beside the water.

The river’s secluded, chilled-out character delivers a restful retreat without the enormous expense. The stunning beauty of this region has captured attention across social media platforms too.

TikTok user @olam281’s footage of the Shala River left countless viewers gobsmacked to discover this tropical paradise was actually in Europe rather than some exotic Indian Ocean isle.

One amazed comment read: “I’ve been to Albania multiple times. [It’s] my favourite country of all time, and I’ve travelled quite a lot. 10/10 would recommend to everyone.” Another flabbergasted follower exclaimed: “I THOUGHT IT WAS THAILAND.”

Reaching the Shala River involves a boat trip from Lake Komani’s harbour, though the spectacular natural scenery more than justifies the journey.

This pristine location remains largely undiscovered, a world away from the packed shores of better-known holiday hotspots, making it a genuine hidden gem.

Travelling to Albania proves remarkably straightforward for British holidaymakers as well. Direct flights operate from numerous major UK airports, including Bristol, Birmingham, Luton, and Stansted.

With tickets starting from about £25 in October for flexible travellers, it offers an budget-friendly getaway for those craving sunshine without enduring lengthy flights or jet lag.