Holidays

VIRGINIA Giuffre has died by suicide at the age of 41, her family has confirmed.

The mum-of-three, who was sex trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and accused Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was 17, is said to have died at her home in Western Australia last night.

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Her family told NBC News: “It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia.

“She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking.

“Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors.

“In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight.”

Virginia sued Prince Andrew in 2021, claiming she was trafficked and forced to have sex with the Duke on three occasions when she was a teen.

The royal has always denied the allegations but settled out of court in 2022, reportedly paying millions to avoid a humiliating trial.

Despite saying he severed ties with Epstein in 2010, emails released earlier this year show Andrew contacted him in 2011, telling the paedo financier: “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon.”

Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for her role in the abuse.

BRITS jetting off to four holiday hotspots this summer have been warned they could face misery upon arrival.

Fed up locals from European hotspots have refused to rule out targeting airports to deter holidaymakers.

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Spain, Italy, France and Portugal are among the reported places where anti-tourism protests are taking place.

Locals pledge mass tourism has fuelled soaring rents and a lack of affordable homes.

As a result, accommodation is snapped up for tourist lets and land bought for building resorts.

The alert comes as millions of us are planning sunshine getaways.

At a summit in Barcelona, protestor Elena Boschi yesterday told the Mirror: “We want tourists to have some level of fear about the situation – without fear there is no change.”

The English language teacher, 46, a campaigner from Genoa, on the Italian riviera, continued: “Our cities and regions are not for sale and there is an urgent need to limit the growth of tourism, demand a change of course and decide on a path to tourism de-growth as a way out.”

It comes as locals from the Canary Islands plotted mass protests, meanwhile the government ripped up its tourism rulebook.

Holiday hotspots like Tenerife are also bracing for a summer of unrest as residents rise up against what they claim is a “predatory model” of tourism that’s pushed locals to the brink.

Activists have vowed to storm popular tourist attractions, disrupt public events and “confront political leaders” in a fiery new phase of protests kicking off May 18 — right as peak holiday season begins.

“From now on, we will take our fight to the very spaces where their predatory model is perpetuated,” declared pressure group Canarias tiene un límite (The Canaries Have a Limit).

“We will boycott public events, confront political leaders during their appearances and occupy symbolic tourist spaces to make it clear that we will not stop until real change is achieved.”

The movement — now spreading beyond Tenerife — insists it’s no longer business as usual for tourism in the region.

“The Canary Islands can no longer be a postcard backdrop for the enjoyment of a privileged few,” the statement read.

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CHRIS EUBANK JR has been raised around wealth due to his boxing mogul of a father – but he has gone a long time without using daddy’s credit card.

Win, lose or draw, Eubank Jr’s illustrious career has seen him secure several high paydays.

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And the British star is expecting a significant boost in his career earning as he is set to finally settle a long-winded feud with bitter rival Conor Benn.

EUBANK JR VS BENN – BETTING TIPS AND LATEST ODDS

What is Chris Eubank Jr’s net worth?

Chris Eubank Jr’s last reported net worth is around £5million.

However, that figure is likely to have increased as the British boxer earned £2.4m for his bouts Liam Smith in 2023.

And Eubank Jr reportedly took home a further £850k for his most recent win against Kamil Szeremeta.

Looking further back, the son of boxing legend Chris Eubank also pocketed £775k for his loss to George Groves before beating Liam Williams to earn £1m.

In total, his reported earnings from professional fights add up to around £6m.

Eubank Jr also has a car collection just worth under £1m which includes a £215,000 Lamborghini Huracan and a £218,000 McLaren 720S.

But his upcoming fight against Conor Benn is expected to be his biggest payday yet.

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How much is Chris Eubank Jr getting paid for Conor Benn grudge match?

It has been widely reported that Chris Eubank Jr will take home £10m of the £18m purse to fight Conor Benn.

And Eubank Jr broke his silence on the contract situation.

The Brit boxer said: “Many of you would have heard Eddie boasting about a 60-40 split he secured for Conor.

“That’s just an absolute lie, which is not surprising. The truth of it is, Uncle Turki flew in and saved the day like the superhero he is.

“This is the Saudi show, he called me and said, ‘What do you want to make this fight?’

“I’m sitting there thinking, ‘I’ve got to be a businessman now, and any good businessman in any negotiation, starts with an aggressively high number, then there are counter offers and negotiating and you get to the number.

“I gave him a diabolical number, I gave him an inconceivable number, and he said, ‘Done, I’ll send you the contract on Monday.’ I’m thinking I could have got more, or a couple of watches out of him!

“There is no split, there are no percentages, you lied to the public in front of everybody and now I’m setting this straight.”

However, Eubank Jr will have to pay £375k of his earnings after FAILING to meet the weight at the weigh-in.

When is Eubank Jr vs Benn?

• Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn takes place on Saturday, April 26.
• Ring walks are set to take place from 10pm BST
• The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium plays host.

KATIE Price is in advanced talks to appear on a huge ITV reality show.

The TV reality queen – who has starred on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015, and I’m A Celebrity in 2004 and 2009 – may need to pop on an apron for the new series of Cooking With The Stars.

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The popular cooking competition, which is hosted by Emma Willis & Tom Allen, sees celebrities mentored by pros, as they compete to make the best dish.

Katie, 46, is said to be in advanced talks for Cooking With The Stars.

And it won’t be the first time that Katie has stepped foot in a kitchen for a TV cooking show, having competed on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021.

An insider told The Sun: “Katie is bang up for it. Nothing had been signed yet but there have been lots of meetings and she has cleared space in her schedule to do it.

“She did Celebrity Masterchef a few years back and really enjoyed it, so she’s keen to carry on and show people what she’s capable of in the kitchen.

“She surprised a lot of people on that series – she even surprised herself with how well she did under pressure.”

The Sun has approached a rep for Katie and ITV for comment.

The last series of Cooking With The Stars featured Katie’s ex husband Peter Andre, who finished as runner-up.

Coronation Street actress Samia Longchambon was crowned the winner, while Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page came in third. 

Katie has a long list of TV shows under her belt.

She’s had her own reality TV series titled Jordan back in 2002 to 2005, which ran for three series.

The media personality also landed fly-on-the-wall show Katie and Peter in 2004 to 2009, with her then husband Peter Andre.

Katie has made a string of other TV appearances over her career and recently turned to documentaries with her son Harvey, 22.

She opened up about her life with Harvey, who was born with the rare genetic condition Prader-Willi syndrome, and is also autistic and partially blind, in a special episode called Katie Price: What Harvey Did Next.

Her recent Channel 4 series, Katie Price‘s Mucky Mansion, also gave viewers a glimpse inside her property in Horsham, West Sussex, before it was sold.

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MARIUSZ PUDZIANOWSKI still has the body of a Greek god at the ripe old age of 48 – despite no longer being a weightlifting machine.

And while most athletes maintain their incredible physiques through meticulous dieting, the same can’t be said of Polish pounder Pudzianowski.

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Pudzianowski made his name in the early 2000s competing in the World’s Strongest Man, a competition he’s won a record FIVE TIMES.

The pride of Poland won his maiden title in 2002 and retained it the following year.

He failed to secure an incredible three-peat in 2004, suffering a disqualification and initially finishing third.

Pudzianowski came back with a vengeance the following year to reclaim the title, which he won again in 2007 and 2008.

The 2009 tournament, in which he claimed second place, would be Pudzianowski’s last.

Having conquered the strongman world, Pudzianowski would set his sights on fighting in mixed martial arts.

But the KSW superstar would have to lose some of his incredible muscles to compete in the cardio-intensive sport.

Pudzianowski has undergone a dramatic transformation over the years, going from being a 22 stone man mountain to a much leaner 19 stone.

EDDIE HALL VS MARIUSZ PUDZIANOWSKI BETTING TIPS AND ODDS

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Rather impressively, he’s managed to retain some of the hulking muscles he became famed for when he was at the peak of his powers.

And incredibly, he maintains his mammoth frame by eating whatever he wants, whenever he wants.

He told MMA Fighting: “I don’t have any kind of particular diet. I eat everything.

“I can eat 30 bars of chocolate, drink two cartons of milk, then eat five pounds of ice cream in bed.

“I eat whatever I want, whenever I want and I always have these beautiful muscles on my body.”

Polish icon Pudzianowski knew the transition to MMA wouldn’t be easy, and it took him the best part of a decade to get his body accustomed to the gruelling demands of the sport.

He admitted: “MMA is a different sport than strongman. I must change everything.

“I had to train eight years to drastically change my body in the kind of way that my body is functioning because I couldn’t stand five minutes or 10 minutes.

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“So for eight years of my training, I wasn’t capable of doing the whole 10 minutes, like two rounds in MMA.

“So it’s totally different, weightlifting and MMA is like two [different] worlds.

“Even the strength in MMA and in weightlifting is totally different.

“It’s not like you can lift 300 kilograms in strongman, it doesn’t mean that the strength will be as good in MMA because it’s a different kind of strength.”

Pudzianowski has had 27 fights since making his debut back in 2009.

He’d make a rip-roaring start to his career with back-to-back wins over Marcin Najman and Yusuke Kawaguchi.

Weightlifting and MMA is like two [different] worlds.”

Mariusz Pudzianowski on transitioning from strongman to MMA

But former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia halted his hype train in May 2010 with a second-round TKO victory.

KSW, mainland Europe‘s premier mixed martial arts promotion, has been Pudzianowski’s home ever since his defeat to Sylvia

He’s racked up 15 wins since that fateful night against Sylvia, including one over Pride cult hero Bob Sapp.

Pudzianowski has also tasted eight defeats in that time, most recently suffering back-to-back TKO losses to Mahmed Khalidov and Artur Szpilka.

Perhaps his most high-profile bout of Pudzianowski’s second career takes place on Saturday night in the co-main event of KSW 105, where he’ll throw down with fellow former World’s Strongest Man winner Eddie Hall.

And he’s sent a chilling warning to ‘The Beast’ ahead of the Brit bruiser’s pro-MMA debut.

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He said: “Eddie, you’re in for a lot of hard work. I’m not going to give up easily.

“You know it well that I fight until the very end. You’re about to see what lack of oxygen means. This is not boxing, this is MMA.”

Pudzianowski is a cult figure in the mixed martial arts world, which, by his own admission, he’ll soon depart.

“I’m nearing the end of my career,” he said. “The end of this episode called ‘sport’.

“And at some point, I will have to start a normal life.

“I’m certainly going to keep training, but no longer as a professional athlete. We’ll see what happens next.”

Ever wondered how much the cabin crew of your favourite airline earns? See how much you could earn if you fly with easyJet, Ryanair, British Airways, Jet2 and more

Are you one of the people who have always wondered whether your true calling lies in jet-setting on an airplane from one exotic location to another?

The most practical way to fulfil said calling — when you don’t have thousands of pounds lying around to spend on leisure travel — is to apply for a job as the cabin crew of an airline. For those wondering just how well that job is going to fill your pockets (and feed you.. and pay your bills.. you get the gist) look no further, because we’ve collated a list of cabin crew salaries across some of the biggest airlines that operate in the UK.

READ MORE: Abandoned UK theme park to be reopened and transformed with new rides

easyJet

As per Aviation A2Z, easyJet crew are paid a basic standard salary which is likely to increase by 20 per cent from May 1, after a successful agreement was reached between the workers’ union in the United Kingdom and the airline.

Currently, the easyJet cabin crew is paid an overall salary that starts from £22,000 per year, with £2,000 average increments in each annual cycle. Each individual’s salary largely depends on their overall experience, the total duration of their employment with the airline, the flight hours they clock, and the applicable taxes if they work in different EU countries.

Beyond their base wages, easyJet cabin crew are entitled to layover allowances for meals, which vary depending on the destination. The airline also arranges transportation for the crew to and from the airport while they are in transit. Furthermore, cabin crew can earn a 10% commission on every sale made during a flight, which includes food, drinks, and duty-free items offered on board.

Ryanair

According to a 2024 Telegraph story — where one of their writers took part in a Ryanair recruitment day — it was found that cabin crew were paid an average salary of approximately £23,000. The starting salary stands at £15,750, but this doesn’t account for flight payments (crew members earn a supplement for each hour they spend in the air) or commission. Additionally, staff are said to enjoy the benefit of unlimited standby tickets.

British Airways

As of 2024, Aviation A2Z reported British Airways cabin crew wages were relatively modest compared to other airlines in Europe and worldwide. Entry-level crew members at BA reportedly start with a salary of £16,800 a year, which can increase to around £28,000 annually, depending on flying hours and additional allowances.

For senior cabin crew — known as in-flight managers at BA — those working on the airline’s premium long-haul routes such as New York and Sydney (via Singapore), could earn up to £50,000.

This would make the base pay for an entry-level cabin attendant at British Airways stand at just over £8 per hour, a number that is admittedly very low, assuming employees were clocking 40-hour work weeks for 52 weeks in a full year.

In February this year, British Airways introduced a profit-sharing bonus for cabin crew and ground staff for the first time, as per PYOK . This move comes as part of the airline’s newly approved three-year pay deal which will ensure a 10.5 per cent salary increase for thousands of employees of the airline.

The agreement was reportedly supported by over 86 per cent of the workers at BA in a recent ballot and it guarantees an immediate pay rise and minimum bonus of £1,000. Profit sharing will be linked to the airline’s annual operating margin, offering a maximum payout of 4% if performance goals are achieved.

Additional perks:

• Cabin crew members are offered an optional £1,500 tech allowance, which is deducted in equal monthly instalments from their salary over a 12-month period.
• Employees also enjoy discounted tickets for themselves, as well as for their family and friends.
• Unlimited standby tickets are available, along with standby fares in premium cabins for designated beneficiaries.
• British Airways covers transportation expenses for its cabin crew while they’re traveling.
• Crew members receive travel discounts on partner hotels and airlines.
• BA has partnered with various restaurant chains and retail brands both in the UK and internationally, providing further benefits to its employees.

Jet2

As of 2023, British low-cost carrier Jet2 was hiring cabin crew members based at Manchester Airport with no previous experience required and an on-target earning salary of £30,000. There was also a “generous commission scheme” in place and additional payments such as sector and duty pay, a free uniform and car parking at the airport, no upfront fees for the cabin crew training course, as well as discounts on Jet2holidays and Jet2.com holidays and flights being offered to the cabin crew.

TUI

As per Cabin Crew Wings, TUI offered an average fixed-term base salary of £18,000 per annum to cabin crew as of 2024, which could increase to £30,000 for more senior positions. Other perks included holiday benefits such as discounts, great foreign exchange rates, exclusive offers and insurance, and a pension scheme.

CONOR BENN is finally set to step in the ring to fight Chris Eubank Jr on Saturday night.

The bout dubbed ‘Born Rivals’ sees sons of Nigel Benn an Chris Eubank Snr go head-to-head just as their fathers did twice 1990s.

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Speaking ahead of the fight Conor Benn revealed much about his tattoos.

He is covered in body art from head to toe and he explained the meaning behind his neck tattoo that says ‘Fear is a Lie.’

The 28-year-old was asked if he feared losing he replied: “I’ve got fear is a lie tattooed across my neck.

“Fear to me is a lie. I mean fear is an illusion. You can fear something that doesn’t even happen.

“How can you give something some power or fear something that hasn’t even happened yet. It only exists in your head and nine times out of ten it doesn’t happen anyway.

“So, me fearing losing is why I train so hard. I love winning, don’t get me wrong but I probably fear losing a bit more.

“I train out of fear I really do. I don’t think I could deal with losing. I fear it so much I get scared.

“And that’s why I train so hard, I have my reasons and if fear is what gets me out of bed in the morning at 5am, I’m gonna do that. I’ll do it twice on Sundays if needs be.

“All I can do is do everything in my power to make sure that I am not beat by me. When I get in the ring I’m not beat by Conor Benn.

“If the other man beats me, I can’t even say fair enough, I can’t beat myself.”

‘The Destroyer’ has his nickname written across his shoulders and also has his own brand’s logo ‘CB’ on his body.

The welterweight additionally has a large cross on his chest and the words Fear God across his stomach.

Furthermore the boxer has a tribute to his son Eli Clay on the side of his face. His name is tattooed near to his ear.

Speaking about the tattoo Benn exclusively told SunSport that he had to get his mother’s permission for it.

Benn revealed: “I have my son’s name tattooed down the side of my face now so he is never far away from me.

“I must admit I had to call my mum and get permission for that one because I always promised her I would never get one on my face.

“I made the call and explained it to her and she gave me permission.

“I was never going over the eyebrow, or doing a Mike Tyson, I had thought about a facial one before but don’t think I have it in me.”

Benn will be looking to do better than his father managed against a Eubank family member as his bouts ended in a loss and a draw.

However if Eubank Snr had his way the fight would not be going ahead at all as he is worried about his son’s safety after losing weight for the fight.

A domestic flight in India was disrupted and left passengers itching and scratching after a mosquitoes entered the craft. Those onboard were not impressed by the response of the airline

Passengers on an IndiGo flight from Lucknow to Delhi were left itching and scratching after mosquitoes entered the plane, leaving them desperate for the journey to end.

The cabin crew, seemingly unprepared for such an infestation, could only offer lemongrass remedies, which did little to alleviate the discomfort of those on board.

The mosquito mayhem occurred on an IndiGo flight from Lucknow to Delhi in India on Monday, April 21, and despite complaints, passengers were informed that the insects had entered through an open door and there was no immediate solution, much to the fliers’ frustration, as reported by Luxury Travel Daily.

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Manisha Pande, a passenger on the flight, expressed her irritation: “The whole flight was spent scratching, swatting and just praying for the flight to get over. The solution they offered was some silly lemongrass patch that did nothing. We paid over £35 (INR 4,000) per ticket for this. Not cheap. Not low-cost. Just low-effort.”

She continued her criticism by saying: “Airlines don’t care, airports can’t manage basic pest control, and passengers are just expected to take it quietly. It’s not just bad service, it’s a systemic rot. Shame on IndiGo, Lucknow Airport, and whoever is responsible for airport sanitation.”

An IndiGo spokesperson responded to the situation, stating: “We take your onboard experience seriously and strive to make every journey comfortable and pleasant. To prevent the entry of mosquitoes, our aircraft undergo regular fumigation, and patches are placed on seats.

“We’re also coordinating with the airport to address this effectively. While we take every precaution, we hope you understand that mosquitoes can still enter through open doors.”

One local resident commented: “They should keep those electric racquets under the seats along with the life jackets.”

Another passenger shared their experience: “Strange. Just four days ago, I flew from Lucknow to Mumbai with IndiGo, but it was mosquito-free. Lucknow itself, though, was infested.”

A third person humorously added: “Those mosquitoes will now need to start a new family and life at the new location after the flight. Sad.”

And this isn’t the only flight-from-hell incident in recent times.

A TikTok-famous influencer recently posted a video where he dished out “instant karma on the airplane” to a fellow passenger.

The woman, who digital creator Cam Casey described as “nasty”, had her legs stretched out while wearing flip flops, leaving her toes peeking out from under Cam’s seat. He retaliated against the act by tipping over his water bottle, soaking her exposed toes. The video clip ends with the sound of her surprised gasp as she quickly pulls back her feet.

In another shocking incident, a woman named Catherine Bellis, 44, assaulted two people on a Ryanair flight while intoxicated . Catherine was on a flight from Tenerife to Liverpool in November last year when she attacked Christopher Kenny and Beata Haynes. She was also charged with being drunk on an aircraft.

In yet another startling mid-air drama, Ryanair crew were forced to use extra seat belts to restrain an “unruly” passenger who refused to sit down as the plane landed, according to shocked onlookers.

The troublemaker, flying from Manchester to Rhodes, is said to have kicked up a fuss after his booze stash was confiscated by the flight attendants. The stubborn passenger apparently freed himself from the makeshift restraints at one point, causing the pilot to abort the landing in Rhodes, circle back, and then attempt another descent.

CHRIS EUBANK SR has opened up on the heartbreaking reason behind his rise to the very top of boxing.

Senior, 58, is vehemently against son Chris Junior’s showdown with Conor Benn on Saturday night.

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The British boxing legend maintains the fight should not happen, insisting his son dropping down to 160lbs is “dangerous”.

The former two-weight world champion fears his 35-year-old lad’s weight drop risks the same damage that left his older brother Simon paying the ultimate price for a career in boxing.

Simon lost 20 brutal fights, 11 of them by stoppage, before his tragic death in September 2023.

In an exclusive interview with SunSport, Senior has now told the heartbreaking story behind his own journey into boxing.

He reveals the sole reason he took up the sport in the first place was to gain respect from his elder brothers Peter and Simon.

He says: “Boxing became important to me because it was the way in which I was going to win the respect of my brothers.

“That’s the reason why it was important to me. Because I could do everything else.

“My brothers used to give me a really hard time, beyond what I can actually express to you. And they were doing this because I was intelligent.

“And this is why I got my bottom roasted by them all the time.”

He added: “I loved my brothers, and they despised me. I couldn’t work it out then. Why?

“To one I was a fool, to the other I was an idiot, and to one, he didn’t even speak to me.

“That was the most brutal of psychological beatings, when someone ignores you.

“I’m talking about you’re in the room and never spoke to me. Never spoke to me.

“One day I’m going to cry about that, because I’m getting close to that.”

Both Peter and Simon were boxers, and it was aged 14 that Senior decided he would follow suit.

He had endured a tough upbringing, and was suspended 18 times in one year from his secondary school in Peckham, claiming he was trying to protect his classmates from bullies.

Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn

THE countdown is ON to one of the biggest boxing events of the 21st Century

Familial tension and a rivalry that has been brewing for years will finally be resolved when Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night.

There has been huge drama in the build-up with the pair engaged in a war of words and multiple clashes in person.

SunSport will have full coverage of the blockbuster clash all week and LIVE round-by-round coverage of every fight on a stacked undercard.

Latest News

All the info

Earning respect

At 14, Senior decided he would step into the ring and give boxing his best shot – whether he was any good or not.

He recalls: “At 14, I’m saying to myself, even if I’m no good at boxing, they’re going to respect me because it takes so much courage to get into the ring and box.

“I was standing on a table in a home in North Wales in a place called Llangollen, and I was dancing in the mirror.

“At 14 years old, you know, you’ve got all that energy, and I was looking in the mirror like, you know what, I’m going to be a fighter.”

He decided he would be world champion. And he stuck to his word.

Ten years later, 24-year-old Senior beat Nigel Benn to win the WBO Middleweight Championship.

Reaching the top

Senior continues: “When I fought Benn on the 18th of November, 1990, I won their respect that particular night.”

He admits his brothers were “never” kind to him, but ultimately it acted as the driving force behind his rise to boxing royalty.

He recalls: “Brother, you are a really serious tosspot. That’s what I got from them.

“But all of this has done nothing but drive me to be better and better and better.”

Despite the complex relationship he had with the pair, Senior still holds an enormous place in his heart for his two brothers.

Speaking at the time of Simon’s death, Senior told SunSport: “Simon saved my life once. He is the one who truly loved me and that is why I recited Corinthians 1:13 at his funeral.

‘Love is most powerful’

“It talks about how love is the most powerful of all things, and I recited that for him and for what he did for me.

“In many respects, it is mercy that he has left us. He is truly at rest now.”

Senior blames boxing for Simon’s tragic death, choking back tears as he reveals his brother battled frontal lobe dementia, and had son Harlem feeding him with a baby bottle in his final days.

He tells SunSport: “My son probably walks around at around 180lbs and he has to boil himself down to 160lbs.

“People don’t understand what it means for Junior to get down to 160lbs, at his age. They don’t understand the drying out.

“Junior is now 35 and trying to get down to 160lbs and I know what that feels like. I know about the dehydration and the damage it does to fighters.

‘It will be a car crash’

“I am more concerned about that than anything else. I don’t want my son getting down to 160lbs. And that is why I have spoken about people trying to murder my boy by boiling him down to 157 lbs.”

He adds: “I would be in my son’s corner if he was fighting at the right weight. But it mocks everything I stand for and fought for.

“I am his dad and the fact he has chosen not to listen means all I can do is step back and watch the car crash – because it will be a car crash.

“He doesn’t understand that this is boxing and you lose your faculties, this is dangerous.”

Eubank Jr‘s promoter Ben Shalom also reiterated to SunSport that the original fight scheduled for 2022 “should never” have been at 157, though he maintains his fighter will make weight at 160lbs on Friday’s weigh-in.

Courtesy of a rehydration clause in the fight deal, Eubank Jr can only weigh in at a maximum of 170lbs at a 10am weigh-in on Saturday morning, hours before he takes to the ring in one of the most fiercely anticipated British fights in years.

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Watch Sun Sport’s full preview of Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn – with former world champion George Groves, Chris Eubank Sr and Harlem Eubank – on our YouTube channel.

Cruise passengers have been issued a warning about a new scam which has left a number of holidaymakers out of pocket after they accepted what they thought was a ‘free’ resort pass

Cruise ship passengers have been alerted to a lesser-known excursion scam that has recently affected numerous travellers. A cruise ship specialist has revealed that many passengers have fallen victim to new cruise scams that have surfaced in recent months. Cruise expert Gary Bembridge, in his latest Tips for Travellers video, shed light on how unsuspecting tourists are being exploited, often by individuals posing as friendly locals or resort representatives.

He warned cruisers to reconsider before signing up for travel clubs, which can entail hefty fees and long-term commitments. He initiated the video by stating: “This one seemed to be an issue mostly in busy Caribbean and Mediterranean ports, but a couple on my recent cruise that called into ports on the Mexican Riviera got trapped too.

READ MORE: Woman lost more than 13 stone after deciding to ‘delay not deny’ food

“On researching this scam for this, I discovered a new article had appeared on ‘The Points Guy,’ a large and well-known travel advice website, warning about the growth of this one.

“They spoke about how significant numbers of seriously out-of-pocket cruisers had been contacting them coming home from cruises affected by this one.”

The expert then broke down how the scam operates. According to Mr Bembridge, at cruise ports, seemingly friendly representatives at well-maintained stands offer what appears to be a dream deal: a complimentary day pass to a stunning resort, inclusive of transfers, food, and drinks – all for attending a brief presentation.

Once holidaymakers settle into the resort with a few drinks, they’re often lured into a travel club pitch. It’s the age-old high-pressure tactic: dazzling promises of cut-price deals on flights, hotels and excursions, all in exchange for a hefty initial fee and regular monthly payments.

He warned: “Caught up in the buzz and drink, many sign the contract to join the travel club.

“Only once back on the ship fully realising how much it will cost them, and how restrictive they can be, as they soberly reflect on it.

“Unlike countries like the USA and UK, the laws in those countries do not have ‘cooling off’ periods and so they are locked in for years with the provider having their financial details.

“So before accepting a day pass for anywhere, fully understand what your obligation is in exchange.

“Be extremely cautious if you go to any of these with the presentations and refuse to sign anything on the day and say that you’ll come back to them. There’s no such thing as a free resort pass in reality.”

The theme park was initially forced to close its outdoor rides due to “rising costs”, but has now revealed exciting plans to reopen as an adventure park featuring a complete overhaul and transformation of the existing structures.

A theme park in the UK that shuttered down in 2023 has revealed its grand plans to reopen as an adventure park.

Having first opened its doors to the public in 1992, the iconic Adventure Wonderland — situated right next to Bournemouth Airport — featured rollercoasters and rides centred around Alice in Wonderland. The theme park was initially forced to close its outdoor rides due to “rising costs”, with the indoor attractions, including the soft play area, following suit the next year.

At the time of closure, the theme park released a statement which said: “The current trading climate and steep increase in key costs across the board is not conducive to the existing theme park model.”

However, “exciting plans” for a simpler attraction were also announced during that time — and now it seems those plans have been submitted.

READ MORE: Unknown EU region tempts tourists with beauty and very unusual dishes

Adventure Wonderland is about to undergo a massive transformation as it transitions into a smaller adventure park featuring a go-karting track, mini golf, and a maze, among other attractions. The recreational site will also see a shop and café reopen, forming part of the educational facility already on the premises.

Since most of Adventure Wonderland’s buildings are being repurposed and not rebuilt, patrons can expect a quick restoration process. Plans to open the new theme park are in place for later this year, however little else is known about the renovated attraction and its opening dates.

The adventure park’s planning application statement says: “The aim of this proposal is to create a site which is better adapted for use by the occupants of Merritown, Discovery Village and Diverse Abilities. All of these tenants want to create sustainable spaces which focus on creative outdoor spaces which are stimulating environments with outdoor play, sensory gardens, water play, and utilise the existing external spaces and buildings on site.”

Initially a pick-your-own-fruit-farm, Adventure Wonderland evolved into a full-blown theme park in the 90s, complete with its Alice in Wonderland theme based on Alice — a character presumed to be inspired by a woman who lived nearby in Lyndhurst.

In 2005 the theme park saw the addition of its first indoor area, Wild Thing, a new £1million indoor play attraction, along with the incorporation of rollercoasters. Adventure Wonderland welcomed around 180,000 people a year before it closed, and at its peak had exciting rides including a rollercoaster, tea cups, and log flume.

However, Adventure Wonderland isn’t the only hot attraction in Bournemouth. Bournemouth beach was recently crowned the UK’s top beach on Tripadvisor, amassing visitors by winning them over with its golden sands, vibrant beach huts, and inviting waters.

In fact, if you’re up for a dip, the bays there offer some of the UK’s warmest sea temperatures. The beach resort proudly offers seven miles of award-winning beaches, lined with promenades filled with fish and chip shops, arcades, ice cream parlours and a fantastic selection of bars and restaurants.

Bournemouth beach is a paradise for families, boasting a picturesque pier and designated areas packed with fun activities for children, including sandcastle competitions.

The Canary Islands are a popular destination for British holidaymakers and bookings remain strong despite planned protests that will target tourism hotspots this season

Some Brits have pledged to stay away from the Canary Islands ahead of mass protests and a radical overhaul of tourism laws.

In recent years there have been growing demonstrations across Spain, with locals marching against the influx of tourists in the Canary Islands in particular. The island chain is only growing in popularity, despite many protests led by locals who say the Canaries cannot cope.

In 2024, the Canary Islands saw a record 17.9 million visitors, a combination of international and domestic tourists. This included 15.5 million international tourists, a 10% increase from the previous year, and around 1.8 million domestic tourists from mainland Spain.

This year activists – who argue that house prices are too high, roads too busy and the way of life being eroded by mass-tourism – have pledged to target popular tourist hotspots, disrupt public events and “confront political leaders”.

READ MORE: Beautiful Game of Thrones city brought back from the brink of ‘death by tourism’

A fresh campaign is set to commence from May 18. “From now on, we will take our fight to the very spaces where their predatory model is perpetuated,” declared activist group Canarias tiene un límite (The Canaries Have a Limit).

“We will boycott public events, confront political leaders during their appearances and occupy symbolic tourist spaces to make it clear that we will not stop until real change is achieved. The Canary Islands can no longer be a postcard backdrop for the enjoyment of a privileged few.”

In a separate warning, the group said: “This cry, which reflects the feelings of a people tired of being ignored and mistreated, will be the beginning of a new stage of struggle: firmer, more direct, more uncomfortable for those who refuse to listen to us and take real measures.” The backlash follows a 170,000-strong hotel and restaurant workers’ strike across the islands just days ago. Locals criticised low wages and poor working conditions, despite the booming nature of the holiday industry.

The Canary Islands local government has announced plans to tackle issues at the heart of the protests. Although it has not gone into specifics, Jessica de León, the Canary Islands’ Minister of Tourism and Employment, has said the reforms would be sweeping.

“The new regulation must align with today’s social and environmental realities, correcting outdated elements and integrating changes from national and regional rulings, including Constitutional Court decisions,” she said. A new legal framework is expected to roll out over the coming months. It will set tougher planning and building standards, tighten rules on holiday rentals, and introduce the regulation for campsites and outdoor tourism.

This week de León said she was “completely in agreement” with a speech made by an opposition politician that the growing popularity of Morocco as a tourist destination was a threat to the Canaries.

“We do not have 18 million tourists on the payroll, we have to earn every tourist that comes to the Canary Islands by hard work, we have built a leading tourism industry,” de León said. She acknowledged that Morocco “is a rising competitor” and that, in addition, it is making an “obvious and notable increase in investment in tourism” with the roadmap set on the 2030 World Cup .

Despite the protests that hit the islands last year and those which are planned for the months ahead, booking figures show that tourists are still keen to visit the Canaries. However, some individuals have told the Mirror that they are planning to stay away.

One reader told us: “I am happy not to visit. Whilst I can understand their frustrations this will end up backfiring on the protesters. No tourists equals no jobs. Plenty of other places to visit.”

Another added: “I am perplexed when they say ‘don’t come anymore’. Who are ‘they’? If people stop going to the Canaries, their whole economy will collapse. I really don’t get how these places can survive without visitors?”

Others expressed sympathy for the working people in the Canaries who have to put up with issues that stem from overtourism. One reader explained: “We are going to Lanzarote again next week. We love it there! However, I think the government licensing laws for holiday accommodation does not consider local people.

“We live in Cornwall and have a similar problem. Local people can’t afford to buy homes here due to second home owners and holiday let companies. Seasonal tourism is good for the economy, but the winter is dead so locals jobs are scarce. Whereas the Canaries can have all year round business. Us Brits can’t guarantee sunshine even in the summer and love to escape to the places that can, just for a short while.”

Another sympathetic Brit added: “You have to feel some sympathy with the Islanders, they need tourism, but they need the right kind of tourism. All-inclusives kill the local economy, however at the same time they need to manage the costs charged and the amount of tourists that can be on the island at the same time.”

Taylor Tomlinson, the comedian and writer who has hosted the CBS talk and variety show “After Midnight” for two seasons, has lived in Los Angeles for nine years. But thanks to a robust stand-up schedule (her now-in-progress “The Save Me Tour” has 76 dates booked across North America and Europe through January, including an L.A. hometown show scheduled for Aug. 10 at the Greek Theatre), she’s only around L.A. for about 20 Sundays a year.

In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

“I try to do two weekends on the road a month,” Tomlinson said. “But sometimes it ends up being three. Usually my Sundays are spent flying home, and I’m doing my leisurely things on a Tuesday at noon.”

She was more than happy to plot out a Sunday plan that doesn’t involve “a layover sitting in a coffee shop in the Phoenix airport.” It would start with making some matcha and head toward a close with sushi and a movie. In between, she’d hit a flea market, a bookstore (to score some spiral-ring notebooks) and the outdoor spaces at the Huntington.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity.

9 a.m.: Whisk up some morning matcha
In my perfect world, I’d fall asleep at midnight and get nine hours of sleep, which would be perfect. I am not somebody who can handle coffee because I get headaches. So I usually make matcha at home with unsweetened almond milk, and I add cinnamon and usually use a little bit of vanilla protein shake as creamer in it. And I do it iced.

I go to a lot of coffee shops when I’m on the road and always have to ask if their matcha is presweetened, because a lot of places make it with honey or sugar already in it. But more mainstream places are getting unsweetened, ceremonial-grade matcha, and that’s what I use. I’ve got one of those bamboo whisks, and I like the whole routine of boiling water and then whisking in the matcha powder. I really feel like I’m doing something.

9:30 a.m.: Back to bed with a book
Then I’d bring my matcha back to the bed and I’d read for a bit. I really struggle with letting myself read for fun, because, for a long time, I wouldn’t read anything that wasn’t teaching me something or had some sort of self-improvement element to it or was about comedy or business.

I’m working on a book of my own right now, so I’m currently reading Chuck Palahniuk‘s “Consider This: Moments in My Writing Life after Which Everything Was Different,” and for fun I’m reading “The Dragon Republic,” the second book in R. F. Kuang’s “The Poppy War” series.

10:15 a.m.: Self-scramble some breakfast
I like going out to breakfast when I’m on the road but, when I’m home, I like to cook for myself. So I’ll do a scramble with some eggs, turkey, zucchini, spinach and bell pepper and then top it with some avocado.

11:45 a.m.: Make for the Melrose Trading Post
This might [sound like] a really basic Sunday, but I’m not in L.A. very much. So I would go to the Melrose Trading Post [flea market] over at Fairfax High School with some friends of mine because it’s a way to socialize. Zach Noe Towers and Sophie Buddle and I do [stand-up comedy on] the road a lot together, and when we’re home on a weekend, this is something we do together.

I’ve bought a lot of leather jackets there. I have way too many jackets — an insane collection of jackets. It’s a real problem. I bought a weird lamp there. I think the last thing I bought there was this wardrobe [from J. Martin Furniture] that was green, and they said they would paint it any color I wanted and have it delivered. So I had them paint it a dusty rose that matches the flowers on these vintage pillows I had just gotten for my bed. The wardrobe fills out the one blank wall I had left in the bedroom. It’s really cute and makes me really happy.

They have food and music and stuff to drink too. Last time we went we got some Thai food from a truck and hung out for a bit.

2 p.m.: Vroom over to Vroman’s
From there I’d head to Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, which I hadn’t been to until very recently. It’s a huge independent bookstore, and they have literally everything there — books, gifts [and] stationery — so I’d probably buy a notebook. I’ve got so many notebooks. The two things I overbuy the most are vintage jackets and notebooks. I use different types of notebooks for different [purposes], but they’ve all got to be spiral-ring.

I like [notebooks] that are long and skinny for my set lists. I like stenographer’s notebooks for new jokes because [the pages] have a line down the middle; I use one side for jokes I know work and one side for jokes I’m not sure about yet. And I like a really big notebook to journal in. Then there are the kind I find at flea market vendors when I’m on the road where they turn old children’s books into notebooks and leave part of the [original book] text in between the [blank] pages. This one [she holds aloft a spiral-ring notebook with the title “Peter Pan” on the cover] is by Red Barn Collections. I think I picked it up at a flea market in Salt Lake City.

3 p.m.: Head to the Huntington
If I didn’t sit and write in the cafe at Vroman’s, I’d head to the Huntington. I’ve been a member there for years, and sometimes when I have a whole day off, I’ll go there for awhile. I’d either go to the side area where there are a few chairs and sit and read or go to one of the benches that overlook the Japanese garden. If I was writing, I’d do that in the cafe.

5:30 p.m.: Sushi in Studio City
Since the Huntington closes at 5 p.m., I’d head to this sushi place in Studio City that I love called Sushi Tomoki that opens at 5:30. I like to get there right when it opens because it fills up so fast. And it’s so good, and the service is fast even when they’re packed.

7 p.m.: Take in a movie at Universal CityWalk
Since I’m in Studio City and my group of friends and I are all AMC Stubs A-List members, I’d go to Universal CityWalk to catch a movie. CityWalk is what it is, but it’s close to the sushi place. And the AMC theater there is really good. If you go with a bunch of friends, you can split the cost of parking. I love to talk about the movie afterward, so instead of just standing by the car talking about it, we can walk around [CityWalk] and talk about it. The last thing I saw there was “Paddington in Peru.”

10:30 p.m.: Tea time before bedtime
At this point it’s probably pretty late when I get home, so I’d probably drink some tea — I do a licorice or a ginger tea at night — shower and then read for awhile. Or maybe do some journaling or doomscrolling in bed, depending on what my mood is. And hopefully fall asleep by midnight.

Bob Gurr has often joked that if it’s at Disneyland and it moves, he likely had a hand in its design. Gurr first started working for Disney in late 1954, just months before Disneyland would open in July 1955, and is one of the figures instrumental in the look, feel and tone of the park.

Gurr was the pivotal designer behind the Autopia cars, the Disneyland Monorail, the Matterhorn Bobsleds and the tomb-like ride vehicles — the “doom buggies” — of the Haunted Mansion. But there’s one of his designs that’s often overlooked by fans, and it holds a special place in Gurr’s heart: a little red vintage fire engine that can regularly be spotted on Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland’s introductory land.

Bob Gurr test driving an Autopia vehicle. Disneyland’s Autopia was Gurr’s first major Disneyland project.

(Courtesy of Bob Gurr.)

The Los Angeles-born Gurr had as a teenager been asked to drive a fire engine in a Temple City parade. Serendipitously, that car was owned by Disney master animator Ward Kimball, whom Gurr had met via a car enthusiast society, the Horseless Carriage Club. “So I’m 18 or 19, and driving a fire engine,” Gurr says. “I want one and I’ll never have the money for one. It was a bug.”

But one day in 1958 Gurr would get his fire engine.

“Walt,” says Gurr, referring of course to company founder Walt Disney, “came to my office, and he had a quiet moment, which he did a lot. I said, ‘Walt, we don’t have a fire engine on Main Street.’ And he said, ‘No, Bobby, we don’t.’ About 20 minutes later, the accounting department calls, and the lady says, ‘Bob, write this number down. This is the charging number for the fire engine project.’ And I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to get a fire engine!’”

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Today, Gurr has become one of the more public-facing advocates for vintage Disney tales. He hosts a monthly bus tour, Bob Gurr’s Waltland, which visits integral Disney sites around L.A. It often sells out in minutes, as fans know that Gurr, 93 and still fiery, is a wealth of Walt-era stories about the creation of Disneyland and Walt Disney Imagineering, the secretive arm of the company devoted to theme park experiences.

He shares them with fans regularly at Disneyland, as well as on his YouTube production “The Bob Gurr Show.” This Saturday, a documentary on his career, “Bob Gurr: Living by Design,” will premiere at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, the neighborhood in which Gurr grew up.

He does all this, he says, because it’s fun to talk about his work — he says in the film’s trailer that he’s done “250 basic jobs.” But he also views it as something of a mission. “Walt was Walt,” says Gurr, who’s prone to talk in exaggerated tones with excitable gestures. “As time goes on, people think he’s a company or a brand. I come across people who didn’t know he was a person.” And, he adds, few remain who worked with Walt personally.

Artist-proof models of Gurr’s original monorail designs casually sit on his home coffee table

(David Fouts / For The Times)

Some of Bob Gurr’s model car collection. One of Gurr’s favorite designs was the vintage fire engine for Disneyland.

(David Fouts / For The Times)

On a recent morning at his Tujunga home, Gurr was getting a little wistful. Sitting in a living room overflowing with tchotchkes — some of them incredibly valuable to Disney fans, such as artist-proof models of Gurr’s original monorail designs that casually sit on a coffee table — Gurr draped one of his legs over the arm of a chair and talked about why his fire engine is so meaningful.

It’s that small, early 20th century open-air vehicle that became one of Walt’s favorites. “The last photograph of Walt in his park, what was it?” Gurr asks, referring to a Renie Bardeau picture of Disney behind the wheel in the carriage of a car in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. “Sitting there in the fire engine with his buddy Mickey Mouse. That was the last photo in Disneyland before he was gone. So that little fire engine has had a circle of life.”

In many ways, so has he.

Gurr’s life has been one of constant activity. Born in 1932 and raised just a short walk from Glendale’s Grand Central Airport, now part of the Disney campus, Gurr grew up airplane- and car-obsessed, eventually attending ArtCenter to study vehicle design.

A young Bob Gurr. The Disney legend grew up in Glendale.

(Courtesy of Bob Gurr)

His first major post-ArtCenter gig was in Detroit, working briefly for the Ford Motor Co. On his coffee table sits a gleaming metallic hood ornament, a winged pointed figure that looks like a mock spaceship that Gurr hoped would grace a new Lincoln. It was rejected, but he holds it proudly today as one of his first professional designs.

“The company did not like it, but I loved it and stole it and took it home,” he says.

Missing the West Coast, however, Gurr returned to L.A. Though the Disney company wasn’t on his radar, Gurr says he was close with Ub Iwerks and his family, having gone to school with one of Ub’s sons. Iwerks was instrumental in the development of Mickey Mouse and often a close collaborator and business partner with Walt Disney. “I knew he worked at Disney,” Gurr says, “but he never told me what he did.”

Gurr was asked to take a look at what would become Autopia and offer his design ideas. He was hired.

“Bob was quickly identified as one of the can-do people,” says Tom Morris, a former Imagineer turned author-historian on the division. “The ones who said ‘yes’ to an opportunity, even if they weren’t really sure they could do it. Bob had that natural inclination, along with a strong curiosity and that thing Ray Bradbury called ‘optimistic behaviorism,’ the ability to be realistic and practical.”

Gurr met Disney on one of his first days on the job working on the Autopia cars, a story he tells often. Gurr didn’t recognize the company patriarch — “an older guy, unshaven, kinda ratty looking” — when he put his leg up on one of the tires of the mini-car. But the two quickly got along.

Bob Gurr first met Walt Disney while designing the Autopia cars at Disneyland.

(David Fouts / For The Times)

“He always came in at least once a week and sat down and talked to me,” Gurr says. “I found out later he didn’t do that with everybody. I think the kind of stuff I did — cars, and I could come up with stuff very quickly — was stuff he would like to have in his park. But he doesn’t give ‘atta-boys.’ He doesn’t thank anybody. He does it in a very subtle manner, but very seldom people are thanked. I think his attitude was, ‘There’s no point in giving an ‘atta-boy,’ because if I hired you and you’re here and you’re doing stuff, why would I thank you?’

Gurr backs up.

Bob Gurr says he drew his first monorail designs in about three days. Here, he holds a model one of his creations.

(David Fouts / For The Times)

He notes he was thanked, in Disney’s peculiar way, once in his career, and that’s when he was working on the Disneyland Monorail, which debuted in the park in 1959. Gurr created the initial design, a “Buck Rogers”-inspired space age vehicle, as Gurr wanted it to feel sleek and ready for liftoff. The original drawing of the monorail, stenciled by Gurr within three days of getting the assignment and colored by John Hench, hangs in Gurr’s living room.

Eventually, Gurr also was tasked with overseeing its manufacturing. Gurr recalls one day in which he was working on a half-built monorail train in a soundstage and was paid a visit.

“The finance guy pulled me aside and handed me an envelope,” Gurr says. “He says, ‘Walt can’t understand how you do this, but he’d like you to have this.’ I opened the envelope and it was 10 $100 bills in 1959. I took that as an ‘atta-boy,’ but he didn’t want to tell me.”

Gurr speaks with a mix of humor, directness and curiousity, eager to share stories but also not someone who overly romanticizes them. Asked about his design philosophy, for instance, and Gurr dispenses with big theories and instead focuses on careful pragmatism.

“If you over-anticipate and then something doesn’t work, you have a downer,” Gurr says. “I did this with everything I ever designed. ‘This thing is going to work because…’ And I have to prove every single step. You plot every detail, but you don’t anticipate guaranteed success. It’s a cautionary approach to life. People, say, ‘Oh, I hope, oh I dream.’ No, no no.”

One of Gurr’s earliest designs, a gleaming metallic hood ornament he created for the Ford Motor Co. It was rejected.

(David Fouts / For The Times)

Gurr is told such a philosophy seems to clash with a company that made wishing upon a star — and phrases such as “If you can dream it, you can do it” — part of its brand.

“Think like a Buddhist,” Gurr says. “Dream, wish and hope are dangerous words. You get yourself thinking and set up for disappointment. Stay on the reality side. Then if it didn’t work, we’re going to figure out what we’re going to do now.”

Bob Gurr designed a 30-foot tall King Kong animatronic for Universal Studios Hollywood.

(Courtesy of Bob Gurr)

Gurr gives an example from his career. He was brought in relatively late to the project that would become “Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln”; the long-running show features a robotic Abraham Lincoln and debuted at New York’s 1964 World’s Fair and was installed at Disneyland the following year. The Lincoln animatronic wasn’t moving with the realism that Disney was demanding, and Gurr was told he had about three months to figure it out. Gurr began dissecting the figure’s innards, working primarily with parts from the airline industry.

“I didn’t know anything about the shape of humans,” Gurr says. “I’m a car and airplane guy. And 90 days is a rushed job. But I figured out how to build a structure with a human figure. Someone else had worked on it, and it didn’t quite work. But I can look at a human and see something like an airplane — a lightweight, tubular structure. When you look at something and you’re not trained, you see it with a different filter.”

The conversation inevitably turns to the upcoming Disneyland show “Walt Disney — A Magical Life,” which will temporarily displace “Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln” during Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebrations. “A Magical Life” is set to debut July 17, Disneyland’s official anniversary, and will feature an animatronic of Disney, which the company has teased is its most lifelike robotic figure to date.

Gurr is asked for his thoughts, specifically how Disney may have felt to be turned into a mechanical creation. But he doesn’t bite; Gurr notes that the Walt Disney Co. has him sworn to secrecy on the matter.

“I am embargoed,” Gurr says. “I see, I know and I follow it, but I’m embargoed to say nothing. The public, though — there will be quite a reaction, I’ll say.”

Gurr is typically an open book, especially as he has grown into his status as a mentor and a role model. In recent years, for instance, Gurr has become more comfortable discussing his personal life. For much of his professional career, Gurr was a closeted gay man, coming of age during the 1950s era of Joseph McCarthy and the Lavender Scare, the anti-communist purge of LGBTQ+ people from the U.S. government.

Gurr isn’t shy about the topic today, and he knows there’s curiosity, especially because, at least publicly facing, the Walt Disney Co. has at times leaned conservative. In 1987, for instance, Disneyland hosted an AIDS Project Los Angeles fundraiser as a mea culpa for once banning same-sex dancing. As Gurr says, “You can have a very stiff Disney company. Mickey Mouse. Everything’s sweet.”

Yet Gurr stresses that topic rarely came up during his time at Disney. Once, he says, he caught two peers placing a bet on his sexuality at a Walt Disney World event, but he laughed it off. And as far as his big boss was concerned, Gurr wants to state for the record that Walt Disney had little interest in the personal lives of his staff.

“Walt ignored all of that,” Gurr says. “He saw the talent. He had a bigger, broader picture.”

Gurr is, however, asked if he wishes the Walt Disney Co. and others would be more progressive in their storytelling, Disney recently removed a transgender athlete storyline from the critically acclaimed Pixar animated series “Win or Lose.” In a statement at the time, Disney said it recognized “many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline.”

Gurr doesn’t hide his feelings about the current political climate. He worries, for instance, that Hollywood may avoid such narratives during Donald Trump’s presidency. And yet he takes a wide-angle view, noting that at his age he’s lived through numerous cultural ebbs and flows.

“Everybody’s quieting down because we got Trump a second time,” Gurr says, criticizing the administration’s crackdown on DEI-based programs and labeling the president a “bully.” “So I think everybody is laying low. The DEI pushback is quite serious. But long term in civilizations, these pendulums swing back and forth. I grew up in the era of Sen. McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover, an era where you dare not leave the slightest hint and you never used the word gay. It was assumed gay people were a diseased threat, and you had to design two lives for yourself.”

Bob Gurr, top right, and team work on the Disneyland Monorail.

(Courtesy of Bob Gurr)

The film “Living by Design” digs deep into Gurr’s history, complete with footage of him from the 1930s. The focus is primarily on Gurr’s passions, the hobbies and subjects that shaped his design work and led to his projects for Disney. It aims to show, says director Frank H. Woodward, Gurr’s curiosity and fearlessness; for instance, he was the first man down an unfinished Matterhorn track.

“We hadn’t gotten it all the way to bottom yet, so we had hay bales to stop the car in case it didn’t stop,” Gurr says. “My boss looked at me and said, ‘Robert, you designed it, you ride it.’”

Gurr hasn’t seen the film yet. He wanted to wait to experience it with an audience. Woodward says after the Alex Theatre showing on Saturday, he and Gurr plan to tour the film, visiting other locations around Southern California and hopefully a trip to Florida for the Walt Disney World crowd. With Disneyland’s 70th anniversary on the mind of many a park fan, the timing for the film should be right.

As someone who has never slowed down and never stopped looking ahead, Gurr is asked what his message would be to those entrusted with ensuring that Disneyland is prepared for its next 70 years.

“Just do it right,” Gurr says. “Every detail of everything you do, make sure you’re doing it in the best possible way that you can. The choices a person makes, whether it’s legal work, medical work, science, cartoons or Disneyland vehicles, do it your absolute best. That will make sure you’ll be much more successful than if you just clock in and out to do the job and go home.”

Gurr’s defining Disney creations — the sci-fi-inspired monorails of Disneyland and Walt Disney World, the first implementation of a tubular steel coaster in the Matterhorn — are just a small fraction of his résumé. He would architect a 30-foot animatronic King Kong that once stood at Universal Studios Hollywood, work with Steven Spielberg on the dinosaur figures for “Jurassic Park,” construct a constantly sinking ship at Las Vegas’ Treasure Island and build a flying UFO for the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

Bob Gurr says he was inspired by sci-fi franchise “Buck Rogers” in designing the Disneyland Monorail.

(David Fouts / For The Times)

In his spare time, he regularly flew glider planes, a hobby of his for 50 years. He’s not piloting these days, but almost daily he’ll sit in his office and get behind a simulator to operate digital planes or helicopters. It’s how, Gurr says, he works out his mind. “Somebody told me, ‘You’re a kid playing ‘Fortnite.’ I’ve got rudder pedals on the floor and all these controls. The airplane is extremely real to fly.

“This is the way I test if Alzheimer’s were to come,” he continues, gesturing to his computer setup in his office. “The first time I would see that is that if I had difficulty flying a helicopter — taking off and flying. It’s a severe test of your brain.”

And it’s safe to say that today, Gurr’s mind — in addition to his body of work — still soars.

CONOR BENN is on the brink of a career-high payday against Chris Eubank Jr – in a fight sure to boost his already glitzy life.

The born rivals renew their family at Tottenham’s stadium – 35 year after their dads first fought.

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It will be contested at the 160lb middleweight limit – three years after their initial bout was dramatically axed with just days to go.

Benn failed two drug tests after testing positive for clomiphene – a substance known to boost testosterone.

He vowed to fight his innocence and took his career to America for two wins up at the light-middleweight limit.

Benn’s UK Anti-Doping case was later dropped – allowing him to box in Britain again as Eubank Jr waited in patience.

Both are stars in their own right but growing up the sons of British boxing royalty afforded them quite the luxurious lifestyles.

And here, SunSport takes a look at Benn’s life of luxury.

Living in the fast lane

Over the years, he has splashed his cash on an amazing set of motors, including his pride and joy – a Rolls-Royce Wraith worth £260,000.

After beating former WBO world champion Chris Algieri, he was spotted with a £125,000 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG wrapped in gold.

The same year, Benn added a stunning £110,000 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S – copying his dad who bought a Porsche 911 in the 1990s.

It has a personalised licence plate – ‘K013ENN’ – and Benn calls it his “weekend car.”

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Family Guy

Benn is married to wife Victoria and they share two children, son Eli and daughter Idony Susanna.

The pair began dating in 2017, before walking down the aisle a year later in a private ceremony.

She is an author, having penned the book Feeling It All which helps kids cope with their emotions.

Victoria also shares big brand deals on her Instagram page, where she has over 27,000 followers.

Fans may also recognise her from her YouTube channel which has just over 1000 followers.

In her videos, she take viewers behind the scenes of her boxing star husband’s career.

Victoria and Conor welcomed their first child together in 2021, son Eli and daughter Idony Susanna followed last year.

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Flying private

When Eddie Hearn’s your promoter, you can expect to live the high-life.

Should Benn need to travel with Hearn and his pals for business trips, he’ll fly private.

The son of legend Nigel showed off a private jet that took him and a crew to Philadelphia for a DAZN fight night.

They then headed to Miami on the US trip and captioned the snap: “PHILLY nights with the team, now on to MIA.”

Back home the photos of his trip left a sour tase in wife Victoria’s mouth who was left at home with the kids.

Amusingly, she commented on the snap: “Meanwhile, Idony just threw up on me 🤣”.

Benn completed his training camp to fight Eubank in Majorca – and travelled back to London in a private jet with his team and family.

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Mirror Travel reached out to a number of airlines regarding their loyalty points schemes and went through the fine print: so that you don’t have to. Here’s everything you need to know.

Airline loyalty programmes and frequent flyer miles are a traveller’s secret weapon.

This open secret provides slight relief from the money-grabbing black hole that is flight bookings. Because travelling and making memories that last a lifetime come at a price.

As one Mirror reader recently found out to their displeasure, airline loyalty points can sometimes disappear. The beloved perk for frequent fliers can expire after a certain period, depending on the airline. This means jet-setters might unknowingly lose their hard-earned points if they don’t manage to squeeze in a getaway within the stipulated time.

Frequent flyer programmes, or airline loyalty schemes, let members rack up points or miles every time they fly with a participating airline. These points can then be swapped for a range of rewards, from discounts on future flights and upgrades, to extra baggage allowances and even swanky airport lounge access.

READ MORE: ‘Second-busiest’ UK airport remains the worst for flight delays – see full list

Most airlines offer free sign-ups to these schemes, making it a breeze for passengers to start collecting miles and earning rewards.

Global reward currency Avios is the go-to partner for several airlines, including but not limited to: British Airways, Loganair, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Vueling, Qatar Airways, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, and Finnair.

If you’re a flier that is afraid of unwittingly losing loyalty points and frequent flier miles, fear no further. Mirror Travel contacted a number of airlines regarding their loyalty points schemes and went through the fine print, so that you don’t have to. Here’s how the airlines responded:

British Airways

Passengers flying with BA or its partner airlines in the oneworld Alliance earn both Avios and tier points after qualifying journeys. Avios can be redeemed for discounted reward flights, while tier points help advance through the frequent flyer status levels. While the method for collecting tier points has been updated, the way Avios are awarded remains unchanged.

BA explains that points can expire if members aren’t careful. “Avios won’t expire as long as you collect, spend, buy or share at least one Avios every 36 months. If you don’t collect or use your Avios at all for three years, your Avios will expire and be removed, so remember to take action before that time’s up,” its website reads. More information about BA’s loyalty programme can be found here.

Loganair

Loganair is also affiliated with Avios and members of Loganair’s loyalty programme, Loganair Loyalty, can earn Avios by booking with the carrier, however points are only amassed once the member has actually flown on the flight booked. Loganair Loyalty states that Avios expire after 36 months. According to their terms and conditions , if there has been no earn or redemption activity within a continuous 12-month period, then all Avios will be forfeited and lost.

A member can link their own Loganair Loyalty and British Airways Club accounts to be able to transfer Avios between trogrammes, however transfer of Avios between accounts will not extend the validity of Avios in the Loganair Loyalty account.

Mirror Travel was contacted by a Loganair passenger who claimed that he and his partner had lost 1,500 points when they expired. He contacted the airline and was told: “Unfortunately if there has been no redeeming activity in your account in the last 12 months then all points are automatically removed as per our terms and conditions. Whilst I appreciate your disappointment at losing the points you would require 6500 points for a one way booking. I apologise my response cannot be more favourable on this occasion and for any dissatisfaction felt. Where there has been no earn or redemption activity within a continuous 12-month period then all Avios will be forfeited and lost.”

Aer Lingus

Irish airline company Aer Lingus also uses Avios and outlined the terms of its loyalty points programme, AerClub, to Mirror Travel: “AerClub members can easily collect Avios through a variety of methods. You can earn Avios when flying with Aer Lingus and our partner airlines, as well as through everyday spending with a wide range of retail, travel, financial, and leisure partners.

“Avios never expire as long as your AerClub account remains active. They will only expire after 36 months of inactivity (if no Avios are collected or spent during that time). Currently, AerClub has over 3 million members globally, and many are using their Avios to save on flights and enhance their travel experiences.”

Ryanair

Ryanair officially confirmed to Mirror Travel that they “do not have a loyalty points system in place”.

However, the ultra-low-cost airline does have a subscription-based programme — Ryanair Prime — which aims to provide benefits to subscribers, including a limited number of free reserved seating in specific rows, exclusive flight discounts, and travel insurance for all flights. Ryanair Prime is a 12-month programme that begins on the date the member remits the Voucher Fee to activate their subscription.

Ryanair offers its ‘Prime’ membership for £79 per year and claims that Prime members can save more than £480 per year.

Jet2

While British budget airline Jet2 does not offer loyalty points, it does provide customers with rewards in the form of exclusive benefits and deals on both package holidays and flights booked with Jet2.com.

The low-cost carrier told Mirror Travel: “Jet2 does not offer loyalty points, however signing up for a myJet2 account gives customers exclusive benefits and deals on both flights and package holidays withJet2.com and Jet2holidays. For instance, myJet2 members currently exclusively receive up to £75pp off holidays and 15% on flights departing between now and the end of August 2025. Alongside exclusive discounts and sales, myJet2 members have access to receiving hot-off-the-press news and updates before anyone else.”

easyJet

While easyJet did not respond to Mirror Travel’s request for comment, easyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis recently told reporters that the low-cost carrier is considering developing a loyalty programme.

At the opening of the airline’s base in Southend, 40 miles east of London, Jarvis said: “We are not about to launch anything.” However, he added that changes to the loyalty program at British Airways will offer a good opportunity for new entrants to penetrate the market.

Currently the budget airline has a loyalty programme called Flight Club, the membership to which can be obtained by easyJet invite only. Membership to the program lasts for one year only, after which easyJet will review how frequently you have flown before the end of each year, and inform you whether your Flight Club membership has been renewed for another year or not.

The full list of benefits of a Flight Club membership, such as price guarantees and price promises, can be found here.

Beating out Manchester and Portsmouth, this town on the Irish Sea coast has been ranked one of the most budget-friendly destinations in the UK and is home to a wealth of family-friendly attractions

As relaxing as it may be, a trip to the UK seaside can add up in costs. If you are hoping to enjoy a stretch of the country’s coastline on a budget, then there is one destination that should top your list.

As reported by Liverpool Echo, a new study has named a seaside town one of the UK’s top budget-friendly destinations and a beloved staycation spot. According to research by the credit card brand Aqua, Blackpool is the UK’s second most popular holiday destination.

The ranking came from data analysing the average monthly Google searches for hotels, the affordability of stays and social media hashtags. According to the data, the seaside resort has an average hotel cost in April of £69.

READ MORE: Underrated UK seaside village with bags of charm and huge beach

Blackpool came second only to Plymouth on the ranking, which had an average hotel cost in April of £65. Still, Blackpool beat out other UK destinations for the ultimate affordable getaway, including Manchester, Glasgow and the picturesque port city of Portsmouth, which ranked third on the list.

Located an hour and a half outside of Liverpool, the town of Blackpool is more than just affordable. Full of big draws like an amusement park and gigantic annual light show, the town offers its own distinct brand of English charm.

One of the most well-known attractions in the town is the amusement park, Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Home to nearly a dozen rollercoaster rides – including the UK’s tallest rollercoaster – the park is enjoyable for travellers of all ages.

Located on Blackpool’s South Shore, those brave enough to jump on a ride will be able to enjoy spectacular views of the nearby sea. The park was founded in 1896 and still features a wooden rollercoaster ride that is over 100 years old.

Blackpool Tower is another historical landmark of the town that dominates the skyline. Constructed in 1894 and standing at 380 feet tall, the tower is just as marvellous to behold today as it was when it was first built.

The Blackpool Tower ballroom has been graced by some of the biggest names in the world of dance, as well as true daredevils and acrobats when it served an in-house circus. Today, the tower has become a popular tourist attraction for its 360-degree views and heart-lurching glass walkway.

For those hoping to enjoy the shore up-close instead, head toward Blackpool beach. The town’s seven-mile beach is filled with bars, arcades and fish and chip shops – all the makings of a pleasant day out by the water.

The Blackpool Pier is broken up into three sections: the North Pier, the South Pier and the Central Pier. The Central Pier is where travellers will find a few more tourist attractions, including Sea Life Blackpool and Madame Tussauds.

North Pier is home to the North Pier Theatre where you can watch comedy and musical acts year-round. The South Pier is where you will find a Blue Flag award-winning beach just opposite the amusement park.

FREDDIE FLINTOFF’S former England team-mate burst into tears after seeing the extent of his injuries for the first time.

While filming an episode of Top Gear in 2022, the cricketer-turned-presenter was involved in a horror crash.

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Flintoff was driving a three-wheeled sports car that overturned and dragged him along the track.

The ex-England captain required extensive facial surgery and old pal Steve Harmison broke down in tears after seeing a photo of the injuries.

Harmison told talkSPORT: “I first met Andrew in 1996. We both retired from England in the same game in 2009 and at the time we shared a room together.

“It was a difficult time for him and for [his wife] Rachael and the kids. He was always image conscious.

“I saw some of the pictures before he went into surgery.

“When he sent them to me, I didn’t stop crying for a long, long time.

“He’s lucky to be still with us. He’s lucky he’s been patched up and they’ve done a wonderful job.

“His confidence is back and it’s great to see him back in cricket.”

Flintoff has since returned to cricket as a coach of the England Lions and is back on TV screens.

In a Disney+ documentary about the crash, the emotional former Ashes winner said: “After the accident, I didn’t think I had it in me to get through.

“This sounds awful: part of me wishes I had been killed, part of me thinks, ‘I wish I had died‘.

“I didn’t want to kill myself, don’t mistake the two things, but I was thinking, ‘this would have been so much easier’.

“My biggest fear was I didn’t think I had a face. I thought my face had come off.”

Harmison, who features in the documentary, said hearing that was “heartbreaking”.

Crafting in Ghana

Global Mamas, in the port town of Elmina, creates financial prosperity for local women through the production of handcrafted goods using traditional techniques. We joined them at a batik workshop, where Mavis Thompson showed us how to dip our chosen designs into melted wax, and stamp a length of cream cotton. After dyeing the fabric using natural pigments, we plunged it into boiling water to remove the wax. As the cotton had to be sun-dried between each stage, we sat on low stools and watched the other Global Mamas produce larger, more complex designs. Our vibrantly coloured tablecloths are a reminder of a happy afternoon with Mavis and the mamas.
Helen Jackson

An anti-mafia walking tour in Sicily

Say Sicily, and people often think The Godfather. Go beyond the cliches by joining the three-hour Addiopizzo walking tour of Palermo (€32), organised by the local grassroots anti-mafia movement of the same name. They support businesses who refuse to pay the pizzo – protection money extorted by the mafia. The tour takes in the moving Wall of Legality mural depicting mafia victims and the courthouse where the stories of those who have stood up to Cosa Nostra are told. Rest your tired feet afterwards with a panelle (chickpea fritter) and a gelato at pizzo-free businesses.
Selena Daly

A cloud forest adventure in Ecuador

Santa Lucía Cloud Forest Reserve is a community-run eco project nestled in the heart of Ecuador’s rainforests. Hike through mist-draped jungle, swim beneath cascading waterfalls and savour home-cooked meals in cosy cabins, while joining local researchers as they track elusive Andean bears and assist with community outreach initiatives. This is genuinely sustainable tourism – protecting one of the planet’s most threatened ecosystems while creating vital income for local families. Pickup trucks are available from Quito, though the local bus journey through the Andean foothills is an unforgettable way to arrive. It’s a truly unique “holiday” – wild, breathtaking and genuinely impactful. Staying at the ecolodge, visitors can also join guided hikes and birdwatching trips. A two-day, one-night stay starts at $190.
Bobby

Organic vineyards and biodiversity near Bordeaux

On a family holiday to Bordeaux last autumn we noticed that winemakers were increasingly turning to environmentally friendly methods such as biodynamics and having draught horses rather than machines till the soil. We went on an estate tour that was more than just tasting the odd glass of wine. Our guide informed and educated us about the benefits of organic cultivation and winemaking methods, and at Château de La Dauphine, we were invited to explore the permaculture vegetables and beehives. At the Caves de Rauzan estate, a biodiversity trail wound its way through the countryside. We toured the vineyards on ebikes hired in Bordeaux.
Nigel

Inclusive walking tours in Edinburgh

In Edinburgh, I was struck by Mercat Tours’ Our Stories, Your City – a community initiative funded by visitor donations. It enables disadvantaged residents to experience five-star tours and historic attractions on their doorstep so they encounter first-hand the history which shaped their community – without financial barriers or stigma. This builds a sense of pride and belonging for those excluded, and evidences tourism as a force for good. To me, it’s a beautiful example of a meaningful travel business and their world-class storytelling not just employing local people but providing unexpected benefits for vulnerable locals.
Carron

Stay with locals in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan has a growing Community Based Tourism Association through which visitors can stay with local people. We stayed overnight in Kyzyl-Oi, with Tinatin Saidinova and her family. Located on the ancient Silk Roads, the small village is surrounded by red mountains, with the Kökömeren River nearby. Our room was simply furnished with single beds, and we shared a bathroom with our guide and driver. The dining room was the focal point, with Tinatin ensuring we were well fed on Kyrgyz dishes, including chak chak, deep-fried dough drenched in honey. We drank coffee in a tiny cafe, bought Russian beers from the shop, and felt we’d contributed to village life.
Roy Messenger

Winning tip: cottages in County Tyrone

Because of the Troubles, the Sperrin mountains used to attract only a few holidaymakers, but some pioneers worked relentlessly to bring in more adventurous visitors. The best example is An Creagán in Tyrone, near Omagh, which offers two-night stays from £340 or three nights from £360.50 in cottages of varying sizes, including one complimentary breakfast. It’s a community-owned resort that has given work to about 300 local people. The accommodation consists of traditional cottages, and there is a much-needed bar and restaurant that locals support all year round. Nature lovers come for its paths and cycle trails, and stargazers for its unpolluted skies. It is about an hour’s drive from Derry or Belfast, but a world away from both.
Tom