Holidays

IPSWICH TOWN were unbelievably forced to hold their half-time team-talk on their team BUS due to a plumbing issue during their Carabao Cup clash with Bromley.

Championship outfit Ipswich travelled to Hayes Lane to take on League Two side Bromley in the first round of the competition.

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Kieran McKenna‘s side had been playing in the Premier League last season, lining up in stadiums like Old Trafford and the Emirates in front of tens of thousands of fans.

But the Tractor Boys were slapped in the face by the reality of the football pyramid when they found themselves taking on Bromley in their 1,300-seat Hayes Lane ground.

That reality hit even harder when they went in trailing 1-0 at half-time, only to be told they had to hold their team talk on their team bus due to plumbing problems in the changing rooms.

Their squad, which featured the likes of Ashley Young and Ben Johnson, had to cram onto the bus just so that they could use the toilet.

However, the unusual circumstances didn’t seem to immediately bother the travelling team as they came out swinging in the second half.

Former West Ham man Johnson netted an equaliser just nine minutes after the break.

That was only enough to force penalties as Bromley held firm to keep the game tied at a goal a piece.

Incredibly, Bromley seemingly pulled off the impossible as they came out on top in the test of nerves from 12 yards – knocking out their heavyweight opposition on a historic night for the club.

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The result will have been a frustration for pop superstar Ed Sheeran, a minority owner of Ipswich, who had made the journey to watch the game from the stands.

The first round of the Carabao Cup had already thrown up some madness throughout the evening.

Tranmere Rovers’ tie against Burton Albion was postponed because of a power cut at Prenton Park.

The clash was called off just 26 minutes before kick-off after a Scottish Power outage had left Tranmere unable to operate any tills, floodlights and some of the turnstiles.

Elsewhere Bradford City fans were hit by travel delays after a COW shut down the motorway en route to their tie against Blackburn.

A photo taken at the scene saw a marked vehicle attempting to guide the cow safely off the M62.

However, the animal’s wellbeing came at the expense of Bradford fans, who were left pressed for time ahead of a 7.45pm kick-off.

Many were left in gridlocked traffic as their movements ground to a halt.

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FOUR children have been detained after allegedly stealing a car and mowing down an elderly woman before fleeing the scene.

Cecilia De Astis, 71, died after being struck by an out-of-control vehicle while walking in the Italian city of Milan on Monday.

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The grandma had just left a lunch at the “House of Solidarity” – run by the Brothers of St. Francis – in her local Gratosoglio neighbourhood when the tragic incident occurred, reports Italian outlet La Stampa.

Local police took four children – aged between 11 and 13 – into custody on suspicion of vehicular homicide aggravated by failure to provide assistance.

The children were identified by the T-shirts they were wearing, which had been caught on surveillance cameras from a nearby shop.

Under Italian law, children under 14 are not criminally liable.

The minors were tracked down at a Roma settlement on Via Selvanesco, according to Il Fatto Quotidiano.

The stolen Citroën reportedly skidded, crashed into a curb and struck De Astis – throwing her several metres into the air – before slamming into a nearby road sign.

The impact was said to have been devastating – despite emergency services’ quick arrival, nothing could be done to save the woman.

Her sons, Gaetano and Filippo, arrived at the scene shortly afterwards and collected the few belongings left scattered on the road – including the face of their mum’s wristwatch.

Originally from Puglia, De Astis had worked for over 30 years as a textile worker at the Cederna cotton mill before retiring, according to La Stampa.

Dozens of messages of condolence have reportedly been posted in a social media group created by former mill employees.

De Astis had dinner with her sons the night before the incident.

“The only blessing is that we managed to have dinner together the night before,” they told the newspaper.

Her granddaughter said: “She was my second mother, we grew up together. She was a good woman. You can’t die like that.”

The stolen Citroën – which had French number plates – reportedly belonged to a 20-year-old from Strasbourg who was visiting Milan with three friends.

He had parked the car about a mile from the scene and gone to visit the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology with his friends, only to return and find it missing.

He reported it stolen on Sunday evening.

It comes as a popular travel influencer couple who documented their van life adventures online have died in an off-road crash.

Stacey Tourout and Matthew Yeomans reportedly lost control while driving through rough terrain in the mountains near Trout Lake, British Columbia, Canada.

The Canadian couple ran the Toyota World Runners YouTube channel, which had over 200,000 subscribers, and also built a following of 72,000 on Instagram.

News of their deaths was shared by friends and family on social media and confirmed by Kaslo Search and Rescue, who responded to the scene.

MEGHAN Markle’s heavily criticised Netflix show has been renewed for a second season as a new trailer dropped.

Footage showed the Duchess of Sussex alongside a host of famous guests ahead of the release of the second series of With Love, Meghan on August 26.

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The first season of Meghan’s eight-part Netflix show saw her bee-keeping, making homemade candles and cooking with celeb pals, including Mindy Kaling and make-up artist Daniel Martin.

Now, the show’s second series promises to be “fun and heartwarming” as a plethora of celebrity guests are due to make their appearance.

This includes stars Chrissy Teigen, Christina Tosi, Jamie Kern Lima, and Tan France.

Describing the new season, Netflix said: “Meghan returns with a fun and heartwarming new season, welcoming celebrity chefs, talented artists, and beloved friends for hands-on adventures filled with laughter and discovery.

“From playful cooking challenges to DIY projects, Meghan and her guests explore bold flavors, experiment with new techniques, and discover simple ways to add beauty to everyday life.

“It’s all about embracing playfulness over perfection and finding joy in creating together.”

Meghan can be seen laughing alongside guests at her Montecito home in the trailer, even joking at the end about Prince Harry’s lack of love for lobster.

Speaking to Chef Andrés, she says: “You know who doesn’t like lobster? My husband.”

In response, the chef light-heartedly retorts: “And you married him anyway?”

This comes after Harry and Meghan announced yesterday they had signed a new “multi-year, first look deal” with the American streaming giant to produce “film and television projects”.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have previously released a number of shows on the platform, including a 2022 documentary on their lives and lifestyle show With Love, Meghan this year.

They had secured a lucrative five-year contract – thought to be worth more than $100 million (£74 million) – with Netflix after quitting as senior working royals in 2020.

However, this new deal has been signed for “much less”, an insider told Page Six.

Meghan said in a statement: “We’re proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together to include the As Ever brand.

“My husband and I feel inspired by our partners who work closely with us and our Archewell Productions team to create thoughtful content across genres that resonates globally, and celebrates our shared vision.”

Netflix will only pay for projects they want to screen, rather than pay in a single multi-million pound agreement like the one signed in 2020, The Sun understands.

The Sun can also reveal, however, that the streaming giants will cover Archewell Productions’s overheads, including all costs for its offices and staff.

The new deal was also described as a “downgrade” by PR expert Mark Borkowski.

He told the Mail: “I think Netflix has done a very neat job of pivoting away from two very expensive people who didn’t deliver, and they’ve taken that deal off the table, and they’ve given them a modest one. 

“It’s not like they’re gradually uncoupling – it’s a downgrade. Netflix are not going to expose themselves to those budgets again. It’s Netflix saying, ‘Let’s have a look at your content, but we’ll pick and choose, mate’.”

On top of Season 2 of With Love, Meghan – which will drop later this month – the couple will also film a “Holiday Celebration” Christmas special.

“Join Meghan in Montecito for a magical holiday celebration,” the announcement read.

“Together, friends and family deck the halls, create holiday feasts, craft heartfelt gifts, and share lots of laughs – with simple how-tos to follow at home. It’s a holiday wonder with warmth, tradition, and a generous dose of joy.”

The couple will also release a short film called “Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within” which will look at Uganda’s Masaka region and the HIV/AIDS crisis there.

This has echoes of Harry’s mum Diana’s work, who pioneered social change on perceptions of HIV/AIDS.

She famously shook the hand of a man suffering with the illness without gloves, publicly challenging the idea that HIV/Aids was passed from person to person by touch.

There is also “active development” on other projects with Netflix which “span a variety of content genres”, including a feature adaptation of the bestselling romantic novel by Carley Fortune, Meet Me At The Lake.

Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, said: “Harry and Meghan are influential voices whose stories resonate with audiences everywhere.

“The response to their work speaks for itself — Harry & Meghan gave viewers an intimate look into their lives and quickly became one of our most-watched documentary series.

“More recently, fans have been inspired by With Love, Meghan, with products from the new As Ever line consistently selling out in record time.

“We’re excited to continue our partnership with Archewell Productions and to entertain our members together.”

It was previously thought that the Sussexes’ £74million deal with the streamer was not going to be renewed.

Harry’s vanity project, Polo, about the sport, was watched by just 500,000 people.

But it was also understood that bosses were mildly infuriated by Meghan making her As Ever brand a priority.

The With Love, Meghan viewing figures have reportedly been “dismal”.

Lifestyle and cookery show With Love, Meghan only ranked at number 383 in Netflix’s six-monthly engagement report this year, with just 5.3million viewers across the globe.

Described by one critic as an “exercise in narcissism”, it was beaten by reruns of the first four seasons of legal drama Suits, which also starred the Duchess in her pre-royal days.

Once judged by some as Britain’s greatest soft power asset since Princess Diana, Meghan was filmed for her show making ladybird-shaped canapes from cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls.

In truth, the show is a smash hit compared to her husband’s vanity docuseries Polo, blasted as “a dull indulgence about a rich person’s pursuit”.

In the first six months of the year the programme attracted a disastrous 500,000 views globally, ranking it at number 3,442 out of around 7,000 shows.

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IF YOU fancy a National Trust day out but you’re not a member, there’s some easy-to-overlook sites that won’t cost you a penny to access. 

We all think about the historic houses and great estates that National Trust and English Heritage look after around the country.

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But it’s easy to forget that they both have lots of free locations too, giving access to our coastlines and countryside for the cost of car parking. 

I’m lucky to have two reservoir reserves right on my doorstep, both of which have lovely waterside walks, a playground for the kids and a cafe for those all-important refreshments.

Even better, National Trust members can park free, since the organisation took over looking after Staunton Harold Reservoir and nearby Foremark on the border of Leicestershire and Derbyshire a couple of years ago. 

In the school holidays, there’s often kids’ activities like circus skills or kite-making that anyone can turn up and have a go at. 

Calke Abbey, which is a location you have to pay to access, is in-between the two and has one of the National Trust’s biggest woodland play areas and a huge walled garden full of fun like hobby horses, den building, garden games and craft stations throughout the summer holidays.

There’s enough there for a full day out, but if you’re just after somewhere outdoors to while away a few hours, its free neighbours could be perfect.

To be honest, we very rarely visit the inside spaces when we go to National Trust places anyway as my boys prefer to be in the fresh air.

So it’s great that you have the option of playgrounds and woodland walks without having to pay.

It’s not just hidden countryside spots that are great to explore for free. 

There’s some incredible coastal sites that fall under National Trust and English Heritage ownership too.

If you’re heading to Norfolk for your holidays, there’s the remains of a big Roman fort tucked away behind Parkdean’s Breydon Water caravan site.

Burgh Castle, looked after by English Heritage, is a short stroll away from the caravans if you’re staying there or there’s a small car park for visitors just up the road. 

It’s amazing how much of the fort walls have survived and you can get a sense of how the Romans built their empire.

We’ve been there many times over the years and there’s only ever a handful of visitors about, even in the height of summer.

Just up the Norfolk Coast is the National Trust’s Blakeney Point, home to a colony of seals.

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We stayed nearby for our first wedding anniversary and it really is a very special place.

Just remember to give the wildlife plenty of space if you want to visit it in its natural environment.

When we headed up north last year, we went to several English Heritage sites along Hadrian’s Wall, including Housesteads Fort.

But it’s easy to forget that most of the 73 miles of wall are free to access and looked after by various organisations like National Trust and English Heritage.

My top tip if you’re heading to one of these free sites and aren’t a member is to try to support the location by buying something from the cafe or giving a small donation if you can.

Always follow the countryside code to leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but memories so that these wonderful wildlife havens remain unspoilt for future generations.

With 620,000 acres of land and 780 miles of coast belonging to the National Trust, you’re bound to find somewhere to visit not far from your doorstep – and you might not even need to pay a penny to enjoy your local location.

The National Trust has also revealed their best free attractions to visit this summer – from sky gardens to ‘city oasis’ parks.

Plus, these are the National Trust’s top family-friendly attractions with fairytale castles and ‘book jungles’.

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People have been left in stitches of laughter after hearing about a woman’s story while holidaying in Ibiza – she thought she had hit the jackpot and met Wayne Lineker but the truth left her red-faced

A young woman on a girls’ holiday with her mate was absolutely buzzing after she believed she’d encountered her “hero”, Wayne Lineker. Gary Lineker ‘s brother can frequently be found chatting to punters at his cherished party destination, Ocean Beach in Ibiza – with countless visitors clamouring for snaps with his during their visit.

The Spanish beach club has enjoyed tremendous success since launching 13 years ago, and remains essential for Brits visiting the party isle. Celebrities including Ed Sheeran, Jason Derulo, Jack Grealish and Conor McGregor have been photographed at the San Antonio venue. One woman was thrilled after meeting who she believed was Wayne Lineker, who has remained single for seven years.

She became even more excited when he reportedly offered to buy her a drink. The party-goer was holidaying with a friend she’s called Faye, and the duo were staying at Ibiza Rocks. One day while at the poolside party hotel, the two women were approached by some “absolute sorts” they nicknamed “Ibiza Final Bosses”. The blokes invited them to Ocean Beach for the day, which they accepted.

She and her mate headed to the beach club with the group and claims she was “having the time of her life” with them, until something caught her attention. She revealed in a frank TikTok video : “Out the corner of my eye I could see Wayne Lineker. I know exactly who Wayne Lineker is, I know he is into brunettes.”

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She continued: “My mate Faye doesn’t know who he is. He approaches and asks ‘do you want a drink’. I respond ‘I’ve got my own drinks but sure I’d love you to get me a drink’. So we end up spending time with Wayne Lineker and his companion, let’s call him Barry for the story.”

Lacy explained she and her friend departed from the initial group they’d joined at the beach club, hoping to spend their day with ‘Wayne’ and his mate. She observed they were having “a great time”.

The pair were invited to an afterparty at the location where the two men were staying. Lacy revealed: “I’m like absolutely, I’m thinking there’s going to a party, this is going to be lit, me and Wayne are going to be a thing, I’m literally going to come back to Torquay engaged. I manifested the whole thing.”

However, she began feeling doubtful when they climbed into a vehicle to reach the party. “I thought we were going to get into a Range Rover, it wasn’t quite that,” she revealed.

Lacy explained she hadn’t realised how intoxicated they were until that point. She described how they exited the car and entered a hotel, despite anticipating a large villa gathering.

“It is a disappointment to say the least,” she remarked.

Please note the follow video contains strong language.

She continued: “So we’re all sat in this twin room with Wayne, Barry, my mate Faye and me. They’re like ‘do you want a drink’, I’m like ‘yeah sure’. Anyway we do the whole formal thing of asking each other’s names.”

Lacy revealed she jokingly asked ‘Wayne’ what his name was, completely convinced it was him, and was stunned when he replied saying ‘Tim’.

She explained: “I said you’re so funny. He goes, ‘what do you mean’. I go ‘you’re name’s not Tim’, he goes ‘yeah my name’s Tim’. So it’s at that moment I realise what I’ve done. This ain’t Wayne Lineker.”

She continued: “I realised I have royally f***ed up. I have brought us to the back end of Ibiza where I have never even visited with this guy Tim – and now come to think of it, he doesn’t even look anything like Wayne Lineker. I am that lit, I’m stuck in this crazy hotel room with my mate.”

She feigned illness so she and her pal could make their getaway.

But matters got worse when they couldn’t find a taxi for more than an hour.

Lacy continued: “I am stuck in a hotel room with f***ing Barry, Wayne, Faye, and me drinking the worst f***ing prosecco while all the Ibiza final bosses are at a party.”

Wayne Lineker, who also runs Linekers bars and Bam-Bu-Ku, spotted the post and replied in the comments.

Wayne quipped: “Who’s Barry? Must be Dean Gaffney.”

Lacy fired back: “No way has Wayne entered the chat. Deffo not as hot as Dean Gaffney, more like Barry from Eastenders. Don’t worry Wayne I would recognise you in a crowded room any day of the week…it was an off brand night.”

The video was a hit with viewers, with one quipping: “What in the Jet 2 Holidays is going on here.”

Another chimed in with: “Wayne Lineker from Temu,”. A third couldn’t contain their laughter, commenting: “I am crying,” while another person penned: “I have never laughed so much at 7am on a Sunday morning.”

Another fan added: “Haha brilliant. Knew that was coming. Sounds like something I’d do. At least you have a great story to tell.”

One viewer shared a personal anecdote, stating: “Wayne Lineker tried chatting me up in his bar in Tenerife 35 years ago! He’s spent his life trying to pull women. I think you can do better.”

Hunters Quay Dunoon Holiday Village is located near the town of Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, approximately 90 minutes from Glasgow

A Scottish family holiday village near a stunning beach is currently on offer with a whopping 50 per cent discount.

Hunters Quay Dunoon Holiday Village can be found close to Dunoon town on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, roughly 90 minutes from Glasgow. And it boasts sweeping views across the Holy Loch and has plenty to keep adults and children busy.

Currently, voucher site Wowcher is selling three, four, or seven-night breaks at the holiday park for half the usual cost. Visitors can secure the getaway for just £199, slashed from the regular rate of £394.25 which includes four or six people staying in a two or three-bedroom static caravan. It comes as locals say a Devon village is like a ‘time warp’ that has never changed.

Each caravan features central heating, a complete kitchen setup, a flat screen television, and fresh bed linen, reports the Daily Record

Holiday guests will also gain complete access to Hunters Quay’s recreational amenities. These feature two swimming pools – including one exclusively for adults – a fitness centre, a sauna, a steam chamber, and various on-site entertainment options.

Activites on offer include axe throwing, aqua run, ‘superhero academy’, sand art, and a teddy bear hunt. Additionally, there’s evening live shows and a children’s play zone and there’s an on-site pub serving “delicious meals” according to Wowcher.

Visitors can opt to dine in or request a takeaway and enjoy their meal back at their caravan. The Wowcher package also features a complimentary late checkout of 11am. Pet owners can bring their furry friends along for an additional £15 per dog per night.

While holiday parks remain a favourite for staycations, some travellers might fancy a traditional hotel instead. Popular nearby alternatives include the Royal Marine Hotel and the SGE Argyll Hotel.

Hunters Quay Dunoon Holiday Village has received largely favourable reviews from visitors. The resort boasts a 4.1 out of five rating on Tripadvisor based on 1,074 reviews.

One guest wrote: “The park was lovely and clean. Lodge was very clean and spacious. We had a great stay. Staff were friendly and worked hard.”

Another delighted holidaymaker commented: “This was our first proper family holiday and I couldn’t have wished for anything better. Everyone was so amazing and kind. Nothing was too much for anyone!”.

Another visitor said: “Caravan lovely and clean, quiet location at the bottom of the hill. So [it’s a] trek to the facilities. Very busy as [it was the] height of season.

“Would avoid restaurant due to length of time it takes to serve food after ordered. We had dog and granddaughter with us, who wre both fed up.”

However, another five-star guest gushed: “Amazing holiday at Hunters Quay, highly recommend this park. The staff are so helpful and friendly. The food was really nice and we enjoyed the evening entertainment.”

For further details on the Hunters Quay Dunoon Holiday Village offer, head over to the Wowcher website.

If you’re planning a trip to Spain, one travel influencer has shared a must-see attraction in the country that looks like it belongs in a fairytale – and it’s located just 20 minutes from Malaga

With destinations like Benidorm, Mallorca and the Canary Islands, Spain continues to be amongst the top holiday spots for Brits seeking sunshine, as the nation offers something for every traveller. In 2023, Brits made over 17.8 million visits to Spain, making it the most popular holiday spots that year.

Whether you’re after a peaceful seaside break or somewhere to party until dawn every evening, this varied country boasts destinations to match all preferences. Yet what numerous holidaymakers frequently overlook is discovering the nation’s more obscure cities that are equally stunning as the well-known attractions. However, one travel enthusiast Kristina Cors, who regularly uses social media to reveal her travel tips, has now unveiled a ‘secret treasure’ in Spain that’s located 20 minutes from Malaga and looks to be straight from a fairytale.

Posting on TikTok, where she boasts more than 751,300 followers, she highlighted one destination she believed every tourist in Spain should experience.

“When people go to Malaga, Spain and miss places like this 20 minutes away,” she wrote on top of the video.

She proceeded to show footage from her trip to Colomares Castle, situated in the town of Benalmádena in southern Spain. Whilst the fortress appears ancient, it was constructed between 1987 to 1994, and was devoted to the life and expeditions of Christopher Columbus.

Spanning 1,500 metres, it stands as the world’s largest tribute to the explorer, whilst also housing the globe’s tiniest church, occupying merely 1.96 square metres. In her video, Kristina provides glimpses of the castles from various angles, with blooming flowers enhancing the picturesque scenes.

She’s also seen strolling around the castle grounds and standing on a balcony, soaking in views straight out of a fairytale.

“Don’t go to Spain without visiting THIS incredible castle,” she write again in the video caption.

The comment section quickly filled up, with many likening the castle to ‘The Spring Court’ from Sarah J Maas’ fantasy book series A Court of Thorns and Roses.

“Wow,” one person simply commented, while another added: ” Been there once, really worth a visit!”.

“I live 5 minutes away from this castle and it’s stunning,” shared another viewer.

“Omg… I feel like I’m in a fairytale,” a fourth person exclaimed.

For those visiting Malaga who don’t fancy the 20-minute drive to Colomares Castle, one person suggested: “[Take] the train from Malaga to Arroyo de la Miel, then bus to the village of Benalmadena pueblo. Its a 2€ entrance fee, go early morning and explore the church grounds nearby too.”

However, not everyone was as enchanted, with one viewer branding it a ‘tourist trap’ due to its relatively recent construction in the 1980s.

The airline is currently looking to hire 17,300 people, equivalent to a mid-size town or the seating capacity of 58 Airbus A350 aircraft, across 350 roles, which include pilots, IT professionals, engineers, and cabin crew

Emirates Airlines is hiring new flight attendants, but applicants must meet strict criteria.

The airline is currently looking to hire 17,300 people, equivalent to a mid-size town or the seating capacity of 58 Airbus A350 aircraft, across 350 roles. Emirates hasn’t said how many of those job openings are for flight attendants, but it is likely to be within the hundreds, if not thousands.

Throughout the year, the group will be hosting more than 2,100 open days and other talent acquisition events in 150 cities to recruit pilots, IT professionals, engineers, and cabin crew roles. The announcement comes after Emirates banned power banks on its flights.

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Emirates has said that new recruits are required for some roles, including cabin crew, pilots, engineers, commercial and sales teams, customer service, ground handling, catering, IT, HR, and finance. Separately, Dnata is looking to hire more than 4,000 cargo, catering, and ground handling specialists.

Some of the benefits included with Emirates jobs are profit share eligibility, comprehensive medical and life insurance cover, travel benefits including flight tickets and membership cards that provide discounts at hundreds of retail, hospitality, and lifestyle outlets.

Although the airline has not advertised wages as part of this recruitment drive, Aviation A2Z reports that the average annual salary of an Emirates flight attendant working in the United States at approximately $47,000 (£34,000) as of last year.

While the salary and benefits appeal, Emirates is particular when it comes to what it is looking for in new recruits. They must be:

• Be fluent in both written and spoken English (additional languages are an advantage)
• A natural team player with a personality that shines
• At least 160 cm tall (5’2”)
• Able to reach 212 cm high
• Able to meet the UAE’s employment visa requirements
• Have at least one year of hospitality/customer service experience (desirable)
• Have a minimum of high school (grade 12) education
• Have no visible tattoos while in Emirates cabin crew uniform

“Irrespective of nationality, Emirates look for a positive attitude, confidence, flexibility, maturity, a friendly disposition and a genuine passion to help others to provide quality service. As the job can be physically demanding, it is imperative you demonstrate resilience and a determination to continually perform well”, the job requirements add.

Marika Mikusova, a flight attendant with Emirates, shared her recollection of the application process. “For example, I would definitely advise against wearing unnatural hair or nail colour! I personally attended open days twice. The first time I didn’t even pass the first round of the interview. I assume it was because of what I was wearing,” she explained.

Marika also had some, perhaps slightly more traditional advice for those angling for a job with Emirates. “So I would advise women to put on blazer and pencil skirt and style their hair in a bun. I would highly recommend putting a lipstick and heels on!”

For men, Marika suggested that they arrive clean-shaven or with a moustache only, and dressing in a suit.

“Mind your body language! Put on a gentle smile and present yourself in a calm manner. Do not cross your arms during interview as you would look unapproachable or even angry,” she added.

Marika even recalled a time when she attended her Prague Emirates Open Day, where several Korean women hoping to become flight attendants had flown in from other continents just to attend the Emirates Open Day.

“In fact, the interview was conducted entirely in English and was not limited by the nationalities of the candidates, the number of participants, or how many times each candidate attended Open Days in the past. So you can try multiple interviews outside your country,” Marika concluded.

Those aspiring to join the Emirates Group can apply for the various roles and keep a lookout for open days and recruitment events worldwide at www.emiratesgroupcareers.com.

The aviator lost consciousness while in the cockpit of the budget airline’s service from Barcelona to Porto, a source from the National Institute of Medical Emergencies said

A pilot fainted while flying a Ryanair plane on Sunday, according to reports.

The aviator lost consciousness while in the cockpit of the budget airline’s service from Barcelona to Porto, a source from the National Institute of Medical Emergencies told Portugal Resident. At 8:19 a.m. on Sunday, August 10, the pilot suffered “a rapidly recovering syncope” and “apparently recovered during the flight,” the publication reported.

The pilot came back to consciousness and the plane continued its journey from Barcelona’s El Prat Airport to Porto’s Francisco Sá Carneiro. The plane landed normally, an official source from Portugal’s EKAB told the Portuguese agency Lusa. News of the incident comes at the end of a week in which baggage handlers who work on Ryanair services announced they’re going on strike.

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An ambulance from the Moreira da Maia Fire Department and a medical vehicle, emergency vehicle (VMER) from the Pedro Hispano Hospital went to Sá Carneiro Airport to meet the plane. “The pilot received assistance on the spot, but refused to go to the hospital and stayed at the airport,” the National Institute of Medical Emergencies said, according to Portugal Resident.

Despite the medical incident, flight data show that the only Ryanair flight that arrived this Sunday morning at Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport from Barcelona (Spain) was flight FR 4587, which arrived at 8:35 a.m. at Terminal 1, as it had been scheduled to do.

The Mirror put the claims to Ryanair’s press office. A spokesperson for the airline said: “Ryanair has procedures and training in place to deal with situations where a pilot becomes unwell in flight. This flight from Barcelona to Porto (10 Aug), landed safely at Porto Airport.”

Holidaymakers going to Spain this month are facing a fresh blow as new strikes have been announced affecting major airports and airlines across parts of the country. The UGT union previously stated there will be a series of strikes affecting Ryanair’s baggage handling department.

These are set to start on August 15. However, there is now increased potential for delays and flight cancellations after 1,500 workers with a second firm, Menzies, said it would hold its own industrial action, which will also start in August.

Menzies services a number of major airlines including British Airways, easyJet, Wizz Air, American Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Emirates and Norwegian. The UGT union said the strike by ground staff of the Menzies group will affect five Spanish airports, including Barcelona-El Prat, Alicante, Palma, Malaga and Tenerife South, on August 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31.

COPS have launched an urgent hunt for a 49-year-old woman who went missing from a popular seaside town.

Claire Bennett was last heard from at around 1.30pm on Monday after vanishing in Cornwall.

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Claire, who is from St Austell, is believed to be in the Truro area according to cops.

She is described as a white female, around 5ft 10ins and of slim build, police said.

Claire is also said to have blonde hair which is usually worn down.

Cops confirmed she was last seen wearing a white top and blue shorts.

Searches and enquiries are ongoing, but the force are appealing for anyone who has seen Claire or knows where she is to get in touch.

Anyone who sees Claire or knows of her whereabouts is asked to contact police on 999 quoting log 610 of 11 August.

Issuing a plea to her mum, Claire’s daughter told PlymouthLive: “Mum, if you read this please come home. We aren’t mad at you and we all bloody love you!

“You win at hide and seek. Just even send me a message to tell me you’re ok.

“We can get through this. I promise. I love you.”

Claire’s daughter said her mum was “classed as a high-risk missing person”, according to the outlet.

Her daughter also claimed that items belonging to Claire had been found, reports the outlet.

She said: “We found a bag we believe to be hers at the park by the viaduct In Truro.

“We were asked not to continue looking on foot for her due to the police dogs and scents etc.”

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Disney Cruise Line marked another milestone for their new cruise ship Disney Destiny set to sail in November with tributes to Hercules, the Lion King and Marvel

Disney Cruise Line marked another milestone its the expansion of its fleet as the latest of its cruise ships, Disney Destiny, was floated out earlier this week.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the Meyer Weft shipyard in Germany for the highly-anticipated event, which gave fans a first look at the 1,122ft-long ship, which is estimated to have cost up to $1.1billion (approx £743million) to build.

While a float out is a big deal for cruise lines, I wasn’t prepared for how much of an event it would turn out to be. My first clue was when we turned up to find that hundreds of locals had already been camping in the parking lot for days beforehand, and were already lining up near the shipyard’s riverbanks to get some of the best views of the ship.

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Meyer Weft and Disney Cruise Line pulled out all the stops too; there were food and drink stalls, iconic Disney songs playing in the background, and of course those all-important fireworks when the ship made its grand appearance. Minnie Mouse herself made an appearance, dressed in a new superhero outfit in a nod to the artwork that features on the bow of the Destiny.

There was a general buzz of anticipation, and considering a float out takes a couple of hours, the atmosphere was impressive.

Although it was all a very smooth process, it was nail-biting to watch all the same. For a start, although the ship’s engines have been built and are powerful enough for the ship to move forward, these don’t actually get used because there’s such a small margin of error in terms of navigating the riverbank and space.

Instead, a tiny (well, tiny compared to the cruise ship) tug boat sailed out and was hooked up to the ship with ropes; and that turned out to be the way they would be dragging out the huge ship which boasts a 144,000 gross tonnage. The smaller boat slowly zig zagged as it pulled the Disney Destiny out of the construction hall. There were only a few metres either side with room for error, so precision was key, and I felt nervous for the captain whose responsibility it was to ensure that the ship stayed well away from the sides!

There were around four or five shipyard workers who also walked along the edge of the riverbank, reportedly to keep an eye out in case the ship got too close, and to help assist the smaller boat with ropes.

Luckily, they knew what they were doing and the ship was floated out seamlessly, with fireworks and pyrotechnics going off once it had officially left the hall, as well as a new upbeat song being unveiled that will be the ship’s anthem.

As for the Disney Destiny itself, there’s going to be plenty for Mickey Mouse fans to get excited about. A sister ship to the Disney Wish and Disney Treasure, this new addition to the fleet boasts a ‘heroes and villains’ them complete with a Cruella De Vil themed bar, a Marvel lounge inspired by the Sanctum from Doctor Strange, and a Pirates of the Caribbean themed pub.

Disney Destiny will sail on her maiden voyage on November 20, 2025 from Fort Lauderdale, with itineraries to The Bahamas and Western Caribbean. You can get more details about the ship and book sailings at disneycruise.disney.go.com. You can also find out more about the shipyard at meyerwerft.de.

FORMER Premier League star Ronnie Stam has been jailed for SEVEN YEARS after being found guilty of drug smuggling.

The former Wigan Athletic ace was charged with conspiring to smuggle more than TWO TONNES of cocaine into his homeland.

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The street value of the cocaine, which was set to arrive from South America, was a whopping £48.6MILLION.

Stam was facing a total of 13 years behind bars as prosecutors deemed him to be a major player in the operation.

But the 41 years has been handed a seven-year custodial sentence instead.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..

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Growing up in a ranching community on California’s Central Coast, I reaped the benefits of being surrounded by vast landscapes — hikes in the nearby mountains, adventurous lake activities and family games under the sun. Now, living in the city, I crave these experiences. In planning vacations, I often daydream about trading office lights and parking meters for dusty boots and wide-open spaces.

Enter the dude ranch, a cattle ranch-turned-resort that lets guests live like a cowboy (or gal) — sans the early morning chores. California has several of these destinations spread across picturesque landscapes, from the oak-studded hills of Central California to the dramatic Sierra Nevada foothills. At these family-friendly ranches, you can choose your daily adventures among a full slate of activities and programming. You might take a morning wagon hayride in the mountains, try fly fishing or archery in the afternoon, kick up your boots at a line dancing soiree in the evening and end the night with a s’mores-filled campfire under the stars.

And you can ride horses, of course. Ranch staff and professional wranglers are usually on hand to tailor your experience, whether you’re a skilled rider or have a kid getting in the saddle for the very first time. At a weekly rodeo at Alisal Ranch in Santa Ynez Valley, intermediate and advanced riders can enter a team sorting competition, an exciting event where participants must move cattle against the clock.

At dude ranches, accommodations range from cozy log cabins to upscale lodges and usually include hearty ranch-style meals, often made from locally sourced ingredients. Most ranches offer all-inclusive packages, though some activities and excursions require an extra fee.

As more people live out their Wild West fantasies through travel, staying at a classic dude ranch has become a unique vacation style. But ranching has long been a way of life in California. The state’s ranching roots stretch back to the late 1700s when Spanish settlers introduced cattle and established sprawling ranchos. These vast tracts of land, worked by vaqueros (a.k.a. the original cowboys), laid the foundation for California’s farming culture. Since the early 20th century, ranches have been welcoming guests from the city, offering a taste of unplugged cowboy life.

Today, a dude ranch vacation is more than a peaceful getaway. It’s a connection to a rich, dusty legacy that helped define the American West. Step into the boots of a cowboy — if only for a few days — at one of these guest ranches across California.

The pretty town is loved by locals and popular with holiday makers for several reasons including its market being crowned ‘Britain’s best’

A Devon ‘rebel’ town lined with independent shops is a place I visit often – and tourists flock there too.

It’s a picturesque place offering a true taste of local life with cream teas served along with lots of other delicious food to try.

Tavistock in Devon is closer to Cornwall than you may think – and being inland there are numerous other places to visit around the charming town, reports the Express.

Fringed by Dartmoor and within driving distance to the beach, staying a while in Tavistock offers a retreat from the crowds that typically end up in seaside spots.

The town has much to see, museums, independent shops and a fantastic pannier market with an array of stalls selling all sorts of things.

For ramblers it’s great, as there are so many short or long walks to set off upon from here with many trails taking you along the riverside.

Tavistock’s Pannier Market dates back hundreds of years to the year 1105, stall holders are friendly and chatty and will talk you through their wares.

I love to visit the market which was crowned Britain’s best this year in the Great British Market Awards 2025 – one of my favourite stalls is a quirky one called Talking Rubbish.

Richard Westacott-Jones runs this business which sells numerous beautiful old bottles, many of which he has dug from the earth himself.

Brimming with unique shops, the town really offers an ‘experience’ when it comes to shopping and Richard from Talking Rubbish, believes retail has become ‘soulless’ in cities, which is why so many people visit Tavistock to shop.

If you’re in a nearby seaside spot and it’s a rainy day in Devon (or nearby Cornwall) a little escape to Tavistock could be a good tip.

Even if the sun shines, it’s a nice place to come for some relaxation, with Lydford Gorge nearby too with its stunning waterfall – you can even walk here from the town if you’re keen on a ‘moderate’ one hour ramble.

Running through Tavistock town is the beautiful River Tavy, where kingfishers and much other wildlife can be spotted – and other walking routes will lead you to many other delightful spots.

The Tavistock Canal Towpath winds through woodlands, leading you to the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Tavistock is known as a ‘rebel town’ for famously shunning fast food outlet McDonald’s, although one briefly opened, no-one used it, locals didn’t want it there, so it closed down (in 2006).

Now it’s these kinds of actions that make me proud to be Devonian – and it’s this kind of stronghold local action that has enabled the town to keep its charming character.

Tavistock is a bit different – and what’s more you can shop for something a bit different too, this gives the place a nice relaxing vibe and a feeling of escape (from the norm of other towns and cities) for a while.

MAURA Higgins has revealed her stunning living room makeover at her £1.15m mansion in Essex.

The Irish beauty, who bought the property in October, has been taking her time with the interior, waiting for the right furniture to put her stamp on it.

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She seemed right at home in a new video, making bolognese in her modern kitchen before enjoying it in the open plan sitting area.

Settling in to watch And Just Like That on her wall-mounted TV, Maura rested her bowl of food on a beige pouffe that also housed a diffuser and scented candle.

The space includes matching sofas, a fluffy bean bag, throws and a black marble floor.

Maura, who is reportedly worth £3.2m, wrote on her Instagram account dedicated to the property: “I finally have sofas!!!!!! @rowenhomes I can not thank you enough for these beautiful Boucle Sofas….

“My first weekend cooking in my new home & having my first piece of furniture has made it so perfect and cosy.”

She added that all of the furniture had been gifted to her.

Her followers were impressed with the stylish set up, with one commenting: “It’s really looking like a lovely home. Well done Maura they’re nothing like the feeling of owning your own home.”

Another said: “It’s starting to look really cosy.”

A third wrote: “Wow! It looks gorgeous!”

Maura has dubbed her five-bedroom detached home in a gated development, Casa A’Maura after the second villa on the show Love Island.

The TV star found fame on the series in 2019, alongside her best pal Molly-Mae Hague.

The 34-year-old’s new Instagram account has amassed over 70,000 followers and in her first post, Maura shared that she had finally moved into the new space.

The light-filled kitchen opens up seamlessly into the back garden with the help of bi-folding glass patio doors.

The large garden features both a patio and a lawn and is fenced all around with some guaranteed extra privacy guaranteed from the large bushes all around the properties.

It has two reception rooms and five “generously-sized” double bedrooms with one as a master bedroom that features an en-suite and custom-built wardrobes.

When she bought the property, Maura called it her “dream home” and also treated herself to a £60,000 Porsche too.

Her previous home was targeted by masked thieves, and the incident left Maura shaken.

A source said in 2023: “Neighbours caught it all on CCTV and it was chilling to see three masked men ram through the gates and start trying to break into cars.”

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‘My grandmother, a widow, sold her livestock in the 1940s and bought this land to start a vineyard. That’s where she made the wine,” says Pepa Fernández proudly, pointing towards a weathered building no bigger than a garden shed. We’re standing between two fields on a chalky road skirted by poppies, daisies and thistles. One field is lined with neat rows of lush vines, the other with small bush vines soon to bear monastrell grapes (the most dominant variety in these parts). In the distance, a sandy-coloured mountain range peppered with pine trees sits beneath a cloudless blue sky.

Pocket-sized Pepa is the face of Bodega Balcona, a family-run organic winery in Spain’s south-eastern province of Murcia. The vineyard lies in the picturesque Aceniche valley, in Bullas – one of Murcia’s three wine DOPs (denominaciónes de origen protegida), alongside Yecla and Jumilla. Each has its own wine route, scattered with museums and vineyards.

My girlfriend and I are in the area to explore Murcia’s food and drink scene after a tipoff from an old friend who grew up in the city (Murcia is the name of both the province and its capital). The province hosted two of Spain’s most prestigious culinary events last year: the Repsol Guide Soles gala and the Michelin Guide gala.

“Murcia is one of the best food cities in Spain,” a suave Granada-based gentleman in a fedora tells me on the way to the tasting room. We soon learn that its wine is pretty special, too, as we make our way through Bodega Balcona’s roster of earthy natural wines. Each glass is paired with national and regional dishes: cold cuts, local cheeses, almonds, tuna empanadas, and a Murcian favourite made by Pepa’s nephew, pastel de carne – a hearty meat and egg pie topped with flaky pastry.

After, we drive to the nearby Salto del Usero waterfall, where kids are paddling and teenagers are sunning themselves on rocks, like lizards. Following a quick dip in the chilly plunge pool, we go to meet Paco Franciso Muñoz Reales, who runs an organic farm nearby with his German wife, Heidi.

Laid-back and softly spoken, Paco is part of a local cooperative of growers, including Pepa, using ecological farming methods. He explains there was a little bit of tension with local farmers when he first started, but things have settled down. On a tour of his five-hectare estate, he shows me a seed bank tucked inside a pantry, rows of apricot, olive and lemon trees, and a tomato patch.

Nicknamed the garden of Europe, Murcia accounts for around 20% of Spain’s fruit and vegetable exports. This agricultural heritage stems from a vast network of fertile gardens, or huertos, that surround the city of Murcia, where baroque buildings, palm-lined riverbanks and buzzing tapas bars cluster around Plaza de las Flores. La Huerta de Murcia, as the fertile area is called, also influences local food culture, with Sundays traditionally reserved for family meals at rustic restaurants.

Each spring, the city also throws the Bando de la Huerta festival – a lively celebration of rural life where locals don traditional dress and feast on regional dishes. We arrive a few weeks later, so instead visit the rustic El Cañal Los Almillas restaurant, where we tuck into heaped platters of beef entrecote dusted with a layer of rock salt, and a fresh tomato salad with olives and lettuce, accompanied by plates of lemon (Murcianos squeeze lemon on everything). We finish with a classic Murcian dessert of crispy, deep-fried paparajotes – battered lemon leaves served with a dollop of ice-cream.

The restaurant is named after the city’s canal system, which are part of an irrigation system dating back to Moorish times. “Think of it as the Segura River being the heart and the canals the veins that deliver the blood,” our guide, Antonio, explains.

David López, the chef at the fine-dining restaurant Local de Ensayo, tells us these ancient systems are still in use today as he shows us around his huerto. López visits his patch daily, growing everything from lettuce, beans and cucumber to strawberries and aubergines. Fruit and vegetables feature prominently in traditional Murcian cooking, in dishes such as ensalada murciana (tomato salad with tuna, olives and egg) and arroz con verduras (rice with vegetables).

“It’s a way of life for me, somewhere I can bring the children to plant things and watch them grow,” López says while trudging through the mud, checking his crops. About 20% of the produce used in his restaurant comes from his garden, the rest being supplied by an ecological farmer with a stall at Verónicas market, which sells fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and olive oil to the city.

López and his wife, Carmen, show us around the market, pointing out local delicacies like mújol (mullet), almendra marcona (almonds), langostino del Mar Menor (langoustines) and alficoz (a type of curly cucumber). We finish at Café Bar Verónicas, which to the untrained eye looks like any other neighbourhood bar: metal countertops, shelves of pickled vegetables and wine, and locals chatting loudly. However, framed newspaper reviews hint at something more.

It’s run by Samuel Ruiz and his wife, Isabel Torrecillas. The young, tattooed chef could be Spain’s Anthony Bourdain. Ruiz, who trained at the famed El Bulli, was responsible for one of Murcia’s most exciting restaurants, Kome, a tiny Japanese-style tavern. “They didn’t have social media. No website. Nothing. But people still queued down the street,” Torrecillas tells us. Ruiz decided to shut down Kome and return to his roots, opening a barra with a twist in the heart of town, she explains as a plate of caballito (little horse in Spanish) lands on the table. The popular local dish usually features deep-fried prawns, only here it’s made with fist-sized crayfish, shell and all. It’s followed by a good-sized bowl of marinera, a kind of Russian salad with anchovies, served with crisp bread and homemade mayo.

When I ask Ruiz what sauce he’s plating up, he squirts a dot on to the back of my hand. “Try it,” he grins confidently. It is a delicious homemade saffron mayonnaise with anchovy, lemon and garlic. A frozen cocktail with an umbrella appears moments later, sent from his other bar next door, Colmado San Julián.

We finish up and say our goodbyes before wandering over to López’s restaurant. As we enter, he vanishes without a word and we’re seated by a window peering into the kitchen. Dishes soon arrive at the table from his excellent tasting menu (from about £65), which champions local, seasonal ingredients. Standout plates include a wild mushroom dish packed with umami, a deep-flavoured red Calasparra rice with vegetables, and his excellent signature dessert, a cross between a flan and a crème brûlée (a favourite of the legendary Spanish food critic José Carlos Capel).

The next day we drive 45 minutes out of town to Casa Borrego – a cosy eight-room gastronomic hotel with soft bucolic rooms and a burbling beck outside. For dinner, we’re treated to an elevated take on Murcian cuisine, including pani puri balls exploding with tuna tartare, and a massive pan of rich rabbit rice. Retiring to bed, we’re lulled to sleep by the sound of trickling water. With our time in Murcia nearly up, the following day we zip back to the city to hunt down one last dish: zarangollo, a simple courgette-and-egg scramble. We find it at a traditional tapas bar called Bodegón Los Toneles – all jamón legs and chalkboard menus.

We end the trip as we began with a local tipple, this time at CaféLab. Asiático is a heady blend of condensed milk, Licor 43, cognac and spices – said to hail from Cartagena. Like Murcia’s cuisine, its richness lies in the subtle layers – each one revealing something original, unexpected and distinctly its own.

The trip was provided by Turismo de Murcia. Sercotel Amistad Murcia has doubles from around €60 room-only; Casa Borrego has doubles from €120 B&B

Have you ever been in a situation where you needed the toilet but could not go?

We’ve all been at work when all of a sudden you need the toilet. And whilst you often don’t need to panic, the situation is different if you can’t go straight away.

When nature calls, and forces us to make a speedy retreat, most of us can easily break off, unless you’re mid-presentation. But it’s a whole other story for bus drivers – at least if they want to pop to one common place to head to the loo.

For drivers of London’s public transport services, loo breaks have to be taken seriously, because opportunities for relieving oneself are few and far between. In a Reddit forum, a London bus driver happily answered questions from the public about the dos and the don’ts of the job, and one question touched upon this very subject, reports MyLondon.

A reader asked them what we’ve all often thought: “How do you handle bathroom breaks?” The answer? Go to the toilet anywhere – but not in a pub.

The driver said: “We have toilets at either end of the route usually, but if you’re caught short, you can call the controller over the radio and they know of spots across the routes for you to hop out and use – usually a bookies or McDonald’s.

“Interestingly, drivers years ago could use a boozer. However, understandably, people were getting worried when their drivers were hoping out mid route and popping in the pub for 5 minutes, so now we’re forbidden to enter a pub in any uniform.”

The driver also shared pearls of wisdom when responding to other queries from the public. One person asked, “What do you do when a stinky rider gets on?”

The driver responded: “Open the windows and carry on.” Another person asked: “Has anyone ever defecated on your buses?”

“No, however it’s usually a daily occurrence for people to chuck up their kebabs on a night shift after a heavy one,” answered the driver.

And his biggest pet peeve? Motorists attempting to undertake buses before they pull into stops.

The bus driver explained: “Seriously, it’s so dangerous to undertake any vehicle but even more so a vehicle that’s 35-40 foot long and weighs 11 tonnes. My first accident was because some boy racer tried to undertake me and got crunched against the curb whilst I was pulling into a bus stop, we have mirrors but they don’t solve the huge blind spots.

“For cyclists, I’d rather they didn’t go round me at a bus stop because it’s an absolute mission to go round them, and you just end up leapfrogging each other. However, we must share the road so do what you want I suppose.”

Transport for London has been approached for comment.

THE early signs of cancer could be detected by listening to a patient’s voice, scientists say.

Using AI, subtle changes in the acoustics of a person’s voice helped pick up lesions in people diagnosed with voice box cancer.

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Researchers believe AI could be trained to hear these changes within a “couple of years”.

There are around 2,000 new cases of voice box (laryngeal) cancer in the UK each year.

A hoarse voice for more than three weeks can be a key symptom, and should be investigated by a GP.

Using AI for diagnosis could spell the end of uncomfortable tests currently used, such as a biopsy or nasendoscopy, in which a thin tube with a video camera is passed through the nose down the back of the throat.

The American team, part of the ‘Bridge2AI-Voice’ project, gathered voice recordings of 300 patients, some of whom had voice box cancer.

They studied at least six features of voice acoustics: the mean fundamental frequency (pitch); jitter, variation in pitch within speech; shimmer, variation of the amplitude; and the harmonic-to-noise ratio.

There were “marked” differences between men with and without cancer or a voice box disorder, such as nodules or polyps, specifically the harmonic-to-noise ratio, according to the findings published in the journal Frontiers in Digital Health.

It’s possible the same will be found for women with a larger dataset.

One of the study’s authors, Dr Phillip Jenkins, of Oregon Health & Science University, said: “To move from this study to an AI tool that recognises vocal fold lesions, we would train models using an even larger dataset of voice recordings, labelled by professionals.

“We then need to test the system to make sure it works equally well for women and men.

“Voice-based health tools are already being piloted.

“I estimate that with larger datasets and clinical validation, similar tools to detect vocal fold lesions might enter pilot testing in the next couple of years.”

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The symptoms of voice box cancer

Cancer Research UK have said there are four key symptoms of laryngeal cancer to look out for:

Housed in a small unit, tucked away on a quiet by-street in Holborn, London, just off of Red Lion Square, is the strange yet excellent Novelty Automation

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford,” once mused Samuel Johnson. Presumably he had just come back from an afternoon at Novelty Automation when he said that.

Housed in a small unit, tucked away on a quiet by-street in Holborn, London, just off of Red Lion Square, is the perfect afternoon out, especially for those who have begun feeling that they’ve tasted all that the English capital has to offer.

You’ve been to M&M World. You’ve seen the big blue whale at the Natural History Museum more times than you care to admit. You’ve looked at Big Ben from Westminster Bridge. The obvious next step is Novelty Automation.

The shop is a vibrant treasure-trove of Victorian-style automatons operated by shiny silver coins that roll down the cashier’s chute into your awaiting bucket.

Do you know of an unusual place you think we should visit? Please email [email protected]

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Over the course of one to two hours, you’ll make your way around the small shop, slotting between one and three coins into each of about 20 machines. The cost is reasonable: a bucket of 35 coins coming in at £28 and seeming plenty enough for three.

Some machines do all of the work for you, such as the AirbedbugBNB, which invites up to two players to draw a curtain around them and witness the story of a family of bedbugs as they look for a suitable holiday let to settle down in. Another, the Instant Eclipse, had my friend clamber into a small, dark rocket-shaped pod. He emerged a minute later and refused to explain what had happened. He seemed similarly perturbed after placing his socked foot inside the robot chipodist machine.

Those units that do require some participation are still much more focused on being vehicles of satire than on putting a gamer’s hand-eye coordination to the test.

One of the most addictive had the three of us tensely willing on a magnetised haul of coins up past financial regulators to the top of a skyscraper, where our ill-gotten gains could be effortlessly lost amid the City of London’s modern spires.

A particularly silly yet on-the-nose bit of satire comes in the form of the Fulfillment Centre machine, which has players powering an Amazon warehouse worker on an impossible and gruelling trial shift by running manically on the spot.

Novelty Automation is the work of Tim Hunkin, a Suffolk-based inventor and cartoonist who presented a TV show called The Secret Life of Machines and drew a comic strip for The Observer called The Rudiments of Wisdom.

Clearly, that combination of experiences has been brought together and used to excellent effect. The stylisation of the machines, their absurdist humour and gross characters remind me of the work of Chris Simpsons Artist.

Arguably, the pinnacle of it all comes in the form of Is it Art?, which invited us to put an object into a small glass box. We chose a lighter which then rose up into the eyeliner of a mannequin art critic. After a short moment of consideration and a closer look he concluded that yes, it was indeed art.