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Mum heavier than her bathroom scales could measure lost 11st 10lbs in nine months
A 32 stone woman who was heavier than her bathroom scales could measure lost 11st 10lbs in just nine months after gastric bypass surgery.
Anastasia Morris, 32, says she was a "chubby kid" growing up but her weight seriously rocketed in her late teens.
Anastasia would go out for food or get a takeaway six nights a week.
She cycled through fad diets but would always gain any weight she lost back.
She continued gobbling up to 10k calories a day because food was a "comfort" after having surprise baby, Euan, now 12, when she was 19.
Last year after tipping the scales weighing 31st 13lbs - the highest weight her bathroom scales could record - and bursting out of a size 36 - she decided to make a change.
She wanted to go on theme park rides and enjoy day trips with Euan - so splashed £17.5k on gastric bypass surgery in August 2023.
She lost 3st 7lbs in the first MONTH - and has now lost 11st 10lbs in total nine months on.
Firm puts up private parking signs threatening £100 fines - on residents' land
Homeowners claim a parking company tired to charge them to park on their own land - and say they're so stressed they should be paid compensation.
Residents in four homes say UK Car Park Management incorrectly installed signs on private land threatening drivers with a £100 parking fine if they didn't have a permit.
They say they were left stressed and anxious that their parking spaces were going to be used by visitors to a nearby care home.
Now one resident, Penny Jackson, 73, says the company should be paying compensation for the stress and anxiety caused by the signs.
Woman overcoming fear of rejection by deliberately making herself super awkward
A woman is curing her debilitating fear of rejection by deliberately undertaking awkward challenges - and is becoming "immune to embarrassment".
Sophie Jones, 22, felt held back how much she feared rejection and deeply cared what people thought of her.
Then she read about the idea of 'rejection therapy' - desensitising yourself to rejection and embarrassment by exposing yourself to those situations regularly.
So Sophie, from Warrington, Cheshire, decided to tackle her fears by doing 30 days of rejection therapy - putting herself in positions she was likely to encounter rejection.
Sleep deprived villagers being terrorised by runaway rooftop peacock
A runaway rooftop peacock has been terrorising fed up villagers with its loud cry - that is keeping them up all night.
Terri Sykes, 40, says the noisy bird has also been flying onto people's roofs and hiding in people's gardens in Ossett, West Yorks., since it escaped from a nearby farm.
She says her family are being 'kept up at night' by the peacock and that some neighbours have had just five hours sleep in three days.
Moment medics rescue man 'nailed' to a fence by hands
Shocking footage has emerged of medics rescuing a man who was nailed to a fence in a "paramilitary-style assault".
Police said a man in his 20s had been discovered ‘nailed’ to a fence with a nail through each hand, in Bushmills, County Antrim.
Now video has emerged which appears to show firefighters cutting the top of the fence to free the man who can be seen struggling - as well as burning vans.
Witnesses said it took 45 minutes to free him - and he was drifting in and out of consciousness, in the early hours of Sunday May 5.
He was treated in hospital where his injuries are described as life-changing, but not life threatening.
Police say a man was taken in for questioning but released without charge.
An anonymous onlooker said nearby graffiti appeared to read "thief last warning".
Other videos show flames ripping through two vans parked next to each other as fire services attempt to subdue the fire.
The onlooker said: “We saw police coming in and going round the back of the motorhomes.
“We didn't realise why immediately but there was a guy nailed to the fence.
“They were trying to hold the man up - he was falling in and out of consciousness.
“It took 45 minutes before they decided to cut the fence.
“The guy was put in the fire engine and the fire engine took him to hospital.”
A man was detained under the Terrorism Act and released following questioning.
Investigations are ongoing.
Couple share a boyfriend and encourage each other to sleep with strangers too
A polyamorous couple share a boyfriend and are now in a three-way relationship - and they all encourage each other to sleep with strangers too.
Florence Bark, 32, started dating her partner, Callum, 39, at the beginning of 2024.
Callum shared with Florence that he was polyamorous - having romantic or sexual relationships with multiple partners at the same time
He had already been seeing Annie, 40, casually for a month - so the three of them formed a triad.
Annie is now Florence's girlfriend, Callum is partner to both of them and Florence says it's the first time she has felt "secure" in a relationship.
The trio don't have restrictions and are all able to date other people outside of the relationship but Florence says "communication is key".
Florence, a podcaster and author, from London, but living in Los Angeles, California, US, said: "I started dating Callum because he was into rope play and I wanted to try being tied up.
"He was also seeing someone else casually - who is now my girlfriend.
"He said he was seeing this other girl, they had spoken about me and she thought I was really hot.
"I was scared as I hadn't really dated women before but I knew it was something I wanted to do.
"From there, I started dating her as well and it turned into proper dating and then liking each other.
"I liked both of these people, they also liked each other and we are now in this triangle relationship."
Florence hasn't always been polyamorous but after getting out of a "toxic" monogamous relationship she wanted to explore her sexuality.
She said: "I had been in a very restrictive relationship where I was having bad sex and wasn't happy.
"Now I'm in a new relationship where I was like this is really great, I really love him but there are some other parts of myself that I don't want to cut myself off from.
"I didn't want to cut myself off from exploring things.
"I always thought that I would just be monogamish, open relationship - maybe sleep with someone when my partner was on tour and I was on holiday."
At the start of 2024, Florence started dating Callum who told her he was dating another girl called Annie.
The women decided to meet up and their relationship blossomed from there.
Florence said: "I feel so secure for the first time, I don't have any anxious feelings about whether I am good enough or if this is the relationship for me.
"I don't have that anymore, I feel settled and secure. They show up in a way I hadn't experienced any more.
"They communicate, they look after everyone's needs."
Despite the trio being in a loving and secure relationship they don't tie themselves down to each other and will often go on dates with other people.
Florence said: "All of us use Field as our main dating app which is full of non-monogamous people.
"Personally, I have that I am in a throuple on my profile and I think we are all pretty communicative about it upfront.
21-year-old gives OAP boxing lessons
A 21-year-old is helping the elderly stay fit - by giving them boxing lessons.
Bailey-Greetham Clark started his company 'Be Great Fitness' in 2020 when he was just 17.
It all started when he was asked to speak at 'Flourish', a day center for adults with educational needs.
After this experience, Bailey realised that people from vulnerable groups do not have the same access to sport and fitness as others.
So Bailey set up his own wellbeing company to make sport and fitness accessible to schools, hospitals, community centers and care homes.
Bailey, from Lincolnshire, Grimsby, said: "I realised that these groups needed the help pretty quickly.
"Coming out of the pandemic, care homes were the last to come out of full lockdown.
"We thought it was essential to bring fitness into them especially, just to spread some joy and cheer.
"Sport and exercise cheer people up, we make jokes and have a laugh with everyone, and we make their day better."
Bailey takes his fitness classes to 20-30 different care homes, and runs one hour sessions with the residents.
These range from simple boxing drills to hand eye coordination games- everything to improve the residents fitness and mental health.
Since posting videos on social media of these sessions, the interest in the business has never been stronger.
With videos ranging from 1,000 to 700,000 views, it has lead to lots of interest, and Bailey has never been busier.
He said: "We started by putting ourselves forward to care homes, but now we get tons of enquiries, my calendar is insane at the moment!
"We’re trying to get more people added to our team and roll sessions out nationally, and we're working with partners at the minute to build on that.
"I just want to ensure that the people have my passion and enthusiasm- that's the next challenge, but it's a great one to have!"
Bailey struggled with a challenging upbringing, and was taken in by his grandparents - kickstarting his passion for helping the elderly
When he was 14, he was forced to take a year out of school, which lead to him struggling with his weight.
But when he discovered boxing and running as a way to keep fit- his whole outlook changed.
He returned to s=chool, achieved his GCSE's and started working at his local boxing club- setting him on the pathway to where he is today.
Bailey said: "Seeing first hand the genuine impact we make is insane.
"We can go into homes and show our ability to bring spirits up of not only residents, but the staff too.
"One of the care homes recorded a video saying how much they enjoyed the session, and one woman said how much she loves my legs!
"That genuine impact on people you don’t always get in other industries, and we can really see the benefit.
"It's beautiful and it keeps me going, it sounds corny but it genuinely does!"
Expert says what new top baby names list says about parents - and why Harry is out
A baby name expert has revealed what the newly-released list of top 100 names says about parents - and why some have fallen out of favour.
SJ Strum, 43, is a professional baby name consultant and has given her take on the baby name lists released today (17) by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The mum-of-three says the 2022 data shows we're going through a "baby name boom" where parents ditch traditional names.
Instead they are choosing more unique names - or making up their own - and this could be a reflection of parents "no longer raising children as ‘mini me's'".
Harry has dropped out out of the top ten - likely a reflection of the prince leaving the UK, she says - and his son's name, Archie, is no longer high-ranking either.
For girls, she said the traditional British names such as Daisy, Alice, Isabelle, Imogen and Sophie have gone down.
But "outdoorsy nature word names" are rising in popularity - including Meadow, Flora, Winter, River and Skye - showing parents are being more creative.
SJ from Richmond, Surrey, said: "Parents want to find a name with unique personality that reflects their own style, passions and interests and will allow their child to stand out as they move through life.
"We no longer raise our children as ‘mini me's'.
"Modern parents are throwing out the traditional name rule book and seeking a name that is meaningful, evokes their own style and feels uniquely theirs."
Speaking about the rise of Meadow, Flora, Winter, River and Skye, SJ said: "They evoke a freedom and outdoorsy lifestyle that modern parents want when raising children in a tech-heavy world.
"Back to a playful and wholesome childhood."
She said celestial names such as Lyra, Aurora, Ayla and Nova are also "a stand-out trend" - reflecting the recent "fashion for spiritual development".
She said: "We look to the stars and encourage our girls to reach to them."
She said "upcycled dad names" are top movers for the boys in this set of data - a selection of modern twists on traditional names.
Examples include Luca, a variation of Luke, Hudson, a modernisation of Harry, Otis to replace Chris, Axel replacing Alex and Elias, a variation of Elliot.
SJ said: "These variations show a more playful and gentle way of raising our boys that is still timeless."
Across the board, 'O' names are still the most popular - with Ottilie, Ophelia, Oakley and Otis all trending in the top 100.
Classic titles still claim some of the top spots - such as Olivia and Amelia for girls, and Noah and Oliver for boys.
But SJ said as you look at new and emerging trends, parents are more often "searching away from the A-Z Lists these days".
She said this will create "a much more eclectic and spirited group of names for the next generation".
ONS Girls top 10:
OLIVIA
AMELIA
ISLA
AVA
LILY +2 places
IVY -1 place
FREYA -1 place
FLORENCE
ISABELLA * new
MIA -1 place
ONS Boys top 10:
NOAH
MUHAMED +3
GEORGE
OLIVER -2
LEO
ARTHUR
OSCAR
THEODORE * new
FREDDIE * new
THEO * new
"My mould-ridden home has made my baby so ill she can't even live with me anymore"
A desperate mum is pleading to be moved out of her mould-ridden council home - which has made her children so ill her baby can't even live with her anymore.
Katie Roberts, 26, says she is being forced to live in 'disgusting' conditions alongside her partner, three children and her sister in Wednesbury, West Mids.
She even has letters from doctors saying the mould is a 'significant risk' to the young children's health - but claims Sandwell Council are doing nothing to help.
The situation has become so unbearable for the family that Katie's three-month-old daughter Willow now has to live with her grandmother.
The tot was prescribed inhalers having developed a wheeze and a cough while her two other children - Hunter, three, and Scarlett, two - also have health conditions as a result of the mould.
Katie said: "I'm separated from my baby, and we can't form the attachment between a baby and mother that is so important to them in their early life.
"This mould has made her that ill that she's at the doctors pretty much every week.
"The letters from the doctors even say that she needs to be moved to a safe environment.
"There are just too many people and too much furniture in the house that the air can't circulate and it's causing mould.
"In the summer, we can open the windows, but when it gets to winter, that isn't an option."
When Katie was pregnant with Willow, a letter from her GP addressed to the council read: "The mould issue is a significant risk factor to the health of her unborn child.
"It would be in Katie's and her unborn child's best interest for her to be relocated as soon as possible to a bigger property with four bedrooms and a garden."
Katie, who lives with partner Ashley, 27, has accused the council of 'not taking them seriously'' despite begging to be relocated to more suitable housing.
She said another reason for needing a bigger house is because Hunter has suspected autism often having meltdowns, and requires his own space.
Katie, who cannot work due to suffering from PTSD, social anxiety disorder, autism and paranoid schizophrenia, added: "The doctors are really concerned about my children.
"My boy has asthma now too and is also on inhalers. He has to have his own room, he cannot share anything, he has meltdowns.
"He needs his own calm space."
Because of her history of complex mental health issues, Katie is also worried about the growing impact her living situation is having on her own wellbeing.
Both her and Ashley are considered disabled because of their poor mental health and cannot work.
She said: "I've had to be put on even more medication because of the stress of living like this.
"I'm scared of what will happen if I keep getting pushed and pushed. I will end up in hospital again and I can't, I have three kids.
"We need to be moved, it needs to be done.
"There is no space, the lack of air circulation is affecting my children's physical health and my mental health because I can see that my children are ill.
"It is so small and cramped, I'm up early hours in the morning just cleaning.
"It's so overcrowded it's not right.
"It's the waiting time that's the worst thing. I don't know how many letters it will take.
"They need to treat this like the emergency that it is."
Sandwell Council said teams have been to clean the house and will be speaking to the family about the issue.
They added demand for council properties in the borough is greater than supply, leading to long wait times and discussions on other ways to find suitable accommodation.
Woman celebrates weight loss - by walking in garden for the first time years
A woman left with mobility issues because of her size has celebrated her incredible weight loss journey - by stepping into her garden for the first time in three years.
Lisa Fox, 37, lost seven stone in the past 38 weeks since she started her "lifestyle change".
During 2016, Lisa was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis which severely limited her mobility and led to unemployment due to disability.
This triggered the start of Lisa's gradual weight gain where she went from 15 stone to 33 stone 8lbs in the seven years that followed.
Through a mixture of following seated Zumba workouts and cleaner eating, the South East London resident was able to work off the weight over an 8-month period.
She then reached the point where she could walk out to her garden again.
At her most recent weigh in, on May 16, 2024, Lisa discovered she was down to 26 stone 8lbs, dropping from a size 32/34 to a size 28/30.
She said: "It was literally the difference of a day - decided on the Thursday and then was doing it on the Friday.
"I was a binge-eater and an emotional-eater. Just eight months ago I wasn't even coming out of my bedroom."
Lisa says her two sons were one of the main reasons for her making the change.
Kyle, 17, and Tyler, 18, both have additional needs and are attending an additional needs college, which was difficult for Lisa to even travel to before her weight loss.
She said: "I just thought of my sons and how much I wanted to be there for them.
"It is painful to try and push myself, like with stepping down into the garden, but I find the pain drives me to try harder.
"I have spent my whole life yo-yo dieting and I actually hate using the word 'diet' now, it feels very toxic.
"When I hear 'diet', it makes me feel restricted, but what I do now doesn't restrict me as much. I have a weekly takeaway as a treat on Thursdays, and I've still lost seven stone!"
Lisa has also noticed improvements in her mental health during this time, saying, "Everyday little things have changed and I now look at life in a different way.
"People say to me that I make it look so easy, but it isn't easy. It's a long term challenge and you have to be very strong mentally.
"But I am so much happier now and so grateful for all the support I get from my friends, family and people online."
King Charles beams as appears on Royal Opera House stage
King Charles beamed as he appeared on the Royal Opera House stage on Thursday (16 May) evening.
The King was paying tribute to the out-going Music Director, Sir Antonio Pappano.
Sir Antonio's 22-year tenure was celebrated with a one-off gala performance.
The King joined Sir Antonio and performers on stage at the end of the show.
As Prince of Wales, the King became President of the Royal Ballet in 2003 and Patron of the Royal Opera House in 2009.
Ant & Dec surprise pupils who pioneered financial learning in schools
Ant and Dec surprised pupils and staff at a primary school - in recognition of leading the charge in teaching financial education.
The TV duo began their day at St Michael's Primary School in Southfields, south London, by delivering breakfast baskets to the staff room.
The surprises continued as they popped into a year five classroom during a financial education lesson, sparking excitement among the students.
Ant and Dec, who are Santander ambassadors, engaged the class with lively questions and even started a humorous debate about who the better saver was.
The visit culminated in an energetic interruption of the school assembly, attended by over 400 pupils and staff members.
Alongside Ant and Dec, Mike Regnier, Santander UK's CEO, commended the school's commitment to financial literacy, emphasising its importance.
The day ended on a high note with the presenting pair capturing a memorable selfie with the entire school.
And the event marked the one-year anniversary of the Financial Education Recognition Scheme [www.twinkl.co.uk/recognition] launched by the bank in partnership with educational publisher, Twinkl.
St Michael’s was one of the first schools to sign up to the scheme, which calls on schools to commit to teaching pupils a minimum of six hours of financial education each academic year - to help them grow into financially confident adults and ease anxiety about money.
Over 200 schools and educators have already signed up to the scheme.
Ant said: “Today was a lot of fun. Seeing the kids so engaged in their financial education lessons really brought home how important this learning is.
“The enthusiasm and smart questions from the pupils made our day.”
The Financial Education Recognition Scheme complements the work being done through 'The Numbers Game', by Santander and Twinkl, which provides free learning materials designed to improve numeracy and financial knowledge among primary and secondary school students.
Dec said: “Engaging with the kids and teachers at St Michael’s, answering their curious questions, and seeing the impact of an early financial education was all so rewarding.”
St Michael’s is one of the most active schools in the UK when it comes to teaching financial education.
Mike Regnier said: “It’s inspiring to see St Michael’s Primary School leading by example in the essential area of financial education, and that the children are having fun in the process.
“We know from our own research that there is strong evidence of the need for better financial education.
“Nearly 70 per cent of adults believe it would have helped them manage their money better during the recent increases in the cost of living, while over two thirds of parents think teaching children about money should start young and be on the primary school curriculum.
“By gaining financial literacy at a young age, the next generation will have the skills to make informed financial decisions and to create the future they want.”
The Numbers Game has been used by more than 100,000 teachers within 8,300 schools since 2022, and benefited over 2.5 million children and young people across the UK.
Headteacher of St Michael’s Primary School, Angela Harris, added: “I’m absolutely delighted to see the joy and engagement from our students during today's visit from Ant and Dec.
“It’s initiatives like the Financial Education Recognition Scheme that help us enrich our curriculum in ways that truly matter.
“Our partnership has not only brought essential financial concepts to the classroom but has also sparked a curiosity in our pupils about their future financial wellbeing.
“It's a proud moment for us to be acknowledged as a leader in the vital area of financial education.”
"We got pregnant a month after dating - now were married and couldn't be happier"
A couple who fell pregnant just a month after they started dating say they've "proved doubters wrong" and are now happily married.
Connor Neal, 24, met his partner, Chloe, 21, in October 2023 after they bonded over their struggles with ADHD.
A month later on November 4, the couple made their relationship official and found out Chloe was expecting in December - just four week later.
When their friends and family found out about the pregnancy the couple say some were understandingly sceptical - as they hadn't met the other's partner.
After finding out he was going to be a dad, Connor popped the question on New Year's Eve 2023 and the pair tied the knot on April 20, 2024, in a small ceremony surrounded by 35 guests.
The pair are now "happily married" and excited to welcome their baby boy - who they've already named Albi - this August.
Connor, a soldier in the British army, from Ipswich, Suffolk, said: "It was a mixture of emotions when I found out Chloe was pregnant.
"We were so soon into our relationship.
"I saw she was my life partner within that month and I saw a lot of positives in her.
"I thought 'why not have the baby?'. We have been given this opportunity that many people don't get the chance to get."
Connor and Chloe, an operating department support worker, started messaging each other through TikTok after he posted about his struggles with ADHD.
Connor said: "Chloe commented with 'my every day struggles'.
"I then found her on Instagram and she sent me a direct message that said 'hello my ADHD boyfriend'.
"I liked the confidence and we ended up FaceTiming for a week or two."
After speaking constantly the pair decided to meet in person in October 2023 and spent the weekend at Mersea Island, Essex.
Connor said: "She drove down to Essex and we spent the weekend together.
"We went down to the beach together and got to know each other.
"We instantly clicked and became official a month later."
In December 2023, Chloe took a pregnancy test which revealed she was expecting her first child with Connor.
Chloe said: "I have worked out the dates and the day that Connor asked me to be his girlfriend was the night our baby was conceived which is so sweet.
"Originally I was shocked and I called my mum straight away.
"The following weekend Connor came up to meet my parents.
"Connor is very confident and he can take confrontation well.
"He was happy to speak to my parents about his plans for us and not be uncomfortable about it and my mum liked that."
After finding out Chloe was pregnant, Connor knew she was the woman he wanted to marry and planned to pop the question on New Year's Eve.
He said: "When we found out about the pregnancy Chloe told her mum and dad and I told mine.
"We were worried about how they would take it, her mum was shocked as she didn't know me at that point but they were very supportive."
Connor and Chloe spent New Year's Eve in Weymouth, Dorset, at Connor's sister's house.
Connor said: "I took Chloe to a nice little pub for mocktails as she couldn't drink.
"Whilst we were there, my sister, Shannon, was setting up the engagement - she had no idea."
Chloe added: "I don’t cry in social situations but when this happened it took me by surprise so much that I cried.
"That is when I knew I wanted to be with him and he was the one
"I was so happy I couldn’t stop giggling and laughing – I was so warm inside."
The couple had a small wedding at the town hall in Ipswitch surrounded by 35 of their closest family and friends in April 2024.
Chloe said: "As soon as I saw him I cried my eyes out.
"I could see him at the end and he was crying himself.
"I couldn’t have wished for it to be any better, I reminisce about it all the time
- if I could do it all again I would."
Connor added: "It was perfect, the reason I wanted to get married is I wanted to show her that I meant everything I had said to her.
"I wanted to prove how much I loved her and how much I was willing to be with her."
Guide dog has £5k operation to regain eyesight after going blind
A former guide dog has undergone a £5k operation to prevent her going blind.
Alice, a 14-year-old Labrador Retriever cross, had a four-hour procedure to remove ulcers on her eyes.
Owner Michelle Earl, 52, took in Alice after her career as a guide dog came to an end five years ago following her previous owner's death.
Michelle, a nanny, from Sevenoaks, Kent, said: "She was just amazing at what she did as a guide dog.
"We took her to see an eye specialist last week and he thinks she's had a problem since birth.
"She's always had cloudy blue eyes but more recently she's had ulcers in both eyes and they haven't cleared up and unless she had this operation she'd be totally blind.
"The consultant said he's never seen a lab as fit and healthy as Alice apart from her eyes."
Alice has had problems with her eyes since birth but they have deteriorated in recent years.
"In the end she wasn't a rubbish guide dog but because of her sight she wasn't quite up to it she didn't quite hit the grade anymore," said Michelle.
The operation took place at Medivet in Sidcup on Friday (03/05), and Alice will need her eyes bandaged for four or five weeks while she heals.
Michelle added: "Prior to the op she was just really subdued and quite sad and not really wanting to do much.
"I don't think she could see very well but because she was used to her surroundings it made it easier.
"She'll get the majority of her eyesight back after a few weeks.
"Hopefully she'll be okay, we'll be making sure she has someone with her at all times."
You can support Alice's recovery here: https://gofund.me/a56852bf
"I'm a real life wizard - I can reverse ageing and now look 10 years younger"
Meet the real life wizard who claims she can "reverse ageing" and looks 10 years younger.
Antonia Harman, 43, used to work as a TV presenter before completing a healing course - during which she says "opened her eyes" to the world of healing.
She said that people "don't understand" when she says she is a wizard but she stands by it and explains her role.
Antonia says she's spent the last 20 years in a "trance like state" - which enables her to tune into her "healing powers".
She claims she can "heal depression" by tuning into emotions and "reverse ageing" by increasing her cell voltage.
She also claims she is able to dissolve trauma and even help with physical ailments like cysts, tumours and arthritis.
The NHS website recommends these conditions are treated with conventional treatments and medicines.
Over the years, Antonia says she's helped singer Diana Vickers with tonsillitis and assisted Lizzie Cundy with "emotional trauma".
Antonia, from Newquay, Cornwall, said: "Dissolving trauma is one of the first things that I could do - but I can do physical healing too.
"In myself I have reversed menopause and age - I look 10 years younger than I did a year ago.
"With ageing I hacked into my body to raise the voltage of my cells.
"The higher the voltage of your cells the younger your body feels.
"I haven't been to the doctors in 15 years - I don't need to go.
"I will notice things before it comes a health problem."
Antonia's life changed in 2007 when her friend, Lucie, was suffering from a burst eardrum and asked for help.
Antonia said: "Lucie was quoted over £4k for surgery for her burst eardrum as it had burst five times.
"We were walking through London and she started screaming and asking me to help her.
"I put my hands to her ears and something that looked like a snake came out.
"I could see it wiggling around and I threw some energy at it and then did the other side and she has not had pain ever since."
Antonia says she treats people by telling them to get 'in tune' with the emotions causing their illness.
She said: "I tell them what emotions are behind their illness and I get them to tune into those emotions.
"I asked them to think about it and delete the emotional resonance and then the illness disappears.
"I have been working in this industry for such a long time and it is really rewarding when someone is suffering for a long time and then they've stopped.
"This is a message of hope and to show that people don't need to suffer."
Antonia says people often think she is making up her job but is always happy to prove them wrong.
She said: "I am happy to dissolve trauma for people and show how it works.
"With trauma is works first time and works every time.
"If they can feel it they can heal it.
"If people work with me and answer my questions then it works."
In a review on Antonia's website, Diana Vickers said: "I’m a professional singer and have struggled with reoccurring tonsillitis for years.
Friends buy a duplex together to live in apartments beside each other
A group of friends bought a duplex together so they could afford to get their "dream" house - and love living in two apartments beside each other.
Jendayi Brooks-Flemister and their partner, Julia Pacheco-Cole, both 28, decided to take the next step to buy a home together.
But with their $400k budget they struggled to find the perfect house that met their requirements.
After finding out their friends, Arty Barnabi, 31, and Avery Henderson, 28, were also in the same position the pals decided to buy something as a group of four.
They were able to split up the responsibilities when looking and bought a 1925 duplex in December 2023 for $735k.
Avery, a software engineer, and Arty, who works in IT, put more of their savings into the deposit so Jendayi and Julia could use their money for the renovation work.
They each have a 25 per cent share of the ownership of the property in Portland, Oregon, US, and say it's a "dream".
Julia, a hall director at a college and owner of an embroidery business, said: "We really fell in love with Portland and wanted to live in a neighbourhood.
"We didn't want to be pushed into the suburbs. It was looking a little bleak.
"Avery and Arty wanted to move out to Portland and they were talking about buying.
"We joked about buying a duplex together.
"It was always a dream to live with your best friends."
Jendayi, who works in HR, added: "I said 'actually, what if we tried that?'
"It came together really neatly.
"We combined our forces.
"Half of the duplex is less than our budget."
Jendayi and Julia have been together for over six years and started looking to buy in 2023.
Julia said: "Jendayi and I had been talking about buying a house.
"We wanted to find a more permanent home. We started to get into it and met with a realtor.
"We realised what numbers we were looking at."
Jendayi added: "The interest rates were going up.
"The same amount of money five years ago could have got us a great spot."
The pair decided to club together with couple Arty and Avery and they started viewing houses together in August 2023.
Julie said: "We split up the responsibilities.
"We were able to look at houses out of our budget."
After a few fell through they were able to find the perfect duplex in December 2023.
The 1925 duplex has a living room, dining room, two bedrooms, one small box room and a bathroom on each side.
Each couple's half cost $367k - less than Julie and Jendayi's original budget.
Julie said: "It's mirrored on each side. It's identical on each side.
"Both have a basement and a space in the attic.
"It's equitably split."
Avery and Arty used their deposit so Julie and Jendayi could save theirs for repairs and furniture - as their previous flat was fully furnished.
Jendayi said: "Three of us are on the mortgage and four of us are on the title.
"It came down to credit scores.
"We all still contribute 25 per cent to the mortgage."
Dad helps daughter with broken wrist play fiddle - by literally lending a hand
A fiddle player who broke her wrist was able to still play her gig after her dad gave her a hand - literally.
Mary Leahy, 18, broke her wrist just two days before her solo at the Peterborough Music Festival, Ontario, after falling off a farm buggy.
But instead of pulling out, her dad Donnell Leahy, 55, - one of the best fiddle players in the world who toured with Shania Twain - stepped into help.
He played the bow while Mary did the chords with her healthy hand.
Mary, a full-time musician from Peterborough, Ontario, said: “I managed to play with my left hand only - I don’t know how, but it was really hard."
“People said it looked really hard to do - but we know the instrument inside-out.
“I honestly don’t know how I pulled it off, but I did - and I think the novelty of it makes the show better."
"His left hand was playing the fingers on my back.
“It was tickling me - while I had to imagine myself playing the bow with my right hand.
“If you understand the instrument, it’s not hard at all.
"I loved having my dad help me out with the solo - we’re even thinking of making it part of the act."
Mary has been touring with her parents for 12 years, after starting fiddle lessons aged four.
The band, the McMaster-Leahy Family, includes Natalie MacMaster, 51 and Donnell - as well as Mary's six siblings, Michael, 16, Clare, 15, Julia, 13, Alec, 11, Sadie, 10 and Maria, six.
They play festivals every summer - and her solo at the Peterborough Music Festival in Ontario, was on July 1, 2023.
But on June 29, she fell from a farm cart - and ended up with a wrist splint.
“I’m usually the last person to do something stupid,” she added. “I was on the back of a side-by-side farm cart.
“I was riding on the back with all my siblings, when another driver just jerked the back of it.
“I landed on my wrist - but I didn’t think for a second it was broken.
“When I woke up the next day, I was very swollen and very sore."
Her best friend, Cecilia, 17, who is also a musician, offered to play the piano with her - while Donnell helped her play the fiddle.
Donnell was named as one of the ‘world’s best fiddle players’, by Viterbo University, Wisconsin, and toured with Shania Twain in 1997.
"I tattoo people's scars for free - everyone deserves to feel beautiful"
A tattoo artist is covering people's scars for free - and says "everyone deserves to feel good about themselves".
Kayleigh Marsh, 30, has only been offering the service for a week but has already received thousands of messages.
Although she specifically focuses on domestic abuse and self-harm survivors, she says she’s happy to cover other types of scar tissue with “anything pretty”.
Kayleigh, from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, said: “I’m covered head-to-toe in tattoos - and I get my scars covered all the time, it makes me feel more confident.
“I had a scar on my ribs covered up the other day, and it just made me feel better.
“Being a tattoo artist is like being a therapist, sometimes - and I think hairdressers could probably say the same.
“You spend three, four hours with your clients - and they talk to you about anything.
“Sometimes you make a difference when you’re not even realising it.”
Kayleigh was inspired to start her free service after a client came in with “old scars” last week (10/5).
She was a mum-of-one and worried her scars were scaring her child.
After confiding in Kayleigh and breaking down in tears, the tattooist offered to give her 23 tattoos for free.
“The girl had only come in for a cover-up,” she said.
“But I saw she had quite a lot of old scars.
“I couldn’t help but say ‘what’s all this?’.
“She was getting tearful - and I just wanted to make sure she was OK.
“I offered to cover them all up for free - it made me feel like I was doing some good.”
Kayleigh noticed she had 20 unfilled bookings for the rest of the year - mostly during the evening.
So she decided to advertise her new service - tattooing people’s scars for free, with as many as they like.
She quickly received “thousands” of messages, and has since managed to fill 10 of her empty slots.
She said: “I’ve had over 1,000 messages since I advertised on TikTok.
“I’ve taken 10 bookings from people with domestic violence scars, self-harm scars, all sorts.
“Complete strangers have called me - and we’ve both ended up crying down the phone to each other.
“I’m just glad I can make some people feel better.
“I’ve only filled 10 of the slots - I’m wanting to reserve the last 10 for people who need it the most urgently.
“And they can have anything they want done - anything they think looks pretty.”
Kayleigh loves having the opportunity to have open conversations with her clients and thinks other tattoo artists should be doing the same.
“It’s a lot easier for people in need to talk to a stranger,” she said.
“People talk openly to me.
“We’ll go backwards and forwards - and people leave their appointments feeling better about their lives.
“You never know the impact you have - you might have just convinced someone in an abusive relationship to tell a friend, or family member.
“I want to encourage other tattoo artists to do the same thing.”
Dart pierces man's finger - after he challenges pal to hit board behind his hand
This is the toe-curling moment a dart pierced through a man's finger - after he challenged his pal to land one in the gaps around his hand.
Sam Mclean ,18, and his friends were messing around while playing darts at Sam's house.
Sam decided to place his right hand on the dartboard and challenged his mate, Tom, 18, to hit in between his fingers.
Tom's first two attempts missed - but his third went straight through and hit the bone and fell out.
Sam put some sanitiser in the wound to make sure it wouldn't be infected and the wound needed no further treatment.
Sam, who works at a café, from Gerringong, New South Wales, Australia, said: "We were just messing around and I put my hand on the board.
"It hurt a bit but it was all a bit of fun - Tom felt really bad.
"It was really funny. I'm just happy they got it on video."
"I definitely won't be doing that again and I have learned my lesson."
Tom added: "I felt really bad in the moment but looking back it has to be one of the funniest moments we have had in a while."
Parents have "no regrets" after £2k fine for taking kids on hols during term time
A couple fined £2k for taking their kids on holiday during term time still saved £3.2k on cost of the trip - and say they have "no regrets".
Rebekah Richardson, 38, and Dale Wood, 46, wanted to take their children - Jacob, eight, and Oliver, seven - on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, US.
But when they compared the price of going in September during term time to the October half term they were astonished to see a £5k price difference.
They decided to instead go during the school term but say are now "struggling to cope" as they are facing huge fines from their local authority.
Derbyshire County Council issued a fixed penalty notice, otherwise known as a fine, to both parents - ordering Rebekah to pay £924 and Dale £1,044.
Had they do not paid up, after 28 days they risked potentially being prosecuted for their children's absence from school - though they have now started a payment plan.
Rebekah, a hairdresser, from Clowne, Derbyshire, said: “We’re being treated as criminals for taking our young kids on holiday.
"I feel as parents we’re penalised for everything now.
"I have no regrets as a parent - I think you can't ever regret spending time together as a family.
"The fine situation it’s like Russian roulette some get fined some don’t which is unfair.
"Either every parent gets fined or none you can’t pick and choose - I don't think we should get criminal records."
Dale, an army veteran who now works for a water company, had been suffering from PTSD after his brother, Gavin, died suddenly aged 35 - after complications arising from taking the Covid vaccine.
The holiday - from September 12 to September 27 - was in part a getaway as he had been suffering with his mental health and the destination was his late brother Gavin's favourite place.
Rebekah said the holiday was “magical” but now worries that she will have to cancel Christmas for her family as they are “totally skint.”
Rebekah said: “We went swimming with the dolphins – the kids loved it, they even held an alligator.”
"They loved meeting all the Marvel characters and meeting Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
“It was so nice to get away but now we are very stressed because and worried what will happen.”
On Tuesday May 30, Rebekah and Dale were stunned to receive a court summons - ordering Rebekah to pay £924 and Dale £1,044.
To make matters worse, Dale - who earns a wage via contracts - had been off work since January due to his mental health and only returned three weeks ago.
Rebekah said: “Dale wasn’t working in November and doesn't earn a regular daily wage - we are now really skint.
“When the fine came through in December 2023, it was the difference between having Christmas and not."
The couple are currently disputing the amount - due to their financial circumstances changing.
“We are scared will now have a criminal record and it will go against our credit rating,” Rebekah said.