News

TENS of thousands of giant spiders the “size of your hand” which can run across water have invaded the UK.

Chester Zoo has released thousands of Fen raft spiders after the species had its “biggest mating season on record”.

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The Dolomedes plantarius or Fen raft spider can grow to the size of a person’s hand[/caption]

Arachnophobes may be terrified to hear that there are currently more than 10,000 breeding females with this number having the potential to rise.

The all time high for the arachnid in the UK has been seen as a victory for the zoo with the species found to be in terminal decline a decade ago.

Fen raft spiders are semi-aquatic and they have the ability to run across the surface of water to catch their prey.

Their legs are covered in tiny hairs that detect the slightest of vibrations on the water’s surface allowing them to actively hunt, rather than rely on building webs.

Chester Zoo said: “Ten years ago we helped release thousands of giant spiders back into the UK!

“The Fen Raft Spiders were bred right here at the zoo, and we’re super happy to report there are now more than 10,000 breeding females and they’ve just had the biggest mating season on record!”

While they may look scary the fen raft spider is harmless and plays a vital role within healthy aquatic ecosystems, the zoo said.

The wildlife charity also explained that the species can “grow to be the size of your hand” meaning “you can’t miss them”.

Their diet includes other spiders, damselflies, dragonfly larvae and pond skaters, and they will even catch fish and tadpoles. 

However, 15 years ago, the species almost became extinct after the destruction of its wetland home.

In order to save the species, the zoo set about rearing hundreds of baby spiders in individual test tubes as part of a collaborative conservation breeding rescue programme in partnership with the RSPB.

The RSPB estimate there are 10,000 breeding females across the UK – the best year on record.

Chester Zoo said: “Our team delicately hand fed tiny flies to each of the hundreds of spiderlings using tweezers, day in, day out, for weeks on end in our bio-secure breeding facility.

“Eventually, the young spiders grew strong enough to be returned to their natural habitat, which our partners worked to restore, and we released them in their hundreds!”

Many have been quick to respond to the announcement by Chester Zoo on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a mixed reaction.

One user commented: “Crikey! Hope they don’t come into homes.”

Another said: “Fantastic news! I’d love to see them up close.

“Maybe one day, hopefully!”

Someone else put: “Is there any way at all you can post about this with literally any other image??

“Very arachnophobic here.”

A fourth wrote: “Wow, not sure how I’d feel if I came across one of those – where exactly were they released?”

RSPB Mid Yare nature reserves site manager, Tim Strudwick, said: “The Fen Raft Spider is one of the UK’s rarest invertebrates and we are proud of the role our reserves and teams have played in its recovery.

“These spiders have an important role in maintaining the rich aquatic diversity found in the grazing ditches on our reserves. The females are impressive in size, but also beautiful – they are truly special to see!”

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The RSPB revealed the giant fish-eating spiders which walk on water are making a comeback in the UK[/caption]

STRICTLY Come Dancing star Wynne Evans is “trying to hard” to “overcompensate” following his “grope” scandal with professional partner Katya Jones.

They claimed the opera singer, 52, was putting in a “defiant” performance with a Rumba to Shirley Bassey track, This Is My Life.

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Strictly Come Dancing’s Wynne Evans is ‘trying too hard’ to ‘over compensate’ for his recent ‘grope’ scandal, claims a body language expert[/caption]

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Judi James said the opera singer is putting on an ‘industrial strength’ smile[/caption]

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It came after Wynne and BBC partner Katya Jones sparked controversy when she pushed his hand off her waist[/caption]

Body language expert Judi James commented on the routine “full of drama” – which she noted came just weeks after Katya was seen pushing his hand off her waist in an apparent snub.

The BBC One show pro then added further fuel to speculation of a spat when she appeared to refuse to high five her partner.

Now – after the dust has seemingly settled – Judi has commented on Wynne’s response after his latest Strictly routine.

In a chat for Buzz Bingo she said of his dancing on Saturday: “Wynne put in an emotional, defiant, philosophical performance in the face of the earlier hand-gate.”

She added: “Channelling Shirley Bassey for his dance number he threw some diva-esque poses before staring wildly at his own reflection in a mirror and bursting into song.

“It looked as though this might be his defiant reply to ‘hand-gate’ but if so the message was full of drama and displays of emotion but short on specifics.”

The performance saw the duo scoop 30 points, with Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke giving them eight scores.

Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood scored them slightly lower, with seven apiece.

Wynne even finished the final moments of the routine by belting out the song’s lyrics on what was the programme’s first-ever Icons Week – yet some fans claimed he had broken show rules by doing so.

On the Strictly balcony, Wynne then spoke about “discovering a love of myself.”

Yet Judi noted: “His smiling is worryingly over-kill rictus though as though he still feels he has something to prove.”

She then spotted their antics on the balcony as other stars performed, again calling out their grins.

She said: “At one point Wynne and Katia stood right in the middle of the line of vision on the balcony and in the wake of hand-gate we saw an odd-looking transaction as Katya linked her hand into Wynne’s arm and him pulling his arm away to re-position it around her shoulders with his hand holding her shoulder.

“In a swift move Katya re-positioned his hand, pulling it slightly up her shoulder and crossing her arms, although this time the re-positioning appeared it might have had something to do with her dress.

“Both stood between Chris and Diane and Claudia sporting industrial-strength rictus smiles to show all is well.”

SHOW HEARTBREAK

Go Compare advert star Wynne previously told how he was left “heartbroken” over the backlash to the scandal.

He insisted the pair’s antics were “a stupid joke that had gone wrong.”

After Strictly‘s Week Four wrapped, the duo – who had performed a Tango earlier that night – were quick to issue a video apology and insisted it was all an innocent “inside joke”.

Wynne then spoke out on his BBC Radio Wales show for a further raw reveal.

He told his listeners: “I’m absolutely heartbroken by the things that have been written about me in the last day.

“It’s not nice to live in that time, but basically Katya and I are really, really close and we’re really good friends, and on Saturday night we made a stupid joke.

“It was a stupid joke that went wrong, OK?

“We thought it was funny. It wasn’t funny.

“It was been totally misinterpreted.”

Despite fans demanding the pair clarify exactly what “the joke” was, Wynne didn’t explain any further.

Previously, Katya hit back at the drama in a video upload.

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Judi said his Rumba was a ‘defiant reply to hand-gate’[/caption]

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Wynne told how he had been left ‘heartbroken’ by the scandal last month[/caption]

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The pair said their antics were an ‘inside joke’[/caption]

THE oldest seaside resort in Europe is in Germany – and it was once compared to glamorous holiday hotspots in France.

Located in Bad Doberan (a town in northern Germany), off the coast of the Baltic Sea, Heiligendamm was once compared to Cannes or St Tropez by holidaymakers in the 19th century.

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Heiligendamm is thought to be the oldest seaside resort in Europe[/caption]

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The Grand Hotel Heiligendamm is a favourite among health-conscious holidaymakers[/caption]

This is because the seaside resort once attracted a wave of health-conscious holidaymakers who were all in need of some rest and relaxation.

Despite losing its comparison to the French hotspots, the seaside resort is still a firm favourite among holidaymakers who want a little peace.

The resort is home to the Grand Hotel Heiligendamm, a huge privately-owned beachfront hotel.

Several white mansions, which were restored in the early noughties, combine to form the huge hotel.

The interior of the hotel is a mixture of contemporary luxury and the spirit of the 1790s, with oversized rooms and views overlooking gardens and the Baltic Sea.

Rooms have underfloor heating in their stone bathrooms, while the bedrooms are kitted out with the latest gadgets.

A huge “American” breakfast is served at the hotel each morning, with other dining options including the Michelin-starred Friedrich Franz restaurant, the Baltic Sushi Bar and the Kurhaus Restaurant.

The huge wellness complex also has an indoor pool, a fitness centre, a Finnish sauna and an ice room, with massage and beauty treatments also available to book.

For younger guests, there’s a colourful kids’ club complete with a play area.

Sports enthusiasts will be able to make the most of activities in the surrounding area like golf and water sports.

Its best feature is arguably its location, with the beachfront hotel directly backing on a stretch of white sand.

Not only does Heiligendamm Beach have stretches of sand, but it also has a long pier where visitors can take in views of the hotel.

The Grand Hotel Heiligendamm has a 4/5 star rating on TripAdvisor from more than 900 reviews.

One person wrote: “This is the best hotel I have ever stayed in, from arrival to departure, everything was just perfect”.

Another added: ” An absolutely stunning hotel, the rooms are fit for royalty”.

A third person wrote: “Fabulous location, remote and directly on the shore”.

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The huge hotel backs right onto the beach[/caption]

One of the other main attractions is the narrow-gauge railway that connects seaside towns along the Baltic Coast.

The Mecklenburg Resort Railway Molli is a 900mm gauge railway, which is thought to be among the oldest in the world.

Running between Kühlungsborn to Bad Doberan, the red steam locomotive operates several times a day, with journeys taking 40 minutes to complete.

Stays at the Grand Hotel Heiligendamm start from £285 per night, based on two people sharing a room.

Brits will need to fly to Hamburg Airport and then drive two hours to reach the seaside resort.

Direct flights operate from UK cities like London, Manchester and Edinburgh, with return fares from £40.

Or if you’re still after seaside towns, one in Spain has been named Europe’s best kept secret.

And we’ve rounded up our favourite seaside towns in the UK.

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From the pier, holidaymakers can get another perspective[/caption]

COCA Cola is one of the most popular soft drinks around the world – but it could be key to helping your plants thrive.

According to gardening experts, adding cola to the base of your azaleas could help to boost “plant performance.”

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Experts have said cola can help azaleas to flourish[/caption]

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Keep a bit of your cola when you open a bottle to help your azaleas[/caption]

The next time you pop a bottle of Coke, you may wish to set some aside to use in your garden.

Professionals say you only need 120ml poured onto the soil at the base of your azaleas to help them grow.

It is said that any brand of cola will do, so you may as well opt for the cheap stuff from your local shop than forking out for a name brand.

You can use this carbonated beverage in place of expensive soil and feeding.

But why does it work?

Experts at House Digest wrote: “The reason cola helps azaleas grow is because of its genetic makeup: the beverage contains elements like potassium, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur, and sodium, which work together to keep these plants healthy and thriving.”

However, you should be careful to not overdo it with adding the soda drink to your azaleas.

They added: “This isn’t something you ought to be doing on a daily basis. 

“At most, you should give your azaleas a cola bath every once in a while. 

Pest-free perk

Not only does cola help plants to grow, but it can also be used as a pesticide.

While it is not the sugar or caffeine that kills bugs, the sugar attracts ants, which ten eat the larva of pest species without hurting the plants.

Watering your garden in the morning will allow water or Coca Cola to soak deeply into the soil, with little evaporation.

“Unless you water with a drip-irrigation system, avoid watering in the evening,” says expert gardener Melanie from Factory Direct Hose, a gardening products supplier.

“Plants often remain wet throughout the entire night when watered in the evening, which is a recipe for plant disease.”

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You should be careful to not overdo it with adding the soda drink to your azaleas[/caption]

Orange juice

Orange juice is another day-to-day beverage that can be used in the garden, as it works well as a fertiliser.

The juice is very acidic so don’t add too much otherwise you risk killing the plants.

Just pop a few tablespoons of the juice into your can before you water the garden.

Lemonade is also great for increasing your plant’s lifespan, add a small amount to your watering can.

The acid and sugar work together to prevent bacteria growing on the plant.

You may have heard that milk is helpful for plants and that is the case.

The expert said that the vitamin B and calcium promote growth just as it can in people.

NO one knows exactly how to prevent prostate cancer.

But emerging evidence points to some unconventional methods to combat a disease that claims a man’s life every 45 minutes in the UK.

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The Olympic star recently said the disease had spread from his prostate to his bones, including his shoulder, pelvis, ribs and spine.[/caption]

Just last week, New York scientists published a study that suggests a 40p vitamin can significantly slow the disease’s progression.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in men – with more than 52,000 cases diagnosed every year – it is also one of the least understood. 

Earlier this month, Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy revealed his prostate cancer is terminal, having been told he has just two to four years left to live.

He first announced in February he was being treated for the disease.

He told the Sunday Times the cancer had spread from his prostate to his bones, including his shoulder, pelvis, ribs and spine.

How the disease affects a man’s life, and what can be done to treat it is far from straightforward.

Last Friday was November 1, which marked the start of the Movember a month-long campaign to raise money and awareness for men’s health.

The Movember movement, which began in 2003, focuses on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.

As with all cancers, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a good weight and going for regular check-ups are reliable ways to reduce your risk.

However, scientists suggest there may be other, lesser-known ways to slash your likelihood of developing the disease – or stop it in its tracks.

1. Pop a vitamin pill

Menadione, also known as vitamin K3, could slow down prostate cancer, a new study has found.

The popular vitamin, which can cost as little as 40p per pill, is vital for bone health and blood clotting.

And now it could also offer a ray of hope to those already battling prostate cancer.

When mice with prostate cancer were given menadione, it messed with the cancer’s survival processes.

Professor Lloyd Trotman at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York state discovered menadione kills prostate cancer cells by depleting a lipid called PI(3)P, which works like an ID tag.

Without it, cells stop recycling incoming materials and eventually explode.

Prof Trotman said: “It’s like a transport hub, like JFK. If everything that goes in is immediately de-identified, nobody knows where the airplanes should go next.

“New stuff keeps coming in, and the hub starts to swell. This ultimately leads to the cell bursting.”

This caused the cancer’s progression to slow significantly in mice.

Prof Trotman now hopes to see the experiment translated to pilot studies in human prostate cancer patients.

He said: “Our target group would be men who get biopsies and have an early form of the disease diagnosed. We wonder if they start to take the supplement, whether we would be able to slow that disease down.”

Adults need approximately one microgram a day of vitamin K for each kilogram of their body weight to ensure healthy blood clotting and healthy bones.

For example, someone who weighs 65kg would need 65 micrograms a day of vitamin K.

You should be able to get all the vitamin K you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.

Vitamin K is found in many foods, with the main sources being:

• Green leafy vegetables – such as broccoli and spinach
• Vegetable oils
• Cereal grains

Small amounts can also be found in meat and dairy foods.

Vitamin K is also available in supplement form – as a standalone supplement or found in many multivitamins.

If you take supplements, don’t take too much as this might be harmful.

Taking 1mg or less of vitamin K supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.

Supplements such as Viridian’s vitamin K capsules (£11.81 for 30 capsules) can be purchased online.

2. Masturbate, often

Men who ejaculate at least 21 times a month can lower their prostate cancer risk by a third, doctors believe.

A US study,  published in the Journal of European Urology in 2016, revealed that aside from boosting your mood and giving some much-needed relief, masturbating or having sex can help ‘prevent cancer’.

The US scientists looked at data from 31,925 men who logged their monthly ejaculation.

It suggested that men who ejaculated 21 or more times a month had about a 20 per cent lower prostate cancer risk compared to those who ejaculated four to seven times a month.

Writing in The Sun, Dr Jeff said: “The prostate is a highly active organ, and just like anything else in the body, if you don’t use it, there is a greater chance it could go wrong.

“It is worth noting we don’t know that those people who were sexually active were healthier anyway, maybe they didn’t smoke, were less overweight, and drank less, so were at less risk of cancer anyway.”

Dr Jennifer Landa, a specialist in hormone therapy, suggests that indulging in some self-love might be able to strengthen your body’s natural defence forces.

She said: “Masturbation can produce the right environment for a strengthened immune system.”

Another study published in 2004 – over ten years before the ejaculation paper, showed masturbation caused a temporary spike in immune cells, including killer cells that fight viruses.

An example is lymphocytes – white blood cells that fight foreign invaders, including the coronavirus.

3. Have safe sex

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Guys who were ever infected with an STI were 40% more likely to get prostate cancer, a study found[/caption]

While on the topic of sex, using a condom may lower your chances of developing prostate cancer.

Sexually transmitted infections like cytomegalovirus and trichomoniasis have been linked to prostate cancer.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a type of herpes found in cancerous prostate tissue.

Some people get flu-like symptoms the first time they get CMV, including:

• A high temperature
• Aching muscles
• Tiredness
• A skin rash
• Feeling sick
• A sore throat
• Swollen glands

Trichomoniasis, on the other hand, is a treatable virus that may have long-term effects.

Up to half of all people who catch the disease do not develop any symptoms at all.

But it can cause:

• Pain when peeing or during ejaculation
• Needing to pee more frequently than usual
• Thin, white discharge from the penis
• Soreness, swelling and redness around the head of the penis or foreskin

A study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention found that guys who were ever infected with trichomoniasis had a 40 per cent greater chance of developing prostate cancer.

4. Get gardening

Pottering around the garden can help slash prostate cancer risk by half, a study suggested.

Experts said gentle physical activity has a “far larger” protective effect than previously thought.

In the biggest study of its kind, Bristol University researchers analysed data on 140,000 men.

Scientists found people with genes linked to greater physical activity had a 51 per cent lower risk of prostate cancer.

The results suggest even mild exertion – such as gardening or walking – can slash a person’s chances of the disease.

Experts say this type of genetic study, known as Mendelian randomisation, is a much more reliable method of calculating risk.

Lead researcher Dr Sarah Lewis said she was surprised by impact of everyday activity on prostate cancer risk.

She said: “The take-home message for men is that if you want to reduce your prostate cancer risk, be more active.

“But it doesn’t have to be vigorous activity or playing team sports, you just have to move about.

“It could be things such as gardening, walking or other activities that you can build into your daily routine.

“Simply getting off the couch and moving around is beneficial.

“Most of these men in this study were aged over 50 and we can assume they were not all marathon runners.

“Our findings suggest that the more active you are, the better.”

5. Enjoy a cup of coffee

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Each additional cup of coffee a day reduced the relative risk of prostate cancer by 1%[/caption]

Fueling up on coffee might keep you alert throughout the day, but it’s also been shown to help take down your prostate cancer risk

A 2021 BMJ Open meta-analysis suggested that drinking several cups of coffee a day was linked to a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

The study found that each additional cup of coffee a day reduced relative risk by one per cent.

EARLY SIGNS OF PROSTATE CANCER

Prostate cancer that’s contained inside the prostate doesn’t usually cause any symptoms, which is why it’s important to know about your risk.

However, some men might have started experiencing urinary problems that start mildly and develop over many years.

They may be a sign of a benign (non-cancerous) prostate problem, rather than prostate cancer but it’s worth getting checked out.

According to the NHS, the six most common early signs of prostate cancer include:

1. Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
2. Needing to rush to the toilet
3. Difficulty in starting to pee
4. Weak flow
5. Straining and taking a long time while peeing
6. Feeling that your bladder hasn’t emptied fully

If prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body or breaks away from the prostate, it can cause other symptoms.

According to Prostate Cancer UK, these include:

• Back pain, hip pain or pelvis pain
• Problems getting or keeping an erection
• Blood in the urine or semen
• Unexplained weight loss

Laura, from Prostate Cancer UK, added: “Men simply should not be diagnosed with prostate cancer at stage 4.

“But sadly, Sir Chris is one of thousands of men in the UK who have received their prostate cancer diagnosis too late.

“One in eight men will be affected by prostate cancer in their lifetime, but men like Sir Chris, who are 45 and over and with a family history of the disease, as well as black men, are at significantly higher risk of prostate cancer at a younger age.

“The PSA blood test is the first step to early diagnosis, yet GPs are prevented from offering this test and discussing prostate cancer risk with men like Sir Chris because of current NHS guidelines, which treat all men the same.

“We believe no man should die of prostate cancer. That’s why we’re urging the Government to refresh these outdated rules and begin saving thousands of lives today.”

The cancer mainly affects men over 50, and your risk increases with age.

You can find your chance of developing the disease using Prostate Cancer UK’s risk checker here.

If you suspect you might have prostate cancer, speak to your GP.

It comes after NHS figures showed that cancer diagnoses hit an all-time high in 2022, with prostate cancer being the most common type.

KATIE Price hit a nightclub in Leeds last night in a sexy cop outfit and £2,350 Balenciaga jacket.

The 46-year-old star dressed to impress for the late night appearance combining PVC leggings, boots and gothic makeup.

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Katie Price and JJ Slater headed to a nightclub in Leeds[/caption]

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Katie wore a very expensive Balenciaga coat[/caption]

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She then removed it to reveal this sexy cop outfit[/caption]

She was joined by boyfriend JJ Slater, who walked beside her in a white T-shirt and clutched a Gucci bag.

Once inside The Bridge Bar, Katie took off her coat to reveal a very risqué outfit complete with handcuffs.

The night out followed the couple’s fun-filled night at Tulley’s Farm’s annual Shocktober event.

The couple were pictured making the most of the rides and spooky attractions on the Sussex farm.

They fully embraced Halloween this year, with Katie dressing up as a sexy skeleton for the day itself, while JJ was unrecognisable in his devil costume complete with prosthetic horns.

All the festivities come amid revelations from Katie’s ex-fiancé Carl Woods that she cheated on him with a polo star during their time together.

Car dealer Carl, 35, confronted her over a one-night stand with Jamie Morrison after an event at his polo club.

He told us: “She spent the night with Jamie Morrison after a polo event at his club.

“Videos were posted of her drunk with a random DJ, basically being an embarrassment, and she didn’t come home. She told me she was staying with a friend. A few months went past and during that time people had been messaging me, naming him and saying she had been with him.

“I confronted her and she tried to deny it but then admitted it.

“I dropped to my knees in disbelief. She said it was because we weren’t getting on.”

Katie was said to have hooked up with Jamie, 47, in August 2022 after a family outing to his polo club in Windsor, Berks.

Jamie has played polo with Prince William and Prince Harry — and is reported to have coached the former.

At the time, mum-of-five Katie shared snaps of herself, sister Sophie, and mum Amy, at the Royal County of ­Berkshire Polo Club.

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The glamour girl had a busty PVC top and handcuffs[/caption]

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She finished her outfit with wet-look leggings and knee-high boots[/caption]

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Katie split from Carl late last year[/caption]

A BEAUTY fan has revealed her ‘secret’ to how she stays looking so young.

Jen Jones, who regularly gets asked if she gets botox, revealed that it isn’t actually down to potions and lotions, but it’s what she drinks.

tiktok/@thejenjones/

tiktok/@thejenjones/

She shared a video on TikTok and explained exactly what her drink is, in a step-by-step tutorial. 

Speaking to the camera, Jen, who is known on social media as @thejenjones, says: “Jen, do you get Botox? I don’t. 

“I drink juice, baby. I mean, I might get it one day. You never know. 

“But for now, I’m going to show you how to make my wrinkle-reducing juice. 

“Purple cabbage helps with wrinkles and matures skin. 

“Purple cabbage is also high in vitamin A, which aids in the regrowth of your skin cells.

“Combining pineapple and purple cabbage together is amazing for inflammation, heart health, and digestion, and helps to keep your skin young and vibrant. 

“If it’s your first time juicing purple cabbage, just use a small amount because I don’t want anybody running to the bathroom and blaming me.”

She recommends those who are doing this to make sure they clean their fruit and vegetables first before chopping them up.

Jen continues: “Now I’m going to throw this right into my juicer. Cut off that skin. 

“Get organic pineapple. 

“Clean the skin well. Make an immune-boosting, detoxing tea. 

“When you juice your fruits and veggies, you allow your digestion to take a break. 

“All the vitamins and antioxidants go straight into your bloodstream, baby.

Purple cabbage is retinol straight into your system

TikTok comment

“Pineapple into my nama. Just juice this half and then we’ll juice the rest of the pineapple.”

She finishes the video by showing off her vibrant coloured drink before tasting it. 

Jen says: “Look at how gorgeous this is.

“And don’t forget the cinnamon.”

She captioned the video by adding: “One of the best juice combos for gorgeous skin!” 

Her video gained lots of attention with many people rushing to the comments section to share their thoughts. 

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The drink includes purple cabbage, cinnamon and pineapple[/caption]

One wrote: “Purple cabbage is retinol straight into your system.”

Retinol is used in skincare products to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and improve skin tone. 

Another added: “Same girl that celery juice is the best.”

A third said: “Vitamin A is active in retinol and pineapple enzymes break down dead skin when in topicals. Definitely trying this.”

WITH her thin, wispy white hair and wrinkled complexion, Alice Uden was regarded by those close to her as a gentle and meek pensioner.

At 74, she was frail for her years – so it came as a complete shock to those who knew her when she was arrested and charged with murder.

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When Alice Uden was finally arrested, she didn’t look like your typical cold-blooded killer[/caption]

The grisly revelations didn’t end there, either.

As it would later be revealed, for decades both Alice and fourth husband Gerald had been hiding a whole host of sinister secrets, with the ‘evil’ pair leaving a trail of at least four dead bodies in their wake…

‘He was immediately smitten’

Their story together began in 1976, when mum-of-five Alice, then 37, moved to Fremont County, Wyoming, for a fresh start after leaving her third husband. 

She’d been divorced twice and widowed once, but this hadn’t put her off finding love and that summer she began dating neighbour Gerald Uden, then 32, a maintenance worker who also had three failed marriages. 

Speaking on Hayu documentary Snapped: Killer Couples, true crime author Ron Franscell says: “One day there was a knock on Gerald’s door and it was Alice.

“He was immediately smitten. She was, to him, the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in the world.” 

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Gerald met wife Alice in 1976, and the pair quickly wed after a whirlwind romance[/caption]

‘Awesome mum’ & a ‘good father’

Five months after meeting, the pair wed, and bought a farm. 

Erica Hayes, daughter of Alice Uden, says: “My mum was an awesome mum. [Gerald] fell head over heels in love… As their child I never really wanted for anything.”

However in the summer of 1980 Gerald’s ex-wife Virginia Uden and her two young sons, Richard, 11, and Reagan, 10, also moved into the area.

They weren’t Gerald’s biological children, however he had adopted the boys prior to the divorce, so he was paying child maintenance.

Ron Franscell says: “Gerald took his father role very seriously, and he was a good father.”

But things took a sinister turn when, on September 13th 1980 -just two months later – Virginia’s mother Claire Martin reported Virginia and the boys missing to police.

Attorney Leigh Anne Manlove says: “Claire knew her daughter better than anyone and she knew her daughter wouldn’t have just upped and left without saying a word.”

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Reagan Uden was just 10 when he went missing with his brother and mum[/caption]

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Gerald Uden had adopted Richard, pictured, and his brother[/caption]

A tremendous source of tension

Three weeks later, on October 4, police discovered Virginia’s station wagon on the edge of a very deep canyon, with traces of blood in the back.

The blood was type A – which matched Virginia’s. 

Agent Andrew Hanson from the Wyoming division of criminal investigation says: “Virgina and the boys were a tremendous source of tension in the relationship between Alice and Gerald and part of that was because Virginia wanted more child support.”

Attorney Leigh Anne Manlove says: “There was a lot of hatred between [Alice and Virginia]. It wasn’t a fight over Gerald, it was really over money.”

Two months into their investigation, police spoke to both Gerald and Alice. 

Larry Matthews, former Fremont county sheriff, says: “Alice was crying and emotional and couldn’t answer much.

“[Gerald] became very physically upset, was shaking… I knew right away we had our guy and he had something to do with it.

“He said even if there was a crime we couldn’t prove it because there was no body.”

However with no evidence connecting Alice and Gerald to the disappearances, years passed without any new leads. 

A sudden, unexpected twist

In 1982, Alice and Gerald suddenly sold their farm and moved to Chadwick, Missouri, where they lived until 1994, when the case took a sudden and unexpected turn.

Alice’s oldest son, Todd Scott told police his mother had once confessed to being involved in a murder – but not of Virginia or her sons, but rather her third husband, Vietnam war veteran Ron Holtz. 

The pair had wed in 1974 after a whirlwind romance, and according to Todd, their relationship was turbulent from the start and was abusive.

Attorney Leigh Anne Manlove says: “One night when [Todd] was about 14 or 15, his mum told him that years earlier when she’d been married to Ron he’d been very abusive and she was afraid of him and so one night when he was sleeping she got her [gun] and she shot him in the back of the head while he was in bed.

“She had taken his body out of the trailer, put him in a barrel and thrown him down an abandoned gold mine.

“Todd for a very, very long time carried an enormous burden and he just eventually had to get it off his shoulders.” 

Police widened their investigation, but to no avail.

Former Fremont County Sheriff Tim McKinney says: “We had nothing else to go on… No bodies were discovered, so it became a cold case. It was very frustrating.” 

Human remains discovery

Finally, in 2005 both cases received new interest when Agent Andrew Hanson began to re-examine cold case files.

On January 18 2005 police visited Alice and Gerald’s home. Ron says: “When they knock on the front door Alice answers and is a grandmotherly type at that point.

“They ask if she will answer a few questions, which she does.”

When confronted with Todd’s story, Alice denied it happened.

Tragically, on April 4 2013 Virginia’s mother Claire passed away, having never found justice for her daughter and only grandsons.

However, police did get a new break a few months later, when the abandoned gold mine was searched.

Pieces of a barrel were found and a human skeleton, with a bullet hole in the skull.

It was enough to arrest Alice Uden, then 74, for Ron’s murder.

When confronted with the evidence, Alice finally caved, claiming in the interview he’d been threatening to kill her daughter Erica so she’d shot him before dumping his body.

Hayu

The barrel was eventually found, and a human skeleton was discovered inside[/caption]

‘Ten seconds and they were gone’

At the time Alice was arrested, trucker Gerald was away on work.

When he arrived home agents met him and told him Alice had been arrested.

Wrongly assuming she’d been questioned over Virginia’s disappearance, he finally came clean himself, saying: “Now you guys are here, I’ve got to assume you must’ve either found some bodies… I gotta tell you, if you found bodies it’s a miracle.” 

The gun was there, I was there and I shot her right square in the back of the head and she went down. It was that fast.”

Gerald Uden

He revealed on September 12 1980 he lured Virginia to meet him under the premise of taking them to go dove hunting. 

Speaking in a police interview, Gerald said: “Virginia was there. The gun was there, I was there and I shot her right square in the back of the head and she went down. 

“It was that fast. It was 10 seconds and they were gone.

“I didn’t get any pleasure out of doing it, none. But it did stop the child support, and that was going to come to about $16,000.”

Larry Matthews says: “He said they put them in steel drums, like an oil drum.

“He poked holes in the drum and he took them and put them in a boat, then went out on the Fremont Lake and submerged the barrels.”

More sinister surprises?

Gerald was charged with three counts of first degree murder, pleads guilty and was later sentenced to three life sentences, while Alice opted to go to trial. 

However just before it started, police received a shocking tip suggesting Ron Holtz was not the first husband Alice killed. 

Her second husband Don Prunty died aged 45, and at the time it wasn’t deemed suspicious.

Erica says: “I know my dad was an alcoholic, and death certificate says alcoholism. They had no reason to do an autopsy.

“There’s a belief however that my mum poisoned my dad. There’s a belief that my dad was her first victim.”

Following up on the tip, police examined Don’s medical records, and his symptoms were consistent with poisoning, specifically anti-freeze.

However there was no evidence to prove this theory.

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The couple, pictured in 1999, collectively kept a lot of sinister secrets under wraps for decades[/caption]

‘Two profoundly evil people’

On May 8 2014 a jury convicted Alice of second degree murder, and she died in prison five years later in 2019 

Gerald has remained in prison, despite claiming since he falsely confessed to the triple murder – a claim courts dismissed.

Agent Andrew Hanson says: “I genuinely looked at Alice as a person in our society who looked at killing people as a solution to a problem.

“I think with Gerald and with Alice we have a perfect storm of a sociopath and a narcissistic person.” 

Attorney Leigh Anne adds: “I think the relationship between Alice and Gerald was unique in that these were two profoundly evil people who found one another.”

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The pair’s relationship was a ‘perfect storm’[/caption]

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