News

ROBERTO MANCINI will not be paid the rest of his £77million contract in full after being sacked by Saudi Arabia.

The Italian was dismissed earlier earlier this month following a 0-0 draw with Bahrain in World Cup qualifying.

Reuters

Roberto Mancini will not be paid out the rest of his £77million Saudi Arabia contract[/caption]

His exit came 14 months into a four-year deal with the Green Falcons.

Mancini had been the highest paid manager in world football prior to his sacking thanks to a £77million contract.

He had also looked set to make over £60million over the coming years despite leaving the role if the rest of his deal was paid out.

However, it has now been revealed exactly how much he will receive in severance pay.

According to Nicolo Schira, Mancini will receive £16.7million after being let go.

The 59-year-old was appointed manager in August 2023, replacing Herve Renard, who had left earlier in the year.

He went on to win seven of his 18 matches in charge up until this month’s international break.

Those matches also included a run to the last 16 of the Asian Cup in January.

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Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia are currently third in their World Cup qualifying group following Mancini’s departure.

Prior to his appointment, the former Manchester City boss spent five years in charge of the Italian national team.

During that period, he guided the Azzurri to glory at Euro 2020, beating England in the final.

However, they failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after losing to North Macedonia in a play-off.

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Mancini was sacked earlier this month after just 14 months in charge of the Green Falcons[/caption]

BIG Brother’s Izaaz became the third person to be evicted from the famous house last night.

The news came as a huge shock to viewers as they expected Marcello to get the boot – after his controversial time in the house.

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BIG Brother’s Izaaz became the third person to be evicted from the famous house last night[/caption]

Olivia West

The Sun’s Big Brother columnist Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace shares her thoughts[/caption]

Izaaz, Khaled, Marcello and Nathan were all up for eviction, and now those watching at home are convinced the wrong person has been booted out.

The Sun’s Big Brother columnist thinks Izaaz was the right choice, however, and she explains exactly why.

Plus, Aisleyne has also spotted a budding romance going on in the house… any guesses who with?

Here, our BB columnist reveals why love could be in the air, why Ali “needs to have more fun,” and who she thinks the house would be dull without…

Izaaz was evicted, was I surprised? Of course I wasn’t. He’s as dull as dishwater and as boring as margarine and he sat on the fence so much.

It was his time to go.

They say it’s best not to get involved in arguments but by not choosing a side, you’re choosing a side and that’s the boring side that no one wants to watch on TV for six weeks.

Oh Ali!

Ali continues to be a conundrum for me. One minute I love her and then the next minute I can’t stand her.

I used to want to study psychology but now I honestly don’t.

She put the men in some sort of pyramid scheme and put them at the top and said she was the little truth teller at the bottom.

Really? Ali, it’s not that deep. Just chill out!

She needs to have a bit of fun in the house because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. She’s not for me, honey.

Is romance brewing?

What is going on with Segun and Hanah? I see a gleam in her eye, there’s definitely a little glint and a little glisten.

There’s a little look every time she speaks to Segun and I think there could possibly be a romance there.

They really are a cute couple and I really like them both.

Segun is a bit of a fence sitter, let’s be honest, he really is, and that’s the only thing I don’t like about him.

But I do like Hanah and if she likes him then I’m so here for it.

I really want to see this romance blossom.

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Hanah and Segun we see you[/caption]

ITV

They’d make a great couple[/caption]

Go on Baked Potato!

So last night with a little help from Emma pushing and goading them, Nathan finally admitted that he and Baked Potato are officially boyfriend and girlfriend.

So cute, but the jury’s still out.

Maybe I just don’t understand Baked Potato, and I need to get to know her a bit better.

But sometimes she can come across as a little bit like is this a real romance, or is it a romance for her because it just kind of came out of left field?

But she had a moment in the diary room last night where she spoke about how she’d been in bad relationships before and never felt like that.

She was easy to love, and I think all of us can relate to that.

Men and women, we’ve all probably been in relationships that haven’t been right for us, and the person has made us feel like maybe we’re not easy to love and I can see that really hurt her.

And I feel like that was probably genuine.

So yeah, you know, stranger things have happened.

It is the Big brother house.

I kissed Pete… Isnogged his face off. And I would have never done that on the outside world because he wasn’t my type.

So stranger things have happened.

I’m here for it, and I love a bit of romance.

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Baked Potato and Nathan have made things more official[/caption]

She’s like marmite

The most annoying housemate continues to be Lily for me, but she’s also one of the most entertaining.

Let’s be honest.

If she left the house, it would be pretty dull.

She does give a lot of entertainment, and I want to see more from her this week.

But just allow the screeching honey child, it’s too much.

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The house would be dull without Lily[/caption]

My winner

My absolute favourite continues to be Emma. I just think she’s brilliant, and she says it how it is..

She’s funny and she’s down to earth. I think she’s someone that I’d really get on with, and I enjoy her.

I think she’s my favourite housemate so far this week.

Someone else who I’m trying to figure out is Martha, because she has an opinion and she’ll say her opinion.

But then she’ll sugar coat it massively, and that might just be her being a nice person.

Or it might be quite manipulative.

And she’s just trying to stay on everyone’s good side.

But don’t worry guys, I’ll get to the bottom of it…

Aisleyne returns with her opinion every Friday night, to give the lowdown on the Big Brother antics and the eviction.

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Aisleyne returns with more Big Brother commentary next week[/caption]

THERE’S an award-winning holiday park in the UK with its own indoor waterpark, and it’s been named as one of the most underrated sites in England by one expert.

Located just outside Newquay, Hendra Holiday Park in Cornwall has won awards with both Visit England and TripAdvisor.

Hendra Holiday Park

Hendra Holiday Park is an award-winning holiday park in Cornwall[/caption]

Hendra Holiday Park

The holiday park has been owned by the same family since 1972[/caption]

Travel writer Robbie Lane, who is the face behind the specialist website Holiday Park Guru, named it as one of his favourite lesser-known spots in England.

He previously told Sun Online Travel: “While most independent holiday parks have fewer facilities compared to the big names, there are some that compete on scale and activities including Hendra Holiday Park in Cornwall.”

It’s easy to see why the Cornish holiday park has won favour with industry experts.

Family-owned since 1972, Hendra Holiday Park’s water complex has an indoor pool with a river-rapid, a water cannon, tipping buckets, water fountains and three water flume rides.

There’s also an outdoor pool, with a fun-looking jet ski aqua cruise for kids where they get to ride inflatable jet skis around a mini course, as well as sea scooters.

According to its website, there are also seven golden sand beaches within easy access of the holiday park, including Crantock Beach and Holywell Bay Beach.

Holywell Bay Beach is a wide sandy beach that’s backed by grassy dunes and surrounded by rocky islands.

While the beach is popular among swimmers and surfers, it becomes a haven for kids during low tide when shallow streams and rock pools emerge.

There are plenty of things to do back at Hendra Holiday Park too, including an indoor soft play area, an outdoor play park, complete with swings and climbing frames and a scooter park with ramps.

Several new attractions and activities have also been introduced this year like a nine-hole adventure golf course, a ninja assault course and mini 4×4’s.

Other family-friendly activities include the Hendra Land Train, which tours the holiday park, and it takes guests to neighbouring Newquay for free.

There are three on-site restaurants, including the Terrace Bar and Restaurant, Mario‘s Pizzeria and ice cream shop, Always Sundae.

Hendra Holiday Park also offers a range of evening entertainment for children, featuring its lovable mascots Henry and Henrietta Hippo.

The evening entertainment includes dancing and party games.

Older guests can also watch cabaret performances, comedy shows, live music performance and magic shows later in the evening.

Like with the other holiday parks, there are a range of accommodation options available to book like budget-friendly camping pitches, caravans, premium caravans, holiday homes and lodges.

Hendra Holiday Park

Guests can use the free land train to reach Newquay[/caption]

Hendra Holiday Park

The indoor waterpark is one of the site’s main draws[/caption]

Sun Online Travel have found two-night stays on a caravan pitch from £75 per night for four people.

Hendra Holiday Park has been praised by visitors, with a 4.78/5 star rating on website campsites.co.uk.

One person wrote: “Hendra Park is in a great location, just three miles from the centre of Newquay. The staff, facilities and service were very good.”

Another guest added: “Me and my partner had an amazing stay here. There’s lots to do on site and the location is perfect.”

A third person added: “We had a gorgeous four-day camping here with friends.

“The location was amazing – very close to so many gorgeous beaches and amazing fish and chip shops.”

Hendra Holiday is a 10-minute drive from Newquay.

And here are some other water parks in the UK you should visit, including a huge new £250million attraction opening in 2025.

There are also plenty of water parks in Europe, including Livu Akvapark in Latvia and Energylandia in Poland.

Hendra Holiday Park

The holiday park has adventure play areas for kids[/caption]

HENDRA HOLIDAY PARK

There are several different types of accommodation on the site[/caption]

THESE are the key dates supermarket shoppers need to know about so they can get their Christmas bonus – and how you can pocket a free £25 cash boost.

The festive period is one of the most expensive times for families, as they stock up on food, drink, presents and decorations.

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Supermarket shoppers could get a very welcome bonus ahead of Christmas[/caption]

Many households will fork out hundreds, if not thousands of pounds, to celebrate Christmas.

In fact, research by comparison site MoneySuperMarket found that the average cost of Christmas rose to £1,811.70 per household last year.

Given that’s more than 80% of the average monthly income, it’s no surprise that families are looking for ways to spread the cost of festivities and stretch their money as far as possible.

Major supermarkets have responded by creating Christmas clubs, which allow you to save up each month, typically in return for a bonus in terms of points, vouchers, or cash to spend.

However, there are risks with these schemes.

First, money held with a supermarket is not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which means you won’t get automatic compensation and protection if the company goes bust.

The other thing to consider is that despite the bonuses involved, most supermarket saver schemes have a low rates of return, typically less than you’d get if you put the money into a savings account instead.

However, thanks to a clever hack you can get the best of both worlds. 

Most of these accounts have a final date that you need to have saved money by in order to get the rewards.

If you put money aside throughout the year into the highest easy-access interest-paying account you can find, and then transfer it to your supermarket of choice right before the cut off, you get the interest and the supermarket bonus.

This also minimises other risks such as losing your saver scheme card, or not being able to get money back out of the savings schemes if you need it for something else.

We’ve rounded up all the supermarket schemes that are available, explaining what bonuses are on offer, and how to get them.

Asda – earn up to £15

The Asda Christmas saver card rewards you with bonus cash for any money you save before November 10.

You need to have saved £30 or more on your card by 5pm on Sunday, November 10 to qualify.

The bonus is then added to the card by 9am on Monday, November 11. 

The more you save, the bigger the bonus. The max you can earn is £15, but you need to have at least £280 stashed away to get that.

If you save exactly £280, the return rate works out at 5.36%, which is competitive with many savings accounts.

But, if you have £78 saved and earn a bonus of just £1, then your rate of return is just 1.28% and can be easily beaten elsewhere.

However, you can transfer in all your savings just before the deadline to add the bonus onto interest you’ve earned elsewhere. 

You can spend the balance on your savings card at Asda either in store or online, and at George.com.

To join the scheme, you simply need to order a card online or pick one up in store.

There’s no limit to the number of Christmas Savings Cards you can have, too, meaning you can earn multiple bonuses.

Make sure you register and add your Christmas Savings Card to your account.

Once you’ve logged in, you’ll see a ‘top-up’ option next to your card.

Follow the instructions on screen. You can do a one-off top up or set up a regular payment.

You can also top up your card in-store at any checkout (including Self-Scan and Scan & Go) or at a customer service desk. You’ll need to have either your savings card, key fob, or digital eGift card.

As long as you’ve registered your card online, if it’s lost or stolen you can log in into your account to cancel it.

Once you’ve done this, the card will be locked and unusable. Asda will replace the card either with a digital version that’s available immediately or through the post which can take 7-10 days.

The remaining balance you had left on the card when you reported it will be applied to your replacement card.

However, Asda says it can’t replace balances if the card wasn’t registered online.

Iceland – earn £1 for every £20

Iceland’s “Bonus Pounds” scheme isn’t technically a Christmas saver – but you could use it as one.

The supermarket will give you a £1 bonus for every £20 you top-up, which works out as a 5% return. 

There’s no limit to the amount you can save and spend on the card throughout a year, but the most you can have loaded at any one time is £1,000 including bonuses.

If you managed to save £20 a week, you’d have £52 in free cash over the course of 12 months.

If you’re topping up whilst at the shop, just let the cashier know how much you want to add and they will load it to your card.

To do it online, sign in to your account on the Iceland Bonus Card app. Go to ‘My Card’ and select ‘Top Up’. You can then top up any amount with your preferred payment method.

You can sign up for a Digital Bonus Card online at iceland.co.uk/bonuscard, or pick up a physical card in an Iceland store and register it online or through the Bonus Card app. 

Iceland does warn that it reserves the right to withdraw, decline, cancel or issue a new card at any time and without notice. 

You can cancel your Bonus Card at any time, but any remaining balance will be lost, so you need to make sure you spend any savings first.

If you don’t use the card for 24 months, it will expire, and you will lose any money you have saved.

Iceland adds that it is not liable for any bonuses that are not spent before expiry, nor for any bonus amounts which have failed to load onto the card due to a technical or user error, nor for any bonus amounts which are not used due to lost or stolen cards. 

Savings can only be used to purchase products in participating Iceland and The Food Warehouse stores or online at the Iceland website.

They cannot be redeemed in a franchise store or at The Range.

Morrisons – earn up to £6

The Morrisons Christmas saver scheme pays you a bonus for any money you save. To get the extra cash, you need to have the savings in your account on October 31.

The more you have saved, the higher the reward amount – and the rate of return improves too. For instance, you get £1 if you have £49 saved, which works out as a 2% increase. But if you save £109, you get £6, which works out at 3%.

The rate of return is lower than you’ll get in many savings accounts, so it makes sense to save elsewhere and transfer the cash in before the deadline to get the rewards.

The different reward levels are:

• £49 = £1 total bonus
• £97 = £3 total bonus
• £149 = £4 total bonus
• £197 = £6 total bonus

You can continue to save after reaching £197 however you will not receive any further bonus cash from Morrisons.

The cut-off point to buy stamps is October 31. If you buy Christmas Saver stamps after this point, they will go towards your Christmas 2025 balance.

The total saved and bonus added is then converted into a voucher that you can use to shop use in-store or online. 

You have to select on your My Morrisons account which you want, but it’s worth knowing that if you select in-store you have to collect the vouchers yourself.

You also can’t get change from a voucher. So, if you have a £100 voucher you need to spend £100 or more in a single transaction at the till.

If your card is stolen, you simply login to your Morrisons More account and select ‘Replace / Cancel card’ from the main page, then click ‘Block & Report as Lost / Stolen’.

You can then click ‘Add / Request card’ to have a replacement sent to your home.

Doing this means the lost or stolen card becomes invalid and can’t be used, and all your More Points and Christmas Saver stamps will be transferred to your new card.

You can opt out of Christmas Savers any time before the cut-off date of October 31.

If you choose to opt-out and have Christmas Saver stamps in your account, these will be transferred into your Morrisons More account as More Points. 

Christmas Saver stamps are available from all Morrisons stores (excluding Morrisons Daily).

To buy, ask the cashier for the amount you want to purchase and scan your Morrisons More card to link the stamps to your account.

Sainsbury’s – earn up to £25

Sainsbury’s pays its Christmas Club members a 5% bonus on any savings made up until 23:59 on November 1^st.

You get £2.50 for each £50 you save, however, the maximum bonus you can be paid in a year is £25. 

That means if you put more than £500 on the card, your rate of return gets significantly less competitive. However, you can load any amount from £1 to £1,975.

The Sainsbury’s Christmas Club card can be activated and reloaded at a Sainsbury’s in-store checkout and self-service till only – it cannot be activated or reloaded at an Argos till.

But the money can then be used at Sainsbury’s in-store, Argos in-store, Sainsburys.co.uk and Argos.co.uk.

The full list of bonus levels are:

• £0.00 – £49.99 – £0 bonus
• £50 – £99.99 – £2.50 bonus
• £100 – £149.99 – £5 bonus
• £150 – £199.99 – £7.50 bonus
• £200 – £249.99 – £10 bonus
• £250 – £299.99 – £12.50 bonus
• £300 – £349.99 – £15 bonus
• £350 – £399.99 – £17.50 bonus
• £400 – £449.99 – £20 bonus
• £450-£499.99 – £22.50 bonus
• £500 and over – £25 bonus

To redeem your savings, present your Christmas Club Card at the checkout.

If the entire balance of a Christmas Club Card is not spent in one transaction, the remaining balance will remain available on the card for future use. The card balance will be printed on the till receipt.

If you’re shopping online, at the checkout page, under ‘Payment section’, select ‘Payment Card’.

Click “add a new payment method” and enter the 16-digit card number on the back of the card starting with 5339. You also need to add the expiry date, which is on the front of the card.

When redeeming in Argos there are no excluded items. When redeeming in Sainsbury’s the following items are excluded:

• Branded Gift Cards
• All lottery related products
• PayPoint products and services
• Stage 1 Infant Formula milk
• Tobacco and related products
• Postage stamps
• All in store concessions
• Petrol and Diesel
• Mobile phone top ups
• Travel Money

The Christmas Club card is available in most Sainsbury’s supermarkets. It must be activated before use, which can be done at the till or at self-checkout, and at least £1 must be added to activate the card.

The card has an expiry date printed at the front of the card – any remaining balance will be deducted on the expiry date, so you must spend the full card value before then.

Be aware that Sainsbury’s warns the card cannot be replaced if lost, stolen or damaged.

Tesco – earn up to £12

Tesco’s Clubcard Christmas Saver lets customers earn a bonus worth up to £12 for their savings.

However, this scheme ended on October 17.

To get the full amount, you needed to have saved £200, which works out as return of 6%. The maximum you could save is £360, but the rate of return will be lower.

The full list of reward levels were:

• Top up your savings over £25 and get a £1.50 bonus voucher 
• Top up your savings over £50 and get a £3 bonus voucher
• Top up your savings over £100 and get a £6 bonus voucher 
• Top up your savings over £200 and get a £12 bonus voucher 

In November, Tesco sends customers vouchers for the value of what they save – including any bonuses, which they can spend over the Christmas period.

You can spend your Clubcard, top-up and bonus vouchers in-store, online and in the Tesco Grocery & Clubcard app.

You can also spend them on fuel at a Tesco petrol filling station or Esso sites with a Tesco Express.

To join the scheme, you need to download or open the Tesco app, or sign into tesco.com/clubcard.

In the ‘Clubcard account’ menu, click ‘Christmas savers’. Then, find the top-up and bonus section. Select ‘Top up now’ to add to your savings.

Clubcard vouchers and top-up vouchers are valid for 2 years, and bonus vouchers are valid for three months.

Tesco says that Clubcard Christmas Savers top-up money is held in a separate bank account until vouchers are sent.

This account is managed by trustees, one of which is a professional trustee company, independent of Tesco. 

You can opt out of Clubcard Christmas Savers and change to a different voucher scheme.

If you opted out of the scheme before 11.59pm on October 17, 2024, your top-up value will be sent to you on a money card within the first two weeks of November 2024 and you won’t receive any bonus.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

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Christmas clubs allow shoppers to save up a little each month over the year[/caption]

IT’S officially cosy season, which means it’s time to bring the loungewear back out. 

And fashion fans are going crazy for Primark’s new range – which is super affordable as well. 

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Shoppers are racing to Primark to get their hands on their new loungewear range[/caption]

https://www.tiktok.com/@hevnotheather2015

Even their staff are racing to get their hands on the clothes. 

Primark worker Heather took to TikTok to share her new wardrobe addition which she thinks is perfect lounging around in. 

Heather, who goes by the name of @hevnotheather2015 on her social media account, found a tracksuit which she says she’ll now be wearing every Sunday. 

Talking to camera, whilst showing off her new purchase, she says: “Look at my terrific tracksuit from Primark.”

The tracksuit, which is an oversized hoodie and jogging bottoms, comes in a maroon colour and has a logo on it which reads ‘Sunday Club.’ 

She continues to say: “It’s got Sunday Club there on the front. It was £14. It’s got Sunday Club on the back.

“Look, I love it. Imagine me on a Sunday, strolling around all casually. And it’s got these bottoms. I just can’t wait to wear it.

“I can’t wait for it to be Sunday. I think I could probably wear it another day. You’re only really going to wear it on a Sunday, aren’t you? I don’t know.

“I’m going to wear it every Sunday in winter. Every Sunday you’ll see me strolling about. But isn’t it great?”

Heather revealed that the bottoms were £11 but she got them cheaper as she had staff discount. 

She continues: “Can I just say, this is not an ad for Primark. This is just showing you what I got.

“But you know when something really makes you happy, I’m happy.

“Happy vibes, baby. Happy vibes. Thank you, Primark. I love it.”

Many fashion fans rushed to the comments section to share their thoughts on her new purchase. 

Primark

She purchase the ‘Sunday Club’ hoodie and tracksuit bottoms from her local Primark store[/caption]

Primark

The hoodie costs £14 but Heather managed to get discount due to being a staff member[/caption]

One wrote: “I love it. Make everyday a Sunday and rock it Hev (Heather).” 

Another added: “I have Sunday pjs from primark. I love them.”

A third said: “Would be mint wearing that on a Sunday.”

Whilst someone else wrote: “Beautiful tackie hev.” 

DRY eyes are common throughout the year, but can be worse in the winter because of gusts of cold wind and indoor heating.

In most cases they can be relieved with over-the-counter treatments – artificial tears in the form of eye drops are the most common dry eyes treatment.

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Dry eyes can be common during the winter months, but can sometimes signal something more sinister[/caption]

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Pressure from a tumour behind the eye can lead to dry irritable eyes[/caption]

But in some cases, dry eyes can be a sign of something more serious, including a brain tumour.

Dr Stuart Sanders, GP at The London General Practice, said: “Dry eyes can be a sign of a brain tumour.

“Unusually, pressure from a tumour behind the eye or interference with the blinking process can lead to dry irritable eyes.  

“However, other symptoms associated with a brain tumour would be manifested earlier.”

Other symptoms of a brain tumour that can accompany dry eyes include:

• Change in eye movements
• Continuous headaches
• Vision and movement alteration

Dr Sanders said these are common symptoms associated with brain tumours.

In the UK, around 12,300 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year.

Dry eyes occur due to a failure to secrete tears which lubricate the eyelids. 

Specific conditions such as Sjogren’s disease, where tears aren’t produced, can also cause dry eyes.

Dr Sanders explained: “It’s an auto-immune condition which affects other mucus secreting bodily surfaces, such as the lining of the mouth, leading to a dry mouth.”

Other symptoms that can occur with Sjogren’s disease include:

• joint pain
• swollen salivary glands – particularly the set located behind your jaw and in front of your ear
• skin rashes or dry skin
• vaginal dryness
• a persistent dry cough
• prolonged fatigue.

If dry eyes aren’t caused by more serious conditions, you can treat them yourself.

Your pharmacist can dispense a number of artificial tear products which act as lubricants. 

The NHS also recommends cleaning your eyelids daily, making sure your computer screen is just below eye level, and using a humidifier to stop the air getting dry.

You should avoid smoking or drinking too much alcohol as these can dry your eyes out.

But Dr Sanders added: “It’s best to go and see your GP when simple measures do not control symptoms which are causing you distress.”

Tina Patel, Contact Lens Optician at Feel Good Contacts, said: “If you are experiencing other abnormal symptoms, such as feeling sick – particularly with sudden movements, peripheral vision issues, problems with reading, writing, spatial awareness, or drowsiness and/or loss of consciousness, then you should see your GP immediately.”

See a GP after trying home treatments for a few weeks, or if there’s a change in the shape of your eyelids.

Patel advised: “If you haven’t had an eye test recently and you experience dry eyes, it’s best to visit an optician before attempting any home remedies.

“If you have had a recent eye test then you can treat dry eyes at home with simple lifestyle changes such as resting your eyes from excessive screen use and eating more foods rich in vitamin A such as spinach, tomatoes, carrots and dairy products.”

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Dry eyes accompanied by continuous headaches could signal a brain tumour[/caption]

A WHOLE host of A-list actors turned down roles in the hit Harry Potter movie franchise.

The films starred Daniel Radcliffe as the titular character, while Ralph Fiennes played his nemesis Lord Voldermort, and Emma Watson and Rupert Grint played his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

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A whole host of A-list stars turned down roles in Harry Potter[/caption]

Alamy

The film franchise made the child actors playing the lead roles super famous[/caption]

The first film, The Philosopher’s Stone, was released in 2001 while the last in the franchise, Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiered in 2011.

The films made household names of the stars, but did you know that many Hollywood A Listers were asked to tread the hallowed halls of Hogwarts – but turned down the roles?

The Sun Online looks at some of the stars who could have been cast as the characters we all know and love.

Naomi Watts

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Naomi Watts didn’t even get chance to look at the script after her agent turned down the role[/caption]

Naomi was being tipped for the role of Narcissa Malfoy, Draco’s mother, but her agent turned down the role.

The late Helen McCrory, who also starred in Paddington, was chosen instead.

Christopher Lee

PA:Press Association

Sir Christopher Lee could have been Dumbledore[/caption]

Christopher Lee was considered for the iconic part of Dumbledore in 2002, when Richard Harris died after filming the second Harry Potter movie.

However, he turned down the role due because he thought it was in poor taste.

The actor appeared in films such as Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and in George Lucas’ Star Wars prequels.

Sir Ian McKellen

Two-time Oscar nominee Ian McKellen was also approached to be the iconic Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore but he turned down the offer.

Sir Ian wanted to remain forever known as the wizard Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.

Tilda Swinton

The Mega Agency

Tilda Swinton didn’t agree with glorifying the boarding school experience[/caption]

Dr Strange actress Tilda was offered the role of Professor Sybil Trelawney.

However, the star didn’t fancy taking up the spellbook as Divination professor.

She snubbed Harry Potter bosses as she didn’t approve of glorifying the boarding school experience.

She said she: “[disliked] films like Harry Potter which tend to romanticize such places.

“I think they are a very cruel setting in which to grow up and I don’t feel children benefit from that type of education.”

Sean Connery

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Bond legend Sean Connery almost played Albus Dumbledore[/caption]

Imagine a world where James Bond meets Harry Potter?

Well Sean Connery very nearly came close to replacing Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore in The Sorcerers Stone, had the director had his way.

However, the actor refused the part as he had no interest in the subject.

Michael Cera

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Michael Cera signed for The Lego Movie instead of Harry Potter[/caption]

The role of Jacob in Fantastic Beasts trilogy – the prequel to Harry Potter – was very nearly taken on by Micheal Cera.

However, filming clashed with The Lego Movie and so the part went to Dan Fogler.

Hugh Grant

Alamy

How different life might have been at Hogwarts if Hugh Grant had been one of the characters.[/caption]

Paddington villain Hugh Grant was nearly cast as the egocentric Professor Gilderoy Lockhart.

Prior to Paddington the foppish actor is known for playing romantic leads in Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love Actually.

However, he reportedly fancied the idea of playing the self absorbed Defense Against the Dark Arts master – except a clash of schedules meant that he could not take up the role and Sir Kenneth Branagh got it instead.

Rosamund Pike

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Rosamund Pike turned down a role in a Harry Potter film because she disagreed with some of the settings.[/caption]

Another Bond character was also very nearly cast for a part in Harry Potter.

Rosamund Pike was offered the role of Rita Skeeter in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but she thought it was too much of a commitment when she found out she would have to sign on for two more films, with only a small amount of screen time.

Instead, the Gone Girl star declined the part to play Jane Bennet in the Pride and Prejudice film instead.

Kate Winslet

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Kate Winslet was offered a role but her agent refused[/caption]

Kate Winslet was the leading actress in Titanic which won 11 Academy Awards, but she very nearly added another hit role to her impressive acting career.

Kate’s agent turned down the role of Helena Ravenclaw because she was “not interested in following suit of every other actor in Britain by being a part of Harry Potter.”

The Harry Potter franchise is available to stream on Netflix.

THE shipwreck from Ernest Shackleton’s doomed Antarctic expedition in 1914 has been revealed in new detail through 3D scans.

The 144-foot-long sunken Endurance ship has been hidden under ice for 107 years.

Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust / National Geographic

3D scans and underwater photographs reveal contents of the ship that have survived the decay of time[/caption]

Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust

Kitchenware like plates, crates, pots and pans have all survived[/caption]

Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust

Although the mast and some of the railings have perished, sections of the upper deck look nearly pristine[/caption]

Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust

The images and scans have been unveiled ahead of a documentary premiering 1 November on the journey to find the lost shipwreck[/caption]

But images taken by the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust show it in detail not seen for over a century.

3D scans and underwater photographs reveal contents of the ship that have survived the decay of time.

Kitchenware like plates, crates, pots and pans have all survived.

Most surprising of the finds, however, are the remarkably well preserved blue and white sawtooth linoleum flooring and a singular leather boot.

Although the mast and some of the railings have perished, sections of the upper deck look nearly pristine.

The images and scans have been unveiled ahead of a documentary premiering on 1 November on the journey to find the lost shipwreck.

‘A milestone in polar history’

The Endurance was only found in 2022, having not been seen since it was crushed by ice and sank in the Weddell Sea on November 21, 1915.

It was found some 3,000m below the ocean’s surface, and roughly four miles south of its last recorded position.

Even though the wreck has been sitting in water for more than a century, the expedition’s director of exploration said Endurance was “by far the finest wooden shipwreck” he had ever seen.

Mensun Bound said at the time: “We are overwhelmed by our good fortune in having located and captured images of Endurance.

“This is by far the finest wooden shipwreck I have ever seen.

“It is upright, well proud of the seabed, intact, and in a brilliant state of preservation. You can even see ‘Endurance’ arced across the stern, directly below the taffrail.

“This is a milestone in polar history.”

The ship is said to look much the same as when it was photographed for the final time by Shackleton’s filmmaker, Frank Hurley, in 1915.

ANDREW GILDING admitted he was “concerned all the way through” after upsetting Luke Littler.

Littler, 17, lost for the first time to Goldfinger as he was dumped out of the Dortmund tournament in a 6-4 first-round loss.

X formerly Twitter / @OfficialPDC

Andrew Gilding was ‘concerned all the way through’ after upsetting Luke Littler[/caption]

Gilding, who is 36 years the senior man, was never behind in the contest.

But despite the Nuke managing to draw level at 3-3 and 4-4, it ended up being a shock result.

Although there were some nervy moments for Gilding when the comeback looked to be on.

He said: “Oh yeah, I was concerned all the way through. I know what he’s like, he can really turn it on sometimes.

“I just get up there, throw my darts and hope for the best.”

Teen sensation Littler had lost in the opening round of the World Matchplay in Blackpool and the World Grand Prix in Leicester.

And even though he is the Premier League champion, he will be flying back early to the UK following this surprise defeat.

It also means that there will not be a feisty reunion with German star Ricardo Pietreczko in the second round – the pair clashed in dramatic scenes earlier this year.

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Gilding, who led 3-0 at one point, made amends for losing to Littler when he was a seed at the last PDC World Darts Championship second round.

He said: “I didn’t expect this, watching how Luke had played lately.
“I am always short of self-belief. I never expect to win a game.

“Especially against Luke and especially as I had an awful cold as well. I am on the tailend of that. I felt awful coming up to this.

“I did say beforehand I wanted to cross him off the list. It was the third time I’d played him. So it’s third time lucky.

“It’s a huge win. The last thing I had expected. Nobody expected this.

“I was thinking about the flights home on Saturday. The way he had played lately was exceptional.

“I was resigned to losing. In practice, I was awful until the last hour but it came together.”

X formerly Twitter / @OfficialPDC

Little was stunned in defeat[/caption]

SEAN ‘Diddy’ Combs hosted wild sex parties dubbed “Freak Offs” alongside some of his infamous star-studded events, it has been claimed.

A slew of videos and documents seen by The New York Post allege that the orgies were happening in plain sight – as Diddy rubbed shoulders with Hollywood’s elite.

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Diddy Hosts ‘The One And Only Official After Party’ – after the 2005 VMAs[/caption]

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Eva Longoria and Diddy during 2005 MTV VMA after party[/caption]

One of his biggest parties took place in August 2005, after the MTV VMA music awards.

The guest list was overflowing with huge names including Eva Longoria, Paris Hilton, Fergie, Jeff Gordon and Ice-T.

At a certain point in the early hours of the next day, the bash moved from a nightclub to Diddy’s Miami mansion.

Photos and videos seen by the Post suggest that the gathering then descended into a wild sex party.

The celebrities by that point had left, leaving only Diddy, 54, and a trove of naked or half-dressed young men and women.

Footage allegedly showed Diddy wearing the same t-shirt he can be seen in snaps from the after-party that night.

Couples could be seen having group sex in the video, with apparent evidence of drug use.

While some of the footage dates appear incorrect, The Post says others are consistent with details, locations and clothing which has been used to verify their authenticity.

At both the 2005 MTV after party, the same event in 2004 and the 2005 Super Bowl – Diddy appears to be throwing one of his wild orgy “Freak Offs”, the footage suggests.

A bombshell federal indictment against Diddy was released in September, claiming that he orchestrated days-long, drug-fuelled sex parties which he forced his victims to take part in.

The disturbing allegations, including that he recorded blackmail videos at the events and that victims were left so fatigued that they needed IV drips to recover, were laid out in a grand jury indictment after his arrest in New York.

The charges came less than a year after a lawsuit filed by Diddy’s ex Cassie Ventura accused the rapper of physically and sexually abusing her for years.

That suit also spurred a raft of other allegations made by alleged victims of the music mogul.

According to prosecutors, Diddy threw wild parties he called “freak offs” where he would fly in sex workers for days of raucous sessions.

Diddy is currently being held in a Brooklyn jail cell as he faces criminal charges for sex trafficking and racketeering.

Attorney Tony Buzbee has said he is representing over 100 accusers in a series of civil claims he is in the process of filing against the mogul, who continues to deny all charges against him.

Diddy’s trial date for the criminal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering has been set for May 5 next year.