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A YOUNG woman was able to listen to music through her phone – while undergoing brain surgery to remove a tumour.

Brooke MacFadyen, 24, underwent Awake Craniotomy – a procedure to remove primary brain tumours which is being pioneered by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

PA

Brooke MacFadyen underwent awake craniotomy – a procedure used to remove primary brain tumours[/caption]

PA

During the entire procedure Dr Sharon Mulhern was there to support her[/caption]

SWNS

Brooke’s scar after the operation[/caption]

Brooke, from Coatbridge in Scotland, was kept conscious during parts of the seven-hour operation to ensure it went to plan.

During the surgery she remained awake, listened to music and chatted with the medical team.

Brooke said: “The surgery was definitely scary. I started having hallucinations because of the amount of anaesthetic that they had to put me on.

“I don’t drink anymore but it felt like I was really drunk – and I have not drunk in a couple of years now.”

Brooke’s tumour was discovered earlier this year after she went to her GP following a seizure in October last year.

She said the run-up to the operation was difficult, with a lot of “what-ifs” circling in her head.

She said: “When I heard about the awake craniotomy it took me a couple of weeks to get over the shock but then I decided ‘I’m going to do this’.”

The support she received from the entire medical team was critical to her and her whole family – mum Kelly, dad Graham, brothers Harry and Jack, boyfriend Dillon and best friend Robyn.

During the entire procedure Dr Sharon Mulhern, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Lead for Regional Neuropsychology Services, was there to support her – holding her hand and keeping her calm during the awake phase of the procedure.

“I’ll never forget Sharon,” Brooke said.

“She’s been amazing throughout this whole process and I have such a clear memory of seeing her there with me during the operation.

“I’d like to thank the whole team for looking after me but especially Sharon – in fact she was like a second mum to me.”

The low-grade tumour was close to the part of her brain that controls her speech.

Awake craniotomy is performed while a patient is conscious and alert to evaluate and protect brain functions.

SWNS

Brooke, 24, from Coatbridge in Scotland, was kept conscious during parts[/caption]

SWNS

Her tumour was discovered earlier this year[/caption]

PA

In Brooke’s case, the procedure was a success[/caption]

Brooke was awake while the surgeon used a probe and, with an electrical pulse, switched off areas of the brain for a few seconds to identify which tumour tissue to remove.

She said: “My clinical psychologist had suggested my friends and family putting together a new playlist for me.

“I put the headphones in at the beginning but the drill started and I freaked out and I pulled them out.

“I listened to the first song and it was the song that was chosen by my mum and it reminded me of her.

I don’t drink anymore but it felt like I was really drunk.

Brooke MacFadyen

“I listened to the whole playlist after the surgery when I got to the room and I think it was even better then and the songs were beautiful and funny put in there by my friends.”

In Brooke’s case, the procedure was a success – and it has left her looking forward to life with a new confidence and focus.

She has said that after the brain surgery her mental health has “massively improved” – and is now hoping to become a primary teacher, travel the world and see her brothers growing up.

“Strangely it’s been a really positive experience. I’ve been through life-changing surgery and now feel completely different.

“Before I doubted myself so much – I’d get into my own head with things, talk myself out of things.

“But not now – I now know I’m a really strong person and super-independent.

“Making this decision – something I was so scared of – I’m going to use it as a positive from now on.

“I’ve already booked a holiday to Tenerife with Robyn and this experience has made it so clear to me that I want to follow my dream to work with children.

“I’ve decided I want to be a primary school teacher. I don’t know when – and I’ll need to get a qualification in maths first – but I’m determined to get there.”

MARRIED At First Sight bosses are plotting an explosive Christmas special by reuniting a warring couple from the show.

Producers are keen to bring the angry exes back together to give viewers an almighty “festive showdown”.

Channel 4

MAFS bosses want to reunite Jordan Gayle and Erica Roberts[/caption]

Channel 4

The former couple have traded insults since their split[/caption]

instagram/ericarobertss

MAFS producers think a reunion could make for an explosive Christmas special[/caption]

Cast members from each season of the E4 dating show are summoned to give an update on their lives post-filming for the December episode.

And one former couple they have set their sights on is Jordan Gayle and Erica Roberts.

Jordan and Erica met on MAFS on their wedding day in 2023 and immediately hit it off.

Hailed a success story, the couple left the experiment together to begin married life away from the cameras.

But 11 months later, Erica and Jordan announce their split -and now they are far from amicable.

Both have exchanged scathing words about each other and MAFS bosses believe a reunion could give them a chance to “air their dirty laundry”.

A source exclusively tells The Sun: “MAFS bosses are keen to reunite Jordan and Erica for the upcoming Christmas special, which will air after this series finishes.

“Like in years past, they are bringing back stars from the current and previous series to air their dirty laundry for a big festive showdown, and they are determined to book Jordan and Erica because their split back in February this year was so messy.

“They have both taken swipes at each other on social media, they have traded blows in the press too and Jordan has since got a new girlfriend, so producers are hoping getting them back in the same room on camera will be explosive.”

Jordan and Erica’s romance went from strength to strength after they met as strangers on their wedding day.

But behind their smiles on social media, a series of rows and arguments was turning their marriage toxic.

In December last year, Jordan and Erica told fans they were planning on moving in together.

Jack Grealish lookalike Jordan said he and Erica had been splitting their time between his home in Sheffield and Edinburgh, where she was working as a dance teacher.

They decided to make Manchester their home, but two months later, the couple had split.

Erica later told The Sun how she dumped Jordan after constant rows, with one specific fight over his birthday celebrations acting as the final straw.

She claimed there were “a lot of red flags” throughout their relationship, and alarm bells had started ringing for her as early as the wedding day.

Erica also said she and Jordan had an unaired row on the last night of their honeymoon in Antigua, during which Jordan “had an absolute meltdown”.

“The warning signs were there from day one,” she said.

Jordan, however, then hit back in his own interview, in which he called his ex “bitter”. He also said Erica’s chat with The Sun made him question their entire relationship.

He blasted: “If you’re seeing red flags from someone on a honeymoon after you’ve only known them for a week, then what are you doing with them 11 months after, if it’s apparently so bad? 

“To me, it’s looking at it through a very bitter place and I don’t need to look at it in a bitter way.

“I’m happy with the time I had. I don’t regret anything.”

Simon Johns / CPL / Channel 4

Jordan and Erica met on their wedding day in 2003[/caption]

E4/Instagram

The couple hit it off and left the show together[/caption]

Instagram

But they split after 11 months amid a storm of secret rows[/caption]

THIS could be Alexander the Great’s lost sacred robe after the “royal tunic” was found in an ancient tomb after 2,300 years.

The tomb was initially believed to be that of Philip II – Alexander’s dad – but the fragment of invaluable purple fabric found in the tomb has suggested otherwise.

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Alexander the Great (left) in his purple tunic as he is taught by Aristotle[/caption]

Wikimedia Commons

The façade of Vergina’s Royal Tomb II, which contains the tunic believed to belong to Alexander the Great[/caption]

Wikimedia Commons

Archaeologists Discover Royal Tomb II At Vergina[/caption]

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A marble Alexander the Great, King of Madedon[/caption]

The fragment of fabric, found in a tomb in Vergina, northern Greece, was dyed in the iconic Tyrian purple – a colour that was only reserved for royalty and contained rare minerals from Persia.

Experts began to hypothesise that the fabric alongside several other items in the tomb belonged to Alexander the Great after being inherited by Philip III – Alexander’s half brother.

The breakthrough discovery sparked intense debate over who may be buried in the tomb while also unlocked new understanding surrounding ancient textile usage and royal burial customs.

Now researchers are reexamining Vergina’s Tomb II and retracing their steps on the historical significance of its contents.

Alongside the remains of a male, inside the golden ossuary of Tomb II was a golden oak wreath, a golden diadem and a scepter – as well as the incredible textiles.

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography confirmed that the textiles were cotton and dyed with Tyrian purple – the iconic colour worn by Alexander.

Tyrian purple was a pigment that was sometimes more valuable than gold, often worn by the elites of ancient society.

And experts also found huntite – a white mineral from Persia renowned for its incredible brightness.

Researchers then began to question whether the purple garment and the other invaluable items did indeed belong to Alexander the Great.

Despite initial beliefs that the tomb belonged to Philip II, researchers now believe it was that of Alexander the Great’s half-brother Philip III Arrhidaeus.

The relative inherited several of Alexander’s personal items after he died in 323 B.C.E. – which could explain the items discovered.

Some expert’s belief was strengthened when they discovered the remnants of the sarapis in the tomb as the purple and white tunics were only worn by Persian kings like Alexander.

In the study, author Antonis Bartsiokas wrote: “The physical description exactly fits the description in the ancient sources of the sacred Persian mesoleucon sarapis which belonged to Pharaoh and King Alexander the Great and as such it was the most precious object in antiquity.”

In August, scientists discovered the biggest burial site in Greek history that dates back to the fourth century BC and is guarded by two headless sphinx.

Considered to be one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 21st century, the ancient Amphipolis tomb was unearthed by a group of experts in 2014.

And the stunning archaeological discovery of the massive tomb sent history fanatics into a frenzy.

The Amphipolis tomb is located in the Kasta mound near the small village of Mesolakia in Eastern Macedonia, Greece.

The structure, which dates back to ancient times, is surrounded by a wall that is 1,600ft in circumference – so mammoth that it dwarfs the burial site of Alexander’s father, Philip II, in Vergina, west of Thessaloniki.

Getty - Contributor

Alexander the Great listens studiously to his tutor, the philosopher Aristotle[/caption]

Getty - Contributor

Fragment of Metope[/caption]

Due to the sheer size of the burial site – and its presumed cost of construction – it was first thought to be the resting place of Alexander the Great.

However, while commenting on the findings of the archaeological site, experts later dismissed such claims, saying that his tomb is in the city of Alexandria in Egypt, according to historical mentions.

At the entrance of the huge burial site stand two headless sphinxes appearing to guard the door.

The head of one of the two sphinxes and parts of the wings were found in the burial chamber with parts of the broken marble door.

Initially, the entry to the structure and all its chambers were sealed with massive blocks of stone – and the interior of the structure was largely filled with sand.

Meanwhile, archaeologists discovered two magnificent sculptures of female figures inside the burial site,

Each of them has one arm outstretched, which experts presume was a sign for intruders to stop them from entering the main tomb.

Experts found the main burial mound to be 70m high – and some 250,000 cube metres of sand were needed to fill it up entirely.

Parts of the wall were removed during the Roman period and single ashlars were found in the base of the Lion of Amphipolis.

The main burial chamber was found to be made of massive stone blocks – and the entire box-shaped is embedded in the floor and paved by ashlars.

Nails from a wooden coffin and decorative elements made of bone and glass were found inside the complex, the Greek Ministry of Culture reports.

Interestingly, the remains of five people have been found inside the tomb.

Experts say that one of the deceased was an old woman who died in her 60s, while the remains of two middle-aged men were also discovered.

Remains of an infant who was cremated at the spot were also found.

Experts believe that the tomb of Amphipolis, which is in excellent condition when compared to other ancient sites found so far, makes it an “unparalleled example” of ancient architecture.

Over the past 10 years, scientists and researchers have been carrying out various studies to find out more information about the ancient grave site.

Extensive work is being done to meticulously restore the monumental site that Greece proudly hosts.

And for history fanatics, the site is set to open to the public by 2028 who will be able to experience the groundbreaking discovery, Greek media reports.

CALL of Duty: Black Ops 6 is here, and if you’re already playing the campaign, you may have come across the piano puzzle in the safehouse.

Cracking the piano code is part of a longer puzzle chain you need to solve in COD: BO6, so here’s what you need to do in our piano puzzle solution.

Activision

Using the blacklight torch to reveal hidden notations on the walls is key to solving the piano puzzle in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6[/caption]

Activision

Once you have found all the notes written on the walls, you must play them in the correct sequence on the piano[/caption]

Right across the piano in the music room, you will find a blacklight torch you need to pick up from the table.

Activate the blacklight and use it to check the wall above the piano, where you will find the first clue to solve the puzzle.

There’s the number 1 followed by a musical note written in Cyrillic script, “Ми”, which corresponds to the note E on the piano.

There’s also an arrow pointing to the next clue. Make sure you look around the room with the torch to discover all five clues.

If you’re struggling to find them all, or if you just need a list so you don’t have to memorise or write them down, we’ve got you covered.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 piano puzzle solution

Here’s all five notes you need to find, in the correct order and with their corresponding notations in English on the C major scale:

1. Ми (Mi or E)
2. Ре (Re or D)
3. Си (Si or B)
4. До (Do or C)
5. Ре (Re or D)

Now that you have the five notes, all you need to do is play them in order on the piano using the white keys.

If you don’t know how to play the piano, you can use your blacklight to reveal the same Cyrillic notations above the piano keys.

If you play the correct sequence of notes, a secret door will open to the right of the piano.

The door leads to the basement where you will find another puzzle to solve.

For all other puzzles in the safehouse, check out our Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Safehouse puzzles guide.

WHEN you are doing the weekly shop at the supermarket stocking up on all the essentials, you most likely don’t think twice about what goes in the trolley.

But perhaps you should, as married people seeking affairs are allegedly using bell peppers to signal they’re open to meeting lovers.

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Some unfaithful married people are looking for their next lover at the supermarket[/caption]

Getty Images - Getty

The bizarre ”bell pepper code” was suggested by one unfaithful user on the forum of extramarital dating site Illicit Encounters.

”What if we start a secret code in the most mundane place of all – THE SUPERMARKET,” the writer suggested.

”It’s perfect! No one would ever suspect that your weekly food shop could lead to something a lot more… sizzling.”

The sneaky user suggested that you put two bell peppers in your basket or trolley – but the stems have to be facing down.

”It’s like a secret handshake, but with veg,” the poster was all chuffed with their idea.

”Think about it. You’re casually browsing the aisles, and suddenly you spot someone with the telltale peppers in their basket. 

”Your eyes meet. There’s a knowing glance. 

”An instant connection, all thanks to a couple of peppers.”

The unusual ”handshake” idea soon caught the attention of other users – and it appeared to be a major hit, as one person declared they had ”never seen so much traffic on a topic”.

However, one person pointed out that a shopper could mistakenly be identified as a cheater if they happened to place their bell peppers upside down without any intentions and suggested that an extra step was required.

They said: ”Maybe we need to choose a specific part in the supermarket to wander off to when you’ve picked up your two peppers because otherwise it’d be too hard. Frozen aisles?”

On the site, the bizarre bell pepper signal gained a shockingly positive response from fellow members, with several cheaters saying they will ”definitely” be putting the method to test.

One said: ”This could make my food shop WAY more interesting.

”Upside down peppers it is! Definitely going to try this out.”

Another agreed, commenting: ”I’d 100 per cent do this!

”Would be so funny to see people eyeing up what everyone’s got in their trollies to check if they’re looking for an affair.”

A UK-based user said: ”If I went into my local Norwich Sainsbury’s and arranged peppers in my basket whilst looking around at everyone else’s baskets, I think I’d look a bit strange and odd and would therefore probably fit right in!

”But seriously I will try this this afternoon. Wish me luck. 

”Hope I don’t get taken away in a police van.”

An anonymous cheater who posts under the name MoonMoon claimed they’d already tried the ”bell pepper code” and shared positive feedback.

Reporting back to the flirt forum, MoonMoon said: ”Worked for me, kind of!

”Tesco in Beckton is the place to be… I went there on Friday night, picked up my couple of peppers and headed for the frozen aisle. 

”Next to the yorkshire puds I noticed someone else with peppers in their trolley, there was a bit of an awkward smile and we spoke for a bit. 

”I don’t think we we were quite right for each other but it was nice to have a chat with someone else who clearly isn’t happen in their relationship.

”I’ll keep this up! If enough people do it, we could actually be on to something here – and even if I don’t find a lover, it’s comforting to see I’m not the only one having issue at home!”

Sharing her thoughts on the discussion, spokesperson for Illicit Encounters Jessica Leoni said: ”While we normally encourage discretion in these matters, we never thought we’d see the day where people would be checking out each other’s vegetables in the supermarket – and not in the way you’d expect!

”If this catches on, I suppose we can only hope everyone’s keeping their cool in the frozen food aisle.”

A MAJOR motorway is set to close for the whole weekend – wreaking havoc for day trippers.

A trench is being dug under the motorway, which is used by a whopping 130,000 drivers every day.

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The M4 north of Bristol is set to close over the weekend[/caption]

The closure will be in place on the M4 north of Bristol in both directions between junctions 18 and 19.

It will remain in place between Friday October 18 at 7pm and Monday October 21 at 6am.

National Highways confirmed the news of the closure, which is part of ongoing work on the A432 Badminton Road Bridge – which is set to be demolished next year.

Between 3,000 and 4,000 vehicles use the section of road every hour at peak times during the weekend.

The works are therefore likely to cause a build-up of traffic in the surrounding area, with day trippers urged to consider off-peak times for their arrangements.

However, a westbound diversion is in place via the A46 towards Bath, A420 towards Warmley, A4174 towards the M32 and the M32.

Drivers should then rejoin the M4 at junction 19.

The eastbound diversion is the same in reverse.

National Highways Route Manager Sean Walsh said: “This is one of the busiest sections of motorway in the South West which is why we are reminding drivers to plan their journeys during the closure.

“We carefully plan our schemes to limit any inconvenience, but sometimes it’s not possible to carry out the work that’s needed without a closure.

“Our message for anyone who plans to travel on the M4 around Bristol is to avoid the area if you can – if that’s not possible, allow yourself plenty of extra time to complete your journey via our signed diversion routes and expect delays.”

An investigation in 2023 revealed that the Badminton Road Bridge was undergoing serious deterioration.

The bridge has since been permanently closed, while work on a replacement structure is set to begin in spring 2026.

This weekend’s closure comes as another major road, the A387 in Cornwall, is also set to close for a whole six weeks.

ENGLAND begin their Euro 2025 preparations with a re-run of the 2022 final against Germany.

The Lionesses won their first major tournament thanks to superb goals from Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly, giving England a 2-1 win against the Germans.

Tonight, forward Lauren James is out with a calf injury, while Fran Kirby and Lotte Wubben-May are also both expected to be out.

Can Sarina Wiegman‘s team secure bragging rights against their bitter rivals again – or will there be a twist in the Lion’s tail?

• Kick off time: 7.30pm
• TV/Stream: ITV 1 / ITVX
• England XI: To follow…
• Germany XI : To follow…

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