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Inside Sir Chris Hoy’s family life, from wife Sarra supporting incredible cycling career to fathering two adorable kids

CHRIS HOY has revealed the sad news that his cancer is terminal and he has up to four years to live.

The six-time Olympic gold medal winning cyclist kept his terminal diagnosis a secret for a year as he continued his media work, which included covering the Paris Olympics.

File photo dated 02/08/12 of Sir Chris Hoy and his wife Sarra after he won the Team Sprint Final during day six of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The six-time Olympic champion has announced his cancer is terminal and has two to four years left to live, according to the Sunday Times. Issue date: Saturday October 19, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story CYCLING Hoy. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire
Six time Olympic medalist Sir Chris Hoy celebrates winning gold at London 2012
a man in a blue shirt is smiling in front of a black background
Brave Hoy revealed his cancer is now terminal and has up to four years to live

Brave Sir Chris, 48, told the Sunday Times: “As unnatural as it feels, this is nature.

“You know, we were all born and we all die, and this is just part of the process.

“You remind yourself, aren’t I lucky that there is medicine I can take that will fend this off for as long as possible.”

Back in February, Hoy announced he was being “treated for cancer” and claimed it was going well – though knew in reality it was just “management”.

The star had gone to the doctor in late September last year after feeling a strain in his shoulder.

A tumour was found, before a second scan discovered the primary cancer in his prostate.

It had metastasised to Sir Chris’s bones – including his shoulder, pelvis, ribs, and spine.

Speaking of the appointment in which he found out about the tumour, he told the Sunday Times he thought “I’m just getting a bit old for lifting heavy weights”.

Referred by his physiotherapist for a scan, he went to hospital alone, expecting to be told to lay off upper-body work in the gym for a few weeks.

“I’m really sorry,” the doctor told him. The nurse’s eyes filled with tears. “There’s a tumour in your shoulder.”

Heartbreakingly, Sir Chris’ wife Sarra was told she had incurable and degenerative MS just weeks before his cancer news – with the couple opting not to tell the kids about their mother’s illness.

But they decided to be honest about their dad’s diagnosis.

The Hoy family share a warm and happy existence, as SunSport reveals.

Strong family support network

Hoy is one of our greatest ever sports stars, achieving success on the global stage at the Olympics.

Not only has he won six gold medals and one silver, the Scot is an 11-time world champion.

With that comes sacrifices, gruelling training sessions and competitions that take you away from your loved ones.

He has continuously praised his wife of 14 years for being with him every step of the way.

At the 2012 Olympics in London, after winning gold, he said: “Sarra has been the one that has really got me through it all.”

File photo dated 07/08/12 of Great Britain's Sir Chris Hoy celebrating winning the Gold Medal in the Men's Keirin in the Velodrome at the Olympic Park, on the eleventh day of the London 2012 Olympics. Sir Chris Hoy, one of Britain's greatest cyclists and Olympians, has announced that his cancer is terminal. He has been given a diagnosis and has two to four years left to live. Issue date: Saturday October 19, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story HEALTH Hoy. Photo credit should read: Tim Ireland/PA Wire
An emotional Sir Chris spoke about his wife’s support after scoring success in 2012
17 APRIL 2020: CHRIS & SARRA HOY : 10 years ago today! Where has the time gone?! Thank you @sarra.hoy for the most wonderful decade I could have imagined, here’s to the next of many.. X https://www.instagram.com/p/B_FTkqlHdVQ/?hl=en
Sarra and Sir Chris have been married for 14 years
Chris Hoy and wife Sarra, https://www.instagram.com/sarra.hoy/
Sarra is also battling Multiple sclerosis – which she learned before Hoy’s diagnosis

In a TV interview watched by millions, just one year before he retired, the Olympian said: “It is fantastic when you step off the track and the final product is a gold medal.

“It looks like it has never been in doubt, which was not the case with the keirin. To see the performances, you think it must always be good but it is anything but.

“There were troughs and dips in the past four years and she has been there the whole way – never complained and never moaned or become frustrated with cycling because that has been put first over everything.

“When I saw her at the end, and was able to give her a big hug and a kiss, I realised we have done it and gone through it.”

Trauma with the birth of their children

Both of Hoy and Sarra’s children’s births have been complicated.

In 2014, son Callum was born 11 weeks premature and had to kept in hospital.

In an interview with the Yorkshire Post in 2021, Sarra said: “It was 24 hours before I even saw him.

“It was four days before I could hold him and it was like holding a frail baby bird. It was terrifying.

“You are separated from your baby by this huge plastic box and they are covered in wires and tubes.

a woman looks at a baby in an incubator with a caution sign on it
Hoy and Sarra’s son Callum was born 11 weeks premature and had to be kept in hospital
*IMAGES SUPPLIED*, Sarra Hoy  Chris' wife talks about her premature babies Callum and Chloe  as part of a new partnership between Fabulosa and Bliss.
Sarra revealed she is still traumatised by both of her children’s premature births
a boy wearing a helmet is riding a red trek bike
Like dad, both Callum and Chloe are keen cyclists
a man is squatting on a blue balance bike
Sir Chris larks about on his son’s push bike in the garden of the family home

“They look so fragile you are worried that you will hurt them.”

In 2017, Sir Chris shared a loving photo of his son, aged two, following in his footsteps on a push bike on Instagram – racing around their garden.

Daughter Chloe was also born three weeks early.

Sarra said: “No one prepares you for having a preterm baby, it is knowing what you can contribute.

“I was encouraged to touch Callum, but you are scared because they look so fragile.”

‘Hardest thing I’ve ever done’

Hoy, a proud father to children Callum, 9, and Chloe, 6, made sure he put his kids first after his diagnosis, originally shielding them from the news.

However, he admitted living in worry they might learn about his condition from their peers at school who could say, “I saw your daddy on the news last night and he’s going to die.”

*IMAGES SUPPLIED*, Sarra Hoy  Chris' wife talks about her premature babies Callum and Chloe  as part of a new partnership between Fabulosa and Bliss.
Sir Chris revealed he initially shielded his children from his cancer diagnosis
Sarra Hoy (wife of Chris) for the xmal appeal, about her own prem baby, Callum
Sir Chris has dedicated the last chapter of his book as a final message to his kids

Over dinner, Hoy calmly explained his cancer to them. When asked if he was going to die by son Callum, he revealed his hopes “to be here for many, many years.”

“I never want to lie to them,’ he told the Sunday Times, “but there are certain things you don’t need to tell them straight away.”

In his upcoming memoir, All that Matters: My Toughest Race Yet the last chapter is dedicated to a message to his children.

Sir Chris revealed he found it traumatic to read out aloud when he was recording the audio version for the book.

He said: “[You’re] reading the words out loud, you have to connect emotionally.

“You’ve got to actually read in a way that means something. But the risk is getting too close to it – because you’re suddenly thinking, these are the words that my kids will listen to when I’m gone.

“And that is, without doubt, the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 06: Sir Chris Hoy waves from the Royal Box ahead of the Gentlemen's Singles third round match between Cameron Norrie of Great Britain and Alexander Zverev of Germany during day six of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 06, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Sir Chris has continued his media work for the BBC
File photo dated 02/08/12 of Sir Chris Hoy and his wife Sarra after he won the Team Sprint Final during day six of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The six-time Olympic champion has announced his cancer is terminal and has two to four years left to live, according to the Sunday Times. Issue date: Saturday October 19, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story CYCLING Hoy. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire
Hoy, Sarra and the family will spend a few weeks away to avoid the media scrutiny

Read More »

Gamer granny ‘hooked’ on Fortnite at 76 – and says it was ‘love at first sight’ after amassing 20k followers on Twitch

A GRANDMOTHER, who has amassed nearly 20,000 followers on Twitch, has become “hooked” on battle royale game Fortnite at the age of 76.

Cath Bowie, from Moray, Scotland, was introduced to Fortnite by her grandson Lewis, 24, when it was first launched seven years ago.

a woman wearing a blue and yellow shirt that says grumpy gran194
PA
Cath Bowie, 76, started playing Fortnite when the game was first launched seven years ago[/caption]
a screenshot of a video game shows a person being eliminated
Twitch / Grumpygran1948
Bowie now streams herself playing the fan-favourite multiplayer game, in which players or teams fight to be the last standing, on streaming platform Twitch[/caption]

She describes the moment as “love at first sight” to PA news agency, having already tried her hand at popular games like Mario Kart, Fifa and Minecraft.

Bowie now streams herself playing the fan-favourite multiplayer game, in which players or teams fight to be the last standing, on streaming platform Twitch.

Under the gamertag Grumpygran1948, Bowie records herself playing Fortnite and narrating her matches to thousands of watchers.

“I didn’t mean to go into gaming. It just obviously happened,” she said.

“I just went into my grandson’s bedroom, where he was playing with his PS4 and I saw Fortnite.

“I didn’t know, obviously, what it was at that time, he had to explain he was playing it, and people speak of love at first sight. Well, it truthfully was for me.”

What is Fortnite, anyway?

FORTNITE is an online video game played by up to 250 million people across the world.

In it, 100 players compete on their own or with a small group of pals to grab weapons, gather resources and build defences, before fighting it out to be the last man (or team) standing.

Matches take about 20 minutes, and you can drop into a new game within seconds of your previous one finishing.

It’s bright, it’s cartoony and it’s fiendishly compelling.

Skill is rewarded but luck also plays a huge role, meaning no two games are ever the same and everyone feels like they have a chance of winning.

Fortnite has also made its developer billions.

In Europe it’s rated 12+, meaning it’s suitable for those aged 12 and up.

The battle royale mode is free to play, but there is also a story-driven single player and co-op mode called Save The World that players have to pay for.

Pop culture crossover events are very common because of the game’s huge audience.

These involve players being able to buy themed outfits for the movie, TV show or brand, as well as getting some themed activities in-game to do too.

These might be new places to explore, new challenges to complete to win themed accessories, or new game modes that are loosely related to the theme of whatever is being crossed over with.

Bowie first started playing Fortnite on her grandson’s account “every opportunity” she got.

Although, the fascination was so strong that she eventually went out and bought her own PS4 gaming console, and set-up her own account.

She added: “I was absolutely fascinated with it, so that was one of the days that, you know, when I’m old I’ll reminisce about my Fortnite game. That’s one day I will never forget.”

While Fortnite used to be branded a ‘kids game’, it has earned the love of millions of adults since it launched in 2017.

The gamer granny often plays in a squad, with other players around the world, some of whom she has even made friends with.

“My community is absolutely fantastic. It really is constant chat and everybody being so friendly with each other. Apart from my husband, it’s my life,” she said.

“I’ve got folk that joined me that didn’t know each other and now they are playing together after I have finished my stream or before.

“The thing that I really like is, some folk have really very bad days in their life.

“Some folk are not very well, maybe have got some issues, and there is always somebody there to support them.”

The Twitch streamer has also become the brand face of Ikea’s new gaming furniture collection called Brannboll.

Bowie says she will reminisce about her gaming days when she eventually becomes too old to play – and has urged other mature gamers to “just go for it”.

“Forget about your age. Just go for it and enjoy yourself. Look at the enjoyment I’ve had,” she said.

  • Find out all the latest Fortnite news, stories and updates

Read More »

Tragic fate of Robin Samsoe: 12-year-old murdered by Dating Game Killer Rodney Alcala

ROBIN Samsoe was the final victim of serial killer Rodney Alcala, whose crime spree was brought to an end after he was arrested for Robin’s murder. 

His murder rampage was dramatized in Netflix’s Woman of the Hour, though the film ends just before he kidnapped Robin. 

Robin Samsoe was just 12-years-old when she died
Getty Images
Rodney was nicknamed The Dating Game Killer, because of an appearance on a show of the same name
AP: Associated press

Tragic Murder

Robin was just 12-years-old when she was murdered by the serial murderer known as The Dating Game Killer.

She was leaving her home in Huntingdon Beach to head to her ballet class on June 20, 1979, when she disappeared. 

Tragically, her body was found 12 days later in the Los Angeles foothills and showed signs of a violent encounter. 

Her friends told the police that a man had approached them on the beach and had offered to take pictures of them, which was Rodney Alcala’s calling card as a serial killer. 

Rodney often lured victims to remote places by posing as a photographer who was adding their picture to his portfolio. 

Then, he would kill his victim and keep their picture of his collection. 

The police circulated a sketch of the man that Robin’s friends had seen, which was recognized as Rodney by his former parole officer. 

A search of his mother, Anna Maria Gutierrez’s, home led to the discovery of a receipt for a storage container in Seattle, which held a pair of earrings belonging to a cold case murder victim named Charlotte Lee Lamb. 

This was enough for the police to arrest Rodney in 1979 and the killer was sentenced to death just a year later. 

However, the sentence was overturned and he lived out the rest of his days behind bars, before passing away in 2021.

Dating Game Killer

Rodney’s crime spree began in 1968, when he attacked a 16-year-old girl named Morgan Rowan. 

Luckily, Morgan was rescued by her friends but Rodney struck again when he attacked an 8-year-old girl named Tali Shapiro just a month later. 

Tali was saved when a passerby named Donald Haines spotted her getting into Rodney’s car, allowing the police to locate the killer’s home before he could kill Tali.

She was left in a coma for 32 days, because of the experience, as Rodney continued his crime spree under the name John Berger, sometimes “Burger”, in New York. 

He murdered 23-year-old flight attendant Cornelia Crilley, before being jailed for child molestation which he had committed when he attacked Tali. 

After his release, he appeared on The Dating Game in 1978, where he earned his serial killer nickname. 

On the show, he tried to charm a teacher named Cheryl Bradshaw into picking him as her match but she decided against going on a date with him.

Cheryl felt that his sinister sense of humor, which included references to being “ready” for nighttime, made him seem creepy. 

Unbeknownst to her, her intuition had just saved her life. 

After Cheryl rejected him, Rodney’s crime spree intensified and he kidnapped a 15-year-old girl named Monique Holt who was hitchhiking by herself. 

Monique managed to escape while Rodney was using a gas station bathroom, although he had just hit her in the head with a rock. 

She filed a police report, but Rodney’s mother posted his bail which allowed him to go on killing until his arrest in 1979.

The Netflix film Woman of the Hour dramatizes Rodney’s appearance on The Dating Game
Alarmy

Woman of the Hour

Rodney’s horrifying murder spree was dramatized in Netflix’s Woman of the Hour, which is directed by Pitch Perfect’s Anna Kendrick

Much of the film is focused on Rodney’s appearance on the Dating Game, with Anna starring in the film as Cheryl Bradshaw.

Woman of the Hour made its Netflix debut on October 16, 2024, and is available for streaming.

Read More »

‘Perfect for Christmas’ cry shoppers as Primark release viral jumper in two new colours for winter

WITH winter well and truly on the way, it’s officially knitwear season.

And Primark has delighted shoppers by releasing their viral jumper in two new colours.

a red sweater with a tag that says 17 on it
Tiktok/@prmrk.perth
Primark has released the viral jumper in two new colours for winter[/caption]
a red sweater with a tag that says ' primark ' on it
Tiktok/@prmrk.perth
Fashion fans say the red jumper is perfect for Christmas[/caption]
a display of sweaters with a price tag of £ 17
Tiktok/@prmrk.perth
The Perth store has also had a restock of the viral jumper in other colours[/caption]

Fashion fans have screamed that the new £17 arrivals are “perfect for Christmas”.

The knitted jumper is no stranger to hero item status within our wardrobes.

And Primark has already caused a frenzy this year with its oversized crew neck jumper which instantly sold out in four colours – burgundy, light blue, camel and light grey.

So it feels like an early Christmas gift with a brand new red jumper hitting the racks last week, as well as a black and white striped version.

Primark bosses have hailed the new releases as the “best knitted jumper for 2024”.

They added: “With an oversize slouch silhouette, this throw-on neutral knit creates an effortless look with a soft and cosy brushed effect.”

It has been designed 10% lambswool and a perfectly slouched silhouette that will look good at any outfit.

The jumper is available in sizes small, medium and large, and can even be snapped up on click and collect.

Sharing a video of the new colours in store, taff at the Perth branch in Scotland said: “Viral jumper back in stock in new colourways.”

And shoppers are already going wild for them.

One gushed: “Love the black and white one.”

A second said: “Primark trip pending.”

A third insisted: “Run to Primark. The viral jumper in red, in love. Perfect for Christmas time.”

A fourth echoed: “Ooo they know what they’re doing with the red”, accompanied by a Santa emoji.

“The chokehold these primark jumpers have on me is no joke”, chimed in a fifth.

Meanwhile, a sixth wrote: “I’m just a sucker for anything red and oversized.”

It comes after a woman was left stunned at the start of the year after spotting the Primark jumper being sold on Vinted for a ridiculous amount.

Lilly insisted she was “in a state of shock” after seeing the £17 jumper listed for a whopping £50 on the marketplace app.

Primark's best buys for Autumn

Heading into Primark soon? Keep an eye out for these items.

Here, Fabulous fashion editor Clemmie Fieldsend reveals her top 6 buys from Primark this Autumn.

Coat, £60
I know what you’re thinking, ‘£60 for Primark?’ Yes it’s a higher price tag than we’re used to from Primark but its worth every penny.
It’s from their Edit range which is more premium than the rest of their collection and it’s made to last.
It’s a mixed wool blend which is durable and warm, plus its a timeless straight silhouette which is slightly oversized and will last you not only this season but for many after.

Bag, £16
Big bags are back… In a big way, finally.
This tote screams luxury with its croc effect and burnt orange colour, plus its great for shoving in your laptop, lunch, spare shoes, purse – essentially everything you need for the day – all for £16.

Jacket, £32
Field jackets are on the backs of celebrities and catwalk models this season with designer brands Barbour, Burberry and Bottega all championing the utilitarian look.
They’re great for chucking over jeans or contrasting with a floral or floaty dress and are the perfect transitional jacket.

Dress, £18,
You may have seen, heard and read that leopard print isn’t going anywhere for autumn, so to encapsulate the trend this dress is a must.
Sleeves? Check. Midi length? Check. Ultra flattering square neck? Check. It’s got it all.
Pair with black knee high boots or your favourite trainers for the day and dress up with gold heels and accessories for the evening.

Jeans, £16
Barrel, balloon, horseshoe – whatever you want to call them, they are the must have trouser shape of this season.
I’ve tried Primarks pair and they fit like a dream, are comfortable and flattering.
So if you think you have nothing that hits the trend mark, swapping your go-to denim for this shape will bring you bang up to date.

Boots, £24
It’s boot season and instead of feeling like you need to buy one in every colour, length, height – its best to stick to a pair that you can wear with the majority of your wardrobe.
My jaw almost hit the floor when I saw that this black, knee-high, block heel with flat point and side zip (so there’s no tug of war to get them off at the end of the day) was only £24.
If you buy one thing this season, it should be these.

Read More »

US GP chiefs slapped with £416,000 fine after 200 fans involved in serious safety protocol breach

FORMULA ONE race organisers at the United States Grand Prix have been slapped with a £416,000 fine after a serious breach of safety.

Charles Leclerc took the chequered flag in the race as Max Verstappen extended his Drivers’ Championship lead over Lando Norris after the Brit was hit with a controversial late penalty.

an aerial view of a race track with a large crowd watching
Getty
US GP organisers have been hit with a £416,000 fine by FIA chiefs[/caption]
a group of people running on a track with a yellow sign that says irelli
Reuters
It comes after around 200 fans managed to access the track while cars were still on it[/caption]
a man in a red hp shirt stands in front of a large crowd
Getty
Charles Leclerc won the Austin race[/caption]

During the cool-down lap as drivers took their cars back to the pit lane there was a massive breach of safety.

Around 200 spectators in the grandstand were able to access the track and go straight onto the main straight.

An FIA statement explained that spectators had climbed a small fence before dropping two metres to the ground between the track debris fencing and the grandstand.

The fans had then gone under the debris fencing and climbed over a one-metre-tall trackside wall.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Motorsport bosses deemed this to be a breach of the sporting code with a “failure to take reasonable measures thus resulting in an unsafe situation”.

Consequently, organisers were hit with a £416,000 (€500,000) fine and asked to deliver a plan to the FIA for how future incidents of a similar nature can be prevented.

However, because this was the first occurrence of its kind in the 12-year history of F1 at The Circuit Of The Americas, £292,000 (€350,000) of the fine was suspended.

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The condition of the suspension is that no similar incident takes place again before December 31 2026 at any FIA Championship event.

It was noted how actual plans in place for track incursions in Austin, Texas, had actually been “well implemented”, but that there had been a number of such incidents in recent times.

The statement added the money paid out would go towards motorsport safety.

The Australian Grand Prix was also hit by a fine for a fan invasion last year.

F1 2025 grid

Here are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season so far:

Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez

Ferrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes: George Russell and Kimi Antonelli

McLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri

Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll

Williams: Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz

Sauber: Nico Hulkenberg and TBC

Alpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan

RB: Yuki Tsunoda and TBC

Haas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon

Read More »

Exact location to place your heated airer that dries clothes more effectively and can slash £50 off bills

HEATED airers have become a popular cost-friendly appliance which help households save on energy bills.

However, many are still draining away important cash each month by placing their airers in the wrong place.

a sweater is hanging on a drying rack in a kitchen
Aldi
Heated airers can cost as little as 7p an hour to run – but could cost you for more hours depending where you store them[/caption]

The average energy bill is currently capped at £1,717 but you could pay more and less than this depending on your usage.

With the cap having rose this month by 10%, households are looking to reduce expenses as much as they can.

And while heated airers are usually a cheap alternative to running a tumble dryer or hiking up the heating – they could be costing you more than what they should.

Placing your airer in the wrong part of your house can extend the drying process, meaning you have to run the appliance for longer and at greater cost.

In fact, according to USwitch this could mean spending an extra 38p a wash load – pushing your bill up by as much as £90 across the year.

Energy spokesman Ben Gallizzi told The Sun: “It’s worth thinking about where to place your heated dryer in order to maximise its efficiency.”

“Try to avoid large, cold rooms that will slow down the drying process.”

He said that the appliances can cost different amounts to run depending on the amount of kWh, but under the new energy price cap can cost anywhere between 7p and 29p per hour.

This is compared to a tumble dryer which uses 2.5kWh of energy per cycle and costs 61p.

However placing your airer in a bigger room could add at least two hours to your drying time, costing as much as 38p extra every wash load.

This means if you have several people living in your home and dry three loads a week you could be overspending up to £90 on bills across the year.

This figure of course varies depending on how many people are in your home and how often you dry clothes.

The expert also advised people to “avoid areas of the house where there is little ventilation to minimise the potential build-up of damp.”

By opening windows a crack, you can make sure that all condensation leaves the room and the clothes don’t get more cold and damp.

However, it’s important to note that if you have your windows open wide, the heated airer won’t work as effectively.

This means the perfect places to dry clothes in smaller spaces such as utility rooms or spare rooms, with a window slightly opened.

It’s also useful to place the heated airer in a spot of sunlight, or a room which is slightly warmer than other parts of the house.

Other appliances which might be draining your bills

Your heated airer isn’t the only thing in your home which could be sat in the wrong spot and costing you cash.

Your fridge freezer might be eating away at your bills if there’s not enough space around it – by moving it to a spacier area, you could improve its efficiency by 15%.

Your food being stored in the wrong parts of your fridge could also be costing you cash, causing it to perish quicker and ramping up your shopping bill.

Meanwhile, your washing machine might also be positioned in the wrong part of your home which can cause mould and lead to damage costs.

And if you use dehumidifiers to tackle damp and mould in your home, they could be draining your energy bill if placed in the wrong spots.

Placing your rug or sofa over draughty areas of flooring, such as between floorboards, can also massively slash your energy usage.

And make sure that your sofa isn’t blocking the heat from your radiator – by helping the heat get the rooms of your home you could stretch your energy further.

4 ways to keep your energy bills low

Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic shared her tips.

1. Turn your heating down by one degree

You probably won’t even notice this tiny temperature difference, but what you will notice is a saving on your energy bills as a result. Just taking your thermostat down a notch is a quick way to start saving fast. This one small action only takes seconds to carry out and could potentially slash your heating bills by £171.70.

2. Switch appliances and lights off 

It sounds simple, but fully turning off appliances and lights that are not in use can reduce your energy bills, especially in winter. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, can save you up to £20 a year on your energy bills

3. Install a smart meter

Smart meters are a great way to keep control over your energy use, largely because they allow you to see where and when your gas and electricity is being used.

4. Consider switching energy supplier

No matter how happy you are with your current energy supplier, they may not be providing you with the best deals, especially if you’ve let a fixed-rate contract expire without arranging a new one. If you haven’t browsed any alternative tariffs lately, then you may not be aware that there are better options out there.

    How else you can save on energy

    One important energy-saving tip to know is to never dry your clothes on the radiator, as this stops it from heating your home efficiently.

    As a result, up to £55 could be wasted across the year.

    The exact wastage depends on the size of your house and how much energy you use.

    Heat can also escape your home through your chimney – The Sun recently wrote an article on how newspaper can be used to stop it from escaping.

    By filling a bin bag with newspaper and stuffing it inside of your chimney, you could save as much as £90 across the year and reduce bills by 5%.

    You could also buy a damper, which is designed to seal your chimney by blocking the flue system.

    However these cost anywhere from £21 on Amazon, and as much as £84 from TLC Electrical.

    Don’t forget to do regular annual boiler service checks either – they could save you up to £550 a year.

    And for more energy saving tips, make sure to read our handy guide.

    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

    Read More »

    European Championship darts 2024 prize money: How much can Luke Littler earn in Dortmund?

    LUKE LITTLER takes to the oche again this weekend as he makes his European Championship darts 2024 debut.

    The 17-year-old burst onto the scene at the World Championships last year and won the Premier League earlier this year to cement himself as the sport’s top star.

    a man wearing a shirt that says target on it
    PDC Europe
    Luke Littler and Peter Wright[/caption]

    The European tour comes to an end this weekend in Germany and Littler will be aiming to end it in the perfect way.

    Littler has already picked up a hefty amount of prize money this year, including the £275,000 he earned for winning the Premier League.

    But he’ll have the likes of Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith hot on his heels as they also hope to reign victorious in Dortmund.

    What is the European Championship darts 2024 prize money?

    The total prize pot for the European Championship darts 2024 is a whopping £500,000.

    The winner will take home £120,000 of that, with the runner-up pocketing a cool £60,000 for his troubles.

    • Winner – £120,000
    • Runner-up – £60,000
    • Semi-finalists – £40,000
    • Quarter-finalists – £25,000
    • Round 2 (last 16) – £15,000
    • Round 1 (last 32) – £7,500

    Who is playing at the European Championship darts 2024?

    All the big players you’d expect to play will be in action in Dortmund from Thursday, October 24.

    Littler is back following his Czech Darts Open semi-final defeat to Humphries, who is also playing this weekend.

    Michael van Gerwen takes on German Gabriel Clemens in his opening match-up.

    • (1) Martin Schindler v (32) Dirk van Duijvenbode
    • (16) Gerwyn Price v (17) Daryl Gurney
    • (8) Ryan Searle v (25) Raymond van Barneveld
    • (9) Ross Smith v (24) Luke Woodhouse
    • (4) Dave Chisnall v (29) Michael Smith
    • (13) Gian van Veen v (20) Ritchie Edhouse
    • (5) Michael van Gerwen v (28) Gabriel Clemens
    • (12) Stephen Bunting v (21) Gary Anderson
    • (2) Luke Humphries v (31) Nathan Aspinall
    • (15) Chris Dobey v (18) Jonny Clayton
    • (7) Rob Cross v (26) James Wade
    • (10) Peter Wright v (23) Jermaine Wattimena
    • (3) Luke Littler v (30) Andrew Gilding
    • (14) Ricardo Pietreczko v (19) Damon Heta
    • (6) Josh Rock v (27) Mike De Decker
    • (11) Danny Noppert v (22) Joe Cullen

    How to watch

    • The European Championship darts 2024 will be shown live on ITV in the UK.
    • You can live stream all the action from the ITVX app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
    • The action will begin at 6pm on Thursday, October 24.

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    Coronation Street fans spot huge blunder in Tyrone and Fiz’s house – but can you see what it is?

    CORONATION Street fans have spotted a huge blunder in Tyrone and Fiz’s house.

    The small terraced property has been at the centre of a huge storyline as Hope has been dealing with a vape addiction.

    a woman in a blue plaid shirt stands next to a man
    ITV
    Fans were confused by the size of Tyrone and Fiz’s house on Coronation Street[/caption]
    a woman in a blue sweater stands next to another woman in a pink room
    ITV
    Five people are supposed to live in the tiny terraced house[/caption]
    a man stands in front of a house with a for sale sign
    ITV
    Viewers were also confused by the size of the Platt household[/caption]

    Recent scenes on the long-running ITV soap showed the living room on fire as her hidden stash of nicotine set the desk alight.

    Both Fiz (Jennie McAlpine) and Tyrone (Alan Halsall) were understandably fuming as Evelyn (Dame Maureen Lipman) calmly put out the desk blaze.

    The property is not just home to the couple and their two kids, but also Tyrone’s mother Cassie (Claire Sweeney).

    This means that five people live in the tiny terraced house on Coronation Street.

    Meanwhile in the Platt house, Gail (Helen Worth) lives with David (Jack P.Shepherd), Shona (Julia Goulding), and their kids Max (Paddy Bever) and Lily.

    Nick (Ben Price) recently moved back in after Leanne (Jane Danson) kicked him out after his affair with Toyah (Georgia Taylor).

    However, many fans took to social media after they were left completely confused by the number of people living in the small house.

    Writing on forum site Reddit, one dedicated viewer noted: “Mainly with the Platt and Dobbs houses and the Barlow house for a while but how on earth do their tiny terraced houses fit 6 people?

    “The Barlow house had 8 people once and the Platt house even had 9 at one point I think, do the writers just forget how small their houses are or are there some secret rooms we don’t know about?”

    Other soap enthusiasts couldn’t help but echo the sentiment as another replied: “It’s a pretty big joke in soap land, and EE is the same. Terrace houses don’t have 5 bedrooms, even with a dormer, we’re just expected not to notice.”

    As a third stated: “Terraced houses at max have 3 bedrooms with 1 being a box room, I would really love to see how 6-8 people fit in.”

    “Eileen’s house is magic,” wrote a fourth user.

    And a fifth added: “I always get claustrophobia whenever I see Fizz and Tyrone’s place lol.”

    Who lives where on Coronation Street?

    Here is where all of the residents of Weatherfield's main street live

    • 1 Coronation Street – The Barlow family (Ken, Tracy, Steve, Amy)
    • 3 Coronation Street – The Bailey family (Aggie, Ed, Michael)
    • 5 Coronation Street – The Winter-Brown family (Gemma, Chesney, Joseph and the Quads)
    • 7 Coronation Street – The Alahan family (Dev, Asha, Aadi)
    • 9 Coronation Street – The Dobbs family (Tyrone, Fiz, Evelyn, Cassie, Hope, Ruby)
    • 11 Coronation Street – The Grimshaw family (Eileen, Todd, George, Mary, Sean, Dylan)
    • 13 Coronation Street – The Webster family (Kevin, Abi, Jack, Alfie)
    • 15a Coronation Street – Dee-Dee Bailey and Adam Barlow
    • 2a Coronation Street – Craig Tinker
    • 4 Coronation Street – The Metcalfe family (Sally, Tim)
    • 6 Coronation Street – The Nazir family (Yasmeen, Alya, Stu, Eliza)
    • 8 Coronation Street – The Platt family (Gail, David, Shona, Max, Lily)
    • 10a Coronation Street – Rita Tanner
    • 12 Coronation Street – Brian Packham
    two girls standing in front of a table with owls on it
    ITV
    Tyrone and Fiz are meant to share the house with two kids as his mother Cassie[/caption]
    a man and a woman are standing in a kitchen with their arms crossed
    ITV
    Six people currently reside in number eight[/caption]
    a row of brick buildings with a sign that says rovers return inn
    Rex
    Some fans estimated that eight people have at times fitted into the tiny homes[/caption]

    Coronation Street is available to watch on ITV1 and stream on ITVX.

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