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UK flights to top European country cancelled today – with thousands of Brits facing chaos

BRITS heading to Germany are facing chaos as airport workers stage a 24-hour walkout in a dispute over pay.

Workers at 13 German airports, including the likes of Berlin and Munich, are staging a one-day strike.

Airport workers striking, holding Verdi union banners.
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Employees at 13 German airports, including the likes of Berlin and Munich, are staging a one-day strike[/caption]
Airport workers striking at Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
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Flights between the UK and Germany have been cancelled because of the industrial action[/caption]

The strike action, which started at midnight, will affect flights today (Monday, March 10).

Flights between Germany and the UK will be affected, with more than 20 flights cancelled from London Heathrow.

Services to Germany from other UK airports were also grounded, with more than five flights cancelled from London City Airport.

Over 1,000 flights to and from Frankfurt Airport have been cancelled, according to German news agency dpa.

All of Berlin Airport’s regular departures and arrivals have been cancelled, while Hamburg Airport previously said no departures would be possible.

Meanwhile, flights to and from Munich Airport are also greatly reduced, with no regular passenger service operating from Cologne/Bonn Airport.

Other German airports impacted by the strike action include Bremen, Hannover, Dusseldorf, Dortmund, Leipzig/Halle, Stuttgart, Weeze and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden.

More than 3,500 flights have been cancelled because of the walkout, with around 560,000 passengers affected.

The services have been cancelled because of a 24-hour walkout being staged by airport workers, including public sector employees as well as ground and security staff.

Workers have taken to the picket line in a dispute over two separate pay disputes.

These include negotiations on a new pay and conditions contract for airport security workers, and a wider dispute over pay for employees of federal and municipal governments.

Pay talks for the latter are set to resume on Friday, while the next round of talks for airport security workers is expected to start on March 26.

The industrial action has been led by the trade union Verdi, which represents public sector and transport workers, 

A spokesperson for Verdi told German media the strike would affect many but that the disruption was necessary to get a better offer from employers.

Elsewhere in Europe, strike action will impact public transport services in Italy later this month.

Meanwhile, Brits flying from Turkey can finally apply for compensation if their flight is delayed.

The new rules apply to Turkish-based airlines like Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines and Sun Express.

You can also get hundreds of pounds back if you miss your flight – even if it’s your own fault.

We’ve explained how, here.

Flight compensation rules

A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

Here are four reasons you won’t get any compensation when your flight is cancelled.

And this airline worker showed how to avoid cancellation problems.

Airport departure board showing numerous canceled flights.
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More than 3,500 flights have been cancelled because of the walkout, with around 560,000 passengers affected[/caption]

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World’s first superyacht Christina O that hosted Churchill, Sinatra & starred in The Crown up for sale for £70MILLION

A SUPERYACHT, whose guests range from Winston Churchill and US President John F Kennedy to Heidi Klum and Frank Sinatra, is on sale for a whopping £70million.

The regal Christina O has also appeared on the big screen, featured in the hit royal TV show The Crown, and is the 59th largest yacht in the world as of 2022.

Christina O yacht in Kornati National Park.
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The historic Christina O superyacht is up for grabs with a £70million price tag[/caption]
Winston and Clementine Churchill aboard the Christina O.
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Former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill and Clementine Churchill on board Christina O[/caption]
The Christina O. yacht at sea near rocky cliffs.
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The superyacht pictured on the day it hosted Heidi Klum’s wedding in August 2019[/caption]
Maria Callas, her husband, Aristotle Onassis, and Winston Churchill aboard the Christina O yacht.
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Shipowner Aristotle Onassis, Winston Churchill (back seated), Maria Callas and her husband Giovanni Battista Meneghini aboard Christina O in Monaco, 1959[/caption] Illustration of the Christina O yacht, its specifications, and famous guests.

Once a military boat which served in World War Two, the 325ft vessel has undergone various refurbishments to turn it into a unique luxury yacht. 

It boasts several one-of-a-kind designs, including a mosaic pool floor which elevates to become a dance floor, and bar stools made of whale penis foreskin.

The boat, which was bought by billionaire Greek shipowner Aristotle Onassis before he renovated it with £3million, has also hosted a long list of superstars and politicians. 

Former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who boarded the ship for eight voyages, has his own library on the yacht called the Winston Churchill Library, which is the only suite named after a guest.

Churchill also made his first encounter with US President John F Kennedy on the Christina O.

Winston Churchill and his wife, Clementine Churchill, arriving by ship.
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The former wartime Prime Minister arriving at Canary Islands after cruising on the Christina O, February 1959[/caption]
Winston Churchill ashore from a cruise, with Marshall Tito.
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Winston Churchill ashore from a cruise aboard Aristotle Onassis’s yacht Christina, with Yugoslav premier Marshall Tito, September 1960[/caption]
Portrait of Winston Churchill hanging on the wall of the Christina O yacht.
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The former yacht of Aristotle Onassis has a Library dedicated to the former PM[/caption]
The library aboard Aristotle Onassis' former yacht, the Christina O.
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The Winston Churchill Library is the only suite on board named after a guest[/caption]

The boat hosted the former US President and his wife Jackie Kennedy before JFK was assassinated in 1963.

But just five years later Ms Kennedy ended up marrying the yacht’s owner Aristotle Onassis who was 23 years older than her.

Prior to that, Onassis had an affair with opera legend Maria Callas on the yacht – who is just one on a long list of showbiz stars who have stayed on the Christina O.

Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, Grace Kelly and Richard Burton all at one point have stayed on the ship.

In 2019, TV star Heidi Klum married Tom Kaulitz on board the ship.

The history of the yacht goes back to its maiden voyage in 1943, just  before it served as a crucial convoy escort during the Battle of the Atlantic and in the Normandy landings.

Onassis bought the vessel after the war, paying just £40,000, and named it after his daughter Christina before pumping a staggering £4million into its renovation.

The yacht then fell into the hands of the Greek government after Onassis died in 1975.

They left the vessel untouched for years until it was sold at auction in the early 1990s for just under £14million.

A £44million refurbish plan was once again undertaken in 2001 before it was snapped up for £60million.

Apart from starring in The Crown, the boat has been used in the 2022 film Triangle of Sadness, and the 2024 film Maria which is about Maria Callas’ life and stars Angelina Jolie as the renowned opera singer.

The Christina O currently belongs to a group of Irish investors, who are looking to sell the ship for £70million.

Before it was listed for sale, punters had the chance to live in the ship for a week for £545,000 during summer.

Formal dining room aboard the Christina O, Aristotle Onassis' former yacht.
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The yacht was bought by Onassis for just £40,000 before getting a massive makeover[/caption]
The Christina O yacht in harbor.
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The 325ft yacht is the 59th largest in the world as of 2022[/caption]
Bedroom on Aristotle Onassis' former yacht, the Christina O.
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The yacht can host 38 crew members[/caption]
Black and white photo of Aristotle Onassis and Christina Onassis walking together.
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Aristotle Onassis and daughter Christina Onassis, who he named the ship after[/caption]

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Lizzie Cundy stuns in gorgeous pink dress and lace gloves as she shares snaps from niece’s lavish wedding

LIZZIE Cundy stunned in a pink dress and lace gloves as she attended her niece’s lavish wedding over the weekend.

Socialite Lizzie, 56, looked incredible in the gorgeous number, which she wore with a silver feathered fascinator and beige heels.

Woman in pink dress and hat.
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Lizzie Cundy stunned in a pink dress and lace gloves as she attended her niece’s lavish wedding[/caption]
Woman in pink wearing a gold headpiece.
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Socialite Lizzie looked incredible in selfies from the extravaganza[/caption]

She attended the ceremony with her eldest son Josh, who looked smart in a black three-piece suit.

The extravaganza was nothing short of spectacular, with the brodcaster sharing snaps to Instagram from a buck ‘n’ bronco and merry-go-round.

Lizzie also posted stunning images of bride Mimi and her groom George Cushing singing hyms at their traditional church ceremony.

In her caption, the TALK host wrote: “Move over the Kardashians ..this is how to do a wedding! Proudest Aunty in the land!

Huge congrats to my beautiful niece @mimiemmettt and @georgecushing. My heart could burst with pride and love #family #wedding.”

This past Christmas, Lizzie landed an exciting new show alongside a Geordie Shore star and Corrie legend.

Airing December 28th at 10pm on Channel 5, When Parties Go Horribly Wrong promised a two-hour laugh-out-loud extravaganza.

Red Carpet Queen Lizzie was joined by the likes of James Tindale, 34, and Sherrie Hewson, 74, as well as 80s TV favourite Pat Sharp, 63, for the special.

Before that, she bagged an exciting show on Amazon Prime featuring a host of A-list guests.

The TV personality hosts Red Carpet Uncut, with many of the world’s biggest stars taking centre stage.

She’s interviewed the likes of Meghan MarkleKim Kardashian, and Tom Cruise over the years in the showbiz circuit.

Chats with the likes of Rocky and Creed star Sylvester Stallone are shown as part of the programme too.

Lizzie is a socialite, television personality, and the ex-wife of footballer Jason Cundy.

Her ex-husband played for ChelseaTottenham and Portsmouth during his career.

The pair, who share two sons, divorced in 2012 but remain on good terms.

Lizzie is a regular presenter on TalkTV, but also appears on other programmes such as This Morning and Jeremy Vine.

Woman in pink dress and man in suit holding champagne flutes.
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She attended the ceremony with her eldest son Josh[/caption]
Bride and groom reading vows at their wedding.
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Lizzie also posted stunning images of bride Mimi and her groom George Cushing[/caption]
Woman on a carousel.
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The brodcaster shared snaps from a merry-go-round[/caption]
Woman riding a mechanical bull.
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She also had a go on the buck ‘n’ bronco[/caption]
Celebrating a niece's wedding.
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The TALK host gushed over her niece in the snaps[/caption]

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Aldi is selling a homeware item that’s a dupe of Neom – it’s £85 cheaper and perfect for Mother’s Day

ALDI is launching a homeware item dupe that’s ideal for Mother’s Day and £85 cheaper than the real thing.

The German discounter is adding the ceramic aroma diffuser Specialbuy to shelves on March 16.

White ceramic aroma diffuser with light and mist settings.
Aldi
Aldi is selling a ceramic diffuser for just £15[/caption]

Shoppers can pick one up for £15 in either black or creme.

The nifty gadget comes with seven colour light settings and a timer which activates every two, four or six hours.

The diffuser dupe comes in £85 cheaper than Neom’s model too, keeping both your mum and bank account happy this Mother’s Day.

Of course, as with all Aldi Specialbuys, the ceramic diffuser is of limited stock so once its sold out, no more will be added to shelves.

You won’t be able to pick up the diffuser online as Aldi doesn’t offer a home delivery service.

You can find your nearest Aldi branch by using the retailer’s store finder tool via: stores.aldi.co.uk/store-finder.

You then just have to type in your town or postcode and it will draw up the nearest shop to you.

Of course, remember when buying any product to shop around to figure out if you’re getting the best price possible.

The Trolley website is useful for comparing prices on supermarket products.

Meanwhile, you can use price comparison websites like Price Spy and PriceRunner which scans prices across a wider pool of retailers.

We had a quick look to see if other retailers are selling a ceramic diffuser cheaper than Aldi’s £15 one but couldn’t find any.

Argos is selling one for £28 while Dunelm has one on its website for £26. M&S is also stocking one for £30.

It comes after Aldi launched a high pressure washer for just £99 – £150 cheaper than Karcher’s model.

The product is set to land in stores on Thursday, so customers only need to wait for a few days to get their hands on it.

When's the best time to shop at Aldi?

WHEN it comes to shopping at Aldi, the best time to do so depends on what you want to buy.

For reduced items – when shops open

Red sticker items are rare at Aldi’s 830 UK stores, but the supermarket says that none of its food goes to waste so there are some to be found – if you’re quick.

A spokesman for the supermarket said: “All items are reduced to 50 per cent of the recommend sales price before stores open on their best before or use by dates.”

That means you have the best chance of finding reduced food items if you go into stores as soon as it opens.

Opening times vary by shop but a majority open from 7am or 8am. You can find your nearest store’s times by using the supermarket’s online shop finder tool.

For Specialbuys – Thursdays and Sundays

Specialbuys are Aldi’s weekly collection of items that it doesn’t normally sell, which can range from pizza ovens to power tools.

New stock comes into stores every Thursday and Sunday, so naturally, these are the best days to visit for the best one-off special deals.

For an even better chance of bagging the best items, head there for your local store’s opening time.

Remember: once they’re gone, they’re gone, so if there’s something you really want, visit as early as possible

SAVE MONEY AT ALDI

Looking for dupes at Aldi is just one way to save money on your next shopping trip.

It’s worth keeping an eye out for products with red stickers on them too.

These are added to items that have been reduced due to them being close to their best before date or slightly damaged.

The best time to get these reduced products is towards the end of the day, when you can get discounts worth up to 75%.

Aldi shoppers can pick up Too Good to Go bags of fresh food worth £10 for £3.30 too.

You can pick them up in stores but there are only a limited amount each day.

Aldi also offers cheap fruit and veg as part of its Everyday Essentials range, including discounted wonky bundles.

You can grab a wonky 1.5kg bag of carrots for 60p and a pack of wonky grapes for £1.49 in branches.

Keep an eye on the middle aisle shelves of your local Aldi branch too – the discounter is often flogging quirky and discounted stuff there.

Shoppers recently saw 300g pouches of Quality Street selling for 49p instead of £1.99 at one branch.

How to bag a bargain

SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain…

Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with.

Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks.

Sales are when you can pick up a real steal.

Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on.

Sign up to mailing lists and you’ll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.

When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use vouchercodes.co.uk and myvouchercodes.co.uk are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer.

Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. Trolley.co.uk app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping.

Bargain hunters can also use B&M’s scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out.

And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you’ll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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

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Gym lover’s warning after ‘mosquito bite’ turned out to be ‘severe’ bout of ringworm she’d caught from equipment

A ‘DISGUSTED’ gym lover has issued a warning others after what she thought was a mosquito bite turned out be to be a ‘severe’ ringworm infection she picked up from equipment.

Jamie Samnang thought she’d been bitten by a mosquito when a rash on her arm became so itchy that she drew blood from scratching.

Woman in a pink sweatshirt holding a Starbucks matcha drink in her car.
Kennedy News
Jamie Samnang, 41, thought she’d been bitten by a mosquito after noticing an itchy rash on her arm[/caption]
Woman using gym equipment.
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But the gym lover was told the rash was ringworm she’d probably picked up from gym equipment[/caption]
Ringworm rash on a person's arm.
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Jamie’s rash grew so itchy she drew blood scratching it[/caption]

The 41-year-old panicked when pus-filled bumps bubbled up on her arm and bug cream couldn’t stop the “intense” rash from spreading to her legs and ankles.

She was shocked when her dermatologist diagnosed her with the contagious fungal infection ringworm – saying she’d most likely caught it at a gym.

Jamie was given antifungal cream and was ordered to avoid work, the gym or even sleeping in the same bed as her husband until the ring-shaped rash was gone.

The cosmetologist believes she caught a “severe” bout of ringworm when her bare arms touched the pads on an ab crunch machine at a gym.

Jamie assumed staff had cleaned the equipment before she used it so didn’t wipe it down.

Six months on from the incident in September, she now cleans machines both before and after use and wears a long-sleeved sweatshirt to avoid skin contact.

She’s now warning other gym lovers to do the same to avoid facing the “nightmare” she did.

Jamie, from Silver Spring, Maryland, US, said: “My workout outfit was short sleeved and my arms were exposed.

“I was using the ab crunch machine so you sit and you hold onto handlebars and your elbows are placed flat onto pads.

“Later that night I started to feel a slight tingling, a slight itch.

“I thought maybe I’d been bitten by a mosquito, but as the days went on it kept getting worse.

“Bite cream wasn’t working and I started to get these red raised bumps that were filled with pus.

“The itching was so intense and severe, I was itching until the point that I was bleeding.

“It spread to my legs and ankles because I was itching my arms and then touching my legs.

Woman in a gym locker room holding a pink item.
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Jamie noticed an itching and tingling on her arm after using an ab crunch machine[/caption]
Woman in red outfit posing outdoors.
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She couldn’t go to work or sleep in the same bed as her husband while recovering[/caption]
Close-up of a person's arm with a ringworm rash.
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She’s urging others to be careful about wiping down equipment[/caption]

“It turned out when I went to my dermatologist that I had ringworm – I was immediately shocked and disgusted.

“They said gyms are one of the number one areas for ringworm because it’s hot, sweaty, and moist – it’s the perfect breeding ground for fungal growth.

“They prescribed me an anti-fungal steroidal cream and that worked.”

Jamie had to apply the cream up to three times per day for three weeks until the infection cleared up.

She says she contacted the management to complain about what happened and prevent it happening to anyone else.

Jamie said: “I had to wash everything.

“I had to bleach, I had to sterilise, I had to get new bed sheets and I couldn’t sleep near my husband because I was going to get him infected.

“I couldn’t go to work – it was really, really bad. It was so severe.

Ringworm symptoms

Ringworm is a common fungal infection.

Despite the name, it’s not caused by worms but by a type of fungi that are passed on through close contact with an infected person or animal or contaminated objects like bedsheets, combs or towels.

The main symptom of ringworm is a rash. It may look red or darker than the surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone.

The rash may be scaly, dry, swollen or itchy.

Ringworm can appear anywhere on the body, including the scalp and groin.

The rash is usually ring-shaped, but it may look different on your face, neck or scalp.

It can grow and spread to different parts of the body.

If you think you may have rignworm, speak to a pharmacist.

They’ll be able to recommend an anti-fungal medicine, which you may have to use for up to four weeks.

See a GP if:

  • Ringworm has not improved after using antifungal medicine recommended by a pharmacist
  • You have ringworm on your scalp – you’ll usually need prescription antifungal tablets and shampoo
  • You have a weakened immune system – for example, from chemotherapy, steroids or diabetes

Source: NHS

“I usually go to the gym five days a week but I couldn’t go for a month because I had to wait for my doctor to give me the all clear.

“When I found out it was ringworm, I immediately told them because I believe part of the staff’s job is to help wipe down equipment.

“I wasn’t mad at them, I wasn’t angry, it was just unfortunate that it happened to me.

“They thanked me for letting them know so that they could take the measures to help prevent it from happening to anyone else.”

Take precautions

Jamie is now urging gym goers to wipe down their equipment both before and after using it.

She has switched from wearing sports bras to sweatshirts to lower her risk of catching ringworm again.

Jamie said: “Not everybody is always going to remember to wipe down and unfortunately I was one of those.

“I was under the assumption that the equipment was clean so I would wipe it down after, but what I didn’t do was wipe it down before I used it.

“My outlook is completely different now. I used to wear short sleeves or even a sports bra – now everything is long sleeved. I just can’t take that risk because it was so severe.

“I’d never been in contact with ringworm and I just don’t want that to happen to anybody else because it’s a nightmare.

“For three weeks I was itching so severely that I was bleeding.”

Woman using seated row machine at the gym.
Jamie no longer works out with her arms exposed
Kennedy News

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Harry Potter star shocks fans as she reveals she’s launching an OnlyFans account

HARRY Potter star Jessie Cave has announced she is launching her own OnlyFans – complete with its own unique selling point. 

The actress and comedian, 37, shot to fame in the Harry Potter film series as Lavender Brown, the eccentric love interest of Ron Weasley. 

Jessie Cave, Harry Potter actress, discussing finding mold at a soft play area.
tiktok/@jessiecave
Jessie has announced she’s launching an OnlyFans for those who fetishise long hair[/caption]
Rupert Grint and Jessie Cave in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
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The star shot to fame as Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter franchise[/caption]

However, the now mum-of-four has announced she’s expanding her business ventures with a foray into OnlyFans

While the site is mostly known for its explicit sexual content, the subscription service will be used by Jessie to focus on her famously long and thick blonde hair. 

On the site, Jessie wrote: “Former Harry Potter actress, writer, doodler and now Only Fans Long Hair Specialist. 

“I do NICHE HAIR CONTENT which you may well quite like. How magical!” 

“Owl drop near daily,” she continued. “Wizard warning: Will not do explicit sexual content. Might be in my underwear.” 

“Will respond to Dm’s. Let’s get to know each other!” she added. “If you have a hair thing, this is the place for you. 

“If you want something specific, you can message me and I will be happy to see what we can do. LOVE JESSIE XXX” 

Jessie later shared the announcement on her Instagram, and spoke about her decision alongside long-time partner, comedian Alfie Brown, on their podcast, Before We Break Up Again. 

While noting she wasn’t posting anything sexually explicit, she noted that her target audience was those who had a “fetish” or “interest” in long hair, having been inspired by Lily Allen, who has previously admitted to earning more money selling photos of her feet than her music. 

She added she decided to turn to OnlyFans to help finance her writing, and decided to focus on hair after receiving positive comments on her Instagram. 

“It’s never kind of dirty comments, but I do get lots of interest in in the hair thing, and I just thought, f**k it, I’m gonna do something that is very niche,” she told Alfie. 

“I know it’s niche, but it’s been really cool to do. It’s been quite liberating.”

 I really am choosing to think of this as an empowering moment for me, because I have been this very kind of straight, prim actress for a lot of my career,” she said. “And this is very much a way of me saying, ‘Okay, I’m doing something that is not normal. This is weird and me and a bit kinky, and why not?’” 

While her husband shared his reservations, saying he was playing “devil’s advocate” during the discussion, Alfie asked: “Are you prepared for the idea that people may find this quite an extraordinary thing to be doing.”

“I don’t mind it,” she responded. “I’ve reached the point now where I’ve done the same things for a few years with writing and acting and comedy, I’ve had largely negative experiences in all three fields, with glimmers of lovely people and good work.

“But I am at a crossroads, and I want something to change and I want something to change with my career and I want to do things that I enjoy and that are fun and are not serious.”

Jessie Cave and Alfie Brown at the press night of "2:22 A Ghost Story".
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The star spoke about her decision with her husband, Alfie Brown on their podcast[/caption]
Jessie Cave at the Glossier UK launch party.
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The actress and comedian is hoping it will finance her while she focuses on writing[/caption]

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Fresh Labour rebellion brews over Reeves’ welfare cuts with sickness benefits AND jobless pay at risk

A MAJOR Labour rebellion is brewing over plans to push hundreds of thousands of long-term sick Brits back into jobs.

Ministers are braced for a party split ahead of a looming announcement on contentious welfare reforms.

British pound coins and banknotes.
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Tough new rules could force 2.4 million claimants currently off work sick to start preparing for employment[/caption]
Liz Kendall, UK Work and Pensions Secretary, at a cabinet meeting.
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Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall[/caption]

Dozens of MPs are backing the shake-up, insisting Britain has a “moral duty” to cut the spiralling sickness benefit bill.

But angry left-wingers are already gearing up for a battle, warning brutal cuts could push vulnerable disabled people into poverty.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall could announce as early as tomorrow tough new rules that would force 2.4 million claimants currently off work sick to start preparing for employment.

Under the reforms, hundreds of thousands could face cuts to their benefits if they refuse to engage in job-prep activities.

Treasury bosses eye savings of £5billion from tightening rules around personal independence payments and dramatically increasing benefit reassessments.

Pro-reform backbenchers last night vowed to support these “hard choices”.

In a letter, a group of 36 Labour MPs calling themselves the “Get Britain Working Group” insisted the controversial reforms are “a truly progressive endeavour.”

They wrote: “We believe reforming our broken system is not only necessary, but also a truly progressive endeavour.”

But on the Left, dozens of MPs are planning to rebel and want to send a letter to the Treasury and the PM ahead of the Spring Statement.

Labour’s Rachael Maskell, the MP for York Central, warned against “draconian cuts”, urging ministers not to “start with the stick”.

She said: “What I am most concerned about is the narrative. I’m getting letters from constituents who are very, very worried about losing their benefits.

“It feels like the Government is getting the bad news out of the way before the spending review.

“I want the Treasury to listen at this point, and give us the guarantee that our constituents who need state support will be helped and not frightened.”

Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden said on Sunday the current welfare system was “not fair on the taxpayer”.

He told Sky News: “We are the Labour Party. The clue is in the name. We cannot be relaxed about every year, hundreds of thousands more people going on these benefits.”

Insisting that “we’ve got to reform the system”, Mr McFadden said ministers “can’t allow” further rises in sickness claims and said 200,000 of the long-term sick were already willing to work if offered help.

He added: “We’ve got a duty to put that support in place; that will be better for them, and it will get the bill down for the country.”

Under current trajectories, Britain is set to spend £20 billion more on sickness and disability benefits in just five years.

Official figures show there are 270,000 young people aged 16 to 34 who are not working due to long-term sickness and mental health conditions. 

This number has surged by 60,000 (26 per cent) in the past year alone, according to the DWP.

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Former Premier League star rushed to hospital due to ‘rapid heartbeat’

Aleksandar Mitrovic is being observed by specialists (Picture: Instagram)

Al-Hilal’s Aleksandar Mitrovic missed training due to an abnormal heart rhythm, the Saudi Pro League champions said on Sunday after local media reported the Serbia striker had been taken to hospital.

Mitrovic returned from a hamstring injury that had kept him out since January and scored in a 2-0 win at Al-Fayha on Friday.

‘The medical staff has decided to rest Aleksandar Mitrovic from Sunday’s training, due to feeling fatigue and arrhythmias,’ Al-Hilal said in a statement.

‘He will be observed by specialists, as his case will be monitored constantly.’

Jorge Jesus’s side face Pakhtakor in the second leg of their AFC Champions League Elite last-16 tie on Tuesday after a shock 1-0 loss in Uzbekistan last week.

The Saudi club did not say if Mitrovic would be involved in Tuesday’s match.

Mitrovic marked his return to action following a two-month injury layoff last week by scoring a late goal in Al-Hilal’s 2-0 win at Al-Fayha in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Ahli v Al Hilal - King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - October 5, 2024 Al Hilal's Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored 13 goals this season (Credits: REUTERS)
Fulham FC v Brighton & Hove Albion - Premier League
Aleksandar Mitrovic was a hero to Fulham fans during his time in the Premier League (Picture: Getty)

The Serbian forward, who was injured in a loss against Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Cup quarter-finals in January, scored his 13th goal in 14 games in SPL.

Mohamed Kanno opened the scoring early for Jorge Jesus’s side, and Mitrovic sealed Al-Hilal’s win with a close range strike in the 89th minute. VAR confirmed the goal after the check.

‘It has been tough two and half months for me, had some problems with my hamstring, injury… after injury,’ Mitrovic told SSC Sports.

‘I worked really hard to come back… I can help my teammates… happy with the goal.’

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