THOUSANDS of drivers are set to face disruption as a major motorway bridge closes overnight for essential maintenance.

The M4 Prince of Wales Bridge, a key connection over the River Severn, will shut in one direction starting tonight for structural maintenance works, causing delays for commuters and motorists.

Alamy

Motorists are advised to plan ahead and allow extra travel time to avoid delays[/caption]

The eastbound carriageway will be closed every night from 9pm to 6am until work is completed on Saturday, March 15.

The M4 eastbound Prince of Wales Bridge will be closed from Junction 23 to Junction 22 between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM.

Additionally, the M48 westbound Severn Bridge will be closed from Junction 1 to Junction 2 between 8:00 PM and 6:00 AM.

Drivers affected by the closure will need to take the M48 as an alternative route, rejoining the M4 at junction 21.

This routine maintenance aims to ensure the long-term safety and stability of the bridge by addressing wear and tear on key structural elements.

The closure is scheduled to last for five nights, with the bridge expected to fully reopen by the morning of Saturday, March 15.

National Highways has confirmed that work crews will be carrying out surface repairs, joint maintenance, and drainage improvements to enhance safety and prolong the lifespan of the structure.

Highways officials say these repairs are crucial to avoid larger-scale closures in the future.

Drivers are urged to plan ahead and check live traffic updates as the closure may lead to increased congestion on alternative routes.

The M48 diversion is expected to see heavier traffic than usual, and delays could be worse during peak hours.

Alamy

Drivers affected by the closure will need to take the M48 as an alternative route, rejoining the M4 at junction 21[/caption]

NOTHING says the end of winter like switching out your thermals for light and airy spring wear.

M&S shoppers have found the “perfect trousers” for warm weather, but hurry because they’re going fast.

M&S

M&S shoppers heaped on the praise for the shop’s £20 Geometric Wide Leg Culottes[/caption]

M&S

The wide leg trousers are available in two styles in sizes six through 24[/caption]

Every office worker knows the struggle of finding a light and airy work fit that can also transition into the perfect look for spontaneous drinks in the summer sun.

These wide leg trousers are ideal to wear during work hours and after you clock off.

And they won’t set you back too much at just £20.

The Geometric Wide Leg Cutlottes are available in two styles, black and white or brown and white.

They are crafted from “lightweight viscose” to ensure a “comfortable feel”.

The trousers feature a flattering high waist with a drawstring fastening for a secure fit.

This makes them a comfy fit whether you’re sitting at your desk or a sunny picnic.

The wide legs of the trousers “fall to a breezy cropped length” for a summer look.

These trousers are part of the M&S Collection of “easy-to-wear wardrobe staples that combine classic and contemporary styles”.

They are available in short/ petite as well as regular and long, in sizes six through 24.

They have been described by customers as “true to fit”, receiving a 4.9 star rating from shoppers.

M&S fans shared their thoughts on the trousers in the site’s review section.

One person described them as the “perfect spring/summer trousers” with the “perfect length and fit”.

“Smart but casual trousers, very comfortable and easy to wear,” said another customer.

“Love these, [they] look like a skirt when on, very comfortable,” wrote a third person.

“I waited for these trousers to come back into stock and so pleased I did! Lovely material, light and comfortable, lovely colour,” said another shopper.

Another M&S customer shared her recommendation when buying the wide leg trousers.

“I’m very happy with these culottes. They’re comfortable and look really nice,” she wrote.

“They’re quite a generous fit, so if you’re ‘between sizes’ I’d recommend buying the smaller size.”

“Great fit and style. These will be great under a tunic or dress for the summer,” said another person.

M&S

Shoppers labelled the trousers are ‘perfect’ for both spring and summer weather[/caption]

CORRIE fans are shocked to discover that Izzy Armstrong’s real-life hubby is a famous soap star himself – and he’s even appeared alongside her on the cobbles.

The long-running Weatherfield favourite Izzy Armstrong (played by Cherylee Houston) has been part of the cobbles since 2010.

ITV

Coronation Street fans have been left stunned after discovering that Izzy Armstrong star Cherylee Houston is married to a soap legend[/caption]

Rex

Izzy’s life on the street has been anything but dull – from high drama at the Underworld factory to some of the most intense storylines on the cobbles.

In 2016, she faced a difficult battle with chronic pain, leading her down a controversial path that saw her turn to cannabis.

Her struggles resulted in a two-month stint behind bars, leaving viewers shocked.

But it wasn’t all hardship for Izzy – her romance with Gary Windass (Mikey North) also captured fans’ hearts, particularly when they became parents to son Jake via surrogacy.

But viewers are only now putting two and two together about her real-life romance.

And it turns out her husband is no stranger to the world of soaps himself.

Cherylee is married to Toby Hadoke, who’s no stranger to TV screens.

He has appeared in Emmerdale, Shameless, Hollyoaks and Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights.

In 2021, he made a cameo on Corrie as Fergus, Izzy’s fiercely protective neighbour during the pandemic.

But Toby’s Corrie connections don’t end there.

He once starred as a vicar at Curly Watts’ wedding – a role he humorously describes as “about 747 years ago.”

When he’s not acting, Toby runs his own comedy hub in Manchester, XS Malarkey.

And he’s full of praise for his wife, calling her “a brilliant actor” and applauding her efforts to raise awareness about disability representation in the industry.

Fans were gobsmacked when they realised just who Toby was.

Taking to Facebook, one fan wrote: “I remember him from Corrie I think, didn’t know at the time they were together.”

Another added: “How come I recognise him?!”

A third penned: “Toby Hafoka! He’s an actor/writer/standup comedian.”

The Coronation Street star has previously spoken out about the harrowing abuse she has suffered from ignorant people for simply being disabled.

Cherylee posted about how she felt when she heard a slur shouted by a person in a passing car while out and about in Manchester, where the ITV soap is filmed.

She called them out on X – formerly Twitter – commenting that attitudes towards disabled people had gone backwards in recent years.

She wrote: “Just had some delightful ableism shouted at me out of a car window “Coronation Street Cabbage”

“Have we gone back 20 years, they were young men. This isn’t for sympathy. This is for awareness of how prevalent disability hate is.”

Viewers supported her, with one saying: “It feels like as a society we make a few steps forward and then take many steps back. How disappointing.”

Another said: “Everything has gone backwards it seems, racism, ableism, homophobia and transphobia. People have become brazen. Sorry you experienced this. Awful.”

Another added: “The respect for disabled people feels very thin on the ground right now. I’m sorry they chose to abuse you. Thank you for speaking out and I hope you are ok. But I honestly think Corrie writers could do worse than writing that into a line for you as an epic comeback.”

Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 or stream from 7am on ITVX.

ITV

Cherylee was overwhelmed at the outpouring of support from fans[/caption]

MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN has slammed a bombshell report which claimed he was cheated on by his wife with her personal trainer.

The Barcelona goalkeeper has been married to wife, Daniela Jehle, for eight years, having met in 2012 before tying the knot in 2017 and having two children together.

AFP

Marc-Andre ter Stegen slammed a report he has separated from his wife after allegedly finding out she cheated on him[/caption]

Instagram

Ter Stegan and wife Daniela, got met in 2012 and have two children together[/caption]

Instagram

The pair announced their separation last week but Ter Stegen today denied reports of alleged cheating[/caption]

However, the pair announced they had split up in a social media post last week.

A bombshell report on Catalunya Radio from Spanish journalist Juliana Canet claimed the separation came after Ter Stegen found out his wife was cheating on him with her personal trainer.

The report alleges Ter Stegen and Daniela have been living apart for two months.

The German goalkeeper has reportedly been staying in the five-star Hyatt Hotel in Barcelona while she remained living in their family home.

Canet explained the 32-year-old had used the excuse of renovations being carried out on the mansion the couple had bought last summer as the reason for him staying in the hotel.

El Nacional added Daniela had been working with two personal trainers at Edan Studios in Barcelona, owned by Robert Lewandowski‘s wife Anna.

But following the bombshell news report, Ter Stegen slammed Catalunya Radio & 3Cat Group for “distributing false news and violating personal rights”.

In a statement to social media, he said: “Dear all.

Cheltenham Festival betting offers and free bets

“I am shocked and disappointed of the poor management and lack of Leadership and Control at Catalunya Radio & 3Cat Group – distributing false news and violating personal rights.

“Journalists Juliana Canet, Roger Carandell and Marta Montaner are liars that have distributed false news, offending my wife Daniela and her reputation publicly in a very bad manner.

“There has not been any infidelity of Daniela. No third person involved. Fact.

“As communicated, Dani and I have decided to go different ways in good circumstances where we maintain trustful communication.

“It is completely unacceptable that the leading government-owned media is spreading this, where Daniela being falsely accused and personally been attacked.

“The damage is irreparable. Thank you. Marc.”

Ter Stegen and Daniela’s statement on social media declared their joint-focus was on what was best for their children; five-year-old Ben and one-year-old Tom.

The statement said: “After careful consideration, Dani and I have decided to go our separate ways.

“This decision was not an easy one, as you can imagine, but we both believe it is the best step for us.

“Our joint focus is on doing what is best for our children, ensuring they continue to have a loving and stable environment.

“We remain committed to working together as parents and treating each other with respect and appreciation as we always have.

“During this personal time, we kindly ask for your understanding and for respecting our privacy – especially that of our children.”

Ter Stegen has been sidelined from football since September after suffering a complete rupture of the patellar tendon in his right knee.

He recently shared photos showing he is back in training and could be close to a return.

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Ter Stegen has been sidelined through a knee injury since September[/caption]

A HAMAS-supporting extremist who arrived on a small boat was arrested by immigration cops last night.

Channel migrant Abu Wadei was last week revealed as a militant who has posed with AK-47s and chanted about killing Jews.

It is understood the Gaza firebrand was arrested for entry without leave by immigration enforcement and is being held in custody.

A Home Office spokesman said: “The Government is committed to ending small boat crossings which undermine our border security, and restoring order to the asylum system to ensure that the rules are respected and enforced.

“The British public can be reassured that we take all steps necessary at all times to protect the nation’s security, including taking action in the Border Security Bill to give the police and immigration officers stronger powers to act where anyone poses a threat.”

Palestinian influencer Abu Wadei triggered a security scare after he posted video of himself flicking a V for victory sign at the front of a boat packed with migrants in orange lifejackets.

Jewish community leaders in the UK reacted with horror amid fears Wadei’s arrival could herald a flood of dangerous supporters of the bloodthirsty terror group.

Wadei has posted violent imagery of himself toting assault rifles, hurling slingshots and flexing his muscles in front of burning debris in the besieged Hamas stronghold.

The firebrand – whose real name is Mossab Al Qassass aged in his 30s – has 170,000 Tiktok followers.

He also has a YouTube channel followed by 189,000 subscribers which collects money via PayPal.

Palestinian Wadei’s social media feeds show him at a rally declaring he is a member of a violent Hamas “tyre burning unit”.

He rails against Jews in the post, adding that his “loftiest aspiration” is to “die for the sake of Allah”.

He posted an anti-Jew video on his Facebook page last September, ranting: “Allah, kill them one by one, and don’t leave a single one.

“Allah, destroy them completely, disperse them completely and make the earth fall from under their feet.”

The UK-based Campaign Against Anti-Semitism learned of Wadei’s arrival under UK last Thursday among 245 arrivals escorted on the south coast of England on Friday.

The group said it had carried out exacting computer “body-mapping” checks comparing images of the boat arrival plus with video and images on Wadei’s online profiles.

A 4-YEAR-OLD girl has died after being found unresponsive in a bath at her home.

Cops and emergency services were called to an address in the Llangunnor area of Carmarthen, Wales, on February 20.

Cali Marged Lewis-Mclernon was found in a bath after being thought to have had a “cardiac arrest”.

The tot was rushed to Glangwili Hospital in Wales, but sadly died in the early hours of the following morning.

Police have launched an investigation which is ongoing.

A post mortem was carried out at the hospital a week later, the results of which have not yet been confirmed.

One woman, aged 41, has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and has since been released on bail.

An inquest into Cali’s death was opened by Paul Bennett, the senior coroner for Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire this morning.

Hayley Rogers, Coroner’s Officer for Dyfed-Powys Police, told the hearing police first received a call at 5.59pm on February 20 from the Welsh Ambulance Service.

They had requested assistance due to a four-year-old girl being in cardiac arrest having been found “unresponsive in the bath”.

Miss Rogers also confirmed Cali died at Glangwili Hospital at 2.45am the following morning.

Mr Bennett offered his condolences to Cali’s family and adjourned the inquest until a further hearing on June 30. Police enquiries are ongoing.

Following the death, a spokeswoman for Dyed-Powys Police said: “We received a request for assistance from the ambulance service at an address in Llangunnor, Carmarthen, at around 6pm on Thursday, February 20.

“A child was unwell at the property, and was taken to hospital, where she sadly died a short time later.

“One person has been arrested and enquiries are ongoing.”

WNS

A four-year-old girl died in hospital after emergency services were called to a village house[/caption]

LOUIS Buffon, the son of Italy legend Gianluigi Buffon, made his professional debut for Serie B side Pisa.

Buffon, 17, was handed his first senior minutes by Gianluigi’s former team-mate and Pisa boss Filippo Inzaghi.

Unlike his legendary father, who made more than 1000 senior appearances as a goalkeeper, Louis operates as a left winger.

He was introduced as a late substitute in Pisa’s 3-2 defeat at Spezia, replacing Marius Marin in the 84th minute on Sunday.

Buffon Jr got the nod after impressing for Pisa’s under-17 and under-19 sides this season, scoring four goals in 19 appearances.

Pisa, who are second in the table, are looking to return to the top flight for the first time since 1991.

Dad Buffon retired from football with Serie B side Parma in 2023 at the age of 45.

Inzaghi and Buffon spent most of their careers at Juventus and also played together on the Italy national team. 

It comes weeks after the teenager’s first international under-18 call up.

Turin-born Louis recently elected to represent the Czech Republic, where his mother is from, at under-18 level.

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Louis would still be available to eventually play for Italy, with only senior competitive caps cementing a national team position for a footballer’s entire career.

Dad Buffon played 176 times for his country before retiring in 2018, helping them win the World Cup in 2006.

Gianluigi is the most capped player in the history of the national team and fourth-most capped European international player ever.

The shot-stopper won 28 honours for club and country, as well as over 70 individual awards in his 28-year-long career. 

Buffon started at Parma in 1995 and won an Italian Cup, Italian Super Cup and Uefa Cup before joining Juventus in 2001.

He made 656 appearances for the Bianconeri, winning nine Serie A titles, a Serie B title, five Italian Cups and six Italian Super Cups.

Buffon then made a surprise move to Paris Saint-Germain for the 2018/19 campaign, playing 25 times and winning the Ligue 1 title before returning to Juventus.

He made a further 29 appearances in Turin while winning a tenth Serie A title before rejoining Parma in 2021.

THE Cheltenham Festival is the biggest week in the jumps racing calendar and it attracts many people who may be new to the sport.

If that’s you then welcome!

Sportsfile

Many of the terms in racing can be confusing – even for people who have been watching it for years.

Here are some of the key ones.

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL

First run in 1860, the Festival has grown to become the biggest four days of the jumps season. It features a series of “Championship” races that decide who the best horses of the year are.

The main ones are the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, the Champion Chase on Wednesday, Thursday’s Stayers’ Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.

There are a host of top supporting races too and owners, trainers and jockeys dream of winning any race.

The concentration of so many top horses and top races is what makes the meeting so special.

RACE TYPES

HURDLES: The horses jump hurdles which look like gates. They are not fixed rigidly into the ground and horses often kick them down as they jump them. They are usually three and a half feet high.

CHASES: The horses jump fences that are made from birch and are normally four and a half feet high. Most tracks also have a water jump where the fence is smaller but there is a small “pond” to leap over.

There are plain fences and open ditches – these have a gully in front of the fence so the horse has to jump a bit further.

NATIONAL HUNT FLAT: These are also called bumpers and are for horses that will eventually be hurdlers or chasers to gain some experience. They are run on the hurdles track but the hurdles are taken away so it is a flat race for horses who are just learning the sport.

THE START

Unlike the Flat there are no starting stalls for any jumps race – the horses line up behind a tape which is released by the starter to signal the race has begun.

HANDICAP or NON-HANDICAP?

The goal of a handicap race is for horses of different abilities to be able to race each other without the result being obvious.

To try to equalise them, the faster horses carry more weight than the slower ones. The idea is that weight slows horses down.

In jumps racing, the horses can carry as little as 10 stone and the best horse would generally carry 11 stone, 12 lb.

A jockey would usually weigh about 10 stone with their saddle and other equipment.

The rest is made up of thin lead weights that are put into the saddle. So if a horse is due to carry 11 stone and the jockey plus their saddle and other equipment like boots etc adds up to 10 stone, then that horse will have a stone of lead weights put into the saddle.

PA

The Cross Country Chase is one of the best handicap races at the Festival[/caption]

The weights are set by the official handicappers who decide how good they think each horse is. When a horse runs well it generally has more weight to carry next time and if it runs badly it often has less weight in future races.

In a NON-HANDICAP, the horses generally all carry the same weight. Although female horses, known as fillies until they become mares at the age of five, get a 7lb weight allowance in some races.

Many of the most prestigious races at the Festival are non-handicaps.

RACE DISTANCE

In jumps racing, the shortest races are just under two miles long. The longest race of the season is the Grand National at Aintree in April which is over four miles, two furlongs and 74 yards.

A furlong is 220 yards and there are eight furlongs in a mile. Races over three miles and further are often called “staying races”. In racing, a horse called a stayer is considered to have lots of stamina.

RACE CLASS

Our racecards show the class of today’s race. Class is a bit like the divisions in football. A Class 1 race would be the Premier League, Class 2 the Championship, Class 3 League One and so on. You’ll see much better horses in Class 1 races than Class 5 contests.

Some of the races at Cheltenham are Grade 1, 2 or 3. That is higher again than even Class 1 with Grade 1 the very pinnacle of the sport. Horses running at this level are the true superstars.

THE GOING

The going is the condition of the course on the day of racing. If there has been a lot of rain it will often be described as soft or heavy which means very soft. This is also known as slow ground.

If there hasn’t been so much rain around, it could be good to soft, good or even good to firm. This is often known as fast ground.

It’s important because some horses like soft ground and others like it good or firm.

The Favourite’s racecards tell you which going each horse has won on – S-soft, G-good, GS-good to soft, F-firm, GF-good to firm.

FORM

You can spend seconds or hours looking at a horse’s form – the record of how it has done in its previous races.

On the racecard, the horse’s most recent run is always closest to its name. So if it says 311-221 that means the horse won its last race and finished second in the two before that.

Everything to the left of the dash is from last season.

There is more detail in the Sunform we carry for every race. That tells you where the horse ran last time and how it did.

OWNERS, TRAINERS AND JOCKEYS

Surprise, surprise, owners own the horses. But they can be individual people or racing clubs and syndicates with thousands of members.

Trainers look after the horses, they live at their stables and are kept fit and prepared for each race.

Jockeys ride the horses in the race. Some jockeys have little figures in brackets after their name. These are usually young riders called “conditional” jockeys who are just starting their career.

Paul Edwards

Sir Alex Ferguson will be at Cheltenham cheering on his runners[/caption]

They get weight knocked off the horse they are riding – 7lb until they have clocked up 20 wins, 5lb until 40 wins and 3lb until 75 wins.

After that they become fully fledged jockeys and get no weight allowance. The figure in brackets is the amount to knock off the horse’s weight in today’s race.

Some of the biggest names in sport and entertainment will be among the owners at Cheltenham this week.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp will be on site, while Geri Haliwell will have a runner on Friday.

JOCKEYS’ COLOURS

The colours relate to the owners. Each owner has their own colours that jockeys riding one of their horses wear.

When the same owner has two or more runners in the race, the jockeys wear the same shirt but have a different coloured cap. It’s a bit tricky to follow sometimes when that happens.

HEADGEAR

There are different types of headgear that are mostly designed to help a horse concentrate in a race. They are shown by different symbols on the racecard.

T: The horse is wearing a tongue tie. This is a device used by trainers to stop the horse’s tongue from flapping about. It doesn’t hurt them.

B: The horse is wearing blinkers. This is a type of hood the horse wears with little cups around the eyes. It helps the horse to look forwards during the race and not be distracted.

H: The horse is wearing a plain hood – it doesn’t have the blinkers on but goes over their ears to help block out some of the noise and help them stay nice and calm, especially before the race.

P: The horse is wearing cheekpieces. These look like big sideburns and are attached to the horse’s bridle. They help the horse to concentrate.

STAR: The star means the horse has the blinkers, cheekpieces or hood – known collectively as headgear – on for the first time.

You’ll also hear talk of a “wind op”. This is a medical procedure some horses have to help them breathe more easily during a race. It can help some horses find more stamina in their races.

TRACK RECORD

Horses that have run well at Cheltenham often come back and run well again. This is shown on the racecard.

C: The horse has won at this course before – ie Cheltenham.

D: The horse has won a race over this distance before.

CD: The horse has won a race over this course AND distance before.

OLD COURSE OR NEW COURSE

Cheltenham is actually two tracks in one. The Old course is the original that is used for the first two days of the Festival.

Then there’s the New course which is a bit more of a test of stamina and you often see horses coming from miles back to win up the hill. Both courses have the same finish in front of the stands.

Forget that, Cheltenham is three tracks in one! There is a cross-country course in the middle of the other two courses that is used once during the meeting.

There are a whopping 32 obstacles to be tackled including different types of hurdles, fences and banks.

It is a throwback to jumps racing hundreds of years when races would be run across open fields from steeple to steeple, hence the old-fashioned term steeplechase.

HAVING A BET

We all love to take a few quid off the bookies. There are various ways of doing this, here are just a few:

WIN SINGLE: This is where you pick a horse and back it to win. It has to be first past the post to get a return.

EACH-WAY: This is where your horse either has to win or finish in the places. Usually the places are the first three for races of 5-15 runners, or the first four for 16-runners or more. But some bookies offer even more places so check the adverts in the Favourite each day. With an each-way bet half your stake goes on the win, and half goes on the place which is paid out at either a fifth or a quarter of the odds depending on your bookie.

FORECAST: This is where you try to name the horse that will finish first and the one that will come second – in the right order. A bit tricky!

ACCUMULATORS: Also known as an acca, this is where you try to pick the winner of two or more different races – and they all have to win to get a payout. Even more tricky!

PLACEPOT: This is where you pick a horse to be placed in the first six races of the meeting. If they do you’ll get a potentially very nice return at Cheltenham.

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Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.

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Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
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• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
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Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

AN ONLYFANS model was mysteriously found dead at her home two weeks after losing contact with her parents.

Cops discovered Juli Luxie, 21, at her home in Essonne, France after her parents desperately feared for her wellbeing.

Instagram

She was found in her apartment in Essonne, France[/caption]

Instagram

Juli, also known as Julie Diablotine, was found dead on Thursday near her front door, which was locked at the time.

The models dad however had reported his daughter had been “depressed”, according to Le Parisien.

Cops revealed they discovered traces of blood and bottles of nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas”, in the apartment, just south of Paris.

Juli would reportedly use “large quantities” of the gas, which is used as a recreational drug.

These canisters have also been known to lead to unconsciousness.

Police revealed they launched an investigation into the OnlyFans stars tragic death and will carry out an autopsy.

Cops added that they have ruled out criminal suspicions so far as they found the door to her apartment was locked.

Juli had around 40,000 followers on Instagram and posted across social media sites to her fans.

The models followers paid heartfelt tributes to the 21-year-old in the comments of her posts.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.

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KING Charles has forked out £3million for a property next to Queen Camilla’s beloved Wiltshire retreat to prevent it becoming a wedding venue.

The purchase was made to help maintain Camilla’s privacy at her personal pad, Ray Mill, where she sneaks off to watch Corrie with a G&T.

Reuters

King Charles has bought the £3million home next to Queen Camilla to prevent it becoming a wedding venue[/caption]

Harlow & Son

King Charles has reportedly bought Old Mill using personal funds[/caption]

Rex

The Mail on Sunday reported how the monarch has bought the neighboring four-bedroom home – named the Old Mill – which is located along the river Avon.

A royal source claimed Camilla had “great anxiety” over proposal plans to convert the home into a wedding venue, particularly as its boundary lies just 30ft away from her house.

A potential buyer was said to be keen to “maximise commercial use of the property as a short-term holiday rental and wedding venue.”

The source stated: “Think of it – dozens of wedding guests carousing every weekend just the other side of her fence.”

To prevent this from happening, King Charles is understood to have purchased the home using private funds.

He will now reportedly find a “security-vetted tenant” who will put the home to “appropriate” use.

The historic Old Mill pad, which dates back to the Norman Conquest, has two en suite bathrooms, two other bathrooms, and three reception rooms.

According to the listing brochure, it’s “set in the most idyllic position with breathtaking views of the river Avon and surrounding countryside.

“This enviable position offers great potential with low head water turbines providing an income, set within approximately two acres”.

King Charles and Queen Camilla typically reside at Clarence House in London – but Camilla often visits her home in the country.

Camilla bought the 17-acre Ray Mill in Wiltshire after her divorce from Andrew Parker-Bowles in 1994, and reportedly still uses it today when she needs to have some down time. 

According to the Express, a source said: “At Ray Mill she can sit down with a big G&T, kick off her shoes and watch Coronation Street, which Charles loathes.

“She also doesn’t have to bother about how the place looks – Charles is so fussy about tidiness, while she leaves her stuff all over the place. 

“She doesn’t need her cushions plumped all the time.”

Another pal previously said: “That house is where she can cook scrambled eggs in her dressing gown and be among those she loves with not a jot of ceremony or anyone looking at her. It is home.”

Getty

Camilla is said to have had ‘anxiety’ over the neighbouring property plans[/caption]

Rex

Rex

PA:Press Association

The home boasts a terrace, stables and incredible gardens[/caption]

Camilla’s secret retreat

Camilla paid £850,000 for the countryside bolthole, which has many luxury features, including an outdoor swimming pool, terrace, stables and incredible gardens.

It was her main home from 1996 to 2003, and it is situated just 15 minutes from one of King Charles‘ favourite homes, Highgrove.

Royal fans got a sneak peek at Ray Mill as it served as a backdrop for portraits taken of the Queen to celebrate her 75th birthday.

It was also where Camilla’s daughter Laura Lopes hosted her wedding reception when she tied the knot with Harry Lopes in 2006.

Rex

Rex

Interior design expert Deepa Mehta-Sagar and founder of Area Decor LLC in Dubai said: “Reportedly, this is where the Queen spends time with her children and grandchildren, away from the public gaze.

“The Queen has always loved outdoor pursuits and is passionate about gardening.

“In this, the lush, enormous gardens at Wiltshire, far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life, are an ode to her.”

Floral curtains, yellow painted walls and patterned staircases ensure the true age of the home is maintained.

A huge outdoor balcony looks out onto the grounds – which was once home to sheep and other animals.

The bathroom hasn’t been modernised as it still has blue china for the sink, toilet and bath.

Camilla’s former roommate Virginia Carrington told of the Queen’s messy tendencies.

In Jessica Jayne’s book ‘The Duchess Of Cornwall: Camilla’s Story And Secrets’, Virginia said: “On coming home, she would just drop her clothes on the floor and leave them. Camilla’s bedroom always looked like a bomb had hit it.”

While Gyles Brandreth added: “Virginia was fairly tidy and organised and Camilla drove her nuts, in the nicest possible way.

“Virginia once told me: ‘You know, Camilla has this inability to hang anything up on a hanger. And she has an aversion to cleaning fluids of any description. 

“You should see the state of the bathroom when she’s been in it’.”

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Ray Mill is is situated just 15 minutes from one of King Charles’ favourite homes, Highgrove[/caption]