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‘It could be the best week ever’ – Chris Dobey hoping to win £10k Premier League Darts prize – to spend on epic six days

CHRIS DOBEY embarks on possibly the greatest week of his life, one that will consist of darts, football, horseracing and beer.

Hollywood, 34, is hoping to boost his bank balance at two Players Championship events in Leicester on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Chris Dobey of England throwing a dart during a darts match.
Getty
Chris Dobey is aiming to end his Premier League duck in Nottingham[/caption]
Chris Dobey at a darts match.
PA
Dobey said he would happily spend £10,000 on his action-packed week if he wins in Nottingham[/caption]

After that, he will try to break his Premier League duck in Nottingham on Thursday night – there is £10,000 available – but he must get past Rob Cross in the first round at the Motorpoint Arena.

The next day he heads to Gloucestershire for a jolly to watch the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the high point of the National Hunt season.

And then it is the big one – the countdown to Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley on Sunday March 16.

It is no great surprise, given how momentous next weekend could be, that he will not be going to ProTours in Hildesheim in Germany.

Dobey, the world no.8, said: “It could be one of the best weeks ever! I’ll happily spend the full £10,000 (winnings) on it.

“If I can win that on that Thursday night, I’ll be one happy person, especially going into the weekend.

“I’m definitely going to the game.

“I’m in with the fans this time. I did that the last time they played in a Cup final. I wanted to be with the atmosphere.

Cheltenham Festival betting offers and free bets

“There’s a group of us that go to home and away games and we’re all going together.

“We’ll be at Wembley’s BOXPARK before the match as well, spend a few hours there, soak in the atmosphere.

“We’ll probably be at Covent Garden or Leicester Square beforehand on the Saturday as well.

“Take in every little bit of atmosphere and get ready for the big one on the Sunday.”

Premier League Darts 2025: Dates and venues

Night 1 – Belfast: Humphries beat Dobey 6-1
Night 2 – Glasgow: Littler beat Humphries 6-5
Night 3 – Dublin: Price beat Aspinall 6-3
Night 4 – Exeter: Humphries beat Littler 6-4
Night 5 – Brighton: Littler beat Aspinall 6-3
Night 6 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham – Thursday March 13
Night 7 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff – Thursday March 20
Night 8 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle – Thursday March 27
Night 9 – Uber Arena, Berlin – Thursday April 3
Night 10 – AO Arena, Manchester – Thursday April 10
Night 11 – Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam – Thursday April 17
Night 12 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool – Thursday April 24
Night 13 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Thursday May 1
Night 14 – First Direct Arena, Leeds – Thursday May 8
Night 15 – P&J Live, Aberdeen – Thursday May 15
Night 16 – Utilita Arena, Sheffield – Thursday May 22
Play-Offs – The O2, London – Thursday May 29

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Mums race to Boots for baby buys reduced to just 15p & there’s even suncream you can stock up on for your summer holiday

EVERY parent knows how expensive it can be restocking your baby bag.

One mum shared the impressive deal she picked up at her local Boots.

Facebook / Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group
A savvy shopper shared the deals she picked up on baby essentials at her local Boots

Posting on the Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Home Bargains UK, the savvy shopper revealed the details of her haul.

She advised her fellow mums to nab the reduced baby essentials as soon as possible.

The poster shared pictures of her buys, which included multiple packs of baby soothers.

She revealed that the two-packs scanned for just 15p each.

The Mam Original Dummies are currently available in packs of two for £8.30 from the Boots website.

According to the mum, the double pack deal is “great for our holiday and to give to friends too”.

She purchased a total of three packs at the reduced rate.

These dummies are available in starter soothers for ages 0 to two months, and two to six months, and six months and up.

The Boots fan also picked up an impressive deal on children’s sun cream.

She found the Child’s Farm 50+ SPF Sun Cream for just £1.50 a bottle.

The same 100 mililitre spray bottle is currently listed for £12 on the Boots website.

According to the mum, the deals were available in both the clearance section and on the regular shelves.

And there are other baby buys on offer at these reduced rates.

“Other Child Farm products were about to be put up on the shelf at half price so not only their sun cream was half price,” the poster revealed.

Facebook users shared their thoughts on the deals in the comments section.

How to get free Pampers nappies as a parent

YOU can get your hands on free Pampers nappies by heading to their website and requesting a special nappy coupon.

The coupon will then be sent to your address and you can then go to the nearest store to collect the free nappies.

One parent recently listed all the stores that have teamed up with the brand:

“15p for dummies, wish we found these bargains,” wrote one impressed parent.

Another mum said she planned to “run after work” to pick up the deals.

“I will have to have a look,” commented third Facebook user.

Other parents shared the deals they picked up on baby essentials from Asda.

One pregnant mum shared all the bargains you can nab while expecting.

Facebook / Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group
The mum nabbed impressive deals of dummies as well as baby sun cream

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I was quoted £600 for a kitchen makeover but did it for just £30 – it took 6 hours & everyone says it looks amazing

A DIY enthusiast has revealed that she was quoted £600 for a kitchen makeover, so decided to do it herself on the cheap.

So if the cost of living crisis has made your purse feel tighter than ever before, but you’re keen to give your home a quick and easy overhaul, then you’ve come to the right place.

A messy kitchen with light teal cabinets and dark tile flooring.
A DIY fan has revealed that she was quoted £600 for a kitchen transformation, but did it herself for only £30
Facebook / diyonabudgetofficial
A newly renovated kitchen with dark blue cabinets and granite countertops.
Not only did Maria Quaife save herself £570, but it only took her six hours to do
Facebook / diyonabudgetofficial
Photo of a kitchen makeover with navy blue cabinets and dark gray tile flooring.
Facebook / diyonabudgetofficial
Social media users think Maria’s kitchen looks ‘amazing’[/caption]

Maria Quaife was able to transform her kitchen from drab to fab, all thanks to a lick of paint.

Thrilled with her DIY overhaul, Maria took to social media and posted on DIY On A Budget, a private Facebook group with 2.2million members, to share a before and after look at her jaw-dropping project – and it’s left many open-mouthed.

The DIY fan, who is from the UK, explained: “I was quoted around £600 to redecorate my kitchen and with it being just after Christmas I didn’t want to fork that out.”

As a result, she decided that to keep costs down, she would do it herself.

Now, Maria’s kitchen has been given the ultimate transformation, as she continued: “£30 and six hours later and I have transformed it myself.”

Maria confirmed that to transform her space, she used a tin of GoodHome Kitchen Antibes Matt Emulsion Paint, which you can buy from B&Q for just £20.

As well as this, she also used shelf brackets which she got for £5, and paint brushes, which also cost her just a fiver.

Not only this, but she also used an old bookcase to make shelves and got her blinds on a budget from Amazon

Overjoyed with her new kitchen, Maria explained: “I didn’t prep the doors at all, other than wipe them down with normal Dettol and a sponge to get any general marks off. 

“The cupboards were painted in a matt finish before so I just painted over them and in the gaps of the doors as I didn’t want white around them.” 

DIY fans beam

Facebook users were left beaming with Maria’s kitchen renovation and many eagerly flocked to the comments to express this.

One person said: “This is amazing.”

As they were professionals I guess they would have sanded, primer and all that stuff. I just slapped it on straight from the tin

Maria Quaife

Another added: “Looks good just proves what you can do with a bit of paint and hard work.” 

A third commented: “Wow you have done a fantastic job, well done it’s gorgeous.”

Eight Easy DIY Tips & Tricks

The ultimate guide for homeowners and renters:

Whilst someone else beamed: “You’ve done a lovely job! Love the colour!” 

At the same time, another DIY fan praised: “Well done for not giving in to those cowboys! Beautifully done.”

Wow you have done a fantastic job, well done it’s gorgeous

Facebook user

Not only this, but one Facebook user gasped: “£600 to paint a kitchen is daylight robbery in my view.”

To this, Maria agreed: “My thoughts too! But they were all coming in around that figure. 

“As they were professionals I guess they would have sanded, primer and all that stuff. I just slapped it on straight from the tin.”

Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club

Most popular DIY jobs homeowners love to do

  1. Paint walls          
  2. New carpet        
  3. Paint fence        
  4. Paint ceilings     
  5. Wallpapering    
  6. Paint skirting boards      
  7. New light fitting               
  8. Re-grout/replace bathroom tiles                
  9. Hang curtains/blinds      
  10. Paint/oil interior doors         
  11. Paint a shed            
  12. Paint stairs                 
  13. New plug sockets            
  14. New hard flooring                    
  15. New front door         
  16. Update kitchen sink            
  17. Replace kitchen worktops                   
  18. Hang shelves    
  19. Change/update doorknobs         
  20. Paint/upcycle garden furniture

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UK weather: Met Office issues warning for ‘dense fog’ sparking rush-hour havoc just hours after temps hit balmy 19C

THE Met Office has issued a warning for “dense fog”, sparking havoc for rush-hour commuters – just hours after temperatures hit a balmy 19C.

The cloud of fog, set to sweep parts of the UK this morning, could cause widespread delays or cancellations, Brits have been warned.

Misty view of Glasgow, Scotland, with houses and fog.
Alamy
Fog is set to sweep the UK this morning[/caption]
Map of the UK highlighting a yellow fog warning in northeast England.
MET Office
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning[/caption]

A yellow weather warning was announced last night, covering northeast England.

Affected areas include Middlesborough, Newcastle, York, Sunderland and Hull.

The warning will remain in force until mid-morning today.

Travellers have been warned the conditions “may lead to some challenging travel conditions”.

Delays to bus and train services should be expected – while flights and ferries may also be delayed or even cancelled.

Speaking last night, the Met Office said: “Fog will continue to develop across parts of northeast England, Yorkshire and Humberside through Sunday night.

“Some dense fog is likely in places with the visibility falling to 50 metres at times. Fog will lift during Monday morning.”

The weather agency advised Brits to check road conditions before driving, leave extra journey time and even change plans if necessary.

It also urged motorists to check their fog lights to ensure their safety.

It comes after Brits enjoyed summer-worthy sunshine over the end of last week and the weekend.

On Thursday, the highest temperature of the year so far was recorded in Santon Downham, Suffolk – with a tropical 19C.

Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon described the conditions as “very pleasant”.

However, before this warm spell, Brits saw another patch of “freezing fog”.

The Met Office urged drivers to be careful, describing “dense freezing fog patches around in the south”.

A severe warning for fog remained in place across part of the south coast until Wednesday.

It stated: “Patches of dense, locally freezing, fog have formed across the warning area, reducing visibility to less than 100 m in places.

“This will make for some tricky driving conditions.”

Which areas are affected?

North East England

  • Darlington
  • Durham
  • Gateshead
  • Hartlepool
  • Middlesbrough
  • Newcastle upon Tyne
  • North Tyneside
  • Northumberland
  • Redcar and Cleveland
  • South Tyneside
  • Stockton-on-Tees
  • Sunderland

Yorkshire & Humber

  • East Riding of Yorkshire
  • Kingston upon Hull
  • North Lincolnshire
  • North Yorkshire
  • South Yorkshire
  • West Yorkshire
  • York

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Vladimir Putin expels two Brit diplomats accusing them of ‘spying’ just days after Russian agents exposed in UK

VLADIMIR Putin has expelled two British diplomats after reportedly accusing them of being spies.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced a pair of workers connected to Britain’s embassy in Moscow have just two weeks to leave the country, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Vladimir Putin sitting at a desk.
AFP
Vladimir Putin has expelled two British diplomats in Moscow after Russia accused them of being spies[/caption]
The UK embassy in Moscow.
East2West
Both individuals accused of spying had connections to the UK embassy in Moscow[/caption]

Both individuals had deliberately declared false information about themselves when entering Russia, the FSB claimed.

They were also accused of “intelligence and subversive activities that threaten Russia’s security”, according to local media.

The Kremlin security service added that “both will be stripped of their accreditation and must leave Russia within two weeks”.

The Brits are believed to be a 34-year-old man and a 32-year-old women.

A senior British diplomat was seen entering and leaving the Russian foreign ministry as he was informed of the serious explosions. 

Just days earlier, a Russian spy ring who carried out espionage operations for Putin’s regime in Britain while bedding each other were caught.

Two women, known as the “killer sexy brunettes,” were in a love triangle with a leading member of the cell of six Bulgarian spies living and working in the UK.

The group plotted honeypot stings and conducted spying missions on behalf of Russia across Europe from Britain for lavish sums of money.

The spy ring was run by former city tech worker Orlin Roussev, 46, and targeted Putin’s opponents as well as assisting the Russian war effort against Ukraine.

Glamorous lab assistant Katrin Ivanova, 33, and beautician Vanya Gaberova, 30, were today convicted at the Old Bailey of espionage offences under the Official Secrets Act.

Gaberova’s painter and decorator ex-boyfriend Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, of Enfield, North London, was also convicted of spying charges.

The issue of Russian spies are feared to be a growing trend, says counter-terror chief Commander Dominic Murphy.

In September 2024, the accreditation of six diplomats were also terminated.

Later on in November, a second secretary of the British embassy’s department was ordered to leave Russia. 

Growing trend of Russian spying on British soil

A counter-terrorism chief has warned of the growing trend of Russia using criminal proxies to spy on British soil.

Commander Dominic Murphy, the head of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command vowed never to take his “eye off the ball” as he hailed his team’s success.

He said: “This is one of the largest and most complex examples of a group working for a foreign state to conduct intelligence surveillance operations here in the UK so it is a very significant case and I am very proud of the investigation team and the success they have had.

“This investigation uncovered spying on behalf of the Russian state on an industrial case, in this case committed by a group of Bulgarians contracted by an individual to conduct that spying on behalf of Russia.

“As the UK becomes a more hostile environment as a result of our work we will see them increasingly use proxies to conduct their activities.”

The ring was smashed in raids on properties in London and ringleader Orlin Roussev’s address in Great Yarmouth in February 2023, where police uncovered a treasure trove of hi-tech spyware.

On the challenges faced by enemy states operating on UK soil, he said: “Within counter-terrorism policing we are seeing more than 20% of our demand now coming from threat posed from foreign states to our national security so this is an ever growing challenge for us.

“We are committed to working closely with intelligence agencies in this country and our international partners to disrupt activity by foreign states.

“We have been working hard to make the UK a hostile working operating environment for these countries and this is an example of that because this group were contracted to operate on behalf of Russian intelligence services because this is a hostile environment for them to operate in directly here.

“So some positives but we will never take our eye off the ball working with our partners to keep the UK safe.”

Woman in black shirt leaning on railing.
East2West
Days ago, Russian spy Vanya Gaberova was found guilty of espionage on British soil[/caption]
Mugshot of a woman with long brown hair.
PA
Katrin Ivanova was also convicted[/caption]

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