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Genius hack you need to try when painting your ceilings – it stops annoying drips & gets the job done in minutes

A WOMAN has been praised after sharing a genius hack to stop annoying drips when you’re painting the ceiling.

As well as getting aching arms, having a paint-splattered carpet once you’ve finished the job is part and parcel of the task at hand.

Person painting a ceiling using an umbrella to catch paint drips.
Em took to TikTok to share her genius hack for stopping paint drips from falling onto the carpet when painting the ceiling
tiktok/@em.leigh
Person painting ceiling using an umbrella to prevent paint from dripping onto the carpet.
tiktok/@em.leigh
The umbrella formed something of a protective basket around the roller, to catch any unfortunate splatters[/caption]

However, Em has come up with an idea to stop that from happening once and for all – and she took to her TikTok page to share it with others.

In a clip on the social media site, she showed how she’d attached the long roller handle to an umbrella.

Then, when she was ready to paint, she opened up the umbrella – which formed a protective basket around the bottom of the roller.

In doing so, Em was able to stop any paint from making its way onto her floor.

“#1 best hack for painting ceilings,” she captioned the TikTok video.

Her video has been so popular among people on social media that it’s been viewed a whopping three million times.

But while Em’s tip will help prevent any annoying paint drips, it doesn’t help when it comes to another big downsides of using paint indoors – the smell.

One of the main reasons paint smells is because of the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) – chemicals that evaporate from the paint into the air.

They’re often used in paint to help with a smooth application and reduce drying times, but the majority of interior paints these days have a ‘low’ or ‘minimal’ VOC.

You can check the amount in yours by looking at the VOC Globe on the back of the tin – the lower the percentage, the less likely the paint is to emit a high odour.

But if you want to get rid of the smell quickly after painting, there are a few other hacks you can try.

The first is baking soda – which you can pick up for as little as 65p from the supermarket.

“Simply pour several tablespoons into bowls or plates and leave these around the room overnight to absorb the smell,” Ronseal paint expert Jimmy Englezos suggested.

“It can also be sprinkled onto soft furnishings such as carpets and sofas and then hoovered up the next day.”

An expert's guide to removing mould and repainting walls

Not only does mould look ugly, but if it’s not treated properly it can impact your health.

Ronseal shared its guide to removing, fixing and preventing mould infestations.

You should only remove mould if it’s caused by condensation and covers an area smaller than one metre squared. If the mould is caused by sewage or contaminated water, call in a professional.

Before you start, wear goggles, long rubber gloves and a mask that covers your nose and mouth to protect you from the mould spores. Open the windows for added ventilation but keep the doors shut to avoid spores spreading.

How to remove mould from walls:

  1. Fill a bucket with water and mild detergent like washing up liquid. Or use a dedicated mould remover to make quick work of it. 
  2. Dip a cloth in water and wipe the mould off the wall. Don’t brush it as this can release mould spores.
  3. Once you’ve removed the mould, use a dry rag to remove the rest of the moisture.
  4. Throw away the cloth and vacuum the room to make sure you’ve removed all of the spores.

How to paint over mould:

Never ever paint over mould without killing it first. It won’t tackle the source of the problem and will make it look worse.

Once you’ve treated the affected area, use a specialist anti-mould paint to finish the job.

Damp stains can be painted over with a suitable paint like Ronseal’s 6 Year Anti Mould Paint, so long as the damp has dried and the source has been treated. Some damp sealants can be applied directly onto a wet surface, so check the instructions before you begin.

While another idea is to use activated charcoal.

“Charcoal filters can be picked up from hardware stores or charcoal powder can be purchased online,” Jimmy added.

“Like with baking soda, leave it in small bowls around the room to soak up the paint odours overnight.”

Woman painting a ceiling.
Getty
Painting a ceiling can be a tiring and arduous task, but the umbrella hack can at least keep the messiness at bay[/caption]

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Jamie Theakston issues health update as star says he needs to see his surgeon every month after cancer treatment

JAMIE Theakston has issued a health update after undergoing cancer treatment, revealing he needs to see his surgeon every month for check-ups.

Heart Radio presenter Jamie, 54, announced he had been diagnosed with with stage 1 laryngeal cancer in September 2024, taking time away from his breakfast show hosting duties.

Jamie Theakston at a Cabaret VIP gala night in London.
Rex
Jamie Theakston has issued a health update after undergoing cancer treatment[/caption]

The star’s initial procedure, performed privately at the Princess Grace Hospital in London, successfully removed his lesion.

However, biopsies could not confirm with complete certainty that all cancer cells had been eliminated.

While he is free from the disease now, with odds of it returning “very low”, he is still under instruction to see his surgeon every month.

In a new interview with The Times, Jamie spoke of his “scanxiety”, explaining the intervals between appointments will lengthen to three and then six months after a year.

He said: “I was given the option of radiotherapy, but we decided that surgery was a better option. I had to go back for a second operation and have more tissue removed. That reset my recovery right back to the beginning.

“I was frustrated because I just wanted to get back to work. I remember reading an interview Amanda [Holden] had given saying, ‘We hope to have him back by Christmas.’ I had thought, way before Christmas! So the second operation put us back a bit.

“And then we found that during the healing process, some scar tissue was touching the other vocal cord. So I had to go back and have a third surgery.

“We were happy that the cancer was clear but to allow my voice to operate, they had to remove the scar tissue, which unfortunately had formed in a place where we didn’t want it forming.”

Jamie recently told fans that there was a time where doctors warned him that he could lose his voice forever.

He underwent multiple rounds of surgery after the first operation was not as successful as doctors hoped.

The presenter said the consultants’ potential warnings came as an “enormous shock.”

Jamie said: “I’ve had ‘scan-anxiety’ – everyone who has been through what I’ve been through will know you just get a barrage of statistics.”

“There’s a one in ten chance you won’t survive it, and you kind of go ‘Oh, OK’ I’ll take that.”

As he went through more treatment, he admitted that he became more worried with each statistic.

“I had to do several surgeries, and the first surgery wasn’t as successful as we hoped.

“Then there was a second surgery, and then a third, and each time I was doing more and more damage to my vocal chords.”

He added: “By the third one they said, well you’ve got a one in six chance that you might not be able to talk again.

“I thought OK, that’s like rolling a dice, I’ll take that, It’s just statistics after statistics.”

Jamie made an emotional announcement when he first revealed the news of his shock diagnosis last year.

Addressing fans, he told them: “Hi folks, as you know – I recently had an operation to remove a lesion from my vocal cords.

“The biopsy has identified this as Stage 1 Laryngeal cancer.”

Key symptoms of laryngeal cancer

THERE are six key symptoms of laryngeal cancer to look out for according to the NHS:

  1. pain when swallowing or difficulty swallowing
  2. a lump or swelling in your neck
  3. a long-lasting cough or breathlessness
  4. a persistent sore throat or earache
  5. a high-pitched wheezing noise when you breathe
  6. in severe cases, difficulty breathing

Other signs also include: bad breath, unintentional weight loss, or fatigue (extreme tiredness).

You should see your doctor if you notice you:

  • have a hoarse voice for more than 3 weeks
  • have lost 4 to 5 kg (10lbs) or more in a short time and you are not dieting
  • are short of breath or have a cough that doesn’t go away, or your breathing becomes noisy (stridor)
  • have pain or difficulty swallowing
  • have any other symptoms that are unusual for you or that don’t go away
Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston at a Heart radio broadcast.
Instagram
He hosts Heart Radio’s breakfast show with Amanda Holden[/caption]
Jamie Theakston holding flowers outside Global Radio studios.
PA
The star discussed how tough his multiple surgeries had been[/caption]

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Leicester vs Arsenal LIVE SCORE: Gunners travel to Premier League strugglers amid injury crisis – latest updates

ARSENAL travel to Premier League strugglers Leicester for a huge Premier League clash TODAY.

The Gunners find themselves in an injury crisis, with just three forwards fit for the clash at the King Power Stadium.

Arsenal‘s top goalscorer this season, Kai Havertz, became the latest name in the treatment room – with the German set to miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury.

Mikel Arteta looks like he will be forced to play a front three of Ethan Nwaneri, Raheem Sterling and Leandro Trossard this afternoon.

The Gunners are in need of a huge three points to close the gap on Prem leaders Liverpool.

  • Kick off time: 12.30pm GMT
  • TV channel: TNT Sports 1
  • Live stream: discovery+
  • Leicester team: To follow…
  • Arsenal team: To follow…

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

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‘No body’ murder probe launched in search for missing woman last seen in sleepy UK village as cops seal off bungalows

COPS have launched a “no body” murder investigation after a woman went missing from a sleepy village several weeks ago.

The woman, who is in her 50s and from Christchurch near March, Cambridgeshire, has not been seen since late January.

Aerial view of two bungalows sealed off by police during a murder investigation.
Terry Harris
Two bungalows eight miles apart have been sealed off by Cambridgeshire Police[/caption]
Two bungalows sealed off by police during a murder investigation.
Terry Harris
The woman, from Christchurch near March, has not been seen since late January[/caption]

Detectives said they were concerned enough about her welfare to treat her disappearance as a murder.

A 47-year-old man, from Christchurch, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.

The woman has yet to be named by police.

Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit declared the case a “no-body” murder investigation on Friday.

They have been carrying out inquiries into her disappearance “but so far to no avail”.

Two bungalows eight miles apart were sealed off in connection with the investigation.

Det Insp Richard Stott said: “Concern was raised for the woman last night, and due to the length of time since she was last seen and concerns that she may have come to some harm, we are treating this as a murder investigation.”

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Zelenksy calls for ‘Army of Europe’ to take on Russia without US as Trump urges him to make a deal with Putin

UKRAINE’S brave President Volodymyr Zelensky has today called for the creation of an “Army of Europe” to take on Russia.

Zelensky spoke about his ambitions to create a continental military force at the Munich Security Conference – as he blasted Vladimir Putin a “liar, weak and predictable”.

Volodymyr Zelensky speaking at the Munich Security Conference.
AFP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for the creation of an ‘Army of Europe’ to take on Russia[/caption]
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and JD Vance at a meeting.
AP
US Vice President JD Vance met with Zelensky in Munich yesterday[/caption]
Burned and damaged cars in a parking lot after a drone attack.
Getty
A damaged residential building in Ukraine following a Russian drone attack[/caption]

The 47-year-old Ukrainian leader made the comments as he notably left out Washington‘s involvement in his European army dream.

It comes amid Donald Trump urging Ukraine to find a resolution to end the war quickly.

President Trump has already shared a phone call with both Zelensky and Putin with all three men looking to agree to a peace deal.

Tyrant Putin is expected to make a number of deranged demands when he finally meets Trump for Ukraine peace for talks.

Whereas Zelensky has said he won’t accept any peace deal unless his country is given security guarantees.

Speaking in Germany today, Zelensky proposed a new plan to achieve safety for Ukraine going forwards.

He said: “Many leaders have talked about Europe and that needs its own military, an army of Europe and I believe the time has come.

“The armed forces of Europe must be created.

“Without Ukraine’s army, Europe’s army’s will not be enough to stop Russia.

“Only our army in Europe has real, modern battlefield experience but our army alone is not enough too.

“And we need what you can provide weapons, training, sanctions, financing, political pressure and unity.”

The Ukrainian president said Europe should be looking to create such a military separate from Nato in case “America might say no to Europe on issues that threaten it”.

He added that after three years of fighting, Ukraine has managed to build up the foundations of a European army and should now act on it.

“As we fight this war and lay the groundwork for peace and security we must build the armed forces of Europe so that Europe’s future depends only on Europeans and decisions about Europe are made in Europe,” he said.

“Europe has everything it takes but it needs to come together.

“We need confidence in our own friends so that others have no choice but to respect Europe’s power and without European army that is impossible.”

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk appeared to support Zelensky’s calls as he said Europe urgently needs a plan over security.

He said he fears “global players will decide” Europe’s future if they don’t prepare.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy in body armor amidst war-damaged buildings.
Getty
Zelesnky has been bravely standing up for his nation against Vlad[/caption]
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in conversation.
AP
President Donald Trump with Zelensky last year[/caption] Illustration of a proposed Ukraine peace plan map showing territorial divisions and troop deployments.

The calls for a united force on the continent comes as disagreements over Ukraine’s potential Nato membership continues to rage on.

Ukraine has wanted to be a part of Nato for years – an issue that helped spark Vlad’s initial invasion three years ago.

This would give them protection from any foreign forces as an attack on a Nato country would result in a counter strike conducted by the remaining nations.

Moscow has constantly said they will not allow Ukraine to join the alliance with Putin vowing to continue his assault until he is given these assurances.

The US has also been accused of rolling over to Russia before negotiations had even started following on from Putin and Trump’s positive chat.

Over the past few days, those close to The White House have said Ukraine won’t be allowed to go back to its 2014 borders before the annexing of Crimea.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has also been adamant that there is no chance Ukraine would be allowed to join Nato.

Zelensky told global leaders in Munich he is refusing to accept that Ukraine won’t be allowed a Nato membership.

He even said the organisation needs to stop allowing Putin to dictate things on his terms and instead help Ukraine to prevent a wider war breaking out in Europe.

Zelensky has already met with US Vice President JD Vance at the security conference.

They spoke together alongside Washington and Kyiv delegations as they discussed the latest developments in the bloody conflict.

What is Trump’s Ukraine plan?

Before he took office last month, Trump ambitiously vowed to find a resolution within days.

Any new deal is said to involve Putin stopping in his tracks and finally putting to an end Russia’s steadily advancing front line.

European soldiers, including Brits, could then be used to guarantee Putin doesn’t invade again by policing a demilitarised zone.

Crucially for Trump and Putin’s relationship, this wouldn’t include American soldiers, say reports.

In return, Ukraine would be barred from joining Nato and would have to declare neutrality.

The country could still join the EU in 2030, and Trump would want the bloc to drive Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction.

The US would continue to support Ukraine’s military, but Kyiv would have to accept Russian ownership of the land Moscow has seized.

The alleged outline for peace was leaked to Ukrainian news outlet Strana – but Zelensky’s office slammed it as Russian disinformation.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed a potential deal on Wednesday at a meeting of Ukraine’s military allies at the Nato headquarters in Brussels.

He said a return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders before Vlad’s illegal invasion was unrealistic – meaning Russia would be able to keep the land it has stolen.

Hegseth added that his administration doesn’t see any circumstance where Kyiv would be allowed to join Nato.

His speech was regarded as the bluntest statement made by the US on how they believe the conflict can be stopped so far.

Footage of the historic meeting saw Donald Trump’s number two explain that the goal remains the same between both America and Ukraine – to stop the war.

He said: “Fundamentally, the goal is as President Trump outlined – that we want the war to come to a close.

“We want the killing to stop but we want to achieve a durable lasting peace, not the kind of peace that’s going to have Eastern Europe in conflict just a couple of years down the road.”

He also vowed that the two nations would continue to have similar “fruitful” conversations in the coming days, weeks and months.

Zelensky echoed these thoughts as he thanked America for their support.

The heroic leader said he hopes to continue on with the positive conversations as they prepare a plan “to stop Putin and finish the war”.

A NATO WAR

Zelesnky warned the West on Friday that Putin is preparing to unleash a war against Nato in the next 12 months.

In a press conference, he said Vlad was readying a conflict with Nato in 2026 and that giving away Ukrainian land would not appease him.

Zelensky said: “Based on all the information I’ve gathered from intelligence and other sources, I think he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) is preparing for war against NATO countries next year.

“You will not stop him [even] if he says he will stop, it’s not enough. Putin definitely does not want peace.”

The Ukrainian leader added: “God bless, we will stop this crazy guy.”

He also believes mad Vlad is preparing to send 15 divisions – some 150,000 soldiers – to Belarus.

From Belarus, Putin’s murderous army could easily invade Ukraine, Poland, or the three Baltic countries – sparking all-out chaos on the continent.

Spy intel released from Denmark on Wednesday warned that Russia’s military capacity could see Putin ready to spark wars with neighbouring regions in just six months as he eyes fractures in Nato.

It added that the threat is greater if Putin sees NATO as “militarily weakened or politically divided”.

Soldiers in ghillie suits stand in a line holding rifles.
Getty
Ukrainian soldiers train outside of Pokrovsk on Thursday[/caption]
A man in military uniform gives a thumbs-up to a line of soldiers.
Reuters
Nato troops training in Europe in the wake of Russia’s illegal invasion[/caption]

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I’m a love expert, Georgia Toffolo’s quarterly review might work but I rate my relationship weekly

FORMER Made In Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo stunned fans after revealing she and Brewdog tycoon fiancé James Watt do quarterly reviews of their relationship.

The telly favourite turned romance author said the pair sit down every three months to say what they love about each other and what they love about the relationship.

georgia toffolo, No one tells you how intense the sheer elation is! I’m on top of the world! Also the luckiest girl in the world! Swamped with happiness! I want to scream from the rooftops!, , With James Watt, , Insta - boosted
Toff and James stunned fans with their relationship reveal
Gemma Nice, SUPPLIED
Gemma Nice does her review every Friday

But in what Toff describes as the “savage” section, they address improvement areas.

Sex and relationship coach Gemma Nice says she also has regular reviews with her other half.

Gemma, right, said: “A quarterly review is great to keep the relationship alive and allows you both to say it how it is. It’s like a company doing its quarterly review to make sure things are staying in check. It also allows you to appreciate each other.”

She added: “It’s so healthy to keep tabs on where you both are within the relationship every three months.

“My husband and I usually have a coffee date every Friday morning and discuss things within our relationship, like any worries.

“I also get my clients to do this as it’s a great way to see how the relationship is going, where it can be improved, how the communication, trust, intimacy, sex life is going. It allows you to be open and honest with each other.”

When the expert gets her clients to check in with each other, she says it is vital to turn off devices and listen.

She added: “Do not interrupt each other, and really take on board each other’s concerns. I get my clients to sometimes sit back-to-back so you are physically touching each other. The other person cannot talk until instructed. This works really well when there is conflict.”

Gemma, who has been married for 25 years and has two kids, says there are real benefits to regularly communicating, as it stops small problems from growing into insurmountable issues.

The love guru said: “The positives are you can keep an eye on where you are in the relationship and, if anything is starting to go astray, intervene early and sort it out before it escalates.

“It allows you to be fully open and honest, which then moves into better intimacy and a better sex life.”

Heaping praise on your loved one and your partnership can boost their confidence, she insists.

It also deepens the bond. Gemma said: “It gives them a sense of purpose and self-esteem. It also strengthens their confidence as well as the relationship, meaning both parties benefit.

“It improves relationship satisfaction because you are both communicating your needs to each other, making it easier for the relationship to progress and stay healthy.”

And Gemma said quarterly reviews — more often found in an office setting — are a perfect example of why relationships need work.

She said: “A lot of people get stuck in a rut and don’t want to fix things. This is where the relationship starts to dwindle. You have to work at a relationship.

“You wouldn’t not put fuel in your car and expect it to run. It’s the same principle, you need to put the work in to get better benefits.”
But opening up to your partner can also have a down side, if one is not fully on board with the idea.

Gemma said: “You could be seen to be overanalysing and being critical of the relationship, passing the blame. This might be seen as constantly looking for things to bring up at the quarterly meeting.

“It can also bring up smaller issues which might cause tension if not dealt with correctly.”

ROMANCE ON RIGHT TRACK

FIVE top tips to stay on track:

Sit back to back when you are talking it out. Actively listen to each other, not shouting, and allowing each other to be heard. Don’t interrupt and use “I” statements.

Set boundaries and stick to them. If you say you are going out and will be back at a certain time, don’t be later. This builds up trust.

Be open and honest. If this seems hard, close your eyes, hold hands and breathe. Take in three deep breaths to feel calm.

Keep emotions under control when stressed, anxious or worried. Doing self-care techniques, such as breath work, meditation or taking a bath, can help you relax.

Try new things together and above all, have fun. As adults we seem to lose the ability to mess around.

Despite this, the love coach still says it is worth the risk as, like Toff and her soon-to-be husband, it helps you come out stronger.

Gemma added: “You need to go about it in a non-judgmental way, which means using ‘I’ statements.

“For example, ‘I really appreciate the hard work you are putting into our relationship’ instead of using ‘you’ statement — ‘You make me feel sad when you don’t put the work in’. It really reframes how you communicate with each other.

“By doing these kinds of things it makes the communication, trust and intimacy stronger in all areas of the relationship.”

Woman sitting at a table with a laptop that says "we tell each other".
Toff made the confession online

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Trolls call me ‘ungrateful’ for moaning about my temporary council house BUT it’s too white & clean…just like a hospital

A MOTHER has been slammed as ‘ungrateful’ after moaning about her temporary council house accommodation.

Linda Slater, a mother from the UK, explained that she and her family were put up in a temporary property, which she described as ‘very white’ and ‘very clean’.

Woman in a gray fluffy hoodie reacts to a comment that calls her ungrateful.
TikTok/@lindaxslater
A mother has left people stunned after complaining about her temporary council house accommodation[/caption]
Small, white kitchen with tiled floor.
TikTok/@lindaxslater
Linda Slater had many open-mouthed by her claims, as she described the property as an ‘absolute joke’[/caption]

But Linda wasn’t impressed with the ‘absolute joke’ of a property, which she claimed was a ‘safety hazard’ for her kids.

Posting on social media, the brunette beauty gave her followers a tour of the council property, leaving many totally stunned. 

The woman, who claims to be receiving benefits, said: “So this is where the council temporarily housed us for a little while – it was alright, I mean, the bathroom was ridiculously excessive, who needs a bathroom that big?

“It was just very long, it was a really long flat and it felt very hospital

“It’s very white, very clean, it’s just not a bit of me.

“And the tiled floors, it’s just a real safety hazard for the kids.”

Linda explained that the ‘long’ flat goes “on and on and on” and not only was she unimpressed with the layout of the property, but also the low roof too.

The mother claimed to repeatedly hit her head on the “absolutely joke” of a roof.

As well as this, she continued: “The bedroom is alright, it didn’t come with any wardrobes or decent furniture.”

Linda then asked her followers what they thought of her temporary housing, but much to her dismay, trolls were out in full force, with many stunned that she wasn’t happy with the property. 

The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @lindaxslater, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 644,300 views in just 24 hours. 

One person said: “Complaining about a spacious clean flat? Unbelievable.” 

Count yourself very lucky I was put in a room with two teenagers for a year!

TikTok user

Another slammed: “Ungrateful is an understatement.”

A third commented: “This is the best homeless accommodation I’ve ever seen 😳😳😳 are you serious?!?!”

How can I get a council house?

To apply for a council home, you need to fill out and hand in an application to your local authority.

To find your local authority, simply use the Government’s council locator tool on its website.

Once you have access to your local council’s website, it should offer you guidelines on how to complete your application.

After applying, you’ll most likely have to join a waiting list.

Bear in mind, even if you are put on a waiting list, this doesn’t guarantee you a council house offer.

Your council should also offer you advice on how to stay in your current home and solve any issues you might have, such as problems with a private landlord or mortgage.

You are eligible to apply for council housing if you are a British citizen living in the UK providing have not lived abroad recently.

Each council has its own local rules about who qualifies to go on the housing register in its area, but it is based on “points” or a “banding” system.

For example, you’re likely to be offered housing first if you:

  • are homeless
  • live in cramped conditions
  • have a medical condition made worse by your current home
  • are seeking to escape domestic violence

Once you are high enough on a council’s waiting list, it will contact you when a property is available.

Some councils let people apply at the age of 18, while others let you apply even sooner at 16-year-olds.

EU workers and their families and refugees may also be eligible.

council house is reached through a points system, so depending on your housing needs, you may be considered low priority.

The council will contact you about any available property once you are high enough on the waiting list.

There is no limit on how long you can expect to be on the waiting list.

Whilst someone else chimed in: “No mould, clean and tidy. This is outstanding for temporary accommodation!”

At the same time, one mother wrote: “Count yourself very lucky I was put in a room with two teenagers for a year! This would have been a dream.” 

Meanwhile, one homeowner penned: “I would be so happy with this flat! It’s nicer than my house that I spend my entire salary on the mortgage.” 

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Putin critic who survived gulag reveals one memory that keeps playing in his head

Vladimir Kara-Murza, the recently freed British citizen and Russian opposition politician
Vladimir Kara-Murza, the recently freed Russian opposition politician (Picture: AP)

Sitting in the lobby of a central London hotel, Vladimir Kara-Murza is in a valiant mood.

It’s been six months since he was released from the IK-6 colony in Omsk, Siberia, a maximum security prison roughly 2,800 miles away.

The 43-year-old was locked up for two-and-a-half years, where he was, according to Amnesty International, ‘repeatedly subjected to arbitrary disciplinary punishments and other ill-treatment, including multiple placements in SHIZO (penalty isolation cell).’

His sentence came after he spoke out against the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Kara-Murzawas freed last August in the biggest exchange of prisoners since the Cold War. He is one of the surviving faces of Russia’s beleaguered opposition.

The father-of-three, who is also a British citizen, sat down with Metro for an exclusive interview about how his life has changed in the months since his release from the gulag where he thought he would die.

He said he is now working with Donald Trump’s administration to secure the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war, civilian captives and Russian political prisoners as part of a rumoured ceasefire to end Vladimir Putin’s three-year bloodshed.

From the day he was freed, Kara-Murza has continued to campaign for much harsher sanctions against the Kremlin. So, his days are now spent ‘on the go’ rather than in almost 24-hour confinement.

Russian journalist and activist Vladimir Kara-Murza holds up his Russian identity document during a press conference on August 2, 2024 in Bonn, western Germany, one day after being released from Russia as political prisoner in one of the biggest prisoner swaps between Russia and the West since the end of the Cold War. A total of 26 people, including two minors, from the United States, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Belarus and Russia are involved in one of the biggest East-West prisoner swaps since the Cold War. The Kremlin on August 2, 2024 said that at least three Russians freed in the prisoner exchange were undercover Russian agents, a rare public admission into the work of Moscow's top-secret security services. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP) (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)
The Russian opposition politician holds up his now expired Russian identity document during a press conference on August 2, 2024 in Bonn (Picture: AFP)

As time passes, the dissident remembers ‘less and less’ from all the savagery he experienced in the Russian gulag, but there is one memory that keeps playing over and over in his head.

‘The way the human mind works, it tries to get rid of the trauma because it cannot live with it,’ he told Metro.

‘As the days and weeks and months go on, I remember less and less, but there is one thing I will never be able to forget.

‘One of the things that authorities do to punish political opponents – this is something that has been done since Soviet times – is seek to inflict harm on their loved ones, they seek to punish the families too, as much as they can.

‘Among all the other measures I faced in prison, I was not allowed to call my wife and my children. In the whole two-and-a-half years that I spent in prison, I was once able speak on phone with my wife once and twice with my children.

‘The last time was just before Christmas in 2023 when I was given a single 15-minute call. I have three children. So, my wife had to literally stand on the other side with a stopwatch to see that each child is not getting more than five minutes.

‘She would have to physically take away the phone and pass it to the next child. This is torture to the families as well as to the prisoners.’

Before being convicted of treason and imprisoned in April 2022, Kara-Murza’s wife and children had already suffered the wrath of Putin during two near-fatal attempts to poison him in May 2015 and February 2017.

His family watched him slip into prolonged comas after the incidents that left him with a serious nerve disorder called polyneuropathy, which can be fatal.

Many of his compatriots in the fight against Putin’s authoritarian regime did not survive. Opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, Kara-Murza’s mentor and godfather to his youngest daughter, was the first to be killed. He was shot dead as he walked across Bolshoi Moskvorestky Bridge, just metres from the Kremlin, back in 2015.

FILE PHOTO: A police officer puts handcuffs on Jailed Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza during a court hearing to consider an appeal against his prison sentence, in Moscow, Russia July 31, 2023. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo
A police officer puts handcuffs on Vladimir during a court hearing to consider an appeal against his prison sentence, in Moscow, Russia (Picture: Reuters)

Anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny, who was for a long time the most prominent face of Russian opposition, was also assassinated almost a year to the day.

Evgenia, Vladimir’s wife, told Metro a year before her husband was exchanged, that she feared about his life in jail where his physical and mental health were declining.

Conditions vary greatly between colonies and even between cells within the same prison.

‘What you do all day is walk around in this tiny cubicle-size 2×3 metres cell in a small circle,’ he recalled of his days in confinement.

‘You have nowhere to go, nothing to do and no one to speak to. That is the most difficult part. It was Aristotle who wrote that we, human beings, are social. We need interaction as much as water and oxygen.

Jailed Russian opposition figure and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is serving a 25-year sentence over charges including treason over criticism of the Ukraine offensive, appears in court with a video link from his prison for a hearing in the case against inaction of the Investigative Committee of Russia on his poisoning, in Moscow on February 22, 2024. (Photo by Alexander NEMENOV / AFP) (Photo by ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images)
Vladimir was supposed to serve a 25-year sentence over ‘made-up’ charges including treason over criticism of the Ukraine war (Picture: Getty)

‘And when a human being is totally deprived of communication, when they cannot as much as say “hello” to anybody for days and weeks on end, they go crazy. I do not mean that in a metaphorical sense, but in a literal sense.

‘You start forgetting words and names, you start shouting at walls. Political prisoners by definition are considered by the regime to be particularly dangerous. We are not allowed to speak with the rest of the prisoners, so we are all held in isolation.’

To occupy his brain – while watching his life being ‘washed away’ – Vladimir started to learn Spanish. He had a list of languages he wished to master if he had to serve the rest of his 25-year sentence.

What really ‘saved him’ was his Christian faith, knowing that he was on the right side of history, and letters.

The dissident received thousands of letters every month from people all over Russia, proving that not all his fellow citizens support Putin’s war in Ukraine.

In this handout photo released by the Moscow City Court, Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza speaks to his lawyer Maria Eismont, back to camera, prior to listening to the verdict in a courtroom at the Moscow City Court in Moscow, on Monday April 17, 2023. A top Kremlin foe was convicted Monday on charges of treason and denigrating the Russian military and sentenced him to 25 years in prison after a trial that marked the latest move in a relentless crackdown on the opposition amid the fighting in Ukraine. (The Moscow City Court via AP)
He spend two-and-a-half years from one Russian colony to another (Picture: AP)

They were from people he had never met and from cities and towns he had never been to.

‘They took time to write to me in prison and say that they feel the same way as I do about this war,’ Kara-Murza said.

‘The letters were a very big help. Every time I have spoken to a Western audience in these last six months and people ask “What can I do to help? I am not a member of parliament, not a journalist, I am just a regular citizen. What can I do to help?”

‘I always say one thing, please write to political prisoners. It makes the life of a difference between someone keeping their sanity and surviving.

‘Only somebody who has been in a situation like I have can appreciate how much light and how much hope and how much warmth can be in a small sheet of paper that the prison guard hands you through the feeding slot in the door at 4pm every day.’

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