A WOMAN who lives in the smallest council house in the world has revealed she has to give visitors tours of her property every week.

Fay Laflin has lived in the 17th century Dutch Cottage in Raleigh, Essex since 2008.

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The property is only 6 meters wide and was probably built in 1621 by Dutch settlers, who came to Essex to work on the sea defenses.

The octagonal house is a Grade II listed building and is believed to be one of the few Dutch cottages left in Britain, and the only one owned by the council.

Fay pays just £75 a week to live in the cute thatched cottage, and is ecstatic with her tiny home.

Fay told MailOnline: “It’s compact and bijou, but it’s just such a beautiful place to live, it’s really quirky.”

Fay was one of fifty applicants who applied to live in the house, and the council decided she was best suited to live there.

She said: ‘I asked for it and hoped to get it. You had to write a letter explaining why you wanted to live here.

“I wrote and said I was only 6ft tall so I would be well suited for a small house.

“I don’t think it was the deciding factor, but I’m sure it helped.”

Fay’s house is so small that she had to have a special low bed made to fit into the small bedroom, which she can only access by a steep ladder.

The 49-year-old freelance director revealed that she has to open her tiny home to visitors once a week.

“It’s basically like living in a museum,” she said.

However, she said she is the perfect tour guide as her surname is Flemish and is related to 17th century settlers who came to the east of England after facing persecution.

“The Dutch colonists built sea walls on the coast.

“Who knows, they may have been here?” she said.

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CONOR BRADLEY admits the past three months have been ‘mental’ as he reflects on an incredible rise at Liverpool.

And the 20-year-old will be hoping to make another dream come true this week by scoring his first goal for Northern Ireland.

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Bradley flew to Romania with the squad last night, still buzzing from his breakthrough performance at Anfield, which included a first major trophy with this season’s Carabao Cup.

The rookie, who is currently learning from world-class right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, said: “It was mental. I remember sitting on the bench at Arsenal and wanting to progress.

“They moved Trent to midfield and I came on as right back.

“I took on Gabriel Martinelli and it was a big test, but I did well and it just started to go from there.

“It was brilliant. My dreams have come true over the past four months.

“I now want to continue and keep this momentum going. I’ve been supporting Liverpool since I was a boy, so getting a trial with them was just crazy when I was 16.

“I would love to score my first goal for Northern Ireland, that would be a dream too. But quite a few of my big dreams have come true.

“Scoring for Liverpool, getting my first assist and performing at Wembley were also brilliant.”

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Not only that, Bradley scored in the 4-1 Premier League win against Chelsea and had two assists.

He has quickly established himself in the first team and in the hearts of the fans. And the boy from County Tyrone will be sure to add to his 13 caps in the two friendlies – in Bucharest tomorrow and against Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday.

He said: “I definitely didn’t think it would go so well.

“My ‘pinch myself’ moment was probably against Chelsea when I scored and got two assists and the fans were chanting my name.

“Honestly, I don’t think I’ll have a better night than this. But all the boys still treat me the same, they still call me names!

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been away with Northern Ireland, against Denmark in June. I missed them and I’m looking forward to being back.”

Northern Ireland failed to qualify for Euro 2024 this summer but Bradley is enjoying working behind enemy lines with boss Michael O’Neill.

Norn Iron was at the Etihad Campus, the training base of Liverpool’s title rivals Manchester City, this week. Bradley joked: “I’ve been trying to see if there are any tactics around. It’s strange being there as a Liverpool player, but the facilities are great.

“The future is bright, I’m really looking forward to the Premier League run-up. Hopefully I will have a medal at the end of the season.”

But Bradley will miss Reds boss Jurgen Klopp when the manager leaves at the end of the season.

He added: “He helped me a lot. He gave me my chance, so I will be forever grateful.

“When I found out he was leaving I was shocked and sad as he is the only Liverpool manager I have known.”

A glamorous grandmother has revealed she is often told her outfits are inappropriate, but she isn’t quick to hang up her low-cut tops or leather trousers.

Ann Marie Harper, 69, is a qualified make-up artist, but also takes great pride in her own appearance.

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The gran of three – known to her army of fans as Glamor Gran Ann – said: “I love to dress up. My style used to be big long dresses.

“But I prefer leather pants and tops, a little low cut. And I like ruffles.

“I like it when someone turns around and tells me I look beautiful.

“I’m like a magnet when I’m dressed up. People come up and just want to talk to me.”

However, the bubbly pensioner – from Prestwick, Ayrshire – is aware that “age is a big thing” and faces people who don’t approve of her wardrobe.

“I get told my outfits are not age appropriate, but that’s fine with me,” she said.

“I wear what I want. There are more people who like my outfits.

“I think those who tell me they’re terrible secretly want to wear them, but they’re just shy.”

We previously told you how Ann Marie is mistaken for 10 years younger due to her radiant skin.

She said: “I don’t smoke or drink and I like walking so I know that helps too.

“I’m just looking at my skin in the mirror. I’m almost seventy and I don’t see a line.”

Although she takes pride in her skincare routine and loves aging gracefully, Ann Marie still loves fillers and fake tan to boost her confidence.

She told the Scottish Sun Online: “I’ve just had my eyebrows microbladed and my lip blush is life changing.

“I still swear by my fillers and botox. It’s not for everyone, but I think it’s all great. We can be who we are.

“I’m not ashamed of growing old, I’m honored to reach this stage. I accept it, but I still like to do my best.”

A mother has told how she was left stunned when she received an electricity bill for more than £3,000 after British Gas FORGOTTEN to charge her for more than two years.

Julia Shields, from Bristol, usually pays the energy huge around £130 per month for delivery gas and electricity.

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But earlier this month she received a bill asking for £3,264.20 to date back to October 2021, when the company took over People’s Energy’s supply after it went bankrupt.

The 45-year-old said: “I opened the letter and couldn’t believe the figure I was staring at. We usually only pay a fraction of that, so I thought it was an administrative error and put it aside, thinking I would call when I had time.”

A few days later Julia called British Gas and was told there had been no mistake.

She continued: “They told me I owed them thousands of pounds because they hadn’t charged us for the whole time they had been supplying us with electricity.

“I was terrified about what to do next soil I would find things like that money. It dated from two and a half years ago. In today’s climate, it’s hard enough to feed a large family, and yet just to find extra money to pay off that kind of debt.

“They admitted on the phone that it was their fault and asked me to set up a payment plan. I refused to do that because it didn’t feel right that I would be left with a huge amount of debt because of someone else’s mistake.

“We had given them the readings and someone had even come by to check the meter. We didn’t notice it the bill was for gas only, we have just received a bill with the British Gas heading at the top and paid the amount.

The concerned mum scoured the internet for rules and discovered that according to energy watchdog Ofgem’s website, if you haven’t received an accurate gas or electricity bill for more than a year, you may not have to pay for all the energy you’ve used. .

Ofgem’s website states: “Under back-billing rules, your supplier usually cannot bill you for the energy you used 12 months ago.

“The rules for retrospective invoicing do not apply if the supplier has sent you an invoice before the end of the year and you have not paid.”

Writer Julia, mother of squirter Will, 20, Ally, 16, Eric, 13, and ten-year-old Ted, said this was the first bill she had received.

She has now written a complaint to British Gas, detailing the ruling in Ofgem, and is waiting for a response.

A spokesperson for British Gas told The Sun: “We have contacted Mr Shields to reassure him that the bill, which includes previously unbilled electricity, will be recalculated under post-billing rules.

“We understand this is frustrating and we will continue to stay in touch with them as we update their account.”

An Ofgem spokesperson said: “Suppliers must comply with strict rules to protect vulnerable households, including repayment plans. While suppliers can issue a catch-up invoice if customers have been undercharged, they cannot reclaim charges that are more than twelve months old.

“If a customer is not satisfied with the service they have received regarding their billing, they can file a complaint with the Energy Ombudsman. More advice is available on the Ofgem and Citizens Advice websites.

It comes as British Gas has expanded an initiative to offer customers half-price electricity.

The energy supplier has postponed the closing date of its ‘Peak Save’ scheme from today to March 31.

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SPRING CLEANING season is upon us.

A professional deep clean can cost up to £300, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to get your home spick and span again.

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There are clever ways to make it shine. . .

GET ON ORDER: Start your spring cleaning journey by decluttering.

Take a garbage bag and walk through each room collecting any unwanted items.

Then move all the ornaments and anything on the top of the surface to the center of the room and work from top to bottom by first dusting the high surfaces, such as lampshades on the ceiling and the tops of cabinets, before moving to the floors .

This prevents dirt from falling onto surfaces that you have already cleaned.

MAKE IT UP: Forget expensive cleaning products and go the budget-friendly DIY way and get excellent results.

Mix vinegar and water in a spray bottle to spray over dirty surfaces. You can also use this to mop floors.

Sprinkle baking soda on carpets and upholstery to remove and remove stains.

Lemon juice diluted with water is a great way to remove kitchen grease and leaves a citrus scent, while shaving cream polished into mirrors and taps will make them sparkle.

ON THE CHEAP: You don’t need fancy gadgets to create an immaculate home.

Old toothbrushes dipped in vinegar are perfect for scrubbing grout and hard-to-reach corners, while cut-up T-shirts are an excellent alternative to expensive disposable or microfiber cloths.

If you have a dishwasher, set it to an eco wash at low temperature and fill it with toothbrush holders, toys and even the crisper drawers from your fridge to save time and effort.

GOOD FRAGRANCES: If you have essential oils at home, add a few drops to your homemade cleaning products to make your home smell wonderful.

For a DIY air freshener, mix a few drops of oil with water in a spray bottle or fill an empty perfume bottle with water.

Just shake and spray.

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They still don’t know who shot JFK, but millions think they know what happened to the Princess of Wales.

For them, it has taken up almost every waking moment.

So it’s no wonder that this mysterious new sighting has caused not only confusion but also anger among the legions of Kate fans.

We hear that William and Catherine were spotted at the Windsor farm shop on Saturday and went to watch their children play sports the next day.

But in the age of smartphones, no one – just no one – took a photo.

I was on the phone with three friends yesterday when we heard a rumor that a big announcement was coming. We were terrified. In tears.

To hear a few hours later that the royal couple had been spotted relaxing was a kick in the teeth.

We felt foolish. And we’re still not convinced. In fact, we feel royally abandoned.

When the royal family is about respect, about doing the right thing, I feel completely disrespected.

Have we been worrying all these days for nothing?

Apart from the creepier theories – Catherine is in a coma, has been hit with a Covid jab, has left both her husband and the country – most are farcical.

Kate has had a bad haircut and is waiting for it to grow out. She took part in the much-ridiculed Wonka Experience. She is Banksy.

She has undergone a Brazilian butt lift and/or a facelift. The finger injury from September 2023 has flared up into something serious.

On February 23, two black and one gray horses were seen leaving Buckingham Palace: apparently a bad omen. As far as TikTok is concerned, she has created a Gone Girl and made herself disappear into thin air – in the style of the bestseller and the film that followed.

It all reminds me of an episode of Fawlty Towers where Basil can’t bear to tell his friends that Sybil has run off in a panic. Instead he says she is sick in bed and her thighs are swollen.

So Basil is digging himself into an ever deeper hole – and that is exactly what the Welsh are doing now. Maybe they also bought a shovel at the garden center.

I’m tired of commentators saying all this speculation is bullying or just a waste of time.

One Sunday newspaper tried to dismiss online concern for Kate as ‘prurient’, a cruel theatre, both ‘degrading and infantilising’.

Real? I agree with Earl Spencer when he said that the attention drawn to his sister Diana was far more dangerous than the current online scrutiny of Kate.

The fact is, we play detective because we care. So stop trying to downplay the faked Mother’s Day photo.

A source close to the Waleses has said that Kate is not a ‘show pony’. But in the nicest way possible, that’s EXACTLY what she is.

Ninety-nine point nine percent of us will only know the Princess of Wales through the lens of a camera.

The late Queen once said that monarchy must be seen to be believed. Now? We don’t believe what we see.

Catherine doesn’t say much, so image is everything. Every photo is part of history.

If she wants to be “amateur” about her photos, as she put it, then she’s in the wrong job.

Because Kate matters. In a few years she could be queen.

As long as she’s okay, we’re okay too.

We need her to be stable, happy and smiling in a world that is far from that.

And we need her to accept that a portrait of a movie star or model in a magazine – possibly ‘adjusted’ – is completely different from a news photo that you eagerly await.

Reputable photo agencies are no match for any distortion in this age of artificial intelligence.

Most newspaper reports and television bulletins still pat us on the back as if we were children, as if everything is going according to plan.

One of them stated that the palace telephones were ‘ringing red’ with well wishes from the public.

I don’t believe that for a second. Who calls a landline these days when they can post online?

The solution to all this speculation and ridicule is simple: don’t ignore us, as the Prince of Wales did when he arrived for his Earthshot speech on Thursday evening.

When a reporter shouted, “William, how is Catherine?” there was no acknowledgment at all, which, given the furor, only seemed awkward.

This is especially true abroad, where the media is not nearly as restrained as ours.

Did you see the White House spokesman chuckle when asked about the photo and say, “That’s not something we do here”?

Even Kim Kardashian joked this weekend that she was “on her way to find Kate.”

It’s like the world was waiting for a pile.

William: we understand that you want to protect your family, have a private bubble. But Earthshot was a public moment. Why don’t you smile and tell her she’s fine?

Oh, and don’t take four weeks off over Easter and let others hold the fort.

Kate: Show yourself smiling and waving for a few seconds. King Charles does it bravely, even though he looks mushy.

By hiding, you make a mockery of all your mental health initiatives about how important it is to be open.

One moment you’re on Insta, the next moment it’s like you’re locked in the Tower.

The world waits with bated breath. Yet no one can take a photo of that visit to the farm, not even a blurry profile.

If it’s all true – and you actually took a leisurely trip to the garden center – that makes it all worse.

You could also have taken a selfie and just posted it. Over there. Finished. Sorted.

None of this makes sense.

THE Europa League is never short of entertainment and Thursday’s clash between Bayer Leverkusen and Qarabag was no different.

Qarabag defender Elvin Cafarquliyev hilariously tried to high-five the referee after a VAR decision, thinking he had been spared a yellow card, but was shown a red just seconds later.

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Cafarquliyev was shown a yellow card by referee Anthony Taylor in the 61st minute after it was judged that he had grabbed the shirt of Leverkusen star Jeremy Frimpong, who was through on goal.

Frimpong fell to the ground as a result and after a lengthy VAR check, Taylor subsequently decided that his Cafarquliyev’s yellow card should have been red.

After making the brave decision, the referee signaled with a wave of his hand that the yellow card would no longer stand, leaving Cafarquliyev to think he had gotten off scot-free.

The Azerbaijani international wanted to celebrate by giving Taylor a high five and raised his hand, after which the strict referee reached into his pocket and waved a red card instead.

Cafarquliyev had used the gun thinking he could get away with the tug on his shirt, but was instead sent to an early shower.

Fans couldn’t believe what they saw and shared their reactions on social media.

One wrote: “Straight to the top of the list for funniest football moments ever. Excellent.”

While another said: “Taylor left him hanging and said please, you’re off!”

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A third joked: “I’m on the actual floor.”

And a fourth wrote: “VAR can’t even downgrade the yellows so I’m not sure what he hoped his best case scenario would be there.”

The one-man deficit initially did not seem to hinder Qarabag as just three minutes after elimination they doubled their lead over Leverkusen to 2-0.

But in the end, Xabi Alonso’s side made the most of their lead, pulling a goal back in the 72nd minute and adding two more through Patrik Schick in stoppage time to win the match 3–2.

Leverkusen not only secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Europa League with the victory, but also kept their 37-match unbeaten run alive.

The Germans are top of the Bundesliga after an exceptional season with Alonso at the helm.

And with a ten-point gap over second-placed Bayern Munich, they look to be on course for a first-ever Bundelsiga title.

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After a week in which the Princess of Wales was mercilessly and monstrously attacked for her Mother’s Day Photoshop mishap – accused of deceit, dishonesty and deliberate deception – we are entering uncharted territory.

Because her critics certainly run the risk of pushing Kate to avoid public life altogether. And honestly, who can blame her if she chooses to go underground?

After being so viciously attacked, there is every possibility that a ‘shell-shocked’ Kate could choose to back out of her future royal duties once she recovers from her surgery. If people keep treating her so badly, why on earth would she want to appear on call for them?

Let us not forget that it is entirely within its power, except when it comes to certain formal obligations such as state affairs, to do just that. She is the mistress of her diary and her attendance at many events is entirely at her discretion.

Imagine where our already exhausted and painfully bleak monarchy would be left without its shining star. An ailing king, an elderly queen, William, Princess Anne and the Edinburghs.

We only have to remember how disappointingly boring Prince William looked on the red carpet at the Baftas last month without Kate glittering by his side. Without her constant presence, the light would go out of the royal family.

And why would she be so hounded if she was just doing what millions of mothers have done: Photoshopping family snaps to keep everyone happy?

Insiders say she “just wanted to publish a nice photo of her family.” Who not?

As we hadn’t seen her since Christmas Day at Sandringham, she also tried to reassure us that she and her young children were doing just fine and that the ugly rumors on social media about her health were nonsense.

Kate was watching us and all she got was mud in her eye.

It doesn’t take a doctor to conclude that the past week would have caused her immeasurable pain, adding to her stress and, it is feared, prolonging her recovery.

She is one of the most famous and photographed women in the world, with all the pressure that entails. Surely we shouldn’t be saying, “Where the hell are you?” but she sent her wishes for a speedy recovery.

She sacrificed so much of her own privacy to become William’s wife, to carry the heavy burden of becoming the future queen and to raise an heir and spares, George, Charlotte and Louis – and to give them all a little to make it look like the normal, happy family life William never had – the least we can do is respect her privacy while she recovers.

Since her engagement to Prince William in 2010, Kate hasn’t put a foot wrong. For more than a decade, she has only improved the image of the royal family, with her decency, integrity and, yes, glamour.

And all with a natural grace, like Diana’s, and the ability to seem as at home with ordinary people as with kings and queens.

The work she has done in early learning, addiction and with homeless charities is not only tireless but also highly respected. She is also an advocate for mental health issues, which is ironic considering that those who attack her now pay so little attention to her own mental health.

Honestly, I don’t know how she does it. And more and more often I wonder why it bothers her.

She has already had to put up with the Sussexes’ departure to California, which has made life so much harder for her and William, with double the workload and double the worry of keeping the shaky old Firm afloat.

She has suffered in dignified silence through the terrible things her once-beloved brother-in-law Harry said about her in his book Spare, and Meghan’s sly comments in her 2021 Oprah interview.

And more recently, she was named by Meghan’s mouthpiece Omid Scobie in his book as one of the so-called ‘racist’ royals who questioned the skin color of her unborn son Archie.

She has never complained, never explained, because she respects the dictum of the Queen’s royal dignity. While we’ve heard some of how the Sussexes’ slings and arrows have enraged William, especially the attacks on his beloved wife, there have been no whispers from Kate. There is no ugly ‘Kate Camp’ leaking beastly stories. But how they must have hurt her.

Because no story about Kate and William goes by without a nasty story being leaked by friends of Harry and Meghan. An unnamed member of ‘the Sussex camp’ reportedly blasted the photoshopped photo, claiming: ‘This is not a mistake Meghan would ever make.’

A day later, the Sussexes issued an official statement through a spokesperson denying that a source close to the couple had made the comment.

Very good, but the damage had already been done. And let’s not forget that, when it comes to touching up photos, There are those air-brushed images of Harry and Meghan in glossy American magazines – one of which ridiculously gave Harry a full head of red hair. The couple’s 2021 Time Magazine cover was even ridiculed by one US expert for being ‘the most airbrushed photo I’ve ever seen’.

Does anyone seriously think that a recovering Kate has plotted to deceive the public into having William take a photo of the family in the backyard so that she can spend hours adding a skinny tree to it herself, misalign the window sill and adjust the cuff? on Charlotte’s vest?

It was a photo for Mother’s Day, for crying out loud, a day when we should all be celebrating mothers, instead of pouring bile on them because they may have made mistakes in their attempts to do the right thing.

Let’s all give Kate a break. Because if we don’t, she could very well take a break from us.

A BRIDESMAID is left feeling ‘oppressed’ after being pressured to give £1,000 as a wedding present.

The woman, from Scotland, revealed she has been saving for her friend’s wedding for three years but still cannot afford the going rate.

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She said on social media: “How much do I give the bride and groom for the wedding gift since they asked for cash?

‘They already own their own house, so they don’t have a register.

“The other bridesmaids are giving over £1,000 but I just can’t afford to give that much and the others are making me feel pinched.

‘All the other bridesmaids have already given the money because they won’t see her until the day of the hen.

“There have been a few others who have donated quite a bit more than £1,000.”

It then emerged that the bridesmaid has already spent £900 of her own money on wedding and hen party costs, plus paying for her own flights and accommodation.

But none of the other members of the bridal party contributed a cent.

She said: “The hen is abroad and a few days before the wedding so I had to organize it.

“[There is] About 30 people are coming and I bought the gift bags, the games and the separate gift bag for the bride for everyone.

“In addition, I made the bride a box for the wedding morning, I plan to decorate the room with balloons, her wedding perfume, a few other personalized items, and my dress and alterations.

“Excluding the cost of the holiday I spent around £900.”

Since the woman is really worried about finding the money, social media users have been quick to tell her not to worry about it.

“I got married two years ago and the most I got was £600 from my parents,” said one.

“I would be shocked if someone had given me that amount. We asked people to only give if they could afford it. We wanted their time, not their money.”

I just can’t afford to give that much as a gift

Worried bridesmaid

A second fumed: “Please tell me £1,000 is a joke? Maybe £1,000 is like £100 in your friend group which is fair enough but I’m honestly so shocked.”

A third asked: “Are these folk celebrities? £1000 gifts omg lol I’m out of contact.”

A fourth echoed: “£1k cash for getting married? Who is the bride, Victoria Beckham?”

“£1000 wedding gift? I’ve never heard of something so wild,” chimed in a fifth.

“Is this a celebrity wedding? £100 is the maximum, and even that is a lot.”

Meanwhile, someone else admitted: “I feel very uncomfortable about this.

“No one should ever feel cramped. We all need to be in control of our own finances.

“£1000 as a wedding/bachelorette gift is an astonishing amount of money.

‘This is not about being strict, but about appreciating what is important. It’s not money.

“Spend what you can, love your girlfriend, don’t spend time with her and don’t let anyone judge you.”

According to a statement by Congress MP Adhir Ranjan, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar will be the new election commissioners. However, their names still need to be approved by the president.

New Delhi: Days before the official announcement about the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress MP Adhir Ranjanwho is also a member of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led committee that decides on the new election commissioners, has mentioned the commission’s choice for the two vacant posts of election commissioners. According to Adhir Ranjan, the names decided by the commission are just like the election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu And Gyanesh Kumar. However, the names will now be sent to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, and only after her agreement will they be confirmed. Learn about bureaucrats and future election commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar…