A WOMAN told how she gave her council house kitchen a ‘beautiful’ makeover without spending a lot of money.

So if you’re on a budget but fancy giving your home a total transformation, you’ve come to the right place.

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A clever woman called Katie Fry has told how she gave her simple kitchen a stunning look pink overhaul, without burning a hole in her bag.

Delighted with the fresh new look of her home, Katie took to social media to show it off to others, leaving many open-mouthed.

Post on DIY on a budget officera private Facebook group with a whopping 2.2 million members, Katie shared before and after photos of her kitchen, writing: “Did my council kitchen to make it work for us and make it beautiful.”

Katie, who moved in eight months ago, added: “I do have permission from my council because the kitchen will be replaced in three years.”

What was once very sober – with brown cupboards and gray floor – has now been completely transformed into a unique space – with pink cupboards, a beautiful pink back wall and trendy brown floor.

The clever mum, from Witley, then explained: “The cupboard color is Little pink by Rust-oleum wood and cupboard paint.”

To keep costs down, Katie says: ‘Shelves are old scaffolding planks that my husband collected from our local landfill.’

Katie later revealed that she used tile stickers from Amazon to create a backsplash and self-adhesive flooring, also from Amazon, to give her floor a fresh new feel.

Not only this, but she also explained that she had acquired her kitchen island from Argos.

Katie later told Fabulous: “It was a lot of work to get it working for my family, but [it was] worth the effort.”

Social media users were left open-mouthed at Katie’s kitchen overhaul and many took to the comments to express their views.

One person said: “Absolutely beautiful!”

I love your kitchen, it’s perfect

Facebook user

Another said: “Beautiful.”

A third commented: “Great job!!”

At the same time, someone else wrote: “I love your kitchen, it’s perfect.”

Meanwhile, another DIY fan said: “I love the pink color, the kitchen is beautiful.”

While another user asked: “Are you allowed to paint council units?”

To this Katie replied: “Only if you get permission, as my kitchen needs to be replaced in three years, they have granted it.”

Katie later wrote: “I would like to thank everyone for your kind comments.

“I really appreciate your kind words, thank you.”

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A HIGH street fashion chain has closed another branch, after already closing more than 200 branches.

Peacocks, which once had more than 400 stores in the UK, closed another of its stores on March 16.

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Peacocks fell into administration in 2020 and was forced to close just over 200 of its 400 stores.

The chain was rescued in April 2021 and was able to keep its remaining stores open, saving 2,000 jobs.

But now the retailer has had to close more doors in a desperate bid to stay afloat.

The latest to bite the bullet is the Peacocks branch at Clarendon Square Mall in Hyde, which will close for good on Saturday, March 16.

According to Tameside Correspondent, the nearest branch is now Ashton-under-Lyne.

The Peacocks branch in Hyde even had a closing sale in 2020, although it reopened after Covid restrictions were lifted.

Now it appears the closure is permanent.

It is not the only Peacocks store that will disappear from the high street in the coming weeks.

The retailer has announced it will close its store on Wales’ high street Merthyr Tydfil on March 23.

However, the cheap fashion chain will close with a bang and keep a mega discount of 30 percent on all sales.

Meanwhile, the store at Ashford’s County Square Shopping Center in Kent will also close on March 23.

The unit has just reopened after ‘essential electrical work’ kept it closed for more than a week.

Elsewhere, Peacocks in Camborne, Cornwall, will close on April 3.

In addition, it is also closing its branch in Boscombe, Bournemouth on April 6, which is a blow to locals.

The retailer announced news of the closure on its Facebook page, where a closure notice was also displayed in the branch window.

Peacocks fell into administration in November 2020 and closed half of the 420 stores they had at the time, dealing a major blow to the high street.

The fashion retailer went bankrupt after struggling to do business during the coronavirus pandemic and multiple lockdowns.

However, it has slowly returned to the high street and has built its portfolio back up to around 350 stores.

And in October last year, the chain announced plans to open seven new stores in Wales, England and Scotland.

It has not confirmed the exact opening dates for the new stores.

It comes as several other major chains have taken serious hits on the high street.

Last year, popular retailers such as Wilko fell under administration and disappeared from the shopping streets for good.

Body Shop also recently went into administration and announced it would close almost half of its 198 stores.

Seven branches have already closed with immediate effect, but administrators of the major retailer said they wanted to “safeguard the future of the brand” with the restructuring.

Struggling fashion brand Superdry is also exploring various “cost-saving options” after reports it is considering a major restructuring.

A Sports Direct branch in Stroud, Gloucestershire, will pull down the shutters for good at the end of March – after closing its branch in Central Six Retail Park, Coventry, at the end of January.

Supermarket chains such as Lidl, Tesco and Iceland have been closing their stores since the beginning of 2023.

And budget retailers such as Poundstretcher and Argos are also struggling to keep some of their own stores afloat.

By Sharon Mai for Dailymail.Com

Published: 6:56 PM EDT, March 15, 2024 | Updated: 6:56 PM EDT, March 15, 2024

The surviving inhabitants of a Soviet-era town in northeastern Kazakhstan where 456 bombs were detonated on their doorstep, have revealed the devastating impact the explosions had on their health, with cancer spiking along with severe birth defects. 

Filmmakers Thomas Brag and Staffan Taylor ventured to Kurchatov, which was a top secret town established in 1947 as the headquarters of the Soviet Union’s nuclear weapons program. At the time, it was not even visible on maps due to the high level of secrecy. 

It is estimated that more than one million people lived in and around the remote settlement when the nuclear program was running from 1949 to 1989 – but today there just a few thousand people remaining and many of the buildings are stripped bare and derelict. 

In their eye opening YouTube documentary titled ’50hrs in the most nuked place on Earth erased from maps,’ Thomas and Staffan find four Kurchatov locals who are willing to talk about the nuclear testing they witnessed. All of them make it clear that they had no idea what was happening at the time, as the authorities succeeded in keeping people in the dark. 

From time to time their houses would violently shake and they would see plumes of dust erupting in the distance but these aftereffects were written off as extreme weather cycles.  

One woman called Nadezhda Golovina, who unknowingly witnessed hundreds of nuclear bombs go off in her youth, explains: ‘We didn’t know it was so bad.

‘Now everybody writes and talks about it. And then, what did we know? We didn’t know anything. Just what the teacher taught at school. 

‘They used to tell us to leave the house in case it collapsed, a window or the door of the stove would open and ashes would fall out. [Even] the chandeliers were swinging.’

During the 1950s, it was reported that one detonation in the area resulted in four times the number of cases of acute radiation sickness than those from the Chernobyl disaster.

Another local in the documentary, a man called Uncle Serikpay, reveals that he moved to Kurchatov as a miner and his role was to help construct passages to ‘prepare everything for the [nuclear] tests.’

He says he knew about what was happening at the ‘Semipalatinsk’ test site – which was less than 100 miles from Kurchatov – but he had to sign a non disclosure act. 

Anyone who did speak about their work there, Uncle Serikpay says, would suddenly disappear and ‘we never saw him again.’

In a bid to reduce health risks, Uncle Serikpay says he was only allowed to work 30-minute shifts in places with high levels of radiation.

‘If there was a low level of radiation, we could work longer,’ he adds.

Thankfully, Uncle Serikpay wasn’t exposed to high levels of radiation and at almost 73 years old, he says he still ‘feels good.’

While some were not effected by the radiation, many people were, as a woman called Lyubov Filina explains. 

She says: ‘Of course it affected people’s health. People have cancer. Cancer, cancer, cancer, cancer…

‘There was radiation and people started getting sick. There are the books from the hospital where only cases of radiation and anemia are written.

‘We were kids back then and we didn’t understand anything. Even adults didn’t know that the mushroom cloud was more dangerous than vibration or broken windows. 

‘In 1989, I was pregnant with my son and he was born with congenital cataracts of 16 diopters.

‘I believe it was caused by the radiation exposure. I read about it in the medical encyclopedia. We saw helicopters over the city measuring something and now we understood there was a radiation release at that time.

‘Some children were born with disabilities. Our parents covered us, but not themselves.’

It was only in 1989 that information about radioactive contamination from the Semipalatinsk test site became public and the findings triggered mass outcry. 

An anti-nuclear movement raged for two years with the Kazakh government demanding that Moscow end nuclear testing.

Eventually, the activists won and the Semipalatinsk nuclear testing site was officially shut down on August 29, 1991, with all testing banned in the region. 

This marked the same year that Kazakhstan gained independence from the former Soviet Union. 

Uncle Serikpay said most people left Kurchatov when the testing site closed. 

He explains in the documentary: ‘In 1991 when the test site was closed and Kazakhstan declared a moratorium everything broke up. People moved away and the Soviet Union collapsed.’

Lyubov Filina says the mass exodus of people was quite strange but her family decided to stay.

She recalls: ‘They just left. The military was reassigned to other places and went there.

‘People were leaving but we continued to live and work here. Everyone had families and children to feed.

‘The military moved away, and our family didn’t have military, so we stayed here.’

Uncle Serikpay continued working at the nuclear testing site after its closure, and from 1996 to 1999 America helped dismantle the site.

He also reveals in the film that he helped to excavate an unexploded bomb, which was then safely detonated in an underground tunnel in 1995. 

He says: ‘It was an atomic bomb that was supposed to explode. It was a real bomb that we had time to install, but we didn’t have time to use it.’

A man called Uncle Khamit – who lost both of his parents to cancer – also reveals in the documentary that he helped dismantle radioactive weapons after the fall of the Soviet Union.

He moved to Kurchatov in 1976 and said that when he first moved there, the nuclear bomb explosions were a scary experience.  

Detailing what the detonations were like, he said: ‘First, there’s a big flare and then there’s the mushroom that comes out. We were kids, but there was a feeling inside that something bad was being done. 

‘Older people, everyone was afraid because everything became dark there, everything was covered in dust, the feeling was terrible.

‘We were taken outside the village. There was a ravine dug there, and there we lay down.

‘They always covered us with blankets, and the whole village lay there. Soldiers would run to see if we were covered or not.

‘One time I remember a soldier being swept away.’

The worst explosion at Semipalatinsk took place on January 15, 1965, when the Soviet Union tested a hydrogen bomb 11 times the strength of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima by the U.S. military in 1945.

In the documentary, the narrator explains: ‘The 140-kiloton device was buried nearly 180 meters in the ground, and upon detonation, the blast created a crater of 454 meters wide and 100 meters deep, throwing soil nearly one and a half kilometers up in the air.

‘The blast was so large that it took the dust nearly 50 days to settle, forming the current hills that now surround the crater.

‘Shortly after the test, a nearby river was diverted to fill the crater and turn it into what locals now call the Atomic Lake.’

Towards the end of the documentary, the subjects are asked how they feel about rising global tensions and the possibility of nuclear conflict coming into force again. 

Uncle Khamit merely says that he feels ‘very badly’ about it.  He muses: ‘An achievement is an achievement, every state develops its armament. But I would like to have a peaceful sky over my head, to have no conflicts with anyone.

‘And we, Kazakhstani people, want to have peace everywhere. I also call on all those countries that have nuclear weapons to reduce it or even be like Kazakhstan.

‘We are in favor of nuclear-free armaments, always. I want to say that people all over the world should live in harmony and in peace. That our future generation should grow up healthy and strong.’

Echoing his sentiments, Nadezhda Golovina repeats that ‘we need peace,’ while Uncle Serikpay ends with a request for ‘all countries to abandon nuclear weapons like Kazakhstan has done.’ 

He tells the cameramen: ‘Kazakhstan abandoned all its nuclear weapons, although it had fourth-biggest nuclear arsenal in the world. I wish all countries behave the same way.’

He is the American actor best known for starring in the period drama Mad Men and the sitcom series Superstore.

But Ben Feldman swapped his glossy Hollywood film sets for a job in the Australian outback to film the new Stan Original series Population 11.

The Australian comedy-thriller series, which premiered on Thursday, follows American Andy Pruden (Feldman), who travels to the Australian Outback to visit his father, whom he barely knows.

In a twist, Andy is crushed when he discovers that his father Hugo, played by Australian actor Darren Gilshenan, has disappeared without a trace.

He quickly comes to the conclusion that Hugo may have been the victim of foul play, and since the town has only eleven residents, everyone is a suspect.

The series was filmed in the small Western Australian town of Derby, which has a population of just 3,325.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday, Ben said it was an eye-opening experience filming the series in such a remote location.

‘It was absolutely the opposite of everything I’m used to. I’m a real city person. But that’s the fun of this job, that you get to do things that seem seemingly insane,” he explained.

While Ben noted that the people of Derby welcomed the cast and crew who came to their city to film the show, he said the local critters were less friendly.

‘They’re terrifying. They are all murderous,” he said of the local wildlife.

‘The insects are as big as my head. There seem to be crocodiles in every body of water, so they simply choose which crocodiles are safer to swim with. I think that’s crazy, because it’s like swimming pools. Just go into a pool!’ he laughed.

Ben also revealed the strange Australian ‘mantra’ that he still struggles to get his head around.

“There’s a kind of Australian mentality that I learned, which is, ‘Well, you’re probably not going to die,’” he said, adding, “But no one died making this show. At least season one. So have a nice day.’

Elsewhere, Ben praised the Australian cast and crew who worked on the 12-part series.

‘They are all very nice, sweet and supportive. The crew was incredible. The crew was actually excited to work,” he said.

‘You [can’ throw overtime at them and force them to work on a Saturday. In America we would all blow up and be livid. [In Australia]they just want to get the best done,” he says enthusiastically.

The show also stars Perry Mooney from ABC’s Gold Diggers series, who plays another outsider to the small town of Cassie.

Wentworth actor Katrina Milosevic plays an unfriendly local cop, while The Newsreader’s Chai Hansen and veteran Australian actor Stephen Curry (The Castle) also star.

The Twelve’s Tony Briggs, Genevieve Lemon (The Tourist), Halifax actor Rick Donald, Pippa Grandison (Frayed) and Rake’s Steve Le Marquand round out the all-star cast.

Stan Originals’ brand new series premieres March 14 only Stan.

Shoppers are upset after a budget fashion chain announced it was closing one of its branches for good.

Select has more than 100 stores in the UK, including branches in Manchester, Bolton and Sunderland.

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The brand was founded in 1980 and has become a permanent fixture on the shopping street.

But now the chain has announced plans to down the shutters of its branch in London’s Erith Riverside Shopping Center.

A statement on the store’s official Facebook page read: “Unfortunately, it is with great regret that we have to announce that we will be closing our doors next month!

“Select Erith would like to thank all our lovely customers who have shopped with us over the past few years.

“Erith Select has been providing services to our customers for 10 years and will be missed by many.

“We hope that our customers will continue to shop with us, long after we have left our website or other branches.

“Come select yours and get a bargain while you can!!!”

Shoppers rushed to the comments section to share their sadness over the decision.

One said: “It will soon be a ghost town.”

Another wrote: “That’s sad, another nice store is leaving.”

The Sun has contacted Select and the Riverside Shopping Center for comment.

The brand has launched a closing sale, with a sign in the store advertising ‘crazy offers’.

It reads: “Crazy deals. This store is closing.”

It comes after Select announced it would close its store in Ashford’s County Square shopping center in Kent.

The branch closed for the last time at the end of February.

What other changes are taking place on the high street?

The main street is almost unrecognizable compared to what it once was, with some locals describing their town as more of a ‘ghost town’.

Shops, pubs and restaurants are all falling victim to the rising cost of living, with high rents and bills making it impossible to survive.

Shoppers no longer have the cash to splash like they used to, with many just managing to get by after paying for essentials.

Last year, popular retailers such as Wilko fell under administration and disappeared from the shopping streets for good.

Fans were devastated by the discounter’s demise, but it appears the retailer is making a comeback.

The Range took over the website and brand name last year and has since started opening a number of new concept stores, much to the delight of fans.

Wilko stores have already opened in Plymouth, Exeter and Luton and the opening dates of a further two locations have recently been announced.

The stores in St. Albans and Rotherham will open at 9am on Good Friday, March 29.

Meanwhile, it’s not such good news for Body Shop fans as the iconic beauty retailer recently went into administration and revealed it would be closing almost half of its 198 stores.

Seven branches have already closed with immediate effect, but administrators of the major retailer said they wanted to “safeguard the future of the brand” with the restructuring.

Struggling fashion brand Superdry is also exploring various “cost-saving options” after reports it is considering a major restructuring.

However, some retailers are bucking the trend and opening in new locations.

Primark said it will open five new stores, with one coming within weeks.

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Located on a remote island in Alaska sits a McDonald’s seemingly frozen in time, with its original drive-thru menu still on display and its interior untouched from the day it closed in 1993.

Canadian videographer and photographer Chris Luchardt recently visited the abandoned fast food restaurant on Adak and documented what he found.

His YouTube video shows the windows and doors closed, but outside is a sign showing some of the items that were offered decades ago – as well as the incredibly low prices they were all offered for.

Back then, a BigMac cost $2.45 (the equivalent of $5.10 today) and a hamburger cost 99 cents (the equivalent of $2.08 today). Today, those same items cost about $7.19 and $3.39 respectively, depending on your location.

In a sign of the times, when Jurassic Park was a huge success at the cinemas, a sign at the drive-thru stand advertises a ‘Dino-Size’ meal. The blurb explains: “Get Dino-Size fries and a large soda in a free Jurassic Park collectible cup.”

One photo uploaded to Flickr by user Travis S. also reveals the eatery’s interior, with a terracotta tiled floor and retro-style plastic chairs.

Filmmaker Luckhardt notes in his video how the McDonald’s is located in the ghost town of Adak, which once served as a bustling naval base with more than 6,000 residents.

The grassy rock served as an important strategic base to protect against Japanese invasion during World War II and beyond.

However, once tensions had subsided, the base was closed in 1997 and many people living in the community had already moved out by that time.

Luckhardt told DailyMail.com that the Adak McDonald’s opened in July 1986 and that the Navy “helped the franchisee ship everything.”

The prices at the restaurant were higher than those in mainland America because everything had to be flown in or shipped.

One veteran told Luckhardt that he paid more than $6.00 for a 20-piece McNugget meal when the restaurant opened.

Despite the relatively high prices, another veteran said people were not deterred and it was “packed every day.”

And compared to the modern McDonald’s menu, those prices seem much more reasonable — with a Filet-O-Fish costing just $1.95 in 1993, while today the same sandwich would cost you about $5.99.

For years the restaurant remained a popular spot, but when the military efforts began to wane, the owner decided to close shop.

Luckhardt explains, “The franchisees left Adak when the Navy base was decommissioned and subsequently opened two McDonald’s in Oregon.

“They later moved to Texas and opened two other McDonald’s.

“When they closed their business in Adak, the McDonald’s corporate team deployed a crew to collect the arches along the main road in late 1994.”

After lying vacant for many years, the McDonald’s restaurant was repurposed as an employee dining facility by a local seafood processing company from 2011 to 2013.

“Icicle Seafoods gutted the kitchen, but the pastel-colored chairs remained intact, based on an interior photo from 2018,” says Luckhardt.

The restaurant was then boarded up after “an unfortunate act of vandalism shortly before the pandemic,” which resulted in “at least one of the restaurant’s windows being smashed.”

Like McDonald’s, most other buildings in Adak are abandoned.

Luckhardt’s drone footage reveals a patchwork of vacant buildings left to the elements, while parked vehicles are also rusting.

One building with antennas was used for ‘radio navigation and intelligence gathering’, while the base also housed a hospital, pub and town hall.

According to Luckhardt, 33 permanent residents still live in Adak today.

Some are employed by the small local government, some work at the airport where there are two flights a week from Anchorage, while a group also manages accommodation for tourists, including hunting, fishing and bird watching.

Several homes in Adak are listed on Airbnb, with rates starting around $200 per night.

A map of the small community on the local government website shows that some of the facilities still operating include a bar and grill, liquor store, gas station, school and post office.