Ex-army officer to row 2,000 miles around UK – and five more local stories you missed this week
A former army officer who will row solo around the UK for 2,000 miles is one of our best local stories of the week.
Gloucestershire Live reported how ex-Parachute Regiment member Mike Ellicock, 49, will take on the challenge of rowing around the country in fewer than 80 days.
Elsewhere, a Warwickshire man who used to drink 14 cans of Pepsi Max a day has managed to quit his habit after hypnosis, while a first date on a beach went rather awry when a car got stuck at the seaside in Dorset.
You can read the full version of each of our selected articles through the links under each story – or read more top headlines from around the UK's regions on the Yahoo UK local news page.
A former Parachute Regiment officer is on a mission to set a new record as the quickest individual to row solo around Great Britain for 2,000 miles.
Mike Ellicock, hailing from Lewes in East Sussex, sustained injuries during a hostage rescue operation in Sierra Leone in 2000 when he was just 25 years old.
He managed to recover fully and later led a team of paratroopers during missions in Iraq. Now at 49, the father-of-three is embarking on a historic attempt to circumnavigate the UK by rowing boat in less than 80 days, which would make him the fastest to achieve such a feat.
Read the full story from Gloucestershire Live
A Bedworth dad who drank 14 cans of Pepsi Max a day and 'couldn't stop' has ditched his habit - after being hypnotised.
Dean Gavin, 52, would have his first can when he woke up, and would even take a Pepsi Max to bed with him to sip on through the night.
But the £3,000 a year 'heavy addiction' was wreaking havoc on his sleep and making his Tourettes tics worse. In a desperate bid to help him stop reaching for the sugar-free fizzy drink, Dean turned to a hypnotherapist.
Read the full story from Coventry Live
Yorkshire Wildlife Park is celebrating as they welcome the birth of two Amur Leopard cubs.
The award-winning park says it is a 'remarkable step forward' in the battle to save the big cats from extinction.
The new duo is only the second and third of their specifies to be born in the whole world this year.
Mother Kristen, 13, gave birth last week and is currently spending all her time nursing the babies.
Read the full story from Hull Live
An East Lothian family was amazed after capturing breathtaking footage of a shark swimming just feet off the shore of their local beach.
Alan Nash, who shot the footage from a drone, said the creature was so close you "could have just swam out to it," estimating it was only 100 metres away.
Alan and his family of five discovered the basking shark off the shores of Longniddry Beach around 5pm on 30 April.
Read the full story from Edinburgh Live
We've all had a difficult first date – but this one is perhaps up there as being one of the trickiest.
A Bournemouth resident drove on to the sand at Boscombe beach, east of the pier, which could have been a romantic spot to get to know his date.
However, his Jeep Cherokee became wedged in the soft sand – not too far from the water – despite having four-wheel drive and a 'sand' mode.
Read the full story from The Daily Echo
An eight-year-old girl has found her passion in go-karting racing and is now racing on the track competitively.
Ava-Lily first went in a go-kart when she was just seven and less than a year later she is now competing at various competitions across the county each month.
Back in January 2024, Ava-Lily's brother had a birthday party at Gridline Racing in Lincoln but at the time she was too small to join in on the fun.
Read the full story from Lincolnshire Live
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Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
6 surprising signs you're lonely according to experts
Loneliness is a deeply personal experience that can affect anyone, often in ways we don't immediately recognise. While it's easy to associate it with being physically alone, the reality is far more nuanced. Loneliness can be emotional, social, or even existential, manifesting through feelings of disconnection, emptiness, or being misunderstood, even when surrounded by others. As Loneliness Awareness Week (9–15 June) reminds us, this feeling is not a personal failure or weakness; it's a natural part of life that most people experience at some point. According to the Campaign to End Loneliness, in 2022, nearly half (49.63%) of adults in the UK – approximately 26 million people – reported feeling lonely at least occasionally, with some saying they felt lonely often or always. But loneliness doesn't always show up in obvious ways. Yahoo UK spoke to two experts to unpack the lesser-known signs and offer advice on what you can do if you're struggling. Relationship expert and British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy-accredited counsellor, Georgina Sturmer tells Yahoo UK: "When we feel lonely, it can be tempting to fill our diary with as much as possible or surround ourselves with people all the time. But the problem is that when we feel lonely, what we really crave is not the company of lots of others but a real sense of connection." Sturmer says that it is possible to feel lonely in a crowded room, to which Ruth Lowe, the head of loneliness services at the charity Age UK, agrees. She adds that the key to tackling this feeling is forming meaningful relationships. "If you're out with lots of people, but you don't actually feel connected to them or like they care about you, or you don't have any meaningful connection there, then you can feel even lonelier," she explains. Lowe says that loneliness can also result in people declining social invitations. "Somebody declining invites and not engaging in things they used to might think, 'Maybe I'm declining these things because I don't want to go anymore.' But it could be that you are feeling lonely and you are struggling with your confidence," she continues. "Loneliness can bring up a lot of negative thoughts and feelings. People might actually start to feel nervous about going to things and start thinking, 'Does anybody actually want me there?' Because it impacts your self-worth." Lowe says that loneliness can result in you feeling angrier or more emotional than usual. "You might find that things are continuing to go round in your head, and maybe you're overthinking things. You might experience moods that make you behave or act in ways that you don't usually," she explains. "Loneliness isn't a mental health condition, but it is closely linked to our mental health and our mental wellbeing." Loneliness also might inhibit you from taking time off work, or it might drive you to say 'yes' to extra projects, even if you're already feeling stressed. "Work might be full of pressure and deadlines, but it often offers us a certain level of structure and an opportunity to escape from other worries," Sturmer explains. The counsellor says you may also experience "free time anxiety," explaining that in a society that prizes friendship, spending time alone can make you feel like a failure. 2.1 million older people (15%) say they take less care of themselves when they're lonely, according to research by Age UK. "Loneliness can make it feel like there's no point in your existence, that you don't have a purpose. That might mean that you're struggling to make the effort and get the motivation to take care of yourself, to take care of the space that you live in," Lowe shares. This sign of loneliness is cross-generational, as Sturmer states that it can result in anyone feeling like they are "not good enough," leading to low self-esteem. "When we think about self-care – eating well, exercising, getting out in the fresh air – it's important to recognise that we are only able to look after ourselves if we feel that we deserve to do so," she says. "And then it becomes harder to prioritise ourselves and to do the things that we need to do in order to feel healthy and well." According to Sturmer, when you're in a state of loneliness, it's natural to crave connection. While people will often seek comfort online, she warns against this. "At a very surface level, it might feel that scrolling on social media delivers us a sense of connection, so we can find ourselves scrolling mindlessly through our newsfeed. However, that social media feed might actually amplify our loneliness," she says. Some people turn to drugs and alcohol to help them ignore their feelings of loneliness. Lowe explains: "Loneliness can make you feel like you've got very little self-worth, and people might try and find solace in using drugs or alcohol to try and make themselves feel better, to try and numb how they're feeling." Lowe recommends speaking to someone about your feelings, whether it be a family member, friend or a GP. "We know that talking about loneliness can be difficult. It can take a lot of courage, but the most powerful thing you can do for yourself is speak to someone and say the words out loud," she says. "1.1 million older people feel embarrassed to talk about their feelings of loneliness, and they might not feel as comfortable as younger people do to talk about their emotions and their mental health. Older people can contact Age UK for support, and there are other organisations out there for different groups of people." Lowe says it's important to take small steps to improve your situation. She advises against joining multiple groups and clubs at once, as that could be overwhelming. "Try and take small steps. It could just be something like, 'I'm going to try and reach out to a friend that I haven't spoken to for a little while. I'm going to send them a message or give them a call.' Don't put too much pressure on yourself to do too much too soon, especially if you are feeling quite down about yourself." Volunteering is a great way to expand your social circle and can help when you're experiencing any negative feelings. "Meet new people, give yourself a sense of purpose, and give yourself some routine. Having people relying on you and going to do something can really help," Lowe says. Read more about loneliness: Loneliness increases as we age, study suggests (PA Media, 3-min read) 5 ways loneliness can negatively affect your health (PA Media, 4-min read) The loneliness myth: what our shared stories of feeling alone reveal about why you can't 'fix' this very human experience (The Conversation, 15-min read)
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Should people be paid to donate blood? Yahoo readers have their say
Yahoo UK's poll of the week lets you vote and indicate your strength of feeling on one of the week's hot topics. After the poll closes, we'll publish and analyse the results each Friday, giving readers the chance to see how polarising a topic has become and if their view chimes with other Yahoo UK readers. The NHS is urging people to come forward as blood donors, saying there is a "critical" need for certain blood types. On Monday this week, officials said 200,000 more donors were needed in England to maintain the blood supply. Low blood stocks prompted officials to issue an 'amber alert' over supply for hospitals last year and NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) said more must be done to avoid a 'red alert'. The blood type most in demand is the so-called universal blood type — O negative blood — needed for treatment in emergencies. There is also a need for more Black donors, who are more likely to have specific blood types that can help treat people with sickle cell disease. In our poll earlier this week, we asked Yahoo readers if they thought an incentive could attract more donors and posed the question: Should people be paid for donating blood? Two thirds of respondents to our poll (66%) thought no, blood donations should be voluntary. Some 29% thought yes, people should be paid, while a further 5% were undecided. We also asked, 'How much would prompt you to donate blood?' The vast majority of respondents (70%) said they were happy to do it for free. Of those who stated an amount, the most popular options were smaller sums, 8% said a value up to £20 would tempt them, while a further 8% cited a payment between £21 and £40. Only 5% said an amount of £100 or more would prompt them to donate. The poll's Have Your Say feature attracted some passionate comments, with a number of readers citing safety concerns as one of the reasons they didn't agree with payment for donations. Stephen A from Westbury, said: "I don't think it is a good idea to pay people for blood donations because we could have a similar situation to the blood scandal in the seventies. People who had all sorts of illnesses and drug-related problems sold their blood and created an unnecessary health problem for otherwise healthy individuals." Richard S from the Highlands agreed, saying: "Payment for blood will attract many short of money because they have taken drugs." Some readers even said payment would prevent them from donating. "I decided to become a blood donor when my wife was admitted to hospital in the last month of pregnancy," said Ian H from Hinckley. "I have now completed 104 donations … If I was told at that first donation that I would be paid, I would not have continued." However, some including Lenny T from Kent, said they agreed with payments for donation. "If it means more people will donate blood, it will help hospitals and doctors," they explained. Others said there were better ways to attract more donors, such as making the opening times and locations of donor centres more convenient, as well as increasing the age limit for giving blood, which currently stands at 65. "Those who donate do so for the best of reasons, to help others. it is a privilege to be able to help those in desperate need, and I was glad to be able to do so," said HMW from the Scottish Highlands. "I wish they would take blood from older folk – I'm late 60s – even if they have some health issues. If their iron is okay and you are not on life-saving meds, and are a universal donor – group O – it would help in crisis situations. I would love to be able to do something so useful beyond retirement." Denise D who lives in Italy said that convenience was an issue. "My daughter tried to give blood, she's donated for a long time. She tried to get another appointment, the first available appointment was three months later and 30 miles away," she said. "There need to be more collection points and nearer city centres." N Anderson from Worcestershire agreed saying: "Maybe the service should come to local villages, as they used to, asking people to travel to main towns with transport and parking charges is not on." Read more of Yahoo UK's Poll of the Week articles
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Invitations to funerals and shouting at the news: 10 signs you're getting old
The signs are gradual but deadly. You start saying things like, 'This carpet will see me out,' and, 'This is how I've always done things.' Young people kneel beside you to explain how technology works. You bulk-order vitamins from Amazon, which then sit in the hallway gathering dust. Let's face it: life is getting smaller and narrower. You only eat soft foods now, for fear of fracturing a tooth. You haven't made a new friend in a decade. An early night and a mug of sleepy tea is all you require. Yes, you are officially drifting into dreaded OAP territory. But don't worry – we've consulted the experts to identify the tell-tale signs of ageing in both men and women, and whether there's anything you can do about them. Clearly, this young person thinks you're an old bag at risk of toppling over – or, if you're a man, an infirm old fool. Is this the moment you need to consider cosmetic work – or a hair transplant to hide the bald patch? The horror. But what do you do when this dreaded scenario occurs? Do you accept gracefully – and feel crushed – or brush off the invitation? I consult the UK's 'Queen of Etiquette', Laura Windsor, who is reassuring. 'It's not necessarily because you 'look' old – it could be because you deserve respect and courtesy from those who pick up on your body language and are drawn to you in a positive way,' she says. 'If someone stands up for you, it's possible your body language was crying out for a seat. I'm younger, but sometimes a man will offer me a seat – and I'm so grateful – especially when I'm wearing high heels or carrying bags.' We just need to smile, say 'Thank you very much, you are very kind' – and accept gracefully, she advises. 'Never brush off the invitation unless you don't want to sit. In that case, always say, 'Thank you for your kind gesture.' Being courteous makes the other person feel valued – and makes us feel good too.' There comes a time in life when wedding invitations dry up, the babies whose christenings you once attended have now left home – and the number of funeral announcements is getting suspiciously larger. So it's no wonder most of us keep a top-to-bottom smart black outfit in the wardrobe. And anyway, after a lifetime of deciding what to wear, maintaining a black uniform feels like the easy way out – doesn't it? But while some people can pull off head-to-toe black – à la Mafia widow or Milk Tray man – most of us end up looking a bit dusty, says Lucinda Chambers, ex-Vogue fashion director and co-founder of 'When you reach a certain age, you feel more vulnerable, and there's a definite nervousness that creeps in – you're afraid of any display of individuality, extravagance or idiosyncrasy. Black is a very easy rut to fall into, because you think it goes with everything. I never put black with black. I combine it with navy or cream to sharpen it up.' Author and broadcaster Hunter Davies, 89, is more definitive: 'No one over 70 should wear black or grey. I only now wear clothes in pink, yellow, green, blue – usually at the same time.' It can feel like a death knell when you mention a new symptom to the GP and they say bluntly: 'Yes, that's just going to be how it is from now on.' But don't believe them – it's never too late to get in shape. Our bodies are equipped with incredible restorative capacity. 'The most health-preserving physical activity you can do is resistance training, because muscle loss (sarcopenia) is both a characteristic and driver of ageing and age-related disease,' says Dr Nathan Curran of London's Reborne Longevity Clinic. 'And skeletal muscle will not only help to prevent falls – it also protects your bones from osteoporosis, which can lead to fractures following a fall. About one in ten people with a hip fracture die within a month – and about one in three die within a year. Anything that stresses your cardiovascular system, and your musculature, is like an insurance policy – not just against dying prematurely, but also for maintaining quality of life in later years.' It's also an insurance policy for slowing down neurodegeneration and dementia, he adds. 'There are very interesting links between loss of cerebral volume – especially in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory – and sarcopenia [age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and function]. There isn't a drug combination that comes remotely close to matching exercise for providing comprehensive benefits for brain health.' Turning 60 is a milestone for many reasons – and while it's useful to know you now qualify for free London bus travel, that fact alone is depressing enough. That's before you even come to take the accompanying photo. Do try to look your best – but don't take it too hard if the image ends up looking like a mugshot, advises Lucinda Chambers. 'You're going to look at that bus pass photo for the next 20 years, so you might as well look cheerful. Having said that, mine looks like Prisoner: Cell Block H...' Generally speaking, our experts say it's important to glam up – and rail against the dying of the light. PR expert Fiona Harrold says, 'It's about self-worth. Because if you don't care about how you look, how are other people going to respect you? You're projecting an image of yourself to the world every time you step out the front door. Do you see yourself as attractive, groomed? Because your vibe will go down if you walk around constantly looking dishevelled. We automatically equate that with a loss of va-va-voom – or even depression. We've got to let go of what 59 or 60 looks like in our heads, because it's changed. We all know biological ageing and chronological ageing are two different things now.' Veteran journalist Virginia Ironside agrees: 'I know lots of people who say, 'Oh great. I'm old – I can let myself go.' But that's fatal. You must always be clean, have your hair looking nice, try to keep reasonably thin. Keep your standards up – eat at a table, change your sheets every couple of weeks.' It's very fogeyish behaviour to complain about loud music, tiny sharing plates – or eating off a roof tile – says Jennifer Sharp, former restaurant editor of Harper's Bazaar. She'll happily trek miles to a modern Korean joint in Hackney to try the latest cuisine. She loves eating solo and is a fan of the communal tables available for walk-ins. 'I like all the well-priced small plates that let you trawl through the menu without breaking the bank.' Regularity, she believes, is the enemy of life. 'The easiest way to stay feeling young is to be curious. I never feel I know everything – whether it's food or art or movies or politics. Stay open to new experiences and opinions. Say yes to things.' It's mortifying enough to eavesdrop on the conversations your younger colleagues are having – but to be mistaken for one of their grandparents when you've popped out for a lunchtime snack together is even worse. But there's no shame in being called out for your age, says poet and author Sarah-Jane Lovett. Instead of trying to hide our advancing years – or our grandparenting status – we should revel in the fact that being a modern grandmother or grandfather is something to celebrate. Lovett – a grandmother of two, currently writing a book called The Glamma Diaries – insists: 'We are gods and goddesses of sorts, the elders who bring insight and wisdom to bestow upon the youngers. The trick is to create a force field of magic, underpinned with a firm but kind air of grooviness. Obviously, no one wants to get cancelled for doing the wrong thing – but grandmothers are brilliant at spotting diplomatic minefields and circumnavigating them with aplomb.' And what happens when your woke grandchildren come to stay? She adds: 'As the absolute Queen of the Diplomatic Corps, you will always be prepared with the diplomatic bag – and a heaving fridge full of gluten-free pasta, dairy-free cheese, nut milk, coconut yoghurt and Nosecco. So you really are the ultimate 21st-century gal when the smalls arrive.' Elderly female relatives once had a weekly shampoo and set – and never went out in the rain. We've come a long way since then, but many of us still hide behind a heavy fringe or wispy locks we trim ourselves. The decision to go grey or not is unimportant (just look at super-agers Helen Mirren and Andie MacDowell). But a sharp cut can take off decades – so keep investing in that hairdresser's appointment. 'I firmly believe women can embrace new styles at any age,' says celebrity hair stylist Dar Barot. 'It's about taking that first step and being open to transformation. When hair obscures your face, it can hide features such as well-shaped eyebrows, beautiful eyes, defined cheekbones, a strong jawline – and especially the neckline and shoulders, which are crucial for creating a youthful appearance. A sculpted haircut that frames your face should emphasise these features, while complementing your body shape.' And men shouldn't be complacent either – shaggy eyebrows, unkempt nose hair and a bad comb-over are definite turn-offs. 'My own bugbear is the fade haircut – shortening the hair on the sides and back of the head, with longer hair on top – for older men,' says Barot. 'It resembles a hat rather than enhancing their features. It was also Hitler's favourite hairstyle, so be warned.' You might have raised them – but when your own kids have babies, it can lead to some awkward moments when it becomes clear they're unwilling to trust their precious bundle with you. 'When your beloved offspring and their partner tell you the new thinking on pregnancy, childbirth or child-rearing that they've gleaned in their ante-natal group or from Instagram, listen, keep quiet and do not express an opinion,' advises Lovett. 'If they wax lyrical about placenta encapsulation, don't use the word ridiculous or the phrase 'we didn't do that in my day.' Just swallow and say, 'That sounds great.' 'No one wants to hear about the dark ages – ie before 1990 – and no one ever acknowledges that you've gone through this experience yourself. Understand that while you, until fairly recently, reigned supreme in your family, you are, in one blow, felled. So hold on to the life skills you have acquired and use them with steely dignity – empathy, listening well, cooking for everyone. Modern, shiny parents are there to make us look as if we didn't have the foggiest idea of what we were doing. They are a glossy brigade, with their spreadsheets and everything accessible on an app – and we must also learn from them. They take no prisoners, not even if you gave birth to them.' Okay, so there's an entire sitcom – One Foot in the Grave – dedicated to the phenomenon of men getting grumpier and grumpier as they age. But while Victor Meldrew might have been a bit of an old curmudgeon, he definitely tried to keep himself busy when he wasn't shouting at the TV. 'When you're passively sitting in front of the television, not much is going on in there,' says Prof Kieran Clarke, 73, emeritus professor of physiological biochemistry at the University of Oxford. 'Concentrating is really good for your brain,' she explains. 'Puzzles keep the connections up and the electrics going. You're concentrating all the time and the synaptic connections between neurones are functioning properly.' Watching upsetting news is also genuinely bad for our health. 'Only worry about things you can do something about. Don't worry about anything you can't do anything about,' counsels Prof Clarke, who reads a book instead of looking at her phone before bed. She also advocates listening to Radio 4 and the World Service. 'It helps the cells regenerate, it keeps you stimulated. It's like exercising the brain.' Probably the hardest challenge of old age is finding a new partner if you've been struck by death or divorce. The temptation is to shut up shop to new admirers – but that would be ignoring the fact there's a very buzzy later-life dating scene out there. 'Dating is all about the mindset. If you're open to new experiences and meeting others, and you're easy to approach, you'll naturally attract the right kind of attention,' says Niloufar Lamakan, 66, whose new novel Aged To Perfection tackles 60+ dating using apps, as well as other, more adventurous ways of meeting potential new partners. 'Being open doesn't necessarily mean compromising, but involves giving people and situations a chance.' Lamakan advocates practising openness physically – opening your arms, breathing in and welcoming the world every morning. 'Having fun and being in the moment is also an attractive trait. Being advised to find a hobby might sound like a cliché, but it's a great way to do something you enjoy and increase your chances of meeting someone. But, if you're happy being single, make the most of the freedom and find your own tribe to enjoy life alongside.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
